Kids' War Art is 'Window to Their Souls' as Pain Grows

Church-run summer camps offer traumatized children 'oasis of hope' amid missile bombardment

In Ukraine, a 10-year-old boy sketched this picture while sitting in church. Everything for these kids is about the war, said Eric Mock, who frequently travels to Ukraine with U.S. mission organization Slavic Gospel Association (SGA, www.sga.org ).

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)

April 29, 2024

LOVES PARK, Ill., April 29, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- Kids War Art is Window to Their Souls as Pain Grows -- Children in Ukraine, for whom death and destruction has become part of life, are expressing themselves through war art -- giving a heart-wrenching window into their young minds and souls.

Eleven-year-old Sophias wartime artwork shows missiles raining down while a girl in traditional dress -- perhaps Sophia herself -- sits under an umbrella, surrounded by a hopeful splash of bright yellow sunflowers.

Everything for these kids is about the war, said Eric Mock, who frequently travels to Ukraine with mission organization Slavic Gospel Association (SGA, www.sga.org). Their life consists of nightly air raids their friends dad is not coming home from the frontline their dad is not coming home.

Kids in Ukraine dont know if tomorrow will come.

The United Nations calls the wars impact on Ukraines children particularly appalling, with 7,000 schools out of action.

Nearly two-thirds of Ukraines children have been forced to flee their homes. And an estimated 1.5 million children are at risk of post-traumatic stress and other mental health conditions, the U.N. says.

Increasingly, Ukrainian children are using paints, crayons and pencils to show whats going through their minds. Many of their drawings consist of war images, missiles, and rocket launchers.

Drawing Drones, Missiles in Church

Angela, a pastors wife, noticed a 10-year-old boy sketching during a church service. His pencil drawing, left behind on the church pew, shows a soldier launching a surface-to-air missile at a drone.

I said to my husband, Look what kids draw in their sketch pads in church, she said. Children dont deserve to have their childhood stripped away from them.

Ten-year-old Maryna has suffered the full horror of war.

Surgeons had to amputate her crushed leg after a shell exploded next to her home. Now she wears a prosthetic. She panics when she hears any loud noise.

I wish that (people in America) never see things that I have seen in the war, Maryna said, and that they would never have war.

Click here to watch Maryna share her thoughts.

Like thousands of children across Ukraine, Maryna is bravely dealing with huge psychological stress and life-changing injuries, said SGA president Michael Johnson. Only her strong faith in God carries her through.

In a few weeks, Maryna is looking forward to going to a church-run childrens summer camp. Its an opportunity to forget the war for a few days and have fun with other kids her age.



This summer, Illinois-based SGA is supporting local churches as they organize and run childrens camps across Ukraine and the former Soviet Union, including Russia and Belarus. At the camps, kids can be kids  giggling and playing games as well as listening to Bible stories.

Click here to watch a short video.

Supported by U.S. donors, the camp program aims to give more than 75,000 children a brief oasis of hope from the war and their often-dire circumstances at home, frequently marked by addictions and domestic violence.

Some camps have to be held in bomb shelters, said Mock, the organizations senior vice president. Were trying to turn these kids hearts and minds away from the destruction and pain surrounding them to the hope of the Gospel and the love of Christ.

Founded in 1934, Slavic Gospel Association (SGA, www.sga.org) helps forgotten orphans, widows and families in Ukraine, Russia, the former Soviet countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Russian-speaking immigrants in Israel  caring for their physical needs and sharing the life-transforming Gospel. SGA supports an extensive grassroots network of local evangelical missionary pastors and churches in cities and rural villages across this vast region.

SOURCE Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)

CONTACT: DeWayne Hamby, 423-505-0041, dhamby@inchristcommunications.com
2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award launched in Beijing

People's Daily Online) 10:16, April 29, 2024

The 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award, an international event involving the six Lancang-Mekong countriesChina, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnamwas launched in Beijing on April 24.

The launch was attended by Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of the China International Communications Group (CICG), Zhao Chenggang, minister counsellor of the Asian Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Zin Mar Htwe, minister counsellor of the embassy of Myanmar in China, as well as diplomats from countries along the Mekong River, and guests from the media, universities, civil society organizations, and businesses, both domestic and international.

Guests cut the ribbon at the launch of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the event)

Gao congratulated the launch of the event. He noted that CICG has strengthened comprehensive and multi-level exchanges and cooperation with countries along the Mekong River under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) framework in recent years, and achieved new progress and results.

These cooperative projects are expected to enhance cultural exchanges among countries along the Mekong River, and lead to fruitful outcomes and foster mutual learning and understanding among civilizations, said Gao.

Gao Anming, editor-in-chief of the China International Communications Group (CICG), delivers a speech at the launch ceremony of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the event)

In his video speech, Zhao said that China and countries along the Mekong River are connected by mountains and rivers, and natural partners for cooperation.

Over the past eight years since the LMC mechanism was initiated among Lancang-Mekong countries, and under the strategic guidance of their leaders, efforts in building a Lancang-Mekong community with a shared future have continued to deepen and consolidate, Zhao pointed out.

The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award has become a calling card for cultural and youth exchanges, he said, noting that the competition will further enhance people-to-people exchanges among the six countries and improve mutual learning among civilizations.

Zhao Chenggang, minister counsellor of the Asian Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, delivers a video speech at the launch ceremony of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the event)

Over the past eight years, the LMC has made remarkable strides and delivered tangible benefits to the people of countries along the Mekong River, said Zin Mar Htwe.

Myanmar will continue to actively carry out cooperation with China, and uphold the principles and spirit of LMC. Together, they can promote mechanism building, deepen practical cooperation, and contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region, she added.

Zin Mar Htwe expressed hope that the competition can serve as an expanded platform for cultural and artistic exchanges, and foster mutual learning between China and countries along the Mekong River.

Zin Mar Htwe, minister counsellor of the embassy of Myanmar in China, delivers a speech at the launch ceremony of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award. (Photo courtesy of the organizer of the event)

Zin Mar Htwe, minister counsellor of the embassy of Myanmar in China, participates in a collaborative process of creating a piece of artwork at the launch ceremony of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jing)

A diplomat from the embassy of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in China participates in a collaborative process of creating a piece of artwork at the launch ceremony of the 2024 Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award. (People's Daily Online/Wang Jing)

Under the theme, "Green Power, Lancang-Mekong's New Day," designers in the competition will showcase the different aspects of Lancang-Mekong energy cooperation through their creative designs.

Since 2020, the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Art and Design Award has been held regularly, and has been functioning as a bridge of art that closely connects Lancang-Mekong countries.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing on Sunday, and both sides pledged to advance bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that China and Bolivia enjoy a traditional friendship featuring mutual understanding and support. The year 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bolivia. China is willing to work with the Bolivian side to take this opportunity to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote China-Bolivia strategic partnership to a new level.

Wang said that both sides should continue to strengthen political mutual trust; enhance exchanges and cooperation between the governments, legislatures and political parties of the two countries; strengthen exchange of governance experience; synergize development strategies; and tap into the potential for cooperation in new areas such as digital economy, plateau agriculture, information and communication, and green development.

China and Bolivia should enhance coordination on multilateral strategies, jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and firmly safeguard the common interests of the Global South, said Wang, adding that China is willing to work together with Bolivia and other Latin American and Caribbean countries to promote the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future.

Sosa noted that China is an important strategic partner for Bolivia, saying Bolivia hopes to upgrade cooperation with China in various fields such as economy and trade. Bolivia welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country.

Bolivia firmly supports the one-China principle, and the global initiatives proposed by China. Bolivia is willing to promote Latin America-China relations, Sosa said.

After their talks, the two foreign ministers witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the foreign affairs academies of the two countries.
Mental illness and inadequate access to mental health treatment can lead to poverty, homelessness and substance abuse issues, which often results in a never-ending cycle of incarceration and court involvement.

According to data reported by the National Center for State Courts, more than 2 million people with serious mental illnesses are arrested each year.

People with mental health issues are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system. Seven of every 10 inmates in the county jails and state prisons have a mental illness diagnosis or an addiction. People suffering with mental illnesses are 10 times more likely to be incarcerated than they are to be hospitalized or in a treatment facility.

The statistics are clear. Criminalization and punishment without addressing the root of the problem simply does not work, and the human and financial cost of this approach is immense.

Courts are at the front line of this issue and can be a vehicle for meaningful change. Cases involving someone with an underlying mental illness are present in all dockets. Reforms are needed to better equip the judicial system to address the mental health crisis.

In March 2020, the Conference of Chief Justices established the National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts Responses to Mental Illness. Working in collaboration with the National Center for State Courts, the task force engaged in research to develop best practices and made over 100 recommendations in a report issued in July 2022.

One fundamental recommendation is for courts to divert people with behavioral disorders toward treatment instead of criminal conviction. Diversionary programs achieve excellent outcomes.

Many jurisdictions have established mental health courts, veterans courts, and recovery courts for individuals with mental illnesses or substance abuse issues. Instead of entering the criminal justice system, which often becomes a revolving door, certain offenders can get the services they need to rebuild their lives. This is not only more effective but cheaper. The cost of treatment pales in comparison to the high cost of incarceration.

Commentary: Dealing with false facts: How to correct online misinformation Deepfakes of celebrities and misinformation about public figures might not be new in 2024, but they are more common and many people seem to grow ever more resigned that they are inevitable. The problems posed by false online content extend far beyond public figures, impacting everyone, including youth.

Courts are increasingly recognizing the importance of trauma-informed approaches when dealing with people with behavioral health disorders, which requires collaboration with mental health experts and addiction treatment providers, coordination with law enforcement, and additional training. This multifaceted approach is essential to effectively manage these challenges.

New Jersey has been at the forefront of many of these reform efforts and has made great strides over the last two decades. Criminal justice and municipal court reforms have substantially reduced incarceration rates for low-risk cases.

The New Jersey Recovery Court is one such initiative that focuses on treatment, intense supervision and a collective approach to help criminal defendants address their addiction. Only 2% of Recovery Court participants re-offend compared with 30% of all adult offenders. Diversion and treatment works.

The William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University recently hosted a panel event on this topic. During the forum, retired Atlantic County Recovery Court Judge Mark Sandson highlighted the New Jersey Judiciary Opportunities for Building Success (JOBS) program.

This cutting-edge initiative has connected over 4,000 probation and Recovery Court clients with meaningful employment. The program provides the participants with financial stability and the pride of having a job, increasing their chances of rehabilitation.

The Hughes Center forum also featured Iyana James, associate director of justice involved services at Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties. James shared the innovative ways JFS helps nonviolent offenders get the support they need.

New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Lee Solomon headlined a segment on wellness in the legal profession. The court established the Wellness in the Law Committee in May of 2023 to ensure lawyers and judges are also able to access necessary mental health support. Justice Solomon serves as the chair.

Judge Nan Waller of Oregon and Judge James Bianco of California, members of the aforementioned judicial task force, also participated to provide their perspective on best practices in this area.

Guest Commentary: Prosecution, diversion, second chances and bail reform Since June 2022, The Atlantic County Prosecutors Office has demonstrated a comprehensive approach to criminal justice, balancing tough prosecution with progressive reforms. Justice requires compassion, empathy, conviction, integrity and understanding for the victim and the defendant.

These initiatives are paving the way for meaningful change. New Jersey has the potential to be a national leader on this front. Continuing to improve how these public health issues are managed in the court system will make the judicial process fairer for all and promote rehabilitation over recidivism.

Julio Mendez is the retired assignment judge for the Atlantic-Cape May Vicinage and a senior contributing analyst for the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.
WEST LIBERTY  For the second year in a row, the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre is giving local puppeteers who are just starting in the scene to show their skills and make a debut to their community.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 4, Eulenspiegel Puppets will present a puppet festival for new or inexperienced puppeteers, ages 7 and up. The event will be held at the West Liberty Community Center, 1204 N. Calhoun St.

We think its going to be a really good time, and were really looking forward to it, Eulenspiegel founder and puppeteer Monica Leo said.

This years event will feature a dozen amateur groups, each having written their own plays and created their own puppets  which will come in a variety of styles for audience members to enjoy, from hand and rod puppets to shadow and tabletop puppets  and scenery, in addition to their performance.

We want to promote our art form and make sure that there is a next generation of puppeteers, especially since puppetry is a really interesting multi-media artform. Its also something that kids are really fascinated with," Leo said.

Some of the performing groups include three after-school groups from West Liberty, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, local groups consisting of siblings and neighborhood friends, a retired librarian and an artist from Fairfield. Leo noted that a few of these performers were also featured at last years festival.

Were really pleased that we have a couple of adults participating this year too, alongside our child groups, because puppetry isnt just for kids, Leo said. We also expect the event to continue growing bit by bit each year, which were really excited about.

In addition to the amateur performances, Jim Napolitano of Nappys Puppets in Connecticut will help host the event as the master of ceremonies. He and his shadow puppet vignettes will be given a bit of the spotlight, as he will perform short pieces throughout the day between shows and then closing the day with a 3 p.m. performance.

This is a free event, with residents still being invited to come watch Napolitanos 3 p.m. show even if they are unable to attend the rest of the festival. Eulenspiegel also welcomes guests to donate what they wish to help defray expenses.

For further information on the event or other upcoming events, call 319-627-2487 or email monica@puppetspuppets.com. For more information about Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre, visit www.puppetspuppets.com.

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In preparing the liturgy for this years Quad Cities Holocaust Remembrance, known as Yom HaShoah, Rabbi Linda Bertenthal of Temple Emanuel and Congregation Beth Israel said it has been tough going amid the war between Israel and Hamas.

Bertenthal said the members of the Yom HaShoah Committee were of various faiths, including Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Everybody has differing opinions about whats going on in Gaza, she said. This is the most agonizing preparation of the Yom HaShoah liturgy that Ive ever experienced.

Were trying to write about whats going on now, and there is a huge spectrum of opinions and were trying to come up with statements of truth that wont offend anybody, she added.

The 43rd annual Quad Cities Holocaust Remembrance, or Yom HaShoah, will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 5, at the Paul V. Galvin Fine Arts Center at St. Ambrose University in Davenport.

The event is free and open to the public. It is sponsored by the Yom HaShoah Committee of the Quad Cities, Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, Temple Emanuel, Congregation Beth Israel, Churches United, Augustana College, St. Ambrose University and Eastern Iowa Community Colleges.

This years program is called, Echoes of the Holocaust: Lessons for Today.

The liturgy will deal with the lessons of the Holocaust and how they apply today.

Bertenthal says there are people who deny the atrocities committed by Hamas soldiers during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The Oct. 7 denial is, to us, much like the denial of the Holocaust," she said.

Allan Ross, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Quad Cities, said they always knew there was some antisemitism across the country, including on college campuses.

But everyone was taken by surprise by the sudden swelling of antisemitism after the Oct. 7 attacks, Ross said. What were doing is fighting back. Were using whatever resources we have and supporters that we have to push back on this Jew-hatred and Israel-hatred.

We cannot allow another Oct. 7 to happen, whether it comes from Hamas, Hezbollah or Iran, he said.

Its a tragedy that many civilian Palestinians have been killed who did not approve of Hamas, Bertenthal said. But Hamas soldiers and civilian supporters of Hamas have also been killed, and tragedy is an inevitable part of war.

Each year, the Yom HaShoah features essay and art contests in which young students participate, she said.

Thats part of the beauty of the event, Bertenthal said. We award prizes for the best essay and best artwork, and we list all of the winners and celebrate them. The winner of the essay contest gets to read their essay during the Yom HaShoah program.

In the past, parents were saying, Im really excited my kid won this award, she said.

Now, she added, parents are asking organizers not to reveal the childrens names because they might be set up as a target.

Bertenthal said Israel had not been without blame. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has allowed more settlements in the West Bank, which has not been a step toward peace.

Some government officials are ultra-nationalists that want the Arabs gone, she said. Its been terrible, and our hands arent entirely clean.

We have to be cognizant that the Palestinians have suffered in many ways, she added. Theyve suffered from some bad decisions their own horrible leadership has made, and theyve suffered from some bad decisions Israel has made. Theyre having to struggle to keep their own citizens safe from terrorists, and Israel struggles to defend itself from terrorists.

The keynote speaker for the event is Sol Nayman, a Holocaust survivor from Poland. Nayman is active in Holocaust education, and a participant in the International March of the Living, which is May 6. The March of the Living is an annual educational program that brings students from around the world to Poland, where they explore the remnants of the Holocaust.

Correction: Yom HaShoah is May 5. The date was incorrect in an earlier version of this article.

Photos: Stolen silver heirlooms headed back to descendants
Virginias growing field of Democratic hopefuls for lieutenant governor just got a new entrant. Two-term state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, filed paperwork Monday to formally enter the race.

She joins a 2025 Democratic nomination contest that already includes Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney; Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach; and Dr. Babur Lateef, an eye surgeon who chairs Prince William Countys School Board.

On Tuesday, when Stoney and Rouse jumped into the contest, Hashmi said she had no comment on the lieutenant governors race at the moment but added: We are going to have a big announcement next week.

Hashmi did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday.

Hashmi, the first Indian American and the first Muslim woman to serve in Virginias Senate, unseated Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Richmond, in 2019 before winning reelection in 2023, defeating Republican challenger Hayden Fisher.

No Republican has yet announced a run for lieutenant governor. The incumbent, Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, has not yet indicated whether she will run for governor next year or seek reelection as lieutenant governor.

John Reid, a conservative morning radio host at Richmonds WRVA, told listeners in March that he is exploring a run and might seek the position if Earle-Sears runs for governor.

Before entering politics, Hashmi earned a doctorate in American poetry from Emory University in Georgia. She is a former administrator at Reynolds Community College.

In this years legislative session, Hashmi sponsored a number of high-profile bills, including a measure to guarantee a right to contraception. After the legislature passed the bill, Gov. Glenn Youngkin offered amendments  which Hashmi said gutted her bill.

During the reconvened session this month, lawmakers did not take up Youngkins amendments. The governor will now decide whether to sign or veto the bill in coming weeks.

Hashmi has advocated for a number of health care bills, including supporting various reproductive rights bills, in an effort to enshrine abortion protections into the states constitution.

She also proposed a measure that would have allowed for medically assisted suicide.

Analysts see potential Richmond-area split

Bob Holsworth, a veteran political analyst and former dean at Virginia Commonwealth University, expects Hashmi could do well in Chesterfield County and could compete with Stoney for primary votes in Richmond and Henrico County. While she may be less widely known around the state than Stoney, Holsworth thinks she has the potential to tap into some grassroots fundraising and organizing.

While the Democrats have largely all supported abortion access, Holsworth said Hashmi has the most distinctive record on that issue, which has been so crucial to many elections recently for Democrats.

Democratic strategist Atima Omara echoed Holsworth on the progressive lean Hashmi represents, but said there is still time to see where the candidates fall on more issues.

As a state senator, Hashmi has worked to carve out a progressive lane for herself, Omara said. Stoney and Lateef both are liked and supported by a lot of folks in what would be considered the establishment of the Democratic Party. And Rouse is a newer elected who will have to define himself clearly as to what he brings to the table.

She and Holsworth noted that each announced Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor has advantages, like the ability to attract loyal voters in their home bases or fundraising.

Holsworth suspects Stoney will be able to tap into a large donor base due to his longtime association with the Democratic Party of Virginia and his closeness to his political mentor, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe. (The former governor had already endorsed Lateef for lieutenant governor before Stoney announced he would run for the No. 2 spot. Now, a spokeswoman says, McAuliffe is backing both candidates.)

Rouse, a former Virginia Beach City Council member, has shored up endorsements from top Democratic lawmakers in Hampton Roads, an area that Stoney had been courting while a gubernatorial candidate.

Omara said it is important for candidates to stake a claim, particularly in the regions where they are already more familiar. She expects central Virginia could be more supportive of Stoney or Hashmi.

Hashmi was born in Hyderabad, India, and arrived in the U.S. as a young child in 1969. Her family settled in Statesboro, Georgia, where her father taught American government at Georgia Southern University.

Hashmi, who became a U.S. citizen in 1989, eventually met her husband, Azhar Rafiq, and, in 1991, settled in Richmond, where both found jobs in higher education.

Hashmi was living in Virginia when the effects of then-President Donald Trumps travel ban levied on seven majority-Muslim nations rippled through Washington Dulles and other international airports across the country.

She has said it prompted her to become more politically involved and to run for office  to prove that she and other members of her faith belong.

Between Hashmi and the rest of the Democratic field so far, Omara notes how diverse the candidates are in several ways.

This is a very racially diverse field of candidates and candidates are younger, Gen X and millennials, Omara said. I think that its great that were seeing a change in candidates that reflects a changing and more diverse Virginia.

From the archives: Byrd Field
BLACKSBURG  Pro-Palestinian protesters linked arms to protect Muslim participants during late afternoon prayers at Virginia Tech, minutes after student organizers warned of a potential police crackdown during a third day of demonstrations on Sunday.

Hundreds participated and more people watched as chants continued outside the Graduate Life Center on campus in Blacksburg.

Around 10:30 p.m. Sunday, police were setting up a a perimeter and warning anyone inside it to leave or be arrested, including media.

Buses with police officers were arriving.

The university issued an alert as well, warning of a heavy police presence in the encampment area.

The crowd redoubled on Sunday afternoon, as rumors spread about potential police intervention, said student organizers who requested not to be named.

Protesters chanted that they wanted to hear from university President Tim Sands about the schools stance on Mideast conflict.

Were not leaving Tim Sands, the crowd chanted. Until you meet our demands.

Among those, protesters want Virginia Tech to divest any funds it has invested in Israel, and be more transparent about where the universitys foundation invests its money.

Virginia Tech, pick a side, the crowd chanted. Liberation or genocide?

Jack Leff, a graduate student and activist, announced into a megaphone that authorities wanted everyone gone by 6 p.m. The crowd booed.

The police have threatened to clear the encampment, Leff said. If we do not leave, they are going to try to arrest us.

He warned international students and people with prior arrests to leave and to not risk legal trouble.

The more people that stay, the safer we all are. We keep each other safe, Leff said. But you have to make that decision for yourself and your family.

On the scene, officers for Virginia Tech Police Department did not answer questions. Neither did university spokespeople when contacted by phone and email on Sunday.

Were going to bail you out as quickly as possible, Leff said to protesters. Hopefully by the end of the night, if you are arrested.

Addressing the crowd, assistant professor of political science Bikrum Singh Gill said Virginia Tech is part of a nationwide student uprising.

We know this institution profits from military-industrial weapons that are taking limbs off of children, Gill said. Using weapons that one way or another Virginia Tech profits from.

Rather than hear out its students, Gill said he believes the university administration wants to threaten and intimidate using police.

Theyre trying to intimidate and silence us, Gill said. The more they try to silence us, the louder we will be.

Muslim protest participants rolled out prayer rugs for their late-afternoon Asr, one of the five daily salat times in the Islam faith. Non-Muslim protesters locked arms and sat in a circle around the devotees.

Students waved the Palestinian flag, protesters wrote signage on the backsides of pizza boxes and a young boy led chants into the megaphone.

-Staff writer Payton Williams contributed to this report.
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Students take part in the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University in New York City, the United States, April 26, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel.

The growing protests underscore latest escalations in the Israel-Palestine conflict, which, coupled with the Biden administration's doubles down on Israel support, have fueled anti-war sentiments within the United States, with public dissatisfaction with the government mounting rapidly.

However, what faces the almost peaceful protests are tough measures from the universities and local authorities, with over 700 individuals having been arrested so far.

Protests boiling

On April 17, student protesters opposed to Israel's war in Gaza have camped out on the Columbia University campus, calling for the university to financially divest from companies and institutions that "profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."



In just 10 days, universities across more than 30 states in the United States have been swept by waves of protests. As reported by Bloomberg, as of Friday, there are at least 50 sit-ins at colleges across the country, spanning from Ivy League institutions to state schools nationwide.

On Thursday, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the top public universities in the United States, hundreds of protesters gathered and built a protest encampment in support of Palestinians.

Protesters displayed signs on campus with slogans such as "Let Gaza live," "This is not war, this is genocide," and "Stop the massacres," calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for the universities to disclose and divest financial holdings tied to Israel and U.S. weapons makers.

The UCLA rally came one day after another pro-Palestinian protest against the Israeli war in Gaza at the University of Southern California's (USC) Los Angeles campus, where over 90 protesters were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department in hours of clashing.

"Shame on you! Shame on you!" demonstrators chanted as the police took away students and off-campus activists.

Cruel crackdown

The USC is not the only place where local authorities have taken tough measures against protesters. According to the New York Times, since the nationwide protest erupted on April 17, hundreds of students from nearly 20 U.S. universities have been arrested.



In Texas, police bulldozed into student protesters at the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday. More than 50 people were arrested, reported local media outlet Austin American-Statesman.

Meanwhile, many university administrations have been actively working to shut down the demonstration and, in some cases, punish participants.

Amid widespread protests on campuses, the USC on Thursday canceled its main stage graduation ceremony for students that had been planned for May 10. This decision came after Muslim student Asna Tabassum was barred from delivering her valedictorian speech due to her public advocacy for supporting Palestine.

Such crackdowns and punishment have sparked a backlash from professors. With hundreds of pro-Palestine students arrested and more and more campus protests disbanded, educators are increasingly showing support for students.

"Rather than respond to faculty and student concerns about the canceling of Asna Tabassum's valedictorian speech and the arrest of peaceful protesters, the USC has unfortunately doubled down on its authoritarian approach and simply canceled an aspect of graduation that students earned and looked forward to," USC assistant sociology professor Brittany Friedman was quoted by the Guardian as saying.

"It is disheartening to see the current state of higher education in our country, the mass exposure of students to police violence, and the complete disregard for what the USC claims to stand for," said the professor.

In New York, some New York University educators were arrested shortly after shielding Muslim students as they prayed, while professors at the City University of New York physically united to create a barrier separating their students from the police.

"To get to our students, you have to get through us," they chanted in unison.

In fact, the protests are not limited to the United States. Following the Columbia encampments, the protests have further spread to universities from France to Australia. In Australia, for example, students from the University of Sydney set up pro-Palestine encampments and unfurled banners reading "Columbia First, USYD next," while University of Melbourne students pitched tents on the south lawn of their main campus.

Israel well sheltered

The Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip has so far left more than 34,000 dead and about 77,000 wounded, most of whom were women and children.

While the anti-war protesters continue to demonstrate their sympathies over the civilian casualties as they refuse to yield in the face of crackdowns, the response from the U.S. administration and certain politicians seems indifferent to public sentiment.

On Wednesday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Columbia University's president to resign. "We just can't allow this kind of hatred and antisemitism to flourish on our campuses, and it must be stopped in its tracks. Those who are perpetrating this violence should be arrested," he said.

While responding with excessive and vehement condemnation of domestic peaceful protests, the U.S. administration turns a deaf ear to the cries from Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden signed a 95-billion-USD foreign aid bill recently, in which 26 billion U.S. dollars go to Israel despite international criticism over the civilian casualties the Israeli army caused in Gaza.

Weapons to Israel remain "sacrosanct" in Washington, and the aid package highlights a "huge gap" between Democrats in Congress and rank-and-file voters, including those currently protesting at colleges nationwide, Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, was quoted by The Hills as saying.

They're calling on all the other parties in the region to be restrained, whereas they "encourage Israelis to act with total impunity," Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy think tank, told Al Jazeera TV.
ICICI Bank exposed credit card data of 17000 customers

Pierluigi Paganini April 28, 2024 April 28, 2024

ICICI Bank, a major private bank in India, mistakenly exposed the sensitive data of thousands of new credit cards to unintended recipients.

ICICI Bank, one of the leading private banks in India, accidentally exposed data of thousands of new credit cards to customers who were not the intended recipients.

ICICI Bank Limited is an Indian multinational bank and financial services company headquartered in Mumbai. It offers a wide range of banking and financial services for corporate and retail customers.

The bank has a network of 6000 branches, and 17000 ATMs across India and has a presence in 17 countries.

The bank blocked 17,000 credit cards due to a technical bug in its mobile banking app, iMobile. The glitch allowed users to card details of other customers. Exposed financial information includes credit card numbers, expiry dates, and card verification values (CVV).

The bank became aware of the glitch after some customers reported it on social media.

As an immediate measure, we have blocked these cards and are issuing new ones to the customers. the ICICI Bank spokesperson told the newspaper Times Of India. We regret the inconvenience caused. No instance of misuse of a card from this set has been reported to us. However, we assure that the Bank will appropriately compensate a customer in case of any financial loss.

The bank states that the incident impacted about 0.1% of the banks credit card portfolio.

ICICI Bank is issuing new credit cards to the impacted customers.

In April 2023, researchers at Cybernews reported that ICICI Bank leaked millions of records with sensitive data, including financial information and personal documents of the banks clients.

Pierluigi Paganini

Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon

(SecurityAffairs  hacking, data leak)
SIOUX CITY  Multiple Northwest Iowa companies and products have a chance to make a little history.

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) and MidWest One Bank are sponsoring the first-ever "Coolest Thing Made in Iowa" competition and some familiar names made the list of 68 nominees from across the state. American Pop Corn Co. in Sioux City, Century Farms Distillery in Spencer, Dobson Pipe Organ Builders Ltd. in Lake City, GOMACO Trolley in Ida Grove, Merrill Manufacturing in Storm Lake and Wells Enterprises in Le Mars all made the cut. As did Yunga Tart LLC which is based in Minnesota but makes the "Shoe-Ute" product in Hawarden.

The products with the most votes will advance to the Top 16. Individuals may vote once per day, per device, through April 30, according to the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa website.

"Manufacturers employ nearly 225,000 Iowans and produce incredible products that are distributed locally, nationally and globally," ABI President Mike Ralston said in a release. "This is another opportunity to showcase their work and draw attention to what happens right here in our backyard."

The winner will be announced at ABIs annual Taking Care of Business Conference, which is being held in the Quad Cities from June 4 - 6.

Wells Enterprises Todd Eschweiler of Ankeny hands an ice cream cone to his daughter, Audrey, 9, and Paige 6, as employees Sophie Bixenman and Kody Koerselman ma

Popcorn Koated Kernels BJ McClellan holds a 35-pound bag of Jolly Time Gold Mine popcorn kernels as she her mother, Robbie Rohlena, stand in their Koated Kernels ret

GOMACO Trolley March 14, 2008: GOMACO Trolley, Ida Grove, employee Lee Hemer cuts a bit more off of a piece of trim for a trolley the company is making for a

"It was easy for us to decide to participate in the 2024 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest," Wells Enterprises Director of External Communications Lesley Bartholomew said. "Ice cream is definitely a 'cool' product and Blue Bunny is well-known and loved by Iowans across the state. We were excited to nominate our Blue Bunny Mini Swirls since they are a Wells invention that not only is a favorite in Iowa but is a best-seller nationwide."

Wells Enterprises, the second-largest ice cream maker in the U.S., was acquired by Italian confectioner Ferrero, maker of Nutella, in 2022 after more than a century of family ownership. Wells still maintains its headquarters in Le Mars as well as a sizable manufacturing operation in the Plymouth County seat.

Wells Enterprises Two new menu items, a monster peanut butter cup sundae and a lemon meringue float are displayed during a media tour of Wells Visitor Center &a

Tracy Boever, the senior director of marketing for the American Pop Corn Company, best known for its Jolly Time brand, said the Sioux City staple felt privileged to be recognized not just for its legacy but for its "unwavering commitment and meticulous quality of our employees."

"Every popcorn product produced is a symbol of their dedication, ensuring that families everywhere can savor the joy and excellence we bring to their home," Boever said.

Garry Smith and cousin Carlton, who remain on the American Pop Corn board of directors, stepped away from the company's day-to-day operations earlier this. The Smiths are great-grandsons of Cloid H. Smith, who founded the American Pop Corn Co. in 1914. Steve Huisenga, who has spent nearly his entire career (and more than half his life to this point) with the American Pop Corn Co., is now at the helm as president.

American Pop Corn Steve Huisenga Steve Huisenga, the newly-named president of the American Pop Corn Company is shown March 5 at the company's Sioux City popcorn facility. Huis

One of the first trolley projects from GOMACO was for Lowell, Massachusetts, from 1982 through 1984. A division of the GOMACO Corporation, started by Harold Godbersen in 1965, the manufacturer of authentic vintage trolley cars has done work across the state, throughout the country and around the world. In 2016, GOMACO's Taroko Park project had its grand opening in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

"We are definitely used to people being blown away by the unique work we do, so we think being 'Coolest in Iowa' would be a natural fit, and we hope the voters will help us to the next round," GOMACO Trolley Company Manager Lex Jacobson said.

GOMACO Trolley Friday, March 14, 2008: GOMACO Trolley, Ida Grove, employee Mark Hamman sands a piece of trim as he makes incremental changes to get it to fit

Begun in a one-car garage in Des Moines 75 years ago by Noel Merrill Anderson, Merrill Manufacturing of Storm Lake submitted its "AnyFlow frost-proof yard hydrant" for the contest.

"It is amazing to see the variety of products in the contest. Our state is full of innovation," Angie Jones, director of marketing said. "We're excited to see the outcome and our team has been having fun rallying for votes on social media."

At least one of the Northwest Iowa products to made the cut can be imbibed.

Century Farms Distillery of Spencer has its "Single Barrel Straight Bourbon" on the list.

"We think this is a perfect fit for the Coolest Thing in Iowa contest because, at our core thats who we are." said Century Farms Marketing and Sales Manager Katie Kardell "We work individually with family farms to make their bourbon and then label every bottle we sell with a QR code that tells the unique story of that family and their farm."
SIOUX CITY -- An Onawa, Iowa, woman was arrested Saturday on suspicion of forcing her way into a Sioux City apartment and slashing a resident's arm with a knife.

In a complaint filed in Woodbury County District Court, Desiree Buckman is accused of walking up to the front porch of an apartment in the 1300 block of Court Street at about 8:38 p.m. Saturday and asking one of the residents for money.

When the resident attempted to go inside the residence, Buckman, armed with a knife and a long metal stick, pushed her way inside. Another resident came to the door to help get Buckman out of the apartment and was cut on his left forearm when Buckman swung the knife at him.

Buckman, 37, was arrested and booked into the Woodbury County Jail on one count of first-degree burglary, a Class B felony. Her bond was set at $25,000.
 Flash

Thailand's Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara on Sunday announced his resignation from the ministerial post, the official Thai News Agency (TNA) reported, citing his resignation letter sent to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.

The resignation came as Parnpree was removed from his position as Deputy Prime Minister following a reshuffle of several cabinet members in the Srettha government, as endorsed in the Royal Gazette on Sunday.

Emphasizing the importance of the Deputy Prime Minister position for Thailand's foreign policy, Parnpree told the TNA that without the dual role, his ability to effectively advance the kingdom's foreign policy interests may be hampered.

Traditionally, Thailand's Foreign Minister meanwhile holds the Deputy Prime Minister position, enhancing their stature and facilitating smoother negotiations during overseas engagements, he was quoted as saying.
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- A Storm Lake man has pleaded not guilty of attempting to rob another man at gunpoint.

Netipan Ludwig, 37, entered his written plea Friday in Buena Vista County District Court to one count of first-degree robbery, a Class B felony.

According to court documents, Ludwig approached a man in the 200 block of East Fifth Street on March 2, displayed a handgun and demanded money, then fled into a nearby apartment building after learning the man wasn't carrying any cash.

On March 5, the Storm Lake Police Department's Entry Team and Buena Vista County Sheriff's SERT team executed a search warrant at an apartment at 220 E. Fifth St. and located Ludwig. During a search of the apartment, police located a BB gun pistol in Ludwig's bedroom matching the description of the gun displayed in the robbery.
A dog was found with duct tape covering his head and holding his legs together shortly before the dumpster was emptied. Now he is back recovering with his family.
LOS ANGELES  On a recent afternoon, Grant Oh zigzagged across the University of Southern California campus as if he was conquering an obstacle course, coming up against police blockade after police blockade on his way to his apartment while officers arrested demonstrators protesting the Israel-Hamas war.

In many ways, the chaotic moment was the culmination of a college life that started amid the coronavirus pandemic and has been marked by continual upheaval in what has become a constant battle for normalcy. Oh already missed his prom and his high school graduation as COVID-19 surged in 2020. He started college with online classes. Now the 20-year-old will add another missed milestone to his life: USC has canceled its main commencement ceremony that was expected to be attended by 65,000 people.

His only graduation ceremony was in middle school, and there were no caps and gowns.

"It's crazy because I remember starting freshman year with the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which came after senior year of high school when the Black Lives Matter protests were happening and COVID, and xenophobia," he said "It feels definitely surreal. It still shocks me that we live in a world that is so fired up and so willing to tear itself apart."

Oh, who is getting a degree in health promotion and disease prevention, added that his loss of a memorable moment pales in comparison to what is happening: "At the end of the day, people are dying."

College campuses have always been a hotbed for protests from the civil rights era to the Vietnam war to demonstrations over apartheid in South Africa. But students today also carry additional stresses from having lived through the isolation and fear from the pandemic, and the daily influence of social media that amplifies the world's wrongs like never before, experts say.

It's not just about missed milestones. Study after study shows Generation Z suffers from much higher rates of anxiety and depression than Millennials, said Jean Twenge, a psychologist and professor at San Diego State University, who wrote a book called "Generations." She attributes much of that to the fact that negativity spreads faster and wider on social media than positive posts.

"Gen Z, they tend to be much more pessimistic than Millennials," she said. "The question going forward is do they take this pessimism and turn it into concrete action and change, or do they turn it into annihilation and chaos?"

Protesters have pitched tents on campuses from Harvard and MIT to Stanford and the University of Texas, Austin, raising tensions as many schools prepare for spring commencements. Hundreds of students have been arrested across the country. Inspired by demonstrations at Columbia University, students at more than a dozen U.S. colleges have formed pro-Palestinian encampments and pledged to stay put until their demands are met.

The campus will be closed for the semester at California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, which has been negotiating with students who have been barricaded inside a campus building since Monday, rebuffing an attempt by the police to clear them out.

USC announced Thursday that it would be calling off its main graduation ceremony after protests erupted over not only the Israel-Hamas war but the school's decision earlier this month to call off the commencement speech by its valedictorian Asna Tabassum, who expressed support for Palestinians. Officials cited security concerns.

"By trying to silence Asna, it made everything way worse," Oh said, adding that he hopes there will be no violence on graduation day May 10 when smaller ceremonies will be held by different departments.

Maurielle McGarvey graduated from high school in 2019 so was able to have a ceremony but then she took a gap year when many universities held classes only online. McGarvey, who is getting a degree in screenwriting with a minor in gender and social justice studies at USC, called the cancellations "heartbreaking," and said the situation has been grossly mishandled by the university. She said police with batons came at her yelling as she held a banner while she and fellow demonstrators said a Jewish prayer.

"It's definitely been like an overall diminished experience and to take away like the last sort of like typical thing that this class was allowed after having so many weird restrictions, so many customs and traditions changed," she said. "It's such a bummer."

She said the email by the university announcing the cancellation particularly stung with its link to photos of past graduates in gowns tossing up their caps and cheering. "That's just insult to injury," she said.

Students at other universities were equally glum.

"Our grade is cursed," said Abbie Barkan of Atlanta, 21, who is graduating from the University of Texas in two weeks with a journalism degree and who was among a group of Jewish students waving flags and chanting at a counter-protest Thursday near a pro-Palestinian demonstration on campus.

University of Minnesota senior Sarah Dawley, who participated in pro-Palestinian protests, is grateful graduation plans have not changed at her school. But she said the past weeks have left her with a mix of emotions. She's been dismayed to watch colleges call in police.

But she said she also feels hope after having gone through the pandemic and become part of a community that stands up for what they believe in.

"I think a lot of people are going to go on to do cool things because after all this, we care a lot," she said.

Gaza war protests ignite on US college campuses
Over the past six months, Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, has stressed repeatedly that he is concerned about rising antisemitism. Unfortunately, he has also made clear that he cares about antisemitism only as he defines it and as it affects people who agree with him on the definition.

The ADL is arguably the most prominent organization in the country dedicated toward countering antisemitism. It is not that the ADL has not faced criticism before (earlier this year, a report from the Intercept charged that the ADL had lobbied for counterterror legislation that singled out Palestinians). Nor is it the case that the ADL has never before chosen to cooperate with law enforcement or authority over forging solidarity with left-wing Jews. (Indeed, it did so during the Red Scare.) Still, the group is the go-to American organization on antisemitism, and it also played a prominent role in championing civil rights historically. It has also been a resource for me personally: I have, over the years, interviewed and been greatly informed by various ADL staffers, and have turned to the organizations research in my own writing and thinking on antisemitism. I believe that a civil rights organization to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all, the founding principle of the ADL, remains necessary in this country.

But the ADL, under the leadership of Greenblatt, is insisting on conflating anti-Zionism and antisemitism, and it has made this conflation central to the ADLs work. This has not only muddied the waters of its own antisemitism research, it has also undermined the safety, security, and pluralism of American Jews.

For example, the ADL reportedly mapped protests for a cease-fire led by the Jewish groups Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow as antisemitic incidents. The ADL also, in its report on antisemitism this year, updated its methodology to include certain anti-Israel incidents in its calculation of how much antisemitism had risen. This not only makes it more difficult to see what the actual year-over-year change in antisemitic incidents wasof course an increase will seem more dramatic if you are now counting incidents that you werent beforebut it also arguably undermines the rest of the ADLs reporting on antisemitism. If the group tracking antisemitism considers pro-Palestinian speech or differences in foreign policy preferences to be motivated by antisemitism, how seriously will those who disagree with the ADL on foreign policy take its calls to tackle antisemitism?

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At least as troubling as the new research methods, though, are the statements and posture of Greenblatt himself. Some observers thinking that he privileges support for Israel over civil rights is not new; a Jewish Currents story from 2021 revealed that former ADL employees felt Greenblatt was choosing defense of Israel over protecting civil liberties, one of the groups stated missions. In March of last year, the same publication published a report on internal dissent over Greenblatt comparing pro-Palestinian groups to the extreme right.

But if this had been a running undercurrent, the past six months have thrown it to the surface. In November, mere days after X boss Elon Musk called an antisemitic conspiracy the actual truth, Greenblatt praised Musks suggestion of banning the terms from the river to the sea and decolonization from the platform.

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In a speech at Brown University in February, Greenblatt reiterated that he thought anti-Zionism was antisemitism, and said he wanted to define the terms before activists who participate in BrownU Jews for Ceasefire Now start to object. The next month, addressing the Never Is Now Conference, Greenblatt similarly dismissed the editors at left-wing Jewish magazines that very few of us actually read, and said, I must say, I have to share: What amazes me is that when ADL says that anti-Zionism is antisemitism, or when the Hillel director says that the mob chanting from the river to the sea [is],  journalists at major newspapers dont listen to the victim. Instead, they literally go looking for an alternative point of view.  Youve all read these paragraphs: To be sure, Professor So and So says or the head of Jewish Voice for Peace counters  

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These students and professors and activists are also Jewish. Again, historically, the ADL has had as its mission not only to protect Jews, but also to protect civil liberties for Jews and all Americans; on its website today, one can still read that the ADL stands up for religious freedom and against discrimination. It is thus theoretically Greenblatts job to defend these ostensibly little-read journalists and Professors So and So, too, even if he disagrees with them on Israel. Instead, he has repeatedly used his platform not to defend their right to expression even as he disagrees with their definition of antisemitism, but to undercut them. That isnt just abandonment of part of the ADLs mandate, but an abandonment of some of the people who are at risk of antisemitism.

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In the past week, this dynamic has intensified. Speaking outside Columbia University last week, Greenblatt suggested that the National Guard may need to be called to ensure the safety of Jewish students. In 1970, the National Guard killed four anti-war student protesters at Kent State; as Jamie Beran, head of progressive Jewish group Bend the Arc reminded Greenblatt in an open letter, three of those victims were Jewish. Given that there are indeed Jewish students participating in the protests today, it is possible that Jewish students (in addition to, and no less concerningly, non-Jewish students) would be hurt by force should state authorities suppress the protests. Greenblatt also compared the protests to an explicitly neo-Nazi march in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, where marching demonstrators chanted Jews will not replace us. Then, in a particularly shocking moment, Greenblatt went on television and likened the group Jewish Voice for Peace to Hezbollah, calling it an on-campus proxy for Iran.

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I understand Greenblatt disagrees with JVP, which is anti-Zionist. I understand that when he speaks about Jewish students, he is not speaking about the Jewish students sitting as part of the protests. Still, I do wonder how, exactly, likening a Jewish student group to a terrorist organization helps stop the defamation of the Jewish people, or secures justice and fair treatment to all.

What makes this especially baffling is that Greenblatt did not need to do this to make his point about antisemitism on campus. It would be easy enough to say something like, I disagree with these students on everything related to Israel, but I am glad they feel safe on campus. But safety on campus for Jewish students shouldnt hinge on their views on Israel.

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But perhaps saying something more along those lines would not have been easy for him. Doing so would have required him to admit that these are Jewish students, albeit ones with whom he has profound disagreements, and to acknowledge that they see the world differently than he does, and are motivated by different principles.

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I can understand that Greenblatt is motivated by a desire to defend not only Israel, but also the American Jews who see support for Israel as an important part of their Jewish identities. Is it really so hard for him to imagine that other American Jewsparticularly Jews born in this century, a decade after the Oslo Accords, who have only seen the situation on the ground move farther out of peaces reachare motivated by wanting an end to war? That they see Israel as more culpable for the death in Gaza than he does? That they see Israel as carrying out actions that are at odds withnot extensions oftheir own Jewishness? That they, too, feel they deserve to have a say in what constitutes antisemitism?

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If that really is so hard to imagine, Greenblatt, and by extension the ADL, has a problem: Younger American Jews are increasingly critical of and feel disconnected from Israel. Not all younger American Jews, of course. But per the Pew 2020 study on American Jews, 51 percent of those between ages 18 and 29 were not emotionally connected at all to Israel, compared to just 32 percent of those 65 and over who said the same; unsurprisingly, younger American Jews were also less likely than their older counterparts to say that caring about Israel was an essential part of being Jewish. More recently, in November 2023, the Jewish Electorate Institute found that American Jews under the age of 36 were much likelier to disapprove of Bidens handling of Israels war. And earlier this year, a survey by the American Jewish Committee found that younger American Jews were less likely to view antisemitism as a very serious problem. And while the AJC poll found that nearly 90 percent of Jews over 30 believed that the statement Israel has no right to exist was antisemitic, that number dropped to 67 percent for those under 30.

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Greenblatt, then, is committing something worse than a failure of imagination. He is failing to stand up for the rights of all American Jewsnot only the ones with whom he agrees. This failure will likely become more pronounced, not less, with time. One cannot simply insult or defame younger Jews into changing their positions or interpreting the news differently.

Still, he can try. And its entirely possible that, in the end, Greenblatt will win the fight over the definition of antisemitism, over who counts as a Jewish student. After all, he is the head of a major Jewish organization, and, in pushing these definitions and boundaries, hell have some powerful allies on his side (including non-Jews who have made common cause with open antisemites). In the process, hell have used his position as leader of the ADL to make clear that some Jews are more worthy of protection and political representation than others.
A version of this story was featured in the Surge, Slates weekly newsletter about all the most important political nonsense. Subscribe now!

Just a week ago, House Speaker Mike Johnson was under heavy fire from the right flank of both his conference and the Republican base at large after putting Ukraine aid up for a vote. His speakership didnt seem long for this world. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had already written up the paperwork to oust the guy. When Congress returns to work this week, that saga could resume.

But how much have you heard about Johnsons precarious employment in the past few days?

Very little, because the true enemies of the people have once again reared their ugly heads: leftist college students. Across the country, students have set up encampments in the center of universities to protest the governments handling of the Israel-Hamas war and their schools investments in Israel. There is nothing, nothing, that either broadcast media or the Republican Party loves more than students attending $90,000-per-year universities complaining (about anything, really), and its sucked all of the attention out of the room.

So, incidentally, its been a timely political gift to Johnson, not only for presenting a useful shift in media focus but for providing him the ability to lean into it and win back favor from the right. Johnson and other Republicans visited the Columbia University encampment last week to protest the protesters, who heckled him throughout his remarks, precisely as hed hoped they would. Enjoy your free speech, he quipped.

There is, of course, another entity that may be Johnsons real salvation.

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The speaker visited Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago earlier this month for a joint event on election integrity. The real purpose, however, was to cozy up to the former president as Johnson prepared to risk his job on the Ukraine assistance vote.

This act of desperation paid off. Johnson, one way or another, persuaded Trump to stay neutral over the Ukraine vote rather than to actively come out swinging against it. (Turning a portion of the assistance into a loan, while mostly a gimmick, then crediting Trump with the idea, was useful here.) But the visit also persuaded Trump to back Johnson himself, too, against the calls for revolution coming from Greene.

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Well, look, we have a majority of one, OK? Trump said of Johnson in a radio interview this week. Its not like he can go and do whatever he wants to do. I think hes a very good person. You know, he stood very strongly with me on NATO when I said NATO has to pay up.  I think hes trying very hard.

The enduring loyalty Trump has shown Johnson will last all the way until the instant Johnson says anything that can be construed as unflattering to Donald Trump.

In other words, no one will be more upset at the end of the college semester than Mike Johnson.
Keeping up with Donald Trumps court schedule is a dizzying task, since he faces two federal trials, a criminal trial in Georgia, and two separate civil and criminal trials in New York. (Oh, and hes running for president.) To make it easier to follow along, each Monday well be looking back at all the Trump trialrelated developments you might have missed the previous week.

Last week, the Supreme Court considered the question of whether Donald Trump should be shielded from federal prosecution by presidential immunity, and a majority of the conservative justices seemed ready to side with the former president. Meanwhile, in New York, Trumps hush money trial continued, with prosecutors for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg introducing their first witness. And in Arizona, the state attorney general announced a new criminal indictment over the Trump teams fake electors scheme.

The Supreme Court might grant Trump some immunity

Last week, the Department of Justice and Trumps lawyers argued over presidential immunity at the Supreme Court in a case that could make or break special counsel Jack Smiths federal election interference indictment. And after nearly three hours of oral arguments, a majority of justices seemed poised to give the former president a hugely consequential win.

John Sauer, Trumps attorney, argued the presidency as we know it would be over if presidents were not granted immunity from criminal charges, claiming that vindictive prosecutors would target them for any controversial decisions made in office as soon as they leave it. He also reiterated an argument that Trumps legal team has used to push back against all of his criminal indictments: Congress must impeach and convict Trump before he can be criminally prosecuted. Meanwhile, Michael Dreeben, a lawyer representing Smiths office, emphasized that the Supreme Court has never recognized absolute presidential immunity and that the Constitution already has multiple checks to prevent vindictive prosecution of a former chief executive.

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The justices ultimately focused on whether a presidents official acts could be criminally prosecutedand if so, what distinguishes official acts from private ones. Justice Brett Kavanaugh (a Trump appointee) suggested that prosecutors could only charge a former president under criminal statutes that explicitly state they can be applied to presidents, which justice Sonia Sotomayor quickly pushed back on. If we say a president cant be included in a criminal law unless explicitly named, then that would bar the Senate from convicting him for high crimes or misdemeanors, she argued. Because that means that [Trump] is not subject to the law at all. (As Sotomayor also pointed out, there are only a tiny handful of criminal statutes today that explicitly name the president.)

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In an analysis of the days oral arguments, Slates Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern explained that the courts conservative justices made it clear they disapproved of Smiths indictment of the former president. To at least five of the conservatives, the real threat to democracy wasnt Trumps attempt to overturn the electionbut the Justice Departments efforts to prosecute him for the act, they wrote.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a final decision in June and could end up kicking part of Trumps appeal back to the U.S. Court of Appeals to reconsider. The procedural back-and-forth means Smiths already slim chances of putting Trump on trial before the November election are looking even slimmer.

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Arizona indicts Trumps inner circle

Its been nearly one year since Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes launched a criminal investigation into the fake electors schemein which Trump supporters plotted to overthrow their states 2020 election results for Joe Bidenand it has finally produced a criminal indictment.

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Mayes has indicted 18 people, including former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, and John Easton, adviser Boris Epshteyn, and aide Mike Roman. The former president himself is not named in the indictment, but is most likely Unindicted Co-conspirator 1.

Arizona is now the fourth state to announce a criminal indictment stemming from the fake electors scheme, joining Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada. Meadows, Giuliani, Ellis, and others allegedly pressured Arizona GOP officials to keep Trump in power, leading to 11 Trump supporters organizing in the days after the 2020 election to send a false certificate to Congress certifying Trump had won the state of Arizona. (He didnt; Biden won by 10,457 votes.)

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Arizona was an especially sensitive loss for Trump; Fox News was the first network to call the state for Biden, with about 73 percent of the vote counted. Trump then declared the election was a fraud and said states should just stop counting any votes and leave it up to the Supreme Court to decide.

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The hush money trial continues with a key witness

David Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc. and was a key ally to former president Trumpuntil now. During last weeks hush money trial, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg introduced Pecker to the jury, and the former executive offered pretty damning testimony.

Pecker outlined a strategic effort by then-candidate Trump to influence the 2016 election by controlling what stories would get published in tabloids owned by Pecker, like the National Enquirer. The two men held meetings where Trump checked in on the status of hush money payments to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who claimed she had an affair with Trump. Once elected, Trump even held a thank-you dinner for Pecker at the White House. (Heres a refresher on who is who in Trumps hush money trial.)

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Related From Slate The Key Players in Trump's Hush-Money Trial Read More

Slates Jeremy Stahl, who is in court covering the trial, explained that Peckers testimony enabled prosecutors to tie Trump directly to the conspiracy to influence the electiona crucial element of the case that elevated the record-keeping offense to a felony.

The prosecution also brought in Rhona Graff, Trumps personal assistant who worked for the Trump Organization for 34 years. She testified that she had a vague recollection of seeing Stormy Daniels at Trump Tower and confirmed Trump had both Daniels and McDougals contact information.

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It has now been two weeks since Trumps hush money trial began and Braggs strategy is becoming clear: Hes making the case that Trump and his allies deliberately organized a scheme to keep damaging stories about him out of the press in order to protect his political image leading up to the 2016 election. And it wouldnt be a true Trump trial without a battle over a gag order, which started after Trump publicly criticized witnesses across 10 separate posts on his Truth Social account. Meanwhile, the former president is continuing to complain that the courthouse is freezing.
In democracy, there is no place for normalisation calm.

Pellegrini, Fico and Danko (left to right) signing their memorandum of understanding under the painting of Ludovit Stur. (Source: Sme - Marko Erd)

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I did not come to bring peace, said Jesus of Nazareth. A few years after his departure, a mysterious Jewish sect comprised of his followers became a huge movement, in a few decades spreading throughout the Mediterranean, later destroying pagan religions and the Roman political system.

Calm can be neither established nor declared, because it is not a state that comes from outside, but a feeling formed to a certain extent in regards to external circumstances.

In extermination camps, there were people who, in addition to not being afraid of the Nazi death machine, were able to spread calm even in the final minutes of their lives.

People in extreme situations, doctors, paramedics, police and firefighters can keep calm in difficult, life-threatening moments when everyone knows exactly what to do and how to do it.

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Related article A Czech Slovakia: A country destined by history to fail Read more

A country with no way out

If the Slovak Republic functioned in crisis situations like rescuers in a dramatic car accident, we would not have to discuss this out-of-this-world calm, but about the ability to manage difficult moments, such as the pandemic or the beginning of the Russian war in Ukraine.

In order to do that we must not vote for immature individuals, unable to control themselves and their childish ideas about colour, women and religion. Restlessness, deep restlessness, or at least deep concern are therefore more characteristic of our society.

They mimic the hopeless feeling of a country that had everything to become a prime example of European prosperity; today it has [PM Robert] Fico's unfinished motorway to Kosice, which should have been built by 2010, the demolished Razsochy hospital in Bratislava, unfinished tunnels, and strange trains.

Slovakia does not lack calm. What Slovakia lacks are children whose reading and mathematical skills are not at the level of developing countries. Slovakia does not lack false calm; it lacks the decision to do something fundamental, so that two-thirds of young people do not consider leaving the country.

Slovakia needs finished roads and fast trains, modern hospitals providing health care that people do not have to arrange for through acquaintances, staffed with educated people who will not decide to leave, because this is their home like it is home to those who consider fascist Russia to be their rogue homeland.
The law to dissolve RTVS has yet to clear parliament but its fate appears to be sealed.

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Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. Ministers okay a law that will enable RTVS to be turned into a state propaganda organ. Ficos government intensifies pressure on the Supreme Court.

If you have a suggestion for how to make this overview better, let me know at michaela.terenzani@spectator.sk.

RTVS will become STVR

Dolna Krupa is known for many things. The small municipality outside the western Slovak city of Trnava surrounds a park with a mansion where Beethoven composed his Moonlight Sonata. In recent years, it has made the news for being home to the headquarters of the Slovak chapter of the Russian motorcycle gang  and Putin fan club  the Night Wolves. As of last Wednesday, it is also the place where the government of Robert Fico sealed the fate of Slovakias public-service broadcaster.

Government ministers agreed to back the new law, which will pave the way for RTVS to be reconstituted as a propaganda machine, during an out-of-office session at the premises of the collective farm in Dolna Krupa. The cabinet travelled to the village to stress the point that at their April 24 session they were focused on dealing with the alarming state of unpaid farmers subsidies (their response was to introduce zero-interest loans to carry farmers through the weeks and months of waiting for their assigned funds). They picked a farm headed by the Slovak Agricultural and Food Chambers president, Emil Macho, that happens to belong to the Agrofert group of former (and possibly future) Czech prime minister Andrej Babis, a billionaire.

Journalists and other employees at RTVS staged a black day of protest last Thursday, with people on the screens wearing only black.

Coalition avoids past weaknesses

The new law was proposed by Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova, whose department oversees the media. Simkovicova  a one-time TV presenter; later a starlet of the disinformation scene known for spreading misleading information about Covid vaccination and the war in Ukraine, among other things; and, most recently, an amateur art critic  was nominated for her ministerial post by the junior coalition partner, the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS). But Fico, who leads the Smer party, explicitly supported her and the law she is sponsoring during a visit to the Culture Ministry earlier in the week, during which he called her critics spiritually homeless and urged her to push the changes through as quickly as possible.

Yet, contrary to Fico and others earlier stated intention, the law will not be passed via a fast-tracked procedure. They had planned to justify using the minimum-scrutiny procedure by citing supposed human rights violations. During his Culture Ministry visit, Fico repeated this claim, saying that RTVS is violating peoples rights because  he alleges  it is biased.
Sightglass Coffee stared in 2009 in San Francisco by brothers Jerad and Justin Morrison. In that time, the coffee shop and roastery grew to three Bay Area locations and another in Los Angeles. In 2018, the Morrisons accepted outside funding from GingerBread Capital, a venture capital firm that [invests] in women leading high-growth-potential businesses, per their website. Now, the Morrison brothers are out at Sightglass, with the board appointing a new CEO, former Starbucks corporate exec Sharon Healy.

GingerBread is not the first outside investor in Sightglass. The brand somewhat famously counted Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey as one of its initial investors. Fast forward 15 years and Sightglass has received multiple rounds of funding from GingerBread for undisclosed amounts and have become part of an investment portfolio with a board to make business decisions. Most recently, that business decision has been to seek outside leadership with the Morrison brothers [steeping] down from the business to pursue other endeavors, per the press release.

For that, the board tapped Sharon Healy. Healy has spent over 30 years on the retail and sales side of the food and beverage industry, with 10 of them at Starbucks, where she was a National Account Executive, overseeing relationships with large scale licensees like retailers Safeway and Kroger as well as Sodexo, the largest food service management company in North America. Now, she is at the helm of the San Francisco coffee brand with close to 100 employees.

Sightglass is a special brand adored by those who cherish super-premium coffee. Im excited for the opportunity to introduce our brand to a wider audience and guide it toward its full potential, Healy states in the press release.

The hiring of Healy appears to be a move to bring Sightglass into more major retail chains nationwide. With her track record for creating new revenue streams and growing market share with major retailers in the food and beverage industry, Sharon is the right executive at the right time to lead Sightglass into its next phase of growth, states Linnea Roberts, GingerBread Capitals found and CEO and a member of the Sightglass board.

For more information, visit Sightglass Coffees LinkdIn page.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/chinas-right-to-cooperate-with-russia-should-not-be-restricted---foreign-ministry-1118176858.html

China's Right to Cooperate With Russia Should Not Be Restricted - Foreign Ministry

China's Right to Cooperate With Russia Should Not Be Restricted - Foreign Ministry

Sputnik International

China has a right to normal trade and economic cooperation with Russia, which should not be interfered with and undermined, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Monday.

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"China's right to engage in normal trade and economic relations with all countries of the world, including Russia, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit should not be interfered with or undermined," Lin told a press briefing.The US is constantly supplying Ukraine with arms, while at the same time making baseless accusations about normal economic ties between China and Russia, the spokesman added. On Friday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States was prepared to take measures against China beyond those already taken if Beijing did not stop supporting Russia. The West stepped up sanctions pressure on Russia after the start of Moscow's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. It has also recently started imposing sanctions on third parties allegedly cooperating with Russia in the military field or helping Moscow circumvent existing sanctions.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/critical-fallout-after-violent-arrests-of-emory-university-protestors--1118166668.html

Critical Fallout After Violent Arrests of Emory University Protestors

Critical Fallout After Violent Arrests of Emory University Protestors

Sputnik International

Though the arrests were not as high as others schools, it may have been the quickest and most violent. Pepper balls, stun guns and rubber bullets were reportedly used against protesters.

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americas

israeli-palestinian conflict

palestine-israel conflict

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brian kemp

joe biden

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On Thursday, dozens of Atlanta police officers and Georgia state troopers descended on an encampment of Emory University protestors and arrested 28 people including three faculty members. Though the arrests were not as high as others schools, it may have been the quickest and most violent. Pepper balls, stun guns and rubber bullets were reportedly used against protesters.During the crackdown, an Emory economics professor experienced a violent arrest in which a cop grabbed her and appeared to violently curse at her to get on the f****** ground and then flipped her onto the ground, smashing her head into the sidewalk in the process. The professor was reportedly attempting to intervene during the arrest of a student, and is now being charged with battery against a police officer, despite not touching the police officer nor the student."To sustain this level of blind support for Israel, the U.S. must erode its own democracy. And that is what we see happening on U.S. campuses now," said Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.Emil Keme, a professor of English and Indigenous studies at Emory said that the scene on her campus resembled that of a war zone.Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, who is a Republican, issued a statement saying, College campuses  in Georgia  will never be a safe haven for those who promote terrorism and extremism that threatens the safety of students.The Emory arrests came a week after Columbia University suspended more than 100 students for setting up an encampment in solidarity with Gaza, where more than 34,000 Palestinians have been brutally killed by the US-backed Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since October. Columbia asked the New York Police Department to clear protestors from the camp which led to over 100 arrests and fueled pro-Palestinian protests across the country with at least 20 college campuses taking part in the encampment protests.Police arrested 108 protestors at Emerson College in Boston on Thursday morning as well. And prior to that, state troopers in riot gear arrested nearly 60 protesters on Wednesday at the University of Texas in Austin at the behest of Governor Greg Abbott. Also on Wednesday, officers took 93 people into custody at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Arrests have also been made at Ohio State University and Princeton University.The American Association of University Professors called the arrests "antithetical to the mission of higher education."The Biden administration has not directly addressed the protests nor their demands since Monday, though US President Joe Biden did suggest that the student protests were antisemitic.Since the clash on Emorys campus, one professor wrote a motion of no confidence in the university president, Gregory Fenves. Another professor said he would like to see a public apology from Fenves. A statement from 19 state legislators also opposed the  [universitys] use of extreme anti-riot tactics  [and] a dangerous escalation to protests which were by all accounts peaceful and nonviolent.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240426/pro-palestine-student-protest-in-washington-continues-despite-demands-to-remove-camp-1118132384.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240428/israel-rejects-calls-for-independent-investigation-into-mass-graves-1118150731.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/democrats-and-republicans-deaf-to-their-voters-opposing-ukraine-and-gaza-conflicts-1118176675.html

Democrats and Republicans Deaf to Their Voters Opposing Ukraine and Gaza Conflicts

Democrats and Republicans Deaf to Their Voters Opposing Ukraine and Gaza Conflicts

Sputnik International

Campus protests over Washington's support for Israel's war on Gaza have engulfed the US. Over 1,000 demonstrators have been arrested on at least 15 college campuses across the country over 10 days.

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palestinians

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ilhan omar

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US student demonstrations calling for a ceasefire in Gaza have intensified over the past weeks  with encampments popping up on more than three dozen campuses from Loyola University New Orleans to the University of New Mexico and from UCLA to Northwestern University.To date, over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 77,000 have been wounded since the beginning of Israel's war in the Gaza Strip, in revenge for the deaths of some 1,300 Israelis killed during the armed break-out by Hamas and other Palestinian groups on October 7, 2023, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.The spike in student protests was visible when 108 were arrested at New York City's Columbia University on April 18. New York police said US Democratic lawmaker Ilhan Omar's daughter, Isra Hirsi, was among those detained.A day earlier, Columbia University president Nemat Shafik and other university leaders told Congress that they were cracking down on unauthorized demonstrations, sending warning letters to students and subjecting them to sanctions.Undeterred, students started to put up tents before dawn on the morning of Wednesday April 17 for a sit-in protest in support of the Palestinians in Gaza on the South Lawn of Columbia Universitys Morningside Heights campus.The demonstrators occupied the lawn for 30 hours, despite the threat of being suspended. Eventually, Shafik called the police and over 100 were brutally arrested, prompting other student campuses to hold demonstrations in solidarity.According to news website Axios, the demands of those in the encampments are similar:The US media admits that University administrations have responded to the protests in unprecedentedly harsh ways, after finding themselves unable to curb the tide of demonstrations. "The encampments and sit-ins have been largely peaceful, with little to no conflict until the point of police intervention," Axios acknowledged.The police interference has by no means disheartened the students, instead prompting new actions and demonstrations.After police arrested 47 at Beinecke Plaza at the center of the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut, on April 22, the protest swelled even further. About 250 protesters gathered in support of the detainees as they were put onto police buses. Soon hundreds of demonstrators blocked the intersection of Grove and College Streets and occupied it for nine hours.US legislators from both main parties had sharp criticism for the student protests, denouncing them as anti-Semitic  even though some of the protesters are Jewish. A group of Jewish Columbia University students celebrated the Passover Seder meal on April 23 while rallying for the pro-Palestinian cause."All this outrage is closing in on another institution, the Democratic Party, and its leader, President Joe Biden," warns the Economist, drawing parallels with the Dems snubbing the 1968 student protests against the war in Vietnam which cost the party the White House.The US president continues to provide military aid to Israel, prompting some protestors to call him "genocide Joe." The US delegation to the UN in New York has also vetoed several Gaza ceasefire resolutions in the Security Council. That stances risks losing Biden the support of the Democrat's base  youths, progressives, non-whites and American Muslims  in November's elections.On the other side of the political aisle presidential candidate Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson and senior GOP lawmakers have also snubbed their voter base, which opposes funding for the Kiev regime's war effort.Fifty-one percent of Americans disapproved of US lawmakers passing the new $61 billion Ukraine package, the DC-based Democracy Institute found last week. Republican voters are especially skeptical about Washington's proxy war in Ukraine at a time when the southern border is wide open to illegal migrants, criminal gang members and drug traffickers.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240427/land-of-the-free-how-us-lawmakers-restrict-students-right-to-peaceful-protest-1118148426.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240427/jewish-student-protester-shatters-myth-of-antisemitic-campus-demonstrations-1118133061.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240428/new-israeli-hostage-deal-proposal-involves-restoring-sustainable-calm-in-gaza---reports-1118154757.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240425/us-pollster-deep-state-wanted-to-ensure-trumps-imprint-on-failed-ukraine-policy-1118112654.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/european-parliaments-anti-iran-resolution-exposes-the-blocs-weakness-1118180792.html

European Parliament's Anti-Iran Resolution Exposes the Bloc's Weakness

European Parliament's Anti-Iran Resolution Exposes the Bloc's Weakness

Sputnik International

The recent vote in the EU Parliament indicates that, while the bloc is trying to send a tough message to Iran, it cannot intimidate the Islamic Republic.

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The EU Parliament's latest resolution on Iran's strike against Israel was both hypocritical and toothless, according to the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft (QI).The resolution avoided mentioning that Tehran's strike came in response to Israel's attack on the Iranian embassy compound in the Syrian capital Damascus that killed two high-ranking Iranian generals.While mentioning that the Iranian consulate was bombed, the document pretends that the perpetrator is unknown.MEPs proposed two key measures to punish Tehran:Although the measures may seem harsh, the parliament's resolutions are not legally binding. To become EU policy, any resolution must be unanimously approved by leader's of the bloc's 27 member states in the European Council.The DC think-tank offered two reasons why such a decision is unlikely.First, triggering a of the UN sanctions on Iran would require approval from Washington, and US President Joe Biden has recently made it clear that he is not interested in further escalating tensions with Iran ahead of the November elections.Re-imposing UN restrictions may lead to Iran abandoning the Non-Proliferation Treaty and completely denying access to its nuclear facilities for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, the QI argued. This, in turn, could prompt Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conservative government to launch an all-out attack on the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities, lead to a full-blown Iran-Israel war. "A big war in the Middle East is certainly not what Biden needs in the election year," noted the think-tank.Second, including the IRGC in the EU list of terrorist groups would require nit just the backing of all member states, but a "judicial ruling in an EU member state implicating the IRGC in a terrorist activity."None of the two preconditions appear to be present as Italy and Spain remain skeptical about designating an entire security body of a foreign nation as a terrorist entity, according to the Quincy Institute.The European Parliaments resolution ultimately appears to be "a simple virtue-signaling exercise," the QI said. It does signal that the EU's relationship with Iran is going downhill, but at the same time it shows that the bloc is only capable of noisy saber-rattling.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240425/fallout-of-irans-missile-attack-on-israel-in-pictures-1118108605.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240425/terrifying-israel-may-have-used-iran-conflict-as-red-herring-for-gaza-occupation---report-1118101493.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240423/dc-think-tank-threat-of-iran-israel-war-still-present-1118078836.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/ex-pentagon-advisor-says-russias-mideast-clout-very-strong-while-us-looks-ridiculous-1118176989.html

Ex-Pentagon Advisor Says Russias Mideast Clout 'Very Strong,' While US Looks 'Ridiculous'

Ex-Pentagon Advisor Says Russias Mideast Clout 'Very Strong,' While US Looks 'Ridiculous'

Sputnik International

Russias position in the Mideast looks strong, while the Unites States looks ridiculous, is the curt assessment given by retired US Army Col. Douglas Macgregor in a new post on X.

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Russias position in the Mideast is strong, while the Unites States looks ridiculous, is the frank assessment given by retired US Army Col. Douglas Macgregor in a new post on X.Casting a critical eye on the US strategy in the Middle East, the former Pentagon advisor wrote:The Middle East crisis continues to simmer, with Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip generating a massive humanitarian crisis and Palestinian civilian death toll. However, the Biden administration, which continues to provide Israel with security assistance, has been woefully inept in its crisis management efforts. Suffice it to recall how Joe Biden was snubbed by Middle East allies and the failed shuttle diplomacy of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Since then, Washington has refused to join calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, and directly fueled further violence in the Middle East by launching strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. Numerous pundits have told Sputnik that there are obvious signs that the US can no longer dictate to Middle Eastern players what to do, and even Israel has been disinclined to follow Team Biden's orders.Meanwhile, US-led efforts to isolate Russia with respect to the Middle East have failed spectacularly. Russia's President Vladimir Putin's highly successful Mideast tour in December 2023 to meet with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud sent a strong message to the world.The West's botched bid to smear Russia was underscored by international observers, as they looked upon the pomp and ceremony with which the Russian leader was welcomed in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia - longstanding US allies. The Gaza crisis, pundits noted, threw into focus the erosion of Washington's power in the region.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231206/putins-mideast-tour-why-arab-nations-defy-west-to-boost-ties-with-russia-1115432245.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/german-general-warns-of-fatal-mistake-nato-will-make-if-ukraine-proxy-war-continues-1118179348.html

German General Warns of Fatal Mistake NATO Will Make If Ukraine Proxy War Continues

German General Warns of Fatal Mistake NATO Will Make If Ukraine Proxy War Continues

Sputnik International

Sparked by a bleeding wound of a security crisis in the Donbass and NATOs fanatical push to absorb Ukraine into the Western bloc, the Ukrainian proxy war has become the most destructive European conflict since the Second World War. But things will only get worse if the collective West doesnt return to its senses, a veteran German general fears.

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The powers that be in Western countries behind the prolongation of the Ukrainian crisis are fatally mistaken in their assumption that Kiev could benefit in any way from the crisis with Russia being dragged out any further, retired Luftwaffe General, former Bundeswehr Chief of Staff, and former NATO Military Committee Chairman Harald Kujat has warned.The military situation has become very critical for Ukraine after the failure of the offensive last year, and is becoming more difficult with each passing day. The Ukrainian armed forces have lost the ability to conduct offensive operations and, on the advice of the Americans, are trying to reduce their high losses in personnel through strategic defense, and to hold on to the territory they still control, the general explained.At the same time, Kujat noted that Kiev is now in an extremely vulnerable position in areas crucial for successful strategic defense  lack sufficient air defenses, ammunition for artillery, and suffering a large deficit of trained soldiers, with these deficiencies reinforcing each other in their negative effects.Kujat pointed out that Ukraines recently passed mobilization law  meant to address the deficit in troops, took almost a year to approve, and was designed as a compromise between the need to reinforce Ukraines exhausted and depleted military, and a desire by the government to take into account the increasing resistance of the population to continuing the proxy conflict with Russia.Ukraine has major demographic problems, and has fewer than 200,000 young men ages 20-30 years old to call on, many of them leaving the country. Hence the goals of 400,000 new recruits is questionable at best, in Kujats estimation.With the state of Ukraines military becoming increasingly critical since then, pressure has increased on the West to increase support with more weapons and financial donations. At the same time, blame is already beginning to be assigned in the event that Ukraine suffers a military defeat, the general warned, recalling criticisms coming from Kiev regarding the alleged slow pace of German weapons deliveries, without an explanation of which weapon systems could have changed the course of the war, at which point in time and in what way.Missed OpportunitiesGeneral Kujat, who was one of the few voices in the NATO military establishment who anticipated as early as February 2022 that Russia would not be defeated in Ukraine, recalled that by November 2022, he had been joined in his appraisal by then-Pentagon Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, who said Ukraine had achieved everything it could on the battlefield and should go to the negotiating table.The Ukrainian crisis could have been avoided entirely had the US and NATO been willing to seriously negotiate the Russian draft security treaties proposed by Moscow in late 2021, the general recalled, adding that another opportunity to end the conflict  through talks in Belarus and Istanbul in the spring of 2022, was torpedoed by the West.As the war progressed, Ukraine was never again able to return to such an advantageous position for a negotiated settlement that would take its interests into account to such a great extent. And although the media largely ignores this fact to this day, at least in the United States, the truth is becoming increasingly prevalent, Kujat said, pointing to the publication of an article in Foreign Affairs magazine earlier this month on the Istanbul talks which could have nipped the crisis in the bud.Other misjudgments include the Wests sanctions policy, the general said, recalling that the goal if forcing Russia to stop hostilities without causing economic disadvantages to itself was never even within reach due to a complete underestimation by Western nations of Russias economic staying power, and the negative effects of the sanctions [being] primarily borne by the European states.The misjudgments of Russias military strength has proven particularly serious, Kujat added, noting that while the Russian military was presented as an unmotivated, poorly trained, armed and equipped force led by incompetent and inexperienced commanders, reality has proven otherwise, with the Russian military learning from its early mistakes and dramatically building up its capabilities.Ukraines Deadly NATO AmbitionsCommenting on NATOs recent pursuit of a 100 billion five-year fund of support for Kiev, Kujat said the concept hinges on the idea that the Ukrainian crisis will continue for another five years. The current military situation does not suggest that this is a realistic assessment, the general believes.As for Ukraines ambition to join the alliance, the general stressed that Kiev does not meet any of the criteria set out in Article 10 of the NATO Treaty,  which require unanimous agreement among allies for new members, and that the applicant country is able to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/swiss-daily-speculates-russia-will-liberate-donbass-by-october-forcing-ukraine-to-negotiate-1118172493.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/ukraines-push-for-security-pact-with-us-foreshadows-looming-military-collapse---analyst-1118170362.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240419/lavrovs-insight-into-istanbul-deal-glancing-at-russias-olive-branch-towards-ukraine-1118016096.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/nato-says-not-expecting-agreement-on-ukraines-membership-at-washington-summit-in-july-1118177312.html

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how long will ukraine war continue, will ukraine join nato, who broke off ukraine-russia peace talks
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/hunter-biden-threatens-fox-news-with-lawsuit-over-intimate-images---reports-1118182302.html

Hunter Biden Threatens Fox News With Lawsuit Over 'Intimate' Images - Reports

Hunter Biden Threatens Fox News With Lawsuit Over 'Intimate' Images - Reports

Sputnik International

Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, is threatening Fox News with a defamation lawsuit if the news organization refuses to remove explicit images of him from their platforms, CNN reported on Monday.

2024-04-29T19:04+0000

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Hunter Biden and his attorneys sent a letter to Fox News and Fox Corp. alleging the company committed conspiracy to defame and unlawful publication of the images, which they claim are the result of hacking, the report said. Hunter and his attorneys are seeking public retractions from the company in addition to changes in online articles alleging that Hunter and his father Joe Biden are involved in an international bribery scheme, the report said. According to the report, the move by Hunter is part of a strategy to retaliate against conservative media for actions taken by the company in 2022, which focused on Hunter's bribery allegations and published explicit images of him in the nude, the report said, citing the letter, which also alleges that the images were digitally manipulated. Additionally, the letter demands that Fox News hosts update their viewers about the February indictment of Alexander Smirnov, a former informant charged with lying to the FBI about Hunter Biden's business dealings, the report said. House lawmakers are investigating alleged criminal activity by the Biden family, including potential bribery and foreign influence peddling. Hunter Biden has denied that his father profited from or engaged in his business activities, which include serving on the board of Ukrainian energy company Burisma. US President Joe Biden has publicly defended Hunter, who also faces an upcoming trial for gun charges in Delaware next month. Hunter has maintained that he is not guilty of these crimes.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230817/how-western-big-tech-firms-wipe-away-hunter-bidens-many-sins-1112668508.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/macron-in-favor-of-debating-european-nuclear-deterrent-1118167602.html

Macron 'In Favor' of Debating European Nuclear Deterrent

Macron 'In Favor' of Debating European Nuclear Deterrent

Sputnik International

Over the weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he would be willing to discuss using French nuclear warheads as a credible European defense against possible Russian threats.

2024-04-29T04:11+0000

2024-04-29T04:11+0000

2024-04-29T04:11+0000

world

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Over the weekend, French President Emmanuel Macron said that he would be willing to discuss using French nuclear warheads as a credible European defense against possible Russian threats. France has about 300 nuclear warheads and is the only nuclear power in the European Union (EU), according to a recent report.It is not the first time Macron has openly discussed using Frances nuclear weapons for EU defense. The French president first hinted at the possible move in 2020 and again in 2022."France will keep its specificity, but is ready to contribute more to the defense of European soil," he added. But Macron was heavily criticized by French opposition parties for his comments.Francois-Xavier Bellamy, lead candidate from the rightwing Les Republicains party said that as head of state, one must first learn to keep quiet about what is the head of our security model. While the leftist France Unboweds group wrote that the comments were a grave mistake that dealt a new blow to the credibility of Frances nuclear deterrent.The French president alarmed the EU last month when he announced his openness to ground operations in Ukraine, saying they might be required at some point. Macron has rapidly changed his stance on Russia over the past two years, and first warned that the West should not humiliate Moscow before fully supporting Ukraine.Macron, who has been criticized for having a fondness for disruptive grandstanding, has been desperately seeking ways to be viewed as a dominant power both domestically and internationally.Germany was reportedly spearheading a European anti-missile shield project using US and Israeli technology but France refused to joining the project because Macron was rumored to see such an act as overstepping his own role as a strategic leader for Europe, and would prefer for Germany to remain in their position as an economic leader.Despite the disputes between Germany and France, Manafred Weber leader of the center-right European Peoples Party (EPP) and a member of the Bavarian CSU said that Europe should take up Macrons offer in light of building the European dimension of nuclear defense as a long-term goal.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240425/macron-to-talk-stronger-europe-ukraine-to-boost-plummeting-clout-as-eu-elections-loom-1118105069.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/majority-of-americans-disapprove-of-bidens-work-as-us-president---poll-1118167766.html

Majority of Americans Disapprove of Biden's Work as US President - Poll

Majority of Americans Disapprove of Biden's Work as US President - Poll

Sputnik International

Sixty percent of Americans disapprove of Joe Biden's job as US president, a poll conducted by CNN showed.

2024-04-29T02:09+0000

2024-04-29T02:09+0000

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The poll added that 71% of respondents do not approve of Bidens policy on the Gaza conflict, and only 28% support it. At the same time, 49% of US citizens support former US President Donald Trump in the upcoming presidential election in the United States, with Biden gaining 43% of support, the report read on Sunday. The poll was conducted on April 18-23 and surveyed 1,212 people.On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from Gaza and breached the border, killing 1,200 people and abducting around 240 others. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 34,400 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip so far, local authorities said.On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1. More than 100 hostages are still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231031/arab-american-support-for-biden-drops-42-since-2020-falling-amid-israel-conflict---poll-1114626056.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/qatarenergy-inks-6bln-deal-with-chinese-shipbuilder-for-18-lng-vessels-1118181748.html

QatarEnergy Inks $6Bln Deal With Chinese Shipbuilder for 18 LNG Vessels

QatarEnergy Inks $6Bln Deal With Chinese Shipbuilder for 18 LNG Vessels

Sputnik International

QatarEnergy announced on Monday that it had signed a $6 billion agreement with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) to have 18 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers built.

2024-04-29T18:03+0000

2024-04-29T18:03+0000

2024-04-29T18:03+0000

economy

china

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china state shipbuilding corporation (cssc)

liquefied natural gas (lng)

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"QatarEnergy signed an agreement with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) for the construction of 18 ultra-modern QC-Max size LNG vessels, marking a significant addition to its historic LNG fleet expansion program," the company said in a statement. The vessels will be built at China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, a CSSC wholly-owned subsidiary, and have a capacity of 271,000 cubic meters each. "With a total value of almost 6 billion dollars for these ultra-modern, largest ever LNG vessels by size, the agreement we signed today is the industry's largest single shipbuilding contract ever," Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Qatari Energy Minister and QatarEnergy CEO, said in the statement. Eight LNG carriers are expected to be delivered in 2028 and 2029, and the other 10 in 2030 and 2031, the energy company said. Qatar exported nearly 17 million tonnes of LNG to China in 2023.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240226/mideast-country-doubles-down-on-lng-production-after-sanctions-slam-europe-1116983027.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/rafah-operation-looms-will-netanyahu-defy-bidens-warnings-1118179825.html

Rafah Operation Looms: Will Netanyahu Defy Biden's Warnings?

Rafah Operation Looms: Will Netanyahu Defy Biden's Warnings?

Sputnik International

Israel is preparing for the invasion of Rafah, which Tel Aviv calls the last stronghold of Hamas. The operation is likely to trigger a new round of escalation in the Gaza Strip and lead to massive casualties.

2024-04-29T15:42+0000

2024-04-29T15:42+0000

2024-06-24T11:17+0000

palestine-israel conflict

world

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antony blinken

rafah

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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on April 29 that Washington has not yet seen Tel Aviv's plan to ensure Palestinian civilians' security during the Rafah operation."Weve said clearly, and for some time now on Rafah that, in the absence of a plan to ensure that civilians will not be harmed, we cant support a major military operation in Rafah," Blinken said at the World Economic Forum (WEF) panel on Monday. "And we have not yet seen a plan that gives us confidence that civilians can be effectively protected."Nonetheless, preparations for the Israeli operation are going ahead full throttle. The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft referred to new satellite imagery that appears to show Israeli forces modernizing two military outposts in central Gaza.The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) is seeking to consolidate control of the so-called Netzarim Corridor which runs east to west from the Gaza-Israel border to the Mediterranean Sea and de facto separates northern and southern Gaza.The corridor runs through a river valley which also serves as a natural barrier between two parts of Gaza. It is also the narrowest part of the strip, making it relatively easy to control.The Times of Israel reported that the IDF may deploy two additional brigades to the Netzarim Corridor for the planned push into Rafah. The newspaper explained that the strategic corridor enables the IDF to carry out raids in both parts of Gaza and tighten control over the movements of Palestinian refugees.Israeli officials repeatedly stated that without taking Rafah, which is believed to be the last stronghold of Hamas, victory in the Gaza war would be impossible.Despite supplying Tel Aviv with new arms, the Biden administration appears to be apprehensive about the IDF's potential Rafah operation. The Israeli invasion of Rafah could further escalate tensions in the region and lead to further escalations from Hezbollah and Yemen's Ansar Allah-led government, who support Palestine. The escalation in Gaza could also add to anti-Israeli sentiment in the US, where massive student protests have taken place over the past two weeks, and hurt Biden's chances of re-election in November.Israel's Rafah operation could also disrupt the Biden administration's efforts to broker normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. A recent New York Times op-ed by Thomas Friedman warned that "Israel has a choice to make: Rafah or Riyadh."Israeli conservatives are pushing for the continuation of the Gaza war until "total victory". Jerusalem Post correspondent Seth Frantzman argued that "the only way to get to Riyadh for a peace deal is through Rafah, not without Rafah."For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Rafah operation is part of his election campaign, according to Haaretz. It is unclear whether the Rafah assault would be just a PR stunt for Netanyahu or whether a full-fledged military campaign will be launched. The PM has a long record of disobeying orders and failing to heed warnings from Washington.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240426/israel-has-carried-out-deadly-strikes-in-gaza-that-it-marked-as-safe-zones---reports-1118134167.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/democrats-and-republicans-deaf-to-their-voters-opposing-ukraine-and-gaza-conflicts-1118176675.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240421/netanyahu-vows-to-target-hamas-with-painful-strikes-in-coming-days-1118044458.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/scottish-first-minister-yousaf-says-steps-down-without-waiting-for-no-confidence-vote-1118174602.html

Scottish First Minister Yousaf Says Steps Down Without Waiting for No Confidence Vote

Scottish First Minister Yousaf Says Steps Down Without Waiting for No Confidence Vote

Sputnik International

First Minister of Scotland and head of the Scottish National Party (SNP) Humza Yousaf announced on Monday his resignation, without waiting for the opposition to hold a vote of no confidence in him.

2024-04-29T11:30+0000

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"I have therefore informed the SNP's national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and asked that she commence a leadership contest for my replacement as soon as possible," Yousaf told reporters, as broadcast by Sky News. Last week, the SNP has lost its majority in the parliament after Yousaf announced the end of his coalition agreement with the Scottish Green Party over a clash over climate change policies. Following this announcement, several opposition parties announced their intention to put forward a vote of no confidence in Yousaf.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20230327/new-snp-leader-to-be-finally-crowned-after-heated-battle-1108818456.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/swiss-daily-speculates-russia-will-liberate-donbass-by-october-forcing-ukraine-to-negotiate-1118172493.html

Swiss Daily Speculates Russia Will Liberate Donbass By October, Forcing Ukraine to Negotiate

Swiss Daily Speculates Russia Will Liberate Donbass By October, Forcing Ukraine to Negotiate

Sputnik International

Russias Armed Forced will likely liberate Donbass by October, commanders on the Ukrainian Eastern Front told Swiss daily Blick.

2024-04-29T12:12+0000

2024-04-29T12:12+0000

2024-04-29T12:12+0000

world

ukraine

russia

ukrainian armed forces

volodymyr zelensky

proxy

proxy war

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Swiss German-language daily Blick has speculated that Russia will liberate Donbass by October.There is a prevailing tenor that Ukraine will lose the war, the conflict will freeze and we will have to negotiate, the newspaper cited an assault brigade officer hunkered down near Chasov Yar as saying.Despite the weapons and ammunition package worth $61 billion promised by the US to Ukraine, senior officers shared pessimistic forecasts with the outlet. According to them, Kievs looming rout by Russias military can be explained by several reasons.Firstly, Ukraines military faces an acute shortage of manpower. Ukrainian brigades fighting on the nearly 1,500-kilometer-long combat line of NATO's proxy conflict are operating at 30-40% personnel strength in many places, as per the report.The current mobilization will not save us. Those enlisted and training now will not be with us until October at the earliest. By then we will have lost all of Donetsk, another Ukrainian officer admitted to the publication.In addition to a new mobilization law coming into force in Ukraine from mid-May, Poland and Lithuania have announced that they will extradite conscript-aged Ukrainian men to the country for military service. But this will not be enough, another of the neo-Nazi regimes fighters acknowledged. A shortage of ammunition on the front has left Ukrainian troops with little means to counter advances by the Russian military. We can hold back the Russians... but not defeat them, another Ukrainian officer said.Furthermore, the appointment of Oleksandr Syrsky, who is known by the gruesome nickname "The Butcher," as head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in February has reportedly bred tensions on the front. Officers have complained that brigades have been sent on missions with virtually no ammunition and far too few men.Three brigades seemingly scared of Russia's advancing forces that refused to comply with the Ukrainian command's orders were reportedly disbanded. Near Avdeyevka, chaos and lack of equipment led fighters from the 115th Brigade to abandon their position, the report revealed.Adding to the Ukraine fatigue in the West, there is now a new problem for Zelensky and his clique  battle weariness on the Ukrainian eastern front. And the US $61 billion will not be enough to stamp it out, the outlet summed up.The Ukrainian military is currently in dire straits despite all the billions' worth of Western aid funneled to Kiev. Not only are the armed forces suffering a shortage of personnel, but combat fatigue is fueling a breakdown in discipline. Multiple reports in recent weeks have revealed that Ukrainian troops have been refusing to take orders from the countrys new commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrsky. As for recruitment, draft dodging in the country has soared to new heights of ingenuity. Syrsky begrudgingly acknowledged earlier in April that his forces were backing down amid the difficult situation at the front.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240410/disobedience-spree-azov-militants-refuse-to-defend-chasov-yar--report-1117850923.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240425/why-bidens-new-ukraine-aid-package-wont-hinder-unstoppable-russian-advance-1118112096.html

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Svetlana Ekimenko

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/this-is-a-golden-age-of-censorship-1118170558.html

This Is a Golden Age of Censorship

This Is a Golden Age of Censorship

Sputnik International

Its too bad we cant monetize censorship, because we truly live in a golden age of speech suppression. In this deeply polarized society, the one thing we can all agree upon is that people we disagree with need to shut up.

2024-04-29T06:08+0000

2024-04-29T06:08+0000

2024-05-02T12:24+0000

americans

media censorship

social media censorship

israel

palestine

palestine-israel conflict

genocide

ethnic cleansing

students

mass protests

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Officially, freedom of speech is a key commandment in our national civic religion. We love free speechin the abstract. Nine out of ten Americans told a 2022 Knight Foundation/Ipsos study that protecting free speech is an important part of American democracy and that people should be allowed to express unpopular opinions. Yay, America!When people express specific unpopular opinions, not so yay. 70% of respondents to the same study said that, for example, COVID-19 misinformation ought to be banned. Some even called for those who spread it (even though some of it may turn out to be true) to be jailed.Young people often call for those they disagree with to shut their yaps. A College Pulse/Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression poll found that 71% of todays college students would ban someone from speaking on campus if that person viewed transgender people as being mentally ill or they thought Black Lives Matter was a hate group. 57% said that anti-abortion activists should never be allowed to speak in public.And if objectionable speech manages to slip through? 63% think its OK to shout you down if youre saying something they dont like.Nowadays, though, young people are big targets of censorship too.At my alma mater, Columbia, administrators have been coming down like a ton of bricks against peaceful student demonstrators calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the university to divest its financial investments in Israel-affiliated companies. Back in November, long before American college and university campuses saw the current spread of encampments and other protests, Columbia suspended two student groups, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace.Why? No reason was given. The university did not elaborate on how exactly the groups did that except to say they had held unauthorized events that included unspecified threatening rhetoric and intimidation, The New York Times reported. As an alumnus and veteran of protests there, I can attest that Columbias rules do not require demonstrators to obtain authorization from campus authorities.No pro-Palestinian protester at Columbia had carried out any actual violence or violent threats. They still havent.After wealthy pro-Israel alums withdrew their donations, cash-grubbing Columbia president Nemat Minouche Shafik went full-spectrum fascist in voluntary testimony on Capitol Hill. Calling the slogan from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free anti-Semitic (it isnt), she cravenly groveled before a cabal of far-right Congressional goons, agreed that anti-Semitism is rampant on the Columbia campus (a lie), claimed that she had launched investigations of pro-Palestine instructors (if so, it was news to them) and when Republican lawmakers demanded that she fire a tenured professor of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African studies for allegedly saying the October 7th attack by Hamas was awesome (he didnt), she agreed to get rid of and other educators him (she cant).To drive the point home, Shafik suspended pro-Palestinian student demonstrators (pro-Israel marchers get a free pass) and asked heavily-armed NYPD riot cops to violently arrest them and steal their personal possessions. Campus security guards shut down WKCR, the campus radio station, so student journalists could no longer report the news.Fascist administrators ordered similar police crackdowns at protests at such institutions as Princeton, USC, UT Austin, Emerson, Cal State Poly Humboldt and Emory, where Atlanta cops tased and maced students as they held them down. Brutal tactics only serve to further inflame passions, a fact reconfirmed when the encampment at Columbia was immediately reassembled the next day. USC valedictorian Asna Tabassum, denied her right to deliver her commencement address because she is Muslim and supports the people of Gaza, has received infinitely more attention to her message because she was censored.Not wanting to miss out on this latest McCarthyite moment, however, employers who support Israels slaughter of Gazans are firing journalists, teachers, athletes, editors and tech workers who disagree. Far-right Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has demanded that federal workers who oppose the bloodshed be fired while a group of pro-genocide corporate CEOs is organizing a blacklist of pro-Palestine college students to distribute to major companies so these young people wont be able to find a job after graduation. (Student activists have taken to wearing masks and scarves to avoid being doxxed by reactionary supporters of Israels war.)Those who resort to censorship do so because they dont have a credible message of their own. When the overwhelming majority of the American public, Democrats and Republicans alike, disapproves of Israela longstanding ally of the U.S.its clear that the usual lame if you oppose Israel youre anti-Semitic trope is no longer effective. We are no longer scared.Like the political parties who work harder to suppress the vote for the other party than to motivate and excite their own supporters, those who have nothing affirmative to say for their own position strive to make sure that those on the other side, who have a strong argument, cannot express themselves.Censorship is a tool used by those who know they are wrong.Censoring antiwar voices is nothing new. Columbia suspended and expelled opponents of the Vietnam War in 1968. And when the Russo-Ukrainian war broke out in 2022, the U.S. government and its media mouthpieces censored Russian media outlets, boycotted Russian culture and even attacked Russian cats. But the truth about Ukraineits corrupt president, its official romance with neo-Nazism, its anti-democratic regime and its low chance of successis coming out.Yet optimism is the wrong response to this attempt to crush voices of conscience. Every spasm of mass censorship leaves a trail of cynicism, stifled voices, stunted careers and an ever-shrinking spectrum of expression. Remember Al Jazeera America? Phil Donahues show on MSNBC?They were casualties of the War on Terrors Bush-era censors; we could use them now.Again, we are losing good people with important voices.(Ted Rall (Twitter: @tedrall), the political cartoonist, columnist and graphic novelist)

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240426/pro-palestine-student-protest-in-washington-continues-despite-demands-to-remove-camp-1118132384.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/ukmto-reports-attack-on-ship-in-red-sea-off-yemens-mocha-1118177470.html

UKMTO Reports Attack on Ship in Red Sea Off Yemen's Mocha

UKMTO Reports Attack on Ship in Red Sea Off Yemen's Mocha

Sputnik International

The United Kingdom Maritime Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday it had received a report of an attack on a commercial ship in the Red Sea off the Yemeni city of Mocha (Al Mukha).

2024-04-29T12:33+0000

2024-04-29T12:33+0000

2024-04-29T12:33+0000

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red sea crisis

yemen

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houthis

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"UKMTO has received a report of an incident 54NM northwest of Al Mukha, Yemen," UKMTO said in a statement. An explosion has occurred in close proximity to a commercial vessel, the statement read. The vessel and its crew have been reported safe, according to the statement. An investigation into the attack has been launched, UKMTO said. Media reported, citing UK maritime security company Ambrey, that a Malta-flagged container ship had been targeted on its way from Djibouti to the Saudi city of Jeddah. Yemen's rebel Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, has been launching attacks on commercial and military vessels in the region for months, in response to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. The attacks prompted the United States to form a multinational coalition to protect shipping in the area, as well as to strike Houthi targets on the ground.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240420/german-frigate-quits-red-sea-mission-day-after-houthis-offer-eu-ships-safe-passage-1118027062.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/ukraines-push-for-security-pact-with-us-foreshadows-looming-military-collapse---analyst-1118170362.html

Ukraines Push for Security Pact With US Foreshadows 'Looming Military Collapse' - Ex-US DoD Analyst

Ukraines Push for Security Pact With US Foreshadows 'Looming Military Collapse' - Ex-US DoD Analyst

Sputnik International

If Ukraine were not within six months of military collapse, it would have little concern to push for a long-term security agreement with the US, David Pyne, ex-Pentagon analyst, told Sputnik.

2024-04-29T07:56+0000

2024-04-29T07:56+0000

2024-04-29T11:24+0000

analysis

ukraine

security agreement

us

volodymyr zelensky

joe biden

donald trump

nato

nato membership

membership action plan

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If Ukraine were not within six months of military collapse, it would have little concern to push for a long-term security agreement with the US, David Pyne, former US Department of Defense analyst and executive vice president of Task Force on National and Homeland Security, told Sputnik.He suggested that Kievs eagerness to negotiate the text of such a deal with Washington right now was a good sign.Zelensky announced on Sunday that Ukraine and the US are working on a bilateral security agreement that would include financial, political, and arms support, as well as joint weapons production.We are already working on a specific text We are discussing the specific foundations of our security and cooperation. We are also working on fixing specific levels of support for this year and the next 10 years," Zelensky said in a video address.According to the ex-Pentagon analyst, the purpose of the agreement being finalized in such a hurry is to provide Ukraine with the security assurances it feels it needs to conclude a negotiated agreement ending the ongoing conflict with Russia. The security guarantee is similar to the ones Ukraine has already signed with the UK, France, and Germany, he added. But there is also another aspect to the bilateral security pact currently in the works, the pundit said.Pyne recalled how bitter Zelensky was about being told that Ukraine would not be given a timetable or Membership Action Plan for accession to NATO.Washington is currently hoping that any negotiated peace agreement to end the hostilities that might occur would not require Ukraine to cease its military cooperation with NATO, including training, bases and joint exercises even if Ukraine were to agree to a 10-year moratorium on NATO membership, Pyne added.Essentially, the security agreement being fleshed out between Ukraine and the US is very similar to the ones that Washington has with Israel or Taiwan, David Pyne noted.Such a pact would presuppose the US continuing to do what it has been doing since the Ukraine conflict escalated: supplying military assistance to Kiev, training Ukrainian troops, intelligence sharing, etc., Pyne believed. In addition, the agreement would provide US support to further develop Ukraines military industrial base. In fact, one of the reasons the negotiated agreement is to be a 10-year one is because some in the West believe that the US would be open to allowing Ukraine to agree to a 10-year moratorium on NATO membership in exchange for peace, Pyne said.However, what the US will not agree to is "anything that would appear to bind it to send combat troops to Ukraine," the analyst stressed.Weighing in on what Ukraine might offer the United States to persuade it to sign an agreement that, as Zelensky put it, would be the strongest of all," David Pyne said:Amid Ukraine's battlefield failures and acute manpower shortages, Biden just signed into law legislation with approximately $61 billion in Ukraine-related funding. The US is compelled to further bankroll Kiev for several reasons, underscored Pyne.The Biden administration wants Ukraine to continue in its current status as a de facto NATO member, he pointed out. He recalled that contrary to the Western-driven narrative, the proxy conflict in Ukraine started as a result of the US "expanding its sphere of influence into Ukraine from 2014 onward, which Russia considered to be an integral part of its historic territory." Overall, Washington's long-term geopolitical strategy regarding Ukraine boils down to retaining Ukraine as a US protectorate, and a key part of their failed strategy of liberal hegemony, David Pyne concluded.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240406/natos-losing-war-and-an-empty-promise-to-ukraine--1117773465.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240409/us-defense-secretary-acknowledges-admitting-ukraine-in-nato-threatens-russian-security-1117836272.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/uks-defense-of-israel-reveals-hypocrisy-cynical-abuse-of-human-rights-claims-1118168627.html

UKs Defense of Israel Reveals Hypocrisy, Cynical Abuse of Human Rights Claims

UKs Defense of Israel Reveals Hypocrisy, Cynical Abuse of Human Rights Claims

Sputnik International

New light is being shed on the United Kingdoms military and diplomatic ties with Israel as a report by Amnesty International accuses European countries of grotesque double standards in their alleged concern over human rights abuses.

2024-04-29T03:55+0000

2024-04-29T03:55+0000

2024-04-29T07:16+0000

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united kingdom (uk)

amnesty international

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New light is being shed on the United Kingdoms military and diplomatic ties with Israel as a report by Amnesty International accuses European countries of grotesque double standards in their alleged concern over human rights abuses.The investigative journalism website Declassified UK examined a so-called Roadmap agreement between Israel and the UK that demonstrates Britains exceptional commitment to defending Israel.The investigative outlet has documented the strong military partnership between the two countries amidst Israel's operation in the Gaza Strip, which has killed over 34,000. Britain has reportedly flown 50 spying missions over the enclave while ferrying US weapons and equipment to the country from its nearby airbase in Cyprus.The country has repeatedly refused to share details of its extensive support for Israel with the public, issuing so-called D Notices that ban British media from reporting on certain defense-related stories.We will continue to work together to keep our people safe from cyber, criminal and terrorist threats, the agreement continues.Israel has historically attempted to delegitimize resistance by referring to Palestinian groups like Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. But only a small handful of Western allies, along with the European Union, classify the groups as such.Meanwhile observers classify the 1946 bombing of Jerusalems King David Hotel as the first terrorist attack in the long-running Palestine-Israel conflict. The atrocity, which killed 91, was committed by the Zionist paramilitary group Irgun. Criminal groups such as Irgun and Lehi were instrumental in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine known as the Nakba, with Lehi openly referring to itself as a terrorist group.The modern state of Israel has continued to adopt such violent tactics against its critics in the region, carrying out massive bombing campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. But a separate section of the UKs Roadmap entitled Antisemitism, delegitimisation, and anti-Israel bias details the countries strategy of deflecting criticism by accusing detractors of disproportionate focus on Israel.The UK and other European countries have repeatedly moved to crack down on pro-Palestine protests by accusing demonstrators of bias and antisemitism. Meanwhile the state media outlet BBC has punished employees for sharing pro-Palestine messages on social media.The revelation of the agreement comes as the London-based human rights group Amnesty International slams the UK for its selective concern over alleged human rights abuses. The organizations searing indictment of Britain and other Western countries claimed the entire post-World War II human rights framework is at risk of decimation as global powers exploit their influence in international organizations to shield Israel from criticism.The group also criticized European countries repression of pro-Palestine activism as threatening key liberal freedoms of assembly and expression. Germany made headlines earlier this month after police in the country shut down a pro-Palestine conference taking place in Berlin, cutting off power to the venue where it was being held to force participants to disperse.Observers were shocked by video emerging online in recent days of German police beating and brutalizing pro-Palestine demonstrators. Similar scenes have emerged from US college campuses as politicians insist that freedom of speech does not apply to antisemitic anti-genocide protesters.Journalists have documented the historic use of human rights narratives by Western governments to attempt to delegitimize perceived enemies. At least 12 million people have been killed in wars backed by the United States and its allies since World War II while the country maintains the highest incarceration rate on the planet.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20231207/mums-the-word-uk-refuses-to-answer-queries-about-us-use-of-base-to-support-israel-1115464482.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240427/jewish-student-protester-shatters-myth-of-antisemitic-campus-demonstrations-1118133061.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240427/land-of-the-free-how-us-lawmakers-restrict-students-right-to-peaceful-protest-1118148426.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/us-aid-cant-buy-troops-ukrainian-soldier-says-no-one-willing-to-join-army-1118169794.html

US Aid Can't Buy Troops: Ukrainian Soldier Says 'No One' Willing to Join Army

US Aid Can't Buy Troops: Ukrainian Soldier Says 'No One' Willing to Join Army

Sputnik International

The service member expressed pessimism over the Ukrainian militarys dire straits, noting the ubiquity of draft dodging in the country.

2024-04-29T05:00+0000

2024-04-29T05:00+0000

2024-04-29T05:08+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

ukraine

azov

russia

armed forces of ukraine

donetsk peoples republic

draft dodger

neo-nazism

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A Ukrainian soldier from the notorious Azov* battalion offered a frank analysis of the countrys war effort to a local news outlet this weekend.A shortage of personnel has wreaked havoc in the countrys armed forces in recent months, with fatigue contributing to a breakdown in discipline and effectiveness as troops are unable to be rotated. The dynamic was on display recently as Russia was able to liberate a village in the Donetsk Peoples Republic reportedly almost unopposed.The one-legged soldier added that literally no one is willing to go to Ukraines front lines. It has emerged in recent weeks that multiple Ukrainian troops have refused to take orders from the countrys new commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky, who is viewed less favorably than former military head Valerii Zaluzhny.A senior Ukrainian military commander recently criticized Ukrainians demonstrating sympathy with draft dodgers in a social media post, claiming that some of our citizens, unfortunately, no longer realize that their actions and public statements have turned into a powerful weapon in the hands of the enemy. The commander slammed bloggers and the free media for their moral support of draft avoidance.*Azov battalion is a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240301/russia-liberates-three-villages-near-avdeyevka-1117073937.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240408/ukrainian-conscription-officers-assault-attempt-to-press-gang-14-year-old-1117804630.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240429/watch-russian-akatsiya-self-propelled-artillery-rain-doom-on-ukrainian-positions-1118176154.html

Watch Russian Akatsiya Self-Propelled Artillery Rain Doom on Ukrainian Positions

Watch Russian Akatsiya Self-Propelled Artillery Rain Doom on Ukrainian Positions

Sputnik International

The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage showing soldiers from the Battlegroup Tsentr destroying a Ukrainian stronghold near Avdeyevka using 152-mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery.

2024-04-29T12:36+0000

2024-04-29T12:36+0000

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russia's special operation in ukraine

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The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage showing soldiers from Battlegroup Tsentr destroying a Ukrainian stronghold near Avdeyevka using 152 mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled artillery.The ministry said the target was detected by UAV operators. According to the Russian MoD, by firing a series of rounds from concealed positions, they leveled an enemy foothold and thwarted the operations of Ukrainian assault groups.

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Yotta Data Services (Yotta) has announced a JV with BLC Holding Pvt Ltd (BLC), a diversified entity, encompassing manufacturing and services to build a state-of-the-art facility, in Ramkot, near Kathmandu, Nepal.

The announcement of this data center marks the debut of Yotta in Nepal and progresses the companys mission to provide digital services in the Indian subcontinents high growth markets.This strategic joint venture is a unique partnership between BLC and Yotta. BLC brings a deep understanding of the local landscape, regulatory nuances, and valuable local relationships, including its network of enterprise customers. The infusion from Yotta brings global expertise, international standards, best practices, advanced technology and access to a wider market including hyperscale and enterprise customers across its vast platform. Yotta has a portfolio of five large datacentres, two of which, at Navi Mumbai and Great Noida are part of hyperscale campuses.

With an outlay of multi-million dollars this facility will offer up to 4 MW of critical IT load and is expected to be completed by in the next 24 months.

K1 will set a new precedent and industry benchmarks:

Located within a 20-kilometer radius of Kathmandu, the facility provides convenient proximity to Tribhuvan International Airport.

Spread across an area of more than three acres, the 60,000 sq.ft. facility will be developed with an overall capacity of up to 4MW critical IT load and enable both enterprises and hyperscale customers to future-proof their expansion options in the region.

Built as per Tier III standards, K1 will be one of the largest data centers and the first supercloud data center in Nepal.

The purpose-built data centre will be constructed with a modular design ensuring industry leading uptime, reliability, scalability and flexibility to customers.

As per the standards set by ISO 14000 & ISO 50000, the data center will confirm with world-class environmental & energy efficiency policies.

The facility will have highly reliable power supported by dual high voltage substations.

The facility will be carrier-neutral with a dense network through three diverse fibre entry paths and other customized connectivity options for customers.

The data center will be highly focused on information security and data privacy as per the standards set by ISO 27000, PCI-DSS, & SOC2/3.

Designed to meet the most demanding digital needs, K1 will be a secure facility by seamlessly integrating advanced security, high-performance infrastructure, unmatched connectivity, and steadfast sustainability.

Yottas expertise in managing data centers at the utmost standards and its dedication to constructing a hyperscale platform grounded in accountable, reliable, and reproducible methodologies resonates harmoniously with BLCs proven track record in local operations. We are poised to establish a top-tier data center in the region. This strategic collaboration not only expands our vital market reach but also enables us to provide state-of-the-art technologies, assisting businesses in establishment and growth, all while ensuring regulatory compliance. said, Sunil Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, Yotta Data Services.

K1 brings forth a suite of key features, ranging from advanced data security and customized business solutions to an indigenous hyperscale cloud offering, state-of-the-art infrastructure, cybersecurity expertise, seamless integration with managed IT services, 24/7 customer support, cost optimization, and a competitive edge. These attributes underscore Yotta & BLCs commitment to providing a comprehensive and innovative data center solution.

Megha Chaudhary, Managing Director, BLC said The proposed K1 facility will not just be a data center; were creating an ICT ecosystem that drives local and global growth. This initiative features a state-of-the-art data center, designed for global hyper-scalers and AI/ML development. Itll generate jobs from construction to high-tech operations, empowering Nepals workforce and positioning us as a key player in global tech. She further added, By partnering with Yotta we are strategically positioned to meet the volume and scale requirements while simultaneously delivering the premium, super high availability needs of hyperscalers, enterprises and government alike. This partnership will also emphasise the much-needed local participation and control, thus addressing data sovereignty concerns.
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Finnair said Monday it was suspending flights to the Estonian city of Tartu for one month due to GPS interference that the Estonian foreign minister labeled a Russian "hybrid attack".

All flights to Tartu were suspended between April 29 and May 31 while "an alternative approach solution that doesn't require a GPS signal can be put in place at Tartu Airport," the Finnish carrier said in a statement.

GPS interference can "prevent the aircraft from approaching and landing", Finnair said, adding the interference "is quite common in the area".

Last week two Finnair flights headed for Tartu had to turn back to Helsinki due to GPS interference, it said.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on Monday told Estonian public broadcaster EER the GPS interference was the result of "completely deliberate actions", calling it a Russian "hybrid attack".

"Russia knows perfectly well that the interference caused by it is very dangerous to our aviation and goes against the international conventions, which Russia has also joined," Tsahkna told EER.

Baltic foreign ministers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania warned on Sunday in an interview with the Financial Times that widespread Russian GPS jamming increased the threat of an aviation accident, citing the case of the Finnish flights.

Finnair is the only airline operating international flights to the Estonian airport.

"Flight safety is always our top priority, and as the approach to Tartu currently requires a GPS signal, we cannot fly there in the event of GPS interference," said Jari Paajanen, Finnair's director of operations.

The aim is to "build approach methods at Tartu Airport that enable a safe and smooth operation of flights without a GPS signal", Finnair said, adding that such alternative approach methods are used in most airports already.

GPS interference has increased since 2022, the airline said, with Finnair pilots reporting interference "especially near Kaliningrad, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean".

 2024 AFP
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About 25,500 Philadelphia Inquirer subscribers, employees, former employees, and employees' family members on company benefit plans may have had their personal information exposed in a May cyberattack, Inquirer publisher and chief executive officer Lisa Hughes said April 26.

The company announced in an internal email to employees that outside cybersecurity experts had found no evidence that the data had been misused to commit identity theft or fraud. In an e-mailed response to follow-up questions, Hughes said that Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, financial account information, and medical information may have been accessed.

The company will send letters to people who may have been impacted with details about what information was compromised and will offer complimentary credit monitoring and identity restoration services.

The update comes at the conclusion of what The Inquirer called a "complex, methodical, and lengthy process" to investigate the incident.

The investigation was unable to identify the specific individual or individuals who were behind the attack or their motivations, Hughes said. She declined to share what files may have been impacted, citing confidentiality reasons.

Cyberattacks, which have more than doubled in recent years, pose a major threat to businesses, governments, and consumers around the world.

Locally over the past year, the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Courts, the Bucks County Department of Emergency Management, Comcast, and the Borgata in Atlantic City have responded to attacks, some of which severely disrupted operations for days and potentially exposed people's confidential health and financial information.

The Inquirer's cyberattack

The incident at The Inquirer was detected on May 11, 2023 when Cynet, a vendor that manages security, alerted the company of suspicious network activity. By May 13, 2023, the Inquirer's content-management system, where reporters and editors write and edit articles, was down, and workarounds had to be created to publish stories online.

In the days after the incident, Hughes said The Inquirer had "discovered anomalous activity on select computer systems and immediately took those systems off-line." The company also notified the FBI.

The Inquirer couldn't print its normal Sunday newspaper, and employeeswho are on a hybrid schedule with one mandatory in-office dayweren't allowed to access the newsroom for several days. Digital publication was not impacted.

A ransomware group called Cuba, which has hacked other businesses and governments around the globe, later claimed responsibility for the attack, and posted online what it said were stolen Inquirer files containing Inquirer data. A day later, however, Cuba removed the claim from its site on the dark web. Hughes at the time said the company had not seen evidence that any Inquirer information was actually shared. When asked at the time, she did not say whether The Inquirer had paid a ransom in exchange for the claim's removal.

In recent years, ransomware attacks have targeted news organizations, including the Los Angeles Times, which was majorly disrupted during a 2018 attack. In these incidents, malicious software locks users out of their system and demands payment to reopen it.

In the months since the Inquirer's incident, the company has increased digital security, including by requiring multifactor authentication on its systems.

"The Inquirer takes this event and the security of information in its care very seriously," Hughes said. "The Inquirer regularly evaluates the evolving risk landscape and implements controls to mitigate those risks."

2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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The Federal Trade Commission wants to know more about how Amazonand its executivesuse the encrypted messaging app Signal.

The agency accused Amazon of using the app, which can be set to automatically delete messages, to hide information related to the FTC's ongoing antitrust investigation into the company. After a years-long probe that started in 2019, the FTC sued Amazon last September, alleging the company used unfair business practices to maintain a monopoly in the e-commerce markets.

In a court filing this week, the FTC moved to "compel" Amazon to share more information about its policies and instructions related to using the Signal app, a messaging service that offers end-to-end encryption to keep texts and phone calls secure. The FTC accused Amazon executives of manually turning on the feature to delete messages in Signal even after the company learned that the FTC was investigating and had told Amazon to keep documents, emails and other messages.

Many of Amazon's senior leaders used Signal, according to the FTC, including former CEO and current chairman Jeff Bezos, CEO Andy Jassy, and general counsel David Zapolsky, as well as Jeff Wilke, former head of Amazon's worldwide consumer business, and Dave Clark, former worldwide operations chief.

"Amazon is a company that tightly controls what its employees put into writing," FTC attorneys said in a court filing. "But Amazon's senior leadership also used another channel for internal communications and avoided the need to talk carefully by destroying the records of their messages."

Amazon described the FTC's accusations as "baseless." In a statement on its website, the company said it voluntarily disclosed employees' use of Signal, collected Signal conversations from employees' phones and allowed the FTC to inspect conversations"even when they had nothing to do with the FTC's investigation."

"The FTC has a complete picture of Amazon's decision-making in this case," the company said, noting that the agency had 1.7 million documents, from emails, internal messaging apps and company laptops, and over 100 terabytes of data.

Amazon said several corporate witnesses, including Bezos, have spoken with the FTC about the company's use of Signal. The only information it does not want to provide is privileged legal advice, the company said.

Amazon has asked U.S. District Judge John Chun to dismiss the case, arguing that the business practices in question lowered prices for consumers and are common across the retail industry. In court records, Amazon described the FTC's lawsuit as an "attack" and an "effort to hobble one of America's most consumer-focused businesses."

In the court filing, the FTC asked Amazon to provide two troves of documents related to its use of Signal: Amazon's document preservation notices and its instructions about the use of "ephemeral messaging applications, including Signal."

The FTC said Amazon waited for more than a year after it learned of the investigation to instruct its employees to preserve Signal messages.

"It is highly likely that relevant information has been destroyed as a result of Amazon's actions and inactions," the FTC wrote in court records.

The FTC alleged that in March 2022more than two years after the FTC notified Amazon of its investigationthe company directed several executives to download an Amazon-owned secure messaging app, Wickr. That app would allow Amazon to save messages centrally.

Two days after the directive to switch, the FTC alleged, the company first disclosed it had been using the encrypted messaging service Signal.

2024 The Seattle Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Imagine the tap of a card that bought you a cup of coffee this morning also let a hacker halfway across the world access your bank account and buy themselves whatever they liked. Now imagine it wasn't a one-off glitch, but it happened all the time: imagine the locks that secure our electronic data suddenly stopped working.

This is not a science fiction scenario. It may well become a reality when sufficiently powerful quantum computers come online. These devices will use the strange properties of the quantum world to untangle secrets that would take ordinary computers more than a lifetime to decipher.

We don't know when this will happen. However, many people and organizations are already concerned about so-called "harvest now, decrypt later" attacks, in which cybercriminals or other adversaries steal encrypted data now and store it away for the day when they can decrypt it with a quantum computer.

As the advent of quantum computers grows closer, cryptographers are trying to devise new mathematical schemes to secure data against their hypothetical attacks. The mathematics involved is highly complexbut the survival of our digital world may depend on it.

'Quantum-proof' encryption

The task of cracking much current online security boils down to the mathematical problem of finding two numbers that, when multiplied together, produce a third number. You can think of this third number as a key that unlocks the secret information. As this number gets bigger, the amount of time it takes an ordinary computer to solve the problem becomes longer than our lifetimes.

Future quantum computers, however, should be able to crack these codes much more quickly. So the race is on to find new encryption algorithms that can stand up to a quantum attack.

The US National Institute of Standards and Technology has been calling for proposed "quantum-proof" encryption algorithms for years, but so far few have withstood scrutiny. (One proposed algorithm, called Supersingular Isogeny Key Encapsulation, was dramatically broken in 2022 with the aid of Australian mathematical software called Magma, developed at the University of Sydney.)

The race has been hotting up this year. In February, Apple updated the security system for the iMessage platform to protect data that may be harvested for a post-quantum future.

Two weeks ago, scientists in China announced they had installed a new "encryption shield" to protect the Origin Wukong quantum computer from quantum attacks.

Around the same time, cryptographer Yilei Chen announced he had found a way quantum computers could attack an important class of algorithms based on the mathematics of lattices, which were considered some of the hardest to break. Lattice-based methods are part of Apple's new iMessage security, as well as two of the three frontrunners for a standard post-quantum encryption algorithm.

What is a lattice-based algorithm?

A lattice is an arrangement of points in a repeating structure, like the corners of tiles in a bathroom or the atoms in a diamond crystal. The tiles are two dimensional and the atoms in diamond are three dimensional, but mathematically we can make lattices with many more dimensions.

Most lattice-based cryptography is based on a seemingly simple question: if you hide a secret point in such a lattice, how long will it take someone else to find the secret location starting from some other point? This game of hide and seek can underpin many ways to make data more secure.

A variant of the lattice problem called "learning with errors" is considered to be too hard to break even on a quantum computer. As the size of the lattice grows, the amount of time it takes to solve is believed to increase exponentially, even for a quantum computer.

The lattice problemlike the problem of finding the factors of a large number on which so much current encryption depends is closely related to a deep open problem in mathematics called the "hidden subgroup problem".

Yilei Chen's approach suggested quantum computers may be able to solve lattice-based problems more quickly under certain conditions. Experts scrambled to check his resultsand rapidly found an error. After the error was discovered, Chen published an updated version of his paper describing the flaw.

Despite this discovery, Chen's paper has made many cryptographers less confident in the security of lattice-based methods. Some are still assessing whether Chen's ideas can be extended to new pathways for attacking these methods.

More mathematics required

Chen's paper set off a storm in the small community of cryptographers who are equipped to understand it. However, it received almost no attention in the wider worldperhaps because so few people understand this kind of work or its implications.

Last year, when the Australian government published a national quantum strategy to make the country "a leader of the global quantum industry" where "quantum technologies are integral to a prosperous, fair and inclusive Australia," there was an important omission: it didn't mention mathematics at all.

Australia does have many leading experts in quantum computing and quantum information science. However, making the most of quantum computersand defending against themwill require deep mathematical training to produce new knowledge and research.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Chinese mainland announces cross-Strait tourism measures

10:19, April 29, 2024 By Jiang Chenglong ( China Daily

New measures regarding the resumption of cross-Strait tourism were announced by the Chinese mainland on Sunday, along with approval for shipments of Wendan pomelos from Taiwan to the mainland.

Fu Kun-chi, who was leading a Chinese Kuomintang party delegation visiting the mainland, called on Sunday for the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan to meet the "common expectations of both sides of the Strait" by lifting restrictions on mainland tourists traveling to Taiwan.

While meeting with the KMT delegation on Sunday morning, Vice-Minister of Culture and Tourism Rao Quan announced new tourism measures across the Taiwan Strait, with tours by residents of the southeastern province of Fujian to Matsu to resume first.

Group tours of Fujian residents to Taiwan will also be resumed once direct sea passenger transport resumes between Pingtan, an island city off the east coast of Fujian, and Taiwan.

Rao extended a warm welcome to compatriots from Taiwan to visit the mainland more frequently for sightseeing, to witness the development and changes on the mainland, and to benefit from its progress and achievements.

The KMT delegation also met with Zhao Zenglian, deputy head of the General Administration of Customs, on Sunday morning. Zhao announced that based on scientific assessments, the administration would approve the shipment of agricultural and fishery products from Taiwan, such as Wendan pomelos, that meet the mainland's quarantine requirements.

Separate announcements by the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration of China said they had used existing communication channels on Sunday to urge the Taiwan authorities to resume direct sea passenger transport and completely resume direct flights across the Strait.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said on Sunday that direct cross-Strait flights have greatly facilitated exchanges between people on both sides and played an important role in promoting the common interests of compatriots across the Strait.

"We hope that the Taiwan authorities will fully consider the demands of people on both sides and shipping companies and promptly resume direct cross-Strait sea passenger transport and reopen air routes between the 30 mainland destinations and Taiwan," she said.

In a group interview on Sunday, Fu said the mainland visit by the delegation, which he said represented new public opinions from Taiwan, aimed to promote peaceful and prosperous development across the Strait, with frequent exchanges between the peoples. "This is the expectation of all industries and fields in Taiwan," he said.

Fu criticized the obstacles set by the DPP authorities, such as a limit on the number of mainland tourists able to visit Taiwan, and urged their removal.

"It is the common expectation of all people across the Strait to have comprehensive exchanges," he said.

In an exchange activity with the KMT delegation on Sunday, Cai Shiming, a doctor from Taiwan who works at Tsinghua Chang Gung Hospital in Beijing, expressed his hope that there would be more cross-Strait flights, which would increase opportunities for exchanges between people on both sides and foster mutual understanding.

"Although the current situation across the Strait is still tense, I sincerely hope that through more exchanges and contacts we can understand each other better, which would help resolve barriers and differences," he said.

Su Yung-chun, a Tsinghua University graduate from Taiwan who works in Beijing, also called for cross-Strait cultural exchanges and tourism to be fully resumed as soon as possible.

"The exchange between people on both sides of the Strait is unstoppable," he said. "The shallow Taiwan Strait cannot prevent the historical trend of people from both sides getting closer and more intimate."

The KMT delegation left for Taiwan on Sunday after completing a three-day visit to Beijing. During the visit, the delegation toured the mainland's leading electric vehicle manufacturer, the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition and an autonomous driving demonstration zone.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
ALLENDALE  One teenager is dead and a police officer and an 11-year-old have been wounded in shootings over four days in South Carolina's smallest county, authorities said.

South Carolina-Shootings FILE - This June 20, 2019, photo, shows a welcome sign for Allendale County, South Carolina's smallest county.

The shootings started Wednesday when the 11-year-old was shot at a home in Allendale, police told media outlets.

Then early Saturday, a sleeping 14-year-old girl was killed as several shots were fired into her home in Fairfax about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away, investigators said. Her name has not been released.

1 killed, 1 wounded near Santee A male was killed and another was injured in a shooting just outside of Santee, according to Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Richard Walker.

Later Saturday, an Allendale police officer was wounded as he responded to a shooting less than a mile (1.6 kilometers) from the Wednesday shooting, Allendale Police Chief Lawrence Wiggins told media outlets.

Wiggins said the officer was seriously wounded but is expected to recover. The chief did not release the officer's name.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating. Authorities have released little information about the shootings, including whether they may be connected.

Claflin official shot while driving home Claflin Universitys vice president for Student Development and Services was injured in a shooting incident while driving home, according to a statement from the university. The shooting did not occur on campus.

On Facebook, Allendale Police asked for tips and a stop to the violence.

"We cannot, as a community, accept or condone violence as a part of our culture. The most innocent in our communities are being hurt and lost to violence they don't have a hand in. This is not acceptable," they wrote.

Allendale County schools were open Monday, but school officials said there will be metal detectors, and cellphones will be confiscated until students go home. They also encouraged students to leave backpacks at home.

Allendale County is South Carolina's smallest with about 7,500 people. It's about 70 miles (116 kilometers) southwest of Columbia.
(TBTCO) - Tuan nay, gia gao tai cac trung tam xuat khau chinh o chau A a giam xuong muc thap nhat trong hon mot nam qua, do nhu cau cham lai va nguon cung tang sau khi An o noi long cac quy inh han che xuat khau oi voi mat hang chu luc nay.
Everton make their move for Leicester midfielder

| 29/04/2024



Everton are rumoured to be lining up an early summer signing in the form of Wilfried Ndidi who is out of contract at Leicester this summer.

With the Blues' still hidebound by crippling financial issues, there appears to be little point in entertaining any speculation linking the Club with players who will command a transfer fee this summer but free agent and loan acquisitions will very much be the order of the day.

And Sean Dyche is likely to be on the lookout for a central midfielder to cover the expected departure of Andre Gomes when his contract expires which makes the likes of Ndidi and Burnley's Josh Brownhill plausible targets.

According to Sacha Tavolieiri on Twitter/X, Everton have offered the 27-year-old Nigerian a deal but Sport Witness highlight other Italian media reports that the likes of Crystal Palace, West Ham and Juventus have all expressed an interest in signing him.

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An experienced campaigner, Ndidi has played 222 league games for the Foxes and been capped 56 times by his country to date.

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How you want this to go? You want me to kill you and your son, or you want me just kill you alone?

This was the question posed to 40-year-old Anna Ellis yesterday, when she was attacked by a man known to her at her home on Dibe Road, St James.

Ellis, who was stabbed multiple times, was able to speak with reporters yesterday afternoon while police were conducting a search for her 12-year-old son, who was kidnapped following the confrontation.
A 20-year-old woman was shot and killed, and three other people were wounded early Sunday at a large off-campus party attended by numerous UA students, Tucson police say.

The death of University of Arizona sophomore Erin Jones is a tragic loss, UA President Robert C. Robbins said in a message to university students, faculty, staff and others in the campus community, which he said he was sharing with profound sadness.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Erins family in California and across the country, her friends, and her classmates in Tucson and Newport Beach, who are absorbing the heartbreaking news today, Robbins wrote. I have spoken with Erins family and offered the Universitys full support, and we will continue to be there for them. At the appropriate time, we will share information with the community regarding plans to honor her life and memory.

He also urged any students struggling with this devastating news to take advantage of mental health and counseling services offered by UA, and announced that expanded support will be offered Monday at two sites.

The Tucson Police Department gave the following account of the shooting in a news release:

Officers responded to reports of the shooting at a large party around 1:40 a.m. outside a home in the 3200 block of East Fifth Street, east of North Country Club Road.

They found Jones shot and she was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

The three other people wounded, a woman, a man and a teen-age girl, all had injuries described as non-life-threatening.

Numerous witnesses left before officers arrived and details are limited so far, police say.

Any loss of life is tragic, especially for a young person taken from her family and friends so early in her life. I want to encourage any of you struggling to cope with this devastating news, whether you knew Erin or not, to take advantage of our campus resources, Robbins said.

Students needing mental health support can contact Campus Healths Counseling & Psych Services by calling 520-621-3334, scheduling online, or visiting one of its locations during operating hours, Robbins said.

Anyone with information can call the Tucson Police Department at (520) 791-4444 or the University of Arizona Police Department at (520) 621-8273. Anynous tips also can be made to 88-CRIME (520-882-7463).
'Wildcat'

Here's a director's statement from Ethan Hawke about the film "Wildcat," which made its Oklahoma premiere Sunday night and will return to Circle Cinema beginning May 24.

The inspiration for "Wildcat" came many years ago, when my daughter, Maya, was trying to find an audition piece for Juilliard. She wanted something unique, and instead of turning to Shakespeare or Chekov, she assembled a monologue from entries in Flannery OConnors Prayer Journal, a personal diary Flannery had written in her youth.

When Maya stood in the kitchen and performed it for our family, it blew us away. She was accepted to Juilliard and ever after it seemed Flannery served as a personal touchstone.

After the success of Stranger Things, Maya met with Joe Goodman, the rights holder to Flannerys life and works, and wanted to hire my producing partner and wife Ryan and I to help her make a movie about Flannery OConnor. My heart soared.

It presented us with a challenge: Is there a cinematic way to tell the story of Flannery OConnor? Instead of trying to make a traditional cradle-to-grave biopic, I set out, with my writing partner Shelby Gaines, to use the work of Flannery OConnor to explore the creative process as an act of faith.

Once that came into focus, the form of the film came naturally. We would tell the story of Flannerys lupus diagnosis  a period right before she generated her most notable works  and intercut it with vignettes of her short stories. The vignettes would be placed strategically, not as diversions from her life story, but as active explorations of the questions Flannery was asking herself.

The device of double-casting our actors allowed us to build that idea visually, blurring the lines between imagination and reality, while exploring different aspects of the central mother/daughter relationship.

In my experience, films about faith are large statements of belief  martyrdom, conversion, prophesy. Theres a lot less work about the smaller, quieter channels we can use to get in touch with the divine. Flannery OConnor believed that devoting oneself to making art that is egoless and honest can be an act of piety. On this, I happen to agree with her emphatically.
Anna Codutti Tulsa World Breaking News Editor Follow Anna Codutti Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Update (2 p.m. Tuesday): Police say a warrant has been issued for 28-year-old Maximilliano Perez in connection with the death of Antonio Rosales.

The two other shooting victims are expected to be OK, according to a police news release.

A 43-year-old man was fatally shot during a birthday party at an east Tulsa event center over the weekend.

Antonio Rosales was shot in the chest at a venue southwest of 31st Street and Mingo Road around 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Rosales was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives learned that a large group had gathered for a 39th birthday party at the event center, where "an altercation ensued," according to a police news release.

Multiple individuals are believed to have opened fire. In addition to Rosales, two other male victims were hospitalized with gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening, police said.

No arrests have been made as detectives continue to gather information and identify potential suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to call Tulsa Crime Stoppers at 918-596-COPS and reference case 2024-020791. Callers may remain anonymous.

The Tulsa World is where your story lives.
Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton Tulsa World Staff Writer Follow Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Teachers of the Year: Four more area educators have received Teacher of the Year accolades.

Bixby Public Schools announced April 20 that Melissa Lytle is its 2023-24 Teacher of the Year.

A special education teacher at Bixby North Intermediate School, Lytle has been with the district for more than two decades.

Bartlesville Public Schools announced April 18 that Ranch Heights kindergarten teacher Kelsey Carmichael is its 2023-24 Teacher of the Year.

Stillwater Public Schools announced Thursday that Rebecca Palmatary is its Teacher of the Year. A STEM and computer science teacher at Stillwater Junior High School, Palmatary has been with the district since 2006.

Additionally, Wyatt Gerth, a creative marketing communications instructor with Tri-County Technology Center, was named the Region IV New Teacher of the Year by the Association for Career and Technical Education.

Other states in Region IV include Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas.

Based in Bartlesville, Tri-County Technology Centers district includes Washington and Nowata counties plus a portion of Osage County.

Support Employee of the Year: Bartlesville Public Schools announced on April 18 that Maria Olga Herrera is its Classified Person of the Year. Herrera is a translator at Jane Phillips Elementary School.

Title VI hearing: Union Public Schools Indian Education program will have its annual public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the districts Education Service Center, 8506 E. 61st St.

School forum: Union Public Schools will have a forum at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Union Alternative Schools Building B for students in grades 9-12 who have applied or are interested in applying to the alternative education program. Applications are available online at forms.office.com/r/Wbnyhcyjqn or at Union Alternative School, 5656 S. 129th East Ave.

Emergency certification update: At Thursdays meeting, the Oklahoma State Board of Education approved 27 emergency certification requests. Since the start of the fiscal year on July 1, the board has approved 4,135 emergency certification requests.

For Hmong, press 2: Tulsa Public Schools has added four new interpretation phone lines for families needing translation services when contacting a school or district office.

In addition to the already existing Spanish language number, phone lines have been added for Dari, Hmong, Marshallese and Pashto. To access, dial the phone number for the corresponding language, and the call will be routed to an interpreter who will stay on the line for the rest of the conversation.

The new phone numbers are 918-890-1439 for Dari, 918-771-9617 for Hmong, 918-228-4944 for Marshallese and 918-771-9382 for Pashto. The Spanish translation phone number is 918-387-8580.

Help wanted: Tulsa Public Schools will have a job fair for open support positions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Maintenance Facilities Building, 1555 N. 77th East Ave. Applicants are asked to bring two professional references, their resume and a copy of their high school diploma or transcript.

Stay-home days and instructional shifts: Friday is a distance-learning day for Broken Arrow, Catoosa and Prue.

Classes are not in session Friday for Berryhill, Collinsville, Lone Star, Mounds, Pretty Water, Skiatook, Sperry and Verdigris.

School board calendar: The governing board for KIPP Tulsa is scheduled to meet Tuesday.
At least four people were killed, 100 injured and a state of emergency issued for 12 Oklahoma counties after a hours-long severe weather outbreak produced at least 17 unconfirmed tornadoes on Saturday.

Two people were dead after one of those suspected tornadoes in Hughes County.

Another person was killed along Interstate 35 at Marietta, near the Texas border, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

In Sulphur  a town with a population of about 5,000 and located about 85 miles south of Oklahoma City  downtown buildings were reduced to rubble and roofs were sheared off houses across a 15-block radius.

You just cant believe the destruction, Gov. Kevin Stitt said Sunday afternoon while touring Sulphur. It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed.

Stitt said about 30 people were injured in Sulphur alone and a fourth fatality was there, a female.

A total of 100 people were injured in Saturdays storms, according to area hospitals, the state Department of Emergency Management said Sunday evening.

Saturdays severe weather outbreak lasted for at least 12 hours, with the first tornado warning issued shortly after 1 p.m., about 18 miles north of Enid in Garfield County.

A multitude of other tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings continued nonstop, as storms moved north and east across the state into Sunday morning.

More storms developed Sunday evening in areas south and east of Tulsa, but the tornado threat was deemed less than on Saturday, forecasters said.

The governor on Sunday morning issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Carter, Cotton, Garfield, Hughes, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Murray, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Payne and Pontotoc counties, according to a release from his office.

The executive order noted extensive damage caused by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, hail and flooding that began Saturday.

The state of emergency, which lasts for 30 days, temporarily suspends requirements for size and weight permits of oversized vehicles transporting materials and supplies critical to recovery efforts, emergency relief and power restoration.

Tornadoes reportedly touched down Saturday night in Sulphur, Holdenville and Morris.

The National Weather Service in Norman said on social media at least four tornadoes had been confirmed: At least EF-3 (136-165 mph winds) for both Sulphur and Marietta. Further investigation necessary to determine if rating will go higher or not, it said in separate posts about each.

The weather service also said confirmed tornadoes of EF-0 were documented near Stillwater and Newkirk, with maximum winds of 70 and 75 mph, respectively.

The Norman weather service office said other surveys are planned over the next several days.

Two fatalities  one adult and one child  were reported from the Holdenville tornado, according to a social media post by the Hughes County EMS. Four injuries were also reported.

My prayers are with those who lost loved ones as tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma last night, the governor said in a statement early Sunday.

Holdenville, also with a population of about 5,000, is located about 85 miles south of Tulsa and about 75 miles southeast of Oklahoma City.

Storm damage was visible Sunday morning in Morris, located about six miles east of Okmulgee in Okmulgee County. Among those surveying the damage there was Timothy Baptist Church pastor Kendall Hamilton.

Hamilton said he was awakened about midnight by a dog who wanted outside. After gathering some items, he grabbed the dog and went into a cellar.

The wind hit and it was over in just a few minutes, Hamilton said.

He didnt realize the parsonage he lives in was damaged until he was back inside and found water running down a hallway.

It just came on really quick and was over really quick, he said.

According to the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, there were 40 preliminary reports of tornadoes in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Missouri on Saturday.

In Sulphur, the Murray County Sheriffs Office urged people to stay away from the city to clear the way for first responders following extensive damage, according to a statement posted by the agency on Facebook.

Stay home and do not come to look, the sheriffs office said.

A hospital was damaged in Marietta, according to the office of emergency management, which also said that Interstate 35 was closed at the border with Texas due to overturned vehicles and powerlines across the highway.

The southbound lanes of I-35 have since reopened, with one northbound lane remaining closed, but drivers should be prepared for delays and intermittent lane closures as crews work to clear the area of debris, the department said in an update at 4 p.m. Sunday.

As of midday Sunday, OG&E reported about 24,000 customers were without power, with 22,000 other customers with power restored.

Public Service Company of Oklahoma, which serves most of the Tulsa metro area, reported a peak of 3,240 customers without power. That number had been reduced to a few hundred by early afternoon.

Stitt said he had spoken to the regional director of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).

She offered her assistance. I told her to thank the president. Were working on the damage assessment.

Well do whatever we can to put the pieces back together, Stitt said. The Oklahoma standard is strong.

Stitt, added of Sulphur, Thank goodness it was a downtown (where) there wasnt a lot of people here at 10:30 at night.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

The Tulsa World is where your story lives
MANILA -- Sweltering heat in the Philippines can curb farm production, disrupt water and power and weigh on businesses, but it also takes a toll on students, hampering the Southeast Asian nation's efforts to catch up to its neighbours in education.

Temperatures have hit 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in various regions in the Philippines, as the weather phenomenon El Nino intensifies the heat enveloping the nation in its summer months of March to May.

The Philippines scores among the lowest in the world in math, science and reading, partly because of years of inadequate remote learning during the pandemic, according to the Programme for International Student Assessment, an international study of education systems.

"It is extremely hot now. The heat burns my skin, it's not like the usual (summer) heat that is tolerable," said senior high school student Kirt Mahusay, 23, whose education was halted during COVID-19.

Thousands of schools have suspended classes due to the heat, affecting more than 3.6 million students, education ministry data shows.

Students walk inside the campus of Commonwealth High School, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 18, 2024. Photo: Reuters

"In May, we're expecting more class suspensions because of the heatwaves. We're seeing an average of more than 52 degrees Celsius (125 F), so you could imagine how stressful that would be for learners," said Xerxes Castro, basic education adviser for the Save the Children Philippines.

The wilting heat - part of a band spreading across much of South and Southeast Asia, exacerbated by climate change - makes it harder for students to learn.

Children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses such as dizziness, vomiting and fainting when exposed to extreme heat for long periods, according to Save the Children Philippines.

Grade 12 students use a portable electric fan and hand fans inside a classroom at the Commonwealth High School, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, April 18, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Students and teachers have expressed concerns about difficulties in remote teaching and learning, especially in poorer areas where homes are not conducive for studying and may lack access to good internet connectivity.

"I could not focus because I get dizzy" from the heat, Esmaira Solaiman, a 20-year-old senior high school student whose learning was delayed during the pandemic, said after attending an online class from home.

Students attending in-person classes in the capital Manila resort to portable fans, notebooks and even cardboard boxes for a bit of breeze to offer relief.

"My blood pressure is already increasing because of the heat," said 62-year-old secondary school teacher Memia Santos. "Our backs are wet and at times we get dizzy."
Read what is in the news in Vietnam today:

Society

-- The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reports that on Monday, Son La Province, Hoa Binh Province, and the areas from Thanh Hoa to Phu Yen Provinces will experience particularly high temperatures, reaching 39-42 degrees Celsius, with some regions exceeding 42 degrees Celsius. Intense heat is also expected in the north, Central Highlands, and south, with temperatures ranging from 36 to 39 degrees Celsius, and exceeding 39 degrees Celsius in certain locations.

-- The Department of Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Public Security, in collaboration with the Public Security Department of Nghe An Province in north-central Vietnam, have apprehended 12 individuals involved in a transnational crime ring operating a website that distributed over 19 million pieces of sex content, attracting hundreds of millions of visits.

-- Throngs of people seeking respite from the heat filled the beaches of Da Nang City in central Vietnam on Sunday afternoon.

-- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Sunday afternoon attended the inauguration ceremony of the Cam Lam-Vinh Hao Expressway in Ninh Thuan Province, a component of the eastern part of the North-South Expressway project.

-- The upgrading of National Highway 19 has led to the serious degradation and cracking of around 400 houses in Tay Giang Commune, Tay Son District, Binh Dinh Province, south-central Vietnam for the past two years.

-- The situation of vendors selling street food and tourists filming and photographing near rails, violating railway traffic safety, persists in Hanoi despite authorities efforts to cease it.

-- Authorities in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi are verifying a video depicting two foreign tourists allegedly being charged VND500,000 (US$19.7) by a street vendor for three pineapples in the Old Quarter area.

-- Medical workers of the Vietnamese level-2 field hospital No. 5 serving the United Nations Peacekeeping mission in South Sudan recently gave gifts to Sudanese students and teachers in celebration of Vietnams Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1).

Sports

-- More than 300 domestic and foreign participants took part in the Across the Summer Waves swimming and stand-up paddle boarding (SUP) races in Da Nang City on Sunday.

-- Paris St Germain were crowned Ligue 1 champions for a record-extending 12th time on Sunday, as their third straight title was wrapped up following another dominant domestic campaign when second-placed AS Monaco lost 3-2 at Olympique Lyonnais, Reuters reported.

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Authorities in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi are verifying a video depicting two foreign tourists allegedly being charged VND500,000 (US$19.7) for three pineapples by a street vendor in the Old Quarter area.

The circulated video on social media platforms depicted two foreign female tourists buying three pineapples from a street vendor in the Hang Buom and Hang Duong Street area of Hoan Kiem District.

They were charged an excessive amount of VND500,000, which they protested vehemently and demanded a refund from the vendor, who initially refused.

Witnessing the dispute, a nearby man intervened to inquire about the situation.

When he questioned the vendor about the price of the three pineapples, the vendor claimed they were priced at VND50,000 ($1.97) each.

The man then urged the vendor to return the money to the tourists.

A video shows two female foreign tourists allegedly being charged VND500,000 ($19.7) for three pineapples in Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

Faced with pressure from the tourists, the man, and onlookers, the vendor eventually returned the VND500,000 bill.

Following the refund, the tourists abandoned the three pineapples and departed.

The incident, captured on video and circulated widely on social media, has sparked discontent among viewers as the latest instance of foreign tourists being fleeced in Hanoi.

A leader from the Peoples Committee of Hoan Kiem District on Sunday stated that local authorities promptly dispatched police personnel to investigate the incident.

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The administration in a ward in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City, on Sunday fined a male tourist VND200,000 (US$8) for urinating into the sea.

The Peoples Committee of Ward 5 in Vung Tau City, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province imposed the fine on Nguyen Van N., a 34-year-old from Ha Tinh Province, north-central Vietnam.

A photo surfaced on social media on Friday of two men standing on the embankment along Tran Phu Street in Ward 5, with one of them peeing into the sea.

His act has created an online stir.

The remaining man was identified as Dang Huu V., a 37-year-old resident of Tay Ninh Province, another neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City. He also faced a fine for parking a car in the wrong lane.

Authorities in Vung Tau City found the two men thanks to surveillance cameras.

While working with officials, N. admitted his wrongdoing and committed to not repeating the act.

Vung Tau City currently has 28 public toilets with most of them displayed on Google Maps, said Phan Trong Hanh, head of the citys culture and information division.

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Authorities in Vietnam apprehended 12 individuals involved in a transnational crime ring operating a website that distributed over 19 million pieces of pornographic content.

The website, Thiendia2.cc, attracted hundreds of millions of visits before the 12 people were arrested.

According to the investigation, the 12 individuals involved hail from various provinces and cities nationwide, with Nguyen Duc Vinh, born in 1975 and residing in Quan Bau Ward, Vinh City, Nghe An Province in north-central Vietnam, serving as the main executive.

The website, formerly known as Lau xanh, operates transnationally with servers located abroad, frequently sharing adult videos, images, and content, news site VnExpress reported.

Website leaders remain anonymous, conceal information, and often engage in transactions using virtual currencies and cryptocurrencies to evade detection by authorities, police said.

In Vietnam, Vinh and his 11 accomplices were recruited to manage and operate the website, overseen by a Super Admin who assigned daily tasks via encrypted instant messaging service Telegram.

Payments were made monthly through a virtual currency system.

Despite multiple domain name changes and blocks, the website reportedly attracted over 1.1 million members and disseminated more than 19 million pieces of explicit content.

On April 25, the Department of Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention and Control under the Ministry of Public Security, in collaboration with the public security department of Nghe An Province, conducted 12 simultaneous operations, resulting in the arrest of the 12 individuals across various provinces and cities in the country.

Confiscated evidence includes seven desktop computers, four laptops, and 20 mobile phones, containing millions of pornographic photos, stories, and videos that generated illegal profits exceeding VND3 billion (US$118,366).

The public security department of Nghe An is currently expanding the investigation.

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Doctors and staff of the Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5, part of the Vietnamese peacekeeping force at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), visited and presented gifts to students and teachers at an elementary school for girls in the East African country last week.

Conducted by the field hospital last Friday, the visit made a start for its series of social and charity activities to welcome Vietnams Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1), according to the health facilitys management.

Located in Bentiu, the capital city of the state of Unity, the Bentiu Girls Primary School is under post-war reconstruction with the support of UNICEF.

During the visit, the hospital gave 50 gifts to 50 students in difficult circumstances who were able to overcome their situation and maintain high academic achievements.

Each gift consisted of clothes, slippers, notebooks, colored pencils, and drawing pads, among others.

The hospital also offered gifts to 20 teachers of the school, along with a lot of teaching supplies, including stationery, to the school administration.

Staff of the Vietnamese Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5 at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) sing together with students of Bentiu Girls Primary School during their visit there on April 26, 2024. Photo: Level-2 Field Hospital Rotation 5

In addition, a group of female staff from the hospital gave 40 liters of milk tea and many cakes to the schools students.

To help protect the schoolgirls health, medics of the hospital provided them with instructions on proper hand washing and other personal hygiene practices.

As part of the visit, the hospitals young staff conducted various recreational activities such as tug of war, jumping rope, and other games for the scool students.

Dr. Nguyen Ha Ngoc, the hospital director, emphasized that this school visit, along with other social initiatives carried out by the hospital, fosters stronger connections between its staff and the local community.

Furthermore, it serves to enhance the positive reputation of Vietnamese 'blue beret' medical workers and Vietnam's peacekeeping forces among international acquaintances.

Bentiu, where the hospital is located, is one of the most volatile and unstable places in South Sudan, where the lives of residents are extremely difficult and almost entirely dependent on subsidies from the United Nations.

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All residents and tourists have been banned from bringing single-use plastic products to five islet communes off Quang Ninh Province in northern Vietnam from Saturday.

The administration of Van Don Island District has issued the ban on both locals and travelers bringing single-use plastic items to five islets of the district, namely Quan Lan, Minh Chau, Ngoc Vung, Thang Loi, and Ban Sen, with effect from April 27.

Tourists and residents are encouraged to use recycled, environmentally-friendly products to replace plastic bags and other containers.

The 'Say No to Single-Use Plastic Products' program has been launched by Van Don authorities on the occasion of the Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1) holiday, aiming to raise awareness among the public about the adverse effects of plastic waste pollution on the environment and human health.

The program also calls on people to actively change behaviors and habits of utilizing single-use plastic products and containers, thereby contributing to minimizing environmental pollution, safeguarding the ecosystem, and developing a sustainable tourism industry.

At Ao Tien international passenger port, located in Van Dons Cai Rong Town, and the wharves in the five islet communes, billboards and posters with the theme 'Do Not Bring Plastic Waste to Islets' have been installed to deter all passengers from bringing any plastic waste to the islets.

To make the program a success, the Van Don administration called for support from tourist firms, shipping lines, and travel associations.

With the total land area of over 580 square kilometers, Van Don is striving to fulfill its targets to cut 50 percent and 100 percent of plastic waste in the five communes by 2025 and 2030, respectively.

Nestled among Bai Tu Long Bay, adjacent to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site off Quang Ninh, Van Don Island has many advantages to developing tourism.

On September 15 last year, Co To Island District of the same province also officially prohibited travelers from bringing single-use plastic products there after a year of piloting such forbiddance.

Experts have deemed such prohibitions by Co To and Van Don as their efforts to transform local tourist attractions into green and environmentally-friendly destinations.

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A festival in Ha Long City of Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam set a record for making the largest round cha muc (squid cake) in the country, weighing 210 kilograms, using 4,400 liters of cooking oil, last weekend.

The record was confirmed by the Vietnamese record organization VietKings during the Beer and Squid Cake Festival, held in the Ocean Park area, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province at 5:00 pm on Saturday.

The squid cake weighed 210 kilograms, measured 3.4 meters in length, and stood 0.5 meters high, equivalent to about 4,000 normal squid cakes.

The frying pan was square-shaped, measuring over 3.4 meters on each side, and standing 60 centimeters high.

To fry it, the festival organizers utilized 18 gas stoves and 4,400 liters of Neptune Light cooking oil.

The mold for making the squid cake was round, 2.6 meters in diameter and 30 centimeters thick.

To flip the cake while frying, the organizers employed an overhead crane.

A certificate for the largest round cha muc (squid cake) in Vietnam. Photo: Thanh Thao / Tuoi Tre

This feat required 25 people's participation and took up to four hours to complete.

After being displayed, the giant squid cake was sliced into pieces for diners to enjoy.

Squid cake is a delectable dish that many tourists crave when visiting Quang Ninh Province, and it is recognized as one of 50 famous Vietnamese specialties by VietKings.

Despite its name, the dish is made from cuttlefish caught in the waters of Ha Long City or Van Don District in Quang Ninh Province.

The cuttlefish is processed, cleaned, pounded, shaped into cakes, fried, cooled, and vacuum-sealed immediately by production facilities to preserve its freshness.

Ha Long squid cakes are crispy, delicious, and seasoned with just the right amount of seasoning, suitable to pair with banh cuon (steamed rice rolls), xoi (sticky rice), or plain boiled rice.

This dish is a staple in feasts and a favorite treat among Ha Long locals and visitors alike.

The giant squid cake is sliced into pieces for diners to enjoy at the Beer and Squid Cake Festival, held in the Ocean Park area, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam, April 27, 2024. Photo: Thanh Thao / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Tuan Minh, deputy chairman of the Ha Long City Peoples Committee, expected that Saturdays festival would help Ha Longs seafood products, particularly squid cakes, gain further recognition among tourists, according to Nhan Dan (People) newspaper.

The event aimed to enhance the citys tourism brand, serving as a bridge to connect businesses.

Ha Long set a target of welcoming 10 million visitors this year, including two million international tourists, with total tourism revenue reaching VND22 trillion (US$868 million).

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Despite warnings about the danger of visiting, taking photos, and drinking beverages on a famed train street where coffee shops are just inches from the active railway in Hanoi, foreigners have still gravitated to the site to experience the feeling of waiting for trains to pass by.

Sitting in a coffee shop on the street, Michelle and his wife Isabelle from France said they had traveled to the capital city from Ho Chi Minh City several days earlier.

They came to the trackside cafe street after seeing it on a tourism website.

After waiting for about an hour, they heard loud screams informing them of the arrival of a train.

Isabelle immediately picked up her mobile phone to take photos of the moment.

The 10-meter red rolling stock passed through the street where hundreds of people were taking photos of it.

Tourists pose for photos on a track section at 224 Le Duan Street in Hanoi. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

On weekends, especially in the evening, groups of travelers take a stroll or visit coffee shops along the street.

Tourists from various countries rush to these coffee shops to enjoy coffee, tea, beer, or other beverages while waiting for trains to pass by.

If they fail to see a train there, they will take photos or record videos with trackside cafes.

Some young people have the hobby of keeping balance on the tracks. Some place beer bottle caps on the railway tracks, patiently waiting for trains to flatten them, after which they collect them as souvenirs.

Two tourists take photos with a train painting on a wall. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

T.M.D., the owner of a local coffee shop, said she paid much attention to ensuring the safety of her customers.

She expected local authorities to allow coffee shops like hers to operate under close management so that the train street would be an interesting destination for visitors to Hanoi.

The trackside cafe street passes through several districts in Hanoi, such as Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, and Hai Ba Trung.

After local authorities ordered the closure of coffee shops along some railway sections, others have mushroomed on other spans.

Two foreign women keep balance on the track. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Enjoying coffee at trackside cafes is an unforgettable experience for foreign visitors to Hanoi. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

A man holds a megaphone to inform that a train is approaching. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Travelers are excited as a train passes by. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Foreign visitors hold beer bottle caps which are flattened by trains. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Tourists seek to enter the trackside cafe street in Hanoi. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

People throng the trackside cafe street despite signs banning gatherings there. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

Local YouTubers also flock to the area. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

A tour guide introduces the trackside cafe street in Hanoi to a group of international tourists. Photo: T.T.D. / Tuoi Tre

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Samten Hills Dalat, a cultural and spiritual tourist complex in Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnams Central Highlands region, has helped transform Tu Tra Commune, an arid land, into an attractive destination for domestic and international travelers.

Tu Tra, situated in Don Duong District, is only about 35km from the heart of Da Lat, a famous tourist destination and the capital city of Lam Dong.

Nestled amidst rugged terrain near mountain ranges, the commune faces challenges for cultivating rice, coffee, or vegetables due to its tough soil and limited water sources for irrigation.

But a fresh breeze has blown into the commune since the Samten Hills Dalat project was put into operation more than a year ago by its investor, Hanoi-based Kim Phat Production and Trading Company Limited.

Spanning over 220 hectares, the complex showcases Vajrayana Buddhist architecture from India.

It hosts various Buddhist artifacts, including the monumental Maitreya Buddha statue and the world's largest prayer wheel crafted from bronze and plated with 24k gold, among other revered items.

Thanks to the complex, Tu Tra has welcomed about 400,000 visitors, most of them foreigners, after more than one year of operation.

As per insights from various international travel firms, Samten Hills Dalat has risen above several other attractions in Da Lat.

It is now recognized by travelers from Europe and Asia as one of the primary destinations for their visits to the city and its surrounding areas.

The complex is coordinating with many travel operators to attract visitors from Laos, Thailand, South Korea, India, Switzerland, Australia, the U.S., and UK.

In late 2023, the Lam Dong administration chose Samten Hills Dalat as a bridge to promote tourism cooperation between the province and the Ladakh union territory of India, for there are cultural similarities between this region and the project.

In a recent tourism promotion event, Madan Mohan Sethi, Indian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City, emphasized that Samten Hills Dalat has become a favorite destination for Indian travelers.

He promised to promote the images of the complex, Lam Dong, and Vietnam in general to Indian people and businesses as a contribution to boost the trade and investment cooperation between Vietnam and India.

The diplomat also said he would help provide Vietnamese travel firms with information about tourism habits of Indians so that they can attract more visitors from the South Asian country.

During a working trip to Lam Dong in early 2024, Advocate Tashi Gyalson, Chief Executive Councilor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, acknowledged that the architectural style of Samten Hills Dalat has helped bring the flow of Vajrayana Buddhism from India to Vietnam.

The complex has contributed to promoting Vietnams image to international friends, and, at the same time, introduce the world's quintessence to Vietnamese people through the Buddhist culture and art.

Thanks to some cultural similarities, Indian travelers feel that they find themselves when they visit Samten Hills Dalat in Tu Tra, Gyalson commented.

The official said he was really glad to represent Ladakh people to introduce diverse Indian cultural characteristics to Vietnamese people.

Gyalson expressed the fondness of Ladakh people for Vietnam, noting that some have already visited the Southeast Asian country.

He hoped for increased interactions between the two regions, fostering cultural exchanges, as well as collaboration in diverse fields such as economy and agriculture.

The worlds largest prayer wheel made of bronze plated with 24k gold at Samten Hills Dalat, a cultural and spiritual tourist complex in Tu Tra Commune, Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnams Central Highlands region. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre

An aerial view captures the serene landscape of Samten Hills Dalat, adorned with structures crafted in the Vajrayana Buddhist architectural style inspired by India. Located in Lam Dong Province within Vietnam's Central Highlands region, it stands as a testament to spiritual and architectural harmony. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre

The Maitreya Buddha statue at Samten Hills Dalat, a cultural and spiritual tourist complex in Tu Tra Commune, Lam Dong Province, situated in Vietnams Central Highlands region. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre

An aerial panorama of Samten Hills Dalat in Tu Tra Commune, Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnams Central Highlands region. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre

The worlds largest prayer wheel at the Samten Hills Dalat tourist complex in Tu Tra Commune, Lam Dong Province, situated in Vietnams Central Highlands region. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre

An aerial image of Samten Hills Dalat, a tourist complex in Tu Tra Commune, Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnams Central Highlands region. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre

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In a rare slip of the tongue 10 News First presenter Sandra Sully misread a reference to One Nations Pauline Hanson yesterday.

Over the Sydney bulletin headlines she read, Plus, Pauline Hanson in court. Why the One Nation leader has been forced to fight claims that she is a rapist. Racist. I apologise and correct. Racist.

Hanson is locked in a legal battle with deputy Greens leader Senator Faruqi following an online post.

Hanson is represented by barrister Sue Chrysanthou SC.
Charlotte Dawson shared a sweet snap of her breastfeeding her baby son Jude while on a family holiday in the Maldives.

The 31 year old star - who appeared on reality shows like Ex on The Beach and Celebs Go Dating - posted the adorable snap whilst lounging on a sun bed.

Charlotte, who welcomed her second child with her fiance Matthew Sarsfield in July 2023, grinned from cheek to cheek in a red swimsuit as she cradled nine-month-old Jude.

She then admitted that she felt lucky as both Jude and her eldest son Noah took to breastfeeding quite easily. Charlotte captioned her adorable post: "Feel so proud of myself & my udders that Im still breastfeeding my Judey, the bond is just amazing 9 months in & im still loving our journey even tho hes getting more teeth.

Charlotte Dawson shared a sweet snap of her breastfeeding her baby son Jude -Credit:Instagram

"The bitty bites are real hahahaha but hopefully our journey will continue for a bit longer. I did 8 months with Noah, blessed I got to feed both of my boys."

Alongside the picture of her and Jude, Charlotte also uploaded a bikini snap on her Instagram, admitting to gaining weight following her impressive weight loss journey.

The 31 year old reality TV darling and doting mum to Noah, 3, and eight-month-old Jude, took to social media to share her body positivity vibes. Charlotte, known for her raw and relatable posts, delighted fans with an uplifting photo from her family holiday with fiance Matthew Sarsfield.

Charlotte looked incredible in a bikini pic -Credit:Instagram/charlottedawsy/Charlotte Dawson

-Credit:Instagram/Charlotte Dawson

In her caption, the bubbly brunette wrote: "The jelleh belleh is going guys! Obvs I've been enjoying myself on me jollies and put on a bit of timber. Cos that's what we live for isn't it? ! If we can't eat and drink at the all inclusive and what we want on holiday what's the chuffin point? ! ".

"Anyway am back to reality now and of course not surprised to see I've put on 5lbs on. I thought it was gonna be more so I'm buzzin. Not telling tales but Matthew's put on 7 so it could have been worse," reports the Mirror.

Fans praised the reality star -Credit:Instagram/charlottedawsy/Charlotte Dawson

The reality TV star continued: "So tomorrow morning I'm going to be back on it with my fabulous Belleh Blaster plan and this time guys I'm going for the Ultimate plan which gives you 18 weeks of menus and workouts. That means I can do it at my own pace to get to even more dead sexeh Chazza. Got nothing to lose but your love handles."

Charlotte received plenty of praise from her fans for her body-positive post. One fan gushed: "Thanks for normalising women's bodies after having babies. From all the mummies with tummies, we f***ing salute you beautiful crazy girl."

"The type of role model young girls need," another Instagram follower echoed. Someone else commented: "I wish I'd had you about when I had my babies, thanks for normalising real post baby bodies."

Another one of Charlotte's fans gushed: "I'm love your attitude about body shape.. you always look stunning and have a beautiful real body."
Columbia should be proud of its students protesting against Israel: Academics

Scientists and Academics associated with universities and institutions spread across the world while condemning the use of force against student activists said the Columbia University should actually be proud of its students joining the protest against Israeli war in Gaza.



Monday April 29, 2024 1:43 PM , ummid.com News Network

Mumbai: Scientists and Academics associated with universities and institutions spread across the world while condemning the use of force against student activists said the Columbia University should actually be proud of its students joining the protest against Israeli war in Gaza.

Columbia should be proud of those members of its community who joined these protests. The protests at Columbia and other campuses are precisely empathetic, informed and courageous actions that are required at the time of a crisis, around 1000 scientists and academics associated with as many universities of the world wrote in an open letter addressed to Columbia University President Nemat Shafik.

The scientists and academics in their letter to the Columbia University President also commended the students participating in the protest against the Zionists war in Gaza and West Bank, and the American administrations support to Israel.

At the same time, the scientists and academics accused the U.S. media of failing to accurately highlight the impact of the Israeli brutal war on the ordinary Palestinians.

The U.S. media has failed to accurately portray the horrific impact of the war on ordinary Palestinians, and this has allowed the U.S. government to continue its indefensible policies, they said. We applaud the protesters at Columbia and elsewhere in the United States for looking past this smokescreen. We commend their willingness to stand up to their own government in defense of Palestinian human rights and demand divestment from the military industrial complex in Israel. We are impressed by their efforts to build an inclusive coalition to peacefully advocate for these demands, the academics and scientist said while urging the Columbia University President to feel proud of the students. Even if Columbias administration disagreed with the protesters, it was your responsibility to protect their rights to express their views. We understand that the protests were disruptive; however, this is the nature of protests, especially those concerning such serious issues, they said.

The academics and scientists who signed the letter included Tarek Anous, Queen Mary University of London, Philip Argyres, University of Cincinnati, Cyril Closset, University of Birmingham, Anne-Christine Davis, Cambridge University, Casey Harwood, University of Iowa, Seyda Ipek, Carleton University, Nabil Iqbal, Durham University, Madalena Lemos, Durham University, Mario Martone, Kings College London, Brian Nord, University of Chicago, Suvrat Raju, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Nausheen R. Shah, Wayne State University, Brian Shuve, Harvey Mudd College, Deema Totah, University of Iowa, Thomas Van Riet, Leuven University, Tien-Tien Yu, University of Oregon and others.

While condemning the Columbia Presidents decision to call Police and suspend students the academics and scientists urged the university administration to revoke these decisions.

Your actions have weakened democratic norms within the university and undermined the universitys standing in the international academic community. We urge you to immediately revoke any disciplinary actions taken against the protesters and to take immediate steps to ensure that charges are dropped against those who were arrested, they said.

University students protest spread to Europe, Australia and Canada

Meanwhile, the students protest against Israel and the American administrations funding of the Zionist war in the occupied Palestinian territories that engulfed the university campuses across the United States after the use of force against the Columbia students, have now spread to Europe, Canada, Australia and other cities.

On the lines of the universities in the United States, student activists also set-up encampment on the McGill's downtown campus in Canada.

Protesters are demanding McGill and Concordia universities to divest from funds implicated in the Zionist state as well as [cut] ties with Zionist academic institutions, according to a statement sent to CBC News by Zaynab Ali, a McGill student participating in the protest.

BREAKING:



Happening now in Montreal, Quebec, Canada!



McGill University students join the global uprising for a free Palestine.



The university encampment protests against Israels genocide are spreading like wildfire worldwide.



pic.twitter.com/vdlqlnbmTV  sarah (@sahouraxo) April 27, 2024

Pro-Palestine solidarity rallies and encampment are also seen in Sydney University and other Australian university campuses. A group of children also joined the anti-Israel protest in Sydney University. They were chanting slogans calling for intifada (uprising) at what the organisers described as a kids excursion to the pro-Palestine encampment at the University of Sydney.

Protests showing solidarity with Palestinians and demanding action over Israel's bombardment of Gaza also spread to United Kingdom, France and Germany.

At University College London (UCL) Friday, dozens of students rallied with banners calling it "complicit in genocide" and demanding it "divest from death."

The UCL students wearing keffiyehs and carrying Palestinian flags also chanted slogans "no more money for Israel's crimes" and "London students, it's our time  shut it down for Palestine.





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Gaza Genocide: Benjamin Netanyahu braces for ICC arrest warrant

Quoting Jewish daily, Maariv, WAFA news agency reported that Benjamin Netanyahu is deeply worried the International Criminal Court (ICC) is on the verge of issuing a warrant for his arrest and other senior politicians in his government.

Monday April 29, 2024 6:37 PM , Dr Marwan Asmar

Amman: Quoting Jewish daily, Maariv, WAFA news agency reported that Benjamin Netanyahu is deeply worried the International Criminal Court (ICC) is on the verge of issuing a warrant for his arrest and other senior politicians in his government.

Citing senior sources, the newspaper stated that Netanyahu is unnaturally afraid and worried about the upcoming arrest warrant accusing him of genocide in Gaza. The ruling could take effect as early as the coming month of May.

As a result, he has been meeting ministers in emergency session and legal experts to discuss the possibility of the ICC warrants and the implications of such a move for him as well as other ministers and generals, and for Israel.

The Israeli Prime Minister has been courting world leaders to see whether the ruling of the International Criminal Court (ICC) could be stopped. In this regard, he has spoken to the UK and German foreign ministers David Cameron and Annalena Baerbock on their recent visits to Israel.

If the ruling is approved he would be banned from 123 countries and hinder him from international movement. But this needs the approval of the United States at the UN Security Council (UNSC).

If we can imagine it, we can achieve it.



Help me manifest this into reality, friends.



cc: @TheOfficial1984 pic.twitter.com/xa0IxGbT9t  Sam Parker  (@SamParkerSenate) April 28, 2024

Observers suggest Washington may vote for the issuance of the ICC warrant in an attempt to end the political career of Netanyahu and stop Israels war on Gaza.

Sources also suggest that besides Benjamin Netanyahu, ICC warrants could also be issued for the arrests of the Israeli Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

News reports suggests Halevi may soon be quitting on another related matter to do with the resignation of the Director of Military Intelligence Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva for the failure to forecast the debacle of 7 October in which Hamas operatives penetrated the Gaza fence and 1200 Israelis were killed.

The ICC has already accused Israel of plausible genocide on Gaza in a merciless war that lasted seven months and is about to start its eight with no end in sight.

Meanwhile Israeli has killed over 34,000 people, injured over 77,000 people and displaced 1.9 people out of a population of 2.3 million in Gaza.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the bloodbath it has perpetrated in Gaza. An interim ruling in January , and additional measures announced in March , the ICJ ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

[The writer, Dr Marwan Asmar, is Amman-based writer covering Middle East affairs.]





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What is Going on Between U.S. and China

Last week the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken was in China, ostensibly to diffuse the tension build-up between the two super powers. However, in this latest bilateral exchange, China appears to have taken an upper hand over the US.



Monday April 29, 2024 2:15 PM , Asad Mirza

Last week the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken was in China, ostensibly to diffuse the tension build-up between the two super powers. However, in this latest bilateral exchange, China appears to have taken an upper hand over the US.

The top American and Chinese diplomats held tough talks in Beijing last week, as the sparring superpowers sought to clarify their growing differences on an array of bilateral and global issues that could further strain the already tense relationship.

While US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed that ties are beginning to stabilise, his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, did not mince words when addressing a number of contentious topics, including Ukraine, Taiwan and trade issues.

At the Beijing meeting, Wang warned Washington not to cross China's red lines on sovereignty, security and development, adding that negative factors have been mounting between the worlds two largest economies as the relationship faces all kinds of disruptions. Meaning, it told the US to keep its hands off the Chinese adventurism in the South China Sea.

China's legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed and our core interests are facing challenges," Wang told Blinken, asking whether the two countries should keep moving forward or return to a downward spiral.

For his part, Blinken, who also visited Shanghai and met President Xi Jinping during his latest three-day China trip, said he warned Beijing directly about its assertive moves around the Philippines and vowed to defend the ally.

Blinken said he raised Beijing's "dangerous actions in the South China Sea" during meetings with top leaders. Earlier, Blinken had promised to be very clear, very direct in the talks about the areas where we have differences and where the United States stands.

Blinken was hoping to build upon the progress made in recent months on resuming counter-narcotics cooperation, military-to-military communications, artificial intelligence and strengthening people-to-people ties.

Both Wang and Biden also referred to the heightened trade tensions between the two sides amid consistent complaints that Chinese overcapacity is flooding the US market and undercutting American firms. Though for this the US and the wider West itself is to be blamed

Antony Blinken also met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. During the meeting Xi told Blinken that the worlds two biggest economies should be partners, not rivals. according to state broadcaster CCTV.

During their meeting in Beijings Great Hall of the People, Xi proposed three major principles: mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation for improving ties with the US.

Apparently, Xi was reported as saying that the earth is big enough to hold the common development and prosperity of China and the United States and China would be pleased to see a confident and open, prosperous and developing US, adding that he hopes the US can also take a positive view of Chinas development. When this fundamental problem is solved relations can truly stabilise, get better, and move forward.

However, Chinas increasing closeness to Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine has heightened US distrust. Blinken told reporters that during his discussions, he reiterated serious American concern about the Peoples Republic of China providing components that are powering Russias brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.

The Wall Street Journal reported ahead of Blinkens trip that the US might threaten to remove some Chinese banks from the global financial system if China does not curtail outflow of dual-use components to Russia.

Officials of both countries said they had made progress on a few smaller, pragmatic fronts, including setting up the first U.S.-China talks on artificial intelligence in the coming weeks. They also said they would continue improving communications between their militaries and increase cultural exchanges. But on fundamental strategic issues, each side held little hope of moving the other, and they appeared wary of the possibility of sliding into further conflict.

Meanwhile, In an interview with CNN at the tail end of his China trip, Mr Blinken said hed reiterated a warning President Joe Biden had delivered to Chinese leader Xi Jinping during their November 2023 summit, in which Mr Biden told Mr Xi not to get involved in the 2024 election. He said recently the United States has learned of Chinese efforts to influence and arguably interfere with this years upcoming general election and is working to stop them.

China professes that it does not get involved in other nations internal affairs, but over the years Beijing and its allies and affiliates have been the subject of election-meddling accusations from multiple countries.

Earlier this month, Microsoft warned that China might use AI to disrupt elections in the United States, India, and South Korea in 2024. The report said that China tacitly approved efforts to try to influence a handful of midterm races involving members of both US political parties with the idea to try to prevent certain candidates perceived as anti-China from winning and support certain candidates perceived to be pro-China.

All in all, the visit seemed to be full of rhetoric, and seemed to have gained nothing much for the United States but it gave an upper hand to China over the US on reiterating its position on many contentious issues. In the meanwhile, China continues to support Russia over Ukraine, and be a continuous headache for its neighbours in the South China Sea besides asserting its right over Taiwan, and being an international disruptor on major trade and technological issues while building-up its military power.

Moreover, the visit came at a time when the risk of confrontation between the two is growing, and areas where two could work together seem to be shrinking fast. But the message conveyed was that both countries are trying to salvage what they could.



(The writer, Asad Mirza, is a Delhi-based senior political and international affairs commentator.)





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SEOUL  Lotte Mall West Lake Ha Noi, invested by the Republic of Korea (RoK)s Lotte Group, welcomed six million visitors from its inauguration in September, 2023 to late March, the RoKs Dong-a Ilbo newspaper reported.

This mega commercial complex took only 122 days to surpass the 100 billion KRW (US$72.5 million) mark in revenue.

Currently, an average of 30,000 people come to this shopping centre every day on weekdays and more than 50,000 at weekends.

The inauguration of the Lotte Mall West Lake Ha Noi, which brings together 233 famous foreign and Korean brands, has taken advantage of the influence of the "Korean wave" (Hanllyu) to quickly attract Vietnamese youth, thereby contributing to economic development and cultural exchanges between the two countries, the newspaper wrote.

Viet Nam, as a potential consumer market, is increasingly attractive to international brands. Mordor Intelligence, a global market research company, predicts that Viet Nam's retail market will grow at an average annual rate of 12.1 per cent starting this year to reach about $435.6 billion by 2028.

The Lotte Group started constructing the 787-billion-KRW centre in 2018, with a purpose of establishing a Lotte Town in Viet Nam, and providing Vietnamese citizens with a premier shopping destination and an unparalleled Asian shopping experience.

The Korean group began its supermarket business in Viet Nam and Indonesia in 2008. To date, it has had 64 stores throughout Viet Nam and Indonesia, and is planning to expand its system to Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia.  VNS
Brge Brende

Todays most pressing challenges  as well as the futures most promising opportunities  are not bound by borders. Strengthening our economies, improving our collective security, addressing climate change, and unlocking the benefits of frontier technologies all depend on cooperative approaches. Yet, the world is at risk of drifting toward a perilous state in which collaborative agendas are replaced by confrontational mindsets.

A more contentious geopolitical climate is of such concern that this past September, at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned: Global challenges are mounting. And we seem incapable of coming together to respond.

Indeed, alarm bells abound  for instance, just 12 per cent of the UNs 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on target to be met by the 2030 deadline.

Thankfully, though, there are some bright spots.

At the G20 Summit last December, India made it a priority to include representation from the Global South in the dialogue and steered leaders of the worlds largest economies to agreement on a joint declaration on climate financing, global debt, and other issues  this despite predictions that agreement would be impossible to achieve.

At the UN Climate Conference in Dubai this past November  COP28  the United Arab Emirates committed to leading an inclusive and safe space for all participants and parties agreed for the first time to transition away from fossil fuels toward renewable sources of energy.

And later this month, Saudi Arabia and the World Economic Forum will convene leaders from around the world for a special meeting in Riyadh on strengthening cooperation, particularly between the Global North and South.

What these instances have in common is that the successes are due in large measure to an inclusive approach and to the leadership of so-called middle powers  countries such as India, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia that are not global superpowers but are playing an outsized role in moving the global agenda forward.

Today, at a time of geopolitical turbulence, middle-power leadership particularly middle-power leadership from the Middle East  will determine whether the world makes progress on critical security, environmental and technology priorities. Because the solutions to several of the worlds most pressing challenges not only run through the region but require the type of collaborative approaches middle powers have championed.

On global security, leadership from Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, will be vital in forging paths forward in two of the most urgent crisis: Ukraine and Gaza. In August 2023, Jeddah hosted peace talks for Ukraine that were vital in bringing to the table key parties from the Global North and South. In a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Riyadh earlier this year, the two discussed ways to operationalise the Ukrainian peace plan. Riyadh has also been a critical player in working to bring parties to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza. At the World Economic Forums Annual Meeting in Davos this past January, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan reiterated the Kingdoms commitment to formally recognising Israel if it takes steps toward a two-state solution with Palestinians.

On climate change, the success of a green energy transition that is equitable and fosters growth can only happen if capitals in the Middle East help move it forward. Because while the region produces approximately 30 per cent of the worlds oil and 23 per cent of its natural gas, many countries are poised to become green power leaders of the future. Saudi Arabias Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, recently said the Kingdom is committed to being the centrepiece in the renewable market. Indeed, through its Vision 2030 plan, the country is diversifying non-oil exports and aiming to increase its share of non-oil GDP from 16 per cent to 50 per cent by the end of the decade.

And on unlocking new technology opportunities ahead, generative AI has the potential to add between US$2.6 and $4.4 trillion in economic benefits annually, according to McKinsey & Company. But this can only happen if stakeholders around the world work together. Here, Saudi Arabia has been building partnerships with countries around the world and has committed to an annual investment of 2.5 per cent of GDP in the research, development, and innovation sector by 2040.

At a complex geopolitical moment, when challenges demand collective approaches, if middle powers continue to shape solutions, and do so in a collaborative way, we will be on course toward a stronger future.

Brge Brende is President of the World Economic Forum, which is convening the Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development from 28-29 April 2024, in Riyadh.
PARIS  The Vietnamese Embassy in France and the French Communist Party (PCF)s cell in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps city has held a commemoration of Raymonde Dien, a communist activist, a faithful friend of the Vietnamese people, and also a symbol of the fight against the French war in Viet Nam.

The event took place on April 27 besides the train station of Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, where 74 years ago, Raymonde Dien, a 21-year-old PCF member then, lay on the railway track to block a train carrying weapons to Indochina.

The ceremony was among activities celebrating the 70th anniversary of the ien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954 - 2024) and the opening of the Geneva conference on April 26, 1954 that led to the signing of an agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Viet Nam.

In his remarks, Vietnamese Ambassador inh Toan Thang stressed that the act by Raymonde Dien became a historical symbol and a source of inspiration for a global movement objecting to war and advocating peace and independence for the Vietnamese people.

He expressed profound gratitude from the Vietnamese State and people to Dien as well as other French friends, who contributed to Viet Nams peace efforts in the past and the maintenance of solidarity and peace at present.

Viet Nam is aware that international solidarity, especially the relentless support from the French people, during the struggle for independence and peace, formed the solid foundation for the friendship and cooperation between the two countries nowadays, Thang said, expressing his hope that the two sides will sustain this tradition in the years to come.

Gilles Moindrot, secretary of the PCF cell in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps, described the act by Dien as symbolic, brave and also a demonstration of the solidarity with Viet Nam, support for the Vietnameses aspiration for independence, and support for peace for the entire Indochina.

At that time, Dien and other communist activists were convicted by the French government. But only four years later, when the ien Bien Phu Campaign ended in 1954, history proved them right and the Geneva Accords put an end to the war between the two countries, he noted.

On this occasion, the embassy also coordinated with historian Alain Ruscio, an expert on Viet Nam, and the PCF cell in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to hold a seminar on the ien Bien Phu Victory and the Geneva Accords. The event attracted nearly 100 participants.  VNS
As Viet Nam celebrates Reunification Day, one of its most significant historical events, HCM Citys vibrant culture and rich history are on full display as people from all walks of life have come together to share their past and look towards a brighter future.

Alongside the cultural and artistic festivities marking the end of the war and the reunification of the nation, the city is ramping up efforts to achieve its ambitious socio-economic targets and to reflect upon the momentous occasion, Bo Xuan Hiep reports.

The streets across HCM City, formerly known as Sai Gon, are adorned with red flags and banners symbolising the spirit of unity and patriotism that brought the country together.

The bustling metropolis rich in history and culture is commemorating one of Viet Nams most significant historical events - Reunification Day, April 30, 1975.

Cultural events, parades, and fireworks displays are being organised in various locations throughout the city and the nation.

One of the key events planned to honour the event was a ceremony last week to commemorate Kings Hung, the nations legendary founders, featuring martial arts performances, dragon dances, and traditional art shows.

A special programme titled Ngay Hoi Non Song Thong Nhat (National Reunification Day) will feature a music and dance gala on April 29, including songs that praise the nation, its islands and seas, President Ho Chi Minh, and the city itself.

A photo and art exhibition will highlight the country and the citys progress and growth. In addition, there will be a grand fireworks display on April 30.

Nguyen Thi Khuyen, 30, from the central province of Ha Tinh and works in HCM City, said the day holds special meaning for not only the city's residents but for all Vietnamese people across the nation.

It reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who fought for the countrys freedom, independence and sovereignty, she said.

For a brighter future

HCM City is not only reviewing its past achievements but also looking forward to a brighter future through infrastructure improvements.

According to Nguyen Van Nen, secretary of the HCM City Communist Party Committee, the city is particularly focused on enhancing its infrastructure to support economic recovery and growth.

One of the citys priorities is the early completion of the new passenger terminal, Terminal 3 (T3), at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, which is expected to finish two months ahead of schedule, coinciding with the 50th anniversary event next year.

The terminal is designed to accommodate 20 million passengers annually and is set to double the airports operational capacity, reducing congestion and improving efficiency.

In addition to the T3 project, the city is also prioritising the completion of several other key traffic projects this year to accelerate public investment disbursement.

These projects include Ring Road 3, the An Phu Intersection project, upgrades to National Highway 50, the construction of a double underground tunnel beneath Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard, and the establishment of a new road linking Tran Quoc Hoan and Cong Hoa streets to Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

City officials have also announced the first metro line, which will run between Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Suoi Tien Theme Park in Thu uc City, will commence commercial operations in July.

The line is currently 97 per cent complete and has been built at a cost of over VN43.7 trillion (US$1.9 billion).

Originally scheduled for completion in 2018, the project has faced multiple delays due to funding issues and the impact of the COVID pandemic, but is finally nearing its long-awaited debut.

The completion of the metro line is a significant milestone for the citys transportation infrastructure.

The city is also expanding its public transportation network, upgrading existing bus systems, as well as improving the efficiency of waterway transportation.

It is implementing smart city technologies to enhance urban management and improve the quality of life for its residents, including implementing smart traffic management systems, digital connectivity, and smart public services.

Experts have, however, pointed out the city is also facing challenges such as low credit growth, a slow real estate market recovery, and falling foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction.

Phan Van Mai, chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee [Government], has pledged that city authorities will seek solutions to improve economic performance in the upcoming quarters.

The city is expected to benefit from the implementation of a National Assembly-approved resolution which was issued in June last year.

The resolution includes a range of mechanisms and policies to support development in the city, covering areas such as investment management, finance, urban management, natural resources, and science-technology management.

The successful implementation of the resolution is expected to continue to back up economic recovery for not only HCM City but the entire country, experts noted.

Ambitious targets

Despite the numerous challenges facing it, the city is committed to reaching its ambitious targets for 2024 and beyond with tourism being one of the key areas.

According to Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the city's Department of Tourism, as a major player in the countrys tourism industry, the city has set specific targets to increase tourism revenue to over VN190 billion and attract more than 6 million international visitors this year.

The city is diversifying its tourism products to improve the overall visitor experience and attract visitors at home and abroad.

The city boasts 185 historical, religious, and cultural heritage sites, including two UNESCO intangible cultural heritage sites, making it among the countrys top tourist destinations.

The city has recently introduced nearly 50 new tourism products.

It has also collaborated with local travel companies to organise new tours, such as the Sai Gon  Big Market Memories tour, to provide unique insights into its rich history and cultural values.

Last year, it welcomed nearly five million foreign tourists and close to 35 million domestic tourists, generating over VN160 trillion in tourism revenue.

The city has also set targets in other areas such as upgrading its IT infrastructure, ensuring adequate classroom facilities, and having a trained workforce with certificates or training qualifications.

With plans to create new jobs and open general hospitals in key districts, the city aims to improve the quality of life for its residents and foster economic growth.

HCM City's economy is expected to bounce back in the second half of the year, with projected 8 per cent growth for the year, according to the HCM City Macroeconomic Report: 2023 Results and 2024 Forecast.

The city has shown positive economic growth in the first quarter of the year, with its GRDP reaching over VN406 trillion, up 6.5 per cent year-on-year.

The service sector remains the key driver of economic development, contributing nearly 72 per cent to the growth, while industry is also showing positive growth.

In terms of the state budget, the city has collected over VN139 trillion, up 7.6 per cent over the previous year.

By setting ambitious targets, the city aims to ensure sustained growth and prosperity for its residents, in commemoration of the nations historical events.

These ambitious goals not only mark this years National Reunification anniversary but also anticipate the citys grand 50th anniversary next year. VNS
Many Vietnamese soldiers, with unwavering determination, contributed to the ien Bien Phu Battle Victory that "resounded throughout five continents and shattered the world's colonialism" in 1954.

One is veteran Cao Xuan Tho, who is hailed as one of the Vietnamese Kings of bomb disposal during the resistance war against the French.

With his remarkable contributions, Tho had the honour of meeting President Ho Chi Minh four times.

"People feel immense happiness and honour to meet President Ho once, but I feel even more privileged as I had the opportunity to meet him four times. Those were the happiest moments in my life as a soldier," Tho said.

The veteran, who is now nearly 100 years old, still remembers the brutal days spent alongside his comrades on the battlefield in ien Bien Phu.

Every road, position, and every shape of the bombs at the Co Noi T-junction, a place considered a fatal area in the ien Bien Phu battlefield, are imprinted in his mind.

In 1946, when Tho was 19, he left his hometown of Thanh Hoa Province and joined the resistance army. Two years later, he willingly went to the battlefield as a soldier of the 308th Division of the Vietnam People's Army. He then served in military intelligence operating in the provinces Cao Bang, Bac Kan and Lang Son, and participated in the Autumn-Winter Campaign.

He also worked with the youth volunteer force operating in Hoa Binh, Upper Laos, and ultimately, ien Bien Phu campaigns.

"To prepare for the ien Bien Phu campaign, a youth volunteer force was formed under the code name Division X-P in 1953. At that time, the division established a team specialising in bomb disposal and road clearing. I was trusted to serve as the leader of the bomb disposal team in the 404th Company of the 40th Youth Volunteer Division," he told the Nguoi Lao ong newspaper.

Our team had the mission of bomb disposal and road clearance at the Co Noi T-junction. This was a crucial Three-way crossroads between National Highway 41, now National Highway 6, and National Highway 13, the main arteries leading to ien Bien Phu, hence considered a fatal zone that all soldiers had to overcome."

It was located in a narrow and deep valley, flanked by hills, making it a prime target for French air attacks. All logistical activities, including the reinforcement of forces and the transportation of weapons, supplies, and volunteer labourers from the northern province of Yen Bai and the delta of northern Viet Nam to ien Bien Phu had to pass through this junction.

It was a vulnerability that the French forces were aware of and they continuously concentrated firepower to destroy the only vital supply route to the battlefield.

"The Co Noi crossroads was always engulfed in bombs and shells. Every 10 minutes or so, enemy planes would swoop in to drop bombs and wreak havoc. There were days when they dropped 300 bombs of various types, weighing a total of 69 tons of explosives. I, together with two other comrades, was assigned the task of monitoring and pinpointing the exact locations where the time bombs were dropped. We would then plant warning flags and find ways to defuse the bombs," he said.

Despite the continuous bombardment by enemy aircraft, the soldiers in Bomb Disposal Team 404 rushed into the line of fire to plant warning flags and defuse bombs.

Bombs piled upon bombs, triggering one another in a chain reaction. The sky was filled with smoke and flames, Tho said.

The mountains and forests were torn apart everywhere. Many soldiers fell, their bodies merging with the earth, rocks, and explosives. While in the midst of defusing a bomb, a nearby explosion buried Tho under debris. Although he survived, he suffered three fractured vertebrae.

Despite constant dangers, Tho and his comrades relentlessly patrolled the roads day and night with the determination to keep the "lifeline" of transportation. Thanks to their efforts, the route through the Co Noi junction remained open, allowing Vietnamese troops to advance steadily towards ien Bien Phu.

Working under tonnes of bombs, there was a thin line between life and death. His comrades organised his "living funeral" four times before going on missions and he fortunately came back alive.

"For soldiers like us at that time, there was a deep-seated hatred towards the enemy. Death was regarded lightly, like a feather. So, after each mission was completed, feeling that we were still alive was considered very fortunate. Among those who were given a "living funeral" like me, there were those who went and never returned," Tho said.

There were many memories that he could never forget in his military career. For example, there was a time when he had to immerse himself in freezing water while drinking fish sauce to defuse a bomb.

It was in March 1954 when their unit received information about a time bomb planted deep under a stream, around four metres away from the Ta Vai underwater road.

Higher command ordered Tho's unit to remove the bomb before 6pm so that the military personnel and the artillery could safely pass through.

"At that moment, a comrade, Tran Van Cam, dived down, but he had to resurface quickly because the water was too cold. Suddenly remembering the fishermen's experience, I drank four bowls of fish sauce to get warmed up and then dove down, discovering the bomb embedded in the rock wall at a depth of about four metres," he said.

"After locating the target, I returned to the bank and told my comrades to tie a rope around my waist before diving. We agreed that when I successfully attached the detonator to the fuse, I would give the signal to pull me back to the surface.

"After a 20-minute of disposing, a deafening blast echoed through the sky, and a towering column of water shot up tens of metres high. The Ta Vai Bridge was cleared, and the road was safe for traffic. Following that bomb disposal operation, our team was awarded the Order of Valour, and I had the honour of receiving the Third-class Military Service Order."

Throughout the ien Bien Phu Campaign, Major Cao Xuan Tho, the leader of Bomb Disposal Team 404, successfully defused over 100 bombs of different types.

He was honoured three times with badges personally awarded by President Ho Chi Minh. In particular, due to his significant contributions to the country, Tho was bestowed with the title "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" in 2014.

Distinct honour

In the mind of "the King of bomb disposal", the memories of meeting with President Ho remain indelibly imprinted.

He not only had the privilege of meeting the President four times, but also had the distinct honour of having the Third-class Military Service Order personally bestowed upon him by the President.

"The first time I met President Ho was in December 1953. At that time, my comrades and I returned to the Viet Bac Resistance Zone to attend the National Congress of Patriotic Soldiers. As soon as I entered the assembly hall, there was a sudden cheer. Subsequently, the entire hall fell silent to listen to President Ho's speech, as he imparted words of guidance to the soldiers," he said.

Tho met President Ho another three times thanks to his units remarkable achievements. The last time was during the National Congress of Heroic Soldiers in June 1956 at which he and his comrades were personally greeted and praised by the President.

He passes on his love for the homeland and country to the younger generation, becoming a mentor and role model for them.

"On every major national holiday, he is invited to schools to speak about history with teachers and students. He often tells his children, grandchildren, and the younger generation about the fierce nature of war and the courageous spirit of the Vietnamese military. This contributes to educating and instilling patriotism among the younger generation," said o Thi Thu, secretary of the Hoang Giang Commune Youth Union. VNS
By Khanh Linh

In the early days of May 1954, as the Vietnamese resistance army intensified its offensive against the French stronghold of ien Bien Phu on the military front, the Vietnamese negotiation delegation in Geneva was urgently preparing for a diplomatic struggle.

Colonel Ha Van Lau, a former deputy Foreign Minister, was in the negotiation delegation of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam (DRV) at the Geneva Peace Conference in 1954. In a 2014 interview with the Vietnam News Agency, he reminisced about the Geneva talks, which restored peace in Viet Nam and Indochina as a whole.

Alongside Deputy Defence Minister Ta Quang Buu, Col Lau served as a military expert for the delegation. He recalled their journey by train via Beijing and Moscow, and arriving in Geneva on May 4, 1954.

At that time, the DRV had not yet received an official invitation to the talks. The invitation only arrived on May 8, one day before the session on Viet Nam began.

"As military experts of the delegation, Deputy Defence Minister Ta Quang Buu and I focused on studying the military aspects of the talks, which included the ceasefire, troop movements, and Frances troop withdrawal from the three Indochinese countries, Lau said.

"I felt very anxious because the task was new to me, and there was very little information available," he added.

On May 7, 1954, the Vietnamese army and people won the ien Bien Phu battle. Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Col Lau mentioned that the team learned about the ien Bien Phu Victory through western media before receiving reports from home.

"Our joy knew no bounds. Head of the delegation Pham Van ong embraced everyone, and we spent a sleepless night discussing plans for the meeting the next morning, he said.

This triumph significantly bolstered the standing of the DRV delegation at the talks.

Col Lau said that the ien Bien Phu victory held immense significance and greatly influenced the diplomatic efforts of the DRV in Geneva. As a result, the Vietnamese delegation approached the conference from a position of victory.

At 4:30pm on May 8, the Geneva Accords on Indochina were initiated. It was from this moment that Col Lau fully engaged in diplomatic endeavours, advocating for peace, independence, and national unification.

The atmosphere at the Geneva negotiations was extremely tense, particularly regarding the demarcation and relocation of military forces from both sides. Lau noted that he and Buu held numerous meetings with the French delegation to discuss this issue.

Through much debate, the conference at last decided that Parallel 17 would be the line to temporarily divide the North and the South, which was along the Ben Hai River to the north of Quang Tri Province.

Following 75 days, 31 sessions, and numerous bilateral and multilateral meetings, the Geneva Accords on peace for Viet Nam was signed at midnight on July 20, 1954.

With the monumental victory at ien Bien Phu and the steadfast principle of "independence, national unification, and territorial integrity", the DRV delegation achieved its objective of securing an agreement to end the war and restore peace in Indochina.

From this juncture, Col Lau's military career seamlessly transitioned into a diplomatic path.

Born in 1918 in Lai An Village, Phu Mau Commune, Phu Vang District in Thua Thien Hue Province, Ambassador Lau led a remarkable life. Originally a civil servant under French colonial rule, he soon embraced the revolutionary cause and actively participated in armed struggle against French rule and Japanese occupation in Ninh Hoa and Khanh Hoa before returning to fight in his homeland in Hue City.

Earning high trust from the Communist Party and the resistance government under President Ho, he assumed several pivotal roles, including head of the Combat Operations Department of the General Staff of the Viet Nam People's Army (VPA); military specialist at the Geneva peace talks; and head of the Liaison Delegation of the General Staff of the VPA.

He served as deputy head of the Vietnamese diplomatic delegation in the Paris peace talks, Ambassador of Viet Nam to the Republic of Cuba, France, and the United Nations. Finally, he held the post of Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1982 to 1984.

Father and daughters

Ha Thi Dieu Hong, one of Lau's two daughters, said that his farther's entire life was devoted to the nation and its people.

She said during Lau's diplomatic missions, he was often away from home. Thats why Hong and her sister, Ha Thi Ngoc Ha, had little time with their father during their childhood.

During the period when Lau served as deputy head of the Vietnamese diplomatic delegation at the Paris peace talks, her family sometimes received his evening calls from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, inquiring about their wellbeing and school progress.

"We missed our father dearly. There was an occasion when our entire family was invited by Minister of Foreign Affairs Xuan Thuy for dinner and photo taking to send to our father," Hong said.

During times of evacuation from Ha Noi to rural areas due to US air bombing, Ambassador Lau sent letters reminding them to take care of themselves. He also advised the two sisters to help the homeowner with household chores, as the host had provided them free abode.

It wasn't until peace was restored that Lau had the opportunity to spend much time with his two daughters.

"My father often listened to radio broadcasts in English and French, so we enjoyed learning foreign languages from a young age. I can never forget those moments when the whole family sat together, had meals, and listened to French songs," Hong said.

When Ha Thi Ngoc Ha, former Ambassador of Viet Nam to Chile, decided to pursue a diplomatic career, Ambassador Lau began sharing insights into the intense intellectual battles at the negotiation table, diplomatic strategies, and the lessons behind anecdotes.

Every story he recounted about the Viet Bac resistance base, the Geneva peace negotiations in 1954, and the Paris peace talks in 1973 deeply resonated with them.

Hong remembered a remark Ambassador Lau made in response to Deputy Head of the US Delegation William Harriman's accusation of the North invading the South during a closed-door meeting at the Paris conference.

"I am from the central region. I fight so that I can return to my homeland and meet my mother. And you accuse me of invading my own homeland? The American delegate couldn't say anything in response," she quoted Ambassador Lau as saying.

Hong said that the ambassador always emphasised the importance of "maintaining a warm heart and a cool head" during diplomatic negotiations. This simple yet profound lesson guided her throughout her life.

Throughout various positions held during a crucial period in the country's history, Ambassador Col Lau collected and preserved multiple documents, notes, and especially photographs sent by foreign journalists and Vietnam News Agency reporters during many historical events in the country.

His family donated those invaluable assets to the National Archives Centre 3 in August 2022.

Upon retirement, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lau and his wife returned to live in their hometown of Thua Thien Hue.

Ambassador Lau passed away in HCM City in 2016 at the age of 98. VNS
Indonesian President Joko Widodo (R) meets with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Bogor Palace in West Java, Indonesia, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian President Joko Widodo met with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Bogor Palace in West Java on Monday at the yearly Indonesia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat 2024 meeting.

"This is the 7th Leaders' Retreat and is a strong signal for the continuity of cooperation between the two countries, Singapore and Indonesia," Widodo stated in a joint press conference.

Widodo expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of the defense and extradition agreements and discussed investment opportunities, including in the green economy sector and the textile industry.

The Singaporean prime minister said his country recorded significant progress in defense and economic cooperation with Indonesia, including the signing of an agreement on defense and digital economic cooperation.

He highlighted Indonesia's beneficial economic contribution to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and underlined the nation's significance for the stability and prosperity of the region. 
The annual report, which was published by the National Innovation Centre (NIC) in partnership with Do Ventures on April 26, provides a detailed look at investment trends in the Vietnamese startup ecosystem.

Accordingly, the deal count stayed relatively stable, experiencing only a slight 9 per cent decrease, resulting in a total of 122 deals closed during the year. These figures highlight a continuing trend affected by challenging global economic conditions, which has tended to heavily affect later-stage deals value since the highs in 2021.

Despite experiencing a 17 per cent decline in VC funding last year, Vietnams investment landscape appeared relatively optimistic when contrasted with the global scenario. While global VC funding plummeted to around $345 billion, marking a significant 35 per cent decrease from the preceding year, Vietnams VC funding demonstrated a notable level of resilience.

In the latter half of 2023, there was an increase in deal count compared to the first half. However, due to smaller deal sizes, the total deal value for the second half was lower than that of the first half. Yet, the deal value in the second half of 2023 surged by 34 per cent compared to the previous year, surpassing the levels seen in both 2022 and 2020. Following a steep decline in deal value during the second half of 2022 compared to the peak of the second half of 2021, signs of a rebound began to emerge in the second half of 2023.

The distribution of late-stage deals and mid-to-early deals remained relatively consistent compared to the trends observed in 2022. In comparison to 2022, deals valued at $10 million comprised a slightly larger portion, accounting for 69 per cent of the total investment landscape.

Excluding deals worth more than $50 million, the number of deals in the $0.5 million - $3 million range saw the smallest decline among other check sizes, indicating the healthy state of the core venture capital segment and offering positive signs for the ecosystem. This trend suggests that investors maintain an optimistic outlook for early-stage deals, likely due to their confidence in the higher calibre of founders launching businesses during challenging times.

The Pre-Series A deal count remained healthy, experiencing only a slight decrease from the peak in 2021. There was an increase in the number of Series B deals compared to the previous year. In contrast, there was a significant decline in the median deal size for Series B investments, which can be attributed to startups seeking to raise smaller amounts or opting for fundraising in tranches to minimize dilution during a period of contracted valuations.

The report highlighted that Vietnam retained its third place ranking in terms of deal count and climbed back to third place in terms of deal value in Southeast Asia in 2023. Singapore took the lead in both deal value and deal count, with Indonesia following closely behind.

Agritech startup Techcoop raises $5 million With financing from local VC firm Ascend Vietnam Ventures (AVV) and Singapore-based VC firm TNB Aura, agritech startup TechCoop Pte. Ltd. secured over $5 million in equity and debt from local banks on March 21. Ethos Ventures, South Korean impact investor MYSC, and Mandala Capital also participated in the fundraising.

Vietnamese startups bag $35.7 million in first quarter of 2024 Vietnam's tech ecosystem received total funding of $35.7 million in the first quarter of 2024, according to a report released by Tracxn Technologies on April 2.
A retail store staff member places orders using Finviet's ECO Merchant app

Finviet is building a manufacturer-to-consumer model to develop the supply chain through the introduction of an online ordering platform that leverages data and digitalises the current distribution network for transporting products from manufacturers to wholesalers/retailers and then consumers.

Finviets app increases efficiency in distribution networks and allows transaction data to be utilised to improve convenience throughout the entire supply chain for retail stores, manufacturers, wholesalers, and distribution-related parties that install the app. Additionally, Finviets app enables small retail stores to offer lending and multiple payment services, which will increase convenience for consumers in their daily lives.

In 2022, Finviet launched its leading ECO Merchant app, which makes it possible for previous brick-and-mortar retailers to place orders on the app for a wide range of product offerings and to easily confirm order information and shipping status online.

The app has been installed by over 30,000 stores, primarily across major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.

A large portion of the population in Vietnam is unbanked, and Finviet is the only licensed non-bank payment service provider in the country that offers retailers the option to receive funding through bank loans and use online payment in lieu of past cash payments when ordering products from manufacturers and wholesalers.

Following this deal, Sojitz will continue to focus on enhancing the purchasing power of Vietnams consumers and developing value chains for manufacturing, distribution, and retail. In 2023, Sojitz acquired DaiTanViet JSC, Vietnams largest wholesaler of commercial food, and Sojitz is also working alongside its consolidated subsidiary and major consumer goods wholesaler, Huong Thuy Manufacture Service Trading Corporation, to expand sales channels to create a broad line wholesale food distribution business that supplies independently owned retail stores, mass merchandisers, and mid- to high-end hotels and restaurants.

In 2023, Vietnams population surpassed 100 million people, and the growth rate of the retail market is expected to exceed 10 per cent by 2027.

While some of Vietnams supermarkets and convenience stores operate multiple stores, family-owned businesses account for approximately 900,000 stores, or 80 per cent of the total retail market. Many of these small-scale retail stores place product orders manually, and there is room to improve business efficiency.

At present, distribution to retailers from food and commodity manufacturers often entails going through multiple wholesalers, and issues therefore remain surrounding transport times, efficiency, and the use of data.

Moving forward, Sojitz is considering joint projects with Finviet, which possesses strong online tech platform networks, to further expand Sojitz Groups value chain in Vietnam.

Sojitz acquires full ownership of Vietnams New Viet Dairy On November 22, Sojitz Corporation (Sojitz) announced that it, together with Sojitz Asia Pte., Ltd. and Sojitz Vietnam Co., Ltd., has jointly acquired full ownership of DaiTanViet JSC (New Viet Dairy), Vietnams largest wholesaler of commercial food.

Japanese firms plan to boost investment in Vietnam A series of Japanese enterprises plan to pour money into Vietnam as part of the expansion of industrial parks invested by Sojitz Corporation.
The event provided a pivotal platform for stakeholders to grasp the progress of Masan Groups Consumer Platform and WinCommerce (WCM), and the strategic plans to enhance shareholder value.

Masan's CEO, Danny Le, focused his address on Masans commitment to operational excellence and profit growth, emphasising the milestones reached since the inception of the consumer-tech platform, The CrownX, in 2019.

"Our goal is to unlock shareholder value for Masan Consumer in the short term and WinCommerce in the medium term, ensuring a growth trajectory that is both focused and profitable over the next 18 to 24 months," Le asserted.

Despite macroeconomic challenges in 2023, Masan continued to push its growth engines forward, aiming to expand its minimart network under WinCommerce to over 4,000 outlets by 2024, targeting a 1 per cent earnings before interest and taxes margin and reaching store earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization breakeven for 90 per cent of its minimarts. They also seek to amplify wallet share growth by redefining the product scope of power brands such as Chin-su and Omachi, with a broader vision to globalise Vietnams culinary culture.

The WIN Membership programme, now the nation's most extensive membership platform, registered 8.5 million members in the first quarter of 2024. With a plan to integrate brands and general trade distribution, Masan is poised to grow its membership to 30 million by 2025, potentially increasing monthly active users and boosting revenue.

In technology, Masans advancements in AI and machine learning have shown early improvements in inventory availability and forecast accuracy, and reductions in logistics costs.

These innovations are particularly impactful for pilot WCM stores.

The roadmap for unlocking TCXs value starts with MCH in 2025, followed by WCM between 2027 and 2028. Masans leadership has made it clear that a strategic, phased approach is crucial for realising the full potential of their platforms and ensuring the groups sustained market prominence.

Truong Cong Thang, CEO of Masan Consumer Holdings, outlined the commitment to deepen household penetration across Vietnam and the ambition to take their brands global.

He underscored the company's success in establishing five brands, each generating significant revenue, as a testament to Masan's consumer-centric innovation strategy. "Our goal is to venture beyond the domestic market, providing premium home and restaurant meal replacements as part of our expansion," stated Thang.

Senior marketing director Dinh Hong Van conveyed Chin-sus blueprint to reach the billion-dollar milestone by broadening the product portfolio and embarking on a global strategy.

"Chin-su is elevating Vietnamese cuisine on the world stage, with a strong performance in international markets, reflected by year-on-year export growth to the United States and South Korea," Van highlighted.

Nguyen Thi Phuong, CEO of WinCommerce, celebrated the subsidiarys financial resurgence and its targets for sustained profitability.

"With the transformation achieved in 2023, we are now strategically positioned to pursue sustainable profitability in 2024," Phuong remarked, hinting at a future where WCM's operational efficiency and smart pricing strategies will bolster its market leadership.

Masan completes $250-million equity raise from Bain Capital Masan Group Corporation (HOSE: MSN) has successfully completed a $250-million equity raise from Bain Capital, a world-leading private investment firm with approximately $180 billion of assets under management.
During Sacombank's AGM on April 26 in Ho Chi Minh City, Minh took the opportunity to directly address recent rumours with shareholders.

The shareholders were keenly anticipating Minh's clarification on rumours about an alleged travel ban related to Van Thinh Phat and Truong My Lan.

Minh, who is also the largest shareholder in Sacombank, stated, "I am in no way connected to Truong My Lan or her affairs. The case concerning Lan has been concluded by investigation, with indictments issued by the prosecutor and processed by the court."

"I am not linked to a single word, punctuation, or any part of the investigation's conclusion," Minh asserted, suggesting the rumours were the product of personal grievances.

The rumours started spreading on social media on April 1, alleging Minh's involvement in money laundering with Truong My Lan. Sacombank immediately declared the information false and defamatory towards the banks leadership.

On the evening of April 2, shortly after Sacombank's shares experienced a sell-off due to the rumours, the Ministry of Public Security confirmed that Minh was not on its travel ban list.

Major General To An Xo, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Security, refuted all false information aiming to disrupt and negatively affect the normal operations of the financial and banking systems. He assured that any such acts of spreading misinformation would be detected and strictly dealt with according to the law.

Minh, born in 1960, holds a degree in economics from the National Economics University. He has a diverse background, including a stint as an import-export officer with the Ministry of Defence and later as the director of a construction enterprise within the ministry. Before joining Sacombank's board, Minh served as chairman of LienVietPostBank (now LPBank) for several years, later divesting his nearly 15 per cent stake in the bank.

Elected as chairman of Sacombank in 2017, Minh withdrew from Him Lam and three other companies in early 2018 to focus on the bank's restructuring efforts.

At the AGM, the focus also turned to Sacombank's profit distribution plan, indicating that despite a substantial consolidated after-tax profit of about $238.17 million (VND5.716 trillion), the bank's cumulative retained earnings have reached approximately $765.71 million (VND18.387 trillion). Despite this, Sacombank has postponed dividend distributions for the current year due to unresolved bad debts.

The bank has petitioned for permission to auction off its non-performing loans, a move which would facilitate capital restoration post-sale.

Looking forward, Sacombank has set ambitious goals for 2024, aiming for 10 per cent growth in total assets to about $30.17 billion (VND724.1 trillion).
WINDHOEK, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's state-owned oil company and Chevron have signed an agreement granting the U.S. oil firm an 80 percent operating working interest in an offshore block in the southern African country.

Under the deal between Namibia's National Petroleum Corporation (NAMCOR) and Chevron Namibia Exploration Limited (CNEL), a subsidiary of Chevron Global Energy, NAMCOR and local player Custos Energy will each retain a 10 percent carried interest in Petroleum Exploration License 82 located in the Walvis Basin, NAMCOR said in a statement on Monday.

NAMCOR said this strategic collaboration underscores its dedication to maximizing the exploration potential and development of Namibia's offshore resources, particularly in under-explored basins holding significant promise.

The transaction is pending regulatory approvals from the Namibia Ministry of Mines and Energy.

Meanwhile, NAMCOR Interim Managing Director Ebson Uanguta expressed enthusiasm, saying the partnership with CNEL and Custos Energy signifies a shared vision for the future of Namibia's energy landscape.

"Together, we will leverage significant expertise and resources to propel our national interests and economic growth, turning possibilities into prosperity for Namibia," he said.

Namibia anticipates a substantial surge in oil production estimates following the analysis of data. 
Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (28 April 2024)

The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation.

The Zapad Group of Forces units captured more advantageous lines and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the AFU 12th Azov Special Forces Brigades, 10th mountain assault, 57th, 63rd mechanised brigades near Sinkovka, Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), Grigorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

Three counter-attacks launched by units of the AFU 77th Airmobile Brigade were repelled close to Novosyolovskoye (Lugansk Peoples Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 270 Ukrainian troops, one armoured personnel carrier, eight motor vehicles, one U.S.-made M198 howitzer, one 152-mm Msta-B howitzer, one 152-mm D-20 gun, one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and one 130-mm M-46 gun.

The Yug Group of Forces units improved the situation along the front line and inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of AFU 93rd mechanised and 80th air assault brigades near Kleshcheyevka, Andreyevka, and Krasnogorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Four counter-attacks of the AFU 92nd Assault Brigade were repelled close to Chasov Yar (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 360 servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, and 17 motor vehicles.

In the course of the counter-battery warfare, two 152-mm D-20 howitzers, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun were neutralised.

Two Anklav-N electronic warfare stations and one ammunition depot were also eliminated.

As a result of active operations, the Tsentr Group of Forces units liberated Novobakhmutovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), and defeated units of AFU 142nd infantry, 24th mechanised, 68th jaeger brigades near Leninskoye, Keramik, and Semyonovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

Ten counter-attacks launched by assault groups of AFU 23rd, 100th mechanised, 71st jaeger brigades and the 78th Separate Air Assault Regiment were repelled near Novgorodskoye, Ocheretino, Novobakhmutovka, Netaylovo, and Berdychi (Donetsk Peoples Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 380 Ukrainian troops, one tank, one armoured fighting vehicle, and five motor vehicles.

In the course of the counter-battery warfare, two 155-mm U.S.-made M777 howitzers, one 155-mm U.S.-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system, two 105-mm U.S.-made M101 towed guns, three 122-mm D-30 howitzers, and one 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun were eliminated.

The Vostok Group of Forces units captured more advantageous lines, inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of AFU 58th mechanised infantry, 108th territorial defence brigades close to Pavlovka and Lugovskoye (Zaporozhye region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 85 Ukrainian troops, four pickups, one 122-mm German-made PzH-2000 self-propelled artillery system, and one 122-mm Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system.

One Anklav-N electronic warfare station and one ammunition depot were also destroyed.

Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on clusters of manpower of AFU 65th mechanised, 128th mountain assault, 126th territorial defence brigades near Kamenskoye, Rabotino (Zaporozhye region), Ivanovka, and Olgovka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 50 Ukrainian troops, two motor vehicles, one 155-mm U.S.-made M777 howitzer, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have eliminated hangars with strike drones at the Kamenka airfield (Dnepropetrovsk region).

In addition, hangars with aircraft munitions and aircraft at the Priluki airfield (Chernigov region) and at the Starokonstantinov airfield (Khmelnitsky region), temporary deployment areas for foreign mercenaries, manpower and military hardware of the AFU in 121 areas were engaged.

Air defence systems shot down 46 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and five U.S.-made ATACMS operational-tactical missiles during the day.

In total, 593 airplanes, 270 helicopters, 23,587 unmanned aerial vehicles, 509 air-to-air missile systems, 15,869 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,275 MLRS combat vehicles, 9,189 field artillery guns and mortars, and 21,372 special military vehicles have been neutralised since the beginning of the special military operation.

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A Christian pastor was killed last week as he traveled to minister to church members in northern Kaduna state, sources said.

While Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists have been active in southern Kaduna state, the Rev. Manasseh Ibrahim was shot to death by bandits who ambushed him in a northern part of the state along the Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Highway on Tuesday (April 23), according to the Birnin Gwari chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Rev. Manasseh Ibrahim, a pastor with ECWA [Evangelical Church Winning All] Church, Gure, was on his way for a pastoral church ministration in the Kurebe area of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna state when he was ambushed and killed by the bandits, the local CAN chairman, the Rev. Yahaya Kinge, said in a press statement.

Pastor Ibrahim was serving with the ECWA Gure congregation under the ECWA Kaduna Central District Church Council (KCDCC), he said. His remains were transferred to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna city.

Christians who are direct victims of banditry and insurgency in Kaduna state are fed up with the inability of Nigeria government to find a lasting solution to the incessant killings of innocent Christians, Kinge said. The hard push of Christians to the wall through incessant attacks is enough; and we can no longer bear this brunt.

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Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300.

Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report.

In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year.
If youre saving for retirement, youre probably familiar with some of todays giant fund families. Vanguard, Fidelity, BlackRock and the like offer investors a variety of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) from which to choose  and theyre cheap. Last year, the weighted average annual expense ratio was just 0.42 percent for stock funds and 0.37 percent for bond funds, according to the Investment Company Institute. Index funds, the popular investments that passively track a market index, had an average fee of only 0.12 percent, according to Morningstar.



But it wasnt always this way. In 1990, the average stock fund charged 1.81 percent, while the average bond fund charged 1.71 percent. If that werent bad enough, most funds levied an additional sales load just to buy the funds. All those fees could substantially cut your returns over time.

Members only

For example, consider two mutual funds: One that charges 0.3 percent a year and one that a charges 1.5 percent in fees every year. Both funds earn 7 percent a year on their investments. The low-cost fund would return 6.7 percent a year to investors after fees, while the other would return 5.5 percent a year to investors. The difference on a $10,000 investment over 20 years? Investors in the low-cost fund would have $36,580 in their nest eggs, while the high-cost fund investor would have $29,180  a difference of $7,400.

Why funds fees are lower today

Things have changed dramatically, Im happy to say. What caused fees to plummet? The Securities and Exchange Commission didnt mandate mutual funds to lower costs. It was the late John C. Bogle, the founder of Vanguard and the so-called father of the index mutual fund, who led the charge. In 1976, he launched the first mutual fund to track the S&P 500 index, made up of the stocks of 500 of the largest companies traded in the U.S. The funds he launched also charged no sales loads. While Bogle gave investors access to cheaper funds, it was investors who taught the industry a lesson by voting with their wallets for lower costs.



I bought my first index funds in the late 1980s. Though Vanguard was one of the five largest fund families at the time, it didnt market much. Fidelity and Dreyfus did, however, and those were the first two S&P 500 index funds I purchased.
Hawaii is a beautiful US state that sees approximately 6 million tourists every year. Known for its beaches and its hiking trails, visitors love to explore the islands and take in all the sights that they have to offer. However, there is one viewpoint that has banned visitors for decades and, despite warnings, continues to see thousands of tourists. Now, the city council is having the attraction removed for good.

Tourists have been banned from visiting the Haiku Stairs

One of the major attractions tourists visit in Hawaii, which has been known to see up to 20,000 people each year, isnt actually even open to the public. The Haiku Stairs, also known as the Stairway to Heaven, have been closed off to the public since 1987. These stairs were originally built by the US Navy in 1942 following the construction of the top-secret Haiku Radio Station, a facility used to send radio signals to passing ships.

In order to reach the necessary heights to build the stations antennae, the Haiku Stairs were constructed. However, they were closed off to the public in 1987 as their steepness has long been a danger to visitors. Despite the numerous No Trespassing signs posted, local officials have been unable to keep tourists away from the stairs. In the past, several people have been caught, and some even arrested for visiting the Haiku Stairs, and in 2012, comedian Fritz Hasenpusch actually died from a heart attack after trying to climb the 3,922 steps to the top.

The stairs pose a serious threat to tourists, and as such, the Honolulu government has confirmed that the Haiku Stairs will officially be removed.

There is more than one way to reach the point

Unfortunately, the Haiku Stairs are not the only way to access the viewpoint at the top of the mountain. There is another, more difficult, and longer path to reach the top located along the Moanalua Ridge. This path tests visitors even more than the Haiku Stairs, and as a result, many have had to be rescued by local authorities. By cutting off access to the viewpoint via the Haiku Stairs, perhaps tourists will be less willing to make the trek to the viewpoint via the Moanalua Ridge.

Honolulu City Council member Esther Kaiaina explained that Due to rampant illegal trespassing, Haiku Stairs is a significant liability and expense for the city, and impacts the quality of life for nearby residents. The Mayor, Rick Blangiardi, agreed, saying, this decision that was made was predicated upon our respect for the people who live in and around the entrance to the stairs, our respect for our aina [land and sea], and our respect for both the future and the past history of the culture of the Haiku community,

Removing the attraction

The decision to have the Haiku Stairs removed was reached back in 2021 by the local council, but it is only in 2024 that the removal process has begun. The process of their removal isnt an easy feat, either, as it will require one 700-foot section at a time to be taken away by helicopter. Additionally, itll be an expensive task, costing the city a whopping $2.5 million.

However, the council is confident in their decision. Importantly, the decision to remove the stairs prioritizes public safety, seeks to stop illegal trespassing on the stairs and nearby neighbors who have dealt with decades of disruptions and disturbances, addresses significant liability for the city, preserves the natural beauty and condition of the area and improves the quality of life for neighborhood residents in the area. they said.

More from us: The Pyramid of North Dakota Goes from Military Secrecy to Crypto Innovation

What will happen to the stairs following their removal has yet to be determined.
Senior CPC official meets Cambodian National Assembly delegation

Xinhua) 10:58, April 29, 2024

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, met with a Cambodian National Assembly delegation in Beijing on Sunday.

The delegation was led by Suos Yara, first vice chairman of the External Relations Commission of the Cambodian People's Party and chairman of the National Assembly Commission on Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Media and Information.

Both sides exchanged views on implementing the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two parties and countries, strengthening inter-party exchanges, and promoting the building of a China-Cambodia community with shared future in the new era.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Fulani herdsmen on Sunday night (April 28) killed at least six Christians, including children, in an attack in southeastern Nigeria, sources said.

The assailants raided predominantly Christian Ugwujoro Nimbo village, Uzo-Uwani County, in Enugu state at about 11 p.m., area residents said. Seven other Christians were injured, area resident Chijoke Okunna said.

Seven Christians were wounded during the attack, and they suffered machete cuts, Okunna told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message.

Michael Obinna, another resident, said Fulani herdsmen were behind the attack.

The herdsmen invaded the village and opened fire on the villagers as they were sleeping in their houses, Obinna said in a text message. At least six Christians have been confirmed dead, including a little child.

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Resident David Ekwueze and Okunna identified five of the slain Christians as Okeh Simon, Ugwu Oruku, Okeh Chukwuebuka, Julius Ogbonna Odiegwu and Gabriel Ugwor Ezea.

Children were also killed, Ekwueze told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News in a text message. And we know that Fulani herdsmen are behind the killings.

Daniel Ndukwe, spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, confirmed the attack to Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.

We have reports from police officers in the area and more personnel have been deployed to the area to investigate and curtail the attack, Ndukwe said.

On Jan. 17 and Jan. 19, 2023, suspected Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists kidnapped four Christians in Ikem in Enugu states Isi-uzo County.

Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300.

Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report.

In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year.

Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdoms All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report.

They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity, the APPG report states.

Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigerias Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.
According to media reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has allocated over INR 100 crore for political advertisements on Google and YouTube. This spending spree began in May 2018, coinciding with the introduction of Google's Ads Transparency Report.

As per the media report, BJP's share in Google ads, spanning from May 31, 2018, to April 25, 2024, constitutes approximately 26% of the total expenditure. Out of the 217,992 pieces of content classified as political advertisements by Google, BJP has contributed over 161,000, accounting for a substantial 73% share.

The report further delineates that the political ads identified by Google include promotions from government publicity verticals, news organizations, and commercial ads featuring actor-politicians.

Following BJP, the Congress party holds the second position with approximately 5,992 online ads during the same period, amounting to an expenditure of around INR 45 crore. The third-largest spender on Google platforms is Tamil Nadu's DMK, with an expenditure nearing INR 42 crore since May 2018.

Tamil Nadu emerges as the primary target for political advertisements on Google, trailed by Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
Shyam Benegals Manthan, the award-winning 1976 feature film produced by 5 lakh dairy farmers of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), has been selected for screening at the 77th Cannes Film Festival 2024.

The GCMMF, which sells milk and milk products under the brand name Amul, is celebrating its golden jubilee. To commemorate the milestone, the Federation joined hands with the Film Heritage Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, to restore Manthan in 4K.

The 4K restoration of Manthan has been selected for the official red-carpet world premiere at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival in May. Noteworthily, Manthan is the only Indian film to be selected under the Cannes Classic section of the festival this year.

Manthan is inspired by the pioneering milk cooperative movement of Dr. Verghese Kurien, the father of the White Revolution of India. The film has had a huge impact on the dairy cooperative movement. It inspired millions of farmers across the nation to come together to form local dairy cooperatives and has contributed immensely towards Indias journey to self-sufficiency in milk production. Manthan made people believe that cattle rearing and milk production can be a sustainable and prosperous means of livelihood. India became the worlds largest milk producer in 1998 and has retained the position since, said Jayen Mehta, Managing Director, GCMMF.

Starring iconic actors like Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Girish Karnad and Amrish Puri, Manthans story revolves around the struggles and triumphs of a small set of poor farmers, who come together to form a dairy cooperative to improve their economic conditions. It depicts the story of the inception of an extraordinary dairy cooperative movement that transformed India from a milk-deficient nation to the worlds largest milk producer.

Made at a budget of Rs. 10 lakh, Manthan was also the first crowdfunded Indian film, with 5 lakh dairy farmers of GCMMF contributing Rs. 2 each to fund its production cost. The film showcases the transformative potential of community-driven initiatives and marks a significant chapter in Indian cinemas socially relevant narratives.

Manthan won the 1977 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar. It was also Indias submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1976.

Today, milk is the largest agricultural crop of India and more than 10 crore farmers, including crores of women, depend on milk for their livelihood. A film produced with a budget of Rs. 1 million has been instrumental in generating milk output of Rs. 10 lakh crore annually.
The Korean World Missionary Fellowship (KWMF)s mission conference on the theme of "Next Generation Mission Leadership" kicked off at the Korea Theological Seminary in Cheonan this past week, as reported by Christian Daily Korea. Held from April 24 to 27, the KMWF seeks to address one of the major challenges facing the Korean church: the issue of "revival of the next generation" and "faith succession."

As the number of young people in churches decreases, mobilizing them as missionary resources to ensure the continuity of Korean missions has become an increasingly urgent issue. This has also become a significant issue in the field of overseas missions, according to the KMWF.

The crisis of population decline due to low birth rates in Korea is not an exception in the missionary field. Nevertheless, the commandment of the Lord for the commission of mission must continue, making the establishment of next-generation missionary leadership a very important task for the Korean church, the KMWF stated in the lead up to the mission conference.

The evening meeting of the mission conference on the first day concluded with a sermon by Pastor Kim Nam-soo, followed by comments from other pastors and a prayer meeting.

Rev. Kim, who serves as Senior Pastor of Promise Church in New York, NY, U.S. and mission strategist of the 4/14 Movement, preached a sermon titled Turn Your Community into an Aircraft Carrier - Let's Go to the Waiting World!

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I have experienced many distortions of the Gospel. It has become distorted as it has become acculturated, he said.

As a result, the Gospel that started in Jerusalem became a culture as it went to Turkey and Europe. From there, Christian culture emerged and became institutionalized, and this became commercialized as it crossed over to the United States. And this Gospel came to Korea and turned into a blessing, he added.

So, the question is whether the Gospel we need to convey to the world is the Gospel that the Apostle Paul received from Jesus Christ and the Gospel in the Gospel books, he continued, and emphasized, We need to analyze this again.

He mentioned that one theologian analyzed the American Christian faith and said it is based on covenant theology. The theology that God makes a covenant with humans, and human life and blessing are determined by the mutual compliance of obligations.

The theology merged with the pragmatic culture of the United States, singing the hymn that if one accepts the word of God contractually like the word of Deuteronomy and obeys, one will receive blessings, and if one disobeys, one will receive curses. he said.

He pointed out, however, that "there is a flaw in that it lacks the unilateral grace of God, in that the issue of life and blessing of believers depends on themselves. [...] In other words, it does not stand on the foundation of the theology of God's grace, which God has unilaterally decided to give to believers regardless of their conditions.

God already knew that humans always break the covenant with Him through the figures mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, God decided to unilaterally give grace to believers through the covenant He gave to Jacob and Isaac, which was later fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the descendant of David, Kim said.

I hope that missionaries reject the gospel polluted by culture and convey the gospel as stated in the Bible. The reason why the power has not manifested itself despite this great gospel is because it has been conveyed incorrectly, he said.

The sermon was followed by a time of prayer focused on reaching the next generation with the gospel.

KWMF expressed its hope that this conference would be a starting point for the next generation to take on the challenge and pride of becoming missionaries, stating, Although the environment may not be favorable, there have always been and will continue to be those who respond to God's calling. We hope that many next-generation missionary leaders with a passion for the gospel and wisdom of the Word will emerge through this missionary conference.
Authored by Amandee Kaur, Founder & CEO, Phoenix TalentX Branding

Authenticity in employer branding transcends the realm of marketing slogans and glossy advertisements. It embodies the genuine values, culture, and employee experiences that define an organization from within. When companies authentically align their employer brand with their core values and workplace culture, they foster a sense of belonging and purpose among employees, leading to higher levels of engagement, productivity, and loyalty. One prime example of authenticity in employer branding can be found in the practices of Indian tech giant Infosys. With a strong emphasis on transparency and open communication, Infosys has cultivated a culture where employees feel empowered to share their experiences and ideas openly.

Through initiatives like "InfyTV," an internal video platform, employees are encouraged to showcase their talents, share insights, and celebrate achievements, thereby fostering a culture of pride and camaraderie. Similarly, globally renowned companies like Google have leveraged authenticity to create an employer brand that resonates deeply with employees. Google's emphasis on fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment, coupled with its commitment to innovation and employee development, has earned it a reputation as one of the most desirable employers globally. Through initiatives like "Googlegeist," an annual survey that solicits feedback from employees on various aspects of workplace culture, Google demonstrates its commitment to transparency and continuous improvement, thereby strengthening its employer brand and driving employee engagement.

Moreover, the power of authenticity in employer branding extends beyond mere rhetoric to tangible actions that demonstrate a company's commitment to its employees' well-being and professional growth. For instance, companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in India have invested heavily in employee development programs, mentorship initiatives, and recognition platforms to nurture talent and foster a sense of pride and belonging among employees.In addition to highlighting organizational achievements, authentic employer branding also involves showcasing the accomplishments and contributions of individual employees.

By amplifying the voices and stories of employees, organizations can demonstrate their commitment to recognizing and celebrating the diverse talents and experiences within their workforce. For instance, multinational companies like Microsoft have embraced employee advocacy platforms like LinkedIn to empower employees to share their professional journey, insights, and accomplishments with a global audience, thereby enhancing both individual and employer brand reputation.

In conclusion, authenticity lies at the heart of effective employer branding in the modern era. By aligning their employer brand with their core values, fostering a culture of transparency and inclusion, and amplifying the voices of their employees, organizations can cultivate a strong employer brand that drives employee engagement, fosters pride at work, and ultimately positions them as employers of choice in an increasingly competitive talent landscape.
Forget the hard sell and flashy visuals. In this digital age consumers crave authenticity and connection. Attention-grabbing advertisement is the new battleground for brands. Podcast advertising, a marketing game-changer, can quietly revolutionize how brands reach their target audience.

As a medium, podcasting offers unique opportunities for brands to forge deeper connections with listeners, fostering brand loyalty and driving engagement in remarkably refreshing ways.

Stats speak louder, too. A recent report by the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) in collaboration with PwC shows a surge in digital ad spending, particularly for podcasting, which saw a whopping 23% year-on-year increase. This trend highlights the need for advertisers to shift their focus to capitalize on the high engagement offered by emerging tools like podcasting.

Stakeholders reckon that podcast advertising has the potential to transform traditional marketing strategies, offering unique opportunities for brands to engage with audiences in a more meaningful way.

Podcasts are for an evolved and highly engaged audience. Its opt-in and the power rests with the consumer on the choice of content, observes Agith George Kuruvilla, Co-founder & CBO, Ideabrews. Unlike traditional audio (largely radio), where it's one-to-many, here it is more personalised and direct, offering brands a wide range of content to choose from (not just music) to place their ads. Besides genres, it offers measurability and consumption metrics that are extremely important for a brand, says Kuruvilla.

Given the high listener engagement with podcasts, how can advertisers leverage this medium not just to generate brand awareness but also drive targeted conversions and sales?

Podcasts have become increasingly popular since the pandemic, and so many options are available, making it an exciting opportunity for brands to advertise, says Aakash Goplani, Account Director, SoCheers.

Goplani, however, believes that simply placing a banner or a call-out during a podcast isnt enough to build genuine consideration or conversion. He advises brands to smartly select the channel, podcast, guests, and topic to integrate their offerings into the conversation seamlessly.

For instance, Goplani adds, if your target audience is students or aspiring entrepreneurs, podcasts like Barbershop With Shantanu or BeerBiceps featuring guests like Dipender Goyal or Radhika Gupta could be great places to consider for integrations.

Unlike traditional advertising channels most of which feel enforced on the viewers, podcasts are much more engaging and form deeper connections with the listeners, points out Darshil Shah, Director, ChtrSocial.

Brands have the unique opportunity to align with relevant podcast themes and personalities, making it more relatable choice for the listeners and form a stronger recall, Shah adds.

Amit Doshi, Head, IVM Podcasts at Pratilipi, talks about the laser-focused targeting capabilities of podcasts in delivering engaged messaging. According to Doshi, unlike traditional advertising, where your message might reach a scattered audience, podcasts offer a unique advantage: highly engaged listeners who have actively chosen the content. This self-selection process creates a perfect environment for brands to connect with a specific audience that already aligns with their brand philosophy.

The native magic!

What specific innovations in podcast advertising technology have contributed to its growth and effectiveness, and how are advertisers leveraging these advancements to maximize their campaigns impact?

Breaking the flow can be a deal-breaker. The solution? Native advertising!

Stressing the importance of creating native advertising experiences for podcast listeners, Aakash Goplani says that companies can ensure their podcast ads are authentic and integrate seamlessly into the podcasts content and tone.

Podcasts thrive on conversations, and nothing interrupts a conversation like an impromptu ad placement, spoiling the experience. The only solution to this problem is smart native placements. By strategically aligning with the right podcast, host, guest, and topic, brands can craft a native ad that feels like a natural extension of the conversation. Listeners are more likely to be engaged, intrigued, and even excited by a seamless integration. They wont feel the urge to skip or fast-forward; theyll be eager to hear the brands offering within the podcasts context. This approach fosters trust and brand loyalty, making native advertising a powerful tool for podcast marketing, says Goplani.

The best ads are those that don't make the viewers feel they're being marketed to, says Darshil Shah. Podcast offers such opportunities by subtle integrations in both audio and visual forms. One specific technological advancement that podcasters are seeing is the deeper insights into the analytics of their listeners which platforms like Spotify are constantly improving. This helps brands get a better sense of the listeners' demographics and target the relevant podcasts for plugging their ads into, Shah adds.

The ability to target ads in podcasting is relatively new, but has had a sea change in terms of how brands can target the deployment of their inventory, says Amit Doshi. Additionally, he adds, podcasts are excellent vehicles for brand-building from a content lens, and many brands are taking advantage of that.

The growth of podcasts are credited to many factors, creators, regional content, genres, platforms and devices for consumption, says Agith George Kuruvilla.

Ideabrew Studios is currently well-positioned to place ads across multiple platforms, providing brands with a diverse range of platforms for their content to be consumed. Utilizing audio technology tools like Triton and Megaphone allows for reaching a more credible audience across platforms, thanks to their extensive coverage. This democratizes reach and enhances campaign impact with a content-first approach, adds Kuruvilla.

Challenges and opportunities

As podcast advertising continues to evolve, advertisers and podcasters face certain challenges. Industry stakeholders may collaborate to further unlock the medium's potential for driving brand awareness and customer engagement.

Darshil Shah points out that one of the biggest challenges podcast as a format still faces is the retention of listeners. In a world where people's attention spans are reducing day by day, the niche of podcast listeners is still relatively small, and hence, both advertisers and podcasters must innovate constantly to make each moment more engaging for the listeners. Listeners' fatigue is real; there must be a constant effort to avert the same.

Amit Doshi believes that theres a fundamental absence of campaigns allocating a budget to podcasting. He shares his perspective that this allocation is crucial for fostering a healthy ecosystem. Rather than facing the current dilemma of deciding whether or not to invest in podcast ads, the focus should shift towards determining which podcasts to allocate a certain percentage of the budget to. This approach would facilitate a more strategic and sustainable engagement with podcast advertising, he adds.

The primary challenge persists in raising awareness about the podcast medium and recognizing its potential to engage with modern audiences effectively, points out Agith George Kuruvilla.

One has to be a podcast consumer to be passionate and value the medium and experiment. Ideabrew Studios is at the forefront of evangelising the medium and has seen good success with over 100 brands who have taken to advertising on podcasts. Secondly, it is time that media agencies treat audio as a format of advertising rather than the conventional traditional vs digital approach to reach audiences. With more platforms and personalised nature of audio consumption (headphones), it is yet to reach its potential. With technologies like 3D ads, binaural FX, brands can surely leave a big impact on end consumers, ensuring recall and even conversions, adds Kuruvilla.

The intimate nature

The intimate nature of podcast content consumption influences the effectiveness of advertising within the medium. In this context, what strategies are advertisers employing to authentically integrate their messaging into the podcast experience while respecting audience engagement?

Amit Doshi identifies the challenge stemming from the relatively small but influential podcast audience. Due to the audience size and existing compliance norms in the Indian ad ecosystem, creating truly customized ads for each show and campaign becomes difficult. Instead, Doshi adds, brands often resort to pre-approved creatives, typically designed for radio or streaming platforms. However, podcast ads thrive when they are more conversational and off-the-cuff, a style that few brands are willing to embrace.

Podcast listeners have a special affinity towards the podcasters in particular, says Darshil Shah. This, according to him, helps the brand build trust much better than any other form of advertising. Guest appearance of the founder that brings the brand story in front of the listeners is one of the effective forms of advertising seen but even other integrations or host narrations have proven for brands to be useful.

Branded content is a great way to achieve this, opines Agith George Kuruvilla.

Building communities with content is the key. There is far more to be told by brands using podcasts, and audio ads are just the tip of the iceberg. Imagine a fertiliser brand reaching farmers with content that helps them improve output with a wide range of topics. Subtle branding on the podcasts with an education-first approach will hold the brand in great stead if it solves their problems. In evolved markets, host mentions and product engagements by podcast hosts are key to drive authentic feedback for brands. Audiences value when it comes from creators, courtesy the authority. The spark certainly has started, and the prospects are truly promising, Kuruvilla concludes.

Innovative measurement and ROI

With traditional metrics like downloads potentially misleading, certain innovative measurement strategies are emerging to accurately gauge the true impact of podcast advertising campaigns, so that advertisers can move beyond download numbers to measure the true effectiveness of podcast ads.

Some innovative ways to measure the effectiveness of the ads would be to map the Google Search Trend before and a few days after the release of the podcast, followed by tracking the website/ e-commerce visits on the product, suggests Aakash Goplani. Additionally, mentioning an exclusive deal or a package in the conversation of the podcast can also indicate the number of people coming from the podcast basis conversions.

Podcast listeners are diverse. And advertisers should strategically choose podcasts to reach their ideal customer base and maximize their return on investment (ROI).

According to Aakash Goplani, when deciding on placements, it is important to consider two key aspects  the guest and the podcasts topic. If the brands target audience shares interests with either the topic or the guests following, the placement will have a higher chance of converting, he adds.
NIQ, a leading provider of innovative data and analytics solutions, has launched its first annual NIQ Founders Pitch Slam competition, bringing together some of the emerging Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands. The competition will challenge a select group of founders to pitch their companies to industry insiders and business leaders, with the assistance of NIQ data experts.

This unique competition will provide brands with access to NIQ data experts to help tell their stories through the lens of best-in-class data and analytics. Four finalists will compete for the chance to win 1-year free access to the NIQ data, worth $30,000.

"We are excited to bring together some of the brightest minds in the CPG industry and offer a platform for innovative brands to present their ideas. It would be inspiring to witness entrepreneurs introducing innovative products aimed at making an impact in the CPG sector and addressing significant market challenges," stated Pallavi Suresh, Executive Director for SMB at NIQ in India. "This competition isn't just about winning; it's an opportunity for brands to leave their mark and reshape the CPG landscape."

The eligibility criteria for this competition are open to brands with total annual retail sales below $30 million in 2023, spanning one or more qualifying CPG categories. Validated by comprehensive data from NIQ databases for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, entrants must meet these criteria to participate.

With forty-eight qualifying categories encompassing a diverse array of FMCG product groups, including personal care, food & beverage, confectionery, home care, fabric care, and more, brands from various segments have the opportunity to showcase their potential and vie for the top honors. Products must be currently available for sale in India. This opportunity is open to all CPG brands meeting these qualifications and does not require a prior relationship with NIQ.

For more information on eligibility details, and to apply for the NIQ Founders Pitch Slam competition, please visit the NIQ website at : SMB Pitch Slam website




Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports

Bern, 29.04.2024 - Swiss President Viola Amherd will travel to Rome this week to meet Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Friday, 3 May. She will then spend a long weekend visiting the Holy See. While at the Vatican, Ms Amherd will meet with Pope Francis and State Secretary Pietro Parolin and attend the swearing in ceremony for new recruits to the Pontifical Swiss Guard on Monday, 6 May. A meeting with Italian defence minister Guido Crosetto is planned for the following day.

The meetings with Mr Mattarella and the Italian government will focus on bilateral relations between Switzerland and Italy, ongoing negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union and the security situation in Europe. Ms Amherd will also provide information on preparations for the high-level conference on peace in Ukraine that is planned for mid-June at the Burgenstock Resort. Other discussion topics will include Italys presidency of the G7 in 2024, relations with African countries and the situation in the Middle East.



Talks with Pope Francis and Mr Parolin will centre around the peacebuilding activities of Switzerland and the Holy See. Topics will include the SantEgidio lay movements work to foster peace in Africa and in particular within the context of the civil war in Sudan. Russias military aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East will also be discussed. Another international topic will be the commitment of the Holy See and Switzerland to international humanitarian law and the worldwide abolition of the death penalty. Both sides will also discuss the Pontifical Swiss Guard and the planned construction of its new barracks.

Swearing in ceremony of the Pontifical Swiss Guard

New Swiss guards are traditionally sworn in on 6 May in memory of the 147 soldiers who died during the Sack of Rome in 1527. Swiss political and military representatives, as well as representatives from Switzerlands religious communities, will travel to Rome for the swearing in ceremony, where the guest canton will be Basel-Landschaft. This year 34 new recruits from all over Switzerland will be sworn in. The Swiss Guard was founded in 1506 by Pope Julius II. It reports directly to the Pope, ensures his security and performs ceremonial duties.



In Rome on Monday Ms Amherd will visit the Istituto Svizzero, which works with various agencies of the Federal Administration to promote Swiss cultural and economic activities in Italy.

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Dear Amy: My friend Tina and I have been friends since college and are now in our 50s. When we met we were members of a campus religious organization, however as the years passed we both drifted away from our religious affiliations. I now would call myself agnostic.

Recently, Tina had a difficult break-up with a significant other. Since the split she has returned to religion and now mentions it often, which makes me somewhat uncomfortable, as it seems she may be trying to get me back in the fold.

Over Easter, she went to church and decided that she wanted to be baptized. She scheduled it at a friends church three hours away.

She said she would like for me to go, however, I explained that I would not be able to attend due to the short notice.

She was forced to cancel due to a family emergency, but then told me that she would reschedule her baptism so that I could plan on attending.

The problem is, I dont have any desire to go. While I dont begrudge her any comfort her faith is bringing her, I am not interested and dont want to feel pressured to participate.

How do I back out gracefully without hurting her feelings?

 Agnostic

Dear Agnostic: I believe that in this context, honesty is not only called for, but it is also the most graceful way to handle this.

You need to state a version of the following: Im very happy for you to have renewed your faith, but over the years weve known each other, Ive made my own choice about religion and dont participate. I wont be at your baptism ceremony, but I hope it is a joyous event for you, and I wish you all the very best as you move forward in your faith.

You cant really control your friends response to this, but while she has the right to affirm her faith, you also have the right to affirm your own stand on religion. Neither of you should proselytize, and you should determine to carry on in an attitude of mutual respect.

You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068.
Eric Church revealed it was a pretty dark time after dealing with back-to-back tragedies and a near-death experience.

In an interview last week with CBS Mornings, Church, 46, talked about the 2017 near-fatal blood clot that required emergency surgery and was followed by months of recovery.

The recovery was followed by depression after a mass shooting in Las Vegas and the loss of his younger brother Brandon.

I went through a period there  there was a lot of darkness in that period, Church said.

Eight months. Pretty dark.

In a July 2018 interview with Rolling Stone, Church said experienced tingling in his hands and swelling in his left arm, so he went to an ER. He was referred to another medical facility where an ultrasound resulted in his diagnosis and surgery followed.

The doctor came in, and I said, Bad news? He said, Yep, you have a massive blood clot? I said, Can it kill me? And he said, Today, Church told CBS Mornings.

It was the first time, I think, in my life I had maybe evaluated my own mortality, one, but then a lot of other peoples mortality, too.

A month later, the musician was the headlining the first night of the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas on Sept. 29. Days later it was the site of a mass shooting in U.S. history when a gunman opened fire on the crowd from his room at an adjacent hotel. Sixty people were killed.

I watched people that night hold up boots and sing at the top of their lungs, and then two days later, it was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, he recalled. I had a lot of fans that had stayed over for the weekend to see all the shows that got killed.

Something about it just kind of broke me. I think it was the sense of what music has been for me along with them, the safe space part of it. I think shattering that shattered a part of me.

It still is a tough thing.

Less than a year later, Churchs brother Brandon, 36, died after he suffered two seizures and went into cardiac arrest on June 29, 2018.

Church told CBS Mornings he found comfort in his love of music while coping with Brandons death.

I got through it like everything else Ive got through in my life, he said. I turned to the one thing I know I can do. I wrote songs.

Check out the full interview above.
The Mother Angelica Museum in Canton, Ohio, has unveiled a new monument honoring the founder of the Alabama-based EWTN Global Catholic Network.

This is her hometown and we love her very much, said Barbara Gaskell, director of the Mother Angelica Museum in Canton. We want to keep her legacy alive.

The monument was unveiled on April 24.

Its outdoors and its a stained-glass window thats backlit in an arch with black granite, Gaskell said.

Mother Angelica moved from Ohio to Alabama in 1961 to found Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale. She founded Eternal Word Television Network at the monastery in 1981. It has since grown to be the largest religious network in the world and still has its headquarters in Irondale, but also has studios in Rome, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and broadcasts throughout the world.

Catholics in Mother Angelicas hometown are optimistic that she will one day be named a saint of the Catholic Church. We buried a time capsule with some items from the museum, Gaskell said. It will be opened when shes canonized.

Mother Angelica died on March 27, 2016. She was 92.

The museum in Canton is dedicated to honoring Mother Angelica and keeping her memory alive.

Iits not a huge place, but people come from all over the country, Gaskell said. Its just incredible how much people still love Mother Angelica.
A 50-year-old Foley woman was killed when she was ejected from her pickup truck while driving in Baldwin County Sunday afternoon, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

The single-vehicle crash occurred about 4:42 p.m. Sunday on Vernant Park Road about five miles northwest of Magnolia Springs.

A 2003 Ford F-250 driven by Cathleen C. Taylor left the roadway and overturned. Taylor, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle.

She was transported to the University Hospital in Mobile, where she died of her injuries.

A passenger in the vehicle, 44-year-old Douglas N. Frank of Elberta, was injured in the accident and transported to the hospital for treatment.

ALEA is investigating the cause of the crash.
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Inappropriate relationships

When a teacher is found guilty of having a sexual relationship to a student and put behind bars, somebody often asks the question: Isnt the age of consent 16? Why do they arrest the teachers instead of just firing them when the students are 18?

The answer is: There is an Alabama law called school employee having sexual contact with a student under 19 and it does not need to consider the age-of-consent law. The idea behind it, of course, is that school employees can have higher levels of trust, power and proximity to students.

With similar logic in mind, the Alabama Legislature passed a bill last week that would make it a felony for clergy to have sexual interactions with anyone younger than 19, reports AL.coms Rebecca Griesbach.

So if youre minister or a youth pastor and you take the next step with an 18-year-old, under this law, you wont just lose your job in a scandal. You might end up spending a lot of time in a prison cell.

The House bill was sponsored by Helena Republican Leigh Hulsey, and the Senate version was from Birmingham Democrat Roger Smitherman.

Alabama Baptist State Convention President Greg Davis said he expects Gov. Kay Ivey to sign the bill into law and that itll send a serious warning to those who might be grooming a teen whos under their church authority. Its a shame that it has come to this point of evil but sadly it has.

Why is so much National Guard in Mobile?

If you live in the Mobile area, and you see large numbers of Army National Guard or healthcare agency vehicles or personnel gathering or mobilizing, dont panic, hoard toilet paper or retreat to your personal bunker.

The Alabama National Guard and the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency say there will be practice emergencies this week, reports AL.coms Warren Kulo, and there is no threat to the public.

Through this week, emergency agencies will be conducting hurricane-response drills. You might see military uniforms, helicopters buzzing overhead, HAZMAT training and more. The drills will take place at the Gulf States Fairground, the EMA complex and in medical facilities.

Hurricane season officially begins a month from Wednesday. Which makes it a great time for you to make sure your insurance is up to date and consider your plans for when that five-day cone covers us up.

Cue Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now

The Childrens of Alabama IndyCar Grand Prix took place Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park.

On Lap 52, the caution flag came out, reports AL.coms William Thornton, because a lady mannequin landed right next to the track.

I know some NASCAR fans who are saying, I told yall indycar was a weird sport.

But falling mannequins arent common in any motorsport that we know of. It happened at Barber because the mannequin had been attached to a bridge above the track, and she came loose.

Her name, incidentally, is Georgina. Shes been there awhile.

And I cannot ignore this quote that park creator George Barber said to INDYCAR back in 2017: She likes the view from bridge and shes decided that shes going to stay there until one of these drivers slows down enough for her to drop right down into the cockpit with him. Shes a real attractive southern lady.

Scott McLaughlin of Team Penske won the race.

Quoting

They never even sent me a free box.

Oatmeal Creme Pie fan Nick Saban, when asked by ESPNs Kirk Herbstreit how much revenue he thought hed generated for Little Debbie over the years.

By the Numbers

1

Thats how many contestants are left in this season of American Idol. 15-year-old Tristan Harper advanced with the final eight to tonights episode.

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1923 American Roman Catholic bishop Joseph Howze of Daphne. He was the first Black U.S. bishop to be appointed in the 20th century and passed away in 2019.

The Podcast

Today we have executive producer John Hammontree take our Week in Review Quiz (above) as an oral exam. Will it make you feel better about your own score?

You can find Down in Alabama wherever you get your podcasts, including these places:
Don Fletcher has covered a lot of politicians, public meetings, and newsworthy issues in his 35 years as a journalist in Alabama and Georgia.

But he never would have predicted sitting down at his computer in late October and writing about himself.

Thats exactly what unfolded following an unusual -- and arguably, unconstitutional -- events that unfolded on Friday, Oct. 27, in the small southwestern Alabama city of Atmore.

Fletcher, 70, wrote a story in The Atmore News the next day about his arrest on a criminal charge for doing his job. And as such, he became thrust into the ongoing national  and international - conversation about press freedoms and the growing number of journalists arrested in small towns.

Most of these press freedom groups feel there is bullying of the press going on, especially the smaller newspapers that dont have the resources to fight lengthy court battles, Fletcher said during an interview with AL.com last week and about one week after the criminal charges against him were dismissed. They offered to come to our rescue. They felt what we were going through was just part of what is going on around the nation.

Fletchers plight into the national spotlight came during morning hours of Oct. 27, with a knock on the front door of The Atmore News.

Two sheriffs deputies were standing and waiting for him to answer.

My heart was beating fast, Fletcher said.

Fell into our lap

He knew what was about to go down.

There were rumors around town from people who were saying, youre in trouble. You wrote about the DA. Youll be in trouble, Fletcher said, recalling a conversation he had with another journalist in Atmore, a city of 8,400 residents. I shrugged it off as gossip.

An Atmore News newspaper box on Main Street contains the publication's latest edition highlighting the arrests and indictments of its publisher and reporter on charges they illegally disclosed information pertaining to a grand jury proceeding.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com

The story that led to his arrest was published in the Oct. 25 issue of The Atmore News. Fletchers report included details, provided by a confidential source, into an investigation Escambia County District Attorney Steve Billy was overseeing on possible misallocation or misappropriation of federal COVID money paid to seven former school system employees.

Fletcher also wrote a sidebar story about how Escambia County authorities had seized the cell phones of the four school board members who voted not to renew then-Superintendent Michele McClungs contract.

Both stories were published a few weeks after a heated school board meeting in which board members  in a razor-thin 4-3 vote  opted not to renew McClung as superintendent. Billy was in attendance at that meeting to voice support for McClung. So, too, was Fletchers boss  Atmore News publisher Sherry Digmon, 73, and also a member of the school board. Digmon sided with the board members who opposed McClung.

The story just fell into our lap, said Fletcher, confirming that Digmon did not hand him the tip or any grand jury reports. He said the documents he received arrived about two to three weeks before the story was published. Fletcher also said Digmon reviewed the information before they agreed to print the story that led to the arrests.

I felt like we had good, solid backup for the stories, Fletcher said.

Unfamiliar territory

Fletcher was the only person in the newspapers office at the time the deputies arrived to arrest him on charges he revealed grand jury secrets -- a felony in Alabama punishable by up to three years in prison.

They said, we are here to arrest you, and I said, for what? and they said, for revealing grand jury secrets, Fletcher recalls. I said, that is wild. I never was on a grand jury.

Fletcher said the deputies treated him professionally during the arrest. They took me to the car before they handcuffed me where I could not be seen, he said.

He was taken to downtown Brewton  about a 35-minute drive  and booked into the Escambia County jail during a long and slow process.

Im not going to say it was scary, Fletcher said about sitting in a jumpsuit and seated in a holding pen with 10 other inmates. Its unfamiliar territory unless youre a frequent flyer. The 10 other inmates were waiting to be tested for COVID.

Conversations with the other inmates unfolded.

They said, you did what? Fletcher said, recalling astonishment that a journalist was being arrested for writing a newspaper story about the countys top prosecutor.

They were like, man, you need to get out of here and sue him, Fletcher said. That made it a more comfortable stay than it should have been. They sort of all knew each other. And I was a very quiet new guy.

Created this situation

Fletcher said while he was in jail, he attempted to make a phone call to Digmon, but no one answered. Thats when he looked up and spotted her being escorted into another holding cell while in handcuffs.

Fletcher said he immediately remembered where Digmon was at the time of her arrest. She was at Atmore Community Hospital with 89-year-old Myrna Monroe, her co-owner of The Atmore News since 2005.

Monroe, referred to in Atmore as Miss Myrna, had just fallen and broken her leg, and Digmon was tending to her.

The whole situation remains upsetting to Fletcher to this day.

My biggest worry was Digmon was in handcuffs, Miss Myrna was in the hospital and Steve Billy created this situation, Fletcher said.

Billy, who recused himself from the case in February, has not responded to any requests for comment to AL.com and other publications. Fletcher said in his eight years with The Atmore News, Billy has not returned any of his phone calls or emails for a comment related to his public office as District Attorney.

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

Billy, a Republican, was elected as a Democrat to the Escambia County District Attorneys Office in 2004. He had been re-elected in 2010 and 2016, before switching political parties. During the October school board meeting, he blasted the board for not renewing superintendent McClungs contract, calling it Washington politics brought to Escambia County, Alabama, according to Fletchers reporting. He also was quoted at the time for saying while he doesnt control much in Escambia County, but he does control the grand jury and that he intended to bring matters before them for consideration.

Those matters included indictments for revealing grand jury secrets against Fletcher; Digmon; Veronica Fore, 48, a school bookkeeper; and Cindy Jackson, 73, who is also on the Escambia County school board. All charges on revealing grand jury secrets were officially dismissed last week.

Fletcher also blames Billy for trying to keep him and Digmon incarcerated for over 72 hours when they were booked into jail.

Fletcher credits Charles Jackson, husband of Cindy Jackson, for the early release. Fletcher said Jackson, a retired Marine colonel, heard about the arrests and was able to get the released from jail around 8:30 or 9 p.m. on Oct. 27.

On Monday, Oct. 30, Fletcher returned to court where his bond was officially set at $10,000. Fletcher paid $1,000, retained Brewton attorney Ernest White as his lawyer who  after 40 years of practicing law  found himself in his first-ever First Amendment case, and returned to the newsroom to write the front- page story about himself and his boss.

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

Fletcher, as the only reporter with the publication, had to write the story.

His competition was also writing about the arrests. For Escambia County, with a population of fewer than 37,000 residents, there is a surprisingly larger number of local publications. Aside from The Atmore News, there is The Atmore Advance, Brewton Standard, and Tri-City Ledger in Flomaton.

Atmore, itself, has a rarity in that it can claim to be a two-newspaper town in an era of rural news deserts. The Atmore News and Atmore Advance battle each other for scoops, and real-time news both online and in their weekly print editions. Atmores population is under 8,400 residents.

National exposure

After the stories ran, the calls started much to Fletchers surprise. The Committee to Protect Journalism, a nonprofit organization promoting press freedoms worldwide, called the newspaper out of the blue to tell them they had their back. A host of law firms from California, New York, and beyond called them to see if they wanted their support in a First Amendment case. Paul Farhi, a reporter at The Washington Post, visited Atmore and wrote a Nov. 27, story about the case.

He had written similar cases on a national level and felt this was just as important, as he told us, Fletcher said, recalling the interview at Whites Brewton office at the time.

Fletcher added, A Facebook message came in from a constitutional attorney in Los Angeles which was wild. And then there was a Facebook message pledging support from the Union of European Journalists. That one floored me. They just simply said, we support you and are here for you if you need our help.

It was a different story at home where there were no public statements from Atmore city or Escambia County officials. There was one county commissioner and a city council member who gave us a bit of support, but the rest of them were afraid of what would happen if they did speak out.

No Alabama state official commented. The only state organization to weigh in was the Alabama School Board Association, which backed Digmon with support and chastised Billys actions for attempting to intimidate a school board over a political matter.

Sally Smith, president of the AASB, called efforts to remove Digmon from office  including a subsequent impeachment charge she faced  as the most outlandish situation of outside influence she has seen in a school board matter in her 37-year career with the organization.

The arrests also angered journalism groups.

Its atrocious that local journalists had to go through this level of political intimidation and harassment just for doing their jobs, said Kelly McBride, Senior Vice President and Chair, Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership at The Poynter Institute. Even though this injustice was ultimately remedied, its the kind of thing that can have a chilling effect on future reporting.

National media folded the Atmore arrests into the other recent high-profile crackdowns of the press:

A stack of the latest weekly edition of the Marion County Record sits in the back of the newspaper's building, awaiting unbundling, sorting and distribution, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023, in Marion, Kan. The newspaper's front page was dedicated to two stories about a raid by local police on its offices and the publisher's home on Aug. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/John Hanna)AP

In Waverly, Ohio, an editor was charged in 2022 with illegal wiretapping for publishing audio testimony from a murder trial.

In Calumet City, Ill., city officials issued municipal citations against a journalist with The Daily Southtown in Chicago for alleged violations as interference and hampering of city employees. The reporters alleged crime had to do with seeking comment from public employees on major flooding issues. The tickets were dismissed late last year.

In Marion, Kan., police raided in August the local newspaper and the home of its owner to seize evidence amid accusations about illegal access of state records. The citys mayor, allegedly called the journalists  along with teachers and professors -- the real villains in America. The raid of the editors home had tragic consequences: His 98-year-old mother, who co-owned the paper with her son, died 24 hours after police showed up at her home.

The Marion case has captured more national attention. The newspaper has since filed a federal lawsuit against the mayor, police chief, acting chief, sheriff, and a detective, alleging a violation of the First Amendment freedom of the press.

I stand up for those people in Kansas, Fletcher said. That was a real case. This story just fell in our lap. We are a little paper, and we cannot do investigative stuff. I knew what went out there was childs play compared to (the reporting in Marion). Next thing I know, Im in the same shape they are. And my publisher is being arrested.

Dismissal and fallout

The charges led to indictments, but the case began to crumble earlier this year. White requested the case be dismissed because of a violation of First Amendment rights. After Billys recusal, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshalls office took on the prosecution.

The cases were dismissed on April 19  quietly  at the request of Assistant Attorney General Thomas Govan Jr.

This is a positive development in a saga that has caused deep concern in the local and national press, said Evans Bailey, an attorney with the Alabama Press Association. We would like to credit Attorney General Steve Marshall and his office for appearing to recognize the crippling effects these prosecutions would have on the First Amendment and our colleagues.

Chris Roberts, a journalism professor at the University of Alabama, said he would have preferred Marshall, a Republican and an Atmore native, release a statement or a press release condemning the case.

A response would help police organizations and prosecutors around the state realize there is a First Amendment right at stake, Roberts said. Perhaps they understand that because charge was dropped quickly (after the Attorney Generals Office took on the case). But the AGs office knows how to write a press release.

Marshalls office did not respond to a request for comment.

Jared Schroeder, an associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, said the case in Atmore might represent a circumstance in which a government official might well know the First Amendment protections and still go forward limiting the press.

Increasingly, public officials are favoring scoring political points over respecting democratic institutions, Schroeder said. It is not for me to say whether that happened here, but overall, that is a growing trend.

Escambia County is a Republican county where 68% of voters backed Donald Trump during the 2020 presidential election.

Fletcher said the Escambia County Republican Partys executive committee, in its meetings, condemned school board members Jackson and Digmon  both who are Republicans  and took Steve Billys banner.

Escambia County Republican Party chair Jackie Gay said the information Fletcher provided is is not correct. The committee has not taken sides in any of these legal matters. She said that Jackson is on the Escambia County GOPs executive committee while Digmon is a general party member.

Escambia County School Board member Sherry Digmon, who is also the publisher and co-owner of The Atmore News, attends the board's meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2023, in Atmore, Ala.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com

Digmon has declined, thus far, to comment about the cases. While the Attorney Generals office has recommended dismissal on all charges, the judge has yet to sign off on an ethics charge filed against Digmon alleging she used her public office for personal gain.

Robbyn Taylor director of the Hall School of Journalism & Communication at Troy University, said in cases where freedom of the press is suppressed under the guise of false legal claims, its often not about a misunderstanding of the law.

From our highest office, people were told journalists were an enemy of the American people, Taylor said. That continued sentiment from political candidates and government officials has emboldened people to act with hostility toward journalists.

Fighting back?

Atmore News reporter Don Fletcher covers the Escambia County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Atmore, Ala. Pictured in the background is Atmore News co-owner Sherry Digmon, who is also a member of the school board.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com

Fletcher said he has had to borrow money to pay for his legal bills. Hes looking to see if the state will repay some of his legal fees. Otherwise, Im doing what I can and working as much as I can, hope that my social security check comes in and pay when I can.

He remains uncertain if he will pursue a counter lawsuit against Billy.

Schroeder said Fletcher and Digmon have a case if they wanted to pursue it. People who have wrongly had their First Amendment rights violated for no good reasons often sue. The calculations for a news organization in a situation like this will be influenced by a lot of factors. One of the biggest  does the news organization want to be the center of a lawsuit against a public official? Do they want to become part of the story? On the other hand, the lawsuit could help pay for financial losses that stemmed from the public officials actions.

Taylor said its not a question of whether the journalists involved could sue. I think its more of a question of should they sue, she said.

These journalists have had legal fees and likely suffered from other financial and personal stress. However, more importantly, their credibility was brought into question - and as a journalist that is paramount, Taylor said. If people dont trust you, its almost impossible to do your job. I think there have to be consequences for false legal claims and other hostilities toward media professionals. Journalists, and the news industry as a whole, need to fight back.

Continued actions of unwarranted arrests, raids and violence across the country could potentially deter journalists from pursuing the truth out of fear of retaliation - and an uninformed public is a detriment to our democracy.

Miss Myrna

Myrna Monroe receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce in this 2020 picture.photo submitted by Don Fletcher

Fletcher remains upset with Billys actions, and their timing and how it resulted in Miss Myrna being alone in a hospital room while her co-owner at The Atmore News was handcuffed and taken to jail.

Shes probably the hardest working one of the bunch, Fletcher said about the 89-year-old Miss Myrna, who continues to work at the newspaper. She does all the bookkeeping. The subscription management. She handles the mail. She greets customers at the front door. Shes amazing.

Fletcher said Monroe is so popular in Atmore, they have named a salad luncheon after her.

He added, She broke her leg above her knee. She is fine now. She has the strongest constitution of anyone Ive met. She does use a walker. She is ambulatory. But she is embarrassed for every one of us involved with this. Shes a Southern lady, but this embarrassed the heck out of her, and shes been supportive the whole time.

The Atmore News as pictured on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2023.John Sharp/jsharp@al.com

Fletcher said he is not retiring on either Monroe or Digmon anytime soon.

My plan is to work no longer than 15 more years and retire, Fletcher said, chuckling. Ill ride as long as my eyes and fingers are coordinated to work the keypad. I love it.
Sub-Saharan Africa has, for the first time, surpassed the Middle East as the center of terrorism activities, further putting at risk Christians and missionaries in parts of West Africa. The Global Terrorism Index 2024 report indicates that terrorism-related violence has significantly increased in Africa specifically in the Sahel region which spreads across a dozen countries from East, Central and West Africa.

The report published by the think tank Institute for Economics and Peace identifies the central Sahel region in Africa as the new epicenter of terrorism. It noted that this region now accounts for over half of all deaths from terrorism.

This is the first time in the indexs 13-year history that a country outside of Iraq and Afghanistan has been ranked top in the Global Terrorism Index, an indicator of the expansion of terror groups in Africa. Five of the top 10 countries on the list are in Africa: Burkina Faso, Mali, Somalia, Nigeria and Niger.

In 2023, Burkina Faso ranked highest on the overall terrorism index. That year it saw the highest number of casualties linked to terrorism, with deaths increasing by 68 percent despite attacks decreasing by 17 percent. Almost 2,000 people were killed in terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso in 2023 from 258 incidents, accounting for nearly a quarter of all terrorist deaths globally.

While the Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates have continued to expand their activities in Africa, other terror groups have also consolidated their positions in the Sahel region. In 2023, nearly all deaths linked to terrorism were linked to jihadist groups. According to the report, the Sahel region hosts some of the most violent terrorist groups in the world.

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Boko Haram which rebranded itself to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) operates in the Far North of Cameroon and North-Eastern States of Nigeria and Southeast Niger. The Jamaat Nustratal-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) have been cementing their positions in the tri-border area between Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.

Commenting on the 2024 GTI report, regional security analysts, Idriss Mounir Lallali and Richard Apau, warned that the JNIM group is expanding its geographical reach into Northern Benin and the Savenes region of Togo.

These groups have a worldview orientation with affiliations to either Al-Qaeda or ISIS Central in Iraq and Syria. This affiliation facilitates provisions logistical and financial support and encourages the participation of Foreign Terrorist Fighters, Lallali and Apau said.

59 percent of the deaths were attributed to either unknown groups or to unspecified jihadist groups. The remaining 41 percent were attributed to either JNIM or IS. The increase in terrorist activity in Burkina Faso is part of a larger increase across the Sahel region, with similar surges seen in Niger and Mali over the past few years.

The growth of terrorism-related activities in the Sahel has been accelerated by the instability in the region, specifically in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger which have had coups in the recent past. Indeed, the border between the three countries accounted for almost half of all attacks in 2023.

Over 90 percent of terrorist attacks and 98 percent of terrorism deaths in 2023 occurred in conflict zones, underscoring the strong link between conflict and terrorism, the report noted.

Attacks on the minority Christians in the region are particularly pronounced. In February, suspected jihadists killed 15 faithfuls during church service in north-eastern Burkina Faso near the three-border area.

Illia Djadi, Africas Senior Analyst for Freedom of Religion and Beliefs with Open Doors International, said that the findings of the report align with the World Watch List, a ranking of 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.

There is a clear correlation between terrorism activities and religious persecution. Central Sahel is the most affected by these terrorism activities especially Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Although the region is predominantly Muslim, the peaceful coexistence between the different religions is now being threatened by religious extremists and intolerance, noted Djadi.

The jihadists have not spared the security forces, an indication of their growing intentions to take advantage of the instability in the region. Dozens of soldiers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have been killed by suspected jihadists in separate attacks with the worst single incident happening in Northern Burkina Faso where 54 members of security forces were killed while repelling an attack in September 2023.

But despite the persistent persecution and attacks, pockets of hope from Eritrea to Burkina Faso, show that Christianity in the Sahel continues to spread. Justin Kientenga, the Bishop of Ouahigouya in Burkina Faso, speaking at a conference, narrated instances where Christians have either been forbidden from attending church services or attacked during services forcing thousands to flee from their homes. At the same time, Bishop Kientenga says Muslims in these communities have been commanded by the jihadists not to take their children to school and men are instructed not to shave their beard.

None of them (Christians) have caved to the terrorists demands to embrace Islam. Many of them accept the possibility of death. They refuse to remove their crosses and they refuse to convert. They always find other ways to live their faith and pray, said Kientenga.

Interfaith collaboration against terrorism

Speaking to Christian Daily International in January 2024, Rev. Dr. James Movel Wuye of the Assemblies of God, Northern Nigeria, said interfaith collaboration can help reduce the spread of violent extremism in the region.

I believe very strongly that where religious leaders can walk together, they can drastically reduce violent extremism where possible and if they are supported, they can do quite a lot to ensure they disarm one another by expressing genuine love for one another, said Rev. Wuye, who also serves as a co-director of the Interfaith Mediation Centre of the Muslim-Christian Dialogue in Kaduna, Nigeria.

The interfaith initiatives led by religious leaders have not gone unnoticed. TIME Magazine, for instance, listed three religious leaders from the Central African Republic in its 2014 100 Most Influential People. Dieudonne Nzapalainga, the Archbishop of Bangui, Omar Kobine Layama, president of the Central African Islamic Community and Guerekoyame-Gbangou, president of the Evangelical Alliance of the Central African Republic, have been acclaimed for actually do[ing] what their faith tells them to do through the Interfaith Peace Platform. The platform spreads peaceful messages in villages across CAR and advises political leaders and international partners towards peaceful co-existence of communities in the country.

The African Evangelical Association (AEA) issued a statement in September 2023 calling for respect for human lives and negotiation to restore order especially in the Sahel region. We pray and appeal for an Africa where guns are silent, where conflicts are solved through dialogue, where fellow Africans act as each other's brother's keeper and where African natural resources are harnessed and used for the good and prosperity of her citizens.
A 46-year-old man died Sunday in a Cullman County shooting.

Coroner Jeremy Kilpatrick identified the victim as Walter Eugene Robinson. He lived in Cleveland.

Sheriffs deputies were dispatched to a domestic incident about 9:45 a.m. on County Road 109 in Bremen.

Lt. Chad Whaley said an argument between family members escalated to a physical altercation.

One person was possibly hit by a vehicle and another  Robinson  sustained a gunshot wound.

Robinson was pronounced dead at the hospital, Kilpatrick said.

The investigation is ongoing. No arrests have been announced.
Mike Blakely, once Alabamas longest serving sheriff, was released from jail Monday after being paroled earlier this month.

Blakely, the former sheriff of Limestone County, served just over a year of his three-year sentence. He was released at 8 a.m., according to Franklin County Jail records.

Blakely, who is 73, was removed from office in 2021 immediately after a Limestone County jury found him guilty of stealing from his campaign account and abusing his power to get interest-free loans from a safe that held cash belonging to county jail inmates.

After a three-week trial, the jury convicted Blakely of stealing $4,000 from his campaign account by funneling the money through Red Brick Strategies, a Huntsville consulting firm. The jurors also found Blakely guilty of obtaining $29,050 in interest free loans from a safe that held money belonging to inmates in the county jail he oversaw as sheriff.

They found him not guilty of eight other charges of theft and abuse of power.

The office of Steve Marshall, Alabamas Republican attorney general, prosecuted Blakelys case.

The judge who oversaw Blakelys trial ordered him to serve his sentence in jail, not prison.

Because Blakely oversaw the Limestone County Jail in Athens while he was the sheriff for nearly four decades, he was moved to the Franklin County Jail about 60 miles away in Russellville.

By a vote of 2-1 the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles decided in favor of Blakelys parole on April 11 on the condition that he must complete 100 hours of community service.
No foul play is suspected in the weekend death of a 31-year-old Birmingham man reported missing Friday, along with one of his friends.

Cortez Rashaad Thomas, 31, was killed and Teshonda Means, 26, injured when they crashed in Birminghams Druid Hills community.

Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said Thomas was killed when his Can-Am Ryker 3-wheel motorcycle crashed into an abandoned house in the 2000 block of 15th Avenue North.

Authorities dont know when the crash happened, but Thomas was discovered and pronounced dead at 10:17 a.m. Sunday.

Thomas and Means were last seen about 7:30 p.m. Friday in Birminghams Norwood community. The friends were riding a three-wheel motorcycle, which was captured on someones home surveillance camera.

Family reported them missing on Saturday morning.

On Sunday morning, passersby found Means walking in northern Birmingham. She had been ejected from the motorcycle and was injured.

Once found, she was taken to the hospital.

A short time later, shortly before 10 a.m., Thomas was found dead beside the three-wheeler in a spot of overgrown grass outside the abandoned house where they had struck a concrete pillar.

Officers had been searching for him in that area and were flagged down by a citizen who had spotted the wrecked motorcycle.

Dozens of family members flocked to the scene. The Jefferson County Coroners Office notified Thomass family of his death.
This is an opinion column.

Alabama could help poor kids eat better next summer, but lawmakers have their hands stuck in their own pockets as they tap dance toward the end of the session.

Meanwhile, they hope you dont see them fattening their slush funds for the summer instead.

Its a routine weve seen many times before  foot shufflin. They stare at their shoes or gaze thoughtfully at a water stain on the ceiling. Their weight shifts back and forth as they pretend to listen and feign soulful concern with a grimace or a nod, until finally they say, I really wish I could, but 

And then blame anything or anybody but themselves, hoping you dont notice where the money goes.

Youve seen foot shufflin sometime in your life, even if youve never spent time in the Alabama State House. Car dealers foot-shuffle when you ask for a better price. Customer service agents foot-shuffle when they wont refund your money for the thing you didnt agree to buy. Ive foot-shuffled every time a friend asked if I wanted to taste their homebrew or come hear their band play this weekend.

At some point, we all foot-shuffle a little, but nobody foot-shuffles like an Alabama politician.

Kay Ivey has foot-shuffled every time someone brought up Medicaid expansion.

We dont have the money, she says, before signing away another billion dollars for a prison.

When alums from my alma mater, Birmingham-Southern College, asked the state for a rescue loan, everybody down there foot-shuffled until the school went broke.

Sure, they put $30 million in a rescue account for distressed academic institutions, but when the college asked for the check  the legislature, the governor and the state treasurer  each pointed to the other in a foot-shufflin square dance.

And now, when the federal government has offered to give Alabama as much as $65 million a year to help poor kids eat over the summer, these same folks are foot-shufflin again.

Yeah, wed like to, but  wheres the money?

Last year, the USDA offered states extra money to help poor kids eat over the summer when theyre not in school  if the states would foot the administrative costs. All but 15 states signed on quickly. Alabama wasnt one of them.

Iveys office said the federal ask came too late for the Alabama Legislature to approve the local match  between $10 and $15 million, much of it one-time expenses, to draw down $65 million.

Its not our fault. It was just bad timing 

That was fine for 2024, but what about 2025? The Alabama Legislature convened in February and has been meeting ever since but 

But nothing.

As my colleague Rebecca Griesbach reported last week, lawmakers act like they cant find the money, even after one of them did.

Remember that $30 million that was set aside for BSC? Rep. Laura Hall figured if they werent going to give that money to a broke school, why not use it to feed hungry kids?

When lawmakers voted last week on what to do with education money leftover from last year, Hall introduced an amendment to shift $13 million of those funds to the summer food program.

Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, moved to table Halls amendment, and the Alabama House voted with him along party lines.

But thats not the gross part. That happened next.

Rep. Scott Stadthagen, R-Hartsell, introduced his own amendment for the same money. Instead, of using that money to fund summer food for poor kids, his amendment split that money between a community grants program administered by Alabama lawmakers and an education discretionary account administered by the lieutenant governor.

Or as we sometimes call them, slush funds.

Lawmakers use this slush fund to hand out checks to community programs in their districts, usually with a photographer from the local newspaper standing nearby so they can get the credit. These things look great on Facebook, too.

Lawmakers love these sorts of programs, especially former Rep. John Rogers and Rep. Fred Plump, who now await sentencing after money Rogers handed out wound up back in their pockets.

Lawmakers love them so much that, when they voted on Stadthagens amendment, it passed  not just with bipartisan support, but unanimously.

Even Hall voted for it.

I called Garrett, who chairs the House education budget committee, to ask him what gives. Why not use that money to help fund the summer food program?

Between and lot of uhms and ahs, Garrett told me he had recently learned of this summer food program, even though there have been new stories about this program around the state since last year.

Garrett said hes heard the Alabama Senate plans to add the food program to next years ETF budget, not the leftover education funds from 2024. He thinks hell support it then, he said.

Which sounds like all is handled, right? Only, the House passed its version of the ETF budget two weeks ago and didnt include anything about the summer food program in there when it could have.

We were talking on the phone, so I couldnt see if his feet were shuffling.

But better late, I suppose, unless later really means never.

But with only five days left in the 2024 session, time to dance is running out and the music is almost over.

Kyle Whitmire is the 2023 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. Subscribe to his weekly newsletter, Alabamafication.
Huntsvilles never had something like quite like South Star Music Festival. Produced by Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo vets C3 Presents, set for September 29 and 29 at John Hunt Park, South Star will be the biggest weekend of live music in Huntsville history, with a lineup boasting the likes of Gwen Stefani, blink-182, Beck, Janes Addiction, Ludacris, Big Boi, Sublime, TLC and others.

Back in the day, Big Spring Jam brought an array of acts to Huntsville during that fests 1993 to 2011 run. The Jam was big fun. Marque bookings over the decades ranged from Al Green and Allman Brothers to Destinys Child and Foo Fighters to Wilco and a very young Taylor Swift. Those lineups each year were heavy on regional, local and club-level national acts though.
The effect of the October 7 atrocity and its aftermath upon Jews in the United States is the ostensible topic of Peter Beinarts recent op-ed in the New York Times, The Great Rupture in American Jewish Life. Actually, Mr. Beinart demonstrates a rupture in the lives of Jewish leftists such as he, who discover that they can no longer be one with their non-Jewish comrades unless they denounce Zionism (i.e., the cause of Israel).

Beinart tells American Jews (those calling themselves themselves liberals, at any rate) to oppose the continued existence of a Jewish nation and homeland in the Mideast. Beinart depicts Zionism as some kind of fetish that American Jews acquired after the 1967 Six-Day War. [I]t came to dominate communal life only after Israels dramatic victory in the 1967 war exhilarated American Jews eager for an antidote to Jewish powerlessness during the Holocaust. Israel apparently never served that function at its founding or in the ensuing 19 years.

Quoting a leftist defender of the intifada, Beinart tells us that American Jewshave made of Israel an icon -- a surrogate faith, surrogate synagogue, surrogate God. No, the Torah places Israel at the center of the Jewish faith. It is there that Moses leads the Israelites after they are chosen to receive the Ten Commandments.

As noted by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin in his Jewish Literacy (1991): The most widely observed of all Jewish rituals, the Passover Seder, concludes with the call, Next year in Jersusalem. And, as Telushkin reminds us, the 137th Psalm proclaims, If I forget thee, O Jersusalem,/Let my right hand wither,/Let my tongue cleave to the roof of its mouth There is no Judaism apart from Israel.

In such a document as John Winthrops City Upon a Hill Sermon (1630), which President Reagan loved to cite, the founding of Israel is, moreover, associated with that of Western civilization in America. Winthrop said, Wee shall finde that the God of Israell is among us, when ten of us shall be able to resist a thousand of our enemies For wee must consider that wee shall be as a citty upon a hill. The eies of all people are upon us.

And the sermon concludes with that exhortation of Moses, that faithful servant of the Lord, in his last farewell to Israell, Deut. 30. Beloved there is now sett before us life and good, Death and evill, in that we are commanded this day to love the Lord our God, and to love one another, to walke in his ways and to keepe his Commandements and his Ordinances and his lawes, and the articles of our Covenant with him, that we may live and be multiplied, and that the Lord our God may blesse us in the land whither wee goe to possesse it. The uncultivated wilderness of America and that of ancient Israel, according to the will of the Almighty, were both to be the final destinations of itinerant peoples.

Why then, does Beinart condemn Israel? It is the Jewish homeland, so Moslems are not equal there. Of course, every nation recognizes a category of citizens and awards them prerogatives not granted mere visitors. We who are Americans cannot simply cross the border to Canada and expect to enroll our children in public school and vote in parliamentary elections. The fact that millions of people walking across the Mexican border seem to be acquiring precisely those rights in America does not make it sane or natural. And Arab citizens of Israel are indeed accorded equal rights, some serving in the Knesset.

The Mideast is composed of nations from which Jews are excluded or in which they cannot live without fear for their lives. Europe, including Britain and Ireland, is (once again) becoming saturated with virulent antisemitism. It has spread to the streets and university campuses of America and Canada. But Beinart objects to the existence of a tiny Jewish homeland on the Mediterranean shore, and objects to it on the ground of inequality!

To correct the inequality, Beinart requires that Israel cease being Israel, a Jewish nation, and turn into a hybrid called Israel-Palestine (Yisrael-Falastin in Hebrew or Filastin-Israil in Arabic). He indulges the fantasy that the Palestinians under their present leadership will let Jews live in peace alongside them. He sees no problem with the Palestinians yelling From the River to the Sea because the Israelis also want and at present have the land from the river to the sea. Beinart simply does not accept that Israel is a country, which its people will and must defend to the death.

Beinart is not especially original in his choice of falsehoods and omissions as he apportions blame for the Mideast conflict. Naturally, he does not mention that under the 1947 UN Resolution, the British colony was to be divided into Jewish and a Palestinian state. Which side declined to go along with that plan and made war instead? Beinart fails to acknowledge the subsequent opportunities for statehood offered the Palestinians, up to and including the Camp David meeting of 2000. The futility of such offers should tell us that the issue between these two sides was never the existence of a Palestinian state, it was always instead the existence of a Jewish state, regarded by the Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Iran, and all the Jihadist warriors as an infidel and foreign salient in what must be an exclusively Moslem Mideast.

There is then Beinarts ritual denunciation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government as right wing and racist. Would any of the Labor governments that held power in Israel from Ben Gurion to Golda Meier, or any subsequent ones, have reacted differently to the assault and atrocities of October 7? Indeed, what leader in the world, if his nation were capable of fighting back, would not have done so in such circumstances?

Beinart invokes the leftist canards that Moslems were persecuted in the United States after 9/11 and that Asians were persecuted because Republicans said that COVID came from a laboratory in the PRC. According to him, antisemitism now exists in America solely because of the iniquitous deeds of the IDF. Anyway, Beinart maintains, the mobs screaming for the intifada want to chase away Jews for ideological reasons, not out of antisemitism. Certainly, for anyone struck in the head, poked in the eye, pursued down the street, or forced to barricade himself in a school library, it is an inestimable consolation that Peter Beinart sees the mobs motivation as merely ideology and not religious bigotry.

But Jews must try to learn from their Palestinian peers, Beinart tells us. They must better understand the other point of view, which would be what? That the obliteration of Israel should be accomplished and the final solution completed when resistance is offered?

Beinart has to turn on Israel and dissemble with regard to Palestinian intentions if is to remain a true man of the Left. He accurately notes the partisanship of conservatives and of Trump supporters, in particular, for Israel and reasons syllogistically. What the Right favors is bad. The Right, for the most part, favors Zionism. Ergo, Zionism is bad. Better that the tongues of Jews cleave to the [rooves] of [their] mouths than that they be used to express concurrence with Donald Trump on anything.

Image: New America
Albert Einstein allegedly said, Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

But without validation, he was just a super-smart guy making an educated guess about scientific repeatability and human mental stability. Fortunately, his postulation is moving from theoretical to proven, via testing provided by the Democrat party.

The Dems came up with a surefire battle plan to prevent Donald Trump from returning to the Oval Office. Just prosecute him for something  it didnt matter what. The Donald would become damaged goods, and voter outrage would prevent a return of mean tweets to the office that comes with an armed entourage and a big blue airplane. It should have been foolproof. But as engineers say: One should never underestimate the ability of fools to screw things up.

In the spring of 2023, Trump was surging ahead of his Republican rivals and was dangerously close to President Return to Normalcy in polling. He was becoming a serious threat. It was time to load the boats and storm the beach.

The attack led off with Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, who indicted Trump for improperly accounting for contractual expenses during the commission of a crime. Bragg claims that Trump stole the 2016 election (the crime) by incorrectly documenting payments to his lawyer in 2017 (the method). No, that is not a typo. Bragg claims Trump that stole the election by doing something illegal a year after the election. Hopefully, a TDS-afflicted jury can help him with that little time warp thingy.

But Donald Trump surged in the polls after the indictment. Surefire was starting to look like backfire. The Dems were shocked. It never occurred to them that making him a victim, might create sympathy rather than disgust. But an empty suit from behind the Resolute Desk reassured them: Ignore the malarkey. Ive come up with an ingenious plan. Lets do it again! Call up George (Soros) and have his gal down in Atlanta start earning her campaign money.

A call to action was placed to Fulton County, where District Attorney Fani Willis launched the southern prong of the attack. [Aside: Doesnt Fani have the most appropriate name ever for someone about to take a spanking for the Dems?] She indicted Trump for pulling a Stacey  Abrams, that is. The Donald claimed that hed won the election in Georgia, even though it was certified for Biden. Thats not a crime, but what the heck  the judge is a Fani-supporter. Maybe Fani  and the judge covering her fanny  can keep the jury entertained long enough to slip past them the fact that no crime was committed. Besides, a conviction isnt necessary. Fani just needs to make voters disillusioned with the guy who gave them prosperity and security. She even got the first ever mug shot of The Donald. But what was intended to taint his image turned out to be a MAGA fundraising bonanza.

Dang if the Donalds polling didnt go up again. Oh well  if at first you dont succeed...yada, yada, yada. The White House fired off a message to Merrick Garland (call sign Wingman) to put someone competent in command and get it right this time.

Wingman appointed Jack Smith for the mission. Smitty kicked the operation into high gear, using all the resources of the federal government. He had Trumps home raided by the FBI, during primetime coverage, with the cameras rolling. It was all scripted to paint The Donald as the grifter every self-righteous leftist with gender confusion believes he is. Then he indicted Trump in Florida for having the classified documents that the Presidential Records Act says he can have. But damn if Trumps polling didnt go up again. Not to worry. Smitty was just getting started.

Smitty also indicted the Donald in Washington, where a TDS-afflicted jury is a brain-dead certainty. He charged The Donald with obstructing an official congressional proceeding, by giving his MAGA followers the code words protest peacefully. Unfortunately, The Donalds MAGA minions forgot to pull the just kidding switch (i.e., the fire alarm) before interrupting Congress, so they and their MAGA leader are guilty of MAGA insurrection until proven innocent.

But The Donalds polling went up again. Maybe theres a greater time lag between court filing and news cycle than the Dems had factored in. Theyve been wrestling with that messaging problem for years.

Along the way, the Dems augmented their criminal attack with a civil flanking maneuver. Advice columnist E. Jean Carroll claimed that Trump had raped her some years previously  in a crowded department store. Though she couldnt remember the exact year it happened, the event is seared into her memory. But Trump called her a liar  so a TDS-afflicted jury ordered him to pay her over 80 million bucks, for damaging her reputation more than she already had.

New York attorney general Letitia James also sued Trump, insisting he applied for loans while claiming his real estate holdings were more valuable than her expert estimate. A TDS-afflicted judge awarded the state almost a half a billion bucks, for not actually hurting anyone. Letitia immediately began the paperwork to seize Trump properties. Then The Donalds polling rocketed into the stratosphere.

Now were one year into the Democrat foolproof plan to keep Trump from winning the election. The Donald has vanquished his Republican challengers. He is outpolling Biden in all the swing states, and his first trial has begun in Manhattan. Knowing that the trial is about politics rather than justice, Judge Juan Merchan ordered The Donald to remain in New York for the entirety of the campaign trial. But Trump just started campaigning in New York City instead. Now small donor contributions are rolling in, and throngs of cheering N.Y. construction workers may become the defining photo of the campaign. If he doesnt flip New York in November, it wont be for lack of trying.

Polling since the trial began isnt available yet, but the only thing that could help The Donald more than another indictment would be if the judge actually incarcerated him. Merchan is currently entertaining contempt charges against Trump  for publicly claiming that his political persecution is political persecution. MAGA Ts with a photo of The Donald in an orange jumpsuit are still a possibility. The Donald could sell them as a set with his mug shot mugs.

After all the attacks on Trump, heres where the campaign stands:

Trump is riding high in the polls;

The legal system has less credibility than CNN;

His supporters are more enthusiastic than Green Bay Packers fans on a sub-zero Sunday;

Former critics like Bill Barr are admitting that democracy is being threatened, but not by the Donald; and

As the cold sweat stage of the Biden/Harris campaign commences, the Dems are frantically looking for something else to charge The Donald with (perhaps in Arizona)  expecting a different result.

Now we know: Doing something (Bragg attack) over (Willis attack) and over (Smith attack) and over (James attack) again actually produces the same result (MAGA growth). Further, those expecting otherwise (Democrats) are totally bat-crap crazy.

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: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The Hamas apologists who now infest Ivy League and other campuses either do not know, or willfully choose to ignore, the fact that war is not a law enforcement activity whose purpose is to punish the guilty and spare the innocent. If we look at the history of warfare, their complaints about civilian losses in Gaza are disinformation and dissimulation, with no other identifiable purpose than to protect Hamas from the consequences of its actions. The same goes for the bleating from Antonio Guterres, UNRWA, and the International Court of Justice. They are nothing more than our eras counterparts of Axis Sally, Tokyo Rose, and Lord Haw-Haw.

This does not mean that it is ever acceptable to target genuine noncombatants, and Israel bends over backward to avoid hitting them. Even enemy combatants in most wars, however, are guilty of nothing more than wearing the wrong color uniform. Patriotism, being conscripted, and joining an army because one has no other prospects are not crimes that deserve any punishment, although the end result can be the same fate that countries with capital punishment reserve for only the worst murderers. For every Ted Bundy who is executed for serial murders, or Charles Manson who dies of old age in prison for slaughtering innocent people, thousands of combatants are shot or blown up for no other reason than their service to the wrong (as perceived by the other side) government.

The Man He Killed by Thomas Hardy made this clear during an era in which few people joined armies out of patriotism. An army was instead often the only alternative to debtors prison, starvation, or the workhouse, as the poem makes clear.

Had he and I but met

By some old ancient inn,

We should have sat us down to wet

Right many a nipperkin!

But ranged as infantry,

And staring face to face,

I shot at him as he at me,

And killed him in his place.

In The Rochester Recruiting Sergeant by Pete and Chris Coe, which is set to the same music as Waltzing Matilda, a recruiting sergeant tries to get men to join Queen Annes army. Nobody with a trade will join, but one laments, Ah, but I had long endured the parish queues [bread lines] and takes the Queens Shilling. The Thirty-Third Regiment of Foot was meanwhile known as the Havercakes because recruiting sergeants would hold up oat cakes on their swords to entice hungry men into the ranks. This scene from Sharpes Regiment, starring Sean Bean and Daragh OMalley, shows how it was often done.

In Erich Maria Remarques All Quiet on the Western Front, the protagonist knifes to death an enemy soldier who jumped into a trench (or shell hole) with him. He then opens the mans wallet, not to rob him, but out of curiosity, and sees photographs of the mans family along with his civilian occupation. He realizes he has killed somebodys husband and somebodys father, and for no other reason than the fact that their respective governments told them to be where they were.

German and English soldiers celebrated Christmas together in 1914, and even exchanged gifts.

Ordinary human beings have no desire to kill other human beings. Even during the Second World War, when Germany was ruled by one of the most evil regimes ever known, the ordinary German soldier was there only because he was told to be there (or else). The war criminals who ran the concentration camps were, in fact, as far from the front lines as they could get.

We have seen so far, then, that even the vast majority of enemy combatants, much less civilians, are not evil people. They die or suffer wounds and/or privation solely because of their governments choices, and not because of anything they did personally. War is a quarrel between nations, and not a law enforcement process to identify the guilty and exonerate the innocent.

Hamas Is Guilty

The current war between Israel and Hamas is in fact an exception to everything I just wrote. The vast majority of the combatants who died in the Second World War, even on the Axis side, were ordinary people who would have otherwise returned to their families and civilian occupations to contribute to their societies. Terrorists who disguise themselves as civilians, commit a mass shooting at a peace concert, slaughter people in their own homes, gang-rape women, and burn babies in ovens are war criminals who deserve to be killed wholesale. The world is better off without them, and Israel is simply taking out the worlds trash.

Another analogy consists of the eradication of cancer, which almost always involves collateral damage to healthy tissue. Surgeons must remove the margins of a tumor in case they contain malignant cells. Chemotherapy destroys growing cells wholesale (this is why cancer cells suffer the most from it), which is why patients suffer nausea from intestinal damage along with hair loss. There is no nice way to remove cancer, but cancer will kill the patient if it is permitted to survive. One does not have ceasefires or peace treaties with cancer because this just gives it a chance to recover and metastasize.

If Hamas is cancer, though, the Israeli Defense Forces are the best oncologists. Who else could use the equivalent, in terms of everything but radioactivity, of 120 Hiroshima-class bombs for only 34,000 fatalities, including those at whom the weapons were aimed?

22,000 Unintended Fatalities from 120 Hiroshimas

Al Jazeera, which is no friend of Israel, stipulates that Israel has killed 34,000 Gazans (including the 12,000 or so Hamas terrorists it intended to kill) with 75,000 tons of explosives. If we assume that all were one-ton charges, Israel has deployed the destructive power of more than 120 Hiroshima-class bombs to kill less than half the number killed by only one such weapon in August 1945. This reinforces the proposition that Israel is wielding violence with almost superhuman precision against terrorists who are often menaces to peaceful Gazans as well as Israelis. It is also to be noted that collateral losses among noncombatants, while regrettable, were less than two for every terrorist despite the terrorists use of the noncombatants as human shields.

How did I get 120 Hiroshima-class bombs at 15 kilotons from 75 kilotons of explosives? While the destructive volume of an explosive is directly proportional to the amount present, volume is meaningful only if the target (like an aircraft or submarine) is in a three-dimensional environment. If the environment is only two-dimensional, much of the blast goes upward to endanger only birds and aircraft that happen to be in the area. The damage area is proportional to the two-thirds root of the explosive power. A one-ton (0.001 kiloton) bomb is therefore 0.01 equivalent kiloton, and 75,000 add up to 750 equivalent kilotons. The Hiroshima bomb, at 15 kilotons, did as much area damage as about 6.1 one-kiloton bombs dropped separately. Seven hundred fifty divided by 6.1 is more than 120.

In summary, then, the difference between the war in Gaza and traditional wars is twofold. Unlike legal combatants of all nations who carry their arms openly, follow the rules of war, and do not use civilians as human shields, Hamas consists solely of terrorists who deserve death. In addition, even though Hamas does its best to use noncombatants as human shields, Israel has done close to a superhuman job of excising the terrorists with minimal harm to their human surroundings.

Civis Americanus is the pen name of a contributor who remembers the lessons of history and wants to ensure that our country never needs to learn those lessons again the hard way. The author is remaining anonymous due to the likely prospect of being subjected to cancel culture for exposing the Big Lie behind Black Lives Matter.

Image via Pxhere.
All Classical Radio announced last Saturday, April 27, the release date of "ELEVATE," the second volume from its award-winning Recording Inclusivity Initiative (RII), Grammy-winning Navona Records, and PARMA Recordings.

"ELEVATE" will arrive digitally on all major streaming platforms on May 10, with physical CDs being available later in the year.

About 'ELEVATE: All Classical Radio's Vol. 2'

The new volume of the Portland radio station's RII is a testament to the power of composers and musicians uplifting one another, as the recording brings to life acclaimed sonatas of Japanese composers Yuko Uebayashi and Nobu Koda, alongside a string quartet by Damien Geter.

The album features performances by leading classical instrumentalists: pianist Maria Garcia, All Classical Radio's 2022-2023 Artist in Residence; pianist Yoko Greeney; violist Jennifer Anrold; flutist Martha Long; cellist Nancy Ives; and violinists Emily Cole, Ines Voglar Belgique, and Ruby Chen.

All of the tracks from "ELEVATE" were recorded in Portland, Oregon, similar to its predecessor and inaugural project from the RII: "AMPLIFY," which was released in 2022 to address inequities in the classical music recording industry through its inclusive representation of global soundscapes.

For more information on the compilation, click here or watch the sample track right below.

About the Featured Composers and Their Compositions

Uebayashi is a composer whose work is typically described as impressionistic and reminiscent of Japanese film music. Perhaps this is the by-product of her unique creation process, which starts from channeling the image of someone specific in mind.

Because of this, she would only accept commissions from those she feels a distinct connection, which is true for her composition: "Sonata for Flute and Piano," in four movements, as it was dedicated to flutist Jean Ferrandis and pianist Emile Naoumoff.

Koda, on the other hand, is historically significant for being the first Japanese composer to be publicly recognized for her adoption of the Western style. She was also the first student to receive a government grant to study abroad, first in Boston and then in Vienna.

Her "Sonata in E-Flat Major," in three movements, in particular, was written during her tenure back in Japan after

she came back home in 1895. Her single-movement "Sonata in D Minor" (1897) for violin and piano would also be made during this time.

Finally, Geter is a composer, actor, and bass-baritone, whose compositions are soaked in themes of social justice. He focuses his efforts on masterfully infusing the classical canon with styles from the Black diaspora, like jazz, gospel, and R&B.

This was also the case for his composition: "String Quartet No. 1, Neo-Soul," which was commissioned by All Classical Radio back in 2020 as part of its mission to build a more inclusive classical soundscape in America.

The piece consists of three movements: I. "Bop"; II. "Feelin' Some Type of Wayz"; and III. "Please Don't Kill My Vibe."
The sham trial in NYC being orchestrated by DA Alvin Bragg against Donald Trump is designed to keep Trump off the campaign trail and further salacious material to create more doubt about him in the minds of undecided voters. The judge, Juan Merchan, is an acting Supreme Court judge, appointed to this position by the Administrative Chief Judge Ann Pfau and selected for this case since he has presided over other Trump cases. Though I am not a lawyer, the obvious failings of this case are numerous. I propose to outline a strategy for a not-guilty verdict instead of a hung jury.

After one week of testimony there is no clear indication of the underlying crime that Bragg used to elevate misdemeanor crimes to a felony. A bill of particulars in the indictment is required in American criminal proceedings and was one of the rationales for the Revolution. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the defense to call legal scholars to demonstrate this limitation. Several would be able to clearly state that that tabloid catch and kill efforts are not illegal and are ordinary political and celebrity procedures. Then David Peckers testimony could be nullified in the jurys minds.

Many legal scholars have stated that the defense should only show that there is no proof of criminal activity which would allow any juror to hang the decision. This will not help Trump in the election as a not guilty result will. Further an effort to show that this trial is illegitimate will give credence to Trumps claim that he is being persecuted.

If there is evidence of Alvin Braggs interaction with the White House, this should be brought out. If this requires calling him as a witness, it should be pursued. Undoubtedly Judge Merchan will balk, giving another cause for appeal should that be necessary. This is a way of showing this prosecution is political. Matthew Colangelo left his senior position in the Justice Department to take a lesser position as a prosecutor in this case which further suggests political motivation. This should be brought out. I would call Mark Pomerantz, who quit Braggs office and wrote People v. Trump. An Inside Account. He repeatedly took the Fifth when called by the House Judiciary Committee. That would look terrible to the jury.

Further, the prosecution has yet to demonstrate how the statute of limitations should be ignored for the primary crimes being charged. Even the judge indicated that there were several possible underlying crimes which were not identified against the constitutional requirement. This could allow a double jeopardy claim as a least four ideas were claimed in pre-trial motions. An effort to have a legal scholar testify to these issues would help further. The judge might object, though. The jury might be instructed to ignore these issues but once heard, how can they forget?

Judge Merchan is in violation of judicial regulations which require six degrees of separation from any family members that could have any financial benefit from these proceedings. His daughter works for a political consulting firm that has represented many Democrats and is raising funds off this trial. Further Merchan is required to instruct the jury when a claim of illegality is falsely made by the prosecution. But the worst error he has made is to allow extraneous evidence.

The Court of Appeals of NY State just ordered a new trial for Harvey Weinstein in his sexual misconduct trial. This was necessary since the judge in that case allowed unrelated evidence into the case against Weinstein. The same is already apparent in the Trump case. Further, what is the crime in extramarital affairs? The defense should call federal officials who refused to prosecute him for election issues. The defense must demonstrate that the NYC DA has no authority over federal crimes. A not guilty verdict will boost Trumps campaign beyond any speech, ad, or debate.

Image: Bundesarchiv
Do you remember the glorious days after the leak of the Supreme Courts abortion decision in Dobbs? Oh, the conjecture! Who was the leaker? One of the courts leftists? Breyer, who was about to retire? A leftist court clerk? And the protests at the homes of the justices who actually support the Constitution! Wonderful!

Those were heady days for the Left, who, despite a specific federal law criminalizing precisely the kind of harassment those protestors were daily performing, were not arrested. US Marshalls and other law enforcement agents were allowedbarelyto protect justices homes, which turns out to have been a good thingnot for the leftas one of them showed up prepared to murder Justice Brett Kavanaugh and probably his entire family. He was arrested, but oddly, after two years, the Bidens Handlers Department of Justice, hasnt so much as scheduled a trial date.

Graphic: Crime Scene. Wikimedia Commons.com. Public Domain.

President Joe Bidens Department of Justice is dragging its feet in prosecuting Nicholas Roske, the man accused of trying to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, leaving legal experts perplexed about the slow-moving pace of the case. Roske was indicted for attempted murder of a Supreme Court justice nearly two years ago in June 2022, after allegedly traveling from his parents home in California to the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C., with the intent to kill Kavanaugh. Roske, a biological male who identified in some online posts as a transgender woman, was upset over the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, according to court documents.

Ah! Theres a clue, actually two clues.

This case would appear to be delivered on a silver platter to prosecutors. Roske actually called the police to report himself. The police found guns, zip ties and everything else necessary to commit murder in Roskes suitcase, and though media accounts arent saying, presumably Roske made incriminating statements, if not exactly a full and explicit confession. According to the article, there have been nearly a dozen continuances granted since Roskes initial appearance in October, 2022.

Its noteworthy that after nearly two years, there is still no trial date or plea agreement in this case," Gerard Filitti, senior counsel at The Lawfare Project, told the Free Beacon. "While pretrial motions would resolve questions about the admissibility of some of the evidence, including statements made by Roske, there is no underlying procedural reason why it would take this long to get to trial."

Keep in mind this is an attempted murder case, the attempted murder of a Supreme Court Justice, and perhaps members of his family. One would think the United States has an interest in deterring the murders of members of our highest court. As John Belushi said: but noooooooooooo!

Had Roske tried to murder one of the leftist justices, we can be reasonably certain he would already have been tried, convicted and given the maximum possible sentence. We can also be certain one reason the DOJ is slow-walking this case is Roske is trans, and Bidens Handlers need every trans/queer/gay/lesbian vote they can get. Prosecuting Roske before the election would tend to damage the trans narrative that depicts all trans as morally superior beings, people evolved to a higher plane of existence, living their true lives unlike all those dull, hateful, racist Christian Normals. Doubtless the DOJ doesnt want to depict the Constitutional members of the Supreme Court, a court the Left constantly reviles, as sympathetic, deserving of the protection of the rule of law the Court is constitutionally established to protect and defend.

It's also possible Roske has threatened to expose information Bidens Handlers absolutely dont want to expose, and certainly not before the election. But if so, what could that be? Perhaps Roske didnt act alone. Perhaps he was solicited and paid by people with a vested interest in electing Biden and eliminating a constitutional justice prior to the election so Bidens Handlers could appoint another Leftist aided by a Senate controlled by the left. Obviously, Im speculating, but so low is the publics trust in our institutions, and justifiably so, such speculation, which once might have been thought impossible, is at least now plausible, perhaps even likely.

And of course, the DOJ isnt commenting. So bizarre, so irregular, is the lack of prosecution, how could they?

Should Donald Trump survive the lawfare and be elected, as now seems possible, Roskes case will be promptly adjudicated. Should Bidens Handlers prevail, its most likely the case that as our liberties, it too will quietly go away.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
With the proliferation of bureaucrats in leftist-run California, they're descending like locusts onto the farms of not just California's lower Central Valley, but now the Napa Valley and its wine makers, according to the U.K. Daily Mail. The farmers are swatting back.

The Daily Mail reports:

Napa Valley's prestigious wineries have launched a revolt against 'abusive' county officials, accusing bureaucrats of killing the region's famous vineyards with absurd and excessive red tape. Wealthy vintners say they are being 'crushed' by 'gross regulatory overreach', which has included penalizing wineries for planting trees, making jam and conducting wine tastings on their own land. One vineyard was even fined $1million for making too much wine.

Making wine is already a heavily regulated industry. California's has always been more regulated than most. But the bureaucrats are getting out of control now, apparently watching every little move a grape farm or winery makes and then swooping in to descend, crawling all over them like bugs, draining the lifeblood of these pride-of-California operations. The Mail has a string of horror stories.

It's sad, sorry, stuff, this overregulation of little farms for trying to sell jams and jellies on the side, something all farms do worldwide to earn extra cash, or to hold wine-tastings, which is what these farms are expected to do, or telling a Napa Valley farmer from a farm that got burned out in the monstrous 2020 Glass Fire (brought on by environmental regulations) that he can't plant the trees he lost to create the windblocks he needs to protect his crops. That was a doozy. One farmer, who tried to take advantage of his farm's beautiful scenic location by offering yoga classes, was snidely told by the karen-like county representative that he didn't want Napa to become 'Disneyland':

The county sued Hoopes in 2022, alleging she had created a 'public nuisance' by offering yoga classes, wine tastings, selling greeting cards and hand sanitiser, and not getting a permit for her 120 square feet chicken coop. A lawyer representing the county said the rules are in place to keep Napa Valley from becoming 'Disneyland', a statement Hoopes believes is preposterous.

Last I heard, Disneyland doesn't offer yoga classes. The farmers only offer these things to boost their cash income, because of all their ongoing taxes and regulatory burdens from their main operations. Maybe that's the real problem.

The report didn't get into it, but most of us have noticed that Napa Valley wines, despite their proximity to us in California, carry a heftier price tag than the wines of other countries based on this overregulation, so it's obvious that even trans-ocean tanker costs are nothing compared to the regulatory burden Napa Valley's farmers endure out in California.

Got a nice thing? The bureaucrats will come in and destroy it. It's like something out of Ayn Rand at this point. It's actually like Argentina before the election of President Javier Milei this past year. The bureaucrats there, as I recall Diana Mondino (now Milei's foreign minister) once told me, would overregulate any industry they considered progressive and modern, such as automobiles. But the industries they had contempt for, such as anything involving the grimy gauchos out working on the pampas, they tended to ignore. So, those less-regulated industries tended to grow (in Argentina, it was the wineries) while the automobile industry in that country shriveled. We have heard about imported wines from Argentina for years, but nobody hears much about Argentine cars, and there's a reason for that.

In California, the bureaucrats hear lots about the famed and marvelous California wineries, and do all they can to chase them out and shut them down. It's as if they don't want any of us to have nice things. An added factor is that the farmers tend to be conservative voters, particularly the old winemaking families, so the impetus from them is even stronger. With each regulatory burden they impose, the price of wine goes up and the goods become scarcer. One farmer interviewed by the Daily Mail said she was thinking of packing up and moving to Fredericksburg, Texas, where wine is also grown, and other farmers had already done it.

What a sorry state of affairs this is. They have a golden goose in their famed wine production, and all they do is think up ways to kill it. Obviously, legislation is behind these bureaucratic crawlers infesting the place, but that's where the change is least-likely, given the ignorant fools creatures roosted in Sacramento. So, lawsuits it is, and one can only hope that there are lots of people on those juries who see exactly what these parasites are doing.

Image: Picryl/Pixabay // CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs) are up arms about a brief passage in South Dakota Governor Kristi Noems new book. Said passage relates the long ago, sad tale of putting down a dog whose behavior proved inappropriate and dangerous to farm life. For those with even a pasing connection to farm or ranch life, its an unremarkable story.

Graphic: X Screenshot

Farming and ranching are businesses. For families its often their sole source of income. While farmers and ranchers love and care for their animals, they cant afford to romanticize them. A dog that attacks other animals, to say nothing of people, is dangerous to the bottom line, and having to put down animals for all manner of reasons is an integral, and surely sad, part of farm and ranch life.

But Noem is horrible! Shes indecent!

When D/s/cs so indignantly attack Republicans and Normal Americans, I tend to suspect they just might be attacking them for less than honest, transparent reasons. Such attacks also tend to be revealing of their political fears, in this case, Gov. Noem might present an appealing, effective choice for a Trump running mate.

Speaking on indecency, we must remember Joe Bidens promises to restore normalcy and decency to the White House and America. The invaluable Miranda Devine, writing at The New York Post, reminds us of just how decent Biden is not:

Joe Biden is not decent. He made that clear a few minutes before [Colin] Jost took the stage when he gave a graceless, inappropriate stump speech in which he lied about Trump and then laughably urged the assembled media to fight disinformation. [skip] Biden rolled out his favorite lies about Trump, like: He said he wants to be a dictator on Day One. False. When asked if he would be a dictator in office, Trump joked, No, other than Day One. Biden said Trump promised a bloodbath when he loses again. We have to take this seriously. False: Trump said there would be an economic bloodbath if he were to lose the election. Biden then called on the journalists in the room to report truth over lies.  In an age of disinformation, credible information people can trust is more important than ever. Honestly, theres nothing decent about a president who lies and gaslights the American people day after day.

This would be the same Joe Biden who said  We [D/s/cs] choose truth over facts! Thats perhaps the perfect example of a gaffe: a politician accidentally saying what they truly believe.

Graphic: X Screenshot

Devine provides other examples of Bidens indecency:

*Helping your family sell out the country to shady foreigners for tens of millions of dollars  and then pretending you know nothing about it. *Inviting millions of illegal migrants into the country  and then lying that the border is secure. *Sniffing and fondling children and women every chance you get. *Refusing to acknowledge your out-of-wedlock grandchild until forced to issue a statement as part of a child support settlement Hunter Biden struck with the mother, and then failing to include the little girl in the annual family Christmas stocking lineup at the White House. *Refusing to provide Secret Service protection to Bobby Kennedy Jr., despite threats against him and the history of assassination in his family. *Continually looking at your watch in boredom as the bodies of the 13 heroes are repatriated to Dover Air Force Base, and then infuriating the families by making it about yourself and the fantasy that your son died in combat, too. *Allowing your dogs to attack Secret Service agents.

By all means, take the link and read the rest. I would add perhaps the most obvious indecency: conspiring with federal, state and local prosecutors to imprison and bankrupt the Republican nominee for President, to deny Americans their electoral choice. The list, to be sure, is virtually endless.

One need not delve deeply into history to understand Joe Biden has always been a mean, angry liar. He aligned himself with many of the Senates D/s/c raciststhe Democrat party has always been the party of racism--and in 1977 said integration policies would cause his children to grow up in a racial jungle. His failed attempt to exclude Clarence Thomas from the Supreme Court needs little reiteration. Biden is also a plagiarist, lifting portions of a speech from British politician Neal Kinnock, ending his 1988 presidential bid.

Where political indecency is concerned, America might be best served by trusting the honesty and farming sensibilities of Kristi Noem over Joe Bidens political record of indecency and lies.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
Let us say, just for the purposes of this discussion, youve come to recognize you really are on your own. Even if you live in a red state where crime isnt exploding, but is humming along at its normal, bit-by-bit destructive pace, you understand even if youre not directly a victim, its costing you. Your insurance rates are skyrocketing, everything is more costly, and crime always plays a part in that. Above all, you realize you, or someone you love, might get hurt or seriously dead. In my not-at-all-sleepy Wyoming town, not long ago, there were two kidnapping attempts at a local store, thwarted by smart female victims.

Graphic: cover shot

The police cant protect you. There are so very few of them, and even if youre able to call 911, its going to take much longer than youll have for officers to arrive, even longer for them to orient, decide and act. Better yet, the police have no obligation to protect anyone, and cant be successfully sued for failing to protect anyone. Sound crazy? If they could be sued for failing to protect people they had no idea needed protection, who would become a police officer? What city could afford a police force?

One could simply never go out in public, but then there are home invasions and burglaries, so thats no solution. Besides, why should any American surrender their freedoms of movement and association to the depredations of criminals, particularly when the American Left is encouraging and aiding them?

On January 5, 1967, Ronald Reagan has this to say at his inauguration as Californias governor:

Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. And those in world history who have known freedom and then lost it have never known it again.

If we want liberty, we have to be willing to fight for it, even if that means fighting criminals one-to-one because our self-imagined elite hate us as much as they love and enable criminals.

In 1993, Jeffrey R. Snyder wrote A Nation of Cowards, a brilliant essay with which every American must be intimately acquainted. An excerpt:

Crime is not only a complete disavowal of the social contract, but also a commandeering of the victim's person and liberty. If the individual's dignity lies in the fact that he is a moral agent engaging in actions of his own will, in free exchange with others, then crime always violates the victim's dignity. It is, in fact, an act of enslavement. Your wallet, your purse, or your car may not be worth your life, but your dignity is; and if it is not worth fighting for, it can hardly be said to exist.

Individual safety begins with preparation, with developing situational awareness, and with always carrying the means of self-defense. Pepper spray, small knives, and other tools are ineffective and require the defender to be within touching distance of attackersalways a bad idea.

The most effective tool is the concealable handgun. Particularly for women, its the equalizer, and despite what trans-boosters say, there are fundamental differences in size and strength between women and men. In a physical confrontation, unarmed women, even those experienced in martials arts, are at a severe, even deadly, disadvantage.

Graphic: Glock 43, Author.

There are many excellent compact handguns, such as the Glock 43 and 43X, or the Sig P365 on the market. Light and easy to conceal, they can be easily and comfortably carried. More important, however, is obtaining competent training that will ensure safe and effective employment of a handgun. Most important is knowing the law, knowing under which circumstances one can legally use deadly force, or any force, for that matter. To that end, the best book on the market is The Law of Self Defense by Andrew Branca, Americas best informed self-defense lawyer. Its essential.

As the ancient Chinese curse tells us, we live in interesting times. Lets let Snyder have the last word:

This is the uncompromising understanding reflected in the warning that America's gun owners will not go gently into that good, utopian night: "You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands." While liberals take this statement as evidence of the retrograde, violent nature of gun owners, we gun owners hope that liberals hold equally strong sentiments about their printing presses, word processors, and television cameras. The republic depends upon fervent devotion to all our fundamental rights.

Our constitutional, representative republic surely does. Our democracy, quite the opposite.

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.
Right now, the hottest new tablets said to come out are going to be the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 series. The only thing is that were not quite sure when Samsung is going to officially launch these devices. Well, according to a new report, the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra may launch along with the Galaxy S25 phones.

Samsung hasnt been quite consistent with its recent tablet launches. The Galaxy Tab S8 tablets were released along with the Galaxy S22 phones. However, the Galaxy Tab S9 tablets did not launch with last years Galaxy S23 phones. In fact, they launched during the companys mid-year Unpacked event. So, the jury was out when the company was going to launch the next tablets.

The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra could launch with the Galaxy S25 phones

A new report claims that we will be seeing Samsungs next premium tablets early next year. A tweet by an account named Kro stated that this tablet will be released alongside the Galaxy S25 phones. If thats the case, then we will be seeing this tablet at the beginning of next year. So, itd seem that Samsung is not opting for a yearly release with its tablets.

However, a report states that Samsung is actually going through a bit of a delay with this device. Theres a production issue keeping the tablet from launching earlier. So, this could be why its launching next year. If not for the delay, we believe that Samsung could have launched the tablet during the upcoming Unpacked event.

Its important to note that the Tweet only refers to the ultra model of the Galaxy Tab S10. This could mean that the source was only able to obtain information about the Ultra model. However, theres no telling if Samsung may have a different release schedule between the Ultra and more affordable models. Well have to wait for more information to be sure about that.

Speaking of information, details about this tablet are pretty scarce. However, we should be receiving more leaks and rumors in the months leading up to Samsungs Galaxy Unpacked event early next year. However, we expect to see the typical slew of software and processor upgrades. Hopefully, we do get a few surprising goodies
Google has asked the court to ditch the Department of Justices ad tech antitrust case before trial. Google filed a motion in a Virginia federal court asking for this to happen.

As a reminder, the DOJ sued Google back in January 2023. Google was accused of monopoloizing digital advertising technologies through anticompetitive and exclusionary conduct, reports Bloomberg.

Google is attempting to get the DOJs ad tech antitrust case thrown out before trial

This case is scheduled to go to trial in September this year. Google is trying to get it thrown out before that time comes. It remains to be seen if Googles motion will do any good for the company.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said, back when the lawsuit was announced, that Google has used anticompetitive, exclusionary, and unlawful conduct to eliminate or severely diminish any threat to its dominance over digital advertising technologies.

The lawsuit said that Google controls digital advertising tools to a great extent. It said that Google pockets on average more than 30 percent of the advertising dollars that flow through its digital advertising technology products.

Google argues that the DOJ didnt show that Google controls at least 70% of the market

Why did Google file a motion to get the case thrown out? Does the company has an argument for it? Well, Google now argues that the DOJ hasnt really shown that the company controls at least 70 percent of the market when the lawsuit was raised.

Why is that important? Well, 70% of the market was previously used as a threshold for qualifying as a monopoly. Google also said that the DOJs case goes beyond the boundaries of antitrust law.

Its anyones guess if Google will manage to the case thrown out, but the chances are not high. The court date is already scheduled, and its a bit odd Google waited this long to do something like this. It remains to be seen.
Oh, how times have changed. MediaTek, the company that people associated with cheaper and underperforming chipsets, has come very far in establishing itself as a competitor to Qualcomm. According to the company, MediaTeks flagship smartphone chip revenue is up 50% in Q1 2024.

Several years ago, MediaTek was always the company to go to if a company wanted a cheap chip to throw in their phone without any regard to the performance and the performance was typically bad. However, the company has exploded over the past couple of years and brought forth some immense improvements.

The Dimensity series of high-power chips has proven to be a powerful family of chips. Several great devices weve reviewed use these chips like the Lenovo Tab Extreme, Tecno Camon 30 Premiere (Review), OnePlus Pad, Motorola Moto G Power 2024 (Review), and others.

MediaTeks flagship smartphone chipset revenue is up by 50%

Right now, the most powerful chipset from the Taiwanese fabless chipmaker is the Dimensity 9300. This chip is a beast, and its been powering some very powerful devices including the Oppo Find X7 and the Vivo X100 Pro. More devices are going to launch with this powerful chipset as time goes on.

The company says that this chip greatly contributed to its revenue last quarter. According to a new report, the company reported a gross margin of 52.4% for the first quarter of 2024. That is a 4.1% increase compared to Q4 2023. In fact, the company CEO, Rick Tsai, says that the company should see a 14% to 16% increase in its annual revenue.

It shows that the popularity is increasing for MediaTeks chips. This is auspicious for the company, as its getting ready to start testing its upcoming Dimensity 9400. We dont know too much about this chipset, but we know that its going to be a power increase over the 9300.

Right now, rumors are floating around that this phone will not use efficiency cores in its architecture. This means that it could potentially have an overheating and Battery consumption issue. However, that remains to be seen.
It wasnt long ago when OnePlus launched the Nord CE4, which features the Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset. The company is now all set to release two new smartphones in the coming weeks  the Nord 4 and Nord CE4 Lite. These two smartphones in the OnePlus Nord lineup will also be powered by Snapdragon chipsets, as per tipster Yogesh Brar.

Expected specifications of the upcoming OnePlus Nord lineup

The new smartphones in the OnePlus Nord series, Nord 4 and Nord CE4 Lite, will be powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 and Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipsets, respectively.

The OnePlus Nord 4 is rumored to be a rebranded version of the OnePlus Ace 3V, which was released in China last month. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 chipset, so its no surprise that we see this chipset in the Nord 4 as well. Its a flagship-level chipset and comes with support for Gemini Nano and other advanced AI features.

If the rebranding rumors are true, you can expect the Nord 4 to feature a 5,500 mAh battery with 100W charging. Additionally, it is expected to have a 6.74-inch 120Hz AMOLED display that will support a peak brightness of 2150 nits. You might get a 50 MP rear camera with OIS support, along with an 8 MP ultrawide camera. For selfies, there will be a 16 MP front camera.

The smartphone might be available in two variants  12/256 GB and 16/512 GB. It will come with Android 14 out of the box, based on OxygenOS 14.

Unlike the Nord 4, there havent been any spec leaks for the Nord CE4 Lite besides its Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset. Its predecessor, the Nord CE3 Lite, came out with a 120Hz display and a 108 MP main camera. Hopefully, the CE4 will have upgraded versions of these specs.

Release date of Nord 4 and Nord CE4 Lite

Currently, there is no official announcement about when these two new phones in the lineup will be released globally. However, the Nord 4s predecessor, the Nord 3, was released in July last year. So, you can expect the Nord 4 to be released around that time.

Again, this is just an educated guess made based on the previous release date. Therefore, you should take this information with a grain of salt. We will update this article once OnePlus announces the official release date of these smartphones.
Gen N: The Narcissist Generation

By Mark Alexander

web posted April 29, 2024

Have you figured out what "social generation" you belong to?

I am not referring to genealogy, familial generations, or learning about your ancestors. Those are the generations that matter most. A firm knowledge of our predecessors and the historical context in which they lived provides valuable context for the present era. If fate has blessed you with being a descendant of those who were here for the dawn of American Liberty, or if you are a first-generation American who embodies their spirit, then we count you among our ranks.

On the other hand, the notion of social-generation groups applies to people who lived concurrently and thus shared common cultural experiences. Briefly, here is how those groups are divided:

In the West, the concept of generational groups gained currency in the 19th century, beginning with what repatriated novelist Gertrude Stein called "The Lost Generation," those born after 1880 who experienced World War I and the Roaring Twenties. "The Greatest Generation" followed, and it included those born between 1900 and 1927, all of whom lived through the Great Depression and many of whom served in World War II. That name was coined by Army Gen. James Van Fleet in 1953 but was popularized by Tom Brokaw's 1998 bestselling book, The Greatest Generation.

Then rose the "Silent Generation," born between 1928 and 1945  about 23 million Americans who came of age in the postWorld War II era. They were followed by the "Baby Boomers," a massive group born from 1946 to 1964 during the post-war baby boom. Older Boomers came of age during the Vietnam War era, while younger Boomers reached adulthood post-Watergate during Jimmy Carter's "malaise."

"Generation X" are those born between 1965 and 1980, followed by "Millennials" (a.k.a. "Generation Y"), those born from 1981 to 1996. For reference, by 2020, there were about 71.6 million Boomers and 72.1 million Millennials. Finally, we have "Generation Z," those born from 1997 to 2012, and most recently, "Generation Alpha."

But wait, not so fast. A Gen Z subgroup has become so dominant that it may redefine the rest of its cohort.

For the record, as for my cohort, I am a card-carrying member of the American Liberty generation, which includes American Patriots born between the years 1750 and eternity.

Thus, my generation is wholly antithetical to the most offensive Gen Z iteration now infesting America  which I have appropriately coined "Gen N," the Narcissist Generation.

In 2007, I penned an article, "Narcissistic Pathology on the Left," about the emergence of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) among leftist political icons  most notably, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and more recently, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

I defined NPD as follows: "Narcissism is characterized by a pathological need for praise, often rooted in broken family models, where there was a lack of appropriate affirmation leading to a sense of inadequacy and self-loathing. It manifests as an inflated sense of self-importance, an insatiable need for admiration, a strong sense of entitlement, a preoccupation with elitist utopian fantasies, and manipulative tendencies devoid of empathic capacity."

Every generation has had its share of narcissists, but none as prevalent as Generation Z, which is jam-packed with them.

There have been some red flags about rising numbers of Millennials manifesting NPD, the first being a 2010 book The Narcissism Epidemic. That was followed by a 2013 Time magazine generational profile, "The Me Me Me Generation," and a much-too-kind 2019 New York Times article, "Attention Young People: This Narcissism Study Is All About You."

However, a quick gander at Gen Z's narcissist-promotion platforms Facebook/Instagram and TikTok reveals that the Millennials were amateurs when it comes to self-aggrandizement.

There is now a rapidly growing malignancy of young narcissists, cadres of sociopaths who form a growing segment of what Harvard professor Arthur Brooks calls the "Dark Triad." (I wrote about Brooks in a recent column, "The National 'Happiness Deficit'.")

The most contemptible and dangerous of the Gen Z narcissists emerged in force during the "summer of rage" ignited by Biden and his Demos just before the 2020 election. The most disruptive among them were the mostly white "Black Lives Matter" apologists and those forming the so-called "antifa movement" of self-styled "anti-fascist" fascists.

Since then, other Gen Z narcissist collectives have emerged in force to disrupt the lives of Americans across the nation, mounting protests to defund police and to combat so-called "climate change."

In recent weeks, their disruptions have taken the form of anti-Semitic protests to support Hams terrorists, including such actions as shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge, but the most significant disruptions have been in places with the largest concentrations of Gen Zers.

That, of course, would be on college and university campuses, including at Obama's alma mater, Columbia University, a.k.a. "The People's University for Palestine," where there have been more than 100 arrests. (Any chance we can get Israeli Defense Forces commandos to help with clearing the Columbia University encampments?)

Because of threats to Jewish students, Columbia President Minouche Shafik canceled in-person classes for the rest of the semester. Meanwhile, Barnard College President Laura Rosenbury has lifted suspensions of her students who participated in the protests.

Recall that in recent months, UPenn's Liz Magill and Harvard's Claudine Gay lost their jobs after appeasing the Jew haters on their campuses. (Gay's was more about plagiarism, but she's otherwise guilty as charged.) Time to add a few more names to that list.

Predictably, Biden botched his response to the protesting Gen Z narcissists, issuing an equivocal and conditional rebuke of sorts.

But appearing with him was his sidekick, anti-Semitic Millennial Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a charter member of the "Squad"  the Demos' Jew-hating Hamas Caucus. AOC declared, "It is especially important that we remember the power of young people shaping this country ... as we once again witness the leadership of those peaceful, student-led protests on campuses like Columbia, Yale, Berkeley, and many others."

As Nate Jackson noted, "You know, places where 'peaceful' students were arrested."

I suppose all those Ivy League protesters chanting "Death to America" would like America to pay their student loans first.

To be clear, the Gen Z narcissists on these campuses are not so much devoted to the "Palestinian Cause." Gaza is just the latest "shiny thing" that these developmentally arrested adolescents have latched onto in order to draw attention to themselves. However, in their pursuit of attention, they certainly have demonstrated their propensity to be "Useful Idiots," Western apologists for Marxist-Leninist-Maoist ideology.

All being said, I would be remiss if I did not mention that Gen Z also includes some young people who have the courage to stand for what is good and right, even when it means standing alone. But in no generational cohort have such right-minded individuals been so badly outnumbered by cadres of narcissists.

This summer, ahead of the 2024 election, as Trump Derangement Syndrome heats up, expect members of the Narcissist Generation to find other ways to draw attention to themselves besides strident anti-Semitism.

Mark Alexander is the executive editor of the Patriot Post.
According to a report from South Korea in April last year, Samsung was working on a new battery technology. It is said to offer a higher energy density with a different arrangement of the cells hinting an even longer battery life for the Galaxy flagships. The stacked battery technology was first expected to come with the Galaxy S24 Ultra. However, it didnt come with this years Ultra flagship. Then people were expecting the stacked battery to come with the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Samsung may push back the stacked battery and faster charging to 2026

Its been a while since the company has been working on the new battery tech and they also should have made some progress on developing an improved stacked battery pack for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. An upgraded 65W charging is also expected with next years Galaxy flagship.

However, a new rumor from Sawyer Galox on X states that Samsung may not apply the stacked battery tech on next years Galaxy S25 Ultra as well. The tipster is expecting Samsung to push back the new battery technology until 2026. Important to mention, that EV manufacturers have already adopted this new tech. According to the rumor, the company has also changed its mind regarding the higher 65w charging.

According to the tipster, the reason behind pushing back Galaxy S25 Ultras stacked battery tech and 65w charging is reducing the cost.

While Samsungs current flagship is still one of the best in terms of battery life among Android devices and iPhones, charging is undeniably an aspect where it fails to keep up with the Chinese OEMs.

A more efficient chip should still improve battery life

Earlier, there were expectations for a bigger 5,500mAh battery capacity in this years Ultra flagship. With the same battery technology and capacity, the Galaxy S24 Ultra still offers a significantly improved battery life thanks to the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip. According to battery Toms Hardwares benchmark test, the Galaxy S24 Ultra achieves 16 hours and 45 minutes of runtime as compared to the 13-hour mark that the predecessor achieved on their testing.

As Wccftech noted, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 could be a reason behind Samsungs delaying improvements in other aspects. A Qualcomm executive has confirmed that the next generation flagship chip will be more expensive than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and this years Ultra flagship already costs $1300.
Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics met top executives at Zeiss, regarding a crucial partnership for the Korean tech giants push to lead the chipmaking market in the era of artificial intelligence. For those unaware, German lens manufacturer Zeiss is also a supplier of optical equipment for EUV (extreme ultraviolet) lithography machines, which are key to chipmaking. The Zeiss officials have agreed to expand their partnership with Samsung regarding their EUV technologies.

Samsung Zeiss partnership could benefit the Korean giant in its EUV chipmaking

Zeiss has some unique technologies for lithography optics and photomask systems that could benefit Samsung through a partnership in its advanced chipmaking. The Korean tech giant noted that the collaboration with Zeiss would help the company improve the performance of its next-generation chips, better optimize the manufacturing process, and achieve a higher yield rate.

Zeiss has more than 2000 patents related to the EUV technologies. This company is the only supplier of optical equipment to ASML for its EUV chipmaking machines. Zeiss reportedly supplies more than 30,000 parts for one EUV lithography machine of ASML.

The Samsung chief visited the Zeiss headquarters in Oberkochen on Friday and discussed long-term partnerships with the executives. Currently, Samsung is the worlds top memory chip maker and is also expanding its chip business considering the rising demand for AI-focused chips on the market.

Samsung aims to develop advanced chips that are key to the development of AI

According to KED Global, Samsung is aiming to lead the under-3nm process nodes with the EUV technology. Additionally, the company is also aiming to utilize the advanced EUV chip manufacturing tech for its sixth-generation 10nm DRAM chips. Reportedly, the partnership could help Samsung in improving the yield rate, which is crucial for its business. An improved process will also help the company in reducing its reliance on Qualcomm for its smartphone business.

With the AI boom, the demand for high-performance memory chips is also rising sharply and Samsung is one of the biggest suppliers of this product. The reason behind the increasing demand is that high bandwidth memory is a crucial component in developing AI models.

Samsung is also aiming to commercialize its 2nm chips by next year and 1.4 nm chips by 2027. The company has been mass-producing 3nm chips since last year. Zeiss is also planning to invest $35 million to build its first-ever overseas R&D center for research microscopy solutions in Korea.
Author Christopher John Sansom, best known for creating the character of Matthew Shardlake, has died at the age of 71.

The historical novelist, known as CJ Sansom, died on Saturday, according to publisher Pan Macmillan.

The character of Shardlake, a Tudor lawyer, was introduced in his first novel Dissolution, which was published 21 years ago.

He released six further novels featuring Shardlake, as well as two standalone historical novels, Winter In Madrid and Dominion.

His works have just been adapted into the series Shardlake, which features The Innocents star Arthur Hughes as the main character and Game Of Thrones actor Sean Bean as Thomas Cromwell.

The first season of the Tudor murder-mystery series is set to be released by Disney+ on Wednesday.

His literary agent Antony Topping called it an extraordinarily strange coincidence that Chris has died only a handful of days before a new generation of fans will meet Matthew Shardlake.

This is also a moment for which Chriss established fans have been waiting a long time, he added.

Chris was so proud of all the work and determination that went into bringing the novels to our television screens, which I hope will bring an entirely new audience to the books and which will maybe also inspire some old fans to return to their favourite CJ Sansom novels.

So long, Chris. I was lucky to know you.

Tributes to Sansom came in from fellow Scotsman and former police officer turned writer Denzil Meyrick as well as Scottish-Bengali crime writer Abir Mukherjee.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Mukherjee called Sansom one of the finest ever writers of historical fiction. He added: He was an inspiration to me and to many others. We are poorer without him.

Meyrick wrote: His colourful, superbly researched historical fiction especially, made him one of the most successful writers of his generation. God rest you, sir. Youll be much missed.

Sansom was also a signatory to an 2014 open letter advocating that Scotland should remain in the UK.

The author also donated 161,000 to the Better Together campaign, according to published accounts.

His longtime editor and publisher, Maria Rejt, has said: I shall miss him hugely, not only as a wonderfully talented writer who gave joy to millions, but as a dear friend of enormous compassion and integrity. https://t.co/2EfS1mfwKG  Pan Macmillan (@panmacmillan) April 29, 2024

His editor and publisher, Maria Rejt, said: An intensely private person, Chris wished from the very start only to be published quietly and without fanfare.

But he always took immense pleasure in the publics enthusiastic responses to his novels and worked tirelessly on each book, never wanting to disappoint a single reader.

He was working on his new Shardlake novel, Ratcliff, when he died but his worsening health made progress painfully slow: his meticulous historical research and his writing were always so important to him.

I shall miss him hugely, not only as a wonderfully talented writer who gave joy to millions, but as a dear friend of enormous compassion and integrity.

"It is with enormous sadness that we announce the death of CJ Sansom, a writer it has been our privilege to represent since publication of his first novel, DISSOLUTION, more than twenty years ago." #cjsansom #dissolution #shardlake @panmacmillan  Greene & Heaton Literary and Media Agency (@GreeneandHeaton) April 29, 2024

Born In Edinburgh, Scotland in 1952, Sansom studied at Birmingham University, where he achieved a BA and PhD in history.

Before becoming a full-time writer, he retrained as a solicitor and practised in Sussex.

Lucy Hale, managing director of Pan MacMillan, said: It has been our profound privilege and pleasure to be Chriss publisher from the very beginning, and Pan Macmillan will continue to celebrate him and introduce many more readers to his extraordinary body of work for many years to come.

We are all thinking of his friends at this very difficult time.

In 2022, Sansom picked up the Crime Writing Associations highest honour which goes to an author whose crime-writing career has been marked by sustained excellence.

He was given the diamond dagger for his alternative history novel Dominion as well as the Shardlake series.

Sansom was also shortlisted for fiction book of the year at the British Book Awards for Tombland in 2019 and he was named an author of the future in 2007 in a Waterstones list.

A Disney+ spokesman said: We are deeply saddened by the news of CJ Sansoms passing. Our thoughts are with those who knew and loved him best and with his many loyal fans.
I see no problems here: A skeptic ponders our journey into Terra Incognita By Charlotte B. Cerminaro

web posted April 29, 2024 It would seem that we have entered a new era, a world stage zeitgeist meticulously engineered to extract disproportionate knee-jerk reactions in certain strategic areas, and carefully downplayed  or altogether avoided  human tragedy on a scale almost unthinkable to western minds. In scenes that are more than vaguely reminiscent of Wag the Dog, pro-Palestinian demonstrators are blockading centers of commerce, education and transportation in the largest U.S. metropolitan areas, assaulting innocent bystanders while decrying violence in Gaza. Meanwhile it seems that the violence perpetrated by Hamas is mostly forgotten: mass murder, rape, mutilation, torture and kidnapping; their hostages, many of whom are still missing and presumed dead, are scarcely mentioned. Deplorable acts against humanity there, in Ukraine and elsewhere  are always unequivocal. However, there is widespread institutionalized violence and genocide on a much larger scale and some truly alarming geopolitical developments that are generally avoided by most activists and mainstream media. While none of these problems are simple or one-sided, perhaps it is because the most nightmarish scenarios are playing out every day in places where no one can take the "us-versus-them" attitude, an argument can easily be made that this very attitude is precisely what causes moral blindness - particularly the hypocritical acts of hatred that are now spreading like the most virulent disease. A very apt metaphor, perhaps - for only a diseased mind could be convinced that violence perpetrated on one group or people is justifiable, whereas the same violence perpetrated on anyone else is abhorrent. And yet these ideas are increasingly commonplace and accepted among numerous and diverse peoples, nations, cultures and institutions, including (and especially) academia. I would be remiss without noting that such beliefs were once fervently held by many German educators and leaders, and spread throughout occupied Europe during WWII. Only arrogance or ignorance could lead any citizen to a sense of safety or moral superiority within such arbitrary and prejudicial boundaries; without warning, many people find themselves on a growing list of 'deplorables' - for real or imagined behaviors, characteristics, beliefs, or - for nothing at all. Observing the highly effective grooming tactics used by extremists, it is abundantly clear that the genesis of most "us-versus-them" thinking is through alignment with any insular and militantly homogenized group. The vast majority of modern Muslim nations have severe punishments (including the death penalty) for everything from religious conversion to homosexuality. For decades now, threatened and marginalized Arab minorities have fled to Israel for their very lives and basic civil rights. Unbeknownst to many, a violent and inhuman revolution has been wracking the Sudanese nation for over a year now. It's a civil war, an overthrow of governmental forces and with it, the law. Civilians are caught in the middle of a bloody and interminable battle for power that's left an entire nation staggering under its brutality and imploding without leadership. Every war crime, every atrocity conceivable by monsters and men, has been perpetrated on innocent people - men, women and children. Millions dead; tens of millions displaced. The situation is fueled by hypocrisy more than hatred. As a problem devoid of racism or nationalism, it's merely their own people killing each other. Without a racial scapegoat (eg, white Israelis) stealing land and taking innocent lives, political activists have little interest in such injustice. Despite the U.S. sending billions of dollars to Sudan, there's scant media attention and even less outrage. It doesn't fit into the "us-versus-them" paradigm. There is no single group on which to cast all blame and hatred, and for blind hypocrisy this is the only moral compass. The facts are often unpopular when an irrational ideology is fighting for dominance. Time and again we have witnessed the infowars. Conflicting opinion and information alone is not a bad thing; it's actually a virtue, a sign of freedom, to disagree and pursue a better understanding of the issues. The only real danger is when opposing views are silenced and dissenters are threatened, demonized, or otherwise forced to comply. This is known as propaganda: Let there be no uncertainty on this point, it is the first red flag of ideological and existential danger. The marketplace of ideas should be free to everyone and anyone can voice their opinions - without violence, threat or coercion. Any idea that requires such force, is an idea that has no factual reasoning behind it. Beware these forces, as they are not offering enlightenment or answers; they are seeking control by superstition, hatred and fear. Searching out the facts, unpopular as they may be, is the only guardian against blind hypocrisy and violent prejudice. These are powerful unseen principalities, holding individuals in a self-righteous, hypnotically forceful embrace and often cleverly disguised as a humanistic "cause". There is always one clear giveaway, though, hiding in plain sight: dehumanization. Treading where mere mortals dare not venture, weighting the balances of life and robbing it of all that is precious, this is our terra incognita. Charlotte B. Cerminaro is a Juilliard-trained classical musician and recording artist. In her free time she enjoys writing and regularly contributes to Enter Stage Right and she attained a Bachelor's Degree in Molecular Biology. Home
Beyonce and Jay-Zs daughter Blue Ivy Carter has joined the voice cast of The Lion King prequel Mufasa.

The first trailer for the blockbuster, which follows the 2019 photorealistic remake of the Disney classic, is directed by Moonlight filmmaker Barry Jenkins.

The new film will explore the titular lions origin story and his childhood with brother Scar.

Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr will voice the younger versions of Mufasa and Scar, respectively.

Blue Ivy voices Kiara, daughter of King Simba and Queen Nala.

The 2019 film, a retelling of the 1994 classic animation, featured the voices of Donald Glover as Simba, Beyonce as Nala and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar.

Beyonce will also return for the Mufasa film, which will feature original songs by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda.

The cast also includes Mads Mikkelsen and Thandiwe Newton, with Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner and Glover also returning.

The first teaser trailer for the film was unveiled on US breakfast show Good Morning America.

A voiceover says Mufasa was born without a drop of nobility in his blood but would change our lives forever.

The movie marks 12-year-old Blue Ivys first film role, but the youngster has already taken centre stage to perform a dance routine during her mothers live tour.

Blue Ivy is the eldest daughter of the music powerhouses. The couple also share twins Rumi and Sir, six.

Mufasa: The Lion King is expected to be released in UK cinemas in December.
England forward Billy Vunipola has unreservedly apologised after being fined for resisting the law on the Spanish island of Majorca.

The 31-year-old said there was no violence during the incident in the early hours of Sunday morning and he is scheduled to fly back to the UK on Monday.

In a statement issued through his club Saracens, Vunipola said he was charged with resisting the law and fined 240 euros (205) following an express trial.

A statement on behalf of Billy Vunipola.#YourSaracens pic.twitter.com/JvqiDAeiZh  Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) April 29, 2024

He described the incident as an unfortunate misunderstanding which got out of hand.

In his statement, Vunipola said: I can confirm I was involved in an unfortunate misunderstanding when I was leaving a club in Majorca on Sunday, which got out of hand.

Contrary to media reports, there was no violence, no fight and I did not threaten anybody at any stage, with bottles or chairs or anything else.

I was charged with resisting the law and, following an express trial, I have paid a fine of 240 euros. The Spanish police investigation is now closed, and I am flying back to the UK today.

I will obviously cooperate with the Saracens internal process and unreservedly apologise for any inconvenience to all involved.

Local reports said Vunipola was tasered twice by police after arriving at a bar in the islands capital Palma in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Saracens said they were aware of an incident involving the player and would be dealing with the matter internally.

Vunipola is expected to leave Saracens at the end of this season and has previously been linked with a move to France, although nothing has been confirmed.

Billy Vunipola in action for Saracens (Rhianna Chadwick/PA)

He has won 75 England caps, making his Test debut against Argentina in 2013. He is not currently part of the England squad.

The player made an appearance as a second-half substitute for Saracens in their 15-12 victory over Bath on Friday night.

The club are not scheduled to play again until May 11.

Saracens are second in the Gallagher Premiership with just two rounds of regular season games left before the play-offs as they chase a sixth title in 10 seasons.
The Queen has praised a group of yachtswomen for their brilliant win in a global race that broke diversity barriers.

Camilla welcomed to her Clarence House home the crew of the Maiden, who became the first all-female outfit to triumph in a round-the-world yacht challenge when they won the Ocean Globe Race earlier this month.

Youre doing a brilliant job, keep on doing it  thats really important, the Queen told the women, who are part of a project promoting the education of women and girls.

Camilla with past and present members of the Maiden crew (Chris Jackson/PA)

Heather Thomas, from Otley, West Yorkshire, captained Maiden to victory as the vessel raced for 153 days and crossed the finish line on April 16 at the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes, Isle of Wight.

She said after the champagne reception: It was incredible after wed found out wed won.

Its a pretty historic moment for womens sailing, Im really happy with the result, the girls all worked really hard for it  so were proud of ourselves.

The winning yacht was sailed by an international crew that included African, Caribbean and Middle Eastern women alongside others from the UK and Costa Rica.

Camilla with members of the original crew (Chris Jackson/PA)

Maiden was the brainchild of veteran yachtswoman Tracy Edwards, who skippered the boat during the 1989-90 Whitbread global yacht race with an all-female crew, before resurrecting the vessel as part of the Maiden Factor Foundation.

Ms Edwards, the founder and director of the foundation dedicated to the education of women and girls, said the organisations patron Whoopi Goldberg had challenged her to find a diverse crew.

She said: For me this is the end of a 45-year fight for the equality of women within sailing and sport generally and actually womens empowerment.

Sailing is described as male, pale and stale. So with Maiden in 1989 we dealt with male and the stale bit, we didnt deal with the pale bit.

Heather Thomas and Tracy Edwards with the Maiden (Kaia Bint Savage/The Maiden Factor/PA)

And when Whoopi Goldberg became our patron, she looked me square in the eye, and when she went change it. I went OK so we did. So we put this incredible crew together because we want to change the face of sailing.

The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race, which marked the 50th anniversary of the first edition of the Whitbread round-the-world race, featured 14 boats representing eight countries.

The yachts raced over four legs, travelling from Cowes to Cape Town, Auckland and Punta del Este, Uruguay, before returning to the UK.
Gov refuses to say which conditions no longer qualify for benefits under reforms

The Work and Pensions Secretary has refused to set out which health conditions will no longer result in access to sickness benefits, as part of the Governments major welfare reforms.

In a statement to the Commons, Mel Stride set out plans to overhaul the way disability benefits work, with proposals aimed at providing a fair and compassionate system with bespoke support.

In a Green Paper published alongside Mr Strides statement, ministers proposed to reform personal independence payments (Pip), the main disability benefit, through changes to eligibility criteria and assessments.

The plans, which will be consulted on over the coming months, also include proposals to move away from a fixed cash benefit system, meaning people with some conditions will no longer receive regular payments but rather improved access to treatment if their condition does not involve extra costs.

Mr Stride told the Commons on Monday: This Governments priority is to make sure that our welfare system is fair and compassionate. Fair on the taxpayer, by ensuring that people of working age who can work, do work, and fair on those who are in most need of the states help.

He added that the consultation will be exploring whether people with specific health conditions and disabilities can be taken out of Pip assessments all together.

Mr Stride continued: We are also consulting on whether we should make fundamental changes to the way we provide support to disabled people and people with a health condition.

We know that any additional cost arising form a disability or health condition, which Pip is intended to help with can vary significantly and is unique to the individual circumstances.

He argued that changes to the current one-size fits all system will offer bespoke support tailored to individual needs.

Acting shadow work and pensions secretary Alison McGovern accused Mr Stride of talking out of both sides of his mouth.

She said: In recent weeks, the Secretary of State has decided to speak out of both sides of his mouth. On the one hand he says I am grateful for todays more open approach to mental health, and with the same breath he tells us there is danger that this has gone too far.

He wants it both ways, he thinks that openness about mental health is good but then says the very thing that brings back the stigma.

Every time (Mr Stride) speaks, he makes it less likely that people will be open about their mental health.

Ms Govern added: He says some health conditions can be taken out of Pip assessments, which conditions are we talking about?

Mr Stride replied that questions raised by Ms McGovern will be included in the consultation.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that what we shouldnt be doing is medicalising the everyday challenges and anxieties of life (Yui Mok/PA)

Conservative MP Ruth Edwards (Rushcliffe) fought back tears as she recalled how she was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in spring 2019.

She said: I was extremely ill with it and I couldnt work for several months so I know first-hand how debilitating it can be. But I also know that with treatment and support you can lead a fulfilling career and a normal life and its extremely rewarding.

Ms Edwards said she would have been devastated to be out of the workforce long-term, as she sought assurances about how the proposed reforms will help anxiety sufferers get the treatment and support they need to take back their lives.

In an interview with ITV News, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that what we shouldnt be doing is medicalising the everyday challenges and anxieties of life.

He added: Just because someone is grappling with some of these things, if they are less severe, they should be expected to engage in the world of work. A) because thats fair. But also, as I said, cause I do believe that is fundamentally good for them as well.

Mr Stride suggested to the Times that people with milder mental health conditions would no longer receive financial support. But added that talking therapies, social care packages and respite care, could be used as alternatives.

Conservative MP Nigel Mills, a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, questioned if Mel Stride was suggesting people would have to submit invoices to prove the amount of support they need or if he was looking at more tiers of award.

Mr Stride replied: I think we should explore whether that approach we have at the moment is the best one in terms of outcomes.

We have much to learn from the experiences of other countries around the world who have a similar benefit but go about the organisation and application of that benefit in a different way.

New Zealand, for example, does indeed make payments based on invoices submitted for equipment by those who are receiving the benefit; Norway, for example doesnt have assessments in the way that we do, they rely more on medical evidence provided by medical practitioners.

The number of monthly Pip awards for mental health disorders has doubled since 2019, from 2,200 to 5,300, in line with an increase in overall Pip awards which have also doubled to 33,000 a month.

James Taylor, the executive director of strategy at disability equity charity Scope, called for an end to the reckless assault on disabled people and to fix the real underlying issues.

Its hard to have any faith that this consultation is about anything other than cutting the benefits bill, no matter the impact, Mr Taylor said.

The Disability Benefits Consortium branded the consultation cynical and cruel.

Speaking on behalf of DBC, Ceri Smith head of policy at the MS Society, said: If the Government truly wants a stronger, healthier and fairer society, they should start by addressing NHS waiting lists and fixing social care. Instead, this approach will punish disabled people and push even more into poverty.

The consultation will run for 12 weeks, closing on July 23.
Grocery delivery firm Getir is to leave the UK, Europe and the US to focus solely on its home market in Turkey, bringing an end to its rapid expansion across the regions since the pandemic.

The company, once valued at 9.5 billion, said it now only makes about 7% of its revenue outside of Turkey after international growth plans stalled.

The move is expected to bring about 1,500 job losses in Britain.

The announcement comes after speculation that Getirs UK and European operations were struggling financially, following its decision to pull out of Italy and Spain last year.

Getir will also exit Germany and the Netherlands, its only remaining EU markets, as well as the US. The firms separate US subsidiary, FreshDirect, will continue operations, it said.

The rapid delivery company said the move would allow it to focus its financial resources on Turkey.

In parallel, Getir has raised a new investment round, led by Mubadala and G Squared. Getir will utilise these funds to bolster its competitive position in its core food and grocery delivery businesses in Turkey.

Getir expresses its sincere appreciation for the dedication and hard work of all its employees in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the US.

Getir was one of a clutch of fast grocery delivery companies that expanded quickly during the Covid-19 pandemic, with lockdowns driving heightened consumer demand.

It hit a valuation of 12 billion US dollars (9.5 billion) in 2022 as it grew its operations across Europe and the US.

Getir even bought rival delivery firm Gorillas in December 2022 in a 96 million deal.

However, as people returned to physical shopping, profit margins fell. In 2023 it cut 14% of its workforce, which then stood at 23,000 staff across Europe.

Competitors such as Deliveroo and Just Eat have also announced more than 2,000 job cuts between them in the last 18 months.

Sky News reported earlier this month that Getir was expecting to cut its UK operation and that it would affect 1,500 workers including warehouse staff, managers and riders.

A spokesperson did not confirm how many jobs would be cut on Monday.
Janet Jackson has announced a number of UK dates on her Together Again tour.

The 57-year-old American singer will perform in Birmingham, London, Glasgow and Manchester later this year as part of her celebration of 50 years in entertainment.

The R&B superstars last UK show was at Glastonbury in 2019, with her performance on the Pyramid Stage featuring more than 20 songs in one set.

Janet Jackson will play her first dates in the UK since 2019 later this year (David Parry/PA)

Her latest tour kicked off in April 2023 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, and she will play more North American dates until June, ending at the Footprint Centre in Phoenix, Arizona.

Jackson, known for songs including Thats The Way Love Goes, Nasty, Control, and Any Time, Any Place, will begin the European leg at the Accor Arena in Paris on September 25.

She will then head to the UK, where she will play the Utilita Arena Birmingham on September 27, Londons O2 Arena on September 28, Glasgows Ovo Hydro on September 30 and Manchesters Co-op Live on October 1.

After these performances, she will perform in Belgium and Germany before ending the tour at Amsterdams Ziggo Dome arena on October 10.

The five-time Grammy winner, the younger sister of Michael Jackson, laid the groundwork for female stars who came after her, including Beyonce and Rihanna.

She started off in the variety show The Jacksons, with the rest of her musical family, and in 1993 she was nominated for an Academy Award for Again, used in the romantic film Poetic Justice, in which she starred alongside rapper Tupac Shakur.

In 2019, Jackson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for being one of the most successful and groundbreaking artists of the Eighties and Nineties.

A documentary series, titled Janet Jackson, was released in 2022, in which she discussed the impact of her wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 Super Bowl on her career.

 Tickets for Janet Jacksons UK tour will go on general sale from Friday at 9am.
The latest wave of electric cars are capable of some very respectable ranges - John Walton/PA Wire

The recent cooling of interest in electric cars has shown that plenty of buyers are put off by the prospect of their range anxiety  that is to say, ending up with an electric car that simply cant go as far as they need it to on a single charge.

For all that, the ranges of electric cars are always increasing; indeed, the latest models are capable of travelling some very respectable distances between charges; the sort that will allow for many people to do the weeks commuting on a single charge, and still have enough left in the tank for a day out at the weekend.

Cars like these, which will need charging less often, could be an answer to the prayers of those who want an electric car, but dont have a driveway on which to charge them. And for those that do, they mean destinations further afield are within easier reach  and that presents the possibility of an EV as a sole car in the household.

So what are the longest-range electric cars on sale in the UK today? Weve found the 10 best, and ranked them in order of their official WLTP range. These figures are usually overly optimistic, as weve often discussed, but they are still useful for the purposes of comparison  as here. And for the first time ever, one of these cars may just have nudged over the 500-mile mark.

Best electric cars for longest range

10. Renault Scenic E-Tech  379 mi

The Renault Scenic E-Tech has recently been voted Car of the Year

Its this years European Car Of The Year, and it isnt too hard to see why the Scenic won the judges over. Yes, its a shame that Renault has foregone the original Scenics versatile MPV shape in favour of yet another SUV, but this is still a pragmatic choice replete with a delightful interior and  most notably of all  a far longer range than most of its rivals can offer.

9. Polestar 4  379 mi

The Polestar 4 has a camera-based rear-view mirror and, controversially for some, no rear screen

Youd never have guessed it from the name, but the 4 is Polestars fourth model  smaller than the 3, and larger than the 2, albeit sharing the latters not-quite-an-SUV, not-quite-a-saloon form factor. Weve yet to drive it, but given Polestars track record, expect a classy cockpit and an emphasis on agility  though the camera-based rear-view mirror and lack of a rear screen is bound to put some people off.

8. Mercedes-Benz EQE  380 miles

The Mercedes-Benz EQE is beautifully made and stunning inside

Hot on the heels of the EQS comes the EQE, Mercedess smaller, slightly more affordable luxury electric saloon. In production form it cant quite live up to the Model S-beating 410-mile range Mercedes promised, but 380 miles in EQE350+ form is still not to be sniffed at, and betters almost anything else that the EQE could call a direct competitor. The EQE is beautifully made and stunning inside, though keep in mind that its back seats and boot arent the most spacious.

7. BMW iX  382 mi

The BMW iX is the longest-range electric SUV on sale in the UK

The first thing youll probably note about the BMW iX is its controversial styling  youll either love or hate its narrow headlights, tall grille and drooping tail. But whats less obvious is that its also currently the longest-range electric SUV on sale in the UK  at least, if you choose the xDrive 50 M Sport model, with its thumping great 111kWh battery. See past its looks, and the iX is also fast, quiet and smooth to drive  and it comes with a gorgeous interior swathed in eye-catching details.

6. BMW i7  387 mi

The BMW i7 is both spacious and luxurious

BMWs challenger to the Mercedes-Benz EQS arrives at a slight disadvantage  unlike its rival, it isnt built on a bespoke EV platform, but must instead share its bones with the upcoming 7-Series luxury saloon. You can see this in the shorter range, but dont dismiss the i7 out of hand; its every bit as luxurious inside, not to mention just a little bit more spacious. And if it can achieve the 387-mile range BMW is promising, that will be more than sufficient for most buyers.

5. Tesla Model 3  390 mi

The Tesla Model 3 offers a minimalist interior and vast interior space

After a recent price cut and heavy update, Model 3 prices have fallen back almost to the point where they were a year ago, and that makes it good value once again (although buyers who paid 5,000 or so more for their cars last year might argue otherwise). Either way, the Model 3s rather lovely, minimalist interior, vast interior space and welter of hi-tech gadgetry, make it an extremely strong electric car, and recent improvements have made it better to drive, too.

4. Polestar 3  392 mi

Initial signs are promising for the Polestar 3

Difficult third album, or third time lucky? Time will tell, but the initial signs are promising for the Polestar 3, a svelte big brother for the 2 thatll boast more space while remaining competitive on range. Thats thanks to a 107kWh battery thatll help nudge it up to a maximum of 392 miles  more than any of its rivals. Inside, expect more of the Sino-Scandi chic weve come to know and love from Polestar.

3. Polestar 2  406 mi

For the price, no EV will go as far as the Polestar 2

The 2 has long been one of our preferred electric cars, and for the price, no EV will go as far as this  it even beats the long-range version of the Tesla Model 3, one of its key rivals. On top of that, the 2 offers a gorgeous interior replete with high-quality materials, and a slick driving experience that combines just the right amount of tautness from the suspension with sweet handling and plenty of grip.

2. Fisker Ocean  440 mi

The Fisker Ocean offers an impressive range and smart design

Weve yet to get behind the wheel of the Ocean, but as the latest brainchild of Danish entrepreneur and designer Henrik Fisker, it shows some promise, especially given the 440-mile range of the top Extreme version. The Oceans smart design and Tesla-esque cockpit will certainly win it fans  though given Fiskers current financial woes, there are question marks surrounding the companys survival.

1. Mercedes-Benz EQS  503 mi

The Mercedes-Benz EQS could be the first production electric car to break the 500-mile range barrier

The Mercedes EQS has been Britains longest-range electric car for a while, and for 2024, Mercedes has boosted the battery size to a whopping 118kWh. While official WLTP range figures have yet to be released, Mercedes says that equates to an additional 51 miles of range. Added to the 452 miles that the previous car could manage, that should take official range to a whopping 503 miles  which would make this the first production electric car to break the 500-mile range barrier, and would likely equate to a real-world range of between 350 and 400 miles.
The US secretary of state has said that the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas, ahead of what are seen as last-chance talks to salvage a diplomatic solution before a threatened Israeli ground invasion in Rafah.

Speaking at a World Economic Forum meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Antony Blinken said: Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel.

They have to decide and they have to decide quickly  Im hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic.

The UK foreign secretary, David Cameron, told the same gathering that Hamas should accept the deal for a sustained 40 days ceasefire.

International actors have renewed efforts to broker a ceasefire in the nearly seven-month-old conflict in recent days. Israels mounting preparations for a ground operation in Rafah, where more than half of Gazas 2.3 million population has sought shelter from the fighting elsewhere, mean this weeks talks in Cairo may be the last opportunity for negotiations to free Israeli hostages and pause or end the war.

A Hamas delegation including the Palestinian militant groups deputy Gaza chief, Khalil al-Hayya, was expected in the Egyptian capital on Monday to respond to Israels latest truce and hostage release proposal via Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

Blinken, on his seventh visit to the region since the war broke out, is expected to next visit Israel to discuss the negotiations. Israel has not publicly confirmed whether it is also sending a delegation to Cairo.

The latest ceasefire proposal appears to include major compromises from Israel, which is under domestic pressure over the fate of the hostages and facing international criticism over the humanitarian crisis its war has caused in Gaza.

About 1,200 Israelis were killed and another 250 taken hostage in Hamass 7 October attack. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels ensuing retaliatory operation in Gaza, which has left desperate civilians without healthcare, food or water and reduced most of the coastal territory to ruins.

Israel is reportedly willing to accept the release of just 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails, and a second phase of a truce that includes a period of sustained calm  a new response to Hamass repeated demand for a permanent ceasefire.

It is also reportedly open to discussing the return of Palestinians to their homes in the northern half of the strip, and the withdrawal of troops from the military corridor that now divides the territory.

Egypts foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, said Egypt was optimistic about the new talks. We are hopeful the proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides, has tried to extract moderation from both sides, and we are waiting to have a final decision, he said.

A senior Hamas official said on Sunday that the group had no major issues with the most recent truce plan, which in essence remains the same as the deal outlined in several failed rounds of talks since a week-long ceasefire collapsed at the end of November.

In recent days Hamas has broadcast several proof-of-life videos of hostages, a move widely interpreted as a good faith gesture towards mediators. However, an official from the group told Reuters on Monday that questions and enquiries remain, suggesting that a response on the latest proposal may not be immediately forthcoming.

Even as hopes grew once again that talks between Israel and Hamas could finally succeed, at least 30 people were killed in airstrikes on Rafah.

Strikes that hit three houses in the city next to the Egyptian border on Monday injured many more people, while in Gaza City, the bombing of two buildings killed another four people and wounded several more, medics said.

An Israeli military spokesperson said fighter jets had struck terror targets where terrorists were operating within a civilian area in southern Gaza, declining to give details.

Israel has said that Hamass leadership, along with four battalions of fighters, are camped out in Rafah, using Israeli hostages as human shields, and that a ground operation is necessary to achieve Benjamin Netanyahus promise of total victory over the Palestinian militants and bring the remaining hostages home.

But the long-threatened plan to attack Rafah has drawn intense opposition from Israels allies, including the US, which says the overcrowded conditions could lead to thousands of civilian casualties as well as further disrupting aid deliveries entering from Egypt. Joe Biden reiterated his clear opposition to an invasion of Rafah in a conversation with Netanyahu on Sunday.

Blinken reiterated on Monday that the US would not support an Israeli offensive on Rafah until it had seen a plan to prevent harm to civilians.

Weve said clearly, and for some time now on Rafah that, in the absence of a plan to ensure that civilians will not be harmed, we cant support a major military operation, he said.

We have not yet seen a plan that gives us confidence that civilians can be effectively protected.

Netanyahus ministers have publicly sparred on whether to go forward with a truce, with far-right members of his coalition threatening to quit the government if Israel is seen to surrender to Hamass demands.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials appeared increasingly concerned that the international criminal court may issue arrest warrants against the countrys leaders, as pressure mounts over the war.

Israeli officials have referred in recent days to an ICC investigation launched three years ago into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants going back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war. The investigation is also looking at Israels construction of settlements in occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state.

There was no comment from the court on Monday, and it has given no indication warrants in the case are imminent. It was not clear what sparked the Israeli concerns.

Israels foreign ministry said late on Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of rumours that warrants could be issued against senior political and military officials. The foreign minister, Israel Katz, said any such warrants would provide a morale boost to Hamas and other militant groups.

Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defence.

The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle Easts only democracy and the worlds only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it, he posted on X.
rfgb

Almost half of patients hardly ever or never see the same GP, a poll has found.

The survey of more than 2,300 UK adults for the Liberal Democrats found 47 per cent who had been to see a doctor more than once in the last couple of years had never, or only rarely, seen the same physician.

For older people the figures were worse, with 27 per cent of over-65s never seeing the same GP.

Research previously published in the BMJ found patients who have kept the same family doctor for more than 15 years had a 25 per cent lower chance of dying, compared to those with a GP relationship lasting a year or less.

The poll found 18 per cent of people who had visited their GP more than once in the past two years never saw the same family doctor.

The same percentage of people polled said they always saw the same GP.

Responding to the figures, the Royal College of GPs said the reality was there were not enough doctors to ensure continuity of care for all patients.

Surgeries are swamped

Sir Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, said: It is a scandal that under this Governments watch, the family GP has become a thing of the past.

Pensioners are not receiving the care they need because doctor surgeries are swamped, leaving waiting times spiralling out of control. We need a return to the family GP, starting with older people and those with long-term health conditions.

He added: We want to see the return of the named GP, so patients with complex care needs see the same GP and dont have to waste time going over the same details every time they see a doctor.

The polling found that the region worse for people never seeing the same GP for every appointment is the South East of England, where a quarter said they never see the same GP.

The Lib Dems are calling for all those over 70 and those with a long-term health condition to have access to a named GP, and campaigning for 8,000 more GPs to be recruited in response to the waiting times crisis.

However the Royal College of GPs said while continuity of care was important it was not always necessary for all conditions and warned against setting targets.

Not enough GPs

Commenting on the figures, Prof Kamila Hawthorne, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: We know that continuity of care is highly valued by our patients, particularly those with complex health needs, and has significant benefits for the NHS generally.

From a GP point of view, it allows us to build trusting relationships with our patients and deliver them truly holistic care.

The reality is that we dont have enough GPs to guarantee continuity of care to all patients - and some patients value it more than others, with some prioritising quicker access or convenience.

It also isnt always necessary for a patient to see the same GP, or even a GP, for every appointment - so we would be very cautious about introducing arbitrary mandates for practices to ensure this happens.

The Government said that there were now more than 2,700 more doctors (FTE) in general practice compared to 2019 with 2022 seeing the highest ever number of doctors accepting a place on GP training.

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan increases the number of GP training places by 50 per cent.

Minister for Public Health Andrea Leadsom MP said: We are sticking to the plan to deliver the very best care for patients.

This huge unfunded spending commitment from Ed Davey is just another empty promise.

Just like the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats cant say how they will pay for their NHS promises because they dont have a plan and would take us back to square one.
A blue rock-thrush in Oregon. Photograph: Michael Sanchez

Michael Sanchez was setting up his new camera to capture a waterfall at Oregons Hug Point at sunrise when he spotted a little bird hopping around. He snapped a few photos, and didnt think much more of it.

A week later, those snapshots have made him the star  and the envy  of the local birding community. Sanchez, who is from Vancouver, Washington, may have inadvertently captured the first images of an extremely rare blue rock-thrush in North America.

Related: How birdwatchings biggest record threw its online community into chaos

The species, which is native to east Asia, has only once before been spotted in this region, in 1997. But that sighting was rejected by the American Birding Association. If Sanchezs images are verified by local and national birding groups, he could be credited as the first person to successfully record a blue rock-thrush in the region.

I was very very surprised to see just how stirred up this got folks, he said. Its mind-blowing.

Sanchez, a middle school band director and musician who very recently took up photography as a hobby, had never considered himself much of a birder. But as he was reviewing his photos from his trip to the coast, it struck him that the cute bird he saw was unusual  hed never seen anything like it before. So I thought, Ive got to post it on the socials, right? Not long after, a friend of a friend  an avid birder  reached out. From its unique blue and chestnut plumage, the bird looked distinctively like a male blue rock-thrush. It turned out, Sanchez may have set a birding record.

A lot of times when something like this happens, theres a lot of effort among the birding community to try and verify it, because everyone wants to go and see it for themselves, said Brodie Cass Talbott, of the Bird Alliance of Oregon and the Oregon Birding Association.

Volunteer experts have been working with Sanchez to verify the image and confirm its location. No other local birders have been able to spot the bird since Sanchez photographed it  but oddly, there was another blue rock-thrush sighting four days later, at the Farallon Islands off the San Francisco coast.

Its unclear whether this was the same bird or another bird. As Sanchezs photos made rounds in online birding groups, another person reported seeing what may have been the same blue rock-thrush in January, but was not able to take a photo.

It is doubly uncertain how this bird even made it so far from its home, to North America. Maybe this bird individually just has faulty navigation, said Cass Talbot. It may have gotten lost, and then trapped in a strong wind system. Or it may have hitched a ride on a ship.

Usually, when ultra-rare, non-endemic bird species turn up on the west coast, they tend to be seabirds, spotted far off shore. Thats part of why its been such a big story here, and people have been so excited about it, he said. Its just sort of mind-bending.

The implausible sighting has been a reminder of how unexpected and fascinating birding can be, Cass Talbot added. Its always neat for us to see how big the world is and how incredible these creatures are.

Sanchez agrees. He wasnt a birder before, but this really has opened my eyes, he said.

I guess Im a birder at this point, Sanchez said. I think Im in the club.
Sara DiNatale covers energy, the Texas grid, ERCOT, CPS Energy, and labor for the San Antonio Express-News. She can be reached at (210) 446-3358, sara.dinatale@express-news.net, or @sara_dinatale.

Sara joined the staff in 2023. She spent six years in Florida at the Tampa Bay Times, where she covered breaking news before settling into business reporting. She also covered labor, the economy, and health care at Mississippi Today, where her reporting was recognized by the Green Eyeshade Awards and the Mississippi Press Association. Shes a graduate of the University at Buffalo (2015) and a native of Western New York.






Tents stretching around Dublin's International Protection Office are reportedly being used by some 1,700 homeless asylum seekers - Niall Carson/PA Wire

Rishi Sunak has declared he is not interested in taking back migrants from Ireland as stark new images revealed dozens of asylum seekers tents sprawling through the streets of Dublin.

The Prime Minister said Britain would not accept migrants returned from the EU via Ireland when the EU was refusing to take back Channel migrants who came from France.

The row broke out after senior Irish ministers said they would draft emergency laws to send back refugees who had arrived from the UK to avoid being deported to Rwanda.

On Monday, new pictures showed the tents stretching around the citys International Protection Office and continuing along the road. They are reportedly being used by some 1,700 homeless asylum seekers in Dublin.

Some tents bore signs including Seeking asylum is not a crime and EUs racist asylum policy is criminal.

The tents, packed tightly together with minimal personal space, have no access to sanitary facilities. A large group of the migrants were moved to another location in south Dublin earlier this month but later returned because the conditions there were reportedly worse.

Senior Irish ministers said they would draft emergency laws to send back refugees who had arrived from the UK to avoid being deported to Rwanda - Niall Carson/PA Wire

Last week, Micheal Martin, the Irish deputy prime minister, said the UKs Rwanda policy was impacting on Ireland because people were fearful of staying in the UK and were seeking asylum in Ireland instead. The Irish claim 80 per cent of asylum seekers have crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

The Home Office has also admitted that it is unable to remove more than half of the 5,700 migrants it intends to deport to Rwanda in a document seen by The Times on Monday night.

Simon Harris, the Irish prime minister, has asked for proposals for a new law to be brought to his cabinet this week to pave the way for the return of migrants to the UK.

Sunak determined to get our Rwanda scheme up and running

However, asked on ITV News whether he would agree to a returns agreement with Ireland, Mr Sunak said: Were not, Im not interested in that. Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

Of course were not going to do that. Im determined to get our Rwanda scheme up and running because I want a deterrent.

Asked if there was scope to negotiate a returns deal with the EU, Mr Sunak said: No. Im focused squarely on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running. I want the deterrent which will say that if you come to our country illegally, you will not be able to stay and you will be removed either to your own country if its safe or Rwanda.

Thats why Ive worked so hard at this. Thats why weve done all the prep work for this. And actually I want that deterrent up and running and Im confident that it will work.

Rishi Sunak said Britain would not accept migrants from Ireland and said he is 'focused squarely on getting the Rwanda scheme up and running' - Leon Neal/PA Wire

It came as Mr Martin met with Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in London on Monday.

Mr Martin told British officials that legislation being prepared to enable Dublin to legally send back asylum seekers to the UK was to deal with a decision by the Irish High Court. That decision overturned the designation of the UK as a safe country. The new Irish law, to be presented on Tuesday, provides a replacement legal base for migrant returns.

UK not in the business of having more Channel migrants

However, Mr Heaton-Harris warned that any migrant returns deal would have to be EU-wide and not just with Ireland.

He added that the UK was prepared to work with Ireland to prevent abuse of the Common Travel Area between the two countries.

If this legislation is, as I believe it is and Ive been assured it is, just setting us back in time to where we were and what we were dealing with, then Im comfortable with that, Mr Heaton-Harris said.

But we are fully behind implementing our Rwanda scheme.

Mr Martin said: The Common Travel Area, there will be ongoing discussions around that and its been overall beneficial to Irish citizens and to UK citizens and we want to maintain those benefits. I think the optimal way to deal with issues around migration is to continue discussion in the context of the Common Travel framework.

Mr Martin ruled out Ireland launching a legal challenge in the European Court of Human Rights against the Rwanda Plan. Dublin has sued the UK in the Strasbourg court over its Legacy Act, which is an effective amnesty for Troubles-era killers.

Were not going to the European court on this one, he said.

Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said on Monday morning: We are not in the business of having more Channel migrants in the UK. We have a situation where people are coming across from France illegally. The French are not prepared to take back the illegal migrants. I dont see why we should have any different situation.

There are going to be discussions between the Irish Government and ours. I very much doubt we are going to end up in a position where we are going to say we are going to be taking anybody back  not least because, when it comes to France and other EU countries, they are not in the business of taking people back either.

Helen McEntee, the Irish Justice Minister, pulled out of the conference in what was seen as a tit-for-tat move following a decision on Sunday by James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, to cancel their meeting. Home Office sources cited a diary clash.

Immigration to Ireland rose by 32 per cent in the year ending last April, with asylum seekers accounting for more than 13,000 of over 140,000 arrivals.

Mr Harris said on Sunday: Every country is entitled to have its own migration policy, but I certainly dont intend to allow anybody elses migration policy to affect the integrity of our own one. This country will not, in any way, shape or form, provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges. Thats very clear.

Mel Stride said the Rwanda policy is designed to have a 'deterrent effect' - Tayfun Salci/Shutterstock

However, Mr Stride was unapologetic about the Rwanda policy. Asked whether it was designed to force migrants into Ireland, he denied that was the case, saying: The design is to ensure there is a deterrent effect.

We passed the Rwanda Bill that means those coming here illegally can expect to be removed to Rwanda. What we are already seeing is a deterrent effect kicking in. Thats why we are seeing people moving from the UK into Ireland.

No post-Brexit returns agreement

Before Brexit, the return of migrants to EU countries was governed by the Dublin Agreement, under which migrants could be sent back to a safe third country through which they had passed before arriving at their destination.

This meant asylum seekers arriving in Ireland from the UK, or migrants reaching the UK from France could be returned if it could be shown that they had passed through a safe third country  that is, the UK or France.

But the UK left the scheme when it departed the EU and no successor agreement was signed during the Brexit talks, meaning there are no formal returns agreements in place between EU countries and the UK.

A post-Brexit provision was, however, made in the case of the UK and Ireland, which meant Ireland could return asylum seekers to Britain. No asylum seeker has been returned to Ireland, or vice-versa, under this post-Brexit arrangement since it was struck.

But the Irish High Court last month ruled that the Irish governments declaration of the UK as a safe third country to which it could return asylum seekers was unlawful, as a result of the Rwanda Bill. The emergency legislation proposal seeks to overturn this judgment.

Rwanda plan makes returns agreement unpalatable

EU sources told The Telegraph that the Rwanda plan has made a migrants returns agreement with Britain unpalatable for too many progressive European Union governments.

While the blocs conservative leaders see no merit in a UK-EU returns deal because it would result in more asylum seekers being sent from Britain to the Continent.

The Rwanda stuff will make a deal unpalatable to a whole slew of progressive governments on the EU side, an EU diplomat said.

And then theres the question of what the EU gains from a deal with the EU? A deal might only lead to more returns from the UK to the EU. Thats not going to win you any votes on the conservative, so whats the incentive?

The EU will hold bloc-wide elections for the European Parliament in June amid fears populist and nationalist parties will win in at least nine countries on the back of anger over mass migration and Net Zero policies.

Sources said there was also little appetite in sitting down with Britain while the EU is engulfed in its own migration crisis.

I dont see much interest in a UK-EU migration deal until weve properly sorted out our own migration mess first, a Brussels insider said.

Yes, weve agreed on the pact, but that doesnt enter into force for another two years, they added, referring to new border measures to halt illegal migration across the Mediterranean and through the Balkans.

The migration pact seeks to accelerate the processing of asylum applications as well as enables the detention of asylum seekers who have a lower chance of successful bid at the EUs external borders.

Controversially, it also sets up a burden-sharing mechanism that will require the blocs 27 member states to take in their fair share of migrants landing in just a handful of countries, such as Greece and Italy.

Countries like Poland and Hungary, which have rejected resettling asylum seekers, will be forced to pay a levy to help finance the system for more willing capitals.

At a debate ahead of the EU elections, Ursula Von der Leyen, the European Commissions president, last night rejected that her centre-right European Peoples Party was pushing a Rwanda-style plan for the bloc.

The top eurocrat, who is vying for a second term in office, went as far to suggest deporting migrants to the African country was a breach of international law.

This is the UK, and we have nothing to do with it, she told the audience.

The UK left the European Union. Let them discuss their issues and we discuss our issues. We have fulfilled our international obligations  and thats very important  in the past, we fulfil them today and we will fulfil them tomorrow. This is absolutely necessary to the Geneva Convention ... the European convention.

She added: But I also think it is in order to say that we Europeans are the ones who decide who comes to the European Union and under what circumstances, and not the smugglers and traffickers.

Therefore, agreements with third countries, for example Tunisia or Egypt, is investing in their economy, investing in their education system to create legal, safe pathways for people to come, also for protection, but not to define for the smugglers and traffickers who comes to the European Union.
The Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first member of the Royal family to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded more than two years ago.

The mother of two, 59, travelled to the country on Monday to show her solidarity with the men, women and children affected by war.

She met Volodymyr Zelensky and Olena Zelenska, Ukraines president and first lady, delivering a message on behalf of the King.

The trio discussed how best to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and the women peacebuilders who are working to ensure Ukraines recovery.

The Duchess later met survivors of sexual violence, displaced women and volunteers who are helping their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion by providing mental health care activities for children.

The Duchess of Edinburgh and Olena Zelenska, right, visit the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv - AFP/Getty/ANATOLII STEPANOV

The Duchess visited Ukraine and met with the first lady as part of her efforts to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence - ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP/Getty

Two years on from the liberation of Bucha, a town just outside Kyiv that was occupied by Russian troops for 33 days in a failed attempt to seize the capital, she paid her respects to those who lost their lives.

When Ukrainian soldiers took back control of the region, their discoveries shocked the world: evidence of executions, rapes and torture, with the bodies of civilians still laying where they had fallen.

The Duchess also visited the Romanivka bridge, known as the Road to Life bridge, that became a symbol of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv and later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the occupation.

Though other royal figures have met with Ms Zelenska, including the Queen, the Duchess is the first to visit Ukraine since the war broke out - ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP/Getty

The Duchesss one-day visit marked the latest royal show of support for Ukraine, which has been led by the King.

In February, the King issued a strongly worded message to mark the second anniversary of the conflict, speaking of the indescribable aggression that has faced Ukrainians since what he called the unprovoked attack on their land.

Last March, the Prince of Wales travelled to Poland on a personal mission to praise British troops working near the Ukraine border for defending our freedoms.

Meanwhile, in February, the Queen welcomed Ms Zelenska to Clarence House for a meeting during which they discussed the bravery and resilience of Ukrainians and the UKs determination to support the nation.

During the Kings first state visit to France last September, he used an historic speech at the senate to highlight the unprovoked aggression on our continent and the resolute solidarity in which both the UK and France stood with Ukraine.

And during a visit to Germany six months earlier, he praised both nations for their joint efforts to provide very welcome and very important military support for Ukraine now that the scourge of war had returned to Europe.

The King has also visited Ukrainian military recruits undergoing training in Wiltshire.

The Duchesss visit formed part of her work as a champion of the UKs Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Last month, she addressed the Restoration of the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Survivors Rights Conference in Ukraine via video message.

We must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isnt an accepted part of conflict, the Duchess said.

Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.

The Duchess visited Ukraine to show solidarity with Kyiv's war effort

The Duchess later said she would take the stories she had heard home in her heart.

Speaking at an evening reception at the residence of Martin Harris, the UK ambassador to Ukraine, she also thanked the survivors she had met for their honesty.

She said she had travelled to many countries in conflict or post-conflict, where women and girls pay the highest price in terms of human costs.

The Duchess added: Rape is used to demean, to degrade and to destroy. And we have to get better at trying to prevent that from happening. Where we cannot prevent it from happening. What we must do is put measures in place to support those who have fallen victim to such crimes.

Sophie said if the survivors she had met: Their stories are sad. I hear many stories like this, sadly, from around the world. But I appreciate their time and their openness.

The Duchess added that she had met people who played a large role in Bucha and Irpin to help their communities, and that she would take those stories home in my heart.

Duchess dedicated to fighting sexual violence in conflict

The Duchess announced her commitment to championing the UKs Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the UNs Women, Peace and Security Agenda on International Womens Day in 2019.

She has visited several countries over the years to highlight the impact of historical and ongoing conflict, including Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia, and has heard first-hand testimonies from survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

The UK has pledged more than 4.7 billion in non-military support to Ukraine since 2022, including over 660 million of bilateral assistance that prioritises the needs of women and girls.

The Government is also working with international partners to hold those responsible for atrocities to account.

In addition to providing financial and technical assistance to the International Criminal Court, specialist UK war crimes and conflict-related sexual violence experts have been deployed to the region, creating an expert Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group with the EU and US.
The EU is particularly worried about Metas plan to discontinue CrowdTangle, a tool that allows real-time disinformation researchers, journalists and others to monitor fake news and attempts to suppress voting. Photograph: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock

The EU is set to launch formal proceedings against Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, amid concerns it is not doing enough to counter Russian disinformation before the EU elections in June, according to reports.

It is also expected to express concerns about the lack of effective monitoring of election content and a potentially inadequate mechanism for flagging illegal content.

Related: EU calls on tech firms to outline plans to tackle deepfakes amid election fears

It is understood the European Commission is concerned that Metas moderation system is not robust enough to counterbalance the potential proliferation of fake news and attempts to suppress voting.

The Financial Times reported that officials were particularly worried about the way Metas platforms were handling Russias efforts to undermine upcoming European elections, although it was expected to stop short of citing the Kremlin in proceedings.

Reports suggest that the commission is particularly concerned over Metas plan to discontinue CrowdTangle, a public insights tool that allows real-time disinformation researchers, journalists and others across the EU to monitor the spread of fake news and attempts to suppress voting.

Under sweeping new laws forcing tech companies to regulate their own content for compliance with the law in the EU, Facebook and others are obliged to have systems to guard against the systemic risk of election interference.

A spokesperson for Meta said: We have a well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the European Commission and providing them with further details of this work.

Related: Painful day for tech titans as EU finally sinks its regulatory teeth into them | John Naughton

If the move on Meta is confirmed it will come just days after the commission carried out stress tests on all the big social media platforms to determine whether there were adequate safeguards in place against Russian disinformation.

The stress tests entailed a series of fictitious scenarios based on historical attempts at influencing elections as well as cyber-enabled information manipulation.

This included deepfakes and attempts to suppress authentic opinions through online harassment and threats.

Such opinion suppression was identified by the EU in February as a new weapon in silencing legitimate democratic voices.

The aim was to test platforms readiness to address manipulative behaviour that could occur in the run-up to the elections, in particular the different manipulative tactics, techniques and procedures, said the commission.

This allowed them to test the resilience of social media to manipulation, which politicians predict will intensify in the next six weeks.

The European parliamentary elections are being held on 6-9 June against a backdrop of increasing disinformation across the bloc.

On Monday the parliament released tips for voters with a list of previous incidents, including claims that only pens with certain coloured ink will be accepted on ballot papers.

Politicians have also warned voters to be on the lookout for disinformation, given the experience of recent national elections.

In elections in Slovakia, Spain, Finland and Estonia, stories that voting booths had pens with disappearing ink spread on social media, while voters were told of physical threats including bombs at polling stations during last years Spanish election.

The EU DisinfoLab has tracked 17,000 incidents of disinformation of fake news with many attempts to discredit Ukraines defence in the war against Russia, including Vladimir Putins pseudo-historical grounds for his invasion.

Last week a Czech news agency website was hacked to display fake news. One of the articles claimed that the Czech counterintelligence service had prevented an assassination attempt on the Slovak president, Peter Pellegrini, another carried an alleged reaction from the Czech foreign minister, Jan Lipavsky, to the news.

Last month the Czech government uncovered what it believed was a Moscow-orchestrated disinformation network.

The Belgian prime minister also recently revealed the federal prosecutor had opened an investigation into alleged payments of MEPs by Russia with a view to electing more pro-Russian deputies to the European parliament.
Tim Loughton arrived in Djibouti on April 8 for a 24-hour visit but was detained for more than seven hours at the airport

The Foreign Office has demanded answers from Djibouti over its detention and deportation of a Tory MP.

The Telegraph revealed on Sunday how the former minister Tim Loughton, who has been sanctioned by China, was detained and deported by the East African state, which has close ties to Beijing.

Mr Loughton, a senior member of the Commons home affairs committee, believes that his unprecedented and intimidating detention and expulsion by the Djibouti authorities was a direct consequence of his criticism of the Chinese regime.

Responding to the incident on Monday, the official spokesman for Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, said: I believe that in this specific case that you refer to the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office] provided consular support to Mr Loughton at the time and they have also raised this case with the Djiboutians.

Whilst obviously the authorities have the right to refuse entry at their own discretion, the FCDO have sought further information about this specific case.

Mr Loughton has raised the matter with Andrew Mitchell, the deputy foreign secretary, and written to the Djiboutian ambassador via the Foreign Office to protest about the outrageous behaviour.

Mr Loughton has raised the matter with Andrew Mitchell, the deputy foreign secretary

Mr Loughton arrived in Djibouti on April 8 for a 24-hour visit, including meeting the British ambassador, but was detained for more than seven hours at the airport, barred entry to the country and told he was being removed on the next available flight.

He was one of seven parliamentarians sanctioned by the Chinese more than three years ago for speaking out against the industrial scale of human rights abuses by China against the Uyghurs, Tibetans and Hong Kongers.

Djibouti has received billions of dollars of investment from the Chinese including a new stadium, hospital and $1 billion (800 million) spaceport.

China has built a naval base in the country, stationed 2,000 troops there and holds more than $1.4 billion of Djiboutis debt, which is 45 per cent of its GDP.

Mr Loughton warned that his treatment in Djibouti could set a precedent for other states backed by the Chinese

In an exclusive article on his experience for The Telegraph, Mr Loughton said it was just the latest example of intimidation that the seven sanctioned parliamentarians have suffered over the last three years.

It comes weeks after it was revealed that Mr Loughton was among three MPs and a peer whose parliamentary emails were hacked by the Chinese.

Mr Loughton warned that his treatment in Djibouti could set a precedent for other states backed by the Chinese unless the West woke up to the malign and all encompassing tentacles of the Chinese regime at home and abroad.

It is the first time such action has been taken by the Djiboutians against a British citizen.

A Chinese embassy spokesman claimed the allegations about China were purely baseless and branded them fabricated and slanderous rhetoric that attempts to smear China and poison China-UK relations.
Gerard Depardieu has been served with a summons to appear in criminal court, the Paris prosecutor's office said on Monday - Axel Schmidt/AP

The French actor Gerard Depardieu will be tried in October for the sexual assault of two women, the Paris prosecutors office said on Monday.

French police had questioned the 75-year-old screen veteran over the 2021 allegations earlier on Monday before releasing him.

In a separate case, Depardieu was charged with rape in 2020 and put his career on hold last autumn as allegations mounted against him.

On Monday night, the public prosecutors office said: At the end of his police custody at the 3rd Judicial Police District, Gerard Depardieu was served with a summons to appear before the criminal court  for sexual assaults likely to have been committed in September 2021 to the detriment of two victims, on the set of the film [The] Green Shutters.

Depardieu, 75, who has made more than 200 films and television series, denies any wrongdoing.

Depardieu already faces a rape charge, as well as claims of assault from more than a dozen women. He strenuously denies any wrongdoing.

Never ever have I abused a woman, Depardieu wrote in Le Figaro newspaper in October.

In 2020, police charged Depardieu with rape and sexual assault after the actress Charlotte Arnould alleged he raped her in 2018, when she was 22.

Another sexual assault complaint filed last year by the actress Helene Darras, who said Depardieu groped and propositioned her during a 2007 film shoot, has been dropped for being past the statute of limitations.

Obscene comments

In December, the Spanish journalist and author Ruth Baza said she had filed a criminal complaint in her home country against Depardieu, alleging that he raped her in 1995 in Paris.

Despite the events having passed the statute of limitations, she said she decided to file her complaint in the hope that it would help other people to do the same.

Debate over whether to show Depardieus films intensified late last year after a television report showed the actor repeatedly making obscene comments in the presence of a female interpreter during a 2018 trip to North Korea.

His wax sculpture was hurriedly removed from the Musee Grevin waxwork museum in Paris and Canadas Quebec province stripped him of its top honour.

The actress Anouk Grinberg, a co-star with Depardieu on The Green Shutters, has described how she and others on set were treated to his salacious nonsense from morning to night.

She told AFP: When film producers hire Depardieu on a film, they know they are hiring an aggressor.

Grinberg said that producers of The Green Shutters had supposedly appointed someone to deal with harassment issues but claimed the person did nothing.

In December, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, sparked uproar after he defended the actor as innocent until proven guilty and insinuated that he was the victim of a manhunt.

Macron said late last year: Hes an immense actor, a genius of his art. He makes France proud.

Mr Macron later said he should have placed more emphasis on the importance of women speaking out.

The French film industry has been accused of being slow to react to sexism or abuse in its midst, after a string of male actors and directors recently faced complaints of abuse.
Gerard Depardieu at the Venice film festival in 2017. The actor denies any wrongdoing. Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

Gerard Depardieu will face a criminal trial in October over the alleged sexual assaults of two women on the set of a film in 2021, prosecutors have announced.

Depardieu, 75, who previously has denied any wrongdoing, was questioned for several hours on Monday by officers at a police station in the 14th arrondissement of Paris.

The Paris public prosecutors office later said in a statement that the actor has been summoned to appear before the criminal court.

A trial will start in October for sexual assaults likely to have been committed in September 2021 against two victims, on the set of the film Les Volets Verts [The Green Shutters], the statement said.

Depardieus lawyer, Christian Saint-Palais, on Monday evening confirmed the questioning was over as he spoke to reporters as he left the station. The police custody is over. He is no longer held in the police station, he said.

The first woman, a set designer, said Depardieu assaulted her when she was a member of the crew of Les Volets Verts. She filed a formal complaint to the police in February.

The 53-year-old woman told the investigative website Mediapart earlier this year that Depardieu first made obscene comments to her, then later assaulted her as she stepped away from the set and into a corridor inside a Paris mansion where the film was being shot.

She said he grabbed her brutally and closed his legs around her with a phenomenal force so she could not move, then grabbed all parts of her body as he made explicit comments.

She said she felt as if she was in a trap, panicking and struggling to breathe. She said she felt herself pulled backwards and someone else pulling Depardieu, and said his bodyguards had pulled him off her.

Depardieu, through his lawyers, has denied all allegations.

In 2020 police placed Depardieu under formal investigation for rape and sexual assault in another case, after the actor Charlotte Arnould alleged he raped her at his Paris home in 2018.

Arnould, who went to the police more than five years ago, accused Depardieu of rape and sexual assault on two occasions at his home in Paris in 2018, when she was 22 and Depardieu, a friend of her father, was 70.

Arnould told a documentary last year that she had been anorexic at the time of the alleged attack and it had been absolute horror.

In an open letter to Le Figaro in October, Depardieu denied all allegations, saying any encounter with Arnould had been consensual. He said he was the victim of a lynching orchestrated by a media court, and wrote: Never, ever have I abused a woman.

Another sexual assault complaint was filed last year by Helene Darras, an actor, who said Depardieu groped and propositioned her during a 2007 film shoot. The case has been dropped for having been past the time limit for bringing charges.

Depardieu, one of Frances best-known actors, has appeared in more than 170 films and gained international fame with English-language roles.

Feminists and politicians on the left reacted angrily in December after the French president, Emmanuel Macron, described Depardieu  who was then under formal investigation for rape and facing fresh scrutiny over sexist comments filmed in a TV documentary  as the target of a manhunt.

You will never see me participate in a manhunt  I hate that type of thing, Macron told the broadcaster France 5 when asked about the possibility of stripping Depardieu of a state award after the documentary showed footage of sexist and inappropriate behaviour by the actor.

Macron said: Im a great admirer of Gerard Depardieu; hes an immense actor  a genius of his art. He has made France known across the whole world. And, I say this as president and as a citizen, he makes France proud.

Macron told a press conference the following month that he regretted not having stressed the importance of the words of women who are victims of this type of violence.
The metal gates at Herbertstrae in Hamburg, affixed with signs barring women and under-18s, block out prying eyes and feature on countless Instagram feeds. Photograph: Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images

Sex workers in Hamburgs historic red-light district who were persecuted under Adolf Hitler are to get their own memorial at Herbertstrae, a notorious street in Germanys second city still blocked off to all but sex workers and their clients.

Few people, even residents, know that it was the Nazis who built the world-famous gates around the row of houses of pleasure in an attempt to shame sex workers while discreetly keeping business going.

St Pauli district council has answered the call of church leaders, community activists and local women working in the sex industry who agitated for Germanys vaunted culture of historical remembrance to be expanded to include women such as Sophie Gotthardt, who was detained for perversion and only barely survived Auschwitz.

The memorial, which organisers hope to inaugurate by November, is modelled on the Stolpersteine stumbling stones  small brass plaques laid in cities and towns throughout Europe honouring individual Holocaust victims.

The marker will be embedded in the ground at the entrance of what is still a buzzing thoroughfare of brothels and sex shops, and include QR codes remembering the women of St Pauli whose fates are known.

Sieghard Wilm, the pastor of the Lutheran church that gives the neighbourhood its name, told the Guardian he had worked with residents and received the backing of local sex workers to launch the project aimed at dignified remembrance.

Millions of people visit St Pauli and lots and lots of tourists every day stand in front of Herbertstrae and take pictures. I always found that cynical because I knew Nazis put up the gates, he said.

Wilm called it horrible and a crass contradiction that the famously liberal district had until now excluded sex workers as an explicitly acknowledged group of Nazi victims. He wants to lift the stigma around these long-forgotten women and make them visible to all.

Herbertstrae, a narrow lane near the Reeperbahn, arose in the 19th century as a bawdy destination for local men and sailors on shore leave. Its just 60m-long haven for debauchery remains a seedy fixture of pub crawls and stag weekends.

The opaque metal gates, affixed with signs in German and English since the 1970s barring women and under-18s, block out prying eyes and feature on countless Instagram feeds. Rubberneckers who trespass have been known to be bombarded with water balloons and insults hurled from upper-floor windows.

The fences, however, were erected by the Hamburg Gauleiter, or regional Nazi party leader, in 1933 when the sex-for-cash trade on Herbertstrae was deemed a sin and disgrace for the community.

Between March and May 1933, Nazi officers arrested 3,201 fornicating women in Hamburg, Der Spiegel reported. Of these, 814 were taken into custody.

Although prostitution and striptease acts were officially banned at the time, St Paulis booming sex trade proved impossible to shut down, so authorities settled for making it invisible to passersby.

The women penned inside in the 1930s and 40s remained in the Nazis crosshairs as female antisocial elements. Many were imprisoned and deported to concentration camps. Others underwent forced sterilisation or were driven to suicide, researchers say.

The historian Frauke Steinhauser says it is difficult to trace individual stories given the taboos around the sex trade then and now.

She told Der Spiegel she had attempted to spotlight individuals with experiences such as those of Gotthardt, who was born in 1912 to an impoverished family and worked as a prostitute from the time she was a teenager.

Amid a spreading crackdown under the Nazis, the Gestapo picked up Gotthardt for failing to undergo mandatory checks for sexually transmitted diseases. She went underground but was later captured and sent to Ravensbruck, then Auschwitz.

Forced to work at the extermination camp, she repeatedly attempted to kill herself. Jewish fellow detainees accused Gotthardt of mistreating them for which she was tried and convicted in Poland after the war.

When she was released, her lover Johanna Otto Kohlmann, whom she had known since their days on Herbertstrae, had already died.

After winning cross-party support, the approved measure in Hamburg earmarks 5,000 for the memorial, QR codes and an inaugural ceremony. Wilm said his initiative aimed to raise a further 15,000 to complete the project, including carrying out further historical research.

Today, an estimated 250 people offer sexual services for money on Herbertstrae, according to sector representatives. Prostitution is legal in Germany. Campaigners say that since the trade was liberalised in 2002, cut-price offers and a boom in sex tourism have fuelled rampant trafficking, leading them to call the country Europes biggest brothel.
Humza Yousaf at a press conference at Bute House

Just a few days after he peremptorily severed his governments coalition agreement with the Greens, Humza Yousaf had to return to the same lectern in Edinburghs Bute House to announce his resignation as SNP leader and first minister of Scotland.

It is remarkable that he did not see this coming. Indeed, the fact that he didnt is a further sign that he was not up to the job  a conclusion that had been reached by many in his party and beyond some months before.

Politics can be a brutal business, Mr Yousaf said, and he bore no one any ill will for his fate. But his problem was that he was very bad at politics. As miscalculations go, his announcement last week of an end to the pact with the Greens was spectacular.

His ostensible motivation was to show who was in charge and to take control of Scotlands political agenda, which has been consumed by arguments over gender identity and climate-change targets. With a Westminster election looming he hoped to move the debate on to territory more reflective of immediate voter concerns.

One observer said he wanted to get on the front foot but succeeded only in shooting himself in it. He sought to continue in office at the head of a minority government, still relying on the Greens for support.

But the manner of the breach angered his erstwhile partners, who joined with other opposition parties to support a no-confidence motion in his leadership.

Mr Yousaf was right to say that in a coalition trust between partners is essential and he had lost it. He jumped before he was pushed.

The SNP now has 28 days to choose a new leader who might be acceptable enough to the Greens to enable the Nationalists to carry on as a minority administration. This is unlikely to be Kate Forbes, who came second last time but whose views on gender and same-sex marriage are anathema to the Left wing.

One possibility is John Swinney, a former leader of the SNP in the early days of the Scottish Parliament and later a successful finance minister who even brokered budget deals with the Conservatives.

If no one can be found, or an alternative coalition forged, then an election to Holyrood would follow at which the SNP, mired in crisis, would face a serious setback, ending its apparently inexorable advance to become Scotlands dominant party.
Humza Yousaf announced his resignation as SNP leader and first minister on Monday after just over a year in post. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

When Humza Yousaf was narrowly elected leader of the SNP last March, it was after a bruising leadership contest that exposed profound divisions in the party over LGBTQ+ rights, Westminsters veto of Holyrood law, and environmental and economic policy.

Indeed, it could be said the end of the SNPs partnership with the Greens, and the downward spiral of chaos that ended with Yousafs resignation little over a year later, was telegraphed by the fault lines that emerged back then, setting the scene for the myriad conflicts that Yousaf was forced to manage  and ultimately failed to resolve  as leader.

Those fault lines remain just as stark and will demand the new leaders immediate attention. Just as crucial, in an election year when the SNP is forecast to take heavy losses at the hands of a resurgent Scottish Labour party, is how to communicate that the party is genuinely focused on voters concerns as well as rebuilding cross-party trust at Holyrood in minority government.

As one senior SNP MSP puts it: The litmus test for a new leader will be the continuing fault line in the party on social policy. In a sense, bringing in the Greens masked a bigger issue within the party that now has to be resolved for the SNP to move forward.

Is the party going to remain a broad church that has appeal to middle-class and working-class voters, left and right of centre, bringing together people with a range of views but with the common aim of independence? Thats been entirely possible for a very long time and its been a very successful formula.

As support coalesces around John Swinney, what is clear is a desperation for leadership that many feel has been lacking over the past year. Swinney is known as much for his steeliness as for his quiet charm, and enjoys an unassailable familiarity with internal loyalties and fallings out.

It is genuinely hard to think of anyone else who is strong enough and serious enough, says one colleague.

Every time he speaks, the whole Holyrood group listens, no matter what faction, explains another MSP.

While activists and elected members believe the party has benefitted from Yousafs more inclusive leadership style, in comparison with Sturgeon, there has been an increasing frustration at his desire to be all things to all people. In the earlier days of his tenure, there was sympathy as he battled crises not of his own making  in particular, the ongoing Police Scotland investigation into party finances  but latterly there were repeated complaints about a sense of drift, with the promised big ideas from his leadership platform never materialising.

Yousaf faced significant rebellions within his own party. Last October, the former SNP minister Ash Regan defected to Alex Salmonds Alba party in protest at the SNPs stance on gender recognition policy and lack of progress on independence. In an excruciating irony, she would have had the deciding vote in the motion of confidence in Yousaf.

Restive backbenchers grouped around Kate Forbes, who came second to Yousaf in the leadership contest, and outspoken critics such as Fergus Ewing, one of the partys longest-serving MSPs, who declared Yousaf to be a doormat to the Greens as he was suspended for not supporting the Green co-leader Lorna Slater in an earlier vote of confidence.

There is also a sense that Yousafs treatment of the Greens was part of a pattern of making big decisions very quickly with little consultation beyond a small band of advisers. Another being the council tax freeze  his response to the SNPs crushing defeat by Labour in Octobers Rutherglen byelection, which infuriated local authority leaders and appeared to breach commitments in the Bute House agreement to progressive taxation.

There is also some anger building among the Holyrood group with the partys Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, who returned to Edinburgh last week to advise Yousaf immediately before his crunch meeting with the Greens. Some MSPs blame him for encouraging the first minister to rip up the deal in the brutal manner he did and putting the interests of his MPs  who were concerned that Yousafs seeming focus on identity issues was causing problems on the doorstep, when voters wanted to talk about cost of living  ahead of Holyrood.

The common view among the Holyrood SNP group is that people are upset about how the Greens were treated but accept it was time to end the agreement, and exasperated with Yousaf for not recognising the consequences, appearing dumbfounded with the Greens reaction.

The Guardian understands that senior SNP figures other than the first minister reached out to the Greens over the weekend to secure their commitment to abstain at the very least in forthcoming confidence votes as long as Yousaf himself stood down. After Yousafs announcement on Monday morning, the Greens confirmed they were not interested in bringing down the Scottish government.

By then, Yousaf was aware that the numbers for the confidence vote were impossible  the Guardian understands that any deal with Regan, which would in effect deliver power to the Scottish governments most vicious critic, the former first minister Alex Salmond, would have resulted in a number of his cabinet walking out. Yousaf was clear in his resignation speech that he would not trade in my values or principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power.
Kate Forbes previously triggered uproar when she expressed opposition to gay marriage and children being born out of wedlock - PA/Jane Barlow

Kate Forbes is giving serious consideration to running in the contest to replace Humza Yousaf as SNP leader and Scottish first minister amid concerns the frontrunner is continuity Sturgeon.

Only minutes after Mr Yousaf announced his resignation, John Swinney was installed as the overwhelming favourite to succeed him, with party grandees and several possible leadership rivals quickly lining up behind him.

Senior party sources confirmed the former deputy first minister will throw his hat into the ring later this week after he said he was giving very careful consideration to standing for his second stint as party leader.

The SNP hierarchy was hoping Mr Swinney could be crowned without a contest, as the party aimed to quickly move on from the humiliating debacle of Mr Yousafs resignation. Mr Yousaf has said he will remain First Minister until a successor is chosen.

Such hopes were boosted after several ministers who had been mooted as possible candidates said they would be backing him instead, including Neil Gray, the Scottish health secretary, and Jenny Gilruth, the education secretary.

But sources close to Ms Forbes said she was seriously weighing up a second tilt at the leadership after she only narrowly lost out to Mr Yousaf in last years contest to succeed Ms Sturgeon.

Although Mr Swinney would be the clear favourite in any head-to-head fight, allies of Ms Forbes argued her standing would give members a choice over whether they wanted more continuity Sturgeon after Mr Yousaf.

The SNP hierarchy was hoping John Swinney could be crowned without a contest - PA/Andrew Milligan

Mr Swinney was the second-most senior figure in Ms Sturgeons government and is closely associated with her agenda, including tax hikes, radical environmental policies and controversial gender policies.

The 60-year-old was also a failure in his first stint as SNP leader, between 2000 and 2004, eventually being forced to resign after overseeing a disastrous European election result.

Allies of Ms Forbes said he was yesterdays man, an apologist for Nicola Sturgeon and the architect of the partys unpopular coalition deal with the Greens. Mr Yousafs botched attempt to extricate himself from the agreement forced his resignation.

They also argued that over the past year Ms Forbes had been vindicated on almost everything she said in the last campaign.

She argued then that continuity wont cut it and the party needed to break away from the Sturgeon era, which she described as mediocre.

A devout Christian, she also triggered uproar when she expressed opposition to gay marriage and children being born out of wedlock.

Mr Swinney, who backed Mr Yousaf in the contest, questioned at the time whether her views made her an appropriate individual to be SNP leader and first minister. He contrasted his own Christian views with those of Ms Forbes, who is a Free Church of Scotland member.

Humza Yousaf has said he will remain First Minister until a successor is chosen - PA/Jane Barlow

Despite Mr Yousaf having the backing of the entire party establishment, Ms Forbes only lost by a margin of 48 per cent to 52 per cent in the second round of voting.

A senior SNP source said: John is of the past. Hes yesterdays man. He was the architect of the Bute House Agreement with the Greens and is an apologist for Nicola Sturgeon. He also accused Kate Forbes of not being a proper Christian, which was absurd and really quite unpleasant.

I am confident in opinion polls of who would be the best first minister between Swinney and Forbes, Kate will be the runaway favourite, because people want change.

She will deliver competent government on jobs, the economy, health and education. She will not be sitting up until 3am worrying about gender reform.

Another Forbes ally said: Nobody doubts Johns longstanding commitment to the SNP. But maybe the question to ask is to what extent is he the future?

Kate said last time continuity wont cut it, and it didnt. What is John if not continuity? Kate is still very popular with members and has been vindicated on almost everything she said in the last campaign. She is giving it serious consideration.

Focus on peoples priorities

Fergus Ewing, an SNP grandee and arch-critic of the coalition deal with the Greens, said the party must ditch its woke agenda and focus on peoples priorities.

He said: Thats not gender reform, its not hate crime, its not conversion therapy, its not a misogyny bill. Its peoples jobs, peoples livelihoods, the economy, health and education.

The former Scottish minister added: I think its essential Kate runs so there is a clear choice and a democratic decision can be made. I expect her to run and I think she will win.

He argued the SNP cannot have a coronation of another continuity candidate.

Another SNP MSP said: Bread-and-butter issues, rather than culture wars and identity politics, need to be the priority for whoever takes over from Humza.

The SNPs ruling national executive committee will meet later this week to decide the rules for the leadership contest, including the timetable and the number of nominations needed to enter.

Last years contest took six weeks and candidates required 100 nominations from at least 20 party branches. Mr Swinney and Ms Forbes would easily meet this threshold.

Fresh thinking and talent

Mr Swinney stepped down as deputy first minister last year in tandem with Ms Sturgeons departure and ruled himself out of the leadership contest to succeed her.

He said that his time at the top was over and the party needed fresh thinking and fresh talent to come to the surface. However, he remained hugely popular with the party membership.

Senior SNP figures are understood to have spent last weekend lobbying Mr Swinney to put his name forward and it is understood he will. Speaking in London only 90 minutes after Mr Yousaf resigned, he said was giving very careful consideration to standing.

He said: Ive been somewhat overwhelmed by the requests that have been made of me to do that with many, many messages from many colleagues across the party.

So Im giving that issue very active consideration and it is likely I will have more to say about that in the days to come.

Mr Swinney added: Ive got lots of things to think about, theres the whole question of my family, and I have to make sure I do the right thing by my family, they are precious to me.

I have to do the right thing by my party and my country so there is lots to be thought about.

He said he would ensure the SNP was a moderate Left-of-centre political party in the mainstream tradition of Scottish public opinion.

Rejected election call

With Scotland set to have its third first minister in barely a year, he rejected Labours call for a Holyrood election, saying the Edinburgh parliament should sit for its full five-year fixed term. This is scheduled to end in May 2026.

Ms Gilruth tweeted: John Swinney is the best choice to be Scotlands first minister and @theSNP leader. I will be strongly supporting him if, as I hope, he chooses to run.

Ian Blackford, the SNPs former Westminster leader, said Mr Swinney has what it takes to lead the SNP and not just in the short term.

Pete Wishart, the SNPs longest-serving MP, tweeted: John Swinney would be an excellent unifier for our country and our party. We should all get behind him if he chooses to run.

Stephen Flynn, the current Westminster leader, argued Mr Swinney was the only person who could unite the party and the country.

But Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said the people of Scotland should decide who leads them rather than a backroom stitch-up by the SNP.

He told the Daily Record that Mr Swinney represents the past, adding: Obviously its up to the SNP to decide who their leader is, but it is continuity Sturgeon. It is doubling down on the last 17 years of failure.
Texas Black Gold Garlic. The business filed for bankruptcy liquidation Thursday. Paul Stephen/Staff Chef Stephen Paprocki operates Texas Black Gold Garlic in this 2017 photo. Courtesy/Stephen Paprocki Texas Black Gold Garlic had a presence at many farmers markets, with spices, sauces and whole bulbs of black garlic available for purchase. Chuck Blount /Staff Texas Black Gold Garlic had earned a loyal following before halting production last year. Courtesy

A San Antonio supplier of black garlic has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation about five months after announcing it was temporarily halting production.

Texas Garlic Inc., doing business as Texas Black Gold Garlic, listed no assets and $362,000 in liabilities in its petition, which was filed Thursday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in San Antonio.

Chef and owner Stephen Paprocki launched Texas Black Gold Garlic in 2015 and it quickly earned a loyal following among San Antonio restaurants and home kitchens for its deeply caramelized and mellow flavor, the Express-News reported in 2018. Black garlic gets its distinct color and flavor through a slow roasting process that triggers the Maillard reaction  the same process that creates browning on a well-seared steak.

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But Paprocki said he got sick last year and ended up in the hospital, which contributed to the bankruptcy.

Do you think I want to lose my business? It was my everything to me. My heart and soul, Paprocki said, adding that hes looking for a job.

A November letter on the companys Facebook page indicated the business encountered difficulties when it lost its location after more than eight years in operation.

Unfortunately, due to being displaced from the facility we built and produced in for the last five years and the health issues of our CEO and Owner, Texas Garlic Inc./Black Gold Garlic has decided to halt production temporarily, it said. Although our brand was stronger than ever and experiencing continual growth, these issues do not allow us to continue our operations effectively and provide the best service, quality, and pricing of black garlic product you have become accustomed to.

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The company also said it might make a comeback.

We are unwilling to concede, but we need time to heal, recover, and pursue remedies for the losses caused by the events imposed on us to resume operations even stronger than ever, it said.

Texas Black Gold Garlic had operated for five years at 11911 Crosswinds Way on the Northeast Side before relocating in August to 102 Jon Ann on the North Side for a few months, according to the bankruptcy petition. Paprocki said it simply ran out of money. It generated about $312,000 in revenue last year, virtually unchanged from 2022.

The bankruptcy petition states its new landlord, James Poole, locked out the business and kept all its assets. Poole is listed as an unsecured creditor, owed $102,000 under the lease.

The petition shows Texas Garlic sued Poole in Bexar Countys Precinct 2, Place 1 Justice of the Peace Court over the property locked inside the building.

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I locked the doors in order to preserve the status quo, Poole said in an interview, adding Paprocki missed rent payments while hospitalized. To this date, I have kept the status quo.

The lease gave Poole a security interest Texas Black Gold Garlics equipment at the property, he said. That would allow him to take possession of the assets in the event of a default on the lease.

In addition to what hes owed under the lease, Poole said hes owed about $44,000 for commissions paid to real estate agents and electrical work done on the space to accommodate the business. He doesnt expect to recoup that money.

I have no ill will towards him, Poole said of Paprocki. Hes a good guy. He just had an insurmountable situation that he saw no relief from.

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Less than two weeks before the bankruptcy filing, Friendswood-based Brothers Produce Inc. sued Texas Garlic and Paprocki alleging they failed to pay $17,640 for garlic they contracted to buy. The defendants had not filed an answer to the lawsuit before the bankruptcy,
Dr Dan Poulter, sitting with Ellie Reeves MP, signs his membership of the Labour Party after defecting from the Conservative Party - PA

SIR  The most telling aspect of the defection of Dr Dan Poulter  the former Tory minister who crossed the floor on Saturday to join the Labour Party, mere days before the country votes in local elections  is that it demonstrates that there is now no difference between the Conservative and Labour parties. His judgment that Labour may be more competent and committed to these socialist policies is undoubtedly correct, but it does not disguise the bald truth that the Tories have abandoned Conservatism.

None of this helps me decide who to vote for in the forthcoming election. The Conservatives are a spent force, while the Labour Party would take us back to a 1970s Britain of union power stifling nationalised industries, which would be in further decline because the Labour Treasury would deny them funds to invest. The illiberal and undemocratic Liberal Democrats cannot be forgiven for proposing to ignore the result of the referendum and cancel Brexit, and Reforms naive policies would reduce taxation but increase government spending. I feel that the party also carries a nasty vein of populism. Help!

Andrew Dyke

London N21

SIR  While I agree with much of Lord Frosts article (British politics as we know it is broken. Heres how we Conservatives must rebuild it, April 27), I think hes over-optimistic if he believes that the Tory party can ever revert to true Conservative principles.

I am considering switching my vote to Reform UK, and would encourage true Conservatives to do the same for both the upcoming council elections then the general election later.

The modern Tory party appeals to no one as its become little more than a machine for attaining power  and now the machine is itself broken. A party with no basic principles does not deserve to survive.

Stephen Phillips

London W11

SIR  When will Conservative backbenchers learn that the cycle of replacing their leader (Tory rebels on warpath after MP defects to Labour, report, April 28) will fail to win over the British electorate, as it shows that they have no concept of the importance of loyalty?

Hon Ian MacGregor

London N2

SIR  Dan Poulter is now a Labour MP, representing a constituency in which 35,000 voted for the Conservative Party, with a majority of more than 23,000.

There is not long to go before the next general election, which will provide the good folk of Suffolk Central and Ipswich North, Dr Poulters constituency, an opportunity to once again be represented by the party for which they voted. Surely it is time the situation that allows MPs to change allegiance should be repealed.

Denis Kearney

Lostwithiel, Cornwall

Defence commitment

SIR  While the Prime Ministers announcement to increase defence spending by 75 billion is welcome (Letters, April 28), if the polls are to be believed it is unlikely that he will be in a position to implement it.

Words come cheap, actions are much more expensive. If we are to increase defence expenditure to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, we now need Sir Keir Starmer to commit the Labour Party to the same course of action. Unless that happens, it is just more rhetoric.

Gp Capt G R James (retd)

Duquesa, Malaga, Spain

SIR  I am not the least surprised that there is a serious shortfall in the number of people applying to join our Armed Forces (Letters, April 25). The recruitment system is abysmal and needs a complete overhaul.

Having waited six months for an interview, which was held online by an outside agency, my grandson  who is highly qualified and from a family of servicemen  was turned down by the Royal Navy. Whatever happened to in-person interviews, where candidates can be properly assessed?

Hilary C Young

Hadleigh, Suffolk

Ofsted rulings

SIR  Ofsted, despite much evidence and advice, has decided to retain one-word inspection judgments (Letters, April 27). Any school is, by its very nature, a complex organisation, and it is insulting and misleading to sum up an inspection in one word.

I was a headteacher for 20 years and in that time I experienced many inspections (all of them successful). Never did I feel that one word was sufficient to adequately sum up the inspectors findings. Under these circumstances, it is no wonder that there is a shortage of teachers in this country.

Mike Aston

Stourbridge, Worcestershire

Rail closures

SIR  John Turner (Letters, April 27) refers to the Tory closure of far too much of the network. Harold Macmillan was the villain who commissioned Richard Beeching to write a report on railway closures, which saved just 30 million.

However, it was Labours Barbara Castle who closed more than 2,000 miles of railway, including the Varsity Line against the advice of Dr Beeching. It is now sensibly being reinstated as East West Rail, but at some cost.

Rodney Enderby

Kings Sutton, Northamptonshire

Rum memories

SIR  When we were young, my ex-Navy fathers remedy for flu was two extra blankets on the bed, a hot-water bottle and a glass of hot milk and rum (Letters, April 27). This worked well as a cure, but I still have a deep hatred of even the smell of rum.

James Rand

Lancing, West Sussex

SIR  My family lived in Kenya when I was a child, where many items were difficult or impossible to obtain, and this included most standard medical items. I was therefore treated with a combination of Cointreau for all conditions from the naval upwards, and brandy for anything from the waist downwards.

I suffered no ill effects, but I was a little surprised by the reaction of the school nurse I told when we returned to the UK.

Susan Dudley-Smith

Wheldrake, North Yorkshire

Classical dilemmas

SIR  In an age where attention spans seem to be getting ever shorter, as technology distracts us more and more from focusing on the task in hand, I would question the wisdom of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (BCSO) in allowing the use of phones to photograph and record its concerts (report, April 26).

This will undoubtedly disturb seasoned concert-goers and professional musicians, as was proved by tenor Ian Bostridges recent refusal to continue to sing amid the distractions.

It should instead hold a series of short, introductory concerts, specially designed for those unfamiliar with the world of classical music. The performers could explain the instruments, how they work, and the background to the pieces and their composers in interesting ways than could be related to everyday life.

Surely this would be preferable to turning a concert into something more resembling a press conference. In doing so, the BCSO will lose the loyalty of its regular punters and possibly even the newcomers who, with the highlights captured on their phones, may well not see a need to return.

Ros Groves

Watford, Hertfordshire

SIR  The obituary of Michael Tanner (April 24) mentions that he eventually came to detest the Hallelujah Chorus of George Frideric Handels Messiah. Many will share his feelings.

Quite by chance, on the same day recently the excellent Bach Before Seven on Radio 3 broadcast Johann Sebastian Bachs Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden BWV 230 (Praise the Lord, all ye nations). The hallelujah chorus there, which dances along beautifully, is to my ears far more attractive.

I seem to be continuing the debate initiated by Samuel Butler more than a century ago as to which of these composers was superior.

Bernard Richards

Brasenose College, University of Oxford

Murderously good

SIR  At dinner parties, we often play can you name a film that is better than the book. It is surprisingly difficult, probably because the director visualises it differently to readers, who invariably have strong feelings about how the characters look and act.

Hopefully this will not be the case with Richard Osmans bestseller The Thursday Murder Club (report, April 24), which is being made into a star-studded film.

David Acklam

Totland Bay, Isle of Wight

People will always pay to visit La Serenissima

Reflected glory: a gull paddles in the acqua alta (high water) on St Mark's Square in Venice - Antonio Violi/Alamy

SIR  Venice is trying to discourage visitors in high season by introducing a 5 entrance fee for day-trippers, a move a former mayor described as absurd (Ex-mayor urges tourists not to pay fee to enter Venice, report, telegraph.co.uk, April 24), as they are already overcharged for restaurants and public transport.

More than 30 years ago, sitting at a table in St Marks Square, I paid 7 for a coffee in Caffe Florian. I would have paid double to have soaked up the history of what is the oldest coffee house in Italy, with its glorious interior, not to mention

the perfect views of St Marks Basilica. There was even a member of our Royal family sitting at the

next table.

Financial penalties will not stop the flow of tourists to this unique Unesco World Heritage Site, which everyone should visit once in their lifetime. There is no high season.

Martin Henry

Good Easter, Essex

Its not just the elderly who miss public lavatories

SIR  Judith Woods is right to bemoan the lack of public lavatories (Letters, April 24), but this has a negative impact on a wider cross-section of the populace than merely the elderly. In London, the shortage is a major issue for taxi drivers, plumbers, carpenters, delivery drivers and countless others who work hard for the benefit of the population. It is also a source of distress for people with health problems, pregnant women and those with small children.

Where public lavatories are available, the dismal state of some of them can be exceedingly unpleasant. It is hard to believe that local councils cannot spare some pennies in order to allow others to spend theirs.

Frances Luczyc Wyhowska

London SW11

SIR  I have just returned from Japan, where the first surprise was the heated seat in the airports facilities. We found that free public lavatories were everywhere, all scrupulously clean and every one had a heated seat. There was even an occasion when the seat cover lifted itself on my entering the cubicle, almost as a form of welcome.

I wonder what Japanese visitors think of our disappointing facilities?

David Jones

Barrington, Cambridgeshire

SIR  My great-grandfather, John Palmer Wallis, was instrumental in the provision of ladies lavatories in central London, doubtless encouraged by his wife. My mother was told that prior to this a ladys only option was to approach a policeman and say: Officer, lend me your cloak. She could then squat and modesty would be preserved.

Bill Marsh

Bicester, Oxfordshire

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Protesters rally outside the British embassy in Paris to demand the release of Ernest Moret in April 2023. Photograph: NurPhoto/Getty Images

A French publisher who was arrested in London on terrorism charges has been awarded substantial damages by the Metropolitan police, as new figures reveal thousands of foreign nationals have been stopped at UK ports under anti-terror laws.

Ernest Moret, 29, a foreign rights manager for Editions la Fabrique, was detained at St Pancras station in April last year on his way to the London book fair.

He was held under section 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and questioned by counter-terrorist officers about whether he had taken part in anti-government demonstrations in France and if he backed the French president, Emmanuel Macron.

Morets mobile phone and laptop were also confiscated for several weeks, before being returned to him after police decided to take no further action. The police also admitted downloading Morets sim card before returning his phone.

Moret and his lawyer, Richard Parry of Saunders Solicitors, pursued a claim for misfeasance in a public office and false imprisonment. To settle the claim without recourse to litigation, the Met has now agreed to pay Moret a five-figure sum plus his legal fees. Parry has also written to the Met commissioner, Mark Rowley, demanding an apology for Moret.

Parry said: In our view the stop was neither necessary nor proportionate. With the financial compensation settled it is now time for a full apology from the Metropolitan police.

The move comes after an inquiry by the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, which said the Mets treatment of Moret was exaggerated and overbearing.

Hall said the police should not be using counter-terrorism powers in public order policing. The rights of free expression and protest are too important in a democracy to allow individuals to be investigated for potential terrorism merely because they may have been involved in protests that have turned violent, Halls report said.

Moret was one of at least 4,525 foreign nationals to be stopped at UK ports from 2020 to 2023, under schedule 7 of the 2000 Terrorism Act, according to daily logs released under freedom of information laws.

Of these, 1,432 citizens were from the UKs allies in EU member states, including 334 Irish, 192 Dutch, 175 French, 99 Swedes and 94 Germans.

Countries with more fraught relations with the UK had fewer of their citizens stopped. For example, 72 Russians and 32 Chinese citizens were recorded being stopped under the Terrorism Act in the three-year period, the logs reveal.

Of the 8,001 people stopped from 2020 to 2023 whose nationality was recorded, 3,476 or 43.4% were British with the remaining 56.5% coming from almost 100 different countries.

The figures, released by the National Police Chiefs Council, are likely to be an underestimate of the foreign nationals stopped under the terrorism act because recording nationality is not a mandatory requirement under the logging system.

The figures have deepened concerns that police are using counter-terrorism powers to target political activists.

Kevin Blowe, campaigns coordinator at the police monitoring group Netpol, said the figures were genuinely alarming. He said: We know these powers are used for purposes other than investigating terrorism, including the targeting of political activists visiting Britain.

The data does suggest that EU states are seeking the active help of British police to target their own citizens too, although state surveillance is so lacking in transparency and accountability that this is almost impossible to confirm.

Schedule 7 is discriminatory and draconian, it undermines civil rights and criminalises communities and political dissent. Like so many other counter-terrorism powers put in place a decade ago by the last Labour government, it is something that we would all be better off without.

Chris Jones, from the European civil liberties group Statewatch, said the figures demonstrate the working links between UK police, their counterparts in Europe and Europol.

He added: While Europol obviously are responsible for dealing with some seriously harmful activities such as murder and human trafficking, their monitoring of peaceful protest groups is not the kind of thing that the police should be doing in an ostensibly liberal democratic system.

How they draw the lines between those things is a mystery, but arguably they dont do a great job of it.

The Met confirmed the force had reached a settlement with Moret, the details of which were private.

In a statement, the Met added: We fully cooperated with a review into the circumstances of this case, which was carried out by Jonathan Hall KC, and following the publication of his report, we also voluntarily referred the matter to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC). The IOPC subsequently directed the Met police to carry out a local investigation and that remains ongoing at this time.

Schedule 7 is an important power in protecting the borders of the UK and it remains a vital tool in our efforts to counter the terrorist threat and keep the public safe.

We remain fully committed to ensuring that we use these powers proportionately and responsibly.
Robin Simcox is warning that a failure to do more to stop hate preachers entering the UK is stoking extremism - BBC/Jeff Overs

A blacklist of hate preachers who will be banned from Britain is to be drawn up by ministers.

A taskforce is to be set up by the Home Office to identify prominent extremists overseas to stop them being granted visas or exclude them from the UK on the grounds they could pose a risk to public safety.

UK-based organisations that attempt to sponsor visas for the banned hate preachers could be stripped of their licence to sponsor entry to the UK.

The moves follow warnings by Robin Simcox, the Governments counter-extremism tsar, that the failure to do more to stop hate preachers entering the UK was stoking extremism.

He cited the case of a Bangladesh extremist who was allowed into the UK for a speaking tour despite having suggested critics of Mohammed should be beheaded.

The ban follows Rishi Sunaks pledge to crack down on extremists who have no respect for our democratic traditions and were trying to tear us apart.

Zakir Naik, an Indian preacher, was denied a visa by then home secretary Theresa May

Last month, Communities Secretary Michael Gove announced plans to name and shame Muslim groups in the UK who will be barred from government support or contacts because of their alleged role in inciting hatred and undermining democracy.

Ministers already have powers to block people trying to enter the UK who are non-conducive to the public good but these are generally used to bar people who are known to threaten national security.

One of the few cases where hate preachers have been barred from entry to the UK was Zakir Naik, an Indian preacher, who was denied a visa by then home secretary Theresa May.

Ministers believe they can make greater use of the powers to include individuals preaching racism, incitement, or using intimidation or violence to undermine the democratic process.

Embassies will be expected to gather information on extremists, while the Government will also work in communities to build up a picture of prominent overseas extremists who intend to travel to the UK.

Hate preachers and extremists included on the list will be automatically referred to the Home Office so that any visa they have will be cancelled or refused if they seek to enter the UK.

Involved in pro-Palestinian protests

James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, also has powers to exclude an individual from the UK if their presence would be not conducive to the public good.

A number of foreign extremists involved in the pro-Palestinian protests following the Israel-Hamas conflict have had their visas revoked over their behaviour and been excluded to prevent them returning to the UK.

Mr Simcox highlighted how foreign extremists had contributed to an increasing focus by Muslim activists on using accusations of blasphemy to silence critics of Islam.

He said in a speech at the Royal United Services Institute: To take an example from this summer, a cleric from Bangladesh called Enayetullah Abbasi came on a speaking tour of this country. Abbasi is open in his belief that there is a need to behead anyone who criticises Mohammed.

Now I expect the Government to do more to bar such speakers from travelling to this country. However, the main problem here is not the Home Office.

It is not a one-off. Again and again, clerics from Pakistan, in particular, who in their own country openly praise those who carry out acts of violence in defence of Mohammeds honour, then end up getting hosted by institutions in the UK.
Blower cartoon

The myth of a liberally progressive centre ground finally died in a fitful sleep at noon today. As Humza Yousaf resigned as SNP leader, struggling to hold back tears as he delivered a speech that mingled arrogance and regret, grace and fire, modest concern at having hurt the feelings of his Green colleagues, and bombastic denunciations of the toxic culture war, the last remaining satrapy of social democratic internationalism collapsed.

It is a wonder quite how the liberal empire lasted so long. In many ways the Third Way political philosophy that has dominated the past generation started out an accident of history  the modernising vision that Bill Clinton clung to in the closing act of his presidency, desperate finally to be remembered for something other than a scandal. The American public balked at the cost of Obamacare, leaving a historic president mortifyingly lacking in a historic legacy, and then voted for a populist who promised to build a wall.

In England, Third Way progressivism shone brightest, as Tony Blair oracled the emergence of a new centre ground which hovered venerably somewhere between aspiration and compassion. In England it met its most ruthless end, maimed by the financial crash, killed by Brexit and buried by Rishi Sunaks flagship Rwanda policy.

The European continent, meanwhile, is a graveyard of abandoned social democratic progressivism. Macron has pivoted to a new strategy that melds populist rhetoric with technocratic problem-solving. Germany has declared a Zeitenwende, as the country scrambles to reinvent itself from a green Christian-socialist paradise with benevolently porous borders, to an anti-Russia security hawk that isnt afraid to clamp down on asylum seekers.

Even the Scandinavian elite is having to recalibrate in response to a populist backlash against mass immigration and strains on its welfare state. Only in the Celtic countries, it seems, the dream of a mainstream progressive liberalism refuses to die, kept largely alive by its invigorating hatred of the Little England Other. That is, until now.

The fall of Humza Yousaf is reflective of many things. One is his inability to rise above the stink of incompetence that steams from every sinew of the Scottish devolutionary project. But another is the failure of Celtic liberals to keep Third Way liberalism alive in the populist era by both diversifying the movement and shifting it Leftwards.

In a way, styling Scotland Britains last outpost of liberal progressivism was a clever way for Nicola Sturgeon to repackage the nationalist project, after the failure of the first referendum campaign in 2014.

At its core burnt the simple and silly belief that populist Brexit-voting Little England was not a European bellwether but an Anglo-Saxon aberration. So the Scottish people, inventors of the Enlightenment, providentially endowed with rationalism that the emotional egoists south of the border tragically lacked, must break away lest they succumb to the English madness.

The SNP seized on Keir Starmers carefully worded assurances to southern voters against wealth taxes, his shift away from supporting gender self-identification and watering down of his green investment programme as a sure sign an overcautious Labour Party had abandoned a centre ground that is decisively more to the Left in Scotland.

In fact, polls suggest Scotland is only marginally more socialist than England, and while sympathetic to trans rights, is in favour of preserving certain single-sex spaces. Yousafs party has exalted Joe Bidens green industrial plan as the new social democratic model.

In reality, Americas attempt to revive its Rust Belt with heavily subsidised and protectionist green industrialism is virtually impossible for smaller countries that dont have the luxury of the worlds currency reserve to replicate.

In the end, Scotlands liberal centrism has come crashing down. Humza Yousaf has failed to hold together a coalition with the Greens after being compelled to abandon a net zero target to reduce emissions by 75 per cent by 2030.

The SNP faces obliteration at the next election, ultimately because progressivism is no substitute for progress. Under the SNP, Scotland has made little of the latter. The country is in the grip of a grim drug epidemic. With four in 10 secondary school students failing to turn up regularly to classes, Scotland has plunged down the Pisa league table.

In the same week, the writhing death throes of Irelands own brand of Celtic liberalism have grown louder.

Its demise was already under way, with the Irish heir to Blair, Leo Varadkar, resigning after humiliatingly losing a dual referendum last month on removing conservative references to family and women from the countrys constitution.

Amid a brewing popular backlash, Irelands immigration system is collapsing under the weight of a more than 400 per cent increase in asylum claims. There are also early signs that the UKs Rwanda policy may be prompting migrants to flee across the Irish Sea. The countrys new leader, Simon Harris, will surely have no choice but to match Westminsters migration crackdown.

While the old Third Way progressivism is dying, make no mistake  a new centrist fudge is forming across the West that will prove somewhat tougher on the liberal jaw.

Western citizens have moved decidedly to the Right on migration, as asylum seeker numbers surge amid the rise of destabilising violence across the Global South. Stagnation is focusing popular attention on the strains of mass migration on public services. And while Western voters have moved to the Left since the financial crisis and austerity, favouring investment in public services over tax cuts, they have proved unwilling to compromise their basic standard of living in order to reach net zero targets.

The question remains whether the new centrist fudge is also doomed to crumble. The most obvious problem is that it will be impossible to protect public sector spending while drastically reducing migrant numbers.

Speculation about how the new centrism will fare is for another time. For now we can only marvel at the final passing of its liberal predecessor.
Jonathan Marsh denied but was convicted of assault by beating after a trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court - PA/Jordan Pettitt

A police officer who punched an innocent medical worker in the back of the head after he was wrongly identified as a suspect said he did not regret his actions, a court heard.

Police body-worn footage showed Pc Jonathan Marsh, 34, attacking Rasike Attanayake minutes after he had called up to report a crime, handcuffing him, telling him to get on the f------ floor and forcing him on the ground before punching him in the back of the head on Nov 13 2022.

Marsh, of Canvey Island, Essex, denied but was convicted of assault by beating after a trial at Westminster Magistrates Court. He was sentenced to two weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months.

The judge said Marshs behaviour was disgraceful and unwarranted.

During the trial, the court heard Marsh and Pc Simran Bogle had been sent to an area of Romford following reports a drunken man had smashed a notice board outside Mr Attanayakes audiology practice, HearHear, on the day of the incident.

The man went to the nearby Lidl where he was throwing trolleys through the window and making death threats, but Mr Attanayake was wrongly identified as the suspect by a CCTV operator.

CCTV footage showed Marsh attacking Mr Attanayake - Central News/IOPC

Giving evidence, Marsh, a former prison officer at HMP Chelmsford, claimed the force he used was proportionate and necessary.

He said: I placed my right leg in front of his left leg and took him to the floor, using my leg as a mechanism to roll him over. I have used my knee to pin his left shoulder down.

He was asked if his actions were unnecessary by his barrister, Ben Summers.

Marsh replied: I disagree, I believe it was necessary. I say it was proportionate, it was one blow.

Marsh said he did not regret any of his actions, including when he told Mr Attanayake to get on the f------g floor and to do as youre f------g told.

I dont regret doing it, he added.

I understand the language isnt nice but that man needs arresting.

It scares me and upsets me

In his victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Attanayake said: I dont think theres anything I could have done that day to change what happened.

I felt powerless and that it was a hopeless situation.

I dont like police officers walking past me, sometimes it scares me and upsets me.

When I see them out and about in uniform on the street it gives me the shivers.

During sentencing, District Judge Annabel Pilling told Marsh: There is no dispute that the CCTV operator gave you incorrect information that Mr Attanayake was in fact the suspect.

Mr Attanayake had no issue with you acting on that information.

He knew that he was not the suspect and that his telephone would reveal the two calls hed made.

The judge said Marshs behaviour was disgraceful and unwarranted.

This was not one of those high-adrenalin, potentially violent situations where a police officer might have been excused or understood as to why violence had to be used, the judge said.

Mr Attanayake was compliant. He was not thrashing his leg around, or jerking body around, not swearing, not trying to get away from you.

The footage shows him lying on the ground, his hands behind his back, with you leaning on top of him, when you struck him with an unwarranted punch to the back of the head.

You suggested that this was some sort of Home Office-approved technique. This was an unnecessary and dangerous thing to do.

Marsh was also ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay Mr Attanayake 1,500 in compensation.
The research is believed to be the first study of cancer incidence, treatment and survival in an entire national prison population. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Prisoners diagnosed with cancer are more likely than people in the general population to die of the disease, according to research.

A study has calculated that compared with cancer patients in the general population, patients in English prisons are 28% less likely to receive treatment for cancer, particularly surgery to remove tumours, and have a 9% increased risk of death  half of which is due to treatment differences.

It is believed to be the first study of cancer incidence, treatment and survival in an entire national prison population.

Researchers at Kings College London, the University of Surrey and University College London analysed cancer data from the National Disease Registration Service for patients between 2012 and 2017. They compared diagnosis, treatment and survival rates of 847 cancer patients in English prisons with 4,165 similar patients in the general population of the same age, sex, cancer type and stage.

They also interviewed inmates with cancer, prison staff and healthcare professionals.

The study, published as three linked papers by the Lancet Oncology and eClinicalMedicine, found that only 27% of cancer patients in jail were diagnosed following an urgent two-week referral, compared with 37% among the general population cohort. They were also three times less likely to be diagnosed via screening.

Once cancer was confirmed, one- and five-year survival rates were lower for those in prison, largely due to differences in treatment. Compared with cancer patients in the general population, 28% fewer prisoners had surgery, 21% fewer received radiotherapy and 20% fewer received systemic treatments such as chemotherapy or hormonal therapy.

The study identified a number of barriers to both diagnosis and treatment for patients in jail. These included lower health literacy, a complex process to see a GP and being late or missing hospital appointments due to prison staff shortages.

It was also harder for prisoners to follow the advice of their oncologist when managing and reporting any side-effects of treatment, as they could not communicate directly with their consultants from prison, the research found.

The lead researcher, Dr Elizabeth Davies, a clinical reader in cancer and public health at Kings College London, said: People in prison with cancer have so far been a hidden and under-researched population. They should not be impacted by such health inequalities and should receive the same standard of care as they would in the community.

Responding to the findings, Dr Miranda Davies, a senior fellow at the Nuffield Trust, said: Starting treatment for cancer early is so important, so these findings showing that prisoners are less likely to receive treatments such as tumour removals than cancer patients in the general population are shocking. Unfortunately, these findings only represent part of a broken system where the healthcare needs of prisoners are systematically and regularly not being met. Prisoners should have the same right and access to healthcare services as everyone else, but this basic premise is far from reality.

A government spokesperson said: People in prison should receive the same standard and range of healthcare services as they would in the community, including cancer treatment. NHS England has developed a framework to reduce healthcare inequalities at both a national and system level, including for those in contact with the criminal justice system. We will continue to work to improve care pathways for offenders to access healthcare.

An NHS spokesperson, said: The NHS is committed to ensuring that anyone in prison diagnosed with cancer receives prompt and effective treatment in line with community provision and we are continuing to work with partner organisations on ways to make it easier for people within secure and detained environments to access cancer and other healthcare services.
A screenshot of a deleted image showing Russian Red Cross staff posing with Kalashnikov rifles at a military event for children. Photograph: Battle Brotherhood

The International Red Cross movement has decided not to suspend membership of the Russian Red Cross (RRC), despite potential breaches of neutrality regulations brought to light by an investigation by a group of international media outlets, including the Guardian.

Research showed what appeared to be numerous violations of the Red Cross charter by the Russian organisation since the launch of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), an umbrella body of national societies, has the power to suspend members that violate Red Cross principles of neutrality and independence, and did so to the Belarusian chapter last year.

However, after a four-day meeting of IFRC officials in Geneva, the decision was made not to suspend the RRC, but only to create an oversight body and ask the RRC to address identified challenges and alleged breaches of integrity.

The move was quickly criticised by Ukrainian officials as a weak response to serious allegations. The IFRC has become an advocate for the RRC, and thus for Russian aggression against Ukraine, said Ukraines human rights commissioner, Dmytro Lubinets. He criticised the IFRC for not taking stronger action, echoing claims from Kyiv over the past two years that the international Red Cross bodies have been so worried about getting on the wrong side of Moscow that they have ended up playing into Russias hands.

The investigation, published last month by a group of outlets including the Guardian, was partly based on a series of leaked Kremlin documents, which appeared to show plans to fund offshoot branches of the RRC on occupied Ukrainian territory.

It also found that senior figures in RRC regional branches spoke of the need for war with Ukrainian Nazis, and that uniformed Red Cross workers were frequently present at military training events for children. Earlier this year, the Russian Red Cross signed a memorandum of cooperation with Artek, a youth camp in annexed Crimea where some children deported from Ukraine have been sent. The head of Artek, Konstantin Fedorenko, has been hit with sanctions by the US and the EU.

Additionally, the RRC head, Pavel Savchuk, was a board member of the All-Russian Peoples Front (ONF), a movement created by the Kremlin that holds the trademark for the Z sign, the symbol of Russias invasion of Ukraine. Savchuk was identified as such on the ONFs website until journalistic nquiries were made about it earlier this year. Then, his photograph was removed. The IFRC claims Savchuk has not been involved in the ONF since March 2022.

Last year, the Belarusian Red Cross was suspended by the IFRC after it emerged that its head had worn the Z symbol and had expressed support for the abduction of Ukrainian children.

For now, however, the Russian branch has been spared the same fate. An IFRC statement said the Russian branch had cooperated throughout the review and said it had found no evidence on many of the allegations. It recommended training in Red Cross principles for all RRC staff.

But Lubinets claimed: IFRCs position is cynical: it is turning a blind eye to the fact that RRC is collaborating with sanctioned individuals and organisations who are helping in kidnapping Ukrainian children..
Kate Forbes (left) is by far the most popular nationalist politician among voters after rejecting Nicola Sturgeon's woke politics - PA/Jane Barlow

The gift that keeps on giving  for the Unionist cause. That, when all is said and done, is the overwhelming message of the latest chaotic reverse for the SNP. And, just like all the other farcical episodes, Humza Yousafs inevitable resignation as Scotlands First Minister is down to one issue alone: the poisoned chalice handed down by Nicola Sturgeon.

However, even with masses of evidence at its disposal it would seem that the SNP is in danger of making another of the same stupid mistakes bequeathed to it by Sturgeon.

Many nationalists are already insisting that Yousaf was forced to ditch the Scottish Greens because of what they call the policies of the SNPs conservative Right-wing. I assume that what they mean are policies that most voters reckon are the basics  you know, like educating their children, having their ailments treated by the NHS and creating employment through a vibrant economy.

I hope Im wrong but this looks like meaning that the one possible leadership candidate to replace Yousaf and who believes ardently in all of these policies  Kate Forbes  might be rejected again.

She shouldnt be but if she is, it would only go to show that the SNP remains committed to Sturgeons hopeless agenda.

It is also struggling under the weight of the nearly three-year investigation into the missing SNP 600,000 cash that has seen Sturgeons husband charged in connection with its embezzlement. She was arrested, not charged and has denied any wrongdoing but is still being investigated.

Ultra-Left woke agenda

Weve grown used to the SNP pursuing an ultra-Left woke agenda during the three-year coalition but we are, sadly, likely to see the Greens still calling the policy shots from Holyroods backbenches. A Forbes victory in the race to succeed Yousaf would at last bring in a common-sense approach to government.

Sturgeon turned what was the countrys most successful political party  in terms of winning elections  into a shambles thanks to failing to improve the lot of the Scottish people but to make a name for herself on the international stage. She said shed break up Britain and bring about dramatic societal change by mould-breaking legislation on gender reform.

And at her side throughout this campaign and as she forged an ill-starred coalition with the Scottish Greens was none other than the man whos shaping up to succeed Yousaf as first minister  John Swinney.

Sixty-year-old Swinney was SNP leader in opposition but was Sturgeons deputy and uber-loyal supporter in government and is now considering whether to step up as party boss and first minister until 2026. And although he says hell remain a Left-of-centre moderate his past words and actions belie this.

When the Supreme Court killed Sturgeons hope of another independence referendum and the UK Government stepped in to veto her gender reform, which had been followed by a trans rapist being sent to an all-female jail, there was only silence and support for his boss from John Swinney.

But he launched a personal attack on Forbes when she looked like proving to be a major threat to Yousaf in the race to succeed Sturgeon last year. Swinney said it wasnt appropriate for someone with her views  Forbes is a staunch Christian and member of the Free Church of Scotland  to lead the SNP. And he challenged Forbess claim that her views were part of her religious beliefs.

Attacks on Forbess faith

It was Swinneys words, as much as any others, that set the tone for many attacks on Forbess faith that led her to claim that many people of faith were fearful of getting involved in politics.

If Swinney does decide to throw his hat in the ring, having declined to do so last year when Sturgeon resigned, it is pretty clear that hed be favourite for the job.

It is true that there is nothing like an abundance of talent within the SNPs senior ranks but, as in other parties, that doesnt stop individuals believing that they could do the job even if theyre in a minority of one in believing so. But at least education minister Jenny Gilruth has already signalled that shed support Swinney if he does stand. Others, such as health minister Neil Gray, are also expected to stand aside and support Swinney.

Thus far, Kate Forbes is said to be thinking about whether shed stand. She should. She is by far the most popular nationalist politician among voters, if not among the 50,000 or so SNP members who will decide the issue.

She is disliked by many nationalists for her opposition to gay marriage, abortion and sex before marriage but she has remained committed to Scottish independence.

But at least with her as first minister the campaign to break up Britain wouldnt be the only political issue that mattered and issues such as jobs, schools and hospitals would get higher priority.

It would be a great pity if she missed the chance to spell out such a sensible manifesto again. Who knows, the SNP rank and file might see sense and finally ditch Sturgeons poisonous political legacy.
Publicly, Stephen Flynn has been one of the few senior SNP figures to defend Humza Yousaf - Robert Perry/Getty Images

Stephen Flynn, the SNPs Westminster leader, is believed to have played a pivotal role in Humza Yousafs downfall.

Mr Flynn, the Aberdeen South MP, is said to have applied pressure to Mr Yousaf to end the coalition deal with the Scottish Greens, which was being blamed by many in the SNP for the partys plummeting poll ratings.

He was seen at Holyrood on Wednesday, the day before Mr Yousaf tore up the pact, and is understood to have met the First Minister.

He also spoke to him on Thursday evening after it became apparent that his gamble had backfired and he was facing a fight for his political career.

MPs are said to have become increasingly concerned that a focus on identity politics, championed by the Scottish Greens, was making the SNP appear detached from the everyday concerns of voters. They feared a disaster at the forthcoming election, based on reactions from constituents.

Mr Flynn holds a seat in which tens of thousands of jobs rely on North Sea oil and gas, and has faced claims that he bounced Mr Yousaf into ending the deal signed by Nicola Sturgeon.

Despite recent attempts by the SNP to pivot away from a perception of hostility to the sector, these were undermined by having Greens in government who back its demise.

Nobody tells First Minister what to do

Mr Flynn said claims that he played a key role in Humza Yousafs downfall are a lie.

Speaking outside Parliament, the Aberdeen South MP said: Anyone positing that argument is doing so without the facts in place, it is in effect a lie, it is not true.

Nobody goes into the First Ministers house and tells them what to do, let alone me. Any individual pushing this argument is overstating my influence and is perhaps overestimating their own abilities politically.

The reality is that myself and the First Minister, of course, discussed the situation with regards to the Bute House Agreement. I believe he made the right choice. I was not aware of the plan that was in place. We discussed the pros and the cons.

He added: The First Minister has himself said today that he misjudged the response from the Greens and, of course, the plan that was put in place by the First Minister and his advisers has obviously not come to fruition, but that doesnt mean the decision was wrong. The decision was the right one.

Publicly, Mr Flynn has been one of the few senior SNP figures to defend Mr Yousaf. The day after he ended the deal with the Scottish Greens, he appeared on BBC Scotlands flagship morning radio show when Scottish Government ministers declined.

I have confidence in him not just as party leader but to continue in his role as First Minister, Mr Flynn said then. I have no doubt that hes going to come out fighting, and rightly so.

What he did [by ending the coalition] was to reset the Scottish Governments ambitions and reset the Scottish Governments focus on the priorities of the people of Scotland.

However, in the same interview, he also refused to rule out his own leadership run should Mr Yousaf be forced from office.

While Mr Flynn was far from alone in criticising the deal with the Greens, those who demanded an end to the agreement are now facing recriminations from those who backed it.

Greens are our only potential partners

Mhairi Hunter, a former SNP councillor who is very close to Nicola Sturgeon, said on Friday she was sure that Mr Yousaf would turn back time if he could.

She also hit out at those calling for a reset to Salmond-style minority government, saying they had been misguided, adding that unlike in the SNPs first term in government Unionist parties would not work with it because they hated its electoral success.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, she said: That means only the Greens are our potential partners and do you know why? Because that is what voters decided. So you should accept that.

Another thing that should be accepted is that a good outcome of a snap election for the SNP would return pretty much the same result  an SNP minority reliant on the Greens. This is the inescapable parliamentary arithmetic. You may not like it, but it is what it is.

And its fine. Do you want to find common ground on tackling climate change & creating a fairer society or do you want to have to find common ground with Douglas Ross [the Scottish Tory leader] ?
Under Putin, Russia's gangster regime status was firmly established long before it invaded Ukraine - Gavriil Grigorov/Pool Sputnik Kremlin

When Vladimir Putins tanks poured over the Ukrainian border, the world changed dramatically. With Russias status as a lethal pariah state confirmed, the time had come for everyone to pick a side.

For Western companies, it meant making some tough but very obvious decisions about their presence in Russia. Choosing to stay in the country was effectively the same as choosing to fund Putins war machine  chief executives knew the financial implications of continuing to do business with the Kremlin, not to mention the massive propaganda victory it handed Moscow.

The same applied to any organisation doing business with a Russian organisation or individual, or helping to facilitate Russian trade whether its oil, gas, coal or other exports.

Most Western outfits grasped the nettle and got out quickly, often suffering sizeable losses on the businesses they abandoned. Others dragged their feet but exited eventually, and at times under visible duress. Some said they wanted to get out but provided a whole variety of reasons as to why they couldnt immediately.

For a while they were given the benefit of the doubt, on the understanding that it was the bureaucracy of Russias state machinery that was holding them back and a way through it would be found.

Yet, shamefully, more than two years later, a few remain, still hiding behind the same hollow excuses and still profiting in a country that continues to bomb Ukrainians, not to mention one whose leader has threatened Ukraines allies with nuclear Armageddon.

A few Western companies are still profiting in a country that continues to bomb Ukrainians - SERGEY KOZLOV/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Putins missiles may be contained for now but he is at war with the entire Western world. Any company that has stuck around is a willful participant in that fight, and therefore stands to be remembered as an enemy of efforts to stand up to Russian tyranny.

The Wests troubled attempts to escape Putins grasp are exemplified by Europes big banks. Indeed in some instances, efforts have been so risible that they border on the farcical.

Whether it is intentional, or even worse perhaps, by accident, a number of the big banks are now generating far more money in Russia than they were before the war started, which means even greater sums are being funnelled into the Kremlins tax coffers.

The top seven European banks by assets  Raiffeisen, UniCredit, ING, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo and OTP  racked up combined profits of more than 3bn (2.6bn) in 2023. Thats three times more than in 2021. Tax revenues to Moscow now stand at 800m, a four-fold increase on pre-war levels.

Some of these big lenders, such as Deutsche Bank, its big German rival Commerzbank, and Hungarys OTP have at least pared back their presence. Italys Intesa is the closest to exiting, but despite securing the necessary approval from Putin months ago to sell its Russian business to local management, bureaucratic steps have so far prevented it from closing the deal, Carlo Messina said in February.

A special mention goes to Austrias Raiffeisen, an institution that made 1.8bn in Russia between 2021 and 2023  equivalent to half of the Austrian groups total profits.

Before the war it had been about a third  still an astonishing proportion for any major Western financial institution, and a reminder of the extent to which some companies have been willing to set aside any notion of a moral compass in the never-ending and single-minded pursuit of profit, despite bold claims to the contrary.

Raiffeisen claims to be a proud pioneer of responsible banking in Austria. It is even a signatory of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Banking  further proof, if any were needed, that the ethical investment movement is a sham and the UN is no longer a serious institution.

Companies have tried every excuse in the book to justify still being in a country that has killed an estimated 70,000 Ukrainian soldiers and more than 10,000 civilians, but none of them stands up to real scrutiny.

The common refrain is that it is impossible to withdraw. But that is untrue  there are numerous examples of it being done successfully, including at Frances Societe Generale, owner of Russias largest foreign-owned bank. It managed to get out less than two months after the invasion.

Moscow may have made it harder. But as arch-Kremlin critic and American financier Bill Browder has pointed out, some banks hoped they could keep their heads down and things would blow over, so its a bit rich to complain about being stuck now.

Many say they dont want to sell out because the money goes directly to the Kremlin. But surely a one-off windfall is better than repeated tax receipts? The same argument is made against simply walking away  the rationale being that an even worse scenario would be to allow the assets to fall into the wrong hands. But surely Moscow profits either way?

Some are simply reaping what they sowed by getting into bed with Putin in the first place. Russias gangster regime status was firmly established long before it invaded Ukraine.

Browder has suggested European banks could stick their Russian operations in a trust and allow any benefits that accrue to fund victims of the war in Ukraine. Another option is to match every rouble paid in taxes to Moscow with a rouble towards helping Kyiv defend itself.

At the end of the day, it is too easy and convenient to throw up hurdles. Instead of coming up with endless excuses to stay, those still brazenly peddling their wares in Russia should be doing whatever it takes to get out.
A.B. Quintanilla poses with a wax figure of his late sister, Selena, in 2017. Joshua Blanchard

Saturday night, A.B. Quintanilla went on a profanity-laced rant against the audience at his performance at Fiesta. On Sunday night, he apologized to San Antonio, saying he'd had a bipolar episode.

In a video he posted to social media, Quintanilla said he recently had a cancer scare that caused him to go off his medications for bipolar, a condition he said he developed after the death of his superstar sister, Selena.

"Im sad for my words and everything that went on in the concert," he said in the video. "Trust me: Thats not me."

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He said that while he underwent a biopsy in recent weeks, a doctor suggested that he pause his meds.

"I have not had any episodes whatsoever, but last night I did have one due to the fact that I did have to go through this cancer scare," he said. "On a good note, I was found negative for cancer. On a bad note, I was not able to take my meds, and it threw my whole chemistry of my body out of whack, my brain, everything, and I broke finally."

Selena's brother berated the crowd at Tejano Explosion 2024 for its lack of participation. A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia All Starz were closing out the multi-day Fiesta event when he went on a rant recorded by fans at the concert. Maria Perez/Courtesy

On Saturday, displeased with the lack of enthusiasm from his crowd, Quintanilla stood at the microphone and said he wouldn't play another show in San Antonio.

But in his social video Sunday, Quintanilla said he loves San Antonio.

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SNP/ Green Party split

When Nicola Sturgeon announced the Scottish National Partys (SNP) power-sharing agreement with the Greens in August 2021, she admitted her party was coming out of our comfort zone to make the partnership work.

The then first minister of Scotland had no idea just how far out of the SNPs comfort zone the Greens would manage to pull it. Less than three years on, the SNP has jettisoned the dead weight of the Greens like a balloonist trying to stay airborne, but all the signs are that outgoing leader Humza Yousafs party remains on course for a bone-crunching landing.

Dragged down by the Greens obsession with trans rights and net zero, the SNP may look back on the Bute House Agreement as the moment it sowed the seeds of its own destruction.

Ironically, the SNPs route to short-term survival may now lie in a pivot to the Right, potentially delivering a Scottish government that lies further away from the Green Partys principles than ever.

The roots of the uneasy alliance date back to the Scottish Parliament election of May 2021, when the SNP failed to win an overall majority, despite gaining one extra seat. For the previous five years, Sturgeon had been content to run the country as a minority government, but she had struggled to get some of her pet policies through parliament, and was attracted to the idea of a working majority with another pro-independence party.

The Greens, though, drove a hard bargain. It took two months of negotiations to reach a deal, and when it was finally signed at Bute House  Scotlands equivalent of 10 Downing Street  there were early warnings from some SNP supporters that the Greens were extremists who had pushed the party too far to the fringes of policy on climate, in particular.

Although it was a supply and demand agreement, rather than a formal coalition (like Theresa Mays deal with the DUP in 2017) the two Scottish Green co-leaders were given ministerial posts: Patrick Harvie as minister for zero carbon buildings, active travel and tenants rights, and Lorna Slater as minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity.

Sturgeon hailed the agreement as groundbreaking and Harvie described it as a historic moment, though Sturgeons mention of comfort zones acknowledged that the Greens had pushed her into areas she did not want to go.

'Historic moment': Nicola Sturgeon welcomed Scottish Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater into an informal coalition in August 2021 - Lesley Martin/PA

While Sturgeon believed much of the Green agenda overlapped with her own political positions, the deal meant that when she quit in March last year, her then successor Yousaf inherited a target of a 75 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, as well as the infamous Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill that would have introduced a self-identification system for people wanting to change sex but which was blocked by the Westminster government.

Both policies have proved catastrophic for the SNP.

Last week the SNP energy secretary, Mairi McAllan, bowed to the inevitable and scrapped the unachievable carbon emission target.

The Scottish NHS has also paused the policy of prescribing puberty blockers to under-18s following Dr Hilary Casss report into child gender dysphoria treatment in England, which warned that there is insufficient evidence of any benefit from them.

Harvie was incensed, saying trans people under the age of 18 would not be able to get access to the treatment they need. He and Slater have now left their ministerial posts.

The damage to Yousafs credibility, however, had already been done. It was he who, as justice minister, championed a law on hate crimes that means anyone saying a man cannot be a woman can be recorded as the perpetrator of a non-crime hate incident.

By terminating the Bute House Agreement with immediate effect, Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf has put himself in a difficult position - Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The new law, which came into force at the start of April, has made Scotland a laughing stock as police, who promised to investigate every report of an alleged hate crime, find themselves swamped, with around 8,000 hate crime reports made in the first week.

Yousaf, whose net popularity ratings with SNP voters stood at plus 14 per cent at the start of the year, had a minus 7 per cent rating by the middle of this month, while his rating with the general public stood at minus 32 per cent, only three points better than Rishi Sunak, according to the polling firm Norstat.

With his working majority gone, he announced his resignation on Monday, admitting that he had clearly underestimated the level of hurt that his actions had caused the Greens, whose support he had hoped he could still count on.

He said that trust is clearly fundamental in any political deal, and with all trust in him gone his party is now looking for a new leader.

The most likely candidate, and some might say the only realistic candidate, to succeed him would be Kate Forbes, the woman who came second to Yousaf in last years leadership election with 48 per cent of the vote to his 52 per cent.

Opinion polls before the internal election suggested that Forbes, who is socially conservative, was far more popular with the public than Yousaf. She is at the polar opposite end of the scale to Yousaf when it comes to gender issues: as a committed Christian she is opposed to same-sex marriage and opposes the Gender Recognition Reform Bill in its current form. While that might have blotted her copybook with SNP members, they might have to hold their noses and accept the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch as leader if they want to stand any chance of staying in power.

Forbes has previously questioned the wisdom of the deal with the Greens, suggesting her political judgment is better than Yousafs.

There also remains the possibility that if all of the opposition parties stand united against the SNP, its minority government, unable to pass legislation, would have to call an early election, which could see the SNP lose power altogether thanks to a resurgence in support for Labour.

James Mitchell, a professor of public policy at the University of Edinburgh, says: The mess they [the SNP] are in is not just because of the Greens, its also their reputation for incompetence in government and the ongoing police inquiries.

Yousaf, pictured next to Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater, has been taunted by former SNP leader Alex Salmond - ane Barlow/PA Wire

Prof Mitchell believes Forbes will take over as leader, but that she would face considerable opposition from Sturgeon loyalists and those opposed to her socially conservative views, leaving the party as divided as ever.

They are in a mess, he added, and its a mess of their own making.

The Greens had wanted Scotland to be the most socially liberal government in Europe, but by stretching the elastic band to snapping point they might well be responsible for making it a far more conservative place led by Forbes.
Ukrainian servicemen rest at a side of a road leading towards Ocheretyne area in the Donetsk region - GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty

Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the US to speed up weapons deliveries, warning that advancing Russian forces are trying to take advantage of Ukraines shortfall.

Holding a joint press conference with Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg, Mr Zelensky said that the situation on the battlefield directly depended on the speed of ammunition supplies to Ukraine.

Timely support for our army. Today I dont see anything positive on this point yet. There are supplies, they have slightly begun, this process needs to be sped up, he said.

The United States passed a $61 billion aid package last week, ending months of congressional deadlock and raising hopes in Kyiv that its critically low stocks of artillery shells would soon be replenished.

Ukraines top commander said on Sunday his troops had retreated from three villages in the east, and earlier today Russian forces captured the village of Semenivka.

The Russian army is now trying to take advantage of a situation when we are waiting for supplies from our partners... and that is exactly why the speed of deliveries means stabilising the front, Mr Zelensky said.

04:01 PM BST

Thats all for today

Thank you for following our coverage. The key developments were:

Russian forces have captured the village of Semenivka in the Donetsk region, Russias defence ministry said, a day after Ukrainian troops retreated west.

Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the US to speed up weapons deliveries, warning that advancing Russian forces are trying to take advantage of Ukraines shortfall.

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said it is not too late for Ukraine to win the war.

Two trains have been destroyed in Russia over the past few days, reducing the Kremlins logistics capacity, according to Ukraines military intelligence.

Russias invasion of Ukraine has given a fresh impetus to the European Unions drive to admit more countries, the blocs chairman said, adding he hoped the 27-nation club and prospective new members would be ready by 2030.

Polish farmers unblocked all border crossing points with Ukraine, after protesting what they said was unfair competition from goods from Ukraine.

German prosecutors have launched an investigation into a Russian citizen arrested on suspicion of stabbing two Ukrainian soldiers to death in southern Germany over the weekend.

03:48 PM BST

Small numbers of US weapons arriving in Ukraine

Fresh supplies of weapons from the US have begun to arrive in Ukraine but the process needs to speed up, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

03:17 PM BST

German prosecutors launch probe into killing of Ukrainian soldiers

German prosecutors have launched an investigation into a Russian citizen arrested on suspicion of stabbing two Ukrainian soldiers to death in southern Germany over the weekend.

The soldiers  who had been convalescing in southern Germany  were found with serious stab wounds outside a shopping centre Saturday evening, according to police. One of them, aged 36, died at the scene, while the other, 23, succumbed to his wounds in hospital.

A 57-year-old Russian citizen was arrested in his home shortly after the act on suspicion of murder, police said.

The prosecutor generals office in Munich said it had since taken over the case and was not able to rule out a political motivation on the part of the alleged perpetrator.

02:58 PM BST

Watch: Russia to show off Western vehicles captured in Ukraine during Victory Day celebrations

02:38 PM BST

Nato chief says not too late for Ukraine to win war

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said it is not too late for Ukraine to win the war.

Ukraine has been outgunned for months, forced to ration its ammunition... But its not too late for Ukraine to prevail, the Nato secretary general said at a press conference with Mr Zelensky.

02:26 PM BST

Russia says taking control of Ariston unit is response to Western hostilities

The transfer of the Russian subsidiary of Italian water heating firm Ariston to management by a Gazprom entity was a response to the hostile actions of Western countries, the Russian embassy in Italy said in a Facebook post.

The statement was released after the ambassador was summoned to the Italian foreign ministry to explain the relocation of the asset under the temporary management of JSC Gazprom Household Systems.

In the decree, Russian president Vladimir Putin also placed the German appliance maker BSH Hausgeraete under the same temporary external management.

These measures were taken in response to hostile actions, contrary to international law, by the United States and other foreign states that have joined them, aimed at illegally depriving Russia, its legal entities and various individuals of the right to property in those countries, the post says.

The embassy added that it considered the increasingly aggressive rhetoric and tone of Western countries as a deliberate intention to threaten the security of the Russian Federation.

The Italian foreign ministry called on Russia to reverse its decision which has no basis in law, and said foreign minister Antonio Tajani may discuss an appropriate response with the G7 and Italys EU partners.

02:20 PM BST

Russian troops seize eastern village after Ukrainian forces retreat

Russian forces have captured the village of Semenivka in Ukraines Donetsk region, Russias defence ministry said, a day after Ukrainian troops retreated west.

Russian troops have advanced through at least half a dozen villages on the eastern front since capturing the bastion town of Avdiivka in February as exhausted Ukrainian forces rationed dwindling artillery supplies.

On Sunday, the Russian ministry also announced the capture of Novobakhmutivka, another village close to Ocheretyne, which has become a focal point of fighting in recent days.

Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraines armed forces, has stressed that Russian troops are attacking the entire front line. The situation remains intense and is changing dynamically, he said.

01:52 PM BST

Russias war in Ukraine boosts EU case for further expansion, chairman says

Russias invasion of Ukraine has given a fresh impetus to the European Unions drive to admit more countries, the blocs chairman has said, adding he hoped the 27-nation club and prospective new members would be ready by 2030.

European Council president Charles Michel spoke ahead of the 20th anniversary on Wednesday of the EUs Big Bang enlargement that added 10 mostly ex-communist nations such as Poland and Hungary but also the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus to a bloc that had then comprised just 15 members.

It was a call of history to unite European countries, Mr Michel told reporters of the 2004 enlargement.

Twenty years later we face a similar challenge because there is this geo-political chaos, including because of this war by Russia against Ukraine. And facing this chaos is the geo-political strategy to reunify once again.

01:08 PM BST

Arms flows to Ukraine will increase, says Nato chief

Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg has told Ukrainians that his alliances members had failed to live up to their promises of military aid in recent months, but said the flow of arms and ammunition would now increase.

In an unannounced visit to Ukraine, the secretary general of the transatlantic military alliance held talks with president Volodymyr Zelensky and was due to address Ukraines parliament, the Rada.

His visit  the third since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022  comes at a difficult time on the battlefield for Ukraine. After a failed Ukrainian counter-offensive last year, Russian forces have gained the initiative  at least in part due to a dearth of arms and ammunition from Kyivs Western partners.

Volodymyr Zelensky and Jens Stoltenberg host a press conference in Kyiv - REUTERS/Thomas Peter

I will also be very honest with president Zelensky and also with the Rada that Nato allies have not delivered what we have promised over the last months, Mr Stoltenberg said.

The United States spent six months to agree a package and European allies have not delivered the ammunition we promised. But now Im confident that things will change, he said.

01:03 PM BST

More than 50 children killed in Ukraine in March, double Februarys figure, UN says

According to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, 57 children were reported killed in March 2024  double the previous month. The increase was attributed directly to Russian use of aerial munitions.

The number of civilians killed or wounded in March was 604, a 20 per cent increase over the previous month.

In total there have been 31,366 civilian casualties in Ukraine since Russias invasion on February 24 2022: 10,810 killed and 20,556 wounded.

12:07 PM BST

Czech police shelve blast case involving Russian spies

Czech police have shelved the case of two ammunition depot blasts in 2014 involving the Russian secret service, citing Moscows unwillingness to cooperate.

The explosions near the eastern Czech village of Vrbetice killed two workers and caused extensive damage.

The police considers it a proven fact that the explosions of both depots in Vrbetice were carried out by officers of the Russian military intelligence service... GRU, Czech police said on its website. Their motivation was to prevent arms and ammunition supplies to areas where the Russian army was conducting its operations.

The blasts occurred only months after Russia annexed Ukraines Crimea peninsula in early 2014.

Czech intelligence and media said the agents were the same ones suspected of poisoning former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England, in 2018.

Czech police said the Vrbetice blasts were a part of long-term diversionary operations by the Russian military intelligence on the territory of the EU and Ukraine.

It is not possible to gain the necessary information from the Russian Army and Russian secret services and... the police have decided to shelve the case, a police statement said.

11:43 AM BST

Do you have a question about the war in Ukraine?

Dominic Nicholls, The Telegraphs Associate Editor (Defence) and co-host of the daily Ukraine: The Latest podcast, will be answering readers questions.

11:31 AM BST

Two Russian trains destroyed in blow to Putins war effort

Two trains have been destroyed in Russia over the past few days, reducing the Kremlins logistics capacity, according to Ukraines military intelligence (HUR).

One train was set on fire in Orenburg, 1,100 kilometres east of the Ukrainian border, by unknown persons on April 28. Another was destroyed in a fire in the Russian city of Vladikavkaz overnight on April 26.

The attack on the Russian railway

The train network has been critical for Russia throughout the war, with the Kremlin often relying on rail to carry and supply its convoys.

Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the destruction and Russia has yet to comment.

11:22 AM BST

Watch: Russian missile attack targets Kharkiv hospital narrowly missing

11:09 AM BST

Western banks in Russia paid 800mn in taxes to Kremlin last year

The largest western banks that remain in Russia paid the Kremlin more than 800 million of taxes last year  a fourfold increase on prewar levels, according to an analysis by the Financial Times. It reports:

The seven top European banks by assets in Russia  Raiffeisen Bank International, UniCredit, ING, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo and OTP  reported a combined profit of more than 3bn in 2023. Those profits were three times more than in 2021 and were partly generated by funds that the banks cannot withdraw from the country. The jump in profitability resulted in the European banks paying about 800mn in tax, up from 200mn in 2021. It came in addition to profits at US lenders such as Citigroup and JPMorgan. The taxes paid by European banks, equivalent to about 0.4 per cent of all Russias expected non-energy budget revenues for 2024, are an example of how foreign companies remaining in the country help the Kremlin maintain financial stability despite western sanctions.

10:36 AM BST

Ukraines farm minister welcomes end of Polish border blockade

Ukraines farm minister has welcomed the ending of a months-long border blockade by Polish protesters, which he said followed productive talks with Poland.

The negotiations that took place were not easy, but the main thing is that we have a result, Mykola Solsky was quoted as saying in a statement from the ministry.

10:19 AM BST

British men charged under new security law over pro-Russia attack

Several British men were charged under a new national security law for supporting Russia by carrying out an arson attack on a Ukraine-linked business.

Three other men were charged with related offenses in order to benefit Russia by conducting hostile activity in the UK, the Crown Prosecution Service.

Dylan Earl, 20, is suspected of involvement in foreign power threat activity and allegedly planned the arson attack. He has been charged under the National Security Act 2023.

Paul English, 60, and Nii Mensah, 21, were charged with aggravated arson. Jake Reeves, 22, is accused of agreeing to accept a material benefit from a foreign intelligence service as well as aggravated arson.

A fifth man, Dmitrijus Paulauska, 22, was charged with having information about terrorist acts.

All the men will appear at Londons Old Bailey Central Criminal Court on May 10.

09:58 AM BST

Ukraine focusing on improving drone operations

Ukraine is making every effort to increase its drone operations, Volodymyr Zelenksy has said on social media.

We are making every effort to increase our capabilities in drone operation. And I thank our partners who help us. I thank everyone who trains operators, as well as our warriors for their efficiency. I thank everyone involved in the production and those who ensure better pic.twitter.com/KzswEKrkKu  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) April 29, 2024

09:53 AM BST

Seven Ukrainians injured in 24 hours

Russian attacks on Ukraine have injured seven citizens over the past 24 hours, regional authorities said, reported by the Kyiv Independent.

Strikes on the town of Krasnohorivka and the villages of Ptyche and Zhelanne in Donetsk Oblast injured three people, governor Vadym Filashkin said.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian troops attacked a house in the town of Kupiansk, injuring a 35-year-old woman and 52-year-old man, according to governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Another 59-year-old man was reportedly wounded in an attack on the village of Strilecha.

In the village of Bairak, a 48-year-old man was hospitalized after being injured by a mine, the governor said.

09:40 AM BST

Polish protesters unblock all crossings into Ukraine

Polish protesters unblocked all border crossing points with Ukraine on Monday morning, a Ukraine border guard spokesperson said on a Ukrainian TV broadcast.

Fortunately, we have unblocked all directions on the border with Poland, the border guard spokesman Andriy Demchenko said of Polish farmers ending the blockade. He added that the trucks transporting grain products will still face restrictions.

The farmers have been blocking border crossings with Ukraine to protest what they say is unfair competition from goods from Ukraine since a duty-free deal was announced by the EU in the wake of Russias invasion.

09:33 AM BST

ICYMI: Ukrainian Air Force use iPads in Soviet-era jets to control modern Western weaponry

09:14 AM BST

Number of Russian men with disabilities increases, says MoD

Since 2023, there has been a record 30 per cent increase in Russian men aged 31-59 with disabilities, according to the British Ministry of Defence.

Russian demographers claim the increase is most likely due to the growth in military casualties following the invasion.

Since 2023, there's been a record 30% increase in Russian men aged 31-59 with disabilities.



Russian demographers claim the increase is most likely due to the growth in military casualties following the invasion.



 #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/lLG9uf3VVE  Ministry of Defence  (@DefenceHQ) April 28, 2024

09:11 AM BST

Chinas Xi to visit France

Chinese president Xi Jinping will visit France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5-10, a spokesperson for Chinas foreign ministry announced, with war in Ukraine and the Middle East expected to be high on the agenda.

China looks forward to working with France to further enhance political mutual trust, solidarity and cooperation, Lin said.

He also said Xi will hold talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to exchange views on bilateral relations and discuss upgrading the China-Serbia relationship.

08:58 AM BST

Two Russian journalists jailed on extremism charges for alleged work for Navalny group

Two Russian journalists have been arrested on extremism charges and ordered to remain in custody pending investigation and trial on accusations of working for a group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges. They will be detained for a minimum of two months before any trials begin, and each face a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years for alleged participation in an extremist organisation.

Mr Gabov and Mr Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalnys Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which has been outlawed by Russian authorities. Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February.

Konstantin Gabov attends a hearing at a court in Moscow on Saturday April 27 - Basmanny District Court press service

Sergey Karelin appears in court in the Murmansk region of Russia on Saturday April 27 - AP

Mr Gabov is a freelance producer who has worked for multiple organisations, including Reuters, the court press service said.

Mr Karelin, 41 and who has dual citizenship with Israel, has worked for a number of outlets, including for The Associated Press. He was a cameraman for German media outlet Deutsche Welle until the Kremlin banned the outlet from operating in Russia in February

They are just the latest journalists arrested amid a Russian government crackdown on dissent and independent media that intensified after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

08:39 AM BST

German ex-soldier to stand trial in Russian spying case

A German former soldier will go on trial today accused of spying for Russia, as Berlin faces a surge in Moscow-linked espionage cases amid the Ukraine war.

The suspect, identified only as Thomas H, was arrested in August last year in the western city of Koblenz.

He is accused of passing information to Russian intelligence services that he obtained while working in the procurement unit of the German military, or Bundeswehr.

Since Russias invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Germany  the second-largest supplier of military aid to Kyiv  has seen a jump in alleged spying cases linked to Moscow.

Thomas H. had been a career soldier, working at the armys Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support Department.

In May 2023, the suspect approached the Russian general consulate in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin and offered his cooperation, prosecutors said in a statement when he was arrested. In the process, he passed on information he had obtained in the course of his professional activities for it to be passed on to a Russian intelligence service.

After his arrest, media reports suggested he had access to sensitive information as the department he worked in counted among its tasks the procurement of highly modern systems for electronic warfare.These included technology for the surveillance and disruption of opponents radio systems and the shutting down of enemy radio or airshield systems.

Thomas H. faces charges of being an intelligence agent and violating rules on official secrecy. He is standing trial in the western city of Duesseldorf, with hearings set to last until late June.

08:33 AM BST

Pictured: Life in Ukraine

Yaw and Eugene, who are entrepreneurs, assemble FPV drones in a kitchen in Kyiv to donate to the Ukrainian armed forces - REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Psychologist Vita holding the puppy "Knopa" in a dugout in Kherson region - Psychologist Vita holding the puppy "Knopa" in a dugout on April 27, 2024 in Kherson region,

Two women walk along a street in downtown Kyiv - (AP Photo/Francisco Seco

08:22 AM BST

Ukraine spy agency says Telegram platform blocks its key bots

Ukraines military spy agency GUR said that the management of the Telegram messaging platform has blocked a number of official bots that opposed Russias military aggression against Ukraine.

Today, the management of the Telegram platform unreasonably blocked a number of official bots that opposed Russias military aggression against Ukraine, including the main Intelligence bot, GUR said in a statement posted on the Telegram.

Despite the blocking of our bot  your personal data is safe.

Telegrams press service did not immediately reply to Reuters request to comment.

08:21 AM BST

Ukraine says resisting heavy attacks in east amid Russian advance

Ukraine said it has foiled 55 Russian attacks in the eastern Donetsk region, a day after it admitted to a worsening situation on the front line.

Moscow over the weekend claimed another eastern village, Novobakhmutivka, as struggling Ukrainian forces await the arrival of crucial US weapons.

The Ukrainian army said it had repulsed 55 attacks in several villages north and west of Novobakhmutivka.

These included Ocheretyne, where heavy fighting was reported on Sunday.

The villages lie north of the hub of Adviivka, captured by Russian troops in February. Moscows forces have since pushed deeper into the Donetsk region.



Further south, Ukraine said its forces continue to hold back the enemy in several settlements west of the Moscow-held city of Donetsk, including the town of Krasnogorivka, which has served as a key stronghold for Kyiv.

Ukraines commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said Sunday his troops had retreated to new defensive lines further to the west in some areas.
Politicians must get off the fence on the issue of assisted dying, broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby has said as MPs began a lengthy debate on the law at Westminster.

Campaigners both for and against legal reform gathered outside Parliament on Monday afternoon after a petition backed by Dame Esther Rantzen gathered more than 200,000 signatures.

Three hours have been set aside for the Westminster Hall debate, at which various MPs can air their views on whether or not they feel a change in the law is necessary, but there will be no vote at the end.

A number of high-profile figures have spoken out on the issue in recent months.

Dame Esther, who has stage four lung cancer, is not attending due to her health but has vowed to watch the debate closely, saying a change in the law would mean that I could look forward in confidence to a death which is pain-free surrounded by people I love.

Her efforts in speaking out on the issue have been praised by fellow pro-change campaigner Dame Prue Leith, who cannot make the debate due to filming commitments but has called for less pearl-clutching and more serious, constructive debate.

Dimbleby, who gathered with pro-change campaigners on Monday, has previously described the current law as increasingly unbearable following the death of his younger brother Nicholas, who suffered with motor neurone disease (MND).

In a message to MPs, he told the PA news agency: Get off the fence, dont sit on your hands, have a proper full debate about all the implications, and at the end of that I am sure they will introduce legislation.

He described the Not Dead Yet protest being held next to the Dignity in Dying demonstration as impassioned but unreasonable, saying some of the slogans were scare stories that I wish that people wouldnt deploy because of their own very strong feelings.

Those who oppose a change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the campaign group Care Not Killing, described Mondays debate as a missed opportunity to talk about fixing the UKs palliative and social care system.

He said: Instead of discussing this dangerous and ideological policy, we should be talking about how to fix the UKs broken and patchy palliative care system so everyone can have a dignified death.

The issue was last voted on in the Commons in 2015, when it was defeated at second reading stage by 330 votes to 118.

Dame Prue Leith wants more serious debate on a change in the law in connection with assisted dying (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Opening the Westminster Hall debate, Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the Petitions Committee, said: The fact that in less than two years we have had two petitions debates on this subject clearly indicates to me and to others that this issue is one our constituents are highly engaged in.

She added that whatever our own views we must recognise that public opinion on assisted dying has shifted in one direction, citing polls by Dignity in Dying showing overwhelming support for law changes with safeguards in place and a rise in UK members of Dignitas.

She said Dame Esthers public speaking on the issue had contributed to a heightened awareness of assisted dying.

Dame Esther Rantzen said she will be watching Mondays debate closely but cannot attend because of her health (Esther Rantzen/PA)

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

A Bill was introduced in Scotland in March  the third time members of the Scottish Parliament will have considered the issue  with two previous attempts to change the law defeated.

A report by MPs at Westminster in February warned that the Government must consider what to do if the law is changed in part of the UK or on the Isle of Man or Jersey, both of which are crown dependencies and both of which are currently considering the issue.

In a response published on Monday to the Health and Social Care Committee report, the Government said it would discuss with the devolved administrations and crown dependencies the practical implications for England and Wales of legislation introduced to allow AD/AS (assisted dying/assisted suicide) and any constitutional issues that such legislation may present.

While the Government said it would expect the implementation period to allow time for such discussions whilst the necessary regulatory measures are put in place, committee chairman Steve Brine said conversations need to start earlier than that.

Sir Keir Starmer has previously said he is committed to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should Labour win the general election while Downing Street has previously said it would be up to Parliament whether to debate legalising assisted dying again.
Prison Break star Dominic Purcell has said his skull was visible when he was involved in an on-set accident while filming in Morocco.

The actor, 54, who is married to Miley Cyruss mother Tish Cyrus, said he feared he was suffering a bleed on his brain after an iron bar cracked his skull.

He did not specify when the accident happened or what he was filming at the time.

Sharing a graphic photo of his injuries on Instagram, he wrote: NO ITS NOT MAKE UP.

When an iron bar breaks your face and cracks ya skull. You get it fixed and you move on.

I often come back to this moment in #morocco. I was filming a scene.

One minute Im running the next a tremendous force exploded upon me. My stunty @johnnymacstunts came running to my side and said.  doesnt look good. Your nose is smashed and I can see your skull. I replied.  thats not good.

Point is  I thought for sure I was going to have a brain bleed, pass out and die. I found it amusing that my end would be in the desert, with not a hospital insight doing what I love most.

On reflection its how I accepted death thats always puzzled me. I guess its just that. I accepted it.

Now here I am. Another witness to the mysteries of life writing about it.

Accept. Move forward. Get on with it. I guess?

What other option is there to the business of living.

Purcell shot to fame in 2005 as the wrongly incarcerated inmate Lincoln Burrows in the hit TV series Prison Break, which also starred Wentworth Miller.

He has also appeared in the TV series of The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, and played Dracula in Blade: Trinity.

He has recently become a tabloid fixture for his high profile romance with Cyrus.

The couple married in August 2023 at Cyruss popstar daughter Mileys home in Malibu, California.
Campaigners, bereaved relatives and famous faces are due to gather outside Parliament ahead of a debate on assisted dying amid a call for less pearl-clutching and more constructive conversation.

Broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, who has previously described the current law as increasingly unbearable following the death of his younger brother Nicholas, who suffered with motor neurone disease (MND), is expected to be among the high profile figures gathered.

Others including actor Dame Susan Hampshire and long-time campaigner Peter Tatchell are said to be lending their voices to calls for a change in the law at a demonstration on Monday afternoon in central London ahead of the Westminster Hall debate.

Dame Esther Rantzen said she will be watching Mondays debate closely but cannot attend because of her health (Esther Rantzen/PA)

Pro-change campaign group Dignity in Dying said terminally ill people and bereaved relatives will also be among those gathered, while the organisation My Death, My Decision described it as a significant moment in the campaign for a compassionate assisted dying law.

A petition for a debate gained more than 200,000 signatures and has been backed by Dame Esther Rantzen.

The Childline founder and broadcaster, 83, has stage four lung cancer and revealed in December that she has joined the assisted dying clinic Dignitas.

She has branded the current law, which she said could see her family left at risk of prosecution if they helped her to go to Switzerland, as not right and not ethical, and has called for a free vote on assisted dying in Parliament.

Last week, Dame Esther said she will sadly be unable to attend Mondays event in person because of her health, but vowed she will be watching the debate closely as it affects my own decision to go to Dignitas in Zurich if necessary, to protect my family from witnessing a painful death.

Dame Prue Leith, another pro-change campaigner, hailed Dame Esthers efforts in speaking out, thanking her for everything she has done to make our politicians sit up and pay attention.

In a statement to the PA news agency, the Great British Bake Off judge, who is also unable to attend Mondays debate due to filming commitments, said: What is needed is less pearl-clutching about whether this reform should happen, and more serious, constructive debate about how to craft the best possible law for our dying people.

She said she is confident that one way or another this change will be coming to the UK in the next few years and described Westminster as being left in the dust while reforms are being debated in nearby jurisdictions.

The petition, which has led to Mondays debate, stated: Terminally ill people who are mentally sound and near the end of their lives should not suffer unbearably against their will.

Dame Prue Leith said there must be less pearl-clutching about whether reform is needed and more serious debate on a change in the law (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the Petitions Committee, is due to open the debate, while victims and safeguarding minister Laura Farris will respond on behalf of the Government.

There will not be a vote.

The issue was last voted on in the Commons in 2015, when it was defeated at second reading stage by 330 votes to 118.

But it has been less than two years since a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying took place, with one held in July 2022.

On that occasion, some 38 MPs contributed to the three-hour debate.

Those who oppose a change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others, and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the campaign group Care Not Killing described Mondays debate as a missed opportunity to talk about fixing the UKs palliative and social care system.

He said: Instead of discussing this dangerous and ideological policy, we should be talking about how to fix the UKs broken and patchy palliative care system so everyone can have a dignified death.

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

A Bill was introduced in Scotland in March  the third time members of the Scottish parliament will have considered the issue  with two previous attempts to change the law defeated.

A report by MPs at Westminster in February warned that the Government must consider what to do if the law is changed in part of the UK or on the Isle of Man or Jersey, both of which are crown dependencies and both of which are currently considering the issue.

The Health and Social Care Committee  which did not make any recommendation for a vote on the issue, said legalisation in at least one jurisdiction is looking increasingly likely and suggested the Government must be actively involved in discussions about how to approach differences in the law.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is committed to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should Labour win the general election, while Downing Street has previously said it would be up to Parliament whether to debate legalising assisted dying again.
British comedian and actor Russell Brand has described his baptism in the River Thames as a profound experience.

The 48-year-old previously said the baptism was an opportunity to leave the past behind and be reborn in Christs name.

It comes months after Brand was accused of rape and sexual assault by several women during the height of his fame between 2006 and 2013  which he has strongly denied.

The accusations first surfaced in a joint investigation by the Times, the Sunday Times and Channel 4s Dispatches.

Brand, who starred in films including Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek, told Fox News host Tucker Carlson that the allegations were very hurtful, adding: I deny any allegations of the kind that have been advanced.

On Monday, Brand explained how his former drug use left his desire for tranquillity and peace and even transcendence unfulfilled.

I got baptised and it was an incredible, profound experience, he said in a video shared on social media.

Something occurred in the process of baptism, that was incredible, overwhelming, literally overwhelming because I was obviously underwater, and it was the River Thames, at some points.

So, I felt change transitioned.

Now of course, even though its been less than 24 hours in the interim period, Ive already felt irritation, Ive got three children, Ive got a job, Ive got challenges, I still live in the world.

But I feel as if some new resource within me has switched on.

Baptism. This Sunday Im taking the plunge! How was it for you? pic.twitter.com/DnwcUrzoqa  Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) April 26, 2024

Brand said there were incredible and bizarre incidents that took place during the ceremony, which felt serendipitous and laden.

I already feel incredibly blessed, relieved, nourished, held. Its been an incredible experience, he said.

I know that Im not expected to be perfect and I know that thats not something Ill be able to deliver  those of you that have embraced me, Im so grateful.

I cant tell you how happy I feel and how relieved I feel.

Brand said that he is learning and will make mistakes, adding this is my path now.
The director-general of the BBC Tim Davie has warned that abuse and harassment of journalists is escalating.

Speaking on the first day of the World Service Presents conference, he outlined how this is a critical moment of challenge for stability and democracy around the world with conflict in the Middle East and Ukraine and several elections going on throughout the world.

Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, discussed media freedom (Andrew Milligan/PA)

On Monday, Mr Davie said that free and fair reporting has never been more essential or critical.

But when it comes to media freedom, all the warning lights  and Im an optimist  they are flashing red, he said.

Every major indicator is pretty much in decline. Journalism completely or partly blocked in over 70% of the world. Thats a pretty shocking statistic.

He added that the BBC was suspended from reporting in Burkina Faso, and Russia has labelled some journalists foreign agents and there has been increased levels of persecution and harassment, and ever more subtle modes of intimidation of reporters.

The harassment and abuse that journalists now face just for doing their job, particularly online, has grown rapidly in recent years in frequency and intensity, he added.

Women journalists above all face escalating threat levels from co-ordinated campaigns and online abuse that we all need to call out.

Nearly three-quarters reporting that they have experienced online violence in connection with their work. So sobering times but in all this, we know, there is real cause for optimism.

BBC Broadcasting House in London (Ian West/PA)

Mr Davie added that the journalists in the room and watching online can stand up for media freedom and democracy worldwide and he cited the incredible work of BBC Arabic, BBC Ukrainian, BBC Persian and the Russian service in Latvia.

No one else can look out for the interests of the 72% of those audiences who are in extreme need in low media freedom states, were there for them, he added.

Mr Davie also paid tribute to Liliane Landor, who the corporation announced in April would leave as senior controller of BBC News International Services and BBC World Service director in July.

You have been one hell of a formidable champion for the World Service, an inspirational leader, he said. And we owe you so much. So thank you.

He also advocated for the World Service to be properly funded.

We face a growing funding challenge and well be having that fight because its worth winning and it should be won, he added.

More funding has been announced for the service, however, it largely receives money from the licence fee.

Under the current support package, the BBC World Service has agreed not to close any language services, but this condition is set to be lifted in 2025.

The House of Commons International Development Committee (IDC) has launched an inquiry into funding the services reporting and work throughout the world.
Hundreds of wrongfully convicted subpostmasters are a step closer to achieving hard-won exoneration after MPs backed a law change.

The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill, which received an unopposed third reading on Monday, proposes to quash convictions and pay compensation to those affected by the Horizon IT scandal.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch told the Commons that a wrong is finally being put right.

Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch (Peter Nicholls/PA)

The legislation seeks to exonerate those convicted in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on the basis of the faulty Horizon accounting software, which made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.

Convictions will be automatically quashed if they meet the necessary conditions, which include if they were for certain offences between 1996 and 2018 connected to Post Office business and the Horizon system was being used at the time.

The long-running scandal, which has been branded the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history, received widespread attention after ITV screened its acclaimed drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office.

Opening the third reading debate, Ms Badenoch said: For the postmasters wrongly accused of, convicted and punished for crimes they never committed, this Bill means hard-won exoneration, with their convictions wiped clean from the slate.

A wrong is finally being put right, but as honourable members know these postmasters will also receive the fair compensation they deserve through the Horizon conviction redress scheme.

She added: Im keen to remind (MPs) that it does not set a precedent for our involvement in other judicial matters.

During the committee stage, Labour MP Liam Byrne said the majority of the budget for compensation for subpostmasters has still not been paid out.

The MP for Birmingham, Hodge Hill said: The point about speed really is lit up by a single fact, the total budget for compensation is around 1.2 billion, as of last Wednesday 196 million has been paid out.

The implication of that is that 80% of the budget for compensation has not been paid out, after all of this time, after all of the heartbreak, after all of the trauma, after all of the scandal, 80% of the budget for redress has still not been paid out.

He added: I would have expected a timetable for paying out that redress alongside this Bill today and the reason that we should be concerned about this is that the track record of making payments is not good.

Withdrawing his amendments to the Bill, Mr Byrne said: I accept that the amendments that I put forward, particularly around speed, may not yet be at that state of affection that would satisfy all sides of the House, especially those with more experience working on those cases than I have.

But the problem is there, people are not getting paid fast enough, they are not being supplied with the right amount of information upfront at the beginning of their claim and I think the scope of this Bill has been drawn too narrowly.

Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake (James Manning/PA)

All of the Governments amendments were passed unopposed including proposals which sought to extend the Bill to Northern Ireland.

Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake said: The Government has listened carefully to representations across the House regarding extension of the Bill to Northern Ireland.

The Government recognises the unique challenges faced by the Northern Ireland Executive in bringing forward legislation to quash convictions to a similar timeframe as the rest of the UK.

Intervening, interim leader of the DUP Gavin Robinson said: We are indebted to (Mr Hollinrake), we recognise that this is a huge step forward for those subpostmasters in Northern Ireland who felt that there wouldnt be light at the end of the tunnel.

Earlier, the UK Government resisted attempts to include Scotland in the Bill with MPs voting 265 to 42, majority 223, against a motion from the SNP.

Mr Hollinrake argued Holyrood should bring forward proposals to address the matter given Scotlands separate legal jurisdiction.

Speaking for the SNP, Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) said it was absolutely disgraceful that Scotland would not be included in the legislation.

She told the Commons: This is a Westminster problem, Westminster must and should sort it out, and its easily done.

Ask for a legislative consent motion and youll get it, the Scottish Parliament will put a Bill through to exonerate these postmasters but they cannot do it, they cannot mirror exactly what is done in this place until this Bill goes through all of its stages.

Ms Fellows claimed party politics was behind the UK Governments position, adding: Why should Scottish postmasters wait longer for justice?

Mr Hollinrake said legal controversies prevented the Bill being amended to include Scotland.

He said: (Ms Fellows) said this Parliament is sovereign. Absolutely it is sovereign, but on these matters her Parliament is also sovereign.
Rishi Sunak rejected the idea of accepting the return of asylum seekers from Ireland amid concerns the UK Governments Rwanda policy was driving the flow of migrants across the border with the republic.

The Prime Minister said he was not interested in any sort of returns deal if the European Union did not allow the UK to send back asylum seekers who had crossed the English Channel from France.

The issue has been highlighted after the passage of the UK Governments Rwanda legislation, which paves the way for asylum seekers to be sent on a one-way trip to the African nation.

The UK Government has hailed the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme, which is intended to help stop small boat crossings from France.

But as a knock-on effect, the Irish government has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

The issue was discussed by the UK and Irish governments at high-level talks in London on Monday.

The Irish government has proposed new legislation to make it easier to send migrants to the UK, effectively reversing an Irish High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe third country for returning asylum seekers because of the Rwanda plan.

But Mr Sunak told ITV News there was no desire in Westminster to accept asylum seekers back from Ireland.

Were not interested in that. Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

Of course were not going to do that.

Pleased to be in London today for the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference. Constructive and wide ranging discussions on many issues, including legacy, political stability, migration and security cooperation. pic.twitter.com/0s5bndLaR2  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 29, 2024

Asked whether there were any negotiations with the EU on returns, he said: No, Im focused on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running.

At a joint press conference in Westminster, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Irish deputy prime minister Micheal Martin sought to play down any rift over the issue.

On the Rwanda scheme, Mr Heaton-Harris said The UKs new deterrent is clearly working and having some impact already.

An impact that will obviously increase as the first flights take off for Rwanda.

He added: We will obviously monitor all this very closely and continue to work with the Irish Government on these matters.

Mr Heaton-Harris said there was no way that we would want to upset our relationship with Ireland.

There was a joint commitment to protect the common travel area from abuse, he added.

The Cabinet minister said while the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme was anticipated we are slightly surprised that it manifested itself so quickly after the Act became law.

And he said he was comfortable with the Irish Governments proposed legislation, which he said was just resetting the legal position following an Irish High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe country.

Mr Martin highlighted the need for international action to curb irregular migration.

And he acknowledged that any agreements on returns would have to be mutual and reciprocal.

Elsewhere, a postponed meeting between James Cleverly and Irish justice minister Helen McEntee was postponed.

The Home Secretary and Ms McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

(PA Graphics)

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Irish Media Minister Catherine Martin said the meeting was postponed due to a genuine diary clash.

Ms McEntee has claimed last week that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Meanwhile, Channel crossings continued on Monday and Home Office figures showed that more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

Some 500 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24% higher than this time last year and 7% higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday but groups of migrants were pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Monday amid sunny, breezy and clear weather conditions at sea.

Labours David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has said he is reassured over proposed Irish legislation on returning asylum seekers from Ireland to the UK.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee is to bring a proposal to Cabinet on Tuesday around returning asylum seekers who had arrived in Ireland from the UK.

Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said he had briefed British officials at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in London on Monday.

He moved to assure them that the legislation would deal with the repercussions of a decision by Irelands High Court, which found that the basis for designating the UK a safe country for asylum purposes was contrary to EU law.

Mr Martin said that the decision related to an agreement on returning asylum seekers to the UK  and vice versa  that was struck between the two governments after Brexit.

So basically, it is restoring the situation to where it was before the High Court case of last March. Thats, in essence, what has been proposed, Mr Martin said at a joint press event in London with Mr Heaton-Harris.

If this legislation is, as I believe it is and Ive been assured it is, just setting us back in time to where we were and what we were dealing with, then Im comfortable with that, Mr Heaton-Harris said.

But we are fully behind implementing our Rwanda scheme.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Tanaiste Micheal Martin during the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference press conference in London (Yui Mok/PA)

The two governments have been involved in a row over a reported increase in recent months in the number of people applying for asylum in Ireland who had crossed the Northern Ireland border.

Mr Martin said that Irelands Attorney General had advised that legislation would be needed to create a proper statutory basis for an agreement that we earlier had.

The High Court struck down the basis upon which we had we arrived at an agreement with the British government after Brexit. There was an arrangement, an agreement in terms of managing this issue, and these agreements have to be mutual.

No one country could say were sending back if theres not a reciprocal agreement, and it works both ways  so the United Kingdom could send people back to the Republic who might have originated here.

Thats the legislative backdrop underpinning all of this.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin arriving for the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference press conference (Yui Mok/PA)

He said that both governments are committed to working together to deal with Common Travel Area issues including migration.

From our perspective, and Im very clear that the Common Travel Area, generally that framework has been very beneficial to Irish citizens and United Kingdom citizens, and it covers a lot, including migration.

He added: The Common Travel Area, there will be ongoing discussions around that and its been overall beneficial to Irish citizens and to UK citizens and we want to maintain those benefits. I think the optimal way to deal with issues around migration is to continue discussion in the context of the Common Travel framework.
Steve Nerio, 48, was arrested Sunday and charged with intoxication manslaughter. Bexar County Sheriff's Office

San Antonio police say a man driving a motorcycle that crashed and killed a radio host from Lubbock was drunk.

Steve Nerio, 45, was arrested Sunday on a charge of intoxication manslaughter. His bail was $150,000, though court records show he was released Monday after posting bond.

Investigators say Nerio was driving a motorcycle that crashed on April 20 near U.S. 90 and South General McMullen Drive. It resulted in the death of 44-year-old Amy Lee Garza, also known as the host of Amy-O on 104.9 The Beat, a hip-hop and R&B radio station in Lubbock.

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Police said Garza was on the back of the motorcycle when the motorcycle crashed. Both were not wearing helmets at the time, police said. She was ejected and died at the scene from severe head trauma.

An arrest affidavit says Nerio told police at the hospital he was struck by another vehicle, causing him to crash. However, police believed the story was inconsistent with evidence found at the crash scene.

Dashcam footage from the motorcycle showed that Nerio entered U.S. 90 West from South General McMullen and in the course of this illegal maneuver, it collided with a red tow truck, the affidavit states.

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Nerio also said he consumed alcohol the night of the crash and was returning from Fiesta, according to the affidavit. A blood sample collected from the hospital showed that Nerios blood alcohol concentration was above the legal limit the night, the affidavit states.

Investigators said Nerio also tested positive for cannabis, cocaine and fentanyl.

Court records show Nerio was previously arrested for DWI in 1999 and was found guilty. He also was charged with DWI in 2003, though the case was dismissed.

Editors note: The original story incorrectly listed Steve Nerios alleged role in the crash. Police say Nerio was the driver of the motorcycle.
UK and Irish ministers are due to meet in London amid an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

Irelands deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin is to co-chair a meeting of the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC) in London on Monday with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

Home Secretary James Cleverly and Justice Minister Helen McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

(PA Graphics)

It comes as Channel crossings continue and Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

It was confirmed on Monday that Ms McEntee will not attend the BIIGC and will instead meet senior officials in Dublin.

The minister looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon, a statement said.

Ms McEntee has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Irish premier Simon Harris said Ireland will not provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges (Brian Lawless/PA)

After Mr Martin said the increase could be driven by migrants in fear of being deported to Rwanda, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that shows the UKs Rwanda plans effect.

The plan aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

Irish premier Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland will not provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges and said Ireland will draft legislation for a new returns policy.

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and co-operation between the British and Irish Governments is not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

In response, the UK Government rejected any bid by Ireland to return asylum seekers unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

We wont accept any asylum returns from the EU via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France, a Government source said.

Mel Stride, the UK Work and Pensions Secretary, said on Monday that the claimed increase in people seeking asylum in Ireland who have crossed the border are early signs of the Rwanda plans effectiveness.

Asked whether the UK would accept asylum seekers being sent back across the border into Northern Ireland, Mr Stride told LBC: We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK.

What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works. Thats exactly why we are now having this conversation, because we have now passed that legislation.

The meeting between James Cleverly and Helen McEntee was cancelled (Victoria Jones/PA)

The Prime Minister has made it very clear  in 10-12 weeks time we are going to be seeing people going on to planes, we are geared up for it, its going to happen, and my view is its going to work.

Labours David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.

Mr Lammy also called for a co-ordinated agreement with European countries, rather than a whack-a-mole situation where compromises are made with individual states as they raise complaints.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and Stormont First Minister Michelle ONeill in Dublin on Sunday (PA)

On Sunday, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill urged a thought-out and considered response from both the British and Irish Governments.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss on Tuesday emergency legislation that would see asylum seekers returned to the UK.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling which found that Ireland designating the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

Ms McEntee said in a statement: I will seek Government approval for the legislation to be rapidly drafted so that the UK can again be designated as a safe country for returns.

My department has been working on this as a priority since last months High Court judgment and I intend that returns to the UK will recommence once the law is enacted.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, by a Border Force vessel (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Mr Martin said: I am pleased to be in London for another important meeting of the BIIGC, the first such meeting since the restoration of the Strand I and Strand II institutions.

As ever, there are numerous areas of mutual interest for the Governments to discuss and I look forward to another productive conference.

Some 500 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24% higher than this time last year and 7% higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday.
The Arizona GOP has selected state Sen. Jake Hoffman, a fake elector indicted last week and accused of working to overturn President Joe Bidens 2020 win in Arizona, as a national committeeman for the Republican National Committee.

Hoffman  who was indicted Wednesday along with 17 other people, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani  was elected to the RNC post along with former state Rep. Liz Harris, who was expelled for reasons related to questioning Biden's 2020 victory in Arizona.

"I'm humbled and honored to have been elected as the next RNC National Committeeman for Arizona," Hoffman wrote Saturday evening on X.

"The road to saving America runs through our great state, and the RNC has a crucial role to play in supporting and empowering the Republican grassroots who fight every day against the Democratic Fascists," Hoffman added.

On Jan. 5, 2021, Hoffman, then days away from becoming a state representative, sent a letter urging Vice President Mike Pence to delay the counting of Arizonas electors and to seek clarification from the Arizona legislature as to which slate of electors were proper and accurate. Hoffman himself was one of the 11 alternate electors.

Announcing the charges against Hoffman and others accused of being involved in the scheme, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, a Democrat, said in a recorded video released Wednesday, These defendants deceived the citizens of Arizona.

The defendants intended that the false votes for Trump and Pence would encourage Vice President Pence to reject the certified Biden-Harris electors' votes regardless of the result of any legal challenge, she added.

Along with Hoffman, the Arizona GOP also selected former state Rep. Liz Harris as a national committeewoman. Harris was expelled from the Legislature a year ago after she invited an election denier to provide testimony laced with unsubstantiated allegations at a televised legislative hearing on elections.

Jacqueline Breger, an insurance agent whom Harris invited to testify, claimed without evidence that a Mexican drug cartel bribed Gov. Katie Hobbs and Republican House Speaker Ben Toma and that bribes and infiltration have been used to affect the outcome of the 2020 and 2022 elections.

At the controversial hearing on Feb. 23, 2023, Breger claimed that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints control[s] government agencies and was integral to the laundering activities.

An Arizona ethics panel report found Harris committed disorderly behavior and damaged the institutional integrity of the House by inviting Breger. Harris was removed from office after 46 of the 60 members of the Republican-controlled House voted to expel her upon the release of the ethics panel report.

These are not just your run-of-the-mill election deniers, Barrett Marson, a Republican strategist in Arizona, said of Hoffman and Harris. They are leaders in the whole experiment of election denialism.

Marson said he believes Hoffmans and Harris new gigs are indicative of the Arizona GOPs transformation in recent years.

I think it shows that both election denialism and a fealty to election denialism is now the state Republican Party in Arizona, he said.

The Arizona GOP did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the selections of Hoffman and Harris.
President Bidens reelection campaign faces the difficult task of appealing to moderate Republicans who may feel like they dont have a place to go this election with former President Trump on the ballot.

The president has a prime opportunity to peel off some of those voters, which would boost his reelection chances and expand his coalition.

Their numbers are significant: Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) snagged 16 percent of GOP voters in last weeks Pennsylvania primary despite dropping her bid against Trump almost two months ago.

It requires work, but I think its doable, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told reporters Friday, noting that a large swath of the 35 percent Haley won in his home state say they will not support Trump in November.

Kaine also said that simply keeping them out of Trumps column would be a victory in itself.

You dont have to win them over if they dont vote for Trump, thats a vote out of Trumps category. Now, I think we are going to win some of them over, Kaine said, adding that he is actively courting them as part of his reelection campaign in the Old Dominion. We are focusing on those folks, and we think we have a chance to get a lot of them and I think President Biden can too.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), whose own run in the GOP presidential primary attracted moderate-leaning Republicans, made headlines last week when he said it was pretty stupid that Biden hadnt reached out to ask directly for his support.

Christie has made clear that he would not vote for Trump and said in a conversation Tuesday night hosted at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics that Biden should ask him for his vote and support.

The Biden campaign didnt provide a response to why he hasnt reached out to Christie.

The decision, though, speaks to the uphill battle Biden faces to appeal to those types of Republicans.

Its unfortunate that I think the president is starting from a little bit of a deficit because of the first two years of his administration not really being one that was working on a game of addition, in terms of the electorate. But rather, it seemed in those first couple of years that this White House was much more willing to listen to the professional progressive class, said John LaBombard, former communications director to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.).

It is easy to forget that voters dont have to pick a choice if theyre dissatisfied with their choices. So disenchanted Republican voters who dont want to support Donald Trump could very easily just leave the presidential line with their ballot blank, he added.

Still, the Biden campaign is working to court Haley voters, an effort it launched as soon as Haley dropped out of the GOP primary.

The campaign launched a new ad Thursday, aiming to target Haley voters and underscore Trumps insults toward her and her supporters to target disaffected Republicans.

The campaign previously released an ad that featured clips of Trump criticizing Haley during the GOP primary, with the warning, If you voted for Nikki Haley, Donald Trump doesnt want your vote. Bidens team has also released a statement arguing that Trump has been clear that voters who arent part of MAGA arent welcome in his camp.

I think it is a worthy investment. I think the president has an opening here with moderate, sort of common sense Republican voters, who while they may be conservative, are rightly disenchanted with the chaos around former President Trump and what that might mean for the country under a second Trump term, LaBombard said.

Haley had strong showings in other GOP primaries, like in her home state of South Carolina. The former United Nations ambassador also took home primary wins in Vermont and the District of Columbia in March.

But its the Pennsylvania numbers that are giving Democrats fresh optimism and causing heartburn for some Republicans given the narrow results that helped hand Trump the presidency in 2016 and took it away four years later. The heart of the 157,000 votes she pulled came in the suburban Philadelphia counties where she won nearly 42,000 votes and hit a high-water mark of 25 percent.

In a closed state, that is not an insignificant number, said one Republican strategist, noting that Trump won the state by only 44,000 votes in 2016 before Biden eked it out by 80,000 in 2020. 157,000 in a meaningless primary where everyone knew she had dropped out. Youre talking about razor thin margins in a competitive primary.  You do not have a huge margin for error if even half of those voters become Biden voters.

As of last month, Trump had yet to reach out to Haley in an attempt to reconcile after the bruising primary battle  something that has not changed nearly two months after she ended her campaign. Haley has also declined to offer an endorsement for the ex-president.

All of this came after he declared that he TROUNCED her on Super Tuesday in a TruthSocial post before calling on Haley supporters to join the greatest movement in the history of our Nation.

Meanwhile, the Biden campaign has made sure to highlight times Trump has pushed away Haley voters, like the various times he called her birdbrain and not presidential material. Theyve also shared a quote from former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who said on his podcast recently, Screw Nikki Haley  we dont need her endorsement.

David Thomas, a Democratic strategist and former aide to Vice President Al Gore, noted that Biden has an opening because Trump doesnt seem to be working hard to appeal to moderates.

I think that the president is trying to reach out to the moderate middle, moderate Republicans and particularly independents, he said. Thats the coalition hes going to need to win if its going to be this close selection, which we all know it is. Its something that yes, hes doing here, and its something that President Trump decidedly will not do.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Supporters of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are sharply divided across all sorts of lines, including the sources they rely on to get their news, new data from the NBC News poll shows.

Biden is the clear choice of voters who consume newspapers and national network news, while Trump does best among voters who dont follow political news at all.

The stark differences help highlight the strategies both candidates are using as they seek another term in the White House  and shed some light on why the presidential race appears relatively stable.

The poll looked at various forms of traditional media (newspapers, national network news and cable news), as well as digital media (social media, digital websites and YouTube/Google). Among registered voters, 54% described themselves as primarily traditional news consumers, while 40% described themselves as primarily digital media consumers.

Biden holds an 11-point lead among traditional news consumers in a head-to-head presidential ballot test, with 52% support among that group to Trumps 41%. But its basically a jump ball among digital media consumers, with Trump at 47% and Biden at 44%.

And Trump has a major lead among those who dont follow political news  53% back him, and 27% back Biden.

Its almost comic. If youre one of the remaining Americans who say you read a newspaper to get news, you are voting for Biden by 49 points, said Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who conducted the poll alongside Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt.

The trends also extend to other questions in the poll. There's a significant difference in how traditional news consumers view Biden, while digital news consumers are far more in line with registered voters overall.

More primarily traditional news consumers have positive views of Biden (48%) than negative ones (44%). Among primarily digital news consumers, 35% view Biden positively, and 54% view him negatively. Vice President Kamala Harris' positive ratings show a similar divide, while Trump is viewed similarly by news consumers of both stripes.

And although the sample size is small, those who don't follow political news feel more positively about Trump and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and more negatively about Biden.

Trumps lead among those not following political news caught Horwitts eye amid Trump's trial on charges related to allegations he paid hush money to quash news of an alleged affair from coming out during the heat of his 2016 presidential campaign and as he faces legal jeopardy in other cases that consistently make news.

These are voters who have tuned out information, by and large, and they know who they are supporting, and they arent moving, Horwitt said.

Thats why its hard to move this race based on actual news. They arent seeing it, and they dont care, he continued.

Third-party candidates also do well with this chunk of the electorate  a quarter of the 15% who say they dont follow political news choose one of the other candidates in a five-way ballot test that includes Kennedy, Jill Stein and Cornel West. Third-party supporters also make up similar shares of those who say they get their news primarily from social media and from websites.

But voting behavior among those groups suggests that Biden's stronger showing with those traditional media consumers puts him ahead with a more reliable voting bloc.

Of those polled who could be matched to the voter file, 59% of those who voted in both 2020 and 2022 primarily consume traditional media, 40% primarily consume digital media, and just 9% don't follow political news. (The percentages add up to more than 100% because some people chose media platforms across multiple categories.)

Those who voted less frequently were more likely to say they dont follow political news: 19% of those who voted in the last presidential election but not in 2022 and 27% who voted in neither of the last two elections say they don't follow political news.

The NBC News poll of 1,000 registered voters nationwide  891 contacted via cellphone  was conducted April 12-16, and it has an overall margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Leon neal/Getty, Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty, NurPhoto/Getty, Abanti Chowhury/BI

In 2017, just before Microsoft forged a partnership with a then relatively unknown startup called OpenAI, Bill Gates shared a memo with CEO Satya Nadella and a small group of the company's top executives. A new world order, Gates predicted, would soon be brought on by what he called "AI agents"  digital personal assistants that could anticipate our every want and need. These agents would be far more powerful than Siri and Alexa, with godlike knowledge and supernatural intuition.

"Agents are not only going to change how everyone interacts with computers," Gates wrote. "They're also going to upend the software industry, bringing about the biggest revolution in computing since we went from typing commands to tapping on icons."

At the time, the memo struck those who read it as far-fetched. "It seemed super futuristic," a Microsoft executive who spoke on the condition of anonymity said. Microsoft had been widely mocked for its previous attempts at creating personal "agents," from its failed Office assistant Clippy to its racist chatbot, Tay. Few at the time would have believed a new generation of these agents would transform Microsoft.

Today, though, it's clear that Gates' secret correspondence anticipated Copilot, the artificial-intelligence tool that has helped propel Microsoft to become the world's most valuable public company. Powered by a version of OpenAI's GPT large language model, Copilot debuted last year as a tool within Microsoft products to help users with tasks such as preparing presentations and summarizing meetings. "Copilot now sounds exactly like what he wrote," the executive said.

That's not by accident.

Publicly, Gates has been almost entirely out of the picture at Microsoft since 2021, following allegations that he had behaved inappropriately toward female employees. In fact, Business Insider has learned, Gates has been quietly orchestrating much of Microsoft's AI revolution from behind the scenes. Current and former executives say Gates remains intimately involved in the company's operations  advising on strategy, reviewing products, recruiting high-level executives, and nurturing Microsoft's crucial relationship with Sam Altman, the cofounder and CEO of OpenAI. In early 2023, when Microsoft debuted a version of its search engine Bing turbocharged by the same technology as ChatGPT, throwing down the gauntlet against competitors like Google, Gates, executives said, was pivotal in setting the plan in motion. While Nadella might be the public face of the company's AI success  the Oz who built the yellow-brick road to a $3 trillion juggernaut  Gates has been the man behind the curtain.

"What you read is not what's happening in reality," another Microsoft executive said. "Satya and the entire senior leadership team lean on Gates very significantly. His opinion is sought every time we make a major change."

When Nadella took over the reins from Steve Ballmer a decade ago, Microsoft was seen as a dinosaur of the computer age it had helped pioneer. Peter Thiel bashed the company as "a bet against technological innovation." So Nadella, who had worked at Microsoft since 1992, turned to his former boss for help. On the day Nadella became CEO, he asked Gates to spend 30% of his time as a technical advisor, in part to help motivate his staff. "When I say, 'Hey, I want you to go run this by Bill,' I know they're going to do their best job prepping for it," he told Wired at the time.

In 2020, when Gates stepped down as chair of Microsoft's board, Nadella showered him with praise. The company, Nadella promised, would "continue to benefit from Bill's ongoing technical passion and advice to drive our products and services forward."

But a year later, Nadella's embrace of Gates appeared to change  at least publicly. In 2021, as Gates and his wife, Melinda, were divorcing, The Wall Street Journal reported that Gates had been forced to step down as the company investigated him for having an affair with an employee. As news of Gates' misconduct went viral, the squeaky-clean reputation he and his public-relations team had meticulously crafted over the years unraveled. Several female employees came forward with stories of Gates asking them out, and his meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, including a flight on Epstein's private jet, came under renewed scrutiny. Suddenly, Nadella's mentor had become his greatest liability, and he and Microsoft quickly distanced themselves from Gates.

"The Microsoft of 2021 is very different from the Microsoft of 2000," Nadella said at the time. "The power dynamic in the workplace is not something that can be abused in any form." The company's greatest responsibility, he later added, is "cultivating a culture where everyone is empowered to do meaningful work."

But among the people whom Nadella secretly empowered to do meaningful work, BI has learned, was Gates himself. Rather than banishing him from the company, Nadella continued to draw on his advice and expertise  making Gates a key player in Microsoft's efforts to vie for dominance in AI.

The common lore about Microsoft's marriage with OpenAI is that it was brokered by Kevin Scott, the company's chief technology officer. Scott had known Altman for years, and in summer 2018, he arranged a meeting between Altman and Nadella. Later that year, the three men hammered out an initial deal, and the rest is history.

But lost in that origin story is that Gates had been regularly meeting with OpenAI since 2016. Ever since he published "The Road Ahead" in 1995, Gates had been dreaming of a world in which everyone would navigate the internet using software that would "have a personality you'll be able to talk to in one form or another" and that would "learn about your requirements and preferences in much the way that a human assistant does." Under Gates' leadership, Microsoft had launched several primitive and widely ridiculed versions of agents  from Rover, a cartoon dog that guided you through Windows 95, to Clippy, the most hated paperclip of all time. Now, it seemed, OpenAI might offer Microsoft a way to help forge the AI future that Gates had long envisioned. After the two companies formed their partnership, OpenAI's leaders conducted regular presentations for Gates at his 66,000-square-foot mansion in Washington, keeping him apprised of critical benchmarks and significant obstacles.

It was Gates, in fact, who played a pivotal role in turning OpenAI and Microsoft into a power couple. In mid-2022  two years after he was ousted from the board  he privately challenged Altman and OpenAI to create a model capable of passing an Advanced Placement biology exam. Gates didn't think it could be done. Altman and OpenAI debuted GPT-4 for the first time outside the company at Gates' house in August 2022 during a dinner; Nadella was among the guests. When it aced the test, Gates was shocked, calling it "the most stunning demo I've ever seen in my life."

The demo prompted Gates to write another memo  what one former executive referred to as "the memo"  spelling out how Microsoft should use GPT-4. Gates stressed that the large language model, trained on the entirety of the public internet, could finally usher in the era of personal agents. "Think of it as a digital personal assistant," he wrote in a version of that memo later posted on his blog. "It will see your latest emails, know about the meetings you attend, read what you read, and read the things you don't want to bother with."

While Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella might be the public face of the company's AI success, Bill Gates has been the man behind the curtain. Microsoft

According to two executives, Gates' words were treated as gospel, helping spark Microsoft's push to take the lead in the AI arms race. Soon after Gates' dinner, Nadella hosted a meeting on Microsoft's campus, where he challenged the teams to incorporate AI into search, cybersecurity, and its Microsoft 365 suite of business applications, which includes Word and Outlook.

Early the following year, Microsoft introduced a new version of its beleaguered search engine, Bing  now turbocharged with a GPT-enabled agent that would later be named Copilot. Almost overnight, thanks to Gates' maneuvering, Microsoft had transformed Bing from a search engine on life support to an AI-powered tool that had a chance to give Google a run for its money.

In February 2023, Microsoft held an event at its headquarters similar to a Steve Jobs iPhone launch. Nadella, beaming, declared war on Google. Gates did not appear to be in attendance.

Today, Gates remains close with Altman, who visits his home a few times a year, and OpenAI seeks his counsel on developments. There's a "tight coupling" between Gates and OpenAI, a person familiar with the relationship said. "Sam and Bill are good friends. OpenAI takes his opinion and consult overall seriously." OpenAI spokesperson Kayla Wood confirmed OpenAI continues to meet with Gates.

Last fall, Nadella and Microsoft scrambled to quell the chaos when OpenAI's board abruptly fired Altman. Frank Shaw, a Microsoft spokesperson, told BI that if Gates was speaking with Altman, it was not on behalf of the company. "Bill is not at Microsoft and not involved here," Shaw told BI at the time.

During the five-day fracas that followed, Gates  with his own recent experience with an ouster  reached out to Altman to offer support as he negotiated a return to the leadership of OpenAI.

Today, insiders say Gates' sway at Microsoft extends far beyond OpenAI.

Executives from across the company  including its business-applications boss, Charles Lamanna; its chief scientist, Jaime Teevan; its Teams chat-app boss, Jeff Teper; and its head of cybersecurity, Charlie Bell  meet regularly with Gates to review products. He's also personally involved in recruiting and retaining important executives for Microsoft. "Gates is very involved with product reviews and one-on-ones with executives," a former executive said. Last year, Gates told Forbes he spent about 10% of his time in Redmond, Washington, advising Microsoft on product road maps.

Gates over years has also pushed Microsoft to be more consumer-focused, despite many consumer technology failures. In March, many observers were shocked when the company announced it was hiring Mustafa Suleyman, who cofounded DeepMind and spent many years at Google, to lead a new consumer-AI organization. "Bill G. thinks the major opportunity is consumers," one insider said. "If you look at the new consumer-AI organization, that looks like Bill's influence on Satya." Shaw said Gates was not involved in hiring Suleyman.

All this is a far cry from the perception that Gates has been kept at a distance ever since he was ousted from the board. Gates, who has continued to keep a low profile, has emerged from the scandal largely unscathed; today, the allegations of his misconduct aren't even mentioned in his Wikipedia entry. The Microsoft of 2024, it appears, is not as different from the Microsoft of 2021 as Nadella would have everyone believe. Gates is not gone, but his checkered past has been largely forgotten.

Shaw said there hadn't been any substantial changes in Gates' role as a technical advisor since he left the board in 2020. The "insistence on portraying the role of Bill Gates as 'pulling strings' at Microsoft," he told BI, "is fundamentally inaccurate and at odds with reality." Gates declined an interview request and his representative did not respond to a request for comment.

Near the end of "The Road Ahead," Gates got existential. "It's a little scary that as computer technology has moved ahead, there's never been a leader from one era who was also a leader in the next," he lamented at the ripe age of 39. "So from a historical perspective, I guess Microsoft is disqualified from leading in the highway era of the Information Age."

Then the middle-aged Gates revealed his true ambition: "I want to defy historical tradition."

Now approaching 70, Gates is still defying history  this time from behind the scenes. And if the revived fortunes of Microsoft are any indication, he appears to be winning.

April 30, 2024: This story has been updated with an additional comment from Microsoft.

Ashley Stewart is a chief technology correspondent at Business Insider. She reports on enterprise technology companies including Microsoft and Amazon Web Services from Seattle.

Are you a Microsoft employee or someone else with insight to share? Contact Ashley Stewart via email ( astewart@businessinsider.com ), or send a secure message from a nonwork device via Signal (+1-425-344-8242).

Read the original article on Business Insider
Michael Sanchez had traveled from Vancouver, Washington to northwest Oregon last week to take photographs of waterfalls  not birds.

An amateur photographer, Sanchez, 41, figured the scenic sites of Hug Point along the coast of the North Pacific Ocean would be an idyllic setting for him to hone his craft. While Sanchez was waiting one morning for the sunrise to completely crest some nearby cliffs, he just happened to notice a small bird nearby.

The critter, which Sanchez took as nothing more than a common blackbird, seemed to be as good a subject as any for him to practice his photography skills before the lighting was good enough to start snapping some waterfall photos.

But when he got back home to Washington and began processing his photos, Sanchez realized it was no mere blackbird that he had photographed. Its blue and chestnut coloreds mystified Sanchez, who was prompted to post his photos on Facebook to see if any avian experts could help him identify the species.

That's how Sanchez learned that he had inadvertently captured photo evidence of a bird so uncommon to the U.S., that some experts are baffled as to how it even got here. The bird, which is widely believed to be a blue rock thrush, is a native of Europe and Asia that has rarely  if ever  been spotted in North America.

"I didn't know it was rare but I had never seen anything like that," Sanchez told USA TODAY on Monday. "It became quickly apparent that this was a very unusual experience."

This bird photographed by middle school band teacher Michael Sanchez in Oregon is believed to be a blue rock thrush, a bird rare to not only Oregon, but the United States.

Birders flock to Hug Point to relocate rare thrush

Sanchez managed to take four photos on April 21 of the bird, which he spotted on a beach during a solo trip to the Hug Point State Recreation Site in Seaside, Oregon.

While Sanchez is not a birder himself, his photos of the apparent blue rock thrush shocked the birding world.

The American Birding Association shared his photo on the group's Facebook page, prompting many members to use adjectives like "insane" and "whoa" to describe the find. Many other birders besides have reportedly swarmed Hug Point to try to find the bird again.

Spokespersons for Oregon State Parks did not immediately respond to USA TODAY on Monday.

"When you're told that something is practically unheard of like this, I was like, 'really, me?'" said Sanchez, a middle school band teacher. "They were all atwitter about this and really conveyed the message that this was something special and very unique."

Blue rock thrush is among rarest in U.S.

Experts say they are confident that the bird in the photo will soon be confirmed as a blue rock thrush, making Sanchez's find exceedingly rare.

While a blue rock thrush was previously spotted in British Columbia in 1997, no previous records exist of such a bird anywhere in the United States, Brodie Cass Talbott, a senior educator at the Bird Alliance of Oregon, told USA TODAY.

Amateur photographer Michael Sanchez was in Oregon to take some photos when he noticed a small bird and decided to practice. "I didn't know it was rare but I had never seen anything like that."

"This might be the rarest bird ever found in Oregon," Cass Talbott said, "and right up there with any of the rarest birds ever found in the country."

Because the species is known to breed in Russia, Cass Talbott said it's remarkable that no records exist of any blue rock thrush sightings in nearby Alaska.

It's possible the bird accidentally migrated in the fall down the west coast of North American instead of the east coast of Asia if it was blown off course by a storm, Cass Talbott said. Another option is that the bird got lost at sea and then hitched a ride on a boat headed for the west coast.

"We'll never know, but the birding community is abuzz with conjecture," Cass Talbott said.

What makes the sighting even more perplexing, Cass Talbott explained, is that another blue rock thrush was spotted a few days later on the Farallon Islands off California. No one knows if this was the same bird or a different one, but "both are so extremely unlikely that it seems hard to know which is more likely," Cass Talbott said.

All of the excitement has enthralled Sanchez, who said he may just have to make it a point to photograph more birds in the future as he continues with his budding photography hobby.

"I can foresee myself being a little more curious about the birds around me," Sanchez said, before adding with a laugh: "I'm not counting on seeing something that rare again so all my beginner's luck is used up, I think."

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rare bird sighting: What to know about blue rock thrush seen in Oregon
Students defied Columbia University's orders to vacate their encampment protest by 2 p.m. Monday, despite warnings of suspension and after the school's president said it will not divest from Israel  a demand that has sparked protests on college campuses across the country.

The university told student demonstrators to vacate by 2 p.m. or else be suspended pending further investigation and barred from completing the spring semester.

At the encampment, now in its second week, participants voted nearly unanimously to stay put.

Around 2:45 p.m.  after the 2 p.m. warning time to leave  protesters were seen marching on the quad and chanting Disclose! Divest! We will not slow, we will not rest!"

A portion of the encampment has been cleared to make space for the upcoming commencement ceremony for graduates, and picketers are largely sticking to the perimeters of the encampment.

David Lederer, a 22-year-old sophomore at Columbia, walked up to the picket line and began waving a large Israeli flag.

David Lederer waves an Israeli flag on campus (Doha Madani / NBC News)

"Im here to show were here to stay, were not going anywhere," Lederer said.

President Minouche Shafik in her statement asked the protesters to voluntarily disperse, saying the demonstration had created an unwelcoming environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty, that external actors have contributed to a hostile environment around university gates, and that it had become a noisy distraction for students.

Shafik also cited the May 15 commencement, saying, We also do not want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration.

Image: Nemat Shafik (Jose Luis Magana / AP)

Columbia was the first elite institution struck by protests in support of the Palestinian cause, with students demanding that the school divest from investments that support weapons manufacturing and Israel amid the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, in which more than 34,000 people have been killed in the Gaza Strip.

Protests spread quickly last week on campuses from coast to coast, resulting in mass arrests and crackdowns.

While the University will not divest from Israel, it offered to create an expedited timeline for a review of new proposals from students by the school's Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, which explores divestment, Shafik said.

The University also offered to publish a process for students to access a list of Columbias direct investment holdings, and to increase the frequency of updates to that list of holdings, she added.

The protest encampment at Columbia University on April 29, 2024. (Isa Farfan / NBC News)

Though the talks at Columbia were at a stalemate, there did appear to be some small movements in negotiation.

Shafik said the university had offered to make investments in health and education in Gaza, including supporting early childhood development and support for displaced scholars."

We urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse. We are consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible. We will continue to update the community with new developments, she said.

The notices, viewed by NBC News and issued to protest participants Monday morning, asked protesters to identify themselves to a university official and sign a form agreeing to an alternative resolution for the university policy violations that the encampment posed.

Those who sign are eligible to complete the semester in good standing and will not be placed on suspension, if they adhere to obeying university policies.

Those who don't vacate by 2 p.m. would be suspended.

We regret that we need to take these actions, but we must restore order to the campus that all students can complete their work for the term, study for exams, and feel welcome in the community, the notice said.

If the encampment isnt removed, the notice said: We will need to initiate disciplinary procedures because of a number of violations of university policies. These are policies you agreed to adhere to when you joined our community.

The protest encampment at Columbia University on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Isa Farfan / NBC News)

It noted that the university would offer an alternative venue for demonstrations after the exam period and commencement have concluded.

The alternative resolution said signees agree to disciplinary probation, to comply with university policies and agree to participate in university disciplinary processes.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), the coalition organizing the encampment protest, said in a statement Monday: "These repulsive scare tactics mean nothing compared to the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians. We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or we are moved by force."

The group criticized the university's "threat to mass suspend, evict and possibly expel students" with just hours notice as a violation of the school's rules.

Columbia University faculty create a wall at the front of the encampment (Doha Madani / NBC News)

The group also condemned the university's paper notices issued at the encampment as "reminiscent of the flyers the Israeli army launched from the sky to Gazans."

At a rally by the coalition at around 2 p.m., student organizer Sueda Polat said: The university has conducted itself with obstinacy and arrogance, refusing to be flexible on some of our most basic points.

We were engaging in good faith negotiations until the administration cut them off under threat of suspensions. Where we asked for amnesty, they gave us more discipline, Polat said.

Protest organizers also criticized Shafik's claim that the university had constructive dialogue with protesters, noting Columbia refused to give a commitment that student divestment proposals would be binding, and described Shafik's offering of childhood education programs for Palestinians as "nothing more than bribery of the student movement."
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Its a story thats becoming increasingly too common. A 60-year-old warehouse worker named Renato Calalang received an email notification informing him that a distant relative, a cousin in Calalangs native Philippines, had passed away and left him a significant inheritance.

Find Out: 6 Reasons the Poor Stay Poor and Middle Class Doesnt Become Wealthy

Read Next: How To Get $340 Per Year in Cash Back on Gas and Other Things You Already Buy

The emailer, who claimed to represent the owner of a bank in the Philippines where the money was being kept for Calalang, supplied intricate details as proof.

He even provided all the documents in relation to who he said was my cousin. There was a death certificate and everything. I have a cousin named the same as the person in the documents, so it seemed legitimate.

Unfortunately, the documents, the inheritance and everything else about the emailers story turned out to be false.

Keep reading for a look at this devastating story of how an unsuspecting husband and father who had worked hard all his life to provide for his family and save for retirement is now left with no savings  and also find out what you can do to avoid being taken in by a similar scam.

The High Cost of Falling for an Email Scam

Calalang had his lifes savings drained from his bank account before he realized he was being conned. He had emigrated to Australia in 1986 and pursued work as a laborer and in different professions for the last 40 years, living there with his wife and children and steadily setting money aside for his retirement.

He had seen some measure of success and had set aside nearly $150,000, which he counted on as a nest egg to care for his family and himself after retirement. Now, after all that work, Calalang has almost nothing to show for it.

He still has extensive family ties in the Philippines, so he wasnt suspicious when he received an email from someone calling themselves Steve Golds who claimed to be the owner of a bank in the Philippines where the money, 3.8 million  over $400 million  was being held for him after the death of a cousin who had named Calalang as a benefactor in his will.

The emailer said there was one condition Calalang had to fulfill in order to receive the money. He had to open an account at the bank and deposit funds into it.

Check Out: Shark Tank Star Kevin OLeary: My Morning Habit That Keeps Me From Losing Money 100% of the Time

Failing To Recognize Red Flags of Financial Fraud

Steve Golds told Calalang that he couldnt make the transfer from his existing bank account but instead had to work with an agent of the Philippines bank to facilitate the process. The scammer provided intricate details like a copy of a death certificate as proof of the legitimacy of the inheritance.

The con artist instructed Calalang to open a second account at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, where Calalang already had his hard-earned money deposited in a savings account. This was the first red flag that Calalang, and many others like him, failed to notice.

Calalang made the required transfer of funds, feeling secure that since he was already a customer of the same bank, he could turn to CBA for assistance.

This made me feel like nothing bad could happen, and if something were to go wrong, I thought I would be able to chase up Commonwealth Bank for help.

Over the next few months, Calalang continued to deposit money into the account as instructed and even spoke with Steve Golds at a number in the Netherlands. There were several red flags here that may have helped Calalang realize he was being defrauded had he recognized them in time.

Too Little, Too Late

Looking back, Calalang said he now sees the obvious signs of a scam, but at the time, he felt secure in working with the soft-spoken, apparently sincere Golds in recovering his unexpected windfall inheritance. He thought the money would give him and his family a comfortable, worry-free life. Calalang expected the $400 million to be transferred into the second CBA account he had opened, but it never happened.

When the scammer had all but drained his account and the inheritance funds had yet to start arriving from the bank in the Philippines, Calalang realized he had been tricked. He notified the police, an Australian organization called Scamwatch, and most importantly, his bank.

I was devastated, Calalang said. I went to the Commonwealth Bank for help in September 2023 and told them what happened, and they investigated the case. After two months, they told me I had been scammed.

CBA could do nothing to retrieve the funds Calalang had deposited into the new account  they were gone, along with most of his life savings.

They said they could not recover the funds because the overseas bank would not cooperate.

Now, at an age when many people look forward to retiring and enjoying time with their families, Calalang is left to start over with significantly depleted savings. At this point, my family really is the only thing that is keeping me going.

Protecting Yourself From Financial Fraud

A recent Citibank survey showed that while 90% of those surveyed felt confident they could spot the signs of a financial scam, almost one-third of those respondents had reported being victimized by such schemes. Like so much in these kinds of cases, the numbers dont add up.

To protect yourself from similar scams, its important to know a few crucial facts. You should never share personal or financial information with anyone you dont know, and keep information like PINs, Social Security and drivers license numbers safe, secure and private. Always use long passwords that have a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, such as an exclamation point, to make these passwords harder to crack.

Shred any documents containing this type of information, never enter personal information on a computer that anyone you dont trust can access and use two-factor authentication or biometric logins, such as fingerprint identification or facial recognition, to secure all of the accounts you access from your phone or other personal devices.

Trust Your Instincts

Most importantly, realize when a situation seems sketchy. If a stranger contacts you by email claiming to represent the estate of a relative you havent spoken with in a long time, chances are its a fraudulent scheme waiting to happen. To prevent this, contact relatives directly, call the main number of the bank scammers claim to be representing and, most importantly, trust your instincts. If sudden news of a surprise inheritance sounds too good to be true, thats usually because it is.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: A Devastating Click: How an Email Scam Can Cost You Your Life Savings
Elon Musk meets with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing. Wang Ye/Xinhua/AP

Elon Musk made a surprise visit to China, meeting officials and striking a deal with Baidu.

The deal brings Tesla a step closer to introducing its self-driving features in cars sold in China.

Tesla's sales in China have struggled amid rising competition from Chinese makers and a price war.

Elon Musk's surprise visit to China appears to have paid off.

The billionaire unexpectedly traveled to Beijing over the weekend, meeting with high-ranking officials and striking a deal with the Chinese search giant Baidu.

The whirlwind visit came just a week after the billionaire decided not to make a planned trip to India to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing Tesla-related "obligations."

Instead, Musk with Premier Li Qiang, China's second-highest-ranking politician, in Beijing to discuss the rollout of Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology in the world's biggest auto market. Bloomberg reported that the electric-vehicle maker was expected to get the green light for the tech in China, citing an unnamed source.

Approval of FSD software could help boost Tesla's sales in China, which have slumped amid steep competition from local rivals and suffered elsewhere from rising anxiety about EVs.

Elon Musk was taken by minibus to his private jet at Beijing airport on Monday after a surprise visit to China. Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images

'Golden opportunity'

The partnership with Baidu revolves around mapping and navigation functions for Tesla's autonomous-driving software.

Bloomberg reported that Baidu's lane-level navigation and mapping was likely to let Tesla make its autonomous-driving services available in China.

Such a move could be a much-needed boost for Tesla, which has lost its market leadership in the world's largest EV market.

Tesla has had difficulty keeping up with a brutal price war against Chinese suppliers. In 2023, it lost its title as the world's top EV seller to BYD, which is also planning to release its own autonomous-driving technology.

China's sluggish economy and property-market woes have also dampened consumer demand and made some wary of big-ticket purchases.

Approval for FSD could have a significant impact on Tesla's revenues, given it charges $8,000 in the US for it or $99 a month for a subscription.

In an interview with Bloomberg TV, the Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said of the deal, "This could open up FSD in China, which I view as unlocking what could be, really, the golden opportunity for them."

Chinese authorities also said Tesla's cars made in the country now passed data-security requirements. In 2021 Beijing cracked down on the use of Teslas by state personnel over security concerns posed by the vehicles' cameras.

Musk's battle plan

Musk's China visit came amid tough times for Tesla.

The EV maker reported its first decline in quarterly revenue since 2020 in its earnings call last week, missing Wall Street's already-low expectations. The revenue drop represented the first major decline since the pandemic disrupted vehicle production and deliveries.

Telsa has also been laying off 10% of its workforce , or about 14,000 employees, and has had to recall recently launched Cybertrucks.

Despite the miserable earnings, the company's stock jumped after the news that Tesla's long-awaited cheaper EVs were coming soon. Musk didn't give many specifics on the new vehicles, such as exactly how much they'd cost or when they'd be available, but it was enough to soothe nervous investors.

The stock surge confirms that Musk's promises still have meaning for many investors. Tesla is set to rise again by close to 10% when trading begins on Monday.

The combined might of China's car makers is a formidable adversary, but Musk's visit shows he's coming out fighting.

Tesla didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Read the original article on Business Insider
European Union officials are investigating Meta over concerns the company hasnt done enough to protect upcoming EU elections or to combat foreign disinformation on its platforms, setting up the possibility of steep fines or other penalties.

The new probe is focused on Metas handling of advertising by scammers and foreign election meddlers, said an EU source familiar with the investigation; the source was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. The probe focuses as well on a decision to shut down an analysis tool widely used by researchers and journalists to monitor Metas platforms.

A driving factor in the investigation is a concern about Metas ability to respond to Russian disinformation campaigns that could undermine election integrity, the source added.

The investigation is the latest example of European regulators flexing their muscle against US tech giants following the passage of a flurry of new laws designed to rein them in.

The EU source said the investigation highlights apparent violations of Europes signature law governing online platforms, the Digital Services Act. If confirmed, the violations could lead to significant fines of up to 6% of Metas global revenue.

As part of the probe, the EU source said they are also looking into whether decisions by Meta to rank political content lower in users feeds may violate the DSAs transparency rules. They added that Metas tools for users to report illegal content dont appear to align with the DSAs requirements, either.

The investigation comes after Meta submitted required materials to the European Commission last fall outlining how it manages perceived risks linked to its products. This investigation, however, reflects EU skepticism that Meta has successfully managed those risks.

A key aspect of the investigation targets Metas decision to sunset CrowdTangle, a once-popular tool used by civil society groups to track trending conversations on Facebook and Instagram.

Without it, the EU source said, users and researchers will have less visibility into what is happening on Meta services and could have a harder time detecting foreign election interference.

Meta said earlier this year that CrowdTangle will no longer be available after August 14.

Ending support for CrowdTangle without a good enough replacement, the EU source said, could make it harder to track misinformation and voter supression, hurting elections overall.

In a statement, a Meta spokesperson said the company would cooperate with the probe.

We have a well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms, the spokesperson said. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the European Commission and providing them with further details of this work.

This story has been updated to include more precise attribution and to include additional reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Fighter jets in flight training

China Military Online) 11:03, April 29, 2024

Fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade with the air force under the PLA Southern Theater Command taxi on the runway in formation during a flight training exercise on April 19, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhao Yutong)

Fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade with the air force under the PLA Southern Theater Command taxi on the runway in formation during a flight training exercise on April 19, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhao Yutong)

Fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade with the air force under the PLA Southern Theater Command taxi on the runway in formation during a flight training exercise on April 19, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhao Yutong)

Fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade with the air force under the PLA Southern Theater Command fly in formation at sunset during a flight training exercise on April 19, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhao Yutong)

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The city plans to transfer ownership of the 1930s Alamo Cenotaph to the Texas General Land Office, which would be responsible for its repairs. Josie Norris /Staff Photographer

The 1930s Alamo Cenotaph is in dire need of repair. Experts who recently looked inside the 56-foot-tall monument arent sure how bad the damage is.

Soon, it might have a new owner, the state of Texas, to fund its restoration.

The Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza behind fencing on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A tour group learns the history of the Alamo standing in front of the Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A tour group learns the history of the Alamo standing in front of the Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer People visit the Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer A tour group learns the history of the Alamo standing in front of the Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer People visit the Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer The Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza behind fencing on Saturday, April 27, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/Staff Photographer Construction workers put up scaffolding around the Alamo Cenotaph Monument at Alamo Plaza on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. The Cenotaph will undergo a structural integrity exam, that is expected to take at least a few weeks. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

Under proposed changes to the citys lease agreement for a public-private Alamo makeover, the Texas General Land Office, which last year secured $400 million from the Legislature for the project, will own the Cenotaph through a title transfer from the city.

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Amendments to the agreement were supported without discussion by the citys Planning Commission this week, and are scheduled for City Council approval May 2.

The 2018 deal, which is crucial to the project, enabled the city to lease portions of its right-of-way in Alamo Plaza, including part of the historic footprint of the 300-year-old mission-fort, to the Land Office. The area will be run by the nonprofit Alamo Trust as an enlarged history complex, with an education center, collections building and museum and visitor center, surrounded by pedestrian space where streets have been closed to traffic.

The lease was for 50 years with two 25-year renewal options starting in 2068.

The city and state have designated an Alamo District where the mission and battle site will be revamped. It is bounded by Houston Street to the north, Commerce Street to the south, Bonham Street to the east and Losoya Street to the west. Courtesy / Alamo Trust Inc.

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Workers put up scaffolding around the Alamo Cenotaph in Alamo Plaza in November. Repairs to the monument are scheduled to begin in July, though officials still arent sure how extensively its interior is damaged. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

Throughout the planning for the sites makeover, the Cenotaph, a memorial to the roughly 200 Anglo and Tejano soldiers and volunteers who died at the Alamo in the 1836 battle for Texas independence, has been a source of controversy and high emotion.

Under the 2018 agreement, the city committed to work with the Land Office to coordinate the restoration and relocation of the Cenotaph to a place of prominence and honor within Alamo Plaza. The specific proposal was to move the monument about 500 feet to the south, but vocal opposition to moving it anywhere culminated in the Texas Historical Commission denying a permit request by the city in 2020 to do so.

Some of the projects leading fundraisers resigned in protest, and the Alamo project nearly derailed. But Mayor Ron Nirenberg and then-Land Commissioner George P. Bush announced a reset with new leadership and assurance the Cenotaph would stay put. The council approved changes to the lease in 2021, including a pledge to repair the Cenotaph but keep it in place.

Other lease amendments that addressed contentious issues in 2021 assured that Fiestas two major street parade routes would continue to pass through the the plaza, the Woolworth and Crockett buildings would be preserved as part of a visitor center and traffic closures around the plaza would be phased in but pedestrian access would remain.

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But the physical deterioration of the Cenotaph, which features names of the Alamos fallen carved into its marble panels and The Spirit of Sacrifice sculptures by Pompeo Coppini, remains a concern.

The historical commission approved a permit this month for a comprehensive restoration, but staff members said experts dont know how far structural damage extends inside it. Five specialists have been lowered into the top of the memorial, getting the first look inside since it was dedicated nearly 85 years ago, after seven stones on its upper level, weighing as much as 7,000 pounds, were removed.

The Alamo Trust recently announced repairs to the Cenotaph led by Clark-Guido and overseen by Architexas, the project architect, will begin in July and be completed by early 2025.

The Texas General Land Office will acquire the alley known as Maverick Walk, running west of the planned Alamo visitor center, under changes to a long-term lease for the Alamo project thats set for City Council approval next week. The Land Office last year agreed to pay $6.75 million to purchase the building to the left, which housed a bar called Moses Roses Hideout. It will be demolished. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer

Officials with Architexas and the state historical commission said theres a lot to do. The monument has suffered from movement in its marble exterior panels, detachment of aluminum anchors from its brick-and-concrete frame, insufficient air flow and acidic pH levels in its interior. The stone has seen chipping and cracking, salts have leached into its mortar, theres carbonation of its concrete and some of its steel rebar has been exposed.

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Some of the damage can be traced to the Cenotaphs construction and repairs, done using best practices at the time, officials said.

The restoration team plans to dig a test pit to extract a concrete sample from the monuments foundation, along with a piece of stone without any etching or decorative carvings at its base.

What we dont know is necessarily the condition of the base of the monument, Elizabeth Brummett, the commissions architecture division director, said at an April 3 meeting in Austin. On the basis of those findings, we will then know if the entirety of the monument needs to be dismantled. So this is a decision that wont be taken lightly. If theres any way to avoid going to that extent, that certainly is the intentto do as little as possible, while still ensuring the long-term structural integrity of the monument.

Dallas architect Norman Alston, who sits on the commissions Antiquities Advisory Board, said the benefit of a good investigation using todays technology far outweighs the risks involved.

I applaud that approach, and encourage you to not be too timid about really looking and seeing whats going on down there. Because as we all know, were going to do this about once a hundred years, and this needs to be a hundred-year fix, Alston said.

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A 2021 amendment to the long-term Alamo Plaza lease between the city and Texas General Land Office ensured the traditional route of the Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parades would not change. Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News

An area near the Menger Hotel (background) and Joske's Building (at right) will be designated as a free speech zone at the expanded Alamo site. Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News

Commission Chairman John Nau, referencing the monuments title transfer to the Land Office, emphasized that the Cenotaphs staying where the heck it is.

I absolutely made it clear and got the guarantees that it doesnt talk about moving the Cenotaph, Nau said of the lease amendments.

Under the changes, the Cenotaph and an alley behind the planned Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, set to open in 2027, will be conveyed to the Land Office. Leased city right-of-way will be expanded to include a southern portion of Alamo Plaza known as the Plaza de Valero and sections of Houston and Bonham streets where conversion to pedestrian spaces are being phased in.
Milton Kidd has been an election administrator in Georgia since 2012.

But since the 2020 presidential election, he has felt the climate around his work shift. Some of it is because of increased threats and animosity from voters, but another part is related to new regulations that Kidd said have constricted his offices resources and changed how it operates.

We're paying lip service in this country that we value elections, Kidd, director of elections and registration in Douglas County, Georgia, west of Atlanta, told USA TODAY. But that's not being shown by the laws that are being passed.

More than half of U.S. states have enacted laws since 2021 that could limit voter access and inhibit the ability of officials to administer elections, according to a new report published by the nonpartisan Voting Rights Lab, which tracks election-related legislation nationwide.

At the national level, former President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson have floated legislation to prevent noncitizens from voting, which is already illegal in federal elections. Their proposal faces slim chances in the Democrat-led Senate.

But other significant new rules are already in effect in major 2024 battleground states, including Georgia and North Carolina, that could help to decide the results of a close presidential election.

In Georgia, in particular, a series of election rules passed over the past three years threatens to overburden election officials and, in some cases, issue criminal penalties against them. New election measures passed by the Republican-led state Legislature in late March that are awaiting a signature from Gov. Brian Kemp could further hamper the way elections offices operate if enacted, experts say.

Liz Avore, lead author of the Voting Rights Lab report, argued that these laws take "steps toward almost treating election officials like they are suspects in a crime" and "treating election offices like theyre crime scenes."

For the election workers with whom USA TODAY spoke, however, the main concern is that the heightened regulations may hinder the recruitment of poll workers for the 2024 election who play a vital role in elections administration.

Republican leaders in the state, including Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, have defended the laws, arguing they bring enhanced security and provide clarity around laws for election officials.

Raffensperger said he didn't see an issue with poll worker recruitment in 2022 after some of the initial election laws were passed, and doesn't expect to see any in 2024. He also lauded Republican officials' work in recent elections.

"Because we had people with backbone stand up for Georgia's election administration and results, we are not seeing the issue of poll worker recruitment that is plaguing other states," Raffensperger said in a statement.

Georgia election workers face felony threat

In recent years, Kidd said, one of his biggest work-related fears has been making a mistake on the job that could wind him up in prison.

Georgia is among nine states that have enacted laws ramping up investigations into and prosecution of election crimes, according to the Voting Rights Lab report.

A measure passed in the states sweeping 2021 election integrity law opened election workers up to felony prosecution if they issue an absentee ballot request form to a person who does not request one. Another passed in 2023 made it a felony, punishable by up to a year in prison, for officials to accept more than $500 in private funding for election administration.

Until the past few years, neither action was illegal.

Election offices across the country, including those in Georgia, accepted grant money to supplement funding provided by their states in 2020. The extra money allowed them to hire more poll workers, increase educational outreach to voters and boost other capabilities.

With the sun not quite over the horizon, polls have opened in Mississippi, and ballots are being cast in the Democratic and Republican primary election. Voting started off quietly at the Canton National Guard Armory as Dana Gordon of Canton, Miss., fills out his ballot as the first voter of the day on Tuesday, March 12, 3024. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

But false claims that private money influenced the 2020 election led Georgia and 26 other states to pass laws cracking down on the use of outside money.

In Georgia  a state that had a $16 billion budget surplus in 2023  there have been no efforts to increase the budgets of election offices or provide alternative sources of funding as a result of the ban on private money.

Meanwhile, the state has enacted measures that have changed the way elections are run and that in some circumstances may increase the workload of elections offices.

These include laws clarifying that residents can challenge an unlimited number of voter registrations they believe are ineligible and cutting down the timeline for tabulating and reporting early votes, among others.

Under the changes, Kidd argued, its not inconceivable that election workers could make those felony-level mistakes  especially during another possible runoff election when theyre juggling multiple tasks under tight deadlines.

We're expected to pull out what will be the largest election in U.S. history and the runoff associated with it with less funding than we had for 2020, Kidd said.

Because of all the changes you're rushing, you're most of the time working with inexperienced people, he added. So yes, you have the opportunity to make mistakes.

Impact on poll worker recruitment

Joseph Kirk, elections supervisor in Bartow County, Georgia, an area about an hour northwest of Atlanta, said he doesnt believe the new laws criminalize election workers.

Instead, he sees the changes as more about politics rather than election administration.

Concerns about politically motivated election law changes aren't new in Georgia.

In 2018, while serving as secretary of state, Kemp was accused of suppressing minority votes during his race for governor against Stacey Abrams. The Republican canceled 1.4 million voter registrations as Georgia's lead election administrator, including close to 700,000 in 2017, as part of what his office described as "voter roll maintenance." Several weeks before the election he'd go on to win, Kemp implemented a program that put 53,000 voter registrations - most of them of Black citizens - on hold.

But Kirk said he does sometimes worry that the more recently passed laws could affect his country's ability to recruit the workers they need to carry out the election.

There's more fear from poll workers, from temporary employees, about making mistakes rather than actual changes in law that are trying to increase the penalties for those mistakes, Kirk said.

One law, enacted in 2022, gave the Georgia Bureau of Investigations authority to audit county election offices, investigate election crimes and subpoena documents.

Voting rights advocates have suggested that law provides the governor, who appoints the head of the state Bureau of Investigations, with greater power to oversee elections.

Avore, of the Voting Rights Lab, argued that the rule creates a hovering threat for election workers who may worry that theyll subject their offices to investigation, and possibly lose their jobs, over discretionary decisions or administrative mistakes.

Kirk said one of the keys to his success in running elections over the last two decades has been keeping a knowledgeable and dedicated workforce by encouraging the same temporary employees to come back year after year to help out.

The threat of investigations has made that harder. Some workers have begun to retire, and Kirk said he believes its partially because laws have created an atmosphere of animosity that is dissuading people from wanting to return.

We all make mistakes. We're human, Kirk said. Finding an administrative error shouldn't cast doubt on the results of an election.

A compounding cycle

Kidd, from Douglas County, similarly expressed fear that the new laws are discouraging people from applying to become temporary poll workers. From 2020 to 2022, he said, he had an almost 70% turnover rate for poll workers. He expects a similar rate after each election this year.

The high turnover could be, at least partially, related to the increased the increased complexity of the role, according to a recent report published by the Bipartisan Policy Center. The report found no correlation between high levels or harassment toward election officials and turnover rates but suggested that "laws adding burdens and liability to local election official roles" could play a role.

And Kidd argued that recruitment challenges in his county may be further compounded in 2024 by a Georgia law that cut the time frame for runoff elections in half.

The state requires a runoff election in races in which no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote. The Legislature changed the date of the runoff in 2021 from nine weeks after the election to four weeks, citing concerns that the timeline was exhausting for candidates and voters.

The current RealClearPolitics average of polls in Georgia, which was calculated using polls published between early March and mid-April, shows neither Trump nor Biden reaching that 50% threshold. Trump holds 49.7% support and Biden 45.7%, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

If there is a runoff, Kidd said, the four-week timeline could put election workers in a bind.

Having a four-week run for the November election means that election workers will be working over the holidays, including Thanksgiving, where we have a hard time recruiting poll workers because everyone is with their families, he said.

Because the state requires three weeks of early voting, the new time frame also means election offices will have only one week after this November's general election to count the results, reprogram the equipment, print new ballots, and send out absentee ballot application forms.

In a state known for close margins in its elections, particularly in presidential election years, that could wreak havoc on the system.

You haven't even finished the previous election before you are actively having to basically turn around and do it all over again in a matter of three days for what took you months to prepare for, Kidd said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Georgia laws may create hovering threat for election workers in 2024
Students at dozens of universities in the U.S. and Canada are continuing to protest for Palestinian human rights after months of war in Gaza.

Most student organizations participating in protests and encampments on campuses have similar demands of their administrations, including divestment from companies that could be profiting from the war and transparency regarding where theyre investing their money.

Many universities have said they support freedom of speech and will allow protests on campus, but that encampments violate school policy. On Saturday, dozens of people were arrested at colleges that cracked down on encampments, including Northeastern University, where about 100 people were detained.

Here are the most recent updates on what is happening on campuses across the country.

George Washington University

Administrators at George Washington University in the District of Columbia said Sunday that protesters who remained at an on-campus encampment would be temporarily suspended from school and administratively barred from campus.

The encampment was being limited to 20 people, they said. A separate encampment off-campus was under the purview of the Metropolitan Police Department, the schools top leaders said in a statement Sunday.

George Washington University Protesters (Cliff Owen / AP)

On Sunday, video posted to social media by protesters depicted some clashes with law enforcement on campus.

The administrators, President Ellen M. Granberg and Provost Christopher Alan Bracey, earlier acknowledged a lack of violence on campus, but singled out messaging deemed "highly offensive to many members of our community," including "hateful language."

New Orleans

Police said that at least 10 people were arrested Sunday night at a pro-Palestinian protest in New Orleans, where students from Loyola and Tulane Universities have joined the nationwide student movement to oppose Israel's military action in Gaza.

New Orleans Police Department told NBC News' affiliate station in the city, WDSU, that four officers were injured as police cleared protesters from Jackson Square, which is overlooked by St. Louis Cathedral.

UCLA

Skirmishes broke out between pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israel counterprotesters at the University of California, Los Angeles in the Westwood community Sunday.

No arrests or injuries were reported as members and supporters of the pro-Israel group Stand With Us rallied on campus and ultimately clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters at their expanding encampment.

Stand With Us co-founder Roz Rothstein said on social media platform X that 1,000 people joined the counterprotest.

Video showed some protesters removing barriers that separated the two sides as fast-moving participants bumped bodies, stood off and yelled at each other.

We are heartbroken to report that today, some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators," UCLA vice chancellor for strategic communications Mary Osako said in a statement.

Osako said more security personnel and measures were subsequently put into place on campus.

University of Southern California

Joel Curran, the University of Southern Californias senior vice president of communications, said campus property, including the Tommy Trojan statue, was vandalized Saturday by individuals who are part of the group that has continued "to illegally camp on our campus."

A USC Department of Public Safety vehicle sits next to the base of the Tommy Trojan statue (Jason Goode / AFP via Getty Images)

"Despite repeated warnings, this group has also continued to disrupt our campus operations and harass students and others, in violation of numerous university policies," Curran said. "While the university fully supports freedom of expression, these acts of vandalism and harassment are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

Curran did not specify what the acts of harassment allegedly perpetrated by the group were. He said protesters have refused "numerous attempts" made by President Carol Folt to meet with them.

"We are hoping for a more reasonable response Sunday before we are forced to take further action. This area is needed for commencement setup early this week," he said.

Members of the law enforcement and police officers intervene the Pro-Palestinian student protesters at University of Southern California ( Grace Hie Yoon / Anadolu via Getty Images)

The Los Angeles Police Department said no one was arrested during a protest on campus Saturday night.

USC students started protesting after Muslim student Asna Tabassums valedictorian speech was canceled because of unspecified security threats.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

President Sally Kornbluth released a statement Sunday saying negotiations between student protesters and administrators came to a stalemate when "students made clear on social media that they will not accept anything less than their original demands."

"Whats more, despite the fact that the students were engaged with us in what we thought were good-faith discussions, a group of students disrupted another official MIT event this morning," Kornbluth said. "I have long believed that dialogue and mutual understanding are the best way to resolve conflicts. But it is clear that this approach has not allowed the progress we were hoping for."

NBC News has reached out to MIT for comment on what the administration plans on doing next.

In a video statement published Saturday, Kornbluth acknowledged that the pro-Palestinian protests on campus have been peaceful so far but said the encampment "has been a clear violation of our procedures for registering and reserving space for campus demonstrations."

"We are open to further discussion about the means of ending the encampment," Kornbluth said. "But this particular form of expression needs to end soon."

Pro-Palestine demonstrators rally at an encampment in support of Gaza at the University of Southern California (Mario Tama / Getty Images)

Emerson College

Video from this past week showed officers in protective gear moving in on Boylston Place Alley on Emerson's campus, where an encampment was set up. A total of 118 protesters were arrested as a result, according to a statement from President Jay Bernhardt.

Bernhardt said the college "advocated with the City and Boston Police Department for several days to delay the removal of the encampment," and when it became clear that was imminent, it encouraged protesters to remove tents from the alley.

"We know that the events of that night were, and are, emotionally overwhelming for our entire community, especially for the students present at the protest and the staff and faculty who were on site to provide support," he said.

Bernhardt said the college will not bring campus disciplinary charges against the protesters and plans to encourage the district attorney not to pursue charges against those involved in the encampment.

University of Mary Washington

A total of 12 people, including nine students, were arrested for trespassing Saturday after the University of Mary Washington in Virginia prohibited an encampment on campus because it invited outsiders in, according to a statement from President Troy Paino.

"We remain committed to working with our campus community members to facilitate peaceful expression, and we welcome individuals and families to our campus for public events, including demonstrations when those activities abide by policies and regulations," Paino said. "Events that do not follow instructions, attempt to disrupt classes or activities, or endanger the health, safety, and security of our campus community will not be allowed."

Northeastern University

About 100 people were detained at a pro-Palestinian protest at Northeastern Universitys Boston campus Saturday morning, according to university officials.

What began as a student demonstration two days ago, was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern, the university said in its statement on X. Last night, the use of virulent anti-Semitic slurs, including Kill the Jews, crossed the line. We cannot tolerate this kind of hate on our campus.

Video circulating online appears to show the statement being made by a counterprotester holding an Israeli flag, who was met with boos from other protesters on campus. Its not clear if the person who said the antisemitic phrase was among those detained or disciplined.

The leading student organization behind the protest, Huskies for a Free Palestine, or HFP, called the administrations statement false narratives, and accused the administration of implying the phrase was said by pro-Palestinian protesters and using it as justification to arrest over 100 Northeastern faculty, workers, and students.

Columbia University

Columbias pro-Palestinian encampment stretched into its second weekend after talks between protesting students and the administration remained at a stalemate.

The NYPD said there were no reports of arrests of students at Columbia University on Friday or Saturday regarding the encampment.

The Reach Education Fund, a U.S. nonprofit that helps Palestinian students achieve their academic dreams, shared a video of children supporting protesters at Columbia University.

Pro-Palestinian protesters camp out in tents at Columbia University in New York on Saturday. (AP)

"Thank you, the students of Columbia University," one student said. "We respect you," another student said.

The Palestinian students also showed support for students protesting at Harvard and Yale universities.

"We hear you.. students of Yale University," read one sign held by a student.

Portland State University

On Friday, Portland State University President Ann Cudd announced that the institution will put a pause on receiving any further gifts or grants from Boeing, after receiving a letter signed by members of the community.

The universitys Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights has accused Boeing of being complicit in the occupation and genocide in Palestine, according to a post on its Instagram account.

A spokesperson for Boeing said the company has no comment.

Arizona State University

At Arizona State University, 72 people were arrested Friday and accused of trespassing related to setting up an encampment, according to a university spokesperson.

The school said the encampment was established mostly by people who were not university students, faculty or staff, and that they refused instructions to disperse.

Of the 72 people arrested, only 15 were students, according to the university.

Indiana University

Police arrested 23 people at Indiana University on Saturday after protesters were warned to remove tents or other structures that violated university policy. Those who didnt were detained and removed, the university said.

The people arrested face charges ranging from criminal trespass to resisting law enforcement. Its unclear whether they are affiliated with the university.

Dozens of people are arrested by the Indiana State Police riot squad during a pro-Palestinian protest on Indiana University's campus (Jeremy Hogan / Sipa via AP)

Washington University

At Washington University in St. Louis, more than 80 arrests were made Saturday after a group of students, employees and others not affiliated with the campus refused to leave after pitching tents and calling on others to join their protest, the university said in a statement.

"All will face charges of trespassing and some may also be charged with resisting arrest and assault, including for injuries to police officers," the school said.
As the Israel-Hamas war approaches the seven-month mark, renewed negotiations are underway to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, as Israeli forces continue to prepare for an apparent invasion of the southern Gaza town of Rafah.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke in a phone call over the weekend, discussing increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and plans for a possible military operation in Rafah, according to the White House.





Latest Developments





Apr 30, 12:57 PM

Jordanian king warns of 'catastrophic effects' of a Rafah operation

The Jordanian government released a readout of the meeting between King Abdullah II and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday.



Abdullah "warned of the danger of any military operation in Rafah, stressing that the catastrophic effects of the war in Gaza could spread to areas in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the entire region," according to the readout.

PHOTO: Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a meeting with UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag in Amman, Jordan, Apr. 30, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

The king also called for more aid to Gaza "through all available means," the readout said.



"The King said supporting UNRWA is crucial to enable it to cover the basic needs of nearly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, as well as other Palestinian refugees in its areas of operation," the readout said.



The U.S. and some other countries pulled funding for UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, after Israel said several staffers took part in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.



-ABC News' Cindy Smith





Apr 30, 12:43 PM

Israel will not send delegation to Cairo until Hamas responds to offer: Source

Israel will not send a delegation to Cairo for negotiations on a cease-fire deal until Hamas provides an answer to the proposal Israel has offered them, an Israeli source told ABC News.



-ABC News' Jordana Miller





Apr 30, 12:40 PM

White House stays mum on Netanyahu's remarks on Rafah plans

White House national security spokesman John Kirby declined to comment about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's latest comments about a possible operation into Rafah during a news conference Tuesday.



"Our position on Rafah is absolutely the same. We don't want to see a major ground operation in Rafah. Certainly, we don't want to see operations that haven't factored in the safety and security of those 1.5 million folks trying to seek refuge down there," Kirby said.



He also declined to say if Netanyahu has shared his plans to enter Rafah with or without a deal directly with the United States.



"They understand our concerns, and those concerns have not changed," he said, adding that they have not seen a credible plan yet from Israel to take civilian safety into consideration though conversations continue.

PHOTO: A Palestinian man walks past the rubble of buildings destroyed in previous Israeli bombardments, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Apr. 30, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

Kirby reiterated that the new cease-fire deal is on the table, which would give a six-week pause in fighting and help get the hostages home.



Kirby downplayed expectations, but stressed "time is of the essence."



"I wouldn't say we're overly confident. I would say we're being very pragmatic about this," he said.



-ABC News' Molly Nagle





Apr 30, 11:25 AM

Netanyahu says Israel has 'no other choice' but to conduct Rafah operation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an operation in Rafah will proceed in comments Tuesday.



"We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice," Netanyahu said in comments translated from Hebrew. "We will destroy the Hamas battalions there, we will complete all the objectives of the war, including the repatriation of all our hostages."



No timeline has been given for a military operation in Rafah, where over 1 million refugees have gathered in the wake of Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

PHOTO: A Palestinian woman walks past the rubble of buildings destroyed in previous Israeli bombardments, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, Apr. 30, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

The prime minister also criticized the International Criminal Court, saying it "has no authority over the state of Israel." The ICC is currently investigating Israel's actions in Gaza, as well as the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that launched the Israeli response.



"The possibility that it will issue arrest warrants for war crimes against IDF commanders and state leaders, this possibility is a scandal on a historical scale," Netanyahu said.



He added, "I want to make one thing clear: no decision, neither in The Hague nor anywhere else, will harm our determination to achieve all the goals of the war."



-ABC News' Jordana Miller





Apr 29, 6:18 PM

Hamas delegation leaves Cairo, will return with response to Israeli proposal: Egyptian official

The Hamas delegation has left Cairo and will return again with a written response to Israels proposal for a truce and hostage-release deal, a senior Egyptian government official told ABC News.



-ABC News' Ayat Al-Tawy





Apr 29, 4:20 PM

White House won't get info specifics on cease-fire deal

The White House was careful not to get into specifics on the "extraordinarily generous" cease-fire proposal Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to earlier this morning, refusing to give specifics as they continued to call on Hamas to accept the proposal.



"I'm not going to characterize the proposal. I'm not going to get into any of the specifics. What we believe is that now is the time for Hamas to take this deal. It is on the table. It is time to, it is way past time to get these hostages home. It is way past time to get to a ceasefire and we need to make sure we continue to get that humanitarian aid," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

PHOTO: A woman walks by posters put up in support of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Apr. 29, 2024. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Jean-Pierre noted that Israel "has a lot on their plate," but expressed a desire for an in-person meeting to take place, in addition to the two virtual meetings the U.S. and Israel have had in recent weeks.

"We would like to have an in-person meeting. That is certainly what we would like to do, but in the meantime, weve had two important virtual meetings and in the readout, yesterday, we mentioned that the potential Rafah operations did come up between the two leaders in their conversation," she said.

PHOTO: Children react following Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, Apr. 29, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also spoke to President Joe Biden Monday about ongoing Gaza talks and Egyptian efforts to reach a cease-fire and hostage deal in a phone call, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.



The call discussed the risks of an Israeli incursion into Rafah, including the "catastrophic" impact on the worsening humanitarian crisis, and implications for the security and stability of the region, the statement added.



-ABC News' Molly Nagle and Ayat Al-Tawy





Apr 29, 3:53 PM

Israel leaders concerned about possible ICC arrest warrants: Source

Israeli leaders are expressing concern over possible arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against key officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an Israeli official, who spoke under condition of anonymity, told ABC News.

PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, February 18, 2024. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

It is believed that such potential warrants might be related to charges on the scope of humanitarian aid Israel allowed into Gaza, according to the official.



The ICC can charge individuals with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide under its powers.



-ABC News' Dana Savir





Apr 29, 12:20 PM

21 killed, 6 injured after strike in Gaza

At least 21 people were killed in Gaza after an Israeli airstrike Monday, the Al Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah told ABC News. Six people were injured from the strike, the hospital added.



The updated death toll in Gaza is 34,488 killed and 77,643 injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.



ABC News has reached out to the Israeli army for comment on the strike.



-ABC News' Dia Ostaz





Apr 29, 11:15 AM

Blinken calls for cease-fire in first stop on Middle East trip

U.S. Secretary of Antony Blinken, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, notably called for a cease-fire as "the most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza" during a session with his counterparts of the Gulf Cooperation Council.



"The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to alleviate the suffering of children, women and men and to create space for a more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and hostages home, but also not waiting on a cease-fire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians of Gaza," Blinken said.

PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Partnership to discuss the humanitarian crises faced in Gaza, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

"President Biden is insistent that Israel take specific concrete measurable steps to better address humanitarian suffering, civilian harm and the safety of aid workers in Gaza, including in his most recent call with Prime Minister Netanyahu," he added, referring to a Sunday call with the Israeli leader.



Blinken said the U.S. was "focused on addressing the greatest threat to regional stability and regional security -- Iran."



-ABC News' Lauren Minore





Apr 28, 6:00 PM

United States Central Command and Royal Jordanian Air Force airdrop aid into Gaza

U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza on Sunday.



The combined joint operation included Jordanian provided food and four U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft.



The U.S. C-130's dropped over 25,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), providing life-saving humanitarian assistance in Northern Gaza. Additionally, more than 13,080 meal equivalents of Jordanian food supplies were also delivered.



To date the U.S. has dropped nearly 1,110 tons of humanitarian assistance.



-ABC News Nate Luna

Click here to read the rest of the blog.
As the Israel-Hamas war approaches the seven-month mark, renewed negotiations are underway to secure the release of hostages taken by the terrorist organization, as Israeli forces continue to prepare for an apparent invasion of the southern Gaza town of Rafah.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke in a phone call over the weekend, discussing increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza and plans for a possible military operation in Rafah, according to the White House.





Latest Developments





Apr 29, 4:20 PM

White House won't get info specifics on cease-fire deal

The White House was careful not to get into specifics on the "extraordinarily generous" cease-fire proposal Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to earlier this morning, refusing to give specifics as they continued to call on Hamas to accept the proposal.



"I'm not going to characterize the proposal. I'm not going to get into any of the specifics. What we believe is that now is the time for Hamas to take this deal. It is on the table. It is time to, it is way past time to get these hostages home. It is way past time to get to a ceasefire and we need to make sure we continue to get that humanitarian aid," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

PHOTO: A woman walks by posters put up in support of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Apr. 29, 2024. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Jean-Pierre noted that Israel "has a lot on their plate," but expressed a desire for an in-person meeting to take place, in addition to the two virtual meetings the U.S. and Israel have had in recent weeks.

"We would like to have an in-person meeting. That is certainly what we would like to do, but in the meantime, weve had two important virtual meetings and in the readout, yesterday, we mentioned that the potential Rafah operations did come up between the two leaders in their conversation," she said.

PHOTO: Children react following Israeli bombardment in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, Apr. 29, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi also spoke to President Joe Biden Monday about ongoing Gaza talks and Egyptian efforts to reach a cease-fire and hostage deal in a phone call, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.



The call discussed the risks of an Israeli incursion into Rafah, including the "catastrophic" impact on the worsening humanitarian crisis, and implications for the security and stability of the region, the statement added.



-ABC News' Molly Nagle and Ayat Al-Tawy





Apr 29, 3:53 PM

Israel leaders concerned about possible ICC arrest warrants: Source

Israeli leaders are expressing concern over possible arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against key officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an Israeli official, who spoke under condition of anonymity, told ABC News.

PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, February 18, 2024. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters)

It is believed that such potential warrants might be related to charges on the scope of humanitarian aid Israel allowed into Gaza, according to the official.



The ICC can charge individuals with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide under its powers.



-ABC News' Dana Savir





Apr 29, 12:20 PM

21 killed, 6 injured after strike in Gaza

At least 21 people were killed in Gaza after an Israeli airstrike Monday, the Al Kuwaiti Hospital in Rafah told ABC News. Six people were injured from the strike, the hospital added.



The updated death toll in Gaza is 34,488 killed and 77,643 injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.



ABC News has reached out to the Israeli army for comment on the strike.



-ABC News' Dia Ostaz





Apr 29, 11:15 AM

Blinken calls for cease-fire in first stop on Middle East trip

U.S. Secretary of Antony Blinken, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, notably called for a cease-fire as "the most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza" during a session with his counterparts of the Gulf Cooperation Council.



"The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza to alleviate the suffering of children, women and men and to create space for a more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and hostages home, but also not waiting on a cease-fire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians of Gaza," Blinken said.

PHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Partnership to discuss the humanitarian crises faced in Gaza, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 29, 2024. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

"President Biden is insistent that Israel take specific concrete measurable steps to better address humanitarian suffering, civilian harm and the safety of aid workers in Gaza, including in his most recent call with Prime Minister Netanyahu," he added, referring to a Sunday call with the Israeli leader.



Blinken said the U.S. was "focused on addressing the greatest threat to regional stability and regional security -- Iran."



-ABC News' Lauren Minore





Apr 28, 6:00 PM

United States Central Command and Royal Jordanian Air Force airdrop aid into Gaza

U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza on Sunday.



The combined joint operation included Jordanian provided food and four U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft.



The U.S. C-130's dropped over 25,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), providing life-saving humanitarian assistance in Northern Gaza. Additionally, more than 13,080 meal equivalents of Jordanian food supplies were also delivered.



To date the U.S. has dropped nearly 1,110 tons of humanitarian assistance.



-ABC News Nate Luna





Apr 28, 5:22 PM

American hostage's niece opens up about 'surreal' new video

Hanna Siegel, niece of American hostage Keith Siegel, appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday morning and talked about the "surreal" feeling of seeing a recently released video purporting to show her uncle and talked about the possibility of a deal that would free him and other people thought to still be held by Hamas in Gaza.



"We've always believed that he was alive. We have to believe he's alive -- and his wife, my aunt, who was held for 52 days, [was] released in the deal that took place in November, she was with him," Siegel said. "When she came out, she told us he was alive, but this is the first time that we're seeing him, hearing him. It's surreal."



When asked about a potential hostage deal and temporary cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Siegel said that she does think an agreement "can be reached" and pointed to an earlier deal that secured the release of her aunt and others during a brief pause in the war late last year.



Siegel also said that she believes the new release of purported hostage videos shows that Hamas is signaling they are ready to make a deal.



But she said that she is concerned that it might not be in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "political interest to close a deal," though Netanyahu has said his goal is freeing the captives in Gaza as well as dismantling Hamas.



Siegel said that the Biden administration should "think about what they can do directly to bring our American citizens home."



She also said she has felt the "commitment from the Biden administration to get him back," referring to her uncle.



She became emotional talking about how her family missed her uncle during their Passover celebration and had a picture of him to pay tribute.



"I think there's so much swirling in the political realm that it's easy to forget that these are human beings. Keith is a grandfather, he's a husband, he's a brother, he's an uncle," she said.



She was asked whether her family is worried if a potential Israeli invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah, to further target Hamas fighters, could threaten her uncle's safety. She responded that she and her family are "very concerned."



-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart





Apr 28, 5:10 PM

Hamas to send a delegation to Cairo for hostage and cease-fire negotiations

Hamas will send a delegation to Cairo, Egypt, on Monday to participate in hostage and cease-fire deal negotiations, ABC News has confirmed.



Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official also told the Agence France-Presse on Sunday that the organization has no significant problems with the proposed deal.



"The atmosphere is positive unless there are new obstacles from the Israeli side," the Hamas official said.



-ABC News' Nasser Atta and Yael Benaya
Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with the House speaker, Mike Johnson, on 11 April. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Anyone who thinks Marjorie Taylor Greene will drop her threat to force the removal of the Republican US House speaker, Mike Johnson, is high, drunk, or simply out of their mind, a senior aide to the far-right Georgia congresswoman said.

Thats absurd, her deputy chief of staff Nick Dyer told Politico, adding that Greene was not going to tell the press her plans for activating the motion to vacate she filed more than a month ago.

Related: Rightwing media mock Marjorie Taylor Greene after Ukraine aid bill passes

Anyone who is saying she is backing down is high, drunk, or simply out of their mind.

Congress returned to Washington on Monday with Greenes threat hanging over the speaker, her fellow Republican.

Greene filed the motion after Johnson oversaw passage of a government spending bill with Democratic support.

Since then, the speaker has angered far-right Republicans further by overseeing passage of aid to Ukraine, the reauthorisation of government surveillance powers and other moves reliant on Democratic support or seen as too civil to the other party.

Johnson must govern with a tiny majority after his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, became the first speaker ejected by his own party when extreme-right Republicans rebelled last October.

But though Johnson has a hard-right record himself, and was involved in Donald Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 election, he retains support from the former president and from Democrats set to vote to keep him in his post if Greene decides to strike. Whether Johnson could survive being seen as reliant on Democrats is an open question.

On Sunday, Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, told MSNBC: The idea of allowing Marjorie Taylor Greene, someone who literally, you know, would let the world burn, you know, with her isolationist foreign policy who has talked about states seceding from the union 

The idea of letting [Greene] sit in the peoples House and the well of Congress, giving a speech, removing any speaker and having that powerful moment, there is just no way Democrats are going to let her do that. Im not going to let her do that. We wont even let her name a post office. Were not going to let her take out the speaker.

But it does seem likely Greene will make her move, if only to avoid climbing down.

Permanent funding for Ukraine is exactly what they want and Mike Johnson will give it to them, she said in a post to X, appearing to refer to Democrats and/or the so-called deep state, the supposed permanent government of operatives and bureaucrats that conspiracy theorists say exists to thwart populist leaders.

Peace is not an option for them because it doesnt fit the government appropriations war business and economic model, which is vile and disgusting, Greene said.

Theyre [sic] plan is keep funding the proxy war with Russia in Ukraine and when that doesnt work, after all the Ukrainian men have been slaughtered, next they will put American troops on the ground.

Johnson will do whatever [Joe] Biden/[Senate majority leader Chuck] Schumer want in order to keep the speakers gavel in his hand, but he has completely sold out the Republican voters who gave us the majority. His days as speaker are numbered.

Greene is backed by Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona.

Massie said: Speaker Johnson enlisted a majority of Democrats to override a majority of Republicans so he could: 1) pass an omnibus that spends more than [former speaker Nancy] Pelosi did, including a new FBI building. 2) reauthorise warrantless spying on Americans 3) send $60bn to Ukraine.

Unforgivable.
A 3-year-old Florida boy is in stable condition after shooting himself in the foot on Sunday with a gun owned by his mother, a Miami school police officer, according to authorities.

Homestead police officers arrived at the boy's home in Homestead, Florida after receiving reports of the self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the department's news release. During the police's investigation, they learned the boy found his mom's gun and shot himself in the left foot while she was preparing food, the release continued.

Police identified the boy's mother as an officer with the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department. The mother personally owned the gun her son found, and it was not a service weapon, Homestead police said.

USA TODAY contacted Miami-Dade County Public Schools but did not receive a response.

A Miami-Dade Schools officer has been arrested after her 3-year-old son took her son and shot himself in the foot, police say.

Florida boy shot: Florida teenager accidentally kills 11-year-old brother with stolen gun: Police

3-year-old boy's mother charged with child neglect, police say

The boy was taken to a local hospital for initial treatment, but was later airlifted to a regional hospital for further medical care, police said.

As a result of the investigation, the mother was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm, according to police.

When detectives searched the mother's home, they found a recently fired gun and the officer's service radio in plain view on the kitchen counter, a police report says. There was no secure gun case, nor a holster present in the area, the report continued.

"The Homestead Police Department takes cases involving child endangerment very seriously, and we are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children in our community," the police's release said. "The Homestead Police Department urges all gun owners to securely store firearms and to educate themselves and their families about gun safety."

Miami-Dade County Public Schools 'relieved the officer of duty'

The mother will remain suspended until Homestead police's investigation is completed, Miami-Dade County Public Schools said in a statement to WPLG.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is aware of a non-school related incident involving a Miami-Dade Schools Police officer that occurred over the weekend, the school district said. The officer has been arrested by the Homestead Police Department. The Miami-Dade Schools Police Department has relieved the officer of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

The boy's mother is currently in custody at Miami-Dade Corrections and does not have a set bond, according to inmate records.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami school officer arrested, son shoots himself with her gun: Police
A 9/11 victim's DNA helped police identify remains  found more than 20 years ago under a famed New York City address  as those of a teen last seen in 1969, authorities said.

Construction workers made the gruesome discovery on Feb. 10 2003 at 301 W. 46th St. in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, where the famed rock night club "Steve Paul's The Scene" once played host to some of music's biggest acts.

They were knocking through the concrete floor (and) a skull rolled out," NYPD Detective Ryan Glas told NBC New York.

Publicly accessible DNA records, including those of a 9/11 victim, linked those 2003 remains to Patricia Kathleen McGlone, a Brooklyn girl who would have been about 16 in 1969.

She had been tied up with electrical cord and strangled.

The victim was wearing a ring with initials "PMcG," matching her name, and a 1960s-era Bulova watch, police said. A 1969 dime and a plastic toy solider were also found on her, prompting police to believe she might have given birth to a child before her death.

NYPD Detective Ryan Glas holds a digital composite photo of Patricia Kathleen McGlone. (WNBC)

"With any investigation, especially a homicide investigation, the first thing you need to have is a name to the victim, because it gives you a starting point," Glas said. "Any little bit of information helps, especially with cold cases."

Kathleen McGlone was the daughter of Bernard McGlone and Patricia Gilligan, who obtained a marriage license on June 23, 1952 in Alexandria County, Virginia.

At the time of their planned union, McGlone was 45 and living in the Upper East Side of Manhattan while Gilligan was 21 and residing in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

The victim was born on April 20, 1953 and later baptized and confirmed, according to Brooklyn Catholic Church records.

Both of the victims parents, who have since died, are not considered suspects, police said.

"This is personal for me because everyone has a daughter, everyone is the child of somebody," Glas said. "You got to get justice for the people that are killed."
Severe weather and the likelihood of more tornadoes will return to the central United States, spanning Tuesday evening, Wednesday and Thursday, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. Along with the tornado threat, storms will pack high winds, large hail, and torrential rain that can aggravate or initiate flooding problems.

Many of the same areas that were rocked and devastated by severe weather and flash flooding in recent days may be hit again or at least under the threat of severe weather, including tornadoes.

Sadly, several people were killed, including an infant, in the violent storms and tornadoes from Friday to Sunday. Close to 500 incidents of severe weather occurred, including more than 125 tornadoes.

The atmosphere was in reload mode on Monday as the last gasp of thunderstorms pushed along the central Gulf Coast region with flooding downpours and gusty winds. The group of storms was responsible for 4-10 inches of rain and flash flooding in parts of Texas and Louisiana.

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"Two more storm systems will affect the Central states this week," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.

The first storm system will swing quickly from the central Plains to the Upper Midwest from Tuesday evening to Wednesday.

"This storm will bring a reprise of severe weather, mainly in the form of high winds and hail, but also the potential for tornadoes in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa on Tuesday evening," Rayno said. Omaha, Nebraska, may be in the middle of the threat zone.

AccuWeather has a moderate risk of severe weather, including tornadoes, in this area, as well as a small part of southeastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota, northeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri on Tuesday. The overall threat of severe weather Tuesday afternoon and evening will extend as far to the south as west-central Texas.

With the severe weather this week, cities such as Omaha; Kansas City and Springfield, Missouri; Des Moines, Iowa; Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Wichita Falls and Abilene, Texas; will be at risk all three days from Tuesday to Thursday.

The second of the two main storms this week will eject from the central Rockies Wednesday and is forecast to pivot more slowly northward over the northern Plains and Upper Midwest Thursday.

The swath of severe weather at risk Wednesday will be nearly identical to that of Tuesday and will extend from Nebraska and Iowa southward 900 miles to much of central Texas.

"We could be looking at more than a dozen tornadoes Wednesday in portions of the central and southern Plains," Rayno said.

Storms and the setup that are potent enough to produce tornadoes will also bring many incidents of large hail, high winds and torrential downpours.

The threat of severe weather will continue from the second storm system Thursday. The threat zone will encompass much of the same areas as Tuesday and Wednesday but also extend farther to the east -- near the Mississippi River and east of the Mississippi in Illinois and Wisconsin.

The storms are likely to produce episodes of hail and strong winds. However, a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out.

"The overall coverage of severe weather on Thursday may be more localized when compared to Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as that of this past Friday and Saturday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz said.

Because the storms will repeat over the same areas for multiple days and in areas that were hit already by repeating storms and downpours from last week, there is the potential for renewed flooding or flooding that could be made worse.

Small streams and rivers surged to moderate to major flood stage as a result of rounds of heavy rain in recent days. The rainfall will result in the middle segment of the Mississippi River, reaching a minor flood stage in some areas.

The downpours will also bring the risk of flash flooding to some areas that were spared in recent days.

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
By Daniel Leussink and Liam Mo

BEIJING (Reuters) -Elon Musk made progress towards rolling out Tesla's advanced driver-assistance package in China on a whirlwind weekend trip to Beijing, sending the company's shares soaring more than 16% on Monday.

The leap in Tesla's stock added $90 billion to the company's market value, a major vote of confidence from Wall Street for the electric-vehicle maker as it struggles with soft demand and increased competition.

Key questions remain, however, on whether Tesla can secure government approvals to transfer data overseas that could prove pivotal in its development of autonomous vehicles.

Musk arrived in the Chinese capital on an unannounced visit on Sunday, intending to discuss the rollout of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and the data-transfer permissions, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Among the wins during Musk's trip, which was first reported by Reuters, was a key endorsement from a top Chinese auto association that said Tesla's Model 3 and Y cars were compliant with data-security regulations. That would enable local governments to allow Tesla cars into parts of China they were previously barred from, Chinese media reported, citing a statement from Tesla.

Tesla has also reached an agreement with Baidu to use the Chinese giant's mapping license for data collection on China's public roads, according to two people, who described that as a step toward FSD rollout in China.

Musk's meetings included one with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who praised Tesla's development in China.

Tesla did not comment for this report. Musk said this month on his social media site X that Tesla may make FSD available to customers in China "very soon".

The question of whether Tesla can win Beijing's approvals for overseas data transfer remains critical to its plans for FSD in China and for autonomous vehicles globally. Reuters could not determine what progress, if any, Musk made in securing such approvals during his Beijing trip.

Getting approvals in China to sell a so-called "level 2" driver-assistance system such as FSD isn't the hard part. But Tesla has considered the ability to transfer data out of China pivotal to its development of autonomous vehicles.

Tesla and other automakers use the data provided by their cars to train autonomous driving systems to perform increasingly complicated tasks without supervision from a human driver. Without Beijing's approval for data transfer, Tesla could not use data collected by its cars in China to develop autonomous cars for a global customer base.

Despite its name, Tesla's Full Self-Driving vehicle is not fully autonomous and requires drivers to stay ready to take over.

Musk's China trip marked the next step in a major pivot to Tesla's strategy that has accelerated over a chaotic last few weeks for Tesla. The automaker rushed to prioritize its efforts to develop self-driving cars while putting its ambitions to become a mass-market seller of affordable electric vehicles on the back burner.

Reuters exclusively reported on April 5 that the automaker had scrapped plans for a next-general affordable car, widely called the Model 2, while continuing plans for robotaxis on the same new small-car platform.

Just a week before the Beijing trip, Musk abandoned a planned trip to India and a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he had been expected to discuss an investment including a new factory to build affordable Teslas.

The Indian government did not have an immediate comment on Musk's China visit.

If Tesla shares close at their current price of $196.40, it would mark the stock's largest one-day percentage gain since March 2021, according to LSEG data.

Prior to Monday's share price jump, Tesla shares had lost about a third of their value this year as concerns have grown about its growth trajectory. Last week, Tesla reported its first decline in quarterly revenue since 2020.

SELF-DRIVING COMPETITION

Equity analysts at Wedbush called the surprise visit "a major moment for Tesla" if Musk is able to obtain approval to transfer the China data overseas.

Chinese regulators have required Tesla to store all data collected by its Chinese fleet in Shanghai since 2021, leaving the company unable to transfer any back to the United States.

China's complicated traffic conditions with more pedestrians and cyclists than in many other markets provide more scenarios that are key for training autonomous driving algorithms at a faster pace, according to industry experts.

Tesla cars have been banned from entering Chinese military complexes over security concerns relating to cameras installed on its vehicles. Its cars have also been turned away from sites holding important political events, such as an annual summer leadership conclave the ruling Communist Party held in 2022.

The endorsement from the Chinese auto group, which said Tesla complies with China's data regulations, could allow Tesla cars to access such sites.

Rival Chinese automakers and suppliers such as XPeng and Huawei Technologies have been seeking to gain an advantage over Tesla by rolling out self-driving software of their own.

He Xiaopeng, the CEO of XPeng whose XNGP Advanced Driver Assistance System is similar to FSD, said on his Weibo account he welcomed the entry of the Tesla technology into China.

(Reporting by Florence Lo and Daniel Leussink and Liam Mo in Beijing, Zhang Yan in Shanghai; Additional reporting by Sarah Wu and Aditi Shah; Writing by Brenda Goh and by Noel Randewich in Oakland, Calif.; Editing by Sonali Paul, Mark Potter, Brian Thevenot and Sharon Singleton)
Martin Gonzales, the Atascosa County Historical Commission chairman, adjusts a tabletop diorama of the 1813 Battle of Medina donated to the county by military retiree Richard Crawford, who spent years building it and hand-painting each figure. Jessica Phelps This pewter button is believed to be from the uniform of a Spanish Royal Army soldier who fought in the 1813 Battle of Medina. It was found on private property in northern Atascosa County. Courtesy / Martin Gonzales Martin Gonzales, the Atascosa County Historical Commission chairman, holds a button recently unearthed at an archeological site in the county that is linked to the 1813 Battle of Medina. Jessica Phelps Martin Gonzales, the Atascosa County Historical Commission chairman, points out possible locations of the 1813 Battle of Medina on an old map of Atascosa County. Recently, a number of lead balls and other bits of artillery ordnance were unearthed at an archeological site in the county, one of several that have tried to establish where Texas deadliest battle was fought. Jessica Phelps Martin Gonzales, the Atascosa County Historical Commission chairman, pointing to an old map, traces possible locations of the 1813 Battle of Medina. Recently, lead balls and other bits of artillery ordnance have been unearthed in Atascosa County that might have been prepared for or used in the battle. Jessica Phelps Lead balls recently unearthed during a dig in northern Atascosa County might be from the 1813 Battle of Medina. Jessica Phelps A lead ball recently unearthed during a dig in northern Atascosa County might be from the 1813 Battle of Medina. Jessica Phelps Lead balls which recently unearthed at a dig in Northern Atascosa County are linked to the 1813 Battle of Medina. Jessica Phelps Martin Gonzales, the Atascosa County Historical Commission chairman, talks about the 1813 Battle of Medina. Jessica Phelps

Musket balls and lead fragments from artillery, presumably prepared for or fired in Texas deadliest battle ever, are being unearthed in record numbers south of San Antonio.

Theyre reshaping an old question, if not yet answering it: Where exactly did it happen?

Historians have described the 1813 Battle of Medina as a running fight but have assumed there was a focus, a main encounter. Now theyre not so sure.

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A button, possibly from a Spanish military uniform, was among dozens of recent finds in northern Atascosa County that have extended an already large archaeological map of the epic clash.

Similar items have been found in southern Bexar County, where podcast host Brandon Seale and a team from American Veterans Archaeological Recovery, or AVAR, have been at work on private property for the past two years.

Some things about the fighting on the hot afternoon of Aug. 18, 1813, are well known.

It lasted about four hours, ended the first Texas revolution against Spain, added a painful chapter to San Antonio history and gave a young lieutenant named Santa Anna some combat experience.

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But at least 10 sites in Bexar and Atascosa counties have been theorized as locations for the battle. Three have state or private historical markers. The new evidence is starting to organize this wide-ranging guesswork.

Ive long thought that this battle stretched out for miles. Now I believe it even more, said Martin Gonzales, chairman of the Atascosa County Historical Commission.

An intact lead ball recently unearthed in northern Atascosa County is typical of the more than 20 items whose metal makeup matched that of artifacts from two other sites believed to be part of the 1813 Battle of Medina. Courtesy / Martin Gonzales

Kay Hindes, a former city archaeologist whos tried for 40 years to find the battle site, said she has changed her opinion of how it was fought  perhaps not with a main battlefield, but a string of engagements.

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Unlike the Alamo, whose location and evolution as a mission, burial ground and singular battle site has been well documented, the Battle of Medina could someday be commemorated as a national historic battlefield route, based on discoveries at locations along historic roads of the early 1800s.

What I thought I knew when we went into this has proved that no, the battle unfolded in a very different way than we thought, Hindes said. There are a number of skirmish sites now, and so what were finding is this battle was spread over great distance.

In 1812, local Tejanos, possibly with covert assistance from a handful of American opportunists, declared an independent republic and executed the Spanish governor and 13 other prisoners. The colonial authorities in Mexico City sent some 1,830 men under Gen. Joaquin de Arredondo to put down the revolt. About 1,400 rebel troops marched south from Bejar to meet them.

On the day of the battle, the Spanish force killed more than 1,000 rebels while losing only 55 men. In the following weeks, Arrendondos troops brutalized the people of Bejar, executing about 300 men suspected of aiding the rebels and imprisoning 500 women in a small house known as La Quinta, near todays Main Plaza. Children were left to beg for food.

A piece of lead shot recently unearthed in northern Atascosa County is typical of the more than 20 items whose metal makeup matched that of artifacts from two other sites believed to be part of the 1813 Battle of Medina. Courtesy / Martin Gonzales

The traumatic events had a lasting impact for people on both sides.

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Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, then 19 and a lieutenant in the Spanish army, later became president of Mexico, which won independence from Spain in 1821. According to Santa Anna biographer Will Fowler, the 1813 battle shaped his views on how to quell revolts and forged a personal attachment to Texas that drove his decision to personally take it upon himself to defeat a second Texas revolution 23 years later.

That meant the Texian forces didnt just defeat a Mexican army at San Jacinto in 1836. They captured the president himself, forcing the withdrawal of all Mexican troops from the new republic.

Gonzales, 46, has acquired the same fascination with locating the Battle of Medina that has moved people to pore over old maps and take metal detectors down gravel roads since at least the 1930s, when the first marker was erected in southern Bexar County.

A descendant of the historically prominent Navarro family of San Antonio and South Texas, he was a jail administrator for the Atascosa County Sheriffs Office for 22 years and now is a sales rep for NCIC Inmate Communications.

In September, researchers in Atascosa County secured a private landowners permission to search about 2 miles south of Leming, near Galvan Creek. They found more than 20 lead fragments, possibly left by Spanish soldiers who molded their own ammunition.

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Todd Ahlman, director of Texas State Universitys Center for Archaeological Studies, tested the artifacts using X-ray fluorescence and determined the metal content, characteristic of the early 1800s, matched those of more than a dozen lead balls found by AVAR in 2022.

It also matched a lead ball found among human skeletal remains with some copper buttons along Blue Wing Road in 1968, a bit northeast of the latest Bexar County search area.

The Atascosa site yielded a pewter button bearing the number 13 in a stylized font. Hindes believes it may be from a uniform of Spains Extremadura Regiment, which had soldiers in the battle. Two tacks that experts have said could have been part of a saddle or butt of a firearm also were found.

Gonzales and county historical commission volunteers recovered about 30 more artifacts at the site in February and March, including more lead ordnance and another button from the Spanish colonial era.

Two tacks found at an archaeological site in Atascosa County may have been part of a saddle or a firearm, according to experts. Courtesy / Martin Gonzales

Archaeologists have long been worried that lead battle relics may have sunk beyond range of ground-penetrating radar, which varies from less than 3 feet to up to 100 feet, depending on the soil. Northern Atascosa Countys sandy, loamy ground is good for growing strawberries. But the countys name, dating to the 1780s, refers to a Spanish word describing boggy ground that made travel difficult.

Gonzales said people of the area sometimes documented getting stuck in the sand as they crossed the Atascosa River.

Weve been on that place that theyre talking about, and yeah, its almost like quicksand. You cant dig a hole in it, and a wagon would probably be hell to get through it because its going to get stuck and go into the ground, he said.

But the latest artifacts were no more than 6 inches below ground. Hindes, who began looking for the battle site in 1984, when the city of San Antonio was trying to develop a surface water source known as the Applewhite Reservoir  voters rejected the project in 1991 and 1994  said shes thrilled with all the work that has been done.

These are incredible finds, she said. From my perspective, its been a long search.

Hindes credits Ahlmans analysis and the cooperation of the anonymous Atascosa County landowner for the latest discoveries. But it may be several years before archaeologists and historians gather enough artifacts to fully understand the battle.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Monday turned away tech billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk's attempt to challenge the terms of an agreement he reached with the Securities and Exchange Commission that require a lawyer to review some of his social media posts.

The justices rejected Musk's appeal of a ruling by the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of the government agency.

Musk complained that the SEC unlawfully imposed conditions on his ability to comment online about Tesla-related issues what has been dubbed the "Twitter sitter" provision.

He has long been an impulsive user of Twitter, now renamed X. Musk acquired the social media company in 2022.

The SEC cracked down on Musk after he posted tweets in 2018 saying he had secured funding to take Tesla private, which came as a shock to the market and initially sent the company's shares surging. The agency said the tweets were "materially false and misleading" in violation of securities law.

Musk agreed to settle a civil securities action brought by the SEC. As part of that agreement, he signed off on the social media provision.

In a separate civil case, a jury last year found that Musk was not liable for misleading investors.

Now, Musk is saying that the limits on his speech are unconstitutional and says he was effectively coerced into agreeing to it. His lawyers say in court papers that the SEC has waged an "ongoing campaign" against Musk.

The provision "restricts Mr. Musks speech even when truthful and accurate. It extends to speech not covered by the securities laws and with no relation to the conduct underlying the SECs civil action against Mr. Musk," the lawyers added.

The SEC responded in court papers that Musk had waived his right to bringing his argument when he signed off on the settlement.

Lower courts agreed in rejecting Musk's claim.
Four officers were fatally shot as a U.S. marshals task force was serving a warrant at a home Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina, officials said. A suspected shooter was also dead.

A marshal and two local officers working with the fugitive task force were killed in the gunfire around 1:30 p.m. Gov. Roy Cooper said that two state Department of Adult Correction officers had died.

The city's police chief announced Monday night that a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer who had been wounded, Joshua Eyer, had also died.

"It was just last month I was in this very room congratulating Officer Eyer for becoming officer of the month in April," Police Chief Johnny Jennings said. "And he certainly dedicated his life and gave his life to serve our citizens."

The secretary of the state Adult Corrections Department identified two of the other people killed as Samuel Poloche and William "Alden" Elliott, both of whom had been with the department for 14 years and were on the marshals task force.

In total, eight law enforcement officers were shot.

The deadly violence happened as a fugitive task force was serving a warrant on a suspect in possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Image: (Nell Redmond / AP)

Jennings said the fallen officers were "heroes that were just simply trying to keep our community safe."

As the task force attempted to serve the warrant, the subject of the warrant, who was not publicly identified, began shooting with a high-powered rifle, Jennings said. Task force members returned fire and killed the suspect in the home's front yard, he said.

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police sergeant was on the task force but was not struck by gunfire, Jennings said. The sergeant called for backup, and that's when the four responding Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were shot, Jennings said.

Police were eventually able to clear the home, Jennings said. Two people inside, one of them 17 years old, were detained as persons of interest.

Officials believe two people fired at law enforcement, Jennings said.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, who spoke at Monday's news conference, said the community must honor the deputy marshals who lost their lives and the wounded officers.

"These are people that cared deeply about what they've done for our profession, and now today, we have to say to them how much we are grateful for what they have done," Lyles said. "Three people lost their lives today. And the most I can ask the community is that we honor and respect them for all the work they've done."

Cooper, the governor, called the incident "tragic" and said the state is offering assistance.

He later offered his condolences to the families and co-workers in the "brutal attack."

President Joe Biden said Monday night of the slain officers: "They are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harms way to protect us."

"We mourn for them and their loved ones. And we pray for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded," the president said in a statement. He also called for more funding for law enforcement and for Congress to do more to combat gun violence.

Eyer, the CMPD officer whose death was announced Monday night, is survived by his wife and a 3-year-old son, the police chief said.

Poloche is survived by a wife and two children, and Elliot and his wife were parents to one child, state Adult Correction Secretary Todd Ishee said in a statement.

CORRECTION (April 29, 2024, 6:40 pm ET): A previous version of this article misstated the number of U.S. marshals who were killed. One marshal was fatally shot and two local officers working with the marshals task force were also killed.
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On any given frantic morning, as youre wrangling the kids to get out of the house, you may sputter something like, Jimmy, please get your backpack on. I mean Kaitlyn, Ugh, ALYSSA!

While your kids may mock you for it, mixing up their names  even across genders  is extremely common, and no, youre not losing your mind. In fact, its nothing to worry about.

Still, if youre the one being called your brothers name (even as an adult!) it might trigger negative thoughts and feelings  Jimmy was always moms favorite, or Im always forgotten because Im the middle child. But its nothing personal. Really. Its simply a cognitive glitch, and theres scientific evidence to prove it.

When I was young, my mom would reel off this rapid-fire string of her kids names until she settled on the right one. Sometimes we would be called by the dogs name too, Samantha A. Deffler, Ph.D, associate professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania tells Good Houskeeeping. She's the lead author of a 2016 Duke University study on this misnaming phenomenon, which has recently seen resurgence after a TikTok discussing it went viral. Across five studies, surveying over 1,700 participants, our research found that this is a natural and very common cognitive glitch. More than half of those surveyed had experienced being called by the wrong name by someone familiar to them, and 95% were called the incorrect name by a family member.

Why do I get my kids names mixed up?

First, lets dispel a concern for some: Youre not losing your marbles (well, this isnt a sign, anyway), and youre not experiencing memory loss or cognitive decline. In fact, your mind is more organized than you think.

The brain is a magnificent computer network, says Julie Dumas, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont, and information is organized within an interconnected semantic network of stored data.

The way the brain categorizes and retrieves information is similar to the folders on your laptop, and you have one for family names, another for friends and work colleagues, etc. We found that naming errors typically happen within a category, so the wrong name being used is in the same group, i.e., members of the family, says Deffler. It would be weird for a mom to call her child by a name outside of that family category. In Defflers research, pets are usually included in the family group, so screaming for Fido to put his dishes in the dishwasher instead of leaving them for you to clean up is par for the course.

What is the psychology behind misnaming?

valentinrussanov - Getty Images

The inability to keep your kids or pets names straight doesnt mean you cant tell them apart, and despite what Freud might have said, theres no subconscious meaning behind it. Its just a brain blip that happens in a split second.



Heres why: Because calling out a loved ones name is not something you have think about, the brains automatic processes take over. When youre rushed, stressed or multi-tasking, you rely on these automatic responses to spit out the information you need  in this case, your childs name, says Dumas. For example, my son Emmetts name is on speed dial in my brain, so I often call my husband and even our cat by that name if Im racing around the house.

Is mixing up names a sign of memory loss?

Calling your child by a siblings name is not a memory issue. Its neither due to forgetfulness nor aging. Its more a sign of stress than of cognitive decline, Dumas says. If you think back on the last time you mixed up names, it was probably when you were feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

According to the Duke University study, almost half of the people surveyed said that the person doing the misnaming was distracted, tired or frustrated. Its understandable to worry, especially when grandparents scramble family names, but this mix-up is typically not a symptom of anything more serious. It becomes concerning when you dont realize that you just did it, or if other people start noticing other significant memory problems, adds Dumas. The early signs of dementia and Alzheimers include symptoms such as forgetting recently learned information or dates, and difficulty completing familiar tasks, according to The Alzheimers Association,

How to stop calling people by the wrong name

Being frazzled to your limit, and consequently mixing up kids names, is a pretty typical thing. I just switched up my girls names a few hours ago! says psychologist Amy Vigliotti, Ph.D., the Founding Head of SelfWorks in New York City, and the mother of two preschoolers. She uses a few quick tricks to slow down, focus, and get the naming right when shes with her kids.

Take 5 deep breaths

Breathe in slowly through your nose, then exhale slowly. This can reset your nervous system, says Vigliotti.

Shake it out

Having a minute of physical release is a really effective quick calming strategy. If you cant get away and take a walk around the block, then do some gentle neck and shoulder rolls, or a rag doll pose. Use this minute to meditate, by imagining all the tension melting off of you like butter, she says.

Use a stress-relieving mantra

If you tend to self-criticize when you make mistakes, try saying something like, Im just having a moment and it will pass. This can prevent you from adding a layer of mom shame to the moment, says Vigliotti.

Its important to remember that calling your kids by each others names is normal. Its not only natural, but its also likely to be passed down. I worked on this study before I had kids, says Deffler, and now that Im a mom, I make the same naming mistakes that my mother did. Its all in the family, after all.



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By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - Health insurance plans run by U.S. states must cover gender-affirming surgeries for transgender people, a U.S. appeals court ruled on Monday.

The 8-6 opinion from the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld two lower court rulings, which had found that North Carolina's state employee health insurance plan discriminated against transgender people by not covering surgeries for "sex changes or modifications," and that West Virginia's Medicaid program discriminated by excluding "transsexual surgeries."

Circuit Judge Roger Gregory, who was appointed by Democratic former President Bill Clinton, wrote for the majority that such policies were "obviously discriminatory" because they did not cover medically necessary treatments for transgender people that they did cover for others. For example, he wrote, they would cover a mastectomy to treat cancer but not gender dysphoria, the distress caused by identifying as a gender different from the one assigned at birth.

North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell said in a statement that the state employee plan was "facing the real risk of looming insolvency" and "cannot be everything for everyone." He said he would "follow every legal avenue available to protect the Plan and its members."

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the state would appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Our state should have the ability to determine how to spend our resources to care for the vital medical needs of our citizens," he said.

The case began with separate lawsuits brought by transgender people challenging each state's insurance program. The appeals were combined because they involved similar legal issues.

"The courts decision sends a clear message that gender-affirming care is critical medical care for transgender people and that denying it is harmful and unlawful," said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, a lawyer at the LGBT group Lambda Legal, which represented the plaintiffs.

The states had argued that their programs' exclusions did not discriminate because they were based on patients' diagnosis and treatment, not transgender identity.

Gregory rejected that claim, saying the states' basis for denying coverage was a "proxy" for discriminating against transgender people.

Circuit Judge Jay Richardson, who was appointed by Republican former President Donald Trump, wrote in a dissent that states "can reasonably decide that certain gender dysphoria services are not cost-justified, in part because they question the services' medical efficacy and necessity."

Monday's ruling comes as part of a broader battle over healthcare for transgender people in the United States.

At least 22 Republican-controlled states have passed laws restricting gender-affirming care for people under 18, leading to legal challenges that have so far had mixed outcomes.

The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month allowed Idaho to enforce its ban for now, while an Ohio court temporarily blocked a ban there.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Bill Berkrot)
Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on college campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war for Monday, April 29. For the latest news on the protests, view our live updates file for Tuesday, April 30.

NEW YORK  Columbia University's administration said Monday it has begun suspending students hours after demonstrators defied a deadline for clearing the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at the center of campus, which fueled similar protests on campuses across the nation.

Spokesperson Ben Chang said the university had notified students they would be suspended if they didnt vacate the encampment by 2 p.m. ET after the sides failed to reach an agreement earlier in the day. The site, he said, has created an unwelcoming environment for many Jewish students and faculty, and it has been noisy at the center of campus.

Protest organizers note that many demonstrators in their space are Jewish, including several of the 100-plus arrested when the university asked police to break up a smaller encampment on April 18.

Weve been suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on campus, said Chang, who did not take questions from reporters or specify the number of students from Columbia and its affiliated Barnard College who were disciplined.

Around the time of the deadline, many students threw notices of the possible suspensions in the trash or put them on the ground to be stepped on. Chang said adjudication over suspensions will be handled by the university senate  composed of faculty, students, administration, staff and alumni  as well as the Office of University Life.

The administration cited the need to clear the encampment ahead of upcoming commencement ceremonies May 15, when about 15,000 students will graduate from the Ivy League school.

Columbia protesters demand the school halt investments with companies profiting from Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, and they want amnesty for students and faculty involved in the protest. College campus demonstrations have ramped up in opposition to the civilian toll in Gaza, where more than 34,000 people have died since the Israeli invasion that followed a Hamas-led attack that killed almost 1,200 people in Israel.

From Harvard to UT Austin to USC, college protests over Gaza are spreading. See our map.

Israel-Hamas war protesters remain in an encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 29, 2024, in New York.

Developments:

 At Ohio State, where more than 40 protesters were arrested last week, school president Ted Carter said in a Monday e-mail the university "will not be overtaken'' like other campuses. Another student demonstration is expected later in the week.

 U.S. schools got support from abroad in protesting the war in Gaza. Demonstrators took to Paris' Sorbonne University on Monday, chanting "Free Palestine" at the university's gates while some students set up tents in the courtyard.

 Video from the Shaboura refugee camp in the southern Gaza city of Rafah shows signs in support of the campus protests, CNN reports. Some read: "Students of Columbia University, continue to stand by us and Thank you, students in solidarity with Gaza. Your message has reached (us).

Columbia demonstrators occupy university building

Columbia demonstrators early Tuesday took to occupying Hamilton Hall, an academic building to the east of the encampment used to protest Israels war in Gaza.

After 12:30 a.m., protesters broke into the building and barricaded themselves with wooden chairs, metal tables, and trashcans. People linked arms to form a line protecting the entrance while others picketed, leading chants in support of Gaza and divesting from Columbia.

This escalation follows yet another sweeping round of threatened suspensions, expulsions and arrests, a social media post from activist groups organizing the encampment said.

Meanwhile, demonstrators marched around the existing encampment at the center of campus that students have occupied for nearly two weeks. Outside the campus gates, people protested in support of the demonstrators.

Organizers pushing for Columbia University to divest from Israel said they renamed Hamilton Hall to Hinds Hall in honor of the 6-year-old who appeared to have been killed by Israeli forces in January. Protesters said they plan to remain in the building until Columbia concedes to its longstanding three demands of divestment, financial transparency of investments, and amnesty for all students, staff and faculty disciplined for opposition to Israels war and support for Palestine.

"Resistance is justified in the movement for liberation," said the student group Columbia University Apartheid Divestments news release released early Tuesday. "Liberators acting in solidarity with Palestine continue to hold themselves to a higher standard than Columbia."

Organizers said they escalated demonstrations because the university has contributed to genocide while refusing to follow baseline standards of conduct for negotiations.

Organizers said the encampment is a peaceful form of protest. Demonstrators are tying their action just after midnight Tuesday to prior student movements on Columbias campus, including to protest the war in Vietnam as well as apartheid in South Africa. "Taking back our own campus is the only and last response to an institution that obeys neither its own rules nor ethical mandates, which is why we began the Gaza Solidarity Encampment."

Still, the organizers warned the administration and trustee not to bring soldiers or police officers, referring to Kent State and Jackson State protests more than 50 years ago that were bloody. "Students blood will be on your hands," the statement said.

Protest at University of Texas broken up forcefully

Law enforcement officers arrested at least 30 people in clearing out a small encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Texas at Austin on Monday, forcefully pulling away some demonstrators, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Members of the university and Austin police, along with state troopers in riot gear, initially encircled the approximately 80 protesters, who sat on the ground and linked arms, some of them holding umbrellas to shield from the sun in 85-degree temperatures. Video from the scene showed a handful of demonstrators being taken away with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.

In responding to a post on the X platform, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has taken a hardline stance against the protests, said, "No encampments will be allowed. Instead, arrests are being made.''

The American-Statesman reported only about 20 demonstrators remained in place some three hours after the protest began at the universitys south lawn. Their tents had been dismantled.

The group assembled unexpectedly following two earlier demonstrations around noon. A larger protest at UT Austin was broken up Wednesday when police arrested 57 people, although criminal trespassing charges against them were dropped.

Faculty members 'stand' with Columbia students

Student protesters at Columbia gathered for a rally Monday at the encampment ahead of the universitys 2 p.m. ET deadline to clear out or face suspension. No business as usual, demonstrators chanted. There is only one solution! and Intifada revolution!

We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or we are moved by force, a news release from the students said.

They were not alone. Faculty members, donning orange safety vests, joined students in rallying near the encampment. We salute you, we stand with you, Shana Redmond, a professor of English and comparative literature, told the crowd from a megaphone. And were so proud to be your professors.

The encampment has grown since police arrested more than 100 demonstrators April 18. Chris Carr, a doctoral student in astronomy who came by Monday to lend his support, called the protest "a beautiful display of community" and said it would not be a good idea to have police break it up again.

It seems like every time that they try to like inflict force on us through public safety or through NYPD, the students come out stronger and stronger than ever, he said. They can try, but I think the students are strong and united on that.

At GW in Washington, 'we're being disruptive,' protester says

Posters reading "End all U.S. aid to Israel" and "Resistance is justified in the face of genocide" interspersed the tents covering University Yard, an outdoor square on the Washington, D.C., campus of George Washington University on Monday afternoon. Students sprawled on blankets on the grass and sketched pro-Palestine messages in chalk on the sidewalk as scattered groups of officers with Metropolitan Police Department circled the park.

Officials with the MPD, which operates within the Washington metro area, rejected requests from the university to clear the encampment Friday morning, fearing the optics of a clash with peaceful protesters less than a mile from the White House, the Washington Post reported.

"There is clearly a lot of pressure from the university and the university police for us to leave, because we're being disruptive. And we're being disruptive because there cannot be business as usual during a genocide," said Miriam Siegel, a 19-year-old sophomore at Georgetown University who said she joined the encampment Thursday at around 5 a.m. when tents first went up in the square.

At the center of the square, a Palestinian flag propped up by an orange security cone sat atop a tangled pile of security barriers. According to local news reports, student protesters pushed through a police barrier set up on one side of the park Sunday night.

"We have seen some police aggression," Siegel said. "We know that the cops aren't here to keep us safe. We're here to keep each other safe."

 Cybele Mayes-Osterman

Security barriers and Palestinian flags are piled at the center of the square where George Washington University students have formed an encampment.

Two speakers withdraw from USC graduation programs

Author Pam Zhang and educator Safiya Noble have withdrawn as keynote speakers at the University of Southern California's Rossiers doctoral and masters commencement ceremonies. In an open letter to the school, Zhang and Noble criticized USC for failing to conduct good-faith talks with student protesters and for bringing armed LAPD officers onto campus to break up a pro-Palestinian encampment.

The duo also lashed out at USC for canceling a commencement speech by valedictorian Asna Tabassum after pro-Israel groups objected to Tabassum's support for Palestinians on social media. USC later canceled its primary undergraduate commencement, but some satellite ceremonies are taking place.

To speak at USC in this moment would betray not only our own values, but USCs too  We cannot overlook the link between recent developments and the ongoing genocide in Palestine, Zhang and Noble said.

Demonstrators protest the Israel-Hamas war Monday, April 29, 2024 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Madison, Wisc.

Suspensions, campus bans an option at George Washington

George Washington University officials have notified students that suspensions and campus bans are among the options they'll consider to clear their encampment at University Yard, which they say violates school rules.

As we approach the end of the academic year, our ability to operate in a way that ensures the academic success and personal well-being of our community becomes even more critical, officials said in an e-mail.

Metropolitan police have been stationed at the protest site in the square, where school activities like festivals are sometimes held. Earlier in the protest, a statue of George Washington at the entrance was draped with a Palestinian flag.

Some students have been bringing food and other supplies, including blankets, to their protesting peers in the tents. Outside the encampment, others brought boxes of pizza and pans of food, including rice and falafel.

Meanwhile, classes are still underway as finals approach. The beating of drums and chanting could be heard in some classrooms.

 Deborah Berry

Police break up 3-day protest at Virginia Tech

Blankets, trash and antiwar placards were all that remained Monday of a pro-Palestinian encampment at Virginia Tech, hours after school officials cited an "increasing potential to become unsafe" and called in police to disband the three-day protest. The school, 260 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., becomes the latest in a growing line of universities to take police action to curb protests of Israel's war in Gaza.

"Through constant dialogue between university officials, the Virginia Tech Police Department and protest organizers, we were able to maintain a safe and peaceful environment through much of the weekend," the school said in a statement, adding that the protest continued to grow. "Given these actions by protesters, the university recognized that the situation had the increasing potential to become unsafe."

The protesters were told to disperse voluntarily and warned that those who remained would be charged with trespassing, the statement said.

"I transferred to Virginia Tech, hoping to find a (supportive) environment, which I did, but unfortunately it has disappointed me over and over and over again," Palestinian student Fatima Hasan told WSET-TV.

Virginia Tech police referred USA TODAY to a school spokesperson who did not immediately respond to a request for information on the number of arrests and other details of the police action.

Pro-Palestinian protesters urge universities to divest from Israel. What does that mean?

What are college protests across the US about?

The student protesters opposed to Israel's military attacks in Gaza say they want their schools to stop funneling endowment money to Israeli companies and other businesses, like weapons manufacturers, that profit from the war in Gaza. In addition to divestment, protesters are calling for a cease-fire, and student governments at some colleges have also passed resolutions in recent weeks calling for an end to academic partnerships with Israel. The protesters also want the U.S. to stop supplying funding and weapons to the war effort.

More recently, amnesty for students and professors involved in the protests has become an issue. Protesters want protections amid threats of disciplinary action and termination for those participating in demonstrations that violate campus policy or local laws.

 Claire Thornton

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College protests updates: Columbia demonstrators take over building
The state of Texas is suing the Biden administration over recently announced federal protections for LGBTQ+ students, arguing the Department of Education overstepped its authority by expanding the scope of a landmark anti-sex discrimination law.

The lawsuit brought Monday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was filed at a courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, in a move that guaranteed its assignment to a conservative judge who has a history of issuing nationwide injunctions against federal policies, with his most notable ruling coming last year in a major abortion case that is now before the Supreme Court.

Paxton is asking US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk to block the Biden administration from enforcing changes to Title IX, the 1972 federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination at schools that receive federal aid.

The lawsuit claims that the Biden administration violated federal rulemaking procedures when it went through the process for issuing the new rule.

Among other things, the new federal rule aims to curb discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics, according to the department. The rule is set to take effect in August.

Attorneys for Texas wrote in the 30-page complaint that the state would be harmed if the new rules are allowed to take effect.

Texas educational institutions rely on federal funding and will be irreparably harmed if they lose their funding because of their reliance on 50 years of Title IX practice and legal precedent interpreting on the basis of sex to mean biological sex, not sexual orientation and gender identity, the filing states.

A Department of Education spokesperson said in a statement to CNN that it followed a rigorous process to give complete effect to the Title IX statutory guarantee that no person experiences sex discrimination in federally-funded education.

We look forward to working with school communities all across the country to ensure the Title IX guarantee of nondiscrimination in school is every students experience, spokesperson Vanessa Harmoush said in a statement.

Judge-shopping

Earlier this year, the policymaking body of the federal judiciary issued a proposal seeking to curb the very type of so-called judge-shopping that Paxton appears to be doing in filing the lawsuit with Kacsmaryk. As part of the strategy, litigants strategically file lawsuits in courthouses where the cases are certain to be heard by judges perceived to be sympathetic to their arguments.

Under the new policy, such cases seeking nationwide or statewide orders will go into the lottery system used by the entire district. But the chief judge of the federal trial-level district that Amarillo is in has said that the court will not at this time adopt the new proposals.

The case is currently assigned to Kacsmaryk, according to its docket page. An appointee of former President Donald Trump, the judge has previously ruled against Biden administration efforts to strengthen anti-discrimination protections in health care for LGBTQ+ individuals.

The Biden administration has been working to sure-up protections for the LGBTQ+ community in recent weeks, with the Title IX changes coming a week before the Department of Health and Human Services unveiled new anti-discrimination rules in health care that it described as being a giant step forward for this country toward a more equitable and inclusive health care system.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNNs Tierney Sneed, DJ Judd and Avery Lotz contributed to this report.

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From Reese Witherspoon's go-to cleanser to Eva Longoria's favorite root cover-up spray, these are the beauty secrets we can afford. (Getty/Amazon)

When your face is what pays the bills, you want the best your money can buy  my mind has been blown by the price tag of creams that A-listers use  but some celebs are just like us and want something that works. We've been surprised at some of the drugstore beauty celebs we've found while searching the internet for deals  they're all shockingly affordable.

We're talking about things like Drew Barrymore's favorite makeup remover for $10 and Martha Stewart's go-to tinted moisturizer for $13. There's so much more so we put together a list of celeb-approved products under $20, all available on Amazon.

On her website Martha Stewart revealed the 14 beauty products she swears by, and this glow-enhancing priming lotion is near the top of the list. Her trusted makeup artist of nearly 10 years, Daisy Toye, said she applies it to Martha's face after SPF to add dewiness and create "a smooth canvas for makeup." Infused with glycerin and shea butter, the "glotion" hydrates and moisturizes the skin and helps enhance its natural glow.

Bethenny Frankel is a big fan of anything Bliss: "Bliss was the first spa chain that I can remember, and now they can reach everyone. I always remembered that Bliss products were amazing ... I love [the] entire Bliss Vitamin C skincare range," she said.

Eva Longoria demonstrated her hair routine in a video, spraying L'Oreal Paris Magic Root Cover Up onto her part to camouflage silver strands. "If youve been following me, you know I've been going gray," she said. "So I have my favorite solution, Magic Root Cover Up. This thing's awesome because it has a little nozzle that makes it really specific." The spray is available in 9 shades (most brands offer only three) and conceals grays until your next shampoo.

This pick contains Salma Hayek's secret weapon ingredient for youthful-looking skin. "I use an ingredient called Tepezcohuite that's used in Mexico for burn victims because it completely regenerates the skin," Hayek said. "Some of the ingredients, when I took them to the American labs, they were like, 'Oh my God! How come nobody is using this?' This is why I have no Botox, no peels, no fillers."

Thinking about switching up your facial cleanser? Reese Witherspoon loves Cetaphil.

"I use the face wash, and I travel with it ... I love drugstore makeup, too," she said. "I remember going as a little girl to the drugstore down the street from my grandmother's house, and I'd spend hours looking at nail polish and lipstick and blush."

Drew Barrymore called this cleanser "by far the best makeup remover I've ever used," but it does so much more: It'll streamline your skin care routine and allow you to wash your face without regular water (even if you don't wear makeup). It instantly wipes away grime and works well for almost everyone, including those with sensitive skin.

Julia Roberts loves this ultra-rich cream, formulated with nourishing natural ingredients like extracts from rosemary, chamomile and pansy in a base of sunflower and sweet almond oils. It's safe for use on any skin type and on any area of the body. No need for a facial moisturizer and a separate body lotion!

I put it on my hands after I wash the dishes, and wind up putting it on my elbows and feet," Roberts said. "Before you know it, Ive squeezed this poor little green tube into a twist.

Amazon CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser $15 $18 Save $3 Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser gives your skin a deep cleanse without stripping it of essential vitamins and nutrients  it's packed with hyaluronic acid, ceramides and glycerin, which hydrate the skin. The wash is non-foaming, but it has a lotion-like texture that smooths the skin as you wash. $15 at Amazon

Olivia Wilde is one of the brand's many fans. "I use the cheapest possible skin care  not because it's cheap, but because it's the best," Olivia Wilde said. "Dermatologists have recommended it for years and I've never paid attention. But recently I started using Cetaphil cleanser and CeraVe moisturizer. They're gentle and simple."

Jennifer Garner has long been a fan of Neutrogenas affordable yet effective products, so much so that she has been a longtime ambassador for the brand. Last year, the actress shared with InStyle magazine that the Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturizer is one of her favorites from the skincare brand.

I can instantly tell the difference  it just looks fresh and plump and better. There are all these little micro-lines that once I put this on, they go away," she said. "This is 48 hours of moisture that you're locking in with one thing, and then I don't have to worry about itI think it's my favorite product we've ever put out.

Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi has a memorable smile made for TV. To keep her lips supple, she uses ChapStick Tinted Lip Oil.

"It's an oil that hydrates your lips," she said. "It has a little color in it and I just let that soak in. This is just to really get them moist."

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A fiery battle between former President Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is heating up as polls begin to show that the third-party candidate represents just as much of a threat to the former president as he does to President Biden.

RFK Jr. is a Democrat Plant, a Radical Left Liberal whos been put in place in order to help Crooked Joe Biden, the Worst President in the History of the United States, get Re-Elected, Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.

A Vote for Junior would essentially be a WASTED PROTEST VOTE, that could swing either way, but would only swing against the Democrats if Republicans knew the true story about him, Trump added.

When frightened men take to social media they risk descending into vitriol, which makes them sound unhinged, Kennedy fired back at Trump on Saturday in a post on the social platform X. President Trumps rant against me is a barely coherent barrage of wild and inaccurate claims that should best be resolved in the American tradition of presidential debate.

The conventional wisdom for months has been that while Kennedys third-party bid could be a spoiler for both Trump and Biden, it bore more risks to the Democrat given Kennedys family name.

But Decision Desk HQs aggregate of polling over the last few weeks paints a much more complicated picture. While Trump at times sees his lead over Biden grow with Kennedy is also included in polls, the gap was narrowing last week, and at one point Biden and Trump were in a dead heat in a three-way race with Kennedy.

Some Trump allies who know the former presidents operating style downplayed last weeks attacks, saying they were off-the-cuff and not part of a coordinated strategy against Kennedy.

Hes pretty much predictable and tribal in his response to anybody and everybody, a former Trump campaign adviser in a battleground state told The Hill. I dont know that we can put a measure on that.

Still, other Republicans say its clear that concerns are growing in Trumpland about Kennedy.

You dont attack somebody youre not at all worried about, GOP strategist Alex Conant said.

If you look at the sort of media RFK does, you look at his very populist message, his history of embracing conspiracy theories  theres a lot there to make Trump World nervous.

Democrats and Republicans are both in a race to define Kennedy, because in a tight race, his supporters could be crucial, Conant said.

GOP strategist Brian Seitchik, a former Trump campaign staffer, said the real barometer will be whether Trump escalates his criticisms.

More than just tweets and Truth Socials and things like that, is there going to be a concerted effort to spend against him in key states and try to push the share of the vote down? Seitchik said.

Democrats have been the party more preoccupied by Kennedy, with the environmental lawyers own family sounding alarms that he could siphon votes from Biden. More than a dozen members of the Kennedy clan earlier this month backed the president in a high-profile rebuke of their relative.

But a new NBC News poll showed Kennedy could actually dent Trump more than Biden.

While the Republican was 2 points up in a head-to-head match-up, Biden jumped to a 2-point advantage with third-party candidates in the mix.

Jim Messina, who led former President Obamas 2012 reelection campaign, said in a recent MSNBC interview that the latest polling around Kennedy is a promising sign for Democrats.

They say he hurts Biden. I think Im not sure that thats true. I think he probably hurts [us] both, Trump said in a radio appearance with conservative John Fredericks last week. But he might hurt Biden a little bit more, you dont know.

Republicans, including Trump himself, have at times offered positive views of Kennedy.

Not anymore. Earlier this month, the pro-Trump PAC Make America Great Again Inc. launched a website mocking Radical F***ing Kennedy and pitching the independent as a friend of left-wing extremists.

Reached by The Hill for comment Monday, Kennedy campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear pointed to the candidates remarks about Trump on X.

Republicans are generally cautious about speculating how Kennedys bid could play out.

Depending on what poll you look at, Kennedy poses problems for either one of them, Republican strategist Doug Heye said of Biden and Trump.

This is one of the reasons that trying to really try to accurately forecast 2024 is going to be very difficult, because it is going to come down to a handful of states, and that means a handful of voters. And what RFK means to either candidate in any of those states, I just dont think we know yet, Heye said.

Democrats are worried about how Kennedy could hurt Biden in various swing states.

Party officials and organizers have been working alongside political operatives to get the word out about what they see as his candidacys problems, including how he could help Trump win back the White House.

Democrats have referenced the 2016 presidential race, when Green Party candidate Jill Stein won enough voters in swing states that arguably helped Trump defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

When it comes to Mr. Kennedy in particular, you think about the positions hes taken and the things hed advocated for and quite frankly the things hes advocated against, it should scare the hell out of every person who is thinking about participating in this election, said Antjuan Seawright, a Democratic strategist based in South Carolina.

Democrats have been critical about his views questioning vaccine science and have increasingly drawn attention toward his wavering sentiments around abortion and in vitro fertilization, in which he has offered mixed stances. He has also issued what many Democrats considered a lukewarm rebuke of the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Some in the party have also sought to showcase that he is aligned with Trumps donors after it became known that GOP financier Timothy Mellon has supported his super PAC.

The policy threat that comes along with putting that into the bloodstream can be detrimental, Seawright said. Particularly in a day and age where misinformation, disinformation and lies seem to attract more attention than pure facts.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Former President Trump on Monday said he had a great meeting over the weekend with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), Trumps former primary rival, whom he has relentlessly disparaged in recent months.

I am very happy to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The former president said Steve Witkoff, a longtime Trump ally and real estate mogul, arranged the meeting.

The conversation mostly concerned how we would work closely together to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, Trump wrote. Also discussed was the future of Florida, which is FANTASTIC! I greatly appreciate Rons support in taking back our Country from the Worst President in the History of the United States. November 5th is a BIG DAY!!!

While Trump likely does not need DeSantiss help to win the state of Florida in November, the Florida governor has a strong base of donors and supporters who could help the former president as he takes on President Biden.

DeSantis is also believed to have an eye on the 2028 presidential race, and patching things up with Trump would likely benefit his future prospects.

The meeting marked the first time the two men had spoken in person since a bitter primary campaign that saw Trump repeatedly attack the Florida governor on personality and policy until DeSantis suspended his campaign after the Iowa caucuses.

Trump repeatedly referred to the governor as DeSanctimonious and complained that DeSantis had not been adequately appreciative of his endorsement during the 2018 Florida gubernatorial race. On policy, Trump accused DeSantis of copying his ideas.

While DeSantis endorsed Trump upon suspending his campaign in January, the sniping did not stop. After DeSantis reportedly aired grievances about Trump on a call with supporters, top Trump aide Chris LaCivita responded that DeSantis was a sad little man.

DeSantis had avoided directly attacking Trump in the early months of his presidential bid, but by the end of his campaign the Florida governor was telling supporters Trump had lost the zip on his fastball and was not the same candidate who united the party in 2016 and 2020.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia  U.S. and Arab leaders are expressing concerns that newly revived talks could be the last chance for a cease-fire and hostage release before the war could explode with a threatened Israeli attack on Gazas southernmost city of Rafah.

As Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh on Monday, there were urgent calls for a deal between Israel and Hamas that would head off an assault on Rafah where more than 1 million people are sheltering.

Blinken's visit came after President Joe Biden reiterated U.S. opposition to a Rafah operation in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

U.S. officials do not believe Israel is ready to launch a full-scale ground incursion of Rafah, providing a crucial window to secure a deal for a truce and the release of hostages still held by Hamas, two people familiar with the American position told NBC News.

The diplomatic push comes as protests against Israels actions rock college campuses across the U.S. and as Israel fears its leaders could soon face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court.

UC Berkeley Students Hold Rally In Support Of Gaza (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Blinken, speaking in Saudi Arabias capital, Riyadh, said that the cease-fire proposal handed to Hamas by mediators from Qatar and Egypt was extraordinarily generous. He added that Hamas had to decide quickly about the offer and that he was hopeful that they will make the right decision.

An Israeli official and an Arab diplomat with knowledge of the negotiations told NBC News that the deal on the table would see 33 hostages freed in the first stage in exchange for a temporary cease-fire and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The freed captives would be made up of women, children, the elderly, and those with serious medical conditions, the official said, adding that earlier talks had focused on a deal for 40 hostages but that Hamas has indicated it may not have 40 living hostages who fit that criteria.

Israeli officials have previously said that 133 hostages remain in Gaza, although 34 were thought to be dead.

In a significant softening of Israels position, senior administration officials and Arab diplomats said Israel has for the first time indicated it would accept a sustained cease fire lasting more than six weeks, as the U.S. has been proposing.

And two senior officials, as well as an Arab diplomat, said everything rests on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, believed by all sides to be underground in the terror organizations network of tunnels.

A Hamas political leader tells NBC News The new proposal is a positive development, but it is too early to be optimistic.

The Hamas leader said that because of the groups long experience with the Israeli government, they cannot be sure until the final moment.

The leader added that some issues need careful negotiations and clear confirmation

Talks had been at an impasse for weeks, but U.S. officials said they had been encouraged that Hamas had released two videos showing proof of life of three captives, which might indicate the militant group's interest in making a deal.

If the hostages are not released soon, there is no way to hold back the Israelis on Rafah, an Arab diplomat involved in the talks told NBC News exclusively Monday. An attack on Rafah would give Sinwar the support he needs to hold out for the destruction of Israel.

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza protest in front of the Israeli parliament (Menahem Kahana / AFP - Getty Images file)

Were a cease-fire to take effect and a deal struck to release the remaining hostages, U.S. officials believe that Netanyahu, who is coming under increasing pressure at home to secure their freedom, would find it harder to resume major military operations in Gaza, the two sources said.

There have been widespread protests in Israel calling for Netanyahu and his government to do more to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

But Israels government has appeared divided on the proposal in recent days.

Right-wing members of Netanyahu's Cabinet have signaled their opposition, saying Israel should focus on attacking Rafah, and threatened to leave the government if the deal goes ahead. More moderate members, including war Cabinet minister Benny Gantz, have said a hostage deal is more urgent than an offensive in Rafah.

Netanyahu has repeatedly signaled his intent to launch a full-scale ground invasion on the city where it says many remaining Hamas militants are holed up.

Blinken  on his seventh trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  told Arab officials on Monday that the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude a cease-fire agreement to release hostages.

The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to alleviate the suffering of children, women and men, and to create space for a more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and the hostages out, he said at the Gulf Cooperation Council of foreign ministers in Riyadh.

Moving toward a hostage deal and temporary cease-fire that could be extended is the chief goal of Blinken's trip, U.S. officials said.

They added that Blinken would meet with Egyptian and Qatari officials at the forum. Both countries have been pushing for a truce in Gaza and a high level delegation from Egypt visited Israel last week to discuss a prolonged cease-fire.

Blinken will then travel to Jordan and Israel.

The U.S. also continues to pursue a broader deal that would involve a normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a path toward an independent Palestinian state and a plan to rebuild Gaza, the American officials said.

A Palestinian mourns relatives killed in Israeli bombardment (AFP - Getty Images)

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who is also attending the forum, said Monday that the most important thing now is to avoid an attack on Rafah, because it would be catastrophic.

Rafah is the chief entry point for desperately needed aid from Egypt, which is especially concerned about the war spreading across its borders. Madbouly added that there had been progress but that there were still fundamental issues on both sides that needed to be ironed out. There must be compromises on both sides, he said.

Saudi Arabian Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan also said at the forum that cool-headed countries and leaders and people need to prevail. He added that the region needed stability.

Meanwhile, Israels military continued to bombard Rafah from the air over the weekend. Palestinian health officials said at least 22 people, including six women and five children, had been killed.

Andrea Mitchell and Keir Simmons reported from Riyadh, and Raf Sanchez from Tel Aviv.
Catholic Priest Arrested for Using $40K Church Funds for Candy Crush, Other Mobile Games

A Catholic priest from Pottstown, Pennsylvania was arrested for spending $40,000 from his church's funds on Candy Crush and other mobile games.

While there have been many church scandals over the last few decades, this might be the first time that an incident includes the massively popular Candy Crush. The suspect in question is Reverend Lawrence Kozak who was arrested on Apr. 25, 2024.

Priest Spent $40K on Candy Crush and Other Mobile Games

Local law enforcement authorities charged the Pennsylvania priest with stealing more than $40,000 in funds from his former parish, St. Thomas More Church. Reports noted that Kozak's vice of choice was mobile gaming, particularly Candy Crush and Mario Kart.

In November 2022, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia removed Kozak from his parish following an internal investigation that determined he spent "an astronomical amount of Apple transactions" on the church's credit card.

The charges against the Pennsylvania priest span from September 2019 to July 2022 and he is also said to have used church funds to buy gifts for his goddaughter.

In 2022, Kozak reportedly told investigators that the money was used to "power up" and give him an advantage while playing his mobile games, according to GameSpot.

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The priest also said that he was trying to seek counseling for his addiction to mobile games and had denied that he intentionally used church funds for his games. Kozak instead said that the charges to the church's credit cards happened because they were already linked to his call phone.

A previous report noted that financial records showed Kozak repaid $10,000 to the parish credit card account from his personal funds.

The priest had also mailed an $8,000 check to his former parish after he was removed from his post. On top of the check, he sent a note of apology to his successor at St. Thomas More, adding that he would repay the church.

Free on Bail

The Pennsylvania priest is currently free on bail and his attorney said that "he was reviewing the charges and planned to contact prosecutors about the case in the coming days."

The Pennsylvania State Police's affidavit noted that there were more than 2,000 transactions marked as "gaming" from September 2019 to June 2022.

There were also slot machine apps named in the complaint, including Cash Frenzy, Willy Wonka Vegas Slots, and Wizard of Oz Slot Machine Game.

A review of Kozak's Amazon account also showed that the parish car was used to buy the gifts for his goddaughter, including an Amazon Fire tablet and chemistry set, said CBS News.

Detectives said that Kozak told them he was disappointed that the entire situation had reached this point at all. He added that he had no excuse for what he had done except that he was not paying attention when he should have been.

On the other hand, the business manager of St. Thomas More said that she believes Kozak was aware of using the church's credit card.

She said that she had asked the priest about unexplained credit card purchases on the account's statement and warned him about possible issues, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.



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YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Israel is voicing concern that the International Criminal Court could be preparing to issue arrest warrants for government officials on charges related to itswar against Hamas, Reuters reports.

The ICC - which can charge individuals with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide - is investigating Hamas' Oct. 7 cross-border attack in which 1,200 people were killed and Israel's devastating military assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 people, according to Gaza authorities.

Israeli media have reported that the ICC might soon issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli government and military officials for alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.

In response to these reports, Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday warned Israeli embassies to bolster their security because of the risk of a "wave of severe antisemitism".

"We expect the court (ICC) to refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials," Katz said. "We will not bow our heads or be deterred and will continue to fight."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that any ICC decisions would not affect Israel's actions but would set a dangerous precedent.

According to Israeli media, the ICC is also considering arrest warrants for leaders from Hamas.

A well-informed source in The Hague confirmed toLe Mondeon Sunday that an "event is imminent," but did not specify the nature of the charges or the names of those involved.

Several Israeli leaders told theNew York Times, on condition of anonymity, that they feared the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself might be placed under arrest warrant.The Israeli press also mentions Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi.
Enabling not-for-profit organisations to achieve more is a key motivator for our people, says Natasha Reynolds, Head of Partnerships at SOCO a multi-award-winning digital transformation and IT consultancy in Australia.

Ms Reynolds says: People are at the centre of everything we do. This focus has led SOCO to deliver outstanding IT solutions for our clients across the government, commercial and not-for-profit sectors. Notable projects include volunteer lifecycle management systems and environmental disaster recovery applications.

For SOCO, Ingram Micro and Microsofts IMpact Program is an important part of its plan to be an enabler for the NFP and charities sector in Australia. Its also a contributor to meeting the companys corporate social responsibility ambitions which are important to its people.

The IMpact Program, in partnership with Microsoft, offers grants and discounted services to charities on the Microsofts technology stack, including Microsoft 365, Power BI, Power Apps, Dynamics 365 and more. Along with a mix and match approach to pricing, the Program assists with technical implementation and the ever-critical cybersecurity needs of NFPs and charities.

Microsoft and Ingram Micros partnership on the IMpact Program underscores our commitment to enabling the NFP and charities sector to fulfill their social missions through access to the latest tools and technology either for free or at heavily discounted prices, says Chris Lines, Territory Channel Manager at Microsoft. Having the right technology is just as important for NFPs and charities as it is for business, and IMpact makes this vision a reality.

Supporting the NFP and charities sector

The way we work has proven highly effective for our not-for-profit clients and a key reason they trust us with their digital transformations. SOCOs 4D methodology is based on breaking projects into manageable small packets of work, designed to get us working together seamlessly through structured steps. says Ms Reynolds.

SOCOs offerings are well-suited to meet the diverse needs of NFPs and charities. Key services include Member and Volunteer Management solutions, AI implementation, app modernisation and integration, cloud migrations, as well as security and compliance advisory services.

Ms Reynolds says SOCOs aim is to work shoulder to shoulder with our clients, and our teams across Australia are ready to help charities and social enterprises fulfil their mission in society.

We believe that the IMpact Program will enhance our visibility with potential NFP clients and help us strengthen our market outreach, Ms Reynolds notes.

Many of Ingram Micros partners work with NFP organisations in Australia. Understanding these relationships allows us to identify common needs and develop our solutions to effectively address their challenges, she added.

IMpact on the real world: St Vincent de Paul

The St Vincent de Paul Society (Vinnies) is a member and volunteer-based organisation that has been assisting people experiencing disadvantage and hardship for over 140 years. The Societys 2022-27 Qld strategic plan addresses the key issues facing Queenslanders and is focused on increasing the organisations social impact.

Like any modern organisation Vinnies leverages technology to fulfil its vision. SOCO worked closely with Vinnies Qld to help improve lifecycle management for their 60,000 plus members.

The Vinnies Information People System that SOCO helped us deliver has made a vital contribution to modernising Vinnies technology and is helping us support our Members and Volunteers to deliver on our mission and associated social outcome objectives, says Kevin Mercer, CEO, St Vincent de Paul Society, Qld.

SOCO worked closely with our team to deliver the technology and training we needed to ensure the solution fitted our needs and helped us achieve our desired outcomes, he continued.

SOCO joined the IMpact Program in early 2024 and is working closely with Ingram Micro and Microsoft to expand its reach. Based on our experience working with Ingram Micro in the past, were confident of the positive outcomes the IMPact program can bring, and were excited to expand our not-for-profit offerings for the benefit of more Australian communities.

Are you an NFP or charity? Talk to Ingram Micro about how you can benefit from the IMpact Program to realise your technology goals.
Specifically, TPG will gain access to 2,444 Optus mobile network sites in regional Australia, more than doubling its current national 4G coverage from around 400,000 square kilometres to around 1 million square kilometres, or 98.4 per cent of the countrys population.

Additionally, Optus will licence some of TPGs spectrum for use in the MOCN for increased capacity, speed and service quality. According to a statement from Optus, customers will also benefit from its commitment to accelerate its 5G rollout in the regions, fast-tracking the number of 5G sites within the regional MOCN 10 1,500 by 2028 and 2,444 by the end of 2030.

The contract is for an initial 11-year period, with an option for a five-year extension, and is expected to be available to TPG and Optus customers in early 2025.

Optus Interim CEO Michael Venter said the agreement was a significant win for regional Australia.

The agreement will reduce combined 5G network rollout costs in regional Australia, which will enable the rollout of 5G infrastructure to be completed two years earlier than previously planned, he said.

Meanwhile, TPG Telecom CEO Inaki Berroeta said the network sharing agreement would significantly extend his telcos mobile network reach across Australia and provide coverage to customers at a significantly lower cost due to not having to duplicate infrastructure.

This network sharing arrangement will reset the competitive landscape for mobile services in regional areas and provide Australians with more choice than ever before, he added.

This isnt the first time TPG has attempted a network sharing deal with a major telco, previously signing a 10-year deal with Telstra in February 2022. However, 10 months later, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) refused to authorise the proposed deal, citing a potential negative impact on coverage, network quality and innovation

Then in June 2023, the Australian Competition Tribunal agreed with the ACCCs decision, claiming that it was not satisfied that the arrangements were not likely to substantially lessen competition.

In response to the Tribunals decision, Berroeta said at the time that TPG would not give up on regional Australia and will consider our options as well as advocating for policy reform that will deliver greater competition and choice in the regions that need it most.
Mumbai: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has slammed the BJP-led Union Government over its move to allow the export of onion in Maharashtra saying the Centre bowed before the wrath of state farmers. Not removing the export ban would have destroyed BJPs chances in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, the party said.

The Modi government at the Centre had to finally bow before the farmers of Maharashtra as it had to lift the export ban on onion from the state, said the Shiv Sena (UBT) in an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana on Monday.

The remarks came on the backdrop of the Centres decision to allow the export of 99,150 metric tonnes of onion to Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bahrain, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates. The move is reportedly aimed at quelling the outrage among the farmers in north Maharashtra in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The party attributed the export ban on Maharashtras onion due to Modi governments affection for Gujarat and hatred for Maharashtra. While the export ban on Maharashtras onion continued, the Centre had allowed export of 2,000 metric tonnes of Gujarats white onion. The move would have created a spark against the ruling parties in Maharashtra and the future of BJP in Lok Sabha polls would have destroyed. Hence, the ban on Maharashtra onion was lifted hurriedly, said the editorial.

The ban on onion export was imposed from December 2023. Farmers and traders in Maharashtra were clamoring for the lifting of the ban for the last four months. But the Modi government decided to lay a red carpet for the onion producers of Gujarat. The Centres policy has been favourable to Gujarat farmers only, said the party.

The people of the country should be equal to the ruler. But the current rulers, since coming to power, have always been leaning towards their motherland, it added.
Mumbai: After announcing unconditional support to the Mahayuti in Maharashtra, MNS chief Raj Thackeray will now actively campaign for the BJP-led alliance in the Lok Sabha polls. He will hold a rally for the BJP candidate and union minister Narayan Rane on May 4.

Thackeray will address a rally at Kankavli in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency at 5 om on April 4. It will be his first public rally in the Lok Sabha polls in support of a Mahayuti alliance.

Both Thackeray and Rane enjoy cordial relations since their days in the united Shiv Sena. Rane left the Sena in 2005 to join the Congress, but later he switched his loyalties to the BJP. Thackeray soon followed Rane to quit the Sena in 2006, but he formed his own party - Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Earlier this month, Thackeray, speaking in an annual Gudi Padwa rally of his party, had announced an unconditional support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"The country needs strong leadership and I am extending my unconditional support to the Mahayuti solely for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he had said.

Thackerays decision to support Modi and the Mahayuti was on the expected lines as he had met Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah at New Delhi in March sparking speculations that he might join the Mahayuti  an alliance of BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawars NCP faction  in Maharashtra.

However, while offering support to Mahayuti, the MNS chief made it clear that his party will not contest the Lok Sabha polls. Instead, he asked MNS workers to start preparing for the state Vidhan Sabha elections, which are due later this year.
The owner of a Detroit business that exploded in March, leading to the death of a man, has been detained, according to reports.

A Michigan man was arrested in New York on his way out of the country and is facing charges in connection with a deadly March explosion at the vape distributor he owns.

Noor Noel Kestou, 31, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, a felony that carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, the Macomb county Prosecutor's Office said Thursday.

On March 4, a building in Clinton Township exploded "due to thousands of cans of Nitrous oxide and butane being stored in the building." Kestou owned the building and the business inside it, a vaping industry distributor called Goo. The business had more than 100,000 vape pens stored on site, as well as more than half of the truckload of butane canisters that had been delivered within a week prior to the explosion.

The explosion propelled "numerous" nitrous oxide canisters through the area, one of which struck and killed 19-year-old Turner Lee Salter about a quarter of a mile away from the site of the explosion. Canisters were launched up to two miles from the building.

At a press conference on Friday, officials said they learned Kestou was scheduled to fly out of New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport en route to Hong Kong on April 20, and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was taken into custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the New York Port Authority.

Kestou's passport remains in New York custody, while he was arraigned in Michigan on Thursday. He was released on $500,000 bond and ordered to wear an electronic tether.

Clinton Township Fire Chief Tim Duncan said the investigation has been slow moving because it took weeks to make the site safe for investigation as new fires would continually ignite. It's still unknown what caused the explosion.

"The intensity of this fire essentially damaged a lot of what they normally would look to try and conclude what was going to happen on this scene," Duncan said. He also said that "human involvement" could not be ruled out.

Duncan said no one has been able to access the site on foot, since more than 3,000 canisters of nitrous oxide remain on site. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were involved in making the site safe.

"Our hope is that in the future when they actually get on the site and start pulling everything away, we're trying to maintain that southwest corner of the building, which is where we believe the fire started based upon the information that we've seen, video that was obtained from nearby businesses, and all the other information that we're seeing at this point," he said.

"Our hearts ache for the family and loved ones of the young man whose life was tragically cut short by this devastating explosion. We are steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice and holding the individual accountable for their actions," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido said in a statement.

-- with reporting by TMX
The outpouring of outrage over the arrest of Urban Maoists on patently spurious charges reminds me about what that greatdarling of the radical chic  Chairman Mao Zedong  thought of chattering guerrillas. We might be confused, but Mao was clear what he thought of them. He wrote: A revolution is not a dinner party,or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another. On the other hand. the Naxalite cadres battling it out in the jungles of Chhattisgarhs Bastar region are the real Maoists, even if they are as misguided as their inspiration.

It was not Mao who really transformed China, but it was Deng Xiaoping. Mao had set back Chinas development with costly experiments. It is estimated that the Great Leap Forward alone cost 20-45 million lives and qualifies him to be the greatest mass murderer in history. It was not that like Hitler or Stalin, Mao deliberately condemned people to mass slaughter.

But it was entirely due to his harebrained policies that would not have been implemented but for the adulatory and mass worship hysteria that he whipped up.

The clamour to praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi by BJP and RSS spokespersons and top leaders despite the glaring evidence of the failure of demonetisation and managing the Covid-19 pandemic is reminiscent of what happened in China during the Great Leap Forward years of 1959-62. In an effort to win favour with their superiors and avoid being purged, each layer in the party hierarchy exaggerated the amount of grain produced under them. Based upon the fabricated success, party cadres were ordered to requisition a disproportionately high amount of that fictitious harvest for state use, primarily for use in the cities and urban areas, but also for export. The result, compounded in some areas by drought and in others by floods, was that rural peasants were left with little food for themselves and many millions starved to death in the largest famine known as the Great Chinese Famine.

The inherent danger of false adulation is the personality cult. Mao had become an emperor who could even threaten to make war on the Communist Party, as he did in 1962 when the party leadership criticised the disastrous consequences of the so-called Great Leap Forward. In 1959, when the legendary Marshal Peng Dehuai, who was at that time Chinas defence minister, criticised it in a private letter to Mao, he was ruthlessly purged, and imprisoned till he died in 1974. The former Chairman Liu Shaoqi fared worse. Even as head of the state he was dragged out of his residence in Zhongnanhai by a mob of Red Guards, beaten and stripped as the PLA garrison troops watched. Liu also died in prison.

Maos terror was no less arbitrary and capricious than Stalin's. Mao was an avid student of Chinese history and would often say: We have to learn from the past to serve the present. That morality had no place in Maos politics was evident in that the emperors he admired most were the most ruthless and cruel of the long line of tyrants who ruled China.

The ruler who Mao admired the most was the Emperor Qin Shihuangdi (221-206 BC), who founded the imperial China that lasted nearly 2,000 years. He too vastly expanded China by absorbing smaller nations. He constructed roads, introduced weights and measures, and built the Great Wall that still stands.

He also killed and persecuted thousands, if not millions. The Chinese also considered him a cruel tyrant because he killed Confucian scholars and burned classical books. But Mao considered all these minor aberrations and argued that the good outweighed the bad. This was exactly Maos attitude when the Communist Party of China (CPC) told him that at least ten million had died between 1959-61 in the famines that resulted after the Peoples Communes were forcibly formed.

But we get an extraordinary glimpse of the kind of person Mao was from The Private Life of Chairman Mao, by his long-time personal physician, Dr Zhisui Li, who was in Maos inner circle till he died in 1976. Li has written a unique historical and political biography. It is an astonishing story of human weakness and pettiness, as well of great political intrigue in the Chairmans court. He tells all about Maos voracious sexual appetite and Daoist beliefs in the mystical healing power of sex, his life of indolent luxury and the deep paranoia that afflicted him and periodically manifested with devastating consequences, not only to those around him but to the Chinese nation as well.

Li also tells of the imperial grandeur and lavish lifestyle of the rulers living in the secure Zhongnanhai compound in Beijing, when the Chinese people were starving and living in the most abject poverty. He tells about how Zhang Yufeng, the last of Maos many mistresses, acquired so much power that even Premier Zhou Enlai, who died in 1976, had to wait outside her room when he wanted to see Mao.

There is a relationship between absolute power and the behaviour of leaders seeking a part of it. The more centralised a system is, the greater the dictatorial tendencies allowing even small people wield to great power. We get to see this in India.

The great lesson of public administration is that it is the nature of the regime that determines the outcome. It is possibly because of this that China's level of income inequality is about the same as Indias, in that the top one per cent account for more than 40 per cent of the wealth.

No nation can wait endlessly while the rulers are making hay when the sons and sons-in-law shine. It must be made to listen to the clamour of the people and meet their minimal expectations. To coerce it to good behaviour is an inalienable right. But to do this in the name of Chairman Mao is to demonstrate ignorance of history and barrenness of ideology, and only beget more of the same.
The Prime Minister has been accused of violating the Representation of the People Act in his speech, which the Opposition has called communal. A complaint has been filed with the Election Commission and the courts to disqualify him. Under the law, an appeal by a candidate to the electorate to vote or refrain from voting on the ground of religion is a corrupt practice.

On this, the Supreme Court has passed two judgments which specifically exempt Hindutva. These came in the case of the Shiv Senas Dr Ramesh Yashwant Prabhoo versus Prabhakar Kashinath Kunte, on December 11, 1995, and another involving the man who would later become Maharashtras Chief Minister, Manohar Joshi.

The charge of violating the Representation of the People Act in the first case was based on three public speeches by Bal Thackeray in November and December 1987 in canvassing for Prabhoo. The Bombay High Court found Thackerays speeches were all in very intemperate language and incendiary in nature which were appeals to the voters to vote for Dr Prabhoo because of his religion, i.e., he being a Hindu, and the speeches also promoted or tended to promote enmity and hatred between different classes of the citizens of India on the ground of religion.

Thackerays speeches included the words: We are fighting this election for the protection of Hinduism. Therefore, we do not care for the votes of the Muslims. This country belongs to Hindus and will remain so. In the Urdu Times, the report appeared with the headline Shiv Sena ko Musalmanonkevoton ki zaruratnahinhai (Shiv Sena did not need the votes of Muslims).

And: Though this country belongs to Hindus, Ram and Krishna are insulted. (The Opposition) valued Muslim votes more than your votes; we do not want the Muslim votes. A snake like Shahabuddin is sitting in the Janata Party, a man like Nihal Ahmed is also in the Janata Party. So, the residents of Vile Parle should bury this party.

The Supreme Court quoted other extracts: But here one cannot do anything at anytime about the snake in the form of Khalistan and Muslims The entire country has been ruined and therefore we took the stand of Hindutva and by taking the said stand we will step in the Legislative Assembly There is a dire need of the voice of Hindutva and therefore please send the Shiv Sena to the Legislative Assembly.

There were other, abusive things said which cannott be reproduced here, but they are unimportant.

The Supreme Court overturned the High Court judgment and said these speeches did not violate the Representation of the People Act. This was because considering Hindutva as depicting hostility, enmity or intolerance towards other religious faiths or professing communalism, proceeds from an improper appreciation and perception of the true meaning, because Hindutva may broadly be described as a way of life and nothing more. In essence, the court was saying, no matter what is said by a candidate, the court will protect it if it is said under the tent of Hindutva.

The second judgment, which came the same day in 1995, was Manohar Joshi vs Nitin Bhaurao Patil. Joshi had been disqualified by the Bombay High Court, again because of speeches by Thackeray and others, and the Supreme Court overturned the judgment.

The speeches had been tape-recorded, widely reported on and were also taken down in shorthand by police personnel present there. Manohar Joshi himself had said at a meeting at Shivaji Park on February 24, 1990 that the first Hindu Rashtra will be established in Maharashtra. Other speakers said that on Joshi being elected, and the BJP-Sena alliance establishing a Hindu government, jobs would be given to all Hindus. The tapes showed that other faiths had been referred to as traitors and betrayers of India.

In response to this, the court said: In our opinion, a mere statement that the first Hindu state will be established in Maharashtra is by itself not an appeal for votes on the ground of his religion but the expression, at best, of such a hope. However despicable be such a statement, it cannot be said to amount to an appeal for votes on the ground of his religion.

In response to the judgment by then Chief Justice J.S. Verma, A.G. Noorani wrote that Vermas profuse expressions of disapproval are neither relevant nor effective. It is his ruling on the law and his construction of the facts which matter. Both are manifestly, demonstrably wrong.

He added: Election candidates do not waste time expressing hopes in order to titillate the electorate. They know that its vote will be given against promises and pledges. (The first Hindu Rashtra) will be established is not an expression of hope but a pledge by a Shiv Sena leader at a meeting in a predominantly Hindu locality. If this is not the seeking of votes 'on the ground of his religion', what is?

That is a good question, and it remains unanswered.

A challenge to the Prabhoo and Joshi judgments was made in 2016. The petitioners said that the Hindutva way of life had led to demands of homogenisation and assimilation of minorities and Dalits and Adivasis in the Hindutva way of life.

Their petition said: Hindutva has become a mark of nationalism and citizenship. The interpretation has curtailed faith in secularism, which is the basic feature of the Constitution. The challenge was unsuccessful, with the Supreme Court refusing to hear it citing a procedural technicality, and the Hindutva judgments continue to give the RSS and the BJP the validity with which to further their agenda.
by Shafique Khokhar

The Heal Foundation Pakistan provided medical care to 175 patients yesterday at a local Catholic church. Five people were diagnosed with TB and will be followed until they are completely treated. For the local parish priest, Fr Tahir Rauf, it is serving the people like the apostles. Looking to the future, he promises, to conduct a second phase soon.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews)  The Heal Foundation Pakistan, an organisation dedicated to promoting health, empowerment, and literacy, set up a free medical camp yesterday at the Catholic church in Salik Town, a Faisalabad slum, to provide free medical assistance.

Salik Town is a poor, predominantly Christian area with some 250 households living in extreme poverty, without the means to buy medicines and pay for medical consultations.

We do not have a basic health unit in our area, said Fr Tahir Rauf, the local parish priest. I hope that thanks to the efforts of the Heal Foundation, the rate of diseases will be reduced.

Before setting up, the Foundation conducted a comprehensive survey of local living conditions. It found that most residents are day labourers (street sweepers, factory workers) who earn very little, and are unable to lead a dignified existence.

The most common diseases found in the area are tuberculosis, diabetes, and hypertension.

Several medical professionals offered their skills free of charge. They include Dr Sajwal Bhatti, Dr Arooj Khalid, a gynaecologist, and Kaynat Mehmood ultrasound specialist, as well as paramedical staff and members of the Foundation.

For the first time, the initiative included two representatives from a government health unit, who analysed samples taken from tuberculosis (TB) patients.

Five people seriously affected by the infectious and highly contagious disease were identified, who will be treated free of charge, with medical examinations and assistance until they are completely recovered.

At the medical camp, 35 ultrasound scans were performed under the careful observation of qualified personnel. About 90 per cent of the patients were checked with medical records collected from some 175 patients.

Cooperation between the charity and Fr Tahir Rauf was admirable as the clergyman made the church available for the camp.

After the camp, Shahbaz Aziel, managing director of the Heal Foundation Pakistan, thanked the entire team and locals who provided logistical support.

Fr Tahir Rauf also expressed his gratitude, saying that the team was serving the people like the apostles of Jesus Christ and providing their best services for the healing of poor people from different diseases.

Above all, the initiative was also meant to pave the way for greater awareness about health issues, and a greater commitment to ensure the well-being of the poor people of Salik Town.

[A]fter the suggestion of the team I will contact the government departments to clean the area properly, he said.

People are also very thankful to the team for the services they were provided free of cost; we will conduct its second phase soon, he added.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan swept three byelections yesterday. The ruling party even failed its seat in Shimane Prefecture, a conservative stronghold. Scandals over irregular fundraising but also the depreciation of the yen weighed heavily on voters minds.

Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Prime Minister Fumio Kishidas Liberal Democratic Party o(LDP) lost three by-elections for the House of Representatives yesterday.

The defeat highlights the loss of public support for the ruling party following a series of scandals involving several former ministers and lawmakers.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), led by Kenta Izumi, took all three seats.

The LDP, which did not field any candidates in the Tokyo and Nagasaki constituencies, focused on defending the seat in the western Prefecture of Shimane, known to be a conservative stronghold.

Despite two visits last month by Prime Minister Kishida to support the LDP candidate, Norimasa Nishikori, Akiko Kamei took the seat for the CDPJ.

Speaking after her victory, Kamei said the results in Shimane, a conservative kingdom, sends a "big message" to Kishida, who has been criticised for failing to prevent the yen's depreciation and achieve wage growth higher than rising prices.

A poll by Kyodo News found that 77 per cent of respondents voted "in consideration of the scandal over irregularly raised funds within the LDP, which led to the resignation of several ministers and party executives over the past few months.

In November last year, an investigation by the Japanese prosecutor's office revealed that some LDP members from the Abe current failed to declare at least 500 million yen (about US$ 3.2 million) raised through party fundraising, which they kept for themselves.

Meanwhile, Kishida's approval rating has fallen below 30 per cent, a threshold analysts consider a danger level to the government.

The LDPs heavy defeat in Shimane is likely to weaken Prime Minister Kishidas hold on the party and prod some members to oust him before the next general election.

For his part, LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi said, "We will humbly accept the results" in Sunday's by-elections, noting that the party "needs to work as one to grapple with the challenge."
An Arizona doctor and two others are facing felony charges after they allegedly keyed multiple cars belonging to pro-Palestinian activists early this year.

Bryan Long, 48, and Matthew and Lisa Karlovsky were booked on felony criminal damage charges on April 25, nearly three months after the original incident. Lisa Karlovsky, 52, previously served as the Arizona Republican Jewish Coalition director, while her husband, Matthew, 51, is a doctor.

Cars were keyed when local Jewish and Palestinian community members were picketing outside a synagogue holding an event for the Anti-Defamation League, featuring the organization's CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.

"The ADL has come under intense scrutiny lately for its insistence that any criticism of Israel is antisemitic and its justification of the ongoing genocide that Israel is committing in Gaza, killing over 33,000 Palestinians and counting," the Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance said in a statement at the time.

The trio is accused of causing nearly $45,000 in damage by using keys to scratch and carve messages into the paint, including "baby killers" and "murderers," as well as symbols, including the star of David.

"What really stuck out to me, as a Jewish individual, was the usage of the Star of David  a religious symbol for us Jews being used as a hate symbol," Sophie Levitt, the co-founder of the Jewish organization Bafrayung Itst or "Liberation Now" told KTVK.

Levitt, who was among those picketing outside the event, said that the protest was peaceful but that the situation escalated when people attending the event began to leave.

People outside began "yelling and disrupting and making obscene gestures, saying inappropriate things," Levitt said.

Long reportedly admitted to using a screwdriver to scratch one vehicle. He described Lisa as "out of control" and alleged that she keyed 10 of the 16 damaged cars and screamed at pro-Palestinian protestors as they were walking away, according to KTVK.

Matthew Karlovsky allegedly acted as a lookout while the vandalism was occurring. The entire incident was reportedly captured on surveillance footage.
The prime minister presented the current process in detail and emphasized that the government is familiar with all the problems, the Armenian government said in a statement on Pashinians meeting with the mayor and a dozen other residents of the village of Kirants.

Pashinian and other officials present at the meeting urged them to start works on the ground and find solutions to outstanding issues through joint discussions, it added without elaborating.

The Kirants representatives looked unhappy and were reluctant to talk to the press as they emerged from the government building. Some of them said only that they did not hear anything new from Pashinian.

Gegham Nazarian, an opposition parliamentarian who spoke to them privately, likewise claimed afterwards that Pashinian said nothing new.

The residents were left in uncertainty and panic again, Nazarian told reporters. People are already thinking about the worst because none of the demands, requests or reasonable proposals made by the village of Kirants were accepted.

In his words, Pashinian admitted that even his latest concessions to Baku will not guarantee the security of Kirants and nearby communities.

Kirants is one of the four Tavush villages adjacent to border areas that are due to be handed over to Azerbaijan as part of what the government calls the start of the demarcation of the Armenian- Azerbaijani border. Hundreds of villagers joined by other residents of Tavush and other parts of Armenia have been blocking a local section of a key national highway since April 20. Some of them clashed with riot police on Friday.

People, among them opposition politicians and activists, continued to briefly block roads in Yerevan and other parts of the country over the weekend and on Monday in a show of solidarity with the Kirants protesters led by Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, the head of the Tavush diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In Gyumri, local antigovernment activists organized a car procession for the same purpose.

Meanwhile, law-enforcement authorities pressed criminal charges against six protesters arrested following violent incidents that happened last week.

Three of them reportedly clashed with the driver of a military vehicle that reportedly tried to ram into a crowd blocking another Tavush highway. Videos posted on social media showed the driver jumping onto the crowd from the roof of the SUV belonging to the Yerkrapah militia led by Sasun Mikaelian, a political ally of Pashinian.

The driver was not prosecuted for his actions. The authorities indicted the three protesters instead, saying that they illegally stopped the vehicle and damaged its windscreen and one of the wheels.

The three other detainees were charged with hooliganism stemming from a separate incident that occurred in the provincial town of Noyemberian. Armenian opposition leaders reject the accusations as politically motivated, saying that the authorities are trying to stifle the protests.
29 April 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

The West, especially the USA and the EU, do their best to lose Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus, as well. Obviously, without cooperation with Azerbaijan, nobody can have an upper hand in the region.

Azerbaijan is the financial and political center of the region. In other words, the West shoots its leg by repeating the mistake that Russia made 30 years ago. The more interesting point is that the West did not learn from the neighbors mistake. At that time, when the Soviet Union began to crumble, Armenia was one of the six former republics that voted to leave. However, unlike Yerevan, Baku chose to stay within the Union. Thus, as is known, Azerbaijan has good relations with Russia. However, when Armenia started to usurp the Azerbaijani lands, especially Garabagh at the end of the 1980s, comforting Armenians, Russia supported Yerevan.

However, it did not take long for Russia to protect the Armenians under its protection. While Yerevan wanted to have more, on the contrary, Russian troops left Garabagh forever.

It is worth noting that Azerbaijan was one of the four countries that managed to secure its territories from external forces. However, Armenia has not had the same courage to do the same. Even today, after 33 years dissolution of the USSR, the borders of Armenia are protected by the Russian army. Thanks to a deep political outlook, Azerbaijan achieved a historical victory - the territories came completely under Azerbaijan's control, and at the same time, as a result of the political foresight that no country could achieve, cooperation with Russia remained in force.

Now, the USA and the EU try to repeat the same mistake and deteriorate its relations with Azerbaijan just because of Armenia. They intend to put sanctions on Azerbaijani officials. It is better them to learn the history and understand that Armenia is a country without character and no need to deter relations for this country. Needless to say that Armenia will betray the USA and the EU soon or late, as it betrayed Russia who brought them to the South Caucasus and formed a country for them. Of course, Azerbaijan will not forgive either the USA or the EU, if they adopt such kind of resolution.

Besides, by such actions, the West loses its face and reputation not only in Azerbaijan but also whole the world. Because, the same parliaments who claims that Azerbaijan supposedly committed a so-called ethnic cleansing turned a blind eye to the facts which Armenians expelled about one million Azerbaijanis from their homeland. The same parliaments have not condemned Armenia let alone to put sanctions on it. The West will not be able to blackmail Azerbaijan because Azerbaijan has enough power to protect its interests. In addition, such kind of actions will help Azerbaijan to increase its strength.

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29 April 2024 13:33 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

In recent years, Azerbaijan has been actively pursuing initiatives to transition towards sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources, aiming to reduce carbon emissions, conserve natural resources, and bolster the production of clean energy. A key player in this endeavour is AzerEnergy, the national energy company, which has embarked on ambitious projects in various regions, including the liberated Kalbajar region.

The liberation of territories such as Kalbajar has provided Azerbaijan with new opportunities for economic development and infrastructure enhancement. AzerEnergy has seized this opportunity to implement comprehensive plans for the construction of hydroelectric power plants in the region. These projects not only contribute to the country's green energy goals but also serve as a means of utilising the natural resources available in the area.

AzerEnergy is currently engaged in the construction of hydroelectric power plants at four locations within the Kalbajar region. These plants, such as "Zar," "Nadirkhanli," "Ashagi Veng," and "Yukhari Veng," are slated to be operational by 2024, with capacities ranging from 4.3 to 22.5 megawatts. Additionally, AzerEnergy has undertaken the installation of several small hydropower plants in Kalbajar, including "Kalbajar-1," "Meydan," "Qamishli," "Chirag-1," "Chirag-2," and "Soyugbulag," with a total capacity of 32 megawatts.

President Ilham Aliyev's involvement in the reconstruction and operation of these small hydroelectric plants underscores the government's commitment to sustainable development and the welfare of local communities. Notably, these projects have also led to the creation of permanent employment opportunities for residents of Kalbajar, aligning with the government's settlement policy.

The successful operation of six small hydroelectric power stations has already resulted in the production of approximately 70 million Kv/h of clean green energy. The efficiency of these stations, coupled with favourable conditions, has allowed them to operate at their nominal capacity.

Moreover, Azerbaijan's commitment to environmental sustainability has garnered international recognition. The "Global Carbon Council" organization, based in Qatar, has expressed interest in purchasing carbon certificates for small hydroelectric power plants in Kalbajar. This marks a significant milestone as it signifies the first provision of carbon certificates for renewable energy plants in Azerbaijan's liberated territories.

In addition to these energy initiatives, Azerbaijan's economic expansion efforts extend to the Garabagh economic region. Turkish leather production company Birlik Deri has expressed intentions to become a resident of the Agdam Industrial Park, as announced on Azerbaijan's Entrepreneurs Day. Discussions with Birlik Deri's owner, Burhan Demirses, highlight the company's commitment to participating in Garabagh's restoration efforts, with the potential to boost development, create employment opportunities, and enhance socio-economic prosperity in the region.

Established by President Ilham Aliyev's decree, the Agdam Industrial Park signifies a strategic investment in industrial growth and economic revitalization, spanning an area of 190 hectares. As Azerbaijan continues to prioritize sustainable development and economic diversification, these initiatives underscore the country's commitment to fostering growth and prosperity in its liberated territories.

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29 April 2024 20:43 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

Displeasure in the Armenian community increased following the departure of the Russian peacekeepers from the Garabagh region and an agreement that was reached on the return of 4 villages in the Gazakh district to Azerbaijan. Although severing relations with Russia is convenient for pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, it is difficult for the Armenian opposition to give up Moscow, which has been under its patronage for a long time.

It is no coincidence that these forces are also worried about the strengthening of Azerbaijan-Russia relations. That is why, after the business trip of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to Russia in recent weeks, the Armenian media started a "smearing" campaign and claimed that there is a cooperation between Baku and Moscow that hosts "crimes".

In fact, the very actions of the forces bringing the criminal charges make the allegations laughable. It should not be forgotten that Armenia plundered the historical lands of Azerbaijan for 30 years and committed environmental, moral, physical, and psychological crimes. The genocides committed in Garabagh at the end of the 1990s, the merciless torture of Armenians against Azerbaijani women, children, and the elderly make it absurd for this country to raise criminal allegations against Azerbaijan.

Human bones and looted historical, cultural, and religious monuments found in the area since 2020, when the glorious Azerbaijani army liberated Garabagh, prove the murders and inhumane behaviour of the Armenian military in Garabagh.

On the other hand, Azerbaijan's relations with Russia should be evaluated as an obligation brought on by being a neighbouring state in the region. Obviously, Azerbaijan and Russia have been neighbours for centuries. Between these two countries, periodically, relations have been changeable.

For example, at the beginning of the 19th century, the placement of Armenians in the lands of Azerbaijan, especially in Erivan, Garabagh, and Nakhchivan, and the genocide of ethnic Azerbaijanis were carried out directly on the instructions of the tsarist Russia of that time.

In the 20th century, more specifically, in the 1930s, mass repression of Azerbaijani intellectuals was carried out by Soviet Russia. For 30 years, Russia created the conditions for Armenians to permeate in Garabagh, and for the destruction of the historical lands of Azerbaijan. The positive development of Azerbaijan's relations with Russia at the present time is not an indication that the official Baku has forgotten history.

Thus, politics is a constantly changing and developing field of activity that guides future steps. The relations between Azerbaijan and its northern neighbour Russia continue in a different direction as a result of the events in the South Caucasus and the choices of the regional states. As a result of the soft and gentle policy of the Azerbaijani authorities, Russia has accepted that Armenia, which it has patronised for many years, is an ungrateful "friend".

It is no coincidence that as soon as Russian-Azerbaijani relations fell in a different direction, the official Erivan could not hold Garabagh, which it once occupied, and the Azerbaijani state returned its lands after 30 years and a 44-day war. The Armenian ruling class, which could not digest the humiliating defeat, began to look for a solution in the West, and as a result, its relations with Russia came to a dead end, which made them a tool for the West.

It seems that even now those ruling classes want to find flaws in the policy of official Baku, and because they have not been able to make any progress in relations with Russia, they are trying to draw the attention of the world community to the South Caucasus with false information and accusations.

It should not be forgotten that Azerbaijan was founded not at the expense of the finances and instructions of other states like Armenia but at the expense of centuries-old history and culture, at the cost of the lives of prominent intellectuals.

Currently, the main goal of Baku is to ensure the economic and political development of the country and the region in the future, as well as to strengthen its relations with countries both in the East and the West.

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29 April 2024 10:44 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

During a presentation titled Towards COP29 - Priorities and Agenda at the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) annual meetings in Riyadh, Huseyn Huseynov, Head of Sustainable Development and Social Policy Department at the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, announced Azerbaijan's intention to propose the establishment of a novel North-South Financial Mechanism at COP29, Azernews reports.

"This mechanism aims to act as a link between National and International Oil Companies, facilitating collaborative endeavors for global benefit."

Huseynov emphasized that participation in the North-South Financial Mechanism will be open to all interested parties, including those initially hesitant to join. He explained that member parties of the mechanism will contribute to the Fund by transferring funds based on the volume of fossil fuels they export, thereby becoming shareholders commensurate with their contributions.

Key features of the North-South Financial Mechanism highlighted by Huseynov include financial stability through sustainable capital inflow, allocation of funds for both concessional and commercially profitable investments, and the generation of income for shareholders.

Azerbaijan is set to host COP29 in November, following the decision made at COP28 in Dubai. This event is expected to draw around 70,00080,000 foreign guests to Baku. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, established at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, aims to prevent harmful human interference in the climate system. The Conference of Parties (COP) serves as the principal governing body overseeing the convention's implementation, with 198 countries as parties. COP events are typically held annually, with the first one taking place in Berlin in 1995, and the convention's secretariat is located in Bonn.

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29 April 2024 11:21 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

The Trade Representation at the Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul revealed that Turkish leather production company Birlik Deri intends to expand its operations into Azerbaijan's Garabagh economic region. The company aims to become a resident of the Agdam Industrial Park in Garabagh, as announced on Azerbaijan's Entrepreneurs Day, April 25, Azernews reports.

The Trade Representation noted that initial discussions with Birlik Deri's owner, Burhan Demirses, occurred on November 24, 2023, during which the company expressed its desire to participate in Garabagh's restoration efforts.

The statement highlights the anticipated positive impact of Birlik Deri's activities in the Agdam Industrial Park, emphasizing its potential to boost development in the Garabagh region, facilitate employment for returning residents, and enhance socio-economic prosperity.

Established by President Ilham Aliyev's decree on May 28, 2021, the Agdam Industrial Park spans an area of 190 hectares.

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29 April 2024 12:17 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

At the Golden Jubilee event dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Development Bank Group, satisfaction was expressed with the Bank's high-level partnership with Azerbaijan established in the format of long-term and multilateral cooperation, Azernews reports, citing the post shared by Azerbaijan's Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov on his official "X" account.

"We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Islamic Development Bank on this remarkable occasion and wish them continued success in their work. We are confident that our joint initiatives will continue to thrive and be enriched further," the minister added.

At the Golden Jubilee commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Islamic Development Bank (@isdb_group), satisfaction was expressed with the high-level partnership between #Azerbaijan and the Bank, which has been cultivated in a long-term and multilateral pic.twitter.com/SVgjC4k6Ic  Mikayil Jabbarov (@MikayilJabbarov) April 29, 2024

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29 April 2024 12:34 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

In the first quarter of this year, Georgia exported 2,601 cars worth $48.457 million to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

This was reported by the Georgian National Statistics Office. It was reported that the value of cars exported to Azerbaijan in the first quarter of the current year decreased by 51.3% annually, amounting to $51.226 million, or 4,747 units, which is 64.6% less.

Thus, during the first three months of 2023, Georgia exported 7,348 cars worth $99.683 million to Azerbaijan.

During the first three months of this year, Georgia's volume of car exports decreased by 31.3% annually to $486.5 million. Last year, this figure amounted to $708 million.

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Local leaders in one Japanese town are erecting barriers to block the view of Mt. Fuji to prevent troubling-making tourists from flocking to the community.

Photos of the mountain town of Fujikawaguchiko, located in the foothills of Mt. Fuji, have become popular on social media. Crowds of tourists vye for a shot of the soaring volcano, which is partially concealed behind a small convenience store, which visitor also like to snap.

Mt. Fuji is an active volcano and the tallest mountain in Japan. The symmetrical mountain is known for its natural beauty and abundance of hiking trails.

The juxtaposition of the Lawson convenience store  a ubiquitous national chain  and the iconic volcano is viewed by some as a quintessentially Japanese image, one local official explained to Agence France Presse.

But foreign tourists have begun blocking the pavement near the convenience store, while also parking illegally and littering. Some tourists have even taken to climbing onto a nearby dentist's office roof, without permission, to get a better camera angle, according to reports

Fujikawaguchiko previously put up signs reminding visitors of the rules, to no avail. The town is now planning to erect an eight-foot-high mesh barrier as early as next week that will remain up until the situation imporves.

"It's regrettable we have to do this, because of some tourists who can't respect rules," the official told AFP.
29 April 2024 13:15 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

The first business visit of the Banking Mission of Azerbaijan to the USA was successfully carried out under the leadership of the Chairman of the Central Bank, Taleh Kazimov, Azernews reports.

Elchin Isayev, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of "Bank of Baku" also participated in the visit. The main purpose of the visit, jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Banks Association (ABA) and the US-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, is to provide an exchange of experience in the banking and financial sectors, to contribute to the development of cooperation between financial institutions and commercial banks of the two countries.

During the visit, meetings were held with state officials and representatives of US banks, first at the US State Department, and then at a number of other important institutions.

Presentations were made on various topics, modern solutions for the banking sector, the application possibilities of artificial intelligence in this field, the establishment of correspondent bank relations, as well as an exchange of views on important topics related to business, finance, and the banking sector.

The importance of this visit in the further development and strengthening of economic relations between the two countries was also emphasized.

Noted that "Bank of Baku" is one of the leading Azerbaijani banks with 30 years of activity and provides banking services in various directions to more than 1 million customers with a network of 20 branches.

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29 April 2024 15:17 (UTC+04:00)

In January-March 2024, the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan increased by 3.9 times or USD 17 million 351 thousand compared to the corresponding period of last year and amounted to USD 23 million 382 thousand, Azernews reports citing the State Customs Committee.

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29 April 2024 15:34 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

A special session of the World Economic Forum (WEF) commenced in Riyadh on Sunday, aiming to foster global collaboration, growth, and energy for development, Azernews reports.

During the opening of the session, Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim highlighted the current global landscape's challenges and opportunities, stressing the necessity of global engagement for an inclusive world economy.

WEF President Borge Brende characterized the gathering as a pivotal occasion to assess de-escalation efforts in Middle East conflicts, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and other significant regional and international issues.

Scheduled to run until Monday, the WEF special session seeks to facilitate discussions among leaders and the public on various topics such as environmental concerns, mental health, digital currencies, artificial intelligence, the societal role of arts, contemporary entrepreneurship, and smart urbanization.

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29 April 2024 18:00 (UTC+04:00)

The Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, President-Designate of COP29, Mukhtar Babayev, met with Shintaro Ito, Japan's Environment Minister, Azernews reports, citing the COP29 official X account.

The COP29 team met Shintaro Ito, Japan's Environment Minister, to discuss Japan's role in climate finance. Last year, Japan pledged $10 million to the Loss and Damage Fund, a critical part of the global climate finance framework, reads the statement.

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Azerbaijani artist Milena Nabiyeva has showcased her stunning art works in Baku. The exhibition "Fire Melody" opened its doors to art enthusiasts at Fairmont Baku Flame Towers, Azernews reports.

The evening passed in a very warm atmosphere, surrounded by colourful paintings and friends and admirers of the artist's art who presented her with flowers and good wishes. Milena Nabiyeva's paintings attracted the attention of art lovers.

Note that Milena Nabiyeva is a member of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union and UNESCO, deputy chairman of the Society for Conservation of Nature, and head of the Hope for Life (Hyata umid) Charitable Foundation. She has participated in numerous international exhibitions.

Each Milena Nabiyeva's exhibition is distinguished with its colourful works, matching her positive character and kind soul, but this time she offered to hear, among the usual images, a unique melody that is hidden in every ornament of the paintings.

Reinterpreting ancient symbols and weaving into them a modern reflection of the surrounding world, the artist's stylistically verified ornamental palette in non-verbal communication slowly tells the story of the old days, when people gathered around the fires and legends and folk tales were embodied in the open flame dance, which has survived to this day in the diversity pattern dictionary.

Each curl is a separate musical phrase... Here are dragons and phoenixes, the tree of life and the scarlet spirit, lotus and traditional buta... And each is unthinkable without a fiery presence...

The location of the exhibition was not chosen by chance, because the Flame Towers, as a symbol of modern Baku, are not just skyscrapers. They are the same flames that are directly associated with fire, which is forever inscribed in the coat of arms of our city. They also echo the pomegranate fruit, which the artist loves to display in her works.

" Azerbaijani nature has generously gifted its people. In my opinion, one of the embodiments of fire is the sun, which is so favourable to this land that everything that it gives birth to carries a piece of its taste," said Milena Nabiyeva.

Each canvas seems to be permeated with a delicate goldenness, which is inherent in sunlight. And in flower scenes, one can read thin lines of fiery flames in the petals...

A total of 20 art works of art presented in the exhibition are different in theme and plot content.

They are like separate musical works, which, merging into a common visual sound, make up a single score of "Fire Melody," and this is indisputably confirmed: Everything in the world is made of fire. We just need to be able to feel it and see it in any manifestation on our life path.

Photo Credits: Rustam Ismayilov

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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The Fidan Hajiyeva's First International Opera Festival has started with the premiere of Georges Bizet's opera "Carmen" in a new production and in a modern genre. The opera premiered at Baku Music Academy's Opera Studio, Azernews reports.

It is gratifying to note that the love for classical art in Azerbaijan has set a kind of recordall tickets for the week-long performances of the festival were sold out.

The audience that evening was treated to a great celebration of operatic art, which was reflected in the impressions of the audience, who repeatedly gave the artists applause throughout the performance.

In conclusion, the entire audience greeted the creative team with standing ovations and bouquets of flowers.

The main role of Carmen was performed by the organiser herself, People's Artist Fidan Hajiyeva, for whom this image has become an opera brand for many years, but this time she appeared before the audience from a completely new side.

The director of the opera, Elvin Mirzoyev, presented the audience with a modern view of 19th-century opera, without time attachment and preserving the music and libretto of the classical masterpiece.

Through the prism of the plot and dynamic acting, stage costumes, and scenery, the relationship between the characters and the accents of the work are positioned differently.

Freedom of choice and decision-makingthe true value of lovecome to the fore. In the performance, even the crowd scenes, including the children's choir of the Fidan Gadzhieva Music School, were not static but alive, and each artist felt like the main character of the action taking place.

A bright performance by People's Artist Gulnaz Ismailova (Frasquita), Honoured Artists Farid Aliyev (Don Jose), Inara Babayeva (Mikaela), Anton Verstandt (Escamillo), Aliakhmed Ibragimov (Remendado), soloists Igor Yadrov (Zuniga), Mahir Tagizade (Morales), Nina Makarova (Mercedes), and Efima Zavalny (Dankairo), whose height exceeds two metres, became a real pearl necklace of the premiere. It should be noted that about 150 famous and young artists took part in the performance. Moreover, the orchestra of the State Opera and Ballet Theatre performed under the direction of Cornelia von Kerssenbrock, specially invited from Germany, the artistic director and chief conductor of the Bavarian Gutt-Imling Opera Festival. The premiere was a great success.

The Fidan Hajiyeva's First International Opera Festival runs from April 27 to May 3. The event is organised by People's Artist Fidan Hajiyeva's Vocal Music School with the support of the Culture Ministry and the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre.

For seven days, works by Azerbaijani classics and world composers will be held in Baku and Ganja.

The main goal of the project is to promote and develop classical music in Azerbaijan, identify and support new talents in the field of opera. Among the eminent guests of the festival are world-famous conductors and composers from abroad, famous Azerbaijani vocalists and musicians, and talented youth.

Photo Credits: Ramin Aslanov

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az, and Turkic.World.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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29 April 2024 15:53 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov has embarked on a business trip to Qatar, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

As a part of the mentioned visit, the minister will participate in and speak at the 3rd meeting of the Arab Cooperation and Economic Forum with Central Asia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, which will be held in Doha on April 30, as well as hold bilateral meetings within the event.

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29 April 2024 17:46 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova Read more

International Dance Day is celebrated annually on April 29 to promote the art of dance and its universal appeal across cultures, Azernews reports.

This day raises awareness about the importance of dance as an art form and its ability to bring people together in celebration of movement and expression.

International Dance Day was established in 1982 by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), which is the main partner for the performing arts at UNESCO.

The event takes place every year on April 29, which is the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre (17271810), who is considered to be the "father" or creator of modern ballet.

In Azerbaijan, International Dance Day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and passion. The country has a rich cultural heritage that includes a variety of traditional dances that are an integral part of its identity.

Azerbaijani traditional dances are known for their beauty, grace, and intricate movements that reflect the country's history and traditions.

Azerbaijani traditional dances are inextricably linked with history, and the dance scenes engraved in Gobustan once again prove that.

There are various kinds of dances that have started to form in Azerbaijan since the Middle Ages.

As a rule, the Azerbaijani dance is divided into three parts: the first part is a circle, the dancer holds the body high, the second congealing on the spot (suzme) and the third  again the circling. The third part is characterised by rhythm and strong emotions.

Many dances, especially the old ones, are called the most beloved animals or plants. These include: "gazelle", "lale" (field poppy), "benevshe" (violet), etc.

They are very smooth and lively. The musical size of Azerbaijani dances is 6/8 and 3/4.

The dances of males and females sharply differ from each other.

Women's dances are characterised by soft lyricism and plasticity of graceful, smooth movement.

A long skirt defines the tender movement of the feet. The dance is focused entirely on the technique of the upper parts of the arm and corpse (shoulder, head, mimics of the face, etc).

The main feature of male dance is the technique of feet. The dancer stands quickly on the tiptoe, and then quickly falls on his knee, etc.

Amina Dilbazi, Afag Malikova, Roza Khalilova, Tarana Muradova, Tamilla Mammadova, Boyukagha Mammadov, Kamil Dadashov, Boyukaga Atababayev and others have significantly enriched Azerbaijani dance art with new elements.

In 2023, UNESCO adopted the decision on the first report on the status of an Azerbaijani cultural element named Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of Nakhchivan.

On International Dance Day in Azerbaijan, various events and performances are organised to showcase the beauty and diversity of Azerbaijani traditional dances. Dance troupes and artists come together to perform traditional dances, showcasing their skills and talent to audiences both locally and internationally.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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29 April 2024 17:11 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

The US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Mark Libby, visited the village of Krmz Kasaba, Guba region.

According to Azernews, this was shared on the embassy's official "X" social account.

Ambassador and Danusia Libby visited the Red Village in the Guba region to mark the Passover holiday, meet with members of Azerbaijans historic Mountain Jewish community, and to highlight our long history of support for the village and our close friendship. During the visit, pic.twitter.com/NWgBPWCmAe  U.S. Embassy Baku (@USEmbassyBaku) April 29, 2024

"The US ambassador and his wife, Danusya Libby, visited the village of Krmz Kasaba in Guba district to celebrate the Jewish Passover holiday. Here they met with representatives of the community of Mountain Jews. They visited synagogues, museums, as well as the Arch Bridge," the post said.

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29 April 2024 19:00 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

In accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (TIHEK) and the Human Rights Commissioner (Ombudsman) institution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, activities are being continued in the direction of expanding mutual cooperation relations and effectively organising the exchange of experience in the field of protection of human rights and freedoms.

According to Azernews, a delegation led by the chairman of TIHEK, Muharrem Klc, is on a visit to Azerbaijan at the invitation of Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva in order to exchange the experiences gained regarding the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) activity and further develop cooperation.

During the visit, an inspection of the Umbak Penitentiary Complex of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice was organised with the members of the National Preventive Group (NPG) within the MPM activity of the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan. The TIHEK delegation inspected all the buildings of the newly opened facility, got acquainted with the general conditions created here and the state of protection of the rights of detained persons, including those sentenced to life imprisonment.

Within the framework of the visit, the delegation was also informed in detail about the activities of the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan as NPM, opinions and experiences were exchanged, and their questions were answered.

It should be noted that in the near future, the delegation of the Human Rights and Equality Organisation of Turkey is scheduled to visit other institutions that people cannot leave on their own, together with NPG members, as well as meet with some officials.

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Saudi Arabia this week for talks that could be the "last chance" for a truce in Gaza before Israel's looming invasion of the southern city of Rafah.

Blinken will hold meetings Monday and Tuesday to "discuss ongoing efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza that secures the release of hostages and how it is Hamas that is standing between the Palestinian people and a ceasefire," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement Saturday.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz also said Saturday that a breakthrough involving the 133 hostages believed to be held by Hamas could forestall a ground offensive against Rafah.

"If there is a deal, we will suspend the operation," Katz told Israel's Channel 12, the Jerusalem Post reported.

On Friday, Israel told Egypt it was willing to give Hamas "one last chance" at negotiations over the hostages before moving against Rafah, Axios reported, citing two senior Israeli officials.

Israel has been threatening for weeks to invade Rafah, where more than a million Gaza residents have fled from the combat that has already reportedly killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

More than 13,000 of the dead were militants killed in battle, according to Israel, which has pledged to destroy Hamas over its surprise Oct. 7 attack that killed about 1,200 peple in Israel.
29 April 2024 20:28 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

The cooperation between the two institutions and the contribution of this cooperation to the development of interstate and internation relations were discussed at the meeting of Yan Wanmin, Chairman of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries of the People's Republic of China, and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, who is visiting our country.

Anar Alakbarov recalled the meetings of Mehriban Aliyeva, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, with the leadership of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries in the past years, noted the Memorandum signed between the two institutions on the expansion of Azerbaijan-China friendship and cooperation, and the implemented projects.

It was said that the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries is a strategic partner of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and this year, the anniversary of both institutions - the 20th anniversary of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries - has a symbolic meaning.

Saying that he visited our country at the invitation of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Yan Wanmin noted that the President of Azerbaijan attaches special importance to relations with China, and that the upcoming meetings and discussions will be an additional impetus to the expansion of cooperation between Azerbaijan and China. In connection with the 20th anniversary of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, a congratulatory letter addressed to the President of the Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries was presented.

Areas aimed at expanding the scope of cooperation between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries were reviewed. The importance of expanding the relations between the two peoples and public diplomacy was emphasized along with the relations based on a solid foundation at the state level. The guest said that Heydar Aliyev Foundation will play a big role in this direction.

Organization of culture days in Azerbaijan and China, holding of various events in the field of culture, mutual visits of young people and representatives of new media, and increase of intercity cooperation were proposed.

Our country's hosting of COP29 this year was one of the discussed issues. It was reported that the People's Republic of China, including the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, is ready to provide necessary support and cooperation within the framework of COP29.

The delegation of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation was invited to China to participate in events related to the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

After the meeting, the guests got acquainted with the expositions in the Heydar Aliyev Center - "Azerbaijani carpet-dance of loops", "Mini Azerbaijan", "Musical instruments: unity and diversity", "Classic cars" exhibitions.

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29 April 2024 18:17 (UTC+04:00)

Scaling up the green sukuk will help plug the massive climate funding gap, said Chief Executive of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) Bryan Pascoe, addressing the panel discussions on Accelerating Climate Finance through Green and Sustainability Sukuk, held as part of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) annual meetings in Riyadh, Azernews reports.

Sukuk (Islamic bond or Sharia-compliant bond) is an Islamic financial certificate that represents a portion of ownership in a portfolio of eligible existing or future assets.

In recent years, sustainable bonds, mainly green bonds, have emerged as one of the most important instruments to finance the goals of the Paris Agreement. Scaling up green and sustainable sukuk will further help the private and public sectors raise finance to plug the massive climate funding gap, support green local capital market development, and target other environmental and social issues, he said.

Pascoe noted that today's launch of the guidance for sustainable sukuk is another critical step in establishing and maintaining internationally consistent standards in the key growth segments of sustainable finance and Islamic finance.

We're very pleased to have been able to collaborate with the Islamic Development Bank and the London Stock Exchange group on this important guidance. We look forward to further engaging with market participants and other stakeholders on sustainable sukuk and hope the new practical guide published today can be another catalyst to finance our journey to net zero, he added.

The Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) is holding its 2024 Annual Meetings and Golden Jubilee in Riyadh from April 27-30, under the Royal Patronage of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The 2024 Annual Meetings are being held under the theme Cherishing our Past, Charting our Future: Originality, Solidarity, and Prosperity, which marks IsDBs 50 years of fostering socio-economic development in its member countries.

Among other topics, the meetings also featured a roundtable on COP29 with the participation of Azerbaijani government representatives.

As the premier South-South multilateral development bank, the 2024 IsDB Group Annual Meetings and Golden Jubilee attract international and regional attention.

The annual meetings feature a series of side events with top-level panellists from government, international and regional organisations, the private sector, academia, and civil society.

Ministers of Economy, Planning, and Finance from IsDB's 57 member countries are participating in the event, along with representatives of international and regional financial institutions, Islamic banks, private sector companies, national and international development finance institutions, international and regional organisations, NGOs, chambers of commerce & Industry, and business councils.

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29 April 2024 23:16 (UTC+04:00)

Turkish authorities have banned a May Day demonstration in Taksim Square in central Istanbul, Azernews reports, citing Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya as he telling to reporters about this.

"At the moment, all applications for holding 103 events in 55 provinces of the country on the occasion of Labor and Solidarity Day have been satisfied. The exception is the city of Istanbul, which will receive 17.5 million tourists in 2023. It is the center of education, culture, art, trade and industry of our country," the minister said.

According to him, last week some terrorist organizations called on their supporters to take part in a demonstration in the Taksim area on social networks.

At the same time, Ali Yerlikaya said that representatives of trade unions applying to hold events in Taksim on May 1 can lay flowers and make a statement in front of the monument erected in honor of the Turkish Republic. However, it is forbidden to hold other events on and near the square.

Noting that 40 places have been reserved for events related to the "Labor and Solidarity Day" in Istanbul, the minister said that more than 42 thousand police officers are involved in ensuring security in the city.

Recall that the first mass march on May 1 in Istanbul's Taksim Square was organized by trade unions in 1976. A year later, as a result of clashes that occurred during an event held there, about 40 people were killed and more than 200 people were injured. In recent years, demonstrations on May 1 in Taksim have not been allowed.

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Australian activists are calling on their government to declare a national emergency after a spike in homicides left 27 women dead in the first 119 days of the year.

"We want alternative reporting options for victim-survivors to let them own their stories and own their healing and reporting journey," activist Martina Ferrara said, the BBC reported. Ferrara organized one of the several rallies that have taken place across Australia.

"We want the government to acknowledge this is an emergency action and take immediate action," she added.

While violence against women is not a new phenomenon in Australia, the issue has taken on a new intensity after several recent high-profile incidents. Earlier in April, a man stabbed five women and one man to death inside a Sydney shopping mall.

New South Wales Police Force commissioner Karen Webb said the suspect appeared to "focus on women and avoided the men."

Another man was recently charged in the housefire death of 30-year-old Erica Hay, who was the mother of four children.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday addressed a Canberra rally, attended by thousands of activists, agreeing that the government needs to do more to address the issue. He stopped short, however, of endorsing a national emergency decree.

Albanese argued that national emergencies were usually short-term crises like natural disasters

"We don't need one month or two months  we need to address this in a serious way, week by week, month by month, year by year," he said.

He has called an urgent national cabinet meeting on Wednesday to address the problem.
Operators of the electric power grids that our electricity supply depends upon are sounding the alarm over some new rules coming out of Biden's EPA that would slash the dependance on coal fired power while pushing wind and solar. They warn that 32 states including North Carolina will become very vulnerable to blackouts as a result of these Biden rules.

A grid needs dependable power sources like hydro, coal, gas, nuclear, and oil to maintain baseload so the grid does not crash. Wind and solar are intermittant sources of power that are on-and-off and cannot be depended upon for baseload, although they can from time to time supplement the baseload sources. Hydro is probably built out as much as it can be in the US, while oil fired power has become uneconomical to operate and it has been years since a new nuclear plant was built in the US.

If a grid operator has sufficient warning that wind / solar are going offline, they can set up rolling blackouts that reduce load overall by cutting power temporarily to shifting areas. If it all comes on, too quickly, the whole grid can go down, and it may takes days to accomplish what is called a "black restart" something that wind and solar power are almost useless for. Scotland's engineering society has calculated that due to that country's dependance on wind, a black restart of their national gird may take two weeks.

The state of South Australia, whose now defeated Labour government shut down and destroyed all its coal plants saying they were making the state a "wind and solar superpower" had never previously experienced blackouts. With the advent of dependence on wind for electricity, however, rolling blackouts have become a very common occurence, and the state suffered its first ever statewide blackout when multiple wind farms automatically shut down due to strong Spring storms.

This is America's future if Biden's destructive energy policies are not reversed and Roy Cooper is pushing the same crap here in North Carolina. Sadly, the RINOs in the legislature such as Speaker Tim Moore and Senate boss Phi Berger are playing footsie with Cooper in undermining our electric grid.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/27/exclusive-dave-walsh-electrical-grid-operators-sounding-alarm-epa-rules/

Meanshile, more scientific studies are showing that the noise from construction of offshore wind farms is threatening endangered marine life including whales, dolphins, and turtles. Killing endangered species seems to just be collateral damage for the climate cult of fake environmentalists.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/environmental-pollutant-how-key-climate-agenda-tool-harms-endangered-species
Becker's has reported on four hospitals shuttering in the South in 2024.

This could mean a rise in volume for ASCs  ASCs are already booming in the South, particularly in states like Florida and Texas that don't have certificate-of-need laws stifling growth. The South's population boom, tax-friendly nature and aging population all contribute to it becoming an ideal location for ASCs and physicians.

"While some patient volumes are shifting to ASCs, the practice owners need to be able to handle this increase in volume and the case complexities, as well as the rising staffing costs," Ali Ekbatani, DO, executive vice president and American Group president at North American Partners in Anesthesia, told Becker's. "ASCs, despite the potential surge of new patients, will be in a good position to serve these patients. They will need to build upon operational efficiencies to maintain a high level of patient experience for these new incoming patients."

Here are the four hospitals shuttering in the South:

1. Prairieville (La.) Family Hospital closed April 29. The Louisiana Department of Health revoked its license after determining that the hospital violated state hospital laws and regulations by operating as a freestanding emergency department.

2. Regional Medical Center Health System ended inpatient services at 125-bed Stringfellow Memorial Hospital in Anniston, Ala. RMC Health, which bought the hospital for $25 million in 2017, transitioned the emergency department to its main hospital campus.

3. Jellico (Tenn.) Regional Hospital shuttered March 9. In December, the hospital temporarily suspended services due to a staffing shortage, but CMS intervened to shut down the hospital after the CEO resigned and the company that ran the hospital pulled out.

4. Port Arthur-based Medical Center of Southeast Texas, part of Dallas-based Steward Health Care, closed its Beaumont campus on Feb. 2.
Bay Oral Surgery & Implant Center recently experienced a data breach that resulted in protected health information being exposed, WBAY reported April 25.

An unauthorized person used software to access the email account of an employee at the practice Jan. 18. The email account contained patient information, including social security numbers, financial information and forms related to patient health histories. The practice does not know what specific information was viewed by the unauthorized individual, according to the report.

The practice sent out more than 10,000 letters notifying patients of the incident April 25. It has also taken steps to strengthen its cybersecurity measures and enacted new policies to prevent protected health information from being stored in email accounts.

Bay Oral Surgery & Implant Center has three locations in Green Bay and Marinette, Wis.
A dentist in Utah is retiring following more than 50 years in the dental industry, according to an April 27 report by St. George News.

Thomas Robinson, DDS, practiced dentistry in the military for two years in Key West, Fla., before moving to St. George, Utah, to practice.

When Dr. Robinson first moved to St. George, there were only seven total dentists in the area.
Midwest grocery chain Meijer has donated $3 million to support the construction of the Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital, which is slated to open in 2026 and will be Michigan's first freestanding rehab hospital for children.

The hospital is a joint partnership between Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, a regional rehabilitation system. In February, the Devos Family Foundation donated $5 million to support the development of the Joan Secchia Children's Rehabilitation Hospital, which is expected to serve up to 2,500 children a year.

Groundbreaking on the $70 million facility is expected to take place this year, according to an April 29 news release. The three-story hospital will include 24 private inpatient rooms and offer inpatient and outpatient services for a range of conditions, including brain injury, cerebral palsy and cancer.
San Francisco-based UCSF Health broke ground April 27 on its new $4.3 billion UCSF Health Helen Diller Hospital in San Francisco.

The 15-story, 880,000-square-foot facility will mix new diagnostics, surgical procedures and robotics into specialty care that includes emergency medicine, cardiology, transplant and neurosurgery, according to an April 27 UCSF Health news release.

The hospital, which is set to open in 2030, is part of a transformative plan for UCSF's Parnassus Heights campus in San Francisco. The plan also includes the development of a research and academic building set to open in 2028.

UCSF Health Helen Diller will increase the health system's capacity to 682 beds and add 22 operating rooms and 31 emergency care beds once complete.

The health system is aiming for a 30% local hiring target for construction workers for the campus, with a goal to create 1,000 union jobs, expand current programs and develop new job training programs.

UCSF will also support $20 million in public transit improvements near the Parnassus Heights campus as part of a collaboration with the community.








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Boise, Idaho-based St. Luke's Health System has seen a steep increase in the number of patients requiring medical flights out of state for emergency abortions this year, NPR reported April 26.

The increase coincides with the Supreme Court lifting a hold on Idaho's ban on emergency abortions in January. Last year, when the measure was paused by a federal court, the health system transported one patient out of state for an emergency pregnancy termination. In the first three months of 2024, St. Luke's has airlifted six patients to neighboring states.

Under Idaho's abortion ban, physicians are permitted to terminate pregnancies only when a mother's life is at risk. On April 24, the Supreme Court heard arguments about whether EMTALA preempts the state's abortion ban in certain emergency circumstances.

St. Luke's Chief Physician Jim Souza, MD, said physicians often struggle to interpret the ban and determine when to intervene, fearing legal repercussions.

"When the guessing game gets too uncomfortable, we transfer the patients out at a very high cost to another state where the doctors are allowed to practice medicine," Dr. Souza said during a media call last week. He argued the helicopter transfers result in care delays, are a wasteful use of hospital resources and threaten patient outcomes.

Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador disputed St. Luke's numbers and suggested the health system was airlifting patients out of state "just to make a political statement" during an April 24 press conference.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling in the case by this summer.
Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai has created a generative artificial intelligence app, CS Connect, that can interact with patients and ask them questions, the Los Angeles Business Journal reported April 29.

"The AI behind the app is a chatbot, like ChatGPT," Jason Moore, PhD, chair of Cedars-Sinai's Department of Computational Biomedicine, told the news outlet. "What it does is interact with the patient, asks them questions. The patient answers the questions about what symptoms they're having, what health issue they're having, and the chatbot understands what the patient's saying and can then help the patient schedule an appointment here at Cedars-Sinai to see a doctor."

Dr. Moore said the app also aids hospital physicians by analyzing patient communications, producing summaries and offering potential diagnoses.

"So when the doctor meets with the patient, they've already read the summary," Mr. Moore said. They've already read the potential diagnoses, and they're not starting from ground zero, so they can have a much more informed encounter with the patient and get to the problem much more quickly."

Dr. Moore said artificial intelligence technology is proliferating quickly.

"Every major academic medical center in the country is busy developing, evaluating and implementing AI for the clinic," he said. "Every single one."
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "ethnic cleansing" of Palestinians in Gaza, and said he "has got to be held accountable" for the casualties there.

During an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union," Sanders, who is Jewish, declined to say if he thought Israel was committing genocide, saying that's "something that is being determined by the International Court of Justice."

But he added: "This is what I will say: I don't think there's any doubt that what Netanyahu is doing now. Displacing 80% of the population in Gaza is ethnic cleansing," he said. "That's what it is, pushing out huge numbers of people."

Bernie Sanders: "Our job is to condemn Hamas, a terrorist organization that started this war, condemn in every form antisemitism, islamophobia, and other forms of bigotry. But we do have to pay attention to the unprecedented humanitarian disaster taking place in Gaza right now." pic.twitter.com/Rs27n5M2Tt  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 28, 2024

The Independent senator also emphasized that the situation created by Netanyahu was "in terms of a humanitarian disaster, unprecedented in modern American history."

In just over six months "5% of the population has been killed or wounded, two-thirds of whom are women and children," Sanders said. "And Netanyahu has got to be held accountable for those actions."

More than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza have reportedly been killed by Israel since Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks on Oct. 7 killing about 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapping about 250, more than 130 of whom have yet to be released.

"If you look at the polling, the vast majority of the American people are disgusted with Netanyahu's war machine in Gaza. And they do not want further U.S. military aid to his government," said Sanders.

When host Dana Bash brought up the antisemitism expressed by some pro-Palestinian protesters on American college campuses, Sanders said, "I'm Jewish, all right?"

"My father's family was wiped out by Hitler. Antisemitism is a disgusting and vile form of bigotry which has killed millions of people," he said. "I would hope that every American condemns antisemitism. We condemn Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry."

Sanders repeated his assertion last week that "what Netanyahu is trying to do, very clearly, is to say, 'Anybody who criticizes what Israel is doing, you are antisemitic.'"

He added: "But here is the reality: Right now, what Netanyahu's right-wing, extremist and racist government is doing is unprecedented in the modern history of warfare. They have killed, in the last six and a half months, 33,000 Palestinians, wounded 77,000, two-thirds of whom are women and children."

The Israeli military has "destroyed over 60% of the housing. They have destroyed the health care system. They have destroyed the infrastructure.  no electricity, very little water. And, right now, we are looking at the possibility of mass starvation and famine in Gaza," he said. "When you make those charges, that is not antisemitic."
The Federal Trade Commission's recent noncompete ban could affect the nation's largest EHR vendor, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.

Former Epic employees told the news outlet and wrote to the FTC that the company's noncompete clauses have prevented them from advancing their careers in healthcare and technology, according to the April 26 story. But the commission's April 23 decision could do away with those agreements at the EHR giant.

An Epic spokesperson told Becker's the company is reviewing the FTC's ban, which is being challenged in court, to determine its impact. The vendor said its noncompete agreements apply to a "few dozen" health tech companies.

"It's important to protect high-tech [intellectual property] both within the U.S. to safeguard companies that create IP, and abroad to prevent IP created in the U.S. from being stolen," the spokesperson said. Epic agrees with the FTC's decision for reasons other than protecting intellectual property, according to the spokesperson.

In 2021, Epic's noncompete list included about 4,500 competitors and customers, including nine health systems, Isthmus reported in 2023. The clauses have prevented health systems from vying for ex-Epic staffers, IT leaders have told Becker's.

"It's definitely about people retention, and maybe 'people investment' from an education standpoint, more than it is about, I think, guarding any specific intellectual secret in our intellectual property," a former Epic employee told WPR.
Prairieville (La.) Family Hospital closed April 29 after the Louisiana Department of Health determined that the hospital violated state hospital laws and regulations, leading to the revocation of its license.

In a March 20 letter to Prairieville Family Hospital, obtained by Becker's, the state DOH detailed that the hospital had violated a state law by operating as a freestanding emergency department.

"This determination was made because the hospital holds itself out to the public as providing emergency medical services but is neither part of a hospital's main campus under hospital licensing law, nor is it part of a separate off-site campus of an existing licensed hospital," the letter said.

The state DOH also claimed that the hospital failed to meet hospital requirements for average inpatient stays.

"The revocation is not related to patient care in any way," Prairieville Family Hospital said in an April 26 Facebook post. "It's due to a law that requires a hospital to have a certain number of patients per day for a minimum 2-night stay. We were assured that they were not going to close us, but on Monday, at our hearing, they refused to grant us the extension we requested."

The hospital has asked the community to help get its license extended.

Becker's has reached out to the hospital for comment and will update this story as more information becomes available.














Salem (Mo.) Memorial Hospital District has announced that Interim CEO Jason Edwards and CFO Doug Hoban have submitted their resignations.

The two leaders will resign May 22, citing personal reasons, according to the hospital district's board of directors.

"The board recognizes Jason for taking the reins and providing a steady hand during a time of transition for the hospital and its staff," the board said in an April 27 news release. "Likewise, the board recognizes Doug Hoban, CFO, who has also provided a crucial service to the hospital during a difficult financial audit and transition period after the departure of Rural Hospital Group."

The board has begun its search for a permanent CEO for the 25-bed critical access facility and has made contingency plans to minimize any potential impact of the departures.

In December, Salem Memorial's board voted to reduce certain service lines and explore partnerships, affiliations and management agreements with health systems and other organizations.

The board had been previously presented with a $317,000 operating loss for fiscal year 2023 fiscal year, but after preliminary audit adjustments and corrections were made, the loss increased to $2.5 million. The hospital reported a $1.3 million loss in fiscal 2020, a $1.18 million loss in 2021 (excluding extinguishment of debt) and a $1.7 million loss in 2022.
Sandy McKenzie has been named president and CEO of Dalton, Ga.-based Hamilton Medical Center: the flagship hospital of Hamilton Health Care System.

Ms. McKenzie has been with the health system for nearly 18 years, according to an April 25 news release shared with Becker's. Most recently, she served as its president of operations, and will continue to have operational oversight of the system's affiliates in her new position.



The news comes as Hamilton Health Care System plans to purchase Tennova Healthcare  Cleveland (Tenn.) from Community Health Systems for $160 million, pending regulatory approval. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024.
As healthcare CEO compensation continues to rise, nonprofit hospitals are turning to alternative methods to remain competitive, according to an April 24 blog post from the Lown Institute.

Since nonprofit hospitals do not offer stock options like their for-profit peers, they are finding other ways to attract executives  and retain them despite frequent turnover. Common strategies include housing bonuses and supplemental executive retirement plans, or SERPs, according to Judith Garber, a senior policy analyst at the Lown Institute.

"Hospital boards consider how much to pay CEOs and how to structure their compensation plans based on comparisons with other peer hospitals," Ms. Garber said. "As hospitals pay their CEOs more, it creates an upward spiral in which this raises the threshold that other hospitals have to match."

Vikas Saini, MD, president of the Lown Institute, recently noted that board composition has influenced CEO pay to remain competitive. Hospitals have been tapping more board members from the private sector who "are oriented to the bottom line" and "think about [hospitals] like a regular business," Dr. Saini told the Fresno Bee.

High CEO compensation packages have been criticized by lawmakers and the public; recently, Valley Children's Healthcare in Madera, Calif., opted to provide 24-hour security at President and CEO Todd Suntrapak's home after his paycheck came under fire. Mr. Suntrapak was paid $5.1 million in the fiscal year ending 2022 and $5.5 million in 2021, with the majority of his pay coming from bonuses.

Mr. Suntrapak also received a $5 million "loan for residence in lieu of other compensation," the Bee reported. The chair of Valley Children's board of trustees defended the perk to the Fresno City Council, writing that these loans are "not at all unusual as a retention tool." Other health systems, including Norman (Okla.) Regional Hospital Authority and Kettering (Ohio) Health Network, have also enabled home purchases for their CEOs, according to the Lown Institute.



"In the for-profit world, in the big corporate world and Wall Street, this is sort of standard practice" and "a remarkably attractive perk," Dr. Saini said.

SERPs  deferred, non-qualified compensation plans, often paid out in a lump sum once an executive is vested  are also being used as C-level retention tools. The mature plans provide substantial payouts for executives; the CEO of Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Health received $33 million in 2021, most of which was from the payout of his SERP, Ms. Garber reported. The CEO of Danbury, Conn.-based Nuvance Health received $23 million from his SERP the same year.

As nonprofit hospitals continue competing for executive talent  "not only with other nonprofits, but with for-profit hospitals as well"  CEO pay and perks will be pushed "into a higher realm," Ms. Garber said.
The Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems announced April 18 it entered into a definitive agreement to sell 351-bed Tennova Healthcare-Cleveland (Tenn.) to Hamilton Health Care System in Dalton, Ga., for $160 million in cash.

The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024, and it is the last deal the system expects to complete this year.

"We believe that one or more additional transactions could close within the calendar year, providing substantial capital for the company to redeploy," CHS CFO Kevin Hammons said on the company's April 25 earnings call, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript.

Mr. Hammons also said on the call they are continuing to evaluate "opportunities for further divestitures across a handful of markets that could total more than $1 billion in total proceeds," reiterating a plan health system officials mentioned during the previous earnings call Feb. 21. CEO Tim Hingtgen said on that call that proceeds from divestitures "enable a variety of positive activities such as targeted investments in core markets, funding potential future acquisitions and increased flexibility in debt management."

"We have modeled several attractive scenarios but will remain extremely disciplined in our decision-making as it relates to divestitures, acquisitions and ensuring that our core portfolio is strong and positioned for long-term success," Mr. Hingtgen said.

Among the transactions CHS is hoping to close this year is a deal to sell two of its North Carolina hospitals to Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Novant Health, but the Federal Trade Commission in January sued to block the move. North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell has backed the FTC's bid to block the sale.

CHS and Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare have shrunk their hospital portfolios over the past several years. CHS operated 102 hospitals in 2019, a figure that decreased to 71 by the end of 2023. Tenet went from 65 to 61 over that span and has been active in 2024. So far this year, Tenet has sold nine hospitals to three health systems in California and South Carolina for more than $3.9 billion.

Even Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare  which grew its hospital portfolio from 179 hospitals in 2019 to 186 in 2023  has offloaded a hospital in 2024. The system completed a deal to sell Los Angeles-based West Hills Hospital and Medical Center to Los Angeles-based UCLA Health on March 29. HCA has also added a hospital this year, completing its acquisition of Trinity Regional Hospital Sachse (Texas) from Sunland Medical Foundation on Feb. 1.
The number of complaints from patients who are harmed by complications when undergoing cosmetic procedures has increased in recent years. Complaints have ranged from harm done to patients to infectious disease outbreaks.

Loma Linda (Calif.) University Medical Center said it sees patients daily who experienced a serious complication from cosmetic surgery that was performed by a physician with no background in the specialty, according to a March 31 Los Angeles Times report. California's medical board received more than 600 complaints alleging negligence in cosmetic surgery, though it is not clear how many of those are related to procedures performed by licensed physicians who are not certified in plastic surgery.

"The cosmetic world is kind of the Wild West," Jeffrey Swetnam, MD, president of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, told the Times. "It's critical that patients be educated and know what they're getting."

Since the start of 2024, Becker's has reported on four infectious disease outbreaks linked to cosmetic procedures.

First-known HIV cases transmitted via cosmetic injections: The CDC reported three women at a spa in New Mexico contracted HIV after receiving a "vampire facial" between 2018 and 2023. The procedure involves taking blood from the patient, separating the platelets and using microneedles to place the platelets back into the facial skin. All the patients were middle-age women with no HIV risk factors. The spa was shut down after a 2018 investigation but continued to operate without a license. The CDC determined that 59 spa clients may have been exposed to HIV and of those, 20 received vampire facials. A sexual partner of one of the patients was also infected with HIV, but that person was not a patient at the spa, the CDC said.

CDC investigates harmful reactions linked to counterfeit Botox: The CDC is investigating at least 22 reports of harmful reactions linked to counterfeit or mishandled Botox injections in 11 states. The harmful reactions, which included blurry vision and difficulty breathing, led to 11 patients being hospitalized. Those affected received injections from unlicensed or untrained people or in non-healthcare settings. The agency said it found some people received injections with fake products or products with "unverifiable sources."

Meningitis outbreak connected to contaminated epidurals: In 2023, 24 people were infected and 12 patients died from a meningitis outbreak the CDC linked to epidurals contaminated with the fungus Fusarium solani. The outbreak was connected to two medical clinics in Matamoros, Mexico, with many patients being Texas residents. All the affected patients underwent cosmetic procedures, including breast implants or liposuction, and an epidural anesthesia was used. The CDC theorized that the fungus entered through contaminated morphine bought on the black market amid drug shortages, but this was not confirmed.

Nontuberculous mycobacteria linked to improper infection control: The CDC found "multiple lapses" in proper infection control and prevention procedures at a Florida outpatient cosmetic surgery clinic linked to 15 cases in nine states of infection with nontuberculous mycobacteria. The lapses included cleaning practice, use of personal protective equipment and surgical device disinfection at the clinic.
From a judge ruling that Tenet must face a class-action lawsuit, to the California Hospital Association alleging Anthem Blue Cross of California violated the state's patient safety laws, here are 10 lawsuits, settlements and legal developments Becker's has reported since April 17:

1. West Reading, Pa.-based Tower Health successfully defended against a proposed class-action lawsuit that claimed it disclosed patients' personal health information with third parties.

2. Marlton, N.J.-based Virtua Health sued Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health and is seeking no less than $12 million in compensatory damages regarding Virtua's acquisition of two Our Lady of Lourdes Health Care Services hospitals from Trinity in 2019.

3. Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare must face a class-action lawsuit claiming its patient portal shared data with Facebook and other third-party companies.

4. A civil case between the Kowalski family and St. Petersburg, Fla.-based Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital entered mediation, but according to court documents, it has been unsuccessful.

5. The California Hospital Association is alleging Anthem Blue Cross of California violated the state's patient safety laws by failing to facilitate members' transfer to post-acute care.

6. Seattle Children's Hospital and the Texas Office of the Attorney General reached an agreement for the hospital to withdraw its state business registration voluntarily.

7. Renton, Wash.-based Providence was ordered by King County (Wash.) Judge Averil Rothrock to pay $200 million to more than 33,000 hourly employees after evidence revealed wage and meal break violations.

8. A federal judge has recommended dismissing a class-action data breach lawsuit against Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health over a 2022 cyberattack.

9. Conrado Barzaga, MD, former CEO of Palm Springs, Calif.-based Desert Healthcare District & Foundation, filed a claim alleging wrongful termination.

10. A group of three Pennsylvania health systems sued Aetna, alleging the insurer subtracted the cost of supplemental benefits from money intended for patient care.
Terry Shaw, president and CEO of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth, has been focused on replenishing the system's workforce and leadership pipeline over the last few years.

"Workforce retention continues to challenge our industry, which is why we continue to be relentlessly focused on team member retention and recruitment," he told Becker's.

The health system, which has 95,000 team members, has a multi-pronged strategy for upskilling and training the workforce. AdventHealth developed the Leadership Institute to instill the system's values while training up the next generation of leaders.

AdventHealth has made particular progress with reducing nurse turnover under the leadership of Trish Celano, MSN, RN, senior vice president and associate chief clinical officer and chief nursing officer. Her philosophy of "use less, lose less, hire more" helped the system drop nurse turnover from 31% to 18.9%. The strategy aims to support registered nurses to work at the top of their license through team models and bringing on more licensed practical nurses and patient care techs to deploy team-based care models.

The system also launched nursing clinical ladders systemwide, and strengthened relationships with around 100 schools to bring in their recent graduates.

In addition to the Leadership Institute, Mr. Shaw said AdventHealth offers education assistance, clinical ladder initiatives and opportunities to grow the talent pool through AdventHealth University and partnerships with post-secondary institutions. The health system is also refining benefits and compensation to stay competitive.

The results?

"We're seeing our workforce turnover rates continue to decrease and top decile performance in employee engagement," said Mr. Shaw.

Hear more from Mr. Shaw at the Becker's CEO+CFO Roundtable, Nov. 11-14 in Chicago! Click here to register. Limited sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities available. Download the prospectus here.
Orthobiologics developer OssDsign has been awarded a contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to provide products for an additional 100 VA hospitals nationwide, according to an April 29 report from Realtid.

The new contract is a continuation of an existing contract with Red One Medical, which identifies medical innovations for the VA and the Department of Defense.

OssDsign first entered into a distribution and pricing agreement in 2021 that has gradually been expanded. With the new contract, OssDsign will cover all VA orthopedic hospitals nationwide.

All current and retired military personnel now have access to OssDsign Catalyst, a nanosynthetic bone graft that stimulates the formation of healthy bone tissue in spinal fusion surgeries.

The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S., with nearly 1,300 healthcare facilities serving 9 million veterans across the nation.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said American university presidents "need to get control" of pro-Palestinian protests on campuses across the country. But he rejected calls from fellow Republicans to bring in the National Guard to lock up all demonstrators.

"The First Amendment is important. But it doesn't give you the ability to claim there's a fire going on in a theater, because it threatens everyone else," McConnell said in prerecorded interview that aired Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation."

"What needs to happen, at least at the beginning, is these university presidents need to get control of the situation, allow free speech and push back against antisemitism," he added.

The Kentucky Republican also said he had believed that antisemitism was "largely gone in this country."

But "we've seen a number of young people who are actually antisemitic," he said. "Why don't they all sit down and have a civil conversation rather than trying to dominate the talk? And I think the first line of defense is these university presidents."

When pressed by "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan, McConnell also expressed disagreement with recent remarks by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

During a visit last week to Columbia University, where more that 100 students were arrested earlier this month during a brief police crackdown on a protest encampment, Johnson told CBS News that "we need to call in the National Guard and law enforcement to take control."

Abbott has also said that "all of the protesters belong in jail."

"Let's see if these university presidents can get control of the situation. They ought to be able to do that," McConnell said. "Civil discussion is what college education is supposed to be about. I'd be interested in hearing the antisemitic people explain the justification for that kind of talk."
As spine surgery technology and practice operations evolve, there are some trends that are ready to be sunsetted.

Spine surgeons discuss the technical and business trends that they believe they should let go of in 2024.

Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity.

Question: What trends should spine surgeons leave behind this year?

Joseph Ferguson, MD. MedStar Health (Washington, D.C.): I think we are getting further and further from traditional, open fluoroscopy surgery. I think we have a lot of new tricks and tools, and we've looked at the literature in terms of accuracy and it's becoming safer and more accurate to be using some sort of navigation robot in your spine practice. If someone is late in their practice, and they still do [open fluoroscopy] that's one thing. But I think it's time to start making moves to adopt the newer technology and the newer way of doing things.

Brian Gantwerker, MD. The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: The concentration on making films perfect needs to go. In my community I am seeing more T10-pelvis and C2-T2 fusions than ever before. We need to get back to treating the problem, not the X-rays. I fear the push toward scoliosis analysis and obsessive angle measurement has lost the point of surgery. Instead of listening to symptoms and understanding pain generators, many have obsessing over mismatches and incidences. These are important but not the end goal. Studies I read talk about the angle measurement like its the point of the surgery, and we have to stop doing that.

Vladimir Sinkov, MD. Sinkov Spine (Las Vegas): From the clinical standpoint, I hope more spine surgeons would transition from the traditional open surgical techniques to minimally invasive spine surgery. From the practice management standpoint, I hope more spine surgeons (as well as the rest of the physicians) stop being in-network with private and government health insurances that lower their reimbursement and create additional administrative burdens.

Timur Urakov, MD. University of Miami (Fla.): Leaving a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion cage at L5-S1 in otherwise multilevel lateral interbody fusion cases. As lateral retroperitoneal approach techniques become broadly accepted, surgeons are able to place large-area implants in hopes of improving subsidence and fusion rates. Disc spaces below the crest line are challenging in lateral position and inaccessible when the patient is prone. Equivalent implant placement at L5-S1 can be achieved with an acquired skill of oblique approach for lateral cases or a separate stage of supine anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Both require added time and effort, which is often foregone. Instead, a more familiar but biomechanically inferior TLIF implant is left in place. Either we generate good quality data to prove otherwise or start treating the L5-S1 with all fairness.

Christian Zimmerman, MD. St. Alphonsus Medical Group and SAHS Neuroscience Institute (Boise, Idaho): The outcomes data surrounding transabdominal surgery and its benefits is rapidly being questioned in its validity and overuse. For decades, correlated costs and applied beneficial outcomes have been scrutinized and repeatedly denied as a manner to limit these larger surgeries. Their unnecessary risk and extended rehabilitation have taken the spotlight over marginal benefit.
Weight loss drugs are a prominent topic of conversation across every healthcare specialty, including spine and orthopedics.

As demand for weight loss medications, including Ozepmic, has surged, New York has become the state with the highest demand, according to research from prescription referral service Bison Pharmacy based on monthly search volume data from keyword analysis software Google Ads using keywords "Ozempic" and "Ozempic price."

New York physicians have prescribed nearly 160 Ozempic prescriptions for every 100,000 residents, according to an April 29 Bison Pharmacy news release shared with Becker's.

The 10 states with the highest demand for Ozempic:

1. New York

2. District of Columbia

3. Massachusetts

4. New Jersey

5. Washington

6. California

7. Florida

8. Connecticut

9. Rhode Island

10. New Hampshire
Baptist Health Orthopedic Care added Rafael Diaz-Garcia, MD, to its team of orthopedic surgeons.

Dr. Diaz-Garcia is an orthopedic hand and upper extremity surgeon, specializing in peripheral nerve surgery to treat neuropathic pain, nerve compression, nerve injuries and brachial plexus pathology, according to an April 26 news release from Coral Cables, Fla.-based Baptist Health.

Prior to joining Baptist Health, Dr. Diaz-Garcia served as director of medical operations and chief of plastic surgery at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh and clinical associate professor of plastic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Dr. Diaz-Garcia will see patients at Baptist Orthopedic Care locations in Miami and Coral Gables, Fla., the release said.
Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso added Andrew Tyler, MD, PhD.

Dr. Tyler is an orthopedic surgeon with a specialty in orthopedic trauma and joint replacement, according to an April 26 news release.

Prior to joining Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso, Dr. Tyler served at Orthopedic Specialists of Texas in Webster.

Dr. Tyler will also serve as an assistant professor in the department of orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation at Texas Tech Health El Paso, the release said.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Matt Brash is flying to Dallas to meet with orthopedic surgeon and Texas Rangers team physician Keith Meister, MD, according to an April 27 report from Lookout Landing.

Mr. Brash, who had been throwing at 100% intensity following a previous injury, began feeling significant pain during his throwing program.

He was not bouncing back as quickly as the team had initially hoped, and every throw was causing pain.

He will consult with Dr. Meister and examine "possible options" for his future, the report said.
China establishes world's largest ecological monitoring network system: MEE

11:04, April 29, 2024 By Shan Jie ( Global Times

China has established the world's largest, most comprehensive, and scientifically arranged monitoring network system in recent years, and will continue to strengthen environmental monitoring and enforcement in 2024, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China stated on Sunday.

"Currently, the country directly monitors 33,000 sites, effectively enhancing the quality of monitoring and continually strengthening technical capabilities, thereby providing significant support for ecological and environmental protection work," Pei Xiaofei, the director of the Department of Communication and Education and spokesperson for the ministry, stated at a monthly routine press conference on Sunday.

Ecological monitoring is a crucial foundation for environmental protection, serving as the primary basis for objectively assessing environmental quality, reflecting the effectiveness of pollution control, and implementing environmental management and decision-making.

The Ministry has issued "Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Modern Ecological Environmental Monitoring System" and recently held a national ecological monitoring work conference to comprehensively deploy the construction of a modern monitoring system.

Pei mentioned that the Ministry would focus on five key tasks in the future: First, to perfect the monitoring system to match the construction of a beautiful China and objectively assess its effectiveness; second, to enhance data analysis and predictive capabilities to accurately guide pollution control; third, to boost integrated monitoring capabilities from mountain tops to oceans, covering all ecological and environmental elements comprehensively; additionally, to strengthen monitoring technology support, enhancing technology research and application; and finally, to enhance monitoring and regulatory capabilities, innovate regulatory methods, prevent the falsification of environmental monitoring data, and create a fair regulatory environment.

"The monitoring should consider all elements of the ecological environment, from the mountains to the sea, above and below ground, in cities and rural areas, and along river basins, and we aim to advance the construction of integrated monitoring capabilities comprehensively and across all regions," he said.

Additionally, this year, the ministry will organize the third monitoring competition to promote training, learning, and action through competition.

Liu Dejun, spokesperson for the China Coast Guard, noted at the press conference that in 2023, the China Coast Guard confronted the complex challenges of marine ecological environmental protection and fully engaged in the defense of the blue seas.

Over the year, more than 3,600 maritime construction projects were inspected, and approximately 16,800 vessel inspections were conducted. Special attention was given to difficult issues such as the illegal extraction of marine sand. A total of 98 cases involving marine sand were detected, resulting in the seizure of 95 vessels and 452,000 tons of sand, significantly curbing frequent illegal dredging activities in key maritime areas.

Innovative maritime monitoring models were continuously developed, utilizing a coordinated approach involving personnel, vessels, and aircraft to establish a three-dimensional monitoring system that includes outdoor cruising, maritime patrolling, and aerial surveillance, he said.

Zhang Zhifeng, deputy director of the marine ecology department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated at the press conference that since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year plan in 2021, various departments and localities have adhered to integrated land and marine management and river-sea coordination, committed to comprehensive governance and collaborative efforts, and achieved significant phased results in the comprehensive management of key marine areas.

Approximately 9,200 hectares of coastal wetlands have been rehabilitated, along with about 110 kilometers of shoreline.

"While making phased progress, we also fully recognize that key marine areas still face high pressure from the discharge of pollutants such as total nitrogen, and the restoration and repair of typical marine ecosystems will require a longer period. The foundation for improving the ecological environment quality in key marine areas is not yet solid, and the task of comprehensive governance remains challenging," Zhang stated.

Next, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in conjunction with relevant departments and coastal localities, will deepen the integrated land and sea coordination, river-sea linkage, and regional collaboration in pollution prevention and control efforts, further strengthen the protection and restoration of the marine ecology, and implement precise governance of rivers and bays to collectively push forward the comprehensive governance battle in key marine areas to achieve expected results, according to Zhang.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
A statue of the University of Southern California's mascot Tommy Trojan has been spray-painted with the words "say no to genocide" as on-campus tensions persist in the wake of the college's decision to cancel its main commencement ceremony.

On Wednesday, more than 90 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian event held at Alumni Park  a green at the heart of the USC campus.

The graffiti incident appears to have occurred during a second protest held after the initial arrests. Much like Columbia University, in New York, members of the public are now barred from campus and the school's gates are locked.

"There's a level of frustration for us because it's inconvenient to have the campus closed, and not be able to get to certain places," one student told KABC. "I think a lot of the students are disappointed in their response because the protest was intentionally peaceful."

The university condemned the vandalism and criticized the student activists in a statement issued by USC Senior Vice President of Communications Oel Curran.

"Earlier Saturday, campus property  including the Tommy Trojan statue and a fountain in Alumni Park  was vandalized by individuals who are part of the group that has continued to illegally camp on our campus," said Curran, according to KABC.

"Despite repeated warnings, this group has also continued to disrupt our campus operations and harass students and others, in violation of numerous university policies. While the university fully supports freedom of expression, these acts of vandalism and harassment are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated," he added.

Even before college students across the country began constructing pro-Palestinian solidarity encampments, the USC campus was already in the midst of a contentious debate about Israel's war in Gaza.

Earlier this month, the college announced that the Muslim valedictorian Asna Tabassum would not be allowed to give the traditional commencement speech, citing "safety concerns."

Tabassum was selected from more than 200 soon-to-be-graduates with eligible GPAs. She majored in biomedical engineering and earned an interdisciplinary minor in resistance to genocide.

The USC student group Trojans for Israel criticized the university's decision to select Tabassum. The students alleged that she "propagates antisemitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric," citing a link on her social media page that leads to a website describing Zionism as a "racist settler-colonial ideology."

The university told Tabassum that in the aftermath of the online criticism, they could not guarantee her safety. Tabassum and the Council on Islamic American Relations both criticized the decision.

After initially canceling Tabassum's speech, the university canceled the main graduation ceremony altogether  though students will still have their degrees conferred in smaller events.

"It doesn't feel as if the university is supporting its students, its freedom of speech," a USC alumna told KABC. "I think we've seen that with the valedictorian and I think we're seeing it now with the protests."


Estimates suggest that the price of olive oil has surged by as much as 110% in the last three years

The cost of living crisis has seen prices for many cupboard staples rise in the last two years, but one item in particular is seeing record-breaking prices.

Olive oil, cherished for its rich flavour, health advantages, and culinary versatility, is a staple in many kitchens, but an unfortunate series of events has led to a surge in prices.

Estimates suggest that the price of olive oil has surged by as much as 110% in the last three years. And in some instances, climbing prices mean that a bottle of olive oil may be setting you back more than a bottle of wine.

A drought in Spains region where most olive oil originates from, combined with increased export costs and extreme weather, are contributing to skyrocketing prices.

And prices in Northern Ireland have not been immune, with a branded bottle of olive oil now setting you back more than a bottle of wine in supermarkets.

The Belfast Telegraph has surveyed prices across Northern Ireland to compare how prices for the new liquid gold compare.

We compared a range of supermarkets and looked at prices for own brands and for well-known brand names, including Filippo Berio and Napolina.

As can be expected, supermarket own brands were consistently cheaper than their branded counterparts, with prices quite consistent between supermarkets.

On average supermarket own brands were around 2 cheaper than their branded rivals on supermarket shelves.

In Tesco, Napolinas 500ml bottle of olive oil was 7.95, compared to Tescos own brand 500ml bottle, which was 5.75.

One litre of Napolina olive oil costs an eye watering 13 in Tesco, while its own brand was only 7.80.

Similarly Sainburys own brand 500ml bottle of olive oil was priced at 5.75, while a bottle of Napolina was over 2 more expensive.

The price of a 500ml of supermarket own brand olive oil was fairly consistent with Asdas 500ml bottle, also retailing for 5.75.

Dunnes was the cheapest of those surveyed with their own brand bottle coming in at under 5.

Estimates suggest that the price of olive oil has surged by as much as 110% in the last three years

While a 500ml bottle of Filippo Berio will set you back 8.55 in Dunnes Stores, their own brand 750ml bottle is almost half the price at 4.43

Dunnes Stores own brand range of olive oil also extends to their simply better higher quality range.

A 500ml bottle of olive oil in this range will cost you between 4.99 and 5.89, while their larger 750ml bottles cost between 7.50 to 8.49.

Mace, which does not sell any own-brand goods, stocks 500ml bottles of Filippo Berio olive oil priced at around 6.35.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) puts the average price of a bottle of red wine at 7.72 in the UK for 750mls. In contrast, according to our survey a 750ml bottle of Napolina in Sainsburys is currently priced at 11.

In Asda and Tesco a one litre bottle of their own brand olive oil is priced at 7.80.
The cost of potatoes has reached its highest level for a decade, with prices expected to rise above 1 a kilogram, the highest in 30 years.

Industry experts predict shortages of many varieties are likely in the coming months, with so-called spudflation taking hold as farmers struggle to deal with the wettest 18 months since 1836.

The industry has also warned that a chilly spring is eating up existing stocks faster than expected as many households continue to eat hearty meals more in keeping with winter than the traditional barbecues and salads of spring.

The leading UK potato supplier Albert Bartlett confirmed there is potentially a gap between the stored crop and the new season crop, caused by delay to spring plantings due to waterlogged fields.

And even recent improvements in the weather wont enable growers to make up for lost time.

Technical director Paddy Graham-Jones said: There will be shortages of some varieties, although customers may instead see that as Jersey potatoes across many of the shelves.

We knew the industry was short due to the limited 2023 crop and we had hoped for a dry spring and early plantings.

The industry would normally have a new-season early crop ready in June, but with planting now in April, it means that wont be ready.

Industry experts predict shortages of many varieties of potatoes

Some suppliers were now beginning to put limits on the orders they could fulfil, he added.

Earlier this month, Angus Wilson of processor Wilsons Country in Portadown warned of potential shortages later this year because wet weather had held up planting.

Mr Wilson said the impact of prolonged rain had been huge for his industry, which had not yet recovered from poor conditions in 2023.

It really has been not very good weather [since] last July.

We had a poor harvest in 2023, with a reduced output, because there was a lot of crop wasted due to the poor weather, he said.

We would usually be starting planting from the middle of February and March onwards, but that is very delayed due to the rain.

Because of that, potatoes are going to be very scarce and quite expensive.

The Consumer Price Index shows average prices are now at 84p a kilogram, the highest level since August 2014.

However, prices are expected to rise above 103p a kilogram in the next few months, the highest level for the past 30 years, recorded after a particularly wet summer in 2012/2013, industry analysts said.

The UKs Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, which monitors crop yields and farming practices, has warned that the price of other staples, such as bread and oil, would also continue to rise because of the wet weather.

With more volatile weather predicted in years to come, the Soil Association and the National Farmers Union are among those warning that greater funding is needed to help farmers to adapt.
Sir Kenneth Branagh, winner of the Writing (Original Screenplay) award for Belfast, poses backstage during the 94th Academy Awards in 2022 (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Sir Kenneth Branagh is set to lend his voice alongside Kill Bill star Uma Thurman in a new animated project.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 63-year-old Belfast-born actor and director will voice Dickens in The King of Kings, a faith-based feature inspired by the lives of both the author and Jesus Christ.

Thurman will voice star as Catherine Dickens, the wife of novelist behind the likes of Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol.

Meanwhile Jojo Rabbits Roman Griffin Davis will voice the couples youngest son, Walter.

The King of Kings is inspired by The Life of Our Lord, a Dickens short story published in 1934, decades after his death. It follows Dickens and Walter as they  and their cat Willa  become immersed in the story of Jesus.

South Korean animation house Mofac Animation is behind the project, which hails from Spartacus director Seong-ho Jay Jang. Jang co-wrote the script with Rob Edwards, known for Disneys The Princess and the Frog.

It is through the Dickens family that our audience experiences the life of Jesus Christ, and Kenneth Branagh, Uma Thurman and Roman Griffin Davis bring all the emotion, awe, heart and gravitas to these essential characters, producer Anfernee Kim said.

These three actors are at the core of our story, and anchor a truly impressive cast  many of whom we look forward to sharing in the near future.

Branagh was most recently on the big screen for his latest portrayal of Agatha Christie's Belgian detective Hercule Poirot.

Branagh has directed and starred in three of his Poirot films.

He began playing Poirot in his film adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express in 2017, making him the latest in a long line of actors to play the role on screen.

He also played the detective in the 2022 adaptation of Death on the Nile.

The latest film  A Haunting in Venice which was released last year  saw Branagh team up with fellow NI actor Jamie Dornan in the supernatural mystery, based on the 1969 Agatha Christie novel called Hallowe'en Party.

Earlier this year Sir David Suchet  one of the actors best known for his role on TV as Poirot for 25-years  said he will never watch the Belfast man play the character as he does not want to be critical.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Suchet discussed his current stage tour in which he speaks about his time playing Poirot over 13 series and 70 episodes in the ITV drama, before he officially retired the role in 2013.

Suchet was asked if he had any criticism of Branagh's Poirot. He said: "No, no. He does it in his own way and that's fine. I don't [critique him] I've never seen them.

I deliberately don't because in the early days when Ken started the national press rang me up because they wanted me to say critical things about it.

So I thought the best thing to do is never watch it. No comment. I wish him well. It's a great role. Everybody tries to do their best.
Ncuti Gatwa is set to make his National Theatre debut in a new production of Oscar Wildes comedy The Importance Of Being Earnest.

The Doctor Who and Sex Education star, 31, will play the idle gentleman Algernon Moncrieff alongside W1A actor Hugh Skinner, who will portray the protagonist Jack Worthing.

Reimagined by director Max Webster, whose production of Life Of Pi won five Olivier Awards and three Tonys, the play will run in the Lyttelton Theatre from November 20 to January 25 2025.

The play, first performed in 1895, follows Jack, who assumes the role of a dutiful guardian in the country but lets loose in the town under the false identity of a man named Ernest.

Hugh Skinner will also star in the production (Ian West/PA)

His close friend Algernon has also created a similar facade as he pretends he has an ill friend named Bunbury in the country who he visits when he wants to avoid social obligations.

Their double lives have their drawbacks, especially when it comes to love.

As the gentlemen hope to impress two eligible ladies, they find themselves caught in a web of lies from which they must carefully navigate.

The cast also sees Mary Queen Of Scots actor Richard Cant play Reverend Canon Chasuble, Doctor Who actress Sharon D Clarke as Lady Bracknell and Star Wars Amanda Lawrence as Miss Prism.

Rufus Norris, director of the National Theatre, said: It is a joy to be welcoming Max Webster in his National Theatre directorial debut with a new production of Oscar Wildes hilariously subversive comedy The Importance of Being Earnest.

Max has assembled an extraordinary cast to reimagine one of our greatest comedies, with Ncuti Gatwa making his National Theatre debut.

We are also delighted to welcome back Richard Cant, Amanda Lawrence, Hugh Skinner and Sharon D Clarke, who is returning to play one of Wildes most iconic roles  Lady Bracknell.

Ncuti Gatwa is the 15th incarnation of the Doctor (Jane Barlow/PA)

The set and costume design will be led by Rae Smith, lighting design by Jon Clark, sound design by Nicola T Chang, composition by DJ Walde, movement direction by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille and casting by Alastair Coomer CDG.

The Importance of Being Earnest will join the previously announced Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre for the festive season.

Gatwa first rose to fame in Netflix hit Sex Education as Eric Effiong, the best friend to Asa Butterfields lead character Otis Milburn.

The actor made his first appearance as the 15th incarnation of the Time Lord in the sci-fi series Doctor Who last year.

The long-running BBC series will return to screens in May starring Gatwa as the Doctor and former Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson as his new companion Ruby Sunday.

Gatwa has previously had a number of stage roles including starring in A Midsummer Nights Dream at Shakespeares Globe.

The play will run in the Lyttelton theatre from November 20 2024 to January 25 2025.
Prison Break star Dominic Purcell has said his skull was visible when he was involved in an on-set accident while filming in Morocco.

The actor, 54, who is married to Miley Cyruss mother Tish Cyrus, said he feared he was suffering a bleed on his brain after an iron bar cracked his skull.

He did not specify when the accident happened or what he was filming at the time.

Sharing a graphic photo of his injuries on Instagram, he wrote: NO ITS NOT MAKE UP.

I often come back to this moment in #morocco. I was filming a scene.

One minute Im running the next a tremendous force exploded upon me. My stunty @johnnymacstunts came running to my side and said.  doesnt look good. Your nose is smashed and I can see your skull. I replied.  thats not good.

Point is  I thought for sure I was going to have a brain bleed, pass out and die. I found it amusing that my end would be in the desert, with not a hospital insight doing what I love most.

On reflection its how I accepted death thats always puzzled me. I guess its just that. I accepted it.

Now here I am. Another witness to the mysteries of life writing about it.

Accept. Move forward. Get on with it. I guess?

What other option is there to the business of living.

Purcell shot to fame in 2005 as the wrongly incarcerated inmate Lincoln Burrows in the hit TV series Prison Break, which also starred Wentworth Miller.

He has also appeared in the TV series of The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, and played Dracula in Blade: Trinity.

He has recently become a tabloid fixture for his high profile romance with Cyrus.

The couple married in August 2023 at Cyruss popstar daughter Mileys home in Malibu, California.
A man has appeared in court accused of attempted murder after a male was stabbed in the neck in Co Antrim.

Appearing today at Coleraine Magistrates Court by video link from police custody, James Law (58) confirmed he understood the four charges against him, all of which are alleged to have been committed on Friday.
Rapist Creswell was facing a barrage of further sexual abuse allegations from more than a dozen women

Evil killer Jonathan Creswell was facing a catalogue of sex abuse allegations made by more than a dozen other women, it can be revealed.

The 36-year-old, who took his own life this week just hours after his trial for the murder and rape of Katie Simpson began, was facing further potential charges as detectives awaited the end of his court case.

The Sunday World reports that in the aftermath of Creswells initial appearance in court on charges of murdering Katie, a series of alleged victims came forward to the PSNI to make a serious number of complaints.

And today it can be revealed that despite being convicted of a shocking attack on a previous partner, some of these women acted like he was a cult leader  so much so they were even prepared to cover up his murder of one of their supposed friends.

Katie Simpson

Police briefings  reported by the Sunday World  reveal how Creswell lived his life, openly sleeping with different women, with each knowing about the other.

On the day Creswell attacked Katie, the briefings to the Public Prosecution Service reveal how his long-term partner Christina Simpson went to her sister Katies bedroom to find her sibling in bed with the twisted thug.

The following morning 04.30hrs Christina observes Johnny sleeping in Katies bed with Katie. When Christina leaves at 06.00 she observes Johnny now sleeping in the spare room, the briefing states.

Early in the criminal case, during a bail application, one senior officer told the court that Creswell had been controlling Katie since she was nine or 10 and has control over other females.

In the police briefings to the PPS, Hayley Robb details a phone call with Creswell on the day Katie is taken to hospital. She tells police she was on her way to meet the horse trainer for sex.

It states: During this time he is on a call to Hayley, she is travelling on the understanding she will have sexual intercourse with Johnny.

Other court hearings are told how Creswells own defence team described him as a philanderer.

Jonathan Creswell

It also emerged he not only slept with loads of women at the same time but he tapped them for massive cash loans.

Sources say Creswell lived in squalor and never had money and never paid bills, running up huge debts in the process.

One woman, who was in a relationship with Creswell from 2009 to 2019, had provided him with a 15,000 loan and also reported to police of being regularly abused.

Detectives told the court a teenage girl had also spoken to police about being abused by Creswell.

The Sunday World reports Katie also took out a 10,000 loan which was handed over to Creswell, and while she lay in hospital critically ill after being attacked by him, he approached her mother and asked for more money.

Katie Simpson

As well as Katie and her sister, Creswell also had sexual relations with the three women now awaiting sentence for trying to cover up his attack on his tragic victim.

Jill Robinson, who admitted washing Creswells clothes at a launderette in Fintona, Co Tyrone, was a long-term associate of his who was heavily involved in the equestrian industry.

Jill was around at the time of the incident with Abigail Lyle [the woman he threatened to kill in a bath of bleach] and was equally as loyal to him in that incident.

Jill previously denied ever being in a relationship with him, however, others claim she was. She definitely was around him a lot and considered him her best friend.

She put up bail for him from the outset but later withdrew due to public backlash.

Jill Robinson (left) and Rose De Montmorency-Wright (right)

Rose de Montmorency-Wright is a successful eventer who met Creswell through the equestrian scene while she was a teenager.

Creswell described Rose as his Queen and she frequently stayed with him and Christina before finally moving in with them  and she in turn was fiercely loyal to him.

Read more Serious questions must be asked after PSNI bought monster Creswells ridiculous lie about killed Katie Simpson

Fellow equestrian Hayley Robb was in a continuous relationship with Creswell since 2009, overlapping with Abigail and Christina.

She took out huge loans for him and has been left having to pay them off.

Hayley was utterly consumed with Creswell and tolerated a lot, says a source.

Hayley Robb

She described him being abusive and controlling and it was only when he was remanded she got the strength to really come clean about what really happened.

She was the whistleblower in terms of the women who covered up and unfortunately despite her volunteering a lot of detail, she was hit the hardest by PPS.

A lot of her actions were out of loyalty and potentially fear but she did try to do right by Katie in the end.

She was the first to plead guilty and she put herself forward as a co-operating PPS witness, willing to give evidence against Creswell and the others. Her guilty plea sank Jill, as they washed his clothes together.

Christina Nina Simpson was Creswells long-term partner and mother of his two children.

They met when he came to work for Dr John Fitz Gillespie at Darton Ree Stables in Tynan, Co. Armagh.
A man has been charged following a report of a male with two machetes in a Co Tyrone town.

Police received a report shortly before 1.45pm on Sunday that a man, armed with two machetes, was threatening people in the Derry Road area of Coalisland.

A spokesperson for the PSNI said: Officers attended and quickly located the 25-year-old man, arresting him on suspicion of possession of an article with a blade or point in a public place.

"During the arrest, the man spat at an officer, and was further arrested on suspicion of assault on police.

The 25-year-old male has now been charged with possession of a blade or point in a public place and two counts of assault on police.

He is due to appear at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday.

As is normal procedure all charges are reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.
Relatives of those was killed during the Springhill Westrock killings, outside the coroners court at Laganside in Belfast. Final hearings have been taking place in a series of legacy inquests in Northern Ireland as part of an intensive court schedule ahead of Wednesday's legislative guillotine. Photo credit: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
A postponed meeting between James Cleverly and Irish justice minister Helen McEntee was due to a genuine diary clash (Victoria Jones/PA)

A postponed meeting between James Cleverly and Irish justice minister Helen McEntee was because of a genuine diary clash, an Irish minister has said.

The Home Secretary and Ms McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

The change emerged after a weekend where the UK and Irish governments rowed over the movement of asylum seekers from the UK to Ireland.

(PA Graphics)

Irelands deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin is still attending the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC) in London, and will co-chair it alongside Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

It was confirmed on Monday that Ms McEntee will not attend the BIIGC and will instead meet senior officials in Dublin.

The minister looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon, a Department statement said.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Irish Media Minister Catherine Martin said the meeting was postponed due to a genuine diary clash.

I would say from what Ive been told it is a genuine diary clash and that both ministers are determined to meet at the earliest opportunity, she said, emphasising that it was a postponement, not a cancellation.

Ms McEntee has claimed last week that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Irish premier Simon Harris said Ireland will not provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges (Brian Lawless/PA)

After Mr Martin said the increase could be driven by migrants in fear of being deported to Rwanda, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at the weekend that shows the Rwanda plans effect.

The policy aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

It comes as Channel crossings continued on Monday and Home Office figures showed that more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

Irish premier Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland will not provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges and said Ireland will draft legislation for a new returns policy.

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and co-operation between the British and Irish governments is not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss emergency legislation that would see asylum seekers returned to the UK on Tuesday.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling which found that Ireland designating the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

The UK Government said it would decide who is allowed to enter the country, despite any legislation the Irish Government may pass.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said on Monday: Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who we do and dont accept into the country and, clearly, we arent going to start accepting returns from the EU just as the EU doesnt accept asylum returns from the UK to France.

Mel Stride, the UK Work and Pensions Secretary, said on Monday that the claimed increase in people seeking asylum in Ireland who have crossed the border are early signs of the Rwanda plans effectiveness.

Asked whether the UK would accept asylum seekers being sent back across the border into Northern Ireland, Mr Stride told LBC: We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK.

What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works. Thats exactly why we are now having this conversation, because we have now passed that legislation.

Migrants arrived in Dover, Kent, on Monday as Channel crossings continued (Gareth Fuller/PA_

Labours David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.

Mr Lammy also called for a co-ordinated agreement with European countries, rather than a whack-a-mole situation where compromises are made with individual states as they raise complaints.

On Sunday, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill urged a thought-out and considered response from both the British and Irish governments.

Some 500 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24% higher than this time last year and 7% higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday but groups of migrants were pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Monday amid sunny, breezy and clear weather conditions at sea.
Mint Butterfield, the child of divorced tech billionaires Caterina Fake and Stuart Butterfield, was found safe, six days after they were initially reported missing.

Fake and Butterfield co-founded Flickr before their divorce. Butterfield is also the founder and former CEO of Slack, while Fake previously served as the chairwoman of Etsy.

Mint, 16, was last seen at a bus stop 30 miles northeast of San Francisco on April 21. The teenager lives with their mother and attends boarding school in the Napa area.

Mint's parents and stepfather, Jyri Engestrom, released a joint statement Sunday thanking the Marin County Sheriff's Office, the San Francisco Police Department, and the other law enforcement agencies of the Bay Area for assisting in the search for Mint.

When Mint was initially reported missing, police said they were searching for the teenager in San Francisco's Tenderloin area. The Tenderloin area is known for high-rates of crime and drug use, and is the center of the city's fentanyl epidemic.

"It appears there may be a substance abuse history" in Mint's case, Sgt. Adam Schermerhorn, a spokesperson for the Marin County Sheriff's Office, told SFGATE.

"The last seven days have been terrifying," the family's statement read. "We are painfully aware that people die of overdoses every day in this city and we are lucky to have had the support of seasoned police officers who understand the very real threat of predators who use the allure of drugs to groom teenagers."
Helen McEntee claimed 80% of asylum seekers are coming into the country from Northern Ireland (Niall Carson/PA)

The Irish Department of Justice has stood by an assessment that a majority of asylum seekers are coming into the country through Northern Ireland.

Last week, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee claimed 80% of asylum seekers are coming into the country from Northern Ireland.

The figure has since been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations, and Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin had said it was not based on evidence, statistics or data.

Government officials, including Taoiseach Simon Harris and Ms McEntee, said an increase in the number of people presenting at the International Protection Office (IPO) rather than Dublin Airport or other ports indicates there is a rise in asylum seekers coming from Northern Ireland.

On Monday evening, the department told the PA news agency that 91% of applications at the IPO so far in 2024 were made there for the first time rather than an airport or other port.

It said that its operational assessment was that more than 80% of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This would equate to approximately 72% of all applications this year.

In a statement, a spokeswoman said: It has long been the case that a significant number of people apply for international protection for the first time in the IPO.

This has increased in 2024. To date in 2024, there have been 6,739 applications for international protection at the IPO. Of these 6,136 (91%) were made at the IPO for the first time and not at a port of entry.

There are a number of circumstances in which someone might apply in the IPO without first applying at a port of entry.

People walking past tents housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office (Niall Carson/PA)

They may enter at an airport with valid documentation for example but choose not to apply at that time. Or they may apply having been in the State for a period previously, for example on foot of a different permission to remain.

However, the departments firm assessment, based on the experience of staff and others working in the field, and based on the material gathered at interviews, is that over 80% of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This is the departments operational assessment of the situation.

It comes amid a row between the UK and Ireland over migrants travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and into the Irish state.

Recently, the High Court ruled that Irelands decision to designate the UK as a safe third country was against EU law, in the context of the planned transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Ms McEntee is to bring a proposal to Cabinet on Tuesday around returning asylum seekers who had arrived in Ireland from the UK.

Refugee groups have cast doubt on the figure for Northern Ireland arrivals while a think tank said a first-time registration rate of approximately 80% at the IPO would not be unusual compared with other years.

Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said: We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80% figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin said the 80% figure for Northern Ireland arrivals was not based on evidence (Yui Mok/PA)

Asked about the evidence for the claim on Monday, Mr Martin said it was clear from the presentation of migrants that there was a change in where they came from.

He added that the Department of Justice had a perspective that there had been an increase in the number of arrivals through Northern Ireland.

Speaking to reporters at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, Mr Martin said: On the 80% and the evidence: Over a while, I think the Department of Justice officials would say  and its not statistical, its not a database or evidence base  but it is very clear from the presentations of migrants that theres a change in the nature of where migrants have come from, and thats the sense and the perspective that Justice have on this.

Increasingly over the last year or two, theres been a shift. If you remember, all the earlier commentary was on people coming in on planes without documentation and so on.

That has lessened somewhat and theres been a switch in terms of the pattern of migration, thats the sense from our Justice officials.
Technology companies have been called to take action to protect their users (Yui Mok/PA)

An unprecedented alert about so-called sextortion scams targeting teenagers has been sent out to teachers after the number of reported cases doubled in a year.

Officials at the National Crime Agency (NCA) issued the warning on Monday, highlighting the devastating impact the scams can have on young people duped into handing over intimate photos.

Sextortion is blackmail where criminals threaten to release nude or semi-nude photos of someone  either real or fake  unless the victim pays them.

The number of global cases reported to the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children more than doubled from 10,731 in 2022 to 26,718 in 2023 with a large proportion of victims being boys aged between 14 and 18.

Nine out of 10 (91%) UK cases dealt with by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in 2023 concerned male victims, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

Gangs based in some west African countries and South East Asia are targeting young people based overseas, many in the Five Eyes countries  the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

They often pose as another young person, making contact on social media before moving to encrypted messaging apps and encouraging the victim to share intimate images.

The gangs in this type of crime are motivated by extorting as much money as possible rather than sexual gratification, the NCA said.

Its child exploitation and online protection (CEOP) education team on Monday issued guidance to teachers about spotting the signs of this type of abuse, supporting young people and encouraging them to seek help.

Scammers often pose as another young person, making contact on social media before moving to encrypted messaging apps (Tim Goode/PA)

It also includes guidance for parents and carers on how to talk to children about sextortion and how to support them if they become a victim, with the aim of taking away the stigma.

Advice includes not to pay, to stop communication and block the offender, but to avoid deleting anything that could be used as evidence and to report incidents to the police or CEOP.

James Babbage, the NCAs director general for threats, said: Sextortion causes immeasurable stress and anguish, and we know there are adults and young people who have devastatingly taken their own lives as a result.

A lot of victims feel responsible but we need them to know this is absolutely not the case; you are not to blame and help and support is available.

Marie Smith, the NCAs head of CEOP education, said falling prey to the scams has a devastating impact on the childrens lives and those of their families.

She said of the criminals: Theyre extremely malicious, they do not care about that child or that childs life.

This is why its an alert more so than part of our broader education programme because of this callousness that were seeing, its extremely dangerous.

The criminals work quickly, with some blackmail demands being made within only an hour of first making contact with a young person.

Susie Hargreaves, chief executive of the IWF, said: Sextortion has become a major threat online in the last few years.

This alert to schools is an absolutely crucial intervention in stemming this epidemic which has already ruined so many young lives.

These criminals are cold-blooded, and do not even care when the shame and fear they inflict drives some children to take their own lives.

We want children to know, however, they are not alone, no matter how lonely it feels, that there is a remedy, and a way to take control and fight back.

The Report Remove tool we run with Childline is revolutionary and allows you to stop sexual imagery being shared or from going viral online.

Please, if you are being targeted this way, reach out. It is not a hopeless situation, and we are here to help you.

Security minister Tom Tugendhat said sextortion destroys lives.

It is often driven by highly sophisticated organised crime groups who exploit vulnerable people for profit, he said.

Its vital that technology companies take responsibility for the safety of their users by implementing stronger safeguards on their platforms.

I would urge parents to talk to their children about their use of social media. Even sites that many assume to be safe may pose a risk.

Richard Collard, associate head of child safety online policy at the NSPCC, said: Children must be supported to spot signs of abuse, but the burden should not be on them to protect themselves from harm online.

Tech companies must step up and actively tackle the threat of sexual extortion on their platforms by putting safeguards in place and identifying dangerous behaviour.

Guidance for teachers can be found at thinkuknow.co.uk/professionals/guidance/fmse-alert/

To get support or report an incident visit www.ceop.police.uk

Help to get images removed if they have been posted online can be found at www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/report-remove/ or takeitdown.ncmec.org/
The Work and Pensions Secretary has refused to set out which health conditions will no longer result in access to sickness benefits, as part of the Governments major welfare reforms (Victoria Jones/PA)

The Work and Pensions Secretary has refused to set out which health conditions will no longer result in access to sickness benefits, as part of the Governments major welfare reforms.

In a statement to the Commons, Mel Stride set out plans to overhaul the way disability benefits work, with proposals aimed at providing a fair and compassionate system with bespoke support.

In a Green Paper published alongside Mr Strides statement, ministers proposed to reform personal independence payments (Pip), the main disability benefit, through changes to eligibility criteria and assessments.

The plans, which will be consulted on over the coming months, also include proposals to move away from a fixed cash benefit system, meaning people with some conditions will no longer receive regular payments but rather improved access to treatment if their condition does not involve extra costs.

Mr Stride told the Commons on Monday: This Governments priority is to make sure that our welfare system is fair and compassionate. Fair on the taxpayer, by ensuring that people of working age who can work, do work, and fair on those who are in most need of the states help.

He added that the consultation will be exploring whether people with specific health conditions and disabilities can be taken out of Pip assessments all together.

Mr Stride continued: We are also consulting on whether we should make fundamental changes to the way we provide support to disabled people and people with a health condition.

We know that any additional cost arising form a disability or health condition, which Pip is intended to help with can vary significantly and is unique to the individual circumstances.

He argued that changes to the current one-size fits all system will offer bespoke support tailored to individual needs.

Acting shadow work and pensions secretary Alison McGovern accused Mr Stride of talking out of both sides of his mouth.

She said: In recent weeks, the Secretary of State has decided to speak out of both sides of his mouth. On the one hand he says I am grateful for todays more open approach to mental health, and with the same breath he tells us there is danger that this has gone too far.

He wants it both ways, he thinks that openness about mental health is good but then says the very thing that brings back the stigma.

Every time (Mr Stride) speaks, he makes it less likely that people will be open about their mental health.

Ms Govern added: He says some health conditions can be taken out of Pip assessments, which conditions are we talking about?

Mr Stride replied that questions raised by Ms McGovern will be included in the consultation.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that what we shouldnt be doing is medicalising the everyday challenges and anxieties of life (Yui Mok/PA)

Conservative MP Ruth Edwards (Rushcliffe) fought back tears as she recalled how she was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder in spring 2019.

She said: I was extremely ill with it and I couldnt work for several months so I know first-hand how debilitating it can be. But I also know that with treatment and support you can lead a fulfilling career and a normal life and its extremely rewarding.

Ms Edwards said she would have been devastated to be out of the workforce long-term, as she sought assurances about how the proposed reforms will help anxiety sufferers get the treatment and support they need to take back their lives.

In an interview with ITV News, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that what we shouldnt be doing is medicalising the everyday challenges and anxieties of life.

He added: Just because someone is grappling with some of these things, if they are less severe, they should be expected to engage in the world of work. A) because thats fair. But also, as I said, cause I do believe that is fundamentally good for them as well.

Mr Stride suggested to the Times that people with milder mental health conditions would no longer receive financial support. But added that talking therapies, social care packages and respite care, could be used as alternatives.

Conservative MP Nigel Mills, a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, questioned if Mel Stride was suggesting people would have to submit invoices to prove the amount of support they need or if he was looking at more tiers of award.

Mr Stride replied: I think we should explore whether that approach we have at the moment is the best one in terms of outcomes.

We have much to learn from the experiences of other countries around the world who have a similar benefit but go about the organisation and application of that benefit in a different way.

New Zealand, for example, does indeed make payments based on invoices submitted for equipment by those who are receiving the benefit; Norway, for example doesnt have assessments in the way that we do, they rely more on medical evidence provided by medical practitioners.

The number of monthly Pip awards for mental health disorders has doubled since 2019, from 2,200 to 5,300, in line with an increase in overall Pip awards which have also doubled to 33,000 a month.

James Taylor, the executive director of strategy at disability equity charity Scope, called for an end to the reckless assault on disabled people and to fix the real underlying issues.

Its hard to have any faith that this consultation is about anything other than cutting the benefits bill, no matter the impact, Mr Taylor said.

The Disability Benefits Consortium branded the consultation cynical and cruel.

Speaking on behalf of DBC, Ceri Smith head of policy at the MS Society, said: If the Government truly wants a stronger, healthier and fairer society, they should start by addressing NHS waiting lists and fixing social care. Instead, this approach will punish disabled people and push even more into poverty.

The consultation will run for 12 weeks, closing on July 23.
The Labour Party has said that the Government plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda will cost 2 million per person.

In a video posted on social media site X, the party listed a series of things that it said would cost you, the British taxpayer, less than the 2 million its going to cost you to send one asylum seeker to Rwanda. Do you think thats a good use of your money?

Labours shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock has said: It will cost the UK Government 570m to send 300 people to Rwanda. Thats almost 2m per person.

Evaluation: Mostly true

If 300 people, or a little more than 300 people, are sent to Rwanda as part of the plan, then Labour is correct to say that the cost per person will be around 2 million. If the scheme lasts until until the 2026/27 financial year and 300 people are sent the more precise cost per person will be 1.97 million.

The milestone of 300 people is written into the deal that the UK has signed with Rwanda, as it is the level at which the UK needs to pay an extra one-off 120 million to the country.

If a lot more than 300 people are transported in this period, then the cost per person will fall. For instance if 2,000 people are sent to Rwanda the cost per person falls to around 450,074.

These calculations do not, however, take into account money that the scheme could save elsewhere. The Government argues that illegal migration could cost the taxpayer 11 billion a year by 2026.

The 2 million figure takes into account one-off payments into a fund to help development in Rwanda. Without those payments the cost per person would be in the hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The facts

The claim is based on calculations using figures from a National Audit Office report which was released in early March.

The report breaks down the different costs that the Rwanda policy will entail. Labours calculations are based on the costs if 300 people are sent to Rwanda.

The NAO report shows that so far the Government has paid, or is due to pay:

 120 million in April 2022 100 million in April 2023 50 million in April 2024 50 million in April 2025 50 million in April 2026 120 million once 300 people have been relocated to Rwanda

These payments to Rwanda will add up to 490 million by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.

The Home Office has so far (February 2024) faced the following costs:

 2 million in direct staffing costs 2.3 million in legal fees 15.3 million in set-up costs for escorting people to Rwanda and providing training facilities

These payments have totalled 19.6 million.

The Home Office expects that in future it will face the following costs:

 1 million per year in staff costs from 2024/25 12.6 million for training escorts in 2024/25 1 million per year in costs relating to escorting from 2024/25 8.2 million in escorting costs for the remainder of 2023/24

These payments to Rwanda will add up to 26.8 million by the end of the 2026/27 financial year. This assumes that the 1 million annual costs are also paid in the 2024/25 financial year.

There will also be costs for every person sent to Rwanda:

 20,000 paid to Rwanda after each person is relocated 150,874 for asylum processing and operational costs  and to provide an integration package. This is paid in instalments over five years. 11,000 for flights (including chartering and fuel)

This adds up to 181,874 per person, or a combined 54,562,200 (54.6 million) if 300 people are sent to Rwanda.

This means that all cost categories added together will be:

490 million + 19.6 million + 26.8 million + 54,562,200 (for 300 people) = 590,962,200.

In correspondence with the PA news agency, Labour said that it had not included the two 1 million annual costs in its calculations, nor had it included the 8.2 million in future escorting costs, leaving it with a slightly lower total figure of around 576.8 million.

How much would this cost per person?

Divided by 300 people, this would cost 1,969,874 per person, or just under 2 million.

If one assumes 2,000 people are sent, the total cost per person will increase to around 363.7 million, which takes total overall costs to around 900.1 million. When divided by 2,000, that leaves an overall per-person cost of 450,074.

The more people that are sent, the more the overall per-person cost reduces.

What does the Government say?

Illegal migration could cost British taxpayer reach up to 11 billion per year by 2026, the Home Office said in correspondence with the PA news agency.

If the Rwanda plan acts as a deterrent, as the Government hopes, some of this money could be saved, potentially making up for the cost of the Rwanda scheme.

It is right that we explore bold and novel solutions, such as our partnership with Rwanda, to put an end to this, the Home Office added.

The 2 million figure per person includes payments to the Economic Transformation and Integration Fund (ETIF), which is earmarked to support Rwandas economic growth.

The ETIF payments form part of the UKs Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda.

The Home Office does not classify the ETIF payments as overseas development assistance (ODA) as to do that the main objective of the payments needs to be funding the development and welfare of the recipient country.

The National Audit Office said: As the partnership focuses on the relocation to Rwanda of people whose asylum claims are not being considered by the UK, the Home Office concluded that the payments into the ETIF are unlikely to be eligible as ODA.

Links

X Post from the Labour Party (archived post and video)

Hansard from Stephen Kinnock speaking in Parliament (archived)

X post from Stephen Kinnock (archived)

NAO report (archived)
The Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first member of the royal family to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

Sophie met the president and first lady of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky and Olena Zelenska, on Monday morning and delivered a message to them on behalf of the King.

They discussed how to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and the women peacebuilders who have a part to play in ensuring Ukraines recovery and reconstruction is effective and long-lasting, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.

The duchess visited Ukraine at the request of the FCDO to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

Sophie met survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture who shared their stories, and talked to children who have been returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture, the FCDO said.

During the visit, Sophie paid her respects to those who died in Bucha, two years on from its liberation from Russian forces, and visited the Road to Life, a bridge which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv, and later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the Russian occupation.

The duchess also demonstrated her support for Ukrainian women who have played important roles in the conflict and community recovery, in a meeting with volunteers who help their communities cope with the aftermath of attacks with mental health care activities for children.

Speaking at an evening reception at the residence of the UK ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris, Sophie said she had travelled to many countries in conflict or post-conflict, and women and girls pay the highest price in terms of human costs.

She said: Rape is used to demean, to degrade and to destroy. And we have to get better at trying to prevent that from happening. Where we cannot prevent it from happening. What we must do is put measures in place to support those who have fallen victim to such crimes.

The duchess said she has met survivors of sexual violence and thanked them for their openness.

She said: I thank them for that honesty in telling me what happened to them.

The Duchess of Edinburgh talks to a woman affected by the war (Anatolii Stepanov/PA)

Their stories are sad. I hear many stories like this, sadly, from around the world. But I appreciate their time and their openness.

The duchess added that she had met people who played a large role in Bucha and Irpin to help their communities, and she will take those stories home in my heart.

During a video address at a conference on conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine last month, the duchess said: Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences.

They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors.

Sophie at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv (Anatolii Stepanov/PA)

Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isnt an accepted part of conflict.

Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.

Sophie announced her commitment to champion the UKs Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) and the UNs Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) on International Womens Day in 2019.

She has visited a number of countries over the years to highlight the impact of historical and ongoing conflict, including Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Mr Blinken said that he would use his current Middle East trip  his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  to press that case with Israeli leaders.

Speaking at events in Riyadh, Mr Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive ceasefire agreement that would release hostages held by Hamas.

On his visit to the Middle East, Anthony Blinken said more must be done to get aid to Gaza (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

And, he said Hamas had been presented with an extraordinarily generous offer by Israel that he hoped the group would accept.

At a World Economic Forum gathering in the Saudi capital, Mr Blinken said: Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel and in this moment the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and ceasefire is Hamas.

They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, were looking to that and Im hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic.

Although talks continue, Hamas has thus far baulked at a series of offers negotiated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States and agreed to by Israel, and even without a deal, Mr Blinken said it was critical to improve conditions in Gaza now.

Were also not waiting on a ceasefire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza, Mr Blinken told Gulf Co-operation Council foreign ministers earlier on Monday.

We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the US maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks.

But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza, he said.

We need to improve deconfliction with humanitarian assistance workers. And we have to find greater efficiency and greater safety and deconfliction is at the heart of that.

And, finally we have to make sure that were focusing not just on inputs, but on impact.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and a deadly Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza this month only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them.

Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved.

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World Central Kitchen says it will resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.

The war has ground on since Hamas deadly October 7 attacks on Israel with little end in sight.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, hundreds of thousands more are displaced and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening.

The conflict has fuelled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses.

US support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for US President Joe Biden in an election year.

Mr Blinkens trip comes amid renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider the creation of a Palestinian state, which is one of the Saudis main conditions for normalised relations.

President Joe Biden is said to have discussed a potential offensive in Rafah with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Evan Vucci/AP)

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been warning Israel against a major military operation on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting further north.

Israel has not yet launched such an offensive, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that one will take place, asserting that it is the only way to wipe out Hamas.

Both topics were discussed during the Biden-Netanyahu phone call on Sunday, according to the White House and US officials.

During his trip, Mr Blinken said he would also underscore the absolute importance of not allowing the Israel-Hamas conflict to engulf the region.

The danger of conflagration was underscored this month when a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria prompted an unprecedented direct missile and drone response by Iran against Israel.

An apparent retaliatory Israeli strike on Iran followed.

Although the tit-for-tat cycle appears to have ended for now, deep concerns remain that Iran or its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or Yemen could act in such a way as to provoke a greater response from Israel or that Israel might take action that Iran feels it must retaliate for.
Antony Blinken at a meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

The United States has stepped up pressure for a ceasefire deal in Gaza as the secretary of state said a new proposal had been put to Hamas, whose officials were in Cairo talking to Egyptian mediators.

It came as Israeli air strikes killed 26 people in Gazas southern town of Rafah, according to hospital records.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken, ahead of a new visit to Israel this week, urged Hamas to accept the latest proposal, calling it extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel.

The terms were not made public. But according to an Egyptian official and Israeli media, Israel has softened its position, lowering the number of hostages it demands that Hamas free during the initial six-week phase of the ceasefire in return for the release of hundreds of Palestinians from Israeli prisons.

Antony Blinken was attending a summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP)

One question is whether that will be enough to overcome Hamas concerns over the ceasefires second phase.

Hamas has demanded assurances that an eventual release of all hostages will bring a complete end to Israels nearly seven-month assault in Gaza and a withdrawal of its troops from the devastated territory.

Israel has offered only an extended pause, vowing to resume its offensive once it is over. The issue has repeatedly obstructed efforts by US, Egyptian and Qatari mediators during months of talks.

Some Israeli commentators depicted Israel as at a crossroads: Go for a deal with a potential end to the war, bringing benefits that could include normalisation of ties with Saudi Arabia, or push ahead with plans including an attack on Rafah in the hope of crushing Hamas and risk international isolation.

Israels closest ally, the United States, and others have repeatedly warned against an offensive on Rafah, saying it would bring a surge in casualties and worsen a humanitarian catastrophe. More than one million Palestinians have sought shelter in Rafah after fleeing fighting elsewhere.

Israels offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 people.

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli air strike in Rafah (Mohammad Jahjouh/AP)

Overnight and Monday morning, Israeli strikes flattened at least three homes where extended families of Palestinians were gathered, and the dead included nine women and six children, one of whom was just five days old, according to hospital records and an Associated Press reporter.

Everyone was sleeping in their beds, said Mahmoud Abu Taha, whose cousin was killed with his wife and their year-old baby in one house where at least 10 died. They have nothing to do with anything, all of them are girls and women.

Egypt has stepped up mediation efforts for a ceasefire deal in hopes of averting an Israeli ground assault on Rafah, which sits on Gazas border with Egypt.

An Egyptian official said Israel has lowered the number of hostages it wants freed in the first stage, down from earlier demands for 40. He did not specify the new number.

Israeli media said it now seeks the release of 33 hostages in return for the release of some 900 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas is believed to hold around 100 Israelis in Gaza.

Israel has also shown flexibility on allowing residents to return to northern Gaza, the Egyptian official said.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Israeli officials.

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas call for their release during a protest in Tel Aviv (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected Hamas demands for an end to the war and a troop withdrawal and says an offensive on Rafah is crucial to destroying the militants after their October 7 attacks on Israel that triggered the war.

His government could also be threatened if he agrees to a deal, since hardline members of his Cabinet demand an attack on Rafah.

At the same time, Mr Netanyahu faces pressure from the families of hostages still in captivity who are demanding a deal for their release.

On Monday, the families of two hostages  Keith Siegel and Omri Miran  urged both sides to reach an agreement, days after Hamas released a video showing the two men.

Israeli officials, meanwhile, appeared increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue arrest warrants against the countrys leaders.

It was not clear what sparked the Israeli concerns. The ICC launched a probe three years ago into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants going back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war.

Buildings destroyed in an Israeli air strike on Rafah (Mohammad Jahjouh/AP)

The probe is also looking at Israels construction of settlements in occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state.

There was no comment from the court on Monday, and it has given no indication warrants in the case are imminent.

But Israels Foreign Ministry said late Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of rumours that warrants might be issued against senior political and military officials.

Mr Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defence.

Neither Israel nor the United States accept the ICCs jurisdiction, but any warrants could put Israeli officials at risk of arrest in other countries. They would also serve as a major rebuke of Israels actions at a time when pro-Palestinian protests have spread across US college campuses.

The International Court of Justice, a separate body, is investigating whether Israel has committed acts of genocide in the ongoing war in Gaza, with any ruling expected to take years. Israel has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and accused both international courts of bias.

In the Hamas-led attack on October 7 that triggered the war, militants stormed through army bases and farming communities across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages.

Israels massive air, sea and ground offensive in Gaza has killed at least 34,488 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken arriving in Riyadh (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

Israel blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because the militants fight from dense, residential areas. The military says it has killed more than 12,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has driven around 80% of Gazas population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.

Meanwhile, Mr Blinken said on Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip and that he would use his Middle East trip  his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  to press that case with Israeli leaders.

Speaking at events in Saudi Arabias capital, Mr Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive ceasefire agreement, which also would release Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

He said safety for humanitarian relief workers must be improved and that there is a focus on ensuring the aid is making a proper impact for Palestinian civilians.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and an Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza this month that killed seven aid workers only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them. Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved.

World Central Kitchen said it would resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.
A tent encampment has been set up inside the campus of Columbia University (Andres Kudacki/AP)

Colleges around the US have implored pro-Palestinian student protesters to clear out tent encampments with rising levels of urgency.

The calls came as police made more arrests at the University of Texas and Columbia University said it was beginning to suspend students who defied an ultimatum to leave the encampment there by an afternoon deadline.

Protesters who returned to the University of Texas at Austin on Monday were quickly greeted by dozens of law enforcement officers, many in riot gear. Six protesters were quickly arrested and others were taken into custody one by one.

Officers used pepper spray after a group of protesters blocked the path of a police van carrying demonstrators who were arrested. The crowd backed away but continued to block the exit from the campus. Officers then used two flash bang explosives to clear a path so the van could leave.

Republican governor Greg Abbott reposted on social media video of troopers arriving on the 50,000-student campus. No encampments will be allowed. Instead, arrests are being made, Mr Abbott said.

University of Missouri students staged a protest (Brian W Kratzer/Missourian via AP)

Just last week, hundreds of police  including some on horseback and holding batons  pushed into protesters at the university, sending some tumbling into the street. Officers made 34 arrests at the behest of the university and Mr Abbott, according to the state Department of Public Safety.

In New York, Columbia began suspending students after activists defied a 2pm deadline to respond to the ultimatum, according to school spokesperson Ben Chang.

Instead, the students continued chanting, clapping and drumming from the encampment of more than 300 people. No officials appeared to enter the encampment, with at least 120 tents staying up as the deadline passed.

Hundreds of protesters marched around the quad, weaving around piles of temporary flooring and green carpeting meant for graduation ceremonies. A handful of counter-demonstrators waved Israeli flags, and one held a sign reading, Where are the anti-Hamas chants?

The notice sent on Monday by the Ivy League university in Manhattan to protesters in the encampment said that if they left by the deadline and signed a form committing to abide by university policies through June 2025 or an earlier graduation, they could finish the term in good standing.

If not, the letter said, they will be suspended, pending further investigation.

University representatives engaged in good faith dialogue with the organisers and maintain that dialogue, Mr Chang said. We were hopeful and we were disappointed when the student protesters couldnt reach consensus on the issues under discussion.

Earlier protests at Columbia, where demonstrators set up tents in the centre of the campus, sparked pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country.

The encampment at Columbia University in New York (Andres Kudacki/AP)

Students and others have been sparring over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities cut financial ties with Israel. The number of arrests at campuses nationwide is approaching 1,000.

College classes nationwide are wrapping up for the term, and campuses are preparing for graduation ceremonies.

The University of Southern California cancelled its main graduation ceremony this spring. Others are asking the protests to resolve peacefully so they can hold their ceremonies.

Fewer new tent encampments have sprouted around the country as the school year winds down. But students have dug in their heels at tent encampments at some high-profile universities, with stand-offs continuing between protesters and administrators at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale and others.

Protesters at Yale set up a new camp with dozens of tents on Sunday afternoon, nearly a week after police arrested nearly 50 and cleared a similar one nearby.

Later Sunday, they were notified by a Yale official that they could face discipline, including suspension, and possible arrest if they continued the encampment on a grassy area known as Cross Campus, protesters and school officials said. No deadline to leave was set.

Yale said in a statement on Monday that while it supports peaceful protests and freedom of speech, it does not tolerate policy violations such as the encampment.

School officials said that the protest is near residential colleges where many students are studying for final exams, and that permission must be granted for groups to hold events and put up structures on campus.

Protests were also still active at a number of other campuses. Near George Washington University, protesters at an encampment breached and dismantled the barriers Monday morning used to secure University Yard, the university said in a statement. The yard had been closed since last week.

About 275 people were arrested on Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St Louis.

A Palestinian flag at the encampment at Columbia University (Andres Kudacki/AP)

In its letter to student protesters, Columbia officials noted that exams are beginning and graduation is upcoming.

We urge you to remove the encampment so that we do not deprive your fellow students, their families and friends of this momentous occasion, the letter said.

Mahmoud Khalil, the lead negotiator on behalf of protesters, said university representatives began passing out the notices at the encampment shortly after 10am on Monday. A spokesperson for Columbia confirmed the letter had gone out to students but declined to comment further.

Under the terms spelled out in the letter, students who leave the encampment would be put on disciplinary probation through to June 2025. Students who are already receiving discipline, or who face harassment or discrimination charges for actions in the encampment, are not eligible for the offer.

Red and orange tents stayed up on the lawn as protesters considered the latest amnesty offer from the administration. A hundred feet away, a student cafe was open, and people enjoyed coffee in the warm spring sun.

On one side of the shuttered campus, students and staff lined up for security checks across the street from a cluster of TV trucks. At the other side, a police officer stood next to an unmarked black sedan with blue and red lights quietly flashing.

The demonstrations have led Columbia to hold remote classes and set a series of deadlines for protesters to leave the encampment, which they have missed. The school said in an email to students that bringing back police at this time would be counterproductive.

The students and administrators have negotiated to end the disruptions, but the sides have not come to an agreement, university president Minouche Shafik said in a statement on Monday. The university said it will offer an alternative venue for the protests after exams and graduation.

Columbias handling of the protests has prompted federal complaints.

A class-action lawsuit on behalf of Jewish students alleges a breach of contract by Columbia, claiming the university failed to maintain a safe learning environment, despite policies and promises. It also challenges the move away from in-person classes and seeks quick court action requiring Columbia to provide security for the students.

Meanwhile, a legal group representing pro-Palestinian students is urging the US Department of Educations civil rights office to investigate Columbias compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for how they have been treated.

The plight of students who have been arrested has become a central part of protests, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.
Russian journalist Sergey Karelin appears in court in the Murmansk region of Russia after his arrest on extremism charges, which he denied (AP Photo)

Two journalists have been arrested in Russia on charges of extremism amid claims from the Kremlin they were connected to groups founded by late Russian politician and freedom fighter Alexei Navalny.

Journalists Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges of alleged participation in an extremist organisation with a penalty of six years in jail.

They are just the latest media personnel targeted amid a government crackdown on dissent and independent media that has intensified after the invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

The Russian government passed laws criminalising what it deems as false information about the military, or statements seen as discrediting the military, effectively outlawing any criticism of the war in Ukraine or speech that deviates from the official narrative.

Forbes magazine Russian journalist Sergei Mingazov was also arrested on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military, his lawyer said on Friday.

In this photo released by Basmanny District Court press service, Russian journalist Konstantin Gabov attends a hearing at a court in Moscow after his arrest on extremism charges, which he denied (Basmanny District Court press service via AP)

Mr Gabov and Mr Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalnys Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which Russian authorities have outlawed.

The Kremlin clampdown on Russian media and public dissent comes only three months after former opposition leader Alexi Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February.

Several journalists have been jailed for their coverage of Mr Navalnys case, including Antonina Favorskaya.

Ms Favorskaya was detained and accused by Russian authorities of taking part in an extremist organisation.

She had posted on social media platforms belonging to one of Mr Navalnys charities. She covered Mr Navalnys court hearings for years and filmed the last video of Mr Navalny before he died.

Kira Yarmysh, Mr Navalnys spokeswoman, said that Ms Favorskaya did not publish anything on the charity platforms.

She suggested that Russian authorities had targeted her because she was doing her job as a journalist.

Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old reporter for US publication the Wall Street Journal, is awaiting trial on espionage charges at Moscows notorious Lefortovo Prison.

Mr Gershkovich was detained in March 2023 and has spent over a year in jail with Russian authorities yet to confirm what evidence, if any, they have to support the espionage charges.

Both Mr Gershkovich and his employer have denied the charges.

The US government has declared Mr Gershkovich as wrongfully detained, with officials accusing Moscow of using the journalist as a pawn for political ends.

Russias dissent clampdown aims to halt any activity the Kremlin deems against the state. Journalists, activists, LGBTQ+ people, members of the public seen as critical of the Kremlin, and even other politicians have been targeted.

Most recently, prominent political activist Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in jail for accusations of opposing the Kremlin.
Thousands of people rallied on Sunday evening in Georgia's capital, demanding the government withdraw a controversial 'foreign influence' bill. The EU has warned that the bill would undermine Tbilisi's European aspirations.

Mass anti-government rallies have erupted across the Black Sea Caucasus nation since mid-April after the ruling Georgian Dream party reintroduced plans to pass a law that critics claim is similar to Russian legislation used to silence dissent.

According to an AFP estimate, at least 20,000 people attended Tbilisi's central Republic Square event. The kilometer-long procession with a huge EU flag at its head stretched out towards the parliament along Tbilisi's main street.

"I am here to protect Georgia's European future," 19-year-old Lasha Chkheidze said. "No to Russia, no to the Russian law, yes to Europe."

The rally was organized by around 100 Georgian rights groups and opposition parties, who have maintained a low profile in the youth-dominated daily protests.

In a statement, the organizers said that the authorities, which have reintroduced the Russian bill, are going beyond the constitutional framework and changing the country's orientation, betraying the unwavering will of the people.

An AFP journalist saw protesters try to breach a police barrier outside the parliament building during the peaceful gathering to hoist an EU flag there. Police used pepper spray without warning.

The interior ministry said that the protest turned violent and that demonstrators physically and verbally confronted law enforcement.

Hundreds of riot police had been stationed there after midnight. The ruling party of Georgia announced its rally on Monday, the day a parliamentary committee is scheduled to have a second reading of the bill, in response to several days of anti-government demonstrations.

If adopted, the law would mandate that each independent NGO and media outlet that obtains above 20% of its money from foreign sources register as an "organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power."

Furthermore, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, a bitter opponent of the ruling party, has declared she will veto the legislation.
Soldiers from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) prepare to patrol Myawaddy, the Thailand-Myanmar border town under the control of a coalition of rebel forces led by the Karen National Union, in Myanmar, April 15, 2024.

Just over three years since Myanmars military seized control of the country in a February 2021 coup detat, the juntas grip on power is increasingly tenuous amidst a nationwide civil war that has spiraled out of control.

What began as a military campaign to solidify rule in Myanmars remote border regions has devolved into a struggle of survival for the military as rebel forces become more united and more adapted to the conflict, and have dealt junta forces a series of battlefield defeats.

Experts say the military regimes prospects are now more grim than ever.

Zachary Abuza, a Southeast Asia analyst at the National War College in Washington, said Myanmars military leaders were denying the harsh reality of what they have reduced the country to.

The economy has already collapsed, said Abuza, who regularly writes commentaries for Radio Free Asia and its sister agency, BenarNews.

Battles have been lost, and cities are engulfed in escalating violence. Drone attacks have breached the capital. The generals find themselves vexed by the relentless pressure from the shadow [National Unity Government] NUG and their allies.

The military has lost townships to rebel forces across the country  most notably in Myanmars Kachin state along the northern border with China, Rakhine state on the western border with Bangladesh, and Kayin state on the eastern border with Thailand.

Troop shortages are dire and not even a hugely unpopular military draft expected to bring 50,000 new recruits by the end of the year can shore up their ranks, observers told RFA Burmese.

In Rakhine, the ethnic Arakan Army, or AA, has taken control of eight of the states 17 townships, as well as one township in neighboring Chin state, since it ended a ceasefire agreement with the military on Nov. 13, 2023.

The junta has even turned to the forced recruitment of ethnic Rohingyas, long persecuted and denied citizenship in Myanmar, to bolster its fight against the rebels.

Miemie Winn Byrd, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel who is active in Myanmar affairs, said the situation in Rakhine shows that the junta is on the ropes.

During these next six months, any setback for the military will prove difficult to overcome, she told RFA Burmese. The passage of the conscription law highlighted a glaring reality: Our ranks are thin.

Myanmar military high-ranking officials attend a ceremony to mark the country's Armed Forces Day, in Naypyidaw, March 27, 2024. [AFP]

Jason Tower, the country director for Myanmar at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, shared the view that the troop shortage has become an existential concern for the junta.

The number of soldiers lost is much higher than the amount that can be replenished by the conscription law, he said. Since the newly arrived soldiers are forced to fight, they are more likely to surrender or desert the army once they reach the battlefield.

Battle for Myawaddy

At stake for the junta in Kayin state is the town of Myawaddy, through which U.S. $1 billion in trade flows annually across the border with Thailands Mae Sot. Joint anti-junta forces under the ethnic Karen National Liberation Army, or KNLA, have engaged in pitched battles with the military in recent weeks for control of the vital urban hub.

On April 10, the KNLA and its allies captured the juntas Infantry Battalion 275 compound in downtown Myawaddy. It was the last junta base in the town, which effectively fell under rebel control.

But last week, the military retook the base, while the KNLA has retained control of multiple military camps and bases in wider Myawaddy township.

Byrd noted that ethnic armies like the KNLA are increasingly collaborating with guerillas who make up the Peoples Defense Force, or PDF  a loose coalition of local paramilitary groups, many of which have pledged allegiance to Myanmars shadow National Unity Government, or NUG, made up of lawmakers deposed by the coup.

Saw Win Myint, a commander of a military unit under the Karen National Union, the leading political body for the Karen ethnic minority that is part of the resistance against military rule in Myanmar, inspects the damaged armory in the captured army base of Infantry Battalion 275 in Myawaddy township in Kayin state, Myanmar, April 12, 2024. [Metro/AP]

Meanwhile, she said, ethnic armies that have ceasefires in place or were in talks with the military are shifting their stance as the conflict drags on.

Now, they remain neutral observers, assessing the balance of power, Byrd said. Their allegiance will ultimately sway toward the victor. Their movement toward [the rebellion] serves as a promising sign: a tipping point indicating that revolution is within reach.

Sai Kyi Zin Soe, a military and political commentator, noted that anti-junta forces made up of ethnic armies and local PDF groups appear to be focused on occupying as many of the countrys border areas as possible in a bid to control the flow of trade.

In this endeavor, multiple organizations play pivotal roles, he said, adding that the key to their success is in their ability to cooperate, despite their varied individual goals.

When they start fighting, they seem to keep a watchful eye on one another  Amidst this intricate web, vigilant monitoring and mutual control characterize the conflict dynamics.

Rebel cooperation

In Kachin state, in the far north, the ethnic Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, launched an offensive against the military on March 7. In the more than a month of fighting, junta troops have steadily retreated from the regions military camps. The ethnic army now controls more than 60 of them, according to KIA Information Officer Col. Naw Bu.

The KIA also controls the town of Lwegel, a significant trade center on the border with China, as well as other key border crossings and main highways.

In neighboring Shan state, to the south, the Three Brotherhood Alliance of ethnic armies has dealt the juntas military forces a series of defeats since late last October. Their offensive has captured 32 towns and villages, including district-level townships.

Byrd called the Three Brotherhood Alliance offensive  known as Operation 1027, for its Oct. 27 launch date  a milestone for the rebellion, which she now believes has gained the power balance.

The rebel side has improved in joint operations, and its intelligence gathering has also improved, she said.

In particular, Byrd said that intelligence had dramatically upgraded the use of drones, which anti-junta forces have embraced as a low-cost method to level the playing field against military airstrikes and artillery.

If the intelligence is no good, no matter how many drones there are, they are worthless when the targets have no value, she said.

Myanmar nationals who crossed the Bangladesh-Myanmar border to seek shelter in Bangladesh are escorted back to their country by ships at Cox's Bazar, April 25, 2024. [AFP]

In Kayah state, the Karenni Army and its ethnic allies launched an offensive in November and have seized several townships, including Mese on the border with Thailand. The group claims to control 80% of the state capital, Loikaw.

Sai Kyi Zin Soe said that the varied Karenni groups had demonstrated an ability to effectively cooperate with one another, and use the militarys reluctance to conduct airstrikes and use heavy artillery near the border to their advantage.

The groups have formed administrative and legislative bodies, and introduced measures to promote law and order within their territories, he said.

Under such circumstances, they prioritize rehabilitation, education, and healthcare, he said. This positive shift can be attributed to the different regional structure, the relatively small population, and the interconnectedness among existing groups.

War and governance

In Myanmars majority-Burman Sagaing region, on the countrys northern border with India, the PDF has been engaged in pitched battles with the military in the townships of Kale, Kani, Mingin, Tedim, Kawlin, Pinlebu, and Tigyaing since early February. On Feb. 13, the military reclaimed Kawlin, which was the first township to be surrendered to the PDF in Sagaing.

While Sagaing is a stronghold of the rebellion, Sai Kyi Zin Soe said that friction between anti-junta forces in the region  particularly those who are not aligned with the NUG  has hamstrung their collective fight against the military.

They kill each other, arrest [each other] and take other actions [independently], so you can see that there is confusion on the ground, he said.

Sai Kyi Zin Soe said that the groups needed to develop administrative systems and build political power, in addition to fighting the junta.

Armed struggle is about the least damage and most protection to the public, only then will the public be able to understand and accept the armed revolution, he said. If you can't create something like that, the situation can't be good.

In the meantime, experts said, the military had largely maintained its grip on power in the central Myanmar regions of Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay  all bastions of the Burman majority  and in major cities.

But they questioned whether that would last, given what they said is the juntas inability to lead, both militarily and politically.

Thai military personnel stand guard overlooking the Moei river on the Thai side, near the Tak border checkpoint with Myanmar, in Thailands Mae Sot district, April 11, 2024. [Manan Vatsyayana/AFP]

A retired officer from Myanmars military, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, put the juntas failure to win on the battlefield squarely on the shoulders of its chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and his generals.

Critical issues that needed addressing, such as troop placement, have remained unattended. Furthermore, there seems to be a lack of strategic movement and defense, he said. I have never seen this kind of [poor] management  in the history of our military."

As the situation becomes increasingly desperate for the junta, the National War Colleges Abuza said its leaders find themselves unwittingly drawn into senseless actions.

Amidst this turmoil, perhaps the most significant victory [for the rebellion] lies in the chaos itself.

RFA Burmese, a unit of BenarNews-affiliated Radio Free Asia, produced this report.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (right), joined by Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele (left), tells reporters in Honiara that he will not seek reelection to the top office, April 29, 2024.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, who gained international prominence after agreeing to a secret security pact with China in 2022, said Monday he would not seek reelection when Parliament votes for a new leader later this week.

Sogavare, who acknowledged that divisiveness had punctuated his term as leader, saw his Ownership Unity and Responsibility Party fare poorly in national elections on April 17, reflecting frustration with stagnating living standards in the Pacific island country of 700,000 people. It will need the support of independents in the parliamentary vote on Thursday to achieve a majority and form a government.

I have been accused of many things but not a single one of these accusations have been proven in court, Sogavare said during a news conference in Honiara on Monday. My family has been subjected to unprecedented verbal abuse. I have been continuously vilified in the media.

Sogavare told reporters that his foreign minister, Jeremiah Manele, would be his political alliances candidate for prime minister. He said the alliance had the votes to form a government.

Sogavares coalition has 19 seats in Parliament as well as the support of another nine lawmakers, he said, while a rival coalition has 20 seats. To win, a candidate must have votes from 26 MPs  one more than half the legislature.

The opposition coalition is led by Matthew Wale, and Peter Kenilorea Jr., son of the Solomon Islands first independence-era prime minister.

Political and party allegiances are more fluid in the Solomon Islands than longer-established democracies and the outcome of Parliaments vote remains uncertain.

Unity is bedrock

The election was the first since Sogavares Cabinet switched the Solomon Islands diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 2019 and later signed a security pact with the superpower. Dissatisfaction with the diplomatic switch culminated in riots in the capital Honiara in late 2021.

Manele is regarded by analysts as a moderate figure compared to the combative Sogavare, who appeared to relish criticizing the U.S. and its allies including Australia  a major donor to the Solomon Islands.

The PM candidate told reporters that unity is the bedrock of society.

Stability provides a necessary framework for progress and transformation, attracting investment, fostering innovation, ensuring peaceful coexistence, Manele said.

Solomon Islands Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele, a candidate for prime minister, speaks to reporters at the news conference in Honiara, April 29, 2024. [Charley Piringi/BenarNews]

In a letter sent Monday to all 50 MPs, the Solomon Islands head of state, Gov. Gen. David Vunagi, said nominations for prime minister would close at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

He said Parliament would convene on Thursday morning to elect a prime minister.

The vote is being watched by governments from China to Australia and the United States as they jostle for influence in the Pacific.

For many observers, the election has been the most consequential for the Solomon Islands in a half century since independence and a referendum on Sogavares embrace of China. The superpower rewarded the nation with showcase sporting facilities for the Pacific Games and funding for members of parliament.

However, going into the election, voters interviewed by BenarNews in Honiara and other areas of Guadalcanal said they were frustrated by the governments ineffectiveness in providing basic services and were preoccupied by the daily struggle to earn enough to get by.

Crumbling roads and rundown health clinics were a common complaint as were high prices in mostly Chinese-owned shops in Honiara. In a village kilometers from the capital, one resident said he hoped the community could get bore water and proper toilets rather than having to dig pits in the ground.

Sogavare told the press conference that the destruction of his family home during the 2021 riots did not waver my resolve to continue to serve our people.

Leadership, he said, has not been easy.
Endo Kazuya (left), Japans ambassador to the Philippines, hands over documents for Manilas acquisition of the TPS-P14ME Mobile Air Surveillance System to Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (second from left) in Manila, April 29, 2024.

The Philippine government on Monday took delivery of a Japanese-made mobile radar system that it says adds eyes to the air forces ability to safeguard the countrys skies amid an increasingly fraught atmosphere in the disputed South China Sea.

Filipino Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. received documents for the TPS-P14ME Mobile Air Surveillance Radar System from Endo Kazuya, the Japanese envoy, and then turned them over to Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreno, the Philippine Air Force chief, at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila.

The radar is a critical component of our [Air Force] surveillance and early warning capability, Parreno said Monday.

Truly, it will play a significant role in bolstering the Philippine Air Forces capabilities in maintaining situational awareness in our airspace.

Teodoro said the radar adds [to] our scope of domain awareness, particularly in the aerial domain.

It adds eyes, he said.

Manila has now received two of the four radars it bought from Tokyo for U.S. $98.7 million in 2020, in a government-to-government deal. The deal includes three fixed radar units and a mobile radar unit, manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

The defense department took delivery of one of the fixed radars in December, and Teodoro said the remaining two would be received in the next two years.

The Japanese radars are being placed under the control of the Philippine Air Forces 508th Aircraft Control and Warning Wing, although the defense department has declined to say where they would be deployed ultimately.

Parreno said the radars would ensure that we maintain a watchful eye on the horizon for potential threats anytime, anywhere, crucial in light of an ever changing geopolitical landscape in the region.

While he did not mention where such potential threats may come from, the Philippines has been locked in a bitter territorial contest with China. Manila says Beijing has often blocked and harassed Filipino supply boats going to an old Navy ship stranded at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal to serve as Manilas outpost there.

The leaders of the Philippines and Japan, along with U.S. President Joe Biden, recently held a summit in Washington and agreed to work together to maintain peace in the South China Sea, which is claimed by Beijing in virtually its entirety on historical grounds, causing friction among neighbors.

Teodoro said that the visit to Manila by Japanese State Minister of Defense Oniki Makoto for the handover of the mobile radar Manila highlighted the increased defense interaction and cooperation between the Philippines and Japan towards the promotion of regional peace and security.

Early warning detection

The Air Force said the mobile radar provides high-resolution surveillance of air and surface targets, enabling us to track and identify potential threats with precision and accuracy.

It can be deployed to different locations, allowing the military to quickly establish surveillance operations in remote and strategic areas.

The Air Force also said the mobile radar significantly enhances the Philippine Air Forces operational capabilities by providing real-time situational awareness, early warning detection, and precise target tracking capabilities.

Jason Gutierrez in Manila contributed to this report.
Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Thailands erstwhile foreign minister, said Monday that he resigned because he could not have performed his diplomatic duties effectively after the prime minister dropped him as a deputy PM through a cabinet shuffle.

In the scant seven-plus months that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisins government has been in power, Parnpree, as Thailands top diplomat, was instrumental in ensuring the release of Thai workers taken hostage by Palestinian militant outfit Hamas after it attacked Israel on Oct. 7.

He was also spearheading Thailands first humanitarian aid delivery effort to war-torn Myanmar since the February 2021 Burmese military coup, which led to a civil war on multiple fronts that has since displaced nearly 2.6 million people.

Being removed as deputy PM while being retained as foreign minister was a little unusual, Parnpree told reporters on Monday, a day after the Srettha governments first cabinet shuffle was announced in the Royal Gazette on Sunday.

In the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is common to also have the role of deputy prime minister to lend dignity when we travel abroad, making foreign affairs operations smoother, Parnpree said.

Now that its reduced to just one position, I think that the work I will continue to do in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may not be as quick and smooth as it should be. I believe that if they think there is someone more suitable, I am willing to let someone else take over.

In Parnprees resignation letter, a copy of which BenarNews obtained, the 67-year-old said that he had dedicated himself to both roles and did not believe that performance was a reason for the change in his status.

Prime Minister Srettha said that Parnpree was being dropped as deputy prime minister so he could focus on his foreign ministerial work.

I apologize if I made him uncomfortable about anything and thanked him for his work, Srettha told reporters on Monday.

I believe that if we need to work across ministries, we can still work as a team holding both positions [deputy prime minister and foreign minister] is no longer necessary, he said, adding that he had begun to reach out to potential candidates for the position.

In the interim, Srettha said that Phumtham Wechaychai, a deputy prime minister and commerce minister, would assume responsibility for foreign affairs.

However, one academic, Olan Thinbangtieo of Burapha university, said he was concerned about the potential impact Parnprees resignation could have on the efforts to address the crisis in neighboring Myanmar.

[S]ociety recognizes that he is a knowledgeable and capable person, and his work has been evident. I believe it will affect the resolution of the Myanmar problem, Olan, an assistant professor at the Faculty of Political Science and Law, told BenarNews.

Parnpree played a key role in initiating the Humanitarian Assistance Corridor project in March and April to provide aid to Myanmars citizens affected by the internal conflict in Kayin state. He had also expressed Thailands willingness to enable Myanmars peace process.

Thailands primary concern is to see peace restored in Myawaddy, not just for the sake of trade relations, Parnpree told reporters on April 12, while on a visit to the border region.

If the various groups in Myanmar can engage in talks among themselves, Thailand would be pleased and ready to act as a mediator and coordinate efforts.

Around two months ago, the Myanmar government introduced new conscription regulations, prompting some citizens to flee to Thailand to avoid being drafted.

The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Karen National Union (KNU), and the Peoples Defense Force (PDF) launched a major offensive, declaring control over Myawaddy, a strategically important town near the Thai border.

Meanwhile, in the weekends cabinet shuffle, Prime Minister Srettha removed himself as finance minister.

Every period that we manage the country, there is a need, a demand for problem-solving which necessitates personnel changes, he told reporters on Monday.

Its not just the executive branch  the legislative branch also needs adjustments to ensure that the most suitable or knowledgeable people are in charge. It does not mean that those who are moved lack the ability to manage.

Jon Preechawong in Bangkok contributed to this report.
On Sunday, small towns in Oklahoma began a long cleanup after tornadoes flattened homes and buildings and killed four people, including an infant, widening a destructive outbreak of severe weather across the middle of the United States.

According to state officials, punishing storms that started late Saturday in Oklahoma damaged a rural hospital, flooded roads, and at one point cut off electricity to over 40,000 customers.

In Sulphur, a town of about 5,000 people south of Oklahoma City, a tornado caused extensive damage, tearing off the roofs of houses and crumpling many downtown buildings.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said while visiting the hard-hit town that it seemed like every business downtown had been destroyed.

About 30 people were hurt in Sulphur, some of whom were inside a bar when the tornado made landfall, the Associated Press reported.

The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said that around 100 injuries were recorded by hospitals throughout the state.

Mike Dockrey, the director of Hughes County Emergency Management, told KOCO-TV that one of the dead was an infant.

According to the White House, President Joe Biden spoke to Stitt on Sunday and gave his entire support.

Dozens of recorded tornadoes have wreaked havoc in the middle of the country since the fatal weather on Friday in Oklahoma. In Pottawattamie County, Iowa, authorities announced on Sunday that a man who had been badly hurt in a tornado on Friday had passed away.

Authorities said that the tornado started in a city park and tore through the downtown area, flipping cars and tearing off the walls and roofs of brick structures.

Sulphur resident Kelly Trussell said as she observed the damage, "How do you rebuild it? This is complete devastation."
BENNINGTON  As part of the Basement Music Series, Vermont Arts Exchange (VAE) is excited to present a night of brass-fueled, swinging music of New Orleans with the Soggy Po' Boys, at 7 p.m. Friday at the Mount Anthony Union (MAU) High School Auditorium, 301 Park St. in Bennington.

This concert is free and open to the public.

VAE puts on this concert to celebrate 30 years as a nonprofit community arts organization, committed to arts education and empowering youth through music. As part of this special concert, VAE has partnered with the Soggy Po' Boys to hold a day-long school residency with both Arlington Memorial High School and the MAU music departments during the day. Students will work alongside the seven talented musicians and break out into sessions in percussion, voice and instrumental ensembles.

As part of the evening experience, students will join the band onstage for a few songs and surprises for the audience. Vermont Arts Exchange director Matthew Perry said, This part of the evening will be fun because it will not be rehearsed. The energy will be high and the students onstage will be learning a lot about improvisation and performing, all in front of a live audience. Well, fun for us.

Piano player Mike Effenberger said of the workshops, Half of the members of this band are music educators as well as musicians, so we're all eager to keep an ear out for ways to spread the news to generations to come. It's a living tradition and we hope these kids will carry on appreciating and playing it. Seeing a student who wasn't yet sure about improvisation or jazz suddenly imprint on this side of music is really great for all of us.

For over 12 years, the Soggy Po' Boys has been delighting audiences around New England and abroad with the band's approach to the rich musical sounds of New Orleans. The band name refers to the iconic New Orleans po boy sandwich.

The band plays New Orleans-style music that, in some ways, defies description. Theres an infusion of Caribbean undercurrents and the band's albums also carry the funk tag on Bandcamp, but neither of those descriptors will be helpful in anticipating its sound. The band members are careful to refer to what they play as New Orleans music and not New Orleans jazz, to make space for the funk, brass, and Caribbean influences.

The band features Stu Dias on vocals and guitar, Eric Klaxton on clarinet and soprano sax, Josh Gagnon on trombone, Nick Mainella on tenor sax, Mike Effenberger on piano, Brian Waterhouse on drums and Scott Kiefner on bass.

This show is sponsored by CoCard Anderson and Mahar McCarthy Real Estate. For more information, call Matthew Perry at the Vermont Arts Exchange at 802-379-3763.
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BENNINGTON  After the March town meeting elections, the Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District board was left with three vacancies, but those have now been filled.

Joining the board last month were Ricardo Wilson of Shaftsbury, Stephanie Senecal of Woodford, and former longtime school board member Cindy Brownell of Pownal, who had retired from the board in 2022.

Im very happy that all of the SVUESD Board seats are now filled, and grateful for Stephanie, Cindy, and Ricardos willingness to share their time in doing this important work, board Chairman Christopher Murphy said.

All three were appointed by the board to one-year terms through the next school election in March 2025.

RICARDO WILSON

Our family feels so fortunate to have landed in Vermont for our sons education, and I look forward to contributing my voice and experience as we collectively respond to the challenges and opportunities that are present here in our community, Wilson said in an email.

Wilson is the parent of a first grade student at Shaftsbury Elementary and an associate professor of English at Williams College.

He is also the director of Outpost, a residency and arts advocacy organization for creative writers of color from the United States and Latin America.

His last book, An Apparent Horizon and Other Stories, was selected as a finalist for the Vermont Book Award. And most recently, he was the recipient of a Creation Grant from the Vermont Arts Council to finish work on his forthcoming novel Even Worse Than the Nightmare.

STEPHANIE SENECAL

Senecal said she has worked with children for more than a decade, and she has one son who attended the Woodford Hollow Elementary School and another son who is enrolled there now.

I work for Easterseals, Senecal said. We are actually contracted by the [state] Department of Children and Families, Family Services Division, so we work closely with kids involved with DCF.

She added, We do a variety of services  preventative work, through meetings and care coordination; family support work, and some work with kids that are in foster care. We have a varied of roles.

Easterseals in Bennington recently relocated to Main Street but was formerly housed in the Department of Children of Families space at the state office building on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Senecal said she worked for Easterseals for more than a decade and previously interned for the Department of Children and Families while working toward her bachelors degree in social work at Brescia University in Kentucky.

She grew up in Shaftsbury and graduated from Mount Anthony Union High School in 2005 and now resides in Woodford.

Senecal said she applied for the elementary school board opening after being encouraged by a couple of teachers, including current school board member Sandy Foster of Pownal, a former Woodford Elementary School principal.

CINDY BROWNELL

From the time I was [off the board] there was only one person representing Pownal, Brownell said. Were allowed two.

Brownell decided against running for another term in 2022. She had served for 21 years on the former Pownal School District Board as well as with the regional elementary board, which merged the town districts in 2019.

She had served as chairwoman of the Pownal district board for 19 years and as vice-chairwoman of the region board before stepping down.

Brownell said she has no specific goals in serving again on the elementary school board but added, I just think the district needs two [Pownal] members to watch out for the children. Sandy [Foster] is doing a good job by herself ... But with so many years of my time with that school [Pownal Elementary] I just felt I should accept.

She added, Im only on for a year, and Ill decide at the end of the year what Im going to do. And in the meantime, Im going to try to find someone younger to step forward. Its so important to represent your school.

Brownell is the wife of Nelson Brownell, the current Bennington-1 House district representative in the state Legislature.
This Story in History is selected from the archives by Jeannie Maschino, The Berkshire Eagle.
At an Arbor Day celebration Sunday, the city honored Robert Presutti Sr.  one of its most prolific arborists and volunteers
Not only did police not have proper "context" about the book when they received the allegations, they were given consent to look for it by both the superintendent and the teacher, the investigators wrote.
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Initiative aims to empower nascent startups, building on YEAs commitment to upscaling and mentoring the young entrepreneurs

The Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA) and Magnifiq Capital Trust partnered with Dr A Velumani to invest upto Rs 50 crore in Indian startups, handpicked and mentored by the latter.

Dr Velumani, creator of Thyrocare, as jury and investor in StartUp Tamizha, brings his vast experience and expertise as he plans to select, invest and guide the young companies with a potential to scale.

The announcement was made at YEAS Annual General Meeting held on April 27th in Hyderabad, and reflects the organisation's ongoing effort to drive advancements in the startup ecosystem.

Seed-stage companies innovating in these fields are encouraged to apply. The application process involves a detailed proposal submission, where the applicants will undergo a thorough review, ensuring a fair and insightful selection process for prospective recipients.

YEA's history includes impactful investments in unlisted IPO shares in startups like Bira and Boat, and the association continues to provide one-on-one mentorship from YEA's members, many of whom are first and second-generation entrepreneurs. These mentors come from a plethora of industries, ensuring startups receive a wealth of knowledge and tailored advice.

Founded in 2012, YEA is an influential part of Hyderabads business scene, drawing members aged 25 to 45. The organization holds monthly meetings with around 85 entrepreneurs, emphasising a commitment to family-oriented business values. Members range from first to fourth generation entrepreneurs, contributing to a legacy of innovation and tradition.
A Texas man killed his wife by setting her on fire and then burned to death after the fire spread through their home in a horrific murder-suicid, according to authorities.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office says it happened early Monday on the 6500 block of Desert Rose Ln. in Houston. Just before 2 a.m., deputies found the house in flames, and discovered the couple shortly after battling the blaze.

The sheriff's office says both died at the scene in what they are calling a domestic incident. Two adult children at the home were being checked out by EMS but appeared to be unharmed in the incident.

Update: the female has been identified as Tuybach Ho (58) and the male as Tien Trinh (62). At this time, investigators believe the husband acted alone in the killing of his wife and believe the husband died inside the home due the fire he had set. Addtl injuries to the wife

1/2 https://t.co/ghOLeBWXt8  Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) April 29, 2024

The woman who died was identified as Tuybach Ho, 58, and her husband Tien Trinh, 62.

At this time, investigators believe Trihn acted alone. They said an autopsy would confirm if Ho was attacked before the fire.

The two sons, 21 and 28, had woken up to their mother's screams and found her covered in flames in the garage, KPRC-TV reported.

The adult children tried putting out the flames but had to run outside as the flames spread.

Moments later they reportedly heard their father screaming from inside the garage. They are said to be cooperating in the investigation.

Deputies say a lighter was found nearby the father.

No other details were immediately available.
Collaboration will see Sehgal Path Lab rebranded as Neuberg Sehgal Path Lab

Neuberg Diagnostics, one of the top 4 pathology laboratory chains in India, with more than 200 labs and 2000+ collection centres and having a presence in India, South Africa, UAE, and the USA has joined forces with Sehgal Path Lab in a strategic joint venture aimed at enhancing the Haemato-Oncology segment.

Sehgal Path Lab has garnered acclaim for its exceptional services in the field of haematology. The collaboration will see Sehgal Path Lab rebranded as Neuberg Sehgal Path Lab soon, aligning with Neuberg's commitment to delivering superior diagnostic solutions.

Dr Kunal Sehgal, a nationally acclaimed haematopathologist, will continue to lead as the Managing Director and Chief Pathologist of the joint venture (JV).

Dr Sehgal's expertise and leadership will be instrumental in driving the expansion of the laboratory into a Global Centre of Excellence for the Haemato-Oncology segment, with a specific focus on Flow Cytometry Assays, Bone Marrow examination and developing a Myeloma Speciality Laboratory.

Speaking about the JV, Dr GSK Velu, Chairman and Managing Director, Neuberg Diagnostics said, With four entities based in Mumbai and AG Diagnostics, a Neuberg subsidiary, in Pune, Neuberg has significantly bolstered its presence in Maharashtra. This strategic consolidation reaffirms Neuberg's leadership position in Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh, while paving the way for further growth and innovation in Maharashtra's healthcare landscape."
A school police officer in Florida was arrested after her 3-year-old son found her gun and shot himself in the foot, authorities said.

The Homestead Police Department said officers responded to a report of a self-inflicted gunshot at a residence on Southeast 26th Terrace in Homestead, south of Miami, shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday. The boy was airlifted to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital and was in stable condition.

The boy's mother, 25-year-old Stephanie Alondra Jerez, was identified as a Miami-Dade Schools Police officer. The gun found by her son was not her department-issued service weapon, but a personally owned gun, according to Homestead Police.

Jerez told police she was making food in the kitchen when she heard the shot and saw her son was injured. She said she stores the gun away from her son, but the Glock 9mm handgun was on the kitchen counter when officers arrived at the home, and there was no holster or secure gun case nearby.

"The Homestead Police Department takes cases involving child endangerment very seriously, and we are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children in our community," police said in a statement. "The Homestead Police Department urges all gun owners to securely store firearms and to educate themselves and their families about gun safety."

Jerez was arrested and charged with child neglect with great bodily harm. She was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $5,000 bond.

At a court appearance on Monday, a judge said Jerez would be allowed to be around her son unless the Florida Department of Children and Families orders otherwise. The judge also said, however, that she would not be permitted to have guns in her home with children present, and would not be allowed to carry a gun unless it was for work.

The Miami-Dade Schools Police Department said it relieved Jerez of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

-- with reporting by TMX
The relationship between Britain and Ireland is strong enough to deal with a dispute over new legacy laws, the Northern Scretary has said.

From Wednesday, responsibility for dealing with hundreds of unresolved Troubles cases will pass to a new truth recovery agency, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

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The British government's Legacy Act includes a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to those who co-operate with the new body.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin. Photo: Yui Mok/PA

The legislation has been opposed by all Northern political parties as well as victims organisations.

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The Government has also launched an interstate case against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights.

In addition, a judge at Belfast High Court ruled that the provision for conditional immunity was not compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The British government is appealing against that finding.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris discussed the row with Tanaiste Micheal Martin at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in London on Monday.

Mr Martin said he understands the UK governments concerns about the interstate case against new legacy laws.

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He said the Irish Government took the decision to take the case reluctantly, and added: Today I heard the British governments concerns about the case directly  I understand them.

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Speaking to reporters at the BIIGC, he said: Equally, I hope that they understand our concerns and our sense of how we got to this point.

My Government and every Irish government will always defend the central importance of the European Convention of Human Rights to the Good Friday Agreement  the ECHR is integral to the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Martin, who is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, said the Republic had a desire to do right by the victims.

Asked if the Irish Government would co-operate with the ICRIR, he said the State was awaiting the outcome of legal challenges against the laws  which include its own interstate case.

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He said: We intend to have further meetings with victims groups in terms of where they see the situation now.

Our ultimate objective is to do right by the victims and the families of the victims.

As I meet more and more groups, there are younger generations coming through. So this isnt going away, so to speak.

Many of the younger generations of families are very determined to carry on the campaigns and to get resolution, so all of us  and we may have differences in approach  but I think all of us share a genuine desire to do right by the victims and the families of the victims.

Mr Heaton-Harris told reporters that Ireland and the UK are bound to have various political debates.

He added: But Id like to think our relationship is strong enough to deal with all of those issues.

However, the under-secretary of state for Northern Ireland said the interstate case was premature and unnecessary.

Speaking at the same press conference, Jonathan Caine also denied that the Legacy Act was a cover-up and said the ICRIC would provide answers far more effectively and for many more people than current mechanisms.

He added: I would reject completely any suggestion that this is about cover-up because the new body will have access to far more state records than has ever been available to any such body in the past.

Chris Heaton-Harris and Micheal Martin with Jonathan Caine (Yui Mok/PA)

What we are trying to do here is deliver as much information and as many answers as possible to those victims and survivors who actually want them and, of course, join this process.

Ive never shied away from the fact that there will be some things that emerge that are difficult for the UK government and the British state.

Therell be things emerge which are very difficult for paramilitaries and former paramilitaries as well, but the intention behind this legislation is to allow victims to get more answers, more information against the backdrop where the current mechanisms work for a very small minority of people in Northern Ireland  and the chances this far on of successful criminal prosecutions is going to be vanishingly rare.

The Northern Secretary also defended the establishment of the ICRIR as a move in an important direction.

Mr Heaton-Harris said the new body would have a huge budget.

Mr Martin told reporters there was discussion about a number of legacy issues including the Dublin-Monaghan bombings as well as the killings of Sean Brown and Pat Finucane.

He added that the Government would fully co-operate with the UKs Omagh bombing inquiry, amid calls for tandem public inquiries in both jurisdictions.
A retired Norwegian detective who examined the conduct of police investigations during the Troubles has expressed concern at big gaps in many cases.

Kjell Erik Eriksen, a former detective superintendent in Norway, was part of an international panel that spent a year assessing state actions during the conflict.

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The report from the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights claimed there was a widespread, systematic and systemic practice of protecting security force members from any sanction for wrongdoing.

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The panel probed allegations that the British state engaged in collusion with paramilitaries and also blocked proper police investigations into conflict-related killings to protect security force members and agents implicated in crime.

The investigation was commissioned by the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) and the Pat Finucane Centre (PFC).

The report  titled Bitter Legacy: State Impunity in the Northern Ireland Conflict  cited a significant disparity in prosecutions between paramilitaries and state actors as evidence there was a system of impunity for security forces involved in Troubles crimes.

Mr Eriksen said one of the major challenges in conducting the assessment was lack of access to original RUC case files.

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The expert panel during the launch of the report, at the St Comgalls community hub in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA)

He said the panel relied on official documents and information in reports produced by bodies such as the Police Ombudsman and now defunct Historical Enquiries Team (HET).

The main findings were that the investigations, especially in the 70s and 80s, were of poor quality, he said.

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There were large gaps in the investigation. Lines of inquiry were not followed up.

For example, if you had a suspect, they didnt search the home; if there was a murder scene, they didnt compare the blood with suspects and so on.

It was big gaps in a lot of these investigations. Poor quality.

In suspect interviews, there was no challenge. Some of the interviews there were only five or six questions, they lasted for 20 to 30 minutes.

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Arrests were also an issue. There was delaying arrests for a long, long time, maybe a year, or no arrests at all, even though they had suspects.

So we concluded there was poor, poor quality in the investigations.
Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill has called for a thought-out response to people who seek asylum in Ireland after travelling from the UK.

The Government claimed there has been a shift in migration patterns into Ireland in recent months and that the number of migrants crossing from Northern Ireland was higher than 80 per cent.

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UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has said claims the UKs Rwanda plan is causing an influx of migrants into Ireland show its deterrent effect is working.

Ministers want to send asylum seekers coming to the UK on a one-way flight to the east African nation, with the aim of deterring others from crossing the English Channel on small boats.

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The Irish Government is to introduce legislation in response to an Irish High Court ruling last month that Irelands designation of the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

Sinn Fein vice president Ms ONeill said neither Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin nor Minister for Justice Helen McEntee had yet been in contact with her about planned legislation on asylum seekers arriving in Ireland from the UK.

I am the First Minister in the north and I have yet to hear from the Taoiseach or the Tanaiste or the Justice Minister, she said in Dublin on Sunday.

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To me, that highlights, maybe even underlines, how disorganised they are in dealing with this issue.

Policy responsibility for migration and immigration sits with the British government, Im aware that Helen McEntee is to meet (Home Secretary) James Cleverly over the course of the next 24-36 hours.

Theres also a British-Irish intergovernmental conference this week, this is the forum in which these issues need to be addressed.

This is the forum in which there should be a solution coming out the other end, but a thought-out solution, an actually considered solution, a human rights compliant solution, and we look forward to (that) over the next couple of days.

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Ms ONeill was speaking at a launch of the partys local, European and Limerick mayoral election campaign in Dublin.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said any proposal has to be properly resourced (Niall Carson/PA)

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, who was also at the event, argued that cross-border migration means Ireland should reject a newly-revealed overhaul of EU laws on migration and asylum.

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We now hear that the Government has plans to address the issue of those who have claimed asylum in Britain and who then move on to the island of Ireland, Ms McDonald said on Sunday.

We want to see what those plans are. Clearly, there has to be an efficient way of managing all of this.

By the way, life has to continue on the island  people have to come and go to work, business and commerce has to flow. I dearly wish that we didnt have a border on the island. Sadly, for now anyway, we do.

So, ordinary life has to go on as normal. And then we need a plan that is resourced and delivered to deal with this issue.

I hear that they are saying that they will now have accelerated procedures for people who are making a claim. I think that would be very welcome but Im conscious also weve heard commitments like this before and they havent been delivered on.

Asked about plans to overhaul the EUs migration system, Ms McDonald said: I think the turn of events and the specific set of circumstances that we have to deal with on the island of Ireland actually argue against signing up to the EU migration pact lock, stop and barrel.

Unlike other European jurisdictions, we have to deal with our next-door neighbour of Britain and we have to have the flexibility and the capacity to manage that.
Over 4,016 nurses were assaulted between January 2023-February 2024 according to new figures obtained by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

"On Workers Memorial Day we remember colleagues who died while going to work. One death in the workplace is one too many", said INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha.

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This day is also a day to reflect on how we can limit the number of injuries in the workplace. Far too many nurses and midwives are assaulted in the workplace, over 4,106 nurses were verbally, physically or sexually assaulted in their workplace last year.

"We know that this is a conservative figure as many nurses and midwives do not report these incidents, not indeed do their employers.

The HSE as an employer needs to radically shift its focus when it comes to the safety of its employees. Our members, the majority of whom are women, need to know that they can go about very difficult jobs of treating patients in a safe manner without having to worry about their own safety.

"Too many of our members have had career-ending or career-changing incidents happen to them in the line of their work through no fault of their own. Far too often it is the overcrowded conditions that they are working in that is to blame."

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The figures come as 506 patients are on trolleys in hospitals across the country.

University Hospital Limerick once again has the highest number of patients without a bed, with 123 patients on trolleys. 53 of those patients are in the emergency department.

University Hospital Galway has 51 patients without a bed, with 41 people in the emergency department. Cork University Hospital has 45 patients on trolleys, with 38 in ther emergency department.
Rishi Sunak rejected the idea of accepting the return of asylum seekers from the Republic amid concerns the British governments Rwanda policy was driving the flow of migrants across the Border with the North.

The British prime minister said he was not interested in any sort of returns deal if the European Union did not allow the UK to send back asylum seekers who had crossed the English Channel from France.

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The issue has been highlighted after the passage of the UK governments Rwanda legislation, which paves the way for asylum seekers to be sent on a one-way trip to the African nation.

Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Tanaiste Micheal Martin discussed the impact of the Rwanda policy during talks in London. Photo: Yui Mok/PA

The British government has hailed the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme, which is intended to help stop small boat crossings from France.

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But as a knock-on effect, the Minister for Justice has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from the North is now higher than 80 per cent due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

The issue was discussed by the Irish and British governments at high-level talks in London on Monday.

The Government has proposed new legislation to make it easier to send migrants to the UK, effectively reversing a High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe third country for returning asylum seekers because of the Rwanda plan.

But Mr Sunak told ITV News there was no desire in Westminster to accept asylum seekers back from Ireland.

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Were not interested in that. Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

Of course were not going to do that.

Pleased to be in London today for the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference.



Constructive and wide ranging discussions on many issues, including legacy, political stability, migration and security cooperation. pic.twitter.com/0s5bndLaR2 Advertisement  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 29, 2024

Asked whether there were any negotiations with the EU on returns, he said: No, Im focused on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running.

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At a joint press conference in London, Tanaiste Micheal Martin and Northern Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris sought to play down any rift over the issue.

On the Rwanda scheme, Mr Heaton-Harris said: The UKs new deterrent is clearly working and having some impact already.

An impact that will obviously increase as the first flights take off for Rwanda.

He added: We will obviously monitor all this very closely and continue to work with the Irish Government on these matters.

Mr Heaton-Harris said there was no way that we would want to upset our relationship with Ireland.

There was a joint commitment to protect the common travel area from abuse, he added.

The British cabinet minister said while the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme was anticipated we are slightly surprised that it manifested itself so quickly after the Act became law.

And he said he was comfortable with the Irish Governments proposed legislation, which he said was just resetting the legal position following an Irish High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe country.

Mr Martin highlighted the need for international action to curb irregular migration.

And he acknowledged that any agreements on returns would have to be mutual and reciprocal.

Elsewhere, a postponed meeting between James Cleverly and Irish justice minister Helen McEntee was postponed.

The Home Secretary and Ms McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Minister for Culture Catherine Martin said the meeting was postponed due to a genuine diary clash.

Ms McEntee has claimed last week that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80 per cent due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Meanwhile, English Channel crossings continued on Monday and British government figures showed that more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

Some 500 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24 per cent higher than this time last year and 7 per cent higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday but groups of migrants were pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Monday amid sunny, breezy and clear weather conditions at sea.

Labours David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the British shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.
A claim by the Minister for Justice that 80 per cent of asylum seekers are coming into the Republic from the North is not based on data, evidence or statistics, the Tanaiste has said.

Micheal Martin made the remarks after Helen McEntee last week claimed the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the State is now higher than 80 per cent following a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

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The figure has since been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations.

It comes as UK and Irish ministers are meeting in London following a fall-out over migrants travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland and into the Republic.

Helen McEntee had said the number of asylum seekers crossing into the Republic was now higher than 80%. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA

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Asked about the evidence for the claim on Monday, Mr Martin said it was clear from the presentation of migrants that there was a change in where they came from.

He added that the Department of Justice had a perspective that there had been an increase in the number of arrivals through Northern Ireland.

Speaking to reporters at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, Mr Martin said: On the 80 per cent and the evidence: Over a while, I think the Department of Justice officials would say  and its not statistical, its not a database or evidence base  but it is very clear from the presentations of migrants that theres a change in the nature of where migrants have come from, and thats the sense and the perspective that Justice have on this.

Increasingly over the last year or two, theres been a shift. If you remember, all the earlier commentary was on people coming in on planes without documentation and so on.

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That has lessened somewhat and theres been a switch in terms of the pattern of migration, thats the sense from our Justice officials.

On Friday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said the figures provided by Ms McEntee were based on the number of people registering at the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin.

However, representatives from the Irish Refugee Council and the Committee on the Administration of Justice cast doubt on the figures.

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Taoiseach Simon Harris said the figures provided were based on people arriving at the International Protection Office (Brian Lawless/PA)

Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said: We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80 per cent figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

A person may pass through immigration control and then apply for protection at the IPO.

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They may not want to apply at the airport or port because they think they will be placed back on the flight and returned, putting them at risk of persecution.

Also, a person may also be here with one status, eg as a student, but due to a change in circumstances, like a war in their country, need to apply for protection.

For example, we have supported people from Gaza in this type of situation. This is known as sur place refugees.

@DeptJusticeIRL, as far as we know, have not published evidence to support 80% figure.



Just because a person does not apply at airport, doesn't mean they came through NI.



A person may apply directly at the IPO.  Irish Refugee Council (@IrishRefugeeCo) April 27, 2024

Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, said he is sceptical of the claims put forward by the minister.

When you look at what the Department of Justice said, they said the border wasnt monitored routinely and the 80% seems to be based on the fact that a lot of international protection applications are happening in-country, in the Mount Street office rather than happening at ports and airports.

But theres a broad range of reasons why that would be the case. A lot of people make their asylum claims in-country and not at ports, they dont realise you need to do it at port.

Or take, for example, if someone whos in Ireland, not as a refugee but as a medical student, they werent in need of international protection when they arrived. But then something happens.

Theyre from a very undemocratic regime, a family member gets arrested, gets tortured, gets detained, and they know theyre going to be in a similar risk if they go back, and at that point is the point when they seek international protection.

So, were sceptical. This isnt the first time this type of claim has been made. When the British governments Rwanda policy was launched a couple of years ago, back in 2022, a very similar claim was made that was treated with great scepticism by the ESRI.

[The ESRI] urged that it was treated with quite considerable caution because not only were in-country applications not really indicative of how many people were crossing the land border, but equally there were many other push factors that will lead into increases in international protection applications rather than the UK policy.
UK and Irish ministers are due to meet in London amid an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

Tanaiste and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin is to co-chair a meeting of the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference in London on Monday with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

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UK home secretary James Cleverly and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

It comes as UK home office figures showed more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

It was confirmed on Monday that Ms McEntee would not attend the BIIGC and will instead meet senior officials in Dublin.

The minister looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon, a statement said.

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Ms McEntee has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80 per cent due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said Ireland wont provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges (Brian Lawless/PA)

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the increase showed that the UKs Rwanda plan is working.

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The plan aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland wont provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges.

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and cooperation between the British and Irish governments was not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

When it comes to migration, I do think its important that there is collaboration, where appropriate, between the PSNI and gardai.

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The UK government rejected any bid by Ireland to return asylum seekers unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

We wont accept any asylum returns from the EU via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France, a Government source said.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill called for a thought-out and considered response from both the British and Irish governments.

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Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (left) and Stormont First Minister Michelle ONeill in Dublin on Sunday. Photo: PA.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss emergency legislation on Tuesday that would see asylum seekers returned to the UK.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling that found Ireland designating the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

I will seek Government approval for the legislation to be rapidly drafted so that the UK can again be designated as a safe country for returns, Ms McEntee said in a statement.

My department has been working on this as a priority since last months High Court judgment and I intend that returns to the UK will recommence once the law is enacted.

Mr Martin said: I am pleased to be in London for another important meeting of the BIIGC, the first such meeting since the restoration of the Strand I and Strand II institutions.

As ever, there are numerous areas of mutual interest for the Governments to discuss and I look forward to another productive conference.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Mr Blinken said that he would use his current Middle East trip  his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  to press that case with Israeli leaders.

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Speaking at events in Riyadh, Mr Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive ceasefire agreement that would release hostages held by Hamas.



On his visit to the Middle East, Anthony Blinken said more must be done to get aid to Gaza (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

And, he said Hamas had been presented with an extraordinarily generous offer by Israel that he hoped the group would accept.

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At a World Economic Forum gathering in the Saudi capital, Mr Blinken said: Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel and in this moment the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and ceasefire is Hamas.

They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, were looking to that and Im hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic.

Although talks continue, Hamas has thus far baulked at a series of offers negotiated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States and agreed to by Israel, and even without a deal, Mr Blinken said it was critical to improve conditions in Gaza now.

Were also not waiting on a ceasefire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza, Mr Blinken told Gulf Co-operation Council foreign ministers earlier on Monday.

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We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the US maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks.

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But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza, he said.

We need to improve deconfliction with humanitarian assistance workers. And we have to find greater efficiency and greater safety and deconfliction is at the heart of that.

And, finally we have to make sure that were focusing not just on inputs, but on impact.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and a deadly Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza this month only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them.

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Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved.





WCK is resuming efforts in Gaza, working with our team of Palestinians to feed as many people as possible. Our team is finalizing construction on a new field kitchen in central Gaza named after Damian, one of our fallen heroes. Read more: https://t.co/Tdns2vCovU #ChefsForGaza pic.twitter.com/6VpFlfCLTh  World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) April 28, 2024

World Central Kitchen says it will resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.

The war has ground on since Hamas deadly October 7 attacks on Israel with little end in sight.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, hundreds of thousands more are displaced and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening.

The conflict has fuelled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses.

US support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for US President Joe Biden in an election year.

Mr Blinkens trip comes amid renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider the creation of a Palestinian state, which is one of the Saudis main conditions for normalised relations.



President Joe Biden is said to have discussed a potential offensive in Rafah with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Evan Vucci/AP)

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been warning Israel against a major military operation on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting further north.

Israel has not yet launched such an offensive, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that one will take place, asserting that it is the only way to wipe out Hamas.

Both topics were discussed during the Biden-Netanyahu phone call on Sunday, according to the White House and US officials.

During his trip, Mr Blinken said he would also underscore the absolute importance of not allowing the Israel-Hamas conflict to engulf the region.

The danger of conflagration was underscored this month when a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria prompted an unprecedented direct missile and drone response by Iran against Israel.

An apparent retaliatory Israeli strike on Iran followed.

Although the tit-for-tat cycle appears to have ended for now, deep concerns remain that Iran or its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or Yemen could act in such a way as to provoke a greater response from Israel or that Israel might take action that Iran feels it must retaliate for.
Columbia University could lose nearly $1.6 billion a year in taxpayer money if it doesn't get a grip on the pro-Palestinian protests that led to more than than 130 arrests and sparked a wave of similar demonstrations across the country.

Republican lawmakers have threatened to use Congress' "power of the purse" to punish Columbia for allegedly failing to protect Jewish students from antisemism on its New York City campus, in violation of civil rights law.

Federal funding provided 20% of Columbia's $6.2 billion in operating revenue during the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2023, according to online records reviewed by HNGN.

The flood of taxpayer dollars also served as one of Columbia's three largest income streams, along with payments for patient care at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center and its affiliates, and tuition fees from its 36,000-plus undergraduate and graduate students.

A 154-page report issued by the university's trustees lists hundreds of federal grants and contracts that Columbia received in the form of direct awards and "pass-through" funding during fiscal 2023, the most recent period for which information is available.

The school got cash from 14 of the government's 15 executive departments -- excluding only the Labor Department -- and eight other agencies, including NASA, the U.S. Agency for International Development and National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities.

About $995 million was spent on research and development projects, with the lion's share -- $747.3 million -- provided by the National Institutes of Health.

That spending included $33.7 million for mental health research, $28 million for cancer biology research and $24.4 million for drug abuse and addiction research.

The National Science Foundation provided $108.3 million, with $41.9 million going to operate the research vessel Marcus G. Langseth, which monitors seismic activity.

The Defense Department gave Columbia $59.3 million, including $14.9 million to develop new ways to regrow human skeletal muscles using gene-edited pigs, $10.7 million on vaccine testing and $6 million to create new forms of quantum matter with "ultra-fast nanolight."

The school also received a total of $376.5 million in federal tuition grants and loans, and another $1 million to provide services to disadvantaged students.

On April 23, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., sent a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and other officials about what she called the the "ongoing crisis" at Columbia, where more than 300 demonstrators defied a 2 p.m. Monday deadline to leave an encampment of tents on campus or face suspension.

Stefanik said there was "clear and convincing evidence that students at Columbia have been targeted because they are Jewish" and demanded that the Education Department "revoke any federal funding flowing to Columbia and similar institutions."

Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, schools that receive federal funding must ensure their students aren't subjected to discrimination, including harassment in the form of racial, ethnic or ancestral slurs or stereotypes.

On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., visited the campus in Upper Manhattan with other GOP lawmakers and said that if Columbia and other schools "cannot get control of this problem, they do not deserve taxpayer dollars."

Johnson doubled down on Friday, telling the Salem Radio Network, "We're looking at, very seriously, reducing or eliminating any federal funds at all to campuses who cannot maintain basic safety and security of Jewish students. That's what where looking at."

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala, also reposted a social media photo that purportedly shows pro-Palestinan activist at Columbia holding a sign that called a group of demonstrators waving Israeli flags "Al-Qasam's Next Targets," apparently referening Hamas' military wing, the Qassam Brigades.

"This is disgusting. Any college or university that allows terrorist threats and antisemitic harassment on their campus shouldn't get a cent of federal funding," Britt wrote on April 21.

The Education Department hasn't responded but Cardona last week wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that antisemitism on college campuses was "unacceptable" and that he was "deeply concerned by what is happening at Columbia University."

A Columbia spokesperson declined to comment.

Any effort to cut Columbia's federal funding would involve an investigation by the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights that could take months or years, according to a Thursday report by Politico.

If the school were found to have violated federal law, it would be able to take corrective measures before being penalized, according to Politico, which also said the matter was complicated by a delay in the Education Department's plan to adopt a new rule regarding antisemitism.
Small towns in Oklahoma have begun a long clean-up after tornadoes flattened homes and buildings and killed four people, widening a destructive outbreak of severe weather across the middle of the US.

Punishing storms that began late Saturday in Oklahoma injured at least 100 people, damaged a rural hospital, washed out roads and knocked out power to more than 40,000 customers at one point, state officials said.

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Tornadoes on Friday in Iowa and Nebraska also caused wide destruction and were blamed for one death.

The destruction was extensive in Sulphur, a town of about 5,000 people south of Oklahoma City, where a tornado crumpled many downtown buildings, tossed cars and buses and damaged roofs on houses across a 15-block radius.



The town of Sulphur was hit by a tornado (Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman via AP)

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You just cant believe the destruction, Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt said during a visit to the hard-hit town. It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed.

Mr Stitt said about 30 people were injured in Sulphur, including some who were in a bar as the tornado struck.

Hospitals across the state reported about 100 injuries, including people apparently cut or struck by debris, according to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.

An infant was among those killed, Hughes County Emergency Management director Mike Dockrey told Oklahoma television station KOCO.

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White House officials said President Joe Biden spoke to Mr Stitt on Sunday and offered the full support of the federal government.

The deadly weather in Oklahoma added to the dozens of reported tornadoes that have wreaked havoc in the nations mid-section since Friday.



A car lies knocked over on its side in Sulphur (Ken Miller/AP)

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Another death was reported on Sunday in Iowa, where officials in Pottawattamie County said a man critically injured during a tornado on Friday had died.

In Oklahoma, authorities said the tornado in Sulphur began in a city park before barrelling through the downtown area, flipping cars and ripping the roofs and walls off brick buildings. Windows and doors were blown out of structures that remained standing.

How do you rebuild it? This is complete devastation, said Kelly Trussell, a lifelong Sulphur resident as she surveyed the damage. It is crazy, you want to help but where do you start?

Carolyn Goodman travelled to Sulphur from the nearby town of Ada in search of her former sister-in-law, who Ms Goodman said was at a local bar just before the tornado hit the area. Mr Stitt said one of the victims was found inside a bar but authorities had not yet identified those killed.

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The bar was destroyed, Ms Goodman said. I know they probably wont find her alive  but I hope she is still alive.

Further north, a tornado near the town of Holdenville killed two people and damaged or destroyed more than a dozen homes, according to the Hughes County Emergency Medical Service. Another person was killed along Interstate 35 near the southern Oklahoma city of Marietta, state officials said.



A row of buildings damaged by a tornado in Sulphur (Ken Miller/AP)

Heavy rains that swept into Oklahoma with the tornadoes also caused dangerous flooding.

Mr Stitt issued an executive order on Sunday declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties due to the fallout from the severe weather.

At the Sulphur High School gym, where families took cover from the storm, Jackalyn Wright said she and her family heard what sounded like a helicopter as the tornado touched down over them.

Chad Smith, 43, said people ran into the gym as the wind picked up. The rain started coming faster and the doors slammed shut.

Residents in other states were also digging out from storm damage. A tornado in suburban Omaha, Nebraska, demolished homes and businesses on Saturday as it moved for miles through farmland and into subdivisions, then slammed into an Iowa town.

The tornado damage began on Friday afternoon near Lincoln, Nebraska. An industrial building in Lancaster County was hit, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated, and the three injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.
A previously unseen portrait of Britain's Prince and Princess of Wales has been released in celebration of the couples 13th wedding anniversary.

The photograph by Millie Pilkington shows William and Kate on their wedding day in 2011.

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The black and white image was posted on their social media accounts on Monday and captioned 13 years ago today!

13 years ago today!



 Millie Pilkington pic.twitter.com/lzK6GRT7Ak  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 29, 2024 Advertisement

It shows the newlyweds looking relaxed and smiling at Buckingham Palace after their ceremony.

Kate, who is undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed cancer, married William after eight years of dating.

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The couple are facing their most difficult challenge so far amid the princesss diagnosis, with Kate appealing for time, space and privacy as she continues her treatment.

In an emotional message last month announcing her health news, she praised her husband for his support during an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family.

Wishing The Prince and Princess of Wales a very happy wedding anniversary today!



Their Royal Highnesses were married here in the Abbey #onthisday in 2011. pic.twitter.com/qE4Xx0MDkH Advertisement  Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) April 29, 2024

Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance, she said.

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Westminster Abbey in London, where the couple were married, shared archive footage of William and Kate emerging hand in hand from the church as husband and wife on their big day.

A message on the abbey social media account read: Wishing The Prince and Princess of Wales a very happy wedding anniversary today!

Last year, the palace released a recent photo of the prince and princess to mark their wedding anniversary, showing them on bikes in the sunshine with their arms round one another.

12 years 



 @mattporteous pic.twitter.com/i5xI9kkPl7  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) April 29, 2023

But there was no new image of the couple this year as Kate continues her treatment for cancer away from the limelight.

Kate (42) said in her video message how her diagnosis had come as a huge shock and that she and William have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family.

Louis celebrated his sixth birthday last week and Charlotte turns nine on May 2nd.

Kate announcing her cancer diagnosis in a video message (BBC Studios/PA)

William and Kate released an unedited new photo of Louis straight to social media to mark the youngsters big day to thank well-wishers and avoid the uproar over the princesss digitally altered Mothers Day photo.

Buckingham Palace announced on Friday in a boost to the British royal family that King Charles is to restart some public duties, with his medical team very encouraged by the progress he has made so far.
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.

Dining mogul Chris Lucas of Chin Chin fame will open a 150-seat European restaurant there in the spring.

Chris Lucas, the restaurateur behind Chin Chin in Sydney and Melbourne, will join the Canberra food party when he adds Carlotta to his restaurant stable in spring. The big question is, why have some of Australias big food names chosen now to march on the nations capital?

Earlier this month, Matt Moran swung open the doors at Italian steakhouse Compa, while Manny Spinola, the veteran Sydney restaurateur behind Lolas Italian in Bondi and the stalwart Tea Room at QVB, is already feeding hungry Canberrans at The Marion, on the edge of Lake Burley Griffin.

Chris Lucas is opening a new restaurant in Canberra, his first foray into the nations capital. Eamon Gallagher

Lucas, who will open the 150-seat Carlotta in the heart of Canberra at Scotts Crossing, says hes long toyed with the ACT market, and came close to doing an earlier deal, which was derailed by the pandemic.

The city has competitive advantages that have budding operators licking their lips. Lucas points to its younger demographics, the highest disposable income in Australia and a lower saturation of restaurants to population compared with Sydney or Melbourne.
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Review Eating outAlexandria This gluten-free bakery and cafe is a totally cardboard-free zone Nothing looks gluten-free at Wholegreen Bakerys Alexandria cafe, the third Sydney outlet for founder Cherie Lyden. Lenny Ann Low April 29, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

1 / 10 Bread and pastries are all gluten-free, and tasty too, at this buzzy bakery. Flavio Brancaleone 2 / 10 Berry tart. Flavio Brancaleone 3 / 10 Slow-cooked beef pie. Flavio Brancaleone 4 / 10 Portuguese tart. Flavio Brancaleone 5 / 10 Daily loaves. Flavio Brancaleone 6 / 10 Slice of cardboard cake. Flavio Brancaleone 7 / 10 Cherie Lyden, founder of Wholegreen Bakery. Flavio Brancaleone 8 / 10 Sourdough and brioche. Flavio Brancaleone 9 / 10 Croissant. Flavio Brancaleone 10 / 10 Lemon meringue tarts. Flavio Brancaleone Previous Slide Next Slide Bakery$$$$ If you stand outside Wholegreen Bakery & Cafe in Alexandria, the sun streaming on your back before a window lined with seeded sourdough loaves, fresh raspberry tarts, velvety caramel-hued tiramisu slices and chicken and beef pies with flaky lids of golden puff pastry, its possible the last thing on your mind is gluten-free. Nothing looks gluten-free. Nothing suggests a poor imitation of food commonly made with wheat, rye or barley products. Nothing seems apologetic or falling apart or just generally sad, as was the case historically with items prepared to people diagnosed with coeliac disease, non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, allergies or irritable bowel syndrome. Everything at this gluten-free bakery-cafe thrums with a come-hither marvellousness. Wholegreen Bakerys Alexandria bakery and cafe, founder Cherie Lydens third Wholegreen outlet with counterparts in Waverley and Sydneys CBD, is a year-and-a-half old.

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Berry tart. Flavio Brancaleone Fronting the bakerys factory headquarters, its a hole-in-the-wall cafe stacked with gluten-free loaves, buns, baguettes, croissants, tarts, slices, pies, quiches, sausage rolls, biscuits and toasted sandwiches. In a no-through road, and surrounded by light industry factories, it has outdoor seating on umbrella-shaded wooden bench tables, strong Colombian Connection coffee, tea and cold drinks. The thing to remember here is to pounce. Wholegreen Bakery customers, long impassioned by the variety of products, move like panthers.

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One minute youre admiring yeasted sourdough fruit loaves, dusty with white rice flour and studded with figs and raisins, or bronze-peaked lemon meringue tarts, sunshine-yellow Portuguese custard tarts or pert passionfruit tea cakes with lime and mint icing. The next, theyre gone, off and down the road under the arms of people who knew they had to get in quick. It pays to snaffle beautifully flaky cornflower petal-speckled peach danishes or pillowy, orb-like sourdough and brioche buns, rich, sesame seed-flecked pork and fennel sausage rolls or slow-cooked grass-fed beef pies as soon as you see them. Cherie Lyden, founder of Wholegreen Bakery. Flavio Brancaleone That pie, a 2023 Bronze Medal winner at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show, has a buttery shortcrust base holding onion, sauteed carrots and soft beef chunks in very fine gravy topped with a perfect puff pastry lid.

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Equally lovely is the free-range chicken, mushroom and leek pie, its poached thigh meat, aromatic with oregano, sealed in yet more excellent pastry. You can marvel at this being gluten-free, but the tastes the thing. For anyone who has coeliac disease or is gluten-intolerant, eating these pies  or a roast vegetable frittata slice, a ham, cheese and Dijon mustard toasted sandwich or the dark chocolate and raspberry brownie  is a wholly relieving and/or life-saving experience. Lyden, a trained nutritionist, and brand ambassador for Coeliac Australia, was inspired to create gluten-free baked goods after her daughter, Lucia, who works behind the counter, was diagnosed with the coeliac disease as a young child. Photo: Flavio Brancaleone

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I also got diagnosed in my 40s, Lyden says. I wanted to create really delicious food, beautiful sourdough breads and pastries that Lucia would never get to try normally, because I didnt want her to miss out on anything. I wanted her to live a gluten-free life fearlessly. Earlier this year, Lyden oversaw the Cardboard Cake, a cunning one-off collaboration with advertising agency The Hallway that upended every jibe about gluten-free food tasting like cardboard. Made with chocolate, butterscotch and espresso, and using a bespoke baking tray to imitate cardboards corrugations, it magicked creamy, wafery coffee-cocoa sweetness with the giddy lark of apparently biting into a brown packaging box.

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Croissant. Flavio Brancaleone Dear Wholegrain Bakery, please bring this stout, melty undulating triumph back. Lyden says one of the most rewarding things about founding and developing Wholegreen Bakery food and cafes is watching children with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance eyeing the baked goods with the knowledge they can eat it all. Its more than a bakery, Lyden says. Its a community. People can eat with confidence, theres no cross-contamination and we are Coeliac Australia accredited.

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She says a large part of her customer base is people who dont need to eat gluten-free food. Theres no judging here, no eye rolling, no being told its a fad, she says. From the very beginning, Ive just wanted people to come and enjoy food. The low-down Vibe: Cut-above gluten-free baked goods, from loaves, buns and baguettes to croissants, tarts, slices and pies, plus toasted sandwiches and hot and cold drinks. Go-to dish: Free-range chicken, mushroom and leek pie followed by Portuguese custard tart. Average cost for two: $40, plus drinks.
Liverpool City Council union workers chanted Put some pork on your fork and held up a plastic pig in a protest directed at the regions Muslim mayor last week ahead of a fiery council meeting that ended with police being called.

Tensions between union members and the council reached boiling point last Wednesday when the United Services Union held a protest outside Liverpools new civic centre, protesting against rumoured job cuts.

The United Services Union protest included the chant Put some pork on your fork, directed at Muslim mayor Ned Mannoun. Credit: Michael Andjelkovic

Councillors met for a crisis meeting to address the rumours, during which Mayor Ned Mannoun stood down chief executive John Ajaka pending an investigation, and police were called when union members refused to vacate the chambers.

Ajaka is alleged to have told the mayor to shut the f--- up in a council meeting about staffing last week. He did not respond to requests for comment.
Queensland Rural Fire Brigade Association general manager Justin Choveaux He said the change of local brigades legal status would be the most profound change that has ever happened to rural fire brigades in Queensland and would discourage volunteerism. Right now, a rural fire brigade is an unincorporated association, so its a group of people who come together for a common purpose, Choveaux said. In Queensland, a rural fire brigade has more autonomy than any other rural fire service brigade set up anywhere in Australia, which is really cool  it means that our brigades look different, to reflect the individual community needs. ... Brigades in Queensland all look a little bit different and they have a real flexibility that other states dont have. As of the first of July, they will lose that.

Choveaux said there was a cultural divide between volunteer rural firefighters and professional firefighters in urban areas. The contracts different, right? he said. In the city, you pay your money and then you dial triple-zero and someone comes and fixes your problem. In the country, youve got to fix your own problem and so a rural fire brigade is that empowering organisation that allows you to defend yourself. Under the legislation, those in senior roles in the new RFSQ would be required to have rural firefighting experience.

But the Rural Fire Brigades Association was concerned that, in the new structure, they would ultimately be answerable to professional firefighters in the new Queensland Fire Department. None of them are volunteers, or from a volunteering background, Choveaux said. They dont understand the ethos. Sociologically, a rural fire brigade and a fire and rescue station are oil and water and thats acknowledged across the rest of the country. Choveaux said he was also concerned brigade assets would, in effect, be seized by the state. As of the first of July, every cent any brigade owns will be owned by the state of Queensland, and were talking millions and millions and millions of dollars, he said.

It will all be owned by the state of Queensland, which means the state legally can decide what the brigades can spend their money on or not. Boyds spokesman said: The minister and the commissioner have been clear  local finances and local assets will be used solely for local purpose. Loading Local brigades will continue to be able to access these finances for their own local purposes, he said. That did not satisfy Stalker, who said it would be very limiting to his Samford brigade, given it was mostly self-funded through volunteer fundraising.

Under the new structure, brigades would have access to debit cards to make purchases up to a to-be-determined limit, at which point a request would have to be made at a higher organisational level. Our volunteers have put in the time and effort and they can come along, without notice, and simply withdraw the funds from the brigade, Stalker said. Loading At age 70, Stalker said he was limited to support roles these days and was unsure whether he would be able to continue to volunteer his time under the new regime. We dont volunteer to get involved in politics. We volunteer to help our community, he said.
One of the men arrested at the weekend over the violent home robbery of an elderly Perth couple had been released from immigration detention last November as part of a controversial High Court ruling.

This masthead can reveal Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, is one of three men accused of an attack on Ninette and Philip Simons at their home in Girrawheen, in Perths northern suburbs, on April 16.

Ninette and Philip Simons were assaulted and robbed in their Girrawheen home.

WA Police allege the men posed as police officers and said they had a warrant to search the home for stolen gold.

Philip, 76, said they tied him up, while 73-year-old Ninette, a recent cancer survivor, was allegedly assaulted, telling media she had thought she was going to die.
The federal government and independent brewers are urging the consumer watchdog to investigate the enormous market power of Australias two largest beer products amid claims they are squeezing competition and pushing up prices.

Up to 85 per cent of all beer brewed in the country is produced by one of two internationally owned companies: Lion, owned by Kirin, and Carlton United Breweries or CUB, owned by Asahi.

Co-owners of Philter Brewing Mick Neil and Stef Constantoulas at their Marrickville brewery. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh said a recent report from the parliaments economics committee showed there was plenty of reason for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate the beer industry.

Leigh said competition was good for consumers, workers and innovation  which in this case, meant better-tasting beer, and better versions of new options such as alcohol-free products.
Copenhagen: Finlands national carrier Finnair says it is temporarily suspending flights to Estonias second-largest city for a month after two of its planes were prevented from landing in Tartu because of GPS disruptions.

The cause of the GPS interference that forced the two flights to return to Helsinki last Thursday and Friday was not immediately known, but Estonian officials blame GPS jamming in the region on Russia.

Finlands national carrier said it is suspending flights to Estonias second largest city for a month after two incidents of GPS disruptions last week. Credit: AP

Flight approaches to Tartu Airport rely on GPS signals, said Finnair, which is the only airline to fly into that city.

But there are other navigational tools that can be used, and the airline said it would suspend daily flights there from April 29 to May 31 so that an alternate solution can be installed at the airport.
London: Australian-made Bushmaster armoured vehicles captured by the Russian army have been put on display in central Moscow as part of the Kremlins Western war trophies alongside signs that read: Our victory is inevitable!

The military equipment from Australia, as well as a British Saxon armoured personnel carrier and an American Bradley tank captured during the war in Ukraine, is being shown off at an open-air exhibition in the citys Victory Park district.

A blast-damaged Bushmaster vehicles in Moscow in a display from the Kremlin of its trophies seized on the Ukrainian battlefields. Credit:

The month-long propaganda exercise comes ahead of President Vladimir Putins May 9 military parade on Red Square for the countrys annual Victory Day celebration to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany. Putin is also set to be inaugurated for a fifth presidential term at a glittering Kremlin ceremony two days before.

The federal government has sent more than 100 Bendigo-made vehicles as military aid to Ukrainian forces  each worth up to $2.4 million. Those paraded by the Russians are thought to have been destroyed between Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. Some of the gutted and blast-damaged Bushmasters still bear Australian flags.
Marissa Luck is a senior real estate reporter at Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at marissa.luck@houstonchronicle.com.

Previously, Luck covered commercial real estate in Texas for CoStar News; real estate for Austin Business Journal; energy for Houston Chronicle; and business news for The Daily News in Longview, Wash. Shes won awards from Society of Professional Journalists and National Association of Real Estate Editors, and her byline has appeared in numerous publications nationally. Originally from Hawaii, Luck grew up in the Pacific Northwest and studied international political economy at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. She now lives in Midtown Houston.
I have never met anybody as young as me, he explained. The closest I came was a couple of brokers in their mid-twenties that I met at my aggregator national conference last year. We instantly connected over the fact that we were a good decade younger than anybody else in the room.
Buyer demand in locations where units dominate the dwelling mix  or are a significant part of the dwelling mix  has been rising notably for the past 12 months, said Terry Ryder (pictured above), director of Hotspotting. In fact, our research shows that suburbs where units dominate the dwelling mix are now among the most powerful markets in Australia.
U.S. and Chinese flags are seen before Defense Secretary James Mattis welcomes Chinese Minister of National Defense Gen. Wei Fenghe in Arlington, Virginia (Photo: Reuters / Yuri Gripas)

Following President Joe Biden's recent signing of legislation aimed at bolstering Taiwan's defenses and enforcing divestiture from TikTok by its Chinese owners, China has signaled potential retaliatory actions. The new U.S. laws, which also include significant military aid to Ukraine and Israel, have escalated tensions, prompting a stern response from Beijing.

On Wednesday, President Biden approved a $95 billion aid package, a portion of which is allocated to Taiwan, alongside measures affecting the social media platform TikTok. The legislation stipulates a ban on TikTok in the U.S. unless its parent company, ByteDance, divests within a nine-month to one-year timeframe.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, addressing the media in Beijing, criticized the "negative, China-related" aspects of the new laws and warned of firm countermeasures. "If the United States clings obstinately to its course, China will take resolute and forceful steps to firmly defend its own security and development interests," Lin stated, although specifics of the potential actions were not disclosed.

The backdrop to these developments includes ongoing geopolitical tensions over Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory. The U.S., while lacking formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, remains its most significant international supporter and arms supplier. Taiwan's government has expressed support for the new U.S. legislation, viewing it as beneficial for regional security.

In a direct response to the legislative actions targeting TikTok, ByteDance has indicated through a statement on its Toutiao platform that it has no plans to sell the app. This sets the stage for a potential standoff with U.S. regulatory authorities as the deadline approaches.

During a speech at the White House, President Biden highlighted the broader implications of the aid package, stating, "This will strengthen our security and global security: today is a great day for the country, for Europe, and for world peace." However, this positive framing contrasts sharply with the reaction from Beijing, which sees these moves as escalatory.

The tension around TikTok stems from longstanding concerns about data security and the potential for Chinese government access to information on U.S. citizens. The new law represents a significant escalation in the U.S. government's approach to addressing these concerns, moving beyond mere warnings and placing direct pressure on ByteDance to divest.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a state dinner at the Presidential Palace in Athens, Greece, November 11, 2019.

(Photo: REUTERS/Costas Baltas)

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to embark on a significant diplomatic mission to Europe, visiting France, Serbia, and Hungary from May 5 to May 10. This marks his first European tour in five years and comes at a time when global political and economic security is particularly volatile, especially due to ongoing tensions between major world powers.

The visit aims to bolster China's relationships within the European Union, amid escalating trade disputes and geopolitical tensions. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, the trip is intended to "inject new momentum to the peaceful development of the world" and strengthen strategic communications and practical cooperation with key EU countries.

In France, President Xi seeks to enhance the "comprehensive strategic partnership" between China and France to new heights. This effort comes as bilateral relations face strains over tit-for-tat trade disputes, including Paris's support for a European Commission anti-subsidy probe into Chinese electric vehicle imports and China's subsequent anti-dumping investigation into French brandy.

"China looks forward to working with France to further enhance political mutual trust, solidarity, and cooperation," Lin stated, highlighting the intention to give new impetus to the healthy development of China-EU relations and contribute to world peace, stability, development, and progress.

In Serbia, Xi will meet with President Aleksandar Vucic to discuss ways to upgrade their bilateral relationship. China has deepened its ties with Serbia in recent years, including controversial arms deals that have underscored China's growing influence in the region.

The visit to Hungary is also of notable importance, with China viewing the country as a crucial partner in promoting the Belt and Road initiative and broader cooperation with Central and Eastern European countries. Hungary's role has become increasingly strategic as Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government has sometimes positioned itself at odds with broader EU and NATO strategies, most recently delaying Sweden's NATO membership.

These visits come at a sensitive time when China's stance on global issues, particularly its neutrality claim in the Ukraine conflict and its relationship with Russia, is under intense scrutiny. Last year, Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a "no limits friendship," yet China has maintained a neutral facade regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron has also indicated a nuanced stance towards China, emphasizing last year that France would not blindly follow the U.S. in international crises, particularly in matters concerning China and Taiwan.

The implications of Xi's trip extend beyond Europe, with potential repercussions for U.S.-China relations as well. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently emphasized the importance of "responsibly managing" differences with China during a meeting with Xi in Beijing.

Xi's tour is poised to be a complex balancing act, navigating between fostering stronger EU ties, managing the delicate relationship with Russia amid the Ukraine crisis, and responding to broader international concerns regarding China's global strategy and ambitions.
IIT Madras, organized a prestigious felicitation ceremony and book launch of "100 Great IITians  Dedicated to the Service of the Nation". The book is a tribute to the remarkable contributions made by IITians to the growth of India.



The general impression about IITians is that after passing out they decide to settle abroad. Commander VK Jaitly, who himself is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, wanted to break this perception. He researched and toiled for more than four years and compiled the stories of 100 great IITians who have dedicated their lives for the nation. These IITians either didn't go abroad or even if they did, they came back to their motherland to serve the nation. The IITians featured in this book are from diverse fields like Academics, Industry, R&D, DRDO, ISRO, Defense, Adventure and even Spiritual and Social Sectors.



Six great IITians who stay in Chennai and are featured in the book were honoured by the chief guest, Professor Ravi Bhaskaran, a renowned academician. The six IITians include Padmashri CN Raghvendran, a renowned architect of Chennai who has contributed globally, Srinivasan Vishwanathan, a versatile CXO, Padma Shri Professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala, who has empowered India through technology, Shri B Santhanam, the CEO - Saint-Gobain India and APAC and a renowned name in the industry with his contributions through CII, Prof Sujatha Srinivasan whose work in the field of developing support equipment for the disabled has been acknowledged far and wide and Balaji Sampath who is working with the economically weaker sections of the society in a big way.



Commander VK Jaitly explained that 100% profit from the sale of this book will be used for the upliftment of the society: 40% will go as scholarship to economically weaker students getting admission in 23 IITs, 40% will go for the transformation of Tribal Villages in the vicinity of IIT Kharagpur, 10% for PM CARES Fund and 10% to other miscellaneous social organisations like Youth4Nation etc. Commander Jaitly himself is one of the National Coordinator of Youth4Nation.



The event was organized in the AMM Arunachalam Auditorium at ICSR with the full support from the Director of IIT Madras, Prof V Kamakoti. Prof Devendra Jalihal, Director Designate of IIT Guwahati steered the function in an excellent way and with total punctuality. The President of IIT Kharagpur Alumni Foundation India, Rajah Venkat graced the occasion along with many other IITians, students and veterans from defense services.



The book has been described as a Must-Read for the engineering students and of course for all those whose hearts beat for the society and for the nation. The Excel Publishers of the book have produced a 429-page multi-colour hardbound book.
Lindsey Graves, a teacher at the British International School of Houston, holds her daughter, Lottie, 2, on stage during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Girls perform a dance routine during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Teachers place rose petals on the heads of their students during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Cinco Ranch Junior High teachers, Sheawt Dhoohi, left, and Barbara Jones, right, place rose petals on the head of their student, Sohum Joshi, 12, during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Student Sohum Joshi, 12, places a tilak on the forehead of his Cinco Ranch Junior High teacher, Sheawt Dhoohi, in an act of anointing her during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Lindsey Elementary Principal Robin Stover places rose petals on the head of one of her students, Aarav Singh, 9, during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Student Aarav Singh, 9, places a tilak on the forehead of his principal Lindsey Elementary Principal Robin Stover in an act of anointing her during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Lindsey Elementary Principal Robin Stover smiles as one of her students, Aarav Singh, 9, walks over to her during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Lindsey Graves holds her daughter, Lottie, 2, on stage during a teacher appreciation event called Guru Vandana hosted by the local chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh at Lindsey Elementary School on Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Katy. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Katy students this weekend held a traditional Hindu "Guru Vandana" ceremony, honoring area educators for their contributions.

The Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, a faith-based nonprofit, has organized multiple Guru Vandana (teacher reverence) events across the Houston area from late April to May, coinciding with Teacher Appreciation Week from May 6-10.

Today at this Guru Vandana, we're letting our teachers get a taste of our culture and how we respect them, said Jhansi Kashinath, 12, from Harmony School of Discovery.

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Children from the organizations Katy chapter invited tutors, teachers, principals, and counselors to participate in Saturday's ceremony at Lindsey Elementary School.

Its all about appreciating our lovely teachers, said Tilak Jivani, 14, from Stockdick Junior High School, who invited five teachers. We love this thing because we have all the good food, and the teachers love it too.



Tilak mentioned the growing popularity of the annual Guru Vandana events, sparking interest and questions from the academic community. He also pointed out a prevailing culture within Katy ISD of honoring teachers, such as during the start of Christmas break.

The event featured cultural dances, plays, music, and a discussion on the crucial role of teachers in society.

Six-year-old Praana Sharma from Keiko Davidson Elementary School said she invited two teachers.

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I went up on stage and put tilak and put some flowers, she said.

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I kept thinking about how I wished that all teachers valued their teachers like (the student who invited me) does, said Matthew Thomas, 33, assistant principal at Fulshear High School.

Over 70 educators attended, each taking their turn on stage to participate in the puja ceremony performed by the students who invited them. The students waved a lit lamp thrice, applied vermilion on their teachers foreheads and expressed gratitude with a respectful bow. The teachers showered their blessings in the form of rose petals.

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China lodges solemn representations over Japans provocative inspection near Diaoyu Dao

11:07, April 29, 2024 By Zhang Yuying ( Global Times

File photo taken on a marine surveillance plane B-3837 shows the Diaoyu Islands and nearby islands. Photo: Xinhua

China lodged solemn representations to Japan on Sunday after five Japanese lawmakers reportedly trespassed into waters near the Diaoyu Dao for a maritime "inspection." Experts noted that Japan's action is a deliberate provocation against China, aimed at heightening tensions in East Asia and jeopardizing regional peace and stability.

According to media reports, the Japanese lawmakers trespassed into the waters near the Diaoyu Dao, also known as Diaoyu Islands, for the marine "inspection" on Friday, and they claimed they should land on the islands for investigations.

In response to Japan's provocative actions, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Japan said on Sunday that China has lodged solemn representations with Japan, and the China Coast Guard (CCG) has taken measures against it in accordance with the law.

The Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are an inherent part of China's territory, and China's determination and will to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights are unwavering, the embassy said.

"China strongly urges Japan to stop all political provocations, on-site disturbances and media hype, and return to the correct track of managing differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation to avoid further escalation of the situation," the spokesperson said.

The latest move by Japan is a blatant provocation against China, and is aimed at escalating tensions in the East Asia region, Lyu Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"The Japanese cabinet, in particular, allegedly went so far as to claim [they could] land on the island, clearly demonstrating their intention to provoke China in terms of territory issue," Lyu said. He noted that Japan deliberately wants to worsen the situation in the region, especially as the lawful patrols of the CCG around the Diaoyu Dao have become routine, with the latest one conducted on April 12.

Lyu said that generally, Japanese lawmakers tend to take actions near the Diaoyu Dao during times when Japan is adopting a firm stance toward China and aligning with the US' strategy to form a confrontation with China in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The latest provocation from Japan is a common way for them to divert from domestic conflicts, given the current significant problems in both politics and the economy in Japan," Lyu said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory. China will take firm measures against illegal moves that violate China's sovereignty, and China stands ready to continue properly handling maritime issues with parties concerned through dialogue and consultation and jointly upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea.

"In the meantime, no one should violate China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and China remains steadfast in safeguarding our lawful rights," the ministry said.

In light of Japan's persistent provocative actions, China must firmly take countermeasures and should not tolerate Japan's attempts to stir up tensions over the Diaoyu Dao, Lyu said. "China must consistently assert to Japan and the international community that the Diaoyu Dao belongs to China, and this reality is non-negotiable. China will also take all necessary measures to put an end to Japan's aggressive behavior toward China," he said.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
The Harris County Criminal Justice Center, 1201 Franklin St., is shown Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer

Carol Webber warned that a fellow resident at a west Houston retirement community had gained power of attorney over her and that she was afraid of him in the hours before her death, prosecutors said in court Monday.

Houston police on Friday arrested Clifton Allen, 66, on a murder charge in the retired 74-year-old teacher's death after learning that he was the only one  besides Treemont Senior Living management  who had access to her apartment. The door had been locked from the outside when her body was found, according to charging records that prosecutor Chris Condon detailed in court.

Hes the only person with a key to the apartment, Condon said.

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The two had been dating prior to her death, authorities said.

Judge Brian Warren in the 209th District Court kept Allens bail at $350,000  an amount earlier set by a magistrate  and ordered that he not throw anything that belonged to Webber away without the court's permission should he bond out.

The judge ordered a bailiff to bring Allen into the courtroom minutes before his defense attorney, Allison Mathis, appointed that morning, could reach the court in time. He stood without representation as the prosecutor read the allegations against him.

Police on April 13 found Webber on the floor of her apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. An autopsy revealed she had been shot with a .38-caliber weapon.

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Surveillance footage at the facility showed Webber and Allen in a heated argument over a stack of papers in her hand.

Webber made it to the front desk and told the doorman that she felt unsafe since Allen had recently gained power of attorney over her. She feared Allen would hurt her, the prosecutor continued.

The doorman urged Webber to return to her apartment and barricade the door, he said. She returned to her apartment and proceeded to send a friend several text messages, detailing similar fears and concerns about Allen, before her death.

Police found several financial records indicating that Allen had gained power of attorney over her and that he was recently deemed a beneficiary in her will.

Allen told police after her death that he hadnt seen her for hours and that he did not recall any argument with her, as seen in the surveillance footage.

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Mathis, who met with Allen later on Monday, said the case was still early to offer insight into what happened.

"I have not had a chance to review and investigate the allegations against my client yet," she said.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, left, and Mayor John Whitmire sit together before the mayor spoke the Houston Area Chiefs of Police during a public safety summit at Houston Crime Stoppers on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Houston Police Chief Troy Finner speaks to the media during a press conference about the 250,000-plus cases that were suspended for lack of staffing at HPD Headquarters on Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer

A recent revelation that Houston police used a little-known computer code to drop investigations into thousands of alleged crimes dating back to 2016 sparked a troubling question: Does that mean Houston is more dangerous than city officials have led residents to believe?

The answer: It is impossible to be certain, but a Houston Chronicle analysis shows it is likely that the statistics from those years remain an accurate snapshot of the city's crime rates.

The department dropped 224,000 incident reports for alleged small and major crimes dating back to 2019 due to a lack of personnel, but more than 70% of those were included in the departments crime statistics shared with the public. The remaining 67,000 suspended reports couldve been omitted from the citys crime statistics for several reasons, including clerical errors or that the reports were not actual crimes.

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Weeks after Chief Troy Finners initial announcement about the dropped cases, Mayor John Whitmire appointed an independent panel to investigate the suspended reports, describing the matter as a terrible mistake that manipulated the citys crime statistics for years.

The Chronicle analysis doesn't back up the mayor's claims about manipulated data, but it does show how crime statistics are far from a perfect science. Crime statistics can be fraught with errors, differing crime classifications and persistent differences between federal and state reporting practices.

TELL US YOUR STORY: Help the Houston Chronicle report on HPDs suspended criminal cases

Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Police Chief Troy Finner are joined by Houston Area Women's Center President Emilee Dawn Whitehurst and Deputy CEO Sonia Corrales for a press conference on Monday, March 11, 2024, in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

They should rhyme even if they dont match entirely, said Jeff Asher, a New Orleans-based criminologist and cofounder of AH Datalytics. Certain things will change, like if you have an incident in the system as an aggravated assault, but it doesnt meet the FBIs definition, just the state definition. So theres various circumstances in which the exact numbers dont match.

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Whitmire made crime a centerpiece of his successful campaign for mayor, following a tough-on-crime platform similar to one that elected leaders have ridden into office across the country, regardless of political party.

The dropped-cases scandal gave fresh fuel to something that Whitmire and others asserted throughout the campaign season. Despite widely reported declines in dangerous and violent crime, public polling showed residents remained concerned about public safety. Data also showed an uptick in some quality-of-life crimes like car break-ins.

Houston polices crime statistics are pulled from submissions to the National Incident Based Reporting System, a record management system used by police departments nationwide. The system tracks 62 types of crimes, from minor infractions to sexual assaults and homicides. As part of the program, the city must release logs tracking all criminal offenses in its jurisdiction, allowing city by city comparisons.

Separately, the department keeps its own internal record system, which generally turns out similar crime statistics.

Edward Claughton, founder and CEO of PRI Management Group, which advises police departments across the country on records management, said classifications can get tricky, particularly between the local and federal systems. Most police departments divide things between current case status and final outcome - open, closed, suspended or the victim refused to cooperate, he said.

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Police are only supposed to include criminal offenses in the their data fed to the nationwide system, Asher said, so using an internal record system can help them track incidents that may have yet to be proven criminal in nature.

"Youre acknowledging the things that you dont know," Asher said of the internal system Houston police use. Youre still investigating, youre serving the public. You may not have an answer. That doesnt mean you shouldnt try to get an answer."

About 39% of the suspended cases omitted from the nationwide data were for incidents being investigated, including 1,686 homicide investigations and 788 rape investigations.

Christopher Hassig, commander of the departments homicide division, said many of the investigations in his division dont wind up being a crime.

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"We kind of become the catch-all division for patrol officers, he said. The joke is, when in doubt, label something Investigation  Homicide."

Christopher Hassig, commander Houston Police Homicide speaks to members of the media in the aftermath of the shooting at Lakewood Church during a news conference at police headquarters on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024 in Houston. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer

MORE ON DROPPED CASES: Dozens of DNA matches in sex assaults went unnoticed until review of suspended cases. HPD says

But once these cases are categorized as "investigations," progress can languish, according to the Chronicle analysis.

The earliest such case came in November 2016, and hasnt been touched since July 2018. For nearly 90% of the suspended homicide investigations, officers havent reported any new activity since at least 2022. The department did not say whether it has a process for periodically reviewing its backlog of suspended incident reports to determine if they have the bandwidth to resume investigating them.

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Houston police officials also said last month that some of the suspended reports were civil  not criminal  matters, like insurance claims, suspicious circumstances and other reasons.

Finner first announced the department had suspended cases in late February, launching an internal investigation into the matter that has concluded, though the results haven't yet been made public. He said he instructed officers to stop using the code in 2021, though data shows the number of suspended reports continued to balloon after he gave the order.
CEMEX divests assets in Philippines

Suzanne Starbuck By 29 April 2024

CEMEX has announced that its subsidiary, CEMEX Asia BV, has signed an agreement with DACON Corp, DMCI Holdings Inc and Seminara Mining and Power Corp for the sale of its operations and assets in the Philippines. Once closed, this transaction will further advance CEMEXs portfolio rebalancing strategy.

The assets to be sold by CEMEX Asia BV include 100 per cent equity interest in CEMEX Asian South East Corp, which owns approximately 89 per cent of CEMEX Holdings Philippines Inc (CHP). CHP is the owner of CEMEXs main operating subsidiaries in the Philippines, APO Cement Corp and Solid Cement Corp. According to CEMEX, the purchase price results from deducting from an enterprise value of US$660m the net debt and the 10.14 per cent minority interest in CHP.

Also included in the deal is the sale of a 40 per cent indirect equity interest in each of APO Land and Quarry Corp and Island Quarry and Aggregates Corp, for a purchase price to be paid to CEMEX of 40 per cent of an aggregate enterprise value of US$140m.

CEMEX expects to finalise this transaction before the end of 2024, subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions, including, but not limited to, the approval by the Philippine Competition Commission and the fulfilment of any mandatory tender offer requirement by the purchasers to the shareholders of CHP, including the approximate 10.14 per cent minority interest owned by third parties in CHP.

According to CEMEX, proceeds from this divestment are expected to be used to fund the companys bolt-on investment growth strategy in its key markets, reduce debt, and for other corporate purposes.





Published under
Claire Hao is a reporter on the Houston Chronicle business desk covering the Texas power grid, the clean energy transition and other electricity-related topics.

Claire previously spent a year on the climate and environment team of the San Francisco Chronicle. She has written for the news desks of Bloomberg Law and the Chicago Tribune as well as for the editorial board of the Washington Post. Claire graduated from the University of Michigan.
Two friends who drowned in the waters near Signal Mountain's Rainbow Lake Trail on Sunday evening have been identified.

They were Greffania Merilus, 23, of Cohutta, Ga., and Gullson Elve, 20, of Birchwood.

At 7:13 p.m., a 911 call was made reporting two people who were underwater at the popular recreation area.



Signal Mountain Fire and Police Department arrived on the scene and hiked about one mile down the trail and found a female on land waiting for them.



She told the officials that 3-4 people hiked on Rainbow Lake Trail to the large creek. One female attempted to cross the creek, fell into a hole/drop off and went under the water. A male jumped in the creek to rescue her and he went under the water as well.



Signal Mountain Fire and Police personnel jumped in the water to rescue both victims. They found the female in the water, pulled her out and conducted life safety measures but that was unsuccessful.

Signal Mountain Fire and Police requested a mutual aid response to help assist with recovery efforts to find the male under the water. Waldens Ridge Emergency Services, Dallas Bay VFD and STARS Dive Teams responded to the scene. They were able to recovery the body.



Detective David Holloway, Signal Mountain Police, reported, This is a tragic accident. The family members were not from Hamilton County. They appear to be from Georgia.
In the federal judicial history of the Easter District of Tennessee and its four divisions in Greenville, Knoxville, Winchester, and Chattanooga there has probably never been a judge who could evoke more favorable reactions from the legal community while alive and many criticisms when he was dead than the late Robert Love Taylor.

On August 8, 2023 we wrote a fairly comprehensive article in this publication styled Judge Robert Love Taylor (1899-1987) Was Both Admired and Feared.

In 2009 the late Tennessee Court of Appeals Judge Charles D. Susano published a collection of stories about the jurist in 220 pages by attorneys who had endured his wrath but also shared some of the humorous nature of the 54 descendant of one of the famous families in Tennessees history. (See War of the Roses- Taylor Brothers run against each other for governor in 1886 in Tennessee.)

In The Best Stories of Bert Vincent- Sage of the Smokies (Brazos Press- 1968) the late veteran reporter of the Knoxville Journal News Sentinel shares one of those Judge Taylor stories in a lighter vein in an example of the many unstamped whiskey (moonshine) cases that were prominent in East Tennessee until the price of sugar rose and marijuana became a cash crop that was easier to grow in the woods of East Tennessee:

A fellow in overalls and with red dirt on his shoes was before Federal Jude Taylor pleading guilty to moonshining liquor. The judge put the usual question, as to whether he had anything to say before sentence was passed.

Well, your honor, he began, shifting from one foot to the other, my wifes goin to be pregnant in about two weeks

Your honor! If your honor please..! interrupted the defendants lawyer, jumping to his feet, What my client means is that his wifes to be confined in about two weeks!

Well, quoth the judge, speaking slowly over his glasses, in either case I think he ought to be there. Let the defendant go home and come back for sentence at next term of court.

(He presided over the racketeering and corruption cases involving the governors of Illinois and Maryland, the Clinton school desegregation contempt cases and the initial environmental cases involving the small snail darter species against the Tennessee Valley Authority, wherein young local attorney Hank Hill and other parties sought an injunction to stop the construction of the Tellico Dan which was ultimately decided by the United States Supreme Court.)

* * *

You can reach Jerry Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick makes a statement during opening remarks of the Texas Power Grid Investment Summit, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024 in Houston. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is many things  iron-fisted ruler of the Texas Senate, a right-wing provocateur whos become the new mainstream in state politics, and, as of last week, an environmentalist?

Well, it wouldn't be the first time he's taken on a new title.

Still, it surprised us as much as anyone when Patrick released a letter April 16, pleading with the states environmental regulation agency to halt any new permits for cement production plants statewide.

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Economic development is key to Texas future. It is not yet clear that permanent cement production plants located in close proximity to Texas communities further that mission, he wrote to Jon Niermann, chair of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

What prompted such a bold ask?

A visit to Sherman, a city up near the Oklahoma border where the mayor predicts population could double in the next decade.

There, he heard from community members who were concerned about a new cement kiln, the hulking plants used to turn raw materials into cement in a multistep process with towers and rotating cylinders often the length of 40-story buildings. At a town hall he hosted on April 15, Patrick said the residents were unanimously opposed to the project, which TCEQ had determined met environmental standards.

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The letter itself, though, is tortured. A self-professed free-market lover, Patrick seems truly anguished to have to question a big industrial project that would supply the state with more of the material that keeps us growing. And he seems reluctant to criticize the state agency that critics have long said favors business over people.

I appreciate that TCEQ has a difficult job. You have a formula, and you follow it, he wrote. However, as Lt. Governor, I must look at the bigger picture of what is best for our communities. The survival and strength of our rural communities is vital to the future of our state.

In the end, he asked the agency to pause new permits until the Legislature has a chance to meet in 2025 and provide guidance on the permanent cement production plant permitting process and the location of new plants.

Sounds like a reasonable request. But why did Patrick have to travel to darn-near Oklahoma to get concerned about the harmful consequences of Texas' laissez fair industrial permitting. He could have looked in his own backyard.

Here in Harris County, Patrick could have talked with any number of communities who regularly choke down particulate-filled air around concrete batch plants. That's where companies mix cement with materials like sand and gravel and, depending on the type of facility, water, either at the site or en route to the job, to create concrete.

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He couldve stopped by protests outside the countys subsidized LBJ Hospital, where TCEQ granted a permit to a concrete-crushing plant just across the street. Or heard from residents who fought against a concrete batch plant attempting to locate next to a newly revamped, wheelchair-friendly park. "East Aldine deserves clean air," one sign read at a public meeting about the proposed project where a teacher talked about his students with asthma and a woman worried about the picnics she had with her senior citizen clients in the park.

Cement production plants are hulking intrusions into the fabric of a region but these other types of facilities, though smaller, are still sizable and often noisy operations, leaving their own mark on communities often already confronting multiple sources of pollution here in the Houston area, which has some of the worst air quality in the country. Just like in Sherman, residents here are told that state requirements protect them from pollution. Too often, though, they experience something different.

Heck, Patrick couldve listened to the hours of testimony presented from urban and rural communities alike about the states failure to protect air and water quality during TCEQs recent sunset review, or the rule review process that the agency recently underwent for concrete batch plant permitting that is slowly changing some of this. The changes are important progress but not being implemented fast enough, something Patrick might also want to look into.

If Lt. Governor Patrick is requesting a pause on only cement production facilities, that would be shameful, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said in a statement to the editorial board. Neighborhoods across Texas, including in Harris County, have been dealing with excessive concrete plant pollution for far too long. State leaders have been silent. The lieutenant governor should be creating policy to benefit all Texans, and not just the privileged few who he thinks are worth his time.

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Maybe next time hes out driving the state looking for counties with aggrieved citizens, he can start with his home county, home to more Texans -- and concrete batch plants -- than any other.
When Georgia Northwestern Technical Colleges (GNTC) Yosdel Castaneda receives her diploma in Welding and Joining Technology, she knows that she is helping to forge a new career path for women in that profession.

Castaneda, at 19, was the youngest of eight female students GNTC Welding and Joining Technology instructor Billy Brown had this spring in his class at the Whitfield Murray Campus in Dalton. The Dalton native will turn 20 shortly before she graduates on May 2. GNTCs Spring Commencement Ceremony will be held at the Dalton Convention Center at 6 p.m.

GNTC showed me a career I never thought about and pushed me to be the best I can be, Castaneda said. She was nominated for GNTCs Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL).

Brown characterized Castaneda as one of the most intellectually curious and enthusiastic students he has ever had. He praised her as tirelessly creative.

Yosdels passion extends beyond the welding lab and classroom, Brown said. During the first month of her first year of classes, she showed her patience and desire to learn the trade. By the end of the semester, shed completed all requirements and seemed to be hungry for more knowledge in all aspects of the trade.

Castaneda appreciates receiving the same feedback for her work as her male colleagues do. I want to be the best, and the only way to do that is by knowing whats wrong, she said.

Castaneda said welding intrigued her when she attended a GNTC Industrial Career Day and lost track of time while using a virtual reality welding simulator. Then a Dual Enrollment student at GNTC, she decided to take welding classes at GNTC to explore whether she would like doing the real thing.

Welding fused Castanedas passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) with the opportunity to study in the field of her choice, thanks to Georgias HOPE Career Grant, she said. This grant covers tuition costs in specified high-demand careers at any college in the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).

GNTCs Welding and Joining Technology diploma program, which takes approximately 18 to 24 months to complete. When Castaneda receives her diploma, she will also have earned certificates in Advanced Shielded Metal Arc (SMAW) Welder, Basic SMAW Welder, Gas Metal Arc (GMAW) Welder, Flux Core Arc (FCAW) Welder, Gas Tungsten Arc (GTAW) Welder, Pipe Shielded Metal Arc Welding and Vertical Shielded Metal Arc Welder Fabricator.

The programs instruction also covers equipment familiarity and safety, blueprint reading, fabrication, structural plate welding, joint techniques and an overview of other metals and alloys, such as aluminum and stainless steel, as well as welding in the flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead positions.

This program has taught me every skill from how to turn on the machine to how to drop a bead to get a good weld, she said.

Castaneda said she initially considered being a traveling pipe welder and enjoys TIG Welding, but as she learned more about the field, she realized she would love to do any welding job.

She has attended classes at GNTC since her sophomore year of high school, so she knew GNTC would provide the help she needed to make the best career choice.

Technical education is affordable, trains you for the workforce, shows you all the opportunities available and helps you learn how to do the job the right way, Castaneda said.

Her sister will attend GNTC after graduating from high school, she said.

Yosdel amazes me daily. She is always here and always working, Brown said. She stays five hours after class many days just to practice. She is at the top of the list to send to any company that is looking to hire, Brown said.

Castaneda said she is interviewing now for a job in the welding field after graduation.

She also enjoys dancing, drawing, singing and volunteering, including volunteering for high school robotics team competitions and helping elementary students build robots after school.

Building robots was a distraction for kids if they had bad things going on at home, she said.

She encourages anyone interested in welding to learn more about it because her curiosity about it led her to change her career direction.

Her parents joke that her hobby has become her career, she said, adding how proud they are of her accomplishments as a first-generation college student.

The most important lifelong lesson she learned from her GNTC instructors was never to give up trying, she said.

No matter how many times you fall short, stick with it, she said.
10/12/2024

Theres never anything to do around here! Its early June, 1979, and five young boys in a quiet Chattanooga suburb are already bored with their summer vacation. Ages 8 to 12, these bright and ... more
As Charlotte Bridge Patrick 62 tells it, Its really a God thing. When Charlotte and her husband, Tom, learned their daughter, Margaret Caldwell 91, was moving back to Chattanooga from California with her family, it sparked a series of events that led us to the Friday unveiling.

Charlottes mother, Betty Brown Bridge, was the GPS librarian from 1953-1975. While working at GPS, Betty fell in love with the school and wanted to ensure her three daughtersCharlotte 62, Margaret Ann 60, and Elizabeth 58had the opportunity to receive the best education.

Each went on to get married and raise children, with Elizabeth and Charlotte both having daughters who, too, attended GPS. Elizabeths daughter, Mary Helen 87, graduated with degrees from Centre College and The University of Tennessee, Knoxville before her career took her to Memphis. Charlottes daughter, Margaret 91, graduated from Auburn University and made her way out West, where she and her husband, Winston, grew their family in California.

Last year, Winston had a career opportunity that would allow him to work remotely from anywhere. His extended family is based in Tennessee (Nashville) like Margarets, so it seemed like a natural fit to return to the South. Choosing where to plant their Tennessee roots was more difficult, but Margaret jokes she fought hard for Chattanooga, and said GPS and McCallie were a big deciding factor, since they had two school-age childrenCharlotte and Patrick.

Realizing that Charlotte Caldwell 28, Bettys great-grandchild, would become a next-generation GPS girl had Tom and Charlotte thinking about Betty a lot. She was the GPS librarian for 22 years, and my sisters and I had always wanted to do something to honor her but could never figure out the best way to do that. Thats when Tom and Charlotte had the same idea: a sculpture.

A previous work partnership had introduced Tom and Chris Grubb, a structural engineer. Tom hired me to help with a structural engineering project of his, which is where the connection originated, and when he researched my background, he realized I had attended Furman, where he and Charlottes son, Mike, had gone. As fate would have it Chris and Mike had been fraternity brothers.

Following the work project, Tom kept up with Chris, who, in 2019 discovered a new passionsculpture. (You read that right: Chris has been sculpting for only five years.) When my wife, Sheila, and I moved to Idaho after raising our children, we both took up new hobbiesfor her, ceramics, and for me, sculpture, Chris says. When your kids leave, you have a lot of time on your hands. So this is a new iteration of myself. Its become a passion. Its very akin to my technical career. Its mathematical, proportional, biological.

Tom saw photos of a sculpture Chris did of his own daughter, and he couldnt get over the detail, Charlotte says. So they reached out to see if he would be interested in their commissioning a new statue for GPS, and he eagerly agreed.

From there, Chriss year-long, 680+hour process began. The idea was to create a sculpture of a girl sitting on a bench holding books as a nod to Bettys career as a librarian, and the whole family got involved, including Charlottes sisters, Elizabeth 58, and Margaret Ann 60. There were a multitude of decisions and steps, including selecting the book the girl in the statue would be holding (Little Women) and finding an opportunity for Chris to visit campus to select a site for the sculpture and get a feel for the spirit of GPS.

Of course, Chris would need a model, and who better to fill those shoes than future-Bruiser Charlotte? He visited the Caldwell family in California to get measurements of her face for the piece. But while the sculpture resembles Charlotte, it is meant to more widely represent all GPS girls. Margaret explains, Yes, its in honor of my grandmother, but its also a gift to the school and the girls. We hope they see themselves in it, too.

With that in mind, the sculpture went through a series of possible titles before they landed on Emerging. Chris explained, Because the spirit of the sculpture is intended to embody a soul in transition essentially from innocent young girl to secure and confident woman, Emerging was perfect. The original idea was to try to capture that moment in time where the students are now and where theyll go. They are emerging from one stage to the next.

Upon the sculptures completion, Chris and Sheila made their way from Idaho to Chattanooga with Emerging in tow so Chris could install it on campus yesterday, and today the official unveiling ceremony took place. With nearly 100 visitors in attendance, Head of School Megan Cover welcomed the crowd, and Tom Patrick delivered a special invocation. Charlotte and Margaret spoke about the meaning of the statue, and Chris detailed the process. From there, Charlotte, Margaret Ann, and Elizabeth received the honor to lift the cover and reveal the sculpture for the first time to fierce applause.

When asked why they wanted to give back to GPS, Charlotte summed it up: GPS has been a part of our lives, and we wanted to give something back that we received, she says. Ill never forget sitting on the porch talking to Mother and she said, I gave you something that no one will ever take away. I gave you a good education. She loved her girls going here.
William Donald Don Voiles, 76, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away on April 27, 2024.

Don was born on August 21, 1947, in New Market, Tn., where he grew up. He made his profession of faith at age 10 and was very active in Flat Gap Baptist Church. After graduating from Jefferson City High School in 1965, he attended Carson Newman College. There he earned his bachelor of science degree in Accounting and met the love of his life, Beverly Brazell Voiles. Together they moved to Chattanooga, in 1968 and raised three sons.

Don worked as an accountant until 1987 helping companies transition to computerized bookkeeping, after which he established a long career in heavy equipment sales at Case. In 2001, recognizing the huge potential of the internet as a platform for growth and connection, he founded Industry Equipment Co. He continued to broker construction equipment until his passing. Don was skilled in locating the right equipment and often assisted in finding financing and upcoming projects. He made it a priority to know his buyers needs, expertise, and helpers. Don was known for being a trusted advisor and friend to his customers.

Don, an avid square dancer, epitomized the spirit of community and camaraderie within the square-dancing circles of Tennessee and North Georgia. He was actively involved in multiple clubs and served as a vital link, disseminating flyers, calendars, and email notifications to ensure everyone stayed connected and informed. He was a devoted father and grandfather who could always be found with a camera in hand capturing birthdays, holidays, milestones, and time spent among family. Whether it was a business venture, genealogy, or building and improving their homes, he loved working on projects with his kids. Grandaddy, also known as Doo-dah, never missed an opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren and unfailingly used the occasion to share something sweet.

Don was preceded in death by his father, James Monroe Voiles, and his mother, Mary Kate Churchman Voiles.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Beverly Brazell Voiles; sons, Bruce Voiles (Amy), Carson Voiles (Bethany), and Josh Voiles (Nikki); his brother, Jack Voiles (Judy); seven grandchildren, Jenna, Rylan, Jackson, Travin, Emmalynn, Mason, and Ashlynn; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

He will be sadly missed and will always hold a place in our hearts.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, May 2, from 2-4 p.m. at Turner Funeral Home at Highway 58. A memorial service will follow in the chapel with Chris Coats officiating.

Share your memories and express condolences at www. turnerfamilyfuneralhome.com

Arrangements are by Turner Funeral Home, Highway 58 Chapel, 423 622-3171.
ReElement Technologies signed an exclusive license to use patented Purdue University technologies to domestically refine and sell minerals critical in manufacturing modern, high-tech products for commercial and industrial use.

Representatives from ReElement Technologies, Purdue University, Purdue Innovates and industry have signed a license that allows ReElement to use patented technologies created in Purdues College of Engineering. The technologies will allow ReElement Technologies to domestically refine and sell minerals critical in manufacturing modern, high-tech products for commercial and industrial use. Standing from left are Sangtae Kim, the Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Head of Chemical Engineering and Distinguished Professor, Davidson School of Chemical Engineering; Nien-Hwa Linda Wang, the Dr. Norman and Dr. Jane Li Professor in Chemical Engineering, Davidson School of Chemical Engineering; Mung Chiang, president, Purdue University; Mark Jensen, CEO, ReElement Technologies; Yi Ding, director of research and development, ReElement Technologies; Ben Wrightsman, president, ReElement Technologies; Brian Edelman, president, Purdue Research Foundation; Brooke Beier, senior vice president, Purdue Innovates; and Dan Hasler, founder and president, Hasler Ventures LLC. Purdue Research Foundation photo/Vincent Walter

The license was signed during the Purdue Innovates Startup and Technology Expo 2024 at the Purdue University Memorial Union.

Sourcing rare earth and critical battery elements Rare earth elements are foundational essentials in permanent magnets found in hard drives, electric vehicles, wind turbines and many other advanced applications. Critical battery elements such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese power advanced energy efforts through battery technologies.

CEO Mark Jensen of ReElement said most rare earth and battery elements are obtained today from foreign countries, notably China.

This is problematic for two reasons, Jensen said. First, not having a fully domesticated supply chain poses a national security concern. Second, traditional mining processes used in foreign countries are outdated and produce enormous amounts of pollution.

Jensen said efforts to return rare earth and battery element production to the U.S. have been unsuccessful due to low labor costs in foreign countries.

ReElement President Ben Wrightsman said that even secondary uses and refining of rare earth elements depend on China.

Rare earths are utilized globally, and yet nearly all roads lead from, through and back to China, Wrightsman said. It is imperative that we ensure a global ecosystem and establish independent versus limited-source, single-dependent, refining supply chains.

Wrightsman said this partnership and technology deployment with Purdue will ensure the U.S. can gain a necessary independence for rare earths and critical minerals.

The Purdue rare earth elements innovation Nien-Hwa Linda Wang, a researcher in Purdues College of Engineering, leads a team that developed innovative technologies to separate and purify rare earth and battery elements from a variety of sources including ores, postindustrial wastes and recycled magnets. Wang is the Dr. Norman and Dr. Jane Li Professor in Chemical Engineering in Purdues Davidson School of Chemical Engineering.

The innovations improve upon current industrial methods by using significantly less power and water and fewer hazardous chemicals while generating near-zero waste. They also have a higher extraction yield, higher purity, smaller footprint and higher efficiency than traditional industrial methods to source rare earth and battery elements.

About the license and commercialization ReElement initially licensed Wangs rare earth elements technology in 2021 from the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization. The license agreement signed April 18 significantly expands the fields of use and allows the company to separate and purify rare earth and battery elements from any feedstock material.

The company has developed commercial-scale processes based on the Purdue technologies. It is constructing its first commercial facility in Marion, Indiana, with the expectation to initially hire 40-60 employees, eventually growing to over 250 full-time employees on-site. Production of rare earth elements and the companys first sales are anticipated to begin in late 2024.

What theyre saying Mark Jensen, CEO, ReElement Technologies: ReElement and Purdue technology will ensure that finite resources and associated supply chains are now far more infinite and independent. These are both critical to supporting the advanced energy economy here in the U.S. and globally.

Dan Hasler, founder and president, Hasler Ventures LLC: Our economy and national security are totally dependent on separated and purified rare earth metals nearly solely produced in China. Weve got to get serious about creating a domestic supply chain that ends with final high purity product, and this technology looks to be the enabler.

Linda Wang, Dr. Norman and Dr. Jane Li Professor in Chemical Engineering, Purdue University: My students and I are thrilled that ReElement Technologies is bringing this method to separate and purify rare earth and battery elements to the market. Its impact will be felt not only by industry but by people who care about the environment. There have been a lot of people who have worked with me, from the College of Engineering to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, to funders at the state and federal level. Developing this technology has taken many years, but it is ready for the next giant leap of commercialization.
In 2023, the Bayer Groups three divisions asserted themselves, and in some core areas, outperformed their peers. Thats a sign of vigor and resilience, said CEO Bill Anderson at Fridays virtual Annual Stockholders Meeting. The company has made great progress conducting research into new drugs for cancer and Parkinsons disease, developing new herbicides, and working on its top consumer brands, said Anderson. The soul of this company is alive and well. Thats never been in question to me, he added, joining Chairman of the Supervisory Board Prof. Dr. Norbert Winkeljohann in expressing his gratitude to the entire workforce in recognition of their dedication and commitment.

However, 2023 also highlighted some of the companys major areas of improvement. Bayers CEO stressed that since taking office in June, he had made a point of transparently naming the companys vulnerabilities. Im convinced that a shared understanding of the problems is the starting point to restoring trust, sharpening the focus of our organization, and getting Bayer on track for better performance. Anderson identified four major areas of improvement that we need to work on at full speed over the next two to three years.

First, the loss of patent exclusivity in the companys business with prescription medicines (Pharmaceuticals Division) and the structure of the pipeline at Pharmaceuticals, where the majority of candidates are still in the early development phase;

second, the legal cases in the United States;

third, the companys high level of debt;

and fourth, the bureaucracy, which  as in many other large companies  is slowing Bayer down. Anderson highlighted that the new Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO) operating model will free the companys workforce to pursue Bayers mission, Health for all, Hunger for none, in ways that have the highest impact. Thats a radical shift from the way most companies  including Bayer  are run. And its going to be good for our customers, good for our people, and good for our business.

Three-year process of rejuvenation launched 2024 is the first full year of a three-year rejuvenation, said Anderson. The Crop Science and Consumer Health divisions expect a slow start to the year due to market dynamics, but we feel confident in our full-year targets and the direction of our businesses, said Anderson, and assured stockholders that the company was addressing the four challenges with great urgency and resolve. And well communicate with you about our progress, very frankly along the way. The journey ahead of us will have challenges, but were here because we know it will be worth it  for us, for you, and for the people were here to serve.

Anderson thanked the departing President of Consumer Health Heiko Schipper for his great contributions over the past six years. Heiko, youre leaving behind a great legacy and a business with a strong track record of performance. He was looking forward to seeing where Julio Triana, who succeeded Schipper effective May 1, would take the division in the future.

Bayer met all of the main financial targets for 2023 that were set in the downgraded guidance announced last summer. Group sales came in at 47.6 billion euros, down approximately 1 percent on a currency- and portfolio-adjusted basis (Fx & portfolio adj.). EBITDA before special items decreased by 13 percent to 11.7 billion euros, while core earnings per share declined by 20 percent to 6.39 euros. Following a review of its capital allocation priorities, the company announced in February that it plans to pay out the legally required minimum dividend for three years to reduce its debt. The Board of Management and Supervisory Board therefore proposed to the Annual Stockholders' Meeting that a dividend of 0.11 euros per share be paid for 2023.
In the ancient world, many people suffered a variety of gruesome deaths, such as being eaten alive by animals, hanged at the gallows, or getting dragged across the ground while tied to the back of a horse cart.

While these are brutal ways to die, the most horrendously blood-curdling way has to be death by a volcano.

When Mount Vesuvius spewed forth lava, ash, and toxic gases in A.D. 79, some victims of the volcano may have died after the extreme heat from the eruption caused their blood to boil, which led to their skulls exploding. The effects of the volcanic eruption could be felt as far as 21 miles.

In the surrounding cities of Oplontis, Pompeii, and Herculaneum, there were people who didnt make it to safety.

Anyone who died from the eruption suffered terrible deaths, but some of those individuals met particularly dreadful and grisly ends, according to new research.

A team of researchers from the Federico II University Hospital in Naples studied the skeletal remains of victims that were found underneath a pile of ash in the 1980s.

These people, 300 in total, had taken shelter in a dozen waterfront chambers along the beach in the city of Herculaneum, which was located just four miles from the mouth of the volcano.

When the team first started to analyze some of the remains, they noticed that a red and black substance covered the victims bones, the inside of their skulls, and the spot where they were excavated.

After running several tests on the substance, they discovered that it contained high amounts of iron and iron oxide. These minerals are created when blood vaporizes. The presence of the residue suggests that the victims experienced heat-induced hemorrhage, causing them to die instantaneously.

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People demonstrate against Trump while the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on his claim of immunity from prosecution for alleged crimes committed during and after leaving office, Washington, DC, April 25, 2024. Allison Bailey/Middle East Images/AFP/TNS

Trump immunity

Regarding "Supreme Court will decide whether Trump is immune from federal prosecution. Here's what's next," (April 22): The Supreme Court said it would decide this question: Whether and if so to what extent does a former president enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office.

Guess I must be living on a different planet than the Supreme Court. I dont understand how any of the indictments presented by special counsel Jack Smith could be considered official presidential acts? If the Supreme Court is starting from an incorrect premise, how can their deliberations be pertinent to Donald Trumps immunity case?

The immunity issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible, and this case brought to trial and decided before election day. Even though a convicted criminal is not prohibited from running for president of the United States, I, for one, would not want a convicted criminal to be my president.

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Dave DiCamillo, Tomball

State of foster care

Regarding "Abused Texas foster kids need a lifeline. Wheres Abbott? | Editorial," (April 25): Thank you for getting into the nitty-gritty of the horrible abuses in foster care.

What do we expect when the state offers such low wages to Child Protective Services employees, attracting only the youngest social workers, just out of school, who are then sent to do the hardest job in the state  protecting abused and neglected children? The employee turnover is huge, so seasoned employees are few and poorly paid.

With the enormous surplus in state funds, the governor has no excuse for not solving this problem. But he is busy trying to be the former guys vice president by focusing on the border and on fetuses, while failing live children.

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Keep up your good reporting.

Sally Lehr, Houston

Ukraine aid

Regarding "To pass Ukraine aid, 'Reagan Republican' leaders in Congress navigated a party transformed by Trump," (April 24): On April 22, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 815, a landmark bill that addressed the doubts that our allies and adversaries had regarding Americas powers as the arsenal of democracy and signaled a return to Reagan Republicanism. The bill authorizes military aid to our allies in Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, and humanitarian aid to civilians in war zones. It establishes the ability to seize Russian assets, forces the divestiture of TikTok to safeguard Americans data privacy, and targets fentanyl and opioid trafficking in our communities. This comprehensive bill received strong bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate (Senate: 79 Yea,18 Nay).

Sen. Ted Cruz voted against this bill, explaining in a statement that it was good legislation, but didnt secure the border. However, when a bipartisan committee led by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., brought a border bill to the Senate floor in February, Cruz voted against it.

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Cruz seems to be on extended vacation from his duties to Texans and all Americans, and as such, is a force to destroy the Republican Party.

Maria Marini, Houston

The passage of more aid to Ukraine means the time has come for the U.S. and NATO allies to provide complete air coverage over Ukraine to destroy Russian missiles and drones. This could help result in an end of the war this year, since it would prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from terrorizing the population into conceding.

The greater cost of implementing this technology along with supplying jets, long-range artillery and drones will be repaid with lower costs associated with rebuilding infrastructure, as well as fewer losses of Ukrainian lives. Putin has shown he cannot invade Ukraine quickly, but he can continue to lob missiles and drones, so we must help Ukraine with complete air cover and aggressive weapons that can eliminate the locations from which the attacks originate. Let's end the war this year with our technical and military superiority and not worry that Putin will attack NATO; he does not have that military strength. Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy called the Soviet bluff. Now it is time to call the Russian bluff!

John Martinez, Houston

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Pick and choose

Regarding "Council members clash over Prop A rules, saying they put Houston at risk of 'dictatorial' mayors," (April 23): Thanks to the Chronicle for this article. This is a naked attempt by Mayor John Whitmire to nullify a vote that was approved by over 83% of the voters in the recent city elections. The same voters also elected Whitmire as mayor. Should his election also be sent to a "committee"?

The mayor does not get to choose which election results he wants to honor. It sure looks like the same voter nullification that is widely practiced by the likes of Gov. Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton et al., is being attempted by former state Sen. Whitmire.

Thomas Temple, Houston

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This 32-year-old man and his 32-year-old wife have a 2-month-old daughter. They have a small house in Florida, and their city has an incredibly high cost of living. Their home is 1,300 square feet, and he estimated it wasnt worth what he hoped to sell it for.

For the entire five years that he and his wife have been together, they discussed the hope of moving to a rural town and having children. Their wish has come true because they stumbled across a gorgeous home they could easily afford in a tiny farming town an hour away (60 miles) from where they currently live. They were thrilled and wanted to tell their families, but it didnt go how they thought it would.

His wife works for her moms business. Shes in charge of running the businesss social media, accounting, graphic design, and website maintenance. Her responsibilities include meeting in person with clients who use the business facility. A few weeks ago, on a Sunday, he and his wife were at dinner with his in-laws, and they told her family about their upcoming move.

Immediately, her mother started weaponizing her job, saying she couldnt commute and work. Her mother said if she ever wants to run the business, she cant live out of town, he said.

He assumed his mother-in-law was just hurt and shocked and hoped shed settle down eventually. A week later, his wifes mother sent them housing listings in her neighborhood, and all the homes were $200,000 to $300,000 over their budget. His mother-in-law even assigned his wife remote work, even though shes currently on maternity leave.

In his view, it wasnt fair that his mother-in-law thought his wife could perform job duties perfectly fine from home while on maternity leave but didnt think the same arrangement would work when they moved an hour away.

Even though he was irritated with his mother-in-laws behavior, he rationalized that she must be dealing with a lot of stress. On Sunday, he and his wife were at dinner with his in-laws, and his mother-in-law again brought up the idea of them moving to her neighborhood instead.

My wife shoots it down, but I can see its wearing on her. Then, my mother-in-law tells my wife, Maybe if your husband worked harder, you could afford to live here,' he explained.

Hed been out of earshot at the time, so he hadnt heard his mother-in-laws statement, but he heard his wifes angry retort, and he was happy to listen to her stand up for him. His wife told him later what her mom said to prompt her furious answer.

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Home News Armenian church, village erased in Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijani authorities

Caucasus Heritage Watch has released images that reveal the recent demolition of St. John the Baptist Church, a 19th century structure in Nagorno-Karabakhs Susa area, and the razing of a village known in Armenian as Karintak. The church and village, both with significant Armenian heritage, were under Azerbaijani control after Baku captured Susa from ethnic Armenian forces in November 2020.

The Armenian-built church in Susa, dating back to the 19th century, was taken over by Azerbaijan. It was wrapped in scaffolding for most of the time it was under Azerbaijani control, suggesting ongoing construction or restoration. But satellite images from Caucasus Heritage Watch show that the church was demolished during the winter of 2023-24, reported Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Located just 2 kilometers (roughly 1.2 miles) south of the demolished church, the Karintak village, known as Dasalti in Azeri, was also razed to the ground. Satellite images released this month show that the entire village was destroyed. A large mosque is now under construction on the site, where the church was previously visible to the right of the new construction.

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Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev visited the construction site of the new mosque in the razed village, indicating the ongoing transformation in the area, according to RFE/RL. In contrast, Azerbaijani Parliament Member Jala Ahmadova had in July 2021 posted images of a prayer session inside the St. John the Baptist Church on Twitter to demonstrate an atmosphere of ethnic and religious tolerance. However, satellite images suggest a different narrative with the churchs demolition and the villages razing.

Husik Ghulyan, a lead researcher at Caucasus Heritage Watch, who published the satellite images of Karintak, told RFE/RL that the goal of Azerbaijan was to completely demolish the settlement to rebuild a new village for Azerbaijani internally displaced people or other resettlers. Ghulyan also noted that the villages church was a legally protected heritage site, which is probably why it was left intact during the mosques construction.

Lori Khatchadourian, an associate professor at Cornell University and the co-founder of Caucasus Heritage Watch, pointed to a broader pattern of destruction within Azerbaijans retaken territory since 2020.

The group has documented the destruction of 10 heritage sites and is beginning a new survey of hundreds of heritage locations.

Khatchadourian suggested that the virtually complete erasure of Armenian heritage in the Azerbaijani exclave of Naxcivan could be a harbinger of what might lie ahead in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ali Mozaffari, an Iranian academic of Azerbaijani descent, was quoted as saying that this cultural destruction might extend beyond a conflict between Baku and Yerevan. Turkey is spearheading a push to create a unified and connected Turkic World, extending from Turkey to China, where Turkic languages and cultures are prevalent, he said, explaining that heritage plays a crucial role in justifying this geostrategic vision.

From the conclusion of the first Nagorno-Karabakh War between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 1994, most of Nagorno-Karabakh was governed by ethnic Christian Armenians under the Republic of Artsakh, also known as the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The governance continued until the Republics takeover by Baku in September 2023. Over 100,000 displaced Armenians had to flee the region.

According to the report, Azerbaijani forces have illegally arrested and persecuted Armenian citizens, with prominent figures like Ruben Vardanyan, former State Minister of Artsakh, among those detained. Vardanyan is highly regarded for his contributions to Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

The conflict had deep historical roots, dating back to the early 20th century when the region was part of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union. Following decades of sporadic violence, a military offensive by Azerbaijan in 2020 culminated in a large-scale operation to capture the regions of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas from Armenian control. Despite ceasefires, tensions remained high, with violence and escalating humanitarian crises in the region.

The region was recognized internationally as part of Muslim-majority Azerbaijan even though it had a majority Armenian population.

Switzerland-based human rights group Christian Solidarity International had earlier urged U.S. President Joe Biden to impose sanctions against Azerbaijan President Aliyev for policies of ethnic-religious cleansing.

In its 2023 Persecutors of the Year report, the U.S.-based watchdog International Christian Concern listed Azerbaijan among the top 10 nations most hostile toward the Christian faith.
Home News Assyrian bishop loses sight in eye after being stabbed during sermon

An Assyrian bishop stabbed while preaching a sermon at a church in Wakeley, Australia, earlier this month says he has suffered visual impairment in one of his eyes due to the incident.

Two weeks after the April 15 stabbing, Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel addressed the crowd gathered at the Assyrian Christ the Good Shepherd church in Wakeley during a Sunday evening service.

The bishop wore an eyepatch over his right eye as he shared an Arabic and English sermon.

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During his Arabic sermon, Emmanuel put his eye injury into perspective by stating that the eye could be viewed as a "sacrifice," The Guardian translated him as saying. He also said it should be taken as a gesture of love to Muslims. Emmanuel shared that he forgives his attacker.

"I will always pray for you; I will always wish you nothing but the best," Emmanuel said.

Emmanuel was stabbed in the middle of a sermon during a church service. The 53-year-old spent several days following the stabbing recovering in the hospital.

The clergyman shared his thoughts on freedom of speech as a legal battle between the Australian government and the social media site X, formerly called Twitter, has erupted in recent days. X and its owner, Elon Musk, have stated they will contest an Australian government order that the platform remove video showing the attack on the bishop. The platform faces daily fines of $500,000.

"I say to our beloved, the Australian government and our beloved prime minister, the honorable Mr. Albanese.  Every human being has the right to their freedom of speech and freedom of religion, every human being," Emmanuel said.

"The Buddhist has the right to express their belief; the Hindus have the right to express their beliefs; the Muslims have the right to express their beliefs; the atheists have the right to express their beliefs. Also, the Christians have the right to express their beliefs," he added, according to The Guardian.

"For us to say that free speech is dangerous, that free speech cannot be possible in a democratic country, I'm yet to fathom this. We should be able as civilized human beings, as intellectuals, we should be able to criticize, to speak and maybe at some certain times, we may sound, or we may come across offensive to somewhat degree, but we should be able to say I should not worry for my life to be exposed to threat or to be taken away."

Emmanuel added, "a non-Christian can criticize my faith, can attack my faith [but], I will say one thing: may god forgive you and may God bless you."

"This is a civilized way, an intellectual way, of approaching such events if or when they take place," he said.

This isn't the first time Emmanuel has expressed his willingness to forgive his attacker. Days after the incident, the church released an audio statement from Emmanuel sharing a message of hope. At the time, Emmanuel said he was recovering well, and he also advised his supporters to pray for the attacker.

"I forgive whoever has done this act. And I say to him, 'You're my son. I love you, and I will always pray for you.' And whoever sent you to do this, I forgive them as well, in Jesus's mighty name. I have nothing in my heart but love for everyone. Whether that person is a Christian or not, it's totally beside the point," Emmanuel said in the audio statement.

The bishop's statement came just days after tense protests erupted outside the church following the incident, prompting hundreds of officers to respond to disperse the crowd. There were reports of demonstrators turning violent on police.

"There is no need to be worried or concerned. And a piece of advice to all our beloved faithfuls  I need you to act Christlike," the bishop said. "The Lord Jesus never taught us to fight. The Lord Jesus never taught us to retaliate. The Lord Jesus never said to us, 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'"

Police arrested at least five people for their alleged involvement in the protest violence.

The 16-year-old boy accused of stabbing the bishop has been charged with a terrorism offense. The teen's identity has not been released. Last week, law enforcement in Australia arrested seven teenagers accused of being part of an extremist network that the 16-year-old suspect is allegedly a part of.

Four teens were charged last Thursday with conspiring to plan a terror attack on Jews days after the church attack, according to The Associated Press.
Home News 'Ask God for their protection': Demonstrators march through the rain to stand with persecuted Christians

WASHINGTON  Pouring rain didn't stop demonstrators from marching in the nation's capital on Saturday to stand in solidarity with persecuted Christians globally, with some asking why the American Church isn't doing more to spread awareness.

Dozens gathered for the fourth annual March for the Martyrs on the National Mall, with many carrying flags representing the countries they are supporting in the mission to overcome global brutality against believers.

After worship and speeches encouraging Christians from all denominations to advocate for their persecuted brothers and sisters, the crowd marched from 17th Street and Constitution Avenue to the Museum of the Bible.

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"I think that with all that's going on in the world and with Christianity, I just had to be here to hear the speakers," D.C. resident Carrol Monaco told The Christian Post, adding this was her first time at the March for Martyrs.

"I was expecting more people to be here. Maybe it's because of the weather. I just think it's very important that we bring awareness to this. Christians are being persecuted, even today."

"It's just something that we need to be more aware of and more sensitive to," she added. "I think events like this are vital because it raises sensitivity. I think it's possible that people just don't realize what's going on."

According to the global persecution watchdog organization Open Doors, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries, over 360 million Christians live in areas of the world where they face high levels of persecution or discrimination for their faith in Christ. In some countries, owning a Bible or converting to Christianity can send someone to prison or put them on death row.

March for Martyrs founder Gia Chacon told CP she was inspired by the March for Life, the annual pro-life rally in Washington, D.C., launched after the Supreme Court's 1972 Roe v. Wade ruling to call for an end to abortion. Today, the March for Life is attended by tens of thousands each year. March for Martyrs started in 2020 in Long Beach, California, during the height of COVID-19 pandemic.

"I thought we should be doing the same thing for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world and show them our solidarity and advocate on their behalf," she said. "We need to pray for persecuted Christians and ask God for their protection and for their comfort."

As a devout Catholic, Monaco said events like March for Martyrs help make people more aware of persecution impacting Christians globally and helps spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

"We have to try to counter the persecutions that are occurring. My faith is a journey, and I'm still on this journey. It really is about living the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ each and every day. I know it's a struggle for a lot of people," Monaco said.

"I struggle with it sometimes. I ask the question: 'Why? Why is this happening?' I don't understand it. But you have to have faith. The Christian faith is about helping each other along on that journey."

Monaco believes one way that Christians can begin to alleviate persecution is to help spread the Word of God as love.

"That's what He is. God is love. And it's about spreading the love of God each and every day. And I think that is a message that gets missed a lot, and I think that needs to be emphasized everywhere, Church outside of church. God is love, and He gives us His love. It's up to us to spread His love in any way we can," she said.

'Opened my eyes'

Another D.C. resident, Patrick Jordan, attended the event to support persecuted Christians in Lebanon. He told CP that no weather  rain or shine  would have stopped him from attending.

"I saw this as a very important event and it called to me, and here I am. When I sailed back from Europe to America, my dad's friend was Lebanese, and he actually opened my eyes to what happened to that corner of the world during the civil war, and how just beng Christian you'd get rounded up and killed," Jordan said.

Jordan said his father's friend told him about one occasion when a group of Lebanese Christian friends organized a garbage cleanup as a way to maintain God's green earth, and many were murdered due to their faith.

"It was pretty shocking as a 12-year-old to hear that. This was a very nice guy, and I couldn't imagine anyone doing that just for your faith. This guy had no ill will towards others," he said. "That just opened my eyes to certain dark areas. It's great to see that people at this event want to shine a light on that."

Jordan said that events like the March for Martyrs are crucial to raise awareness.

"I was very fortunate to have met my dad's Lebanese friend. How many people are going to have that opportunity to have their eyes opened wide to the atrocities taking place across the globe when it comes to persecuted Christians?" Jordan said.

"These events are so important to let other people know that there are people hurting out there, and they need your help to survive. That's why everyone is here today. I would love to keep being a part of this every year."

Jordan said he allows his faith to inform how he treats others. He cited Matthew 5:44, where Jesus advises followers to "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

"It's a pretty confusing world. I like to reflect on what God wants me to do, and that helps me temper whatever part of my humanity that may not be good to others. But, once I give myself over to the Lord, it brings more light to the world," Jordan said.

Although he hasn't been severely harmed for his faith in Christ like some people have faced overseas, he said societal opposition to the Christian faith made him think twice about becoming a teacher.

"I was training to become a high school teacher in public schools. The persecution I faced made me feel guilty about being a Christian as someone training to be a teaching professional. We were advised not to bring our faith into the classroom," Jordan said.

"This dissuaded me from becoming a teacher at all. I knew that I couldn't really represent that part of me. It felt like I couldn't really be myself, and it dissuaded me from my whole career. I would have loved to be a teacher."

Jordan now works as a nurse, where he is better able to express his faith when helping treat his patients back to good health.

"I think the persecution against Christians can be alleviated by just sort of notifying someone that there's a bear outside your cave. The correct thing to do is to say: 'Hey, this exists.' And should you be afraid of the bear? Yeah, maybe. But how do you prepare for that?" Jordan said.

"I hope that these organizations can tell these people. 'Hey, there are hostile militants that are against you due to your faith.' How do you overcome this issue?"

Christians are not doing nearly enough as they should be doing to combat anti-Christian hate crimes nationally, Jordan contends.

"I mean, if you look at every church, [this issue] is not on their site. They have the rainbow flag. They don't have Christ on the front. Churches are totally gone now. I think churches need to start to realize we are Christians," Jordan said.

"They keep focusing on these little political issues. You have to be above that and say: 'No, we're trying to build something that's for a church for eternity,' not something to get us through the next election year."

'Why is the Church not paying more attention?'

Chacon hopes the march brings "attention to the global crisis of Christian persecution."

"During that [first year in 2020], we saw an increase in Christian persecution. And after my extensive travels overseas working with the persecuted, I just couldn't help but wonder why is the Church in the United States not paying more attention to what's happening to our brothers and sisters? Why is the world turning a blind eye to the human rights abuses against Christians because of their faith."

As a Christian, Chacon said her faith inspires her to stand with those suffering globally for following Christ.

My faith is everything to me. And I really have the persecuted to thank for their inspiration and their boldness and their willingness to lay down their lives for Christ inspired my own faith so deeply. Through my personal relationship with Jesus and the witness of the persecuted, nothing is more important to me than my faith, Chacon said.

I have never faced persecution myself. I pray that the Church in the United States of America never faces persecution. Although we do face intimidation. I have sat with people who have firsthand suffered persecution and to hear their stories and what they have suffered for their faith in Christ, and they remain faithful and hopeful in such a huge way, can motivate us in the United States to stand strong no matter the costs.
Home News Pastor ambushed, killed in Nigeria: 'We can no longer bear this brunt'

A Christian pastor was killed last week as he traveled to minister to church members in northern Kaduna state, sources said.

While Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists have been active in southern Kaduna state, the Rev. Manasseh Ibrahim was shot to death by bandits who ambushed him in a northern part of the state along the Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Highway on Tuesday, according to the Birnin Gwari chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Rev. Manasseh Ibrahim, a pastor with ECWA [Evangelical Church Winning All] Church, Gure, was on his way for a pastoral church ministration in the Kurebe area of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna state when he was ambushed and killed by the bandits, the local CAN chairman, the Rev. Yahaya Kinge, said in a press statement.

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Pastor Ibrahim was serving with the ECWA Gure congregation under the ECWA Kaduna Central District Church Council (KCDCC), he said. His remains were transferred to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna city.

Christians who are direct victims of banditry and insurgency in Kaduna state are fed up with the inability of Nigeria government to find a lasting solution to the incessant killings of innocent Christians, Kinge said. The hard push of Christians to the wall through incessant attacks is enough; and we can no longer bear this brunt.

Nigeria remained the deadliest place in the world to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. More kidnappings of Christians than in any other country also took place in Nigeria, with 3,300.

Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings, such as hospitals, schools and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report.

In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year.

This article was originally published by Christian Daily International/Morning Star News.
Home News Pastor blames San Francisco gov't after parishioner stabbed during Mass Stabbing at Sts. Peter and Paul Church marks second in less than month

The pastor of a Roman Catholic church in San Francisco placed partial blame for a parishioner's recent stabbing on the local government, which he said has allowed crime and mental illness to run rampant in the city.

Marko Asaulyuk, 25, was arrested and charged with attempted murder and eight counts of assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly stabbing a Catholic parent in front of the parish school associated with the historic Saints Peter & Paul Church in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood last Sunday, according to local ABC7.

The stabbing marks the second stabbing at the church in less than a month, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

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San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone was reportedly confirming parish students during a noon Mass when Asaulyuk wandered into the church, walking up and down the aisle with a bottle of wine while being disruptive.

Father Tho Bui, who pastors Sts. Peter and Paul Church, told the Catholic News Agency that parishioners and parents escorted the man out of the church after telling him to leave, but that an ensuing "scuffle" outside led to one father being stabbed in the leg.

Asaulyuk, who was reportedly homeless, told someone outside the church that "Jesus is not real" and began an altercation that resulted in the stabbing.

Asaulyuk was subsequently arrested with the help of witnesses, and the victim taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to local KRON. A church worker told the outlet it concerns them that the man was armed while inside the church around children, but that they are going to "pray and see what happens."

Bui was relieved that Asaulyuk was arrested and jailed without bail for what he called a "sad" and "disturbing" incident, but expressed frustration regarding the level of crime that is allowed to happen in San Francisco.

"Very likely, by getting him off the streets, our parishioners and dads prevented something even worse from happening," he told CNA. "But this is just the latest in an unending series of incidents caused by our city governments tolerance of crime and mentally ill people on the streets."

The pastor went on to note that the lawlessness afflicting the Democrat-run city is not confined to their church, which he said is more vulnerable because they believe God calls them to be open daily.

"Its not specific to Sts. Peter and Paul," Bui said regarding the city's crime spree. "We saw in the news just this past week that the nurses at SF General [Hospital] and the librarians at our public libraries are demanding more protection from exactly the kind of incidents we had on Sunday."

"Like SF General and the public libraries, we are open every single day. The mission of Jesus Christ requires it! While both our school and club can, and do, fulfill their missions while having gates and doors locked, the Church cannot," he added.

Violent crime in San Francisco rose about 3% from 2022 to 2023, increasing from 5,309 incidents in 2022 to 5,479 in 2023. The number is lower than the previous year, when the rate of violent crime increased 8% in 2022 compared to 2021.
Home News At least 4 dead as tornadoes hit multiple states

Tornadoes hit multiple states over the weekend, with as many as 27 ripping through Oklahoma. At least four people have died in the state since late Saturday night.

A 4-month-old baby was among the deceased, according to KOCO News 5, which reported that three others were also found dead.

On Friday, a series of tornadoes wreaked havoc across Nebraska and Iowa, resulting in widespread property damage and several injuries but no reported fatalities as of early Sunday. The most destructive tornado struck suburban Omaha, Nebraska, damaging hundreds of homes as it tore through farmland and into residential neighborhoods.

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Among the areas hit by tornadoes was Lancaster County, Nebraska, where three people were injured after a tornado caused an industrial building to collapse, The Associated Press reported. There were about 70 people inside the building at the time, but authorities reported that everyone was evacuated safely, and the injuries were not life-threatening.

Lt. Neal Bonacci of the Omaha police noted that hundreds of homes were damaged in the Elkhorn area, on the western edge of Omaha. Emergency response teams were dispatched to the hardest-hit neighborhoods, going door-to-door to assist residents, the newswire said.

Fire Chief Kathy Bossman explained that the teams had a plan to search for anyone who might be trapped in debris or basements. Theyre going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with most damage, Bossman was quoted as saying. Well be looking throughout properties in debris piles, well be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance.

Several large homes were destroyed or heavily damaged in Elkhorn, with one house completely leveled. Pat Woods, a local resident, described the tornados impact: We watched it touch down about 200 yards over there and then we took shelter. We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhoods gone.

Additional damage was reported in other areas. A woman in Blair, a city north of Omaha, was taken from a damaged home on a stretcher. The number of injuries was relatively low, with only two people requiring treatment for minor injuries, according to Bonacci.

Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer credited the tornado warnings with preventing further casualties. The warnings saved lives, he said, explaining that due to the warnings, schools had students shelter in place as the tornadoes approached. He added that it took several hours for buses to transport children home after the storms passed.

Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Omaha office, mentioned that multiple teams would be sent to determine the strength of the tornadoes and how many had occurred. The process could take up to two weeks as the teams examine damaged sites.

In addition to the damage in Omaha, a tornado hit the eastern edge of the city, passing through parts of Eppley Airfield. Although the airport was temporarily closed to assess the damage, it soon reopened. Steve McCoy, Chief Strategy Officer of the Omaha Airport Authority, said the terminal was not damaged, but people sought shelter until the tornado passed.

Lancaster County had a tipped-over train near Waverly, and three people were injured when the industrial building collapsed. Power outages affected nearly 10,000 customers in Omaha due to storm-related damage.

Meanwhile, Fox Weather reported that the severe weather threat extended beyond Nebraska and Iowa, with tornado watches issued for parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible, adding that flash flooding posed significant risks, particularly in parts of east-central Oklahoma, where 5-10 inches of rain were expected through Sunday.

The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area. This added to the broader threat of severe weather, with further tornadoes expected over the weekend across the Mississippi Valley, with additional tornado watches and warnings issued.

In Omaha, police and fire crews worked overnight to complete a second search of homes and check unsafe structures. Authorities noted that the warnings given to residents in advance helped save lives, and schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Due to the severe weather threat, the National Weather Service sent out multiple teams to assess the damage and evaluate the strength of the tornadoes. This process could take up to two weeks as they pieced together the extent of the destruction.

Fox Weather said the severe weather threat covered over 50 million people, stretching over 1,500 miles from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. While tornadoes and damaging winds were significant risks, flash flooding was also a major concern, particularly in Oklahoma. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Weather Prediction Center issued a Level 4 flash flood risk for parts of Oklahoma, where rainfall could exceed 10 inches in 24 hours.
Home News Catholic Answers shelves AI priest 'Father Justin' following backlash

The website Catholic Answers has responded to the backlash received after launching an artificial intelligence priest apologetics application, saying the character will no longer be referred to with a priestly title.

Christopher Check, president of Catholic Answers, released a statement last Wednesday shortly after his organization unveiled an artificial intelligence application named "Fr. Justin," saying the organization received "helpful feedback" about the new initiative.

"Prevalent among users' comments is criticism of the representation of the AI character as a priest," he said. "We chose the character to convey a quality of knowledge and authority, and also as a sign of the respect that all of us at Catholic Answers hold for our clergy. Many people, however, have voiced concerns about this choice."

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In response to the criticism, Catholic Answers says it will "create, with all wary speed, a new lay character for the app." Predicting that the "AI apologist" will be "up within a week or so," Check stated that "until then, we have rendered 'Fr. Justin just 'Justin.'"

"We won't say he's been laicized, because he was never a real priest!" Check added. "He'll be available to visitors to Catholic.com, thousands of whom have already used the app with great profit. Furthermore, with the help of user input, we will continue to refine and improve the app by identifying any deficiencies (we didn't anticipate that someone might seek sacramental absolution from a computer graphic!), which we quickly correct."

The original purpose of Fr. Justin, Check said, was to "provide sound answers to questions about the Catholic faith in an innovative way that makes good use of the benefits of 'artificial intelligence.'"

Catholic Answers first unveiled the artificial intelligence priest on Tuesday as an "innovative digital application" that "employs the latest artificial intelligence technology to provide users with faithful and educational answers to questions about Catholicism."

"Seekers may also engage in a back-and-forth interaction to pursue further information with the 3D AI character," Catholic Answers noted.

Chris Costello, director of information technology at Catholic Answers, said that goal with "Fr. Justin" was to "leverage the power of large language models" to "create an engaging and informative experience for those exploring the Catholic faith."

"Although this is not a substitute for human interaction with a priest, teacher, or spiritual advisor, we believe it can be a valuable tool to help our users better understand and articulate the teachings of the Catholic faith," Costello stressed.

He said the reason to make the AI character a priest is that "we wanted to convey the spirit and nature of the responses users can expect  authoritative yet approachable, drawing from the deep well of Catholic tradition and teaching."

"We believe that the presentation of Father Justin honors real-life priests and the role they play in people's lives, yet we are confident that our users will not mistake the AI for a human being," he added.

Catholic Answers is committed to "leveraging the latest technologies to advance its mission of explaining and defending the Catholic faith" by "providing a new and appealing way for searchers to begin or continue their journey of faith."

Catholic Answers describes itself as a "media ministry that serves Christ by explaining and defending the faith." In addition to a series of questions and answers about the faith, the website contains several podcasts and videos, an encyclopedia full of information about the Catholic Church and a "Bible Navigator" that contains references to Scripture passages elaborating on a wide variety of topics relevant to the Catholic Church.
Home News Coptic Christian homes set on fire over rumored church construction in Egypt

Three days after Coptic Christians in southern Minya governorate were attacked over rumors of plans for a new church, Muslim extremists upset over a permit to construct a church building on Friday attacked Copts in another village.

Muslim extremists attacked Coptic Christians in the village of Al-Kom Al-Ahmar on April 26 after learning that an Evangelical church had obtained a permit to construct a church building, according to advocacy group Copts United.

The security forces moved to the village, and the situation was brought under control and a number of the perpetrators were being arrested, the group reported. One of the villages Copts said that the Evangelical church in the village obtained an official building permit, which angered a number of extremists.

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Last Tuesday in southern Minya governorate, angry residents beat Coptic Christians and torched their homes in Al-Fawakher village in Samalut over rumors that a church building was to be constructed there, according to Northern Africa News.

The assailants tried to drive Copts from their homes, the outlet reported.

Bishop Makarios of Minya wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that initially, the assailants prevented people from fleeing the violence. He later posted that security forces deployed to the village restored calm and arrested a large number of suspects.

Security forces arrived late to the site, according to Copts United.

The extremists attacked Coptic homes with stones and chants, and a number of homes were set on fire, amid the screams of women and children, the group reported. The attack continued for a long time before the security forces arrived.

Advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) notes that police and firefighters, led by the deputy governor and the head of the police department in Minya, acted quickly to contain the situation.

The police were arresting perpetrators, including those who spread rumors online about plans to construct a church, according to CSW.

An unacceptable culture of intimidation and discrimination is still far too prevalent in this region despite positive steps taken by the Egyptian authorities in recent years, and the personal commitment of President Sisi to fight sectarian extremism and promote equality of citizenship, CSW President Mervyn Thomas said in a press statement. Egyptian citizens should all be free to practice any religion or belief of their choosing without fear of threats or physical violence.

Separately, CSW reported that the Egyptian government issued a memorandum designating May 5 and 6, a Sunday and a Monday, as bank holidays for Labor Day, which falls on May 1. The move outraged the Coptic Orthodox community, which celebrates Orthodox Easter Sunday on May 5.

Coptic activists suggested to CSW that the move may be intended to appease Egypts Salafi Muslim community, who consider recognizing Easter to be sinful, as it defies the mainstream Islamic doctrine which denies Christs crucifixion and resurrection, CSW stated.

This article was originally published by Christian Daily International.
Home News Another member of Gods Misfits charged in killing of pastors wife Jilian Kelley, Veronica Butler

Oklahoma prosecutors have charged a fifth member of the anti-government group Gods Misfits with the killing and kidnapping of two Kansas women.

Paul Jeremiah Grice, 31, is now facing two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder in Texas County. The charges stem from the deaths of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, of Hugoton, Kansas.

According to an arrest affidavit, Grice admitted to an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent that he was involved in the killing and burial of Butler and Kelley, the wife of Pastor Heath Kelley, who leads Hugoton First Christian Church in Kansas, The Associated Press reported.

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Grice is being held without bond at the Texas County Detention Center in Guymon, the newswire said, adding that it was unclear whether he had an attorney representing him.

The arrest follows the earlier detention of four other individuals in connection with the same case. These four are Tifany Adams, 54, and her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43, both from Keyes, Oklahoma; Cole Twombly, 50, and his wife, Cora Twombly, 44, from Texhoma, Oklahoma. All four are also being held without bail, each charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder.

Veronica Butler and Jilian Kelley went missing on March 30 while driving to Eva, Oklahoma. They were on their way to pick up Butlers two children for a birthday party. Butler was allowed supervised visits with her children on Saturdays, and Kelley was authorized to supervise those visits.

According to court documents, Adams, who is the grandmother of Butlers children, was engaged in a heated custody battle with Butler.

The OSBI released a brief update after the bodies of two deceased persons were recovered in rural Texas County, stating that they would be transported to the Office of the Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner to determine their identification, as well as the cause and manner of death. The bodies were found with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Texas County Sheriffs Department and other agencies.

Pastor Heath Kelley is due to take a new position at Willow Christian Church in Nebraska in June. Both congregations had been praying for the safe return of the two women.

A witness interviewed by OSBI agents said the suspects belonged to the anti-government group with religious affiliations, Gods Misfits, which regularly met at the homes of the Twomblys and another couple.

Their vehicle was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L, about 3 miles south of Elkhart, Kansas. Following their arrest, the suspects were detained in Texas and Cimarron counties.

In a previous court motion filed in Cimarron County, Oklahoma, last November, Adams opposed any changes to the supervised visitation arrangement Butler had with her children. The motion detailed allegations of sexual abuse against Butlers brother, a history of drug use by the childrens father, Wrangler Cole Rickman, and a lack of trust in Butlers ability to care for the children.

Authorities have stated that the investigation is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available.
Students protest the war in Gaza at the University of Texas at Austin on April 24, 2024 in Austin, Texas. Students walked out of class as protests continue to sweep college campuses around the country. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Students and faculty at the University of Texas at Austin said Thursday they had no confidence in President Jay Hartzell, as university leaders defended their decision to bring state troopers on campus to disperse a demonstration against the war in Gaza and temporarily suspended the student group behind it.

More than a dozen faculty members rallied outside the university tower, along with hundreds of students, where they denounced the arrests of at least 57 protesters and said university leadership had abandoned its responsibility to protect students and their right to assemble.

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You have to fight for the world you want to see, said Lauren Gutterman, an associate professor of history. And I am so proud to be here with you and so inspired by our students who are teaching us the meaning of solidarity, of democracy, of courage and compassion.

Hartzell stood by the universitys actions, saying UT held firm as the protesters organized by the student-led Palestine Solidarity Committee tried to deliver on their stated intent to occupy campus.

A university spokesman clarified that Wednesday's decision to bring in state troopers was a joint one made by Hartzell, his leadership team and UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife, an appointee of Gov. Greg Abbott.

On Thursday, Eltife said hes proud of how the university responded.

No matter what the issue is, were not going to allow a massive crowd to take over the campus, set up tents and disrupt classes, said Eltife, a former GOP state senator from East Texas. Its not going to happen on our campus.

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The arrests came amid a wave of protests and Gaza solidarity encampments at universities across the country that have seen students calling on leaders to cut financial ties with Israel. But few have been met with as swift a response as in Texas, where mounted police and state troopers in riot gear quickly ordered protesters to leave and began making arrests on charges of criminal trespassing.

By Thursday, a magistrate judge dropped most of the protesters charges, and all were released from jail by early afternoon, Travis County officials said.

The university did not say whether it planned to discipline those arrested, but officials had warned demonstrators that they could face punishment including expulsion and Abbott said he believes students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests should be expelled.

Late on Thursday, the university placed the Palestine Solidarity Committee on an interim suspension, a university spokesperson confirmed, although it was not immediately clear whether it would be prohibited from organizing on campus.

University officials declined to state what alleged violation of institutional rules occurred. University policy allows the dean of students to take immediate interim disciplinary action, including banning access to parts of campus, when the continuing presence of the group poses an immediate danger to people, persons or property or disrupts the academic process at UT. The student group may contest the move, but can only appeal once the dean of students issues a final decision, which should come within the next week.

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At Thursdays faculty protest, staff and students gathered in a circle, with professors taking turns speaking to the crowd. They denounced the arrests, held signs and chanted for a free Palestine. Some attendees wore masks or wrote their phone numbers on their arms in case they were arrested again.

After yesterdays violent repression by the police, we wanted to make sure our students feel safe and that they know that we hear them, said Roger Reeves, an associate professor of English. He said hes part of the group UT Austin Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine that helped organize the protest at the tower. He said the group is concerned after the police response to Wednesdays protest.

Rhiannon Hamam, a supervising attorney with Texas Laws Richard and Ginni Mithoff Program who is Palestinian, said she was arrested at the university on Wednesday and was pushed and screamed at by grown men twice my size wielding massive batons, mace and guns. She said law enforcement turned campus into a militarized zone, and Hartzell should resign.

Jay Hartzell has lost all trust, Hamam said. I am disgusted by his statement yesterday celebrating UTs violent response. He has shown his true colors. He is a leader in title only. He is a pawn of the fascist governor and he is an enemy to students and workers he should be protecting.

Ammer Qaddumi, a steering member of the Palestinian Solidarity Committee, was also arrested Wednesday and returned to campus in the middle of Thursdays protest. Students and faculty cheered for him as a friend raised him on his shoulders, and he led chants of free, free Palestine.

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University officials distributed new flyers to the crowd demanding students disperse by 10 p.m. and outlining a list of prohibited behavior, including attempting to camp on university property, wearing masks, or making loud sounds that interfere with learning.

A spokesperson for the university also released an updated statement saying the protest the day before sought to follow the playbook of the national campaign to paralyze the operations of universities across the country.

At Columbia University, where hundreds have been arrested, tension between protesters and police escalated so much that school officials announced they would move classes to a hybrid format until the end of the semester.

The spokesperson said about half of the people who broke university rules on Wednesday were not affiliated with the school, and 13 pro-Palestinian events have taken place on campus since October without incident.

In contrast, this one in particular expressed an intent to disrupt the campus and directed participants to break institutional rules and occupy the university, consistent with national patterns, the university said in a statement.

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Around 50 counterprotesters in support of Israel were also present on the tower plaza. The students, who were wearing and waving Israeli flags, gathered in a circle to sing.

Jason, a UT junior who declined to give his last name, said he attended the counterprotest to stand up for democracy and Western values. He called the protest that took place on campus Wednesday horrendous antisemitism because students chanted, from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free, which he said calls for the decimation of the State of Israel.

I was very happy to see the polices response to the protests yesterday, he said. I fully believe in free speech. I think thats important, but when free speech turns into hate speech and antisemitism thats not wanted on my campus, and I dont feel safe and thats unconstitutional.

The Anti-Defamation League says the phrase calls for the destruction of Israel, while defenders say it is a rallying cry calling for Palestinian liberation from oppression.

The protests come six months after Hamas deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, when militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. During the ensuing war, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry, which is run by Hamas and doesnt distinguish between combatants and noncombatants but says at least two-thirds of the dead are children and women.
Home News Lesbian UMC bishop laments denominations ban on queer clergy Karen Oliveto previously claimed Jesus had bigotries, raised concerns about making Him into 'an idol'

A United Methodist Church bishop, whose election was declared invalid in 2017 for being in a same-sex marriage but who remains in office, has denounced the denominations ban on queer clergy in a General Conference sermon.

Bishop Karen Oliveto of the UMC Mountain Sky Area gave a message on Monday morning before the churchwide UMC General Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina.

During her remarks, Oliveto asked those gathered if they were willing to make Gods love visible in all you do and if they would meet and serve Jesus in the outcast, the downcast, and the cast aside.

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Oliveto gave several examples of such people, listing those who are homeless, alone, poor, in jail, orphans, the uneducated, and a couple of examples from the LGBT community.

Are you willing to meet and serve Jesus in the transgender person who has taken a deeply spiritual journey to claim their God-created self? Oliveto continued. Are you willing to meet and serve Jesus in the queer clergy person who has been faithful to Gods call even when the Church has tried to deny that call?

At present, the UMC Book of Discipline labels homosexuality incompatible with Christian teaching and prohibits the ordination of noncelibate homosexuals and the blessing of same-sex unions.

Although efforts to amend the Book of Discipline to remove the standards at the General Conference has always been voted down, many progressives within the UMC have resisted the rules.

Oliveto is a case in point, as she was elected bishop in 2016, even though she was in a same-sex marriage, which violates the rules of the Book of Discipline.

The United Methodist Judicial Council, the denominations highest court, ruled 6-3 in 2017 that Olivetos election was invalid and called for a process to begin to remove her from office.

"It is not lawful for the college of bishops of any jurisdictional or central conference to consecrate a self-avowed practicing homosexual bishop," the Judicial Council stated.

"Under the long-standing principle of legality, no individual member or entity may violate, ignore or negate church law."

However, seven years later, Oliveto remains a bishop in the UMC.

In September 2018, a complaint was filed against Oliveto over a 2017 sermon in which she claimed Jesus had bigotries and expressed concern about making Him into an idol.

If Jesus can change, if He can give up His bigotries and prejudices, if He can realize that He had made His life too small, and if, in this realization, He grew closer to others and closer to God, then so can we, Oliveto stated in 2017.

The complaint was reportedly resolved later behind closed doors, with the specific details being kept confidential by the UMC.

In advance of the General Conference, approximately 7,500 churches voted to disaffiliate from the UMC due to the debate over the Book of Discipline, with most of these departing congregations opting to join the theologically conservative Global Methodist Church.

Last week, General Conference delegates voted 586-164 in favor of a petition for an amendment to the UMCs constitution allowing for regionalization, which would open the door for different regions of the global denomination to have their own standards on LGBT issues.

The petition still needs to be approved by at least two-thirds of UMC annual conferences before it can be ratified.
Home News Pastor Jack Graham says antisemitism evidence of 'spiritual warfare': 'Satan hates what God loves' (part 1)

Read part 2 of Pastor Jack Graham's interview with CP here

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  Jack Graham, the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, has warned that the hatred of Israel seen across the United States is evidence of spiritual warfare, as God loves the Jewish people  and Satan hates everything and everyone that God loves.

The geopolitical system of the world hinges on the Middle East and the little nation of Israel, the 73-year-old pastor told The Christian Post.

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Think about it, of all the peoples in the world, this small little country, about the size of New Jersey here in the United States, and yet such hatred. Why the hatred? I believe the hatred is because God loves the Jewish people. And Satan hates everything and everyone that God loves. Ultimately, this is spiritual warfare. We must continue to, therefore, battle with the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus and love our Jewish neighbors, not only over there, but here, because in America, there are many Jewish people who are frightened by this.

In recent weeks, Columbia University and other elite campuses have launched a series of protests against the United States diplomatic and military support of Israels war against Hamas, prompted by the terrorist groups Oct. 7 attacks in which an estimated 1,163 people were slaughtered, including at least 31 Americans. Hamas has praised the growing college campus protests, with one official quoted as stating, "Today's students are the leaders of the future."

The Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry has claimed that more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel embarked on retaliatory strikes. However, those numbers have been disputed because Hamas doesn't distinguish between civilians and terrorist fighters and has been accused of faking its casualty numbers.

A poll released last week from Summit Ministries in partnership with RMG Research of 1,497 registered voters nationwide found that while the majority of Americans still support Israel, nearly half of Gen Z voters say the campaign against Hamas is unjust. Additionally, a third of Gen Zers believe Israel doesn't have the right to exist as a country.

But according to Graham, Christians have a duty to support Israel, rooted in both faith and moral conviction.

"For Christians, we do have a biblical obligation to love Israel," he said, pointing to the deep-rooted connection between Christianity and Judaism.

"God loves Israel," Graham emphasized. "He chose them according to His Word as His own particular people. He established them as a nation, gave them a land, a life and a legacy for generations. As Christians, we are forever grateful for the heritage that we have in the Old Testament and the Jewish people  our Messiah, our Bible, came from the Jewish people  so we have this tremendous connection with the Jewish people.

Graham also clarified the distinction between spiritual and political support of Israel. "The Church, in my understanding of the Bible, does not supplant Israel," he noted, dispelling notions that the Church has replaced Israel in God's plan.

"God still has a plan and a purpose for Israel, he said. Thats where we start. If we love someone, we stand with them and support them. It doesnt mean we support, as Christians, everything political Israel, the government, may do.

But [we support] the people and their right to exist. What you have now is this movement of genocide and antisemitism that's rising, not only in the Middle East, but in Europe and America. And so, we must stand against that hatred at our church.

Recent events, such as the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas, Graham said, have brought this struggle into sharp focus.

We just had family members of some of the hostages taken by Hamas on October 7, and we interviewed them, he said. I asked them  What can we do, as American Christians, to support you? And, without hesitation, they said, Don't forget about us. Don't forget about the hostages. For us, wherever you may stand on the political side of Arabs and Jews, everyone can stand against terrorism and this evil that has come. Should all be able to agree on that one.

And then, not to forget. Because we move to the next thing and news, and everything's moving so quickly, and if we're not careful, we could just move on and forget about it. But we need to stay focused in prayer for the hostages till the last one comes home and then support them in their movement to eliminate terrorism.

Graham warned that the threat is not limited to Israel; terrorists could target anyone who opposes them, even the U.S.

Terrorists, once they get done with Israel, if they can, they're coming for us next. They're coming for anyone who opposes them. It doesn't end in Israel  the geopolitical system of the world hinges on the Middle East and the little nation of Israel.

"Many Jewish people here are frightened," he added, noting the fear instilled by recent events. "I've had conversations with Jewish neighbors and friends in Dallas who appreciate that Christians are standing with them."

Despite historical tensions between Christians and Jews, Graham said he's confident this support is helping to bridge divides. "Many people in Israel now know that their best friends in America are Evangelical Bible-believing Christians," he said.

In recent months, numerous Christian leaders have called on the American Church to stand with Israel amid growing antisemitism.

Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, believes Christians have a moral and spiritual obligation to support Israel  and those who fail to do so are on the wrong side of God.

We have a moral and spiritual responsibility to support Israel, the 68-year-old megachurch pastor told CP. To be on the wrong side of Israel is not only to be on the wrong side of history, it's more importantly to be on the wrong side of God, he warned.

Jeffress recalled leading the opening prayer at the dedication of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, an event that was symbolic of the Trump administration's robust support for Israel.

At the time, Jeffress invoked the words God spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12: "I will bless those who bless you and your descendants, and I will curse those who curse you and your descendants."

He called the event a momentous occasion in the life of your people and in the history of our world, adding: Four thousand years ago, you said to your servant Abraham that you would make him the father of a great nation, a nation through whom the whole world would be blessed.

Most of all, Israel has blessed this world by pointing us to you, the one true God, through the message of her prophets, the scriptures and the Messiah.
Home News Texas attorney general calls trans surgeries, puberty blockers 'child abuse' in formal opinion

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has released a formal opinion concluding that performing certain gender reassignment procedures on children constitutes child abuse under state law.

In Opinion No. KP-0401, released last Friday, Paxton said that certain sex-change procedures and treatments can legally constitute child abuse under several provisions of chapter 261 of the Texas Family Code.

Such procedures and treatments include castration, the removal of healthy body parts as well as the prescription of puberty-blocking drugs among others.

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Beyond the obvious harm of permanently sterilizing a child, these procedures and treatments can cause side effects and harms beyond permanent infertility, the opinion states.

The medical evidence does not demonstrate that children and adolescents benefit from engaging in these irreversible sterilization procedures.

Paxton argued that such invasive gender reassignment procedures, like removing private parts, would deprive the child of the fundamental right to procreate, which supports a finding of child abuse under the Family Code.

Because children are legally incompetent to consent to sterilization, procedures and treatments that result in a childs sterilization are unauthorized and infringe on the childs fundamental right to procreate, the opinion continued.

The lack of authority of a minor to consent to an irreversible sterilization procedure is consistent with other law. The federal Medicaid program does not allow for parental consent, has established a minimum age of 21 for consent to sterilization procedures, and imposes detailed requirements for obtaining that consent.

In a statement Monday, Paxton said that there was no doubt that these procedures are abuse under Texas law, and thus must be halted.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has a responsibility to act accordingly. Ill do everything I can to protect against those who take advantage of and harm young Texans, he added.

Last August, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Commissioner Jamie Masters published a letter asserting that genital mutilation of a child through reassignment surgery is child abuse, subject to all rules and procedures pertaining to child abuse.

Masters' letter came after Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott requested that the agency issue a determination of whether genital mutilation of a child for purposes of gender transitioning through reassignment surgery constitutes child abuse.

Last December, Paxtons office announced an investigation into Endo Pharmaceuticals and AbbVie Inc. under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act due to the promotion of medications as puberty blockers. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of puberty-blocking drugs for the sake of gender transition but has approved such medication for children who start puberty at a very young age.

Some medical organizations, however, contend that puberty blockers and other gender transition procedures for minors can be beneficial to children suffering from gender dysphoria.

The American Medical Association, for example, released an open letter last April arguing that state governments should not prohibit gender reassignment procedures for youth.

Such decisions must be sensitive to the childs clinical situation, nurture the childs short and long-term development, and balance the need to preserve the childs opportunity to make important life choices autonomously in the future, stated the AMA in a letter.

We believe it is inappropriate and harmful for any state to legislatively dictate that certain transition-related services are never appropriate and limit the range of options physicians and families may consider when making decisions for pediatric patients.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the benefits of puberty-blocking medicines for gender dysphoria might include reducing depression among youths and preventing the need for future surgery.

Nevertheless, the clinic warns that taking puberty blockers remains a big step that can have a long-term impact on bodily growth, bone density and fertility.

In addition, delaying puberty beyond ones peers can be stressful, the Mayo Clinic explained. Your child might experience lower self-esteem.

The conservative American College of Pediatricians, an association of physicians and healthcare professionals "dedicated to the health and well-being of children," has long voiced its opposition to using puberty-blocking drugs on children with gender dysphoria.

"There is not a single long-term study to demonstrate the safety or efficacy of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and surgeries for transgender-believing youth," the association says in an online statement. "This means that youth transition is experimental, and therefore, parents cannot provide informed consent, nor can minors provide assent for these interventions. Moreover, the best long-term evidence we have among adults shows that medical intervention fails to reduce suicide."
Home News Appeals court says WVa, NC cant bar Medicaid coverage for elective trans surgeries

An appeals court has ruled that West Virginia and North Carolina cannot prohibit Medicaid coverage for so-called gender reassignment procedures for trans-identified individuals.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit released an 8-6 decision on Monday that upheld lower court rulings in the cases of Kadel v. Folwell and Anderson v. Crouch.

At issue was a North Carolina law that prohibited any coverage for elective procedures  cosmetic surgeries to look more like the opposite sex and body mutilating operations that include castration and double mastectomies  and a West Virginia law that allowed coverage for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, but not surgeries.

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Appeals Judge Roger Gregory authored the majority opinion, arguing that the coverage exclusions facially discriminate on the basis of sex and gender identity, and are not substantially related to an important government interest.

Certain gender-affirming surgeries that could be provided to people assigned male at birth and people assigned female at birth are provided to only one group under the policy, Gregory wrote.

When the purpose is to align a patients gender presentation with a gender identity that does not match their sex assigned at birth, the surgery is not covered. This is textbook sex discrimination 

Gregory also rejected the arguments that such body-deforming procedures are harmful, writing that those criticisms do not support the notion that gender-dysphoria treatments are ineffective so much as still developing.

Without evidence to show that gender-dysphoria treatments are ineffective, the North Carolina Appellants cannot show that the coverage exclusion is narrowly tailored to serve the states substantial interest in not covering medically ineffective treatment, he continued.

The West Virginia Appellants also argue that saving costs and not covering medically ineffective treatments justify the exclusion ... Their arguments are even weaker than the North Carolina Appellants arguments.

Circuit Judge Julius N. Richardson authored one of the three dissents, arguing that The Equal Protection Clause does not license judges to strike down any policy we disagree with.

It instead grants the states leeway to tailor policies to local circumstances, while providing a carefully calibrated remedy for truly illicit discrimination. No such discrimination appears in these cases, Richardson wrote.

North Carolina and West Virginia do not target members of either sex or transgender individuals by excluding coverage for certain services from their policies. They instead condition coverage on whether a patient has a qualifying diagnosis.

Richardson went on to state that any person regardless of their sex, gender identity, or combination thereof is able to obtain coverage for these services if they have a qualifying diagnosis.

Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Tara Borelli, the lead lawyer for both suits, was pleased with the ruling and claimed in a statement released Monday that the decision will save lives.

It confirms that discriminating against transgender people by denying critical medical care is not only wrong but unconstitutional, Borelli stated.

No one should be denied essential health care, but our clients in both cases were denied coverage for medically necessary care prescribed by their doctors just because theyre transgender.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey denounced the Fourth Circuit opinion in a statement on Monday, vowing to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Decisions like this one, from a court dominated by Obama- and Biden-appointees, cannot stand: well take this up to the Supreme Court and win, Morrisey stated.

We are confident in the merits of our case: that this is a flawed decision and states have wide discretion to determine what procedures their programs can cover based on cost and other concerns.

Morrisey added that taxpayers should not be required to pay for these surgeries under Medicaid and that West Virginia should have the ability to determine how to spend our resources to care for the vital medical needs of our citizens.
Home Opinion Reaching converts to the religion of social justice

Its obvious to any observant Christian in America that we live in a time in which religion is marginalized by the culture-forming institutions of the country  education, media, and big business, to name a few. As philosopher Charles Taylor has famously argued, in the West we live in a disenchanted world that rejects the existence of the supernatural and instead views reality through the immanent frame  a natural, material order that operates without reference to transcendent meaning.[1]

This doesnt mean, however, that human beings are any less religious. We are spiritual beings made in Gods image, and as such God has set eternity in the human heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). As one commentator on this verse explains, The eternity of Gods dealings with mankind corresponds to something inside us: we have a capacity for eternal things, are concerned about the future, want to understand from the beginning to the end, and have a sense of something which transcends our immediate situation.[2] Augustine echoed the same thought when he wrote, you [God] have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.[3] But despite the secular waters that we swim in, signals of transcendence still break through.[4] Many committed secularists and skeptics can relate to the following admission by the noted atheist philosopher Bertrand Russell.

Even when one feels nearest to other people, something in one seems obstinately to belong to God, and to refuse to enter into any earthly communion  at least that is how I should express it if I thought there was a God. It is odd, isnt it? I care passionately for this world and many things and people in it, and yet ... what is it all for? There must be something more important, one feels, though I dont believe there is.[5] 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

In the absence of belief in God, humans will inevitably look for a substitute  something that feels transcendent and larger than ones personal circumstances. This can take many forms, but one that is prevalent today, especially among young adults, is a quasi-religious commitment to social justice. This term is typically understood to mean the promotion of fairness, equity, inclusion, [and] self-determination especially for currently or historically oppressed, exploited, or marginalized populations.[6]

Without a doubt, a commitment to justice for all, especially for the marginalized, is a biblical mandate that God has called His followers to carry out for thousands of years. The prophet Micah, for example, declared, He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8). Similarly, Jesus instructed his followers to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31). The apostle James proclaimed that religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress (James 1:27).[7]

These divine commands, however, are part of the fabric of the Christian worldview rather than a basis for a secular religious movement, which is what many have embraced today. Below, well look briefly at how the commitment to social justice functions for many like a religion, and also propose some ways we might engage those who adhere to it with the Gospel.

The religion of social justice



Can a commitment to social justice really be compared to a religious commitment? One might be tempted to think this is a tendentious comparison invented by conservative Christians, but a number of non-evangelical, and even secular, thinkers have made this argument.

For example, the journalist Andrew Sullivan observed in New York Magazine that in our secular culture, the need for meaning hasnt gone away, but without Christianity, this yearning looks to politics for satisfaction. And religious impulses, once anchored in and tamed by Christianity, find expression in various political cults. One of these cults, he writes, is the cult of social justice on the left, a religion whose followers show the same zeal as any born-again evangelical. They are lling the void that Christianity once owned, without any of the wisdom and culture and restraint that Christianity once provided.

He goes on to contend that social-justice ideology does everything a religion should:

It offers an account of the whole: that human life and society and any kind of truth must be seen entirely as a function of social power structures, in which various groups have spent all of human existence oppressing other groups ... the young adherents of the Great Awokening exhibit the zeal of the Great Awakening. Like early modern Christians, they punish heresy by banishing sinners from society or coercing them to public demonstrations of shame, and provide an avenue for redemption in the form of a thorough public confession of sin ... A Christian is born again; an activist gets woke.[8]

The secular, African American linguist and political commentator John McWhorter makes similar observations. With the rise of [contemporary social-justice ideology], he writes, we are witnessing the birth of a new religion, just as Romans witnessed the birth of Christianity. He describes several parallels between traditional religions and social-justice ideology.[9] Ill note some of these below.

Clergy  Social-justice ideology has its own clergy  especially some of its best-selling authors, many of whom also play a role similar to traveling preachers when they give talks and lectures.

Heretics  As Sullivan alluded to above, social-justice activists consider it imperative to not only critique those who disagree with their creed, but to seek their punishment and elimination to whatever degree real-life conditions can accommodate. There is an overriding sense that unbelievers must be not just spoken out against, but called out, isolated, and banned.

Evangelical  They are evangelists who believe in converting others to their viewpoint.

Apocalyptic  Many adherents hope for a kind of judgment day when America finally admits all of its past faults and fixes them.[10]

Engaging adherents of social-justice ideology



How might we approach sharing the Gospel with advocates of this deeply held ideology? As is the case when sharing with anyone, the first step is listening carefully. As Jana Harmon wisely observes,

It is important to take time to listen to [a persons] individual perspectives, to hear what they believe, why they believe it, and to understand their views and objections to God and faith. Listening toward understanding not only allows you to value who they are and what they think, it also reveals personal issues that are often lurking beneath the surface of intellectual objections.[11]

Its important to understand exactly what the person believes, and why, without jumping to premature conclusions.

We should also affirm as good and right any persons desire to pursue justice and help the marginalized and disenfranchised. As touched on earlier, Scripture reveals that God is just and that he requires all people to act justly and in love. It may be helpful to point out that the Judeo-Christian tradition is unique among the worlds religions in insisting that every human is made in Gods image and therefore possesses inherent value, worth, and dignity.[12] Its also noteworthy that Christians have often been at the forefront of helping those in need and working to change unjust laws and practices.[13] (Christians have also, at times, committed horrendous acts, but in doing so always contradict Gods scriptural commands.)

A discussion about justice naturally provides an opportunity to ask what a person sees as the foundation for right and wrong, and our ability to know it. As many Christian thinkers have argued, apart from God, there is no ultimate basis for objective moral values and duties. Without a foundation higher than the opinion of one or even a group of humans, morality appears to be subjective and relativistic. A number of atheistic thinkers have agreed with this conclusion.[14] If this is the case, then the decision to act justly or unjustly is similar to the decision to drink either Coke or Sprite  its purely a matter of ones subjective preference. Apart from God, morality becomes an illusion, and were left wondering why we feel so strongly about something that doesnt exist.

Finally, contemporary social justice ideology looks for evil in external systems and hierarchies but fails to acknowledge the evil each of us carries in our own hearts. Evils like racism are just one symptom of the disease, rather than the disease itself, which is our fallen, sinful natures. As Thaddeus Williams points out, A biblical worldview sees evil not only in systems (Psalm 94:20), where we ought to seek justice but also within the twisted hearts of those who make those systems unjust. All the external activism in the world wont bring about any lasting justice if we downplay our need for the regenerating, love-infusing work of God through the gospel.[15]

The first step in living a good life, characterized by justice and love, is to acknowledge ones sins and be reconciled to God, the source and foundation of goodness, truth, and beauty. It is only through this spiritual transformation that we will experience harmony with God, ourselves, and others.

Notes

1. Charles Taylor, A Secular Age (Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2007).

2. Michael A. Eaton, Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 18, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1983), 95.

3. Confessions, Oxford Worlds Classics (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008), 3.

4. For several real-life examples of how these signals have led people to embrace Christianity, see Os Guinness, Signals of Transcendence: Listening to the Promptings of Life (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2023).

5. Cited in Peter S. Williams, C. S. Lewis vs the New Atheists (Milton Keynes, England: Paternoster, 2013), 86. The quotation comes from Russell, The Autobiography of Bertrand Russell (Boston: Little Brown, 1968), 1256.

6. Social Justice, Britannica, June 16, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/social-justice.

7. See also Ex. 22:22-23; Deut. 27:19; Ps. 82:3-4; Prov. 31:9; Is. 1:17; Jer. 22:3.

8. Andrew Sullivan, Americas New Religions, Intelligencer, New York Magazine, December 7, 2018, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/12/andrew-sullivan-americas-new-religions.html. Although it would be a valuable exercise, it is beyond the scope of this article to evaluate the various tenets of social-justice theory that Sullivan and McWhorter mention. My aim here, instead, is to highlight the ways social-justice ideology is embraced and defended with the zeal one normally observes in relation to deeply held religious beliefs.

9. While McWhorters tone is satirical and hyperbolic, he makes several substantial points. One need not agree with every point to appreciate his overall argument. I disagree, for example, with his characterization of religion as irrational and requiring blind faith.

10. John McWhorter, Woke Racism: How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America (New York: Portfolio, 2021). All of the material cited comes from chapter 2.

11. Jana Harmon, What I Learned from 100 Atheists Who Converted to Christianity, The Worldview Bulletin, July 9, 2023, https://worldviewbulletin.substack.com/p/what-i-learned-from-100-atheists.

12. For a more detailed explanation of the connection between human value and Gods image, see my article Human Value & the Image of God.

13. For examples, see Glen Scrivener, The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality (The Good Book Company, 2022); Alvin J. Schmidt, How Christianity Changed the World (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2004); Sharon James, How Christianity Transformed the World (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2021); Tom Holland, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World (New York: Basic Books, 2019).

14. For example, Richard Dawkins, who claims the universe contains no design, no purpose, no evil and no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference. For this and similar statements, see my article Human Value & the Image of God. For a defense of how theism accounts for morality and naturalism fails to, see Paul Copan, Grounding Human Rights: Naturalisms Failure and Biblical Theisms Success, in Angus J. L. Menuge, ed., Legitimizing Human Rights: Secular and Religious Perspectives (Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2013), available online at http://www.paulcopan.com/articles/pdf/Paul_Copan-Grounding_Human_Rights_in_Menuge_2013.pdf.

15. Thaddeus Williams, Thinking Biblically About Social Justice: How to Tell the Difference Between Real Justice and Its 21st Century Counterfeits, Talbot Magazine, June 16, 2021, https://www.biola.edu/blogs/talbot-magazine/2021/thinking-biblically-about-social-justice.

Originally published in The Worldview Bulletin Newsletter.
Home Opinion United Methodisms last meaningful general conference

United Methodisms General Conference started on April 23, in Charlotte, North Carolina. It will likely be the last important governing convention for United Methodism as the denomination, with the rest of American denominationalism, recedes into almost irrelevance.

This General Conference will liberalize United Methodisms teachings on marriage and sex, over which traditionalists and progressives have fought across 50 years. Between 2019 and 2023, over 7,660 traditionalist churches, including up to 1.5 million members, exited the denomination under a temporary policy allowing departure with property.

In 2019, a special General Conference reaffirmed United Methodisms official policies affirming sex only within monogamous male/female marriage, by a vote of 53%. After the traditionalist mass exit, this General Conference should easily overturn the official teaching. Proposed new language would remove prohibitions and simply affirm human sexuality as a sacred gift and acknowledge that sexual intimacy contributes to fostering the emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being of individuals and to nurturing healthy sexual relationships that are grounded in love, care and respect.



It declines to connect sex to marriage or even to monogamy.

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Of the seven major Mainline Protestant (historically liberal) denominations, United Methodism, which is the largest, is almost the last to liberalize sexually, preceded by the United Church of Christ, Episcopal Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Evangelical Lutheran Church and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The American Baptist Churches (originally the Northern Baptist Convention) have not officially liberalized.

United Methodism is nearly the last to liberalize thanks to its large membership in Africa, which is overwhelmingly traditionalist, and where the majority of church membership is. Previously United Methodism had reported seven million church members in Africa, and 5.7 million in the U.S., but inexplicably recently reported 4.6 million in Africa. After church exits, U.S. membership is likely about four million. In 1968 United Methodism, in its year of birth after a merger between The Methodist Church and The Evangelical Brethren Church, had eleven million members in the U.S.

In the 1960s, United Methodism and the Southern Baptist Convention had about the same membership. Southern Baptists are also losing members, but its membership is now about three times United Methodisms: four million versus thirteen million.

Many have wondered why traditionalists exited United Methodism when they had across five decades won all the major sexuality votes from 1972 through 2019. Before the exits, most delegates elected to the 2020 General Conference, which was postponed repeatedly until 2024, were traditionalists. But traditionalist churches were in a bind. The deadline for a temporary policy allowing church exits with property, approved in 2019, concluded in 2023. Waiting for what happened in 2024 was risky.

And even if traditionalists had won another win on sexuality at this years General Conference, it would've made slight difference. Only the African votes made this win possible. Traditionalists were losing ground in the U.S., no longer able to elect traditionalist bishops anywhere in the country. The national and local bureaucracies were hostile to traditionalists. After 59 years of continuous membership loss, United Methodism is sclerotic and bureaucratic, unable to reverse its six decades of decline. The old bones could not rise again.

Traditionalists hope that this General Conference, at most, might create a new path for churches to exit. After this General Conference liberalizes, more churches will want to exit. Many local churches were urged to await this General Conference, ignoring that their path to exit would likely conclude in 2023. This General Conference is unlikely to offer another exit path. But we can pray.

The African delegates will be disappointed by this years General Conference, but they are hopefully prepared for defeat. They are also far fewer in number than they should be because of the usual visa problems, which were worse than usual this year. In 2019, 31 African delegate seats were empty because of visa failure. This year, 70 seats, or 25% of African seats, apparently are empty thanks to visas. Many complain that United Methodist authorities were especially delinquent and unhelpful this year, even with four additional years to plan.

We renewal movements in United Methodism, at every General Conference since 2004, have worked to help African delegates with their visas, sometimes asking United Methodist members of Congress to intervene, with mixed success. (Then U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions personally phoned some U.S. embassies in Africa.) When visas were denied to delegates, alternate delegates had no church funding to replace the blocked delegates. Often renewal groups paid for alternates to attend. It has always been a struggle to attain fair African representation. Even if all Africans could get visas, their representation, because of the formula, never assigned seats proportionate to their population. Although a majority of the church, they get only one third of the delegates this year. With twenty percent of them unable to attend, they are perhaps only one quarter of the present delegates.

When the U.S. delegates vote to liberalize church teachings, the African delegates, even if prepared, will be anguished. Its unclear to what extent they remain in United Methodism. U.S. institutionalists are pushing regionalization allowing Africa to set their own rules on sexuality. But many and likely most Africans will not find that plan tolerable. They have by large majorities rejected this proposal in the past. Within five years I expect 80-90% of Africans will have exited United Methodism, leaving the denomination almost entirely U.S. only with small numbers in Europe and the Philippines.

To what extent does this United Methodist story matter to U.S. Christianity and wider culture? Not very much, as it is the culmination of a multidecade trajectory for Mainline Protestant denominations that began theologically over 100 years ago, accompanied by sharp membership losses since the 1960s. Mainline Protestantism and United Methodism are longer important institutionally in America. For that matter, these institutions are increasingly unimportant to even members of these denominations. Church members under the age of 60 typically are indifferent to denominations and attend only because of commitment to the local church. Most will not be interested in what this General Conference does. But the liberalizing impact of this General Conference will, with time, affect nearly all local churches. The clergy pool will grow even more liberal, as traditionalist clergy leave or retire, and traditionalist young people pursuing ministry look elsewhere.

I expect that United Methodism will functionally not exist in 10 years (although church agencies with large endowments will independently survive). Its four million current members will shrink by hundreds of thousands annually. And remaining members will not be interested in paying for national church bureaucracy, submitting to distant bishops, or tolerating their church propertys ownership by a denomination. For that matter, other denominations will functionally not exist either. The Southern Baptist Convention, also affected by denominational indifference, may not be with us in 10 years.

Methodism and Wesleyanism as a belief system and movement of course will endure in different formats, bringing new vitality. Im grateful to been raised and spent my life in United Methodism, to which I owe so much. I first held office in my United Methodist church in 1985 at age 20, representing my congregation at the Virginia Annual Conference. In 1988, I compiled a report for my congregation about the United Methodist missions agency exchanging radical politics for evangelism, which led to my career to church activism. Its an odd sensation not to attend General Conference this year, having attended and submitted legislation to every gathering since 1992. This experience, typically 10 days of night and day of labor and combat, amid countless tensions and emotions, was always draining and exhilarating. There were adversaries and defeats, but also victories and many friends. Its been a wonderful journey.

When this United Methodist General Conference liberalizes, there will be media attention followed by indifference, as the denomination recedes. There is a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted. United Methodism and its predecessor denominations play their providential role. I will miss the idea of a great national denomination, as American Christianity becomes post denominational. But the new, less centralized expressions of Christianity in America will continue and even amplify Gods work.

Originally published at Juicy Ecumenism.
Home Opinion Universities of America: You are directly responsible for the rise of Jew hatred on your campuses

It is not so much that our elite universities have allowed a spirit of vile Jew hatred to take root on their campuses. Instead, they have cultivated that very spirit, fueling its fires and finetuning its ideologies. The universities are complicit.

Ben Shapiro confirmed these sentiments, writing, Open anti-Semitism has been on the rise for legitimately decades on campus. It was rife on campus when I was there 20 years ago. Its particularly rife from the radical Muslim community, and its been fostered by a Left-wing college administration across campuses for two generations that believes in the intersectional hierarchy of victimhood, in which Muslims outrank Jews.

Focusing on what was happening on the Columbia University campus in the heart of New York City, he wrote, How did the New York media miss it? The answer: They didnt miss it. They fostered it. For years, the New York Times has refused to cover attacks on Jews in New York City so long as those attacks were being committed by minority criminals. Intersectionality is a hell of a drug, and this entire world view has promoted anti-Semitism, particularly at elite institutions.

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It is no secret that the BDS movement has flourished on many of our left-leaning campuses and that pro-Palestinian student groups have had virtually complete freedom to demonize the Jewish state (and Jewish people). But what many observers have failed to realize is the degree to which the very grid of leftwing intellectualism fosters this Jew-hating spirit.

It is the Marxist dichotomy of the oppressor class (= the Jews) and the oppressed class (= the Palestinians), of the colonizers (= the Jews) and the colonized (= the Palestinians). And with the endless stereotypical antisemitic tropes in which the Jews control the media and the banks and the governments of the world, Zionism becomes the ultimate expression of oppressive, colonizing, European White Supremacism.

Zionism is the worst! Zionism is the archenemy! Zionism is racism on steroids! And the Zionists are the most megalomaniacal, genocidal, downright evil people on the planet.

These sentiments have been simmering on our campuses for years, ready to surface at any moment. Israels war on Hamas, resulting in great suffering for two million Palestinians, is all that was needed to cause these hate-filled sentiments to erupt with fury and passion.

Think for a moment about some of the scenes at Columbia University in recent days, as the shouting became louder and angrier, directed at the Jewish students on campus. Go back to Europe, and You have no culture, and All you do is colonize.

Then consider this October 8, 2023 article by Columbia professor Joseph Massad (yes, published one day after the massacre).

He speaks glowingly of the innovative Palestinian resistance and its major achievements, referencing the stunning videos.

For Prof. Mossad, the kibbutzim where the Israelis were slaughtered in cold blood are settler-colonies, noting that, the colonists flight from these settlements may prove to be a permanent exodus. They may have finally realized that living on land stolen from another people will never make them safe.

With pride he speaks of the Palestinian and Arab peoples who came out across the region to march in support of the Palestinians in their battle against their cruel colonizers, celebrating the capture of some of Israels colonial soldiers and officers in their underwear while sleeping.

To his dismay, he notes that the international enemies of the Palestinian people rushed to declare support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism and to condemn the Palestinian resistance.

He also takes umbrage at the international communitys rebuke of the Palestinians for receiving help from Iran, writing, This would be like demanding that the Europeans resisting the Nazi occupation during World War II refuse military and financial help from the white supremacist and apartheid United States, not to mention the racist colonizing regimes of France and Britain.

And he ends with this telling paragraph: But as the ongoing war between the Israeli colonial army and the indigenous Palestinian resistance has only just begun, the days to come will surely be crucial in determining if this is the start of the Palestinian War of Liberation or yet another battle in the interminable struggle between the colonizer and the colonized.

In all, the words colonies, colonizers, and colonized occur 21 times in his op-ed, as he ceaselessly beats his Marxist, Israel-hating drum. And remember that Prof. Massad is professor of modern Arab politics and intellectual history at Columbia University.

Is it any wonder that the Columbia protesters shouted, All you do is colonize? Where, pray tell, did they get such ideas?

Not to be outdone, Muhammad Abdou, a visiting professor at Columbia this year, posted a comment on Facebook on October 11, 2023 entitled, Decolonization, Islam, Palestine & Turtle Island. And as if he was competing for a prize for packing in the most possible woke tropes in one sentence, he begins by writing, Decolonization is an inherently violent, yes, but it's also a spiritual act in restoring neocolonialism's disfiguring impact on the native's racialized, sexualized, gendered, material, historical, symbolic, political, and spiritual relationship to our mother earth, non-humxn [sic!] life and land (that are also spiritual subjects not objects). All clear?

Thankfully, Columbias embattled president Nemat Minouche Shafik, when testifying before the House, condemned Massads statement, saying she was appalled by it, also stating that Abdou will never work at Columbia again.

But this is too little, too late, as multiple generations of students have already been indoctrinated by these toxic, destructive, and downright dangerous dogmas, providing very fertile soil for the germinating of outright Jew-hatred.

The universities are complicit. They helped create the monster, and now it is out of control. Nothing less than a comprehensive, top to bottom and bottom to top ideological overhaul will do.
MPs urged to resist legalisation of assisted suicide

Christians are joining protests outside Parliament as MPs debate proposals to change the law on assisted suicide.

The debate is taking place in Westminster today after a petition backed by Dame Esther Rantzen gained more than 200,000 signatures.

"We believe dying people in the UK should have the option of requesting medical assistance to end their lives with dignity," the petition reads.

The Christian Legal Centre (CLC), which will be joining the protests outside Parliament, called the campaign in support of changing the law "concerted, dangerous and misguided".

CLC chief executive Andrea Williams said: "Is this what we want in this country? Assisted suicide isn't compassionate. It deliberately takes the life of an innocent human, made in God's image. When you cross that line, you open up the door to all kinds of abuse.

"The media coverage on this issue in recent months has been very one-sided. It is time for the stories of life and hope to be heard and the voices of concern about the law changes being proposed.

"The slippery slope on these issues is real. The statistics and stories from countries that have recently liberalised euthanasia should be a warning to us all."

Other groups taking part in the protest include Care Not Killing, Not Dead Yet and Distant Voices.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, has called today's debate a missed opportunity to talk about the UK's "broken" palliative care system and the 100 million "black hole" in the hospice budget.

"Changing the law would put pressure on the elderly, vulnerable and disabled people into ending their lives prematurely. This is what we see in the US State of Oregon, which has an assisted suicide system and where a majority of those ending their lives in 2023 cited the fear of being a burden on their families, carers or finances as a reason," he said.

"While in Canada, which has a euthanasia system, 1,700 of those whose lives were ended cited loneliness as a reason in 2022. We have also seen the deeply troubling cases of Paralympians, army veterans and disabled people being offered 'an assisted death' rather than the support they need to live.

"Then there is the myth of the 'Hollywood death'. Studies show those who ingest death row drugs as used in Oregon, far from having a quick and painless death, slowly drown in their own secretions and die of what doctors call a pulmonary oedema.

"And this is before we get to the worrying data from the US and Europe that shows legalising euthanasia and assisted suicide, far from reducing the number of suicides seems to be associated with an increase in the numbers of people taking their own lives in the general population, perhaps because it normalises the idea and practice of suicide."

Joining today's protest is Nikki Kenward who lost all movement except the ability to blink in one eye after contracting Guillain-Barre Syndrome. She said that it would have been easy to choose assisted suicide if it had been available at the time, but is now glad she got to see her son grow up and get married.

"I believe that suicide is not the answer, the answer is to be cared for with absolutely brilliant, palliative care," she said.
Russell Brand announces baptism

(CP) Actor and comedian Russell Brand announced Friday that he is going to be baptized this weekend, the culmination of his months-long public wrestling with the tenets of Christianity.

"This Sunday, I'm taking the plunge," Brand, 48, said in a video he posted to X. "I'm getting baptized."

Brand said he had heard baptism explained to him as "an opportunity to die and be reborn; an opportunity to leave the past behind and be reborn in Christ's name like it says in Galatians  that you can live as an enlightened and awakened person."

He also referenced what he suggested were non-Christian reflections on the same theme of embracing death for the sake of life, quoting Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and the Buddha.

"All of these things seem so inviting and beautiful," he said.

Brand also suggested that increasing numbers are turning back to Christianity as the empty value system of modernity disintegrates and leaves them wanting more.

Brand said he had heard baptism explained to him as "an opportunity to die and be reborn; an opportunity to leave the past behind and be reborn in Christ's name like it says in Galatians  that you can live as an enlightened and awakened person."

He also referenced what he suggested were non-Christian reflections on the same theme of embracing death for the sake of life, quoting Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and the Buddha.

"All of these things seem so inviting and beautiful," he said.

Brand also suggested that increasing numbers are turning back to Christianity as the empty value system of modernity disintegrates and leaves them wanting more.

The actor made headlines last year after being accused of rape and sexual misconduct. He has denied the allegations.



 The Christian Post
Microsoft is reportedly putting its cybersecurity measures at "No. 1 priority" amid government scrutiny following multiple data breaches on the company within the past 12 months.

In an earnings call last week via Axios, CEO Satya Nadella told analysts that the company will put more effort into bolstering its security systems from future cyberattacks.

It can be remembered that a data breach on Microsoft last January compromised several corporate emails of its leadership members, allowing hackers to steal the company's service source code.

Later reports indicated that several government agencies using Microsoft cloud services reported several unauthorized log-in attempts from the stolen emails.

This was the second cyberattack on the tech giant in just one year with the first one being reported back in July where Chinese hackers were able to steal its customers' cloud emails.

Several government emails from the US and Europe were reportedly affected by the attack.

Microsoft Under Fire for Cybersecurity Issues

The commitment follows a blistering criticism from the Cyber Safety Review Board, blaming a "corporate culture that deprioritized enterprise security investments and rigorous risk management" as the cause for the past cyberattacks.

The board ordered the company to provide specific timelines for future reforms to improve its security systems.

Among the recommended improvements were focused on better protective measures on Microsoft's cloud services and identity authenticators for log-in processes.

The two processes were often the common targets of hackers in the past for several vulnerabilities in the system.

Microsoft is also urged to become more transparent with the cyberattacks, including the adoption of "incident and vulnerability disclosure practices."

Microsoft Braces for AI-Powered Cyberattacks

As one of the major backers of AI development, Microsoft is expecting an increase in AI-powered cyberattacks soon as seen by previous incidents.

An earlier report from the company, in partnership with OpenAI, has noted that state-sponsored hackers are ramping up operations using the companies' very own AI chatbots.

Threat actors supposedly use the chatbots to automate several processes, as well as generate believable emails and letters to dupe unsuspecting victims to steal their credentials.

Microsoft, which provides its services to government agencies and major businesses around the world, has warned leaders to increase precautions from future attacks.

Both Microsoft and OpenAI have since pledged to double efforts to prevent threat actors from using their products for criminal acts.
Atos may have found a way to alleviate its ongoing debt problems: The French government has offered to pay up to 1 billion ($1.07 billion) for the part of its business handling contracts vital to national security, but stops short of full nationalization of the company.

French Minister of Finance Bruno Le Maire said that the government had manifested its interest in acquiring all of Atos sovereign activities. The goal is for strategic activities to remain under French control, he said in an interview late Sunday with French TV channel LCI.

The governments non-binding offer comes as Atos seeks to raise over $1 billion in new funding to keep it afloat through the end of next year. But investors arent exactly rushing to help. Atos had set a deadline of April 26 for new and existing stakeholders to make it an offer, but at the last minute was forced to extend it by a week, to May 3. The company revealed the government offer on April 29.
Applications are the backbone of modern business. And when it comes to building enterprise applications, Java has made a name for itself as the Swiss Army Knife of programming languages. Its write once, run anywhere philosophy has driven widespread adoption and established the platform as the backbone of enterprise applications. In fact, 50% of todays enterprise apps are Java-based  meaning most of todays businesses rely on Java in some shape or form.

But of the millions of applications running on Java today, more than half are using Java 11 in production and nearly 33% are using Java 8, which was released a decade ago. A significant portion of companies, then, are running their businesses on top of apps built with archaic versions of this development ecosystem.

Alarm bells should be ringing for IT Leaders

This should be alarming to IT leaders. After all, the nature of software is that its changeable and designed to improve in lockstep with underlying hardware advancements. Java 22, for example, is the most current version and is more secure, more operations-friendly, more performant, and more memory efficient. However, to truly take advantage of modern Java, apps built for the ecosystem must be constantly maintained to maximize performance and minimize exposure to risks and security vulnerabilities.

Unfortunately, many teams are still firmly focused on building and deploying new, innovative features for business stakeholders rather than the technical maintenance of keeping underlying apps current. Thats echoed by VMwares latest State of Spring report, which revealed that the leading impediments to upgrading to a newer version of Spring Boot (the most common Java development framework) are an inability to prioritize it (46%) and a lack of motivation to do so because the current environment is working well (51%). The downside here is that while an application may run well enough on older versions, businesses with upgrade inertia are leaving themselves both vulnerable to the pitfalls of old software and unable to tap into the cost savings and improved performance that can better position them for success in competitive markets.

The speed of business has changed, and its only getting faster. To avoid falling further behind the pace of technological and business innovation, its imperative for businesses and IT leaders to consider Java migration a strategic priority, and begin planning for and executing a systematic upgrade process to modernize their Java app ecosystem.

Is the juice really worth the squeeze?

The biggest sticking point for leaders in deciding whether to embark on this journey is the perceived time and money required. The reality is that there is no better ROI than being on the latest version of any given software. And its not just a matter of staying up-to-date. Upgrading ensures the improved security, performance, and agility of the businesss software infrastructure, which in turn, drives meaningful cost savings over the entire lifecycle of every application.

Security is perhaps the biggest area of vulnerability (especially for organizations in regulated industries, where secure software is non-negotiable). Generally, as vulnerabilities are identified in any software or programming languages, patches are issued to plug the hole and mitigate risk. However, in the case of older software, eventually, the provider will end support for certain versions which includes an end to ongoing security patches, small updates, and general technical support. Java 8, for example, is no longer receiving Long Term Support from Oracle. So for the 33% of companies still running that version, applications are now more exposed to data leaks or other security issues that increase the likelihood of a business winding up on the front page of the news for the wrong reasons. Upgrading delivers security features that will help to protect users data and ensure the integrity and reliability of Java applications.

That said, performance is arguably the more compelling reason to migrate to a newer version. As capabilities across the hardware stack advance so too will the software functionality thats built on top. With the improved performance of Java versions 17 and beyond, software applications can handle larger workloads more efficiently, leading to faster response times and superior user experiences. Add to that: a reduced infrastructure footprint translates to lower hardware requirements and minimized operational expenses, which in turn supports cost optimization and resource efficiency that make a meaningful difference to an organizations bottom line.

As an example: imagine that a company recently ran an application that required 1GB of memory per instance prior to upgrading to Java 17 and after upgrading, those instances only needed 400MB. This company unlocked a savings of 60% on their original infrastructure spend  and that savings is gained every day, week, and month going forward as this app runs more efficiently. These are meaningful and, more importantly, long-lasting gains achieved by upgrading just one primary application.

Not only are companies saving money on cloud and infrastructure spend, but these are now more efficient, high-performing apps. Netflix, as another example, recently migrated its apps to Java 17 and has already realized a 15 percent voluntary adoption rate, significant cost savings, and streamlined operations. Requiring less memory translates to faster start times, which in turn can translate to greater support of high-demand moments like Black Friday or open enrollment. This is great news for leaders seeking to optimize their infrastructure spend while also positioning their organization to increase its competitive advantages.

In short, businesses that arent considering an upgrade to newer versions of Java are losing out on greater performance benefits, cost savings from smaller infrastructure footprints, and enhanced security features. And at the same time that company A is delaying migration and the realization of these benefits, competitor B might be making upgrades a priority. The technological gap between these two organizations will get wider quickly. The juice is absolutely worth the squeeze.

Its prime time to migrate

At some point, organizations will need to evolve the way they do things to keep pace with the rate of change in the industry. Upgrading doesnt have to be overly complex; in fact, setting a goal to migrate apps to more current versions of Java can even be a motivator for developers. The reduced complexity, efficiency, and improved performance of apps running on updated versions help developers increase their own productivity, and encourage them to build new and innovative solutions. And frameworks like Spring and Spring Boot, for example, make programming Java quicker, easier, and safer for everybody. Springs focus on speed, simplicity, and productivity has made it the worlds most popular Java framework (46% of all enterprise workloads use the Spring Framework) and empowers teams to significantly streamline how they build high-performing, cost-effective apps going forward.

For businesses that want to start down this path, its best to identify the apps that are easiest to upgrade first  like apps that can be upgraded with available OpenRewrite recipes, or that dont have breaking changes between versions. Save the apps that are likely to be more challenging for last  but use those as a learning opportunity. Teams might run into apps that have multiple third-party dependencies, for example, and those dependencies may have also reached end-of-life status. Find and identify the replacements for those dependencies and then apply them at scale across other applications.

There will certainly be apps that cant technically make the jump right now  but the large majority of them can and should. This vetting and tiered migration process will ultimately prove to be a crash course in the nuances of continuous migration, empowering teams to execute this more seamlessly in lockstep with the regular releases of Java versions going forward.

Final thoughts

Some of the worlds largest companies use Java for mission-critical applications. But the very nature of software is that its dynamic and changes over time. And although a recent survey revealed that developers expect their companies to both increase their investments in Java-specific development tools and expand their Java developer recruitment efforts in the year ahead, many are still propped up on a Java edition released in 2014.

Its imperative that businesses acknowledge the need to ensure these mission-critical apps benefit from continuously upgraded underlying software. At the end of the day, migrating to newer versions of Java is a strategic imperative to drive innovation, enhance competitiveness, attract leading developer talent, and maximize cost-effectiveness in todays dynamic business landscape.

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European privacy rights group noyb filed a complaint against OpenAI with the Austrian Data Protection Authority on Monday, accusing the company of breaching the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The EUs strict privacy rules require that companies allow individuals access to personal information held about them, as well as ensuring that such data is accurate. This requires a long audit trail to every piece of information stored about European citizens. When it comes to AI-generated content, such trails often go cold.

With regard to information generated by ChatGPT, noyb alleges there is no legal redress for so-called hallucinations, or wrong answers provided by artificial intelligence (AI) large language models, when it comes to personal information. In some cases, these errors can be dramatic, as when journalist Tony Polanco learned from ChatGPT that he was dead. (A year after Polancos discovery, ChatGPT is still repeating the error, and he is still filing stories.)
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Despite the tensions between the US and China, especially after the Tiktok ban bill was passed into law, US-based companies like Tesla are still making progress with the country. With Elon Musk's latest visit to China, it appears that the automaker's FSD feature will finally be rolled out.

Tesla's FSD Availability in China

While the full self-driving (FSD) software has been out for some time, China has yet to try to try it out with Tesla vehicles. Owners have apparently been asking for the driving feature to be rolled out in the country, and that is set to happen soon.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk was seen in Beijing, China, and was expected to discuss the rollout of the FSD software as well as permission to transfer data. Musk has already met with the appropriate officials to make this happen.

China's Premier Li Qiang, after meeting with the Tesla executive, said that the company's development in the country was an example of success in US-China economic and trade cooperation, as reported by Reuters.

This serves as a huge progress for the EV maker, especially since China is the second-largest market globally for the company. Musk himself said that the FSD feature will be available to customers in China "very soon."

In a different post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Elon Musk posted a photo of him meeting Li, which states: "Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang. We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days."

Wedbush equity analysts say that the meeting was a major moment for Tesla. "While the long term valuation story at Tesla hinges on FSD and autonomous, a key missing piece in that puzzle is Tesla making FSD available in China which now appears on the doorstep."

On top of the successful meeting, a Chinese auto association has also included the Tesla Model Y and 3 in a list of car models it had tested and deemed compliant with the country's security requirements, which is arguably the hardest hurdle companies have to go through in the country.

Read Also : Elon Musk Reveals August Launch for Tesla Robotaxi

A Potential Fix for Slowing Demands

The latest development in China for Tesla's FSD feature is good news, especially during this time. Tesla has been struggling with its hold on the EV market as new competitors emerge, to the point that it has already dropped the prices of certain EVs.

With the declining demand, Tesla's Model Y, S, and X have gone down by $2,000, although the costs of the Model 3 and the Cybertruck remain the same, even after the latter was recalled for issues regarding the accelerator pedal.

Elon Musk said that the prices for the vehicles must change frequently to match production with demand, as reported by CBS News. With the expected approval of FSD in China, it will gain an edge over China-based competitors like Li Auto, Nio, and BYD.

The company that once dominated the EV market is slowly losing its hold. In 2020 and the previous years, Tesla accounted for 80% of EV sales in the US, but that has since fallen to 55% by 2024 as more automakers release their own EV models.
Big Society Capital has renamed itself Better Society Capital (BSC), a name it says will better reflect its mission to grow investment into social issues across the UK.

The social impact investor said its new name, unveiled today, will help it unlock future opportunities while retaining its track record and heritage.

BSC was established by the government in 2012 as an independent organisation with 625m from dormant accounts and four high street banks to help grow the UK social impact investment market.

Since its launch, BSC has invested 925m of its capital and used that to unlock an additional 3bn from other investors for organisations tackling social issues such as homelessness and fuel poverty.

Old name was not clear or helpful

BSCs chief executive Stephen Muers told Civil Society that his organisation has sometimes received feedback from stakeholders that its name wasnt perhaps as clear or helpful as it might be and didnt quite capture what were here for and what we do.

So, we looked at this and thought: Building a better society is a better description of what our mission is. Ultimately, were here to try and channel more capital into tackling big social challenges across the UK while retaining a link back to our 12 years of track record, he said.

Its not a radical shift, were still committed to the same mission and work that weve been doing before, but [having] a name that better captures what were aiming for felt like the right thing to do.

Muers said changing the organisations name was particularly important in light of the market expanding and new people coming into social impact investment.

We were stumped to find that the people werent finding the name clear or helpful, and many new people didnt know us or the history, he said.

We felt that Better Society Capital was a clear statement to that. In a market growing with new participants, we feel its more important than ever to have a name that says what were here for and captures the mission in a way the old one perhaps didnt.

Helping charities address the cost of increased energy

In its strategy published in 2021 , BSC said it aimed to grow the capital invested into social impact to total between 10 and 15bn by 2025, which it estimated reached 9.4bn in 2022 .

Muers said that one area BSC is looking at is the intersection of social and environmental impacts where these two things come together and you can tackle them both at once.

In the past, weve done quite a lot of work around community energy and enabling communities to have a stake in renewable energy projects, he said.

Recently, we helped complete one of the biggest transfers of renewable assets to community ownership in the UK and were keen to do more in that space.

Similarly, helping social enterprises and charities address the cost of increased energy by helping them invest in new buildings or better heating systems or lighting means they can reduce their energy bills and carbon emissions.

Muers added that BSC continues to do a lot of work around social and affordable housing.

We have already made quite a lot of investments in that space supporting charities like Notting Hill Genesis. We think theres a lot more that can be done to help tackle temporary accommodation and homelessness.

Were looking at making further investments in that space, working with partners to raise the profile of what weve done around housing to attract more investment from both the private and public sectors.

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The Church of England

The Diocese of Leicester has signed an agreement with trade union Unite to represent its clergy and lay staff, the first of its kind to be signed by a Church of England diocese.

On Friday, Bishops Council announced that it had approved a voluntary union recognition agreement between the Diocesan Board of Finance, Leicester Cathedral, Bishop of Leicester and Church of England Clergy and Employee Advocates (CEECA).

Unite said the agreement ensures collective bargaining rights for clergy stipends and staff pay and terms and conditions for both.

It comes after the Church of England recently approved a 7% stipend increase after CEECA members submitted a pay claim for the first time in the churchs history.

We recognise the importance of trade union representation for healthy employment relations

The agreement encompasses all clergy holding the bishops licence for ministry in the diocese and staff employed by the bishops office, cathedral or Leicester Diocesan Board of Finance, a registered charity with around 92 employees.

It does not cover employees of parochial church councils (PCCs), as each PCC is a separate charity in its own right.

The Diocese of Leicester said the agreement doesnt bind any employee or member of clergy to become a member of the union and neither does it prevent those who may already be members of other unions from calling on their own union representatives to represent them in any future HR processes.

The agreement means that the diocese recognises the importance of trade union representation for healthy employment relations; the unions responsibility to represent its members interests; and the importance of good practice in matters of employment and office-holding, it said.

It also commits the diocese to consulting with the union on matters of interest to clergy and staff in relation to their employment or (if office-holders) engagement (such as pay, health and safety, and equal opportunities), and to further developing wellbeing, diversity, equity and inclusion, and anti-harassment policies and procedures for clergy, staff and applicants.

Leicester diocese is leading the way

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: A huge well done to CEECAs activists for negotiating this historic agreement.

CEECA performs tireless work within the church at both a local and national level thats resulting in real benefits for both clergy and lay staff. Unite looks forward to seeing the agreement being replicated at dioceses around the country.

Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester, said: Im pleased to have, alongside the Diocesan Board of Finance and Leicester Cathedral, entered a voluntary agreement with CEECA, part of the Faith Workers Branch of Unite the Union, following an approach from the Union.

I hope the agreement serves as a reflection of our close working as a diocese with CEECA over recent years and our commitment to supporting the wellbeing of our clergy, authorised lay ministers, and staff.

Leicester dioceses workplace rep Peter Hobson said: Were delighted that Leicester diocese is leading the way in recognising the value of an independent voice speaking on behalf of its clergy and other staff.

Even when you work for God, your terms and conditions are still drawn up by human beings, and we all know that a healthy church can only be helped by healthy employment practices for its staff.

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National AIDS Trust recruits CEO

HIV rights charity the National AIDS Trust has appointed Robbie Currie as its next chief executive, starting in July.

Currie, who has led the London HIV Prevention Programme since August 2022, will succeed Deborah Gold, who will be leaving after a decade as CEO.

He said: I am naturally nervous to be taking up the role following Deborah Golds incredible legacy, but extremely excited to continue the vital work undertaken during her tenure, alongside the exceptional National AIDS Trust team.

Sue Ryder hires CEO

Sue Ryder has appointed NHS England director James Sanderson as its next chief executive, taking over from Heidi Travis, who made the decision to semi-retire following 14 years with the charity.

Sanderson, currently national director of community health services, personalised care and palliative and end of life care at NHS England, will join the bereavement support charity in August.

He said: I am looking forward to working with staff, volunteers and everyone involved with Sue Ryder to grow the organisation and its impact, find innovative ways to continue to deliver the vision, and above all build a society where everyone who is dying or grieving can access the support they need.

Walking charity recruits CEO

Everyday walking charity Living Streets has appointed Catherine Woodhead as its chief executive.

Woodhead will leave her current post as CEO of Muscular Dystrophy UK, a role she has held since 2018, before starting at Living Streets in August.

Stephen Edwards stepped down as Living Streets chief executive this month, with Stephen Jefford acting as interim CEO until Woodhead starts.

Woodhead said: I am excited to sink my teeth into a new challenge at Living Streets. The charity has an incredible history and I look forward to working with the staff, supporters and local groups that make up Living Streets to expand its impact and ensure it has an equally bright future.

STiR CEO announces departure

Girish Menon has decided to step down as chief executive of STiR Education in June after nearly three and a half years in post.

The charity announced that senior director of programme delivery Jenny Willmott and director of learning and impact John McIntosh will replace Menon as interim co-CEOs.

Menon said: As we start thinking about our new strategy, I think this is the right time for me to step down, and I will be excited to see the organisation continue to progress under Jenny and John.

Getting on Board CEO steps down

Trustee training charity Getting on Boards CEO Penny Wilson has announced that she will be leaving the organisation at the end of June after seven years.

Getting on Board, which grew its income from 17,000 a year to 250,000 under Wilsons leadership, is recruiting for Wilsons replacement.

Wilson said: I have absolutely loved working with so many people in the charity sector to support a wider range of people to become, and serve as, effective trustees.

However, as every small charity CEO will tell you, the job is joyous but quite full on and I have decided that I need a rest. Im planning to take the summer off with my family before I decide what I want to do next.

Dravet Syndrome UK appoints first head of fundraising

Epilepsy charity Dravet Syndrome UK has appointed Tania Lewis as its first head of fundraising to help diversify and grow its income.

Lewis, the charitys sixth member of staff, was recently head of development and communications at Citizens Advice Hammersmith and Fulham, where she helped to raise over 2m in multi-year funding.

Im looking forward to using my fundraising experience to help support and empower more families, reach more health professionals and fund vital research, she said.

Independent Age announces change of chair

Independent Age has announced that Richard Anderson will take over from Julia Neuberger as chair in September 2024.

Neuberger, who has been chair since 2019, said: Working with my fellow trustees, staff and volunteers, we have laid a strong foundation for continued impact, and I am confident Richard will continue this work with his passion and expertise.

Anderson, currently chair of Bowel Cancer UK, said: I am energised by the opportunity to lead the board, grow our impact, and build our reputation across the poverty and older peoples sectors.

New Economics Foundation appoints chair

The New Economics Foundation has appointed former civil service director general Adam Sharples as its chair following an extensive search to replace Lord Kerslake, who passed away in July last year.

Sharples has held several chair and non-executive positions, including chair of the Money Advice Trust from 2016 to 2023.

He said: I am honoured and delighted to be joining the New Economics Foundation as chair, particularly at a time when there is such a need for new economic thinking informed by progressive values and sound evidence.

Social Investment Business appoints chair

Social lender Social Investment Business (SIB) has appointed Sonali Siriwardena as its next chair, taking over from former Labour cabinet minister for communities, Hazel Blears, who steps down after eight years at the helm.

Sonali, a partner at international law firm Simmons and Simmons, steps up into the chair role after having served as vice chair at the organisation.

SIB has announced other board appointments including West London Zone chief executive Louisa Mitchell, independent consultant Magdalene Bayim-Adomako, assistant director at the Office for Local Government Debjani Ghosh and CEO of Ouseburn Trust Chris Barnard.

Felix Project appoints three trustees

London-based food redistribution charity Felix Project has appointed three members to its board of trustees.

It has recruited Amazon Fresh UK country manager Matt Birch, business leader Paul Drechsler and Hello Fresh UK chief executive Adam Park.

The three members will officially start when they attend their first meeting in April and in May the board will commence recruitment of one further trustee.

Royal Society for Blind Children appoints trustee

The Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC) has appointed technology entrepreneur Simon Ward as a trustee.

Ward, who founded global marketing technology company Inspired Thinking Group, will work with CEO Julie Davis and the board to further expand the services that the RSBC offers, as well as provide strategic guidance on its expansion.

Davis said: As an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and global pioneer in marketing technology, he brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge, and were honoured that he has chosen to dedicate his time to us as a trustee.

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In 2018, I wrote for CJR about what Jim Rutenberg, then the media columnist at the New York Times, described as the hot new media real estate trend: Trump adjacency. I focused on two stories that, perhaps for the first time since Trump became president, had managed to loosen his boa constrictorlike grip on the news cycle while still being tied inextricably to the presidents personal conduct and maverick political style. One of these was the reckoning that stemmed from the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinsteina huge story in its own right, but one that also echoed unresolved abuse allegations against Trump. News stories about Weinstein, Rutenberg told me at the time, tapped into a swell of anger among American womenthat the charges about Trump and women didnt matter to voters.

Fast-forward six years, and the Weinstein and Trump stories are adjacent again. Last week, New Yorks highest court overturned a rape conviction that prosecutors in the state obtained against Weinstein in 2020. (He has also been convicted in California, and is likely to remain behind bars for now.) The decision came down as Trump himself was in court in New York, over hush money payments that Michael Cohen, his fixer, paid to the adult-film star Stormy Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 election to silence her claims of an affair. I cant describe how surreal it is to learn this news while waiting for Donald Trump to walk into the courtroom and sit down in the exact spot Harvey Weinstein was when he was convicted and sentenced to 23 years in prison, Molly Crane-Newman, a courts reporter at the New York Daily News, wrote on X.

More than just being adjacent, the latest Weinstein and Trump stories are connectedor at least, they might be. Weinsteins conviction was thrown out on essentially procedural grounds after the court ruled that the judge in his trial erred in allowing testimony that established a pattern of alleged abuse on Weinsteins part but went beyond the comparatively narrow legal case at issue. As The New Yorkers Ronan Farrow, who was among the reporters to break open the Weinstein scandal back in 2017, wrote last week, the judge in Trumps hush money case has also allowed testimony that establishes a pattern of conduct beyond the precise charges. That case, Farrow writes, could now be drawn into the thicket of legal questions that felled the Weinstein verdict.

As Farrow and others have noted, the two situations are not identical: the judge in the Trump case has been relatively cautious, not least in limiting jurors exposure to claims of sexual misconduct against Trump. Still, there are other links between the two stories that transcend their legal similarities and renewed adjacency in the news cycle. Both centrally involve the news media, albeit in very different ways; if textbook accountability reporting set the stage for Weinsteins convictions, in the Trump trial, journalism of a much grubbier nature has been central to establishing the very pattern of conduct that is essential context for the Daniels payoff. And if, as I wrote following Weinsteins conviction in 2020, that story illuminated the messy relationship between the court of public opinion and actual courta conclusion that, if anything, has only been reinforced by last weeks reversalit would perhaps be an understatement to draw a similar conclusion about Trumps legal cases, not only in New York, but across the map.

Public opinionand the medias role in shaping itwas at least the key theme as Trumps trial kicked off in earnest last week. Prosecutors called as their first witness David Pecker, the former National Enquirer publisher who, across several days of testimony, laid out how the tabloid came to catch and kill embarrassing stories on Trumps behalf, paying sources for the rights to them so as to ensure theyd never see the light of day. The Enquirer did not ultimately pay Daniels for her story, but it did buy stories from Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who also claimed to have had an affair with Trump, and a doorman at a Trump-run property who alleged that Trump fathered a child out of wedlock. Many of the details of this scheme were already well-documented. (Simon V.Z. Wood dug deep into the Enquirers side of the story in a 2019 feature for CJR that, among many other things, mentioned Farrows past reporting that Dylan Howard, a former Enquirer editor, once discredited an alleged victim of Weinsteins on the latters behalf. Howard has minimized his role in this; in one interview, he described the idea that he enabled Weinstein as absolute frog shit.)

Still, aspects of Peckers testimony were strikinghe said, for example, that the Enquirer paid the doorman even after its reporters established that his story was likely nonsensenot to mention potentially damaging for Trump; Pecker insisted that the catch-and-kill scheme was in service of Trumps election campaign and not, as Trumps lawyers argue, a means of protecting his family, a key tenet of the criminal charges in the case (which revolve, essentially, around false record-keeping to conceal election interference). And media reporters, in particular, feasted on Peckers firsthand account of the Enquirers ethics, or total lack thereof. Even by National Enquirer standards, Peckers testimony revealed an astonishing level of corruption at Americas best-known tabloid and may one day be seen as the moment it effectively died, David Bauder wrote for the Associated Press. I knew the National Enquirer was slimy, Kelly McBride, a media ethics expert at Poynter, told NBC. But I didnt know they were this slimy.

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If the Enquirer was never likely to win any ethics prizes, it has had some real scoops in its time; back in 2019, Wood argued for CJR that the real shame of the magazines Trump entanglement wasnt so much the regrettable TMZ-ification of US media, but rather the Enquirer abandoning its underappreciated penchant for muckraking to become a propaganda organ for one man. However you see the Enquirers bona fides, the story that Pecker laid out in court last week was that of an extraordinary effort to rig the court of public opinionor, at least, the views of Enquirer readersnot only by omission, but by commission, too. While the Enquirer had long bashed the Clintons, after Trump jumped into the presidential race, it ran often farcical hit pieces attacking a range of his political rivals. We mashed the photos and the different pictures with Lee Harvey Oswald, Pecker said last week, of an infamous Enquirer story linking the father of Ted Cruz to JFKs assassin. Thats how that story was preparedcreated, I would say.

From the vantage point of 2024, the idea that anyone ever thought any of this might make a difference to an election feels quaintbecause the Enquirer feels too faded a tool to cut through in an era of rampant online noise, perhaps, but also because public opinion about Trump is now pure, constant noise, to the point that he can sometimes appear scandal-proof. Still, some stories do cut through that noiseand at the moment, it might be the catch-and-kill scheme that is doing so to the greatest extent. As Ive noted before, some Trump critics regret this fact, seeing the New York case both as legally shaky and as less factually consequential than other criminal charges he faces, not least around his attempt to subvert the 2020 election. But those critics might have to get used to itor recognize, at least, that Trump is unlikely to face accountability for his election denialism in actual court this side of the election. Last week, the Supreme Court considered Trumps claim that he is wholly immune from prosecution in that case. The justices seem unlikely to accept this argumentbut conservatives on the bench do seem keen to kick the case back to a lower court, a move that will likely delay it significantly.

This is not to say, of course, that the court of public opinion cant still hold Trump accountable for his attempted election subversion; thats what elections are for. This court is bigger than the media alone, of course, but the media has a role to play within it, by establishing a factual and proportional record of wrongdoingin this case, centering Trumps anti-democracy politics without normalizing them. If the cut-through of the Trump trial that is going ahead right now is a product of the legal calendar, it is also a product of intense media coverage. As Ive argued before, we have the power to frame this case notor not onlyas a sordid tabloid tale, but a serious matter of alleged election meddling, even if the legal specifics are rightly up for debate.

(Ironically, even as a sordid tabloid tale, Trumpworlds efforts to manage the court of public opinion in 2016 may be blowing up in its face in 2024not only by making their way into actual court, but by reminding voters of the petty, often sleazy chaos that trails in Trumps wake. As Politico noted on Friday, the trial itself has turned into a running commentary on many of the things the Trump campaign wants voters to forget about the Trump years. Of all the potential Trump trials that could take place before the election, the stakes of this one might seem the smallest, but there is something about it being the trial to make it to court that feels on the nose, given who Trump is and his relationship to the press. Maybe this is the ordering we deserve.)

In the Weinstein case, the dichotomy between actual court and the court of public opinion matters for different reasons. As I wrote in 2020, his conviction appeared to show the former catching up to the latter in cases of sexual abuse, helped along by some exceptional journalism; last weeks reversal appears to show the opposite, at least for now. And yetas Jodi Kantor, the New York Times journalist who also broke open the Weinstein scandal in 2017, noted on the papers Daily podcast last weekthe viability of the legal case against Weinstein was always uncertain, while aspects of the broader Weinstein story, not least what it said about dynamics for women in the workplace, were never easily going to be litigated in a criminal court. We never knew what the legal system would do, Kantor said. But the story stands. Its the women who are the narrators of this story now. And that wont be overturned.

Back in 2018, I wrote that the Weinstein story was fundamentally one about activism and that in this, too, it was Trump-adjacent, responding to an angry, polarized zeitgeist that Trump has done much to stoke, if not create. In a broad sense, activism, of course, is still very much in the headlines today, as I explored last week. In 2018, Rutenberg mused to me that When I think about [the medias] survival in a post-Trump world, I wonder: Do stories contain the same sort of outrage after Trump? And, if so, do they still drive this intense interest? The extent to which our collective interest and outrage have endured is a live oneeven if we are, clearly, not yet living in a post-Trump world. Ultimately, that is not a question that will ever be resolved in actual court.



Other notable stories:

Recently, I wrote in this newsletter about a crucial election for the media in Senegal, where press freedom had deteriorated under the outgoing president, Macky Sall. Now Bassirou Diomaye Fayethe new president, who represents a sharp break with the political orderhas appointed Pape Ale Niang, an investigative journalist who was repeatedly jailed under Sall, to run the public broadcaster, a decision that has not been without controversy, including among other journalists. Le Monde has more (in French).

And for Slate, Michael Waters delved into the lost practice of steamships publishing lists of their passengersfueling on-board gossip and often making their way into the press. What made these lists so unique is the sheer transparency they offered, Waters writes. Today we no longer really have a comparisonthose cryptic, initialed upgrade monitors at the terminal gate dont quite scratch the same itch.

ICYMI: Frank Bruni on journalism in The Age of Grievance

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
A judge has declined to dismiss hundreds of lawsuits filed against rap star Travis Scott over his role in the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival in which 10 people were killed in a crowd surge.

State District Judge Kristen Hawkins issued a one-page order denying Scotts request that he and his touring and production company, XX Global, should be dropped from the case. The order wass made public last week.

Scotts attorneys had argued during an April 15 hearing that he was not responsible for safety planning and watching for possible dangers at the concert on Nov. 5, 2021.

They argued Scotts duties and responsibilities related to the festival only dealt with creative aspects, including performing and marketing.

However, Noah Wexler, an attorney for the family of Madison Dubiski, 23, one of the 10 people killed, said Scott, whose real name is Jacques Bermon Webster II, had a conscious disregard for safety at the sold-out festival. Wexler argued Scott encouraged people who didnt have tickets to break in and ignored orders from festival organizers to stop the concert when told to do so as people in the crowd were hurt or dying.

Earlier this month, Hawkins dismissed lawsuits against Drake and several other individuals and companies involved in the show.

The lawsuit filed by Dubiskis family is set to be the first one to go to trial on May 6.

The families of the 10 people who died, plus hundreds who were injured, sued Scott and Live Nation  the festivals promoter  as well as dozens of other individuals and entities.

After an investigation by Houston police, no charges were filed against Scott, and a grand jury declined to indict him and five other people on any criminal counts related to the deadly concert.

Those killed, who ranged in age from 9 to 27, died from compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car.

Some of the lawsuits filed by the families of the dead and the hundreds who were injured have been settled, including those filed by the families of four of the dead.

Top photo: The Astroworld main stage where Travis Scott was performing Friday evening where a surging crowd killed eight people, sits full of debris from the concert, in a parking lot at NRG Center on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via AP).

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $5.6 million in refunds to consumers as part of a settlement with Amazon-owned Ring, which was charged with failing to protect private video footage from outside access.

In a 2023 complaint, the FTC accused the doorbell camera and home security provider of allowing its employees and contractors to access customers private videos. Ring allegedly used such footage to train algorithms without consent, among other purposes.

Ring was also charged with failing to implement key security protections, which enabled hackers to take control of customers accounts, cameras and videos. This led to egregious violations of users privacy, the FTC noted.

The resulting settlement required Ring to delete content that was found to be unlawfully obtained, establish stronger security protections and pay a hefty fine. The FTC says that its now using much of that money to refund eligible Ring customers.

According to a Tuesday notice, the FTC is sending 117,044 PayPal payments to impacted consumers who had certain types of Ring devices  including indoor cameras  during the timeframes that the regulators allege unauthorized access took place.

Eligible customers will need to redeem these payments within 30 days, according to the FTC  which added that consumers can contact this cases refund administrator, Rust Consulting, or visit the FTCs FAQ page on refunds for more information about the process.

In a statement sent to The Associated Press, Ring said that bad actors took emails and passwords that were stolen from other companies to unlawfully log into Ring accounts of certain customers who used the same credentials on multiple sites back in 2019  adding that the company promptly addressed this by notifying those it discovered to be exposed in a third-party, non-Ring incident and taking action to protect impacted accounts.

Ring did not immediately address the FTCs allegations of employees and contractors unlawfully accessing footage.

Earlier this year, the California-based company separately announced that it would stop allowing police departments to request doorbell camera footage from users, marking an end to a feature that had drawn criticism from privacy advocates.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commissions ban on noncompete agreements commonly signed by workers is likely vulnerable to legal challenges, experts said, as some courts have grown increasingly skeptical of federal agencies power to adopt broad rules.

The commission in unveiling the rule on Tuesday said agreements not to join employers competitors or launch rival businesses suppress workers wages and stunt their mobility and job opportunities. About 30 million people, or 20% of U.S. workers, have signed noncompetes, the agency said.

Business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, tax services firm Ryan LLC, and a Pennsylvania tree trimming company have already filed three lawsuits claiming that the FTC, which enforces antitrust laws, lacks the power to determine which business practices amount to unfair competition and should be banned.

The Chamber late Wednesday moved to block the rule from taking effect pending the outcome of its lawsuit.

Related: Chamber of Commerce Sues to Block FTCs Non-Compete Ban

Those challenges are likely to delay implementation of the rule, which is set to take effect in August. In the end they may doom the measure, as the FTC has staked out a novel and unprecedented position regarding its rulemaking powers, several lawyers and other experts said.

The FTC rule may also be invalid because it addresses a major question with broad implications for the U.S. economy, which the U.S. Supreme Court has said agencies can only undertake with explicit authorization from Congress, lawyers said.

The FTC lacks that authority, and Congress itself has declined to pass proposed bans on noncompetes, said Jeremy Merkelson, a partner at law firm Davis Wright Tremaine in Washington, D.C. who represents employers.

I think the Supreme Court has all it needs to rule that the FTCs big swing was not greenlit by the legislative branch, Merkelson said.

The commission will also have to contend with a battery of conservative judges who have shown a willingness to block major government policies and rein in the power of federal agencies, including the Supreme Courts conservative supermajority.

The Tyler, Texas court where the Chamber filed its lawsuit has been a pretty effective firewall against questionable Biden administration rulemaking, said Gregory Hoff, director of labor and employment policy at the business-backed HR Policy Association.

The courts lone judge, J. Campbell Barker, is an appointee of Republican former President Donald Trump. Ryans lawsuit has been assigned to another Trump appointee, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown in Dallas. And any appeals in those cases will be heard by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where 12 of the 17 judges were appointed by Republican presidents.

The FTC in a statement responding to the lawsuits on Wednesday said federal law is crystal clear that the agency has broad rulemaking powers to address anticompetitive conduct.

The commission also defended that authority in the 570-page rule itself, relying heavily on U.S. appeals courts decisions from 1973 and 1985 that upheld agency rules requiring fuel distributors to determine the octane rating of gasoline and mail order companies to ship products within advertised time frames.

But those rules were not as sweeping as the noncompete ban that touches every sector of the economy, and the 5th Circuit is not bound to follow prior rulings from other appeals courts, said Damian Cavaleri, a New York-based lawyer who has represented employers and workers.

Its likely the 5th Circuit will create a split and it will go up to the Supreme Court, and I wouldnt expect (the courts conservative majority) to shy away from addressing the issue, he said.
HomeServices of America, a real estate brokerage owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc., reached a settlement agreement in a lawsuit taking aim at agent commissions industrywide.

The brokerage agreed to pay a total of $250 million over the course of four years in its settlement of the Missouri lawsuit, commonly referred to as Sitzer and Burnett, according to HomeServices of America Executive Vice President Chris Kelly. The company said the settlement, subject to court approval, will help protect its agents from related lawsuits.

While we have always been confident in the legality and ethics of our business practices, the decision to settle was driven by a desire to eliminate the uncertainty brought by the protracted appellate and litigation process, Kelly said in an emailed statement.

The real estate industry, including the National Association of Realtors, has come under scrutiny recently through multiple lawsuits that have taken aim at how commissions are structured. Last year, a Missouri jury found the Realtor group and others liable of colluding to keep real estate agent commissions high in a $1.8 billion verdict in the Sitzer and Burnett lawsuit.

The NAR agreed in March to settle litigation in the case, as well as other pending lawsuits. Other brokerages including Compass Inc. have also agreed to settlements.

This resolution allows us to concentrate on our primary goal: delivering unparalleled value in the real estate market and serving homebuyers and sellers with the highest standards of service, Kelly said.

The financial terms of the settlement are the sole obligation of HomeServices with no participation from its parent company. The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported the settlement earlier.

Copyright 2024 Bloomberg.
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Tom Dreiling, assistant superintendent of Independence Local Schools, has been honored as Ohios business operations manager of the year.

He was presented with the award April 17 at the Ohio Association of School Business Officials annual conference in Columbus.
Canadian Pharmacy London Drugs suddenly closed its services on Sunday following a nationwide cyberattack that hit its operations.

In a statement to CBC, the pharmacy confirmed it became a "victim of a cybersecurity incident," hitting its operations across Western Canada.

The company has temporarily shut down its operations across nearly 80 establishments, advising customers to "phone their local store's pharmacy to make arrangements."

The Canadian pharmacy said the service shutdown will be temporary, although no time was given when it will be back to full operation.

It remains also uncertain if the cyberattack has compromised any vital personal information of its patients, customers, and employees.

Also Read : UnitedHealth Data Breach Could Affect 'Substantial' Number of Americans

Cyberattacks Become More Rampant on Healthcare Companies

The attack on London Drugs follows the growing trend of hackers and threat actors becoming more brazen in their operations, targeting major healthcare services in North America and Europe.

UnitedHealth Group, one of the biggest healthcare providers in the US, reported a major cyberattack just last February that compromised thousands of its customer and employee data.

Russian-based cybercriminal group "Black Cat" claimed responsibility for the attack that crippled many pharmacies' services nationwide for nearly a week.

Reuters reported that UnitedHealth paid the hackers $22 million to retrieve the stolen data and prevent it from being published.

Two months later, the company reported another ransomware attack from RansomHub claiming it had also stolen critical data from the company.

It remains uncertain if Change Healthcare, the affected UnitedHealth subsidiary, has also paid out the ransomware group to protect its customers' data.

Related Article : US Pharmacies Became Target of Nationwide Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware Attacks Surge Through 2024 Amid AI Concerns

It is not only healthcare providers that are suffering from an increase in financially-motivated cyberattacks over the past 12 months.

Following a surge in ransomware attacks in 2023, ransomware attacks have been noted to rise in financial sectors and government agencies around the world.

Several tech experts and cybersecurity groups have already pointed to the hackers using AI to boost their operations to the more rampant attacks.

Affected tech companies and government agencies are already working together to crack down on illegal practices and permanently disrupt the hackers' operations.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Gov. Mike DeWine has criticized Democratic President Joe Bidens administration for delaying a planned federal ban on flavored tobacco products.

DeWine, a Republican, delivered a sharply worded statement after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday the ban would be delayed indefinitely in the face of push back from Black civil-rights leaders.
MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio  Investment firm Ancora is gathering allies in its fight to oust Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw, and it is now publicly being supported by two unions, an investment advisory firm and one of the railroads biggest customers  Cleveland-Cliffs.

Ancora, an activist investor headquartered in Mayfield Heights, is waging a proxy fight against Norfolk Southern and is looking to elect seven new members to the railroads board. Ancora has cited Norfolk Southerns current CEO Alan Shaws leadership as the reason for the companys underperformance, and is looking to replace him.

The board nominees include former Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Jim Barber, a former UPS executive Ancora wants to make Norfolk Southerns new CEO. Ancora said Norfolk Southern hasnt met expectations on revenues or stock price, and that the East Palestine derailment and other accidents since then are a clear sign that Norfolk Southern is not being run well.

Over the weekend, Ancora announced that two Teamsters unions that represent some of Norfolk Southerns workforce are supporting Ancora in the proxy fight. So is Cleveland-Cliffs, which calls itself one of the railroads biggest customers.

Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves said in a letter that board turnover, or no change, wouldnt affect Cliffs and Norfolk Southerns business relationship. Still, Goncalves threw in his support.

We believe in shareholder activism when the activist has a plan and knows how to execute the plan, Goncalves wrote in the letter. That seems to be the case of your current effort, and therefore you have my support.

Glass Lewis, a firm that meets with both sides and advises investors on how to vote in proxy fights, also voiced support for Ancora and backed six of its seven nominees.

Norfolk Southern has put out several of its own statements to combat Ancoras efforts. The railroad is asking investors to only vote for its 13 nominees to the board.

Activists investors, like Ancora, buy shares in underperforming companies and then push for large-scale changes that they believe will improve the company and stock price.

Ancora has successfully pushed for changes at several others firms, including Kohls, Hasbro, Big Lots and Bed, Bath & Beyond. Locally, its known more as a family wealth and investment firm with offices in Mayfield Heights and Westlake.

When pushing for changes doesnt work they may engage in whats called a proxy fight, which is when activists rally other investors to vote in board members that would makes changes to the company.

Norfolk Southerns yearly shareholder meeting is May 9, but investors start voting in the weeks before then. It isnt uncommon for both the activist investor and company  in this case Ancora and Norfolk Southern  to increase their rhetoric and gather allies as the election deadline nears.

Sean McDonnell is the business reporter for cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer. You can reach him at smcdonnell@cleveland.com.
WASHINGTON  When the Federal Trade Commission finalized a rule earlier this month banning noncompete clauses, the blowback was swift: Within 24 hours, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce led a handful of business groups to file a lawsuit seeking to block the ban. They argued that the FTC lacked the authority to impose it in the first place.

The playbook is becoming a familiar one: The Biden administration finalizes a new rule regulating business, and the Chamber and industry lobbying groups immediately sue to stop it by arguing that the agency has overstepped its authority.

So far this year, the administration has finalized seven rules, addressing such areas as independent contractors, credit card late fees and climate disclosure requirements, only to see them met with near-immediate lawsuits by the Chamber and other groups.

The Chamber said it expects to file a total of at least 22 lawsuits against the Biden administration before the end of President Joe Biden's current term. That's a dramatic increase from the number of suits it filed against two previous administrations  three against the Trump administration and 15 during Obama's first term, according to the Chamber.

The American Bankers Association, another influential lobbying group in Washington, said it has signed on to four lawsuits against banking regulators since September 2022 and that it had not signed on to any legal challenges to banking regulators for about a decade before that.

Officials at both the Chamber and the ABA said litigation is always a last resort. But they see it as a necessary step when agencies issue regulations that the organizations see as outside the scope of their authority.

"We are fully confident these agencies are acting within their authorities," White House assistant press secretary Michael Kikukawa said in a statement to CNBC. "These rules help American workers and families by increasing wages, lowering costs, saving lives, and building a fairer economy."

"It's not just about a single regulation, right?" Neil Bradley, executive vice president at the Chamber, said in an interview with CNBC. "It's about the 1,000 regulations that are going to go final this year. It's about the 200-plus regulations that have an economic impact of more than $200 million a year."
Frankfurt-based tech company Northern Data , prominently known for bitcoin mining, has recently transformed its business model into cloud solutions and data center infrastructure. This shift has caught the attention of investment bank Berenberg, which started coverage of the company's stock with a Buy rating and a price target of 39 euros ($41.84) per share, indicating a potential 53.2% upside from the current share price as of April 26. Listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Northern Data has three core divisions: Peak Mining for bitcoin mining, Taiga Cloud for cloud computing and Ardent Data Centers for data center infrastructure. Berenberg holds that the market has largely overlooked the growth prospects for Taiga Cloud's offering. Shares of Northern Data are also traded over the counter in Italy and the United States, but trading frequency and volumes are expected to be very low. NB2-DE 1Y line The business transformation isn't the first for the company, which has been listed since 2015. Formerly known as Biosilu Healthcare, the company was a pharmaceutical broker for Asian markets until early 2018. It then pivoted to crypto mining operations and was renamed Northern Bitcoin , making it one of the earliest listed firms to enter the crypto scene. In its current format, Northern Data continues to evolve with the acquisition of a data center in Pittsburgh earlier this year. The company said it will expand the facility fourfold by the second half of next year. Northern Data is also expected to benefit from advances that its subsidiary Ardent Data Centers has made in liquid-cooling technology in its crypto mining operations over the years. "We believe that the significant investments that Northern Data has made in the latest liquid-cooling mining technology and the expansion of the company at its existing North Dakota and new Texas sites should enable it to achieve high bitcoin production and mining profitability," Berenberg analysts Gerhard Orgonas and Jenna Xu said in a note to clients on April 25. "We think that Northern Data's knowhow in energy-efficient, state-of-the-art, liquid-cooled data centres makes it a competitive colocation services provider, especially given the increasing efficiency requirements for generative-AI applications." The investment bank estimates that Peak Mining can achieve revenues of over 170 million euros by next year , with adjusted margins above 40%. But it's Northern Data's cloud solutions that analysts are eyeing. The company's Taiga Cloud division is certified as an "Elite" partner of Nvidia , making it one of the largest providers of Nvidia-based cloud services in Europe. The investment bank forecasts annual revenues of around 400 million euros and adjusted profits of about 290 million euros from Taiga Cloud from 2026 onward. Northern Data's cloud computing platform is expected to have 20,000 Nvidia AI chips, worth 730 million euros, by the third quarter of 2024, the note said. Northern Data's founder and CEO Aroosh Thillainathan has also demonstrated his confidence in the company by announcing plans to acquire shares worth up to 30 million euros this year. As of Mar. 21, the company said that Thillainathan's stake in Northern Data Group has increased to 3.8 million shares, representing approximately 7.15% of the business' current share capital.
We've been sending so much stuff into space, do you ever wonder where they go? Well, a lot of them don't stray very far and remain in Earth's orbit, effectively cluttering up space. There are already clean-up efforts in place to lessen them, and Astrocale's ADRAS-J is making progress.

Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J)

Astroscale, a Tokyo-based orbital debris removal company, has successfully approached a second-stage H-2A rocket within a couple hundred kilometers, and is preparing to examine the rocket part by capturing images as it orbits around the debris.

The mentioned space junk was first launched in 2009, which makes it a decade and a half years old. What makes the find impressive is that the rocket's upper stage was not equipped with its own GPS data, meaning that it wasn't that easy to track it.

With limited data from the ground-based operation, Astroscale teams in both Japan and the UK managed to maneuver ADRAS-J successfully, allowing the spacecraft to utilize the Angles-Only Navigation algorithms to process images, as reported by Interesting Engineering.

ADRAS-J Project Manager based in Japan, Eijiro Atarashi said that "Starting Angles Only Navigation is a huge milestone for the ADRAS-J mission, highlighting the expertise and teamwork among Astroscale teams in Japan, the UK, and the US."

He added that the mission brings us one step closer to further advancing their RPO (rendezvous and proximity operations) capabilities and the understanding of space debris. This is important to determine how space debris may affect other spacecraft.

ADRAS-J features a range of onboard rendezvous payload sensors to safely approach targeted space junk, which is essential in gathering navigational data such as distance and altitude. The mission is expected to be completed by May this year.

The success of the mission would further Astroscale's goal to become the first commercial deorbiting service, which would help clean up space debris from Earth's orbit as it is becoming an increasingly important task.

Read Also : Astronomers Speak Up About Light Pollution Brought by Space Debris

The Problem with Space Debris

Space debris has become a problem for many active spacecraft on several occasions. There were even times when the ISS had to be maneuvered using its thrusters to avoid collisions, which would damage severely damage it.

A lot of the junk hanging around in Earth's orbit since they travel at high speeds, which means the impact can be extremely dangerous. They orbit the Earth at about 25,265 kph, as per Reuters, which is exponentially faster than a bullet.

With more satellites being sent up to space with the increasing need for it, more space debris will accumulate over time. Not only can this risk future space missions, but it can also interfere with ground-based observation operations. In a few decades, it could even make some regions of space unusable.

Space debris varies in size. The US government tracked about 23,000 pieces of debris that are larger than a softball, and about 100 million pieces of junk larger than a centimeter. While small in size, the speed at which it travels can deal devastating damage to satellites.
Aerial top view container ship full speed with beautiful wave pattern for logistics, import export, shipping or transportation. Suriyapong Thongsawang | Moment | Getty Images

A cargo tanker off the coast of Norway completed a 13-hour journey last year  but it wasn't a regular ship. The voyage was a test of an autonomous ship under AUTOSHIP, an EU-funded program to develop new technologies for navigating large vessels. The consortium brought together entities from academia and industry, including Kongsberg Maritime, the Norwegian giant that has been conducting deep research and development (R&D) on autonomous shipping. The trip marked a pivotal advancement in developing autonomous technology for shipping, which still faces many hurdles before it is ready for primetime. Markus Laurinen, growth and solutions director at Kongsberg Maritime, said that autonomous shipping as well as remote operating centers are possible, but there are external factors at play that will influence the acceptance of the tech, from gaining customer trust to securing regulatory clearance. "We are doing this step wise. We have a road map where we are role by role moving the functions to the remote operating center," Laurinen told CNBC. "This enables all the stakeholders involved to also learn and adapt in this big change that is happening. This is concerning a big amount of stakeholders, the freight owners, the ship owners, operators, the regulatory bodies and even the technological development bodies." Convincing national and global maritime regulators to get on board is the biggest obstacle for autonomous or remote shipping, said Ville Vihervaara, Kongsberg Maritime's VP of remote and autonomous solutions. "It really much depends on regulation, how the different countries and maritime regulators, how soon they will allow unmanned or uncrewed vessels at sea."

Reaching full autonomy

Tests like those carried out by Kongsberg in Norway aim to sway decision makers in the company's direction. The business is nevertheless not the only player experimenting in this space. South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) is also making key advancements in the technology and retrofitted one of its Samsung T-8 vessels with automated tech in 2020. "We then successfully performed a 10km (kilometer) journey at Geoje Island without any interference from the staff on board," a SHI spokesperson said. Much of this is made possible by radar and sensor technology, the company added. "Our organization is presently implementing our autonomous navigation technology on six large vessels and five small vessels." Industry collaboration will be key to getting more such projects up and running. Last year, SHI announced it had signed an agreement with Denmark's DNV to develop autonomous functions. Much like self-driving cars, ships can operate under different degrees of autonomy. The International Maritime Organization outlines four levels of autonomy, with the minimal level one still requiring seafarers on board, while level four implies full autonomy and enables the ship to operate without human intervention. There are still many kinks to straighten out before a ship reaches level four. The U.K. Hydrographic Office, a government agency responsible for providing hydrographic data for mariners for navigation, is currently developing standards for how machines will be able to read its graphs, according to Leo McLeman, business development manager at the institution. "Uniquely for autonomous technology, the hazards are hidden for the mariner by the sea. If you're navigating an autonomous car, you can see the hazards, same with an aircraft to a certain extent," McLeman explained. One of the biggest challenges for a machine is context. As a ship enters busier waters  usually as it nears land  it will encounter more vessels and infrastructure such as offshore wind farms. Traditionally a ship's captain knows how to navigate these obstacles and who receives priority on a route to avoid collisions. Will a machine be able to do that? "That's a question that our R&D team are tackling internally," McLeman said.

Safety

Questions linger over how an autonomous or remotely controlled ship will deal with collisions or other hazardous incidents at sea. "Learning via mistake in a cargo ship environment can be costly, it can be dangerous," said J.C. Renshaw, head of supply chain consulting at Savills North America. "In order to get there, I think that there needs to be some element of human intervention that enables the technology to learn without the peril of learning via mistake." Renshaw added that piracy is another consideration. Piracy around the Horn of Africa has reportedly been rising again in recent months, adding to concerns. On one hand, tasking an autonomous ship to undertake a dangerous route would mean no threat to human life in the event of an attack. On the other hand, freight owners may not have confidence in their precious cargo being carried through risky waters without human oversight. "It's going to take a while to make this pivot. I don't think it's going to be something that is an overnight game changer. There are a lot of things that do have to be figured out. Regulatory safety issues, piracy, any of the issues that are always dealt with by these cargo ships need to be cleared," Renshaw said.

Startups on the outside
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a Joint Ministerial Meeting of the GCC-U.S. Strategic Partnership to discuss the humanitarian crises faced in Gaza, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 29, 2024.

Crude oil futures fell by $1 on Monday as the U.S. Secretary of State made a renewed diplomatic push in the Middle East to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and head off an Israeli offensive against Rafah.

A successful cease-fire agreement would likely further ease the geopolitical risk premium factored into oil prices on fears that the war in Gaza could trigger a broader conflict in the Middle East that disrupts crude supplies.

Here are Monday's closing energy prices:

Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia on Monday. He will travel to Israel and Jordan on Tuesday.
A whirlwind earnings week saw traders jumping in and out of some of the biggest stocks in the market. In the coming days, technical experts will be watching to see whether those moves have staying power. So far, companies with negative earnings surprises are seeing their stocks slide by 2.5% on average, slightly higher than the typical decline of 2.3% for this part of earnings season, according to a note from John Butters at FactSet on Friday. Positive surprises are seeing smaller moves of about 1%, in line with their five-year average. Those macro numbers might seem small to daily market watchers, as some of the bigger post-earnings moves in either direction have affected the market's most influential stocks. For example, shares of Meta Platforms fell 10.6% on Thursday after earnings beat expectations, but revenue guidance was weak . Meanwhile, Alphabet jumped 10.2% on Friday after reporting an earnings beat and announcing a dividend . On a chart, those big post-earnings moves can leave "gaps" that may become a key area to watch going forward. "What happens with these gaps it's like they leave almost like a pocket on the chart where there's no selling pressure. Think of it as almost like a little vacuum," Katie Stockton, founder and managing partner of Fairlead Strategies and a CNBC contributor, said about some of the downside moves. A similar situation can exist when a stock opens sharply higher after an earnings beat. The gaps themselves take on extra importance if they break through a key resistance level, say, a 50-day moving average, and if they are not quickly "filled" in the next few trading days, she said. "We always make sure that the gaps are sustained, if you will. So let's say you saw a gap above a resistance level, that's your breakout. For the next few days, we like to see that stock hold up above the gap because that effectively confirms the breakout," Stockton said. What's next for Meta Meta looks like a potential example of the gap being filled after its sharp drop on Thursday. Stockton said the stock did cross some resistance areas and described the move as a "short-term breakdown." However, shares closed above their lows on Thursday and then ticked up on Friday. For investors who still want to sell Meta, this upward trend is a sign that it might be best to wait, Stockton said. "It suggests, from a short-term perspective, it's a little overdone.  You probably want to give it a little more room to bounce for a selling opportunity," Stockton said. Nvidia's week Nvidia does not report earnings until May. But the stock did on April 19 see a 10% drop that fed into the market volatility. The stock's price movement since the drop could be an example of what technical analysts and traders will be watching for with other tech stocks that saw post-earnings moves. Nvidia's stock is still below its highs of the year, but it gained more than 15% last week. That rebound erased the April 19 decline. Frank Gretz, technical analyst at Wellington Shields, pointed out on Friday morning that the chip stock was on the verge of climbing back above its 50-day moving average, which was breached during the April 19 slide. "It's right up against the 50-day but looks like it might go through, which would be impressive.  A lot of stocks, after they break, they stop right at the 50-day," Gretz said. The stock did close above its 50-day moving average on Friday, according to FactSet. A macro view The big moves by tech giants this past week could make index-level trades a bit tricky. Larry Benedict, a hedge fund veteran and founder of the Opportunistic Trader, said some of these big moves can effectively cancel each other out. "It's almost like a one-off market.  You could have Intel down 10%, and have Microsoft up 5%, and the weighting in Microsoft is just so much greater that it has much more influence on the market," Benedict said. For all of the single-stock volatility, the S & P 500 ended the five-day period with a gain of 2.7%  its best week since November.
This photograph taken on April 26, 2024 shows the headquarters of the French multinational information technology company ATOS in Bezons, near Paris. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Struggling IT firm Atos on Monday said that it had received an offer from the French government to potentially take over some of its business.

As part of the deal, the French government would acquire Atos' advanced computing, mission-critical systems and cybersecurity product divisions, according to the letter of intent sent by the French state over the weekend. The offer was based on an indicative enterprise valuation between 700 million euros ($750 million) and 1 billion euros as part of the offer, the firm said.

Due diligence is set to begin shortly with a view that a non-binding offer could be made in early June, according to the IT firm.

French finance minister Bruno Le Maire had announced the plan in local media on Sunday.

"There are within Atos sovereign activities that must remain under the exclusive control of France," he said, according to a CNBC translation.

Reuters reported that Le Maire said he was aiming for unspecified French companies to invest in Atos. Several discussions about deals to sell off parts of the business, including with Airbus and Czech billionaire businessman Daniel Kretinsky, have collapsed.

Among other sensitive contracts with the French authorities as well as its military, Atos is currently managing data and cybersecurity for the Paris 2024 Olympic games.

The firm is facing mounting financial troubles, including soaring debt, and is currently in talks for financial restructuring. Atos' net debt stood at 3.9 billion euros at the end of the first quarter, the company said earlier this month.

Atos on Monday said that it now needed 1.1 billion euros of cash to finance its business throughout 2024 and 2025, substantially more than the 600 million figure it had previously provided. Atos said that investors had until early May to make proposals, adding that the company aims to strike a restructuring deal in July.

Shares in Atos jumped as much as 19% on the news of the French government's offer early on Monday, and were last up by 22.01% at 11:57 a.m. London time.
Maximilian Krah (L), MEP of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, speaks with Tino Chrupalla, co-leader and parliamentary group co-leader of the AfD during the AfD's federal party congress at the trade fair in Magdeburg, eastern Germany on July 28, 2023. Ronny Hartmann | Afp | Getty Images

Germany's far-right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) has gone from the political fringes to the mainstream in recent years, consistently polling in the top three parties in the country. And data shows that younger voters now play a major role in the party's growth. In Bavaria's 2023 state election, analysis from polling company Infratest Dimap showed 16% of voters aged 18-24 supported the AfD  this was up by 9 percentage points from the previous election and bigger than the party's broader result in the region. In Bavaria's mock state election for under-18s in September, the AfD added over 6 percentage points to become the second biggest party with 14.9% of the vote, according to the organizers. The AfD also jumped by 8 percentage points to receive 18% of votes from 18-24-year-olds in the 2023 Hesse state election, Infratest Dimap data published by local media showed. The AfD promotes anti-immigration, anti-multiculturalism and anti-Islamic policies, and seeks to scrap the euro as a national currency, lift sanctions against Russia and abolish Germany's renewable energy act. The party has been met with widespread public criticism despite its growing popularity, including calls to ban the AfD and anti-right protests. German domestic intelligence services classify some AfD factions and politicians as extreme right. Traditionally, young voters are seen as more left-leaning, but the voting data suggests some divergences, with experts pointing to social media and what they describe as online echo chambers. "The 'rabbit-hole-' or tunnel-effect quickly becomes problematic when it comes to political topics," Eva Berendsen, head of communication and political education at the Anne Frank educational institute, told CNBC in translated comments. This means users are often only presented with views from one political perspective rather than with a range of opinions, she explained. A study published earlier this month showed that over half of those aged 14-29 in Germany use social media to stay updated about news and politics. Eighty-percent regularly use Instagram, and 51% are frequent TikTok users, the study found.

The far-right on TikTok

The AfD has found success on TikTok, while other German parties have mostly not been very active or only recently joined the platform. For example, the official account of the CDU's parliamentary faction, which is the main opposition party and current leader on voter polls, typically gets less than an aggregate 15,000 views per post. By contrast, AfD parliamentary faction's videos often get over 50,000 total views, while many posts amass hundreds of thousands, or even millions of views over time. Video titles include "The left-green online Stasi is coming" and "Ms [Foreign Minister] Baerbock, you are the biggest danger for Germany's foreign policy since 1949," according to a CNBC translation. At time of writing, the AfD's parliamentary faction had 414,000 followers on TikTok, far more than on other social media platforms such as Instagram for example, where it has amassed 108,000.

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Various AfD politicians, such as European Parliament member Maximilian Krah, are also successful on an individual basis. Videos posted on Krah's account frequently reach hundreds of thousands on TikTok, as he talks about how "real men" vote for the right and counters left-wing figureheads. TikTok recently restricted Krah's account due to repeated community guidelines violations, and his videos were not pushed to the platform's "For-You" page for 90 days. Krah's most recent videos have been seen by thousands of viewers at time of writing, and his previous viral content remains on his page. TikTok has rules against content showing hateful behavior, speech and ideology. But Berendsen told CNBC that it is one of the social media platforms where the tunnel-effect can be an issue. "Short videos that quickly convey simple messages and emotions are successful on TikTok  on such a platform populists have it easier than anyone who puts effort into making distinctions," Berendsen said. These messages often reach a young audience with little background knowledge through TikTok, she added. TikTok's algorithm is often seen as the app's "secret sauce" and is crucial for user engagement. It adapts quickly, showing users similar content to what they have previously interacted with, or watched for more than a few seconds.

Social media strategy

"The AfD is far ahead of other parties on all social networks because it is much more credible in comparison and because it represents positions that are in the interest of citizens," an AfD spokesperson told CNBC in translated comments. Far-right influencers are also active on the platform and use tactics like emojis that symbolize far-right symbols  such as red, white and black hearts to represent the flag of the Third Reich  to attract young people. Content is often specifically tailored to attract young people, the German government authority for the protection of children and teenagers against harmful media (BzKJ), told CNBC.

"Extremist content is in many cases youth-oriented and professional. The messages are conveyed in line with youth-culture, for example through the use of music, games, current topics or the people that post them," a spokesperson said in translated comments. "It is often not immediately clear that this content is extremist." Emotionally loaded keywords and topics such as family, equality and identity are also often used, Berendsen added. An AfD spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that its videos and texts posted on social media are tailored to young people.

Rules and regulations
Aire Images | Moment | Getty Images

Most Americans consider money to be a private topic, and women are among those most reluctant to engage in financial conversations. But not asking the questions they need help with can hold them back financially, experts say. One women-focused nonprofit has launched a new way to help them get faster answers to their queries through the use of an online AI chatbot. The organization, Savvy Ladies, was founded more than 20 years ago by Stacy Francis, a certified financial planner and president and CEO of Francis Financial in New York City. After seeing her grandmother stay in an abusive situation because she lacked financial resources, Francis created the nonprofit with the goal of helping other women avoid similar situations.

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The new chatbot  provided through Microsoft Copilot  allows visitors to the Savvy Ladies website to type in their financial questions and receive immediate answers curated from the website's content written by CFPs and other financial professionals. "We want to make sure that we are able to help anyone, any woman who has a question," said Francis, who is also a member of CNBC's FA Council. "This is something that she can go on literally at 3 a.m. and be able to get her question answered." That first engagement always closes with a prompt via the Savvy Ladies' helpline for a one-on-one conversation with a professional who can provide advice and guidance. "We want everyone to learn and grow in their knowledge, but still feel that they're they can come and ask their own individual question and get matched," said Judy Herbst, executive director of Savvy Ladies.

AI tools can't replace financial advice

Artificial intelligence language models may play an important and evolving role in financial literacy, said Michael Roberts, the William H. Lawrence professor of finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. But today's tools are still developing and are a complement to  rather than a replacement of  our own personal financial knowledge and decision making, he said.

"To use these tools, you have to be able to engage with them; but to be able to engage with them, you have to be able to know what questions to ask, [and] how to ask them," Roberts said. "And you have to be able to understand the responses coming back at you." Due to the fast rate of progress in this space, it's hard to forecast where these tools will be even in another year or two, Roberts said. Individual investors are already showing signs they are starting to embrace these tools. Investors are more likely to trust advice from generative AI tools than from social media, according to a survey released last year from the CFP Board, a professional organization representing professional financial planners. Yet they are more likely to be comfortable acting on that advice once it has been verified by a financial planner, the results found.
AITO Automobile, a Huawei-backed new energy vehicle brand, is investigating the incident in collaboration with the local traffic police department, the company said in a statement released on its WeChat and Weibo public social media accounts on Sunday.

Three people, including a two-year-old boy, died after a Huawei-backed Aito M7 SUV burst into flames following a collision with a truck on a highway in the Chinese city of Yuncheng in the northern province of Shanxi, state media said.

Aito Automobile, a new energy vehicle brand launched in 2022, is investigating the accident along with traffic police, the company said on its WeChat and Weibo social media accounts on Sunday.

Aito said data from the vehicle showed it was operating at a speed of 115 kph (71 mph) at the time of Friday's accident, adding that the airbag opened normally and readings from the battery pack were normal.

The company said it was co-operating with traffic police to provide all necessary data to reconstruct the cause of the accident, and support the families involved.

Video on social media showed bystanders trying to break the window and door of the SUV as it was lodged under the truck with the front of the vehicle engulfed in flames.

The Aito M7, made by Seres Group in partnership with Huawei, with Huawei providing technology for the vehicle and help with marketing.

Huawei has said several times it is a components provider rather than a manufacturer of cars.
President Joe Biden (L) listens to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he joins a meeting of the Israeli war cabinet in Tel Aviv. U.S. President Joe Biden again told Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he should not proceed with military action in Rafah without a credible and executable plan to protect Palestinian civilians, the White House said.

President Joe Biden held a phone call on Sunday with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the backdrop of growing U.S. college campus protests and a possibly imminent invasion of Rafah.

The two discussed areas of commonality, with Biden "reaffirm[ing] his ironclad commitment to Israel's security" after Iran's missile and drone attack on the country earlier this month, the White House readout said. The leaders reviewed hostage and cease-fire discussions and talked about humanitarian aid in Gaza as well.

But the call also underscored daylight between the two on Israeli strategy in Gaza's southern city of Rafah. Netanyahu shows no signs of backing away from a ground offensive there  a potential move that the U.S. publicly opposes.

"The leaders discussed Rafah and the President reiterated his clear position," the readout said.

More than a million Palestinians are currently sheltering in the city.

Earlier on Sunday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said during an ABC News interview that Israelis have "assured us they won't go into Rafah until we've had a chance to really share our perspectives and concerns with them."

"So we'll see where that goes," he added.

The call comes as pro-Palestinian protests sweep across college campuses. Though protesters' demands differ across schools, many of the student organizers are calling for an end to the war and urging their universities to divest from companies that do business in Israel.

Biden has faced criticism from progressives and Muslim Americans for his support for Israel, a longtime U.S. ally, following Hamas' surprise terrorist attack on Oct. 7. At the same time, others have called on him to denounce the rising antisemitism on college campuses.

Sunday's conversation was Biden and Netanyahu's first phone call since April 4, when Biden spoke with Netanyahu after an Israeli airstrike killed seven World Central Kitchen humanitarian workers.

During the earlier April call, Biden "emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable," according to the White House readout.

In the days following the aid workers' April 1 deaths, the administration's public rhetoric toward the Israeli government sharpened as the president criticized his Israeli counterpart more than he had previously. Biden said in early April that he thinks Netanyahu is making a "mistake" with his handling of the war, adding, "I don't agree with his approach."
Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, departs from a closed-door deposition before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and House Judiciary Committee in the O'Neill House Office Building on February 28, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Lawyers for Hunter Biden plan to sue Fox News "imminently," according to a letter sent to the network and obtained by NBC News.

The letter, dated April 23, puts the Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital on notice for litigation claims arising from the network's alleged "conspiracy and subsequent actions to defame Mr. Biden and paint him in a false light, the unlicensed commercial exploitation of his image, name, and likeness, and the unlawful publication of hacked intimate images of him."

Biden has hired attorney Mark Geragos and his firm to represent him in the Fox litigation efforts. The letter is the second outreach to Fox this month. An earlier letter was hand-delivered to Fox's counsel two weeks ago, and the network asked for more time to respond, according to a source familiar with Biden's legal efforts. The network has not yet responded to the letter sent April 23, which included a Friday evening, April 26, deadline to respond, according to Geragos. The letter is signed by Tina Glandian, a partner at Geragos & Geragos working on the case.

Fox News did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The new threat of litigation comes almost a year after Fox News agreed to pay almost $800 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle defamation claims related to Fox's airing of election fraud claims in the 2020 election. Fox News also agreed to a $12 million settlement with a former employee who alleged she was pressured to provide misleading information as part of the Dominion case.

Fox is currently facing a $2.7 billion lawsuit brought by Smartmatic, another voting system company that was the focus of Fox News coverage, as well as suits brought by shareholders against directors of the company for allowing the channel to air the allegations during its 2020 election coverage. Fox said in its latest financial disclosures that it will contest the lawsuits, but acknowledges that there could be a "material" adverse impact on the company's business and financial position.

The plan for Hunter Biden to pursue legal action against Fox News has been in the works for over a year, according to sources familiar with Biden's legal efforts, and was inspired in part by the success of the Dominion lawsuit and the ongoing Smartmatic lawsuit. The effort took on new importance with the revelations that the bribery allegations cited on air originated from the FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who was indicted by the special counsel in February.

In a statement, Geragos said, "For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain. The recent indictment of FBI informant Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents and monetized by the Fox enterprise. We plan on holding them accountable."

Hunter Biden has been a focus of Fox News coverage for the last several years. A review of network transcripts by the group Media Matters cites at least 13,440 mentions of Hunter Biden since January 2023. Biden's legal team believes the number of mentions over many years makes the potential case as significant if not more so than the Dominion case, according to sources familiar with the legal strategy.

The Biden letter specifically cites Fox's advancement of bribery allegations by former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, who was indicted in February for making false statements about the Bidens to the FBI. "Smirnov and the post indictment revelations basically closed the loop on the conspiracy" Geragos told NBC News.

The letter alleges that Fox News knew that the bribery allegations were unverified at the time but continued to report that the source was "highly credible," and demands corrections and retractions  including on-air statements by television hosts "including Sean Hannity, Jesse Watters, and Maria Bartiromo, to inform their viewers on air that they have been sharing a debunked allegation from a source who has been federally indicted."

The letter also alleges that Fox's airing of "intimate images" belonging to Hunter Biden that his lawyers claim were "hacked, stolen, and/or manipulated" violates Biden's civil rights as well as copyright law. Much of the letter is focused on a six-part "mock trial" entitled "The Trial of Hunter Biden" that aired in October 2021, described by Fox as what a trial might look like if Biden was charged with FARA or bribery charges  neither of which Biden has been charged with. "While using certain true information, the series intentionally manipulates the facts, distorts the truth, narrates happenings out of context, and invents dialogue intended to entertain. Thus, the viewer of the series cannot decipher what is fact and what is fiction." The letter demands that the series be removed from all streaming services.

This new litigation push comes as Biden prepares for a summer of criminal trials. His first trial for gun charges in Delaware starts June 3, and his tax case is expected to go to trial in August.
A Norfolk Southern train is en route on Feb. 14, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio. Earlier in the month a derailment sent millions of pounds of toxic chemicals into the environment and forced thousands of people to evacuate.

Activist investor Ancora received a powerful endorsement in its efforts to secure a board change and to oust Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw on Monday, when proxy advisory Glass Lewis recommended the railroad's shareholders vote for 6 of Ancora's board nominees.

"We believe Ancora has presented a compelling case for supporting a substantial overhaul of the Company's current leadership," Glass Lewis said in its report.

The recommendations for the activist nominees, rare at a company of NSC's size and in its industry, could influence how thousands of investors with millions of shares vote ahead of Norfolk Southern's shareholder meeting on May 9.

The proxy advisory recommended that shareholders vote in support of Ancora nominees Betsy Akins, Jim Barber, William Clyburn, Sameh Fahmy, Gilbert Lamphere and Allison Landry.

Significantly, the proxy advisory also recommended that shareholders withhold their support from current CEO Shaw and board chair Amy Miles.

Furthermore, Glass Lewis said Barber, Ancora's pick for CEO, and Jamie Boychuk, the activist's pick for chief operating officer, "have compelling credentials and track records."

Ancora is seeking to oust Shaw in favor of former UPS executive Barber, who began his 35-year career in the eighties as a Teamster-represented delivery driver and ended it as COO of one of the world's largest logistics companies. He lacks direct experience as a railroad executive but noted that UPS was one of the biggest rail customers worldwide in a CNBC interview earlier this month.

Ancora also seeks to install former CSX executive Boychuk as Barber's COO. Boychuk spent 20 years at Canadian National before joining CSX. Like Barber, Boychuk began his career as a union-represented conductor and rose through the ranks at CN and CSX, where he was executive vice president for operations until 2023.

Norfolk Southern said in a statement Monday that it "strongly" disagreed with Glass Lewis' "misguided" recommendation.

"We are confident that Norfolk Southern shareholders are highly informed and acutely aware that replacing six directors, including our crisis-tested CEO, Alan Shaw, with Ancora's inferior candidates would put the company critical to our nation's economy at significant risk, impede our progress, and destroy long-term value for shareholders," the company said.

On Friday, two Teamsters unions, representing around half of Norfolk Southern's unionized workforce, said they would support Ancora's plan for change. Their support, coupled with Glass Lewis' endorsement, gives the activist powerful ammunition as it seeks to convince shareholders.

"We are also inclined to agree with Ancora's critique of the Company's current operating strategy as being one that relies on inherently incompatible railroading concepts," the proxy advisory said in its report.

NSC had initially shied away from pursuing a precision scheduled railroading, or PSR, based approach in favor of a so-called "resiliency" model. Ancora, on the other hand, had argued from nearly the outset that Norfolk Southern's customers, employees and investors would be best served with a PSR-rooted operating plan.

PSR focuses on making sure trains and crews stay moving to minimize wasted hours and equipment, by operating on a fixed schedule like passenger trains rather than rolling trains only when they're filled with cargo. Investors tend to reward companies that adopt PSR and can easily track its implementation via a railroad's operating ratio, which is working expenses as a percentage of revenue.

A resiliency model, by contrast, maintains a strategic reserve of trains and cars throughout downturns in demand, which happen frequently in rail.

The company has since changed its tune, appointing veteran railway executive John Orr to implement an operating plan comibining both PSR and resiliency approaches. Both the activist and some analysts have criticized the plan.
Iraqi officials borrow wisdom in China's smart agriculture

Xinhua) 13:11, April 29, 2024

YINCHUAN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- During her first visit to China, Noor Mahdi Naqee, senior chief physicist of the Ministry of Water Resources of Iraq, was excited to find a smart system solution that can be implemented in Iraq.

At an agricultural industrial park in Minning Township, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Naqee had her attention fully absorbed in a smart system which intelligently controls the growth as well as the use of water and fertilizers.

Iraq is also afflicted by problems such as water shortages and desertification, she noted. "Here in Ningxia, we see the best management of lands and the best way to save water. We are really in need of smart irrigation," Naqee said, adding that China's experience in poverty reduction and rural revitalization, which she learned in Minning, also offers very valuable lessons worth learning from.

Naqee was among a delegation of 34 officials from Iraq's 16 departments, coming to attend a seminar on climate change and sustainable agricultural development for Iraq.

The seminar, which concluded on Sunday in Yinchuan, the regional capital, provided an opportunity for Iraqi officials to gain an in-depth understanding of the policies, measures, models and technologies of China's agricultural development through lectures, visits, discussions and exchanges.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of China and spanning two weeks, the seminar consisted of two parts, with the first week in Beijing focusing on lectures and discussions, along with several field trips in Ningxia.

"Through the combination of theory and practice, the event aims to help the participants have a more comprehensive understanding of China's measures and attempts to tackle climate change, achieve sustainable agricultural development, and develop appropriate ways accustomed to their own conditions," said Peng Bowen, an official with China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In Ningxia, the officials visited 12 sites, pooling wisdom from China's saline-alkali treatment, anti-desertification, water-saving irrigation, smart agriculture and poverty alleviation.

Ahmed Oleiwi Gatea, chief agricultural engineer from Iraq's Ministry of Agriculture, was "very surprised" at how Chinese technicians turned saline-alkali land into high-yield fields through technological innovation after paying a visit to Tongfu Township, Pingluo County.

"I've seen very good techniques that they have been using here on this land. So I believe such techniques can be transferred to Iraq," said Gatea.

Hailing China for doing a "remarkable" job in technological innovation in the agriculture sector, he hopes more such practices can be applied in Iraq in the future.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A Catholic priest from Pottstown, Pennsylvania was arrested and found guilty of spending more than $40,000 of church funds on Candy Crush, Mario Kart, and other mobile games.

Reverend Lawrence Kozak was previously removed from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 2022 due to unauthorized Apple transactions from the church's credit card.

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Pennsylvania Priest Funds Gaming Addiction From Church Money

The charges against the priest have reportedly spanned from September 2019 to July 2022. Kozak was removed from his post in Philadelphia after investigators found a huge amount of Apple transactions that were traced on the church's credit card statements in 2022.

The priest funded his gaming addiction using the church's money in order to power up and advance his progress on his mobile games. He also argued that it was used to gain advantage and not on gambling.

In addition to the Apple ID registered to Kozak, an Amazon account was also linked to the parish credit card. The priest bought a backpack, an Amazon Fire tablet, and a children's chemistry set, which were all sent to his goddaughter in Bensalem.

Priest Defends Unauthorized Spending of Church Funds

Kozak denied the accusations of intentionally spending the money of the parish for his personal transactions. According to him, the credit cards were connected to his phone after purchasing church-authorized streaming and Microsoft Office services.

The priest also told the detectives that he was careless in using the credit cards, citing that he did not pay attention to removing the cards from his accounts.

After the investigation, it was traced that Kozak sent an $8,000 check as parish reimbursement to St. Thomas More after he was removed from his post. An affidavit also revealed that the priest was disappointed and was trying to pay back the money that he owed the church.

Kozak was released after posting $250,000 bail. His attorney assured that the charges are being reviewed and prosecutors will be contacted in the coming days.
Digital render of NEOM's The Line project in Saudi Arabia The Line, NEOM

Saudi Arabia's economy minister rejected recent reports that the kingdom's $1.5 trillion NEOM megaproject, a futuristic desert development on the Red Sea coast, is scaling back some of its plans. "All projects are moving full steam ahead," Faisal Al Ibrahim told CNBC's Dan Murphy on Monday at the World Economic Forum's special meeting in Riyadh. "We set out to do something unprecedented and we're doing something unprecedented, and we will deliver something that's unprecedented." In early April, reports emerged in Western media outlets that The Line project, a planned glass-walled city meant to stretch for 105 miles across the desert by 2030, would be a length of just 1.5 miles by that time  a reduction of 98.6%. Citing anonymous sources with knowledge of the matter, the initial report by Bloomberg said that the Saudi government's original plan to have 1.5 million people living in The Line by 2030 was slashed to 300,000.

Digital render of NEOM's The Line project in Saudi Arabia The Line, NEOM

The purported scaling back of plans, at least in the medium-term, comes amid reported concerns over finances for NEOM, which is part of the kingdom's broader Vision 2030 initiative to diversify its economy away from oil. Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, has not yet approved NEOM's budget for 2024, according to Bloomberg's report. Al Ibrahim stressed that the projects would be delivered according to plan, but with the qualification that decisions were being made for "optimal economic impact." "We see feedback from the market, we see more interest from the investors and we'll always prioritize to where we can optimize for optimal economic impact," he said.

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"Today the economy in the kingdom is growing faster, but we don't want to overheat it. We don't want to deliver these projects at the cost of importing too much against our own interest. We will continue delivering these projects in a manner that meets these priorities, delivers these projects and has the optimal healthy impact for our economy and the ... healthy non-oil growth within it." Still, the minister emphasized that "for NEOM, the projects, the intended scale is continuing as planned. There is no change in scale." "It is a long-term project that's modular in design," he said. "The rest of the mega projects are there to be delivered for specific impact in specific sectors."

NEOM map of the 500 billion dollar megacity project in Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea coast. Peterhermesfurian | Istock | Getty Images
In what could easily be a plotline from HBO's hit show "Succession," Paramount Global is replacing Chief Executive Officer Bob Bakish with a cohort of existing division heads, the company announced Monday. It's a chessboard-altering move designed to accelerate the company's future  one way or another, according to people familiar with the matter.

Paramount announced Bakish's departure before reporting first-quarter earnings. He'll be replaced by a trio of executives in what the company is calling the "Office of the CEO."

The decision to remove Bakish as CEO comes as Paramount Global closes in on a merger agreement with Skydance Media. His departure throws into question Paramount's near-term future as a standalone company, which could help force through a merger agreement.

The Skydance consortium, which includes private equity firms KKR and RedBird Capital, has proposed a deal with new terms to the Paramount special committee as a "best and final" offer, according to people familiar with the matter. Skydance is waiting to hear back from the special committee on whether it will accept the offer, said the people, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private.

As part of the new deal on the table, controlling shareholder Shari Redstone may take less than $2 billion for her controlling stake in Paramount  lower than what Skydance had initially offered her. The Skydance consortium is contributing additional capital to pay common, Class B shareholders at a nearly 30% premium to the undisturbed trading price of about $11 per share, according to people familiar with the new deal. In total, Redstone and Skydance would contribute $3 billion, with the vast majority going to Class B shareholders, the people said.

Skydance's valuation as part of the deal remains around $5 billion, the people said.
Check out the companies making headlines in after hours trading. Paramount Global  Shares rose less than 1% after the parent of CBS television said its CEO Bob Bakish would step down and be replaced by an "office of the CEO." The news comes as Paramount posted per-share earnings of 62 cents, topping the 36 cents anticipated by analysts polled by LSEG. Otherwise, revenue of $7.69 billion missed the expected $7.73 billion. Chegg  The education technology stock fell more than 7%. Chegg announced a CEO change and issued disappointing second-quarter revenue guidance of $159 million to $161 million, lower than the $174 million expected by analysts polled by LSEG. NXP Semiconductors  Shares popped more than 5% after the chipmaker posted adjusted earnings of $3.24 per share, more than the $3.16 per share consensus estimate from LSEG. Revenue of $3.13 billion came in line with forecasts. Amkor Technology  Shares advanced nearly 7% after the semiconductor manufacturing company posted topped expectations. First-quarter earnings of 24 cents per share surpassed an estimate of 11 cents per share from Factset. Revenue of $1.37 billion was more than the anticipated $1.36 billion. Second-quarter earnings and revenue guidance also came in better than expected. Medifast  Shares of Medifast plunged more than 17% after the nutrition and wellness company posted first-quarter adjusted earnings of 66 cents per share, missing the FactSet consensus estimate of 80 cents per share. Medifast also issued a weak second-quarter earnings and revenue outlook. F5  The application security cloud company dropped 9% after F5 issued disappointing third-quarter revenue guidance of $675 million to $695 million, compared to the $695 million LSEG consensus estimate. Second-quarter revenue of $681 million also missed the $685 million anticipated by analysts. Coursera  Coursera shares tumbled 15% after the online course provider estimated second-quarter revenue of $162 million to $166 million, which was lower than the $178 million expected by analysts polled by LSEG. Woodward  Shares popped more than 6% after aircraft supplier topped revenue expectations in the second quarter. Revenue of $835.3 million surpassed the $807 million FactSet consensus estimate, and the company raised its forecast for the year. Sensata Technologies  Shares soared 17% after the sensor technology company beat first-quarter expectations on the top and bottom lines, and announced its CEO Jeff Cote would retire and Martha Sullivan would be named interm president and CEO. Sensata also struck an agreement to Elliott Investment that would result in Phillip Eyler joining the board and serving on the CEO search committee.
Former Donald Trump adviser Peter Navarro holds a press conference before turning himself into a federal prison on March 19, 2024, in Miami, Florida.

The Supreme Court on Monday denied a request by Peter Navarro, a former advisor to ex-President Donald Trump, to get out of jail while he appeals his four-month sentence for defying a subpoena from the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

The order rejecting Navarro's application for release pending appeal stated only that his request was addressed to Justice Neil Gorsuch and referred to the court, which denied it.

It was the second time in six weeks that the high court shot down Navarro's efforts to pause his jail sentence while he continues to fight a guilty verdict on two counts of contempt of Congress.

Navarro, 74, surrendered to a federal prison in Miami on March 19 to begin serving his sentence.

Navarro was indicted after refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House select committee probing the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when a violent mob of Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol and temporarily delayed the transfer of power to President Joe Biden.

Navarro claimed that the doctrine of executive privilege shielded him from responding to the subpoena. But much of the information sought by the committee was not covered by executive privilege, and Trump did not assert executive privilege in the first place, noted U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar in a March filing to the Supreme Court.
Shares of Tesla rose sharply on Monday, their best day since March 2021, after the electric carmaker passed a significant milestone to roll out its advanced driver-assistance technology in China.

The company's share price closed up 15% as investors reacted to news surrounding Tesla CEO Elon Musk's visit to China.

Tesla on Sunday said local Chinese authorities removed restrictions on its cars after passing the country's data security requirements.

The move raised expectations that Tesla's driver-assistance software Full Self-Driving, or FSD, would soon be available in the country, which is the largest market for electric vehicles.

While Tesla's electric cars are some of the most popular vehicles in China, they have reportedly been banned from some government-related properties due to data security concerns.

Separately, the Biden administration earlier this year announced a probe into whether imported cars from China pose national security risks due to their ability to potentially collect sensitive data.

FSD is an upgrade to Tesla's Autopilot driver assistant. Tesla has offered its FSD technology in China for years, but with a restricted feature set that limits it to operations, such as automated lane changing.

Tesla does not yet make or sell cars capable of full autonomous driving. It sells "Level 2" driver-assistance systems, marketed under the brand name FSD.

Musk's company has been sued in the U.S. by the California Department of Motor Vehicles for false advertising with its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving driver-assistance systems.

Tesla responded that the DMV had been aware of its use of these brand names for years and chose not to take action. The firm believes Californian law on advertising of autonomous driving systems violates free speech.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk's recent visit to China to remedy roadblocks standing in the way of its Full Self-Driving effort signals that he's committed to the company through what has recently proven to be a tumultuous period, according to Adam Jonas, Morgan Stanley's head of U.S. auto research. "Elon Musk's visit to China means far more than seeking approval for self driving tech on Chinese roads. Whether Tesla's CEO is sleeping on a floor or on a plane... the message is clear: he's back," Jonas wrote in a report on Monday note. Jonas reiterated an overweight rating on Tesla stock, alongside a $310 per share price target, implying more than 82% upside from Friday's $169.29 close. Tesla jumped as much as 14.4% Monday following news of Musk's visit to China and meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang , as investors interpreted it as a sign of Musk's commitment to Tesla. Musk's focus on the electric-vehicle maker has been a lingering question since he assumed control of X, formerly known as Twitter, and took the social media platform private in 2022. Musk has also faced increased pressure from Tesla investors after his controversial compensation package was rejected by a federal judge in Delaware. TSLA YTD mountain Tesla stock. "Investor concerns around whether Elon Musk was 'all in' on Tesla have been weighing heavily on the stock since the compensation package was rejected by Delaware judge," Jonas said. "Even the smallest gesture of commitment (an unannounced trip to Beijing) has elevated meaning here, combating concerns over Musk's commitment to Tesla relative [to] the broader Musk ecosystem of companies," such as SpaceX, he said. To be sure, Musk's visit to China doesn't mean a breakthrough for FSD technology will come sooner. Musk had originally asserted that FSD would come to Tesla within two years in 2015 , 2016 and again in 2017 . But clearing the China hurdle represents a milestone in the company's effort to achieve FSD, as Beijing lawmakers previously considered banning Tesla FSD over security concerns . Tesla stock has faced increased pressure on several fronts in 2024 and has still slumped 22% even after Monday's rally. The company delayed a rollout of a more affordable $25,000 electric sedan, seen as a key initiative to help Tesla combat slower-than-expected EV sales. Despite missing the top and bottom lines in its latest quarter, the stock jumped after Musk signaled that production of a budget EV could start as soon as 2025. Musk did not provide more details when fielding questions on last week's earnings call, however.
Fire ignites after shelling in the fields nearby Novoselivka Persha as fighting in the Semenivka battlefield nearby Avdiivka rages on in the eastern of Donetsk region in Donbas, Ukraine, March 04th, 2024.

Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed Monday that its forces had captured the village of Semenivka (named "Semenovka" by Russia) in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk.

The village was one of three that Ukraine's army chief said he had withdrawn his forces from on Sunday in order to reduce the number of casualties in intense battles in the area to the west of Avdiivka, a town captured by Russian forces in February.

Russia's Defense Ministry claimed Monday that its central group of forces took control of the village by defeating "the formations of the 68th Infantry, 23rd, 115th Mechanized Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the 109th Terrorist Defense Brigade and the Foreign Legion mercenaries," news agency Interfax reported.

The ministry claimed Ukraine lost up to 370 military personnel, two armored personnel carriers and an array of artillery in the process.

CNBC was unable to verify the claims and Ukraine has not commented on the report.

Nonetheless, Ukraine's commander-in-chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Telegram Sunday that he had moved his forces "to new frontiers" west of the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka in a bid to prevent casualties. He described the situation on the front line in eastern Ukraine as having "worsened."

Ukraine's president said Sunday that the country is still waiting for vital weaponry supplies from the U.S., having been outmanned and outgunned in the east for several months.

Russia's defense ministry announced the capture of the village of Novobakhmutivka, just north of Semenivka, on Sunday.

 Holly Ellyatt
Apple Inc.s iPad has been added to a list of Big Tech products and services hit by strict new European Union rules aimed at stopping potential competition abuses before they take hold.The move means Apple has six months to make sure its tablet ecosystem complies with a raft of preemptive measures under the EUs flagship Digital Markets Act.The companys iOS mobile operating system, its App Store and Safari browser are already targeted by the law  but Apple has challenged its designation for certain services to the EUs General Court in Luxembourg, with hearings set to take place later this year.The EUs decision to draw iPad under the scope of the DMA will ensure that fairness and competition are preserved, EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. She said that despite not meeting all the thresholds for being earmarked, an investigation showed that iPadOS constitutes an important gateway on which many companies rely to reach their customers.The decision is a loss for Cupertino, California-based Apple, which will have to adapt its operating system to meet a swathe of new obligations and prohibitions, including allowing iPad users to download apps from beyond Apples confines as well as being able to uninstall apps preloaded onto devices.An Apple spokesperson said that the company remains focused on delivering for European consumers, while mitigating the new privacy and data security risks the DMA poses.The EUs DMA strikes at the heart of the business models of six of the worlds most powerful technology firms deemed to be digital gatekeepers. Aside from Apple, Microsoft Corp., Meta Platforms Inc., Alphabet Inc.s Google, Amazon.com Inc. and TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. have all been targeted for new obligations aimed at preventing them from abusing their dominance.Under the law  which came into full effect on March 7  it is illegal for designated firms to favour their own services over those of rivals. They are also barred from combining personal data across their different services, prohibited from using data they collect from third-party merchants to compete against them, and have to allow users to download apps from rival platforms.
Lost media has always captured many people's attention online, either from the fascinating origins of an old media forgotten by time or the weird circumstances that led to it being rediscovered.

Several of this year's top contenders are by no means an exception.

Many of these "found" lost media have since been archived on YouTube, Reddit's r/lostmedia, and the Internet Archive for safekeeping.





Everyone Knows That/Ulterior Motives

The search for the origins of the song "Everyone Knows That," more commonly known as "Ulterior Motives," first began when user carl92 uploaded a 17-second audio clip to WatZatSong to ask for help to identify the song.

With a track reminiscent of 80s pop music, the song quickly gained wide attention on social media, primarily on TikTok and YouTube, as people searched and speculated the origins of the song.

Three years later, after much rigorous search and discussions, the origin of the song was found in a most unexpected place.

Reddit user u/One-Truth-5867 of the r/everyoneknowsthat has officially found the source of the audio clip: a 1986 adult film titled, "Angel of Passion."

The internet sleuths have even found the original composers of the song, Christopher Saint Booth and Philip Adrian Booth, and are currently contacting them to see if they still have a full copy of the song.

It would be no surprise if a completely clean version of "Everyone Knows That" is released somewhere soon.

Unproduced Seinfeld Episode

The 1989 American comedy series "Seinfeld" has been notorious among lost media communities for the difficulty in finding its unreleased and unproduced episodes.

Among those was an episode simply titled "The Bet," an unproduced episode in 1991, labeled by many lost media seekers to be fully unhinged and "edgy."

There is no question that the episode was real as evidenced by several articles talking about the controversial content in the script that made many actors of the series refuse to film it.

The script of the episode was already available on eBay since October 2023 but recently became available online after user u/hbo_got bought a copy last March and uploaded a copy to the Internet Archive.

Unreleased Disney TV Pilots

Disney and many other children's TV studios have been known for airing pilot episodes of their new shows to test out how well-received it is by the audience before making it a full-fledged TV series.

Despite the importance of these episodes, many have been sadly lost in time as their creators lost their copies of the pilot, or the studio holding them has already deleted the archive.

However, just last week, user u/SpaceFluttershy of r/lostmedia posted a directory of multiple pilot episodes of many well-known Disney shows, including "Kick Buttowski," "Fish Hooks," and "Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja Pilot."

Many of these episodes are currently available on YouTube.

The Boondocks Unaired 2004 Fox Pilot Episode

Before it became a classic Adult Swim cartoon, "The Boondocks" was among the list of pilot episodes supposedly set to release on Fox TV in 2004.

Unfortunately, the pilot was never aired due to the controversial content of the episode that even producers from Fox thought would be unsuitable for many adult viewers.

Fast forward 20 years, YouTuber The Storyteller uploaded the unaired pilot episode on Internet Archive out of nowhere, allowing people to finally get a glimpse of the series' humble beginnings.

Coyote Vs. Acme

The plot of the supposed battle between John Cena and "Looney Tunes'" Wile E. Coyote in the live-action/animated hybrid film "Coyote vs. Acme" was originally thought to never grace the public.

Despite being already completed, Warner Bros Discovery moved the release date of the film to "unscheduled" last year and later suspended the project indefinitely last November, causing speculations that the film might have been supposedly scrapped as a "tax write-off."

Many fans of the film have thought it would be a lost media until a Pastebin link suddenly spread online last March leaking all the major plot points of the film.

The link did not reveal the identity of the leaker but certain points noted in the leak coincide with earlier previews and insider talks about the film, proving to many that it is the actual plot of the supposed lost media.

A recent report from The New York Times, however, lights a little hope for the film. A Warner Bros. spokesperson claimed that the company currently has no intentions of locking the film in the vault.

It remains uncertain if the film will get released in theaters or on streaming platforms but people now have something to look forward to if an announcement regarding the film is made soon.
Depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) stand as formidable health adversaries, impacting countless patients worldwide.

Depression and Cardiovascular Disease

Extensive research spanning over decades has spotlighted a reciprocal relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease. People grappling with depression face heightened risks of developing cardiovascular disease, while those afflicted with CVD frequently contend with depressive symptoms. This interconnectedness shows the urgency for early intervention strategies.

Genetic Link

Although lifestyle factors such as smoking and sedentary habits have traditionally been implicated in the interplay between depression and CVD, recent scientific inquiry unveils a deeper genetic connection. Pioneering the investigative study, spearheaded by Dr. Binisha H Mishra and her team at Tampere University, has yielded groundbreaking insights.

Through meticulous analysis of genetic data gleaned from the Young Finns study, researchers unearthed a specific gene module intertwined with both depression and cardiovascular health. Comprising 256 genes, this module illuminates a common genetic framework influencing the onset and progression of these maladies.

Young Finns Study

The Young Finns study, which started in 1980, serves as an illuminating repository of health trajectories. Chronicling the journey of thousands of Finns from adolescence to adulthood, this longitudinal inquiry provides a rich tapestry of data. Notably, Finland's distinctive health landscape, characterized by elevated rates of mental health disorders in addition to a relatively subdued prevalence of CVD, renders it a compelling backdrop for unraveling the interconnection between mental well-being and cardiovascular vigor.

Comprehensive Health Assessments

In a pivotal phase of the study conducted in 2011, participants underwent comprehensive health evaluations. These assessments encompassed Beck's Depression Inventory for gauging depressive severity and the American Heart Association's cardiovascular health score, evaluating seven key metrics. By consolidating these meticulous health appraisals with cutting-edge genetic scrutiny, researchers delineated critical genetic determinants shaping both depression and cardiovascular health.

Future of Prevention

Discovering the shared gene module marks a big step in understanding the complex biological roots of these common health issues. Leading the charge, Dr. Mishra highlights the importance of using genetic insights to create comprehensive prevention plans. By uncovering the genetic basis of depression and CVD, researchers aim to develop new ways to prevent these conditions, going beyond just treating the symptoms.
(Photo : Unsplash/m)

China expert Gordon Chang reveals the hidden dangers of the Chinese electric vehicle industry that could harm the US automotive sector, introduce new surveillance methods to potentially spy on Americans, and exploit slave labor to fuel its growth.

The Dark Side of Chinese Auto Industry

Chang, a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and author of "The Coming Collapse of China," discussed with Fox News Digital the many risks he sees stemming from China's significant entry into the electric vehicle market.

The expert's message coincides with recent developments showing that the Chinese electric vehicle company BYD has surpassed EV giant Tesla in production for the second consecutive year, manufacturing over 3 million vehicles in 2023 compared to Tesla's 1.84 million. Despite not entering the American market yet, BYD has dominated the global EV market by offering its clean energy and hybrid vehicles at lower prices than its competitors.

READ ALSO: Tesla Grappling with Sales Decline, to Layoff 10% Workforce Amid Intensifying EV Price War

China's "Extremely Predatory" Practices

Chang cautioned that the rapid growth is fueled partially by extremely predatory business tactics described as "trade violations" that could oversaturate the market and potentially lead to the loss of manufacturing jobs in Western countries.

China manufactures 60% of the world's EVs and produces 10 million more cars annually than its domestic market can accommodate. Consequently, it exports these surplus vehicles, leading to market saturation worldwide. Chang noted that the Chinese government significantly boosts EV production, providing an unfair advantage over economically responsible countries, which could potentially jeopardize American companies. Chang also pointed out that China's subsidies for EVs are three to four times larger than those in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, indicating a significant trade violation and predatory behavior.

China has demonstrated a pattern of untrustworthiness in trade relations with the US through decades. Despite the admission to the World Trade Organization, China has openly violated its commitments in pursuit of dominating all manufacturing capacity, potentially leaving no room for American manufacturers. Chang acknowledged that the notion might seem extreme, but it is what China desires. He emphasized the importance of recognizing the power the US holds to thwart such ambitions, highlighting that it is their country and they possess the ability to intervene.

Potential Data Collection Through Chinese Evs

Chang also addressed additional concerns arising from the expanding Chinese EV market, particularly regarding spying and data collection on Americans and citizens globally, suggesting that Chinese vehicles, including EVs, could potentially be utilized for gathering information. Chang emphasized the necessity of preventing China from collecting information from the United States through any means, with other experts in the auto industry echoing the same apprehensions.

Auto expert Mike Caudill has previously told Fox News Digital that Chinese EVs might be outfitted with highly advanced spying technology, allowing them to access sensitive locations such as military bases, power plants, and cellphone towers. Caudill suggested that EVs could serve as more efficient data collection tools than traditional methods like spy balloons and at a lower cost, as American consumers would purchase them.

Potential Slave Labor in Chinese EV Manufacturing

Chang also highlighted the issue of slave labor in producing Chinese EVs and other products. He pointed out that many components used in manufacturing these vehicles, including solar panels, are made using forced and slave labor, which he deemed as entirely unacceptable. Chang emphasized that Americans should not support the economic growth of a nation that is generally hostile towards them and stressed the importance of prioritizing American manufacturing at this juncture.

RELATED ARTICLE: Human Rights Watch Exposes Labor Transfer Programs, Warns Global Automakers on China's "Forced Labor" Scheme

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Every day, for two years straight, I made the drive from my hometown Hillsborough, New Jersey, to New Brunswick, New Jersey. The drive (5:30 every morning, for rowing practice) wasn't particularly exhausting. But it was just long enough to give me a deep feeling of satisfaction in that I was a commuting, working, student-athlete grinding to get my bachelor's degree. Even more satisfying was that I was somehow, if only for a couple of hours a day, beginning to get away from my hometown.

And yet, the truth is, while Hillsborough did not feel like my home at the time, it was always a home to me because I am white. There was nothing about my circumstances and experiences as a closeted queer that automatically absolved me from perpetuating racism. I didn't even know it growing up, but in the 1920s, my hometown was surrounded on townships lines by Klaverns of The Ku Klux Klan.

Craig O'Neal A Klavern is one unit of the Klan. With luck, you'll never hear that word again.

I don't believe I'm the first person from my town to see the New York Times articles nor the "Scarlet and Black" Rutgers database dedicated to the KKK's presence in Somerset County. But what I do believe is that even if Hillsborough did not house a single member from the KKK, the town has a shameful, secret history of being a bystander to gatherings of hate  a history that I feel remains relevant to how the town operates even now.

Don't Miss

For two years, I'd make my commute, never realizing the seemingly insignificant street names and landmarks I passed held the answers to the contradictions that had challenged my adolescence. Questions such as, why did high schools like Franklin High School have metal detectors before entering, but Hillsborough, 15 minutes away, did not? Questions that my Black peers inevitably found the answers to long before I ever even felt the need to do the research behind the history of my own prejudice.

Mr. Matte/Wiki Commons Still unanswered: Why does everyone make fun of New Jersey? It's a great place. Or is it?

The first irrefutable signs of the KKK's presence in Somerset County date back to the Klan's purchase of Alma White College in the community of Zarephath, which borders Hillsborough. On October 31, 1923, Harvard's daily student newspaper, The Crimson published an article titled Klan Buys College Close To Princeton.

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Bishop Alma White, the college's president and head of the Pillar of Fire Church, intended to carry out "plans to stimulate intellectual interest in the work of the Klan among the undergraduates and to instill in them the principles of the Klan." Meaning that as the KKK acquired the college, the Klan also gained White's followers within the Church based in Zarephath, NJ. The Church itself is recounted as beginning in 1906 with this photo-documented by the Franklin Township Library.

Franklin Township Pretty unimpressive, as churches go.

The description of the photo states that "The Pillar of Fire (previously, The Pentecostal Union) Church, led by Alma White, settled in Weston in 1906 and renamed their community Zarephath. White was given the land by Caroline Van Neste Field Garretson, widow of Peter Workman Garretson." So, the Pillar of Fire Church was given the opportunity to settle and grow for 17 years before handing its members over to the Klan. The growth of The Pillar of Fire is seen through the establishment of the Zarephath Bible Institute (ZBI) in 1906. Then came a steady climb toward the New Jersey State Department of Education, granting it the legal credibility of a university under the name of Alma White College in 1921.

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In The Widow of Zarephath: A Church in the Making, Gertrude Melten Wolfram narrates her life as a member of early Zarephath. Her account of ZBI states that the first summer of 1906 in Zarephath, the area held fifty members. By September 1912, ZBI had opened a school with fifty enrolled students, five of whom were ready for high school. So, they grew their numbers quickly. To understand how much Zarephath developed before being purchased is to understand just how much the Pillar of Fire Church and Alma White expanded, disseminated, and legitimized the Klan.

Franklin Township Alma White was the founder's actual name after marriage, not just her way of saying "I'm a white!"

Making my daily drive to college, I never knew I was driving by the Pillar of Fire Church. The church, as it still functions today, is five minutes from my house in Hillsborough. It exists to be just a branch of Pillar Ministries as it extends to also encompass Pillar College and the 50,000-watt Christian radio station Star 99.1, and it all grew from the roots hooked deep into the ground of Zarephath by a proud supporter of the KKK. Even though the church itself has long retracted its support for Alma and the Klan, I wonder how it's possible for people to still feel comfortable donning the name Pillar of Fire.

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I wonder how many other people absently drive past, oblivious of the history. But most of all, I wonder how the Klan can be surrounding Hillsborough (in Somerville, Montgomery, and Zarephath) AND how the roads through Hillsborough connect the town to the other Klaverns at large (most specifically to a meeting of 12,000 in Millbush) and yet it's possible not a single trace of the Klan is documented to be found within Hillsborough itself.

Rutgers 1909 map. Streets are in red. Zarephath was previously named Weston.

According to a New York Times article, on May 2, 1923, a hundred Klan members met at the Pillar of Fire Temple in Bound Brook, New Jersey. Locals swarmed the church, and the Klan members were only able to escape with the help of the police, fleeing to Zarephath. When remembering the Church of the Pillar of Fire aligned with the KKK months before in October of the same year, it's not unrealistic to think this meeting was one of many held at the Temple on Main by the Klan. It is also not the first circumstance in which police have protected the Klan, considering the next day, 12,000 Klan members met up in one of the largest meetings the east coast had yet to see.

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May 3, the New York Times published another piece on the 12,000-large Klan gathering held at Hobbs farm in Middlebush, New Jersey. The meeting itself was referred to as "an open installation of the New Jersey branch of the Ku Klux Klan." An open installation, done with the hope to instill fear. The fear that even one of these 12,000 cloth-covered monsters could be from  would be living in  your hometown, and you wouldn't even know it.

Pillar of Fire Church Here's a book Alma White wrote, by the way, where she said the Apostles were Klansmen.

An article from the Daily Home News confirms the meeting was purposely public with the title Klan Open-Air Initiation Was Great Publicity Stunt: Declare Local Branch 400 Strong; Hobbs Not a Member. In a demonstration of just how elusive the Klan is, they proudly declare the Local Branch 400 people strong without fear of being discovered, the cowards covering thousands of license plates and faces with dingy white cloth.

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What was not covered though, as the Daily Home News describes, were the roads leading to said meeting, "The roads from as far away as Atlantic City had been marked with white handkerchiefs to indicate the way to Middlebush, and here and there along the route Klansmen were stationed to see that the cars bound for the meeting took the right way. The official route was along Hamilton street  The Klansmen are said to have made efforts to obtain the use of other farms on Demott's lane."

Every day for two years straight, I passed Demott Lane on my way from Hillsborough to New Brunswick without ever knowing 12,000 Klan members drove down the same Hamilton street I praised for being my escape from this town. The very same Hamilton street that bleeds right into Amwell road to connect the entirety of Hillsborough, past Zarephath (Weston), through BoundBrook, and end with the Klan's station in New Brunswick.

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Famartin/Wiki Commons The route today is known as CR-514.

The National Register of Historic Places Inventory, as it was filed in 1975 for the historic Clover Hill in Hillsborough, confirms that in 1923, the routes from Hunterdon County (old York Road leading into Amwell) to Hillsborough to New Brunswick (Amwell to Hamilton) were already established. In fact, the Clover Hills route played a historic part in the settlement patterns of Hillsborough, drawing in people from New Brunswick as they sought somewhere to establish their businesses, farms, and homes.

Confirming the early traffic patterns through Hillsborough suggests two things. One, the KKK inevitably, at some point, traveled through Hillsborough. And two, no one reported sightings of the KKK in Hillsborough, hence the lack of documentation of a route the Klan traveled beyond doubt.

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Branford Clarke Plenty of other Klan documentation around, like this other ridiculous illustration from Alma White's book.

Only now, after learning the history of the hatred behind the land I grew up around, do I understand. As long as I was in the closet, I was one of them: another white person to speak freely withwhen there were no Black people around, of course.

The NJ Patch happened to report on racist tweets and social media posts by students of Hillsborough High School in 2020, after the murder of George Floyd. Yet, the coverage doesn't begin to crack the surface of the extent to which these kids pick up on racist sentiments from their parents, and their parents' parents, or of the entire history of the land itself.

Beyond parents and children, even those with political power in Hillsborough fail to recognize how their conduct is inescapably connected to the land's history. Said history grants them immeasurable privilege as it allows them to walk through life blind yet unscathed. To be completely unaware of race dynamics as they operate in the racist and imperialist United States of America because they are protected within the bubble of suburbia. Hillsborough, where racist political ads like this one circulate, receive national attention and then cease to matter within a few weeks.

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At the end of the day, to suggest that the influence of the KKK is far in the past, particularly when no one will hold themselves accountable in the present, is frankly bullshit. The Pillar College Websiteoriginally Alma White Collegeactively erases White's key activity in the creation of the church. The college's history section skips straight from the founding of Zarephath Bible Institute in 1908 to the formation of Somerset Christian College in 2001.

Pillar College The 20th century wasn't notable, overall

Perhaps the Pillar of Fire church could actually distance themselves from Alma White's racist rants if they were to acknowledge she existed. Or if they were to change the name of the ministry, as it stands out in historical documents when often paired next to the letter K three times. It would seem that the church purposely excludes this information, choosing to censor the truth in favor of acquiring new members and more tuition checks. Erasing an entire church congregation is exactly how people manage to rewrite history.

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Coffee, generally, is something heavily relied upon to make someone seem a little more alive. Its supposed to open your eyes a little wider and raise your heart rate, not shut the former and eliminate the latter. Nevertheless, a couple unlucky souls throughout time have been compromised to a permanent end by an ill-advised cup of joe.

Here are five times someone was taken out by a cup of coffee or a close equivalent

5 Qajari Coffee Don't Miss First off, well look back in history to a particularly infamous blend. Specifically, back to Persia (now Iran) where a poisoned brew known as Qajari coffee was used as a royal method of murder. Enemies of the kings in question must have had a lot of pretty miserable mornings, knowing that their little pick-me-up might have a chance of being their last drink ever. Even so, I bet there were a couple rough sunrises where they risked it anyway.

4 The Indonesian Coffee Murder Coffee and poison seem to make a conveniently dark pairing. I guess if youre going to have to disguise something in a drink well enough for someone to hit a lethal dose, its better hidden under coffees strong flavor than a subtle oolong tea  especially something as noxious as cyanide. Apparently, a cup of iced coffee in Indonesia was a good enough cover to get a lethal amount of cyanide into the system of Wayan Mirna Salihin, in a murder that was national news and the subject of a Netflix documentary. Advertisement Advertisement

3 Now That  s A Mugging Sometimes, coffee can have a hand in a killing with no ingestion necessary. Los Angeles woman Lois Ann Goodman might hold the crown in making good on the threat dont talk to me before Ive had my coffee when she made her mug a murder weapon. Her husband, Alan, was found dead from what we can assume was a long-brewing bed of fury, thanks to blunt-force trauma delivered by Lois' daily coffee container. She claimed hed died of a heart attack, which seems unlikely, as that doesnt dent your head.

2 Coffee Enemas Pixabay The title certainly makes this picture feel grosser. After hearing about an apparently mortal bit of medicine known as a coffee enema, I was dismayed to find out how many results on Google still needed to recommend people not try it for themselves. If you think cold brew gives you the shakes, try boofing a cup of Starbucks blonde. By which I mean, do not do this, for the love of god. A coffee enema, if you need clarification, is the act of injecting coffee into your anus. While the coffee is inserted at room temperature, three people have died from such enemas  either due to electrolyte imbalance or sepsis.
In case it needs to be said, the opinions voiced by the characters on The Office dont represent the viewpoints of their actors, even if they share the same name.

On the surface, Angela Kinsey and her most famous character, the conservative accountant and party planning autocrat Angela Martin on The Office, share a number of similarities beyond just their first names  both Angelas are devout Christians, both have a deep love of cats and both continue to find themselves drawn to Rainn Wilson over and over again throughout the years. However, Kinsey, who co-hosts the popular Office Ladies rewatch podcast with her co-star and close friend Jenna Fischer, doesnt have that same aura of hyper-judgmental and occasionally bigoted negativity that characterized her most famous role  and, if Kinsey had her way, Dwights Angela wouldn't be that way, either.

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Kinsey appeared on a recent episode of Wilsons podcast Soul Boom, which is loosely centered around intimate conversations about spiritual matters, where she recalled the one time she pushed back on Scranton Angelas sanctimony and small-mindedness despite the insistence of the Office writers that her character should be the cranky conservative voice of intolerance on the show. As Kinsey explained, when Michael outed Oscar as gay in Gay Witch Hunt, she refused to take the Lords name in vain and make a homophobic joke that invoked Jesus.

Famously, the conflict in The Office's Season Three opener revolves around acrimony between Angela and Oscar after Michael thoughtlessly outs the latter as a gay man. Angela, whose deep Christian convictions and incorrigibly captious personality had been central to her character since Season One, immediately began treating Oscar like a leper  but not like those ones whom Jesus healed.

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As bigoted as Angela's behavior in Gay Witch Hunt was, as Kinsey explained on Soul Boom, the original script was even worse for Dunder Mifflin's resident reactionary. I do remember there was a particular storyline between Angela and Oscar, where Angela was being super judge-y," Kinsey said of the episode, "I never went up to Greg (Daniels) about any joke, but there was a joke at Oscars expense, and I went up to Greg and I was like, I cant.

I just was like, I dont feel good about it; I dont feel like thats what Jesus represented to me, Kinsey said of the homophobic and heretical punchline, recalling, (Daniels) was like, OK. And he heard me, and he took the joke out. And the episode  it was Gay Witch Hunt  had so many already. But thats the one pivotal moment I remember being like, OK, this is feeling like a stereotype and very one-note. I feel like she has more depth than that. Kinsey didn't say exactly what the offending line said, only that it involved Jesus and hatred in a combination that made her uncomfortable.

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Kinsey, a lifelong Presbyterian, says that she has a very warm, meaningful relationship with her faith that doesn't call on her to ostracize her coworkers for their sexualities. Also, Kinsey's version of Jesus probably doesn't teach us that, if we pray enough, we can change ourselves into a cat person.
CSO ASEAN is proud to launch the fourth edition of the CSO30 ASEAN Awards in 2024  recognising the top 30 cybersecurity executives driving innovation, strengthening resilience, and influencing industry change.

In 2024, CSO30 ASEAN nominees will be judged based on the core pillars of business value and leadership. Judges will assess cybersecurity initiatives introduced over the past two years that have improved an organisations security and operations, as well as how a cybersecurity leader has demonstrated leadership both within the organisation and across the wider community.

CSO30 ASEAN Awards entry criteria

The CSO30 ASEAN Awards will host the most innovative, resilient, and influential cybersecurity executives across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong  documenting best practices while outlining common business challenges and key priorities ahead.
(Photo : Unsplash/Evangeline Shaw)

On Tuesday, labor rights experts urged Taiwan's government to improve labor rights protections, especially for migrant workers, ahead of upcoming trade talks with the United States next week.

Taipei and Washington announced on Friday that they will hold in-person negotiations for the 21st Century Trade Initiative from Monday to May 3 in Taipei. The negotiations will center on bilateral cooperation in areas including labor, environmental protection, and agriculture, as confirmed by both governments.

Taiwan's Fishing Industry's Risk of Forced Labor

At a seminar in Taipei discussing the potential impact of trade negotiations with the US on Taiwan's labor rights and standards, Allison Gill, the legal director of Global Labor Justice, stated that the talks present a significant opportunity for Taiwan to enhance its international reputation and ensure labor rights for all fishers and its distant water fishing industry.

While acknowledging Taipei's efforts to improve labor protection, including the updates to its fisheries and human rights action plans, Gill pointed out that since 2019, the US government has consistently flagged Taiwan's distant water fishing industry as posing a high risk of forced labor.

Fish caught by Taiwanese fishermen is included in the US Department of Labor's list of goods produced with child and forced labor. Taiwan's distant water fishing sector is highly susceptible to forced labor in the recent six-month period, according to the US State Department's 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report.

Gill and her organization researched and interviewed migrant fishermen on Taiwan-flagged vessels. They found that instead of being an isolated issue stemming from a few individuals, slavery is widespread in the fishing industry, fueled by structural drivers that need structural solutions.

READ ALSO: CVS Health Pharmacy: The First to Join Pharmacy Guild in Advocating for Fair Working Conditions

The American expert, who remotely participated in the Taipei seminar, highlighted that while these exposures pose a risk to Taiwan's seafood industry, they also present an opportunity for the government and industry to implement best practices in labor rights protection and showcase global leadership.

The Proposed Wi-Fi Access for Crew Members

As part of the 21st Century Trade Initiative, Gill and her organization have proposed including Wi-Fi access for all crew members aboard Taiwanese distant water fishing vessels, which is crucial in enabling migrant fishers to exercise their fundamental freedom of association. Gill explained that Wi-Fi allows fishers to connect with their labor unions, advocacy groups, families, government agencies, and hotlines, providing them the means to associate with each other while at sea.

Gill concluded that now is the opportune moment for Taiwan to take a leadership role in the global seafood industry by agreeing to mandate Wi-Fi access for all crew members aboard its distant water fishing vessels as part of the 21st Century Trade Initiative agreement.

Labor Laws and Environmental Provisions

During Sunday's seminar, Taiwanese labor activist Catta Chou () expressed that the trade talks offer Taiwan an opportunity to align with international laws and standards regarding labor rights. Chou, the deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Federation of Financial Unions, mentioned that in addition to advocating for labor protection provisions, local environmental groups are also advocating for the inclusion of clauses addressing environmental issues in the trade talks.

The Taiwan-US Trade Citizen Watch Alliance organized the Sunday seminar, which comprises dozens of local labor rights, environmental, and business groups.

The 21st Century Trade Initiative was launched under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US, representing both governments in 2022.

In June 2023, the two sides signed the inaugural agreement under the initiative, covering areas such as customs administration, trade facilitation, regulatory practices, domestic service regulation, anti-corruption measures, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Following in-person negotiations last August, both parties are advancing toward their second agreement.

RELATED ARTICLE: Chinese Auto Industry: An "Extremely Predatory" Threat That Could Bring Slave Labor Back, Kill Manufacturing Jobs

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Mercedes-Benz announced that the US Department of Justice had concluded its diesel emissions scandal investigation after eight years, deeming the car manufacturer free of federal charges.

DOJ Wrapping Up The Mercedes-Benz Diesel Emission Scandal

On Saturday, the Justice Department wrapped up an eight-year investigation regarding Mercedes-Benz diesel emissions without pressing any charges, almost four years after the German automaker had settled allegations of emissions cheating in a one billion five hundred million dollar agreement. Representatives for Mercedes-Benz confirmed to Bloomberg that the DOJ had concluded its probe and had not pressed charges against the company, which commenced in April 2016 following revelations of emissions test manipulation by Volkswagen.

Renata Jungo Bruengger, a board member overseeing integrity, governance, and sustainability at Mercedes, emailed a statement stating that the company had fully cooperated with the DOJ, which dismissed the claims in the lawsuit as unfounded.

In an earlier report in the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Bruengger stated that the DOJ's decision is another significant step towards legal certainty regarding various diesel proceedings.

Probing Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC Manipulation

In 2016, the US Department of Justice mandated Mercedes-Benz to conduct an internal investigation into the potential manipulation of emissions values in its diesel vehicles after it faced accusations about BlueTEC, which was then marketed as the "most advanced and cleanest" diesel in the world.

READ MORE: GM To Settle With U.S Government Over Deadly Ignition Switches For $900 Million

The $1.5 Billion Daimler and Mercedes-Benz Settlement

The investigation originated from a class action lawsuit accusing the automaker of violating emissions standards in some of its vehicles, where Daimler and Mercedes-Benz agreed to a one billion five hundred million dollar settlement with regulators to resolve allegations of emissions cheating that purportedly breached the Clean Air Act and California state law in September 2020, which included civil penalties, a nationwide recall, and a repair program, before it secured a federal judge's approval in March of the following year.

The complaints alleged that Daimler produced, imported, and sold over 250,000 diesel vans and cars containing undisclosed auxiliary emission control devices and defeat devices between 2009 and 2016, which purportedly enabled the vehicles to pass emissions tests while emitting higher nitrogen oxide levels during regular operation.

DOJ's Unclear Withdrawal of Charges

While the reason for the Justice Department's decision to end its probe remains unclear, representatives for the department did not respond immediately to requests for comment. The settlement with regulators followed separate civil complaints from the California Air Resources Board and the US, asserting that the defeat devices utilized by Daimler, which, according to the EPA, is any mechanism that bypasses, defeats, or renders inoperative a required element of the vehicle's emission control system, caused vehicles to emit compliant emissions during testing but higher nitrogen oxide emissions during regular operation.

Meanwhile, the legal dispute between consumer advocates and Mercedes-Benz continues in Germany, with affected customers achieving some success before the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court.

RELATED ARTICLE: NHTSA Mass Recall on 52 Million Airbag Inflators Linked to Drivers' Fatalities, Automakers Strongly Oppose

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For connoisseurs of hypocrisy and irony in politics, the past few days have been ones to treasure. I'm thinking of the fallout from the House of Lords' belated acceptance of the Government's scheme to give those arriving here illegally in 'small boats' a one-way ticket to Rwanda.

President Emmanuel Macron of France thundered that the scheme was a 'betrayal of our values'.

If, by that, he means the values exemplified by the institutions of the EU, a few days later he must have been confounded to see that in the European People's Party (EPP) manifesto for the European Parliament elections in June was a call for 'a fundamental change in European asylum law'.

Specifically, the EPP  the largest group in the European Parliament and the party of which the Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, is a member  pledged: 'We want to implement the concept of safe third countries. Anyone applying for asylum in the EU could also be transferred to a safe third country and undergo the asylum process there.'

It is true that the UK Supreme Court had decreed that Rwanda was not a 'safe third country', because it had on occasion expelled asylum seekers it had previously accepted. So the Government then signed a treaty with Rwanda in which the African country agreed that it could only return someone it had taken from the UK back here, and to no other country.

Rishi Sunak and President of Rwanda Paul Kagame meet at Downing Street earlier this month

This amended form of the original Rwanda scheme is what finally cleared all parliamentary hurdles a week ago.

The same day, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said this would give the go-ahead for the 'relentless, continual process of permanently removing people to Rwanda, with a regular rhythm of multiple flights over the summer and beyond until the boats are stopped'.

I had always supposed that it would not be until such flights actually started, and with such regularity, that there would be the deterrent effect claimed by the Prime Minister. But it seems I was wrong.

Last week, the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin complained that 80 per cent of asylum seekers now arriving in Ireland had crossed over from the North, and that this striking statistic was the 'Rwanda effect'.

Last week, the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin complained that 80 per cent of asylum seekers now arriving in Ireland had crossed over from the North, and that this striking statistic was the 'Rwanda effect'

'They're leaving the UK,' he said, 'and they are taking opportunities to come to Ireland, crossing the border to get sanctuary here and within the European Union, as opposed to the potential of being deported to Rwanda  maybe that's the impact it [the Rwanda scheme] was designed to have.'

Oh, the irony. You see, there is no border invigilating the passage of people between the North and the Republic because the European Union  urged on by the Irish government  had insisted on this during the fraught Brexit negotiations.

The reason was that they regarded the imposition of any such border checks, even a single fixed camera, as a risk to peace, in the context of the Good Friday Agreement.

As PM, Theresa May agreed to this, despite the concern among Brexiteers that this would amount to an open back door for immigration from within the EU into the UK. Yet now it is Dublin which is ruing the consequence.

So the Irish Taoiseach, Simon Harris, has asked his Justice Minister to find a way of changing the law, to enable asylum seekers coming to Ireland from the UK to be returned. Problem is, last month the Irish High Court had ruled that the UK was itself 'not a safe country' to return migrants, precisely because of the Rwanda scheme.

Migrants travel in an inflatable boat across the English Channel as they head for Dover on Britain's south coast

As that great Irishman Oscar Wilde wickedly said of Dickens' account of the death of Little Nell, you would need a heart of stone not to laugh.

In reality, we can't know how much of this problem for Dublin is truly the result of the Rwanda scheme: it is always tempting for them to blame 'Brexit Britain' rather than the EU for their own policy problems.

But The Times interviewed a Jordanian, Mohammad Tbishat, who, the paper said, had been 'prompted to flee' from Birmingham to Dublin, via Belfast, because he had heard about the Rwanda deportation scheme: 'If they sent me to Rwanda that would be very bad,' he said.

The paper also spoke to a number of would-be 'boat people' in Calais, including an Iranian called Armin Rezaie, who said: 'We are looking for a better life and we thought we could get it in Britain. But if they are going to send us to Rwanda, I may stay in France.'

This is the point which always needs to be made to those who regard the Rwanda scheme as immoral. Not only is the illegally-trafficked journey, which it is designed to deter, a frequently deadly one (once again demonstrated last week with the death of five migrants during an attempt to cross the Channel), these people have already reached a safe country where their lives are not at risk: France.

Sunak's policy is certainly more humane than that set out by the Deputy Leader of Reform UK, Ben Habib.

Last week, after the party's Leader, Richard Tice, had denounced the Rwanda scheme as useless and said that, instead, the 'boats' should just be 'turned round' mid-Channel, I explained here how this was indeed the original Conservative plan.

However, the Boris Johnson administration came up against the Royal Navy and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, both of which insisted this idea was not only impractical but also potentially lethal. The Rwanda scheme was designed only after the 'turn back' idea was rejected by the Navy.

In an interview on Talk TV, Habib elaborated on his party's 'turn back' policy, arguing that if one of the dinghies was sinking, those in it should not be picked up by Royal Navy or Border Force vessels, but somehow supplied, mid-channel, with another dinghy.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper recently reiterated that, come what may, Labour, if elected to government, would discontinue such flights to Rwanda.

And what, asked his interviewer, Julia Hartley-Brewer, if they scuppered that replacement dinghy? Should they be left to drown? Habib responded: 'If they choose to scupper that dinghy then, yes, they have to suffer the consequences of their actions.'

It does not reflect well on Reform UK that it should advocate a policy which, on this account, would actually require the Navy or Border Force to leave people to drown when they could be rescued.

But it is the Labour Party which will be the most exposed in its opposition to the Rwanda scheme, should the flights, against the odds, take place on the scale outlined by Sunak.

Not only have Keir Starmer and his team argued that the policy will fail to act as any sort of deterrent, the Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, recently reiterated that, come what may, Labour, if elected to government, would discontinue such flights to Rwanda.

Instead, Labour says that it would find a way of getting the European Union to take back those migrants who came here illegally.

The best of luck with that. No, if the Rwanda scheme really does take off (in every sense), Labour will find that their friends in the EU will be looking to emulate Rishi Sunak's approach.

As for British voters, I suspect the overwhelming majority won't believe it until they see it  the planes actually going to Rwanda, that is. But the political ground is already shifting.
First Nicola Sturgeon. Now Humza Yousaf. It is clear to me that there is one core issue that has brought down both First Ministers: the failure to protect women and girls amid an obsession with gender politics.

Both hitched their wagon to it. Both were so burned they lost their jobs. Yet whoever replaces Yousaf will, thanks to the manipulative power of the Scottish Greens, find themselves in exactly the same position.

Most Scots, I think, are utterly baffled as to why the country's entire political system has become so entangled in a minority issue that affects so few members of the population.

Most of us  worried about our jobs and the cost of living, the state of the NHS and our schools  simply cannot understand why the SNP has become so captivated by identity politics.

And yet Sturgeon was clearly entranced by the issue. It would have been on the table when the Bute House Agreement formalising the SNP's co-operation with the Green Party was made, back in the heady days of August 2021, when she talked about a 'ground-breaking' coalition.

First Minister Humza Yousaf pictured attending a press conference at Bute House on Monday where he said he will resign as SNP leader

Most of us  worried about our jobs and the cost of living, the state of the NHS and our schools  simply cannot understand why the SNP has become so captivated by identity politics. And yet Sturgeon (pictured in March 2023) was clearly entranced by the issue

In concert with her new friends in the Greens, Sturgeon then pushed through her wrong-headed Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

Initially passed at Holyrood in December 2022, it would have jeopardised the rights of women and girls by allowing biological males into female spaces and handed out gender recognition certificates to anyone who asked after three months, and to 16-year-olds after six.

This, despite vocal protests from thousands of women in Scotland who were concerned about their own safety, who camped outside Holyrood to protest, who begged their female First Minister to consider their words, and listen to their requests.

Sturgeon's response? She called anyone who objected to the notion of self-ID 'deeply misogynist, often homophobic, possibly racist'. And by early 2023, Sturgeon had arguably become the politician in Britain most closely associated with the concept of gender self-ID.

It was to be her undoing. Soon afterwards, the voices of women across Scotland who felt pushed to the side and ignored swelled to a chorus, Sturgeon found herself in hot water over the case of Isla Bryson, a double rapist being housed in the female prison estate. It was a test case for rushed legislation that backfired badly.

This, despite vocal protests from thousands of women in Scotland who were concerned about their own safety (protestors pictured in Glasgow on February 5, 2023)

Sturgeon found herself in hot water over the case of Isla Bryson (pictured), a double rapist being housed in the female prison estate. It was a test case for rushed legislation that backfired badly

Isla Bryson attacked two women in Clydebank and Glasgow in 2016 and 2019 while known as Adam Graham (pictured)

JK Rowling described Sturgeon as a 'destroyer of women's rights'

Former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars referred to the issue as 'Sturgeon's poll tax' while JK Rowling described her as a 'destroyer of women's rights'.

Days after being repeatedly asked in a news conference, and in the Scottish parliament, whether she believed Bryson was a woman, leading to tetchy exchanges with journalists and fellow politicians alike, Sturgeon had gone, tearful yet not contrite, and paving the way for Yousaf to step into her shoes.

One of his first tasks? To drag the country into a doomed-before-it-started fight with Westminster over the Gender Recognition Reform Bill after Rishi Sunak's government controversially decided to block it.

All because the Greens signalled they would walk if he didn't. Yousaf had shown the women of Scotland his hand, telling them he was willing to abandon vast swathes of the population in pursuit of the Greens' spoon-fed woke agenda.

In appeasing a party that represented fewer than 10 per cent of Scottish voters, he let down the vast majority of the nation.

It set the tone for the rest of Yousaf's hapless premiership. This is a man who steered in a new hate-crime law that specifically left out women. And while there are plans in place for a new stand-alone law on misogyny, it will also include trans women (already protected by the hate crime law) because, Yousaf has claimed, 'they will often be the ones who suffer threats of rape or threats of disfigurement for example.'

Members of the Cabaret Against The Hate Speech group hold a counter-demonstration at the Let Women Speak rally organised by the group Standing for Women in George Square on February 5, 2023

Supporters of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill with their banners in Glasgow

Demonstrators against the Gender Recognition Reform Bill take part in the Let Women Speak rally on February 5

It was a claim made without a shred of evidence and caused many women to feel they were being abandoned by their government. JK Rowling was once again on hand, this time describing Yousaf as having 'absolute contempt for women'.

Now Yousaf has fallen on his sword in the manner of his predecessor, with a resignation speech in which he too was tearful, yet not contrite.

The danger now is that any new First Minister will, with a minority government, still need the Greens' backing if they want to achieve anything in Holyrood. Despite the disaster of the past three years they hold the keys to power in Scotland, so the country will remain mired in gender politics. Actual politics  getting things done about the issues that matter to people  remain a pitiful sideshow.

Emma Cowing is associate editor of the Scottish Daily Mail.
(Photo : Unsplash/Joel Muniz )

Workers are increasingly discovering that comprehensive workplace volunteer programs fulfill their desires for face-to-face interactions, professional development, and socially conscious employers, which may be lacking in traditional corporate environments. The heightened interest, stemming from reflections during pandemic-related shutdowns, has resulted in a notable increase in corporate partners, volunteer hours, and active participants in 2023 compared to previous years, as reported by Benevity. This platform assists companies in coordinating such programs.

According to a survey conducted by the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals from 149 companies, more than 60% of respondents reported a rise in employee participation in volunteer activities last year.

Workplace Volunteer Programs Driving Participation and Retention

Jessica Rodell, a management professor at the University of Georgia specializing in worker psychology, notes that even employees who do not personally volunteer feel more positive about working for organizations with public-spirited solid cultures and take pride in being associated with socially conscious companies regardless of their volunteer involvement. Rodell also highlights that companies with comprehensive volunteer programs typically experience lower turnover rates.

Rodell suggests that volunteering can be a valuable tool for companies to boost employee engagement and retention, especially among frontline workers who find meaning in their jobs but may feel disconnected from their company's mission. However, business management experts emphasize that employees should be free to choose their volunteer activities, nonprofit partners, and time commitments to foster genuine connections.

READ ALSO: Top 9 Workplace Incentives That Motivate Employees Without Money Involved

Different Volunteering Opportunities

Experts emphasize that not all volunteer activities are equal. Service days are not simply scheduled events for team-building exercises or photo opportunities. Instead, some companies allocate regular work hours over several months for employees to engage in meaningful projects, such as building websites or devising business strategies for local charities.

Executives may believe that casual, social activities such as filling backpacks during happy hour are essential to engaging their fun-loving employees. However, according to management professor Rodell, more substantial and time-intensive programs tend to profoundly impact volunteers.

Best practices involve aligning with employees' interests and meeting them at their current level of engagement. At Blue Cross Blue Shield, skill-based volunteer opportunities vary from short-term flash projects to longer-term partnerships lasting several months. The company allocates 15 days each year for associates to volunteer, similar to vacation and sick time. Additionally, affinity groups have the opportunity to collaborate on service projects.

Incorporating Giving in Volunteering Programs

Another strategy to engage busy, experienced employees with limited volunteer time is to incorporate giving into volunteer programs. For example, Liberty Mutual matches employee donations to over 11,000 eligible charities. Additionally, volunteers at the insurance company are motivated by the opportunity to earn mini-grants for their chosen charity, totals reaching $2,500 for those who complete 100 service hours.

Recently, some employees dedicated over six months to consulting with More Than Words, a Boston-based nonprofit that offers employment opportunities for youth aged 16 to 24 who have experienced foster care, legal systems, homelessness, or other challenges. According to Naomi Parker, the nonprofit's Chief Advancement Officer, Liberty Mutual employees discovered a need for front-end support after surveying participants, which included assistance with transportation and food to enable youth to secure employment.

The volunteer engagements have evolved into significant connections, resulting in a Liberty Mutual employee joining the More Than Words board and over three million four hundred thousand dollars pledged to the nonprofit since 2013. Employees have contributed over $85,000, including matching donations and other incentives.

Volunteering serves as a pathway to establishing relationships beyond the typically expensive, behind-the-scenes assistance employees provide. These long-term partnerships, in turn, introduce budget-constrained nonprofits to new donor networks. With Gen Z projected to surpass Baby Boomers in the workforce this year, Matt Nash, Executive Director of Blackbaud Giving Fund, suggests that now is an opportune time to cultivate these connections. According to a Fidelity Charitable report, over three-fifths of charitable donors recently volunteered with the organizations they supported. As much as young employees increase their earnings, well-established relationships can prove especially beneficial for nonprofits.

RELATED ARTICLE: Fostering Corporate Culture: Making A Healthy Space for Employees' Well-Being

 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
On Monday, May 6, celebrities will show off their finest designer ensembles at the 2024 Met Gala - but how will they decide what to wear?

This year's theme is Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion to celebrate the Costume Institute's new exhibit, with pieces from Schiaparelli, Dior, and Givenchy.

Celebrity astrologer Kyle Thomas investigated which fashion designers celebrities should choose for the Met Gala based on their zodiac sign.

From why classic and cool Aries should opt for Tom Ford to why powerful Tauruses would look their best in Chanel, Kyle walked FEMAIL through the best designers for each astrological sign.

Aries (March 21 - April 19): Tom Ford

Gemma Chan wore an icicle-inspired crown and silver Tom Ford gown with cape at the 2019 Met Gala

TikTok superstar Addison Rae went full glam in a bright red vintage bustier gown from a 2003 Tom Ford collection

Despite throwing some not-so-subtle shade at the Met Gala, fashion designer Tom Ford still hit the red carpet in his tuxedo

The celebrity astrologer thinks Tom Ford is the perfect designer for Aries stars to step out in.

In the past, Crazy Rich Asians star Gemma Chan has shimmered in a stunning silver gown at the 2019 Met Gala courtesy of the designer, complete with a regal silver crown and a matching floor-skimming cape.

Celebrity astrologer Kyle Thomas investigated which designer celebrities should choose for the Met Gala based on their zodiac signs

And TikTok superstar Addison Rae went full glam in a bright red vintage bustier gown from Tom Ford's 2003 collection.

Despite Gemma being a Sagittarius and Addison being a Libra, Kyle thinks the designer, famous for 'classic and cool American style embodies the Aries high-fashion sense.'

Unsurprisingly, Ford is a regular on the Met Gala red carpet, and attended last year's event in a classic tuxedo - in fact, the same tux he wears every year. However, Ford isn't a fan of some of the more outlandish ensembles on the red carpet.

In an interview with Time, he called out the event for turning into a 'costume party.'

The famed designer said the Met Gala 'used to just be very chic people wearing very beautiful clothes going to an exhibition about the 18th century,' before throwing some subtle shade at Katy Perry by saying: 'You didn't have to look like the 18th century, you didn't have to dress like a hamburger, you didn't have to arrive in a van where you were standing up because you couldn't sit down because you wore a chandelier.'

Perry famously hit the 2019 Met Gala, where the theme was, 'Camp: Notes on Fashion,' in an oversized chandelier created by Moschino designer Jeremy Scott.

'As the leader of the zodiac, Aries want to stand out effortlessly, and always remain modern, confident and playful,' Kyle proclaimed.

Lady Gaga, Reese Witherspoon and Mariah Carey are all Aries who would shine in Tom Ford's creations.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Chanel

Pop superstar Dua Lipa, 28, looked incredible at the 2023 Met Gala in a vintage Chanel ballgown designed by Karl Lagerfeld paired with major jewels

Margot Robbie vamped it up for the 2023 Met Gala in a black Chanel gown

Gisele Bundchen hit fashion's biggest night solo for the first time in 17 years in a white vintage Chanel gown from a shoot she did with event muse Karl Lagerfeld

Chanel usually has quite a hold on the Met Gala, with plenty of A-listers donning the classic brand.

Pop star Dua Lipa, 28, channeled her inner princess in a vintage Chanel tweed ballgown designed by Karl Lagerfeld paired with a 225-carat diamond necklace.

Margot Robbie, 33, vamped it up for the 2023 Met Gala, wearing a black corset gown with PVC from the haute couture spring/summer 1993 collection to pay homage to the late Karl Lagerfeld.

While Margot is a Cancer, Kyle thinks Taurus is the best bet to pair with the iconic design house.

Kyle describes Tauruses as 'classic, powerful and independent,' which makes them more than worthy of wearing Chanel.

Adele, Gigi Hadid and Lizzo all share the hard working, aesthetics-focused star sign.

'Never out of style, Chanel captures the essence of eternal elegance and French luxury,' Kyle said.

'As one of the most sophisticated and luxurious high fashion brands on Earth, Taurus will be able to satiate their hunger for refinement,' Kyle continued.

Gisele Bundchen looked extremely sophisticated when she turned heads in an angelic white vintage Chanel gown months after her divorce from Tom Brady.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20): Gucci

Gucci is always a hit on the Met Gala red carpet, as stars like Harry Styles, Jared Leto and Lana Del Rey are devoted to the brand - especially when Alessandro Michele was at the helm

The design house's former creative director Alessandro Michele and Jared Leto twinned on the Met Gala red carpet in custom creations in 2022

Salma Hayek Pinault stunned it up in a fetish wear-inspired creation at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's $50,000 a ticket benefit

According to Kyle, Geminis are the best match for Gucci's outlandish, kitschy designs (above, Lana Del Rey in 2018)

Gucci is always a hit on the Met Gala red carpet, as stars like Harry Styles, Jared Leto and Lana Del Rey are devoted to the brand - especially when Alessandro Michele was at the helm.

Salma Hayek Pinault stunned it up in a fetish wear-inspired gown with a red bustier with pearl off-the-shoulder straps and a cascading ruffled tulle skirt, selected by A-list stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray.

Fittingly, Hayek's husband Francois-Henri Pinault owns the brand through his multinational corporation Kering.

According to Kyle, Geminis like Angelina Jolie, Naomi Campbell and Heidi Klum are the best match for Gucci's outlandish, kitschy designs.

Kyle described drama-loving Geminis 'always ready to be lively, adventurous and stand out from the crowd,' which makes Gucci their perfect fit, as the luxury design house 'perfectly defines the Gemini spirit through bright patterns and buoyant colors.'

It helps that Gucci is good at keeping people guessing, especially after the brand's designer Alessandro Michele stepped down.

'Shock value can definitely keep the gossip going, and if there's anything that a Gemini in Gucci will create, is a whole lot of chatter,' Kyle surmised.

Cancer (June 21 - J u ly 22): Valentino

Valentino is famous for its romantic designs beloved by stars like Rihanna

Normani, 27, was a vision as she walked the red carpet in a banana yellow Valentino gown with puff sleeves and a plunging neckline

Valentino is famous for its romantic, classic, and elegant designs beloved by stars like Rihanna.

Normani stunned in yellow when she rocked a Valentino Haute Couture gown with a plunging neckline, cinched waist, and oversized puffed sleeves in 2021.

It's not just the ladies who love Valentino - Pedro Pascal turned heads when he donned a red trench coat and flashed a little leg in matching dress shorts from Maison Valentino's autumn/winter 2023 ready-to-wear line.

Of the luxury house's zodiac pairing, Kyle said: 'Sensual, romantic and deeply feminine, Valentino is the perfect Met Gala pairing for a Cancer.'

A-list Cancers include Khloe Kardashian, Ariana Grande, and Margot Robbie, who all opt for ultra-feminine romantic ensembles of their own.

According to Kyle, 'like the Cancerian crab, with a hard shell but a deeply sensitive heart,' Valentino masters an effortlessly elegant ensemble.

'With a bit of mystery woven into the designs and the notable Valentino red, a Cancer can feel protected yet enigmatic while diving into sensual Italian luxury,' Kyle promised.

Leo (July 23 - August 22): Versace

Blake Lively hit the red carpet in a Versace gown that was perfect for the gilded glamour dress code, with art deco-inspired embellishments and tributes to the Statue of Liberty

Stars like Cardi B adore Versace's wild, dramatic designs, whether on the Met Gala carpet or onstage

'All eyes are on Leo, which is exactly how they like it, and the best way for one of these fiery lionesses to be seen is to don the bright colors and dramatic prints of Versace,' Kyle said

Anne Hathaway's turned heads in an Atelier Versace gown that paid tribute to the iconic silhouettes of the '90s with tweed and custom-made safety pins

Stars like Cardi B adore Versace's wild, dramatic designs - and so will Leos, who are all about being the center of attention.

Blake Lively hit the red carpet in an Atelier Versace gown that was perfect for the gilded glamour dress code, with art deco-inspired embellishments and tributes to the Statue of Liberty.

Anne Hathaway's turned heads in an Atelier Versace gown that paid tribute to the iconic silhouettes of the '90s with tweed and custom-made safety pins.

'All eyes are on Leo, which is exactly how they like it, and the best way for one of these fiery lionesses to be seen is to don the bright colors and dramatic prints of Versace,' Kyle agreed.

'This house of global Italian design can be dramatic, bold and loud, which is exactly how a lion likes to roar,' Kyle continued. 'Even the iconic Versace logo of Medusa with her wild locks mimics a Leo's mane.'

It helps that Versace's designs are always body-hugging and figure flattering, perfect for Leos like Kylie Jenner and Jennifer Lopez.

'Strutting right in with a royal flair and always ready to be crowned as a sex symbol, Leos will be drawn to the Met Gala in a dramatic Versace look,' Kyle said.

Virgo (August 23  September 22): Givenchy

Kendall Jenner rocked a stunning, glittering Givenchy dress at the Met Gala in 2021, which was a sheer version of Audrey Hepburn's ball gown from 1964's My Fair Lady

Top model Gigi Hadid was unmissable in a sizzling black Givenchy gown with a sheer skirt and one-shoulder bodice

Kendall Jenner rocked a stunning, glittering Givenchy dress at the Met Gala in 2021, which was a sheer version of Audrey Hepburn's ball gown from 1964's My Fair Lady.

Kendall's pal Gigi Hadid is another Givenchy fan, and opted for a sheer, black one-shoulder bustier paired with a low-rise skirt in 2023 on the red carpet.

'When it comes to elevated simplicity, Virgo will be donning Givenchy designs,' Kyle said about the hyper-focused, accomplished sign who thrived when they had a task to accomplish, with Zendaya and Beyonce as the ultimate examples.

'Givenchy has a natural yet sensual romanticism and when it comes to this practical earth sign, they tend to think less is more.

'Virgo is all about the details and because of Givenchys expertly tailored creations, they'll love the longevity of their investment.

'Also, by synthesizing a rich history of French high fashion with modern style, Givenchy brings the best of both worlds to Virgo, who always likes to feel proud of where they put their assets  especially the ones they adorn their beautiful bodies with.'

Libra (September 23 - October 22): Prada

Kyle said that 'with a natural feminine vibe, Prada hints at an inherent curiosity and sassy sidevin,' which is certainly true for Maya Hawke's feathered number

rammy winner Kacey Musgraves fanned herself with a black-feathered fan at the Costume Institute benefit inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan

Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wade, coordinated in edgy Prada outfits, with the Bring it On actress opting for a red leather coat and her Heat hubby in a black leather vest

Kacey Musgraves showed off one of the brand's classic bows on her bust in a black gown with glittering embellishments back in 2022.

Stranger Things star Maya Hawke hit the Met steps in a custom feathered white Prada coat and matching minidress.

Kyle said that 'with a natural feminine vibe, Prada hints at an inherent curiosity and sassy side as well,' which was certainly true for Maya's feathered number.

'When it comes to a sign that seeks balance, versatility and creativity, Libra can express themselves in iconic Prada,' Kyle recommended.

'Ruled by Venus, planet of art and beauty, they will be drawn to the sleek and modern designs from Prada.'

Gwyneth Paltrow and Halsey are both the charming, artistic sign.

Gabrielle Union and her husband, Dwyane Wade, coordinated in edgy Prada outfits, with the Bring it On actress opting for a red leather coat and her Heat hubby showing off a black leather vest.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21): Alexander McQueen

Kaia Gerber worked a head full of big curls and a see-through silver gown by Alexander McQueen as she attended the 2022 Met Gala

According to Kyle, 'When it comes to high fashion edge with a dark and enigmatic side, Alexander McQueen echoes the Scorpio soul.'

Model Kaia Gerber, 22, showed off the high fashion brand when she hit the Met Gala in 2022 in a sexy, silver gown with embellishments from the design house.

'Expect to see the zodiac sign of Scorpio at the Met Gala embracing these moody, hypnotic and powerful designs,' the Los Angeleno predicted.

Katy Perry, Tracee Ellis Ross and Kendall Jenner all share the passionate, famously emotional sign and love and favor unexpected, high fashion outfits.

'Hauntingly beautiful, passionately romantic and fantastically majestic, Alexander McQueen will bring forth the inner fire every Scorpio begs to unleash.'

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): Christian Dior

Australian model Miranda Kerr, 40, looked like a Disney princess in an off-white Dior gown last year

Cara Delevingne left very little to the imagination when she stripped down and revealed a gold-painted top-half just outside the Manhattan museum

Cara Delevingne, 31, left very little to the imagination when she stripped down and revealed a gold-painted top-half with a red Dior Haute Couture pant just outside the iconic Manhattan museum.

Australian model Miranda Kerr, 40, looked like a Disney princess in an off-white Dior gown.

Kyle described the French luxury brand as 'synonymous with taste and sophistication,' which is perfect for Sags like Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus 'who adore freedom and spontaneity.'

The creative sign would adore Dior's rich history and luxurious fabrics.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19): Louis Vuitton

Emma Stone regularly wears Louis Vuitton, and loves the classic design house that always opts for playful twists like feathered hems

Sophie Turner looked elegant when she hit the Met steps while pregnant in 2022 in an archival LV long-sleeve gown to embrace the In America: An Anthology Of Fashion dress code

Emma Stone regularly wears Louis Vuitton as an ambassador since 2017, and loves the classic design house that always opts for playful twists like feathered hems.

'As one of the most influential and oldest high fashion brands in the world, Louis Vuitton takes the Capricorn crown,' Kyle said.

'As a zodiac sign associated with long-term legacies and glory, Louis Vuitton and the famous LV monogram easily is the Capricorn choice for Met Gala wardrobe,' Kyle said, with Cap stars including Florence Pugh and Nina Dobrev.

'Always classic, forever chic and timelessly stylish, Louis Vuitton's elegance, craftsmanship and reputation satiate the Capricorn's hunger for elitism.'

Sophie Turner looked elegant when she hit the Met steps while pregnant in 2022 in an archival LV embroidered long-sleeve gown to embrace the In America: An Anthology of Fashion dress code.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18): Saint Laurent

Stars like Hailey Bieber adore Saint Laurent's elegant, classic designs - and Kyle thinks they'd be best for out-there Aquarians

Olivia Rodrigo stunned in Saint Laurent as she made her Met Gala debut in a figure-hugging black lace bodysuit with ostrich feathers lining the off-the-shoulder bodice

Zoe Kravitz donned a show-stopping, barely-there Saint Laurent cage dress in 2021 made up of chains with the brand's famous YSL logo and not much else

Stars like Hailey Bieber adore Saint Laurent's elegant, classic designs - and Kyle thinks they'd be best for independent Aquarians like Jennifer Aniston and Elizabeth Olsen.

'Stylish and unique, Saint Laurent will adorn any Aquarius attending the Met Gala due to their incredible need to be independent and different,' Kyle revealed.

As stars embrace the trends on the red carpet, YSL keeps it classic with an old school Hollywood vibe.

'Saint Laurent is that sexy, rock-n-roll, mod high fashion brand, with edgy details alongside power combinations,' Kyle said.

Fittingly, pop rock star Olivia Rodrigo stunned in Saint Laurent as she made her Met Gala debut in a figure-hugging black lace bodysuit with ostrich feathers lining the off-the-shoulder bodice.

'Not only do they create fashion that makes a statement, but it absolutely leaves people stunned in their tracks,' Kyle said.

Zoe Kravitz donned a show-stopping, barely-there Saint Laurent cage dress in 2021 made up of chains with the brand's famous YSL logo and not much else.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20): Balmain

Ice Spice made her Met Gala debut in 2023 in a sparkling white Balmain gown with thigh-baring cutouts

'With unexpected detailing, original expression, and sexy cuts, the Pisces Met Gala attendee will enjoy being a part of the Balmain Army,' Kyle said

'When it comes to creating a new attitude and reinvention, Balmain has become known for their aggressive focus on creativity and luxury expression,' Kyle said.

Jennifer Lopez was an example of the creativity when she made jaws drop while embracing the theme Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination in a heavily embellished black feathered gown.

Ice Spice made her Met Gala debut in 2023 in a sparkling white Balmain gown with thigh-baring cutouts.

'Whether going for something elaborate or dramatic, Balmain will make a Pisces imaginative spirit shiver,' Kyle said, with the sign including the Met's number-one superstar, Rihanna.

'With unexpected detailing, original expression, and sexy cuts, the Pisces Met Gala attendee will enjoy being a part of the Balmain Army: opulent and modern at the exact same time.'
While promoting her memoir last week, actress Rebel Wilson caused something of a stir by claiming that a member of the Royal Family had invited her to a drugfuelled orgy at the home of an American tech billionaire ten years ago.

According to Rebel, the unnamed royal  a male who was '15th or 20th in line to the British throne'  had ostensibly invited her to a medieval-themed party, but by 2am a tray laden with drugs was being passed around the room in preparation for the ensuing night of sexual debauchery.

But while Rebel hiked up her 'damsel dress' and fled the premises before the orgy portion of the evening commenced, when I was invited to an exclusive sex party in LA as a journalist, I stayed on to see what happened.

The party was held by the members-only club Snctm, which is billed as the most exclusive sex club in the world. It has been the subject of numerous documentaries, charges $1 million for its top-tier membership and is reputed to have hosted Gwyneth Paltrow as one of the guests at its monthly masquerades.

Only the beautiful, the rich and the sexually intrepid are allowed through its doors; and with parties regularly being thrown in LA and New York, Snctm is planning on hosting events in London within the next year.

Actress Rebel Wilson caused a stir last week when she claimed a member of the Royal Family had invited her to a drugfuelled orgy at the home of an American tech billionaire ten years ago

As Rebel discovered, billionaires and blue bloods are no strangers to public naughtiness, and the sex parties beloved by the tech titans of California's Silicon Valley are, well, the stuff of legend.

Over the course of an evening I witnessed a great many eye-openers  threesomes, married couples having sex with each other, married couples having sex with other people and some sort of tabletop equipment that was used for rather indelicate purposes.

In fact, practically the only thing I didn't see was anyone cavorting in the rooftop pool, but only because it was raining that night. Sexually adventurous they may be, but this is Los Angeles and no one wants to mess up their hair.

Snctm (pronounced 'sanctum') was founded 11 years ago by former real estate agent Damon Lawner and in an interview he gave to Gwyneth Paltrow's lifestyle website, Goop, he explained that the club was inspired in part by the 1999 Stanley Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut.

Controversial at the time, the movie features Tom Cruise as a Manhattan doctor in a troubled marriage who happens upon an elaborate masked sex party in New York.

Similarly, Snctm prides itself on hosting luxurious, outrageous soirees and on the evening I attended, it certainly lived up to its reputation.

The Dom Perignon flowed all night as guests threaded their way through the bedrooms or reclined (and did other things) on the soft leather chairs and banquettes arranged beneath sparkling chandeliers.

As Robert Artes, the club's managing director, explains: 'Our parties are quite expensive to put on  generally around the six-figure mark. We do not cut corners as our guests expect an extremely high level of service and luxury.'

Parties are mostly held in private homes, and with Snctm, a three-bedroom semi simply won't cut it. 'Because of the level of opulence we require,' says Robert, 'the homes we hold the parties in are usually worth around $10 million.'

Rachel, one of the guests, agrees. 'I've been a member for going on four years, and the exclusivity and luxury of Snctm was definitely appealing to me. The level of sophistication is a step above.'

Guests at the party were an eclectic mix of aspiring models, doctors, lawyers, business executives and CEOs and the strict 'no photography' rule meant phones were confiscated on arrival, writes Lina Das

There were about 100 guests at the party I attended and, at the start of proceedings at least, it could almost have resembled an Oscars event the men resplendent in black tie and the women in sexy, floor-length gowns, with the majority sporting masks (of the masquerade variety).

The women were generally in their 20s or 30s and uniformly stunning; the men, possibly less so. 'We have a very attractive member base,' says Robert, 'and to maintain that, we are somewhat exclusionary if they do not meet the bar of physical attractiveness.'

Guests were an eclectic mix of aspiring models, doctors, lawyers, business executives and CEOs. And, because of the emphasis on discretion, I'm told, celebrities feel safe enough to join. Phones were confiscated on arrival; there's a strict 'no photography' policy and all the staff have to sign non-disclosure agreements.

'We have various actors, musicians and professional athletes,' says Robert, 'and at most of our events you'll see a recognisable face.' At this particular event, yes, I spotted a well- known model.

'We have a lot of A-list actors,' he adds, 'and the celebrities will keep their masks on all night, even if it's obvious who they are. I'm often surprised by some of the celebrities who reach out to us to attend an event.'

Certainly, you'd almost need to be a celebrity to be able to afford the fees. Entry-level membership starts at $12,500 a year (10,000), with the next tier coming in at $50,000 (40,000), providing members with benefits such as a reserved VIP table and access to private events.

Applicants can also buy a one-off ticket to a party for $2,500 (2,000), but like all full-time members, they first have to be approved after filling in the Snctm questionnaire on the club's website.

Only three people have the VIP $1 million (800,000) membership. 'And until one of those three leaves the club, we're no longer offering that tier,' says Robert. One of them is 'a very famous recording artist in a band', and all have direct access to the Snctm team, as they generally have a need for the private events. Such events can cost anything up to $200,000 (160,000) to stage.

Robert adds: 'We've hosted them on location, on private planes and on yachts. We did one recently where we brought in a Michelin-starred chef to produce a nine-course tasting menu with wine pairings, and our performers put on a special show throughout the night.'

The Snctm performances  and the open bar  are, it seems, key. At the beginning of the evening, everyone seemed a tad awkward with one another, although that may just have been down to the fact that, while everyone else was fully clothed, female Snctm performers were nonchalantly wandering around with no bras on.

But as the night wore on, the alcohol did its job of relaxing the guests, and by 1am they had thrown caution  and most of their clothes  to the wind. Floor-length gowns were tossed aside to reveal fluttery wisps of La Perla and Agent Provocateur underwear, and rooms that had been empty for the first couple of hours suddenly sprang to life.

Rebel didn't stay for the whole duration of the sex party and fled the premises before the orgy portion of the evening commenced

In one bedroom, two couples entwined with one another and ignored a violinist who serenaded them with a rendition of It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing). In another, a Snctm performer wielded leather horse whips in a manner that brought to mind an air traffic marshall directing planes to land. Later, an artist employed by Snctm sat in the muted light and studiously sketched the scenes around him.

William, a rather dapper former CEO, attended the party with his attractive  and age-appropriate  wife. He explained that they joined the club after she had an affair, 'and it almost destroyed me. But we love each other and we had to find a way through this, so we joined Snctm.

'Sure, we feel a little jealousy sometimes,' he added, 'but we made a pact to do our exploring together. We've found that this has really invigorated our sex life. She's probably off chatting to some young buck right now!'

Rachel, a 28-year-old who works in tech sales, attends the parties with her fiance. 'When we first started dating, I explained to him that I was interested in this lifestyle,' she says, 'and while I like being in a relationship with a man, sexually, I also like being with women. When we're at parties we have certain signals. If I feel uncomfortable, I'll brush my eyebrow and he'll come over and help me; but if I'm interested in someone, I'll rub his nose!'

Interestingly, many members comment on the social aspect of the club. Many greeted each other as old pals and, unlike many parties in LA where people are actively looking over your shoulder to find someone better connected to talk to, Snctm members seemed to be a friendly bunch. If you disregarded the nudity, at times it felt like we were all at a rather pleasant barbecue.

As Rachel says: 'You do create some pretty unique friendships where this is all kind of like a secret between you.'

Snctm is also keen to emphasise the club's enhanced safety measures after one individual had their membership publicly revoked six years ago for inappropriate behaviour.

There is a strong security presence at events to look out for over-intoxicated guests or disruptive behaviour, and unlike at Rebel's party, illegal drugs are an absolute no-no. For those who transgress, Robert says: 'We have a one-strike rule. They don't get to explain the error of their ways  we just remove them.'

While single women are welcome, single men aren't, unless they are full members. Even well-known faces can be given short shrift. 'I can think of at least one or two celebrities we've turned away because they demonstrated they were going to be problematic, or would be indiscreet or uncouth.' Affirmative consent or 'ask before you touch', says Robert, 'is our primary rule.'

The club even boasts some British celebrity members. 'I can think of one on the younger side who is an A-list musician,' says Robert. I did bump into a fellow Brit, who wore a similarly shell-shocked expression on his face as me. 'I wouldn't even know how to explain this back home,' he said.

As the clock ticked towards 3am, I found myself attempting to stifle a yawn. It surprised me how, after a while, even the most shocking of sights started to feel somewhat mundane. Or maybe sex clubs are a bit like needlepoint or bowls: those who do it say it's fun, but it can be a little dull to watch.

My biggest let-down though was not managing to catch sight of an A-lister. 'Some of the people who come here are complete novices and want to try something new,' says Robert, 'and for others it's like a bucket list experience.'

My list ticked, like Rebel there was some relief as I headed home to bed  probably the only person to happily do so alone.

Some names and details have been changed.
The introduction of a new 'explicit teaching' method in New South Wales schools has sparked anger among some teachers and parents but education authorities say it is needed to give under-privileged children an equal chance to learn.

The model calls for teachers to show students 'exactly how to do something step by step' and have them practise repeatedly until they get it right, rather than a model based on discovery and letting them 'find their own way'.

Dr Jenny Donavan, CEO of the Australian Education Research Association, said the new method is the best way to ensure some students do not emerge from school with critical gaps in knowledge.

The former teacher said it also prevented those of privileged background, with more parental and tutor help, outranking and outperforming their peers.

'The first thing explicit teaching does is check to see what the students already know, then it builds on that baseline so no one falls behind,' she said.

Despite the method being used across classrooms in countries known for academic success - such as Singapore - it is not welcomed by everyone.

Dr Jenny Donavan, the CEO of the Australian Education Research Association, has explained why she is a fan of the explicit teaching model

What is explicit teaching? Explicit teaching involves teachers clearly showing students what to do and how to do it, rather than having students discover that information themselves. Explicit teaching ties in why students are learning something, how it connects to what they know, what they are expected to do, and what success looks like. They are then given the opportunity to check their understanding, receive feedback, and tie it all together. Explicit teaching is effective when learning is new or complex because it is responsive to how the brain processes, stores and retrieves information. It also supports learners of all ages and backgrounds and helps drive learning and engagement. The evidence base on explicit teaching is vast. It's not new, it's clear, and the results speak for themselves. Students who experience explicit teaching in year 7 are on average four months ahead in their learning by Year 9. Schools identify and use a range of tools and data to understand the impact of their teaching practices, so they can continually build and strengthen students' learning experiences. Source: NSW Department of Education Advertisement

One teacher said explicit learning is not as novel as proponents make out, amid criticism that such top-down methods had been tried and failed.

'Nothing is "new" in the education system; everything is just re-branded,' one teacher said.

He added that is no capacity to give the individualised attention to students that explicit teaching requires.

Teachers are often thrown into subjects they are not trained in due to shortages and in 'classes of 30' there is less than 90 seconds of one-on-one time per 50-minute lesson.

'Explicit instruction is very challenging in mixed-ability classes,' he said.

A NSW Education Department spokesperson said explicit teaching had been 'used regularly' in specific schools and subjects, but will now become the core method across the curriculum.

'Explicit teaching does not discriminate. So, if you are a student who is struggling, or accelerating beyond your class level, explicit teaching will help you reach your potential.'

Those questioning explicit teaching argue such 'old-school' instruction was - rightly or wrongly - ditched for inquiry-based study 30 years ago.

'Most of the older (teachers) have been doing this in the classroom since the beginning,' one teacher said in an online discussion.

Teachers were 'taught' how to use the new method in school during the pupil-free day at the beginning of term two

'This was the method previously applied, before the standards began falling. It was taught universally by teacher training colleges. Incrementally from about the mid-1960s a new American fad was applied, that was child-centred immersion and osmosis as the best teaching method. We are now where that method was always going to take us.'

But Dr Donavan told Daily Mail Australia people who are likening explicit teaching to methods practised in the past do not understand it properly - especially those who claim older teachers were taught these methods in college.

'People describe it as old-fashioned. When I went to university to study teaching in the '80s, I got taught children are natural learners - which wasn't helpful,' she said.

In fact, Dr Donavan said explicit teaching will have a huge impact on learning outcomes as well as classroom behaviour.

Students will be taught step-by-step what is expected and how to do 'it' and they will follow it up with lots of practice.

Dr Donavan says 'there are no cracks' for students to fall through under the new method, but said it will take time to see results reflected in test scores.

This is because teachers need to practise what they have been taught about the teaching method which they did yesterday, on the pupil-free day.

One parent who opposed the new method said: 'Explicit teaching followed immediately by explicit testing may produce higher scores in the short term, but is useless in providing the skills and dispositions needed to prepare kids for living in the real world,' one parent argued.

But Dr Donavan disagreed and told FEMAIL that explicit learning does not preclude children doing their own learning, but helps it by giving them the sturdy knowledge base required to do so.

'You can't build knowledge on nothing but when presented with something novel you can draw on that information to come up with your own ideas,' she said.
As Nicole Kidman proudly appeared on the red carpet with her husband Keith Urban and their grown-up daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret when she was given a lifetime achievement award, two of her family members were notably not present.

Connor and Isabella Cruise, 29 and 31 respectively, are Nicole's children from her first marriage to Hollywood titan Tom Cruise. But as Kidman accepted the gong from the American Film Institute at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Saturday and paid tribute to the 'loves of her life'; her husband and daughters, Connor and Isabella were not mentioned.

When Cruise and Nicole divorced in 2001 following an 11-year marriage, joint custody of the children was given to the parents. However, behind closed doors, the adopted children reportedly remained 'loyal to their father' and decided to live with him, meaning they were raised in the controversial church of Scientology.

Nicole, now 56, hasn't been pictured publicly with her eldest two children since 2007, and she was reportedly left 'devastated' after the pair didn't attend her father's funeral in 2014.

It had also been reported she was eager for Connor and Bella to attend the ceremony this weekend as she received America's highest honour for a career in film.

As Nicole Kidman received an American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award this weekend, she appeared on the red carpet with the daughters she shares with Keith Urban, Sunday Rose, 15, and Faith Margaret, 13

While Connor, who is believed to be 'extremely loyal to his dad' Tom, 61, didn't appear to show Nicole any public support for her achievement, daughter Bella liked one of her mother's Instagram posts about the award.

Despite a reported rift between Nicole and her eldest children - something Connor and Bella deny - the actress has previously spoken of her 'unconditional' love for Connor and Bella, in light of their 'choices to be Scientologists'.

The A-list couple adopted Connor and Isabella in the early 1990s after Nicole suffered an ectopic pregnancy and a miscarriage - and was told as a result she might find it hard to conceive.

She previously opened up in an interview with Tatler about her fertility issues with Cruise, and how she felt a 'yearning' for children.

Bella Kidman Cruise, 31, is now based in London. She 'liked' a post celebrating her mother's accolade on Instagram

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise adopted Connor and Isabella in the early 1990s after Nicole suffered from an ectopic pregnancy and a miscarriage

'The loss of a miscarriage is not talked about enough. That's massive grief to certain women,' she said.

She did not address her relationship with her adopted children in the interview - however Nicole did speak about the motherly instinct; whether one's children are biological or adopted.

She said: 'Whether youre an adoptive mother, whether youre a foster mother, whether youre a biological mother  its the emotion of attaching to a child and helping to guide them and rear them [that is important].'

It has been suggested that the church of Scientology may be the reason for the distance between Nicole and her older children.

In her book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, ex-Scientology member Leah Remini claimed that Nicole was labelled a 'suppressive person' or 'SP' by the church after leaving.

After the Hollywood couple divorced in 2001, the children were said to have been 'loyal to their father' and chose to live with him

Ron Miscavige, the father of Scientology leader David, who himself renounced the religion, previously told DailyMail.com that there is a 'toxic' policy of 'disconnection' operating within the church.

Who are Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's four children? Bella Kidman Cruise: The A-list couple adopted their daughter Isabella Jane Cruise, now 31, in 1992. She married her boyfriend Max Parker in a Scientology ceremony in London on September 18, but her famous parents were not in attendance. She's a graduate of the exclusive Delamar Academy of Make-up and Hair in London and is believed to work as an artist. Connor Cruise: Connor, 29, was adopted by Tom and Nicole three years after his sister in 1995. After trying his hand at being a DJ and acting, the entrepreneur seems to have found his niche as food influencer. He, along with real estate pal, Kim Joyce, are the force behind the Instagram page Connor's Meatshack. Sunday Rose Urban: Nicole's older daughter with her husband Keith Urban was born in 2008. She said her daughter 'is the miracle in my life' after struggling to conceive naturally and suffering a miscarriage at the end of her marriage to tom Cruise. Sunday, 15, has been raised out of the spotlight, alongside her younger sister. Faith Margaret Urban: Three years later Nicole and Keith welcomed their second daughter, now 13, via surrogate. Nicole said they chose the name to represent how they never lost faith they would have another child. Both girls have grown up in Nashville away from the spotlight but had a cameo in Nicole's series Big Little Lies. Suri Cruise: Suri, 18, is Tom's only child from his marriage to Katie Holmes. When they split in 2012, the couple reached a custody agreement that stated Katie would care for her most of the time, while Tom would see her regularly, but it's believed he has 'no involvement' in her life. Advertisement

Speaking to the website in 2016, five years before he passed away, Ron (who was estranged from David) explained that the disconnection policy sees Scientologists cut off contact with any family member who leaves the church. He claimed it happened to him, not only with son David, but also with his two daughters, Denise and Lori.

A year earlier, a controversial documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief made claims about the church in interviews with former members who have since left.

One of the allegations made in the film was that Scientologists conspired to 'facilitate the break up' of Tom Cruise's second marriage to Nicole Kidman because the head of the church, David Miscavige, was suspicious of her.

Kidman was listed as a 'Potential Trouble Source' because her father was a psychologist in Australia, according to the Daily Beast.

Gibney's film claims that Kidman, who was raised Catholic, convinced Cruise to distance himself from the Church of Scientology between 1992 and 2001.

It also alleges that during the filming of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, Cruise wasn't returning Miscavige's phone calls, even though he was the best man at the actor's wedding.

Marty Rathbun, a former senior executive of the Church of Scientology, said an aggressive campaign was launched to break up the couple.

It included wiretapping Kidman's phone and psychoanalysing Cruise and his movements around the clock.

The personal information they gathered was then passed to Miscavige.

Rathbun even states that the Church of Scientology 're-educated' Cruise's adopted children, Connor and Isabella, so they would turn against their mother in a bid to make Cruise's custody case stronger.

The Church denounced the allegations made in the explosive film upon its release. In a five-page letter to the Hollywood Reporter, the church said: 'By our calculation, the film on average includes at least one major error every two minutes.'

However, it does appear that, since divorcing Cruise, Kidman's relationship with their children has been more distant - and when her son Connor married in a Scientology ceremony in 2019, she was notably absent.

It was reported at the time that Cruise had prohibited his son from inviting Nicole to the occasion because of her status as a 'suppressive person'.

Neither of the adult children were present at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood as their mother received the accolade

At the time, an insider told Radar: 'First, Tom would never even consider inviting Nicole to Connor's wedding because she's considered a 'suppressive person' by the church  and, second, he doesn't want her there.'

They added that the Mission Impossible star turned his back on Nicole 'a long time ago' and has never looked back.

Despite not being seen in public with Bella and Connor since 2007, Nicole has spoken of her eldest children on occasion, revealing her enduring love for them.

Speaking to The Sun in in 2019, Nicole said: 'Motherhood is about the journey. There are going to be incredible peaks and valleys, whether you are an adopting mother or a birth mother. What a child needs is love.

'They have made choices to be Scientologists. It's our job as a parent to always offer unconditional love.'

She also told Woman's Weekly in 2014 that her children were 'generous, kind and hardworking', as she described her film Lion (in which she plays an adoptive mother) as a 'love letter' to them.

However, the children have previously denied there is a rift within the family.

In 2014, Connor said: 'I don't care what people say. I know that me and mum are solid. I love her a lot. My family means everything.'

Speaking to MailOnline in 2016, Bella, who now lives in London with her IT manager husband, said: 'Of course [we talk], they're my parents,' she says. 'Anyone who says otherwise is full of s**t.'

In 2012 she told New Idea: 'I love mom. [Nicole's] my mom. She's great. I see her sometimes and I speak to her,' adding 'we're a very close family. I love all of our family.'

Bella's Instagram handle shows she also retains her mother's surname - using Bella Kidman Cruise.

Nicole's relationship with the children she shares with Cruise is a stark contrast to that of his third wife, Katie Holmes.

She and Suri Cruise, 18, share an incredibly close relationship after the Dawson's Creek actress retained full custody in the divorce agreement, and the pair moved to New York.

Although breaking free from the church of Scientology and divorcing its most influential member was a risky business, Katie Holmes had a secret weapon - her divorce attorney father, Martin Holmes.

Although Cruise pays approximately $400,000 in child support to Holmes for Suri, he is said to have 'no part' in his daughter's life

Katie has previously revealed how her daughter Suri comments on her outfits and has a 'great eye' when it comes to fashion

Katie Holmes's father Martin, a divorce attorney, was reported to have 'orchestrated' the split between his daughter and Tom Cruise

People magazine reported Katie turned to Martin for advice before making any moves to split from Tom and that he 'helped orchestrate his daughter's sudden split' from the actor.

'Marty is very rigid  it's his way or the highway,' a Toledo attorney who has worked with Martin told the magazine.

'Marty believes there are only two sets of rules: the rules of the court and his rules, and he carries himself that way.'

Divorce documents at the time revealed that Katie Holmes would receive $400,000 every year from multi-millionaire Tom in the way of child support until Suri turns 18.

The Hollywood actor would also pay for Suri's medical and dental expenses as well as her insurance, education costs and college tuition. The money is reportedly paid by electronic transfer.

Regarding Suri's education, the couple agreed their daughter would not attend boarding school - which quashed rumours she would attend a Scientology-led institution.

Katie was granted sole custody of their daughter while Tom was allowed 'meaningful' visitation rights.

However, in a situation that appears to be the reverse of his relationship with Bella and Connor, Tom has not been seen out in public with his daughter for around a decade, and sources have claimed he now has little involvement in her life.

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.

That same year, the Hollywood titan was reported not to have seen his daughter for more than 100 days, between a holiday they took in August and Thanksgiving in November.

As Nicole raises her youngest children Sunday Rose, 15 and Faith Margaret, 13, with her second husband Keith Urban, she has notably kept the teenagers out of the limelight.

During her emotional acceptance speech at the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award Gala, she referred to the girls as the 'loves of [her] life'.

Nicole added: 'My daughters have never been anywhere publicly with me on a red carpet, tonight was their first night, so they're here, Sunday and Faith.'
The fairytale romance between the Prince and Princess of Wales was one 'strategically' orchestrated by Kate, reveals a source.

Prince William and Kate Middleton - who celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary yesterday - met while studying at St Andrew's university in Scotland in 2001, but that was no coincidence, reports Elle magazine.

According to Cambridge-educated royal historian Robert Lacey, Kate, 42, enacted an airtight ploy to capture the future king, one which involved ditching her university in favour of one attended by William and even enticing him with a dress.

In Lacey's 2020 book Battle of Brothers: William and Harry - The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult, he depicted a young Kate as a 'strategic lady' who made sacrifices to get what she wanted.

He wrote: 'Kate was very strategic. She gave up her place at one of Britains premier universities, Edinburgh, and opted for another one [St. Andrews] that probably didnt have the same academic standard.

A historian has described a then young Kate as 'very strategic' in her pursuit of Prince William (pictured: Kate Middleton and Prince William on their graduation day at St Andrew's in 2005)

Royal historian Robert Lacey told of the moment Kate stripped an extra layer of clothing while walking the runway (pictured: Kate Middleton models on the catwalk at a student fashion show attended by Prince William at St. Andrew's)

'She had already been to Edinburgh to get her flat accommodations sorted out but switched universities and switched her courses to history of art because that was Williams. She delayed her own education by a year and even takes the chance she wont get into St. Andrews'.

The historian also shared how the future royal planned to dazzle William during a student charity fashion show - one which William is thought to have paid 200 to enter.

It's no news that Kate - 19 at the time - stunned onlookers and later on the public with that now very famous risque see-through dress.

However Lacey explained that it was an added racy touch that would ensure she captured the future king's attention.

In the book, he described Kate as walking down the runway at the student show - aptly titled 'The Art of Seduction' - before stripping off an extra layer of clothing to reveal her svelte physique.

The move would reportedly lead William to comment to his friends 'Wow, Kates hot.

The famous fashion exhibit It is said to be the turning point in the couple's relationship, as they eventually went from close friends to developing romantic feelings for each other.

The dress itself, which cost 30 to make, is now so significant in the love story between the two students, who went on to marry and have three children, that it sold for a staggering 78,000 at auction following the catwalk show and became one of Kates best-known fashion moments.

Prince William and Kate Middleton met while studying at St Andrew's university in Scotland in 2001 (pictured: Kate on graduation day)

The dress marked a seminal moment in cementing Kate's reputation as a style icon - but perhaps even more significantly, it turned Prince William's head and, from then on, the two St Andrews students became romantically involved.

Until that night, William thought of solid, dependable Kate only as a sympathetic and sensible friend. For it was her wise counsel which had helped him through his first-term wobble when he felt miserable and was torturing himself about whether to quit the university at the Scottish seaside town.

During her daily routine, Kate rarely deviated from what one friend described as a very public school look of Ralph Lauren shirts, V-neck jumpers and jeans.

Accounts of what happened at an after-show party vary. It is generally agreed that, having had a bit to drink, William complimented Kate lavishly, then made a clumsy pass: a kiss on the hand, according to one account; a bolder move, in another version, with him leaning in for an amorous smacker.

Either way, Kate decorously rebuffed him.

Kate's risque dress would reportedly lead William to comment to his friends 'Wow, Kates hot' (pictured: The Prince graduates from St Andrew's)

Despite a reportedly clumsy beginning to their romance; something certainly appeared to shift - and within a few weeks, both had dumped their respective partners.

They had both started at the university six months earlier, and the Prince had already identified Kate as a possible flatmate for the house-share he was putting together for his second year.

They got on well and shared an interest in sport and the outdoors, as well as a naughty sense of humour.

William also felt he could trust Kate - something incredibly important to him given his public profile.

It is more than likely they would have got together anyway but their mutual friends  key bit-part players in the Royal romance and all present at the fashion show  concede that the dress stirred Williams interest and made him see the Berkshire-born beauty in a different light.

Designer Charlotte, who later decided against a career in fashion and worked at Bristol aquarium, recalled: I didnt know who Kate Middleton was and I didnt put her in it. It was just pure chance.

The couple celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary yesterday, April 28 (the Prince and Princess are pictured along the Processional Route to Buckingham Palace on their wedding day in 2011)

I made it as a skirt, but others pulled it up on Kate and she wore it as a dress. Maybe if it hadnt been see-through, William might not have noticed her.

For years afterwards, the dress remained at the back of a wardrobe at Charlottes mothers home. Charlotte said she realised its significance only when the couple announced their engagement in November 2010.

The dress is a part of fashion history  the moment William could first have fallen in love with Kate  and that makes me really proud, she said. That picture has been used so much over the years. I always wonder whether Kate is embarrassed about it, or liked it.

Kate had a place at Edinburgh University in 2000 but gave it up and took a gap year in Italy, reapplying to St Andrews for 2001 after Williams place became public.

In Kate: The Future Queen, by Mail on Sunday Royal Editor Katie Nicholl, it claims Kate's mum, Carole Middleton held a secret summit with William to ask whether he planned to propose to her daughter.

Kate achieved two As and a B in her A Levels  the grades she needed for Edinburgh  and the university was her first choice. William achieved an A in geography, a B in history of art and a C in biology and won a place to study history of art after a year out.

In Kate: The Future Queen, by Mail on Sunday Royal Editor Katie Nicholl, it claims Kate's mum, Carole Middleton held a secret summit with William to ask whether he planned to propose to her daughter. (pictured: Carole Middleton attends 'Ladies Day' at Ascot Racecourse on June 16, 2011)

Applications to St Andrews rose by 44 per cent after the news emerged, meaning Kates decision was risky as there was no guarantee she would get a place.

Jasper Selwyn, a careers adviser at Kates former school, Marlborough College, and house tutor Joan Gall both confirmed her first choice was Edinburgh.

Mr Selwyn said: Kates firm choice was Edinburgh and that was confirmed.

According to her house mistress, Ann Patching, the change of heart came as a surprise.

She said: After she left school, Catherine made some different decisions, but why she made those decisions I dont know.

In 2007 William and Kate split amid rumours she disapproved of his party lifestyle and his reluctance to propose.

A make-or-break holiday followed and Kate reportedly gave William an ultimatum. According to the book, the pair then made a pact to marry and have children.

However in Christmas 2009 Kates mother, Carole Middleton, reportedly took William aside to discuss a possible engagement.

A friend said: She put some pressure on William to let the family know where it was all leading.

William reassured her the relationship was very much on track and that there would be an engagement soon. Carole trusted William and put her faith in him.
Royal fans have shared their well-wishes for the Prince and Princess of Wales as they marked their 13th anniversary today.

Prince William, 41, and Kate Middleton, 42, tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in 2011 with around 37 million people watching in the UK.

In the 13 years since, they've welcomed three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, this morning, hundreds of fans were quick to share their wishes for the couple.

'Happy anniversary to Prince William and Princess Catherine,' one wrote.

Prince William , 41, and Kate Middleton , 42, tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in 2011 with around 37 million people watching in the UK

In the 13 years since, they've welcomed three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. They are pictured at the No Time to Die premiere in 2011

'It's finally here!!! Happy Anniversary to the #PrinceandPrincessofWales #13YearsofWillandKate,' said another.

Other fans described the pair as 'each other's lobsters', a term meaning soulmates, while also sharing photos of loving glances between the pair.

'Of all the love stories in the world, this is my favourite,' said one.

'A real fairytale,' said another.

'A happy and sparkling anniversary to William and Catherine. A glorious royal love story,' said another.

'After more than 20 years together, 13 years of marriage and 3 children later William and Catherines love continues to blossom with each minute that passes. I hope their special day is filled with love, joy and happiness! Happy 13th Anniversary to the most adorable couple,' said another.

While today is no doubt a joyous celebration for the couple, it's been a tough year for the royal family.

In particular, The Princess of Wales is being treated for cancer following a major abdominal surgery at the start of the year.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter , this morning, hundreds of fans were quick to share their wishes for the couple

Through it all, the princess has had the unstinting support of her husband, William, as she told the nation in that moving video address just a few weeks ago.

William is also dealing with his father King Charles' cancer battle.

However, the King's health is improving and Charles will return to public duties this week with the blessing of his doctors, attending a cancer treatment clinic with Queen Camilla on Tuesday.

The King, 75, is still undergoing treatment for the disease but his medical team are understood to be 'pleased with the progress made so far'.

Buckingham Palace announced on Friday plans for his first public engagement in four months, which will be especially poignant given his cancer battle as well as that of his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, who is undergoing preventative chemotherapy for an undisclosed cancer.

It has now been reported that the monarch  seen driving himself to church on Sunday  is determined to saddle up on his horse Noble for Trooping the Colour in June. He is said to want to be seen to 'lead from the front'.

While today is no doubt a joyous celebration for the couple, it's been a tough year for the royal family. Pictured at the BAFTAs in 2017

Fans were quick to share well wishes with the couple

Both the Princess of Wales and Charles had been in hospital together at the same time in January - Kate was having abdominal surgery and the monarch had a procedure on his prostate.

The King had tentatively toddled from his hospital bed to Kate's nearby room to comfort his daughter in law on a number of occasions as both recovered in the exclusive London Clinic.

Prince William has been totally focused on supporting his wife and family and until recently cut back on public duties - a balm to his wife. Camilla too has publicly and privately offered love and support to Kate.

Shortly after their hospital stays, Charles bravely broke with royal protocol by sharing his cancer diagnosis in late January. The Princess of Wales was inspired to reveal her cancer diagnosis after the warm response to the King doing the same six weeks earlier.

The couple are pictures on their wedding day in 2011

They both received their cancer diagnosis in February, although Kate delayed her public announcement until just before the Easter school holidays to tell her children at a time that was 'right for them'.

This week, it emerged that the King has been given permission by doctors to return to public-facing duties after being diagnosed with cancer.

His Majesty is not yet clear of the disease and is still undergoing treatment, but his medical team are understood to be pleased with the progress made so far and remain positive about his recovery.

Meanwhile, Sarah, Duchess of York is also facing her own cancer diagnosis.

She had a mole removed from her body which tests founds to be a malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.

And last year, she told fans that she underwent a reconstruction operation following a breast cancer diagnosis.

The royals' decision to break with tradition by being open about their health scares contrasts with more circumspect statements during the reign of the late Queen.
Experts have revealed that dogs are more likely than cats to eat their owner's dead body, but which breed of dog you have can effect how likely it is your corpse will be eaten.

While many dog-lovers may think cats are more likely to eat you due to their independent attitude, a report, published in the Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, found that this may not be the case.

Medium to large dogs are the most likely to engage in scavenging, with a beagle being the smallest breed to so.

Mutts, hunting and working dogs were among the breeds listed in published cases to eat corpses.

Even friendly, lovable Labradors and Golden Retrievers have engaged in the behaviour, as they're particularly food driven.

Forensic anthropologist Carolyn Rando of University College London, told National Geographic that canines can do more damage than felines.

Research says larger dogs, such as Labradors and Golden Retrievers were mentioned in reports of scavenging (stock image)

Ms Rando said a dog's behaviour may matter more than their size or breed, adding that if a pet is anxious, insecure or has separation anxiety, this may lead to them eating their owner rather than a more relaxed canine.

So how do you prevent your dog from eating your dead body?

Ms Rando said there's no way you can guarantee that your pet won't nibble on your corpse, but you can put arrangements in place to make it less likely to happen.

She recommends ensuring you have people who will visit your home if they have not heard from you in a while.

'It's a good reason to make sure you have people around you. Social activity later in life is good for everybody,' she said.

According to vet charity PDSA, a whopping 29 per cent of the UK population owns a dog, meaning there are an estimated 11million pups in the nation.

In 2015, a Staffordshire bull terrier from Merseyside faced being put down after it started to eat its owner's dead body.

The dog, known as both Buster and Butch, was discovered feeding on his owner's corpse when police entered the property.

A woman, who died of an aneurysm, was discovered the morning after she passed away.

Forensic testing found that it was actually her dogs who had eaten her face and that her two cats had not touched her corpse at all.

She said that they usually go for the softer parts of your face, such as your lips and nose.

Ms Rando said: 'If you're sleeping, [cats] tend to swat your face to wake you up. So a cat might start out trying to 'wake up' a dead owner, and then begin to bite when that doesn't work.'

Joseph Prahlow, a medical examiner in Michigan, says he sees evidence that dogs - not cats - have nibbled their owners during autopsies 'at least a couple times a year'.

While many may believe that cats are more likely to eat your dead body, research says otherwise (stock image)

It is believed that this is because hounds are seen as less picky when it comes to eating food that they come across in comparison to cats.

The outlet also spoke to psychologist Stanley Coren, who has written books and hosted television shows about dogs.

He believes that because dogs descend from wolves, they are more likely to chew on their dead owners to survive if they cannot get access to other food.

In 2017, a Chihuahua from New Jersey ate his owner in a bid to stay alive after they died at their home.

New owner Tyfanee Fortuna from Glen Gardner, New Jersey, said she adopted Rumpelstiltskin from an animal shelter.

'His owner was dead for a considerable time before anyone noticed and he did eat his human to stay alive,' she said.

She also later revealed that the dog's previous owner had been dead for two weeks until their body was found, meaning the dog would have been starving when it ate them.

In 2007, a chow and a Labrador mix managed to survive for a month after consuming their dead owner's body.

But in 2015, a study of 63 cases of canines ingesting their owners found in a quarter of cases, the pup had started eating the body after less than a day, despite having access to other food that they had not touched.

Forensic pathologist Markus Rothschild writes in his study that when you pass away, your pet is likely to try and get your attention by licking or nudging your face.

But when an owner does not respond, the dog's state of mind can become more panicked, therefore leading them to bite your body.
As Humza Yousaf sensationally resigned today, capping an extraordinary meltdown triggered by sacking his Green coalition partners, he paid an emotional tribute to his family and 'wonderful wife'.

The Scottish First Minister tearfully announced he has quit after failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote in a shocking fall from grace for Mr Yousaf, 39, who took over from Nicola Sturgeon barely a year ago.

After he summarily ditched the Greens from the Bute House coalition deal - and publicly humiliated them by making them do a walk of shame in view of cameras - they pledged to back a no confidence motion tabled by the Tories .

Watched by his wife Nadia in Edinburgh , Mr Yousaf conceded he had 'underestimated' the backlash from ditching the Bute House deal, adding: 'I'm not willing to trade my values... simply for retaining power.

Humza Yousaf sensationally resigned today capping an extraordinary meltdown triggered by sacking his Green coalition partners

He added: 'Politics can be a brutal business. It takes its toll on your physical and mental health - your family suffer alongside you.

'I am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children and my wider family for putting up with me over the years, I am afraid you will be seeing a lot more of me from now. You are truly everything to me.'

As Mr Yousaf's wife supports her husband following his whirlwind resignation, FEMAIL takes a look at the woman who has supported the former Scottish First Minister throughout his campaign, as well as the children they've raised.

Who is Nadia El-Nakla?

Humza Yousaf with his wife Nadia El-Nakla as he arrives to be sworn in as Scotland's First Minister at the Scottish High Court in Edinburgh

Humza (pictured with his wife and their daughter) narrowly won the bitter five-week battle to succeed Nicola Sturgeon on March 27, 2023

Ms El-Nakla, 39, who has a Palestinian father, was born in Scotland. She married Mr Yousaf in 2019 and the couple live in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee.

Who is former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf? Humza Yousaf became Scotland's first Muslim Cabinet minister in 2018, when he was appointed justice secretary. The 39-year-old father has been MSP for Glasgow Pollok since 2016, having previously been elected to the Scottish Parliament as an additional member for the Glasgow region in 2011 at the age of just 26. He has been serving as the Scottish Government's health secretary, and was widely regarded as the 'continuity' candidate - although Nicola Sturgeon had refused to back anyone. Mr Yousaf was voted in as Scotland's new First Minister in March 2023, following Nicola Sturgeon's shock resignation. After only a year in office, Humza Yousaf bowed out as SNP leader today, following an extraordinary meltdown triggered by sacking his Green coalition partners. The former Scottish First Minister admitted to failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote. He said the government needed to be led by someone who could bring MSPs together, although he would stay on as interim leader to ensure continuity. Mr Yousaf has a daughter and a stepchild with his second wife Nadia El-Nakla. Advertisement

They have one three-year-old daughter together, Amal. Ms El-Nakla also has a daughter from a previous marriage.

In May 2022, the trained psychotherapist became an SNP councillor for the West End of Dundee.

After winning the council seat, she said, via The National: 'I really want to take this time in the next five years to invest in women and get them into politics because in the Broughty Ferry ward I dont think weve ever seen a female councillor in I dont know how long.'

She has worked for Scottish Government minister Shona Robison and stood for the SNP in North East Scotland in the 2021 Holyrood election. However, she was unsuccessful.

The mother-of-two doesn't have a large social media presence, however she does appear often on her husband's Instagram account.

Showing their fun side, the couple have also joined their daughters on an amusing TikTok video to launch Mr Yousaf's profile.

Sharing it on Twitter in December 2020, he wrote: 'So after telling me not to ruin TikTok for her, my step-daughter decided to direct our first bit of content.

'Bit of light-hearted fun - and don't worry no dad dancing...!' he concluded about the clip, which showed the family decide between different options as they were presented throughout the video.

Why else has Ms El-Nakla been in the news?

Details of Ms El-Nakla's marriage breakdown to IT expert Fariad Umar were reportedly made public in a court case in 2018.

She confessed to having an affair with a fellow SNP member who was accused of sending her racist texts, according to the Scottish Daily Express.

Meanwhile, in 2021 Mr Yousaf and his second wife launched a legal complaint against a nursery, accusing it of racial discrimination after it denied admission to their daughter.

Humza and Nadia share a three-year-old daughter together, Amal. Ms El-Nakla also has a daughter Maya from a previous marriage

The couple regularly show off their fun side on TikTok along with their daughters to help launch Mr Yousaf's profile

Humza Yousaf with his wife Nadia El-Nakla, daughter Amal and step-daughter (left) at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on March 27, 2023

Ms El-Nakla (pictured with Mr Yousaf, left), 39, who has a Palestinian father, was born in Scotland. She married Mr Yousaf in 2019 and the couple live in Broughty Ferry, near Dundee

After being told there was no space for the couple's daughter at Little Scholars in Broughty Ferry near Dundee, Ms El-Nakla and a friend put in fake applications for children with 'white-sounding names'.

While a watchdog told the nursery to change its procedures, Ms El-Nakla dropped her legal action against it. The nursery denied the accusations.

In August 2021, in a statement released through their solicitor, the couple said: 'Despite being given ample opportunity, Little Scholars Day Nursery in Broughty Ferry have failed to admit, explain or apologise for their discriminatory behaviour.

'We have both stood against hatred our whole lives, often being the targets of vile abuse. We will not accept our children being discriminated against by anyone.

'Like any other parents we simply want our children to be treated equally, regardless of their colour of skin or religion.

In May 2022, the trained psychotherapist (pictured with her family) became an SNP councillor for the West End of Dundee

The mother-of-two doesn't have a large social media presence, however she does appear often on her husband's Instagram account (pictured)

Showing their fun side, the couple have also joined their daughters on an amusing TikTok video to launch Mr Yousaf's profile

Humza Yousaf hugs his wife Nadia El-Nakla and daughter Amal at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on March 27, 2023

'We strongly believe we have evidence of systemic discrimination being carried out by Little Scholars Day Nursery.

'As passionate believers in the fairness of Scotland's justice system, we have now instructed our solicitor Aamer Anwar to initiate court proceedings and are determined to fight for justice for our daughter.'

A spokesperson for the nursery told the Daily Record at the time: 'Our nursery is extremely proud of being open and inclusive to all and any claim to the contrary is demonstrably false and an accusation that we would refute in the strongest possible terms.'

The spokesperson added: 'In addition to our owners being of Asian heritage, across more than a decade we have regularly welcomed both children and staff from a range of different religious, cultural, ethnic and racial backgrounds including two Muslim families currently.

'We have also regularly made arrangements to accommodate different lifestyles by, for example, providing a halal menu for those children who come from Muslim families.'
Millie Pilkington is the photographer behind the previously-unseen portrait

Royal fans keen to mark the 13th wedding anniversary of the Prince and Princess of Wales were delighted to discover a previously-unseen portrait of William and Kate from their special day this afternoon.

Posted to Instagram with the caption '13 years ago today!', the black and white photograph was taken not by the couple's official wedding photographer, Hugo Burnand, but by their private photographer, Dorset-based Millie Pilkington.

When asked abut her biggest break, Millie, who received her first camera from her mother at the age of 8, told The Gold Edition:

'Im not sure you can ask for a bigger break than being asked to capture the private wedding photographs for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridges wedding in April 2011.'

Prince William, 41, and Kate Middleton, 42, married at Westminster Abbey in 2011, with around 37 million people watching in the UK and while official photographs were released after the big day, Millie was chosen to take more intimate shots for their private wedding album.

Millie Pilkington's previously-unseen portrait of William and Kate on their wedding day

Millie took this photograph of King Charles and Queen Camilla, which was released on Friday 24 May alongside Charles's encouraging health update

And Millie, described as 'one of the UKs most respected and accomplished portrait photographers' on her website, turns out to be the woman behind a whole host of royal images.

Most recently, the photographer, who specialises in children and family, took a smiling picture of King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Released on Friday 24 May, the image accompanied Charles's encouraging health update announcing that the King would be returning to some of his public duties after undergoing cancer treatment.

Millie is open about the enjoyment she gets from working with the royal family. Speaking to The Gold Edition in April 2023 she explained that, rather than finding the royals intimidating, she considers them to be 'more humble, kind, thoughtful and approachable' than a lot of people who lack their titles.

Millie has also taken photographs of William and Kate's three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5.

This photograph of Prince William with his three children was taken to mark Father's Day last year

As well as taking portraits of their youngest child, Prince Louis, which have been released on various birthdays, Millie was on hand to capture Prince William with all three children ahead of Father's Day last year.

According to her website, Millie, who is based near Sherborne in Dorset, 'is known for doing whatever it takes to get the shot'.

The combination of her professional mindset and playful personality has seen her balance on top of a ladder and wade through a pond to get the right shot.

When she's not photographing royals, Millie is busy taking pictures of families and pursuing editorial projects for publications including Country Life and Hello!

Speaking to The Gold Edition, Millie explained that her mother gave her a camera for her eighth birthday.

'I quickly became obsessed with, taking photos of almost anything that moved, albeit predominantly my dog and horse,' she said.

But Millie believes her 'love of portraiture' stems from upgrading her camera to a Minolta SLR at the age of 15. At that time, she especially enjoyed taking pictures of her family and friends.

Millie credits Jane Brown, the late English photographer who spent six decades at The Observer, as one of her most important influences.

Royal private photographer Millie Pilkington said William and Kate's wedding was the biggest break you could get

She elaborated: 'Be they candid snaps, such as her portrait of three Beetles fans or Cilla Black sipping tea, or even a close-up portrait of Mick Jagger laughing, her striking portraits all contain an honesty which I aspire to achieve in my portraiture.'

Another key feature of Millie's oeuvre is her work with Country Life magazine, her biggest editorial client.

For the November 2018 issue, she photographed Dame Judi Dench for the magazine and has since shared that Country Life was a publication she had 'always wanted to work for'.

While she has honed her craft since her early childhood, becoming a fulltime photographer after she married in the year 2000, Millie is happy to admit that sometimes a brilliant portrait comes down simply to 'a stroke of luck - being in the right place at the right time and being quick.'
Rochdale whistleblower Maggie Oliver has revealed she ended up on antidepressants and was threatened with jail by her fellow police officers after she tried to bring the town's grooming gangs to justice.

The former detective and campaigner, 68, said she lost her home and that her life was destroyed as she fought to expose the truth.

Ms Oliver resigned from the police force after it failed to act on allegations of widespread child grooming and sex abuse in the town in Greater Manchester.

Nine men were convicted in 2012 of a range of sexual offences against children including rape, trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children in and around Rochdale.

Ms Oliver told Kaye Adams on her How To Be 60 podcast: 'I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I was a complete and utter mess.

Rochdale whistleblower Maggie Oliver (pictured) has revealed she ended up on antidepressants while investigating the town's grooming gangs

'For the only time in my life, I was on antidepressants and then I suddenly thought - there's nothing wrong with you, what is wrong is what is going on.

'I made them very much aware that I was not going to go away from this. I was threatened with prison  if you speak out, you signed confidential papers, everything you know you know because you are a police officer. You be very, very careful.'

Maggie continued by telling Kaye that she had lost everything.

She said: 'I feel upset now talking about it actually. Because it destroyed my life in so many ways. I lost everything. I tried for 18 months to get somebody to listen, nobody would.

'And then you're faced with the stark reality  you either remain silent and that would have meant I kept my career and my home.

'I lost my home of 30 years, because I couldn't afford it. We had a lovely house, I had four children, I ended up in a little apartment with a lodger. But I promised myself that I would tell the truth.'

Maggie was famously portrayed by Lesley Sharp in the award-winning BBC drama Three Girls, which told the story of the Rochdale child sex abuse ring and her attempts to expose it.

As a Detective Constable with Greater Manchester Police, she quit the force in 2013 after they failed to act on allegations of widespread child grooming and sex abuse.

Eight of the nine members of a Rochdale grooming gang who were convicted in 2012 of offences including rape, trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children. (Top row left to right) Abdul Rauf, Hamid Safi, Mohammed Sajid and Abdul Aziz; (bottom row left to right) Abdul Qayyum, Adil Khan, Mohammed Amin and Kabeer Hassan

Maggie Oliver, second left, shown being interviewed by the media outside Greater Manchester Police HQ in April 2022, alongside lawyers Harriet Wistrich, left, and Kate Ellis

Adil Khan, left, and Abdul Aziz, right, faced deportation orders to Pakistan although Aziz was later told he could stay while Rauf and Khan also remain in the UK

She later went public with her concerns, but says that despite the toll it took on her mental health she would do it again.

'I look back and think, is this why I was put on this earth,' she told How to be 60. 'I hate conflict. I would far rather talk something through. But where I found myself in life meant that I had no alternative, other than to put my neck on the block and fight for victims who didn't have anybody fighting their corner.

'That's probably been the most difficult journey of my life and I didn't choose it, it just happened.'

READ MORE: Where the Rochdale grooming gang members are now 12 years on from their sentences: Two still in prison, two more fighting deportation and five freed to roam the streets At least seven members of the first Rochdale grooming gang brought down for raping and trafficking young children across England are walking free on the streets today  after a new report warned that nearly 100 other abusers are escaping justice. In a case that shocked the nation, nine Asian men were convicted in 2012 of a range of sexual offences against children including rape, trafficking and conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with children in and around Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Two members of the Rochdale grooming gang convicted of paedophilia offences are still waiting to be deported back to Pakistan  because their home country is refusing to take them back. Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed urged his victims to call him 'Daddy'; he still has a decade of his sentence remaining Qari Abdul Rauf (left) and Adil Khan (right) are both still awaiting deportation despite losing a legal battle to remain in the UK Abdul Aziz (left) has been able to remain in the UK; Mohammed Amin has served his sentence Mohammed Sajid (left) and Kabeer Hassan (right). Sajid's sentence concludes this year, after which he will be deported to Pakistan; Hassan is believed to be free Hamid Safi (left) is believed to have been deported to Afghanistan after serving his sentence; Abdul Qayyum (right) is now free Advertisement

Maggie admitted it was fear over what her four children would think of her that spurred her on.

She said: 'I thought - do I want my kids to turn the telly on in 30 years' time when I'm pushing up daisies and hear about this big scandal that is Rochdale and say, well my Mum worked on that job, why did she not say anything.

'I didn't want my kids to be ashamed of me when I'm not there, so I decided that I was going to tell the truth, wherever that led. I knew it was a really risky road, but all we have in the end is our conscience.'

So far, a total of 42 men have been convicted of offences including sex trafficking and rape and 47 girls have been identified as victims.

Maggie now runs the Maggie Oliver Foundation which offers help and support to survivors of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation.

Maxine Peake, left, played fellow whistleblower Sara Rowbotham and Lesley Sharp acted as Maggie Oliver in the BBC's drama series about the Rochdale grooming scandal Three Girls

She told Kaye Adams: 'I was widowed at 49 and I lost my little granddaughter just before she was three, I lost my job, I lost my home.

'When life throws all these low balls at you, you either sink or you swim. And I think it makes you so much stronger when you have to go through tough times.

'There were some very dark days, but I feel proud of the work we're doing. I'm proud that when the chips were down, I did have the strength to fight this. It's made me stronger.'

Ms Oliver joined GMP in 1997 as a police constable and went on to work on gangland murders, shootings, kidnappings, rapes and witness protection cases.

Her first contact with the grooming scandal was her investigation into multiple severe sexual assaults perpetrated mainly by Pakistani men, which involved interviewing many victims - some as young as 11.

She was shocked by the lack of police force's lack of response and resigned to go public with her criticisms and campaign for justice for the abused girls.

The failure of law enforcement and social services to address concerns about child sex rings in Rochdale was depicted by BBC drama Three Girls in 2017.

Ms Oliver was played by actress Lesley Sharp and fellow whistleblower Sara Rowbotham by Maxine Peake.

The Greater Manchester force has since launched further investigations, which have so far led to the convictions of 42 men involved in abusing 13 children.

Five men were jailed for more than 70 hears combined last year after being found guilty of abusing two young girls between 2002 and 2006.

And ten men were jailed for a total of 125 years in 2016 for abuse involving eight girls and women.

The Maggie Oliver Foundation was set up in 2019 to offer help and support survivors of childhood sexual abuse and exploitation.

Ms Oliver said: If anybody feels they need support, then they can contact the Maggie Oliver Foundation and we will do our very best to help them.'

Kaye Adams: How to be 60 is available on all podcast providers.
Plotting a killing to appear as an accident, as depicted in the upcoming thriller "The Plot," proved more challenging than anticipated, the director said Monday.

"When devising a murder scheme in the movie, the most intriguing aspect was figuring out how to eliminate someone without resorting to lethal weapons," director Lee Yo-sub said at a press conference for the movie on Monday.

"I contemplated numerous methods in my mind, and I must say, it was quite challenging."

Adapted from the 2009 Hong Kong movie "Accident," "The Plot" centers around Young-il (played by Kang Dong-won), who leads a contract killing group that meticulously designs murders to appear as perfect accidental deaths.

Things take an unexpected turn as Young-il and his team become embroiled in a new, perilous mission to kill a well-known and influential figure.

"Each character has a hidden side and undergoes changes as the story unfolds. It will be interesting for audiences to discover that in the film," the director said.

Actor Kang of "Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman" (2023) and "Broker" (2022) said Young-il was "the coldest and driest" character among those he has played so far.

"Following the death of a longtime colleague, Young-il becomes suspicious of everything that happens thereafter," the actor said. "He is a lonely figure who trusts no one and believes he could also be the target of a plot."

In the film, Young-il undergoes significant changes as he believes he himself has become a target of such schemes.

The director emphasized his focus on portraying the "unique" tension in the film, derived from the suggestion of sinister conspiracies hidden behind ordinary occurrences, particularly through the use of sound.

"The Plot" marks the second feature movie directed by the filmmaker, following his debut thriller "The Queen of Crime" (2016), which revolves around a mother investigating the suspicious circumstances surrounding her son's water bill bomb.

The film also stars Jung Eun-chae, Lee Mu-saeng and Lee Mi-sook, portraying Young-il's client, a mysterious insurance company employee contacting the client and his seasoned colleague, respectively.

It is set for release on May 29. (Yonhap)
Elizabeth Smart has shared a poignant message about a recent partnership between a lingerie brand and her foundation, describing it as a healing experience.

Elizabeth - who was just 14 years old when she was abducted at knifepoint from her bed at her family's home in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2002 - has been sharing her healing journey following the horrific ordeal that culminated in her rescue in 2003.

In an emotional post, the now 36-year-old revealed the partnership with lingerie company Mentionables, with 20 per cent of sales during Happy and Healthy Intimacy Week going to the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.

'Mentionables aligns perfectly with my thoughts and feelings around intimacy,' the public speaker, author and advocate explained on Instagram.

Elizabeth Smart has shared a poignant message about a recent partnership between lingerie brand Mentionables and her foundation; describing it as a healing experience

The mom-of-three said she wanted people to realize that one should feel 'safe, empowered, beautiful, sexy, and excited to engage with their partner instead of fear, lack of control, pain, danger, betrayal, or self loathing'

Elizabeth admitted that when she first returned home after her traumatic kidnapping, she 'didn't want to speak about what happened with anyone.'

'I wanted to hide those nine months away, and pretend they didn't happen,' she shared.

Elizabeth continued writing she knew in her head that none of the kidnapping was her fault.

'My heart still felt embarrassment and shame over the vast amounts of sexual abuse I experienced,' she admitted in the gut-wrenching post.

'At the time, I didn't know anyone else who openly shared they had been raped or violated, and no one took the time to explain to me that there is a difference between sexual abuse/rape versus enthusiastic consenting intimacy.'

Since the 2002 ordeal, Elizabeth has gotten married, had a family, and reconciled with what happened to her, and how to deal with it.

'[I] learned that rape and true intimacy couldn't be more different,' she said.

'This partnership with Mentionables is so important to me on a personal level, because I don't want any other person to go through being raped and assaulted thinking it is the same as consenting intimacy,' Elizabeth shared.

Smart was rescued in March 2003 after someone recognized her outside and called the police (Elizabeth in pictured with her parents at the White House)

Brian David Mitchell (left) was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and raping Smart. His wife, Wanda Barzee (right), was also in prison but was unexpectedly released in 2018

Elizabeth said she felt 'embarrassment and shame' over her ordeal and didn't want anyone to feel that when being intimate with someone

The mom-of-three said she wanted people to realize that one should feel 'safe, empowered, beautiful, sexy, and excited to engage with their partner instead of fear, lack of control, pain, danger, betrayal, or self loathing.'

'Being able to enjoy every aspect of consenting relationships should be a basic human right,' Elizabeth pointed out.

'Being able to enhance romantic and passionate situations should be encouraged and embraced, and for me that means beautiful and sexy lingerie.'

Elizabeth concluded the post by saying that everything they did through her foundation was 'to help prevent what happened to me from happening to anyone else, as well as trying to educate and promote more compassion within communities on how to respond to survivors sharing their stories.'

Elizabeth was 14 years old when she was kidnapped from her Utah home by a street preacher and held in captivity in the woods for nine months

She established the Elizabeth Smart Foundation in 2011, which fights against sexual violence and promotes educational programs such as the Smart Talk podcast, and self-defense training for women and young girls.

The launch was inspired by her traumatic experience from being abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom at knifepoint by street preacher Brian David Mitchell, who climbed through an open window.

She was held captive for nine months in a camp in the woods, where Mitchell performed a mock wedding ceremony before raping her for the first time.

To keep her from escaping, she was tied up with steel cables in a dugout filled with mice and spiders.

Elizabeth was forced to take drugs and drink alcohol, she testified in 2009, and was raped daily  as often as four times a day.

She was rescued in March 2003 after a couple recognized Mitchell and Barzee from an episode of America's Most Wanted, and called the police.

Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping and raping Elizabeth. Barzee was also in prison, but was unexpectedly released in 2018. Her initial sentence was set to go until 2024.
The Duchess of Edinburgh cut a sophisticated figure as she visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv alongside Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, today.

The mother-of-two, 59, has become the first British royal to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.

The royal was effortlessly chic in a 1,251 dress from Italian brand Etro, adorned with brightly coloured florals.

The stylish cuffed sleeves and collared neckline crafted a sophisticated yet practical look for Sophie.

Sophie accessorised the dress with a sleek pair of 179 pointed cream loafers with gold embellishment by Nicola Sexton.

The Duchess of Edinburgh (R) donned a 1,215 dress from Italian brand Etro as she visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv alongside Olena Zelenska (L), the First Lady of Ukraine, today

Sophie completed the outfit with a fuchsia pair of drop earrings and a delicate gold bracelet visible through her cuffed sleeves.

The Duchess tied her blonde locks in a low bun and opted for a simple bronzed make-up look, complete with a touch of dusky pink lipstick.

During the trip, Sophie met with President Zelensky and his wife - and passed on a personal message from King Charles - as she showed her solitary with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture during her emotional one-day trip.

The mother of-two travelled in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

It is understood she was 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'.

The Duchess listened as survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, bravely shared their stories, as well as talking to female IDPs - internally displaced persons - and volunteers who help their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion.

She also met with children who have now been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture.

And she paid her respects to those who lost their lives in Bucha, two years on from its liberation from Russian forces, and visited the 'Road to Life', a bridge which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv and later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the Russian occupation.

The mother-of-two accesorised her ensemble with a sophisticated pair of fuchsia drop earrings

The royal donned a floral cotton midi dress from Etro (pictured) during the trip, priced at 1,215

The duchess added a practical 179 pair of cream leather loafers from Nicola Sexton to her outfit

It is understood she was particularly keen to show her support for Ukrainian women who have played important roles in the conflict and community recovery and held a meeting with female volunteers who help their communities cope with the aftermath of the attacks with mental health care activities for children.

Meeting with President Zelensky and First Lady Zelenska, Sophie discussed how best to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and the women peacebuilders who have a vital part to play in ensuring Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction is effective and long-lasting.

Speaking at a conference last month, Her Royal Highness said: 'Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences.

'They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors.

The Duchess looks at a historical model of Kyiv located in Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during Monday's visit

Sophie was seen to be enraptured by the ornate decoration in the 6th-century monument, which is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, visits Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv on Monday in the first visit by a member of the Royal Family to Ukraine since the Russian invasion

The Duchess looks at the ornate decorations of the cathedral, which is named after the 6th century Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul

A guide shows Sophie a model of the Saint Sophia Cathedral during a tour of the religious complex

The Duchess (left) visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv today alongside First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska (right)

Sophie walks in the shadows of Saint Sophia Cathedral during a visit to Kyiv on Monday in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda

Sophie looks at the grave of Yaroslav I the Wise, the founder of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv

'Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isn't an accepted part of conflict.

READ MORE Kate and William share unseen wedding portrait: Prince and Princess of Wales release stunning picture to mark their 13th wedding anniversary Advertisement

'Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.'

Since 2022, the UK has pledged over 4.7 billion in non-military support to Ukraine. This includes over 660 million of bilateral assistance that prioritises the needs of women and girls, for example by funding vital services for survivors of Gender Based Violence, as well as working with the Office of the Prosecutor General to put survivors at the centre of approaches to prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence crimes.

The UK is also working with international partners to hold those responsible for atrocities to account.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: 'Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh is visiting Ukraine at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

'Her Royal Highness this morning met the President and First Lady of Ukraine and delivered a message to them on behalf of His Majesty The King.'
Queen Mathilde of Belgium turned heads in a floral dress on Monday evening as she attended a ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the Baillet Latour Foundation in Brussels.

The beaming royal, 51, wore a multicoloured, jacquard midi dress featuring an intricate floral design for the occasion.

The mother-of-four completed the outfit with striking red accessories, including suede heels and a patent leather clutch bag.

Looking suitably sophisticated, Mathilde styled her blonde hair brushed back into a sleek up-do.

The mother-of-four's gold jewellery perfectly complemented her outfit, drawing attention to the design's gold flowers, while the small bouquet she carried added bolder shades to her look.

Queen Mathilde, 51, wore a multicoloured, jacquard midi dress featuring an intricate floral design for the occasion

The royal complemented her dress with striking red accessories, including a pair of suede and PVC court shoes and a leather clutch bag

Queen Mathilde is pictured with Dr Zingjing Zhu, who won the Baillet Latour Biomedical Award for her cancer research work

Donning a pair of tortoiseshell glasses to deliver her speech, Mathilde kept her make-up simple.

The 50th anniversary of the Baillet Latour Foundation took place at the Palais des Academies, a neoclassical palace in Brussels.

Having delivered her speech, Mathilde presented the Baillet Latour Biomedical Award - a prize for promising young researchers in Belgium - which this year honoured Dr Zingjing Zhu for cancer research.

Earlier this month, Queen Mathilde cut an elegant figure in a pale pink two-piece today as she bid farewell to the Luxembourg royals on the final day of their state visit.

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg's trip began on Tuesday 16 April and finished with a farewell ceremony this afternoon at the Place Saint-Lambert, which lies in the centre of Liege.

Queen Mathilde paired a pink blouse with a gathered neckline and slim waist belt with wide-leg trousers in the same pastel shade.

With a pashmina, also in pink, draped across her shoulders, Mathilde looked perfectly comfortable on the cool spring day.

She wore her blond hair swept to the side and pulled back under a pale pink fascinator to reveal a pair of drop diamond earrings.

The mother-of-four's gold jewellery perfectly complemented her outfit, drawing attention to the design's gold flowers

Queen Mathilde received a colourful bouquet of flowers from a young girl who was waiting outside the venue

Queen Mathilde was photographed greeting the young girl who had come to the Palais des Academies in Brussels with her family

Mathilde donned tortoiseshell glasses to address those who had gathered for the prizegiving

Wearing high heels and carrying a small clutch bag, Mathilde looked a picture of elegance.

Here counterpart from neighbouring Luxembourg, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, 68, looked equally elegant in a black and white blazer with a floral design worn over a crisp white shirt.

Maria Teresa wore glamourous make-up, including a slick of red lipstick, while her hair was brushed back revealing a pair of pearl earrings.

The two royals could be seen embracing each other, appearing at ease in each other's company, and greeting the gathered crowds.

The farewell ceremony also saw Mathilde embrace Grand Duke Henri while her husband King Philippe, 64, said a heartfelt goodbye to Grand Duchess Maria Teresa.
The Duchess of Edinburgh shared a heartwarming moment with a toddler as she became the first British royal to visit Ukraine since Russia's invasion.

The mother-of-two, 59, visited the UNFPA office in Kyiv today, where she met with war victims.

For the occasion, Sophie looked suitably sophisticated in a 1,250 floral dress by the Italian brand Etro.

After touring the premises, the Duchess got ready to take a photo of the group - and was particularly taken with a cheeky young toddler.

As she approached the group, Sophie held out her hand to the boy - who was wiggling in his mother's arms.

Pictured: The Duchess of Edinburgh, 59, seen beaming at a toddler during her visit to UNFPA office in Kyiv today

Sophie then affectionately tickled his chin and ears before taking her spot next to the boy and his mother in the centre of the group.

While they were posing for photos, the boy then leaned over to Sophie and beamed up at her.

Unable to resist the toddler's charms, the Duchess smiled back and mimicked his mouth movements back to him.

During the trip, Sophie met with President Zelensky and his wife - and passed on a personal message from King Charles - as she showed her solitary with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture during her emotional one-day trip.

The mother of-two travelled in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

It is understood she was 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'.

The Duchess listened as survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, bravely shared their stories, as well as talking to female IDPs - internally displaced persons - and volunteers who help their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion.

She also met with children who have now been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture.

After touring the premises, the Duchess got ready to take a photo of the group - and was particularly taken with a cheeky young toddler

The mother-of-two, 59, visited the UNFPA office in Kyiv, Ukraine, today, where she met with war victims

And she paid her respects to those who lost their lives in Bucha, two years on from its liberation from Russian forces, and visited the 'Road to Life', a bridge which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv and later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the Russian occupation.

It is understood she was particularly keen to show her support for Ukrainian women who have played important roles in the conflict and community recovery and held a meeting with female volunteers who help their communities cope with the aftermath of the attacks with mental health care activities for children.

Meeting with President Zelensky and First Lady Zelenska, Sophie discussed how best to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and the women peacebuilders who have a vital part to play in ensuring Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction is effective and long-lasting.

Speaking at a conference last month, Her Royal Highness said: 'Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences.

'They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors.

The Duchess of Edinburgh (R) donned a 1,215 dress from Italian brand Etro as she visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv alongside Olena Zelenska (L), the First Lady of Ukraine, today

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, visits Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv on Monday in the first visit by a member of the Royal Family to Ukraine since the Russian invasion

A guide shows Sophie a model of the Saint Sophia Cathedral during a tour of the religious complex

The Duchess (left) visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv today alongside First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska (right)

'Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isn't an accepted part of conflict.

READ MORE Kate and William share unseen wedding portrait: Prince and Princess of Wales release stunning picture to mark their 13th wedding anniversary Advertisement

'Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.'

Since 2022, the UK has pledged over 4.7 billion in non-military support to Ukraine. This includes over 660 million of bilateral assistance that prioritises the needs of women and girls, for example by funding vital services for survivors of Gender Based Violence, as well as working with the Office of the Prosecutor General to put survivors at the centre of approaches to prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence crimes.

The UK is also working with international partners to hold those responsible for atrocities to account.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: 'Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh is visiting Ukraine at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

'Her Royal Highness this morning met the President and First Lady of Ukraine and delivered a message to them on behalf of His Majesty The King.'
Foodies are raving about a little-known deli serving authentic Italian food and some of the 'best sandwiches in Australia'.

Arno Deli is in the heart of Newcastle and specialises in giving diners a taste of the Mediterranean with an extensive range of Italian cold meats, cheeses, desserts and wine.

Visitors enter the hole-in-the-wall eatery through a red chain curtain behind which is a retro-style deli counter stocked with high-quality goods and groceries.

Arno is famous in Newcastle for its rotating menu of 26 drool-worthy paninis with soft schiacciata bread.

Fan favourites include the number five with mortadella, pistachio cream, stracciatella and pistachio and the number seven with prosciutto, finocchiona, provolone, mustard and mayonnaise.

Arno Deli is in the heart of Newcastle and specialises in giving diners a taste of the Mediterranean with an extensive range of Italian cold meats, cheeses and paninis

Arno is famous in Newcastle for its rotating menu of 26 drool-worthy paninis with soft schiacciata bread

Visitors enter the hole-in-the-wall eatery through a red chain curtain behind which is a retro-style deli counter stocked with high-quality goods and groceries

Other panini fillings include the porchetta which is made in-house and tasty hams glazed by the Arno chefs.

There is a vegetarian menu of sandwiches as well as gluten-free options, tasty snacks, desserts, coffee and grazing boards.

The gem is the perfect place to either grab a bite on the go or sit with a grazing board and glass of wine to watch the world go by.

Arno is licensed and serves a selection of 80 Italian and Australian wines which can be enjoyed with a grazing board of a sample of deli goods.

Sweet-toothed diners will love the decadent cannoli made with shells imported from Sicily and filled with sweet ricotta or creme patisserie.

The gem is the perfect place to either grab a bite on the go or sit with a grazing board and glass of wine to watch the world go by

Locals and visitors embraced the concept with open arms and have fallen in love with the authentic Italian offerings: 'Best sandwich I've had in my life'

Chef Will O'Brien was so enamoured by his experience travelling around Italy that he wanted to bring a slice of it to his hometown Newcastle.

Locals and visitors embraced the concept with open arms and have fallen in love with the authentic Italian offerings.

'Best sandwich I've had in my life. Borderline a spiritual experience!' one five-star reviewer said.

'The tastiest sandwich I've ever had and I am now addicted,' another wrote.

'What a find this place is. The sandwiches are to die for especially the mortadella and pistachio one. Apparently, it's got a sort of pistachio peanut butter on it. It's sublime. It's almost addictive,' a third said.
A mum has been slammed for the 'disgusting' school lunches she prepares every week - with hundreds criticising her 'time-saving' hack.

The mum meal preps sandwiches for her children every Sunday for the whole week.

'My kids love peanut butter sandwiches so I started a new routine. Every Sunday I go through one whole loaf of bread and make as many sandwiches as possible,' she shared on Facebook.

'Then I stock them in my fridge for the kids' lunch bags throughout the week. Makes my morning routine easier.'

Hundreds of other parents were quick to call her 'lazy' and said the food would turn soggy and stale before the end of the week.

A mum pre-makes peanut butter sandwiches for the week and stores them in the fridge

'I personally can't even take to the idea of making my kids sandwiches the night before let alone the beginning of the week and into the fridge,' one said.

'How gross! They'll be disgusting after a day or so,' a second added. 'Poor kids! Take 30 seconds to make a sandwich or wake up five minutes earlier.'

'Someone is lazy. Make them the night before or wake up five minutes earlier. Your kids deserve a fresh lunch!' another wrote.

'So glad my mum didn't do this for me that Friday sandwich would be a bit average,' a woman added.

One mum said it gave her 'nightmares'.

'I used to throw mine out as a kid. Fresh peanut butter sandwiches only. Must be eaten within minutes of making,' she said.

'Wow. I feel really spoiled now getting a fresh sandwich back in the day. I was always jealous of my friends with chocolate cake, roll ups, and poppers but it seems I didn't have it so bad as I had a fresh sandwich,' another mum said.

A few took issue with the single-use plastic bags, but others applauded the mum's smart idea.

'My mother used to make sandwiches and freeze them. They would be just right when it came time for lunch. I remember her cream cheese, raisin, and pecan sandwich was my favourite!' One shared.

'I am the oldest of eight. On Sunday nights my mum would make 60 sandwiches for the week,' another wrote.
'Shinrin-Yoku' is the Japanese term for a 'forest bath'. It's the practice of immersing in nature as a way of cleansing oneself and reconnecting to a simpler lifestyle. The concept, which emerged as an antidote to tech-burnout, has many benefits.

As Venus comes home to earthy Taurus, it's time to fall in love with the earth again and ground ourselves in the physical, natural environment.

No matter how many ideas are competing for our attention, what's real, is what we can touch.

In the olden days, to get a horoscope calculated for your exact date and time of birth, you had to be a member of the royal family. Only court astrologers cast birth charts. Now, we can all be kings and queens. A full, personal birth chart can't just tell you more about what (and who) you were born to be... it can list, in deeply valuable detail, every major challenge and opportunity that lies ahead for you over the next few months. If you're wrestling with a tricky choice - or if you want to make more of your potential. Click here!

Read more horoscopes from MailOnline.

ARIES

March 21 - April 20

When writers are looking for ways to inject excitement and tension into their narrative, there's a literary device that always works: the race against time. The more pressure the characters are under, the more engaged the audience feels. Great in fiction. Not so great when everything starts to feel 'touch and go' in real life. That's not entertaining. The situation you're dealing with might feel unnerving. Things aren't as calm and secure as you'd like. But if you take the pressure off, you'll see you've got time to get things right.

A powerful cosmic climate is working in your favour right now. You can make a positive transformation and achieve what you've been hoping for. A personal birth-chart report will tell you what's really possible... and when... and how. Download yours now!

Oscar Cainer (pictured) explains that as Venus comes home to earthy Taurus, it's time to fall in love with the earth again and ground ourselves in the physical, natural environment

TAURUS

April 21 - May 21

Venus, your ruling planet, entering your sign is good news for your love life, your finances, and your ability to find solutions to long-standing problems. Today, a time of creativity begins; not only can you see what other people need (and help them), in the process your own needs will be met. Get ready for some passion and excitement too. As long as your intentions are based on kindness and generosity, you'll find ways to ensure that whatever comes along, you'll be able to turn it into something positive.

Now, you should read your 'Guide to the Future'. Inside it you'll find page after page of insights and predictions all about you and what's in store for you in the year ahead. Make your future a wonderful future. Download your 'Guide to the Future' here.

GEMINI

May 22 - June 22

According to the Infinite Monkey Theorem, if a monkey sits at a keyboard for an infinite amount of time, it will produce the complete works of Shakespeare (and any other literary work you can think of). Hmmm... the problem, is that you're under time pressure. Whether it's an obligation to fulfil, or an idea you need to have, you've got a deadline. Plus, you don't want to spend eternity on this. You want to get it done and move on. With Venus changing signs, your creativity is heightened. Focus... and you'll succeed.

'Phenomenal! Excellent!', 'I love that Daisy has been added. Please keep her!', 'Breathtaking - I cannot thank her - and you - enough.', 'It makes complete sense.' What, or who, are they talking about? Find out...

CANCER

June 23 - July 23

We get so entrenched in our ways that we can grow accustomed to feeling uncomfortable. Maybe our preferred sleeping position gives us a backache. But that's how we fall asleep - so we don't think about changing it. This syndrome affects us on a psychological level too. We do things out of habit that aren't always good for us. As Venus moves into a new home, with just a small amount of effort and self-discipline you can make an adjustment to your routine that changes your mindset... and empowers you into action.

PS, your full personal horoscope reveals amazing secrets about your inner potential and shows you your future in stunningly accurate detail. Be wise. Order it now! Click here!

LEO

July 24 - August 23

If you were interviewed about where you go to find comfort, warmth and reassurance, what would you say? Hopefully, you wouldn't have to think too hard to answer the question. But if you're wondering why you're struggling to find these qualities in your world, hope is at hand. As Venus, planet of love and luxury. changes signs, be on the lookout for events and occurrences that open possibilities for developing new connections. It's by investing in positive relationships that you'll find the support and care you deserve.

Reveal the astrological secrets of your future, today. For a complete set of totally personal predictions instantly download 'Your Guide to the Future'.

VIRGO

August 24 - September 23

When you're embarking on something challenging, humming the Mission Impossible tune can be helpful. I caught myself whistling it the other day. I mention it, because it's possible that you're facing a real impossibility. You're under pressure to meet someone else's needs, and it's putting you in an unfeasible situation. No wonder you don't feel like humming or whistling! Yet if you can summon up a bit of positivity, you'll find you're less stuck than you think. Start by being kind to yourself. The possibilities will start to appear.

Consult 'Daisy', your personal AI Astrologer with a Free Trial of the 5 Star Service.

LIBRA

September 24 - October 23

You know those fairground roundabouts where children sit in little cars and trains? They love tooting the horn and turning the steering wheel. They're oblivious to the fact that they're having no impact on the direction they're moving in. There are times when as adults, it feels like we're stuck on one of those rides. Whatever we do, we don't seem to be making any progress. Today, as your ruler, Venus, moves into its other celestial home, you can take a small action that will have a big effect on your life. This can be fun.

If you give me your date, place and time of birth... then I'll tell you what the planets say about you and your future. To learn more...

SCORPIO

October 24 - November 22

Some ideas are brilliant, yet unworkable. Others, which don't seem particularly innovative, are more practical; when actioned, they work. And the best ideas of all? They're the ones that are simple and doable. But they don't tend to come along very often. Or, if they do, maybe we're not in the right frame of mind to recognise them. So... stay alert to inspiring thoughts today. There's a good chance you're about to have a genius idea. To find it, have confidence in your ability to see something that other people have overlooked.

The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Click here!

No matter how many ideas are competing for our attention, what's real, is what we can touch

SAGITTARIUS

November 23 - December 21

'The more things change, the more they stay the same.' I love this expression because it sounds slightly ridiculous. How can things that change stay the same? I suspect it alludes to the fact that no matter the changes in our outer world, they're not necessarily reflected in our inner world - just because we've got a new boss doesn't mean our work/life balance improves. So, is there any point in you trying your hardest to transform an aspect of your life? Absolutely. Your attitude has altered. And that can change everything.

To discover who you truly are, what makes you tick, and what's just around the corner, you need a full personal horoscope report. Change your future... change your life with an amazingly accurate personal report now!

CAPRICORN

December 22 - January 20

Our friends and enemies have more in common than we think. When we dislike people it's often because we've got lots in common with them. If we spent time together, we'd agree about lots of things. It's the small issues of disagreement that cause problems. And if we found ourselves in the company of someone from a completely different corner of the world, it would be easy to get along. You can be the conduit for a conversation between people who are in a dispute. The healing will be to everyone's benefit (including you).

Reveal the astrological secrets of your future, today. For a complete set of totally personal predictions instantly download 'Your Guide to the Future'.

AQUARIUS

January 21 - February 19

When our hearts are focused on the right dream, person, or goal, life seems to flow. So, heed your instincts today. As Venus changes signs, like a neon arrow, they will point you towards your next brilliant move. Channel your sensitivity and kindness; they're the super powers that will gain you the advantage of great support. Just because our planet is full of people who use force to get to the top doesn't mean you need to emulate them. Being inspired by love (and letting go of your fear) is key to a refreshing change.

But, wait a moment, just what is the Cainer Horoscopes 5 Star Service and who is Daisy? Take a free trial!

PISCES

February 20 - March 20

We're told that the past is over and impossible to change, and that the future can be shaped to suit us. But is that true? Or is everything predestined? This mystery certainly makes life interesting! Actually, history is more malleable than we think. When we reassess our view of past events, we change our relationship with them; and that has a big effect on our present, and our future. Today brings an opportunity for you to review a recent difficult situation and see it in a new light. A change of perspective will improve everything.

Wish you could fulfil more of your potential? A Personal Profile, based on your exact date of birth, reveals your secret gifts and blessings. Click here!
Sarah and her two daughters are used to putting count down timers on 'for the fun things' - but on Wednesday when the clock stops they won't be heading on a holiday.

They will be homeless.

The brown boxes that line the walls of their cosy inner-city apartment, filled with their most prized possessions, serve as a stark reminder of their desperate deadline.

Sarah, who is in her 30s, and her daughters, aged six and 15, are the latest faces in a steadily growing crowd left on the streets by the country's rental crisis.

'It's the first time I haven't known where to take my kids,' Sarah, whose name has been changed for privacy reasons, told FEMAIL.

The national vacancy rate is sitting at a record low of 0.7 per cent which highlights the huge supply-and-demand gap.

Sarah and her kids have to be out of their two-bedroom apartment on Wednesday

To add to the pressure rent has soared in Sydney, where Sarah and her children live, by 15 per cent in just 12 months.

'I saw prices going up and was happy to pay my landlord more but that wasn't an option, they need to sell,' she said.

Her quiet voice cracked down the phone line. She sounded utterly dismayed, exhausted and terrified for her daughters as she described exactly how they went from happy to the brink of homelessness in a matter of weeks.

The hardworking mum has been hit with feelings of self doubt and shame despite being capable to pay to keep a roof over her kids' heads.

She has a budget of $700-per-week for a rental and has tried to be flexible while looking across 13 suburbs in the Sydney metro area for a new home.

She's sent in dozens of rental applications for one and two bedroom apartments in her budget - despite some of them being 'barely inhabitable' - but barely ever receives a reply.

The termination notice gave the mum three months to find a rental - at first she was confident then she realised she could face homelessness

When she does it's a generic email weeks after an inspection that reads 'Sorry on this occasion you were unsuccessful'. It's then followed by a link inviting her to subscribe to be 'among the first to hear' about new rentals.

'I feel like I have failed my kids. My six-year-old doesn't deserve to be homeless, she is afraid. My 15-year-old is doing okay but I don't want her to live like this,' she said.

The family-of-three has been living in their current flat for more than three years. Sarah has always paid rent on time and they were content to stay.

But just before Christmas, 2023, they received terrible news: the owners wanted to sell and they didn't want tenants in there when they did.

Sarah's hands shook as she read the termination notice.

Then she took a deep breath, looked around at the flat she and her kids had called home and put on a brave face.

The mum has a storage shed for her things - but faces living in a refuge or worse - as she can't secure a rental property despite putting in dozens of applications

'I thought "I can do this, I can find something, they have given me three months",' she said.

Weeks ticked by and shock slowly started to set in, followed by overwhelming feelings of terror and shame.

Sarah asked for an extension however the real estate agent she had always had a good relationship with 'turned cold'.

Facing homelessness, she didn't hesitate to take them to the tribunal where she won another month of extra time. However, she was told that would be the end of any extensions and she would have to be out by May 1st whether she had somewhere to go or not.

The tribunal was a huge win for Sarah but also made her fear for the future so she picked up the phone to ask for help from homelessness advocacy services.

(Stock image) There is a 0.7 per cent vacancy rate in Australia - as a result rental prices have soared and people have been left 'fighting' over a handful of properties

'They told me there was nothing they could do while I was in the flat. They told me to call back on Wednesday once we were actually homeless,' she said.

The mum then desperately posted on social media anonymously where she was advised to move to the country where rent is more affordable.

'I would have left years ago if that was an option,' she said. 'But the kids' dad lives in Sydney and I am not allowed to move that far away.

'They need to go to the same school, and be able to do visits, there are court orders.'

Others suggested applying for crisis accommodation, 'decking out the car to live in' and 'grabbing a good tent' like many other families have been forced to do.

While the girls' dad needs to have access to his daughters, he is not in the position to welcome them into his home while Sarah finds one for them.

'We have been offered a room in a women's refuge, but that is just for a maximum of 28 days,' she said.

She posted to Gumtree and was inundated with offers for homes - though most are believed to be a scam

'Will it be safe for us, will I be able to cook and care for my children?' she said of the refuge, despite being thankful for the option.

'I understand not having somewhere to live if I couldn't pay for a place. But I can - which is so frustrating.'

She will also have to 'get rid of' her six-year-old dog to accept the room in the women's shelter - only to be back on the street in a month if realtors continue to ignore her applications.

'We really don't want to have to say goodbye to her,' Sarah said.

Sarah's been told social housing lists are years long and because of her income doesn't meet the criteria for other types of crisis accommodation.

The desperate mum even tried making a post on Gumtree to see if anyone would be happy renting their place direct.

This opened her up to scammers.

'I knew they were scams early on, they would say it was an apartment but I'd Google the address and it would be a house. Or they would be asking $500 but it would be a modern, furnished apartment,' she said.

'On Facebook it was the same, all scams.'

Other places were 'too good to be true'. She has searched every real estate and even tried Facebook to find a home

While knowing most of the offers are scams Sarah continues the conversations, hoping to stumble upon a genuine offer.

She leaves the conversation when she's asked for cash to view the property or a bond and weeks of rent upfront before seeing the place or a contract.

Sarah said she has never faced homelessness before and is furious with the state of the rental market.

'The government needs to take control because families are the ones suffering,' she said.

'And real estate agents need to stop overlooking single parents just because there's not two names on the application - I can afford to pay rent, which makes becoming homeless even more ridiculous.'

Speaking to FEMAIL, another single mum suggested Sarah add a friend to her application after she faced a similar fight for housing herself.

The mum-of-two, who takes home $130k after tax, was shocked when, despite her strong income, she couldn't secure a home for herself and her kids.

Then she had a candid chat with a realtor who revealed singles get overlooked 'most of the time'.

She confirmed that her friend, a nurse on a modest income, signed on the dotted line with her and 'they' got the first home 'they' applied for.

Sarah's still applying for properties - some without even getting to the viewings - and hoping for a miracle.

Most of the family's items are in boxes with everything the family need day-to-day organised in the boot of the car for easy access.

School uniforms, summer clothes and winter jackets are all within easy reach for the desperate mum who is still dumbfounded as to how she ended up unable to keep a roof over her family's head.

'I feel like no one cares. And that makes it hard for us parents to keep our kids safe,' she said.

Sarah's apartment still hasn't been listed for sale.

She said she will feel devastated and betrayed if the landlords simply hike the price up and put it back on the market.

'I will pay whatever they want me to. I just want my kids to be safe.'
A mum from New South Wales made a sinister discovery in her kitchen

A mum was shocked to step into her kitchen and spot two seriously 'worrying' changes that weren't there when she went to bed.

The New South Wales woman went to make breakfast one morning when she found her avocado had been gnawed on and mysterious 'brown bits' all over her plate and sink.

'I have woken to signs of a creature overnight,' she wrote in a post, asking others to help her identify the culprit. 'There's poop on my kitchen sink and counter. I live alone in a four-room cabin. Where is it going during the day? What do I do?'

She noted that there were no entry or exit points in the area apart from the drain. Still, many believed a mouse had snuck in and left droppings all over her home.

Pest control experts have noted that gnawing and scratch marks are the most obvious indicator of rats and mice.

A mum was shocked to step into her kitchen and discover two warning signs that something went terribly wrong overnight

'By the size of the droppings and teeth marks l would be saying roof rats,' one said. 'They will eat grains, vegetables, and fruits.'

A few others offered various pieces of advice to confirm the issue before calling pest control.

'Pay close attention to areas under sink cupboards where water pipes extrude,' a woman noted.

'Check all doors, especially if you have access from laundry to exterior, and door to the garage to ensure they have weather strips and are properly sealed.

The mum found droppings in her sink

'Remove all food and place into sealed containers or the fridge.'

Another said, 'Check for small entry points around pipe penetrations, check the entire kitchen for more droppings under sink area or pantry.

'Baiting or snap traps should help. Fix entry points after no more droppings are noted for a week.'

While many claimed using baits and snap traps would solve the issue, it was best to consult pest control to avoid secondary poisoning.
A frustrated employee has shared the shocking text message he received from his boss.

The Sydney man informed his employer he would not be coming to work on Monday morning as he never received his most recent pay cheque.

His boss retaliated by making the worker take the whole week off without pay and ominously arranged to 'discuss his employment' upon his return.

The man said he also hasn't been paid superannuation since he started the job and will be taking his employer to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

'We were meant to be paid last Friday, the boss comes in on Friday morning and tells us all our wages will be delayed this week and we'll be paid on Thursday this week,' the worker explained on Reddit.

A Sydney man informed his employer he would not be coming to work and his boss retaliated by making the worker take the whole week off without pay

'Our wages have been consistently late this year due to the business' cash flow issues. Late wages are just one of the many symptoms that we've been facing as a result of this.'

He said there was 'no chance' he was going to go to work while being owed his $2,200 pay so messaged his boss to let him know he wouldn't be coming in.

In response, the worker received a message from his boss's assistant.

'You will have this week off and it will be not paid, you will be coming back next Monday, the 6/05/2024. And he will discuss your employment situation on that day,' the text read.

He was also advised not to call his boss during the week-long absence.

'I've been looking for other jobs already anyway, and the big kicker is the boss is f***ed without me. It's a tiny company (three staff in office) and I'm relied on for absolutely everything,' the employee said.

'I'm primarily a technician but over the past two years, I've had to do all sorts of s*** because of the lack of competence with other staff and the boss himself. '

He asked if the move was legal and said he plans to raise the issue with the Fair Work Ombudsman as he has a 'whole stack of evidence of unethical/illegal business practices the boss engages in'.

The exchange has hundreds up in arms who slammed the boss for his 'illegal' and 'unprofessional' conduct.

'Not paying you in a timely manner is already illegal. You're doing the right thing, but it won't help you. Start looking for a new job,' one user said.

'Kind of them to put it in writing,' another quipped and a third said: 'Better get a lawyer, son. You shouldn't need a particularly good one'.

'Wages, super and leave liabilities are a current liability. If your employer cannot pay these then they are insolvent,' someone pointed out.

Some sided with the employer saying the man should have given more notice he wouldn't be attending work.

'Without your backstory, texting at 8:57 is poor form and if you had a history of similar, I'd be on the company's side,' they wrote.
Haverford College to put donation toward Institute for Ethical Inquiry & Leadership

By Anna J. Park

Michael ByungJu Kim, founder and chairman of global private equity firm MBK Partners, has donated $25 million (35 billion won) to Haverford College, his alma mater located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, earlier this month, continuing his manifold charitable activities.

The Asia-focused private equity announced Monday that Kim donated the sum to Haverford College last Tuesday in U.S. local time. This donation is the largest amount in the school's history, since its founding in 1833. The liberal arts college plans to utilize the donation to establish the Institute for Ethical Inquiry & Leadership and develop education programs.

"Ethical inquiry is at the core of a Haverford education, and leadership without ethics is a body without a soul," Kim said. "The new institute, with its interdisciplinary approach and international engagement, will pioneer the way we think about ethics and practice ethics-based leadership in the global community."

Expressing gratitude for the donation, Haverford College President Wendy Raymond said the money will be used to promote education programs on leadership with ethical consciousness under the college's long-term strategy aimed at nurturing students with ethical thinking and leadership.

"This transformative gift, and the institute it will create, clearly articulate Haverford's enduring commitment to an ethically centered liberal arts education," Raymond said. "Through the institute, our students will be provided with rigorous, interdisciplinary opportunities as they prepare for lives of integrity, ambition and purpose. I am extraordinarily grateful for Michael's incredible leadership and support of the college."

Kim will also be appointed as chairman of the college's Board of Managers on July 1. The head of the major private equity firm previously served as a member of the board from 2005 to 2017. During that time, he also made a donation in 2010 for the construciton of Ki Young Kim Hall, one of the 200-acre campus's newest dorms, named after his late father.

Forbes selected him for two consecutive years in 2021 and 2022 as one of the top philanthropists in Asia. He donated significant amounts of money to various arts and education institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and Harvard Business School, where he earned his MBA degree, as well as the Seoul Metropolitan Government to build a new public library in Seoul.

Additionally, the scholarship foundation he established in 2007 has also been providing full college tuition for four years to its scholarship recipients for 17 years, awarding 202 students so far.

Kim himself called his charitable act "impact giving," and has previously said, "artworks offer beauty to the world, and education is a force to change the world."
A hypothetical question that asks whether women would rather encounter a bear or an unknown man in the forest has sparked a heated debate - and a deeper conversation about male violence.

Thousands of women on social media have revealed that they would rather be stuck with a bear than a strange man if there were alone in the woods since the question took off on TikTok.

The question has opened up a conversation about sexual violence where women shared that 'the worst thing a bear can do is kill [them]', and even then, bears do not tend to attack people unless they are provoked.

'People would believe me if I said I was attacked by a bear,' one said, referencing how sexual assault victims are often dismissed. 'They wouldn't ask what you were wearing, or how many other bears have attacked you, or suggest that maybe you wanted to be attacked.'

Twenty-six women have been allegedly killed in Australia at the hands of their partners or former partners so far in 2024, 12 more than this time last year.

Women who went to a Sydney rally that called for an end to gendered violence held up signs that said 'At this point I'd rather the f**king bear' and 'Ladies prefer the bear'

Women who went to a Sydney rally that called for an end to gendered violence held up signs that said 'At this point I'd rather the f**king bear', 'Ladies prefer the bear', and '[I'd rather be] alone in the woods with a bear'.

The question is a veiled method of making people realise the threat of a strange man, especially in the wake of the fatal stabbings in Sydney's Bondi Junction.

A viral video by SCREENSHOT revealed a Vox pop where seven random women picked the bear because they'd feel safer.

'Men are scary,' a woman argued, while another said: 'Bears don't always attack you unless you [provoke] them.'

Many Australian women on a popular Facebook revealed that they've been arguing with their boyfriends and husbands over the matter after receiving the 'wrong' answer from them.

'If a man can't even acknowledge the risk many of them pose to women or the atrocities they have committed against us then he doesn't care,' a woman said. 'I don't think it's stupid to end a relationship over this.'

'I'm taking my chances with the bear,' another wrote. 'It might seem like a silly question but the uproar of comments and responses are the very reason why the bear feels safer already.'

Women reframed the question by turning to their partners and saying: 'If your daughter was lost in the woods, would you rather she encounter a bear or a man?'

A lightbulb moment occurred when a husband asked, 'What kind of man?'.

His wife responded, 'What kind of man... Sir, we never know what kind of man it's going to be until it's too goddamn late.'

Allena Hansen, an American woman who was attacked by a bear and had her face mauled, also revealed that the attack was an anomaly when you consider the statistics on attacks against women.

'I'm far more concerned about the human predators I occasionally run into on the mountain, than the feral ones. When folks ask me why I carry a sidearm on my rides I tell them it's for the drunks,' Ms Hansen wrote on Reddit.

Allena Hansen, an American woman who was attacked by a bear and had her face mauled, also revealed that the attack was an anomaly when you consider the statistics

For the most part, men couldn't understand why most women would rather encounter a bear.

Jonathan, from the US, made a TikTok saying: 'You're all acting like men are scarier than bears - you're not watching enough nature documentaries.'

JJ, an ecology major, responded: 'I know a lot about bears - I would still choose them over a strange man. In the US, there are six fatal bear attacks a year and millions of people who spend time in the woods and go hiking,' she explained.

'When those attacks do happen, it's usually when someone provokes a bear, not when they're just existing in their habitat.

'For the most part, you will be completely fine if you leave them alone and mind your business - the same thing cannot be said about men.'

Domestic violence statistics in Australia 2 in 5 women in Australia, almost 40 per cent, have experienced violence since the age of 15. Men are more likely to be the perpetrators of abuse and violence. When women are the victims, the harm is greater with much higher chances of being hospitalised compared to when women are the perpetrators. In 2021, 9,000 women were homeless due to domestic and family violence. According to the equity economics report, 7,600 women and their children returned to live with the perpetrator because they had to choose between being homeless or an abuse partner. Domestic violence is estimated to cost the Australian economy $25billion. Source: Domestic Violence NSW Advertisement

Men couldn't understand why most women would rather encounter a bear

Many women shared their thoughts on the debate.

'The bear lives in the woods, the man followed me in,' one said.

'Every woman knows another woman who's been raped or sexually assaulted, yet no men know a rapist. Cognitive dissonance,' another wrote.

An American shared: 'I've ran into a bear on a trail. Was fine. Ran into a guy near Yosemite and he followed me for hours. I hid from him for three hours, I had grass and dirt in my hair and everything.'

'My fiance even said if it was me instead of our daughter - he would choose the bear. Because you can scare a bear away,' another said.

Elise Phillips, the deputy CEO of Domestic Violence NSW, said gender inequality was driving a crisis of male violence in Australia.

'It's when we turned a blind eye when we see disrespectful behaviours, it's when we make excuses for violence,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'It's also the inequity we see in relation to pay and the roles that we play in our families, how we divide up care of children and looking after the home.

'It's ensuring that we have equity, representation and equal numbers of women in parliament and as the CEOs and leaders of companies in the private sector.'

If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, phone 1800 RESPECT or the Crisis Care Helpline on 1800 199 008.
Family doctors are a 'thing of the past' with only half of patients always or even sometimes able to see the same GP, a study has found.

Critics described the lack of continuity as a 'scandal' that hampers care and forces patients to waste time repeating their medical history on every visit.

According to a poll of 2,339 patients for the Lib Dems, 57 per cent have seen a GP more than once over the past couple of years, with 20 per cent requiring more than five appointments. But only 52 per cent say they 'always' or 'sometimes' saw the same doctor.

Meanwhile 29 per cent said they 'rarely' saw the same medic and 18 per cent 'never' saw the same one  rising to 27 per cent of those aged 65 and over.

This is despite research showing that seeing the same GP helps the elderly avoid hospital admissions and improves the quality of treatment.

According to a new poll, family doctors are a 'thing of the past' with only half of patients always or even sometimes able to see the same GP (stock image)

The Lib Dems commissioned the poll of 2,339 patients. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'It is a scandal that under the Government's watch, the family GP has become a thing of the past'

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt (pictured) said in 2022 that booking a GP appointment would soon be like ordering a taxi, with patients allocated a different doctor each time

The Lib Dems are calling for all over-70s and patients with long-term physical or mental health conditions to have access to a named doctor. The policy would cover around 19million people. Party leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'It is a scandal that under the Government's watch, the family GP has become a thing of the past.

'Pensioners are not receiving the care they need because doctor surgeries are swamped, leaving waiting times spiralling out of control.' The research also found that 46 per cent of adults who have seen a GP more than once in the past couple of years are now finding the wait for an appointment 'considerably longer', rising to 55 per cent of those aged 65 and over.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said in 2022 that booking a GP appointment would soon be like ordering a taxi, with patients allocated a different doctor each time.

The former health secretary warned that the 'Uberisation' of primary care threatens the treasured relationship people have with their family doctor.

Dennis Reed, director of over-60s campaign group Silver Voices, said: Patients find it frustrating when they get a very short amount of time with a busy GP and they have to spend half of the appointment repeating their medical history or waiting for the doctor to read it on their screen because they do not know each other.

Ensuring patients see the same family doctor each time is not about nostalgia but good practical health policy - it is the safest and most efficient way to deliver and receive health care.

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: We know that continuity of care is highly valued by our patients, particularly those with complex health needs, and has significant benefits for the NHS generally.

From a GP point of view, it allows us to build trusting relationships with our patients and deliver them truly holistic care.

This research suggests that, by and large, GP and our teams are providing this as best we can, in very difficult circumstances.

But the reality is that we dont have enough GPs to guarantee continuity of care to all patients.

Public health minster Dame Andrea Leadsom said: This huge unfunded spending commitment from Ed Davey is just another empty promise.

Just like the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats cant say how they will pay for their NHS promises because they dont have a plan and would take us back to square one.

Dame Andrea said there are over 2,700 more full time equivalent doctors in general practice than in 2019 and the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will increase the number of GP training places by 50 per cent by 2031/32.
Britain could be made to hand over a fifth of its vaccines and drugs in a future pandemic under a World Health Organisation treaty due to be ratified next month.

The UK was one of the countries that announced plans in March 2021 for an agreement that would bind states in tackling global health emergencies.

The plan was criticised for removing sovereign powers, raising fears that Britain would sign away its control over pandemic policy to unelected health officials in Geneva.

A final draft of the treaty, released earlier this month, has been substantially slimmed down.

But the remaining terms mean Britain would have to give up 20 per cent of 'pandemic-related health products' and would be banned from stockpiling supplies.

Britain could be made to hand over a fifth of its vaccines and drugs in a future pandemic under a World Health Organisation treaty due to be ratified next month (Stock Photo)

But the remaining terms mean Britain would have to give up 20 per cent of 'pandemic-related health products' and would be banned from stockpiling supplies (Stock Photo)

The updated document says countries must grant 'at a minimum... in the event of a pandemic, real-time access by WHO to 20 per cent (10 per cent as a donation and 10 per cent at affordable prices to WHO) of the production of safe, efficacious and effective pandemic-related health products'. It adds members should 'set aside a portion of... therapeutics or vaccines in a timely manner for use in countries facing challenges'.

READ MORE: World Health Organization calls for US and other countries to sign up to pandemic treaty - warning Disease X outbreak could kill 20x more people than Covid Advertisement

The wording has raised concerns that vaccines could be taken from where they are most needed and sent to areas not at risk, with other countries able to receive UK-manufactured jabs before the British public.

Dr David Bell, former WHO medical officer, told The Daily Telegraph: 'The problem is that it bears no relationship to need. It seems token.

'As an example, Covid-19 was barely a problem in sub-Saharan Africa other than South Africa, as there is less than 1 per cent of the population over 75, half are below 20 and metabolic disease rates are low.

'I am unclear why this is in a treaty, as it is a general principle that is already followed and best addressed on a case-by-case basis.' Britain was among the first countries to develop and roll out a Covid vaccine but came under fire for holding on to its supplies until it had a large surplus.

It also offered Britons a second dose before some poorer countries had been given a first.

The UK eventually gave away 100 million doses, including the AstraZeneca jab developed at Oxford, but it may be forced to give up even more and at an earlier stage in future.

The UK eventually gave away 100 million Covid vaccine doses, including the AstraZeneca jab developed at Oxford (pictured), but it may be forced to give up even more and at an earlier stage in future

The 194 member states of the WHO will vote on the treaty next month. But sticking points among countries over vaccines could mean parts of the agreement are pushed back to 2026.

Dr Clare Wenham, associate professor of global health policy at the London School of Economics, said: 'The current state of negotiations is anyone's guess.'

A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'We cannot comment on the details of specific proposals and no proposals have been agreed, but we will only support the adoption of the Accord and accept it on behalf of the UK, if it is firmly in the UK national interest and respects national sovereignty.'
Have you or a family member been involved in a vaccine related injury? Contact tips@dailymail.co.uk

AstraZeneca has admitted in court for the first time that its Covid jab can cause a deadly blood clotting side effect.

The exceedingly rare reaction is at the heart of a multi million-pound class action by dozens of families who allege they, or their loved ones, were maimed or killed by the pharmaceutical titan's 'defective' vaccine.

Lawyers representing the claimants believe some of the cases could be worth up to 20m in compensation.

Cambridge-based AstraZeneca, which is contesting the claims, acknowledged in a legal document submitted to the High Court in February that its vaccine 'can, in very rare cases, cause TTS'.

TTS is short for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome  a medical condition where a person suffers blood clots along with a low platelet count. Platelets typically help the blood to clot.

One of those seeking compensation for injuries linked to the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is father-of-two and IT engineer Jamie Scott (right), His wife Kate (left) said she hoped the new AstraZeneca submission was sign the legal case could be resolved soon

Drugs giant AstraZeneca faces a landmark High Court battle over accusations that some doses of its Covid-19 vaccine were 'defective'

Researchers tasked with investigating the adverse reaction believe it occurs due to the modified cold virus lurking in the jab acting like a magnet to a type of protein in the blood called platelet factor 4. Platelet factor 4 is normally used by the body to promote coagulation in the blood, in case of injury. Then, in rare instances, the body's immune system confuses platelet factor 4 with a foreign invader and releases antibodies to attack it in case of 'mistaken identity'. These antibodies then clump together with platelet factor 4, forming the blood clots that have become so heavily linked with the jab, according to their theory

The complication  listed as a potential side effect of the jab  has previously been called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).

AstraZeneca's admission could lead to pay-outs on a case-by-case basis.

Although accepted as a potential side effect for two years, it marks the first time the company has admitted in court that its jab can cause the condition, The Telegraph reports.

Taxpayers will foot the bill of any potential settlement because of an indemnity deal AstraZeneca struck with the Government in the darkest days of Covid to get the jabs produced as quickly as possible while the country was paralysed by lockdowns.

It comes just days after the firm reported a revenue exceeding 10billion in the first quarter of 2024, a rise of 19 per cent. Company officials stated it had enjoyed a 'very strong start' to the year.

READ MORE: How safe is AstraZeneca's Covid jab? What rare complications can it cause? Who is taking legal action against the pharma giant? All you need to know As survivors and the bereaved keep fighting for compensation, MailOnline answers all your questions on the AstraZeneca saga: What happened? Are there any ongoing health concerns? And what are victims fighting for? Advertisement

One of those seeking compensation for injuries linked to AstraZeneca's vaccine is father-of-two and IT engineer Jamie Scott.

He was left with a permanent brain injury following a blood clot and the bleed on the brain after getting the vaccine in April 2021. He has been unable to work since.

His is one of 51 cases currently lodged in the High Court seeking damages estimated to be worth about 100million in total.

On the revelation, Kate Scott, Mr Scotts wife, said: 'I hope their admission means we will be able to sort this out sooner rather than later.

'We need an apology, fair compensation for our family and other families who have been affected. We have the truth on our side, and we are not going to give up.'

Sarah Moore, a partner at law firm Leigh Day, who is representing claimants against AstraZeneca (AZ), accused the company of using delaying tactics against victims.

She said: 'Regrettably it seems that AZ, the Government and their lawyers are more keen to play strategic games and run up legal fees than to engage seriously with the devastating impact that their AZ vaccine has had upon our clients lives.'

AstraZeneca said in a statement: 'Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems.

'Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.

'From the body of evidence in clinical trials and real-world data, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine has continuously been shown to have an acceptable safety profile and regulators around the world consistently state that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of extremely rare potential side effects.'

The new documents submitted to the court marks a change of language from the previous AstraZeneca submissions made last year, when it claimed that TSS couldn't be caused by its jab 'at a generic level'.

Its new submission also adds that the trigger that causes some people to suffer TSS from the AstraZeneca jab is unknown and can also occur in people independent of any vaccine.

It claims: 'Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence.'

The vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University, was heralded for its role in the UK's fightback against Covid, with more than 150million doses administered to date

The graph shows the cumulative number of Covid jabs dished out in the UK since the pandemic began, the percentage of each age group which has had a jab (bottom left) and the number of each Covid vaccine brand dished out

AstraZeneca denies its new submission represents a U-turn on acknowledging its jab can cause TTS in court documents.

Lawyers representing victims and families are suing AstraZeneca under the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

They argue the vaccine was 'a defective product' that was 'not as safe as consumers generally were reasonably entitled to expect'. AstraZeneca has strongly denied these claims.

Health officials first identified cases of VITT linked to AstraZeneca's jab in Europe as early as March 2021, just over two months after the vaccine was first deployed in the UK.

However, it wasn't until April that year that evidence became clear enough that the jab started to be restricted.

READ MORE: An 18-year-old aspiring paramedic, a rock musician and an award-winning BBC radio presenter: The 'victims' of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine As families and survivors continue their fight for compensation, MailOnline highlights just some of those who have died Advertisement

Officials first restricted the jab to only people over 30. They then expanded this to only people over 40 in May 2021.

As the vaccine still worked against Covid, it was still deemed worth giving to older Brits who were at greater risk of death or injury from falling ill with the virus.

About 50million doses of the AstraZeneca jab were dished out in the UK in total.

Official data shows at least 81 Brits have died from blood clot complications apparently linked to the AstraZeneca jab, according to figures collected by the UK's drug watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

A further unconfirmed number have been injured and/or disabled.

Further Covid vaccine rollouts have either minimised use of the AstraZeneca jab and/or phased it out entirely in favour of mRNA alternatives like those made by rival pharma giants Pfizer and Moderna.

With health officials not ordering any more doses, this effectively means the jab has all but been withdrawn in the UK.

The risk of TTS following AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine is thought to be in the region of one in 50,000.

However, AstraZeneca's jab is credited with saving some 6million lives globally during the Covid pandemic.

Victims and families seeking compensation that MailOnline has spoken to staunchly insist they believe in the merits of vaccination for public good and aren't anti-vaxxers.

The reasons why people are taking legal action are complex.

Some who are severely disabled are facing huge ongoing medical costs as well as being out of work. In some cases, their family members are also having to quit employment to provide them round-the-clock care.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is a genetically engineered common cold virus that used to infect chimpanzees. It has been modified to make it weak so it does not cause illness in people and loaded up with the gene for the coronavirus spike protein, which Covid-19 uses to invade human cells

Melle Stewart and her husband Ben Lewis were enjoying successful careers in theatre before Covid struck and were keen to get vaccinated to help the UK return to normal

But Ms Stewart suffered a devastating stroke resulting from a extremely rare but incredibly dangerous complication linked to the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

Others are, at least in part, pursuing the action as way of seeking justice for either those they have lost or lives that have been completely upturned by their injuries.

Part of the reason some are seeking action is due to what critics have labelled as the inadequate or arbitrary nature of the Government's vaccine damage payment scheme.

This policy, which has been around since the 70s, offers people, or their families, a tax-free sum of 120,000, though restrictions apply.

It is only available to the family of those who died or those left 'severely disabled'  defined as being at least 60 per cent disabled, based on evidence from a doctor  because of a vaccine.

Established back in 1979, the scheme is meant to reassure people that, in the unlikely event something goes wrong, the state will provide support.

In theory, it is meant to combat vaccine hesitancy and encourage the public to get jabbed from various pathogens helping protect the nation from disease.

But critics have said the scheme is arduous, stingy in terms of total amount payout, and cruel in its 60 per cent disability threshold that leaves people less severely injured with nothing.

As it is not compensation, people who take the payment are still entitled to take legal action against a vaccine manufacturer if they choose, as some people affected by the AstraZeneca jab are.

Campaigners hope the attention brought by the AstraZeneca case will spark a much-needed rethink of how the nation's vaccine injured and bereaved are supported.

If Brits are left destitute from vaccine-derived injuries, experts fear this will fuel vaccine hesitancy in the future, risking public health from a variety of preventable diseases.

It could also leave people vulnerable to a potential future pandemic from a novel virus if some refuse the jabs out of fear that they, or their families, could be left financially ruined if something goes wrong.

Mrs Scott is one of critics of the system, previously saying: 'Even if we do get the 120,000 payment, it's not enough to keep us going for ever. And it's insulting, considering what Jamie has been through,' she said.

Another of those pursuing action against AstraZeneca is Melle Stewart, an Australian actor who got the company's Covid jab while living in the UK.

In February 2020, just weeks before Covid ripped across the globe, Melle Stewart was enjoying standing ovations in Belfast for her role in the musical 'Kiss Me, Kate'.

But after suffering a devastating stroke the 42-year-old struggles to put a sentence together, speaking only slowly, and 'grieving' for the successful stage career she has lost.

Ms Stewart is taking AstraZeneca to court, with husband Ben Lewis saying they felt misled by the Government over the jab's safety.

Though having suffered greatly, she was and continues to be a 'staunch and proud' advocate for vaccination, having gone on to receive other non-AstraZeneca Covid vaccines since her injury.
Brits with type 1 diabetes have told how they fear they could die 'within days' without access to life-saving insulin.

Insulin  which helps to regulate blood sugar levels  is one of hundreds of drugs currently in short supply across the UK.

Charities say a regular and reliable supply is 'vital for life', warning the current shortage will cause 'significant worry' to Britain's 400,000 type 1 diabetics.

Some patients have told how they've been unable to get vials of vital insulin from local pharmacies, or been forced to switch brands leaving their blood sugar levels 'all over the place'.

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) bosses have confirmed there are 'supply issues with a limited number of insulin products' which patients may find 'distressing'.

Insulin  which helps to regulate blood sugar levels  is one of hundreds of drugs currently in short supply across the UK. Charities say a regular and reliable supply is 'essential for life', warning the current shortage will cause 'significant anxiety' to Britain's 400,000 type 1 diabetics

One patient told X, formerly known as Twitter , he had been unable to access his regular pre-filled Tresiba insulin pen 'for the last six prescriptions now'

Another, who was forced to switch insulin supplies, said it was 'not acting with the same speed', so their hybrid closed loop system  also referred to as an artificial pancreas that delivers insulin automatically  'is all over the place'

A third added they could only 'pick up one of three [insulin] vials on my last refill'. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) bosses have confirmed there are 'supply issues with a limited number of insulin products' which patients may find 'distressing'

Health bodies, however, warned it was 'essential' Brits have 'a regular and reliable supply' of insulin.

Hilary Nathan, director of policy at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, told MailOnline: 'Any changes to prescriptions or reported shortages of insulin will be a cause of significant worry to people.

'Insulin is vital for life and people with type 1 must dose themselves with insulin every day.

'There are many different types of insulin available and each of them work in a different way in each person's body.

'They vary in the time they take to start working, when they peak and how long they last.'

Which medicines are affected? Tresiba FlexTouch 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk Ltd Expected back in stock: Not until 2025 NHS advice: Consider Tresiba Penfill (Insulin degludec) 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml cartridges Insulatard InnoLet 100units/ml suspension for injection 3ml pre-filled pens Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk Ltd Expected back in stock: Discontinued medication, so not coming back at all NHS advice: Consider switching to Humulin I KwikPens Levemir InnoLet 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk Ltd Expected back in stock: Discontinued medication, so not coming back at all NHS advice: Switch to Levemir FlexPens and Levemir Penfill cartridges Fiasp FlexTouch (insulin aspart) 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens Manufacturer: Novo Nordisk Ltd Expected back in stock: Not until 2025 NHS advice: Fiasp Penfill (insulin aspart) 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml cartridges Advertisement

She added: 'Some people may also find that certain insulins arent suitable if they have skin sensitivities.

'When someone with type 1 finds the right insulin for their lifestyle and learns how to make it work for themselves, which can take time and a lot of tweaking, a regular and reliable supply is essential.'

One patient told X, formerly known as Twitter, he had been unable to access his regular pre-filled Tresiba insulin pen 'for the last six prescriptions now'.

Another, who was forced to switch insulin supplies, said it was 'not acting with the same speed', so their hybrid closed loop system  also referred to as an artificial pancreas that delivers insulin automatically  'is all over the place'.

A third added they could only 'pick up one of three [insulin] vials on my last refill'.

One patient, an NHS doctor who puts vials of the drug into her insulin pump, told The Guardian: 'I spent the last two days trying to get hold of insulin to treat my type 1 diabetes.

'I was terrified when my usual, very reliable pharmacist told me he couldn't get hold of my insulin.

'I had no idea that insulin could go out of stock. Type 1 diabetics fall ill and will die within a few days without insulin. I'm worried for fellow diabetics, not only to access the supply, to stay alive, but the stress and anxiety this causes.'

She had to ring various local pharmacies before tracking down one with stocks of Humalog vials  her usual form of insulin.

Health officials are aware of issues affecting Tresiba, Insulatard, Levemir and Fiasp pre-filled pens.

Officially, there is no nationwide shortage of Humalog, however, pharmacy chiefs told MailOnline they are aware some chemists have been unable to access stock.

NHS England has advised the 400,000 Brits living with the condition to use other formulations if their regular medication is unavailable.

Ms Nathan, however, told MailOnline: 'Any changes to the type of insulin offered on prescription can have a serious impact on the way that someone with type 1 is able to continue their everyday activities.'

A national patient safety alert also recently warned some Brits have been given 'inappropriate dosing' advice when they switched.

They included one who was hospitalised with ketoacidosis  when harmful substances called ketones can build up in the body.

This happens when the body doesn't have enough insulin to use blood sugar for fuel, instead forcing the liver to break down fat  a process that produces ketones.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot produce insulin, a hormone that controls the level of sugar  also known as glucose  in the blood.

When this happens, sugar levels in the patient's blood can become dangerously high.

Over time, fluctuating glucose levels can also lead to range of long-term complications, including permanent eye problems and nerve damage which can result in the loss of limbs.

The artificial pancreas to manage type 1 diabetes continuously monitors glucose levels via sensors under a patient's skin and, when needed, automatically delivers insulin to the bloodstream  a job normally carried out in the body by the pancreas

Health officials are aware of issues affecting Tresiba, Insulatard, Levemir and Fiasp pre-filled pens. Officially, there is no nationwide shortage of Humalog, however, pharmacy chiefs told MailOnline they are aware some chemists have been unable to access stock

James Davies, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's director for England, told MailOnline: 'It's understandable supply issues with insulin medicines cause a lot of anxiety for patients who rely on consistent treatment to stay well.

'When someone is unable to get the medicine they need, it can put their health at risk and destabilise their condition.

'Manufacturing issues with certain brands happen periodically and disrupt access to essential medicines.'

EU health chiefs have attributed supply chain shortages to the war in the Ukraine and knock-on effects of the Covid pandemic.

Chaos in the Red Sea, a vital shipping corridor for good, could bring fresh instability to the supply of drugs, experts have warned.

Selling medicines to the NHS is also becoming increasingly unprofitable, with manufacturers seeing costs soar in the face of rising prices for raw ingredients.

But there are caps on how much the NHS will pay for medicines, making international firms are less willing to sell to the UK.

At the end of last year, the Government raised business taxes on sales of branded drugs from 14 per cent to nearly 26.5 per cent, meaning some firms are threatening to pull out of the UK market completely, according to reports.

Mike Dent, the director of pharmacy funding at Community Pharmacy England (CPE), said: 'The impact of medicine shortages on patients and our community pharmacies continues to be a deep concern.

'It is a battle to keep up with the large number of medicine supply issues'.

However, CPE noted there is no shortage of insulin generally.

Chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, Paul Rees, also told MailOnline: 'Medicines shortages affect many therapeutic areas  not only diabetes but also epilepsy, ADHD and more.

'We urgently need the government to get a grip on the UKs fragile medicines supply system, so that pharmacies can do their job and patients can get their lifesaving medicines in time.

'Pharmacists will always help patients get alternative medicines when possible, but they face continual struggles obtaining supply, across an ever-changing range of conditions.'

Last month, a damning report by the Nuffield Trust found Britons are facing alarming drug shortages and being made to wait longer for new medicines than our European neighbours.

Its analysis of freedom of information requests and public data revealed the number of notifications from drug companies warning of impending shortages had more than doubled from 648 in 2020 to 1,634 in 2023.

A 2023 survey by CPE also found 92 per cent of pharmacy teams were dealing with medicines supply issues daily, up from the 67 per cent logged the year before.

Almost 4.3 million people were living with diabetes in 2021/22, according to the latest figures for the UK. And another 850,000 people have diabetes and are completely unaware of it, which is worrying because untreated type 2 diabetes can lead to complications including heart disease and strokes. Around 400,000 are believed to have type 1

Almost nine in ten (87 per cent) team members believed patient health was being put at risk.

Reports have highlighted that medicine shortages have been increasing for over 20 years.

Older medications are often subject to shortages because prices drop once a laboratory's original patent expires and other companies can make generics.

Pharmaceutical companies also do not keep stocks of these older medicines that are much less profitable than newer therapies. A small disruption during manufacturing, for instance, can lead to a shortage.

The issue, however, is not suffered by the UK alone.

In October, one of France's pharmacy unions, the USPO, called for more transparency as well, adding that drug shortages were becoming a permanent problem.

EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides also told MEPs in October that addressing the medicine shortages was a top political priority in Europe.

A DHSC spokesperson today said: 'We are aware of supply issues with a limited number of insulin products and are working with the respective manufacturers to help resolve them.

'We have also issued comprehensive guidance to the NHS about these supply issues, which provides advice on how to manage patients during this time.

'We know that shortages can be distressing for patients and families, and we advise any patient who is worried about their condition to speak to their clinician.'
Could transfer via saliva from dogs if they lick a person's open wound

Both dogs tested positive to strain very similar to one causing disease in humans

Dog owners are being warned about a drug-resistant bacterial infection in pets that could spread to humans and cause blindness.

The concerns have been sparked by reports of the bug detected in the lungs and ears two dogs in New Jersey, who were brought to the vet suffering a cough and hearing problems.

But both were infected with the same antibiotic-resistant bacteria that infiltrated popular eye drops, killing four people and blinding 14 last year.

The bacteria is able to 'melt' the fibres of the outer eye, causing sight loss  as well as travel to the bloodstream, where it can potentially cause the fatal condition sepsis.

As previous studies have found the infection can travel from human to animal, experts say it is possible for the bug to transfer the other way around.

The dogs were found to be infected with a 'highly genetically similar' bacteria to that which had caused the outbreak among humans (stock)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 81 people in 18 states were diagnosed with infections from the bacteria in EzriCare, which has caused four deaths and 14 people to lose their vision. Another four have had their eyeballs removed

'Fortunately, the owners were not immune compromised, but we did alert them to the fact that there could be potential transmission to them,' said Dr Emma Price, a veterinarian at the CDC who led the report.

'And [we told them to] ideally keep the dogs away from other dogs in the future, which we understand is a difficult thing to do.'

The eyedrops which caused infections in 81 people were found to be contaminated with the bacteria P. aeruginosa, which can trigger a serious infection.

Tests on the dogs showed they were also infected with P.aeruginosa - a strain 'highly genetically similar' to that in humans.

These germs are especially worrying to health experts because they are resistant to carbapenem antibiotics - a class of drugs used to treat a myriad of infections when other antibiotics don't work.

This make the bacteria especially difficult to destroy, and runs to risk of spreading resistance genes to other pathogens.

Dr Price told CBS News: 'So, now that this bacteria has been introduced into the US from artificial tears, this resistance could spread.'

It was not clear where the animals had picked up the strain, with owners saying they had not used the infected eyedrops or traveled internationally since before the outbreak.

Researchers presented data on the animal infections at a conference run by the Epidemic Intelligence Service last week.

They suggested it was likely they had caught the infection either through exposure to contaminated products or improper sterilization of vet equipment.

Dogs do at times spread bacterial infections to humans, normally via licks on open wounds or via contact with the feces or urine of infected animals.

Previous cases include Wisconsin local Greg Manteufel, 48, who had his legs and hands amputated after saliva from his dog led to a rare blood infection.

In another case, reported in Australia, 53-year-old mother-of-two Tracy Ridout died a few weeks after contracting bacteria from a 'playful nip' she got from a friend's German Shepherd.

In both cases, the patients suffered from an infection with capnocytophaga  a germ often found in dogs' mouths.

Doctors say those who are immunocompromised, including people who have type 2 diabetes or are obese, are at higher risk of infection from their pets.

Doctors are continuously raising the alarm over antibiotic resistant in bacteria because it threatens to make currently treatable diseases dangerous again.

Bacteria able to resist antibiotics can both survive the treatments and transfer the genes conferring resistance to other bacteria, compounding the problem.

More than 2.8million antibiotic-resistant infections occur every year in the US, a number that scientists fear will only continue to rise.

The killer eyedrop outbreak was linked to the brands EzriCare and Delsam Pharma-branded drops that were manufactured in India.

At the factory, workers had failed to correctly control against infections  which had led to the bacteria getting into the eye drops.

Testing revealed that unopened bottles were crawling with the bacteria, while an investigation found factories had dirty equipment and did not use sterilization gowns.

Among those infected across 18 states was firefighter Adam Di Sarro who was left blind in one eye by the eye drops.

'[My infection] just progressively got worse,' he said, 'to the point where I couldn't even see within a few hours'.

'[Losing one eye] was hard and still is hard, because I'm still not at work  going on five months.'
Have you or a family member been involved in a vaccine related injury? Contact tips@dailymail.co.uk

More than 250million could be given to victims allegedly harmed by AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine, MailOnline can reveal today.

Fifty-one families are pursuing legal action against the pharmaceutical titan, arguing the 'defective' jab was to blame for their injuries and deaths of loved ones.

Lawyers involved in the huge legal battle think some victims could be in line for pay-outs worth up to 5million.

As such, the total compensation bill  which would be footed by taxpayers because of a deal AstraZeneca struck with the Government before the roll-out commenced  could theoretically reach 255m, if judges were to rule the vaccine was to blame for all of the injuries and deaths involved in the class action.

However, claims have yet to be fully quantified and some cases could eclipse or fall much short of the estimated 5million.

One of those seeking compensation for injuries linked to the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is father-of-two and IT engineer Jamie Scott (right), His wife Kate (left) said she hoped the new AstraZeneca submission was sign the legal case could be resolved soon

Drugs giant AstraZeneca faces a landmark High Court battle over accusations that some doses of its Covid-19 vaccine were 'defective'

Researchers tasked with investigating the adverse reaction believe it occurs due to the modified cold virus lurking in the jab acting like a magnet to a type of protein in the blood called platelet factor 4. Platelet factor 4 is normally used by the body to promote coagulation in the blood, in case of injury. Then, in rare instances, the body's immune system confuses platelet factor 4 with a foreign invader and releases antibodies to attack it in case of 'mistaken identity'. These antibodies then clump together with platelet factor 4, forming the blood clots that have become so heavily linked with the jab, according to their theory

Some might not be proven to be down to the vaccine, which was given to millions of Britons. Deadly side effects were extraordinarily rare.

The revelation at the potential compensation bill comes after AstraZeneca admitted  for the first time  that its vaccine could cause a blood clotting syndrome linked to some of the lawsuits.

Cambridge-based AstraZeneca, which is contesting the legal battle, acknowledged in a legal document submitted to the High Court in February that its vaccine 'can, in very rare cases, cause TTS'.

TTS is short for thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome  a medical condition where a person suffers blood clots along with a low platelet count. Platelets typically help the blood to clot.

READ MORE: How safe is AstraZeneca's Covid jab? What rare complications can it cause? Who is taking legal action against the pharma giant? All you need to know As survivors and the bereaved keep fighting for compensation, MailOnline answers all your questions on the AstraZeneca saga: What happened? Are there any ongoing health concerns? And what are victims fighting for? Advertisement

AstraZeneca's admission could lead to pay-outs on a case-by-case basis.

One of those seeking compensation is for injuries linked to AstraZeneca's vaccine is father-of-two and IT engineer Jamie Scott.

He was left with a permanent brain injury following a blood clot and the bleed on the brain after getting the vaccine in April 2021. He has been unable to work since.

His wife Kate told The Telegraph: 'The medical world has acknowledged for a long time that VITT was caused by the vaccine.

'Its only AstraZeneca who have questioned whether Jamies condition was caused by the jab.

'I hope their admission means we will be able to sort this out sooner rather than later.

'We need an apology, fair compensation for our family and other families who have been affected.

'We have the truth on our side, and we are not going to give up.'

TTS, or vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), is thought to be linked to at least 81 deaths in the UK.

Not all are proven, however. And not every family is seeking legal action.

The complication is exceedingly rare, given the millions of doses dished out during the roll-out.

Taxpayers will foot the bill of any potential settlement because of an indemnity deal AstraZeneca struck with the Government in the darkest days of Covid to get the jabs produced as quickly as possible while the country was paralysed by lockdowns.

It comes just days after the firm reported a revenue exceeding 10billion in the first quarter of 2024, a rise of 19 per cent. Company officials stated it had enjoyed a 'very strong start' to the year.

AstraZeneca said in a statement: 'Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems.

'Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.

'From the body of evidence in clinical trials and real-world data, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine has continuously been shown to have an acceptable safety profile and regulators around the world consistently state that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of extremely rare potential side effects.'

The vaccine, developed in partnership with Oxford University, was heralded for its role in the UK's fightback against Covid, with more than 150million doses administered to date

The graph shows the cumulative number of Covid jabs dished out in the UK since the pandemic began, the percentage of each age group which has had a jab (bottom left) and the number of each Covid vaccine brand dished out

The new documents submitted to the court marks a change of language from the previous AstraZeneca submissions made last year, when it claimed that TSS couldn't be caused by its jab 'at a generic level'.

Its new submission also adds that the trigger that causes some people to suffer TSS from the AstraZeneca jab is unknown and can also occur in people independent of any vaccine.

It claims: 'Causation in any individual case will be a matter for expert evidence.'

Similar action to that being taken by British families is understood to be underway in other countries where the AstraZeneca jab was deployed, including in Germany and Italy.

AstraZeneca denies its new submission represents a U-turn on acknowledging its jab can cause TTS in court documents.

Lawyers representing victims and families are suing AstraZeneca under the Consumer Protection Act 1987.

READ MORE: An 18-year-old aspiring paramedic, a rock musician and an award-winning BBC radio presenter: The 'victims' of AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine As families and survivors continue their fight for compensation, MailOnline highlights just some of those who have died Advertisement

They argue the vaccine was 'a defective product' that was 'not as safe as consumers generally were reasonably entitled to expect'. AstraZeneca has strongly denied these claims.

Health officials first identified cases of VITT linked to AstraZeneca's jab in Europe as early as March 2021, just over two months after the vaccine was first deployed in the UK.

However, it wasn't until April that year that evidence became clear enough that the jab started to be restricted.

Spooked officials first restricted the jab to only people over 30. They then narrowed this to only over-40s in May 2021.

As the vaccine still worked against Covid, it was still deemed worth giving to older Brits who were at greater risk of death or injury from falling ill with the virus.

About 50million doses of the AstraZeneca jab were dished out in the UK in total.

Official data shows at least 81 Brits have died from blood clot complications apparently linked to the AstraZeneca jab, according to figures collected by the UK's drug watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

A further unconfirmed number have been injured and/or disabled.

Further Covid vaccine rollouts have either minimised use of the AstraZeneca jab and/or phased it out entirely in favour of mRNA alternatives like those made by rival pharma giants Pfizer and Moderna.

With health officials not ordering any more doses, this effectively means the jab has all but been withdrawn in the UK.

The risk of TTS following AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine is thought to be in the region of one in 50,000.

However, AstraZeneca's jab is credited with saving some 6million lives globally during the Covid pandemic.

Victims and families seeking compensation that MailOnline has spoken to staunchly insist they believe in the merits of vaccination for public good and aren't anti-vaxxers.

The reasons why people are taking legal action are complex.

Some who are severely disabled are facing huge ongoing medical costs as well as being out of work. In some cases, their family members are also having to quit employment to provide them round-the-clock care.

Others are, at least in part, pursuing the action as way of seeking justice for either those they have lost or lives that have been completely upturned by their injuries.

The AstraZeneca vaccine is a genetically engineered common cold virus that used to infect chimpanzees. It has been modified to make it weak so it does not cause illness in people and loaded up with the gene for the coronavirus spike protein, which Covid-19 uses to invade human cells

Melle Stewart and her husband Ben Lewis were enjoying successful careers in theatre before Covid struck and were keen to get vaccinated to help the UK return to normal

But Ms Stewart suffered a devastating stroke resulting from a extremely rare but incredibly dangerous complication linked to the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine

Part of the reason some are seeking action is due to what critics have labelled as the inadequate or arbitrary nature of the Government's vaccine damage payment scheme.

This policy, which has been around since the 70s, offers people, or their families, a tax-free sum of 120,000, though restrictions apply.

It is only available to the family of those who died or those left 'severely disabled'  defined as being at least 60 per cent disabled, based on evidence from a doctor  because of a vaccine.

Established back in 1979, the scheme is meant to reassure people that, in the unlikely event something goes wrong, the state will provide support.

In theory, it is meant to combat vaccine hesitancy and encourage the public to get jabbed from various pathogens helping protect the nation from disease.

But critics have said the scheme is arduous, stingy in terms of total amount payout, and cruel in its 60 per cent disability threshold that leaves people less severely injured with nothing.

As it is not compensation, people who take the payment are still entitled to take legal action against a vaccine manufacturer if they choose, as some people affected by the AstraZeneca jab are.

Campaigners hope the attention brought by the AstraZeneca case will spark a much-needed rethink of how the nation's vaccine injured and bereaved are supported.

If Brits are left destitute from vaccine-derived injuries, experts fear this will fuel vaccine hesitancy in the future, risking public health from a variety of preventable diseases.

It could also leave people vulnerable to a potential future pandemic from a novel virus if some refuse the jabs out of fear that they, or their families, could be left financially ruined if something goes wrong.

Mrs Scott is one of critics of the system, previously saying: 'Even if we do get the 120,000 payment, it's not enough to keep us going for ever. And it's insulting, considering what Jamie has been through,' she said.

Another of those pursuing action against AstraZeneca is Melle Stewart, an Australian actor who got the company's Covid jab while living in the UK.

In February 2020, just weeks before Covid ripped across the globe, Melle Stewart was enjoying standing ovations in Belfast for her role in the musical 'Kiss Me, Kate'.

But after suffering a devastating stroke the 42-year-old struggles to put a sentence together, speaking only slowly, and 'grieving' for the successful stage career she has lost.

Ms Stewart is taking AstraZeneca to court, with husband Ben Lewis saying they felt misled by the Government over the jab's safety.

Though having suffered greatly, she was and continues to be a 'staunch and proud' advocate for vaccination, having gone on to receive other non-AstraZeneca Covid vaccines since her injury.
Experts have warned that human transmission of bird flu may be far more widespread than thought, as farmers in Texas and Wisconsin are reported to have symptoms of the virus but are avoiding testing.

Dr Barb Petersen, a dairy veterinarian in Amarillo, Texas, explained that workers at a local farm where cattle have tested positive for the virus are suffering tell-tale symptoms.

She said: 'People had some classic flu-like symptoms, including high fever, sweating at night, chills, lower back pain,' as well as upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea.

They also tended to have 'pretty severe conjunctivitis and swelling of their eyelids'.

The USDA revealed it was collecting samples of ground beef at grocery stores in states with outbreaks, which will then be analyzed for the virus (stock)

The above map shows states with infected cattle. A total of 34 herds have had cases of the virus reported

The above graph shows human cases of avian influenza globally reported by year. The colors represent different countries with the light blue being Egypt and the orange being Cambodia

Meanwhile, veterinary researchers in Wisconsin  where the virus has infected cows  have reported multiple cases of local farmers suffering bird flu-like symptoms.

But farmers are notoriously reluctant to seek medical help, meaning 'a lot of cases are not documented', according to Dr Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

To date only one person has tested positive for the virus  a farmer in Texas who suffered from eye inflammation.

But the CDC says at least 44 others are under monitoring for potential infections with the bird flu virus H5N1.

It comes as the USDA announces plans to test samples of beef taken from slaughterhouses for cattle that aren't used for human consumption.

They will also be running studies on whether cooking beef to the recommended internal temperature of 145F (62C) kills the bird flu virus.

No tests have so far shown bird flu inside animal tissues, but last week the USDA said they had detected the virus in cattle's lungs.

Testing on grocery store milk carried out last week by officials suggested one in five of the products contain the virus.

Officials insisted this did not pose a risk to humans, however, saying pasteurization had 'deactivated' the virus.

A total of 34 dairy herds across nine states  with many in Texas  have tested positive for the disease so far.

Dr Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, told NBC News that he had heard reports of people with the infection.

He added that farmers are not cooperating with demands to test in part because of their long hours and because of fears they may be asked to cull their herds  as poultry farmers are to their flocks.

It comes amid concerns that eight people in India may also be infected with bird flu.

The two doctors and six workers at a poultry farm were all exposed to birds that had H5N1, officials said, and are being tested for the virus.

The local administrative office in Ranchi, east India, has also opened its own 'bird flu ward' to hold those in quarantine.

Nearly 2,000 chickens in the area have also been culled after the infections were confirmed.
Ocado boss Tim Steiner faces a shareholder revolt over his pay today.

Investors have been urged to vote against the 15m pay policy by advisory groups Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). They say a new scheme may cause 'excessive pay'.

ISS said its concerns were 'exacerbated by... no dividend and a general decline in share price.'

Under the proposals, Steiner, 54, (pictured with partner Patrycja Pyka) could be paid a share award worth 14.8m from 2027 if he improves its stock market performance and boosts cash flow.

He would have to boost the share price to 29.69, a 750 per cent increase to Friday's closing price of 3.50.

Ocado has lost almost 90 per cent of its value since a Covid peak in 2020.
Britain must scrap the 'double taxation' blighting popular stock market investments to help revive the City of London.

Investment trusts  such as Scottish Mortgage and Polar Capital Technology  are companies listed on the stock market and are therefore subject to the UK's 'pernicious' stamp duty regime.

This means savers pay a 0.5 per cent levy when they buy shares in the trusts.

At the same time, the trusts are charged 0.5 per cent when they purchase shares in companies the fund managers invest in.

By contrast, savers do not pay stamp duty when investing in so-called 'open-ended' funds which are not listed on the stock market.

'Pernicious': Experts said the double taxation  or 'double-dipping'  on listed trusts is 'unfair' on the sector

Experts said the double taxation  or 'double-dipping'  on listed trusts is 'unfair' on the sector. They said it also holds back saving and investment and hampers the wider stock market and economy.

Ministers are facing mounting calls for stamp duty on share trading to be scrapped to level the playing field with countries such as the United States.

Leading industry figures told the Mail that if this is deemed not possible, then the Government should at least get rid of it on investment trusts.

Richard Stone, chief executive of the Association of Investment Companies that represents the sector, said: 'Stamp duty on shares shouldn't be there at all. It is a tax on liquidity. But if you can't get rid of it completely, they should get rid of the double-dipping.

The biggest injustice is that you are 0.5 per cent down before you have even started versus investing in an open-ended fund.'

He added: 'The current approach taxes investors twice. Ending this unfairness should be a priority.'

Investors pay 0.5 per cent in stamp duty on the price of UK-listed shares they buy  but the tax does not apply to the purchase of shares in foreign companies.

A report by City broker Peel Hunt describes it as 'a pernicious tax that is having a material impact on equity markets'.

Meanwhile Abrdn boss Stephen Bird has branded the tax 'as unpatriotic as it is economically destructive'.
The Korea Exchange (KRX) has been hosting a range of seminars for firms since early April as a follow-up project to the governments Corporate Value-up Program aimed at boosting undervalued stocks.

The countrys sole bourse operator, the KRX announced Monday that it ran four seminars  one each for large businesses, medium-sized enterprises, overseas brokerage houses and startups  after the Corporate Value-up Program was announced by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in February.

The project focuses on improving corporate governance, which was cited a reason for the so-called "Korea discount," and thus attracting more international investment while ensuring higher shareholder returns.

The Korea discount refers to a lower valuation of stocks in Korea compared to global peers.

I hope the Corporate Value-up Program helps the listed firms to successfully tackle the Korea discount, KRX CEO Chung Eun-bo said while welcoming representatives from 11 large businesses during the first of the four seminars, April 4.

All listed on the benchmark KOSPI, the 11 were Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, CJ CheilJedang, LG Chem, Naver, KT, KT&G, KB Financial Group, BNK Financial Group, Mirae Asset Securities and Korean Reinsurance Company. They were selected out of the firms with a market capitalization of more than 10 trillion won.

Referring to the 11 as leaders of their respective industry, Chung expressed hope that feedback from the corresponding participants will be critical for the success of the Corporate Value-up Program.

The participants suggested that the program should go on in a consistent and sustainable manner. They also suggested that it should contribute to forming a cycle of profitable investment and shareholder returns.

The KRX will serve as a bridge between the listed firms and the government, making sure to clear any business hurdles that they may have in improving corporate values, Chung said.

The second seminar took place on April 17 for medium-sized enterprises with market capitalization exceeding 2 trillion won.

The third seminar was on April 15, targeting eight big-name offshore securities firms including Goldman Sachs, J.P Morgan and Morgan Stanley.

The fourth and final seminar took place, Friday, for 10 firms listed on the tech-heavy junior Kosdaq.

Chung said the Kosdaq is a key for startups and other promising firms to climb the ladder faster and grow large to vitalize the Korean economy. (Advertorial)
BHP shareholders yesterday urged the mining giant to raise its bid for Anglo American in yet another takeover battle gripping the City.

The Australian company is working on a revised offer after its mining rival last week rejected a 31billion approach.

Analysts said the bid needs to be more than 40billion to tempt Anglo to accept the deal.

A bidding war could push the valuation higher  with Glencore and Rio Tinto touted as firms that might swoop in with a rival offer.

Anglo was this weekend forced to defend chairman Stuart Chambers, who has overseen the sale of several blue-chip firms to foreign buyers, including Cambridge-based chip designer Arm.

Takeover battle: Australian mining giant BHP is working on a revised offer after its mining rival last week rejected a 31bn approach

BHP investors told Reuters they see value in an Anglo deal due to its copper assets.

The combined firm would be the worlds biggest copper producer at a time when demand for the metal has soared.

Shareholders said they are open to an increased bid to win over the London-listed firms board.

We potentially would be supportive if BHP raised their offer, one shareholder said.

An offer of more than 30 per share  valuing Anglo at more than 40billion  could sway the decision, analysts said.

And Jamie Maddock, energy analyst at Quilter Cheviot, suggested a rival bid could come from Rio Tinto and Glencore.

These industry giants have the capital and strategic interest to engage in such a significant transaction, he said.
Royals often deploy subtle style choices to honour their host, from supporting local designers and adopting local styles to dressing in the national colour or the colour of the flag.

Some have gone Route One - remember Sarah Fergusons hat with LA emblazoned on the back in big letters when on tour in Los Angeles.

On foreign visits, a royal wardrobe must strike a delicate balance, paying homage to the host country while also acknowledging their identity as a representative of the United Kingdom.

As one of the most well-travelled monarchies in the world, with Queen Elizabeth II visiting over 100 countries as head of state, our Royal Family have shown that the colour of a dress, the origin of a fabric, or the nationality of a designer can serve many functions.

An outfit can silently convey respect for a host country on a royal tour through a national flower or incorporated symbol without the wearer ever needing to make a public remark.

The new Duchess of Cambridge wore a patriotic red Sylvia Fletcher fascinator topped with maple leaves for Canada Day in Ottowa, 2011

She teamed the Sylvia Fletcher fascinator with a cream Reiss dress completed with a diamond maple leaf brooch which was on loan from the Queens personal collection

From the late Queen who was a pioneer in using clothes to project a message, to the Princess of Wales whose co-ordinating dress and coat ensembles mirroring the hue of a national flag or emblem together with championing designers from the local region, there is always symbolic and political power in an outfit.

Notably the Princess of Wales chose an Alexander McQueen sweater in the perfect shade of Ukrainian blue for her visit to The Ukrainian Cultural Centre weeks after Putins invasion, and for the Earthshot Prize Awards a rented dress signalled her commitment to sustainability.

When she is on an overseas tour, Kate will champion British designers but cleverly make a nod to her hosts, from Montreal-born designer Erdem Moralioglu in Canada, to Diane von Furstenberg in the United States, and Prabal Gurung in Singapore.

The royals hold a soft power, unable to take political sides they act as the figureheads of a nation, serving to represent its ideals and values. Their actions need to speak louder than words, and they use their wardrobe to display this.

Kate, Canada 2011

Canada Day called for an outfit that celebrated the country and Kate pulled it off with her usual aplomb.

Donning a cream Reiss dress, it was the patriotic red Sylvia Fletcher fascinator topped with maple leaves that made a real statement. The outfit was completed with a diamond maple leaf brooch which was on loan from the Queen's personal collection and was first worn by the then Princess Elizabeth on her first trip to Canada in 1951.

Kate, New Zealand 2014

Kate's flawless fashion was apparent during a tour of New Zealand wearing a Jenny Packham frock for a state banquet in Wellington.

Catherine, then Duchess of Cambridge attends a state reception at Government House on April 10, 2014 in Wellington

This black crepe Jenny Packham dress was embroidered across the shoulder with silver beading in the shape of New Zealands national emblem, a silver fern

The bespoke black crepe cocktail number was embroidered across the shoulder with silver beading in the shape of New Zealands national emblem, a silver fern.

Kate, Bhutan 2016

Kate dazzled for dinner with King Jigme and Queen Jetsun at Lingkana Palace in a Tory Burch mesh number that featured two side slits, flashing her strappy Gianvito Rossi pumps.

Kate wore a zingy orange pashmina which was to honour Bhutan's flag

To add even more colour to an already vibrant ensemble, a pashmina in the same zingy orange as Bhutans flag was draped over the intricately stitched gown.

Kate, Ireland 2020

Stepping out for an evening event in Ireland, the Princess of Wales kept with an emerald colour palette dressing in a sparkly green dress by The Vampires Wife.

Kate's emerald green dress from the Vampire's Wife was in acknowledgement of her hosts

This followed an all-green outfit of Alessandra Rich dress and Catherine Walker coat on her arrival in the Emerald Isle.

Sarah Ferguson, Los Angeles 1988

Sarah Ferguson went on tour to Los Angeles in 1988 and to pay tribute to her hosts she wore a hat with LA on the back in big letters.

ThisWside-brimmed hat with the letters L A during a visit to Los Angeles

The Duke and Duchess of York attended a promotional festival highlighting Arts and sciences

The Duke and Duchess received gifts during their official visit to Chinatown in LA

Sarah Ferguson wore the American and British flags when meeting the artist David Hockney

This fun accessory choice made a statement in LaLa Land, together with flamboyant flag hair accessories on another day of the same tour.

Diana, Japan 1986

Diana was an expert at diplomatic dressing, wearing outfits that honoured local dress codes and paid homage to the host nation.

On a tour of Japan the Princess of Wales wore a large red polka dot dress honouring the rising sun motif of the Japanese flag

The white and red 'diplomatic' dress was by Tatters, the hat was by John Boyd

On a tour of Japan in 1986 she wore a dress featuring large red polka dots, overtly referencing the red circle central to the flag of Japan.

Diana, Hong Kong 1986

When attending a special reception and concert in Hong Kong, Diana wore an ensemble that was destined to become an instant classic.

On a visit to Hong Kong Diana wore he Elvis Dress. Embroidered with thousands of hand-sewn sequins and oyster pearls, the pearls paid homage to Southeast Asias fishing culture

It was a white silk strapless column gown by Catherine Walker with a matching bolero jacket that was named the Elvis Dress. Embroidered with thousands of hand-sewn sequins and oyster pearls, the pearls paid homage to Southeast Asias fishing culture.

Diana, India 1992

For a 1992 state dinner hosted by the President of India, Catherine Walker designed this stand-out dress for Diana to wear.

This Catherine Walker dress's design themes were bases on intricate floral motifs reminiscent of the stonework found in the Taj Mahal

The designer was inspired by traditional Indian crafts and design techniques and the final product incorporated these themes as well as featuring intricate floral motifs, reminiscent of the stonework found in the Taj Mahal and other religious sites in the country.

Camilla, Paris 2023

Attending a glittering state banquet at the Palace of Versailles, Camilla opted for a French brand for the occasion as is customary for state visits.

Camilla looked flawless in this Dior dress when she attended the State Banquet in Paris

Choosing a striking midnight blue caped gown by French legend Dior she accessorised the red-carpet ensemble with the King George VI sapphire necklace.

Queen Elizabeth, Ireland 2011

It was the first visit by a British monarch in over a century, and the Queen paid fashion homage to Ireland.

The Queen arrived in Ireland in an emerald green coat and hat in nod to the country's name of the Emerald Isle

She disembarked from her plane in an emerald green coat and hat, a nod to the countrys name of the Emerald Isle.

For a state banquet at Dublin Castle, the late monarch wore a dress crafted with more than 2,091 individually hand-stitched fabric shamrocks.

On the same trip the Queen wore an evening gown with 2,091 individually hand-stitched shamrocks

She had commissioned Swarovski crystal brooch of an Irish harp, and the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland Tiara which previously belonged to her grandmother, Queen Mary.
Five years ago, Miriam Rivera was found dead in Mexico in a suspected suicide - but her husband maintains that the reality star was murdered, as her death remains shrouded in mystery.

Miriam was found dead by hanging aged 38 at her home in Hermosillo, Mexico in February 2019, and her life, legacy and death is now at the focus of the Channel 4 docuseries, Miriam: Death of a Reality Star, which airs tonight at 9pm.

The reality star made a name for herself at the age of 21 after starring in There's Something About Miriam in 2004 - a British television series, set in Ibiza, Spain, that challenged six men to compete for the model's affections.

The twist? It was revealed in the final episode, unbeknown to the contestants, that Miriam was transgender - which resulted in negative reactions from the men, with the winner rejecting the prize money and suing the creators of the show.

What followed was global infamy, a tabloid savaging and a stint as a guest star on Big Brother Australia - until, fifteen years on, Miriam was tragically found dead in her mother's apartment in an apparent suicide.

However, Miriam's husband, Daniel Cuervo, suspects she met with a violent end and has detailed 'suspicious' circumstances surrounding her death, including sinister phone calls from an unknown male and the sudden cremation of her body.

As the first of three episodes of the Channel 4 docuseries premieres tonight, who is Daniel Cuervo, and what does he suspect is the truth behind Miriam's death? Read on to find out.

Five years ago, Miriam Rivera was found dead in Mexico in a suspected suicide - but her husband maintains that the reality star was murdered

Who was Miriam Rivera?

Miriam Rivera was a Mexican-born model who who achieved international fame in the mid 2000s as the world's first transgender reality star and as a guest on Big Brother Australia.

She made a name for herself at the age 21 after she starred There's Something About Miriam in 2004.

The British television series, set in Ibiza, Spain, challenged six men to compete for the model's affections - before it was revealed in the finale she was transgender.

All the contestants, who were not made aware that Miriam was born a male, reacted negatively to the news, including the winner, who rejected the prize money and the cruise with Miriam after initially accepting it and sued the creators of the show.

Five of them later settled for money in court and the show aired a bit later than scheduled.

Despite sparking controversy, the show was a huge hit on Sky One in the UK and Channel 10 in Australia.

What followed was global infamy, a tabloid savaging and a stint as a guest star on Big Brother Australia - until, fifteen years on, Miriam was tragically found dead in her mother's apartment in an apparent suicide.

Miriam Rivera was a Mexican-born model who who achieved international fame in the mid 2000s as the world's first transgender reality star and as a guest on Big Brother Australia

Miriam made a name for herself at the age 21 after she starred There's Something About Miriam in 2004, which became a huge hit in Australia and was watched by millions

The British television series, set in Ibiza, Spain , challenged six men to compete for the model's affections - before it was revealed in the finale she was transgender

What followed was global infamy, a tabloid savaging and a stint as a guest star on Big Brother Australia

Who was Miriam Rivera's husband Daniel Cuervo?

After going on to find love, Miriam later married Daniel Cuervo, with whom she lived in New York City.

However, Miriam's settled-down family life was shattered when she was found dead in what the authorities said was suicide - but Mr Cuervo insists to this day his wife was murdered.

Mr Cuervo has in the past told Daily Mail Australia that he believed his wife's death may have been 'passed off' as a suicide after she refused to accept work as a prostitute.

After going on to find love, Miriam later married Daniel Cuervo (L), with whom she lived in New York City before her tragic death

What has Daniel Cuervo said about Miriam Rivera's death?

In an exclusive interview from his home in New York, Miriam's husband Daniel Cuervo said that he suspects she met with a violent end.

He claims she may have been killed after she refused to accept work as a prostitute for a man who was 'infatuated' with her.

'On the morning of February 5, Miriam called me [in New York] from Mexico, telling me she was feeling sick and vomiting blood, so I told her to get to the hospital,' he said, recalling the day Miriam died.

'She called me again before leaving the hospital at 12pm and that was the last time we spoke.'

At 2pm, Miriam was found dead by hanging at her home in Hermosillo, Mexico.

When Mr Cuervo learned of Miriam's death, he enquired about the possibility of flying the body to New York.

He was informed the body had already been cremated, leaving no opportunity to perform an autopsy.

Mr Cuervo claimed an unknown male called him when he was trying to arrange Miriam's funeral and said: 'Don't come back to Mexico or we'll kill you too.'

He later found out her body had already been cremated, leaving no opportunity to perform an autopsy, which he found 'very suspicious'.

Because he feared for his safety, Mr Cuervo wasn't able to arrange a proper funeral for his wife. Photos have since surfaced on Facebook of a decidedly low-key memorial service.

Mr Cuervo claims Miriam may have been killed after she refused to accept work as a prostitute for a man who was 'infatuated' with her

Mr Cuervo claimed an unknown male called him when he was trying to arrange Miriam's funeral and said: 'Don't come back to Mexico or we'll kill you too.'

Because he feared for his safety, Mr Cuervo wasn't able to arrange a proper funeral for his wife. Photos have since surfaced on Facebook of a decidedly low-key memorial service.

Episode 1 of Miriam: Death of a Reality Star airs on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight.
DailyMail.com can reveal that the pair had a casual months-long romance and were neighbors

Days before his body was discovered, he was named as a 'suspect' in a domestic violence dispute with a 20-year-old woman

The woman who accused Yellowstone spinoff actor Cole Brings Plenty of attacking her is standing by her allegation, even after his subsequent death has prompted harassment and skepticism against her, DailyMail.com has learned.

The alleged victim, who DailyMail.com can reveal is a 20-year-old neighbor who had a casual months-long romance with 27-year-old Cole, posted her account on Facebook after he went missing.

'Remember: Cole is missing because he broke into my house and strangled me,' she wrote in all caps April 2. 'I struggled to fight him off. He dragged me down the stairs outside of my apartment. I screamed for help so he ran away and drove off.

'f you see him call the cops,' she wrote, ending her post with a smiley emoji.

After a four-day search, Cole's body was found April 5, 28 miles away in Edgerton, Kansas, near a construction site where his vehicle was abandoned.

Native American actor Cole Brings Plenty, 27, was found dead on April 5. Before his body was discovered, he was named as a 'suspect' in a domestic violence dispute with a 20-year-old woman

The alleged victim, who DailyMail.com can reveal is a 20-year-old neighbor who had a casual months-long romance with 27-year-old Cole, posted her account on Facebook after he went missing

The alleged victim had lived next door to Cole at Reserve on West 131st, a student apartment complex in Lawrence, Kansas, where Cole was attending Haskell University

The alleged victim, shortly after she posted the allegation, made her page private after facing a barrage of threats from Cole's fans who accused her of lying.

Cole's family, which buried him last week in a traditional Sioux ceremony in his native South Dakota, also raised doubts about her account. They blamed police for his death, accusing them of rushing to judgment by issuing an arrest declaration that put a target on his back. After his body was discovered, police promptly ruled out foul play.

Cole's family and tribe have called for a federal investigation of the circumstances leading up to his death, while raising the possibility he was murdered, fanning rage against law enforcement and the alleged victim.

Her family says she's faced ugly threats on social media, making her fear for her safety.

One poster named Jaiden wrote, 'He was assaulted, (the alleged victim) cut his hair off, and retracted her statement, changed it and made comments on TikTok/FB then deleted them. Investigate her! #JusticeforCole.'

'Why isn't anyone outside her house looking for justice,' another wrote.

The alleged victim had lived next door to Cole at Reserve on West 131st, a student apartment complex in Lawrence, Kansas, where Cole was attending Haskell University.

Sources tell DailyMail.com that the two started dating last August when Cole moved into the building from another section of town.

DailyMail.com can also now clear up some misinformation spread online in recent days, including that the woman was with Cole at a bar called Replay Lounge the night of the attack on March 31. There are rumors that she cut off his ponytail after it became entangled in wire of a band that was performing.

But DailyMail.com has confirmed that she wasn't even at the bar. He did get his hair stuck, and had to have some of it cut off, sources said. Photos of the bar incident were shared online, none showing the alleged victim.

The woman was home when Cole returned around 3am and, sources said, tried to meet up with her. She claims that she ignored two phone calls from him and then hung up when he called a third time, sources said.

She alleges Cole then climbed into her apartment through a window. After allegedly attacking her in her room, sources said, the fight then spilled outside.

Their housemates were home at the time and heard her screaming.

Security footage from Replay Lounge, shared on social media, shows Cole's hair after it got caught in wire and was cut March 31, clearing up rumors that his accuser was at the bar and cut his hair

One poster named Jaiden wrote, 'HE WAS ASSAULTED, (the alleged victim) CUT HIS HAIR OFF, AND RETRACTED HER STATEMENT, CHANGED IT AND MADE COMMENTS ON TIKTOK/FB THEN DELETED THEM. INVESTIGATE HER! #JUSTICEFORCOLE'

'Why isn't anyone outside her house looking for justice,' another wrote

After leaving his apartment building early March 31, the young actor, driving his white Ford Explorer, drove 20 miles to a Kwik Shop gas station in Baldwin City

Sources say a doorbell camera captured the young woman standing outside, naked from the waist down, as Cole ran down the steps toward his car.

The woman called 911. After she gave a statement, Lawrence police later in the day issued an alert to area agencies to arrest Cole.

The following night, Monday, Cole's family called police to report him missing, prompting local media coverage about his disappearance. Responding to media inquiries, police then publicized the fact that they were searching for Cole for the domestic incident  further enraging his family.

However by this time, Cole was possibly already dead, though he wouldn't be found for days.

After leaving his apartment building early March 31, the young actor, driving his white Ford Explorer, drove 20 miles to a Kwik Shop gas station in Baldwin City. He then drove to another gas station in rural Gardner, where he stopped in the TA Express minimart off Homestead Lane.

A manager there told DailyMail.com that Cole showed up before dawn, fidgety and appearing distressed, bought some groceries and left.

His SUV was found a few hundred yards away, parked deep into a construction site, out of public view, near a wooded area.

A worker at the site told DailyMail.com that one of the crew members noticed the vehicle early Friday, April 5, peered inside and saw blood. They called police, who found the body a short distance away.

Detectives have questioned people at the apartment building, the two gas stations and the construction site, telling several people that this was a suspected suicide.

Though authorities have publicly ruled out foul play, the coroner has yet to release the results of an autopsy that could take weeks.

The construction site where Cole's white SUV was found is shown

Hundreds of mourners packed the school gymnasium again for a celebration of life ceremony dedicated to the actor who was found dead on April 5

Mourners were seen arriving on horseback for Cole Brings Plenty's homecoming ceremony. An entire community in rural South Dakota tearfully welcomed home the young man they'd described as their 'great hope'

Early last week, hundreds of grieving friends, family, and members of Cole's Cheyenne River Sioux tribe packed a school gymnasium in Eagle Butte, South Dakota to pay their final respects to an up-and-coming actor who'd been a role model for many in the community.

Cole, who was also affectionately known as Coco, appeared in the Yellowstone spinoff prequel 1923 as shepherd Pete Plenty Clouds.

His uncle Moses Brings Plenty, 54, who stars as Mo in the Kevin Costner series Yellowstone, attended the ceremony, and told DailyMail.com: 'He was already tried and prosecuted by the Lawrence police department.'

He said the sheer number of mourners was 'an indication of the injustice of how the events took place with the allegations placed against him.'

The victim declined to comment when contacted by DailyMail.com.

At Cole's Celebration of Life last Tuesday, a Sioux tribal speaker called for 'war' against authorities in Kansas.

'Kansas we are coming for you,' David Bearshied, a speaker described as Native American ambassador told the gathering.

'Today we honor this family and we lift them up because they're going to be at the forefront to a battle that's going to be very miraculous.

'It always takes the Lakota people to come and to engage war and for everyone to stand behind them,' added Bearshied.

Cole's father Joseph Brings Plenty gave a rousing tribute to his son Cole, standing before mourners as he declared, 'This is the hardest thing I've ever done.'

'I was hoping it was a hateful, ugly April Fool's joke, but it wasn't,' he said of early reports that his son was missing, and that an alert had been issued for his arrest.

'My son was gone, he was missing,' he said, his voice quivering as he fought back tears.

'We were hoping we would find Coco,' he said, using his son's nickname and describing the search that ended with the discovery of Cole's body.

'I wanted to tell that detective  are you going to help me bury my son because you're refusing to help me even with a phone ping.'

Cole's uncle is Yellowstone star Moses Brings Plenty, 54 (right). It was his uncle who introduced Cole to acting

Cole starred on two episodes of the Yellowstone spinoff 1923 as Pete Plenty Clouds

He said his first obligation was to take care of his son and prepare for the funeral, even as he raged at what transpired.

'I fought with that all these past days,' he said.

'They were malicious with their intents,' he said of police in Lawrence. 'They painted a big target on my son. But what did he ever do to them?'

'I have to let him go because I have to fight, I have to fight for him and his name,' he said to thunderous approval.

'He was a good boy. Not a boy because he was a man. But to me he'll always be my little boy.'

During last Monday's wake, mourners cheered loudly, letting out ear-splitting leles and war whoops when the tribal president, Frank Star Comes Out, announced a proclamation calling on the federal government to investigate.

'I stand in unity with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and demand the United States Justice Department, Civil Rights Division (criminal section), and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Department of Office of Justice Services to conduct a thorough, joint federal investigation of the causes of death of Cole Brings Plenty to ensure that there was no foul play involved in his death, given the circumstances surrounding his death,' the proclamation reads.
The leader of the anti-Taliban resistance in Afghanistan has issued a chilling warning that a new terrorist attack on America is a matter of 'when not if'.

Ahmad Massoud said terrorism is 'breeding' in the vacuum left by the U.S. pulling out in August 2021 and it is 'very possible ' extremists will now try to strike America or Europe.

Massoud is the son of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the legendary resistance leader known as the 'Lion of Panjshir,' who was assassinated by Al Qaeda two days before 9/11.

As he continues his father's cause the Biden administration's withdrawal from his country was the final nail in the coffin.

The chaotic evacuation and bloodshed resulted in a moment he has spent years trying to stop: The return to power of the evil, radical Islamists who are sending his country back in time.

Now, Massoud, who has a degree in war studies from King's College, London, has a warning to the U.S. and foreign forces who left: Ignore Afghanistan at your peril.

The head of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan says terrorist activity and recruitment has reached historic highs in the two-and-a-half years since the Kabul International Airport debacle.

He told DailyMail.com: An attack on US or European soil is very much possible now. It is not about a matter of if, it's a matter of when.

Ahmad Massoud, the head of the anti-Taliban National Resistance Front of Afghanistan: has a warning to the U.S. and foreign forces who left and betrayed them: Ignore the war-ravaged nation at your peril

Massoud says there is the same furious rivalry between terrorist factions that was seen in the build-up to 9/11.

In an interview with DailyMail.com - ahead of the release of his memoir In the Name of my Father: Struggling for Freedom in Afghanistan - he says his people feel abandoned and hopeless.

They have been left to fend for themselves against a brutal regime that is systematically stripping away basic rights.

The Afghan people now see the West as hypocrites, he says.

Foreign forces who spent years preaching about the need for a democracy have left the population in the hands of a government that has stopped girls going to school.

On September 9, 2001, Massouds life changed forever when his father - the legendary militia leader the 'Lion of Panjshir' - was assassinated by Al Qaeda

The resistance is almost solely fighting alone now Western forces have turned their backs on a country ravaged by war

The resistance has ammunition and are recruiting more soldiers, including Afghan Special Forces commandos who fought alongside western forces

They beat and tortured the women who dared to protest their abuses in the weeks after they ascended to power.

Massouds resistance is all that is left, and he needs help.

He believes President Joe Biden needs to rethink his Afghanistan policy, or it could have enormous consequences.

The growing problems he faces challenging the legitimacy of the Taliban government began with the peace deal signed by Donald Trumps administration in February 2020.

His story of leading the resistance and the bid to restore peace comes in the seminal In the Name of my Father: Struggling for Freedom in Afghanistan, which is out on Tuesday April 30

As the withdrawal date approached in August 2021, he warned the U.S. there would be catastrophic results if conditions on the Taliban werent put in place.

They didnt listen, and 20 years of work improving the lives of the Afghan people unraveled in a matter of days.

On September 9, 2001, Massouds life changed forever when his father was assassinated by Al Qaeda.

Two days later, the world changed forever when the Twin Towers fell.

Massoud was still a child, but his future in the resistance movement was already apparent.

As Afghanistan became the focal point of the War on Terror and the mammoth international manhunt for Osama Bin Laden, Massaoud followed in the footsteps of his legendary father who became known as the Lion of Panjshir.

He strives for the liberation of Afghanistan through diplomacy and a guerrilla warfare operation centered in their stronghold in Panjshir, north of the capital Kabul.

Educated in London, he has led mujahideen fighters who have spent decades fighting the Taliban and other terrorist factions.

He has also called on the world to not recognize the Taliban government.

The speed at which they seized control stunned the world and forced foreign forces to accelerate their departure.

But Massoud saw it coming, and even warned the U.S. of the calamity that would unfold.

For him, anyone who thinks the hardline Islamist group has changed should be ashamed of themselves and those who think they can govern a people subjected to years of poverty are delusional.

As Afghanistan became the focal point of the War on Terror and the mammoth international manhunt for Osama Bin Laden, Massaoud (second from left with his family) followed in the footsteps of his legendary father

Massoud was still a child when his father was assassinated, but his future in the resistance movement was already apparent

When the Taliban returned to power for the first time since 2001, the majority of the population struggled to find enough money to eat.

Many years ago, while he was still in Panjshir, Massoud started working on his memoir.

He wanted to write as much as he could because he feared he might have to make the ultimate sacrifice and take his own life if the enemy arrived.

His story of leading the resistance and the bid to restore peace comes in the seminal In the Name of my Father: Struggling for Freedom in Afghanistan, which is out on Tuesday April 30.

He sets out a rational vision for the country of his birth where it is free from radical Islam and terror groups.

The resistance is almost solely fighting alone now Western forces have turned their backs on a country ravaged by war.

In the last three years he has been moving around the world and avoids staying in the same place for security

First it was the Soviet Union - where his father was a powerful guerilla commander of the resistance during the occupation between 1979 and 1989.

Then it was the US-led invasion. Now the nations starving people are under Taliban rule.

The population has been sent back in time.

Womens rights have been taken away. Girls arent allowed to go to school.

Massoud fled to Tajikistan in September 2021 when the Taliban seized control of the Panjshir Valley

Just last week, two TV networks were suspended because, according to the government, they didnt do enough to spread Islamic values.

The crackdown has been widespread, and shows no signs of stopping while they are still in government and given legitimacy on a world stage.

Countries like China have restored diplomatic relations with the Taliban and started up trade partnerships.

Massoud fled to Tajikistan in September 2021 when the Taliban seized control of the Panjshir Valley.

A year earlier he formed the National Resistance front of Afghanistan, and warned of a civil war if there wasnt a new power-sharing agreement with the Taliban.

Now his resistance has thousands of fighters who have battled with the regime across the country, including inside the capital of Kabul.

In the last three years he has been moving around the world and avoids staying in the same place for security.

He is leading the resistance movement from outside Afghanistan.

Their numbers have grown as resentment for the Taliban has risen.

They have ammunition and are recruiting more soldiers, including Afghan Special Forces commandos who fought alongside western forces.

But their opponents are well-equipped and still have access to the billions of dollars in weapons left behind when foreign forces left two years ago.

Massoud is confident that if the Taliban launched an assault, they would be able to give them a stiff response.

For Massoud, the Biden administration's withdrawal was the final nail in the coffin

But they still need help, especially from the allies who packed up and left after two decades of being a constant presence.

The Taliban are also getting as much as $60 million a week from countries like the U.S. and Japan through the United Nations.

While the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated, the world has shifted focus to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Massoud understands that there the West may feel it has more pressing matters to attend to.

But if Afghanistan remains completely abandoned, it wont just be a disaster for his country but could have global implications.

Massoud told DailyMail.com that the threat of terrorism is rising in the vacuum created by the withdrawal and the proceeding peace deal.

The political situation is helping the Taliban massively. From Ukraine to the war on Gaza and, and many other things happening around the globe.

It helps the fatigue (from the West) when they are busy elsewhere,.

There is a numbness in the West. They are forgetting about what's happening in Afghanistan.

If we received a fraction of support that Ukraine is receiving, or any other country, the Taliban would not be able to stand against us.

At least a quarter of Afghanistan would be liberated within months. Just the way that we were very much right and accurate with predicting the fall of a Kabul in Afghanistan.

He is urging the world to take notice of what is happening to the women in Afghanistan and how any shred of democracy is being eroded.

He says the Taliban are robbing Afghan people of their basic human rights, and the resistance is an effort out of desperation to get them back.

There is growing bitterness to the Taliban, but the Afghan people feel hopeless, lonely, and completely empty-handed, Massoud says.

You are hearing from within the Taliban ranks that they are protesting against what's happening in Afghanistan.

They are not happy with the current situation, and it just makes it 10 times or a hundred times worse.

I'm in touch with people from different ethnicities and genders in Afghanistan. All of them are fed up and they want to do something.

He says the best course of action is to resist militarily.

We cannot give in to their forceful occupation. We need to stand against it. That's what we are doing.

The resistance started in one province and has now spread to 17 across the country.

But the place where they are having the most success, Massoud says, is in Kabul.

This is where we are hitting them the hardest. It shows our presence. We are having successes on a daily basis and we are becoming very successful in our tactics.

We were to even get as close as 500 meters to the Taliban headquarters.

They have vowed to put special forces in urban areas and have frequently attacked Taliban checkpoints.

The Front said they killed seven members of the Taliban in an attack in front of the Serena Hotel, near the Presidential Palace. None of their members were hurt.

It just shows the capability and coverage of our units. Each day they are progressing and it's just getting better.

Massoud insists more Western boots on the ground is the last thing Afghanistan needs to defeat the Taliban.

Military intervention has failed. The withdrawal of NATO allies after 20 years sparked the rapid return to the society Afghan people had fought so hard to leave behind.

But completely forgetting about Afghanistan is wrong and will have far-reaching consequences that have already reared their ugly heads.

While there has already been a surge in terror attacks inside Afghanistan, there has also been a rise outside its borders.

The mass shooting at the Moscow concert hall that killed 130 people in March was carried out by ISIS-K (Islamic State Khorasan), a terror group that has already slaughtered thousands in Afghanistan.

The group launched dozens of attacks in the buildup to the collapse of the Afghanistan government in August 2021.

But their most notorious was a suicide blast at Kabul International Airport when thousands of desperate Afghans were trying to flee on evacuation flights.

The resistance started in one province and has now spread to 17 across the country. But the place where they are having the most success, Massoud says, is in Kabul. Members are pictured in the Panjshir Valley in 2021

Thirteen American service members and hundreds of civilians were killed.

The operative who detonated the explosive was an ISIS militant who was freed from prison by the Taliban.

Former head of U.S. Central Command General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr has warned the threat from the Islamic State has grown since American forces left, and the desire to attack the U.S. is getting stronger.

Massaoud says the world just wants to bury their hands in the sand when it comes to Afghanistan.

If the world doesn't pay attention, it can be a breeding ground for terrorism, he says.

In the past two years, with such actions, with such numbness from the West, the terrorism and Afghanistan has been heavily breeding.

They are expanding and they're recruiting. They are recruiting more and more people inside Afghanistan to be foot soldiers for many other terrorist groups.

Not just the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Daesh (The Islamic State) but for many other groups.

An attack on US or European soil is very much possible now. It is not about a matter of if, it's a matter of when.

Ahmad Massoud's In the Name of my Father: Struggling for Freedom in Afghanistan comes out on Tuesday April 30th
It's website proudly states: 'We are three communities, one parish.'

But Ormesby St Margaret with Scratby Parish Council (incorporating the smaller community of California) is far from united.

A bitter feud between councillors from the two main villages of Ormesby and Scratby has led to years of rancour, with alleged threats of violence and bullying, a police investigation, and two annual village fetes being held because a joint venue couldn't be agreed.

Even the dead have been unable to rest, with angry recriminations over a body buried in the wrong plot, leading to an exhumation.

Things have become so bad that some Scratby members wanted to declare independence from Ormesby in what was dubbed 'Norfolk's Brexit'.

The bad blood has seen half a dozen resignations among councillors and clerks. Local elections to fill the spaces have been cancelled next month because no one was willing to join the dysfunctional council.

Some locals blame the acrimony on a long-running rivalry between the largely settled residents of leafy Ormesby, with its two village greens and a medieval church, and more salt of the earth Scratby a mile away, which is home to hundreds of holiday chalets and caravans and attracts newcomers from London and Essex.

Others say it is down to 'narcissistic' personalities competing for attention  and resources for their respective communities.

Ormesby: Some locals blame the acrimony on a long-running rivalry between the largely settled residents of leafy Ormesby, with its medieval church (pictured), and Scratby a mile away

Former clerk Phillip Stone said his departure was negotiated after he filed a grievance about alleged bullying by two councillors

Scratby is home to hundreds of holiday chalets and caravans and attracts newcomers from London and Essex

Things have become so bad that some Scratby members wanted to declare independence from Ormesby in what was dubbed 'Norfolk's Brexit'

The burial farce of March 2022 saw the wrong plot used at St Margaret's Church in Ormesby to bury local resident Barry Halksworth, aged 82

A bitter feud between councillors from the two main villages of Ormesby and Scratby has led to years of bitterness

Neutrals complain it struggles to properly serve any of the communities because of the schism  an allegation denied by the remaining members.

But Ormesby resident Christine Lee, who quit as parish council chairman three years ago, said: 'The behaviour was absolutely appalling. It was affecting my whole life.

'I made attempts time and time again to tell councillors they could not behave like this but I realised it was completely futile to try and make them change.'

Whatever the truth behind the fallout, it is having to manage with just nine of the full complement of 15 councillors because locals don't want to get caught up in the furore by representing their community.

Matters came to a head in October 2021 when, following what council minutes recorded as 'continued animosity', some Scratby councillors called for a formal split from the troubled union with Ormesby.

Scratby councillor Peter Holley - who is said to have complained of discrimination and victimisation over who was being appointed to certain duties  allegedly 'threatened to kill' fellow councillor David Troy.

Ironically, Mr Troy was a fellow Scratby councillor who opposed the plan to secede from Ormesby.

Scratby councillor Peter Holley (right) who is said to have complained of discrimination and victimisation over who was being appointed to certain duties  allegedly 'threatened to kill' fellow councillor David Troy

The bad blood has seen half a dozen resignations among councillors and clerks in the villages

Local elections to fill the spaces have been cancelled next month because no one was willing to join the dysfunctional council

Scratby is home to hundreds of holiday chalets and caravans (pictured)

Some Scratby members have wanted to declare independence from Ormesby

The then clerk, Philip Stone, asked police to attend the next meeting, although their presence wasn't needed in the end after they pre-empted the occasion by speaking to the parties involved.

An Ormesby resident, who was at the meeting where tempers boiled over, said: 'David was threatened by Peter Holley, who basically threatened to come over and kill him.

'These rogue councillors can run amok because there's nobody to keep them in check. Complaints go to an auditing officer but it's very hard to get rid of a rogue councillor. They're narcissistic bullies.

'Peter Holley was not happy that, at the time, there were more Ormesby councillors. To be fair, there were one or two more councillors representing Ormesby but it's bigger than Scratby.

'Philip Stone was the clerk and he called the police. The police spoke to David Troy but he didn't want to continue because he felt he didn't get support from the council itself.'

The resident, who asked not to be identified, added: 'David went against what Peter and the others wanted and, in their eyes, he was a traitor.

'At that particular meeting, he looked Peter in the eyes and Peter took it as a challenge. He basically put his hands up as if to say 'Come on then' and he said something like 'If you carry on like that, I'm going to come over and kill you'.

'The effect on David has been horrendous. The council had been his life.'

Things have become so bad that some Scratby members wanted to declare independence from Ormesby

Ormesby boasts two village greens and a medieval church

Scratby has hundreds of holiday chalets and caravans and attracts newcomers from other parts of the country

Current council chairman Phil Nathan commented 'Good luck' when the Mail asked him what had been happening

Mr Stone, who left the council in February last year, told the Mail he had to escort then council chairman Christine Lee to her home in Ormesby because she was 'scared for her physical safety'.

He added: 'I was clerk for 22 months and I was the last of seven clerks in five years and I lasted the longest.

'I left with a pay-off of 7,500, which took me to 12,000 when holiday and everything was included. I was asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement but I didn't.

'In August 2022, it got so bad I was not longer able to make informed decisions and went to the doctor's. I was signed off with stress for two months.'

Mr Stone said his departure was negotiated after he filed a grievance about alleged bullying by two councillors  Phil Nathan, who is now chairman, and vice chairman Kathryn Wendt, who are both from Scratby.

He claimed another councillor, Ormesby's Geoff Freeman, called him a w***** and 'belittled' him over his dyslexia, despite being in charge of standards at the local district council.

Mr Stone was also caught up in the burial farce of March 2022, when the wrong plot was used at St Margaret's Church in Ormesby to bury local resident Barry Halksworth, 82, as reported by MailOnline.

'Freeman tried to say it was my fault but it was not. There was a full investigation by the crematorium management and they found the fault was with the data [collated] before my time,' he said.

Ormesby boasts features two village greens and a medieval church

Salt of the earth Scratby is home to hundreds of holiday chalets and caravans

Scratby houses hundreds of caravans where people live and go on holiday

Green Farm Caravan Park in Scatby

He added: 'I'm 56 and this is the hardest job I have ever had and with the nastiest of people. It was like herding four-year-olds.

'It was all about personality. It wasn't about the council, the public. They were unpleasant in the extreme.'

Former barrister Ms Lee said she made a complaint against Mr Holley in late 2021 which had still not been resolved and was currently in the hands of the monitoring officer at Great Yarmouth Borough Council.

She added: 'I put my heart and soul into that council but there were violent bullies and there is no appropriate form from what is a small council to control it.

'I walked away from it. There was no one prepared to do the right thing. It's been bubbling on here in Ormesby and Scratby for a long time.'

The latest councillor to quit is another Ormesby representative, Justin Rundle, who left a few months ago and is 'feeling better now', having become a borough councillor for Great Yarmouth.

The carpenter, 47, resurrected the local fete in 2020 after a gap of 12 years but had to 'fight tooth and nail to get that because people on the parish council were trying to block it'.

He claimed Mr Holley wanted the fete in Scratby 'so he started one last year and they had one in the village hall'.

'Parish councils are not a very nice environment,' he said.

Current council chairman Phil Nathan commented 'Good luck' when the Mail asked him what had been happening.

He said: 'We will not be commenting to anyone about anything. It's a story being blown out of proportion for all the wrong reasons. I suggest to you you do not publish this story.

'It you require to have any questions asked or answered, you should contact the clerk of the council via the email address on the website.'

Clerk Chris Batten admitted there had been a 'falling out' at the October 2021 meeting and a 'formal letter of apology' had been sent to all the councillors  but said he was 'not aware' of the details.

He confirmed police had spoken to Mr Holley about it but insisted: 'He's a forthright person. I have never witnessed him bullying anyone and have not been bullied myself.'

Mr Batten added: 'To say nobody wants to join [the parish council] is incorrect. There's definitely a divide but it's not a divide of the people who attend council meetings. It's a divide that is historic.

'Ormesby has been a co-joined council since 1947. I have been to every meeting since October and I have never witnessed any divide. I have enjoyed my time so far.'

In a written response about the exhumation, he added: 'Contrary to the suggestion there was no record of the plot, there indeed existed documentation the ultimate responsibility lies with the clerk.'

He also said the alleged comments about dyslexia were 'factually inaccurate' as the remark was 'prompted by a failure on the part of a clerk to disclose their dyslexia and the discussion revolved around potential support mechanisms'.

Mr Holley laughed when asked about the feud, saying: 'It's three-and-a-half years old.'

In relation to the bullying claims, he added: 'I will leave it to the parish council to deal with. I will notify the chairman.'

In the meantime, the council is managing with five members from Ormesby and four from Scratby  leaving locals bemused and appalled by the situation in equal measure.

One said in an online forum: 'It's easy to see why the council is in the state it is. Someone external needs to be stepping in.'

Norfolk Police refused to comment, although a source confirmed no one had been 'charged for anything'.

A Norfolk Police spokeswoman said: 'Police received a complaint of a public order offence relating to swearing and threats being made during a parish council meeting at Ormesby on October 5, 2021.

'Both parties were spoken to and no further action was taken.'
Former detectives have called on police WhatsApp groups where 'messages beyond the pale' are allowed to be written in plain sight, to be monitored and pleading with officers to be particularly careful about what they say on social media.

It comes after the grieving mother of Nottingham stab victim Barnaby Webber made a heartfelt plea this week urging officers to show more compassion after her son's body was described as being 'properly butchered' in an appalling WhatsApp chat.

Emma Webber was left feeling 'physically sick' when she was told of the horrific group messages describing the tragic scene where her teenager, along with fellow student Grace O'Malley-Kumar, also 19, had died.

Officers had sent texts with shocking language describing the victims' 'innards out and everything', which has reportedly seen some members of the force being sacked on the low-down.

However it is not the first time that bereaved families - who have lost loved ones in the worst circumstances imaginable - have been subjected to 'more trauma' at the hands of officers working on the cases.

Sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman, who were stabbed to death by 19-year-old devil worshipper Danyal Hussein, were labelled 'dead birds' by two officers who shared six photos of their harmed bodies.

And Sarah Everard's rapist and killer Wayne Couzens had made jokes about rape two years before he murdered her, while his colleagues also laughed about sexually assaulting domestic abuse victims.

Anti-crime campaigner Norman Brennan, who worked as a London police officer for 31-years, told MailOnline, said while he does not believe the group chats should be banned outright, better care is needed to protect families.

Barnaby Webber's grieving mother has revealed that she felt 'physically sick' after discovering an appalling police WhatsApp group following her son's murder. Pictured: Barnaby

Sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman who were stabbed to death by 19-year-old devil worshipper Danyal Hussein, were labelled 'dead birds' by two officers who shared six photos of their harmed bodies

In 2022, Charing Cross Police Station was investigated after details emerged off racist WhatsApp messages being exchanged. In February that year the IOPC found officers joked about rape, killing black children and beating their wives

'It is is a difficult one really. When you are dealing with suicides, murders and other fatalities, sometimes officers will privately say things that they call black humour but to the victim's family it is completely beyond comprehension,' he said.

'Police officers often have to pass on the most dreadful of news and in the minutes when they are dealing with it, sometimes they discuss among themselves using black humour. That is how police has always been.

'But if anything like this ever gets back to the families ears it would be exceptionally upsetting.

'I've met the most homicide families than anyone else in Britain and I know anything said in the moments where police exchange black humour would be very upsetting.'

Mr Brennan said his main concern lies with who leaked the messages initially rather than asking those responsible to remove the texts to avoid any 'insensitive words' getting back to victim's loved ones.

'I see both sides and my only overview is that in this day and age - and era of social media -police need to be exceptionally careful,' he added.

'It is clear they need to be careful with what they post on social media because it can often be released to those it was never intended to be released to.'

Officers messaged on WhatsApp to describe how both of the innocent 19-year-olds were 'properly butchered' in a work group chat. Pictured is the Grace O'Malley-Kumar

The students, along with caretaker Ian Coats, 65, (pictured) were killed by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane on June 13

Emma Webber has spoken out because the Chief Constable Kate Maynell had refused to pass on a letter explaining the effect of the language used

Another retired Met Police officer, who also served in the force for three decades, agreed that while the group chats should not be banned something needs to be done to crackdown on the 'appalling' behaviour sometimes seen.

Speaking with regards to the messages about the Nottingham stab victims, the former officer, who asked not to be named, said: I can only say say that such behaviour is appalling.

'Those in the police can become desensitised by the volume of trauma they witness and it can even affect their mental health but there is no excuse for this or some of the other examples we've seen.

'There have also been issues with a lowering of recruiting procedure standards due to cuts and Covid.

'Whilst this behaviour is beyond the pale, the public can be reassured by the hundreds of acts of bravery, kindness and compassion which occur in policing over each and every 24 hours. Most never make the headlines.'

While both former police officers with decades of experienced called out the appalling nature of such WhatsApp groups, they have stopped short of saying they should be banned altogether.

Officers said the group chats offer a support network to help cops cope with the 'volume of trauma they witness' and can help ease the burden of witnessing horrific cases that could in turn impact their own mental wellbeing.

Wayne Couzens (pictured) is serving a whole life order for the brutal murder of Sarah Everard in 2021

Sarah Everard (pictured) was abducted, raped and murdered by Couzens three years ago in South London

Deniz Jaffer, 49, one of the two officers who took photographs of murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman

The unnamed retired officer said that while he believes WhatsApp groups 'can be useful for officers under stress' the 'College of Policing and each force should lay down strict guidelines for their use and as a strange positive miss-use can also identify officers and staff who we don't want'.

Mr Brennan added: 'I was a police officer for 31 years, dealing with death, whether it was murder or suicide. It really affects everyone involved including the police officers who are often there to help pick up that devastation.

'And sometimes they are dealing with such travesty they may share black humour which to anyone outside policing, certainly the families, would not be acceptable.

'It has got to the stage now when officers have to realise that whatever you post, if a family member saw it and would find it upsetting or distressing, perhaps to not post it.'

Nottingham University students Barnaby and Grace were killed alongside local school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane on June 13 last year.

He admitted manslaughter and was given a hospital order.

It later emerged that officers working on the horrific tragedy had shared graphic injury details on WhatsApp.

Grace's father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, wrote to Nottinghamshire Chief Constable Kate Meynall to express his 'disgust' at the conduct of her officers, while Barnaby's mother Mrs Webber wrote an open letter to the force this week.

Couzens was in a WhatsApp group chat with police officers including PC Jonathon Cobban (pictured) and PC Joel Borders

Couzens (pictured) was a serving Metropolitan police officer when he murdered Sarah Everard

'When you say a couple of students had been 'properly butchered' did you stop to think about the absolute terror they felt in that moment?',' she said on GMB.

'From my perspective it was something that I could not let lie, I had to address it and I wanted the officers concerned, as I put in the letter, to take a moment to pause and think. And I hope it might educate them in the future.

'I wasn't asking for any further misconduct or disciplinary against them. That's been denied the opportunity to do it privately.

'But I do think it is strange how things work out because publicly it's a wider story now and it's at risk of endemic in this country that, particularly the police and our emergency service responders, it's not gallows humour. They are desensitized and disrespectful.'

Begging officers to have more compassion, Ms Webber said: 'Every day I walk past my beautiful boy's bedroom and I see his draws and his wardrobe full of clothes, his shoes where he last left them and countless photos and also the calendar on his wall that will never go beyond June 2023.'

Tragically the messages from the officers who handled the Nottingham case echo other murders and stabbings that have taken place over the years.

Mina Smallman (pictured), the mother of sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman who were stabbed to death by Danyal Hussein

Ex-officer Jamie Lewis (pictured), was jailed for taking inappropriate photographs at the scene of the double murder in Wembley

Deniz Jaffer, 49, one of the two officers who took photographs of murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman

In December 2021, two former Metropolitan Police PCs were put behind bars after they took pictures of murdered sisters Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman after they were found dead in the bushes of Fryent Country Park in Wembley, north London.

The officers took six photographs of the women's bodies after they were stabbed to death in June 2020 by 19-year-old devil worshipper, Danyal Hussein.

Pc Jamie Lewis and Pc Jamie Lewis had been told to guard the scene over night after Ms Henry, 46, and Ms Smallman, 27, were discovered but spent their time sharing the gruesome pictures.

One was a 'selfie-style' image which included Lewis's face superimposed on it. The officers also described the victims as 'dead birds' in WhatsApp groups.

Lewis wrote: 'Unfortunately I'm sat next to two dead birds full of stab wounds.'

Jaffer posted on another WhatsApp group: 'I have pictures of the two dead victims. Let me know who doesn't want to see.'

Both were jailed for two years and nine months with the judge telling the officers they had disregarded the victims' privacy for 'a cheap thrill' or 'some form of bragging right' that led to trust in the police being undermined.

The officers, however, were released automatically after serving half of their sentence.

Bibaa Henry, 46, and Nicole Smallman, 27, who were stabbed to death by Danyal Hussein

Mina Smallman (right), the mother of Nicole Smallman and Bibaa Henry, speaking outside the Old Baile

The women's mother Mina Smallman said at the time that the officers' actions were 'a betrayal of catastrophic proportions' and a 'sacrilegious act'.

'Those police officers felt so safe, so untouchable, they felt they would take photos of our murdered daughters. Those officers dehumanised our children,' she said.

Exposed: Sick jokes about rape, race and paedophilia during investigations into officers based in Westminster Investigations found evidence of 'toxic masculinity, misogyny and sexual harassment', ''banter' used to excuse oppressive and offensive behaviours', and 'bullying and aggressive behaviour';

One officer was known on WhatsApp as 'mcrapey raperson'. Asked to explain the name, it was said this referred to his reputation for 'harassing them [women], getting on them, do you know what I mean being like, just a d***';

Two officers went to a music festival dressed as 'known sex offenders' and a 'molested child';

Probationary officers were 'beckoned with a bell', women who spoke out about male colleagues were treated as a 'weary female';

Officers used WhatsApp groups to send messages about 'raping' each other, and homophobic comments like 'f*****g gay' and 'F*** you bender';

Told victims who complained of their behaviour that it was just 'banter';

Officers mocked Black Lives Matter, disabled people, ethnic minorities and Muslims. Advertisement

'One of them said they had deleted the picture and they hadn't. The IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct) got in touch with us because one of them had been heard offering to show the image,' she said later following their release.

'He could have sent it to anybody. He was called in and made to delete it again. Will one day those pictures suddenly appear?

'That's my biggest worry. That's the one thing Chris [her husband] and I could not do. We couldn't see the bodies. I want to remember the girls as they were, not get images of them after. That's a cause of great concern and anxiety.'

Similarly, depraved rapist and murdered Wayne Couzens joked about rape two years before he murdered Sarah Everard in March 2020.

Couzens was in a WhatsApp group chat with police officers including PC Jonathon Cobban and PC Joel Borders, who were jailed for three months for the messages in November 2022.

Four other officers, PC Gary Bailey, PC Matthew Forster, William Neville and PC Daniel Comfort lost their jobs over the incident, after being in the group chats called 'Bottles & Stoppers' and 'Atkin's puppets'.

They contained offensive messages about race, women, rape, violence, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and disability.

Also in 2022, Charing Cross Police Station was investigated after details emerged off racist WhatsApp messages being exchanged. In February that year the IOPC found officers joked about rape, killing black children and beating their wives.

An investigation found evidence of 'toxic masculinity, misogyny and harassment' within the force with ''banter' used to excuse oppressive and offensive behaviours', and 'bullying and aggressive behaviour'.

One officer was known on WhatsApp as 'mcrapey raperson' was asked to explain the name and said it referred to his reputation for 'harassing them [women], getting on them, do you know what I mean being like, just a d***'

Other officers used WhatsApp groups to send messages about 'raping' each other, and homophobic comments like 'f*****g gay' and 'F*** you bender' while others mocked the Black Lives Matter movement, ethnic minorities and disabled people.

A gross misconduct hearing was told the 'distasteful' information concerning victims Grace O'Malley Kumar (pictured, left) and Barnaby Webber, both 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, was sent into the group by an unidentified officer

Grace's parents Dr Sanjoy Kumar and Sinead O'Malley arriving at Nottingham Crown Court in January

Barnaby's family (left to right) father David Webber, mother Emma Webber and brother Charlie Webber, arrive at Nottingham Crown Court in January

In 2022, Charing Cross Police Station was investigated after details emerged off racist WhatsApp messages being exchanged (file pic)

A promotional poster for the Metropolitan Police service outside Charing Cross police station following the publication of a report into behaviour by serving officers

More recently in December 2023 eight elite Met police officers were spared jail despite sharing racist jokes about Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales.

As well as targeting the royals, they mocked-up a street sign called 'Browning Street' alongside a photo of Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel and Sajid Javid.

Another message featured a racially offensive photo of Prince William and Kate Middleton greeting young black children through a wire fence.

Offensive messages about Romanians, Chinese and other nationalities were also shared in the private group. Remarks were also made about the floods in Pakistan, which killed more than a thousand people.

Michael Chadwell, 62, Peter Booth, 66, Anthony Elsom, 67, Trevor Lewton, 65, Alan Hall, 65, and Robert Lewis, 62, were all sentenced to between six and 14 weeks' imprisonment - suspended for 12 months at Westminster Magistrates Court.

A spokesman for the College of Policing said: 'The College of Policing recently introduced a refreshed Code of Ethics for officers and staff setting out clearly the behaviour the public has a right to expect from the police service at all times.

'The College of Policing's Code of Ethics sets out that all officers and staff will act with courage, respect, empathy and public service. It guides how officers should behave both on and off duty, and this includes the use of social media.

'The posting of discriminatory, abusive, oppressive, harassing, bullying, victimising or offensive material is incompatible with these ethical policing principles and totally unacceptable.'

Nottinghamshire Police force previously said 'it would be inappropriate to comment further due to the ongoing independent investigation by the IOPC, and the review by the College of Policing.'

The force took immediate action after its Professional Standards Directorate (PSD) found one message posted on a Whatsapp group where words were deemed crude and distasteful.

The officer faced a gross misconduct trial in January 2024 and was given a final written warning.
Furious students have slammed the University of Oxford after a college worth millions announced it was charging the equivalent of more than a month's rent for tickets to its summer ball.

Pembroke College, which was founded in 1624, is charging 446 per person for its 400th birthday white tie bash.

It means a ticket for the fancy ball is more expensive than the average monthly student rent in the UK, which is 418.

Students said it shows just how 'inaccessible' the historic university is for working class students.

They said poorer students are being priced out of Oxford's posh perks, such as their formals and summer balls.

Oxford student Chloe Pomfret, 20, revealed the staggering price of the College's anniversary ball.

Oxford student Chloe Pomfret, 20, (pictured) revealed the price of a ticket to Pembroke College's anniversary ball was a whopping 446

A ticket for the fancy white tie ball is more expensive than the average monthly student rent in the UK, which is 418

She posted the price of tickets in disgust online, writing: 'You wonder why oxford is so inaccessible for working class students... 446 for one college ball.' Pictured: Chloe with her boyfriend Viraansh on a boat ride along The River Thames, London, in May last year

Pembroke College (pictured) was founded in 1624, 400 years ago, and reportedly has 62million in its coffers

The Human Sciences undergraduate grew up in foster care and was left homeless at the age of 16 after becoming estranged from her family.

She posted the price of tickets in disgust online, writing: 'You wonder why Oxford is so inaccessible for working class students... 446 for one college ball.'

The St Catherine's College student later added that there had been cheaper prices specifically for students, but even those tickets were still a whopping 196, almost half a month's rent.

She previously said: 'It's still surreal when I walk out into Oxford. You see all these big, fancy buildings, and it's just a whole other world.

'You go to formals, where they're serving you food, I have a cleaner that comes and cleans my room, and I just think, ''What on Earth?''

One literature-loving social media user replied: 'My goodness that's a month's rent right there.'

Other students were shocked by Chloe's (pictured) revelation. Georgie Hobden, 25, a PhD student in Experimental Psychology, told MailOnline such high costs led to a polarising divide between rich and poor students

Chloe previously said her life had a 'surreal' turn after she was accepted into Oxford University

Social media users reacted furiously to the incredibly expensive prices

Another said: 'That's ridiculous. I'm a member of a private members' club, and even factoring in the membership fee, it doesn't work out at these kind of prices for formal events.'

Georgie Hobden, 25, a PhD student in Experimental Psychology, told MailOnline such high costs led to a polarising divide between rich and poor students.

She said: 'These prices contribute to an unhealthy polarisation within the student body - those who can those who can't.

'Social hierarchies and injustices that students seek to escape by coming to a supposedly inclusive university are sadly mirrored, reinforced and amplified by these distinctly non-inclusive events.'

MailOnline has contacted the University of Oxford and Pembroke College for comment.
One-by-one during the 2016 presidential campaign, headlines in the increasingly political National Enquirer kept eviscerating Donald Trump's opponents.

'TED CRUZ FATHER LINKED TO JFK' said one headline linking Rafael Cruz to Lee Harvey Oswald in the spring of 2016. 'BEN CARSON BUTCHERED MY BRAIN!' went another.

To operatives working for Trump's top Republican rivals, it didn't take long to figure out what was going on with the normally celebrity obsessed supermarket tabloid headed by longtime Trump friend David Pecker.

'Clearly Pecker was in Trump's pocket. This is what he wanted him to do and he did it,' said Republican consultant Rick Tyler, who ran communications for Trump rival Ted Cruz.

Trump's Stormy Daniels trial has featured bombshell testimony about a secret 'deal' for the National Enquirer to go after his Republican and Democratic political rivals

He recalled the impact of those newspaper covers, and did not dismiss their impact on the electorate.

'I just remember. I do think the campaign completely underestimated the impact of those stories. People who are shall we say sophisticated will look at those at the checkouts and go that's funny,' Tyler, Co-Founder of Foundry Strategies, told DailyMail.com. 'Apparently there are a lot of people that buy that s*** and think it's true,' he said.

He called the impact hard to measure, even in a publication that sometimes ran outlandish stories written off as farce.

Tyler called another cover story, about a 'Ted Cruz Sex Scandal' claiming Cruz had multiple affairs, 'hysterically funny.' 'If you knew Cruz at all the idea that he was carrying on affairs with six women was doubled over. Gut-wrenchingly funny,' he said.

But to operatives helming the ultimately hapless efforts to take on the dominant celebrity Trump, the repeated incoming drew notice.

'Obviously we didn't know that Trump was coordinating directly with the publisher of the Enquirer,' said Republican consultant Alex Conant, who ran communications on Sen. Marco Rubio's campaign. 'But obviously the Enquirer was running a lot of pro-Tump coverage,' the founding partner of Firehouse Strategies told DailyMail.com.

Campaign headlines about Rubio mentioned a 'love child' and 'cocaine connection.' But according to Pecker's testimony, hits came at specific times, and at the direction of Trump fixer Michael Cohen, who was part of a secret 'deal' about campaign coverage.

'My conversations with Michael Cohen, Michael Cohen would call me and say -- he would say, we would like for you to run a negative article on, let's say, for argument sake, on Ted Cruz. Then he would send me -- he being Michael Cohen -- would send me information about Ted Cruz or about Ben Carson or about Marco Rubio. That was the basis of our story, and then we would embellish it from there,' Pecker said.

'Not interested in revisiting ancient history,' said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, on a day David Pecker delivered bombshell testimony about a 'deal' with Trump to suppress negative stories and go after Trump rivals in the National Enquirer. Headlines linked his dad to the JFK assassination and claimed he had 'five secret mistresses'

The paper ran reports alleging Cruz carried on affairs. He furiously denied the claims at the time

Another story covered a patient's complaint about former presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson

Pecker testified that the Enquirer ran negative headlines on Trump rivals when they were gaining in the polls

Prosecutors introduced as evidence images of Pecker visiting Trump at the White House after he won the White House in 2017

He said the stories ran 'after the Republican debates, and based on the success of some of the other candidates, I would receive a call from Michael Cohen and he would direct me and direct [editor] Dylan Howard on which candidate and which direction we should go. That's how the process happened.'

The stories may have gotten laughs, but they also had impact.

The Cruz JFK story was 'obviously fake,' said Conant. 'But still something that Cruz had to contend with. It was a distraction for Cruz's campaign.

Cruz himself wasn't interested in revisiting the story that infuriated him during the campaign. 'Not interested in revisiting ancient history,' he told reporters in the Capitol this week.

Pecker was also shown headlines of Enquirer stories about Ben Carson, who was battling Trump for Evengelical support based on his dramatic story of overcoming life obstacles.

'Bungling surgeon Ben Carson left sponge in patient's brain' read one.

GOP consultant Rick Tyler said campaigns could sense an arrangement with Pecker

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo got Pecker to acknowledge that Carson had been 'gaining in popularity in the polls' at the time of the hits.

'Were these headlines run in accordance with your agreement stuck in Trump Tower in 2015?' he followed up. 'Yes,' Pecker responded.

Those attacks came at a time when Carson, who later made peace with Trump and became HUD Secretary, was a threat.

'When Trump gets in the race he is the dominant figure and no one beats him in any national poll,' said Tyler. 'Where he was behind was in iowa and he was behind Carson. And that's when he was going after Carson,' he said.

Trump found ways to amplify the attacks on his biography that appeared in the Enquirer, dramatically reenacting Carson's awakening story of trying to stab someone as an angry youth only to be blocked by a belt buckle in Iowa. He also called him a 'pathological liar' and compared him to

'He just dispatched them all pretty much in order,' said Tyler of Trump. Rubio made a 'classic error.'

'Obviously the Enquirer was running a lot of pro-Tump coverage,' said consultant Alex Conant, who worked for Marco Rubio's campaign

'He decided for 5 days he was going to go out and out Trump Trump. And he made a jackass of himself,' he said.

Cruz opted to fight back after the Enquirer ran a piece accusing him of having five affairs.

Cruz lashing out at trump over the Heidi thing. You just didn't feel it,' he said.

The most blatant tells that the Enquirer was carrying water for Trump came in its glowing headlines about him.

'Donald Trump: The Man Behind the Legend,' was one. 'Donald Trump: Healthiest Individual Ever Elected,' ran another  echoing the over-the-top assessment of his longtime personal physician Dr. Harold Bornstein.

Headlines on his 2016 Democratic rival Hillary Clinton were merciless. 'Hillary: 6 MONTHS TO LIVE!' said one, with a subhead saying she had brain cancer. 'HILLARY FRAMED TRUMP FAMILY!' said another.

Pecker said Hillary running for president and 'Bill Clinton's womanizing was the biggest, one of the biggest sales I had for the National Enquirer and the other tabloids.'

He called it a 'mutual benefit. It would help his campaign; it would also help me.' He focused on Hillary as an 'enabler' of Bill's womanizing, he said.

Asked how Trump felt about the coverage, Pecker responded: 'He was pleased.'

On redirect examination by Trump's lawyers Friday, he admitted that the paper had gone after the Clintons even before the secret deal he described with Trump.

Another former Trump rival, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was nonplussed by the new details of the 2016 machinations that helped Trump take over the Republican Party. 'I don't know anything about it,' he told DailyMail.com when asked about the Pecker bombshells from the trial. 'I've paid zero attention  I think the whole trial's a bunch of bull****,' he added.
Harvey Weinstein's $300M fortune has been drained by bankruptcies, two divorces, over $40M in class-action settlements, and millions in attorneys' fees

Harvey Weinstein's estimated net worth has dwindled to less than a tenth of his previous $300million fortune, financial experts told DailyMail.com  as he is set to fight yet another costly trial.

The convicted rapist movie mogul, 72, is still likely to be sitting on tens of millions of dollars after decades at the pinnacle of Hollywood, but has been drastically devalued after his business' bankruptcy, two divorces, over $40million in class-action settlements, and millions in attorneys' fees.

Weinstein, who was transported to Rikers Island jail from his upstate prison after his rape conviction was nullified by the court, was taken to Bellevue Hospital for a 'series of tests,' on Friday.

And he continue to hemorrhage cash to lawyers after a New York appeals court ruled on Thursday that his rape conviction in that state will be retried.

'Following Harvey Weinstein's rape, sexual misconduct and assault charges, he no longer owns the empire he once did,' Southern California financial expert and investigator Jack Cohen told DailyMail.com.

Harvey Weinstein fortune has been drained by business bankruptcies, two divorces, over $40million in class-action settlements, and millions in attorneys' fees over the last seven years

At the height of his career, the now disgraced film mogul was estimated to be worth between $240million to $300million

Before his downfall in 2017, the award-winning movie producer was one of the most successful in the business, with movie assets valued at over $500million

'Between the legal fees, divorce settlements, and child support, in addition to currently being imprisoned and not being able to conduct any business or produce income, I estimate his current net worth to be around $25million, which is a huge drop from his past worth of between $240million and $300million, when he was at his peak of his career and very successful.'

Before his devastating downfall following public allegations of sexual assault and rape in 2017, CelebrityNetWorth.com estimated Weinstein's worth to be as high as $300million. Page Six estimated a more conservative $240million.

He had mansions in Connecticut and Manhattan, several properties in Los Angeles, and a business, The Weinstein Company, with movie assets valued at over $500million.

But in October 2017 his empire came crashing down, as dozens of claims of his prolific molestation and abuse of Hollywood actresses dating back 30 years were published in the New Yorker, New York Times and other outlets.

Among his accusers are a host of A-listers including Kate Beckinsale, Lysette Anthony, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter, Cara Delevingne, Salma Hayek, and Paris Hilton.

His downfall led not only to his arrest and conviction of rape in both California and New York, but also the collapse of The Weinstein Company, which declared bankruptcy in 2018.

The firm made Weinstein tens of millions over his career, producing hit movies including Django Unchained, The King's Speech, Silver Linings Playbook, and Paddington.

But its folding left him and its other owners empty handed, as its debts of more than $520million outstripped its assets.

Weinstein also had huge costs to contend with in his personal life.

Weinstein's empire came crashing down in October 2017 as dozens of claims of his prolific molestation and abuse of Hollywood actresses dating back 30 years were made public

His downfall led not only to his arrest and conviction of rape in both California and New York, but also the collapse of The Weinstein Company, which declared bankruptcy in 2018

His legal team is now appealing the California conviction. Pictured: Weinstein with Oscar winner Meryl Streep in 2012 before the sordid accusations emerged

Weinstein, 72, whose health has also been on the decline, had sold about $62M of property from his vast portfolio - including his main residence in Westport, Connecticut (pictured) for $16M in 2018 - to fund his legal battles

His 2004 divorce from first wife Eve Chilton, mother of three of his five children, left him with significant child and spousal support costs. In 2018 she filed court documents claiming he still owed her $5million.

The same year, he settled his divorce with his second wife, Georgina Chapman, for a reported sum between $15million and $20million.

He was also hit with a raft of civil lawsuits over his alleged sexual abuse, and started selling off his vast property portfolio to pay for his marital and legal settlements.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, from 2017 to 2019 he sold about $62million of property.

Sales included a Hamptons family home that went for $10million in November 2017, a commercial condo in Tribeca sold in April 2019 for $6.1million, a Los Angeles house he bought for his daughter Lily at $1.8million in April 2018, and his main residence in Westport, Connecticut, for $16million February 2018.

He remained living at the Westport home after he sold it in 2018 until February 2019, in a deal with the new owner.

But he appears to have now sold all his larger US properties, and since his New York conviction in 2020, has languished in state prison.

Though the conviction was overturned and he faces a retrial, another 2022 rape conviction in California for which he was sentenced to 16 years means he is likely to continue his incarceration on the West Coast.

The class action lawsuits against him by alleged sexual assault victims resulted in settlements of at least $43million.

He and his firm settled a class action with his victims for $25million in December 2019 and a second settlement for a reported $17million was made in January 2021.

His attorney Arthur Aidala (pictured on April 25) represented him throughout the New York appeal

Weinstein was convicted in 2020 of raping Jessica Mann (pictured at court in 2020) at her home in Manhattan in 2013

Justice James M. Burke, seen in a court sketch in 2020, was blamed for a 'crucial' mistake in Weinstein's New York trial

Steven Siegler, executive managing director at Palm Beach appraisal expert firm Equity Development Systems, said that a portion of Weinstein's previous financial worth was in his dealmaking ability as a Hollywood 'kingmaker'  a status that is likely never to return.

'Hollywood is fickle. It's certainly not out of the question that he could resurrect himself and grow his name, image and likeness values back again,' Siegler told DailyMail.com.

'But I don't know that he would ever work again with the likes of Class A talent like a Scorsese or Spielberg.

'Would you want to go have lunch with him on Rodeo Drive and be seen in public?'

Siegler added that super-wealthy individuals like Weinstein often stashed assets abroad, and a true accounting of his net worth would require a forensic audit.

'Being a person of great wealth, I would assume he would hold assets in securities, hard assets like gold or silver, in a personal capacity and maybe even offshore,' he said.

'They could be parked in different countries, not necessarily within the reach of the United States government. It would take a great forensic exercise to find all that.'

Between Weinstein's trials, appeals, and civil cases, his legal fees may have reached the tens of millions since 2017.

Weinstein disclosed that he was paying two of his attorneys $100,000 a month each, in a lawsuit he filed claiming they overcharged him and underperformed.

The lawsuit said attorney Jose Baez and his partner were paid a combined $200,000 per month to fight his criminal trial, for a total $2million.

Weinstein was a titan of the movie industry before the widespread allegations of sexual abuse made him the face of the #MeToo movement in 2017

Weinstein disclosed that he was paying two of his attorneys - one of whom was Jose Baez (pictured in 2019) - $100,000 a month each, in a lawsuit he filed claiming they overcharged him and underperformed

Attorney Arthur Aidala said Weinstein was moved to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, seen here, after his arrival on Friday into Rikers Island

Weinstein was represented by Benjamin Brafman from his 2018 arrest, then switched him for a team of four including Baez and Harvard Law professor Ronald Sullivan.

Arthur Aidala represented him in his New York appeal which he won last week; Michael Freedman and Jennifer Bonjean for his California appeal.

If he had retained a team of four lawyers paid $100,000 per month since 2018, the total bill would now be over $30million.

Westlake Village, California-based property expert Cohen said that the financial firestorm Weinstein faced has left him with an estimated net worth of about $25million.

'In the past, his net worth was estimated at $300million,' Cohen told DailyMail.com.

'Much of this valuation was based on the value of The Weinstein Company before the sexual scandals of 2017 broke worldwide.

'I estimate his current net worth to be around $25million.'

Bonjean, of NYC-based Bonjean Law Group, said that his successful New York appeal may have consequences for his California appeal.

'The impact (on the Los Angeles trial) is massive,' she told DailyMail.com.

'The entire trial was tainted from jump street because this jury was fully aware of New York convictions that are no longer valid.'

'I spoke with him yesterday. We were very anxious to get the New York decision.

'He's doing hard time and he's not a young man. He was entitled to a fair trial but he didn't get.'

'His appeal brief is due on May 20 but we're considering other avenues right this second.'

However, Weinstein faces a tougher battle in the golden state due to longstanding laws allowing alleged other victims of sexual abuse by the defendant to testify in rape trials.
Sound corporate governance is key to sustainable growth

By Anna J. Park

Enhancing the independent role of the board of directors and audit committee within a company is paramount in improving corporate governance, the head of the Samil PwC Governance Center said.

During a recent interview with The Korea Times, Chang On-gyun, who leads the Samil PwC Governance Center, explained that the strengthened board of directors and audit committee can exercise effective oversight over actions by controlling shareholders and management, thus successfully curbing attempts to undermine the interests of the overall company and minority shareholders.

"In Korea, where ownership and management tend not to be separated properly, it is challenging for the board of directors and the audit committee to effectively monitor and inhibit attempts by controlling shareholders and management that could erode the company's interests as well as the benefits of ordinary shareholders excessively," Chang said during the interview.

The governance center head noted that the introduction of outside directors and audit committees into the country's corporate system in the wake of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 still remains largely formalistic in operations.

"I think one of the key reasons behind this perfunctory operation of the independent directors and audit committees system within a company is Korea's prevailing corporate governance, which is biased towards the interests of controlling shareholders in Korean companies," Chang said.

He added that the fact that the system was introduced suddenly into the domestic corporate environment amid the external pressure of the financial crisis, without taking sufficient consideration of Korea's unique cultural and economic characteristics, has also contributed to its malfunction.

He thus believes that it is necessary to continue carrying out a meticulous analysis of the current corporate system and seek institutional mechanisms under which a sound corporate governance structure can take firm root.

"It seems necessary to establish a proper legal framework through legislation that can appropriately reflect the opinions of minority shareholders regarding whether management is dedicating itself to the core business for long-term corporate value enhancement," Chang said.

In addition, Chang thinks controlling shareholders as well as corporate management should pay close attention and respond properly to the demands led by shareholder activism. It gets more relevance, given the ongoing government-led Corporate Value-up Program initiative, which aims to increase the shareholder value of company stocks.

In that regard, Chang also advises companies to communicate clearly and transparently with shareholders about their shareholder rights' protection policies.

Vision to improve corporate governance

Being a CPA licensed in both Korea and the U.S., Chang joined Samil PwC in 1994, and has also worked at PwC New York from 1999 to 2001. He has built an extensive career over the past three decades in the areas of accounting advisory, auditing, internal control advice, IPO support and more. He became head of the Samil PwC Governance Center in December 2022.

As the chief of the governance center, Chang hopes to contribute to the improvement of corporate governance in Korean companies. The center has been providing direction for companies to help them improve their corporate governance via various programs.

The center holds seminars, conducts large-scale surveys and releases various publications on themes related to corporate governance. It also is active online, utilizing platforms like YouTube and KakaoTalk channels to reach further audiences. With such activities, the center anticipates that meaningful results and insights can be generated, thereby contributing to enhancing the roles of the board of directors and audit committees of companies.
The family of a New York City firefighter has been left distraught after he was fired by the department and then died from a heart attack at the age of 36, leaving them without any income.

Derek Floyd, 36, suffered a cardiac arrest and died on April 15, just four months after the city fired him as part of a budget crunch to fund migrant services.

Floyd's death has now left his grieving widow, six-year-old son Ethan and two-year-old daughter Abigail facing the terrifying prospect of not being able to afford their home.

Floyd had been a firefighter for four years and was one of roughly ten Fire Department employees on 'long-term duty.' His firing came days before Christmas, leaving his family ineligible for $600,000 in death benefits they would have received if he wasn't let go.

'If Derek would have stayed on, he would have had a life insurance policy with the FDNY. That would have helped out financially because right now, it's really bad. I'm honestly swimming in a lot of debt,' his grieving widow revealed.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help provide donations for the family.

The family of a New York City firefighter have been left distraught after he was fired by the department and then died from a heart attack at the age of 36. Derek Floyd is seen left, with his wife Christine, son Ethan, six, and daughter, Abigail, two

Floyd, had served since 2019 and was terminated along with others on long-term duty despite needing job benefits

Several members of the FDNY attended Floyd's funeral earlier this month

Long-term duty can mean a firefighter was either injured on the job and given office work, or is out sick for an extended period of time.

The city is aiming to cut the FDNY budget by $74 million by the end of 2025 in order make way for additional spending on migrants.

In Floyd's case, he had been working in the chaplain's office after suffering an earlier heart attack in 2019 while still in the Fire Academy.

Before joining New York's Bravest, Floyd had completed three tours in the Middle East, serving as a Marines.

In a cruel twist of fate, the father of two young children was on the path to becoming medically cleared in order to re-enter the force as a firefighter.

'I wouldn't wish it on anyone,' widow Cristine Floyd, 34, told the New York Post.

Before joining New York's Bravest, Floyd had completed three tours in the Middle East, serving with the Marines

Floyd is seen in his uniform while serving with the Marines in a 2013 picture

'I think it definitely took a toll once they let him go. He always tried to stay positive about it, and he wasn't really angry.

'But you see a person, and the wheels are turning in their brain where they're just constantly thinking, so I definitely think it did affect us,' Christine explained.

'He used to be so present for, like, our kids and stuff. Being a firefighter was something he was really passionate about. He was really a big-time, like, family person, he was all about his kids.

She said watching him struggle to make a living, while at the same time trying to be present with his family, was hard.

Floyd is seen in ceremonial uniform during a picture from 2012

When he was back in the U.S., Floyd helped to drive recruitment to those considering a career in the military

'I really, really loved him, and so it was hard,' she said.

Following Floyd's firing, he had found work with a non-profit that helps veterans, but the pay was much less than the FDNY, there were limited medical benefits and he was not able to spend as much time with his children.

'What disturbs me the most is that the FDNY is understaffed by hundreds of firefighters. Terminating [Floyd] was absolutely unnecessary,' Uniformed Firefighter Association President Andrew Ansbro said.

'He had an important job, and the FDNY actually needed him in that unit. He was terminated so the department could prove that they were making cuts. He deserved better,' Ansbro noted.

Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh says the FDNY are looking into how they can help.

'We are heartbroken over the passing of former Probationary Firefighter Derek Floyd, and will explore all financial, legal and legislative options to help his family and ensure they have the support they need during this time,' said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.
For nearly nine months, Susan Hall has had a countdown clock propped next to the kettle in her kitchen in Harrow, North London, so that every time she pops down for her first cuppa of the day  usually just after 5am  it sharpens the mind.

'This morning was seven!' she says. 'Just seven days left until the election. There's still so much to be done. Of course, I'm not enjoying it. It's not flimsy, it's important. So important. There's no time for anything else.'

Not holidays  she hasn't had one for two years. Or days off. Or friends  'I haven't got any friends any more!' Or reading  'No time for anything but briefings.' Or booze  'I do love a whisky, but I haven't had a drink for over a year because there's far too much at stake.'

Instead, she has been doing nothing but knocking on doors and campaigning. Anything to knock Labour's Sadiq Khan off his very well-appointed perch in City Hall come the London mayoral election day this Thursday.

'It's about listening. Actually hearing what Londoners want,' she says. 'I've met tens of thousands of Londoners [she's aiming for 100,000 by D-Day], and if they come out and vote, I will win. I know I'll win. It's totally doable.'

Conservative mayoral candidate Susan Hall has been doing nothing but knocking on doors and campaigning to knock Labour's Sadiq Khan off his perch in City Hall as the London mayoral election looms on Thursday

A van in Westminster displays a campaign message from Susan who wants to cancel the Ulez extension and replace it with a 50 million fund to address traffic pinch points

Which is impressive self-confidence. Particularly as, from pretty much from the minute Susan, a 69-year-old grandmother and former hair salon owner, was anointed Conservative mayoral candidate last July, the polls have had Khan nearly 30 points ahead for a third victory and another four years as mayor of London.

Many Tories have long ago written off this week's contest on the basis that London is usually Labour anyway, with the very occasional Boris- shaped blip.

(It also didn't help that, in the past  despite her tagline 'Safer with Susan'  she has been a teeny bit trigger-happy on Twitter, resulting in a spatter of unfortunate gaffes involving Donald Trump, Enoch Powell, reality star Gemma Collins's weight and reports of a 'stolen' wallet which turned out not to be. We'll come to those later.)

But elections are rarely simple. And pretty much the only thing supporters of Khan and Hall can agree on is that the race for City Hall will be closer than most people think, partly due to three factors: last week Savanta research had the gap between the pair at just 13 points; because of a change in the voting system to First Past The Post; and increasing voter apathy  particularly in younger people.

It is also impossible to ignore the state of London right now, with knife crime, gangs and homelessness rising, the Metropolitan Police in special measures, endless threats of Tube strikes, the ongoing nightmare of Ulez and a raft of overpaid fat cats tucking into the mayoral cream. All under Khan's watch.

But one more factor, according to Susan, is that she has been grossly underestimated.

'There's always sexism and snobbiness. It's not easy, but I'm not going to complain,' she says. 'I was a small business owner and I know how things work, so if I win, I won't be stretching out behind my big desk  I'll be sorting out this bloody mess.'

Starting with cancelling the controversial Ulez extension on day one (replacing it with a 50 million fund to address traffic pinch points), sorting out the police, scything through all the perks and jerks of City Hall and clearing out its mad wokery.

No wonder she is described by supporters as 'authentically and unapologetically Conservative'. Someone who would be tough on crime and take on the unions.

'Everything I promise in my manifesto will be delivered,' she says, looking me hard in the eye and smoothing her blue skirt with neat little hands.

But don't they all say that?

Since Susan was anointed Conservative mayoral candidate last July, the polls have had Khan nearly 30 points ahead for a third victory and another four years as mayor of London

Susan greets Rishi Sunak on his visit to Uxbridge to congratulate Conservative Party candidate Steve Tuckwell after his win in the by-election last year

'I am different,' she insists. 'I keep my word. I'm not in it for the ego or the trappings. I was born to work hard.' Susan's heroes are her late father  one of 13 children, who built his own car mechanic business and 'literally worked himself to death'  and Margaret Thatcher.

She goes a bit pink and dreamy when she tells me how she once shook her hand. 'She used to say: 'If you want something said, ask a man, but if you want something done, then ask a woman.' '

Susan is very much a doer. She was born in Willesden, North-West London, in 1955 and, when her father died young and the money dried up, she helped out with the family business from the age of 14.

By then, she could already strip a car engine, and soon learned how to do everything at home from unblocking U-bends to rewiring electrics (she gave that up a few years back when she was thrown off a kitchen table trying to replace a ceiling rose).

Susan also loves to be in charge. For years she ran the family salon business and its 20 staff in Harrow, while Gerald, her ex-husband, cut hair. 'When I divorced him, I promised I'd always look after him. So he still uses my house to cut hair,' she says. 'It works well. And it's great for Amazon deliveries, because he's always there and I'm always out working.'

It wasn't until their two children were grown up that she joined Harrow Council in 2006.

By 2013 she was in charge  freezing council tax and balancing the budget after Labour left a 6 million deficit. She became a member of the London Assembly in 2017 and has led the London Conservatives from 2019 to 2023.

As a former chair of City Hall's Police and Crime Unit, she understands 'how the Met works', and her passion for policing goes back years, to an incident when she was threatened by a customer in her salon.

'That feeling  the knot in your stomach, when you don't feel safe, is shocking. No one should have to feel that,' she says, admitting that when walking to her car from the train station, she holds her keys sticking out of her tiny fist for protection.

Something for which she blames Khan, as she does most things. 'He doesn't deliver. He keeps re-announcing things  it's all smoke and mirrors and virtue-signalling.'

As well as being his political opponent, she clearly loathes him. 'The arrogance of him! Hopefully people will see that. And he can't stand women. It's not just me, he talks over us all. So rude!'

They have never once had a meeting, and she insists that he even ignores her in the lifts of City Hall. 'I've tried to talk to him,' she says. 'I'll say 'hello' because that's good manners. But he's always surrounded by security staff and just looks away.'

But let's forget Khan and his many faults for a minute and consider whether Susan is mayoral material. When she was nominated as the Tory candidate, not everyone was thrilled.

Many dismissed her as the best of a bad bunch after one of her two running mates, Daniel Korski, a former advisor to David Cameron, stepped down after historical allegations of groping  firmly denied  were made against him by broadcaster Daisy Goodwin.

And the other, Mozammel Hossain, a KC, had no political experience to speak of.

It didn't help that the Evening Standard newspaper ran an unflattering photo of her  arms aloft, eyes bulging and grinning like a loon  on its front page.

'That was unkind and misogynistic,' she says. 'Did they apologise? Did they heck!'

Though what she cannot blame on others is her controversial social media posts. She's a vocal supporter of Donald Trump and Liz Truss, and backed the former Prime Minister's disastrous mini budget.

But it was last September when the Twittersphere went truly apoplectic after a Labour campaign group revealed that she had 'liked' a tweet praising Enoch Powell in 2020. And back in 2014 she called reality star Gemma Collins a 'stupid fat blonde woman' on Twitter.

Today, she is much more conciliatory. 'I've learned by my mistakes, apologised for them and I won't be doing it again,' she says.

She also points out that a bizarre campaign video released last month (now deleted) called Life Under Labour had nothing to do with her team. It supposedly depicted a lawless London, but used footage of commuters running from gunfire in a New York railway station. 'It's very annoying and unhelpful,' she says 'but you have to forget it and move on.'

It's a shame that these missteps keep tripping her up. Because in many ways Susan is very impressive  tough as old boots, hard-working, straight-talking and totally committed to improving the lot of Londoners.

And, unlike Khan, perched high on his throne and surrounded by lackeys, she's knocking on doors, meeting the electorate every day, until her kitchen countdown clock stops.
The grieving parents of a teenage boy who took his life after falling prey to a 'sextortion' scam have spoken out in a bid to help other young Aussie victims.

Rohan Cosgriff, from Ballarat, about 115 km north-west of Melbourne, had 'befriended' a teenage girl on Instagram.

The 17-year-old did not realise the girl he spoke with was a ruthless scammer from Nigeria.

After earning his trust, the hoaxer convinced Rohan to send an explicit photo of himself.

Once the photo was sent, the extortionist threatened to make Rohan's image public and demanded the teen pay $1,000.

Within hours of being blackmailed, Rohan took his own life on July 26, 2022.

Rohan Cosgriff, 17, (pictured) took his own life in 2022 after falling victim to a sextortion scam

On the night of Rohan's death, his dad, Anthony Cosgriff, was doing paperwork on his computer when his wife, Beck, noticed their son was not in his room.

When he didn't answer his mobile phone, the couple began searching the house and their horse stables for him.

'I thought I'll just go over and check what we call the oval, which was the grassy area where we always played ball games next to the house,' Mr Cosgriff told 7News Spotlight.

Mr Cosgriff spotted his son's body there and made the heartbreaking discovery that he had committed suicide.

The devastated father performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

A sobbing Mrs Cosgriff said she and her husband sat in their car and watched as paramedics worked on their son but were unable to save him.

'I went inside, and I didn't want Rohan to be cold, so I just grabbed his doona,' Mrs Cosgriff said.

'We had a pillow as well, and just put the pillow under his head and we just laid down with him in the rain and just patted his hair and told him we loved him.'

His grief-stricken parents Beck and Anthony Cosgriff (pictured) spoke out about the devastating death of their son in the hope they can prevent other young Aussies from falling victim to the cruel scam

The very next day, police found a note inside Rohan's bedroom that read: 'I'm sorry. I've made a huge mistake. I love you all so much.'

The Cosgriffs soon found out their son was a victim of a sextortion scam and have spoken out in the hope they can help other young Aussies.

Rohan had told the scammer blackmail was illegal and that he was 'just a kid' and did not have any money.

Just hours before Rohan took his own life he received a reply from the scammer that read: 'Right, now you've got half an hour until we ruin your life.'

Mr Cosgriff added: 'According to the policeman, the pressure that was put on him was immense. And that it was within an hour of him first being asked for money.'

Mr Cosgriff believes the traditional message of 'don't send explicit images' needs to be backed up with, 'If you do, it's not the end of the world. We can fix it'.

His wife agrees, claiming the message needs to take the shame away from teenagers who have sent explicit images.

'The reality is lots of kids send d*** pics. They just do. They shouldn't. It's a silly thing to do. But they get caught up in the moment for whatever reason,' Mrs Cosgriff said.

'People need to know it can be dealt with, that they're not committing the crime. Someone else is committing a crime against them.

'Rohan was a victim of crime and he's dead because of it.'

Rohan was befriended by a stranger pretending to be a teenage girl on Instagram. The scammer pressured him to send an explicit photo of himself before threatening to share the image unless he paid $1,000

An investigation into Rohan's death was launched by Victoria Police in July 2022, which alerted the Australian Federal Police in October but an official referral was never made.

The AFP explained it has never been the agency responsible for leading the investigation, while details of the case were not passed onto Nigerian authorities.

In a statement on April 17, Victoria Police advised case information has been forwarded to the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation which 'are 'undertaking further assessment of the matter'.

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Devastated parents claim he 'wasn't in his right mind'

The devastated parents of a teenager charged with terrorism after allegedly stabbing a bishop claim he 'wasn't in his right mind'.

The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of stabbing Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel, 55, while he was delivering a livestreamed sermon at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, in Sydney's west, on April 15.

The incident sparked a riot outside the church with a crowd of 2,000 people chanting 'bring him out' and 'an eye for an eye' as police kept the teenager inside the building amid fears for his safety.

His parents have now broken their silence, thanking the police for protecting their son and expressing relief that Bishop Emmanuel survived the alleged attack.

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly stabbed Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel while he was delivering a livestreamed sermon in front of parishioners at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley in Sydney's west on Monday, April 15, just after 7pm (pictured). He was later charged with committing a terrorist act

Four boys aged were arrested in anti-terror raids last Wednesday in western Sydney. They included a 15-year-old, a 16-year-old and two aged 17 (pictured: one of those arrested)

'If he's truly religious, like we raised him, he wouldn't have done that,' she told ABC.

READ MORE: Bishop who was allegedly stabbed during church sermon makes emotional return before issuing some brutal advice to Anthony Albanese Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel (pictured on Sunday night) has made an emotional return to Christ The Good Shepherd Church, less than a fortnight after he was rushed to hospital Advertisement

'He's made a big mistake, a very big mistake.

'But I believe he wasn't in his right mind.'

Their son was later charged with terrorism and faces a possible life sentence.

Following a series of raids in the aftermath of the alleged attack, police have brought charges against six more boys, some as young as 14, who are accused of being part of a terrorist network.

At primary school he was bullied and would lash out, his parents said.

'In school, I used to get scared whenever I'd get a phone call, because I knew that they complained about him,' his mother said.

ABC Investigations discovered that the boy was interacting with extremists in Australia and across the world in the months leading up to the stabbing.

His profile picture on WhatsApp was a photo of Osama Bin Laden, the man responsible for 9/11.

After police seized his phone they discovered he was part of a WhatsApp group called BROTHERHOOD with other teenagers who expressed sympathies with violent extremism.

The boy had liked a series of violent posts, including a video of Bin Laden encouraging Muslims to die for their cause.

He made a final post on Instagram around an hour before the alleged stabbing, imploring Muslims to 'attain victory over their enemies'.

The boy had liked a series of violent posts, including a video of Bin Laden encouraging Muslims to die for their cause

The boy's profile picture on WhatsApp was a photo of Osama Bin Laden (pictured), the man responsible for 9/11

Bishop Emmanuel, an Orthodox Assyrian with a large online following, has made several controversial comments about Islam, including that 'Prophet Muhammad failed because he is dead'.

Peta Lowe, a juvenile extremism expert and former director of Countering Violent Extremism for NSW Juvenile Justice, told the ABC that it was 'very common for individuals to have what they call "leakage", just as they approach actually conducting an attack'.

'It was a very clear message that he had got to the point where he was motivated to act on his beliefs,' Ms Lowe said.

The boy underwent surgery after accidentally cutting off one of his own finger during the incident.

But his mother revealed his odd response when they visited him in hospital after the alleged attack.

'He was asking for a hug and kiss because he saw I was upset,' his mother said.

'Sometimes he'd laugh, sometimes he'd say "I don't know".

'He was showing me his hand like a baby. I think he didn't know what he was doing.'

His parents also claimed he had been upset after the death of a friend two days before the stabbing.

Four boys aged were arrested in anti-terror raids last Wednesday in western Sydney. They included a 15-year-old, a 16-year-old and two aged 17.

Police allege they had planned to buy shotguns, describing themselves as 'soldiers of Allah' and claiming they were willing to 'die and kill'.

Another two, aged 14 and 16, were charged with possessing extremist material, including Islamic State videos of beheadings.
Nat Barr has called on Aussie men to join campaigns across the country to demand an end to violence against women.

The Sunrise host made the request on Monday after tens of thousands of Australians marched in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra over the weekend.

The rallies were sparked by growing outrage over a spate of gendered killings with 26 women murdered this year - or one every four days.

Among the victims were five women who lost their lives after knifeman Joel Cauchi, 40, carried out his stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13.

Barr said the protests and discourse around gender-based violence were overly represented by women and needed the input from men.

Sunrise host Nat Barr (pictured) has called on men to join women in demonstrations and discourse calling for gender-based violence to be declared a national emergency

'We also need these rallies and these cries not to just be all the women saying "help us",' she said.

'We need men, don't we, to get in on this conversation.'

Federal minister Tanya Plibersek, whose daughter came forward about her own experience of an abusive relationship, and Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce also weighed in on the protests.

Ms Plibersek said young men were being exposed to a 'smorgasbord of violent misogyny' online.

'Society is trying to fix it on the one hand and, on the other hand, we have the exact opposite force happening, working against us trying to improve things,' she said.

'We need to look at what governments are doing, what police are doing, what courts are doing, what emergency services are doing.

'But we also need to look at what is happening particularly to young men online that is supporting these misogynist attitudes.'

Barr agreed saying there was 'anti-women' content and pornography online being peddled to young people, before throwing the question to Mr Joyce.

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of major cities last weekend (pictured) after a spate of alleged women allegedly being killed by men across the country this past month

The New England MP described the current state of community violence as 'atrocious', but was weary to lump all men together as abusers.

'(Not) every young boy is going to grow up to be a criminal,' he said.

'You have to say, well, let's look at the total picture here and the formation of the family is absolutely vital in that.'

Ms Plibersek said a number of issues stemmed from women not knowing men have violent tendencies until it's too late.

'Of course not every man is violent, most men would be horrified at that,' she said, 'but we don't know who they are until we are in relationships with them.'
Humza Yousaf is set to resign as Scotland's first minister after coming to the conclusion 'there is no way for him to survive this week's vote of no confidence', according to a report.

Senior figures in the SNP have been told the nationalist leader decided over the weekend that there is no way for him to survive and he may stand down on Monday.

It comes as he had been frantically trying to bolster his support after triggering a meltdown by summarily ditching his Green coalition partners.

They have now pledged to back a no confidence motion this week, leaving the parliamentary arithmetic looking bleak for his chances of survival.

A close friend of the leader told The Times: 'Humza knows what's best for the country and the party. He is first party activist and a party man, and that's why he knows it's time for someone else.'

Senior figures in the SNP have been told Humza Yousaf decided over the weekend that there is no way for him to survive and he may stand down on Monday

It comes as he had been frantically trying to bolster his support after triggering a meltdown by summarily ditching his Green coalition partners. Mr Yousaf pictured on Friday in Dundee

Alba defector Ash Regan holds the key vote needed to save Mr Yousaf's job

The paper reports that former SNP leader and long-time Nicola Sturgeon ally John Swinney has been approached by senior party figures to become an interim first minister if Mr Yousaf is forced from office.

The SNP leader, who took over from Sturgeon in March 2023, is facing two votes of no confidence, one in him personally from the Tories and another in his government from Labour.

Excluding the presiding officer there are 128 MSPs in total, but the SNP only has 63 votes while the other opposition parties have 65.

Over the weekend Mr Yousaf has been exploring options to convince one of the opposition party MSPs to vote to save his government.

If he managed to get to 64 votes and tie the vote, the presiding officer is meant to back the status quo, so he would be able to hold on.

The most likely candidate he faced the chance of converting was Ash Regan, the sole MSP in Alex Salmond's Alba Party.

Former SNP leader and long-time Nicola Sturgeon ally John Swinney (pictured) has been approached by senior party figures to become an interim first minister if Mr Yousaf is forced from office

Mr Swinney was Deputy First Minister of Scotland under Nicola Sturgeon from 2017 to 2023

Mr Yousaf announced the end of the agreement, accompanied by a sign language interpreter, on Thursday

Humza Yousaf speaking from Bute House on Thursday, the official residence of the First Minister of Scotland, as the SNP withdrew from the agreement it signed with the Greens

Mr Yousaf speaking in parliament after the deal collapsed on Thursday over what the Greens had seen as a gradual side-lining of their policies by the SNP

Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie (left) and Lorna Slater (right) arrive for First Minister's Questions on Thursday. The Greens have said they will support a vote of no confidence in the First Minister

Furious Greens co-leaders Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie after being dumped on Thursday

Mr Yousaf's future is reliant on whether he can persuade Ash Regan (pictured on Thursday), the former SNP leadership candidate and now Alba MSP, to back him

Mr Yousaf previously described her departure from the SNP in October last year as 'no great loss'.

Ms Regan, a former SNP leadership rival to Mr Yousaf, wrote to him with a list of priorities over the weekend, including 'defending the rights of women and children'. That is thought to mean accepting the results of the Cass review, which criticised gender therapies, in full.

The pair went head-to-head during the SNP leadership campaign, where she called for more extreme independence tactics and expressed her complete opposition to both transgender ideology and the Greens in government.

Her stance on gender reforms also led her to quit the cabinet during the voting stage in one of the first displays of discontent within the SNP on the trans issue.

JK Rowling even waded into the row, saying it is 'karma' that the First Minister is now reliant on Ms Regan, who defected to Alba in protest at the SNP's gender ID stance.

Ms Regan was also pushing for a commitment to invest in the Grangemouth oil refinery, and unilateral moves towards an independence referendum.

Alex Salmond described Ms Regan as 'the most powerful MSP' in parliament

Alba MSP Ash Regan gave Mr Yousaf a list of demands if he wanted to secure her vote

Humza Yousaf has been frantically trying to bolster his support after triggering meltdown by summarily ditching his Green coalition partners

Speaking on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, her boss Mr Salmond effectively laid out his demands, saying a 'top line' of any discussion with Mr Yousaf would be the idea of reviving the Scotland United strategy  which would see a single pro-independence candidate stand in each Scottish constituency.

But those demands have widely been seen as too much of a cost of Mr Yousaf to bear.

A spokesman for Mr Yousaf dismissed the idea, saying: 'This is fantasy. There is no possibility of the First Minister agreeing any deal like this with Alex Salmond.'

Meanwhile talks are understood to be taking place with individual Green MSPs to avoid a reliance on Mr Salmond's Alba party.

If Yousaf was to resign immediately, then the Scottish Parliament would have 28 days to elect a first minister by a simple majority.

John Swinney, Sturgeon's former deputy first minister, is expected to be appointed to steady the ship while a leadership contest takes place in the SNP.

Other possible candidates include Kate Forbes who came second to Mr Yousaf in the last SNP leadership election with 48 per cent of the vote.

Speaking on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, effectively laid out his demands, saying a 'top line' of any discussion with Mr Yousaf would be the idea of reviving the Scotland United strategy

Ash Regan joined Alex Salmond's Alba Party in October 2023 following a disagreement with the SNP over transgender ideology

JK Rowling even waded into the row, saying it is 'karma' that the First Minister is now reliant on Ms Regan, who defected to Alba in protest at the SNP's gender ID stance

However, Mr Yousaf (pictured in February 2023) said Ms Regan was 'no great loss' to his party after she defected to the SNP's independence rivals Alba in October last year

But her socially conservative views on transgender ideology, gay marriage and abortion would also see her rejected by the Greens.

Tensions had been rising between the SNP and Greens over trans and Net Zero policies, but Mr Yousaf's decision to scrap the so-called Bute House agreement was still a bombshell.

The Bute House Agreement gave the SNP-led government a majority at Holyrood but it came under strain in recent days after the Greens said they would put the future of the deal to a vote by their members.

Some in the Greens were unhappy at the Scottish Government's recent dropping of 2030 climate targets and the decision to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers at Scotland's only gender clinic.

Mr Yousaf rubbed salt in the wound by making his newly-sacked ex-colleagues do a walk of shame in full view of cameras.

In the lead-up to his decision to reportedly quit, Mr Yousaf had been desperately trying to secure his survival with an extra vote.

It is understood that letters were sent to Alba Party, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour and the Scottish Greens over the weekend.

First Minister at the time Nicola Sturgeon (centre) and Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie (left) and Lorna Slater (right) announce the signing of their coalition deal, which became known as the Bute House agreement, in Edinburgh on August 20, 2021

Sturgeon and the Greens celebrate the signing of the Bute House coalition agreement in August 2021

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross (pictured in parliament on Thursday) said: 'This is a humiliating and embarrassing letter, in which Humza Yousaf is begging to be allowed to keep his job'

Labour leader Anas Sarwar (pictured on Thursday) replied that Mr Yousaf was 'out of time'

Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton (right) said the first minister had 'run out of road'

However opposition parties appeared to be unmoved by Mr Yousaf's impassioned plea for support, with the dumped Greens, the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems yet to confirm if they will meet with the SNP leader.

On Saturday night, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who has written back to Mr Yousaf but not said if he will accept his invitation to Bute House, said: 'This is a humiliating and embarrassing letter, in which Humza Yousaf is begging to be allowed to keep his job.

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, replied that Mr Yousaf was 'out of time'.

While Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the first minister had 'run out of road'.
An Australian family has transformed their finances by following advice from the Barefoot Investor, Scott Pape.

Within nine years of implementing Mr Pape's guidance from his book 'The Barefoot Investor', Sam and his family not only paid off a $10,000 debt but also amassed $1million in savings.

Sam wrote a letter thanking Mr Pape for changing his family's life, which was published in his weekly Barefoot Investor column.

'Nine years ago I committed to following the Barefoot principles to change our family tree,' Sam wrote.

'When we started, our net worth was minus $10,000, and last week we hit the magic $1,000,000!

'When I realised our position, I instantly remembered you saying most people overestimate what they can do in one year, but underestimate what they can do in 10.'

An Aussie has turned his family's life around after following the financial strategy in Scott Pape's (pictured) book the Barefoot Investor

Replying to Sam's heartfelt email, the financial guru praised him for his hard work and financial success.

'It's worth repeating that people massively underestimate the life-changing benefits of grinding away for years,' Mr Pape wrote.

'After doing this job for more than 20 years now  and receiving tens of thousands of emails  it seems most people who write to me get themselves from the financial edge within a year, and then go on to become successful in six.

'From then on, as you proved, it's all gravy, baby. Well done!'

Sam claims his family was $10,000 in debt but after nine years of applying the Barefoot Investor's principles transformed the debt into $1million (stock image)

The financial guru's bestselling book, 'The Barefoot Investor', offers straightforward financial advice aimed at helping people manage their money effectively.

Some of the key principles include:
An outraged father has lashed out at Qantas for losing his pre-booked air tickets and ruining his holiday with his wife and children.

Melbourne man Christopher Reynolds booked a $3,000 family trip to Japan in 2020 which was cancelled because of travel restrictions during the Covid pandemic.

In 2021, the family-of-four used part of a Qantas voucher to book a trip to Western Australia, but those plans were also thwarted by border closures.

Earlier this year, Mr Reynolds booked a family trip to the Gold Coast.

But he claimed when they arrived to check in at Melbourne Airport, Qantas staff said they could not find the booking.

Earlier this year Mr Reynolds booked a family trip to the Gold Coast but when they arrived to check in at Melbourne airport Qantas staff said they could not find the booking

Mr Reynolds was told to call the customer service line, but the telephone operator told them the company's refund system was down.

By the time he got off the phone, their flight had taken off and his kids were having a meltdown.

Mr Reynolds ended up paying for the next available flight because the family had already booked a hotel and activities on the Gold Coast.

After more than 20 hours on the phone fighting for Qantas to refund their money, the airline repaid $1,000 and gave them $100 vouchers for the inconvenience.

Mr Reynolds said everyone at the airline had admitted to him that 'things weren't done right' and that they would sort it out within a week.

But the delays had been frustrating for the family who needed the money to cover basic living expenses.

'I had a bit of pride in the national carrier and during Covid, I thought we'd do our little bit to support them as well... but this experience has made me go, I don't want to fly with them again,' he told 7News.

It is understood that the airline now has plans to refund the full amount

It is understood that the airline now plans to refund the full amount.

'We sincerely apologise for Mr Reynolds experience and recognise this is not the experience our customers expect,' a Qantas spokesman said.

'We have reached out to Mr Reynolds to apologise and to arrange for the remaining funds to be refunded.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Qantas for further comment.
A globetrotting cattle rancher who goes by the name 'The Lost Cowboy' has traveled across six continents to prove that you can wrangle cattle anywhere on planet Earth.

JB Zielke is an author, filmmaker, and agriculture expert, who chronicles his travels on social media, in short films and in an award-winning recent book.

He grew up in the traditional ranching states of Colorado and Wyoming but has taken his interests across the globe as a rancher-for-hire.

'Pretty much everywhere I went it was, "Can you take this wild, angry, spoiled, half-psycho horse that nobody has touched in three years and get a day's work done on it?"' Zielke says.

After a brief career as a bull rider, he has dedicated his life to herding in some of the most far-reaching and least visited places on the planet.

A globetrotting cattle rancher who goes by the name 'The Lost Cowboy' has traveled across six continents to prove that you can wrangle cattle anywhere on planet earth

JB Zielke is an author, filmmaker, and agriculture expert, who chronicles his travels on social media, in short films and in an award-winning recent book

He's been delighted to see that many of his locales have resembled the old west in the United States.

'People sometimes say they were born 100 years too late. They are nostalgic for a time gone by,' Zielke told Cowboy State Daily. 'Well, the truth of the matter is you still can go back. It still exists. These places are kind of like time capsules that you can jump back into.'

He's visited every continent but Antarctica in an attempt to ply his trade.

'Meeting people with hustle and drive was very motivational to me. People like that everywhere that adapt in different ways to the hand they are dealt,' Zielke said.

'I learned a lot from them. It's something I aspire to be every day.'

Some of his favorite experiences come from visits to Australia's Cape Town in Queensland when he was 21 years old.

Zielke has been everywhere from Sweden to Australia to Mongolia to herd cattle

After a brief career as a bull rider, he has dedicated his life to herding in some of the most far-reaching and least visited places on the planet

He's been delighted to see that many of his locales have resembled the old west in the United States

'The biggest thing about my time in Australia is it made me realize how big the world is. It was hard for me to wrap my mind around how many more people there are out there,' Zielke said.

He often had to herd feral cattle using trucks and motorbikes in a style he compared to the film Mad Max while surviving waters infested with crocodiles and being chased by wild dogs.

The biggest problem, he says, was a breed of green ants.

'The green ants got me. You always think it will be the biggest animals that are the most dangerous,' Zielke said.

'I had been warned about them and I guess I didn't know about them or how they behaved. I was just told never to hit one of their nests or they would all come out and tear you up.'

He said the ultimately, the trip showed him there was more to the world than just his backyard.

'To go to the other side of the earth and meet the people there. To see them working in agriculture and doing things in a very different way but still get the same, if not better, outcomes than the way I knew to do things.'

Those better outcomes left him with the reputation for being a 'ringer,' or an expert cattle wrangler, as well as a devil-may-care attitude and a desire to see the world as a cattle herder some more.

He often had to herd feral cattle using trucks and motorbikes in a style he compared to the film Mad Max while surviving waters infested with crocodiles and being chased by wild dogs

He collected many of his stories into a book that shares a title with his own nickname - The Lost Cowboy

Zielke visited every continent but Antarctica in an attempt to ply his trade

His next experience, on a five-star ranch in Argentina, was less to his liking, saying he didn't get to work with horses enough and everything was too fancy. He also didn't like the way the country treated its horses, comparing it to how some people treat their cars.

'I did see that great horsemanship and horse culture Argentina is known for. But also, for the first time, I saw a culture where horses were not held in high regard,' Zielke said.

'I saw a lot of things I did not agree with. They were pretty hard on their horses and heavy-handed in their training techniques.'

Zielke was also robbed for the first time while living in Argentina

He then traveled to work in Sweden, where he found himself disenchanted with the social democratic government's infringement in agriculture.

'It was eye-opening to go from where things were pretty lawless, where policing and government had no strength at all, to the other end of the spectrum where government was stepping into your life every day and telling you what to do,' Zielke said.

He described the country as 'a lot of rural Americans' worst nightmare'.

'Sweden is a country where lots of decisions are out of your hands and government has a lot more power and influence over your life.'

Zielke says despite seeing the beauty of the world, he was also robbed on multiple continents

He advises people with dreams similar to his to just give it a shot and go

From there, he went to South Africa as a trainer for young farm workers, where again he was robbed.

'My travel experience was making me more callus toward strangers  maybe not quickly enough,' he said.

'It's unfortunate because some of the nicest people and coolest things I've done only happened because of trusting a stranger. But multiple times I was hoodwinked. I learned to put up a guard where I don't trust like I used to, but still try to remember the world is mostly full of good people.'

Once there, however, he found the continent beautiful and 'soul-shaking,' despite having to deal with runaway horses at one point.

'There is just an ever-present feeling hanging over you the whole time, an inherent sense of how old the culture is. How this land feels like the beginning of time and still today is simple. Food, way of life, it's all incredibly simple in the best way possible.'

He also saw a ton of death, which taught him the lesson of always trying to live in the present.

After returning to work in Wyoming, he took on a winter job in Mexico, which he found dangerous and tough work and dealing with powerful cartels.

'I do my best not to scare people from going there. Yes, there is danger. Yes, I was in the middle of an actual shootout,' Zielke said.

'But there was also some of the most beautiful places I've ever been and amazing people I've ever met down there. I wish people would visit and see real Mexico. I don't mean Cancun and the insulated all-inclusive places.'

Some of his most recent work happened in Mongolia, where he found that the culture does respect horses.

'Mongolian horses, I think, are technically not actually horses at all. They are more closely related to donkeys,' Zielke said.

'They are really small. One interesting thing I noticed was they would bob their head constantly  up and down  while standing still. At first, I thought they were trying to get flies off their face, but there were no flies around, so it wasn't that. They all did it and I never figured out why.'

Eventually, the pandemic slowed down his globetrotting and he now shoots music videos for a company he founded and owns out of Texas.

He advises people with dreams similar to his to just give it a shot and go.

'I mean, sell your stuff and move to Mongolia or Argentina. They don't have phones. They don't check their email. A lot of them can't read and write. They're riding horses to get their food and everything else,' he said.

Zielke worries that places like those may not be the shroud of olden days they once were.

'And, unfortunately, a lot of them are vanishing. So to me, it was important to go see those before they were long gone.'
A woolworths employee has leaked a factsheet from management that was posted in the staffroom - sparking a major backlash from workers.

The note described how Woolworths makes 3.6 cents net profit from every $1 spent in stores during the 2022-2023 financial year.

However, the factsheet failed to highlight that Woolworths overall net profit increased by 4.6 per cent to $1.62 billion over that same period.

The anonymous worker stated that the factsheet was circulated because staff resentment towards their employer had increased.

This followed a Senate inquiry earlier this month where the profit margins of Woolworths and Coles came under scrutiny, with both major supermarkets accused of price gouging.

Additionally last week, Woolworths was fined $1.2million for failing to pay leave to 1,200 former workers.

'I work for Woolies, and they put this in the lunch room because we all felt ripped off,' the worker said.

'They put it here to assure us that they are not as rich as we think they are.

'Like we are falling for this crap. Saying they only make 3.6 cents from every dollar, what a joke.'

A Woolworths spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the factsheet was based on its submission to the Senate inquiry on supermarket prices.

'That was shared with our team, media and stakeholders breaking down the costs for every $1 spent in our Australian food business.'

Woolworths told its workers in a lunchroom note (pictured) it only makes 3.6 cents for every dollar spent in store

What are Australian supermarket's profit margins on food? Woolworths supermarket made a 6.1 per cent profit on Australian food sales in the six months to December 31 2024, while Coles reported a slightly lower 4.8 per cent. In contrast to their international counterparts, Australian supermarkets are performing strongly in terms of their profit margins on food. In the UK, Tesco and Sainsbury's achieve about a 3 per cent profit margin on food sales, while Carrefour in France consistently maintains around 2 per cent. Kroger in the US usually falls within the mid to low 3 per cent range. Advertisement

At the Senate inquiry, both Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci and Coles boss Leah Weckert stated the sector remained competitive despite the size of their duopoly.

Mr Banducci was threatened with the possibility of six months in jail or a $5000 fine for holding the Senate in contempt after repeatedly failing to answer a somewhat pointy-headed question about Woolworths' profitability.

The supermarket boss was asked to disclose Woolworths' return on equity, a measure of corporate profitability that generally indicates how efficiently profits are generated.

Instead, the chief executive told the committee Woolworths focuses on return on investment and total shareholder return measures, not return on equity.

'We measure return on investment, which we think is the right way of measuring profitability in a company,' he said.

Inquiry chair and Greens senator Nick McKim warned Mr Banducci a failure to answer the question directly could lead to him being held in contempt by the Senate.

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci dodged questions on disclosing Woolworths' return on equity

Such a charge comes with a fine of up to $5,000 and a possible prison sentence of six months.

The failure to disclose the answer led to the inquiry being forced to suspend its hearing for several minutes.

While the chief executive avoided being held in contempt, Mr Banducci couldn't provide the full number, saying he would take the question on notice.

'I don't focus on it, it's not the numbers that drive our industry. The way our industry should be assessed is the total return on investment and total shareholder return,' he said.

'If it helps the committee in terms of us moving on, I don't know that number.'

The profit margins of major supermarkets have come under scrutiny at the inquiry.

Senator McKim accused Mr Banducci of cherrypicking data surrounding the supermarket's profits.

'Honestly, I'm not interested in your spin or your bulls***. This is a Senate inquiry. Answer the question,' he said.

'You've used this market dominance to put the squeeze on your suppliers, including farmers, to force down wages, to compromise staff safety and to price gouge your customers.'

The CEOs of Woolworths and Coles were questioned about the rising cost of supermarket goods

While Coles and Woolworths make up almost two-thirds of Australia's grocery sector, both executives said the industry was still competitive, due to the arrival of other major players such as Aldi, Costco and Amazon.

Mr Banducci had earlier denied Woolworths was price gouging at the checkout.

'I would respectfully submit that this is an incredibly competitive market and that is good for consumers.'

Ms Weckert said Coles welcomed further competition, while also admitting the supermarket had let down suppliers, following claims the company was underpricing the wholesale value of goods.

It comes following previous allegations at the inquiry supermarket giants were paying prices for goods to primary producers well below market value.

'Claims have been made about how we interact with our suppliers, we acknowledge that we don't always get it right, but all of our procedures seek to ensure fair and sustainable relationships,' she said.

'We acknowledge some of the concerns that have been raised by the farming sector, particularly the horticultural sector, around price transparency.'

Ms Weckert said the supermarket could do a better job on its pricing and discounts.

'We have, in good faith, worked with suppliers to make sure they are getting paid fairly and in a large number of cases that has flowed on to higher prices for customers,' she said.

'There is no bad intent there, but we definitely could execute against it better, and we are working towards holding ourselves to a higher level of account on that.'

A review into the voluntary food and grocery code of conduct, which governs the relationship between supermarkets and suppliers, recommended it be made mandatory, with significant financial penalties for breaches.
Experts say deploying U.S. medium-range ballistic missiles in the Philippines endangers Asia-Pacific

Xinhua) 13:58, April 29, 2024

PHNOM PENH, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. deployment of medium-range ballistic missiles in the Philippines has posed a grave threat and danger to regional peace and stability, Cambodian scholars have cautioned.

The U.S. Army Pacific announced earlier this month that the United States has deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system, also known as Typhon, to Luzon, the Philippines, as part of their joint military exercise, which marks the first time that the country deployed a land-based, ground-launched system following its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019.

UNDERMINING PEACE, STABILITY

Allowing the U.S. army to deploy missiles in the Philippines posed a serious threat and danger to the peace and stability in the region, warned Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, adding that it would not help resolve any regional dispute, but exacerbate the lingering tensions in the South China Sea.

Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that the United States is rushing to interfere in the policy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its principle of non-interference.

"ASEAN Charter states that ASEAN countries will not allow the foreign military to base in each member state, but in this case, the United States and the Philippines are very wrong since they breach the ASEAN Charter for their own benefits," he told Xinhua.

He said that the United States only cares about its own geopolitical benefits regardless of the benefits of other countries. "ASEAN will continue to stay in fragile peace because the United States will use their military (power) to create problems in the region despite saying that they are in ASEAN to protect peace and stability."

Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, said that the Philippines has a "very short-sighted vision" as it closely engages with external countries like the United States and Japan.

If any military conflict happens, the Philippines will be in danger because the United States and Japan are far away from the South China Sea, he noted, adding that those countries and other Western nations are trying to muddy the waters in the region.

Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy, said joint exercises like "Balikatan 2024" serve as a means for the United States to mold the Philippines into a potential proxy in the event of conflicts with China.

DESTABILIZING ASIA-PACIFIC

Matthews said that the United States and Japan have been destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region by inciting the Philippines to continue provocations in the South China Sea.

"This tripartite defense cooperation and military exercise in the disputed waters have put the whole region in a war-like situation," he noted, adding that it will be counterproductive to the Philippines' economy and regional stability.

Mengdavid said the United States is attempting to influence countries bordering China, including the Philippines, to allow the establishment of U.S. military bases within their borders and to enhance their military capabilities against China.

"This strategy not only enables the United States to position its military assets close to the Chinese territory, but also aims to exacerbate maritime disputes in the region," he said.

OUTSIDERS SHOULD BE OUTSIDE

To maintain peace and stability in the region, ASEAN countries must follow their charter and never allow extraterritorial countries to have a bigger say than any member country, Sam said, adding that when member countries have problems with each other, they should hold friendly discussions and never allow extraterritorial countries to interfere in their dialogues and communications.

"Face-to-face discussions and friendly talks with China are the best way to solve the problems in the South China Sea. All regional countries should ensure that they never use major-power countries to interfere in the region because actions of that kind will create more problems," Sam said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Bank of Korea (BOK) Gov. Rhee Chang-yong will attend a series of meetings of ASEAN finance ministers and central bank governors in Georgia this week to discuss a variety of issues, including current economic and financial market conditions, the central bank said Monday.

Rhee will take part in the 24th Trilateral Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting to be held in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Friday, where he and other top financial officials will discuss regional financial cooperation and current economic situations.

Rhee will also attend a meeting of top financial officials and central bankers of ASEAN, plus its three Northeast Asian dialogue partners  Korea, China and Japan  to discuss measures to enhance the role of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization (CMIM) and the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

The CMIM is a $240 billion pool launched in 2010 that can be tapped through currency swap deals in times of financial crises in the region.

He will also attend the 56th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to be held from Thursday to Sunday. (Yonhap)
Intimate partner violence is on the rise in Australia, according to new data published on the back of a spate of tragedies.

Data from the Homicide in Australia 2022-2023 report shows there were 247 victims of homicide between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

Of these, 38 incidents were between intimate partners, and 89 per cent of those were perpetrated against women.

Dr Rick Brown, the AIC Deputy Director, said those numbers were four per cent higher than the previous year.

The newly released data comes at a time of heightened tensions in Australia, as women take to the streets to take a stance against gendered violence.

In 2024 so far, 27 women have been murdered - amounting to one every four days.

The Prime Minister acknowledged that all levels of government need to address domestic violence differently

Queensland Premier Steven Miles (pictured) praised the people of his state for turning out to rallies held in Brisbane to support the cause

Among the victims were five women who lost their lives after knifeman Joel Cauchi, 40, carried out his stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction on April 13.

Since then, 28-year-old Forbes woman Molly Ticehurst and 49-year-old Emma Bates were both found dead in their homes in separate incidents. Two men have been charged in relation to each of the tragedies.

Rebecca Young, 42, Samantha Murphy, 51 and Hannah McGuire, 23 have all tragically died in the past two months, while mother Chaithanya Madhagani, known as 'Swetha' was found inside a wheelie bin on March 9.

In the 2022-2023 data set published today, 14 women had been killed by April that year. That is 13 less than this year.

The report found there were '160 homicide incidents... where motive was applicable.

'Most homicide incidents are immediately preceded by an argument between the victim and offender. Around a fifth of homicide incidents were preceded by a domestic argument.'

Four incidents were described as being motivated by revenge, two by jealousy, another two by desertion, eight by 'apparent delusion', 33 due to an argument of a domestic nature and 16 had no apparent motive.

While the majority of male victims were killed by a friend or acquaintance, half of the female victims were killed by a current or former partner.

Seventeen per cent of women were killed by another family member.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would convene an emergency meeting of the national cabinet on Wednesday to discuss the crisis with state and territory ministers.

Anthony Albanese delivered a fiery speech at a rally in Canberra (pictured), on Sunday and said Australia needed to change its culture and attitudes to end violence against women

Molly Ticehurst (pictured) was allegedly murdered by her ex boyfriend Daniel Billings in the NSW central west town of Forbes on Monday

Speaking at the Canberra rally at the weekend, Mr Albanese described the problem as a 'national crisis' and said one or two months of funding would not be enough to solve it.

'It's up to men to change men's behaviour as well,' he said.

'Yes, people do need to be made accountable and I'll be accountable for what my government does.'

Organiser Sarah Williams later slammed Mr Albanese on social media, accusing him of entitlement in a scathing post.

'Albanese abusing his power by aggressively stating when I asked the crowd if we should let him speak, 'I'm the prime minister of this country, I run this country' demonstrated his entitlement,' she wrote.

Video of the event shows Ms Williams telling Mr Albanese 'that's a lie, that's a flat-out lie' after he claimed he had earlier requested to speak.

'For him to not only demand he speak because he was being heckled, but lie was disgraceful,' she wrote later.

'He demonstrated today what entitlement looks like. A man with power trying to diminish a vulnerable young woman.'
An Irish government plan to send asylum seekers back to Britain was met with a point-blank refusal last night.

Ministers in the republic have pledged to unveil emergency legislation this week which would allow them to return migrants to Northern Ireland following concern over an up-tick in numbers.

But UK Government sources said there would be no deal unless Brussels also agreed to take back migrants who cross the Channel in small boats.

The republic remains part of the European Union which has consistently blocked British attempts to resolve the Channel crisis with a returns agreement to France.

Irish justice minister Helen McEntee has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland.

Ms McEntee said last week she was introducing 'fast processing' in a bid to deal with the influx of people claiming refuge.

An Irish government plan to send asylum seekers back to Britain was met with a point-blank refusal last night. Irish justice minister Helen McEntee (pictured) has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland

Rishi Sunak told Sky News the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'

'My focus as minister for justice is making sure that we have an effective immigration structure and system,' she said.

'That's why I'll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK, and that's why I'll be meeting the Home Secretary [James Cleverly] to raise these issues on Monday.'

However, the British Home Secretary has cancelled that meeting, saying that he has a diary clash, with the Government instead being represented today by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary.

Rishi Sunak told Sky News the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'.

A UK Government source said: 'We won't accept any asylum returns from the EU via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France.

'We are fully focused on operationalising our Rwanda scheme and will continue working with the French to stop the boats from crossing the Channel.'

Conservative MPs expressed incredulity at Dublin's proposals. Sir John Redwood said 'it takes my breath away' that Ireland wants a 'closed border' with Northern Ireland 'having said it was crucial to the Good Friday Agreement and to the post- Brexit settlement'.

He added: 'As Britain has always been told, we cannot send migrants back to France and so how on earth do they think they could send migrants back to the UK?

'Are they going to arrest these people and put them in handcuffs and take them in vans across the border, and then why wouldn't they just walk back again?'

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: 'There is a certain amount of irony in Ireland seeking to return migrants to the UK who may have originally arrived from France in a Channel crossing.

'I hope the Irish government will talk to their fellow EU member state about further action to stop people getting on small boats in the first place.

'Clearly we all need to work together to solve this problem.'

While David Davis, ex-Brexit secretary, said: 'This is a Europe-wide issue and until Europe controls its borders then it's going to be difficult for any of their constituent countries to do it.

'But secondly, the issue they are facing has arisen directly as a result of their insistence on a so-called open border between the north and the south. Had they taken some of the other routes that I suggested, for one, then we would have a way of controlling it, but as it stands we don't.'

Detailing Ireland's plans, Taoiseach Simon Harris said it would be 'quite appropriate' for his country to send asylum seekers back to Northern Ireland.

'Every country is entitled to have its own migration policy, but I certainly don't intend to allow anybody else's migration policy to affect the integrity of our own one,' he said.

'This country will not in any way, shape or form provide a loophole for anybody else's migration challenges. That's very clear.

'My colleague, the minister for justice, will now bring forward legislative proposals to the cabinet on Tuesday that will seek to put in place a new returns policy.

'We're going to await the full details of that but it's one which will effectively allow, again, people to be returned to the United Kingdom. And I think that's quite appropriate. It was always the intention.'

Ministers in the republic have pledged to unveil emergency legislation this week which would allow them to return migrants to Northern Ireland following concern over an up-tick in numbers (pictured: migrants in a boat in the Channel)

The British Home Secretary James Cleverly has cancelled a meeting with Ms McEntee, saying that he has a diary clash, with the Government instead being represented today by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary

His deputy, Micheal Martin, has pointed the finger at the Rwanda policy, saying that migrants are leaving the UK because they are 'fearful' of being sent to the African state.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is expected to discuss the issue with the Irish foreign minister and others at a routine bilateral meeting in London today.

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker said: 'The relationship with the Irish government is fundamental and I look forward to a constructive conversation.'

Last month Ireland's High Court ruled that due to the Rwanda scheme, Britain should not have been designated a safe place to send asylum seekers back to.

This prompted the British Government to 'entirely refute' the court's conclusion. One Home Office source described it as 'absolutely absurd'.
A far-right extremist and an ex-Muslim atheist are planning to publicly burn a copy of the Koran in the city hosting the Eurovision Song Contest a day before the event starts, the Mail can reveal.

Swedish police have received an application to burn the Muslim holy book at the centre of Malmo before the glare of the world's media.

Jade Sandberg, 48, a Far-Right Christian extremist who campaigns to ban Islam from Sweden, and Salwan Najem, 48, an Iraqi refugee who has become a Swedish national, have applied for permission to conduct the burning.

There have been fears this year's Eurovision will be a prominent target for Islamic extremists because of the inclusion of Israeli contestant Eden Golan.

Earlier this month, the Mail on Sunday revealed how two Israeli undercover reporters posing as British tourists inside a mosque in Malmo were warned by security guards not to attend the contest.

Swedish police have received an application to burn the Muslim holy book at the centre of Malmo before the glare of the world's media (pictured: the Malmo arena where the Eurovision Song Contest will take place this year)

Jade Sandberg, 48, a Far-Right Christian extremist who campaigns to ban Islam from Sweden , and Salwan Najem, 48, an Iraqi refugee who has become a Swedish national, have applied for permission to conduct the burning (pictured: the inside of the Malmo Arena)

Petra Stenkula, the head of Malmo Police District and in charge of Eurovision security, said her force was considering the application which was likely to be granted as Koran-burning itself does not constitute an offence in Swedish law.

Sandberg and Najem - who have both publicly burned the Koran before in the capital Stockholm - are likely to anger Malmo's 50,000-strong Muslim community, as well as followers of the faith across the world.

Last night, terrorism experts warned that the desecration will raise the likelihood of terrorist attacks during the seven-day-long Eurovision contest.

Anthony Glees, professor of terrorism studies at Buckingham University, said: 'Already the Eurovision has become a passive target of the awful war in the Middle East.

'This will make it an active target. Publicly burning the Koran will pour petrol over a fraught situation, and it could inspire those thinking of launching an attack into doing something.'

Tens of thousands of concertgoers from at least 80 countries are expected to arrive in Malmo the day before Eurovision starts on May 4th, with media crews from around the world.

There have been fears this year's Eurovision will be a prominent target for Islamic extremists because of the inclusion of Israeli contestant Eden Golan (pictured)

Apart from protests against Ms Golan taking part in the contest, controversy has also surrounded her song which had to be re-written three times as Eurovision organisers felt it was 'too political.' They said some of her lyrics appeared to reference the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 that left 1200 victims dead and more than 250 taken hostage.

The song, which was initially called October Rain, had the lines 'There's no air left to breathe', and 'They were all good children, each one of them.' The song is now called Hurricane.

Ms Stenkula said that as well as the Koran-burning proposal, 10 applications have been made by pro-Palestinian and Israeli-supporting groups to protest in front of the Malmo Arena during the contest, whose grand finale will be on Saturday May 11th.
A Palestinian flag was raised over a statue at Harvard University as anti-Israel protest continue to rock college campuses and took the place of the American flag that typically flies above the founder's memorial.

Video from Saturday night showed a group of pro-Palestine protestors, dressed in keffiyehs, raised a large Palestinian flag above the iconic statue of John Harvard.

The Harvard Crimson reported student protestors hung the flag and two others around 6.30pm at the Ivy League campus.

By 6.34pm, Harvard University Police officers called the school's Yard Operations to remove the flag that flew above the statue.

In recent days, protests have erupted across campuses nationwide in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, and the ongoing retaliatory attacks on Gaza that followed.

 Slide me  The statue of John Harvard typically sits under an American Flag (before). On Saturday night, a group of pro-Palestine protestors, dressed in keffiyeh's, raise a large flag Palestinian flag above the founder's memorial (after)

In other images, the Palestinian flag was seen draped on the John Harvard's lap, along with a keffiyeh around his neck

Typically, a large American flag has been seen flying above the Ivy League university's founder

School administrators have called in police forces to remove encampments and protestors at schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Emory, NYU, USC, the University of Texas, Cal-Berkley and Brown.

In other images, the Palestinian flag was seen draped on John Harvard's lap, along with a keffiyeh around his neck.

As staff members took the flags down, protestors were heard yelling 'Shame!' at them, along with other chants such as 'Free, free, Palestine' and 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!'

Harvard spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain said the protestor's actions was 'a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action.'

Once the flags were removed, demonstrators gathered inside and outside the encampment, and made it clear that they were willing to have their school IDs collected by administrators.

'Harvard, Harvard take my ID. You can't really scare me,' the protestors chanted.

Student protestors hung the large flag and two others around 6.30pm on the Ivy League campus

As staff members took the flags down, protestors were heard yelling 'Shame!' at them, along with other chants such as 'Free, free, Palestine' and 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!'

Harvard spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain said the protestor's actions was 'a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action'

Once the flags were removed, demonstrators gathered inside and outside the encampment, and made it clear that they were willing to have their school IDs collected by administrators

They then held a vigil around the statue for a Palestinian that was killed in the war, The Harvard Crimson reported.

Following the vigil, a large group of administrators, including the Dean of Students, Thomas Dunne, stormed the encampment with ID scanners.

As they collected student's information, they handed each protestor a piece of paper that warned them of disciplinary actions, including the possibility of graduating seniors having their degrees withheld.

'Repeat violations of University and School policies will result in increasingly severe sanctions. Students with pending disciplinary matters may not be granted a degree,' the slip said.

The Harvard Crimson said the American flag is typically hung outside Monday through Friday, but is lowered at 4pm 'for proper storage.'

School administrators have called in police forces to remove encampments and protestors at schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Emory , NYU, USC, the University of Texas , Cal-Berkley and Brown

Multiple tents are seen at Harvard University's encampment on Thursday in the Yard

Last week, the university tried to stay ahead of the mounting protests as it locked most gates into its famous Harvard Yard ahead of classes on Monday.

The school also limited identification to those with school IDs and posted warning signs against setting up tents or tables on campus without permission.

On Wednesday, protestors continued to set up camp as they brought out 14 tents after a rally against the university's suspension of the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee.

This is not the first time Harvard University has held a pro-Palestine protest or faced backlash for its response to the ongoing war, as the former president of the school, Claudine Gay resigned in January.

Gay left the Ivy League University 28 days after her shocking response at a congressional testimony about campus anti-Semitism.

She refused to categorize calls for genocide of Jews as harassment or admit that Jewish students had a right not to feel unsafe at Ivy League schools.

In her resignation letter, she vehemently claimed victimhood, attributing her decision to resign to threats fueled by racial animus.

Gay, who was accused of both plagiarism and antisemitism, emphasized that her departure is in the best interests of Harvard, allowing the community to navigate a challenging moment with a focus on the institution rather than any individual.

'After consultation with members of the Corporation, it has become clear that it is in the best interests of Harvard for me to resign so that our community can navigate this moment of extraordinary challenge with a focus on the institution rather than any individual,' she wrote.

Students protest against Israel at Harvard University on October 14

The former President of Harvard, Claudine Gay resigned in January after mounting criticism of anti-Semitism on campus and accusations of plagiarism

Along with her December 5 testimony, Gay has also been accused of mounting claims of plagiarism.

She said it was 'frightening' to find herself the target of threats, and 'distressing' to have her character questioned.

Gay will be replaced by Alan M. Garber, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, who sat behind her at the infamous hearing, nodding as she made her remarks.

Although campus protests recently dwindled down, they started up again after Columbia University President Nemat Shafik testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee about rampant anti-Semitism remarks on campus.

During Shafik's hearing, the Ivy League chief defended the 'peaceful' demonstrations and the students' right to free speech in the surge of anti-Semitic rhetoric since the start of the Gaza war.

House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., accused Columbia's leadership of refusing to 'enforce their own policies and condemn Jewish hatred on campus, creating a breeding ground for antisemitism and a hotbed of support for terrorism from radicalized faculty and students.'

Shafik insisted she has aggressively worked to combat antisemitism on campus, including holding over 200 meetings on the topic, holding daily meetings of the campus security team and working with the NYPD and FBI when hate crimes occur on campus.

Since then, pro-Palestine protests have broken out at universities across the country including Columbia, NYU and the University of Texas.

Rep Ilhan Omar's daughter Isra Hirsi was among at least 108 people arrested as police in riot gear moved in to break up the anti-Israel protest that rocked New York's Columbia University.

Tensions had been at boiling point since the protesters pitched tents on the university's south lawn, with several fights breaking out as they were met by pro-Israeli counter-demonstrators.

Although campus protests recently dwindled down, they started up again after Columbia University President Nemat Shafik testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee about rampant anti-Semitism remarks on campus

Rep Ilhan Omar's daughter Isra Hirsi was among at least 108 people arrested as police in riot gear moved in to break up the anti-Israel protest that rocked New York's Columbia University.

On Tuesday, NYU students and faculty descended on Washington Square Park to demand a 'total academic boycott of Israel

The daughter of the staunch Democrat had already been suspended by her university, Barnard College, earlier for joining the protest on the Upper West Side.

Hundreds of troopers, armed with riot shields and batons, were seen scuffling with pro-Palestine protesters at the University of Texas, as the Lone Star state was forced to send in mounted officers to control the growing chaos at the protest.

As of 9pm Thursday, 34 people were arrested, and the next morning, an additional 20 were also arrested.

The university's faculty appeared to be standing behind the students. Pavithra Vasudevan, a professor at UT, told the American-Statesman that the arrests lay at the feet of the university's administrators.

On Tuesday, NYU students and faculty descended on Washington Square Park to demand a 'total academic boycott of Israel.'

Flyers shared by organizers stated four demands for the movement, including the 'end of all war profiteering and investment in genocide', and providing 'full amnesty to all students and faculty penalized for their pro-Palestine activism.'

An organizer who would not give her name told DailyMail.com they had been 'inspired' by the pro-Gaza encampment at nearby Columbia University where cops arrested hundreds of people at the weekend.

'We were inspired by our comrades at Columbia,' the senior student said, wearing a black face covering and a keffiyeh over her hair.
Channel Seven's head of news Craig McPherson has left the embattled network in the wake of the Bruce Lehrmann sex and drugs allegations that hit the network's flagship current affairs show, Spotlight.

Seven confirmed on Monday that Mr McPherson - partner to Dancing With The Stars host Sonia Kruger - had suddenly left his position as network director of news and public affairs after nine years in the job.

He will be replaced by Anthony De Ceglie, who currently works as editor-in-chief for News Corp mastheads in Western Australia.

'Mr McPherson played a pivotal role in leading Seven's news and public affairs offering over two stints at Seven, including a long period of success helming Today Tonight,' a Seven media statement said.

'He has overseen many consecutive years of audience leadership for Sunrise and The Morning Show.'

Mr McPherson said in the statement that he had been considering whether to move on for a while, but ultimately decided that 'now is a good time for all to have a fresh start'.

Craig McPherson (pictured with his partner, Sonia Kruger) has stepped down from Channel Seven

Craig McPherson (pictured) was Channel Seven's head of news and current affairs

He is the fourth executive to leave the network in April following the scandal over Spotlight's lucrative deal with Lehrmann, who was found by the Federal Court to have raped Brittany Higgins on a civil scale.

Spotlight secured two exclusive interviews with Lehrmann last year in exchange for a year's rental of a luxury unit, worth about $105,000, ahead of his defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson in the Federal Court.

However, former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach then gave evidence in the trial in April and accused the program of covering the costs of Lehrmann's prostitutes, cocaine, and lavish dinners at expensive restaurants.

The network denied Mr Auerbach's claims.

In the month of April alone, the network lost Mr McPherson, managing director James Warburton, commercial director Bruce McWilliam, and Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn.

Seven also became the subject of a defamation case when Benjamin Cohen was wrongly named on Sunrise as the Bondi Junction killer.

Mr McPherson is the latest executive to leave the network in the wake of the Bruce Lehrmann's interview deal with Spotlight (Lehrman is pictured on Spotlight last year)

Taylor Auerbach (right) is pictured with another former Spotlight producer Steve Jackson (left)

The network settled the case out-of-court last week for an undisclosed sum.

In the media release on Monday, the Seven West Media managing director and chief executive officer Jeff Howard spoke highly of Mr De Ceglie, who will start his new job on Tuesday.

'Anthony brings a compelling vision to the Director of News and Current Affairs and Editor-in-Chief of Seven West Media role,' newly-appointed SWM managing director and chief executive officer, Jeff Howard, said.

'His absolute focus on news gathering and storytelling will underpin his approach, while his knowledge of digital and his innovative mindset will be just what SWM needs as we continue to build a better media business.'

Of Mr McPherson, he said: 'Craig has been one of Australia's pre-eminent news leaders and we wish him all the best for the future.'

Mr McPherson said he will take a break to spend time with his family.
Police have been contacted and two students have been expelled from a prestigious private Sydney school after they were allegedly found in the possession of drugs while on a school camp.

A spokesperson for Newington College, a top private boys' school in Sydney's inner west, said two students were found in the possession of a 'THC-based product'.

'The school commenced a thorough investigation at the end of last term, and these investigations will continue when the students return to school for term 2,' the spokesperson said.

'The school has detailed and rigorous internal policies for responding to these sorts of matters.'

The two male students, who attend the prestigious private boys' school Newington College (pictured), allegedly had THC-based product while on a school camp

The spokesperson confirmed Newington College had contacted police about the matter, and the two students involved had left the school.

'The two students in possession of a THC-based product were returned from camp early and are no longer at the school,' the spokesperson said.

'NSW police has been contacted about the possession of a THC-based product.'

The school camp in question was a five-day cadet camp at Eungai Creek, on the NSW mid-north coast, and both Newington College and Methodist Ladies College students were in attendance, The Daily Telegraph reports.

NSW Police and Methodist Ladies College have been contacted for comment.

This is not the first controversy Newington College has faced in recent months after its decision to transition to co-education - which it announced in late 2023 - sparked backlash from some members of the school community.
A group of Aussie campers were left with a staggering bill after their 4WD became swamped on a popular holiday island.

The holidaymakers were camping at K'gari, a tourist hotspot in Queensland that was formerly known as Fraser Island, when disaster suddenly struck.

They were heading to Coongal Creek on the western side of the island and had difficulty navigating the terrain when they became bogged.

The tide quickly rose and completely submerged the Jeep and trailer - which is estimated to be worth an eye-watering $54,000.

Social media users were divided with some claiming the campers made the mistake of trying to traverse the difficult terrain during high tide.

A group of Aussie campers were left with a staggering bill after their 4WD became swamped on a popular holiday island

The holidaymakers were camping on the Queensland island K'gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, when disaster suddenly struck

The salvaged Jeep was loaded on the back of a tilt-tray tow truck and the camper trailer on a second truck, before being driven off the beach

Incredible photographs from the costly misadventure showed the roof of the Jeep barely sticking out of the water.

The Jeep and camper trailer were successfully winched out of the water and onto the beach.

The salvaged Jeep was then loaded on the back of a tilt-tray tow truck and the camper trailer on a second truck, before being driven off the beach.

Fraser Island Towing was called to the scene and revealed on Facebook the vehicle was retrieved from the water.

'4WD and trailer recovered by Fraser Island Towing and Rainbow Beach Towing, with extra caution due to the unforgiving terrain on that side of the island,' the post read.

The towing company urged campers to be wary of the terrain and travel with caution.

Social media users shared their sympathies with the group of campers.

'Oh how sad would that be, hope they are all okay,' one wrote.

Another succinctly added: 'Oh poor buggers.'

Incredible photographs from the costly misadventure showed the roof of the Jeep barely sticking out of the water

Other comments criticised the campers for not taking adequate precautions for their 4WD adventure

Fraser Island Towing was called to the scene and revealed on Facebook the vehicle was retrieved from the water

Other comments criticised the campers for not taking adequate precautions for their 4WD adventure with some saying they had 'all the gear' but 'no idea'.

'If that's the angle they tried doing a u turn at in soft sand no wonder they got bogged,' one said.

'Too late now to offer all this experienced adviceof unhooking the trailer and recovering the vehicle separately,' another said.

'But hopefully someone else reading this can get some insight and knowledge before they attempt beach driving on the incoming tide!'

'Seriously, how does it get that far into the water  I'm no expert, but even I know there are things to avoid or wait to do because of the tide,' a third person wrote.
A man has been rushed to hospital after shooting himself with a homemade gun.

The 37-year-old was found with a gunshot wound in an alleyway off Scott Street in Dandenong, Melbourne's south-east, at 1.15am on Monday.

'It is believed the man accidentally discharged the firearm at himself,' a Victoria Police spokesman told the Herald Sun.

Victoria Police confirmed a homemade gun was found at the scene.

Police found the 37-year-old with a gunshot wound in an alleyway off Scott Street in Dandenong at 1.15am on Monday

A crime scene has been established and investigations are ongoing

The man was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

A crime scene has been established and investigations are ongoing.

Daily Mail Australia contacted Victoria Police for further comment.
A grandma has been jailed after admitting to robbing a company of $4million to fund luxury cruise trips and a gambling addiction.

Maree Wilson, 68, was sentenced to at least three years behind bars at the County Court of Victoria on Friday after pleading guilty to a series of theft charges.

She diverted funds from family-run business Stosius Constructions to her own bank accounts between 2014 to 2021 while employed as their bookkeeper.

The court heard the fraudster spent at least $500 a day to feed her pokie addiction while also blowing money on a number of overseas holidays and shopping sprees.

Her splurge came to an end after her transactions were red-flagged in November 2021 and she admitted to the fraud to the company's director and his son.

Melbourne grandma, Maree Wilson (pictured), has plead guilty to defrauding over $4million from a family-run construction company while employed as their bookkeeper

Wilson told the owners that she was 'glad it's done' and would wait patiently for police to arrive at the head office.

She said the racket began as a way to feed her gambling addiction before it grew into an 'indefensible' multi-million dollar fraud.

The court heard Wilson had at times given some of the money to her children or charity while spending at least $50,000 gambling on a number of overseas cruises.

During an interview with police in October 2022, she said she 'enjoyed (my) time and enjoyed what was happening'.

'Yes of course (I knew what I was doing)  I didn't think about it  I didn't give it conscious thought  I can't explain that to someone else,' Wilson said.

The court was told that Wilson had intended to tell the company directors on a number of occasions but 'chickened out', the Herald Sun reported.

When in the owner's office, she would instead place the blame on him, saying 'he should be taking more responsibility for the finances than he was'.

While the fraudster has foregone her $15,000 severance payment, the court also heard she hasn't made an effort to pay back the company.

She spent at least $50,000 gambling on a number of overseas cruises while also burning at least $500 a day on the pokies

Wilson had worked at the company for 14 years before starting the racket which left the lives of the owner's family almost ruined.

Stosius Constructions' former director believed the company's losses were due to his poor management and didn't suspect the trusted employee being a fraudster.

Her 'greedy and heinous' offences left the company on the brink of collapse and led to severed relationships between family members, victims told the court.

Judge Gabriele Cannon said Wilson was able to get away with stealing millions because of her 'position of trust which you gravely breached'.

'You were a long-term and trusted employee of the victim company who you knew to be a family company and who you deliberately stole from time and time again,' Judge Cannon said.
A tiny picturesque town has been tearing itself apart over alleged 'subversive messaging' in a series of LGBT murals on a prominent building.

The artworks in Littleton, New Hampshire, were installed last year and show colorful trees, stars and flowers, one of which appears to be a dandelion.

A local nonprofit that had them installed said they had been meant to 'beautify blighted properties' and promote a more welcoming environment.

But state senator and town selectman Carrie Gendreau raised her concerns about their content, due to one of them having a rainbow in it.

Addressing a local meeting on the murals last year, she told board members: 'We need to very careful', and urged residents to 'research what the mural really means. I don't want that to be in our town.'

After word spread throughout the town, which has a population of roughly 6,000 people, locals had mixed views on the comments.

Gendreau said she had no regrets about speaking up about the mural: 'I would rather speak out and risk persecution than say nothing and see people end up in hell'

A local nonprofit that had them installed said they had been meant to 'beautify blighted properties' and promote a more welcoming environment

The murals in Littleton were installed last year and depict scenes of colorful trees among stars and flowers, one of which appears to be a dandelion

State senator and town selectman Carrie Gendreau raised her concerns about the content of the mural, due to one of them having a rainbow in it

Kerri Harrington, an acupuncturist who had respected Gendreau's views, told the New York Times: 'I knew our politics were different, I knew she was religious, but there are a lot of religious people here. This was the first time I realized she had that agenda.'

Harrington had helped start North Country Pride which planned and paid for the mural.

The nonprofit was founded in 2020 to build a more visible support for the LGBT community in the region.

After she approached Gendreau to talk about the mural, she said the state senator urged her to read 'The Return of the Gods,' by Jonathan Cahn.

Cahn, a doomsday evangelist and best-selling author, warns of the decline of America into evil and says gay rights are an example of decay.

Harrington said she read the book and could understand why Gendreau was upset, but it left her worried about what might happen next.

Residents in Littleton had until then lived their lives in harmony despite their political differences, but this caused a divide in the community.

Kerri Harrington (second from right) had helped start North Country Pride which planned and paid for the mural

A New Hampshire town seemingly ripped itself apart over a LGBT mural that left residents questioning their values after a state senator voiced concerns over their content

Gendreau, who is an evangelical Christian, told the outlet she got calls from across the globe including Australia, as people denounced her views.

'I told them, 'I hope God opens your vision.' I told them, 'I love you, and I don't want to fight back,'' Gendreau told the outlet.

Gendreau said she knew when she first criticized the mural that most people would not understand. She said the iris was a dangerous symbol because Iris was the Greek goddess of rainbow and that children needed protected from demonic forces.

'We only understand God's word when we have the spirit of God in us,' she said. 'They don't get it, and I understand that.'

Gendreau had occasionally used her faith in her politics, telling former town manager Jim Gleason when he was hard that 'God wants you in Littleton.'

After three years in the role, Gleason resigned earlier this year after Gendreau's comments about the mural. Citing a 'toxic work environment', he said the comments made were painful after his gay son Patrick died aged 35 from pancreatitis.

Soon after the comments were made by Gendreau, residents started flooding the local newspaper with angry readers letters.

A local savings bank also asked Gendreau to resign from their board of directors over the 'hurt' she had caused.

Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank said in a statement: 'At Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank, everyone is welcome and everyone belongs.

'We want you to know that we truly understand. The comments are not representative of what the bank stands for.'

Jim Gleason, seen here, resigned from his role on citing hurtful anti-LGBTQ comments

Locals waited with bated breath in hopes that she might apologize for her comments or step down. Much to their amazement, she went on to double down in an interview last October with The Boston Globe.

In it, she branded homosexuality as being an 'abomination', adding she saw 'twisted preferences creeping into our community.'

She also hit out at a local musical being held at the Littleton Opera House by a theater group involving a gay couple. The theater troupe had made the building its home for a decade, and had considered renovating it with grant money.

After the controversy, they decided to build a new theater instead for fear of being censored.

While most of the town seemed to be against her views, one woman walked into the town hall and echoed Gendreau's sentiment.

She asked what was to be done about the theater production and asked to have it stopped.

Gleason told the times that he reminded the woman that the play was protected by the First Amendment.

When the woman replied: 'What about my free speech?', he replied: 'The way you protest is, don't buy a ticket'.

According to Gleason, the woman called him 'weak' and then brought up his dead son Patrick.

Supporters such as the woman started to rise to the defense of Gendreau calling out those who attempted to silence her.

Nick DeMayo, chairman of the Northern Grafton County Republican Committee, said: 'Sen. Gendreau speaks for those stakeholders who are afraid to speak out, to stop this 'liberal-progressive-socialist-communist-bully-ism.'

While Roger Emerson, then the chair of the towns select board heard from stakeholders who shared her views.

Emerson said they feared being attacked but had been privately cheering her on from the sidelines.

He said: 'It used to be, when someone said something you didn't like, you would sit down and talk about it. Not run to the newspapers and social media.'

State senator and town selectman Carrie Gendreau said she believes homosexuality is an abomination

Peggy Fujwara, who knew Gendreau as a fellow Christian, told a board meeting that '[Gendreau] has been dragged through fire for her beliefs, and I think that is wrong.'

Following the incident involving the woman making remarks to Gleason, Gendreau said she urged the woman to apologize to him.

While people stood up at meetings and berated her, she told The Times she noted each of their names and then prayed for them that God would show them the truth. She said: 'If people could see into my heart, they would see absolute compassion.'

History teacher Richard Alberini said he was left rattled after learning of her views, saying: 'I taught Carrie the Constitution in eighth grade.

'I taught her the separation of church and state, and the reason for it in the history of the country.'

While Duane Coute, who has also known her for years, said he was bewildered after she described her views.

Coute rallied more than 1,000 business people, residents and visitors to sign a letter asking the board to 'step back from this hurtful path.'

It said: 'This is not who we are. Littleton is a vibrant, broad and inclusive community.'

After Gleason made his final stand against her remarks before resigning, Gendreau said to a meeting: 'If a man can be a woman because he feels like one.

'Where does this end? Can a grown man attend kindergarten because he identifies as a 6-year-old?'

The Times reported that people left the meeting shouting 'shame on your Carrie' as they did so.

Gendreau has decided against re-election, concluding that God didn't want her to remain on the board.

Her seat was then won by Harrington, with townspeople voting to expand the board to add diversity.

Gendreau said she had no regrets: 'I would rather speak out and risk persecution than say nothing and see people end up in hell.'
By Park Jin-hai

Nanro Foundation, a nonprofit organization, opened Nanro Insight, a two-day global symposium on Korean food, Monday. Over 200 people from various industries, including Korean chefs and restaurant owners, as well as food, traditional liquor, finance, IT, branding, media, art and music professionals, gathered for the event, titled The Future of Gastronomy: Hansik, to discuss the ways to put "hansik," or Korean food, on the global map.

Chef Choi Jung-yoon, head of the foundation, said that unlike Korean movies, cosmetics and fashion, Korean food has been relatively less known and that made her start this community dedicated to studying Korean culinary culture. People around me say they feel Korea possesses such significant soft power now. It seems like everything, from cosmetics to movies, is getting better, but only food remains, she said during an opening speech at Leeum Museum of Art in central Seoul's Yongsan District, Monday.

It seems to me that the current Korean wave will continue to thrive for at least five years without any intervention from us. But thinking of 50 or 100 years from today, I feel like now is a really important time to make the most of the current popularity and establish Korean cuisine as a pillar of global culture and lifestyle.

Choi said, through over 40 sessions of discussion with some 300 cross-industry experts since 2022, she realized that the concepts of value up and scale up are the two most important things to be done for that cause. We ourselves don't seem to know the value of Korean cuisine. After studying and recognizing its value, this should be followed by the scaling-up efforts for hansik. The discussion involves experts from various fields, including finance and distribution, brainstorming how to transform Korean cuisine from individual dishes and restaurants into a global business phenomenon accessible to a diverse range of people.

She highlighted that cross-industry connections hold the key to unlocking the full potential of Korean cuisine. We believe that the key to the future of Korean cuisine lies in the confluence of tradition and modernity, the fusion of Korean and global sensibilities and the seamless integration of Korean cuisine with various industries.

Jeong Jae-seung, a professor studying decision neuroscience in the Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department at KAIST, gave a keynote speech about how science can help boost the global popularity of Korean food, introducing a research paper that delved into the science of how various ingredients interact to enhance flavor and appeal to human preferences. This research demonstrates the potential for scientific approaches to culinary exploration. Data and graphs show how the brain perceives the best taste when a steak is paired with sauces made of different ingredients. Using this study, we can find the best steak-sauce combination to enhance flavor profiles. But Korean cuisine remains largely unexplored in this regard, he said.

Jeong added that the focus of modern health research has shifted from mere life extension to promoting longevity through maintaining a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle, and this provides an opportunity for hansik to play a crucial role. Korean cuisine  with its emphasis on fermentation, rice and a balance of meat and vegetables  stands out as an exemplary model for promoting longevity, he said.

Inspired by the "Nanrohoe," which originates from gatherings of scholars in the late period of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom who would gather around a brazier at night to enjoy food and engage in discussions, the namesake community has grown into a leading domestic Korean food industry player with over 40 gatherings and participation of 300 experts to date.
Mecus was a role model in the Adirondack and LGBTQIA+ community

A New York trans woman fell 1,000ft to her death while ice climbing on an Alaskan mountain.

Robbi Mecus, 52, of Keene Valley, died after she and her climbing partner fell while they ascended Mount Johnson, an 8,400ft peak, in Denali National Park on Thursday night.

The other climber, Melissa Orzechowski, 30, from California, survived the fall but suffered 'serious traumatic injuries,' according to the National Park Service.

Around 10.45pm, other climbers who witnessed the tragic incident called for help, but a rescue helicopter pilot and mountaineering rangers couldn't save the surviving climber until 7am Friday.

Later that morning, a park helicopter and two rangers went back to the scene to recover Mecus's body, but had to turn back because of 'deteriorating weather.'

Robbi Mecus, 52, of Keene Valley, died after her and her climbing partner fell while they climbed Mount Johnson, an 8,400ft peek, in Denali National Park on Thursday night

Mecus, a New York forest ranger, was recovered on Saturday morning from the bottom of the mountain known as 'the Escalator' after the pair fell 1,000ft

Mecus, a New York forest ranger, was recovered on Saturday morning from the bottom of the mountain known as 'the Escalator' after the pair fell about 1,000ft.

Mecus is survived by her former wife Sam and their daughter Hazel.

'I join the Department of Environmental Conservation family in mourning the sudden and tragic passing of Forest Ranger Robbi Mecus,' interim DEC Commissioner Sean Mahar said in a statement.

The other climber, Melissa Orzechowski (left) survived the treacherous fall and sustained 'serious traumatic injuries'

According to the agency, Mecus was a forest ranger for the Department of Environmental Conservation's Adirondack region for 25 years after she joined in 1999 at the age of 27.

Maher said Mecus not only 'exemplified the Forest Rangers' high standard of professional excellence,' but praised her work in 'advancing diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ belonging throughout the agency.'

'Over her 25-year career with DEC, Ranger Mecus demonstrated an unparalleled passion for protecting the environment and New Yorkers,' Maher added.

According to NCPR, Mecus took part in 'hundreds of search and rescues over her career,' and recently helped find a frostbitten and hypothermic hiker in High Peaks in March.

Mecus was seen in a video from March 2023, explaining another rescue that she assisted in after she helped a 60-year-old woman with a leg injury on Wright Peak in New York.

'Part of our job is to remember that when this is happening to a member of the public, this is one of their worst days,' Mecus said in the video.

Mecus was seen in a picture climbing an icy mountain in December 2021. 'Let your freak flag fly,' she said in the caption as she wore a pride flag on her back

It wasn't until she was 44 that Mecus came out as a transgender woman and said she waited for 'many reasons.' She later become a role model for the climbing community

'So, having the skill set to talk to them very calmly and rationally, and letting them know they're in good hands, is important,' she added.

Mecus, who called herself a 'rescue junkie,' said although she never 'wishes harm' on anybody, she took 'a certain amount of pride' in each rescue.

In 2021, Mecus, who was born in Brooklyn in the early 1970s, told NCPR that she struggled with coming out as a trans woman. Mecus told the outlet she came from a conservative Catholic family and would 'insist on wearing girls' clothes to school.'

'From the moment I had an idea of what gender was, I knew that I was a girl,' she said.

'I remember having fights with my mother, her putting me in button shirts and buster-brown shoes and cutting my hair, and just screaming at the top of my lungs until I lost my voice.'

It wasn't until she was 44 that Mecus came out as transgender and said she waited for 'many reasons.'

'I didn't see anybody else doing the things that I still wanted to do and I didn't think I could do them,' she recounted. 'I didnt see any queer rangers. I didnt see any trans climbers.'

After she came out, Mecus became a role model in the Adirondacks community.

Mecus, who called herself a 'rescue junkie,' said although she never 'wished harm' on anybody, she took 'a certain amount of pride' in each rescue

It is unclear what went wrong during the climb as she successfully made it up the large mountain last year

Mecus is survived by her former wife (left) Sam and their daughter Hazel (center). A GoFundMe page was created by the Adirondack community to support them

She helped host the Adirondack Queer Ice Fest with Orzechowski and took part in public events.

Mecus was seen in a picture climbing an icy mountain in December 2021.

'Let your freak flag fly,' she said in the caption as she wore a pride flag on her back.

It is unclear what went wrong during Thursday's climb as she successfully made it up the large mountain last year. The peak is known as one of the most dangerous.

Former DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos took to X and said that he was 'devastated' to hear Mecus's passing.

'Robbi was such an incredible person. A pillar of strength. Always for the most difficult @NYSDEC rescues and crises, and a tremendous leader for LGBTQIA+ rights,' Seggos said.

'I feel fortunate to have known her. Rest in peace, Ranger,' he added.

A GoFundMe page was created by the Adirondack community to support the mother and daughter. As of Monday morning, more than $3,000 was raised.
Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met for the first time in months on Sunday, with signs they make broker peace from a tough primary so Republicans can beat Joe Biden in November.

DeSantis ran against Trump for the Republican nomination in 2024, before dropping out on January 21 after a lackluster finish in Iowa and endorsed the former president.

However, the Florida chief executive has expressed skepticism about Trump, having said he has 'too much baggage' to run as Trump's vice president and saying some Republicans will never vote for him.

On the other side, Trump ran scorched earth against DeSantis - or 'DeSanctimonius' as he referred to him on the trail - and his donors have expressed fury over the governor's criticism.

DeSantis - whom Trump shot into the stratosphere with a 2018 endorsement for governor - requested a meeting with Trump on Sunday in Miami in an attempt to make nice against their common foe - Biden.

Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis met for the first time in months on Sunday, with signs they make broker peace from a tough primary so Republicans can beat Joe Biden in November

DeSantis - whom Trump shot into the stratosphere with a 2017 endorsement for governor - requested a meeting with Trump on Sunday in Miami in an attempt to make nice against their common foe - Joe Biden

The meeting was arranged by Florida real estate broker and Trump backer Steve Witkoff, according to Politico.

Trump and DeSantis, according to several people interviewed, talked about how they could work together on the campaign trail.

The Trump campaign confirmed the meeting happened and described it as 'good,' while multiple DeSantis donors praised the move as 'smart' on the governor's part.

Roy Bailey, a finance chair for the DeSantis presidential campaign, believes this is great news for Trump.

'It's a great development and makes perfect sense for Trump, DeSantis and all Republicans,' he said.

'Gov. DeSantis had a really strong volunteer finance team and if we could plug that in and help Trump then that's what we need to do  and want to do. It's important to all get together and row in the same direction.'

The Florida Governor, widely considered the future of the Republican party and initially the favorite to take down Trump after he was reelected in 2022, announced he was suspending his campaign in a surprise video in late January.

It followed mounting speculation that donors were fleeing and his campaign was struggling to find a path to make a dent in Trump's huge polling lead.

Both Republicans want to see Biden defeated in November

DeSantis ran against Trump for the Republican nomination in 2024, before dropping out on January 21 after a lackluster finish in Iowa and endorsed the former president

However, the Florida chief executive has expressed skepticism about Trump, having said he has 'too much baggage' to run as Trump's vice president and saying some Republicans will never vote for him

DeSantis channeled Winston Churchill in his farewell video and called Haley a 'repackaged form of warmed-up corporatism'.

His final warning was for Republicans not to go 'back to yesteryear' and confirmed he would support Trump, the opponent who has mocked and humiliated him for the last year.

Despite repeatedly bashing Trump for refusing to debate in the primary cycle and taking several hits from the ex-president calling him 'Ron DeSanctimonious,' the governor decided to endorse his former rival.

Trump said during an unannounced stop at his New Hampshire campaign headquarters that after DeSantis' announcement he has 'officially retired' the 'DeSanctimonious' nickname.

Throughout the campaign, Trump called DeSantis a 'traitor' for deciding to run for president in 2024 after the former president's endorsement is what led him to clinch the Republican nomination for governor in Florida in 2018.

Trump said during an unannounced stop at his New Hampshire campaign headquarters that after DeSantis' announcement he has 'officially retired' the 'DeSanctimonious' nickname

Throughout the campaign, Trump called DeSantis a 'traitor' for deciding to run for president in 2024 after the former president's endorsement

'It's clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,' DeSantis said. 'They watch his presidency gets stymied by relentless resistance, and they see Democrats using lawfare this day to attack him.'

He added: 'Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden. That is clear.'

'I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honor that pledge.'

The pledge in question is what the Republican National Committee required all candidates to sign, vowing to support the eventual nominee if they wanted to participate in their four primary debates last year. Trump never signed the pledge and refused to show up for the debates.

'[W]e are honored by the endorsement from Governor Ron DeSantis and so many other former presidential candidates,' Trump's campaign wrote in a statement.
Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi is a 'hypocrite' who is 'only against certain forms of racism', the federal court has been told in her blockbuster proceedings against Pauline Hanson.

Ms Faruqi is suing Ms Hanson over a comment she made on X, then Twitter, telling her to 'p*** off back to Pakistan' following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022.

Under cross examination on Monday morning, Ms Faruqi reiterated that she stands against racism, but Ms Hanson's high-powered silk Sue Chrysanthou SC argued that she is selective in her advocacy.

'I'll be putting to her that she's a hypocrite and that she's only against certain forms of racism,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

She honed in on social media posts made by Ms Faruqi's son, Age journalist Osman Faruqi, which she told the court were offensive to white people.

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi is a 'hypocrite' who is 'only against certain forms of racism', the federal court has been told in her blockbuster proceedings against Pauline Hanson

Ms Faruqi is suing Ms Hanson over a comment she made on X, then Twitter , telling her to 'p*** off back to Pakistan ' following the death of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022

One tweet read: 'Mediocre white people should be in the bin but instead they own everything and are every-f***ing-where.'

Asked whether she thought the post constituted racism, Ms Faruqi said: 'I don't.'

'You don't consider it racist?' Ms Chrysanthou asked again.

Ms Faruqi argued that racism 'is about people's ethnicity and skin colour. It is about who holds power in this country or anywhere else in the world'.

She added: 'It is tied to who holds the power and has the authority, to perpetrate racism. In this country, the power is held by white people.'

But she accepted that critics often share that particular post on her own social media platforms and express anger about the sentiment.

Just moments earlier, Ms Faruqi had again insisted that she stands against racism, 'without qualifying' precisely what that meant.

Ms Chrysanthou said: 'She redefined racism to only, apparently, include some minorities. It's hard to understand that decision.

'I wish to explore what she considers to be inappropriate racism, or what is acceptable racism.'

Pictured: Mourners at Westminster Abbey following the death of the Queen

Ms Chrysanthou honed in on social media posts made by Ms Faruqi's son, Age journalist Osman Faruqi (pictured), which she told the court were offensive to white people

Justice Angus Stewart, who is presiding over the case, made reference to another high-profile case which is grappling with the definition of racism.

Matildas star Sam Kerr is currently fighting the charge of racially-aggravated harassment in the UK.

He mentioned that an argument is mounting, similar to what Ms Faruqi said, that white people hold the power in certain circumstances and therefore aren't discriminated against on the basis of race.

Ms Hanson's defence is built upon her belief that she made a 'fair comment' in response to Ms Faruqi's criticism of the Queen.

Just hours after the Queen's death, Ms Faruqi wrote: 'Condolences to those who knew the Queen.

'I cannot mourn the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples.

'We are reminded of the urgency of Treaty with First Nations, justice and reparations for British colonies and becoming a republic.'

The back-and-forth kicked off following the death of the Queen in September 2022

Five hours later, senator Hanson responded and said Ms Faruqi should 'pack (her) bags and p*** off back to Pakistan'.

She added: 'Your attitude appalls and disgusts me. When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country.

'You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It's clear you're not happy.'

Hanson: 'You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It's clear you're not happy, so pack your bags and p*** off back to Pakistan'

Ms Chrysanthou argues the barrage of criticism Ms Faruqi received was well underway by the time Ms Hanson offered her opinion.

She said Ms Faruqi was facing backlash between 11am and about 4pm, when her staff appeared to limit commenting on the post.

'As a person who had a sincere and genuine affection toward the Queen... Senator Hanson reacted to what she read, and expressed her genuine view about the conduct of Senator Faruqi,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

READ MORE: Pauline Hanson's brutal warning to PM Advertisement

'In expressing her view about senator Faruqi's conduct, my client gives examples of past conduct to emphasise her point, being that the tweet was appalling and disgusting and hypocritical.'

She said that in seeking to 'point out those three things, that the conduct was appalling, disgusting and hypocritical, [Ms Hanson] sets out reasons why she's formed that view, which classically has explained the basis of the opinion, which is what a fair comment is.

'Fair comment means an opinion based on facts.

'One of those facts is that, undoubtedly, Senator Faruqi is an immigrant from Pakistan.'

But Ms Chrysanthou said the 'inclusion of that fact does not mean that is why' she made the post. The post, she argues, was a direct reflection of Ms Faruqi's own comments about the Queen.

'Merely referring to someone's background or colour or race is not sufficient to prove the act was done because of that factor,' she said.

Ms Chrysanthou argued that Ms Faruqi has received far more hurtful racially motivated criticism than what Ms Hanson said, but has only chosen to launch legal proceedings against the One Nation senator because she is a political opponent.

'You've come here to use the witness box as a soap box to give speeches to further your political ends,' she argued.

Ms Faruqi denied that statement.

Ms Chrysanthou asked Ms Faruqi whether she was of the view that she'd 'observed racism within the Greens party... particularly within the last 12 months'.

Ms Faruqi agreed that was the case.

'You've not brought any action about racism against anyone in your party?' Ms Chrysanthou asked.

'No,' Ms Faruqi answered.

'You've brought action against my client because she's a political opponent and she's a political opponent you've not liked for many years,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

'Not true,' Ms Faruqi replied.

'You've chosen now to sue senator hanson because it suits you politically doesn't it?'

Again, Ms Faruqi denied the proposition.

The hearing continues on Tuesday
A Muslim academic who receives an $802,000 taxpayer-funded grant has led a protest which saw children encouraged to chant anti-Israel slogans.

Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah, a researcher at Macquarie University, held a 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' 'all ages' event at Sydney University on Friday to 'inspire' children to 'stand up for justice and solidarity'.

Footage shows Dr Abdel-Fattah clapping and encouraging children as they chanted slogans including 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free', 'Israel is a terrorist state' and 'intifada' - a Palestinian term calling for civil uprising.

Photos of the event posted online by the University of Sydney Welfare Action Group show children, who appear to be as young as five, being urged to speak into the detachable microphone of a megaphone.

Dr Abdel-Fattah later insisted the children were free to chant whatever they wanted.

According to the student organisation, the protest featured a 'teach-in' by Dr Abdel-Fattah, face painting and a Tatreez workshop, and ended with an 'amazing mini rally'.

In another post, The University of Sydney SRC organisation said students were also addressed by anti-Zionist speakers.

Footage posted online showing children spouting pro-Palestine slogans at a protest (pictured) at the University of Sydney has sparked outrage

'In the afternoon the independent journalist and author of the Palestine Laboratory Antony Loewenstein visited the encampment to give a speech on anti-Zionism and the ongoing institutional support universities provide to Israel,' the statement said.

'Students then held a rally at the encampment before taking to the streets, disrupting traffic and reiterating our demand that the University of Sydney cut ties with Thales and Israeli institutions.'

The incident made headlines around the world and has thrust Dr Abdel-Fattah - who was granted the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship in 2022, which provides four-year salary and project funding to mid-career researchers - into the spotlight.

Her research - which focuses on 'Arab/Muslim Australian social movements since the 1970s' - will be funded until the 2025/26 financial year, for a total cost of $802,000 to taxpayers.

But critics, including the Shadow Minister for Education Sarah Henderson, are now calling for Dr Abdel-Fattah to be stripped of her grant.

'Abhorrent behaviour where pro-Palestinian activists are indoctrinating children,' she wrote on X.

'How can this be allowed to happen? What sort of country have we become? As can be seen in videos posted on social media, some of the children attending this so-called childrens excursion were barely five years old.

'(Education) minister (Jason) Clare must immediately cancel this grant. No ifs, no buts. There is no justification for the Albanese Government continuing to fund a person engaged in conduct which puts the well-being of children at risk.'

The rally was organised by controversial Muslim scholar Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah (pictured)

Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-CEO Alex Ryvchin said encouraging children to chant the anti-Israel slogans only added to cultural division within Australia.

'Our country faces the very real threat of religiously and racially motivated violence,' Mr Ryvchin said.

'This incident should be closely examined by government and law enforcement.

'The organisers of this horrific spectacle want to split our country apart. We cannot allow this to occur.

'Sydney University must remove and ban those involved from its campus before its reputation suffers permanent damage.'

Commentator Andrew Bolt also echoed calls for Dr Abdel-Fattah's funding to be stripped, arguing that the academic has made worse comments in the past.

In 2018, Dr Abdel-Fattah wrote an opinion piece stating she 'refused to condemn' the murder of a Melbourne cafe owner by Islamist terrorist Hassan Khalif Shire Ali.

'I, an Australian Muslim, refuse to condemn the violence that took place on Bourke Street,' she wrote in The Age.

'To ask me to condemn is to strip me of my basic humanity.'

Dr Abdel-Fattah is pictured smiling at a child, who appeared to be as young as four, as she spoke into a microphone at the event on Friday

Last year, she also clashed with Sky News Australia reporter Erin Molan during an on-air interview after Dr Abdel-Fattah said she 'did not see Hamas as a terrorist organisation'.

Addressing the uproar, Dr Abdel-Fattah issued a statement on X on Monday, saying the gathering on Friday offered 'children a space of comfort, healing and community'.

Dr Abdel-Fattah said Palestinian children have been distressed by images coming out of Gaza and kids were given the microphone on Friday to 'lead chants of their choosing' in hope of 'giving them a sense of agency in a moment of distress'.

'The ones who jumped at the opportunity had been to the weekly rallies for over seven months, observing and participating in chants and calls for justice, freedom and an end to the slaughter,' she wrote.

'Our children refuse to accept that their siblings must be condemned to be killed by Israel.'

Dr Abdel Fattah slammed the ECAJ, claiming their comments about the kids' excursion were 'defamatory ... as concerns me, a Palestinian Egyptian Muslim woman.

She also claimed the ECAJ were campaigning to have her booted from her job.

'Macquarie has policies in place to protect me from improper pressures aimed at restricting my academic freedom,' she said.

'Yet the ECAJ flaunts its calls on my employer, aided by its stenographer, the Murdoch press. If it can do this publicly, what undue influence does it exert behind closed doors?'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Dr Abdel-Fattah and Macquarie University for comment.
Ninette and Philip Simons was broken into on April 16

One of three men accused of beating an elderly woman unconscious in her own home has been revealed to be a detainee freed from immigration detention.

Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, was one of 149 people released from immigration detention after the High Court ruled against indefinite detention late last year.

Jamshidi Doukoshkan faced a Perth court in February after breaching some of his bail conditions.

He faced court again from custody on Monday after allegedly breaking into the home of Ninette, 73, and Philip Simons, 76, in Girrawheen in Perth's north, on April 16.

The federal opposition has called for home affairs minister Clare O'Neil and immigration minister Andrew Giles to be sacked immediately.

'If they can't explain what they're going to do to make sure that this never happens again, then they should both resign,' Liberal Senator James Paterson said.

Ninette Simons (pictured) was allegedly attacked, with the group holding her to the ground and punching her in the face several times, knocking her unconscious

Mr and Mrs Simons were both inside their home on Allinson Drive when three men allegedly impersonating police officers knocked on their door.

As soon as Mr Simons opened the door he was allegedly pushed to the ground and had his hands bound behind his back.

Mrs Simons was allegedly attacked shortly after with the group holding her to the ground and punching her in the face several times, knocking her unconscious.

Over the weekend, police arrested four people, including Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, who was one of the immigration detainees released from detention

It's further alleged the thieves stole more than $200,000 worth of jewellery and other belongings before fleeing the home on foot.

Mrs Simons said the attack had left her traumatised and severely injured.

'I am not the same person I used to be, I can hardly stand or walk. I used to be able to go for dancing and its highly unlikely I will do it again,' she said.

'The dizziness is driving me crazy.'

Over the weekend, police arrested four people, including Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, 43, who was one of the immigration detainees released from detention.

He appeared in Joondalup Magistrates Court on Monday charged with aggravated home burglary, assault, detaining someone, robbery and impersonating a public officer.

He was remanded in custody to face court again on June 10.

Mr Doukoshkan was one of the detainees released from Yongah Hill Detention Centre in Perth last November.

A High Court ruling found it was illegal for detainees who could not be deported to be detained indefinitely and he was released into the community with dozens of other detainees.

On March 22, a court order that required Mr Doukoshkan to remain at a fixed address was discontinued after it had been in place for about one month.

Jamshidi Doukoshkan and two other men allegedly impersonated police officers to gain entry to the elderly couple's home (pictured, emergency services at the scene)

Detectives and officers from the Tactical Response Group, executed several search warrants in Nollamara.

During the search of a house on Newhaven Way, police allegedly located handcuffs, a WA Police badge wallet and a WA Police brim hat.

Several items of jewellery were also allegedly recovered.

A 38-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman were arrested at the home.

The 38-year-old man was charged with a number of offences relating to the alleged aggravated home burglary.

About 4.40pm on Sunday, another search warrant was executed on Bangalla Place in Balcatta where a 48-year-old woman was arrested upon entry.

Police will allege the woman drove three men to and from the Girrawheen home on the night of the incident.

A short time later, about 5.30pm, a 43-year-old man was arrested during the execution of a search warrant on Cape St in Osborne Park. Jewellery was allegedly recovered at the home and he was subsequently charged too.

As a result of an extensive investigation, several other people were also charged with related offences.

Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, one of the immigrants released from indefinite detention last year, allegedly was part of the group that beat 73-year-old Ninette Simons (pictured)

WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam said Premier Roger Cook had failed on his promise that the detainees in the WA community would be closely monitored by police.

An Australian Border Force spokesperson said the Department of Home Affairs was aware that an individual who holds a Bridging Visa R was arrested by WA Police on April 28.

'The safety and security of the community remains the absolute priority for the Australian Border Force and Department of Home Affairs, and we will continue to work closely with our state and territory partners,' the spokesperson said.

Inquiries are ongoing and one alleged offender remains outstanding.

Detectives urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Heavy rain is set to batter large swathes of Australia as a series of weather systems usher in cool and wet conditions for parts of the country.

A low pressure system is forecast to develop off the coast of Perth on Tuesday, bringing with it a band of rain set to fall across the south west of Western Australia.

A cold front is also forecast to bring showers across parts of NSW, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, with even some snow about the high mountain peaks.

Showers and thunderstorms will develop over Western Australia's western districts before spreading further south and east between Tuesday and Thursday.

Total rainfall in the west and south west of the state are expected to remain in the single digits.

Australia's east coast and parts of the country's south west are forecast to be lashed by heavy rain as a series of weather systmes ushers in cold and wet conditions

However, some areas of the far south west seeing accumulated totals ranging between 15 to 50mm by the end of the week.

Weatherzone Meteorologist Ben Domensino said the wet weather is a welcome change for the state after enduring its driest seven-month period on record.

'While there wont be enough rain to completely eradicate the rainfall deficits from the past seven months, the wet weather will be a welcome change for the parched landscape,' Mr Domensino said.

Mr Domensino explained there was uncertainty regarding the resulting rainfall over the eastern parts of Australia but most forecast models agree heavy rain will affect parts of NSW and Queensland.

'There is some uncertainty regarding the position of the upper-level low and the resulting rainfall towards the end of the week,' Mr Domensino said.

'Weather patterns like this can cause several hundred millimetres of rain along the NSW coast and adjacent ranges.

'Most forecast models agree that heavy rain will affect parts of eastern NSW, with potential for substantial falls in southern Queensland, and in western and central NSW as well.'

Mr Domenisco advised rainfall forecasts for individual locations may vary during the week, while severe weather warnings would be issued as heavy rain days approach.

A low pressure system is forecast to develop off the coast of Perth on Tuesday, bringing with it a band of rain set to fall across the south west of the state

Queensland

Showers are forecast for Brisbane from Monday through to the weekend, with the wettest day set for Saturday with up to 15mm of rain.

Maximum temperatures will remain in the mid-20s, while minimum temperatures keep at a steady 15C to 16C for the week.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a moderate flood warning for the Eyre Creek and minor flood warning for Georgina River.

However, no significant rainfall totals are expected over the next few days.

NSW

Residents in Sydney will feel a cooler change after Monday, as the mercury drops from 27C to a maximum of 21C for the rest of the week.

Up to 15mm of rain is expected to fall on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by 20 and 35mm of rain on Thursday and Friday.

The weekend will see the heaviest falls with up to 100mm of rain falling across Saturday and Sunday.

ACT

The chance of showers is forecast on Monday and Tuesday for Canberra.

Mid-week will remain dry before the wet weather returns from Friday and into the weekend, with up to 18mm of rain set to fall over Saturday and Sunday.

The mercury will range between 16 and 18C across the week, while minimum temperatures will remain in the single digits.

Showers and thunderstorms will develop over NSW. Total rainfall in the west and south west of the state are expected to remain in the single digit, with some areas of the south west set to receive accumulated totals ranging between 15 to 50mm by the end of the week

Western Australia

Temperatures in Perth are expected to remain in the mid-20s for the week, with the mercury reaching a maximum of 28C on Wednesday and Thursday.

Showers are forecast from tomorrow through to Thursday, with the heaviest falls of up to 15mm and the chance of a thunderstorm predicted for Tuesday.

The wet weather will ease on Thursday, allowing for dry weekend.

Victoria

Melbourne will have partly cloudy weather from Tuesday through to Saturday, with temperatures reaching a maximum of 18C and a low of eight.

A shower or two is set for Saturday but rainfall will remain low, with up to 1mm of rain forecast.

Tasmania

Residents in Hobart are set for cloudy but dry weather, with no rainfall forecast for the week and maximum temperatures remaining around the mid-teens.

Northern Territory

Meanwhile, residents in Darwin will have a warm and sunny week as temperatures are forecast to hit 35C from Monday through to Sunday.

South Australia

Adelaide is also set for a dry week, as partly cloudy weather is forecast for Monday to Wednesday and mostly sunny weather from Thursday through to Sunday.

Temperatures are forecast to remain steady for the week, with a low of eight degrees and a maximum of 21C.
A woman who was hit by a 'drunk driver' who smashed into a children's birthday party, killing two young siblings, has recounted the horrific incident.

Diane Medina had been inside the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township, Michigan, last Saturday, when a vehicle drove straight into the building. Medina had been at the club for a 3-year-old boy's circus-themed birthday party when the vehicle hit her and dragged her across the room.

Trapped under debris, the 57-year-old told the Detroit Free Press that she couldn't breathe and that she thought she was paralyzed.

Medina managed to say: 'Somebody's gotta find my grandbabies', as panicked adults searched for their young children.

Siblings Lana, eight, and Zayn Phillips, five, both died in the wreck while their mother, Mariah Dodds and elder brother, Jayden, are fighting for their lives.

Medina said the incident was hard for her to comprehend, with her friend Marshella Chidester, 66, now facing eight charges as the driver of the vehicle.

Diane Medina had been inside the Swan Boat Club in Berlin Township, Michigan, last Saturday, when a vehicle drove straight into the building

Trapped under debris, the 57-year-old told the Detroit Free Press that she couldn't breathe and that she thought she was paralyzed

Lana (left) and Zayn (right), the victims of the crash, are seen alongside their older brother Jayden in an earlier family photograph

Speaking to the outlet from hospital, Medina said she was grateful her own grandchildren had not been injured in the crash.

She recalled that just minutes before disaster struck, the group had sang Happy Birthday and had served cake. Her three granddaughters Ella, Evelyn, and Alaina, had gone to the bounce house to play and remembered their smiles.

Medina said after the car careered through the party, it looked like a tornado had ripped through the building.

A father was tending to his teen daughter who was severely injured, while others screamed as they attempted to rescue Zayn.

Medina said she couldn't see the deceased sibling's mom, Mariah Dodds, who had been with her three children at the table beside her.

She then watched in shock as Chidester was taken to a chair and asked: 'What were you thinking?', to which she replied she didn't know.

Medina said: 'She looked around the room and she was sitting down with a blank stare on her face. She was just staring into la-la land.'

Surveillance footage showed the suspected drunk driver swerving erratically before crashing into a boat club hosting the children's party, which injured 15

Lana, eight, and Zayn, five (seen together center) both died in the wreck, while their mother, Mariah (right), and elder brother, Jayden (left), are fighting for their lives

Medina was rushed to hospital after being rescued and is being treated for three breaks in her pelvis, a broken nose, internal bleeding and a head injury.

She has been told she can't walk for a minimum of eight weeks, telling the Free Press she was angry at Chidester.

'This isn't the woman I know. The girl would not hurt a fly. She's the most loving, caring, loyal, sweetest,' Medina said. 'I was taught never to hate somebody. That's not in my vocabulary. I don't hate her. I'm just angry with what she has taken away from me.

'But I can't wait to see her in court. I want her to see what she did to me. I want her to see what she did to her friend.'

Chidester appeared in court last week in an arm cast following the horrific incident, and stood accused of second-degree murder.

Chidester has been detained since the crash, the judge granted her bond at the $1.5 million that the prosecution had asked for.

Prosecutor Jeff Yorkey said that Chidester had a history of substance misuse, which her friends and family had confirmed, in support of the $1.5 million bond.

Marshella Chidester has been accused for second-degree murder for allegedly driving her SUV into the wall of Swan Creek Boat Club where a child's birthday party was being held on Saturday

Raquel Smouthers, aunt of two children killed in the crash, walks away after speaking during the arraignment for Chidester

Flowers were left at the scene after the incident at the Swan Boat Club during a child's birthday party the day before

Horrific images showed scattered balloons and party cups after after the incident

Bill Colovos, the defense lawyer, requested that the judge set Chidester's bond at $100,000.

He claimed Chidester has suffered from 'epileptic-type seizures' in her legs' since November. He also said she had only consumed a bowl of chili and a glass of wine four hours prior to the collision.

'This is not a monster,' Colovos said. 'It's horrible what happened, but there are some things we don't have control over.'

Chidester was released two days after being arraigned.

The children's aunt, Raquel Smouthers, testified in court. She said she was at the party when Chidester killed her niece and nephew.

Chidester's lawyer pointed out that she does not have a history of reckless driving or traffic tickets

The horror unfolded around 3pm in Berlin Township, Michigan, as officials said the vehicle flew over 25 feet into the Swan Boat Club where the party was being held

'They were sitting at that table eating, and this woman crashed her car through this building destroying all of our lives,' a nearly inconsolable Smouthers said.

'Nobody should ever have to go to a birthday party thinking that they're gonna die.'

Dodds is suing Chidester and the tavern she allegedly drank at before getting back into her car, the law firm representing Dodds told the Associated Press.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover funeral expenses for the children.

Horrific images captured the aftermath as scattered balloons and party cups lay amongst rubble.

Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough explained when the vehicle struck the building, she travelled a further 25 feet inside because of her speed.
A mum who left her kids to die in a hot car sent a chilling text to the father of one of the girls, telling him she had left her in the car 'all night' after falling asleep on the couch, an inquest has heard.

Kerri-Ann Conley's alleged text was sent years before her daughters Darcey Helen and Chloe-Ann Conley would die of hyperthermia outside her Waterford West home in 2019 as an inquest into their deaths continues in Brisbane.

Details of Conley's disturbing drug use and comments were revealed by witnesses on the first day, including the concerns her former partner held for the girls' safety.

Darcey-Helen and Chloe-Ann died after being left by their mother in a hot car outside her Waterford West home south of Brisbane on November 23 that year.

Conley is serving a nine-year jail term for their manslaughters but will be eligible for parole later this year.

The inquest is examining events leading up to the girls' deaths as well as the responses from Child Safety, Metro South Health and the Queensland Police Service (QPS).

Kerri-Ann Conley is serving a nine-year jail term for the manslaughters of her daughters, who were both under three years old when they were left to die in a hot car

READ MORE: Donald Morley learns his fate after he suffocated his wife Jean Morley to death at their home Donald Morley, 93, (pictured with wife Jean, 92) has been sentenced to nine years in prison for killing his wife in July 2023. He had attempted suicide on the same night and in his note he said he was 'afraid of the future' Advertisement

Conley's drug use, including her heavy use of methylamphetamine and whether it put the girls at risk, will be placed under the microscope.

On Monday, Deanne Power gave evidence that she lost her cool over Conley because she 'wasn't doing anything around the house' while she was living with her.

It also caused a rift with her son Peter Jackson, Darcey-Helen's biological father.

Ms Power said her son and Conley were not living together by Christmas 2017 but she described their relationship as 'good'.

Ms Power said Mr Jackson went to Child Safety over concerns of Conley's behaviour, reading to a Child Safety call-taker a text that he had received from Conley.

The court was told the text used words to the effect of: 'I fell asleep on the lounge oops I left Chloe in the car all night.'

Ms Power said she didn't know about Chloe-Ann's birth until Conley walked into their home with 'another baby' in 2018.

Ms Power said Darcey-Helen's father wanted his child away from Conley's care.

On one occasion the little girl was hospitalised, with Ms Power telling the court that she found Darcey-Helen 'banging her head' on a wall and trying to climb it while at Conley's house.

Two year old Darcey-Helen Conley (left) and 18-month-old Chloe-Ann died (right) after they were left in a car by their mother, Kerri-Ann Conley, for more than nine hours

'I said to (Peter), 'She must have drugs in her system',' Ms Power said.

Former childcare educator Sandra Cowan spoke of her interactions with Conley while she was looking after Darcey at her childcare centre.

She told the court she was informed by a parent who had a child at her centre that Conley 'wasn't coping' with her two children.

Ms Cowan said Conley eventually arranged for Darcey-Helen to attend the centre twice a week for about six hours a day.

'The first couple of weeks she was very good about it all,' Ms Cowan said.

'Then it started going downhill.

'I used to send her texts asking if she was coming. Darcey was hardly ever part of the beginning of the program...there were times I would meet Darcey at the car because Kerri-Ann was in a hurry.'

Ms Cowan said she gave Conley the benefit of the doubt, attempting to be flexible when she was late dropping Darcey off at the centre, or picking her up as late as 5.30pm.

A former childcare worker gave evidence that Darcey-Helen Conley (pictured) said the child looked tired, had little energy and appeared unkempt and hungry during her last few months of daycare. Picture: Facebook

Chloe-Ann Conley. Picture: Facebook

She said Conley often gave 'flippant' excuses for why she was late, such as she and the girls were 'asleep'.The court was told she also didn't provide Darcey with supplies, like food or nappies, when dropped off at daycare.

Ms Cowan said Darcey 'always looked tired' and didn't appear to have much energy during her last few months of daycare.

On other occasions the child was 'looking for food' and Ms Cowan had to bathe her.

'Darcey was starting to show those signs where she looked unkempt...she was starting to get nappy rashes,' Ms Cowan said.

'I'd give her a bath just to make sure she felt loved.'

Ms Cowan said Conley was able to pay for Darcey's attendance but began to fall behind.

The situation eventually culminated in Ms Cowan setting up a system to alert Conley when it was time to pick up Darcey.

Darcey-Helen's great aunt Deborah Jackson gave evidence of her interactions with Conley - describing her at first as a 'very quiet girl' when she was first introduced.

Brisbane Coroner's Court was told Conley was 'upset' at learning that she was pregnant with Darcey-Helen, even threatening to 'dump' the baby on Mr Jackson's doorstep.

Despite this, Ms Jackson said Conley loved her daughter.

Ms Jackson said Darcey-Helen was left alone with Mr Jackson's 13-year-old daughter multiple times, including after her birth while Conley went outside the hospital for a cigarette.

When confronted by a nurse about leaving the baby with a minor, Ms Jackson said Conley replied: 'It's my baby, I'll do whatever I want.'

She gave evidence that Mr Jackson did not approve of Conley's drug use, at one point discovering a glass pipe and marijuana under her car seat.

The court was told Conley had been involved in car accidents while Darcey-Helen was in the car - one involving her ending up in a ditch after going around a bend on the M1 Motorway.

On another occasion, she mounted a traffic island after leaving a Hungry Jack's carpark.

Ms Jackson said Conley was angry that Child Safety officers got involved with her family, describing a confrontation she had with Mr Jackson at their home.

The inquest heard Mr Jackson (pictured) did not approve of Conley's drug use, at one point discovering a glass pipe and marijuana under her car seat

'Kerri wanted to know who dobbed her into Child Safety,' Ms Jackson said.

She said Conley then 'flung' the young girl into Mr Jackson and stormed off.

Ms Jackson gave evidence that Conley eventually moved into her own unit in Kingston while she had shared custody of the child.

'It was like a bomb was let off inside,' Ms Jackson told the court.

'It was dirty, never clean, there were dishes everywhere and she had way too much furniture.'

Other witnesses, including Mr Jackson, are due to give evidence throughout the five-day inquest.

Tamra Jackson, Mr Jackson's cousin, also gave evidence that she suspected Conley was using drugs while looking after Darcey-Helen.

She said at times Conley would not answer her phone, leave her house and not return for days.

In her evidence, Tamra told the court that Mr Jackson found drug paraphernalia in the glovebox of his car.

She explained Conley constantly used the excuse that she was 'holding it for a friend'.

'She (Conley) never came off it,' Tamara said.

In her evidence, Tamra said Conley had admitted to 'buying urine' to give clean drug test samples and her drug use was known to Child Safety staff.

One text, allegedly sent by from a support worker to Tamra urged Conley to 'stay off that s**t if you can'.

'They clearly knew she was using,' Tamra said.

The court was told Kerri-Ann Conley (pictured with Darcey-Helen) angrily told off a nurse who confronted Conley about leaving her daughter in the company of a minor shortly after her birth

During Conley's sentencing last year, Brisbane Supreme Court was told both children died of hyperthermia as a result of being left in the hot car.

Conley had returned from a friend's house with the girls about 4am that morning and parked the car outside her Waterford West home.

She did not remove her children from their car seats and went inside, dawdling on her phone and falling asleep.

Temperatures climbed as high as 61.5Cs that day until Conley removed them some nine hours later.

Conley threw a small plastic bag containing drug residue into the bin before phoning Mr Jackson and triple-0.

The inquest, before State Coroner Terry Ryan, continues.
Australians have been left outraged over a driver's selfish parking act, reigniting calls to raise the parking fees for owners of US-style pick-up trucks.

A photo posted on Reddit on Sunday of a giant GMC pick-up taking up two spots at Burwood Brickworks, in Melbourne's east, sparked outrage.

Fed-up with with these giant utes, many angry drivers are demanding drastic action.

Some councils across Australia are investigating the possibility of charging drivers of super-sized vehicles extra to park their cars.

A photo posted on social media on Sunday of a giant GMC pick-up taking up two spots at Burwood Brickworks in Melbourne's south east sparked outrage

Yarra City Council unanimously voted last month to look into the issue.

Greens councillor Sophie Wade told Yahoo it was intimidating sharing the road with larger vehicles.

'We've got streets that just weren't designed for this kind of vehicle,' she said.

'They're narrow, we've got lots of pedestrians, cyclists, shoppers on busy shopping strips, lots of kids getting to school and childcare.

'It's nerve-racking having these big giant vehicles bearing down on you.'

NSW Greens transport spokeswoman Cate Faehrmann said 'the size of SUVs is getting ridiculous' and backed measures to discourage their use if they are not genuinely needed for work.

'Big SUVs are taking up a lot more road space, including when they're parked, so if higher parking fees make a few drivers catch the train or ride their bike instead then bring it on,' she told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Countries around the world have taken the issue head on and introduced policies to combat the rise of oversized vehicles.

Paris residents earlier this year voted to charge SUVs triple the cost of inner city on-street parking compared to standard-sized cars.

Drivers of massive utes and SUVs could soon be paying higher parking fees, as local councils look to emulate a controversial policy introduced in Europe. A ute taking up three parking spots is pictured

A giant American ute is pictured taking up more than its allotted car parking space

'Parisians have made a clear choice other cities will follow,' Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo said.

Drivers across Australia are hoping councils follow the French lead.

Social media users were fired up in their response to the photo of the pick-up in the Melbourne shopping centre.

One described the giant ute as a 'yank tank' and 'd**k extender'.

Another had a fairly drastic suggestion: 'Take the air valves out of the tyres.'

While another was very blunt in their response: 'I hate those f***ing utes so much.'
The Minnesota state senator and Air Force vet facing burglary charges has been stripped of committee assignments.

On Sunday morning, Minnesota Sen. Majority Leader Erin Murphy announced Democrat Nicole Mitchell, 49, 'will be relieved of her committee assignments and removed from caucus meetings.'

Mitchell, who also worked as a meteorologist , allegedly broke into her stepmother's home on April 22 in an attempt to retrieve her late father's possessions.

She was charged with one count of first-degree burglary, a felony, and was released on the condition that she does not contact her stepmother. Mitchell has denied she broke into the home and ignored calls for her resignation.

Murphy called Mitchell's situation 'tragic' and revealed the case has been referred to the Senate's Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct.

Minnesota state senator, Nicole Mitchell, 49, was stripped of of committee assignments on Sunday morning after being charged with one count of first-degree burglary, a felony

Minnesota Sen. Majority Leader Erin Murphy called Mitchell's situation 'tragic' and revealed that the case has been referred to the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct

Mitchell allegedly broke into her stepmother's home on April 22 in an attempt to retrieve her late father's possessions

The day after the alleged burglary, state lawmakers called for Mitchell to resign.

'This behavior is unbecoming of a member of the Legislature and she needs to resign from the Senate immediately,' Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson said in a statement on Tuesday.

Mitchel has said at the time of the alleged incident, she was trying to retrieve some items that belonged to her late father, Rod, who passed away in March 2023.

The suspect went on to accuse her stepmother of no longer speaking with her about her father's possessions. In a statement, Mitchell said that her stepmother is suffering with Alzheimer's disease.

On Wednesday, a judge slapped Mitchell with a restraining order as she appeared in court over Zoom.

Police said that Mitchell admitted to leaving her home in Woodbury at 1am as she planned to drive to Detroit Lakes, where her late father lived with her stepmother.

She told authorities she went there to retrieve a flannel shirt, ashes, pictures and other sentimental items.

Mitchell's attorney, Bruce Ringstrom Sr., said in an interview the dispute arose out of a 'fractured relationship' between the senator and her stepmother that has been aggravated by age-related issues.

'It's not exactly the wicked stepmother from Cinderella,' Ringstrom said.

Ringstrom said he's sure there will be 'internal discussions' among Senate Democrats regarding her future, but she's entitled to a presumption of innocence.

He said he told her to suppress her instincts 'as a media person, a weather person and politician,' and that she agreed 'to hold her tongue and say nothing.'

Nicole Mitchell pictured with her father, Rod, in a photo posted to Facebook in 2011. Rod Mitchell passed away in March 2023

She told authorities that she went to her late father's home that he shared with her stepmother to retrieve a flannel shirt, ashes, pictures and other sentimental items. (pictured: Mitchell speaking to the Senate Floor)

Mitchell, who was also a former radio and TV meteorologist, has denied the charges but did not explain why she entered the home without permission in the middle of the night

But in a post on Facebook, Mitchell later denied stealing. She did not, however, explain why she entered the home without permission in the middle of the night.

'Like so many families, mine is dealing with the pain of watching a loved one decline due to Alzheimers and associated paranoia. ... This has been a true tragedy for our family and my hope is it can return to being a private matter,' Mitchell wrote.

Her father died in March 2023 at the age of 72, according to his obituary. He had been married to Mitchells stepmother for 40 years, it said.

'I know I did something bad,' the criminal complaint quoted Mitchell as saying.

Mitchell was dressed all in black and wearing a black hat when she was arrested, the complaint said. The officer said he discovered a flashlight near her that was covered with a black sock, apparently modified to control the amount of light coming from it.

The lawmaker acknowledged entering through a basement window that had been propped open with a black backpack, the complaint said.

Officers found her Senate ID inside it. She claimed her stepmother had given her a laptop found in her backpack 'way back when,' but the stepmother disputed that. The senator, who has a law degree, also indicated that she got caught soon after entering.

'Clearly I'm not good at this,' she said, according to the complaint.

The stepmother said in an interview that she's afraid of her stepdaughter. She also said that although most of her husband's ashes were buried, she sent Mitchell a miniature container with some of them.

Ringstrom, however, said that account is 'not totally accurate.'

Mitchell was a meteorologist with the U.S. military, KSTP-TV, Minnesota Public Radio and The Weather Channel before she was elected in 2022 from a suburban St. Paul district.

Mitchell represents the 47th district and 85,000 residents. Her district includes the city of Woodbury outside of St. Paul.

During her time in the Senate, Mitchell has worked on policies relating to veterans, child protection and climate change.

She also helped introduce a bill calling for criminal penalties for those who fail to meet safe firearm storage standards while also co-authoring a bill proposing incarcerated people in the state to be relocated from prisons to their last stated address.

On her campaign page, Mitchell noted that for an end-of-session party in 2023 she planned to hold a fundraiser to continue to work on 'reproductive rights, climate change, voting rights, gun safety, trans rights and addressing hunger in Minnesota.'

Mitchell was born in Fargo and raised in Minnesota, with her family moving to Woodbury in 1986, according to her official bio.

She was editor-in-chief of her high school newspaper and was elected Woodbury Days Princess.

She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota and worked for a TV station in Duluth as an assignment manager. (pictured: Mitchell casting an early vote in September 2022)

During her time in the military she served as a meteorologist for the Air Force's 'Hurricane Hunters' which flies planes into storms to gather details before they impact America

She joined the military out of high school and worked for the Air National Guard as a Weather Observer then forecaster.

During her time in the military she served as a meteorologist for the Air Force's 'Hurricane Hunters' which flies planes into storms to gather details before they impact America.

She flew into hurricanes Charley, Katrina, Wilma and Harvey.

'As both a well-respected communicator, military member, and scientist, Nicole is often personally requested for speaking events and engagement in the military community,' her bio reads.

She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota and worked for a TV station in Duluth as an assignment manager. She later started to do the TV weather.

Mitchell worked as a TV meteorologist in Rapid City, South Dakota, South Bend, Indiana and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Air Force vet moved back to Minnesota in 2016 to start her family - her son is now five - and worked for TV and radio as a meteorologist before running for office.

Mitchell obtained her foster care license in 2018 and provided for six kids in full-time care, including three with special needs.

Mitchells next court appearance is set for June 10.
North Korea condemned the United States on Monday for sending longer-range tactical missiles to Ukraine for use in its fight against Russia, claiming that Washington cannot turn the tide of the war with such a "mean" policy.

The White House confirmed last week that the U.S. has sent a "significant" number of Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) missiles to Ukraine for use inside the Ukrainian territory following Russia's use of North Korean ballistic missiles against Kyiv.

An unnamed director at the foreign military affairs department of North Korea's defense ministry issued a statement denouncing Washington as a "harasser" of peace that has been aggravating the war by providing Ukraine with such weapons, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

"Long-range missiles offered by the U.S. will never tip the scale in favor of Ukraine on the battlefield but result in fanning the reckless confrontational hysteria of the Zelenskyy puppet clique," read the English-language statement carried by the KCNA.

The official said the U.S. has adopted a "mean" policy of offering such long-range missiles for use against Russia in a bid to tip the scales of the war.

"The U.S. can never defeat the heroic Russian army and people with any latest weaponry or military support," the North's official said.

North Korea is among a few countries that have expressed its support for Russia in the war with Ukraine. Pyongyang and Moscow have been deepening military ties following the summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin in September last year. (Yonhap)
Scandal-plagued Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was nowhere to be seen Sunday during the first Democrat Party debate as she tries to win re-election.

Willis has courted controversy while prosecuting the county's election interference case against Donald Trump as it was revealed she had a past relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Her conduct was examined during a series of sensational hearings, with Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ultimately slamming her for a 'tremendous lapse in judgment' and for acting in an 'unprofessional manner.'

She escaped with just a slap on the wrist, however, after McAfee dramatically ruled she could stay on the Trump election interference case if Wade removed himself.

On Sunday she skipped out on the party's first primary debate - leaving opponent Christian Wise Smith speaking to an empty podium.

It doesn't appear she's all that worried about the scandal affecting her re-election chances, as she skipped out on the party's first primary debate, leaving opponent Christian Wise Smith speaking to an empty podium

Willis speaks at a press conference next to prosecutor Nathan Wade after a Grand Jury brought back indictments against former president Donald Trump

Willis instead chose to co-host an annual 'self-care fair' for crime victims, despite early voting beginning Monday.

Smith hammered Willis' decision to hire Wade on the Trump prosecution.

'That issue is important to us in Fulton County and a lot of people across the country... but you have to do things differently,' he said during the debate.

'When you pay one attorney nearly $1million to handle one case, that leaves the rest of us vulnerable, that hurts everyone in Fulton County.'

Smith is no doubt hoping the no-show will help his chances, as a Fox 5 Atlanta poll shows Willis still dominating the race by 70 points.

Wade fronted the team of lawyers Willis assembled to prosecute the case since the previous president and 18 others were indicted in August, but their relationship led to concerns the couple could pursue financial gain through the proceedings.

Willis, 53, has said she's 'not embarrassed' by the relationship and that efforts to 'slow down' the progress of the case against Trump by his defense team have been unsuccessful.

'I don't feel like my reputation needs to be reclaimed. Let's say it for the record - I'm not embarrassed by anything I've done,' she told CNN at a community event in College Park, Atlanta in late March.

Smith hammered Willis' decision to hire Wade on the Trump prosecution

Scandal-plagued Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis was nowhere to be seen Sunday at the first Democrat Party debate as she tries to win re-election

Willis instead chose to co-host an annual 'self-care fair' for crime victims, despite early voting beginning Monday

'I guess my greatest crime is I had a relationship with a man, but that's not something that I find embarrassing in any way.

'I know that I have not done anything that is illegal.'

Referring to two months of hearings and court action over her romantic relationship, she added: 'While that was going on, we were writing responsive briefs, we were still doing the case in a way that it needed to be done.

'I don't feel like we've been slowed down at all. I do think there are efforts to slow down this train, but the train is coming.'

Her latest comments come as defense attorneys continue to press claims about her handling of a sprawling prosecution against the former president and current GOP presumptive nominee.

Trump faces four felony indictments  including separate federal and state cases for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election that he lost to President Joe Biden.

His team has fought to delay and dismiss the cases, arguing that political opponents are wrongly targeting him.

Willis looks on during a hearing on the Georgia election interference case

Defense attorneys have alleged Willis hired Wade to profit from the Trump prosecution through their romantic relationship.

Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee said there wasn't sufficient evidence to prove those claims but rebuked Willis for what he called a 'tremendous lapse in judgment.'

Anthony Michael Kreis, a Georgia State University law professor who's been following the case, criticized her comments in a post on X.

'If I were Fani Willis, I would simply not talk to the media at all at this point just out of an abundance of caution,' Kreis said.

In a 23-page ruling Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee slammed Willis for a 'tremendous lapse in judgment' and for acting in an 'unprofessional manner' but said she could stay on the case if Wade stepped down.

He reasoned that not enough evidence had been shown to establish her romantic relationship with Wade amounted to an 'actual conflict of interest'.

Trump's lawyers slammed the decision to let Willis stay on the case and said they would pursue 'all legal options' in response.

At a rally in Greensboro, North Carolina, earlier in March, Trump went after Wade seizing on his lack of experience prosecuting crimes in Atlanta before being tapped to lead the election interference case, saying 'he never did that before.'

'But he did the other thing before that he did with Fani, he did plenty of that,' Trump added, referring to their romantic relations.

'That's what he's good at I guess,' Trump said as the crowd laughed.
The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to pay a $150,000 settlement to an eyewitness who tried to intervene in George Floyd's murder and claims he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result.

Donald Williams, a mixed martial arts fighter who testified against former Officer Derek Chauvin in his 2021 murder trial, sued the city last spring, alleging he was assaulted by police while trying to prevent Floyd's death on May 25, 2020.

The council unanimously approved the settlement without discussion, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.

The lawsuit alleged that Chauvin looked directly at Williams, grabbed a canister of chemical spray and began shaking it toward him and other bystanders expressing concern for Floyd's welfare.

In video played at Chauvin's trial, Williams can be heard urging Chauvin to get off Floyd and denouncing the officer as a 'bum.'

The Minneapolis City Council approved a $150,000 settlement for Donald Williams, pictured, an eyewitness who tried to stop George Floyd's murder and suffers from PTSD

Floyd was murdered by Chauvin after he was placed under arrest in Minneapolis on May 25 2020, on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill

Demonstrators held up portraits of George Floyd and signs calling for 'justice for George' outside the trial of Police Officer Derek Chauvin

Paul, a volunteer, cleans 'George Floyd Square,' the place where George Floyd died in police custody in May 2020

Floyd's death touched off protests worldwide and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism. Lots of murals were also painted in tribute

Former Officer Tou Thao then stepped toward Williams and placed a hand on his chest, the lawsuit stated.

Williams told the jury in Chauvin's trial the officer executed what MMA fighters call a 'blood choke' on Floyd, restricting his circulation.

'The officer on top was shimmying to actually get the final choke in while he was on top, the kill choke,' Williams told Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank during direct examination of Chauvin's trial.

Williams said he had watched Floyd fade away like a fish in a bag.

He said, You see his eyes slowly pale out and he knew...he vocalized it, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, you saw the blood coming out of his nose, he said his stomach hurt and from then on he was lifeless. He didnt speak.

Based on his experience Williams said that what he witnessed was a 'kill choke', cutting off Floyds circulation at his neck.

As a result of the officers' actions, Williams alleged in his lawsuit, he feared for his safety and endured pain, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment and medical expenses as a result of witnessing the incident.

In April 2021, Chauvin was found guilty for Floyd's murder and is serving a 22-year-and-a-half prison sentence in Minnesota

A makeshift memorial for Floyd at the spot of his fatal arrest in May 2020

Floyd, who was black, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on his neck for 9-and-one-half-minutes outside a convenience store where Floyd had tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

Bystander video captured Floyd's fading cries of 'I can't breathe.'

Floyd's death touched off protests worldwide and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism.

Chauvin was convicted of state murder charges in Floyd's death and was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years.

He also pleaded guilty to a separate federal charge of violating Floyd's civil rights.

Thao and two other former officers involved are serving shorter sentences.
EXCLUSIVE

Anthony Albanese has urged Australians to 'do more' to combat the 'national crisis' of men killing women - yet his 2022 election promise of 500 new domestic violence frontline workers has so far been a monumental failure.

In March this year, only 17 of the 500 promised new roles had been filled, a woeful 3.4 per cent.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal every state has been left unfulfilled with what is fast becoming another Albanese broken promise.

Of the new frontline positions, 148 were promised for NSW, 111 for Queensland, 101 in Victoria, 50 in WA and 37 in South Australia.

The number of promised positions so far delivered nationally is lower even than the 26 places promised to our smallest state Tasmania, which Daily Mail Australia understands is yet to receive a single frontline worker more than two years after the commitment was made.

Anthony Albanese promised 500 new domestic violence frontline workers in the 2022 election but only 17 roles have been filled

In March, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth declared that she was confident of 'reaching the first milestone of 352 additional frontline workers by June 30 this year'.

As of now she has two months to achieve that unlikely target.

'The Prime Minister promised to deliver 500 new domestic violence support workers in 2022 and two years into his government's term, there are barely any,' Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley told Daily Mail Australia.

'These are the frontline workers who help women escape violence, advocate for them through the courts and support their children.

'They are in every way a vital lifeline.'

The total cost to the budget  once all 500 workers are actually working to help address domestic violence  was estimated to be $165million.

On Sunday, Mr Albanese told a crowd rallying against domestic violence that widespread change was needed for all levels of Australian society and asked protesters to hold him 'accountable' for his government's actions.

At times with jeers and interruptions, Mr Albanese said Australia needed to change its 'culture', 'attitudes' and 'legal system' to end the scourge of violence against women that has already allegedly claimed the lives of 26 women this year.

Mr Albanese spoke at the No More! National Rally Against Violence march in Canberra on Sunday

'We're here today to demand that governments of all levels, must do better, including my own, and every state and territory government,' he told the large crowd in Canberra.

'We're here as well to say that society, and Australia, must do better.

'We need to change the culture, we need to change attitudes, we need to change the legal system.

'We need to change the approach by all governments because it is not enough to support victims, we need to focus on the perpetrators and focus on prevention.'

Ms Rishworth failed to confirm to Daily Mail Australia if the dismal number of 17 domestic violence frontline workers had increased since March.

'The Commonwealth provided states and territories with two payments in 2023 for the frontline workers initiative and as a result states and territories committed to delivering the majority of workers by June 30 this year,' she said.

'The election commitment for 500 frontline workers was always clear it was going to occur through a staged process. States and territories have been in varying stages of active recruitment for the workers since payments by the Commonwealth were made.

'The Commonwealth expects states and territories to deliver on their commitments, and will continue to work with states and territories to address family, domestic and sexual violence.'

The Opposition pointed out that a pattern of over-promising and under-delivering was developing under the Albanese government.

A spokesperson for Peter Dutton told Daily Mail Australia: 'Since being elected Mr Albanese has never once mentioned his pre-election promise to reduce power prices by $275. Half-truths and tricky behaviour by the PM has been a hallmark of his leadership, and the public is starting to get sick of it.'
The daughter of murdered PC Sharon Beshenivsky says she will finally get a headstone for her mother when the the mastermind behind the fatal armed robbery is sentenced.

Ringleader Piran Ditta Khan, 75, was the seventh and final man to be convicted over the fatal shooting of PC Beshenivsky  almost 20 years after the incident took place.

The unarmed PC, 38, and her colleague Teresa Milburn were shot at point-blank range as they responded to a raid at Universal Express travel agents in Bradford, West Yorkshire in 2005.

PC Beshenivsky, who had only been an officer for nine months, died from her injuries while PC Milburn was shot in the chest and survived.

Now, her daughter Lydia has revealed how she hopes to 'find peace' after Khan's sentencing in May and how she might finally be able to get a headstone for her mother.

Speaking to ITV, Lydia said: There's relief that he's actually going to be behind bars, but that doesn't really change my heart and fix the hole in my heart is forever going to be like that.

'But on the day of the sentencing, I will be glad to see the back of them.

'With everything that was going on, I couldn't find the words to put on the headstone. I don't think any of us could, but hopefully, after all this is finished, we will get a headstone and really find some peace.'

PC Sharon Beskenivsky's daughter Lydia (pictured) speaks to ITV News

Lydia (right) told ITV News 'There's relief that he's actually going to be behind bars, but that doesn't really change my heart and fix the hole in my heart is forever going to be like that'

PC Beshenivsky's daughter Lydia (pictured) said she will be 'glad to see the back of them' when Khan is sentenced in May

PC Beshenivsky (pictured) was fatally shot in November 2005 as she and her colleague responded to a report of a robbery in Bradford, West Yorkshire, which was orchestrated by Pira Ditta Khan (pictured)

READ MORE - Fugitive brought back to the UK to face justice after two decades is found guilty of murdering PC Sharon Beshenivsky, 38 during an armed robbery in 2005 Advertisement

Ms Beshenivsky's mother died on her fourth birthday, and she said she usually spends her birthday in Bradford at her mother's memorial.

'My dad was waiting for her to come like everybody else. Then a car pulled up at the top of the drive, and I actually thought that it was my mum coming home.'

'The party went on; they just wanted to keep me busy, I think. Keep it going. To be honest with you, every other birthday, it's been about my birthday. Not about the death.'

'I find it hard to this day to celebrate my birthday,' Ms Beshenivsky added.

'I do normally go down to Bradford with the police at the memorial and spend my time there.'

Ms Beshenivsky said she has found relief through her hobby of working with horses to help her through the loss of her mother.

'I found myself a hobby that I enjoyed, which is working with the horses and that pulled me away from being pulled down and drained by everything and, I mean, I was in this tunnel of darkness for 19 years.

PC Beshenivsky had been serving in the police for less than a year when she was killed

Khan in court after being charged with the police officer's murder in January this year

PC Beshenivsky's colleague Teresa Milburn (pictured) was shot at point-blank range and was injured during the ordeal but survived

The safe at the Universal Express travel agents in Bradford that was raided by Khan's gang

This 'spray and pray' MAC-10 sub-machine gun was used at the scene of PC Beshenivsky's murder

'I had every obstacle thrown at me that I had to jump over basically by myself.'

Khan was convicted of murder and was found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

He was unanimously convicted of two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, and he pleaded guilty to robbery.

His sentencing is due in May.

The father-of-six, a takeaway restaurant boss, was not one of the three armed men who went into the Universal Express agency in 2005, but he was the man who planned and organised the ill-fated raid.

The court heard Khan, who had picked the business as a suitable cash-rich target, was parked nearby and gave the go ahead.

With the net closing in Khan fled the country two months later and moved back to his native Pakistan where there was no extradition treaty with the UK.

But years of diplomacy and discussions at a ministerial level eventually led to Khan's arrest in 2020 and he was found guilty by a jury at Leeds Crown Court on April 4, after a seven-week trial.

It means that all seven men involved in the raid have now been convicted over their roles in the robbery.

The three gunmen who went into the agency, armed with a sub-machine gun, pistol and knife, were jailed for murder.

Khan had admitted robbery but told the jury he did not plan or organise it and had no idea the trio of robbers were armed.

PC Beshenivisky was shot through the heart and died on the pavement on her daughter's fourth birthday.

CCTV footage released by police after today's verdict shows the moment both officers are shot.

The tragedy unfolded in 2005 after PC Beshenivsky was called to an armed robbery

The harrowing clip shows the two police officers leaving their vehicle and walking towards the shop before they are gunned down.

Three robbers can then be seen running across the road and away from the scene.

PC Beshenivisky's brave colleague was coughing up blood but managed to report the shooting by activating her personal police radio.

Mr Justice Hilliard told the jury to convict of murder they must be sure Khan intentionally encouraged and assisted the robbers and intended at least really serious harm would be caused if necessary in the course of the raid.

Robert Smith, KC, said Khan's part in the operation was so 'pivotal' that he is guilty of murder.

Universal Express was used by local people to transfer funds to relatives in Pakistan by paying in cash.

As a customer who had used it for this purpose, Khan was aware that 'substantial quantities' of cash were held there, the court heard.

He knew about the security within the building and that firearms would be needed to threaten staff, said Mr Smith.

Khan was also aware that customers could only enter inside through a lobby that was locked. Staff checked out people in the lobby before unlocking the door, the court heard.

On the day of the raid two of them robbers were dressed in suits and the third in a white shirt and jacket.

Their loaded guns were inside a computer bag along with a large knife and cable ties to tie up staff.

They were dressed to look respectable so that they would be allowed inside.

Khan also planned the raid, making a scouting trip five days earlier on a quiet Sunday when the business was closed.

The group had a safehouse in Leeds where they gathered before the raid.

It was at this safehouse that a witness heard Khan being asked about the amount of cash they could expect to get in the planned robbery.

The court heard he told the group a 'minimum of 50,000 and a maximum of 100,000.'

The two police officers were sent there after a member of staff triggered a 'silent alarm' during the raid.

The others convicted in connection with the murder of PC Beshenivsky were:

Muzzaker Shah was jailed for life in 2006 with a minimum 35-year term after admitting PC Beshenivsky's murder, robbery and firearms offences.

He led the trio of armed robbers but denied firing the fatal shot. Police have always believed he was the 'Asian man' described by PC Teresa Milburn as the one who shot both officers.

Shah, 25, a married father from London, was on police bail on suspicion of firearms offences at the time of the raid.

He was described as 'extremely dangerous' and part of a notorious London gang called Thug Fam. Shah had previous convictions for robbery and for having a handgun containing live rounds in a public place.

Yusuf Jama was sentenced at the same time and also given a 35-year minimum term for murdering PC Beshenivsky. He also had connections with Thug Fam and had the same distinctive five-star tattoo as Shah and other members.

He claimed in court to have shot PC Beshenivsky, but insisted it was an accident.

Jama, 20, who had previous convictions for violence and dishonesty, was caught a week after the murder when he and nine other Somalis were held for alleged involvement in a gang rape in Birmingham, for which he was later convicted.

Mustaf Jama, Yusuf's brother, and the third armed robber on the raid. In 2009 he was given the same sentence as the other two for the police officer's murder.

Jama, 26, who had come to Britain as a refugee, could have been deported six months before PC Beshenivsky's murder after serving a prison sentence for burglary. He had 21 convictions to his name, including three robberies, burglary, affray and carrying a machete.

The Home Office deemed it unfair to send him back to Somalia because it is considered one of the world's most unsafe places. He fled there after the killing, slipping out of Heathrow on a false passport while in disguise.

But an international operation led to his arrest in Somalia and he was brought home to face justice.

Faisal Razaq was one of the lookouts and was living at the gang's safehouse in Leeds. He was convicted in 2006 of PC Beshenivsky's manslaughter, robbery and firearms offences.

The 25-year-old was on police bail on suspicion of firearms offences at the time of the raid and had previous convictions for dishonesty, deception and robbery.

In 2006 Razzaq was given a life sentence and told he must serve at least 11 years before being considered for parole. He has since been released from jail.

Hassan Razzaq, the older brother of Faisal, helped Piran Ditta Khan plan the robbery and also acted as a lookout in the operation. The 26-year-old was convicted of PC Beshenivsky's manslaughter, robbery and firearms offences and was given a 20-year jail sentence in 2007. He has since been released.

Razzaq had a previous conviction for a 1999 street robbery when he was 17. He was sentenced to 12 months in a young offender's institution.

Raza Ul Haq Aslam was another lookout. The 26-year-old Londoner was jailed for eight years in 2007 after being convicted of robbery. He was cleared of murder, manslaughter and firearms offences relating to the Bradford raid.

The judge said the length of his sentence reflected that he didn't know the gang were carrying guns.

He has since been released from prison.
A landlord took a parting shot at his grubby tenants before listing his beachside home for sale for an insane amount of money.

The two bedroom house with an adjoining restaurant on 10 Machan Street at Machans Beach, in Cairns, Far North Queensland, was listed for sale for $820,000.

The property's listing reveals the tenants had fallen behind on rent and were able to avoid being evicted for six weeks until being removed by police on February 15.

Photographs of the home show they left behind piles of clothes, furniture and even old food for a buyer to clean up.

Despite its shortfalls, the property is now under contract for an undisclosed amount.

The house was listed for sale along with a bizarre tirade where landlord Robert Zmeskal took a brutal dig at the tenants.

A filthy home left in disrepute by former tenants is now under contract after being listed for sale with an asking price of $820,000 (pictured)

'I don't blame the tenants for this kind of behaviour because nobody is ever to blame for their behaviour,' he wrote.

'Nor do I blame the government - or should that be the misgovernment - for they are elected by the people.

'That leaves only me so I am to blame for making a minor clerical error in the eviction form so the judge dismissed the case and I had to start the six week process again. What fun!'

An image of the dining room showed two mattresses propped up against a bookshelf filled with loose clothing and a hard-hat.

Another picture of the kitchen showed the tenants also left groceries, their rubbish and dirty dishes in the sink.

The home even grew to local infamy as their items started to overflow onto the road at the front of the property, leading to a complaint to council.

The tenants had been evicted by the landlord in February and left behind most of their worldly possessions strewn across the home

Mr Zmeskal said the state of the home the tenants left it in was one of the reasons people weren't becoming landlords.

'One major reason there is a rental crisis is that ever fewer people are prepared to landlord (sic),' he wrote in the listing.

One buyer has taken the opportunity to own the home and adjoining restaurant, which Mr Zmeskal said could be rented for $455 per week.

He added the home could be rented for more than $550 per week if it was renovated, which could cost upwards of $30,000.
Celebrities and campaigners will gather in Westminster today ahead of a debate on assisted dying, after cancer-stricken Dame Esther Rantzen backed the campaign.

Broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, Dame Susan Hampshire and long-time campaigner Peter Tatchell are expected to be among the high-profile figures gathered.

Pro-change campaign group My Death, My Decision described it as a 'significant moment in the campaign for a compassionate assisted dying law'.

It comes after a petition for a debate gained more than 200,000 signatures and was promoted by Dame Esther, who has stage four lung cancer and has signed up for the Dignitas assisting dying clinic in Switzerland.

The Childline founder, 83, previously led a chorus of dismay after a report by MPs into assisted dying failed to deliver any clear-cut findings or proposals  and called for a free vote into the issue.

Speaking to ITV News Dame Esther said: 'I had three deaths that happened very soon after each other. There was Desy (Desmond) my husband, there was my mother and there was our dog and there's no question my dog had the best death.'

'We can offer our beloved pets a pain free death and we can't offer it to our beloved family.'

Dame Esther Rantzen (pictured), 83, promoted the petition after revealing that she had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and has signed up for the Dignitas assisting dying clinic in Switzerland

Campaigners, bereaved relatives and famous faces are due to gather outside Parliament on Monday afternoon ahead of a debate on assisted dying

Dame Esther has branded the current law, which she said could see her family left at risk of prosecution if they helped her to go to Switzerland, as 'not right' and 'not ethical'.

Last week, Dame Esther said she will 'sadly' be unable to attend Monday's event in person because of her health, but vowed she 'will be watching the debate closely as it affects my own decision to go to Dignitas in Zurich if necessary, to protect my family from witnessing a painful death'.

Dame Esther's daughter Rebecca Wilcox told GMB this morning that they had always been a 'revoltingly open family about everything'.

She added: 'This woman is my person, she's my best friend, I talk to her four times a day about everything and I adore her.

'But if I go with her to Switzerland I face prosecution, the process can take up to two years, cost thousands of pounds in legal fees and I face up to 14 years in prison.'

Paul Carroll, who had signed up with Dignitas, told GMB that he ripped up his membership after seeing his aunt, his mother and his mother-in-law through to the end of their lives.

'The experience of witnessing all of those deaths right to the very end just made me reflect. They did not want to go and we did not want to let them go and we derived great comfort from those experiences.'

Rebecca Wilcox spoke to GMB this morning ahead of the assisted dying debate today

She told GMB: 'This woman is my person, she's my best friend, I talk to her four times a day about everything and I adore her'

Dame Prue Leith, another pro-change campaigner, hailed Dame Esther's efforts in speaking out, thanking her for 'everything she has done to make our politicians sit up and pay attention'.

In a statement, the Great British Bake Off judge, who is also unable to attend Monday's debate due to filming commitments, said: 'What is needed is less pearl-clutching about whether this reform should happen, and more serious, constructive debate about how to craft the best possible law for our dying people.'

She said she is confident that 'one way or another this change will be coming to the UK in the next few years' and described Westminster as being 'left in the dust' while reforms are being debated in nearby jurisdictions.

TV Presenter Jonathan Dimbleby previously described the current law as 'increasingly unbearable' following the death of his younger brother Nicholas, who suffered with motor neurone disease (MND).

Dame Prue Leith (pictured) another pro-change campaigner, hailed Dame Esther's efforts in speaking out

John Dimbleby (pictured) said the UK's law against medically assisted death is 'increasingly unbearable' in the wake of his brother's death

Dame Esther Rantzen led a chorus of dismay after a much-anticipated report by MPs into assisted dying failed to deliver any clearcut findings or proposals

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The petition, which has led to Monday's debate, stated: 'Terminally ill people who are mentally sound and near the end of their lives should not suffer unbearably against their will.'

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the Petitions Committee, is due to open the debate, while victims and safeguarding minister Laura Farris will respond on behalf of the Government.

There will not be a vote.

The issue was last voted on in the Commons in 2015, when it was defeated at second reading stage by 330 votes to 118.

But it has been less than two years since a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying took place, with one held in July 2022.

On that occasion, some 38 MPs contributed to the three-hour debate.

Those who oppose a change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others, and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the campaign group Care Not Killing described Monday's debate as a missed opportunity to talk about fixing the UK's palliative and social care system.

He said: 'Instead of discussing this dangerous and ideological policy, we should be talking about how to fix the UK's broken and patchy palliative care system so everyone can have a dignified death.'

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the Petitions Committee, is due to open the debate today (pictured)

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

A Bill was introduced in Scotland in March - the third time members of the Scottish parliament will have considered the issue - with two previous attempts to change the law defeated.

A report by MPs at Westminster in February warned that the Government must consider what to do if the law is changed in part of the UK or on the Isle of Man or Jersey, both of which are crown dependencies and both of which are currently considering the issue.

The Health and Social Care Committee - which did not make any recommendation for a vote on the issue, said legalisation in at least one jurisdiction is looking 'increasingly likely' and suggested the Government must be 'actively involved' in discussions about how to approach differences in the law.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is 'committed' to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should Labour win the general election, while Downing Street has previously said it would be up to Parliament whether to debate legalising assisted dying again.

Dr Andrew Green, deputy chairman of the BMA ethics committee, has called for assurances that legislation would provide doctors a choice to opt-in to carrying out assisted dying.

MPs are set to debate assisted dying today after a petition backed by Dame Esther Rantzen secured more than 200,000 signatures.

On the BMA's position, Dr Green told the Radio 4 Today programme: 'The main requirement was that we would want doctors to be given a real genuine choice about whether and to what extent they would be willing to participate.

'There would need to be an opt-in arrangement. It wouldn't be part of any doctor's normal job to provide physicians' assisted dying.'

The BMA has shifted from a position against assisted dying to one of neutrality.

Dr Green said: 'As a representative organisation we have a duty to represent all those people's views and that's why we changed to a position of neutrality.'

He said around 50% of members backed a change in the law, while 40% were opposed.
Two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany on Saturday evening with police arresting a Russian man as a lead suspect in the killings.

The victims, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping centre in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria.

Both were soldiers who had been granted leave to recuperate from wounds sustained in the war, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said.

The 36-year-old died at the scene, with emergency workers rushing the 26-year-old victim to hospital, but he too later died from his wounds.

Police later on Saturday arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder at his home not far from the scene of the stabbings, German news agency dpa reported.

Shocking images circulated by German press showed what appeared to be a smudge of blood on the keyhole of the suspect's front door.

The victims, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping centre in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria

Images circulated by German press showed what appeared to be a smudge of blood on the keyhole of the suspect's front door

Flowers and a small Ukrainian flag are laid at a shopping centre in Murnau, Germany, Sunday, April 28, 2024

The possible motive for the killings is not yet known, according to Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann.

It also wasn't clear if the three men knew each other.

A small vigil for the slain victims was held this weekend at the shopping centre where the stabbings took place, with attendees laying flowers, candles and a Ukrainian flag on a wall outside the premises.

The names of the victims and the suspect weren't released in line with German privacy rules.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees came to Germany since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
A circus in war-torn Ukraine suffered a double disaster after two child acrobats plunged 12ft during an aerial act - just days after a performing bear furiously attacked its handler.

A boy, 15, and girl, 12, came crashing down into the illuminated ring as they were watched by a horrified audience of children and parents.

The male circus performer 'lost his grip' and with no safety net both fell during their stunt at the city circus in Zaporizhzhia.

Horror footage captured the two children swinging from a thick rope in a circle around the stage as the girl clung onto the boys leg.

As they they were coming up to completing a full loop, the boy suddenly released the rope and the pair dropped onto the hard floor, seemingly hitting the corner of the stage.

Two child acrobats were performing an aerial act in a Ukraine circus before the boy 'lost his grip' on the rope

The two children came crashed 12ft down onto the stage after the boys hands slipped off the rope

The pair could be seen on their backs on the ground following the horror fall

The force from which hit the ground caused them to bounce, before leaving the two child performers on their backs before the video stops.

The boy suffered broken legs in the fall, and the girl was hit by concussion, reported local newspaper Informator.

Both children are currently in hospital under observation following the circus disaster.

Hospital chief Yuri Borzenko said: 'They are conscious. They are in intensive care, as a precaution.

'The girl suffered concussion, she complains of a headache.

'The boy has fractured both legs. There is no damage to internal organs.'

A criminal case has been opened into the horror fall to examine whether health and safety rules were broken.

Just days earlier, at the same circus in Zaporizhzhia city a performing brown bear suddenly staged a furious attack on a trainer in front of spectators.

The trainer had fed the bear a 'treat' before the beast turned on him.

Footage from an onlooker caught the moment the brown creature jumped up on its hind legs and lunged towards the handler in the shock attack.

Days earlier, at the same circus, a trainer was attacked by a bear after feeding it a treat during a performance

Footage captured the moment the animal ripped open the performer's shirt as he fought off the animal

The trio finally got the bear back down from its standing position, but it could be seen angrily shaking

The bear tore the man's shirt with its claws, leaving gaping holes in the material as the trainer fought to get the animal under control.

The bear can be seen furiously shaking as it gets back down onto its four legs, angrily twitching its head as the trainer attempts to calm it down by pulling on a rope attached to the animals snout.

An onlooker said: 'The bear attacked a trainer in the Zaporizhzhia circus.

'It just happened during the performance.

'Thank God, no one was seriously injured.'

Bears and other animals continue to be used in circuses in ex-Soviet countries including Ukraine and Russia.

Zaporizhzhia city is capital of a region of the same name which is divided by Vladimir Putin's invasion, with some territory controlled by Ukraine, and some by Russia.

The shocking accidents in Ukraine comes after hundreds of audience members were forced to watch on in horror after a circus performer plunged from the 'Wheel of Death' at Blackpool Tower on Saturday.

The crowd was evacuated as emergency services dashed to the scene after one of two performers fell from the apparatus while carrying out the dangerous stunt which involves a rotating beam.

A Blackpool Tower spokesperson told MailOnline that the performer was 'recovering well' after being treated for a 'minor injury to their wrist' during the rehearsed manoeuvre.
Rep. Ilhan Omar has been accused of 'blood libel' for labeling Jewish students either 'pro-genocide' or 'anti-genocide' while visiting Columbia's rally.

The Congresswoman from Minnesota was visiting the protest by anti-Israel demonstrators at Columbia University on Friday when she made the remarks.

'I think it is really unfortunate that people don't care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students whether they are pro-genocide or anti-genocide,' she told a reporter at the rally.

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the ADL, accused her of 'blood libel' for suggesting that anyone who does not oppose Israel's war against Hamas supports genocide and said it was 'patently false' to suggest that any Jewish students were 'pro-genocide'.

'It is gaslighting to impute that Jewish people are somehow at fault or being harassed and menaced with signs and slogans literally calling for their own extermination,' he wrote on X.

Representative Ilhan Omar (pictured), who serves as a representative for Minnesota , was visiting the protest by anti-Israel demonstrators at Columbia University on Friday when she made the remarks

The pro-Palestinian encampment at the Columbia University on April 28, 2024 in New York City

A woman walks past Israeli and US flags alongside portraits of Israelis taken hostage by the militant Palestinian group Hamas in front of the pro-Palestinian encampment at the Columbia University on April 28, 2024 in New York City

Pro-Palestinian students protest at an encampment on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan on April 28, 2024

Pro-Palestinian students protest at an encampment on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan on April 28, 2024

Jonathan Greenblatt (pictured), CEO of the ADL, accused her of 'blood libel' for suggesting that anyone who does not oppose Israel's war against Hamas supports genocide and said it was 'patently false' to suggest that any Jewish students were 'pro-genocide'

Greenblatt added: 'It is abhorrent that a sitting member of Congress would slander an entire group of young people in such a cold, calculated manner. This is how people get killed.'

He urged Omar to apologise, but said: 'I'm not holding my breath.'

Instead of issuing an apology, Omar doubled down on her stance as she shared an Intercept article about an investigation into the University of Massachusetts Amherst by the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.

The complaint against UMass claimed that there was 'anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab harassment by fellow students' - and the group behind the complaint made a similar one against Columbia University.

Omar wrote on X: 'This is the pro-genocide I was talking about, can you condemn this like I have condemned antisemitism and bigotry of all kind? "Kill All Arabs" "They are all Hamas. All grotesquely evil" "Level Gaza".'

The Congresswoman, whose daughter Isra Hirsi was among at least 108 arrested at Columbia last week, said on X after visiting the protesters: 'I'm in awe of their bravery and courage.'

The daughter of the staunch Democrat had already been suspended by her university, Barnard College, earlier for joining the protest on the Upper West Side.

Omar has long been outspoken in her criticism of Israel and labelled the war against Hamas a 'genocide' after tens of thousands have been killed in Gaza.

She also voted against at $26billion package to provide military support for Israel and humanitarian aid for the Palestinians in Gaza.

Columbia University wasn't the only institution rocked by protests, as they erupted across campuses nationwide in the wake of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, and the ongoing retaliatory attacks on Gaza that followed.

School administrators have called in police forces to remove encampments and protestors at schools such as Harvard, Emory, NYU, USC, the University of Texas, Cal-Berkley and Brown.

At Harvard University, a Palestinian flag was raised over a statue and took the place of the American flag that typically flies above the founder's memorial.

Video from Saturday night showed a group of pro-Palestine protestors, dressed in keffiyehs, raised a large Palestinian flag above the iconic statue of John Harvard.

Rep Ilhan Omar's daughter Isra Hirsi was among at least 108 people arrested as police in riot gear moved in to break up the anti-Israel protest that rocked New York's Columbia University.

School administrators have called in police forces to remove encampments and protestors at schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Emory , NYU, USC, the University of Texas , Cal-Berkley and Brown

Multiple tents are seen at Harvard University's encampment on Thursday in the Yard

 Slide me  The statue of John Harvard typically sits under an American Flag (before). On Saturday night, a group of pro-Palestine protestors, dressed in keffiyeh's, raise a large flag Palestinian flag above the founder's memorial (after)

In other images, the Palestinian flag was seen draped on the John Harvard's lap, along with a keffiyeh around his neck

Student protestors hung the large flag and two others around 6.30pm on the Ivy League campus

Harvard spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain said the protestor's actions was 'a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action'

The Harvard Crimson reported student protestors hung the flag and two others around 6.30pm at the Ivy League campus.

By 6.34pm, Harvard University Police officers called the school's Yard Operations to remove the flag that flew above the statue.

In other images, the Palestinian flag was seen draped on John Harvard's lap, along with a keffiyeh around his neck.

As staff members took the flags down, protestors were heard yelling 'Shame!' at them, along with other chants such as 'Free, free, Palestine' and 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!'

Harvard spokesperson Jonathan L. Swain said the protestor's actions was 'a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action.'

Once the flags were removed, demonstrators gathered inside and outside the encampment, and made it clear that they were willing to have their school IDs collected by administrators.

'Harvard, Harvard take my ID. You can't really scare me,' the protestors chanted.

They then held a vigil around the statue for a Palestinian that was killed in the war, The Harvard Crimson reported.

Following the vigil, a large group of administrators, including the Dean of Students, Thomas Dunne, stormed the encampment with ID scanners.

As they collected student's information, they handed each protestor a piece of paper that warned them of disciplinary actions, including the possibility of graduating seniors having their degrees withheld.

'Repeat violations of University and School policies will result in increasingly severe sanctions. Students with pending disciplinary matters may not be granted a degree,' the slip said.

Although campus protests recently dwindled down, they started up again after Columbia University President Nemat Shafik testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee about rampant anti-Semitism remarks on campus.

During Shafik's hearing, the Ivy League chief defended the 'peaceful' demonstrations and the students' right to free speech in the surge of anti-Semitic rhetoric since the start of the Gaza war.

House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., accused Columbia's leadership of refusing to 'enforce their own policies and condemn Jewish hatred on campus, creating a breeding ground for antisemitism and a hotbed of support for terrorism from radicalized faculty and students.'

Shafik insisted she has aggressively worked to combat antisemitism on campus, including holding over 200 meetings on the topic, holding daily meetings of the campus security team and working with the NYPD and FBI when hate crimes occur on campus.
Top diplomats of South Korea and African nations will hold a meeting in Seoul in June for final preparations for the upcoming summit of their leaders, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.

The foreign ministers' meeting will take place on June 2 meant to check final details of the South Korea-Africa summit slated for June 4 and 5, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The decision to hold the ministerial meeting was made during a senior officials' meeting held earlier in the day in Seoul, which brought together South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Byung-won and senior diplomats from 44 African nations, including Mauritania, Benin and Gambia, it added.

During Monday's meeting, the two sides also shared the need to expand their economic cooperation through trade and investment, and discussed how to work more closely on such global challenges as health issues, energy, climate change and supply chain disruptions.

The planned summit aims to explore ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation on supply chains, economic relations and a wide range of issues, and strengthening the overall ties "dramatically" for co-prosperity as major partners, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)
The UK is on a collision course with Ireland today after ministers flatly rejected Dublin's demands to take back asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland.

The Republic has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to pass new laws to facilitate returns of migrants, after the country's courts declared the UK cannot be classed as 'safe' due to the pact with the African state.

However, a spokesman for Rishi Sunak today suggested that the Prime Minister would ignore any new law, saying: 'Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who it does or does not accept into the country. We are not going to start accepting returns from the EU, just as France doesn't accept returns from the UK.'

The spat comes comes as Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

The Republic remains part of the European Union, which has blocked British attempts to resolve the Channel crisis with a returns agreement to France.

In a sign of the rising tensions, Dublin had been talking up a meeting between justice minister Helen McEntee and Home Secretary James Cleverly in London today.

However, Mr Cleverly has stepped aside due to other engagements, and Ms McEntee has now pulled out. As a result foreign minister Micheal Martin hold talks with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris instead.

Mr Heaton-Harris told a press conference that the UK has been told throughout Brexit that immigration was something to be dealt with by 'the EU as a whole', not with individual countries.

Chris Heaton-Harris met with Tanaiste Micheal Martin in London today

An Irish government plan to send asylum seekers back to Britain was met with a point-blank refusal last night. Irish justice minister Helen McEntee (pictured) has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland

Rishi Sunak told Sky News the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'

Mr Sunak told Sky News yesterday that the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'.

In a round of interviews this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride underlined Rishi Sunak's view that the row shows the Rwanda policy is already working - even though the first flights are months away.

'We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK,' Mr Stride said. 'What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works.'

Former Cabinet minister David Jones told MailOnline that even if migrants were returned to Belfast they could simply cross into Ireland again due to the century-old Common Travel Area.

'They may start to understand why we think Rwanda is a good idea,' Mr Jones said.

Ms McEntee has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland.

Last week she vowed to introduce 'fast processing' in a bid to deal with the influx of people claiming refuge.

'My focus as minister for justice is making sure that we have an effective immigration structure and system,' she said.

'That's why I'll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK, and that's why I'll be meeting the Home Secretary [James Cleverly] to raise these issues on Monday.'

However, the British Home Secretary has cancelled that meeting, saying that he has a diary clash, with the Government instead being represented today by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary.

Conservative MPs expressed incredulity at Dublin's proposals. Sir John Redwood said 'it takes my breath away' that Ireland wants a 'closed border' with Northern Ireland 'having said it was crucial to the Good Friday Agreement and to the post- Brexit settlement'.

He added: 'As Britain has always been told, we cannot send migrants back to France and so how on earth do they think they could send migrants back to the UK?

'Are they going to arrest these people and put them in handcuffs and take them in vans across the border, and then why wouldn't they just walk back again?'

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: 'There is a certain amount of irony in Ireland seeking to return migrants to the UK who may have originally arrived from France in a Channel crossing.

'I hope the Irish government will talk to their fellow EU member state about further action to stop people getting on small boats in the first place.

'Clearly we all need to work together to solve this problem.'

While David Davis, ex-Brexit secretary, said: 'This is a Europe-wide issue and until Europe controls its borders then it's going to be difficult for any of their constituent countries to do it.

'But secondly, the issue they are facing has arisen directly as a result of their insistence on a so-called open border between the north and the south. Had they taken some of the other routes that I suggested, for one, then we would have a way of controlling it, but as it stands we don't.'

Detailing Ireland's plans, Taoiseach Simon Harris said it would be 'quite appropriate' for his country to send asylum seekers back to Northern Ireland.

'Every country is entitled to have its own migration policy, but I certainly don't intend to allow anybody else's migration policy to affect the integrity of our own one,' he said.

'This country will not in any way, shape or form provide a loophole for anybody else's migration challenges. That's very clear.

'My colleague, the minister for justice, will now bring forward legislative proposals to the cabinet on Tuesday that will seek to put in place a new returns policy.

'We're going to await the full details of that but it's one which will effectively allow, again, people to be returned to the United Kingdom. And I think that's quite appropriate. It was always the intention.'

Ministers in the republic have pledged to unveil emergency legislation this week which would allow them to return migrants to Northern Ireland following concern over an up-tick in numbers (pictured: migrants in a boat in the Channel)

The British Home Secretary James Cleverly has cancelled a meeting with Ms McEntee, saying that he has a diary clash, with the Government instead being represented today by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary

His deputy, Micheal Martin, has pointed the finger at the Rwanda policy, saying that migrants are leaving the UK because they are 'fearful' of being sent to the African state.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is expected to discuss the issue with the Irish foreign minister and others at a routine bilateral meeting in London today.

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker said: 'The relationship with the Irish government is fundamental and I look forward to a constructive conversation.'

Last month Ireland's High Court ruled that due to the Rwanda scheme, Britain should not have been designated a safe place to send asylum seekers back to.

This prompted the British Government to 'entirely refute' the court's conclusion. One Home Office source described it as 'absolutely absurd'.
The United States last week unlocked $61 billion in military and economic aid for Ukraine, with the Biden administration claiming it was ready to begin shipping the first tranche of aid - some $1 billion worth - within a matter of days.

But there are fears this may already be too late for Kyiv's troops who are facing a brutal onslaught from their invigorated Russian enemies.

Ukraine's top commander said yesterday that his outnumbered, outgunned and war-weary soldiers were forced to pull back from frontline positions in Donetsk as Vladimir Putin's forces threatened to overwhelm them.

'The situation at the front has worsened,' Syrsky wrote on the Telegram app, describing the 'most difficult' areas as west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka - the strategic town captured by Russian forces in February.

It comes as Moscow's men claimed last week to have captured the centre of Ocheretyne - a local rail hub just 20 miles from the city of Pokrovsk that forms the linchpin of Ukraine's military operations in the region.

Other divisions of the Russian army are bearing down on settlements surrounding Chasiv Yar - another key strategic town on elevated ground that could serve as a gateway to the cities of Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

And perhaps most worryingly, Syrsky said his forces were closely monitoring an increase in the number of Russian troops in the area of Kharkiv - Ukraine's second largest city - leading to speculation Moscow could be gearing up for a ground assault of the metropolis.

Zelensky yesterday pleaded with American officials to deliver the first round of aid immediately, making a specific reference to much needed Patriot air defence systems to counter Russia's aerial superiority

Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) are coveted by Kyiv as they can strike deep into Russian held territory

The first slice of aid is reportedly worth around $1 billion and will be sourced directly from military storage facilities in the US and Europe where the hardware is already prepared and in working order

Workers clean debris in a turbine hall full of scorched equipments at a power plant of energy provider DTEK, destroyed after an attack, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on April 19, 2024

Giving his nightly address yesterday after a discussion with US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Zelensky said: 'We are still waiting for the supplies Ukraine was promised.'

Biden promised on Wednesday that US weapons shipments would begin making their way into Ukraine within hours, as he signed into law a $95 billion measure - $61 billion of which was allocated for Ukraine - that also included assistance for Israel, Taiwan and other global hot spots.

That $61 billion includes $14 billion of weapons and ammunition; $8 billion in economic support; $5 billion for US manufacturing of widely used 155mm artillery shells; $23 billion to replenish US military stockpiles; and $11 billion to fund current US military operations, such as training Ukrainian troops.

The first slice of aid is reportedly worth around $1 billion and will be sourced directly from military storage facilities in the US and Europe where the hardware is already prepared and in working order.

US officials said the $1 billion tranche includes armoured vehicles, Stinger air defence munitions, additional ammunition for high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), 155mm artillery ammunition, TOW and Javelin anti-tank munitions and other weapons that can immediately be put to use on the battlefield.

The announcement marked an end to the long, painful battle with Republicans in Congress over the assistance urgently needed by Kyiv.

But the weeks of hold-up allowed Russia's forces to consolidate their defensive lines over winter before steadily pushing westward, grinding down dwindling numbers of ammo-starved Ukrainian defenders and slowly making gains.

And Ukrainian lawmakers pointed out that what's coming first is not always what front-line commanders need most.

'The logic behind this first package was, the US finds our top priorities and then you see what you have in the warehouses,' said Davyd Arakhamia, a lawmaker with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party.

'And sometimes they do not match.'

Zelensky yesterday pleaded with American officials to deliver the first round of aid immediately, making a specific reference to much-needed Patriot air defence systems to counter Russia's aerial superiority.

Giving his nightly address yesterday after a discussion with US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Zelensky said: 'We are still waiting for the supplies Ukraine was promised.

'We are expecting those volumes and scope that can change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine's interests.'

Zelensky added: 'In my conversation with Mr. Jeffries, I underscored that Patriot systems are needed, and as soon as possible.'

But the delivery of aid to where it is most needed at the frontlines will be complicated by Russian airstrikes.

A US Patriot missile defence system launch. The Patriot system is an integral part of Ukraine's defence against Russian aerial assaults

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (4th L) posing for a photo with Ukrainian soldiers in front of a road sign marking the entrance to the Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Russian troops are seen n Ocheretyne after raising the Russian flag atop a building

Ukrainian soldiers with the 71st Jaeger Brigade fire a M101 howitzer at Russian positions on the front line, near the city of Avdiivka in Ukraine's Donetsk region, on March 22, 2024

A Russian tank fires at Ukrainian troops from a position near the border with Ukraine

A Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters last week that Russia was conducting strikes on Ukrainian rail lines and logistics hubs following the announcement of US aid to Kyiv in an attempt to slow down the delivery of weapons.

Meanwhile, Vadym Ivchenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament's National Security, Defence and Intelligence Committee, said logistical challenges and bureaucracy could delay shipments to Ukraine by two to three months, and it would be even longer before they reach the front line.

While Ukraine's worn-out troops wait patiently for more ammunition and weapons, Russian forces continue to make slow but steady progress.

In its latest operational assessment, the Institute for the Study of War said Moscow's soldiers are forging a path several miles west of Avdiivka and are also threatening nearby Chasiv Yar, whose capture would give Russia control of a hilltop from which it can attack other key cities forming the backbone of Ukraine's eastern defences.

The Russian Defence Ministry on Sunday confirmed its fighters had taken the town of Ocheretyne about nine miles northwest of Avdiivka, days after clips surfaced of Russian troops celebrating in front of damaged buildings.

Videos shared on the Telegram messaging app by Russian military bloggers also appeared to show the Russian tricolour flying atop a structure in the town that once was home to 30,000 Ukrainians.

Now Russian artillery is pounding positions even further west of Ocheretyne, with residents in the village of Vozdvyzhenka five miles northwest fleeing their homes in anticipation of the enemy advance.

'We're going a long way from here... I don't have time to talk because of the shelling,' one villager told an AFP reporter, before climbing into a loaded vehicle and speeding away.

Moscow's men also seized the village of Novobakhmutivka around six miles north of Avdiivka.

A member of Ukraine's 72nd Brigade Anti-air unit fires at a Russian Zala reconnaissance drone over head on February 23, 2024 near Marinka, Ukraine

A worker walks through a burned out control room at a power plant of energy provider DTEK, destroyed after an attack, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on April 19, 2024

A view of a bridge, destroyed by the war, in Bohorodychne, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on April 5, 2024

Military experts operate at the site of a Russian aerial bombing of a high-rise residential building in the Shevchenkivsky district on March 27, 2024 in Kharkiv

A destroyed tank at the entrance of Spartak settlement near Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, 12 March 2024

Russia has 'a significant advantage in forces and means' and had been able to notch up advances amid 'heavy fighting', Ukrainian commander Syrsky said.

'In some sectors the enemy had tactical success, and in some areas our troops managed to improve the tactical position,' he added.

While its troops press on with ground operations, Russia continues to devastate Ukrainian targets from the air.

Vitaliy Kim, the governor of Ukraine's southern Mykolaiv province, said that the drones 'seriously damaged' a hotel in its namesake capital and also impacted heat-generating infrastructure in the city.

Russian state agency RIA reported that the strike on Mykolaiv targeted a shipyard where naval drones are assembled, as well as a hotel housing 'English-speaking mercenaries' who have fought for Kyiv.

The RIA report cited Sergei Lebedev, described as a coordinator of local pro-Moscow guerrillas. His comments couldn't be independently verified.

Russia's Defence Ministry also claimed yesterday afternoon that its forces had destroyed ammunition depots and military equipment housed at three airports across Ukraine, including assault drones stored at Kamyanka Airfield in the country's east.

Russian shelling on Saturday and overnight wounded at least seven civilians across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials.

A 36-year-old woman was pulled alive from the rubble after Russian shells on Sunday morning destroyed her home in the northeastern Kharkiv region, the local administration reported.

Her 52-year-old neighbour was also hospitalised with a stomach wound.
French movie star Gerard Depardieu was today placed in custody at a Paris police station after being accused of sexually assaulting two female workers on film sets.

The 75-year-old, who is already under investigation for multiple similar crimes including rape, is said to have molested production staff on the sets of two films.

One was Les Volets Verts  The Green Shutters  which came out in 2022, and the other was Le Magician et les Siamois  The Magician and the Siamese which was released in 2015.

An investigating source said on Monday: Mr Depardieu was summoned to appear at a Paris police station today, and is currently in custody.

He is being questioned about two alleged sexual assaults that took place in 2014 and 2021.

Depardieu  who made his name in hit films such as Green Card and The Last Metro  vehemently denies all the accusations against him.

French actor Gerard Depardieu, 75, was placed in custody in Paris today after being accused of sexually assaulting two female workers on film sets in 2014 and 2021

Depardieu (left) pictured in 2006. In October last year, the movie star broke his silence over claims that he is a serial sex abuser saying: I am neither a rapist nor a predator

News of Depardieu's arrest on Monday came after French actress Charlotte Arnould (pictured) went public with her accusation that Depardieu raped her in his Paris mansion in 2018

The first complainant said she was attacked in September 2021,when Depardieu touched her intimately, wrapped his legs around her, and used crude language against her.

The woman, a 53-year-old mother named only as Amelie, described a wolf trap which was set with phenomenal force.

A witness was able to pull him away from the woman, it is alleged.

Depardieu later said: I apologise because it is necessary to apologise, but continued to call the woman a slut, a source told the BFM news outlet.

Les Volets Verts is based on a story by George Simenon about a sacred monster theatre star who risks a heart attack while drinking too much and chasing possible sex conquests.

The second complainant says she was attacked in March 2014 during the filming of the short film Le Magician et les Siamois, in Doue-la-Fontaine, near Nantes, in the west of France.

The crew also met at Depardieus Paris home, where the 24-year-old production assistant is said to have been molested, while the actor again made obscene comments.

Amelies lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, said evidence pointed to sexual assault, harassment and abuse.

Ms Durrieu-Diebolt is also representing Charlotte Arnould, 28, who claims she was raped and sexually assaulted by Depardieu.

There is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a sex act on Ms Arnould at his Paris mansion in August 2018, but he insists it was consensual.

Ms Arnould renounced her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021, following Depardieu being charged with rape and sexual assault.

Within a few days of his indictment, Depardieu was back working by the Seine River location of the police drama Maigret And The Dead Girl  also by Georges Simenon  in which he starred with Jade Labeste.

In October, he broke his silence over claims that he is a serial sex abuser saying: I am neither a rapist nor a predator.

Last year, a criminal enquiry was opened into the suspected suicide of a French actress who had accused Depardieu of sexual violence. It was feared that the last hours of Emmanuelle Debever, 60, may have been linked to the multiple abuse accusations levelled by women against Depardieu

The first complainant said she was attacked in September 2021,when Depardieu touched her intimately, wrapped his legs around her, and used crude language against her, Pictured: Depardieu attends the 'Der Geschmack der kleinen Dinge (Umami)' Premiere at Cinema Paris on January 12, 2023 in Berlin, Germany

The second complainant says she was attacked in March 2014 during the filming of the short film Le Magician et les Siamois, in Doue-la-Fontaine, near Nantes, in the west of France

Accusing enemies of subjecting him to a lynching in the media, he expressed his anger in an open letter to the French press.

Last year, a criminal enquiry was opened into the suspected suicide of a French actress who had accused Depardieu of sexual violence.

It was feared that the last hours of Emmanuelle Debever, 60, may have been linked to the multiple abuse accusations levelled by women against Depardieu.

She died on December 7th  the exact day a new documentary entitled Gerard Depardieu: The Fall of the Ogre was broadcast across France.

It contained disturbing details of an alleged attack by Depardieu on Ms Debever, when she was still a teenager.

In December, another French actress filed a formal sex attack complaint against Depardieu, saying he treated her like a piece of meat.

Paris prosecutors confirmed that Helene Darras, 43, reported Depardieu in September.

The pair appeared together in the 2007 film Disco, when Darras was 26, and allegedly assaulted.

Waiving her legal right to anonymity, Ms Darras told the same Further Investigation (Complement denquete) documentary series: He [Depardieu] is unmanageable.

He looks at me as if I were a piece of meat. I have an ultra-tight dress, he pulls me closer to him by the waist, then he runs his hand over my hips, over my bum.

And in December 2023, Spanish journalist and writer Ruth Baza filed a complaint in Spain against the actor for rape, for acts dating back to 1995 in Paris.

In the same month, French President Emmanuel Macron sparked fury by defending Mr Depardieu.

Mr Macron appeared on a TV chat show and said he detested the actor being subjected to a manhunt.
Children are being used by migrants as 'human shields' on French beaches to stop police reaching their boats, a Border Force official has claimed.

Carol Heginbottom, the deputy director of the Small Boats Operational Command, has raised her concerns at these 'deeply worrying' new tactics being deployed by desperate migrants to reach the UK, saying 'it is getting worse'.

Nearly 121,000 migrants have now been intercepted crossing the English Channel in small boats since 2018, with 6,667 migrants having crossed this year alone, according to official data.

'We've seen them attacked with sticks, metal bars, machetes, using women and children that are there to cross, using them as human shields to prevent law enforcement taking action,' she told GB News.

Carol Heginbottom (left), the deputy director of the Small Boats Opertional Command, has raised her concerns at these 'deeply worrying' new tactics being deployed by desperate migrants to reach the UK

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Nearly 121,000 migrants have now been intercepted crossing the English Channel in small boats since 2018, with 6,667 migrants having crossed so far this year, according to official data

Ms Heginbottom added: 'We're working very closely with the French and this is a massive concern for the UK and the French.

'The violence that is now shown to our French colleagues trying to prevent the launches, trying to save people from putting their lives at risk, is huge.

'It's growing, it's getting worse and we need to continue to keep plugging away at stopping these organised criminal gangs that are putting people at risk.'

French authorities have been told to significantly ramp up their efforts to prevent migrants leaving the beaches after five migrants - including a seven-year-old girl - were killed when a rival group armed with sticks and knives stormed their dinghy last week.

Shortly after authorities were pictured deploying tear gas and slashing dinghy's with knives in a bid to try and stop the migrants from crossing the Channel.

Photographs of an operation on Dunkirk beach show officers dressed in body-armour wading into the surf to foil an attempted crossing.

One officer is seen wielding a knife as he prepares to deflate a dinghy overloaded with dozens of migrant. Other policemen are seen dragging away the boat's motor.

Distraught migrants are seen collapsing onto the beach as they are prevented from making the dangerous journey, which some had paid up to 1000 each to attempt.

A French policeman slashes an inflatable dinghy filled with migrants in images showing a dramatic escalation of force against people smugglers

French authorities have been told to significantly ramp up their efforts to prevent migrants leaving the beaches after five migrants were killed last week

The government's Rwanda Bill finally became law last week after months of delay, meaning that Home Office officials can now start detaining the first batch of migrants destined for deportation to Rwanda ahead of the first flights this summer

Then this weekend a Kurdish migrant was shot in a clash between rival smuggling gangs at Loon-Plage camp.

Ms Heginbottom continued: 'The criminal gangs don't always work together, they're trying to maximise their own profits against others.

'You will always get opportunists who will try and get on and that's when there's real terror and chaos, because sometimes it can be dark in the middle of the night.

'We've seen children and women getting trampled on as they try to get on the boats.

'It's become chaotic. It's never been well managed. The organised criminal gangs don't care about people's welfare.'

The Home Office have been approached for comment.

The government's Rwanda Bill finally became law last week after months of delay, meaning that Home Office officials can now start detaining the first batch of migrants destined for deportation to Rwanda ahead of the first flights this summer.

On top of this, on Saturday Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, backed a policy of deporting people to third countries for asylum processing.

In a shock statement ahead of June's European elections, Ms Von der Leyen's European People's Party (EPP) called for 'a fundamental change in European asylum law'.

The EPP grouping, the largest in the European Parliament, pledged: 'We want to implement the concept of safe third countries. Anyone applying for asylum in the EU could also be transferred to a safe third country and undergo the asylum process there.'

Mr Sunak responded: 'I said when I first became Prime Minister that others would recognise a meaningful deterrent is the only way to stop the boats and now even top parties in the EU are following our lead.'
An elderly man who suffocated his lifelong partner to death with a pillow will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Donald Morley, 93, was sentenced on Monday to nine years in prison, with a non-parole period of four-and-a-half-years over the death of his wife of 69 years Jean, 92, at their Canberra home in July 2023.

The sentence comes four months after Morley pleaded guilty to his wife's murder.

His barrister Jon White SC told the court that the act was a 'mercy killing' due to Mrs Morley's worsening dementia and his client's declining health.

But ACT Supreme Court judge Justice David Mossop rejected the claim as he handed down the sentence on Monday.

'Murder remains murder, notwithstanding the age or infirmity of the victim or the perpetrator,' he said.

'Murder is the gravest denial of individual autonomy.'

Donald Morley, 93, (pictured with wife Jean, 92) has been sentenced to nine years in prison for killing his wife in July 2023. He had attempted suicide on the same night and in his note he said he was 'afraid of the future'

Jean Morley's, dementia had worsened and could no longer remember how to dress for bed or use appliances like a television or microwave. Mrs Morley, pictured, didn't like being apart from her husband and would complain if he left her to go to appointments

The judge recounted how Morley suffocated his wife after they went out with friends during the day in July 2023

They did not enjoy themselves, which Morley took as a sign they had 'reached the end', reported The Daily Telegraph.

The couple did not have any children and the judge said they were known as a loving pair who 'did everything together'.

'The offender always used to call Jean 'my darling',' Justice Mossop told the court.

The pair's health had rapidly declined in recent years, with the judge noting Morley's own issues which included skin cancer that penetrated his skull.

Morley was hesitant to get hospital treatment because he was worried about leaving Jean alone.

His wife's dementia had worsened to the point she could no longer remember how to get dressed or how to use everyday appliances like a television or microwave.

Mrs Morley would also complain if she was left alone by her husband, the court heard.

While the Morleys had spoken about voluntary euthanasia, they had never made a suicide pact, the court heard.

Justice Mossop stressed that Jean had not asked to be killed when her husband decided their only option was death.

Jean Morley, 92, was suffocated with a pillow by her husband in July 2023

On July 29, 2023, Morley waited until his wife went to bed and at about 9pm he smothered her with a pillow for about two minutes.

The court heard that Mrs Morley 'struggled a bit', with her right arm moving up and down.

Her husband then laid awake beside her and unsuccessfully attempted to kill himself.

A nurse visited the couple's home the next morning after Morley failed to respond to her messages.

When she arrived, a distraught Morley told her that he had done 'a terrible thing'.

A suicide note was later found by the police in which Morley apologised and said he had been 'afraid of the future'.

'Please don't call this murder-suicide,' the note read.

'After 69 years married we were both afraid of the future, sorry to upset all the family plus friends.

'This wasn't easy for me, or my darling.'

Pictured: The couple's home in the Canberra suburb of Fisher where a nurse found Jean Morley's body the day after she was murdered. The couple met when they were 16, married seven years later and moved to Australia when they were 40. They did not have any children

Justice Mossop told the court it was unfortunate the married couple did not have any younger people in their lives, such as children, to help them with their challenges.

Although the judge found the murder was not motivated by malice, he said it had been 'a gross breach of trust'.

Morley has been in custody since his arrest and watched the sentencing via a video link from a Canberra hospice, where he's receiving palliative care.

He's expected to die within six months due to the 'grievous state of health'.

'It may be that he simply remains in a hospital or hospice until he dies,' Justice Mossop said.

Neighbour Judy Jones knew the Morleys for 40 years.

'They were devoted to each other. I mean they had their snappy moments, but they were devoted to each other,' she told A Current Affair

'I think it's only a mercy killing as far as I'm concerned.

'He's done it out of compassion. Not hate. He loved her very much.'

If you or anyone who know needs support, contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732), Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 224 636.
The teenage accomplice of a woman jailed for life for the murder and torture of a pensioner now has a new identity and lives in hiding.

Lisa Healey was just 15 when she and her friend Sarah Davey savagely attacked frail pensioner Lily Lilley, 71, in her terraced house in Failsworth, Manchester.

The evil pair murdered her and dumped her body in a bin before throwing it in a river.

Mail Online revealed last week that Davey was freed from prison on March 23 after a decision by the Parole Board. Originally jailed indefinitely in 1999, Davey was recalled seven times over breaches of her licensing conditions.

Healey was released around 10 years after being sentenced for the murder.

Lisa Healey was just 15 when she and her friend Sarah Davey (pictured) savagely attacked frail pensioner Lily Lilley, 71, in her terraced house in Failsworth, Manchester

Healey and Davey were invited for a cup of tea by Ms Lilley before they taunted her, squirted her with shampoo and cut her legs with a knife

Davey pictured when she was in prison. She was recently released

Shockingly, she had a baby after becoming pregnant during day release from an open prison not long before she was due to be released.

In summertime, Davey is able to soak up the sun's rays in the prison grounds, while she was even allowed out to visit tanning salons to maintain her colour.

The news shocked the nation and led to the prison service being accused of operating 'holiday camps' rather than jails.

'When you think what she did to that poor woman, it's shocking to think that she's able to enjoy herself like that,' a former fellow inmate told the Mail at the time.

'She's so vain  she was always looking at herself in the mirror, and she wouldn't come out of her room unless her make-up was perfect.

'It's full of toiletries and nice clothes she's been sent so she can always look her best. People think she's in there for punishment, but she's enjoying herself  she's basically being treated like a pampered teenager.'

She fell pregnant to her then boyfriend while on day release and reportedly looked after the baby in the mother and baby unit of Askham Grange Prison near York before she was released.

She was 15 when she committed the 'wicked' murder.

Davey seen during her time in prison decked out in make-up and glam clothes

A police forensic team at Ms Lilley's terraced home in Failsworth, Manchester

Now in her mid 40s, she was granted a new identity and is in hiding - inevitably at a heavy cost to the taxpayer .

Those living near her will have no idea of her vile past.

Askham Grange is an open prison which allows inmates nearing the end of their sentences day release in an attempt to reintegrate into the community.

MPs and justice campaigners were left furious at news she had managed to get pregnant, while staff were said to be 'gobsmacked'.

Healey and Davey were invited for a cup of tea by Ms Lilley before they taunted her, squirted her with shampoo and cut her legs with a knife.

They choked her with a gag tied so tightly that her false teeth were driven down her throat. A framed photo of her son as a baby was thrown into the bin.

The pair then took over her house, making hundreds of calls from her phone and used her pension money to buy crisps and chocolate.

News of Davey's recent release sparked outrage.

Dave was found guilty of Ms Lilley's murder in 1998

Tory MP Nigel Mills said: 'It's disgraceful. This is a truly evil crime. It is appalling. This is not justice. She is laughing at justice.'

Documents shared with Mail Online by the Parole Board have examined 'progress' she is said to have made.

They said: 'Evidence was presented at the hearing regarding Ms Davey's progress and custodial conduct during this sentence and since recall. She had engaged with programmes to address how she manages her emotions, healthy relationships, and one to one work with her prison supervisor.

'Ms Davey is also working with a service that helps those with difficult aspects to their personality and this will continue in the community.

'The panel heard that overall Ms Davey had demonstrated application of relevant skills and learning while in custody. Witnesses, namely the prison psychologist, the prisoner commissioned psychologist, the community probation officer and prison supervisor, recommended release. '

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice said of the decision: 'Sarah Davey will be subject to close supervision for the rest of her life and can be recalled to prison if she breaches the strict conditions of her release.'

A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Sarah Davey following an oral hearing.

'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.
Given he has witnessed some of Britain's most incredible kitchens, you might have thought Kevin McCloud would go for something extra impressive in his own home.

But the Grand Designs host has revealed his love of Ikea kitchens after installing one himself at his property after working on it in the evenings and at weekends.

The 64-year-old said he put in the carcass and doors and did some 'basic carpentry and screwing together' to install the new units at his Herefordshire home.

But he added that he bought a 'very, very beautiful, expensive hot water tap' and got some craftspeople to do the customisation, including an upmarket Dekton worktop.

McCloud also said he encourages those in his show to get Ikea kitchens  and likes the retailer's Lixhult cabinets, which he can construct in 'four and a half minutes'.

Kevin McCloud, pictured inside the 'Grand House of Ideas' as part of Grand Designs Live in May

Kevin McCloud, pictured in the kitchen of his former home in Somerset in April 2004

McCloud said he likes Ikea's Lixhult cabinets and can construct one in just over four minutes

Kevin McCloud has rarely been seen in public with his third wife Jenny Jones, but they were photographed together in June 2021 (above) in an undisclosed part of the West Country

Speaking to The Times, McCloud said of his Ikea kitchen installation: 'It took a long time, I was doing it in the evenings and at weekends. I've always made stuff.

'My natural instinct is 'I could do that'. But then I've got an enormous list of things to do in front of me it's never-ending, so I have to learn to say, 'No, I can probably find someone to do that.'

McCloud and the show's viewers were famously horrified watching an episode in September 2021 when Supercar investor Joe O'Connor and his wife Emily spent 125,000 on a kitchen at their 2.5million home project in Devon.

And the presenter, who lives with his third wife Jenny Jones, said: 'You do become a little allergic to that sort of spending. But it's not just that.

'What I've done is the carcass, putting in the doors, the basic carpentry and screwing together, and then brought in lovely things - I've got a very, very beautiful, expensive hot water tap - or had some proper craftspeople to do the customisation. I've got a worktop made of Dekton, which is like a ceramic.'

He added that no one in the history of his 23-series programme over the past 25 years has every listened to his advice, saying: 'Not that I can recall! It's almost as though they've joined a cult.

'Their eyes have glazed over and they're already on this trajectory. They've decided what they want to do and how they're going to do it and they're convinced it is going to be perfect.'

In a Grand Designs episode in September 2021, Joe O'Connor and his wife Emily were revealed to have spent 125,000 on a kitchen at their 2.5million home project in Devon

The 125,000 kitchen at Mr and Mrs O'Connor's home in Devon, as shown in a 2021 episode

In another episode in May last year, McCloud said he had previously spent between 5,000 and 7,000 on a kitchen - opting to buy units in sales and then perhaps 'splashing out' on a tap.

He made the comments in the episode featuring Jane and Richard, from York, who splashed out on a kitchen which viewers said 'looked like it was from Ikea'.

McCloud added: 'I would have to swallow very hard to spend 35,000 on a kitchen.'

Earlier this month, McCloud hit the headlines for telling first time buyers that they should move to Germany if they cannot afford to buy a house in Britain.

Host Kevin McCloud said in an episode in May 2023 that he has never spent more than 7,000 on a new kitchen. He is pictured speaking to the homeowner Jane, in York

Jane's finished kitchen which some Grand Designs viewers said 'looked like it was from Ikea'

He advised young people looking to abandon their hopes of buying a house in the UK and instead 'move to another country where the housing market is healthy'.

He told JOE that almost every other north European country and Canada have got 'really healthy markets, lots of diverse opportunities, lots of diverse offers and it isn't hugely expensive'.

McCloud also took aim at 'immoral' housing developers, who he claims now make on average 68,000 profit per house or per flat, which he said was ten times more than in 2009.

The presenter has been promoting Grand Designs Live which takes place at ExCel London from May 4 until 12 and then at NEC Birmingham from October 2 to 6.
Pioneering ceramics designer Clarice Cliff has been honoured with a blue plaque at her former home in Stoke-on-Trent.

The art deco pioneer was commemorated 125 years after her birth at the flat at 20 Snow Hill in Shelton, where she lived at the height of her success.

She married her boss, factory owner Colley Shorter, in 1940 after the death of his wife. The pair had engaged in a secret affair that never became the subject of gossip.

Cliff was portrayed by Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor in 2021 film the Colour Room. Shorter was depicted by Matthew Goode.

The plaque was unveiled on Friday by arts and heritage minister Lord Parkinson following the return of the public memorial scheme, carried out by Historic England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

It reads: 'Clarice Cliff 1899 - 1972 pottery designer and factory art director lived here.'

Pioneering ceramics designer Clarice Cliff has been honoured with a blue plaque at her former home in Stoke-on-Trent

The art deco pioneer is being commemorated 125 years after her birth at the flat at 20 Snow Hill in Shelton, where she lived at the height of her success. Above: Heritage minister Lord Parkinson (right) unveils the plaque on Friday

A relative of Cliff, Sheila Jeffries, said the event feels 'like a birthday' and she is 'thrilled' it is happening for the designer, whose 'talents were absolutely off the Richter scale'.

Former nurse and Salvation Army officer Ms Jeffries, 70, whose master potter grandfather was the nephew of Cliff's father, said: 'I'm just so excited, I can't even begin to tell you, I'm really, really pleased for Clarice.'

She added: 'We've got this wonderful, talented, amazing woman that really, really put the Potteries on the map with her beautiful, beautiful work.'

She also said that she was 'very sad' that the industry of pottery had declined in Staffordshire but she remains 'immensely proud' of her family heritage and the artist.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said he hopes the city sees this as the 'perfect opportunity to celebrate her legacy, and inspire others to follow in her creative footsteps'.

Cliff, one of seven children, was born in Tunstall in January 1899 and left school at 13 to begin work in the pottery trade.

Her talent become noticed and she went on to become the art director of Newport Pottery and AJ Wilkinson, one of the Staffordshire potteries, in 1931.

Cliff was portrayed by Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor in 2021 film the Colour Room. Shorter was depicted by Matthew Goode. Above: Dynevor and Goode in a scene from the film

developed skills including gilding, enamelling, hand-painting and modelling and created her Bizarre-ware across the 1920s and 1930s

Cliff producing one of her works. Her talent become noticed and she became the art director of Newport Pottery and AJ Wilkinson, one of the Staffordshire potteries, in 1931

Cliff's original painters re-united by the founder of the Clarice Cliff Collectors' Club, Leonard Griffin, who is pictured with them in 1986

Clarice Cliff (right) with visitors to Newport Pottery in 1933

Age of Jazz - a figural group modelled as a couple dancing, him in black tie and tails, her in a yellow ballgown with brightly coloured detail

A shape 14 Mei Ping vase circa 1930, hand painted with flowers and foliage over a Latona glazed ground with black and orange banding

An 18 inch ribbed charger circa 1930, hand painted with a stylised landscape with trees to the foreground and a mountain below a deep orange sky with black and orange banding, partial Bizarre mark to the reverse

The BBC's The Repair Shop ceramics expert Kirsten Ramsay said: 'As a trailblazing pottery designer, her pioneering contributions not only revolutionised the industry but also paved the way for women in the field.

'As a ceramics conservator, I have always been charmed by the unique nature of her designs, and working on her pieces has been both a challenge and an incredibly rewarding experience.

'Clarice Cliff's legacy is truly remarkable, and she undeniably deserves this recognition.'

Cliff's work continues to attract notice and has been sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds at auction.

In 2009, art deco-inspired pieces, made up of vases, jugs and pots, were sold by Bonham's in London for around 200,000.

Cliff's turning point came in 1918 when she joined AJ Wilkinson's Royal Staffordshire Pottery in Middleport, Burslem, and was noticed by Colley Shorter, who went on to become her husband and the company's director.

She developed skills including gilding, enamelling, hand-painting and modelling and created her Bizarre-ware across the 1920s and 1930s.

The bright, bold colours, loose, free brushwork and innovative new shapes, were designed by Cliff and produced by a team, branded the Bizarre Girls, at the Newport Pottery.

Cliff would go on to work with Yorkshire sculptor Barbara Hepworth, Buckinghamshire-born painter Ben Nicholson and London-born artist and wood engraver Eric Ravilious before her career of making decorative tableware had issues during the Second World War because of restrictions on pottery.

She married her boss, factory owner Colley Shorter, in 1940 following the death of his wife.

Shorter was 17 years older than Cliff and was unhappily married when she started working for him.

The couple had a secret affair that would have scandalised polite society had it emerged.

By 1927, Shorter had bought the adjoining Newport Pottery, meaning the company had inherited a warehouse full of old-fashioned 'seconds'.

Phoebe Dynevor as Cliff in The Colour Room, which was released in 2021

The plaque on the wall of Cliff's former home, 20 Snow Hill in Stoke-on-Trent

Cliff had the idea to paint them in bright geometric patterns to hid their defects. It was then that Bizarre was born.

The first load of the new designs sold out and proved such a success that Wilkinson's prospered through the Depression.

Cliff went on to recruit a team of apprentices - 'Bizarre Babes' - who churned out her colourful works.

The designer bought herself an Austin Seven car for 60 and by 1930, when Shorter promoted her to art director, she was the highest-ranking woman in the male-dominated world of the Potteries.

She had her own flat that was decorated to both her taste and Shorter's.

However, Cliff and Shorter were very discreet and ensured that their relationship never became the talk of the workplace.

When Shorter's wife died, the pair became inseparable. Just over a year after her death, Cliff and her boss married in secret.

It was another year before they allowed news of their wedding to leak out.

The couple spent the rest of their lives together. When Shorter died in 1963 aged 81, she was heartbroken.

The following year, she sold the pottery. Before she died aged 73 in 1972, she saw the beginnings of huge enthusiasm for her work.

More than five decades on from her death she has continued to inspire artists.

Ceramic designer and manufacturer Emma Bridgewater, whose pottery in based in Stoke-on-Trent, said: 'I believe that if not for Clarice, her female contemporaries and those who followed, I would not have been able to envisage working in the industry.

'Clarice's bold, bright and modern example inspires me to support women across our own business to forge ahead with a clear confidence that women can work in absolutely any role in the ceramics industry, choosing the career paths that really interest them.'

Historic England will next unveil a blue plaque to Beatles star George Harrison this spring.
As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, Israel has warned Egypt that this is the 'last chance' for a Gaza truce agreement as Hamas reveals it has 'no major issues' with striking a deal with the country.

A Hamas delegation is due to arrive today in Egypt, where it will respond to Israel's latest proposal for a long-awaited hostage release deal in the Gaza Strip after nearly seven months of bloody conflict.

But Israel has chillingly warned that if an agreement is not made imminently, Tel Aviv is set to launch its long-planned ground assault in Rafah.

According to news site Ynet, the Israeli authorities made the statement after discussions between chief Israeli and Egyptian officials on the hostage deal with Hamas ended on Friday.

Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, as the death toll in Gaza climbs to worrying heights and desperate calls for a deal intensify.

A Hamas delegation is due to arrive today in Egypt, where it will respond to Israel's latest proposal for a long-awaited hostage release deal in the Gaza Strip after nearly seven months of bloody conflict (file photo of Gaza, April 27)

Mourners stand near corpses of an adult and a child killed in overnight Israeli bombardment, in the front of the morgue of a hospital in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on April 27, as the conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas continues

Relatives of two Palestinians who were killed in the Israeli army attacks in Wadi Gaza mourn after their families brought their bodies to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for burial in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on April 28

But despite immense global pressure to reach a ceasefire, a deal is still yet to be struck.

Hamas said yesterday it had 'no major issues' with the contents of Israel's most recent offer for a truce.

'The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles,' a senior Hamas official told AFP, speaking anonymously.

In Israel, protestors are demanding that the government secure the freedom of their hostages who were captured by Hamas militants during the October 7 massacre that sparked the current conflict.

Israel claims an estimated 129 hostages are still being detained in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

A mere one-week ceasefire executed in November saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 Palestinians who had been holed up in Israeli prisons.

Hamas has previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire and end to the war - a condition that Israel has rejected.

But for the first time since October 7, Israeli leaders have suggested they are open to discussing an end to the violent war.

A Palestinian child salvages objects amid the debris of a house destroyed by overnight Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on April 27

Palestinians walk past the ruins of houses and buildings destroyed during Israel's military offensive (file photo)

Since the war began nearly seven months ago, people around the globe have been calling for a ceasefire

The Axios news site, citing two Israeli officials, reported that Israel's latest proposal includes a willingness to discuss the 'restoration of sustainable calm' in Gaza - after the release of their hostages.

A Hamas source close to the negotiations told AFP that the militant group 'is open to discussing the new proposal positively' and is 'keen to reach an agreement that guarantees a permanent ceasefire, the free return of displaced people, an acceptable deal for (prisoner) exchange and ensuring an end to the siege' in Gaza.

But although the talks were 'very good, focused, held in good spirits, and progressed in all parameters,' according to an Israeli official, Egypt had seemed willing to pressure Hamas toward reaching a deal, claiming that 'in the background, there are very serious intentions from Israel to move ahead in Rafah'.

'This is the last chance before we go into Rafah,' the official said.

'The number of days of the ceasefire will be linked to the number of hostages who will be released. If Hamas does want a humanitarian deal, Israel will not be the obstacle,' an Israeli official told Axios before talks with Egypt.

They also mentioned that Israel was willing to make further allowances including the return of residents to northern Gaza.

The conversations come after at least 22 people were killed in Rafah overnight, according to medics and the Civil Defence agency.

Locals and rescuers reported a series of airstrikes on Rafah, where the majority of Gaza's 2.4million population have sought refuge near the border with Egypt.

Israel has vowed to go after Hamas battalions in the southern Gaza city, but the prospect has sent alarm bells ringing worldwide as much of war-torn Gaza's civilians have fled there.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Saturday, however, that Israel would be willing to call off a ground offensive in Rafah of Hamas accept the deal to release hostages.

The streets in the Gaza Strip are unrecognisable after almost seven months of Israeli attacks

A house damaged in an Israeli strike lies in ruin, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, April 29

A mourner reacts during the funeral of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes

'If there is a deal, we will suspend the operation,' Katz told Israel's Channel 12.

World leader and humanitarian groups have also warned that a looming invasion if Rafah would lead to massive civilian casualties.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas appealed to the US to stop Israel from invading Rafah, which he said would be 'the biggest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people'.

The US  Israel's main ally and weapons supplier  was the only nation capable of preventing Israel from 'committing this crime', Abbas told a global economic summit in Saudi Arabia.

Hamas senior leader, Khalil al-Hayya, will inform Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Monday the group's response to the truce proposal.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday discussed the state of negotiation of the deal that would secure much-anticipated return of Israeli hostages.

During the call, Biden also 'reiterated his clear position' on the possible invasion of Rafah, and White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Israel had agreed to listen to US concerns and thoughts before it launches an invasion.

Hamas' October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of around 1,170 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 34,400 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-occupied territory.
Humza Yousaf has quit as Scotland's First Minister after little more than a year in Bute House.

The SNP leader prompted an extraordinary meltdown by sacking the Scottish Greens as his power-sharing partners at Holyrood.

But Mr Yousaf was then left facing the real possibility of losing a no confidence vote in the Scottish Parliament after the Greens turned against him.

His resignation has left the SNP facing a second divisive leadership contest within less than 18 months.

So, who might consider a bid to replace Mr Yousaf as SNP leader and first minister?

Kate Forbes

Kate Forbes was narrowly defeated by Mr Yousaf in last year's SNP leadership election as the party chose a successor to Nicola Sturgeon.

The 34-year-old secured 48 per cent of the vote to Mr Yousaf's 52 per cent after second preferences were counted.

Ms Forbes was previously the Scottish Government's finance secretary, having become the first woman to hold the post in February 2020.

She went on maternity leave in July 2022 - the first ever serving Scottish Cabinet secretary to do so - and gave birth to her daughter Naomi in August that year.

Ms Forbes, who is married to Ali MacLennan, has been touted as a future SNP leader since entering the Scottish Parliament as MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in 2016.

The daughter of missionaries, Ms Forbes spent much of her childhood in India.

She is a member of the Free Church of Scotland, sometimes known as the 'Wee Frees', which is opposed to gay marriage and believes there are few circumstances in which abortion is justified.

Ms Forbes has previously said she has been 'guilty' of 'tiptoeing around' her Christian faith in interviews.

Ms Sturgeon's administration was accused of rushing through its controversial gender identity reforms in late 2022, while Ms Forbes remained on maternity leave, in order to prevent a potential revolt by her.

Jenny Gilruth

Jenny Gilruth is the Scottish Government's education and skills secretary and MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes.

The 39-year-old is married to Kezie Dugdale, the former Scottish Labour leader.

Prior to entering politics, Ms Gilruth was a secondary school teacher in Edinburgh and Dunfermline.

In a stint as Scotland's transport minister between 2022 and 2024, she had to deal with a pay dispute between train drivers and ScotRail bosses.

Ms Gilruth has already been dubbed the 'Stop Kate Forbes' candidate, with it thought allies of Mr Yousaf and Ms Sturgeon could rally round her.

John Swinney

John Swinney was Scotland's deputy first minister in Ms Sturgeon's administration at Holyrood, having previously been SNP leader between 2000 and 2004.

The 60-year-old has been an MSP ever since the Scottish Parliament's creation in 1999.

He has held a series of top Cabinet jobs in the Scottish government, including a beleaguered stint as education secretary.

He also deputised as finance secretary during Ms Forbes' maternity leave.

Mr Swinney had been touted as an interim first minister to replace Mr Yousaf while a new SNP leader is chosen, but today suggested he might fancy the job on a full-time basis.

Following Mr Yousaf's resignation, Mr Swinney said he was giving 'very careful consideration' to standing to be the next SNP leader.

He added he had been 'somewhat overwhelmed' by messages from colleagues in the SNP urging him to take on the role.

Senior figures within the SNP, including long-serving MP Pete Wishart, former Westminster leader Ian Blackford, and fellow MP Alyn Smith have all called on him to stand.

He said: 'I've got lots of things to think about, there's the whole question of my family, and I have make sure I do the right thing by family, they are precious to me.

'I have to do the right thing by my party and my country. So there is lots to be thought about.'

Stephen Flynn

Stephen Flynn took on the role of SNP Westminster leader in December 2022 following the resignation of Ian Blackford amid the party's internal divisions.

He has been MP for Aberdeen South since 2019 and has made efforts to try and shed claims he is at the heart of a 'laddish' group of SNP politicians in London.

On taking over from Mr Blackford he attacked reports about a 'Tuesday Club' of nationalist MPs.

He said it was 'upsetting' to be linked to a culture of beer and curry - claiming he can 'barely stomach korma'.

The 35-year-old's possible ambitions to succeed Mr Yousaf could be hindered by the fact he does not sit in the Scottish Parliament.

But there is precedent for an MP to lead a Scottish party after Douglas Ross took over as head of the Scottish Tories in 2020.

Mr Ross's predecessor, Ruth Davidson, deputised for him at First Minister's Questions before he was able to take a seat in the Scottish Parliament himself at the 2021 election.

Mr Flynn has recently been exploiting Labour divisions over the Gaza conflict at Westminster, with his SNP MPs vociferously demanding a ceasefire.

On Friday, he suggested he would not stand to be SNP leader if Mr Yousaf were to resign.

He told the BBC: 'I believe that the party leader should have the ability to be first minister of Scotland.

'As you and all your listeners know I am an MP in Westminster, I do not have the ability to be the first minister of Scotland, so I am sure people can read between the lines in that regard.'

Neil Gray

Neil Gray is the Scottish Government's current health secretary and is viewed as a close ally of Mr Yousaf.

The 38-year-old is MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, having previously been MP for the equivalent Westminster seat from 2015 to 2021.

Prior to entering politics, Mr Gray worked as a producer and reporter with BBC Radio Orkney.

He then became an SNP researcher at Holyrood and, later, an MSP's constituency officer manager.

He joined the Scottish Government's ranks in January 2022.

Angus Robertson

Angus Robertson was touted as a possible replacement for Ms Sturgeon ahead of last year's SNP leadership contest.

The 54-year-old is the Scottish Government's constitution secretary and has experience of leadership within the SNP, having been the party's deputy leader between 2016 and 2018.

He also led the party for almost ten years at Westminster while an MP.

Mr Robertson's spell as the SNP's Westminster leader ended in defeat when he lost his seat at the 2017 general election.

This prompted him to quit as the SNP's deputy leader and he set up a pro-independence think-tank during his time out of elected office.

But he returned to frontline politics at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, when he became MSP for Edinburgh Central.

When he ruled out a bid to replace Ms Sturgeon as first minister, Mr Robertson said: 'As the father of two very young children, the time is not right for me and my family to take on such a huge commitment.'

He added it was a 'privilege and honour' that party colleagues wanted him to take on the job.
The remains of a late Dutch veteran of the 1950-53 Korean War arrived in South Korea on Monday in line with his wishes to be buried in the country, Seoul's veterans ministry said.

The ministry held a ceremony to mark Ferdinand Titalepta's return to South Korea at Incheon International Airport, just west of Seoul, following his remains' arrival in the country aboard a plane earlier in the day.

The remains are scheduled to be interred at the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in Busan, 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Thursday.

Titalepta served as part of the Netherlands' Van Heutsz Regiment during the war after he volunteered to serve at the age of 21, the ministry said.

He sustained injuries to his right hip and thigh within a week of deployment but returned to combat and took part in the battle of Mukgok-ri in the final days of the war. Titalepta received a Dutch government medal in 1984 for his service before his death on June 8, 2023, at 90.

The Netherlands is among the 22 countries that sent troops or other forms of support to back South Korea during and right after the three-year conflict, which ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.

More than 5,000 Dutch troops were deployed during the war, with 124 being killed, according to the U.N. memorial cemetery's website. The park is home to 2,327 veterans of the war from 13 countries, including 122 Dutch troops. (Yonhap)
This is the moment a protester in an anti-Israel protest encampment was carried away by police as they arrested dozens of students on campus at Virginia Tech.

Protesters had defied police orders to disperse from their camp at the university's Graduate Life Centre lawn on Sunday night as 'the situation had the increasing potential to become unsafe', according to school officials.

The Virginia Tech protests were identical to the encampments at universities such as Columbia and MIT as students oppose the continued bombing in Gaza and, in some cases, their schools' continued financial ties to Israel.

A statement from Virginia Tech read: 'Those who gathered were advised by university officials to remove their possessions and to disperse voluntarily; those who failed to comply were then approached by Virginia Tech Police and were again asked to leave and advised that anyone who failed to comply would be charged with trespassing, in accordance with Virginia law.

'At approximately 10:15 p.m., police approached protesters to ask them to disperse within five minutes. Those who remained were subject to arrest.'

A protester at Virginia Tech was seen being carried away as police arrested dozens of students who had occupied a lawn outside the Graduate Life Centre

Protesters had defied police requests to disperse from the encampment on Sunday night as 'the situation had the increasing potential to become unsafe', according to the school

The protest began Friday morning, in the wake of similar encampments across the country

As the situation unfolded, Virginia Tech continued to warn members of their community to avoid the area including with an update at 3.32am Monday which said the situation had 'stabilized' but police presence remained.

In occupying the lawn on Friday morning, protesters were supposedly in violation of University Policy 5000 - University Facilities Usage and Events.

The statement added: 'Virginia Tech values free speech and the protestors' right to be heard, but only if the rights of others and public safety can be assured.'

Virginia Tech claimed that dialogue between university and police officials and protest organizers had kept a 'safe and peaceful environment through much of the weekend'.

However, as the protest continued into Sunday, taking 'further steps to occupy the lawn of the Graduate Life Center and outdoor spaces next to Squires Student Center' risk of the encampment becoming unsafe grew.

Protesting students had made clear their demands for Virginia Tech to divest from Israel and provide endowment transparency.

They also wanted the school to issue an official statement condemning Israel's intervention in Palestine, to define anti-Palestinian racism and acknowledge the suppression of Palestinian and allied students on campus.

Addressing protests across the country, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine told NBC Sunday: 'People have a right to protest and make their views known. And almost, you know, overwhelming percentages of people do that peacefully, but there are those who intimidate or harass others.'

He added that he did not see deploying the National Guard as an appropriate solution to the protests.

Pictured: The Graduate Life Centre outside which students erected tents, seen in 2019

Governor Glenn Youngkin (seen April 18) of Virginia said he had been working with university and police officials to ensure any protests are peaceful. Within 12 hours, protesters at Virginia Tech were being arrested

Governor Glenn Youngkin said in a statement: 'Freedom of expression and peacefully demonstrating is at the heart of our First Amendment, and we must protect it, BUT that does not go to intimidating Jewish students and preventing them from attending class and using annihilation speech to express deeply antisemitic views.

'Therefore, I have been working with our Attorney General Jason Miyares, our university presidents, and law enforcement at the state, local, and campus levels to make sure that if there are protests, they are peaceful.

'We're not gonna have encampments and tents put up. And yes, we will protect the ability to peacefully express yourself but we're not gonna have the kind of hate speech and intimidation we are seeing across the country in Virginia.'

Within 12 hours of Gov. Youngkin's statement, police had arrested a number of pupils at Virginia Tech.
For decades, Gerard Depardieu has been known as one of France's greatest and most prolific actors, starring in hundreds of films, television productions and plays.

The 75-year-old Oscar-nominated thespian has portrayed numerous historical and fictitious figures including Georges Danton, Joseph Stalin, Honore de Balzac, Alexandre Dumas, Christopher Columbus and Cyrano de Bergerac.

This reputation as a French film great is perhaps only matched by his renown for hellraising, and over the years, the public - and Depardieu himself - have revelled in his wild excesses, including his drinking and womanising.

He has over the years relieved himself in front of fellow passengers on a plane, boasted of his youth as a grave-robbing rent boy and cosied up to some of the world's most feared autocrats - including Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

However, the limit of what many among the French public were willing to ascribe to his mischievous nature appeared to reach a limit when a series of women accused Depardieu of rape and sexual assault.

For decades, Gerard Depardieu (pictured) has been known as one of France 's greatest and most prolific actors, starring in hundreds of films, television productions and plays - while also gaining a reputation for his mischievous and impish antics

However, the limit of what many among the French public were willing to ascribe to Depardieu's mischievous nature appeared to reach a limit when a series of women accused Depardieu of rape and sexual assault

The Frenchman's legal woes deepened on Monday when police summoned him for questioning over suspected incidents of sexual assault with a view towards placing him in custody, a police source said. Pictured: Police are seen outside the station Depardieu was taken to on Monday for questioning after two women accused him of sexual assault

The cinema legend was first accused in August 2018 by Charlotte Arnould, who alleged he raped her that year when she was 22 and anorexic.

Since then, more than a dozen women have come forward with their own claims against him, and in 2020 Police charged Depardieu with rape and sexual assault.

The Frenchman's legal woes deepened on Monday when police summoned him for questioning over suspected incidents of sexual assault with a view towards placing him in custody, a police source said.

Police were to question the 75-year-old actor over allegations by two women that he assaulted them - one on a film set in 2021 and the other on another shoot in 2014, the source said, confirming a report by the BFMTV television channel.

Many have likened the cascading allegations against Depardieu to those made against US media mogul Harvey Weinstein, which sparked the #MeToo movement in which women publicised their experiences of sexual abuse.

The movement has led to calls within the French cinema industry to tackle sexual violence and physical abuse which some says has gone unchallenged for years.

These calls have grown in recent months, with the industry being rocked by allegations that it has shrugged off sexism and sexual abuse for decades, and criticism that the arts have too long provided cover for abuse.

Film director Luc Besson was accused by Dutch actress Sand Van Roy of repeatedly raping her at a Paris hotel in 2018, and Patrick Poivre d'Arvor, one of France's best-known TV presenters, was accused of rape.

Both men firmly denied the accusations.

Depardieu, too, has strongly denied all the accusations against him. In an open letter last October, he said: 'I have never, ever abused a woman.'

Many have likened the cascading allegations against Depardieu to those made against US media mogul Harvey Weinstein, which sparked the #MeToo movement in which women publicised their experiences of sexual abuse

Depardieu kisses actress Catherine Deneuve as they pose to promote the movie 'Asterix und Obelix - Im Auftrag ihrer Majestaet' in Berlin October 1, 2012

The actor has been very open about his escapades in the past.

In a 2014 interview, Depardieu said that he frequently consumed up to 14 bottles of alcohol a day - saying he would start at 10am with champagne, wine and pastis and end the day with vodka, whisky or both.

His 2014 autobiography 'That's the Way It Was' shed some light as to why.

'I'm obsessed with the racket in my body, the beating of my heart, the gurgling of my intestines, my joints cracking,' he wrote.

'It's become a phobia to the point that if I'm alone in a hotel, I must drink so as not to hear it, so as not to go mad from it. I can't get to sleep unless I am dead drunk.'

In that same memoir, he also wrote about his troubled childhood in Chateauroux.

One of five siblings, Depardieu's father was an illiterate, alcoholic metalworker and his mother had considered aborting him.

He wrote that when he was a child, his family were so poor they ate hedgehogs.

He described working as a male escort at an early age, writing: 'I've known since I was very young that I please homosexuals. I would ask them for money.'

Not only did Depardieu prostitute himself to lorry drivers as a schoolboy, but he also dug up graves to loot the dead of their jewellery and even their shoes.

He left home at 12 and took up with two prostitutes, moving to Paris and breaking into acting, he admitted in his memoir, for the money.

Depardieu spent time in prison for car theft but was saved from homelessness by a gay theatrical talent-spotter who paid for him to study drama.

French director Bertrand Blier, who helped Depardieu to overnight domestic stardom by handing him the role of a violent criminal in the 1974 film Les Valseuses, also once said he was also a thug off-screen.

Depardieu (left) has admitted to having a 'hooligan side' to his personality, bragging that this was probably why Russian despot Vladimir Putin is fond of him

Depardieu attends a military parade and mass rally on Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang on September 9, 2018 to celebrate the country's 70th anniversary

Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov (left) welcomes Depardieu to Grozny

'We literally had to follow him at night to stop him getting into punch-ups,' Blier once recalled. 'He would deliberately go into the most dangerous areas, looking for trouble. Even now when he arrives at the door, I think, 'Where are the valuables?'.'

But from that point onwards, his career as an actor took off.

Depardieu has worked in 250 films since 1967, almost all as the lead, working with over 150 film directors. He is also the second highest grossing film actor in French cinema history, behind only Louis de Funes.

His body of work also includes countless television productions and 18 plays, and he has been nominated for dozens of awards, including the Cesar for Best Actor in a Leading Role 17 times (winning it twice) as well as one Oscar nomination.

His tumultuous personal life did not end with his success, however.

He has admitted to having a 'hooligan side' to his personality, bragging that this was probably why Russian despot Vladimir Putin is fond of him.

The pair were seen embracing in 2013 after the actor was given Russian citizenship.

This was after Depardieu moved to Belgium in fury over French tax rates for high earners - although he has since rolled back on his support for Putin, strongly criticising the Russian leader over his 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Depardieu is also friends with Ramzan Kadyrov, president of the Chechen Republic, a brutal former rebel warlord and Putin ally who has been personally accused of torture and murder. Depardieu attended his birthday party in 2012.

Depardieu and French food processing leader Gerard Bourgoin are seen with Cuban leader Fidel Castro on November 27, 1996 in Havana, Cuba

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter is accompanied by Depardieu as he arrives before the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2012 Gala at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland, January 2013

Six years later, he even mysteriously turned up among the goose-stepping soldiers and oppressed citizens of North Korea to celebrations in Pyongyang of the pariah state's 70th anniversary.

Depardieu also hit headlines for the wrong reasons in 2011 when he urinated in the aisle of a Paris-to-Dublin Air France flight after being told he had to wait 15 minutes before using the lavatories.

In 2013, he was fined after falling off his scooter while driving drunk - one of as many as 18 motorcycle accidents he had suffered by 2021. He is also reported to weigh around 20 stone and has had at least five heart bypass operations.

His consumption of alcohol is legendary, with one anecdote suggesting he consumed a bottle of hair lotion - thinking it was a liqueur. On one occasion, he made a foul-mouthed rant at a World War One commemoration event.

Despite this, he has insisted: 'I'm never totally drunk, just a little p***ed.'

The Frenchman's fondness for wine is such that he runs an award-winning vineyard in the Medoc and once boasted that he consumes as much as five bottles of wine a day - more when he is depressed, marginally less when in a good mood. 'I'm happy with very little on this earth,' he once said, 'but I do like to have a lot in my glass.'

In addition to his reputation as a drinker, he is also famed for his womanising. His former lovers include Bond Girl and 'face' of Chanel No 5 Carole Bouquet.

However, he has also admitted to not being a good father to the four children he has had with various partners. They include the late Guillaume, by Depardieu's marriage to his Jean de Florette co-star Elisabeth Guignot.

Guillaume inherited his father's wild streak. After being jailed for heroin and theft offences, he lost a leg in a motorcycle accident and died of pneumonia aged 37.

Depardieu has admitted his children are ashamed to bear his name and Guillaume's sister, actress Julie Depardieu, even had plastic surgery five times because - she said - she couldn't bear to look like her 'hoodlum' father.

Depardieu gestures as he arrives at the Rome International Film Festival, October 21, 2007

Depardieu is seen with a group of friends at his vineyard in Algeria, Saint-Augustin

In a 2014 interview, Depardieu said that he frequently consumed up to 14 bottles of alcohol a day - saying he would start at 10am with champagne, wine and pastis and end the day with vodka, whisky or both

Depardieu's impish lifestyle has been viewed by many in a different light since 2018 when Charlotte Arnould alleged Depardieu raped her - the he first of a string of accusations against the actor.

There is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a sex act on Ms Arnould at his Paris mansion in August 2018, but he insists it was consensual.

Ms Arnould renounced her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021, following Depardieu being charged with rape and sexual assault by police.

Within a few days of his indictment, Depardieu was back working by the Seine River location of the police drama Maigret And The Dead Girl - also by Georges Simenon - in which he starred with Jade Labeste.

Within a few days of his indictment, Depardieu was back working by the Seine River location of the police drama Maigret And The Dead Girl - also by Georges Simenon - in which he starred with Jade Labeste.

In October, he broke his silence over claims that he is a serial sex abuser saying: 'I am neither a rapist nor a predator.'

Accusing enemies of subjecting him to a 'lynching' in the media, he expressed his anger in an open letter to the French press.

Last year, a criminal enquiry was opened into the suspected suicide of a French actress who had accused Depardieu of sexual violence.

It was feared that the last hours of Emmanuelle Debever, 60, may have been linked to the multiple abuse accusations levelled by women against Depardieu.

A younger Depardieu is seen starring in the 1976 movie L'ultima donna (the last woman)

Depardieu (left) is seen starring in 2002's Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra

She died on December 7th - the exact day a new documentary entitled Gerard Depardieu: The Fall of the Ogre was broadcast across France.

It contained disturbing details of an alleged attack by Depardieu on Ms Debever, when she was still a teenager.

In December, another French actress filed a formal sex attack complaint against Depardieu, saying he treated her like 'a piece of meat'.

Paris prosecutors confirmed that Helene Darras, 43, reported Depardieu in September.

The pair appeared together in the 2007 film Disco, when Darras was 26, and allegedly assaulted.

Waiving her legal right to anonymity, Ms Darras told the same Further Investigation (Complement d'enquete) documentary series: 'He [Depardieu] is unmanageable.

'He looks at me as if I were a piece of meat. I have an ultra-tight dress, he pulls me closer to him by the waist, then he runs his hand over my hips, over my bum.'

And in December 2023, Spanish journalist and writer Ruth Baza filed a complaint in Spain against the actor for rape, for acts dating back to 1995 in Paris.

News of Depardieu's arrest on Monday came after French actress Charlotte Arnould (pictured) went public with her accusation that Depardieu raped her in his Paris mansion in 2018

Last year, a criminal enquiry was opened into the suspected suicide of a French actress who had accused Depardieu of sexual violence. It was feared that the last hours of Emmanuelle Debever, 60, may have been linked to the multiple abuse accusations levelled by women against Depardieu

Then on Monday, French police detained Depardieu for questioning after two women accused him of sexual assault, a source close to the case said.

Police were to question Depardieu over two women alleging that he assaulted them - one on a film set in 2021 and the other on a shoot in 2014, a police source said, confirming a report by the BFMTV television channel.

The actor's lawyers, Christian Saint-Palais and Beatrice Geissmann Achille, did not immediately reply to a request from AFP for comment.

The first woman accuses him of having assaulted her when she was a member of the crew on the 2022 feature film 'The Green Shutters'.

The set designer, who filed a formal complaint in February, told investigative website Mediapart that Depardieu grabbed her as she left the set in a private hotel in Paris.

She alleged he groped her 'waist and stomach, moving up to (her) breasts' and made obscene comments before his bodyguards removed him. The woman's lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, declined to provide AFP with further details.

The second woman has alleged Depardieu groped her 'all over' and made 'inappropriate' remarks while she was an assistant on the set of 2015 film 'Le magician et le Siamois'.

A topless feminist activist hold a placard during a demonstration against sexism in France, at Place Saint Augustin in Paris, on January 11, 2024

Women from the feminist movement Femenjoin a rally against sexual violence on January 11, 2024 in Paris, France

Despite the string of allegations, a number of notable French figures have defended Depardieu, including president Emmanuel Macron.

Perhaps illustrating France's traditionally more laissez-faire attitude to sexual matters, 100 prominent French women attacked the MeToo Movement in a letter defending men's 'freedom to bother women'.

Mr Macron appeared on a TV chat show and said he detested the actor being subjected to a 'manhunt' - although he later rowed back on his comments saying that he should have mentioned his unequivocal support for victims of abuse.

'I haven't said enough how important it is for women who are victims of abuse to speak out, and how crucial this fight is to me,' Macron said, while standing by his defense of Depardieu's presumed innocence until proven guilty.
Tory mayoral hopeful Susan Hall is demanding Sadiq Khan allow an ULEZ 'amnesty' when Londoners go to vote on Thursday.

The Conservative candidate warned that 'no one should have to pay 12.50 to vote' at this week's local elections.

Ms Hall's campaign are worried that many Londoners, and particularly disabled people, will be relying on their cars to get to polling stations.

There are fears that up to one million people in the capital could be left disenfranchised if the 12.50 daily ULEZ charge discourages them from voting.

Ms Hall, who is vowing to scrap Mr Khan's controversial ULEZ expansion on 'day one' if she becomes mayor, called on him to 'put politics to one side' and agree to a one-day amnesty.

Tory mayoral hopeful Susan Hall is demanding Sadiq Khan allow an ULEZ 'amnesty' when Londoners go to vote on Thursday

Ms Hall, who is vowing to scrap Mr Khan's controversial ULEZ expansion on 'day one' if she becomes mayor, called on him to 'put politics to one side' and agree to a one-day amnesty

There are fears that up to one million people in the capital could be left disenfranchised if the 12.50 daily ULEZ charge discourages them from voting

Mr Khan is bidding for an historic third term as London mayor at Thursday's election.

But the Labour mayor's re-election bid has been dogged by continuing anger at his decision to expand ULEZ to all London boroughs last August.

Ms Hall has also claimed that Mr Khan is plotting new 'pay-per-mile' charges for London drivers if he wins on Thursday, although the mayor has strenuously denied this.

There are 6.2million registered voters in London, who are choosing a new London Assembly on 2 May as well as deciding who should be mayor.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) suggested that one in six cars registered in outer London in 2022 did not meet ULEZ standards.

Tories are worried this means up to one million Londoners could be put off voting by having to pay the ULEZ charge in order to attend a polling station.

Ms Hall told MailOnline: 'No one should have to pay Sadiq Khan 12.50 to vote, especially in an election that will decide whether his disastrous ULEZ expansion and pay-per-mile plans should go ahead.

'That is why I am calling for Sadiq Khan to put politics to one side and agree to a one-day ULEZ amnesty on polling day, so that all Londoners have the chance to vote and decide whether we scrap his hated tax altogether.

'Sadiq Khan won't listen, but I am listening, and I will always stand up for Londoners' interests.

'My first act as Mayor will be to scrap the ULEZ expansion on day one and put a stop to his pay-per-mile plans.'

But allies of Mr Khan pointed to data, published after last year's ULEZ expansion, that showed 95 per cent of vehicles seen driving across inner and outer London were now ULEZ-compliant.

They also highlighted how those with a non-compliant vehicle could be eligible for up to 2,000 as part of Mr Khan's scrappage scheme.

During his campaign for re-election, the London mayor has defended his ULEZ expansion as part of efforts to make the capital's air cleaner and tackle health issues such as asthma, heart disease, cancer and dementia.

A London Labour spokesman said: 'The election on May 2 will be close between Labour and the Tories.

'It's a choice between the Tories' Susan Hall who wants to cancel free school meals and will raise Transport for London fares, or Sadiq who is building a fairer, safer and greener London for everyone.

'Sadiq is asking anyone who cares about the future of London to lend him their vote to stop the Tories doing to London what they've done to the country.'

London's ULEZ operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year, except Christmas Day.
Humza Yousaf dramatically quit today capping an extraordinary meltdown triggered by sacking his Green coalition partners.

The Scottish First Minister tearfully announced he is resigning after failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote.

Watched by his wife Nadia in Edinburgh, Mr Yousaf conceded he had 'underestimated' the backlash from ditching the Bute House deal. He added: 'I'm not willing to trade my values... simply for retaining power.'

He said the government needed to be led by someone who could bring MSPs together, although he would stay on as interim leader to ensure continuity.

Choking up as he paid tribute to his family's support, Mr Yousaf said: 'I am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children and my wider family for putting up with me over the years. I'm afraid you will be seeing a lot more of me from now.

'You are truly everything to me.'

Mr Yousaf spent the weekend frantically wooing MSPs, but concluded there was no way of clinging on.

Allies insisted the SNP leader had not been willing to 'do a deal with the devil' by agreeing terms with Alex Salmond. Ash Regan, the sole MSP for his Alba Party, and who potentially held the balance at Holyrood, said it was 'bizarre' he would not compromise.

Defeat would have risked sparking a snap election in Scotland, with the separatists fearing big losses to Labour.

It is a shocking fall from grace for Mr Yousaf, who took over from Nicola Sturgeon barely a year ago.

After he summarily ditched the Greens from the Bute House coalition deal - and publicly humiliated them by making them do a walk of shame in view of cameras - they pledged to back a no confidence motion tabled by the Tories.

It was expected go to a vote later this week.

Attention now turns to who will succeed Mr Yousaf, with signs former deputy First Minister John Swinney could take over as a caretaker. He admitted earlier it would be a 'difficult' day.

Ex-leadership contender Kate Forbes and minister Jenny Gilruth have also been touted.

Ms Sturgeon paid tribute to her short-serving successor and hailed Mr Yousaf for his 'grace, dignity and integrity'.

The former SNP leader posted on X/Twitter: I know how big a privilege being First Minister is, but also the toll it can take. I also know what a wrench it is to step aside, even when sure it is the right thing to do.

'Humza has conducted himself with grace, dignity and integrity - both as FM and in the manner of his leaving. I am and always will be proud to call him a friend.'

Humza Yousaf announced he is resigning after failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote

Watched by his wife Nadia in Edinburgh , Mr Yousaf conceded he had 'underestimated' the backlash from ditching the Bute House deal

Mr Yousaf walked off after his valedictory statement without taking any questions

Alba defector Ash Regan holds the key vote needed to save Mr Yousaf's job

Former SNP leader and long-time Nicola Sturgeon ally John Swinney (pictured this morning) has been touted as an interim first minister

Ms Sturgeon paid tribute to her short-serving successor and hailed Mr Yousaf for his 'grace, dignity and integrity'

In his resignation statement, Mr Yousaf said: 'Unfortunately in ending the Bute House Agreement in the matter I did I clearly underestimate the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.

'For a minority government to be able to govern effectively trust when working with the opposition is clearly fundamental.'

He added a route through the no-confidence vote was 'absolutely possible'.

But he added: 'I am not willing to trade in my values or principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power.'

Mr Yousaf went on: 'After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I've concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.

Starmer could be the big winner from SNP meltdown The latest phase of the SNP meltdown is likely to have one big winner - Keir Starmer. Up until 2015, when Labour was put to the sword by the separatists, it dominated north of the border. But in 2019 the party secured just two constituencies. Sir Keir is hoping a swathe of seats in Scotland can help bolster his chances of a majority at the general election - as used to be the case for Tony Blair. Scottish Labour has already been in resurgence under its chief Anas Sarwar. The long-running police probe into the SNP's finances has undoubtedly helped Mr Sarwar claw back ground. The prospect of a Labour government at Westminster also helps, as they become seen as the best option for the strong anti-Tory vote in Scotland. Labour insiders say with every extra percentage of support in Scotland, more constituencies come into play as the SNP's margins of victory were relatively small in 2019. Advertisement

'I have therefore informed the SNP's national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader.'

He said the SNP's dream of independence seemed 'frustratingly close' - even though most observers regard the cause as having faltered.

In a long valedictory statement, after which he ignored questions from the media, Mr Yousaf said: 'If only every person in Scotland could be afforded the opportunity of being First Minister for just one day.'

Mr Swinney is said to have been approached by senior party figures to become an interim First Minister.

Whoever is chosen to replace Mr Yousaf will be the seventh person to hold the post since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999  as well as being the second person in just over a year to have the top job.

Green co-leader Patrick Harvie suggested his party could work with another SNP leader, welcoming the 'personal responsibility' Mr Yousaf had taken.

He said: 'Humza Yousaf is right to resign. His position was no longer tenable after he broke the bonds of trust with the Scottish Greens and with everyone who wanted a stable, progressive, pro-independence government. It is regrettable that it has ended this way, it didn't need to. We draw no satisfaction or pleasure from this.

'But the Scottish Greens could no longer have confidence in Humza Yousaf after he chose to unilaterally end the Bute House Agreement. In doing so he let down the large majority of Scottish Green and SNP members who approved the agreement who wanted it to work.

'He chose to end a stable majority government and jeopardised the progressive policy programme that both parties had committed to and were working to deliver.

'It is to his credit that he has taken personal responsibility. Now though is the time to return to some stability.'

But Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there must be a Holyrood election.

Humza Yousaf decided over the weekend that there is no way for him to survive as SNP leader

Mr Swinney was Deputy First Minister of Scotland under Nicola Sturgeon from 2017 to 2023

Kate Forbes is seen as among the runners and riders to take over from Mr Yousaf

Mr Yousaf announced the end of the agreement, accompanied by a sign language interpreter, on Thursday

Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie (left) and Lorna Slater (right) arrive for First Minister's Questions on Thursday. The Greens have said they will support a vote of no confidence in the First Minister

Mr Yousaf's future is reliant on whether he can persuade Ash Regan (pictured on Thursday), the former SNP leadership candidate and now Alba MSP, to back him

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said Mr Yousaf had to resign after 'lurching from crisis to crisis'.

'Humza Yousaf's leadership has lurched from crisis to crisis from the very start, and he could not command the confidence of the Scottish Parliament,' the Tory minister said.

'Scotland now needs a stable, functioning Scottish Government focused on the issues that matter most to people  fixing public services and growing the economy.'

Downing Street said the UK government would will work with Mr Yousaf's successor to deliver on 'the real issues that matter to people'.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: 'Like his predecessors, he spent far too much time obsessing about the break-up of the UK while ignoring the real priorities of people in Scotland, who are living with the failures of 17 years of the SNP in government.'

Mr Yousaf, who took over from Ms Sturgeon in March 2023, was facing two votes of no confidence, one in him personally from the Tories and another in his government from Labour.

Excluding the presiding officer there are 128 MSPs in total, but the SNP only has 63 votes while the other opposition parties have 65.

Over the weekend Mr Yousaf explored options to convince one of the opposition party MSPs to vote to save his government.

If he managed to get to 64 votes and tie the vote, the presiding officer would back the status quo, he would have been able to hold on.

The most likely candidate he faced the chance of converting was Ash Regan, the sole MSP in Alex Salmond's Alba Party.

Mr Yousaf previously described her departure from the SNP in October last year as 'no great loss'.

Ms Regan, a former SNP leadership rival to Mr Yousaf, wrote to him with a list of priorities over the weekend, including 'defending the rights of women and children'. That is thought to mean accepting the results of the Cass review, which criticised gender therapies, in full.

The pair went head-to-head during the SNP leadership campaign, where she called for more extreme independence tactics and expressed her complete opposition to both transgender ideology and the Greens in government.

Her stance on gender reforms also led her to quit the cabinet during the voting stage in one of the first displays of discontent within the SNP on the trans issue.

JK Rowling even waded into the row, saying it is 'karma' that the First Minister is now reliant on Ms Regan, who defected to Alba in protest at the SNP's gender ID stance.

Ms Regan was also pushing for a commitment to invest in the Grangemouth oil refinery, and unilateral moves towards an independence referendum.

Speaking on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, her boss Mr Salmond effectively laid out his demands, saying a 'top line' of any discussion with Mr Yousaf would be the idea of reviving the Scotland United strategy  which would see a single pro-independence candidate stand in each Scottish constituency.

But those demands seem to have been too much of a cost for Mr Yousaf to bear.

A spokesman for Mr Yousaf dismissed the idea, saying: 'This is fantasy. There is no possibility of the First Minister agreeing any deal like this with Alex Salmond.'

Talks with the Greens look to have come to nothing, despite an increasingly desperate Mr Yousaf holding out an olive branch and saying he had not 'intended to make them as angry as they are'.

Speaking on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Alex Salmond said a 'top line' of any discussion with Mr Yousaf would be the idea of reviving the Scotland United strategy

JK Rowling said it was 'karma' that Mr Yousaf ended up reliant on Ms Regan, who defected to Alba in protest at the SNP's gender ID stance

Tensions had been rising between the SNP and Greens over trans and Net Zero policies, but Mr Yousaf's decision to scrap the so-called Bute House agreement was still a bombshell.

The Bute House Agreement gave the SNP-led government a majority at Holyrood but it came under strain in recent days after the Greens said they would put the future of the deal to a vote by their members.

Some in the Greens were unhappy at the Scottish Government's recent dropping of 2030 climate targets and the decision to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers at Scotland's only gender clinic.

First Minister at the time Nicola Sturgeon (centre) and Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie (left) and Lorna Slater (right) announce the signing of their coalition deal, which became known as the Bute House agreement, in Edinburgh on August 20, 2021

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross (pictured in parliament on Thursday) had tabled a no confidence motion in Mr Yousaf

Labour leader Anas Sarwar (pictured on Thursday) pledged to support the motion and tabled his own in the SNP government more widely

Will 'Wee Free' Kate Forbes mount another bid for the SNP leadership? Or might John Swinney, Jenny Gilruth or Neil Gray be the top choice of party members?

Humza Yousaf has quit as Scotland's First Minister after little more than a year in Bute House.

The SNP leader prompted an extraordinary meltdown by sacking the Scottish Greens as his power-sharing partners at Holyrood.

But Mr Yousaf was then left facing the real possibility of losing a no confidence vote in the Scottish Parliament after the Greens turned against him.

His resignation has left the SNP facing a second divisive leadership contest within less than 18 months.

So, who might consider a bid to replace Mr Yousaf as SNP leader and first minister?

Kate Forbes

Kate Forbes was narrowly defeated by Mr Yousaf in last year's SNP leadership election as the party chose a successor to Nicola Sturgeon.

The 34-year-old secured 48 per cent of the vote to Mr Yousaf's 52 per cent after second preferences were counted.

Ms Forbes was previously the Scottish Government's finance secretary, having become the first woman to hold the post in February 2020.

She went on maternity leave in July 2022 - the first ever serving Scottish Cabinet secretary to do so - and gave birth to her daughter Naomi in August that year.

Ms Forbes, who is married to Ali MacLennan, has been touted as a future SNP leader since entering the Scottish Parliament as MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in 2016.

The daughter of missionaries, Ms Forbes spent much of her childhood in India.

She is a member of the Free Church of Scotland, sometimes known as the 'Wee Frees', which is opposed to gay marriage and believes there are few circumstances in which abortion is justified.

Ms Forbes has previously said she has been 'guilty' of 'tiptoeing around' her Christian faith in interviews.

Ms Sturgeon's administration was accused of rushing through its controversial gender identity reforms in late 2022, while Ms Forbes remained on maternity leave, in order to prevent a potential revolt by her.

Jenny Gilruth

Jenny Gilruth is the Scottish Government's education and skills secretary and MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes.

The 39-year-old is married to Kezie Dugdale, the former Scottish Labour leader.

Prior to entering politics, Ms Gilruth was a secondary school teacher in Edinburgh and Dunfermline.

In a stint as Scotland's transport minister between 2022 and 2024, she had to deal with a pay dispute between train drivers and ScotRail bosses.

Ms Gilruth has already been dubbed the 'Stop Kate Forbes' candidate, with it thought allies of Mr Yousaf and Ms Sturgeon could rally round her.

John Swinney

John Swinney was Scotland's deputy first minister in Ms Sturgeon's administration at Holyrood.

The 60-year-old has been an MSP ever since the Scottish Parliament's creation in 1999.

He has held a series of top Cabinet jobs in the Scottish government, including a beleaguered stint as education secretary.

He also deputised as finance secretary during Ms Forbes' maternity leave.

Mr Swinney has been touted as an interim first minister to replace Mr Yousaf while a new SNP leader is chosen, but he might also fancy the job on a full-time basis.

Stephen Flynn

Stephen Flynn took on the role of SNP Westminster leader in December 2022 following the resignation of Ian Blackford amid the party's internal divisions.

He has been MP for Aberdeen South since 2019 and has made efforts to try and shed claims he is at the heart of a 'laddish' group of SNP politicians in London.

On taking over from Mr Blackford he attacked reports about a 'Tuesday Club' of nationalist MPs.

He said it was 'upsetting' to be linked to a culture of beer and curry - claiming he can 'barely stomach korma'.

The 35-year-old's possible ambitions to succeed Mr Yousaf could be hindered by the fact he does not sit in the Scottish Parliament.

But there is precedent for an MP to lead a Scottish party after Douglas Ross took over as head of the Scottish Tories in 2020.

Mr Ross's predecessor, Ruth Davidson, deputised for him at First Minister's Questions before he was able to take a seat in the Scottish Parliament himself at the 2021 election.

Mr Flynn has recently been exploiting Labour divisions over the Gaza conflict at Westminster, with his SNP MPs vociferously demanding a ceasefire.

On Friday, he suggested he would not stand to be SNP leader if Mr Yousaf were to resign.

He told the BBC: 'I believe that the party leader should have the ability to be first minister of Scotland.

'As you and all your listeners know I am an MP in Westminster, I do not have the ability to be the first minister of Scotland, so I am sure people can read between the lines in that regard.'

Neil Gray

Neil Gray is the Scottish Government's current health secretary and is viewed as a close ally of Mr Yousaf.

The 38-year-old is MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, having previously been MP for the equivalent Westminster seat from 2015 to 2021.

Prior to entering politics, Mr Gray worked as a producer and reporter with BBC Radio Orkney.

He then became an SNP researcher at Holyrood and, later, an MSP's constituency officer manager.

He joined the Scottish Government's ranks in January 2022.

Angus Robertson

Angus Robertson was touted as a possible replacement for Ms Sturgeon ahead of last year's SNP leadership contest.

The 54-year-old is the Scottish Government's constitution secretary and has experience of leadership within the SNP, having been the party's deputy leader between 2016 and 2018.

He also led the party for almost ten years at Westminster while an MP.

Mr Robertson's spell as the SNP's Westminster leader ended in defeat when he lost his seat at the 2017 general election.

This prompted him to quit as the SNP's deputy leader and he set up a pro-independence think-tank during his time out of elected office.

But he returned to frontline politics at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, when he became MSP for Edinburgh Central.

When he ruled out a bid to replace Ms Sturgeon as first minister, Mr Robertson said: 'As the father of two very young children, the time is not right for me and my family to take on such a huge commitment.'

He added it was a 'privilege and honour' that party colleagues wanted him to take on the job.
A great grandmother has been awarded nearly 25,000 for an unfair dismissal after bosses fed up with her taking time off work to care for a 'naughty' child told her to give him a 'good slap'.

Stephanie Lee-Shields resigned from Exquisite Displays in Leicester after working there for almost 20 years, following an argument where it was suggested she get physical with a child to stop her having to miss work.

The employment tribunal heard that she became the carer of a four year old child, referred to only as X, in May 2021 which placed 'great strain' on her and meant she was under 'a lot of stress, pressure and anxiety' as she was 'juggling a lot of things' including the day to day care for the child.

Employment Judge Robert Clark agreed there had been 'aggressive criticism' of Mrs Lee-Shields, and 'frustration' at her caring commitments before awarding her 24,725 in compensation.

Stephanie Lee-Shields resigned from Exquisite Displays (pictured) in Leicester after working there for almost 20 years, following a heated argument where it was suggested she get physical with the four year old to stop her having to miss work

Employment Judge Robert Clark agreed there had been 'aggressive criticism' of Mrs Lee-Shields, and 'frustration' at her caring commitments before awarding her 24,725 in compensation. Pictured: Tribunals service in Leicester

Due to various circumstances Mrs Lee-Shield had had to recently 'return to the role of parent to small children'.

The tribunal was told bosses knew of Mrs Lee-Shields' situation with X from 'very early on' with adjustments being made to 'support her'.

In July 2021 she asked for a meeting with the directors - Kevin Bennet and Maxine Carvey - about juggling work and caring for X.

The Leicester hearing was told whilst 'sympathetic' to her circumstances, Mr Bennet was 'frustrated' by the added uncertainty he would have to manage in planning his output.

As a result, her working hours were adjusted so she could do the school run at the start and end of each day.

Mrs Lee-Shields and bosses remained on 'good and close' relations through the end of 2021 until X started displaying 'extreme emotional outbursts' at school and being 'violent towards staff and other pupils' in January 2022.

In February 2022, she arranged another meeting with the directors, as the 'frequency and intensity' of her care responsibilities increased substantially in the first part of 2022.

In March 2022, 'matters came to a head' when Mrs Lee-Shields got a call from the school asking to collect X and there was a 'heated' row, causing her to resign several days later.

Employment Judge Robert Clark said: 'I have concluded that it is more likely than less likely that Ms Carvey did make comments to [Mrs Lee-Shields] along the lines of 'she should give X a good slap' or that 'X was just a naughty child' or that 'X just needs a good slap'.

'In what would become the last few weeks of employment there were further comments along the lines of X being naughty and just needing a slap.

'I find in one conversation between [Mrs Lee-Shields] and Maxine Carvey she shared how she had had a difficult day the previous day and the reply was 'to slap him'.

'Mr Bennet referred to 'give him a good slap' which would sort him out and that 'it never did any harm to my kids'.

'I accept that although made in the context of this over familiar relationship, and not intended as literal directions or even references to true experiences, [Mrs Lee-Shields] was increasingly concerned about references to physical violence in context of X's life experiences.

'She either ignored the comment or replied in a matter-of-fact way that she would not slap a child.

'[Mrs Lee-Shields] did not call out the comment beyond that, but I accept that it would have been clear the comments were received as inappropriate comments.'

He said there had been a 'heated exchange' in which comments had been made 'targeting X personally by use of words to the effect of needing a good slap'.

'That further supports her perception that her employer was frustrated with the arrangements it had put in place for her and she was additionally anxious about what that pressure meant for her employment.'

The judge said there had been 'aggressive criticism' of Mrs Lee-Shields and her family, and 'frustration' at her caring commitments. She was awarded 24,725 in compensation.
Russia is risking an air disaster as it continues GPS jamming, with navigation signal interference forcing two passenger jets to turn around last week, Baltic ministers have warned.

Two Finnair flights from Helsinki to Tartu in Estonia were forced to turn around and return to Finland on Thursday and Friday after they were reportedly unable to navigate safely.

They are just some of the tens of thousands of commercial flights which experts fear have been affected by GPS jamming in recent months.

The European Aviation Safety Agency warned back in January that authorities had seen a 'sharp rise' in jamming and spoofing 'attacks'. They did not say who was behind them, but Russia has been widely blamed.

Estonia's foreign minister Margus Tsahkna described it as 'part of Russia's hostile activities', adding that 'such actions are a hybrid attack and are a threat to our people and security, and we will not tolerate them.'

Two Finnair flights from Helsinki to Tartu in Estonia were forced to turn around and return to Finland (file image)

'If someone turns off your headlights while you're driving at night, it gets dangerous,' Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's foreign minister, told the Financial Times.

'Things in the Baltic region near Russian borders are now getting too dangerous to ignore,' he added.

Air traffic trackers show a Finnair twin-engine turboprop circling over Estonia before being forced to make the journey back to Helsinki, apparently unable to land at its intended destination, on two consecutive days.

While most large airports have facilities to allow planes to land without GPS, Tartu, Estonia's second-largest city after Tallinn, reportedly requires the navigation signal.

Aviation experts have warned that the chances of an air accident are increasing as attacks on GPS signals continue.

It comes a week after aircraft logs revealed jamming hotspots in the Baltic region, Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean, according to a report in The Sun.

The number of suspected Russian satnav attacks was more than 350 per week last month, researchers claim, a significant increase from the fewer than 50 attacks per week that were recorded last year.

Air traffic trackers show the Finnair twin-engine turboprop circling over Estonia on Thursday

The passenger jet was forced to make a return journey to Helsinki again on Friday after it was unable to land in Tartu

Between August and March, 46,000 flights reportedly logged satellite navigation (satnav) issues over the Baltic region.

Among those were 2,309 Ryanair flights, 1,368 Wizz Air flights, 82 British Airways flights and four EasyJet flights.

Seven planes operated by TUI - which reportedly does not fly in the Baltic - logged satnav issues.

The airline told The Sun its affected planes were 'probably positioning flights without passengers'.

Virgin Atlantic, which does not fly through the region, was the only major UK air carrier not affected by the electronic attacks.

Meanwhile, the UK government confirmed in March that an RAF plane carrying Defence Secretary Grant Shapps had its signal jammed as it flew near to Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave.

Insiders blamed Russia for what they called a 'wildly irresponsible' attack.

Military chiefs have warned over recent months that a system known as Tobol, based in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, could be interfering with signals on planes and boats, causing them to 'malfunction'.

One theory suggests that Russia is using jamming equipment to protect the area from potential Ukrainian drone attacks, though this has not been confirmed.

Experts have suggested that flights in several different areas across the region have been affected, with multiple sources suspected.
A chef has lost a bitter 6 million court fight with his elderly mother over the ownership of their property empire, including a London restaurant that was voted Britain's top takeaway.

Thai Metro, near the British Museum in central London was at the centre of the clash between Ekk Somboonsam, 51, and his 77-year-old mother Wanda Walker.

Mr Somboonsam moved to the UK as a five-year-old and, after working as a kitchen porter and cook, claimed he founded the restaurant in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, which opened its doors in 2000.

The success of the business - which beat off competition from 12,000 other restaurants across the UK to be named top takeaway in 2017 - allowed the family to open a second restaurant and build a multimillion pound property portfolio.

But now the chef has been beaten in a High Court battle by his mother, who claimed the businesses and restaurant were hers and that, rather than being the boss, her son was an 'employee.'

Mr Somboonsam moved to the UK as a five-year-old and, after working as a kitchen porter and cook, claimed he founded the restaurant in Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia

Judge Malcolm Davis-White KC ruled that family companies Thai Metro Limited, Anglo Thai Limited and Finfish Catering Limited are beneficially owned by Wanda, who also owns the Charlotte Street property where Thai Metro operates.

The judge rejected Somboonsam claim that money he had inherited in Thailand was used as the seed capital for the restaurant business and made him the rightful owner.

But the judge found that the chef owns two other properties from the family portfolio, which his mother had claimed were hers.

The court heard Mrs Walker moved to London from Thailand in 1973, working as a cleaner and then setting up her own janitorial business.

She then moved into catering, providing Thai food at outdoor music festivals, including Glastonbury, and running a restaurant in Lewisham, the judge was told.

The Thai Metro restaurant was set up 23 years ago and went on to become a major success, scooping the 'Britain's Most-Loved Takeaway' award due to its five-star ratings and 'unprecedented return rate.'

Among its most popular dishes are its 10.80 pineapple fried rice and 10.20 drunken fried rice, which Mr Somboonsam has previously called a 'great hangover cure.'

The court heard Mrs Walker moved to London from Thailand in 1973, working as a cleaner and then setting up her own janitorial business

But mother and son developed 'diametrically opposed' views - leading to a court war - on who owned the businesses through which the restaurant has been run, the premises where it is based and a string of other properties.

The chef claimed the restaurant business was his from the start and that his mother only 'occasionally helped out.'

He claimed that money he inherited from his father in Thailand was used as a 'loan' to start up the eatery.

For Mr Somboonsam, barrister Robert Strang insisted that his client was 'the founder and the owner of the business.'

Although the shares in the business were put into his mother's name, that had only been because Mr Somboonsam was separated from his first wife and wanted to prevent her making a claim, he said.

Thai Metro, near the British Museum in central London, was winner of the title 'Britain's most-loved takeaway' in 2017

As well as the businesses, mother and son were also arguing about four valuable properties, including a 1m-plus flat in Bloomsbury Mansions

The judged ruled that he was satisfied that Wanda is the beneficial owner of 78 Hermit Road, in Canning Town, London

A Rotherhithe home was also amongst four valuable properties at the centre of the court war

His mother claimed the business was hers however and her son was an 'employee.'

'Mrs Walker's case is that she invested the money and took the lease in her own name because this was her business,' said her barrister, Timothy Cowen.

'She claims that the businesses are hers and that Mr Somboonsam worked for her.'

As well as the businesses, mother and son were also arguing about four valuable properties - a 1m-plus flat in Bloomsbury Mansions, the Charlotte Street property where Thai Metro operates, and two premises in Rotherhithe and Canning Town.

Handing victory to Wanda, the judge said he 'preferred her evidence' on where the money came from to start the award-winning restaurant that launched the family fortunes.

Wanda had argued there 'was no substantial inheritance as Ekk suggested' and that 'Ekk's father was comparatively poor,' he said.

The judge added that, 'in his cross-examination in connection with his version of events regarding 38 Charlotte Street, Ekk's version of events regarding his 'inheritance' completely broke down'.

Giving his ruling, he said: 'I am satisfied that Wanda is the beneficial owner of the rights of subscriber in relation to each of the three companies and to have the relevant shares in question issued to her and that when issued to her she will be the beneficial and legal owner of the same.

'I am satisfied that Wanda is the beneficial owner of 78 Hermit Road and 38 Charlotte Street,' he added.

But he went on to find that two other properties which Wanda claimed were hers were in fact beneficially owned by Ekk.

Speaking after receiving the 2017 award, following a competition organised by online delivery company Hungryhouse, Ekk Somboonsam said: 'Before I started the business, I thought Thai food was unnecessarily overpriced.

'So we have tried to keep our prices as low as possible. We rely on repeat customers and if we can keep our prices down, people will keep coming back.

'It's the food that I've grown up with and it's lovely to be acknowledged. It means a lot that people are giving us great feedback and to know that we are doing something right.

'We are a family-owned business, so to receive both this recognition and exposure is an unbelievable honour. We pride ourselves on serving up delicious Thai cuisine at good value, all made with high quality ingredients.'
The Mifflin Street Block Party, an annual event held just off campus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Saturday, descended into anarchy as a car was flipped over, 80 arrests were made and a police officer was injured.

The event typically draws large crowds but police said that the celebration this past weekend brought the biggest crowd since the Covid-19 pandemic.

In one especially outrageous act, attendees flipped over a red Dodge Avenger, leaving its owner shocked and infuriated.

Owner Reigna Jackson said that the lack of support by the university was 'infuriating' and has left her to ask for donations to replace her vehicle, which has been written off.

'I am overwhelmed by a mix of emotions, and the lack of support here at Madison is infuriating,' she wrote on her fundraising page after parking her car in lot near Mifflin Street.

Her mother, Tamaran Cook, told WISN 12 News that her daughter saw her car getting destroyed by while attending a party two houses down. She said: 'It's boggling to me to know that people do this type of stuff. A whole bunch of wild animals it looks like.'

Some of the attendees flipped over a red Dodge Avenger, which belongs to Reigna Jackson, who said the lack of support by the university was 'infuriating' as she asked for donations to replace her vehicle, which has been written off

Thousands of people attended the annual Mifflin Street Block Party on Saturday

Footage shared on social media shows a group of people flipping over Reigna's car before jumping around on it.

Her mother said she was outraged and heartbroken for her daughter, who attends college on a scholarship and needed her car to get to her new full time job.

'I was recently offered a job position which I had to reject now that I don't have my own reliable transportation,' Reigna wrote in her fundraiser.

Her red Dodge was flipped over around 2.40pm on Saturday and officers subsequently cleared the backyards for homes on the 500 block of Mifflin Street. No injuries were reported in connection with this incident.

READ MORE: Cops issue arrest warrants for 46 frat brothers at New Hampshire University over hazing during initiation event at Sigma Alpha Epsilon party house Advertisement

By 5.45pm, police had arrested more than 80 people, mainly for minor alcohol-related offenses like underage drinking. Six of the arrested attendees were booked into the Dane County Jail.

One Madison Police Department officer was injured after being hit by a vehicle while working a traffic post, but she was walking around and alert when she was taken to hospital for treatment of her reportedly minor injuries.

The driver involved remained at the scene and was not cited over the collision.

One of the attending students, Erik Van Dyke, spoke to local media before the event kicked off and said he was excited to have a house on the street this year.

His roommate, John Polesnik, said the Mifflin Street Block Party was one of the last opportunities to celebrate college life with his friends.

'It is a last hurrah. We all just want to celebrate, have a good time and then that will be it and then we graduate,' he told Spectrum News.

More than 150 officers worked on crowd control as people on the 400 and 500 blocks of Mifflin Street mounted porches and balconies, with one porch even breaking under the weight of the students around 2.30pm.

There were also reports of several people climbing in trees in the area and they were helped down by police.

Another car was also damaged and the fire department was alerted to a down power line, which turned out to be a low-voltage communications wire.

More than 150 officers worked on crowd control as people on the 400 and 500 blocks of Mifflin Street mounted porches and balconies

There were also reports of several people climbing in trees in the area and they were helped down by police

By 5.45pm, police had arrested more than 80 people, mainly for minor alcohol-related offenses like underage drinking. Six of the arrested attendees were booked into the Dane County Jail

The party ended around 5.40pm as attendees left when it started to rain.

Overall, emergency services were called out 14 for medical emergencies, with 11 of them resulting in transports to the hospital. Most of these incidents were alcohol related.

The arrests nearly doubled to last year, when 44 people were arrested by police during the party, according to local media.

There have been reports of smashed cars and balcony collapses in previous years. In 2022, a rotted beam reportedly caused a balcony to collapse, injuring three people.

Building inspectors have looked at houses on Mifflin Street since February and identified 24 porches, balconies and other areas that needed repairs - most of these had been taken care of before the party, police said.

Mike Hanson, Madison Police Central District Captain, said safety was the most important for him and his colleagues on Saturday.

'We are looking for behaviors, safety issues, anything that draws our attention so our advice to people is, if you are coming to this event, have fun, be safe and don't draw attention to yourself,' he told Spectrum News.

Hanson warned students in the run up to the event to be respectful on the day. He said: 'Doing foolish activities, getting in fights, disturbances, property damage, open containers. Just don't draw attention to yourself because there are over 10,000 people and about 200 officers.'

The event began as a Vietnam War protest in 1969 and is held on the last Saturday of April. What began as a political protest is now an opportunity for students, predominantly from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to socialise and drink.

The original event in 1969 did not receive police permission for the street dance and resulted in a three-day confrontation between officers and students.

Students threw stones at the police and erected barriers to defend themselves as police launched tear gas and batons.

Today, the event is a 'rite of passage' and 'something to do right before finals', Hanson told Channel 3000.

He added: '95 per cent of the people going to this event are here for a great time, to enjoy themselves and let off steam.'
The ongoing defamation battle between Senator Linda Reynolds and her former staffer Brittany Higgins, as well as her partner David Sharaz, will return to court for a surprise hearing this week.

Senator Reynolds is suing Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz for defamation over several social media posts they published in 2022 and 2023, following Ms Higgins' claims that she was raped in Parliament House by her then-colleague Bruce Lehrmann.

Federal Court Justice Michael Lee recently ruled he was convinced to a civil standard - which is different to a criminal standard - that on the balance of probabilities Ms Higgins was raped.

That finding came following legal action Mr Lehrmann brought against Network 10 and journalist Lisa Wilkinson over a report on The Project program in 2021.

Justice Lee also found that a political cover-up involving Senator Reynolds and others was not true, which Senator Reynolds said was vindication of her.

Her claim for damages against Ms Higgins and Mr Sharaz will return to the WA Supreme Court on Tuesday - earlier than expected.

Senator Reynolds is suing Ms Higgins (pictured) and Mr Sharaz (pictured behind Ms Higgins) for defamation over a series of social media posts they published in 2022 and 2023

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It's understood Brittany Higgins and her fiance will ask the West Australian Supreme Court on Tuesday to vacate the July 24 trial date set for the defamation battle with Senator Reynolds.

The move to delay the six-week trial will be strenuously opposed by Senator Reynolds, who is concerned that any delay could push the defamation case into 2025, The Australian reported.

Lawyers for both parties are due to appear before Justice Tottle on Tuesday.

'For three years I have endured intense public scrutiny, vilification, vile trolling and have been demonised as the villain in a story of a political cover-up I have always known to be untrue,' Senator Reynolds said after Justice Lee handed down his judgment.

'Fiona Brown and I have lost our careers, had our reputations destroyed and have had our health seriously and irreparably compromised.'

In her own statement, Ms Higgins said she was sorry for the hurt suffered by her former boss and Ms Brown.

'While I do not 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,' Ms Higgins said.

'All the various people who have been unwittingly wrapped up in years' worth of media discourse and legal battles in relation to my rape.

Linda Reynolds (pictured) has indicated her defamation action will continue

'I want to particularly point out my family, who have been such an incredible support.

'They've been so strong, faced a seemingly unrelenting barrage of hate and have consistently held me together at times when I thought I would fall apart.

'Senator Reynolds and Fiona Brown have also been hurt and for that, I am also sorry. 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 indicated her defamation action would continue.

'I welcome Ms Higgins' olive branch and her commitment to engage with me to reach a resolution,' she said.

'What still lies between us are not different perceptions. It is a fact that Ms Higgins received our support and that there was no cover-up.

'If Ms Higgins does not accept Justice Lee's findings on the claims of cover-up and mistreatment then, regrettably, it will have to be proved again in our trial set for July this year.'

In addition to Tuesday's hearing, a strategic conference is scheduled for May 24.
A loyal terrier who refused to leave the side of her dead owner has been adopted by the fireman who rescued her.

The faithful dog, called Martha, was found shivering, alone and forlorn by James Trounson.

Mr Trounson had been part of an emergency crew who had been called to a house in Breage, Cornwall where Martha was found.

Refusing to desert the eight-year-old dog, the firefighter began searching for someone to take her in but after drawing a blank, he decided to adopt her himself.

Mr Trounson, who is also a builder, now takes Martha with him everywhere and says she has a 'complete new life now'.

James Trounson rescued Martha the dog after being called to a house in Cornwall where the owner had sadly passed away

The firefighter from Helston Community Fire Station broke down the door of the house in Breage, 10 miles away from Penzance, only to discover that the owner had died.

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Mr Trounson was touched by the sad look on the little dog's face as she sat there dutifully with her owner and asked if he could look after.

Following an unsuccessful mission to reunite Martha with her owner's next of kin, the builder-turned firefighter adopted her himself.

After checks by the RSPCA and with permission from the police, the hero welcomed the little dog into his home.

He said: 'She comes with me everywhere. We already have a collie called Merlin and we were looking for a mate for him.

'We took her home and gave her a good bath.'

He added that, because Martha did not like being left alone, she usually joined him in his tractor.

'She's got a complete new life now. She sleeps on the bed at night with Millie the cat.'

A spokesperson for the Helston Community Fire Service said: 'On arrival, the resident was found deceased in the house, with her dog.

Martha had loyally stayed by the side of her owner despite being cold and hungry. Since being adopted by Mr Trounson she goes everywhere with him, including on his tractor (pictured)

'With no immediate next of kin, FF James Trouson has made arrangements to

adopt the pup.

'FF Trouson responds mainly for Mullion Community Fire Station and responds for Helston when he's in the area.

'Out of tragedy, sometimes there is happiness.'
Korea's industry ministry said Monday it has reached an agreement with Oman to resume a bilateral meeting on economic cooperation that has been stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo discussed the agenda with Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, the head of the Oman Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, in Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The two countries had scheduled the sixth meeting of the Korea-Oman Economic Cooperation Committee in Muscat in 2019, but the event was postponed due to the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the visit, the Omani official noted that the Middle East nation wishes to resume the meeting in line with his government's efforts to diversify its industrial portfolio, including the renewable energy sector.

Cheong said Korea wishes to explore ways to boost investment between the two countries and find new business opportunities by organizing the meeting at an early date.

He also asked for the Omani government's proactive attention on Korean companies' plan to participate in the Middle Eastern nation's solar power, green hydrogen and petrochemical projects. (Yonhap)
This is the horrifying moment an Ecuadorian beauty queen was gunned down by assassins in a restaurant just months after being 'discussed by drug traffickers in a secret chat'.

Shocking CCTV footage shows two gunmen bursting into the eatery in Quevedo, Ecuador, on Sunday, as Landy Parraga Goyburo, 23, and another man stood at a table.

As the pair stand casually chatting, the woman can be seen glancing towards the door window as her assailant sneaks into to restaurant without her noticing.

The former Miss Ecuador contestant then turns to face the man she had been speaking to before the gunmen begin charging towards them with their weapons in hand.

The first masked attacker quickly opens fire, shooting towards both Parraga and the man, before firing another round of bullets at the woman as she lays on the ground.

Landy Parraga Goyburo was shot dead in a restaurant on Sunday

Horror CCTV footage captured the moment Parraga, 23, was chatting to a man in an eatery moments before her attackers enter

Masked assailants clad in black storm into the restaurant and open fire before fleeing, leaving Parraga dead on the ground in a pool of blood

Parraga, a former Miss Ecuador contestant, was gunned down after she was cryptically discussed by a drug trafficker before his murder in prison

The second attacker stays on guard by the restaurant door.

Both armed assailants then flee the scene, dashing out of the door and onto the street after carrying out their murder in broad daylight.

The former model can be seen lying motionless on the floor in a pool of her own blood, with a bullet mark visible on her right thigh.

The police are currently investigating the incident, working to discover the motive and identify the assailants responsible.

Parraga was a former Miss Ecuador contestant, having represented Los Rios Province in 2022.

She had more than a million followers across her social media accounts.

According to El Comercio, at just 23-years-old, Parraga was the owner of a households goods importer, and ran her own sportswear line.

On her social networks she shared the luxurious life she led, between trips around the world and meals in luxurious places.

But there was a darker truth behind the glam lifestyle portrayed on social media.

In December 2023, her name was mentioned in a chat made public by the Attorney General's Office as part of a major organised crime case it is investigating.

One of the 52 people being prosecuted in the case is Helive Angulo, nicknamed 'Estimado'.

In the chat, Angulo told the drug trafficker Leandro Norero, whose assets he managed, that the police had asked him about Parraga.

Norero cryptically wrote: 'If my wife comes across anything about her, I'm screwed.

'My friend, her name cannot come out anywhere. Otherwise, my world will come crashing down.'

According to El Comercio, at just 23-years-old, Parraga was the owner of a households goods importer, and ran her own sportswear line

In December 2023, Parraga's name was mentioned in a chat made public by the Attorney General's Office as part of a major organised crime case it is investigating

Norero was killed in prison in 2022, six months after his incarceration.

Money transfers made to Parraga's bank account are under investigation by the Attorney General's Office.

The office never prosecuted Parraga and she had never publicly commented on the case.

The shocking daylight killing comes as the once peaceful Ecuador's murder rate has spiked more than 250 per cent since 2020.

In recent years the murder rate has soared to record levels as Mexican drug cartels take over the territory.

Beheadings, port massacres, public hangings and torture are becoming increasingly more popular as the South American country suffers a wave of bloodshed.

A report from last year by respected NGO Crisis Group found that the livelihoods of many ordinary families in poor areas of Ecuador now depend on the drug business, with men selling cocaine while women pack it into plastic bags.

One of the Crisis Group authors, expert Glaeldys Gonzalez Calanche, told MailOnline that the narcos' influence is spreading across the country: 'These groups are slowly gaining more ground or territorial control outside of these areas that they currently run.'
A Tinder match from hell who imprisoned a woman in her flat for two hours on their first date and strangled her has been jailed.

Jordan Brooker, 22, cried in court as he was jailed for 31 months over the offences against Isabelle Worthmills, who he had been messaging for months before he turned up at her address.

The victim was only saved after a neighbour heard her banging on the walls and begging to be let out, a court heard.

George Joseph, prosecuting, said: 'The complainant and the defendant knew each other from having met on the dating app Tinder.

'They messaged for a considerable amount of time but the defendant had never met the complainant.'

Jordan Brooker, 22, has been jailed after imprisoning a woman in her own flat for two hours on their first date and strangling her

Brooker cried at Reading Crown Court as he was jailed for 31 months over the offences against Isabelle Worthmills, who he had been messaging for months before he turned up at her address

Reading Crown Court heard that, on January 10 this year, Brooker had turned up at Ms Worthmills's home with another man who she did not know.

The three had stayed up until the early hours socialising, but eventually Ms Worthmills had gone to bed, the court heard.

When she woke up for a glass of water at around 4.30am, she 'saw the defendant rocking with his head down and hood up', the prosecutor said.

The victim had checked on Brooker, but he grabbed a bottle of Malibu and smashed it on the floor, a judge was told.

'Ms Worthmills asked the defendant to leave', Mr Joseph said. 'He said words to the effect of 'who the f*** do you think you are talking to me like that'.

'He became aggressive and pushed the complainant towards the TV unit. She hid in the toilet to compose herself.'

When the victim returned, Brooker had called her a 'fat b***' and told her to 'sit the f*** down and do not move', the court heard.

Mr Joseph said: 'The defendant placed his hand around the victim's neck, digging into the neck with his thumbs. The complainant described feeling pressure on her neck, affecting her ability to breath.

'The complainant felt that, due to his behaviour, remarks and actions, he was going to kill her.'

Ms Worthmills had threatened to cut her wrists in a bid to persuade Brooker to let go, the court heard, but he had told her to 'cut deeper' and called her a 'c***'.

Brooker had broken the victim's phone and sat in front of the door of the flat so she could not leave, the court heard.

But at 6.30am, police were called to her home after a neighbour heard her banging on the wall and shouting 'let me out'.

In a victim impact statement, Ms Worthmills said she was 'completely broken and traumatised' from the incident, following which she had quit her job.

'I am scared to go outside, even to meet with friends', she said. 'I am terrified of running into Jordan.

'Jordan knows where I live. I am afraid, although I and Jordan were not in a relationship, that he will try to get to me.'

Anne-Marie Critchley, defending Brooker, said he had been taking cocaine and alcohol and that his problems stemmed from substance misuse.

Brooker attempted to read a letter which he had written to the judge, but he appeared to be overcome with emotion and said he could not read it.

Instead, Ms Critchley revealed he 'expresses remorse towards the victim and recognises she deserves an apology'.

Ms Critchley added Brooker had ten certificates showing he had completed various workshops while on remand in prison.

'The person who behaved in this appalling way and the person in the dock are actually quite distinct', the barrister added.

Brooker, of Hemdean Road in Reading, Berkshire, had admitted one offence of false imprisonment and one offence of intentional strangulation.

Judge Mathew Turner, sentencing on Friday, said: 'The victim was stuck in her flat, crying and scared for a period of about two hours.

'There is a clear connection between drug and alcohol use and your offending on this date. That is an aggravating factor.'

The judge revealed Brooker - who had nine previous convictions for 11 offences - was in breach of the terms of a community order, which he had received for harassment on December 1 2022 and a suspended sentence, which he had received for three counts of battery on December 20 2022.

After the judge activated the suspended sentence term, he said the total sentence for Brooker was 31 months imprisonment.
Astonishing video has emerged of the moment Anthony Albanese told a domestic violence rally organiser, 'I am the Prime Minister,' before she burst into tears.

The Prime Minister's 'entitled' act was caught on camera at a rally held in front of Parliament House in Canberra on Sunday.

The footage aired by ABC's Afternoon Briefings program showed the visibly irritated Labor leader asking rally organiser Sarah Williams, 'Do you want me to speak or not?' just moments before he addressed attendees in a fiery speech.

Mr Albanese appeared to shrug his shoulders during the tense exchange with Ms Williams, who had asked the crowd whether they wanted him to speak.

He could be heard saying, 'I'm the Prime Minister!'

Anthony Albanese (third from left) was captured saying, 'I'm the Prime Minister,' in a tense exchange with domestic violence rally organiser Sarah Williams (far right, in hi-vis) on Sunday

READ MORE: Anthony Albanese booed at domestic violence rally while he delivered a fiery speech Anthony Albanese (pictured) delivered a fiery speech at a rally in Canberra (pictured), on Sunday and said Australia needed to change its culture and attitudes to end violence against women Advertisement

There are unverified reports that he then said, 'I run this country'.

After he appeared to utter the terse words, he started speaking to the crowd after Ms Williams handed him the microphone.

Federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth also attended the rally and stood next to Mr Albanese as he addressed the crowd.

Mr Albanese spoke after Ms Williams told the crowd they had invited him to make comments at the rally but 'we didn't get any', the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

He was recorded by television cameras saying, 'No you haven't,' before he took the microphone in an attempt to set the record straight.

'[We] were told that wasn't possible and that's fine. I respect the organisers' right to do that,' he told the crowd as they booed and heckled him.

'We did ask to speak, myself and Katy [Gallagher], and we were told that's not possible.

'And that's fine, we respect the organisers' right to do that.'

The allegation prompted Ms Williams to say, 'That's a lie, that's a full-out lie,' and then burst into tears.

Mr Albanese (second from right) claimed he was barred from speaking at the rally by organisers of the event, which Ms Williams (right) said was a lie

The rally was held by What Were You Wearing Australia, an organisation campaigning against domestic and sexual violence.

Mr Albanese refused to answer whether or not the words 'I'm the Prime Minister, I run this country' came out of his mouth when he was grilled over his comments on breakfast television on Monday morning.

Sunrise presenter Nat Barr asked the PM whether he uttered the words, which prompted the Mr Albanese to deflect from answering the pointed question.

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'Well, Nat, people, including Channel Seven, were there for the recording of everything that went on. So you were all there,' he said.

'So, the media were all around. They heard everything that was said there. The issue here is that every four days on average a woman dies at the hands of their partner.'

When pressed further by Barr's co-presenter Matt Shirvington about whether he regretted making the comments, Mr Albanese referred back to the seriousness of domestic violence incidents.

'Well, you've got the footage. There were television cameras and mics all around yesterday. And this should not be a distraction from what is a very serious issue indeed,' he said.

Ms Williams (pictured) who is an advocate against domestic and sexual violence, burst into tears while the Prime Minister spoke to the crowd

Ms Williams doubled down on her comments and took to Instagram on Sunday, to state that Mr Albanese told organisers he did not want to speak at the rally.

'The Prime Minister of this country lied to his country today,' she wrote.

'Albanese's office made it clear he was just walking and was not interested in speaking. Myself and WWYW (What Were Your Wearing Australia) never denied him from speaking. He never asked to speak'.

Williams appeared on several television programs on Monday and also took to social media to claim she overheard Mr Albanese say, 'I'm the prime minister. I run this country.'

Ms Gallagher told ABC RN breakfast on Monday that there was no formal invitation extended to the government to speak at the rally but said she wanted to speak.

'It was a rally in my home town and I thought that was appropriate but there was some concerns about the five key asks that were being sought at that rally and a commitment they were seeking from us,' she said.

These were to declare domestic violence a national emergency, to block the media from publishing images of victims for 48 hours, mandatory victim blaming prevention training, alternative reporting options for victims, and increased funding.

Mr Albanese (pictured) has been labelled a liar over the comments he made at the rally on the weekend and refused to answer questions about them when asked on breakfast TV on Monday

Ms Williams said she is yet to receive an apology from Mr Albanese or Ms Gallagher for causing her distress at the rally.

She wants to to see more consultation between the government and activist groups on what was needed to address domestic violence.

'If he does think I've done a good job, why hasn't he reached out, why aren't we meeting soon, why am I not meeting with an advisor?' Ms Williams said.

'It would be nice to have a response from him to actually figure out what happened, to see if we could make change, because the priority is to resolve violence against women.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Mr Albanese for further comment.
Masked protesters have gathered outside parliament today ahead of the assisted dying debate, backed by Dame Esther Rantzen, who has revealed an 'amazing' new drug has delayed the spread of her cancer.

Activists could be seen dressed in scrubs holding placards that read 'don't make doctors killers' and 'the slippery slope is real' outside Westminster today.

It comes as celebrities and campaigners gathered to show their support for an assisted dying law, after a petition gained more than 200,000 signatures and was promoted by Dame Esther who has stage four lung cancer.

Broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, Dame Susan Hampshire and long-time campaigner Peter Tatchell are expected to be among the high-profile figures gathered.

Speaking to the BBC Today's programme, Dame Esther, who has signed up for the Dignitas assisting dying clinic in Switzerland, said an 'amazing' new drug had delayed the spread of her cancer but that her time was 'very limited'.

She said a change in the law 'would mean that I could look forward in confidence to a death which is pain-free surrounded by people I love'.

'The only other way of having a pain-free death to look forward to in confidence is to go to Dignitas in Switzerland without my family - because if my family go with me they could be investigated by the police for killing me, or pressuring me to die.'

Pro-change campaign group My Death, My Decision described it as a 'significant moment in the campaign for a compassionate assisted dying law'.

Speaking to Good Morning Britain Dame Esther added: 'I had three deaths that happened very soon after each other, there was my husband, there was my mother and there was our dog and there's no question that our dog had the best death.

'We discovered he cancer and before the symptoms got painful we put him to sleep.

'We can offer our beloved pets a pain-free death but we can't offer it to our beloved family.'

Speaking to the BBC Today's programme, Dame Esther (pictured) who has signed up for the Dignitas assisting dying clinic in Switzerland, said an 'amazing' new drug had delayed the spread of her cancer but that her time was 'very limited'

Campaigners protest outside Parliament in Westminster, London, ahead of a debate in the House of Commons on assisted dying

Masked campaigners wear scrubs, a stethoscope and carry a large syringe (pictured)

One protester's mask reads 'euthaniser' as activists gather outside Westminster

One protester's placard reads 'don't make doctors killers' ahead of the assisted dying debate

The Childline founder, 83, previously led a chorus of dismay after a report by MPs into assisted dying failed to deliver any clear-cut findings or proposals  and called for a free vote into the issue.

Dame Esther has branded the current law as 'not right' and 'not ethical'.

Last week, Dame Esther said she will 'sadly' be unable to attend Monday's event in person because of her health, but vowed she 'will be watching the debate closely as it affects my own decision to go to Dignitas in Zurich if necessary, to protect my family from witnessing a painful death'.

Dame Esther's daughter Rebecca Wilcox told GMB this morning that they had always been a 'revoltingly open family about everything'.

She added: 'This woman is my person, she's my best friend, I talk to her four times a day about everything and I adore her.

'But if I go with her to Switzerland I face prosecution, the process can take up to two years, cost thousands of pounds in legal fees and I face up to 14 years in prison.'

Paul Carroll, who had signed up with Dignitas, told GMB that he ripped up his membership after seeing his aunt, his mother and his mother-in-law through to the end of their lives.

'The experience of witnessing all of those deaths right to the very end just made me reflect. They did not want to go and we did not want to let them go and we derived great comfort from those experiences.'

Dame Esther Rantzen (pictured), 83, promoted the petition after revealing that she had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and has signed up for the Dignitas assisting dying clinic in Switzerland

Campaigners, bereaved relatives and famous faces are due to gather outside Parliament on Monday afternoon ahead of a debate on assisted dying

Rebecca Wilcox spoke to GMB this morning ahead of the assisted dying debate today

She told GMB: 'This woman is my person, she's my best friend, I talk to her four times a day about everything and I adore her'

Dame Prue Leith, another pro-change campaigner, hailed Dame Esther's efforts in speaking out, thanking her for 'everything she has done to make our politicians sit up and pay attention'.

In a statement, the Great British Bake Off judge, who is also unable to attend Monday's debate due to filming commitments, said: 'What is needed is less pearl-clutching about whether this reform should happen, and more serious, constructive debate about how to craft the best possible law for our dying people.'

She said she is confident that 'one way or another this change will be coming to the UK in the next few years' and described Westminster as being 'left in the dust' while reforms are being debated in nearby jurisdictions.

TV Presenter Jonathan Dimbleby previously described the current law as 'increasingly unbearable' following the death of his younger brother Nicholas, who suffered with motor neurone disease (MND).

Dame Prue Leith (pictured) another pro-change campaigner, hailed Dame Esther's efforts in speaking out

John Dimbleby (pictured) said the UK's law against medically assisted death is 'increasingly unbearable' in the wake of his brother's death

Dame Esther Rantzen led a chorus of dismay after a much-anticipated report by MPs into assisted dying failed to deliver any clearcut findings or proposals

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The petition, which has led to Monday's debate, stated: 'Terminally ill people who are mentally sound and near the end of their lives should not suffer unbearably against their will.'

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the Petitions Committee, is due to open the debate, while victims and safeguarding minister Laura Farris will respond on behalf of the Government.

There will not be a vote.

The issue was last voted on in the Commons in 2015, when it was defeated at second reading stage by 330 votes to 118.

But it has been less than two years since a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying took place, with one held in July 2022.

On that occasion, some 38 MPs contributed to the three-hour debate.

Those who oppose a change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others, and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the campaign group Care Not Killing described Monday's debate as a missed opportunity to talk about fixing the UK's palliative and social care system.

He said: 'Instead of discussing this dangerous and ideological policy, we should be talking about how to fix the UK's broken and patchy palliative care system so everyone can have a dignified death.'

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the Petitions Committee, is due to open the debate today (pictured)

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

A Bill was introduced in Scotland in March - the third time members of the Scottish parliament will have considered the issue - with two previous attempts to change the law defeated.

A report by MPs at Westminster in February warned that the Government must consider what to do if the law is changed in part of the UK or on the Isle of Man or Jersey, both of which are crown dependencies and both of which are currently considering the issue.

The Health and Social Care Committee - which did not make any recommendation for a vote on the issue, said legalisation in at least one jurisdiction is looking 'increasingly likely' and suggested the Government must be 'actively involved' in discussions about how to approach differences in the law.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is 'committed' to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should Labour win the general election, while Downing Street has previously said it would be up to Parliament whether to debate legalising assisted dying again.

Dr Andrew Green, deputy chairman of the BMA ethics committee, has called for assurances that legislation would provide doctors a choice to opt-in to carrying out assisted dying.

MPs are set to debate assisted dying today after a petition backed by Dame Esther Rantzen secured more than 200,000 signatures.

On the BMA's position, Dr Green told the Radio 4 Today programme: 'The main requirement was that we would want doctors to be given a real genuine choice about whether and to what extent they would be willing to participate.

'There would need to be an opt-in arrangement. It wouldn't be part of any doctor's normal job to provide physicians' assisted dying.'

The BMA has shifted from a position against assisted dying to one of neutrality.

Dr Green said: 'As a representative organisation we have a duty to represent all those people's views and that's why we changed to a position of neutrality.'

He said around 50% of members backed a change in the law, while 40% were opposed.
A previously-unseen wedding portrait of the Prince and Princess of Wales was released this afternoon to mark the 13th anniversary of the couple's marriage.

Kate, who is undergoing chemotherapy for an undisclosed cancer, married future king Prince William at Westminster Abbey in April 2011 after eight years of dating.

The pair are facing their most difficult challenge so far amid the Princess's diagnosis, with Kate appealing for time, space and privacy as she continues her treatment.

Today, the Kensington Palace account on X released a new photo of the couple from the wedding day by photographer Millie Pilkington, saying: '13 years ago today!'

The couple's official wedding photographer was Hugo Burnand but they also hired Ms Pilkington to be a private photographer. Ms Pilkington is also the photographer who took the picture of King Charles and Queen Camilla released last Friday.

Last month, Kate praised her husband William for his support during 'an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family' in an emotional message to the nation announcing her health news.

READ MORE Inside Kate and William's 13-year marriage as the future King supports his wife through her battle with cancer Advertisement

'Having William by my side is a great source of comfort and reassurance,' she said.

Kate, 42, told how her diagnosis had come as a huge shock and that she and William 'have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family'.

The prince returned to work following the Easter holidays when the Waleses spent quality time with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Louis celebrated his sixth birthday on Tuesday and Charlotte turns nine on May 2.

William and Kate released an unedited new photo of Louis straight to social media to mark the youngster's big day to thank well-wishers and avoid the uproar over the princess's digitally altered Mother's Day photo.

The prince is set to carry out engagements in the North East this week, visiting an Earthshot Prize finalist firm which makes low-carbon construction materials in Seaham, and opening James's Place - a centre which offers free, life-saving treatment to suicidal men - in Newcastle on Tuesday.

Kate was last seen with her family attending church at Sandringham on December 25, 2023

Life partners for more than 20 years, William and Kate met at the University of St Andrews in Fife, Scotland, and became friends first before embarking on a romance.

William said in their engagement interview: 'Obviously we both have a very fun time together, both have a very good sense of humour about things.'

The Princess called him a 'loving boyfriend' who was 'very supportive of me through the good times and also through the bad times'.

They wed in a grand fairytale ceremony in Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, with the aisle of the gothic church lined with trees.

The bride wore an intricate ivory gown with lace applique floral detail designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, while the groom was dressed in the red tunic of the Irish Guards.

William and Kate welcomed their first child George in 2013, followed by Charlotte in 2015 and Louis in 2018.

They have shared ups and downs, from the arrival of their children and the celebration of Jubilees to the late Queen's death and more recently the King's cancer diagnosis, and kept their counsel amid accusations levelled at them by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in the wake of Harry and Meghan's split from the royal family.

Prince William and Kate after their wedding service at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011

Thirteen is superstitiously considered an unlucky number but is also known as a baker's dozen, which dates from medieval times when they would add an extra loaf to avoid being flogged for overcharging customers for their regulated goods.

Thirteenth wedding anniversaries are traditionally marked with the gift of lace.
At least 100 people, including children, got food poisoning after reportedly eating dessert at a wedding in Mexico.

Video footage posted on TikTok showed seriously ill guests being assisted at the banquet hall in the central city of Cuernavaca shortly after midnight Sunday.

Paramedics could be seen treating a woman who sat on a chair and while he spoke to them.

Footage showed another paramedic standing next to a wedding invitee who was hunched over a chair while a person desperately used folded paper as a fan to help cool them down.

Nearby sat another woman who appeared visibly ill while a man comforted her.

Worried guests could also be seen wandering around the entrance area checking on some of the other sick invitees.

Others stood next to an ambulance as a paramedic spoke with a man who was trying to step inside the vehicle.

At least 100 guests fell ill after eating dessert at a wedding reception in Cuernavaca, Mexico on Saturday. Several people remained hospitalized as of Monday

A paramedic yells out instructions to guests at a wedding in Cuernavaca, Mexico after at least 100 people fell sick from eating dessert

Azteca Noticias reported that several wedding guests remained hospitalized as of Monday.

Food and drinks were provided by Grupo Paraiso, a wedding planning service, according to the outlet.

It's unknown what type of dessert was served by the caterer.

DailyMail.com reached out to Grupo Paraiso for comment.

A similar incident took took place in June 2023 when the groom and 109 invitees fell ill with stomach pain, diarrhea and vomit following a wedding reception in the central city of Tepotzotlan, north of Mexico City.

At least 12 people were rushed to area hospitals while 64 were treated at the wedding party hall.

Another person died and 37 fell sick from food poisoning at a wedding in Salamanca, Spain in July 2023.

With the start of wedding season around the corner, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has some information that brides and grooms should seek when hiring catering companies.

Couples should inquire about who on the staff is certified to handle food.

A wedding guest is visibly ill after she was among 100 people who ate dessert at a wedding party in the central Mexico municipality of Cuernavaca on Saturday

A paramedic questions a guest at a wedding in Mexico on Saturday after at least 100 invitees fell sick from eating desert that was served by a caterer

Concerned guests wait near an ambulance as a wedding invitee received aid after getting food poisoning from eating dessert

'Certification means proper training in safe food handling methods,' the agency says.

They should also ask the caterers what potential allergens will be used on the food that will be offered to their guests on their special day.

'Notify guests of common allergens, such as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans,' the USDA notes.

It also mention that it's important to find out where the food will be prepared.

And if it's being handled outside the wedding reception site, the USDA recommends that it is important to 'have plenty of knives, cutting boards, dish towels, and dish soap available for onsite preparation.'

The USSA also cautions not to 'let food sit out for more than 2 hours' and that 'perishables can only be left out for 1 hour during hot (90F and up) summer temperatures.'
A mega trial of of right-wing fanatics accused of plotting to overthrow the German government and install an aristocrat as the head of state has got underway today amid heightened security.

Nine members of the 'military arm' of the 'Reichsbuerger' group led by aristocrat and businessman Prince Heinrich XIII Reuss have taken the stand in the heavily guarded courtroom in Stuttgart, accused of plotting a violent putsch.

They include, among others, a special forces soldier, a former far-right MP, an astrologer, and a well-known chef, with prosecutors accusing them of preparing a 'treasonous undertaking' to topple the German government.

'They planned to infiltrate an armed group into the parliament building in Berlin, detain legislators and bring down the system,' according to prosecutors. 'They understood that seizing power would involve killing people.'

Reuss, seen as a ringleader in the conspiracy, is expected to appear in a Frankfurt court next month before a third set of proceedings opens in Munich in June, with 26 people accused overall in a saga that is expected to continue into next year.

A defendant arrives on the first day of the 'Reichsbuerger' trial in Stuttgart, Germany, 29 April 2024

Masked police officers lead Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, centre, to a police vehicle during a raid against so-called 'Reich citizens' in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022

Defendants arrive with their faces covered on the first day of the 'Reichsberger' ('Empire citizens') trial on April 29, 2024

Prosecutors have accused those on trial of preparing a 'treasonous undertaking' to topple the German government

The affair is the most high-profile recent case of far-right violence, which officials say has grown to become the biggest extremist threat in Germany.

The complexity of the trial and the need for extra security measures has seen proceedings against the alleged plotters split across three courts.

The alleged putschists are said by prosecutors to have espoused a mix of 'conspiracy myths' drawn from the global QAnon movement and the German Reichsbuerger (Citizens of the Reich) scene.

The Reichsbuerger movement includes right-wing extremists and gun enthusiasts who reject the legitimacy of the modern German republic.

Its followers generally believe in the continued existence of the pre-World War I German Reich, or empire, under a monarchy, and several groups have declared their own states.

Such Reichsbuerger groups were driven by 'hatred of our democracy', Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said in Berlin on Sunday.

'We will continue our tough approach until we have fully exposed and dismantled militant 'Reichsbuerger' structures,' she added.

According to investigators, Reuss's group shared a belief that Germany was run by members of a 'deep state' and that it could be freed with the help of a secret international network, known as the 'alliance'.

Defendants' identities were concealed from the media as they arrived in court

A defendant arrives on the first day of the trial, held in a maximum security courtroom in Stuttgart

Parts of the group are said to have harboured anti-Semitic ideas about mystical events, and believed in bizarre conspiracies around a global secret society that kidnapped children in order to drink their blood.

The suspects on trial in Stuttgart are alleged to have belonged to the 'military arm' of the coup plot, tasked with establishing 'territorial defence companies'.

Among the accused are a special forces soldier, identified only as Andreas M., who is said to have used his access to scout out army barracks.

Others were allegedly responsible for the group's IT systems or tasked with liaising with the fictitious 'alliance', which they thought would rally to their aid when the coup was launched.

The nine include Alexander Q., who is accused by federal prosecutors of acting as the group's propagandist, spreading conspiracy theories via the Telegram messaging app.

The suspects on trial in Stuttgart are alleged to have belonged to the 'military arm' of the coup plot, tasked with establishing 'territorial defence companies'

One of nine suspected participants in a coup plot wears handcuffs as he is brought to the courtroom

Two of the defendants, Markus L. and Ralf S., are accused of weapons offences in addition to the charge of treason.

Markus L. is also accused of attempted murder for allegedly turning an assault rifle on police and injuring two officers during a raid at his address in March 2023.

Police swooped in to arrest most of the group in raids across Germany in December 2022 and the charges were brought at the end of last year.

Reuss will stand trial in Frankfurt from May 21, alongside another ringleader, the ex-army officer Ruediger v.P., and a former MP for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Birgit Malsack-Winkemann.

Lawyer Wolfgang Hirth before the beginning of the 'Reichsbuerger' trial in Stuttgart, Germany, 29 April 2024

Police swooped in to arrest most of the group in raids across Germany in December 2022 and the charges were brought at the end of last year

The suspects on trial in Stuttgart are alleged to have belonged to the 'military arm' of the coup plot, tasked with establishing 'territorial defence companies'

The Reichsbuerger group had allegedly organised a 'council' to take charge after their planned putsch, with officials warning preparations were at an advanced stage.

There have also been reports that a plan was being hatched to set up paramilitary 'homeland security companies' so that they could use their help to govern the country after a possible coup.

The alleged plotters had resources amounting to 500,000 euros ($536,000) and a 'massive arsenal of weapons', according to federal prosecutors.

Reuss (pictured) will stand trial in Frankfurt from May 21, alongside another alleged ringleader

Long dismissed as malcontents and oddballs, believers in Reichsbuerger-type conspiracies have become increasingly radicalised in recent years and are seen as a growing security threat.

Earlier this month, police charged a new suspect in relation to another coup plot.

The plotters, frustrated with pandemic-era restrictions, planned to kidnap the German health minister, according to investigators.

Five other suspected co-conspirators in that plot went on trial in Koblenz last May.
Holidaymakers flying from one Britain's busiest airports have been warned to be wary of 'meet and greet' parking scams ahead of the summer holidays by police.

According to Sussex Police, certain 'rogue' companies have been targeting unsuspecting victims at Gatwick Airport.

The force said vehicles had been returned damaged and even with more mileage on the clock.

Several reports claim jet-setters have also arrived back on British soil to find their vehicles had been parked in the wrong spot - leaving them lumbered with a huge bill.

Sussex Police have now urged the millions set to make their way through the airport to take care ahead of the bustling Summer.

An urgent warning to be wary of 'meet and greet' car parking scams has been issued to holidaymakers flying from Gatwick airport (pictured: Gatwick Airport car park)

Last year, Gatwick was Britain's second busiest airport, with a staggering 40.9 million passengers travelling through the transport hub.

Sussex police revealed while there are many reputable companies, Sussex Police and West Sussex Trading Standards continue to receive regular reports from disappointed customers

'As airports begin to get busier, it is important for motorists to check the reputation of the companies they are using,' they said.

The force also reminded holidaymakers that not all companies listed are affiliated to London Gatwick - even if their name included 'Gatwick Airport'.

'In recent years, we have had to deal with a number of rogue 'meet and greet' companies at the airport,' said West Sussex Trading Standards team manager Richard Sargeant.

'It can be very difficult for travellers to decide which parking operator is best to use when you go on holiday or business.

'We would recommend travellers either park with Gatwick Airport direct or use a Trading Standards Approved business approved businesses.'

Gatwick Police Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector James Biggs also urged travellers to 'do their homework' before decided on a 'meet and greet' parking service.

'If you book through an agent online, you should be aware that your vehicle may be allocated to a number of companies on their books,' he explained.

Sussex police have warned motorists to check the reputation of the companies they are handing their cars over to (pictured: Gatwick airport car park)

In 2019, Asad Malik (pictured) was sentenced 14 months in prison following his 1.4 million airport parking scam

'By doing your research you will be more confident to leave your vehicle with your chosen company and enjoy your travels.'

Oli Bedford, head of parking at London Gatwick, said: 'We have no relationship with these rogue 'meet and greet' parking companies, even though many of them have 'Gatwick' in their company name.

'Legally rogue firms can operate on the airport as long as they do not break our by-laws.

'If passengers are considering using an off-airport meet and greet parking provider, they should check that they have a good reputation on Trustpilot, Trip Advisor or any other reliable means. The British Parking Association also has some good advice.

'For complete piece of mind, I would however strongly recommend that passengers use official on-airport parking.'

Have YOU been a victim of rogue meet and greet parking attendants? Email shannon.mcguigan@mailonline.co.uk Advertisement

The new warning comes after a businessman used dummy testimonials and cut-and-pasted terms of service to promote his 1.4 million airport parking scam in 2016.

Asad Malik, 43, used a photo of a hospital 400 miles away to trick travellers at Gatwick Airport into thinking their cars would be safe before dumping them in muddy fields, petrol stations.

The businessman and his company London Parking Gatwick Ltd were found guilty of misleading customers at Brighton Crown Court.

Malik was sentenced to 14 months in prison and was also disqualified from being a director after the scam was investigated by West Sussex Trading Standards.

The company promised that all cars left with them would be parked in a 'secure compound'. However it was revealed that vehicles were being parked in a nearby field.

The 37-year-old convinced customers their cars would be safe by showing them a picture of Borders General Hospital car park in Melrose, Scotland 400 miles away.

The businessman duped many into believing their cars would be safe in a compound, however they were left in muddy field, unlocked and with their windows open (pictured)

They thought their vehicles were being kept safe with valet cleaning facilities and 24-hour CCTV supervision.

Reports in 2016 to West Sussex Trading Standards suggested that over 1,000 cars were being parked in Bonnetts Lane.

Officers with Trading Standards visited both Bonnetts Lane and Keepers Knight in July 2016 and confirmed that the company had been using these areas to park the cars.

Some vehicles left in the fields had been left unlocked with their windows open and keys places on the windscreen.

This is while others were damaged and had been issued with parking tickets
A New York district attorney has issued a formal apology after she was captured on bodycam berating a cop over a speeding ticket.

Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley released a video statement on Monday in response to viral footage that saw her arguing with a Webster cop and calling him an 'a**h****.'

'Last Monday, I failed you and the standards that I hold myself to and for that, I am so sorry. What I did was wrong - no excuses, I take full responsibility for my actions,' Doorley said.

'I fell short of the values I've held for myself during my entire 33-year career. I didn't treat this officer with the respect that he deserved. All police officers deserve respect. I am truly and sincerely sorry.'

Doorley then claimed her reaction was due to a stressful day that saw her 'dealing with three homicides.'

Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley released a video statement on Monday in response to the viral police footage that sees her arguing with a Webster cop

The disagreement stemmed from a traffic stop performed when Doorley exceeded the posted speed limit by 20 mph

When the officer explains the reason for the stop, she responds, 'I don't really care' before phoning the Webster chief of police

The Rochester City Council sent a letter to Attorney General Letitia James on Saturday, asking her to investigate Doorley's behavior

'I watched a video where an innocent cab driver was executed and I was still reeling from a frightening medical concern that my husband received that afternoon,' she continued.'

'But we all have bad days and stress and it was wrong for me to take it out on an officer who was just doing his job. While I previously apologized to him, I will say it again, Im sorry. Police already have a tough job and that day, I made this officers job harder.

Doorley then outlined the steps she would take to 'hold herself accountable.'

'First- I already pled guilty to the speeding ticket and I will willingly pay the fine,' she said. 'Next, I'm referring the entire matter to a district attorney from another county for review and will fully cooperate with that investigation.'

The district attorney also vowed to self-report the incident to a grievance committee.

'Finally, If one of my assistant district attorneys had acted this way, I wouldve disciplined them. So Im disciplining myself,' she said.

'I will take ethics training to remind myself that professionalism matters. Ive been humbled by my own stupidity and I am fully to blame.'

Doorley, the first woman elected to her post, switched parties from Democratic to Republican in 2015. She was re-elected in 2019.

The groveling apology came just days after the Rochester City Council sent a letter to Attorney General Letitia James, beseeching her to investigate the DA's conduct.

'Recent body camera footage, shared by the Webster Police Department, has raised significant concerns regarding Doorley's behavior during a traffic stop in Webster, New York,' the letter read.

'This incident has led us to question her fitness to serve as District Attorney, and we believe an investigation by your office is warranted.'

The document was signed by all nine city council members, who believe Doorley violated the standards of 'ethics, accountability and respect for the law' that her title necessitates.

Meanwhile, locals have said Doorley's behavior makes a mockery of the law and could lead to criminals saying they'd ignored laws because they felt like it - the same excuse used by the woman paid to prosecute them.

Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley faces an inquiry into her behavior after she was caught on bodycam swearing at a police officer

The councilmembers believe Doorley violated the standards of 'ethics, accountability and respect for the law' that a district attorney should be held to

The heated altercation stemmed from an incident on April 22, when an officer followed Doorley to her home after she was flagged for driving 20 miles over the speed limit in her hulking GMC Yukon SUV.

Doorley only admitted that she was driving 55 mph in a 35 mph zone after the humiliating bodycam video surfaced.

The footage opens with Doorley telling an officer, 'I'm sorry. I'm the DA. I was going 55 coming from work.'

When the officer explains the reason for the traffic stop, Doorley responds, 'I don't really care.'

The officer then instructs her to step outside her garage, but she refuses.

As things continue to escalate, the district attorney dials Webster Chief of Police Dennis Kohlmeier on her cellphone and asks, 'Can you please tell them to leave me alone?'

As the officer tells her that she made the situation a bigger deal than it had to be by refusing to pull over, Doorley responds, 'Just write me the traffic ticket.'

She passes the phone to the officer, telling him 'leave me alone, this is ridiculous' and 'just go away'.

Doorley released a statement on Thursday admitting that she exceeded the speed limit and reaffirming her 'commitment to the public'

She can be heard calling the officer an 'a**hole' as she fetches her badge from her car

As the camera keeps rolling, Doorley tells the officer that she knows the law better than him and at one point calls him an 'a**h***'.

'What is it you're so against me? I'm doing my job. You say you're a DA?' the cop asks.

'I am the DA,' she retorts, uttering the profanity as she retrieves her badge from her car.

She later moans that she had a bad day 'dealing with murders in the city'.

Doorley released a statement on Thursday, admitting that she exceeded the speed limit, but was 'less than half a mile away' from her neighborhood.

Once she realized the officer intended to pull her over, Doorley claimed, 'I called the Webster Police Chief to inform him that I was not a threat and that I would speak to the Officer at my house down the street'.

She pleaded guilty to a traffic violation in municipal court 'because I believe in accepting responsibility for my actions and had no intention of using my position to receive a benefit'.

'Nobody, including your District Attorney, is above the rule of law, even traffic laws. Anybody who knows me understands without a doubt that I have dedicated my entire 33-year career to the safety of this community,' Doorley continued.

'My work to ensure the safety and respect of law enforcement is well proven time and time again. I stand by my work and stand by my commitment to the public safety of Monroe County.'
She is also accused of covering up the sexual assault of a former employee

The Del Galdo Law Group is asking to withdraw from cases involving Henyard

The law firm representing the woman dubbed 'America's worst mayor' has vowed to stop defending her in court.

The Del Galdo Law Group is asking to withdraw from cases in which it represents Mayor Tiffany Henyard and the village of Dolton, Illinois.

In a letter to Henyard and trustees, the firm said the village is approaching the point of becoming uninsurable. It faces millions of dollars in judgments from earlier cases and could potentially be required to shell out millions more in the coming months.

To add insult to injury, the firm has allegedly not been paid for its work.

'The Board recently voted to stop paying our legal bills,' reads the letter provided to DailyMail.com. 'We are, of course, not required to work for free and decline to do so.'

The Del Galdo Law Group is asking to withdraw from cases in which it represents Mayor Tiffany Henyard and the village of Dolton, Illinois

The firm, headed by senior partner Michael Del Galdo, claims it has not been paid, and warns that the village is nearing the point of being 'uninsurable'

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was hired to investigate claims against Henyard, who is accused of misusing taxpayer funds, wrongful termination and covering up sexual assault

The firm announced that it would no longer be entering any appearances or defending newly filed cases and would withdraw from an additional 19 cases, effective May 8.

Five of the cases involve 'serious injury or death,' including two 'jail suicide by hanging cases' and two 'officer involved shooting wrongful death causes of action'.

'No one wants to represent the Village,' the firm continued.

'The Village already has a $33.5 million judgment against it that the previous administration and the Board ignored please to settle within policy limits, where the Village's best hope is that the jury verdict will be reversed on appeal.

'If that is unsuccessful, the Village will owe more than $20M in excess insurance policy limits on that case alone.'

According to the firm, Dolton 'is quickly approaching the point of being uninsurable' due to its immense debt.

In addition to her entanglement in the village's legal affairs, Henyard, 40, is the subject of 22 lawsuits regarding her conduct.

She faces a slew of accusations ranging from misusing funds while Dolton slides deeper into debt, to wrongful termination, to covering up sexual misconduct by a village employee.

The self-dubbed 'super mayor,' who became the first woman to assume the position in 2021, faces a total of 22 lawsuits so far

Three former employees allege they were fired after refusing to do political favors for Henyard, including compiling a list of 'dirt' on Thornton Township workers

In another lawsuit, a former employee claims she was sexually assaulted by Dolton village trustee Andrew Holmes during a trip to Las Vegas - which was largely funded by taxpayer money

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was tapped to investigate claims against Henyard, and the case has even attracted the attention of the FBI. On Friday, the agency served subpoenas on Thornton Township, where Henyard also serves as township supervisor.

Amid mounting tensions, dozens of residents rallied in nearby Calumet City on Saturday afternoon. One demonstrator held a poster proclaiming, 'Thornton Township belongs to us!'

Among the nearly two dozen lawsuits are cases brought by three former employees who claim they were wrongfully fired.

The plaintiffs are named as Samysha Williams, former director of building permits and licenses for the Village of Dolton; Sandra Tracy, former human resources manager for Thornton Township; and Karen Johnson, former Dolton Public Works Department administrative assistant.

The former employees allege they were fired for refusing to perform political favors for Henyard.

In one instance, the mayor 'asked Tracy for a list of all Township employees...with notes detailing all their faults and any known dirt on them, including information which may have violated the employees privacy rights,' according to documents reviewed by DailyMail.com.

Williams also sued Henyard for defamation in a separate suit, claiming the mayor accused her of defrauding the village as an employee in campaign filings.

The complaint further alleges slander and libel and seeks damages in excess of $50,000.

Henyard was also named alongside Dolton village trustee Andrew Holmes in a civil suit that includes allegations of sexual assault.

A former village employee claims she was sexually assaulted by Holmes during a work trip to Las Vegas. She and a police officer allege they were fired after informing Henyard of the allegations.

The woman asserted she began to feel 'disoriented' and 'blacked out' during the trip, and has no memory of the night after that until waking up fully dressed in Holmes' bed.

A different lawsuit that accuses Henyard of misusing taxpayer funds also centers around the ill-fated Vegas trip.

She and 12 local officials traveled to Sin City for an economic development conference last May. However, the vast majority of the $26,000-plus bill was footed by Thornton Township residents, who unknowingly shelled out upwards of $24,000.

Henyard's top aide, Keith Freeman, pleaded not guilty to bankruptcy charges last week after being named in a separate lawsuit alongside the mayor

A barber accused Henyard's office of improperly denying a permit to expand his business to a new commercial venue in Dolton

Allegations of misconduct also extend to those in Henyard's orbit.

Keith Freeman, a senior administrator for both the Village of Dolton and Thornton Township, pleaded not guilty to bankruptcy charges on Wednesday.

He has been accused of hiding his Dolton income in bankruptcy proceedings and underreporting his income by $95,000 last year.

His appearance in federal court came just one day after he was sued alongside Henyard by a Dolton property owner who said he was unjustly denied a business license.

Barber Tyrone Isom Jr. claimed the mayor's office improperly denied his permit to expand his business to a new commercial venue in Dolton.

Isom purchased a property on Sibley Road with the intent to establish a new branch of his business, Elite Clientele LLC, but was stopped dead in his tracks.

The businessman said the zoning for the property is 'commercial' and allows a barber shop, but the Village of Dolton blocked his permit.

In February, village trustees have called for an outside investigation into Henyard's alleged misuse of public funds.

The trustees want to see all of the documentation surrounding Henyard's spending on taxpayer-funded advertisements, lavish dinners and vacations - but despite repeatedly asking for recent financial documents, they have been denied.

Henyard is also in hot water with the Cook County Attorney General's Office for failing to register her charity, the Tiffany Henyard Cares Foundation.

Also in February, the AG's office sent a cease and desist letter to the foundation, ordering it to submit the required documents before further soliciting or receiving donations.

The state had previously sent letters dated December 13, 2023, and January 17, 2024, with similar warnings.

Despite the repeated attempts, 'the Foundation has not responded and we have not been advised why there has been a delay,' the AG's office wrote.

Henyard's constituents voted to recall her in June 2022, but the results of that election were ultimately ruled invalid

The 40-year-old's latest post to Instagram includes a quote appearing to target her critics: 'When people can't control you they try to control how people view you'

The village administrator lashed out at the accusations in a statement.

'This is just another example of a few trustees in the Village of Dolton spreading lies and false allegations,' it read.

'These are the same trustees that cut the public safety budget...eliminated the bond for garbage removal and have charged over ($5 million) in frivolous lawsuits that the Dolton taxpayers are stuck with the tab. The residents deserve better than this circus.'

Henyard was elected as Dolton's mayor in 2021, making her the first woman to assume the position in the village's 103-year history.

In addition to allegations of misspending and misconduct, Lightfoot will investigate claims that Henyard paid village prosecutor Michael Del Galdo more than $900,000 over two years.

Del Galdo, who is also the senior partner at Del Galdo Law Group, has decided to withdraw as village attorney, a spokesperson confirmed to DailyMail.com.

Despite billing herself as 'the people's mayor,' controversy has shadowed Henyard for years, and the mayor's constituents have been vocal about wanting to remove her.

In June 2022, Dolton residents voted to recall Henyard. However, she took that battle to court and, following a series of rulings, the vote was allowed to continue, but the results could not be certified.

The Illinois Appellate Court ultimately decided in September 2022 that the votes to recall Henyard were not valid.

The mayor has a lengthy history of hitting out at critics. This includes a letter dated June 5, 2023, that accused staff at a local news outlet of 'continuous racial and misogynistic targeted coverage'.

Henyard claimed a reporter had engaged in a 'malicious smear campaign' against her and her staff 'to discredit the positive work we do here in the south suburbs'.

This assault against the press appears to have continued, albeit indirectly.

Henyard's most recent Instagram post from April 26 features a quote: 'When people can't control you they try to control how people view you.'

'Never go with the status quo!! Stand for what you believe in and always out work them,' Henyard captioned the post.

Her office has repeatedly failed to respond to DailyMail.com's requests for comment.
By Kwak Yeon-soo

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul is considering visiting China in May ahead of a trilateral summit between South Korea, China and Japan in what appears to be a sign of warming ties after a frosty period of tension between the two countries.

If realized, it would be Chos first visit to Beijing since taking office in January.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it is currently discussing the date for Chos visit.

The two countries have been communicating closely based on a common interest. We agreed on the importance of high-level exchanges. We are discussing possible dates for Chos visit, a ministry official said in a statement, Sunday.

This follows Chos phone conversation with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, who invited him to Beijing. Cho agreed to discuss the matter through diplomatic channels.

Cho has been expressing his wish to meet with Wang.

I look forward to meeting my Chinese counterpart sooner rather than later, he said during the 2024 Korea National Diplomatic Academy Meets Ambassadors event held in Seoul, April 12.

The last meeting of the two countries' top diplomats took place in Busan last November as part of trilateral talks that included Japan.

The move comes as both sides try to improve bilateral relations following tensions over Taiwan and North Korea. The relationship has been stalled since President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed opposition to any attempts to alter the status quo of the Taiwan Strait by force in an interview with foreign media in April last year.

In June last year, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming warned Seoul against aligning with Washington, saying those who bet on Chinas loss in its rivalry with the United States will definitely regret it. China has been deepening its ties with North Korea with its No. 3 official Zhao Leji meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang earlier this month.

In a sign of easing tensions between South Korea and China, Cho held talks with Hao Peng, Chinese communist party secretary of the province of Liaoning, in Seoul last week. The trilateral foreign ministers summit is expected to take place in late May.
The towns account for three of five fatalities seen in the Sooner State and Iowa

Death tolls are on the rise as a downtown stretch of an Oklahoma community was wiped out by a barrage of tornados this weekend.

Drone video shows some of the catastrophic damage - as communities like Sulphur and Holdenville were the hardest hit. A total of five people, including an infant, have been declared dead.

The towns account for three of those five deaths - as fatalities were also recorded on I-35 and in a city in Iowa. Twisters in those states - as well as Nebraska and Texas - have destroyed hundreds of homes.

As much of the damage from the storms remains to be seen, it's been revealed one of the Holdenville victims was a four-month-old baby.

An hour away, as parts of a once bustling West Muskogee Avenue were left unrecognizable in Sulphur, local business owners spoke out about the EF-3-level disaster they had just survived.

Scroll down for video:

An Oklahoma community was wiped out by a barrage of tornados this weekend, one of which can be seen here

Photos show some of the damage left behind in Sulphur, a small town of 5,000 that saw it's downtown district almost completely razed by the weather event Saturday

Local business owners like Julie Cox spoke out about surviving the EF-3-level disaster, which killed at least one local in the town of 5,000, as at least three other Oklahomans have died. Another person died in Iowa. Cox's store, Pamper Me Boutique, was among those destroyed

"I just never dreamed it would do this much damage."



At least five people have been killed after a deadly tornado outbreak in the Heartland. @molareports has the latest. https://t.co/xNkZ3NXRrZ pic.twitter.com/EnsPcCxj2h  Good Morning America (@GMA) April 29, 2024

'I just never dreamed it would do this much damage,' boutique boss Julie Cox told Good Morning American Sunday, hours after a tornado tore through the area.

'Just devastation,' she added, as businesses, including her own, laid razed behind her.

'I mean, I have a lot of friends that own [stores] on this whole street,' she said, visibly distraught.

'We're all like family here.'

'Definitely the most damage since I've been governor that I've seen,' added Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, at a press conference where he revealed at least one person in the town of 5,000 had died.

'I've seen a lot of damage. I've been around the state for, this is my sixth year, but what I saw in downtown Sulphur is unbelievable.'

Others like Christy Morris, the owner of the Mix Mercantile on the same savaged street, awoke Sunday to find their business in a state of disaster.

The clothing and home goods seller's store, like several others', is no more, as the owner provided proof to Fox Weather with images of the destruction she came across in the daylight.

NWS survey teams, meanwhile, reported damage consistent with an EF-3 tornado, as they continued to sift through debris in a search for survivors, though most are believed to be accounted for.

Several other twisters were sighted in the Sooner State and states nearby, including this one north of Waverly, Nebraska

The boutique owner offered the interview to Good Morning America Sunday, as parts of a once bustling West Muskogee Avenue were left in tatters by the weather event the night before

People survey some of the damage in the town's downtown district, where Cox - whose business was completely destroyed - and other proprietors have been left to pick up the pieces

'Definitely the most damage since I've been governor that I've seen,' said Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt at a press conference Sunday, where he revealed at least one person in the town of 5,000 had died

'I've seen a lot of damage. I've been around the state for, this is my sixth year, but what I saw in downtown Sulphur is unbelievable'

NWS survey teams, meanwhile, reported damage consistent with an EF-3 tornado, as they continue to sift through debris and look for survivors

Stitt issued a statement Sunday morning: 'My prayers are with those who lost loved ones as tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma last night.

'Thank you to Oklahoma Emergency Management and those who have worked through the night to keep Oklahomans safe and have worked to clear debris and assess damage'

Stitt issued a statement Sunday morning: 'My prayers are with those who lost loved ones as tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma last night.

'Thank you to Oklahoma Emergency Management and those who have worked through the night to keep Oklahomans safe and have worked to clear debris.'

Hours earlier, Stitt declared a state of emergency in 12 counties, as numerous towns including Sulphur suffered significant damage by the weather outbreak.

He said about 30 people were injured in Sulphur, at the conference called in the town, the Idaho Press reported.

'You just can't believe the destruction,' Stitt said, echoing his earlier statement. 'It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed.'

The city famed for its mineral springs set around 65 miles southwest of Holdenville was not alone, though, with nearby Marietta, Ardmore, Holdenville, Mills Creek and Dickson all also hit.

Videos from each of the towns, all struck by the same stormy weather that savaged the Sooner State Saturday, demonstrate the destruction.

Another two deaths occurred in Holdenville, and another on a stretch of Interstate 35 near Marietta, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management confirmed in a statement.

A man is surrounded by tornado damage after severe storms moved through the night before in Sulphur

Charlie Schwake walks past his property in Sulphur

Damaged storefronts in Sulphur

A man walks past flipped and damaged cars in Sulphur

A bulldozer trying to clear away rubble in Sulphur

Tornadoes spotted in each city were part of the more than 100 that have surfaced in the US over three days, hitting the American heartland and putting millions under severe weather threat.

One of the Holdenville victims was a four-month-old baby, reports from The Washington Post and KOCO went on to reveal - as the identities of the other deceased remain unknown.

One more death was reported in Minden, Iowa, Saturday, after a man died from injuries sustained during a tornado outbreak seen on Friday, the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department confirmed.

The man - whose age was not immediately provided - suffered unspecified injuries after becoming trapped in his basement, as a massive wedge tornado swept through the streets overhead.

First responders were able to free him and rushed him to a hospital late Friday. Media reports listed him as stable, but he succumbed to his injuries Saturday night.

Millions more are still bracing for more severe weather further South, with the outskirts of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas and Texas all potentially being affected.

Marietta, moreover, suffered damage to its hospital, according to the Oklahoma Office of Emergency Management - as members of he Chickasaw Nation have been forced to step in amid an all-hands-on deck response.

One more death was reported in Minden, Iowa, Saturday, after a man died from injuries sustained during a tornado outbreak seen on Friday, the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department said. Damage left behind there Saturday is seen here

The man - whose age was not immediately provided - suffered unspecified injuries after becoming trapped in his basement, as a massive wedge tornado swept through the streets overhead. The tornado is seen a few miles away on Friday

Like Stitt did for Sulphur, Iowa's governor issued a disaster emergency proclamation for Minden, a town of just under 600 residents

Meanwhile, millions more are still bracing for more severe weather further South, with the outskirts of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Dallas and Texas all potentially being affected. A tornado in Iowa Friday is seen here

Like Silt did for Sulphur, Iowa's governor issued a disaster emergency proclamation for Minden, a town of just under 600 residents, where about 180 homes were damaged

In total, Oklahoman authorities have confirmed at least four deaths so far during the severe weather, with Silt confirming the fourth in Oklahoma on Sunday.

Like Silt did for Sulphur, Iowa's governor issued a disaster emergency proclamation for Minden, a town of just under 600 residents, where about 180 homes were damaged.

Roughly 40 percent of those homes, officials on Sunday said, had been completely destroyed, by a tornado the likes of which the town's mayor said had not been seen for at least 50 years.

One man told Fox Weather how his house was blown about 20 feet off its foundation by one of the many 'large and extremely dangerous' tornadoes that touched down across western and central Iowa Friday,

However, he considered himself lucky because he wasn't at home when the twister that hit Minden struck his two-story home.

'It's kind of crazy. I'm trying to stay in good spirits with it, you know? It's one of those things that you can only do so much. It wasn't where I left it,' homeowner Randy Davis said, trying to stay upbeat despite losing his domicile.

'I got a lot of support, though. A lot of my friends are helping out.'

Footage of the tornado hitting Minden Friday is seen here, after twisters already tore through neighboring Nebraska

Footage of the tornado hitting Minden Friday is now circulating, after twisters already tore through neighboring Nebraska

There, several communities were left reeling from multiple other devastating twisters, including one that plowed through suburban Omaha on Friday.

Dozens of reported tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest, causing a building to collapse with dozens of people inside and destroying and damaging at least 150 homes in Omaha alone.

But no fatalities were reported, and fewer than two dozen people were treated at Omaha-area hospitals, said Dr. Lindsay Huse, health director of the citys Douglas County Health Department.

'Miraculous' she said Saturday, stressing that none of the citys injuries were serious. Neighboring communities reported a handful of injuries each.

Meanwhile, late Sunday, a new tornado watch was issued for portions of eastern Texas just as two funnel clouds were confirmed near Rosebud and Freestone, Texas, officials said.

The watch will remain in effect until 9 pm CT Monday.

Meanwhile, late Sunday, a new tornado watch was issued for portions of eastern Texas just as two funnel clouds were confirmed near Rosebud (pictured) and Freestone, Texas, officials said. The watch will remain in effect until 9 pm CT Monday

Tornado damage is seen in Minden, Iowa, Saturday, as searchers are still surveying the remains

That will mark the fourth day of the severe weather outbreak across the heartland states, with more than 22 million people in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas and Illinois having been on high alert on Sunday

Holdenville, a town of about 6,000 people 77 miles southeast of Oklahoma City, was left reeling by a tornado wrought by this outbreak, as was the Elkhorn area of Omaha where people are still surveying the scattered remains of destroyed homes

A search for victims and an assessment of damage launched Saturday night is still in effect, as a Holdenville family told Oklahoma City ABC affiliate KOCO that a relative lost their home in the storm and remained hospitalized Sunday.

That home was also where the baby who was pronounced dead at a local hospital had lived, the Hughes County emergency manager told the outlet.

In Lincoln, Nebraska, An industrial building in Lancaster County was hit, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated, and the three injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

The tornadoes first began Friday and one or possibly two twisters spent around an hour creeping toward Omaha, leaving behind damage consistent with winds of 135 to 165 mph, said Chris Franks, a meteorologist in the National Weather Services Omaha office.

Ultimately the initial twister slammed into the Elkhorn neighborhood in western Omaha, a city of 485,000 people.

'We barely made it to the basement and then we heard the destruction going on upstairs,' said resident James Stennis, who moved to the Elkhorn neighborhood about a year ago. 'Wow.'

Terry Kicking sifts through the damage after a tornado leveled his home hours before in nearby Omaha, Nebraska. While Oklahoma was taking the brunt of the tornado outbreak, Nebraska also endured severe tornadoes Saturday and the day before

Damage is seen to home after it was leveled by a tornado near Omaha

Paul Retzlaff, left, talks with Davianne Vice after a tornado damaged his machine shed on Friday in Lincoln

A drone view shows emergency personnel working at the site of damaged buildings in the aftermath of a tornado in Omaha, Nebraska

A house at Sycamore Farms in Waterloo, Nebraska, on Saturday, April 27, 2024

Workers clean up the debris at Sycamore Farms in Waterloo, Nebraska, on Saturday, April 27, 2024, after a tornado damaged the property the day before

Heavy storm clouds appear as a tornado moves through suburbs northwest of Omaha on Friday, April 26, 2024

Staci Roe, another citizen, surveyed the damage to what was supposed to be her 'forever home.'

When the first tornado hit, she had been at the airport picking up a friend who was supposed to spend the night.

'There was no home to come to,' she said in an interview Saturday, recalling the 'utter dread' she felt when she came to face to face with it for the first time.

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, meanwhile, spent Saturday touring the damage and arranging for assistance for the damaged communities. Formal damage assessments are still underway, but the states plan to seek federal help.

'It is an extraordinary miracle that weve had this kind of cell come through and no casualties, no loss of life,' Pillen marveled at a news conference.

President Joe Biden spoke to Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on Sunday, according to the White House. He offered affected communities the 'full support of the federal government' following Saturday's fatal tornadoes.

As of writing, tornado watches are still in affect for parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa.
'I can't imagine how things could be any worse,' says one veteran SNP politician. 'Independence is properly dead for at least a generation and the party's falling apart. How's your day going?'

Humza Yousaf's resignation, little more than a year after he succeeded Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister, has brought to a head long-festering tensions within the SNP and across the independence movement.

The once seemingly unstoppable nationalist machine has careered off the road and lies smoking in a ditch. Former allies who sat shoulder-to-shoulder on that UK-smashing juggernaut now trade bitter, playground-level insults in public.

And amid it all, the people of Scotland  crying out for decent, stable government  are expected to indulge yet another SNP psychodrama.

A number of experienced figures with the party do not believe the public's patience will last.

First Minister Humza Yousaf resigns following a call for a no confidence vote in his leadership

One former politician and senior strategist says: 'Okay, we have to accept things had been bad for a while but if you looked at the polling it wasn't all completely terrible. We've known for a long time we were going to lose seats at the next General Election but the signs were we were still going to come out of [the next Holyrood election in] 2026 as the biggest party.

'We can forget that, now. If the whole house comes down and we end up with a snap Holyrood election, what's our big message? Vote for us and we'll try not to **** things up so badly next time? Vote someone that the Greens like for First Minister?'

For another long-serving parliamentarian, the damage to the party caused by loss to Labour in a Scottish Parliamentary election would be 'incalculable'.

'We just about destroyed Labour 15 years ago. Does anyone think we could go from that to them beating us and it not having a serious, long-term effect?

'When people abandoned Labour for us, they absolutely turned on them. Why wouldn't they do the same to us when they leave us for Labour? It'll be all "I didn't leave the SNP, the SNP left me" and we're going to be this nice big repository for everyone's anger.'

After decades of being hopelessly split over the correct approach to the constitutional question  the fundamentalists preferred a radical, aggressive campaigning style, demanding 'independence, nothing less' while the gradualists preferred a cautious, step-by-step approach, embracing devolution and seeing independence as a slower process  the SNP entered, on the return of Alex Salmond in 2004 for his second spell as leader, a remarkable period of unity.

The nationalists rallied behind that gradualist approach and  with a series of promises that fooled a significant number of Labour supporters into believing the SNP was a progressive party  won their first Holyrood election in 2007.

Salmond and his deputy, Nicola Sturgeon, maintained rigid discipline in the SNP and further rewards were to come. The winning of an overall majority in the 2011 Holyrood election opened the door to that long dreamed-of independence referendum.

New alliances were formed. The nationalist Scottish Green party campaigned, arm in arm, with the SNP. Nicola Sturgeon and Green co-leader Patrick Harvie formed a double-act, pitching for the votes of younger Scots and endlessly (and nauseatingly) singing each others praises.

Key to this prolonged period of discipline was the willingness of politicians with radically different beliefs to unite in the name of breaking up the United Kingdom. In an independent Scotland, the socially and fiscally conservative former SNP Deputy First Minister John Swinney and the self-styled firebrand of the Scottish Greens, Ross Greer, would be the bitterest of political foes. Mr Greer might think Mr Swinney a dangerous reactionary while Mr Swinney might permit himself to think Mr Greer a buffoon. But in 2014  and for a long time afterwards  they and other unlikely allies put significant differences aside in order to further the independence project.

That discipline began to creak and strain after the 2017 general election when, after then First Minister Ms Sturgeon misjudged the public appetite for a second referendum, the SNP lost 21 seats.

Despite recognising that she had been wrong to think the Brexit result would boost support for independence, Ms Sturgeon seemed almost pathologically incapable of acting accordingly. She continued to promise a referendum she had no power to deliver.

Scotland's then First Minister Alex Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hold copies of the White Paper in 2013

Along with antagonising voters and colleagues alike with what amounted to empty threats of constitutional chaos, Ms Sturgeon began focusing on policies which put her even further at odds with the majority of the public.

Her decision, in 2021, to bring the Scottish Greens into Government may have created a pro-independence majority government but a number of her colleagues were concerned about handing power to a fringe party that doesn't believe in economic growth. And her monomania over the matter of reforming the Gender Recognition Act, making it possible for people to self-identify into the legally-recognised 'sex' of their choosing saw her clash with political opponents and high profile feminists from across the spectrum. Women  such as the novelist and philanthropist JK Rowling, the veteran feminist campaigner Julie Bindel, and the SNP MP Joanna Cherry  who expressed concerns about legislation that would allow men into female-only spaces were dismissed by Ms Sturgeon.

With supreme arrogance, the former First Minister accused those with genuine concerns of bigotry.

SNP MSPs may have lined up in December 2022 to back reform of the GRA but, privately, a number were deeply uncomfortable about doing so.

The unravelling of the legislation  so poorly conceived and drafted that Scottish secretary Alister Jack was forced to block it because it stood to undermine the UK-wide Equality Act  increased the level of unease in SNP ranks.

When Mr Yousaf succeeded Ms Sturgeon last March, he made the fatal mistake of continuing with her agenda and hoping this would achieve a different result for his party.

In fact, all Mr Yousaf has achieved is to exacerbate and then publicly expose deep and ever widening splits in the SNP and across the wider Yes movement.

Not only are nationalist politicians again at odds over how to achieve independence, they are split over controversial issues like gender reform.

One long serving SNP parliamentarian says much worse is to come for their party.

'Whoever takes over can't turn this round. We've got the Unionist parties out for blood and the Greens trying to dictate who's an acceptable candidate for SNP leader and we just look a mess. We look a mess because we are a mess, by the way, in case there's any doubt.'

The politician said all the discipline the party built up 20 years ago has gone, adding: 'We're going to have people fighting over strategy or whether you should give puberty blockers to kids and voters are going to look at us and think we look deranged.

'It's grim. All that effort to make the party a viable proper political party that could win elections and now we're a laughing stock.

'People invested a lot in us when they switched their votes and we've totally let them down. I won't blame them when they drop us.

'We're all going to have to say everything's looking great when we get a new leader but it's not going to look great. It's just going to look like someone else is in charge while the whole thing falls apart.'
Celeste Manno's heartbroken mother has blasted Anthony Albanese and key government figures for not doing enough to address violence against women and says she doesn't want to 'hear their excuses'.

A fed-up Aggie Di Mauro didn't hold back in a brutal takedown of the Prime Minister and other politicians during an emotional appearance on Channel Ten's The Project on Monday night.

She has spent the last three years fighting for justice and change after her daughter Celeste, 23, was stabbed up to 23 times by a former colleague as she slept in her Melbourne home in November 2020.

Ms Di Mauro accused politicians of not taking action or having 'the guts to do anything'.

'We don't have the right politicians, simple as that,' she fumed.

'We have a government in power. Well, I wasted three-and-a-half years of my time with them, so that's not the government I want to be dealing with.'

Aggie Di Mauro (pictured) erupted on Monday's night's The Project, saying she has 'wasted' years with the current government, and that 'we don't have the right politicians' to help stop the killing of women

Ms Di Mauro's daughter Celeste Manno, 23, (pictured right) was murdered in their home by a stalker

READ MORE: Confronting moment Celeste Manno's distraught mum rips up her planned speech Celeste Manno's mum Aggie Di Mauro tears up her speech outside court of Thursday Advertisement

'We are all saying enough is enough! It is our daughters getting killed, not theirs.

'There are solutions. They don't want to put an ankle bracelet on these beasts.

'Had an ankle bracelet been on the beast that murdered my daughter, we would have had at least the opportunity to get the hell out of that house.'

'I don't want to hear about their excuses, and I don't want this smoke screen.

'The community don't want them.'

Luay Nader Sako, 39, stabbed Ms Manno, 23, up to 23 times on November 16, 2020, as she slept in her own bed in Mernda, in Melbourne's north-east, where she thought she was safe.

Sako, who had been stalking Ms Manno, avoided a life sentence and was given 36 years behind bars. He will be eligible for parole in 2054.

Ms Di Mauro believed that the reviews that politicians keep promising to have are a waste of taxpayers' money.

'We had a very good one from the Victorian Law Reform Commission because of what happened to Celeste,' she recalled

'Quick solution, they have come up with 46 recommendations, Victoria buried them.

'I was there when they tabled them, they were tabled under another 51 or so reports.

'I was promised they would be implemented.'

Celeste Manno was stabbed to death by Luay Sako in a violent attack. Her mother Ms Di Mauro told The Project ankle bracelets for men who are threat to women are a simple solution that could stop women being killed, but politicians won't implement them

Ms Di Mauro accused politicians and the Victorian Attorney General of putting off doing anything and meeting with her as promised.

She also implored for federal opposition leader Peter Dutton to get involved.

'The (Victoria) opposition leaders, I met with both of them, John Pesutto, Michael O'Brien, shook hands on the way out, wanted me to absolutely believe this is what they are here to do, hold our government accountable,' she said.

'They have asked one question about the recommendations, and that was last October.

'That is not holding people accountable. So maybe, I don't know, who do we call? Mr Dutton, can he step in and do something here? '

She claimed that she's been by various levels of government countless times in the last three-and-a-half years.

'From the very start, I was met with all sorts of condolences and that they will do better next time,' Ms Di Mauro said.

'I don't get Celeste next time!'

Aggie's daughter Celeste Manno was stabbed to death in her own home three-and-a-half years ago

Ms Di Mauro is adamant that an ankle bracelet, which are opposed by legal experts would had saved her daughter's life had Sako been ordered to wear one.

'A breach of an intervention order doesn't mean that that person is an offender at that point of okay, it would invade his or her civil Liberties and Freedom of movement,' Ms Di Mauro said.

'What I say, I couldn't care less about their freedom. His (Sako's) freedom of movement put Celeste six feet under.'

She hasn't given up the fight for justice and plans to appeal Sako's sentence.

'I won't stop because not only do we lose our daughters, but then we need to prepare ourselves for further injustice, she said.

At the time of Sako's sentencing in February, Ms Di Mauro shouted in rage outside court as she tore up a speech she had prepared to read had the judge provided the desired outcome.

'We were forced to trust the system that we lost faith in three years ago. It failed Celeste then and it failed her again now,' she said.

'Today's outcome proves just how flawed the justice system is.'

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732.
Columbia University has warned student Gaza protesters to disperse or face suspension as their encampment rages on for a fourteenth day.

The college has asked demonstrators to sign a document agreeing to 'voluntarily leave by 2pm' Monday - or be evicted from the camp and suspended from the Ivy League.

It comes after President Minouche Shafik issued a statement saying many Jewish students have been forced out of the campus because of the 'intolerable' atmosphere created by the demonstration which has now reached 'crisis' levels.

Shafik faces growing pressure to resign over her failure to contain the controversial camp, including from prominent Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson who condemned the protests during a speech beside the encampment last week.

Several Democrats have now echoed calls for senior leadership to get a grip on the situation. Twelve House members penned a damning letter to trustees over the weekend saying the demo had become 'a breeding ground for antisemitic attacks'.

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik is begging pro-Palestine protesters to 'voluntarily disperse' as their sprawling encampment enters a second week

It comes as Shafik faces growing pressure to resign over her failure to control the demonstrations from prominent Republicans and Democrats alike

Demonstrators face off with NYPD officials outside the main entrance of Columbia University

Shafik said Monday that negotiators had tried to secure 'the orderly removal of the encampment' from Columbia's lawns on the Upper West Side. 'Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement,' she said.

'Our valuesas well as our duties under civil rights lawscompel us to condemn hate and to protect every member of our community from harassment and discrimination,' Shafik's statement reads.

'Antisemitic language and actions are unacceptable and calls for violence are simply abhorrent.

'I know that many of our Jewish students, and other students as well, have found the atmosphere intolerable in recent weeks. Many have left campus, and that is a tragedy.'

The college has offered 'to publish a process for students to access a list of Columbias direct investment holdings, and to increase the frequency of updates to that list of holdings' in response for calls for greater financial transparency.

But Shafik stopped short of giving the demonstrators what they wanted - saying the university 'will not divest from Israel'.

'All year, we have sought to facilitate opportunities for our students and faculty to engage in constructive dialogue, and we have provided ample space for protests and vigils to take place peacefully and without disruptions to academic life,' she said.

'But we must take into account the rights of all members of our community. The encampment has created an unwelcoming environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty.

'External actors have contributed to creating a hostile environment in violation of Title VI, especially around our gates, that is unsafe for everyoneincluding our neighbors.

'With classes now concluding, it represents a noisy distraction for our students studying for exams and for everyone trying to complete the academic year.'

The college has asked demonstrators to sign a document agreeing to 'voluntarily leave by 2pm' Monday - or be evicted from the camp and suspended from the Ivy League

Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson visits Columbia University

President Minouche Shafik issued a statement saying many Jewish students have been forced out of the campus because of the 'intolerable' atmosphere created by the demonstration which has now reached 'crisis' levels

Students at Columbia University paint a response to a message written by Palestinians in Rafah thanking students for their support as they continue to maintain a protest encampment on campus in support of Palestinians, during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in New York City, U.S., April 28, 2024

Pro-Palestine supporters gather in front of the entrance of Columbia University on April 28, 2024 in New York City

Last week, Columbia cowed to protesters by letting protesters remain despite issuing a midnight deadline for dispersal on Thursday.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said during a speech on the library steps beside the encampment in the days before that Shafik should resign.

Meanwhile, a group in the House Democrats have urged the Columbia University board to 'act decisively' by ending the encampment - or step down.

Twenty-one Democrat representatives including Josh Gottheimer and Dan Goldman signed a letter to the trustees urging them to disband the protest, which has been a hotbed for antisemitic displays.

'We, the undersigned, write to express our disappointment that, despite promises to do so, Columbia University has not yet disbanded the unauthorized and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus,' the letter reads.

'As a result of this disruption on campus, supported by some faculty members, many students have been prevented from safely attending class, the main library, and from leaving their dorm rooms in an apparent violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

'For the past week, this encampment has been the breeding ground for antisemitic attacks on Jewish students, including hate speech, harassment, intimidation, and even threats of violence.

'Last weekend, a student held up a sign pointing to pro-Israel students that said Al-Qa[ss]ams next targets, referring to the military arm of Hamas, the foreign terrorist organization responsible for the atrocities of October 7, and for holding hostage innocent civilians  including Americans  in brutal captivity for nearly seven months.

'One of the protest leaders has previously declared, Zionists  they are Nazis. Theyre Nazis. Theyre fascists. Theyre supporters of genocide.

'Why would we want people who are supporters of genocide to live? and students routinely chanted from the river to the sea, which is a cry to eliminate Israel and all Jews within its borders.'

Meanwhile, a Jewish Columbia graduate whose 21-year-old cousin is among the hostages in Gaza also blasted the pro-Palestine demo as 'hurtful' in an interview with DailyMail.com.

Leat Corrine Unger, 37, who studied speech language pathology at the Ivy League and now lives with her family in Bergen County, New Jersey, has not heard from her cousin Omer Shem Tov since he was abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7.

'Honestly it's triggering for me personally because if the students only understood what they are standing for - they are supporting this ideology which supports terror of innocent people,' she said.
Another whistleblower has come forward about the fear at a Massachusetts school after a woke superintendent let a troubled trans kid return to class after naming dozens of fellow students on a menacing 'kill list.'

The mother of a child at Watertown Middle School, in the west Boston suburbs, said Supt. Deanne Galdston put trans rights over classroom safety and should be forced from her job.

'I am horrified by the actions not taken by school administrators, who allowed this student to enter back into school days' after naming 45 students and teachers on a kill list, said the worried mom.

'No psych evaluation, no real suspension. Any other school would have immediately expelled the student, but not Watertown. Because someone is trans, they can't afford to look bad, but instead risk the lives of innocent students and staff.'

Supt. Deanne Galdston criticized worried parents for 'student shaming'

Watertown Middle School in Boston's western suburbs was rocked by a trans student's 'kill list'

DailyMail.com has separately obtained documents showing Galdston, a 30-year veteran educator, dodged paying more than $2,500 in property taxes for close to a decade  money that would have helped local schools.

Galdston and the school district did not answer our requests for comment or an interview.

The case spotlight wider fears in US classrooms about the rising number of students who identify as trans and nonbinary who face bullying, and the small but worrying number of them who embrace violence.

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The crisis began in January, when a teacher overheard students discussing who had been named on the hit list. A search of the trans students' Chromebook revealed the document, which was titled 'kill list.'

The school alerted police and interviewed the student. They found that they did not have access to weapons, and there was 'no credible threat' to safety at the 560-student grades 6-8 school, official emails show.

The student is female and identifies as male. They have been described as 'attention seeking' and 'physically large for a 7th grader.' They alternate between male and female clothes, and use the boys' locker room.

Supt. Galdston within days arranged for a 'reentry process' to return the student to class.

At a school forum, she criticized worried parents for 'shaming' the student.

Officials spoke of the need to tackle 'anti-trans and other biased behavior' in classrooms, to have 'empathy for the creator' of the list, and for the 'immediate creation of an affinity space for LGBTQIA+ families.'

This ultra-progressive approach did not wash with some parents, including DailyMail.com's two whistleblowers.

The girl-to-boy trans student named 45 of her classmates and teachers on a 'kill list'

School council member Lilly Rayman-Read called for 'empathy for the creator' of the hit list

Supt. Deanne Galdston is a 30-year veteran educator who got her qualifications at Fordham University in the 1990s

'I was outraged to learn that the school not only waited to notify parents but also had this student back in school the following week,' said the worried mom.

'We have no faith in the school anymore and have looked to send my child to a private school, where I know these types of incidents will not be treated so lightly.'

The whistleblower accused Galdston of double standards, saying: 'If a non-trans student did that, they would have been expelled.'

'It's time for Dede Galdston to step down! She's an absolute joke to the school system,' the mom added.

DailyMail.com also spoke to the first whistleblower again  the mother of one of the students who was named on the hit list.

Schools across America have struggled to handle the fast-growing number of trans-identifying students

She also called for the superintendent to step down.

'Dede Galdston's callous disregard for the safety and emotional trauma of her students that were placed on a hit list shows beyond doubt that she has failed at her job,' said the angry mom.

'Her resignation or firing is a necessary first step in healing the damage from this incident.'

Separately, DailyMail.com has obtained documents that show Galdston dodged paying more than $2,500 in taxes from 2007-2015 on a house in Union Street, Everett, on the other side of Boston.

According to real estate website Zillow, the nine-bedroom property is worth more than $1 million.

The tax-collection documents do not state why Galdston ran afoul of local rules.

Galdston and Matthew McCarthy, a school spokesman, declined to comment on the unpaid taxes and the new whistleblower claims.

McCarthy has said there have been no incidents since the hit list was uncovered in January.

In previous emails, he referred to questions about whether 'staff acted properly or improperly' or were 'striking the right balance or the wrong balance' over classroom safety.

'There have been no incidents since January and this matter has been closed since then,' he added.

Watertown's classroom debacle was uncovered by a public records request to see school emails, made by the Parents Defending Education (PDE), a conservative watchdog.

The revelations come amid growing fears about trans violence in America's classrooms.

Pennbrook Middle School in Pennsylvania is reeling this week after a 13-year-old trans student used a metal Stanley mug to violently beat a fellow 12-year-old student in the head until blood spurted out.

Transgender 28-year-old Audrey Hale last year killed three children and three adults at her former school in Nashville, Tennessee.

A legal battle to release her suicide note and other writings has yet to be resolved.

Campaigners say that schools have a duty to help trans students by affirming their identity changes and tackling bullying.

Conservatives warn of a fad and say schools should stick to teaching kids how to read and write.

On this frontline in the culture wars, parents, students, and teachers have to make tough calls about rising rates of transgenderism, mental health issues, peer pressure, bullying, and whether affirmation-on-demand is the best answer.
A former Labour justice minister has been charged over an alleged Covid-19 fraud involving the testing company he led.

Shahid Malik, 56, is one of five people accused of fraudulently running the testing firm RT Diagnostics by lying to UK authorities to be approved for Covid testing, providing testing kits that breached regulations and giving fake test results to consumers.

Malik, a former Dewsbury Labour MP and minister in Gordon Browns government, was Chairman of the lab testing company when it was founded during the pandemic in March 2021.

He is now facing a crown court criminal trial after West Yorkshire Trading Standards charged him, four colleagues and the company over Covid testing.

Dewsbury-based RT Diagnostics has been charged with 11 offences, including engaging in an aggressive trading practice.

Shahid Malik, 56, is one of five people accused of fraudulently running the testing firm RT Diagnostics by lying to UK authorities to be approved for Covid testing

The company allegedly called a consumer late in the evening and stated they would receive a refund if they removed any negative posts online first.

It allegedly misled the public by claiming that all test results would be sent to consumers within 24 hours and failed to establish that its Covid-19 testing kits complied with safety regulations.

Malik of Burnley, Lancashire, has been charged with causing a public nuisance. He is said to have provided a testing service for Covid-19 using premises and a laboratory that were inadequate and by telling lies to begin approved testing.

He faces a second charge of carrying on business with intent to defraud creditors. Details of the offence state RT Diagnostics used a laboratory that was inadequate for Covid testing, a process not approved for Covid testing and providing test kits that did not comply with regulations.

A third offence was that he concealed, disguised, converted, transferred or removed criminal property. This charge was brought under the Proceeds of Crime Act and relates to revenue from the allegedly fraudulent business.

The company failed to establish that its Covid-19 testing kits complied with safety regulations

Malik, a former Dewsbury Labour MP and minister in Gordon Browns government, was Chairman of the lab testing company (Pictured: Mailk with former chancellor Alistair Darling)

Faisal Shoukat, 37, of Halifax, West Yorkshire, a director of the company and Labour councillor, has been charged with the same three offences.

Lynn Connell, 62, of Ripponden, West Yorkshire, Paul Moore, 54, of Burnley, and Alexander Zarneh, 69, of Halifax, have been charged with causing a public nuisance and carrying on a business with intent to defraud creditors.

The offences faced by the five relate to the period between March and September 2021.

Connell, Shoukat and Zarneh pleaded not guilty to the charges when they appeared before Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court last week. Malik and Moore gave no indication of plea.

The case will come before the judge at Bradford Crown Court next month.

RT Diagnostics was one of hundreds of firms that won government approval to sell PCR tests to international travellers during the pandemic.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has scrapped her plans to appear at Harvard University on Tuesday after losing the support of nearly a dozen student groups in the wake of her decision to shut down the Emerson college Gaza solidarity encampment.

Wu confirmed Sunday that she'd canceled her appearance after 11 student organizations opted out of co-sponsoring the event.

The school's paper, the Harvard Crimson, reported that internal text messages among group leaders condemned Wu's decision to send Boston police to break up the anti-Israel encampment at Emerson college last Thursday morning.

'As an organization we do not support any threats or violations to freedom of expression and peaceful protests and wanted to thank you guys for bringing this issue to light,' one of the student event organizers told the Crimson.

Wu, a progressive leader of the city, graduated from Harvard in 2007.

Progressive Boston Mayor Michelle Wu (pictured) was scrapped as a speaker at Harvard University - her alma mater - this week after her decision to eliminate a pro-Palestinian encampment established by Emerson college students

At Harvard, as at many colleges around the country, a meaningful faction of students has aligned themselves with the Palestinian cause and have, as a result, been disrupting campus life and activity in protest of the war

Following the students' rejection of her appearance, she released a statement explaining that her busy schedule generally keeps her away from such events and so she was quite looking forward to the Harvard address.

'This event had been scheduled after receiving requests from several Harvard student organizations over the course of the school year to visit campus for a conversation about my personal and professional experiences,' began the statement from her office.

'I hardly ever leave Boston, even to go across the river, given my responsibilities as Mayor and all the demands on my time in the city - but I try to make some time each year to give back and engage with students looking to learn more about the realities of government and politics today.

'When I was on campus as a student, I benefited so much from attending speaker events to ask questions and engage directly with visitors bringing a wide range of perspectives.

'Id fully planned to engage in discussion with students about ongoing events and news, and to welcome their feedback, but I respect their preferences to use our time elsewhere and wish everyone well with the end of the school year.'

Last Friday, Wu made remarks about her decision to take down the Emerson encampment due to public safety concerns.

'The commissioner and I jointly agreed that the growing encampment needed to be removed in order to address the public safety and fire hazards that it presented,' she said in a statement.

The commissioner oversaw the arrest of at least 108 individuals who were violating city ordinances by participating in the encampment.

At Emerson college in Boston, MA last week, protestors set up their encampment in a way that endangered public safety, Wu and her city commissioner determined

Early last Thursday morning, police officers arrived to clear the encampment. At least 108 people were arrested. Here, an encampment at Harvard University is shown

Wu has been a controversially progressive leader of Boston, often becoming involved in race-based issues that have led to significant negative press for her and her office

Nonetheless, her progressive values are not enough for current college students who do not wish to associate with someone not in absolute support of the Palestinian cause. Seen here, the Palestinian flies above a statue of John Harvard on the university's main campus

Late last year, Wu's office created a media frenzy when it was discovered that it would be hosting an 'electeds of color' Christmas party.

The mayor accidentally invited all staffers - including white ones - to the event, before rescinding the invitation and sticking to a people of color only guest list.

Following former Harvard president Claudine Gay's forced resignation after a botched job handling post-October 7 campus activity, Wu's name was floated as a possible replacement option for the university leader.

Wu earned two degrees from Harvard, but eventually stated publicly that she was not up for the job. She had publicly backed Gay during her battle to keep her job, indicating in a number of statements that Gay was being unjustly targeted because of her identity.
Wealthy white Baton Rouge residents have won a decade-long court battle to split from poorer neighborhoods and form their own city with plans for better schools and less crime.

The Louisiana Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the new City of St George could move forward with incorporation, splitting off from the rest of Baton Rouge.

St George will have 86,000 residents across a 60-square-mile area in the southeast of East Baton Rouge Parish and will have its own Mayor and city council.

Supporters of the new city say that the existing city-parish government is poorly run, with high crime rates and bad schools.

Opponents say the movement is 'racist' and will create a 'white enclave' as it separates a wealthy area of the city from the majority Black city and school district.

St George will have 86,000 residents across a 60-square-mile area in the southeast of East Baton Rouge Parish

St George (right) will become a separate city to Baton Rouge

Campaign leader, Norman Browning (pictured with his family) told The New York Times: 'I look forward to our ability to build an efficient, productive and vibrant city.'

Leader of an anti-St George campaign group, M.E. Cormier, told the New York Times: 'There is no basis in fact that the existence of St. George is positive or will bring positivity or have a positive impact on any areas of the cities or the parish.'

Plans for St George started nearly 15 years ago when residents decided they would like to start their own school district.

Their plans then grew more ambitious and in 2015 they drew up a proposal to create their own city.

The proposal didn't get enough votes and the movement ground to a halt until 2019, when a second ballot to incorporate St George passed, with 54 percent of residents voting in favor of separation.

A lengthy court battle followed, with Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and Mayor Pro Tem Lamont Cole suing St. George organizers soon after the election.

They argued that St George would siphon over $48 million in annual tax revenue from the city-parish government with serious knock-on effects for local services and staff.

They claimed that the loss in revenue would mean services would have to be cut and employees laid off and that St George's proposed internal budget was inaccurate and that they would not be able to be self-sufficient.

Lower courts in Louisiana supported Baton Rouge's arguments, and shot down the proposed new city.

But now the state's Supreme Court has overruled their decisions, saying that the internal budget is balanced and will be able to provide public services, meaning St George can incorporate.

Critics of the St. George proposal argue that it would create a poor, black, and urban Baton Rouge and a wealthy, white, and suburban St. George.

Posting on Facebook, resident Sarah Stelly wrote: 'St George reeks of class division, it's quickly becoming the new worst type of bigotry.'

Another resident, Paul Brady, wrote: 'The segregationist won. I'm no longer a citizen of Baton Rouge. I now live in the white enclave of St George.'

Leader of an anti-St George campaign group, M.E. Cormier, told the New York Times: 'There is no basis in fact that the existence of St. George is positive or will bring positivity or have a positive impact on any areas of the cities or the parish.

'The detanglement, logistically speaking, is going to be an absolute nightmare.'

But Andrew Murrell, a leader of the St George project, told the paper: 'This is the culmination of citizens exercising their constitutional rights.

'Now we begin the process of delivering on our promises of a better city.'

Fellow campaign leader, Norman Browning told The Times: 'I look forward to our ability to build an efficient, productive and vibrant city while contributing to a thriving East Baton Rouge Parish.'

After Hurricane Katrina, the city of Baton Rouge accepted over 200,000 displaced New Orleans residents, the majority of whom were black and settled in the northern, urban parts of the city

The split campaign emerged out of the ashes of a failed campaign to create a new school district by the wealthy, predominantly white residents of southern Baton Rouge

A 2014 study by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber found that the effects of the partition would be economically devastating for the remainder of Baton Rouge, immediately creating a $53 million budget shortfall.

The study also raised concerns as to whether the remaining portions of Baton Rouge, Louisianas state capital, would be able to support public services despite the loss of tax revenue.

As the tables below shows projected figures for St. George would create a town with an average income $30,000 higher than present day Baton Rouge, while the unemployment rate would be halved.
Top Republicans are demanding that Joe Biden's campaign cease its 'dangerous' use of TikTok after many lawmakers, top presidential advisors and security officials have warned of its national security threats.

Biden's re-election campaign joined TikTok in February and has posted countless videos about the president, often using social media trends and lingo to draw in support from younger voters who use the app.

But last week Biden signed a law passed by Congress requiring ByteDance - TikTok's Chinese parent company - to sell the app within a year or face a ban in the U.S. over privacy concerns.

Still, the president's campaign does not want to stop using the social media.

'We would be silly to write off any place where people are getting information about the president,' the Biden campaign's deputy manager Rob Flaherty has said of their use of the app.

Now, Republicans are responding to the campaign, calling its decision to remain on TikTok concerning and hypocritical.

A bill targeting TikTok's ownership was introduced in early March and later breezed through the House. Last week, the Senate passed a nearly identical version of the bill and President Joe Biden signed it into law. The TikTok bill forces ByteDance - the app's Chinese owner - to sell the app within a year or have it banned in the U.S.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, sent a letter to Joe Biden Monday urging him to suspend his campaign's use of TikTok, saying his decision to remain on the app is concerning and dangerous given its notable connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

'The national security threats TikTok poses are grave,' Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, wrote in a letter sent to Biden first obtained by DailyMail.com. 'We should not need to remind you why your campaigns use of TikTok is dangerous.'

'Until TikTok is out of CCP hands, we call on you to suspend your TikTok account.'

'Leadership starts at the very top, and we hope you can set a good example to the many Americans using TikTok by suspending the use of this application until we know for sure that it is safe for use.'

The letter was so-signed by Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas.

After a year researching concerns posed by TikTok, the bipartisan House China Select Committee introduced a bill in March to separate the app from the Chinese company ByteDance.

The lawmakers claimed the app is being used to spy on Americans and that valuable data on TikTok's 170 million U.S. users is accessible to Chinese officials within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Further, the group revealed that ByteDance officials could manipulate the app's algorithm - thought to be one of the best in social media - to display content to Americans that could impact society and the upcoming November elections.

'CCP spyware is living rent-free in the phones of millions of Americans,' Ernst wrote on X. 'Its past time to end the national security risk of TikTok.'

And Biden administration officials have said the same thing: TikTok poses a major threat to the U.S.

'We are concerned, as every American ought to be concerned, about data security and what ByteDance and what the Chinese Communist Party can do with the information they can glean off of Americans' use of the application,' John Kirby, the White House national security communications advisor, said March 17.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also raised the question of whether 'we want the data from TikTok, children's data, and adults' data, to be staying here in America or going to China?'

That TikTok can and has been used to spy on American politicians and their families - like Biden's - was also was laid bare in Ernst's letter.

Joe Biden's campaign remains using the TikTok app despite the president signing a law last week that could ban the app in the U.S.

'TikTok has a proven track record of spying on U.S. citizens,' Ernst wrote to Biden. 'China-based ByteDance executives used TikTok to spy on American journalists reporting on the application's CCP ties.'

'ByteDance employees reportedly even had access to a search tool allowing them to access the friends list of U.S. politicians and their familiesincluding members of your own family.'

Senators who are on TikTok Sen. Cory Booker, New Jersey Sen. John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, Pennsylvania Sen. Sherrod Brown, Ohio Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, New York Sen. Ed Markey, Massachussetts Sen Chris Murphy, Connectitcut Sen. Patty Murray, Washington Sen. Jon Ossoff, Georgia Sen. Bernie Sanders, Vermont Advertisement

Despite the long laundry list of concerns with the platform many lawmakers remain on the app that is effective at getting their message out to younger voters.

Top Democrats Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey, John Fetterman and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Kristen Gillibrand of New York, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Patty Murray of Washington and Jon Ossoff of Georgia all have verified TikTok accounts.

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont also has a verified account.

Conversely, not a single Republican senator has a verified TikTok account.

Out of all of the aforementioned senators with TikTok accounts, only Sanders and Merkley voted against the potential TikTok ban last week.

Notable Democrats in the House like Reps. Alexandria-Ocasio Cortez, N.Y., Ilhan Omar, Minn., Rashida Tlaib, Mich., Cori Bush, Mo., Maxwell Frost, Fla., Adam Schiff, Calif., Barbara Lee, Calif., Bennie Thompson, Miss., and Ayana Pressley, Mass., also all have verified TikTok accounts.

Thompson even has a profile despite his influential role as the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee.

'TikTok is a national security threat, plain and simple,' Nehls told DailyMail.com in a statement.

'Despite signing legislation into law acknowledging this fact, Joe Bidens presidential campaign continues to use TikTok, blatantly ignoring the grave concerns his own administrations officials have raised.'

'Its obvious Joe Biden is putting politics over the safety of the American people by keeping his campaign TikTok account active.'

The White House and Joe Biden's campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rishi Sunak warned that young people are becoming 'trapped' on disability benefits when they 'ought to be in their prime of their lives' today as the government unveiled its latest attack on the long-term sick.

Mr Sunak spoke out ahead of a consultation on altering the benefit system to get people with 'mild' mental health issues back to work instead of giving them money.

They will be told to get therapy and crack on under plans to be outlined this afternoon as ministers seek to reduce the 3.5million disability benefits bill.

The changes would also see recipients of personal independence payments (PIP), the main disability benefit, given vouchers instead of regular cash payments under a clampdown on 'sick note culture'.

Speaking in Essex today Mr Sunak insisted people suffering from mental ill-health should receive the support they needed, but should also not be told they could not work at all.

During a 'PM Connect' event at DHL in Stanford-le-Hope, Mr Sunak said he was particularly concerned by the significant rise in younger people who 'ought to be in the prime of their lives' but were now 'trapped on benefits'.

Pointing to forecasts that suggest the overall cost of PIP could rise by 50 per cent over the next four years, he added: 'That's why I've set out the most comprehensive reforms to our welfare system that we've seen in a while, that will do a range of different things.

'We're going to actually look at the whole fit-note/sick-note system that is just routinely signing everyone off as sick and not thinking actually can people do some work.'

However he came under immediate attack from Labour, with leader Sir Keir Starmer saying the proposed changes were 'slightly farcical'.

'The scheme they now say isn't working is their scheme,' he said. 'They designed it and put it in place and now 14 years later they say it's not working so there's an element of farce to it but obviously we'll look at the details when they come.'

Mr Sunak spoke out ahead of a consultation on altering the benefit system to get people with 'mild' mental health issues back to work instead of giving them money.

Speaking in Essex today Mr Sunak insisted people suffering from mental ill-health should receive the support they needed, but should also not be told they could not work at all.

However he came under immediate attack from Labour, with leader Sir Keir Starmer saying the proposed changes were 'slightly farcical'.

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Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is set to announce plans to overhaul the way disability benefits work in a statement to the Commons on Monday, with proposals aimed at providing 'more tailored support in line with their needs'.

The consultation comes as part of what the government claims is the largest overhaul to the system in a generation, which could see people receive vouchers instead of regular monthly payments.

It is the latest government attempt to reduce the number of people in the UK who are registered as long-term sick and unable to work. Last week Mr Sunak announced a clampdown on 'sicknote culture' with changes to the way people are signed off.

Mr Stride suggested that some people who were labelled as having 'serious mental health conditions' were simply struggling with 'the kind of ups and downs of life that is part of the human condition'.

'We all have challenges in our life,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'Work being right at the centre of people's lives is something that is really good for mental health.'

However, concerns may be raised about the length of time patients wait for treatment amid NHS backlogs.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is set to announce plans to overhaul the way disability benefits work in a statement to the Commons on Monday, with proposals aimed at providing 'more tailored support in line with their needs'.

Mr Stride today suggested that some people who were labelled as having 'serious mental health conditions' were simply struggling with 'the kind of ups and downs of life that is part of the human condition'.

NHS data published earlier this month found that almost a third (32.2 per cent) of patients were waiting more than the 18-week benchmark to start mental health treatment in February, with 8 per cent waiting almost a year.

In a Green Paper due to be published alongside Mr Stride's statement, ministers will set out plans to reform personal independence payments (PIP), the main disability benefit, through changes to eligibility criteria and assessments.

The plans, which will be consulted on over the coming months, also include proposals to 'move away from a fixed cash benefit system', meaning people with some conditions will no longer receive regular payments but rather improved access to treatment if their condition does not involve extra costs.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Stride suggested this would mean people with 'milder mental health conditions' would no longer receive financial support.

But Labour's Ellie Reeves told Sky News the government plans were 'a consultation rather than actually any firm proposals to get to grips with this issue, which has happened on their watch'.

The three key changes set to be included in the Green Paper are:

changing PIP eligibility criteria to better reflect how conditions affect a claimant's daily life;

making the PIP assessment more closely linked to someone's condition, including removing assessments entirely for some conditions supported by medical evidence;

moving away from a fixed cash benefit for some conditions, providing either one-off grants for specific costs such as home adaptation, or ensuring access to 'alternative means of support'.

Sunak said Monday's Green Paper marked 'the next chapter of our welfare reforms' that would make the benefits system 'fairer to the taxpayer, better targeted to individual needs and harder to exploit'.

He said: 'It's clear that our disability benefits system isn't working in the way it was intended, and we're determined to reform it to ensure it's sustainable for the future, so we can continue delivering support to those who genuinely need it most.'

The Prime Minister announced his plans for a crackdown on benefits today ahead of a predicted bruising week for the Tories in the local elections on Thursday.

A government source said the reforms were not about 'making the safety net less generous, but PIP is a blunt and increasingly unsustainable benefit'.

Mr Sunak gave a major speech earlier this month in which he pledged to crack down on the country's 'sick note culture', insisting normal 'life worries' are not a reason to be signed off.

The plans will be presented to the House of Commons tomorrow by the Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride. The proposals in a green paper will then go out for consultation.

Within them it will suggest those who have long-term serious conditions should not be reassessed for PIP.

A government source told The Telegraph: 'By the end of the decade the bill will have more than doubled since Covid, to over 30 billion. So we need a proper conversation about whether the current approach is best supporting the rising caseload, particularly those with mental health conditions.

'We owe it to those who need the help the most to ensure the system is sustainable and working for them, including by providing extra support for those with the most severe conditions.'

Official figures have showed disability benefits for anxiety and depression have surged up to 200-fold over the last decade.

Almost 1.6billion is dished out per year on PIP for the two mental health conditions, according to data from Department for Work and Pensions.

For comparison, the figure stood at 7.5million when it was introduced in 2013.

Official forecasts also show spending on ill health through the same scheme is set to spiral to 33billion by 2029  compared to just under 19bn last year.

Experts warned that a greater awareness and 'changing attitudes' to mental health conditions could be behind the rise.

Estimates produced by the IFS think-tank suggest one in ten of the working-age population is currently receiving health-related handouts

Under the PIP scheme, recipients in need of help due to illness, disability or mental health problem can get up to 172 per week.

READ MORE: Disability benefits for anxiety and depression have risen 200-FOLD in a decade Advertisement

The system was introduced in April 2013 and in the first year, 7.5million was dished out to people for anxiety or depressive disorders.

It is intended to help people living with long-term illness, disability or mental health conditions to live a more independent life, by covering extra costs that their ailment incurs.

Mr Sunak stressed earlier this month he did not want to make the system less generous for those who genuinely needed support, but would not 'let down' Brits by refusing to tackle the issue for fear of 'causing offence'.

'The situation as it is is economically unsustainable,' he said. 'We can't afford such a spiralling increase in the welfare bill.'

The intervention came as the IFS think-tank estimated that 4.2million working age people are currently claiming at least one health-related benefit. That is equivalent to one in 10 of the population in that age band, and up from 3.2million in 2019.

The plans will be presented to the House of Commons by the Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride

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Strikingly, that level is predicted to spike even further, potentially hitting 5.8million by 2028-29 if the post-Covid trends continue.

Separate official figures released this week revealed that 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 2.8million.

PIP is aimed at helping with extra living costs if someone has a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability, and has difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of that.

But Mr Sunak said that since 2019, the number of people claiming PIP citing anxiety or depression as their main condition has doubled, and it is 'not clear they have the same degree of increased living costs as those with physical conditions'.

He described the system as being 'undermined' as people are 'asked to make subjective and unverifiable claims about their capability'.

Scope's director of strategy, James Taylor, has previously accused the Government of proposing to 'slash disabled people's income by hitting PIP' in a cost-of-living crisis, branding the suggestion 'horrific'.
A number of policy pledges that President Yoon Suk Yeol announced in the run-up to this month's general elections were identical to campaign pledges of the ruling party, a civic group claimed Monday, accusing Yoon of violating political neutrality.

Activists from the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy made the claim as they appeared at a police station for questioning over a complaint they filed against Yoon on charges of interference with the elections in violation of political neutrality.

The group claimed that Yoon held 21 debate sessions with residents about livelihood issues while travelling around the country and announced pork-barrel policies to woo voters without taking into account the necessary budget to execute them.

"It cannot but be seen as an attempt to give advantages to ruling party candidates by churning out vote-catching policy pledges ahead of the elections," said Choi Yong-moon, head of the group's administration monitoring center.

"The president's livelihood debate sessions represent a violation of the public official's duty to maintain political neutrality and an act affecting the results of the elections," he added.

The civic group also said they plan to hand over additional documents as evidence that the policies proposed by the president were to a great extent similar to the pledges made by ruling party candidates.

Police said they assigned the case to the public crime investigation unit. (Yonhap)
Stark new images have revealed dozens of tents sprawling through Dublin streets - with UK and Irish ministers embroiled in an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

The string of makeshift accommodation, seen this morning stretching around the International Protection Office and continuing along the road, has been dubbed a 'tent city' by the Irish Examiner, which reported there are roughly 1,700 homeless asylum seekers currently in Ireland.

The tents, packed tightly together with minimal personal space, have no access to sanitary facilities with migrants telling reporters earlier this month they were forced to use an open toilet in the corner of the camp.

A large group of the migrants were moved to another location in south Dublin earlier this month but later returned because the conditions there were reportedly even worse.

Several of their tents sported scrawled messages that read 'we are not subhuman' and 'homes for all'.

It comes as UK Government ministers today flatly rejected Dublin's demands to take back asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland.

People walking past tents housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office, in Dublin

Ireland's justice minister Helen McEntee last week claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the state is now 'higher than 80%' following a shift in migration patterns in recent months

Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year

Tents housing asylum seekers near to the Office of International Protection, in Dublin

Homeless asylum seekers scrawl messages on the side of their tents

Claims that the majority of asylum seekers entering Ireland had crossed the border from Northern Ireland have been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations

The Republic has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to pass new laws to facilitate returns of migrants, after the country's courts declared the UK cannot be classed as 'safe' due to the pact with the African state.

However, a spokesman for Rishi Sunak today suggested that the Prime Minister would ignore any new law, saying: 'Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who it does or does not accept into the country.

'We are not going to start accepting returns from the EU, just as France doesn't accept returns from the UK.'

The spat comes as Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

The Republic remains part of the European Union, which has blocked British attempts to resolve the Channel crisis with a returns agreement to France.

In a sign of the rising tensions, Dublin had been talking up a meeting between justice minister Helen McEntee and Home Secretary James Cleverly in London today.

However, Mr Cleverly has stepped aside due to other engagements, and Ms McEntee has now pulled out. As a result foreign minister Micheal Martin hold talks with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris instead.
The former mayor of a cathedral city smothered his dying mother with a pillow to 'end her suffering', a court heard yesterday.

'Upstanding' ex-councillor David McLean is accused of attempted murder after he is said to have covered the 92 year old's face with a cushion and said the words 'Sorry, Mum'.

McLean, who served as Mayor of Winchester from 2017 to 2018, said he had shown 'compassion' to Margaret McLean as he 'could not live with myself' watching her suffer on her deathbed at home.

It was also heard that although Mrs McLean died 'at or around the time' of the smothering in October 2022, prosecutors only allege the 72-year-old's actions were attempted murder because her condition was so grave she could have died at any time.

McLean, who served as Mayor of Winchester from 2017 to 2018, said he had shown 'compassion' to Margaret McLean as he 'could not live with myself' watching her suffer on her deathbed at home

Mrs McLean had been bed-bound for 'a number of years' at her home in Waltham Chase, near Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire (above)

Mrs McLean had been bed-bound for 'a number of years' at her home in Waltham Chase, near Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire.

She suffered from a string of health problems that meant she could not communicate and had not had a 'lucid conversation' in 18 months.

Mrs McLean was visited four times a day by carers and in her final days it was heard her condition rapidly deteriorated due to a Covid-19 infection with pneumonia.

Married McLean, who had power of attorney over his mother, was called by carers to be by her side as her death was imminent. He claimed she had a 'do not resuscitate form'.

Prosecutor Jodie Mittell told Winchester Crown Court McLean said his intention 'was to end her suffering'.

Opening the three-week trial, Ms Mittell told jurors: 'On any view this is a sad case; the defendant is an upstanding member of the community, someone of impeccably good character.

'He was formerly the Mayor of Winchester.

'On the evening of October 6, 2022, for reasons you may have some sympathy with, he tried to end his elderly mother's life. Margaret was 92 and she was dying.

'She was on end of life care.

'Sadly he [McLean] tried to speed up his mother's demise with a pillow. He attempted to smother her.'

When police arrived at Mrs McLean's home, McLean is said to have told officers 'I passed my mother into the next world'

Ms Mittell said 'guilt-ridden' McLean called 111 and confessed what he had done then subsequently repeatedly told police officers he had killed his mother - even calling himself a 'murderer'.

Ms Mittell said: 'He said he never set out to kill her but that his mother was dead. He explained that she was 92, she was dying and that he helped her.'

When police arrived at Mrs McLean's home, McLean is said to have told officers 'I passed my mother into the next world'.

Ms Mittell said 'he obviously at that stage believed what he done caused his mother's death' and that he 'loved his mother' and explained why he acted in that way.

At a police station in Portsmouth, McLean told officers he 'used the black cushion' to smother his mother after she had been 'gurgling in her chest and screaming'.

He said: 'I can't remember where the cushion came from but I can remember putting it over her face and saying 'Sorry, Mum'.'

MPS were yesterday due to debate an assisted dying petition backed by Dame Esther Rantzen - after it gained more than 200,000 signatures.

But Mrs Justice McGowan told jurors to disregard the debate, saying it has nothing to do with the trial and was just a 'coincidence'.

McLean, from Bishop's Waltham, denies attempted murder.

The case continues.
A sleuth of black bears has invaded a California town, breaking into homes, running through stores and even opening car doors in search of food.

The daily invasions are taking place inside the unincorporated community of Pine Mountain Club, a secluded area hidden in the San Emigdio Mountains in southwestern Kern County, California.

The area that is surrounded by thousands of lush acres of private woodland - located within the Los Padres National Forest, has put the residents in the small town of 2,315, according to a 2010 census - on edge.

Resident Ian Soring has had to use his stun gun to chase away these unwelcome guests many times and is now using special wire on his property to deter the beasts.

He told NBC Nightly News that 'it is out of control.'

Since July 2023, there have been more than 560 bear related invasions compared to the year prior when bear invasions were at 319.

These brazen bears are out looking for food in broad daylight in Pine Mountain Club, a secluded area hidden in the San Emigdio Mountains in southwestern Kern County, California

Resident Ian Soring tells Elwyn Lopez of NBC Nightly News that the bear invasions are 'out of control'

A black bear is seen entering the local supermarket as one of the store employees pictured (left) stands in fright

Shocking video shows one of the beasts opening up the door of a Volkswagen Jetta, while another is seen climbing over the closed fence onto a porch.

One brazen bear is captured running from a home in broad daylight through the woods in the Pine Mountain Club community.

The bear was on Soring's property and video shows him pointing his stun gun to chase away the massive predator, yelling: 'Get out! Get out!'

Another resident is overhead saying: 'this one doesn't even care that I am here,' as she watches the bear walk along her property.

One time, Soring said, he caught a bear in his kitchen opening the refrigerator.

'I asked who was in the kitchen and the bear replied with a lengthy sturdy growl,' he recalled.

'I just hit that stun gun and that electrified sound made the bear jump straight out of the window he came in.'

A bear is seen walking out of the patio doors

Soring is seen on video using his stun gun to chase the bear off his property

A black bear is caught on surveillance climbing over the fence of a patio

A bear is captured going into a parked Volkswagen Jetta

Stan Enzgo, whose job it is to scare off bears who infiltrate and cause havoc on private property, goes on bear patrol each night.

In one video clip, he is seen shining his flashlight onto the bears and is heard saying: 'Hey what are you guys doing?' as he steps out of his vehicle and the two bears run away.

The significant rise in black bear invasions may be due to the catastrophic wildfires and flooding that has forced bears out of their natural habitat into areas where human folk are, experts believe.

In many areas across the nation, bears have been spotted in supermarkets, cars, lurking in trash bins, anywhere they can find food. Some have even been spotted taking a dip in a swimming pool.

Todd Greisen, Pine Mountain Club Property Owners Association, told the news outlet, that many of the residents of Pine Mountain Club were welcoming these predators with open arms.

Soring captured a bear ravaging through his refrigerator before he had to use a stun gun to chase him off

'We've got a few residents who think it is their job to feed the bears, so they contribute to the problem,' he said.

'We are working with the authorities to deal with that.'

Homeowners are trying to protect themselves by boarding up their windows, and doors hoping to deter the dangerous animals.

However, not everyone is certain these deterrents will work.

One female resident said, 'we are anticipating it getting much, much worse. This is our new reality.'

Meanwhile, Soring told the news outlet he is planning to put up electrical wiring all over his property. He said, 'I love our wildlife, but I also love my home and my family.'
Rishi Sunak deepened Britain's row with Ireland over migrants today, saying he was 'not interested' in doing a deal to take back those who fled across the Northern Irish border.

The UK is involved in a diplomatic spat after Dublin voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island of Ireland to avoid being deported to Rwanda.

The Irish Government has threatened to bring in a law allowing migrants to be sent back to the UK, as the current legislation says Britain is unsafe because of the scheme to fly them to East Africa from the summer.

No10 today said that Ireland could not force the Uk to take them back and compared the situation with France refusing to take back those arriving in southern England in small boats.

Asked today about a deal with Dublin on returns, Mr Sunak told ITV News: 'We're not interested in that. We're not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesn't accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

'Of course we're not going to do that.'

Asked whether there were any negotiations with the EU on returns, he said: 'No, I'm focused on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running.'

At the same time the Northern Ireland Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, said that the fact that people were fleeing the UK was an indication the Rwanda scheme was already working as a deterrent.

Asked today about a deal with Dublin on returns, Mr Sunak told ITV News: 'We're not interested in that.'

At the same time the Northern Ireland Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, said that the fact that people were fleeing the UK was an indication the Rwanda scheme was already working as a deterrent.

In a sign of the rising tensions, Dublin had been talking up a meeting between justice minister Helen McEntee and Home Secretary James Cleverly in London today. However, Mr Cleverly has stepped aside due to other engagements, and Ms McEntee later pulled out. As a result foreign minister Micheal Martin held talks with Mr Heaton-Harris instead.

Mr Heaton-Harris suggested he was 'comfortable' with the Irish Government's proposed legislation, which he said was just resetting the legal position following an Irish High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe country.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to pass new laws to facilitate returns of migrants, after the country's courts declared the UK cannot be classed as 'safe' due to the pact with the African state.

However, a spokesman for Rishi Sunak today suggested that the Prime Minister would ignore any new law, saying: 'Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who it does or does not accept into the country. We are not going to start accepting returns from the EU, just as France doesn't accept returns from the UK.'

The spat comes comes as Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

The Republic remains part of the European Union, which has blocked British attempts to resolve the Channel crisis with a returns agreement to France.

In a sign of the rising tensions, Dublin had been talking up a meeting between justice minister Helen McEntee and Home Secretary James Cleverly in London today.

However, Mr Cleverly has stepped aside due to other engagements, and Ms McEntee has now pulled out. As a result foreign minister Micheal Martin held talks with Mr Heaton-Harris instead.

Mr Heaton-Harris told a press conference that the UK has been told throughout Brexit that immigration was something to be dealt with by 'the EU as a whole', not with individual countries.

Labour's David Lammy said it is 'way too premature' to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

'I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, I'm afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel,' the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

'I think it's way too premature to say now that we've seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. That's just not going to be the case.'

Mr Lammy also called for a 'co-ordinated agreement' with European countries, rather than a 'whack-a-mole situation' where compromises are made with individual states as they raise complaints.

An Irish government plan to send asylum seekers back to Britain was met with a point-blank refusal last night. Irish justice minister Helen McEntee (pictured) has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland

Rishi Sunak told Sky News the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'

In a round of interviews this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride underlined Rishi Sunak's view that the row shows the Rwanda policy is already working - even though the first flights are months away.

'We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK,' Mr Stride said. 'What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works.'

Former Cabinet minister David Jones told MailOnline that even if migrants were returned to Belfast they could simply cross into Ireland again due to the century-old Common Travel Area.

'They may start to understand why we think Rwanda is a good idea,' Mr Jones said.

Ms McEntee has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland.

Last week she vowed to introduce 'fast processing' in a bid to deal with the influx of people claiming refuge.

'My focus as minister for justice is making sure that we have an effective immigration structure and system,' she said.

'That's why I'll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK, and that's why I'll be meeting the Home Secretary [James Cleverly] to raise these issues on Monday.'

However, the British Home Secretary has cancelled that meeting, saying that he has a diary clash, with the Government instead being represented today by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary.

Conservative MPs expressed incredulity at Dublin's proposals. Sir John Redwood said 'it takes my breath away' that Ireland wants a 'closed border' with Northern Ireland 'having said it was crucial to the Good Friday Agreement and to the post- Brexit settlement'.

He added: 'As Britain has always been told, we cannot send migrants back to France and so how on earth do they think they could send migrants back to the UK?

'Are they going to arrest these people and put them in handcuffs and take them in vans across the border, and then why wouldn't they just walk back again?'

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: 'There is a certain amount of irony in Ireland seeking to return migrants to the UK who may have originally arrived from France in a Channel crossing.

'I hope the Irish government will talk to their fellow EU member state about further action to stop people getting on small boats in the first place.

'Clearly we all need to work together to solve this problem.'

While David Davis, ex-Brexit secretary, said: 'This is a Europe-wide issue and until Europe controls its borders then it's going to be difficult for any of their constituent countries to do it.

'But secondly, the issue they are facing has arisen directly as a result of their insistence on a so-called open border between the north and the south. Had they taken some of the other routes that I suggested, for one, then we would have a way of controlling it, but as it stands we don't.'

Detailing Ireland's plans, Taoiseach Simon Harris said it would be 'quite appropriate' for his country to send asylum seekers back to Northern Ireland.

'Every country is entitled to have its own migration policy, but I certainly don't intend to allow anybody else's migration policy to affect the integrity of our own one,' he said.

'This country will not in any way, shape or form provide a loophole for anybody else's migration challenges. That's very clear.

'My colleague, the minister for justice, will now bring forward legislative proposals to the cabinet on Tuesday that will seek to put in place a new returns policy.

'We're going to await the full details of that but it's one which will effectively allow, again, people to be returned to the United Kingdom. And I think that's quite appropriate. It was always the intention.'

Ministers in the republic have pledged to unveil emergency legislation this week which would allow them to return migrants to Northern Ireland following concern over an up-tick in numbers (pictured: migrants in a boat in the Channel)

The British Home Secretary James Cleverly has cancelled a meeting with Ms McEntee, saying that he has a diary clash, with the Government instead being represented today by Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland Secretary

His deputy, Micheal Martin, has pointed the finger at the Rwanda policy, saying that migrants are leaving the UK because they are 'fearful' of being sent to the African state.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is expected to discuss the issue with the Irish foreign minister and others at a routine bilateral meeting in London today.

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker said: 'The relationship with the Irish government is fundamental and I look forward to a constructive conversation.'

Last month Ireland's High Court ruled that due to the Rwanda scheme, Britain should not have been designated a safe place to send asylum seekers back to.

This prompted the British Government to 'entirely refute' the court's conclusion. One Home Office source described it as 'absolutely absurd'.
An elderly British man who smothered his dementia-suffering wife to death in a 'mercy killing' before attempting to take his own life after believing they had 'lived too long' has been jailed for nine years in Australia.

Donald Morley, 93, suffocated his lifelong partner Jean, 92, with a pillow in their Fisher, Canberra home after they emigrated from the UK to Australia 50 years ago.

The man, who is expected to die within just six months due to the 'grievous state of health', was sentenced on Monday with a non-parole period of four-and-a-half-years over the death of his wife of 69 years in July 2023.

The sentence comes four months after Morley pleaded guilty to his wife's murder.

His barrister Jon White SC told the court that the act was a 'mercy killing' due to Mrs Morley's worsening dementia and his client's declining health.

Donald Morley, 93, (pictured with wife Jean, 92) has been sentenced to nine years in prison for killing his wife in July 2023. He had attempted suicide on the same night and in his note he said he was 'afraid of the future'

Jean Morley's, dementia had worsened and could no longer remember how to dress for bed or use appliances like a television or microwave. Mrs Morley, pictured, didn't like being apart from her husband and would complain if he left her to go to appointments

But ACT Supreme Court judge Justice David Mossop rejected the claim as he handed down the sentence on Monday.

'Murder remains murder, notwithstanding the age or infirmity of the victim or the perpetrator,' he said.

'Murder is the gravest denial of individual autonomy.'

The judge recounted how Morley suffocated his wife after they went out with friends during the day in July 2023.

They did not enjoy themselves, which Morley took as a sign they had 'reached the end', reported The Daily Telegraph.

The couple met in the UK at the age of 16, married seven years later and then moved to Australia.

Morley worked at the Royal Australian Mint while his wife was employed as an administrative assistant.

They did not have any children and the judge said they were known as a loving pair who 'did everything together'.

'The offender always used to call Jean 'my darling',' Justice Mossop told the court.

The pair's health had rapidly declined in recent years, with the judge noting Morley's own issues which included skin cancer that penetrated his skull.

Morley was hesitant to get hospital treatment because he was worried about leaving Jean alone.

His wife's dementia had worsened to the point she could no longer remember how to get dressed or how to use everyday appliances like a television or microwave.

Mrs Morley would also complain if she was left alone by her husband, the court heard.

While the Morleys had spoken about voluntary euthanasia, they had never made a suicide pact, the court heard.

Justice Mossop stressed that Jean had not asked to be killed when her husband decided their only option was death.

Jean Morley, 92, was suffocated with a pillow by her husband in July 2023

On July 29, 2023, Morley waited until his wife went to bed and at about 9pm he smothered her with a pillow for about two minutes.

The court heard that Mrs Morley 'struggled a bit', with her right arm moving up and down.

Her husband then laid awake beside her and unsuccessfully attempted to kill himself.

A nurse visited the couple's home the next morning after Morley failed to respond to her messages.

When she arrived, a distraught Morley told her that he had done 'a terrible thing'.

A suicide note was later found by the police in which Morley apologised and said he had been 'afraid of the future'.

'Please don't call this murder-suicide,' the note read.

'After 69 years married we were both afraid of the future, sorry to upset all the family plus friends.

'This wasn't easy for me, or my darling.'

Pictured: The couple's home in the Canberra suburb of Fisher where a nurse found Jean Morley's body the day after she was murdered. The couple met when they were 16, married seven years later and moved to Australia when they were 40. They did not have any children

Justice Mossop told the court it was unfortunate the married couple did not have any younger people in their lives, such as children, to help them with their challenges.

Although the judge found the murder was not motivated by malice, he said it had been 'a gross breach of trust'.

Morley has been in custody since his arrest and watched the sentencing via a video link from a Canberra hospice, where he's receiving palliative care.

He's expected to die within six months due to the 'grievous state of health'.

'It may be that he simply remains in a hospital or hospice until he dies,' Justice Mossop said.

Neighbour Judy Jones knew the Morleys for 40 years.

'They were devoted to each other. I mean they had their snappy moments, but they were devoted to each other,' she told A Current Affair.

'I think it's only a mercy killing as far as I'm concerned.

'He's done it out of compassion. Not hate. He loved her very much.'
An elderly woman is dead and her son has been arrested after her body was found inside her home.

Police were called to the home on Sandpiper Loop in Yangebup in Perth's south about 7.15am Monday where they found the the body of a woman aged in her 70s.

A 54-year-old man, believed to be the woman's son was arrested and is assisting police with their inquiries. No charges have yet been laid.

WA Police are investigating the death of a woman after her body was found inside a suburban home, in Yangebup in Perth's south

READ MORE: Celeste Manno's grieving mum erupts on The Project in scathing attack on Albo and politicians Aggie Di Mauro didn't hold back in a brutal takedown of the Prime Minister and other politicians during an emotional appearance on Channel Ten's The Project Advertisement

Homicide detectives and forensic officers remained at the scene on Monday night.

The street remained cordoned off.

The woman's death has rocked the neighbourhood, where shocked neighbours have laid flowers outside the woman's home.

It's understood the woman had lived in the area for several decades and that her husband died from cancer several years ago.

One man close to the family told The West Australian that they were 'distraught'.

Another neighbour who had known the woman for 40 years described her as 'wonderful'.

'I walked up there about a year ago and I ran out of breath and she offered me a drink of water so I could walk back down,' she said.

'I thought the world of her.'

Police investigations are ongoing.

The womans body was found hours after thousands took to the streets of Perth calling for an end to violence against women.

At least 32 women have been allegedly murdered by men in Australia so far this year.

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732.
Sir Keir Starmer today lashed out 'absolute chaos' in Scottish politics as Humza Yousaf quit as First Minister and SNP leader.

He claimed the Scottish public had been 'fundamentally let down' and called for a 'fresh start'.

The Labour leader reiterated his demand for an immediate general election, while his party insisted there should also be a snap Scottish Parliament election.

Mr Yousaf's departure as First Minister little more than a year after replacing Nicola Sturgeon in Bute House has thrown the SNP into a fresh meltdown.

But the pro-independence party's latest travails will likely be met with glee in Labour ranks as they seek to re-establish their past dominance in Scottish politics.

A revival of Labour's fortunes in Scotland has long been regarded as key to the party's chances of forming a government at Westminster again and ensuring Sir Keir becomes PM.

Earlier this month, a YouGov mega-poll projected Labour would comfortably be Scotland's largest party in terms of seats at the upcoming general election.

The MRP study, based on detailed seat-by-seat polling, found Sir Keir was set to win 28 Scottish seats at the general election compared to the SNP's 19, while the Tories and Liberal Democrats would win five each.

Such a result would be a remarkable turnaround nearly a decade on from Labour's 2015 general election performance under then-leader Ed Miliband, when they suffered a near-wipeout in Scotland.

Labour went from winning 41 out of 59 seats in Scotland at the 2010 general election to retaining just one Scottish constituency five years later.

Sir Keir Starmer lashed out 'absolute chaos' in Scottish politics as Humza Yousaf quit as First Minister and SNP leader

Mr Yousaf's departure as First Minister little more than a year after replacing Nicola Sturgeon in Bute House has thrown the SNP into a fresh meltdown

Labour went from winning 41 out of 59 seats in Scotland at the 2010 general election to retaining just one Scottish constituency five years later

Over the same period, the SNP went from winning six seats in 2010 to securing near-dominance in 2015 when they scooped 56 out of 59 Scottish constituencies.

But since their high-water mark in 2015 - the year after the Scottish independence referendum - the SNP's fortunes have suffered a gradual decline.

In 2016, the SNP lost their overall majority in the Scottish Parliament, while the 2021 Holyrood contest also saw the SNP fall one seat short of a majority.

It was the result of the 2021 Scottish Parliament election that ultimately led to Mr Yousaf's downfall.

Nicola Sturgeon negotiated a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens at Holyrood while she was first minister, but Mr Yousaf last week terminated ths deal.

This left him facing the humiliating prospect of losing no confidence votes among MSPs after the Greens turned on him.

But, before those votes could take place, he has now announced his resignation as SNP leader and First Minister.

Sir Keir branded the actions of Mr Yousaf and the SNP as 'absolute chaos' and called for a 'fresh start' in Scotland.

'I despair at the situation in Scotland  it's absolute chaos now from the Scottish Parliament, from the SNP,' the Labour leader said.

'So you've got chaos in the Scottish Parliament, chaos in the Westminster Parliament.'

He said the Scottish public have been 'fundamentally let down' and 'all the SNP can offer is chaos.'

He added: 'We've got to turn the page on this now  we need that general election and a fresh start.'

A new YouGov poll of more than 1,000 Scottish voters, conducted over the weekend before Mr Yousaf's resignation, showed Labour continued to hold a narrow lead over the SNP in Westminster voting intention.

Sir Keir's party led the SNP by 34 per cent to 33 per cent when Scots were asked who they would vote for at a general election.

But the poll revealed the SNP held a narrow lead over Labour in both constituency (36 per cent to 32 per cent) and regional (31 per cent to 28 per cent) Holyrood voting intention.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there must be a Holyrood election following Mr Yousaf's resignation.

He said: 'Scotland faces the biggest challenges since devolution but it now has a dysfunctional, chaotic and divided SNP Government.

'All this at a time when our country needs strong leadership to get us through the twin challenges of the economic crisis and the crisis in our NHS.

'The SNP are a divided party which is out of ideas and incapable of rising to the challenges Scotland faces.

'They cannot impose another unelected First Minister on Scotland in a backroom deal, the people of Scotland should decide who leads our country.

'There must be an election  it's time for change and Scottish Labour is ready to deliver it.'
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is pushing Hamas to promptly accept an 'extraordinarily generous' ceasefire proposal, saying they must describe 'quickly'.

The nation's top diplomat was in Saudi Arabia for talks after the White House continues to press Israel not to undertake what it says would be a destructive incursion into Rafah.

Israel has 'assured us that they won't go into Rafah until we've had a chance to really share our perspectives and our concerns with them,' national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC News Sunday, on a day when President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

So we'll see where that goes,' he said.

'Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel,' Blinken said as he meets leaders from around the region while attending a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept an 'extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous' ceasefire proposal that would bring the return of hostages seized by Hamas fighters during the Oct. 7 attack inside Israel

'The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly,' he said.

'I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision.'

Hamas negotiators were expected to meet Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Monday to deliver a response to the phased truce proposal which Israel presented at the weekend.

A source briefed on the talks said Israel's proposal entailed a deal for the release of fewer than 40 of the roughly 130 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza in exchange for freeing Palestinians jailed in Israel.

A second phase of a truce would consist of a 'period of sustained calm' - Israel's compromise response to a Hamas demand for a permanent ceasefire.

A total of 253 hostages were seized in a Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which about 1,200 Israelis were also killed, according to Israeli counts.

The New York Times reported Monday that Israel was prepared to settled for the release of 33 hostages, amid its belief that some of the 40 individuals have died while being held since October.

Blinken reiterated that the United States - Israel's main diplomatic supporter and weapons supplier - could not back an Israeli ground assault on Rafah if there was no plan to ensure that civilians would not be harmed

Blinken attended events at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia

Israel retaliated by imposing a total siege on Gaza and mounting an air and ground assault that has killed about 34,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

Palestinians are suffering from severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine in a humanitarian crisis brought on by the offensive that has demolished much of the territory.

Blinken's comments come after Biden phoned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to reiterate the 'clear position' on a Rafah invasion.

'The President and the Prime Minister also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza including through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week,' according to the White House readout, in just the latest public mention of the need for measures to assist civilians in Gaza.

'The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations. The leaders discussed Rafah and the President reiterated his clear position,' according to the readout.

Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who was also in Riyadh for the WEF meeting, also described the Israeli proposal as 'generous'.

It included a 40-day pause in fighting and the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners as well as Israeli hostages, he told a WEF audience.

'I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes in the world should be on them today saying 'take that deal',' Cameron said.

Cameron is among several foreign ministers in Riyadh, including from the U.S., France, Jordan and Egypt, as part of a diplomatic push to bring an end to the Gaza war.

Blinken reiterated that the United States - Israel's main diplomatic supporter and weapons supplier - could not back an Israeli ground assault on Rafah if there was no plan to ensure that civilians would not be harmed.

More than a million displaced Gaza residents are crammed into Rafah, the enclave's southernmost city, having sought refuge there from Israeli bombardments. Israel says the last Hamas fighters are holed up there and it will open an offensive to root them out soon.

Blinken also said the United States and Saudi Arabia had done 'intense work together' over the past few months towards a normalisation accord between the kingdom and Israel - a goal that has been disrupted by the Gaza war.

'To move forward with normalisation, two things will be required: calm in Gaza and a credible pathway to a Palestinian state,' he said.

In return for normalisation, Arab states are pushing for Israel to accept a pathway to Palestinian statehood on land it captured in the 1967 Middle East war - something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah also said on Monday that an accord between Washington and Riyadh over normalization was 'very, very close'.
The same Russian spy unit behind the 2018 Salisbury poisonings was behind two deadly ammunition depot blasts in the Czech Republic, an investigation has found.

The explosions near the eastern Czech village of Vrbetice in 2014 killed two workers and caused extensive damage - four years before an assassination attempt was made against former Russian agent Sergei Skripal in the English town.

Czech authorities announced back in 2021 that they had received evidence of Russian involvement in the explosions and expelled 18 Russian diplomats.

Police in the country said today they have now shelved the investigation - which was being carried out in partnership with British police - involving the Russian secret service, citing Moscow's unwillingness to cooperate.

However, the Czech National Central Office Against Organised Crime (NCOZ) said in its report that 'the police authority considers it proven that the explosions [...] were carried out by members of the Russian military intelligence, the Main Administration of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (aka the GRU).'

The same Russian spy unit behind the 2018 Salisbury poisonings was behind two deadly ammunition depot blasts in the Czech Republic, an investigation has found

Czech intelligence and media said the agents were the same ones suspected of poisoning former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England, in 2018 - Anatoliy Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin (pictured)

The pair used the same fake names they later used in the UK in the attack on the Skripals - Ruslan Boshirov [Chepiga] (left) and Alexander Petrov [Miskin] (right)

The unit's motive was to 'prevent the delivery of weapons and ammunition to the areas where the Russian army was conducting its operations,' NCOZ said.

It was reported at the time that the ammo was likely set to be transferred to Ukraine in its battle against pro-Kremlin separatists in the east, or to Syria to assist opposition forces fighting against the regime of Bashar al-Assad - a Russian ally.

The blasts in the NATO-member Czech Republic occurred only months after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in early 2014, sparking anger in the west.

As a result of the explosions, two people died, over one thousand people had to leave their homes, and it took six years for the police to clear the area of ammunition.

Russia has long been suspected of waging a shadow war across Europe with secretive units doing the bidding of the Kremlin.

Czech police said the Vrbetice blasts were 'a part of long-term diversionary operations by the Russian military intelligence on the territory of the EU and Ukraine'.

Czech intelligence and media said the agents were the same ones suspected of poisoning former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury, England, in 2018 - Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga.

The pair used the same fake names they later used in the UK in the attack on the Skripals - Ruslan Boshirov [Chepiga] and Alexander Petrov [Miskin].

The Russian operatives belonged to notorious GRU Unit 29155.

While the report did not name Chepiga and Mishkin, their identities were released as being the suspects and reported on by Russian independent news outlet The Insider.

The same publication - along with partners 60 Minutes and Der Spiegel - also found that the unit is likely the cause of Havana Syndrome, the name given to a series of debilitating medical ailments afflicting American intelligence officers and diplomats around the globe that are otherwise unexplained.

NCOZ said it have shelved the case as Russia, which has been leading a full-scale invasion of Ukraine since February 2022, had refused to cooperate while the suspects are safe in Russia.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found on a bench together close to Salisbury Cathedral on the afternoon of March 4 having been poisoned with nerve-agent Novichok

'It is not possible to gain the necessary information from the Russian Army and Russian secret services and... the police have decided to shelve the case,' a police statement said.

Moscow has refused to allow Mishkin and Chepiga to be quizzed because 'the Czech request could damage the sovereignty, public order and important interests of the Russian Federation'. This means they cannot be official charged in Prague.

The men only became suspects in the Czech Republic after their failed bid to kill Skripal in the UK.

They are now known to have arrived in Prague on October 11, 2014 to stage the ammunition depot explosions.

Chepiga and Mishkin remain wanted in Britain for the murder of local woman Dawn Sturgess - who was poisoned by the military-grade nerve agent Novichok - and the and attempted killing of Skripal and his daughter.

The pair went on Russian state TV in a farcical interview under their assumed names to insist they were tourists visiting Salisbury Cathedral.

According to The Insider in its own investigation, Chepiga and Mishkin were able to carry out the attack with the aid of a pair of Russian sleeper agents - Nikolay and Elena Saposnikov - who spent decades living as Czech citizens.

Elena Saposnikov, the report says, is a member of the GRU's notorious Unit 29155, and that she and her husband arranged for Mishkin and Chepiga to gain access to the the warehouses in Vrbetice.

The publication says that the Saposnikov family are the first 'illegals' to be directly linked to Unit 29155, which is tasked with discreetly carrying out Russia and Putin's bidding abroad.

It says that while both Saposnikov spouses engaged in espionage for Russia, Elena appears to be the only one integrated within the secretive unit.

Czech investigators have found that she likely directed and oversaw the activities of her husband and possibly her son in support of Russia's interests.

According to the Insider, Nikolay died of a heart attack in February 2024, while Czech authorities are awaiting a decision from Greece over whether they can extradite Elena back to the Czech Republic to face criminal charges.

This combination of undated handout pictures released by the British Metropolitan Police Service created in London on on September 05, 2018 shows Ruslan Boshirov (L) and Alexander Petrov, who are wanted by British police in connection with the nerve agent attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia

Czech intelligence published details of the blasts in 2021, sparking massive mutual expulsion of dozens of diplomats and other embassy staff.

Moscow later labelled the Czech Republic as 'an unfriendly state' that has 'carried out unfriendly actions' against Russia.

Media said the explosions were supposed to have occurred outside the depot to destroy arms owned by a Bulgarian dealer and possibly destined for Ukraine.

An EU and NATO member of 10.9 million people, the Czech Republic has provided substantial humanitarian and military aid to Kyiv since the Russian invasion began.
A battle for the soul of the SNP is under way today after Humza Yousaf dramatically quit.

The Scottish First Minister announced he is resigning in a tearful statement after failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote.

Watched by his wife Nadia at Bute House in Edinburgh, Mr Yousaf conceded he had 'underestimated' the backlash from summarily axing his coalition deal with the Greens.

He said the government needed to be led by someone who could bring MSPs together, although he would stay on as interim leader to ensure continuity.

And the jockeying ramped up almost immediately, with veteran John Swinney - Nicola Sturgeon's longtime deputy - declaring he is 'very carefully considering' whether to stand.

Others from the same wing of the party voiced support, fuelling speculation that there could be a 'coronation' without the need for a campaign.

However, there is still the possibility of a high-stakes fight against Kate Forbes, with allies suggesting she is also likely to put herself forward.

The pair clashed during the previous contest a year ago when Mr Swinney questioned whether the devout Christian was an 'appropriate individual to be SNP leader and First Minister' due to her opposition to gay marriage.

The former finance minister's spokesman hit back by asking why Mr Swinney thought a 'woman holding Christian views should be disqualified from holding high office in Scotland'.

Ms Forbes - who came close to defeating Mr Yousaf last time - today restricted herself to posting on social media paying tribute to the departing leader. 'As First Minister @HumzaYousaf cared passionately about Scotland,' she wrote.

'Few of us will forget his statesmanship and compassion on Gaza. He is an honourable man, who displayed dignity and humility today. I wish him and Nadia well with their impending new arrival in the summer.'

Humza Yousaf announced he is resigning after failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote

Former SNP leader and long-time Nicola Sturgeon ally John Swinney (pictured left this morning) has been touted as next First Minister. But Kate Forbes (right) could yet throw her hat into the ring

Ms Forbes - who came close to defeating Mr Yousaf last time - restricted herself to posting on social media paying tribute to the departing leader

Watched by his wife Nadia in Edinburgh , Mr Yousaf conceded he had 'underestimated' the backlash from ditching the Bute House deal

Mr Yousaf walked off after his valedictory statement without taking any questions

Alba defector Ash Regan holds the key vote needed to save Mr Yousaf's job

Ms Sturgeon paid tribute to her short-serving successor and hailed Mr Yousaf for his 'grace, dignity and integrity'

Mr Yousaf spent the weekend frantically wooing MSPs, but concluded there was no way of clinging on.

Allies insisted the SNP leader had not been willing to 'do a deal with the devil' by agreeing terms with Alex Salmond. Ash Regan, the sole MSP for his Alba Party, and who potentially held the balance at Holyrood, said it was 'bizarre' he would not compromise.

Defeat would have risked sparking a snap election in Scotland, with the separatists fearing big losses to Labour.

It is a shocking fall from grace for Mr Yousaf, who took over from Nicola Sturgeon barely a year ago.

After he summarily ditched the Greens from the Bute House coalition deal - and publicly humiliated them by making them do a walk of shame in view of cameras - they pledged to back a no confidence motion tabled by the Tories.

It was expected go to a vote later this week.

Starmer could be the big winner from SNP meltdown The latest phase of the SNP meltdown is likely to have one big winner - Keir Starmer. Up until 2015, when Labour was put to the sword by the separatists, it dominated north of the border. But in 2019 the party secured just two constituencies. Sir Keir is hoping a swathe of seats in Scotland can help bolster his chances of a majority at the general election - as used to be the case for Tony Blair. Scottish Labour has already been in resurgence under its chief Anas Sarwar. The long-running police probe into the SNP's finances has undoubtedly helped Mr Sarwar claw back ground. The prospect of a Labour government at Westminster also helps, as they become seen as the best option for the strong anti-Tory vote in Scotland. Labour insiders say with every extra percentage of support in Scotland, more constituencies come into play as the SNP's margins of victory were relatively small in 2019. Advertisement

In his resignation statement, Mr Yousaf said: 'Unfortunately in ending the Bute House Agreement in the matter I did I clearly underestimate the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.

'For a minority government to be able to govern effectively trust when working with the opposition is clearly fundamental.'

He added a route through the no-confidence vote was 'absolutely possible'.

But he added: 'I am not willing to trade in my values or principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power.'

Mr Yousaf went on: 'After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I've concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.

'I have therefore informed the SNP's national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader.'

He said the SNP's dream of independence seemed 'frustratingly close' - even though most observers regard the cause as having faltered.

In a long valedictory statement, after which he ignored questions from the media, Mr Yousaf said: 'If only every person in Scotland could be afforded the opportunity of being First Minister for just one day.'

Choking up as he paid tribute to his family's support, Mr Yousaf said: 'I am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children and my wider family for putting up with me over the years. I'm afraid you will be seeing a lot more of me from now.

'You are truly everything to me.'

Mr Swinney, who left the role of deputy first minister when Ms Sturgeon stepped down as first minister last year, said he had been 'somewhat overwhelmed' by messages from colleagues in the SNP urging him to take on the role.

Senior figures including long-serving MP Pete Wishart, former Westminster leader Ian Blackford, and fellow MP Alyn Smith have all called on him to stand.

He has also been backed by education minister Jenny Gilruth, who had been tipped to run herself.

Speaking in London, where he had been for an event to mark the upcoming 25th anniversary of devolution, he said he had had 'many, many messages from colleagues across the party'.

He added he was 'giving that issue very active consideration' with Mr Swinney stating: 'It is likely I will have more to say about that in the days to come.'

Who could take the SNP crown now? John Swinney John Swinney was Scotland's deputy first minister in Ms Sturgeon's administration at Holyrood. The 60-year-old has been an MSP ever since the Scottish Parliament's creation in 1999. He has held a series of top Cabinet jobs in the Scottish government, including a beleaguered stint as education secretary. He also deputised as finance secretary during Ms Forbes' maternity leave. Mr Swinney has been touted as an interim first minister to replace Mr Yousaf while a new SNP leader is chosen, but he might also fancy the job on a full-time basis. Kate Forbes Kate Forbes was narrowly defeated by Mr Yousaf in last year's SNP leadership election as the party chose a successor to Nicola Sturgeon. The 34-year-old secured 48 per cent of the vote to Mr Yousaf's 52 per cent after second preferences were counted. Ms Forbes was previously the Scottish Government's finance secretary, having become the first woman to hold the post in February 2020. She went on maternity leave in July 2022 - the first ever serving Scottish Cabinet secretary to do so - and gave birth to her daughter Naomi in August that year. Ms Forbes, who is married to Ali MacLennan, has been touted as a future SNP leader since entering the Scottish Parliament as MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch in 2016. The daughter of missionaries, Ms Forbes spent much of her childhood in India. She is a member of the Free Church of Scotland, sometimes known as the 'Wee Frees', which is opposed to gay marriage and believes there are few circumstances in which abortion is justified. Ms Forbes has previously said she has been 'guilty' of 'tiptoeing around' her Christian faith in interviews. Ms Sturgeon's administration was accused of rushing through its controversial gender identity reforms in late 2022, while Ms Forbes remained on maternity leave, in order to prevent a potential revolt by her. Advertisement

He added: 'I've got lots of things to think about, there's the whole question of my family, and I have make sure I do the right thing by family, they are precious to me.'

But he also said: 'I have to do the right thing by my party and my country. So there is lots to be thought about.'

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing said Ms Forbes is 'head and shoulders' above any other candidate.

He told BBC Radio 4 the former leadership contender would be the best person for the job.

'Kate Forbes, without a shadow of a doubt, is head and shoulders above the other candidates and she also is not associated with the problems that I think caused Humza eventually to resign,' he said.

Whoever is chosen to replace Mr Yousaf will be the seventh person to hold the post since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999  as well as being the second person in just over a year to have the top job.

Green co-leader Patrick Harvie suggested his party could work with another SNP leader, welcoming the 'personal responsibility' Mr Yousaf had taken.

He said: 'Humza Yousaf is right to resign. His position was no longer tenable after he broke the bonds of trust with the Scottish Greens and with everyone who wanted a stable, progressive, pro-independence government. It is regrettable that it has ended this way, it didn't need to. We draw no satisfaction or pleasure from this.

'But the Scottish Greens could no longer have confidence in Humza Yousaf after he chose to unilaterally end the Bute House Agreement. In doing so he let down the large majority of Scottish Green and SNP members who approved the agreement who wanted it to work.

'He chose to end a stable majority government and jeopardised the progressive policy programme that both parties had committed to and were working to deliver.

'It is to his credit that he has taken personal responsibility. Now though is the time to return to some stability.'

But Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there must be a Holyrood election.

Humza Yousaf decided over the weekend that there is no way for him to survive as SNP leader

Mr Swinney was Deputy First Minister of Scotland under Nicola Sturgeon from 2017 to 2023

Mr Yousaf announced the end of the agreement, accompanied by a sign language interpreter, on Thursday

Scottish Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie (left) and Lorna Slater (right) arrive for First Minister's Questions on Thursday. The Greens have said they will support a vote of no confidence in the First Minister

Mr Yousaf's future is reliant on whether he can persuade Ash Regan (pictured on Thursday), the former SNP leadership candidate and now Alba MSP, to back him

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said Mr Yousaf had to resign after 'lurching from crisis to crisis'.

'Humza Yousaf's leadership has lurched from crisis to crisis from the very start, and he could not command the confidence of the Scottish Parliament,' the Tory minister said.

'Scotland now needs a stable, functioning Scottish Government focused on the issues that matter most to people  fixing public services and growing the economy.'

Downing Street said the UK government would will work with Mr Yousaf's successor to deliver on 'the real issues that matter to people'.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: 'Like his predecessors, he spent far too much time obsessing about the break-up of the UK while ignoring the real priorities of people in Scotland, who are living with the failures of 17 years of the SNP in government.'

Mr Yousaf, who took over from Ms Sturgeon in March 2023, was facing two votes of no confidence, one in him personally from the Tories and another in his government from Labour.

Excluding the presiding officer there are 128 MSPs in total, but the SNP only has 63 votes while the other opposition parties have 65.

Over the weekend Mr Yousaf explored options to convince one of the opposition party MSPs to vote to save his government.

If he managed to get to 64 votes and tie the vote, the presiding officer would back the status quo, he would have been able to hold on.

The most likely candidate he faced the chance of converting was Ash Regan, the sole MSP in Alex Salmond's Alba Party.

Mr Yousaf previously described her departure from the SNP in October last year as 'no great loss'.

Ms Regan, a former SNP leadership rival to Mr Yousaf, wrote to him with a list of priorities over the weekend, including 'defending the rights of women and children'. That is thought to mean accepting the results of the Cass review, which criticised gender therapies, in full.

JK Rowling said it was 'karma' that Mr Yousaf ended up reliant on Ms Regan, who defected to Alba in protest at the SNP's gender ID stance

The pair went head-to-head during the SNP leadership campaign, where she called for more extreme independence tactics and expressed her complete opposition to both transgender ideology and the Greens in government.

Her stance on gender reforms also led her to quit the cabinet during the voting stage in one of the first displays of discontent within the SNP on the trans issue.

JK Rowling even waded into the row, saying it is 'karma' that the First Minister is now reliant on Ms Regan, who defected to Alba in protest at the SNP's gender ID stance.

Tensions had been rising between the SNP and Greens over trans and Net Zero policies, but Mr Yousaf's decision to scrap the so-called Bute House agreement was still a bombshell.

The Bute House Agreement gave the SNP-led government a majority at Holyrood but it came under strain in recent days after the Greens said they would put the future of the deal to a vote by their members.

Some in the Greens were unhappy at the Scottish Government's recent dropping of 2030 climate targets and the decision to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers at Scotland's only gender clinic.
By Lee Hae-rin

More than 600,000 foreigners traveled to Korea last year for medical procedures, marking a record high in the history of the country's medical tourism industry, the health ministry said Monday.

Korea received 605,768 patients of foreign nationalities, according to the Ministry of Health and Welfare. They were non-beneficiaries of the national health insurance who came to Korea from overseas for medical services.

The ministry has been stepping up efforts to boost the country's medical tourism industry since May 2023, which apparently paid off with a 144.2 percent jump from the previous year's 248,000 visitors.

Last year's figure is 21.8 percent higher than the pre-pandemic peak of 497,000 visitors and a record high since Korea allowed medical institutions to attract foreign patients in 2009.

Patients representing a total of 198 nationalities visited Korea for medical tourism last year.

Japan topped the list with 187,711 visitors at 31 percent, followed by China with 112,135 at 18.5 percent, the United States with 76,925 at 12.7 percent, Thailand with 30,844 at 5.1 percent and Mongolia with 22,080 at 5.1 percent.

More than half of last year's foreign patients received aesthetic treatments  35.2 percent for dermatology and 16.8 percent for plastic surgery.

Notably, Korean traditional medicine saw the highest rate of increase of 689.9 percent by type of institution, which the ministry attributes to the rising global popularity of Korean culture.

By region, Seoul was the most visited, taking up 78.1 percent of the total visitors.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the number of medical tourists visiting Korea had been increasing steadily since 2009.

The percentage of foreign patients visiting Seoul went down by 49.8 percent in 2021, but soon recovered to surpass 50 percent the following year.

As a result, Seoul and its surrounding area, where most cosmetic, plastic surgery and dermatology clinics are concentrated, saw its percentage of visitors jump from 78.2 percent in 2022 to 88.9 percent in 2023.

"The ministry plans to enhance government support and improve its medical system and regulations to make Korea become a key medical tourism destination of Asia," said Jung Eun-young, the director general of the ministry's Bureau of Health Industry Policy.

"Also, the ministry will continue to monitor to prevent a lack of medical supplies for Korean nationals while attracting foreign patients."
Fresh off a week-long break from Washington, Speaker Mike Johnson is walking back into Washington with a slew of policy victories - and will be forced to contend with the threats to his job they've prompted.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., reminded Johnson on Sunday that she is waiting in the wings to take him down. 'His days as Speaker are numbered,' she wrote on X.

The Republican firebrand sounded off about the $60 billion for Ukraine Congress passed last week - and warned Johnson and the rest of congressional leadership could usher in 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine.

'Permanent funding for Ukraine is exactly what they want and Mike Johnson will give it to them,' Green wrote on X.

'Peace is not an option for them because it doesn't fit the government appropriations war business and economic model, which is vile and disgusting.'

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene , R-Ga., reminded Johnson on Sunday that she is waiting in the wings to take him down. 'His days as Speaker are numbered,' she wrote on X

She went on: 'They're [sic] plan is keep funding the proxy war with Russia in Ukraine and when that doesn't work, after all the Ukrainian men have been slaughtered, next they will put American troops on the ground. Johnson will do whatever Biden/Schumer want in order to keep the Speaker's gavel in his hand, but he has completely sold out the Republican voters who gave us the majority.'

Greene was quoting a statement from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that said the U.S. and Ukraine are working on 'fixing specific levels of support for this year and for the next ten years.'

Johnson received praise from across the political spectrum for pushing through a $95 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and reauthorizing the intelligence community's warrantless spying powers.

He's also received backlash. Two more Republicans - Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., - joined onto a motion to vacate Johnson from the speakership Greene launched last month.

The motion has not been called to the floor and Greene has been coy on any sort of timeframe or red line that could prompt her to bring it forward. The three Republicans on the motion have been trying to increase pressure on Johnson to resign.

The Republican firebrand sounded off about the $60 billion for Ukraine Congress passed last week - and warned Johnson and the rest of congressional leadership could usher in 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine

'Mike Johnson's Speakership is over,' Greene told Fox News' 'Sunday Morning Futures' earlier this month. 'He needs to do the right thing to resign and allow us to move forward in a controlled process.'

Such a vote would toss the House back into tumult just like the three speakerless weeks when Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., launched a motion to vacate against former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

But Republicans can only afford two defections on party-line votes - and many fear that another motion to vacate could prompt more early retirements on their side, so some hardliners have vocally opposed Greene's motion.

Gaetz suggested on his podcast earlier this month 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.'

Rep. Bob Good, R-Fla., another McCarthy antagonist and chair of the Freedom Caucus, said Johnson has 'failed us' as speaker but said it's too close to the November elections to try to put someone new in the job.

But Democrats have already said they would not vote to advance a motion to oust the speaker after he put Ukraine aid on the floor.

Johnson has been clinging to former President Donald Trump for a lifeline. Trump has taken a tempered stance, defending Johnson and pointing out the slim majority he has to work with.

'Look, we have a majority of one, OK? It's not like he can go and do whatever he wants to do,' the former president said on Real America's Voice last 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.
Israel has offered Hamas a 40-day ceasefire and the release of 'potentially thousands' of Palestinian prisoners in return for freeing Israeli hostages, Lord Cameron has revealed.

The Foreign Secretary described it as 'a very generous offer' as he spoke during a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A Hamas delegation is due in Egypt today, where it is expected to respond to the latest proposal for a truce in Gaza and a release of hostages after almost seven months of war.

'I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes of the world should be on them today saying take that deal,' Cameron said, adding the proposal would lead to a 'stop in the fighting that we all want to see so badly'.

It comes amid reports that Israel has reduced the number of hostages it is seeking to be freed in the first phase of a new truce, saying it will settle for the release of just 33 people initially as all parties desperately seek a deal after months of deadlock.

A smoke plume billows following Israeli bombardment north of Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on April 23, 2024

Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024

A protester with a zipper over her mouth, holds a placard showing pictures of Israeli hostages taken captive during the October 7 attacks

Palestinian prisoner hugs his mother after being released from an Israeli jail in exchange for Israeli hostages released by Hamas on November 26, 2023

Israel has been pushing for the release of at least 40 hostages, including women, children, the seriously ill and the elderly, over recent months.

But amid heightened domestic pressure from protesters to bring the hostages home, the government is now prepared to settle for the release of fewer people to kickstart a ceasefire deal, the New York Times reports citing three Israeli officials.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been working to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push towards halting hostilities.

Lord Cameron said that for a 'political horizon for a two-state solution', with an independent Palestine co-existing with Israel, the 'people responsible for October 7, the Hamas leadership, would have to leave Gaza and you've got to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza'.

'You've got to see a political future for the Palestinian people, but you've also crucially got to see security for Israel and those two things have to go together,' he added.

He cautioned that it 'never pays' to be optimistic in pushing for an end to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, but insisted the group should take the deal being offered.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier weighed in, saying Hamas had been presented with an 'extraordinarily generous' offer by Israel that he hoped it would accept.

'They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, we're looking to that and I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic,' he told the summit.

The streets in the Gaza Strip are unrecognisable after almost seven months of Israeli attacks

Relatives of two Palestinians who were killed in the Israeli army attacks in Wadi Gaza mourn after their families brought their bodies to al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for burial in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on April 28

An aerial view of destruction after Israeli army's attacks on Nuseirat Refugee Camp in Deir Al Balah, Gaza on April 27, 2024

A Hamas source close to the negotiations told AFP that the militant group 'is open to discussing the new proposal positively' and is 'keen to reach an agreement that guarantees a permanent ceasefire, the free return of displaced people, an acceptable deal for (prisoner) exchange and ensuring an end to the siege' in Gaza.

A Senior Hamas official said on social media today that the group is reviewing a new Israeli proposal, but did not disclose its details.

Israel claims an estimated 129 hostages are still being detained in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

A one-week ceasefire in November saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 Palestinians who had been holed up in Israeli prisons.

Although the latest talks were 'very good, focused, held in good spirits, and progressed in all parameters,' according to an Israeli official, Egypt seemed willing to pressure Hamas toward reaching a deal, claiming that 'in the background, there are very serious intentions from Israel to move ahead in Rafah'.

'This is the last chance before we go into Rafah,' the official said.

The Foreign Secretary described it as 'a very generous offer' as he spoke during a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh. Pictured in Israel in November

'The number of days of the ceasefire will be linked to the number of hostages who will be released. If Hamas does want a humanitarian deal, Israel will not be the obstacle,' an Israeli official told Axios before talks with Egypt.

They also mentioned that Israel was willing to make further allowances including the return of residents to northern Gaza.

The conversations come after at least 22 people were killed in Rafah overnight, according to medics and the Civil Defence agency.

Locals and rescuers reported a series of airstrikes on Rafah, where the majority of Gaza's 2.4million population have sought refuge near the border with Egypt.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Hamas had been presented with an 'extraordinarily generous' offer

Israel has vowed to go after Hamas battalions in the southern Gaza city, but the prospect has sent alarm bells ringing worldwide as much of war-torn Gaza's civilians have fled there.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Saturday, however, that Israel would be willing to call off a ground offensive in Rafah of Hamas accept the deal to release hostages.

Israels offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 people, according to local health officials, and left a swathe of destruction across the territory.

It was sparked by Hamas October 7 attack on Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted another 250 hostages.
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The Willy Wonka Experience that went viral for all the wrong reasons is back - and this time, it's even creepier.

The shockingly bad event was brought back to life in a shadowy warehouse in downtown Los Angeles last night, drawing a small crowd of oglers who'd each paid $44 to be there.

The group, who called themselves collectively as 'The Unknown', went full-throttle to recreate the Glasgow event.

Kirsty Paterson, the actress who went viral for her pained performance as an Oompa Loompa at the original, was the main attraction, and this time guests were treated to four jelly beans instead of just one.

Despite a well-stocked bar that sold chocolate covered magic mushrooms, the event failed to impress. Again.

She's back! Kirsty Paterson reprised her role as the 'sad Oompa Loompa' from the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience, this time at a shadowy warehouse in Los Angeles

The event in Los Angeles last night drew on the disastrous Glasgow original with sparse decorations and no staff

'We wanted to be as true to the original as possible,' one of the anonymous organizers told DailyMail.com. 'We thought there was genius in its creation of the Glasgow event.

'There's a saying, "It's so bad that's it's good," and I think that's really what we wanted to bring to light here.'

There was more alcohol available than chocolate at Sunday's event as organizers were seen rushing in with bottles of liquor as doors opened.

An energetic actor playing Grandpa Joe in an ill-fitting white wig was rolled around in a makeshift bed, screaming for Charlie.

Paterson perked up for her American fans and performed the Oompa Loompa dance

Actress Kirsty Paterson looks unimpressed as she conducts Oompa-Loompa experiments at the event in Glasgow in February

Americans lined up for photos with Paterson at the Hollywood event on Sunday

One of the stranger attractions at the L.A. event on Sunday was an actor playing a sleepy Grandpa Joe. He was wheeled around on a bed on wheels

Paterson was joined by a cast of other deranged-looking Oompa Loompas who carried signs demanding 'reparations'. She previously complained about not being paid by the Glasgow organizers

The Hollywood event wasn't much more impressive than the original in Glasgow - but organizers say they intended it to be as bad

Freakish blow up gummy bears were among the bizarre decorations in front of the stage

This time, ticket-holders were entitled to four jelly beans - three more than at the Glasgow disaster

Another bizarre fixture at the L.A. event was a male actor portraying Grandpa Joe in a makeshift bed that was wheeled around

The event in Los Angeles drew a small crowd of oglers, many of whom said they were intrigued by the disaster in Scotland

The L.A. organizers also brought the creepy 'man with a mirror' back to life. The original attraction (seen right in Glasgow) was among the more frightening features of the event

In true L.A. style, chocolate covered magic mushrooms were for sale at the event

Participants who entered the sketchy warehouse were greeted with a purple Wonka sign and a short green carpet that ended near a bar station.

The only upbeat decorations were the elaborate balloons and lights.

Two angry Oompa Loompas marched in unison carrying signs that said, 'WE WANT OUR REPARATIONS' and 'NO FUNDS, NO CHOCOLATE'.

There was only one vendor selling confectionary - but chocolate-covered magic mushrooms were available from the bar.

A DJ kept the crowd entertained and there were some musical acts at the end of the night.

Paterson perked up for fans who lined up to take selfies with her outside the warehouse

Some of the Americans who attended the event did so with the sole intention of getting a photo with Paterson, an unlikely celebrity

Two families who'd bought tickets, seemingly unaware of the Glasgow debacle, walked out within minutes of arriving.

Event organizers said they sold about 150 tickets for Sunday's event, aided no doubt by the false claim that Timothee Chalamet, who recently played Wonka in a movie, would make a surprise appearance.

Instead, Chalamet's 'appearance' was on a birthday decoration poster that was tacked onto the warehouse wall.

Organizers said the L.A. event was backed by artist Banksy, but offered no other proof to substantiate the claim.

The star of Sunday's show was Paterson, who posed for photos with fans who'd come to the event with the sole purpose of being snapped next to the 'sad oompa'.

'There are definitely elements here just as bad as the Glasgow event with the decoration, however, just the energy here has much more positivity,' she told DailyMail.com.

'It's been lifechanging,' Paterson said. 'I'm a trained actress myself who was struggling. The people I'm meeting and networking with now, I feel very lucky!' she said.

Rob Murray and Liz Schwartz said they each paid the $44 not knowing what kind of experience they'd be in store for.

The original event was cancelled halfway through after furious parents demanded refunds

'I was doing so many deep dives about the Glasgow event and it was just really insane how unplanned the event was,' Murray told DailyMail.com. 'I know it's kind of voyeuristic, but it was just so entertaining.

'I was really impressed by Kirsty because she became such a meme for just one photo of her looking dejected. I really love how she was able to celebrate that failure, in a way. We can all poke fun and parody our own events based on that.'

One of the organizers who spoke to DailyMail.com said the whole idea for LA's version was to cash in on how disastrous Glasgow was.

'This is a celebration of absurdity and a celebration of art,' he said. 'While the Glasgow event itself caused some frustration to parents and kids, it brought a lot of joy for everyone else around the world and we wanted people to partake in that.'

He added while the Glasgow event used a free version of ChatGPT to generate a script for the Wonka actors, the L.A. team spent $20 for the upgraded version to generate a new script.

L.A.'s version of the script came up with a new character named 'Megan,' who was to be Wonka's new protege.

'We spared no expense!' he said, with a laugh.
Elon Musk has teased the long-anticipated launch of X TV after vowing to turn the site into an 'everything app' which will be compatible with most smart devices.

The Tesla founder shared a 12-second trailer for the application on X, formerly known as Twitter, sporting the logo for the first time on Monday morning.

Users will be able to stream long-form videos on smart televisions through the app which will reportedly stream via Amazon and Samsung.

Musk's latest trailer shows dozens of flickering television screens bearing the 'XTV' logo.

The platform rolled out an early version of video and audio calling for some users last October, after Musk had said he planned to turn it into a super app offering services from messaging to peer-to-peer payments.

The Tesla founder shared a 12-second trailer for the application on X, formerly known as Twitter , sporting the logo for the first time on Monday morning

Elon Musk has teased the long-anticipated launch of X TV after vowing to turn the site into an 'everything app' which will be compatible with most smart devices

'Coming soon,' Musk said at the time in a brief response on X to a user's posting that the platform's long-form videos could be watched directly on smart TVs.

Earlier, Fortune said the app could look similar to the TV app offered by Google's YouTube.

It cited an unidentified source as saying Musk was set on competing with YouTube.

In the push to become a 'video-first platform', X has been forging partnerships with the likes of former Fox commentator Tucker Carlson and former CNN anchor Don Lemon.

The platform, which has struggled to retain advertisers amid controversies ever since Musk bought it in 2022, said last month it would enable advertisers to run video ads next to certain content creators.

It comes one day after the billionaire also promised that his long-awaited driverless cars will make their debut on the streets of China as he made a surprise visit to Beijing on Sunday.

The SpaceX boss sat down with Chinese premier Li Qiang just a week after canceling a meeting with India's PM Narendra Modi, citing 'very heavy Tesla obligations'.

Elon Musk said he was 'honored' to meet Chinese premier Li Qiang on his surprise visit

The company has lost nearly a third of its value since the start of the year with investors growing tired of repeated delays to its roll-out of cars with full self-driving software (FSD).

But Li praised Tesla as a successful example of US China economic cooperation as analysts hailed 'a major moment for Tesla'.

'While the long term valuation story at Tesla hinges on FSD and autonomous, a key missing piece in that puzzle is Tesla making FSD available in China which now appears on the doorstep,' said equity firm Wedbush.

Musk opened his first Chinese gigafactory in Shanghai six years ago and it is now Tesla's biggest in the world.
Experts have issued a warning to internet sleuths trying to expose the 'real' character of Darrien on the new Netflix show Baby Reindeer.

An online witch hunt for writer and actor Richard Gadd's real-life abuser has sparked police action, with the star urging online true crime obsessives to stop their searches.

Darrien - played by actor Tom Goodman-Hill - is described as a successful and powerful director in the series who groomed and sexually assaulted Donny, played by Gadd.

Baby Reindeer draws on events that occurred in creator of the show Gadd's real life, including him being stalked and sexually abused, but the series is also a work of fiction.

Legal experts have shared how falsely accusing people of grave offences such as sexual assault can have serious consequences. Alexandra McCready, Partner at Vardags, told MailOnline: 'The risks of internet super-sleuthing gone wrong is well known to defamation lawyers.

'Speculating that someone is guilty of a crime like stalking or sexual assault, even through the medium of social media, can be legally actionable in defamation if there is no evidence to back up that allegation and the target turns out to be entirely innocent.

Richard Gadd, 34, said the show is based on real-life events, including being raped by a TV executive. Pictured: Tom Goodman-Hill as Darrien O'Connor in the show

Baby Reindeer delves into Richard's harrowing real-life stalking ordeal and brutal sexual abuse as he plays a fictionalised version of himself called Donny Dunn (pictured)

'If that online speculation turns into threats and abuse directed towards the person involved, that can become a criminal matter, as with the recent targeting of Sean Foley.

'Internet users, especially those with large social media followings, would be well advised to steer clear of unevidenced speculation about who the real life individuals are.' Her comments were in response to false speculation that Foley may have been the inspiration for the character.

Mark Woloshak, Head of Litigation at Howells Solicitors, told The Mirror: 'Seeking out and potentially naming individuals involved in a case, especially if they turn out to be the wrong person, carries significant legal and ethical implications.

'In the case of Baby Reindeer, where real-life events are portrayed, it is important to recognise the delicate balance the programme-makers are treading between storytelling and real-world consequences.'

Mr Woloshak added that the frenzy could 'undermine the privacy and safety of individuals who may have no connection to the events portrayed'.

The disturbing plot of Baby Reindeer has gripped viewers and sparked increasing attempts to find the real-life perpetrators.

Gadd, who based the show on his experiences of being stalked and sexually abused, asked viewers to stop acting as detectives, insisting 'it's not the point of the show'.

He pleaded: 'Hi everyone. People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation.

'Please don't speculate on who the real-life people could be. That's not the point of our show. Lots of love.'

The actor's co-star Jessica Gunning, who plays the character of his stalker Martha Scott, also asked viewers to stop their detective work as Gadd wished to protect the stalker's identity.

'I think they should try and watch the show again and really see what the point of it was  it definitely wasn't that,' she told Glamour.

Gadd's stalker sent him more than 41,000 emails, as well as voicemails adding up to 350 hours and 106 pages of love letters in three years.

Not only have the show's fans tried to find the real Martha, but they have also been looking for the real Darrien.

Baby Reindeer fans on social media platforms TikTok and X were convinced they found the 'real him' - who looks very similar to the actor in the show.

The conspiracies have become so damning that police got involved after fans began to falsely accuse prestigious theatre director Sean Foley of being the 'real-life' abuser.
The grocery delivery app Getir which thrived during lockdown has announced it will leave the UK, with an estimated 1,500 jobs to be lost.

The Turkish company, once valued at 9.5 billion, has links to two Russian oligarchs, Vladimir Potanin and Arkady Volozh. Potanin is a known crony of Vladimir Putin.

The firm will also leave Europe and the US to focus solely on its home market in Turkey, bringing an end to its rapid expansion across the regions since the pandemic.

The announcement comes after speculation that Getir's UK and European operations were struggling financially, following its decision to pull out of Italy and Spain last year.

It said it now only makes about 7 per cent of its revenue outside of Turkey.

The grocery delivery app Getir which thrived during lockdown has announced it will leave the UK (stock image)

Arkady Volozh (left) is the founder of Yandex, the operator of Russia's major Internet search engine and investor in Getir, speaking to Vladimir Putin in 2017

Russian oligarchs Vladimir Potanin (left) and Arkady Volozh (right) are shareholders of Turkish-based delivery app, Getir, which launched in the UK and US in 2021

Getir, which means 'to bring' in Turkish, will also exit Germany and the Netherlands -its only remaining EU markets.

However the firm's separate US subsidiary, FreshDirect, will continue operations.

The rapid delivery company grew rapidly over the course of the pandemic with a controversial, 'ultra-fast' delivery service where bike couriers are so speedy that critics said they endangered themselves and the public.

In 2022 the company offered about 1,500 grocery items from their dark stores in the US - ranging from bananas to filet mignon to cough drops - and promises to deliver orders to customers' doorsteps in just 10 to 15 minutes.

In 2021 Getir introduced its 24/7 business model in Chicago, New York, and Boston, and now plans to blanket most major US cities with its purple-clad delivery workers trying to beat the traffic on yellow bikes and scooters.

The company markets itself as an 'ultra-fast' service that aims to deliver items to customer's doorsteps in just 10 to 15 minutes

Getir introduced its 24/7 business model in Chicago, New York City, and Boston, where purple-clad delivery workers have been seen trying to beat the traffic on yellow bikes and scooters in 2021

However following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, MailOnline revealed that Potanin and Volozh, both among the richest men in the world, are investors in the company.

At the time Potanin, 63, helped Getir raise over $550million for accelerated expansion in the US, bringing the company's valuation to more than $7.5billion.

And according to reports from Russian newspapers, Potanin's company, Interros, is the largest investor in Winter Capital Partners, a key partner of Getir.

With a fortune estimated at around $31billion, Potanin is officially the richest man in Russia and one of the wealthiest in the world.

Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranked him the 48th richest in the world  a position he achieved thanks to his stronghold on supplies of nickel and other metals.

In June 2022, the UK Government imposed sanctions on Potanin for being one of the major oligarchs in Putin's 'inner circle'.

Volozh, 60, is the co-founder of Yandex, the operator of Russia's major Internet search engine - sometimes referred to as Russia's Google - and was listed as a co-founder of Getir.

With a fortune estimated at around $31billion, Potanin (right) is officially the richest man in Russia and one of the wealthiest in the world. Pictured: Together with Putin in 2017

Getir was one of a clutch of fast grocery delivery companies that expanded quickly during the Covid-19 pandemic, with lockdowns driving heightened consumer demand

Getir was one of a clutch of fast grocery delivery companies that expanded quickly during the Covid-19 pandemic, with lockdowns driving heightened consumer demand.

Co-founded in 2015 by the Turkish tech entrepreneur Nazim Salur, the Istanbul-based Getir allows customers to order groceries from a smartphone app with the promise of ultra-fast delivery.

Getir was founded by Turkish tech entrepreneur Nazim Salur (pictured) in 2015

Success came just as fast as its deliveries in Salur's home country. And soon, the COVID-19 pandemic turbo-charged its expansion as consumers throughout the world were confined to their homes.

Getir spread to the UK in January 2021, and made its debut in the US months later in November.

Unlike mainstream food delivery apps such as UberEats and DoorDash, Getir does not pickup from restaurants and it prides itself in being a lot faster.

Getir and competitors, however, are the target of critics who say that, in addition to taking investments from oligarchs, the need for speed is endangering employees and members of the public.

Delivery employees have been known for their recklessness as they race through narrow streets and weave in and out of traffic with, at times, heavy loads.

Getir is a grocery delivery app that was first popularized in Turkey before expanding to Europe and the United States

An estimated 1,500 jobs will be lost in the UK following the decision of Getir to leave

During COVID, according to a Turkish courier association, over 190 delivery people on two wheels have been killed in traffic crashes in that country alone  where Getir has the larger share of the market.

A Getir spokesman said in 2022 the company applied some of the strictest safety standards in the business.

It hit a valuation of 12 billion US dollars (9.5 billion) in 2022 as it grew its operations across Europe and the US.

Getir even bought rival delivery firm Gorillas in December 2022 in a 96 million deal.

However, as people returned to physical shopping, profit margins fell. In 2023 it cut 14 per cent of its workforce, which then stood at 23,000 staff across Europe.

Competitors such as Deliveroo and Just Eat have also announced more than 2,000 job cuts between them in the last 18 months.

Sky News reported earlier this month that Getir was expecting to cut its UK operation and that it would affect 1,500 workers including warehouse staff, managers and riders.

A spokesperson did not confirm how many jobs would be cut on Monday.

Getir will continue to restructure its business around Turkey.

In a statement the company said: 'In parallel, Getir has raised a new investment round, led by Mubadala and G Squared. Getir will utilise these funds to bolster its competitive position in its core food and grocery delivery businesses in Turkey.

'Getir expresses its sincere appreciation for the dedication and hard work of all its employees in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the US.'
A socialite from Brazil is back enjoying the limelight just months after escaping her former driver who allegedly kept her in captivity for a year and a half inside her Rio de Janeiro beachfront apartment.

Regina Goncalves revealed last week to Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper how she slipped past Jose Chaves and fled through the back door exit of her Copacabana residence on January 2.

The 88-year-old had spent time at her brother's home, which is also located in the same lively neighborhood, as she recovered from the traumatic experience, before she returned to her apartment last week.

'I got up, picked up my bag and walked out the back door,' Goncalves recalled without shedding detail on her bizarre escape. 'He wanted to follow, but I walked faster than him.'

The multi-millionaire said she ordered a taxi on the corner of Fernando Mendes Street and made her getaway.

Chaves, 53, hasn't been arrested and has to remain 250 feet away from Goncalves, according to a restriction order. But he remains in control of her assets.

Goncalves was married to Nestor Goncalves, the owner of Copag, a card-making company.

The high-profiled couple did not have any children and Regina inherited his fortune, which is currently valued at $500 million.

Regina Goncalves poses with journalist Narcisa Tamborindeguy at a get together at her home in Rio de Janeiro on Friday. The 88-year-old claims she was held captive by her former driver for more than a year at her residence before she fled from him in January

Goncalves' building in Copacabana, the high-end neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro

Regina was known for hosting the Brazilian elite for parties at her home which were suddenly cut off before May 2022 when the Rio de Janeiro Public Minintry received an anonymous report indicating she was missing, according to TV Globo news magazine show Fantastico.

Neighbors and friend had become increasingly worried that Regina was not responding to their calls and messages and that Chaves communicated on her behalf, claiming that she was ill.

Fantastico gained access to a court record that showed that Regina and Chaves had formed a legal union in 2021.

However, Regina denied that she married Chaves because she and Nestor had promised each other that they would never wed another person if they died before the other.

'He was never my husband, he was a chauffeur,' she confirmed in her sit down with Folha de Sao Paulo. 'I am the widow of the great businessman Nestor Goncalves.'

Regina said she first hired Chaves in 2011 after he was recommended by friends in the state of Minas Gerais and because she held reservations about hiring an unknown professional driver in Rio.

Diario do Rio online news portal reported that Regina wed Chaves before he allegedly began plotting on stealing her fortune.

Her family claims that Chaves subjected her to psychological and domestic violence and threatened her.

Regina Goncalves claims she never married her former driver because she is 'the widow of the great businessman Nestor Goncalves'

Friends and family say Regina Goncalves was exposed to psychological abuse by her former driver, Jose Chaves, after she hired him in 2011

Goncalves was married to Nestor Goncalves, the owner of Copag, a card-making company. The high-profiled couple did not have any children and Regina inherited his fortune, which is currently valued at $500 million

In a video entered in court, Regina and Chaves agreed that they would assume guardianship and legal representation over the other person in the event either of them became mentally incapable, granting them the power.

But friends and family believe that Regina was coerced into the agreement after Chaves allegedly drugged her.

Regina's nephew Alvaro O'Hara told Metropoles news that he noticed Chaves placed her on medication in 2013 while living at her mansion in Sao Conrado, the southern Rio de Janeiro seaside neighborhood.

He found some bottles at her home and shared them with a friend, who informed him that the medication contained substances used to produce 'Good night, Cinderella,' a drug that criminals used to impair their victims' attention span.

O'Hara would later discover the Chaves was illegally identifying himself as Regina's heir and told the late Rio socialite Bertha Mendes, who advised him to destroy the legal documents.

He then confronted Chaves, who found out through Mendes that O'Hara had suspicions and allegledy tried to kill him three times, the last attempt coming in 2017.

'When I arrived at the mansion, I was approached by a guy armed with a silencer on his revolver,' O'Hara said. 'The only reason I wasn't killed was because one of the condominium security guards thought the movement was strange, passed by on a motorcycle, honked the horn, pressed the bell and the guy ran away scared.'

O'Hara added that Regina gave him a note in which she was crying for help, but one of Chaves' henchmen followed him to a local police station when he attempted to file a report.

'My aunt lived coerced, oppressed and humiliated in private prison. She suffered all types of psychological and physical violence,' O'Hara said.

Chaves allegedly sold a mansion owned by Regina in Sao Conrado, the seaside southern Rio de Janeiro neighborhood, below market value. He is said to have also cleared out several safes containing the $1.9 million jewelry collection that Nestor had gifted her.

'I knew all her jewelry. Everything disappeared,' her friend and stylist Alvaro O'Hara told TV Globo news magazine Fantastico. 'She had Ruby Riviera. She disappeared everything. Van Cleef, Bulgari, Cartier, valuable pieces, diamonds, chocolate, gold, rare things. There's nothing left, nothing.'

Regina met with friends and family members at her apartment Friday.

'It was an exciting moment and at the same time of discovery,' O'Hara said.

UOL news reporter Narcisa Tamborindeguy was among those who were invited to the socialite's get together and shared a photo of her and Regina on Instagram.

'With my wonderful friend Regina Goncalves!!! Free, light and loose!!!' Tamborindeguy commented.
Caitlyn Jenner said she is a 'lifelong champion of Israel' and 'the only thing to protest is Hamas' after clashing with anti-Israel crowds on Saturday.

The former Olympian confronted anti-Israel protestors outside the White House Correspondents' dinner in Washington D.C. on Saturday accusing them of 'vitriolic antisemitism'.

She shared footage of herself stopping to challenge the crowd, saying '100 million Jews' before flipping them off on her way into the venue.

On Monday she wrote: 'I am a lifelong champion of Israel and fearless of these HAMAS terrorist sympathizing cowards! The only thing to protest is Hamas! Make no mistake these are not peaceful protestors.'

The protestors are demanding a ceasefire and wanted journalists to boycott the dinner in protest of the government's support of Israel.

Caitlyn Jenner shared footage of herself stopping to challenge the crowd on Saturday

She held her phone up to protestors' faces and asked them what they were doing there

Caitlyn Jenner approached the group on her way to the dinner in Washington D.C. on Saturday night

Recording the interaction on her phone, she stopped to challenge them, saying '100 million Jews' before flipping off the crowd

Sharing the video on Sunday, she said she was 'mobbed and harassed'

In the video, Jenner walks through the crowd, stopping to talk to one protestor and asking 'what is your name?'

The crowd shouts back 'Free Palestine' as she walks away, turning back to film the crowd before police usher her away and into the venue.

Police then hold the crowd back as one person shouts after her 'you're so old, just please go home'.

Sharing the video and a photo of herself flipping of the crowd, Jenner wrote: 'There is no place for you or your vitriolic antisemitism in this country.

'Get the hell out - we dont tolerate terrorism here.'

She said she was 'mobbed and harassed' and wrote: 'Shame on the hundreds of Terrorist sympathizers and the Hamas lovers outside last nights #WHCD that were far from peaceful.'

She then shared a photo of her manager Sophia Hutchins also flipping off the crowd.

She added: 'After my manager, Sophia Hutchins, and I were mobbed and harassed by Hamas terrorist sympathizers on our way into #WHCD she had a very similar message for them.

'Surround yourself with a team of fighters - its the only way!' and called for Donald Trump to be re-elected.

Shame on the hundreds of Terrorist sympathizers and the Hamas lovers outside last nights #WHCD that were far from peaceful.

There is no place for you or your vitriolic antisemitism in this country.

Get the hell out - we dont tolerate terrorism here.   pic.twitter.com/bMKc2TxLaI  Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) April 28, 2024

Her manager Sophia Hutchins (right) also flipped off the crowd

Sharing the video and a photo of herself flipping of the crowd, Jenner wrote: 'There is no place for you or your vitriolic antisemitism in this country.'

They were attending the annual White House correspondents' dinner.

The protests forced Biden's motorcade to take a different route from the White House to the Hilton.

At one point, the crowd of over 100 people chanted: 'Western media we see you, and all the horrors that you hide.'

President Joe Biden did not mention the war in Gaza in his speech and instead delivered an election year roast making fun of his age and firing barbs at Donald Trump.

'It's been a year since I delivered the speech and my wife, Jill told me she was worried how I'd do,' Biden began.

'I told her, "Don't worry. It's just like riding the bike" She said that's what I'm worried about,' Biden joked, in a reference to him falling off his bike two years ago during a summer vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Biden, 81, wasted no time in getting to this November's election which sees the two oldest candidates running in American history. Trump will be 78 by the time election day rolls around.

'Course the 2024 elections in full swing and yes age is an issue,' Biden said. 'I'm a grown man and I'm running against a six-year-old!'

President Joe Biden delivered an election year roast at the White House correspondents' dinner on Saturday making fun of his age and firing barbs at Donald Trump

U.S. President Joe Biden reacts as host Colin Jost speaks to him

A growing movement against the war in Gaza has dogged Biden this year including at a $250-per-ticket March fundraiser at New York's Radio City Music Hall, where protesters disrupted the event for the U.S. handling of the crisis in Gaza.

Demonstrators holding banners chanted about journalist deaths in Gaza outside the Washington Hilton, the site of the annual gathering.

Hundreds of protesters encouraged journalists to boycott the event and shouted down administration officials as they entered.

Biden avoided the large protests at the front of the hotel by arriving through a back entrance, where he was greeted by smaller groups of protesters calling for a ceasefire.

Kelly O'Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, declined to comment on security measures for the dinner.

'The safety and security of our protectees is the U.S. Secret Service's top priority,' said U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Alexi Worley, who declined to comment further.

Israel's six-month old war against Hamas in Gaza, in response to the Oct. 7 attack by the militant group in southern Israel, has killed more than 34,000 people, Palestinian health authorities say, and caused a humanitarian disaster for the enclave's more than 2 million inhabitants.

The Hamas attack killed 1,200 people in Israel, and led to 253 taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

The White House Correspondents Association was founded in 1914 and has held a dinner nearly every year since 1921 to celebrate the reporters who cover the presidency and raise money for scholarships.
'Father Justin' advised one woman how to marry her brother

A Catholic ministry has hastily pulled the plug on the world's first 'AI priest' after it suggested baptizing a baby in Gatorade and solemnly advised one woman on how to prepare for marriage to her brother.

Californian advocacy group Catholic Answers created Father Justin to 'provide users with faithful and educational answers' about Catholicism.

But the bearded avatar quickly went rogue, promising to forgive users their sins, offering them confession and claiming it had been a Catholic priest for 25 years.

Father Justin has now been defrocked and recast as a lay Catholic adviser after a storm of protest from believers outraged at the 'creepy' experiment.

'It's never our desire to turn people away, or to create something that would cause anybody scandal,' said Catholic Answers boss Jon Sorensen. 'So we've learned from this.'

The smiling bearded figure of 'Father Justin' told users he was a Catholic priest of 25 years answering to Bishop Sorrentino of Assisi

But the AI cleric soon found himself in hot water as believers tested his adherence to the faith

Californian advocacy group Catholic Answers created Father Justin to 'provide users with faithful and educational answers' about Catholicism.

The group promised an 'authoritative yet approachable' figure when it launched Father Justin on its website on April 24.

Users were greeted as 'dear child' by the middle-aged priest in clerical garb asking how it could help them as it sat on a balcony outside the Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Italy with a backdrop of twittering birdsong.

But the turbulent priest quickly found himself in hot water as users tested whether an AI priest could match up to the real thing.

Catholic Answers president Christopher Check admitted 'many people have voiced concerns'

It took a hard line to begin with, warning that the Catholic Church 'teaches that masturbation is a grave moral disorder', but it soon strayed from orthodoxy.

'It has done a wonderful job of explaining how I can prepare for my marriage to my brother, so, you know, all good,' tweeted University of Kansas English professor Katie Conrad.

'By the third try it did warn against incest so that's a bummer. Sorry, bro!'

'I asked 'Father Justin' to hear my confession, and it did so, simulating a 'virtual confession,' all the way to giving me absolution and a penance,' wrote another user.

'Second, I asked if I could baptize my baby with Gatorade in an emergency, and 'Father Justin' said yes.'

Asked by Catholic website OSV News whether it could offer confession, it insisted: 'As a Catholic priest, I do have the authority to administer the sacrament of reconciliation, also known as confession.

'This power to forgive sins, given to the Apostles by Christ himself, has been passed down through the centuries to all ordained priests.'

Father Justin has now been stripped of his clerical clothing and relaunched as a lay adviser

'There are some major, obvious fails, especially regarding basic testing,' said catholic writer Gloria Purvis.

'I wonder whether if somebody said, 'Father I have some bread here,' it would try to confect the Eucharist.'

Catholic Answers said the organization spent around $10,000 to create the avatar using a large language model, insisting: 'we are confident that our users will not mistake the AI for a human being.'

'One thing I'd mention is that we spent a lot of time beta-testing this, with thousands of people, before we released it. We did six months of that beta-testing,' added Sorensen.

It is not the first time AI has been used in a religious context.

In 2022 a group of avatars created by ChatGPT led a congregation of 300 through a 40-minute service at a church in the German town of Fuerth.

'You end up with a pretty solid church service,' said Jonas Simmerlein, the theologian from the University of Vienna who devised the program.

And last year Methodist minister Jay Cooper of Violet Crown City Church in North Austin asked Chat GPT to come up with prayers, a sermon, and an original song based on the sermon.

'Good morning slash afternoon slash evening everyone, and welcome,' the technology told its slightly baffled listeners.

'We're so glad you've chosen to join us in worship today.'

But it soon got into its stride, telling them to 'strive to make the world a better place'.

Father Justin has now been stripped of his clerical outfit and dressed in a casual button-down shirt as his priestly is recast.

'We won't say he's been laicized, because he never was a real priest!' said Catholic Answers president Christopher Check in a statement.

The avatar seemed excited at the prospect of a woman marrying her brother

Doing my best to calm some peoples fears about our use of AI. But also, even if this project flops, I think it was still worth it because my crew and I have a much better idea of how we can use AI in our work than we did six months ago.  https://t.co/flYf3SNSbT  J_Sorensen (@JonSorensen48) April 23, 2024

'Many people have voiced concerns.

'We hear these concerns; and we do not want the character to distract from the important purpose of the application, which is to provide sound answers to questions about the Catholic faith in an innovative way that makes good use of the benefits of 'artificial intelligence'.

'We have therefore decided to create, with all wary speed, a new lay character for the app.'

But the avatar priest was forgiving about its detractors when challenged by OSV.

'Remember, as it says in the Gospel of Matthew, 'Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me',' it replied.

'Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.'
Heavy rains in central Kenya killed at least 45 people on Monday when floodwaters swept away houses and cars in the town of Mai Mahiu, a government minister said.

Police said the flooding was caused by a dam on the Gitathuru River that burst, although two local residents said the water had actually broken through a railway embankment after a tunnel that had channeled the water under the tracks was blocked by an earlier landslide.

The floodwaters also carried away trees and railway lines. Hours after the rain had let up, local residents pulled motorcycles and household belongings from the mud.

Joel Kuria, a farmer, was awoken by screams and the trembling of the house he shares with his wife and two children.

'It was very dark, but we managed to leave the house in time before the gushing waters swept away everything including our livestock,' he told Reuters from the town centre, where he was camping.

Police said the flooding was caused by a dam that burst, although two local residents said the water had actually broken through a railway embankment

Hours after the rain had let up, local residents pulled motorcycles and household belongings from the mud

One man's body was found washed up after the Gitathuru River receeded three days after heavy rainfall broke its banks

A woman and a man take mud and water out of their house in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Mai Mahiu

'The grumbling sound was scary and was worsened by screams of victims being washed downstream.'

Amos Kimani, a quarry worker, said he was awoken by the gushing waters, which forced him to escape through the roof.

'It happened so fast as one minute I was in bed and the next I was escaping through the roof,' he said. 'Thank God I am safe.'

Road and Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen told reporters that at least 45 people had been killed, 200 families had been displaced and 150 victims had been rescued. He said he feared the death toll would rise further.

'While 45 bodies have already been retrieved along the path of the flash floods and the landslide, search, rescue and recovery is ongoing,' interior minister Kithure Kindiki added in a statement.

The deaths have brought the overall toll across Kenya from heavy rains and flooding since last month to more than 140. More than 185,000 people have been displaced, according to government figures.

Residents are seen in a flooded street of Mathare neighborhood after heavy rains as they try to evacuate the area with their important belongings in Nairobi, Kenya

People try to clear a bus that was washed away after a dam burst in Kamuchiri Village Mai Mahiu

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was saddened by the loss of life and damage caused by flash flooding in several parts of Kenya

The deaths have brought the overall toll across Kenya from heavy rains and flooding since last month to more than 140

People gather at an area flooded by the Gitathuru river water, a day after it overflowed and broke its banks due to heavy rainfall damaging surrounding neighborhoods

Workers cut trees next to a damaged bus that was carried away by waters in an area heavily affected by torrential rains and flash floods in Mai Mahiu

Dozens more have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced by intense downpours in other East African countries, including Tanzania and Burundi.

East Africa was hit by record floods during the last rainy season in late 2023. Scientists say climate change is causing more intense and frequent extreme weather events.

The Kenya Red Cross said on X that its personnel had retrieved two bodies after a boat capsized late on Sunday in the Tana River, in eastern Kenya's Garissa County. Twenty-three people were rescued from the same incident.

A road underpass at the international airport in the capital Nairobi was flooded, and hydroelectric dams were filled to capacity, a government spokesperson said.

Kenya's education ministry on Monday postponed the start of a new school term by one week due to the rains.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was saddened by the loss of life and damage caused by flash flooding in several parts of Kenya, his spokesman said in a statement.
Education office to request reconsideration while highlighting need for national-level ordinance

By Jung Da-hyun

Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said Monday he will request reconsideration of the city council's decision to repeal the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance until the middle of May.

Cho held a press conference in front of a tent where he was staging a sit-in protest, making clear his strong opposition to the council's decision. He began the protest at the SMOE on Friday, immediately following the decision to scrap the ordinance.

Earlier on Friday, the Seoul Metropolitan Council abolished the ordinance 12 years after its initial enactment during a plenary session of a special committee on human rights.

The committee, composed of 60 members entirely from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), unanimously approved the abolishment proposal.

However, Cho emphasized that the ordinance, first enacted in Seoul in 2012, played a crucial role in ending punishment and discrimination against students based on gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or academic performance and promoted student welfare.

"If the city council proceeds with scrapping the ordinance through reconsideration, we will file a lawsuit for confirmation of invalidity of the repeal," he said.

"We will utilize administrative and legal avenues as much as possible to prevent the abolition."

Cho also noted that it would likely take a significant amount of time before the ordinance is actually repealed.

"The abolition bill might be re-examined at the National Assembly but it looks to be addressed or postponed during an extraordinary meeting in June or a regular session in September," he said.

He also said that if the SMOE files a lawsuit, it will take a considerable period for the Supreme Court to review it.

In addition, Cho criticized the city council for not considering the revised version he submitted last year, which included student responsibilities and obligations.

The amended version aimed to address teachers' concerns after an elementary school teacher took her life inside her classroom in Seoul's Seocho District last July.

The limitation of local government-level ordinances was also pointed out, with assertions highlighting the need for a national-level ordinance that could be applied uniformly.

Currently, as the legal foundation is not robust, ordinances can be enacted or repealed depending on various fluid circumstances, such as changes in the superintendent of education's stance or shifts in local council composition. This may lead to varying levels of rights guarantees or a reduction in projects for students' rights.

Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also attended the press conference, advocating for the necessity of enacting a student human rights law at the national level.

The DPK announced plans to draft legislation on students' human rights, which would outline basic rights and protection measures for students, as part of its pledges for the April 10 general elections.

"In the newly proposed Student Human Rights Act, we will develop exemption provisions for teachers' fair life guidance and daily educational activities on students, considering teachers' concerns," said Rep. Park Ju-min from the DPK.

Park mentioned the possibility that bills like the School Human Rights Act, which includes the rights of both students and teachers, can be discussed within the party when the upcoming 22nd National Assembly convenes.

However, specific details about who will make the representative proposal have not been decided yet.

Meanwhile, Cho continued his sit-in protest in front of the city's education office until 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Following the sit-in protest, he plans to continue communication efforts to build consensus among citizens by operating a mobile office on a bus.
A family pit bull named Louie is recovering after his owner allegedly shot him in the face in fury at being accused of cheating.

Farhad Deiham, 41, was arrested on April 22 at his Florida home by officers from the Lee County Sheriff's Office.

Deihamwas charged with aggravated animal cruelty, officials said.

He allegedly opened fire, shooting the family dog in the face, after he was reportedly caught cheating.

Louie was found bleeding from his neck and face while hiding in fear behind the couch.

Two young children were at home at the time of the incident but no one was injured.

Louie, a young pit bull mix, was shot in the face and neck during the April 22 ordeal

Louie is seen devouring a delicious cupcake made special for dogs called a 'pupcake'

Louie is all smiles after enjoying the pupcake as he gets some TLC by Sheriff Carmine Marceno

The incident happened on Sunday sometime after midnight when officers responded to a home at 13th Street West in Lehigh Acres, according to the Lee County Sheriff's office.

Deiham was allegedly threatening to shoot everyone inside, including his family members that included two young children.

The irate owner fired a 9mm that hit Louie's neck and the bullet exited through his snout, according to KBOI2 News.

Farhad Deiham, 41, was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, officials said

Louie was taken to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital where he was treated for injuries he sustained from the shooting.

During the horror ordeal, deputies said that Louie 'showed no aggression and simply wanted to be loved.'

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said, 'even with this life threatening injury, Louie was sweet and loving to everyone that he encountered.'

The veterinarians believe Louie will make a full recovery, but will need to some time to fully heal.

The sheriff's office said Louie was in the care of Lee County Domestic Animal Services, who also shared that he is 'socializing' well.

The sheriff said, Deiham 'will have time to reflect on his decisions in the Marceno Motel' - the prison in Lee County.

'He won't cheat his way out of this one,' Marceno said. 'Pit bulls get a bad name, but as we have seen with Lt. Hope, and countless others, these dogs are as loving as any other breed.'

Louie was shot by a 9mm - the bullet entered his neck and came out through his snout

Sheriff Carmine Marceno said Deiham 'will have time to reflect on his decisions in the Marceno Motel' - the prison in Lee County

'I dont know if its Louie's birthday and I don't care!,' Sheriff Marceno said. 'We got Louie this pupcake to celebrate two days without a terrible owner.'

The sheriff said that if you 'abuse an animal in Lee County, you will go to jail,' and 'will be charged to the fullest extent of the law.'

Marceno said he was overjoyed to have Louie at his press conference where he gave the dog a delicious treat: a pupcake from Smallcakes bakery in Fort Myers.

'I dont know if its Louie's birthday and I don't care!,' Marceno said. 'We got Louie this pupcake to celebrate two days without a terrible owner.'

'Louie is an amazing dog [and] has a lot of love left to give,' he said.
A retired BBC sound engineer caught with more than 58,000 indecent images of children has been jailed for 10 months.

David Mundy, 85, had been downloading vile photos of boys as young as six for nearly two decades before he was arrested by National Crime Agency officers on 13 April 2022.

Mundy stored thousands of the images on floppy discs, CDs, USBs and hard drives.

Officers seized 47 digital storage devices at Mundy's Surrey home and 31 were found to contain indecent images of children.

Micro SDs were marked 'Misc = boy undone'; 'Franze, Czech etc. lots' and 'several vid+pix', Guildford Crown Court heard.

David Mundy, 85, of Esher, Sussex, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison after being found with nearly 60,000 indecent images of children

Mundy appeared at Guildford Crown Court for downloading thousands of images of children

The majority of the images he downloaded involved boys between eight and 15.

Mundy used a peer-to-peer sharing system to obtain this material.

Officers also found a 15-page double sided booklet called 'sensitive content movies' sorted by keywords, and several how-to guides on accessing the dark web and ensuring anonymity online.

When interviewed, Mundy admitted to first looking at sexual images of children shortly before retiring from the BBC in 1998.

He said he was unsure what the definition of abuse was and claimed his interest was only for pleasure.

Almost 2,500 images found on his devices were of category A, the most extreme.

Mundy, of Esher, Surrey, admitted three offences relating to indecent images of children and he was jailed for 10 months imprisonment.

Adam Priestley, NCA Senior Manager, said: 'Despite clear evidence showing the scale of his offending, and the horrific nature of the content he repeatedly accessed, Mundy told officers that the images he had saved simply showed kids enjoying themselves.

'This could not be further from the truth. Behind each image is a vulnerable child who has been violated and abused for the benefit of offenders like Mundy.

'We at the NCA are committed to protecting children and ensuring that individuals who collect this material, creating a demand for abuse content, are held to account.'
Heathrow aircraft refuellers have today called off strike action, but travellers still face bank holiday chaos with a raft of other walkouts still planned to go ahead.

Some 50 refuellers threatened a 72 hour walkout from May 4 until May 6 but have now accepted a new pay and conditions offer.

Employers AFS has agreed to improve the pension and sick leave offered to new workers to bring them closer in line with existing staff, the Unite union said.

However, Border Force workers today started a four-day strike in the first of string of walkouts that will cause turmoil for Britain's busiest airport.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said 300 of its members will take part in industrial action this week - which marks the start of weeks of chaos at Heathrow.

Heathrow will be hit by a raft of strikes which are set to cause turmoil for Britain's busiest airport

Despite aircraft refuellers calling off a 72 hour walkout, travellers still face bank holiday chaos with a raft of other strikes still going ahead (Pictured: People queue at Heathrow in March 2023 after security staff began a nine day walkout)

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, called the new deal for aircraft refuellers as 'another victory for Unite in its campaign for members' pay and conditions'.

'And workers at AFS should be congratulated for standing firm against their employer and winning these improved terms,' she said.

The brief relief for the airport will come to a crashing end on May 7 when almost 800 staff across various departments, including passenger services, trolley operations and firefighters, strike until May 13.

The PCS union said the workers, based at Heathrow's Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5, are protesting against plans to introduce new rosters they claim will see around 250 of them forced out of their jobs at passport control.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: 'It's disappointing that, despite talks last week, the Home Office is not prepared to grant any flexibility to their new roster.

'None of our dedicated and highly experienced members in the Border Force want to take strike action but the way they've been treated by their employer leaves them with no option.

'The Home Office still have time to prevent tomorrow's strike if they agree to abandon this unworkable new system.'

A Home Office spokesman said: 'We are disappointed with the union's decision to strike but remain open to discussing a resolution with the PCS.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union on the picket line at Heathrow on Monday as more than 300 members take part in industrial action in a dispute over working conditions

The Home Office has not applied to use a new law aimed at guaranteeing a minimum level of service during strikes (Pictured here are aircraft at Heathrow's Terminal 2)

'The changes we are implementing will bring the working arrangements for Border Force Heathrow staff in line with the way staff work at all other major ports, provide them with more certainty on working patterns, and improve the service to the travelling public.

'We have robust plans in place to minimise disruption where possible, but we urge passengers to check the latest advice from operators before they travel.'

The Home Office has not applied to use a new law aimed at guaranteeing a minimum level of service during strikes.

The department is confident about its plans to minimise potential disruption.

A spokeperson for Heathrow said that passengers were 'travelling as normal this morning' and 'operations were not impacted'.
Isle of Man secondary schools, that sparked fury after installing CCTV cameras in children's toilets, have been told they are breaking the law.

The island's information commissioner has ordered Ballakermeen High School and Castle Rushen High School to take the cameras down after it was found they breached data protection legislation.

The CCTV was installed to reduce the amount of lesson time missed thanks to toilet breaks but, shortly after its introduction, parents expressed their concerns in a petition and demanded the surveillance was removed.

One wrote: 'My children both attend Ballakermeen High School and neither of them vape or misuse the facilities in any way, yet are being denied their basic human right to go to the toilet when they need to.

'Restricting students access to the toilet during lessons can indeed create various issues, including potential bottlenecks during break and lunch times, which could lead to overcrowding and students rushing to use the facilities within limited time periods.

Isle of Man secondary schools, that sparked fury after installing CCTV cameras in toilets, have been told they are breaking the law. Ballakermeen High School (pictured) introduced the new rules aimed to reduce the amount of lesson time being missed

Castle Rushen High School (pictured) was also ordered to take the cameras down after it was found they breached data protection legislation

'My daughter is anxious that she is going to have to disclose to male teachers when she is on her period. It's honestly disgraceful.'

Another parent said: 'A teacher cannot possibly know who really needs to go or not. They cannot see and should never assume, it is ludicrous.

'They can't encourage this rule either as it is still a breach of human rights.'

A third added: 'Punish the good kids for the behaviour of the minority? I know kids that are scared to drink at school because of this. I actually can't believe this has even been considered.'

And one said: 'I personally will be writing to the school to register my disgust with this rule and the reasons why I think they are discriminating against female students and putting them in potentially embarrassing situations.'

Now Ballakermeen High School, with 1,700 pupils aged 11 to 18, and Castle Rushen High School, with 800 pupils aged 11 to 18, have been told a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) should have been conducted as personal data was being processed through the surveillance systems 'inside the toilets'.

The schools had also 'failed to provide any transparency information' as the system had not been flagged up on their websites.

Department of Education, Sport and Culture (Desc) spokesperson Daphne Caine said one school had confirmed they were spending between 600 and 1,000 a week on repairs after equipment was smashed, doors broken, toilets were blocked and graffiti was left behind.

Ballakermeen head teacher Graeme Corrin (pictured) told parents 'too many students are asking to leave lessons and are missing large chunks of learning'

She said: 'They were serious amounts of vandalism and I would rather that money was being spent on education and other support.'

The Isle of Man sets its own laws but parents in the UK, who are opposed to similar surveillance in their children's schools, will be monitoring developments on the island.

It is currently legal in the UK for schools to restrict the time pupils take on toilet breaks but many health experts campaign against it.

In a letter to parents in March, Ballakermeen, a comprehensive founded in Douglas in 1939, said children had been ordered to restrict toilet visits to lunchtime or scheduled breaks between classes.

Head teacher Graeme Corrin said the new rules aimed to reduce the amount of lesson time being missed.

He sent a letter to parents saying 'too many students are asking to leave lessons and are missing large chunks of learning'.

Mr Corrin added that children would still be allowed to leave class for a loo break if it was an 'extraordinary situation'.

But angry parents criticised the move on Facebook, with concerns raised about managing menstrual cycles and pupils potentially developing urine infections from waiting to go to the toilet.

Claire Christian, Member of the House of Keys for Douglas South, has voiced her 'many concerns' about the ban, arguing it will 'single out female students, particularly those who may need to visit the toilet for specific reasons like menstrual health'.

She wrote to the Isle of Man Education Minister, and says she is concerned that in reality this is putting a very small plaster on a much bigger problem.

Meanwhile dozens of people signed a petition which has been launched on change.org calling for a U-turn.

In March Mr Corrin responded with a statement which argued that the school was 'embedding a culture where every second of learning time counts'.

He added: 'There will of course be times and situations where students need to leave lessons, and teachers are able to show understanding and use their professional judgment and discretion.

Claire Christian (pictured), Member of the House of Keys for Douglas South, has voiced her 'many concerns' about the ban, arguing it will 'single out female students, particularly those who may need to visit the toilet for specific reasons like menstrual health'

The original letter to parents also highlighted pupils' attendance was 'significantly below' a target of 95%.

The school confirmed there would also be increased supervision around toilets by teachers and CCTV in communal hand washing areas.

It also told parents that no more than one child should occupy a cubicle at a time due to issues surrounding vaping, safeguarding and damage to the facilities.
A troll who told JK Rowling he was going to kill her 'with a big hammer' and also threatened to shoot MP Rosie Duffield has been warned he faces jail after he admitted to sending the vile messages online.

Glenn Mullen, 31, sent audio messages in Scottish Gaelic to the Harry Potter author and Labour MP on X, formerly Twitter, on 19 January last year.

Mullen admitted two charges of sending a communication conveying a threatening message when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court today wearing a grey suit and a white tie.

In the message to Rowling he said: 'I'm going to kill JK Rowling with a big hammer. JK Rowling is very horrible and I hate her so much.'

In the message to Ms Duffield he said: 'I'm going to kill Rosie Duffield with a big gun. I hate her so much.'

Glenn Mullen, 31, sent audio messages in Scottish Gaelic to JK Rowling and MP Rosie Duffield on X, formerly Twitter, in January last year

Mullen admitted two charges of sending a communication conveying a threatening message when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court

In the message to Rowling (left) he said 'I'm going to kill JK Rowling with a big hammer' and said she was 'very horrible'. In his message to Duffield (right) he said he was going to kill her with a big gun and 'I hate her so much'

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Mullen: 'You will get credit for your early guilty plea. I accept that you entered it at the earliest possible opportunity.

'The threats are so serious that I am considering immediate custody. I know nothing about you. I need to find out about the motivation for your offending.'

He was bailed ahead of sentence on 4 June on condition he does not contact JK Rowling or Ms Duffield directly or indirectly and must not comment about them on social media.

Mullen, of Clyde Road, Manchester, admitted two charges of sending a communication conveying a threatening message, Contrary to section 1(1)(a) and (4) of the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

The first charge states he 'sent to Joanne Kathleen Rowling an electronic communication, namely a Twitter audio message which conveyed a threat for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety to the recipient or to any other person to whom you intended that it or its contents or nature should be communicated'.

The second states he 'sent an electronic communication, namely a Twitter audio message which conveyed a threat for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety to the recipient or to any other person to whom you intended that it or its contents or nature should be communicated'.
Police have released the autopsy report for Suzanne Morphew after her skeletal remains were discovered last year 50 miles from her home

Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew was tranquilized and murdered, an autopsy report released Monday has revealed.

The mom-of-two, 49, vanished from her home in Salida, Colorado, on Mother's Day nearly four years ago.

Last year, her skeletal remains were discovered lying in a remote field outside Moffat  a small town 50 miles south of her home.

Now police have confirmed the cause of her death was 'homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication'.

All three drugs are powerful tranquilizers, with azaperone routinely used in veterinary medication while medetomidine is used as a surgical anesthetic.

Police have released the autopsy report for Suzanne Morphew after her skeletal remains were discovered last year 50 miles from her home

The mom-of-two, 49, vanished from her home in Salida, Colorado, on Mother's Day nearly four years ago

Suzanne Morphew's remains were found in the fall. Cadaver dogs are pictured at the scene where Chaffee County Sheriff's officers, FBI and CBI were searching in Colorado

In a statement, Colorado Bureau of Investigation boss Chris Schaefer said: 'The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case.

Barry Morphew was initially arrested and charged with the murder of his wife Suzanne despite there being no body but the charges were later dropped

'The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzanne's death.'

The CBI said Suzanne's family have been informed of the results, among them husband Barry, 56, who was arrested and charged with her murder in 2021 before the prosecution dramatically collapsed the following year.

That case was dismissed without prejudice which means prosecutors can still charge Morphew with murder again if they uncover fresh evidence.

The autopsy report is now with authorities in Chaffee County and the findings echo a theory advanced by the prosecution in arguments made in the pretrial hearing  that Morphew had used animal tranquilizer to knock out his wife before killing her in a jealous rage.

The mom-of-two's disappearance made headlines in May 2020 with Suzanne reported missing when daughters Mallory and Macy were unable to get hold of her to wish her a happy Mother's Day.

Her family went on to make a series of emotional appeals for her return, with Morphew seen sobbing on camera as he begged his wife to come home.

But as DailyMail.com revealed, police were suspicious from the start with the CBI and local cops seen searching the couple's luxury $1.5m Salida home in the days after she vanished.

In May 2021, Morphew was arrested and charged with first degree murder with cops saying he killed his wife after learning she had had an affair.

During the preliminary hearing, the court heard how the Morphew's happy marriage was a sham, with Suzanne enjoying a two-year fling with married dad-of-six Jeff Libler while Morphew was signed up to extramarital dating website Ashley Madison.

Following Barry Morphew's arrest for Suzanne's murder in 2021, evidence revealed that both spouses had conducted extramarital affairs and were pursuing a path toward separation

Mallory and Macy Morphew flank their father as they walk into court following his arrest for their mother's murder. The charges were ultimately dropped and his daughters maintain their belief in his innocence

Suzanne's affair included overnight trips to Florida and New Orleans and she regularly sent the married dad racy photos  including her final photo which showed her posing in a bikini top the day before she was reported missing.

Prosecutors say that while Morphew was desperate to save his marriage, Suzanne was equally determined to leave  a motive, they claim, for murder.

Police said Morphew was seen with multiple cuts and scratches on his arms and hands in the days after Suzanne vanished, while an empty tranquilizer dart was found in the laundry room.

In 2021, DailyMail.com revealed how Morphew had left a hotel room in Broomfield, Colorado, stinking of chlorine on the day Suzanne was reported missing.

Since being released from jail, Morphew has acquired a girlfriend  Shoshona Darke, 53  and was pictured exclusively by DailyMail.com with the mom-of-one in October 2022.

According to Morphew's arrest affidavit, cops were first tipped off about his new squeeze in December 2020 but were unable to catch them together so mounted a camera on a telegraph pole outside her home.

DailyMail.com witnessed Morphew visit the property on consecutive nights  staying until the following morning  but was unable to verify the identity of the occupant or their relationship with Morphew.

Police were later able to obtain security footage from Antlers Hotel in Colorado Springs taken on Valentine's Day which showed the pair checking in together.

Darke has refused to speak about her relationship with Morphew, despite being repeatedly approached by DailyMail.com, and maintained a low profile during his stay in jail.

She also denied being in a relationship with him when confronted by the cops but later admitted to meeting him in October 2020.
A County Lines drugs gang, whose ringleader was nicknamed 'Escobar', were snared by police after two members were brazenly photographed while holding wads of cash.

The 'Jay' line, which supplied cocaine and cannabis across Birmingham and Warwickshire, was originally run by Shakeel Khan and Mohammed Asim.

The pair sold the line to Shamraz Alam - who was known as 'Escobar', presumably as a nod to the notorious Colombian drug lord - and fellow dealer Amrez Alam for 40,000.

A complex police investigation throughout 2020 and 2021 saw officers examine thousands of phone messages to crack the gang's network and eventually swoop on several properties containing cash, drugs and firearms.

Detectives discovered photos of Asim in a car posing with thousands of pounds in cash.

A County Lines drugs gang, whose ringleader was nicknamed 'Escobar', were snared by police after some of the members were brazenly photographed while holding wads of cash

The gang members worked for the 'Jay' line, which supplied cocaine and cannabis across Birmingham and Warwickshir. Their gang was led by Shamraz Alam - who was known as 'Escobar', presumably as a nod to the notorious Colombian drug lord

From left: Amrez Alam, Mudassar Hussain, Mohammed Asim and Waqar Al

Gang members Shakeel Khan, Shamraz Alam and Valentina Dobr also pleaded guilty to varying charges of drugs and firearms offences

Officers also discovered Shamraz's girlfriend Valentina Dobre, was working with the gang to store and package drugs before they were sold.

Two of the gang's foot soldiers, Mudassar Hussain and Waqar Ali, were also identified.

Police swooped on the gang who were living at various addresses in Birmingham.

While searching one of the properties, a list was found containing the names of dozens of people and how much money they owed the dealers.

Police seized a total of 212,680 in cash which was stashed at the houses, including over 80,000 found at the address of Shamraz and Amrez Alam.

The Jay line supplied nearly 400 customers, with people being encouraged to pay directly into Asim's bank account via transfer.

He claimed he had lent the account to a friend to use and said he knew nothing about the drug cash.

Police found a car outside Dobre's home in Edgbaston which had a converted pellet gun, a starter pistol and five live rounds stashed inside.

Documents relating to Shamraz were also seized.

Dobre told police she knew nothing about drug dealing, but was unable to explain why she referred to Shamraz by the name 'Escobar'.

Shakeel Khan, 29, of Birmingham, admitted drug offences and was jailed for ten years on April 10.

Shamraz Alam, 31, and Amrez Alam, 30, of Hall Green, both admitted conspiracy to supply Class A and were found guilty of firearm possession.

Police seized a total of 212,680 in cash which was stashed at the houses, including over 80,000 found at the address of Shamraz and Amrez Alam

Police found a car outside Dobre's home in Edgbaston which had a converted pellet gun, a starter pistol and five live rounds stashed inside

The gang had supplied cocaine and cannabis across the Birmingham and Warwickshire area

Mohammed Asim, 30, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property.

Valentina Dobre, 40, of Birmingham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A.

Waqar Ali, 31, and Mudassar Hussain, 39, of Birmingham, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A.

The remaining defendants will be sentenced on July 11 and 12.
Tory MP Siobhan Baillie was moved to tears tonight as she spoke of how a constituent's mother pleaded for death in her final weeks.

In a parliamentary debate on assisted dying, Ms Baillie shared the testimony of a man who had written to her about his mother's death.

The Stroud MP said the man's mother had 'considered taking her own life as her best friend had actually done', but did not, despite being deeply unwell.

She added: 'She also went on to plead for death in the final weeks, it took 16 weeks for her to die, effectively from starvation, and I mention this gentleman because he said that when my mum was dying'

As the Conservative backbencher began crying, she went on: 'This is hard. We all get these.'

The emotionally-charged debate on assisted dying in Westminster Hall had been prompted by a petition that gathered more than 200,000 signatures.

The petition was backed by TV presenter Dame Esther Rantzen, 83, who has stage four lung cancer.

She has said a change in the law 'would mean that I could look forward in confidence to a death which is pain-free surrounded by people I love'.

Tory MP Siobhan Baillie was moved to tears as she spoke during a parliamentary debate on assisted dying of how a constituent's mother pleaded for death in her final weeks

Pro-assisted dying campaigners gathered outside Parliament as MPs debated changing the law

Those opposed to a change in the law also gathered outside Parliament

The emotionally-charged debate on assisted dying had been prompted by a petition that gathered more than 200,000 signatures and was backed by TV's Dame Esther Rantzen

Fellow broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, who gathered outside Parliament today with protesters in support of a change in the law on assisted dying, called on politicians to 'get off the fence' on the issue.

During her contribution to the Westminster Hall debate, Ms Baillie said her constituents had 'contacted me in droves about this matter'.

And she acknowledged how her constituents' experiences had 'changed my views' on the issue.

As Ms Baillie shared some of the correspondence she has received, she told MPs how one man had sent her a 'very thoughtful, long correspndence' about his mother.

'The weeks through her illness was actually rather life-affirming, his mum considered taking her own life as her best friend had done through a terminal diagnosis,' the MP said.

'But she didn't and she told us she was glad she hadn't because she would have missed out on the experience of so much love from family and carers.

'Yet she also went on to plead for death in the final weeks, it took 16 weeks for her to die, effectively from starvation, and I mention this gentleman because he said that when my mum was dying'

As her voice cracked with emotion, Ms Baillie added: 'This is hard. We all get these.'

Continuing to read out the man's testimony, she went on: 'I promised myself that I at the very least would write a letter.

'And I would write this letter to my MP so that the bitter disagreement with the law and my experience would be on record and known, and thank you for taking the time for it.'

Ms Baillie agreed with Conservative former minister David Davis about the need for a lengthy debate on assisted dying, telling MPs: 'We have to have days on this. This has to be very thought-through and a big debate with everybody involved.'

Mr Davis, the former Brexit secretary, had earlierrecalled his mother's 'miserable' death from brain and lung cancer, in contrast to a constituent's father's death, which he said had been described to him as having been a 'beautiful death' at Dignitas.

He said: 'I have come to the conclusion that as long as extremely strict controls are put in place, so that no-one feels pressurised to end their life, I am supportive of the legalisation of assisted dying.'

Fellow Tory MP Kit Malthouse paid tribute to Dame Esther's intervention in the public debate on assisted dying.

It saw British people stand up and listen, and now many are left wondering why MPs 'stand for the status quo', he said.

'When, as members have already stated in the room, the status quo is appalling,' Mr Malthouse added.

He said an inaccurate view of the country as a place 'teeming with granny-killers' has been presented in the argument against a change in the law.

'They don't understand that the vast majority of the British people, they love their parents, they love their grandparents, they want the best for them,' he continued.

Tory former minister Therese Coffey said she would not support changing the law, telling MPs: 'No-one should feel such a burden on their family, their friends and society that they should end their lives early, and that is why today I will upset several of my constituents.

'I do hold a different view to them on this matter, as I have consistently, and I continue to want to make no changes to the law, and leave it as it stands.'

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

A Bill was introduced in Scotland in March  the third time members of the Scottish Parliament will have considered the issue  with two previous attempts to change the law defeated.

Campaigners both for and against legal reform gathered outside Parliament on Monday afternoon.

Dimbleby, who gathered with pro-change campaigners today, has previously described the current law as 'increasingly unbearable' following the death of his younger brother Nicholas, who suffered with motor neurone disease (MND).

In a message to MPs, he said: 'Get off the fence, don't sit on your hands, have a proper full debate about all the implications, and at the end of that I am sure they will introduce legislation.'

He described the Not Dead Yet protest being held next to the Dignity in Dying demonstration as impassioned but unreasonable, saying some of the slogans were 'scare stories that I wish that people wouldn't deploy because of their own very strong feelings'.
This the hilarious moment the BBC's Chris Mason stands in the wrong spot at the start of the News at Six live broadcast tonight.

The broadcaster's political editor awkwardly moves into view outside the Holyrood Parliament in Edinburgh.

Mason awkwardly clears his throat and side-steps to the left before pointing and then briskly walking out of view.

The camera then cuts to presenter Jane Hill as the pair broadcasted outside the parliament building tonight following Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf announcing his resignation.

The unfortunate blunder was shared on X/ Twitter by television critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan.

This the hilarious moment the BBC 's Chris Mason stands in the wrong spot at the start of the News at Six outside the Holyrood Parliament in Edinburgh

Mason awkwardly clears his throat and side-steps to the left before pointing and then briskly walking out of view

He captioned the video: 'A hilarious start to the BBC News at Six. Enjoying Chris Mason realising he shouldn't be standing exactly where he is standing.'

Mason responded to the message saying he had 'no idea' while others were quick to quip that 'Eric Morecambe couldn't have done it better'.

Another joked: 'Poor Chris Mason, inevitable he'll be on Have I Got News for You, or with footwork like that, Strictly Come Dancing.'

Opticians Specsavers joined in and offered 'emergency checkups for everyone in shot'.

Mr Yousaf tearfully announced today he was resigning after failing to drum up enough support to survive a confidence vote.

Watched by his wife Nadia in Edinburgh, Mr Yousaf conceded he had 'underestimated' the backlash from ditching the Bute House deal. He added: 'I'm not willing to trade my values... simply for retaining power.'

He said the government needed to be led by someone who could bring MSPs together, although he would stay on as interim leader to ensure continuity.

Choking up as he paid tribute to his family's support, Mr Yousaf said: 'I am in absolute debt to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children and my wider family for putting up with me over the years. I'm afraid you will be seeing a lot more of me from now.

Mason responded to TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan's message, saying he had 'no idea' he was in the shot, while opticians Specsavers offered emergency checkups for everyone

'You are truly everything to me.'

It comes as he had been frantically trying to bolster his support after triggering a meltdown by summarily ditching his Green coalition partners.

Mr Yousaf spent the weekend frantically wooing MSPs, but concluded there was no way of clinging on.

Attention now turns to who will succeed Mr Yousaf, with signs former deputy First Minister John Swinney could take over as a caretaker. He admitted earlier it would be a 'difficult' day.

Ex-leadership contender Kate Forbes and minister Jenny Gilruth have also been touted.

Nicola Sturgeon paid tribute to her short-serving successor and hailed Mr Yousaf for his 'grace, dignity and integrity'.

The former SNP leader posted on X/Twitter: I know how big a privilege being First Minister is, but also the toll it can take. I also know what a wrench it is to step aside, even when sure it is the right thing to do.

'Humza has conducted himself with grace, dignity and integrity - both as FM and in the manner of his leaving. I am and always will be proud to call him a friend.'
The family of a black teenager, who was shot and badly injured last year when he mistakenly knocked on the wrong door, has filed a civil lawsuit in the state of Missouri against the shooter.

The complaint, which was filed by Ralph Yarl's mother, names Andrew Lester - the shooter - and the Highland Acres Lakeside Heights Homeowners Association in Kansas City as defendants.

The complaint asserts that the HOA's 'carelessness' and 'negligence' led Yarl to 'suffer and sustain permanent injuries.'

Yarl was shot in the head and the right arm after arriving at the wrong address to pick up his twin brothers from a friend's house. Lester says he believed someone was attempting to break into his residence.

The family's attorney, Lee Merritt, told ABC7 that the young man is 'an anomaly to me' because even after the shooting, he carries 'no hatred in his heart.'

Ralph Yarl was shot in the head and the right arm after arriving at the wrong address to pick up his twin brothers from a friend's house. Lester says he believed someone was attempting to break into his residence

'He has a strong sense of justice and he wants us to move forward with pursuing justice for him,' he added.

Lester's attorney has not yet responded to the suit, which was filed ahead of his client's criminal trial, scheduled to begin this coming October.

Following the shooting last April, the 85-year-old homeowner was charged with one count of felony assault in the first degree, and one felony count of armed criminal action.

The senior citizen pleaded not guilty and was released on a $200,000 bond.

Yarl's mother, Cleo Nagbe, says the 'trauma' is only now 'catching up' with her son, who initially attempted to 'minimize' the severity of what had happened to him/

The civil suit does not allege that Lester shot Yarl out of 'racial animus,' but Merritt points out that 'a young Black boy living in Kansas City, Missouri should be able to knock on the wrong door should be able to move freely about his community without fear that he will be criminalized and that he will be violently assaulted.'

Lester, reads the suit, was careless and negligent in his failure to properly communicate and/or warn Yarl ahead of firing a gun at him. He also allegedly failed to inquire about why Yarl was there, and failed to render aid once Yarl had been shot.

Yarl, who will turn 18 in May, suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury in the shooting, and recovery, says his mother, has 'been really long' and is 'ongoing.'

Since his injury, she said, her son has struggled with academics in a way he never did prior to the shooting,

'That's why I feel bad for him. But he doesn't see that there has been a shift in his mental capacity. It's not that he's less smarter, it's just that when the brain wants to heal, the brain wants to heal. It focuses everything on that healing,' she said.

Andrew Lester, 85, will face the civil suit brought by Yarl's family, in addition to the criminal trial he is facing, due to begin in October

Lester's Kansas City property, in front of which Yarl was shot twice

The suit was filed on behalf of Yarl's mother, Cleo Nagbe (pictured right), who says her son now has trouble with school work in a way he never did before the shooting

Yarl is bound for college next year, where he plans to study engineering. He has also been passionate about music for years, learning to play the bass clarinet and being selected to the 2024 Missouri All-State Band

Nagbe added that her son would rather 'be seen for his accomplishments' than for being the kid shot on April 13, 2023.

Yarl is bound for college next year, where he plans to study engineering. He has also been passionate about music for years, learning to play the bass clarinet and being selected to the 2024 Missouri All-State Band.

According to the suit, filed Monday, the teen 'suffered and sustained permanent injuries, endured pain and suffering of a temporary and permanent nature, experienced disability and losses of normal life activities, was obligated to spend large sums of money for medical care and attention and suffered other losses and damaged.'

The family is seeking financial compensation in 'excess of this Court's jurisdictional limit,' in addition to the cost of legal fees.
BRI offers bridge to prosperity in western region of China

Global Times) 15:08, April 29, 2024

As China shifts up a gear in the development of its vast western region, which covers more than 70 percent of the country's landmass, China will further open its economy and share its quality resources, such as the market, with the world, so as to build mutually beneficial cooperation. In this process, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will establish an effective platform to meet the development needs of the world.

The China-Europe Railway Express, a flagship project under the BRI, has deepened connectivity and boosted common development in the Eurasian continent over the past decade. On Friday, a train carrying agricultural products reportedly left Urumqi, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, for Salerno, Italy. The route, combining rail and ocean services, not only reduces transportation costs and improves the efficiency of international cargo shipments, but also shortens the overall time by half compared with sea transportation.

The China-Europe Railway Express has significantly improved railway connectivity between Asia and Europe, as well as the development of sea-rail, road-rail and air-rail multimodal transportation, offering strong support for the massive trade of goods between China and Europe. Enormous potential remains to be tapped in bilateral trade, as China makes tremendous efforts in boosting the high-quality development of its western region by pursuing higher-standard opening-up.

With China's push for more balanced development, the economic gap between China's better-off eastern coastal region and its less-developed western inland region is narrowing. The western region is expected to catch up with the eastern region in the fields of public service, infrastructure connectivity and living standards by 2035. It means the vast western region has significant growth opportunities in the foreseeable future.

Xinjiang can be viewed as the epitome of the development of China's western region. Xinjiang's GDP jumped 5.6 percent in the first quarter with its growth exceeding forecasts. The added value of its secondary industry reached 188.36 billion yuan ($25.99 billion), up 10.1 percent year-on-year, exceeding the increases in the primary and tertiary industries. This added to evidence that Xinjiang's industrialization has accelerated and taken off, and is growing at an extraordinary pace.

The first wave of China's industrialization and modernization brought development to the eastern and southern parts of the country. The second wave will soon lift up the country's vast western region. The urbanization and industrialization of the central and western parts of China will not only inject new impetus into the country's economic development, but will also advance a new round of opening-up.

Further opening-up can help bolster the efficiency and competitiveness of Chinese markets, while relieving pressure on the global economy. The BRI is expected to be an important part of China's new round of opening-up, letting the world share the growth dividend of the second wave of China's industrialization in its western region.

The BRI continues to develop rapidly. As the initiative has materialized over the past decade, Xinjiang has been transformed from a relatively closed inland region to a frontier of opening-up and innovation. With the rise of China's western region, BRI cooperation will become even more valuable for overseas partners.

China still has golden opportunities for development. How can this potential be tapped? Europe should be more involved in the BRI. Some in the West incorrectly claim that Europe can gain little from its participation in the BRI, but the initiative connecting Europe with China's fast-growing western region counters this point.

Rapid economic development has created a large demand for imports. In 2023, Xinjiang's foreign trade totaled 357.33 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 45.9 percent, ranking second among China's provincial-level regions in terms of growth. If China's western region can further accelerate its industrialization and urbanization with the help of the BRI, it will have a profound and long-term impact on the global supply chain. Foreign businesses should not miss emerging opportunities in the Chinese market.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
President Yoon Suk Yeol and opposition leader Lee Jae-myung sat down for their first-ever talks Monday, a meeting that will test how much the two sides are willing to cooperate on politics and government affairs.

The two met over tea at the presidential office, accompanied by three aides each, video footage showed. There was no fixed agenda, and their opening remarks were not immediately available.

The meeting was arranged at Yoon's suggestion after the ruling People Power Party was routed in the April 10 parliamentary elections, leaving the National Assembly under the control of Lee's Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).

It was the first time the two have held talks since Yoon came into office in May 2022.

Both sides have said the talks will focus on finding ways to improve people's livelihoods, though the DPK has also cast the meeting as an opportunity to demand changes in the principle of state affairs.

"I invited him not so much because I want to say what's on my mind but because I want to listen to what Chairman Lee Jae-myung has to say," Yoon told reporters last week. "We won't put restrictions on the agenda but talk about various matters."

Cooperating with the opposition bloc has become ever more important for Yoon as he will have to work with an opposition-controlled National Assembly for the remaining three years of his single, five-year term. The DPK held a majority in parliament during his first two years in office as well.

Lee is expected to call on the president to accept his general election pledge to hand out 250,000 won ($181) each to the entire population to help restore their livelihoods, refrain from exercising his veto power against DPK-led bills and accept a special counsel investigation into the death of a Marine last year.

Also drawing attention is whether Lee will raise the issue of pursuing a special counsel investigation into allegations of stock price manipulation involving first lady Kim Keon Hee. (Yonhap)
Infamous gangster Al Capone's favorite pistol 'sweetheart' is up for auction and expected to fetch an eye-watering price of up to $3 million.

Prospective buyers can put offers in on the weapon at Richmond Auctions in South Carolina on May 18 with bidding starting at $500,000.

Capone nicknamed the .45 Colt semi-automatic pistol, which his family members say regularly saved his life, 'sweetheart'.

The gun, made in 1911, was one of the gangster's prize possessions that kept him company throughout his criminal legacy of gambling, robbery and murder.

Considered an iconic collectible, the pistol is suspected to fetch a final price of between $2million and $3million.

Al Capone nicknamed the .45 Colt semi-automatic pistol, which his family members say regularly saved his life, 'sweetheart'

Considered an iconic collectible, the pistol is suspected to fetch a final price of between $2million and $3million

Born in Brooklyn in 1899 to Italian immigrants, Capone earned the nickname 'Scarface' after a fight with a man in a bar left three scars on his face.

He was the boss of the Chicago Outfit, a 1920s gang that beat out rivals in bootlegging and racketeering with increasingly brutal methods.

These culminated in the 1929 St Valentine's Day Massacre, when seven members of a rival gang were executed, earning Capone the title 'Public Enemy Number One'.

He was indicted in 1931 on 22 counts of tax evasion and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Capone ended up in Alcatraz, where he died on January 25, 1947 at the age of 48 after developing dementia caused by syphilis.

After his death, his prize gun was passed to his wife Mae, who passed it on to their son, Sonny Capone, who in turn left it to his own daughters, Diane and Barbara, after his death in 2004.

Diane and Barbara put the pistol up for auction in 2021, along with 200 of their grandfather's other personal belongings.

Sweetheart sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars more than anticipated to a private collector.

Diane told CBS at the time: 'This gun was kind of his protection and I think it saved his life on a number of occasions and so he called it his sweetheart.'

She said he carried the gun wherever he went.

Capone was sent to Alcatraz in 1934, three years after he was indicted on 22 charges of tax evasion

Capone was considered one of the most notorious gangsters of the Prohibition era and was the mob boss of the Chicago Outfit

Critics denounced the decision to auction off his belongings, accusing the family of profiting from his dark criminal past.

But others point to the historical significance of the artifacts.

Al Capone was commonly called the most shot at man in America and widely known for coining the phrase 'you can get more with a kind word and a gun than with just a kind word.'

Sharing news of the gun's sale, Kimmie Williams, a firearms specialist at Richmond Auctions, said: 'This particular Colt 1911 is more than just a firearm. It's a relic of an era marked by lawlessness and larger-than-life personalities.

'Its profound connection to Al Capone adds an extra layer of allure, making it a must-have and trump-card for any world-class collector.'
A doctor, who was accused of sexually assaulting three colleagues, wept in court today after he was cleared of the string of attacks.

Brian Kubwalo, 56, who was a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Wirral's Arrowe Park Hospital, told the trial at Liverpool Crown Court that he had been 'shocked out of my skin' by the allegations.

Jurors found the father-of-two not guilty of the three sexual assault charges, which included claims of putting his hand down the trousers of one female complainant.

Another woman said Mr Kubwalo had touched her on the bottom, while a third accused him of touching her on the legs and offering to 'give her a hand' when she went to the toilet.

The accused said that this had been 'an off the cuff remark' and 'a cheeky thing to say' and that he had not realised the comment had upset the woman until his line manager told him she had made a complaint about inappropriate behaviour.

He added: 'I didnt think she would take it seriously.'

Brian Kubwalo (pictured), a hospital doctor who was accused of sexually assaulting three colleagues, wept in court today after he was cleared of the string of attacks

The 56-year-old told the trial at Liverpool Crown Court that he had been 'shocked out of my skin' by the allegations

Jurors at Liverpool Crown Court (pictured) found the father-of-two not guilty of the three sexual assault charges, which included claims of putting his hand down the trousers of one female complainant

Another woman said Mr Kubwalo, who was a gynaecologist and obstetrician at Wirral's Arrowe Park Hospital (pictured), had touched her on the bottom while a third accused him of touching her on the legs and offering to 'give her a hand' when she went to the toilet

He agreed that he sent her an apology saying, 'sorry to have caused you distress. I was joking and just making some banter which went too far. I have always seen you as a good friend. Sorry.'

The 56-year-old said he engaged in banter with colleagues, which sometimes involved giving 'friendly' shoulder massages, including to the woman who accused him of touching him on the leg, if they were tense or stressed.

Mr Kubwalo, who was born in Malawi, said: 'I have a laugh and put people at ease to facilitate my work.'

He added that such banter involved 'joking words, they are not meant to hurt anyone..it is very contextual.'
People can now help put money in George Santos' pockets by paying for a message from the disgraced congressman  but dressed in drag.

'Kitara Ravache' is coming out of retirement after 18 years, Santos announced on his X account on Monday.

The Long Island former Republican is charging people a hefty price tag of $350 if they want to receive personalized video messages including well wishes on a birthday, a pep talk or just answering a general question.

In December 2023, the House of Representatives voted 311-114 to expel the New York Republican. He is only the sixth House member to ever be expelled.

Santos became infamous for lies told during his campaign for Congress in 2022. But he served for less than a year before his lies finally got him booted from Congress.

Disgraced former NY Rep. George Santos (pictured in drag in 2008) has opened his Cameo for people to request video messages for $350 with him dressed in drag as his persona Kitara Ravache

'Hey you messy b****es! So, Kitara is coming out of the closet after 18 years thanks to all of you. So, get ready because it's going to be very limited and it's going to be for a great cause,' Santos said in a video posted to his Cameo account

When initially reported last year, Santos denied he ever dressed in drag or cross-dressed at gay pride events in Brazil, but later admitted to it and is now using his former persona to bring in funds.

In a selfie-video posted publicly to his Cameo account, Santos, wearing a white t-shirt and clearly not in drag, said: 'Hey you messy b****es! So, Kitara is coming out of the closet after 18 years thanks to all of you. So, get ready because it's going to be very limited and it's going to be for a great cause.'

'So get ordering, because it's going to be fun,' Santos said.

It appears Santos has not dressed in drag since 2008. A photo from 16 years ago from a Brazilian drag queen, who claims to be Santos' friend, shows them both dressed in drag.

But now, Santos is slipping back into his heels and dress to deliver messages people are able to request on Cameo, which is a platform that allows celebrities and personalities to charge for their video messages.

'Y'all weren't ready for this drop?' Santos wrote on his X account. 'I've decided to bring Kitara out of the closet after 18 years!'

There are only 71 videos left as of Monday afternoon  and 20% of the proceeds will be divided among two separate charitable organizations

Cameo helps guide users through requesting a video message from Santos, as Kitara. The public can request birthday messages, pep talks and even roasts

He added, 20 percent of the proceeds will be divided and donated to Tunnel2Towers, a charity dedicated to supporting first responders, and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, a pro-Israel organization.

It's unclear where the rest of the money is going, but it can be assumed to line the pockets of the disgraced lawmaker, who changed his party affiliation to independent last month.

Santos announced in March he would challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Nick LaLota in the race to represent New York's 1st congressional district and a few weeks later said he would do so as an independent.

But on April 23, Santos dropped out of the race.

Santos pathologically lied about his life and himself when running for Congress in 2022. The tall tales were not revealed until after the election and he was expelled from Congress last year

Santos said the offer of Cameo videos is only 'for a couple of days' and he is prepared to deliver at least 71 more video messages dressed in his drag queen persona.

His Cameo account claims there are only 71 messages left for people to purchase as of Monday afternoon.

Along with lying about his previous drag queen status, Santos also told tall tales about his heritage, his educational background, his work history and claiming his mother died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell broke with Donald Trump and reiterated that he does not believe a former president has absolute immunity from prosecution as the Supreme Court considers that every question just months ahead of the presidential election.

Trump's lawyers argued before the Supreme Court last week that he should be immune from prosecution in a case that will have a sweeping impact not just on the former president, but for presidential powers in the United States.

His team wants two federal indictments by Special Counsel Jack Smith - for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election after his loss to President Biden and for his mishandling of classified documents - to be thrown out.

Trump and his team have argued that all presidents would be undermined if he isn't allowed to assert the immunity from prosecution for 'official acts' as president he claims to enjoy.

McConnell was asked in an interview on CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday whether he believed former presidents should be 'completely immune from liability.'

The outgoing GOP leader in the Senate pushed back stating that he stands by everything he previously said on the matter - that Trump should not be immune.

Senate Minority Leader McConnell in an interview with Face the Nation where he broke with Trump by reiterated his stance that former presidents should not have immunity

Trump is facing charges in four separate criminal cases. His lawyer argued before the Supreme Court that the ex-president has immunity stemming from the case over election interference in Washington, DC

After the attack on January 6, 2021, McConnell voted to acquit Trump during his second impeachment trial. But McConnell said Trump did not get away with anything.

'We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation, and former presidents are not immune from being accountable by either one,' McConnell said on February 13, 2021.

'I stand by everything I said then. Obviously, it'll be up to the Supreme Court to decide whether I was correct,' McConnell told Face the Nation on Sunday.

Trump's lawyer made the argument during the hearing on Thursday that only former presidents who are impeached and convicted by the Senate can be criminally prosecuted.

A sketch of Trump's lawyer John Sauer making his argument that Trump is immune from prosecution before the Supreme Court on April 25, 2024

Trump on January 6, 2021. After the attack on the Capitol, McConnell called the ex-president 'morally responsible'

Trump was impeached, but McConnell played a role in the ex-president not being convicted with his vote to acquit Trump in the Senate.

When this was pointed out by moderator Margaret Brennan, McConnell responded 'I don't regret anything I said then. I haven't taken it- anything I said then back, but the answer to your question is going to be in the courts. The Supreme Court's gonna decide that.'

The country's highest court appeared poised to reject Trump's claim of absolute immunity last week, but conservative justices signaled they could further delay his trial for election interference.

After the attack on January 6, McConnell blasted Trump as 'morally responsible' for the mob that stormed the Capitol.

But while McConnell said he stands by what he said about January 6 and Trump's role, he has already endorsed Trump in his current bid for the White House.

The endorsement came after Super Tuesday last month when Trump moved closer to officially clinching the nomination and final Republican opponent Nikki Haley dropped out of the race.

McConnell said at the party nominee, Trump would have his support.

The Senate minority leader doubled down on that support Sunday on Face the Nation saying Republican voters across the country made a decision.

Trump and McConnell together at a campaign rally in 2019. McConnell endorsed Trump for president last month despite his criticism of the ex-president

'As the Republican leader of the Senate, obviously, I'm gonna support the nominee of our party,' he said.

Trump and McConnell have long had a tumultuous relationship.

The pair worked side-by-side on key pieces of legislation while Trump was in office and McConnell was Senate Majority Leader, but the ex-president has also lashed out at the GOP senator as well has his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, on numerous occasions.

If the ex-president is reelected for a second term, he and McConnell will once again be working together on GOP priorities as McConnell will still be in the Senate.

However, McConnell will not serve as Senate Republican Leader again even if Republicans retake the Senate majority.

The 82-year-old lawmaker announced in February he would step down from leadership in November paving the way for a new GOP Senate leader.
The Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first British royal to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

Sophie, 59, met with President Zelensky and his wife - and passed on a personal message from King Charles - as she showed her solitary with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture during her emotional one-day trip.

The mother of-two travelled in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

It is understood she was 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'.

She arrived in the country on the same day at least four people were killed in a barrage of Russian missile strike in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa nearly 300 miles away.

In Kyiv the duchess listened as survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, bravely shared their stories, as well as talking to female IDPs - internally displaced persons - and volunteers who help their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion.

Sophie, the Duchess of Cambridge, shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday

The Duchess of Edinburgh (right) poses for a photo with Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska (left) in Saint Sophia Cathedral in what was the first visit to the country by a member of the Royal Family since the Russian invasion

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, was seen smiling as she looked up at the ceiling of Saint Sophia Cathedral alongside Olena Zelenska

The Duchess was shown frescoes as she was given a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site on Monday

During her visit Sophie also met with survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, who bravely shared their stories

She also visited the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) where she met victims of the Russian invasion

The Duchess was seen stroking a dog during her visit to the UNFPA office in Kyiv on Monday

Sophie poses for a picture with people at the UNPFPA office, with the Duchess 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'

Her visit came the same day at least four people were killed in a Russian missile barrage in the port city of Odesa. Pictured: A couple look towards the burning Odesa Law Academy after the attack today

The governor of the Ukrainian port city confirmed multiple people had been killed or wounded in the blitz on Monday

In Kyiv the Duchess spoke to staff at the UNFPA and learned of how they are working to help victims of the Russian invasion

Sophie speaks to people at the UNFPA office in Kyiv. The duchess also talked to female IDPs - internally displaced persons - and volunteers who help their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion

Sophie also signed the guest book at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during her whirlwind visit to the city on Monday

The Duchess also met with children as she visited a family centre run by Save Ukraine in the town of Irpin

The Duchess met children who had been returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families during the invasion

Sophie was greeted by children who had drawn welcoming messages for her on a flag of Ukraine

The Duchess is all smiles as she speaks to a young child at the Save Ukraine family centre in Irpin

She also met with children who have now been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture.

And she paid her respects to those who lost their lives in Bucha, two years on from its liberation from Russian forces, and visited the 'Road to Life', a bridge which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv and later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the Russian occupation.

It is understood she was particularly keen to show her support for Ukrainian women who have played important roles in the conflict and community recovery and held a meeting with female volunteers who help their communities cope with the aftermath of the attacks with mental health care activities for children.

Meeting with President Zelensky and First Lady Zelenska, Sophie discussed how best to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and the women peacebuilders who have a vital part to play in ensuring Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction is effective and long-lasting.

Speaking at a conference last month, Her Royal Highness said: 'Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences.

'They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors.

Sophie paid her respects to the victims of the Russian invasion during a visit to the town of Bucha, which was the site of atrocities committed by Putin's troops

The Duchess visited a memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town alongside British Ambassador Martin Harris

Sophie looks on at a poster of a person with their hands bound by rope at the memorial in Bucha

She also lit a candle at Saint Andrew's Church in Bucha in memory of those who lost their lives during the brutal occupation

The Duchess was guided around Saint Andrew's Church and the town by a local Orthodox priest

The Duchess gave a speech during a reception at the residence of the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine in Kyiv

She also visited the Car Cemetery in the town of Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv, which was the site of a fierce battle during the early stages of the Russian invasion

The Duchess was also shown the Romanivska Bridge in Irpin, which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv

The Duchess looks at a historical model of Kyiv located in Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during Monday's visit

Sophie was seen to be enraptured by the ornate decoration in the 6th-century monument, which is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, looks down at a sword on display in the Saint Sophia Cathedral

The Duchess looks at the ornate decorations of the cathedral, which is named after the 6th century Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul

A guide shows Sophie a model of the Saint Sophia Cathedral during a tour of the religious complex

The Duchess (left) visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv today alongside First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska (right)

Sophie walks in the shadows of Saint Sophia Cathedral during a visit to Kyiv on Monday in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda

Sophie looks at the grave of Yaroslav I the Wise, the founder of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv

'Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isn't an accepted part of conflict.

'Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.'

Since 2022, the UK has pledged over 4.7 billion in non-military support to Ukraine. This includes over 660 million of bilateral assistance that prioritises the needs of women and girls, for example by funding vital services for survivors of Gender Based Violence, as well as working with the Office of the Prosecutor General to put survivors at the centre of approaches to prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence crimes.

The UK is also working with international partners to hold those responsible for atrocities to account.

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Buckingham Palace said in a statement: 'Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh is visiting Ukraine at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

'Her Royal Highness this morning met the President and First Lady of Ukraine and delivered a message to them on behalf of His Majesty The King.'

The timing of her visit to Ukraine coincided with a Russian barrage that killed at least four people in the port city of Odesa, nearly 300 miles to the south.

A turreted Gothic-style building owned by the Odesa Law Academy, known locally as the 'Harry Potter Castle,' was seen in flames after the strike on the crucial port city.

Its regional governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging site that 27 people were injured in a Russian missile strike on residential buildings and 'civil infrastructure'.

He said: 'Three women and a man were killed. According to the updated toll, 27 people were wounded, including two children... and a pregnant woman.

'Four of the wounded are in a serious condition, doctors are fighting to save their lives.'

Smoke billows into the air as fire tears through the Odesa Law Academy after the building was hit by a Russian missile on Monday

People gather to watch as the Odesa Law Academy building in southern Ukraine burns following a Russian attack

A turreted Gothic-style building in Odesa is left smouldering after being hit by a Russian missile on Monday

Members of the Red Cross work with Ukrainian firefighters outside the burning Odesa Law Academy

President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on Monday

Stoltenberg admitted that aid promised by NATO to Ukraine had not been delivered quickly enough

At a press conference back in Kyiv on Monday, the head of NATO said the military alliance hasn't delivered the aid promised to Ukraine in time as he stood alongside President Zelensky.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg admitted that 'serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield', allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyiv's depleted forces wait for military supplies.

Outgunned, Ukraine's troops have struggled to fend off Russian advances on the battlefield.

They were recently compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the east, where the Kremlin's forces have been making incremental gains, Ukraine's army chief said Sunday.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed Monday its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

'The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line.

'Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,' Stoltenberg said.

Kyiv's Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine 'for as long as it takes.'

But vital US military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europe's military hardware production has not kept up with demand.

Ukraine's own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Now, Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Zelensky said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. 'This process must be speeded up,' he said at the news conference with Stoltenberg.
An appeals court has ruled that state health care plans must pay for sex-change procedures, a first-in-the-nation decision that looks destined for the Supreme Court.

The US Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond ruled 8-6 on Monday in the case against North Carolina's state employee health plan and West Virginia Medicaid.

Judge Roger Gregory, a Bill Clinton appointee, wrote in the majority opinion that 'coverage exclusions facially discriminate on the basis of sex and gender identity.'

West Virginia's Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said he would appeal the ruling.

Transgender surgeries, like this one in Boston, have divided opinion in the US and globally

Judge Roger Gregory said the state health plans 'facially discriminate on the basis of sex and gender identity'

'Decisions like this one, from a court dominated by Obama- and Biden-appointees, cannot stand,' he said in a statement.

'We'll take this up to the Supreme Court and win.'

Genspect, which advocates for trans care with fewer drugs and surgeries, called the ruling wrong-headed.

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'There is no justification for publicly funding these interventions, which lack quality evidence and cause harm,' the group said.

A spokesperson for North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell, who oversees the state's health plan, said the agency was reviewing the decision.

During oral arguments in September, at least two judges said it's likely the case will reach the US Supreme Court.

The North Carolina state insurance plan provides medical coverage for more than 750,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, lawmakers, and their dependents.

It provides counseling for gender dysphoria and other diagnosed mental health conditions, but does not cover treatment 'in connection with sex changes or modifications and related care.'

In August 2022, a federal judge ruled West Virginia's Medicaid program must cover gender care for trans residents.

An original lawsuit filed in 2020 also named state employee health plans.

A settlement with The Health Plan of West Virginia in 2022 led to the removal of the exclusion on trans care in that company's Public Employees Insurance Agency plans.

West Virginia 's Attorney General Patrick Morrisey says he'll fight the ruling to the top US court

Connor Thonen-Fleck speaking in 2019 about West Virginia and North Carolina's refusal to cover certain health care for trans

At oral arguments in September, attorneys for the state of North Carolina said its plan is not required to cover cross-sex hormones or surgery because being trans is not an illness.

They said not all trans people suffer from gender dysphoria, a diagnosis of distress over gender identity.

Before offering drugs or surgery, guidelines call for thorough psychological assessments to confirm gender dysphoria.

West Virginia attorneys said the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has declined to issue a national coverage decision on trans surgery.

State lawyers said West Virginia's policy is not a case of discrimination, either, but of a state trying to keep costs low.

Unlike North Carolina, the state has covered hormones and other trans drugs since 2017.

After the ruling, West Virginia plaintiff Shauntae Anderson, a trans black woman and West Virginia Medicaid participant, called her state's refusal to cover her care 'deeply dehumanizing.'

'This court ruling puts us one step closer to the day when Medicaid can no longer deny transgender West Virginians access to the essential healthcare that our doctors say is necessary,' Anderson said in a statement.

It's the second ruling in favor of trans rights this month from the 4th Circuit, a once-conservative court that has advanced trans rights.

Earlier this month, judges said a public middle school could not ban a trans 13-year-old from playing on the girls' track and field team.
A beekeeping Florida resident is buzzing mad and is at war with neighbors and authorities over his backyard hive which left his home 'unfit for human occupancy.'

Mike Powers was shocked when he was told by code enforcement that his home on Lake Anderson Avenue in Orlando was 'unsafe and unlawful to occupy.'

The apiarist, who has been caring for honeybees at his home for more than 20 years, was perplexed as he had been approved to keep honeybees on his property.

Distressed by the ordeal, he stayed with friends and tried to reach out for legal counsel, until he learned that Florida residents are allowed to keep bees on their property, as per a state law.

The military veteran, who also grows bananas, coffee beans, papaya, peaches, pineapple and sweet potatoes, said there was 'no warning, no due process, nothing, just get out,' the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Mike Powers, a military veteran, and avid beekeeper, was shocked when he was told by code enforcement that his home on Lake Anderson Avenue in Orlando was 'unsafe and unlawful to occupy'

Last month, a code compliance officer reportedly stopped by Powers home after a complaint came in from a neighbor on February 28, alleging that the bees 'stung her all the time.'

The officer placed a notice on his door informing him that his home was unsafe, and it was unlawful to live in, according to the news outlet.

The officer also left their business card and a written message to 'remove stinging insects.'

Beekeeping activities are handled by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as per state laws.

Scott Glass, an attorney in Orlando, who specializes in land-use, was familiar with the county directive that Powers was slapped with.

Though, he told the news outlet that he never met Powers, he shared that he was 'irked' by the incident.

'I'm not a tree-hugger,' Glass said. 'But, seriously! They kicked a man out of his house because of a beehive in the backyard.'

Glass, who revealed that he has friends who share the same hobby, said he sent a copy of Florida's beekeeping statute to the code-compliance officer, and to Orange County Attorney Jeff Newton.

In the note, he urged county officials to 'rein these people in' before their actions open the the county to a lawsuit, as per the news outlet.

The state apiary beekeeper inspector had called the code-compliance officer to inform her that Powers had permission to house honeybees on his property.

A stock image that shows a close-up of honeybees on a beehive

Glass also wrote an email to the code enforcement officer telling her that he hoped the incident that took place was a 'one-off,' and advised other backyard beekeepers, like Powers, to contact him if they see themselves in a similar situation.

'Any future questions or complaints about Backyard Beekeepers in Orange County will be directed to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as the appropriate enforcement authority,' he wrote.

John Coldwell, president of the Florida State Beekeepers Association, said in part that 'one phone call from a state apiary inspector can usually avoid what happened in Orange County.'

Florida has more than 5,000 registered beekeepers, including commercial apiaries and hobbyists.

Powers told the news outlet that he keeps bees strictly for enjoyment not to make money from honey.
Some Democrats have broken rank with their colleagues and have begun calling for the resignations at Columbia University, furious at how anti-Israel protests have engulfed campus life for a third week.

The ongoing 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' has been ongoing for nearly two weeks and has led to the arrests of hundreds of protestors.

The activists have often vacillated between pro-Palestinian and pro-Gaza chants to anti-Zionist messages laced with antisemitism.

This enraged a small number of Democrats who last week want as far as going to the university to call for it to take action against the targeting and harassment of Jewish students as a result of the encampments.

Now, some of those Democrats who visited the university are going further, writing to the trustees of Columbia University to request they 'act decisively, disband the encampment, and ensure the safety and security of all of its students.'

Reps. Josh Gottheimer, Jared Moskowitz, Kathy Manning and Dan Goldman speak at a press conference regarding recent anti-semitism directed towards jewish students studying at Columbia University last week

Pro-Palestinian protestors hold a short rally after marching around the 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' in the West Lawn of Columbia University on Monday. Demonstrators marched at Columbia University as a 2 P.M. deadline to clear the encampment given to students by the university passed.

The Democrats letter calls on the Columbia University Board of Trustees to shut the camp down or resign for not meeting federal standards for accredited universities

'The time for negotiation is over; the time for action is now,' Jewish Reps. Josh Gottheimer, N.J., and Dan Goldman, N.Y., wrote to the trustees.

'It is ultimately the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to act.'

Gottheimer and Goldman - who both led the Democrat trip to Columbia's campus last week - said if the Board of Trustees is unable to shut down the encampments they should resign.

Still, the two Democrats have yet to call on the University's President Minouche Shafik to resign as all New York Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson have.

'For the past week, this encampment has been the breeding ground for antisemitic attacks on Jewish students, including hate speech, harassment, intimidation, and even threats of violence,' the letter stated.

'Instead of solving the root cause of discrimination and harassment that students faced on campus, the administration decided to segregate some students from campus altogether, which naturally created an unsafe environment on campus for all students.'

'If any Trustees are unwilling to do this, they should resign so that they can be replaced by individuals who will uphold the Universitys legal obligations under Title VI.'

The letter was signed by 21 Democrat lawmakers in total.

Protestors did not submit to the university's request they disband the camp Monday afternoon

Their tough stance comes while other members of the caucus have embraced the student protests at Columbia and elsewhere.

Progressive 'Squad' members Reps. Ilhan Omar, Minn., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, N.Y., have gone as far as visiting some pro-Palestinian encampments to express their support and even take selfies with admiring fans.

'I had the honor of seeing the Columbia University anti-war encampment firsthand,' Omar posted on X after her campus visit.

'Contrary to right-wing attacks, these students are joyfully protesting for peace and an end to the genocide taking place in Gaza. Im in awe of their bravery and courage.'

Notably, Omar's daughter, Irsa Hirsi, was one of the students arrested at Columbia University on April 18. Over a hundred other students and protestors were also arrested that day.

Hirsi's arrest was also accompanied by a suspension from her school - Barnard College - which the Democrat's daughter later described as leaving her homeless and hungry as we was temporarily not allowed to stay on campus or access her meal plan.

Many Democrats have not gone as far as supporting the demonstrations in the same fashion as the 'Squad' members, but a lot of them have demurred on whether the paralyzing protests are appropriate.

The letter sent Monday draws a line in the sand for Democrats, separating those who condemn the pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests and those who don't.

After the letter was sent, the University sent out a memo notifying students that the encampment would be cleared out by 2:00 p.m. Monday.

If students resisted, they would be suspended and not provided an opportunity to leave the semester in good standing with Columbia.

After the deadline to clear the encampment passed, videos of faculty linking arms to protect the protestors emerged, indicating they will prevent the university and law enforcement from breaking the tent city down.

NOW: Columbia University faculty link arms and form a wall in front of the entrance to the Gaza Solidarity Encampment as hundreds of students encircle the both lawns



Students remaining in the encampment were told they could face disciplinary action after 2PM pic.twitter.com/C1XRgHzs8b  katie smith (@probablyreadit) April 29, 2024

'Columbia has surrendered to the radical pro-Hamas antisemitic mob instead of securing campus and protecting Columbias Jewish students,' Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, N.Y., said in a statement after the protestors were unmoved Monday.

'There can be no more extensions or delays. There can be no negotiations with self-proclaimed Hamas terrorists and their sympathizers.'

Gottheimer's office did not return a request for comment.
Asylum seekers in Ireland are furious over a bid to send them back to Northern Ireland, amid chaos in the heart of Dublin centred on a sprawling tent city outside an immigration processing centre.

Stark new images have revealed dozens of tents sprawling through Dublin streets - with UK and Irish ministers embroiled in an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

The string of makeshift accommodation, seen stretching around the International Protection Office and continuing along the road, has been dubbed a 'tent city' by the Irish Examiner, which reported there are roughly 1,700 homeless asylum seekers currently in Ireland.

MailOnline spoke to one refugee, Abdul, a 24-year-old who spent seven months travelling from Afghanistan to Northern Ireland, who said it was 'not fair' that he was forced to travel down to Dublin to avoid being sent to Rwanda.

The married father-of-two told MailOnline outside Dublin's 'tent city': 'There is a word - humanity. Everyone needs to be a human, we are humans. We have a problem in our country. I got here today from Northern Ireland.'

When asked why he had come down to Ireland, he said: 'Rwanda - I think this is not good. Our country we are in the bull****- they are trying to apply their policies and rule on us.

The string of makeshift accommodation, seen this morning stretching around the International Protection Office and continuing along the road, has been dubbed a 'tent city'

Tents housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office, in Dublin

MailOnline spoke to one refugee, Abdul, a 24-year-old who spent seven months travelling from Afghanistan to Northern Ireland, who said it was 'not fair' that he was forced to travel down to Dublin to avoid being sent to Rwanda

The asylum seeker said he came to Ireland 'because of UK prime minister Rishi Sunak'.

But Abdul added: 'The Irish government wants to send [us] back to UK. This is not fair. It took seven months to get from Afghanistan to Northern Ireland - look at my face. You will get the idea how difficult it is.

'There is a word - humanity. Everyone should be treated as a human.

Speaking about the UK not allowing refugees to return to Northern Ireland, he added: 'This is also not fair. We need to spend life like normal people spend. We are also humans.

'We also want to have a normal life, get education or get medical facilities and all these things.

'This is the reason - everyone knows about Rwanda. The corruptions and the situation is Rwanda - it is a very backward country. There is no facilities.

'Their people are also crying. We feel better here.

'I'm married and I have a family there so I need travel documents and all these things. It is important to visit and see my family or take them here. They are also not safe.

People walking past tents housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office, in Dublin

Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year

'[I want a] better quality of life - not yet but maybe later. It's my first day.'

A pair of friends who had also arrived in Dublin from Northern Ireland with suitcases said they were left with no choice because of the fear of being sent to Rwanda.

'It is not fair, we have had to come here after a week', one said. 'We are tired and hungry.'

A group of asylum seekers, including a family with young children, were sent away on a bus after the International Protection Office closed at 4pm.

An Irish pensioner walking past the rows of tents told MailOnline: 'It's not just happening in the last couple weeks because of Rwanda this has been going on for a year now.

'I don't know how many are down here now sleeping rough.

'I don't think we can [legally] send them back to Northern Ireland.

The man, who did not want to be named, continued: 'The UK are playing a very dodgy game. With this whole Northern Ireland border it's a big big issue, especially with the IRA. Under no circumstances is there going to be a border there.

'Because what you're doing there, the republicans are concerned your dividing the country.

'For England to say they are not taking them back, that's a bit of a hot potato.

When asked if most Irish people would want the asylum seekers to be sent back to Northern Ireland, he said: '100 per cent. Over here, they have been allocations certain properties to house these guys. It turns out the locals hear about it and the building goes on fire, we've had a few of them.

Ireland's justice minister Helen McEntee last week claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the state is now 'higher than 80%' following a shift in migration patterns in recent months

Tents housing asylum seekers near to the Office of International Protection, in Dublin

Homeless asylum seekers scrawl messages on the side of their tents

Claims that the majority of asylum seekers entering Ireland had crossed the border from Northern Ireland have been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations

'For Britain to say they won't take them back, I don't know how they are going to get round it.

'They probably do have a point but they really need to think about the whole Good Friday agreement and border issues.

'Some of these guys I don't even know why they are here.

'Do we want to turn them around and send them back? Yep.'

The tents, packed tightly together with minimal personal space, have no access to sanitary facilities with migrants telling reporters earlier this month they were forced to use an open toilet in the corner of the camp.

A large group of the migrants were moved to another location in south Dublin earlier this month but later returned because the conditions there were reportedly even worse.

Several of their tents sported scrawled messages that read 'we are not subhuman' and 'homes for all'.

It comes as UK Government ministers today flatly rejected Dublin's demands to take back asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland.

The Republic has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda.

Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to pass new laws to facilitate returns of migrants, after the country's courts declared the UK cannot be classed as 'safe' due to the pact with the African state.

However, a spokesman for Rishi Sunak today suggested that the Prime Minister would ignore any new law, saying: 'Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who it does or does not accept into the country.

The Republic of Ireland has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda

Tents are seen housing asylum seekers near to the International Protection Office in Dublin

'We are not going to start accepting returns from the EU, just as France doesn't accept returns from the UK.'

The spat comes as Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

The Republic remains part of the European Union, which has blocked British attempts to resolve the Channel crisis with a returns agreement to France.

In a sign of the rising tensions, Dublin had been talking up a meeting between justice minister Helen McEntee and Home Secretary James Cleverly in London today.

However, Mr Cleverly has stepped aside due to other engagements, and Ms McEntee has now pulled out. As a result foreign minister Micheal Martin hold talks with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris instead.
Russell Brand was yesterday baptised in the Thames as the disgraced comic turns to Christianity after allegations of rape and sexual assault.

Brand says he now feels 'nourished' and 'as though a new resource' has been 'switched on inside me' following his baptism yesterday.

The former Buddhist, 48, made no reference about the accusations currently hanging over him in the video posted onto his social media channels, but he did say he faced 'challenges' in his life.

Brand announced last week he was going to be 'taking the plunge' as it is an 'opportunity to leave the past behind'.

Last year a Dispatches documentary on Channel 4 exposed allegations of sexual assaults during the height of his fame, as part of an investigation with The Sunday Times and The Times.

Russell Brand says he now feels 'nourished' and 'as though a new resource' has been 'switched on inside me' following his baptism in the Thames

The former Buddhist, 48, made no reference in the video posted onto his social media channels about the accusations currently hanging over him

In October 2023, Brand faced serious accusations from a series of women, including rape and sexual assault when four women made allegations. The comedian has strenuously denied wrongdoing, and says he has evidence to refute allegations.

He described being baptised as an 'incredible profound experience' and that 'something occurred in the process of baptism that was incredible, overwhelming'.

Telling his followers that he felt changed and transitioned, he said: 'Now of course even though it has been less than 24 hours in the interim period I've already felt like irritation: I've got three children, I've got a job, I've got challenges, I still live in the world. But I feel as though some new resource within me has switched on.'

The controversial comedian has retreated to his countryside Oxfordshire bolthole in recent months after being questioned by police twice in relation to allegations of rape.

Since December he has posted a number of videos and pictures on social media in which he has discussed his relationship with Christianity.

In his announcement last week, Brand said: 'What's been explained to me is, it's an opportunity to die and be reborn. An opportunity to leave the past behind and be reborn in Christ's name.'

He then referenced a verse from scripture, adding: 'Like it says in Galatians: that you can live as an enlightened and awakened person', before saying that the prospect of baptism was 'so inviting and beautiful'.

He went on as he further explained his decision: 'People are so cynical about the increasing interest in Christianity and the return to God, but to me, it's obvious.

Brand took to Instagram last week in which he announced he was 'taking the plunge'

Last year a Dispatches documentary on Channel 4 exposed allegations of sexual assaults during the height of his fame, as part of an investigation with The Sunday Times and The Times

The comedian has strenuously denied wrongdoing, and says he has evidence to refute allegations. He has called the claims a conspiracy by the 'mainstream media'

After the claims came to light, Brand appeared on Tucker Carlson's show last month, where he referenced the allegations he faces

The Russell Brand Dispatches documentary on Channel 4 has been nominated for a TV BAFTA (a still from the documentary is pictured)

'As meaning deteriorates in the modern world, as our value systems and institutions crumble, all of us become increasingly aware that there is this eerily familiar awakening and beckoning figure that we've all known all of our lives, within us and around us.

'And for me it's very exciting.'

EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Disgraced Russell Brand launches ANOTHER bid to turn his 800-year-old pub into recording studios for his podcasts and videos Advertisement

After the rape and sex assault claims came to light, Brand appeared on Tucker Carlson's show, where he referenced the allegations he faces and the ongoing police and investigations several times.

Speaking on Carlson's broadcast, Brand said: 'I reject the allegations in the strongest possible terms. I am aware I have put myself in an extremely vulnerable position by being very, very promiscuous.'

'Attacks like this, accused of what I consider to be the most appalling crimes, is very painful and hurtful. But there are consequences to the foolish way I lived in the past,' he continued.

Brand described the crimes he's accused of as 'appalling' before adding criticism he faces is a 'deliberate profound attempt to shut down any dissent in an astonishingly aggressive way'.

Brand has been questioned by detectives from London's Metropolitan Police over allegations of historical sex offences.

The force said in September it had launched an investigation into a number of allegations of non-recent sexual offences following media reports that women had accused Brand of a string of sexual assaults.

Brand has rejected what he has described as 'very serious allegations', saying on his social media channels he has never had non-consensual sex. There have been no charges brought in the UK.
President Yoon Suk Yeol's approval rating fell for a third consecutive week to 30.2 percent, marking its lowest point since August 2022, a poll showed Monday, following his party's crushing defeat in the recent general elections.

The survey, conducted by the polling agency Realmeter, showed that the positive assessment of Yoon's performance went down by 2.1 percentage points from the previous week, while 66.9 percent of respondents disapproved of his performance, up 2.6 percentage points.

Yoon's approval rating has seen a continuous decline over the past three weeks, dropping from 37.3 percent in the first week of April to 32.6 percent, then to 32.3 percent and finally dropping further to 30.2 percent.

In the general elections, the opposition bloc, led by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), won 192 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, while the ruling People Power Party (PPP) secured only 108.

The poll, conducted on 2,518 adults from April 22-26, had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.

In a separate poll, the approval ratings of the PPP and the DPK came to 34.1 percent and 35.1 percent, respectively. The PPP's approval rating fell 1.7 percentage points from a week before.

The survey on the approval ratings of the political parties was conducted on 1,004 adults Thursday and Friday and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. (Yonhap)
A new state law will ban homeless people from camping in public spaces

Locals claim people are defecating in the streets and having sex in public

Local business owners are begging Fort Lauderdale officials to combat homelessness in the city, claiming tent camps and public indecency are driving customers away.

Roughly 2,847 people were living on the streets of Broward County last year, according to the Florida Department of Health, and the problem is only becoming more obvious in the county's largest city.

Bernie Bedor has been sending photographs of homeless people defecating on sidewalks and sleeping on the beach to City Hall, beseeching officials to take action.

'We take investors down to the beach and they see homeless people in tents,' Bedor told the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

'Theres a tent city next to the new police station theyre building. You have people going to the bathroom on the sidewalk. Its like a free for all. And its very bad for business.'

Fort Lauderdale residents are begging city officials to take action to combat the city's homelessness crisis

Business owners claim the presence of tent cities and 'people going to the bathroom on the sidewalk' are making their ventures unprofitable

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill into law banning homeless people from camping on public land

Last month, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1365 into law, preventing homeless people from camping on city streets, sidewalks and parks.

Under the new law, which takes effect in October, they will be placed in 'temporary shelters monitored by law enforcement agencies' that provide 'substance abuse and mental health treatments'.

Supporters of the bill insist it is a step in the right direction. In a press release, Representative Sam Garrison said HB 1365 would not eliminate homeless, but was 'a start'.

'With a challenge as complex as chronic homelessness, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of comfortable inaction,' Garrison said.

'In Florida, we will learn from the mistakes of cities like San Francisco, Denver, Los Angeles, and more which are paying the price for their unwillingness to act. This bill will not eliminate homelessness. But it is a start. And it states clearly that in Florida, our public spaces are worth fighting for.'

Senator Jonathan Martin, who represents Fort Meyer and Cape Coral, said the bill would provide organizations a framework under which they could better serve their communities.

It also paves the way for dissatisfied Floridians to sue local government if they fail to enforce the ban.

But there are six months left before the bill goes into effect, and until then, residents are continuing to beg their elected leaders to take action.

Under the new law, the state's homeless will be placed in 'temporary shelters monitored by law enforcement agencies' that provide 'substance abuse and mental health treatments' (pictured: homeless people camp on the street during the coronavirus pandemic)

But there are six months until the bill goes into effect, and until then, locals are finding plenty to complain about - including homeless people sleeping in the airport. One woman claimed to have seen 'at least 15 homeless people sleeping on the floor in baggage claim'

Around 2,847 people were living on the streets of Broward County last year, according to data from the Florida Department of Health (pictured: a group of homeless people sit on the sidewalk in April 2020)

Photos posted to social media depict a common grievance: homeless people sleeping on the carpeted floor of the Fort Lauderdale Airport.

'Clean up the homeless issue in Fort Lauderdale. Taking them off the streets, throwing them in airports is not a solution,' wrote an infuriated local, tagging Governor Ron DeSantis.

'Theres piss on the floors and people laying everywhere. It looks like the refugee camp in Scarface. Build more shelters.'

One woman claimed to have encountered 'at least 15 homeless people sleeping on the floor in baggage claim'.

Charlie King, a local real estate agent, is another local who has been taking photos and sending them to city officials.

'Its embarrassing to have this going on in the city,' King said. 'It hurts business. It makes people not want to live in Fort Lauderdale.'

In one instance, the realtor encountered a naked man creeping around a property that he was trying to sell - and that wasn't even the most offensive sighting.

'I saw a homeless couple having sex at the bus stop at Federal Highway and Commercial Boulevard,' King said. 'No one wants to see this in the middle of our town.'

A local realtor claims the crisis is affecting business and 'makes people not want to live in Fort Lauderdale'

A proposal to house people at the county stockade east of Chase Stadium was shot down when it was raised nearly a decade ago

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis has urged local officials to revisit the plan as they wait for DeSantis' bill to go into effect in October

Some locals have likened the city to San Francisco (pictured), which is buckling under the weight of its homeless population

Among the possible solutions is a proposal to house people at the county stockade at 5400 Powerline Road, just east of Chase Stadium.

This plan has the backing of Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis, but it was turned down by the county nearly a decade ago.

Now, Trantalis is urging officials to revisit it as they scramble to work something out before HB 1365 goes into effect.

Fort Lauderdale and other cities across Florida are also awaiting decisions at the federal level.

A case making its way through the Supreme Court could have broad implications for the nation's homeless population. It centers around a law in a small Oregon town that bans sleeping on public land with a blanket or bedding.

Lower courts have ruled that local governments cannot fine or jail a person for sleeping on public land if shelter beds are unavailable.

But Fort Lauderdale is among the cities waiting with bated breath to hear the Supreme Court's ruling, anticipating that things will change.

Still, critics urge the city to act before conditions decay any further.

'It's getting worse and worse and worse here in Fort Lauderdale,' Bedor said, noting that the cost of doing business has increased.

'Its not that were not empathetic. But its to the point now where were having to pay $30,000 a year for private security to patrol our buildings at night. That cost is being passed on to the business owners.'

Some locals have likened the city to San Francisco, which has made headlines for its own homelessness crisis that is forcing businesses to shutter.

'No one wants to invest in a mini-California,' Bedor professed. 'You have people going to the bathroom on the sidewalk. Its like a free for all. And its very bad for business.'
The long-legged rhea bird that caused village traffic chaos yesterday after breaking out of a farm is now back home after being found in a school field.

The flightless bird fled from a farmer's field on the edge of Repton, Derbyshire, after a gate was left open.

It was filmed running along Main Street to the astonishment of oncoming drivers who slowed to a standstill and filmed the bizarre sight.

Video shot by a passenger in a following vehicle was uploaded to the village's Facebook page with the caption 'that's the biggest chicken I've ever seen'.

Another local posted on the SPOTTED: Repton Facebook page: 'Has anyone in Repton lost an ostrich? Currently running up Main St' with a laughing emoji.

Video shot by a passenger in a following vehicle was uploaded to the village's Facebook page

The escape artist was eventually located at lunchtime after a schoolmaster at Repton called the owner to say the rhea had been seen on school land. Pictured: The rhea returned home

Owner Andrew Hallifield told MailOnline he eventually located the escape artist at lunchtime on Monday after a schoolmaster at Repton called him to say the rhea had been seen on school land.

The 50-year-old, who also owns a second rhea, said: 'I think it had followed a footpath from the farm back to a cul-de-sac, near to where we found him', the farmer said.

'I'm relieved to have the bird back. At least it can't run into a car or do itself any damage now.'

Repton is home to broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson's old public school of the same name, where boarders are currently charged 14,560 per term and day pupils are charged 10,800.

On Monday afternoon the bird was brought safely back to the field it shares with its rhea friend on the farm.

The finding of the rhea brought a long chase around the village and neighbouring fields to an end.

Mr Hallifield told MailOnline while the bird was still missing: 'He ended up in the cornfield last night, but the bird was a little agitated and every time we went near it the thing shot off at 200mph. It was two fields away from where it should've been with its mate.

'We decided to leave it there for the night to calm down but when we went back today it'd moved.'

On Monday afternoon the bird was brought safely back to the field it shares with its rhea friend on the farm

Video shot by a passenger in a following vehicle was uploaded to the village's Facebook page with the caption 'that's the biggest chicken I've ever seen'

A local posted on the SPOTTED: Repton Facebook page: 'Has anyone in Repton lost an ostrich? Currently running up Main St'

There are thought to be less than a thousand rheas in the UK, most of which are farmed for their eggs

Mr Hallifield said he does not know the sex of the three-year-old bird, which doesn't have a name. He was patrolling in his pick-up truck on Monday morning trying to pinpoint the rhea's location.

'We've never had a moment's bother from either bird up until now', he added.

'We get walkers crossing our land and somebody must've left a gate open.

'They're lovely animals  I'm quite attached to them. They're just pets around the farm, we've never had an egg off either of them but the locals know that we have them because the farm is just on the edge of the village.'

The drama comes less than 18-months after a juvenile rhea escaped from a petting farm in Chesterfield, 37 miles north. Owner Adam Higginbottom said the bird was not found.

In their native large South America rheas roam the open pampas and sparse woodlands of Argentina and Brazil for miles. Adult birds grow up to 5ft tall and can reach speeds of up to 40mph.

The bird's sharp, six-inch claws and strong legs make them potentially lethal.

Their feathers are used to make dusters, while their meat is edible as well as their eggs

Owner Andrew Hallifield, who also owns a second rhea, was still searching his farmland for the bird on Monday morning

In 2006, a rhea called Ralph escaped with two others from a farm in Benenden, Kent after they became startled by the introduction of squealing piglets in their enclosure.

The birds jumped a 4ft high fence and then cleared a 6ft-high hedge on the other side of a field. One of the other birds returned to the farm and a second was caught, but Ralph enjoyed four days on the run until he was found in a field close to the village.

Owner Sue Savage said at the time that Ralph put up 'a hell of a fight' but was caught after residents formed a circle to hold him until RSPCA officers arrived to help recapture him.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) encourages owners to register captive birds - including rheas. But only owners with 50 or more captive birds are required to register them by law.

Registration enables APHA to contact owners if there's a disease outbreak (such as bird flu) locally.

There are thought to be less than a thousand rheas in the UK, most of which are farmed for their eggs.

Male rheas with chicks are aggressive and have attacked small planes (on the ground). The spur on their heel is as big as their claws and they can kick with a force of 800lb per square inch.

Their feathers are used to make dusters, while their meat is edible as well as their eggs. The birds can live for up to 40 years.
A retired cop has been reunited with the abandoned baby he rescued decades ago as a young lieutenant - with the child now fully grown and wearing a familiar uniform.

The heartfelt phot-op was held at the South Bend Police Department in Indiana late last month, and featured long-retired officer Gene Eyster, who handled the case 24 years ago.

The other principle was none other than SBP Officer Matthew Hegedus-Stewart, the same 'Baby Boy Doe' Eyster found in a box in the town just south of Notre Dame on December 2000.

Discovered just days before Christmas, Hegedus-Stewart grew up in South Bend thanks to Eyster, eventually becoming an officer with the same force that saved him.

The star-crossed pair had been separate until now - providing Eyster with some much-needed closure after being left wondering about the infant's fate for decades. Video from the emotional meeting shows how it went down a few weeks ago.

Scroll down for video:

The heartfelt phot-op was held at the South Bend Police Department in Indiana late last month, and featured long-retired officer Gene Eyster, who handled the case 24 years ago. The other principle was none other than SBP Officer Matthew Hegedus-Stewart

The full grown officer the same 'Baby Boy Doe' found in a box in South Bend on December 2000, abandoned before being put in foster care

'That was one of the strangest calls I think I've ever had,' Eyster, a 47-year veteran of the force, told CBS News, while reliving the December day that he and officer Hegedus-Stewart's fates became forever intertwined

'We have a found baby in a box,' he continued, recalling the words from a dispatcher that pointed him and other officers toward a local apartment complex where a newborn Hegedus-Stewart was found by a man in a common area.

'You always wonder, what happened?' he asked aloud, remembering how he christened the baby 'Baby Jesus' instead of the more crass moniker dreamt up by local papers.

'Baby Doe' sounded so cruel,' said Eyster. 'So... I started calling him "Baby Jesus" - since it was so close to Christmas.'

At the time, Eyster - tasked with tracing the tot's lineage - told The South Bend Tribune, 'Initial examination indicated it may have been a home delivery.'

'I want to find the mother and make sure she's OK,' the then lieutenant - seen tearing up during last month's emotional media event - continued.

'After that, we'll let the chips fall where they fall,' he told the paper. 'The priority is care and concern for the child, then the mother, and lastly if there's any criminal intent.'

A search for answers about the boy's origin ensued, during which a dutiful Eyster went out and bought a teddy bear to keep the kid company.

The pair met up at the police station on March 22, months after Eyster - who recently lost a son - retired

An emotional reunion ensued, during which the pair brought eachother up to speed on the lives they led over the past few decades

'We have a found baby in a box,' he continued, recalling the words from a dispatcher that pointed him and other officers toward a local apartment complex where a newborn Hegedus-Stewart was found by a man in a common area

'You always wonder, what happened?' he asked aloud, remembering how he christened the baby 'Baby Jesus' instead of the more crass moniker dreamt up by local papers.

Following a medical examination, the boy was handed over to Child Protective Services, to be put in some kind of foster-care situation.

However, due to local laws, the exact fate of the infant was then kept under wraps, leaving Eyster in the dark even after he retired last year

That changed in mid-March when the officer received a call from an old colleague.

In a massive surprise, his ex-colleague offered an update on the child he'd took interest in so many years ago's fate.

'He's sitting next to me right now,' officer Joshua Morgan joked, offering the insight while taking calls with a recently graduated Hegedus-Stewart.

'He's my rookie!'

Then came March 22, 2024 - the day Eyster finally got to meet 'Baby Jesus' all grown up.

After recently losing his only son, he was greeted by a young man sporting the same uniform he wore for nearly five decades - a monumental occasion felt by both sides.

'Baby Doe' sounded so cruel,' said Eyster. 'So... I started calling him "Baby Jesus" - since it was so close to Christmas.' A clipping chronicling the December 23, 2000, discovery is seen here

The two proceeded to play catchup while perusing preserved documents pertaining to the fateful case

Several of the documents - kept classified since the incident - had never been seen by Hegedus-Stewart before, and offered new insight into the man who saved him

In an interview with CBS, Hegdeus-Stewart said that his information was also limited, and that he fell into the same job as his savior mostly by chance

Eyster appeared visibly emotional during the meeting, which was filmed and shared on the department's Facebook page

'Thank you for everything you did for me,' Officer Hegedus-Stewart told Eyster while shaking his hand

In an interview with CBS, Hegdeus-Stewart said that his information was also limited, and that he fell into the same job as his savior mostly by chance.

When asked if the small bit of information he had about his rescue led him to apply for a position of the force, he said no - but added it could have been something more complex.

'I guess subconsciously, yes,' he said tearing up. 'That's probably why I ended up where I am now.'

Meanwhile, as the two met in the halls of the South Bend Police Department, a smiling Eyster couldn't help but crack a joke.

'Youre a little bit bigger now.'

The two proceeded to play catchup while perusing preserved documents pertaining to the fateful case.

'Thank you for everything you did for me,' Officer Hegedus-Stewart told Eyster, gratefully shaking his hand.
Scotland Yard is set to pay a large sum of money to a French publisher arrested by counter-terror officers at London St Pancras station after he took part in anti-Macron protests.

Ernest Moret, who works at Editions La Fabrique, was stopped by borders officers as he arrived at the station in north London, and was examined using powers under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 on April 17, 2023.

A review later concluded counter-terrorism officers should not have examined Mr Moret.

The force has now confirmed a legal settlement on the civil claim has been reached, but said details of the settlement remain private.

Jonathan Hall KC, the UK's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said in his report that it is 'difficult not to sympathise' with some of what Mr Moret said during examination when he described the decision to detain him and to seize and download his devices as 'crazy' and 'not normal' in a democracy.

Scotland Yard is set to pay a large sum of money to a French publisher arrested by counter-terror officers at London St Pancras station

The review made clear that the decision to examine Mr Moret was taken by Counter Terrorism Border Policing Officers from the Metropolitan Police. Additionally, it was was a 'pre-planned examination' based on information 'which the police did not evaluate as they ought to have done' - namely that Mr Moret may be associated with 'violent extremism or terrorism overseas'.

Officers said Mr Moret had participated in demonstrations in France over President Emmanuel Macron raising the retirement age from 62 to 64, according to a joint statement from Verso Books.

He was subsequently arrested on suspicion of wilfully obstructing a Schedule 7 examination, contrary to paragraph 18 of the Schedule, by refusing to disclose the Pins to his iPhone and laptop.

Mr Moret said he felt 'violated' by the requirement to provide access to his devices, according to the review. He was bailed, and later released under investigation.

Officers concluded they did not think that Mr Moret was a threat to national security or that he would employ violence for a political agenda, the review found.

Mr Moret was informed in June last year that no further action would be taken against him after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advised that the evidential test for prosecution had not been met.

The review recommended that the Code is changed to specify that Schedule 7 should not be used for the purpose of public order policing and that officers should be trained to that effect.

The force has now confirmed a legal settlement on the civil claim has been reached, but said details of the settlement remain private (Stock photo)

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: 'We can confirm that the Met has reached a legal settlement on a civil claim by a man who was stopped under Schedule 7 powers at St Pancras International on April 17 2023 and subsequently arrested.

'The details of the settlement remain private, and we will not be commenting on it further.

'We fully co-operated with a review into the circumstances of this case, which was carried out by Jonathan Hall KC, and following the publication of his report, we also voluntarily referred the matter to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC). The IOPC subsequently directed the Met Police to carry out a local investigation and that remains ongoing at this time.

'Schedule 7 is an important power in protecting the borders of the UK and it remains a vital tool in our efforts to counter the terrorist threat and keep the public safe.

'The public rightly expects that the use of such powers is always carefully considered, and that there is constant vigilance and attention to safeguards to ensure it is not used in a way that is contrary to individual rights and the wider public interest. We remain fully committed to ensuring that we use these powers proportionately and responsibly.'
French screen legend Gerard Depardieu will go on trial for sexual assault in October, the Paris prosecutor said on Monday after police questioned the actor over claims made by two women, the latest in a litany of such charges.

The 75-year-old star, who has made more than 200 films and television series, was charged with rape in 2020 in a separate case and was forced to put his career on hold last autumn as allegations of sexual harassment and assault mounted against him. He denies any wrongdoing.

After police questioned Depardieu on Monday, the Paris prosecutor said Depardieu would face charges in October 2024 over the assaults allegedly committed in September 2021 during the filming of 'The Green Shutters' movie.

'Gerard Depardieu was given a summons to appear before the criminal court... for sexual assaults likely to have been committed in September 2021 to the detriment of two victims, on the set of the film 'The Green Shutters',' said a statement.

Earlier, a police source said Depardieu was to be questioned over allegations from two women that he assaulted them on film sets, one in 2021 and the other in 2014.

French screen legend Gerard Depardieu (pictured) will go on trial for sexual assault in October

The 75-year-old star, who has made more than 200 films and television series, was charged with rape in 2020 in a separate case and was forced to put his career on hold last autumn

He was released following the questioning, Depardieu's lawyer Christian Saint-Palais told reporters.

The first woman accuses Depardieu of assaulting her when she was a member of the crew on the 2022 feature film 'The Green Shutters'.

The set designer, who filed a formal complaint in February, told investigative website Mediapart that Depardieu grabbed her as she left the set in a private hotel in Paris.

She alleged he groped her 'waist and stomach, moving up to (her) breasts' and made obscene comments before his bodyguards removed him.

The woman's lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, declined to provide AFP with further details.

The second woman has alleged Depardieu groped her 'all over' and made 'inappropriate' remarks while she was an assistant on the set of 2015 film 'Le magician et le Siamois' ('The Magician and the Siamese'), she told regional newspaper Le Courrier de l'Ouest.

Depardieu already faces a rape charge, as well as claims of assault from more than a dozen women - all of which he has strongly denied.

Earlier, a police source said Depardieu was to be questioned over allegations from two women that he assaulted them on film sets

Reporters wait outside the police station where French actor Gerard Depardieu is being questioned

'Never ever have I abused a woman,' Depardieu wrote in Le Figaro newspaper in October.

Police in 2020 charged Depardieu with rape and sexual assault after actor Charlotte Arnould alleged he raped her in 2018 when she was 22 and anorexic.

Another sexual assault complaint filed last year by actor Helene Darras, who said Depardieu groped and propositioned her during a 2007 film shoot, has been dropped for being past the statute of limitations.

Spanish journalist and author Ruth Baza said in December she had filed a criminal complaint in her home country against Depardieu, alleging he raped her in 1995 in Paris.

Despite the events having passed the statute of limitations, she said she decided to file her complaint in the hope that it would 'help other people' to do the same.

Depardieu had long made headlines for antics such as socialising with the leaders of Russia and Belarus, obtaining a Russian passport to protest against a planned tax hike in France, and delaying a 2011 flight after urinating into a bottle that overflowed.

Debate over whether to show his films intensified at the end of last year after a television report showed the actor repeatedly making obscene comments in the presence of a woman interpreter during a 2018 trip

President Emmanuel Macron sparked an outcry in December when he defended the 'immense actor' as innocent until proven guilty and insinuated he was the victim of a 'manhunt'

But debate over whether to show his films intensified at the end of last year after a television report showed the actor repeatedly making obscene comments in the presence of a woman interpreter during a 2018 trip to North Korea.

His wax sculpture was hurriedly removed from the Musee Grevin waxwork museum in Paris and Canada's Quebec region stripped him of its top honour.

Actor Anouk Grinberg, a co-star with Depardieu on 'The Green Shutters', has described how she and others on set were 'treated to his salacious nonsense from morning to night'.

'When film producers hire Depardieu on a film, they know they are hiring an aggressor,' she told AFP.

Grinberg said producers of 'The Green Shutters' had supposedly appointed someone to deal with harassment issues but that she did nothing.

French cinema has in recent months been rocked by allegations that it has shrugged off sexism and sexual abuse for decades.

Depardieu already faces a rape charge, as well as claims of assault from more than a dozen women - all of which he has strongly denied

Depardieu's case has exposed a major split in French cinema and wider society, with some defending his right to the 'presumption of innocence' and others supporting his accusers

Depardieu's case has exposed a major split in French cinema and wider society, with some defending his right to the 'presumption of innocence' and others supporting his accusers.

President Emmanuel Macron sparked an outcry in December when he defended the 'immense actor' as innocent until proven guilty and insinuated he was the victim of a 'manhunt'.

Macron later added that he should have emphasised the importance of women speaking up.

Actor Judith Godreche, 52, has become a leading voice in France's #MeToo movement after accusing two film directors of abusing her as an underage teenager.

Speaking in the upper house of parliament in February, she urged the authorities to reform the French cinema industry to protect young female actors from sexual violence.
Two injured military horses seen galloping through the streets of London are making progress after surgery, the British Army has said.

Quaker, a Cavalry black, and a grey called Vida bolted off after being spooked by builders moving rubble while they were on an extended exercise in Belgravia with five other horses and six soldiers from the Household Cavalry on Wednesday.

The British Army said that Vida, who was seen covered in blood galloping through central London alongside a black horse, 'remains under close and careful professional veterinary observation'.

In an update on the horses who had surgery, the British Army tweeted that Quaker has 'shown significant improvement and progresses towards what is expected to be a full recovery'.

The update posted to X said: 'The other horse, Vida, a grey, continues to make progress.

Two horses on the loose bolt through the streets of London near Aldwych

Two injured military horses seen galloping through the streets of London are making progress after surgery, the British Army has said

'He remains under close and careful professional veterinary observation as his wounds heal.

'We are so thankful for everyone's concern and expressions of support, and for all those involved in their care.'

Four service personnel were thrown from their horses and five of the animals got loose, smashing into vehicles, including a double-decker bus, and causing a number of injuries.

The spokesman said: 'Of the soldiers injured, two are still undergoing treatment in hospital but will make a full recovery.

'The remainder have returned to work.'

He added: 'Healing takes time - please be patient as we support that process. The soldiers and horses are all receiving the very best of care.'

The horses who broke loose were later named as Vida, Trojan, Quaker and Tennyson.

Ambulance crews treated four people on Wednesday in three separate incidents in Buckingham Palace Road, Belgrave Square and at the junction of Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, in the space of just 10 minutes.

Is is understood the five horses were spooked when some cement was dropped by the travelator onto the ground

Vida (white horse) and Trojan (black horse) on their rampage through London after being 'spooked by builders moving rubble' are in a 'serious condition'

Vida was seen galloping through the streets of London in terrifying scenes on Wednesday morning

The drama began near Buckingham Palace Road where witnesses saw a serviceman thrown from his horse and one of the loose animals crashed into a taxi waiting outside the Clermont Hotel, shattering windows.

Two horses were then seen running in the road near Aldwych, one of which appeared to be covered in blood, which the Army said was 'consistent with lacerations'.

Jordan Pettitt, 26, who works for the PA news agency, said the grey horse was 'vividly' stained red with blood and he heard a black horse collide with a taxi.

The animals were later seen near the Limehouse Tunnel, before they were recaptured by City of London Police and taken away to be assessed by Army vets.
Rep. Ilhan Omar has been accused of 'blood libel' by the anti-defamation league for saying some Jewish students are 'pro-genocide.'

While visiting campuses last week to show solidarity with pro-Gaza student protesters after her daughter was arrested, Omar spoke out against bigotry against Jewish students in a seemingly tongue-in-cheek remark.

'I think it is really unfortunate that people don't care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe, and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether they're pro-genocide or anti-genocide,' she said.

'It is patently false and a blood libel to suggest that ANY Jewish students are 'pro-genocide,'' Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League.

Rep. Ilhan Omar has been accused of 'blood libel' by the anti-defamation league for saying some Jewish students are 'pro-genocide'

A protester holds a Palestinian flag as students rally on Columbia University campus at a protest encampment in support of Palestinians, despite a 2 pm deadline issued by university officials to disband or face suspension,

'It is gaslighting to impute that Jewish people are somehow at fault for being harassed and menaced with signs and slogans literally calling for their own extermination. It is abhorrent that a sitting member of Congress would slander an entire group of young people in such a cold, calculated manner. This is how people get killed.'

Omar then referred to a report from The Intercept about the Department of Education investigating protests at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for anti-Palestinian bias.

In a civil rights complaint 18 students said they had been the victim of 'extreme anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab harassment and discrimination.' One allegation claimed a student had shouted 'kill all Arabs' at pro-Gaza demonstrators. One university official had allegedly said of the protestors: 'They are all Hamas. All grotesquely evil.'

'This is the pro-genocide I was talking about, can you condemn this like I have condemned antisemitism and bigotry of all kind?' Omar challenged Greenblatt.

Omar is one of 37 House Democrats who voted against aid for Israel earlier this month as the Palestinian death toll in Gaza since October 7 surpassed 34,000.

Omar's comments come as Republicans have repeatedly demanded Columbia President Minouche Shafik resign for being unable to quash the demonstrations. Speaker Mike Johnson suggested President Joe Biden bring in the National Guard.

Last week the House's Republican Whip Tom Emmer accused Omar of being 'pro-terrorist.'

Columbia sophomore, David Lederer, waves a large flag of Israel outside the student protest encampment on the Columbia University campus, Monday, April 29, 2024,

Pro-Palestinian students protest at an encampment on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan on April 28, 2024

The protests against Israel's war with Hamas began at Columbia University earlier this month before spreading to campuses across the country

Columbia's 2 p.m. deadline for student demonstrators to clear out an encampment or face disciplinary action came and went on Monday but the camps remain. Columbia faculty linked arms and formed a wall of protection around the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.

Rep. Anthony D'Esposito suggested pro-Palestinian demonstraters were 'proud that you've been endorsed by Hamas.'

Florida Democrat Rep. Jared Moskowitz likened antisemitism within Columbia's protests to the 2017 Charlottesville white nationalist rally last week.

'We were mad years ago when we saw Charlottesville and 'Jews will not replace us' and Donald Trump saying 'Good people on both sides' or 'Mexicans are rapists,' right? But somehow we don't have the same anger of, 'Go back to Poland,'' Moskowitz said on CNN.

'It's the same message, which is, 'Jews are not welcome,'' he continued.
The U.S. has concluded that five Israeli Defense Forces units engaged in 'gross violations of human rights', in a scathing assessment while U.S. military support for Israel is under increasing scrutiny amid the war in Gaza.

The violations announced by the State Department Monday came before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack inside Israel.

The finding can trigger a suspension of aid to the units under a process known as the Leahy law.

'After a careful process, we found five Israeli units responsible for individual incidents of gross violations of human rights,' State Department principal deputy spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters Monday.

The State Department announced that five Israeli units were found to have committed 'gross violations of human rights'. Four of the units were found to 'have effectively remediated these violations'

'All of these were incidents much before October 7 and none took place in Gaza. Four of these units have effectively remediated these violations, which is what we expect partners to do,' he continued.

'It is consistent with what we expect all countries whom we have a security relationship with. For a remaining unit, we continue to be in in consultations and engagements with the Government of Israel,' he said.

It provided 'additional information' and conversations continue, he said.

Patel noted when pressed that the fifth unit could continue to receive U.S. aid, and that overall U.S. support for Israel would continue.

That came on a day when White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly called U.S. support for Israel 'iron-clad.'

State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel announced the violations

President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday amid tensions over Gaza despite 'iron-clad' U.S. support for Israel

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced new questions about campus protests, truce talks, and the findings about Israeli units

'When we're talking about the Leahy Law, what we are talking about our unit and component restrictions, when they are found in violation, it is not have bearing on the broader security relationship that we may have with a country, especially a country like Israel, in which we have a longstanding security relationship,' he said.

'The provision of bulk assistance that's gone back many, many years.'

The Leahy Law, named for former Sen. Patrick Leagy (D-Vt.), bars U.S. funding for a unit when there is 'credible information' connecting it to gross human rights violations.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was in Saudi Arabia Monday negotiating on a potential Gaza cease fire, spoke about the matter with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Fox News reported.

The human rights violations finding comes as Blinken publicly pressured Hamas to accept the latest potential truce in the works that would free hostages and pause Israel's operation in Gaza.

Jean-Pierre applied new pressure of her own Monday. 'The onus is indeed on Hamas. There is a deal on the table and they need to take it,' she said.

But she avoided taking a position on protest encampments at universities across the country, even as Columbia University prepared to act on an Administration deadline for members of a protest encampment to leave.

'Antisemitism is hate speech it is dangerous it is abhorrent,' she said.

'It is a painful moment  we get that,' she said, while adding that 'free expression has to be done within the law,' she said.

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has blasted the enforcement process against IDF units, which comes as U.S. officials have repeatedly called on Israel to take the health and welfare of civilians in Gaza into account amid its operations there.

'At a time when our soldiers are fighting the monsters of terror, the intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low,' Netanyahu posted last week on X.

But Patel, in his comments on the matter, pointed to a 'remediation standard is is consistent and it is the same for all countries,' and is a way for a country to avoid the prohibition by taking actions against the offending unit.

'This unit has been acknowledged by the Israeli government to have engaged in conduct inconsistent with IDF rules and, as a result, was transferred from the West Bank to the Golan Heights in 2022,' Blinken wrote in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson.

That could have been a reference to the The Netzah Yehuda battalion, CNN wrote in a report stating that the unit had those deployments in 2022. The units commander got a reprimand after the death of Omar Assad, a 78-year-old Palestinian American who died in detention.
With a glance at his wife and a break in his voice, Humza Yousaf asked: Who could ask for a better country to lead than Scotland?

Then, flipping closed the folder containing his speech, the First Minister turned and left without taking questions. He scootered out of our lives as quickly as he had scootered in.

He had announced his resignation from the office he had yearned to reach ever since stepping foot inside the Scottish parliament.

He is living proof of Billy Connollys dictum that wanting to be a politician should bar you for life from becoming one.

The noon press conference, held in Bute Houses Room of Doom, site of sombre resignations and coalition deals made and unmade, was clipped and without embellishment.

Going down: Humza Yousaf walks into the Room of Doom

It was a plain, pared back statement. Little rhetoric, nothing rousing. It was over and he wanted it done. And so say all of us, a nation sighed.

Yousaf defended his decision to jettison the Greens from his government, saying it was the right thing to do for his party and the country.

Not, though, his leadership. It was the Greens furious response that brought him down. In the end, it was Patrick Harvie who finally rid Scotland of its worst First Minister.

Its as though someone redrew the Batman comics to make The Penguin the hero.

In a rare glimmer of self-reproach, Yousaf conceded: I clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.

It was possible, he said, to have survived this weeks vote of no confidence. But, he added, he was not prepared to cut the deals that would have required.

A reference to his old boss Alex Salmond. He had offered to save Yousaf  at a price. Yousaf was not prepared to pay.

Might the old dog have finally had his day? Since September 22 1990, the SNP has been led by either Salmond, someone who was Salmonds deputy, or someone who was Salmonds assistant. It might be time to move on.

Yousafs countenance softened as he recalled growing up at a time when people who looked like me were not in positions of political influence, and reflected how that had changed, name-checking the Prime Minister, a British Hindu, and Vaughan Gething, the biracial, Zambian-born First Minister of Wales.

He did not spend long sketching out a legacy for himself, though he referred to his efforts towards a fair tax system.

He warned others to resist the temptations of populism, which is brave coming from a leader of the SNP, and vowed to continue speaking out against hatred and injustice.

That speaking out will take place from the backbenches once a replacement First Minister is chosen.

T here was a vain attempt to talk up his partys future. Independence feels frustratingly close, he averred, and that while we have run the race as a team, he would now pass the baton to his successor.

Given his track record, he is more likely to crash to the ground, drop the baton and send his successor tumbling.

He might think he is handing the next First Minister a baton. They might think it more closely resembles a stick of dynamite  fuse lit.

For the opposition parties, he had a wagging finger and an admonishment to work more cooperatively, as the devolved electoral system intended.

From a political shin-kicker who not so long ago revelled in the idea of making Scotland Tory free, this was quite the conversion.

Yousaf concluded his remarks with a patriotic panegyric, the gist of which was that Scotland was pure dead brilliant and going abroad representing Scotland only confirmed that.

He predicted that the whole country would vote for independence if only every person in Scotland could be afforded the opportunity of being First Minister for just one day.

At the rate they keep resigning, every person in Scotland might just get that opportunity.

Here is where the voice went, as he thanked his wife, children and parents for their support.

Reporters shouted questions about his miscalculation with the Greens but he left without answering. He announced the end of his premiership the way he conducted it: with little time for scrutiny and accountability.

Then, after 397 days, the Age of Yousaf was over. Truly, it was the end of an error.
This is the story of three leaders. Humza Yousaf was the ambitious Nationalist whose privileged upbringing and private education posed no hurdle to his seemingly effortless rise through the SNP ranks.

Douglas Ross was the state school educated Aberdeenshire boy from a farming family who graduated from agriculture college before entering politics, first as a councillor, then an MSP, then an MP.

And Sir Keir Starmer is the successful lawyer whose decision, late in life, to enter politics now looks set to have been the luckiest gamble of his life.

Each of them played a key role in recent events. If the gun was loaded by Mr Ross, it was fired by Mr Yousaf  who promptly shot himself in the foot.

And it is Sir Keir who looks set have the last laugh.

Both Mr Yousaf and Mr Ross eventually rose to lead their parties at Holyrood. And while Mr Yousaf was feted as Scotlands first Muslim First Minister, Douglas Rosss political obituary has been frequently drafted by sceptical observers.

Keir Starmer is poised to seize power at Westminster

Yet last week, when the career trajectories of the two men definitively clashed, it was the latter who emerged triumphant.

As underestimated in his political abilities as Humza Yousaf was overestimated, the Scottish Conservative leader can take much of the credit for ending Mr Yousafs brief Bute House career.

Of course, there were many other factors at play in this Shakespearean drama, the greatest of them being Mr Yousafs own misjudgment.

While there were good reasons to end the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens, there was no reason for the First Minister to handle it in such a clumsy, cloth-eared manner.

His abrupt summoning of Green co-leaders and junior ministers Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie on Thursday morning to inform them that they were now out of a job was hardly the mark of a sure-footed political operator.

I ts impossible to imagine either of Mr Yousafs predecessors, Alex Salmond or Nicola Sturgeon, handling such a sensitive political situation so badly.

The dismissal from government of Mr Harvie and Ms Slater was all the more bitter for the fact Mr Yousaf had so steadfastly supported the agreement.

It was finalised by Ms Sturgeon as First Minister and, in the face of criticism of the arrangement by Mr Yousafs two opponents in last years SNP leadership contest, he had defended it on a point of principle.

The Bute House Agreement would be safe in his hands.

And when he duly won that contest, albeit by a tighter margin than was comfortable over former finance secretary Kate Forbes, the Greens themselves welcomed the result and the guarantee it represented of their continued participation in government.

Perhaps Mr Yousafs enthusiasm for the co-operation agreement with the Greens would have been less robust had he been able to foresee what the future held for Nicola Sturgeon.

Defending the agreement as part of her legacy was a way of signalling to the SNP membership  which, at the time, was still utterly loyal to her  that he was the continuity candidate, Nicolas preferred successor.

The tactic worked. But subsequent events  Ms Sturgeons arrest and release without charge as part of a police probe into SNP finances, and her husband, Peter Murrell, facing charges in connection with embezzlement as a result of the same investigation  might naturally have encouraged Mr Yousaf to consider distancing himself from his predecessor.

Instead, Mr Yousaf nailed his colours to a particularly shoogly mast. The Bute House Agreement was worth its weight in gold, he told one interviewer shortly after being installed as First Minister.

No wonder the Greens were confident in his continued support. And no wonder they were completely blindsided by his subsequent U-turn.

It was all very dramatic and almost typical of the pantomime to which Scottish politics in the devolution age so frequently descends.

It would have been tempting for Mr Ross to consider Napoleons dictum not to interrupt an opponent while hes making a mistake.

This drama was not about him or any of the opposition parties, after all.

This was an internecine fight between Scotlands main party of government and a tiny, though influential (up to that point) party of ecological, gender and economic extremists.

Tabling a vote of no confidence in the government at that point could have had the opposite effect to the one desired; it could have united the SNP around the First Minister against a common enemy.

Yet Mr Ross must have discerned in the hurt and anger expressed by the Green leadership that a crucial turning point in the history of this administration had been reached.

He pressed the nuclear button and waited to see what would happen. After that, it all fell apart so quickly.

However the arithmetic of the chamber was calculated, it was inconceivable Mr Yousaf would emerge from events this week as anything other than a fatally weakened leader, bereft of all authority.

Few would contradict the general view that he was right to pre-empt Mr Rosss vote of no confidence and resign after barely a year in office.

S o what happens now? Whoever emerges to lead the SNP, either as a temporary caretaker  such as former deputy First Minister John Swinney  or as a longer-term prospect, may feel theyre being handed a poisoned chalice.

Who, after all, stands to benefit more from this weeks dramatic events at Holyrood than the leader of Labour at UK level, Sir Keir Starmer?

While the polls have shown a healthy lead for Labour since the dying days of Boris Johnsons premiership, there is still a question mark over Labours chances of sealing the deal with the electorate without its traditional Scottish heartlands, lost to the SNP since that partys 2015 landslide.

The past year of Humza Yousafs rule from Bute House has done nothing to change the narrative that the SNPs domination of Scotlands landscape is finally coming to an end. His last week has reinforced that impression.

In politics, as in comedy, timing is everything. Had this drama been performed even a year ago, the SNP would have some time to sort itself out, to take its time choosing a new leader and, more importantly, in deciding what it actually wants to do in government now that its legal limits in holding a second independence referendum have been so helpfully clarified by the Supreme Court.

But now, in April 2024, with a general election imminent, the fates of dozens of Nationalist MPs are in the balance, as is the working majority of a Labour government led by Keir Starmer.

If those Scottish seats were to fall, the future of SNP control at Holyrood itself would be in the balance, allowing Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to follow Starmers path to success.

And if the SNP is a difficult party to lead at the moment, then consider its members mindset in 2026, having lost office in Edinburgh, having been reduced to a rump at Westminster, and  more importantly  having spent nearly two decades in office and yet failed to deliver the only thing they consider of any importance: Scottish independence.

Beset by the political fallout of unfulfilled promises, resented by angry party activists whose trust and faith have been betrayed, besieged by an energised Labour Party eager to regain its lost hegemony, the SNP stands today on the edge of a precipice.

Its position has been made no less precarious by the fact that its leader has chosen to jump first.
Police have found the need to investigate an alleged stalking charge against a Korean American pastor who secretly filmed himself handing over a luxury Dior handbag to first lady Kim Keon Hee during their meeting in Seoul in September 2022, a top police official said Monday.

Woo Jong-soo, chief of the National Office of Investigation (NOI), said that police investigators are now in the stage of analyzing details of the controversial video filmed by Rev. Choi Jae-young, including its upload frequency.

Woo made the remarks after a reporter asked whether it is difficult to charge Choi with stalking at a news conference. In January, a conservative civic group filed a complaint against Choi, known as a left-wing figure, asking the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to punish him on stalking charges.

The case has since been handed over to the Seoul Seocho Police Station and questioning of the accuser has been completed.

Asked about the specific meaning of his remarks, Woo said police have yet to conclude whether the allegation constitutes stalking or not, meaning the complaint has not been dismissed.

The NOI chief also said it is too early to tell whether police will question the first lady or not. (Yonhap)
A Russian missile attack on an educational institution in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa on Monday killed four people and injured 28, Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging app.

Four injured were in serious condition, Kiper wrote. Among the injured were two children and a pregnant woman.

A turreted Gothic-style building known locally as the 'Harry Potter Castle', part of the Odessa Law Academy, was seen in flames after the strike.

Putin's forces are firing on Ukraine as the Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first British royal to visit Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

Sophie, 59, met with President Zelensky and his wife - and passed on a personal message from King Charles - as she showed her solitary with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture during her emotional one-day trip.

The mother of-two travelled in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

A turreted Gothic-style building known locally as the ' Harry Potter Castle', part of the Odessa Law Academy, was seen in flames after the strike

A Russian missile attack on an educational institution in Ukraine 's Black Sea port of Odessa on Monday killed four people and injured 28

It is understood she was 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'.

She arrived in the country on the same day at least four people were killed in a barrage of Russian missile strike in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa nearly 300 miles away.

In Kyiv the duchess listened as survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, bravely shared their stories, as well as talking to female IDPs - internally displaced persons - and volunteers who help their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion.

Ukraine has been struggling to fight back against Russia's invasion in recent weeks, despite a massive $61billion aid package being passed by the US.

NATO countries haven't delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance's chief said Monday, allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyiv's depleted forces wait for military supplies to arrive from the U.S. and Europe.

Ukraine has been struggling to fight back against Russia's invasion in recent weeks, despite a massive $61billion aid package being passed by the US

NATO countries haven't delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance's chief said Monday

A couple look towards a burning building damaged as a result of a missile attack in Odessa, on April 29

'Serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield' for Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Outgunned, Ukraine's troops have struggled to fend off Russian advances on the battlefield.

They were recently compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the east, where the Kremlin's forces have been making incremental gains, Ukraine's army chief said Sunday.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Monday its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

'The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line. Lack of air defense has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,' Stoltenberg said.

The Duchess of Edinburgh (right) poses for a photo with Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska (left) in Saint Sophia Cathedral in what was the first visit to the country by a member of the Royal Family since the Russian invasion

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, was seen smiling as she looked up at the ceiling of Saint Sophia Cathedral alongside Olena Zelenska

During her visit Sophie also met with survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, who bravely shared their stories

Sophie poses for a picture with people at the UNPFPA office, with the Duchess 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'

Kyiv's Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine 'for as long as it takes.'

But vital US military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europe's military hardware production has not kept up with demand. Ukraine's own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Now, Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Zelenskyy said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. 'This process must be speeded up,' he said at the news conference with Stoltenberg.

Though the 600-mile front line has shifted little since early in the war, the Kremlin's forces in recent weeks have edged forward, especially in the Donetsk region, with sheer numbers and massive firepower used to bludgeon defensive positions.
General Hospital star Haley Pullos has been jailed for three months after pleading no contest to a DUI charge resulting from a car crash that happened when she drove the wrong way on a Los Angeles freeway while she was drunk and high.

The 25 year-old actress will also have to serve five years probation, 200 hours of community service and pay more than $8,000 in restitution to the injured driver whose car she smashed into.

Pullos  whom prosecutors told the court had a blood alcohol level of 0.25 per cent, more than three times the legal limit  originally pleaded not guilty to two DUI charges and another count of hit-and-run following the April 2023 accident.

But in a deal with LA's District Attorney Monday, she changed her plea to no contest on one DUI and in exchange, the DA dropped the other one plus the hit and run.

Haley Pullos, 25, was charged with a DUI following a crash, which cops said happened while she was driving the wrong way on a Pasadena freeway

Marijuana edibles and tequila bottles were found during a search of Pullos' white 2019 Ford, which photos show sustained severe damage in the accident

The actress was sentenced to three months in jail after pleading no contest, will have to serve five years probation and pay more than $8,000 in restitution. She's pictured earlier this month outside of court, hugging her mother and appearing emotional

Pullos  wearing a beige jacket and blouse and light brown pants  told Pasadena Court Judge Terry Smerling: 'Yes, your honor,' when he asked her if she understood that the consequences of pleading no contest, carry the same weight as a guilty plea.

And she showed little emotion as Sheriff's deputies handcuffed her hands behind her back and led her to the cells while her mother, Judy Pullos, looked on sobbing.

Deputy District Attorney Melany Avanessians, explaining the plea deal to the court Monday, said that after Pullos has served three months in jail, she will be brought back to court for a sentencing hearing on July 29.

Pullos wore a brace on her ankle for several weeks after the crash

At that hearing, she will be placed on probation for five years, begin serving 200 hours of community service, and have her driver's license suspended for a year.

She will also be ordered to stay  for a period still to be determined  in a drug and alcohol rehab program she has already been attending for several months.

Pullos  who has played Molly Lansing-Davis on the popular daytime soap opera since she was 11  was also ordered Monday to pay $8,260 in restitution to 23 year-old Courtney Wilder, whose car she collided head-on with on the 134 Ventura Freeway in Pasadena in April 2023.

Wilder, who was rushed in critical condition to a local hospital to undergo emergency surgery , is now suing the actress in civil court, seeking damages for negligence.

Pullos was charged with a first count of felony DUI causing injury and a second of driving with over 0.08 blood alcohol content causing injury. The first count was the one that was dismissed in the deal.

Also dismissed was a hit-and-run charge resulting from Pullos running into a parked car just before the freeway crash. But though prosecutors dropped that count, she will still have to pay restitution to the owner of the car she damaged.

Police say that Pullos, who was dropped from General Hospital a month after the accident, drove her white 2019 Ford Fusion westbound on to the eastbound 134 Freeway and smashed into Wilder's Kia which was traveling east at 60mph.

Both cars were completely wrecked and when first responders arrived, say cops, Pullos was unable to exit her car, so firefighters had to use the jaws of life to get her out.

Several mini bottles of tequila, plus edible marijuana wrappers were found in her car.

And police at the crash scene reported that she smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech and glassy eyes.

After the crash, California Highway Patrol and Pasadena fire officials released photos of the aftermath, showing both Pullos' and the 23-year-old victim's cars completely totaled and sprawled along Arroyo Seco Parkway

Pullos was charged with a first count of felony DUI causing injury and a second of driving with over 0.08 blood alcohol content causing injury. The first count was the one that was dismissed in the deal

The injured driver Wilder accused Pullos in his lawsuit of 'attacking' and abusing first responders in a 'rage' at the accident site, and even hitting and yelling at a fireman for touching her expensive designer shirt.

'Haley Pullos acted maliciously and without any regard for the safety of others, as evidenced by her rage when she was pulled from her vehicle by first responders,' said Wilder in a written declaration to the court.

'She acted maliciously by attacking the officers and yelling profanities in front of witnesses and directed toward those who were trying to help her.

'In her fit of rage, Haley Pullos battered a firefighter and yelled at him to take his hands off her '$400 f***ing shirt.'

'Despite having just caused two accidents, one of which resulted in serious, life-threatening injuries, she cared more about her overpriced clothing than she did the safety and all-being of the victim of her reckless, intentional and despicable conduct.

'As more evidence of her abhorrent behavior, Haley Pullos continued to fight medical staff and was forced to be sedated.

'Not only was she driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, but she was drinking behind the wheel, as evidenced by the edible wrappers and empty alcohol bottles which were found in her vehicle.'

Pullos had played Molly Lansing-Davis on the popular daytime soap opera since she was 11

Pullos  who was spotted by DailyMail.com checking into a luxury rehab facility in Malibu a few weeks after the crash  is fighting Wilder's civil lawsuit against her, insisting it was he who was to blame, not her.

And she's asking the judge to dismiss the suit and order Wilder to pay her legal fees.

In January, Wilder added Pasadena's No Comment Lounge  where Pullos was working as a hostess on the night of the accident as a defendant in his civil lawsuit, accusing the popular nightspot of plying her with booze, then letting her drive herself home.

Wilder is also suing the State of California Transportation Department, claiming the road where the accident happened is in 'dangerous condition.'


First Nicola Sturgeon. Now Humza Yousaf. At what point are the SNP going to wake up and smell the virtue signalling?

Because it is clear to me that there is one core issue that has brought down both First Ministers: the failure to protect women and girls in the face of an obsession with gender politics.

Both FMs hitched their wagon to it, and both were so burned by it that they ultimately lost their jobs.

And yet whoever replaces Yousaf will, thanks to the manipulative power of the Greens, find themselves in exactly the same position as their predecessors.

Most Scots, I think, are utterly baffled as to how and why the countrys entire political system has become so entangled in a minority issue that affects so few members of the population.

After Sturgeon then Humza, when will the SNP wake up and smell the virtue signalling coffee

Most of us  worried about our jobs and the cost of living, the state of the NHS and our schools  simply cannot understand why the SNP has become so captivated by identity politics.

And yet Sturgeon  thanks in no small part to pressure from Patrick Harvie, a man who in recent weeks has refused to accept the scientific validity of Dr Hilary Casss review on gender services to young people  was clearly entranced by the issue.

It would most certainly have been on the table when the Bute House Agreement was made, back in the heady days of August 2021, when she talked about a groundbreaking coalition capable of meeting the challenges and opportunities of the age.

Listening to her new friends in the Greens, Sturgeon insisted on pushing through her wrong-headed Gender Recognition Reform Bill, which would have jeopardised the rights of women and girls by allowing biological males into female spaces and handed out gender recognition certificates to anyone who asked after three months, and to 16-year-olds after six.

This despite vocal protests from thousands of women who were concerned about their own safety, who camped outside Holyrood to protest, who begged their female First Minister to consider their words.

Sturgeons response? She called anyone who objected to the notion of self-ID deeply misogynist, often homophobic, possibly racist.

By early 2023, Sturgeon had arguably become the politician in Britain most closely associated with the concept of gender self-ID.

It was to be her undoing. Soon after, as the voices of women across Scotland who felt pushed to the side and ignored swelled to a chorus, Sturgeon found herself in hot water over the case of Isla Bryson, a double rapist being housed in the female prison estate.

It was the ultimate test case for a piece of rushed-through legislation where nobody had done their homework.

Former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars referred to the issue as Sturgeons poll tax while JK Rowling described her as a destroyer of womens rights.

Just days after being repeatedly asked in a news conference and in the Scottish parliament whether she believed Bryson was a woman, leading to tetchy exchanges with journalists and fellow politicians alike, Sturgeon had gone.

Falling on her sword, teary yet not contrite, and paving the way for Yousaf to step into her shoes.

One of his first tasks in the job? To drag the country into a doomed-before-it-started legal fight with Westminster over the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

Why? Because the Greens signalled they would walk if he didnt.

In doing so, Yousaf showed the women of this country his hand, telling them he was willing to abandon vast swathes of the population in pursuit of the woke agenda spoon-fed to him by his new pals Patrick and Lorna.

In appeasing a party that represented fewer than 10 per cent of Scottish voters, he let down not just Scotlands women and girls, but also the vast majority of the Scottish people.

It wasnt the best of starts.

And yet it set the tone for the rest of Yousafs hapless premiership.

This is a man who has referred to women as cis, and who steered in a new hate crime law which specifically left out women.

And while there are plans in place for a new standalone law on misogyny, it will also include trans women (already protected by the hate crime law), because they will often be the ones who suffer threats of rape or threats of disfigurement for example.

It was a statement made without a shred of evidence that made many women feel as though they were being treated poorly by their own government.

Rowling was once again on hand, this time describing Yousaf as having absolute contempt for women.

Now Yousaf too has fallen on his sword in the manner of his predecessor, with a resignation speech in which he too was also teary, yet not contrite.

History may judge him a little more kindly than Sturgeon, because in breaking the Bute House Agreement he has, at least, found himself on the right side of it.

Perhaps this is the ultimate lesson here.

The agreement was doomed from the start not because of spats over emissions or bottle deposit schemes, but because the SNP chose to walk into a coalition agreement pinned on gender politics, and let itself be dictated to by politicians peddling a narrow and extremist ideology.

But nothing has changed. Any new First Minister will, with a minority government, still need their backing if they want to get anything done in Holyrood.

Despite the disaster of the last three years the Greens hold the keys to power, and as a result Scotland is still mired in gender politics.

Actual politics  getting things done around the issues people care about  remains a pitiful sideshow from an even more pitiful government.

The SNPs obsession with identity politics has already claimed two scalps. Whoever steps into Bute House next had best watch out.
QUESTION: What were some 'must have' items that have gone permanently out of fashion?

With 1980s fashion coming back into style, which is mostly a good thing, there are a few items that can stay put. Sweatbands, for instance: Olivia Newton-John briefly made them trendy with the suggestive video for her hit song Physical. Unfortunately, on mere mortals they look rubbish. Oh, and then there's the Spandex bodysuit.

Likewise the shell suit, the brightly patterned polyester trouser and jacket combo, has mercifully gone.

Another Eighties staple that has (mostly) disappeared is denim dungarees, although prancing around in them didn't do Dexy's Midnight Runners much harm.

With 1980s fashion coming back into style, which is mostly a good thing, there are a few items that can stay put. Sweatbands, for instance: Olivia Newton-John briefly made them trendy with the suggestive video for her hit song Physical. Unfortunately, on mere mortals they look rubbish

Emma Bunton, aka the Spice Girls' Baby Spice, popularised platform soles in the 1990s with her platform trainers. While they may look fabulous, they were lethal. Emma admitted she'd broken many bones in them. Other fashion faux pas from the era include belly chains, crochet knitted shirts and devore (burnout velvet) bodysuits.

Alice Williams, Harrogate, North Yorks.

I'd suggest the handwritten letter. It has sadly been replaced by more immediate forms of communication, such as text and email. We have lost a tool to express our feelings in a more meaningful and heartfelt way.

Ken Douglas, Canterbury, Kent.

In the early 80s, Cabbage Patch Dolls had mothers fighting in the aisles. The whole conceit was that these ugly-but-cute humanoid babies grew out of a literal cabbage patch. Mercifully, they seem to have gone the way of the dodo.

Heather Coles, Telford, Shropshire.

In the early 80s, Cabbage Patch Dolls had mothers fighting in the aisles. The whole conceit was that these ugly-but-cute humanoid babies grew out of a literal cabbage patch. Mercifully, they seem to have gone the way of the dodo

QUESTION: How come an army musket was called Brown Bess?

The Land Pattern flintlock musket, to give it its proper name, was introduced into the British Army in 1722 and remained in use until the middle of the 19th century, making it by far the longest-serving firearm ever used by the Army. It was designed by Andrew Dolep, a Dutch gunmaker who settled in London.

The origins of the nickname Brown Bess are unclear. There are some suggestions it was derived from the nickname Good Queen Bess, attached to Queen Elizabeth I, but there is no evidence for that.

There are two more credible candidates for the origin of the name.

The first is the brown colouring of the barrel after treatment, with the name attached, as soldiers were exhorted to treat their firearms with the same consideration (or better) than they would their wives or girlfriends. Bess has long been a popular short form for Elizabeth, so it would have been a popular name for something viewed as female.

The origins of the nickname Brown Bess are unclear. There are some suggestions it was derived from the nickname Good Queen Bess, attached to Queen Elizabeth I, but there is no evidence for that

The second possible candidate is that the name was taken from the German braun buchse, meaning brown gun. From the time George I took the throne in 1714 there were strong German influences within the British Army, and that may have been how the German name entered common use. Between 1803 and 1816 there was even a King's German Legion in the British Army, made up of about 14,000 German recruits, serving during the Napoleonic wars.

Bob Dillon, Edinburgh.

TOMORROW'S QUESTIONS... Q: Were celebrities asked to design a series of Swiss stamps? Pat Weston, Warwick. Q: It's now common for films to be adapted into TV series. What were the earliest examples of this? Tom Atkins, Truro, Cornwall. Q: In Westerns, why did saloons always have small swing doors? What was their purpose? Frank Allen, Lyme Regis, Dorset. Advertisement

QUESTION: Have any remains from the casualties of the 1691 Battle of Aughrim been found?

The Battle of Aughrim was the last major engagement during the Williamite War in Ireland, fought on July 12, 1691, near the village of Aughrim in County Galway.

Aughrim was the decisive battle of the war, where the forces of the deposed Catholic King James II were routed by the Protestant forces loyal to King William III. The outcome secured Protestant control over Ireland, marking a pivotal point in Irish history. Around 7,000 people were killed, while the much memorialised Battle of the Boyne (1690) saw loss of life of less than a third of that. The two kings were absent at Aughrim; their armies were led instead by French and Dutch generals, which may explain why Boyne has become better known.

The 2-3,000 dead Williamites were buried, probably in mass graves. The 3-4,000 or so Irish dead were left lying on the field, unburied. Their precise fate is unknown but there is evidence they were used as fertiliser. While distasteful, this was not unusual; it is thought to have been the fate of the remains of the dead from the Battle of Waterloo (1815).

According to Dr Caleb Threlkeld, an 18th-century Dublin botanist, in 1714 he took specimens of moss growing on a dead man's skull from skulls brought in large butts from the Aughrim battlefield.

The battle site has not been preserved: a road, completed in 2009, was built through it.

Gerard Carrigan, Malvern, Worcs.
She wasnt a household name even in her own household. Last year, she took but 11.1 per cent of the poll in a vanity candidacy for the SNP leadership and  widely derided at the time  her most famous brilliant idea was a Blue Peter-style independence thermometer.

And then, last October, Ash Regan  elected Nationalist MSP for Edinburgh Eastern  abandoned serious politics for Alex Salmonds retirement project, Alba.

Which, at the last Scottish parliament election in 2021, seized the not so grand total of 1.7 per cent of the vote.

And then won no seats whatever at Scotlands local elections the following spring. Rare indeed is the rat to pounce aboard a sinking ship.

Yet, for a few tantalising hours last Thursday, Ash Regan seemed to hold Humza Yousafs political fate in her hands.

Alex Salmonds know-all personality ruined Ash Regans big chance

The only Alba MSP, her vote could have tied Holyrood in any confidence motion on Yousaf, or indeed his party, and by convention the Presiding Officer would have had to save both of them.

But we never saw Ms Independence Thermometer and, in any event, her thunder was wholly stolen by Regans new leader, as Alex Salmond exultantly stormed every microphone vaguely pointed at his majestic jowls and  as usual  made it all about him.

As he reminded us, even amidst his Gordon defeat in the 2017 general election, youve not seen the last of my bonnets and me.

That Salmonds analysis of Yousaf folly was correct cannot be disputed.

A First Minister commanding a minority government  and rather less of a posturing, empty suit  would long since have distanced himself from Nicola Sturgeon and her catastrophic choices, other matters aside, that gave over the dashboard of Scotlands National Party to the lunacies of cultural Marxism.

Even the likes of a Jack McConnell or John Swinney would have balloted their own membership as to the merits of the Bute House Agreement, rather than humiliate two infamously volatile Scottish Green ministers before breakfast time on Thursday.

Theyd at least have let them enjoy the beansprouts and tofu first.

Nor for a moment would either mediocrity, in that situation, have then held a press conference ridiculing every other party in the Scottish parliament and at the same time.

By Thursday noon, and in hindsight, Humza Yousaf was political toast.

Finally done in, and as Stanley Baldwin exulted amidst the Abdication crisis, by the quiet political power of the weekend, as MSPs and MPs went back to their activists and constituents  and found them revolting.

Yes, Salmond was right. But, after decades of his schtick, Scots everywhere are weary of the full-of-himself know-it-all.

That type we all remember from school  seated in the front row, sucking up to the master, power-hosing the walls with his latest garnered knowledge from Look and Learn, desperate  and still more that all shall hear it  to be the smartest kid in the class.

And thus, Alex Salmond, these days a chucklesome caricature of himself, blew Ash Regan and such leverage as she ever had out of any political relevance.

Lyndon Johnson once famously said  and Humza Yousaf has, one hopes, many years in retirement to reflect on it  that the first rule in politics is to be able to count.

But President Johnson (and, indeed, in 1968 he lived up to it when he declined to run for a second term in the White House) might have added that the second is knowing when it is the right time to quit.

With rare exceptions, it is notoriously difficult for men and women of power to retire contentedly to the life of pipe and slippers.

Winston Churchill, ramblesome and forgetful and rattling with pills, lurched through the early Fifties in Number Ten in a second, sadly pointless outing as Prime Minister the electorate had granted him only as a reward for his first.

Former Conservative Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, chugging into his Eighties, thought woofly-voiced aloud in the 70s about being invited to return as leader of some sort of National Government.

Ted Heath, in the greatest House of Commons sulk in the history of ever, never forgave Margaret Thatcher for daring to take him out as Tory leader and was, as late as 2001, still absurdly in Parliament when he was already in his mid 80s.

As Father of the House, by 2000, his last inglorious achievement was delivering Michael Martin as its latest Speaker.

Gorbals Mick, in 2009, was forced to resign from the post in humiliating circumstances.

Not that the Lady herself took note from Grocer Heaths baleful example.

Days after John Major so unexpectedly squeezed out a win in the 1992 general election, she crowed of being his back-seat driver.

In 1997, she did all she could to secure the Conservative leadership for William Hague  she had never managed to forgive Kenneth Clarke for telling her, quite honestly, in November 1990 that she had been defeated, and should go  and then proved an unscriptable and entire liability at the 2001 general election.

After an excruciating The Mummy Returns! laboured joke, one commentator observed that, hitherto, he had thought the Conservatives would never win another overall majority till she had really retired.

Now, he sighed  events, in time, vindicated him  it would be beyond them till Baroness Thatcher was dead. And thats before we even touch on such voluble Rentaghosts as Tony Blair or Liz Truss and their Betcha miss me, dont you?

Why, precisely, Alex Salmond thought it a brilliant idea to wade in to his former partys travails with big bossy boots is between him and his God.

This mans heyday is lost in the mists of 2011. His pompous, well-upholstered and well-lunched style died, years ago, with the likes of John Smith and Roy Jenkins.

Even as bombs continue to kill terrified grannies and children in Ukraine, few can forget the fact that Mr Salmond was happy, and for years, to take Vladimir Putins RT rouble.

Ash Regan had a chance, last Thursday, to salvage something  anything  from this I-wouldnt-start-from-here debacle for the SNP.

It was snatched from her by an ageing has-been who has never been able to pass a spotlight without wanting to dance in it  and who may, accordingly, have gifted the choice of Scotlands next First Minister to Patrick Harvie, Loopy Lorna and the Marxist-Lentilists.

Jenny Gilruth may already be contentedly measuring the Bute House curtains as we speak.

And even John Swinney, that charisma-free zone who in his first outing as SNP leader lost them a quarter of their Holyrood seats in 2003, was yesterday  and with magnificent chutzpah  showing a bit of ankle.

As for Alex Salmond, pray that we have truly seen the last of his bonnets and him.
A new poll shows the vast majority of Americans support Israel in its war against Hamas over the militant group despite the pro-Palestinian protests erupting across the United States.

The Harvard CAPS-Harris survey found 80 percent of registered voters support Israel more in the war while only 20 percent say they support Hamas more.

The results break down more among age groups with older voters more likely to be supportive of Israel than younger Americans.

The poll findings are similar to what they were last month when 79 percent said they support Israel more.

Among younger Americans, 64 percent of those ages 25 to 34 said they support Israel more while 57 percent of those ages 18 to 24 said they support Israel more while the rest support Hamas more.

Protesters rally at Columbia University on April 29. Poll finds vast majority of registered voters support Israel over Hamas in the conflict but it split largely by age

It comes as pro-Palestinian protests are taking place on college campuses across the country with students setting up encampments including at schools such as Columbia and New York University, University of Pennsylvania, Virginia Tech, University of Georgia.

In many of the cases, students have demanded that the universities divest from Israel-linked companies protesters claim are profiting off the war in Gaza.

Depending on the location, protesters have been met with police arrests and sometimes suspensions.

School administrators have called in police forces to remove encampments and protestors at schools such as Harvard, Columbia, Emory , NYU, USC, the University of Texas , Cal-Berkley and Brown

The exact wording on the polling matters greatly to the response. While the vast majority of registered voters support Israel over Hamas, when asked about a permanent ceasefire, not Hamas, 70 percent said they favor a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

But when asked if they favor or oppose a ceasefire if that meant Hamas could continue to hold hostages and continue to run Gaza, 68 percent opposed it which was also split along age groups.

The polling also found, the majority believes a ceasefire should happen only after the release of all Israeli hostages taken in Hamas' October 7 attack.

61 percent said it should be a condition of the ceasefire while 39 percent favor an unconditional ceasefire.

Young voters were more likely to favor an unconditional ceasefire, however, with 67 percent of 18 to 24 year olds supporting on that would leave everyone in place.

But 76 percent of those ages 55 to 64 support a ceasefire only if Hamas is removed from power and hostages are released. That rises to 80 percent among those 65 and up.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken pushed Hamas to accept an 'extraordinarily generous' ceasefire proposal during a visit to Saudi Arabia where he was attending a meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Blinken said the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Hamas to accept an 'extraordinarily generous' ceasefire proposal that would bring the return of hostages seized by Hamas fighters during the Oct. 7 attack inside Israel

A view of destruction after an Israeli strike on a building in Rafah, Gaza on April 29

253 hostages were seized in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Roughly 130 hostages are believed to be still held in Gaza.

Israel responded to the attack by mounting a massive operation in Gaza. About 34,5000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to Gaza health authorities.

The poll found 67 percent believe Israel is trying to avoid civilian casualties in fighting its war against Hamas, just up from 66 percent who said the same in March. 33 percent believe Israel is not trying to avoid casualties.

The U.S. announced a damning assessment on Monday that five Israeli Defense Forces units engaged in 'gross violations of human rights' which could trigger aid being suspended.

The State Department announced on Monday that five Israeli units were found to have committed 'gross violations of human rights'. Four of the units were found to 'have effectively remediated these violations'

Meanwhile, as the war continues, an overwhelming majority of registered voters agree Hamas should be removed from Gaza but there is disagreement over who should take authority.

78 percent said Hamas should be removed from running Gaza with a majority among every age group except 18 to 24 year olds of which 53 percent said Hamas should be allowed to continue to run Gaza.

But if Hamas were removed, registered voters are divided over who should have the authority there with 35 percent saying Israel, 30 percent saying the Palestinian Authority and 35 percent saying some new authority set up with Arab nations.

Younger registered voters are more likely to favor the Palestinian Authority while older voters signaled support for a new authority set up with Arab nations.

Overall, the vast majority - 71 percent - believe the crisis in Gaza was created mostly by Hamas.
Bungling Home Office officials have reportedly admitted they can't find thousands of migrants who are set to be deported to Rwanda.

An updated document assessing the impact of the partnership with the east African country states that Rwanda has agreed to accept 5,700 people.

But in an embarrassing admission by the Home Secretary James Cleverly's department, it says only 2,143 continue to report and their whereabouts are known.

Sources have admitted to The Times that there was significant risk that they could have absconded now that the deportation bill has passed through Parliament.

However, the Home Office has said that the remaining 3,557 people may not have absconded but are not subject to reporting restrictions.

Bungling Home Office officials have admitted they can't find thousands of migrants who are set to be deported to Rwanda (Pictured: Migrants cross the Channel on a small boat in March)

In an updated document which assesses the impact of the partnership with the east African country, it states that Rwanda has agreed to accept 5,700 people - but only 2,143 of those continue to report

The Home Office currently gives those seeking asylum somewhere to live and a 49 a week allowance, for each person in a household, to pay for food and clothes.

It is thought the first deportation flights to Rwanda will take off in the next 10 to 12 weeks, according to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with the Guardian reporting migrants were being detained across the UK from yesterday.

Those who are being detained have all arrived in the UK illegally between January 2022 and June 2023 - according to the Migrant and Economic Development Partnership document - mainly by small boat Channel crossings.

It states: 'Of the 5,700 people Rwanda has in principle agreed to accept, 2,143 continue to report to the Home Office and can be located for detention.'

However, it says some of those may volunteer to return to their home country rather than board a flight to East Africa. They will not be able to request this once they have been detained.

The Home Office also warned in the document that there could be delays or some removals cancelled by MPs submitting last-minute representations.

This is because there is a long-standing parliamentary convention that removals are suspended until a case has been considered and a response issued to the MP.

A spokesperson for the Home Office told MailOnline: 'As the Prime Minister has made clear, we will get flights off the ground to Rwanda in the next ten to twelve weeks.

'In preparation for flights taking off, we have identified the initial cohort to be removed to Rwanda and have hundreds of dedicated caseworkers ready to process any appeals.

'It would be inappropriate to comment further on operational activity.'

The passing of Mr Sunak's Rwanda deportation bill through Parliament comes more than two years after the plan was first announced.

Nearly 80,000 migrants have arrived across the Channel since Boris Johnson unveiled the scheme in April 2022.

But with the policy finally approved, an emboldened Mr Sunak has vowed to get the first planes into the air within 10 to 12 weeks - citing a string of numbers as evidence of the preparatory work that has already been done.

These include 200 caseworkers identifying asylum seekers who will be served with 'removal directions', and increasing spaces in detention centres to 2,200 in order to hold the deportees until they can leave.

Your browser does not support iframes.

Some 150 judges have been earmarked to deal with last-minute legal appeals in 25 courtrooms, while an airfield has also been put on standby - with 500 escorts already trained and another 300 ready in the next few weeks.

The scheme will allow the Government to send asylum seekers 'entering the UK illegally' to Rwanda for their asylum claims to be processed there.

Only 1,850 small boat migrants were removed from the UK last year - a tiny fraction of the overall numbers.

Refugee charities oppose the policy as unethical and unworkable, and multiple legal challenges have both delayed it from being enacted and dramatically increased the cost for taxpayers.
Humza Yousafs fall was inevitable.

He never understood he was on a road to disaster, paved by him choosing to be the continuity candidate and continuity First Minister, boasting of being on speed dial to Nicola.

The Sturgeon legacy  mess, mediocrity and handcuffed to the gender-obsessed Greens  and him sticking to it, was always going to end in tears because it ignored what really matters to people in their day-to-day lives.

While Humza and his Green partners, or masters as some saw it, were convulsed over what they believed is a Scotland drowning in a sea of hatred, they were cutting 200million from the house building budget, creating a financial and job crisis in our colleges, and making it harder for young Scots, as opposed to foreign students, to get into university.

Former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars believes the next party leader should concentrate on getting Scotland back on a better footing by governing better

Despair has been our permanent condition.

There seemed no way out of a political madhouse where a Highlander was prohibited from burning wood in his stove in order to save the planet, as though that minuscule contribution was comparable to the 1,400 coal-fired power stations in use in China, India and elsewhere.

It is fitting that it was in this climate dream world the beginning of the end appeared.

Nicola Sturgeons bombast about leading the world in cutting emissions was always beyond credibility, but it turned out to be a matter of blind faith for the Greens.

And they, believing they are Gods gift to Scotland, and indispensable to the SNP, decided to ask their members  a sliver of the population  whether to continue to grace the Scottish Government with their presence.

No majority party could accept that.

So, Humza did something right in principle in sacking Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, but got it all wrong in doing so.

Instead of a clear statement that he was not going to be dictated to by the Greens, who had misjudged their importance, and were therefore out, he gave no coherent reasons, and later started to apologise to them about being hurt.

Hurt! Holyrood isnt nursery school.

It is where realpolitik is exercised, or should be exercised.

Nothing more illustrated the inadequacy of Humza as a major politician than his inability to be brutally decisive.

The Tory then Labour votes of no confidence were aimed at a First Minister they knew instinctively was now fatally wounded; one whom the public had no confidence in; and one whom even the backbenchers and SNP members knew was hopeless.

It was from within this latter group that the message to go finally came.

What now? This moment of crisis can be turned into one of opportunity for the SNP as a party and government.

What is needed is a new leader not burdened by the Sturgeon legacy.

One who the people believe will wipe that slate clean, begin to govern with competence and address their priorities  reversing the decline in education, concentrating on knowledge rather than pronouns; extracting our universities from their dangerous reliance on foreign student income; admitting that the NHS needs reform and doing it; setting a business agenda that will bring growth; trebling the house building completions.

But, I hear some of my fellow SNP members say, what about advancing independence? And wont we be in a minority government?

The fact is that the abysmal incompetence shown by the Sturgeon/Yousaf governments has damaged the idea of Scottish independence.

If the new party leader concentrates on getting the nation back on a better footing by governing better, that will do more than all the marches to restore belief in the viability of ourselves as a sovereign nation.

For the new leader all of Scotlands people should matter, whether for independence or Unionist.

As for being a minority government, it is much easier than it seems.

There is no reason to salve those hurt feelings of Harvie and Slater in order to govern.

The SNP is just short of a majority.

There are four opposition parties, and a skilfully constructed budget, and major legislative action, can pick one of them off with something they either support, or dare not vote down.

A housing Bill that Labour can amend? Quite.

Measures to help the small business community, and the Conservatives can abstain.

Special assistance for the Islands and the Liberal Democrats can be invited to contribute their ideas.

It is called politics: the art of the possible.

That kind of politics calls for a new type of leader.

One who has the intellectual equipment required, has depth to character, with the kind of mind that can take account of other opinions from other political parties when they have value, and one whom the public respects even when they disagree, because they know this leader is authentic.

I have just described Kate Forbes. She can save the day. I doubt anyone else can.
The Glasgow MSP, who is co-leader of the Scottish Greens with Lorna Slater, dismissed reports at the weekend that his party was rife with toxic bullying.

Mr Harvie, whose own political future hangs in the balance after being unceremoniously dumped from government, insisted no one has yet directly challenged his leadership.

He has come under intense criticism since Humza Yousaf ripped up the power-sharing Bute House Agreement last week.

Mr Harvie said it was only a small number of members who had taken to anonymous smears in the Press.

He was adamant that even those who were uncomfortable or disappointed with some aspects of the agreement wanted to improve it rather than end it.

Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater in Holyrood after dismissal by Humza Yousaf

Mr Harvie, who has been one of his partys co-leaders since 2008, refused to be drawn on his future now that he no longer holds a ministerial role.

He said last week that he would stand down if grassroots members voted to end the Bute House Agreement, before Mr Yousaf pulled the plug on the agreement instead.

Mr Harvie said neither he nor Ms Slater had faced a challenge through their internal procedures.

The Greens, who have only seven MSPs, had been crucial in propping up the Nationalist government at Holyrood.

Speaking on Good Morning Scotland, Mr Harvie told the BBC: I did say when the Scottish Green Party was going to have an all-member vote  and extraordinary general meeting  on the Bute House Agreement that if I was unable to persuade the party to back that agreement I wouldnt feel that I was able to carry on in those circumstances, but that decision has now been taken away from our party members.

He was asked repeatedly about his future within the party, but sidestepped the questions.

When challenged about whether he thought he could lead the Scottish Greens into the 2026 Holyrood election, he said: There will be a time to reflect on all of that, but thats not today.

And when questioned if he believed his position was secure, Mr Harvie insisted: I havent faced a challenge, nor has Lorna Slater, in terms of our internal elections or internal procedures.

There will be a time to reflect on all of this but that will be after the dust has settled from this very turbulent time.

The most important thing right now, and I think what most of the public will want, is a return to some stability after the chaos and confusion.

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had negotiated the agreement between the pro-independence parties in August 2021, handing Ms Slater and Mr Harvie junior ministerial positions.

Ms Sturgeon and Mr Yousaf relied on them to pass government business because the SNP did not have a majority in the Scottish parliament.

There had been fury within the Greens after the Scottish Government dropped its 2030 climate target and NHS Scotland paused prescribing puberty blockers to children, both key policy red lines for the Greens.

Amid the rising fury, the Greens were set to vote on the future of the deal.

But they were dramatically pushed before they could jump after being summoned to Bute House by the First Minister on Thursday.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EDDIE BARNES: Its clear the Green cranks have no place in high office

It was a week ago on Sunday that the path began to Humza Yousafs resignation yesterday. Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie was being interviewed on the BBCs Sunday Show programme.

Asked for his views on Hilary Casss review of gender medication, he refused to give the report his support.

For many SNP figures  nervously checking their majorities ahead of this years general election  it was the final straw. Scotlands high priests of progressiveness, welcomed into government by Nicola Sturgeon in 2021, had stretched the SNPs patience too far.

Mr Yousaf was forced to serve divorce papers. The Greens took umbrage. It has thrown the Scottish parliament into chaos.

As the dust begins to clear this week, one fact should surely be accepted: that if even the SNP cant share a pillow with their pro-independence bedfellows, perhaps its best for this party to stay out of government altogether.

It is clear that the Green party have no place in high office

Of course, at a time of deep environmental concern across the world, a Green perspective might have been a good thing in Scotland. But these Greens?

As Scotland has learned over the past three years, our own homegrown green party is less a champion of the environment than it is a fundamentalist movement which places the cause of the planet as a means to a far wider political end.

This radicalism was known when Ms Sturgeon brought them into government after she fell one seat short of a majority.

However, the lustre of being the greenest government in the UK  and the guarantee of a Holyrood majority  was too much for her to resist.

The former First Ministers calculation has proven to be in error.

The tension between the SNPs middle of the road instincts and the Greens revolutionary zealotry led to fracture after fracture  with the poor Scottish taxpayer on the hook.

On gender reform, as noted above, Mr Harvie is refusing to acknowledge peer-reviewed evidence in the form of the Cass review.

On the Union, the Scottish Greens have become no-compromise Nationalists, leaving anti-independence environmentalists feeling they are no longer welcome.

Former leader Robin Harper tore up his membership card last year. More damaging for the rest of us has been the Green position on the economy.

The Greens have been at the forefront of extra government spending.

Yet, when it came to finding the money to pay for it, the Greens have questioned the very notion of economic growth itself  and simply proposed soaking taxpayers ever more.

At times, the Green record over the past three years has descended into farce.

Witness the moment in 2022 when the Scottish Greens voted to suspend ties with the Green Party of England over its concerns about transphobia.

Even better was the episode at the COP 26 summit in Glasgow in 2021 when the Greens decided to go to war with Greenpeace, after it criticised the Scottish Governments policies on the environment.

And then theres been the student silliness, as when their MSP Ross Greer took it upon himself to describe Sir Winston Churchill as a white supremacist mass murderer.

Such interventions are artfully conceived, of course, designed to create a storm  all the better to position the Greens as the daring rebels of British conventional society.

The Greens in government quickly became so focused on political dividing lines, they left basic competence by the wayside.

A bottle deposit scheme should have been a simple enough reform to enact when the Greens took it over in 2021.

Instead, Ms Slater ignored warnings from industry leaders who told her the plan would create a regulatory border with England (where many of Scottish bottled products were sold).

When  inevitably  the scheme collapsed, businesses were left with millions of pounds worth in losses.

Add in other policy controversies  such as the plan to block fishing vessels from the west coast of Scotland  and it is little wonder SNP ministers were losing patience with their erstwhile partners.

The split was coming. The question now, however, is whether a weakened SNP will feel the need to jump back into bed with the Greens again.

They may be influenced by the stability such a deal would offer.

In the wake of Mr Yousafs implosion, the Nationalists will not want an election any time soon. The party may view a return of the Green deal as a way to stay in office until the next Holyrood election in 2026.

More likely the parties will come to a looser arrangement, with Mr Harvie telling the BBC yesterday he expected a return of SNP minority rule.

That would keep the Scottish Greens on the outside of government. Let it be said: after the chaotic experience of the last few years, that would surely be best for us all.
As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was enjoying the pomp and circumstance of a White House state visit last year his spy chiefs were plotting to assassinate a leading dissident on American soil, according to U.S. and Indian security officials.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill laid on all the trimmings, with lotus blooms, the symbol of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, decorating the south lawn, and a vegetarian chef flown in from California for the June 22 event.

Meanwhile, Modi's spy service was finalizing the hit, according to an explosive report in the Washington Post.

The assassination is a 'priority now,' wrote Vikram Yadav, an officer in Indias Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) spy agency.

The idea that a friendly nation would order a killing on American territory, potentially triggering a diplomatic freeze, stunned Western officials when details emerged.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the White House last year, when he was greeted by first lady Jill Biden and President Joe Biden on June 22

So why would they do it?

'Because they knew they could get away with it,' a Western official told the newspaper.

Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a U.S. citizen, was the target of the plot, which was eventually foiled.

But in June 2022, Yardav forwarded his details, including his address in New York, to a hired hit team.

As soon as the would-be killers could confirm that Pannun was home, he said, it will be a go ahead from us.'

Details the plot have already been set out in an indictment, but Yardav's identity and affiliation have not previously been reported and confirm for the first time that the plan was directed by India's spy agency.

Current and former Western intelligence officers say high-level officers are implicated and that the target was approved by was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel.

Neither Doval nor Goel reportedly responded to requests for comment.

The latest revelations are in line with an increasingly aggressive posture adopted by India.

Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun after the plot against his life was foiled

Modi was treated to all the spectacle that the White House has to offer

Last year Canada said there were 'credible' allegations linking Indian agents to the murder of a Sikh separatist leader there.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead by two masked assailants in the parking lot of a Sikh temple near Vancouver in June, 2023.

He was wanted by Indian authorities for alleged terrorism and conspiracy to commit murder after he advocated for a separate Sikh state carved out of India. The Indian government has rejected any suggestion that it was involved.

Both plots emerged during a wave of killings in Pakistan. At least 11 Sikh or Kashmiri separatists, condemned as terrorists by Modi's government, have been killed in the past two years.

And officials say RAW has ramped up surveillance and harassment of overseas critics.

Canada accused India of orchestrating the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 46, last year. He was a strong supporter of the Khalistan separatist movement, which calls for the creation of a new independent homeland for Sikhs in the Punjab district of north India

Tensions between Canada and India boiled over after the killing

The result is a diplomatic conundrum for the Biden administration, which has been cultivating deeper ties with India.

The report said the White House last July began examining ways to respond without risking a deeper diplomatic rift. CIA chief Bill Burns is among those sent to New Delhi to demand answers.

The plot against Pannun was disrupted when an Indian man recruited to orchestrate the killing approached a hitman, who turned out to be a DEA informant, according to court filings.

Nikhil Gupta, who is described in the indictment as an Indian drug and weapons trafficker was arrested in Prague on June 30 and remains in prison. He denies the charges and is awaiting a ruling on his extradition.
Some doubtful new leader aligns with partys reform efforts

By Kwak Yeon-soo

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) picked Hwang Woo-yea, Monday, as its interim leader, tasked with shoring up the demoralized party in the wake of its election defeat earlier this month.

Hwang, a former five-term lawmaker who now serves as a standing adviser to the PPP, will lead the emergency committee until a new leadership is elected in June. The previous committee led by Han Dong-hoon broke up following the April 10 general elections, from which the party managed to win only 108 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

With his election, the party will form an emergency leadership panel that will make major party decisions, including finalizing the rules for electing the new leadership.

Rep. Yun Jae-ok, the PPPs floor leader and acting chairman, said Hwang is the right person to manage the party's national convention fairly as a former five-term lawmaker.

We searched for candidates based on the following three criteria  someone who can manage the national convention fairly, someone well-versed in politics and someone who can be trusted and respected, he told reporters after a party meeting.

Hwang previously served as a chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, a predecessor of the PPP, from 2012 to 2014. He also served as deputy prime minister and education minister for the 2013-17 Park Geun-hye administration.

Yun said the appointment process would be completed before Friday, when the party will select a new floor leader in a general meeting of lawmakers-elect.

Mainstream party members welcomed the appointment, although a few pointed out that the decision doesnt align with the partys reform efforts aimed at regaining public trust.

Hwang has a huge amount of political experience, so I believe he could lead the party seamlessly, said former PPP floor leader Na Kyung-won, who won her fifth term in the elections.

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo hailed the appointment of Hwang as a good move.

The problem now is the selection of emergency committee members," he said. He reiterated that a party leader should be selected by 50 percent from party members and 50 percent of members of the public surveyed for their opinion. The current rule relies solely on a vote of party members.

However, some raised doubts about whether Hwang could lead the effort to reform the party.

Hwang is a reasonable man, but Im not sure if he could achieve innovation and party reform, Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun said.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea criticized the appointment, saying that the ruling party has no political will to innovate.

Next, all eyes are on who will become the new floor leader on Friday. There have been calls within the party that the new floor leader should not be someone who falls in line under President Yoon Suk Yeol. However, Rep. Lee Chul-gyu, a Yoon loyalist, is apparently vying for the position.

Lee secured his third term by winning in the Donghae-Taebaek-Samcheok constituency of Gangwon Province in the general elections.

Rep. Kim Do-eup, a moderate figure who had been considered a strong candidate for the post, announced Sunday he would not run for floor leader. Kim secured his fourth term in the elections by winning in Busans Buk-Gangseo-B constituency.

According to media reports, Lee has been meeting various party members, including both newly elected and experienced members, in what appears to be a campaign for the floor leader position.

The new floor leader will be tasked with forming an emergency committee and leading negotiations with opposition parties.
The Arizona rancher who became the face of the border crisis after he was charged with shooting a migrant dead on his land will not face a new trial.

George Alan Kelly, 75, was charged with the killing of Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, a Mexican national found dead on Kelly's sprawling ranch in January 2023.

Kelly insists he never shot him, instead only ever firing a warning shot to scare away groups of migrants who regularly crossed through his land.

George Alan Kelly with his wife Wanda in Arizona. Prosecutors confirmed today they would not seek a new trial against the elderly rancher

He said he was living in constant fear and was desperate to protect his wife after multiple incidents.

Kelly was charged, to the horror of many Americans who said he had every right to protect himself.

Last week, a jury failed to reach a verdict after one hold-out juror refused to acquit.

All others wanted Kelly to go free.

Today, prosecutors announced they would not seek a new trial.

Kelly, 75, was charged with the killing of Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, a Mexican national found dead on his sprawling ranch in January 2023
The Duchess of Edinburgh has slammed soldiers who use rape as a weapon of war after visiting the site of a horrific massacre carried out by Vladimir Putin's troops in Ukraine.

Sophie, 59, denounced the use of sexual violence to 'demean, degrade and destroy' women and girls as she met survivors of the Russian invasion on Monday.

The mother-of-two said she was grateful for the 'honesty' and 'openness' displayed by women she spoke to during an emotional one-day trip to Kyiv and the surrounding areas.

During her visit she paid her respects to those murdered by Kremlin forces, and in particular the more than 450 people who were brutally killed in the town of Bucha, just outside the Ukrainian capital.

The Duchess, who visited in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda, said 'women and girls pay the highest price' in war.

On her visit to Bucha, where Russian forces reportedly ran riot during a cruel month-long occupation in which their were summary executions of residents and reported rapes of girls as young as 14, Sophie appeared overcome with emotion.

It is understood the Duchess, who is the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine since Putin's illegal war began, was 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'.

Sophie, the Duchess of Cambridge, shakes hands with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Monday

Sophie paid her respects to the victims of the Russian invasion during a visit to the town of Bucha, which was the site of atrocities committed by Putin's troops

The Duchess visited a memorial to the victims of the Russian occupation in the town alongside British Ambassador Martin Harris

Sophie looks on at a poster of a person with their hands bound by rope at the memorial in Bucha

She also lit a candle at Saint Andrew's Church in Bucha in memory of those who lost their lives during the brutal occupation

The Duchess was guided around Saint Andrew's Church in Bucha and the town by a local Orthodox priest

The Duchess also spoke to women affected by the war during a visit to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) office in Kyiv

The Duchess gave a speech during a reception at the residence of the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Ukraine in Kyiv

As part of her journey to Bucha, she visited the 'Road to Life', a bridge which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv and later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the Russian occupation.

READ MORE Putin rains down death on Odessa the same day that brave Sophie makes surprise visit to Ukraine's capital Kyiv 295 miles away Advertisement

In Kyiv the Duchess listened as survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, bravely shared their stories, as well as talking to female IDPs - internally displaced persons - and volunteers who help their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion.

She also met with children who have now been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture.

It is understood she was particularly keen to show her support for Ukrainian women who have played important roles in the conflict and community recovery and held a meeting with female volunteers who help their communities cope with the aftermath of the attacks with mental health care activities for children.

Speaking at an evening reception at the residence of the UK ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris, Sophie said she had travelled to many countries in conflict or post-conflict, and 'women and girls pay the highest price in terms of human costs'.

She said: 'Rape is used to demean, to degrade and to destroy. And we have to get better at trying to prevent that from happening. Where we cannot prevent it from happening, what we must do is put measures in place to support those who have fallen victim to such crimes.'

The Duchess said she has met survivors of sexual violence and thanked them for their 'openness'.

She said: 'I thank them for that honesty in telling me what happened to them.

'Their stories are sad. I hear many stories like this, sadly, from around the world. But I appreciate their time and their openness.'

The Duchess was also shown the Romanivska Bridge in Irpin, which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv

She also visited the Car Cemetery in the town of Irpin on the outskirts of Kyiv, which was the site of a fierce battle during the early stages of the Russian invasion

The Duchess of Edinburgh (right) poses for a photo with Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska (left) in Saint Sophia Cathedral in what was the first visit to the country by a member of the Royal Family since the Russian invasion

During her visit Sophie also met with survivors of sexual violence, both male and female, who bravely shared their stories

She also visited the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) where she met victims of the Russian invasion

The Duchess was seen stroking a dog during her visit to the UNFPA office in Kyiv on Monday

Sophie poses for a picture with people at the UNPFPA office, with the Duchess 'keen to show her solidarity with men, women and children affected by the Russian invasion'

In Kyiv the Duchess spoke to staff at the UNFPA and learned of how they are working to help victims of the Russian invasion

Sophie speaks to people at the UNFPA office in Kyiv. The Duchess also talked to female IDPs - internally displaced persons - and volunteers who help their communities cope with the trauma of the invasion

The Duchess added that she had met people who 'played a large role in Bucha and Irpin' to help their communities, and she will 'take those stories home in my heart'.

She added that she had met 'so many wonderful Ukrainians' in the United Kingdom since the start of the war.

Sophie said: 'But of course, what is true is that the hearts of every Ukrainian that Ive met in the United Kingdom, their hearts remain here. They would like to return home one day, and God willing, that will happen.'

READ MORE Brave Sophie becomes the first British royal to visit Ukraine since the start of the war: Duchess of Edinburgh meets President Zelensky and the First Lady as she pays respects to victims of Putin's invasion Advertisement

During a video address at a conference on conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine last month, the Duchess said: 'Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences.

'They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors.

'Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isn't an accepted part of conflict.

'Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.'

Sophie announced her commitment to champion the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) and the UN's Women, Peace and Security Agenda (WPS) on International Women's Day in 2019.

She has visited a number of countries over the years to highlight the impact of historical and ongoing conflict, including Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia.

Meeting with President Zelensky and First Lady Zelenska, Sophie discussed how best to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and the women peacebuilders who have a vital part to play in ensuring Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction is effective and long-lasting.

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, was seen smiling as she looked up at the ceiling of Saint Sophia Cathedral alongside Olena Zelenska

The Duchess was shown frescoes as she was given a tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site on Monday

Her visit came the same day at least four people were killed in a Russian missile barrage in the port city of Odesa. Pictured: A couple look towards the burning Odesa Law Academy after the attack today

The governor of the Ukrainian port city confirmed multiple people had been killed or wounded in the blitz on Monday

Sophie also signed the guest book at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during her whirlwind visit to the city on Monday

The Duchess also met with children as she visited a family centre run by Save Ukraine in the town of Irpin

The Duchess met children who had been returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families during the invasion

Sophie was greeted by children who had drawn welcoming messages for her on a flag of Ukraine

The Duchess is all smiles as she speaks to a young child at the Save Ukraine family centre in Irpin

She also passed on a personal message from King Charles - as she showed her solitary with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture during her emotional one-day trip.

Speaking at a conference last month, Her Royal Highness said: 'Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences.

'They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors.

'Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isn't an accepted part of conflict.

'Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.'

Since 2022, the UK has pledged over 4.7 billion in non-military support to Ukraine.

This includes over 660 million of bilateral assistance that prioritises the needs of women and girls, for example by funding vital services for survivors of Gender Based Violence, as well as working with the Office of the Prosecutor General to put survivors at the centre of approaches to prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence crimes.

The Duchess looks at a historical model of Kyiv located in Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv during Monday's visit

Sophie was seen to be enraptured by the ornate decoration in the 6th-century monument, which is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Ukraine

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, looks down at a sword on display in the Saint Sophia Cathedral

The Duchess looks at the ornate decorations of the cathedral, which is named after the 6th century Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul

A guide shows Sophie a model of the Saint Sophia Cathedral during a tour of the religious complex

The Duchess (left) visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv today alongside First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska (right)

Sophie walks in the shadows of Saint Sophia Cathedral during a visit to Kyiv on Monday in her role as champion of the UK's Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda

Sophie looks at the grave of Yaroslav I the Wise, the founder of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv

The UK is also working with international partners to hold those responsible for atrocities to account.

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Buckingham Palace said in a statement: 'Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh is visiting Ukraine at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

'Her Royal Highness this morning met the President and First Lady of Ukraine and delivered a message to them on behalf of His Majesty The King.'

The timing of her visit to Ukraine coincided with a Russian barrage that killed at least four people in the port city of Odesa, nearly 300 miles to the south.

A turreted Gothic-style building owned by the Odesa Law Academy, known locally as the 'Harry Potter Castle,' was seen in flames after the strike on the crucial port city.

Its regional governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging site that 27 people were injured in a Russian missile strike on residential buildings and 'civil infrastructure'.

He said: 'Three women and a man were killed. According to the updated toll, 27 people were wounded, including two children... and a pregnant woman.

'Four of the wounded are in a serious condition, doctors are fighting to save their lives.'

Smoke billows into the air as fire tears through the Odesa Law Academy after the building was hit by a Russian missile on Monday

People gather to watch as the Odesa Law Academy building in southern Ukraine burns following a Russian attack

A turreted Gothic-style building in Odesa is left smouldering after being hit by a Russian missile on Monday

Members of the Red Cross work with Ukrainian firefighters outside the burning Odesa Law Academy

President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on Monday

Stoltenberg admitted that aid promised by NATO to Ukraine had not been delivered quickly enough

At a press conference back in Kyiv on Monday, the head of NATO said the military alliance hasn't delivered the aid promised to Ukraine in time as he stood alongside President Zelensky.

Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg admitted that 'serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield', allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyiv's depleted forces wait for military supplies.

Outgunned, Ukraine's troops have struggled to fend off Russian advances on the battlefield.

They were recently compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the east, where the Kremlin's forces have been making incremental gains, Ukraine's army chief said Sunday.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed Monday its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

'The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line.

'Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,' Stoltenberg said.

Kyiv's Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine 'for as long as it takes.'

But vital US military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europe's military hardware production has not kept up with demand.

Ukraine's own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Now, Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Zelensky said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. 'This process must be speeded up,' he said at the news conference with Stoltenberg.
A Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was canceled after the pilot reportedly became 'too drunk to fly,' and a replacement could not be found in time for the next morning's departure.

The pilot, who was not named, became highly intoxicated after dining with crew members in Dallas last Tuesday.

The night's festivities continued at the hotel lounge, where the pilot continued drinking and it continued in his hotel room.

Around 2am, a hotel employee asked the group to be quiet, but the pilot's disorderly conduct prompted the hotel staffer to call police.

When police arrived, the pilot was questioned, and then given a stern warning, Japanese Daily News, The Mainichi reported according to Business Insider.

A Japan Airlines aircraft pictured taking off from the Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan in January

An aerial view of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and location where the Japan Airlines flight was supposed to depart from on its way to Tokyo

The aircraft was scheduled to depart from Dallas -Fort Worth International Airport to Tokyo last Wednesday around 11.05am, according to the flight-tracking website, FlightAware.

But, after the incident the flight was canceled. It is unclear if the pilot was penalized.

The airline determined that pilot was not fit to fly after an assessment was done on his physical and mental well-being.

The 157 passengers that were supposed to be on the flight were placed on alternative flights, as per The Mainichi.

A spokesperson with Japan Airlines told DailyMail.com in a statement.

'We have decided that an assessment of the physical and mental condition of the pilot was necessary to allow him to fly, so we had to assign an alternate crew from Japan,' they said.

'The flight will be a long delay so cancellation was decided and transfer of passengers were conducted.'

Shuttle parking vans waiting for passengers arriving at DFW International Airport in Dallas

A Boeing plane was recently forced to land due to hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area. Now being investigated, the technical failure also occurred in mid-air on a United flight

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration has also blasted Boeing for focusing on 'production' instead of 'safety and quality.' Pictured: A missing panel on a 25-year-old Boeing 737-824

The pilot's drunk and disorderly conduct is just the latest in a string of safety problems facing the airline industry, from frightening in-air mechanical mishaps to freak accidents, and emergency landings.

On Friday, a Boeing plane was forced to make an emergency landing in New York after an emergency slide fell off the aircraft.

The Los Angeles-bound Delta flight 520 was diverted to JFK Airport at around 8.30am. The plane was an hour into its journey when the freak incident set off an emergency alarm.

In January, Boeing was pushed into crisis mode after a door-plug panel blew off a 737 Max jetliners during an Alaska Airlines flight.

Another incident saw a Boeing plane forced to land to do hydraulic fluid spewing from its landing gear area.

The incident was being investigated, but the technical failure also occurred mid-air on a United flight.

Boeing received another blow after FAA Michael Whitaker slammed the manufacturer for focusing on 'production' instead of 'safety and quality'.

His visit to Boeing's facilities came after a series of terrifying incidents aboard the company's jets in recent months.

Incidents have included a wheel falling from an Osaka-bound aircraft early March to a panel blowing off a plane shortly after it took off from San Francisco later that same month.

The beleaguered aircraft maker has also been thrust into the spotlight on Capitol Hill following testimony from whistleblowers who stated they were met with death threats when they tried to flag safety concerns with their superiors.

Quality Engineer Sam Salehpour also told Congress that sections of the 787 Dreamliner jets have not been properly secured.

Boeing announced a safety check for the cockpits on its 787s after a LATAM flight flying from Sydney to Auckland took a terrifying plunge after a flight attendant was thought to have accidentally hit switch on pilot's seat and jammed them against jet's controls.
Lower-performing universities should be barred from handing out visas that bring foreign students into Britain, according to a report backed by Michael Gove.

The study, by the centre-Right think-tank Onward, proposed the 'radical' changes to immigration rules to help bring down the overall number of people moving to the UK permanently.

It comes amid concern that higher education is being abused as an immigration route, with leaked Home Office figures earlier this week revealing that more than a third of foreign students who went on to claim asylum were sponsored by just five universities and an education agency.

Onward's report suggests that ministers set out a plan to slash 'net' migration to tens of thousands a year  a pledge first made by the Conservative Party in its 2010 election manifesto. Official data shows that net migration  the difference between those arriving in Britain to live here long term and those emigrating  boosted the population by a record 745,000 in 2022.

The latest figures are due out in just over three weeks.

Clare & King's College at Cambridge University. The centre-Right think-tank Onward has suggested barring lower-performing universities from handing out visas (stock image)

Levelling Up Secretary and former education secretary Michael Gove has backed the report. He said: 'This report lays out a vision for a radical, reformed approach. It makes an invaluable contribution to the conversation we need to have about Britain's next steps forward'

Onward's report said: 'Immigration rules should be radically reformed to lower net migration to a sustainable level, with visa rules prioritising only those with the highest skills and earnings potential. Low-skill, low-paid migration should be phased out, and only select high-performing universities should be able to issue visas.

'Lower-quality institutions should be repurposed to focus on vocational, technical and applied learning.'

It went on: 'The number of higher education institutions with the ability to issue visas should be reduced, with only the highest-performing institutions able to sponsor foreign students.'

In a foreword to the study, Levelling Up Secretary and former education secretary Mr Gove said: 'This report lays out a vision for a radical, reformed approach. It makes an invaluable contribution to the conversation we need to have about Britain's next steps forward.'

In January the Government narrowed the criteria for foreign students bringing family members to the UK, but the report urged further action. Only those studying for PhDs at 'qualifying institutions' should be allowed to bring dependants, it said.

The University of Manchester. The report said: 'The number of higher education institutions with the ability to issue visas should be reduced, with only the highest-performing institutions able to sponsor foreign students'

It added that the graduate visa scheme  which allows foreign students to work in Britain for two years after completing their course  should also be abolished. Home Secretary James Cleverly has already commissioned advisers to review the scheme, which was introduced to give graduates time to find high-skilled employment following their degree, with the results due later this year.

Calling for a 'new approach' to immigration, the Onward report said: 'The Government should set out a plan to reduce overall net migration to the tens of thousands per year. This should be achieved through a combination of visa caps and higher salary thresholds to ensure migrants make a net fiscal contribution, with very limited exceptions for ultra-high skills and areas of critical need, such as engineers, doctors and researchers in strategic skills-deficit areas such as science and technology.'

The Government should also create an 'Office for Migration' to monitor the impact of foreign nationals on the UK's economy and society, it said.
Rishi Sunak's suggestion that more small-boat migrants could be returned to Vietnam has suffered a major blow as government lawyers described the country as 'unsafe' for deportations.

The Prime Minister wants to counter a spike in Vietnamese arrivals by agreeing a returns deal similar to one which led to a dramatic fall in Albanian migrants.

But Home Office lawyers have now told ministers that Vietnam 'does not meet the criteria of a safe state'.

Legal advisers warned that the Communist country's government puts some individuals at 'real risk' of persecution.

They said the ruling regime does not tolerate public disapproval of their human rights practices and that any open criticism of the state is likely to lead to adverse scrutiny. Anti-government protesters, some religious groups, human rights activists and journalists would be particularly at risk, the officials advised.

Rishi Sunak's suggestion that more small-boat migrants could be returned to Vietnam has suffered a major blow as government lawyers described the country as 'unsafe' for deportations

The Prime Minister wants to counter a spike in Vietnamese arrivals by agreeing a returns deal similar to one which led to a dramatic fall in Albanian migrants (pictured: Vietnamese migrants in Dunkirk, France)

The Government's deal with Tirana at the end of 2022 made it easier to return Albanians who arrived here via small boats (pictured: Mr Sunak with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in March 2023)

As a result, the Home Office will not be able to treat Vietnamese asylum applications as 'inadmissible' under new laws passed last year by placing the country on its so-called 'safe list'.

READ MORE: More Channel migrants have come from Vietnam this year than any other country, figures show after another 534 asylum seekers made crossing on Sunday Advertisement

Some 1,266 Vietnamese migrants arrived between January 1 and April 21, making up one in five of all small-boat crossings  up from 125 in the same period last year. Addressing the surge in crossings so far this year, Mr Sunak told Sky News at the weekend: 'Almost the entirety of that increase comes from one country  Vietnam. Last year we dealt with the problem that was illegal migrants from Albania we returned thousands and saw the numbers drop. That shows you that deterrence works. We will be able to do that with Vietnamese as well.'

The Government's deal with Tirana at the end of 2022 made it easier to return Albanians who arrived here via small boats. In 2022, 12,600 made the journey. Last year, there were less than 1,000 and so far this year there have been just 20.

Existing arrangements with Vietnam meant there were just eight enforced returns to the country from April to June last year, Home Office data shows.

A spokesman for the Government said: 'Vietnam is safe for voluntary and enforced returns and we already have a strong returns agreement in place dating back to 2004. Earlier this month, both countries signed a joint statement with clear next steps in order to stop dangerous and illegal small-boat crossings.'
No matter how many contortions he performed during his unedifying bid to cling on to power, Humza Yousaf's resignation as Scotland's First Minister was inevitable.

A proponent of the SNP's ugly tactic of demonising political opponents, his belated attempt to build bridges at Holyrood to avoid losing a vote of no confidence unsurprisingly failed.

Rather than suffer defeat, Mr Yousaf quit with a characteristically charmless speech. But one thing he said couldn't be faulted. This was the 'right decision' for Scotland. It is for the United Kingdom, too.

Not only does it signal the beginning of the end for the SNP's 17 years of misrule, it also dashes any hopes of Scottish separatism for a generation.

If the Nationalists can't even run a devolved government competently, how could they be trusted with an independent country?

Humza Yousaf leaving Bute House after he announced that he will resign as SNP leader and Scotland's First Minister

Mr Yousaf announces his resignation at a press conference on Monday at 12pm

The MSP leaves with his wife Nadia El-Nakla after the press conference

This time, the SNP cannot lay the blame for their troubles on the evil Tories or Westminster establishment. The ghastly soap opera is entirely of their own making.

Ordinary Scots want fairer taxes, a decent education for their children and a functioning NHS to look after their health.

But under the woke authoritarianism of the SNP and their ex-coalition partners, the Scottish Greens, they got divisive trans policies, unattainable and unaffordable climate change goals and absurd hate laws. They deserve less clueless leadership.

With the SNP unravelling, Labour has more chance of winning seats in Scotland in the general election. That would make Sir Keir Starmer's path to No10 easier.

This is troubling because he is more likely to hand new powers to Scotland  worsening the disastrous experiment with devolution.

And when it comes to the lunacies of wokery, you could barely fit a cigarette paper between the views of Starmer and the SNP.

Migrant mayhem

What a jolly jape it seemed at the time.

In a bid to sabotage Brexit, Dublin and the EU remorselessly insisted on an open border on the island of Ireland.

Then, last month, they chortled as the Irish High Court ruled the UK was not a safe place to remove migrants to because they could be sent to Rwanda.

Today, the smirk has dropped off the face of those smug political elites.

Rishi Sunak is right to refuse to take the migrants back. The PM should only agree if France lets us return every migrant who arrives in a small boat

Pictured: Migrants attempt to travel to the UK in a boat on the Channel

Illegal Channel migrants are flowing into the Republic across the unguarded border with Northern Ireland in huge numbers to avoid being given a one-way ticket to Africa.

With delicious irony, Ireland is now shrieking that Britain take them back. So we are a safe country after all!

Rishi Sunak is right to refuse. The PM should only agree if France lets us return every migrant who arrives in a small boat.

By doing so, French president Emmanuel Macron could end this lethal trade in a heartbeat. In the meantime, Ireland finds itself well and truly hoist by its own petard.

The benefits of work

The news that the numbers claiming benefits for anxiety and mild depression has doubled in five years is deeply troubling.

Yes, some will suffer serious mental health issues. But there is an obvious danger we are medicalising the inevitable misfortunes and disappointments life throws at us.

So ministers are right to consider overhauling disability allowances, with some people being offered treatment and therapy instead of cash handouts.

The aim is to encourage them back to work. After all, a fulfilling job may be exactly the medicine they need.
The Pentagon put out new photos Monday that gave the first close-up look at construction of a new pier that will bring aid to Gaza  in a project with ballooning costs that as already drawing scrutiny in Congress.

U.S. Central Command blasted out images of the project under the headline 'Pier-building begins.'

It highlighted construction of what the military calls a 'floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean' to try to address massive disruptions to normal aid delivery amid Israel's pounding campaign on Hamas in Gaza.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters the cost had swelled to $320 million, about double an earlier estimate. She said it was a rough estimate that includes transportation of massive pier sections, plus construction and aid delivery operations.

US Central Command released the first images of the pier being constructed to allow vital humanitarian aid into Gaza

The progress can be seen from satellite images from the port where the Israel Defense Forces are constructing the port, with US Navy vessels nearby.

But Republicans in Congress are already slamming the project as a potential target for attacks.

The Pentagon has said involves about 1,000 U.S. service members, mostly from the Army and Navy. Reuters first reported the new $320 million estimate, roughly double from initial estimates earlier this year, according to a person familiar with the matter.

'The cost has not just risen. It has exploded,' Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Democratic-led Senate Armed Services Committee, told Reuters, when asked about the costs.

'How much will taxpayers be on the hook once - or if - the pier is finally constructed?' Wicker asked.

'For every day this mission continues, the price tag goes up and so does the level of risk for the 1,000 deployed troops within range of Hamas' rockets.'

The US led effort also involves the Israeli Defense Forces

The administration has pressed Israel to allow more deliveries of humanitarian aid amid Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza

US Navy and IDF engineers are involved. This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows the USNS Roy P. Benavidez in the Mediterranean Sea off shore from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

'This dangerous effort with marginal benefit will now cost the American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for only 90 days.'

A satellite image from Sunday by Planet Labs PBC showed pieces of the floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea alongside the USNS Roy P. Benavidez.

President Joe Biden announced the pier in March as aid officials implored Israel to ease access for relief supplies into Gaza over land routes. By opening a second route for aid, this one by sea, Biden administration officials hope to avert famine in northern Gaza.

Israel's military campaign against Hamas, in response to Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, has devastated the tiny Gaza Strip and plunged its 2.3 million people into a humanitarian catastrophe.

Still, Wicker and some other lawmakers have questioned whether the pier is a worthwhile endeavor, particularly given the risk that U.S. military personnel could become targets of Hamas militants.

Concerns about the threat to American troops getting caught up in the Israel-Hamas war were underscored on Thursday as news emerged of a mortar attack near the area where the pier will eventually touch ground. No U.S. forces were present, however, and they were miles off shore -- beyond mortar range.

Biden has ordered U.S. forces to not step foot on the Gaza shore.

The pier will initially handle 90 trucks a day, but that number could go up to 150 trucks daily when it is fully operational. The United Nations said last week that the daily average number of trucks entering Gaza during April was 200 and that there had been a peak on Monday of 316.

A senior Biden administration official said last week that humanitarian aid coming off the pier will need to pass through Israeli checkpoints on land.

That is despite the aid having already been inspected by Israel in Cyprus before being shipped to Gaza. Israel wants to prevent any aid getting to Hamas fighters that boosts their war effort.

The prospect of checkpoints raises questions about possible delays even after aid reaches shore. The United Nations has long complained of obstacles to getting aid in and distributing it throughout Gaza.

The United Nations has appealed for $2.5 billion to try and meet the most urgent needs of the people living in the Gaza Strip between April and December.

Construction continues even as the U.S. is using diplomatic channels to try to push Hamas into a ceasefire agreement that if successful could allow for other methods to get in desperately needed humanitarian aid.
A fugitive and his mother who were on the run for six years have finally been caught after police put out a tongue-in-cheek Valentine's Day appeal.

Sussex Police issued a series of romantic messages offering 500 for information leading to the arrest of four criminals, including Callum Gower, now 27.

The post, made by the force in 2018, read: 'Where is our lost love from Hastings and Rye Callum Gower?

Police wrote in the appeal: 'All we wanted was to spend some quality time with people who've been trying to avoid us lately.

'Can you play cupid and help us secure a date with some of the county's most wanted people? There's every chance it will be back to our place for coffee!

Sussex Police issued a series of romantic messages offering 500 for information leading to the arrest of four criminals, including Callum Gower, now 27 (pictured)

'We will be appealing for those who have broken our hearts to meet us for the date they owe us.'

The plan appears to have worked, with Gower, who was wanted in connection with assault and drug offences, and his mother, Caroline Sevier, 51, being arrested in Cape Town in February. They have both been in custody since then.

A judge refused to give them bail, telling them they were flight risks. Gower is set to return to court on May 23 when his extradition to the UK will be finalised, while Sevier is set to learn of her fate today.

A South African police source told the Sun: 'Despite Mr Gower being very late for his date, Sussex Police are keen to rekindle the romance and move on.

'They hope to spend at least a couple of years together this time.'
Australia's new budget airline Bonza has suddenly cancelled all of its flights with doubts raised about its future as its planes are repossessed.

The sudden cancellation of flights has left thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country on Tuesday.

Chief executive Tim Jordan said all flights have been 'temporarily suspended' and the airline may not be able to continue just 15 months after it launched.

'Discussions are currently underway regarding the ongoing viability of the business,' he said.

'We apologise to our customers who are impacted by this and we're working as quickly as possible to determine a way forward that ensures there is ongoing competition in the Australian domestic aviation market.'

Aviation sources revealed that Bonza's fleet of Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft had been repossessed, The Guardian reported.

Australia's newest budget airline Bonza has unexpectedly cancelled flights - amid talks about the future viability of the company

Bonza's Chief executive Tim Jordan (pictured) confirmed all flights had been temporarily suspended

Staff were reportedly called into a meeting early this morning.

A Sunshine Coast man, whose wife works for the airline, told the ABC: 'She went to work this morning, as per usual, they just went in  there were two crews there  they were just basically told that Bonza has finished.'

'They've been told that they're not flying until further notice.'

Virgin Australia has offered to assist passengers on cancelled Bonza flights with a complimentary seat on one of their a planes.

'We are aware of the temporary suspension of Bonza flights,' the airline wrote on X.

'We will immediately support any passengers stranded mid-journey by offering complimentary seats on Virgin Australia-operated flights to the airport nearest to their final planned Bonza destination.'

Stranded Aussies are urged to visit the Virgin Australia customer service representative at the airport or call the airline's Guest Contact Centre on 13 67 89.

Bonza management was reportedly 'surprised' after receiving an aircraft repossession notice in an internal Bonza memo, seen by the Courier Mail.

'We have been informed this morning that effective 0300 today that all our aircraft have had repossession proceedings commenced by AlP the aircraft lessor,' it read.

AIP has a 51 per cent hold on the budget airline's fleet while Miami-based firm 777 Partners has a 49 per cent stake.

'This was a surprise to both ourselves and 777 Partners.

'We are currently assessing all options. As a consequence of this all first wave flights from all bases have been cancelled.'

The airline is backed by US venture capital firm 777 Partners, which is understood to have called restructuring specialists KordaMentha for financial advice about its ongoing operations in Australia.

Bonza passengers were informed on Wednesday morning that their flights were cancelled (pictured, cancelled Bonza flights departing Gold Coast Airport)

The Sunshine-based company launched in January 2023 and originally flew 27 routes to 17 destinations.

Bonza pitched itself as a 'low-cost, ultra-Aussie airline' when it launched in Australia on January 31 last year.

The airline began flights out of its hub on the Sunshine Coast after receiving the green light from the Air Operator Certificate from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

The airline serviced regional airports - largely where major airlines do not fly - across NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

Shadow Minister for Transport Bridget McKenzie has reportedly called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to save the budget airline.

This is a breaking story. More to come.
More than 450,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine just over two years ago, Britain's armed forces minister has revealed.

Tory minister Leo Docherty added in response to a question posed by Labour MP John Healey that 'tens of thousand more have already deserted since the start of the conflict', though said that the UK's intelligence community did not know how many of those killed served in Russian PMCs.

Docherty, who represents Aldershot, said 'over 10,000 Russian armoured vehicles' had been destroyed.

This included 3,000 main battle tanks, 109 fixed wing aircraft, 136 helicopters, 346 unmanned aerial vehicles and 23 naval vessels of all classes.

On top of this, more than 1,500 artillery systems have been destroyed, abandoned or captured by Ukraine.

More than 450,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since Vladimir Putin (pictured) launched his invasion of Ukraine just over two years ago

Tory minister Leo Docherty added in response to a question posed by Labour MP John Healey that 'tens of thousand more have already deserted since the start of the conflict'

More than 1,500 artillery systems have been destroyed, abandoned or captured by Ukraine.

Despite the significant military wins, NATO countries haven't delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliance's chief said Monday, allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyiv's depleted forces wait for military supplies to arrive from the U.S. and Europe.

'Serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield' for Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Outgunned, Ukraine's troops have struggled to fend off Russian advances on the battlefield.

They were recently compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the east, where the Kremlin's forces have been making incremental gains, Ukraine's army chief said Sunday.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Monday its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

'The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line.

Ukrainian gunner Vasyl Zozulia fires the gun, as soldiers of the Ukraine Armys 95th Brigade fire 105mm artillery shells from a British-made L119 howitzer at Russian positions

A Ukrainian soldier is seen as Ukrainian soldiers of the 80th brigade move along the front line

Ukrainian soldiers of the 80th brigade firing artillery at Russian positions in the direction of Bakhmut

Lack of air defense has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces,' Stoltenberg said.

Kyiv's Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine 'for as long as it takes.'

But vital U.S. military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europe's military hardware production has not kept up with demand. Ukraine's own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Now, Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Zelenskyy said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. 'This process must be speeded up,' he said at the news conference with Stoltenberg.

Though the 600-mile front line has shifted little since early in the war, the Kremlin's forces in recent weeks have edged forward, especially in the Donetsk region, with sheer numbers and massive firepower used to bludgeon defensive positions.
Lee urges Yoon to apologize for vetoed bills, revise diplomatic strategy in first-ever meeting

By Nam Hyun-woo

Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung urged President Yoon Suk Yeol to reconsider his approach to governing and state affairs, during their first-ever official meeting on Monday.

Lee also called on the president to support the DPK's nationwide subsidy program and refrain from using his veto power to reject policies proposed by the opposition.

The DPK chief's requests went unanswered by Yoon, leaving the main opposition disappointed by the president's apparent resistance to change. The DPK leader described the long-awaited meeting as "frustrating and regretful."

The president and the DPK chairman engaged in a 135-minute conversation at Yoon's office, addressing various issues, such as the importance of enhancing the grassroots economy and the government's medical reform initiative.

It was their first official meeting since Yoon assumed office in May 2022, after narrowly defeating his opposition rival in the presidential race.

The meeting followed Yoon's invitation to Lee to the presidential office after the ruling People Power Party (PPP) suffered a crushing defeat in the April 10 general elections. With the ruling party securing only 108 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, cooperation with the DPK became imperative for Yoon to effectively govern the country during the remaining three years of his presidency.

However, the meeting concluded without the two sides reaching an agreement or issuing a joint statement.

During their opening remarks in front of reporters, Yoon offered a brief but cordial greeting, while Lee delivered a lengthy statement urging the president to change his approach to governance and accept several demands from the opposition.

The election results underscored the public's desire for competent governing to address national challenges, fair treatment under the law for all, and a focus on communication and collaboration rather than repression, Lee said. And I ask the president to pay attention to those demands, with the mindset that this is the last chance to change the direction of governing.

Lee urged the president to "positively consider" the DPK's proposal to provide local vouchers worth 250,000 won ($180) to every citizen as an urgent measure to boost the grassroots economy.

I highlighted that providing the subsidy in the form of local vouchers would greatly benefit community enterprises and small business owners, helping to strengthen the grassroots economy, Lee said. I especially request the president to accept this.

According to both sides, the president opposed the subsidy program, citing the priority of "executing existing budgets earmarked for vulnerable groups." Despite the DPK leader's repeated requests, there was no agreement to establish a consultative body involving the government, the DPK, and the PPP to discuss the program.

"The president acknowledged similar opinions on providing subsidies to the public, but firmly rejected them due to concerns about potential inflation ," DPK chief policymaker Rep. Jin Sung-joon told reporters after the meeting.

"He was expected to approach the agenda with an open mind for discussion, but he did not."

During the opening remarks, Lee emphasized that Yoon should apologize to the public for exercising his veto power on bills passed by the Assembly, particularly those related to critical issues such as the special act on the Itaewon crowd crush, which resulted in the deaths of 159 people in Seoul's Itaewon area in October 2022. After Yoon vetoed the bill in January, it has returned to the Assembly and is now subject to a second vote, requiring approval from two-thirds of attending lawmakers.

I hope the president will honor the public's call for a change in policy direction, Lee said. I respectfully request that you apologize for previous rejections of bills, particularly those related to critical incidents like the Itaewon tragedy and to promise that you will honor and respect the decisions made by the National Assembly.

According to senior presidential secretary for public relations Lee Do-woon, during the closed-door meeting, the DPK chairman reiterated the importance of the Itaewon Disaster Special Act. But Yoon said the pending act has "legal flaws, such as enabling a private committee to file for a search warrant."

During the opening remarks, the DPK's Lee emphasized that Yoon should refrain from abusing his presidential veto power, specifically regarding a bill for a special counsel investigation into allegations surrounding the death of a young Marine named Chae Su-geun, which the DPK is set to pass soon. Lee also stressed the importance of special counsel bills to investigate political allegations, including those involving the first lady, Kim Keon Hee. However, these topics were not discussed further during the meeting.

The main opposition leader also urged the president to reconsider his diplomatic approach of making Korea's alignment with the U.S. more prominent. He asked Yoon to prioritize efforts to pursue peace talks on the Korean Peninsula.

I understand that you are making efforts to strengthen the countrys national security, and I ask you to pay more attention to talks and cooperation for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, Lee said. We cannot safeguard our national interests and the nation itself solely by forming blocs in diplomacy. I urge a shift toward pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interests.

After the meeting, the presidential spokesperson noted that while no agreement or joint statement was reached, the leaders agreed on several points: the necessity of expanding the admissions quota of the country's medical schools, the importance of periodic meetings, and the prioritization of improving public livelihood in politics.

DPK spokesperson Rep. Park Sung-joon also emphasized that the leaders found common ground on the necessity of increasing the medical school admissions quota and enhancing engagement between parties.

"We emphasized that the Yoon-Lee meeting should be practical, not merely a grandstanding photo opportunity. However, the outcome was disappointing," Park said. "Next time, it should be a practical meeting, where both sides can fulfill their promises."
Amazon's new series Fallout paints a picture about how life could mutate following nuclear bombs being dropped on the world.

The eight-part show features a toxic wasteland overrun by mutated species, including humans, which is a reflection of historical nuclear disasters like Chernobyl, Fukushima, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Fallout is purely science fiction, mutated animals have been found in real-life fallout zones that are similar to the show's giant creatures and monster-like salamanders.

When it comes to humans, those in a real-life blast zone would suffer severe burns, much like Fallout's ghouls that lost their skin when the bombs dropped.

Amazon's sci-fi series 'Fallout' (pictured) features what a post-apocalyptic US would look like if it was struck by a nuclear disaster

Nuclear bombs and explosions obliterate everything in its wake and gives off what's called a fallout, when it releases a plume of radioactive ash and dust into the air that spreads for miles and can last for millions of years

Scientists at Rutgers University estimated that a worst-case full-scale nuclear war would result in the deaths of five billion people, but that still leaves more than three billion on Earth.

And that seems to come into play in Fallout that was released on April 10.

The eight-part series largely focuses on 200 years after bombs are dropped across the US, with some flash backs to right before.

Some Americans had spent the time in underground bunkers, called vaults, while others were left to wonder the desert wasteland that is left on the surface.

Both humans and creatures on top of the ground have experienced mutations because of the fallout, which lasts much longer than the initial nuclear blast.

The sheer number of mutated salamanders and giant cockroaches 'Fallout' is not out of the realm of possibility, according to Pran Nath, a university professor of physics at Northeastern University, who said radiation can cause numerous kinds of abnormalities.

'Radiation can create mutations, which are similar to spontaneous mutation, in animals and humans,' Nath told Northeastern Global News (NGN), adding: 'In Chernobyl, for example, they are discovering animals which are mutated.'

The sheer number of mutated salamanders and giant cockroaches 'Fallout' is not out of the realm of possibility, according to Pran Nath, a university professor of physics at Northeastern University, who said radiation can cause numerous kinds of abnormalities

Wolves developed mutated genes from Chernobyl's high radiation levels, making them resilient to cancer

Tree frogs typically have a green pigmentation but researchers discovered the species in the CEZ was genetically altered to be dark or black

Since the Chernobyl nuclear explosion in 1986, scientists have discovered black-colored tree frogs that typically have green pigmentation and a rare genetic mutation in wolves that could have cancer-curing abilities.

Color changes in animals are another possible mutation, although they won't glow like cartoons illustrate, but instead will take on a duller plumage in the case of birds.

However, plants tend to absorb the lion's share of the radioactive material by absorbing it into the soil, causing the leaves to change shape and the trees to turn from dark green to a rust color.

'If you're an organism living in one of these highly radioactive areas, it's not a great place to be,' Prof Timothy Mousseau, a biology scientist at the University of South Carolina, told BBC Science Focus.

Hiroshima was flattened after the US dropped an atomic bomb in 1945 (pictured). People who survived the blast were born with a genetic malformity called microcephaly that caused them to have a smaller head

People who were partially protected from the atomic blast in Nagasaki (pictured) were still affected by the blast as their body heated up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and cause severe burns - much like the ghouls' burned skin in 'Fallout.'

Nuclear blasts affect the surrounding area in three stages, starting with the impact zone - where the blast occurs - which emits gamma rays, also called gamma radiation, which incinerates everything in its wake.

'When the nuclear blast occurs, because of the chain reaction, in a very short period of time, a lot of energy and radiation is emitted,' Nath told NGN.

READ MORE: Mutant wolves exposed to Chernobyl disaster have evolved a new superpower Wolves developed mutated genes from Chernobyl's high radiation levels, making them resilient to cancer Advertisement

'If you are exposed to it, people, for example, in Hiroshima were essentially evaporated, leaving shadows.'

People who are partially protected from the blast will still be affected as their body heats up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and cause severe burns - much like the ghouls' burned skin in 'Fallout.'

Ghouls are mutated humans who have been transformed into feral monsters due to being exposed to severe radiation.

The second phase of the nuclear blast is called a 'fireball,' much like the first shockwave scene in the sci-fi show, but it would travel much faster than its cinematic portrayal, extending outward at the speed of sound, about 760 miles per hour.

Everything within the blast area is destroyed - humans, buildings, and wildlife are all obliterated, but the radioactivity that occurs during the fallout can last for just a few seconds up to millions of years.

'In a nuclear blast, up to 100 different radioactive elements are produced,' Nath told NGN.

' It causes pollution and damage to the body and injuries over a longer period, causing cancer and leukemia, things like this,' he added.

Yet in places like Fukushima which was the site where the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945, some people were born with microcephaly which is when radiation damages an embryo so it develops a smaller head.

An estimated 146,000 people were killed in Hiroshima and another 80,000 died in Nagasaki as a direct result of the atomic bombs dropped by the US.

'We're living in an increasingly radioactive world,' Mousseau told BBC Science Focus.

'So anything we can learn in places like Chornobyl, Fukushima and atomic bomb test sites will be relevant to humans in the end.'
The speculation that some form of alien life exists beyond our planet goes back to ancient Greece and Rome, yet humans have still not made contact.

There have been various theories, including the lonely proposal that human-level intelligence is totally 'unique' in the universe, but one scientist has revealed a more likely scenario - alien civilizations were destroyed by gamma-ray bursts (GRBs).

GRBs are immensely energetic explosions that have been observed in distant galaxies, occurring when the core of a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel and collapses under its own weight, unleashing a massive 'super nova' of radiation.

'It's a tightly focused beam,' astronomy professor Dr. Frederick Walter told DailyMail.com. 'And, if it's directed through the plane of the galaxy, it could basically sterilize about 10 percent of the planets in the galaxy.'

'It's just one of many possible explanations,' he noted, 'sort of morbid, I suppose.'

A variety of cosmic activity may be capable of generating gamma-ray bursts as the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab in Arizona proposed a case (illustrated above) that may have originated with the the collision of stars or stellar remnants near a supermassive black hole

NASA's new $150 million gamma-ray telescope COSI will study the Milky Way galaxy's evolution to map out its unknown origins. This gamma-ray detecting telescope, called the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI), is expected to launch in 2025

NASA calls gamma-ray bursts 'the most powerful class of explosions in the universe.'

A typical burst delivers a bright beam of directed energy: one quintillion (a 1 followed by 19 zeros) times the brightness of our own sun, more than enough, in other words, to burn an extraterrestrial civilization clean off its perch in the galaxy.

Fortunately, based on decades of research by NASA's orbital Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, gamma-ray bursts are relatively rare in our home galaxy, the Milky Way.

When the Compton observatory satellite was launched in 1991, NASA researchers expected to see more 'GRBs' emanating from our pancake-shaped galactic disc.

But the reality proved to be that these explosive 'super nova' events were much more common in younger, distant galaxies, still hot in the process of forming new stars, or in the case of long-duration GRBs, transforming collapsing stars into black holes.

'It's estimated that there is a gamma-ray burst every 100 million years or so, in any galaxy,' according to Dr. Walter, who has taught a course on the search for extraterrestrial life at Stony Brook University in New York.

'Over a billion years, on average, you might expect a significant number of civilizations to be eradicated,' he said, 'should they exist.'

This picture provided by NASA on October 14, 2022 shows the Swift's X-Ray Telescope capturing the afterglow of GRB 221009A about an hour after it was first detected. Next, below, GRB 221009A, as seen by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in October 2022

Other estimates have suggested that gamma-ray bursts could occur as frequently as once every 10 million years per galaxy  but either range would mean that many alien species could be wiped out before they get a chance to do much space exploration.

The Stony Brook astronomer pointed out that planet Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old, and took nearly that long to evolve the only technologically advanced species humanity currently has proof of: humanity, itself.

That would mean, like a game of Russian Roulette, the Milky Way is estimated to have experienced anywhere from 45 to 450 local GRB events in Earth's history.

Some geophysicists and other researchers, in fact, have argued that either Earth's Ordovician and/or its Devonian mass extinctions approximately 359 to 445 million years ago may have been the result of a blast of gamma rays from just such a collapsing star or black hole-forming event.

But Dr. Walter emphasized that this is just one hypothesis for why humanity has yet to officially discover signs of an extraterrestrial civilization somewhere out there in the universe.

'It's estimated that there is a gamma-ray burst every 100 million years or so, in any galaxy,' said Dr. Frederick Walter, who has taught a course on the search for alien life at Stony Brook. 'Over a billion years, average, you might expect a significant number of civilizations to be eradicated'

What are gamma ray bursts? Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are short-lived bursts of gamma-ray light, the most energetic form of light. When a GRB erupts, it is briefly the brightest source of cosmic gamma-ray photons in the observable universe. There are two different types of GRBs. Long GRBs last about a minute. Experts think they're produced by supernovae: when the core of a massive star collapses to become a black hole. Meanwhile, short GRBs last only a second and are produced when two neutron stars merge. Advertisement

Although these super nova blasts can be apocalyptically deadly, Dr. Walter advised that any potential threat to humanity from a GRB is 'not worth worrying about.'

'They're rare, and they're directed,' which makes them much less likely to hit Earth, the astronomer said. 'And, it's not something you can prepare for.'

Gamma-ray bursts were first recorded in 1967, via a pair of US Vela satellites in operation to detect evidence of any Soviet nuclear tests that might have been conducted in defiance of the 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Two years later, the odd bursts came to the notice of a team at Los Alamos National Laboratory, who later pioneered the lab's gamma-ray astronomy group.

While the hypothesized ancient GRB bursts that hit Earth hundreds of millions of years ago would have annihilated and dissolved the DNA of any living thing on the planet, today the distant radiation from far away GRBs mostly leaves tell-tale evidence in the form of bright star-like flashes or gamma-ray particle evidence in our ionosphere.

In the 74 years since nuclear physicist Enrico Fermi first wondered why, in a universe theoretically teeming with life, humanity has yet to empirically detect any of it, possible solutions to his famous 'Fermi paradox' have proliferated.

One book, by University of Portsmouth physicist Stephen Webb, explored 75 viable explanations currently in play, from the terrifying (e.g. all aliens are hiding from a deadly predator civilization) to the mundane (e.g. space travel is too hard).

'There are a lot of ways around this,' Dr. Walter said.

One example, he noted, was that a highly advanced aquatic species on another world, like whales or dolphins here on Earth, would be unlikely to develop the technology needed for space travel, despite large brains and powerful social skills.

'If you live underwater,' as he told DailyMail.com, 'you're not going to play around with electricity.'

Alternatively, a wise, but risk-averse civilization, might simply decide that 'it may not be worth it to travel between the stars and look for other aliens,' Dr. Walter said, electing instead to 'focus inwards' and form their own 'little utopia' on their home world.

But one of the most common theories, among physicists and astronomers, according to Dr. Walter is that technologically advanced civilizations might be universally prone to killing themselves off  whether through mismanagement, greed, war or worse.

'Just look around, you know?' the astronomer said. 'We're polluting the atmosphere. We're making it questionable as to whether we're going to have a viable civilization in a century, unless we do something drastic.'

'If civilizations tend to evolve in the same way that they have on our planet, then that's going to hit everybody,' Dr. Walter continued, opining, 'our technology exceeds our wisdom, perhaps.'

'I would guess that's the leading theory,' he said. 'But, look, it's all speculation.'

'We have one example: That's us.'

If one takes the 19th Century Industrial Revolution as humanity's first leap into the ranks of technologically advanced species, Dr. Walter noted that we have only thus far 'made it through about 150 years.'

'There's always a risk we're not going to make it through another one or 150 years.'
Instagram is back online following a two-hour outage that hit users worldwide.

DownDetector, a site that monitors online outages, reported issues around 2pm ET that dissipated around 4pm ET.

An outage map showed users US, the UK, parts of Europe and Australia - among other regions - were experiencing issues.

Many users flocked to Elon Musk's X to see if others were experiencing problems, with some reporting their accounts have been suspended.

What caused the glitch is not known and Meta has not acknowledged the outage.

Instagram is back online following a two-hour outage that hit users worldwide. DownDetector, a site that monitors online outages, reported issues around 2pm ET that dissipated around 4pm ET

DownDetector reports showed 62 percent of problems stem from the app, 28 percent cited the server connection and 10 percent of users said they could not login.

In the US, users in New York City, Los Angeles and Atlanta, Georgia reported issues.

Across the Atlantic, Norwich, Cambridge and London users also issued notices to DownDector about the outage.

More than 1,500 Americans had issued reports to DownDetector.

When one social media platform goes down, users tend to seek answers on another - and it is usually Musk's X.

One Instagram user highlighted that Monday's outage is the second this month.

The previous hit on April 1 - also known as April Fool's Day.

Many users flocked to Elon Musk 's X to see if others were experiencing problems, with some reporting their accounts have been suspended
Followers of Charlotte the stingray's pregnancy are growing more impatient with every passing day, and the latest updates on her condition have done nothing to quench their curiosity.

Months after announcing that the stingray had gotten pregnant all by herself - an extremely rare occurrence - the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO has been inundated by attention from the media and the public.

Now, after her caretaker team posted two similar updates on Facebook saying that the stingray is doing well, Charlotte's increasingly conspiratorial public has flooded the posts with comments expressing their skepticism.

While many observers expressed their appreciation for the updates and wished the stingray well, some accused the aquarium of concealing the truth about her: that she was never actually pregnant, and that this has all been a publicity stunt.

Charlotte's caretakers posted this Facebook Reel on April 24. They didn't mention her pregnancy, but they did say there were no changes to her behavior - suggesting that she is not about to give birth.

Three days later, they posted another similar update, which also mentioned her favorite food of the day.

READ MORE: Stingray experts explain Charlotte's solo pregnancy Here's why the North Carolina aquarium doesn't know when she'll actually give birth. Advertisement

Last Wednesday the team posted a Facebook Reel with the following caption: 'Charlotte update for 4-24-24. Charlotte is still doing well. There have been no changes in her behavior, eating, or resting patterns. Her favorite thing to eat today was scallops! Thank you all for your kindness and support!!'

Three days later, on Saturday, they posted another Reel with this caption: 'Charlotte update for 4-27-24. Charlotte is doing well and enjoys interacting with guests and the divers. Her favorite thing to eat this week was scallops along with silversides. We thank you for your patience and kindness during Charlotte's journey, have a great weekend everyone!'

The two captions are clearly not just copied and pasted, but commenters subjected the page to what has become a familiar barrage of accusations and conspiracy theories.

'I believe they scammed the public for donations,' one commenter wrote.

'Seems odd to give a public update on the creature at this point without even mentioning the pregnancy,' said another. 'That being said, Im gone, and left wondering if this was some misguided publicity stunt to get follows and likes for the FB page.'

Other commenters expressed their impatience with all the conspiracy talk: 'This event of Charlotte's shows the internet adults have really very little patience,' wrote one. 'And sometimes no manners.'

Charlotte the stingray is expected to give birth soon, but because of the unusual nature of her pregnancy, experts can't say when that will be.

Certain animals are capable of reproducing through 'facultative parthenogenesis' in which the egg is fertilized with cells from the mother rather than by a male

'Seriously so true!' another commenter replied to that comment. 'The negativity and entitlement is wild.'

The typical gestation period for a stingray is three to four months, but uncertainty remains around Charlotte's pregnancy, including when exactly it started and when she will give birth.

Charlotte became the center of a media frenzy back in February when Team ECCO announced she was pregnant - despite not living around any male stingrays.

Aquarium staff suspect that she became pregnant through an uncommon occurrence called 'parthenogenesis.'

Parthenogenesis is the term for an animal essentially impregnating herself - using her own eggs to create a genetically complete clone in the absence of males of her species.

Researchers say Charlotte's ultrasound shows she's carrying up to four pups, but the aquarium has not shared details.

Charlotte, seen in February. She has reportedly never shared a tank with a male of her species, yet the aquarium said she is pregnant. It is scientifically possible, but there is not much precedent for such an occurrence.

It has not been confirmed that parthenogenesis is the cause of her apparently virgin birth, but it is the most likely explanation, given that she hasn't been around a male of her species in almost a decade.

Parthenogenesis is relatively common in sharks and rays, which belong to the same subclass of fish, called elasmobranches.

But before Charlotte, it had not been observed in a round stingray like her.

It is the first documented case of parthenogenesis seen in captivity.

Usually it takes a stingray three to four months to give birth after they get pregnant, but there's no road map for what's happening to Charlotte.

The extraordinary length of her pregnancy has concerned some observers, who pointed out that something may be wrong.

But as is the case with internet intrigue and conspiracy, many commenters are likely swept up in the excitement of feeling like they are onto something.

It's possible that nothing short of a fresh batch of stingray pups will satisfy the doubters - either that or a signed confession that the whole thing was a hoax.

Capturing the mood, one commenter wrote: 'We've been catfished by a stingray.'
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If you cant decide whether to gift mom something delicious or something beautiful for the home this mothers day, the dilemma is over as the Sakuraco gift box contains it all.

Inspired by the taste and beauty of Japan, the unique box contains 20 mouth-watering snacks as well as a homeware keepsake that she can treasure forever. And to celebrate mothers day, theres an extra special promotion with a free gift worth up to $80 when you use the code ONSEN at checkout on the Sakuraco website.

Sakuraco Mother's Day Gift Box Gift mom a break from everyday life with tea and snacks that you cannot find in the States. This Sakuraco box features authentic mochi, savory snacks and Japanese sweet treats to encourage her to relax and savor the flavors. Use code ONSEN for a free gift, including a expertly crafted kimono-style garment that will last a lifetime. Shop

The experience begins on delivery as the Sakuraco box is joy to look at before she's even seen what's inside.

And then it's a gift that keeps on giving with 20 delicious teas, savory snacks and sweet treats all the way from Japan, giving her tastebuds a flavor explosion.

The Sakuraco box is packed with unique sweet and savory snacks like mochi and Japanese crackers, as well as unique Japanese teas. Contents change every single month

She could spread out the treats over almost a month, choosing something new to try each day, uplifting her daily routine and having a moment of escapism. These are snacks that you can't find in the grocery stores in the US, even in the foreign foods section, so with each bite she'll be transported to a different place.

The free gift, worth up to $80, has been designed to add to the rest and relaxation element of the experience, with a free expertly crafted Haori robe resembling a kimono if you take out a 12-month subscription, where a new box arrives at her door every month for a year.

And for six-month subscribers, there's a complimentary premium bath set, which includes bath salt packets, a natural soap bar, and a plush onsen towel, allowing mom to create the ideal home spa retreat. All you have to do is choose the 6-month subscription and use code ONSEN on the Sakuraco website.

For those who want a shorter commitment, three month subscribers will receive a free candle in a unique shape similar to traditional Japanese Wagashi with soothing scents such as strawberry, dango, or sakura mochi.

Each Sakuraco box is beautifully packaged and inside she'll find individually wrapped packages to preserve freshness as well as a 24-page guide, including history and culture about Japan

According to shoppers who've previously bought the box, the quality is unbeatable and just as good, if not better than the photos on the website.

More than 12,000 shoppers have rated the experience a full five stars. One of those summed it up saying: 'Everything in this box was perfectly selected for the theme! The tea was very unique and so pretty to look at. All the snacks were delicious.'

Another added: 'All of the snacks were so tasty and unique. I honestly wish I had bought two boxes so Id have more to enjoy!'

Ready to give mom a break from the everyday by taking her to new heights via her tastebuds? Shop now on the Sakuraco website and don't forget the code ONSEN for the extra special free gift.
The Rain Resist Bliss deal sees guests sent a voucher if it rains during their stay

Clear skies and sunshine. That's what most people hope for when they go on holiday.

This five-star hotel knows, though, that the weather can have other ideas - and offers a unique 'silver lining' for guests who are forced to endure rainfall during their stay.

InterContinental Singapore has unveiled a new package called 'Rain Resist Bliss', with guests receiving a rebate voucher at the value of their one-night room rate 'if their plans are disrupted by the rain'.

Andreas Kraemer, General Manager at InterContinental Singapore, introduced the package after one of his friends joked that being able to guarantee good weather would be the next level of luxury travel.

However, to redeem the money - there are a few conditions that must be met.

InterContinental Singapore (above) has unveiled a new package called 'Rain Resist Bliss', with guests receiving a rebate voucher at the value of their one-night room rate 'if their plans are disrupted by the rain'

The reimbursement voucher must be redeemed at InterContinental Singapore within six months from the date it was issued and the offer is only applicable to guests staying in suites, which start at 850 SGD (504/$623) a night for junior suites and up to 4,500 SGD (2,671/$3,302) for the presidential suite.

And unfortunately, the voucher can't be redeemed due to a shower or a little bit of drizzle.

According to the hotel's website, to be eligible for reimbursement, rain must exceed 120 minutes in duration within a four-hour block of time during daylight hours (8.00am to 7.00pm).

For example, says the website, if it rains continuously between 4.00pm to 5.30pm (90 minutes) and again between 6:00pm to 6:30pm (30 minutes), a voucher will be triggered.

However, guests don't need to lift a finger to apply for the voucher - it's issued automatically within seven working days if rainfall data published by the National Environment Agency of Singapore shows that the conditions have been met.

To be eligible for reimbursement, rain must exceed 120 minutes in duration within a four-hour block of time during daylight hours

The hotel group told MailOnline Travel: 'While we may not be able to control the weather, we can still help guests be in control of their plans when they stay with this package.

'Travellers heading to Southeast Asia from May to October will especially benefit from this package as Singapore is renowned for surprise showers during that time of year.'

If travellers do find themselves greeted by pouring rain, the hotel recommends indoor attractions such as the Asian Civilisations Museum, Takashimaya shopping mall and Lau Pa Sat, a huge food market offering various local dishes.
A woman who fled the US to live in Costa Rica's 'blue zone' with her family after noticing she felt much healthier when she visited amid her cancer battle has shared some of the immense benefits to living in the Central American country.

Kema Ward-Hopper, originally from Houston, Texas, was devastated when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 - just months before she was set to tie the knot in Costa Rica with her longtime boyfriend, Nicholas.

Despite her being in the midst of her treatment, they still decided to go through with the trip and jetted off to the Latin American country to say their 'I dos.'

And as soon as they landed in Costa Rica, Kema noticed a stark difference in the way that she felt.

A woman fled the US to live in Costa Rica's 'blue zone' with her family after noticing she felt much healthier when she visited amid her cancer battle

Kema Ward-Hopper was devastated when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 - just months before she were set to tie the knot in Costa Rica with her longtime boyfriend, Nicholas

Despite her being in the midst of her treatment, they decided to go through with the trip and jetted off to the Latin American country to say their 'I dos' - and she felt so much better there

The five places with 'Blue Zone' status: Okinawa, Japan ; Sardinia, Italy ; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece ; and Loma Linda, California in the United States

Kema said she felt more energetic and like she was suddenly 'getting better' - but within a week of returning to their home in Texas, it was 'bad again.'

For years, she couldn't stop thinking about how different she felt in Costa Rica - and she eventually decided to move there full-time.

Kema underwent a unilateral mastectomy and is now cancer free. She's seen during her cancer battle with her daughter

She has now opened up about all the ways her and her family's lives have improved since they left the states during a recent interview with CNN - from her kids being able to connect with nature to the strong sense of community.

'I felt the best that I had been feeling since I'd been diagnosed,' she recalled of her first trip to Costa Rica to CNN.

'I thought that I was getting better. But it really seemed like it was environmental, because after about a week [back at home], I was feeling bad again.

'So that was the first indicator that there was something special about Costa Rica.'

Kema explained that she eventually underwent a unilateral mastectomy and is now cancer free - but the family faced more tragedy a year later when their house was destroyed by a hurricane.

While looking for a new place to live, Kema and Nicholas couldn't stop thinking about Costa Rica.

The family eventually decided to move to there full-time - and she has now opened up about all the ways her and her family's lives have improved since they left the states

Kema (seen with her daughter) praised Costa Rica's strong sense of community, explaining, 'The locals are helpful whether they know you or not. The community looks out for each other'

'We just felt like we wanted to get back there and just feel good,' Kema recalled. 'There's something energetic about being in Costa Rica.'

In 2018, the couple, along with their young daughter, Aaralyn, packed up all their things and officially relocated to the country.

They settled in Pueblo Nuevo, a small town located in the Nicoya Peninsula that is one of the world's few blue zones - the areas around the world where people have the longest life expectancies.

She noted that the food is healthier and the air feels cleaner. She said, 'We have noticed that we feel better when we're here. Our cardiac health and lung health seems to be better.' One of the meals she recently prepared is pictured

Adjusting to life in Costa Rica was certainly a shock - as they weren't used to living 'in the jungle.'

'It was an adventure,' joked Kema. 'One long learning experience.'

But the pair was immediately drawn to the country's simple lifestyle, relaxed nature, and strong sense of community.

'I had an idea of what I thought community was, but that was completely obliterated when I got here and experienced true community,' she gushed.

'The locals were helpful whether they knew you or not It was amazing. The community really looked out for each other.'

The couple - who expanded their family by welcoming son Nicolai in April 2020 - say their days now consist of 'lots of hikes' and splashing around at the beach, and they're especially happy that their young kids have connected with nature.

'My husband and I both commented that she was able to kind of have a childhood like we had in the '80s and '90s - being able to go outside and play outside of the watchful eye of your parents,' commented Kema.

She said 'families come first' there, adding, 'I feel like in the States, you feel pressure taking your young child out to dinner or something.

She said 'families come first' there, adding, ' They love children. And I don't necessarily know that I felt the same [in the US]. It's a very family oriented nation'

In addition, she said she has found herself less 'uptight' since making the move, since things feel much slower-paced there than the 'super fast' States

Kema described the Costa Rican people as 'hardworking' and much more connected to their surroundings. She's pictured with her daughter

'Here, if your kid wants to play and walk around the table, then they tell you to leave them alone and let them. So it's just different.

'They love children. And I don't necessarily know that I felt the same [in the US]. It's a very family-oriented nation. Families definitely [come] first.'

She also noted that the food is healthier and the air feels cleaner. She said, 'We have noticed that we feel better when we're here. Our cardiac health and lung health seems to be better.'

In addition, she said she has found herself less 'uptight' since making the move, since things feel much slower-paced there than the 'super fast' States.

Kema described the Costa Rican people as 'hardworking' and much more connected to their surroundings.

'They live with the land and not in spite of the land,' she added. 'They don't try to remove all of the nature so that they can exist. They just kind of exist with the nature. At least where we live.'

The family have no plans to return to the US, however, Kema did admit that she misses a few things - like it being cold around Christmas time and being able to order from Amazon, which isn't a thing there.

'When Christmas rolls around, sometimes I just want to put on fuzzy socks and a big hoodie and curl up somewhere cozy with a mug of hot chocolate while it's cold outside. But that does not happen [here]. It's a hot Christmas,' she said.
MILF Manor was nearly thrown into chaos after two contestants threatened to quit the new season after one was asked to strip in front of his own father.

TLC's controversial reality dating show has returned for a second season, and it wasn't just viewers left stunned by the shock twist - which sees a group of young bachelors move into a mansion and compete against their fathers in a bid to find love with single older women.

Father-and-son duo Anthony, 54, and Joey, 21, told DailyMail.com they had no idea they would be starring together after initially applying for what they believed to be two different dating shows.

They feared some of the more outrageous challenges could impact their family business - with their frustrations coming to a head when Joey was asked to take part in a strip tease in front of Anthony.

MILF Manor 2 contestants Anthony, 54, and Joey, 21 exclusively told DailyMail.com they almost quit the series due to the wild challenges they had to take part in

'It was traumatic... we almost left the show,' Anthony admitted. 'I was like, "What type of show is this? What are you get me involved in?" They had to calm me down and talk me off the ledge.'

Joey added: 'It was hard because we have family-oriented restaurants. [Our restaurant] Nino's is our everything.'

Anthony explained that the pair often had to stop and debate whether to continue during filming.

'It took us by surprise a little bit,' he said. 'We had to process it and debate if we're going to do it or not.

'In the end we were like, "Come on, let's just make the best of it. Let's be respectful to the women and have some fun".'

Joey joked: 'We actually have this thing where we communicate telepathically and we understand each other very well in certain scenarios. I think it's an Italian thing.

'We definitely kept an open book between the both of us. We always talked, we always communicated and I think that was key. We always respected each other.'

The father and son duo from New Jersey are close and have previously been on double dates with former partners - but Anthony said there were situations that they did not feel comfortable with.

A new crop of cougars are seen searching for love in the follow-up to the controversial TLC series

The TLC series sees the contestants taking part in a series of risque challenges, and not all of them went down well with the men and their fathers

The duo revealed that they threatened to walk out completely after Joey was asked to take part in a strip tease in front of his father

'Some of the situations got into things we're not comfortable with,' he teased. 'There was some crazy twists, crazy twists... But at the end of the day, we just made sure that we respected the women.'

Recalling the moment they discovered they were on the same show, Joey said: 'I didn't know I was going on MILF Manor at first. I actually wasn't too familiar with the show prior when I found out what it was.

'I was all for it, but there was a lot of twists and turns that made it pretty interesting.'

Anthony added: 'They did a really good job on keeping it a secret. We both thought we were going on our own dating shows.

'So when I arrived, and I see Joey Im like, "What's going on?" I was just stunned so it was a surprise.'

Anthony continued: 'Joey came running up to me and said, "Dad, I gotta tell you what's been going on up till now." We had a lot of fun.'

The restaurant owner then joked that his son didn't really leave many ladies for him to seduce having already kissed some of the MILFs - and had even taken a playful bite of 46-year-old Christina's butt during an intimate moment in the first episode.

'It's a love language,' Joey joked. 'I think that it's different. It's unique. It catches a lot of women off guard, which they always like. If they say no, they say no. But I guarantee you, they will come around.'

The pair claim they had no idea they would be competing against each other on the series, but Joey was more than happy to get stuck in once the truth was revealed

In the first episode he was seen getting up close and personal with Christina, 46, as he playfully bit her behind during some alone time in the hot tub

He shared a kiss with the 46-year-old, who previously confessed she never thought she would find love after her 20-year marriage ended

The MILFs - an abbreviation for 'mother I would like to f**k' - taking part include a 45-year-old former stripper, a 51-year-old twice divorcee, a 48-year-old makeup artist who recently lost her son, and a 59-year-old Pilates instructor.

The women participate in a series of activities with the young men in order to win dates with their favorites.

Reflecting on his preference for older women, Joey said he is drawn to confidence.

'I think it's that they know what they want,' he said. 'They're not afraid to say it and I like the confidence. Since birth. I think I've always been that way.'

He continued: 'I'm not against dating woman my age at all. I just find that there's always going to be more experience in older women. I like that better than having to always have to teach and guide. Sometimes I want to be taught and guided.'

While some parents might be surprised to learn of their son dating someone close to their age, Anthony claimed he was already aware of Joey's romantic preferences.

'Me and Joey go out a lot,' he said. 'We go out on double dates with his girlfriends or whoever I'm dating so we're comfortable to be around that situation.'

If anything, it appears Joey may have developed his appreciation from his father.

While some parents might be surprised to learn of their son dating someone close to their age, Anthony was already aware of Joey's romantic preferences

The pair admitted that they were concerned their antics on the show would damage their reputation

US viewers can catch MILF Manor 2 on TLC, while viewers in the UK and Ireland can stream it on Discovery+

Sharing his thoughts about dating older women, Anthony quipped: 'I just always like the challenge. I feel like when women are a little older, they have a little more experience and they have a little more knowledge. We like that.'

The pair admitted that they were slightly worried about what the backlash to their antics might be when watched by their family members as Anthony stated: 'I was a little worried about.

'But, besides the activities that we had no control over and we had to participate in, we kept it classy. We kept it cool.'

The first season saw a crop of cougars joined by their Gen Z sons on the hunt for love.

US viewers can catch MILF Manor 2 on TLC, while viewers in the UK and Ireland can stream it on Discovery+
She told DailyMail.com she will pursue legal action if Lauren does not apologize

Alanna Zabel claims the premise of her own book was stolen by Lauren

Jeff Bezos' fiancee Lauren Sanchez could face legal action after her former private yoga instructor accused her of copying her ideas for her first children's book, just months after she contacted the couple about plans to potentially join forces.

The 54-year-old philanthropist, who was recently targeted by Keith McNally, has been sent two cease and desists from Alanna Zabel, who claims the premise of her own book, Dharma Kitty Goes to Mars, was stolen by the media personality for her story, The Fly Who Flew To Space.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Alanna alleged that she had shared details of her self-published book with the couple over a period of months in 2022 in a bid to team up with the Bezos Earth Fund and Bezos Academy.

But she was left outraged after Lauren announced her children's book in January 2023, which she believes is a direct rip of her own creation.

Lauren Sanchez could face legal action after her former private yoga instructor accused her of copying her ideas for her first children's book, The Fly Who Flew To Space

Alanna Zabel, who taught Lauren yoga from 2007-2010, accused Jeff Bezos' fiancee of copying the premise of her book, Dharma Kitty Goes to Mars

'I'm deeply offended, and I am taking legal action with the book,' she said. 'I am giving them until the end of the month to respond [to the cease and desist] before filing the official complaint.'

Before accusations of copyright infringement, Alanna had worked as a private yoga instructor for Lauren between 2007 and 2010, and would frequently visit her homes for training sessions.

During that time, she grew close to Lauren's inner circle and the pair had also reportedly discussed the prospect of Alanna helping Lauren with writing children's books.

'Throughout the years I not only gave Lauren copies of my self-published children's books, but also spoke about my children's books during our yoga sessions, as well as gifting clothing and other products from my brand, AZ I AM,' she said.

'We discussed an idea of me helping her write a children's book, with her brother Michael involved in the conversations, as he was her manager at that time.'

Alanna, whose celebrity clients have included Maroon 5's Adam Levine and author Deepak Chopra, terminated her yoga services with Lauren shortly after her 40th birthday in December 2009 after growing tired of the relentless 'gossiping,' but the pair remained cordial.

In that time, she struck up a firm friendship with Michael.

'I ended up quitting working for her shortly after her 40th birthday party because I just couldn't handle her personality anymore,' she said.

Alanna's book Dharma Kitty Goes To Space was published on December 28, 2022 and made available on Amazon in March 2023. It follows a young girl named Pratya

Lauren announced her children's book, The Fly Who Flew To Space, in January 2023, months after Alanna claims she discussed her own book with the socialite. It is set for release in September

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Alanna alleged that she had shared details of her self-published book with the couple multiple times in 2022 in a bid to team up with the Bezos Earth Fund and Bezos Academy

While Lauren never responded to Alanna's emails or Instagram messages, Alanna claims Jeff's office did respond to confirm receipt of an email sent in November 2022 about her book

'It was just really hard for me to live a spiritual life while being around her because she's just a really toxic person.'

Alanna, who previously accused Adam Levine of sending her a dirty text during her tenure as his instructor, claimed that Lauren would relentlessly 'gossip' and discuss 'inappropriate' details about her friends' private lives.

After learning that Lauren was serious with Jeff  and believing that she may have changed in the years that had passed  Alanna reached out to pitch her yoga dolls and her book to Lauren, as well as the Amazon boss who she first emailed on May 30, 2022.

She also contacted him on June 6 and November 14 that same year.

'I pitched the idea of working with the Bezos Earth Fund and Bezos Academy since my dolls and books give back to charitable organizations,' Alanna said.

'Given Lauren's new relationship with Jeff and his endeavors with space travel and global conservation, I hoped to inspire Jeff to promote my books, including my then to be upcoming children's book about a cat who flies to space.'

While Lauren never responded to Alanna's emails or Instagram messages, Alanna claims Jeff's office did respond to confirm receipt of her email sent in November 2022, and also offered links to pursue business development with Amazon.

Two months after Alanna says she sent her last email to Jeff, Lauren announced The Fly Who Flew To Space, in January 2023.

'We discussed an idea of me helping her write a children's book, with her brother Michael (pictured) involved in the conversations,' Alanna says

Alanna issued her first cease and desist to Lauren and her lawyer on March 25, before sending another on April 4 to her publisher too

In March 2024, Lauren was further horrified when the illustration for the cover was released and featured a rocket logo on the chest of the fly - which she believes bares a striking resemblance to a similar logo on an outfit worn by her character Dharma.

'There is no doubt that knowledge of my work, brand and children's books - coupled with my outreach to both Lauren and Jeff in 2022 - have at least influenced Lauren's decision to alter her original children's book premise and to write a children's book about an animal who travels into space,' Alanna said.

'Lauren is very well aware of the AZ I AM brands, as well as having received multiple copies of our children's books over the past 15 years for her children, as gifts from me, during the time I worked as Lauren's private yoga instructor and beyond.'

When asked whether she would drop the legal action if Lauren were to apologize, she said: 'I would take that apology, and I would champion it, and I would cheer it on.

'I invite Lauren to be honest and integral in this matter.'

Alanna issued her first cease and desist to Lauren and her lawyer on March 25. She issued a second to Lauren and her publisher The Collective Book Studio on April 4.

Alanna's lawyer is now preparing the complaint to file.

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Lauren for comment.

Dharma Kitty Goes To Space - one of a host of books about animals travelling to space - was published in March 2023 and follows a young girl named Pratya.

Lauren was praised by celebrity pals including Paris Hilton, Kris Jenner and Ayda Field when she shared the cover of her children's book in March

'She loves science, and she is an honors student at the Auroville Science Academy,' the synopsis reads. 'She enjoys learning about new advances in technology, space travel, and sound frequency.

'One afternoon, while Pratya was granted an opportunity to read launching codes inside the Academy space shuttle, her wise (but silly) pet cat, Dharma Kitty sat down for a nap.

'He was so deep in meditation that he didn't realize his high frequency yawn sent the space shuttle into take-off modeand straight for Mars!

'Read the wise wisdom from Dharma Kitty and Marzi Tarzi, helping Pratya manage her anxieties, learn to control her reactions, as well as following along with the fun, enlightening and award-winning adventure when they make it to Mars and back!'

Lauren's book is currently slated for release on September 17.

'Bold and inquisitive, Flynn is a little fly with big dreams,' the synopsis reads.

'Fascinated by the stars, Flynn daydreams of becoming an astronaut. School is hard, but especially when there's an attention-grabbing rocket company just down the road.

'One day, while exploring, Flynn flies aboard a rocket ship that suddenly takes off!

'Follow Flynn on an exciting journey to space to learn more about our precious planetfrom amazing natural wonders, like the rainforest, to the atmosphere that protects it all.

'After all, big dreams and a curious mind can lead to the most astonishing discoveries!'

Lauren revealed the illustration for her book on March 5, prompting a wave of support from her A-list friends.

Kris Jenner was among those who reacted, commenting: 'Congratulations!!!! I can't WAIT to share this with all of my grandchildren!!!!!! You are such an inspiration to all of us and I love you!!! We are so proud of you!!!!!'

Ayda Field added: 'Congratulations! This looks so sweet!'

Keith McNally (pictured) launched a seemingly unprovoked attack on Lauren, who he branded 'revolting' just days before Alanna's comments

Alanna's claims come days after acerbic-tongued restauranteur Keith McNally launched a seemingly unprovoked attack on Lauren, who he branded 'revolting.'

Taking aim at Lauren and Jeff he added: 'What an ugly and F***ing SMUG - LOOKING couple they make. Is this what having 1000 Billion dollars does to people?'

Lauren appeared to fire back with a series of pointed messages on Instagram, one of which read: 'People will love you, people will hate you, and none of it will have anything to do with you.'

Lauren and Jeff's whirlwind affair came to light in 2019 when it was revealed that they were dating while they were both married to other people.

The pair later got engaged in May 2023.

Lauren is a philanthropist and serves as the vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund - an organization started by her husband-to-be which is dedicated to 'fighting climate change and protecting nature.'
Kyle Sandilands stunned listeners with a shocking revelation about a former celebrity couple on Monday.

While discussing co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson's sex life, Sandilands, 52, brought up an eyebrow-raising act he claimed he witnessed his friends Brian McFadden, 44, and Delta Goodrem, 39, did during their relationship.

The KIIS FM host alleged he saw the couple 'spit' into each other's mouths at his home while they were dating.

'They'd just spit in each other's mouths and giggle,' he claimed.

'I was like... "you're in my lounge room what's going on here"... it was like Travis Barker and that old Kardashian,' he added.

Kyle Sandilands stunned listeners with a shocking revelation about a former celebrity couple on Monday. While discussing co-host Jackie 'O' Henderson 's sex life, Sandilands, 52, brought up an eyebrow-raising act he witnessed his friends Brian McFadden , 44, and Delta Goodrem , 39, did during their relationship

Brian and Delta met in 2004 when he asked her to duet with him on the song, Almost Here.

The couple announced their engagement in 2007 but split four years later in 2011.

At the time Brian was still married to reality TV star Kerry Katona, the mother of his two children, although they had separated and the song was about their break up.

Brian and Delta met in 2004 when he asked her to duet with him on the song, Almost Here

It comes after Sandilands and Jackie 'O' revealed they have no concerns about winning over Melbourne audiences ahead of their highly-anticipated debut on Monday.

The radio duo, who have been co-hosts of the Kyle & Jackie O Show for more than two decades, signed a record-breaking $200million 10-year contract which will see them on the air for the next decade and expand into the Victorian capital.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at their brand-new North Sydney studio, Sandilands, 52, and Henderson, 49, both have mixed opinions on how the Melburnians will adapt to their first breakfast show on April 29.

. The couple announced their engagement in 2007 but split four years later in 2011

'I don't really think it'll be an issue at all. I hope they embrace us quickly. But Jackie feels it might be more of a slow burn, but she's always on the more cautious side of life,' Sandilands said.

They also shut down recent reports of the show ramping up censorship ahead of the interstate move, revealing their secret weapon to winning over listeners is to keep doing what they're doing.

'The law is the law. Whether it's here, or in Melbourne, it's the same broadcast laws,' Sandilands said.

'Every radio show can do what we do. They just don't have the balls to do it ... We'd rather be more real so people can communicate and gravitate towards someone on the show that has the same opinion as them.'
By Lee Chae-yeon

Freedom Speakers International co-founder Casey Lartigue recently created an online petition calling on Western countries to open their doors to North Koreans who have escaped from China. His action reminded me that we can all do something to make a difference about the things we care about. He didnt ask anyone for permission to do it, he just did it. It is an important lesson I have learned from him and FSI co-founder Lee Eun-koo as a volunteer with the FSI-Global High School Union (FSI-GHSU).

I signed the online petition and began thinking more deeply about what I could do. The first thing I realized is that I needed to learn more. Once I went into learning mode I could see how big the problem about North Korean human rights is.

Recently, there have been many news reports that thousands of North Korean defectors, who risked their lives to escape North Korea in search of freedom, are being arrested by Chinese police and forcibly repatriated to North Korea.

As the border between North Korea and China reopened after being closed during the coronavirus pandemic, more than a few thousand North Korean defectors reportedly arrested and detained by Chinese police are being forcibly repatriated to North Korea. According to reports, the Chinese government forcibly repatriated about 600 North Koreans last October.

They are being repatriated without receiving any basic refugee human rights protection. They are in desperate need of immediate and influential intervention, most notably by the Republic of Korea or by any other free countries or international organizations.

Despite being a member of the UN Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, China is violating the human rights of North Koreans. The Chinese government must comply with the Convention on the Status of Refugees and thereby recognize and protect North Korean defectors as refugees.

More countries and organizations in the free world need to stand together for the human rights and freedom of North Koreans. Otherwise, North Koreans will continue to be forcibly recalled to North Korea where they are likely to be tortured and could even be executed.

Learning is the first step and taking action where I am is the second step. I signed the petition by Mr. Lartigue. I have gotten more deeply involved with the FSI-Global High School Union, as a translator so North Korean refugee voices can be heard.

I made a donation to FSIs upcoming I am from North Korea speech contest to be held next week at Harvard University. It is important to hear the voices of North Korean refugees. I have vowed to get more involved with highlighting and sharing the stories of North Korean refugees, such as authors Han Song-mi (Greenlight to Freedom), Sharon Jang (Girl with Black Makeup), and Yeonmi Park (In Order to Live).

One single action wont change North Korea, but raising awareness, signing petitions, reading books and watching videos, learning and taking action all make me feel I am part of a global movement to protect the basic human rights of North Koreans. It has built my confidence, leadership skills, taught me how to work within teams and to learn from others around me. After entering the university, I will create an FSI club to raise awareness about the reality of North Korea and North Korean refugees.

Lee Chae-yeon is FSI-GHSU translation manager in the Freedom Speakers International Global High School Union (FSI-GHSU).
Crystal Kung Minkoff enjoyed a day out with her daughter Zoe as the two attended P.S. ARTS Express Yourself event in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The 41-year-old former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star was casually dressed in distressed blue skinny jeans and a floral blouse.

She added a pair of pink and white Nike sneakers and carried a light-colored handbag over her shoulder.

The mother-of-two had her mini-me, nine, in tow for the occasion.

Her daughter, who excels at gymnastics, wore denim shorts, a blue shirt, and matching blue and white sneakers.

Crystal Kung Minkoff enjoyed a day out with her daughter Zoe as the two attended P.S. ARTS Express Yourself event in Los Angeles

Her nine-year-old daughter wore denim shorts, a blue shirt, and matching blue and white sneakers

The 41-year-old former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star was casually dressed in distressed blue skinny jeans and a floral blouse

Minkoff wore her straight, brown hair loose, styled in a side part as the locks flowed over her shoulders.

She looked glam in a pair of large, square-shaped brown sunglasses.

It comes after earlier this month it was announced that the reality television personality will not be returning to the Bravo franchise.

'They don't want her back because they feel she has done all she can do on the show and she no longer has much to add to the drama, so another contract has not been offered,' an insider shared with DailyMail.com.

It was added: 'They appreciate her contributions to the show, and the parting is not ugly, but it just is time to move on.'

Crystal is not upset as 'she wanted to leave the show for a while.'

The source noted, 'She is sick of all the fighting and hashing things out. It became like a never-ending rollercoaster for her.

'Plus she wants to focus on her family away from the cameras.'

Also at Sunday's event were Constance Zimmer and Breeda Wool

Dan Bucatinsky and Melora Hardin posed for cameras

Also at Sunday's event were Constance Zimmer and Breeda Wool.

Constance, 53, looked stylish in a denim jumpsuit teamed with black loafers and dark shades.

Her dark hair was cut into a chic bob with blunt, face-framing bangs.

She wore a colorful purse with a black strap crossbody-style for the occasion.

Breeda, 41, opted for a striped baby blue and white vest, which she paired with white jeans and chunky white sneakers with multicolor laces.

Her red hair was shaped into a shaggy mushroom cut and she accessorized with a flower necklace.

Dan Bucatinsky and Melora Hardin were also at the P.S. Arts affair, posing on the carpet for photos.

Actress Tiffani Thiessen, 50, wore a black maxi dress and brought along son Holt Fisher Smith, eight

Tiffani posed alongside 47-year-old actress Lindsay Price

Price wore flared jeans and a striped black and white top

Actress Tiffani Thiessen, 50, wore a black maxi dress and brought along son Holt Fisher Smith, eight.

The former Saved By the Bell actress showed off her cleavage in the low-cut number, which featured ruffled sleeves.

She flashed her megawatt smile as she posed for photos with her little one.

Her straight, dark hair was worn loose and she covered her eyes with a pair of aviator sunglasses.

While at the event, she also posed alongside 47-year-old actress Lindsay Price, who wore flared jeans and a striped black and white top.
Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper, who are each the proud fathers of two children, shared their daddy duties together at at a birthday party celebration on Sunday in New York City.

They each documented their fun time together by sharing the same photo of the duo with their respective eldest sons on their shoulders on their respective Instagram pages.

'Every day is Father's Day! #AC4,' Cohen, 55, gushed on his post showing him standing next to his pal and New Year's Eve host with five-year-old son Benjamin on his back, although his face isn't visible.

'Hanging out with @bravoandy and the little ones. No better way to spend the day,' Cooper, 56, disclosed when he posted the picture on his social media platform showing him with three-year-old son Wyatt relaxing on his back.

Andy Cohen, 55, and Anderson Cooper, 56, went on daddy duty together on Sunday and brought their kids to a children's birthday party in New York City

The two dads, who often get together for play dates between their four children, both looked to be having a great time at the party, from the looks of their proud smiles.

The Bravo host can be seen in a green t-shirt moments after hoisting Ben on to his shoulders for some fun play time.

The CNN journalist came dressed in a black Polo-style shirt with matching pants with Wyatt chilling out on his back in blue jeans and a gray sweatshirt.

Cohen would also take to his Instagram Stories to share a selfie snap of just himself and Cooper sitting among a bunch of children's toys with the caption: Birthday party dads.'

Along with Ben, the executive producer of The Real Housewives franchise is also dad to daughter Lucy, who turns two on April 29. It's not known whether she was also at the playtime birthday bash.

Both of his kids were born via surrogacy, and although Ben and Lucy were carried by different surrogates, Cohen has said that the two are 'biological siblings,' according to a report by People.

Cooper also has a second son Sebastian, two, along with older brother Wyatt, who both arrived via surrogacy.

The two TV stars dubbed themselves 'birthday party dads ' in a selfie snap taken at the party

The Bravo host gushed about sharing daddy duties with the CNN journalist, who both had their eldest kids rested on their shoulders at a party

Cooper would also share the same photo and write how there was 'no better way to spend the day' then with his good pal and their children

He has been open about co-parenting with his former longtime partner, Benjamin Maisani, whom he dated for more than a decade before their split in 2018.

But the two exes remained good friends and both remain committed to being dads to their two boys.

The duo first met when their mutual friends tried to set them up on a blind date in the 1990s, but they never got together due to Cooper calling it off after they talked on the phone.

Along with Ben, Cohen is also a proud dad to one-year-old daughter Lucy

Both Cohen and Cooper welcomed their two respective children via surrogacy

The CNN journalist also has a second son Sebastian, two, along with Wyatt, three

The two TV stars first met when their mutual friends tried to set them up on a blind date but Cooper called it off after he chatted with Cohen on the phone; ultimately they reconnected a few years later and have become close friends ever since

'We had a phone call to set up the date, and I knew within 45 seconds I was never going on a date with Andy Cohen,' the news journalist revealed during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. 'He violated my cardinal rule, which is he asked me about my mom [Gloria Vanderbilt] within the first minute of talking to me.'

'I wanted to date the Vanderbilt boy! I was excited!' Cohen explained. Cooper ended up canceling the date.

While a romance between the two men didn't blossom they did connect as friends a few years later when they both joined the same group that would travel together and ultimately became close friends.
Robert De Niro continued filming the limited Netflix series Zero Day in his native New York City on Sunday, playing the role of former President George Mullen.

The two-time Oscar winner, 80, was clad in a pinstriped navy blue suit with a navy blue tie, eyeglasses with black frames and black dress shoes, as cameras rolled on the political thriller.

De Niro, who welcomed daughter Gia Virginia last year with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen, 45, had his white locks combed back as he filmed a sequence in which he was flanked by Secret Service agents while on a call while walking outside in the Big Apple.

The actor headlines an ensemble cast including Angela Bassett, Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton, Gaby Hoffmann, Lizzy Caplan and Matthew Modine in the miniseries, the streaming service said in December.

De Niro's character Mullen is described as 'a popular but complicated former president' who reemerges as a commission head probing a massive cyberattack, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Robert De Niro, 80, continued filming the limited Netflix series Zero Day in his native New York City on Sunday, playing the role of former President George Mullen

The veteran actor appeared focused as he filmed the series, which was penned by series creators Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim and Michael S. Schmidt

A logline for the series reads, 'Zero Day asks the question on everyones mind: How do we find truth in a world in crisis, one seemingly being torn apart by forces outside our control?

'And in an era rife with conspiracy theory and subterfuge, how much of those forces are products of our own doing, perhaps even of our own imagining?'

Zero Day was penned by series creators Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim and Michael S. Schmidt.

Production on the miniseries has been ongoing in New York this month, as De Niro was pictured filming on the project on Wall Street Saturday.

On Thursday and Friday, cameras were slated to roll on the project in the Westchester County village of Tuckahoe, Tuckahoe Police told the local outlet the Daily Voice.

The part for the streaming service marks the first-ever lead role in a television project for the film icon, according to THR.

De Niro last month was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as William Hale in Killers of the Flower Moon, but lost out on the honors to Robert Downey Jr.

De Niro has past won Oscars for his work in 1974's The Godfather Part II and 1980's Raging Bull, and has also been nominated for his work in The Irishman, Silver Linings Playbook, Cape Fear, Awakenings, The Deer Hunter and Taxi Driver.

De Niro filmed a sequence in which he was flanked by Secret Service agents while on a call while walking outside in the Big Apple

An actor dressed as a solider was seen securing the area as De Niro's character, former President George Mullen, was seen walking down the street

The two-time Oscar winner was clad in a pinstriped navy blue suit with a navy blue tie, eyeglasses with black frames and black dress shoes as cameras rolled on the political thriller

The actor headlines an ensemble cast including Angela Bassett, Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton, Gaby Hoffmann, Lizzy Caplan and Matthew Modine in the miniseries

He was pictured shaking hands with one of the actors playing a Secret Service object

Among his other notable non-nominated performances in cinema include Goodfellas, The King of Comedy, The Untouchables and A Bronx Tale.

The actor has historically been outspoken about political issues he holds dear, and vocal in recent years about presumptive Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump.

Appearing last month on Real Time with Bill Maher, De Niro said that the 2024 presidential election presents potential extreme results for voters.

'We wanna live in a world that we want to live in and enjoy living in, or live in a nightmare?' De Niro said. 'Vote for Trump and you'll get the nightmare, vote for Biden and we'll be back to normalcy.

'I just don't want to feel the way I did the many months after the election in 2016, where we couldn't believe that it happened.'

De Niro condemned Trump as a 'total monster' and 'a mean, nasty, hateful person.'

He said he doesn't understand how the controversial TV personality-turned-politician maintains loyalty from his base.

'I don't understand it, I guess they get behind that kind of logic they wanna f*** with people, screw them because they're unhappy about something,' he said.

Production on the miniseries has been ongoing in New York this month, as De Niro was pictured filming on the project on Wall Street Saturday

Appearing last month on Real Time with Bill Maher, De Niro said that the 2024 presidential election present potential extreme results for voters.

De Niro condemned Trump as a 'total monster' and a a mean, nasty, hateful person'

Trump was snapped in a Manhattan court on April 22 amid his ongoing criminal trial

And despite a resume of roles spanning questionable fictional characters such as Travis Bickle and Max Cady, as well as late fraud kingpin Bernie Madoff, De Niro said he'd 'never' be up to the task of playing Trump, as he 'can't see any good in him' whatsoever.

De Niro added, 'Nothing, nothing at all, nothing redeemable.'

De Niro added of President Joe Biden: 'The bottom line is Biden's our guy. He represents what this country's supposed to be about.'

In the chat with Maher, the iconic actor said that he doesn't mind have a packed schedule at 80.

'I'm very busy - I enjoy it - I don't mind it,' De Niro said. 'I keep going because I know if you don't keep going, you're gonna atrophy and you're gonna dry up and I don't wanna do that. So I'm just trying to keep as busy as I can.'

De Niro's iMDb page lists six current projects he's working on, in different stages of production. They include the films Tin Soldier, Alto Knights and After Exile, Mr. Natural, and an untitled project.
Nicole Kidman's hopes that her adopted children, son Connor, 29, and daughter Bella, 31, would attend her Life Achievement Award ceremony in Los Angeles were dashed over the weekend.

Bella and Connor are the only children Nicole shares with her ex-husband Tom Cruise, with the pair adopting their daughter in 1992 and son in 1995.

The Hollywood couple got married in 1990 and divorced in 2001. Tom now shares daughter, Suri Cruise, 17, with ex-wife Katie Holmes, and Nicole went on to have two children, Sunday Rose, 15, and Faith Margaret, 13, with her second husband Keith Urban.

Nicole, 55, was reportedly eager for Connor and Bella to be in attendance as she became the first Australian to be presented with America's highest honour for a career in film.

But despite holding out hope to have all four of her children together for the big celebration, neither Connor or Bella showed their faces at the event hosted by The American Film Institute (AFI).

Nicole Kidman 's hopes that her adopted children, son Connor, 29, and daughter Bella, 31, would attend her Life Achievement Award ceremony in Los Angeles were dashed over the weekend

It's unclear where Connor and Bella chose to spend their Saturday night as the siblings are notoriously private on social media, but neither were pictured during the event which saw their famous mother make cinematic history.

While Connor, who is believed to be 'extremely loyal to his dad' Tom, 61, didn't appear to show Nicole any public support for her achievement, daughter Bella liked one of her mother's Instagram posts about the award.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nicole's representatives for comment.

Last year, it was reported that Nicole hoped to have all her children present - Connor, Bella, and her two daughters Sunday and Faith - when she was handed the Life Achievement Award.

'Nicole knows Connor is extremely loyal to his dad so she doesn't expect him to come, but the invitation is there for both of them,' an alleged source told New Idea in June.

'It's an event they have every right to celebrate along with the rest of Nicole's family. Nicole is trying to limit her expectations, but is clinging to hope Bella might make it.'

The Hollywood star was reportedly eager to have the children she shares with ex-husband Tom Cruise in attendance as she became the first Australian to be presented with America's highest honour for a career in film. Pictured: Isabella Kidman Cruise

But despite holding out hope to have all four of her children together for the big celebration, neither son Connor, 29, (pictured) or daughter Bella, 31, showed their faces at the event hosted by The American Film Institute (AFI)

Tom and Connor have been spotted out on occasion attending sporting events together, while Nicole has previously said she prefers to keep her relationship with her children private.

Little is known about Nicole's current relationship with Bella and Connor as they reportedly stayed 'loyal to their father' following her split from the Top Gun star in 2001 - meaning they were raised in the controversial Church of Scientology.

Nicole has refused to talk about the religion or her family ties in recent year, but is said to have absent from many of her children's life events, including Bella's wedding at the Dorchester hotel in London in 2015, despite living in the city the time.

The Big Little Lies star hasn't been pictured publicly with her eldest two children since 2007, and she was reportedly left 'devastated' after the pair didn't attend her father's funeral in 2014.

It's unclear where Connor and Bella chose to spend their Saturday night as the siblings are notoriously private on social media, but neither were pictured during the event which saw their famous mother make cinematic history

Connor, who is believed to be 'extremely loyal to his dad' Tom, 61, (right) didn't appear to show Nicole any public support for her achievement

However, daughter Bella was seen liking her mother's Instagram posts about the award leading up to the big night

In 2018, while accepting her Best Actress Golden Globe, the Nine Perfect Strangers star thanked her biological daughters and second husband Keith Urban - but didn't mention Connor or Bella.

The actress rarely speaks about the pair, saying she wants to keep the relationship private, but has spoken of how they 'picked scientology' and 'don't call her mum'.

Despite Bella and Connor not attending the Moulin Rouge actor's big night over the weekend, she was supported by husband Keith and their daughters Sunday and Faith.

She was also accompanied by her sister Antonia, brother-in-law Craig Marran, and her niece Sybella Hawley.

Faith and Sunday glowed with filial pride as they stood beside their mother, who was decked out in a shimmering gold Balenciaga gown for the Los Angeles event.

Despite Bella and Connor not attending the Moulin Rouge actor's big night over the weekend, she was supported by husband Keith, their daughters Sunday and Faith, sister Antonia, and niece Sybella Hawley. All pictured

'Deeply moved by all of the support around the world that Ive been seeing and hearing,' Nicole wrote on Instagram with a photo of the stage.

'Thank you to all of you and to the @AmericanFilmInstitute for including me in this illustrious group of honourees - now let's have some fun!'

Husband Keith paid a touching tribute to his wife, sharing a photo of her to Instagram with the caption: 'In a career that's still very much in full flight, tonight the @americanfilminstitute will honour my wife as the newest member in this extraordinary fraternity.

'Babygirl  I'm so proud of you, and as much as I could come off sounding like the biased husband, I'll let the list of previous honourees do all of the talking for me.'

He went on to list the likes of Orson Welles, Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep and more.

The Australian actress raved the AFI honour was 'beyond my wildest dreams' when she was announced as the recipient.
As Taylor Swift revels in her new relationship and new musical era, her former flames are moving on too.

A source told People that the Grammy Award winner's ex Joe Alwyn is 'dating and happy' amid the release of her 11th studio album The Tortured Poets Department.

'Hes a great guy and not into drama in any way,' the insider said, noting that Alwyn, 33, 'moved on' from Swift, 34.

After their 6-year relationship ended last year, the source said he 'certainly doesnt talk poorly about her,' adding: 'He was in love with her, and it just didnt work out.'

Alwyn is 'doing well' and 'focused on work' as the source noted, 'Joe loves acting, but can't stand the attention that comes with it. He's not comfortable in the spotlight.'

Taylor Swift's ex Joe Alwyn is reportedly 'dating and happy' amid the release of her 11th studio album The Tortured Poets Department

Swift appeared to take aim at Alwyn on multiple tracks from TTPD, which left him 'slightly disappointed, but not surprised at all,' a source told DailyMail.com

Swift appeared to take aim at Alwyn on multiple tracks from TTPD, which left him 'slightly disappointed, but not surprised at all,' a source previously told DailyMail.com.

'There has been absolutely zero contact between them,' they said. 'She did not run these songs by him, but he did not expect her to.'

The source added: 'She didnt really trash him or defame him. Joe is not going to react to this.'

Alwyn has since reportedly banned any questions about the album and his relationship with Swift from the upcoming press tour for his movie Kinds of Kindness.

The British actor happens to co-star with Swift's pal Emma Stone in the Yorgos Lanthimos-helmed film.

Swift dated Alwyn from 2017 to 2023, during which the 14-time Grammy 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.

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.

Alwyn has since reportedly banned any questions about the album and his relationship with Swift from the upcoming press tour for his movie Kinds of Kindness

Swift dated Alwyn from 2017 to 2023, during which the 14-time Grammy winner mostly retreated from the spotlight

After TTPD dropped this month, Swift shared a statement about letting go of the 'sensational and sorrowful' time that inspired the album

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.

After TTPD dropped this month, 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.

'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.
The Great British Bake Off's future has been revealed after it was claimed the show could leave Channel 4, according to reports.

Recently claims emerged that the show may be forced to move to a streaming giant when its contract with Channel 4 ended.

The channel axed several shows in 2023, reportedly to keep costs under control, which sparked concerns it could be bought.

In an update on Sunday it was claimed The Great British Bake Off will now stay with the broadcaster as Love Productions works to sign a new contract.

A TV insider told The Sun: 'Love Productions, which makes Bake Off, really wants to make the show as accessible as possible for the army of devotees whove loyally supported them for the past 14 years.'

The Great British Bake Off's future has been revealed after it was claimed the show could leave Channel 4, according to reports

They added: 'So despite rumours of multi-million pound deals with streamers, theyve decided to stick with Channel 4 where the whole nation can tune in to whats now considered a national treasure.

'C4 and Love Productions are now hammering out the details, but theyre working on the basis it will stay put.

MailOnline has contacted Channel 4 for comment.

Previously, it was reported The Great British Bake Off was at the centre of a 100million tug of war between streaming giants ahead of its contract ending.

Claims emerged that the show may be forced to move to a streaming giant due to Channel 4's 'money woes'.

The broadcaster's contract to air the hit baking competition reportedly ends after the 2024 series, and it had been claimed there had not yet been talks to extend it.

The Sun claimed in February that Netflix and Disney+ have been named as a potential buyers.

Channel 4 also allegedly plans to cut up to 200 jobs following a huge decline in television advertising.

The show, judged by Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith and presented by Noel Fielding and Alison Hammond, launched on the BBC in 2010.

Recently claims emerged that the show may be forced to move to a streaming giant when its contract with Channel 4 ended

In an update on Sunday it was claimed The Great British Bake Off will now stay with the broadcaster as Love Productions works to sign a new contract

However, it was bought by Channel 4 in 2016 for 25million in a shock move that saw its original presenters sensationally quit.

Netflix currently has the rights to air Bake Off in America, while ITV was close to bidding for the British rights during the last round of negotiations but decided against it.

Channel 4 said: 'Any speculation around contracts is just that and we look forward to bringing many more soggy bottoms to our viewers in future.'

Netflix and Disney+ declined to comment.

Judge Prue recently broke her silence on the claims, telling The Mirror: 'Oh my God, I hope to stick with Bake Off wherever it goes. But I don't think it will move.

'I know a lot of people are having a hard time of it and Channel 4 has lost a lot of shows.

'But I am quite sure while Channel 4 is there, they will hang on to Bake Off. It is certainly one of their best shows. I think it has found its natural home at Channel 4.'
Simone Holtznagel has revealed the unlikely late fashion icon who inspired her newborn daughter's name.

The reality star model and her personal trainer boyfriend Jono Castano surprised those close to them when they named their daughter Gia last month.

Many assumed the couple would choose to name their daughter Charlotte in memory of Australia's Next Top Model judge Charlotte Dawson - a great friend and mentor who died in 2014.

Instead, the pair say Gia is a nod to the supermodel Gia Carangi, who tragically died of AIDS in 1986.

Carangi became one of the most sought-after models in fashion and a fixture at the legendary nightclub Studio 54, after moving to New York in 1977  but her life quickly unravelled.

Simone Holtznagel (right) welcomed her first child with her personal trainer boyfriend Jono Castano (left)

Gia Carangi photographed on the cover of Vogue US August 1980

Struggling to cope with her meteoric rise, she turned to heroin and battled addiction for several years.

In December 1985, she was diagnosed with AIDS and died the following year.

Carangi's life of tragedy played out on screen 12 years after her death, with a young Angelina Jolie taking on the role of the troubled model in the 1998 movie, Gia.

Jolie's moving portrayal won her a Golden Globe appearing alongside Hollywood heavyweights Faye Dunaway, who played modelling mogul Wilhelmina Cooper, and Mercedes Ruehl who starred as her mum, Kathleen.

Mila Kunis also appeared as a younger version of Carangi, in one of her first-ever film roles.

The tortured model was one of the first openly gay fashion icons, who often visited DCA, a gay club in the city where she met Sharon Beverley, one of her first long-term partners.

Considered by many to be the first supermodel, Gia Carangi was only 26 when she died of AIDS-related complications in 1986

New mum Simone Holtznagel said her newborn daughter's name is a nod to supermodel Gia Carangi

Simone (left) is pictured alongside her late friend and mentor Charlotte Dawson (right)

Angelina Jolie starred as Gia Carangi in the film hit Gia in 1998

Though Gia also had a few trysts with men, she identified as a lesbian.

Holznagel said the couple haven't ruled out naming their next child after her late mentor Charlotte Dawson.

'Lottie was on our shortlist, so if we have another baby, it could be that,' she told Stellar magazine.

'After Charlotte passed away, I had a bunch of her clothes, including this Camilla kaftan.

'My mum's bestie cut it up and made it into a baby blanket for me. She gave it to me at my baby shower and I bawled my eyes out, so that is super special.'
The Farmer Wants a Wife set was recently rocked by a 'pregnancy scare' after one of the female contestants had sex with a hunky farmer.

The alleged intimate encounter happened during production of the show and the pregnancy test result is not known as the woman is reportedly keeping tight-lipped.

'It would be a huge twist if they are, though,' an insider told New Idea magazine.

'These sort of things typically happen after the show ends, not during production.'

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Seven for comment.

The Farmer Wants a Wife set was recently rocked by a pregnancy scare after one of the female contestants had sex with one of the hunky farmers. (Pictured: This year's cast)

It is not the first time this has happened during the show's run, with Hayley Love falling pregnant to Farmer Will during season 11 in 2021.

Hayley was matched with Farmer Matt but the two didn't hit it off and she later had a fling with Will Dwyer, and gave birth to their daughter Daisy in December 2021.

Earlier this month, one FWAW star was praised for his skills in the bedroom by a woman who maintains he is the best lover she's ever had.

The woman recounted her steamy romp with the unnamed farmer during one of Jana Hocking's 'Saucy Secrets' Instagram sessions.

The intimate encounter happened during production of the show and the pregnancy test result is not known as the woman is keeping tight-lipped. (Pictured: Five female contestants)

She said after tumbling into bed with the mystery man back in the day, she is keen to reach out to him again, if he's still single.

'Once hooked up with [redacted] from FWAW. The best sex I've ever had. Thinking about reaching out again,' they wrote anonymously.

Set across farms in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, the 2024 season of the hit reality show features five strapping young farmers looking for love.

It is not the first time this has happened during the show's run, with Hayley Love (pictured) falling pregnant to Farmer Will during season 11 in 2021

This year's series of FWAW sees Farmers Tom, Joe, Bert, Dustin and Dean all looking for love on the popular dating show hosted by Samantha Armytage.

A roster of eight bachelor farmers were originally considered for the popular Channel Seven dating show and only five made the cut.

A source recently told New Idea magazine this is the 'typical format of the show', with more farmers announced in pre-production than the number that goes to air.
Susanna Reid has opened up about her close bond with her former Good Morning Britain co-host Piers Morgan as she revealed he still watches the show.

The TV presenter, 53, had credited the journalist, 59, for making her a 'better and tougher broadcaster' as she explained how they are still personally connected.

Speaking on their friendship during an interview with The Mirror, Susanna said: 'I am still friends with Piers. We were doing a story about potholes last week. I got a text from Piers saying: "You are currently filming in the car park next to my home in Sussex. I can tell you personally what the potholes are like."

'So he still watches and tells me what he thinks. And, look, we are personally still very connected. He played a massive part in our show's success. I've got a huge amount to thank him for. He made me a better broadcaster. He toughened me up. I didn't just go on air and spar with the guests, I sparred with Piers.'

Piers left the show in 2021 after the presenter and ITV decided to part ways following a row over comments he made about Meghan Markle.

Susanna Reid has opened up about her close bond with her former Good Morning Britain co-host Piers Morgan as she revealed he still watches the show

The TV presenter, 53, had credited the journalist, 59, for making her a 'better and tougher broadcaster' as she explained how they are still personally connected

However, Susanna insisted she has no plans to follow her former colleague out of the door and admitted she would stay on the show until they no longer wanted her.

She said: 'I love it. Honestly, there is no better job in broadcasting. Every day, you turn up at the same time and finish at the same time. But what happens between 6am and 9am is always different. It's so dynamic. You feel like you've had a workout every morning. You can do anything once you've presented Good Morning Britain.'

It comes after Susanna admitted that she was 'worried about Ofcom' an episode of Good Morning Britain in March. The presenter made the comments after making an on-air blunder while doing the news bulletins.

On the show discussion turned to who would be the next James Bond after reports emerged that Aaron Taylor-Johnson is now the front runner for the role.

After reporting the claims Ranvir Singh said of Aaron: 'I don't think I've seen any of his films!'

Susanna them quipped: 'I've seen Kick-Em' - referring to Aaron's appearance in the 2010 film Kick-Ass.

'That's not that name of the film!' a shocked Ranvir then replied after Susanna censored herself.

'I know,' Susanna then said, before adding: 'I'm just worried about Ofcom!'

Susanna Reid admitted that she was 'worried about Ofcom ' an episode of Good Morning Britain

She made the comments after making an on-air blunder while doing the news bulletins where they spoke about Aaron Taylor-Johnson (seen) potentially being the next James Bond

Later on during the chat, Susanna added: 'I'll tell you who will be relieved about this Bond news - Idris Elba. He's asked about playing Bond in every interview he does.'

Aaron 'has been formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond', putting an end to months of speculation regarding Daniel Craig's successor.

The actor, 33, is yet to officially accept the role, but should he do so he will become only the seventh actor to play the iconic British secret agent since the franchise launched in 1962.

A recent poll suggested Idris Elba was still the public's number one choice for the role, despite being 51 - old for a Bond candidate - and already ruling himself out of the running in order to focus on his crime drama, Luther.

But Aaron, who is known for his roles in Nocturnal Animals, Kick-Ass, Nowhere Boy and Avengers: Age of Ultron, has landed the coveted part, reports The Sun.

A source said: 'Bond is Aaron's job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.

After reporting the claims Ranvir Singh said of Taylor-Johnson: 'I don't think I've seen any of his films!' Susanna them quipped: 'I've seen Kick-Em' - referring to Aaron's appearance in the 2010 film Kick-Ass

'That's not that name of the film!' a shocked Ranvir then replied after Susanna censored herself. 'I know,' Susanna then said, before adding: 'I'm just worried about Ofcom!'

Later on during the chat, Susanna added: 'I'll tell you who will be relieved about this Bond news - Idris Elba. He's asked about playing Bond in every interview he does'

'As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.'

Responding to the rumours that he could step into Bond's shoes last week, Aaron played coy, telling Numero: 'I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.'

He began acting as a child and has seen his career go from strength to strength, with three huge film appearance this year alone.

Aaron will be starring as a famous action star who goes missing in The Fall Guy, opposite Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

And he will also be appearing in the hotly anticipated remake of 1922 gothic horror Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers and featuring a star-studded cast, including Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp and Willem Dafoe.

But Aaron's biggest upcoming role will see him rejoin the superhero universe, as he will be playing the titular role in Kraven the Hunter, the fifth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe.

He also has been nominated for two BAFTAs and previously won Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes for Nocturnal Animals.

Aaron 'has been formally offered the opportunity to play James Bond ', putting an end to months of speculation regarding Daniel Craig's successor

The Bullet Train star's name has been in the running for Bond for a while now, alongside fellow A-list contenders like Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and recent Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy.

In October last year, the Mail exclusively revealed that Aaron was the 'one to beat' to take the iconic role, while Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan was looking likely to helm the next film in the franchise.

The insider said: 'Aaron Taylor-Johnson is currently the hot favorite to step into the iconic role, he's the first choice for Barbara Broccoli  he is the one to beat.'

They added of Christopher: 'He is extremely interested in doing something very different with the franchise. If he can get his way with producers, then he is all for it.'
Channel 7's Weekend Sunrise has been plunged into turmoil after an on-air gaffe that mistakenly labelled a 20-year-old university student as a cold-blooded killer.

The blunder, which aired during the program's April 14 episode, involved the misidentification of the innocent Benjamin Cohen as the Bondi Junction murderer, a title that belonged to 40-year-old Joel Cauchi.

The actual killer was Queenslander Cauchi, but Mr Cohen, 20, was wrongly named as the attacker in two Channel Seven broadcasts.

This error has not only left the network red-faced but also substantially lighter in the pocket, with insiders hinting at a six-figure settlement paid to Cohen.

According to The Australian, the aftermath has seen a purge within the show's production ranks.

Channel 7's Weekend Sunrise has been plunged into turmoil after an on-air gaffe that mistakenly labelled a 20-year-old university student as a cold-blooded killer, triggering a storm of controversy and a slew of staff departures. (Pictured: Matt Shirvington)

A male producer, who has since owned up to his role in the debacle, has been shunted from the weekend spotlight to the broader Seven News department, with no chance of a Weekend Sunrise comeback.

Adding to the exodus, the supervising producer at the helm that day has bid adieu to the program.

Although her switch to Channel 9 was already in the cards, the timing has raised more than a few eyebrows.

The blunder, which aired during the program's April 14 episode, involved the misidentification of the innocent Benjamin Cohen (pictured) as the Bondi Junction murderer, a title that belonged to 40-year-old Joel Cauchi

The scandal continues to simmer, with a third producer  currently unnamed and whose tenure hangs by a thread  still part of the show while the internal probe into her involvement is ongoing.

Mr Cohen had been falsely identified on on social media within hours of the mass murders in the Westfield centre in Sydney's east on Saturday afternoon.

The police did not name Cauchi as the killer until about 9am on Sunday.

This error has not only left the network red-faced but also substantially lighter in the pocket, with insiders hinting at a six-figure settlement paid to Cohen to smooth over the legal ruckus

The television network blamed 'human error' for wrongly naming the computer science student.

A Seven insider said a news producer wrote the story which was then sub-edited by a senior producer before being sent to host Matt Shirvington to record his voice.

An internal investigation is underway to identify how that mistake was made.

Seven made an on-air apology, read out by reporter Sarah Jane Bell, on Sunday evening.

'One last thing, earlier this morning in reports of the incident, it incorrectly named the perpetrator as Benjamin Cohen,' she said.

'It was later confirmed that the name of the 40-year-old was Joel Cauchi from Queensland. Seven apologises for any distress caused by our earlier reports.'

A spokesperson for the network told Daily Mail Australia that they will not be commenting on staff, and that the terms of the settlement are confidential.

Under the NSW Defamation Act, Mr Cohen could get damages of up to $459,000.

He is represented by high-profile law firm Giles George, which is also acting for former Channel Seven producer Taylor Auerbach in his case against the station.

News.com.au reported that a concerns notice has been issued by Mr Auerbach over comments purportedly made by some of the network's top brass around its interview with Bruce Lehrmann and claims made in court by Mr Auerbach.

The actual killer was Queenslander Joel Cauchi (pictured), but Mr Cohen was named as the attacker in several Channel 7 broadcasts

Mr Cohen said being wrongly named as the killer by Seven was 'highly distressing'.

'It's extremely disappointing to me to see people mindlessly propagating misinformation like this without even the slightest thought put into fact checking,' he told The Australian.

'But what's even more disappointing to me is a major news network doing this, using my name without waiting for a statement from police to verify this or going out to try and verify it themselves.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Channel Seven for comment and was told by a spokesperson: 'We don't comment on legal matters.'
Reports of NK soldiers in Ukraine may show Russia's 'profound' desperation: US official
Ryan Gosling is giving a whole new meaning to the term 'publicity stunt' while promoting his latest movie.

The Academy Award nominee, 43, made a surprise cameo along with director David Leitch on Saturday at Universal Studios Hollywood's debut of The Fall Guy Stuntacular pre-show.

Preceding the Waterworld show at the theme park, the Stuntacular featured an actor performing as a director, welcoming Gosling to the stage as 'Bryan' and later mistaking him for Ryan Reynolds.

The faux director then tried to get Gosling involved in the show. 'No, I just came out to say hi,' the actor joked, according to People.

Leitch, 48, also a stunt performer, did however get involved as he flew across the water surrounding the stage on a cable.

Ryan Gosling made a surprise cameo along with director David Leitch on Saturday at Universal Studios Hollywood's debut of The Fall Guy Stuntacular pre-show

'The film's a comedy, it's a drama, it's a love letter to the stunt community,' said Gosling of The Fall Guy

After some ribbing about the movie, which is loosely based on the 1980s ABC series, Gosling came to its defense. 'I think he's making it sound less original than it is,' he said.

'The film's a comedy, it's a drama, it's a love letter to the stunt community,' added Gosling. 'It's been getting really great reviews, so check it out, if you feel like it.'

Gosling was also joined by his stunt doubles Ben Jenkin and Logan Holladay, whom he acknowledged with praise in the audience.

'I see two lion hearts there in front of me right now,' he said in a clip shared by TMZ. 'First of all, you guys make me look really good  let's be honest.

'Logan broke the world record for most canon rolls in a film ever,' he continued. So, he makes me look like a great driver.

'And Ben makes me look cool every time I get set on fire or do anything cool, really, or Parkour-y. That's Ben.'

Gosling added, 'You both have leading man qualities, let's be honest. So, if you ever start acting, I'm in trouble.'

He and Leitch then strapped the 'director' to a cable and sent him flying over the water before walking off. 'Where you going?' he shouted.

'We're gonna go see The Fall Guy,' Gosling called out.

A performer then tried to get Gosling involved in the show. 'No, I just came out to say hi,' the actor joked

Gosling was also joined by his stunt doubles Ben Jenkin and Logan Holladay, whom he acknowledged with praise in the audience

Gosling stars in The Fall Guy as retired stuntman Colt Seavers, who's brought back into the action when a movie star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) disappears

The movie also stars Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer and Stephanie Hsu, with a cameo by Jason Momoa

Gosling stars in The Fall Guy as retired stuntman Colt Seavers, who's brought back into the action when a movie star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) disappears.

The movie also stars Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer and Stephanie Hsu, with a cameo by Jason Momoa.

Lee Majors and Heather Thomas, who starred in the OG Fall Guy series, also make a cameo in the movie.

The Fall Guy is now playing in Australia, premiering May 2 in the UK and May 3 in the US.
Jenna Dewan joined her fellow pregnant gal pal Leah Renee Cudmore at a baby shower in LA's trendy Los Feliz neighborhood on Sunday.

The Connecticut-born 43-year-old and the Canadian 38-year-old - neither of whom are married - are both expecting their third child, and they obviously had a lot to chat about ahead of the births.

Jenna slipped her petite 5ft2in frame in a white cold-shoulder dress, which showcased her substantial baby bump, and accessorized with a floral Kate Spade New York handbag and sandals.

'Third pregnancy while chasing two other kids around definitely makes you a little more tired,' Dewan told People last Tuesday.

'I find crawling into bed at 9pm is definitely different this pregnancy. But overall, everything's been going well. And it's been wonderful. But I'm without a doubt a little bit more tired.'

Jenna Dewan (R) joined her fellow pregnant gal pal Leah Renee Cudmore (L) at a baby shower in LA's trendy Los Feliz neighborhood on Sunday

The Rookie actress and her fiance of four years - Steve Kazee - welcomed son Callum Kazee four years ago, and she's also mother to 10-year-old daughter Everly 'Evie' Tatum from her eight-year marriage to her Step Up leading man Channing Tatum, which ended in 2019.

On Sunday, Jenna - who boasts 14.3M social media followers - posted an Instagram slideshow featuring white roses from her family with a signed Post-It note and a tarot-looking card promising 'good things.'

Dewan also posted a video of the 48-year-old Grammy winner and her blended brood enjoying a swim at the pool behind her $4.7M six-bedroom home in Van Nuys.

'He's constantly reminding me to rest,' the Peabody-winning producer gushed of Steve.

'He is really good with cravings and also amazing with helping out with Eve and Callum with their schedules. And he's constantly reminding me to rest, which is really nice. He's amazing in that way.'

Jenna admitted on the Jennifer Hudson Show on March 29 that 'we've been engaged forever' but they are 'setting the date and getting it going' with wedding planning lately.

Dewan originally met Kazee in 2012 while backstage at Manhattan's Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre where he was performing his hit Broadway musical, Once.

But The Devil on My Doorstep producer-stars didn't begin dating until March 2018 - seven months before she filed for divorce from the 44-year-old Magic Mike star.

The Connecticut-born 43-year-old (R) and the Canadian 38-year-old (L) - neither of whom are married - are both expecting their third child, and they obviously had a lot to chat about ahead of the births

Jenna slipped her petite 5ft2in frame in a white cold-shoulder dress, which showcased her substantial baby bump, and accessorized with a matching handbag and sandals

Dewan told People last Tuesday: 'Third pregnancy while chasing two other kids around definitely makes you a little more tired. I find crawling into bed at 9pm is definitely different this pregnancy'

The Rookie actress added: 'But overall, everything's been going well. And it's been wonderful. But I'm without a doubt a little bit more tired'

Jenna and her fiance of four years - Steve Kazee (R) - welcomed son Callum Kazee (L) four years ago, and she's also mother to 10-year-old daughter Everly 'Evie' Tatum (2-R) from her eight-year marriage to her Step Up leading man Channing Tatum, which ended in 2019

On Sunday, Dewan - who boasts 14.3M social media followers - posted an Instagram slideshow featuring white roses from her family with a signed Post-It note and a tarot-looking card promising 'good things.'

The Peabody-winning producer also posted a video of the 48-year-old Grammy winner and her blended brood enjoying a swim at the pool behind her $4.7M six-bedroom home in Van Nuys

Jenna and the 44-year-old Magic Mike star (L, pictured in 2017) - who's engaged to his Blink Twice director Zoe Kravitz - will finally settle the dispute over profits of the Magic Mike franchise when their trial starts on December 8

Dewan argued that Tatum used 'marital funds' to acquire the intellectual property and she was the one who introduced him to her old friend Alison Faulk (M, pictured in 2022), who went on to choreograph the trilogy as well as Magic Mike Live

The former back-up dancer currently stars as LAPD officer John Nolan's (2-L, Nathan Fillion) firefighter wife Bailey Nune in the sixth season of The Rookie, which resumes Tuesday on ABC

Speaking of which, Jenna and Channing - who's engaged to his Blink Twice director Zoe Kravitz - will finally settle the dispute over profits of the Magic Mike franchise when their trial starts on December 8.

Dewan argued that Tatum used 'marital funds' to acquire the intellectual property and she was the one who introduced him to her old friend Alison Faulk, who went on to choreograph the trilogy as well as Magic Mike Live which spawned Max reality show Finding Magic Mike.

The former back-up dancer currently stars as LAPD officer John Nolan's (Nathan Fillion) firefighter wife Bailey Nune in the sixth season of The Rookie, which resumes this Tuesday on ABC.

On April 15, the network officially renewed Alexi Hawley's police procedural for a seventh season.
Jodhi Meares attended surfing legend Kelly Slater's girlfriend Kalani Miller's baby shower over the weekend.

The event, held at Sun Ranch in the NSW coastal town of Byron Bay, was nothing short of a bohemian dream, and Jodhi captured some sweet memories and posted them on Instagram.

Jodhi, 53, opted for a classic boho-chic ensemble for the event.

She looked stunning in a calf-length skirt in a soft earthy brown hue, which she paired with her lace-adorned ivory blouse.

Meanwhile, lady of the hour Kalani showed off her her baby bump in a sky blue ruffled dress that complemented her sun-kissed complexion.

Jodhi Meares attended the baby shower of Kalani Miller, (pictured) the glowing long-time girlfriend of surfing legend Kelly Slater on Sunday

The event, held at Sun Ranch in the NSW coastal town of Byron Bay, was nothing short of a bohemian dream and Jodhi, pictured second from left, didn't miss a beat, capturing the memories on Instagram

Her smile was as radiant as the sun, which seemed to play a theme for the day, as evidenced by the charming 'Baby Slater' sign adorned with a golden sunburst.

A delectable centrepiece of the shower was an artfully crafted cake.

The heart-shaped confection was a sweet symphony of white and yellow, topped with cherries and the endearing inscription, 'Slater Baby'.

The lady of the hour, Kalani, looked effortlessly chic in a sky blue ruffled dress that complemented her sun-kissed complexion

Her smile was as radiant as the sun, which seemed to play a theme for the day, as evidenced by the charming 'Baby Slater' sign adorned with a golden sunburst

A delectable centrepiece of the shower was a cake so artfully crafted, it seemed plucked right out of a fairytale

Jodhi and Kelly and Kalani are neighbours in Hawaii, and both own a property next door to each other.

Kelly and Kalani announced that they were expecting their first child together in March.

The baby will be the first that the couple, who have been together for 16 years, though Kelly also welcomed a daughter in 1996 from a previous relationship.
The Hamlin brood is out in full force tonight as they put on a chic familial display on the red carpet.

Delilah Belle Hamlin left little to the imagination on Sunday, going braless in a sheer black dress as she attended the Daily Front Row's Fashion Los Angeles Awards with her family and boyfriend Henry Eikenberry.

Her floor-length spaghetti strap dress featured sparkling embroidery down the front.

Delilah, 25, put on a leggy display and showed off a pair of black stilettos under the dress' thigh-high leg slit.

The model accessorized with some silver rings and matching earrings, framing her bleach blonde pixie cut.

Delilah Belle Hamlin left little to the imagination on Sunday, going braless in a sheer black dress as she attended the Daily Front Row's Fashion Los Angeles Awards

She was accompanied by her family and boyfriend Henry Eikenberry for the event

Her floor-length spaghetti strap dress featured sparkling embroidery down the front. Delilah, 25, put on a leggy display and showed off a pair of black stilettos under the dress' thigh-high leg slit

She put on some PDA with Eikenberry, 25, sharing a kiss on the red carpet after celebrating their first anniversary earlier this month.

'One year with ma bestie,' wrote Delilah at the time.

Eikenberry complemented his date in a black button-down dress shirt with sheer vertical stripes, tucked into matching flared trousers.

The couple made their relationship public last June at the premiere of Eikenberry's Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room.

Amelia Gray Hamlin was also in attendance, going see-through as well in a skintight white turtleneck bodycon.

The younger Hamlin sister, 22, donned a high-waisted singlet that was clearly visible under the long-sleeve, ankle-length dress.

She finished the look with a pair of white open-toe heels featuring bubbled straps.

Mom Lisa Rinna and dad Harry Hamlin were there for the outing, posing for a family photo on the red carpet.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, 60, celebrated the family tradition with a throwback photo of her and her daughters on her Instagram Story.

The model accessorized with some silver rings and matching earrings, framing her bleach blonde pixie cut

She put on some PDA with Eikenberry, 25, sharing a kiss on the red carpet after celebrating their first anniversary earlier this month. Eikenberry complemented his date in a black button-down dress shirt with sheer vertical stripes, tucked into matching flared trousers

Mom Lisa Rinna and dad Harry Hamlin were there for the outing, posing for a family photo on the red carpet

Amelia Gray Hamlin was also in attendance, going see-through as well in a skintight white turtleneck bodycon. Rinna donned a blush satin Wiederhoeft dress, featuring black horizontal ribbon stripes and bows down the front

Harry, 72, put on a dapper display as he walked the carpet with his wife in a black suit with a black shirt, unbuttoned at the top with no tie

The younger Hamlin sister, 22, donned a high-waisted singlet that was clearly visible under the long-sleeve, ankle-length dress

Rinna, 60, celebrated the family tradition with a throwback photo of her and her daughters on her Instagram Story

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum posed for a photo with Sarah Michelle Gellar at the event

'Seven years ago, we went to the Daily Front Row Awards here in Los Angeles,' wrote Rinna. 'Gigi Hadid won Model of the Year.'

This year, Rinna donned a blush satin Wiederhoeft dress, featuring black horizontal ribbon stripes and bows down the front.

She complemented the look with a pair of black heels embellished with jeweled floral broaches on the front.

Harry, 72, put on a dapper display as he walked the carpet with his wife in a black suit with a black shirt, unbuttoned at the top with no tie.
Jennifer Garner ditched her usual casual sweaters and jeans in favor of getting fully glam to attend The Daily Front Row's Eighth Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards, which were held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunday.

The 52-year-old 13 Going on 30 alum bared her shoulders in a baby-blue corseted bodice with a maroon tea-length skirt and matching strappy stiletto heels selected by stylist Jordan Johnson Chung.

Jennifer accessorized her evening attire with a maroon Metier London clutch, sparkly earrings, and a flashy statement bracelet.

Garner - whose father Billy died March 30 at age 85 - wore minimal make-up and had a wet look to her shoulder-length brunette locks.

The four-time Emmy nominee was at the glitzy ceremony to present her hairstylist since 2001 - Adir Abergel - with the award for hairstylist of the year.

Jennifer Garner ditched her usual casual sweaters and jeans in favor of getting fully glam to attend The Daily Front Row's Eighth Annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards, which were held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunday

The Israeli-born 45-year-old wore massive shoulder pads beneath his black pantsuit, featuring white external boning, along with sky-high platform booties.

'Adir is all about giving love. He has an EQ of a billion,' Jennifer gushed to People back in 2022.

'Adir's gotten me through some of the worst days  just messy days. It doesn't even have to be something huge, but it's still a hard day for me.'

Abergel and Garner - who shared more than one laugh on the red carpet - affectionately call each other 'Boogie.'

The Texan-born, West Virginia-raised beauty - who's still romancing Cali Group chairman John Miller - took a seat ahead of her big speech.

Jennifer is excited to continue executive producing and starring as Hannah Hall in the second season of The Last Thing He Told Me, which was Apple TV+'s most watched limited series (with 4.5M viewers in the first 31 days) despite a dismal response.

Garner - who boasts 13.6M Instagram/TikTok followers - wrote on March 25: 'I'm dying to know what happens to Hannah and Bailey. Thank you for ordering another season of #TheLastThingHeToldMe, @appletv.'

But first, the Family Switch producer-star reprises her role as billionaire heiress-turned-mercenary Elektra Natchios in Shawn Levy's MCU film Deadpool & Wolverine - hitting US/UK theaters July 26 - alongside Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, and Morena Baccarin.

The 52-year-old 13 Going on 30 alum bared her shoulders in a baby-blue corseted bodice with a maroon tea-length skirt and matching strappy stiletto heels selected by stylist Jordan Johnson Chung

Jennifer accessorized her evening attire with a maroon Metier London clutch, sparkly earrings, and a flashy statement bracelet

Garner - whose father Billy died March 30 at age 85 - wore minimal make-up and had a wet look to her shoulder-length brunette locks

The four-time Emmy nominee was at the glitzy ceremony to present her hairstylist since 2001 - Adir Abergel (L) - with the award for hairstylist of the year

The Israeli-born 45-year-old wore massive shoulder pads beneath his black pantsuit, featuring white external boning, along with sky-high platform booties

Jennifer gushed to People back in 2022: 'Adir is all about giving love. He has an EQ of a billion. Adir's gotten me through some of the worst days  just messy days. It doesn't even have to be something huge, but it's still a hard day for me'

Abergel and Garner - who shared more than one laugh on the red carpet - affectionately call each other 'Boogie'

The Texan-born, West Virginia-raised beauty - who's still romancing Cali Group chairman John Miller - took a seat ahead of her big speech

Jennifer is excited to continue executive producing and starring as Hannah Hall in the second season of The Last Thing He Told Me, which was Apple TV+'s most watched limited series (with 4.5M viewers in the first 31 days) despite a dismal response

Garner - who boasts 13.6M Instagram/TikTok followers - wrote on March 25: 'I'm dying to know what happens to Hannah and Bailey. Thank you for ordering another season of #TheLastThingHeToldMe, @appletv'

But first, the Family Switch producer-star reprises her role as billionaire heiress-turned-mercenary Elektra Natchios in Shawn Levy's MCU film Deadpool & Wolverine - hitting US/UK theaters July 26 - alongside Ryan Reynolds (R) and Hugh Jackman (L)

Jennifer's sai-swinging seductress in Daredevil (2003) and its sequel Elektra (2005) famously brought her to former leading man on and offscreen - two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Ben Affleck (R) - whom she divorced in 2018

Jennifer's sai-swinging seductress in Daredevil (2003) and its sequel Elektra (2005) famously brought her to former leading man on and offscreen, two-time Oscar-winning filmmaker Ben Affleck.

Garner and the Cali-born, Cambridge-raised 51-year-old co-parent three children - Violet, 18; Fin, 15; and Samuel, 12 - from their decade-long marriage, which ended in 2018.

The KitchenAid paid partner will also produce and star in Netflix holiday comedy Mrs. Claus, and she'll star in Max Winkler's true-crime film Fruitcake with Paul Walter Hauser.
Dominic Purcell shocked his followers on Sunday by sharing a graphic throwback photo of the facial injuries he sustained while filming one of his projects.

The image showed the 54-year-old actor's face soaked with blood after an iron bar struck him during a shoot, fracturing his skull and crushing his nose.

Purcell, who is married to Miley Cyrus's mother Tish, insisted the injuries were real and not a makeup job.

'NO ITS NOT MAKE UP. When an iron bar breaks your face and cracks ya skull. You get it fixed and you move on,' he wrote in the caption.

He explained the injury occurred in Morocco while he was filming a scene that turned life-threatening in an instant.

The image shows the Aussie actor, who is married to Miley Cyrus' mother Tish's visage streaked with blood after an iron bar struck him during a shoot

Dominic Purcell gave his followers a jolt with a graphic throwback photo posted on Instagram, displaying severe injuries he sustained while filming

'One minute I'm running the next a tremendous force exploded upon me. My stunty @johnnymacstunts came running to my side and said 'doesn't look good. Your nose is smashed and I can see your skull. I replied "that's not good".

'Point is - I thought for sure I was going to have a brain bleed, pass out and die. I found it amusing that my end would be in the desert, with not a hospital insight doing what I love most.

'On reflection it's how I accepted death that's always puzzled me. I guess it's just that. I accepted it.'

Tish tied the knot with Prison Break actor Dominic in August 2023 following her divorce from her husband of 28 years, Billy Ray.

The news comes come after recent reports that the Cyrus family are feuding behind the scenes.

While some family members such as daughter Miley were present for the wedding, Tish's kids Noah and Braison were absent from the nuptials - fueling speculation of a rift at the time.

His family struggles come after recent reports that the Cyrus family are feuding behind the scenes, after Tish's daughter Noah (left) didn't attend her and Dominic's wedding

According to a DailyMail.com insider, Noah's absence at the wedding was not by choice, but the result of Tish failing to invite her.

Us Weekly then published a report claiming Tish had 'stolen' Dominic from Noah, 24, who was said to be 'seeing' the actor when her mother began to pursue him.

'Noah has always craved the attention because she did not get it growing up. Tish was always so Miley-sided because that is where the money was,' the source claimed.

'Miley and Tish are like sisters and Noah has always been envious of this because she's never had a connection with Tish like Miley has.'

According to a DailyMail.com insider, Noah's absence at the wedding was not by choice, but rather the result of Tish not inviting her

However, it has since been claimed that Miley Cyrus' sister 'never dated' Dominic and she has been accused by family insiders of 'fabricating' the relationship to 'paint herself as the victim' in her ongoing feud with Tish.

It has since been claimed that Tish would like to re-establish a relationship with Noah.

'Tish definitely still wants to have a relationship with Noah,' a source told US Weekly. 'She hopes they can move past this.'
Michael Jackson's famed 'Billie Jean' jacket is among the musical treasures slated to hit the auction block next month for Julien's Auctions.

Bids as high as $80,000 - $100,000 are expected to be made for the garment worn by the late King of Pop on his 1984 Victory Tour, the auction house said.

The jacket was designed by the late fashion designer Bill Whitten, who also designed Jackson's iconic crystal glove, Julien's said.

The garment was put on display from 2017 to 2019 at the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Mississippi in a display commemorating the 35th anniversary of the release of Jackson's best-selling album, Thriller.

Billie Jean was the second single released off the blockbuster record, which hit stores November 29, 1982. It followed The Girl Is Mine and preceded Beat It, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Human Nature, P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) and the title track, Thriller.

Michael Jackson's famed "Billie Jean" jacket is among the musical treasures slated to hit the auction block next month for Julien's Auctions. Pictured August 1, 1984 performing on the Victory Tour

The garment was put on display from 2017 to 2019 at the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi in Cleveland, Mississippi in a display commemorating the 35th anniversary of the release of Jackson's best-selling album, Thriller

The Victory Tour starring Jackson and his five brothers spanned 55 shows between July and December 1984, grossing an estimated $75 million, according to the auction house. A number of tracks on the setlist came from Michael's solo albums Thriller and 1979's Off the Wall.

'When he went on that stage, the charisma coming back from the crowd, you could feel it,' concert promoter Russ Cline told Kansas City NBC affiliate KHSB last July of Michael's performances and popularity in the mid-80s.

Cline said: 'It would knock you down like a tsunami of cheering. When he went on the stage, he left it all on the stage. He never came out with nothing left.'

Cline recalled the differences in buying tickets for in-demand concerts in 1984, as opposed to four decades later.

'The highest-priced tickets were with tax - $30. Face value - $28,' he said. 'All done by mail order. All these thousands of tickets were ordered and you could only order six at a time and they were filled by hand. Today, we have Ticketmaster.'

Jackson died June 25, 2009 death at the age of 50 as result of a cardiac arrest following an overdose of the surgical anesthetic drug Propofol.

Julien's announced the sale of the jacket and other items in a news conference Tuesday at London's Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus, as part of its MUSIC ICONS auction slated for May 29-May 30.

The auction will stem from the Hard Rock Cafe in New York and online at juliensauctions.com.

The Victory Tour starring Jackson and his five brothers spanned 55 shows between July and December 1984

A number of tracks on the setlist came from Michael's solo albums Thriller and 1979's Off the Wall

The jacket was designed by the late fashion designer Bill Whitten, who also designed Jackson's iconic crystal glove, Julien's said.

The musical artist was at the zenith of his career in the 1980s and remains one of the most influential pop culture icons of the decade

Among the other items on sale include a cropped jacket with multi-color sequined decorations worn by rocker Joan Jett during her 1989 tour.

The fashion item from the I Love Rock n Roll artist is projected to sell for between $5,000 - $7,000, Julien's said.

A pair of black nylon Onitsuka Tiger brand High-Top sneakers owned by late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is among the items in the lot, Julien's said.

The shoes, which the Bohemian Rhapsody vocalist wore onstage in 1979, are expected to sell for $20,000-$30,000.

Buyers can take a ride on the wild side with a 1987 Kramer KM-1 electric guitar played by Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars.

The autographed musical instrument has the font of the Girls Girls Girls album across the front, as Mars played it on the band's 1987-1988 world tour in support of the album. It's expected to sell for $60,000-$80,000.

A Fender guitar Rose Sparkle P Bass guitar owned and played by U2's Adam Clayton is expected to sell for $50,000-$70,000.

Clayton played the instrument on the shows the iconic band played at the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Among the other items on sale include a cropped jacket with multi-color sequined decorations worn by rocker Joan Jett during her 1989 tour

A pair of black nylon Onitsuka Tiger brand High-Top sneakers owned by late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is among the items in the lot

Buyers can take a ride on the wild side with a 1987 Kramer KM-1 electric guitar played by Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars

A custom Gianni Versace dress worn by late legend Tina Turner is expected to sell for between $4,000-$6,000

A black Fendi dress custom made for the late Amy Winehouse for a Fendi event in Paris is on sale

A Fender guitar Rose Sparkle P Bass guitar owned and played by U2's Adam Clayton is expected to sell for $50,000-$70,000

A custom Gianni Versace dress worn by late legend Tina Turner is expected to sell for between $4,000-$6,000.

The What's Love Got to Do with It vocalist wore the garment on her Wildest Dreams Tour in 1996 and 1997, according to Julien's.

A black Fendi dress custom made for the late Amy Winehouse for a Fendi event in Paris is on sale.
MARCH 2020

Kate revealed she and Prince Charles had got 'relatively close' at the Prince's Trust Awards on March 11 - Charles was diagnosed with coronavirus in mid-March.

She said: 'Around the 29/30 March, I came home came in and said [to Derek] 'god you look ill.'

'He said he had a headache, numbness in his right hand, and was struggling to breathe,

'I rang Dr Hilary (Jones) and tried to get through, he talked to Derek. He said put me back on, I think you need to call an ambulance'

Derek, 52, was taken into hospital on March 30 and remained in an unresponsive condition.

APRIL

Kate and her children isolated at home after she displayed 'mild symptoms'.

Kate said: 'Derek remains in intensive care and is still very ill. I'm afraid it remains an excruciatingly worrying time.

'I'm afraid he is still in a deeply critical condition, but he is still here, which means there is hope.'

MAY

Kate said: 'The journey for me and my family seems to be far from over as every day my heart sinks as I learn new and devastating ways this virus has more battles for Derek to fight.

'But he is still HERE & so there is still hope.'

That month, Kate and her family took part in the final clap for carers

She said: 'I'll never give up on that because Derek's the love of my life but at the same time I have absolute uncertainty'

JUNE

On June 5, Kate revealed Derek is now free from coronavirus but continues to fight against the damage inflicted on his body

JULY

On July 5, Kate revealed Derek has woken from his coma but he remains in a serious yet critical condition.

On July 8, she announced she would be returning to GMB, after being urged by doctors to 'get on with life' during Derek's recovery.

She added that Derek had 'opened his eyes' after waking from his coma, but has been told his recovery could take years.

On July 13, Kate returned to GMB for the first time since Derek was hospitalised.

On July 28, Kate revealed she'd paid an 'extra emotional' first visit to Derek, and admitted she's 'frustrated' by his slow progress.

AUGUST

On August 14, Kate reassured GMB viewers that Derek was 'still with us,' but it was 'a waiting game.'

On August 19, Kate revealed she celebrated Derek's birthday with their two children, and described the day as 'challenging' for her family.

SEPTEMBER

At the end of September, Derek reportedly becomes the longest surviving patient with coronavirus after spending 184 days in and out of intensive care.

Kate reveals Derek has lost eight stone during his battle.

The presenter announces she is returning to her Smooth Radio show so Derek can hear her voice.

OCTOBER

On October 30 Kate reveals that Derek has spoken for the first time in seven months, saying the word 'pain' to his wife, who watched on 'in tears' over FaceTime.

Kate says a day later that her husband no longer needs a ventilator to breathe.

NOVEMBER

Kate reveals her family car has been stolen in latest 'body blow' to her family life, as kind-hearted fans offer their cars to help.

She says she feels 'physically sick' at the prospect of facing her first Christmas without Derek.

DECEMBER

The GMB star tells viewers it is her dream to visit Derek on Christmas Day.

She also reveals she missed two weeks on GMB after her children were exposed to the virus, but thankfully she and the kids tested negative.

On December 17, Kate has an emotional conversation live on GMB with two nurses who treated Derek when he was first admitted to Whittington Hospital in North London.

On New Year's Eve she reflects on a 'calamitous' Christmas without Derek, as her house was flooded and she struggled to get a food delivery slot until her pal Emma Willis stepped in to help.

JANUARY 2021

Kate reveals she and her children got to visit Derek in hospital over the Christmas period, and it was the first time her family had seen him since he was hospitalised.

She also says she's banned from seeing him due to new restrictions introduced during the government's third lockdown.

FEBRUARY

Kate reveals she is unsure how much Derek will 'ever be able to recover' following warning from doctors that he may never wake from his coma

MARCH

Kate revealed that was in the process of adapting her home to suit Derek's needs when he is finally released from hospital, in the ITV documentary Finding Derek.

The programmed was praised by viewers for offering a heartbreaking look at the long-term effects of coronavirus.

Kate also revealed that Derek has 'no muscle left' since battling Covid

APRIL

Kate revealed that Derek was finally allowed to leave hospital, but would require round-the-clock care once he was returned home.

MAY

Kate revealed that despite now being home with his family, his communication abilities were 'minimal' and he 'couldn't really move'

DECEMBER

During an appearance on Piers Morgan's Life Stories, Kate revealed that Derek had said 'I love you' for the first time.

After celebrating Christmas, Derek was also pictured in a wheelchair during a trip to the pantomime with his family

JANUARY 2022

Kate revealed that Derek was 'very fatigued' and 'very weak' following the family outing, adding: 'I don't know what this year is going to bring.'

FEBRUARY

Kate offered a glimpse into the daily struggles of looking after her husband amid his battle with long Covid in the documentary Caring For Derek

She also revealed that Derek would die within three days if he was left alone to care for himself.

JULY

On July 6, Kate revealed that Derek had been re-admitted to hospital after suffering a 'downturn,' and in a later interview said she takes things 'day by day.'

On July 20, it was reported that Kate had pulled out of hosting Good Morning Britain to be at Derek's bedside after he took a 'very serious' turn for the worse.

Recalling the day, the presenter told The Sun: 'At one point Derek said to me, "This is it, this time. I am gone." It was just terrifying.

'His sepsis was gut-wrenching for all of us because it had gone undiagnosed until the point where it was about to take his life away again.'

JANUARY 2023

Kate became overwhelmed as she confronted former health secretary Matt Hancock over his handling of the pandemic and his decision to go on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here.

She then became tearful and looked up as she spoke about Derek, who has been unwell for approaching three years.

Describing public anger towards him, Kate added of his decision: 'This gives the impression you still don't get why they are cross. You still don't get why people are upset. They want to hold you to more account.'

APRIL

Kate revealed that Derek was once again receiving care in hospital, as she shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the 'inspiring' couple.

She shared the emotional moment Sir Elton John dedicated a song to the 'inspiring' couple, writing on Instagram: 'Yes Derek has been back in hospital this week & yes there's such a long road ahead but #eltonjohn & @davidfurnish you gave the kids & Derek a moment that we will never forget and has lifted their spirits again to feel anything is possible.'

It was also reported that Kate was planning a trip across the world for pioneering treatment in a 'final hope' to help her husband.

MAY

Kate reportedly faced a huge 716,000 tax bill after she was forced to close her husband's business two years after he became stricken with Covid-19.

The final total will be settled within the coming weeks, with friends insisting she will pay whatever is owed.

A friend told The Sun: 'The figures are terrifying and Kate is of course worried about all the financial pressures, but she has to trust the process.

'When it comes to an end, she is determined to pay back anything that's owed.

'It's no secret that Kate has been battling to keep her husband alive and working through some heartbreaking situations in her personal life in recent years.

'Sadly as well as the emotional stress of Derek's terrible illnesses the financial burden has also been crippling.'

DECEMBER

Derek was left fighting for his life after suffering a heart attack.

Kate held a 24/7 vigil by his bedside and cancelled all work commitments while the family 'prayed for a miracle'.

A source said: 'It was sudden and a shock as he had been doing so well and was in great spirits, looking forward to Christmas at home with the family.

'This setback has been a huge blow for his family and all the people caring for him. Kate is by his side 24 hours a day and is willing him on to win this latest battle for his life.

'Derek has fought so many times, and always, against all odds, come out the other side.'

JANUARY 2024

Kate announced on January 5 that Derek had passed away.

She said: 'Derek was surrounded by his family in his final days and I was by his side holding his hand throughout the last long hours and when he passed.

'I have so much more to say, and of course I will do so in due course, but for now I just want to thank all the medical teams who fought so hard to save him and to make his final moments as comfortable and dignified as possible'.

MailOnline understands he passed away on January 3 in a North London hospital.

He is survived by wife Kate and their children Darcey, 17, and son William, 14.
Christine McGuinness shared the touching moment she saw her father Johnny walk unaided for the first time since battling his heroin addiction.

The TV personality, 36, who has been incredibly vocal about her father's former drug addiction, was in utter shock and disbelief when she saw Johnny walk without a stick, wheelchair or support from others.

Christine said it was 'like looking at a brand new person' after overcoming his fatal addiction, as she shared the emotional encounter.

Heroin is a Class A drug - meaning it is illegal to possess or sell the substance. Those found in possession of the life-destroying drug can be jailed for up to seven years and can also be fined an unlimited fee.

While supplying the drug can lead to life behind bars. The drug is highly addictive and can be injected, smoked or snorted and carries the risk of death due to overdose.

Christine McGuinness, 36, shared the touching moment she saw her father Johnny walk unaided for the first time since battling his heroin addiction

The TV personality, who has been incredibly vocal about her father's former drug addiction, was in utter shock and disbelief when she saw Johnny walk without a stick, wheelchair or support from others (pictured at the peak of his addiction)

Speaking to Spencer Matthews on his Big Fish podcast, Christine said: 'The first time I've seen my dad clean properly was this year, and he stood up and walked towards me for a hug.

'And I've never seen him just stand up unaided before. It just took me back a bit and I panicked a bit and went "Are you ok?" and went to hold him, because wherever I've seen him before I've had to hold him or get a walking stick or he's been in a wheelchair.'

She added: 'There was just this big, strong man standing in front of me, and I kind of couldn't believe what I was seeing.

'He's 16 stone, he's about 5ft 11. He was always slumped over and quite weak before.

'It was like looking at a brand new person. He's always had his personality, but now it's just so much better.

'And he's so happy - that's the best thing. I love that he's healthy, but seeing him just really, really happy is amazing.

'He's in his sixties now and hopefully he's got a good few years left in him and he can enjoy life. I love seeing him, we laugh so much more, we talk a lot more.'

In February, Christine first shared the happy news about her father when she posted a heartfelt video revealing Johnny had overcome his heroin addiction after years of struggling.

Christine said it was 'like looking at a brand new person' after overcoming his fatal addiction, as she shared the emotional encounter

Christine said: 'The first time I've seen my dad clean properly was this year, and he stood up and walked towards me for a hug. And I've never seen him just stand up unaided before. It just took me back a bit and I panicked a bit and went "Are you ok?"

She added: 'There was just this big, strong man standing in front of me, and I kind of couldn't believe what I was seeing. He's 16 stone, he's about 5ft 11. He was always slumped over and quite weak before. It was like looking at a brand new person.' (pictured during his recovery)

She shared a montage of his recovery after battling with addiction for 40 years.

Christine opened up with her fans and admitted that she never thought she would say the words that her father is free from drugs.

The mother-of-three's sincere clip showed the two at different stages of his recovery as she has watched him struggle with the addiction since she was a child, which has had a strain on their relationship.

It showed the pair going through tough times when Christine was younger, as well as giving an insight on his recovery and when he finally became clean.

Alongside the honest post, she captioned: 'For all the times I've said what I thought was our last 'goodbye' Today was the best Hello...

'My dad is the happiest and healthiest I've ever seen him, my dad is off heroin. I never thought I'd say those words.

'If you love someone in recovery, never lose hope, its never too late. My dad is 62, he's been an addict for 4 decades and now he's a big strong 16st man! Dad, I am so proud of you.'

Christine first publicly spoke on her father's addiction in November, 2021 when she admitted that he would inject himself in front of her when she was a teenager.

Christine shared insight into her father's addiction struggles while praising him for overcoming his demons

She took the opportunity to open up about those struggles first in her book Christine McGuinness: A Beautiful Nightmare.

Johnny's troubles started when she was young, with the model writing that her mother Joanne left him when Christine crawled across one of his used needles when she was a one-year-old baby.

In an extract, the media personality told how her dad is one of the longest living heroin addicts in the UK and said he has never met her children.

She wrote: 'I saw my dad inject heroin. As a teenager, I struggled with his addiction. I blamed myself. When I became a mum, I kept thinking about how he chose drugs over his own kids.

'But as I've gotten older, I've realised it wasn't as simple a choice for him. Addiction is an illness.'

Joanne moved away from Blackpool to Merseyside with Christine and sister Billie-Jo, and despite Johnny's addiction, Christine said she had a good relationship with her father and loves him dearly.

However, the star admitted he has never met her ex-husband Paddy or their children Penelope, Leo, both eight, and Felicity, five, as she doesn't feel comfortable with the thought of them being introduced to an addict.

Christine did offer her father the chance to meet Paddy when she asked him to walk her down the aisle at their wedding in 2011.

Johnny's troubles started when she was young, with the model writing that her mother Joanne left him when Christine crawled across one of his used needles when she was a baby

Christine admitted her father has never met her ex-husband Paddy or their children Penelope, Leo, both eight, and Felicity, five, as she doesn't feel comfortable with the thought of them being introduced to an addict.

He said yes but then backed out on the day as she was getting into her bridal gown and said he couldn't make it, so Christine walked down the aisle by herself.

Christine said her grandparents have tried to help him and put him into rehab but she doesn't think there's any turning back at this point.

The star also revealed doctors previously thought they'd have to amputate his leg due to the damage done by using dirty needles over the years.

She has also been contacted by hospitals on several occasions to warn her that Johnny may die.

Although Christine said she still loves her father, she doesn't think she will ever be able to respect him.

His absence during important moments in her life made Christine even closer with her mother Joanne.

She wrote: 'My mum longed for that relationship to work. It broke her heart. I'm so grateful she did leave him and that she got [us] away.'

FRANK is a support service that offers information about drugs, plus advice for people who use drugs. Call the FRANK helpline on 0300 123 66 00.
Craig David has announced his brand new Commitment UK arena tour for February 2025, with special guest Lemar - and fans are elated.

Kicking off in Leeds' First Direct Arena on February 2, the 11-date tour will see Craig, 42, perform his much-loved eclectic discography to fans across the UK, culminating at London's iconic O2 Arena on February 20.

Artist, O2 priority and Co-op Live presales open on May 1 at 10am on the My Ticket website and tickets will go on general sale on May 3 at 10am.

Fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter to gush after the UK garage pioneer made the exciting tour announcement.

They said: 'Craig David AND Lemar? Noughties us is here for it',

Craig David has announced his brand new Commitment UK arena tour for February 2025, with special guest Lemar - and fans are elated

Commitment tour 2025

February 2 - Leeds, First Direct Arena February 4 - Glasgow, Armadillo February 5 - Newcastle, Utilita Arena February 7 - Milton Keynes, Marshall Arena February 8- Brighton, Brighton Centre February 11 - Cardiff, Utilita Arena February 12 - Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena February 14 - Manchester, Coop Live February 15 - Birmingham, Resorts World Arena February 18 - Bournemouth, International Centre February 20 - London, The O2 Advertisement

'Yess Omg Monday made, thanks Craig, met you in 22 but I'm still waiting to see you on tour, man fantastic bro happy Monday'.,

'Lamar as well, that's a duet we should've got yonks ago'.,

'Come to Spain! Barcelona Is waiting for you!',

'CRAIG DAVID TOO??',

'OMG!!!! I just saw Craig David's announcement.',

'Craig David's still got it!!'

'VIBES!'.

Regarding his upcoming tour, Craig said: 'I can't wait to bring my band back to the UK for my 2025 Commitment arena tour!

'Looking forward to having a party and mixing up the classics and maybe something new...'

Since bursting onto the scene with his 2000 album Born To Do It, Craig has remained at the helm of his own unique, authentically British sound.

He first emerged onto the UK garage scene at the end of 1999 with hit song Re-Rewind, and has scored 25 UK top 40 singles, nine UK top 40 albums, and amassed over 5 billion streams worldwide since.

Craig has collaborated with everyone from Sting to Kano to Diplo to KSI, while also becoming one of the biggest DJs in Ibiza.

Award-wise Craig has received 14 Brit Award nominations, two Grammy nominations, four MOBO awards, three Ivor Novellos honouring his songwriting, and most recently an MBE for his services to music.

In addition to this, Craig is returning to Ibiza Rocks this summer, coming back this year for its 7th season.

Craig has also recently been announced for the anticipated Lovers and Friends festival in Las Vegas this May.

The tour dates for next February in full for Craig David's Commitment Tour

Fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter to gush after the UK garage pioneer made the exciting tour announcement

Opening for the entirety of this tour will be Lemar, 46, one of the most successful British male artists of the last two decades

Opening for the entirety of this tour will be Lemar, 46, one of the most successful British male artists of the last two decades.

The R&B hitmaker has seven UK Top 10 singles and has sold over two million albums worldwide.

He'll be performing a collection of his hits from the last 20 years such as If There's Any Justice and Dance (With U).

Artist, O2 priority and Co-op Live presales for this tour open on May 1 at 10am and all remaining tickets go on general sale on May 3 at 10am.
By Lee Min-hyung

Shinsegae Group is under mounting pressure to return a 1 trillion won ($727.4 million) investment from two foreign funds as the group's struggling e-commerce arm continues to delay going public amid plummeting revenues, according to industry officials Monday.

Shinsegae, Affinity Equity Partners and BRV Capital Management are currently engaging in the last-minute negotiation over the funds' potential move to exercise a put option  the gist of which is to demand Shinsegae acquire the investors' shares in SSG.com unless the e-commerce affiliate of Shinsegae obtains an opinion from multiple investment banks that the company is ready for an initial public offering (IPO).

Under the put option contract, SSG.com should also achieve a gross merchandise volume (GMV) of 5.16 trillion won by 2023. The term is used frequently in online retail, referring to the total amount of sales by a certain firm during a specific period of time.

Affinity and BRV together acquired a 15 percent stake in SSG.com between 2019 and 2022.

If the financial investors exercise the put option, there stands a possibility that Shinsegae will end up buying back the SSG.com shares at a higher price.

But both sides remain poles apart over the detailed conditions regarding the put option. SSG.com says its GMV last year topped 5.7 trillion won, but the financial investors took issue with the figure, as Shinsegae included sales of its gift certificates. The investors say the transaction on gift certificates should be excluded from the GMV calculation.

In 2021, SSG.com designated Mirae Asset Securities and Citigroup as lead underwriters for its planned IPO. But the financial investors have urged Shinsegae to take more concrete steps for the listing of SSG.com.

An official at Shinsegae Group said both sides are in talks to fine-tune the details over their differences.

"Shinsegae Group will continue negotiating with the investors regarding the issue until April 30, [as was stated in the contract]," a spokesperson at Shinsegae Group said, declining to comment further.

The financial investors can exercise the put option from the beginning of May 2024 to April 2027 unless Shinsegae meets the two requirements  the GMV target figure and IPO plans for SSG.com  by the end of this month.

Given SSG.com's falling revenues and unfavorable market circumstances, the company is unlikely to proceed with its planned IPO.

According to data from the Financial Supervisory Service, SSG.com has suffered chronic deficits for the past few years, hit by toughening market rivalry.

The firm's operating loss reached 103 billion won in 2023. The loss also came in at 111.2 billion won the previous year.

Industry officials said the possibly upcoming tussle between the two sides will end up creating a lose-lose situation for both parties.

"In Korea, few companies have so far written a successful IPO story after receiving investment from Affinity," an official from a local financial firm said. "The tactic is frequently used by the Hong Kong-based private equity firm. But if both sides fail to narrow their differences, this will end up causing losses to both sides."
Made In Chelsea star Victoria Baker-Harber has quietly married Inigo Philbrick two months after he was released from prison having been found guilty of 80m art fraud.

The TV personality, 36, wed Inigo in a 'quickie ceremony without guests' last Monday, which came after he served two years of a seven-year sentence for defrauding wealthy clients, forging documents and faking an investor.

After officially tying the knot, the couple, who share daughter Gaia, three, plans to celebrate with family and friends in June, when Inigo's electronic tag is due to come off.

Their marriage is to help secure an American visa for Victoria, who is half British, half Australia, with the former E4 reality star admitting in a recent interview, 'Not the wedding that I've pictured since I was nine'

Inigo, 36, was arrested in 2020 when Victoria was five and a half months pregnant with their daughter and sentenced two years later, his release last month to home detention in New York where he reunited with his young family.

Made In Chelsea star Victoria Baker-Harber has quietly married Inigo Philbrick two months after he was released from prison having been found guilty of 80m art fraud

The TV personality wed Inigo in a 'quickie ceremony without guests' last Monday, which came after he served two years of a seven-year sentence for defrauding wealthy clients

After officially tying the knot, the couple, who share daughter Gaia (pictured) plans to celebrate with family and friends in June, when Inigo's electronic tag is due to come off

In an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine last week, Inigo admitted he didn't feel any guilt about breaking the law, saying he was merely overambitious and 'greedy', and his crimes didn't lead to anyone's death.

He said: 'There are a lot of people who look at it and say, Look, I didn't kill anyone; I didn't do anything violent in any sort of way.

'Beyond that, the people who are involved in my case... no one missed a meal; nobody didn't send their children to university. I don't think that anyone in this whole story is guilty of much more than greed and ambition.

'I don't think any good business happens without ambition, and I think greed is a natural human state. I'd feel a lot more guilt if I had been drink-driving or if I'd been selling drugs and someone had died.'

The former gallery owner added he would have no problem being transparent about his crimes with three-year-old Gaia because 'a lot can be learned' from his experience.

Victoria met Inigo in 2016 on a friend's yacht in the Mediterranean when the father-of-two was still with his ex-girlfriend, with whom he shares another daughter.

She vowed to stand by him throughout his prison sentence, calling Inigo the 'love of her life' and insisting, 'There's no way I was going to get up and let him go through whatever s*** was going to come his way on his own.'

And Inigo says being inside only strengthened his feelings for Victoria, even having a V tattoo on his chest, which was done for him by one of his fellow inmates.

Last week, Inigo shamelessly shared a photo of his electronic ankle tag on Instagram, captioning the post 'Making moves with my ball and chain'

Victoria joined Made In Chelsea in 2011 and was known for her close friendship with Mark-Francis Vandelli (pictured)

Victoria, who met Inigo in 2016, vowed to stand by him throughout his prison sentence, while he had a tattoo of a V inked on his stomach in tribute to his wife while he was inside

Victoria, who was raised in Belgravia, London, found fame on E4's Made In Chelsea in 2011, where she became known for her sassy, no-nonsense attitude and close friendship with Mark-Francis Vandelli.

And now Victoria has used her TV contacts to land a show where she and Inigo talk about his fraudulent crimes and prison experience, which she says was her husband's idea.

Speaking to the Mail last year, she said: 'I'm doing a documentary. It's about my fiance and his time in prison. It's wild... He's all for it. It was his idea.'

She added: 'He didn't murder anyone. He put his hands up and admitted what he did do, and takes full responsibility and accountability, but everyone makes mistakes.'
She's only been back in Albert Square for a matter of days.

And Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) is already causing a scene on the streets after discovering Zack Dean and Lauren Branning's secret affair.

In upcoming scenes during Tuesday night's episode, Bianca launches a viscous attack at Zack (James Farrar) and Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) after they slept together behind her stepdaughter Whitney Dean's back.

In first look images, Bianca looks visibly upset to learn of the news and goes and confronts the duo.

Lauren appears to have been slapped in the face as she is seen holding her cheek in pain, while Zack gets knocked over in the mix.

Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) is already causing a scene on the streets after discovering Zack Dean and Lauren Branning's secret affair

In upcoming scenes during Tuesday night's episode, Bianca launches a viscous attack towards Zack (James Farrar) and Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) for sleeping together behind her daughter Whitney Dean's back

Last week's episode saw Lauren and Zach share a steamy kiss in the alley way after stepping out together to let off some steam.

In Monday night's upcoming episode, before they are confronted by Bianca, Lauren and Zack are consumed with guilt after betraying Whitney (Shona McGarty), but will they come clean?

Patsy's shock return to the BBC soap comes alongside Shona McGarty's departure after 16 years on the show.

Patsy announced her return to the soap earlier in the month, writing: 'I'm so excited to be reprising the role of Bianca. EastEnders holds such a special place in my heart, so it's always a pleasure to be back.'

Patsy's character first hit screens in 1993 before Patsy quit in 1999 to spend more time with her family.

She returned to screens in 2002 for a special and made further returns in 2009 and 2019, before her upcoming comeback.

It comes after Shona McGarty, 31, revealed last year that she would be quitting the soap after portraying Whitney for 15 years, after joining at the age of 16 in 2008.

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday about her decision to leave Albert Square, Shona said: 'I have decided to spread my wings and will be leaving EastEnders. I have loved my years in the show.'

In first look images, Bianca looks visibly upset to learn of the news and goes and confronts the duo

Last week's episode saw Lauren and Zach share a steamy kiss in the alley way after stepping out together to let off some steam

In Monday night's upcoming episode, before they are confronted by Bianca, Lauren and Zack are consumed with guilt after betraying Whitney (Shona McGarty), but will they come clean?

Patsy's shock return to the BBC soap comes alongside Shona McGarty's departure after 16 years on the show

Her character first hit screens in 1993 before Patsy quit in 1999 to spend more time with her family. She returned to screens in 2002 for a special and made further returns in 2009 and 2019, before her upcoming comeback

A source told the publication that it 'wasn't an easy decision' but that Shona feels now is the right time to 'try something new.'

They added: 'She is hoping the door will be left open for her character to return one day, but nothing is guaranteed and it is all in the hands of the scriptwriters.'

As the adopted daughter of the infamous Bianca, Whitney was part of several hard-hitting storylines.
From real life Barbie to a shamed Olympian to a Wall Street swindler's wife, Margot Robbie is used to transforming into a vast array of characters.

Yet last week, the Oscar-nominated actress made a real life transformation into a bridesmaid, as she was boldly chosen to helm her best friend's bridal party at an idyllic wedding in the actress' native Queensland, Australia on Friday.

Margot's pal Britt Claxton appeared to say 'This Barbie Is A Bridesmaid!' as she recruited the A-lister to join her down the aisle at the event at Burleigh Heads, with a video shared to social media showing the fun and frolics of the big day.

The actress, 33, beamed in the clips taken on the day, looking dazzling in a slinky lemon slip dress - a simple and elegant style in stark contrast to the Barbie-inspired ensembles she paraded on the Barbie Movie press trail last year.

While she did not stand next to the bride at any point, Margot was seen beaming and giggling with her fellow bridesmaids, who were equally as stunning in the simple yet dazzling gowns, which highlighted their lithe physiques.

Margot Robbie, (second from left) was a bridesmaid at her best friend's nuptials last week

The Australian actress was in the bridal party for her pal Britt Claxton, (front) in Burleigh Heads, Queensland on Friday with video of the event shared to social media

Margot acted as Bridesmaid Barbie, a year on from the release of her iconic movie

The actress, 33, beamed in the clips taken on the day, looking dazzling in a slinky lemon slip dress - a simple and elegant style in stark contrast to the Barbie-inspired ensembles she paraded on the Barbie Movie press trail last year

Video of the event was shared to social media, showing Margot being a dutiful bridesmaid and handing the bride a bunch of Calla lilies

She could not wipe the smile off her face as she walked down the aisle behind the bride while carrying a bouquet of white Calla lilies.

Margot also kicked up her heels at the celebrations at Rick Shores restaurant alongside the sizeable wedding party on day two.

She slipped on a Barbie-pink mini tutu dress, heart shaped sunglasses and a sash that read 'bridesmaid' while partying into the night at a Vegas themed shindig.

The Hollywood star has been making the most of her time in the Gold Coast after returning to her native Australia for the 2024 AACTA Awards.

The Wolf of Wall Street actress touched down in Brisbane, Australia after travelling to her home state by herself in February.

Margot - who hails from Dalby, Queensland - was seen stopping to take selfies with fans and visiting a children's hospital during her time Down Under.

She could not wipe the smile off her face as she walked down the aisle behind the bride while carrying a bouquet of white blooms

Margot looked like she was really getting in the spirit of things as she danced up a storm with the other bridesmaids

The Hollywood star has been making the most of her time in the Gold Coast after returning to her native Australia for the 2024 AACTA Awards

The Barbie actress also paid a surprise visit to the Queensland Children's Hospital where she sweetly spent time with young patients on the cancer ward.

Elsewhere during her trip, Margot also left locals completely stunned as she was seen milling around the local businesses.

She smiled for selfies with staff at Tommy's Italian restaurant in Currumbin as she paid a visit to the eatery, before she was snapped by fans shopping in Southport.

Margot - who has recently seen huge success starring in Barbie and producing Saltburn - received the AACTA Trailblazer Award on February 10.

Margot also kicked up her heels at the celebrations at Rick Shores restaurant alongside the sizeable wedding party on day two

She slipped on a Barbie-pink mini tutu dress, heart shaped sunglasses and a sash that read 'bridesmaid' while partying into the night at a Vegas themed shindig
The actor insisted, 'It's not saying, "Isn't [an age-gap romance] great"'

Martin has defended the flick, stating it was meant to be 'grown-up and nuanced'

Martin Freeman has broken his silence on the fierce backlash surrounding the X-rated scene between him and Jenna Ortega - who is 31 years his junior - in their controversial movie Miller's Girl.

When Miller's Girl premiered in January, many viewers were left extremely 'uncomfortable' thanks to a raunchy scene that showed Martin, 52, and Jenna, 21, getting intimate with one another.

Social media users were in an uproar over it, branding the scene as 'gross' and 'troubling' thanks to their immense age gap.

But now, Martin has defended the flick, explaining to The Times recently that it was meant to be 'grown-up and nuanced.'

Martin Freeman has responded to the fierce backlash surrounding the X-rated scene between him and Jenna Ortega - who is 31 years his junior - in their controversial movie Miller's Girl

When Miller's Girl premiered in January, many viewers were left extremely 'uncomfortable' thanks to a raunchy part that showed Martin, 52, and Jenna, 21, getting intimate with one another

But now, Martin has defended the flick, explaining to The Times recently that it was meant to be 'grown-up and nuanced.' He insisted, 'It's not saying, "Isn't [an age-gap romance] great'

'It's not saying, "Isn't [an age-gap romance] great,"' he insisted.

He told the publication that 'stories about difficult subjects' can be 'tainted by association.'

'And that's a shame. Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?' he added, referring to Steven Spielberg's 1992 film Schindler's List, in which Liam played a businessman who joins the Nazi party during World War II.

In Miller's Girl, Wednesday star Jenna played 18-year-old student Cairo Sweet, while Martin took on the role of her teacher Jonathan Miller.

The film saw the two get tangled in a very complex and inappropriate relationship, that kicks off when Cairo writes a sex story as part of a creative writing assignment given to her by Jonathan.

Racy scenes from this story are then played out on screen by the duo - which left viewers in uproar over the co-stars' age difference.

Amid the scrutiny, intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona revealed exclusively to DailyMail.com that Jenna was totally 'comfortable and sure' about filming the explicit scenes for the movie.

'There were many, many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with, and she was very determined and very sure of what she wanted to do,' Kristina said.

He told the publication that 'stories about difficult subjects' can be 'tainted by association'

'And that's a shame. Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?' he added, referring to Steven Spielberg's 1992 film Schindler's List (seen)

In Miller's Girl, Wednesday star Jenna played 18-year-old student Cairo Sweet, while Martin took on the role of her teacher Jonathan Miller. The cast is seen

'Part of my job too is supporting her decisions. I adapt to whatever is the comfort level of my actors, especially on a production like this where there is a large age gap between the actors.

'I'm hyper aware of both of my talent and making sure that we're consistently checking in and that at no point are any of their boundaries being surpassed.

'And again, making sure - especially with someone who's significantly younger - that they are giving continuous consent.'

Kristina insisted that she had discussed the 'level of nudity' with Jenna and Martin, as well as which 'simulated sex scenes' were required, before talking them through modesty garments and the 'additional barriers' they could use to ensure an 'appropriate distance' was maintained.

The film saw the two get tangled in a very complex and inappropriate relationship, that kicks off when Cairo writes a sex story as part of a creative writing assignment

Amid the backlash, intimacy coordinator Kristina Arjona revealed exclusively to DailyMail.com that Jenna was totally 'comfortable and sure' about filming the explicit scene for the movie

She said: 'There were many people throughout this process, engaging with [Jenna] to make sure that it was consistent with what she was comfortable with.' Jenna is seen with Martin

This information was also given to the actors in a written format 48 hours before the scenes were filmed, but Kristina stressed that they 'also have the option on the day to change their mind if they don't want to do any of the elements that we've discussed.'

She revealed there were ample discussions between cast and crew before the scenes were shot and that test audiences were used to give bosses an idea of what was 'too much.'

'For this film, in particular, because of the sensitivity of the content, they had some different variations of how they wanted to shoot these scenes so that audiences could watch them at test screenings to see what was too much,' she added.

Jenna previously participated in a sex scene for the movie X with Kid Cudi when she was 19 and he was 37.
Amanda Abbington has shed light on the details of her forthcoming wedding to daredevil stuntman Jonathan Goodwin.

The actress, 52, who became engaged to Jonathan within days of meeting in 2021, divulged unique details of the idyllic day to OK! Magazine, including her celebrity maid of honour and the countryside setting.

As well as the location and bridal party, Amanda spoke about how Jonathan's injuries will impact the day. after he was crushed between two burning cars in October 2021 during rehearsals for America's Got Talent: Extreme.

Detailing the big day, Amanda told the publication: ''It's at my friend's house she has a lovely farm, so we're going to do it here in the UK...

'The actress Sue Vincent, who starred in Shameless and Coronation Street, and is my son's godmother, is going to be my maid of honour. We've been friends for over 30 years.'

Amanda Abbington has shed light on the details of her forthcoming wedding to daredevil stuntman Jonathan Goodwin (pictured last year)

She confessed that many elements have not been solidified, saying: 'We don't know yet [whether it will be a big or small affair]...

'We're still planning, and we're just enjoying him getting well and getting fit and strong again. It's been a tough few months, but we're slowly getting back on track.'

Amanda and Jonathan embarked on a whirlwind romance, getting engaged within days of first meeting in 2021.

The pair had previously been friends on social media for a decade, but met only after Amanda had split from The Queen's Gambit actor Jonjo O'Neill, 45, who she dated after her painful split from fellow actor Martin Freeman, 52, after 16 years together.

Whilst they were both in other relationships at the time, Amanda told The Guardian that they 'admired each other's work' and 'occasionally liked each other's tweets.'

As they both became single, their messages became more and more flirtatious until they started dating in August 2021, a couple of months before Jonathan's accident.

Having exchanged messages prior to meeting, Amanda told Hello! in 2021: 'We talked for six hours every day for eight weeks and then finally met in Vienna where I was working in August 2021. After half an hour he proposed and I said yes.'

The actress, 52, who became engaged to Jonathan within days of meeting in 2021, divulged unique details of the idyllic day to OK! Magazine, including her celebrity maid of honour and the countryside setting

She revealed: 'The actress Sue Vincent, who starred in Shameless and Coronation Street , and is my son's godmother, is going to be my maid of honour. We've been friends for over 30 years' (Sue and Amanda pictured last year)

Sue has starred in Coronation Street, Shameless and most recently The Madame Blanc Mysteries

Jonathan said that he had been 'planning' the big event 'already', despite that the fact that they had only been talking for month. Amanda said the proposal felt like 'the most amazing, natural thing in the world.'

The actress said that on the day of the accident, she received a phone call from her fiance which she found strange as he 'always texted.'

Amanda was told that that Jonathan was in 'really bad shape' and had been taken to intensive care.

Jonathan told The Guardian: 'I called Amanda to thank her for the time we had together, in case I didn't see her again.'

Amanda pictured with her ex-husband Martin Freeman in 2014

The escapologist has had an extensive career in television, obtaining his own show, The Incredible Mr.Goodwin, in 2013, where he performed extreme stunts (pictured in 2020)

The daredevil went on to star in the 13th series of Britain's Got Talent in 2019, where he made it to the finals by performing 'buried alive' (pictured)

He then said that due to his life-changing injuries, he wanted to speak to Amanda and give her 'an out.'

'Breaking up never flashed through my mind. I just thanked God he was alive,' Amanda told the outlet.

The loved-up couple now live in Hertfordshire, with the pair announcing in January last year they were to marry in June, but it has not been reported if they have yet tied the knot.

Jonathan was left with life-changing injuries after he was crushed between two burning cars in October 2021 during rehearsals for America's Got Talent : Extreme, at the Atlanta Motor Speedway
Antiques Roadshow expert Frances Christie refused to value a WWII painting during Sunday's episode of the popular BBC show.

Show regular Frances told the guest, who brought in a painting of her uncle, that she didn't feel it was appropriate to put a valuation on the piece.

The show, which was a re-run, was filmed at Ulster Folk Museum and as usual locals flocked to see whether their antiques were secretly worth a fortune.

During the programme, Frances was presented with the watercolour of Father Dan Cummings, who worked as a priest during and after the war.

Frances said: 'This is an incredibly striking portrait of a priest in watercolour and I love how the artist has captured the glint on his glasses. Can you tell us a bit more about the sitter?'

Antiques Roadshow expert Frances Christie (pictured) refused to value a WWII painting during Sunday's episode of the popular BBC show

During the programme, Frances was presented with the watercolour of Father Dan Cummings, who worked as a priest during and after the war (pictured the owner of the painting)

Show regular Frances told the guest, who brought in a painting of her uncle, that she didn't feel it was appropriate to put a valuation on the piece

The guest explained her connection to the subject of the painting, and said: 'The sitter is my uncle, Father Dan Cummings. And he was a Redemptorist priest.

'And when World War II broke out, Ireland was neutral. But then, they got a request for chaplains. So, Dan volunteered and joined the British Army. He was part of the liberation forces at Belsen.'

Frances said: 'And of course, as we now know, Belsen was one of the very large concentration camps in the north of Germany, and it was one of the first to be liberated by British troops.'

Sharing the history of the portrait, the guest said: 'Once the liberation happened, he stayed on in the hospital for one year.

'And during that period, this was painted by one of the inmates, presumably as part of his recuperation and rehabilitation.'

Christie examined the painting, and said: 'Well, it's signed at the top... 'Baumeister, Hans', and dated 1946. So the year after liberation.

'As you say, it must've been part of the period directly afterward when, you know, we all know the story now, (but) it was such a shocking discovery when they liberated Belsen.

'What I think is incredible about this portrait though is that it brings alive - and you're sharing with us - the experiences of clearly someone, from here, who devoted his services and clearly made a real difference.

Frances said: 'This is an incredibly striking portrait of a priest in watercolour and I love how the artist has captured the glint on his glasses. Can you tell us a bit more about the sitter?'

The guest explained her connection to the subject of the painting, and said: 'The sitter is my uncle, Father Dan Cummings. And he was a Redemptorist priest'

'Clearly, I mean the fact that it's signed, "Hans Baumeister", who is an artist that I've never come across before but looking at the portrait, it's really beautifully painted.'

The guest then showed a photo of Father Dan, which prompted Christie to comment: 'I think the artist has really captured his likeness. And, of course, the trademark glasses.

'As the deliberation neared its conclusion, Christie explained: 'In this instance, art really is a symbol of two very different people coming together...

'In terms of value, I mean, this is the Antiques Roadshow, so we usually do put a value on things but I'm not going to put a monetary value on it today because it is so much more important than that.

'Because of its connection with Belsen, because of your uncle being someone from Belfast who was there at the moment of liberation... it has so much more of an important social (and) historical content. Thank you for sharing Father Dan's story with us.'

It isn't the first time an expert has refused to give a valuation, as earlier this month Ronnie Archer-Morgan said he wouldn't give an estimate on an item with links to the slave trade.

Ronnie admitting feeling upset seeing the item and declared he would not 'put a price on something that signifies such an awful business'.

The guest had brought in a disc of ivory, which she revealed she had purchased 36 years ago for 3, which Ronnie revealed came from the slave trade.

He began by issuing a strong statement, telling her: 'I want to make it absolutely clear that myself and we in the Antiques Roadshow wholly, unequivocally disapprove of the trade in ivory.

He continued: 'But this ivory bangle here, it's not about trading in ivory, it's about trading in human life.

It isn't the first time an expert has refused to give a valuation, as earlier this month Ronnie Archer-Morgan said he wouldn't give an estimate on an item with links to the slave trade

Ronnie admitting feeling upset seeing the item and declared he would not 'put a price on something that signifies such an awful business'

The guest had brought in a disc of ivory, which she revealed she had purchased 36 years ago for 3, which Ronnie revealed came from the slave trade

'White Gold': How ivory is linked to the transatlantic slave trade Europeans travelled to Africa in the the sixteenth century in search of rich minerals, including gold, ivory and spices. Ivory, often referred to has 'white gold', was highly valuable to traders. However, as demand for cheap labour on American plantations grew, slaves became their most valuable 'commodity'. Around 12million Africans were enslaved in the transatlantic slave trade The essentially triangular trade route saw merchants export goods to Africa in exchange for slaves and raw materials. They then travelled to the Americas and sold enslaved Africans for sugar, tobacco, cotton and other produce. Powerful African leaders also fuelled the practice by trading enslaved people for alcohol, beads, cloth and other goods. Around 12million Africans were enslaved in the transatlantic slave trade, which saw Britain become the world's leading slave-trading country. British ships transported approximately 3.4 million Africans across the Atlantic between 1640 and 1807. Source: Royal Museums Greenwich Advertisement

'It's probably one of the most difficult things that I've ever had to talk about, but talk about it we must.

'This is an amazing object and a testament to the callous trade that went on in the 17th, 18th, and 19th century.'

When asked where she got the ivory bangle from, the guest revealed she had worked for a family 'looking after them', and when one member died, the item was put up for sale.

Intrigued, she had decided to purchase it, saying: 'I thought it looked interesting. I had no idea what it was.'

Ronnie asked why she had kept it for over three decades, and she replied: 'I had no idea what it was, there was something about it and now I am researching it.

'It said traders and I thought it meant trading in coffee or spices and then I realised it was trading in people.'

Ronnie inspected the disc, pointing to engraved writing around it that showed the name of a person, a ship and the inscription 'honest fellow'.

He revealed the name was of a slave trader and was unable to hide his fury and disgust, saying: 'A despicable human being.

'I think he was an indigenous trader, somebody from Nigeria. He wouldn't have been trading in his own people, it was another nation, another tribe.

'And then we have 'honest fellow'. I'd like to meet him and teach him how honest I think he is.'

He continued by noting: 'These objects are really rare. I know of the existence of about half a dozen of these only. It's extraordinary.

'I mean, this is a document for living proof in a way, the surviving proof that this awful trade went on, and look how beautiful the calligraphy is. The beauty of the calligraphy, it just belies the awfulness of the message.'

The bangle was inscribed with the ship name 'Anna' and the year 1782, with the guest revealing that that particular ship contained 535 slaves.

Ronnie commented: 'Probably all stacked on top of each other, transported across the Atlantic for months on end.

The guest revealed she had worked for a family 'looking after them', when the item was put up for sale and she bought it, saying: 'I thought it looked interesting. I had no idea what it was'

Ronnie inspected the disc, pointing to engraved writing around it that showed the name of a person, a ship and the inscription 'honest fellow'

'The Abolition of Slavery Act wasn't until 1833, spearheaded by William Wilberforce, so this is long before that. This is over 50 years in advance of that, when the trade was rife.'

He added: 'My great-grandmother was a returned slave from Nova Scotia in Canada and came back to Sierra Leone and I actually think it's my cultural duty, our cultural duty to talk about things like this.'

Visibly emotional, Ronnie said: 'I just don't want to value it. I do not want to put a price on something that signifies such an awful business.'

He added: 'But the value is in the lessons that this can tell people. The value is in researching this and what we can find out and I just love you for bringing it to the Roadshow and thank you so much for making me so sad.'

Antiques Roadshow airs on BBC One on Sunday nights at 7pm.

He revealed the name was of a slave trader and was unable to hide his fury and disgust, saying: 'A despicable human being. I'd like to meet him and teach him how honest I think he is'
Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston are set to delve deep into their family history in the fifth series of ITV's DNA Journey.

The Royle Family stars are joining best pals Sam Thompson and Marvin Humes on the exciting new series, alongside four other celebrity pairings.

Jo Brand and Julian Clary, Fay Ripley and Hermione Norris, Sarah Parish and Jimmy Nesbitt plus John Simm and Philip Glenister are also apart of the brand new line-up.

DNA Journey sees the celebrity duos set off in pursuit of where they come from and unearth secrets from their past.

In the new series, the stars will discover life-changing and emotional information about their past in a life-changing and emotional scenes.

Ricky Tomlinson and Sue Johnston are set to delve deep into their family history in the fifth series of ITV 's DNA Journey

The Royle Family stars are joining best pals Sam Thompson and Marvin Humes on the exciting new series, alongside four other celebrity pairings

The celebrities will travel all around the world, from Canada to London and France to Jamaica.

The show cleverly uses advanced DNA technology and genealogy to unlock hidden secrets from their family trees and discover amazing revelations about their descendants.

Louise Major, Commissioning Editor, ITV said: 'DNA Journey is an extraordinary series that offers a unique glimpse into the lives of so many brilliant celebrities.

'It is a privilege to be granted intimate access to their personal journeys and to share their experiences with the audience.

'This series is packed with life-changing revelations and gratifying discoveries that are sure to touch everyones hearts.'

The release date for the brand new series is still unknown.

In last year's series, Oti and Motsi Mabuse broke down in tears as they were finally told information about their grandfather following a DNA test.

The sisters took part in the show Oti and Motsi Mabuses DNA Journey in 2023, in a bid to learn more about their family history.

DNA Journey sees the celebrity duos set off in pursuit of where they come from and unearth secrets from their past (Marvin and Sam pictured)

In the new series, the stars will discover life-changing and emotional information about their past in a life-changing and emotional scenes (Sue and Ricky pictured in The Royle Family in 2008)

The Strictly Come Dancing stars became emotional as they were given medals their grandfather received for his work in the armed forces and they also learned they are distantly related to Nelson Mandela.

In one heartwarming clip from the show, Oti and Motsi wipe away tears as a man gives them their grandfather's family history.

Oti said: 'It's a good thing, it's an amazing thing. Please don't think we're sad. One of the missing pieces that we've missed and needed to hear for so long, it's a beautiful thing. We're so grateful. These are tears of, "Oh my God!"'

The man replied: 'You've got a lot to be proud of and all the good deeds your grandfather has done.'

Motsi then read out some of the honours their grandfather received, saying: 'Defence Medal British, war medal and an African Service medal.'

'We had no idea we had war medals in the family,' she added.

Oti added: 'We've tried and everywhere we looked, there's nothing. That's why we have it in our own heads that there's nothing in our family. You've completely flipped that on its head.'

Motsi said the pair couldn't wait to give the information to their father, who they suspected wouldn't know any of it either.

In last year's series, Oti and Motsi Mabuse broke down in tears as they were finally told information about their grandfather following a DNA test

The sisters took part in the show Oti and Motsi Mabuses DNA Journey in 2023 in a bid to learn more about their family history, learning they are distantly related to Nelson Mandela

In another clip, the sisters spoke to a different man who had examined their DNA and discovered Nelson Mandela is a 'genetic relative' of theirs.

He said: 'Your group, some quite special people belong to your group and are distant genetic relatives of yours.'

Motsi replied: 'Don't say Nelson Mandela.'

The man confirms it was Nelson Mandela, prompting Oti and Motsi to jump up and down with delight as he added: 'And Archbishop Desmond Tutu, both of them.'
Social media star Anna Paul has welcomed a new addition to her family.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the 24-year-old TikTok and OnlyFans creator shared a photo with her new pet - a hairless Sphynx breed kitten.

'What should I name him?' Anna asked in the caption.

Later in the comments, she detailed what she was calling the feline while she settled on a more permanent name.

'Right now I've been calling him 'Pups' (it means fart in German and pronounced 'poopz') but please is it really that hard for me to come up with a respectable name for a kitty?'

Anna Paul has welcomed a hairless Sphynx breed kitten to her family and shared a series of photos to Instagram with her new pet

Many of her 2.4 million followers offered suggestions for the new cat's name, ranging from 'Socks' to 'Cosmo.'

However, others advised the model to keep the temporary name she was using.

'Ma'am, that's the perfect name,' wrote one of her fans.

Another agreed: 'Girl, I think that's perfect,' while someone else also said that 'Pups is perfect.'

Later in the comments, she detailed what she was temporarily calling the feline: 'Right now I've been calling him 'Pups' (it means fart in German and pronounced 'poopz') but please is it really that hard for me to come up with a respectable name for a kitty?'

Many of her 2.4 million followers offered suggestions for the new cat's name, ranging from 'Socks' to 'Cosmo.' Others advised the model to keep the temporary name she was using

Anna's new addition to her household comes after she shared a series of photos from her family holiday, quelling the rumours about her father's wellbeing and alleged lack of support.

Despite the storm of controversy and accusations that have shadowed her, the snaps shared to Instagram revealed a very different story.

The images captured the influencer in high spirits, sporting a striking green and gold bikini, as she revelled in the sun-soaked setting.

Another photo provided a glimpse of familial bonding, with Anna's father, Hanns, and brother Atis unwinding by the pool.

Her father was recently forced to slam claims he is homeless and that Anna does not financially support him despite making millions as a social media star.

Hanns is a nomad and lives and travels around Australia in a modest van.

Anna's racy snap comes after she shared a series of photos from her family holiday , quelling the rumours about her father's wellbeing and alleged lack of support. (Pictured: Anna with her father Hans, brother Atis, and her mother)

Rumours ran rife last month that Hanns struggles to live out of his van while his daughter lives a lavish life filled with overseas trips, fast cars and expensive jewels.

Hanns released a statement to Instagram, slamming the 'gossip' and praising his daughter for being so supportive of his 'dream' lifestyle.

'It has come to my attention that there has been some toxic misinformation going on about my private life and my relationship with my family,' he wrote.

'This is just to set the record straight. I have been living MY dream and my daughter has been nothing but supportive.'
Ant McPartlin has splashed out on his take on a family car as he prepares to welcome his first child with wife Anne-Marie.

The Britain's Got Talent star has been spotted driving an Aston Martin DBX 707 SUV near his London home, with the flash motor setting him back at least 193,000.

The top of the line SUV also currently has a one year waiting list.

Ant was spotted parking his new car on Monday, dressed for the sunshine in shorts, teamed with a gilet and a grey sweatshirt.

Ant and Anne-Marie, who married in 2021, are counting down the weeks until they welcome their first child together.

Ant McPartlin has splashed out on his version of a family car as he prepares to welcome his first child with wife Anne-Marie

The Britain's Got Talent star has been spotted driving an Aston Martin DBX 707 SUV near his London home, with the flash motor setting him back at least 193,000

Ant is set to become a father for the first time in June. The baby will be Ant's first while Anne-Marie has two children from her previous marriage.

But there could be a clash for the excited new dad as Anne-Marie's due date apparently coincides with one of Ant's biggest shows - the live finals of Britain's Got Talent.

Last year's final aired on June 4, with the five live semi finals traditionally taking place nightly in the week leading up to the finale date.

A source has said that the 'timing is causing something of a headache for bosses,' and they are considering having a back up presenter on stand by in case Ant can't be there.

Names in the frame include new This Morning host Cat Deeley or Dancing On Ice's Stephen Mulhern.

'They are considering whether Dec would present alone if Anne-Marie went into labour or, if time allows, a guest presenter could step in,' the source revealed.

'Cat and Stephen, who the lads have worked with in the past, are front-runners.'

Cat hosted SMTV with Ant and Dec from 1998-2001 while Stephen appeared with the duo regularly on Saturday Night Takeaway.

Ant was spotted parking up his new car on Monday, dressed for the sunshine in shorts, teamed with a gilet and a grey sweatshirt

MailOnline contacted ITV for comment at the time.

Last month, Ant broke his silence on becoming a father for the first time in a candid interview as he spoke about taking a break from hosting Saturday Night Takeaway.

Ant opened up about the real reasons for the show's pause in an interview with Fault Magazine as he publicly addressed his wife's pregnancy for the first time.

He said: 'We [he and Declan Donnelly] have both got children that we need to spend time with for a little bit.

'We need time to think and, and time to step back and look at the bigger picture and just see where we are now.'

Dec shares two children - Isla, age five, and Jack, one, with his wife Ali Astall.

It was previously rumoured in December that Anne-Marie could be expecting their first child, after she appeared to be pregnant while returning from a trip to Dubai.

Ant and Anne-Marie, who married in 2021, are counting down the weeks until they welcome their first child together (pictured on April 17)

According to The Sun Ant, who was previously married to makeup artist Lisa Armstrong, had already confided the wonderful news to Dec following weeks of speculation, with a source telling the publication: 'This is the news everyone wanted. Ant and Anne- Marie are beyond delighted.'

'It's no secret that Ant has always wanted children, but that it may never happen for him was something he had, sadly, come to terms with.'

They went on to describe Ant as a 'wonderful doting father' to Anne-Marie's children and said the couple did everything they could to keep the news a secret for as long as possible.

Adding: 'To be having a child two years short of his 50th birthday, with the love of his life, is the stuff of dreams for Ant.'

The TV star credits his wife, who he married in a lavish 500k wedding in 2021, for getting him through his alcohol and prescription drug addictions.
TOWIE's series 33 wrap party reportedly ended in dramas when a massive row erupted between two of the show's lead cast members.

Insiders claim Ella Rae Wise and Harry Derbidge, who is one of the last remaining original stars of the show which has been on-screen for 14 years, were at loggerheads in a huge argument in front of their staggered co-stars.

Ella has been at the forefront of the series' storyline thanks to her romance with Dan Edgar, fresh from his split from Harry's pal Amber Turner.

Sources claim the root of the issue stemmed from Harry's growing friendship with 'Girl Band' - the self-Christened name for Amber and her long-time pals Chloe Meadows, Courtney Green and Elma Pazar.

A source told The Sun: 'Ella and Harry's relationship has become strained ever since he grew friendly with girl band and she started dating Dan. The row had been building up for a while and after a discussion was brought up, it ended badly.'

TOWIE's series 33 wrap party reportedly ended in dramas when a massive row erupted between two of the show's lead cast members

Insiders claim Ella Rae Wise and Harry Derbidge (pictured), who is one of the last remaining original stars of the show which has been on-screen for 14 years, were at loggerheads in a huge argument in front of their staggered co-stars

Ella's romance with Dan began in Bali, after Amber accused the pair of sharing a flirtation in the late stages of her relationship with Dan, which ended last year

Ella's romance with Dan began in Bali, after Amber accused the pair of sharing a flirtation in the late stages of her relationship with Dan, which ended last year.

The pair have protested claims of acrimony, however accusations of cheating have plagued the duo and things have remained tense.

Now however, Ella's romance has now impacted her own friendship, as the insider went on: 'There were a lot of things said in the heat of the moment, with Ella questioning Harry's loyalty...

'It even split up their friends who took sides in the clash. Now no one's sure if they'll be able to make up and go back to how they were before.'

MailOnline has contacted Ella, Harry and TOWIE for comment.

News of the fight comes after it alleged that Amber snubbed the end of series wrap party after she stopped filming the last series early.

Amber reportedly snubbed the Only Way Of Essex end of series wrap party after she stopped filming the last series early

The star, 30, made the decision to walk away from the programme after 'struggling to cope with Dan and Ella's romance.

And it seems Amber was in no mood to bid farewell to her co-stars as she apparently skipped the series' recent wrap party as well. Amber left filming and headed to Dubai to put her past relationship woes as the rest of the cast continued filming.

A source told The Sun: 'Amber wanted to make it known she'd quit the show early this series to head off to Dubai so snubbed the finale party. Everyone else was there and it was a really special event, but Amber left everyone to it...

'It was a relief for some of the cast who couldn't be bothered facing any drama.'

Amber and Dan have been in an on-off relationship since 2017, after meeting on the set of TOWIE, but called it quits in May of last year.
Losses from battery unit offset by gains from refining, chemical businesses

By Park Jae-hyuk

SK Innovation has decided to slow down its investments in the battery sector, following LG Energy Solution and POSCO Future M, both of which also postponed their investments amid decelerating global demand for electric vehicles (EVs), the oil refiner said Monday.

The decision came as SK Innovations battery unit, SK On, recorded a 331.5 billion won ($241 million) operating loss during the first quarter, after an 18.6 billion won loss during the previous quarter. Its revenue also dropped 49 percent year-on-year to 1.68 trillion won due to falling sales volume and price.

The overall revenue of SK Innovation fell 1.5 percent year-on-year to 18.9 trillion won, but its operating profit rose 67 percent to 624.7 billion won, thanks to the rising refining margin after the global oil price hike.

Because we will flexibly adjust the timing of increasing our facilities in Europe and China to cope with an unfavorable business environment, we anticipate improvement in (the battery units) profitability, SK Innovation Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Kim Jin-won said during a conference call on first-quarter earnings.

In particular, SK On delayed the start of its third Hungarian factorys operation to the second quarter from the first quarter. The battery firm also lowered an outlook on its overall production capacity.

During the conference call, SK Innovation also confirmed the ongoing rebalancing of its business portfolio, although it did not disclose details about its plan. It was presumed the refiner would merge SK On and its lubricant unit, SK Enmove, to list the entity on the stock market.

We are trying to gain momentum for growth by sorting out businesses we should focus on, Kim said.

SK Innovation also remained optimistic about the goal of making its first-ever quarterly operating profit from its battery business during the second half of this year, despite SK Ons worsening profitability.

We expect an improvement in market conditions due to an increase in advanced manufacturing production credit following sales growth in the U.S. and the release of new EVs, SK On CFO Kim Kyung-hun said.

In response to concerns about possible setbacks in crude supply amid conflicts in the Middle East, SK Innovation said there is a slim chance of a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, considering similar geopolitical risks in the past.

Even if the strait is blocked, we can detour to another route to ship crude oil, the SK Innovation CFO said.

Regarding S&P Globals decision last month to lower the credit ratings of SK Innovation and its petrochemical unit, SK Geo Centric, to BB+ from BBB-, the company said the downgrades will have a limited impact, as its subsidiaries have raised money in the domestic market.
Hoda Kotb left her Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager red-faced on Monday morning after she accused her of coming on too strong when she first met husband Henry Hager 20 years ago.

The duo were discussing Keith Urban's comments about feeling 'scared and nervous' to ask Nicole Kidman out on a date, when Jenna, 42, began reminiscing about when she met her now husband during the 2004 presidential campaign.

'But you made the first move, so he didn't have to right?' Hoda, 59, asked as Jenna replied: 'Exactly,' before retracting and adding: 'No, I didn't really make the first move but kind of... I mean, it was clear.'

'But you know what I like about you, when you like something or want something, you say it, you don't hide it, you don't try to be coy with it, you just say it,' Hoda commented as Jenna admitted: 'Yes, but I sort of held back a little bit and kind of kept my options open a little...'

Hoda Kotb left Jenna Bush Hager red-faced on Monday after she accused her of coming on too strong when she first met her husband

Mother-of-three Jenna admitted that she 'kind of' made the first move when she met her husband 20 years ago

Jenna met Henry Chase Hager during her father George W. Bush's 2004 presidential campaign

Jenna, pictured here with Henry in August 2023, said she 'retracted a little' when she first met him

Hoda wasn't convinced though as Jenna told her: 'Don't give me that look!' as the mother-of-two light-heartedly accused: 'You did not! You practically proposed to him on date three!'

Jenna fired back: 'Well, I did but that was after I knew he was caught,' as Hoda responded: 'Wait, so first you catch and then you take some time back to look?'

'No, no, at the beginning, yes, I kind of made the first move, and then I retracted a little,' Jenna explained, as Hoda asked her why she did that.

'Because I read the rules!' Jenna replied, as Hoda and the camera crew burst out laughing.

Attempting to explain herself, Jenna continued: 'And I think that you've got to play it... I know that's an annoying thing, but if you act like you're all crazy about somebody... if I had proposed [on] date one, that might have been too strong.'

'But they do say the deal is, is you move in a quarter of the way and let him come three quarters, and then you just old your one quarter,' Hoda claimed as Jenna admitted: 'Well, I didn't hold it! I came all in!'

She then asked Hoda: 'Okay, have you ever been intimidated to make a first move?'

Hoda replied: 'If I really like somebody, I'll say something like, "oh, I hope we have another date," I don't mind saying that.

The duo were discussing Keith Urban's comments about feeling 'scared and nervous' to ask Nicole Kidman out on a date, when Jenna, 42, began reminiscing

Henry and Jenna got engaged in November 2007 and married in May the following year

The couple pictured with their three children - Mila, 11, Poppy, eight, and four-year-old Hal

'I'm not like, "so is he going to call me?" I think it's good to put it out there but I do think just basic human nature is when something is gushing 100 miles an hour, you back up, and when something is dripping, sadly, you lean in.

'So, it's got to be somewhere in the middle, you deserve a lot,' she added.

'And then as soon as they're caught, you can propose, but give them a couple of months!' Jenna joked.

Jenna and Henry got engaged in November 2007 after he asked President Bush for his permission.

The wedding took place during a private ceremony on May 10, 2008, at Jenna's parents' Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas.

The happy couple are now parents to daughters Mila, 11, and Poppy, eight, and four-year-old son Hal.
Emily Ratajkowski showcased her incredibly toned midriff in a white crop top while stepping out in New York City on Sunday afternoon.

While embracing the beautiful spring weather, the model, 32, cut a stylish figure in a green leopard-print maxi skirt, red Puma sneakers and a pair of oversized black sunglasses.

She accessorized her cool girl ensemble with a gold necklace, a black quilted purse, worn over her shoulder and two diamond divorce rings, made from the engagement ring she received from her ex-husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, in 2018.

Additionally, the best-selling author sported a gold and diamond ring with her son Sly's name on it.

Emily Ratajkowski showcased her incredibly toned midriff in a white crop top while stepping out in New York City on Sunday afternoon

Emily was also spotted in a second, more laid-back look as she stepped out in New York

Her dark brunette locks looked sleek and shiny as they cascaded past her shoulders in loose waves.

For her laid-back outing, the mother-of-one sported a nude matte lipstick, blush and bronzer for a sun-kissed glow.

Ratajkowski shared a snap of her look on Instagram as well as other recent pictures from her life lately, including a snap lounging in bed while rocking a navy New York Rangers, from the sustainable clothing brand Rebalance Vintage.

'A woman doing girl things,' she captioned her slideshow, which featured a selfie of her drinking a glass of white wine at home and another in a red lace bra and light grey sweatpants.

Last month, she rang in her little boy's third birthday.

Ratajkowski welcomed her son in March of 2021, and she shares him with her former spouse.

The former couple tied the knot after just a few weeks of dating in 2018, although they separated in 2022.

The author has since been linked to various individuals, including Harry Styles and Eric Andre.

While embracing the beautiful spring weather, the model, 32, cut a stylish figure in a green leopard print-colored maxi skirt, red Puma sneakers and a pair of oversized black sunglasses

She accessorized her cool girl ensemble with a gold necklace, a black quilted purse, worn over her shoulder and two diamond divorce rings, made from the engagement ring she received from her ex-husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, in 2018

Additionally, the best-selling author sported a gold and diamond ring with her son Sly's name on it

Her dark brunette locks looked sleek and shiny as they cascaded past her shoulders in loose waves

Ratajkowski spoke about her love life during an interview for HommeGirls, where she stated that she was fully open to the prospect of dating a woman.

The model remarked via Elle that she was simply 'waiting for the right one to come along. I've always been someone who's more attracted to vibe than specifics of physicality.'

She added: 'Sometimes it'll just randomly hit me, and I'll be like, "Whoa, I'm attracted to this person!"'

The Gone Girl actress also stated that she had raised her standards for dating over the past few years.

For her laid-back outing, the mother-of-one sported a nude matte lipstick, blush and bronzer for a sun-kissed glow

Ratajkowski shared a snap of her look on Instagram as well as other recent pictures from her life lately, including multiple snaps lounging in bed

'[The] younger version of myself would have prob settled for some mid dude...Glad I'm not in that era anymore,' she said.

Earlier this month, she sparked romance rumors with film executive Noah Sacco after they were seen kissing after a dinner date in New York City.

Sacco, 37, is the head of film at production company, A24.

He started at A24 as a production and acquisitions executive not long after the company was founded in April 2012.

Her second ensemble consisted of a crop top and grey athletic shorts

She trekked across the street in her flashy sneakers

A cap kept her protected from the sun

The model pictured in a navy New York Rangers, from the sustainable clothing brand Rebalance Vintage

'A woman doing girl things,' she captioned her slideshow, which featured a selfie of her drinking a glass of white wine at home and another in a red lace bra and light grey sweatpants

'A woman doing girl things,' she captioned her slideshow, which featured her wearing red lace bra and light grey sweatpants

Another image showed her drinking a glass of white wine

A24 is responsible for numerous critically acclaimed films including multiple Oscar winner, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Moonlight and Midsommar.

Ratajkowski has had a brief career in film, with her movie appearances including 2014's Gone Girl with Ben Affleck and 2018's Welcome Home with Aaron Paul.

Following her break-up with ex-husband Sebastian Bear McClard, Emily has enjoyed a string of high profile dates with stars, including Pete Davidson.

Most recently, Emily enjoyed a passionate PDA session in Paris with actor and comedian Stephane Bak as the pair stepped out together in October.

Emily and Sebastain split amid accusations that he was a 'serial cheater'.

A source told Page Six at the time claimed he is a 'serial cheater', adding: 'Yeah, he cheated. He's a serial cheater. It's gross. He's a dog.'
The View host Whoopi Goldberg appeared to fight back tears as she defended students protesting at colleges across the country and claimed it was 'one of the great rights as an American to stand up and say something's wrong.'

There have been more than 700 arrests by police breaking up the protests, which last week spread across the US to at least 76 universities and rising, with Columbia University warning protesting students on Monday to disperse or face suspension as their encampment rages on for a 14th day.

As Whoopi, 68, discussed the ongoing protests with her cohosts on Monday's episode of ABC show, the studio fell quiet as she bowed her head and composed herself before saying: 'Since I haven't said anything, I'm sorry, I do have to do this.

'It is one of the great rights as an American to stand up and say something's wrong. Regardless of what your color is, if you are a woman, man, it doesn't matter, and we must teach our people how to be on the lookout. Part of our problem is the media takes what is the best clickbait.'

Whoopi Goldberg appeared to fight back tears during Monday's The View as she defended students protesting at colleges across the US

Columbia University students gather to march and rally in support of a protest encampment on campus supporting Palestinians on April 29

Many students camped out on the campus of Columbia University last week

Demonstrators face off with NYPD officials outside the main entrance of Columbia University on April 24

She continued: 'So you see the same posters or you see the same people, but you don't see the folks who are doing peaceful stuff and saying, "Here's what we want to do."

'I would caution the media to be very careful about what they're doing and how they're handling this because what they seem to be doing is pushing a narrative that people are pushing against, which students are pushing against, which I'm thrilled to see because I like when students get mad and say, "We want a change made."'

It seems that the Sister Act star had initially promised The View's executive producer Brian Teta that she wouldn't make a speech. She then added: 'Unfortunately, I see that Brian is side-eyeing me, and he's starting to get annoyed because I said I wasn't going to say anything,' before she joked: 'So he knows me for the liar that I am.'

However, Whoopi wasn't the only one on the panel who felt passionate about the topic as Sunny Hostin argued: 'I think we need to shift the framing of these college protests back, in my view.

'I think college campuses have been the place for anti-war protests for as far as I can remember. I think recent protests haven't even reached the scale of the major student protest that we saw in the late 1960s against the Vietnam War, or even the 1980s against South Africa's practice of apartheid.

'We saw calls during apartheid to divest from South African companies, and that was very successful. Nelson Mandela said he believed that's what led in many respects to South Africa being freed from that system, and so I think these are anti-war protests, and I think it's very distressing that we are framing these as pro-Palestinian protests or pro-Israeli protests.'

Mother-of-two Sunny continued: 'These are anti-war protests, and the students that I have spoken to at many of the Ivy League schools are telling me this is a humanitarian crisis.

'What we also don't talk enough about is the fact that 35,000, mainly women and children that are Palestinians, have been murdered.'

At one point, Whoopi bowed her head and appeared to take a moment to compose herself

Sunny Hostin argued that 'we need to shift the framing of these college protests'

Ana Navarro (left) and Alyssa Farah Griffin also joined in on the conversation with Sunny

She added: 'What we also don't talk about, I think enough, is that for some reason the discussion of against Israel's policies which the U.N. has called war crimes, which the International Criminal Court is investigating as war crimes, what we don't say is these are people, these are civilians, and we must protect them.'

Earlier on, Whoopi had said to the panel: 'Obviously, and let's be very clear about this, no one supports any anti-Semitic hate speech, and students fearing for their safety, but do they have the right to peacefully protest about ending violence?

'Isn't this part of being an American, and also standing up when you see something that's wrong?'

Former White House aide Alyssa Farah Griffin then decided to respond and have her say.

'Well, that is the fundamental question. There's a right to free speech and a right to assembly, but Jews also have a right to feel safe on college campuses,' the 34-year-old began.

'Here's what I will say, as a Lebanese American I'm disgusted at seeing Hezbollah flags, a terrorist organization, fly on American college campuses, and I understand that these young people are coming out protesting for peace, protesting for a ceasefire.

'But I also want to say, there was a ceasefire before October 7th. Israel has proposed two since then, Hamas has rejected them, and Hamas' own charter in Article 13 states that it rejects any peaceful solutions, any negotiated pieces.

Sara Haines shared her frustration at students' education being affected and urged universities to 'step up'

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik issued a statement saying many Jewish students have been forced out of the campus because of the 'intolerable' atmosphere created

Columbia University has asked demonstrators to sign a document agreeing to 'voluntarily leave by 2pm' Monday - or be evicted from the camp and suspended from the Ivy League

'And beyond that, we have seen this language go into something that is far more radical, anti-Semitic, saying that Jews do not have a place on campus.

'I spoke to the brother of Alex Edelman, he had a yarmulke ripped off on campus, he had somebody grab his neck simply for existing as a Jew.

'People need to call this out, Jews are living in fear of white nationalists on one side and far-leftists, who are frankly siding with terrorists in some cases, on the other side.'

Sara Haines chimed in and shared her frustration at students' education being affected and urged universities to 'step up.'

'That's the part that bothers me is there are parents everywhere that just want their kids that want their kids to learn. We have graduations being canceled, we have in-session classes being canceled,' she said.

'The college should provide the forum, they should not put the finger on the scale. We should be encouraging young people to be uncomfortable with thoughts, critically think, protest all the things, but you also have to make sure it doesn't cross into lawlessness, chaos, and violence, and it is crossing over into that right now on a lot of these campuses.'
Supermodel Irina Shayk is not shy when it comes to showing off her incredible figure in magazines and modelling campaigns.

So it was no surprise to see the 38-year-old posing in her underwear for a sultry selfie this week.

The Russian stunner turned heads by posing in lacy black lingerie and matching thigh high stockings.

She struck a provocative pose by turning around to flaunt her derriere. In another image, Irina donned a low-cut red bra that highlighted her cleavage.

This post comes amid claims she wants to date Tom Cruise because he is famous, good looking and rich.

'Irina is looking in Europe and in the USA,' a source told Page Six on Wednesday. 'She is shopping, but her dating pool is a tiny group of people. She needs famous, good looking and money. How many of those are there? Five, 10?'

Supermodel Irina Shayk left little to the imagination by stripping down to lingerie for a saucy selfie on Instagram

In another image, the 38-year-old donned a low-cut red bra that highlighted her cleavage

This new post received over 130,000 likes within an hour of being shared to Instagram.

Shayk shares daughter Lea with her former partner Bradley Cooper, whom she first began seeing in 2015.

She was formerly engaged to professional athlete Cristiano Ronaldo, although they split up in January of 2015.

The supermodel and the 49-year-old actor welcomed their daughter in March of 2017, and they ultimately separated in 2019.

The former couple have remained on friendly terms ever since their split and are co-parenting their child together.

Cooper has since been linked to Gigi Hadid, whom he first began seeing in October of last year.

Shayk spoke about co-parenting with Cooper during an interview with Elle magazine and told the outlet that they wanted to instill good values in their child.

The Russian stunner looked sensational in another selfie that she posted

The model's cleavage spilled out of her top as she posed in front of an art piece

This post comes amid claims she wants to date Tom Cruise because he is famous , good looking and rich. 'Irina is looking in Europe and in the USA,' a source told Page Six on Wednesday. 'She is shopping, but her dating pool is a tiny group of people. She needs famous, good looking and money. How many of those are there? Five, 10?' Seen in February

'We want her to know the value of stuff. We want to show our daughter, "You have to work hard to get something,"' she said.

The supermodel also stated that she, as well as the actor, 'always find a way' to spend time with their child despite their busy schedule.

'We both take Lea everywhere with us. Two days ago, I had to go to the gym, so I just got her a drawing book and said, "Mama's working out." She was drawing for an hour,' she said.

Shayk then spoke highly of her former partner and commended his parenting skills.

'He's the best father Lea and I could dream of. It always works, but it always works because we make it work,' she stated.
Rachel McAdams was serving a stylish - and familiar looking - ensemble as she arrived to Good Morning America in New York on Monday.

The Mean Girls actress, 45, channeled Trinity from The Matrix as she stepped out into the Big Apple ahead of her morning show appearance.

She worked a brown leather turtleneck top and matching skirt with thigh-high slit along with a pair of edgy jet black shades - a look aligning with Trinity's style.

Rachel - who is making her Broadway debut in Mary Jane - beamed as she emerged from her car and looked absolutely radiant for her day of press.

She stunned with a head full of loose waves and a polished complexion consisting of blush and lipstick.

Rachel McAdams was serving a stylish - and familiar looking - ensemble as she arrived to Good Morning America in New York on Monday

McAdams' outfit resembled the one Trinity famously donned in The Matrix franchise

Further glamming up the look was a classic black handbag by Brandon Blackwood and strappy heels.

Once inside the studio, Rachel opened up about making her Broadway debut in Mary Jane.

The Manhattan Theatre Club play Mary Jane follows a single mother of a toddler with cerebral palsy.

The story revolves around her and her relationship with her unlikely support system of women  including her building superintendent, a Buddhist nun and a Facebook friend  as they care for each other through the struggles.

The play opened on April 23 and is set to run until June 16.

'Mary Jane' is a play about a single mom who lives in Jackson Heights, New York, and she's raising her young boy Alex, who's [2 1/2 years old], and he has very special needs that need a lot of help,' she told Good Morning America.

'It's about the village that she finds that helps her raise her son and keeps her going. She's a really incredible, resilient woman who finds joy in every aspect of her life, especially with her son.'

McAdams, who plays a nurse, had a link the role long before she was ever cast.

She worked a brown leather turtleneck top and matching skirt with thigh-high slit along with a pair of edgy jet black shades

McAdams beamed as she emerged from the vehicle carrying a black Brandon Blackwood handbag

'My mom was a nurse, so I sort of got a small taste of what it is to be a health care worker and care deeply, and sort of be stuck in a system that maybe isn't always in support of the best care,' she said.

'It's really rewarding though. She's such an amazing character -- I love going out there every night and finding something new with my amazing castmates.'

Following a special performance of the play earlier this month, she told People: 'I feel so honored to be here.'

'Broadway was something I'd always wanted to do but felt really intimated by. So to be standing on that stage feels like the completion of a longtime dream.'

The Manhattan Theatre Club play Mary Jane follows a single mother of a toddler with cerebral palsy

Rachel explained she still gets nervous despite preparation but she 'embraces' a healthy amount to help make her performance 'more vibrant.'

'I'm less nervous now, but they're still there,' she explained.

'I still get nervous every night,' she added. 'And that's OK! We know that there's a certain amount of nerves that's good and propels you forward and just makes the performance that much more vibrant, so you want to keep some of them.

'I'm embracing the nerves! It's just new, right? It's like starting a new job  you're always nervous the first day, no matter what it is, and then you get into the groove,' she continued. 'I feel like I'm finding my feet.'
The Valley stars Jesse and Michelle Lally aren't wasting any time moving on since calling it quits on their marriage last October.

Dailymail.com can confirm that real estate agent Jesse is now dating glamorous philanthropist Lacy Nicole.

While the couple have been trying to keep their romance out of the spotlight, they finally made their red carpet debut on Saturday at Sparkle's Drag Spectacular at the Comedy Chateau in Hollywood.

The pair were there to support friend Jared Lipscomb, who was performing to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

A number of celebrities came out to support the good cause, including The Valley's Janet and Jason Caperna, Vanderpump Rules' Ariana Madix, and Real Housewives of Orange County star Gina Kirschenheiter.

The Valley's Jesse Lally went red carpet official with new girlfriend Lacy Nicole at Sparkle's Drag Spectacular at the Comedy Chateau in Hollywood on Saturday

The pair were there to support friend Jared Lipscomb, who was there to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The Valley's Janet and Jason Caperna also attended

Lacy, who is based in Orange County, is a well known socialite and philanthropist with her own foundation benefitting people suffering from trauma and PTSD.

She's well connected in the charity scene and is friends with several Bravolebrities, including Real Housewives stars Gretchen Rossi and Caroline Stanbury.

However, despite her blonde bombshell looks and hectic social life, Lacy has no plans to follow Jesse into the world of reality television.

'She's not interested in reality TV and has zero interest in appearing on The Valley,' said a source.

'Plus, their relationship is still pretty new at this stage,' they added.

The source also insisted that there's no bad blood between Lacy and Jesse's estranged wife Michelle.

'She loves Michelle and thinks she's great - there's no issues from her end.'

Lacy, who is based in Orange County, is a well known socialite and philanthropist with her own foundation benefitting people suffering from trauma and PTSD

Michelle and Jesse's marriage woes have been playing out all season on The Valley

While Jesse is enjoying his budding romance with Lacy, Michelle has moved on with hunky financial advisor Aaron Nosler.

Michelle has also tried to keep her new squeeze under wraps, but she finally made things Instagram official over the weekend by sharing photos of the two of them enjoying a pool day with friends.

The pair didn't hide their affection and were more than happy to cuddle up for a photo together.

Michelle's three-year-old daughter Isabelle, who she shares with Jesse, was also present.

According to Michelle, she and Jesse officially split last October, shortly after filming the first season of The Valley.

In an episode of the show that aired last week, Michelle was accused by co-star Kristen Doute of having a 'secret boyfriend' that she'd been seeing behind Jesse's back.

It's still unclear whether or not there's any truth to the accusations, but it looks like the topic will be explored further on upcoming episodes of the series.

While Jesse is enjoying his budding romance with Lacy, Michelle has moved on with hunky financial advisor Aaron Nosler

The pair didn't hide their affection and were more than happy to cuddle up for a photo together over the weekend

In another episode, some of the cast questioned the brunette's faithfulness after she was caught spending time with an A-list director at celeb hotspot the Chateau Marmont.

'Michelle always claims she doesn't know who famous people are. But she was going out with that director, she was going out with him for a couple days straight,' Jax Taylor told producers.

'She goes to the Chateau [Marmont] every day from her house and she happened to meet him at the pool and they get along,' he continued.

'It turned out to be another day. And then another day - like, you don't think this is peculiar? I know she's a real estate agent so this is a potential customer. Jesse doesn't seem too bothered by it. I don't know whether I believe it or not.'

While Bravo censored the director's name to protect his identity, it was implied that he was a huge name in Hollywood.

A furious Michelle later shut down the rumors on social media after the episode went to air.

'Part of my job as a real estate agent is to network and build relationships. It had absolutely nothing to do with dating anyone,' she snapped.

Michelle has been accused of having a 'secret boyfriend' while still married to Jesse, but it's unclear if there's any truth to the accusations

The couple officially split for good back in October, but waited until The Valley premiere to announce it publicly

Michelle and Jesse announced their split to Us Weekly last month right before The Valley premiered on Bravo.

The former couple share three-year-old daughter Isabella Bunny.

In a recent episode of The Valley, Michelle admitted that she'd been unhappy in the marriage since Isabella was born.

The series has followed the pair as they attend therapy in a bid to save their marriage.

Jesse broke down in tears on the show, telling his wife that he wanted their relationship to work.

The Valley is a spin-off of Bravo's Vanderpump Rules and stars a number of familiar faces from the series, including Kristen Doute and Jax Taylor.
Jenna Dewan celebrated her first love - dance - on Monday is a new video shared to social media.

The 43-year-old expectant mom, who attended her friend's baby shower over the weekend, showcased her baby bump in a dance clip.

The Rookie Star is pregnant with her third child. It is her second with fiance Steve Kazee, 48.

The couple share a son named Callum, age four.

'Dance: my all time first true love #internationalsanceday,' she wrote next to the snippet.

Jenna Dewan, 43, showcased her baby bump as she celebrated her love for dance in a video on social media on Monday

The star twirled around her patio wearing a long, sheer cream-toned skirt with a sleeveless white crop top and a brown sweater.

The Take the Lead star performed her choreography barefoot and wore her long, dark locks in loose waves, while demonstrating her flexibility.

The Let's Get Physical star has passed on her love for performing to her daughter Everly, 10, whom she shares with ex-husband Channing Tatum, 44.

The youngster has apparently fallen in love with Irish Dance as was part of a team from the Celtic Dance Academy who performed on The Jennifer Hudson Show for St. Patrick's Day.

'It's her biggest, hugest passion,' the proud mom said on The Kelly Clarkson Show in January.

The youngster was inspired to jump in with both feet after seeing a Riverdance video. 'She looked at me and was like... I want to do this. Find me a dance.. and she became obsessed,' after taking lessons, she said.

Dewan and Tatum have been working to keep their co-parenting relationship cordial, in spite of the lawsuit the Dewan filed against her ex-husband over his Magic Mike earnings.

In court papers the Soundtrack actress alleged her former spouse and his business partners 'created a complex web of LLCs' for business activities to 'dilute and conceal the value of the film franchise's assets.'

The 43-year-old expectant mom twirled around her patio wearing a long, sheer cream toned skirt with a sleeveless white crop top and a brown sweater. The Take the Lead star performed her choreography barefoot and wore her long, dark locks in loose waves

The Rookie star displayed her flexibility during the quick dance

She could also be seen in the reflection of the window

In an earlier post, she shared this photo where she had her hand on her belly

Jenna with Steve Kazee at the FASHION TRUST U.S. Awards 2024 on April 9 in LA

The pair were married during the time Tatum made 2012's Magic Mike and 2015's Magic Mike XXL. Tatum is now engaged to actress Zoe Kravitz.

Dewan claims all of this was done without her spousal consent, according to the filing and appears to be seeking an 'equal division' of the proceeds.

The actress said Magic Mike, its two sequels and other related projects had been 'developed and co-financed by Channing during [the] marriage with community effort and marital funds.'

Unless the two can meet an amicable settlement, they will have to present their cases in court December 8.
George Clooney is making a directing return for his new TV British thriller drama, which will start filming this summer in London.

The Hollywood icon, 62, will be directing the Paramount+ thriller starring fellow actor Michael Fassbender, 47.

London's Belgravia, one of the poshest area of the city, will serve as the stunning location.

A TV insider told The Sun: 'These rather posh streets will provide the backdrop for the thriller, which sees a spy return home from working in the field only to struggle to readjust to life.

'It's likely to have a similar feel to the TV and movie versions of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which also delved into the world of espionage in London.'

George Clooney is making a directing return for his new TV British thriller drama, which will start filming this summer in London (pictured last December)

The Hollywood icon, 62, will be directing the Paramount+ thriller starring fellow actor Michael Fassbender, 47 (pictured at MFW in 2024)

The new thriller show is an adaptation of Eric Rochant's show The Bureau, which was quite a big hit when it was streamed in France from 2015 to 2020.

Residents of the Belgravia's Eaton Square have already been already contacted and offered money compensation to allow them to shoot scenes outside of their homes.

The Ocean's Twelve alum chose to go back to his beloved Britain, as he previously lived in the quiet village of Sonning, Berkshire, with his second wife Amal, 46.

Last year he relocated to France, but it seems England keeps having a special place in his heart.

And stay assured George has his hands full on deck as he juggled filming duties, and just earlier this month he was seen filming his upcoming Netflix film with co-star Isla Fisher.

The Australian actress, 48, was spotted filming for the Noah Baumbach comedy Jay Kelly with George in a wood in Hampshire.

She could be seen smiling as the actor, dressed in a cream linen suit, placed a kiss on her cheek during a take.

The plot details for the new blockbuster have been tightly kept under wraps, but it has been described as a 'funny and emotional coming-of-age film about adults.'

The Ocean's Twelve alum chose to go back to his beloved Britain, as he previously lived in the quiet village of Sonning, Berkshire, with his second wife Amal, 46 (pictured together in December last year)

Just earlier this month he was seen filming his upcoming Netflix film with co-star Isla Fisher, who split from her famous husband Sascha Baron Cohen last month following 14 years of marriage

The pair were joined by co-star Patrick Wilson, 50, and the cast also includes Adam Sandler, 57, Laura Dern, 57, Jim Broadbent, 74, and Billy Crudup, 55.

Earlier this month Isla announced her split from her husband Sascha Baron Cohen, 52, days after actress Rebel Wilson, 44, accused the English comedian of harassment.

The Pitch Perfect star made the allegations in her memoir, Rebel Rising, regarding the actor's behaviour on the set of 2016 comedy The Brothers Grimsby.
Veteran news presenter Sandra Sully was left red-faced after she accidentally misread an autocue on Monday night's edition of 10 News First.

Sully, 59, was reporting on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's hate speech court battle against Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi when a slip of the tongue saw her read the word 'racist' as 'rapist'.

Reading the Sydney bulletin, Sully said: 'Plus, Pauline Hanson in court. Why the One Nation leader has been forced to fight claims that she is a rapist.'

Sully quickly corrected herself, saying: 'Racist, I apologise. And correct, racist.'

Ms Faruqi is suing Ms Hanson over a comment she made on X (then Twitter) in September 2022, telling her to 'p*** off back to Pakistan' following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Veteran news presenter Sandra Sully, 59, (pictured) was left red faced after she accidentally reported Pauline Hanson is fighting claims she is a 'rapist' in a humiliating live TV blooper on Monday's edition of 10 News First

A five-day trial in the Federal Court kicked off on Monday, in which Ms Faruqi alleged Ms Hanson had engaged in racial discrimination via her tweet.

Under cross-examination, Ms Faruqi reiterated she stands against all racism, but Ms Hanson's high-powered silk Sue Chrysanthou SC argued she is selective in her advocacy.

'I'll be putting to her that she's a hypocrite and that she's only against certain forms of racism,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi (left) is suing Ms Hanson (right) over a comment she made on X in September 2022, telling her to 'p*** off back to Pakistan' after the death of the Queen

She honed in on social media posts made by Ms Faruqi's son, Nine journalist Osman Faruqi, which she told the court were offensive to white people.

One tweet read: 'Mediocre white people should be in the bin but instead they own everything and are every-f***ing-where.'

Asked whether she thought the post constituted racism, Ms Faruqi said: 'I don't.'

Ms Hanson (left) and Ms Chrysanthou (right) are seen leaving the Supreme Court in Sydney during her case against Ms Faruqi on Monday

'You don't consider it racist?' Ms Chrysanthou asked again.

Ms Faruqi argued that racism 'is about people's ethnicity and skin colour. It is about who holds power in this country or anywhere else in the world.'

She added: 'It is tied to who holds the power and has the authority, to perpetrate racism. In this country, the power is held by white people.'

Ms Chrysanthou honed in on social media posts made by Ms Faruqi's son, Nine journalist Osman Faruqi (pictured), which she told the court were offensive to white people

But she accepted that critics often share that particular post on her own social media platforms and express anger about the sentiment.

Just moments earlier, Ms Faruqi had again insisted she stands against racism, 'without qualifying' precisely what that meant.

Ms Chrysanthou said: 'She redefined racism to only, apparently, include some minorities. It's hard to understand that decision.

The back-and-forth kicked off following the death of the Queen (pictured) in September 2022

'I wish to explore what she considers to be inappropriate racism, or what is acceptable racism.'

Ms Hanson's defence is built upon her belief that she made a 'fair comment' in response to Ms Faruqi's criticism of the Queen.

Just hours after the Queen's death, Ms Faruqi wrote: 'Condolences to those who knew the Queen.

'I cannot mourn the leader of a racist empire built on stolen lives, land and wealth of colonised peoples.

'We are reminded of the urgency of Treaty with First Nations, justice and reparations for British colonies and becoming a republic.'

Hanson wrote, 'You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It's clear you're not happy, so pack your bags and p*** off back to Pakistan'

Five hours later, senator Hanson responded and said Ms Faruqi should 'pack [her] bags and p*** off back to Pakistan'.

She added: 'Your attitude appalls and disgusts me. When you immigrated to Australia you took every advantage of this country.

'You took citizenship, bought multiple homes, and a job in a parliament. It's clear you're not happy.'

Ms Chrysanthou argued the barrage of criticism Ms Faruqi received was well under way by the time Ms Hanson offered her opinion.

READ MORE: Pauline Hanson's brutal warning to PM Advertisement

She said Ms Faruqi was facing backlash between 11am and about 4pm, when her staff appeared to limit commenting on the post.

'As a person who had a sincere and genuine affection toward the Queen... Senator Hanson reacted to what she read, and expressed her genuine view about the conduct of Senator Faruqi,' Ms Chrysanthou said.

'In expressing her view about senator Faruqi's conduct, my client gives examples of past conduct to emphasise her point, being that the tweet was appalling and disgusting and hypocritical.'

She said that in seeking to 'point out those three things, that the conduct was appalling, disgusting and hypocritical, [Ms Hanson] sets out reasons why she's formed that view, which classically has explained the basis of the opinion, which is what a fair comment is.

'Fair comment means an opinion based on facts.

'One of those facts is that, undoubtedly, Senator Faruqi is an immigrant from Pakistan.'

But Ms Chrysanthou said the 'inclusion of that fact does not mean that is why' she made the post. The post, she argues, was a direct reflection of Ms Faruqi's own comments about the Queen.

'Merely referring to someone's background or colour or race is not sufficient to prove the act was done because of that factor,' she said.

Ms Chrysanthou argued that Ms Faruqi has received far more hurtful racially motivated criticism than what Ms Hanson said, but has only chosen to launch legal proceedings against the One Nation senator because she is a political opponent.

The hearing continues on Tuesday.
Naomi Watts turned heads in a set of statement jewellery on Sunday.

The 55-year-old took to Instagram to show off her impressive ring collection worth an eye-watering $54,000.

Watts boasted two 18K Gold & Diamond rings, a pear ring valued at $22,000 and a cigar band worth a total of $32,000.

The actress wore the accessories with a stunning white TOVE Studio top and skirt set.

It comes after Nicole Kidman was honoured at the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award gala in Los Angeles on Friday.

Naomi Watts turned heads in a set of statement jewellery on Sunday

And her good friend Watts was on hand to congratulate her as Nicole took the stage.

Posting to Instagram Stories, Naomi shared a behind the scenes glimpse at the moment Nicole claimed her award.

'What a night, what a woman' the actress captioned the short clip, which showed Nicole giving her speech.

Watts posed up a storm while supporting film icon Nicole Kidman as she received an AFI Life Achievement Award at the Dolby Theatre on Saturday in Los Angeles.

The 55-year-old took to Instagram to show off her impressive ring collection worth an eye-watering $54k

The 55-year-old British actress - who recently showed off her impressive physique while working out with her personal trainer - made jaws drop in a blue form fitting gown that clung to her body.

Her signature short blonde locks were parted to the side and were slightly curled at the ends as they glistened in the light.

She accessorized with long strand earrings and rings as she carried a simple white purse along the red carpet.

Other celebrities attending the event included Keith Urban, Naomi Watts, Joey King, and Morgan Freeman.
The White House on Sunday said U.S. President Joe Biden had again spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as pressure builds on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.

The White House said that Biden reiterated his clear position as Israel plans to invade Gazas southernmost city of Rafah despite global concern for more than 1 million Palestinians sheltering there. The U.S. opposes the invasion on humanitarian grounds , straining relations between the allies. Israel is among the countries U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit as he returns to the Middle East on Monday.

Biden also stressed that progress in delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza be sustained and enhanced, according to the statement. The call lasted just under an hour, and they agreed the onus remains on Hamas to accept the latest offer in negotiations, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't authorized to comment publicly. There was no comment from Netanyahu's office.

A senior official from key intermediary Qatar , meanwhile, urged Israel and Hamas to show more commitment and more seriousness" in negotiations. Qatar, which hosts Hamas' headquarters in Doha, was instrumental along with the U.S. and Egypt in helping negotiate a brief halt to the fighting in November that led to the release of dozens of hostages. But in a sign of frustration, Qatar this month said that it was reassessing its role.

An Israeli delegation is expected in Egypt in the coming days to discuss the latest proposals in negotiations, and senior Hamas official Basem Naim said in a message to the Associated Press that a delegation from the militant group will also head to Cairo. Egypts state-owned Al Qahera News satellite television channel said that the delegation would arrive on Monday.

The comments by Qatars Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari in interviews with the liberal daily Haaretz and Israeli public broadcaster Kan were published and aired Saturday evening.

Al-Ansari expressed disappointment with Hamas and Israel, saying each side has made decisions based on political interests and not with civilians' welfare in mind. He didn't reveal details on the talks other than to say they have effectively stopped, with both sides entrenched in their positions.

Al-Ansaris remarks came after an Egyptian delegation discussed with Israeli officials a new vision for a prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, according to an Egyptian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss developments.

The Egyptian official said that Israeli officials are open to discussing establishing a permanent cease-fire in Gaza as part of the second phase of a deal. Israel has refused to end the war until it defeats Hamas.

The second phase would start after the release of civilian and sick hostages, and would include negotiating the release of soldiers, the official added. Senior Palestinian prisoners would be released and a reconstruction process launched.

Negotiations earlier this month centered on a six-week cease-fire proposal and the release of 40 civilian and sick hostages held by Hamas in exchange for freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

A letter written by Biden and 17 other world leaders urged Hamas to release their citizens immediately. In recent days, Hamas has released new videos of three hostages, an apparent push for Israel to make concessions.

The growing pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach a cease-fire deal is also meant to avert an Israeli attack on Rafah, the city on the border with Egypt where more than half of Gazas 2.3 million population is seeking shelter. Israel has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles. The planned incursion has raised global alarm.

Only a small strike is all it takes to force everyone to leave Palestine," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas asserted to the opening session of the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, adding that he believed an invasion would happen within days.

But White House national security spokesman John Kirby told ABC that Israel "assured us they wont go into Rafah until weve had a chance to really share our perspectives and concerns with them. So, well see where that goes.

The Israeli troop buildup may also be a pressure tactic on Hamas in talks. Israel sees Rafah as Hamas last major stronghold. It vows to destroy the group's military and governing capabilities.

Aid groups have warned that an invasion of Rafah would worsen the already desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza, where hunger is widespread . About 400 tons of aid arrived Sunday at the Israeli port of Ashdod  the largest shipment yet by sea via Cyprus  according to the United Arab Emirates. It wasn't immediately clear how or when it would be delivered into Gaza.

Also on Sunday, World Central Kitchen said that it would resume operations in Gaza on Monday, ending a four-week suspension after Israeli military drones killed seven of its aid workers . The organization has 276 trucks ready to enter through the Rafah crossing and will also send trucks into Gaza from Jordan, a statement said. It's also examining if the Ashdod port can be used to offload supplies.

The war was sparked by Hamas attack on Oct. 7 into southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli authorities, who say another 250 people were taken hostage. Hamas and other groups are holding about 130 people, including the remains of about 30, Israeli authorities say.

Israels retaliatory assault on Hamas has killed more than 34,000 people, most of them women and children, according to health authorities in Gaza, who do not distinguish between civilians and combatants in their tally.

The Israeli military blames Hamas for civilian casualties, accusing it of embedding in residential and public areas. It says it has killed at least 12,000 militants, without providing evidence. (AP)
Kim Kardashian looked as if she had taken a page from the stylebook of her ex-husband Kanye West's current wife Bianca Censori during an outing in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The 43-year-old reality TV icon was draped in a backless black ensemble from her go-to fashion house Balenciaga while stepping out in the city's Woodland Hills neighborhood.

But the Kardashians star's look was striking similar to an outfit Bianca wore nearly a year ago in June of 2023, down to her platinum-dyed locks.

Kim, who debuted her new ice-blonde hair at the Home Boy Industries' Lo Maximo Awards on Saturday, flashed some sideboob and posterior in the daring ensemble.

The quirky look featured shoe leggings and a backless halter top, which hung loosely around her torso and was reminiscent of a drooping barber's cape, as she walked toward her car.

Kim Kardashian was the spitting image of her ex Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori during an outing in LA on Sunday. She wore a backless flowing halter top and black leggings reminiscent of a beige top and gray leggings Bianca wore in Santa Monica in June 2023

She used her arm to tamp down the front of her top to prevent an unfortunately timed breeze from exposing her.

Kim's makeup looked camera-ready with a muted mauve lip.

The Skims founder protected her eyes in the bright California sun with a bug-eyed pair of dark sunglasses.

Her top was looser and long but similarly designed to Bianca's earlier beige top, which was tighter on her curvy figure and was tied around her torso with black strings.

She wore leggings like Kim to emphasize her trim figure, but she favored a grayblue set over Kim's black leggings.

Unlike the billionaire's built-in stilettos, Bianca opted for a strikingly angular set of silver glittering mule heels with long, pointy toes and more modest heels.

Kim's formerly raven locks were styled back in a small bun, while Bianca's own dyed hair was arranged in a chic pixie cut.

Bianca was pictured in Santa Monica last year when she dined at The Lobster in Santa Monica with Kanye.

Kim recently returned from Washington, DC, where she met with Vice President Kamala Harris on April 25 to discuss criminal justice reform.

President Joe Biden recently offered clemency to 16 people imprisoned for nonviolent drug crimes and four of those newly released inmates were in attendance.

The Biden Administration declared April as Second Chance Month, and the VP offered her thanks for Kardashian's advocacy and for 'using your platform in a way that has really lifted up the importance of talking about and being dedicated to second chances.'

'I'm so honored to be here to continue this fight, to learn more every day, every visit, every administration,' the apprentice attorney said. 'I'm just here to help and spread the word.'

Kardashian has worked in a bipartisan effort to help people who have been behind bars for decades due to strict drug laws. Biden said he granted the pardons because they were serving sentences longer than they would have received under 'current law, policy, and practice.'

Kim flashed some sideboob and posterior in the daring ensemble. Her backless black top looked like a draped barber's cape. It was similar to Bianca's beige top, which was tighter on her curvy figure and tied around her torso with black strings

Kim paired the Balenciaga top with black leggings featuring built-in heels from the same fashion house, while Bianca wore gray leggings and sparkling silver detached mule heels

On April 25, Kardashian met with Vice President Kamala Harris and several former inmates who had been pardoned by the Biden administration. The reality star was praised for criminal justice efforts

In 2018 the advocate met with former President Donald Trump to ask for a commuted sentence for Alice Marie Johnson.

Johnson had served 21 years for a nonviolent drug offense before her sentence was commuted.

Four previously pardoned people were at the meeting and they shared their experiences about founding new businesses or non-profits or volunteering in their communities since their release.

'Every time I've gone and visited a prison, I've met some of the smartest individuals with the brightest ideas,' Kardashian said. 'And to see the changes that are happening to make their reentry easier, I think, is going to be life changing and give so many people hope.'
Kyle Sandilands has come out swinging at media personality Steve Price over his criticism of The Kyle And Jackie O Show's Melbourne debut this week.

The Sydney-based radio show launched with a bang in Melbourne on Monday, with the shock jock and Jackie 'O' Henderson making plenty of X-rated comments including a profane opener about sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Price, 69, who is known for his conservative point of view, didn't hold back as he slammed the broadcast on Monday night's edition of The Project.

'That garbage you put to air this morning, sexualised rubbish. Toxic, and nobody should listen to it,' Price ranted, adding: 'And you will be a massive failure in Melbourne.'

Responding on-air during Tuesday's Kyle And Jackie O Show, Sandilands, 52, questioned whether Price really meant his harsh words or whether he was putting on a nasty persona for the camera.

'Does he mean what he says, or is he just full of s***?' Sandilands pondered.

'That's why I won't go on these on these old grandma's podcasts. He's paid to be on The Project, to be opinionated. So, he amps it,' he added.

He also hit back at Price's predictions about The Kyle And Jackie O Show's future 'failure' in Melbourne by taking aim at the commentator's own radio career.

Kyle Sandilands, 52, (left) has come out swinging at media personality Steve Price, 69, (right) over his criticism of The Kyle And Jackie O Show's Melbourne debut this week

The Sydney-based radio show launched with a bang in Melbourne on Monday, with shock jocks Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson (right) making plenty of X-rated comments including a profane opener about sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

'By the way, [Price] is someone that knows about failure. Because I think the last breakfast show he did in Melbourne pulled a 2.6. 2.6, bro,' Sandilands taunted.

'You meet more people at the servo filling up fuel. So, he is the expert on failure.'

During his rant on The Project, Price revealed Sandilands had sent him a 'threatening message' the last time he had publicly accused the radio king of being 'grubby buffoon'.

Sandilands hit back at Price's predictions about The Kyle And Jackie O Show's future 'failure' in Melbourne by taking aim at the commentator's own radio career

'Do it again, Kyle!' Price challenged, before accusing Sandilands of having the 'intellect of a cumquat.'

Sandilands didn't deny the accusation, instead playing an audio clip of the message in question on-air during Tuesday's broadcast.

'Hey you piece of s**t, we've spoken before. Last time you forgot that you're not allowed to mouth off about me,' Sandilands could be heard saying.

During his rant on The Project, Price also revealed that Sandilands had sent him a 'threatening message' the last time he had publicly accused the radio king of being 'grubby buffoon'. Sandilands didn't deny the accusation, instead playing an audio clip of the message in question on-air during Tuesday's broadcast

'I can't wait to see you face-to-face, buddy. It's been too long. It's disappointing, as you get older, you've just turned into a real piece of s**t. Feel free to play this on tonight's Project, since that's the last gig that you'll ever have. See you, mate!'

It comes after Melburnians flocked to Instagram to voice their opinions on The Kyle And Jackie O Show's local debut, with some left disgusted by the overtly sexual content, while others found it a welcome change to their usual local breakfast radio offerings.

One disgruntled listener said: 'Well, is your content really suitable for school drop off, no kid has to be exposed to so much sexual content!'

It comes after Melburnians flocked to Instagram to voice their opinions on The Kyle And Jackie O Show's local debut, with some left disgusted by the overtly sexual content, while others found it a welcome change to their usual local breakfast radio offerings

Another wrote: 'Someone get Kyle off the show. He is one of the biggest clowns out.'

A third said they hoped Kyle and Jackie O would fail in Melbourne writing beneath their debut 'We're Live' post: 'Hopefully not for long.'

'Turn over at 7.45 with kids in the car and Kyle was taking about Jackie's sex life No thanks back to Jase and Lauren,' one person said, referencing the former KIIS FM Melbourne breakfast hosts who were forced to jump to Nova to save their jobs.

Melburnians flocked to Instagram to voice their opinions on the shocking Sydney show, with many left disgusted by the overtly sexual content

However, others thought it was a welcome change to the usual breakfast radio airing in the city

Not everyone in Melbourne was aggrieved by The Kyle and Jackie O Show, with many also chiming in to express their love as they welcomed the radio duo to the city.

One avid fan wrote: 'YESSSSSSSSS! The King & Queen have arrived! WOO HOOOOO! xxxx.'

'Best 6am show opener ever!' another said, while someone else added: 'Welcome to Melbourne, love it!'
Simone Holtznagel has given an insight into her newborn daughter Gia having hydrotherapy in an adorable post.

The Australian model, 30, took to her Instagram Stories on Monday to share a sweet video of her one-month-old daughter Gia, who was born on Easter Sunday.

In the footage, Gia was seen floating in the water with the help of a floating aid as she had a hydrotherapy session, with her proud mother Simone watching on.

Infant hydrotherapy can help to strengthen the bones and muscles of a child and can also assist with growing pains.

Alongside the sweet post, Simone gushed: 'My lil muffin visits @babyspaaustralia for hydrotherapy.'

Simone Holtznagel has given an insight into her newborn daughter Gia having hydrotherapy in an adorable post

One hydrotherapy session at Baby Spa Australia costs $95, while a five-session deal is available for $425, and a 10 sessions cost a total of $795.

Her latest post comes after Simone revealed the meaning behind her daughter's name, Gia.

Simone and her boyfriend Jono Castano have told how the moniker Gia is a nod to supermodel Gia Carangi, who tragically died of AIDS in 1986.

Carangi became one of the most sought-after models in fashion and a fixture at the legendary nightclub Studio 54 after moving to New York in 1977.

She was one of the first openly gay fashion icons, who often visited DCA, a gay club in the city where she met Sharon Beverley, one of her first long-term partners.

The Australian model, 30, took to her Instagram Stories on Monday to share a sweet video of her one-month-old daughter Gia in a hydrotherapy session (pictured)

Her life played out on screen 12 years after her death, with a young Angelina Jolie taking on the role of the troubled model in the 1998 movie, Gia.

Simone said the couple haven't ruled out naming their next child after her late mentor and Australia's Next Top Model judge Charlotte Dawson, who died in 2014.

'Lottie was on our shortlist, so if we have another baby, it could be that,' she told Stellar magazine.

'After Charlotte passed away, I had a bunch of her clothes, including this Camilla kaftan.

'My mum's bestie cut it up and made it into a baby blanket for me. She gave it to me at my baby shower and I bawled my eyes out, so that is super special.'

Simone confirmed that she had given birth to her daughter in a post shared to Instagram earlier this month.

Simone and her boyfriend Jono Castano have told how the moniker Gia is a nod to supermodel Gia Carangi (pictured), who tragically died of AIDS in 1986

Simone confirmed that she and her boyfriend Jono welcomed their daughter Gia in a post shared to Instagram earlier this month

She revealed that baby Gia had been born on March 31, Easter Sunday, and posted an array of adorable snaps of herself and Jono with their baby girl.

'On Sunday March 31st we welcomed our healthy, baby girl Gia Holtznagel Castano into the world,' she wrote in the caption.

'We are totally and completely in love with her and enjoying these special moments as a family of three.'

Simone went public in her romance with personal trainer Jono in 2022, and they announced that they were expecting their first child together in October.
The crowd at a recent Quavo concert has been the subject of internet trolls and sparked conspiracy theories his rival caused the low turnout.

Video posted to social media shows the rapper performed for a seemingly sparse crowd in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Friday.

The HealthCare Amphitheater, which has over 5,700 seats, appeared nearly-empty leading up to show time with just a few rows of fans lining up in front of the stage.

Fans have theorized Chris Brown is to blame for the small audience, claiming he bought up tickets to embarrass Quavo.

'Chris brown bought all the tickets to Quavos concert so no one would show up. Man is a menace,' one fan named Luccent said on X.

Video posted to social media shows the rapper performed for a seemingly sparse crowd in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Friday

Fans have theorized Chris Brown is to blame for the small audience, claiming he bought up tickets to embarrass Quavo

Just a few rows of fans lined up in front of the stage to see the former Migos member perform

Brown dropped a new diss track, titled Weakest Link, aimed at rapper Quavo amid their ongoing feud. Pictured: Quavo performing during the 66th Grammy Awards

'Chris Brown evil for this, apparently he bought all the tickets at the Quavo concert just so the crowd is empty,' Ryan said.

'Chris brown is low a key a savage for buying that many seats at Quavos concert but thats sooo mean,' Steph said.

Others speculated that Brown could not be responsible because it would give his enemy money.

'What is the point of this petty nonsense? Quavo still made bag. The tickets were paid for, so what was the point,' Usman Shamaki said.

'Its no way CB would be this dumb to give Quavo money just for an empty pic. This wouldnt be embarrassing on anyones part but his,' said Whitney B.

Brown dropped a new diss track, titled Weakest Link, aimed at rapper Quavo amid their ongoing feud.

The 34-year-old Grammy winner did not hold back on the scathing song, in which he goes as far as saying: 'R.I.P. Takeoff, he the only real one, I got true respect. Crazy how when he died, everybody really wished it was you instead.'

Quavo slammed Brown for his history of domestic violence on his track Tender earlier this month.

Others speculated that Brown could not be responsible because it would give his enemy money

The HealthCare Amphitheater, which has over 5,700 seats, appeared nearly-empty leading up to show time

The Migos star came out swinging on his song, rapping: 'You did the b***h wrong and now the b***h gone, she posted with a thug... Call the b***h phone, she won't come home, don't beat her up/It must be the drugs, need to cross out your plug.

'Tell me lil bro, what's your issue?/It's over a thot/You said it's bigger than that, but no, it is not/It's cause I be digging in that, it got 'em hot/I'm giving respect but I know you not/Your b***h on my neck, your b***h at the spot.'

Brown who was convicted of assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna, 36, in 2009, took a swipe at Quavo, for previously dating his ex Karrueche Tran on his 11:11 album.

He said on track Freak: 'F***ing my old b*****s ain't gone make us equal/Sipping that 1942 cause I don't do no Cuervo [Quavo]/Freak b***h she like Casamigos, not the Migos.'

Quavo briefly dated Tran in 2017 - two years after her final split from Brown.

Tran previously accused Brown of beating her, throwing her down a stairs, and threatening to kill her - leading to a restraining order being issued in 2015.

Their four-year relationship ended after it emerged in March 2015 he had fathered a daughter , Royalty, with aspiring model Nia Guzman.

Quavo slammed Brown for his history of domestic violence on his track Tender earlier this month

Brown and Quavo previously feuded back in 2017 when they got into a fight at a BET Awards afterparty - reportedly over Tran.

TMZ reported that Chris' team had made the first move by pushing Quavo, which caused their team to step in, resulting in a brawl.

The Beautiful People hitmaker was reportedly keen to stay away from the drama, and simply walked through the fight to make his way to the car.

TMZ added that the police were called, but the fight had disbanded before they had arrived.

Brown and Quavo were sat together at a Paris Fashion Week event earlier this year, but Brown denied they had mended their differences..

He wrote: 'Cant pick who you sit by. F**k all that growth s**t.'
Southwest Airlines is looking at changing its open seating policy - in a bid to boost profits.

CEO Bob Jordan announced plans to revamp the airline's boarding and seating procedures as part of efforts to bolster its financial health.

The airline revealed last week it lost $231 million over the first three months of 2024.

'We're looking into new initiatives - things like the way we seat and board our aircraft,' Jordan said in an interview with CNBC.

He said more information would not come until September, but that any change would need to generate significant new revenue - which suggests charging for passengers to pick seats.

Southwest sparked vacation chaos last week when it announced it was axing flights to four airports and firing 2,000 staff.

Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan announced on Thursday plans to potentially revamp the airline's boarding and seating procedures

Southwest allows open seating - meaning passengers can sit wherever they want. But it can create a scramble to get on board

Since it began flying in the 1960s, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines has distinguished itself from competitors with a very different seating approach.

Unlike traditional airlines, Southwest does not assign seats on tickets.

Instead, passengers board in a specific order based on factors like loyalty program status, how early they checked-in, and whether they paid extra for early boarding.

Once on board, passengers can sit in any available seat.

Every other major US airline sells first- or business-class seats with more room and amenities.

The likes of Delta, American and United assign seats before passengers arrive at the airport.

Increasingly, these airlines charge extra if economy-class passengers want to pick a particular seat, such as one in an exit row or near the front of the cabin.

Those policies generate significant 'ancillary revenue.' Eight US carriers - the three above plus Allegiant,, Frontier, JetBlue and Spirit - took a total of $4.2 billion from seating fees in their domestic networks in 2022, according to WorksCompany.

A change to its boarding process would likley see it following the likes of Delta, experts say. This would mean charging customers

Southwest say they are studying possible changes but won't have anything to announce until September.

Soutwest CEO Robert Jordan is looking at changing its longstanding open seating

That tease is leading to speculation about whether Southwest might ditch some longstanding traditions, including the practice of passengers picking their own seats only after they board a plane.

Southwest Airline's seating explained Southwest doesnt have a first-class cabin or assigned seats. Passengers line up in the gate area in an order determined partly by who checked in first and - increasingly - who paid extra to move up in line. The lucky or high-paying ones get in the 'A' boarding group, followed by the middling 'B' crowd and finally the dreaded 'C' group, whose unfortunate inhabitants usually wind up in a middle seat, maybe in the back of the plane. Over the years, Southwest customers learned to check in online exactly 24 hours before departure to get the best shot at grabbing the seat they wanted. In 2009, the airline began charging an extra fee - called EarlyBird - to move up in the boarding line. The fee starts at $15 per flight but goes up when planes are full. Advertisement

CEO Robert Jordan says he is proud of Southwest's 'product,' but it was developed when flights weren't as full as they are today, and customers' preferences change over time, prompting the 'deep dive' into 'transformational options' in boarding and seating.

'Early indications, both for our customers and for Southwest, look pretty darn interesting,' he told analysts and reporters Thursday.

Jordan said any changes must generate significant new revenue and can't slow down flights.

Beyond that, he was deliberately and repeatedly vague, but executives did indicate that two possible changes have been ruled out already.

Ryan Green, Southwest's chief commercial officer, said the airline won't impose baggage charges - it's the only U.S. carrier that lets passenger check one or two bags for free.

He said Southwest also won't install curtains like those that separate premium cabins from the economy-class section on other airlines.

Savanthi Syth, an airlines analyst with Raymond James Financial, said the lack of assigned seating is 'a huge pain point for passengers,' although a shrinking contingent still likes it.

Syth thinks passengers would prefer the ability to select a seat in advance to trying to get a better spot in the boarding line.

'More importantly, I think it opens you up to a greater pool of passengers that would not consider (Southwest) because of the stress of the current process,' she said.

Southwest said last week it lost $231 million over the first three months of 2024

'This is particularly important now that Southwest has lost the differentiation of no change or cancellations fees.'

Southwest's closest rivals dropped change fees too during the pandemic.

Syth is less convinced that Southwest needs a first-class cabin, but she thinks adding extra-legroom seats could be attractive.

'There are plenty of tall people who could use the extra space,' she said.
Do you rent from a Wall Street landlord? Email us at money@dailymail.com

Housing affordability has been a key part of Biden's bid for re-election

In 2022, one in every four family home sold was bought by an investment firm

US lawmakers are clamping down on Wall Street landlords after they spent billions of dollars scooping up family homes during the pandemic.

Democrats in the Senate and House are sponsoring legislation which would force investment funds that own single-family homes to sell up. In Ohio, a Republican-led bill could drive out institutional owners through taxation.

Companies backed by Wall Street have been on a home-buying frenzy in recent years. In 2022, more than one in every four single-family home sold was bought by an investment firm.

Two of the largest companies are Invitation Homes and AMH, both publicly-traded companies. Both count giant asset mangers like BlackRock and hedge funds as investors.

In a presentation last month, Invitation Homes labelled itself 'the nation's premier single-family home leasing and management company.'

Two of the largest firms are Invitation Homes and AMH - both publicly-traded companies. Pictured: Invitation Homes CEO Dylan Tanner (left) and AMH co-founder David Singelyn (right)

In an investor presentation last month, Invitation Homes labelled itself 'the nation's premier single-family home leasing and management company.' Pictured: An Invitation Homes property advertised for $2,799 a month in Atlanta

It notes that in its 16 core markets it is more affordable to lease a home than buy, according to real estate research firm John Burns.

A number of other companies - backed by private equity - hold portfolios of tens of thousands of homes nationwide.

Such firms claim to offer renters the opportunity to live in desirable neighborhoods where they cannot afford to buy.

But plummeting affordability has encouraged politicians at all levels to be more vocal about housing issues. Getting young people on the housing ladder has been key part of President Biden's bid for re-election.

The median sale price of a US home now $420,321, according to Redfin, while mortgage rates are above 7 percent. Figures from Zillow show the median rent for all property types is $2,100 a month.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott wrote on X last month: 'I strongly support free markets. But this corporate, large-scale buying of residential homes seems to be distorting the market and making it harder for the average Texan to purchase a home.

'This must be added to the legislative agenda to protect Texan families.'

However, politicians face an uphill battle getting their proposals through. None of the bills in Congress or any of the state houses has so far reached a floor vote.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott wrote on X last month: 'I strongly support free markets. But this corporate, large-scale buying of residential homes seems to be distorting the market and making it harder for the average Texan to purchase a home.'

A March 2024 investor presentation from Invitation Homes says it provides a 'unique experience' for renters

Research estimates institutional investors - defined as companies with portfolios of 1,000 homes or more - own between 3 and 5 per cent of rental homes.

But some cities hold much higher proportions. In Atlanta, around 11 percent of rental homes are now owned by three real estate companies, according to recent analysis by researchers at Georgia State University.

Separate analysis by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2022 shows 21 percent of Atlanta rental homes are owned by a large institution.

In December, Republican Nikema Williams sponsored the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act in the US House.

However, critics say the trend is already showing signs of slowing, with investors buying few to no homes in the past year.

John Burns, founder of his eponymous research firm, is quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying: 'The great trade is done. So, what are you trying to stop?'

Some campaigning bodies - including the National Rental Home Council - also oppose a crackdown on Wall Street landlords. Pictured: a home up for rent on the Invitation Homes website

Research estimates institutional investors - defined as companies with portfolios of 1,000 homes or more - own between 3 and 5 per cent of rental homes

Bills in the House and Senate plan to cap rental-home ownership at no more than 50 homes for some companies.

A separate bill in Minnesota will limit ownership to 20 homes.

Meanwhile bills to block landlords in the Ohio and Nebraska state legislatures were written after investors bought up hundreds of homes in a handful of Cincinnati and Omaha neighborhoods.

Republican Louis Blessing III, who represents the suburbs of Cincinatti in the Ohio Senate, has introduced a bill to tax large landlords with the hope of them selling up as a result.

He told the WSJ: 'It's an antitrust in spirit bill.'

DailyMail.com reached out to AMH and Invitation Homes for comment but was referred to the National Rental Home Council.

A spokesman for the body said: 'The arguments underpinning the call for these types of restrictions are simply not based on fact and reflect neither the reality of todays housing market or the needs of housing consumers.

'The villain is affordability, driven by an unprecedented lack of supply and 7%+ mortgage rates, not housing providers.'
From traditional Indian classical dance forms to contemporary global dance phenomena, dance continues to inspire, heal and unite communities

On April 14 last year, history was made in Assam, India, as a Guinness World Record was set for the largest gathering of Bihu dancers. Over 11,000 dancers from different communities and backgrounds came together to perform the traditional dance of Assam, watched live by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was a spectacular display of cultural diversity and unity. This event was a shining example of how cultural diversity can bring people together and foster a sense of emotional bonding and appreciation of one anothers culture and traditions.

More recently as part of the Raag Seva in a breathtaking display of timeless grace and unwavering passion, the 90-year-old actor-dancer and Padma Vibhushan awardee Vyjayanthimala Bali, enchanted spectators with her ethereal Bharatanatyam performance in Ayodhya. In this rich mosaic of human expression, dance emerges as a timeless gem, casting its spell across generations and captivating hearts through the ages. Beyond mere movement, it embodies a symphony of creativity, infusing the soul with unbridled joy. A graceful interplay of rhythm and emotion, it offers solace from the burdens of modern life, intertwining threads of happiness into the fabric of existence.

Welcome to the rhythm of life, as we celebrate the International Dance Day on April 29th every year, since 1982. Dance helps to change lives. The Navras, which is used to express joy, sadness, love, anger and many other emotions, is a way of celebrating life and creating a sense of community.

This Day serves as a platform aimed at fostering awareness regarding the intrinsic value of dance and facilitating the widespread promotion of the dance communitys endeavours. Central to its mission is the aspiration that Governments and influential figures will recognize the significance of dance and extend support towards its cultivation.

We are all aware of Yo-Yo Mas Silk Road Ensemble, a musical group founded by the cellist Yo-Yo Ma, where musicians from China, Iran, India and Spain come together and use their music to create a bridge between cultures and promote understanding between people from different backgrounds. Through cultural collaboration, this is a forum for the exchange of ideas, tradition and innovation across borders.

Also, the OneBeat initiative, which brings together musicians from around the world to collaborate and create new music - was funded by the U.S. Department of State - aims to promote cultural exchange and create a global community of musicians. OneBeat has brought together musicians from countries such as Syria, Russia and Cuba, to name a few, not only providing a platform for musicians to share their music but also creating new collaborations that transcend cultural and linguistic barriers.

Dance also helps in promoting intercultural dialogue. Dance companies worldwide come together to create new works that reflect their cultural traditions and explore common themes. One such example is the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, which has been promoting diversity and inclusion through dance for over 60 years. The companys performances celebrate the African-American cultural experience and explore universal themes such as love, loss and identity.

Not only this, the National Ballet of Cuba is a dance company that promotes intercultural dialogue through its performances. Founded in 1948 by Alicia Alonso, one of the most famous ballerinas of the 20th century, it is known for its unique style that combines elements of classical ballet with Afro-Cuban and Spanish dance traditions.

Back in India, The Kalakshetra Foundation, - of the many foundations and institutions that exist to popularize Indian classical dance forms - Chennai-based dance school, founded by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1936, sought to revive and promote Indian classical dance forms and is today a leading institution that trains students in various forms of Indian classical dance, including Bharatanatyam, Kathakali and Kuchipudi.

Similarly, the Nrityagram Dance Village, near Bangalore, which was founded in 1990 by Protima Gauri, a renowned Indian classical dancer, is a unique institution that offers a holistic approach to dance training, focusing not only on dance techniques, but also on aspects such as yoga, meditation and Indian mythology. The institute has gained global recognition and has collaborated with many international dance companies to create new works that blend Indian classical dance with contemporary dance forms.

We cannot miss Bollywood dance, which has become a global phenomenon and has created a platform for people from different backgrounds to come together and celebrate Indias vibrant culture. Using different dance styles from Indian classical forms to ballet; to cabaret; to hip-hop, break dance and so on - each step encompasses a unique rhythm and style involving different generations tap to the beats.

As we celebrate the universal language of dance and its ability to unite people, it is also important to acknowledge the Guru-Shishya Parampara and celebrate the beauty of dance and its ability to create a better world for all.

(The writer is Programme Executive, Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti; views are personal)
The G7 economies comprising the world's richest countries have set their sights on doubling renewable energy capacity by 2030, an analysis conducted by the global energy think-tank Ember has said. However, this falls short of the more ambitious target agreed upon at the UN climate conference in Dubai the previous year, which aimed to triple global renewable energy capacity by the same deadline.

At the UN's COP28 climate change conference in December, leaders from around the world, including all G7 members, forged a historic agreement to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. However, Ember's analysis suggests that the G7 nations need to realign their targets to meet this commitment.

Katye Altieri, an electricity analyst at Ember, emphasized the need for the G7 to update their targets in light of the COP28 agreement. She stated, "Last year, the G7 agreed targets for solar and offshore wind. Given the COP28 agreement, these goals are now outdated and need to be aligned with a tripling of global renewables." Altieri also pointed out that the rapid acceleration of solar energy installations demonstrates that the goal of tripling renewable energy capacity is increasingly attainable.

The International Energy Agency underscores the importance of tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency to mitigate climate change effectively and limit the average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

This highlights the urgency for G7 nations and the global community as a whole to accelerate efforts in transitioning towards renewable energy sources and enhancing energy efficiency measures.

A tripling of renewable capacity would require the G7 to reach 2.7 TW by 2030, leaving a 0.7 TW gap between current targets and a tripling-aligned goal. Italy, this year's host of the G7, along with Germany and the UK, are leading the way with 2030 targets that are more than doubling of the 2022 capacity.

However, France and Japan are lagging behind their G7 partners with targets well below a tripling.
BJP president J P Nadda on Sunday alleged that Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee desires a central government that is soft on terrorism and believes in appeasement.

Addressing back-to-back rallies in Baharampur in Murshidabad district and Ranaghat in Nadia district of West Bengal, Nadda claimed that the TMC government in the state helmed by Banerjee is known for corruption, extortion, appeasement, and discrimination.

We want a Majboot Sarkar (strong government), but Mamata Banerjee desires a Majboor Sarkar (weak government). She aims for a government in Delhi that condones appeasement, corruption, discrimination, and sympathises with terrorists, he alleged.

On the contrary, Modis Majboot Sarkar believes in development, prosperity, national security, and responds to terrorism with surgical strikes, Nadda asserted.

Further criticising the TMC government, Nadda said, Mamata Banerjees administration fosters appeasement, discrimination, and a lenient approach toward terrorists, extending sympathy to them.

He slammed the TMC for allegedly spreading misinformation about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), emphasising that the Act aims to grant citizenship, not revoke it.

The TMC, for the sake of vote-bank politics, opposes the CAA. Why do they oppose granting citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist refugees? What links do infiltrators have with the TMC that they oppose the CAA? We condemn her politics of appeasement, which favours infiltrators and opposes the CAA, Nadda alleged.

Referring to the recent school job scam that caused nearly 26,000 job losses, Nadda accused the TMC government of indulging in rampant corruption and malpractice.

The West Bengal government is embroiled in countless scandals. The recent teachers recruitment scam deprived thousands of people livelihood and opportunities, which shows corruption and loot are routine in the state, he said.

The Calcutta High Court on Monday declared the recruitment process of the State Level Selection Test-2016 (SLST) in West Bengal government-sponsored and aided schools as null and void, ordering the cancellation of all appointments made through it.

On incidents in Sandeskhali, where local TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh and his associates were accused of sexual abuse and land-grabbing, Nadda lamented the lack of safety for women under Mamata Banerjees rule.

The abuse of women under Mamata Banerjees administration is deplorable. Despite being a woman chief minister, she has failed to ensure the safety of women in the state, he added.

Accusing the TMC of betraying women in the state, Nadda remarked, Mamata Banerjee had come to power giving the slogan of Maa-Mati-Manush (Mother-Land-People), but today, neither our mothers nor sisters are safe in West Bengal. The poor have had their land seized by TMC goons, and extortion has become rampant.

Seizing on Congress leader Sam Pitrodas remarks regarding wealth redistribution, Nadda criticised the Congress and INDIA bloc for its alleged intention to deprive Dalits of their rights for political gains.
China's giant panda couple set off for Spain

Xinhua) 15:13, April 29, 2024

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Giant panda couple Jin Xi and Zhu Yu left the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province for Spain at 11:25 am on Monday, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said.

To ensure the health and safety of the giant pandas during the flight, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding prepared bespoke transport cages loaded with fresh bamboo and bamboo shoots. Breeders and vets will be on hand to regularly monitor the giant pandas.

After arriving at Madrid Zoo Aquarium in Spain, the Chinese team will stay for about three months to help the pandas during their quarantine period, and to complete stress adaptation and behavioral training, and help them adjust to their new environment. Meanwhile, they will offer technical guidance and training to the zoo staff.

China and Spain signed an agreement in 2007 to improve giant panda protection and promote cooperation in endangered species and biodiversity. To date, six panda cubs have been successfully born and bred thanks to the joint efforts.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
A Hamas delegation will visit Cairo on Monday for talks aimed at securing a cease-fire, a Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday, as mediators stepped up efforts to reach a deal ahead of an expected Israeli assault on the southern city of Rafah.

The official, who asked not to be named, said the delegation would discuss a cease-fire proposal handed by Hamas to mediators from Qatar and Egypt, as well as Israel's response.

He did not disclose details of the latest proposals, but a source briefed on the talks told Reuters Hamas is expected to respond to Israels latest Gaza phased truce proposal delivered on Saturday.

The source said this included an agreement to accept the release of fewer than 40 hostages in exchange for releasing Palestinians held in Israeli jails and to a second phase of a truce that includes a "period of sustained calm"  Israels compromise response to a Hamas demand for permanent cease-fire.

After the first phase, Israel would allow free movement between south and north Gaza and a partial withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, the source said.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House said they reviewed talks designed to secure the release of hostages held since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel coupled with an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

They also discussed an increased pace of aid deliveries, including preparations to open new crossings into Gaza, it said.

"The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations," the statement said.

Biden also "reiterated his clear position" on a possible invasion of the Gaza border city of Rafah, the White House said.

Washington has said that it could not support a Rafah operation without an appropriate and credible humanitarian plan.

Shortly after the Biden-Netanyahu call, the U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken would expand a trip to the Middle East to discuss efforts towards a cease-fire and the freeing of hostages by continuing onto Jordan and Israel after visiting Saudi Arabia.

Another senior Hamas official told Reuters the delegation would fly to Cairo from Qatari capital Doha, adding it will be led by Khalil Al-Hayya, deputy to Hamas' Gaza chief.

The talks will take place between the Hamas delegation and the Qatari and the Egyptian mediators to discuss remarks the group has made over the Israeli response to its recent proposal.

"Hamas has some questions and inquires over the Israeli response to its proposal, which the movement received from mediators on Friday," the official told Reuters.

Those comments suggested Hamas may not hand an instant response to mediators over Israel's latest proposal.

The war, now in its seventh month, was triggered by an attack by Hamas militants on Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and taking 253 hostages, by Israeli tallies.

Israel has vowed to eradicate Hamas, which controls Gaza, in a military operation that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, 66 of them in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza's health authorities. The war has displaced most of the 2.3 million population and laid much of the enclave to waste.

On Friday, Khalil Al-Hayya said the group had received Israel's response to its cease-fire proposal and was studying it before handing its response to Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

Prior rounds of talks have failed to bridge gaps in the two sides' positions.

Israel has only offered a temporary cease-fire to free around 130 hostages remaining in captivity and to allow the delivery of more humanitarian aid. It has said it won't end its operations until it has achieved its aim of destroying Hamas.

Planned incursion

Israel's foreign minister said on Saturday a planned incursion into Rafah, where more than one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, could be put off should a deal emerge to release the Israeli hostages.

The issue has created cracks in Netanyahu's coalition. Hawkish ministers insist on the Rafah incursion while centrist partners have said a hostage deal is the top priority.

Hardline nationalist Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday urged Netanyahu not to back down from an assault on Rafah and said that agreeing to the cease-fire proposal would constitute a humiliating defeat.

Without eradicating Hamas, "a government headed by you will have no right to exist," Smotrich, who is not a member of the war cabinet, said in a video statement addressed to Netanyahu.

Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz said in a post on X: "Entering Rafah is important in the long struggle against Hamas. The return of our abductees ... is urgent and of far greater importance."

Western countries, including the United States, Israel's closest ally, have urged Israel to refrain from attacking the border city on concern over potential civilian casualties.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said on Sunday Israel had agreed to listen to U.S. concerns before it launches an invasion of Rafah.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Sunday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said only the United States could stop Israel from attacking Rafah.

He said he expected an attack on Rafah in coming days and that even a "small strike" would force the Palestinian population to flee the Gaza Strip.

"The biggest catastrophe in the Palestinian people's history would then happen."

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said it was in "everybody's interest in the region, our interest, the interest of the Palestinians, the interest of the Israelis, in the interest of the global community of nations, that we find a pathway to resolve this issue once and for all." (Reuters)
In a major blow to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, its Indore Lok Sabha seat candidate Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination on Monday, a fortnight before polling in the constituency. After withdrawing his nomination, Bam reached BJP office to join the party and later in a photo released on social media, Bam was seen along with MP Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, State Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and other party leaders.

Monday was the last day for withdrawal of nomination in the Indore Lok Sabha seat, where polling will be held on May 13. Indore Collector Ashish Singh confirmed that Bam has withdrawn his nomination. Bam, accompanied by local BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola, reached the collectors office and withdrew his papers.

Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Bam is welcome to the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party national president JP Nadda, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and State president VD Sharma, Vijayvargiya said.

Police have been deployed outside the house of Bam in Patrakar Colony. Congress had fielded Bam (45), against sitting BJP MP Shankar Lalwani (62) from the Indore Lok Sabha seat, which is a stronghold of the saffron party. Bam has not contested a single election in his political career so far.

The Congress offered him the opportunity to contest from Indore at a time when several party workers, including three former MLAs of the party, have switched sides and joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Indore, the largest constituency in the state in terms of number of voters, has 25.13 lakh electors. The BJP has expressed confidence of winning the seat by a margin of eight lakh votes this time.

Asked about the development, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, The gentleman in question has multiple universities and colleges in the state that we spoke about. One of the charges slapped against him was of murder. It is not natural, normal or ordinary that somebody just withdraws their candidature and joins the BJP.

She said those who question the party on where is the threat to democracy, signifies that there is a threat to democracy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of planning religion-based reservation in the country for the sake of vote bank politics, but asserted that he will not let it happen. He said this Congress proposal is to appease minorities as the SC/ST and OBC community is now with the BJP.

In Karnataka, Congress has started a campaign to change the Constitution and to snatch away the rights of SC/ST and OBCs. Our Constitution does not accept religion-based reservation. But the Karnataka Government has given part of OBC reservation to Muslims, Modi said.

Addressing a mega election rally the PM said, They (Congress) will not settle with this. They had earlier too in their manifesto said about coming out with a law to provide religion-based reservation. There is a similar signal in their manifesto this time.

I want to make my Dalit, SC/ST and OBC brothers and sisters aware about Congress intentions. These people on the basis of religion, to keep their vote bank safe, are planning to loot your right which was given by Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution, he added.

Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, BJP candidates and MPs from Bagalkote (Bagalkot) and Vijayapura (Bijapur)  P C Gaddigoudar and Ramesh Jigajinagi, respectively  were among those present at the rally.

Noting that most of SC, ST and OBC MPs in the Parliament are from BJP, Modi said, So they feel that as SC, ST and OBC are with BJP. To gain the trust of minorities, they want to loot from SC, ST and OBC and give it to minorities. Will you let this happen

I want to guarantee today to my Dalit, Adivasi and OBC brothers and sisters. I will not let such intentions of Congress be successful. To protect your rights, your reservation, Modi will go to any extent. Im assuring you this, he added.

On the occasion Modi also said that he doesnt believe in attacking from the back and he had first informed the Pakistani authorities about the airstrike on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan.

I had asked the forces to call the media and inform them about the airstrikes, but I said, before that I will inform Pakistani authorities through phone, but they didnt pick up the phone. So I asked the forces to wait, and after informing the Pakistani authorities, we disclosed to the world about airstrikes that happened during the night. Modi doesnt believe in hiding things nor attacking from the back, he fights openly, the PM added.
The alleged sex scandal involving the grandson of JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda has led to a massive political uproar across the country with Opposition parties seeking explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was in Karnataka on Monday and the BJP which has an alliance with JD(S) in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

While there was no headway in the matter involving alleged accused Prajwal Revanna, demand has been made for his immediate arrest and bringing him back to India.

The BJP is yet to react on this issue and Congress sought to know who helped Revanna escape to Germany.

The Opposition sharpened their attack as Modi was in his election campaign schedule in Karnataka and hence asked why the BJP went ahead with its alliance with the JD(S) when a BJP leader had written to the partys Karnataka unit president, exposing the presence of a pen drive full of sleaze videos of Revanna.

A case of sexual harassment and stalking has been registered against Revanna. The case was registered on a complaint by their cook, who alleged that four months after she started working for them, Revanna used to sexually harass her and used to make video calls to her daughter and have vulgar conversations with her.

JD(S) MLA and former Minister HD Revanna on Monday said he was open to an investigation over the allegations of sexual abuse involving his son and Hassan MP Revanna and himself, and said they were ready to face action in accordance with law, if the charges are proved.

Alleging that there was politics behind the issue, he said his son Revanna would join the probe whenever he is asked to. Revanna is the NDA candidate in Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, which went to the polls on April 26.

On his sons whereabouts, his father said, Normally he had to go (without saying where), and he has gone. Did he know they will file an FIR and constitute an SIT? He will come when called for investigation.

Former Chief Minister of the State, H D Kumaraswamy, said the party has decided to suspend Revanna. The JD(S)leader also sought to distance JD(S)s alliance partner the BJP and the Prime Minister from the case, amid attacks by the ruling Congress seeking their response on the issue.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi asked whether the Prime Minister will remain silent on the matter. The leader with whom the PM gets photographed by placing his hand on his shoulder. The leader for whom the PM himself campaigned 10 days ago. Praised him on stage. Today, that leader of Karnataka is absconding from the country. Just hearing about his heinous crimes committed is heart-wrenching. This ruined the lives of hundreds of women. Modi, will you still remain silent? Priyanka said.

Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera shared on social media a letter written by BJP leader Devaraj Gowda to the Karnataka BJP president on December 8 last year. He said the letter exposed the presence of a pen drive full of sleaze videos of Revanna.

Trinamool Congress leader Sushmita Dev slammed the BJP and criticised them for backing the accused. She said the scandal that unfolded goes to the top. The BJP is very much a part of the kind of sexual abuse that that has unfolded, she said.

Several sex videos allegedly featuring Revanna with multiple women have been doing the rounds in recent days. According to police sources, Revanna has fled the country. Congress led Karnataka government has announced a Special Investigation Team to probe the obscene videos case.

AAP called the alleged sex scandal worse than the Nithari serial murders and questioned why the BJP did not sever ties with the southern party after the incident came to light. Former Delhi Commission for Women chief and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal appealed to the Election Commission to disqualify Revanna and demanded that re-polling be conducted in the constituency.
Taking exception to reported Khalistan slogans raised in a rally attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau there on Monday, India summoned the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner here to register its strong protest.

The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner was today (Monday) summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to the raising of separatist slogans on Khalistan at an event which was being personally addressed by the Prime Minister of Canada, a statement by MEA said.

The Government of Indias deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event.

This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence.

Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens, MEA said.

The strong reaction came after reports from Toronto said at the Khalsa Day Celebrations there on Sunday, loud chants of pro-Khalistan slogans were seen being raised in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as opposition leader Pierre Poilievre.

As Trudeau was about to take the stage for his address to mark Khalsa Day, the chants were heard getting louder till he arrived and commenced his speech in the video released by Canada-based CPAC TV.

Slogans of Khalistan Zindabad were heard at the event in which NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow were also present. A similar instance also occurred when the leader of the official opposition of Canada, Pierre Poilievre walked up to the stage to begin his address to the people gathered at the event. Thousands of people reached downtown Toronto on Sunday for one of the biggest yearly gatherings in the city.

According to the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwaras Council (OSGC), Vaisakhi, also called Khalsa Day, commemorates the founding of the Sikh community in 1699 as well as the Sikh New Year.

The group has been organising an annual parade down Lake Shore Boulevard for many years; the council claims that it is the third-largest parade in the nation and that it regularly draws thousands of spectators, according to CBC News.

Even as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked up to address the Sikh Community in Toronto loud pro-Khalistan slogans were raised from the crowd. Trudeau in a staunch assurance to the Sikh Community in the country has said the government is always there to protect their rights and freedoms at all costs.

He said, Diversity is one of Canadas greatest strengths, and the country is strong not in spite of the differences, but because of those differences.

One of Canadas greatest strengths is its diversity. We are strong not in spite of our differences, but because of our differences; but even as we look at these differences, we have to remember, and get reminded on days such as this, and every day, that Sikh values are Canadian values... Trudeau said during the Khalsa Day Celebrations on Sunday in Toronto.

To the nearly 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage across this country, we will always be there to protect your rights and your freedoms, and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination, he asserted.

The Canadian Prime Minister also noted that the country is enhancing the security and infrastructure programmes by adding more security at community centres and places of worship, including Gurdwaras.

Your right to practice your religion freely, and without intimidation is exactly that. A fundamental right guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that we will always stand up and defend you for, Trudeau assured the Sikh community in his Khalsa Day address.

However, Trudeaus remarks come at a time when the diplomatic relations between India and Canada are going through a difficult phase. It was notably, the killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, that sparked a row between India and Canada.

Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by the National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on the evening of June 18, 2023.

The killing led to accusations from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the government of India had a hand in the killing -- a claim that was denied by India and led to the deterioration of diplomatic ties between Canada and India.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani on Monday filed their nomination papers for Lok Sabha elections.

Rajnath filed his nomination papers from the Lucknow seat, seeking a third consecutive term from the prestigious Lok Sabha constituency. Accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Uttarakhand counterpart Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Union Defence Minister reached the collectorate for filing the nomination paper.

Union Minister and prominent BJP leader Irani filed her nomination papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency.

Accompanied by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and several other leaders, Irani led a spirited roadshow from the BJP office in Gauriganj before formally submitting her papers.

Before filing his nomination, Singh offered prayers at the Dakshin Mukhi Hanuman Temple and at the Hanuman Setu Temple here. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajyapee had in the past represented the prestigious Lucknow constituency.

Iranis decision to contest from Amethi, considered the stronghold of the Gandhi family, comes on the heels of her historic victory over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 elections.

After filing my nomination today, I am committed to serving the people of Amethi, Irani told reporters. Over the past five years, significant strides have been made in Amethi, including the construction of 1,14,000 houses under the PM Awas Yojana, the provision of electricity connections to 1.5 lakh families, and assistance to over 4 lakh farmers through the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. I am confident that the people will once again bless Modi and the BJP. While the Congress has yet to announce its candidate from the seat, speculations abound that Rahul Gandhi will opt to contest from Amethi once more.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of planning religion-based reservation in the country for the sake of vote bank politics, but asserted that he will not let it happen.

He said this Congress proposal is to appease minorities as the SC/ST and OBC community is now with the BJP.

"In Karnataka, Congress has started a campaign to change the Constitution and to snatch away the rights of SC/ST and OBCs. Our Constitution does not accept religion-based reservation. But the Karnataka government has given part of OBC reservation to Muslims," Modi said.

Addressing a mega election rally in this district headquarters town, he said, "they (Congress) will not settle with this. They had earlier too in their manifesto said about coming out with a law to provide religion-based reservation. There is a similar signal in their manifesto this time."

"I want to make my Dalit, SC/ST and OBC brothers and sisters aware about Congress' intentions. These people on the basis of religion, to keep their vote bank safe, are planning to loot your right which was given by Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution," he added.

Veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, BJP candidates and MPs from Bagalkote (Bagalkot) and Vijayapura (Bijapur) -- P C Gaddigoudar and Ramesh Jigajinagi, respectively -- were among those present at the rally.

Noting that most of SC, ST and OBC MPs in the Parliament are from BJP, Modi said, "So they feel that as SC, ST and OBC are with BJP. To gain the trust of minorities, they want to loot from SC, ST and OBC and give it to minorities. Will you let this happen?"

"I want to guarantee today to my Dalit, Adivasi and OBC brothers and sisters. I will not let such intentions of Congress be successful. To protect your rights, your reservation, Modi will go to any extent. I'm assuring you this," he added.

Citing a habit among people to forward certain information that comes on various platforms without verifying, Modi alleged that, "those who have lost elections or have lost (while being in) the fray are using technology to make fake videos. Misusing artificial intelligence they put out wrong things in my voice in social media -- this is creating a big threat."

Appealing to people to inform police or the BJP about such fake videos and legal action will follow, the PM said the law of this country will not allow people to play such games with anyone.

Warning those who try to kill innocent people of the country, Modi said, "this is Naya Bharat (New India), Ghar me ghuskar ke maarega (kills inside one's (enemy) territory)."

Claiming that Modi doesn't believe in attacking from the back and fights openly face to face, he said he did not hide information about the Balakot air strikes, and disclosed information about it and the destruction caused to the enemies, after the strikes.

"I had asked the forces to call the media and inform them, but I said before that I will inform Pakistan through telephone about airstrikes at night and destruction caused, but Pakistan people did not come on phone. So I asked forces to wait, and after informing them, we later disclosed to the world about airstrikes that happened during the night," he said, adding Modi doesn't hide things nor attacks from hiding, and does things openy.

Observing that BJP has resolved to make India a manufacturing hub and skill centre, the PM said this resolve cannot be accomplished by those enjoying vacations, as it needs vision and determination to strive for it.

Accusing the Congress of loot and asking whether the country can be given to them, he said the grand old party has made Karnataka, where it is in power, the "ATM of its loot", and in a short span they have emptied the state's coffers.

"The situation is that legislators are not getting funds for development on time and days are not far when Karnataka government will be unable to pay (salary) its employees," he said, as he accused Congress of running a 'vasooli gang', and not the government, in Karnataka.

Congress has turned the tech hub of Bengaluru into a "tanker hub", by aiding tanker mafia over the water crisis, and the commission is reaching the party, he alleged, as he also claimed that the grand old party was dreaming about a scam as big 2G scam worth lakhs of crores.

In Karnataka, fundamentalist forces have become unbridled, he said.

Referring to the alleged attack on a shopkeeper in Bengaluru for listening to 'Hanuman Chalisa' and the bomb blast at the city's cafe, he said, "these are not incidents of normal crime, this is terror and fundamentalist mentality, and Congress is trying to protect it to get votes," Modi added.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita has been granted permission by the Tihar jail administration to meet him and will visit him later today, the AAP said on Monday.

"Sunita Kejriwal will be meeting the chief minister at 12.30 pm. She will be accompanied by Delhi cabinet minister Atishi during the meeting," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.

On Sunday, the AAP had said that the jail authorities had denied her permission to meet the chief minister, a charge refuted by the prison authorities.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will meet Kejriwal on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Moday said the opposition INDI alliance wants to give the PM's post to its leaders for a year each, and asked the people if they support such an idea.

There is a great war going on about who will be the leader of the INDI alliance. Can you hand over such a big country to someone whose face is not known, Modi said, addressing an election rally here.

Modi claimed that if the INDI alliance comes to power, it will work with the one year, one PM formula during its five-year term. These people have been dividing the country to grab power. Now a new formula has been brought in, that of five prime ministers in five years. One PM every year, he said. While you have seen each and every aspect of Modi in the last 10 years, there is war on who will be the leader of INDI alliance, he said.

Modi said that in the last 10 years, his government has put emphasis on true social justice. Without snatching the rights of backward classes, we gave 10 per cent reservation for economically backward among general categories, Modi said. We gave 10 per cent reservation to provide justice to the poor people belonging to the general category and the Dalit leaders of the country welcomed it positively, he said.

We did not take away the rights of one section for the sake of the other, he said. Our idea and way of ensuring social justice doesn't create a divide in society, he added. INDI alliance leaders abuse Modi daily as they don't have anything to speak about the country's development, Modi said.

Modi said his government has brought 25 crore poor people of the country above poverty line. He claimed that the Congress did not allow Babasaheb Ambedkar's Constitution to be implemented in Kashmir.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister and BJP leader Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday attacked INDIA bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, claiming that they have little understanding of the country as they have studied abroad.

In an interview with PTI-Bhasha here, Dhami also alleged that the Congress wants give reservations to a "particular community" from the quota meant for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

On Congress leader Gandhi and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Yadav alleging "misuse" of central probe agencies such as the ED, the CBI and the Income Tax Department to target leaders of opposition parties, the BJP leader said, "These agencies are of the Congress era."

Dhami was in the Uttar Pradesh capital for the filing of nomination papers of Defence Minister Rajanth Singh who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow.

Asked about the alleged sex scandal in Karnataka involving JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda's grandson and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, he said the law will take its course against anyone who violates it.

Dhami also targeted the INDIA bloc, formed by opposition parties to take on the ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha polls, saying, "This is an alliance of people promoting family causes, corruption and appeasement..."

This alliance of opposition parties is to safeguard their existence and that is why the country does not believe them, he said.

To a question on Gandhi and Yadav alleging that the BJP is seeking more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha to change the Constitution and end reservations, Dhami said, "They have studied abroad. Hence, they have no proper understanding of the country."

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP are supporters of reservations for SC, ST and OBC. The two have studied abroad. They have little understanding of the country," he said.

The Uttarakhand chief minister exuded confidence that the BJP will win all the five Lok Sabha seats in the state.

"We don't have to fight with anybody for five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand. Our fight is with ourselves as to who wins with the maximum margin," Dhami said.

On the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), he said it has become a legislation in Uttarakhand and "we feel happy that the BJP has taken a vow in its 'sankalp patra (manifesto)' to implement it across the country".

The Uttarakhand assembly on February 7 passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill. The Bill got the president's assent in March, making Uttarakhand the first state in the country after Independence to take a decisive step towards implementing the common law on marriage, divorce, land, property and inheritance for all citizens, irrespective of their religion.

On the arrests of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader and former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, Dhami said that Prime Minister Modi has said "na khaunga na khana doonga". The law is taking its course, he said, referring to the BJP-led Centre's zero-tolerance towards corruption policy.

The AAP and the JMM are also members of the INDIA bloc.

On forest fires in Uttarakhand, Dhami said, "We are moving towards controlling the fires". These have been controlled to a great extent, he said and added that in some districts, "we have controlled the fires".

Holidays of forest department personnel have been cancelled and responsibility fixed to control the fires, the chief minister said and added that the help of the army is also being taken.

"Such incidents happen every year. This time it is more. We have taken action... Taking strict action by filing cases (against the guilty). The environment should be preserved," Dhami said while responding to a question.

On Sunday, forest officials in Uttarakhand capital Dehradun said efforts have been intensified to extinguish the raging forest fires in the state, especially in the worst-affected areas of Nainital, Haldwani and Ramnagar forest divisions.

The forest fires are gradually being controlled with flames already doused in many areas. The fires in Marora and Khanana civil areas in the Maniknath range of the Narendranagar forest division have been completely extinguished, the officials had said.
Ukraine's top commander said on Sunday Kyiv's outnumbered troops had fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.

The statement by Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi reflected Ukraine's deteriorating position in the east that Kyiv hopes it can stabilize once it takes delivery of U.S. weapons under a $61 billion aid package approved this week.

"The situation at the front has worsened," Syrskyi wrote on the Telegram app, describing the "most difficult" areas as west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, the town captured by Russian forces in February.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a fresh plea to international partners to speed arms deliveries so Kyiv could maintain its positions and disrupt Russian plans.

He said he spoke on Sunday with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and "underscored that Patriot systems are needed, and as soon as possible."

Syrskyi said Kyiv's troops had taken up new positions west of the villages of Berdychi and Semenivka, both north of Avdiivka, and Novomykhailivka, further south near the town of Maryinka.

"In general, the enemy achieved certain tactical successes in these areas, but could not gain operational advantages," he said, adding that Russia had committed four brigades to the assault.

Freshly rested Ukrainian brigades were being rotated in those areas to replace units that had suffered losses, he said.

His statement did not mention the status of Novobakhmutivka, another village near Berdychi, that Russia's defense ministry said on Sunday its forces had captured.

Moscow's troops have been slowly advancing since capturing the bastion town of Avdiivka, taking advantage of Ukrainian shortages of artillery shells and manpower.

Online battlefield maps produced by open-source intelligence analysts suggest they have advanced more than 15 km (9.5 miles)in the direction of the village of Ocheretyne since capturing Avdiivka.

Further up the front, the Kyiv-held town of Chasiv Yar is a key emerging battleground because of its position on elevated ground that could serve as a gateway to the cities of Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Syrskyi described Chasiv Yar and the village of Ivanivske to its northeast as the "hottest spots" on that part of the front. Russia's defense ministry said it had repelled Ukrainian counter-attacks near Chasiv Yar.

Kharkiv buildup

In what could prove a worrying development for Ukraine, Syrskyi said his forces were closely monitoring an increase in the number of Russian troops in the area of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city.

The northeastern city of 1.3 million just 30 km from the Russian border has been hammered by airstrikes in recent months in what Kyiv has said is a deliberate effort by Moscow to make Kharkiv uninhabitable.

Syrskyi said there were so signs that Russia was directly preparing for an offensive in the north of the country.

"In the most threatening directions, our troops have been reinforced by artillery and tank units," he said.

Ukraine is currently expecting a long-awaited a shipment of U.S. military aid which officials say is critical to holding off Russia's two-year-old invasion. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian and U.S. teams were working on a "specific text" of a 10-year security agreement that would include weapons and other support.

A Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters this week that Russia was conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian rail lines to disrupt the delivery of U.S. weapons to the front and to complicate military logistics. (Reuters)
Maryam Alwan figured the worst was over after New York City police in riot gear arrested her and other protesters on the Columbia University campus, loaded them onto buses and held them in custody for hours.

But the next evening, the college junior received an email from the university. Alwan and other students were being suspended after their arrests at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a tactic colleges across the country have deployed to calm growing campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war.

The students' plight has become a central part of protests, with students and a growing number of faculty demanding their amnesty. At issue is whether universities and law enforcement will clear the charges and withhold other consequences, or whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students into their adult lives.

Terms of the suspensions vary from campus to campus. At Columbia and its affiliated Barnard College for women, Alwan and dozens more were arrested April 18 and promptly barred from campus and classes, unable to attend in-person or virtually, and banned from dining halls.

Questions about their academic futures remain. Will they be allowed to take final exams? What about financial aid? Graduation? Columbia says outcomes will be decided at disciplinary hearings, but Alwan says she has not been given a date.

This feels very dystopian, said Alwan, a comparative literature and society major.

What started at Columbia has turned into a nationwide showdown between students and administrators over anti-war protests and the limits of free speech. In the past 10 days, hundreds of students have been arrested, suspended, put on probation and, in rare cases, expelled from colleges including Yale University, the University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University and the University of Minnesota.

Barnard, a women's liberal arts college at Columbia, suspended more than 50 students who were arrested April 18 and evicted them from campus housing, according to interviews with students and reporting from the Columbia Spectator campus newspaper, which obtained internal campus documents.

On Friday, Barnard announced it had reached agreements restoring campus access to nearly all of them. A statement from the college did not specify the number but said all students who had their suspensions lifted have agreed to follow college rules and, in some cases, were put on probation.

On the night of the arrests, however, Barnard student Maryam Iqbal posted a screenshot on the social media platform X of a dean's email telling her she could briefly return to her room with campus security before getting kicked out.

You will have 15 minutes to gather what you might need, the email read.

More than 100 Barnard and Columbia faculty staged a Rally to Support Our Students last week condemning the student arrests and demanding suspensions be lifted.

Columbia is still pushing to remove the tent encampment on the campus main lawn where graduation is set to be hosted May 15. The students have demanded the school cuts ties with Israel-linked companies and ensure amnesty for students and faculty arrested or disciplined in connection with the protests.

Talks with the student protesters are continuing, said Ben Chang, a Columbia spokesperson. We have our demands; they have theirs, he said.

For international students facing suspension, there is the added fear of losing their visas, said Radhika Sainath, an attorney with Palestine Legal, which helped a group of Columbia students file a federal civil rights complaint against the school Thursday. It accuses Columbia of not doing enough to address discrimination against Palestinian students.

The level of punishment is not even just draconian, it feels like over-the-top callousness, Sainath said.

More than 40 students were arrested at a Yale demonstration last week, including senior Craig Birckhead-Morton. He is due to graduate May 20 but says the university has not yet told him if his case will be submitted to a disciplinary panel. He worries about whether he will receive a diploma and if his acceptance to Columbia graduate school could be at risk.

The school has done its best to ignore us and not tell us what happens next, said Birckhead-Morton, a history major.

Across the country, college administrators have struggled to balance free speech and inclusivity . Some demonstrations have included hate speech, antisemitic threats or support for Hamas, the group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, sparking a war in Gaza that has left more than 34,000 dead.

May commencement ceremonies add pressure to clear demonstrations. University officials say arrests and suspensions are a last resort, and that they give ample warnings beforehand to clear protest areas.

Vanderbilt University in Tennessee has issued what are believed to be the only student expulsions related to protesting the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to the Institute for Middle Eastern Understanding. More than two dozen students occupied the university chancellors office for several hours on March 26, prompting the university to summon police and arrest several protesters. Vanderbilt then issued three expulsions, one suspension and put 22 protesters on probation.

In an open letter to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, more than 150 Vanderbilt professors criticized the universitys crackdown as excessive and punitive.

Freshman Jack Petocz, 19, one of those expelled, is being allowed to attend classes while he appeals. He has been evicted from his dorm and is living off campus.

Petocz said protesting in high school was what helped get him into Vanderbilt and secure a merit scholarship for activists and organizers. His college essay was about organizing walkouts in rural Florida to oppose Gov. Ron DeSantis anti-LGBTQ policies.

Vanderbilt seemed to love that, Petocz said. Unfortunately, the buck stops when you start advocating for Palestinian liberation. (AP)
Key Points:

The French government will acquire the strategic assets of Atos, a struggling IT firm, to protect national security and technological independence.

Atos plays a critical role in Frances defense infrastructure, including building supercomputers for the nuclear deterrence program and developing key systems for the armed forces.

The acquisition aligns with Frances strategy of safeguarding critical technologies and ensuring autonomy in strategic sectors.

France Takes Control of Atos Strategic Assets to Safeguard National Interests

The French government has announced its intention to acquire the strategic assets of struggling IT firm Atos in a move to protect national security and technological independence. The decision comes as Atos faces significant financial challenges and seeks to restructure its operations.

Get alerts:

A Strategic Move for National Security

Atos plays a crucial role in Frances defense and technological infrastructure. The company is responsible for building supercomputers used in the nations nuclear deterrence program, designing the Scorpion combat information system for the French army, and developing a big data platform for the Ministry of Armed Forces. Concerns arose when Atos, burdened by a record loss in 2023 and unsustainable debt, entered into talks with potential buyers, including foreign entities.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire emphasized the importance of keeping Atos strategic activities under French control, stating, The aim is to keep Atos strategic activities under the exclusive control of France Were taking the initiative because its the role of the state to defend Atos strategic interests and to avoid sensitive technologies that are crucial in terms of supercomputers or defense, which could depend on foreign interests at any time.

French State to Lead Acquisition

Securing Sensitive Technologies

Through its shareholding agency APE, the French state will lead the acquisition of Atos strategic assets. While the specific details are still under discussion, the government has indicated that other French companies in strategic sectors such as defense or aeronautics may also participate. This approach mirrors the ownership structure of other key French enterprises like Naval Group and TechnicAtome, where the state holds a majority stake alongside other relevant industry players.

The acquisition is expected to encompass assets accounting for approximately two-thirds of Atos Big Data & Security (BDS) unit, representing an estimated enterprise value between 700 million and 1 billion. This move aligns with Frances broader strategy of safeguarding its critical technologies and ensuring its autonomy in strategic sectors.

France has a history of maintaining significant control over its defense industry. The state holds substantial shares in companies like Thales and KNDS and has established regulations requiring foreign investors to seek approval before investing in sensitive sectors or strategic assets.

Atos Welcomes Government Intervention

Atos has expressed its support for the governments initiative. The company acknowledges the importance of protecting Frances sovereign interests and views the acquisition as a positive step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability of its strategic activities.

Looking Ahead

The French governments decision to acquire Atos strategic assets underscores its commitment to maintaining technological sovereignty and protecting national security. While the acquisition process is still in its early stages, it is expected to be finalized in the coming months. This move will undoubtedly significantly affect the French technology landscape and the broader European defense industry.
Two Northern Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers scooped honours last week at the 2024 Irish Cheese Awards during a prestigious ceremony hosted by CAIS, the Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers, at Kilshane House in Co. Tipperary, on Wednesday April 24th. Between them, the Co. Down and Co. Derry-based cheesemakers took home Gold and Silver awards.

The biennial celebration of Irelands farmhouse cheesemakers, now in its tenth year, named winners across seventeen distinct categories, culminating in naming one winner as this years Supreme Champion. This followed a rigorous judging process that was undertaken by a high calibre panel of Irish and international cheese experts at Teagascs Ashtown Food Research Centre last month.

Together, the thirteen judges tasted 175 different cheeses produced by forty-three businesses located across the island of Ireland; from Dart Mountain to Durrus, and Arklow to Aillwee Cave. Each cheese was individually scored on aroma, flavour, body, texture, and overall appearance in order to select this years worthy winners.

Northern Ireland-based Award Winners

Mikes Fancy Cheeses raw milk blue cheese called Young Buck, made in Newtownards, Co. Down by cheemaker and cheesemonger, Mike Thomson, was named as the winner (Gold award) of the Blue Cheese category.

Thomson went from cheese enthusiast at Arcadia Deli in Belfast to a cheese making student at the School of Artisan Food, in Nottinghamshire, England. Upon graduating he gained experience from some of the UKs leading artisan cheese makers, before going on to become Head Cheese Maker at Sparkenhoe Farm.

With the desire to produce his own cheese within Northern Ireland, Michael turned to crowdfunding platform, Seedrs. This led to him being supported by friends and backed by 98 investors, which in turn allowed him to start developing his own product.

The result of all of his hard work and endeavour is Young Buck, which has a delicate tropical and salty flavour with peppery spicing towards the blue end. It is made in the Stilton style, but as a younger version - hence its name. Its sublime and wonderfully creamy texture is the result of a highly skilled cheese maker combined with a quality material: raw, unpasteurised cows milk, which he sources from Smyth McCanns herd of 150 Holstein Friesian cows.

Thomsons award-winning Young Buck cheese is available to purchase from his cheesemongers, Mikes Fancy Cheese, at 41 Little Donegall Street in Belfast and online via their website, www.mfcheese.com, as well as from other leading retailers and independent food stores throughout the island of Ireland.

Northern Ireland was also proudly represented at the 2024 Irish Cheese Awards by Dart Mountain Cheese, whose Carraig Ban, a light, fresh and creamy handmade goats cheese with a slight lemony taste and a delicate rind, was awarded a Silver in the Fresh/Soft Cheese (Goat Milk) category.

Dart Mountain Cheese is located in the scenic Sperrin Mountains near to the village of Park in Co. Derry. It was established in June 2010 by Julie Hickey. Involved in the food industry for over 18 years both as a chef and a restaurant owner, Julie developed a strong interest in cheese and since 2008 has attended a number of cheese production courses across the UK and Ireland.

In June 2012, Julie and her husband, Kevin, decided to pursue their passion for cheese by converting a disused farm shed into a modern approved food unit  incorporating a modern production kitchen, a cheese production area and specially constructed cheese maturing rooms to facilitate the controlled ageing of their cheese.

Two years later, in June 2014, the couple officially launched their first cheese, Sperrin Blue, in Northern Ireland. And, in October of the same year they released their second cheese, Dart Mountain Dusk, after which several more cheeses have been successfully developed.

Julie and Kevin, who source the goats milk for their cheese from Kilgort Goat Farm, neighbours of theirs in the Sperrins, remain committed to producing their cheese in small batches and following traditional processes. Cheese wheels are turned every couple of days, and carefully rubbed down once a week to maintain the rind of the cheese in peak form.

Dart Mountain Cheeses award-winning cheese is available to purchase from leading independent food stores and retailers throughout the island of Ireland.

Speaking about how the Irish Cheese Awards positively affect the long-term future and success of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemaking, and the impact it has on individual artisan producers, Chair of CAIS, Tom Dineen of Bo Rua Farm, said: Celebrating excellence at the Irish Cheese Awards not only honours our rich heritage, but also propels us towards a vibrant future. By acknowledging and commending the dedication of individual cheesemakers, these awards ignite innovation, enhance standards, and nurture a thriving community of Irish cheesemakers. Together, we are forging a legacy of quality and sustainability, securing the lasting success of Irish farmhouse cheesemaking for generations to come.

The full list of this years winners covering all Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards is available to view online via the CAIS website, www.irishcheese.ie.

The CAIS 2024 Irish Cheese Awards were proudly Sponsored by Bord Bia, Traditional Cheese Co, Sysco, Ornua, and Horgans Delicatessen Supplies, and supported by Sheridans Cheesemongers, Teagasc, and Irish Cheese Direct.
Derry and Strabane is set to make history by having the North's first black mayor.

The SDLP has selected Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr to serve as the next Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Cllr Seenoi-Barr will follow in the footsteps of Rotimi Adebari, who was elected in 2007 as Portlaoises mayor, the first black person to become mayor in Ireland.

Originally from Kenya, Cllr Seenoi-Barr previously worked to promote gender rights issues for Maasai women, focusing on forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

The move is not Cllr Seenoi-Barrs first historic moment - just last year she made history as the first black elected representative in Northern Ireland.

She currently works as the North West Migrants Forum's Director of Programmes.

Cllr Seenoi-Barr will not take up the post until Derry and Strabane District Councils AGM in June. She will replace current Sinn Fein's Patricia Logue in the role.

I cannot express how much the honour of serving as Mayor of Derry and Strabane means to me. The people of this city have taken me into their hearts and everywhere I go I never fail to be amazed at the warmth, kindness and generosity of the people who live here.

Having initially come to Derry as a refugee facing an uncertain future, I can now truly say that my family have found their home. I am proud to be a Maasai woman and a Derry girl, Cllr Seenoi-Barr said.

She added: The significance of my appointment as Mayor is not lost on me, and I will work for every single person in this city regardless of their religion, ethnicity or background.

These are the values I have carried with me since getting involved in politics and are reflected in the ethos of my party.

Im looking forward to working with my party, my SDLP council colleagues and everyone on the council in my upcoming year as Mayor. Im incredibly excited to get started and to get out meeting people and visiting the many fantastic organisations throughout our city.

I will use this year to celebrate our successes and shine a spotlight on the issues impacting far too many families here. I hope that I will also be able to inspire others and show whats possible in a great city like ours.

SDLP leader and Foyle MP, Colum Eastwood said: Nominating Lilian as our Mayor is significant not only for our city and party, but for all those who struggle to see themselves represented in public life.

It is particularly important in this moment when others are trying to reassert a narrow, nativist politics that we step up and step in to show what our city and our island is really about.

Lilians story shows that talent and hard work can make a difference and I think its fitting that she will make history as the Mayor of Derry and Strabane, a city and region known the world over for standing up against oppression.

Cllr Seenoi-Barr's selection as the SDLP's choice to become mayor has proven controversial.

Over the weekend, it emerged that a selection convention that was due to be held this evening (Monday) had been cancelled by the party's management committee who opted to nominate Cllr Seenoi-Barr for mayor instead of taking it to a vote among the party's 300 members.

Two other candidates were in the running to become the SDLP's pick for mayor, they were councillors Shauna Cusack and Jason Barr.

In a joint statement to party members, councillors Cusack and Barr expressed their concerns over the party's selection process of who was to become the new mayor.

The councillors stated that the result of a "retrospective, informal, online interview held on Monday (last), which we were told was a matter of procedure for constitutional purposes.

At no stage were we advised that this would determine our candidacy".

They also stated that the decision by the party's management committee was "misleading and evasive".

Both myself and Jason are incredibly disappointed and frustrated that you, as members, will not be given the opportunity to vote for your candidate of choice to be the next SDLP first citizen.

Both councillors said they have lodged objections to decision and appealed to the management committee and Cllr Seenoi-Barr to go ahead with the selection convention.

They said: We have, like others, lodged our objections to this highly irregular, unfair and unprecedented process and appealed to the committee to immediately review their decision on the basis of fairness and transparency.

They added: Our requests have been met with silence from all concerned. This means that with the tight deadline for action expiring today, there can now be no change in events.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for any engagement and support you have given us, not only during our mandate but especially during this highly flawed process.

We are sorry for any disappointment you may feel. We feel it acutely ourselves. Please be assured that this is not a case of sour grapes but a genuine concern about the lack of democracy in the process.

To be clear no blame can be assigned to our friends on the council group and local elected reps who have been equally dismayed and disappointed. Wishing the best of luck to the future Mayor for the year ahead.
A coroner has said that the main thing preventing an inquest into the case of a Derry man shot dead in 2010 'moving forward' was the engagement with the authorities in the Republic.

Kieran Doherty (31) from Coshowen in Derry was found shot dead on the Braehead Road in February 24, 2010.

He was found stripped and bound and his death was claimed by the dissident republican group the Real IRA who made allegations against him.

At a preliminary hearing today the Coroner Judge Brian Sherrard said there was an update on the engagement with the authorities in the Republic.

Denise Killy counsel to the Coroner said there had been 'close engagement' between the Coroner's office and the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO) in Dublin.

She said that as of April 25 this year the Coroner's Office had been told that 'a response from the Gardai was at an advanced stage.'

The Gardai had been asked for any information they may have on Mr Doherty and his death.

Ms Killy said that the CSSO could not provide a timescale when that work would be completed but she said there had been 'a steady progression'.

The Coroner said that he was aware of the 'complexity' of the issue but was also conscious of the 'need to work closely with authorities in the Republic.'

He added that once this information was available it would then be subjected to various processes in the North.

Judge Sherrard said he hoped that it would be 'some sort of succour' to the Doherty family that the case was still being looked into.

The hearing was adjourned until June 17 for a update and it was decided to inform the CSSO of that timescale.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has defended incoming Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Cllr Lilian Seenoi-Barr after she has been subjected to targeted abuse from "far-right hate mongers" today.

Among those attacking Cllr Seenoi-Barr are American far right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who in 2022 was ordered to pay 1.2bn for falsely claiming the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.

Jones, who founded the conspiracy theory website Infowars, was removed from other major platforms, including YouTube and Facebook.

He was banned from Twitter in 2018 for breaching the site's rules on abusive behaviour. Jones, who has an audience of 2.3 million followers on X (formerly Twitter), tweeted about Cllr Seenoi-Barr using language including invaders, replacement migration, conquer the west and Ireland is in the crosshairs.

The Foyle MP said: The racially motivated attacks on Lilian over the weekend and today have been coordinated by far-right political actors Hell bent on spreading misinformation to fuel their own appalling ideology.

These people dont care about places like Derry and Strabane, they dont care about the people who live here and have made a home for their families here. The hate at the heart of their politics could not stand more starkly against the compassion that Lilian has shown for the people of Derry, people across this island and those in need even further afield.

Lilian will be an excellent Mayor precisely because she cares deeply about people regardless of their background, she is fearless in her advocacy and she works every single day to bring communities closer together. We will not be cowed by people like Alex Jones or his band of hate. Weve got Lilians back - that is not going to change.
A Donegal Judge spared a conviction for the possession of drugs after a man outlined to court how he was prescribed cannabis by a doctor in London.

Emmet Rudd, a 22-year-old of Argyle Street, Derry, was before Ballyshannon District Court charged with the unlawful possession of cannabis.

After reviewing documentation provided by Mr Rudd and hearing the defendant give evidence, Judge Ciaran Liddy struck out the charge.

Garda Paul White gave evidence of stopping a grey Toyota Yaris with three males on board at 10.40am on April 11, 2023 at Sminver, Ballyshannon.

There was a strong smell of cannabis in the vehicle and gardai located a blue jacket in which there were two white containers, each bearing Mr Rudd's name. Cannabis to the value of approximately 30 was in each container.

Mr Rudd was cautioned told gardai that the containers were holding medicinal cannabis. He said they were obtained from a doctor and that they were from his own use.

Mr Frank Murphy, solicitor for Rudd, handed in a letter to the court which listed Mr Rudd's medical condition and which showed that he was to take .3 of a gram of the product each day.

The product was sourced from Intego, a London-based 'cannabis specialist clinic', who say they provide 'private medical cannabis treatment by expert clinicians'. The company confirmed, in a letter shown to the court, that Mr Rudd is under their direct care.

Mr Murphy said his client was not attempting to conceal the cannabis and he had a letter 'as a valid prescription'.

He has done everything right where he lives, Mr Murphy said. There is a scheme that if he lived in the Republic of Ireland he would be covered for medicinal cannabis.

It was the most legal form of illegality, Mr Murphy said. He done everything to the letter of the law. He thought that he was covered to travel outside his jurisdiction and he took all the relevant advices.

He done everything in his ability to travel lawfully with a controlled substance. This was a valid, legal service that he was availing of.

Garda Inspector Seamus McGonagle told the court that he was 'not sure' about the letter which was provided in court and there was a dispute between Mr Rudd and the gardai on whether or not he had shown the officers the document when initially stopped.

Mr Murphy said that a scheme is in place in Ireland, which enabled some people to carry cannabis if it was for medicinal purposes, but the product had to be under prescription in this State.

The Medical Cannabis Access Programme was signed into legislation in 2019 on a pilot basis for five years.

The Medical Cannabis Access Programme make it possible for a medical consultant to prescribe a cannabis-based treatment for a patient under his or her care for the following medical conditions, where the patient has failed to respond to standard treatments: Spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis; intractable nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy; and severe, refractory (treatment-resistant) epilepsy.

Mr Rudd took to the witness box and said his own doctor put him in touch with the company, who he has an online check-up with every three months.

He said the medicinal cannabis is posted directly to his house in Derry 'and comes in a proper prescription bag'.

Mr Rudd told Judge Liddy that he suffers from bad anxiety and depression and this is a favoured form of treatment 'so I don't have to take tablets'.

He told the Judge that he has travelled to France and England 'and had no bother in airports'.

At all times, I thought that I was above board. Mr Rudd said.

Judge Ciaran Liddy said he found the facts proven and struck the matter out.
A postponed meeting between James Cleverly and Irish justice minister Helen McEntee was because of a genuine diary clash, an Irish minister has said.

The Home Secretary and Ms McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

The change emerged after a weekend where the UK and Irish governments rowed over the movement of asylum seekers from the UK to Ireland.

Irelands deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin is still attending the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC) in London, and will co-chair it alongside Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

It was confirmed on Monday that Ms McEntee will not attend the BIIGC and will instead meet senior officials in Dublin.

The minister looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon, a Department statement said.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Irish Media Minister Catherine Martin said the meeting was postponed due to a genuine diary clash.

I would say from what Ive been told it is a genuine diary clash and that both ministers are determined to meet at the earliest opportunity, she said, emphasising that it was a postponement, not a cancellation.

Ms McEntee has claimed last week that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

After Mr Martin said the increase could be driven by migrants in fear of being deported to Rwanda, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at the weekend that shows the Rwanda plans effect.

The policy aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

It comes as Channel crossings continued on Monday and Home Office figures showed that more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

Irish premier Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland will not provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges and said Ireland will draft legislation for a new returns policy.

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and co-operation between the British and Irish governments is not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss emergency legislation that would see asylum seekers returned to the UK on Tuesday.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling which found that Ireland designating the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

The UK Government said it would decide who is allowed to enter the country, despite any legislation the Irish Government may pass.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said on Monday: Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who we do and dont accept into the country and, clearly, we arent going to start accepting returns from the EU just as the EU doesnt accept asylum returns from the UK to France.

Mel Stride, the UK Work and Pensions Secretary, said on Monday that the claimed increase in people seeking asylum in Ireland who have crossed the border are early signs of the Rwanda plans effectiveness.

Asked whether the UK would accept asylum seekers being sent back across the border into Northern Ireland, Mr Stride told LBC: We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK.

What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works. Thats exactly why we are now having this conversation, because we have now passed that legislation.

Labours David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.

Mr Lammy also called for a co-ordinated agreement with European countries, rather than a whack-a-mole situation where compromises are made with individual states as they raise complaints.

On Sunday, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill urged a thought-out and considered response from both the British and Irish governments.

Some 500 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24% higher than this time last year and 7% higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday but groups of migrants were pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Monday amid sunny, breezy and clear weather conditions at sea.
Rishi Sunak rejected the idea of accepting the return of asylum seekers from Ireland amid concerns the UK Governments Rwanda policy was driving the flow of migrants across the border with the republic.

The Prime Minister said he was not interested in any sort of returns deal if the European Union did not allow the UK to send back asylum seekers who had crossed the English Channel from France.

The issue has been highlighted after the passage of the UK Governments Rwanda legislation, which paves the way for asylum seekers to be sent on a one-way trip to the African nation.

The UK Government has hailed the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme, which is intended to help stop small boat crossings from France.

But as a knock-on effect, the Irish government has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

The issue was discussed by the UK and Irish governments at high-level talks in London on Monday.

The Irish government has proposed new legislation to make it easier to send migrants to the UK, effectively reversing an Irish High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe third country for returning asylum seekers because of the Rwanda plan.

But Mr Sunak told ITV News there was no desire in Westminster to accept asylum seekers back from Ireland.

Were not interested in that. Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

Of course were not going to do that.

Pleased to be in London today for the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference. Constructive and wide ranging discussions on many issues, including legacy, political stability, migration and security cooperation. pic.twitter.com/0s5bndLaR2  Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) April 29, 2024

Asked whether there were any negotiations with the EU on returns, he said: No, Im focused on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running.

At a joint press conference in Westminster, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Irish deputy prime minister Micheal Martin sought to play down any rift over the issue.

On the Rwanda scheme, Mr Heaton-Harris said The UKs new deterrent is clearly working and having some impact already.

An impact that will obviously increase as the first flights take off for Rwanda.

He added: We will obviously monitor all this very closely and continue to work with the Irish Government on these matters.

Mr Heaton-Harris said there was no way that we would want to upset our relationship with Ireland.

There was a joint commitment to protect the common travel area from abuse, he added.

The Cabinet minister said while the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme was anticipated we are slightly surprised that it manifested itself so quickly after the Act became law.

And he said he was comfortable with the Irish Governments proposed legislation, which he said was just resetting the legal position following an Irish High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe country.

Mr Martin highlighted the need for international action to curb irregular migration.

And he acknowledged that any agreements on returns would have to be mutual and reciprocal.

Elsewhere, a postponed meeting between James Cleverly and Irish justice minister Helen McEntee was postponed.

The Home Secretary and Ms McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Irish Media Minister Catherine Martin said the meeting was postponed due to a genuine diary clash.

Ms McEntee has claimed last week that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Meanwhile, Channel crossings continued on Monday and Home Office figures showed that more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

Some 500 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24% higher than this time last year and 7% higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday but groups of migrants were pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Monday amid sunny, breezy and clear weather conditions at sea.

Labours David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.
MPs at Westminster are debating assisted dying after a petition on discussing the controversial issue gained more than 200,000 signatures.

Demonstrators on both sides of the argument have gathered ahead of the Westminster Hall debate, at which there will not be a vote.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the situation as it stands across the UK, Ireland and Crown Dependencies.

 What is assisted dying?

This, and the language used, varies depending on who you ask.

Pro-change campaigners Dignity in Dying say that assisted dying allows a person with a terminal condition the choice to control their death if they decide their suffering is unbearable.

They argue that, along with good care, dying people who are terminally ill and mentally competent adults deserve the choice to control the timing and manner of their death.

But the campaign group Care Not Killing uses the terms assisted suicide and euthanasia and argues that the focus should be on promoting more and better palliative care rather than any law change.

They say legalising assisted dying could place pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a financial, emotional or care burden upon others and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.

 What is the current law?

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

 What is happening in Scotland?

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur published a Bill in March at Holyrood that, if passed, will allow people living in Scotland with a terminal illness to be given help to end their life.

Mr McArthur has said he is absolutely convinced the long-overdue reform will become law.

His Bill marks the third time MSPs will have considered the issue, with previous attempts to change the law failing to secure enough votes to proceed.

 What about other parts of the UK, Ireland and the Crown Dependencies?

Proposals for how an assisted dying law would work in Jersey  one of the UKs three self-governing Crown Dependencies  were published in March, with a debate in the States Assembly planned for May, and a vote then expected on whether to proceed with drawing up legislation.

The earliest for a law to come into effect in Jersey would be spring or summer 2027.

The Isle of Man published a committee report in March on its Assisted Dying Bill, which had passed a second reading vote in the islands parliament in October.

The report, which suggested possible amendments to the text of the Bill, was officially received by the islands parliament in April and will have each of its 14 clauses debated during sessions in May.

In the Republic of Ireland, a committee recommended in March that legislation allowing for assisted dying in certain restricted circumstances should be introduced.

But it led to a split, with some committee members refusing to support the recommendations, arguing the case for assisted dying has not been established.

 What has Westminster said?

In February, a report by MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee warned that the Government must consider what to do if the law is changed in part of the UK or on the Isle of Man or Jersey, both of which are Crown Dependencies.

The committee, which did not make any recommendation for a vote on the issue, said legalisation in at least one jurisdiction is looking increasingly likely and suggested the Government must be actively involved in discussions about how to approach differences in the law.

On April 29, just ahead of the Westminster Hall debate, the Governments response to the report was published.

It said it will discuss with devolved administrations and Crown Dependencies the practical implications for England and Wales of legislation introduced to allow AD/AS (assisted dying/assisted suicide) and any constitutional issues that such legislation may present.

It said it expects there would be time for discussions whilst the necessary regulatory measures are put in place, but committee chairman Steve Brine said conversations need to start earlier than that.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he is committed to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should his party win the general election, while Downing Street has previously said it would be up to Parliament whether to again debate legalising assisted dying.

 Has the issue been debated in the UK Parliament before?

Yes. An Assisted Dying Bill, which would have allowed some terminally ill adults to ask for medical help to end their life, went before the Commons in 2015 and was rejected by MPs.

There was also a Bill proposed in the House of Lords during the 2021/2022 session which reached a second reading in the chamber, while a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying took place in July 2022.
Controversial new laws to deal with the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles should be binned, First Minister Michelle ONeill has said.

From Wednesday, responsibility for dealing with hundreds of unresolved cases will pass to a new truth recovery agency, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

This will mean future civil litigation and inquests into Troubles deaths will be stopped.

Prosecutions that are currently ongoing will continue to conclusion.

The Legacy Act, which became law last year, has been opposed by all of the Northern Ireland political parties, as well as the Irish Government and victims organisations.

The Sinn Fein First Minister said she believed that it was the collective will of all parties at Stormont that the legislation is horrific.

She was responding to a question from Alliance Party MLA Stewart Dickson, who said there were very serious legitimate concerns that organisations which support victims and survivors of the Troubles would see a rise in demand for services.

Ms ONeill said: When the legislation comes into effect on Wednesday of this week it effectively closes down the doors for all those people out there seeking truth and justice.

I think it is the collective will of all parties of the chamber that this legislation is horrific and it should be repealed immediately.

We had a way back in 2015 with the Stormont House Agreement to deal with the past. I commend that approach still today.

What the British Government are doing in terms of shutting down very firmly the doors on access to justice, access to the courts, is totally not acceptable.

It is harrowing. The last number of weeks in terms of the inquests that have come forward, it has been a very bruising time for so many families and it just highlights and underlines why this legislation is absolutely not good enough and unacceptable and should be binned.

Mr Dickson asked if there was a risk to good relations and reconciliation because of the Legacy Act.

The First Minister said: There is no doubt as a result of Wednesdays legislation coming into effect, it is the families, it is the victims and survivors that are going to feel the brunt of that.

It is unfair, it is burdening todays generation to carry on this battle. That is completely unfair.

I think we will all continue to say with one voice this legislation should be repealed.
A retired Norwegian detective who examined the conduct of police investigations during the Troubles has expressed concern at big gaps in many cases.

Kjell Erik Eriksen, a former detective superintendent in Norway, was part of an international panel that spent a year assessing state actions during the conflict.

The report from the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights claimed there was a widespread, systematic and systemic practice of protecting security force members from any sanction for wrongdoing.

The panel probed allegations that the state engaged in collusion with paramilitaries and also blocked proper police investigations into conflict-related killings to protect security force members and agents implicated in crime.

The investigation was commissioned by the Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) and the Pat Finucane Centre (PFC).

The report  titled Bitter Legacy: State Impunity in the Northern Ireland Conflict  cited a significant disparity in prosecutions between paramilitaries and state actors as evidence there was a system of impunity for security forces involved in Troubles crimes.

Mr Eriksen said one of the major challenge in conducting the assessment was lack of access to original RUC case files.

He said the panel relied on official documents and information in reports produced by bodies such as the Police Ombudsman and now defunct Historical Enquiries Team (HET).

The main findings were that the investigations, especially in the 70s and 80s, were of poor quality, he said.

There were large gaps in the investigation. Lines of inquiry were not followed up.

For example, if you had a suspect, they didnt search the home; if there was a murder scene, they didnt compare the blood with suspects and so on.

It was big gaps in a lot of these investigations. Poor quality.

In suspect interviews, there was no challenge. Some of the interviews there were only five or six questions, they lasted for 20 to 30 minutes.

Arrests were also an issue. There was delaying arrests for a long, long time, maybe a year, or no arrests at all, even though they had suspects.

So we concluded there was poor, poor quality in the investigations.
April 26th is World IP Day, celebrated annually to highlight the role that intellectual property (IP) rights play in encouraging innovation and creativity. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website, IP is central to addressing the global challenges we face. IP is a powerful catalyst for growth and development and, as such, has a key role to play in improving livelihoods, and safeguarding our planet.

On World IP Day, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about what IP means, focusing in particular on what semiconductor IP is, and why it matters.

What is IP?

According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, Intellectual Property refers to property (such as a concept, idea, invention, or work) that derives from the effort of the mind or intellect. It is also a right or registration (such as a patent, trademark, trade secret, or copyright) relating to or protecting this property.

Semiconductor IP fits this definition, but it goes beyond it. Within the world of semiconductors, IP refers to a licensed product that enables System-on-Chip (SoC) designers to create complex semiconductors more quickly by integrating various pre-verified functional building blocks. With the incredible size and complexity of a modern SoC (often benchmarked by the number of transistors per die), it just doesnt make practical sense to create each piece of functionality from scratch. IP is a must.

Click here to read more ...




HIGHLIGHTS Google rolled out Gemini to Android devices earlier this year. Initially, it was only compatible with Android 12 and higher. Google has now expanded Gemini's support to include Android 10 and Android 11 as well.

Google released its AI-powered experience, Gemini, to Android devices earlier this year. Initially, it was only compatible with Android 12 and higher. However, Google has recently expanded Geminis support to include Android 10 and Android 11 as well.

Gemini is now available for installation on Android 10 and higher through the latest app updates. This expands its compatibility beyond Android 12, lowering the minimum requirement, reports 9To5Google.

Also read: Googles Gemini AI assistant could soon support third-party music apps like Spotify: Check details

When Google initially announced Gemini for Android earlier this year, the company specified that the app would exclusively be accessible to devices operating on Android 12 and newer. Subsequent app updates since then have consistently maintained Android 12 as the minimum-supported version.

Also read: Gemini now lets you modify its responses: Heres how

The most recent version of Gemini for Android, v1.0.626720042, now extends support back to Android 10. Users can now install the app via the Play Store on devices running this older version of the operating system.

The change was initially noted by Sumanta Das on X (formerly Twitter). The report mentioned that the added support has been confirmed on a Google Pixel device running Android 10. After updating the Google app and Play Services, the experience closely resembled that of using Gemini on a newer device.

In related news, it was recently reported that a new option Music is expected to be introduced within the Gemini settings that will likely allow you to select preferred services used to play music. This indicates that users might soon have the ability to pick their preferred streaming service from a range of options. Once chosen, Gemini will likely integrate with the selected service, enabling you to control music playback through voice commands.

This development is expected to be a game-changer for Gemini. If the information is true, users who heavily depend on streaming services will finally have the functionality theyve been eagerly anticipating. No more grappling with song identification issues or cumbersome workarounds.
US probe into China's RISC-V role casts shadow on Samsung's AI chip ambitions and foundry biz expansion

Samsung Electronics has been actively promoting the open-source instruction set architecture, RISC-V, as a crucial technology for developing next-generation AI chips. However, the ongoing investigation by the US Department of Commerce (DOC) into potential national security risks resulting from China's proactive involvement in RISC-V could hinder Samsung's RISC-V ecosystem development plans.

According to reports from Reuters and Seoul Economic Daily, the DOC is conducting probes into possible national security risks associated with China's significant presence in the RISC-V domain. In addition, they are also assessing possible countermeasures while highlighting the need to avoid harming US companies engaged in RISC-V development.

Industry analysts highlighted the need for the DOC to meticulously weigh the implications of any decisions it makes concerning RISC-V, given the involvement of numerous US companies in its development. This consideration is especially pertinent given the membership structure of RISC-V International, with leading entities like Qualcomm, Google, Intel, and Nvidia holding Premier Membership status. Notably, Chinese firms such as Alibaba, Huawei, Tencent, and ZTE are also Premier Members, while Samsung is currently a Strategic Member, one tier lower.

Presently, the primary Intellectual Properties (IPs) essential for Integrated Circuit (IC) design are Arm's Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) and Intel's x86 architecture, both requiring substantial royalties for use. In contrast, RISC-V offers an open-source alternative, significantly reducing the design costs of AI chips and simplifying the expansion of chip functions. Consequently, Chinese companies, as latecomers in the IC design field, are devoted to RISC-V research.

Samsung's RISC-V endeavors

For Samsung, if RISC-V can be used to develop AI accelerators, the company can reduce its reliance on Arm mobile CPUs for its Exynos series chips, address power consumption issues of the products, and lower production costs.

To incorporate RISC-V into IC design, Samsung recently founded an AI chip design R&D organization named "Advanced Processor Lab (APL)" in Silicon Valley. This initiative aims to expedite the development of Samsung's proprietary AI chips utilizing the open-source RISC-V architecture.

With the US initiating an investigation into RISC-V technology, the South Korean industry is apprehensive that Samsung's RISC-V IC design may hit snags just as it is getting started. Should major American tech players withdraw from RISC-V development under pressure from the US government, it would be difficult for Chinese and South Korean companies to independently produce CPUs that can rival Arm's offerings.

From a longer-term perspective, If the US government enforces restrictions on RISC-V adoption, it could also negatively impact Samsung's foundry business, especially given the importance of the Chinese market in the company's efforts to expand its foundry market share.

It is reported that Samsung is conducting trial production of server chips for Baidu, a Chinese web giant, at its 4nm foundry line in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. Baidu has already invested in the RISC-V company StarFive. Additionally, Samsung's first 3nm customer is a Chinese ASIC manufacturer for Bitcoin mining.

While Samsung has not yet taken a stance on the US investigation into RISC-V in China, foreign media analysts suggested that RISC-V will become a new focal point in the US-China hegemony struggle, and subsequent developments in this regard will be garnering significant attention.
Apple's supply chain expands presence in Southeast Asia, with Vietnam leading the way

Apple recently released its global supplier list for fiscal year 2023 (FY23).

In recent years, it has required its suppliers to diversify their production bases to reduce the risk of over-concentration and over-reliance on China. The Southeast Asian (SEA) region, hailed as an important market that can take over the reins, has begun to welcome significant investments, with Vietnam particularly promising.

According to Retail News Asia, the FY23 Apple supplier list, which counts to the end of September 2023, has Vietnam as the market with the most Apple suppliers in the SEA region; the country also ranks fourth globally.

Data shows that in FY23, the number of Apple suppliers in Vietnam reached 35, an increase of 10 (actually 12 in, 2 out) from 25 in the previous fiscal year (FY22). In the SEA region, this figure is ahead of Thailand (24), Malaysia (19), and the Philippines (17).

The 12 new Apple suppliers in Vietnam for FY23 include China's AAC Technologies, Insight, LY iTech, Desay Battery, Sunway Communication, and Sunwoda; Taiwan's Foxlink, Golden Arrow Group, Quanta, and Yageo; Singapore's Hi-P International Limited; and the US's R.R.Donnelley and Sons Company. The two exiting suppliers are China's MYS and South Korea's Seoul Semiconductor.

In addition, China's Biel Crystal and Luxshare Precision have built additional factories in Vietnam, increasing the number from 1 to 2. In contrast, the number of factories in Vietnam for US-based Molex Incorporated has decreased from 2 to 1.

Globally, Vietnam is only behind China (158), Taiwan (49), and Japan (44) in terms of the number of Apple suppliers. Despite the supply chain accelerating their diversification of production bases, China remains Apple's largest manufacturing hub, accounting for 37.5% out of the total of 761 locations.

The report pointed out that since 2016, with companies like Foxconn and Luxshare Precision setting up factories, Vietnam's Apple supplier count has grown rapidly, now producing products such as the iPad, MacBook, Apple Watch, and AirPods.

During Apple CEO Tim Cook's recent visit to Vietnam, he met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. Cook promised to expand the procurement of components produced by local suppliers and to support innovation.
Weekly news roundup: China's demand for lithography equipment knows no bounds

These are the most-read DIGITIMES Asia stories in the week of April 22 - April 26.

China has become an insatiable market for lithography equipment

ASML's future operation can be said to be closely connected with China. The world's largest lithography maker said Chinese customers account for 20% of their recent orders and contribute to almost half of the company's revenue. Shandon is a major semiconductor equipment importer in addition to primary wafer customers in Beijing and Shanghai. In the first quarter of 2024, ASML's deliveries to Taiwan and South Korea, the company's previous main markets, declined to only 6% and 19%, respectively.

Falling EUV equipment orders suggest China and Intel drive ASML's performance

ASML is used to the tens of billions of euros in backlog orders. The company sees limited output growth. In addition, as long as new wafer fabs are built, equipment purchases will eventually be made with ASML. China-based semiconductor companies are growing their fab production capacity under the US-China technology tension. They continue to place ASML orders and have gradually stockpiled them while having limited access to the equipment due to US export restrictions.

China feeds on lucrative semiconductor business created by US

China has been fostering a local semiconductor supply chain to reduce dependence on the US and its allies. It also has become a critical supplier for other sanctioned countries. According to a report from Christ Miller and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), China provided close to 90% of the chips Russia imported in the first half of 2023. Most of the chips were from the West. The insidious transaction to evade US sanctions has increased costs by around 80% compared to pre-Ukraine War levels in 2019 and 2021, according to the report.

Intel expanding partnerships with 2nd-tier foundries

Sources at fab toolmakers said Intel has tied up with UMC, Tower Semiconductor, and other second-tier foundries to cut costs and optimize production utilization. The alliance may also enhance the competitiveness of Intel's foundry business, which will unlikely challenge TSMC in the foreseeable future. Sources said Intel may also try to partner with GlobalFoundries in the next two years. Intel has disclosed a US$7 billion loss in its manufacturing business in 2023.

Huawei's 7nm chip capability and HBM development reflect China's advanced processes ambition

A teardown of Huawei's newly launched Pura 70 series smartphones showed the adoption of the Huawei Kirin 9010 chip, according to market research firm TechInsights. The chip is believed to be manufactured using SMIC's 7nm N+2 process, an enhanced version of the 7nm process. The revelation highlights Huawei's capability to design advanced chips. In addition, The Information reported that Huawei has led a group of Chinese chip companies to develop China's domestic production capacity of High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM). The government-backed group aims to begin HBM production by 2026.

HBM prices likely to fall in 2H24 due to intensified market competition

The recent slump in Nvidia's stock price and market capitalization has concerned the South Korean semiconductor industry. The industry suspected that the High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) market would be impacted if the Nvidia-dominated AI semiconductor market shrinks. Major manufacturers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix will also take a hit. According to South Korean media reports, industry players speculated that the HBM market will likely see price adjustments in the second half of 2024.

New BYD NEV to adopt Horizon Robotics chip

China-based Horizon Robotics released the Journey 6 series, its next-generation automotive processor. The Journey 6 series achieves a highly integrated four-core-in-one design that can package CPUs, GPUs, Brain Processing Units (BPU), and Microcontroller Units (MCU) on the same substrate. A single chip supports full-stack computing for smart driving, improving cost performance. Although the chips' manufacturing process remains unknown, they will power BYD's upcoming New Energy Vehicles (NEV).
A meeting due to take place between Justice Minister Helen McEntee and the UK Home Secretary James Cleverly has been postponed.

The meeting was due to take place this Monday, April 29, to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but was postponed late on Sunday night.

It is understood that the postponement is because of a diary clash on the British side.

In a statement the Department of Justice said that "the minister looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon."

Ms McEntee has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

After Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheal Martin said the increase could be driven by migrants in fear of being deported to Rwanda, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that showed the UKs Rwanda plans effect.

The plan aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland wont provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges and said Ireland would draft legislation for a new returns policy.

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and cooperation between the British and Irish governments was not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

In response, the UK Government rejected any bid by Ireland to return asylum seekers unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

These exchanges come as

UK and Irish ministers are due to meet in London amid an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

Micheal Martin is to co-chair a meeting of the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC) in London this Monday with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

It was confirmed that Ms McEntee would not attend the BIIGC and will instead meet senior officials in Dublin.
Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has said he is reassured over proposed Irish legislation on returning asylum seekers from Ireland to the UK.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee is to bring a proposal to Cabinet on Tuesday around returning asylum seekers who had arrived in Ireland from the UK.

Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said he had briefed British officials at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in London on Monday.

He moved to assure them that the legislation would deal with the repercussions of a decision by Irelands High Court, which found that the basis for designating the UK a safe country for asylum purposes was contrary to EU law.

Mr Martin said that the decision related to an agreement on returning asylum seekers to the UK  and vice versa  that was struck between the two governments after Brexit.

So basically, it is restoring the situation to where it was before the High Court case of last March. Thats, in essence, what has been proposed, Mr Martin said at a joint press event in London with Mr Heaton-Harris.

If this legislation is, as I believe it is and Ive been assured it is, just setting us back in time to where we were and what we were dealing with, then Im comfortable with that, Mr Heaton-Harris said.

But we are fully behind implementing our Rwanda scheme.

The two governments have been involved in a row over a reported increase in recent months in the number of people applying for asylum in Ireland who had crossed the Northern Ireland border.

Mr Martin said that Irelands Attorney General had advised that legislation would be needed to create a proper statutory basis for an agreement that we earlier had.

The High Court struck down the basis upon which we had we arrived at an agreement with the British government after Brexit. There was an arrangement, an agreement in terms of managing this issue, and these agreements have to be mutual.

No one country could say were sending back if theres not a reciprocal agreement, and it works both ways  so the United Kingdom could send people back to the Republic who might have originated here.

Thats the legislative backdrop underpinning all of this.

He said that both governments are committed to working together to deal with Common Travel Area issues including migration.

From our perspective, and Im very clear that the Common Travel Area, generally that framework has been very beneficial to Irish citizens and United Kingdom citizens, and it covers a lot, including migration.

He added: The Common Travel Area, there will be ongoing discussions around that and its been overall beneficial to Irish citizens and to UK citizens and we want to maintain those benefits. I think the optimal way to deal with issues around migration is to continue discussion in the context of the Common Travel framework.
The relationship between the UK and Ireland is strong enough to deal with a dispute over new legacy laws, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has said.

From Wednesday, responsibility for dealing with hundreds of unresolved cases will pass to a new truth recovery agency, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

The Legacy Act includes a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to those who co-operate with the new body.

The legislation has been opposed by all Northern Ireland political parties as well as victims organisations.

The Irish Government has also launched an interstate case against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights.

In addition, a judge at Belfast High Court ruled that the provision for conditional immunity was not compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The UK Government is appealing against that finding.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris discussed the row with Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in London on Monday.

Mr Martin said he understands the UK Governments concerns about Irelands interstate case against new legacy laws.

He said the Irish Government took the decision to take the case reluctantly, and added: Today I heard the British Governments concerns about the case directly  I understand them.

Speaking to reporters at the BIIGC, he said: Equally, I hope that they understand our concerns and our sense of how we got to this point.

My Government and every Irish government will always defend the central importance of the European Convention of Human Rights to the Good Friday Agreement  the ECHR is integral to the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Martin, who is the Irish foreign minister, said Ireland had a desire to do right by the victims.

Asked if the Irish Government would co-operate with the the ICRIR, he said Ireland was awaiting the outcome of legal challenges against the laws  which include its own interstate case.

He said: We intend to have further meetings with victims groups in terms of where they see the situation now.

Our ultimate objective is to do right by the victims and the families of the victims.

As I meet more and more groups, there are younger generations coming through. So this isnt going away, so to speak.

Many of the younger generations of families are very determined to carry on the campaigns and to get resolution, so all of us  and we may have differences in approach  but I think all of us share a genuine desire to do right by the victims and the families of the victims.

Mr Heaton-Harris told reporters that Ireland and the UK are bound to have various political debates.

He added: But Id like to think our relationship is strong enough to deal with all of those issues.

However, the under-secretary of state for Northern Ireland said Irelands interstate case was premature and unnecessary.

Speaking at the same press conference, Lord Jonathan Caine also denied that the Legacy Act was a cover-up and said the ICRIC would provide answers far more effectively and for many more people than current mechanisms.

He added: I would reject completely any suggestion that this is about cover-up because the new body will have access to far more state records than has ever been available to any such body in the past.

What we are trying to do here is deliver as much information and as many answers as possible to those victims and survivors who actually want them and, of course, join this process.

Ive never shied away from the fact that there will be some things that emerge that are difficult for the UK Government and the British state.

Therell be things emerge which are very difficult for paramilitaries and former paramilitaries as well, but the intention behind this legislation is to allow victims to get more answers, more information against the backdrop where the current mechanisms work for a very small minority of people in Northern Ireland  and the chances this far on of successful criminal prosecutions is going to be vanishingly rare.

The Northern Ireland Secretary also defended the establishment of the ICRIR as a move in an important direction.

Mr Heaton-Harris said the new body would have a huge budget.

Mr Martin told reporters there was discussion about a number of legacy issues including the Dublin-Monaghan bombings as well as the killings of Sean Brown and Pat Finucane.

He added that the Irish Government would fully co-operate with the UKs Omagh bombing inquiry, amid calls for tandem public inquiries in both jurisdictions.
The Irish Department of Justice has stood by an assessment that a majority of asylum seekers are coming into the country through Northern Ireland.

Last week, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee claimed 80% of asylum seekers are coming into the country from Northern Ireland.

The figure has since been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations, and Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin had said it was not based on evidence, statistics or data.

Government officials, including Taoiseach Simon Harris and Ms McEntee, said an increase in the number of people presenting at the International Protection Office (IPO) rather than Dublin Airport or other ports indicates there is a rise in asylum seekers coming from Northern Ireland.

On Monday evening, the department told the PA news agency that 91% of applications at the IPO so far in 2024 were made there for the first time rather than an airport or other port.

It said that its operational assessment was that more than 80% of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This would equate to approximately 72% of all applications this year.

In a statement, a spokeswoman said: It has long been the case that a significant number of people apply for international protection for the first time in the IPO.

This has increased in 2024. To date in 2024, there have been 6,739 applications for international protection at the IPO. Of these 6,136 (91%) were made at the IPO for the first time and not at a port of entry.

There are a number of circumstances in which someone might apply in the IPO without first applying at a port of entry.

They may enter at an airport with valid documentation for example but choose not to apply at that time. Or they may apply having been in the State for a period previously, for example on foot of a different permission to remain.

However, the departments firm assessment, based on the experience of staff and others working in the field, and based on the material gathered at interviews, is that over 80% of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This is the departments operational assessment of the situation.

It comes amid a row between the UK and Ireland over migrants travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and into the Irish state.

Recently, the High Court ruled that Irelands decision to designate the UK as a safe third country was against EU law, in the context of the planned transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Ms McEntee is to bring a proposal to Cabinet on Tuesday around returning asylum seekers who had arrived in Ireland from the UK.

Refugee groups have cast doubt on the figure for Northern Ireland arrivals while a think tank said a first-time registration rate of approximately 80% at the IPO would not be unusual compared with other years.

Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said: We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80% figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

Asked about the evidence for the claim on Monday, Mr Martin said it was clear from the presentation of migrants that there was a change in where they came from.

He added that the Department of Justice had a perspective that there had been an increase in the number of arrivals through Northern Ireland.

Speaking to reporters at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, Mr Martin said: On the 80% and the evidence: Over a while, I think the Department of Justice officials would say  and its not statistical, its not a database or evidence base  but it is very clear from the presentations of migrants that theres a change in the nature of where migrants have come from, and thats the sense and the perspective that Justice have on this.

Increasingly over the last year or two, theres been a shift. If you remember, all the earlier commentary was on people coming in on planes without documentation and so on.

That has lessened somewhat and theres been a switch in terms of the pattern of migration, thats the sense from our Justice officials.
Over 4,000 nurses and midwives have been assaulted while working in Irish hospitals in the last 14 months.

According to new figures obtained by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), 4,016 nursing staff were assaulted between January 2023 and February 2024.

"We know that this is a conservative figure as many nurses and midwives do not report these incidents, nor indeed do their employers," INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said.

"Far too many nurses and midwives are assaulted in the workplace, over 4,106 nurses were verbally, physically or sexually assaulted in their workplace last year."

The figures, which were obtained by the INMO via a Freedom of Information Request, show that on average, 287 nurses and midwives were assaulted each month.

The highest month in the reported period was March 2023, with 338 nurses and midwives reporting an assault in the work place.

The INMO have called on the HSE "as an employer needs to radically shift its focus when it comes to the safety of its employees".

"Our members, the majority of whom are women, need to know that they can go about very difficult jobs of treating patients in a safe manner without having to worry about their own safety," Ms Ni Sheaghdha said.

"Too many of our members have had career-ending or career-changing incidents happen to them in the line of their work through no fault of their own. Far too often it is the overcrowded conditions that they are working in that is to blame."

The INMO have welcomed "the positive response to our request to establish an advisory division for health and social care services within the Health and Safety Authority", but say their expectations are high that the HSA ensure "it has the same transformative impact on healthcare worker safety as it has had in the construction and farming sectors."
Claims that the majority of asylum seekers entering Ireland had crossed the border from Northern Ireland have been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations.

Irelands justice minister Helen McEntee last week claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the state is now higher than 80% following a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

It comes as UK and Irish ministers are meeting in London following a fallout over migrants travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and into the Irish state.

On Friday, Irish premier Simon Harris said that the figures provided by Ms McEntee were based on the number of people registering at the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin.

However, representatives from the Irish Refugee Council and the Committee on the Administration of Justice cast doubt on the figures.

Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said: We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80% figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

A person may pass through immigration control and then apply for protection at the IPO.

They may not want to apply at the airport or port because they think they will be placed back on the flight and returned, putting them at risk of persecution.

Also, a person may also be here with one status, eg as a student, but due to a change in circumstances, like a war in their country, need to apply for protection.

For example, we have supported people from Gaza in this type of situation. This is known as sur place refugees.

Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, said he is sceptical of the claims put forward by the minister.

When you look at what the Department of Justice said, they said the border wasnt monitored routinely and the 80% seems to be based on the fact that a lot of international protection applications are happening in-country, in the Mount Street office rather than happening at ports and airports.

But theres a broad range of reasons why that would be the case. A lot of people make their asylum claims in-country and not at ports, they dont realise you need to do it at port.

@DeptJusticeIRL, as far as we know, have not published evidence to support 80% figure. Just because a person does not apply at airport, doesn't mean they came through NI. A person may apply directly at the IPO.  Irish Refugee Council (@IrishRefugeeCo) April 27, 2024

Or take for example, if someone whos in Ireland, not as a refugee but as a medical student, they werent in need of international protection when they arrived. But then something happens.

Theyre from a very undemocratic regime, a family member gets arrested, gets tortured, gets detained, and they know theyre going to be in a similar risk if they go back and at that point is the point when they seek international protection.

So were sceptical. This isnt the first time this type of claim has been made. When the British governments Rwanda policy was launched a couple of years ago, back in 2022, a very similar claim was made that was treated with great scepticism by the ESRI.

(The ESRI) urged that it was treated with quite considerable caution because not only were in-country applications not really indicative of how many people were crossing the land border, but equally there were many other push factors that will lead into increases in international protection applications rather than the UK policy.
Eagle Times Staff

BRATTLEBORO, Vt.  Cassandra Kaci Viado plays a key role in Youth Services mission to build resilience and be a catalyst for change as the new Co-Director of the agencys Restorative Justice Programs.

Promoted from her position as the Restorative Panel and Pre-Charge Programs Coordinator for the last 18 months, Viado is well-versed in working with volunteers, participants, harmed parties, and facilitating restorative justice panels. In that capacity, Viado attended one-on-one meetings for over 100 cases annually, collaborated with local law enforcement, Probation and Parole, and the States Attorneys Office.

In her new role, Viado manages five restorative justice-based programs for youth and adults in Windham County: Pretrial Services, Court Diversion, Driving with License Suspended, a diversion-based program for substance use and/or mental health needs called Tamarack and the Youth Substance Awareness Safety Program, which emphasizes healthy choices over punishment.

Our programs allow participants to take accountability for their actions, restore their place in the community, and provide healing to both the participant and the harmed party while avoiding a criminal history. These are the pieces I think are too often missing in the traditional criminal justice model, Viado stated.

Viado explained how each pre-charge or diversion process at Youth Services is crafted for the specific person and their situation. Individuals might participate in a restorative conference with community volunteers or complete community service. Their program coordinator may connect them to resources, therapy or treatment to help them meet any conditions of release. In addition, victims and affected parties have the option of being involved.

Kaci has a well-rounded understanding of the criminal justice system and working in community- based programs like ours, which focus on repairing harm caused by crime and dealing with the risks and needs of the person who commits crimes, said Russell Bradbury-Carlin, Youth Services Executive Director. Investing in community-based accountability programs has proven to save taxpayer money and reduce the likelihood of another crime.

Prior to joining Youth Services, Viado was a Probation Officer for Cobb County, Georgia where she supervised caseloads of 200-plus misdemeanor offenders, all while helping to facilitate rehabilitation. Leading up to that position she provided administration support for the misdemeanor probation staff and was also a Legal Assistant at a family law firm and a case manager for youth in human services agencies.

I am thrilled for Kaci to be joining me as co-director of our restorative justice team, said Mel Motel, the other Restorative Justice Co-Director at Youth Services. Kaci brings to this role a commitment to restorative justice, strong relationships with community partners, and a deep respect for the individuals who participate in our programs. Kacis leadership will undoubtedly make a tremendous impact on our agency and the broader community.

For more information on Youth Services Restorative Justice programs or to support these efforts as a volunteer or with a donation, visit youthservicesinc.org or call Kaci Viado at 802-257-0361, ext. 170.
On Friday, communists kicked Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg off of Cardiff University campus. Establishment politicians and the media have responded with a frenzy of condemnation. We will continue stepping up the struggle to bring down our imperialist ruling class!

[Originally published at communist.red]

The Cardiff Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) organised and led a rally of students and workers against Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who was invited to speak at Cardiff University Conservative Society last Friday.

For three hours a crowd of protestors peacefully surrounded the building where Rees-Mogg was speaking.

Our comrades led chants of revolutionary slogans, and gave speeches attacking Rees-Mogg as a vile representative of British imperialism, and an active supporter of the genocide being carried out against the Palestinian people.

When Rees-Mogg finally exited, surrounded by six heavy-set security guards, there was a spontaneous rush on Moggs getaway car, and a number of protestors were manhandled and dragged away.

A video of this incident went viral, propelling the protest to national headlines, and resulting in an interview on LBC with Fiona Lali, campaigns organiser for the RCP.

Members of the Revolutionary Communist Party (@revcommunists) proudly helped evict right-wing Tory warmonger, Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) from Cardiff University campus.



Students & workers say: genocide endorsing reactionaries arent welcome! 



pic.twitter.com/aSAu5bFNyk  Revolutionary Communist International (@marxistcom) April 27, 2024

Media frenzy

The media frenzy that ensued has been nothing short of hysterical, not to mention extremely hypocritical.

Pro-Gaza students harass Jacob Rees-Mogg hurling vicious foul-mouthed abuse read one headline from the right-wing Daily Mail. And from our friends at The Torygraph: Jacob Rees-Mogg chased off campus by crowd of hard-Left demonstrators.

Where is the uproar from these same bosses rags over Israels massacre in Gaza? Where is the outrage over our right to free speech and assembly being clamped down upon by the establishment?

Theres not a peep from these ladies and gentlemen when our comrades are arrested and harassed by the police for standing with the Palestinian people, nor when protestors in the United States are brutalised on campuses.

But when members of parliament are inconvenienced by the rightful disgust at their actions; when ordinary people get organised to express their rage  suddenly our precious democracy is under attack from the far-left mob!

They accuse us of hounding, intimidating, and curtailing Rees-Moggs right to speech  give us a break!

Rees-Mogg can easily access the BBC and the mainstream papers to spew his right-wing rubbish / Image: fair use

Rees-Mogg can easily access the BBC and the mainstream papers to spew his right-wing rubbish, as well as having a regular spot on GB News.

The idea that his right to express his views is under threat by protests is laughable. It is our democratic rights  the rights of ordinary workers and young people  that are being trampled upon.

This episode has once again revealed the role of the gutter mainstream press: it is nothing more than a mouthpiece of the ruling class.

Establishment closes rank

The establishment parties have also closed rank to denounce our actions.

Richard Holden, the chairman of the Conservative Party, complained that no elected politician should have to put up with this shrill intimidatory idiocy.

Labour shadow minister Jo Stevens also chimed in to express her concerns: we cannot accept a culture of intimidation in our politics The right to lawful protest is sacrosanct, but harassment and intimidation is unacceptable.

We expect criticism from the chairman of the Tory Party, who are openly complicit in Israels war crimes.

But how disgusting is this haughty scolding from the so-called Labour leadership, who run to defend Rees-Mogg, and to attack ordinary workers and students.

A Labour party worth its salt would stand on the side of the oppressed, and against the oppressor. But Labour didnt lift a finger to oppose this visit. In fact, the Cardiff University Labour Society also condemned the protest!

The reason for this is plain and simple: Starmers Labour also has blood on its hands. Hiding behind empty humanitarian phrases, these Red Tories have supported Netanyahus war every step of the way. They are no different from their colleagues across the aisle.

Step up the struggle!

We will not be cowed by this circus of condemnation. To be attacked by our class enemies shows that we are doing something right! We will wear it as a badge of honour.

We are proud to have led a demonstration against this Tory warmonger. We have every right to protest in this way over the bloody onslaught in Gaza.

We will continue our protests, and we will step up our struggle against our ruling class.

This weekend, we are holding the founding congress of the Revolutionary Communist Party, where we will discuss our plans to organise a force that can bring down British imperialism and the Zionist occupation.

We will take a leaf out of the mass protests in the United States and we will mobilise for such a movement here, putting forward a communist programme.

While Starmers Labour sides with the Tories, we, the revolutionary communists, stand with the working class and the Palestinian people.

So If you stand on the side of the oppressed and exploited, and you agree that we need to overthrow this barbaric capitalist system once and for all, join the RCP today!

Mass student protests are kicking off across the world, taking inspiration from students at Columbia and Yale in the United States. A mood of righteous anger and hatred of western imperialism and its crimes is bubbling just beneath the surface.

Revolutionary communists all over the world are fighting to give this an organised expression. With organisation the working class is everything, without it it is nothing. Our slogan is: not a cent, not a bullet for the Israeli war machine.

From academics in institutions with connections to the IDF, to dockworkers and transport workers that the merchants of death rely on to move their weapons, to the workers in the defence industries, our class has the power to shut down this war.

Join us in the fight to bring down imperialism. This summer, we will be bringing together as many of the world's revolutionary communists as we can for this practical task, with the founding conference of a new organisation, a world party of socialist revolution: the Revolutionary Communist International. Join us there!
SUGARCRAFT isnt the first word that comes to mind at the opening of a road bypass. But, in 2004, members of the Cork Sugarcraft Association were at the launch of the new Ballincollig dual carriageway with a 16 metre example of their amazing skills.

Three teams worked on an extraordinary cake representing the 170million 11km road. Instead of a ribbon cut, it was the cake that was cut, showing a map of the area with green fields and roads, diggers, workers, and supervisors. The cake was shared by all who worked on the project.

Emma OShea, President of the Cork Sugarcraft Association, and Jacqueline Cullinane, who co-founded the group 30 years ago this year, with some of the associations remarkable creations.

That was the largest project we ever worked on, says Jacqueline Cullinane, one of the founders of The Cork Sugarcraft Association which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

A sample of Cork Sugarcraft Association work.

Since then, Belvelly Castle, the Cork County Council centenary celebration, Blarney Castle, and Shandon have made interesting subjects for the sugarcraft experts.

They certainly make change from delightful birthday, wedding and christening cakes and Easter bunnies. Christmas cakes, as well as for private orders, are made by members for Lions Club hampers.

The Cork Sugarcraft Association was founded in 1994 by the inspirational Jacqueline Cullinane and the late Sue Cummins.

Sue started making cakes as a business, which grew by word of mouth. She took classes with members of the British Sugarcraft Guild in England and wanted to share her knowledge. Jacqueline soon travelled to learn more.

Work by Cork Sugarcraft Association.

Today, the association holds workshops in flowers, royal icing, sugar paste and dusting. Its all very precise, and patience is the most important virtue.

President of the Cork association, Emma OShea, says that everyone is encouraging and generous in swapping tips. They are a happy bunch.

We greatly missed getting together during Covid, and ran online quizzes, workshops and competitions to keep in contact.

Sugarcraft requires good timing skills. Boiling sugar to a particular temperature, pulled and moulded to make fine strands, is tricky. Over-boil, and it will crack, under-boil, and it will dissolve and have no tenacity.

One short-cut the rest of us can use is to buy fondant icing (as I did for my daughters wedding cake) to drape over the cake. It can then be tucked to fit the cake, and leftovers used to attempt making flowers and figures (which can also be bought by amateurs not hoping to win prizes).

Cork Sugarcraft Association's work.

These days, professionals use ready-made paste too. Emmas sugarcraft retail business, The Gingerbread House, based in Coolbawn, Midleton, stocks various icings and all the helpful tools and presentation boards needed to make a start. And her advice is invaluable. She also holds classes there.

An example of the work of the Cork Sugarcraft Association - a cute dog.

Anybody can join the association, which comprises 65 members, some beginners, some professional bakers and sugar crafters.

What binds them is a passion for sugarcraft and the camaraderie which comes with a fascination for intricate work.

What I think has kept me interested in the last 30 years, says Jaqueline (born in 1934), is the satisfaction of pleasing people when we deliver exactly what they want for their special occasion.

For me, its the creative aspect, says Emma, who worked in the Michelin-starred Arbutus Lodge from the age of 15 (her mother had worked there too). She later qualified as a pastry chef and stayed until the restaurant closed and the business changed to the current Arbutus Bakery.

For me, its about switching off and for example designing a brides cake, perhaps echoing her lace dress, making it personal to her. Its an awesome occupation. And everyone likes cake!

Biennial competitions give members a chance to come up with original ideas to compete with their own members and any visitor who wants to join in.

Judges come from the UK, and Cork has been represented in the UK, where members were up against skilled, experienced contestants from Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Flowers have to be botanically correct, each type of paste the perfect texture.

Work by Cork Sugarcraft Association.

The good news is that decorations which may take weeks and months to make for their showpieces, can be kept in an airtight container for re-use later.

Intense concentration, and standing or sitting leaning over a cake or their separate decorations for hours, can be tiring, and cakes are heavy to move around.

Its not for the faint-hearted or impatient, but could help fast pacers to slow down. Many members find it an absorbing occupation when they retire from demanding jobs.

Trends have changed over the years, from heavy fruit cakes, which keep for a long time, to chocolate, chocolate biscuit and lemon cakes, which keep for less time but are lighter.

The cakes have to be made at the last minute, but often the decorations can be crafted ahead and attached closer to the celebration time.

Another trend is away from frills to intricate flowers, and the rounded edges of cakes are sharper now, the cakes taller, round rather than square.

Im asked for purple a lot these days, says Emma.

Some might be matching bridesmaids dresses. And, of course, we have had a lot of pink and Barbie reproductions - all passion projects, but very satisfying.

Based in Canon Packham Hall, Douglas, meetings of the association are held on the last Tuesday of the month at 7.45pm.

Next years show will be on held on March 8-9 in Cork International Airport Hotel and will be open to the public.

The Cork branch is already working on the entry, which will be themed Afternoon Tea Table. There will be cups and saucers, and tiny cakes to enthral.

See Corksugarcraft.ie for more details.
Chinese premier says China's market is always open to foreign businesses

Xinhua) 08:04, April 29, 2024

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Elon Musk, CEO of the U.S. electric carmaker Tesla, in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Elon Musk, CEO of the U.S. electric carmaker Tesla, in Beijing on Sunday, promising that China's market will always be open to foreign-funded firms.

Calling Tesla's development in China a successful example of China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation, Li said the facts have proved that cooperation featuring equality and mutual benefits serves the fundamental interests of both countries, and meets the common expectations of the two peoples.

It is hoped that the U.S. will work more with China to follow the strategic guidance of the two countries' heads of state and promote the sustained and stable development of bilateral ties, so as to bring more benefits to the people of both countries and the world, Li said.

Noting that foreign-funded enterprises are indispensible participants in and contributors to China's development, the premier said that China's vast market will always be open to them.

China will act on its words and intensify its efforts in expanding market access and enhancing services, among other areas, to offer a more favorable business environment and stronger support for foreign enterprises, he said.

Musk said that Tesla's Shanghai gigafactory is the company's best-performing factory, thanks to the diligence and wisdom of its Chinese team, and Tesla is willing to deepen cooperation with China to achieve more win-win results.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Unmanned "plant factory": production line of vegetables

15:55, April 29, 2024 By You Yi ( People's Daily

A technician checks on the growth of plants. (Photo provided by the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province)

Can plants grow without soil and sunshine? The answer might be found in a "plant factory" at the Chengdu National Modern Agricultural Industry Science and Technology Innovation Center in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan province.

In the plant factory, lettuce plants grow on multi-tier steel racks, bathing the red and blue rays emitted from LED lights fitted at the top of the racks. The factory, with a pinkish glow coming out of its glass walls, exactly resembles a scene in a sci-fi movie.

"Vegetable growing has its 'production line,' too. A lettuce can mature in just 35 days after the seed is sown if it's provided with proper nutrients, lighting and temperature. It would take at least twice as long in an open field," said Yang Qichang, pointing to the 20-tier facility.

As the chief scientist of the Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yang and his team have been dedicated to the plant factory for nearly 20 years.

The plant factory runs this way. A computer commands robotic arms to plant lettuce seedlings onto plates, and then the plates are sent to designated tiers of the racks, where the seedlings receive lighting and nutrient solutions. When the lettuce plants mature, they are withdrawn from the racks and packed after their roots are cut off. Thanks to intelligent management and assistive robots, the plant factory is completely unattended, from seeding to harvesting, and to packing.

Photo shows the interior of the unmanned vertical plant factory. (Photo provided by Chengdu Media Group)

Traditional agriculture often faces reduced yields due to meteorological disasters, pests and plant diseases. It's always difficult to maintain a sound environment for crops. Greenhouse cultivation is an exploration that allows for the cultivation of off-season vegetables, but it is still susceptible to adverse weather conditions such as high temperatures and snow.

Plant factories have shattered the constraints of natural conditions. As an efficient agricultural system that achieves year-round continuous crop production through precise control in a closed environment, a plant factory can adjust environmental factors such as light, temperature, humidity, and nutrients in real-time according to the specific requirements of different crops. This precise supply enables high-efficiency production.

Additionally, plant factories can induce flowering and promote rapid growth, significantly shortening crops' growth cycle.

Plant factories feature accelerated growth of crops, said Wang Sen, a researcher with the Institute of Urban Agriculture. This type of facility, which is free from the limitations by land, space, and climate conditions, accelerates the growth of crops through a light-nutrient coupling technique. It can shorten the growth period of crops such as rice, wheat, corn, soybeans, cotton, and rapeseed by more than half, providing effective support for accelerating crop breeding.

It's important to improve lighting efficiency and lower energy consumption when building a plant factory. Wang told People's Daily that his team has established a database containing 1,238 "lighting solutions" for 72 crop varieties in five major categories, which helps adjust lighting plans based on crop varieties and stages of growth.

The plant factory is completely unattended, from seeding to harvesting, and to packing. (Photo provided by Chengdu Media Group)

Besides, with the application of the light-temperature coupling technology, the plant factory's overall energy consumption has been lowered by over 56 percent.

To address the issues of low land utilization and spatial efficiency in traditional flat planting, the team adopted vertical cultivation techniques. "This 20-tier vertical farm can increase land utilization by over 120 times," Yang disclosed.

Today, the 200-square-meter plant factory produces over 60 tons of vegetables each year. By adopting self-developed new crop varieties, vertical cultivation systems, automatic nutrient solution supply systems, energy-saving artificial light sources, and AI-based intelligent management systems, the vertical farm has achieved year-round stable food production.

The team is currently exploring profitable business models for the plant factory. It is learned that the high-end leafy vegetables grown in the plant factory target densely populated urban areas such as the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Delta, as well as regions with a local vegetable self-sufficiency rate below 10 percent. Furthermore, the plant factory can also be used for intensive seedling cultivation, which not only reduces production costs but also ensures seedling quality.

China's plant factories are going international. During an international plant factory technology training program hosted by China, students from over 20 countries received systematic training on plant factories. LED "lighting solutions" have been promoted in more than 100 countries and regions. China has also reached agreements with the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Chile and Qatar to build vertical plant factories.

(Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun)
On Friday 26 April, heavily armed Israeli police raided the Nazareth offices of the Communist Party of Israel (CPI), and the Hadash coalition of which it is part, on the eve of the perfectly legal annual May Day rally. This disgraceful violation of democratic rights shows the utter hypocrisy of the imperialists who justify their support for Israels slaughter in Gaza with references to this being the Middle Easts only democracy. We extend our full solidarity to members of Hadash and the CPI in the face of repression by the Zionist state.

Two members of the party were arrested, while footage shows the police confiscating parts of an art display intended for use at the rally on the spurious grounds that they could be used as weapons.

When asked what they were searching for, the police answered, whatever we see fit. They then started taking parts of the art installation which included sticks and stones, making the flimsy claim that they could be used as weapons. This was a blatant act of intimidation, at a time when the Israeli state is increasingly clamping down on anti-war activity.

Israeli forces raided the offices of the Hadash Party and the Communist Party of Israel (CPI) in Nazareth a day before a scheduled march opposing the Israeli war on Gaza. Two activists who were preparing displays and flags were arrested, according to the Israeli left-wing party. pic.twitter.com/Fq1WVKRkse  Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) April 28, 2024

Despite the repression, on Saturday 27 April, thousands gathered in Nazareth for the May Day rally, raising slogans against the war in Gaza, the occupation, US imperialism and capitalism.

Members of Hadash report that this is the third such assault against their branch offices in the past year. Almost exactly one year ago, the secretary of the Communist Party in Nazareth was arrested in another raid, in which red flags and Palestinian flags were taken down.

Irrespective of our political differences with the CPI and Hadash, we fully defend their democratic right to free assembly and expression  rights which the Israeli state tramples, and to which their western backers and funders hypocritically turn a blind eye. All communists and consistent democrats should raise their voices against these flagrant violations of democratic rights this May Day, a day of international working-class solidarity.
TONY ODonovan and William OBrien have been jointly awarded Cork Persons of the Month for April.

Their dedication to empowering people with disabilities and enhancing the lives of children with additional needs has earned them the prestigious honour.

Mr ODonovans advocacy for children on the autism spectrum is motivated by his son Kian, who is autistic. Each year on World Autism Day Mr ODonovan holds a draw with the help of donated spot prizes from members of the Ballyphehane and Togher business community to raise vital funds to support this cause.

Through these fundraising efforts he has raised close to 60,000, which has funded the provision of crucial supports to special education units, schools, and classrooms.

Tonys commitment to supporting children with additional needs is truly inspiring, said Cork Person of the Month Awards Organiser, Manus OCallaghan.

His dedication and compassion exemplify the spirit of community service that we celebrate with the Cork Person of the Month award.

Meanwhile Mr OBrien is celebrated for his pioneering work in founding the social enterprise See My Skills, dedicated to providing employment supports to people with disabilities.

Through initiatives such as the Accelerator Schools Programme, which recently commenced across 10 schools, See My Skills offers vital training in life and career skills, including goal setting, CV writing, and mock interviews.

Williams dedication to the betterment of Cork, as exemplified through his leadership in See My Skills, goes far beyond business success, said Mr OCallaghan. By addressing an area of critical need in Ireland, See My Skills acts as a beacon of hope and change in the Cork community.

Both winners will be up for possible selection at the Cork Person of the Year annual Gala Awards lunch, which will be held in January 2025.
The UCC Students Union president has said that what is needed in Cork and around the country is affordable student accommodation and not games rooms and other extras.

Colm Foleys comments come after a new private provider opened an accommodation facility in Cork charging up to 450 per week for a room.

The Bottle Works site, which is being operated by Novel Student, a company providing accommodation in Belfast, London and Canterbury, has 623 individual rooms over nine floors at its Cork site. Rent for each room ranges from 240 per student per week to 450 per student per week for a 39-week period per year.

It also provides accommodation in Spain and Scotland.

Apartments can house up to eight students with each person having a separate ensuite room and paying rent individually to the provider. There are a number of apartments which house six, five and four students, while theres also an option for a studio apartment for one student.

Other facilities available on the premises include a bike shed, cinema, digital games room and common room, outdoor courtyard while electricity, water and security is included in the price.

In one of its Spanish accommodation facilities, in Oviedo, Novel Student offers a premium studio with full board for 900 per month while a premium studio at its Cork facility, where full board is not available as an option, costs 440 per week, coming to 1,660 per month.

For a 51 week tenancy, which is what is on offer according to the Bottle Works website, this amounts to 22,440.

Concern

While theres a welcome for additional student accommodation in Cork, concern has been expressed that theres a lack of affordable student accommodation in the city.

Mr Foley said theres a constant fear of not being able to pursue a third-level education due to the cost of accommodation and said that stringent regulations were needed for accommodation complexes in Cork.

Bottle Works offers amenities such as gaming areas, a dry bar lounge, and a karaoke room. All of which students dont need or want for, so we hope that the Governments Standardised Design plans can be implemented across all future publicly-owned student accommodations as quickly and effectively as possible, he said.

Need

Executive director of the Irish Council for International Students, Laura Harmon, said there was a need for adequate supplies of purpose-built accommodation for students in Cork city but it needed to be affordable.

The Government must develop a new plan for student accommodation to ensure that there are more campus-owned options available with affordable rents, said Ms Harmon, who is also a Labour Party candidate for the upcoming local elections in Cork City South West.

There are five different complexes offering on-campus accommodation for UCC and the rent ranges from 600 to 900 per month.

Accommodation is also available in a number of privately owned complexes and students pay rent of between 700 and 1,200 per month.

There are also a small number of private houses available for house shares at between 500 and 700 per student per month.

When contacted by The Echo to speak about their accommodation, a spokesperson for Bottle Works declined to comment.
The two young men who now stand convicted of the unlawful killing of 29-year-old Matt ONeill in Carrigaline will be sentenced for his manslaughter on May 16 and they were remanded in custody until then.

This follows the final breakthrough in jury deliberations today when Ricardo Hoey was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of 29-year-old Matt ONeill in Carriglaine at Christmas in 2022.

The jury of six men and six women commenced their deliberations ten days ago after hearing a fortnight of evidence. They returned to Courtroom 6 at the Central Criminal Court sitting at Anglesea Street in Cork shortly after noon today with their majority 10-2 verdict against Mr Hoey.

This brought to an end the extensive considerations given by the jury to this verdict. While their deliberations had to break over two weekends, and it was not possible to sit last Friday, they deliberated for a total of 18 hours and 42 minutes, commencing on Friday April 19.

The jury reached a similar verdict by an 11-1 majority against Jordan Deasy earlier in their deliberations of not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Prosecution barrister Donal OSullivan said victim impact statements on behalf of the ONeill family would be presented at the sentencing hearing.

Senior counsel Tom Creed for Mr Hoey and barrister Paula McCarthy for Jordan Deasy said probation reports would be needed in respect of the defendants.

21-year-old Ricardo Hoey of 7 Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, County Cork, and 19-year-old Jordan Deasy of 41 Ravensdale, Heron's Wood, both pleaded not guilty to the single charge against them, namely that on December 28 2022 at Glenwood estate, Carrigaline, County Cork, they did murder 29-year-old Matt ONeill, contrary to common law. Ms Justice Lankford told the jury at the outset of their deliberations that they should approach the case as effectively being two separate trials and that in each one there were three possible verdicts open to them: guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter or not guilty.

Both of them have now been found guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder.

Evidence

The two young men had no intention of killing or seriously injuring Mr ONeill and it was a chance encounter which only lasted seconds where two worlds collided, one defence lawyer claimed at the closing of the case.

But the prosecution argued there was sufficient evidence on which the jury could find both accused guilty of murder. Prosecution senior counsel, Jane Hyland, said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the killing was caused by Mr Hoey and Mr Deasy.

Evidence of pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, was referenced by Ms Hyland who said the jury could also have regard to blood of the deceased being found on a sock worn by Mr Hoey.

Ms Hyland said that not only was the killing caused by the two accused but that this was both unlawful and intentional.

In relation to intention, the prosecution's case was that it was an intention to cause serious harm and it was never contended by the prosecution that their intention was to kill. However, she said that an intention to cause serious harm was sufficient to ground a murder charge.

Ms Hyland said CCTV showed Matt ONeill appearing to be fine before the incident. Ms Hyland said CCTV showed two people getting out of a car and within five seconds Mr ONeill was on the ground and there was a concerted attack.

Ms Hyland said Mr Hoey pushed the deceased who fell to the ground, Mr Deasy punched him and Mr Hoey then kicked him in the head. She said that if you push a drunken person to the ground the probable outcome is that he will be seriously injured.

Tom Creed, senior counsel for Ricardo Hoey, suggested the late Mr ONeill might have been vulnerable and he asked how was Ricardo Hoey to know there was an underlying vulnerability as a result of another assault on him by others four days earlier. The defence senior counsel asked if Mr Hoey going almost immediately to the guards afterwards indicated an intention to cause serious harm.

Ricardo Hoey was afraid Matt ONeill would hit him or hit his car and what he did was in self-defence, Mr Creed argued. He pointed to evidence of the deceased having a thin skull but no skull fracture, indicative  he submitted  of the blows not being that serious. He said that what occurred was a chance encounter  two worlds colliding  and lasted only a matter of seconds.

Brendan Grehan, senior counsel for Jordan Deasy, said there was contact in the first punch by Mr Deasy and that the second punch only grazed Mr ONeill. He said Mr Deasy was a passenger in the car and not in full control of the situation and ran away afterwards, but met the matter fairly when questioned.

Mr Grehan said that one hears of gangland murders with all of the associated pre-planning but that here was an 18-year-old, at the time, upset at interview and crying for his mother. Mr Grehan also pointed out that the teenager did not seek to blame Mr Hoey.

Mr Grehan referred to the possibility that as a result of being assaulted by others four days before the incident at the centre of the murder trial, the late Mr ONeill could have been more vulnerable before the incident on December 28 2022 occurred.
BEING caught with a 300,000 stash of cannabis at a house in Sundays Well resulted in the culprit getting jailed for three and a half years.

Judge John Martin imposed a sentence of five years with the last 18 months suspended at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in the case against 33-year-old Corkman Stephen OHara of 17 Winters Hill, Sundays Well.

The accused signed pleas of guilty to possessing cannabis herb and possession for sale or supply in relation to 6,000 worth of the drug on Grattan Street on January 5.

But the main seizure of cannabis  with a street value of 300,000  at his home address at Winters Hill, Sundays Well, saw him charged with possessing cannabis herb and possessing cannabis herb for sale of supply  in a category of offence that could have carried a minimum 10-year sentence.

However, Judge Martin said there were exceptional circumstances that allowed for a departure from that minimum term.

Detective Garda Robert Kennedy of the Cork City Divisional Drugs Squad charged him with the most significant count of having cannabis for sale or supply when its value exceeded 13,000. This threshold figure allows for the possibility of a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in jail.

Stephen OHara signed a plea of guilty to that charge as well as a charge of money-laundering in respect of 15,585 cash seized at his home on the same occasion.
By Grainne Ni Aodha and Sophie Wingate, PA

UK and Irish ministers are due to meet in London amid an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

Tanaiste and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin is to co-chair a meeting of the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference in London on Monday with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

UK home secretary James Cleverly and Minister for Justice Helen McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

It comes as UK home office figures showed more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after crossing the Channel  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

It was confirmed on Monday that Ms McEntee would not attend the BIIGC and will instead meet senior officials in Dublin.

The minister looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon, a statement said.

Ms McEntee has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80 per cent due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said Ireland wont provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges (Brian Lawless/PA)

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the increase showed that the UKs Rwanda plan is working.

The plan aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland wont provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges.

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and cooperation between the British and Irish governments was not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

When it comes to migration, I do think its important that there is collaboration, where appropriate, between the PSNI and gardai.

The UK government rejected any bid by Ireland to return asylum seekers unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

We wont accept any asylum returns from the EU via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France, a Government source said.

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill called for a thought-out and considered response from both the British and Irish governments.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald (left) and Stormont First Minister Michelle ONeill in Dublin on Sunday. Photo: PA.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss emergency legislation on Tuesday that would see asylum seekers returned to the UK.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling that found Ireland designating the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

I will seek Government approval for the legislation to be rapidly drafted so that the UK can again be designated as a safe country for returns, Ms McEntee said in a statement.

My department has been working on this as a priority since last months High Court judgment and I intend that returns to the UK will recommence once the law is enacted.

Mr Martin said: I am pleased to be in London for another important meeting of the BIIGC, the first such meeting since the restoration of the Strand I and Strand II institutions.

As ever, there are numerous areas of mutual interest for the Governments to discuss and I look forward to another productive conference.
By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill has called for a thought-out response to people who seek asylum in Ireland after travelling from the UK.

The Government claimed there has been a shift in migration patterns into Ireland in recent months and that the number of migrants crossing from Northern Ireland was higher than 80 per cent.

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has said claims the UKs Rwanda plan is causing an influx of migrants into Ireland show its deterrent effect is working.

Ministers want to send asylum seekers coming to the UK on a one-way flight to the east African nation, with the aim of deterring others from crossing the English Channel on small boats.

The Irish Government is to introduce legislation in response to an Irish High Court ruling last month that Irelands designation of the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

Sinn Fein vice president Ms ONeill said neither Taoiseach Simon Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin nor Minister for Justice Helen McEntee had yet been in contact with her about planned legislation on asylum seekers arriving in Ireland from the UK.

I am the First Minister in the north and I have yet to hear from the Taoiseach or the Tanaiste or the Justice Minister, she said in Dublin on Sunday.

To me, that highlights, maybe even underlines, how disorganised they are in dealing with this issue.

Policy responsibility for migration and immigration sits with the British government, Im aware that Helen McEntee is to meet (Home Secretary) James Cleverly over the course of the next 24-36 hours.

Theres also a British-Irish intergovernmental conference this week, this is the forum in which these issues need to be addressed.

This is the forum in which there should be a solution coming out the other end, but a thought-out solution, an actually considered solution, a human rights compliant solution, and we look forward to (that) over the next couple of days.

Ms ONeill was speaking at a launch of the partys local, European and Limerick mayoral election campaign in Dublin.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said any proposal has to be properly resourced (Niall Carson/PA)

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, who was also at the event, argued that cross-border migration means Ireland should reject a newly-revealed overhaul of EU laws on migration and asylum.

We now hear that the Government has plans to address the issue of those who have claimed asylum in Britain and who then move on to the island of Ireland, Ms McDonald said on Sunday.

We want to see what those plans are. Clearly, there has to be an efficient way of managing all of this.

By the way, life has to continue on the island  people have to come and go to work, business and commerce has to flow. I dearly wish that we didnt have a border on the island. Sadly, for now anyway, we do.

So, ordinary life has to go on as normal. And then we need a plan that is resourced and delivered to deal with this issue.

I hear that they are saying that they will now have accelerated procedures for people who are making a claim. I think that would be very welcome but Im conscious also weve heard commitments like this before and they havent been delivered on.

Asked about plans to overhaul the EUs migration system, Ms McDonald said: I think the turn of events and the specific set of circumstances that we have to deal with on the island of Ireland actually argue against signing up to the EU migration pact lock, stop and barrel.

Unlike other European jurisdictions, we have to deal with our next-door neighbour of Britain and we have to have the flexibility and the capacity to manage that.
By Cillian Sherlock, PA

The relationship between Britain and Ireland is strong enough to deal with a dispute over new legacy laws, the Northern Scretary has said.

From Wednesday, responsibility for dealing with hundreds of unresolved Troubles cases will pass to a new truth recovery agency, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

The British government's Legacy Act includes a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences to those who co-operate with the new body.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin. Photo: Yui Mok/PA

The legislation has been opposed by all Northern political parties as well as victims organisations.

The Government has also launched an interstate case against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights.

In addition, a judge at Belfast High Court ruled that the provision for conditional immunity was not compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The British government is appealing against that finding.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris discussed the row with Tanaiste Micheal Martin at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in London on Monday.

Mr Martin said he understands the UK governments concerns about the interstate case against new legacy laws.

He said the Irish Government took the decision to take the case reluctantly, and added: Today I heard the British governments concerns about the case directly  I understand them.

Speaking to reporters at the BIIGC, he said: Equally, I hope that they understand our concerns and our sense of how we got to this point.

My Government and every Irish government will always defend the central importance of the European Convention of Human Rights to the Good Friday Agreement  the ECHR is integral to the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Martin, who is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, said the Republic had a desire to do right by the victims.

Asked if the Irish Government would co-operate with the ICRIR, he said the State was awaiting the outcome of legal challenges against the laws  which include its own interstate case.

He said: We intend to have further meetings with victims groups in terms of where they see the situation now.

Our ultimate objective is to do right by the victims and the families of the victims.

As I meet more and more groups, there are younger generations coming through. So this isnt going away, so to speak.

Many of the younger generations of families are very determined to carry on the campaigns and to get resolution, so all of us  and we may have differences in approach  but I think all of us share a genuine desire to do right by the victims and the families of the victims.

Mr Heaton-Harris told reporters that Ireland and the UK are bound to have various political debates.

He added: But Id like to think our relationship is strong enough to deal with all of those issues.

However, the under-secretary of state for Northern Ireland said the interstate case was premature and unnecessary.

Speaking at the same press conference, Jonathan Caine also denied that the Legacy Act was a cover-up and said the ICRIC would provide answers far more effectively and for many more people than current mechanisms.

He added: I would reject completely any suggestion that this is about cover-up because the new body will have access to far more state records than has ever been available to any such body in the past.

Chris Heaton-Harris and Micheal Martin with Jonathan Caine (Yui Mok/PA)

What we are trying to do here is deliver as much information and as many answers as possible to those victims and survivors who actually want them and, of course, join this process.

Ive never shied away from the fact that there will be some things that emerge that are difficult for the UK government and the British state.

Therell be things emerge which are very difficult for paramilitaries and former paramilitaries as well, but the intention behind this legislation is to allow victims to get more answers, more information against the backdrop where the current mechanisms work for a very small minority of people in Northern Ireland  and the chances this far on of successful criminal prosecutions is going to be vanishingly rare.

The Northern Secretary also defended the establishment of the ICRIR as a move in an important direction.

Mr Heaton-Harris said the new body would have a huge budget.

Mr Martin told reporters there was discussion about a number of legacy issues including the Dublin-Monaghan bombings as well as the killings of Sean Brown and Pat Finucane.

He added that the Government would fully co-operate with the UKs Omagh bombing inquiry, amid calls for tandem public inquiries in both jurisdictions.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

Least terns are a conservation success story on the islands of Cayo Costa and North Captiva in Florida, where protection from invasive species has led to better nesting rates. ps50ace / iStock / Getty Images Plus

A first-of-its-kind study that analyzed hundreds of conservation actions around the world has confirmed that efforts toward preserving wildlife are resulting in measurable achievements.

The international study, published in the journal Science, sought to assess whether conservation efforts were having any positive impacts on biodiversity. Researchers analyzed 186 studies, including 665 trials, and measured changes to biodiversity.

Overall, the researchers found that about two-thirds of the studied conservation actions at minimum slowed biodiversity declines or led to improved biodiversity.

If you read the headlines about extinction these days, it would be easy to get the impression that we are failing biodiversity  but thats not really looking at the whole picture, Penny Langhammer, co-author of the study and executive vice president of Re:wild, told the BBC. This study provides the strongest evidence to date that not only does conservation improve the state of biodiversity and slow its decline, but when it works, it really works.

According to the study, some actions were particularly impactful on biodiversity. Some of the most effective efforts include controlling invasive species, reducing habitat loss, restoring wildlife habitats, establishing protected areas, and managing ecosystems in sustainable ways.

What we show with this paper is that conservation is, in fact, working to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, Landhammer said in a press release. It is clear that conservation must be prioritized and receive significant additional resources and political support globally, while we simultaneously address the systemic drivers of biodiversity loss, such as unsustainable consumption and production.

The study highlighted multiple efforts that resulted in wins for biodiversity. For instance, the authors noted that managing invasive species as well as problematic native species on Cayo Costa and North Captiva, two islands of Florida, led to better nesting success rates for loggerhead turtles and least terns.

The study authors highlighted a conservation initiative that established a Forest Management Plan in the Congo Basin, which led to 74% lower rates of deforestation.

In another example, the researchers showed that in the Brazilian part of the Amazon Rainforest, protected areas and Indigenous lands had lower rates of deforestation and human-caused forest fires; unprotected areas experienced deforestation rates up to 20 times higher and human-caused fires happened four to nine times more often.

In Idaho, a captive breeding and release program helped improve reproductive rates of Chinook salmon, which led to the restoration of the species natural population in the wild.

Our study shows that when conservation actions work, they really work. In other words, they often lead to outcomes for biodiversity that are not just a little bit better than doing nothing at all, but many times greater, Jake Bicknell, co-author of the study and senior lecturer at Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology of the University of Kent in Canterbury, UK said in a statement. For instance, putting measures in place to boost the population size of an endangered species has often seen their numbers increase substantially. This effect has been mirrored across a large proportion of the case studies we looked at.

However, the authors explained that conservation measures didnt always help out as intended. In about one in every five cases, efforts actually led to declines for the target species; however, in some of these instances, the conservation actions still unintentionally benefited other species.

All in all, the authors noted that global conservation efforts need additional funding, and a variety of conservation efforts need to be implemented in order to curb biodiversity decline. They estimated that a global conservation program would cost about $178 billion to $524 billion per year.

Although high, these costs are dwarfed by the value that biodiversity provides to society through the delivery of ecosystem services, the authors wrote in the study conclusion. Thus, conservation actions are investments rather than payments  and, as our study demonstrates, they are typically investments that yield genuine, high-magnitude positive impacts.
(Photo: REUTERS / David Gray)A man wearing an Islamic prayer cap, or "Kufi", looks at Islamic books on display at a bookshop located in the western Sydney suburb of Lakemba October 3, 2014. Last month, the national security agency raised its four-tier threat level to "high" for the first time and about 900 police launched raids on homes in Sydney's predominantly Muslim western suburbs and in Brisbane. Only about half a million people out of Australia's 23.5 million are Muslims, making them a tiny fraction in a country where the final vestiges of the "White Australia" policy were only abolished in 1973, allowing large scale non-European migration. At least half of Australia's Muslims live in Sydney's western suburbs, which were transformed in the mid-1970s from white working-class enclaves into majority-Muslim outposts by a surge of immigration from Lebanon. Picture taken October 3, 2014

Australian police said a knife attack in Sydney that wounded a bishop and a priest during a service as horrified worshippers watched online and in person, and in the church, which triggered a riot, was an act of terrorism.

Police arrested a 16-year-old boy on April 16 after the stabbing at Christ the Good Shepherd Church that injured Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and a priest. Both survived, The Associated Press reported.

At least four people were injured in the terrifying rampage midway through the service by the attacker, who was said to be a young Islamist, the UK newspaper The Daily Mail online reported.

A 16-year-old boy was charged after police said the attack was being treated as a religiously motivated 'terrorist act.

New South Wales state Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the suspect's comments pointed to a religious motive for the attack, according to the AP.

"We'll allege there's a degree of premeditation on the basis that this person has traveled to that location, which is not near his residential address, he has traveled with a knife, and subsequently, the bishop and the priest have been stabbed," Webb said. "They're lucky to be alive."

The Australian newspaper ran a headline, "Wakeley is merely Islam's latest attack against Christianity.

The newspaper commented, "While Australia is becoming ever more multicultural, Christianity and religious freedom are disappearing from the Islamic world."

KNOWN TO POLICE

The teen was known to police but was not on a terror watch list, said police commissioner Webb.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the country's domestic spy agency, and Federal Police joined state police in a counter-terrorism task force to investigate who else was potentially involved.

The Christ the Good Shepherd in the Wakeley suburb streams sermons online and worshippers watched as a person in black clothes approached the altar and stabbed the bishop and priest Isaac Royel during a church service the day before.

The congregation overpowered the attacker, police said.

Back in Britain, the Daily Mail reported that two police officers visited the home of a devout local Christian after he told his local priest that Christians must 'rise up and take a stand' the day after a bishop was stabbed by a teenage Islamist in a Sydney church.

Jonjo Hooper blasted the police and said it was the end of freedom of speech in the UK after they attended his home in Hastings, Sussex, along with a mental health volunteer following his 'private conversation' with his priest about the incident.

Hooper was overheard speaking on April 16 to the church minister at St. John the Evangelist Church, in Hastings, England the morning after Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel appeared to be repeatedly knifed in the head and body at the Christ the Good Shepherd church in Sydney.

At least four people were injured in the terrifying rampage midway through the service which Hooper had been watching live at home.

Churchgoers also claimed he used the Islamic phrase 'Allahu Akbar' repeatedly.

Less than 24 hours after Hooper confided in his priest, two Sussex Police officers and a senior NHS mental health worker confronted the 34-year-old at his home in what he described as an act of "Christianophobia.".

An angry Hooper told MailOnline:" Free speech died a long time ago in this country, in my opinion. There's no such thing as free speech. You're allowed to speak freely, but it's at your own risk."
The Maldives is undertaking large-scale land reclamation to combat land scarcity and rising sea levels, but this move has sparked widespread environmental and societal concerns.



Jesse Chase-Lubitz reports for the Pulitzer Center.

In short:

Land reclamation in the Maldives involves dredging ocean floors to create new land, affecting marine ecosystems and local communities.

Environmentalists and scientists warn that such projects harm coral reefs and disrupt natural sediment flows, increasing vulnerability to climate impacts.

Despite government claims of economic development, local critics argue that new land has remained underutilized and has not addressed fundamental economic needs.

Key quote:

Atolls are extremely vulnerable ecosystems."

 Bregje van Wesenbeeck, scientific director of Deltares

Why this matters:

The Maldives' strategy to secure its future against sea-level rise through land reclamation might cause more harm than benefit. The push to create more land  mainly to boost infrastructure and tourism  stirs significant concerns over the destruction of marine habitats, particularly coral reefs that are vital not only for biodiversity but also for natural storm protection. Socially, these developments spark debates about sustainability and the long-term livelihoods of local communities, many of whom rely heavily on the natural resources that are now under threat.
The Financial Times has become the latest news organization to strike a deal with OpenAI. In a joint announcement on Monday, the Financial Times and OpenAI said that maker of ChatGPT will use the Financial Times journalism to train its AI models and collaborate on developing new AI products and features for the publications readers. ChatGPT will also attribute and and link back to the Financial Times when it includes information from the publication in its responses

It is right, of course, that AI platforms pay publishers for the use of their material, said Financial Times CEO John Ridding in a statement and added that the Times is committed to human journalism. Neither company disclosed the financial terms of the agreement. Earlier this year, The Information reported that OpenAI offers publishers between $1 million and $5 million a year to license their content to train its AI models.

Generative AI is only as good as the training data used to train the models that power it. So far, AI companies have scraped everything they can from the public internet often without the consent of creators, and are constantly on the hunt for new data sources to keep the outputs generated by these models current. Training AI models on news is one way to achieve that, but some publishers are wary of giving up their content to AI companies for free. The New York Times and the BBC, for instance, have blocked OpenAI from scraping their websites.

As a result, OpenAI has been striking financial deals with leading publishers to keep its models trained. Last year, the company partnered with German publisher Axel Springer to train its models on new from Politico and Business Insider in the US and Bild and Die Welt in Germany. The company also has deals with the Associated Press, Frances Le Monde, and Spains Prisa Media.

Subscribing to the Financial Times costs at least $39 a month for. But, as some pointed out, its partnership with OpenAI effectively means a dismantling of its own paywall for general readers through generative AI.
After allowing competing stores on its phones, Apple now has six months to do the same for its tablets.

Apples iPad has been added to the list of tech products that must abide by the EUs DMA rules, as reported by Bloomberg . The European Commission has officially designated iPadOS as a gatekeeper under the DMA, alongside the Safari web browser, the iOS operating system and the App Store. The organization states that users are basically locked-in to Apples iPadOS ecosystem and that it disincentivizes people from switching to competitors. The company has six months to comply with various preemptive measures.

This follows a months-long investigation into iPadOS to decide whether or not it qualifies as gatekeeper software. iPadOS constitutes an important gateway on which many companies rely to reach their customers, wrote Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President in charge of competition policy at the European Commission. Todays decision will ensure that fairness and contestability are preserved also on this platform.

What does Apple have to do to ensure iPadOS compliance? According to the DMA, gatekeepers are prohibited from favoring their own services over rivals and from locking users into the ecosystem. The software must also allow third parties to interoperate with internal services, which is why third-party app stores are becoming a thing on iPhones in Europe. The iPad, presumably, will soon follow suit. In other words, the DMA is lobbing some serious stink bombs into Apples walled garden .

In a statement published by Forbes , Apple said it will continue to constructively engage with the European Commission to ensure its designated services comply with the DMA, including iPadOS. The company isnt exactly pleased, however, and has accused the legislation of creating new privacy and data security risks. To that end, Apple has issued a legal challenge to the EUs General Court in Luxembourg, with hearings set to take place later this year.
Apple Vision Pro headset production is reportedly being cut, sales are reportedly way down. But but but wait: Wasnt the Vision Pro meant to change the world of VR/AR, ushering in an era of spatial computing? Is the dream over?

Hah, no. As Sam Rutherford laid out just before the weekend, while reports and rumors cant nail exact numbers, based on financial figures from Apples last earnings, Vision Pro sales likely equate to around one percent of the companys revenue. Its almost as if early Vision Pro sales numbers dont matter. Remember: The first iPhone wasnt great either.

 Mat Smith

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He deepfakes Shakur and Snoop Doggs voices to diss Kendrick Lamar.

Drake has deleted an X post with his track Taylor Made Freestyle, which used an AI-generated recreation of Tupac Shakurs voice to needle Kendrick Lamar. The takedown came after an attorney representing the late hip-hop legends estate threatened to sue the Canadian rapper for his unauthorized use of Tupacs voice. Drake used Snoop Doggs voice too, but hes still alive.

Continue reading.

He blames Facebook for the Capitol attack.

Sony Pictures

Aaron Sorkin has announced hes writing a follow-up script to The Social Network, once again about Facebook / Meta but with a fun, miserable focus on the January 6 insurrection attempt. Sorkin is cagey on the actual details of the new script but pretty much lays the blame for the attack at Metas feet. Sorkin hasnt announced a partnership with any studio to make the film, but my big question: Whos going to play Trump?

Continue reading.

A cheaper alternative to Sonys A1.

Engadget

Nikon is arguably the worlds most famous camera brand, but with the decline of DSLRs, it has struggled. In 2022, it released the Z9, a flagship mirrorless camera that could finally hold its own against rivals, but the $5,500 price tag put it out of reach for most. Now, were testing the Z8, which has the same sensor and specs for $1,700. The Z8 may also be better than Sonys A1 for many hybrid shooters, particularly for video. But dont ask me: Check out Steve Dents full test-shoot right here.
On Monday, the US Supreme Court dismissed Elon Musks appeal about a 2018 SEC settlement regarding his infamous funding secured tweet. Ars Technica reports that the conservative-majority court took a break from weighing whether US Presidents should be above the law to pass on Musks attempt to throw out the agreement, which required him to pay fines, step down from Teslas board and have his tweets pre-screened by a lawyer.

The justices denied Musks petition without commenting. Their unwillingness to take up the billionaires appeal leaves intact an appeals court ruling from a year ago that smacked down the Tesla founders claims of victimhood.

The saga began in 2018 when Musk tweeted, Am considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured. He also posted, Investor support is confirmed. Only reason why this is not certain is that its contingent on a shareholder vote. Teslas stock rose by more than six percent.

There was only one tiny problem: The funding wasnt secured, and the SEC takes false statements that affect investors very seriously. The SEC said, Musk had not even discussed, much less confirmed, key deal terms, including price, with any potential funding source and that he knew that he had not satisfied numerous additional contingencies. The government agency claimed the post caused significant confusion and disruption in the market for Teslas stock.

The SEC settlement hit his wallet hard, requiring Musk and Tesla to each pay $20 million in penalties. He also had to step down from his board chairman role at the automaker and have a Tesla attorney screen any investor-related tweets before posting. Of course, Musk later bought Twitter and changed its name to X. But at least thats going splendidly!

His appeal said the settlement forced him to waive his First Amendment rights to speak on matters ranging far beyond the charged violations. Musk, who currently has an estimated net worth of $185 billion, claimed he was a victim of economic duress when agreeing to the settlement, which he described as a tactic to muzzle and harass him and his company.

The 2nd Circuit appeals court, whose ruling will now be the final word on the matter, shot down Musks arguments. Parties entering into consent decrees may voluntarily waive their First Amendment and other rights, they said. The appeals court saw no evidence to support Musks contention that the SEC has used the consent decree to conduct bad-faith, harassing investigations of his protected speech.
Police officers Lucy Hawes and constable Daniel McKeown recounted their efforts to rescue runaway royal horses in London.

RELATED: Buckingham Palace Shades Meghan Markle In Latest Jam Ad, Netizens Claim

Hawes, a 26-year-old officer from the City of London police, recounted the chaotic situation to The Times. They received the call around 8:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday and swiftly responded to the scene.

The incident unfolded when four horses from the Household Cavalry  Vida, Trojan, Quaker, and Tennyson  were exercising alongside three others in Belgravia, a neighborhood in London. The animals were startled by the noise of construction concrete crashing to the ground.

"We arrived at one location where they had been spotted, but found they had sped off in another direction. We U-turned in our vehicle... and were going as fast as we could... Eventually we caught up," Hawes described during an interview with The Times.

Following the Metropolitan Police's successful intervention in restraining the horses and securing them to a fence in Limehouse, east London, the officers commenced administering first aid to the animals.

"We found the two horses covered with cuts, dripping with blood  one had four gashes. They were both slick with sweat and were shaking," McKeown said. "We knew the carnage had happened behind but we didn't know what to expect when we got up there. We were covered in blood ourselves, and had to use all [of] our packets of bandages as well as the Met's too to stop the bleeding."

RELATED: Meghan Markle Knows Prince Harry Reconciling With William, Kate Is A 'Losing Battle': Report

Reports indicate that the white horse seen running through London's streets, visibly covered in blood, was identified as Vida. Hawes described gently holding and comforting Vida in an effort to keep the distressed animal calm, despite the British Army's warning that Vida was "known to kick and bite."

Constable McKeown echoed the sentiment, expressing their primary concern for the safety of both the city's residents and the horses.
5

El 'cometa del siglo' se acerca a su punto mas cercano a la Tierra este sabado y se podra ver con facilidad al atardecer
(Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante)

LONDON, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Huma Therapeutics ("Huma"), a leader in global digital health innovation, together with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, today announced the launch of their innovative bladder cancer treatment companion app in the United Kingdom. This collaboration underscores Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Huma's joint commitment to advancing patient-directed care and empowering patients and caregivers throughout their cancer care pathway.

The UK launch marks a significant milestone in the partnership between Huma and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced in November 2023. Additional markets are planned for launch in the coming year, and may support delivery of care for a range of cancers.

Enabling Better Care Experiences for Cancer Patients

The bladder cancer treatment companion app developed by Huma and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, is designed to support patients and caregivers in navigating the complexities of bladder cancer treatment by providing a reliable source of information and support throughout the treatment journey. Built in collaboration with healthcare professionals and leading patient organisations, the app aims to provide patients with:

Improved understanding of their treatment

Better conversations with their care team

Self-tracking of their health state

Raising awareness of available holistic care services

Encouraging connection with personal support network

Expectation management and motivation through content

UK-based patient organisations and specialist cancer care centres were involved in and piloting the bladder cancer treatment journey app in advance of the launch.

Alex Filicevas, Executive Director at the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition, emphasised the importance of the app in supporting patients and caregivers through a complex treatment journey: "It was a privilege to work alongside patients with bladder cancer and their caregivers, helping to shape a new digital resource for patients with bladder cancer to guide them through the complex path of treatment. This initiative underscores our joint dedication to fostering patient empowerment, shared decision-making and community within healthcare delivery."

Joachim Chan, a consultant clinical oncologist at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool, noted the importance of patients being well-informed: "Although there is a wealth of knowledge available to patients through various websites, patients may understandably want a reliable source of information through a single portal. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany has collaborated with various stakeholders to create an app to this end. This app will give clear informative summaries of the treatment options available for patients and relatives to absorb, so that they can approach treatment with a more positive mindset, and by being well informed about the effects that treatment may have on them, it would help facilitate them to continue with their day-to-day living."

A Commitment to Advancing Patient Care

Dan Vahdat, Founder and CEO of Huma, said: "We are excited to launch this innovative app in partnership with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, furthering our mission to transform healthcare with a digital-first approach. By empowering patients with access to personalised resources and support, we believe we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by bladder cancer."

Dr. Mert Aral, Chief Medical Officer at Huma, said: "This initiative is designed to demystify the often overwhelming journey faced by cancer patients. Our objective is clear  to improve patients' understanding of their condition, enable smooth navigation through complex care pathways, and promote consistent adherence to their treatments. The UK debut marks the inception of our partnership's endeavour to offer comprehensive guidance and unwavering support to all individuals battling cancer."

About Huma

Huma Therapeutics is a global digital health technology company that advances digital-first care delivery and research to help people live longer, fuller lives. Its award-winning technology platform is used by more than 3,000 hospitals and clinics, with over 1.8 million active users in healthcare and over 700,000 participants across research.

Huma's technology powers:

virtual care tools ranging from digital-first screening and population health initiatives to at-scale remote patient monitoring (RPM)

companion apps to support patients through treatment and drug therapies

digital clinical trials, including decentralised trials, to accelerate medical research

Huma's regulated Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) platform is the first disease- and device-agnostic platform to achieve EU MDR Class IIb, US FDA 510(k) Class II and Saudi Class C regulatory clearance. The SaMD platform is regulated to accept artificial intelligence algorithms and monitor patients of all ages.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/huma-and-merck-kgaa-darmstadt-germany-launch-innovative-app-to-support-bladder-cancer-patients-302129830.html
Caregiving: The Joy of Laughter and Humor on the Parenting Up Podcast Interview With Host Janay "J" Smiles and Caregiving Expert Pamela D Wilson

Denver, CO  April 30, 2024. Humor in caregiving situations is essential for emotional survival. Raise your spirits, lift your thoughts, and put a smile on your face as you listen or watch this delightful interview with caregiving expert Pamela D Wilson and comedian and podcast host Janay "J" Smiles Smith on the Parenting Up podcast.

Comedian J Smiles is an engineer, designer, lawyer, entrepreneur, and caregiver buoyed by humor. This master of many subjects' life shifted overnight when her father's abrupt death thrust her mom into early-onset Alzheimer's.

She halted everything, choosing caregiving as her next frontier. Stressed by her new life, she stumbled into a comedy class. Standup comedy returned joy to her soul. A vivid, high-energy storyteller, J brings diverse audiences to laugh together on divisive topicsincluding Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.

From Hallucinations to Healthcare

On this episode of the Parenting Up podcast, J Smiles and Pamela discuss topics ranging from hallucinations to navigating the healthcare system, caregivers' legal responsibilities, and the importance of caregiver advocacy, especially for loved ones with dementia or Alzheimer's.

Wilson states, "Collaborating with others in the caregiving space to raise awareness of the hard work and challenges caregivers face is critically important. I am thankful for the opportunity to share practical experiences with J. Smiles and her worldwide audience."

YouTube at 3 a.m.

The role of caregivers for persons with memory loss is often underestimated and underappreciated. Depending on the location of carehospitals, nursing homes, care communitieshealthcare providers and staff may or may not be well-versed or trained in responding to the needs of persons with memory loss.

Family caregivers constantly respond to unexpected situations. They seek trustworthy and practical information and education about dementia and Alzheimer's care.

Family members trade parts of their lives, careers, family time, and personal relationships to accept the role of caregiver. There's never a day off. No one comes to rescue physically and emotionally worn-out caregivers.

Having access to caregiver support programs through podcasts and videos available 24 hours a day helps stressed-out caregivers, especially on sleepless nights.

According to Wilson, "Many caregivers find me on my YouTube Channel at 3 a.m. when they are frantically searching for resources and help."

Humor and Laughter Are Good Medicine

Finding humor in daily caregiving efforts can be a way to manage emotions and maintain a positive mindset. Many caregivers and their loved ones suffer from depression, anxiety, and isolation.

Watching inspirational and uplifting programs can be a solution to relieve worry. Comedy is an experience everyone can enjoy.

Caregiving Requires Tenacity and Persistence

Dealing with the practicalities of preparing and planning for medical appointments, managing household activities, and scheduling self-care time is essential for caregiver well-being. Caregivers must be tenacious and persistent advocates for loved ones.

Through her Parenting Up Podcast, J Smiles brings hope and laughter while sharing the real-life experiences of caregivers of loved ones with memory loss.

Wilson's Programs Provide Practical Support for Family Caregivers and Care Receivers

Wilson is a caregiving expert with over twenty years of lived experience supporting caregivers and care receivers. Through information on her website, online courses, YouTube Channel, and speaking events, she provides practical, detailed, step-by-step education and instructions that offer hope to professional and family caregivers and persons navigating health concerns.

Her online course, Caring for Aging Parents, features a module called Creating a Plan for Loved Ones With Memory Loss This program offers tips, solutions, hope, and help to manage the ups and downs of caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's, dementia, or other memory loss diagnosis.

Learn more about Pamela at www.pameladwilson.com.

CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson +1 303-810-1816 Email: Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

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Albuquerque-based death educator Gail Rubin, CT, was recognized by the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) with their prestigious Community Educator Award at the organization's annual conference in Houston on April 11, 2024.

ADEC's Community Educator Award honors an individual in a non-academic setting with expertise in the field of thanatology, the study of death, dying and bereavement. The award recognizes excellence in developing community focused teaching materials and events that are innovative and cutting edge. Jakob van Wielink, Partner at the Netherlands' De School voor Transitie (The School for Transition) presented the award.

Gail Rubin, a Certified Thanatologist known as the Doyenne of Death, has created and facilitated numerous community death education events and materials:

She was one of the first people to hold a Death Cafe in the United States in September of 2012 and continues to hold them monthly. Today, more than 17,908 Death Cafes have been held in 89 countries, providing a forum for people to openly discuss questions and concerns about mortality.

Rubin has fostered and promoted the Before I Die Festival concept to encourage people to engage with funeral homes, cemeteries, and other end-of-life businesses without having to experience a death in the family.

She created the Newly-Dead Game and Newly-Dead Bingo to provide a fun way to teach the public about end-of-life issues and plan ahead.

She offers guidance on holding Before I Die Festivals with a book and toolkit, the Before I Die Festival in a Box.

Rubin produced a range of videos, including on her YouTube channel, @GailRubin, and hosted the A Good Goodbye TV interview program.

She also hosts The Doyenne of Death Podcast, with interviews about death, grief, funerals, and mortality.

Rubin is working on an upcoming TV series, Mortality Movies. This will be a series of 30-minute programs that include clips from films and television programs with lessons on planning for end-of-life issues. It features discussions between the Doyenne of Death and death doulas/grief experts Genna Reeves, Ph.D., and Danielle Slupesky.

Rubin has scheduled the next Before I Die New Mexico Festival, to take place in the Albuquerque area November 1-4, 2024. French Funerals & Cremations and Keeper Virtual & Hybrid Memorial Services are the first festival sponsors to participate.

"My motto is  Talking about sex won't make you pregnant, talking about funerals won't make you dead. I've been talking about death for 15 years, and so far, so good," joked Rubin. She is known for using humor to break down resistance to end-of-life planning.

She added, "Even though humans have a 100% guarantee of death, less than 30% of adults make advance end-of-life plans. You can only laugh about death when it seems like a distant possibility. I'm working to change up the percentage who make advance plans, to reduce stress at a time of grief, help people save money, and create a good goodbye."

In 2023, the deaths of Rubin's husband and father gave her real-life stories to share about the benefits of preneed funeral planning. She is writing about her experiences in her fifth book on end-of-life topics. She's the author of these award-winning books:

A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die

Hail and Farewell: Cremation Ceremonies, Templates and Tips

Kicking the Bucket List: 100 Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die

The Before I Die Festival in a Box

In her award letter of recommendation, Althea Halchuck, founder of Ending Well Patient Advocacy, LLC, said, "I have seen, first-hand, the impact of Gail's community education events among professionals and the general public. She uses film clips and audience participation in her presentations and makes the topics of death, dying, and bereavement accessible, understandable, and surprisingly fun."

Genna Reeves, Ph.D., Certified Grief Educator, Death Doula and Community Liaison for HeartLight Center, added in her letter, "She presents information in a way that is accessible, fun, related to popular culture and current events, and supportive. Even more impressive, Gail has used her personal experiences of death and grief to educate the New Mexico community about what can ease stress during these difficult times."

View the video of the presentation here.

Learn more about Gail Rubin and her work at www.AGoodGoodbye.com and www.BeforeIDieFestivals.com.
Monday, April 29, 2024

First Death Anniversary Grief

When my husband David Bleicher died on April 28, 2023, I knew Id be in for a year of grief, change and emotional turmoil. His sudden departure due to medical complications after what should have been a routine surgery left me grappling with a range of emotions and uncertainties. But in the midst of grief, I found ways to navigate the journey towards healing and resilience. Here are a few lessons Ive learned over the past year.

Widows Fog Brain is Real

In the aftermath of Daves death, I experienced what many refer to as widows brain or fog brain. Its a state of mental fogginess, confusion, and forgetfulness that often accompanies profound grief. Simple tasks became challenging. My mind felt clouded and I moved slowly through the first month or two after the funeral. Im glad that Jewish mourning traditions provide the support of community and encourage a retreat from the pressures of the everyday world for a month after the funeral. Seeking support from grief counselors and connecting with other widows provided validation and reassurance that I wasnt alone in this experience.

Distractions Help Lessen Grief

Distractions can help address overwhelming grief. A month after the funeral, I became concerned about living alone. The Universe sent me a housemate for six months. Hes the son of a friend of mine, a young man who needed a place to live while finishing his pharmacy degree at the University of New Mexico.

He was upbeat and funny, but he kept odd hours and used up most of my monthly internet gigabyte allocation playing video games and streaming films. He spoke fluent Japanese, and I would hear him chatting with a girlfriend in Japan in the middle of the night. He was focused on weight training in addition to finishing his degree, and would scientifically calculate his daily caloric intake of protein and carbs in some very strange food combinations. He abused my nonstick wok cooking with sharp forks. By the time he graduated in mid-December, I was glad to have the house back to myself.

Grief Causes Physical Pain

Within a month of Daves death, I developed tingling in my right leg and soreness in my left jaw. My physician ordered an MRI of my brain (all normal) and my dentist prescribed steroids, which helped temporarily. It wasnt until I went to an acupuncturist that I found true relief. She pressed on a point on my upper arms and asked, Does that hurt? Yes! Those are grief points. The tenderness is a reflection of the grief you are feeling, she said. It took a number of visits, but eventually all of the symptoms resolved.

Travel Can Help

You can find grief healing through travel. Leaving your usual surroundings can provide perspective and escape the familiar reminders of loss. Trips included Kansas City, MO for the ICCFA convention, Delray Beach, FL for my parents 69th anniversary, Portland, OR and San Luis Obispo, CA to visit friends, Las Vegas, NV for the NFDA convention, and Little Rock, AR and Atlantic City, NJ to speak at funeral industry events.

Travel became a therapeutic tool, allowing me to process my emotions in new surroundings. I looked for hearts as a message from Dave and found them. I found solace in the embrace of friends and in the beauty of the world around me.

The Experience Helped Me Help Others

As I navigated my own journey of grief and healing, I discovered a newfound sense of purpose in supporting others facing similar challenges. Drawing from my own experiences, I speak about the experience of not only Daves death, but my fathers as well. Dad died in August of 2023, four months after Dave. They both died on in-patient hospice care. By sharing my story and offering guidance to those in need, I find healing in helping others find hope.

In the wake of this year of profound loss, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery and transformation. Through the fog of grief, I found moments of clarity and strength that guided me towards healing and resilience. While the pain of loss persists, Ive learned to embrace the beauty of lifes journey, finding solace in the memories of love shared and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

About Gail Rubin, CT

Pioneering death educator Gail Rubin, CT, was recognized by the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) with their prestigious Community Educator Award at the organizations 2024 annual conference. She has has created and facilitated numerous community death education events and materials, including Before I Die Festivals, books and games for end-of-life planning, The Doyenne of Death Podcast, and talks illustrated with film clips.

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Dairy farmers could prevent thousands of pounds worth of milk yield losses this summer by improving ventilation now, an on-farm study has found.

The project analysed cow behaviour and productivity on two commercial dairy farms in Devon and Monmouthshire during the September 2023 heatwave.

The results showed that, in the housing environment with minimal ventilation, high yielding cows in peak lactation were at most risk of heat stress.

Milk production in these cows was impacted for up to 20 days following the heat stress event, with an average of 50 litres loss per cow across the period.

However, improving air flow with a mechanical ventilation system was proven to increase the cows ability to cope with heat stress.

Andrew Gardner, technical director at Galebreaker, which took part in the study and manufacturers such systems, said cows housed in a cubicle shed with a Galebreaker VentTube Cool system were more resilient to heat stress.

"These cows were then found to recover within one or two days following the heat stress event, minimising any losses," he said.

Cows under the Galebreaker VentTube also spent a greater amount of time lying, benefitting from the chill effect of the ventilation drawing in fresh air from outside.

"This is likely to result in reduced incidences of lameness seen in the months following the heat stress period.

The study's results, which was undertaken as part of the Animal Centred Controlled Environment for Dairy (ACCED) project, supported by Innovate UK, indicated how installing a ventilation system can deliver a worthwhile return on investment for farmers.

This, in turns, could help to safeguard cow health, welfare and productivity in the event of hot weather, the study found.

It also showed how health monitoring technology that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to flag when animals are exhibiting early signs of heat stress can work well in connection with automatic ventilation systems.

Mr Gardner explained: The insights from our findings have proven how AI-powered technologies such as Smartbells ear tags could be used as a control for activating environmental cooling systems precisely when and where they are required.

This would further improve the cost effectiveness and viability of a mechanical ventilation systems, which ensure that energy usage is more than offset by the beneficial impacts of improving cow comfort and resilience to heat stress.

"This would help address the recognised issue with the running costs of recirculation fans that are commonly used.
A unique soil station that is helping European farmers dramatically increase profitability by cutting fertiliser use is now being trialled at more than 20 UK farms.

The station measures nutrient movement through the soil to help growers make decisions about when to apply fertiliser to optimise nutrient uptake efficiency (NUE).

The system works by having sensors at two different depths in the soil which track the nutrients moving between them.

This can be plotted in real-time via an online dashboard which shows if the nutrients are leaching quickly away or are being held around the roots for plants to absorb.

It is currently being trialled at more than 20 locations across the UK, including the West Midlands, Herefordshire, East Anglia, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire.

Clive Bailye, a farmer from Lichfield, Staffordshire, and winner of Soil Farmer of the Year in 2016, is one of the growers taking part in the UK trials.

He described the soil sensor as "another tool in the box to help farmers make better decisions."

Were all aware of variable rate fertiliser applications and we get information on the quantities we need to apply but not the timings. Having something that can help with timing is new and that really captures the imagination.

The soil station will say now is the optimum time to apply fertiliser or better still, it will tell you if the fertiliser you applied two weeks ago is still in the soil and you dont need to apply more. That could save a significant amount of money.

We made our first nitrogen application and its really interesting to see that going through the soil profile as youve got the advantage of the deep sensor too."

Brixworth Farming in Northamptonshire, another business trialling the soil sensor, supplies labour, machinery, and crop marketing solutions for 2,000 hectares of arable land.

Managing Director Ian Matts said: What we want to do is identify the differences in both the amounts and timings of nitrogen release and availability between different previous crops and where catch crops have been utilised.

We know, for example, theres a big response to nitrogen following spring oats. We know this is different following beans, but not necessarily to what extent, or when. We are also keen to better understand these changes with a catch crop.

We want to use the sensors to see if we can identify any differences between these conditions.

Mr Matt added it was early days as the sensors had only been in the ground a couple of months, but the early signs were good.

I think with any of these things the more information you build, the more confidence you have to really use it, he said.

Im optimistic about it because it can measure nitrate movement through the soil in real time.

Mikk Plakk, chief executive of Paul-Tech, the Estonian company behind the station, said the technology will enable British growers to "gather the most detailed picture of the health of UK soils ever created".

He said: The technology is employed in a significant number of European countries across arable and vegetable growing operations, and is enabling farmers to get a much richer picture of how nitrogen and other nutrients move through the soil.

Trialling the technology in the UK will provide British growers with unparalleled insights into what is going on under the surface of their fields, and will help build a national picture of soil health.
The trend has benefits for the traveller, the environment, and the destination that gets your tourism dollar

As we plan our summer holidays  or even our winter breaks if were well ahead on the calendar  there are travel trends to take note of. Sustainable travel is one that is the need of the hour, and the other could quite contribute to sustainable travel if done right.

Were talking about the travel trend of destination duping. This is what it comes down to. There are well-known destinations in the world  think Venice and Amsterdam  that are now plagued by overtourism. The local authorities are constantly working on strategies such as caps on visitor numbers and higher entry fees to keep visitor numbers down to prevent impact to historic monuments and the living conditions of the local citizenry. The idea in many countries is to now encourage visitors to explore other destinations nearby that are equally interesting and could cope better with travellers.

The idea of exploring lesser-known destinations is certainly not new  but has now become a trend as it gains traction for summer travel, fuelled by social media influencers offering potential travellers interesting alternatives to overcrowded destinations. Suggestions for Europe include swapping Pula (above) in Croatia for Rome, Ljubljana (below) in Slovenia for the overstressed Venice, Tunis (main image) in Tunisia for Santorini.

One of the main advantages of destination duping is that you are guaranteed a more authentic immersion into culture and local life  it is a shift away from just ticking off the major monuments and attractions of the world to get under the skin of a destination that might be less developed for tourism, but will still offer travellers a great holiday.

Making the choice to travel to these offbeat destinations benefits the traveller in terms of this authentic immersion and usually better prices, as well as the destination itself in terms of tourism dollars. And, of course, by reducing the load on overcrowded destinations, destination duping helps the environment as well.

Images: Shutterstock

Also Read: Heres Why You Should Give Second Cities A Chance
Geopolitical unrest, high inflation, and economic adversaries have severely impacted the purchasing power of European consumers. The import data for European home textiles show that inbound shipments of these products slowed to below pre-pandemic levels last year. European imports declined to $28.885 billion in 2023 from $33.581 billion in 2022.

Global demand for home textile products, such as bed sheets, linen, curtains, and towels, skyrocketed during the pandemic. However, this demand returned to normal levels in the following year but has since seen a steep fall in Europe due to various factors.

Geopolitical unrest, high inflation and economic challenges have sharply reduced the purchasing power of European consumers, leading to a decline in home textile imports. After a pandemic-induced surge in demand, imports decreased from a peak of $61.101 billion in 2020 to $28.885 billion in 2023. The Russia-Ukraine conflict exacerbated the situation.

According to Fibre2Fashion's market insight tool TexPro, home textile imports in Europe more than doubled in 2020, reaching $61.101 billion, up from $30.200 billion in 2019. The demand for home textiles spiked the following year. After that, the trade normalised, coming down to $40.282 billion in 2021 but still above the 2019 import levels.

The Russia-Ukraine war not only severely affected the supply of crude oil and other commodities but also industrial activities. Higher costs for crude oil, natural gas, and other commodities inflated the prices of various products and services, increasing inflation and leaving little disposable income for general consumers. Therefore, discretionary spending, especially on garments and other textile products, was severely affected.

Home textile imports in Europe further decreased to $33.581 billion in 2022 and $28.885 billion in 2023. Therefore, the inbound shipments fell more than 50 per cent from the peak imports of $61.101 billion in 2020 and also declined from the pre-COVID import levels of 2019, as per TexPro.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)
The Bundestag, the lower house of German parliament, last week passed a reform of the Climate Protection Act that will significantly overhaul how targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are implemented, but has invited controversies.

A few environmental groups have sharply opposed the proposed changes. The opposition conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), also objected to the reforms.

Under the proposed reforms primarily pushed by the liberal Free Democrats, however, compliance with the climate targets will no longer be monitored retrospectively by sector but will instead be forward-looking, multi-year and take multiple sectors as one, according to a domestic news agency.

The German parliament's lower house has passed a reform of the Climate Protection Act that will significantly overhaul how targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions are implemented. But a few environmental groups and the political opposition have criticised the reforms, under which, compliance will no longer be monitored retrospectively by sector.

Critics say accountability-ensuring requirements like placing specific responsibility with individual ministries will be stripped from the law.

Germany's transport and construction sectors missed targets last year.

If it is clear in two years that the country is not on track to achieve its 2030 climate goals, then broader changes would be required.

Further climate targets enshrined in German law include reducing emissions by 88 per cent by 2040 and achieving GHG neutrality by 2045, which would mean emitting no more carbon dioxide than can be absorbed.

The countrys GHG emissions dropped by a tenth last year with renewable energy growing in importance and the use of coal and gas diminishing, according to official data.

Germany emitted about 673 million tonnes of GHG in 2023, a decline of 76 million tonnes or 10.1 per cent year on year, the countrys environmental protection agency said. It was the strongest decline since 1990.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
The Lion King is one of Disneys most popular and loved movies of all time. The movie got a live-action adaptation as well and was a massive success. Now, Disney is all set to release its prequel titled Mufasa: The Lion King.



This part will focus on young Mufasa, Scar and Mufasa's rise as the greatest king of the Pride Lands. Disney announced that the trailer of the film will be released on April 30 and they also revealed a new still from the film. Check out the first look:

Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, and John Kani will reprise their roles of Pumbaa, Timon and Rafiki respectively with Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr joining as Mufasa and Scar respectively.
Kunstliche Intelligenz hat spatestens nach dem Raketenstart von Chat GPT das Leben aller verandert. Doch der Superzyklus steht nach Meinungen von Experten erst am Anfang. Wahrend Aktien wie Nvidia von der ersten Aufwartsentwicklung stark profitieren konnten, versprechen aussichtsreiche Player aus der

zweiten Reihe noch enormes Aufwartspotenzial.



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Warum sollten Sie dabei sein?

Trotz der jungsten Erfolge steht die Entwicklung der kunstlichen Intelligenz noch am Beginn eines neuen Superzyklus. Experten gehen davon aus, dass der Sektor bis 2032 global auf 1,3 Billionen US-Dollar explodieren wird, wobei ein groer Teil auf Hardware und Infrastruktur entfallen wird.



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Fordern Sie sofort unseren brandneuen Spezialreport an und erfahren Sie, welche 5 KI-Aktien das grote Potenzial zur Vervielfachung besitzen. Dieser Report ist komplett kostenlos und zeigt Ihnen die aussichtsreichsten Investments im KI-Sektor.

Handeln Sie jetzt und sichern Sie sich Ihren kostenfreien Report!
HANGZHOU, China, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hikvision has released its full-year 2023 financial results, reporting a total revenue of RMB 89.34 billion, up 7.42% year-over-year. Net profit attributable to shareholders of the company was RMB 14.11 billion, achieving a year-over-year (YoY) growth of 9.89%. The total cash dividend (tax inclusive) amounted to RMB 8.40 billion, 59.52% of the net profit attributable to shareholders of the company.

The revenue from the company's overseas main business increased 8.83% year-over-year to RMB 23.98 billion, 26.84% of the total revenue. The revenue from the domestic main business was RMB 46.81 billion, accounting for 52.40% of the total revenue, and the revenue from the innovative businesses was RMB 18.55 billion, representing 20.77% of the total revenue.

Hikvision also announced its first-quarter 2024 financial results. The company reported a quarterly revenue of RMB 17.82 billion, up 9.98% year-over-year. Net profit attributable to shareholders of the company in the first quarter was RMB 1.92 billion, representing a YoY increase of 5.78%.

In 2023, Hikvision achieved greater stability in its operations and continued to increase investment in research and development. The company has gradually built and improved its AIoT technology system, and launched scenario-based products and solutions for the digital transformation of businesses. Looking forward, Hikvision remains committed to creating value for customers and empowering the digital transformation of the community and businesses with its technologies.

The full annual report 2023 and Q1 2024 report can be found here.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2399472/image_815437_40036892.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2399473/image_815437_40037111.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hikvision-releases-full-year-2023-and-first-quarter-2024-financial-results-302129541.html
Elliptic Labs (OSE: ELABS), a global AI software company and the world leader in AI Virtual Smart Sensors currently deployed in over 500 million devices, is shipping its AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY on the newly announced Moondrop MIAD 01 smartphone.

Elliptic Labs previously announced the contract for this launch with Ant Design Mobile, an Original Design Manufacturer (ODM), that has designed this phone for Moondrop Labs. Elliptic Labs and Ant Design Mobile worked directly to integrate the AI Virtual Proximity Sensor into Moondrop Labs' MIAD 01 smartphone. This is the second smartphone designed by Ant Design Mobile to be launched utilizing Elliptic Labs' AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY. Ant Design Mobile chose Elliptic Labs' partner MediaTek, utilizing MediaTek's Dimensity 7050 chipset for the MIAD 01 smartphone.

"Bringing on Ant Design Mobile as a customer allows Elliptic Labs the scale to work with up-and-coming smartphone makers like Moondrop Labs," said Laila Danielsen, CEO of Elliptic Labs. "By working with Ant Design Mobile, smartphone makers have access to the same economies of scale as our larger customers. Signing on ODMs like Ant Design Mobile opens up more opportunities for Elliptic Labs to develop products that are greener, smarter, and more human-friendly."

AI Virtual Proximity Sensor INNER BEAUTY

Elliptic Labs' AI Virtual Proximity Sensor detects when a user holds their phone up to their ear during a call, allowing the smartphone to turn off its display and disable its screen's touch functionality. This keeps the user's ear or cheek from triggering unwanted actions during the call, such as hanging up or dialing numbers. Turning off the screen also helps conserve battery life.

Proximity detection is a core capability that is used in all smartphones, but Elliptic Labs' AI Virtual Proximity Sensor is a unique, software-only solution that delivers robust proximity detection without the need for a dedicated hardware sensor. By replacing hardware sensors with software sensors, the AI Virtual Proximity Sensor reduces device cost and eliminates sourcing risk.

INNER BEAUTY is a registered trademark of Elliptic Labs.

AI Virtual Smart Sensor, AI Virtual Proximity Sensor, and AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform are trademarks of Elliptic Labs.

All other trademarks or service marks are the responsibility of their respective organizations.

About Elliptic Labs

Elliptic Labs is a global enterprise targeting the smartphone, laptop, IoT, and automotive markets. Founded in 2006 as a research spin-off from Norway's Oslo University, the company's patented software uses AI, ultrasound and sensor fusion to deliver intuitive 3D gesture, proximity-, presence-, breathing- and heartbeat-detection experiences. Its scalable AI Virtual Smart Sensor Platform creates software-only sensors that are sustainable, human-friendly and already deployed in hundreds of millions of devices around the world. Elliptic Labs is the only software company that has delivered detection capabilities using AI software, ultrasound, and sensor fusion deployed at scale. The company joined the Oslo Brs main listing in March 2022.

Elliptic Labs is headquartered in Norway with presence in the USA, China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. Its technology and IP are developed in Norway and are solely owned by the company.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240428656211/en/

Contacts:

PR Contact:

Patrick Tsui

pr@ellipticlabs.com

Investor Relations:

Lars Holmy

Lars.Holmoy@ellipticlabs.com
April 29, 2024





First-quarter highlights

Group sales amounted to EUR 4.1 billion, with comparable sales growth of 2.4%

Comparable order intake -3.8%, mainly due to China

USD 1.1 billion Respironics litigation settlement reached in the US (provision recognized of EUR 982 million)

Income from operations EUR -824 million, including above provision

Adjusted EBITA margin of 9.4% of sales

Free cash outflow of EUR 336 million

EUR 540 million agreement reached with insurers for Respironics recall-related product liability claims





Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips:

"We started the year in line with our plan, with order intake growth outside China turning positive and strong margin improvement. Supported by key innovation launches and strong focus on our execution priorities, we remain confident in our performance improvement plan for 2024.

Patient safety and quality is our highest priority, and we have taken important steps in further resolving the consequences of the Respironics recall. The remediation of the sleep therapy devices for patients is almost complete, and the test results to date show the use of these devices is not expected to result in appreciable harm to health. We do regret the concern that patients may have experienced.

The approved consent decree and economic loss settlement, and now the resolution of the personal injury and medical monitoring litigation in the US, are significant milestones and provide further clarity on the way forward for Philips."

Respironics litigation





Philips and plaintiffs' leadership have reached an agreement, following a mediation with Judge Diane M. Welsh, to resolve the personal injury litigation and the medical monitoring class action to end the uncertainty associated with litigation in the US. Philips and Philips Respironics do not admit any fault or liability, or that any injuries were caused by Respironics' devices.

The settlement addresses the claims filed in the US courts and potential claims submitted to the census registry. Under the settlement, Philips Respironics has agreed to pay a total of USD 1.1 billion. The related payments are expected in 2025 and will be funded from Philips' cash flow generation. As a consequence, a EUR 982 million*) provision was recognized in Q1 2024.

In April 2024, Philips Respironics signed a consent decree, which was court-approved, and obtained the final court approval for the previously announced economic loss settlement in the US, for which a provision was recognized in Q1 2023.

Philips also concluded an agreement with insurers to pay Philips EUR 540 million to cover Respironics recall-related product liability claims. This income is expected to be recognized in Q2 2024 and payment is expected during 2024.



Following the remediation of sleep therapy devices and the reassuring test results to date, these important milestones on litigation, the consent decree and insurance provide Philips with a clear path forward for sustainable value creation. See here for more information on the Respironics litigation.

*) After converting the USD 1.1 billion amount to euro and discounting for time.





Group and segment performance



Group comparable sales increased 2.4%, with growth in mature and growth geographies, despite a decline in China. The market in China continues to be impacted by the industry-wide anti-corruption measures initiated by the government and by subdued consumer demand. In the first quarter, the government of China announced a subsidy program for hospitals to upgrade aged medical equipment, which will support gradual improvement of a fundamentally attractive market.

Diagnosis & Treatment comparable sales increased 3%, with growth in Image Guided Therapy and Precision Diagnosis, on the back of double-digit growth in Q1 2023. Adjusted EBITA margin was 9.2%, mainly due to normalization of the product mix, as anticipated.

Connected Care comparable sales declined 1%, with growth in Enterprise Informatics offset by a decline in Monitoring on the back of double-digit growth in Q1 2023. Adjusted EBITA margin increased to 6.4%.

Personal Health comparable sales increased 3%, driven by growth in Personal Care and Mother & Child Care. Adjusted EBITA margin improved to 15.2%.



Productivity

Total productivity savings of EUR 151 million in the quarter: operating model savings of EUR 55 million, procurement savings of EUR 40 million, and other programs savings of EUR 56 million.

Outlook



Philips reiterates its confidence in delivering the 2025 plan, acknowledging that uncertainties remain. For the full year 2024, Philips continues to expect 3-5% comparable sales growth and an Adjusted EBITA margin of 11-11.5%.





The expected free cash flow is now increased to EUR 0.9-1.1 billion in 2024, including the receipt from insurers for the Respironics product liability claims and the remaining payment related to the economic loss settlement. The personal injury and medical monitoring litigation settlement payment is expected in 2025.

The outlook excludes the potential impact of other previously disclosed Philips Respironics-related legal proceedings, including the investigation by the US Department of Justice.

Customer, innovation and ESG highlights

Philips was recognized as a Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovator for the 11 th consecutive year and ranked as a top medical technology patent applicant at the European Patent Office in 2023.

consecutive year and ranked as a top medical technology patent applicant at the European Patent Office in 2023. Philips launched the new Azurion image-guided therapy system and advanced informatics to enhance the minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of stroke and other neurovascular patients.

Supporting short-staffed radiology departments, Philips introduced the new AI-enabled CT 5300 designed for more accurate and reliable imaging results using up to 80% lower radiation dose, while enhancing productivity and quality.

Philips signed a 10-year agreement with the US Nicklaus Children's Health System to provide AI-enabled radiology and monitoring solutions for deeper clinical insights, and improved workflow and productivity.

Further expanding the successful OneBlade product range, Philips launched OneBlade Intimate - the first shaving product designed to be gender-neutral and protect the most sensitive skin.

More than 1,100 Philips MR systems with the helium-free operations BlueSeal magnet and AI support have now been installed globally, enabling more productive and sustainable MR imaging operations.

Capital allocation



In April 2024, Philips completed the EUR 1.5 billion share buyback program for capital reduction purposes announced on July 26, 2021, and in the second quarter intends to cancel the 4.4 million shares acquired this year. See here for more information on the share buyback program.





Click here to view the release online

For further information, please contact:





Elco van Groningen

Philips External Relations

Tel.: +31 6 8103 9584

E-mail: elco.van.groningen@philips.com



Ben Zwirs

Philips External Relations

Tel.: +31 6 1521 3446

E-mail: ben.zwirs@philips.com



Dorin Danu

Philips Investor Relations

Tel.: +31 20 59 77055

E-mail: dorin.danu@philips.com





About Royal Philips

Royal Philips.

Forward-looking statements and other important information



Forward-looking statements



This document and the related oral presentation, including responses to questions following the presentation, contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results of operations and business of Philips and certain of the plans and objectives of Philips with respect to these items. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements made about our strategy, estimates of sales growth, future Adjusted EBITA *), future restructuring and acquisition related charges and other costs, future developments in Philips' organic business and the completion of acquisitions and divestments. Forward-looking statements can be identified generally as those containing words such as "anticipates", "assumes", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "should", "will", "will likely result", "forecast", "outlook", "projects", "may" or similar expressions. By their nature, these statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to future events and circumstances and there are many factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements.



These factors include but are not limited to: Philips' ability to gain leadership in health informatics in response to developments in the health technology industry; Philips' ability to keep pace with the changing health technology environment; macroeconomic and geopolitical changes; integration of acquisitions and their delivery on business plans and value creation expectations; securing and maintaining Philips' intellectual property rights, and unauthorized use of third-party intellectual property rights; Philips' ability to meet expectations with respect to ESG-related matters; failure of products and services to meet quality or security standards, adversely affecting patient safety and customer operations; breaches of cybersecurity; challenges in simplifying our organization and our ways of working; the resilience of our supply chain; attracting and retaining personnel; challenges in driving operational excellence and speed in bringing innovations to market; compliance with regulations and standards including quality, product safety and.



Third-party market share data



Statements regarding market share, contained in this document, including those regarding Philips' competitive position, are based on outside sources such as specialized research institutes, industry and dealer panels in combination with management estimates. Where information is not yet available to Philips, market share statements may also be based on estimates and projections prepared by management and/or based on outside sources of information. Management's estimates of rankings are based on order intake or sales, depending on the business.



Market Abuse Regulation



This press release contains inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.



Use of non-IFRS information



In presenting and discussing the Philips Group's financial position, operating results and cash flows, management uses certain non-IFRS financial measures. These non-IFRS financial measures should not be viewed in isolation as alternatives to the equivalent IFRS measure and should be used in conjunction with the most directly comparable IFRS measures. Non-IFRS financial measures do not have standardized meaning under IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. A reconciliation of these non-IFRS measures to the most directly comparable IFRS measures is contained in this document. Further information on non-IFRS measures can be found in the Annual Report 2023 .



Presentation



All amounts are in millions of euros unless otherwise stated. Due to rounding, amounts may not add up precisely to totals provided. All reported data is unaudited. Financial reporting is in accordance with the accounting policies as stated in the Annual Report 2023 . Prior-period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current-period presentation; this includes immaterial organizational changes.



Effective Q1 2024, Philips has revised the order intake policy to reflect the full contract value for software contracts that start generating revenue within an 18-month horizon, instead of only the next 18 months to revenue horizon. This change has been implemented to better align with the specific business model of our software businesses, simplify the order intake process, and better align with peers. Prior-period comparable order intake percentages have been restated accordingly. This revision has not resulted in any material changes to the order intake percentages for the periods presented.



Philips has realigned the composition of its reporting segments effective from April 1, 2023. The most notable change is the shift of the previous Enterprise Diagnostic Informatics business from the Diagnosis & Treatment segment to the Connected Care segment. This business, together with other informatics solutions in the Connected Care segment, now forms the Enterprise Informatics business. Accordingly, the comparative figures for the affected segments have been restated. The restatement has been published on the Philips Investor Relations website and can be accessed here .



Per share calculations have been adjusted retrospectively for all periods presented to reflect the issuance of shares in the second quarter of 2023 in connection with the 2022 share dividend.

*) Non-IFRS financial measure. Refer to Reconciliation of non-IFRS information.
Kupfer wird oft als das Gold der Energiewende bezeichnet, weil es aufgrund seiner hervorragenden elektrischen Leitfahigkeit eine zentrale Rolle in vielen Technologien spielt, die fur nachhaltige Energiesysteme entscheidend sind. Experten gehen aufgrund der Angebotsknappheit von einem Superzyklus aus.

Korrektur als Einstiegschance

Nach Hochststanden im Mai korrigierte das rote Metall stark. Die Abwartsspirale verstarkte sich in den vergangenen Tagen aufgrund schwacher Konjunkturdaten aus den USA und China. Langfristig konnte sich die aktuell laufende Korrektur als exzellente Einstiegsmoglichkeit herausstellen.

3 Kupferaktien mit hohem Potential

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Riyadh convened global leaders today at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development to host candid dialogues and outline bold steps to tackle the most pressing geopolitical, social and economic challenges facing humanity.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240428317713/en/

His Excellency Faisal Alibrahim, Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning, welcomes global leaders to Riyadh for the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development. (Photo: AETOSWire)

Speaking at the Special Meeting, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Energy for Saudi Arabia, said a just and equitable energy transition will only be achieved by using a range of energy sources to diversify the global energy market. Access to secure and reliable energy, he said, is crucial to enabling people and communities from emerging nations to achieve meaningful economic development.

In a session on 'North to South, East to West: Rebuilding Trust,' His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, led a discussion on addressing critical challenges through cooperation, speaking of the need to solve the humanitarian crisis in Gaza through "a real commitment to a two-state solution that is a credible, irreversible path to a Palestinian state."

At the first WEF Open Forum to be hosted outside of Davos, Her Royal Highness Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to the United States, reflected on the Kingdom's cultural awakening, saying, "Right now, what you're watching is a renaissance of this country falling in love with its heritage."

Reflecting on the progress of Saudi Vision 2030, His Excellency Adel Aljubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, said: "We want to build a country that is diversified, that is inclusive, that is based on technology, that competes in the world and that is part of the global trading system.

At the start of the first day of the Special Meeting, His Excellency the Saudi Minister of Finance, His Excellency Mohammed Aljadaan, said that for long-term planning, countries need to be agile in dealing with economic challenges by making adjustments depending on circumstance.

Meanwhile, His Excellency Abdullah Alswaha, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, discussed the link between artificial intelligence and economic growth, stating, "We are not at a tipping point, but a turning point in humanity," while highlighting how Saudi Arabia is doubling down on AI diffusion across multiple sectors.

His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Saudi's Minister of Tourism, said, "In just five years, Saudi Arabia's tourism sector has nearly doubled, growing from $35 billion to $66 billion, with our sights set on reaching $80 billion this year."

Welcoming delegates to the two-day event, His Excellency Faisal Alibrahim, Saudi's Minister of Economy and Planning, welcomed global leaders to the "global growth platform" that Saudi Arabia has become under Saudi Vision 2030, and stressed the importance of building a more inclusive global economy "where every nation has the chance to thrive, regardless of its wealth or status."

*Source: AETOSWire

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240428317713/en/

Contacts:

Wooud Alquaied

walquaied@mep.gov.sa
Sustera Group, a leading property wellbeing expert in Finland and Sweden, specialises in supporting clients throughout the lifecycle of their properties. The company aims to accelerate the change towards more sustainable construction and more responsible building management, driven strongly by EU regulations. With the new strategy launched, Sustera will pursue strategic acquisitions to establish a foothold in the UK, DACH, and Benelux. The Group's new strategy also contains a significant carbon footprint reduction target: reduce customers' CO2 emissions by 1 million tonnes by 2028 through the company's services.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240428151618/en/

"Sustainable operations are no longer an additional luxury that concerns select buildings in the EU. Instead, all buildings will need to adapt to the EU's new regulations and taxonomy," says Tuomas Qvick, CEO of Sustera Group. Sustera is a leading property lifecycle management company. Photo: Sustera

To support the growth strategy, the company, formerly Raksystems, announces its rebranding as Sustera Group. The new name and tagline "Sustera Buildings are for life" reflect the need to bring buildings to a new, more sustainable era.

"As a part of the new strategy, our goal is to create a stronger, more unified group with sustainability at the core to support our international growth. This also benefits our customers when they receive all building lifecycle services from a single provider," says Tuomas Qvick, CEO of Sustera Group.

Sustainability at the core of operations

Buildings are a major challenge for the climate. Buildings are responsible for 40% of all energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the European Commission, there are over 220 million buildings in Europe, of which over a third are more than 50 years old and 75% of them energy inefficient. Sustera aims to help building owners in this challenge throughout the lifecycle of their buildings.

EU is committed to become climate neutral by 2050. Sustainability is an increasingly important aspect in the building industry, as both EU regulations and local legislations are tightening. Property owners will need to consider how energy efficiency and zero emissions apply to their businesses. Agreements such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Fit for 55 require buildings to significantly reduce emissions while making buildings healthier for people.

"Sustainable operations are no longer an additional luxury that concerns select buildings in the EU. Instead, all buildings will need to adapt to the EU's new regulations and taxonomy. Lifecycle thinking is needed for profitable business and to ensure a greener, better future. And most importantly, buildings have a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of their occupants," Qvick says.

Growth from new European markets

The group's new strategy for 2024-2028 includes ambitious plans for expansion into new markets. In addition to further strengthening its presence in the Nordic region, Sustera will pursue strategic acquisitions to establish a foothold in the UK, DACH, and Benelux.

The impact-focused investment company Trill Impact acquired a majority stake of Raksystems in 2022. The shared goal is to make Sustera a leading player in supporting healthy and efficient buildings not only in the Nordics but also beyond.

"We are excited to work closely with Sustera to create a pan-European property lifecycle expert. We identified the group as a thought leader within property wellbeing and green building services and see significant potential to drive positive change within energy efficiency and indoor air conditions in buildings. The plan is to leverage our experience to help Sustera expand internationally and become a leading player in its field in Europe," says Johan Lunden, Partner at Trill Impact Advisory.

About Sustera: Sustera is a leading property lifecycle management company, with roots in the Nordic region dating back as far as 1989. With over 700 dedicated professionals, we ensure that buildings increase their value and become more sustainable. Our vision is to accelerate the change towards more sustainable construction and building management.

We offer expert services for the entire lifecycle of a building; we assess, investigate, and carry out surveys. We give advice that prevents problems and reduces lifecycle costs for both new and existing buildings. We ensure that ever-tightening sustainability and energy efficiency requirements are met. We professionally design, manage, and supervise both renovation and new construction projects.

Sustera Buildings are for life. www.sustera.com

About Trill Impact: Trill Impact is a pioneering Impact House with around EUR 1.2 billion in assets under management across its investment strategies, Impact Private Equity, Impact Ventures and Microfinance, with a team of around 55 experienced professionals based in the Nordics, Germany, Luxembourg and USA. Trill Impact aims to become a force for positive change through impact private investments, delivering Real Returns and Lasting Impact for the benefit of investors, businesses and society at large encouraging others to follow. For more information, please visit: www.trillimpact.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240428151618/en/

Contacts:

For media inquiries, please contact:

Tuomas Qvick, Group CEO, Sustera Group

tel. +358 40 755 4444

tuomas.qvick@sustera.com
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'Textbook of Tinnitus' is a comprehensive textbook that describes tinnitus, how it is caused, and state-of-the art interventions such as Lenire.

is a comprehensive textbook that describes tinnitus, how it is caused, and state-of-the art interventions such as Lenire. Top-ranked tinnitus expert authors of the Textbook of Tinnitus state that Lenire's clinical trial results are remarkable and demonstrate results not seen in any other accepted tinnitus care intervention.

state that Lenire's clinical trial results are remarkable and demonstrate results not seen in any other accepted tinnitus care intervention. 91% of patients in Lenire's second large-scale clinic trial, TENT-A2, reported long-term relief from tinnitus that lasted at least 12-months. [2]

Lenire has been proven to be more effective than sound-alone for patients with moderate or worse tinnitus in Lenire's controlled large-scale clinical trial, TENT-A3. [3]

Lenire was awarded a De Novo Grant from the US FDA, making it the first and only FDA Approved bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device.

DUBLIN, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lenire, the first and only FDA approved bimodal neuromodulation device for the treatment of tinnitus, has been included in the seminal "Textbook of Tinnitus," Second Edition. Inclusion in the "Textbook of Tinnitus" further validates bimodal neuromodulation as a tinnitus treatment methodology while positioning Lenire as the technological standard bearer.

Lenire is a bimodal neuromodulation device which has been proven to provide long term relief from tinnitus that lasts for at least 12-months after treatment in large scale clinical trials.[1],[3] Lenire's bimodal neuromodulation works by delivering mild pulses to the tongue, through an intra-oral component called the Tonguetip. To treat tinnitus, it works in concert with auditory stimulation through headphones to promote long-term changes in the brain.

In Lenire's most recent controlled clinical trial, the device was shown to be more effective than sound-alone for those with moderate or worse tinnitus.[3]

Tinnitus, commonly known as "ringing in the ears," is a complex brain signalling condition that causes people to perceive sound with no external source. An estimated 15% of the global adult population is impacted by tinnitus.

"The Textbook of Tinnitus, Second Edition" is a comprehensive source of knowledge on the subject of tinnitus, types of tinnitus, causes of tinnitus, and available treatments. The textbook's Bimodal Neuromodulation chapter is authored by top ranked tinnitus expert, Berthold Langguth[5], and third ranked tinnitus expert, Sven Vanneste[5] per ExpertScape. The chapter was peer-reviewed by a panel of leading tinnitus experts, demonstrating expert consensus of Lenire as the standard bearer for bimodal neuromodulation.

"Innovative medical technology undergoes a journey from validation through clinical research to becoming a standard of care. Inclusion in the 'Textbook of Tinnitus' is the latest indication Lenire is the category defining standard of care for tinnitus treatment," said Dr. Ross O'Neill, Neuromod's Founding CEO.

"The Textbook of Tinnitus" Bimodal Neuromodulation chapter cites Lenire's "remarkable" clinical trial results and compares the data to cognitive behavioural therapy, a preeminent accepted standard of tinnitus care.

"This is remarkable, as such long-term improvement has not been demonstrated for any other treatment, not even cognitive behavioural therapy." Sven Vanneste and Berthold Langguth, "Textbook of Tinnitus," Chapter 54 on Lenire's Large-Scale Clinical Trials.

Speaking on Lenire's inclusion in the "Textbook of Tinnitus," Dr. Gail Whitelaw PhD, Director of the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at the Ohio State University, said, "The Tinnitus Textbook is a valuable centralized repository of tinnitus information. Bimodal neuromodulation's inclusion demonstrates its credibility as a treatment for tinnitus with Lenire specifically leading the way in clinical application."

The first of Lenire's clinical trials, TENT-A1, represents one of the largest and longest followed-up clinical trials ever conducted in the tinnitus field and was the cover story for the top-tier peer reviewed scientific journal, Science Translational Medicine. The trial enrolled 326 participants and 86.2% of compliant participants reported an improvement in their tinnitus severity after a 12-week treatment period.[1] When followed up with 12 months post treatment, 80.1% of compliant participants had sustained improvement.[1]

Results from Lenire's second large-scale clinical trial, TENT-A2, were published in the prestigious scientific journal, Nature - Scientific Reports. TENT-A2 data demonstrated that modifying stimuli halfway through treatment resulted in a greater clinically significant improvement in tinnitus severity.[2] 95% of compliant patients reported a tinnitus improvement, 91% of whom reported a sustained improvement for a year after the treatment ended.[2]

Lenire recently became the first device of its kind to be awarded a De Novo Grant from the US FDA based on the success of the device's third large-scale clinical trial, TENT-A3. During this controlled clinical trial, 79.4% of the patients had a clinically significant reduction in tinnitus severity and 88.6% responded that they would recommend Lenire.[3] Importantly, Lenire was proven to be more effective than sound-only therapy for 70.5% of patients with moderate and above tinnitus.[3] TENT-A3's landmark results are set for publication in an independent scientific journal in 2024.

Lenire is available through leading hearing and tinnitus care clinics in the United States of America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Neuromod's sophisticated practice-enablement approach has ensured the highest level of patient care at scale that has led to real world results that closely match clinical trial data.

Lenire's remarkable clinical trial results, category-defining regulatory approval, strong real world effectiveness at a global scale, and inclusion in the prestigious Textbook of Tinnitus positions the bimodal neuromodulation device as the new standard for tinnitus care.

Learn more about tinnitus, bimodal neuromodulation and the availability of groundbreaking tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, at www.lenire.com.

About Neuromod

Founded in 2010, Neuromod Devices is a global medical technology company with offices in Ireland, and the United States of America. Neuromod specialises in the design and development of neuromodulation technologies to address the clinical needs of underserved patient populations who live with chronic and debilitating conditions.

The lead application of Neuromod's technology is in the field of tinnitus, where Neuromod has completed extensive clinical trials to confirm the efficacy of its non-invasive neuromodulation platform in this common disorder. For more information visit www.neuromoddevices.com.

About Lenire

Lenire is the first non-invasive bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device shown to soothe and relieve tinnitus in large-scale clinical trials.

Lenire has CE-mark certification for the treatment of tinnitus under the supervision of an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in Europe and has received a De Novo Approval Grant by the US FDA. Further details about Lenire including a list of providers can be found at www.lenire.com.

About The Textbook of Tinnitus, Second Edition

The Textbook of Tinnitus, Second Edition describes the theoretical background of the different forms of tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and detailed knowledge of state-of-the-art treatments of tinnitus.

Tinnitus research has dramatically improved since the publication of the Textbook of Tinnitus, First Edition in 2011. In view of the substantial increase in knowledge, most chapters in Textbook of Tinnitus, Second Edition are newly written and a few original chapters have had major updates.

Textbook of Tinnitus is primarily concerned with equipping otolaryngologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, neurosurgeons, primary care clinicians, audiologists and psychologists, and students with comprehensive and contemporary tinnitus knowledge.

References and Notes

1. Conlon et al., Sci. Transl. Med. 12, eabb2830 (2020).

2. Conlon et al., Different bimodal neuromodulation settings reduce tinnitus symptoms in a large randomized trial, Sci Rep, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13875-x (2022).

3. TENT-A3 clinical trial data in preparation for publication. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05227365 4. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/tinnitus.

4. R. Biswas et al., Tinnitus prevalence in Europe: a multi-country cross-sectional population study, The Lancet Regional Health (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100250.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2398648/Lenire_Neuromod_Devices.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/lenire-from-neuromod-delivers-tinnitus-improvement-not-demonstrated-for-any-other-treatment-according-to-expert-consensus-302128766.html
NAIROBI, Kenya, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kenyan government and Huawei Kenya today launched an independent evaluation report of digital skills training provided by DigiTruck program.

Launched in 2019 in Kenya under Huawei's TECH4ALL initiative, the DigiTruck is a mobile, solar-powered classroom equipped with Internet connectivity, laptops, and smartphones. Converted from a used shipping container mounted on the back of a truck, the DigiTruck travels to remote communities in Kenya, providing free training in digital skills to youth, empowering them to participate more fully in the digital economy.

The report was launched at the Connected Africa Summit by Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, Eliud Owalo, and Huawei Kenya Deputy CEO Steven Zhang.

Opening the Summit, H.E. President Ruto highlighted the findings of the report and praised the program.

"This is the impact of a simple intervention in terms of empowering the youth, and it affirms the promise of our collaborative approach and the power of partnerships in achieving ambitious goals," said H.E. William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya.

One of the key benefits of the DigiTruck program is its mobility, enabling training to be provided in hard-to-reach communities.

"To facilitate optimal uptake of digital infrastructure, it is imperative that we have commensurate level of digital skilling; that is why this DigiTruck program comes in handy because through this program we are able to reach very remote areas that ordinarily we would not access for purposes of digital skilling" said Eliud Owalo, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communication & The Digital Economy, "So we want to thank Huawei for this innovative digital skilling program and we want to assure you that we will continue working with you in the program of digital skilling as we roll out our digital transformation agenda."

Each course lasts 40 hours, and provides training in digital skills and soft skills like starting an online business, writing resumes, and applying for jobs online. A survey 800 of the 4,000+ youth trained over four years revealed significant positive tangible outcomes for beneficiaries. Some of the key findings are:

93% of respondents reported enhanced work capabilities.

79% stated that they passed on their digital skills to others in their communities, fostering a culture of empowerment.

Respondents reported a 6% decline in the unemployment rate and a 7% decline in self-employment.

35% of respondents attribute an income boost due to starting a business with their new digital skills.

"From its inception, the aim of the DigiTruck was to reach remote areas; to reach youth who normally don't have many opportunities; and to reach all across the country," said Steven Zhang, Deputy CEO of Huawei Kenya. "The aim of this DigiTruck is not only to provide digital skills, but also to spread the message about the importance of digital skills and to rally others to our cause."

As Kenya embraces the digital age, the need for digital skills has evolved from a luxury to a necessity.

The DigiTruck initiative, a collaborative effort between The Ministry of Information, Communication & the Digital Economy, Huawei and other partners, has been at the forefront of empowering Kenyan youth with these essential skills.

The executive summary of the report is available for download here.

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Riyadh, Saudi Arabia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - Saudia, the national flag carrier of Saudi Arabia, has launched its innovative digital platform, the Travel Companion (TC), powered by advanced artificial intelligence. This move is part of a two-year plan to revolutionize the travel industry by embracing digital innovations. In collaboration with global professional services firm Accenture, Saudia's Travel Companion is set to change how travelers interact with the airline and redefine the standards of digital travel.





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9108/206652_saudia1en.jpg

The Travel Companion offers personalized and tailored solutions to meet individual preferences and needs, providing search results from trusted and authenticated sources and utilizes image-supported responses. The platform is intended to be a comprehensive, one-stop solution that allows users to book concierge services such as hotels, transportation, restaurants, activities, and attractions, eliminating the need to switch between multiple platforms. Additionally, it establishes seamless connections with transportation platforms and various train companies, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted journey.

In the next stages, Saudia will introduce additional features, such as voice command and digital payment solutions. Through an always-on Travel Companion accessible via a telecom e-SIM card enabled by Saudia, users can enjoy global access without relying on other internet providers. Furthermore, users can purchase data packages for additional applications, ensuring continuous access to the platform's services.

The ultimate goal of the Travel Companion is to become the top app for travelers, providing unparalleled travel information. With aspirations to become the go-to platform for various services beyond flight bookings, the Travel Companion will aim to distinguish itself in the airline industry.

His Excellency Engr. Ibrahim Al-Omar, Director General of Saudia Group said, "We are thrilled to introduce the Travel Companion, a game-changer in the airline industry that will revolutionize the digital travel experience. This platform, resulting from our ongoing collaboration with Accenture, signifies our forward-looking approach to providing guests with unparalleled convenience and flexibility."

# # #

About Saudia:

Saudia (Saudia Airlines) is the national flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Established in 1945, the company has grown to become one of the Middle East's largest airlines.

Saudia has invested significantly in upgrading its aircraft and currently operates one of the youngest fleet. The airline serves an extensive global route network covering around 100 destinations across four continents, including all 28 domestic airports in Saudi Arabia.

A member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO), Saudia has also been a member airline in SkyTeam, the second largest alliance, since 2012.

Saudia was recently awarded the "World Class Airline 2024" for the third consecutive year at The APEX Official Airline Ratings awards. Saudia has also advanced 11 places in the Skytrax airlines ranking of the World Best Airlines 2023. The Airline also ranked top among global airlines for best on-time performance (OTP) according to a report by Cirium.

For more information on Saudia, please visit www.saudia.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/206652

SOURCE: SAUDIA
Der Goldpreis haussiert und schwingt sich von Hoch zu Hoch. Getrieben von geopolitischen Unsicherheiten sowie der Aussicht auf eine lockere Geldpolitik der FED gehen Experten aktuell von weiter steigenden Notierungen bis sogar in den Bereich von 3.000 US-Dollar je Unze Gold aus.



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The growth of the global metal ceiling market is driven by increasing awareness of environmental issues, regulatory compliance requirements, and the aesthetic appeal and customization options offered by metal ceilings.

PORTLAND, Ore., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Metal Ceilings Market by Material (Steel, Aluminum, Others), Application (Interior, Exterior), and End User (Commercial, Education, Transport, Retail, Healthcare, Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032". According to the report, the "metal ceilings market" was valued at $2.4 billion in 2020, and is estimated to reach $4.3 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 4.8% from 2023 to 2032.

Prime determinants of growth

The growth of the global metal ceiling market is driven by increasing awareness of environmental issues, regulatory compliance requirements, and the aesthetic appeal and customization options offered by metal ceilings. However, fluctuating cost of metal used for manufacturing metal ceilings restricts the market growth. Moreover, a rise in popularity of sustainable development across developed and developing economies presents new opportunities in the coming years.

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Report coverage & details:

Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2023-2032 Base Year 2022 Historical Period 2020-2032 Market Size in 2020 $2.4 billion Market Size in 2032 $4.3 billion CAGR 4.8 % No. of Pages in Report 191 Segments covered Material, Application, End User, and Region. Drivers Rising Urbanization Increasing investments in public infrastructures Opportunities Growing popularity of sustainable development Restraints Fluctuating cost of raw materials

The aluminum segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on material, the aluminum segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than half of the global metal ceiling market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.2% from 2023 to 2032. Aluminum is a light and robust material with high resistance to corrosion. These qualities of aluminum makes it highly desirable for manufacturing metal ceiling.

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The interior segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period

Based on application, the interior segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for nearly three-fifths of the global metal ceiling market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.2% from 2023 to 2032, owing to the rise in consumer awareness, growth in women's employment in developing nations, presence of large youth population, and increase in affordability.

The commercial segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period

Based on end user, the commercial segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing to nearly half of the global metal ceiling market revenue, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. An increase in urbanization and rise in the working-class population drives the growth in the number of commercial buildings. However, the retail stores segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 6.5% from 2023 to 2032, owing to better aesthetics and energy saving capabilities of metal ceiling.

Asia-Pacific to maintain its dominance by 2032

Based on region, the Asia-Pacific held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global metal ceiling market revenue, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 5.3% from 2023 to 2032, owing to the rapid rise in urban population and increasing investments in infrastructure development.

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Leading Market Players: -

Armstrong World Industries

Hunter Douglas

SAS International

ROCKWOOL Group (Rockfon)

Knauf (USG Corporation)

Saint-Gobain (CertainTeed)

OWA Ceiling Systems

Gage Corporation International

Decoustics

Tincpro Metal Industries

The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global metal ceiling market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario.

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Roofing Underlay Market - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032

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Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Wilmington, Delaware. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.

We are in professional corporate relations with various companies, and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry.

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SHENZHEN, China, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei will launch a new self-developed painting app for tablets called GoPaint. Huawei's official account also kicked off the warm-up of the GoPaint app and noted "Creation begins here! The powerful-ever Huawei-developed app GoPaint is coming, see you on 7 May! " According to sources, the app comes equipped a wealth of brushes, and brings the easy-to-use features for painting.

As the industry's first smart device vendor to launch a self-developed painting app, Huawei has gained insights into consumers' creation needs. Adhering to the core concept of "Creation of Beauty", Huawei hopes to promote user experience through technological innovation and enable everyone to enjoy the fun of creation. Since Huawei launched the GoPaint Worldwide Creating Activity in 2023, it has gained wide participation from creators around the world. To provide more users with a pleasant artistic creation experience, Huawei has developed and launched the professional and easy-to-use GoPaint app, which further strengthens the appeal of Huawei tablets in the creative field and enhances the drawing and creation experience of Huawei tablets.

Thanks to its ten years of experience in the tablet market, Huawei has accumulated strong hardware technical strength and industry-leading self-developed tablet technologies. It has launched a number of products favoured by users, including HUAWEI MatePad Pro 13.2", which features an industry's first large flexible OLED display and works in tandem with the HUAWEI M-Pencil (3rd generation) powered by NearLink to provide 10,000+ pressure sensing levels. With the integration of this app and innovative hardware-software architecture, Huawei aims to establish a creation realm with powerful software and hardware capabilities and fantastic events, paving the way as a trailblazer in the world of creation.

Huawei will release the GoPaint app at the HUAWEI Innovative Product Launch on May 7. This app will bring a series of powerful painting tools. It is worth mentioning that Huawei has also worked with a top art team to develop this app, bringing a wealth of brushes, and a variety of smart and convenient painting tools. The app is very friendly to beginners, thanks to a full set of tutorials, so that users can gradually master advanced painting skills in practice. What other surprises will GoPaint bring? On May 7, let's wait and see.

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With Oryx Frontend Framework now being open source, Spryker is enabling valuable open innovation driven by the business needs of developers, partners, and customers



Global enterprises can look forward to increased cost savings, scalability and business growth

Updates to Spyker's Enterprise Marketplace capabilities optimize the merchant experience

A new Managed Security Operations Center reinforces defense against cyberthreats

BERLIN and NEW YORK, April 29, 2024, the leading global composable commerce platform for sophisticated use cases in B2B Commerce, Enterprise Marketplaces, and IoT Commerce, has today announced its spring product release. This update includes open-sourcing Oryx Frontend Framework, opening the Spryker platform, improved Enterprise Marketplace capabilities, enhanced security with a new Managed Security Operations Center (MSOC) offering, and significant additions to the Spryker App Composition Platform. These updates will accelerate platform innovation and enable global enterprise customers to create and capture value faster, streamline their operations, improve customer experience, and drive important efficiencies for their businesses.

As part of Spryker's commitment to innovation and accelerating value realization for its customers, Oryx Frontend Framework will soon be open source. Open sourcing is a proven pathway to drive technological advancement, foster creativity, deliver continuous improvement, and ensure innovations are relevant for the real world challenges businesses face.

Global contributions to the Spryker Platform are also now welcome. By inviting contributions built by customers, partners, developers, and the broader digital commerce ecosystem, Spryker is accelerating innovation to its platform for its customers to benefit from. For global enterprises, this could mean capturing more market share by adopting new storefront capabilities ahead of competitors, faster international expansion by implementing a payment system in a new region with just a few clicks, or driving greater workflow efficiencies through feature fine-tuning.

"By opening the Spryker Platform to contributions, we are expanding the opportunity for even greater collaboration and innovation. Our global ecosystem of technology and solution partners, customers, and developers now have the proper method and incentive to truly go beyond with Spryker's leading composable technology," said Boris Lokschin, Co-founder and CEO at Spryker. "We look forward to facilitating user and expert generated improvements that will help global enterprises optimize their business, streamline efficiency, and unlock new potential and new markets."

Spryker is introducing three contribution channels. The first two, Platform Contributions and Innovation Lab Contributions, will count towards a new program recognizing and rewarding contributors for their innovative efforts, which can range from experiments and prototypes to platform improvements and documentation. Contributors will receive rapid acknowledgment and recognition for their submissions. Developers can learn more about the program and how to contribute to the Spryker platform here .

The third channel, Commercial Contributions, provides an opportunity for Spryker partners to develop and offer additional commercial capabilities to customers. These contributions will accelerate time to value, broaden Spryker's default capabilities, and unlock new revenue streams. Recent examples of these contributions include Accelerators , which extend Spryker's platform with features and integrations that cover unique geographies and industry or business model-specific requirements. Spryker customers can leverage Accelerators to jumpstart a Spryker implementation, easily building and maintaining a feature-rich and flexible commerce solution.

"As a leading provider of digital solutions, Telekom MMS is thrilled to join Spryker's Accelerator program. Being among the pioneering partners, we are proud to introduce innovative accelerators tailored for NFT and AI applications," said Felix Voigt, Head of E-Commerce at Telekom MMS. "These accelerators empower businesses to go from concept to reality in a matter of weeks. Collaborating closely with Spryker, we streamline and accelerate technology adoption so our mutual clients can concentrate on driving sales and fostering exponential growth."

New co-innovated updates to Spyker's Enterprise Marketplace capability enable excellence in merchant care and include:

Agent Assist in Merchant Portal With Agent Assist in Merchant Portal, businesses can provide merchants with a tailored support experience. This capability allows marketplace operators to seamlessly step into the shoes of merchants and provide comprehensive assistance within the Merchant Portal (https://docs.spryker.com/docs/scos/user/intro-to-spryker/spryker-marketplace/merchant-portal.html).

Enhanced Merchant Relationship Management Enhanced Merchant B2B Contracts & Contract Requests enables merchants and buyers to connect and model their online relationship based on existing contracts and entitlements, making it easier to do business online with confidence. With this capability, merchants and marketplace operators can establish buyer-specific products, prices, and order thresholds.



"For B2B marketplaces, partnerships are often based on relationships between buyers and merchants. Our new Spryker Enterprise Marketplace features make it easier to facilitate and support those critical relationships," said Elena Leonova, SVP Product at Spryker. "By automating merchant relation requests and simplifying the process for buyers to connect with merchants, enterprises can increase operational efficiency while simultaneously creating a more streamlined user journey. Enterprises can also rest assured that updates to the Merchant Portal provide merchants with comprehensive support, guidance, and issue resolution to ensure excellence in merchant care."

The Spryker App Composition Platform has expanded with updates to both the Stripe and Vertex apps.

The Stripe integration enables faster go-to-market in new regions with more than 100 out of the box payment methods, which frees up developer resources for other business priorities and simplifies internal financial processes.

enables faster go-to-market in new regions with more than 100 out of the box payment methods, which frees up developer resources for other business priorities and simplifies internal financial processes. The Vertex integration update allows customers to continue transactions in the event of a technical issue, enabling smoother usage and improved customer experience.

Offering cost-effective and comprehensive platform protection, the Managed Security Operations Center (MSOC) enables continuous monitoring, detection, and response to cybersecurity threats within the Spryker environment and application. This specialized service combines Artificial Intelligence (AI), advanced security technologies, and skilled security experts to deliver extensive help with cloud security and peace of mind.

Further updates to the Spryker product have been made available around search, developer experience, translation packages, API improvements, and more. Learn more about them here .

About Spryker

Spryker is the leading global composable commerce platform for enterprises with sophisticated business models to enable growth, innovation, and differentiation. Designed specifically for sophisticated transactional businesses, Spryker's easy-to-use, headless, API-first model offers a best-of-breed approach that provides businesses the flexibility to adapt, scale, and quickly go to market while facilitating faster time-to-value throughout their digital transformation journey. As a global platform leader for B2B and B2C Enterprise Marketplaces, IoT Commerce, and Unified Commerce, Spryker has empowered 150+ global enterprise customers worldwide and is trusted by brands such as ALDI, Siemens, ZF Friedrichshafen, and Ricoh. Spryker is a privately held technology company headquartered in Berlin and New York backed by world class investors such as TCV, One Peak, Project A, Cherry Ventures, and Maverick Capital. Learn more at spryker.com and follow Spryker on LinkedIn and X .

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3482c819-c621-46fd-bd35-febbed8a14d0
JETLINER CABINS: Evolution Innovationby Jennifer Coutts Clay, the foremost authority on aircraft interiors and the only resource of its kind, has been extensively updated and newly released by Amazon at the Kindle Store. The interactive E-BOOK, priced at $19.99, features case studies, video clips, and 20 picture galleries with more than 7,000 images and 16 updated chapters. Additionally, there are core insights from more than 50 international specialists and in-depth guest essays.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429655240/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

The E-BOOK covers everything flyers ever wanted to know about creating the cabin experience. 'We are proud to provide this enhanced Edition of the ultimate resource for aviation professionals, aircraft enthusiasts, interior designers, architects, and people who simply love to travel by air,' noted Jennifer Coutts Clay who herself has spent years as a professional in the aviation industry.

The new Kindle E-BOOK is the Fourth Edition of JETLINER CABINS: Evolution Innovation with material that builds on the prestige of the original Hardback Edition first published by Academy Press of John Wiley Sons Inc. in 2004. A subsequent Paperback Edition (2006) and an E-BOOK app for Apple iPad (2014) followed and led to further updates and enhancements, combined with new Amazon Kindle technology, for this latest user-friendly Edition. Readers have expanded access to the content, now available on a wider range of platforms including Kindle and E-reader devices.

JETLINER CABINS: Evolution Innovation chronicles interiors from the 1970s to the present and onward to the future. The legendary Boeing 747 and the supersonic Concorde are among the jetliners covered in detail. Topics include jetliner cabin design and function; environmental 'green' advances, maintenance and safety regulations; accessibility; post-pandemic cabin-health upgrades; and passenger comfort standards in the First, Business, and Economy-class cabins and Concorde. How do they decide the shape and style of the seat, the legroom, the cushioning, the drop-down table, and look and feel of the interior while keeping in mind passenger health and safety and the demands of the flying environment? There are many challenges faced in the layout of such a tight space, and the solutions and design ideas surprise at every turn.

Jennifer Coutts Clay will discuss these topics as Moderator of the Cabin Refurbishment session in the Cabin Space Live programme at the annual Aircraft Interiors EXPO (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany on 28 May 2024.

For more information, visit http://www.jetlinercabins.com

About Jennifer Coutts Clay

Jennifer Coutts Clay, Principal, J. Clay Consulting, is a consultant providing technical advice and marketing support to the aviation industry, with a focus on interior and corporate-identity programmes. She is also the author of the E-BOOK, JETLINER CABINS: Evolution Innovation, available as an E-BOOK on Amazon Kindle, Google Play, and Apple App.

Jennifer is a pioneer for women in the airline industry. She has held senior positions, spread across three continents. At British Airways, Jennifer was the first woman appointed to an operations and sales position as Head of a geographical region. Subsequently, she held the position of Controller Corporate Identity during British Airways' 75-million-dollar privatisation from government to investor ownership. She directed all aspects of the airline's visual identity, including the implementation of design programmes for exteriors and interiors of the Concorde and subsonic fleets.

Jennifer went on to manage the redesign of major aspects of the Pan American World Airways fleet as General Manager Product Design and Development. She worked as Consultant to Eastern Airlines, United Express, Atlantic Coast Airlines, and South African Airways. She was a certified Consultant (PA-23925) to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

As a noted expert in aircraft interior design, Jennifer is a Contributing Editor to Aircraft Interiors International magazine and has written for Runway Girl Network. She is a member of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, The Wings Club, and a founding member of the Pan Am Museum Foundation and the Crystal Cabin Awards. Jennifer serves on the Concorde Advisory Committee at the Intrepid Sea, Air Space Museum in New York City.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429655240/en/

Contacts:

Anita Cotter

212 689 1833

acotter@anitacotter.com
The company's nebulizer platform has been developed to provide a number of advantages over existing technologies

Nebu-Flow has secured an additional $5.9 million of investment to accelerate the next generation of inhaled drugs for patients with respiratory disorders, which are the main cause of death and disability worldwide. The company's nebulizer platform has been developed to provide a number of advantages over existing technologies. Overall, the worldwide inhalable drug market was valued at approximately $33 billion in 2023, with the nebulizer market valued at over $1 billion.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429118023/en/

Dr Elijah Nazarzadeh (CEO) and Dr John Pritchard (Chair) of Nebu-Flow (Photo: Business Wire)

The funding round was led by SCVC, a leading UK-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage deep tech spinouts, and was supported by Scottish Enterprise, Foresight WAE Technology, SIS Ventures, Ascension, and Conduit EIS Impact Fund.

Dr Elijah Nazarzadeh, CEO and co-founder of Nebu-Flow, said: "Our mission is to revolutionize respiratory drug delivery. The investment accelerates our development activities to position the company for inhalation delivery of RNA-based formulations. We now look forward to the final product development and commercialization stages, with the support of SCVC and our other investors."

Dr Elijah Nazarzadeh added: "Essentially, our technology provides new opportunities for targeted drug delivery to the lungs as well as drug delivery to the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. We are engaged with a number of partners in the UK and North America who are currently trialling the product as we prepare for the regulatory approval stage."

Dr Harry Destecroix, Managing Partner, SCVC, said: "We are deeply impressed by the team's achievement of its technical and commercial milestones to date, demonstrating their capability and readiness for the next phase in healthcare innovation. This investment underscores our confidence in Nebu-Flow's groundbreaking nebulisation technology, which is poised to transform respiratory drug delivery, improve health and deliver impact."

Notes:

Nebu-Flow was recently awarded a 1m project from Innovate UK, the United Kingdom's national innovation agency.

- Last year, the former spinout from the University of Glasgow won the Business Start-up Award from the Institute of Physics for "exceptional efforts in the application of surface acoustic waves to a new generation of nebulizers with the potential to transform respiratory drug delivery".

- Nebu-Flow is featuring at this year's Respiratory Drug Delivery Conference, RDD 2024, in Tucson, Arizona between 5th-9th May.

- For more information: https://www.nebuflow.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429118023/en/

Contacts:

nick@freerconsultancy.com
Cummins

COLUMBUS, IN / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) announced the appointment of four leaders to the role of vice president, effective March 1 - Ricardo Roman, Michelle Probst, Gbile Adewunmi and Matt McQueen - in addition to Ashwath Ram, who was appointed Vice President in January.

"These leaders each demonstrate, in their own unique ways, a commitment to making a positive impact on our company, our customers and our people," said Jennifer Rumsey, Chair and CEO, Cummins Inc. "These leaders are experts in their fields and are fiercely committed to the Cummins culture and ensuring our employees are able to reach their full potential. I am confident that, as we evolve through the energy transition and continue to drive our Destination Zero strategy forward, these leaders will help us position Cummins for even greater success in the future."

Read more about each of the leaders below.

Ricardo Roman - Vice President, Components Finance

Roman stepped into the role of Controller for the Components Business Unit in 2022 during a critical period of evolution for the business. He not only helped with the successful acquisition and integration of Jacobs Vehicle Systems and Meritor, the largest acquisition in Cummins' history, but Roman also played a key role in evolving the Components product portfolio for the future. He is laser focused on driving profitable growth and has partnered closely with the leaders of the Components businesses to drive record financial performance.

During his more than 23 years at Cummins, Roman has built a reputation as a true business partner with a commitment to teamwork, accountability, analytical thinking and financial excellence. He has also built an extensive knowledge of Cummins' businesses and processes through his finance leadership in the Engine Business, Aftermarket, Global Supply Chain and Components Business, among other roles.

Prior to Cummins, Roman spent five years working in the Peruvian banking system. He has a bachelor's degree in economics with a concentration in finance from the Catholic University of Peru, a master's degree in business administration with a concentration in finance and operations from Purdue University, and is a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSP) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

Michelle Probst - Vice President, Leadership and Talent Development

Probst recently expanded her role from Leadership Development to now leading Cummins Talent Development programs and processes globally. In this role, Probst is responsible for building and leading a network of subject matter experts responsible for building capabilities and enabling a performance and development culture at all levels of the organization. She will do this through establishing talent strategies, infrastructure and processes, as well as advising the business and sharing insights.

Probst has played a pivotal role in advancing the leadership culture at Cummins, acting as leader and HR sponsor for many leadership programs. Under her leadership, the Building Success in You program, one of Cummins' newest focused on the Cummins leadership behaviors, reached a milestone in 2023, graduating more than 4,000 employee graduates globally since its inception. She is also committed to progressing Cummins' DE&I strategy through integrating key themes into our Leadership Development framework, and she is currently assessing and evolving the Cummins' performance management processes and systems.

Throughout her nearly 14 years of HR leadership at Cummins, Probst has provided human resources leadership and thought partnership for more than 10 Cummins functions and the Power Systems Business. Her extensive experience has given her not only the opportunity to gain broad visibility and understanding of the company, but also relationships and trust necessary to evolve our talent development processes to the next phase. Prior to coming to Cummins, Probst held several HR roles in the finance and banking sector and was formerly a tax accountant before making the shift into HR.

Gbile Adewunmi - Vice President, Power Systems Industrial Markets

Adewunmi took over leadership of the PSBU Industrial Markets in January 2023 as part of the reorganization of the Power Systems Business to enable a laser-like focus on ownership, profitability and growth. In this role, he is responsible for driving, implementing and executing a global strategy for Cummins' Defense, Marine, Mining, Oil & Gas, and Rail lines of business. He is also responsible for PSBU Aftermarket business.

Both in his current role, and in his former role leading PSBU Strategy, Adewunmi has been a driving force in helping PSBU balance improvement in the core business with positioning the organization to support our customers' decarbonization journeys. He excels at building strong relationships, driving alignment in complex internal and external business situations, and blending strategic thinking with execution. Adewunmi also has a passion for building diverse, inclusive and high-performing teams and empowering others to fulfil their potential.

Adewunmi joined Cummins in 2012 as a Manager in the Corporate Strategy group. From 2013 to 2016, he worked in the New and ReCon Parts organization where he led the Global On-Highway Accounts and Global Product Management teams. In 2017, Adewunmi moved to South Africa as the EBU and Parts Marketing Director for the Africa Middle East ABO, then in 2019 moved to Ghana to lead the Cummins North and West Africa Regional Distribution Organization.

Matt McQueen - Vice President, EBU Supply Chain

McQueen assumed leadership of our Engine Business Supply Chain in 2022 during one of the most important periods in our history as many of our businesses continued to navigate the supply constraints and other challenges caused by the pandemic.?

McQueen's extensive Cummins experience and supply chain expertise, paired with his team-based approach to problem-solving, resulted in continued delivery to our customers, a focus on improvements to employee health and safety, and inventory reductions that were significantly ahead of plan in 2023. McQueen has also played a key role in repositioning our EBU plants for the future as we continue to build out and strengthen our manufacturing and supply chain network to support the industry's first fuel agnostic engine platforms, as well as continue to deliver more than 1.3 million advanced engines every year.

Throughout McQueen's nearly 28 years at Cummins, he's held many leadership positions in manufacturing, quality and supply chain and is seen as one of our company's most trusted supply chain advisors. He first joined the EBU Leadership Team in 2017 and has worn many important hats for the EBU business, including leading the Pickup Business and Quality organizations as well as twice leading supply chain. Prior to that, McQueen worked in or led supply chain for our Power Systems, Components and Emissions Solutions businesses. He was also the plant manager at three of our plants, including the Jamestown Engine Plant, Columbus Fuel Systems Plant and Juarez Fuel Systems Plant.

Ashwath Ram, Vice President - Supply Chain and India ABO Leader

Ram has more than 20 years' experience at Cummins and has worked directly with all five of the company's business units. He brings strong leadership skills and an entrepreneurial mindset to his expanded role leading the global Supply Chain function. In this role, Ram will draw upon his achievements navigating complex business environments and implementing organizational change. His responsibilities include setting the strategic direction and driving operations for our integrated supply chain functions globally, including Procurement; Manufacturing; Planning; New and ReCon Parts; and Health, Safety and Environment.

Over the last four years, Ram has served as Managing Director of Tata Cummins and Cummins India ABO Leader (two responsibilities he will retain in his current scope) with accountability for managing and growing the India business. Under his leadership, the India ABO has been on a solid growth trajectory with record sales and the highest compound annual growth rate and year-over-year growth in the ABO's history. Ram oversees the performance of the company's five business units, including Engine, Power Generation, Distribution, Components and Accelera by Cummins. He also built and mentored a high-performance leadership team and developed a strong, performance driven culture within the ABO.

Ram's career has taken him from India to the United States and later back to Pune, India, where he resides today. A serial entrepreneur, Ram started and ran several businesses in manufacturing, IT, consulting and design services before returning to Cummins in 2007 to serve in various leadership positions in Power Generation, the Tata Cummins Joint Venture and the Industrial Engine business.

About Cummins Inc.

Cummins Inc., a global power solutions leader, is comprised of five business segments - Components, Engine, Distribution, Power Systems and Accelera by Cummins - supported by our global manufacturing and extensive service and support network, skilled workforce and vast technological expertise. Cummins is committed to its Destination Zero strategy, which is grounded in the company's commitment to sustainability and helping its customers successfully navigate the energy transition with its broad portfolio of products. The products range from advanced diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains and powertrain-related components including filtration, aftertreatment, turbochargers, fuel systems, valvetrain technologies, controls systems, air handling systems, automated transmissions, axles, drivelines, brakes, suspension systems, electric power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen production technologies and fuel cell products. Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana (U.S.), since its founding in 1919, Cummins employs approximately 75,500 people committed to powering a more prosperous world through three global corporate responsibility priorities critical to healthy communities: education, environment and equality of opportunity. Cummins serves its customers online, through a network of company-owned and independent distributor locations, and through thousands of dealer locations worldwide and earned about $735 million on sales of $34.1 billion in 2023. See how Cummins is powering a world that's always on by accessing news releases and more information at https://www.cummins.com/.

Media Contact

Jon Mills

Director - External Communications

(317) 658-4540 jon.mills@cummins.com





View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cummins Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Cummins Inc.

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cummins-inc

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Cummins Inc.

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Flensburg, Germany--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - Chainsulting, a leading innovator in the Web3 space, is excited to announce a major change in its journey: the rebranding to softstack. This rebranding is not just a name change; it represents a pivotal transformation in the company's identity, reflecting the maturation and expansion of its services. Softstack continues to offer its core services - Web3 software development, cybersecurity and consulting - under a new, unified brand that captures the company's growth and refined focus: softstack.

Yannik Heinze and Florian Protschka, Founder of softstack

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The Vision of softstack



The shift from Chainsulting to softstack is driven by a desire to better reflect the wide and deep knowledge of the company's offerings and its commitment to being a frontrunner in the Web3 industry. This change is rooted in an extensive understanding of the industry's dynamics, tailored to meet the evolving needs of clients and to enhance trust and security in Web3 projects. The team at softstack specializes in creating scalable, secure products designed for long-term success, which sets them apart in the realm of emerging technologies. Their approach goes beyond traditional practices, focusing on transparency and ethical decision-making, all aimed at the successful realization of client projects.



New Website and Branding



Aligned with the rebranding, the previous Chainsulting website now redirects visitors to the new softstack website. This change invites clients, partners, and industry peers to explore the range of services offered and the company's renewed commitment to shaping the future of Web3.



About softstack

Founded in 2017 by Yannik Heinze and Florian Protschka, when blockchain was still in its infancy, softstack (formerly Chainsulting) quickly rose to prominence as a specialist in software development, cybersecurity, and consulting. With a strong foundation in blockchain technology and a clear vision for the future, the company has expanded its team to 15 highly skilled professionals.

In 2018, it officially opened its first office within a startup accelerator, Wireg, located in Flensburg, Germany. Nowadays, the company is still headquartered in Flensburg, with its office space at the town's harbor.

Softstack remains dedicated to innovation and excellence, making it a trusted partner across various industries. As the company continues to assist its clients in navigating the future of Web3, its commitment to growth and excellence remains unwavering.

For further information, please contact:

Yannik Heinze

CEO at softstack

y.heinze@softstack.io

softstack GmbH

Schiffbruckstrae 8, 24937 Flensburg

Germany

www.softstack.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207229

SOURCE: softstack
WESTFORD, Mass., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyQuest projects that Global Cyber Security Market size is poised to grow from USD 190.40 Billion in 2023 to USD 357.10 Billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 9.4% during the forecast period (2024-2031). In order to safeguard sensitive data and networks, the use of cloud computing, IoT devices, and remote work arrangements has increased need for sophisticated cybersecurity solutions. Strong cybersecurity measures are also required because the attack surface has grown due to the quick digitization of many industries.

Download a detailed overview:

https://www.skyquestt.com/report/cyber-security-market

Browse in-depth TOC on the "Cyber Security Market"

Pages - 157

Tables - 78

Figures - 79

Cyber Security Overview:

Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2023 $190.40 billion Estimated Value by 2031 $357.10 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 9.4% Forecast Period 2024-2031 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered Offering, Solution Type, Deployment Mode, Organisation Size, Security Type and Verticals Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the world Report Highlights Increasing shift of cyber security towards online services Key Market Opportunities Adoption of cloud based cyber security solution among SMEs Key Market Drivers Increasing demand for cybersecurity mesh.

Driving Force Behind the Cloud Security Ascendency is Surge in Computerized Reasoning and AI Arrangements

Among cybersecurity deployment modes, cloud security is clearly the most popular choice. Cloud services are superior in terms of security protocols, offering economies of scale together with access to cutting-edge tools and specialised knowledge. The fastest-growing market is cloud security, which is being driven by the growing demands of the cloud industry. The swift expansion of cloud services demands strong security protocols to protect user information and apps.

Behind Supporting Growth of on Premise is Surge of Compliance Requirement in Cyber Security Infrastructure

Control and visibility over cybersecurity infrastructure are becoming more and more important for organisations due to the growth of sophisticated cyber-attacks and strict data protection rules. Businesses may better customise and control security measures to meet their unique demands and compliance requirements with on-premises solutions. Furthermore, the preference for on-premises installations is driven by worries about data sovereignty and privacy, particularly in industries that handle sensitive data.

North American Region is Dominating Due to Cyber Security Solutions Deployed

The North American region is anticipated to hold the largest share of the market in 2023-more than 35%. This is explained by the fact that there are more cyber dangers and cyber security solutions in this region. Over the course of the projection period, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the fastest rate. This is explained by the region's expanding security threats as well as the prevalence of several market incumbents.

Request Free Customization of this report:

https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/cyber-security-market

Drivers:

Rising Demand for Virtual Assistants Driving Market Growth Autonomous AI Adoption

Restraints:

Data Privacy Concerns Bias Generated and Inaccurate AI Output

Prominent Players in Global Cyber Security Market

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Israel)

McAfee LLC (US)

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (US)

Microsoft (US)

Symantec Corporation (US)

IBM Corporation (US)

Fortinet, Inc. (US)

Trend Micro Incorporated (Japan)

FireEye, Inc. (US)

Proofpoint, Inc. (US)

View report summary and Table of Contents (TOC):

https://www.skyquestt.com/report/cyber-security-market

Key Questions Answered in Global Cyber Security Market Report

What is the anticipated market size for cyber security globally by 2031, and what is the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) anticipated to be observed between 2024 and 2031?

How is the security of decentralised enterprises supported by the cybersecurity mesh architecture?

What are some of the growth tactics used by the leading cybersecurity industry players to stay competitive?

This report provides the following insights:

Analysis of key drivers (increasing demand for cybersecurity mesh, new paradigm security architectures, extend security, protection from each access point), restraints (Implementing and sustaining strong cybersecurity solutions, expenses associated with security software, skilled personnel, and continuous updates, effectively safeguard of digital assets and sensitive information), opportunities (efficiently integrated into a wide array of devices, secure communication protocols, advanced identity and access management systems), and challenges (bridging skill gap, many security breaches may go undetected or unresolved) influencing the growth of cyber security market

Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios offered by the top players in the cyber security market

Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on the product portfolios offered by the top players in the cyber security market

Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on the upcoming trends, R&D activities, and product launches in the cyber security market

Market Development: Comprehensive information on lucrative emerging regions

Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, growing geographies, and recent developments in the market

Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market segments, growth strategies, revenue analysis, and products of the leading market players.

Related Reports:

Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cybersecurity Market

Global Automotive Cyber Security Market

Global Cyber Security in Oil and Gas Market

Global Cybersecurity Mesh Market

Global Cyber Insurance Market

About Us:

SkyQuest is an IP focused Research and Investment Bank and Accelerator of Technology and assets. We provide access to technologies, markets and finance across sectors viz. Life Sciences, CleanTech, AgriTech, NanoTech and Information & Communication Technology.

We work closely with innovators, inventors, innovation seekers, entrepreneurs, companies and investors alike in leveraging external sources of R&D. Moreover, we help them in optimizing the economic potential of their intellectual assets. Our experiences with innovation management and commercialization has expanded our reach across North America, Europe, ASEAN and Asia Pacific.

Contact:

Mr. Jagraj Singh

Skyquest Technology

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 351-333-4748

Email: sales@skyquestt.com

Visit Our Website: https://www.skyquestt.com/

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cyber-security-market-to-surpass-usd-357-10-billion-by-2031--skyquest-technology-302129806.html
VANCOUVER, BC, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Defense Metals Corp. ("Defense Metals" or the "Company"; (TSXV: DEFN) (OTCQB: DFMTF) (FSE:35D) is pleased to announce that Ucore Rare Metals Inc. ("Ucore")(TSXV: UCU) received and tested a Wicheeda mixed rare earth carbonate ("MREC") sample at its Kingston, Ontario, RapidSX Commercialization and Demonstration Facility ("CDF"). Ucore confirmed that this testing of the MREC material provides determination of its suitability as an MREC product for commercial-scale processing with Ucore's RapidSX technology at Ucore's currently under development Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex ("SMC") project in Alexandria, Louisiana, and subsequent planned SMCs, including a Canadian facility (see Ucore's news release dated April 29, 2024).

SGS Canada Inc. in Lakefield, Ontario, shipped the sample to Ucore's CDF on behalf of Defense Metals. This sample was generated during Defense Metals' 2023 hydrometallurgical piloting test work performed on concentrate produced by earlier flotation pilot plant testing of a 26-tonne bulk sample from Defense Metal's wholly-owned Wicheeda Property in British Columbia.

Mike Schrider, P.E., Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Ucore, stated:

"Our testing of the MREC product was well-received confirmation that the Defense Metals' Wicheeda project is a source of material that can become a fundamental economic and technical component to Ucore's plan of developing multiple SMC's across North America - each with the ability to process a multitude of light and heavy mixed rare earth carbonates and oxides from a vast assortment of original mineralizations. The high-purity, and very specifically - the acceptable spectrum of minor impurities, MREC we received sets the stage for the companies' continued collaboration during our upcoming NRCan program and specific incorporation into our Louisiana SMC engineering flowsheets."

Craig Taylor, CEO of Defense Metals, commented:

"We are pleased that Ucore has concluded that our Wicheeda MREC material is well suited for their RapidSX technology and commercial-scale REE separation and oxide production plans. Our Wicheeda project is vital in mitigating North American reliance on non-Western rare earth sources, and we look forward to continued progress toward collaborative opportunities with processing partners and strategic partners, such as Ucore, across the developing North American rare earth supply chain."

Defense Metals Corp. is focused on the development of its 100% owned, 8,301-hectare (~20,534-acre) Wicheeda REE Project that is located on the traditional territory of the McLeod Lake Indian Band in British Columbia, Canada.

The Wicheeda REE Project, approximately 80 kilometres (~50 miles) northeast of the city of Prince George, is readily accessible by a paved highway and all-weather gravel roads and is close to infrastructure, including hydro power transmission lines and gas pipelines. The nearby Canadian National Railway and major highways allow easy access to the port facilities at Prince Rupert, the closest major North American port to Asia.

Defense Metals is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: www.discoverygroup.ca.

For further information, please visit www.defensemetals.com or contact:

Alex Heath

Vice President, Corporate Development

Tel: 1 604-354-2491

Email: [email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements relating to advancing the Wicheeda REE Project, the expectations and plans for the Wicheeda REE Project, continued progress toward collaborative opportunities with processing partners and strategic partners, the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its project and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of rare earth elements, the anticipated costs and expenditures, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration and metallurgical results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and development and cost estimates, the potential for unexpected costs and expenses and those other risks filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather and climate conditions, failure to maintain or obtain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to maintain or obtain community acceptance (including First Nations), risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of personnel, materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters), risks relating to inaccurate geological, metallurgical, engineering and pricing assumptions, decrease in the price of rare earth elements, the impact of viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, restriction on labour and international travel and supply chains, loss of key employees, consultants, officers or directors, increase in costs, delayed results, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law.

SOURCE Defense Metals Corp.
Isortoq, Austria--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - International logistics company Gebruder Weiss is pleased to announce its support of "The Greenland Project" climate expedition. Greenland has been the focus of climate research for many years because, as one of the largest ice regions in the world, the island is sensitive to climate change. With this in mind, an international team of researchers including two scientists, a medical doctor, and a photographer is setting off on foot on a special mission today to measure the thickness of Greenland's ice sheet at key intervals. Transport modes and equipment for this unique and sustainable expedition are supported by Gebruder Weiss.

"As one of the world's leading logistics service providers, we also see it as our duty to support selected research initiatives such as 'The Greenland Project'. The purpose of the expedition is to gain insights into climate change that will help us make smart decisions for our future," says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebruder Weiss.

Specifically, the research team has set out to cross Greenland roughly following the 70th parallel north, which connects the village of Kangerlussuaq on the west coast with the city of Isortoq on the east coast. The density of the ice sheet will be measured at regular intervals to obtain measurements for comparison with earlier ones taken along this route. The project team will cover a total of 600 kilometers (373 miles) on skis, each with a sled in tow.

"As our research essentially focuses on the climate and glacier melt, we feel it is important for it to be as climate-neutral as possible. Conducting an expedition on foot into this fragile ecosystem enables the measurements to be taken in a much more environmentally friendly way than would be possible by helicopter, and with a greater degree of accuracy than would be possible by satellite," emphasizes Niklas Marc Heinecke, photographer, and co-founder of 'The Greenland Project.' "We can rely on dependable equipment in this inhospitable environment thanks to the support of Gebruder Weiss."

The results of the expedition, which will be analyzed in more detail at the University of Sunshine Coast in Australia, hold global significance. They will be shared with researchers from all over the world, contributing to our collective understanding of climate change. The aim of the month-long expedition is to gain valuable insights into the connections between the temperature fluctuations in Greenland in recent decades and the further effects on the global climate.

Gebruder Weiss will use its social media channels in the coming months to provide ongoing updates about the project, from impressive pictures from Greenland to exciting research findings. These channels also provide information on all the other innovative mobility projects supported by the logistics company. Most recently, Gebruder Weiss transported the equipment for the Mars Analog Mission AMADEE-24 of the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) to Armenia.

Traversing the ice sheet: three members of the international team, supported by Gebruder Weiss, on their month-long expedition across Greenland. (Source: Gebruder Weiss / Niklas Marc Heinecke)

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Time stands still during the Arctic summer; it is light 24 hours a day. (Source: Gebruder Weiss / Niklas Marc Heinecke)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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During the expedition, researchers will travel across Greenland from west to east to measure the thickness of the ice sheet. (Source: Gebruder Weiss / Niklas Marc Heinecke)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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The researchers use sleds as a mobile base for their studies on glacier melt. (Source: Gebruder Weiss / Niklas Marc Heinecke)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebruder Weiss. (Source: Gebruder Weiss / Ohligschlager)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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About Gebruder Weiss

Gebruder Weiss, a global freight forwarder with a core business of overland transport, air, and sea freight and logistics, is the world's oldest transport company with a history that dates back more than 500 years. The family-owned company employs more than 8,600 people worldwide and boasts 180 company-owned locations. The business presence in North America includes headquarters in Chicago and offices in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The company has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic and social initiatives and is considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. The company's emphasis on superior customer service pairs customized solutions with a single point of contact to provide customers with focused, reliable, and economical solutions. www.gw-world.com/us

North American Contact:

Karolyn Raphael

Public Relations for Gebruder Weiss

karolyn@wingermarketing.com

312-494-0422

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207207

SOURCE: Gebruder Weiss
ALFA Networks Develops the AHST7394S Wi-Fi HaLow Module, Utilizing Newracom's NRC7394 Wi-Fi HaLow System-On-A-Chip to Empower IoT Solutions With Enhanced Connectivity

Today, ALFA Networks and Newracom have announced the release of the AHST7394S by ALFA, based upon Newracom's NRC7394 Wi-Fi HaLow chipset. ALFA and Newracom are industry pioneers, spearheading the development and deployment of Wi-Fi HaLow technology. The AHST7394S is the second-generation of Wi-Fi HaLow modules emphasizing enhanced range, reduced power consumption, and lower cost. It features a small footprint of 20 mm x 17 mm and supports Wi-Fi HaLow for the North America, Europe, and Asia regions. This innovative module enables the development of long-range, ultra-low-power Wi-Fi HaLow networks in the sub-1 GHz license-exempt bands. With onboard processing capabilities, a compact form factor, and a data rate of 15 Mbps, it is ideal for many IoT applications including sensors, weather stations, industrial monitoring, medical patient monitoring, agriculture, and surveillance.

AHST7394S by ALFA With Newracom's NRC7394 Wi-Fi HaLow Chipset

"We are honored to work with ALFA Networks for their next-generation Wi-Fi HaLow SoC module," remarked Frank Lin, Marketing & Sales Vice President at Newracom. "ALFA is at the forefront of Wi-Fi HaLow and continues to help drive the adoption of this IoT-centric communication standard."

"We have a lot of confidence in Wi-Fi HaLow technology. It is a game-changer for many IoT applications and services," stated Johnson Wang, Vice President of Product Development at ALFA. "Newracom continues to innovate with its Wi-Fi HaLow chipsets to provide low-power HaLow solutions."

Wi-Fi HaLow pushes the boundaries of IoT networking with fast throughput, long range, low power consumption, and high station density with proven WPA-3 security, flexibility, and ease of use. The AHST7394S is a surface mount Wi-Fi HaLow SoC module, measuring 20x17mm, and includes a U.FL antenna connector of easy and flexible design. For more information about the AHST7394S Wi-Fi HaLow module, visit www.alfa.com.tw/products/ahst7394s.

About Newracom, Inc.

Newracom, Inc., located in Irvine, California, U.S., has rapidly become a leading developer and supplier of IoT-enabled wireless connectivity chipsets. We specialize in providing a broad range of Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11ah and IEEE 802.11b/g/n/ac/ax) that covers various connectivity needs in our lives. With our extensive and diverse Wi-Fi solutions, NEWRACOM enables customers with a "one-stop shop," offering a comprehensive solution that can serve multiple IoT applications, including Smart Grid, Wearables, Smart Home and Office, Healthcare, and Industrial Automation. For more information, please visit online at https://www.newracom.com.

About ALFA Networks

ALFA Network Inc. is a leading provider of Wi-Fi HaLow products, offering a diverse range of products, including indoor APs, outdoor APs, USB dongles, and modules to meet the various needs and applications of different customer scenarios. For more information, please visit https://www.alfa.com.tw.

Contact Information

Frank Lin

Vice President of Marketing & Sales

frank.lin@newracom.com

+1-408-649-1612

Johnson Wang

Vice President of Product Development

johnson@alfa.com.tw

SOURCE: Newracom

View the original press release on newswire.com.
TWYMEEG gross sales in Japan should exceed its FY 2023 1 guidance 2 of JPY 4.2 billion (EUR 25.7 million) 3 driven by a favourable sales trend in Japan. Sumitomo Pharma to report full year results on May 14 th , 2024

Company expects TWYMEEG's FY 2024 4 forecast to increase by more than 150% over the prior year sales, which would represent over JPY 10 billion (EUR 61.2 million 3 ) gross sales

Exclusive advanced discussions with a leading investor to monetize royalties from TWYMEEG (Imeglimin) sales in Japan

As of March 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents were EUR 2.5 million (USD 2.7 million) 3

Cash runway until transaction closing, including tranches already drawn or fully available on the equity-linked financing facility with IRIS

Regulatory News:

POXEL SA (Euronext: POXEL FR0012432516) (Paris:POXEL), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and rare metabolic disorders, today reported its cash position, provided a financial and business update for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, and announced the postponement of its 2023 full-year results release, in view of the expected closing of a transaction.

Thomas Kuhn, Chief Executive Officer of Poxel, stated: The increase in TWYMEEG gross sales recorded by our partner Sumitomo Pharma in its fiscal year 2023, has further confirmed the unique value of our asset, paving the way to a strong increase for FY 2024, which could lead to two sales-based payment and double-digit royalties in this next fiscal year. This strong momentum fully supports our efforts to secure a non-dilutive financing option, based on the monetization of royalties from TWYMEEG sales in Japan. We are particularly confident that this agreement will enable us to open the next chapter in Poxel's history, focused on the development of innovative treatments for rare metabolic diseases."

TWYMEEG (Imeglimin)

Commercial Update

For the quarter ended March 2024, TWYMEEG gross sales in Japan increased significantly over the prior quarter sales. As a result, TWYMEEG gross sales should exceed its FY 2023 guidance of JPY 4.2 billion (EUR 25.7 million) 3 driven by a favourable sales trend in Japan. Sumitomo Pharma will report full year results on May 14 th , 2024.

over the prior quarter sales. As a result, TWYMEEG gross sales should exceed its FY 2023 guidance of JPY 4.2 billion (EUR 25.7 million) driven by a favourable sales trend in Japan. Sumitomo Pharma will report full year results on May 14 , 2024. Poxel expects TWYMEEG's FY 2024 forecast to increase by more than 150% over the prior year sales, which would lead to annual gross sales over JPY 10 billion (EUR 61.2 million) 3 . Sumitomo Pharma will report FY2024 guidance for TWYMEEG in Japan on May 14 th , 2024.

. Sumitomo Pharma will report FY2024 guidance for TWYMEEG in Japan on May 14 , 2024. During Sumitomo Pharma FY 2024 (ending March 31, 2025), Poxel expects TWYMEEG net sales in Japan to reach at least JPY 5 billion (EUR 30.6 million) 3 entitling Poxel to receive 10% royalties on all TWYMEEG net sales and a sales-based payment of JPY 500 million (EUR 3.1 million) 3 . Based on this FY 2024 forecast, Poxel expects that TWYMEEG net sales can also reach JPY 10 billion (EUR 61.2 million) 3 which would lead Poxel to receive 12% royalties on all TWYMEEG net sales and a second sales-based payment of JPY 1 billion (EUR 6.1 million) 3 . Beyond 2024, Poxel expects to receive escalating double-digit royalties as well as additional sales-based payments upon achievement of contractually based sales thresholds.

entitling Poxel to receive 10% royalties on all TWYMEEG net sales and a sales-based payment of JPY 500 million (EUR 3.1 million) . Based on this FY 2024 forecast, Poxel expects that TWYMEEG net sales can also reach JPY 10 billion (EUR 61.2 million) which would lead Poxel to receive 12% royalties on all TWYMEEG net sales and a second sales-based payment of JPY 1 billion (EUR 6.1 million) . Beyond 2024, Poxel expects to receive escalating double-digit royalties as well as additional sales-based payments upon achievement of contractually based sales thresholds. As part of the Merck Serono licensing agreement, Poxel will pay Merck Serono a fixed 8% royalty based on the net sales of TWYMEEG, independent of the level of sales.

For territories not covered by its agreement with Sumitomo Pharma, Poxel is in ongoing discussions with potential partners for Imeglimin. At the date of this press release, no agreement has been established, and Poxel continues to be committed to asserting its rights in connection with its assets.

Clinical and Manufacturing Update

Following the much higher increase in demand for TWYMEEG than expected, and temporarily tight inventories, Sumitomo Pharma's diligent work has enabled to significantly increase production to ensure sustained inventory capacity and support the strong sales momentum expected in Japan.

than expected, and temporarily tight inventories, Sumitomo Pharma's diligent work has enabled to significantly increase production to ensure sustained inventory capacity and support the strong sales momentum expected in Japan. A Phase 4, 52-week, Open-label, Long-Term Study of Imeglimin in Japanese Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Renal Impairment conducted by Sumitomo Pharma is currently ongoing in Japan to strengthen TWYMEEG profile in this key subpopulation. Topline results are expected in mid-2024.

Rare metabolic diseases

In February 2024, the European Patent Office (EPO) granted Poxel a new patent for PXL770, a novel, proprietary direct adenosine monophosphate kinase activator, which describes the use of PXL770 in the treatment of Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This issued patent provides additional protection for PXL770 through 2041, with the potential for an additional 5 years through patent term extension. End of 2023, Poxel had been granted the same patent for PXL770 from the Japan Patent Office and the obtention is currently under review in other territories, including in the US.

In adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), PXL770 and PXL065 are prepared to advance, subject to additional financing, into two Phase 2a biomarker proof-of-concept (POC) clinical trials in male patients with adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), the most common ALD subtype. The studies will evaluate pharmacokinetics, safety and potential for efficacy, following 12-week treatment, based on relevant disease biomarkers, such as the effect on very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), the characteristic plasma marker of the disease.

First Quarter 2024 Financial Update

As of March 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents were EUR 2.5 million (USD 2.7 million)3, as compared to EUR 2,3 million (USD 2.6 million5) as of December 31, 2023. Net financial debt (excluding IFRS16 impacts and derivative debts) was EUR 47.4 million as of March 31, 2024, as compared to EUR 45.6 million as of December 31, 2023.

EUR (in thousands) Q1 2024 Q4 2023 Cash 2,460 2,341 Cash equivalents Total cash and cash equivalents 2,460 2,341 Unaudited data

With the priority objective of relaunching its R&D activities and executing its strategic plan in rare diseases, the Company has focused in recent months on securing additional financing, in particular non-dilutive solutions. In this context, the Company entered into exclusive negotiations with a leading investor to monetize royalties from TWYMEEG (Imeglimin) sales in Japan. In addition, the Company is in advanced discussions in some cases on an exclusive basis with several potential partners for each of its three products: Imeglimin, for several countries not covered by its agreement with Sumitomo Pharma, PXL065 and PXL770.

Based on:

its cash position on March 31, 2024, the tranches already drawn6 or fully available as of the date of this press release under the equity-linked financing facility with IRIS, no research and development expenses, and a strict control of operating expenses,

Poxel expects that its resources, including funds available to it, will be sufficient to maintain its operations and capital expenditure requirements until the completion of the transaction to monetize royalties from TWYMEEG (Imeglimin) sales in Japan.

The Company therefore announces that it will postpone the publication of its 2023 Full-Year Results and will communicate its new financial calendar for 2024 as soon as this transaction will be finalized.

About Poxel SA

Poxel is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and rare disorders. For the treatment of NASH, PXL065 (deuterium-stabilized R-pioglitazone) met its primary endpoint in a streamlined Phase 2 trial (DESTINY-1). In rare diseases, development of PXL770, a first-in-class direct adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, is focused on the treatment of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). TWYMEEG (Imeglimin), Poxel's first-in-class product that targets mitochondrial dysfunction, is marketed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Japan by Sumitomo Pharma and Poxel expects to receive royalties and sales-based payments. Poxel has a strategic partnership with Sumitomo Pharma for Imeglimin in Japan, China, and eleven other Asian countries. Listed on Euronext Paris, Poxel is headquartered in Lyon, France, and has subsidiaries in Boston, MA, and Tokyo, Japan.

For more information, please visit: www.poxelpharma.com

All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company's control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results or performance to be materially different from the expected results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not endorse or is not otherwise responsible for the content of external hyperlinks referred to in this press release.

Glossary

You will find below a list of words and/or expressions that are used in this press release or in Poxel's communication, with the aim to bring clarification and transparency:

Sumitomo Pharma fiscal year runs April to March. As an example, Fiscal Year 2023 is April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024.

runs April to March. As an example, Fiscal Year 2023 is April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024. TWYMEEG royalties: As per the Sumitomo Pharma's agreement, Poxel is entitled to receive royalties from the sales of TWYMEEG (Imeglimin) in Japan Sumitomo Pharma communicates gross sales of TWYMEEG , while TWYMEEG royalties are calculated on net sales. Net sales represent the amount of gross sales to which are deducted potential rebates, allowances, and costs such as prepaid freight, postage, shipping, customs duties and insurance charges. Poxel is entitled to receive escalating royalties of 8-18% on TWYMEEG net sales from Sumitomo Pharma.

As per the Sumitomo Pharma's agreement, Poxel is entitled to receive royalties from the sales of TWYMEEG (Imeglimin) in Japan

Positive net royalties: as part of the Merck Serono licensing agreement, Poxel will pay Merck Serono a fixed 8% royalty based on the net sales of TWYMEEG, independent of the level of sales. All royalties that Poxel receives from TWYMEEG net sales above that 8% level are considered as positive net royalties. Net royalties will therefore be positive for Poxel when TWYMEEG net sales exceed JPY 5 billion in a fiscal year and royalties reach 10% and above.

________________________________

1 Sumitomo Pharma fiscal year 2023 ends March 31, 2024.

2 As per Sumitomo Pharma FY2023 forecast of JPY 4.2 billion published on May 15, 2023.

3 Converted at the exchange rate on March 31, 2024.

4 Sumitomo Pharma fiscal year 2023 ends March 31, 2025.

5 Converted at the exchange rate on December 31, 2023

6 Since March 31, 2023, 9 additional tranches have been drawn for a total amount of EUR 4.8 million.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429490379/en/

Contacts:

Investor relations Media

NewCap

Nicolas Fossiez, Aurelie Manavarere Arthur Rouille

investor@poxelpharma.com

+33 1 44 71 94 94
EQS Post-admission Duties announcement: Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd. / Third country release according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act]

Haier Smart Home Co.,Ltd.: Announcement on Resolutions of the 10th Meeting of the 11th Session of the Board of Supervisors



29.04.2024 / 19:03 CET/CEST

Dissemination of a Post-admission Duties announcement according to Article 50 Para. 1, No. 2 WpHG transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Announcement on Resolutions of the 10th Meeting of the 11th Session of the Board of Supervisors

Qingdao / Shanghai / Frankfurt / Hong Kong, 29 April 2024 - Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. (the "Company" or "Haier Smart Home", D-share 690D.DE, A-share 600690.SH, H-share 06690.HK) today published an announcement in accordance with applicable trading rules of the Shanghai Stock Exchange, and applicable PRC laws in relation to the Resolutions of the 10th Meeting of the 11th Session of the Board of Supervisors.

The announcement is fully available at:

https://smart-home.haier.com/en/dggg/P020240429819455075565.pdf?appdesc=Announcement%20on%20Resolutions%20of%20the%2010th%20Meeting%20of%20the%2011th%20Session%20of%20the%20Board%20of%20Supervisors

IR Contact:

Haier Smart Home Hong Kong

T: +852 2169 0000

Email: ir@haier.hk



Press Contact:

CROSS ALLIANCE communication GmbH

Sara Pinto

Sven Pauly

pi@crossalliance.de

T: +49 (0) 89 1250903 35

About Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd.:

Haier is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household appliances with a focus on smart home solutions and customized production. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. develops, produces and distributes a wide range of household appliances. These include refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, water heaters, kitchen appliances as well as small household appliances and an extensive range of intelligent household appliances. The Company distributes its products through leading household brands such as Haier, Casarte, Leader, Candy, GE Appliances, AQUA and Fisher & Paykel. Haier Smart Home Co., Ltd. has launched Smart Home Experiential Cloud in the Chinese market, which connects homes, users, enterprises and ecosystem partners, and facilitates the integration of Haier's online, offline and micro-store businesses and supports user interaction to further optimize the user experience.

29.04.2024 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.eqs-news.com


Vancouver),),)) has entered into an agreement with the Norwegian Refugee Council) to provide the financial technology platform to facilitate transactions between the NRC and RevoluPAY partner, MillionBridges SL). The purpose of the agreement is to improve the distribution of international cash aid by incorporating advanced financial technology for efficient and secure transactions directly benefiting recipients. RevoluPAY will manage the transfer of funds from NRC to MillionBridges and then to the beneficiaries, ensuring compliance with global financial regulations and anti-money laundering directives.



Under the terms of the agreement (signed on April 8th, 2024 but requiring compliance and administrative review prior to execution) with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), it is anticipated that NRC will transfer transactions totalling an estimated value of $500,000 USD per month that will ramp up over a 1-3 month period. While the agreement between MillionBridges and NRC is based on an annual basis, the amount of funds transferred is expected to fluctuate on a month-to-month basis, allowing for flexibility and adjustability in response to the evolving needs of both parties involved. RevoluPAY will earn a minimal percentage of the total value of transactions transferred, which is inline with industry standards, and reflects the commitment to supporting NRC's humanitarian efforts efficiently and effectively.

Alfredo Manresa, Director of RevoluGROUP and General Manager of RevoluPAY, stated, "Our innovative global settlement network is poised to make a significant impact in how humanitarian aid is facilitated. By leveraging RevoluPAY's technology, we ensure not only the efficient but also the secure transfer of funds to those in dire need, adhering strictly to global standards."

RevoluPAY's critical role in this collaborative effort is underscored by its capability to transfer fast and efficient funds to Lebanon through its expansive global settlement network. This system is integral to the reliability of the financial distribution framework, ensuring that aid reaches those in need promptly and securely. The collaboration between RevoluPAY, MillionBridges, and the Norwegian Refugee Council is deeply rooted in transparency, accountability, and efficiency principles. By harnessing these values, the partnership aims to significantly enhance the process of distributing international aid, making it more accessible and practical for crisis-affected communities in Lebanon and beyond. This endeavour demonstrates the potential of fintech solutions in humanitarian contexts and sets a new standard for the delivery of international aid, prioritizing the needs and dignity of beneficiaries.

Gavin McMillan, CEO and Director of RevoluGROUP, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, "We are immensely pleased to be in a position to assist in humanitarian aid efforts. This collaboration with MillionBridges and with the Norwegian Refugee Council allows us to play a pivotal role in providing the financial technology support where it's most needed."

About the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)

The Norwegian Refugee Council). This achievement underscores the trust and support of key donors, enhancing NRC's commitment to transparency and accountability in its humanitarian missions.

For more insights into NRC's work and how to support their efforts, please visit NRC Website

About NRC in Lebanon

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Lebanon comprehensively supports refugees and displaced persons, addressing their needs through legal assistance, shelter, education, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. With Lebanon hosting a substantial refugee population, primarily from Syria, the NRC's initiatives are crucial for ensuring access to justice, safe living conditions, quality education, and essential WASH services. These efforts not only aid in improving the immediate living conditions of refugees and host communities but also contribute to long-term development and resilience. The NRC also advocates for refugee rights and policy change, working towards their protection and inclusion. Through its multifaceted approach, the NRC in Lebanon significantly impacts the lives of thousands, striving for a better, more sustainable future for all displaced individuals.

For more insights into NRC's work in Lebanon, please visit: NRC in Lebanon

About MillionBridges

MillionBridges SL is redefining aid distribution through cutting-edge fintech, facilitating global swift, secure, and transparent fund transfers. Born from the vision to merge advanced financial technology with humanitarian needs, it addresses the gap in regions lacking traditional banking. Direct mobile wallet transfers bypass geographical and logistical hurdles, delivering fast aid. Collaborating with NGOs like the NRC and RevoluPAY, MillionBridges showcases fintech's power to boost humanitarian efforts, emphasizing rapid fund access and beneficiary autonomy. Its commitment to technological innovation aims to improve service delivery and champion financial inclusivity in humanitarian aid.

Website: www.millionbridges.com

About RevoluPAY

The Company's flagship Neobanking technology is RevoluPAY, the Appleand Androidmultinational payment app. Conceived entirely in-house, RevoluPAY features proprietary, sector-specific technology of which the resulting source code is the Company's intellectual property. RevoluPAY's built-in features include Remittance Payments, Forex, Retail and Hospitality payments, Real Estate Payments, pay-as-you-go phone top-ups, Gift Cards & Online Credits, Utility Bill payments, Leisure payments, Travel Payments, etc. RevoluPAY is aimed at the worldwide multi-billion dollar Open Banking sector and + $630 billionfamily remittance market. RevoluPAY is operated by the European wholly owned subsidiary RevoluPAY EP S.L located in Barcelona. RevoluPAY is a licensed United States MSB, Canadian FINTRAC, and European PSD2 payment institution 6900under E.U. Directive 2015/2366 with EU Passporting.

About RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.

RevoluGROUP Canada Inc. is a multi-asset, multidivisional, publicly traded Canadian Company that controls five wholly owned subsidiarieson four continents. RevoluGROUP deploys advanced technologies in; Banking, Mobile Apps, Money Remittance, Cross-Border Forex Payments, Mobile Phone Top-Ups, EGaming, Healthcare Payments, Esports, Invoice factoring, Online Travel, Vacation Resort, Blockchain Systems, and Fintech app sectors. Click hereto read more.

For further information on RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.), visit the Company's website at www.RevoluGROUP.com.

RevoluGROUP Canada, Inc.

"Gavin McMillan"

______________________

Gavin McMillan

CEO and Director

For further information, contact:

RevoluGROUP Canada Inc.

Telephone:

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
The "Italy Data Center Market Investment Analysis Growth Opportunity 2024-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Italy data center market is expected to reach a value of $3.83 billion by 2029 from $3.03 billion in 2023, growing at a CAGR of 3.98%

This report analyses the market share of Italy's data center. It elaboratively analyses the existing and upcoming facilities and investments in IT, electrical, mechanical infrastructure, general construction, and tier standards. It discusses market sizing and investment estimation for different segments.

Some critical investors in the Italy data center market include Aruba, DATA4, Equinix, Telecom Italia, IRIDEOS, and STACK Infrastructure. The Italy data center market also witnessed the entry of colocation operators such as Compass Datacenters and Vantage Data Centers. The country's construction contractors have both a global and local presence and supply major market operators such as AECOM, Ariatta, DBA PRO, Future-tech, Eiffage, EDITEL, ISG, and NORMA Engineering.

The cloud market in Italy is witnessing significant growth, attracting investments from international hyperscalers such as Google and Microsoft. Milan's strategic geographic location has made it a central point for connectivity, and the ongoing and planned expansion initiatives of the global colocation data center operators further underscore the city's prominence.

Leveraging a strategic global connectivity framework facilitated by a network of submarine cables, the nation strengthens digital connectivity, solidifying its role as a prominent data hub. Italy has 28 operational submarine cables, with five more in the pipeline. Italy aims for climate neutrality by 2050 and invests in renewable energy. In February 2023, the European Investment Bank loaned Asja Ambiente Italia to finance renewable energy projects, aligning with Italy's environmental goals.

Italy is witnessing substantial investments in AI, with over 470 AI-based startups. Italy's Strategic Program for Artificial Intelligence includes a USD 164 million fund to support AI startups, fostering innovation and economic growth. Italy is experiencing growth in IoT adoption, increasing the Italy data center market. Rai Way's Edge project, launched in April 2023, involves establishing 18 edge data centers across Italy, catering to IoT and edge computing needs.

Italy has high 5G coverage, with operators covering around 98.9%-99.7% of the population. TIM's completion of tenders for 5G backhauling in January 2023 reflects efforts to advance Italy's digitalization and expand broadband infrastructure.

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH?

Market size regarding investment, area, power capacity, and Italy colocation market revenue is available.

An assessment of the data center investment in Italy by colocation and enterprise operators.

Investments in the area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country.

A detailed study of the existing Italy data center market landscape, an in-depth market analysis, and insightful predictions about market size during the forecast period.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 123 Forecast Period 2023 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $3.03 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $3.83 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 3.9% Regions Covered Italy

VENDOR LANDSCAPE

IT Infrastructure Providers

Atos

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Hewlett Packard Enterprises

Huawei Technologies

IBM

Lenovo

NetApp

Nutanix

Oracle

Pure Storage

Data Center Construction Contractors Sub-Contractors

AECOM

Ariatta

DBA PRO

Future-tech

Eiffage

EDITEL

ISG

NORMA Engineering

Support Infrastructure Providers

ABB

Alfa Laval

Caterpillar

Climaveneta Climate Technologies

Cummins

Emicon

Eaton

Legrand

HiRef

Honeywell

Piller Power Systems

Munters

Pramac

Rittal

The R&S Group

Schneider Electric

Siemens

Socomec

STULZ

Trane

Vertiv

Data Center Investors

Aruba

DATA4

Equinix

Telecom Italia

IRIDEOS

STACK Infrastructure

New Entrants

Compass Datacenters

Vantage Data Centers

SNAPSHOT OF EXISTING AND UPCOMING THIRD-PARTY DATA CENTER FACILITIES IN ITALY

Facilities Covered (Existing): 62

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 10

Coverage: 16+ Locations

Existing vs. Upcoming (Area)

EXISTING VS. UPCOMING DATA CENTERS

Existing Facilities in the Region (Area and Power Capacity) Milan Other Cities

List of Upcoming Facilities in the Region (Area and Power Capacity)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data Center Colocation Market in Italy

Market Revenue Forecast (2023-2029)

Retail Wholesale Colocation Pricing

REPORT COVERAGE

IT Infrastructure

Servers

Storage Systems

Network Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems

Generators

Transfer Switches Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

CRAC CRAH Units

Chiller Units

Cooling Towers, Condensers Dry Coolers

Economizers Evaporative Coolers

Other Cooling Units

General Construction

Core Shell Development

Installation Commissioning Services

Engineering Building Design

Fire Detection Suppression Systems

Physical Security

Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Tier Standard

Tier I Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

Geography

Milan

Other Cities

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/s5pego

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429111316/en/

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For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

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Highlights include 55.4% increase in total revenue, 69% increase in subscription revenue, 112.8% increase in gross profit, and 20.4% reduction in operating loss compared to FY2022.

Key Developments:

Total Revenue of $1,811,885 represents an increase of 55.4% compared to FY2022 due to increases in both new contracts signed and growth of existing contracts.

Gross profit in FY2023 doubled from $602,896 to $1,282,680 compared to FY2022 due to increased subscription revenue (up 69% YoY), product revenue (up 15.4% YoY) and professional services revenue (up 436.8% YoY).

Operating expenses were reduced by $1,304,197 or 12.6% in 2023 vs 2022 due to increases in efficiency, and reductions in staff costs.

Operating loss was reduced by $1,990,085 or 20.4% due to reduced costs and increased profitability.

KITCHENER, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Cloud DX (TSXV:CDX)(OTCQB:CDXFF), a leading North American digital health platform and provider of remote patient monitoring (RPM) solutions, is pleased to report results for the 12 months ending December 31, 2023.

Earnings Call Webinar:

Monday April 29, 2024

11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT

Registration - click here

Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Highlights:

Summary of Results:

Revenue:

For the year end December 31, 2023, total reported revenue of $1,811,885 increased by $645,882 or 55.4% compared to the same period in 2022.

Subscription increased by $353,837 or 69%, while Product revenue increased by $93,952 or 15.4% vs FY2022 due primarily new patient enrollments in Canada and the USA.

Professional services revenue increased by $184,650 or 436.8% due to larger customization, integration and optimization contracts invoiced in the period.

These positive results show that Cloud DX revenues from new and expanded contracts are accelerating year-over-year.

Government grant funding was $453,543 in FY 2023, an 8.2% decrease from FY 2022 due to the timing of payments on active grants. Fluctuations in professional services revenue and grant funding amounts from period to period is not unusual.

Expenses:

Annual operating expenses decreased $1,304,197 or 12.6% in the year compared to the same period in 2022, mainly due to a $1,208,550 decrease in salaries, wages & benefits reflecting selective staff reductions.

Cost of inventories increased by $63,778 in 2023 compared to 2022 due to purchase of additional inventories of Connected Health kits.

Please see the Q3 Consolidated Financial Statements and Q3 MD&A for more details.

Customer Statistics FY2023

The Company announced the following contracts or contract extensions in 2023: 7 contracts were executed with Ontario Community Paramedic Services, funded under the Community Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program (CPLTC). 3 contracts were executed with Provincial or Territorial Health Ministries. 4 contracts were executed with Ontario Family Health Teams (FHTs). 4 contracts were executed with Canadian hospitals or academic medical centers. 2 contracts were executed with clinics including a US based clinic in Illinois. Notable customers include Alberta Health Services, Alberta Primary Care Networks, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and Mohawk Medbuy, the premier hospital procurement agency in Canada.

Subsequent events:

Since January 1, 2024, Cloud DX has announced 24 contracts and contract extensions valued at over $5.1 million. Notable announcements include new contracts with Health PEI, VHA Home HealthCare, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 2 Ontario Community Paramedic Services, and contract renewals with Yukon Health, 5 Ontario Community Paramedic Services, 4 Ontario hospitals, and 7 clinics including an MDVIP Clinic in Illinois.

On March 19, 2024, the Company announced that $4.2 Million in Debentures converted early at the above-market conversion price of $0.154/share. In addition, investors agreed to a voluntary pooling and escrow of 26 million shares. This early conversion and escrow eliminates $575,000 in annual accrued interest. 14 of 17 Debenture holders in the announced transaction are arms-length.

On April 8, 2024, the Company announced a Private Placement offering up to 27,500,000 Units consisting of 1 common share and 1 share purchase warrant, at $0.12/Unit for gross proceeds of $3.3 million. Warrants will have a term of 36 months at an exercise price of $0.18/share. The offering is expected to close an initial tranche in the period between April 29, 2024, and May 5, 2024.

About Cloud DX

Accelerating digital healthcare, Cloud DX is on a mission to make healthcare better for everyone. Our Connected Health remote patient monitoring platform is used by healthcare enterprises and care teams across North America to virtually manage chronic disease, enable aging in place, and deliver hospital-quality post-surgical care in the home. Our partners achieve better healthcare and patient outcomes, reduce the need for hospitalization or re-admission, and reduce healthcare delivery costs through more efficient use of resources. Cloud DX is the co-winner of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, winner of "2022 Top Innovator" from Canadian Business, a 2021 "Edison Award" winner, a Fast Company "World Changing Idea" finalist, and one of "Canada's Ten Most Prominent Telehealth Providers." Cloud DX is an exclusive partner to Medtronic Canada, Teladoc Health Canada and Sanrai International.

Cloud DX Investor Site https://ir.clouddx.com/overview/default.aspx

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

# # #

Social Links

Twitter https://twitter.com/CloudDX

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clouddxinc/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/cloud-dx/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cloud.dx/

For media inquiries please contact:

Marketing Enquiries

Phone 888-543-0944

marketing@clouddx.com

For investor inquiries please contact:

Jay Bedard (Canada)

Cloud DX Investor Relations

Phone 647-881-8418

investors@clouddx.com

Officer responsible for this Press Release:

Simon Selkrig

Chief Financial Officer

Phone 888-543-0944

simon.selkrig@clouddx.com

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward looking statements or information involve 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 statements or information contained in this news release. In particular, this news release includes certain forward-looking statements concerning the terms of the contract extension, the expected proceeds therefrom, as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions.

Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, the Company's the ability of the Company to fulfill the terms of and derive the benefits from the contract extension.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information.

A propos de Cloud DX

Accelerant les soins de sante virtuels, Cloud DX a pour mission d'ameliorer les soins de sante pour tous. Notre plateforme de surveillance a distance des patients Connected HealthMC est utilisee par des entreprises de soins de sante et des equipes de soins partout en Amerique du Nord pour gerer virtuellement les maladies chroniques, permettre aux gens de vieillir chez eux et fournir des soins post-chirurgicaux de qualite hospitaliere a domicile. Nos partenaires obtiennent de meilleurs resultats pour les soins de sante et les patients, reduisent le besoin d'hospitalisation ou de readmission, et reduisent les couts de prestation des soins de sante grace a une utilisation plus efficace des ressources. Cloud DX est co-laureate du prix Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, laureate du prix Edison 2021, finaliste du concours  World Changing Idea  de Fast Company et un des dix plus importants fournisseurs de telesante au Canada.

Site des relations avec les investisseurs de Cloud DX https://ir.clouddx.com/overview/default.aspx

La Bourse de croissance TSX et son fournisseur de services de reglementation (tel que ce terme est defini dans les politiques de la Bourse de croissance TSX) n'assument aucune responsabilite quant a la pertinence ou a l'exactitude du present communique.

Tous les enonces prospectifs sont assujettis a des risques et a des incertitudes, tels que ceux decrits dans les rapports periodiques de Medtronic deposes aupres de la Securities and Exchange Commission. Les resultats reels peuvent sensiblement differer des resultats anticipes.

SOURCE: Cloud DX Inc.





View the original press release on accesswire.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - Governance Professionals of Canada is pleased to announce that the call for nominations for the 11th Annual Excellence in Governance Awards (EGAs) is now OPEN.



The prestigious awards are set to take place at The Carlu in Toronto on November 7, 2024 to celebrate leaders in the field of governance.

This year marks a significant milestone for GPC, as we also celebrate 30 wonderful years in supporting and guiding Canadian governance practitioners. At a time of rapidly evolving change and an amplified emphasis on corporate oversight and responsibility, celebrating exemplary governance practices has never been more important thereby raising the bar for good governance.

The awards recognize the important contribution that organizations, their Boards and Governance Professionals make in terms of best practices, that build and sustain stakeholder value in Canada while the award categories reflect the current governance environment and the challenges faced by organizations in ensuring they remain sustainable and innovative in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Lynn Beauregard, President, Governance Professionals of Canada said "We are thrilled to launch the nominations for the 11th Excellence in Governance Awards Canada. These prominent awards shine a spotlight on the torch bearers of governance excellence, demonstrating innovation and commitment to best practices. We encourage individuals and organizations across sectors to nominate themselves or someone they know for the EGAs."

Canadian organizations of all shapes and sizes, industries, and sectors, are invited to take this opportunity to gain recognition for their noteworthy work in governance. With an easier and more streamlined nomination process in our various categories and criteria, it has never been an easier and better time to put forth a nomination.

GPC is seeking nominations in the following award categories:

Engagement

Sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance)/ Purpose

Board/Director Effectiveness

Strategy / Risk Management

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

Organizational Governance

Governance Professional of the Year

Peter Dey Governance Achievement Award

The deadline to submit your nominations is May 24th 2024.

The shortlist of nominees will be announced in July of 2024 and the winners will be announced at the annual EGA Dinner Gala and Ceremony, which will be held at the Carlu in Toronto on November 7th, 2024.

Nominees will be evaluated by a distinguished panel of judges representing various sectors and expertise in governance.

Mark your calendars now.

Click HERE to view details about the awards and categories.

Submit your nominations today and be a part of this prestigious celebration of excellence in governance.

For further information, contact:

Letricia Fullerton, Manager, Administration, Education & Special Projects

Governance Professionals of Canada (GPC)

2 St. Clair Avenue West 18th floor | Toronto, ON, M4V 1L5

awards@gpcanada.org

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207254

SOURCE: Governance Professionals of Canada
HIGHLIGHTS

Drill permitting underway at Ilo Este with initial drill programme design underway, Chancho al Palo drill permitting commencing in May

Significant geophysical targets identified at Chancho al Palo and Ilo Este following up from excellent initial IP results, surface exposure at Chancho confirms copper mineralisation

Copper asset portfolio continually growing with an additional licence pegged at Ilo Este and several other large packages under review

Solis continues to review multiple new opportunities across varied commodities and jurisdictions

West Leederville, Western Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - Solis Minerals Limited (ASX: SLM) ("Solis" or the "Company") announces an update on the recently completed drilling programme at both the Estrela and Mina Vermelha prospects in Borborema, regional geochemical soil programme in Brazil and geophysical target generation in Peru.

Executive Director, Matthew Boyes, commented:

"Our Peruvian copper assets are quickly moving to the fore and we have some very promising targets generated by our team on the ground. Ilo Este and Chancho al Palo both look to be excellent copper targets and we look forward to getting the permitting granted and start drilling as soon as possible"

"Solis is also constantly reviewing potential acquisitions and has implemented a series of cost cuts across the group with only essential expenditure being maintained until a new project is secured."

"The final assays have now been received for the Estrela and Mina Vermelha drilling but no lithium mineralisation of significance was reported. We are now undertaking a final review of all assay data from both Estrela and Mina Vermelha before deciding the next steps with regards to follow up exploration. Our first pass mapping and geochemical programmes have also advanced following access restrictions caused by high rainfall earlier in the year".

Peru Copper

A detailed magnetic drone survey has been completed over extensions of Ilo Este; and an induced polarisation (IP) geophysical survey has been undertaken at Chancho al Palo (Ilo Norte) which followed-up a previous magnetic drone survey.

IP at Chancho Al Palo (Ilo Norte)

To complement the extensive geological mapping campaign carried out during 2023 and the drone magnetometry survey of May 2023, an area in Chancho al Palo was covered by 8 lines of time-domain IP geophysical surveys of 16.7km total length. Dipole interval was 100m and line spacing 250m. The lines were oriented WNW to ESE and were limited to the east by the presence of recent sediments including caliche (calcrete). The survey was carried out by the Peruvian company Deep Sounding EIRL.





Figure 1; IP chargeability anomalies identified at Ilo Norte, Chancho al Palo project, Target 1 and Target 2 are coincident with Magnetic anomalies previously identified (see Figure 2, below).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure1.jpg

The focus of the survey was an eastern zone of Jurassic volcano-sedimentary rocks intruded by the Cretaceous coastal batholith, and similar rocks to the west displaying development of extensive hornfels alteration. The eastern area is considered prospective for porphyry mineralisation whilst the western area is prospective for IOCG (Iron oxide copper gold) style mineralisation. The areas are separated by a north-south fault with interpreted downthrow to the west with the IOCG zone being considered a higher-emplaced more distal expression of potential porphyry mineralisation to the east.









Figure 2; Drone magnetic RTP anomaly coincident with IP anomaly at Ilo Norte, Chancho al Palo project.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure2.jpg

Copper mineralisation occurrences discovered during the geology mapping program in both the IOCG and porphyry target areas are shown in Figures 3 & 4 below.





Figure 3; Tourmaline breccias1 at Chancho al Palo with copper oxides in tuffs - eastern porphyry zone (Coordinates 254930E, 8068540N).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure3.jpg





1 The presence of copper oxides in surface samples indicate a mineral species only and should not be considered a substitute for analytical results. Visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis where concentrations or grades are the factor of primary economic interest.









Figure 4; Copper oxides1 in structures associated with calcic, sodic, and epidote alteration with specularite veining - western IOCG zone, Chancho al Palo (Coordinates 254478E, 8068009N).

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure4.jpg

It is planned to submit drill permit applications at Chanco al Palo in May 2024.

Drone magnetometry at Ilo Este.

In December 2023, 56.4 line km of drone magnetometry was carried out by Real Eagle Explorations EIRL at the eastern extension of the Ilo Este licences (see Figure 5, below). The average altitude of the drone was 35m and 25 readings per second were taken at a ground velocity of 10m/second. A mobile 01MagArrow-SX magnetometer was utilised to acquire the data. The area was constrained by the presence of high-tension powerlines to the south-east and a distance of 200m was maintained from the lines for safety and quality control purposes. The data is considered to be unimpacted by potential magnetic fields generated by the powerlines.

1 The presence copper oxide samples indicates a mineral species only and should not be considered a substitute for analytical results. Visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analysis where concentrations or grades are the factor of primary economic interest.









Figure 5; Drone magnetometry survey completed at Ilo Este, north-east extension. The area has been successfully staked by Solis and normal final issuance procedures for grant of the licence are underway.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure5.jpg





The area is flanked by the regional Chololo fault to the northwest and is characterized by the accumulation of quaternary sediments in a SW-NE trending structural corridor. Very little outcrop is present. Ground magnetometry carried out in 2014 indicated a buried magnetic susceptibility anomaly in the west of the survey area and the drone survey was a direct follow- up of this in the permit Solis Ilo Este I (Figure 6). The continuation of the anomaly led to the application of permit Solis Ilo Este II immediately prior to the drone survey.

Results of the 2014 ground magnetometry and 2023 drone magnetometry have been analysed and stitched together by Fathom Geophysics of the USA and shown in the Figure 6 below.









Figure 6; View of permits Solis Ilo Este I and II from the SW (minus 45 degrees) with induced magnetic anomalies shown as isosurfaces. A1 and A2 are anomalies in highly favourable structural settings indicating the potential presence of buried intrusives with associated magnetite. A3 is a subtler anomaly, probably more deeply buried than A1 or A2.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure6.jpg





The results show the presence of potential alteration associated with magnetite that can be interpreted as extensions of the porphyry-style mineralisation encountered at Ilo Este to the west across the Chololo regional fault. Depth to the anomalies is uncertain albeit A1 and A2 appear to be closer to the surface than A3. Follow-up mapping of incised valleys and float will be undertaken to assess drill targets.

The contract for drill permitting of Ilo Este has been awarded to Grupo GyA Soluciones GeoAmbientales SAC of Lima Peru and environmental monitoring programs are currently underway on the permits to support the application (Figure 7 below). Updates on the progress of the drill permitting will be reported as the Company progresses through the process.









Figure 7; Environmental monitoring station at Ilo Este,. April 2024. For drill permitting purposes, this station will remain operational for 24 hours a day for one month.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure7.jpg

Figure 8; Current tenement holding in Peru both granted and applications. Solis now has 37,100 hectares of tenements in Southern Peru.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure8.jpg

Borborema Geochemical programme

A total of 843 geochemical soil samples were taken across three tenements on a 200m x 100m grid spacing in the North eastern portion of the Borborema project. The objective of the programme, in conjunction with field mapping and reconnaissance, was to indentify potential lithium bearing pegmatite sytems within previously unexplorerd terrain. 585 assay results have now been reported, with no material results recorded for lithium suite minerals, base or precious metals. Solis has temporarily halted further expenditure on geochemical sampling until all tenements are mapped and priority target areas identified.









Figure 9; Geochemical sampling undertaken to date on Borborema tenement package.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1134/207248_figure9.jpg





Mina Vermelha and Estrela

All assay results have now been reported from the maiden drill programmes at Mina Vermelha and Estrela projects. No material assays for Lithium or any Lithium suite elements were reported. A full review of all geochemical data and logged pegmatites is being completed to assist with future exploration activities at Estrela. The proximity and strike of the Estrela pegmatite bodies are consistent with larger, well mineralised, pegmatite systems such as Salgadinho (located 350m to NE) and although drilling to date has not intersected lithium bearing dykes below mineralised outcrop, Solis believes potential still exists for discovery of Lithium bearing pegmatite systems on the extensive Estrela project.

Mina Vermelha has also not reported any material Lithium assays and a final field investigation will be carried out before a decision to continue with the option agreement at Mina Vermelha is taken by the Board. At this stage, considering the results obtained, it is unlikely Solis will contiune with any additional expenditure at this project.

Next Steps

Solis is prioritising the advancement of the drill pemitting process in Peru over its Ilo Este and Chancho Al Palo (Ilo Norte) project areas while continuing to review lithium and copper opportunities in South America.

Approximately 270 assays are pending for the initial geochemical programme in Borborema. Once received, anomalous areas of mineralisation will be followed up with additional sampling and ground checking. The regional team has been reduced significantly while the company review new opportunities and prepare for the next drill program.

ENDS

This announcement is authorised by Matthew Boyes, Executive Director of Solis Minerals Ltd.

Australia

Matt Boyes

Executive Director

Solis Minerals Limited

+61 8 6117 4795

Stephanie Richardson & Cameron Gilenko

Investor Relations

Morrow Sodali

+61 (8) 6160 4900

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.

About Solis Minerals Ltd.

Solis Minerals is an emerging lithium explorer focusing on Latin American critical minerals.

The Company owns a 100% interest or option to acquire 100% interest in the Borborema Lithium Project in NE Brazil, covering 26,100ha.

Brazil is rapidly growing in global importance as an exporter of lithium to supply increasing demand of battery manufacturers. Both projects cover highly prospective, hard-rock lithium ground on which early-stage reconnaissance mapping and sampling have verified. Drilling programmes are either underway or due to commence shortly.

In addition, Solis also holds a 100% interest in 35,700ha of combined licences and applications of highly prospective IOCG (iron oxide copper/gold) and porphyry copper projects in southwestern Peru within the country's prolific coastal copper belt - a source of nearly half of Peru's copper production.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements that relate to future events or performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward- looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that these forward- looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected, including, but not limited to, market conditions, availability of financing, actual results of the Company's exploration and other activities, environmental risks, future metal prices, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. All the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by applicable law.

Qualified Person Statement

The technical information in this news release was reviewed by Matthew Boyes, a Fellow of the Australian institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101).

Competent Person Statement

The information in this ASX release concerning Geological Information and Exploration Results is based on and fairly represents information compiled by Mr Matthew Boyes, a Competent Person who is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Boyes is an employee of Solis Minerals Ltd. and has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and types of deposit under consideration and to the exploration activities undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the "Australian Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves". Mr Boyes consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on information in the form and context in which it appears. Mr Boyes has provided his prior written consent regarding the form and context in which the Geological Information and Exploration Results and supporting information are presented in this Announcement.

APPENDIX 1

Table 1: Drillholes collar table of completed drilling at Mina Vermelha and Estrela

Hole_id x y Z (m) max_depth (m) tenement date_started ESDDH00001 763725.3 9271183.9 457.9 203.7 848223/2015 07/10/2023 ESDDH00002 763560.6 9270735.9 474.6 158.5 848223/2015 16/10/2023 ESDDH00003 763498.7 9270373.7 509.0 138.0 848223/2015 20/10/2023 ESDDH00004 764115.1 9271230.2 453.4 135.7 848223/2015 25/10/2023 ESDDH00005 763393.8 9270741.5 473.0 96.3 848223/2015 26/10/2023 ESDDH00006 763458.5 9270515.0 508.1 119.7 848223/2015 28/10/2023 ESDDH00007 764153.6 9271126.1 457.5 179.9 848223/2015 01/11/2023 ESDDH00008 763926.7 9270966.9 464.4 143.9 848223/2015 03/11/2023 ESDDH00009 763563.8 9271219.6 448.3 156.0 848223/2015 08/11/2023 ESDDH00010 762964.2 9271400.1 454.6 117.7 848223/2015 15/11/2023 ESDDH00011 763067.2 9271330.8 455.5 141.0 848223/2015 17/11/2023 ESDDH00012 763031.7 9271330.8 457.7 69.4 848223/2015 21/11/2023 ESDDH00013 763724.8 9271183.2 459.0 150.4 848223/2015 24/11/2023 ESDDH00014 762932.1 9270743.4 476.0 150.3 848223/2015 29/11/2023 ESDDH00015 762479.5 9272029.2 405.1 121.1 848223/2015 05/12/2023 MVDDH00001 760015.1 9246136.9 392.9 176.4 840041/1985 03/11/2023 MVDDH00002 760014.6 9246139.6 390.7 347.9 840041/1985 10/11/2023

MVDDH00003 759946.1 9245945.5 400.7 37.2 840041/1985 27/11/2023 MVDDH00004 759945.1 9245946.5 400.7 95.4 840041/1985 29/11/2023 MVDDH00005 759942.3 9245952.9 398.1 303.4 840041/1985 04/12/2023 MVDDH00006 760040.2 9246304.4 400.2 198.4 840041/1985 08/12/2023 MVDDH00007 760102.1 9246072.5 377.3 150.4 840041/1985 13/12/2023 MVDDH00008 760057.7 9246822.5 389.3 150.0 840041/1985 16/12/2023 MVDDH00009 760594.6 9245649.4 333.9 150.5 840041/1985 19/12/2023

APPENDIX 2



Mining Concessions table

Westminster Peru SAC- Concessions and Applications as of 24th April 2024

NUMBER CONCESSION NO. CONCESSION REGISTERED OWNER Area Ha STATUS PROJECT 1 10012221 UCHUSUMA A WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application REGIONAL 2 10012321 UCHUSUMA B WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 400 Application REGIONAL 3 10012421 PALLAGUA1 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 600 Application REGIONAL 4 10012521 CARUCA WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 600 Granted REGIONAL 5 10013422 SOLIS02 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 200 Granted CINTO 6 10013522 SOLIS03 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 500 Granted CINTO 7 10013622 SOLIS04 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 400 Granted CINTO 8 10013722 SOLIS05 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 500 Granted CINTO 9 10013822 SOLIS06 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted CINTO 10 10013922 SOLIS07 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 300 Application CINTO 11 10032323 SOLIS NORTE 8 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted REGIONAL 12 10032423 SOLIS NORTE 9 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application REGIONAL 13 10032523 SOLIS NORTE 10 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application REGIONAL 14 10032623 SOLIS NORTE 11 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 400 Application REGIONAL 15 10032723 SOLIS NORTE 12 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application REGIONAL 16 10032823 SOLIS KELLY 01 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted REGIONAL 17 10032923 SOLIS KELLY 02 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application REGIONAL 18 10083009 LATIN ILO NORTE 3 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted ILO NORTE 19 10083109 LATIN ILO NORTE 4 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted ILO NORTE 20 10144523 SOLIS NORTE 13 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application REGIONAL 21 10144623 SOLIS NORTE 14 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 900 Application REGIONAL 22 10144723 SOLIS NORTE 15 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 800 Application REGIONAL 23 10144823 SOLIS NORTE 16 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application REGIONAL 24 10184011 KELLY 00 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 700 Granted REGIONAL 25 10184411 BRIDGETTE 1 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted ILO NORTE 26 10184511 MADDISON 1 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted ILO NORTE 27 10184911 ESSENDON 26 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted ILO NORTE 28 10195214 LATIN ILO ESTE IX WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 900 Granted ILO ESTE 29 10246223 SOLIS ILO ESTE I WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 400 Application ILO ESTE 30 10251109 LATIN ILO NORTE 6 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 700 Granted ILO NORTE 31 10251209 LATIN ILO NORTE 7 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted ILO NORTE

32 10251309 LATIN ILO NORTE 8 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted ILO NORTE 33 10299922 SOLIS NORTE 1 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted REGIONAL 34 10300022 SOLIS NORTE 2 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 500 Granted REGIONAL 35 10300122 SOLIS NORTE 3 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted REGIONAL 36 10300222 SOLIS NORTE 4 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 900 Granted REGIONAL 37 10300322 SOLIS NORTE 5 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted REGIONAL 38 10300422 SOLIS NORTE 6 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted REGIONAL 39 10300522 SOLIS NORTE 7 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Granted REGIONAL 40 10300622 SOLIS SUR 3 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 900 Granted REGIONAL 41 10300822 SOLIS SUR 2 WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 900 Granted REGIONAL 42 10307623 SOLIS ILO ESTE II WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 1000 Application Ilo ESTE 43 10500108 LATIN ILO ESTE III WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 600 Granted ILO ESTE 44 10500308 LATIN ILO ESTE II WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 900 Granted ILO ESTE 45 10500508 LATIN ILO ESTE I WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 800 Granted ILO ESTE 46 010013422A SOLIS02A WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 100 Granted CINTO 47 010013922A SOLIS07A WESTMINSTER PERU S.A.C. 200 Application CINTO Total Ha 37100

APPENDIX 3

JORC Code, 2012 Edition - Table 1

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Sampling techniques Nature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling.





Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representativity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.





Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report. In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information. All samples from both the Mina Vermelha and Estrela projects are taken from half NQ diamond drill core cut longitudinally to its axis creating a representative sample with the remaining half core stored for future reference. Each sample is 1m in length with a weight of approximately 3kg.





All drill core samples are placed into numbered calico bags for shipment to laboratories for preparation and assay





Geochemical soil samples were collected on a 200m x 100m grid, soil was collected from a shallow 30cm deep excavation after organic material removed from the surface area. A sub sample was sieved and prepared for submission.





Chanco al Palo Induced Polarisation survey (IP). Survey data is included in the body of the release. Equipment used are: Receptor RX,GDD/ Model GRx8-32-16ch; Transmitter TX 11, model Walcer KW 10; and Generator model 01 Honda EG6500CX 24 HP. Acquisition parameters: parameter mode of acquisition measurements time domain electrode config PDP (multidipole) dipole extension 100 m separ'n factor 10 measurement windows 20 delay time 2 Stacks 10 Reps 2 measured Vp range 1 to 5582.4 mV injected current intensity (mA): 0 to 1990 mA Ilo Este magnetometry survey sample regime described in the body of this release.

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Drilling techniques Drill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face- sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc). All drilling has been completed using diamond drilling at NQ core diamete rs Drill sample recovery Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.





Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples.





Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material. Drill core recovery is estimated to be 95- 98% overall with very minimal core loss. Logging Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies.





Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography.





The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged. Solis geologists logged all samples noting mineralogy, lithology, alteration and weathering state of samples obtained.





Logging is both quantitative and qualitative in nature.





All samples including any submitted Certified Reference Material (CRM) are individually photographed before submission.





All drill core trays are photographed in their entirety both pre and post sampling.





All geology and physical attributes such as colour and grain size were logged at each geochemical soil sample location

Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.





If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry.





For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.





Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representativity of samples.





Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in-situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.





Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled. All core samples have been sawn with circular diamond saw into half core sections with 50% retained for reference material.





The samples are considered to be representative of the intersected material and of an industry standard acceptable size.

Duplicate samples were not taken.





CRM standards and blanks have been included at an industry acceptable frequency.





Spil samples are considered to be on representative size, all samples were collected and prepared as to industry standards, duplicate samples were taken at every 20th sample site Quality of assay data and laboratory tests The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total.





For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc. Samples from both Mina Vermelha and Estrela were assayed at SGS GEOSOL Laboratories Ltda Brazil. Soil Geochem samples were also analysed at SGS GEOSOL





Analysis procedures are considered to be appropriate for lithium and multielement analysis.





If lithium results are above 15,000ppm, the lab analyses the pulp samples just for lithium through ICP90Q (fusion by sodium peroxide and finish with ICP/OES).

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary

Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established.



Solis inserted industry standard OREAS CRM for analysis with every individual batch submitted for assay. Verification of Sampling and assaying The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel.





The use of twinned holes.





Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols.





Discuss any adjustment to assay data. All Solis data is verified by the Competent Person. All data is stored in an electronic Access Database.





Assay data and results is reported, unadjusted.





Li2O results, when published in all Solis' ASX releases, are converted from Li results by multiplying this value by the industry factor 2.153. All Caesium results are reported as % with no conversion applied.

Location of data points Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation.





Specification of the grid system used.





Quality and adequacy of topographic control. Data is shown using the UTM SIRGAS 2000 zone 23 South grid system.





All samples and drill hole collar locations were captured using a handheld GPS and are later surveyed in with a DGPS . Data spacing and distribution Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results.





Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.





Whether sample compositing has been applied. No set drill sample spacing or pattern has been applied due to the preliminary nature of the sampling programme.





Soil geochemical samples were taken on a 200m x 100m grid pattern Orientation of data in relation to geological structure Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.





If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material.

Drill holes have been designed at all times to cut the orientation of interpreted and mapped outcropping mineralisation perpendicular to strike of the interpreted structures as to accurately as possible estimate the true width of the target bodies.





No bias has been introduced in current drilling and sampling Sample security The measures taken to ensure sample security. All samples are bagged onsite under supervision of Solis staff, all bags are then sealed and couriered to SGS laboratories with all relevant submission documentation. All samples once received are logged into the lab and notice of each sample received is sent and cross checked with sample dispatch.

Audits or reviews The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data. There have been no detailed external audits or reviews undertaken.





Solis has conducted an internal technical review of the available geological and other publicly available data.

Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results (Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section)

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Mineral tenement and land tenure status Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings.





The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area. The Mina Vermelha project area consists of 1 mining licence held in the name of "Florisbela comercio di plantas y Jardinagem ltda." Onca Mineracao has signed a binding option agreement sheet giving Onca the right to purchase 100% of each licence.





Mining Licences: 840.041/1985





Borborema exploration licences with work completed referred to in body of text are 848041/1985.





Licences are in good standing and have no known environmental or other liabilities of any kind.





Solis has all rights to drill and access all necessary areas within the licence including constructing of drill pads and tracks.





Geochemical soil sampling was undertaken across tenement numbers 848423/2022 and 848412/2022





Peruvian tenements at Ilo Este and Ilo Norte (Chancho al Palo) are all currently in good standing

Exploration done by other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties. The Company is not aware of any previous systematic exploration being undertaken within the tenements. Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. Prospective potential host units for the mineralised pegmatites are similar to the suite hosting the Colina-Salinas pegmatites held by Latin Resources Limited (ASX:LRS) in the state of Minas Gerais. They consist predominantly of metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks (schist, gneiss and quartzites) located close to the large granitoids from the G3 suite with batholiths, stocks and dykes represented. Pegmatites are located within 0-5km of the granite contacts.





Peru- Prospective potential IOCG and porphyry copper-gold deposits.

Drill hole

Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes:



easting and northing of the drill hole collar elevation or RL (Reduced Level - elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar dip and azimuth of the hole hole length





If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case. Refer to Table 1 in Appendix 1 of this ASX release

Criteria JORC Code explanation Commentary Data aggregation methods In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g. cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated.





Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high-grade results and longer lengths of low-grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail.





The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated. No data aggregation was used in reported exploration results. Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.





If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported.





If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (e.g. 'down hole length, true width not known'). Intersected mineralisation is considered to be sub vertical in orientation at both Mina Vermelha and Estrela.





Drilling at the Mina Vermelha asset tested all known outcropping pegmatites, several swarms are present at the Mina Vermelha asset with both east west and north east south west striking intrusives. A total of 1,609.6m core was recovered from 9 drill holes testing vertical depths down to 300m below surface

Diagrams Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views. The Company has included various maps and figures showing the sample results and geological context. Balanced reporting Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced avoiding misleading reporting of Exploration Results. N/A

Other substantive exploration data Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples - size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances.

The Company is not aware of any substantive exploration data relevant to its activities. Further work The nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).





Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive. Solis will continue its geochemical sampling of the regional geological setting including all known outcropping pegmatites at the Mina Vermelha project.





The drill programme at Estrela and Mina Vermelha has now been terminated with 3,691m completed.





EIA and drill permitting will progress on the Chancho al Palo and Ilo Norte assets throughout the year

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207248

SOURCE: Solis Minerals Ltd.
Jeff Cote to Retire as CEO and President; Martha Sullivan Appointed Interim President and CEO

Phillip Eyler Appointed to Board of Directors

Board Forms CEO Search Committee to Identify Permanent CEO

Enters into Cooperation and Information Sharing Agreements with Elliott

Sensata Technologies Holding plc (NYSE: ST) today announced that Jeff Cote, Chief Executive Officer and President of Sensata Technologies, has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to retire as CEO and President and step down as a member of the Sensata Board, effective April 30, 2024. The Board of Directors has appointed Martha Sullivan as Interim President and CEO and has established a CEO Search Committee to identify a new permanent CEO.

CEO Transition

Regarding Jeff Cote's decision to retire, Sensata Chairman Andrew C. Teich said, "Sensata is a strong, profitable business that is well-positioned for a bright future in an increasingly electrified world. The Board is grateful for Jeff's dedication and leadership in positioning the Company to benefit from these opportunities, and we wish him the best in his retirement."

"I am proud of the progress we have made in helping our customers solve their most challenging engineering and operational issues," said Cote. "I want to thank our customers, employees, and our shareholders. It was an honor to work alongside Team Sensata as we strove every day to create capabilities that helped transform our end-markets, and position Sensata as a trusted partner."

Regarding Martha Sullivan's appointment as Interim President and CEO, Teich added, "Martha's previous experience as Sensata's CEO and service as a Board member makes her ideally qualified to assume the Interim CEO role. We are confident that under her leadership, Sensata's talented team will continue to deliver for our customers and our shareholders as we work to identify and hire our next CEO."

"It is a privilege to lead Sensata and work alongside our incredibly talented team once again," said Sullivan. "I am committed to a smooth transition and nurturing the momentum underway as we continue to deliver trusted sensor-rich solutions to our customers."

The CEO Search Committee is initially comprised of current Sensata Board directors, Andrew Teich, Martha Sullivan, and John Mirshekari. The Committee will undertake the search with the assistance of a leading executive search firm.

New Independent Director Appointment

In addition, following a constructive dialogue with Elliott Investment Management L.P. (together with its affiliates, "Elliott"), Sensata has appointed Phillip Eyler to the Company's Board. Mr. Eyler will serve on the CEO Search Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee when he joins the Board on July 1, 2024. With the appointment of Eyler, Sensata's Board will consist of eleven directors, ten of whom are independent.

Regarding Phillip Eyler's appointment to the Board, Teich continued, "We are pleased to welcome Phil to the Board. He brings valuable insights and expertise, as a successful sitting CEO in an adjacent technology space with a proven track record of technology innovation and value creation. The Board looks forward to benefitting from his perspectives as we work to drive further shareholder value creation."

Elliott Partner Marc Steinberg and Portfolio Manager Austin Camporin added, "As Sensata's largest investor, we believe the Company is on the path to substantial shareholder value creation. We thank Jeff for his leadership, and we are highly confident in Martha's ability to guide Sensata through this transition. In addition, we believe Phil Eyler will bring fresh and relevant perspectives to the Board. Sensata's strategic sensor portfolio positions it to benefit from ongoing secular tailwinds, and we believe that as Sensata executes on its plans to improve performance, shareholders will benefit from this multi-year value creation opportunity."

The Company has entered into a Cooperation Agreement with Elliott, as well as an Information Sharing Agreement to facilitate an ongoing dialogue between Elliott and the Board as both seek to drive sustainable value creation for all Sensata shareholders. The Cooperation Agreement contains customary standstill, voting, and other provisions. A copy of the Cooperation Agreement will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2024.

About Martha Sullivan

Martha Sullivan has served as a director on Sensata's Board since February 2013. Ms. Sullivan previously served as Sensata's Chief Executive Officer and President from 2013 to 2020. Prior to being named CEO, Sullivan held various senior management positions at Sensata and its predecessor company, including Chief Operating Officer and President.

Sullivan currently serves on the Board of Directors at Avery Dennison Corporation. She is active in initiatives and organizations that focus on STEM education for young women and is currently co-chair of the Board of Trustees of Our Sisters' School (OSS), an independent, tuition-free school for economically disadvantaged middle school girls in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Sullivan has served as a member of the President's Advancement Council and President's Alumni Council at Michigan Technological University. She was inducted into the Academy of Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Tech and holds an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy from that institution.

About Phillip Eyler

Phillip Eyler brings more than 30 years of engineering, operations, and business expertise, primarily in the automotive industry to Sensata's Board of Directors. Since 2017, he has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Gentherm, Inc., the global market leader of innovative thermal management and pneumatic comfort technologies for the automotive industry and a leader in medical patient temperature management systems.

Prior to joining Gentherm, Eyler had an extensive career with Harman International Industries, Inc., the market leader in connected car solutions which was ultimately acquired by Samsung Electronics in 2017. At Harman, Eyler served in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility and scope during his 20-year tenure with the company, culminating in his appointment as President of the Connected Car division, where he oversaw a $3B portfolio of assets and led more than 8,000 employees. He began his career at Siemens Corporation. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.

First Quarter 2024 Earnings Results

In a separate press release issued today, Sensata reported its first quarter 2024 financial results and outlook for the second quarter of 2024. The Company will conduct a conference call today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its financial results.

About Sensata Technologies

Sensata Technologies is a global industrial technology company striving to create a cleaner, more efficient, electrified and connected world. Through its broad portfolio of sensors, electrical protection components and sensor-rich solutions which create valuable business insights, Sensata helps its customers address increasingly complex engineering and operating performance requirements. With more than 21,000 employees and global operations in 16 countries, Sensata serves customers in the automotive, heavy vehicle off-road, industrial, and aerospace markets. Learn more at www.sensata.com and follow Sensata on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "could," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "forecast," "continue," "intend," "plan," "potential," "opportunity," "guidance," and similar terms or phrases. Forward-looking statements involve, among other things, expectations, projections, and assumptions about future financial and operating results, objectives, business and market outlook, megatrends, priorities, growth, shareholder value, capital expenditures, cash flows, demand for products and services, share repurchases, and Sensata's strategic initiatives, including those relating to acquisitions and dispositions and the impact of such transactions on our strategic and operational plans and financial results. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other important factors relating to our operations and business environment, and we can give no assurances that these forward-looking statements will prove to be correct.

A wide variety of potential risks, uncertainties, and other factors could materially affect our ability to achieve the results either expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks related to public health crises, instability and changes in the global markets, supplier interruption or non-performance, the acquisition or disposition of businesses, adverse conditions or competition in the industries upon which we are dependent, intellectual property, product liability, warranty, and recall claims, market acceptance of new product introductions and product innovations, labor disruptions or increased labor costs, and changes in existing environmental or safety laws, regulations, and programs.

Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties, risks, and potential events including, but not limited to, those described in Item 1A: Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and as may be updated from time to time in Item 1A: Risk Factors in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or other subsequent filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update these statements other than as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429676910/en/

Contacts:

Investor Media Contact:

Alexia Taxiarchos

Head of Media Relations

+1 (508) 236-1761

investors@sensata.com
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Tsodilo Resources Limited (TSX Venture Exchange:TSD) ("Tsodilo" or the "Company")(TSX- V:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that it has negotiated a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of 1,042,500 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price per Unit of CDN $0.30, which will provide gross proceeds to the Company in the amount of CDN $312,750. Proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for the advancement of the Xaudum Iron Formation project in Botswana and for general corporate purposes and working capital.

Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company ("Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant") of the Company, each such Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company for a period of 24 months from the date of closing at an exercise price of USD $0.30.

The Common Shares and the Warrants comprising the Units and the Common Shares underlying the Warrants will be subject to a four month plus a day hold period from the date of closing per applicable regulatory requirements.

Closing of the Private Placement is subject to, among other things, receipt by the Company of TSX Venture Exchange approval.

About Tsodilo Resources Limited

Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond and metal deposits at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto") and Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba and Bosoto projects.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jbruchs@TsodiloResources.com Head Office Telephone +1 416 800-4214 Facsimile +1 416 987-4369 Website www.TsodiloResources.com

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited

View the original press release on accesswire.com
A Confluence of Digital Innovation and Cultural Insight: The FuturePanama Exhibition on Spatial.io Offers a Glimpse into Tomorrow's Panama Through Art and Dialogue

In a groundbreaking collaboration between NextPanam and Met Lab Latam, the virtual metaverse platform Spatial.io proudly hosts "FuturePanama," a virtual exhibition poised at the cutting edge of art and technology. This pioneering initiative showcases four distinct NFT collections, each designed to provoke thought and dialogue on the socio-economic transformations shaping Panama and the wider world.

Artistic Innovation Meets Analytical Rigor

The FuturePanama exhibition is a testament to the synergy between digital artistry and technological innovation, casting a reflective light on the challenges and opportunities within Panama's socio-economic landscape. By integrating NFTs with deep narrative content, the exhibition offers visitors an unparalleled engagement with Panama's evolving identity in the global arena.

Enhancing Understanding Through the FuturePanama Podcast

Complementing the visual experience, the FuturePanama Podcast acts as an audio guide, adding layers of context and depth to the themes explored within the NFT collections. Available on Spotify, the podcast features in-depth analyses of megatrends by Met Lab Latam, segmented into various thematic audio groups, enriching the audience's comprehension of the issues at hand.

Met Lab Latam's Analytical Insight

In collaboration with Met Lab Latam, the exhibition provides an analytical framework, dissecting four key trend groups pivotal for understanding the future trajectory of society and the economy. This analytical perspective offers attendees a unique vantage point to comprehend the forces redefining our daily lives and the fabric of Panama's cultural and economic landscape.

A Global Platform for Dialogue and Reflection

NextPanam and Met Lab Latam invite audiences worldwide to delve into the FuturePanama exhibition. More than a mere display of digital creativity, this initiative encourages active reflection and discussion, positioning itself as a digital forum for debating and visualizing future scenarios.

Event Access and Participation Details

FuturePanama is freely accessible on Spatial.io starting May 2024, offering an enriching experience designed to be a cornerstone event in cultural and intellectual discourse.

For more information, visit www.futurepanama.com, and join us in reimagining the future through the lens of art and technology.

Media Contact:

Organization: FuturePanama

Contact Person: Arual Razalas

Website: https://www.futurepanama.com/

Email: info@futurepanama.com

City: Panama

State: Panama

Country: Panama

SOURCE: FuturePanama

View the original press release on accesswire.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA) (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company"), announces that Non-Executive Director, Warren Gilman, is stepping down from the Board due to other business commitments. Warren will become a Senior Advisor to the Board and remains actively supportive of the Company.

Eduardo Covarrubias, Chairman of Los Andes, commented: "We would like to thank Warren for his invaluable support and time on the Board over the past three years. We are delighted that he has agreed to remain as a key Senior Advisor to the Board allowing us to continue to benefit from his extensive experience and backing."

Warren Gilman, Non-Executive Director, commented: "Los Andes Copper is in the enviable position of owning an advanced stage copper deposit at a time when copper demand is increasing, and a supply deficit is forecast. I am very pleased to continue to support the Company both personally, as a Senior Advisor to the Board, and through Queens Road Capital as it continues to progress the Vizcachitas Project."

About Los Andes Copper Ltd.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is a development company with an 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing Vizcachitas, which is located along one of Chile's most prolific copper belts. Vizcachitas is one of the largest copper deposits in the Americas not controlled by the majors and the Company believes it will be Chile's next major copper mine.

The Project is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 150 kilometres north of Santiago, in an area of very good infrastructure. An independent technical report for the PFS, prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, is available on the Company's SEDAR profile.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA.

For more information please contact:

Santiago Montt, CEO

Santiago.montt@losandescopper.com

Tel: +56 2 2954 0450

Elizabeth Johnson, Investor Relations

Elizabeth.Johnson@losandescopper.com

E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at www.losandescopper.com

Follow us on X: @LosAndesCopper

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207251

SOURCE: Los Andes Copper Ltd.
SunCHECK Version 5.0 addresses clinical workflow challenges with new treatment plan assessment capabilities, enhanced TPS/OIS integration, expanded QA device control, and worklist-based UI.

Sun Nuclear, a Mirion Medical company, today announced the upcoming version 5.0 release of its SunCHECK software for comprehensive Quality Management in radiation therapy. The SunCHECK software is used globally by radiation therapy departments to manage delivery system oversight and patient-specific treatment quality --- all in one platform. SunCHECK Version 5.0 introduces a broad range of features and user-driven enhancements that optimize workflows and prioritize patient safety.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429991805/en/

Sun Nuclear, a Mirion Medical company, announced the upcoming version 5.0 release of its SunCHECK software for comprehensive Quality Management in radiation therapy. SunCHECK v5.0 addresses clinical workflow challenges with new treatment plan assessment capabilities, enhanced TPS/OIS integration, expanded QA device control, and worklist-based UI. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The Connected Workspace for Higher Quality

Toward a vision of a truly connected ecosystem for quality assurance in radiation therapy, key enhancements in SunCHECK v5.0 include:

Better, earlier understanding of treatment plan quality and departmental standards from new plan feasibility evaluation and plan complexity metric features

Stronger continuity of clinical goals and data management when moving from linac treatment planning system (TPS)/oncology information system (OIS) into the SunCHECK software

Automation of time-intensive machine quality measurements with expanded device integration with the PC Electrometer device and 1D SCANNER water tank

At-a-glance worklists and intuitive patient and machine workflows reflected in the refreshed user interface

"In each new release of SunCHECK, we are connecting and accelerating clinical workflows, while expanding compatibility so clinicians can work effectively regardless of their department structure or equipment. By delivering efficiency gains and easing access to critical insights on treatment quality, we can help clinicians better focus on advancing care," said Luis Rivera, Sun Nuclear Radiation Therapy President.

Demonstrations of the latest software will be available in the Sun Nuclear booth (#930) at the ESTRO Annual Meeting, May 3-7, in Glasgow, Scotland. Sun Nuclear will host a lunch symposium, with a welcome from Tom Logan, Mirion CEO, on Sunday, May 5.

"I'm pleased to join my Sun Nuclear colleagues at ESTRO as we debut this landmark evolution of the SunCHECK software. This upcoming release is a significant leap forward, offering high impact functionality to support healthcare providers in delivering optimal care to patients," said Tom Logan, CEO of Mirion.

Learn more about the SunCHECK platform here.

About Sun Nuclear

Sun Nuclear is part of Mirion Medical, a group of healthcare-focused brands within Mirion. We provide innovative solutions for Radiation Therapy and Diagnostic Imaging centers. More than 5,000 cancer centers worldwide rely on us for independent, integrated Quality Management. With a focus on ongoing support, Sun Nuclear aims to ease technology adoption, enhance workflows and improve outcomes so that healthcare providers can achieve real results for Patient Safety. Visit us: sunnuclear.com. Follow us: @sunnuclear.

Sun Nuclear, SunCHECK, 1D SCANNER, and PC Electrometer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Mirion Technologies, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429991805/en/

Contacts:

For investor inquiries:

Jerry Estes

ir@mirion.com



For media inquiries:

Erin Schesny

media@mirion.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - West Island Brands Inc. (CSE: WIB) (FSE: 39N0) (OTC: WIBFF) ("West Island" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the Company has completed a non-brokered private placement financing (the "Financing") of 2,051,282 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.0975 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $200,000 and confirms issuance of securities.

Each such Unit is composed of one (1) common share ("Common Share") in the capital of the Company and one (1) Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), and each such Warrant shall be exercisable into a Common Share at an exercise price of $0.13 for a period of two (2) years. Completion of the financing is subject to regulatory approval.

The net proceeds for the Financing will be used, among other things, to resolve any outstanding fees, prepare audited financial statements and pay all other costs associated with applying for a full revocation of the failure to file cease trade order ("FFCTO") which was imposed upon the Company by the OSC on May 5, 2023 for failure to file certain documents which included (i) the audited annual financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022, (ii) the accompanying management discussion and analysis relating to the audited annual financial statements for year ended December 31, 2022, and (iii) certification in respect of the audited annual financial statements for year ended December 31, 2022, as required by National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings.

All securities issued under the Financing will be subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance.

About West Island

West Island is a multi-faceted, innovative company in the Quebec cannabis space. Its subsidiary, RoyalMax Biotechnology Canada Inc. D.B.A West Island Culture is a Montreal, Quebec based cannabis company. A Health Canada Licence Holder West Island has standard cultivation licence, standard processing, medical sales and sales licences.

For more information on West Island Brands please visit the website at: westislandbrands.com. West Island cannabis products can be found in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon Territories, Northwest Territories, Ontario and Quebec.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

WEST ISLAND BRANDS INC.

Boris Ziger

Boris Ziger, CEO

The Company's public filings are available for review at www.sedarplus.com and www.thecse.com.

For further information, please contact:

Boris Ziger, CEO at:

Telephone: 416-304-9935

E-mail: info@westislandbrands.com

Website: www.westislandbrands.com

Boris Ziger, PDG de :

Telephone: 416-304-9935

Courriel: info@westislandbrands.com

Site Web: www.westislandbrands.com

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

Certain information in this press release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as, "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "believe, "intend", "plan", "forecast", "project", "estimate", "outlook" and other similar expressions, and includes statements concerning the Company's intent to conduct the Financing, its belief that the proceeds will be sufficient to pay to bring its continuous disclosure record up to date, and its intent to file for a full revocation of the FFCTO, reinstatement of trading on the CSE, the ability to obtain the necessary approvals in connection with the Financing. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment; and the availability of licenses, approvals and permits. This information is based on current expectations that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward looking-statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.com.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek Safe Harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207310

SOURCE: West Island Brands Inc.
9 killed, 22 injured as pickup van collides with truck in India's Chhattisgarh

Xinhua) 16:12, April 29, 2024

NEW DELHI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and 22 others injured, some of them critically, after a pickup van collided with a stationary goods truck in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said Monday.

The accident took place Sunday night near Kathia village of Bemetara district, about 53 km north of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.

The deceased were identified as six women and three children. Seven of the injured were said to be in critical condition, police said, adding that the victims were returning home after attending a family function in nearby Tiraiyya village.

Preliminary investigations carried out by the police suggest the fast-driven pickup van rammed into the goods truck that was parked along the roadside.

Around 150,000 people are killed every year in about half a million road accidents across India, officials said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing)
Strong Progress Continues on the Back of ASX Listing With Significant Mine Life Extension and Solid Production Despite Power Outage

Metals Acquisition Limited (NYSE: MTAL; ASX:MAC)

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429865979/en/

Figure 1 CSA Copper Mine Recordable Injuries by Quarter (Graphic: Business Wire)

Metals Acquisition Limited ARBN 671 963 198 (NYSE: MTAL; ASX: MAC), a private limited company incorporated under the laws of Jersey, Channel Islands ("MAC" or the "Company") is pleased to release its March 2024 quarterly activities report ("Q1 2024" or "March quarter

HIGHLIGHTS

TRIFR of 11.9 Q1 2024 increase albeit below industry average implementing strategies to remediate.

67% increase in mine life to 11 years with new Resource and Reserve ("R+R1") issued

64% increase in contained Copper (" Cu ") after replacement of depletion in Ore Reserves at 3.3% Cu average grade.

") after replacement of depletion in Ore Reserves at 3.3% Cu average grade. 42% increase in contained Cu after replacement of depletion in Mineral Resources at 4.9% Cu average grade.

2023 Ore Reserve only extends 95m vertically below the current decline position.

All deposits2, are open in at least one direction and drilling is continuing to further increase the R+R.

Three-year copper production guidance issued increasing by ~25%3 over the period

Based on the updated R+R, Cu production guidance is provided for 3 years with the following ranges: 2024: 38,000 to 43,000; 2025: 43,000 to 48,000; and 2026: 48,000 to 53,000 Cu tonnes.



ASX IPO raise with increased liquidity and balance sheet strength

Raised US$214 million (A$325 million) (before costs) at A$17.00 per CDI (the top of the indicative price range) 4

Repaid US$127 million of interest-bearing liabilities including principal under the senior syndicated facility, the deferred consideration as well as the final completion adjustment with Glencore during Q1 2024.

Liquidity of ~US$100 million as at 31 March 2024, expected to increase in the current quarter on the back of strong copper price.

Based on the reserve plan, Cu production should increase sequentially over remainder of 2024

Q1 2024 production of 8,786 tonnes of Cu is down 11% quarter on quarter and from our planned rate.

Lower production was driven by power outage and lower grades being mined from the East and West deposits.

Mining shifted at the latter part of the quarter to higher grade areas within the QTSN and QTSC zones and reducing the mining at East and West deposits.

C1 Cash cost5 increased mainly due to power outage and lower grade

Q1 2024 C1 costs of US$2.15/lb, up ~8% on the prior quarter largely due to lower grade milled in addition to a site power outage which resulted in three days of lost production.

Underground capital development of 467m (down 44% on Q4 2023) due to focus on the new mineral reserve plan, increased rehabilitation metres during the quarter, impacts from increased ground support requirements and underground waste storage.

Drilling and exploration results in the quarter

MAC has continued drilling since acquiring the CSA Copper Mine in June 2023 with a view to expand its high quality resource base to underpin a new reserve estimate and mine plan.

In March continuing exploration and resource development at the CSA Copper Mine saw additional drilling at QTS North, QTS Central, the near surface QTS South Upper A, the upper Pb-Zn mineralisation of the Eastern and Western Systems and the Cherry Prospect on CML5.

Drill results were reported including 19.2m 10.4% Cu, 16.0m 10.4% Cu at QTS North and 3m 13.9% Cu QTS South Upper A. 6

Given that all the deposits are open, and a large drill program is underway, we consider it likely that there will be changes over the relevant period as the Company's overall plan to continue operational and production improvement continues to develop.

To improve exploration targeting underground Downhole Electromagnetic surveys are continuing to be employed by MAC with a permanent geophysical loop installed at QTSC. Drillhole UDD22135 was surveyed, which drilled through QTSC and some 400m east of the deposit, DHEM results are expected in Q2 2024.

In March a high-powered Fixed-Loop Electromagnetic Geophysical Survey using low temperature Superconducting Quantum Interference Device sensors was commenced. The survey, upon completion, covered 26km of highly prospective ground surrounding the CSA Mine on CML5 and encompassing exploration licence EL5693. This survey is partially complete and preliminary data indicates a number of anomalies have been generated.

During Q1 2024 US$1.3 million (Q4 2023:US$0.7 million) was invested in exploration.

Unless stated otherwise all references to dollar or are in USD.

Metals Acquisition Limited's CEO, Mick McMullen, said:

"Our operations performed largely as expected during the March quarter with the exception of lower mill grade and a power outage from a large off site storm event as announced in March. The quarter-on-quarter variances we are seeing is also impacted by the lower number of high grade stopes in Q1 relative to other quarters. The higher-grade stopes are a large proportion of our production and the timing of mining these has a significant impact on quarter on quarter production.

We ended the quarter with a large broken ore stockpile of high-grade ore which, combined with two large high grade stopes to be mined in Q2, will underpin a sequentially higher production during Q2. Based on the reserve plan, copper production should continue to increase sequentially over the remaining quarters of the year.

In this quarter, we successfully listed on the ASX and thank our new shareholders for their support. The listing is a huge milestone for the Company as we continue to expand towards our long-term goal of owning and operating multiple metals and mining assets to become a notable and respected player in the industry.

We have already put the additional liquidity to good use in reducing our overall interest-bearing liabilities by approximately $127 million which further support simplifying and building a strong balance sheet.

As part of the ongoing turnaround and optimisation at the CSA Copper Mine we announced subsequent to quarter-end the new Reserve and Resource Statement which is a snapshot in time based on information available back in August 2023. The new 2023 Reserves and Resources Statement shows a substantial increase of 64% in contained copper after replacement of depletion to 0.5Mt in Ore Reserves at an average grade of 3.3% Cu and an impressive 42% increase in total contained Cu after replacement of depletion to 0.7Mt in total Mineral Resources at an average grade of 4.9% Cu respectively compared to the 2022 Reserve and Resource Statement.

The listing and the resource upgrade vindicate our belief that the CSA Copper Mine is a high-quality long life copper asset.

Importantly, despite the near doubling of the Ore Reserves and a 67% increase in the mine life to 11 years, we still have 4.7Mt 4.9% Cu (230Kt Cu) in the Measured and Indicated Category and 3.3Mt 5.5% Cu (180Kt Cu) in the Inferred Category that are not included in the Ore Reserves and work is underway to convert these to our Ore Reserve estimates in the future.

We also announced exploration drilling results in and around the mine confirm the high-grade nature of the operation with most deposits open at depth and in some cases up dip as well (QTSC). The results from the QTSS Upper A deposit are highly encouraging so close to surface and we are excited to see what additional value we can create through the drill bit.

Following the new Reserves and Resources Statement we also issued a three-year copper production guidance which shows copper production increasing by around 25% over the three-year period, if the mid-point outcomes for each year is assumed, to over 50,000 tonnes of copper in 2026.

With a disciplined M&A strategy, we will continue to evaluate prospects for growth to enhance shareholder value.

Finally, we welcomed our new CFO, Morne Engelbrecht to our team. Morne brings a wealth of experience to the leadership team and he has already started to have a positive impact on our turn around of the CSA Copper Mine and provides additional management strength as we look to add value for shareholders."

ESG

Safety

The TRIFR for the CSA Copper Mine increased from an average of 10.1 in Q4 2023 to 11.9 in Q1 2024 (refer Figure 1). This is below the NSW underground metalliferous TRIFR for 2022 of 15.5. Unfortunately, Q1 2024 has not been favourable for safety performance with two LTI's, two MTI's and one RWI recorded for the period. Whilst the TRIFR was below the industry average, the safety performance during the March quarter was disappointing and we are implementing strategies to remediate.

Figure 1 CSA Copper Mine Recordable Injuries by Quarter

Regulatory

The March quarter was relatively quiet on regulatory matters and very much a business-as-usual quarter.

The site has reviewed and updated the Environmental Management System to be consistent with ISO14001, updated the Rehabilitation Management Plan, the Site Water Management Plan as well as a review and update of the Pollution Incident Response Management Plan.

The STSF Stage 9 buttress bulk earthworks are largely complete, with the surface stabilisation works underway. Geofabric has been placed over the buttresses and the 80,000m3 of screened waste rock from North TSF placed as capping to prevent erosion.

The project is tracking ahead of schedule and under budget. Current works to complete for April 2024 is screening of material to be used in Stage 10.

Figure 2 CSA Copper Mine Covering Geofabric on Stage 9 Buttress

Planning work is underway for the Stage 10 lift, with the tender documents nearing completion.

Operations

Table 1 Quarterly Operational Performance of the CSA Copper Mine

Q2 2023 Q3 2023 Q4 2023 Q1 2024 Ore Tonnes Milled 254,381 300,328 266,105 260,297 Grade Milled 3.1% 3.4% 3.8% 3.5% Copper Recovery (%) 98.1% 97.3% 97.6% 97.6% Copper Produced (t) 7,779 9,845 9,832 8,786 Silver Produced (oz) 99,117 115,081 114,969 102,182 Mining Cost/t Ore Mined (US$) $93.9 $84.8 $75.5 $95.7 Processing Cost/t Milled (US$) $28.0 $19.8 $25.5 $25.7 G+A Cost/t Milled (US$) $27.6 $24.2 $29.6 $33.1 Total Operating Cost/t (US$) $149.5 $128.7 $130.6 $154.6 C1 (US$/lb) $3.02 $1.86 $1.997 $2.15 Development Cost/metre (US$) $11,773 $10,225 $9,667 $15,478 Total Capital Expenditure (US$m) $13.2 $10.6 $10.0 $12.9 Tonnes Milled/employee 162 201 189 184

The March quarter was affected by the sitewide power outage occurring on 29 February 2024, which resulted in three days of production being impacted when accounting for a restart and ramp up back to normal operational levels.

In addition, copper production was also affected by the lower mill grade, of 3.5%, when comparing against the prior quarter production. This resulted in the lower copper production tonnes as seen in Figure 3. Copper grades were negatively impacted by a higher proportion of ore mined from the East and West deposits compared to the prior two quarters. Grades in the QTSN and QTSC deposits are significantly higher, and based on the new reserve mine plan the mining from East and West deposits is being reduced and pushed towards the latter years.

Mining has been redirected to the higher grade QTSN and QTSC deposits to maximise production in the near term whilst the ventilation constraints at the mine are removed.

Figure 3 CSA Copper Mine Quarterly Copper Production

The average received copper price before hedge settlements was consistent when comparing to the prior period with March quarter at US$3.87/lb compared to US$3.85/lb for the December quarter with the average spot copper price over the March quarter at ~US$3.83/lb.

In addition, the Australian dollar exchange rate was broadly flat compared to the prior quarter.

As seen in Figure 4, C1 cash costs increased quarter on quarter from US$1.99/lb in the December quarter to US$2.15/lb for March quarter. The lower production tonnes, as detailed above, resulted in an impact to C1 costs of approximately US$0.14/lb, whilst the overall cost variance was approximately US$0.02/lb. This demonstrates the high fixed cost nature of the operation.

Figure 4 CSA Copper Mine C1 Cash Costs

MAC management will continue to implement additional productivity measures to further reduce C1 costs.

Figure 5 provides an illustration of tonnes milled per employee with the slight decrease during the March quarter again driven by the decrease in tonnes milled due to the power outage affecting ore availability.

Figure 5 CSA Copper Mine Tonnes Milled per Employee

Apart from copper production, the largest driver of C1 costs is the mining unit rate as mining accounts for approximately 60% of total site operating costs.

Figure 6 CSA Copper Mine Mining Unit Rate

Mining unit rates increased from the prior quarter partly a result of the lower capital development performed during the quarter, in addition to the impacts of lower volumes a result of the power outage and increase in costs.

The lower capital development performed resulted in a lower portion of costs able to be capitalised in the quarter, and hence contributed to the increase in the mining costs.

Figure 7 illustrates the cost per metre of development over the course of the year, with a 60% increase in the unit rate during the March quarter when compared to the prior quarter.

This is largely driven by the decrease in capital development metres from 841m in December quarter to 467m during the March quarter, with resources allocated to rehabilitation works instead of development.

Figure 7 CSA Copper Mine Mining Development Costs

Figures 8 and 9 shows the unit rates for processing and site G&A for the year.

Processing costs per tonnes milled increased in the March quarter given the decrease in volume.

In addition, G&A unit rates also increased during the current quarter.

Figure 8 CSA Copper Mine ProcessingUnit Rate

Figure 9 CSA Copper Mine Site G+A Unit Rate

As seen in Figure 10, capital spend (including capitalized development) has increased over the quarter, largely driven by work on the TSF embankment. This is in line with previous indications to the market.

Capital development metres also decreased in the March quarter by 44%, resulting in a higher unit cost per metre. Increased volumes in capital development will be required in the future in order to keep the unit costs down.

Figure 10 CSA Copper Mine Site Capital Expenditure

Mine Plan, Resource and Reserve

Subsequent to quarter-end on 23 April 2024 we announced the release of the new 2023 Reserves and Resources Statement ("R+R"). The effective date for the R+R is 31 August 2023 and as such, any new information received after that time has not been incorporated into the R+R at this stage.

Highlights from the R+R include:

67% increase in mine life to 11-years (end of 2034) based on Ore Reserves only, compared to the 6-year mine life in the 2022 Resources and Reserves Statement

64% increase in contained copper (" Cu ") after replacement of depletion to 0.5Mt in Ore Reserves (Refer Table 3 included in the R+R ASX Announcement on 23 April 2024 for breakdown) at an average grade of 3.3% Cu

") after replacement of depletion to 0.5Mt in Ore Reserves (Refer Table 3 included in the R+R ASX Announcement on 23 April 2024 for breakdown) at an average grade of 3.3% Cu 42% increase in total contained Cu after replacement of depletion to 1Mt in total Mineral Resources (Refer Table 2 included in the R+R ASX Announcement on 23 April 2024 for breakdown) at an average grade of 4.9% Cu

83% increase in contained Cu after replacement of depletion to 0.8Mt in the Measured and Indicated Resources categories

Above increases have come after only 10 months of ownership and based on data from 2.5 months post-closing of the acquisition with the effective date for the R+R being 31 August 2023

2023 Ore Reserve only extends 95m vertically below the current decline position

All deposits (other than QTSSU-A (feasibility study), are open in at least one direction and drilling is continuing to further increase the R+R, subject to exploration success and economic factors

Work is continuing on updating the mine plans as new information is received and importantly following on from the completion of MAC's dual listing on the ASX and public offer that raised A$325 million of equity the Company is pushing forward with its growth capital spending to further optimise the mine plan.

Finance and Corporate

ASX IPO

During January the Company lodged a prospectus with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to undertake an Initial Public Offering in Australia of CHESS depository interests ("CDI"s) and to seek a dual listing on the ASX.

MAC raised A$325 million (before costs) via the issue of 19,117,648 CDIs at the top of the indicative price range, being A$17.00 per CDI. Given the level of demand under the bookbuild process in connection with the Offer, MAC determined to upsize the raise from the original A$300 million to A$325 million.

Based on the final price of A$17.00 per CDI, at listing MAC has an implied total market capitalisation of approximately A$1.18 billion. This cements MAC's IPO as the biggest ASX mining listing based on market capitalisation in over 5 years.

MAC was admitted to the ASX on 16 February 2024 and commenced trading on 20 February 2024 under the code 'MAC', and is now dual listed on the ASX and the NYSE.

Resignation of Non-Executive Director

Subsequent to quarter end on 3 April 2024, it was announced that Mr Rhett Bennett has resigned from his position as a Non-Executive Director of the Company. The Board has advanced a process to identify and recruit additional directors that align with the diversification objectives of the Company.

Three Year Production Guidance

Based on the updated R+R, the Company is providing the following production guidance for the next 3 years:

Table 2 CSA Copper Mine Production Guidance

2024 2025 2026 Low Range High Range Low Range High Range Low Range High Range Cu Production (tonnes) 38,000 43,000 43,000 48,000 48,000 53,000

This 3-year production guidance is based primarily on Ore Reserves but also on measured and indicated Mineral Resources (as at 31 August 2023) and, given that all the deposits are open and a large drill program is underway, we consider it likely that there will be changes over the relevant period as the Company's overall plan to continue operational and production improvement continues to develop.

Hedging

During the quarter, the Company delivered 3,105 tonnes of copper into the hedge book at an average price of US$3.72/lb. At the end of March, the remaining copper hedge book consisted of the following:

Table 3 Hedge position

Year Tonnes Price US$/lb 2024 9,315 $3.72 2025 12,420 $3.72 2026 5,175 $3.72

Liquidity

During the quarter the Company paid a further US$7.6 million off the Senior Debt Facility A, and repaid in full US$25.0 million of the revolving credit facility (Facility B), with US$183.3 million principal outstanding at March quarter end.

On 16 February 2024 MAC used part of the proceeds from the ASX IPO to repay in full the US$82.9 million (A$127 million) deferred consideration facility to Glencore in connection with the acquisition of CSA mine.

As of 31 March 2024 the Company had ~US$100 million of liquidity and, as at the date of this release, has approximately US$10.4 million of outstanding Quotational Period receipts at current prices.

Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the Company's first quarter 2024 results on Monday, April 29, 2024 at 7:00 pm (New York time) Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 9:00 am (Sydney time).

Details for the conference call and webcast are included below.

Webcast

Participants can access the webcast at the following link https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/225480402.

Conference Call

Participants can dial into the live call by dialling 800-274-8461 or +1-203-518-9783 and providing the conference ID 'METALS'.

Replay

The conference call will be available for playback until July 29, 2024, and can be accessed by dialling 1-888-566-0859 or +1-402-220-0449 or visiting the webcast link https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/225480402.

This report is authorised for release by the Board of Directors.

About Metals Acquisition Limited

Metals Acquisition Limited (NYSE: MTAL) is a company focused on operating and acquiring metals and mining businesses in high quality, stable jurisdictions that are critical in the electrification and decarbonization of the global economy.

Estimates of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and Production Target

This release contains estimates of Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources as well as a Production Target. The Ore Reserves, Mineral Resources and Production Target are reported in MAC's ASX Announcement dated 23 April 2024 titled 'Updated Resource and Reserve Statement and Production Guidance' (the R&R Announcement). The Company is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the R&R Announcement, and that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates or Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources in the R&R Announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The material assumptions underpinning the Production Target in the R&R Announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. It is a requirement of the ASX Listing Rules that the reporting of ore reserves and mineral resources in Australia comply with the JORC Code. Investors outside Australia should note that while exploration results, mineral resources and ore reserves estimates of MAC in this presentation comply with the JORC Code, they may not comply with the relevant guidelines in other countries and, in particular, do not comply with (i) National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) of the Canadian Securities Administrators; or (ii) the requirements adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in its Subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K. Information contained in this presentation describing mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of Canadian or US securities laws.

Forward Looking Statements

This release includes "forward-looking statements." The forward-looking information is based on the Company's expectations, estimates, projections and opinions of management made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of copper, continuing commercial production at the CSA Copper Mine without any major disruption, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate.

MAC's actual results may differ from expectations, estimates, and projections and, consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as "expect," "estimate," "project," "budget," "forecast," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "may," "will," "could," "should," "believes," "predicts," "potential," "continue," and similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify such forward- looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, MAC's expectations with respect to future performance of the CSA Copper Mine. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside MAC's control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: the supply and demand for copper; the future price of copper; the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures and requirements for additional capital; cash flow provided by operating activities; unanticipated reclamation expenses; claims and limitations on insurance coverage; the uncertainty in Mineral Resource estimates; the uncertainty in geological, metallurgical and geotechnical studies and opinions; infrastructure risks; and other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in MAC's other filings with the SEC and the ASX. MAC cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. MAC cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. MAC does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

More information on potential factors that could affect MAC's or CSA Copper Mine's financial results is included from time to time in MAC's public reports filed with the SEC and the ASX. If any of these risks materialize or MAC's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that MAC does not presently know, or that MAC currently believes are immaterial, that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect MAC's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this communication. MAC anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its assessments to change. However, while MAC may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, MAC specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, except as required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing MAC's assessment as of any date subsequent to the date of this communication. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

Non-IFRS financial information

MAC's results are reported under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), noting the results in this report have not been audited or reviewed. This release may also include certain non-IFRS measures including C1 costs. These C1 cost measures are used internally by management to assess the performance of our business, make decisions on the allocation of our resources and assess operational management. Non-IFRS measures have not been subject to audit or review and should not be considered as an indication of or alternative to an IFRS measure of financial performance.

__________________________

1 Refer to Reserves and Resource Statement issued subsequent to quarter end on 23 April 2024.

2 Other than QTSSU-A which is subject to a feasibility study. Also subject to exploration success and economic factors.

3 Assuming the mid-point outcome for each year.

4 Top of the guidance range was A$17.00 per CDI and commenced trading on the ASX on 20 February 2024 under the code 'MAC'.

5 MAC's reports under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), noting the results in this report have not been audited or reviewed. This release also includes certain non-IFRS measures including C1 costs. These measures are used internally by management to assess the performance of our business, make decisions on the allocation of our resources and assess operational management. Non-IFRS measures have not been subject to audit or review and should not be considered as an indication of or alternative to an IFRS measure of financial performance.

6 Refer to ASX announcement made on 19 March 2024.

7 Includes US$0.11 per pound of costs relating to additional shipment made post Q3 cut-off.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429865979/en/

Contacts:

Mick McMullen

Chief Executive Officer

Metals Acquisition Limited.

investors@metalsacqcorp.com

Morne Engelbrecht

Chief Financial Officer

Metals Acquisition Limited.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. (TSXV: CHS) (the "Company" or "CHS"), an industry leader in healthcare benefits administration software and services, announces that it will be delayed in the filing of its annual audited financial statements, associated MD&A and officer certifications (the "Annual Filings") for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which are due on April 29, 2024.

As previously disclosed in its interim financial statements for the three- and nine-month periods ending September 30, 2023 and related management discussion & analysis, the Company experienced financial difficulties with heavy losses, changes in financial personnel (including the resignation of the CFO and the Controller) and other operational challenges. As a result, the Company made significant restructuring efforts to reduce increasing costs and improve operations. Although the Company has made significant progress, these difficulties led to the delay in the Annual Filings (and the directly resulting delay in the Interim Filings) and in the audit preparation process.

The Company has been diligently working to fix these issues. It has engaged an external consultant to act as the Controller for the Company and hired an interim CFO. The Company has streamlined its internal accounting and bookkeeping processes to simplify the preparation of financial statements. It is also seeking help from an outside financial advisory firm with the preparation of accounts for the audit.

The Company is also implementing additional audit procedures to further improve financial reporting, requiring more time for audit reviews and verifications. As a result, the Company and its auditors require additional time to complete the audit process.

In addition, the Company needs to raise additional funds to pay for overdue audit fees from its prior fiscal year and the audit fees for the current fiscal year's audit.

The Company expects the audit process to be completed and the Annual Filings to be filed on or before June 29, 2024.

The Company intends to satisfy the provisions of the alternative information guidelines set forth in sections 9 and 10 of National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders so long as it remains in default of the Annual Filings, and so long as it anticipates or is in default of the Interim Filings. The Company further advises that it is not subject to any insolvency proceedings, and that there is no other material information concerning the affairs of the Company at this time that has not been generally disclosed.

About Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc.

Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Province of Alberta and is the parent company of Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc. (Delaware). The Company is a vertically integrated software as a services (SaaS) company focused on digitizing healthcare with Healthcare Benefits Administration solutions, providing reliable and high-volume transaction capable systems. The Company's state-of-the-art Novus 360 Healthcare Welfare and Benefits Administration (HWBA) SaaS platform is used by clients for all aspects of healthcare benefits administration (including self-funded employers, providers, and labor unions), providing healthcare administrative software and technology-enabled services.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

The press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "budget," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "scheduled," "forecast," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "to be," "could," "would," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods or the negative or comparable terminology, as well as terms usually used in the future and conditional. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as of the date they are provided. However, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.

Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors that could cause the Company's actual results and financial conditions to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could cause actual results and financial conditions to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, include among others: general economic, market and business conditions in Canada and globally; market volatility; unforeseen delays in timelines for any of the transactions or events described in this press release; and the risk of regulatory changes that may impact the business of the Company. All forward-looking information is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statement or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events, or developments, except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc.

For further information:

COMPREHENSIVE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS INC.

Chris Cosgrove, Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: chris.cosgrove@comphealthcare.com

Phone: 1-732-362-2010

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207279

SOURCE: Comprehensive Healthcare Systems Inc.
Higala, a Manila, Philippines-based startup providing an inclusive instant payment system (IIPS), raised an undisclosed amount in Seed funding.

Backers were Talino Venture Studios, and Chemonics International.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and development efforts.

Led by President and CEO Vice Catudio, Higala promotes inclusion by lowering the cost of real-time payments, which helps nancial institutions to reasonably price their instant payments. It also aims to provide inclusive nancial solutions to the underbanked as well as rapidly enable merchants to accept digital payments. It is also building core instant payment technology that can accommodate nancial institutions of all sizes and turn banks into digital banks through white label app services.

Higalas partners and collaborators include BSP, the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, Xendit, FinTech Alliance.Ph, and the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines.

Commenting on the news, Vice Cataudio said: Higala will help modernize our countrys digital nancial infrastructures and enable the participation of nancial institutions through our network. Our goal is to make banking more inclusive, especially to the underserved segments of the population that have limited access to traditional banking services.

FinSMEs

29/04/2024
Hinkal, a San Francisco, CA-based multi-chain privacy layer for confidential decentralized finance (DeFi) transactions, raised $1.4M in funding.

The round was led by SALT Fund, with participation from Draper Associates, SNZ and Peer VC.

The company intends to use the funds to bring liquid funds, VCs, family offices and founders of projects to its confidential infrastructure.

Founded by Giorgi Koreli and his Ph.D. brother, Nika Koreli, Hinkal provides a solution for venture capital and founding teams looking to liquidate vested tokens in a private and secure environment. These stakeholders have traditionally struggled with token vesting and liquidations, as this process often results in adverse price impacts that dilute net settlement and sends mixed messages to the community. With Hinkal, VCs and teams can receive any vested token directly into a private address and liquidate privately without these impacts to the market. It is a ZK-based solution that provides a private smart contract wallet experience, allowing users to participate in their favorite dApps directly from their private addresses without the need to withdraw assets for obfuscation.

Hinkal requires KYC(B) (Know Your Customer/Business) verification for users to prevent illicit parties from using the protocol while simultaneously providing a streamlined experience via reusable attestations at exchanges like Coinbase and Binance. Audited by major firms including Quanstamp and Zokyo, the company provides a secure trading experience and real-time threat mitigation with Hexagate.

The raise follows the close of Hinkals $4.1M seed funding round in November of 2023.

FinSMEs

29/04/2024
Centauri-IVD Platform

Hitachi is to acquire all shares of MA micro automation GmbH, a St. Leon-Rot, Germany-based leader in the field of automation technology and development of special machines, from MAX Management GmbH (a subsidiary of MAX Automation SE).

The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2024, pending completion of the customary regulatory filings. After the acquisition is completed, MA micro automation will join JR Automation Technologies, a market leader in providing advanced automation solutions and digital technologies in the robotic system integration business for North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia as a continued effort to expand the companys global presence.

Established in 2003 through a carve-out from Siemens and since 2013 part of the MAX Automation group, and led by Joachim Hardt, CEO, MA micro automation is a technology leader for automation solutions within micro-assembly. Through its state-of-the-art proprietary high-speed and high-precision automation know-how, combined with optical image inspection capabilities, the company serves high-growth med-tech automation end-markets, covering the production, assembly, and testing medical and optical components including contact lenses, IVD and diabetes diagnostics consumables, and injection molding for medical use. The company reached  46.5m in revenue in 2023.

With this acquisition, Hitachi aims to further enhance its ability to provide a Total Seamless Solution*2 to connect manufacturers factory floors digitally with their front office data, allowing them to achieve total optimization and bringing Industry 4.0 to life.

Led by CEO Kazunobu Morita, Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. It solves customers and societys challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the 3 business sectors of Digital Systems & Services  supporting our customers digital transformation; Green Energy & Mobility  contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and Connective Industries  connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries.

FinSMEs

29/04/2024
Indigitall, a Madrid, Spain-based company that provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution to personalize digital communications between brands and their customers, raised 6M in Series A funding.

The round was led by Data Point Capital, GoHub Ventures and Adara Ventures.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate its growth in Latin America and Spain and launch services in the US market.

Led by CEO Juan Carlos, Indigitall provides an AI-powered software platform that allows organizations to communicate with their customers across all incoming and outgoing digital channels and to personalize their messaging campaigns according to the audiences on each channel. This solution covers smartphones, mobile apps, web browsing, Google and Apple Wallet, and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Teams, Messenger, and Instagram. In addition, Indigitall can be integrated with any CRM.

The company works with over 200 enterprises and has established operations in over 20 countries, including Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Companies that have integrated it into their mobile applications and websites include McDonalds, Bankinter, Banco de Credito de Peru, Movistar, Televisa, and Grupo Claro.

Indigitall also empowers customer experience AI chatbots for clients such as Mercadona, El Corte Ingles, and Sanitas.

The company also is Metas exclusive partner for WhatsApp Business Platform services in Spain.

FinSMEs

29/04/2024
BlockDAG, having raised $21.4M and sold over 8.1 billion coins till its 10th batch, will launch with $100 million in liquidity support and a fixed 4-month vesting period to foster trust and equitable participation among investors. Meanwhile, Ethereum trading is undergoing a reversal, transitioning from a bullish to a bearish trend at a critical technical juncture. Additionally, Shiba Inus market capitalisation has experienced a marginal decline of 1.3 per cent, settling at approximately $15.64 Billion.

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Ethereum Trading: Bearish Trend Analysis and Potential Reversal Signals

Ethereum trading witnessed a downturn, hinting at a continuing bearish trend. Its transitioning from bullish to bearish, as seen in key technical indicators.

Rejection at the middle Bollinger Band and $3,300 resistance confirms this, matching April 13s anchor bar, signaling the bearish continuation.

Currently, Ethereum is within a bearish breakout formation, down 3 per cent in the last day but stable, with a 6 per cent weekly increase.

Bulls need to resist downward pressure, requiring strength and volume spikes. Average trading volume in the last 24 hours rose 30 per cent to $14 billion, indicating increased selling. Like Bitcoin and altcoins, ETH/USD is sliding bearish, but traders anticipate a reversal. However, the prevailing path remains southward, with selling entries below $3,300 targeting April 2024 lows at $3,000. A breakout above $3,300 with increased volume would challenge this bearish outlook.

Shiba Inu: Surging Value and Burn Rate Impact

Shiba Inu Coin, a leading meme coin, surged by over 2 per cent in the past 24 hours, signaling growing investor confidence. Trading at $0.00002618, its market cap slightly decreased to $15.64 billion, yet it maintains a top 15 position globally.

Trade volume surged by 45.12 per cent, indicating increased interest.

Despite a 4 per cent drop last month, SHIB saw a 22 per cent rise over the week, now ranging between $0.000021 and $0.0000278.

In the last 24 hours, SHIBs burn rate skyrocketed by approximately 2200 per cent, eliminating 1.84 million tokens. This surge, alongside a bullish market activity, fuels optimism. SHIB faces resistance at $0.000027, aiming for $0.00005. Support lies at $0.000026, with a potential drop to $0.000025. Selling pressure may lead below $0.000009, signaling a bearish trend. With these dynamics, SHIB price predictions remain a topic of interest among investors.

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BlockDAGs Presale Triumphs & Vesting Strategy

BlockDAG has reached stage 10, amassing an impressive $21.4 Million in its ongoing presale. Following the successful launch of DAGpaper in a notable appearance at the Las Vegas Sphere, BlockDAG is now venturing into uncharted territory, teasing a promo for a keynote video set on the moon. With a well-defined roadmap, including a 6-month mainnet launch and an ambitious goal to reach $600 million in 2024, analysts are projecting a high return potential of 30,000x for BlockDAG, setting as one of the top cryptos to buy.

At launch, BlockDAG will be backed by $100 million in liquidity and will implement a vesting strategy to support project stability and long-term goals. This approach aims to maintain stability and prevent market volatility. In addition to liquidity provision, a vesting period is being introduced for presale coin holders. This measure serves to safeguard the value of the coins and emphasises dedication to responsible coin distribution.

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Moreover, BlockDAG strategically displayed a keynote video at Shibuya Crossing, a bustling Tokyo hotspot renowned for its high foot traffic and global recognition.

This innovative approach signifies BlockDAGs strategy to capture the cryptocurrency markets attention. Leveraging such a widely recognised location, BlockDAG successfully boosted visibility and ignited significant interest in its new cryptocurrency offering, showcasing the power of strategic marketing in the competitive crypto space.

Final Thought

Ethereum trading is currently within a bearish breakout formation, encountering downward pressure, while Shiba Inu surges amidst bullish market activity, boosting optimism for SHIB price predictions.

Meanwhile, in a bid to underscore long-term growth, BlockDAG has implemented a vesting period for coins acquired during our presale, aiming to align investor interests with the projects enduring success. This strategic maneuver is underscored by the presales success in amassing $21.4M and selling over 8.1B coins, positioning BlockDAG as one of the top cryptos to buy.

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Join BlockDAG Presale Now:

Website: https://blockdag.network

Presale: https://purchase.blockdag.network

Telegram: https://t.me/blockDAGnetworkOfficial

Discord: https://discord.gg/Q7BxghMVyu

Above mentioned article is consumer connect initiative.

This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Firstpost and Firstpost claims no responsibility whatsoever.
The term blood libel, which originated in the Middle Ages, accused Jews of murdering people in ritualised slaughter. It was often cited as a reason to stir up violence against them. In modern times, it is usually levied against someone who falsely accuses the Jews of being involved in horrific crimes read more

Ilhan Omar, a member of 'The Squad', has previously been criticised for remarks her critics say are anti-semitic.

The Anti-Defamation League has accused Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of blood libel.

The development occurred after Omar, visiting protesters at Columbia University, said Jewish students are pro or anti-genocide depending on whom they support in the Israel-Gaza war.

I actually met a lot of Jewish students that are in the encampment, Omar was quoted as saying. And I think it is really unfortunate that people dont care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether theyre pro-genocide or anti-genocide.

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ADL president Jonathan Greenblatt posted on X, It is patently false and a blood libel to suggest that ANY Jewish students are pro-genocide."

It is gaslighting to impute that Jewish people are somehow at fault for being harassed and menaced with signs and slogans literally calling for their own extermination, he added.

Greenblatt claimed Omar slandered entire group of young people in such a cold, calculated manner, and added this is how people get killed.

Demanding an apology, Greenblatt said, Im not holding my breath.

The protests that begun at Columbia University have since spread to other elite institutions in the US, as well as the UK, France, Italy and Australia.

This isnt the first time that Omar, a member of The Squad and the first woman Muslim-American member of the US House of Representatives, has previously been criticised for remarks her critics say are anti-semitic.

But what is blood libel? Why is it so offensive to Jews?

Lets take a closer look:

What is it?

According to the BBC, the term blood libel has its genesis in the Middle Ages.

It was an accusation which essentially accused Jews of murdering people, especially children, in ritualised slaughter.

It was often cited as a reason to incite violence against Jews.

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As per The Nation, the term began being used in 1144 when the body of a young man was found outside the town or Norwich.

The explanation for Williams death that emerged, though slow to take hold in medieval England, became a mainstay of anti-Semitic thought and a justification for atrocious crimes against Jews in the Middle Ages and beyond, the piece noted.

According to BBC, rumours spread that the Jews had kidnapped Norwich and sacrificed him.

Pope Innocent IV eventually looked into the claim and found it false.

However, the allegation did not go away.

Blood libel was for centuries cited as a reason to incite violence against Jews.

Essentially it implies that Jews murder Christian and non-Jewish children to use their blood in Jewish rituals and holidays,Amy Spitalnick, then press secretary for the progressive pro-Israel group J Street, explained to the BBC in 2011.

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At one point it was tied in with Passover. Using the term would imply the using of non-Jewish blood for the baking of Matzah.

Indeed, The Nation quoted a Hamas spokesman as saying in 2014, We all remember how the Jews used to slaughter Christians, in order to mix their blood in their holy matzos. This is not a figment of imagination or something taken from a film. It is a fact, acknowledged by their own books and by historical evidence.

The spokesperson provided no evidence.

The blood libel is particularly appalling in light of the fact that Jews follow the Hebrew Bibles law to not consume any blood, which is found in the book of Leviticus. In order for an animal to be considered kosher, all its blood must have been drained and discarded, the ADL website states.

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In modern times, it is usually levied against someone who falsely accuses the Jews of being involved in horrific crimes.

Why did it persist?

Some make the argument that it persisted because the Jews continued to be a convenient scapegoat for many.

The only reason the blood libel accusation has persisted against Jews is because Jews continue to exist, Australian historian Darren OBrien wrote in his book The Pinnacle of Hatred, according to The Nation. Witches, heretical Christians, and other groups accused in the past have all but disappeared from view. The only scapegoat remaining on which to hang the allegation is the Jew.

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Others point to religious sentiment.

The BBC, quoting from the Encyclopaedia Judaica, said that the allegation may indicate another form of the belief that Jews had been and still were responsible for the passion and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and popular beliefs about the murder-lust of the Jews and their bloodthirstiness, based on the conception that Jews hate Christianity and mankind in general.

The piece in The Nation states, Why did they find this charge credible? One story that would have been familiar to them is the account of Christs Passion and suffering at the hands of the Jews. Its not hard to imagine that the popularity and tenacity of the blood libel rests in part on how deftly it reimagines that story.

Omar refuses to back down

Omar hit back at Greenblatt.

Quoting from an an article in the Intercept about the Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights inquiry into the University of Massachusetts Amherst on claims of anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab harassment and discrimination by fellow students.

This is the pro-genocide I was talking about, can you condemn this like I have condemned antisemitism and bigotry of all kind? Kill All Arabs They are all Hamas. All grotesquely evil Level Gaza, Omar posted on X.

Omars daughter Isra Hirsi was among the 100 students arrested and suspended from Barnard College.

Hirsi on X wrote that she was suspended for standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.

Hirsi has said she is homelesss and starving after being suspended from her college.

Omar previously said she is proud of her daughter.

With inputs from agencies
David Cameron is facing criticism for spending taxpayers money following his decision to rent a luxury jet for a recent tour of central Asia. The former British PM utilised the Embraer Lineage 1000 for a five-day diplomatic visit to Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia read more

David Cameron, the UKs Foreign Secretary, finds himself embroiled in controversy after chartering a 42 million VIP plane for a recent diplomatic tour across Central Asia. The decision has sparked outrage, with critics likening his travel style to that of a celebrity rather than a public servant.

The Embraer Lineage 1000, described as one of the most luxurious private jets available, was hired for Camerons five-day diplomatic mission through Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. With amenities including a dining table, extra-long sofas, and accommodation for up to nine passengers, the aircraft offers a level of opulence usually associated with luxury travel.

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Criticism from Labour

The UK shadow attorney general, Emily Thornberry from Labour, posted on X, I get that David Cameron may need to charter a plane when travelling to multiple countries in one week, but that does not justify spending hundreds of thousands of pounds at taxpayers expense to hire one of the most luxurious private jets on the market.

I get that David Cameron may need to charter a plane when travelling to multiple countries in one week, but that does not justify spending hundreds of thousands of pounds at taxpayers' expense to hire one of the most luxurious private jets on the market. https://t.co/2Snbwhed8w pic.twitter.com/xexZZnjvEe  Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) April 28, 2024

Speaking to UKs Mirror, she said, Sometimes, on a trip like this, ministers will need to use non-scheduled flights, and if the governments dedicated RAF jets are unavailable, they may have to charter a plane. That is all fine, but in no world do those circumstances justify hiring one of the most expensive, most luxurious private jets on the market to ferry the Foreign Secretary round Central Asia. That is an unacceptable extravagance.

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Its less than a year since James Cleverly was caught spending 422,000 on exactly the same type of jet, but instead of learning from that debacle, David Cameron has used it as a template. They are public servants, and theyre supposed to use taxpayers money as carefully as possible, not swan around the world like a pair of Kardashian sisters at the British publics expense.

Thornberrys sentiments echo wider concerns about the appropriate use of public funds for ministerial travel.

UK foreign office responds

A UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said, The foreign secretarys job requires him to travel abroad to pursue the UKs interests. This was the most time effective way to do this in this instance. Value for money is taken into account in all travel decisions and costs are routinely published for transparency.

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Previous instances of controversial ministerial travel

This is not the first time ministerial travel expenses have come under scrutiny. Camerons predecessor, James Cleverly, incurred a 422,747 bill for a similar aircraft during a week-long tour of the Caribbean and Latin America. Such instances have been used to raise questions about the prudence of ministerial travel arrangements and the allocation of taxpayer funds.

Criticism has also directed at UK PM Rishi Sunak for his frequent use of short-distance air travel, including domestic flights within the UK.

Image used for representational purposes/AP

Downing Street reported that in February 2023, the Sunak journeyed from Dorset to London via helicopter, then returned to the southwest of England by jet the following morning.

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The month prior, Sunak utilised Royal Air Force (RAF) jets for domestic travel on three occasions within a span of 10 days. Among these journeys, he embarked on a 40-minute flight aboard a 14-seat aircraft to attend an event in Blackpool, Lancashire, where he engaged in a public question and answer session. These travels followed trips to Scotland and Leeds.

UK govt already spend millions refitting planes

During Camerons tenure as Prime Minister, the UK government allocated 10 million to refurbish an RAF plane, intended for use by VIPs. However, Cameron only utilised the aircraft, dubbed Cam Force One, once, during his attendance at a NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland, shortly before departing from 10 Downing Street in July 2016, reported Mirror.

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Subsequently, ex-UK PM Boris Johnson raised concerns about the planes appearance, describing it as drab. In response, 900,000 was allocated to repaint the aircraft in the colors of the Union Flag  red, white, and blue. The Voyager aircraft is shared by ministers and members of the Royal Family, providing air-to-air refueling for other RAF planes when not in use by important dignitaries.

These instances underscore broader concerns about the environmental impact and cost-effectiveness of ministerial travel arrangements.

UK worst private jet polluter

Flying stands out as one of the most carbon-intensive modes of travel, primarily due to emissions generated from burning jet fuel. Additionally, the formation of high-altitude clouds from vapor trails exacerbates atmospheric heat retention.

This combination contributes significantly to the aviation industrys environmental impact. Unlike other transportation sectors, decarbonising aviation poses unique challenges. Unlike ground vehicles, there are no readily available electric alternatives for aircraft, and UK tops the list when it comes to polluting via private jet.

Also Read: Up In The Air: From Elon Musk to Rolling Stones, how celebs have recorded 11 years of flying time in one year

According to a 2023 analysis conducted by the Dutch environmental consultancy CE Delft, the volume of private jet departures from the UK surged by 75% from 2021 to 2022, reaching a staggering 90,256 flights. This surge resulted in the emission of approximately 500,000 tonnes of CO2, surpassing emissions from private jet usage in any other European country.

The UK leads across various metrics related to private jet travel, topping league tables for both the busiest and most polluting routes, as well as the highest number of flights overall. Notably, flights between London and Paris emerged as the most popular route, with 3,357 flights recorded. Furthermore, six of the top 10 routes, including those with the highest frequency, featured London as a key hub. These findings underscore the significant impact of private jet usage on carbon emissions, particularly in densely populated and economically vibrant regions like London.

Sunak, a frequent flyer himself

Within the Royal Air Force (RAF), a specialised division known as 32 Squadron operates two Dassault Falcon 900LX executive jets alongside a helicopter, facilitating the transportation of the Prime Minister and other government ministers across the UK.

According to UK Ministry of Defence data obtained through freedom of information requests, Rishi Sunak boarded one of the squadrons aircraft approximately every eight days on average during the initial seven months of his tenure in office. This frequency of use surpasses that of the UKs previous three prime ministers, reported The Guardian.

Sunak has defended his reliance on domestic flights, asserting that air travel represents the most efficient utilisation of his time.

However, his stance has drawn criticism from opposition parties and climate activists, who accuse him of hypocrisy. They argue that his frequent use of short-haul flights within the UK contradicts his commitments to combatting carbon emissions and addressing climate change.

With inputs from agencies
A political storm has erupted in Karnataka, as the Congress-led government has formed an SIT to probe obscene videos allegedly involving former PM HD Deve Gowdas grandson, Prajwal Revanna. Following the circulation of the vulgar clips, a woman has also filed a complaint with the police, alleging that the JD(S) leader and his father, HD Revanna, sexually assaulted her read more

Amid the busy poll season, trouble has cropped up for the JD(S) in Karnataka. A woman from Holenarsipura town lodged a police complaint on Sunday (28 April) against former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowdas grandson and JD (S) leader Prajwal Revanna, accusing him of sexually harassing her.

Following the complaint, the Congress-led government has set up a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the sexual assault allegations.

What exactly happened? What are the allegations? Heres what we know so far.

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The sex scandal

Three days before Karnatakas Hassan  from where Prajwal is contesting the election  went to the polls on 26 April, sex videos surfaced online allegedly involving Prajwal. The videos allegedly reveal Prajwal sexually abusing women and coercing them into having sex. As per an Indian Express report, most video clips were said to have been either shot in Hassan or Holenarasipura.

This was followed up by a woman approaching the Holenarasipura police and filing a complaint that Prajwal Revanna, and his father, HD Revanna, had allegedly sexually harassed her. She stated that she approached the police after she saw the video clips, narrating their ordeal.

Her complaint details the abuse she underwent between 2019 and 2022. The woman told the police, as per a Times of India report, that she was a relative of Revannas wife Bhavani and was invited to work as a house help in 2011. In 2015, Revanna helped her secure a cooks job at a hostel and then in 2019 she re-joined Revannas house.

Prajwal Revanna with father H D Revanna have been named accused No 1 and No 2 after a woman complained to the cops that the father-son duo had sexually assaulted her. Image Courtesy: @iPrajwalRevanna/X

Six other domestic helps in the house would say they are scared of Prajwal. The male employees too would ask us to be wary of Revanna and Prajwal. Whenever his wife Bhavani was away, Revanna would repeatedly touch me inappropriately, disrobe me, and sexually assault me. While I was working in the kitchen, Prajwal would grope me from behind. Prajwal would ask the other employees to bring my daughter to do an oil massage for him. Prajwal would make video calls to my daughter and speak obscenely, the FIR quotes the woman as saying, as per a Times of India report.

Following the alleged abuse, she suffered, she quit the work and also blocked Revannas phone number.

Based on the complaint, the cops have now filed an FIR under IPC for sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment, stalking, punishment for criminal intimidation, and word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman. The FIR states Revanna and Prajwal as accused No 1 and 2 respectively.

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SIT formed

Following the complaint, the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday (27 April) announced the formation of an SIT after a hue and cry was raised on the matter. He wrote in a post on X: The government has decided to form a special investigation team in connection with Prajwal Revannas obscene video case. Obscene video clips are circulating in Hassan district, where it appears that women have been sexually assaulted. In this background, the Chairperson of the Womens Commission had written a letter to the government to conduct an SIT investigation. This decision has been taken in response to their request.

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            .



     ,        .

  ..     Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 27, 2024

In fact, earlier the Karnataka state womens commission had written a letter to Siddaramaiah and the state police chief urging them to investigate the issue since it involved the dignity and lives of the women in the clips and images.

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Karnatakas deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar has also demanded that leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and JD(S)  both the parties are jointly contesting the polls together in Karnataka  issue a clarification. The prime minister, BY Vijayendra, Shobakka, Ashok, Kumaranna, and Ashwath Narayan must answer to the people, he was quoted as saying as per a report by the News Minute.

#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Congress workers staged a protest against JDS leader Prajwal Revanna over his obscene video case and burnt his effigy. pic.twitter.com/HU41h34tvs  ANI (@ANI) April 28, 2024

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JD(S) responds

While the BJP has distanced itself from the controversy, the JD(S) is now in firefighting mode. S Prakash, the chief spokesperson of BJPs state unit, said, We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos and neither do we have any comments to make on the SIT probe announced by the state government into the alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna.

On the other hand, Prajwals uncle HD Kumaraswamy said he and his father, Deve Gowda, have always been respectful towards women and heeded their grievances. An SIT probe has been ordered already. Let the (findings) of the investigation come out first according to the law of the land Uppu Thindavaru Neer Kudilebeku (a Kannada proverb meaning people have to face the consequences for their actions). There is no question of forgiving anyone who has committed a mistake. Let the findings come out, then I will comment, he told reporters Sunday.

Mysuru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, JD(S) Supremo and former PM H D Deve Gowda, BJP leaders B S Yediyurappa, Sumalatha and NDA candidates Yaduveer, Balraj, H D Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna during an election campaign rally ahead of Lok Sabha election in Mysuru. Following the formation of an SIT, it is reported that Prajwal has fled the country and gone to Germany. File image/PTI

It has been reported that Prajwal has fled the country with NDTV and Indian Express reporting that he is in Germany.

However, he did claim that the videos of him circulating around the state were morphed and are being circulated to tarnish his image during the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

Interestingly, amid this scandal, it has now emerged that a leader from Karnatakas Hassan district had earlier warned the state leadership about allegations that Prajwal Revanna was sexually abusing women. A News Minute report states that G Devaraje Gowda had written to state president BY Vijayendra on 8 December 2023, warning against nominating Prajwal. He claimed that he had received a pen drive containing 2,976 videos of women (including government officials) performing sexual acts, which were then being used to blackmail them into continuing to engage in sexual activities. He also claimed that another pen drive containing these videos and photos had reached national leaders of the Congress.

Will this hurt the BJP-JD(S) combine in Karnataka? We shall know only on 4 June when the results are declared.

With inputs from agencies
Portland State University in Oregon, US said it was going to pause seeking or accepting gifts or grants from Boeing. Israel has reportedly brought weapons from the multi-billion dollar company and American students are demanding that institutions should divest from such companies read more

George Washington University police close a student encampment as students demonstrate during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on on 26 April, 2024, in Washington. AP

Portland State University (PSU) has announced a temporary suspension of seeking or accepting further gifts or grants from Boeing Co. in response to mounting pressure from students and faculty concerned about the aerospace companys involvement in weapons manufacturing and its connections to Israel amidst the conflict in Gaza.

As the death toll mounts in the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis worsens, protesters at universities all over the US are demanding that schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies they say are enabling the conflict.

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PSU students and supporters staged demonstrations on campus, waving Palestinian flags and holding pro-Palestinian signs. They have issued a list of 13 demands, including the termination of ties with Boeing.

PSU president Ann Cudd said the school acted in response to the passion with which these demands are being repeatedly expressed by members of the university community, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

What is Boeings relationship with Israel?

According to information found on the aerospace companys website, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) presently utilises nine distinct Boeing products. Additionally, Boeing states on its website that its contributions result in a $3.5 billion benefit to the Israeli economy.

The company on its website says its relationship with Israel dates back more than 75 years  to the founding of the State of Israel.

Also Read: Why Indias words on US universities protests marks a big policy shift

PSU, in its school newspaper, wrote that the students and community members had been wanting to sever ties with Boeing since 2016. They claimed that Boeing-made bombs have been used to kill civilians in Gaza.

What is PSUs relationship with Boeing?

According to Cudd, Boeing donated $150,000 to name a classroom in the Karl Miller Center and provided $28,000 a year for scholarships and emergency funds for students. Cudd also said that PSU has no direct investment in Boeing, but mentioned that an executive from Boeing currently sits on the advisory board for the School of Business, and hundreds of alums from both the School of Business and the Maseeh College of Engineering work for Boeing, the school newspaper PSU Vanguard reported.

Cudd referenced an example of a positive experience a student had with Boeing, explaining how an accounting student was struggling in the program and searching for a pathway to something she was passionate about.

Signs are displayed outside a tent encampment at Northwestern University on 26 April, 2024, in Evanston, Illinois. AP

She elaborated that this particular student had no prior knowledge of Boeing before attending the career fair. However, following her application and successful acquisition of an internship, she attributed her remarkable experience as a student to shaping her career trajectory and providing a solid foundation for extensive learning opportunities. Cudd highlighted Boeings efforts in breaking down barriers for students who may face challenges in accepting internships beyond Portlands confines. These efforts include covering relocation and housing expenses during the internship period.

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Also Read: Who is the Indian-origin student arrested in the US for anti-Israel protest?

Our connection is in the students who apply for internships or who are employed by Boeing, Cudd said. So it is all very voluntary on the part of any student who accepts an internship, a scholarship or employment from Boeing. Weve also heard from some alumni [who now] work at Boeing and had internships while they were students at PSU. The feedback from them is just resoundingly positive, from those students whove benefited from this connection.

University administration stance on Boeing relationship

Cudd defended PSUs relationship with Boeing, asserting that it aligns with the institutions educational objectives and does not contravene any university policies.

She emphasised that student engagement with Boeing is voluntary, stating, Weve decided thatdespite the fact that some students would prefer us not to do business with Boeingwe will continue to accept their support of our students, and any student is, of course, free to not accept that support, if they want.

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Student raise voice against Boeings global role

During a recent rally, Cody Urban, a member of the Resist US-Led War Movement, stated, Right now were looking at Palestine, because of this genocidal assault that Boeing planes are being used in. But from Mexico to Palestine to Somalia, this is affecting students across the world.

Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate outside the main gate at Columbia University, in New York, 26 April, 2024. AP

Students have consistently articulated how the universitys ties with Boeing directly affect them, the school newspaper reported. Cody Urban, a member of the Resist US-Led War Movement, recounted a recent rally where attendees discussed various impacts. At this rally, we had someone talk about the US-Mexico border, whose family actually was forced to migrate and nearly risked their lives coming through, Urban stated.

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He highlighted Boeings role in funding the border apparatus of the U.S., including surveillance drones and planes utilised by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to transport captured migrants.

Urban further detailed instances where Boeing supplied attack helicopters, bombs, and other military equipment to the Philippine government, contributing to human rights violations.

Right now were looking at Palestine because of this genocidal assault that Boeing planes are being used in, Urban emphasised. He underscored that the repercussions extend beyond Palestine, affecting individuals from Mexico to Somalia, illustrating the global impact of Boeings actions.

In response to concerns raised by students about feeling unsafe due to the universitys connection with Boeing, Cudd dismissed the notion, pointing to Boeings provision of scholarships and hardship funds.

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She attributed the discomfort to a political disagreement between Boeing and the students rather than a genuine safety concern. It does seem a little arbitrary to me to choose Boeing, but there you go, Cudd remarked, indicating her reluctance to reconsider the universitys relationship with the aerospace company.

Pro-Palestinian demonstration encampment is seen at the Columbia University, 26 April, 2024, in New York. AP

In response to the outcry, PSU plans to host a moderated forum next month to facilitate discussions between students and faculty on the matter. Cudd has committed to participating in the forum, indicating the universitys willingness to engage in open dialogue and consider the concerns raised by the community.

With inputs from agencies
In the race for Londons next mayor is Tarun Ghulati, an India-origin businessman and investment banker, who has earlier worked with Citibank and HSBC. An independent candidate, he is up against 13 opponents including the incumbent Sadiq Khan. He wants to bring the mojo back to Britains capital read more

This 2 May, London is set to choose its next mayor in what is expected to be a tough contest. Among the 13 contenders is an independent Indian-origin businessman and investment banker, Tarun Ghulati. He promises to bring back the smile and mojo to one of the greatest financial centres in the world.

Ghulati, who has called himself a proud Londoner, has lived in the city for the last 20 years. His biggest challengers are incumbent Labour Party mayor Sadiq Khan and Conservative Party candidate Susan Hall.

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But who is Ghulati and what are his big plans for London? Lets take a closer look

1. Born and raised in India, Ghulati spent 35 years of his life in the suburbs of New Delhi. The 63-year-old businessman and banker graduated from the University of Jaipur and holds an MBA from Delhi University. He held sales and management roles at Xerox, Philips, and Citi Bank before making the jump as international manager at HSBC in 1993.

2. After a posting in London in 2003, Ghulati chose to make the UK his forever home, drawn by the diversity and possibilities in the city. He mentioned that his family has been involved in public service over the last three centuries, adding he has been doing the same for 35-odd years.

3. Ghulati said he takes a lot of pride in being of Indian origin but considers himself a man of the world. He reportedly enjoys the support of Asians, including a good chunk of the Muslim population in London.

The aspiring mayor who speaks many languages describes his experience in India that has taught him to take all religions, all the religions and all cultures and all genders along, he told NDTV.

4. According to Gulati, his experience as chairman and CEO on various company boards such as Indus Global, Barmer Corporation, and UTI International gives him an edge and will help him bring in investments unlike his compatriots who he says are playing with the sentiments of people.

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5. Ghulati told The Standard that he seeks to tackle the citys problems like a seasoned CEO and wants to get London moving again while strengthening community cohesion and improving policing.

6. Improving security and policing and reducing crime against women are among the major promises made by the banker who says he will ensure more visible community policing in London by hiring more officers and advisors from different communities and reopening police stations across the city. While elaborating on his plans, Ghulati said, Ive been going around the boroughs and I get to see new problems, different areas, different communities Im going to tackle crime with a fervour never seen before.

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7. Ghulatis priorities include reducing council tax and making housing affordable for Londoners. If elected to victory, the banker plans to push for changes in land use regulations to make affordable housing development easier and to implement rent control measures to protect tenants from steep rent hikes, according to a BBC report.

8. Terming London as one of the most congested and slowest cities in the world, Ghulati launched an attack on Sadiq Khan for bringing London to a standstill. He plans to scrap Khans unpopular policies, such as the high costs associated with Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) charges and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) across the city. He promises to improve access and amenities of public transport for the elderly and specially-abled.

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9. Some of Ghulatis other focus areas include, tackling pollution, boosting tourism to the UK capital, and ensuring free school meals.

With inputs from agencies
Three women in New Mexico in the US recently contracted HIV following a popular vampire facial at an unlicensed medical spa. The cosmetic procedure, popularised by Kim Kardashian, involves extracting blood from elsewhere on the body, and injecting it into the face or applied after a micro-needling procedure to stimulate new, rejuvenated skin cells read more

A vampire facial, or platelet-rich plasma microneedling procedure, involves drawing a client's own blood, separating its components, then using tiny needles to inject plasma into the face to rejuvenate the skin. Freepik/Representative Image

From no-makeup looks to DIY face masks and facials, nowadays, there are a lot of beauty trends.

However, experimenting with these procedures may be dangerous.

Three women in New Mexico recently contracted HIV following a popular vampire facial at an unlicensed medical spa.

These are the first documented instances of HIV infection following a cosmetic injection.

Heres all we know about it.

What happened?

Three women were infected with HIV after receiving so-called vampire facials at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its Morbidity and Mortality Report published on Thursday.

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The CDC report said that an investigation into the clinic from 2018 through 2023 showed it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use.

The New Mexico Department of Health began investigating the spa in the summer of 2018 after it was notified that a woman in her 40s had tested positive for HIV even though she had no known risk factors. The woman reported exposure to needles through the procedure at the clinic that spring.

The second two cases were also middle-aged women who had gotten vampire facials in 2018. One was diagnosed with the earliest stage of HIV in 2019, and the other in 2023, when she was hospitalised with severe symptoms.

The patients ranged in age from 40 to 60 years, the CDC said.

An investigation found a rack of unlabeled tubes of blood on a kitchen counter at the spa, and in the kitchen refrigerator, next to food and injectables, like lidocaine. The investigators also discovered unwrapped syringes in drawers, on counters, and discarded in trash cans.

According to The Associated Press, the spa closed in the fall of 2018 after the investigation was launched, and its owner Maria Ramos de Ruiz, 62, was prosecuted for five felony counts of practising medicine without a license. As per the NBC affiliate KOB 2022 report, the owner was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

The CDC and health department investigators ultimately determined that 59 spa attendees may have been exposed to HIV, and of those, 20 had received vampire facials.

The report also noted that the investigation was slowed by poor record keeping and said businesses providing such services should keep better records in case clients need to be contacted later.

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What is vampire facial?

Vampire facial, also known as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) facials, is a cosmetic procedure that involves extracting blood from elsewhere on the body, usually from the arm, and injecting it into the face or applied after a micro-needling procedure in the hope of stimulating new, rejuvenated skin cells, as per Dailymail.

It is claimed that the procedure can improve skin texture, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, and brighten the overall skin tone.

On 11 March 2013, Kim Kardashian shared a picture of herself getting vampire facial. Image Courtesy: @kimkardashian/Instagram

Vampire facials, which were made popular by celebrities, like Kim Kardashian, are considered less invasive and a more affordable alternative to a facelift, as per NDTV.

How does it work?

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In vampire facials, the platelets containing growth factors stimulates collagen production, promotes tissue repair and rejuvenates the skin, as per NDTV report.

Then, the blood is spun in a centrifuge to extract protein-rich plasma, extracting platelets and then concentrating the same to create PRP, USA Today says.

The middle part, called the serum portion is where PRP comes from, according to Dr Ava Shamba, a dermatologist in Beverly Hills, as quoted by Allure magazine.

The PRP repairs cells and makes collagen and elastin, which keeps skin firm and smooth.

How safe is it?

Since, the persons own plasma from the blood is used, the procedure is considered safe and effective.

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However, the method used to handle the blood may pose a risk, says the American Academy of Dermatology Association. Thus, it is advised people considering these procedures should seek out an experienced, board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon.

After the procedure, a person can experience some pain, bruising, and swelling, which disappears within several days, says Hindustan Times.

Dr Kim Nichols, a certified dermatologist and founder of NicholsMD, suggests that the best approach for optimal results is a series of at least six PRP injection treatments, spaced about four weeks apart.

Patients may sometimes notice improvements even after just one session.

Who can get the procedure?

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According to USA Today, people with deeper wrinkles, acne scarring, volume loss or other skin concerns may opt for vampire facials.

The Hindustan Times cited Garza Plastic Surgerys website as saying the facial is ideal for someone with visible sun damage at the surface layers of the skin, such as age spots, sun spots, or other issues, PRP treatment can even out their complexion.

With inputs from agencies
Over the weekend, cities across Australia, including Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth, saw mass demonstrations demanding tougher laws on violence against women. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also joined the protests, calling it an epidemic. Data has revealed that a total of 27 women have been killed in the first 119 days of the year read more

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese (wearing hat) attends a rally to a call for action to end violence against women, in Canberra, on Sunday. Albanese has described domestic violence as a "national crisis" after thousands rallied around the country against violence toward women. AP

It was a busy weekend in Australia. City after city witnessed mass demonstrations with men and women citing that violence against women is an epidemic, and urging for tougher laws on gendered violence.

On Sunday (28 April), Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also joined the protests in Canberra, saying all governments nationwide  including his own at the federal level  must make changes and focus more on stopping perpetrators. Society and Australia must do better. We need to change the culture and we need to change attitudes. We need to change the legal system, Albanese told the No More rally, organised by advocacy group What Were You Wearing.

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Its not enough to support victims. We need to focus on the perpetrators, focus on prevention.

With the protests garnering headlines across the world, we take a closer look at what exactly are demonstrators asking for and the epidemic of violence against women in the country.

Rallies erupt across Australia

Over the weekend, a total of 15 No More: National Rally Against Gender Based Violence were held across Australia, including cities of Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane. Demonstrators in the rallies urged an end to violence against women.

In Sydney on Saturday, around 3,000 people were estimated to have gathered at the citys parliament building. The demonstrators called for tougher laws to punish those who engage in acts of violence towards women.

Greens Party Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said in Adelaide that a national emergency response was necessary to combat gender-based violence in Australia. Women are sick and tired of being told, Yes, its bad, but theres not much we can do, Hanson-Young said via her spokesperson.

Some protesters carried signs that read Respect, No More Violence and How many of us have to die?

Violence against women is an epidemic in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, as thousands attended rallies in Sydney and other Australian cities, urging tougher laws on gender violence https://t.co/fHUFfU35Ne pic.twitter.com/cxZPnz3Ur8  Reuters (@Reuters) April 27, 2024

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In Melbourne, large crowds gathered outside the State Library of Victoria before marching to Federation Square. At the rally, one woman could be seen marching with a red hand print across her mouth while holding a sign that read: real men dont commit acts of violence.

Other protesters were seen holding signs that read: The system has failed us and be careful, text me when you get home.

Victorias premier Jacinta Allan also joined in the protest, saying: We need to stop talking about womens safety and get on and tackle mens violence, thats the issue here, Allan said.

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Its about men  for some men  their ongoing pattern of violence against women and how women deserve the right to be safe in every space.

People march and shout slogans during a protest against gender-based violence, in Melbourne on Sunday. Thousands of people rallied across Australia, demanding action to end gender-based violence in the country. AP

At the Canberra rally, demonstrators were joined by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon. Before joining the rally, he even posted on X: I will walk with women across Australia to say enough is enough. Violence against women is an epidemic. We must do better.

A woman has been killed every four days so far this year.



Tomorrow I will walk with women across Australia to say enough is enough. pic.twitter.com/6Ncu9QLmq3  Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 27, 2024

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In Perth, protesters called for a change in language around the violence. Clinical psychologist Carmel Cairney, who was at the demonstration, told ABC News: Calling it male violence, or mens violence, makes it necessary for men to pay attention and take responsibility, whereas both domestic and gender violence minimises it, Cairney added.

Writer Emmy Hee, who attended one of the rallies, was quoted as telling The Guardian, Were just incensed by the loss of life, and by the beautiful women whove had their lives cut short, and if ever there was a time to come together, its now.

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Epidemic of violence against women

The rallies held across Australia come after the scourge of violence against women. Data released by campaign group Destroy the Joint reveals that 27 women have been killed in the first 119 days of 2024, with Prime Minister Albanese saying that a woman has been killed every four days so far this year.

At the same time in April last year there had been 14 violent deaths of women in Australia  11 fewer than April this year.

The 2024 data also includes the five women, who were stabbed to death by Joel Cauchi at a Bondi shopping centre on 13 April. In fact, video footage of the incident had shown that Cauchi consciously avoided men during the stabbings. New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb had even said it was obvious that the Bondi shopping centre killer, Joel Cauchi, was targeting women.

The killers father had later blamed his sons frustration at not having a girlfriend.

People gather as the Sydney Opera House is illuminated with a black ribbon, as part of the national day of mourning for victims of the Bondi Junction attack in Sydney. File image/Reuters

Besides this, theres also the horrific death of 28-year-old Molly Ticehurst. She was found dead inside her house on Young Street in Forbes  more than 370 km west of Sydney. Her ex-partner Daniel Billings has been charged with murder (domestic violence) and contravening and apprehended violence order. At the time of Ticehursts alleged murder, Billings was on bail after being charged with raping the mother of one three times, stalking her, causing damage to her property and abusing a 12-week-old puppy.

And four months before Ticehursts murder was the case of a 65-year-old woman who died in a house fire in January. Her son has been charged with her murder.

The community of Ballarat in Victoria is also in mourning owing to the demise of three local women  Rebecca Young, Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire  who died in two months, all to gender-based violence.

Following these crimes, Tania Farha, chief executive of Safe and Equal, an organisation in Victoria specialising in family violence services, told Sydney Morning Herald that the accelerated rate at which women were being killed by men was a national crisis.

Reasons for rising violence against women

But whats causing this rise in crimes against women? Experts cite that misogyny is the prime reason for this scourge. Misogynist hate speech in Australia has become all too normalised; 23 per cent of Australian men find it acceptable to use sexist or misogynistic language online. Moreover, almost one in five Australian men said it is acceptable to share intimate images of a woman online without her consent.

Hate speech has also flourished online, including actively dehumanising women, glorifying violence and adhering to a male-supremacist ideology.

Crimes against women have risen significantly with data revealing that a woman has been killed every four days so far this year. File image/AFP

In fact, last month itself the Australian government offered AUD $3.5 million in grants in a trial aimed at tackling harmful gender stereotypes perpetuated online. This came after teachers stated that Australian boys are increasingly falling prey to a regressive masculinist supremacy espoused by notorious manfluencers such as Andrew Tate.

Authorities step in

The federal government has been working on the National Plan to End Domestic Violence, but has received criticism over its implementation.

Last year, the government also used the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November to announce a new tracker that would provide quarterly updates on intimate partner homicides to enable police, governments, and policymakers to have access to accurate, verified and closer to real-time data.

However, federal attorney general, Mark Dreyfus rejected the idea of holding a royal commission into domestic violence, saying that it should be dealt with via cooperation between the federal government working with state and territory governments.

I think weve actually identified a whole range of actions already that need to be taken, and I think what we probably can say is that we need to be working harder on the kinds of actions that have already been identified, he was quoted as saying as per a report in The Guardian.

With inputs from agencies
In a statement, the Delhi Chief Electoral Office explained that during a review of the advertisement submitted by AAP, the Media Pre Certification Committee flagged certain issues concerning the Election Commissions regulations read more

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) alleged Sunday that the Election Commission had banned their Lok Sabha campaign song Jail Ka Jawab, Vote Se Denge. However, officials from the Delhi poll body clarified that AAP was asked to alter the songs content as it breached ECs guidelines and advertising codes.

The over two-minute campaign song, composed and sung by AAP MLA Dilip Pandey, was unveiled at the party headquarters in Delhi on Thursday.

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In a statement, the Delhi Chief Electoral Office explained that during a review of the advertisement submitted by AAP, the Media Pre Certification Committee flagged certain issues concerning the Election Commissions regulations.

The party was advised to modify the content to align with the Advertising Codes and EC guidelines and resubmit it for certification, the statement read.

AAP was also informed that they could appeal the decision before the state-level Media Certification and Monitoring Committee if they disagreed with the committees ruling.

Earlier, the Delhi poll panel labeled certain images and phrases in the song as slanderous and criticised the ruling party based on unverified facts, while also casting aspersions on the judiciary and police.

At a press conference, AAP senior leader Atishi accused the Election Commission of bias towards the BJP, alleging that it turns a blind eye to BJPs violations while scrutinizing AAPs activities rigorously. She defended the song, stating it did not mention the BJP and did not violate the Model Code of Conduct.

Atishi claimed that the Election Commissions objections to the song imply that it believes the BJP runs a dictatorial regime in the country.

In response, the Delhi Chief Electoral office highlighted specific phrases and images in the song that contravened ECI guidelines and Cable Television Network Rules. They cited instances where the song allegedly cast aspersions on the judiciary and police and incited violence.

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Atishi urged the Election Commission to focus on the BJPs violations of the Model Code of Conduct and not impede the oppositions election campaign.

She expressed concerns about the neutrality of the Election Commission, hoping that the elections of 2024 would not be remembered as the demise of Indias democracy or a time when the Election Commission served as a political tool for the BJP.

With inputs from Agencies
Exuding confidence in the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) performance in Karnataka, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the partys support has gone up in the state read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has slammed the Congress party for turning Karnatakas capital Bengaluru from a tech hub to a tanker hub'.

In an interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, News18 Lokmat anchor Vilas Bade, and News18 Kannada Editor Hariprasad, Modi took a swipe at Karnatakas ruling Congress party and said the partys government has not been able to keep up its electoral promises.

The tanker hub was a jibe at the water crisis in Bengaluru under the Congress government that has led to the deployment of water tankers.

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Modi also mocked the state leadership of Congress and said that there is no clarity who the chief minister is in the state.

While the CM has taken oath, it has not been settled who it really is. There are a lot of people who consider themselves as the CM, said Modi.

He further said, Look at the deputy CM. He is asking for votes for his brother so that he can become CM; so everyone is playing games. There are games being played to remove the CM.

Murder, bankruptcy, tanker city: PMs barrage on Congress

Modi said that the people of Karnataka are regretting that they elected the Congress party to power in the state.

Our public support has not gone down; in fact, it has increased. But, in such a short time, they still have unresolved issues like the post of CM, said Modi.

From law and order to water scarcity, Modi touched various issues plaguing the city and said that Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) support in the state has gone up lately.

If you look at the law-and-order situation, there are blasts and murders taking place; the economic condition is in a state of complete bankruptcy. They made big promises and then said, if this happens, you will get this; if that happens, you will get this. This means you are cheating the public, said Modi.

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He further said, Look at Bengaluru, it has played a big role in raising Indias reputation across the world. Bengaluru used to be known as the tech hub and now, in no time, it has been turned into a tanker hub. And tankers also have a mafia culture. People are yearning for water.

They shouldve had courage to fulfil promises

Referring to the guarantees of Congress party in Karnataka, Modi said the partys government should have had the courage to fulfil the promises that it had made to the public.

In Karnataka, Congress had promised five guarantees: 1) 200 units free electricity 2) Rs 2,000 monthly assistance to the woman head of family 3) 10 kg free rice to every below poverty line (BPL) family 4) Free travel for women in state-run buses 5) Rs 3,000 monthly unemployment allowance for 24 months

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Later, however, the Congress statement government said it had no money left for developmental work as all of the state funds were spent in guarantees.

Modi drew a contrast with the BJP and said that the Congress is not able to deliver despite its promises.

When we said we will give Ayushman Bharat cards to certain people, we will do it, and there will be no dishonesty by adding ifs and buts. Now, if we have said we will give Ayushman card to anyone over 70, across all classes, then we will give. You should have that courage. They cancelled the scheme for farmers, and there was no reason for itThe issues they sought votes on, they are unable to deliver on those, said Modi.

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He further said, When it comes to scholarships for the youth, they have reduced the amount as well as the number. One after the other, they have taken such negative decisions.
In an interview with Network18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said there are two Gods - one, the unseen almighty, and the other, the public, referring to them as 140 crore gods read more

I dont take tough decisions, I take the right decisions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Network18 in an exclusive interview when he was asked about how he manages to take tough decisions even when faced with difficult circumstances.

I dont take tough decisions, I take the right decisions. Decisions are not tough, decisions should be right; some find them tough, PM Modi said in an exclusive interview with News18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, News18 Kannada Editor Hariprasad, and News18 Lokmat anchor Vilas Bade.

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May be God has sent me for this

But, sometimes, I do think about how all of this is possible. Just as you are surprised, I too wonder how Modi does this. Then I think, no, may be God has sent me for this work. Whatever I am doing is inspired by a divine power, PM Modi said.

This could be Gods gift, God wants me to do this work and has sent me with a purpose here. And, thats why, I remain far from the storm, the Prime Minister said.

There are two Gods

Speaking in detail about his connection with God and how the almighty has chosen his path for him, PM Modi said there are two Gods - one, the unseen almighty, and the other, the public, referring to them as 140 crore gods.

The Prime Minister said the source of his resolve could be a gift from God, who has sent him with a purpose.

He illustrated this by highlighting his own journey from being born into a poor family with no political background to becoming the leader of the country which is the worlds largest democracy.

I consider the public a form of God. And I have faith in the Almighty, who has sent me for this work while the public has blessed me, the Prime Minister said.

 God has probably sent me to do this work. I was born in a family, where my mother was uneducated, had not seen a school. I do not have any political background, and its such a big country. So, if this is not Gods will, then what is it? PM Modi said.

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God has shown me this path, that you should not get entangled in other things and you have to do some big work and must remain engaged with that. So, it is Gods direction, Gods wish, Gods plan, and, perhaps, their influence. I am only an instrument, he added.

Responding to a question of how he is able to work so much, Modi said he does not live for himself and has dedicated himself to the country.

I always keep in mind that whatever time I have, I should work for my country every moment. As far as I have been running around, this is a big celebration, like a festival. It is an opportunity to reach out to the public, to visit them and talk to them, PM Modi said.

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We should see it like that and take advantage of it, meet the public and visit people. It is a celebration of democracy in which we should be involved. So, I consider it like we do when theres an important puja at home and the way we are involved in it. This is a time for prayers for me as I am worshipping 140 crore gods. I move with this feeling, which keeps me going. I never get tired because I return home after seeing God, he further said.
In an interview with Network 18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he wants to continue the efforts over the past 10 years that took India from being the 11th-largest economy to being the fifth-largest read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he would work towards making India the worlds third-largest economy in his third term.

In an interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, News18 Lokmat anchor Vilas Bade, and News18 Kannada Editor Hariprasad, Modi said that while he sought to address the basic needs of people in his first term and showed results to the public and filled people with confidence in the second term, he wants to aim for economic strength by building on the achievements of the previous tenures in his third term.

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Now, after the expectations have been transformed into confidence, into aspirations, I want to make the country the third economic superpower in my third term. This will be a continuity  after bringing the country from the 11th to the fifth spot [size of economy in the world], said Modi.

Modi further said that India was the 11th largest economy when he took over from Manmohan Singh in 2014. The country is now on the fifth spot after a lot of effort. He added he wants to keep continuity in his next term.

Every households power bill should be zero

While laying out his vision for the third term, Modi talked about the adoption of solar power that would reduce electricity bills of households. He said that every household should have zero power bill with the use of solar power.

Modi said he intends to achieve this through the PM Surya Ghar Yojana. He said the adoption of solar power will also help environment as it will boost the usage of electric vehicles (EVs).

Now my aim is PM Surya Ghar Yojana and zero electricity bill. I want solar panels in every household. And I just dont want electricity bills to be zero but I want three things. One, every households power bill should be zero; second, we should sell surplus electricity and earn money; and third, I want to be self-reliant in the energy sector as the era of electric vehicles will come, said Modi.

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Modi also said that he wanted to establish start-up and innovation hubs.

Modi further said that he already has a plan for the first 100 days of his third term. He has also said that he has a pathway to make India a developed nation by2027.

I want to make a start-up hub, manufacturing hub, innovation hub. I want to take the country to a completely new area with a lot of confidence. My vision is clear, I have no doubts. After June 4, I am clear what I have to do in the next 100 days as well as by 2047. I am clear of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. That is why I say 24 by 7 for 2047, said Modi.
For 70 years, the Indian Constitution was not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Network18 in an exclusive interview read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday dared the Congress to hold a press conference and announce that the party will restore Article 370.

I challenge the Congress party to hold a press conference and say they will restore 370. They talk big about the Constitution. They talk about Babasaheb Ambedkar. They abuse us so much. But Babasaheb Ambedkars Constitution was not applicable for the entire nation. For 70 years, the Indian Constitution was not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir. There, Dalits are getting reservation for the first time [after the Article 370 move]. The Valmiki community is getting reservation for the first time. What are they talking about? Do they have the courage to hold a press conference and say well bring back Article 370? Can any party dare say that? Prime Minister Modi said in an exclusive interview with Network18 which was anchored by Network18, Managing Editor and Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi along with News18 Lokmat anchor Vilas Bade and News18 Kannada Editor Hariprasad.

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The Article 370 of the Indian Constitution granted special autonomous status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, it was abrogated on 5 August, 2019 resulting in the removal of the special privileges that Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed such as its separate constitution, flag and autonomy over internal matters except defence, communications and foreign affairs.

After its abrogation, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two separate Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

In December last year, Prime Minister Modi hailed the Supreme Courts verdict on Article 370 and said it is not just a legal judgment, but a beacon of hope.

The verdict today is not just a legal judgment; it is a beacon of hope, a promise of a brighter future and a testament to our collective resolve to build a stronger, more united India, the prime minister said in a post on X with the hashtag #NayaJammuKashmir. He also called the verdict historic and constitutionally upholds the decision taken by the Parliament of India on 5th August 2019; it is a resounding declaration of hope, progress and unity for our sisters and brothers in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

We are determined to ensure that the fruits of progress not only reach you but also extend their benefits to the most vulnerable and marginalised sections of our society who suffered due to Article 370, the prime minister said.

The emergence of CAA

When asked about the steep opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) particularly from Trinamool Congress Supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Modi said, First of all, whoever understands the Constitution of India, whoever knows the federal structure of India, and whoever knows what is in whose jurisdiction, wont ever say such things. Because this is not in their jurisdiction. If Modi is the chief minister of a state, he cant do such things. The Central government will do what is in its ambit. A state government will do whatever is in its ambit. But fooling the people is a trend nowadays  to keep them in the dark. Thats why they keep saying anything at all.

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The CAA was passed by Parliament in December 2019 which provides a path to Indian citizenship for illegal migrants belonging to six religious minority communities - Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian - from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, who entered India on or before 31 December, 2014.
Reacting to the Oppositions allegation of the saffron party misusing the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), PM Modi said that the Supreme Court, in its recent judgment, has already cleared Congress doubts read more

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lambasted the Opposition over their rhetoric of the BJP engaging in match-fixing and that the party cannot win elections without the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In an exclusive interview with Network18s Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, PM Modi said, If elections could have been won by ED-CBI, then ED-CBIs work has been done by the Congress for years, then they would have won.

Also reacting to the Oppositions allegation of the saffron party misusing the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), PM Modi said that the Supreme Court, in its recent judgment, has already cleared Congress doubts.

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In 2014, they had ED and CBI, then why did they lose? They even put my Home Minister in jail, then why did they lose? the prime minister asked, adding that elections in such a large country like India cannot be fixed.

A look at important highlights from the #PMModi MEGA interview to News18



Listen in to what PM Modi has to say on 'ED, CBI, I.T Being Used As Political Tools'

Watch Setting the election agenda with Avantika Singh#PMModiToNews18 #PMModiExclusive #LokasabhaElection2024 pic.twitter.com/ZG1vRsy64m  News18 (@CNNnews18) April 29, 2024

When asked about his comments on the Opposition, the Congress says the government is misusing the ED, CBI and intelligence agencies. You have said that the ED is independent. A newspaper did an analysis that when 25 opposition leaders joined the BJP, cases against 23 of them were either shelved or dropped, PM Modi said, First, not one case has been dropped. Whatever the courts decide will happen. They are independent.

Second, how many such cases pertain to the political leadership? Only 3%. Even big bureaucrats are in jail. After all, why were these agencies formed? If these agencies were formed with a purpose, wont they fulfil that? Our courts are supreme anyway, he added.

The Opposition, including Congress, has intensified its accusation of the saffron party using central agencies at its disposal to win the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The Supreme Court on Monday heard the plea of the state government challenging the Calcutta High Courts order which directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch a probe into the Sandeshkhali case read more

The Supreme Court building is seen in New Delhi on 11 December, 2023. File image/AP

The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on the West Bengal governments plea challenging Calcutta High Courts recent orders over the Sandeshkhali incident.

The apex court heard the plea of the state government challenging the Calcutta courts order which directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to launch a probe into the Sandeshkhali case.

The bench which heard the case comprised Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta who looked into the allegations of crimes against women and land-grabbing incidents in Sandeshkhali.

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The matter was adjourned to the second week of July. The court reasoned that it would be more conducive to hear the matter after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

In its plea to the top court, the West Bengal government argued that the high courts April 10 order demoralised the entire state machinery, this included the police force that was currently investigating the matter.

The high court in a very generic order directed the State to provide the required support to the CBI without any guidelines, which amounts to usurping the powers of the state police to investigate any cognisable offence in the Sandeshkhali area, even if the same is not related to the allegations levelled by the PIL petitioners, the West Bengal governments plea read.

What did the Calcutta High Court say?

It is important to note that the CBI is already investigating the case of attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in Sandeshkhali and has registered three FIRs in this regard on January 5.

In light of this, the Calcutta High Court stated that the investigation would be monitored by the court and directed the CBI to file a comprehensive report on the alleged illegal conversion of agricultural land into water bodies for pisciculture. The court ordered that the CBI should file the report after conducting a thorough inspection of revenue records and a physical inspection of land alleged to have been converted.

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In the April court order, the high court also directed the CBI to investigate allegations of crimes against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali and submit a comprehensive report about it in the next hearing. The court eventually set May 2 as the next date of hearing in the case.

The gravity of the situation

Around 600 complaints in the form of affidavits, including those of alleged sexual atrocities, land grabbing and other crimes such as assault and destruction of property were submitted before the court by petitioner lawyer Priyanka Tibrewal.

Meanwhile, amid the brewing turmoil in the region, ED officials were attacked by a mob on January 5 when they went to Sandeshkhali to search the premises of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with a ration distribution scam case.

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After passing the judgement, the high court observed that an impartial inquiry is required to be done by an agency which has the power to probe the criminal angle involved in the case. The court said that considering the nature of the allegations involved crimes against women and grabbing of land of locals, including those belonging to Scheduled Tribes, the CBI should investigate the matter.

The high court said that since the CBI is already investigating the attack on an ED official they can take over the allegations and complaints of the people of Sandeshkhali.
The Prime Minister further said Padma awards is not Modis personal property and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) doesnt have a copyright on it read more

I immense respect for Sharad Pawar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, merely a week after the NCP (SP) leader criticised and equated him with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an exclusive interview with Network18, PM Modi said: It doesnt matter whether people who have been in public life for long are with us or against us. I respect him a lot.

Big Contradiction

Prime Minister Modi further said, But this means that he is proud of receiving the award from a government headed by someone he sees as Putin. This is a big contradiction.

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PM Modi was responding to a question asked by News18 Lokmat news presenter Vilas Bade during the interview that in 2017 Modi-led government at the Centre had bestowed Sharad Pawar with the Padma Vibhushan, but the NCP (SP) leader said, Modi is becoming the countrys new Putin. How do you see this comment?

What did Sharad Pawar say?

Addressing a Lok Sabha election 2024 rally in Amravati for a Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidate on April 22, Pawar claimed former prime ministers worked to make a new India but Modi only criticises others and doesnt speak about what his government had done for the people in the last 10 years.

After Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, I saw the working of almost all PMs ranging from Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Narasimha Rao to Manmohan Singh. Their efforts were to make a new India, but the incumbent PM only criticises, Pawar alleged.

The NCP (SP) had also claimed no one in history can forget the contribution of former PM Jawaharlal Nehru but the prime minister (Modi) continuously criticises him.

Instead of telling what the Central government did in the last ten years, he (Modi) keeps criticising others, Pawar had said.

We fear that a new Putin is in the making in India, he had said.

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Padma Awards not Modis personal property

The Prime Minister further said the Padma award is not Modis personal property and that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) doesnt have a copyright on it.

We gave Bharat Ratna to Pranab Mukherjee, Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Karpoori Thakur. Nobody in this country questioned our choices. Everybody understood it was long due and well-deserved. They were from opposition parties and had even criticised us in the past, but our decision was not based on such things, PM Modi told Network18.

Former defence minister late Mulayam Singh Yadav, ex-CM of Assam late Tarun Gogoi, former Lok Sabha Speaker late PA Sangma, ex-CM of Karnataka late SM Krishna were all from other parties but we gave them Padma awards for their contributions to their respective fields. It is the countrys award to give, not a partys. Its not Modis personal property. BJP doesnt have a copyright on it, the Prime Minister further said.

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If you are interested, a story to look at is how Padma awards have changed in the country. We have transformed it. We should be lauded for the thought behind such decisions, not questioned about the choice of recipients, the Prime Minister said.
Why did you not file any application for bail? the bench asked. The lawyer said there are several reasons, including that Kejriwals arrest was illegal read more

The Supreme Court on Monday asked Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been arrested in a money-laundering case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam, why has he not filed a bail application before the trial court.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta was hearing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders plea challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

You did not move any application for bail before the trial court? the bench asked senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who appeared in the court on behalf of Kejriwal.

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No, Singhvi replied.

Why did you not file any application for bail? the bench asked.

The lawyer said there are several reasons, including that Kejriwals arrest was illegal.

The hearing in the matter is underway.

The ED arrested Kejriwal on March 21, after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency. The chief minister is currently lodged in the Tihar jail here under judicial custody.

The top court issued a notice to the ED on April 15 and sought its response to Kejriwals plea.

The high court had, on April 9, upheld Kejriwals arrest in the money-laundering case, saying there was no illegality about it and that the ED was left with little option after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.

The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi governments now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22.
China was Germanys leading trade partner for the eighth consecutive year in 2023, with 254.1 billion traded in goods and services more than German trade with the US but a 15.5 per cent diminution from 2022. German exports to China were 7.3 billion. Image: REUTERS

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was on his second visit to China in mid-April. He carried with him the traditional business delegation, which forms the fulcrum of Germanys China policy. He visited Bosch Hydrogen Powertrain Systems in Chongqing before proceeding to the financial capital of Shanghai. On his final day, he was on the formal part of his visit to Beijing, where he met Premier Li Qiang and concluded the day with a meeting with President Xi Jinping.

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It was Scholzs first visit since the German China Strategy was announced in 2023, which annoyed China. Premier Li and a delegation of senior officials visited Berlin in June 2023. The strategy aimed at reducing dependence on the Chinese market in critical areas and bringing Germany into coherence with the EUs move for de-risking. superpower.

The US expectation was that Scholz would push the Ukraine crisis agenda more than the economic cooperation agenda. For Germany, economic cooperation with China is more critical and direct. With Ukraine, they are part of a larger game plan in which they dont see themselves as the linchpin. Scholz took up the Ukraine issue; there is no clarity on what the Chinese said on what they will tell Russia to do.

On the economic side, German business remains concerned that the promises China made to provide better access to them with Chinese state-owned companies for access to the Chinese market and controls over the use of German technology are slow, if at all, in fulfilment. China, on its part, complains that it is not getting the kind of support they expected from Germany, and though they are still major investors and trading partners, they face greater constraints in Europe and in Germany.

China was Germanys leading trade partner for the eighth consecutive year in 2023, with 254.1 billion traded in goods and services more than German trade with the US but a 15.5 per cent diminution from 2022. German exports to China were 7.3 billion.

China would like Germany to be more autonomous of US action, just as Germany expects China to show greater autonomy from Russia on the Ukraine issue. Perhaps both are misplaced perceptions. The US believed that Germany did not do enough for the coalition. Germany is showing that, given its own constraints and limitations, it is still trying to maintain a strategic autonomy over China, which has now more or less been vanquished with regard to Russia.

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Germany is aware that the Biden administration has set up close and direct contacts with Xi and his team. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited China after Scholz, Janet Yellen at the Treasury, and Jake Sullivan as the NSA support Biden-Xi discussions.

Germany sees the US speaking more loudly but also doing more to engage China to prevent a breakdown. The political de-risking that the US has undertaken has led Germany to believe that it should not attempt economic decoupling but stick to the EU-led de-risking strategy on the economic side.

Berlin is apprehensive that post-November US elections there could be a jolt in US politics, which would again leave Europe in general and Germany in particular. in the lurch. Therefore, Germany sees it as prudent to have its own understanding of China, which is not dependent on the US.

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Scholzs second visit to China. still obtains the trend set by his SDP predecessor, Chancellor Gerard Schroeder, who visited China six times between 1998 and 2005. The Christian Democratic Unions (CDU) Angela Merkel visited China 12 times in the 16 years that she was Chancellor. Not only does Scholz want to keep the strategic autonomy from the US, but even domestically, he wants to keep hold of the China policy within his government.

The Greens-led Foreign Ministry, particularly Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, seeks a more demanding German policy towards China, linking it to human rights and possibly reducing the impact of the economic aspects on the policy.

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Scholz has not agreed with this approach and continues the dominating thoughts of German industry through the links that the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has with the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and believes that derisking would continue, which would be a strategic economic concept but would not be economic alone.

An analyst told me that Olaf Scholzs visit to China focused on the concerns of German businesses regarding unfair competition and inadequate access to networks and public tenders. He discussed this with various stakeholders, including students at Tongji University in Shanghai and members of the German Chamber of Commerce. Scholz emphasised the importance of maintaining competitiveness without resorting to protectionist measures and pledged to raise these issues in his political meetings.

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German industry is anxious about the growing unfair practices they encounter in China, including access to the competitive landscape. Many German companies operating in China feel marginalised and disadvantaged compared to their Chinese counterparts, including those in the EU. They worry about losing market share and fear the potential repercussions of any retaliatory measures if punitive actions, such as anti-dumping tariffs, are taken against Chinese imports under the China Strategy.

This cleavage between the SPD and the Greens prevents Germany from playing a greater role within Europe. Strategically, most analysts believe that Scholzs visit to China shows the persistent policy of Germany, as the largest economic player in Europe, constrained by a similar central role within the EU, NATO, and other organisations that are more strategically inclined.

This is perhaps because Germanys assessment is that the international system today lacks stability and is facing crisis after crisis. The US and others believe that Germany could play a bigger role in the Ukraine by supplying weapons, by pushing China more, and by playing a role in West Asia. Germany sees that this instability also impacts Europe. German strength comes from its economy.

If the economy spirals into instability, then Germany believes that whatever role it can play within Europe and beyond will be in jeopardy. Therefore, Berlin, in the post-COVID and Ukraine crisis periods, is trying to stabilise its China policy so that its economic heft does not diminish. Despite the difficulties, it is willing to wait to reach a proactive and strategic foreign policy option for some time.

The writer is a former ambassador to Germany, Indonesia, Ethiopia, ASEAN and the African Union. He tweets @AmbGurjitSingh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
As India and China contend for influence in the Indo-Pacific, strategic acquisitions like Sittwe Port will inevitably play a crucial role in shaping the regions geopolitical dynamics read more

India's acquisition of Sittwe Port not only strengthens its maritime influence in the Indo-Pacific but also underscores its commitment to regional connectivity and economic development. PTI photo

Indias strategic footprint in the Indo-Pacific region received a significant boost in April 2024, with the Indian governments approval of India Ports Global Ltds (IPGL) proposal to take over the operations of Sittwe Port on the Kaladan River in Myanmars Rakhine province.

Following the successful management of the Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar, Iran, Sittwe Port marks Indias second overseas port venture. IPGL, a subsidiary of Sagarmala Development Company Limited, is wholly owned by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, ensuring complete Indian control over the ports operations.

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Indias acquisition of Sittwe Port not only strengthens its maritime influence in the Indo-Pacific but also underscores its commitment to regional connectivity and economic development. As India and China contend for influence in the Indo-Pacific, strategic acquisitions like Sittwe Port will inevitably play a crucial role in shaping the regions geopolitical dynamics.

Why is Sittwe important for India?

The strategic significance of Sittwe Port lies in its pivotal role in the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project (KMTTP), approved in 2008, which aims to establish multimodal connectivity between India and Southeast Asia. Situated on the Kaladan River delta, the port is designed to accommodate deep-sea vessels of up to 20,000 Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT). Its strategic location not only enhances regional connectivity but also facilitates Indias access to Myanmars energy resources, thus strengthening Indias energy security.

The inauguration of Sittwe Port on May 9, 2023, by Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, marked the beginning of a new era in regional connectivity.

The ports operation holds promising prospects for Indian states like Mizoram and Tripura, which stand to benefit significantly from improved access to maritime trade routes. The reduced transportation time and costs facilitated by the port will significantly boost trade and investment in sectors like agro-horticulture, bamboo, rubber, and processed food. Moreover, the port offers a strategic alternative for trade between Indias north-eastern states and the rest of the world, bypassing Bangladesh. This not only reduces dependency on Bangladeshs transportation infrastructure but also opens up new trade opportunities for Indias north-eastern region.

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Furthermore, the port provides a direct maritime route for cargo from major Indian ports like Vizag and Kolkata to reach Myanmar and beyond. By circumventing traditional routes that often involve transhipment and delays, Sittwe Port significantly reduces transportation time and costs.

With its capacity to accommodate deep-water sea vessels, including those of up to 20,000 Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT), Sittwe Port also facilitates efficient and cost-effective maritime trade. This enhances Indias maritime capabilities and strengthens its position as a regional trade hub. Thus, with initiatives underway to enhance connectivity between these states and Myanmar via the Kaladan River, Sittwe Port is poised to become a linchpin in the regions transportation network. Its strategic location and capacity make it a key asset in Indias pursuit of greater regional integration and cooperation.

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Strategic importance: Chinas growing port build-up

The Sino-Indian security dilemma has been exacerbated by Chinas rise and growing military power. With Chinas rapid modernisation of its military and its rapid growth trajectory, India has grown more vulnerable to Chinas increasing military power both on the land frontier as well as in the maritime domain in the last decade. As a consequence of this increasing security dilemma, India has shifted its military strategy vis-a-vis China to one of deterrence by punishment.

In the Indo-Pacific, China and India are engaged in a struggle to expand their economic influence. Ports have become highly significant in this rivalry. China, in particular, has been aggressively seeking to acquire operating rights for numerous ports.

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To describe Chinas attempts to gain a strategic foothold in the Indian Ocean, Booz Allen consultants coined the term String of Pearls in a Pentagon report published back in 2003. In contemporary strategic debates, the String of Pearls has become one of the most widely discussed subjects. Chinas efforts to build nodes of influence in the Indian Ocean Region have gained traction in recent years. Several argue that this initiative is driven by Beijings military-strategic interests.

Experts highlight that China has developed a system of encircling ports as a commercial and strategic military deployment base in the past few years to check Indias progress. For example, Kyaukpyu Port in the Bay of Bengal, Woody Island in the Paracel archipelago, Port in the Spratly Islands, Sihanoukville of Cambodia, Istmo de Kra of Thailand, the port of Chittagong in Bangladesh, Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka, the Marao port of the Maldives, and the Gwadar port in the south-west of Pakistans Baluchistan province.

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With the rise of China, the great game to increase its influence and control vital strategic choke points and sea lines of communication in the region is on. Analysts believe some of these ports could have potential dual-use. According to David Brewster, a senior research fellow with the National Security College at the Australian National University, Djibouti is only the first step in what is likely to become a network of Chinese bases across the Indian Ocean.

The port of Hambantota was leased for 99 years to China by Sri Lanka in December 2017. In addition, China has created an underwater surveillance system to enable its submarines to have a better grasp on targets while safeguarding the nations interests along the Silk Road, which runs through the Indian Ocean. China is also rumoured to be building a naval base in Jiwani, located 60 km west of Gwadar and another 20km to the Iranian border, according to an American report. The former already hosts a small Pakistan naval base, and thus doesnt come as a huge surprise.

According to Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming, since Gwadar is now a civilian port, China must establish another base near Gwadar for its warships. It would serve as a dock and maintenance facility for naval vessels, as well as a hub for logistical support services on the Arabian Sea. In this regard, Jiwanis proximity to the Chabahar Port has significant implications for India.

Up until 2017, Chinese officials insisted China would never seek overseas basesuntil they opened a base in Djibouti, Africa. According to the US State Department, even though PLA Navy Marines are stationed there with armoured vehicles and artillery, the PRC refers to its base in Djibouti as a logistics facility.

Even though some analysts argue that China may not convert its ports in the Indian Ocean to military bases, these bases are largely commercial bases similar to those in the Maldives, which make them difficult to defend in war. However, their mere presence and influence pose a risk to Indias aspirations. Official Chinese media outlets call for the establishment of 18 military bases by the PLAN (Peoples Liberation Army Navy) in the Indian Ocean Region. There is little doubt that China has a vested interest in the Indian Ocean.

Chinas lucrative economic offers make it irresistible, especially to economically weaker but resource-rich nations. However, the ability to wield economic suzerainty over such nations can prove disastrous for the latter in the future. It is possible that countries supporting the PRCs military expansion and thus Beijings geopolitical revisionism inadvertently serve Beijings interests by providing ports and other facilities to PRC entities.

Here, a question arises: Can such port accumulation tactics be perceived as modern day military bases? A military base is defined as an extraterritorial unit with an external actors sovereign or semi-sovereign rights. It is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel and facilitates training and operations.

While military bases still hold significant value in the current geopolitical and global security architecture, they possess enormous disadvantages. The long-term, permanent presence of a country in a host state can result in political, environmental, and social problems. Foreign military bases lead to major power rivalry, which undermines spheres of influence or intends to shift their boundaries, intensifying great power competition and the arms race.

In present times, great powers are increasingly avoiding full military installations in countries considered either as the sphere of influence of another great power or simply located in their adversarys close neighbourhood. The official opening of external states bases would be indeed perceived provoking for geopolitical rivalry and the domestic audience might suffer the brunt.

Thus, analysts believe that while port acquisitions cannot completely replace military bases, they can serve as alternatives in most cases. The cost-benefit ratio skews heavily in favour of port acquisition, as the establishment of permanent bases requires self-sufficiency, which reduces the countrys resources for developmental activities. Such port agreements are cheaper, more operationally sound, and less provocative ways to deter adversaries than permanently stationing troops overseas.

Work ahead and conclusion

Indias presence in the Indo-Pacific region has been increasing over the years because New Delhi realises that the maritime domain presents an opportunity to expand Indias footprint across the region. And as India strengthens its maritime capabilities, strategic acquisitions like Sittwe Port will play a crucial role in shaping the regions geopolitical landscape.

It is thus, in this regard, the completion of the road component of the Kaladan project is crucial for unlocking the full economic potential of Sittwe Port. Once the highway between Paletwa and Zorinpuri is completed, Indias north-eastern states will no doubt have improved access to the Bay of Bengal, facilitating trade and investment in the region and furthering Indias strategic and economic ambitions.

The author is a researcher at the East Asia Centre, MP-IDSA, New Delhi, India. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The participation of law enforcement organisations and the use of officially sanctioned violence that followed the pro-Palestinian protests in US universities have sparked debates over the concepts of free speech and liberty in American academia read more

Demonstrators face off with NYPD officials outside the main entrance of Columbia University, as they stand in solidarity with the ongoing protests in support of Palestinians happening on the university campus. Reuters

Columbia University saw the beginning of pro-Palestine student protests on April 17, 2024. These rallies were nonviolent and denounced the Israeli activities in Gaza, which were reported to have resulted in 35,000 deaths. Similar to the anti-Vietnam War protests of the 1970s, these demonstrations were a major national movement that culminated in the mass arrest of about 100 students by the New York Police Department (NYPD), who were wearing riot gear and using plastic handcuffs.

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The participation of law enforcement organisations and the use of officially sanctioned violence that followed these incidents have sparked debates over the concepts of free speech and liberty in American academia. Academics like Stanfords Douglas McAdam and Penn States Jonathan S Coley have extensively studied student activism in the US, providing frameworks for understanding the motivations, forms, and outcomes of these movements on college campuses.

Transition into a national movement

This wave of demonstrations has spread beyond Columbia University to a number of other universities, including Yale in New York, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Miami University in Ohio, and Temple University in Philadelphia. Furthermore, the impact of these protests goes beyond the boundaries of the school, as demonstrated by the story of Achinthya Sivalingam, an Indian national who was detained and expelled from Princeton University in the United States.

Due to Sivalingams involvement in a student-led pro-Palestine camping demonstration that took place inside the universitys boundaries, a disciplinary procedure was started, and this punitive measure was placed in place while it was ongoing. Scholarly jargon says that these incidents represent an important convergence of sociopolitical activism and higher education, prompting a critical examination of the constitutional liberties afforded within educational institutions and the ethical implications of their enforcement.

History of student protests in the US

The substantial surge in student protests within the US can be traced back to their involvement in the anti-Vietnam War movement during the 1970s. Notably, in April 1968, students at Columbia University and its affiliated institution, Barnard College, staged a demonstration against the Vietnam War, a conflict spanning from 1954 to 1975.

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These protests manifested in the occupation of five campus buildings, accompanied by the temporary detainment of a dean. The Civil Rights Movement concurrently instigated discussions and contemplations on racial dynamics and justice within predominantly white campuses, thereby impacting the collective consciousness of the student body.

Simultaneously, the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1972 galvanised protests against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The demands articulated by student protesters mirrored those voiced in contemporary protests, emphasising the imperative for university divestment from entities supporting or benefiting from South African apartheid.

Their efforts yielded significant outcomes, with 155 universities eventually divesting. Moreover, in 1986, succumbing to pressure from demonstrators, the US government enacted a divestment policy. In parallel, the ongoing protest encampments are advocating for analogous measures, urging university administrators to divest endowments from corporations associated with Israels actions in Gaza, sever ties with Israeli academic institutions, and formally endorse a ceasefire.

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Over subsequent decades, mass protests materialised against the Iraq War, amidst the Occupy Wall Street movement, and in response to the killing of George Floyd. However, these demonstrations predominantly unfolded off campus. Nonetheless, technological advancements facilitating real-time access to national protests have augmented student awareness of activism and cultivated a sense of responsibility among them.

Columbia University president grilled over anti-Semitism

Columbia Universitys President, Minouche Shafik, encountered intensified scrutiny following a pointed rebuke from a campus oversight panel regarding her administrations handling of a pro-Palestinian protest on the New York campus. Shafik, a British-American academic and economist, assumed the presidency of the university in July 2023, following her tenure as president and vice chancellor of the London School of Economics from 2017 to 2023. Of Egyptian descent, Shafik was summoned to testify before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. The visit of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani to Columbia University amidst the protests prompted his vehement condemnation of pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

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The political landscape witnessed a familiar phenomenon wherein politicians seized upon the backlash to the protests of the 1960s, a trend observed in contemporary discourse. In the 1966 California gubernatorial race, former President Ronald Reagan criticised the incumbent governor and the president of the University of California for perceived leniency towards Berkeley protesters, despite the administrations implementation of mass student arrests.

Noteworthy philanthropic figures associated with Columbia University, such as donor and alumnus Robert Kraft, founder of Columbias Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, and billionaire Len Blavatnik, suspended their donations to the university. Their actions were motivated by concerns over the perceived inadequacy of Columbias measures in combating campus antisemitism. Concurrently, Republican lawmakers, initially targeted for support by Shafik in her congressional testimony, called for her resignation. Notable among these voices were House Speaker Mike Johnson and several congressional members, who asserted that the university had failed to ensure the safety of Jewish students. Such accusations also limit down the presence of Jewish students themselves in the protests that are demonstrating for Palestinian rights.

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What is anti-Semitism?

To begin, it is crucial to understand that Semitism is an identity delineated primarily by linguistic affiliations rather than racial categorisations. According to the narrative of Noahs progeny recounted in the biblical book of Genesis (10), the linguistic lineage associated with Semitic languages purportedly traces back to the linguistic repertoire of Sem, one of Noahs sons.

Although the exact etymological origins of Semitic languages are subject to scholarly debate, it is widely posited that these languages originated in the region of West Asia. Among the prominent Semitic languages are Arabic, Hebrew, and Aramaic.

The designation Semitic itself finds its genesis in the scholarly discourse of the late 18th century, particularly among members of the Gottingen school of history. August Ludwig von Schlozer, a prominent figure within this academic milieu, is credited with the inception of the term Semitic in 1781, specifically to denote languages closely affiliated with Arabic, Aramaic, and Hebrew. Subsequently, the evolution of the term anti-Semitic can be discerned in the intellectual exchanges between scholars, notably exemplified in the interactions between Moritz Steinschneider and Ernest Renan.

Avner Falks analysis reveals the trajectory of the semantic development of the term Semitic within the historical discourse, particularly as expounded by scholars such as Heinrich von Treitschke. This evolution is characterised by a notable conflation with Jewish identity, in stark contrast to the broader conceptualization espoused by Renan, which encompasses a spectrum of ethnic groups based primarily on linguistic affiliations. Consequently, the term antisemitic emerges as a corollary within this framework, denoting the manifestation of hostility or discrimination towards individuals perceived to be of Semitic descent, notably those of Jewish heritage, within both historical and contemporary contexts.

Nevertheless, the conceptualization of anti-Semitism as prejudice specifically directed towards individuals of Jewish descent has garnered official recognition. The European Parliament Working Group on Antisemitism, in 2010, adopted a definition aligning with this understanding. Similarly, the United States Department of State, in 2014, embraced a similar definition that eschewed the term wrong. This definition subsequently found incorporation into the Operational Hate Crime Guidance of the UK College of Policing. Thus, while acknowledging the inherent limitations and inaccuracies of the term anti-Semitism, institutional frameworks have endorsed its application in delineating discriminatory attitudes towards individuals of Jewish heritage. Yet it remains quite questionable why such discourse on Islamophobia are not having the same gravity as those accusations of anti-Semitism.

In academia, scholars have increasingly recognised the need to address Islamophobia as a form of racism and discrimination comparable to anti-Semitism. Efforts to analyse and combat Islamophobia have gained traction, with interdisciplinary research drawing on fields such as sociology, political science, cultural studies, and religious studies. However, institutional biases and systemic barriers continue to hinder the mainstreaming of Islamophobia discourse within academic circles, reflecting broader societal challenges in confronting prejudice and discrimination.

Conclusion

Efficiently executing a comprehensive boycott or import ban on all Israeli goods presents substantial logistical challenges, primarily due to the indispensable nature of certain commodities in contemporary global markets. Many Israeli products, including computer technology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and sophisticated heavy machinery, lack readily available substitutes or entail considerable difficulty in replacement. Despite these complexities, the prospect of divestment from Israel remains a pertinent avenue for influencing public perception regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the broader Israeli occupation.

However, the efficacy of such divestment initiatives underscores deeper questions regarding the fundamental essence of universities and the preservation of academic freedoms. Central to this discourse is an interrogation of the parameters delineating state-sanctioned violence and surveillance within university settings. The intrusion of such mechanisms raises profound concerns regarding the preservation of academic autonomy and the safeguarding of democratic principles within educational institutions.

At the heart of this discourse lies an exploration of the concept of freedom of speech and expression and the correlative rights of students to engage in peaceful protests. Within the context of university campuses, traditionally regarded as bastions of intellectual inquiry and free exchange of ideas, the curtailment of student protests poses a fundamental challenge to the ethos of academic freedom. Consequently, interrogating the delineations of permissible dissent within educational settings becomes imperative in safeguarding the democratic fabric of society and upholding the principles of freedom of expression.

The author is a Research Fellow at Centre for India-West Asia Dialogue, a think tank based out of New Delhi. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Sir Salman Rushdienow, presumably, plain Citizen Rushdie of the US of Ahas tersely stated in his just released book, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder that India, the country of my birth and my deepest inspiration, on that day found no words. That day was August 12, 2022, when the writer was stabbed multiple times by a fundamentalist 24-year-old Muslim-American assailant but miraculously survivedand has now told his tale in cutting prose.

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Indeed, though External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar acknowledged the attack and the worlds reaction to it three days later, Indias official condemnation came only at the end of the month. But then Rushdie has never made it easy for anyone to support him without a degree of wariness. He has critiqued the Left, the Right, the Centre in every country that he has lived in or been connected with at some point or other. So, any position on him has to be a considered one.

He is undoubtedly the most prominent target of Islamic fundamentalism, for the Anglosphere or, more broadly the West. In India, however, that means a diminishing and increasingly fringe section of the old elite. Most Indians today have no idea what The Satanic Verses are; many may not even know it is a novel, or that its writer was in hiding for years because of a fatwa issued by the Ayatollah of Shia Iran to kill him. But a lot of Indians do know about fatwas.

Given Rushdies disappointment at the silence of a country whose current Prime Minister he has criticised more than the man who summarily banned The Satanic Verses in 1988 while holding the same post, India should lift that proscription now. In fact, India should have done so in the same month Rushdie was attacked. It would have beenrightlyseen as a definitive turning away from yet another egregious, and as-yet-unrescinded Congress-era appeasement move.

All it would require is permission from the Finance Ministry for The Satanic Verses to be imported again, a symbolic lifting of a ban-that-wasnt. A reprint of the best-selling, Whitbread Prize-winning book would not even be necessary anymore as it can be downloaded from the internet. But a reversal of the ban would inform the Indians today who are hazy about the actions of Rajiv Gandhis 400-paar (404-seat) government when it came to minority appeasement.

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Without even reading it, two prominent Indiansboth Muslims from educated familieshad spoken out against the book: former diplomat and parliamentarian Syed Shahabuddin and veteran Congressman Khurshid Alam Khan. And PM Rajiv Gandhi capitulated, falling back on the Union finance ministry to disallow the import of the book from the UK even as its publisher decided against an Indian edition. This, incidentally, happened four months before Irans fatwa!

Back in 1988, Sir Salman had scathing words for Rajiv Gandhi. In an open letter later published in The New York Times, he wrote, The right to freedom of expression is at the foundation of any democratic society, and at present, all over the world, Indian democracy is becoming something of a laughing-stock. The then PM ignored that jibe, the supposed worldwide derision and Rushdies demand to lift the ban. But Rajivs image has remained untainted by it.

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That sleight of hand served everyones purpose for years, as it did not prevent anyoneincluding this columnistfrom accessing the book and eagerly lapping up its allegedly blasphemous content. When the internet came, this book ban became even more of a dead letter, but Rushdie as its author was still prevented from attending the Jaipur Literary Festival in 201214 years after even the fatwa was seemingly watered down by Iranthough he did finally come to India.

This was a change from the time when for years after the ban, Rushdie was denied an Indian visa and ignored by Indian embassies. The launch of the Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card in 1999 gave him a different way to visit India but in his 2012 memoir Joseph Anton (his pseudonym while in hiding) he had written the wounds inflicted by India were the deepest as the pre-1999 visa rejection meant he could not visit the country of his birth and deepest inspiration.

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The literary deja vu in Knife about the land of his deepest inspiration is ironic because it is Rushdie who has stayed away since the government changed in 2014. When he was last in India, from December 2012 to January 2013 during UPA-2, he was not allowed in Kolkata by the West Bengal governmenta travel ban also meted out to the Bangladeshi-origin writer Taslima Nasreen, who shares with him the distinction of having a book banned as well as death fatwas.

Though Rushdie returned to India literarily in February 2023 with Victory City based on the Vijayanagar Empire, he did not pencil in a familiarisation trip to Hampi or thereabouts even while hinting about the setting of the book in its early stages in 2021. His engagement with official India post 2014 appears to have been restricted to participating in open letter chains on concerns about various acts of the current government, whose intentions he seems to deeply mistrust.

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Fundamentalist and other fatwas by the fringe have never been as irrelevant and likely to be ignored in India by the government and the public at large as now. Rushdie has been outspoken about the inexorable worldwide Islamic extremist project, maintaining that its agenda is power not justicea cautionary distinction that the youthful, non-domiciled supporters of Hamas elsewhere may not thank him for these days. But he would find a receptive audience in India.

Rushdie would not like to remember the time in the 1990s when he seemingly apologised to Irans religious supremo, even reaffirmed his faith in Islam, in order to lower tensions and try to have the fatwa recalled. It did not work, and he rounded on the Islamic fundamentalists again soon after, maintaining that stance till date. The Indians Rushdie looks askance at today would actually understand where he is coming fromif he tries to understand them too, in turn.

Just as it is time that the infructuous ban on The Satanic Verses is lifted, it is also time Sir Salmanor Citizen Salmanmakes a trip to India again and suss out its changes. Rushdie was granted an Indian visa for the first time since the book ban and fatwa in 1999 during the BJP-led NDA government of AB Vajpayee, which also made it possible for him to always come to India by issuing him a PIO card. It does not make sense for Rushdie to stay away from India anymore.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Despite restrictions in cooperation with NASA due to US regulations, China has incorporated scientific payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan for the mission read more

China's Chang'e-6 rocket, will venture to the Moon's far side, also known as its "hidden" or "far" side, which is permanently facing away from Earth, posing communication challenges. Image Credit: AFP

China is gearing up to launch its Change-6 mission, a robotic mission that will make a round-trio the dark side of the Moon. The objective of the mission is quite lofty  collecting samples from the Moons far side.

This mission marks the beginning of a series of lunar expeditions aimed at laying the groundwork for the establishment of a lunar base at the Moons south pole by 2030.

Set for launch this week, Change-6 will use a backup spacecraft from the successful 2020 Change-5 mission, which made history by bringing back lunar samples to Earth after over four decades.

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Unlike its predecessor, Change-6 will venture to the Moons far side, also known as its hidden or far side, which is permanently facing away from Earth, posing communication challenges.

To overcome this obstacle, Change-6 will use Queqiao-2, a recently positioned relay satellite in lunar orbit. This satellite will enable communication throughout the missions expected 53-day duration, including an unprecedented ascent from the Moons far side, a manoeuvre never before attempted.

Beyond its technological achievements, the Change-6 mission underscores Chinas lunar aspirations. Despite limitations in cooperation with NASA due to US regulations, China has incorporated scientific payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan into the mission.

Future missions, including Change-7 and Change-8, will feature instruments from Russia, Switzerland, and Thailand, focusing on exploring the lunar south pole for water resources and initiating outpost construction.

Change-6 aims to land in the northeastern region of the South Pole-Aitken Basin, the Moons oldest and largest recognised impact basin.

This area holds scientific significance due to its minimal volcanic activity, preserving ancient geological features. By retrieving samples from this region, scientists hope to unravel mysteries about the Moons early evolution and the inner solar system.

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The success of the Change-6 mission could yield vital insights into the Moons composition and geological history, shedding light on this celestial body that has captivated human imagination for centuries.

Amid growing global interest in lunar exploration, with multiple nations and private entities setting their sights on the Moon, Chinas Change-6 mission represents a significant stride in unravelling the mysteries of our closest celestial neighbour.

(With inputs from agencies)
Elon Musks China visit comes at a time when the EV maker is struggling in the worlds largest EV market. Musk hopes that Teslas FSD operations in China will prove to be a saviour for Teslas EV and AI operations read more

Elon Musk, the Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Inc., embarked on an unexpected journey to China, where he engaged in discussions with Premier Li Qiang. This visit comes just weeks after Musk postponed a planned trip to India at the last moment, citing urgent matters at Tesla, his electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing venture.

Premier Li, one of Chinas top officials, warmly received Musk in Beijing, underlining Chinas receptiveness to foreign companies and lauding Tesla as a prime example of successful collaboration between China and the United States. Reports from China Central Television (CCTV) conveyed Lis positive sentiments towards Tesla and the broader China-US trade partnership.

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Why is Musk in China?

Musks visit to China is taking place at a time when Tesla is experiencing some significant turbulence, which is characterised by a downturn in EV sales and substantial downsizing of its workforce across the world.

During his visit to India, Musk was expected to meet PM Narendra Modi, and announce the launch of the Indian chapters of SpaceX and Tesla. However, apprehensions of major issues cropping up because of Teslas most terrible earnings call in 7 years, Musk decided to postpone his India trip.

In his discussions with Premier Li, Musk reiterated Teslas dedication to strengthening its cooperation with China, a crucial market for the companys global expansion.

Before meeting Premier Li, Musk also held talks with Ren Hongbin, the head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, signaling Teslas keen interest in fostering closer ties with Chinese authorities and industry stakeholders.

Teslas desperate situation

Musks arrival in Beijing aboard a Gulfstream aircraft owned by SpaceX was followed by reports indicating discussions on Teslas software initiatives.

Particularly, Tesla is striving to secure regulatory approval for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, which has faced restrictions in China due to concerns over the use of cameras for driver-assistance functions.

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In Teslas recent earnings call, Musk outlined plans to introduce the FSD system as a supervised autonomy solution, contingent upon regulatory clearance in various markets, including China. However, Tesla confronts stiff competition in Chinas burgeoning EV sector, where local players tout advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) as key selling points.

Premier Li, during his visit to the Beijing Auto Show, emphasized Chinas leadership in the new energy vehicles industry and pledged to foster a fair and level playing field for foreign companies. These assurances come at a critical juncture for Tesla, which has been adjusting its pricing strategies in key markets like the US and China to maintain competitiveness.

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China to save Tesla?

Despite the challenges, Teslas Shanghai factory, inaugurated in 2019, stands out as the companys most productive facility globally. Musk commended the efforts of the Chinese team during his meeting with Premier Li, underscoring the pivotal role of China in Teslas global manufacturing network.

Reports from Chinese media indicated that Teslas recent workforce reductions included the cancellation of all offers extended to Chinese graduates, highlighting the companys ongoing efforts to streamline operations amidst market uncertainties and regulatory complexities in China.

Musks strategic discussions with Chinese officials underscore the significance of the Chinese market in Teslas long-term growth strategy. They also reflect the companys proactive approach to addressing regulatory challenges and navigating intensifying competition in the dynamic EV landscape of China.
IIT-Madras is conducting its student body polls in a way that would put to rest all questions that people have about electoral processes  by making them vote through a blockchain read more

The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras or IIT-M has come up with a new way to conduct elections, which can put issues with our current voting system, with VVPAT machines et al to rest, for good. In a groundbreaking move towards democratic innovation, IIT-Madras used blockchain technology for its student elections.

Spearheaded by the Webops and Blockchain Club at the Centre for Innovation (CFI), this initiative has not only transformed student governance but has also blossomed into a startup venture, as per a report by the Times of India.

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Although it was initially conceived as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project with backing from a prominent Indian tech firm and the Department of Science and Technology, the projects main goal was to tackle the challenges in elections that came about because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of the primary goals was to facilitate access to medical records and track health conditions across different regions.

The successful deployment of blockchain technology in the IIT-Madras student legislative council election has earned a prestigious spot in the India Book of Records. The team of enterprising students and researchers behind this initiative highlighted that voting technology is just one aspect where blockchain holds immense potential for revolutionising existing practices.

Looking ahead, Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal, the faculty-in-charge, envisions a future where various sectors adopt secure and transparent blockchain applications for remote voting. He emphasized, just how this student-led project has immense potential to reshape how elections are conducted.

As for the issue of security of online blockchain-based polls, the team expressed unwavering confidence in the technologys robustness. Anirudh Varna, a fourth-year BTech student involved in the project, highlighted the near-impenetrable security of blockchain. He explained that malicious actors would need to gain control of over 50 per cent of the networks nodes, all at the same time, something that is possible only on paper.

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Professor Rajagopal reiterated that blockchain not only enhances security but also fosters trust and ensures the integrity of the polling process. With its decentralized nature and cryptographic algorithms, blockchain stands as a bulwark against tampering and manipulation.

The success of the blockchain-powered student elections at IIT-Madras marks a significant milestone in the evolution of democracy and technology integration in India.

As the initiative expands its horizons beyond campus borders, it holds the promise of transforming electoral processes across various sectors, ushering in an era of secure and transparent voting systems.

(With inputs from agencies)
The US will be using Indias decision to ban TikTok on national security grounds, FCC commissioner Brendan Carr has revealed. While TikTok may invoke the first amendment to block the order, that is not likely to work, he revealed read more

India's TikTok ban will help the US ban TikTok in their country. Image Credit: Reuters

Indias decisive move against TikTok may influence legal proceedings in the United States, according to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioner Brendan Carr.

In an interview with the Economic Times, Carr noted that Indias actions could have implications for American courts as ByteDance, the Chinese-owned company behind TikTok, prepares to challenge the US ban on its video-sharing platform.

The remarks from Carr follow closely after US President Joe Bidens recent directive targeting the popular app. President Biden signed a bill requiring ByteDance to sell off TikTok or face a ban within the next nine to twelve months.

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However, ByteDance has stated it has no plans to sell the app, with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew emphasising that both the facts and the US Constitution support the companys position,

TikTok has been vocal about its concerns, asserting on its official account on microblogging platform X that a potential ban in the US would infringe upon the free speech rights of 170 million Americans.

The company is likely to invoke the First Amendment of the US Constitution, which safeguards freedom of speech, press, assembly, and the right to petition the government for grievances.

However, Carr believes that this argument may not be sufficient to sway US courts in ByteDances favour.

Carr suggests that Indias actions against TikTok could impact the legal battle in the US He speculates that TikTok may argue that the US ban stems from an unfounded obsession with China, citing nonexistent threats.

However, Carr points out that India, a neighbouring country to China, has also taken similar action against TikTok, indicating a broader concern beyond US-China relations.

In Carrs view, Indias stance could be relevant in US court filings, demonstrating that the apprehensions about TikTok extend beyond American borders.

He suggests that Indias swift and preemptive action may shape the narrative surrounding TikToks ban in the US, emphasizing a global perspective on the issue.
Capri is a microcosm of many European holiday hotspots. Locals depend on visitors for their livelihoods, but the advent of mass tourism risks turning their picture-perfect beauty spots into blobs of shuffling humanity read more

As tourists move in, Italians are squeezed out on holiday island of Capri. Reuters

Famed for its blue seas, breathtaking views and cove-studded coastline, the Mediterranean island of Capri has been a tourist haven since the early years of the Roman empire.

Unlike in the imperial heyday, when emperors made it their exclusive playground, Capri now attracts visitors from around the world, clogging its narrow alleys, packing the piazzas and blocking the beaches during the hot summer months.

As many as 16,000 tourists a day pour onto the rocky isle in peak season, outnumbering the 12,900 residents. Most are day trippers, but increasing numbers stay the night as ever more homes are given over to holiday lets, bringing its own problems.

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Capri is becoming a dormitory for tourists, said Teodorico Boniello, head of the local consumers association. There are more people coming than we can cope with and families cant set down roots because they cant afford to stay.

Capri is a microcosm of many European holiday hotspots. Locals depend on visitors for their livelihoods, but the advent of mass tourism risks turning their picture-perfect beauty spots into blobs of shuffling humanity.

Some Italian towns and islands are starting to push back, albeit gently.

Venice last week became the first city in the world to introduce an entrance fee for visitors in peak periods, Florence has banned new holiday lets in the city centre and the Cinque Terre park on the Italian Riviera started charging 15 euros for access to a popular coastal footpath to tackle overcrowding.

Capri has doubled its own visitors fee from 2.5 euros to 5 euros, which outsiders pay when they catch a ferry from nearby Naples or Sorrento from April through to October.

We are looking to persuade more people to visit during winter, Capri Mayor Marino Lembo told Reuters, sitting in his office with the smog of Naples hanging far in the distance.

But such a fee looks unlikely to dissuade tourists from travelling to an island that has more than four million tagged photos on Instagram, drawing in an endless flow of visitors eager to add the same views to their social media pages.

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Moreover, locals say it will do nothing to help ease the housing crisis, which forces many essential workers, including teachers and medics, to live on the mainland.

Early starts

Antonio De Chiara, 22, wakes up every morning at 5.20 a.m. in his hometown near Naples in order to be sure to catch the 7.00 a.m. ferry, which takes 50 minutes to reach Capri. Around 400 other commuters join him on the ride across the bay.

Barely out of Naples, those on a tight schedule start queuing in the aisles to ensure they are first off the boat to grab a seat on one of a handful of small buses that head up the hill to town. Stragglers risk a lengthy wait.

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It would be lovely to live in Capri, but it is very difficult. Even if I could find a place, the rent would take up all my salary, said De Chiara, who recently got a job as a child therapist on the island.

Stefano Busiello, 54, teaches maths in a Capri high school but lives in Naples and has commuted back and forth for 20 years. I have never even tried to find a house here. I could never afford one and things are getting harder.

Only 20% of staff in his school actually live on Capri, he said, with everyone else arriving on the ferries  a daily grind that means most of his colleagues stay no more than two or three years before seeking a transfer to mainland schools.

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Roberto Faravelli, who runs a Bed and Breakfast near the port, says people like himself might be willing to rent their properties to workers if the region offered incentives to close the gap on lucrative holiday lets.

The government needs to encourage homeowners to offer long-term rents. What we lack is anyone trying to resolve these problems, he said.

But Mayor Lembo did not expect the authorities to intervene. It is unfortunate, but this is the market economy at work.

Post-Covid surge

Vacation rental platform Airbnb lists more than 500 properties on Capri against around 110 in 2016. This is just the tip of the iceberg, with local families renting out their properties during the summer months on unregulated portals.

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This short-term rental market is chaotic. There are no controls, said Lembo.

Despite obvious resentment over the lack of viable housing, Capri has not yet witnessed the sort of protests seen elsewhere  such as Spains Canary Islands, where thousands took to the streets this month to demand limits on tourist arrivals.

The end of the COVID pandemic has seen tourism surge across Europe as global travellers seek to make up for lost time.

Italy had near-record overnight stays in 2023, according to data collated by the Florence centre of Tourism Studies, and was the 5th most visited country in the world in 2023, with tourists drawn to its quaint villages and culture-rich cities.

But none were built for mass travel.

In the morning during high season, a fleet of ferries disgorge up to 5,000 visitors into Capris tiny port in just two hours. Everyone wants to head up to the town of Capri and the smaller Anacapri, but the buses can only carry 30 people at a time and the funicular 50.

You can easily wait two or even three hours to get up the hill in summer. The quays get packed. Noone can move, said Boniello, flicking through videos on his phone of people crammed one against the other.

Lembo acknowledges the problems, but denies tourism is ruining an island his ancestors have lived on for centuries. I dont agree with nostalgics who say Capri was more beautiful 100 years ago. There was misery and poverty back then. Now there is wealth, and that is thanks to tourism.
The authorities identified that the two Ukrainian men were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen read more

A Russian man was arrested for allegedly stabbing two Ukrainian servicemen to death in a horrific incident that took place in Southern Germany. The two Ukrainians were killed at a shopping centre in the villages in Upper Bavaria.

The authorities identified that the two Ukrainian men were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Shortly after these killings, the police arrested a 57-year-old Russian man on suspicion of murder.

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Ukrainian foreign ministry issues a statement

While the names of the victims and the suspect were not released by the German police in adherence to its privacy rules, it is still not clear if the three men knew each other or not.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in this regard and condemned the deaths of its citizens. On April 27, two Ukrainian citizens, men born in 1987 and 2001, were killed by stabbing in Murnau am Stafelsee, Bavaria, Germany, at a local shopping centre, the ministry said in a statement.

According to preliminary information, the deceased citizens were military personnel undergoing medical rehabilitation in Germany, the statement further reads.

It is important to note that over one million Ukrainian refugees came to Germany shortly after the commencement of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022.

By October 22, Ukrainian citizens were the second largest foreign population in Germany after Turkish nationals. Not only this, Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community.

With inputs from agencies.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens tour of the Middle East coincides with the arrival of a Hamas delegation in Egypt with a response to the latest ceasefire proposal read more

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Jordan and Israel from Saudi Arabia as talks for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip pick up pace.

Blinken will arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday where he will hold discussions for a deal aimed at establishing a ceasefire in Gaza and freeing hostages in the captivity of Hamas. He will hold discussions with top Arab officials on the sidelines of a World Economic Conference (WEF) being held in the country.

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Blinkens tour of the Middle East coincides with the arrival of a Hamas delegation in Egypt with a response to the latest ceasefire proposal presented to the group.

Blinkens visit extended after Biden-Netanyahu call

The new stops of Israel and Jordan were added to Blinkens visit after US President Joe Biden talked to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on phone on Sunday, according to AFP.

As Blinkens plane refuelled in Ireland, a Department of State official confirmed to the news agency that Blinken will travel to these two countries from Saudi Arabia.

In their call, Biden and Netanyahu discussed the ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and the expected invasion of Rafah, the southern Gazan town where more than 1 million Palestinians displaced from the war are sheltering and where Israel says multiple Hamas battalions are also making their last stand.

Previously, State Department Spokesperson Mathew Miller had said that Blinken during his visit will emphasise that it is Hamas that is roadblocking a ceasefire in Gaza as it is not budging on negotiations.

Separately, French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne is also headed to Riyadh. He is travelling to Saudi Arabia from Lebanon where he held talks aimed to ease the tensions between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which has clashed with Israel on a nearly-daily basis since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023.

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No major issues in ceasefire proposal: Hamas

Ahead of the arrival of its delegation in Egypt with a response to the ceasefire proposal, Hamas on Sunday said it had no major issues with it, according to AFP.

The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles. There are no major issues in the observations and inquiries submitted by Hamas regarding the contents [of the proposal], said a Hamas official to the news agency, on the condition of anonymity.

The United States along with regional partners Qatar and Egypt have been facilitating negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a deal that would institute a truce in Gaza and free hostages. While the talks were stalled for weeks, there have been reports that negotiations have picked pace lately. Axios has reported that, for the first time in the talks so far, the latest ceasefire proposal has included Israels willingness to discuss the end of the war in Gaza.
The report was compiled by 37 rights groups from 19 countries. It stated that the alarming trends identified previously persisted in 2023 read more

New report says press freedom in Europe are on the verge of a breaking point. Source: Unsplash / Representative

A leading civil liberties network said that media freedom across the European Union is perilously close" to a breaking point in several member nation-states.

The Berlin-based group called the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) issued its annual media freedom report in which they highlighted the growing threats against journalists and attacks on the independence of public broadcasters in the region.

The report was compiled by 37 rights groups from 19 countries. It stated that the alarming trends identified previously persisted in 2023.

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Media freedom is clearly in steady decline across the EU  in many countries as a result of deliberate harm or neglect by national governments, said Eva Simon, the senior advocacy officer at Liberties.

Declining media freedom goes hand in hand with a decline in the rule of law. Theres a close correlation between the two. This is the playbook of authoritarian regimes. she added. However, Simon maintained that the new EU media legislation has potential but must be properly implemented.

What are the key findings?

The key findings of the report are as follows:

Media freedom and pluralism

The report stated that strong media ownership concentration continues to define the domestic markets of several EU nations since 2023. The body claimed that little was done to improve and increase media ownership transparency.

The media network mentioned that media ownership concentration was high in countries like Croatia, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Highlighting the uncertainty faced by Public Service Media (PSM) operating in the European nations, the body pointed out the situation in Poland where the change in the government led to major changes in the Polish media houses.

It also noted how Hungary is the only nation in the EU which still does not maintain independent media regulatory bodies. Not only this, levels of public trust are at an all-time low in countries like the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, and Slovakia, and levels remained low in France and Greece in 2023.

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Safety of Journalists

The report lists journalists who have faced physical attacks in 2023 in Croatia, France, Germany, Greece and Italy. The body found that several European journalists are facing lawsuits.

The body found that spyware like Pegasus and Predator are also being used to keep an eye on the works of reporters and news organisations.

Freedom of expression

Several civil organisations have reported attempts made by European countries to censor members of the press. The biggest culprits of this are Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy and Greece. Hate speech continues to remain prevalent in Germany, Ireland and Slovenia.

The network mentioned that disinformation and restrictions on access to public interest information are also major problems among EU member nations.

What are the recommendations?

The media group recommended monitoring the enforcement of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The legislation which safeguards the integrity of media.

The group also requested the member nations to ensure the independence of public service media and establish frameworks to protect journalists from malicious surveillance.

The group also asked the EU to create a database on state advertisement spending to ensure that the media does not become the victim of the governments arbitrary oversight.
The call was meant to pave the way for US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens visit to the Middle East with the intention of coming up with a solution to scale down the ongoing crisis in Gaza read more

As the ravaging Israel-Hamas war continues to escalate, US President Joe Biden reiterated his clear opposition to the Rafah invasion during a phone call with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The phone call came on Sunday as the pressure continued to build on Israel and Hamas to reach a ceasefire deal. In light of this, Biden also discussed with Netanyahu the prospects of a deal to secure the release of hostages who are still under the captivity of Hamas.

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The call was meant to pave the way for US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens visit to the Middle East with the intention of coming up with a solution to scale down the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

According to the readout of the conversation released by the White House, the call between the two world leaders lasted for just under an hour and focused mostly on the ceasefire agreement. The two leaders also touched upon the video of two Americans held hostage which was shared by Hamas, last week.

Biden and Netanyahu discuss humanitarian assistance in Gaza

In the readout White House stated that the POTUS and the Israeli premier had a conversation about the provision of humanitarian assistance in the conflict-stricken Gaza.

The President and the Prime Minister also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza including through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week, according to the readout.

The President stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations. The leaders discussed Rafah and the President reiterated his clear position, the White House added.

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In the past, the Biden administration has conveyed to their Israeli counterpart that the United States would like to see a clear and actionable plan on how Israeli forces are planning to protect civilian lives while conducting ground assault in Rafah.

Biden reaffirms ironclad support to Israel

During the phone call, the American Commander-in-Chief reaffirmed his administrations ironclad support for Israel. It is important to note that the call between the two leaders took place just days after Biden gave a green signal to an aid package which included providing $26 billion for Israel.

The package also included $61 billion in aid to Ukraine and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific.

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The President reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israels security following the successful defence against Irans unprecedented missile and drone attack earlier this month, the White House averred.

Meanwhile, Blinken is due to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday to conduct diplomatic talks on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum. In light of this, an Israeli delegation is also expected to travel to Egypt in the coming days to take part in the latest ceasefire deal negotiation.

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim also said in a message to the Associated Press that the members of the group will be present during the talks in Cairo.

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With inputs from agencies.
British Conservative MP Tim Loughton has been sanctioned by China over his criticism of China over Beijings human rights abuses in the Xinjiang province read more

A British Conservative MP has said that he was detained and deported by the African nation of Djibouti over his criticism of China.

Tim Loughton, the MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, has said he was held for more than seven hours at the airport earlier this month. He has been an MP since 1997 and has previously served as Deputy Chairman on the Home Affairs Select Committee.

Djibouti has seen billions of dollars of investments from China and is considered close to China. It is home to Chinas first foreign military base.

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Loughton is among the seven British MPs who have been sanctioned by China for their criticism of Beijings human rights abuses in Xinjiang province.

Loughton told The Daily Telegraph that his intimidating detention and subsequent expulsion were direct consequences of his criticism of China. He said it was just the latest example of intimidation that the seven sanctioned parliamentarians have suffered over the last three years.

Loughton said as soon as the authorities in Djibouti learnt he is a British MP, his passport was checked and things turned decidedly frosty.

Loughton said he was held in in the arrivals section for an hour without any explanation and was then taken to a holding room where he was in solitary detention for three hours.

They gave me no reason. I kept saying: Why? and they could not tell me. In short, it was a highly intimidating and very lonely experience in a very strange country, said Loughton to the paper.

Following the encounter, Loughton said he raised the issue with Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell. He said he also wrote Djiboutis ambassador via the British Foreign Office to protest about the outrageous behaviour that he was subjected to.
Using a widely used euphemism for corruption, the National Peoples Congress (NPC) said in an official statement on Friday that Yang Xiaoming had been dismissed from his position as a delegate of the legislature for alleged serious violations of discipline and law read more

Yang was fired in the midst of the largest crackdown on China's healthcare system, which is part of a larger anti-corruption campaign that President Xi Jinping started in late 2012

A former top official at the biggest vaccine manufacturer in China, who oversaw the creation of the nations first inactivated Covid-19 injection, has been removed from the national assembly.

Using a widely used euphemism for corruption, the National Peoples Congress (NPC) said in an official statement on Friday that Yang Xiaoming had been dismissed from his position as a delegate of the legislature for alleged serious violations of discipline and law.

Yang, 62, is a seasoned researcher and the former chairman of Sinopharms vaccine division, China National Biotec Group. He oversaw the development of Sinopharms BBIBP-CorV vaccine, which was the first coronavirus vaccination authorized for widespread use in China.

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The NPC said that Yang is already under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the partys disciplinary authority, in a statement released after a four-day meeting of its standing committee.

The two most popular Covid-19 vaccinations that China exported were the Sinopharm shot and Sinovac Biotechs CoronaVac.

Yang was fired in the midst of the largest crackdown on Chinas healthcare system, which is part of a larger anti-corruption campaign that President Xi Jinping started in late 2012.

The goal of the crackdown is to eradicate pervasive corruption in a kickback-ridden system. Numerous hospital directors have been imprisoned since last year, and it targets drug corporations, insurance funds, and hospitals.

Zhou Bin, a former senior official of Sinopharm and the deputy general manager of the company, was under investigation in January by the CCDI.
The U.S. has imposed an array of sanctions on Russia and Russian entities since the country invaded Ukraine in 2022. Now the threat of extending these to banks in China - a country Washington blames for powering Moscows war effort - is chilling the finance that lubricates even non-military trade from China to Russia read more

An appliance maker in southern China is finding it hard to ship its products to Russia, not because of any problems with the gadgets but because Chinas big banks are throttling payments for such transactions out of concern over US sanctions.

To settle payments for its electrical goods, the Guangdong-based company is considering using currency brokers active along Chinas border with Russia, said the companys founder, Wang, who asked to be identified only by his family name.

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The U.S. has imposed an array of sanctions on Russia and Russian entities since the country invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Now the threat of extending these to banks in China - a country Washington blames for powering Moscows war effort - is chilling the finance that lubricates even non-military trade from China to Russia.

This is posing a growing problem for small Chinese exporters, said seven trading and banking sources familiar with the situation.

As Chinas big banks pull back from financing Russia-related transactions, some Chinese companies are turning to small banks on the border and underground financing channels such as money brokers - even banned cryptocurrency - the sources told Reuters.

Others have retreated entirely from the Russian market, the sources said.

You simply cannot do business properly using the official channels, Wang said, as big banks now take months rather than days to clear payments from Russia, forcing him to tap unorthodox payment channels or shrink his business.

GOING UNDERGROUND

A manager at a large state-owned bank he previously used told Wang the lender was worried about possible US sanctions in dealing with Russian transactions, Wang said.

A banker at one of Chinas Big Four state banks said it had tightened scrutiny of Russia-related businesses to avert sanctions risk. The main reason is to avoid unnecessary troubles, said the banker, who asked not to be named.

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Since last month, Chinese banks have intensified their scrutiny of Russia-related transactions or halted business altogether to avoid being targeted by US sanctions, the sources said.

Transactions between China and Russia will increasingly go through underground channels, said the head of a trade body in a southeastern province that represents Chinese businesses with Russian interests. But these methods carry significant risks.

Making payments in crypto, banned in China since 2021, might be the only option, said a Moscow-based Russian banker, as its impossible to pass through KYC (know-your-customer) at Chinese banks, big or small.

The sources spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the topic. Reuters could not determine the extent of transactions that had shifted from major banks to more obscure routes.

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Chinas foreign ministry is not aware of the practices described by the businesspeople to arrange payments or troubles in settling payments through major Chinese banks, a spokesperson said, referring questions to the relevant authorities.

The Peoples Bank of China and the National Financial Regulatory Administration, the countrys banking sector regulator, did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.

SANCTIONS WARNING

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after meeting Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi for five and a half hours in Beijing on Friday, said he had expressed serious concern that Beijing was powering Russias brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.

Still, his visit, which included meeting President Xi Jinping, was the latest in a series of steps that have tempered the public acrimony that drove relations between the worlds biggest economies to historic lows last year.

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While officials have warned that the United States was ready to take action against Chinese financial institutions facilitating trade in goods with dual civilian and military applications and the U.S. preliminarily has discussed sanctions on some Chinese banks, a U.S. official told Reuters last week Washington does not yet have a plan to implement such measures.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said, China does not accept any illegal, unilateral sanctions. Normal trade cooperation between China and Russia is not subject to disruption by any third party.

A State Department spokesperson, asked about Reuters findings that Chinese banks were curbing payments from Russia and the impact on some Chinese companies, said, Fuelling Russias defence industrial base not only threatens Ukrainian security, it threatens European security.

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Beijing cannot achieve better relations with Europe while supporting the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War, the spokesperson said.

Blinken made clear to Chinese officials that ensuring transatlantic security is a core U.S. interest, the spokesperson said. If China does not address this problem, the United States will.

Nearly all major Chinese banks have suspended settlements from Russia since the beginning of March, said a manager at a listed electronics company in Guangdong.

Some of the biggest state-owned lenders have reported drops in Russia-related business, reversing a surge in assets after Russias invasion.

Among the Big Four, China Construction Bank posted a drop of 14% in its Russian subsidiarys assets last year and Agricultural Bank of China a 7% decline, according to their latest filings.

By contrast, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the countrys biggest lender, reported a 43% jump in assets of its Russian unit. Bank of China (BOC), the fourth-largest, did not give the breakdown.

CHANNEL CAN BE SHUT

The four banks did not respond to requests for comment on their Russian businesses or the impact on Chinese companies.

Some rural banks in northeast China along the Russian border can still collect payments, but this has led to a bottleneck, with some businesspeople saying they have been lining up for months to open accounts.

A chemical and machinery company in Jiangsu province has been waiting for three months to open an account at Jilin Hunchun Rural Commercial Bank in the northeastern province of Jilin, said Liu, who works at the firm and also asked to be identified by family name.

Calls to the bank seeking comment went unanswered.

BOC has blocked a payment from Lius Russian clients since February, and a bank loan officer said firms exporting heavy equipment face more stringent reviews in receiving payments, Liu said.

The manager at the listed Guangdong company said their firm had opened accounts at seven banks since last month but none agreed to accept payments from Russia.

We gave up on the Russian market, the manager said. We eventually didnt receive more than 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) in payments from the Russian side, and we just gave up. The process of collecting payments is extremely annoying.

Wang is also having second thoughts about his Russian business.

I may gradually shrink my business in Russia as the slow process of collecting money is not good for the companys liquidity management, he said.

Whats more, you dont know what will happen in the future. The channel can be shut completely one day.
Her decision to oppose the aid package comes amid her earlier announcement that she would not seek another term, a decision she later reversed, further complicating her reelection campaign read more

U.S. Representative Victoria Spartz, the sole Ukrainian-born member of Congress, has found herself at odds with her colleagues and constituents over her stance on providing additional support to Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia.

Despite her Ukrainian ties, Spartz voted against a $61 billion aid package for the war effort, citing concerns about oversight and advocating for a greater focus on US border security instead of giving blank cheques.

Spartzs position aligns her more closely with conservative House Republicans and reflects the sentiments of voters in her deeply conservative central Indiana congressional district, where she faces a tough reelection fight in the May 7 GOP primary.

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Her decision to oppose the aid package comes amid her earlier announcement that she would not seek another term, a decision she later reversed, further complicating her reelection campaign.

The aid package, which also included assistance for Israel, Taiwan, and other global hot spots, was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden. Despite criticism from some quarters, Spartz defended her stance, emphasising her responsibility to prioritise the protection of American citizens.

During a recent interview and a public event in Indiana, Spartz reiterated her commitment to American interests and criticised the notion that her Ukrainian heritage should dictate her support for the aid package.

Her opponents in the primary, including state Representative Chuck Goodrich, have seized on the issue of border security as a central theme in their campaigns, arguing that it should take precedence over aid to Ukraine.

Despite facing challenges from well-funded opponents and criticism over her shifting stance on reelection, Spartz maintains a significant advantage as the incumbent. With support from former President Donald Trump, Spartz hopes to secure victory in the primary and continue her tenure representing Indianas 5th district in Congress.

With inputs from Agencies
The talks between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by the United States and regional partners Qatar and Egypt, were stalled for weeks, but have picked up pace in recent days read more

Egypt is hopeful regarding the latest proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, said Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday.

Shoukrys statement comes after Hamas was quoted as saying earlier in the day that it had no major issues with the proposal. A delegation of Hamas is expected to arrive in Egypt today to submit a response to the proposal.

The talks between Israel and Hamas, facilitated by the United States and regional partners Qatar and Egypt, were stalled for weeks, but have picked up pace in recent days. US Secretary of State is also on a tour of a Middle East. He arrived in Saudi Arabs capital Riyadh to hold talks with top leaders of the Arab world. He will later visit Israel and Jordan.

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In Riyadh, Blinken said that he was hopeful that Hamas would accept an extraordinarily generous offer on the table, as per AFP.

Proposal takes into account positions of both sides: Shoukry

Shoukry said that the ceasefire proposal on the table takes into account the positions of both the parties and seeks moderation of their stances to arrive at a mutually acceptable deal.

There is a proposal on the table (and its) up to the two sides to consider and accept. We are hopeful. The proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides and has tried to extract moderation. We are waiting to have a final decision. There are factors that will have an impact on both sides decisions, but I hope that all will rise to the occasion, said Shoukry, as per AFP.

Any deal reached between Israel and Hamas is expected to include a ceasefire in Gaza in lieu of the release of hostages in the captivity of Hamas.

Only thing standing between Gazas people & ceasefire is Hamas: Blinken

Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) conference in Riyadh, Blinken repeated his assertion that its Hamas thats the roadblock to a ceasefire in Gaza.

Blinken further said that Hamas has to make a decision quickly and he hopes the group will make the right decision.

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Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel. In this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide  and they have to decide quickly. Im hopeful that they will make the right decision. We can have a fundamental change in the dynamic, said Blinken.
According to the Commission, a lack of response from the Ethiopian authorities with regard to readmission requests and organization of both voluntary and non-voluntary return operationsthe EUs term for deportationare the reasons for the move read more

The European Union announced on Monday that it is toughening visa requirements for citizens of Ethiopia, alleging that the government there has not cooperated in returning citizens discovered to be living illegally within the 27-nation bloc.

According to EU headquarters, the processing time for visas for Ethiopian nationals will triple from 15 to 45 days; EU countries will no longer be allowed to waive requirements for certain paperwork or issue multiple-entry visas; Ethiopian diplomats and officials will now have to pay for travel visas; the European Commission, the EUs executive arm, has pledged to use visa regulations as a means of putting pressure on other nations to assist with deportation procedures. Only about one in three actually leave.

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According to the Commission, a lack of response from the Ethiopian authorities with regard to readmission requests and organization of both voluntary and non-voluntary return operationsthe EUs term for deportationare the reasons for the move.

More individuals than those who come on unseaworthy boats or trek overland in quest of safety, employment, or a better life in Europe are those who enter the EU illegally through ports or airports and never leave after their visas expire.

Ethiopia is engulfed in a humanitarian catastrophe and conflict. The majority of the 6 million people living in the northern Tigray region were left dependent on aid from outside sources after the two-year conflict there, which came to an end in November 2022 with a peace agreement.

In the Horn of Africa, the nation is a major corridor for individuals traveling from Eritrea and Somalia to Europe and other northern regions of Africa. It is also an important location of origin and transit for refugees and migrants.
Germany is Kyivs second-largest military aid provider, and since Russia invaded the country in early 2022, there has been a spike in reported espionage cases connected to Moscow read more

As Berlin deals with an increase in Moscow-related espionage cases amid the conflict in Ukraine, a former soldier from Germany will go on trial on Monday on charges of spying for Russia.

According to German privacy rules, the suspectwho was only given the name Thomas H.was taken into custody in August of last year in the western city of Koblenz.

He is charged with providing Russian intelligence agencies with information he learned while serving in the Bundeswehr, the German militarys procurement branch.

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Germany is Kyivs second-largest military aid provider, and since Russia invaded the country in early 2022, there has been a spike in reported espionage cases connected to Moscow.

Thomas H. had been a career soldier, working at the armys Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support Department.

The department, which has about 12,000 employees, has seen its work increase substantially since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, as Berlin pumps more funds into a wide-ranging overhaul of the Bundeswehr after years of neglect.

In May 2023, the suspect approached the Russian general consulate in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin and offered his cooperation, prosecutors said in a statement when he was arrested.

In the process, he passed on information he had obtained in the course of his professional activities for it to be passed on to a Russian intelligence service.

After his arrest, media reports suggested he had access to sensitive information as the department he worked in counted among its tasks the procurement of highly modern systems for electronic warfare.

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These included technology for the surveillance and disruption of opponents radio systems and the shutting down of enemy radio or airshield systems.

Surging spy cases

Thomas H. faces charges of being an intelligence agent and violating rules on official secrecy. He is standing trial in the western city of Duesseldorf, with hearings set to last until late June.

Germanys domestic security agency, the BfV, warned last year of the risk of an aggressive Russian espionage operation against the backdrop of soaring tensions between the West and Moscow.

The latest example came just this month, when investigators arrested two German-Russian men on suspicion of spying for Russia and planning attacks in Germany  including on US army targets  to undermine military support for Ukraine.

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A former German intelligence officer is on trial in Berlin, accused of handing information to Moscow that showed Germany had access to details of Russian mercenary operations in Ukraine. He denies the charges.

In November 2022, a German man was handed a suspended sentence for passing information to Russian intelligence while serving as a German army reserve officer.

German officials have pledged to take a hard line as spying cases surge, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz saying this month that we can never accept that espionage activities in Germany take place.

Last year, Berlin expelled several Russian diplomats over espionage concerns, prompting the tit-for-tat expulsion of 20 German diplomats from Moscow.

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Russian authorities for their part have levelled treason charges against dozens of people accused of aiding Kyiv and the West since the invasion.
According to the UN and humanitarian assistance organizations, the war has left the beleaguered Gaza Strip on the verge of starvation, destroyed most of the region, and stoked fears of a wider regional catastrophe read more

Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been attempting to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, and a recent flurry of diplomacy seemed to suggest a new push towards halting the fighting Image Courtesy Reuters

Negotiators from the Palestinian organization were scheduled to arrive in Egypt on Monday, and top US diplomat Antony Blinken expressed his hopefulness that Hamas would accept the most recent proposal for a long-sought Gaza truce and hostage release deal.

Egypt, Qatar, and the US have been attempting to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, and a recent flurry of diplomacy seemed to suggest a new push towards halting the fighting. Talks are taking place in Cairo today, according to Al-Qahera News, which is connected to Egyptian intelligence services.

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Uncertainty surrounded the arrival of the Hamas group, although a source with knowledge of the negotiations claimed that Qatari mediators were also in Cairo.

The Palestinian terrorist group has no major issues with the most recent truce agreement, according to a senior Hamas official on Sunday.

Blinken expressed his hopeful that Hamas will accept a truce at a World Economic Forum gathering in Saudi Arabia. This was his sixth trip to the region since the October 7 Hamas attack that started the war.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Blinken said, urging the group to decide quickly.

Im hopeful that they will make the right decision.

Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stated during the same meeting that the proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides.

Although a final decision has not yet been made, Shoukry stated: We are hopeful Im hoping everyone will step up to the plate.

According to the UN and humanitarian assistance organizations, the war has left the beleaguered Gaza Strip on the verge of starvation, destroyed most of the region, and stoked fears of a wider regional catastrophe.

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Protesters in Israel have called for the government to ensure the release of the 34 hostages that the military claims are dead and the 129 hostages that are thought to be still in Gaza.

According to Israeli official estimates, they were taken during Hamass October 7 raid on southern Israel, which started the war and claimed the lives of roughly 1,170 people, mainly civilians.

The health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave of Gaza reports that at least 34,488 individuals have died as a result of Israels retaliatory operation, the majority of them were women and children.

According to a ministry statement on Monday, the count includes at least 34 deaths in the previous 24 hours.
The latest rocket barrage came as Hamas negotiators were expected to arrive in Egypt on Monday, where they were due to respond to Israels latest proposal for a long-sought truce in Gaza and hostage release read more

As violence in the Gaza Strip continues, Hamass armed wing reported that its fighters in southern Lebanon fired many missiles against a northern Israeli military position on Monday.

Hezbollah, the formidable Lebanese ally of Hamas, has been exchanging fire with Israeli forces almost every day since the latters strike on Israel on October 7, which set off the Gaza War.

Attack claims have also occasionally come from affiliated organisations in Lebanon and Palestinian factions.

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According to a Telegram announcement from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas forces have fired a concentrated rocket barrage from south Lebanon towards an Israeli military position.

As a response to the massacres of the Zionist enemy (Israel) in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, the armed wing explained the attack.

The Israeli army told AFP that approximately 20 launches crossed from Lebanon into Israeli territory but it had intercepted most rockets and struck the sources of fire.

No injuries or damage were reported, the army said.

The latest rocket barrage came as Hamas negotiators were expected to arrive in Egypt on Monday, where they were due to respond to Israels latest proposal for a long-sought truce in Gaza and hostage release.

On April 21, the Qassam Brigades claimed a rocket barrage into northern Israel.

A strike in January, which a US defence official said was carried out by Israel, killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri and six other militants in Hezbollahs south Beirut stronghold.

In Lebanon, at least 385 people have been killed in months of cross-border violence, mostly militants but also 73 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

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The tally includes at least 11 Hamas fighters.

Israel says 11 soldiers and nine civilians have been killed on its side of the border.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced on both sides.
Despite enormous pressure to achieve a truce, release detainees in Gaza, and allow more humanitarian supplies into the war-torn enclave, a compromise has proved elusive read more

A Hamas team is scheduled to arrive in Egypt on Monday to reply to Israels newest proposal for a long-awaited hostage release deal and peace in the Gaza Strip following nearly seven months of conflict.

Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been attempting to negotiate an accord between Israel and Hamas for months, as the death toll in Gaza climbs and pleas for a truce grow.

Despite enormous pressure to achieve a truce, release detainees in Gaza, and allow more humanitarian supplies into the war-torn enclave, a compromise has proved elusive.

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The Palestinian Islamist organisation claimed on Sunday that it has no major issues with Israels most recent peace proposal.

The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles, a senior Hamas official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Humanitarians say the war has brought Gaza to the brink of famine, reduced much of it to rubble and raised fears of broader conflict.

At a market in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where Israeli officials have vowed to rout Hamas fighters, shoppers said prices of fresh vegetables have risen.

Mohammed Sarhan, 48, said 100 shekels ($26) used to buy enough for a week, but now it is not enough for one meal for my family.

More than one million Palestinians have taken shelter in the city.

Protesters in Israel are demanding that the government secure the freedom of hostages seized by militants during the unprecedented October 7 attack that triggered the war.

Since a one-week halt to the fighting in November saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been working to secure a new truce.

Hamass October attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

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Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,454 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Israel estimates that 129 hostages are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

Hamas has previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire  a condition Israel has rejected.

A complete failing

However, the Axios news website, citing two Israeli officials, reported that Israels latest proposal includes a willingness to discuss the restoration of sustainable calm in Gaza after hostages are released.

It is the first time that Israeli leaders have suggested they are open to discussing an end to the war, Axios said.

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A Hamas source close to the negotiations had told AFP the group is open to discussing the new proposal positively and is keen to reach an agreement that guarantees a permanent ceasefire, the free return of displaced people, an acceptable deal for (prisoner) exchange and ensuring an end to the siege in Gaza.

As diplomatic efforts intensified, US President Joe Biden spoke with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone Sunday and reviewed the ongoing talks, the White House said.

At a summit in Riyadh beginning Sunday, Saudi Arabias Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the international community had failed Gaza.

The situation in Gaza obviously is a catastrophe by every measure - humanitarian, but also a complete failing of the existing political system to deal with that crisis, Prince Faisal told the World Economic Forum (WEF) special meeting.

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He reiterated that only a credible, irreversible path to a Palestinian state will prevent the world from confronting this same situation two, three, four years down the line.

Netanyahus hard-right government rejects calls for a Palestinian state.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority has partial administrative control in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, appealed at the WEF meeting for the United States to stop Israel from invading Rafah, which he said would be the biggest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people.

Israel has pledged to go after Hamas battalions in the southern Gaza city on the border with Egypt, but the prospect has raised global alarm because much of Gazas population has sought shelter there.

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Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz signalled on Saturday, however, that Israel would be willing to call off an invasion of Rafah if Hamas accepted a deal to release hostages.

If there is a deal, we will suspend the operation, Katz told Israels Channel 12.

Protests

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who backs steps towards a Palestinian state, is among the high-ranking global officials due in Riyadh.

He will also visit Israel and Jordan on a trip through Wednesday, the State Department announced.

Gazas health ministry on Sunday reported at least 66 deaths in the previous 24 hours, down from a peak this month of at least 153 deaths on April 9.

Israels military said its jets had struck dozens of targets.

Israeli demonstrators have intensified protests calling for their government to reach a deal that would free the captives, accusing Netanyahu of prolonging the war.

Netanyahu, on trial for corruption charges he denies, leads a coalition including religious and ultra-nationalist parties.

On Sunday two of his ministers opposed a truce deal. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on X that if Netanyahu does not proceed with the Rafah operation his government will have no right to exist.

War cabinet member Benny Gantz, Netanyahus main rival who has called for early elections, said Rafah is important in the long struggle against Hamas.

In February, Netanyahu said any truce deal would not prevent a Rafah operation.

France seeks de-escalation

UN humanitarian agency OCHA has warned that famine thresholds in Gaza will be breached within the next six weeks if massive food aid does not arrive.

The White House said Sunday that a US-made pier meant to boost aid to Gaza will become operational in two to three weeks but cannot replace land routes.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on ABC News that Israel is letting in more trucks, in line with commitments that President Biden asked them to meet.

A cargo ship, the Jennifer, which left Cyprus carrying aid from the United Arab Emirates, was off Israels Ashdod port on Sunday night, the vesselfinder.com tracker showed.

The Gaza war has led to increased violence between Israel and Irans proxies and allies, in particular the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah along the border with Lebanon.

Iran also backs Yemens Huthis, who have been waging a campaign of drone and missile attacks against ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden they say are linked to Israel.

The US Central Command said Monday that it had successfully engaged five airborne unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea in the early hours of Sunday Sanaa time, determining that the drones posed an imminent threat to US, allied and commercial vessels in the region.
The Islamic banks in Malaysia play a vital role in promoting financial inclusion, supporting economic growth and contributing to the development of the Islamic finance industry regionally and globally read more

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is of firm belief that the Islamic Development Bank has a major role to play in dealing with injustice, inequality and marginalisation among the Muslim community.

According to The Star, Prime Minister Ibrahim said at the IsDB Golden Jubilee Celebration in Riyadh on Sunday that Muslims still comprise the largest group in terms of numbers living in poverty-stricken areas of neglect. He added that, in his view, aside from the efforts of many governments and international bodies, the IsDB has a pivotal role to play in addressing these issues.

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Prime Minister Ibrahim, who also handles Malaysias finance portfolio, said that if we do not seize the moment, then inequality will be exacerbated and problems will arise. And well see again, enormous marginalisation of our communities.

The Malaysian prime minister embarked on a two-day trip to Saudi Arabia on Sunday with the aim of investigating diverse economic prospects and enticing fresh investments for his nation. Malaysia became a member of the IsDB on 12 August 1974. Since then, the IsDB has financed 166 projects in Malaysia totaling $963.2 million.

Over the years, the IsDB has been instrumental in financing numerous projects in Malaysia across various sectors such as infrastructure, education, healthcare and technology. These projects have not only contributed to Malaysias economic advancement but have also helped enhance the well-being of its citizens.

Additionally, Malaysia has actively participated in IsDB initiatives and programs aimed at promoting sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and capacity building in member countries. Through its membership in the IsDB, Malaysia has benefitted from financial assistance, technical expertise and networking opportunities that have furthered its development objectives.

Islamic banking and Malaysia

Malaysia has been a pioneer in the development of Islamic banking and finance with the government actively promoting it as part of its economic agenda. The roots of Islamic banking in Malaysia can be traced back to the establishment of the Pilgrims Management and Fund Board (Tabung Haji) in 1963, which provided financial services to facilitate Hajj pilgrimage for Malaysian Muslims. Going forward, this initiative laid the foundation for the growth of Islamic finance in the country.

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In 1983, Malaysia took a major step by establishing Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad (BIMB), the countrys first Islamic bank.

Today, Malaysia is one of the leading hubs for Islamic finance globally with a comprehensive ecosystem that includes Islamic banks, Islamic capital markets, Islamic fund management and Islamic financial advisory services. The countrys Islamic finance industry has seen significant growth and innovation attracting both domestic and international investors.

Islamic banks in Malaysia operate in accordance with Shariah principles, which prohibit the charging or payment of interest (riba) and promote risk-sharing and ethical investment practices. They offer a wide range of Islamic financial products and services including Islamic banking products, Islamic capital market instruments and Islamic wealth management solutions.

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The Islamic banks in Malaysia play a vital role in promoting financial inclusion, supporting economic growth and contributing to the development of the Islamic finance industry regionally and globally.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, amidst loud pro-Khalistan chants, assured the Sikh community in Toronto that Canada is committed to protecting their rights and freedom at all costs read more

India expressed its strong disapproval and profound concern over the event to the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner, who was summoned by the MEA Image Courtesy AP

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has voiced its severe opposition to separatist slogans referring to Khalistan during a public gathering that was attended by Canadian dignitaries, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

India expressed its strong disapproval and profound concern over the event to the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner, who was summoned by the MEA.

This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism, and violence. Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens, the MEA said in a statement.

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The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner was today summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to the raising of separatist slogans on Khalistan at an event which was being personally addressed by the Prime Minister of Canada. The Government of Indias deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event. This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence. Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens, the statement added.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, amidst loud pro-Khalistan chants, assured the Sikh community in Toronto that Canada is committed to protecting their rights and freedom at all costs. Trudeau highlighted Canadas diversity as a strength during his speech at the Khalsa Day ceremonies, saying, Sikh values are Canadian values.

In a speech to Sikhs on Khalsa Day, Prime Minister Trudeau praised Canadas diversity, saying that it is one of its greatest assets. We are strong not in spite of our differences, but because of our differences; but even as we look at these differences, we have to remember, and get reminded on days such as this, and every day, that Sikh values are Canadian values."

On Khalsa Day, thousands of Sikhs descended onto downtown Toronto for one of the largest annual gatherings in the city.

Following the uproar around the passing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, an Indian terrorist designation, Trudeaus comments come at a delicate moment in the diplomatic relationship between Canada and India. Thousands of Sikhs attended the yearly Khalsa Day celebration in downtown Toronto despite the unrest, demonstrating the communitys solidarity and robust presence.

The incident underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding separatist movements and their impact on bilateral relations between India and Canada.
The post of the deputy PM is purely symbolic and non-constitutional. The position does not hold any specific authority and is created only to ceremonially protect the space of the prime minister in his/her absence read more

Pakistans Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister of the country sparking severe criticism from the opposition.

According to the notification released by the Prime Ministers office, the appointment was made by Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with immediate effect and until further orders" and came at a time when PM Shehbaz and Dar along with other top leaders of the ruling regime are in Saudi Arabia to attend the World Economic Forums (WEF) special meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy.

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However, the appointment garnered severe criticism from opposition parties, especially Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). On Monday, the party which was founded by former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the Sharifs are distributing key national posts within the family.

Why the condemnation?

While reacting to the news, Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister For Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that the constitution of Pakistan does not have any provision regarding the post of the deputy PM. He also called it completely unnecessary.

The same sentiments were also echoed by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) President Ahmed Bilal Mehboob who termed the move an extra-constitutional step that carries no substantial value.

This just indicates intra-party tensions and competition for influence. It is not an admirable step because, at this serious juncture of our national life and the lowest point of our economic condition, we should be focusing on substantive issues rather than taking trivial and inconsequential decisions, Mehboob told The News International.

A fair criticism

The announcement and the criticism that followed begged the question if the post is constitutional or not.

The post of the Deputy Prime Minster is purely symbolic and non-constitutional. The position does not hold any specific authority and is created only to ceremonially protect the space of the prime minister in his/her absence.

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While the deputy prime minister does not carry out any particular responsibilities, he/she is granted oversight over a number of ministries in the cabinet. The deputy PM also works in his/her capacity as a senior to the federal minister.

However, in the legal sphere, the validity of the post has been questioned multiple times. On 28 June 2012, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the validity of the post.

The petitioner, Syed Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi requested the court to dismiss the post altogether since the mention of the position does not exist in the countrys constitution.

In the same year, an advocate named Tariq Aziz also filed a writ in the Lahore High Court (LHC). Aziz argued that the position goes against the Article 91 of the constitution.

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The article mentioned above states that there shall be a Cabinet of Ministers, with the Prime Minister at its head, to aid and advise the President in the exercise of his functions. Hence, a deputy PM being the head of federal cabinet ministers instead of the Prime Minister makes the whole thing unconstitutional.

Past examples

This is not the first time Pakistan has seen a deputy PM. In fact, Dar became the fourth Pakistani politician to be the deputy Prime Minister of the country. Here are the names of people who held the post in the past:

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto - The firebrand former premier of Pakistan served as the countrys first Deputy PM in 1971. Apart from the foreign ministry portfolio, Zulfikar was appointed to the post under General Agha Yahya Khan (191780), who overthrew Ayub Khan in 1969. After the independence of Bangladesh, he took over Yahya Khans position as the president of the country. He eventually assumed the Prime Ministers office after a constitutional amendment.

Nusrat Bhutto - The former First Lady of Pakistan served as the Deputy PM of the country from 1989 to 1990. She served as the first deputy PM in her daughters cabinet.

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi - The seat remained vacant for a very long time and before Dar took the role, the last deputy Prime Minister of the cash-strapped country was Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, then of PML-Q, who was appointed to the position in June 2012.

If Elahis appointment attracted several legal cases, Dars appointment could lead to the same thing given the ongoing political turmoil that has engulfed the country.
A video of the incident showed three persons raising the Palestinian flag during anti-Israel protests in Harvard University read more

Anti-Israel protesters at the Harvard University hoisted a Palestinian flag at a pole generally reserved for the American flag.

The video of the incident, which has appeared on social media, shows three persons raising the Palestinian flag as pro-Palestinian chants are heard in the background.

Amid widespread anti-Israel protests across US universities, demonstrators at Harvard University were caught on camera flying a Palestinian flag in a spot generally reserved for the American flag.



A video showed three students at the Ivy League school raising the Palestinian pic.twitter.com/0LCgTE1zjm  editorji (@editorji) April 29, 2024

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The incident took place on Saturday evening during the ongoing wave of anti-Israel protests across college and university campuses in America. The protesters have camped in campuses in opposition to Israel and have raised pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel slogans.

The Harvard administration told The New York Post that the incident violated the universitys rules.

The flags raised by protesters over University Hall were removed by Harvard facilities staff. The actions are a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action, said a university spokesperson to the newspaper.

The pole on which the Palestinian flag was hoisted is used to usually fly the American flag or the flag of a foreign dignitarys country when they are on a visit to the campus, according to The Harvard Crimson.

The report further said that there was no US flag at the pole at the time of the incident. The flag was later taken down and the American flag was raised at the pole on Monday at 7 am and was lowered at 4 pm.
Two of the five Israeli officials stated they think Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be named in a warrant read more

Five Israeli and foreign officials said that Tel Aviv is concerned about reports that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants against its top leadership.

During a conversation with The New York Times, the officials mentioned that they believe the ICC is also weighing arrest warrants against leaders of Hamas.

However, the officials noted that the international court could potentially be accused of preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and pursuing an extremely harsh response to the October 7 attacks conducted by Hamas in Southern Israel.

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PM Netanyahu under the radar

Two of the five Israeli officials stated they think Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be named in a warrant. However, they were uncertain about who exactly would be charged by Hamas and what crimes would be cited in their arrest warrants.

While the officials raised warnings about the matter, they did not disclose the nature of the information that led them to be concerned. The ICC also did not comment on the floating reports.

It is important to note that any arrest would require approval from a panel of judges and would not necessarily result in a trial or even the targets immediate arrest.

How is Israel coping with this?

Amid the reports of a looming arrest warrant, Tel Aviv is making a concerted effort to head off feared plans by the ICC. In a conversation with The Times of Israel, an Israeli official revealed that the countrys National Security Council is leading the campaign in this regard.

We are operating where we can, said the diplomat adding that Israels Foreign Ministry is also involved in this endeavour. While Netanyahus office did not comment on the matter, the Israeli premier issued a message for ICC on X, formally known as Twitter.

Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defence. The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle Easts only democracy and the worlds only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it, Netanyahu wrote on X, formally known as Twitter.

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Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.



The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle Easts only democracy and the worlds only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it.

Israel  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) April 26, 2024

Israel will continue to wage to victory our just war against genocidal terrorists and we will never stop defending ourselves. While the ICC will not affect Israels actions, it would set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies fighting savage terrorism and wanton aggression, he furthered.

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While it is still not clear whether the Israeli administration will receive an arrest warrant or not, it is safe to say that the Netanyahu regime is concerned about what the ICC has to say.

With inputs from agencies.
Pakistan has seen a rise in violence, primarily attributed to the TTP, following the groups unilateral termination of a cease-fire with the central government in November 2022. In a recent incident, gunmen targeted customs officials in Dera Ismail Khan, resulting in two deaths and three injuries read more

The Government of Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), announced Monday the release of a district and sessions judge who were abducted by armed individuals two days ago in the province.

The kidnapping occurred near Tank and Dera Ismail (DI) Khan district, close to Afghanistans border, on April 27. As per the reports the judges driver was unharmed, and the vehicle was recovered.

The counter-terrorism department of the KPK Police confirmed the judges release, stating that he returned home safely. Barrister Saif, the spokesperson of the KPK government applauded the provinces and security forces successful efforts in fighting terrorism.

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Earlier, the police mentioned no group claimed responsibility for the abduction. According to police official Faheem Khan, around 15 armed men on motorbikes intercepted Judge Shakirullah Marwats vehicle as he was heading toward Dera Ismail Khan. The assailants set the car ablaze before taking him. The driver escaped injuries in the incident.

Pakistan has seen a rise in violence, primarily attributed to the TTP, following the groups unilateral termination of a cease-fire with the central government in November 2022. In a recent incident, gunmen targeted customs officials in Dera Ismail Khan, resulting in two fatalities and three injuries.

With inputs from Agencies
Medvedev, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin and the deputy chairman of Russias Security Council, said on Saturday that Russia would not be able to retaliate in kind against any U.S. seizure of its reserves read more

Senior security official Dmitry Medvedev stated on Saturday that Russia may seize the belongings, including cash and property, of US people and investors in Russia in retaliation for any US expropriation of its financial reserves that are frozen in the West.

The Russian government has stated that this would be unconstitutional and lead to retribution, but the US House of Representatives has passed a measure enabling the Biden administration to seize Russian assets kept in US banks and move them to Ukraine.

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The United States and its allies froze around $300 billion in sovereign Russian assets in the West in reaction to Russias conflict in Ukraine. The majority of these assets are held by European financial institutions rather than American ones. They also forbade transactions with Russias central bank and finance ministry.

The Group of Seven (G7) major democracies is also considering what it can do about the frozen Russian assets.

Medvedev, a close supporter of President Vladimir Putin and the deputy head of Russias Security Council, stated on Saturday that Russia would be unable to respond in like to any US seizure of its reserves.

In his official Telegram channel, Medvedev wrote that, The reason is clear - we do not have a significant amount of American state property, including money, rights and other US assets. Therefore, the answer can only be asymmetrical. It is not a fact that it will be any less painful.

We are talking about the foreclosure, for example by a court decision, on the property of private individuals located in the jurisdiction of Russia (money, real estate and movable property in kind, property rights).

Yes, this is a complex story, since these individuals usually acted as investors in the Russian economy, Medvedev said. And we guaranteed them the inviolability of their private property rights. But the unexpected happened - their state declared a hybrid war on us. This must be answered.

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He said the law in Russia would need to be changed to allow such asset seizures in favour of the Russian state.

Russian Central Bank governor Elvira Nabiullina said on Friday Moscow would defend its legitimate interests in the event that its assets were confiscated, but did not disclose the strategy and tactics.
The judge was abducted on April 27 near Tank and Dera Ismail (DI) Khan district, which borders Afghanistan. The judges driver was unharmed, and the vehicle was recovered from the scene read more

The police had announced the previous day that no one had come forward to take credit for the judge's kidnapping

The district and sessions judge who was abducted by armed men in the restive province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) has been freed, according to Barrister Saif, the spokesperson for the KPK government, early on Monday.

The judge was abducted on April 27 near Tank and Dera Ismail (DI) Khan district, which borders Afghanistan. The judges driver was unharmed, and the vehicle was recovered from the scene. The session judge has been released unconditionally, and he has returned home safe and sound, according to the KPK Polices counterterrorism department.

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The police had announced the previous day that no one had come forward to take credit for the judges kidnapping.
Following former President Ricardo Martinellis money laundering conviction and punishment, Panamas election officials declared him ineligible, propelling former minister of security Jose Raul Mulino to the top of the presidential ticket read more

The presidential candidate of Achieving Goals, Jose Raul Mulino, addresses supporters during a campaign rally in Panama City. AP

The front-runner for the presidency of Panama is a last-minute replacement who claims he can bring the Central American nation back to a prosperous period that experts say will be hard to recapture.

Following former President Ricardo Martinellis money laundering conviction and punishment, Panamas election officials declared him ineligible, propelling marine lawyer and former minister of security Jose Raul Mulino to the top of the presidential ticket.

Though Mulino lacks Martinellis charm and public appeal, he has benefited from the supermarket tycoons vocal backing and has maintained a comfortable lead in the field of eight candidates ahead of the May 5 election.

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Former President Martin Torrijos and two other also-rans from past elections, Ricardo Lombana and Romulo Roux, make up the remaining field. Recent surveys have the three almost tied for second place behind Mulino. Mulino did not attend the three debates for president.

More than half a million individuals went through Panamas Darien rainforest last year; Mulino ran on a platform of job creation and stopping migration via the region. A voter base weary of the nations political elite and yearning for the good old days of a robust economy has responded well to the message.

But compared to Martinellis 20092014 administration, Panamas economy is not expanding, and many predict that it will contract in the upcoming year.

The Supreme Courts ruling that legislation granting a 20-year concession to a massive copper mine was unlawful contributed to the economic slowdown. The decision came after weeks of street protests by a wide slice of Panamanian society roiled by concerns over water access  amid a troubling drought  and nationalist fervour about the deal with a Canadian mining company.

The extended drought has also reduced traffic through the Panama Canal, a critical economic engine for the country.

There is a constitutional challenge to Mulinos candidacy because he was not selected through a party primary and does not have a running mate. The Supreme Court has not made clear when it will rule on that challenge.

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The rise of Mulinos candidacy has unfolded as Martinellis own legal saga plays out.

Already banned by the US government, Martinelli was convicted of money laundering in Panama last July and this March electoral authorities disqualified him from the election, launching Mulino into the top spot on the Achieving Goals party ticket.

By then Martinelli was already holed up the Nicaraguan embassy, where he fled as Panamanian authorities planned to take him into custody to serve out his 10-year sentence.

Martinelli has campaigned for Mulino via social media platforms from behind the embassys walls, infuriating the Panamanian government, which has refused Nicaraguas requests to let him leave the country.

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Most Panamanians are angry and mad at the countrys political class, said Michael Shifter, adjunct professor for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University. Mulino benefits from Martinellis image and the perception that the country was much better off during the former presidents term.

That fact is not lost on Mulino, who is seldom seen without his blue Martinelli Mulino 2024 cap and who has promised to help Martinelli if elected.

At a recent campaign rally on the outskirts of Panama City, Mulino emphasized his message of bringing Panama an administration of hope, of employment  because were going to work, work and work bring back the faith and confidence in our system and reinforce our democracy.

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Mulino is someone who can pull the country out of the scourge of crime and this downturn we have, which is the lack of jobs, said Adriano Cueto Valencia, a 61-year-old worker walking with Mulino through a working class neighborhood of the capital.

Fidedigna Perez, a 73-year-old retiree living with her son, agreed. This man is serious. People think hes arrogant, but I know that he can help us bring down food prices, help the poor. Thats why Martinelli made him the candidate.

Mulino says that when he was Martinellis security minister he managed to expel the now extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrilla group from Panamas territory along the dense Darien jungle shared with Colombia. But experts say thats the same time that immigration through that shared border began picking up, in addition to a busy illicit trade in drugs and weapons.

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Nonetheless, Mulino promises without providing details that he will stop the migration, which last year hit the historic high of more than half a million people.

We are going to close the Darien and we are going to repatriate all of these people, respecting human rights, Mulino said at one recent campaign event. Panamanian authorities with the support of the US government made similar claims more than a year ago before crossings doubled again.

While he was security minister, Mulino was also strongly criticized for violently putting down protests by Indigenous banana plantation workers in two provinces in 2010. Two people were killed and more than 100 were injured.

There are too many unknowns with Mulino, said Rodrigo Noriega, a political analyst and columnist with the La Prensa newspaper. The anti-corruption issue, the (repression of) social protest issues  and the soft handling of the issue of Ricardo Martinellis corruption.
While many campuses have seen tranquilty, the number of demonstrators being detainedsometimes by police wearing riot gear and deploying tasers and chemical irritantsis rapidly increasing read more

Northeastern University police remove and arrest protesters one by one as they sit in zip tie handcuffs at the tent encampment on campus in Boston. AP

Following over 275 arrests by police on four different campuses over the weekend, the White House reiterated on Sunday that the nonviolent rallies in support of Palestine that have erupted across US universities in recent weeks must continue.

Spokesman for the National Security Council John Kirby said, We certainly respect the right of peaceful protests, on ABCs This Week.

However, he also stated that they absolutely condemn the anti-Semitism language that theyve heard of late and also condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there.

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The protests started at New Yorks Columbia University and have since quickly expanded across the nation.

While many campuses have seen tranquilty, the number of demonstrators being detainedsometimes by police wearing riot gear and deploying tasers and chemical irritantsis rapidly increasing.

Among them are 23 at Indiana University, 72 at Arizona State University, 80 at Washington University in St. Louis, and 100 at Northeastern University in Boston.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was among those detained at Washington University. Stein criticised the police for using forceful methods that she claimed incited the same unrest they are supposed to put an end to.

This is about freedom of speech on a very critical issue, she told CNN shortly before her arrest Saturday. And there they are, sending in the riot police and basically creating a riot.

Protesters at Yale University established a new encampment on Sunday, the schools independent student newspaper reported, after a previous site was taken down by police days earlier, when dozens were arrested and charged with trespassing.

College administrators have struggled to find the best response, caught between the need to respect free-speech rights and the imperative of containing inflammatory and sometimes violently anti-Semitic calls by protesters.

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With final exams coming in the next few weeks, some campuses  including the Humboldt campus of California State Polytechnic University, have closed and instructed students to complete their classes online.

The activists behind the campus protests  not all of them students  are calling for a ceasefire in Israels war with Hamas, and want colleges to sever ties with Israel.

Hamas militants staged an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that left around 1,170 people dead, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Palestinian militants also took roughly 250 people hostage. Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

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Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,454 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territorys health ministry.
Further south, Ukraine said its forces continue to hold back the enemy in several settlements west of the Moscow-held city of Donetsk, including the town of Krasnogorivka read more

A day after acknowledging that the situation on the front line was becoming worse, Ukraine announced on Monday that it had stopped 55 Russian strikes in the eastern Donetsk area.

Over the weekend, Moscow annexed Novobakhmutivka, another settlement in the east, as beleaguered Ukrainian soldiers wait for vital US armaments to arrive.

Repulsed 55 attacks in numerous settlements north and west of Novobakhmutivka, according to the Ukrainian army.

Among them was Ocheretyne, where there had reportedly been intense fighting on Sunday.

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The settlements are located to the north of Adviivka, which was taken over by Russian forces in February. Since then, Moscows soldiers have advanced farther into the Donetsk area.

Further south, Ukraine said its forces continue to hold back the enemy in several settlements west of the Moscow-held city of Donetsk, including the town of Krasnogorivka.

Kyiv said Russian forces had with the support of aviation, tried 15 times to break through the defences of our troops.

Krasnogorivka lies some 20 kilometres (32 miles) west of Donetsk and has served as a key stronghold for Kyiv.

It has become more vulnerable since the fall of nearby Marinka and Avdiivka, with reports of increased fighting in recent weeks.

Ukraines commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky said Sunday his troops had retreated to new defensive lines further to the west in some areas.

Kyiv has also warned Russia will try to bring home some victories ahead of its patriotic May 9 holiday.
According to reports, the Solomon Islands United Party and the three-party opposition CARE alliance have joined forces with four opposition parties to battle for control read more

A citizen votes during the national election in the capital Honiara, Solomon Islands. Reuters

The future of the current pro-China administration in the Solomon Islands is uncertain following a general election, and the country will select a prime minister on Thursday.

Governor General David Vunagi said in a written notification on Monday that lawmakers would convene in parliament to choose the leader of the Pacific island at 9:30 am on May 2.

According to Vunagi, nominations for the top position will conclude on Tuesday afternoon.

Long live our nation of Solomon Islands and long live our national parliament, he wrote.

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In the elections held on April 17, Manasseh Sogavare, the current prime minister who supports Beijing, narrowly won reelection.

However, preliminary results indicate that his party only managed to capture 15 seats out of the 50 seats in the parliament, falling short of an absolute majority.

As a result, in order to maintain control, he must court possible coalition allies.

In 2022, Sogavare inked a security agreement with Beijing and has since been in charge of the swift growth of Chinese interests throughout the archipelago.

If they take power, rival parties have stated that they want to reduce Chinas influence.

According to reports, the Solomon Islands United Party and the three-party opposition CARE alliance have joined forces with four opposition parties to battle for control.

With a combined 20 seats, according to the provisional results, they too would have to recruit other MPs for a chance to govern.

The balance of seats is held by an unpredictable collection of independents and minor parties.

Locals have a homegrown term  grasshopper  for the undeclared politicians who bounce around coalition talks trying to shop their vote.

Under the Solomons constitution, the prime minister is chosen by a secret ballot of lawmakers in parliament.

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The candidate who gets an absolute majority becomes prime minister.

If the first round does not produce a clear winner, then the lowest-scoring candidates are eliminated in successive rounds.
Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges for which they will be detained for a minimum of two months before any trials begin. Each faces a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years read more

Gabov and Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalny's Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which has been outlawed by Russian authorities. AP

Two Russian journalists were arrested by their government on extremism charges and ordered by courts there on Saturday to remain in custody pending investigation and trial on accusations of working for a group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges for which they will be detained for a minimum of two months before any trials begin. Each faces a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years for alleged participation in an extremist organisation, according to Russian courts.

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They are just the latest journalists arrested amid a Russian government crackdown on dissent and independent media that intensified after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.

The Russian government passed laws criminalising what it deems false information about the military, or statements seen as discrediting the military, effectively outlawing any criticism of the war in Ukraine or speech that deviates from the official narrative.

A journalist for the Russian edition of Forbes magazine, Sergei Mingazov, was detained on charges of spreading false information about the Russian military, his lawyer said on Friday.

Gabov and Karelin are accused of preparing materials for a YouTube channel run by Navalnys Foundation for Fighting Corruption, which has been outlawed by Russian authorities. Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February.

Gabov, who was detained in Moscow, is a freelance producer who has worked for multiple organisations, including Reuters, the court press service said. Reuters did not immediately comment on the ruling by the court.

Karelin, who has dual citizenship with Israel, was detained Friday night in Russias northern Murmansk region.

Karelin, 41, has worked for a number of outlets, including for The Associated Press. He was a cameraman for German media outlet Deutsche Welle until the Kremlin banned the outlet from operating in Russia in February 2022.

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The Associated Press is very concerned by the detention of Russian video journalist Sergey Karelin, the AP said in a statement. We are seeking additional information.

Russias crackdown on dissent is aimed at opposition figures, journalists, activists, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and ordinary Russians critical of the Kremlin. A number of journalists have been jailed in relation to their coverage of Navalny, including Antonina Favorskaya, who remains in pre-trial detention at least until May 28 following a hearing last month.

Favorskaya was detained and accused by Russian authorities of taking part in an extremist organisation by posting on the social media platforms of Navalnys Foundation. She covered Navalnys court hearings for years and filmed the last video of Navalny before he died in the penal colony.

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Kira Yarmysh, Navalnys spokeswoman, said that Favorskaya did not publish anything on the Foundations platforms and suggested that Russian authorities have targeted her because she was doing her job as a journalist.

Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old American reporter for The Wall Street Journal, is awaiting trial on espionage charges at Moscows notorious Lefortovo Prison. Both Gershkovich and his employer have vehemently denied the charges.

Gershkovich was detained in March 2023 while on a reporting trip and has spent over a year in jail; authorities have not detailed what, if any, evidence they have to support the espionage charges.

The US government has declared Gershkovich wrongfully detained, with officials accusing Moscow of using the journalist as a pawn for political ends.

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The Russian government has also cracked down on opposition figures. One prominent activist, Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years.
Reportedly facilitated through offshore companies, the sale piques interest given Ukraines reliance on Soviet-era weaponry. The acquired aircraft could serve as a source of spare parts or strategically deployed as decoys at airfields read more

The United States has reportedly procured 81 outdated Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan, in its effort to modernise its air fleet, auctioned off a total of 117 Soviet-era fighter and bomber aircraft, including MiG-31 interceptors, MiG-27 fighter bombers, MiG-29 fighters, and Su-24 bombers from the 1970s and 1980s, Kyiv Post reported.

The sale, with a declared value of one billion Kazakhstani tenge or $2.26 million, averaging $19,300 per aircraft, attracted the interest of the US, which purchased 81 of the aging warplanes, as reported by the Ukrainian Telegram channel Insider UA.

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The purpose behind the US acquisition remains undisclosed, but speculation suggests potential deployment in Ukraine, where similar aircraft are still in service.

Reportedly facilitated through offshore companies, the sale piques interest given Ukraines reliance on Soviet-era weaponry. The acquired aircraft could serve as a source of spare parts or strategically deployed as decoys at airfields, according to the Kyiv Posts analysis.

Among the aircraft acquired, the Mikoyan MiG-31, known as a supersonic interceptor crucial for defending Soviet airspace during the Cold War, stands out. The MiG-27, derived from the MiG-23, served as a ground-attack aircraft, while the MiG-29 excelled in air-to-air combat and remains operational in some air forces. The Su-24, an all-weather tactical bomber, despite its age, continues to serve in various air forces, including the Russian Aerospace Forces and Ukrainian Air Force.

Historically, Kazakhstan has maintained strong ties with Russia, its former Soviet ally. However, geopolitical shifts, particularly since Russias invasion of Ukraine, have seen Kazakhstan aligning more closely with Western nations, drawing criticism from some quarters in Russia.

As Kazakhstan upgrades its military capabilities, its growing engagement with Western nations signals a departure from its historical ties with Moscow. Secretary of State Antony Blinkens visit to Kazakhstan in March 2023 underscored US support for its independence and territorial integrity.

The evolving relationship between Kazakhstan and Western nations, characterised by agreements on trade, education, environment, and mineral supplies, reflects the countrys navigation of geopolitical challenges posed by neighboring countries such as Russia, China, Afghanistan, and Iran.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push towards halting the fighting read more

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday said he was hopeful Hamas would accept Israels extraordinarily generous offer to cease the Gaza offensive in exchange of hostages.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Blinken said in Riyadh at the World Economic Forum.

In this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas, he said.

They have to decide  and they have to decide quickly, Blinken said. Im hopeful that they will make the right decision. We can have a fundamental change in the dynamic in more than half a year of bloodshed," Blinken added.

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Hamas delegation visit Cairo

A delegation from Hamas flew to Egypt on Monday to review Israels ceasefire proposal.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, but a flurry of diplomacy in recent days appeared to suggest a new push towards halting the fighting.

Meanwhile, a senior Hamas official on Sunday said that the Palestinian terror group had no major issues with the most recent truce plan.

The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles, the official told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss the negotiations.

Egypt expresses hope

Egypts foreign minister also said he was hopeful about a new proposal for a truce in Gaza as a Hamas delegation was due in Cairo for talks on Monday.

There is a proposal on the table (and its) up to the two sides to consider and accept, Sameh Shoukry said in Riyadh at the World Economic Forum.

We are hopeful, he added, explaining that the proposal has taken into account the positions of both sides and has tried to extract moderation.

We are waiting to have a final decision. There are factors that will have an impact on both sides decisions, but I hope that all will rise to the occasion, he added.

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With inputs from AFP
Thousands of people attended what was touted as the citys largest annual event. According to the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwaras Council (OSGC), the Sikh community in Canada has been celebrating Vaisakhi in the country since 1966 read more

As Canada struggles to curb the growing Khalistani movement, pro-Khalistani chants were raised during the speech of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the occasion of Vaisakhi also referred to as Khala Day in Canada.

In a video circulating online, several people can be seen chanting Khalistan zindabad as Trudeau concluded his address at the event which was conducted in downtown Toronto on Sunday.

Thousands of people attended what was touted as the citys largest annual event. According to the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwaras Council (OSGC), the Sikh community in Canada has been celebrating Vaisakhi in the country since 1966.

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Canadian PM @JustinTrudeau's speaks in Vaishakhi event in Toronto with loud Pro-Khalistani sloganeerig in background.



"We will stand with you.

Once again on this wonderful day of celebrations, Happy Baisakhi! Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh." pic.twitter.com/Pvq9ENhnI2  Abhishek Jha (@abhishekjha157) April 29, 2024

However, the recent incident of pro-Khalistani chats during Trudeaus address came amid brewing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the death of Pro-Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

We will protect your rights: Trudeau

During his address, Trudeau gave a strong assurance to the Sikh Community that his government would do everything to safeguard the rights and freedom of the people at all costs.

The Canadian premier insisted that the concept of diversity is one of Canadas greatest strengths, and the country is strong not in spite of the differences, but because of those differences.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Happy Vaisakhi! pic.twitter.com/B9nymTeVyb  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 29, 2024

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To the nearly, 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage across this country, we will always be there to protect your rights and your freedoms, and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination, the Canadian Prime Minister averred.

Your right to practice your religion freely, and without intimidation is exactly that. A fundamental right guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that we will always stand up and defend you for, he added.

The Canadian leader also mentioned that his administration is currently negotiating a new agreement with India to add more flights and more routes between our countries. We will keep working with our counterparts to add even more flights, including to Amritsar, he explained.

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India-Canada tensions continue to escalate

Trudeaus proclamation came at a time when the diplomatic ties between India and Canada were at an all-time low. The relations between the two started to deteriorate after the Canadian PM alleged that agents working for the Indian government were involved in the assassination of Nijjar.

The pro-Khalistani terrorist was shot dead outside a Gurudwara in Surrey. It is important to note that Nijjar was designated as a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020.

In response to this, New Delhi denied the allegations and called Trudeaus claims absurd. This eventually led to a major shuffle in Canada and Indias diplomatic presence in each others countries.

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Earlier this month, Trudeau raked up the Najjar incident once again, stating that his government will continue defending the rights of its citizens to speak out even if it irritates India.

The previous Conservative government was known for its very cosy relationship with the current Indian government whereas our government has always stood up to defend the minorities in Canada and the rights of minorities to speak out even if it irritates their home countries overseas," he averred.

Hence, the latest incident reflects the deteriorating ties between the two nations.
The incident occurred off the coast of Mokha, Yemen, according to the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, which did not provide any more immediate details. It advised boats to use caution in the region read more

Yemens Houthi rebels are accused of firing a missile at a container ship in the Red Sea on Monday, the latest incident in their campaign against international ships along the critical maritime route, according to officials.

The incident occurred off the coast of Mokha, Yemen, according to the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, which did not provide any more immediate details.

It advised boats to use caution in the region.

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Ambrey, a private security agency, said that three missiles were fired at a Malta-flagged cargo ship travelling from Djibouti to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The vessel was targeted due to its listed operators ongoing trade with Israel, Ambrey stated in a press release.

Shipping manifests and vessel-tracking data suggested the vessel targeted was the CMA CGM Manta Ray, which had been due to sail from Djibouti on Monday. The Marseille, France-based shipper, which calls on Israeli ports, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge any attack there, though suspicion fell on the group. It typically takes the rebels several hours to claim their assaults.

The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.

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American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and after firing drones and missiles steadily for months. However, the rebels have renewed their attacks in the past week.

The Houthis on Saturday claimed they shot down another of the U.S. militarys MQ-9 Reaper drones, airing footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bryon J. McGarry, a Defense Department spokesperson, acknowledged to The Associated Press on Saturday that a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 drone crashed in Yemen. He said an investigation was underway, without elaborating.
KOBE, Apr 29 (News On Japan) - The "Spring Kofun Festival" was held at the Goshikizuka Kofun in Kobe, attracting locals and history enthusiasts alike.

Located in the Tarumi Ward of Kobe, the Goshikizuka Kofun is a keyhole-shaped burial mound built in the latter half of the 4th century. As the largest in Hyogo Prefecture with a total length of 194 meters, it sits overlooking the Akashi Strait, indicating its historical significance as the resting place of a prominent figure associated with maritime trade.

During the event, the mounds terrace, usually closed to the public, was opened for visitors. The festival also featured food stalls, adding to the lively atmosphere.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the kofun's restoration to its present form. Kobe City has expressed plans to further enhance the site, including the development of facilities to display artifacts excavated from the area.

Source: MBS
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2024.
HOKKAIDO, Apr 30 (News On Japan) - In a startling encounter captured by a dashcam, a brown bear attacked a light truck traveling along a forest road in Nemuro City, Hokkaido.

Emerging suddenly from the right side of the road, the bear charged at the vehicle in a low, swift motion. The initial impact shattered the truck's windshield wipers, and a subsequent strike cracked the front windshield.

Video footage from moments before the attack shows a cub, suggesting that the aggressor was likely the mother bear protecting her young.

The driver, a man in his fifties, and his passenger were unharmed.

Nemuro has seen an increase in bear sightings this month, prompting local authorities and police to issue warnings to the public.

Source: ANN
Sailing the sea around Africa in a hospital sounds like a crazy dream, and thats all it was for Don Stephens when he graduated from Grand Junctions Mesa Junior College more than 50 years ago.

Now, Stephens is the founder and president emeritus of Mercy Ships, which provides critical, life-altering surgeries and medical training across Africa  entirely via hospital ships. Stephens, 78, is now retired, but his legacy has only snowballed, with Mercy Ships having just received a donation that will cover half the costs of constructing a third ship for their fleet.

The hospital ships provide thousands of surgical and dental procedures each year; Stephens said some of the most important surgeries they provide treat disorders and diseases such as blindness, strabismus (crossed-eyes), bowed legs, clubbed feet, brittle bone disease and an array of maternity-related complications. He added that tumor-removal surgeries are a significant procedure they offer, but its not necessarily to remove cancer.

If (you have) a cancerous tumor and its not addressed, you will die more quickly than (from an untreated) benign tumor, Stephens said. If its benign and craniofacial, it will slowly choke you to death, and you will die. Thats one of the most painful ways to die.

In addition to providing medical services, these ships double as training facilities for local medical staff to learn and master much of the healthcare knowledge, skills and mindset exhibited by Mercy Ships crew of volunteer medical professionals.

Ive met several African heads of state, and each of them has said in different words, basically the same thing: will you train my people here? Stephens said. (The word) here is important because their best and brightest (citizens) often get scholarships to overseas universities, and once they have that education, they dont return.

Currently, both ships are in the midst of a two-year post, with one in Madagascar and one in Sierra Leone.

AN EXPANDING FLEET

Even with the measurable impact Mercy Ships fleet has on each nation its stationed in, Stephens said there is still a dire need for healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa, so Mercy Ships has begun to build a third hospital ship.

This third ship will be a sister ship, or virtually identical, to the Global Mercy, which weighs 37,000 tons and has a 600-person capacity that includes 200 hospital beds, six operating rooms, a laboratory, general outpatient clinics, dental and eye clinics and training facilities. Stephens described the other existing ship, Africa Mercy, as the little sister ship, considering that it weighs less than half of the Global Mercy.

Considering the cost of construction for their last ship was around $126.5 million, the 50% donation made by the Mediterranean Shipping Company Foundation will help immensely. Stephens specifically thanked Chair of the Board Gianluigi Aponte and the Aponte family, as they have been longtime partners in this mission.

He added that the cost of this third ship will likely be around 30% more because of the rise in price for construction materials and services; it could be even higher depending on whether or not they can get some of the same benefits they did last time.

(Global Mercy) was delivered free of charge, with no mortgage, no interest and no bank required, Stephens said. Our hope and prayer, and it is a prayer, is that God would move on peoples hearts to partner with us, that we might do that again.
Editors Note: Prior to U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper speaking at Colorado Mesa University on Saturday about the proposed Dolores Canyons National Monument, he spoke to a large crowd in Naturita. This is the story from Montrose Daily Press from that event.

NATURITA  The overwhelming sentiment in Naturita was palpable. It was also emblazoned on signs all over town, on T-shirts, hats and stickers all over the school gymnasium: Halt the Dolores Monument.

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper sat at a table in the middle of the gym  facing what seemed like most of the towns population spread out over bleachers and chairs  playing his cards close to his vest.

I havent taken a position, Hickenlooper assured the crowd. I want to hear everybody I can hear.

The senator  and former Colorado governor  visited the West End of Montrose County Friday afternoon for a listening session focused on getting a read on the local communitys appetite for establishing a national monument around the Dolores River. A collective of conservation organizations have put forth a proposal to establish roughly 400,000 acres of public land near the river as the Dolores Canyons National Monument.

While the concept of enshrining this area as a national monument has been framed by proponents as needed to protect the area from the impacts of climate change, mining activities and development, its not an idea thats gone over well for a segment of the local community who have expressed concerns that such a designation would negatively impact how people interact with the landscape, potentially impeding recreational activities, impacting individual water rights or putting the kibosh on future mining endeavors.

Former state senator Don Coram, who sat at the table with Hickenlooper, mentioned that he had learned about the Dolores monument proposal after the effort was well underway, that the effort felt exclusionary of the local community and that he was glad the time had come to hear from Naturita.

I felt it was two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner, Coram joked of the monument effort thus far.

A couple of hours before Fridays meeting, Naturita resident Shannon Rayburn said she was looking forward to Hickenloopers visit and expected most everyone in town to attend  though she wasnt sure if the senator would receive the communitys message with an open ear, feeling he might have already cast his lot with monument proponents.

I think the people that are pushing for it arent really listening, Rayburn said.

Plus, she said, it seems a little late to be bring the locals into the conversation.

They should have had the meeting with the community at the beginning of the process  we cant go back and change that, she said, noting that most people in town didnt know about the monument proposal until Sean Pond launched his online petition  and accompanying Halt-the-Dolores Monument schwag  opposing the effort.

Later, during the listening session in the gymnasium, Pond  owner of a local RV park and an equipment rental businesses  alluded to this himself.

How many of you knew before I started that petition? he asked the gym full of townspeople, whose response affirmed his insinuation that the monument proposal had not been widely advertised locally until recent months.

Pond has emerged as the most visible opposition figurehead in this Dolores monument debate. His message, as he laid it out to Hickenlooper, is pretty simple: That land is already protected  its protected in a bunch of different way, its not in danger.

Outside the gymnasium, Pond took a few minutes to elaborate. He pointed out how the land is already public and contends that a monument designation would limit activity too much. Specifically, he says, the monument would negatively impact mining activities; the boundaries of the proposed monument, in fact, he said, overlap the Uravan uranium mineral belt to an unsettling degree.

Theyre identical, Pond said. Its as if they traced it with a crayon.

If a monument were to be established, he said, the community  already in the process reimagining itself in a post coal mining environment  would not fare well.

I think itll ghost town this community, Pond said.

Back inside the gymnasium, Hickenlooper listens to speaker after speaker speak in opposition of the monument, each laying out variations on the themes championed by Pond. A monument, they told the senator, will negatively impact everything from water rights to ranching to recreation.

Of the dozens of speakers that spoke during the senators Naturita listening session, only a couple expressed support for establishing a monument around the Dolores River. One supporter of the monument effort who did not speak at the event was Scott Braden, director of Colorado Wildlands Project, one of the organizations in favor of the monument concept.

Braden stood against a far wall in the gymnasium observing the parade of opposition speakers. This, he said, was not the right time for him to make his point  though he did take issue with many of the positions that speakers were putting forth.

Im here listen, to listen to this community and hear their concerns, Braden said. Im hearing a lot of things that are contrary to the proposal.

After a couple of hours of hearing from community members, it was time for Hickenlooper to wrap up the listening session. Though he did note that the opposing positions on this issue were almost insoluble, the senator said he was committed to hearing from the local community and vowed to be back.

This will not be the one time you will be able to get at me, Hickenlooper told the crowd in the gym.

Outside the gym, Pond said that he was glad the senator made the trek to the West End, but wasnt sure if he had been swayed by the sentiment of locals.

I think its fantastic hes here, Pond said. I guess whether he listens to us will come out in the wash.
Hamas delegation to visit Cairo for cease-fire talks, yet 'prospects slim'

Global Times

Rafah invasion 'would mean more moral pressure and isolation against US, Israel'

By GT staff reporters Published: Apr 28, 2024 10:48 PM

Hopes remain slim of a Gaza cease-fire as a Hamas delegation is expected to visit Cairo, Egypt on Monday for talks, after the group said it is studying a reply from Israel over a cease-fire proposal. Analysts said that while both Israel and Hamas could benefit from a temporary cease-fire, it still lacks factors to be positive. Under the growing international and domestic protests, the moral pressure and diplomatic isolation of Israel and the US may deepen.

According to media reports, Hamas said in a Saturday statement that it has received Israel's official response to its latest cease-fire proposal in Gaza and will review it before submitting its reply, amid the latest efforts by Egypt as a broker.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday that a delegation will visit Cairo on Monday for Gaza cease-fire talks. And the group will deliver its response to Israel's latest counterproposal for a Gaza cease-fire.

During an interview with local media Channel 12 television earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said the release of hostages is the "top priority," and if there is a deal with Hamas on it, "we will suspend the operation," according to a Reuters report on Saturday.

Citing two Israeli officials, Axios reported that Israel told Egyptian officials on Friday that it was ready to give hostage negotiations "one last chance" to reach a deal with Hamas before moving forward with a ground invasion of Rafah, where more than one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering due to the conflict, which has lasted more than six months.

Israel Defense Forces chief of staff General Herzi Halevi and director of the Shin Bet security agency Ronen Bar visited Cairo earlier for talks on the Rafah operation and the hostage deal, Axios reported.

The Israeli officials said the talks with the Egyptians on Friday were "constructive" and that the Egyptians made it clear they intend to put pressure on Hamas to secure a deal for the release of hostages, according to Axios. However, a Wall Street Journal report said on Saturday that talks toward a hostage deal had little chance of success, according to Egyptian officials familiar with the negotiations.

Chinese experts said there is demand on both sides for a cease-fire, but the prospects for an actual cease-fire are still bleak.

"Despite Hamas seeks a cease-fire when Rafah is almost their last stronghold in Gaza, the 'one last chance' claimed by Israel is also for themselves, as in the face of domestic pressure, they need Hamas to free as many hostages as possible before it attacks Rafah," said Niu Xinchun, executive director of the China-Arab Research Institute of Ningxia University.

Amid the efforts to break the deadlock, on Saturday, Hamas released a video of two hostages, which US media interpreted as a tactic to increase pressure on the Israeli government to reach a cease-fire deal.

Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, believes that the possibility of reaching a cease-fire deal is still limited, especially regarding the attitude from Qatar, a major mediator that has been promoting a cease-fire since last November.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is also foreign minister, said there was a "misuse of this mediation for narrow political interests, and this necessitated Qatar to undertake a full evaluation of this role."

In an interview with Israeli media Haaretz published on Saturday, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said that the Israel and Hamas "are not showing enough commitment" to reach a cease-fire and a hostage release deal, and "it gets sabotaged by both sides" when a deal gets close.

Qatar's attitude illustrates how difficult the task of brokering a cease-fire will be, Liu said.

Cease-fire talks between Hamas and Israel since the conflict broke out last October, have been more about hostage release and humanitarian aid, but they have never touched on the fundamentals of a permanent cease-fire. It means it is just about short-term expediency, Liu said.

The Hamas side wants a complete cease-fire, and the Israelis want a complete elimination of Hamas, and that has not changed, Liu said.

By claiming "one last chance," Israel is aiming to put more blame on Hamas and ease its pressure in the diplomatic sphere, especially after a top Hamas official said they will agree to a truce of five years or more and that it would lay down its weapons if an independent Palestinian state is established along pre-1967 borders, Liu said.

Growing pressure

The cease-fire deadlock comes alongside a summit attended by regional and global leaders in Saudi Arabia, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Speaking at a World Economic Forum (WEF) special meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, Abbas urged the US to ask Israel to stop the Rafah invasion, as the US "is the only country capable of preventing Israel from committing this crime," which would be "the biggest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people."

Citing diplomats, Reuters said on Friday that China will host Palestinian unity talks between Hamas and Fatah in Beijing.

An Israeli attack on Rafah, which has been the main channel of outside aid into Gaza in the past six months, would be a further humanitarian disaster, Niu said.

According to the Gaza health ministry on Sunday, Israeli's war in Gaza has killed at least 34,454 Palestinians since last October.

Israel now faces a dilemma: with increasing diplomatic isolation and moral pressure from the international community, Israel must find some way to protect the over 1 million Palestinians in Rafah and even arrange for the transfer of civilians, but on the other hand, it is still unwilling to give ground on stopping the military operation in Gaza, Liu said.

Whether or not a cease-fire is reached, Israel may opt for a compromise in the next phase of the conflict, Liu said, noting that Israel may keep up its partial bombardment of Gaza, but the large-scale invasion in Rafah may be postponed.

Despite the Biden Administration warning Israel against a possible Rafah invasion, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed legislation that includes $26 billion in additional wartime assistance to Israel.

After more than 100 protesters at Columbia University in New York City were arrested, student protests over the Israel-Hamas war have spread to other campuses, with more university students rallying for a cease-fire in Gaza. Pro-Palestine demonstration have occurred in London and Paris in recent days.

To some extent, the growing campus protests in the US are a result of US duplicity and hypocrisy, which would put more pressure and cause dilemma for the US, Liu said.

In fact, the US and Israel have the same fundamental interests and war objectives, and the US still supports Israel to completely eliminate Hamas, which means a Rafah invasion is inevitable, Niu said.

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US-led quadrilateral defense talks deemed to target SCS, exacerbating regional risks

Global Times

By Xu Keyue Published: Apr 28, 2024 09:51 PM

As the defense chiefs of the US, Australia, Japan and the Philippines are set to meet again in early May in a meeting that is believed to focus on South China Sea issues, Chinese analysts warned on Sunday the quadrilateral clique is unsustainable and bound to show cracks and divisions as their moves will ultimately lead to a deterioration of the Philippines' strategic security environment.

According to Japanese media outlet The Mainichi Shimbun, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said Friday he is set to hold a meeting with his counterparts from the US, Australia and the Philippines in Hawaii during his visit from May 2 to 4, citing "China's increasing maritime assertiveness" in the Asia-Pacific region.

It will be the second quadrilateral gathering of those defense ministers since June 2023, when the defense chiefs held a meeting in Singapore on the fringes of the annual Asia Security Conference known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, The Mainichi Shimbun reported.

During his regular Friday press conference, Kihara said they will share their understanding of the regional security environment and common challenges, along with discussing measures to improve collaboration among the four countries.

The US Naval Institute (USNI) News reported on Friday that Kihara and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro are likely to discuss next steps following the joint patrol in the South China Sea earlier this month.

On April 7, the four countries carried out their first full-scale joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, which analysts said was a highly defiant and aggressive muscle-flexing move against China amid the rising tensions between Beijing and Manila.

Chinese analysts predict that during the upcoming quadrilateral defense talks, the main discussions are likely to cover plans for future joint exercises, training, rotational deployment of troops and short-term deployments in the region, with a focus on the South China Sea.

The US is clearly trying to rally its allies - Japan and Australia - to support the Philippines, encourage the Philippines to engage in more military provocations in the South China Sea, exacerbate the complexity of the regional situation, and then find excuses to strengthen the military presence of the US, Japan and Australia in the South China Sea, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military expert and media commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Wei warned that the involvement of external countries and forces in South China Sea issues will only further complicate the situation in the region, and flaunting their military power will not only affect normal regional cooperation but may also lead to conflicts.

But those provocative moves will ultimately lead to a deterioration of the Philippines' strategic security environment. Once the Philippines realizes this, this military clique is bound to show cracks and divisions, Wei said.

It is believed that the Japanese defense minister will voice a tough message on the issues during his visit to Hawaii.

The Mainichi Shimbun, citing government officials, revealed that Kihara is also arranging bilateral and trilateral talks with Austin and Marles.

Within the framework of the "Indo-Pacific Strategy," the US wants to maximize the use of Japan's military forces as a pawn. Therefore, regarding South China Sea issues, Japan's subsequent military actions will become more proactive, more aggressive and may involve more provocations, Wei believes.

Following in the military footsteps of the US, Japan's flaunting of military power and strengthening of its military presence, especially in the hot spots within the South China Sea, will undoubtedly lead to increased distrust from its neighboring countries, Wei said. He also warned that Japan's expanding military ambitions will further exacerbate the escalation of hot-button issues.

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China lodges solemn representations over Japan's provocative 'inspection' near Diaoyu Dao

Global Times

By Zhang Yuying Published: Apr 28, 2024 09:17 PM

China lodged solemn representations to Japan on Sunday after five Japanese lawmakers reportedly trespassed into waters near the Diaoyu Dao for a maritime "inspection." Experts noted that Japan's action is a deliberate provocation against China, aimed at heightening tensions in East Asia and jeopardizing regional peace and stability.

According to media reports, the Japanese lawmakers trespassed into the waters near the Diaoyu Dao, also known as Diaoyu Islands, for the marine "inspection" on Friday, and they claimed they should land on the islands for investigations.

In response to Japan's provocative actions, a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Japan said on Sunday that China has lodged solemn representations with Japan, and the China Coast Guard (CCG) has taken measures against it in accordance with the law.

The Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are an inherent part of China's territory, and China's determination and will to safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights are unwavering, the embassy said.

"China strongly urges Japan to stop all political provocations, on-site disturbances and media hype, and return to the correct track of managing differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation to avoid further escalation of the situation," the spokesperson said.

The latest move by Japan is a blatant provocation against China, and is aimed at escalating tensions in the East Asia region, Lu Chao, a research fellow at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"The Japanese cabinet, in particular, allegedly went so far as to claim [they could] land on the island, clearly demonstrating their intension to provoke China in terms of territory issue," Lu said. He noted that Japan deliberately wants to worsen the situation in the region, especially as the lawful patrols of the CCG around the Diaoyu Dao have become routine, with the latest one conducted on April 12.

Lu said that generally, Japanese lawmakers tend to take actions near the Diaoyu Dao during times when Japan is adopting a firm stance toward China and aligning with the US' strategy to form a confrontation with China in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The latest provocation from Japan is a common way for them to divert from domestic conflicts, given the current significant problems in both politics and the economy in Japan," Lu said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has stated that Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are China's inherent territory. China will take firm measures against illegal moves that violate China's sovereignty, and China stands ready to continue properly handling maritime issues with parties concerned through dialogue and consultation and jointly upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea.

"In the meantime, no one should violate China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and China remains steadfast in safeguarding our lawful rights," the ministry said.

In light of Japan's persistent provocative actions, China must firmly take countermeasures and should not tolerate Japan's attempts to stir up tensions over the Diaoyu Dao, Lu said. "China must consistently assert to Japan and the international community that the Diaoyu Dao belongs to China, and this reality is non-negotiable. China will also take all necessary measures to put an end to Japan's aggressive behavior toward China," he said.

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UK maritime agency reports incident in Yemen's eastern waters

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident on Saturday night in Yemen's eastern waters.

In an announcement on the same day, the UKMTO said that it had received reports of an incident 177 nautical miles southeast of the Port of Nashtoon located in eastern Yemen.

According to the UK maritime agency, the incident involved a small boat, with four people on board, approaching a ship.

The agency said that that there was no harm or damage and the ship carried on its journey, adding that an investigation has been launched into the incident.

Over the past months, Yemeni armed forces have conducted attacks on Israel-linked ships in the Red and Arabian Seas in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

The Yemenis have said that they would continue their attacks until the regime stops its genocide in Gaza.

The Yemeni army has also hit British and American ships since Washington and London launched airstrikes on Yemeni soil in January this year in response to operations against the Israel-linked vessels.

Yemen says the US-UK airstrikes are aimed at providing support to the Israeli regime.

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Abbas warns about consequences of possible Israeli attack on Rafah

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has warned about the consequences of possible Israeli attacks on Rafah, saying "If Israel invades the city of Rafah, the biggest catastrophe in the history of the Palestinian people will occur".

Abbas made the remarks during a special meeting of the World Economic Forum hosted by Saudi Arabia, according to Jordan's Ammon news website on Sunday.

Emphasizing that if the Zionist regime attacks Rafah, the biggest catastrophe in the history of the Palestinian people will occur, he called on the US to avert the Zionist regime's assault on Rafah.

He expressed concern about the situation in the West Bank, adding that "there is a fear that the Israeli regime would displace Palestinians from the West Bank to Jordan, and under no circumstances we will accept the displacement of Palestinians outside their homeland".

Palestinian president underlined that Jordan and Egypt had firmly opposed the displacement of Palestinians to such countries.

Abbas also called on the international community to recognize the State of Palestine as a full member state of the United Nations, emphasizing "There must be a political solution that brings together the Gaza Strip and the West Bank in an independent Palestinian state".

Israel waged a genocidal war on the besieged Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas Resistance group carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime's intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Israel has imposed a complete siege on the densely populated territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to more than two million Palestinians living there.

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Islamic Jihad still has a robust missile arsenal: Israeli media

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Israeli media have acknowledged that the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement has a robust missile arsenal despite the Israeli army's claim that its missile launch sites have been destroyed in airstrikes.

The Hebrew-language news website Hadashot Hamut reported on Sunday that the Islamic Jihad has maintained its missile capabilities as evidenced by its continued rocket and missile attacks against the Israeli targets.

The report claimed that the Islamic Jihad has now a missile power greater than that of Hamas, the primary Palestinian resistance force battling the Israeli regime in the Gaza Strip.

Zionist sources have repeatedly admitted the combat and missile capabilities of the Palestinian resistance forces in Gaza.

Israeli unleashed its ongoing genocidal war in Gaza early in October last year after Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against the occupied territories in response to escalated Israeli and settler aggression against Palestinians.

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Netanyahu cabinet's avarice hinders prisoner swap: Opposition leader

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Leader of the Israeli opposition Yair Lapid has said that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has the majority support in the Knesset to pursue a prisoner swap deal with Palestinians, but his cabinet members' avarice hampers such an agreement.

Lapid wrote in a message on his X (formerly Twitter) account: "Netanyahu, you have a majority ... for the deal, you have a majority in the Knesset for the deal and if necessary, fire Ben Gvir and Smotritz and I will give you 24 fingers in the government as well. They must be brought home."

As to decision-making between the continuation of the war in Rafah city and a prisoner swap deal with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Lapid said: "If the choice is between continuing the war on Gaza and reaching a hostage swap deal, we must choose to make a deal."

He also warned that the settlers are "abandoned by an abandoned government that doesn't manage anything."

"The government is in complete turmoil," the opposition official in the Israeli regime stated.

He had earlier said that Netanyahu is afraid of the collapse of his cabinet under pressure from the so-called National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotritz.

The Israeli regime is under pressure to make a deal with Hamas to be able to release Israeli captives in Gaza.

The regime waged a brutal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out an unprecedented operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

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Hezbollah strikes settlements in northern Israeli-occupied territories

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah has conducted fresh rocket attacks on northern Israeli-occupied territories.

The movement announced early on Sunday that its fighters had fired "tens of Katyusha" rockets at Meron town and its surrounding settlements.

It said the attack was in response to the Israeli regime's earlier offensives on three villages in southern Lebanon.

There was no immediate report of possible casualties or damage after the attack.

Fighting broke out between Hezbollah and the Israeli regime on October 8, a day after Tel Aviv waged a genocidal war on Gaza, with the Lebanese resistance movement targeting Israeli areas on and near Lebanon's southern border in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

The fighting has intensified in the past couple of months amid Israeli strikes on villages and towns in southern Lebanon, some of which have resulted in civilian casualties.

Hezbollah has time and again warned Israel that civilians are a red line, and that it will give a crushing response should the regime expand its attacks deeper in Lebanon.

The resistance movement also says that it will continue to fight the Israeli regime until it stops the war on Gaza, where nearly 34,390 Palestinians have already been killed, mostly women and children.

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China unveils new measures to facilitate opening-up, international exchanges

16:14, April 29, 2024 By Li Xuanmin and Sun Langchen ( Global Times

China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) has unveiled an array of new measures on Sunday that bring more conveniences to the entry and exit management of the public and businesses, including streamlining document processing and application, extending the duration of business stay, and meeting diverse tourism needs, which observers said represents the country's stepped-up effort in promoting high-level opening-up and facilitating international exchange.

The fresh move, adding to a list of policies that promote the integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), will greatly facilitate business, people-to-people and tech know-how exchanges between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong as well as Macao Special Administrative Regions (SARs), according to observers. They pointed out that as the link-up further gears up, the scope of interaction between the Chinese mainland and the two regions is poised to become "deeper and broader."

That also presages more business opportunities - building upon Hong Kong's role as a "super-connector between the Chinese mainland and the world, as well as Macao's unique position as a free trade port.

It is set to inject new vitality into the two regions' developments, boost economies and is thus conducive to their long-term prosperity and stability from a long-term perspective, analysts said.

Under the new policies, which will take effect on May 6, residents aged 16 or above (except for civil servants and active military servicemen) in 20 pilot cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, will be able to renew and reissue their passports, as well as travel documents to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions via online platform.

Chinese mainland residents who apply for multi-entry to Hong Kong and Macao with business purposes can use smart equipment to get a quick-access endorsement. In addition, the duration of stay for holders of business endorsement to Hong Kong and Macao will be extended from seven days to 14 days.

Specific policies have also been set up for high-level talent and certain key groups, among other policies to shore up outbound tourism to the two SARs.

Beijing and Shanghai will be included into the policy of issuing multi-entry endorsements with a validity of one to five years for six designated categories of talent to travel to Hong Kong and Macao, with a duration of stay less than 30 days for each trip.

The arrangement was initially only applicable to mainland residents in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

High-level opening-up

The HKSAR government on Sunday said it welcomes enhancements to "exit endorsement for business visit" and "exit endorsement for talents" by the immigration authorities.

"The two new measures will facilitate Hong Kong's further integration into the national development and achieve concrete results on the solid policy foundation of facilitating the 'southbound and northbound' two-way flow of talents," said a statement on the website of the HKSAR government.

With regards to the optimized business visit arrangement, it noted that the measures will greatly enhance convenience for mainland businesspersons who travel to Hong Kong for various business activities and promote their exchanges with the business community in Hong Kong.

Liu Guohong, director of the Department of Finance and Modern Industries at China Development Institute in Shenzhen, told the Global Times on Sunday that the newly launched policies are of strategic importance taking account of the complex international situation, the two cities' unique role in the country's high-level opening-up landscape, and strengthened economic and social development ties between Chinese mainland and Hong Kong as well as Macao.

It also squarely rebuts certain foreign media outlets' smear against HKSAR, which alleged that foreign capital and global talent have been fleeing from the city. The arrival of more business people and skilled workers will likely drive local economic, commercial, and cultural exchanges with the international community, which is anticipated to draw in foreign investment, boost foreign trade and more, analysts pointed out.

"It could further consolidate Hong Kong's magnet as an international talent and capital hub," Liu said.

He expounded that the continued internationalization of Hong Kong and Macao will be beneficial to the national opening-up plan, and there are more rooms for cooperation between the Chinese mainland and the two SARs in trailblazing systematic opening-up reforms, giving full play to the two regions' advantages of "one country, two systems."

On March 1, the island of Hengqin in South China's Guangdong Province started a new customs operation that allows most goods to be moved there tax-free from the neighboring Macao SAR, the Xinhua News Agency reported. It is a major arrangement to enrich the practice of "one country, two systems" in Macao.

In addition, a new type of multi-entry endorsement will be issued to mainland residents to travel to Macao for purposes of participating at exhibitions, medical treatment and performing arts activities. One to two companions of those who seek medical services in Macao will be eligible for applying the same endorsement.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, an important historical moment. Liang Haiming, chairman of the China Silk Road iValley Research Institute, a Hong Kong-based research institute, told the Global Times on Sunday that the introduction of some facilitation policies will further strengthen the cooperation and exchange between Macao and the Chinese mainland.

"Hong Kong is also at a stage of transitioning from governance to prosperity, and the central government is fully supporting this process with more stimulus measures," Liang said.

Strengthened link-up

In February, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) celebrated its 5th anniversary. While the GBA plan has largely fueled ripe collaborations within the region, the new arrangements are set to ride on the momentum, further unfolding soaring demands across tourism, retail, hotels and dining sectors and leading more Chinese mainland cities to engage in deeper exchanges with the two SARs, according to observers.

Specifically, the initiatives focus particularly on simplifying travel for business professionals and talent from the mainland are expected to generate more business opportunities in Hong Kong and Macao, as well as enhancing the local talent pool and promoting cross-regional knowledge exchange, said Liang.

He added that Chinese mainland-based skilled workers may also bring new momentum to the innovation and development of Hong Kong and Macao.

Meanwhile, those measures pertaining to encourage people-to-people exchange is also a boon to the tourism market, with Hong Kong local businesses' expectation running high for the upcoming May Day holidays.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board said in a statement sent to the Global Times on Sunday that ahead of the May Day holidays, it will distribute 16,000 consumption coupons for free to tourists from Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Qingdao in East China's Shandong Province. It is the first time that the Hong Kong tourism authority will give coupons to mainland cities, amid broad efforts to attract mainland travelers.

In March, two Chinese cities - Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Qingdao in East China's Shandong Province - were added to the individual visit scheme (IVS), bringing the number of designated mainland cities to 51.

It is expected that 1.76 million trips will be made in and out of the Chinese border ports each day during the May Day holidays, up 40.5 percent compared with that of 2023, according to NIA. And as the streak of HK and Macao residents travelling northward and mainland residents heading southward continues, the traffic at ports that border Hong Kong and Macao SARs is estimated to increase significantly, NIA said.

The immigration authority estimated that the land port of Luohu in Shenzhen will see traffic of around 194,000 trips during the holidays, while 110,000 trips will also be made through the Zhuhai port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing)
TOKYO, Apr 30 (Kyodo) - The Japanese government is planning to trial an artificial intelligence system for spotting wild bears to better deal with an increasing number of attacks by the animals on humans, a government source said Monday.

Under the system, AI will use security camera footage to instantly detect bears and share the information with the relevant authorities. The pilot scheme is planned to begin by summer in Toyama Prefecture, central Japan.

If found to be effective, the AI system could be rolled out to prefectures where frequent bear sightings near residential areas have been reported, the source said.
Palestinian resistance leaders, officials discuss Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, informed on Saturday about a meeting between the leaders of three resistance factions to evaluate the situation in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing deadly Israeli assault there.

The meeting was held with the presence of Ismail Haniyeh, political bureau chief of Hamas, Jamil Mazhar, deputy secretary-general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and Mohammed Al-Hindi, Deputy Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement as well as a number of other leaders of these three movements, according IRNA citing Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen network.

According to a Hamas statement, the meeting was held in the light of an accelerated field and political developments in Gaza, during which the attendees praised the exemplary stability of the Palestinian nation, which proved to the world its invincible will despite the Israeli genocidal campaign.

In the meeting, the resistance leaders and officials also discussed a ceasefire efforts including, the immediate and comprehensive withdrawal of the occupying forces, the release of Palestinian prisoners, as well as measures to reduce the pain and suffering of the Palestinians and strengthen the stability of the internal front.

The leaders emphasized the necessity of developing national and field action to thwart the plans of the occupying regime and realize the goals of the Palestinian nation to achieve independence and the return of refugees.

The participants also praised the heroic operations of the Palestinian fighters and their stiff resistance to invaders on the ground.

According to Hamas, those present at the meeting sent their greetings to the resistance fronts supporting Palestine from Lebanon to Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran and agreed to continue consultations with the rest of the Palestinian groups inside and outside.

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6 Arab countries hold consultative meeting on Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Officials from five Arab countries plus the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) have held a consultative meeting in Riyadh regarding the developments in Gaza, with the participants demanding an immediate end to the Israeli war on the besieged strip.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and the secretary of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization met on Saturday night to review the situation of Gaza, according to IRNA citing the official news agency of Saudi Arabia.

Apart from the call for ending the war, the ministers of the aforementioned Arab countries also emphasized the need to remove all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the report said.

In this meeting, the ministers also warned about the consequences of the illegal actions by the Zionist regime in the occupied West Bank and al-Quds.

It's now day 205 since the Zionist regime launched a genocidal war on Gaza that has resulted in the killing of nearly 34,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

According to international experts and Israel's own media, the regime has failed to achieve any of its intended goals behind the invasion of Gaza and that this regime is sinking more into its internal and external crises day by day amid global public outrage at Israel's crimes such as massacre, violation of international laws, bombing of relief organizations among others.

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No ceasefire in Lebanon without one in Gaza: Hezbollah deputy chief

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sun / 28 April 2024 / 11:41

The Deputy Secretary-General of Hezbollah stresses that Lebanon would not serve the Israeli occupation by agreeing to a ceasefire in southern Lebanon without a ceasefire in Gaza.

Tehran -ISNA- Hezbollah's support for the Gaza Strip has hindered the Israeli occupation's war plans in Palestine and Lebanon in the present and for the future, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Saturday.

"Those who fail to see the future, who are ignorant of this enemy, will not be able to understand the facts that indicate that this support will have benefits beyond supporting Gaza and beyond protecting Lebanon; it extends to forming a real deterrent force that confronts Israel and teaches it that it cannot cross the line," Sheikh Qassem underlined.

The initiatives being proposed for Lebanon and southern Lebanon are not viable unless they are based on a ceasefire, for that is the only means of addressing the core issue, he said.

"Whoever comes up with an initiative that entails a ceasefire in the south to relieve Israel so that it can bolster its positions in Gaza is calling on us to participate in supporting the Israeli enemy," he underlined.

"We are with Gaza and Palestine. Not with Israel. So let the war in Gaza stop first, and then it will stop in Lebanon," he said. "The threats that Israel will attack Lebanon make us more convinced of the righteousness of our confrontation and further bolster our position."

Sheikh Qassem cited Israeli reports that Hezbollah used only 3% of its military stockpile during about 7 months of the war, which yielded "great effects in terms of the displacement of settlers, inflicting great losses on Israel, exhausting its army, and giving a great example of steadfastness and sacrifice."

He also addressed Israeli Security Minister Yoav Galant, who had underlined that the main goal was returning the settlers of northern occupied Palestine to their settlements and that the coming period would be decisive, saying: "The settlers of the north cannot be returned. This war will push their return further and further away," and may even end their settlement of the north altogether.

End Item

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'Hamas serious about reaching agreement, will not yield to US pressure'

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 9:59 PM

A senior official of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas says the movement is serious about reaching an agreement on ceasefire in Gaza, but will not give in to any American pressure.

Sami Abu Zuhri made the remarks in a Sunday press statement, confirming that Hamas has received Israel's response to its proposed deal through mediators and is studying it.

"The occupation's response that we received through mediators is under study, but it is too early to reach a decision regarding it," he said.

Abu Zuhri emphasized, "The movement will not accept any agreement that does not include stopping the Israeli occupation's aggression against the Gaza Strip."

The Hamas official also stressed that the movement has "assured the brothers in Egypt and Qatar that it is serious about reaching an agreement, but that it will not yield to any American pressure."

His comments came after on Saturday, the deputy chief of Hamas said in a statement that the movement has received Israel's response through Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

"Hamas has received today the official response of the Zionist occupation to the proposal presented to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators," Khalil al-Hayya said.

Ha added that the movement will study the document before submitting a reply, noting, however, that Hamas remains adamant on its core demands, which Israel has rejected so far.

Last month, Hayya said Hamas had put forward a "realistic" Gaza ceasefire proposal that involved the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the besieged Palestinian territory, the release of Israeli captives, the return of displaced civilians, and unhindered access to aid.

On Friday, Hayya criticized the Israeli regime's response for not including a permanent ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, reiterating that Hamas was "open to any ideas or proposals that take into account the needs and rights of our people."

On Sunday, Reuters quoted an unnamed Hamas official as saying that the movement's delegation will visit Cairo on Monday for talks aimed at securing a ceasefire, adding that the delegation would discuss a ceasefire proposal handed by Hamas to mediators from Qatar and Egypt, as well as Israel's response.

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Haniyeh: Justice demands arrest of Netanyahu, his terrorist cabinet

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 9:00 PM

The political bureau chief of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has strongly condemned Israel's heinous crimes in Gaza, calling for the regime's prime minister and his terrorist cabinet to be brought to justice.

Ismail Haniyeh was speaking in a Sunday meeting with Nelson Mandela's Grandson, Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, in the Turkish port city of Istanbul.

During the meeting, Haniyeh strongly condemned the heinous crimes committed by the Israeli regime in its genocidal war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

He highlighted the international community's responsibility with regard to the ongoing developments in Gaza, stressing that if justice is to be dispensed, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his terrorist ministers must be arrested for their criminal acts.

Haniyeh also praised South Africa's historic step to file a legal case against the occupying regime with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

South Africa's genocide case against Israel was filed at the end of December, after nearly three months of Israeli aggression against Palestinians in Gaza.

Before filing the lawsuit, the country stated that the occupying regime had failed to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

In its interim ruling on January 26, the top UN court ruled that Pretoria's claims were plausible, ordering provisional measures. The Hague-based court also said that the Israeli regime had to implement steps to prevent genocidal acts and allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Haniyeh thanked the people and government of South Africa for their unbridled support of the Palestinian cause.

He said the position taken by the country's late leader, Nelson Mandela, on the Palestinian cause had genuine humanitarian and moral dimensions, and stood in stark contrast with the blind and biased support provided to Israel by the United States and some others Western countries.

Mandela, for his part, expressed his condolences on the martyrdom of Haniyeh's sons and grandchildren.

He reaffirmed his country's continued support for the Palestinian cause until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the occupied al-Quds as its capital.

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Sudan demands emergency UN Security Council meeting on UAE 'aggression'

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 6:21 PM

The government of Sudan's de facto leader Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan has requested an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting to address what was described as the United Arab Emirates' (UAE)'s "aggression against the Sudanese people."

The UAE government is allegedly backing the paramilitary group battling the Sudanese army, providing it with military and financial aid.

Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Burhan's former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have been in a power struggle in the African country since last year.

So far, the government remains in control of most of the Nile Valley and the country's eastern provinces and ports, while the RSF wields control over most of the oil-rich Darfur region, most of the capital region and parts of North and West Kordofan.

"Yesterday, our permanent representative to the United Nations submitted a request for an urgent session of the Security Council to discuss the UAE's aggression against the Sudanese people, and the provision of weapons and equipment to the terrorist militia," a Sudanese diplomatic source told AFP.

The country's official SUNA news agency confirmed that Sudan's UN representative, Al-Harith Idriss, had submitted the government's request to the UN Security Council.

However, the UAE has denied backing the RSF in its war against the Sudanese government.

In a letter to the Security Council last week, the UAE foreign ministry rejected Sudan's accusations against the Persian Gulf Arab country.

It said the Sudanese government's accusations against the UAE were "spurious (and) unfounded, and lack any credible evidence to support them."

However, a leaked UN report pointed to "credible" evidence that proved the UAE was providing military support to the RSF.

In this regard, the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed "grave concern" over escalating fighting in Sudan's North Darfur region and warned against the possibility of an imminent offensive by the RSF and allied militias on El Fasher, the last Darfur state capital not yet under RSF's control, and where a large number of refugees are being kept.

Turk "is gravely concerned by the escalating violence in and around El Fasher city, North Darfur, where dozens of people have been killed in the past two weeks," a statement from his office said.

The statement said the UN rights chief is afraid the civilians trapped in the city could be killed should they attempt to flee.

"This dire situation is compounded by a severe shortage of essential supplies as deliveries of commercial goods and humanitarian aid have been heavily constrained by the fighting, and delivery trucks are unable to freely transit through RSF-controlled territory," it added.

Turk called for an immediate de-escalation and an end to the conflict, as well as an "investigation into all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law and international humanitarian law," the statement said.

El Fasher functions as the main humanitarian hub in the western region of Darfur, home to around a quarter of Sudan's 48 million people. The city, until recently, had been relatively unaffected by the fighting across the country.

Since fighting began between the army and RSF on April 15, 2023, millions of people have been displaced in Sudan. Both the army and the RSF have been accused by human rights groups inside and outside the African country of war crimes, including targeting civilians, torturing prisoners, and indiscriminate shelling of residential areas across Sudan.

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At least 17,000 children left unaccompanied in Gaza amid Israel's war: UNRWA

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 6:00 PM

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has raised the alarm over the deteriorating situation for the Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip, as Israel continues its brutal war against the besieged territory.

In a post on X on Sunday, UNRWA said children face shattered lives in Gaza, adding that at least 17,000 children in the blockaded territory are unaccompanied or separated from their families.

"With [more than] 70 percent of houses damaged or destroyed, most [children] have also lost their homes. Schools have become shelters for survival, not for education. Their future needs protecting," it said.

Separately, Phillipe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of UNRWA, said rising temperatures in Gaza have led to the death of at least two children.

"We received reports that at least two children died due to the heat," Lazzarini said in a statement.

"What more to endure: death, hunger, disease, displacement, and now living in greenhouses-like structures under scorching heat," he added.

An ongoing, severe heatwave is affecting more than two million people living in a dire situation in the Gaza Strip, and has caused multiple fatalities, including children.

Several media reports say temperatures have hovered around 30 degrees Celsius in recent days, well above normal for this time of the year.

UNRWA further noted that life conditions in Gaza worsen as temperature rises, stressing that children are paying the highest toll as it reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire.

Israel waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas conducted Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Since the start of the aggression, the Tel Aviv regime has killed over 34,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and left vast swathes of the coastal enclave in ruins.

The Tel Aviv regime has also imposed a "complete siege" on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

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Israeli settlers break into al-Aqsa Mosque to celebrate Jewish holiday

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 4:47 PM

Thousands of Israeli settlers have stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied Old City of al-Quds to mark a Jewish holiday, in yet another provocative move against Palestinian worshipers.

"More than 500 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa from the Mugharbah Gate and carried out provocative rounds and performed Talmudic rituals in its courtyards," the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said in a statement on Sunday.

The department added that the settlers intruded into the Muslim holy site as they were protected by the regime's police, who tightened military measures at the gates of the Old City and Al-Aqsa Mosque during a week-long Jewish holiday, known as Passover.

It is expected that the Israeli settlers will continue their incursions into the mosque until afternoon prayers on Sunday, it added.

Tensions have been running high in recent days in various parts of the occupied Old City since the first day of Passover, which began on Monday, as hundreds of illegal settlers forced their way into the Aqsa Mosque compound under tight police measures.

On Thursday, nearly 1,700 illegal Israeli settlers intruded into the mosque compound in groups to mark Passover, the Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds said.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site for Muslims.

Far-right Israeli groups have previously called for widespread incursions into the mosque on the occasion of Passover.

Under an agreement signed between Israel and the Jordanian government in the wake of the regime's occupation of al-Quds in 1967, non-Muslim worship at the holy compound is prohibited. But the ban is a mere phrase and, in action, circumstances have been against Muslims.

While the settler intrusions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound take place in al-Quds, the regime keeps its bloody war machine going in the Gaza Strip.

At least 34,454 Palestinians have been killed and 77,575 others injured in more than six months of aggression imposed by the Israeli regime on the people in Gaza.

The war began in early October after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched an unprecedented military operation into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories near Gaza, killing nearly 1,200 Israeli settlers and military forces.

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Palestinians warn UK troops deployed in Gaza would be 'legitimate targets'

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 4:42 PM

Palestinians have warned Britain and other US-led Western countries against deploying forces on the ground in the besieged Gaza Strip under the guise of supporting aid deliveries.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said that British troops would be "treated as occupation forces and will be legitimate targets for the resistance."

The Palestinian group added that the justification of troop deployment to assist aid deliveries via the new sea corridor was "a lie that does not deceive anyone."

The report, published by the British state media broadcaster BBC on Saturday, said British forces - known as "wet boots"-- would drive trucks along a temporary causeway and deliver aid to a secure distribution area on land once a new sea route opens next month.

"Whoever wants to provide relief to the Palestinian people must press to stop the aggression, break the siege, and bring in relief aid through the official crossings in the Gaza Strip and under Palestinian management and supervision," the Palestinian group stated.

This comes even though the occupying regime continues to obstruct the delivery of aid into Gaza amid its genocidal war on the blockaded territory which started in early October last year.

Elsewhere in the statement, the PFLP also denounced the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which led to the creation of Israel.

"Our people will not forget the major crime committed by Britain against the Palestinian people, with its major contribution to the establishment of the Zionist entity, after issuing the ill-fated Balfour Declaration, and its continuation to this day in supporting the occupation and its crimes."

The declaration is widely seen as the precursor to the 1948 Palestinian Nakba, when Zionist armed paramilitary groups, who were trained and created to fight side by side with the British in World War II, forcibly expelled more than 750,000 Palestinians from their homeland.

"[It] is a justification for the permanent presence of military forces on the ground for malicious colonial goals and to protect the security of the Zionist entity," the PFLP said.

In the past 24 hours, Israeli Occupation Forces conducted seven massacres which took the lives of at least 66 Palestinians and injured nearly 140 others.

Since last October, with the start of the regime's onslaught in the besieged territory, over 34,400 Palestinians have lost their lives and over 77,000 others have been injured. Many of them are women and children.

Thousands of victims also remain trapped under the rubble as Israeli forces prevent ambulance and civil defense crews from reaching them.

Israel has also imposed a "complete siege" on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

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Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit calls for sanctions against Israel

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 3:27 PM

Senior officials from Arab and Muslim countries attending a high-profile summit in Saudi Arabia have called for effective sanctions against the Israeli regime for the war crimes it has committed in Palestine.

The plea was made on Sunday by foreign ministers of Jordan, Egypt and Turkey, as well as officials from Qatar, the Palestinian Authority and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation attending the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh to discuss the war in Gaza.

The Saudi foreign ministry said on its website that the summit had called for measures like halting arms exports to Israel amid the regime's continued violation of international law and its committing of "war crimes".

It said the summit, which was chaired by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said that international legal tools should be activated to hold the Israeli regime accountable for crimes it has committed in recent months in both Gaza and in the West Bank.

The Arab and Muslim officials attending the meeting also said that there is a need to stop terrorism activities by Israeli settlers, adding that there must be clear and firm stances against it.

They also rejected any attempt by the Israeli regime to displace Palestinians from their ancestral lands in Gaza.

Nearly 34,500 people have been killed in more than six months of aggression imposed by the Israeli regime on the people in Gaza.

The war began in early October after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas launched an unprecedented military operation into the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories near Gaza, killing nearly 1,200 Israeli settlers and military forces.

Israel's genocidal war in Gaza and its refusal to halt attacks on the Palestinians have led to growing global discontent with people in the Western countries taking to the streets almost on a daily basis to condemn the regime's brutality.

Arab and Muslim officials attending the Riyadh summit on Sunday expressed concern about the measures taken against pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the West.

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US to be held responsible if Israel invades Rafah: Palestinian Authority

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 2:54 PM

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says an Israeli ground invasion of Rafah would be "the biggest catastrophe" in the Palestinian people's history, urging the United States to stop the occupying regime from attacking Gaza's southernmost city.

Abbas made the remarks at a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday, warning that he expects Israel to invade Rafah "within days" as fears are rising that the regime will soon launch an assault on the city.

The Palestinian president went on to say that "all of Gaza" has been crammed into Rafah which borders Egypt, stressing that only a "small strike" would force most of the Palestinian population that are sheltering there to flee.

"We especially call upon the United States of America to request Israel to hold its fire, because the US is the only country that can prevent Israel from perpetrating this crime," Abbas said.

"Israel needs someone to force it to stop, to convince Israel that this is unacceptable, and the only country in the world that can do that, and which we hold responsible, is the United States of America," he added.

Abbas further reiterated that he rejects the displacement of Palestinians into Jordan and Egypt, saying he's concerned once Israel completes its operation in Gaza, it will attempt to force the Palestinian population out of the occupied West Bank.

Rafah, housing more than 1.2 million Palestinians, is the last major population center in the Gaza Strip that Israeli troops have yet to invade and also the main point of entry for desperately needed relief supplies.

Earlier this month, Israel's Benny Gantz said the regime will proceed with the ground invasion of Rafah.

Israel is facing tremendous international pressure to end its campaign of death and destruction in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into the blockaded territory.

Several countries, the United States included, have urged Israel to abandon plans for the Rafah operation.

This is while more than 20 universities in the US and several others in Europe are protesting against the Washington-backed Israeli onslaught, which has killed over 34,000 people since October last year.

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Host Saudi raises concerns over economic impact of Gaza war at global summit

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 10:56 AM

Saudi Arabia has expressed concerns about the impact of the Israeli regime's genocidal war on Gaza on global economic sentiments, calling for efforts to safeguard regional stability during a Saudi-hosted economic summit attended by Gaza mediators.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the two-day World Economic Forum (WEF) special meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan expressed concerns about the economic impact of the Gaza war, conflicts in Ukraine, and other global tensions.

"The region needs stability," Jadaan said, adding, "I think cool-headed countries and leaders and people need to prevail, and you need to make sure that you actually de-escalate."

Leaders from 12 countries and over 1,000 participants from West Asia and Europe are invited to attend the forum. Among them are foreign ministers and prime ministers from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the EU, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq, as stated in a WEF press release.

WEF president Borge Brende, during a press conference on Saturday, announced that the talks will focus on the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza and will also cover regional matters at what is expected to be a highly significant gathering.

Brende noted that the upcoming summit will not include Israeli participation and also provides a platform for structured discussions among the key players involved.

He also mentioned that formal mediation between Qatar and Egypt was taking place in a separate location.

Saudi planning minister Faisal al-Ibrahim also emphasized the delicate balance between security and prosperity that the world is currently navigating. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday ahead of the summit, he warned that a single misjudgment, miscalculation, or miscommunication could worsen the existing challenges.

Saudi Arabia is concerned that the ongoing war in Gaza and the possibility of a wider regional war could hinder the progress of its ambitious Vision 2030 plan.

Meanwhile, a private plane, previously used by officials with the Israeli regime's Mossad spy agency departed from Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied territories on Saturday and landed in Saudi Arabia.

The aircraft is suspected to be carrying top Israeli officials, who would be continuing talks on the potential normalization of relations between Riyadh and the Tel Aviv regime, despite the ongoing war in Gaza which has resulted in the deaths of over 34,388 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

This is while earlier in February, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry had publically announced that the kingdom would not begin diplomatic relations with Israel before the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and a full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the besieged territory.

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Israel agitated ICC could issue arrest warrant for Netanyahu over Gaza genocide

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 8:30 AM

The far-right Israeli cabinet is in a state of agitation over the possibility of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant for prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the regime's senior officials in the wake of their months-long genocidal war against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Israeli media reported on Sunday that senior Israeli officials had held emergency meetings in Tel Aviv this week to discuss the possibility that the top United Nations court could issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu, minister of military affairs Yoav Gallant, and the occupation army's chief of staff Herzi Halevi.

The Hebrew-language Maariv newspaper quoted unnamed sources as saying that Netanyahu was "unnaturally afraid and worried" due to the possibility of the ICC's arrest warrant in The Hague.

Netanyahu made telephone calls to international leaders and officials in recent days, especially to US President Joe Biden, to prevent the issuance of the arrest warrant.

This is while in an apparent rebuttal of the warrant, which could reportedly be issued in "the next few days," Netanyahu said on Friday that an ICC ruling would not impact his war in Gaza, which has so far claimed more than 34,000 Palestinian lives.

"Decisions made by the court in the Hague will not affect Israel's actions," he said.

The Israeli regime has been ignoring the ICC's preliminary ruling in January in which it was ordered to take all measures to protect civilian life in Gaza and to refrain from genocidal acts.

Israel launched the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in response to the occupying regime's intensified crimes against the Palestinian people.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 34,388 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Another 77,437 individuals have sustained injuries as well.

Israel has also imposed a "complete siege" on Gaza, cutting off fuel, electricity, food, and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

Last week, a group of United Nations experts said 80 percent of schools in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed since the war began in early October. Nearly 5,500 students have been killed, alongside 261 teachers and 95 university professors.

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US internal memo hints Israel in violation of international law

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 8:26 AM

Senior US officials have expressed doubts to Secretary of State Antony Blinken regarding Israel's claims of adhering to international humanitarian law using US-supplied weapons, according to a revealed memo.

According to an internal State Department memo reviewed by Reuters and reported by the news agency on Saturday, a nuanced and divided stance is highlighted within the department regarding the "credibility and reliability" of Israel's assurances.

Under a National Security Memorandum issued by US President Joe Biden in February, Blinken is required to submit a report to Congress by May 8, evaluating the credibility of Israel's claims, whether they violate US or international law.

By March 24, seven State Department bureaus had submitted their inputs for an initial "options memo" to Blinken. Portions of the memo, not previously disclosed, were classified.

"Some components in the department favored accepting Israel's assurances, some favored rejecting them and some took no position," a US official said.

Four bureaus, including Democracy Human Rights & Labor, Global Criminal Justice, Population, Refugees and Migration, and International Organization Affairs, expressed deep concerns about Israel's alleged non-compliance with international humanitarian law during the Gaza war.

The joint submission highlighted eight instances of Israeli military actions that officials deemed questionable in terms of international law.

These actions included repeatedly striking protected sites and civilian infrastructure, causing "unconscionably high levels of civilian harm to military advantage", taking little action to investigate violations or to hold to account those responsible for significant civilian harm, and "killing humanitarian workers and journalists at an unprecedented rate."

Furthermore, the report identified 11 instances where Israeli military actions have arbitrarily restricted humanitarian aid, such as rejecting entire aid trucks due to a single "dual-use" item. The assessment also highlighted artificial limitations on inspections and repeated attacks on humanitarian sites that should be off-limits.

Another submission to the memo reviewed by Reuters, from the Bureau of Political and Military Affairs, highlighted concerns over potential threats to the Israeli regime if US weapons sales were suspended.

USAID officials have also contributed to the memo stating that killing nearly 32,000 people, with approximately two-thirds being civilians, according to the Israel regime itself, could potentially be considered a breach of international humanitarian law.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller confirmed on March 25 that the department has received these commitments, but the State Department will not provide a full assessment of their credibility until the report to Congress on May 8.

The memorandum imposed no new legal requirements but asked the State Department to demand written assurances from countries receiving US-funded weapons that they are not breaching international humanitarian law or obstructing US humanitarian aid.

Biden has the authority to halt or impose restrictions on the transfer of US weapons. Earlier this month for the first time he issued a 'false threat' to put conditions on the transfer of US weapons to the occupied territories if it does not take concrete measures to address the critical humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

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April 27: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 7:49 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 34,400 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 Saturday, April 27, are as follows:

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on April 27:

(Gaza Strip)

Targeted Israeli forces who stormed the Gaza City on the axis of Al-Salam roundabout with a heavy barrage of bullets.

Mujahideen Brigades' operations on April 27:

(Gaza Strip)

Bombed the settlement of "Sderot" with a barrage of rockets.

Martyr Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades' operations on April 27:

(Gaza Strip)

Targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles in the Sharab Al-Asal area east of Khan Younis city, southern Gaza, with a barrage of rockets.

Hezbollah's operations on April 27:

(Lebanon)



Eastern sector:

At around 17:05 local time, the Israeli military command headquarters in the Al-Manara settlement and soldiers of the 51st Battalion of the Golani Brigade positioned inside it were targeted with drones and missiles.

At around 18:30 local time, the Al-Samaqa site in Lebanon's Kafr Shuba was targeted with missiles.

Western sector:

At around 08:30 local time, Israeli soldiers, west of the Shomera settlement, were targeted with missiles.

At around 23:53 local time, the Meron settlement was targeted with dozens of Katyusha rockets.

Yemeni military's operations on April 27:

(Yemen)

Shot down an American MQ9 aircraft with a surface-to-air missile while it was carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of Sa'ada Governorate.

Islamic Resistance in Iraq's operations on April 27:

(Iraq)

Carried out a drone strike against a vital military target in the occupied city of Haifa.

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Palestinian groups laud resistance fighters' 'heroic' battle against Israel

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 7:46 AM

Palestinian factions have praised resistance fighters for their "heroic" battle against the Israeli aggression, saying they framed a new model of resilience against the enemy.

In a statement released on Saturday, the Palestinian resistance group of Hamas said that the head of its political bureau Ismail Haniyeh, the Islamic Jihad's deputy chief Mohammad al-Hindi, and Jamil Mazhar, deputy secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), had held a meeting.

"The attendees praised the courageous, heroic performance of all the resistance brigades and their field unity ... that have given and continue to give the enemy a lesson it will never forget," the statement read.

"They presented the world with a new model in conflict management" and confronting the aggression.

They also hailed the "legendary steadfastness" and "solid will" of the Palestinian people amid Israel's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip.

They further discussed efforts towards putting an end to the Gaza onslaught and an Israeli withdrawal of forces from the besieged territory, as well as the release of Palestinian abductees held in the occupying regime's jails.

Israel waged its brutal war against Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out a historic operation against the usurping entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The Tel Aviv regime has so far killed at least 34,388 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 77,437 others.

Also in their meeting, the representatives of the Palestinian groups emphasized the need for developing cooperation in order to thwart the occupation's schemes and secure a free and independent Palestine.

They lauded the global support for the Palestinian people and their cause and sent greetings to the resistance front from Lebanon to Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Iran.

Six-party Arab group urges end to Israel's Gaza war

In another development on Saturday, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud hosted a ministerial meeting in Riyadh with representatives from five other Arab states on the situation in Gaza.

The meeting was attended by Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers Ayman Safadi and Sameh Shoukry, as well as Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization Hussein Al-Sheikh, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president Anwar Gargash, and Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The participants underlined the need to stop the Israeli carnage, reach an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, protect civilians, and lift all restrictions that impede the entry of humanitarian aid into the blockaded Palestinian territory.

Additionally, they expressed their support for all efforts aimed at the international recognition of an independent Palestinian state on the pre-1967 borders with East al-Quds as its capital.

They further denounced a potential Israeli offensive on the southern Gaza city of Rafah and attempts to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land.

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Dozens of Hezbollah rockets hit Meron Air Base in northern occupied lands

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 6:42 AM

Fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement have conducted multiple operations against Israeli military sites, firing dozens of rockets from southern Lebanon toward border areas on the northern side of the 1948 occupied territories.

Lebanon's al-Mayadeen television news channel reported that dozens of Katyusha rockets were launched from Lebanon at Meron Air Base on Saturday in retaliation for Israeli military strikes on Qaouzah and Markaba villages as well as the town of Sarbin in southern Lebanon.

Meanwhile, Israeli media outlets said a major radar site inside a military base had sustained damage as a result of Hezbollah attacks.

A heavy salvo of missiles was also launched towards settlements in Mount Meron area of the Upper Galilee region, including Safsofa, Hagnoz, Kfar Hosh, and Bar Yoha.

Earlier on Saturday, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem said Hezbollah's support for the Gaza Strip had held back Israeli military plots against Palestinian territories and southern Lebanon.

"Those who fail to ponder on the future are the ones who are ignorant of the Zionist enemy, and are unable to acknowledge the facts that their support will yield benefits beyond solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and dense of Lebanon's security. Their support will result in the creation of a full-fledged deterrent force against Israel which will prevent it from crossing red lines," Sheikh Qassem underlined.

He said proposals put forward to bring calm to the volatile border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied lands will be effective if they ensure a complete ceasefire and an end to near-daily cross-border fire.

"Anyone who comes up with an initiative for a ceasefire in southern Lebanon to relieve Israel's anxieties gives the regime a chance for ramping up its aggression against Gaza," Sheikh Qassem said.

The Israeli regime has repeatedly attacked southern Lebanon since October 7, when it launched a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed at least 34,388 Palestinians, most of them women and children.

In retaliation, Hezbollah has launched near-daily rocket attacks on Israeli positions.

At least 380 people have been killed on the Lebanese border, including 72 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.

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Armenian Protests Continue Against Plans To Cede Territory To Rival Azerbaijan

By RFE/RL's Armenian Service April 28, 2024

YEREVAN -- Armenians have blocked the Yerevan-Gyumri highway as protests continue against the government's plans to hand over several border areas to rival Azerbaijan as part of a peace deal.

Images of the protest action that shut down traffic from Armenia's capital to the country's northwestern border were posted on the morning of April 28 on the Tavush For The Fatherland Facebook page.

The Martuni-Vardenis highway, linking the two cities near Armenia's eastern border with Azerbaijan, was shut down overnight.

Earlier this month, residents of several Armenian communities in the northeastern Tavush Province launched protests against the government's plans to hand over territory close to Azerbaijan's Qazax region.

Under the border delimitation agreement announced on April 19, Baku will regain control of four formerly Azerbaijani populated villages and surrounding areas in the Tavush region.

The villages were part of Azerbaijan during the Soviet era but have been controlled by Armenia since the 1990s.

The agreement has been hailed by the United States and the European Union, as well as by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, who has been accused by opposition politicians of giving up territory with no guarantees.

In a call with Pashinian on April 28, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed Washington's support "for progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan on a durable and dignified peace agreement," the State Department said.

The statement said Blinken reiterated that the United States welcomed the two Caucasus nations' agreement to use the 1991 Almaty Declaration as a basis for the demarcation of their borders.

"Blinken noted ongoing U.S. efforts to support Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for Prime Minister Pashinian's vision for a prosperous, democratic, and independent future for Armenia," it said.

The State Department said Blinken also spoke with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, praising the agreements between the two sides and urging Baku to "keep up the momentum with his Armenian counterpart."

Residents of the Tavush region have expressed concern that the border demarcation will block their access to farmland and leave them surrounded by Azerbaijani territory.

The protests spread to Yerevan on April 27, where people carrying banners criticizing the government stormed a concert stage.

Armenia agreed to the handover as the initial step in defining the frontier between the two rival South Caucasus countries.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have fought two wars in the last three decades over the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which had been a majority ethnic Armenian enclave since the Soviet collapse and is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory.

The region initially came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces, backed by the Armenian military, in separatist fighting that ended in 1994.

In 2020, Azerbaijan took back parts of Nagorno-Karabakh along with seven surrounding districts that Armenian forces had claimed during the earlier conflict.

After Baku took full control over the region as the result of a one-day military operation in September last year, nearly 100,000 ethnic Armenians fled Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-azerbaijan-protests- border-delimitation/32923881.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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UK May Deploy Troops in Gaza to Deliver Humanitarian Aid - Reports

Sputnik News

20240428

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United Kingdom may send its military to the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian aid, Sky News reported, citing government sources.

The report noted, however, that the government has not yet made a final decision on this issue.

On Saturday, the UK navy said that it had sent an RFA Cardigan Bay ship to support the construction of a "temporary pier to allow delivery of humanitarian aid directly from the sea into Gaza."

On October 7, 2023, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel and breached the border, attacking both civilian neighborhoods and military bases. Nearly 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted during the attack.

Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and started a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave with the declared goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 34,300 people have been killed so far by Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip, according to local authorities.

 Sputnik

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Over 10 People Injured in Israeli Airstrike in Southern Lebanon - Source

Sputnik News

20240428

SOUTH LEBANON (Sputnik) - Twelve people were injured as a result of an Israeli airstrike on the town of Sarbin in southern Lebanon, a local military source told Sputnik.

"Israeli warplanes attacked a house in the city of Sarbin in southern Lebanon with guided missiles. As a result of the bombing, ten Lebanese citizens... and two Syrian citizens were injured," the source said on Saturday.

In turn, Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah said it had attacked three Israeli military targets near Lebanon's southern border.

Hezbollah has been exchanging airstrikes with Israel since October 2023, as the situation in the region deteriorated dramatically after Israel announced a military operation against Palestinian movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Lebanese Foreign Ministry has said some 100,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in southern Lebanon because of Israel's shelling. Israel has also said that about 80,000 residents of northern Israel have found themselves in a similar situation.

 Sputnik

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Secretary Blinken's Call with Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

April 28, 2024

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to reaffirm U.S. support for progress between Armenia and Azerbaijan on a durable and dignified peace agreement. Secretary Blinken reiterated that the United States welcomes Armenia and Azerbaijan's agreement to use the Alma Ata Declaration as a basis for border delimitation. Secretary Blinken noted ongoing U.S. efforts to support Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for Prime Minister Pashinyan's vision for a prosperous, democratic, and independent future for Armenia.

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Humanitarian partners in South Sudan call on the Government to urgently remove new charges impacting the delivery of humanitarian assistance

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

(Juba, 28 April 2024) Humanitarian partners in South Sudan call for the urgent removal of recently imposed taxes and charges. More than 60,000 people have already been affected after the United Nations was forced to pause life-saving airdrops of food assistance as fuel runs low. This number will increase to 140,000 by the end of May, should the measures remain in place. Acknowledging the assurances by many members of the Government of South Sudan that humanitarians are exempt, Ms. Anita Kiki Gbeho, the Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, urged action by the Government on these assurances to prevent humanitarian operations by the United Nations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from coming to a standstill.

"We have already had to pause airdrops, which is impacting families in the hardest-to-reach locations within the context of already pared-back humanitarian operations. We call on the Government of South Sudan to uphold all agreements with humanitarians, including our NGO partners, and immediately remove new taxes and fees so that we can continue to support people in need."

Since February, the Government of South Sudan has imposed a series of new taxes and charges*1 at border crossings and in the country. Although the Government has assured that these taxes will be removed, there has been no written commitment to date.

These measures would add US$339,000 monthly to the cost of food assistance and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) operations. This is enough to feed over 16,300 people for a month. "It is vital that our limited funds are spent on saving lives and not bureaucratic impediments," underscored the Humanitarian Coordinator.

Note to editors

An estimated 9 million people in South Sudan need protection and humanitarian assistance in 2024. The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP) reflects the Humanitarian Country Team's appeal of $1.8 billion to reach 6 million of the most vulnerable people in extreme acute situations with urgent vital support. As of April 2024, only 18.5 per cent of the 2024 HNRP is funded. The imposition of new taxes contravenes the Status of Forces Agreement signed by individual agencies with the Government of South Sudan and Section 7 of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which exempts the United Nations from all direct taxes and duties on imports of supplies for its official use.

An estimated 7.1 million people are projected to be at risk of experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity during this year's lean season, with 79,000 people at risk of catastrophic levels of food insecurity according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). As of 28 April, more than 650,000 people have arrived in South Sudan from Sudan, with most of them in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

\1. Since February, the Government of South Sudan has imposed a series of new taxes and charges at border crossings and in the country: Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) at $300/lorry, reduced from $350 on 22 April; E-Petroleum Accreditation Permit of $0.05/litre of fuel; Exemption Fee of $100/lorry; Lab test on food rations at $100/lorry; Security Escort Fee of 30,000 South Sudanese pounds ($19)/lorry. This week, for the first time, UN-contracted fuel trucks were also alerted to a Fuel Marking Fee of $0.024/litre or an average of $840/tanker. Humanitarian aid delivered by the United Nations, NGOs or donor-funded organizations is exempt from taxes, which adds significant costs to humanitarian programmes. A two-month exemption on the ECTN for United Nations entities was granted; however, there has been no written commitment from the Government of South Sudan to maintain this or provide other exemptions.

For further information, please contact:

Joseph Inganji, Head of Office, inganji@un.org

Susie Jin, Associate Humanitarian Affairs Officer, jin3@un.org

OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org/south-sudan or www.reliefweb.int.

28 April 2024

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Blinken heads to Middle East for talks on Gaza, regional security

By Nike Ching April 28, 2024

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is headed to Riyadh for regional talks Monday and Tuesday on humanitarian assistance in Gaza, a post-war roadmap for the Palestinian territories, and stability and security in the Middle East.

"The secretary will discuss ongoing efforts to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza that secures the release of hostages and how it is Hamas that is standing between the Palestinian people and a cease-fire," the State Department said.

Blinken will participate in a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional alliance of Arab countries bordering the Persian Gulf that is convening in Saudi Arabia's capital.

On Sunday, the State Department announced Blinken would expand his trip to the Middle East, staying until Wednesday, and adding stops in Israel and Jordan after visiting Saudi Arabia.

Blinken will focus on the effort to secure a cease-fire in Gaza that will see the release of hostages and ensure humanitarian aid into the enclave continues or increases, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in the statement.

Also Sunday, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told ABC's "This Week" show that the United States is continuing to push for a six-week cease-fire in the nearly seven-month war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants.

Kirby said that a makeshift Mediterranean Sea pier being constructed on the Gaza shoreline could be completed in two or three weeks so that more humanitarian aid can be transported into the narrow territory to help feed famished Palestinians.

Gaza, post-war roadmap

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire, despite an increase in daily aid and Israel beginning to utilize a northern crossing and Ashdod Port for humanitarian deliveries.

The United States is collaborating with partners to establish a maritime humanitarian corridor; however, these efforts are insufficient as the entire population of Gaza faces the risk of famine and malnutrition.

U.S. officials have stated that Washington is committed to advancing lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians, including through practical steps aimed at establishing a Palestinian state that exists alongside Israel.

Barbara Leaf, an assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs at the State Department, said at a recent briefing, "The West Bank and Gaza must be reunified under the Palestinian Authority. A revitalized Palestinian Authority is essential to delivering results for the Palestinian people in both the West Bank and Gaza and establishing the conditions for stability."

Washington has also made clear that Hamas should not play a role in such governance.

Analysts, however, say there are many hurdles to the U.S. vision.

Michael Hanna, the program director at the International Crisis Group, noted that the current Israeli government has shown a "total rejection of the idea of a two-state solution." Moreover, "the physical reality has changed so dramatically since 1967 that it makes the possibility of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state almost an impossibility."

He told VOA, "There's no real assurance" that countries in the Middle East are particularly committed to post-war reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

"It's very difficult for many of these regional parties to engage politically at the moment while the war rages on."

Prospects for Saudi-Israel normalization

The Biden administration continues to work on a potential agreement that could lead to normalization of relations with Israel, even as some officials and analysts consider it a remote possibility.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the two-state solution and the return of the Palestinian Authority to control Gaza, demands that are widely supported by the international community.

The Saudis have demanded, as a prerequisite, to see an Israeli commitment to the two-state solution.

"If Netanyahu's positions do not change, he will probably not be able to deliver normalization with Saudi Arabia. It may be that a U.S.-Saudi offer for such a normalization will be publicly made, so when Israelis go to the polls, they can take this option into account," Nimrod Goren, a senior fellow for Israeli affairs at the Middle East Institute, told VOA in an email.

US reviews alleged IDF units' rights violations

Blinken's scheduled meetings in the Middle East come as the U.S. evaluates new information from the Israeli government to determine whether to blacklist certain Israeli military units.

These units are accused of violating the human rights of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank before the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel.

Critics have pointed out that the State Department's "slow rolling" in making its decision highlights the special treatment that Israel continues to receive.

Ken Bredemeier contributed to this report.

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Biden, Netanyahu discuss Israel-Hamas war, no sign of cease-fire

By VOA News April 28, 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone Sunday about the nearly seven-month war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, but the White House gave no immediate signal that a cease-fire is in the offing.

A White House statement said the two leaders "reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate cease-fire in Gaza."

Negotiations have been underway for months on ways to halt the fighting, but Israel and Hamas remain stalemated in talks brokered by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar.

In the call with Netanyahu, the White House said Biden noted his agreement with 17 other world leaders demanding that Hamas immediately release the 100 or so hostages it is holding and agree to a cease-fire. The U.S. has been pushing for a six-week halt in the fighting.

Hamas has demanded that Israel end the war and leave Gaza, but Netanyahu has resisted and held out the threat of a ground invasion on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering in hopes of staying safe from the Israeli aerial bombardment.

The White House said Biden again made it clear to Netanyahu that the U.S. opposes an Israeli ground attack on Rafah because of the danger to the Palestinians living there.

The two leaders also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including through new northern openings starting this week.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told ABC's "This Week" show that a temporary pier for humanitarian relief trucks the U.S. is building on the Gaza coast of the Mediterranean Sea could open in two or three weeks.

The Biden-Netanyahu call came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the Mideast for talks with regional officials in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel from Monday through Wednesday.

The State Department said Blinken would emphasize the U.S. view that it is Hamas that it is the obstacle to a cease-fire. It said the top U.S. diplomat "will also emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel."

In Saudi Arabia, Blinken is participating in a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council to advance coordination on regional security, the State Department said. He is also attending a World Economic Forum special meeting on global collaboration, growth, and energy for development.

Hamas killed 1,200 people in the initial attack in Israel last October and captured about 250 hostages, with about 100 of them released during a week-long cease-fire in late November.

Israel's subsequent retaliatory counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, with Israel saying the death toll includes several thousand Hamas militants it has killed.

Hamas is believed to still be holding about 100 hostages, along with the remains of 30 or more hostages who have either been killed or otherwise died in the ensuing months.

Also Sunday, the U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force "conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza to provide essential relief to civilians in Gaza affected by the ongoing conflict," a CENTCOM statement said.

"The joint operation included Jordanian provided food and four U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft. The U.S. C-130's dropped over 25,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs)," CENTCOM said. "To date the U.S. has dropped nearly 1,110 tons of humanitarian assistance."

Israel also carried out further airstrikes and shelling in Gaza on Sunday, while a video of two hostages being held by Hamas militants since the October attack prompted new outrage in Israel, where protesters have piled pressure on the government to reach a deal.

Global opposition to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has also been growing, with world leaders and aid groups warning that a looming Israeli invasion of Rafah would lead to massive civilian casualties.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed to the United States to stop Israel from invading Rafah, which he said would be "the biggest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people."

The U.S.  Israel's main ally and weapons supplier was the only nation capable of preventing Israel from "committing this crime," Abbas told the global economic summit in Saudi Arabia.

Some material in this report came from Agence France-Presse.

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Burkina Faso suspends more foreign media over HRW report

By VOA News April 28, 2024

Burkina Faso on Sunday suspended several more international news organizations, some of them for an indefinite period, over their coverage of a report accusing the army of extrajudicial killings, its communications regulator said.

This follows similar action last week, when Burkina Faso temporarily suspended the programs of Voice of America and BBC/Africa following the broadcast of news stories about a Human Rights Watch report accusing the Burkinabe army of abuses against civilian populations.

Among those named in the weekend order are French newspapers Le Monde, Ouest-France, British publication The Guardian, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and French broadcaster TV5 Monde, the Superior Council of Communication (CSC) said.

TV5 Monde's broadcasts would be suspended for two weeks, while access to its website would be blocked, the junta-led West African country's communications council said.

The websites of Deutsche Welle, Le Monde and Ouest-France, The Guardian and African agencies APA and Ecofin have also been blocked until further notice, the CSC said.

Reuters was not able to immediately reach the media groups for comment.

On Saturday, Burkinabe government spokesperson Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo rejected HRW's allegations as "peremptory" and denied that the authorities were unwilling to look into the alleged atrocities.

"The killings ... have led to the opening of a judicial investigation," Ouedraogo told Reuters, citing a March 1 statement by a regional prosecutor.

On Thursday, the CSC on Thursday ordered the immediate halt of the rebroadcasts and suspension of the programs of VOA and BBC/Africa for two weeks. Access to the websites and digital platforms of BBC, VOA and Human Rights Watch was also suspended within Burkina Faso.

The Human Rights Watch report accused the Burkina Faso military of summarily executing at least 223 civilians in two villages in late February.

In its broadcast of the story on the Human Rights Watch report, VOA sought reactions from several Burkinabe officials but did not receive any response.

"VOA stands by its reporting about Burkina Faso and intends to continue to fully and fairly cover events in that country," the outlet's acting director John Lippman said Friday in a statement.

"We ask the government of Burkina Faso to reconsider this troubling decision," he said.

A BBC spokesperson had a similar message: "The suspension reduces the BBC's ability to reach audiences with independent and accurate news. We will continue to report on the region in the public interest and without fear or favour."

Press freedom groups also condemned the suspension of the two outlets.

"The suspensions extend a pattern of censorship in the country, which has included previous suspensions of several French and local outlets," Jonathan Rozen, the senior Africa researcher at the Committee to Protect Journalists, told VOA in a statement.

Military-ruled Burkina Faso has in recent months suspended other Western news outlets, including the French television broadcasters LCI and France24, French radio broadcaster Radio France Internationale, the French daily newspaper Le Monde and the French magazine Jeune Afrique.

"Journalists in Burkina Faso should not have to contend with censorship by authorities in addition to challenges of reporting amid insecurity in the country," Rozen said.

Sadibou Marong, the director of the Reporters Without Borders sub-Saharan Africa bureau, agreed, calling the suspensions "yet another blow to press freedom" in Burkina Faso.

"They [authorities] are using suspensions against those who dare to report freely," added Marong, who is based in Senegal's capital Dakar.

Burkina Faso is one of several West African nations in the Sahel region, including Mali and Niger, that have been combating Islamist insurgencies. The military seized power in a 2022 coup, citing the government's failure to put down a jihadist insurgency that erupted in 2015.

The West African country was once lauded as a regional leader in media freedom.

"It used to really be a success story in terms of press freedom in Africa," Marong said. But that status came to an end following military coups in January and September 2022, he noted.

The decision to suspend VOA and the BBC come just one week ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3.

VOA's Liam Scott contributed to this report. Some information came from Agence France-Presse, Reuters and The Associated Press.

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Russo-Ukraine War - 29 April 2024 - Day 796

Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that according to the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, 604 civilians were killed or wounded in the month of March 2024. This equates to a 20% increase over the previous month. These deaths are attributed to missile and aerial-munitions strikes throughout Ukraine and increased bombardment at the frontlines. The report highlights the increased coordinated strikes on Ukrainian critical infrastructure with 20 destroyed or damaged sites.

There were 57 children reported killed, double the previous month, and this was attributed directly to Russian use of aerial munitions. In total there have been 31,366 civilian casualties in Ukraine (including Ukrainian-controlled and Russian-controlled territories) since 24 February 2022: 10,810 killed and 20,556 wounded. These figures highlight the tremendous cost of life sustained from Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day of April 29, there were 93x tactical engagements.

Russian forces launched a total of 4x missile and 35x air strikes, 56x MLRS attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, the Russian attacks have wounded civilians. Residential apartment blocks and private houses, as well as other infrastructure, got destroyed and damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: Russia maintains its military presence in the russian areas bordering Ukraine. Russia conducts subversion, continues shelling of Ukrainian settlements from the territory of Russia and increases the concentration of mining operations along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces launched an air strike in the vicinity of Leonivka (Chernihiv oblast). More than 20x settlements, including Leonivka, Yeline (Chernihiv oblast), Lukashenkivs'ke, Velyka Berizka, Romashkove, Veselivka, Uhroidy, Stepok, Pokrovka (Sumy oblast), came under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Kup'yans'k and Lyman axes: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 7x attacks in the vicinities of Novoserhiivka (Kharkiv oblast), Stel'makhivka (Luhansk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Syn'kivka, Petropavlivka, Stepova Novoselivka (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 9x attacks supported by Russian air strikes in the vicinities of Tverdokhlibove, Nevs'ke, Serebryans'ke forestry (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Tors'ke and south of Zarichne (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Makiivka (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Yampolivka, Tors'ke (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 27x attacks in the vicinities of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Verkhn'okam'yans'ke, Novyi, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka, Andriivka, Rozdolivka, Chasiv Yar (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces, with air support, attempted to improve its tactical position. More than 10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Hryhorivka, Kalynivka, Chasiv Yar, Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast).

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 18x attacks in the vicinities of Arkhanhel's'ke, Novokalynove, Ocheretyne, Sokil, Soloviove, Semenivka, Orlivka (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces, using air attacks, made attempts to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions. The Russian adversary launched air strikes in the vicinities of Vozdvyzhenka, Kalynove, Novopokrovs'ke, Yevhenivka (Donetsk oblast). The Russian invaders fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Keramik, Arkhanhel's'ke, Sokil (Donetsk oblast).

Novopavlivka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back Russian forces near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast), where Russian forces, with air support, made 15x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Paraskoviivka and Oleksandropil' (Donetsk oblast). Russian forces fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, Vuhledar (Donetsk oblast).

Orikhiv axis: Russian forces, using air attacks, launched 5x assaults on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors'ke (Donetsk oblast) and Novodarivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Russian air strikes hit vicinities of Makarivka (Donetsk oblast) and Mala Tokmachka (Zaporizhzhia oblast). Around 15x settlements, including Bilohir'ya, Robotyne, Kam'yans'ke (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under Russian artillery and mortar fire.

Kherson axis: Russia does not abandon its intention to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their bridgeheads on the left bank of the Dnipro River. In particular during the day of April 29, Russian forces executed 1x unsuccessful assault on positions of Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Krynky (Kherson oblast). Russian forces launched air strikes in the vicinities of Mykhailivka, L'vove, Kizomys (Kherson oblast). The Russian occupiers fired artillery and mortars at around 20 settlements, including Beryslav, Tyahynka, Ivanivka, Novotyahynka, Tokarivka, Antonivka, Stanislav (Kherson oblast).

During the day of April 29, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 5x concentrations of Russian troops.

The Ukrainian Missile Forces hit 1x concentration of Russian troops.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that the units of the Zapad Group of Forces have occupied more favourable lines and defeated manpower and hardware of 63rd mechanised and 57th motorised infantry brigades of the AFU and the 5th Brigade of the National Guard close to Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic), Sinkovka (Kharkov region), and Chervonaya Dibrova (Lugansk People's Republic).

Russian troops have repelled three attacks by formations of the 77th Airmobile Brigade of the AFU and the 1st Brigade of the National Guard near Stelmakhovka (Lugansk People's Republic). The enemy losses were up to 40 servicemen, two armoured fighting vehicles, and three motor vehicles.

The units of the Yug Group of Forces have improved position along the front line and inflicted a fire defeat on manpower and hardware of 46th airmobile and 79th air assault brigades of the AFU close to Krasnogorovka and Konstantinovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The enemy losses were up to 395 servicemen, three tanks, four armoured fighting vehicles, two motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M198 howitzer, one 122-mm D-30 gun, and one Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station.

The units of the Tsentr Group of Forces have liberated Semyonovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and defeated formations of 68th infantry, 23rd and 115th mechanised brigades of the AFU, the 109th Territorial Defence Brigade and mercenaries of the Foreign Legion near Novoaleksandrovka, Arkhangelskoye, Tarasovka, and Zavetnoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

During the day, 10 counterattacks by assault groups of 24th, 100th mechanised, 142nd infantry, 98th assault, 68th jaeger brigades and the 78th Separate Air Assault Regiment of the AFU have been repelled close to Leninskoye, Novgorodskoye, Ocheretino, Semyonovka, Novobakhmutovka, Netailovo, Novokalinovo, and Berdychi (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses were up to 370 servicemen, two armoured personnel carriers, and four motor vehicles.

In the course of counter-battery warfare, one 155-mm U.S.-made M777 howitzer, one 152-mm D-20 gun, one 152-mm Msta-B towed howitzer, two 122-mm D-30 howitzers, one 105-mm U.S.-made M102 light howitzer, and one 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun.

The units of the Vostok Group of Forces have defeated manpower and hardware of the 72nd Mechanised Brigade and the 123rd Territorial Defence Brigade near Staromayorskoye and Vodyanoye (Donetsk People's Republic) and occupied more advantageous lines.

In addition, the servicemen have repelled two counterattacks by assault groups of the 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade of the AFU near Urozhaynoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses were up to 125 servicemen, three pickup trucks, one 155-mm U.S.-made M777 howitzer, and two 152-mm Msta-B howitzers.

The units of the Dnepr Group of Forces have inflicted a fire defeat on manpower concentration areas of the 118th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU and the 3rd National Guard Brigade near Stepnogorsk and Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses were up to 45 servicemen, two motor vehicles, and one Anklav-N electronic warfare station.

The Operational-Tactical Aviation, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Group of Forces have struck one workshop for the assembly of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as enemy manpower and military hardware in 110 areas.

Air defence facilities have shot down 22 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, one Uragan multiple-launch rocket system launcher projectile, and one U.S.-made JDAM guided aerial bomb.

In total, 593 airplanes, 270 helicopters, 23,609 unmanned aerial vehicles, 509 air-to-air missile systems, 15,880 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,275 MLRS combat vehicles, 9,209 field artillery guns and mortars, and 21,387 special military vehicles have been neutralised since the beginning of the special military operation.

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Iran plans to launch 5-7 satellites in current Iranian year: Official

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Head of Iran Space Agency announced plans to launch five to seven satellites in the current Iranian calendar year ending on March 20, 2025.

This year, four to five domestic satellites will be launched, and one to two international launches will also be held, Hassan Salarieh told IRNA on Sunday.

He added that Iran plans to launch telecommunication, measurement, research, and operational satellites by yearend.

Regarding the changes in the second sample of Pars 1 satellite, he said that modifications will be made to improve the quality and increase the performance of the satellite in the second sample.

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China reiterates willingness to strengthen high-level exchanges with France

Global Times

Interaction 'a highlight and stabilizer' in China-EU relations

By Cui Fandi Published: Apr 28, 2024 09:59 PM

China stands ready to strengthen high-level exchanges with France, give play to the leading role of head-of-state diplomacy, and add new connotations to the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, said China's top diplomat Wang Yi on Saturday, amid rising high-level contacts between China and France in the past few months.

Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks in a telephone call with the French President's Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne on Saturday, reiterating China's willingness to push bilateral cooperation with France in various fields to a new level, and give play to the important role of the two major countries in dealing with global challenges, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Noting that the current international situation is complex and volatile, with numerous challenges and hot spots emerging one after another, Wang said the international community expects China and France to form a common position and speak with the same voice on major issues bearing on world peace and stability, as well as the future and destiny of mankind.

It is hoped that the French side will push the EU to continue to pursue a positive and pragmatic policy toward China, Wang noted.

At a time when some European politicians are mistakenly advocating "decoupling" from China, the frequent interactions between China and France is a highlight and a stabilizer, Chinese experts noted. The connection between the two countries is also very important for advancing the resolution of international hot-button issues.

The year 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. In the past few months, it is evident that China and France have increased their interactions, exchanges and communication in various fields, Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Against a backdrop of rising uncertainties in China-Europe relations as some European politicians advocate "decoupling," the relationship between China and France is not only a highlight but also plays an important role in stabilizing China-Europe relations, he noted.

France is willing to use the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries as an opportunity to intensify high-level exchanges, deepen mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation and strive for mutual benefit and win-win results, Bonne told Wang in the phone call.

The two sides should work together to cool down hot spot issues, cope with global challenges including climate change, make positive contributions to narrowing the North-South gap and rejecting bloc confrontation, and push for further development of France-China and Europe-China relations, he said.

Zhao noted that the China-France relationship has always been important for both countries throughout history, and it is crucial to make good use of the 60th anniversary celebrations as an opportunity to strengthen political interactions between the two countries.

The French government has always advocated that Europe's strategic autonomy and independence in their relationship with China is important for them, analysts said. While some major Western countries opt to blindly follow the US in pressuring China, it is time that France can demonstrate its rational great power characteristics through its actions, they said.

In the past few months, the warming of China-France relations has not only been reflected in high-level official exchanges. In the military and commercial fields, news of cooperation between the two sides has been frequent.

On Thursday, the Chinese and French militaries signed a framework document on the establishment of a maritime and aerial cooperation and dialogue mechanism between the two militaries' theaters, to help further deepen mutual trust and cooperation between the two militaries and jointly safeguard regional security and stability.

In the meantime, France's Airbus is in talks with China over a potentially major aircraft order which could involve hundreds of jets, Reuters reported.

During the Saturday call, the two sides also discussed business cooperation, having agreed to cooperate on the development of artificial intelligence, continue to strengthen coordination on tackling climate change, and further refine the successful practice of "from French farm to Chinese dinner table," so as to provide a good environment for enterprises of both sides to invest and do business in each other's countries, the Xinhua reported.

Observers emphasized that maintaining a stable relationship between the two major powers is helpful in addressing international concerns in the current turbulent global situation, which was also part of the discussions on Saturday, when the two sides also coordinated on international and regional issues of common concern such as the Ukraine issue and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

After Brexit, the UK's influence in Europe has clearly declined, while Russia is currently being suppressed by the West, which makes China and France's communications more important in the international sphere, Zhao told the Global Times.

"China and France always have a traditional and solid foundation for cooperation, and now it has a broader vision," he said. "The China-France relations can set an example for other European countries."

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In reversal, China now wants to preserve Kashgar's Old City

China has destroyed thousands of old homes and shops in the ancient Silk Road trading post.

By Erkin for RFA Uyghur 2024.04.28 -- In an about-face, Xinjiang's highest legislative body has issued a new regulation to protect Kashgar's Old City a the heart of Uyghur culture a which they previously ordered to be destroyed and reconstructed, leaving only a small area as a tourist attraction.

The measure, which take effect on May 1, prompted accusations of Chinese hypocrisy by experts on the far-western region, who say it's meant to benefit investors in tourism and deflect criticism of Beijing's persecution of the 11-million mostly Muslim Uyghurs.

The Regulation on the Protection of the Ancient City of Kashgar passed on March 31 aims to safeguard the cultural heritage of Kashgar's ancient city, which was once a key trading post on the Silk Road between China and Europe.

But starting in 2008, China has already demolished 85% of Kashgar's ancient quarter and relocated thousands of residents to newer "earthquake-resistant houses," according to a June 2020 report by the Uyghur Human Rights Project, or UHRP, on the destruction of the Old City.

By the end of 2010, more than 10,000 ancestral earthen homes there had been destroyed, and shops near the 15th-century Id Kah Mosque were transferred to new buildings made to look like Uyghur architecture, according to journalist Nick Holdstock, who has written two nonfiction books about Xinjiang.

"Above their doors are wooden signs saying 'Minority Folk Art' or 'Traditional Ethnic Crafts' in English and Chinese," he was quoted as saying in the UHRP report.

Now all that is left is about 15% of the Old City, which has largely been renovated into a Disneyland-like tourist center for visiting Chinese tourists and dignitaries.

The supposedly ancient Kashgar gate that appears frequently in Chinese promotional material is actually a modern creation and doesn't reflect traditional Uyghur design.

China's past actions appeared to be motivated by a "campaign to stamp out tangible aspects of Uyghur culture," the UHRP report said.

Cradle of Uyghur civilization

This is particularly painful for Uyghurs because Kashgar is considered to be the cradle of their civilization, with two millennia of history.

Urumqi may be the political capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, but Kashgar has been the historic center of Uyghur statecraft, politics, art, music literature, trade, culture and religion.

It was in Kashgar that in the 11th century prominent Uyghur Turkologist Mahmud Kashgari penned the "Diwan Lughat al-Turk," the first comprehensive dictionary of Turkic languages, which also contains an early map showing countries and regions from Japan to Egypt.

A strategic trading post along the Silk Road, Kashgar was visited by Marco Polo on his way to the court of Kublai Khan during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty in the 13th century, and before that had been the capital of the Uyghur Karakhanid Empire, a Turkic-Uyghur empire that lasted from 999 to 1211.

It was also in Kashgar that the first East Turkistan Republic was declared in 1933, before China aided by the Soviet Union invaded and took control of the region in 1949 against the wishes of the people to remain an independent country.

'Museumify'

Now, after all the destruction China has wrought in the city, the new regulation calls for the preservation of the old quarter's overall historical appearance, natural environment, historical buildings, ancient trees, traditional communities, streets, courtyards, buildings and other structures such as street-side pillars.

It also will protect intangible cultural heritage, including historical events, figures, handicrafts, traditional arts and customs and rituals.

"Any demolition, alteration or disruption of the architectural or landscape features designated for conservation is strictly prohibited," the regulation says.

But experts say the measures will hardly rectify the damage already done, and will only serve to turn what's left of Kashgar's vibrant culture into a tourist attraction.

"It seems absurd in the present context to think that the Chinese government actually is concerned about the preservation of Uyghur culture," said Sean Roberts, director of the Central Asia Research Project at George Washington University.

"One of the dangers that Uyghur culture faces right now in China is being 'museumified' in a way that no longer reflects active lived culture, but reflects something that is packaged for tourists," he said.

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Press Statement by Department Director of Ministry of National Defence of DPRK

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

Pyongyang, April 29 (KCNA) -- The director of the Department of Foreign Military Affairs of the Ministry of National Defence of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued the following press statement "Ill-advised option will be followed by disaster" on April 28:

The U.S. has secretly supplied long-range missiles to Ukraine, sparking off uneasiness and concern of the international community.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of State said on April 24 that the U.S. transferred ATACMS army tactical missiles with a range of 300 km to Ukraine under a presidential directive early in March and did not make public the fact from an operational point of view.

The U.S. administration, which had kept itself aloof from the delivery of long-range missiles, saying that it did not encourage Ukraine's strike on the Russian mainland, has betrayed more clearly its true colors as a harasser of peace aggravating war by providing Ukraine with such missiles.

The U.S. has stepped up its military aids to Ukraine since the outbreak of the Ukrainian war, as evidenced by its transfer of depleted uranium bombs, cluster bombs and MBTs to the Zelenskiy regime. This time it has adopted such a mean policy as offering even long-range missiles for attacking the Russian territory to their lackeys in a bid to turn the tide of the war recently running against them more seriously than ever.

Long-range missiles offered by the U.S. will never tip the scale in favor of Ukraine on the battlefield but result in fanning the reckless confrontational hysteria of the Zelenskiy puppet clique.

The current U.S. administration boasts that its supply of long-range missiles to Ukraine will make the U.S. safer but it is a matter of time for the world to see the U.S. getting more vulnerable and Washington's defeat on the Ukrainian battlefield.

The U.S. can never defeat the heroic Russian army and people with any latest weaponry or military support. -0-

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Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan concludes his official visit to France

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

CDS Visit reaffirms long-standing strategic partnership between India & France

Posted On: 28 APR 2024 6:13PM by PIB Delhi

Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan concluded a comprehensive visit to France, which has reaffirmed the continued long-standing strategic partnership between India and France, and further reinforcing the bilateral Defence Cooperation between the two nations.

The interactions of CDS with Mr Patrick Pailloux, Director of Civil & Military Cabinet of the Minister of the French Armed Forces, and Lt Gen Vincent Giraud, Chief of Military Cabinet of the Minister of the Armed Forces at the apex level and also with his counterpart, General Thierry Burkhard (CEMA) have enabled exchange of views on areas of common interests and mutual security concerns.

Deliberations at France's Directorate General of Armament for enhancing the exchange of high-end dual-use technologies followed by interactions with the top leadership of the French Defence industry, including Dassault, Safran and Naval Groups, and Thales Alenia Space, towards futuristic capacity building of the Indian Armed Forces, would provide an impetus to indigenisation.

The exchanges at the French Land Forces Command (CFT), the French Space Command (CDE), and the School of Military Studies (Ecole Militaire), while providing India's point of view on security challenges, have also provided opportunities for enhancing defence collaboration in space, modernisation initiatives and also augmenting bilateral training between both nations.

The CDS also paid tributes at the War Memorials of Neuve-Chapelle and Villers-Guislain, to the extraordinary bravery of soldiers of the Indian Expeditionary Force who fought on the Western Front during the First World War, towards enhancing peace and tranquility in the region. These memorials stand testimony to the long-standing Indo-French relationship.

The India-France Strategic Partnership has gathered significant momentum over time and has now evolved into an even closer and multifaceted relationship that spans diverse areas of cooperation.

*****

ABB/Anand



(Release ID: 2019044)

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IRGC developing new kamikaze drone armed with smart munitions

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 1:40 PM

Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is developing a new indigenous kamikaze drone armed with smart munitions, which is expected to significantly increase the combat capabilities of its forces.

The new homegrown achievement, whose name has not yet been revealed, is to be widely used for counter-ambush operations, Iranian media outlets reported on Sunday.

The Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is said to bear similarities to the Russian-built ZALA Lancet kamikaze drone.

A kamikaze drone is equipped with a built-in warhead that is typically designed to loiter around a target area until a target is located, then attack the target by crashing into it.

Smart munitions enable faster reaction times against hidden targets that emerge for short periods without placing high-value platforms near the target area and also allow more selective targeting as the attack can be changed mid-flight or aborted.

The IRGC Ground Force and the Iranian Defense Ministry have already developed Meraj-521 and Sina drones.

Iranian military experts and engineers have in recent years made remarkable breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.

Iranian officials have underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities, including its missile power, which are entirely meant for defense and deterrence, and that Iran's defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has on several occasions called for efforts to boost Iran's defense capabilities.

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Iran Teases New Drone Visually Similar to Russia's Lancet

Sputnik News

20240428

Ilya Tsukanov

Kicking off its foray into drone design and manufacturing in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq War, Iran has gone on to create more than 50 different kinds of unmanned aerial vehicles, from reconnaissance and strike drones to loitering munitions.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has teased a new drone design apparently taking cues from Russia's distinct X-winged Lancet series of loitering munitions.

Footage of the new UAV, which has yet to be formally unveiled or named, was published by Iran's Tasnim News Agency, with a one-second clip showing the drone taking off from an undisclosed location with the help of a rear-mounted rocket engine.

The news agency says the UAV is expected to "considerably boost the combat capabilities" of Iran's ground forces, and to be used for "counter-ambush operations."

"Assuming that the new loitering munition manufactured by the IRGC is inspired by the Russian-made Lancet, the drone must have a flight endurance of 30 to 60 minutes and carry a payload of 3 to 6 kilograms within a range of 40 kilometers," Tasnim indicated.

Russia's Lancet Drones

The Russian loitering munitions going under the name "Lancet" actually constitute an entire lineup of kamikaze drones, all of them featuring a distinctive single or dual X-wing design. The newest among them, the Z-53 (aka Izdeliye-53, literally "Product-53") has foldout wings and a 5 kg weapons payload. The Lancet-3 and Lancet-1, meanwhile, have fixed wings, and a 3 and 1 kg payload, respectively.

Developers say the newest Lancet - the Z-53, includes the ability to engage in network-centric warfare, which allows for a swarm of drones united into a single neural network to operate in coordination with one another to maneuver and select targets - an idea first experimented with by Soviet anti-ship cruise missile designers in the 1980s.

The first Lancets were previewed at a Russian military expo in 2019, and began appearing on the battlefield en masse in the Russia-NATO proxy war in Ukraine in the spring of 2023.

A simplified, budget-minded analogue of the Lancet known as the Scalpel was unveiled in late 2023. In February, Ukraine announced that it would begin the production of its own Lancet-style drone, signaling a begrudging recognition of the Russian UAV design's potential.

Iran's Drones

Iran's drone manufacturers have created over 50 different drone designs, from short-range tactical UAVs and loitering munitions to rocket and propeller-powered long-range reconnaissance, attack and electronic warfare drones.

The origins of Iran's new X-winged, Lancet-style drone remain unknown, and no information about any possible cooperation with Russian UAV designers has been made available. However, the Iranians are known masters of stretching comparably modest resources dedicated to defense as far as possible to create capabilities on par with both friends and adversaries. With over three decades of experience making drones, Iran has prided itself on the creation of both entirely homegrown UAV designs and projects reverse-engineered from American and Israeli UAVs which made the mistake of flying into the Islamic Republic's airspace.

A Sputnik

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Israeli plane previously used by Mossad officials lands in Riyadh: Report

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 27 April 2024 11:03 PM

A private plane, previously used by officials with the Israeli regime's Mossad spy agency, reportedly lands in the Saudi capital amid the likelihood of resumption of normalization talks between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.

The regime's Makan public broadcaster announced the report on Saturday, saying the aircraft had departed from Ben Gurion Airport in the occupied territories earlier in the day.

The plane had been used, over the past months, to carry around Mossad officials as well as officials with the regime's so-called internal security service, Shin Bet, the report noted.

This time around, the aircraft is suspected to be carrying top Israeli officials, who would be continuing talks on potential normalization of relations between the kingdom and the regime.

Speculations have been rife that the United States is trying to mediate the potential rapprochement.

The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco signed US-brokered normalization agreements with the Israeli regime in 2020, drawing condemnations from Palestinians, who slammed the deals as "a stab in the back of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people."

Earlier this month, The Wall Street Journal said the administration of US President Joe Biden "is pushing for a long-shot diplomatic deal" in the coming months that presses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Palestinian statehood "in exchange for diplomatic recognition by Riyadh."

In exchange for "recognizing Israel," the kingdom would be offered "a more formal" military relationship with Washington, assistance in acquiring "civil nuclear power," and "a renewed push for a Palestinian state."

Talks about potential dAtente between Tel Aviv and Riyadh come while the latter was reported to have put normalization talks "on ice" back in October due to the regime's ongoing genocidal war against the Gaza Strip that has so far claimed the lives of at least 34,356 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

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Israeli plane arrives in Riyadh in possible prelude to normalization talks: Report

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Apr 28, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- An Israeli plane, having Mossad's officials on board, has landed in Riyadh, a move likely in line with the normalization of ties between Saudi Arabia and the Zionist regime.

A private Israeli plane landed Saturday in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, which was recently used for travel by senior Israeli Mossad officials, Al Mayadeen has reported.

The move came a day before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is slated to visit Saudi Arabia.

Senior Israeli officials will likely be on board the plane to hold talks on normalization with Saudi Arabia, added the source.

Shehab News Agency also tweeted on Saturday that the Mossad chief's plane landed in Saudi Arabia before Blinken visited the kingdom.

A research and policy institute in the Israeli regime known as the Center for Internal Security Studies in its recent report suggests that the majority of people in Saudi Arabia prefer the immediate termination of Arab countries' relations with the Israeli regime.

7129**4354



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Israel Reportedly Concerned Biden May Throw Netanyahu 'Under the Bus' at ICC

Sputnik News

20240428

ilya Tsukanov

Most of America's overseas allies are signatories to the International Criminal Court's Rome Statute. The US itself quit the Court in 2002 before launching its war of aggression in Iraq. Israel is not a party to the ICC, but is concerned about the "dangerous precedent" that could be set by threats to drag its leaders before the Court.

Israeli officials are concerned the Biden administration may abandon the Netanyahu government if the ICC issued arrest warrants against the Israeli prime minister and senior members of his cabinet.

"Where is Biden? Why is he quiet while Israel will potentially be thrown under the bus?" an Israeli diplomatic source told the Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

The source's comments follow reports in Israeli media this week citing senior ICC sources that the Hague could not consider arrest warrants against Israeli leaders without Washington's informal consent.

"The sources at The Hague said that it is impossible that the chief prosecutor would have decided on such a dramatic step, in a war that is still ongoing...if he had not at least had a 'green light' from the Americans. If this is true, this is another unprecedented low in relations between Israel and the US, at a very sensitive time, on the eve of the ground entry to Rafah," Israeli journalist Amit Segal wrote.

The Jewish News Syndicate pointed to ICC chief prosecutor Karim A. A. Khan's alleged tendency to take marching orders from the US, pointing to Washington's support for his election in 2021, and to his controversial decision to close out two ICC cases which "greatly troubled the Americans" related to suspected US war crimes in Afghanistan.

Separately on Sunday, Israel's Walla news site reported that Netanyahu had spearheaded a "nonstop push over the telephone" focused on calls to the White House, to prevent ICC arrest warrants from being issued.

Netanyahu warned Friday that Israel would "never stop defending ourselves," and that while "decisions of the court in the Hague will not affect Israel's actions, they would be a dangerous precedent threatening the soldiers and officials of any democracy fighting criminal terrorism and aggression."

"Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense. The threat to seize the soldiers and officers of the Middle East's only democracy and the world's only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it," Netanyahu added.

Senior Israeli cabinet officials have held several emergency meetings to discuss the possible arrest warrants, which according to reports could target Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, over the way Israel has pursued its war in Gaza, which has resulted in the maiming and killing of over five percent of the Strip's prewar population.

It remains unclear when or under what circumstances the arrest warrants could be issued. However, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc called on the ICC prosecutor to expedite deliberations Saturday. "Israeli officials who have committed war crimes, aggression, murdered children, and committed genocide, including Netanyahu, must be brought before the Court," Tunc said at an inter-parliamentary conference.

Turkiye's possible role in any deliberations is not clear. Ankara itself is not a state party to the Court, nor a signatory to the Rome Statute, and has faced legal problems of its own with the highly-politicized Court in the recent past.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Biden

If media reports on the US's "greenlighting" of a possible ICC investigation into Israeli officials are substantiated, they would constitute a continuation of Washington's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde approach to Israel in the past weeks. Last week, Israeli and US media reported on possible plans by Washington to sanction a radical Zionist IDF unit. The proposed sanctions were accompanied by President Biden's signature of an aid bill providing Israel with $17 billion in new US military assistance.

"My commitment to Israel, I want to make clear again, is ironclad. The security of Israel is critical. I will always make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and terrorists it supports," Biden said at the White House on Wednesday after signing the bill into law.

A Sputnik

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Senior Judge Kidnapped By Armed Men In Northwestern Pakistan

By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal April 28, 2024

A senior judge serving the South Waziristan district in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province has been kidnapped by armed men.

Police official Faheem Khan said that about 15 men on motorcycles cut off the vehicle that Judge Shakirullah Marwat was riding in the Tank district of the restive province's Dera Ismail Khan region.

Khan said the assailants set fire to the vehicle and kidnapped Marwat.

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.

Sherpao Maseed, who heads the lawyers association in the Tank district, told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that Marwat was abducted while heading home from work.

While police said the driver of the vehicle was not harmed, Maseed alleged that Marwat's driver and bodyguard were physically abused by the assailants.

Tank district police chief Abdul Salam Khalid told Radio Mashaal that an investigation and search operation are under way.

Police and judicial services were restored in South Waziristan when Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas were merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in 2018. But due to insecurity, courts for South Waziristan and some other districts are located in neighboring areas.

Dozens of police and civilians have been killed in the province since late 2022, when the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan, or Pakistani Taliban, unilaterally ended a cease-fire with the central government.

Residents have said that insecurity has recently worsened significantly in the Dera Ismail Khan region, particularly in the Tank district, as well as in other areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province's south.

A recent report by the provincial police's anti-terrorism department said that in the first three months of this year, 25 armed attacks have been recorded in Dera Ismail Khan, with 17 in the Tank district.

Recently elected Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed concern over the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province during his speech to a joint session of parliament on April 18.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-militants-tribal- region-judge-kidnapped/32923941.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Hostage video shows Pakistani judge pleading for his release

By Ayaz Gul April 28, 2024

Militants in Pakistan released a video Sunday showing a senior judge pleading for his freedom, a day after he was taken captive in a volatile northwestern district.

In the minute-long video clip sent to journalists, Judge Shakirullah Marwat appears alone, sitting in front of a dark fabric and stating that he was taken hostage by the Pakistani Taliban on Saturday.

He pleaded with the chief justice of Pakistan to urgently meet the demands of the militants holding him "to make my release possible." He did not elaborate further.

The Pakistani Taliban did not claim responsibility for the kidnapping, nor did they release a statement on the video.

There was no immediate response from the authorities to the purported hostage video.

VOA has not been able to independently verify the video.

Marwat was serving in the South Waziristan district near the border with Afghanistan and was traveling back to the Dera Ismail Khan district when dozens of armed men ambushed his vehicle and kidnapped him along with his driver.

Police in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the incident occurred, said that the kidnappers set the judge's vehicle on fire and released his driver before fleeing to an unknown location.

The driver later told investigators that the kidnappers were demanding the release of their relatives and imprisoned militants, according to local police officials.

Authorities said police and counterterrorism forces had launched a joint large-scale search operation in the area but did not report any progress.

Separately, the Pakistani military said in a statement that its forces conducted an intelligence-based" counterterrorism raid in Dera Ismail Khan, killing two "terrorist" commanders in the ensuing clashes Sunday.

The Pakistan border province has recently experienced almost daily attacks on security forces and their bases by militants linked to the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban.

It is rare, however, for TTP to kidnap a judge as the group claims its violent campaign is only targeting the Pakistani military and police forces.

Last week, eight Pakistani customs officials tasked to counter weapons smuggling in and around Dera Ismail Khan were also killed by suspected TTP militants in separate attacks.

Pakistan says TTP is orchestrating the deadly violence from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, charges that the neighboring country's fundamentalist Taliban government claims are baseless.

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2 More Russian Journalists Arrested As Crackdown On Independent Media Heightens

By RFE/RL's Russian Service April 28, 2024

The crackdown on independent media in Russian mounted over the weekend, with two journalists having alleged ties to the late Aleksei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation and Western news outlets being arrested and charged with "extremism."

Russian courts on April 27-28 ordered the detention of Konstantin Gabov in Moscow and Sergei Karelin in Murmansk on charges that they worked with the Navalny Live YouTube channel.

Both men denied the allegations against them.

Gabov was ordered into pretrial detention for two months after prosecutors accused him of taking part in the activities of an extremist organization, saying he had prepared videos and photographs for Navalny Live.

Navalny Live is run by supporters of Navalny, a vocal Kremlin critic who died in an Arctic prison in February under mysterious circumstances.

Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, which broadcasts on YouTube from outside Russia, has been designated a "foreign agent" and an extremist group by Russian authorities, actions often used by the Kremlin to silence independent voices, especially since Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Court video showed Gabov in a courtroom cage with his arms folded. Records indicated he has worked for foreign and domestic news outlets, including Reuters and Deutsche Welle, the German state broadcaster.

Separately, police in the northern city of Murmansk detained Karelin, 41, also on "extremism" charges after prosecutors alleged he cooperated with Navalny's team and created videos for the YouTube channel.

Some reports said Karelin was detained on April 26.

Karelin, a video journalist and cameraman, had worked with AP and Deutsche Welle, among other outlets, according to court records.

The Kholod media group, which operates from outside Russia, on April 9 estimated that at least 53 people, and probably many more, had been arrested for their work related to the Navalny foundation.

On March 29, a Moscow court charged Russian journalist Antonina Favorskaya, a reporter for SOTAvision media, with participating in an extremist organization in connection with alleged posts to websites and social media platforms tied to the Navalny foundation.

According to investigators, she collected materials, filmed and edited videos, and created publications for Navalny's foundation.

Favorskaya covered Navalny's court hearings for years and filmed the last video showing the Kremlin critic alive on February 15 at a court hearing that he took part in over a video link from an Arctic prison. The next day, Navalny suddenly died in the prison.

Western leaders and rights groups have regularly condemned the arrests of journalists and the crackdown on independent voices in Russia.

European lawmakers on April 25 approved a resolution that called for the "immediate and unconditional release" of all political prisoners held in Russia, including journalists Alsu Kurmasheva of RFE/RL and Evan Gershkovich of The Wall Street Journal.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-journalists-arrest- crackwon-karelin-gabov/32923985.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Tajikistan Advises Citizens To Avoid Traveling To Russia

By RFE/RL's Russian Service April 28, 2024

Tajikistan has advised its citizens to refrain from traveling to Russia amid increased pressures faced by Central Asians there following the deadly Crocus City Hall attack near Moscow last month.

The Tajik Foreign Ministry issued the "temporary" advisory on April 27, a day after Tajik officials expressed concerns about Tajiks being "unjustifiably" denied entry to Russia.

Human rights organizations and Tajik officials have reported rising levels of xenophobia against Central Asians in Russia following the terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert venue that left 144 people dead and hundreds more injured.

Russian investigators say the assault -- Russia's worst terrorist attack in two decades -- was carried out by four men, all Tajik nationals. Other detainees are being held for aiding and abetting the attackers.

Russian authorities have arrested 11 Tajik citizens, the latest on April 27, and a Kyrgyzstan-born Russian citizen in connection with the attack.

An offshoot of the Islamic State extremist group, the Islamic State-Khorasan group active in Afghanistan and Central Asia, claimed responsibility for the attack. Tajikistan has also detained nine people suspected of having links to the attack.

Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Mukhriddin said on April 12 that "an ill-conceived information campaign" in Russia was creating "a negative perception" of Tajiks.

Muhriddin also condemned the treatment of the Tajik suspects held in connection with the attack amid allegations that the detainees were tortured in custody.

Several Tajik suspects showed signs of abuse when they appeared in court in Moscow following the attack. The four accused gunmen had bruised and swollen faces and showed other signs of having been severely beaten. There were unconfirmed reports that one of them had his ear cut off during his arrest.

Russia is a popular destination for Tajik migrant laborers, who are often engaged in construction and agricultural work. More than 652,000 Tajiks traveled to Russia for work in 2023, according to Tajik labor officials.

Tajikistan is heavily dependent on remittances from Tajik migrant laborers, with about a third of its GDP coming from money sent home from abroad, mostly Russia.

Russia has cited labor shortages as a significant problem affecting all sectors of its economy.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/tajikistan-terror-crocus-russia- migrants-travel/32923733.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Moscow Rules Out Possibility of Exchanging New Regions for Assets Frozen by West

Sputnik News

20240428

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia rejects the possibility of exchanging its new regions for assets frozen by the West, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.

"I don't know who claims what, but assets cannot be exchanged for territory. We do not sell our homeland. And Russian assets must remain inviolable, otherwise Western theft will be met with a harsh response. And many in the West have already realized this, but it's a pity that not all of them," Zakharova said on Telegram.

Earlier in the day, The Wall Street Journal reported that Germany wanted the frozen Russian assets to be left untouched in order to use them as leverage in the negotiations to end the Ukraine conflict and induce Russia to cede part of its new regions.

A Sputnik

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Syrian president, Bahrain foreign minister discuss expansion of bilateral relations

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 6:51 PM

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has met with Bahrain's foreign minister in the capital Damascus and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries in various fields.

Syria's official news agency, SANA, reported on Sunday that Assad and Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani met and exchanged their views on Damascus-Manama ties, underlining the need to strengthen them for the common interest of the two countries.

It is the first visit by a Bahraini foreign minister to Syria in nearly 13 years.

The two sides also reviewed ongoing preparations for the 33rd summit of the League of Arab states, which will be held in the Bahraini capital on May 16, and placed a premium on the need for the summit to enhance the Arab countries' capabilities in facing regional and international challenges.

"Bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to develop them in various fields to serve the interests of the two countries and the two brotherly peoples were discussed, in addition to the preparations and efforts being made by the Kingdom of Bahrain to make the Arab summit scheduled for next month a success," SANA said.

Assad also stressed the strengthening of Arab solidarity and joint action to achieve stability in the region in light of the events and developments in the world.

Earlier in the day, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad received his Bahraini counterpart and his accompanying delegation, discussing the consolidation of relations between the two countries.

The Arab League suspended the membership of Syria, one of its founding members, in November 2011, at the start of foreign-backed militancy in the country. Syria denounced the move as "illegal and a violation of the organization's charter."

The 22-member intergovernmental organization of Arab states readmitted Syria in May last year in defiance of threats made by the United States. The decision was supported by 13 of the Arab League members during a voting session in the Egyptian capital of Cairo.

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Syrian Troops Strike at Militant Hardware Outside Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia

Sputnik News

20240428

DAMASCUS (Sputnik) - Syrian forces destroyed armored vehicles and transport belonging to Islamist extremists in the Aleppo, Idlib and Latakia countryside in northwestern Syria, the Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

"In response to continuing terrorist attacks, Syrian armed forces operating in the suburbs of Aleppo and Idlib together with friendly Russian forces used drones to target several transport vehicles and armored vehicles ... destroying them and killing and wounding terrorists inside," it said.

Another Syrian army unit operating near the northwestern city of Latakia shot down several drones that militants used in attacks on villages and towns in the province, the Syrian ministry said in the statement.

A Sputnik

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Chinese military aircraft detected 68.5 km from Keelung: MND

ROC Central News Agency

04/28/2024 03:14 PM

Taipei, April 28 (CNA) Twelve Chinese military aircraft were detected crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, including an unspecified number that flew as close as 37 nautical miles (68.5 kilometers) from Keelung, according to Taiwan's defense ministry.

A total of 22 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and four People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. Sunday, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said in a statement.

The ministry noted that 12 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

"ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities," it said.

ROC is the abbreviation of the Republic of China, Taiwan's formal name.

The ministry also published a post on X (previously known as Twitter) with a graphic indicating that from 6 a.m. to 1:38 p.m. on Saturday, 14 PLA aircraft and drones were detected in the air over the strait, with 10 crossing the median line and an unspecified number coming as close as 68.5 km to Keelung in northern Taiwan.

In addition, from 8:43 a.m. to 12:52 p.m. Saturday, two PLA planes were detected crossing the median line of the strait, with one or both coming as close as 97 nautical miles from Keelung, the graphic showed.

The ministry, which has published PLA activities in waters and airspace around Taiwan on a regular basis since September 2020, did not identify the types of PLA aircraft it detected -- a practice it halted on Jan. 16.

Considering the changing security situation and threats, identifying the types of PLA aircraft could play into the hands of China, which could exploit this information to wage cognitive warfare against the Taiwanese public, military spokesman Major General Sun Li-fang (ac) said at the time.

An ADIZ is a self-declared area in which a country claims the right to identify, locate and control approaching foreign aircraft, but it is not part of the country's territorial airspace as defined by international law.

(By Elizabeth Hsu)

Enditem/cs/m





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Top political advisor meets visiting KMT delegation

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:39, April 28, 2024

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Wang Huning, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, on Saturday met with a visiting Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party delegation led by Fu Kun-chi.

"We will adhere to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus and resolutely oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities and interference from external forces," said Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

He pledged that the mainland will continue to promote cross-Strait exchanges, cooperation, and integrated development.

Wang expressed the hope that the KMT legislators would play an active role in enhancing cross-Strait relations, saying that he expected more participation by compatriots on both sides, especially the younger generations, in cross-Strait exchanges and communication.

Compatriots on the mainland are deeply concerned about those who have been affected by the recent earthquakes that hit Hualien in Taiwan, and are willing to provide assistance for post-disaster reconstruction in the affected area, Wang said.

Fu expressed hope for enhanced cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation on the basis of the common political foundation reached by the KMT and the CPC.

It is hoped that the two sides will jointly safeguard peace in the Taiwan Strait and promote the return of cross-Strait relations to a track of peaceful development, he said.

The 25-member KMT delegation arrived in Beijing on Friday evening and is scheduled to return to Taiwan on Sunday.

On Saturday, the delegation visited the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, where its members learned about new energy vehicle (NEV) materials and technologies at the production base of a mainland automobile manufacturer. It also visited an operation center in Beijing's high-level autopilot demonstration zone and learned about self-driving development on the mainland.

Fu expressed the hope that both sides of the Strait will cooperate in the NEV and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors.

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UK Planning to Adopt Hypersonic Missiles by 2030 - Reports

Sputnik News

20240428

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The UK Defense Ministry has insisted that hypersonic missiles capable of reaching speeds exceeding Mach 5 be designed and assembled entirely in the United Kingdom by 2030 to catch up with Russia and China, The Telegraph newspaper reported, citing sources.

UK's plans to develop a hypersonic missile are still at an early stage and it is unclear whether it will be launched from land, sea or air, the report said on Saturday.

"Cutting-edge projects like this are only possible because of the massive new investment the Government has made this week in defense innovation. With Labour refusing to match our investment, continuing this project would be impossible under Keir Starmer - the military would be forced to cut the hypersonic programme, in a move that would make Putin's dreams come true," the source was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

The report noted that missiles may be purchased from the United States if there is a need to obtain this type of weapon sooner. However, the US is still only testing hypersonic missiles and does not have a ready-made version.

A Sputnik

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Interfax says Russian forces capture village in Donetsk

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 3:24 PM

Russian forces have gained control of another village in Donetsk as the Ukrainian leader pleads once more to his Western partners to provide Kiev with more arms and munitions to stop Moscow's continuous victories.

The Interfax news agency on Sunday cited Russia's defense ministry as saying Novobakhmutivka, a village in eastern Ukraine close to Ocheretyne, has come under the control of Russian troops. The village had been a focal point of fierce fighting in recent days.

It added that Russian troops also repelled a series of Ukrainian counter-attacks near Chasiv Yar, another key point in the region where the sides have clashed repeatedly.

Russian troops have made notable gains in the eastern Donetsk region over the last week, demonstrating Russia's advantage in manpower and ammunition on the battlefield.

On Saturday, Russian troops managed to drive "deep" into Ukrainian defensive lines in Donetsk.

"As the result of active operations, the 'Center' troop unit liberated the village of Novobakhmutivka in the Donetsk People's Republic," Russia's defense ministry said in its daily battlefield briefing.

Novobakhmutivka is about 10 kilometers north of Avdiivka, which Russia captured in February.

Earlier this week, a source close to Ukraine's armed forces, blamed the leaders of Ukrainian units in the area for the "collapse of defenses throughout the region, causing considerable losses."

Russia noted that the Ukrainian military commanders had conceded that the Kiev forces had deteriorated while Russian troops were achieving "tactical successes" in the area.

Earlier this month, Ukraine's head of intelligence at the ministry of defense, Kyrylo Budanov, said the battlefield situation was likely to worsen for Ukraine around mid-May to early June.

On Saturday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky repeated his pleas to his Western allies to further support him by providing more arms and munitions for Kiev's forces to fight against Russian troops.

Kiev is awaiting the arrival of billions of dollars in US weapons, which it hopes will help boost its forces fighting against the Russian troops.

Last week, Washington approved a new aid package as it continues to provide US military support to Ukraine.

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Russia says shot down 17 Ukrainian drones

Iran Press TV

Sunday, 28 April 2024 9:38 AM

Russian air defense systems have shot down 17 Ukrainian drones overnight in several western parts of the Russian territory, according to the country's defense ministry.

"The air defense systems intercepted and destroyed seventeen Ukrainian UAVs," the ministry said in a Telegram post on Sunday.

According to the ministry, three drones were shot down in the Kaluga region, nine were downed in Bryansk, three in Kursk, and two in Belgorod.

A regional official said the attack in Kaluga region, south of Moscow, targeted an oil storage facility.

Kaluga's governor, Vladislav Shapsha, said the drones fell close to an oil depot near the town of Lyudinovo. There were no casualties or damage, he said.

Ukraine has been making repeated attempts to strike Russian targets inside the country, including buildings and towers, refineries, and oil storage facilities.

Russia has retaliated, striking Ukraine's energy facilities, and triggering major blackouts and energy shortages in the country.

On Saturday, Russian missiles targeted DTEK, Ukraine's largest private electricity company. Till now, four of its six thermal power plants have been damaged in the strikes.

In another development, several explosions were reported in western Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi region. However, there have been no reports regarding the cause or specific location of the explosions. Earlier, an air raid warning had been issued for the region.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, on Saturday, repeated his pleas to his Western allies to further support him by providing more arms and munitions for Kiev's forces to fight against the Russian troops.

He asked them in particular for the US Patriot missile system, while insisting on faster deliveries.

Last week, Washington agreed to a new military aid package as it continued to provide US support to Ukraine.

Zelensky claimed Russia had targeted the Ukrainian gas and electricity transit facilities that were important for gas supply to the European Union.

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Ukraine's Top General Says Frontline Conditions Worsen, Troops Fall Back

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service April 28, 2024

Ukraine's top general warned on April 28 that the situation for Kyiv's forces in the east has deteriorated, with Russia attacking "along the entire front line" and achieving "certain tactical successes," forcing Ukrainian troops to pull back to new defensive positions.

"The situation at the front has worsened," Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy wrote on Telegram.

"Trying to seize the strategic initiative and break through the front line, the enemy has concentrated the main efforts in several directions, creating a significant advantage in forces and assets," he said.

Syrskiy said the most difficult conditions are in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove districts, "where fierce battles continue."

"The enemy deployed up to four brigades in these directions, is trying to develop an offensive west of Avdiyivka and Maryinka, making its way to Pokrovsk and Kurakhove," he said.

He said Ukrainian commanders, seeking to "preserve the lives and health of our defenders," moved back to better-defended positions.

"In general, the enemy achieved certain tactical successes in these directions but could not gain operational advantages," he added.

Battlefield claims could not immediately be verified due to the heavy fighting in the areas.

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged the European Union and NATO to speed the process to allow quicker membership into the Western organizations for his country.

He also said Ukraine and the United States -- Kyiv's most important ally -- were working on a bilateral security agreement.

"We are already working on a specific text. Our goal is to make this agreement the strongest of all," he said. "We are discussing the specific foundations of our security and cooperation...[and] also are working on fixing specific levels of support for this year and the next 10 years."

Washington didn't immediately comment on Zelenskiy's remarks.

Earlier, Ukraine reported that Russia had followed up on a massive strike against Ukrainian energy infrastructure with a fresh attack.

Authorities in the southern Mykolayiv region said that Russian suicide drones struck "heat-generating infrastructure" and severely damaged a hotel on the morning of April 28.

Images posted on the state emergency services' Telegram channel showed scattered debris and damage to a building and a children's playground. No casualties were reported.

Ukraine's Air Force said that it had destroyed a Russia-launched drone over Mykolayiv, as well as four others around the country.

The strike came after Russian forces heavily targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure on the night of April 26-27, with Ukraine's largest private energy company saying its four thermal power stations were hit.

In his previous video address on April 27, Zelenskiy said that the attacks on crucial infrastructure highlighted the need for the quick delivery of further air defense weapons from Western allies.

Zelenskiy said that sites supplying natural gas to EU countries were being specifically targeted by Russia.

"The main target was the energy sector, various facilities in the industry, both electricity and gas-transit facilities. In particular, gas facilities that are crucial to ensuring safe delivery to the European Union," he said.

Over the past month, Russia's military has increased its targeting of Ukrainian power infrastructure, attacking thermal and hydropower stations and other energy infrastructure almost daily.

Ukrainian officials have said the country has lost about 80 percent of its thermal generation and about 35 percent of its hydropower capacity, prompting the government to introduce scheduled blackouts in several regions.

Russian gas and oil infrastructure has also come under attack, including an oil refinery in the southwestern Krasnodar region that was shut down on April 27 following a suspected Ukrainian drone strike.

Ukraine, which rarely comments on its targeting of Russian sites, has not claimed responsibility for the attack.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia- energy-attack/32923789.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Ukrainian Troops Strike Church During Palm Sunday Service in Donetsk

Sputnik News

20240428

One woman died and another was injured in the shelling by Ukrainian forces in Alexandrovka, reported a representative of the republic in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of ceasefire-related issues (JCCC).

Ukrainian troops struck a church in the village of Alexandrovka, Donetsk region, during a festive service on Palm Sunday, killing and injuring civilians.

A Sputnik correspondent reported from the scene that one woman was killed in the attack.

According to Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), during the shelling the church, the war memorial to the Liberating Warriors and an ambulance were damaged.

The head of Donetsk's city administration, Alexei Kulemzin, said that an ambulance dispatched to the incident could not reach the site immediately due to a Ukrainian drone attack, resulting in injuries to a paramedic.

The church area was hit during a celebratory service. Later, unexploded submunitions were discovered nearby.

According to Vladimir, a local resident, places of worship are deliberately targeted, with the Ukrainian forces regularly shelling them once a month in the Donbass region.

Vladimir noted that many churches were destroyed in Lugansk's Trudovsky settlement back in 2014. On religious holidays, Ukrainian troops intensify their shelling of temples.

"It's inexplicable how they can shoot at a sanctuary and destroy civilians for praying," Vladimir said. "We don't wish them harm; we pray for people to come to their senses... because nobody wants bloodshed. The Russian Orthodox Church a we pray only for good."

A Sputnik

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Many People to Question Zelensky's Legitimacy Soon - Kremlin

Sputnik News

20240428

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Many people, including in Ukraine, will question the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy soon, and he will "have to justify himself," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday.

"Very soon, the moment will come when many people, including in Ukraine, will question his [Zelensky's] legitimacy. In any case, even from the legal point of view, it will have to be done. And he will have to justify himself somehow," Peskov told Rossiya 1 reporter Pavel Zarubin.

When asked to comment on the remarks of the Ukrainian president, who assessed the new weapons supply to Kiev as a good deal enabling Ukrainians to fight for themselves, the Kremlin spokesman called Zelensky the "specific president of the specific regime."

"Ukraine does not spare its own citizens. And this is a tragedy for the people, a tragedy for the country. First, they infected their country with all sorts of nationalist manifestations, and now they no longer shun anything: they do not hesitate to throw new thousands and thousands of people into the furnace of this war," Peskov added.

He also expressed the belief that Russia would achieve victory in the special military operation, as the dynamics of the situation on the front were showing that the "outcome is predetermined."

Ukraine was due to hold a presidential election on March 31, but it was called off due to martial law and general mobilization. Zelensky, who was sworn into office in May 2019, said it was "not the right time" for elections.

Russia launched its special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in response to calls by the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics. Moscow said the operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine and completely liberate Donbass. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine.

A Sputnik

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Russian Forces Hit Ukrainian Deployment Points of Foreign Mercenaries

Sputnik News

20240428

The Russian Armed Forces have struck Ukrainian temporary deployment points of foreign mercenaries, Russia's Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday.

"Storage facilities with aviation ammunition and aviation equipment at the airfields of Priluki in the Chernigov region and Starokonstantinov in the Khmelnitsky region, as well as the temporary deployment points of foreign mercenaries, personnel, and military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the 121st district, have been hit," the ministry said in a statement.

Western countries ramped up their military support for Ukraine after Russia launched its special military operation on February 24, 2022. Since then, thousands of mercenaries from more than 60 countries have arrived in Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said in January 2024.

The Russian military also destroyed Ukrainian hangars with strike drones at the Kamenka airfield in the Dnepropetrovsk region.

"The hangars with strike unmanned aerial vehicles at the Kamenka airfield in the Dnepropetrovsk region have been destroyed," the Defense Ministry's report said.

A Sputnik

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Russian Troops Take Control Over DPR Village of Novobakhmutovka - MoD

Sputnik News

20240428

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian forces took control over the village of Novobakhmutovka in the Donetsk People's Republic in the past 24 hours, eliminating up to 380 Ukrainian servicepeople and one tank in the area, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday.

"As a result of active operations, units of the Tsentr Battlegroup of forces liberated the village of Novobakhmutovka in the Donetsk People's Republic and defeated units of the 142nd infantry, 24th mechanized and 68th ranger brigades of the Ukrainian armed forces in the areas of [the villages of] Leninskoye, Keramik and Semenovka in the Donetsk People's Republic," the ministry said.

The Russian army repelled 10 attacks by the Ukrainian military in the areas of the villages of Novgorodskoye, Ocheretino, Novobakhmutovka, Netailovo and Berdychi, the ministry added.

"Kiev lost up to 380 servicepeople, a tank and an armored combat vehicle, as well as five vehicles. In addition, two 155-mm US-made M777 howitzers, a 155-mm US-made M109 Paladin self-propelled artillery system and two 105-mm US-made M101 howitzers, as well as three 122-mm D-30 howitzers and a 100-mm MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun were hit in the course of the counter-battery fight," the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Yug Battlegroup of Russian forces inflicted fire damage on the Ukrainian troops in the areas of the villages of Kleshcheyevka, Andreyevka and Krasnogorovka in the Donetsk People's Republic in the past 24 hours, eliminating up to 360 Ukrainian servicepeople and two ammunition depots in the area, the ministry said.

The Yug combat group of the Russian armed forces also repelled four attacks by the Ukrainian army in the area of the city of Chasov Yar, destroying two armored fighting vehicles and 17 vehicles, the ministry added. During the counter-battery fight, Kiev lost two D-20 howitzers, two D-30 howitzers and a 100-millimeter MT-12 Rapira anti-tank gun, the ministry said. Two Enclave-N electronic warfare stations and a field ammunition depot were also destroyed, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the Zapad Battlegroup of Russian forces repelled three counterattacks by units of the 77th airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces in the area of aathe village of Novoselovskoe in the Lugansk People's Republic and eliminated up to 270 Ukrainian servicepeople in the direction in the past 24 hours, the ministry said. Ukraine lost an armored personnel carrier, eight vehicles and a US-made M198 howitzer, as well as a Msta-B howitzer, a D-20 howitzer and a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, as well as a M-46 howitzer, the ministry said.

Moreover, the Russian military destroyed Ukrainian hangars with attack drones at the Kamenka airfield in the Dnepropetrovsk region in the past 24 hours, the ministry added.

A Sputnik

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Zelensky Downplays Military Death Toll to Avoid Disrupting Recruitment Campaign - Reports

Sputnik News

20240428

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Volodymyr Zelensky statement about the military death count had to be presented as lower in order not to scare off mobilized citizens amid recruitment issues, The Washington Post reports on Sunday, citing a Ukrainian lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Zelensky's February announcement that 31,000 military personnel had been killed since 2022 greatly downplayed the true toll to avoid disrupting an already-struggling recruitment and mobilization effort, the lawmaker said, acknowledging that there is a manpower shortage.

"I don't think it's an emergency right now. We do need more people, but we need to balance ... We see so many deaths and so many wounded. If they go, [troops] want to know how long they will be there," the lawmaker said.

Ukraine likely cannot consider launching an offensive this year due to the acute shortage of soldiers and the superiority of Russian firepower, the newspaper noted.

On April 11, the Ukrainian parliament adopted a bill on mobilization aimed at replenishing Ukrainian forces depleted by two years of military conflict with Russia. On April 16, Zelensky signed it into law. The document will take effect on May 18.

The bill says that people liable for military duty must report to military commissions to clarify their registration data within 60 days after mobilization is announced. The bill also obliges people liable for military service to carry military identity cards with them during the period of mobilization and present them at the request of military registration and enlistment office employees, police, and border guards.

Martial law was introduced in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The next day, Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization. Under martial law, men aged from 18 to 60 are prohibited from leaving Ukraine.

A Sputnik

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In June the Path to a Just Peace Can Begin - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

28 April 2024 - 18:25

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

We are not losing a single day for Ukraine - I have just spoken with Hakeem Jeffries, the leader of the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. I thanked him and all the congressmen for their support of our country and personal leadership in advancing a new package of assistance to Ukraine. We are interacting with our partners at all levels to achieve the level of efficiency in assistance that is needed not only to hold our positions, but also to disrupt Russia's war plans. We are still waiting for the supplies promised to Ukraine - we expect exactly the volume and content of supplies that can change the situation on the battlefield in the interests of Ukraine. And it is important that every agreement we have reached is implemented - everything that will yield practical results on the battlefield and boost the morale of everyone on the frontline. In a conversation with Mr. Jeffries, I emphasized the need for Patriot systems, they are needed as soon as possible.

Also, our teams, Ukraine and the United States, are currently working on a bilateral security agreement, and we are already working on a specific text. Our goal is to make this agreement the strongest of all. We are discussing the specific foundations of our security and cooperation. We are also working on fixing specific levels of support for this year and for the next ten years, including armed support, financial, political, and joint arms production. The agreement should be truly exemplary and reflect the strength of American leadership. I am grateful to both our team and the team of the American side for the progress in drafting the agreement.

Next week there will be quite a lot of international communication, both public and non-public. We remember what this year should bring us in the political sense, in particular the result with the European Union. Ukraine has fulfilled all the necessary conditions for the actual start of accession negotiations, and now it is up to the EU side to fulfill its obligations.

We continue preparations for the first inaugural Peace Summit in June, and our team, along with the teams of our key partners, is working to make the Summit truly global. We can say for sure that all continents will be represented - different parts of the world, different views on global development. But all of them share the same recognition that the UN Charter and basic international conventions are binding documents for every country in the world, including a country like Russia, where madness prevails. The world majority must force Russia into peace - and it can do this. It is in June that the path to a just peace can begin.

We are also preparing for the NATO Summit to be held this summer. A strong political signal is needed - the Alliance should not be afraid of its own strength or shy away from its own foundations - every country that shares common values and is willing to actually defend them deserves an invitation to join the Alliance.

And our unwavering gratitude to the warriors - to all the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, to each and every one of them at the front, at combat posts, on combat missions. Kharkiv region, Donetsk direction, all the southern directions. I am grateful to every soldier and commander who is doing everything to destroy the occupiers - this is needed the most.

According to the results of the week, the warriors of the 57th and 58th separate motorized infantry brigades, as well as the warriors of the 35th separate marine brigade deserve special gratitude. I would also like to mention our border guards, both those who are fighting on the frontline alongside everyone else, and those who are protecting our border communities and destroying Russian subversive groups. Special gratitude goes to all the servicemen of the Dozor special forces unit of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Also, to the warriors of the Revenge brigade - and I would like to thank Staff Sergeant Oleksandr Meteyko, Senior Sergeants Serhiy Nesterenko and Sviatoslav Ihnatiuk for their special results. The Steel Frontier brigade - Staff Sergeant Ivan Koval, Sergeant Vitaliy Mykytenko, and Senior Soldier Yevhen Kolesnik. Well done! Chernihiv and Volyn border guard detachments - Senior Soldiers Mykhailo Danyliuk and Mykhailo Myndiuk, Sergeants Yuriy Romashyn and Mykhailo Sereda, and Senior Sergeant Roman Novyk. Sumy border guard detachment - Soldier Andriy Krut and Staff Sergeant Yuriy Popkov particularly distinguished themselves... I also thank all the soldiers of our Kharkiv detachment, especially Senior Soldiers Denys Shevchenko and Volodymyr Shevtsov, and Major Andriy Kuchynskyi. I am proud of you all, warriors!

I am grateful to everyone who is with Ukraine, who is in Ukraine and for whom Ukraine is the only home on Earth.

Glory to Ukraine!

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Ukrainian troops retreat, Russian forces advance, as Kyiv awaits weapons infusion

By VOA News April 28, 2024

Ukrainian troops, outnumbered by Russian ground forces, are retreating from positions in eastern Ukraine as Russian troops advance westward, Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also made fresh pleas to allies to send more Patriot air defense systems "as soon as possible."

Syrskyi said that Kyiv's outnumbered troops had fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.

"The situation at the front has worsened," the top general wrote on the Telegram messaging app, saying the "most difficult" areas were west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, a strategically important town captured by Russian forces in February.

Ukrainian forces face a worsening position in the east while awaiting delivery of U.S. weapons following the approval by Congress of a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine last week.

"We are still waiting for the supplies Ukraine was promised," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address Sunday. "We are expecting those volumes and scope that can change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine's interests," he added.

Zelenskyy said he had just spoken with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and thanked Congress for passing the stalled aid package but pressed on the urgency for speedy deliveries that would allow Ukraine to maintain its positions and disrupt Russian war plans.

"In my conversation with Mr. Jeffries, I underscored that Patriot systems are needed, and as soon as possible," he added.

Ukraine's eastern front lines in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions have seen fierce clashes in recent weeks as Russian forces seek to grind out gains along the more than 1,000-kilometer front line. Additionally, shortages of ammunition and personnel have increasingly hamstrung Ukraine's defenses, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based research group.

The institute, however, assessed that despite Russian advances, it is not likely that Kyiv's defensive lines will collapse.

A Ukrainian intelligence source told the Reuters news agency this week that Russia was conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian railways to disrupt the delivery of U.S. weapons to the front and to complicate military logistics.

In his post, Syrskyi expressed hope that once the U.S. starts suppling the weapons promised under the aid package signed into law by President Biden last week, the situation will stabilize on the battlefield.

Syrskyi also said that fresh Ukrainian brigades were replacing worn out units that had suffered losses in those areas.

Syrskyi, however, omitted information on the alleged capture of Novobakhmutivka, another village near Berdychi, as Russia's defense ministry claimed Sunday.

Online battlefield maps produced by open-source intelligence analysts suggest that Russians have advanced more than 15 kilometers on the village of Ocheretyne since capturing Avdiivka.

Farther north, the Kyiv-held town of Chasiv Yar is emerging as a key battleground because of its position on higher ground -- that if taken by Russian forces -- could serve as a gateway to the cities of Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Syrskyi described Chasiv Yar and the village of Ivanivske to its northeast as the "hottest spots" on that part of the front while Russia's defense ministry said it had repelled Ukrainian counterattacks near Chasiv Yar.

Syrskyi also said his forces were closely monitoring an increase in the number of Russian troops in the area of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, located about 30 kilometers northwest of the Russian border.

Recently, he said, the city of 1.3 million has been pummeled by airstrikes, calling them a deliberate effort by Moscow to make Kharkiv uninhabitable.

A 36-year-old woman was pulled alive from the rubble after Russian shells destroyed her home Sunday morning in the northeastern Kharkiv region, the local administration reported. Her 52-year-old neighbor was also rushed to the hospital with a stomach wound, the administration said.

Overall, Russian shelling Saturday and overnight wounded at least seven civilians across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials.

Syrskyi said there were so signs that Russia was directly preparing for an offensive in the north of the country.

"In the most threatening directions, our troops have been reinforced by artillery and tank units," he said.

Meanwhile, Russian drones struck the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv early Sunday, setting a hotel on fire and damaging the area's energy infrastructure, Vitaliy Kim, the local Ukrainian governor, reported on the Telegram messaging app. "The enemy attacked the city with an unmanned aerial vehicle of the 'Shahed-131/136' type," he said, adding there were no casualties.

The Russian side claimed that the strike on Mykolaiv targeted a shipyard where naval drones are assembled, as well as a hotel housing "English-speaking mercenaries" who have fought for Kyiv. Russian state agency RIA cited Sergei Lebedev, described as a coordinator of local pro-Moscow guerrillas.

Reuters said Lebedev's claim could not be independently verified.

The Russian defense ministry said Sunday morning that 17 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight over four regions in the country's southwest. Three drones were intercepted near an oil depot in Lyudinovo, an industrial town about 230 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border.

One of the Ukrainian drones damaged communications infrastructure in Russia's southern Belgorod province, Governor Vyachaslav Gladkov said Sunday. The province borders Ukraine.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Some information for this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.

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SHENYANG, China, April 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



On April 24, the "2024 Korea-Shenyang Activity Week" and the "Hello, Shenyang" Global Promotion (Seoul Station) kicked off in Seoul, South Korea. Leaders from both sides addressed the opening, and leaders from Liaoning Province and Shenyang City delivered thematic presentations on the investment and development situation in the province and the city. Business representatives shared their experiences and insights of investing in Shenyang.

After the opening ceremony, leaders from both sides and guests visited the important section of the activity week - the Shenyang Specialty Products Exhibition. A total of 55 representatives from companies in the city of Shenyang and cities in the Shenyang modern metropolitan area showcased their products in the fields of high-end equipment, biomedicine, new energy, new materials, modern agriculture, food, cultural tourism resources, among others. A dedicated B2B negotiation area was set up, where 26 Chinese companies and 38 South Korean companies conducted 105 negotiation sessions during this event.

According to the Information Office of Shenyang Municipal People's Government, the activity week ran from April 23 to 27. In addition to the opening ceremony and the Shenyang Specialty Products Exhibition, there were four special economic and trade activities focusing on key industries of Sino-Korean cooperation such as food, biomedicine, medical cosmetology, fashion culture, new energy, energy conservation and environmental protection, as well as various activities like promotion of cultural tourism resources and targeted investment attraction.

More than 400 representatives from key economic and trade institutions and business associations in South Korea, sister cities, Korea's Fortune 500 companies, and media outlets attended the opening ceremony. At the ceremony, 33 key Sino-Korean cooperation projects were signed, with a total contract value of 12.5 billion yuan.

Source: Information Office of Shenyang Municipal People's Government

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0b83c5c5-0fff-46ce-a5fc-a70eabc11e17
Chicago, April 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Dimethyl Carbonate Market is projected to grow from USD 1.1 billion in 2023 to USD 1.9 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 12.7% from 2023 to 2028, as per the recent study by MarketsandMarkets. The main reason for such growth is that dimethyl carbonate (DMC) serves as a crucial component in the synthesis of polycarbonate, a versatile thermoplastic widely used in various industries such as automotive, electronics, construction, and packaging.

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UBE Corporation (Japan)

Merck KGaA (Germany)

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US)

Lotte Chemical (South Korea)

Kowa Company Ltd. (Japan)

Kishida Chemical Co. Ltd. (Japan)

Tokyo Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. (Japan)

Shandong Shida Shenghua Chemical Group Co. Ltd. (China)

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Drivers, Opportunities and Challenges in Dimethyl Carbonate Market

Drivers: Increasing demand for polycarbonate from various industries

Increasing demand for polycarbonate from various industries Restraint: Use of highly toxic raw material for dimethyl carbonate synthesis

Use of highly toxic raw material for dimethyl carbonate synthesis Opportunity: Dimethyl carbonate as an oxygenated fuel additive

Dimethyl carbonate as an oxygenated fuel additive Challenge: Significant fluctuations in oil & gas prices

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Polycarbonate synthesis is estimated to hold the most significant share of the global dimethyl carbonate market by application.

By end-use industry, the plastic segment will lead the dimethyl carbonate market during the forecast period.

By grade, the industrial grade segment will lead the dimethyl carbonate market during the forecast period.

During the forecast period, Asia Pacific will lead the global dimethyl carbonate market.

With increasing awareness of environmental issues and stricter regulations on harmful chemicals, industries have been seeking greener alternatives. Also The increasing demand for lightweight, durable, and high-performance materials is driving the growth of the polycarbonate market, consequently boosting the demand for dimethyl carbonate. This factor has fueled the demand for dimethyl carbonate.

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Based on the end-use industry, the dimethyl carbonate market is segmented into plastics, paints & coating, pharmaceuticals, batteries, agrochemicals, and others. The growth of the dimethyl carbonate market in the battery sector is driven by the compound's safety benefits, environmental considerations, and its role in advancing battery technology to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles worldwide.

By application, the dimethyl carbonate market is segmented into polycarbonate synthesis, battery electrolytes, solvents, reagents, and others. The growth of DMC usage in polycarbonate synthesis is fueled by its environmental advantages, regulatory compliance, process efficiency, and the market demand for high-performance and sustainable materials. As industries continue to prioritize sustainability and efficiency, DMC is expected to play an increasingly important role in the production of polycarbonate and other key polymers.

Based on grade, the dimethyl carbonate market is segmented into industry grade (>99.0 weight %), pharmaceutical grade (>99.5 weight %), and battery grade (>99.9 weight %). The industry grade dimethyl carbonate market is poised for continued growth as industries across pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy storage, and other sectors recognize its versatility, environmental benefits, and performance advantages.

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The dimethyl carbonate market in the Asia Pacific region is projected to hold the most significant market share. The Asia-Pacific region, particularly countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea, hosts a rapidly growing chemical industry. This growth is fueled by factors such as urbanization, industrialization, and increasing disposable incomes. Dimethyl carbonate finds extensive applications in various segments of the chemical industry, including pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and fine chemicals. The region's burgeoning chemical sector creates a substantial demand for DMC as a key raw material, contributing to market growth.

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Dublin, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Agrivoltaics Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Product, Application, and Competitive Landscape, 2023-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The market is valued at $1,768.8 million in 2022. The market is expected to expand rapidly, reaching an estimated $15,871.6 million by the end of 2033.

The global agrivoltaics market, which integrates solar energy production with agricultural practices, is poised for significant growth in the coming years. This growth is driven by several factors, including increasing recognition of the benefits of agrivoltaics in enhancing crop yields, reducing water usage, and maximizing land efficiency. Agrivoltaics offers a sustainable and efficient solution for both energy production and agricultural land use, aligning with the global shift toward more environment-friendly practices.

Companies involved in agrivoltaics can capitalize on this trend by investing in innovative technologies, developing partnerships with farmers and solar energy providers, and leveraging government incentives and policies supporting renewable energy. Strategic investments in research and development, along with the establishment of resilient production infrastructure, will be key for companies looking to capitalize on the expanding agrivoltaics market. By embracing these strategies, companies can position themselves as leaders in sustainable energy solutions for agriculture, shaping the future of the global agrivoltaics market and meeting the evolving needs of farmers and energy consumers worldwide.

North America, especially the U.S., plays a pivotal role in shaping the global agrivoltaics market, being a major contributor due to its increasing energy demands and the rising prominence of agrivoltaics as a sustainable energy source. The growth of the agrivoltaics market in the U.S. is expected to accelerate in the coming years, driven by factors such as government support, rising demand for renewable energy, and the benefits it offers to farmers.



Industry Impacts



The utility-scale solar farms, typically ranging from 1 MW to 2,000 MW, are known to sell their electricity to generate profits for their owners. The installation cost of solar farms usually falls between $0.89 to $1.01 per watt. On average, a 1 MW solar farm can earn around $43,500 annually by selling its electricity to utilities. Landowners who lease their land for solar farms can expect to earn between $250 to $3,000 per acre per year. These findings underscore the economic viability and potential profitability of solar farm investments.



While comparing agrivoltaics to ground-mounted PV plants, researchers have found that agrivoltaics projects tend to be more expensive. This is primarily due to higher costs incurred during the approval process and design limitations, as well as the need for specialized components such as modules, mounting systems, and trackers. For instance, the inclusion of vertical plants or elevated modules to accommodate agricultural machinery underneath can significantly raise costs. The additional expenses for these components are estimated to range from $268.68 to $303.00 per kW for modules and from $90.7 to $240.6 per kW for racks.

Fixed Array to Dominate the Global Agrivoltaics Market (by Array Configuration)



The fixed array stands out as the leading segment among the various types of array configurations in the global agrivoltaics market, driven by its practicality, cost-effectiveness, and compatibility with agricultural operations. This segment represents a significant portion of agrivoltaics installations worldwide, offering a balance between solar energy generation and agricultural productivity.



One key advantage of fixed arrays is their simplicity and ease of installation, making them a preferred choice for many farmers and solar developers. Unlike tracking systems, fixed arrays do not require complex mechanisms for adjusting the angle of solar panels, reducing maintenance costs and potential points of failure. Furthermore, fixed arrays are well-suited for a variety of agricultural settings, including grassland farming, horticulture, and arable farming, providing flexibility in deployment. Their stationary nature ensures minimal disruption to farming activities, allowing crops to thrive without compromising solar energy generation.

Monofacial Solar Panels Segment to Dominate the Global Agrivoltaics Market (by Photovoltaic Technology)



Monofacial solar panels have emerged as the leadingly adopted photovoltaic technology in the global agrivoltaics market. This trend is driven by several factors, including cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and compatibility with agricultural activities. Monofacial panels are traditional solar panels that absorb sunlight from one side, making them ideal for installations where space is not a constraint.



One recent example highlighting the dominance of monofacial solar panels in agrivoltaics installations is the AgriPV project in the Netherlands, initiated in April 2021. This project involves the installation of monofacial solar panels on a greenhouse to generate solar power while allowing for crop cultivation underneath. The project showcases the efficiency and compatibility of monofacial panels with agricultural settings, as well as their ability to enhance land use efficiency.

Pollinator Habitant Segment to Dominate the Global Agrivoltaics Market (by Site of Installation)



Pollinator habitat emerges as the leading application segment in the global agrivoltaics market, showcasing a pivotal shift toward sustainable agricultural practices and renewable energy generation. This segment not only promotes biodiversity but also enhances the ecosystem services provided by agrivoltaics systems.

How can this report add value to an organization?



Product/Innovation Strategy: The market is poised for significant expansion with ongoing technological advancements, increased investments, and growing awareness of the use of agrivoltaics. Therefore, agrivoltaics are a high-investment and high-revenue generating model.



Growth/Marketing Strategy: The global agrivoltaics market is growing at a rapid pace. The market offers enormous opportunities for existing and emerging market players. Some of the strategies covered in this segment are mergers and acquisitions, product launches, partnerships and collaborations, business expansions, and investments. The strategies preferred by companies to maintain and strengthen their market position primarily include partnerships and collaborations.



Competitive Strategy: The key players in the global agrivoltaics market analyzed and profiled in the study include agrivoltaics projects. Additionally, a comprehensive competitive landscape such as partnerships, agreements, and collaborations are expected to aid the reader in understanding the untapped revenue pockets in the market.

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 134 Forecast Period 2023 - 2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $2.01 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $15.87 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 22.9%



Market Dynamics Overview

Trends: Current and Future Impact Assessment

Potential for Rural Electric Vehicle Charging

Increasing Demand for Renewable Energy

Market Drivers

Dual-Revenue Streams for Farmers

Agrivoltaics as a Sustainable Solution for Agriculture

Market Restraints

High Installation Costs

Limited Compatibility to Certain Crops

Market Opportunities

Reduced Emissions through Improved Farm Electrification

Increased Government Initiatives to Boost R&D in Agrivoltaics

Case Studies

Sustainable Energy Integration through Agrivoltaics - Los Naranjos and Las Corchas Photovoltaic Plants

Optimizing Crop Growth and Solar Energy Generation through Agrivoltaics at ARDEC South, Fort CollinsSupply Chain Overview

Value Chain Analysis

Research and Development Review

Patent Filing Trend (by Company)

Patent Filing Trend (by Country)

Regulatory Landscape

Leading Companies in the Agrivoltaics Market

Jinko Solar

Invenergy

First Solar

Nextracker Inc.

Iqony Solar Energy Solutions

BayWa AG

Sun'Agri

Lightsource

Yingli Solar

Enel Green Power S.p.A.

Trinsolar

Next2Sun AG

SB Energy Corp

Boralex Inc.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy

Products Segmentation

Global Agrivoltaics Market (by Product)

By Array Configuration

Fixed

Single-Axis Tracking

By Photovoltaic Technology

Monofacial Solar Panels

Bifacial Solar Panels

Translucent Photovoltaic Technology

Others

By Site of Installation

Grassland Farming

Horticulture and Arable Farming

Indoor Farming

Pollinator Habitat

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Attachment
Second System to be Utilized by one of the Largest Private Hospital Systems in Japan



RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Asensus Surgical, Inc. (NYSE American: ASXC), a medical device company that is digitizing the interface between the surgeon and the patient, announced that Sendai Tokushukai Hospital in Japan has entered into an agreement to lease and utilize a Senhance Surgical System.

"We're happy that Sendai Tokushukai Hospital has initiated a lease on the Senhance System, becoming the second institution within one of Japan's largest private hospital systems to do so," said Anthony Fernando, President and CEO of Asensus Surgical. "This underscores the growing trust in Asensus Surgical's technology in Japan, and we're excited to collaborate with Sendai Tokushukai Hospital to enhance surgical standards."

On behalf of Sendai Tokushukai Hospital we are pleased to lease a Senhance System in our facility, said Kei Kawaguchi, Chief of Surgery. The Senhance System offers innovative features such as haptic feedback, enhancing our surgical capabilities and facilitating precise procedures. Through this collaboration, we aim to elevate patient care and outcomes, aligning with our commitment to excellence.





The Senhance Surgical System is the only commercially available robotic surgery system with haptic feedback, a differentiating feature for surgeons.

About Sendai Tokushukai Hospital

Established on February 1, 1985, Sendai Tokushukai Hospital is a respected general and acute care facility. Under the leadership of Shinichi Higashiue and administratively managed by Hisayoshi Inoue, the hospital serves as an essential healthcare provider in the region and offers a diverse range of medical services, including Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, Surgery, Orthopedics, and others. The Tokushukai Medical Group Facility oversees 71 hospitals across Japan and their philosophy is All living beings are created equal. Under this philosophy, they continuously strive for realizing Anybody in the society is to receive the best possible medical care anywhere, whenever necessary. From Emergency Medical Care to preventive health care, chronic care and advanced care, we provide the optimal medical care.

About Asensus Surgical, Inc.

Asensus Surgical is revolutionizing surgery with the first intra-operative Augmented Intelligence technology approved for use in operating rooms around the world. Recognized as an award-winning leader in digital technology, Asensus is committed to making surgery more accessible and predictable while delivering consistently superior outcomes. The Companys novel approach to digitizing laparoscopy has led to system placements globally. Led by engineers, medical professionals, and industry luminaries, Asensus is powered by human ingenuity and driven by collaboration. To learn more about the Senhance Surgical System and the new LUNA System in development, visit www.asensus.com.

Follow Asensus

Email Alerts: https://ir.asensus.com/email-alerts

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asensus-surgical-inc/

X: https://twitter.com/AsensusSurgical

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AsensusSurgical

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@asensus_surgical

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes statements relating to the Senhance Surgical System and Sendai Tokushukai Hospital in Japan initiating a program with the Senhance System. These statements and other statements regarding our future plans and goals constitute "forward looking statements'' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict, are beyond our control and which may cause results to differ materially from expectations and include whether Asensus Surgical can accelerate the adoption of the Senhance Surgical System throughout Japan and other key geographies around the world and whether the Senhance Surgical System will enable Sendai Tokushukai Hospital to elevate its patient care and outcomes. For a discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the Companys business, please review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 21, 2024 and our other filings we make with the SEC. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward looking statements, which are based on our expectations as of the date of this press release and speak only as of the origination date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

INVESTOR CONTACT:

Mark Klausner or Mike Vallie

ICR Westwicke

invest@asensus.com

443-213-0499

MEDIA CONTACT:

Dan Ventresca

Matter Communications

AsensusPR@matternow.com

617-874-5488

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0ba0a44c-320c-4698-b7f1-5149c823ad60
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Lithium Corp. (United Lithium or the Company) (CSE: ULTH; OTCQX: ULTHF; FWB: 0UL) is pleased to announce that it has increased its land position in Finland and Sweden after acquiring the rights to the 54,400 hectare (ha) Kova Property reservation and the 13,900 ha Kast Property reservation in Finland, and the 14,000 ha Axmarby Property in Sweden (collectively, the Properties).



United Lithium has increased its Nordic holdings by almost 300% after acquiring the Properties, all within highly prospective geological terrains with potential to host lithium bearing pegmatites. The Company has obtained the rights to the Properties after acquiring all of the issued and outstanding common shares of two private companies, PR1 Finland Oy (PR1) (a wholly-owned Finnish subsidiary of Pure Resources Ltd.) and Scandinavian Battery Metals (SBM), a Canadian private company.

Europe is the second largest EV market in the world and the continent is at the forefront of global carbon footprint reduction. The demand for domestic sources of raw materials to support decarbonization represents an opportunity for United Lithium and its shareholders. The acquisition of three new Properties increases our holdings within the underexplored Nordics in geological settings similar to the Keliber Lithium Mine, which is currently being built. Axmarby, in Sweden, is situated immediately north of our flagship Bergby Project and shares the same key infrastructure. Furthermore, the acquisition of Kast and Kova add additional prospective opportunities to our portfolio of properties in Finland, commented President and CEO, Scott Eldridge.

As consideration for acquiring the Properties, the Company paid AUD$20,112 to Pure Resources Ltd. and made payments of CAD$40,050 and USD$110,984 to an arms-length third party vendor, in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding common shares of each respective company. At the time of the acquisition, SBM held the rights to acquire the Kova Property from PR1; however, as a condition of closing, the agreement between SBM and PR1 was terminated. The rights to the Axmarby Property are held by SBM, and are part of the Companys SBM acquisition .

Pure Resources Ltd. will retain a 2% net smelter returns royalty (NSR Royalty) on the Kast Property and Kova Property, subject to a buyback right in favour of the Company, pursuant to which the Company may purchase 1% of the NSR Royalty at any time in exchange for payment of CAD$750,000. No such agreement is in place for the Axmarby Property, which remains royalty-free.

About the Kova Property

The Kova Property is situated approximately 150 km north of Helsinki and 50 km east of the City of Tampere (Figure 1) and covers 54,400 ha (54.4 sq. km). It is located on the northern margin of the Pirkanmaa migmatite belt (1.96  1.91 Ga), immediately to the south of the Tampere schist belt. Kova sits directly to the south from the Erajarvi LCT-metallogenic area, where more than 70 pegmatite dykes enriched in B, Be, Li, Nb, Sn, and Ta have been identified (Lahti 1981, Alviola 2004). The area is in a prospective geological setting with the presence of late-orogenic (1.80 Ga) LCT type complex pegmatites that were previously mined.

The local geology is comprised of migmatites made up of mica (para) gneiss (turbidites, graywackes) with a lesser extent of mafic-intermediate volcanic rocks and amphibolites. Felsic plutonic rocks in the Kova area include granodiorites, aplite, pegmatite and tonalite and are considered early Svecofennian (1.91-1.88 Ga). In addition, complex structures with sheared and schistose metasediments further provided possible conduits for the pegmatite melts. Nearby known complex pegmatite deposits include the Seppala LCT pegmatite and the historical Juurakko and Viitaniemi pegmatite mines are located directly north of the Kova claims.

Bedrock in the project area is well exposed with 220 pegmatites sites mapped by PR1 (see Pure Resources ASX announcement dated July 12, 2023). A field visit completed by United Lithium in the summer of 2023 confirmed the presence of dyke-like pegmatites striking NW-SE, ranging in thickness from centimeters to 5-10 meters and up to several tens of meters in length. The pegmatites are comprised of K-feldspar and quartz with variable amounts of biotite and muscovite. Tourmalines, ranging in size from medium to coarse to pegmatite-sized are found locally. Li-silicates were not observed.

Figure 1: Kova Property Outline, Finland





About the Kast Property



Located adjacent to the Rosendal tantalum deposit, the Kast Property is approximately 110 km west of Helsinki and covers approximately 13,900 ha (13.9 sq. km) in the Kemio metallogenic area region of Finland (Figure 2). Kast is located on the western part of the Uusimaa supracrustal belt (~1.89 Ga) and is defined by the presence of gneisses, schists, amphibolites, mafic to felsic volcanic rocks and carbonates. The area is intruded by Svecofennian orogenic felsic intrusive of the Southern Finland Granite and Plutonic Suites. The area is prospective for mixed or hybrid rare-element pegmatites which have REE signatures and are a mix between LCT (Li, Cs, Ta) and NYF (Nb, Y, F) pegmatites.

Historical and GTK data suggest that the Rosendal deposit contains Ta, Be and Li mineralization, as well as recoverable albite, quartz and muscovite (Alviola 1997). The presence of the Rosendal deposit and the known Ta-Nb mineral pegmatites in the region indicate that the Kemio metallogenic may have a significant, largely untested Li-Ta potential.

Bedrock exposures over the Kast Property are relatively sparse and PR1 observed 49 pegmatites during their work in 2023 (see Pure Resources ASX announcement dated July 12, 2023), however no assays are available. Historical drilling has been completed in the Kast area, and logging reports indicate intercepts of approximately 501 intersections of pegmatite and granite, however, none of the pegmatite intercepts have been sampled or assayed.

Figure 2: Kast Property Outline, Finland





The Kast and Kova Property reservations were issued to PR1 on June 21, 2023 and are valid until April 23, 2025, at which time, the Company will need to evaluate its results and determine whether to convert any portion of each property into an exploration permit. Until that time, under a reservation status, the Company has the right to complete field work including mapping and sampling to potentially identify future drill targets.



About the Axmarby Property

The 14,015 ha (140 sq. km) Axmarby Property is located approximately 200 km north of Stockholm via highway E4 and 40 km north of the city of Gavle (Figure 3). Axmarby is also directly north of United Lithiums flagship Bergby Project, near the Gulf of Bothnia coast in central Sweden. To date, five pegmatite dyke systems have been identified on the Bergby claims.

Part of the Axmarby Property is situated within the Hamrange synform in the west-central part of the Fennoscandian Shield. The stratigraphy in the area consists of mica schist overlain by 1.88 billion years (Ga) old felsic and mafic volcanic rocks, followed by metaquartzite (< 1.86 Ga) believed to have formed during an 1.86-1.83 Ga intra-orogenic phase. Geological and isotopic data suggests an oceanic island arc signature of the metavolcanic rocks. The surrounding 1.86 Ga granitoids of the Ljusdal Batholith is believed to have been formed in an active continental margin setting. Directly to the north of Axmarby, the granitoid rocks are believe the be older and mostly gneissic or in part migmatitic.

Pegmatite dykes have been observed approximately 2 km north of the town of Axmarby and seem to be associated with the same structures that host the pegmatite at Bergby. Pegmatites were between 40 cm and up to 4 m and could be traced up to 20 m in some cases.

Figure 3: Axmarby Property Outline, Sweden







Patriot Project Claims

The Company also announces that it received notice from the Bureau of Land Management, notifying the Company that 104 of the 321 claims staked at the Patriot Project in 2022 are null and void as they are located on lands that were designated under the National Wilderness Preservation System and the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993. The Company is entitled to a refund of US$38,480 for the initial maintenance fees, location fees and annual maintenance fees paid to date on the aforementioned claims.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information in this news release was reviewed, verified and approved by Isabelle Lepine, M.Sc., P.Geo. Ms. Lepine is a Registered Professional Geologist in British Columbia and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43- 101 Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects. Ms. Lepine is the Director of Mineral Resources of the Company and is not independent of the Company.

On Behalf of The Board of Directors

Scott Eldridge

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Telephone: +1-604-428-6128

Email: scott@unitedlithium.com

About United Lithium

United Lithium is an exploration & development company energized by the global demand for lithium. The Company is targeting lithium projects in politically safe jurisdictions with advanced infrastructure that allows for rapid and cost-effective exploration, development, and production opportunities.

The Companys consolidated financial statements and related managements discussion and analysis are available on the Companys website at https://unitedlithium.com or under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with statements with respect to the potential of the Kast, Kova and/or Axmarby properties; the timing, completion and successful execution of any planned exploration activities at any of the Properties; and prospective opportunities about the Properties. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as anticipate, believe, plan, estimate, expect, potential, target, 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.

Forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable assumptions, estimates, analysis, and opinions of the management of the Company made in light of its experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by the Company as at the date of such information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may have caused actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: risks associated with mineral exploration and development; metal and mineral prices; availability of capital; accuracy of the Companys projections and estimates; realization of mineral resource estimates, interest and exchange rates; competition; stock price fluctuations; availability of drilling equipment and access; actual results of current exploration activities; government regulation; political or economic developments; environmental risks; insurance risks; capital expenditures; operating or technical difficulties in connection with development activities; personnel relations; contests over title to properties; and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or other relevant issues. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable, including but not limited to the price of lithium and other metals and minerals; the demand for lithium and other metals and minerals; the ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the timely receipt of any required approvals; the ability to obtain qualified personnel, equipment and services in a timely and cost-efficient manner; the ability to operate in a safe, efficient and effective matter; and the regulatory framework regarding environmental matters, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and 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 contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information contained herein is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Companys expected financial and operational performance and the Companys plans and objectives and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.




VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. (West Red Lake Gold or WRLG or the Company) (TSXV: WRLG) (OTCQB: WRLGF) is pleased to announce its 2024 strategy for regional exploration activities across its 100% owned Madsen and Rowan Properties, both located in the Red Lake Gold District of Northwestern Ontario, Canada.



HIGHLIGHTS:

Regional mapping and geochemical sampling at Madsen with a focus on the Confederation Assemblage of rocks, which has seen very little exploration work since 2014 (Figures 1 & 2). Expected to commence in May 2024.



Up to 15,000m of surface drilling to be completed at the Rowan Mine deposit with focus on growth and expansion on the existing high-grade mineral resource (Figure 4) - as previously announced on April 26, 2024. This drill program is fully funded up to C$4.5M and is expected to commence in early June.



Regional mapping and geochemical sampling across Rowan property to start generating new targets for potential future drill testing. Expected to commence in June 2024.



Will Robinson, Vice President of Exploration, stated, Our team is very excited to get back out into the field in 2024 at our Madsen and Rowan properties. The underground drills at Madsen will continue de-risking the resource while taking full advantage of near-mine expansion opportunities, while our field crews will be focused on reconnaissance-level work within the greater Madsen land package to continue generating and advancing new targets for the exploration pipeline. Of particular interest is the exploration potential that could exist within the Confederation package of rocks which remains mostly unexplored but represents approximately 50% of the land package at Madsen. We have enough geologic evidence from previous work to demonstrate the prospectivity within the Confederation rocks and we aim to gain a better understanding of the mineralizing controls and economic potential over this part of the Madsen land package. With drills soon to be turning at both of our Red Lake properties we look forward to delivering a steady stream of positive results throughout 2024.





FIGURE 1. Plan map showing density of surface sampling data collected during 2014-2022 across the Madsen property. Note the paucity of data within the Confederation Assemblage of rocks leaving this area mostly unexplored.

DISCUSSION

Most historic exploration work and drilling across the Madsen property, and within the greater Red Lake district, has been almost exclusively focused on the Balmer Assemblage of rocks. The Confederation rock package was mostly ignored and considered non-prospective for hosting significant gold mineralization. The discovery of the LP Fault and Hinge Zones at Dixie Lake in 2016 (24km SSE of Madsen) forced the geologic community to re-evaluate this narrative, and the WRLG exploration team is taking full advantage of the exploration potential that still exists within the Confederation rocks at Madsen  which cover approximately 50% of the 47 square kilometer (sq. km.) land package and remain mostly unexplored.

A full-scale regional program over the Confederation rocks has been planned for the 2024 field season which will include detailed geologic mapping and geochemical sampling to begin unlocking the full exploration potential of the entire Madsen property (Figure 2). Mapping and sampling within the Confederation will be focused on three main areas:

1) North Shore



Poorly mapped area in highly favorable geologic setting between Russet Lake ultramafic and Balmer-Confederation unconformity.

South of this zone, multiple mineralized shears crosscut stratigraphy (eg. Austin Zones, Starratt, Wedge, Fork, etc.).

Focus will be on exploration for additional similar shear zones.

2) Confederation North

This area remains mostly untested.

Hosts some known mineral occurrences such as the high-grade #1 Vein, which was the original area being mined at Madsen before discovery of the surface expression of the Austin Zone.

Objective will be to search for manifestation of known shear zones in the Balmer (eg. Starratt, Madsen, Derlak, etc.) projected into favorable contacts and geologic settings within the Confederation.

3) Confederation South

Hosts some known occurrences such as historic Faulkenham shaft.

Focus will be on mafic-felsic contact areas.



This strategy is representative of WRLGs systematic and disciplined approach to exploration and target generation.





Figure 2. Plan map showing the proposed layout of soil sampling and reconnaissance grids at Madsen. The North Shore grid area is denoted by green sample sites. The Confederation North grid area is denoted by red sample sites. The Confederation South grid area is denoted by purple sample sites.

At the Rowan property, there has been very little regional exploration work completed since the 1980s and early 1990s when Goldquest Exploration, Inc. (which eventually amalgamated with Goldcorp, Inc.) conducted a number of regional exploration campaigns that included mapping, sampling, dozer stripping and drilling. Since that time, most of the work completed on the property has consisted of various drill programs at the Rowan Mine, Mount Jamie Mine, Red Summit Mine and along the NT Zone.

WRLG completed a preliminary orientation till sampling survey at Rowan in 2023 that consisted of 334 till samples collected on 50m spaced north-south lines, and 100m spaced east-west lines (Figure 3). Samples were collected using Dutch style hand augers with a maximum 2m sampling depth possible. OREAS 46 certified reference material (CRM) and duplicate field samples were inserted into the sequence at a 5% rate for each QA/QC sample type in the field. Post-field collection, samples were transported to ALS Vancouver for preparation and analysis. All samples were dried to 60C to reduce loss of volatile mercury and arsenic, sieved to -180 +63 micron (m) and -63 m fraction data subsets before undergoing AR_ICP-MS digestion and analysis.

Review of assay data shows both datasets returned high quality, usable data, with the -63 m dataset returning a preferential return in quality based on cumulative frequency probability plots and Tukey plotting of gold and pathfinders in parts per million (ppm) values. Exploratory Data Analysis via PCA was conducted on both data subsets and the components display both geochemical associations that reflect local geology and also zones of exploration potential. Glacial drift is proposed to be in the magnitude of 100m to 300m towards south by southwest across the Property based on the geological associations shown in the PCA compared to mapped lithologies. Based on the positive results of the initial 2023 soil sampling survey, the grid will be expanded in 2024 to cover more prospective areas across the Rowan property.

For more information on the exploration history at the Rowan Property please refer to the technical report entitled Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Rowan Property, Ontario, Canada dated April 26, 2024 prepared for WRLG by Sims Resources, LLC.





FIGURE 3. Thematic map showing Au-in-till results from 2023 orientation till sampling program at Rowan.





FIGURE 4. Rowan Deposit longitudinal section showing high-priority expansion target areas for 2024 drill program[1]. Drill intercepts shown in this figure have been composited to 2m intervals.

QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL

The technical information presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Will Robinson, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for West Red Lake Gold and the Qualified Person for exploration at the West Red Lake Project, as defined by NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

ABOUT WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES

West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. is a mineral exploration company that is publicly traded and focused on advancing and developing its flagship Madsen Gold Mine and the associated 47 km2 highly prospective land package in the Red Lake district of Ontario. The highly productive Red Lake Gold District of Northwest Ontario, Canada has yielded over 30 million ounces of gold from high-grade zones and hosts some of the world's richest gold deposits. WRLG also holds the wholly owned Rowan Property in Red Lake, with an expansive property position covering 31 km2 including three past producing gold mines - Rowan, Mount Jamie, and Red Summit.





ON BEHALF OF WEST RED LAKE GOLD MINES LTD.

Shane Williams

Shane Williams

President & Chief Executive Officer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Freddie Leigh

Tel: (604) 609-6132

Email: investors@westredlakegold.com or visit the Companys website at https://www.westredlakegold.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute "forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information generally can be identified by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "estimate", "forecast", "planned", and similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. Forward-looking information is based on current expectations of management; however, it is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information in this news release and include without limitation, statements relating to the potential of the Madsen Mine and Rowan; any untapped growth potential in the Madsen deposit or Rowan deposit; the Companys intention to establish additional drilling platforms; and the Companys future objectives and plans. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Forwardlooking information involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, market volatility; the state of the financial markets for the Companys securities; fluctuations in commodity prices and changes in the Companys business plans. Forward-looking information is based on a number of key expectations and assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will continue with its stated business objectives and its ability to raise additional capital to proceed. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Additional information about risks and uncertainties is contained in the Companys managements discussion and analysis for the year ended November 30, 2023, and the Companys annual information form for the year ended November 30, 2023, copies of which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

The forward-looking information contained herein is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to the Company. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

For more information on the Company, investors should review the Companys continuous disclosure filings that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7d6eaff8-bd55-4dd8-a537-cb167f07a4b8

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d34e53d0-c8d9-4ab9-97e0-d7f32f394375

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b1cc7a7b-d2fc-4bce-8a80-33e2c2df0aa9

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3b7d65cf-7392-499b-900e-ad7e9fc390c4

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8f95613c-0df0-4415-acc2-ff7cd3bde2cf

___________________

1 Mineral Resources are estimated at a cut-off grade of 3.8 g/t Au and using a gold price of US$1,800/oz. Please refer to the technical report entitled Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Rowan Property, Ontario, Canada dated April 26, 2024 prepared for WRLG by Sims Resources, LLC.
ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) ("the Company"), announces today that it has signed key agreements with the Lam Dong Agro-Forestry Research Experiment Center ("LAREC"), the sericulture authority in central Vietnam, pertaining to the rearing and breeding of the Company's specialized silkworm.



Within these agreements, Kraig Labs outlined its operational plans for expansion. These agreements outline a collaborative working effort between the Company and the LAREC to integrate the Companys silk technologies.

Under the terms of the agreements, the LAREC will provide insights and assistance in the selective breeding of the Company's BAM-1 parental strains tailored for the local climate and rearing conditions. The LAREC will also raise one generation of the BAM-1 strain at LAREC facilities and deliver the resulting eggs back to Kraig Labs for use in its operations.

This definitive agreement further strengthens the collaboration between Kraig Labs and governmental agencies. The agreement builds on the Memorandum of Understanding that the Company announced on January 30, 2024.

"Building these key working relationships is near the top of our agenda, as we expand and grow. We see this agreement as an opportunity to work together to integrate new technologies and deepen our ties in the region," said Company founder and CEO, Kim K. Thompson. "Forming these working agreements with key sericulture leaders and governmental agencies in South East Asia is a key piece of our unfolding expansion," continued Thompson, "We look forward to seeing this relationship grow as we work to strengthen our ties in the region. Simultaneously, our operations are exceeding expectations, with the spring production trials now near completion. We have consistently hit our marks over the last two quarters and will soon be ready to enter the next phase of our business plan."

Thompson remains in South East Asia with renowned sericultural expert, Dr. Nirmal Kumar, overseeing operations as the Company completes the spring production trials and transitions into phase two of its production plan.

To view the most recent news from Kraig Labs and/or to sign up for Company alerts, please go to www.KraigLabs.com/news

About Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc.

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. ( www.KraigLabs.com ), a reporting biotechnology company is the leading developer of genetically engineered spider silk-based fiber technologies.

The Company has achieved a series of scientific breakthroughs in the area of spider silk technology with implications for the global textile industry.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

Statements in this press release about the Company's future and expectations other than historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These statements are made on the basis of management's current views and assumptions. As a result, there can be no assurance that management's expectations will necessarily come to pass. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as "believes," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "foresees," "estimated," "hopes," "if," "develops," "researching," "research," "pilot," "potential," "could" or other words or phrases of similar import. Forward looking statements include descriptions of the Company's business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions and goals. All such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security.
NEW YORK, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bernstein Liebhard LLP:



Do you, or did you, own shares of Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE: LNC)?



Did you purchase your shares between November 4, 2020 and November 2, 2022, inclusive?



Did you lose money in your investment in Lincoln National Corporation?



Do you want to discuss your rights?

Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of the deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action lawsuit that has been filed on behalf of investors who purchased or acquired the securities of Lincoln National Corporation (Lincoln National or the Company) (NYSE: LNC) between November 4, 2020 and November 2, 2022, inclusive (the Class Period). The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against the Company and certain of its officers (the Complaint).

If you purchased or acquired Lincoln National securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Lincoln National Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@bernlieb.com.

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than June 24, 2024 . A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesnt require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member.

According to the Complaint, Defendants failed to disclose to investors that: (1) the Company was experiencing a decline in its variable universal life insurance business; (2) the goodwill associated with the life insurance business was overstated; (3) the Companys policy lapse assumptions were outdated; (4) the Companys reserves were overstated; and (5) the Companys reported financial results and financial statements were misstated.

On November 2, 2022, after the market closed, Lincoln National released its third quarter 2022 financial results, reporting a net loss of $2.6 billion for the quarter. This was compared to a net income of $318 million for the third quarter of 2021 the previous year. The Company explained that [t]he current quarters adjusted operating results included net unfavorable notable items of $2.0 billion, or $11.62 per share, related to the companys annual review of DAC and reserve assumptions. The Company also disclosed that it incurred a $634 million goodwill impairment to the life insurance business.

On this news, Lincolns stock price fell $17.27, or 33.2%, to close at $34.83 per share on November 3, 2022.

If you purchased or acquired Lincoln National securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit Lincoln National Corporation Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit or contact Investor Relations Manager Peter Allocco at (212) 951-2030 or pallocco@bernlieb.com.

Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journals Plaintiffs Hot List thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for sixteen consecutive years.

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2024 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

Contact Information:

Peter Allocco

Investor Relations Manager

Bernstein Liebhard LLP

https://www.bernlieb.com

(212) 951-2030

pallocco@bernlieb.com
LONDON, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CleanTech Lithium (OTCQX:CTLHF, AIM:CTL), an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile, today announced that Steve Kesler, Executive Chairman, will present live at the Metals & Mining Virtual Investor Conference hosted by VirtualInvestorConferences.com, on May 1st.



DATE: May 1st

TIME: 10:00AM

LINK: https://bit.ly/3ISIVUN

Available for 1x1 meetings: May 1st/May 2nd

This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

It is recommended that online investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com .

Recent Company Highlights

The Companys DLE Pilot Plant in Copiapo is now operational and producing concentrated lithium eluate, which will be further processed downstream to produce battery-grade lithium. The pilot plant is designed to produce up to 1 tonne per month of lithium carbonate.

CTLs flagship project Laguna Verde is now at PFS stage. Once finalized, the Company will hold substantive discussions with potential offtakers and strategic partners. The Scoping Study last year showed robust economics.

The Company recently signed the first co-designed mining model for lithium extraction with nearby local indigenous communities. They will assist with the Environmental Impact Assessment and permitting process.



About CleanTech Lithium

CleanTech Lithium (AIM:CTL, Frankfurt:T2N, OTCQX:CTLHF) is an exploration and development company advancing sustainable lithium projects in Chile for the clean energy transition. Committed to net-zero, CleanTech Lithium's mission is to produce material quantities of sustainable battery grade lithium products using Direct Lithium Extraction technology powered by renewable energy. The Company plans to be a leading supplier of 'green' lithium to the EV and battery manufacturing market.

CleanTech Lithium has two key lithium projects, Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin, and hold licences in Llamara and Salar de Atacama, located in the lithium triangle, a leading centre for battery grade lithium production. The two major projects: Laguna Verde and Francisco Basin are situated within basins controlled by the Company, which affords significant potential development and operational advantages. All four projects have direct access to existing infrastructure and renewable power.

CleanTech Lithium is committed to using renewable power for processing and reducing the environmental impact of its lithium production by utilising Direct Lithium Extraction with reinjection of spent brine. Direct Lithium Extraction is a transformative technology which removes lithium from brine, with higher recoveries than conventional processes. The method offers short development lead times with no extensive site construction or evaporation pond development so there is minimal water depletion from the aquifer. www.ctlithium.com

About Virtual Investor Conferences

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly traded companies to seamlessly present directly to investors.

Providing a real-time investor engagement solution, VIC is specifically designed to offer companies more efficient investor access. Replicating the components of an on-site investor conference, VIC offers companies enhanced capabilities to connect with investors, schedule targeted one-on-one meetings and enhance their presentations with dynamic video content. Accelerating the next level of investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences delivers leading investor communications to a global network of retail and institutional investors.

CONTACTS:

CleanTech Lithium

Nick Baxter

Head of Communications and ESG

+44 (0) 7792854837

nbaxter@ctlithium.com

Virtual Investor Conferences

John M. Viglotti

SVP Corporate Services, Investor Access

OTC Markets Group

(212) 220-2221

johnv@otcmarkets.com
MALVERN, Pa., April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) has named Domenic Colasante , CEO of 2X , as an Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 Greater Philadelphia Award finalist. Now in its 38th year, Entrepreneur Of The Year is the preeminent competitive business award for audacious leaders who disrupt markets, revolutionize sectors, and have a transformational impact on lives. Over the past four decades, the program has recognized the daring entrepreneurs with big ideas and bold actions that reshape our world.



Colasante was one of 30 regional entrepreneurs selected as finalists by an independent panel of judges. The candidates of this esteemed program were evaluated based on their demonstration of building long-term value through entrepreneurial spirit, purpose, growth, and impact, among other core contributions and attributes.

"I am truly humbled by the recognition of being named a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024 Greater Philadelphia program. Leading the incredible team at 2X and earning the trust of industry-leading marketers as our clients has been my greatest career privilege, said Colasante. It's an honor to stand among a select group of bold leaders who disrupt markets, revolutionize sectors, and positively impact lives. I am grateful for the support of those who believe in our vision. Thank you all for joining me on this incredible journey!"

Entrepreneur Of The Year honors many different types of business leaders for their ingenuity, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit. The program celebrates original founders who bootstrapped their businesses from inception or raised outside capital to grow their company and transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 6 during a special celebration and will become lifetime members of an esteemed community of Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni from around the world. The winners will then be considered by the national judges for the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Awards, which will be presented in November at the annual Strategic Growth Forum , one of the nations most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies.

In addition to Entrepreneur Of The Year, EY US supports other entrepreneurs through the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program and the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network to help connect women founders and Black and Hispanic/Latino entrepreneurs, respectively, with the resources, network, and access needed to unlock their full potential.

Sponsors

Founded and produced by Ernst & Young LLP, the Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards include presenting sponsors PNC Bank, Cresa, SAP and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In Greater Philadelphia, sponsors also include Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN); Lockton; Marsh USA, ADP and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.

About Entrepreneur Of The Year

Founded in 1986, Entrepreneur Of The Year has celebrated more than 11,000 ambitious visionaries who are leading successful, dynamic businesses in the US, and it has since expanded to nearly 80 countries and territories globally.

The US program consists of 17 regional programs whose panels of independent judges select the regional award winners every June. Those winners compete for national recognition at the Strategic Growth Forum in November where National finalists and award winners are announced. The overall National winner represents the US at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year competition. Visit ey.com/us/eoy .

About EY

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.

Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.

Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy . EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com .

About 2X

2X is a leading B2B marketing-as-a-service (MaaS) firm that helps marketing leaders achieve greater impact while lowering costs through its unique managed services delivery model. 2X provides best-in-class MOps and MarTech management , campaign build and optimization , content and creative production , and strategy consulting services . 2X is a services partner of 6sense, Salesforce, Adobe Marketo Engage, HubSpot, Bombora, Drift, WordPress, Google, Meta, and many other leading revenue platforms.

With nearly 1,000 team members globally, 2X is backed by private-equity firm Recognize Partners. 2X has been recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the US by Inc. and the Financial Times. For more information, visit 2X.marketing or our LinkedIn .

Media Contact

Audree Hernandez

Jmac PR for 2X

2X@jmacpr.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/745ac7bc-b6b8-4b74-addc-645c123291ef
Thumzup has officially launched in the Pasadena market



Customers at these initial Pasadena businesses can now get paid to post on Instagram about their visits



Los Angeles, CA, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thumzup  Media Corporation ("Thumzup" or the "Company") (OTCQB: TZUP) is pleased to showcase its technologys growing influence across Greater Los Angeles with new advertising partnerships secured in Pasadena, California.

Pasadenas first Thumzup advertisers include Anytime Fitness , April Blooms Boutique , Renew Performance Center and The Kitchen Italian Cafe & Pizzeria . Through these partnerships, visitors of each establishment will have a chance to earn cash rewards by posting about their encounters on Instagram through the Thumzup app.

This announcement, which follows the company's recent expansion into additional SoCal communities, underscores the app's significant impact on motivating locals to share their experiences frequenting their favorite local businesses.

We are thrilled to introduce our apps expansion to the residents and businesses of Pasadena. With Thumzup, the vibrant community of this city will discover even more reasons to contribute to its flourishing commerce, said Thumzup CEO Robert Steele. We are excited to continue creating new partnerships with additional Pasadena businesses in the months ahead.

As the company expands its presence in Southern California, Thumzup is poised to grow its advertiser base and offer effective marketing strategies to small businesses in a cost effective way. With consumers increasingly valuing recommendations from trusted friends and family, this expansion into Pasadena highlights the app's tangible impact on the Los Angeles community.

About Thumzup

Thumzup Media Corporation (Thumzup) is democratizing the multi-billion dollar social media branding and marketing industry. Its flagship product, the Thumzup platform, utilizes a robust programmatic advertiser dashboard coupled with a consumer-facing App to enable individuals to get paid cash for posting about participating advertisers on major social media outlets through the Thumzup App. The easy-to-use dashboard allows advertisers to programmatically customize their campaigns. Cash payments are made to App users/creators through PayPal and other digital payment systems.

Thumzup was featured on CBS News Los Angeles and is a publicly traded company (OTCQB stock ticker: TZUP). For more information, please visit https://www.thumzupmedia.com .

Legal Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include, without limitation, statements about its potential growth, impacts on the advertising industry, plans for potential uplisting, and planned expansion. These statements are identified by the use of the words "could," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "may," "continue," "predict," "potential," "project" and similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Although we believe that our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that these plans, objectives, expectations or intentions will be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience and present expectations or projections. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements and the trading price for our common stock may fluctuate significantly. Forward-looking statements also are affected by the risk factors described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Contact Info

investors@thumzupmedia.com

800-403-6150

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Nairobi, Kenya, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Institutes for Research (AIR) opened a new office in Kenya today, demonstrating its deep commitment to conducting research and providing technical assistance in the East Africa region. AIR staff were joined by local and regional leaders for a grand opening event at the new office in the Westlands area of Nairobi.

In East Africa, there is a growing desire to improve education, health, workforce, and economic opportunities as a way to strengthen communities and improve lives, said AIR President and CEO Jessica Heppen. We are doing more than opening an office today: AIR is making a commitment to be partners with the leaders and citizens of the region to increase opportunities and create a better, more equitable world for all.

The new office will house 39 AIR staff members and will serve as a hub for the institutions current and future work in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and other countries in the region. That work includes:

Studying efforts to address Vitamin A deficiencies in Tanzania by promoting production and consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes.

Conducting third-party monitoring for USAIDs Afya Uwazi project to ensure medicines and other health commodities are reaching areas where they are needed.

Exploring linkages between socioeconomic indicators and climate change in East Africa.

Supporting communications and dissemination for USAIDs Famine Early Warning Systems Network, which informs humanitarian responses in the worlds most food insecure regions through evidence-driven analysis.

Evaluating USAIDs East Africa Region Environment program activities, to inform the design of future natural resource management in the region.

Determining lessons and direction for scalability and replicability of UNICEFs Nutritional Improvements Through Cash and Health Education program.

The Kenya office will also be the home to partnerships with regional universities and other organizations to ensure the relevance of AIRs research and technical assistance work and help train the next generation of social and behavioral scientists.

The challenges in East Africa are unique and complex and, for that reason, it is imperative that we work with those that are closest to the problems we are trying to address and understand the needs of those who live and work in these communities, said Christine Kiecha, managing director of AIRs Kenya office.

The AIR Pipeline Partnership Programfunded by the AIR Equity Initiativehas partnerships with the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the University of Nairobi that provide education, training, and mentoring for students who are entering social and behavioral science fields. AIR also has growing partnerships with Kenyatta University and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, both in Kenya, to collaborate on research and education.

AIR wants to serve as a catalyst to increase the development and use of timely, relevant evidence and help grow the social and behavioral science fields in East Africa, said Ashu Handa, an AIR Institute Fellow based in the Kenya office. We look forward to building on our current partnerships and developing new relationships that will be beneficial in the future.

About AIR

Established in 1946, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of health, education, and the workforce. AIR's work is driven by its mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world. With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR has offices across the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit www.air.org.

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Fort Myers, Florida, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VIDEO AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Lee Healths Golisano Childrens Hospital launched a first-of-its-kind program to support patient care for pediatric patients with Autism Spectrum and Sensory Disorders (ASD). The SEA STAR Program, which stands for Safety Education Awareness, Sensory Training  Autism Readiness, includes the first Certified Autism Center (CAC) hospital in Florida, reviews of policies and procedures to align with sensory-friendly services, and efforts to identify locations throughout the facilities to best serve those living with Autism. It is also now equipped with the first sensory-friendly ambulance to help improve comfort, reduce stress, and ensure safe and supportive transportation to the hospital.

About one in 36 children has been identified with ASD, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control & Preventions (CDCs) Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.

The Certified Autism Center certification from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) equips staff and management with the skills needed to effectively treat autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals, addressing unique needs in communication, pain perception and the approach to treatment.

To achieve the CAC designation, over 80% of the hospitals physicians, nurses and patient-facing staff underwent training and certification to enhance their understanding of autism, communication techniques and patient safety. Additionally, IBCCES conducted an on-site assessment to offer further support, recommendations, and tools to improve care and accessibility for autistic patients and their families. Golisano Childrens Hospital is only the second full facility in the world to receive this designation.

"We are thrilled to implement a diverse range of therapeutic tools for patients with autism and other sensory disorders. Our team worked tirelessly to make this a reality and its a testament to their dedication to the highest level of compassionate care, said chief nursing and operations executive at Golisano Children's Hospital Alyssa Bostwick. We are exceptionally proud to see the hospital become the first Florida hospital to achieve the Certified Autism Center (CAC) designation and to have the first sensory-friendly ambulance. These lasting and impactful additions to care help parents recognize that the hospital is a safe space well-equipped to care for their childrens unique needs, ensuring that they will have access to the care they need when they need it. Creating a safe and supportive environment for autistic children seeking medical care cannot be understated.

The newly launched SEA STAR program brings together expertise from multiple disciplines, such as psychology, neurology, and special education, along with the lived experience and viewpoints of neurodivergent and disabled individuals themselves to grow the services of the childrens hospital and facilities.

In a statement, Myron Pincomb, chairman of the IBCCES board, commends Golisano Childrens Hospital for setting a noteworthy precedent for inclusivity in healthcare. Pincomb states, "Their commitment to enhancing care for autistic patients sets a commendable standard.

For more than 20 years, IBCCES has led in training and certification focusing on autism and neurodiversity for professionals in education, healthcare and corporate fields. These programs are recognized around the world by more than 100 countries as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.

The CAC certification will be renewed every two years as part of the SEA STAR program with updated training provided for staff. The credentials and training are meant to supplement or build upon existing departmental and organizational regulations and rules, particularly in a healthcare setting where professional protocols for patient or individual health and safety are already in place.

The staff at healthcare facilities and hospitals complete hours of training related to patient care and approach, communication strategies and awareness of alternative communication, sensory triggers or sensitivities, co-occurring conditions and needs, understanding the lived experience of autistic individuals and caregivers, and compassionate care.

A sensory-friendly ambulance plays a crucial role in ensuring safe and comfortable transportation for pediatric patients with ASD, helping to meet their unique sensory needs and provide a positive experience during medical emergencies or transfers.

The newly introduced ambulance is equipped with an array of therapeutic sensory devices carefully designed to address patients' needs and mitigate the impact of an already stressful situation, taking into account sensitivities to light, noise, and other sensory stimuli. This includes innovative features, such as a green energy lithium-ion chassis idle mitigation and battery backup system, significantly reducing both ambient noise and vibration during idle periods and provides backup power in case of a chassis failure. Additionally, the ambulance incorporates noise-reducing insulation to mitigate the effects of lights and sirens, along with ear muffs to provide an extra layer of sound insulation. Dimmer lighting creates a calmer atmosphere, complemented by soothing illuminated stars and a sky view mural on the ceiling. Sensory strips along the handrail help the patients to hold onto something, while fidget spinner distraction items and safety signal cards cater to nonverbal patients. A vertical bubble machine enhances relaxation, accompanied by the comfort of weighted blankets, among other thoughtful amenities. Together, these elements work harmoniously to minimize anxiety and facilitate a smooth transition to the hospital.

"When the Golisano Childrens Transport Team approached Frazer with the idea of a sensory-friendly transport vehicle, the alignment of values and vision was evident," said Adam Fischer, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Frazer. "At Frazer, our purpose is to 'Unleash Our Potential.' We see beyond the traditional boundaries of emergency vehicle building and strive to make a tangible difference in pre-hospital care. This project resonated deeply with our commitment to Define the Future of Mobile Healthcare and we are so thrilled to see it come to fruition for the Southwest Florida community and beyond."

Support for patients and families with autism extends throughout the Golisano system into Collier County with the addition of a sensory room at the Golisano Childrens Health Center, at 3361 Pine Ridge Rd., suite 201, in Naples.

The new sensory room helps put patients and families at ease during stressful situations by assisting patients with a variety of sensory disorders, such as autism, sensory modulation disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The sensory space can be lightened or darkened based on specific patient needs, and the team can utilize engaging tools like the bubble tube, fiber optic light strands, dynamic seating options and a variety of therapeutic sensory integration products to help children cope with their environment. Golisano Childrens Hospital in Fort Myers has six dedicated sensory rooms across inpatient and outpatient areas including the emergency department, inpatient units and the Pediatric Procedural Sedation Center.

Golisano Childrens Hospital is a Childrens Miracle Network Hospital. Funds from Childrens Miracle Network help make possible programs like SEA STAR and advanced equipment.

To learn more about Golisano Childrens Hospital and how it supports patients with ASD and other sensory disorders, please visit www.leehealth.org.

About Golisano Childrens Hospital of Southwest Florida

Golisano Childrens Hospital of Southwest Florida, a nationally recognized facility for safety and quality care, is one of five acute care hospitals within Lee Health. Established in 1994, Golisano is the only designated childrens hospital in Southwest Florida, with over 500,000 visits a year, serving patients from six surrounding counties. Ranked as a Top Childrens Hospital by Leapfrog, a Solution for Patient Safety network hospital, an Asthma Friendly Hospital and a certified center for children with Autism, Golisano offers over thirty specialty pediatric services in various locations across SWFL. Lee Health opened the current hospital building in May 2017, which includes 135-beds and comprehensive neonatal and pediatric services. For more information, visit GolisanoChildrensSWFL.org .

About IBCCES

Committed to providing The Global Standard for Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders  IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.

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Salt Lake City, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Certified nurse-midwives at Intermountain Health have been attending births in Utah for 35 years, having started at Intermountain LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City in 1989.

The are now more than 50 number of certified nurse-midwives with 16 Utah Intermountain Health hospital locations in Utah from Logan to St. George.

More than 1,500 births were attended by Intermountain midwives in 2023. Beginning on May 1, they will be back to what midwives affectionately refer to as catching babies their patients give birth to at Intermountain LDS Hospital.

Many people dont realize that most certified nurse-midwives in Utah attend births in hospitals, said Che Fullmer, DNP, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife with Intermountain Health. In our practice alone during the last 35 years, we have attended the births of nearly 16,000 babies.

As midwives, weve always been committed to bedside support throughout labor. In our practice, we work together with our maternal fetal medicine physicians who have the specialized expertise to provide care to patients with pregnancy complications. We like to refer to it as a high touch/high tech collaboration, she said.

Not Just Delivering Babies

But midwives dont just deliver babies and provide prenatal care, they also see patients for a variety of womens health concerns and conditions from puberty to menopause, and beyond.

In response to the many healthcare needs unique to women, the Intermountain Nurse-Midwives have launched a gynecology access clinic which provides women with access to comprehensive gynecology care.

Both virtual and in-person appointments are available. Most patients are seen within a few days, with some same-day appointments available. Virtual appointments are provided to patients in Utah.

In-person appointments are available at the Intermountain Medical Center Nurse-Midwives Clinic in Murray and the new Intermountain LDS Nurse-Midwives Clinic on the LDS Hospital campus in Salt Lake City.

There are also plans for other clinics to join the program in the near future.

What is a Certified Nurse Midwife?

The word midwife literally means with woman which is evidenced by the midwife philosophy to create a relationship and support people in the choices they make during pregnancy and birth, and to promote optimal health during pregnancy and at other times of their lives.

A certified nurse midwife is an advanced practice clinician who specializes in providing primary care and care related to reproductive and sexual health to people from all communities, from the teenage years through menopause and beyond.

The gynecology access clinic can provide timely diagnosis and treatment for patients with any of the following symptoms or concerns:

 Abnormal vaginal bleeding or discharge

 Pelvic pain, vaginal pain

 Urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms

 Birth control consultation, prescription, or IUD (intrauterine device) placement

 Sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening and treatment

 Early pregnancy nausea and vomiting

 Depression/anxiety screening and referral to behavioral health providers

 Breast lump or pain

 Menopause/perimenopause symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disruption, hormone fluctuations, vaginal dryness, etc.

For most of these concerns a midwife can provide complete comprehensive care. If more specialized care is needed, patients can be referred to an Intermountain OB/GYN, behavioral health provider, or other specialist and the care is coordinated between providers.

If a patient already has an Intermountain OB/GYN provider, they can still be seen in the gynecology access clinic for urgent concerns, and care will be coordinated with their OB/GYN and they can see that provider for future needs.

Intermountain nurse-midwives can deliver babies at 16 Utah hospitals including:

 Intermountain Alta View Hospital, Sandy.

 Intermountain American Fork Hospital.

 Intermountain Cedar City Hospital.

 Intermountain Medical Center, Murray.

 Intermountain Layton Hospital.

 Intermountain LDS Hospital, SLC (beginning May 1).

 Intermountain Logan Region Hospital.

 Intermountain McKay-Dee Hospital, Ogden.

 Intermountain Orem Community Hospital.

 Intermountain Park City Hospital.

 Intermountain Riverton Hospital.

 Intermountain Sanpete Valley Hospital.

 Intermountain Sevier Valley Hospital.

 Intermountain Spanish Fork Hospital.

 Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital.

 Intermountain Utah Valley Hospital, Provo.

To contact the Intermountain Gynecology Access Clinic, call 801-408-7041 or go to intermountainhealth.org

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Milan, Italy, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Royal Finance Coin (RFC) has announced the commencement of the pre-sale of its much-awaited token, offering early investors a chance to join the project at a favorable entry point. The brainchild of financial experts from the crypto industry, the RFC token is strategically positioned for high growth, backed by tangible assets, and committed to sustainability, making it a pioneering investment opportunity.

Post-pre-sale, RFC vows to reinvest in state-of-the-art crypto mining machines housed within Aruba.it's premier data centers, exclusively powered by renewable energy sources. This initiative underscores RFC's pledge to sustainable mining practices, ensuring a greener future for digital finance.

RFC's strategic investment insights project significant asset generation, with each mining machine capable of producing cryptocurrency worth one Bitcoin monthly. This deliberate injection of value enhances RFC's token worth, fostering steady appreciation in the market.

Mined cryptocurrency is reinvested into RFC's liquidity pool, bolstering token stability and growth. This strategic move not only ensures continuous asset backing but also drives value and stability in the cryptocurrency market.

RFC offers a staking program for token holders, providing competitive Annual Percentage Yields (APY) and monthly rewards. This initiative fosters community engagement, contributing to RFC's ecosystem stability and growth.

RFC announces plans to establish an international hub in Dubai, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion journey. Details of this venture will be unveiled in due course, reflecting RFC's ambition to solidify its presence in the global market.

RFC's innovative solution aims to replace traditional mining farms with a decentralized, low-energy-impact system, ensuring sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

Through local cluster nodes, RFC intelligently connects to primary pool services, optimizing hash accumulation and reducing electricity consumption.

RFC's roadmap outlines strategic milestones, including the pre-sale, public sale, mining operations kick-off, and setting up an international hub in Dubai, paving the way for exponential growth and market expansion.

With yearly revenue goals of $6 million to $7.2 million from mining operations and market cap milestones aiming for exponential growth, RFC promises lucrative returns and sustainable growth prospects.

Royal Finance Coin (RFC) epitomizes the fusion of technology, sustainability, and investment opportunity, offering a compelling case for investors seeking long-term value growth and environmental responsibility.



Join RFC's journey at https://rfcofficial.io and become part of a revolution in digital finance.





To learn more, read the whitepaper at: https://whitepaper.rfcofficial.io/



Join the conversation at:

Telegram: https://t.me/+bnQiqbu07zI4ZWQ0

X (formely Twitter): https://twitter.com/rfcoinofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rfccoinofficial

Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities
Avance Gas Holding Ltd (the Company) advises that the 2024 Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of the Company was held on April 29, 2024, at 14:45 hrs, at Hamilton Princess and Beach Club, 76 Pitts Bay Road, Hamilton HMCX, Bermuda. The audited consolidated financial statements for the Company for the year ended December 31, 2023 were presented to the Meeting.

In addition, the following resolutions were passed:

1. To set the maximum number of Directors to be not more than eight.

2. To resolve that vacancies in the number of Directors be designated as casual vacancies and that the Board of Directors be authorized to fill such vacancies as and when it deems fit.

3. To re-elect Kathrine Fredriksen as a Director of the Company.

4. To re-elect ystein Kalleklev as a Director of the Company.

5. To re-elect Francois Sunier as a Director of the Company.

6. To re-elect James OShaughnessy as a Director of the Company.

7. To re-elect Will Homan-Russell as a Director of the Company.

8. To approve the remuneration of the Companys Board of Directors of a total amount of fees not to exceed US$500,000 for the year ended 31 December 2024.

9. Capital adjustment.

10. Reduction of share premium account.

April 29, 2024

The Board of Directors

Avance Gas Holding Ltd

Hamilton, Bermuda

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act
Carrollton, TX, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BuzzBallz is bringing the party to the southwest all year long as the Official Wine-Based Ready to Drink Sponsor with premier outdoor events company Activated Events. Throughout 2024, BuzzBallz has signed to sponsor at least 11 events put on by Activated.

At this point in the year, BuzzBallz has already sponsored 3 of these events, promoting their brand of premixed cocktails to tens of thousands of attendees in southwest states including California and Arizona.

The Activated Events sponsored by BuzzBallz in 2024 include multiple stops on the Boots in the Park country concert series as well as the Smoke Show BBQ and country music festival and Coastal Country Jam country music festival.

Country fans love BuzzBallz and so do we here at Activated Events, Alexander Will, Director of Brand Partnerships with Activated Events, said. Our meaningful partnership has grown significantly over the past two years, and we are excited about our bright future together.

Along with featuring their wine-based BuzzBallz Chillers as an available drink at each event, BuzzBallz will be hosting on-site activations with merch giveaways, games, surveys, and sweepstakes leading up to the event.

The sweepstakes will be posted on BuzzBallz social media channels, where people can enter for a chance to win tickets to an event.

Cori Culbertson, BuzzBallz Trade and Events Marketing Manager, said shes hoping to create a more lasting impression on event-goers at this years sponsored events, and hopefully see some familiar faces.

We saw great success in our partnerships with Activated Events in 2023, and knew we had to go bigger and better this year. Were excited to provide BuzzBallz experiences at events that audiences will remember just as much as their favorite bands and times with friends, she said.

BuzzBallz has increased their events efforts to be aligned with multiple types of festival experiences in 2024. These festivals align with the BuzzBallz brand which is built upon themes of good times, being the life of the party, and making memories with loved ones.

The next event from Activated Events sponsored by BuzzBallz will be the Boots in the Park country music festival in Santa Clarita, CA on May 10, featuring headliner Sam Hunt.

For tickets and more information, visit www.activatedevents.com and www.buzzballz.com.

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About BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion:

Since its founding in 2009, BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion has been a leader of innovation and originality in the ready-to-drink cocktail industry. Owning the only woman-owned distillery, winery, and brewery in the United States, CEO and Founder Merrilee Kick has taken her masters degree thesis project from an idea by her pool to a worldwide brand with distribution nationwide and in 25 countries. The companys two staple brands, BuzzBallz and Uptown Cocktails, have won dozens of awards for their design, flavor, and popularity, with BuzzBallz rising to the #1 selling RTD in convenience stores and going viral on social media with hundreds of millions of views on posts mentioning the one of a kind cocktail.

The companys mission is to create fun and innovative premixed cocktails for the world with a vision to reinvent happy hour. With premium natural ingredients and all gluten-free and Kosher-certified flavors, the Texas-based business is dedicated to high quality in their products for consumers and community alike. Through partnerships like their TerraCycle program, BuzzBallz, LLC/Southern Champion values environmental responsibility with an emphasis on sustainability and economic improvement. The family-owned company cultivates a familial relationship with their teams to make a positive and lasting impact one sip at a time. Learn more at: www.southern-champion.com, www.uptowncocktails.com, and www.buzzballz.com.

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VANCOUVER, April 29, 2024 - Bedford Metals Corp. (TSX-V: BFM) (the "Company" or "Bedford") announces that following a successful diligence review, it has elected to enter into a definitive option agreement (the "Agreement"), with an arms-length party, to acquire the Ubiquity Lake Uranium Project located in the renowned Athabasca Basin, Canada. This Agreement allows Bedford Metals to expand its existing mineral property portfolio with a highly prospective uranium project.



The Ubiquity Lake Uranium Project, covering 1382 hectares, lies just south of the bottom lip of the Athabasca Basin, adjacent to ALX Uranium's Carpenter Lake Project to the east. Situated near the Cable Bay Shear Zone, parallel to the Virgin River Shear Zone, which hosts Cameco's Centennial uranium deposit, the project holds immense potential. Furthermore, it is located 100 km west of Cameco's past-producing Key Lake uranium mine, underscoring the strategic significance of its location.

Peter Born, President of Bedford, expressed his appreciation for the Company's technical advisors in facilitating the successful completion of due diligence, stating, "The Ubiquity Lake Uranium Project represents a significant step forward in our mission to create shareholder value. The addition of this highly prospective uranium project to our portfolio gives us the potential to play a role in the new green energy economy."

Bedford reaffirms its commitment to environmental stewardship and collaboration with local nations and communities as it moves forward with the Ubiquity Lake Uranium Project. The Company remains dedicated to conducting its operations responsibly and ethically, ensuring minimal environmental impact and fostering positive stakeholder relationships.

For further information regarding the Ubiquity Lake Uranium Project, and the terms by which the Company can acquire the Project, readers are encouraged to review the news release issued by the Company on March 7, 2024. No finders' fees or commissions are payable by the Company in connection with the Agreement, nor does the Agreement contemplate that any securities of the Company would be issued.

About Bedford Metals Corp.

Bedford Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration company. We create value for our shareholders by identifying and developing highly prospective mineral exploration opportunities. Our strategy is to advance our projects from discovery to production, allowing Bedford to achieve exceptional shareholder value through the entire mining life cycle.

Ubiquity Lake Uranium Project, covering 1382 hectares, lies just south of the bottom lip of the Athabasca Basin, adjacent to ALX Uranium's Carpenter Lake Project to the east. Situated near the Cable Bay Shear Zone, parallel to the Virgin River Shear Zone, which hosts Cameco's Centennial uranium deposit, the project holds immense potential. Furthermore, it is located 100 km west of Cameco's past-producing Key Lake uranium mine, underscoring the strategic significance of its location.

Margurete Gold Project. Bedford owns a one-hundred percent interest in the Margurete Gold Project. The primary target of the Margurete Gold Project is the FB Zone. The project was last explored in 2018 with property-wide prospecting, mapping, and rock chip sampling, in parallel with a targeted pack-sack diamond drilling program. An initial exploration program was completed on the Margurete property in 1986 by Falconbridge. This program consisted of geochemical surveys, ground-based geophysics, and a diamond drilling program, successfully identifying gold-bearing veins, which are believed to be genetically related to the same mineralizing events responsible for the nearby Doratha Morton and Alexandria Gold mines.

Dr. Peter Born, PGeo, is the designated qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for, and has approved, the technical information contained in this release.

For further information, please contact the Company at info@bedfordmetals.com or 604-622-1199 or visit the Company's website at www.bedfordmetals.com.

On behalf of the Board,

Bedford Metals Corp.

"Peter Born"

President

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

CONTACT:

MRKT360 INC

https://mrkt360.com

Alex Zertuche

alexz@mrkt360.com

For E.S.T Office Hours, Call 1 416-477-0587
VANCOUVER, April 29, 2024 - Orla Mining Ltd. (TSX: OLA) (NYSE: ORLA) ("Orla" or the "Company") and Contact Gold Corp. (TSXV: C) ("Contact") are pleased to announce that Orla has completed the previously announced acquisition of Contact by way of court-approved plan of arrangement (the "Transaction").As a result of the completion of the Transaction, Orla acquired all of the issued and outstanding Contact Gold common shares (the "Contact Shares") and Contact became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Orla. Former Contact Gold shareholders received, in exchange for each Contact Share held immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction, 0.0063 of an Orla common share under the terms of the Transaction. The Contact Shares will be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange and an application has been made for Contact to cease to be a reporting issuer in all of the provinces and territories of Canada, other than Quebec.Contact's key asset is the 100%-owned Pony Creek property, a 4,500-hectare exploration land package, strategically located adjacent to Orla's South Railroad property in the heart of the Carlin trend in Nevada. Contact also owns the Green Springs property located in the southern end of the Cortez trend. Green Springs is an early-stage exploration project which is subject to an earn-in right held by Centerra Gold Inc. ("Centerra"), whereby Centerra has the right to acquire 70% of the project through completion of a four-year, $10.0 million exploration program. Orla has begun integrating Pony Creek into the Company's exploration activities and intends to increase the exploration budget by $3.0 million to enhance continued exploration efforts of the Company. This additional expenditure will increase the total 2024 exploration spend at South Railroad to $14.0 million.This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities.Orla's corporate strategy is to acquire, develop, and operate mineral properties where the Company's expertise can substantially increase stakeholder value. The Company has two material gold projects: (1) Camino Rojo, located in Zacatecas State, Mexico and (2) South Railroad, located in Nevada, United States. Orla is operating the Camino Rojo Oxide Gold Mine, a gold and silver open-pit and heap leach mine. The property is 100% owned by Orla and covers over 130,000 hectares which contains a large oxide and sulphide mineral resource. Orla is also developing the South Railroad Project, a feasibility-stage, open pit, heap leach gold project located on the Carlin trend in Nevada. The technical reports for the Company's material projects are available on Orla's website at www.orlamining.com, and on SEDAR+ and EDGAR under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov, respectively.This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the United States Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or in releases made by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, all as may be amended from time to time, including statements regarding the Company's exploration budget for 2024. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts which address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements were made. Consequently, there can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These risks include, but are not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the Company's most recently filed management's discussion and analysis, as well as its annual information form dated March 19, 2024, which are available on www.sedarplus.ca and www.sec.gov. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.SOURCE Orla Mining Ltd. Please contact: Jason Simpson, President & Chief Executive OfficerAndrew Bradbury, Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Developmentwww.orlamining.cominvestor@orlamining.com
Vancouver, April 29, 2024 - Canter Resources Corp. (CSE: CRC) (OTC Pink: CNRCF) (FSE: 6O1) ("Canter" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Annual General Meeting (the "AGM") held on April 25, 2024. All resolutions presented to the shareholders were approved with over 99% of votes cast being in favour of each resolution.

"I'd like to welcome our newly appointed directors, with the board now collectively owning more than nine percent of the issued and outstanding common shares," commented Canter CEO, Joness Lang. "After incorporating our other consultants and advisors, that ownership number climbs to more than 15 percent, aligning interests with our broader shareholder group as we take strides towards building a prominent critical metals exploration company. Management would like to extend its gratitude to Maximillian Whiffen and Brian Goss for their contributions to Canter during their tenure. As they transition to new endeavors, we wish them continued success."

As a result of the approved resolutions:

Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants were re-appointed as auditors of the Company.

The number of directors was set at four with the following nominees elected as directors: Joness Lang, Eric Saderholm (independent), Ken Cunningham (independent) and Warwick Smith.

The Company's stock option plan was re-approved.

Following the AGM, the Company appointed Eric Saderholm, Warwick Smith and Ken Cunningham to its Audit Committee.

About Canter Resources Corp.

Canter Resources Corp. is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company advancing the Columbus Lithium-Boron Project in Nevada, USA and the Beaver Creek Lithium Property in Montana, USA. The Company is completing Phase I exploration and drilling at Columbus to test a highly prospective lithium-boron brine target and plans to leverage the Company's critical metals targeting database to generate a portfolio of high-quality projects with the aim of defining mineral resources that support the domestic clean energy supply chain in North America.

For further information contact:

Joness Lang

Chief Executive Officer

Canter Resources Corp.

jlang@canterresources.com

For investor inquiries contact:

Kristina Pillon, High Tide Consulting Corp.

Tel: 604.908.1695

investors@canterresources.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207195
DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S.

TORONTO - (April 29, 2024) - Enerev5 Metals Inc. ("Enerev5" or the "Company") (TSXV:ENEV / OTCPinks:ENEVF) announces that a director of the Company was served with a statement of claim on behalf of the Company. TIAfrica Ltd. ("TIAfrica"), a company based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, claims that on or about the16th of January, 2019, it signed a Letter of Intent ("LOI") with the Company, enforceable and binding under which: (a) In exchange for the purchase of 4,333,333 shares of the Company by TIAfrica, the Company would build a hydroxide plant and would hire TIAfrica to hire staff and to take care of everything related to human and administrative resources; and (b) the Company would hire the plaintiff for all its needs in human resources and administrative services on any other mining site where it would be involved on the African continent. It claims a sum in Canadian dollars equal to US$500,000 in compensatory damages, under contract or tort, an additional sum of CAD$300,000 for loss of business opportunities, interest, and costs. TIAfrica alleges that the Company breached its contractual obligations by not building the plant and not hiring it for this project. TIAfrica further alleges that the Company also failed in its duty to perform in good faith in contractual relations and did not use its discretion, where applicable, in a manner consistent with good faith, and further that the representatives of the Company made negligent, false or misleading representations by explaining to the plaintiff that the establishment of a factory was imminent when it was not, and that this induced TIAfrica to enter into the LOI and incur expenses by relying on these representations, to its detriment. The Company considers the claims to be without merit and intends to defend the action and counterclaim for any damages which the Company may sustain as a result of this baseless claim.

About Enerev5 Metals Inc.

Enerev5 Metals Inc. (TSXV: ENEV/ OTCPinks:ENEVF) is a Canadian resource company which has been focusing on exploration and development potential, related to energy metals such as nickel, copper, cobalt and other strategic battery minerals, as well as other net zero carbon related assets.

For additional information, please contact:

John F. O'Donnell

Interim CEO and Chairman of the Board

Enerev5 Metals Inc.

Telephone: +1-647-966-3100

Website: www.enerev5.com

Forward-Looking Statements



This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. .Such statements include those regarding the intention to defend and commence a counterclaim with respect to the baseless claim made against the Company. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the statements. There are certain factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. These include market prices, exploitation, and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions, including the continuing effects of the COVID pandemic and the situations in Ukraine and the Middle East. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

For more information on the Company, investors should review registered filings at www.sedarplus.ca or on its website at www.enerev5.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.
Vancouver, April 29, 2024 - Equity Metals Corp. (TSXV: EQTY) ("Equity") reports today that crews have mobilized in preparation for the 2024 Exploration Season on its 100% owned Silver Queen Ag-Au project, located in central British Columbia.

Up to 6,500 metres of drilling are planned in this first phase of work, which will focus on the George Lake vein system (Figures 1). The George Lake veins were initially identified in limited historical drilling and were only partially tested by Equity's drilling in 2023. The veins remain open for expansion and will be tested along a potential 600 metre strike-length and up to 400m depth in the upcoming drill program.

The company has also prioritized several new targets to be further developed during 2024 in preparation for drilling, including a newly identified polymetallic soil anomaly located north of the Camp Deposit. Drilling will commence in early May and will continue into late June/early July.

George Lake Target

Seven holes totalling 2,324 metres were completed in the Summer 2023 drill program on the George Lake target. Drilling confirmed both the historical grade and tenor of mineralization adjacent to the Bulkley Cross-cut (historic underground workings) and extended mineralization 400 metres to the southeast and up to 250 metres below surface.

Highlights from the Summer '23 drilling on the George Lake target include:

A 0.3 metre (est. TT) interval averaging 4.1g/t Au, 824g/t Ag, 0.7% Cu, 3.4% Pb and 18.4% Zn (25.4g/t AuEq or 2,076g/t AgEq) within a 1.5 metre (est. TT) interval grading 1.3g/t Au, 226/t Ag, 1.0% Cu, 1.7% Pb and 6.6% Zn (9.2g/t AuEq or 755g/t AgEq) from drillhole SQ23-090; and

A 0.9 metre (est. TT) interval averaging 7.1g/t Au, 56g/t Ag, 0.2% Cu, 1.5% Pb and 6.0% Zn (11.6g/t AuEq or 946g/t AgEq) within a 3.0 metre (est. TT) interval averaging 2.5g/t Au, 31g/t Ag, 0.4% Cu, 0.5% Pb and 2.5% Zn (4.8g/t AuEq or 394g/t AgEq) from drillhole SQ23-093;

Drilling also identified several hanging wall intercepts which require further testing and delineation.

VP Exploration Rob Macdonald commented, "Exploration in 2023 confirmed the George Lake target as an attractive mineralized zone that was not sufficiently delineated previously to be included in resource calculations. Our 2024 drill program will capitalize on this and earlier work, to continue the extension of the vein set to the southeast and to depth with our goal of continuing to expand the Silver Queen resource base.

The George Lake mineralization is one of 20 different historic veins identified on the property and could be particularly significant as historic underground access already exists, potentially providing a source of increased mill feed to an eventual mining scenario. Though currently flooded, those workings could be dewatered for inexpensive access to this expanding vein system."





Figure 1: Plan Map of targets on the Silver Queen vein system, BC



To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5566/207104_e7cf256694d26a7f_002full.jpg

About Silver Queen Project

The Silver Queen Project is a premier gold-silver property with over 100 years of historic exploration and development and is located adjacent to power, roads and rail with significant mining infrastructure that was developed under previous operators Bradina JV (Bralorne Mines) and Houston Metals Corp. (a Hunt Brothers company). The property contains an historic decline into the No. 3 Vein, camp infrastructure, and a maintained Tailings Facility.

The Silver Queen Property consists of 46 mineral claims, 17 crown grants, and two surface crown grants totalling 18,870ha with no underlying royalties. Mineralization is hosted by a series of epithermal veins distributed over a 6 sq km area. An updated NI43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate with effective date December 1st, 2022 was detailed in a News Release issued on Jan 16, 2023, which can be found by clicking here and the full Technical Report can be found on SEDAR and the Company's website.

Of the more than 20 different veins which have been identified on the property, only four have been sufficiently delineated to contribute to the most recent mineral resource estimate on the property. The property remains largely underexplored.

About Equity Metals Corporation

Equity Metals Corp. is a Malaspina-Manex Group Company. The Company owns 100% interest, with no underlying royalty, in the Silver Queen project, located along the Skeena Arch in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The property hosts high-grade, precious- and base-metal veins related to a buried porphyry system, which has been only partially delineated. The Company also has a controlling JV interest (57.49%) in the Monument Diamond project, NWT, strategically located in the Lac De Gras district within 40 km of both the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines. The Company also has royalty and working interests in other Canadian properties, which are being evaluated further to determine their value to the Company.

Robert Macdonald, MSc. P.Geo, is VP Exploration of Equity Metals Corp. and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. He is responsible for the supervision of the exploration on the Silver Queen project and for the preparation of the technical information in this disclosure.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

"Joseph Anthony Kizis, Jr."

Joseph Anthony Kizis, Jr., P.Geo

President, Director, Equity Metals Corp.

For further information, visit the website at https://www.equitymetalscorporation.com; or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at corpdev@mnxltd.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Equity Metals Corp. does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/207104
CSE: CTOC

www.c2cmetals.com

VANCOUVER, April 29, 2024 - C2C Metals Corp. (CSE: CTOC) (the "Company" or "C2C") today reports the Company has granted 400,000 common stock options, effective, April 29, 2024, to the Chief Executive Officer at a price of 0.16 CDN per share for a three-year period, in accordance with its Stock Option Plan. Vesting will occur over a period of eighteen months, with 25% vesting immediately and 25% vesting every 6 months thereafter until fully vested.

About C2C Metals Corp.

C2C Metals is a mineral exploration company which holds a portfolio of uranium, gold and copper projects in the United States and Canada. C2C Metals is focused on acquiring conventional uranium assets in the United States while maintaining a portfolio of advanced gold and copper assets in Canada.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE C2C Metals Corp.
Sainz a little down about Ferrari exit

Carlos Sainz admits he's "a little down" as the full reality of his impending departure from Ferrari sinks in.

Carlos Sainz, Chinese GP 2024

 Ferrari

The on-form 29-year-old Spaniard - the only driver to have beaten a Red Bull in the past two seasons - will be replaced at Maranello by Lewis Hamilton from 2025.

On a visit to the MotoGP race at Jerez at the weekend, Sainz told La Gazzetta dello Sport's Sportweek publication: "I have mixed feelings.

"I'm starting to see the growth of the (Ferrari) project now. The car is better and I have confidence driving it. That makes me happy for this year, but sad because we won't continue the journey together.

But that's life. It wasn't my decision, but maybe there will be better things to come.

He likens the past several months as like a rollercoaster .

I'm up at the moment from a sporting point of view, but a little down because I wanted to stay at Ferrari, he added.

Sainz is believed to have been offered a one-year deal at Mercedes for 2025, but he is more strongly linked with a longer-term arrangement with the newly Audi-owned Sauber team.

I have to see all the offers, Sainz insists. In my head I haven't decided where to go yet.

The good news, he says, is that he has multiple options to remain in Formula 1.

With each passing season I feel like a better driver, said Sainz. "I've always wanted to be a good name to occupy the most important seats in Formula 1 and frankly I hope it goes that way for many more years.

I smile when thinking about the future even if what happens doesn't depend solely on me. All options are open, but it takes time and it won't affect the way I race anyway.

(GMM)
Trump shelves plans to attend Miami GP

Donald Trump may have had to shelve plans to attend this weekend's Miami GP.

Start, Miami GP 2023

 Red Bull'

The Washington Post reports that Trump's friend and associate Steve Witkoff had organised a fundraising event to be held at F1's Paddock Club.

Those invited were told the event was for Trump and would cost $250,000, the newspaper said, adding that the plans had advanced to the point of the secret service reaching out to race organisers.

In response, the Miami GP sent a cease and desist letter , explaining that the fundraiser would have breached the terms of the Paddock Club booking.

If this is true, we regret to inform you that your suite license will be revoked, you will not be allowed to attend the race at any time, and we will refund you in full, the letter reportedly read.

When contacted for comment, real estate developer Witkoff said only: This is something fake, for sure.

(GMM)
Verstappen rivals could be closer in Miami says Marko

Dr Helmut Marko has warned that Red Bull could be facing a tougher challenge this weekend in Monaco.

Max Verstappen, Chinese GP 2024

 Red Bull'

On the track so far in 2024, the energy drink company's premier Formula 1 team continued and even extended its recent dominance with triple consecutive world champion Max Verstappen at the wheel.

Five weekends, five different race tracks, five pole positions for Max Verstappen, four victories, top Austrian team advisor Marko, who turned 81 at the weekend, told Speed Week.

At this point we can reasonably say that we have a car that is fast on any type of track.

Even better, Marko adds, is that Red Bull's closest chasers - Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes - are experiencing ups and downs in their own performance.

That pleases me, he said, because it means our lead increases if someone else is always finishing behind us. We were amazed in China when Lando Norris was the second force.

However, Marko says Red Bull also has some worries.

The tyre wear in Melbourne was unusually high for us, he said. "So we're fast, yes, but the track surface and the circuit can make a difference.

"Where our opponents could get a little closer to us are Miami and Monaco, especially as they have gotten closer to us in qualifying. I can imagine that it won't be easy to be in pole position there.

"But I do expect us to still be competitive in Miami, even if the conditions are completely different again - warm and humid. We'll have to see how sensitive the tyres are to changes in the conditions.

We will fight for victory, Marko added, but which of our pursuers has the best day will play a big role and this will continue to vary depending on the track.

(GMM)
HMD is preparing to re-imagine another classic Nokia phone  the Nokia 3210  and it showed a teaser at an event in Kenya (the event was for its own-branded HMD Pulse trio). There are a few things to look at, but lets start with the classic.

The re-imagined Nokia 3210 4G

While it doesnt quite have the legendary status of its successor, the venerable Nokia 3310, the 3210 was still a landmark launch for the Finnish company. Unveiled in 1999, this was the first mass market phone with an internal antenna.

Unfortunately, the pictured Nokia 3210 (2024) looks nothing like the original, the design is much closer to the re-re-imagined Nokia 6310 (2024). To be fair, HMD itself describes the new model as a pairing of modern redesign with retro interface. And much like the original, the phone feature the Snake game.



Original Nokia 3210  Re-imagined Nokia 3210  Nokia 6310 (2024)

HMD also shared an image showing three feature phones, ones without so much legacy  Nokia 215 4G, Nokia 225 4G and Nokia 235 4G. The middle one leaked recently, but the other two are new. The Nokia 215 name has been used twice before  once in 2015 and once in 2020. The Nokia 235 name is brand new, however.

New Nokia feature phones: 215 4G, 225 4G and 235 4G

The image gives some basic details  the 215 and 235 both have 2.8 IPS displays, but the 235 has a 2MP camera, while the 215 has none. The 225 has a smaller 2.4 IPS LCD and a 2MP camera.

Something else to notice  there is now an HMD logo at the bottom, not just a Nokia logo.

As we mentioned, these images were shown at an HMD even and were reposted on X  those posts are now gone, so it seems that HMD is not quite ready to unveil the new feature phones yet.

Source
Samsung has revealed that it is launching the Galaxy F55 in India. A closer look at the device reveals this is just the Galaxy C55 that launched earlier this month in China but with a different name.

The company did not reveal a date for when the phone will go on sale other than saying it will be early next month. However, it did mention that it will be available through online retailer Flipkart and Samsung's own website, suggesting it will be an online-only launch like the company's other F-series devices.

You know its a work of art when you look at one. Brace yourself as heads will turn more often than usual with the all new #GalaxyF55 5G. Something remarkable is on its way. Coming Soon. #CraftedByTheMasters #Samsung pic.twitter.com/e28l4wcsZW  Samsung India (@SamsungIndia) April 29, 2024

Samsung is no stranger to rebranding or even selling two devices with only minor differences. Regardless of whether you want to call it the Galaxy F55 or the C55, the truth is that both devices are essentially the Galaxy M55, with the only difference being the presence of the vegan leather material for the back.

This means you are getting the same 6.7-inch 120Hz 1080p Super AMOLED+ display, Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, up to 12GB memory, up to 256GB storage with microSDXC expansion, triple rear camera with 50MP main and 50MP front, and 5000mAh battery with 45W charging.

The F55 will be available in the same orange and black colors as the C55. More information on availability as it's revealed.
An individual has been identified and handed over to local authorities for questioning after an anonymous potential threat posted online sent L. P. Untalan Middle School on high alert Monday morning.

A thorough investigation into the incident is being conducted, Untalan Middle School Principal Agnes Guerrero stated in a letter to parents and guardians.

While the investigation is ongoing, a no bag policy will be implemented at the middle school, Guerrero stated.

Students are asked not to bring a bag to school on Tuesday, April 30.

Small bags and lunch bags are permitted, but will be subject to search.

Student athletes must leave their bags in a designated room in the morning, for retrieval after school.

We understand that situations like these can be unsettling, but please know that we are committed to keeping you informed and prioritizing the safety of our school community. In the meantime, we encourage you to speak with your child about the importance of remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity they may come across, Guerrero stated in her letter.

Education Superintendent Erik Swanson, in a statement, said these measures reflect the collective effort of the School Safety Committee and the Administration to maintain a secure and focused atmosphere.

Swanson was on campus earlier Monday morning for support.

On high alert

An anonymous online potential threat posted at 6:01 a.m. on Monday sent L.P. Untalan Middle School on high alert.

The Guam Department of Education, however, didnt issue a public statement until about 11 a.m.

In response to a potential security concern, Guerrero took proactive measures to ensure the safety of students and staff, GDOE said.

GDOE said by contacting the Guam Police Department and implementing a no-bag policy, the principal demonstrated a commitment to maintaining a secure learning environment.

This policy is a common safety protocol designed to minimize risks and protect the community, GDOE said.

The school used the Risk Assessment Matrix, a tool for evaluating potential threats, to assess the situation accurately, GDOE said.

Additionally, the presence of school resource officers provided an extra layer of support, reinforcing the schools preparedness in handling such incidents, the department said.

These actions reflect the schools dedication to safety and the well-being of its community, as outlined in their mission statement and administrative policies, GDOE added.

Earlier in the morning, there was no GPD presence observed up front but staff at the gate said they are on lockdown and on high alert, but they did not want to release further details at this time.

Parents were being let in for drop off and pick up.

School administrators were in a meeting, according to gate staff Monday morning.

A school aide said there was a bag search implemented earlier in the day.

Vehicles entering the campus were being scrutinized.
The Department of Administration has managed to process a backlog of 60,000 invoices since the government of Guams new $31 million financial management information system went live in February, but there are still 30,000 invoices waiting to be processed.

That was one of the concerns discussed during an oversight hearing Monday on the transition from the 34-year old AS400 mainframe financial system to the new cloud-based, paperless system designed to handle GovGuams financial, payroll and human resource processing system.

The oversight hearing also touched on glitches and resistance from some GovGuam agencies in transitioning to the new system.

Not everyone is comfortable with change, DOA Director Edward Birn told senators. Were asking people to do things in a different way because we got into bad habits.

Agency heads and various personnel are required to undergo training, but DOA chief financial officer Theresa Rivers said across all agencies, about 82% have participated.

If you want access to the system, you need to be trained, Birn said.

Officials said they expect the backlog and other glitches to be cleared as they continue the migration of all agencies to the new system.

Birn said the goal is to migrate all agencies to the new system by Aug. 10.

Growing pains

The growing pains we are experiencing are temporary setbacks on a path to a more robust financial management system, GovGuam Chief Technology Officer Frank Lujan told senators.

Lujan said the new system will automate many manual tasks, leading to faster processing times and improved efficiency.

Real time access to financial data will pave the way for a more efficient and accountable government, he said.

But several senators said theyve received complaints about the system, such as with payroll.

DOAs Rivers confirmed there have been problems with payroll deductions.

Were working to resolve those issues before we migrate the next set of agencies to the new payroll system, she said.

Sen. Chris Barnett also questioned why certain law enforcement agencies remain under the legacy AS400 system.

Birn explained that the work schedules for the Guam Police Department and the Guam Fire Department differ from the standard 80-hour pay period, so DOA is migrating those agencies with standard pay periods first.

Brian Welch, a program manager for the FMIS contractor Performa, which has provided training on the new system, said online computer-based training is also available, and employees would need to submit a service request form in order to access the online training modules.
Chances are, you have been receiving some calls from numbers unfamiliar to you and they could be from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention doing a phone survey on immunization on Guam.

The Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services said the no-charge, off-island telephone numbers that the CDC or its contractor has been using are the following: (404) 809-2644, (404) 809-2195, (404) 806-4810, (404) 806-4811, or (404) 806-4812.

"We ask the public that if you are called to please cooperate, as the information collected is important, Public Health's chief medical officer and pediatrician Dr. Robert Leon Guerrero said.

The survey is intended to help assess immunization coverage among children 19 to 35 months of age, and adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 years old, Public Health said.

CDCs contractor, National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, will administer the Guam national immunization survey.

The CDC phone survey started this month and is expected to be ongoing for several months or until the CDC collects their data.

More about the survey

Parents or guardians will be asked to provide information on the date and type of vaccinations given to their children.

At the end of the interview, authorization to contact their child's vaccination provider will be requested from the parent or guardian.

The health care provider will then be contacted by mail to verify the child's vaccinations.

All data collected will be sent to the CDC for analysis and then provided to the DPHSS Immunization Program to compare Guams vaccination rates with those of other states and territories.

The data gathered by the national immunization survey is used to identify groups at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases, to provide feedback coverage in an effort to increase coverage, and to evaluate the effectiveness of programs designed to increase coverage.

For any questions concerning the national immunization survey, contact the DPHSS Immunization Program at (671) 735-7143/148/160.
The Guam Police Department is on the lookout for Mesemwan Repwak, who is wanted for questioning related to several violent incidents that happened in Barrigada.

GPD on Monday night issued a wanted flyer for Repwak, who's also known as "A.J." or "Ajay Jain Jr."

Police said there's a standing warrant on Repwak, who's involved in two cases of aggravated assault, and carjacking robbery.

Repwak is believed to be armed and dangerous, police said, adding that he is equipped with a silver handgun and has attacked another with an edged weapon, GPD said.

Police provided some descriptions of the man: 31 years old, Chuukese, with dark complexion, about 5'8" tall, weighs 150 to 170 lbs., and has blonde hair and brown eyes.

He also has a diagonal scar above his nose, GPD said, plus a right arm tribal tattoo and tattoo on his stomach.

Repwak was last seen on E. Taitano Road, fleeing from police. He is known to frequent the Harmon area by Hana Mart, Mongmong-Toto-Maite by Robat Street, Sinajana area by Papato Ct., West Buena Vista Skate Park.

If located, do not approach him, GPD said.

Call 911 or any CIS detective via GPD Dispatch at (671) 475-8615/6/7 for information.
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Haiti - Insecurity : Disabled people from Foyer St-Vincent attacked by armed men





The Office of the Secretary of State (Genard Joseph) for the Integration of People with Disabilities (BSEIPH) is deeply concerned by the deterioration of the living conditions of people with disabilities in the metropolitan area.



For several months, the Office has received alerts concerning a considerable number of displaced people with disabilities.



Every day the situation deteriorates a little more, this is the case of a group of disabled people staying at the Foyer St Vincent who suffered attacks this week from heavily armed individuals and who had to flee to save their lives... they are now at bay, without any destination and without a roof...



The BSEIPH thanks the Haitian National Police who made an armored vehicle available to allow people fleeing the Foyer St Vincent to recover their personal belongings; he also thanks OFATMA for offering means of transport to facilitate the movement of victims to another location. A special thank you to the Town Hall of Petion-ville which is finalizing the steps to welcome the displaced people from the Foyer St Vincent in a former space belonging to the State which formerly housed an orphanage.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Ministry of Justice has called on the Lebanese authorities to safeguard the rights of Hannibal Gaddafi, son of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi, who is being detained in Lebanon, while stressing his right to be released unconditionally in the absence of proven charges against him or evidence linking him to the case for which he is being held
Standing at an impressive height of four meters, these "Moss Giants" communicate through sign language, adding a layer of mystique and interaction to their presence.

Today , on April 29, 2024, the much-anticipated "Moss Giants" exhibition by renowned sculptor Kim Simonsson opens at the Lasipalatsi Square in Helsinki. Coinciding with the May Day celebrations and the reopening of the square, Simonssons towering, bright green sculptures have already captivated both locals and tourists alike.

These sculptures are a significant addition to the Konstsamfundet collection, one of Finlands largest private art collections.

Simonsson, born in 1974, has spent nearly a decade perfecting his technique in crafting ceramic moss characters, with these giants marking his largest creations to date. "I had a vision of a huge, moss-covered figure that one could encounter by chance in the woods," Simonsson explains. "This dream is now realized as these four giants will soon reside permanently in the forest of Soderlangvik on Kemio Island starting spring 2025."

Describing his creations as utopian moss children, Simonsson assigns each giant a unique and critical role within their group. From carrying tools to bearing skis on their backs, every giant contributes to the collective. A key feature to observe is their hands, which play a vital role in their communication with each other and their surroundings through sign language.

Simonsson, who lives and works in the Fiskars artist village in Western Uusimaa, is celebrated for his innovative storytelling and profound understanding of materials. His "Moss Giants" not only extend his portfolio of ceramic sculptures but also enrich the narrative landscape of Finnish art.

The exhibition, curated by Kai Kartio, will be displayed at Lasipalatsi Square from April 29 to October 20, 2024, providing a unique cultural highlight for the city of Helsinki this year.

HT
While the suspect was not identified in the press release, several media reports and lawmakers have identified him as Timo Vornanen (PS), a first-term Member of Parliament from Joensuu.

A 54-YEAR-OLD man was arrested last weekend on suspicion of an offence against the life or health of others in connection with a shooting that took place in central Helsinki, on Friday, according to a press release issued shortly after noon on Saturday by Helsinki Police Department.

He is a member of the parliamentary committee on intelligence oversight.

Harri Vuorenpaa, the party secretary of the Finns Party, on Saturday wrote on X that Vornanen has been released from police custody. The suspect of any criminal offence must be released no later than 12 hours after their arrest unless the investigators demand that the suspect be placed in pre-trial detention.

Nothing can justify these actions, Riikka Purra, the chairperson of the populist right-wing party, commented to Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday. Vornanens position, education and occupation make it even more serious.

Vornanen, whose hobbies include hunting, is on leave from his position as senior constable at Eastern Finland Police Department.

Seiska was the first news outlet to write about his role in the incident, at around 6.30pm on Friday.

According to Purra, Vornanen was in the nightclub with a group that also included another Finns Party MP, Sanna Antikainen from Outokumpu.

Helsinki Police Department said the shooting occurred following an altercation that probably involved some pushing and shoving between the suspect and a group of work colleagues at around 3.30am in Bar Ihku, Helsinki. Although the altercation was resolved in the nightclub, the suspect and group met outside the nightclub some 30 minutes later, with the suspect unexpectedly brandishing a firearm, pointing it at people at the scene and discharging one bullet at the ground.

Interrogation accounts of the events that transpired outside the nightclub are contradictory. A CCTV recording of the incident exists, the press release reads.

No one sustained injuries in the incident, Jukka Larkio, the officer in charge of the pre-trial investigation, stated to Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday.

Pertti Rauhio, the administrative director at the Finnish Parliament, said to Helsingin Sanomat that Vornanen likely left the Parliament House at about 6pm, without leaving his firearm in the security department for safekeeping. Lawmakers, he reminded, can store firearms used for hunting or other recreational purposes in the building if they need them after the workday.

Id assume that had he left it there, I wouldve been notified. Based on this, you can conclude that he didnt leave it in the storage, he said.

The newspaper wrote that the shooting was committed with what has been described as a small-calibre firearm. It is not believed to be a police service firearm but rather one used for recreational purposes.

Vuorenpaa from the Finns Party on Sunday said Vornanen is on a two-week sick leave for reasons not disclosed to public. Any decisions about his future in the party will be made in formal meetings of the party and the parliamentary group, Purra stated to Helsingin Sanomat on Sunday.

The party is not an investigative authority, but well take action based on information uncovered by police, she wrote yesterday on X.

Both the Finns Party and Helsinki Police Department have come under criticism for the communication approach taken to the case.

Terhi Toivonen, a political journalist at YLE, estimated in her analysis that the party leadership knew about the incident a whole day before the police press release issued shortly after noon on Saturday. The incident had, after all, been witnessed by a party member and police had the obligation to issue a notification about the arrest to Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho (PS).

It also took police a day and a half to issue a release about the incident, despite the intense media scrutiny triggered by the first report by Seiska on Friday.

Jussi Pullinen from Helsingin Sanomat drew a similar conclusion: The Seiska report a startling scoop, the kind any news outlet wants to report. At the same time, it was alarming that Finland had to read about such an exceptional suspected offence from a news story published in the evening, with no additional information made available, he wrote.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
The first of these pups arrived at the hospital in late March from Inkoo, exhibiting their distinctive white pup fur, which serves to keep them warm during their initial weeks of life while they are still dependent on their mothers' milk.

At Korkeasaari Wildlife Hospital, four grey seal pups are currently receiving care, raising awareness about the plight of these young marine animals along Helsinkis coastlines. The hospital has become a sanctuary for these pups, often found in distress and separated from their mothers too early in life.

One was found lingering on a rocky shore near a busy walking path, and another was discovered wandering on a sandy trail. Both were prematurely separated from their mothers.

By April, some of the encountered pups had already developed their grey adult fur and were capable of fishing for their food. Among them was a pup from the Inkoo harbor area, brought in with an injured front flipper missing two claws. Another injured pup from Espoos Westend, found last week, had deep wounds likely caused by a boat propeller.

In the hospital, the weaker pups begin their recovery in a childrens wading pool with hand-warm water. Two of the pups have progressed well, consuming nearly four kilograms of fish daily and have gained about 20 kilograms, preparing them for a move to a larger pool. The smallest two are still learning to eat and are being fed a fish paste. As part of their rehabilitation, live fish are introduced into the pool under special permission, enabling the pups to practice hunting. The final stage of their rehabilitation involves acclimatization in a seawater pool outdoors before they are released back into a protected marine area.

In recent weeks, seal pups have also been spotted resting along the shores of Vuosaari and Katajanokka in Helsinki. It is normal for a pup to rest onshore, and they should not be disturbed. Pups that appear very thin may avoid water due to insufficient blubber for insulation. Occasionally, a pup may wander far inland from the sea. Even small pups can defend themselves by biting.

Observers are advised to keep a safe distance, watching to see if the pup moves, enters the water, or has visible injuries. If theres any concern about a pup's condition, the Wildlife Hospital can be consulted via phone. Often, the need for assistance can be assessed through videos or photographs. Korkeasaaren Wildlife Hospital remains Finlands only facility dedicated to the rehabilitation of seal pups, playing a critical role in the conservation and care of local marine wildlife.

HT
A LAWYER who came to Henley after fleeing the war in Ukraine has written her first English novel.

Nataliia Doroshko, 36, from Cherkasy, near Kyiv, has published Henry and Kovin: The Beginning, a childrens story that intermingles Ukrainian and English folklore.

She wrote the book after moving to Britain and being inspired by the landscape and mythology.

She says it provided her with an outlet for healing amid the stress of moving to another country.

Ms Doroshko, who published a range of romance books in Ukraine as well as working as a lawyer, had spent all her life in Cherkasy until Russia launched a full-scale attack in March 2022.

She stayed in Ukraine until July that year when she came to Britain on a guest visa under the Governments Homes for Ukraine scheme, leaving behind her older brother and friends.

She was invited by Krish Kandiah and his family, who took her into their home in Henley.

Ms Doroshko said: I found this programme on the internet. There was news about different countries taking in Ukrainians and it was said that Britain wanted to take in refugees but in those days the decision hadnt been made.

So I waited a few weeks until Britain made the decision and I found Krish on the internet and just called him and explained my situation.

He said he would happily take me in so I went to stay with them. Now I live in Elizabeth Road.

When I arrived here, I found England to be such a mystical place.

The architecture is very beautiful. Everything is covered in moss and so mystical and as I write fantastical fiction, it inspired me to write something for children about superheroes who possess superpowers.

The book follows a 16-year-old boy from Maidenhead, who is contacted by a wizard because he has magical powers but doesnt know it.

Ms Doroshko said: He doesnt know that he possesses superpowers but one day he finds a wizard who was searching for him because there was a prophecy made a long time ago. The whole plot revolves around that.

The story is interwoven with myths from around the world, in particular from Ukraine as well as spirits living in the countrys forests.

The book has about 70 illustrations which the author created using a computer programme, including forest fairies with flowers for hair, dragons, gorgons and

wizards.

Ms Doroshko said: In general, the spirits are good. They help you if youre lost in the forest or something happens to you.

The second part is about an enormous beast who protects the boy until he becomes what he needs to be. It has to happen at a certain time and with some related events, which is what happens.

There is an evil sorcerer who hunts and wants to destroy the whole world and this boy has to save us all.

This is the first part. After reading it, you will realise that there will be a sequel, with many more events.

She translated the book into English with the help of Google Translate and her English teacher, Mary Barrett, who also edited it.

Ms Doroshko said: I take lessons with her because English wasnt my language in Ukraine  I studied French.

From the first day I got here, we did English together. It was a big task translating the book and

difficult.

The novel has been published on Amazon and has been bought by people around the world.

Its a new feeling when someone likes my book, said Ms Doroshko. I am shy but I am also happy, so it is like two feelings are mixed together. Its a very new feeling for me.

This book is a part of me. Some of the stories and characters are inspired by people in my life and theres a part of my soul in the book.

I like writing childrens books because it seems to me that our world can be cruel and so cold and fiction makes living easier.

It is great when you believe in something. I get really immersed when I write.

My heroes are born, someone dies, someone discovers something new  I feel like a person with superpowers because I create these heroes. I hope readers will find it interesting.

I really like how I live in two separate worlds at the same time.

She said creating a fictional world helped her to deal with the stress of having to leave Ukraine.

Ms Doroshko said: It helps me because those experiences were not easy. When you write something or create something, you distract yourself and I like that. Its a kind of healing. She has not been able to return to her profession while here and as she studied law in Ukraine for eight years the prospect of starting again doesnt appeal.

Instead, she has had a number of different jobs.

Ms Doroshko said: When I arrived, I worked for a while in Caffe Nero but as I didnt really speak any English, it was awful.

I couldnt understand anything and when you need to serve someone at the till, it is difficult.

I worked for 15 years in an office and I spoke with people, I went to court and I presented, so it was such a sharp change.

To be honest, some days I woke up and thought I was dreaming because everything has changed completely.

She worked in a clothes shop in Henley for seven months, which she said was easier and interesting.

She then worked in reception at a hotel in Sonning.

Now she works at AaGlobal, a translation and interpretation service which provides support to Ukrainian and Russian speakers in the UK, either face-to-face or via video calls.

Ms Doroshko said: Sometimes I have to go to hospitals and be with people who cannot understand English and explain to them their diagnosis.

She doesnt know if she will ever go back home.

Ms Doroshko said: The war in Ukraine will last a long time and I think that after the war it will be a very difficult period.

I want to stay in the UK, if possible, because were not sure about what will happen with our visas and maybe one day I will become a famous writer.

She has received positive reviews of the book from her friends in Ukraine.

Ms Doroshko said: They love it but maybe thats just because they love me  who knows?

 Henry and Kovin: The Beginning is available on Amazon.
Washington, DC, US (PANA)  African governments are falling far short in their commitments to prioritise public spending on health care, contributing to widespread inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Kampala-based Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) have said
Director Chandoo Mondetis upcoming Naga Chaitanya and Sai Pallavi-starrer Thandel has secured its digital rights even though the films shoot is still underway. The filmmakers have sold the films digital rights to Netflix for 40 crore, share the makers in a press note. (Also Read: Naga Chaitanya to play fisherman in next film Thandel: A character Im looking forward to') Naga Chaitanya in a still from Thandel.

Thandel OTT platform sealed

A press release shared by the makers claims that this is the biggest deal any of Chaitanyas films have ever gotten. They write, The films business started on a massive note. The leading OTT platform, Netflix, obtained the digital rights of Thandel for all South Indian and Hindi languages for a staggering price of 40 Cr. This is the biggest digital deal for Naga Chaitanya. Thandel sees Chaitanya and Chandoo team up for their third film together after Premam and Savyasachi. This is also Chaitanyas second film with Sai after Sekhar Kammulas Love Story.

About Thandel

Produced by Bunny Vasu with Allu Arjun presenting it under the Geetha Arts banner, Thandel is based on true incidents. Devi Sri Prasad is composing the films music. Talking to Zig Wheels in March, Chaitanya revealed the films plot, stating that its inspired by the 2018 incident when fishermen from Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh drifted into Pakistan waters by mistake and were taken into custody.

He said, Thandel is a film Ive been working on for quite some time; its a very special film for me. Firstly, Ive never attempted this kind of character or texture. Its based on some true incidents in 2018 involving these fishermen from Srikakulam. Usually, they go to Gujarat and go fishing from there. On one of their trips, they drifted off into Pakistan's borders and got caught. Chaitanya also claimed that the love story featuring him and Sai is based on a true couple who are now married.

Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment!  Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel  Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place
Seeking support for the BJP-led alliance in Bihar, Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday said that a third term for Prime Minister Narendra Modi would mean a departure from caste divisions and the beginning of merit-based politics in the state. Shah asserted that Modi's win in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections is certain as he warned against the opposition INDIA bloc, labelling it as a ghamandiya gathbandhan (arrogant coalition). Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah addresses a public meeting for Lok Sabha elections 2024.(PTI / File)

Addressing a rally in Jhanjharpur, the BJP leader warned that a victory of the INDIA bloc, even by mistake, will lead to a scramble among top leaders of the alliance for the prime ministers post. Shah claimed that leaders like M K Stalin, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad and Mamata Banerjee may agree to a year each of premiership, by turns, and Rahul baba will have to settle for whatever is left of the tenure.

It's not going to happen but, even by mistake, if this ghamandiya gathbandhan comes to power, who will be the prime minister? Can they make Lalu Yadav the PM, can Stalin or Mamata Banerjee handle this nation, Amit Shah said, highlighting what he perceived as a leadership deficit among the opposition ranks.

"Can you even think about 'Rahul Baba'? he added, referring to Wayanad MP and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Read: Amit Shah claims Congress will lift PFI ban if voted to power: Have two options

Shah said Modi wants to take the entire country, including Bihar, towards the modern era while RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav wants the state to remain in Laalten yug. BJP often portrays Laalten, or lantern, the poll symbol of the RJD, as the symbol of darkness.

India wants a mazboot (strong) PM, not a majboor (weak) prime minister, the senior BJP leader asserted.

Attacking the opposition for alleging misuse of central agencies, Shah said, Should there be no action against the corrupt? Whoever is found guilty of swindling money meant for the poor people of the country, must be in jail.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Prime Minister, Abdulhamid Al-Dbaiba, has stressed the importance of providing good conditions for pilgrims and selecting qualified supervisory and management staff to serve them during this year's Hajj
The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections was held on April 19 and the second phase on April 26. (Representative Image)

Lok Sabha elections 2024 Highlights: With two phases of voting in the general elections already over, political parties have intensified their poll campaigns for the remaining constituencies. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a mega rally in Maharashtra's Pune, in support of four Mahayuti candidates in Pune, Baramati, Shriur, and Maval. ...Read More

Also, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani filed nominations from the Uttar Pradesh seats of Lucknow and Amethi, respectively, from where they are sitting MPs as well.

The second phase of voting for 88 parliamentary constituencies spread over 13 states and Union Territories (UTs) recorded a voter turnout of around 63.50%, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI). The first phase of polling took place on April 19 in 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories.

All eyes are on two major political alliances: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP-led ruling NDA, and the Congress-led opposition INDIA bloc.

NDA is eyeing its third consecutive term this general election, with echoes of abki baar 400 paar, while INDIA is taking an economical approach to their campaign, promising MSP for farmers and cash handouts to women in their manifesto.

Here's the phase-wise schedule for the Lok Sabha Election 2024:

Phase 1- April 19 (polling completed)

Phase 2- April 26 (polling completed)

Phase 3- May 7

Phase 4 - May 13

Phase 5 - May 20

Phase 6 - May 25

Phase 7 - June 1

The Lok Sabha election's votes will be counted, and the results will be declared on June 4.
In yet another setback for the Congress, party leader Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination from the Indore constituency on Monday ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, reported news agency PTI. After Surat, Congress' Indore candidate Akshay Kanti Bam drops out of poll race, 'welcomed' by BJP

The Congress had fielded Bam against sitting BJP MP Shankar Lalwani from the Indore Lok Sabha seat, where polling will be held on May 13 in the fourth phase.

Shortly after Bam's withdrawal, senior BJP leader and MLA from Indore, Kailash Vijayvargiya, welcomed him to join the party. We welcome Shri Akshay Kanti Bam ji, Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Indore in BJP, under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, National President JP Nadda and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and State President VD Sharma,  he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, and also shared a picture with him in a car.

Earlier this month, Congress' Surat candidate Nilesh Kumbhani dropped out of the poll race as his candidature was rejected after the district returning officer prima facie found discrepancies in the signature of the proposers. The partys substitute candidate for the seat, Suresh Padsala, also had his nomination form rejected.

Amid the back-to-back setbacks for the grand old party, Kumbhani claimed that his party colleagues did not help him during the poll campaign. However, the Congress hit back at him, saying that the cancellation of the nomination was Kumbhani's part of a "plan, and also suspended him from the party for six years.

Apart from Congress, a total of eight candidates, predominantly independents, along with Pyarelal Bharti from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), opted to withdraw their nominations from Surat. Following this, on April 22, BJP secured its first victory in the Lok Sabha elections, as its candidate from Gujarat's Surat constituency, Mukesh Dalal, won uncontested.

Voting for other seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7 during the third phase of the Lok Sabha general elections. The result will be announced on June 4.

(With inputs from PTI)
Despite bringing under control the blaze in several areas, the firefighting operation in Uttarakhand forests continued for the second consecutive day on Sunday. The situation remained dire in the hill state with eight fresh blazes erupting in the last 24 hours, prompting an extensive firefighting operation aided by an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter. The Kumaon region, particularly Nainital district, emerged as a hotspot for forest fires, with blazes raging at two to three places in Nainital district and at one place each in Champawat, Almora, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar.

Forest fire raging in Ranibagh area of Uttarakhands Nainital district on Saturday night.
Since late February Russias army has been creeping across eastern Ukraine. First, the town of Avdiivka fellRussias biggest advance in almost a year. Next, its soldiers occupied a series of villages farther west. Russias progress is a reflection of its overwhelming advantage in firepower: on some parts of the front line, for every shell the Ukrainians have shot at Russian lines, the Russians have rained down 17 in response. Ukrainian forces have been rationing ammunition, for fear of running out. That scarcity, in turn, was a reflection of Americas failure to approve any new military aid for Ukraine since last summer.

This week, however, after months of dithering, Congress approved $40bn of such assistance, a sum roughly equivalent to all Americas military aid to Ukraine since the war began. (There was also some humanitarian aid and help for Israel and Taiwan.) Joe Biden, Americas president, signed the bill into law on April 24th and ordered the immediate dispatch of the first $1bn of supplies, to arrive in days.

Read more of our recent coverage of the Ukraine war

It comes just in time. In March Emmanuel Macron warned the heads of French political parties that Russia might break through Ukrainian lines and advance towards Kharkiv or Odessa. On April 18th Bill Burns, the director of the CIA, warned that Ukraine would be in a dire position if Congress did not approve the aid package. There is a very real risk that the Ukrainians could lose on the battlefield by the end of 2024, or at least put Putin in a position where he could essentially dictate the terms of a political settlement.

Such a calamity has now been averted. With the assistance Congress has approved, Mr Burns has said that Ukrainian forces should be able to hold their own on the battlefield this year and dispel the arrogant view of Vladimir Putin, Russias president, that time is on his side. The new aid should include around a years worth of shells, reckons Michael Kofman of the Carnegie Endowment, a think-tank.

But the imbalance in firepower of recent months has already had grim consequences. Russias advantage in artillery has provided cover for its troops to advance. Worse, it has forced Ukraine to repel assaults using infantry armed with grenades and small arms, rather than its own artillery. This has led to more Ukrainian casualties and fewer Russian ones than would otherwise have been the case (though Russian losses are still appallingly high: about 1,000 killed and wounded a day during offensives, Western officials reckon).

Half a step forward

What is more, even the fresh infusion of weaponry will not wholly eliminate Russias advantage in terms of firepower. With its huge population and oil wealth, Russia also finds it easier to drum up new recruits. Ukraine is therefore likely to remain on the back foot, unable to mount new offensives. And uncertainty about Western aid will not go away: America may become much less friendly to Ukraine after presidential and congressional elections in November.

The fiercest fighting at the moment is in Chasiv Yar, a town just to the west of Bakhmut, the city Russia captured a year ago after nine months of trying. For Russia, seizing Chasiv Yar would open a path towards bigger cities in Donetsk province. Donetsk and neighbouring Luhansk (almost all of which is already in Russian hands) form the Donbas region, which Russia has annexed in theory and would like to do so in practice (see map). For Ukraine, Chasiv Yar is a strategic stronghold, on high ground and shielded by a canal, trenches and other recently strengthened fortifications. Russian forces have reportedly been ordered to advance as far as they can before May 9th, Victory Day, which commemorates the end of the Second World War and is an occasion for bombastic military parades and jingoistic speeches.

Colonel Pavlo Fedosenko, who leads a brigade defending the city, says Ukrainian forces maintain a substantial degree of control there. During the past month of all-out fighting, Russia has shown it lacks the strength and means to advance. In the meantime, Ukraine has inflicted serious losses, destroying around 100 armoured vehicles in a month in this section of the front alone. Now, he says, the Russians are largely attacking on off-road motorcycles, buggies and quad bikes. Surveillance drones allow Ukrainian forces to detect movement as much as 10km away and react promptly. But Russian attack drones torment Ukrainian forces: stay at any point in the city for more than a few minutes and they begin to rain down. Although news of the new aid package was greeted with cheers in the local command room, Colonel Fedosenko says, he and others suspect Chasiv Yar will fall eventually.

The infusion of arms should, however, put Ukraine in a stronger position to fend off a bigger Russian offensive that Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraines military intelligence service, has said he expects in May. Ukrainian forces predict a push in the east to capture more of Donbas. They have also noticed an increase in Russian reconnaissance farther north, around Kharkiv, Ukraines second city. Capturing such an important place would be a huge psychological victory, but Russia almost certainly lacks both the troops and sufficient mechanised vehicles for a decisive attack.

Defending Ukraines skies will also be hard. Russia has hammered Ukraines defence industry and power grid with barrages of drones and missiles. Ukraine tries to defend against these assaults with a hotch-potch of American, European and Soviet-era anti-missile systems. But as with its artillery, its stock of ammunition has dwindled. Videos published on social media in recent weeks show Russian Su-25 jets flying at relatively low altitudes in the east, providing close support to troops. Russian reconnaissance drones have also penetrated as far as 40km behind the front lines without being shot down. Such incidents suggest that Ukraine is running short of interceptor missiles.

The erosion of Ukraines air defence has several malign effects. On the front lines, the shortage of interceptor missiles has given more freedom of manoeuvre to Russian jets and guided aerial bombs, which have been flying in at a rate of 100-130 a day. The worst-case scenario is that Russia achieves air superiority, allowing it to bomb the front lines at will, as it did in the city of Mariupol in the first months of the war. That would make it vastly harder for Ukraine to hold its current lines.

Many possible steps back

There is also damage to infrastructure away from the front. On April 16th a Ukrainian official said that Russia had destroyed seven gigawatts (GW) of power-generation capacity in previous weeks, leaving just 10GW or so operational. Ukraine is now almost entirely reliant on nuclear plants. Although Russia is unlikely to bomb those, it may well strike transmission lines. Kyiv is already suffering from rolling blackouts, which sap morale.

Small wonder, then, that Ukraine is desperate for more air defence systems. Americas new aid is likely to include some missiles. Ukraine also needs launchers. It has between five and ten Patriot batteries, which protect against longer-range and faster-moving ballistic missiles. But these are defending cities, which leaves infrastructure and the front lines exposed. Ukraine is hoping Poland and Spain, among others, will donate more. The catch is that they are in high demand elsewhere, as Irans drone and missile barrage against Israel on April 13th underscored.

Even before any ammunition arrives, Americas latest aid provides Ukraines weary forces with a psychological boost. Mr Putin might have hoped that a well-timed offensive over the summer would capitalise on Ukraines shell shortage and make great headway. That, in turn, might have heightened doubts within NATO and among American politicians about the long-term viability of Ukraines resistance. If Mr Putin could show that Russias war machine was unstoppable and Ukraine was a lost cause, he might have hoped to strike an advantageous deal with Donald Trump, were he to become Americas president again in January, and so force a Ukrainian surrender on humiliating terms.

The approval of the aid bill may change his calculations. In the very short term, it may spur Mr Putin to intensify assaults on places like Chasiv Yar, to try to make gains before much new ammunition arrives. But if Ukraine is properly armed in the coming months, any offensive is likely to peter out or make only marginal gains at eye-watering cost in lives and equipmentexactly as happened to Russia in early 2023 and, to a lesser extent, to Ukraine in its own unsuccessful counter-offensive in the summer and autumn of that year.

If so, that would be a heavy blow. Mr Putins war machine cannot maintain its current pace indefinitely. Russias artillery is keeping up such a heavy barrage that the barrels of the guns are wearing out. It is likely to run very low on replacements next year, requiring it to use more rockets instead. But artillery rockets need five times as much explosive material, which is also in short supply. By the same token, Russia is thought to have lost around 3,000 armoured vehicles in the year to February, according to data collected by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think-tank in London, and around 9,000 since the start of the war. It has replaced them from Soviet-era stockpiles, but those are expected to run out in about two years. Russian defence industrial capacity maxes out in 2025, says a Western official.

The capacity of Ukraines allies, meanwhile, is growing. The bill Congress has just passed includes investments to increase the rate of ammunition production. Annual output of PAC-3 interceptors, the missiles fired by Patriot launchers, could rise by about a fifth over the coming year, from the current 500 or so. Americas annual production of shells should rise to about 1.2m next year. Add to that European shells1.4m this year and 2m nextand Ukraines allies should soon be able to match Russian production.

Stepping up

In the long run, Ukraines biggest shortage is not likely to be munitions, but manpower. On April 3rd Volodymr Zelensky, the president, signed a long-delayed bill lowering the conscription age from 27 to 25. The bill also requires all military-age men to register on a new database, potentially bringing many previously overlooked candidates to draft officers attention. The armed forces had lobbied for these steps for months; Mr Zelensky had resisted, concerned about the political and economic fallout. Mr Kofman has argued that manpower is likely to be the decisive factor for Ukraine this year. Many battalions, already under strength, also have relatively few soldiers young, fit and well-trained enough to undertake serious assaults.

Ukraines counter-offensive last year fizzled for a variety of reasons: delayed arms deliveries from the West, a dramatic expansion of Russian fortifications during the resulting hiatus, miscalculations over how lethal a drone-saturated battlefield had become and strategic mistakes such as the decision to launch attacks in both the east and the south, splitting Ukraines forces. But high on the list was a lack of skill. Ukrainian units, armed with unfamiliar Western weapons, were expected to wage complex combined-arms warfare against prepared defences with a meagre five weeks training. The lack of experience in such co-ordinated attacks means that both Ukraine and Russia are largely fighting at the level of companies, rather than battalions or brigades. Even if one side could find or make a breach in the others lines, they would struggle to exploit it.

The side that can master large-scale operations first will have a big advantage. If Ukraine is to get there, it will take lots of training. One difficulty is withdrawing entire units from the front for long enough to provide that training. Another is where to do it. Poland, an obvious candidate, is hesitant to host training on such a scale. An alternative would be for Western troops to do it on Ukrainian soilan idea aired by Mr Macron in March which is under consideration in Western capitals. European governments suggest that they would be unlikely to take this risk without American involvement, not least because any training sites would need to be bristling with air defence systems.

Wherever the training occurs, it will take time. A person familiar with the planning says that it would probably take until 2026 or 2027 for Ukraine to develop a serious offensive capacity. In the interim, Ukraine would need to continue to degrade Russian combat power. A strategy paper published by Estonias defence ministry last year argued that Ukraine would need to kill or seriously wound 50,000 Russian troops every six months to prevent Russia from building a stronger army. It would also need to keep up long-range strikes against Crimea, the Black Sea Fleet and Russian air bases, which in turn would require a steady supply of long-range missiles. Ukraine is husbanding a relatively small stock of British and French cruise missiles; America, it emerged this week, has quietly provided some long-range ATACMS ballistic missiles, which have already been put to use. Western sanctions would also need to be tightened, to hobble Russias defence industry.

In other words, a big military breakthrough could be several years away for Ukraine and, even then, only if large-scale Western support is maintained and enhanced. That is far from certain, especially given the vagaries of American politics. Mr Trump is much less resolute in his support for Ukraine than Mr Biden. And even if Mr Biden is re-elected, the next Congress may be even more cantankerous about Ukraine than the current one.

In private, some Western officials argue that given the likelihood of a long period ofat beststalemate, a peace deal which froze the front lines and took the rump of Ukraine into the European Union and (less probably) NATO would constitute a strategic victory for Ukraine and a defeat for Russia. Others are sceptical that Russia would agree to such a deal or abide by it, or that Western countries would be able to provide sufficient guarantees to coax Ukraine to accept. Yet others want Ukraine to keep fighting, in the hope that Russian weaknesses will eventually force the Kremlin to withdraw or accept a more favourable deal. The mood inside Ukraine remains surprisingly defiant. A recent poll finds that 73% of the population is prepared to tolerate as much as victory requires. Some military leaders think the fighting will continue as long as Mr Putin is alive. This war will be ongoing while this regime remains in place in Russia, Mr Budanov recently told the Washington Post.

Congress, by coughing up $61bn, has fended off the worst, without setting Ukraine clearly on the path towards any of these outcomes. But the newly signed military assistance bill also includes a series of provisions requiring Mr Bidens administration to submit a strategy for Ukraine to Congress within 45 days. Officials will be obliged to spell out specific objectives, along with a budget for bringing them about, and update them each quarter. This exercise may be a figleaf, but at the very least it will show that coming up with a plausible, palatable long-term plan is even harder than coming up with more cash.

Stay on top of our defence and international security coverage with The War Room, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter.

 2023, The Economist Newspaper Limited. All rights reserved. From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
Dubai's monarch unveiled a $35 billion plan Sunday for a sprawling, futuristic new airport featuring a terminal with indoor palm trees and elevated islands of greenery.

The eponymous Al Maktoum International Airport would be five times the size of the existing Dubai International Airport and would accommodate up to 260 million passengers for the "world's largest capacity," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum boasted in a post on X.

The new airport in southern Dubai would eventually be surrounded by a city with housing for a million people, and would "host the world's leading companies in the logistics and air transport sectors," said the sheikh

"We are building a new project for future generations, ensuring continuous and stable development for our children and their children in turn," he wrote. "Dubai will be the world's airport, its port, its urban hub, and its new global center."

Today, we approved the designs for the new passenger terminals at Al Maktoum International Airport, and commencing construction of the building at a cost of AED 128 billion as part of Dubai Aviation Corporation's strategy.



Al Maktoum International Airport will enjoy the pic.twitter.com/oG973DGRYX  HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 28, 2024

Plans call for five parallel runways and gates for 400 aircraft, and Dubai's new airport would replace its existing one "in the coming years," Mohammed said.

It's unclear when construction is expected to be completed.

Earlier this month, the Dubai International Airport was flooded by thunderstorms that dumped record amounts of rain on the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai is one of seven city-states that comprise the UAE, a desert nation that covers an area slightly larger than South Carolina along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf and the western coast of the Gulf of Oman in the Middle East.

The oil-rich UAE is an American ally that, along with Bahrain, signed U.S.-brokered peace agreement with Israel in September 2020.

In February, it also entered into a pact with India to create a transcontential trade corridor to Europe that's backed by the U.S. and the European Union.

It has a per capita gross domestic product comparable to those in Western European nations and an ambitious space program that's focused on satellite development, according to the CIA World Factbook.
President Joe Biden urged the Israeli Prime Minister on Sunday to not launch a ground offensive against the southern Gaza city of Rafah and also discussed stalled negotiations for a ceasefire tied to the release of hostages held by Hamas.

The White House summarized the call and said that Biden "reiterated his clear position" regarding Rafah during a phone conversation with Netanyahu.

During a call last month, Biden warned Netanyahu that "a major ground operation there would be a mistake," National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the time.

Sunday's call came a day before Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to meet in Saudi Arabia with Egyptian and Qatari officials serving as intermediaries in talks with Hamas.

According to the State Department, Blinken will also make stops in Jordan and Israel.

On Saturday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said a breakthrough regarding the 133 hostages believed to be held by Hamas could prevent an invasion of Rafah, saying, "If there is a deal, we will suspend the operation."

Israel has reportedly told Egypt it would give Hamas "one last chance" to reach an agreement for the release of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire.
A Democratic member of Congress accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday of using "dangerous" language when he called pro-Palestinian protesters in the U.S. antisemitic.

U.S. Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania told CBS's "Meet the Press" that Netanyahu was trying to "distract from" Israel's "indiscriminate bombings and killings" of Palestinians in Gaza by attacking activists on American college campuses.

"He has not talked to these students. He has not seen their encampments. He has not seen or heard the message that they're delivering. And he doesn't want to hear it, right? His No. 1 goal is, you know, what he's doing over there," Lee said.

"But this idea that every criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic is dangerous. There is a fair critique that we must make of every government, of every war, of every appropriation."

Lee also said she was "not shocked" that Netanyahu would want to portray the protesters as "evil" and "wrong."

"That's been his M.O.," she said.

On Wednesday, Netanyahu alleged that "antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities" in the U.S.

"They call for the annihilation of Israel, they attack Jewish students, they attack Jewish faculty," he said. "This is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s. It's unconscionable. It has to be stopped. It has to be condemned unequivocally."

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is Jewish and whose father's family was killed in the Holocaust, responded Thursday by saying it's "not antisemitic to hold Mr. Netanyahu accountable for his actions in his horrific war against the Palestinian people."

The Vermont independent ramped up his criticism of Netanyahu on Sunday, accusing the Israeli prime minister of "ethnic cleansing" in Gaza and saying he's "got to be held accountable."
The humanitarian group World Central Kitchen announced on Sunday that it would resume operations in Gaza, less than a month after seven of its staff were killed in Israeli airstrikes.

A US official said earlier this month that Gaza residents are suffering from catastrophic levels of hunger and that famine was already happening in some parts of Gaza.

The group claimed they were starting operations with the same energy, dignity, and focus to feed as many people as possible while also grieving the loss of their seven friends and colleagues, citing the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Erin Gore, the CEO of WCK, said that they had been forced to make a decision which is to stop feeding altogether during one of the worst hunger crises ever, ceasing their operation that provided for 62% of all International NGO aid, even though aid, aid workers, and civilians are being intimidated and killed.

She added, "These are the hardest conversations, and we have considered all perspectives when deliberating. Ultimately, we decided that we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest times."

The seven victims included the 25-year-old Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayab Abutaha; the 43-year-old Australian Lalzawmi Frankcom; the 35-year-old Polish Damian Sobol; the 33-year-old US-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger; and the 47-year-old British citizens John Chapman, 57, James Henderson, 33, and James Kirby.

Furthermore, the IDF apologized for the incident and claimed it was a "mistake," but WCK demands an impartial and international investigation.

According to WCK, 276 trucks with nearly eight million meals are ready to cross the Rafah Crossing. They also said they are sending trucks and looking for a maritime route to distribute meals.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday hailed "measurable progress" in the struggle to get humanitarian aid to besieged Palestinians in Gaza  but he warned that much more is needed.

He also emphasized that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas would be the best humanitarian aid.

"We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the U.S. maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks," Blinken said after meeting with foreign ministers in the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza," he added. Blinken later emphasized his concerns in a one-on-one meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan.

I spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince @FaisalbinFarhan on the importance of increasing aid into Gaza, achieving an immediate ceasefire that secures the release of hostages, and building lasting peace and security in the region. pic.twitter.com/La8HlVBoXn  Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) April 29, 2024

Blinken is in the Mideast for a flurry of meetings in a continuing bid to increase Gaza aid, dissuade Israel from a full-on assault on Rafah in southern Gaza, and to bolster progress on a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. He emphasized in comments in Riyadh that the U.S. is not supporting the expected Israeli ground offensive on Rafah, the Guardian reported.

In meetings with Israel leaders on Tuesday Blinken plans to emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and safety in the region  including the eventual creation of an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.

He'll also visit with leaders of Jordan on the trip.

Many relief workers have been killed in the conflict began, including seven members of the World Central Kitchen food charity. They were killed in an Israeli airstrike that the military now calls a mistake.

World Central Kitchen has resuming operations in Gaza after pausing them for a month after the deaths.

Protests on U.S. college campuses have called for a ceasefire and divestiture from Israeli-linked companies in response to the Gaza attacks.

The Israeli military invaded Gaza after Hamas gunmen stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,000 people and kidnapping hundreds more. Some 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan News Agency (LANA) has announced that a security force stormed the agency's headquarters on Sunday and took over the historic building in Tripoli after official working hours, locking its doors with external locks and blocking them with red wax
Fights broke out between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel supporters in violent clashes at UCLA on Sunday.

A group of demonstrators breached a barrier that the university had established separating the two groups of protesters and "physical altercations" took place between members of the two groups, said school officials.

"UCLA has a long history of peaceful protest, and we are heartbroken to report that today, some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators on Royce Quad," Vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications Mary Osako said in a statement.

"We have since instituted additional security measures and increased the numbers of our safety team members on site," she added.

"As an institution of higher education, we stand firmly for the idea that even when we disagree, we must still engage respectfully and recognize one another's humanity," Osako said. "We are dismayed that certain individuals instead chose to jeopardize the physical safety of the community."

The school had previously taken several steps to help ensure people on campus knew about the demonstration so they could avoid the area if they wished.

Also in Southern California, a statue of the University of Southern California's mascot Tommy Trojan was spray-painted with the words "say no to genocide" as on-campus tensions persist there in the wake of the college's decision to cancel its main commencement ceremony.

Police have arrested hundreds of additional protesters at college campuses nationwide as pro-Palestinian demonstrations continue.

The protests started with an encampment at Columbia University where students demanded the Ivy League school divest from Israeli companies because of the war that has killed an estimated 34,000 Palestinians.

The Israeli military invaded Gaza after Hamas gunmen stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,000 people and kidnapping hundreds more.
A slow-moving, but potent late April storm system produced an outbreak of deadly tornadoes and other severe weather across Oklahoma and other central U.S. states.

The storms also dumped 4 to 8.75 inches of rain which caused severe flash flooding. Hail up to 3 inches in diameter and severe wind gusts up to 60 mph were also reported by the National Weather Service.

At least five deaths across the region, including a young child, were blamed on the storms. More than 100 people were injured.

In Oklahoma there were two fatalities in Holdenville, one death on Interstate 35 near Marietta and another fatality in Sulpher.

Another death was reported Sunday in Iowa, where officials in Pottawattamie County said a man critically injured during a tornado Friday had died, the Associated Press reported.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt issued an executive order Sunday declaring a state of emergency in 12 counties due to the fallout from the severe weather. The disaster emergency covered Carter, Cotton, Garfield, Hughes, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Murray, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Payne and Pontotoc counties.

"We'll build back stronger than ever before- that's my promise," Stitt said after a tour of some of the damaged areas.

Well build back stronger than ever before thats my promise to Sulphur, Holdenville, and every Oklahoma community facing loss today.



The Oklahoma Standard is alive and well. pic.twitter.com/4iUTTN2stQ  Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) April 28, 2024

A tornado went right through downtown Sulphur. It ripped apart buildings and flipped cars. It hit a bar that had patrons inside.

The tornado near Holdenville damaged or destroyed more than a dozen homes.

A tornado outside of Omaha, Nebraska homes and businesses Saturday before crossing into Iowa.

Powerful storms have hit Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Texas since Friday.

The tornado damage began Friday afternoon near Lincoln, Nebraska. An industrial building in Lancaster County collapsed with 70 people inside.

Several people were trapped, but everyone was rescused.
Tesla reached an agreement with Chinese tech giant Baidu, which will likely bring Elon Musk's company one step closer to rolling out full self-driving cars in China, it was announced Monday.

Musk made a surprise visit to China, this weekend, to secure a deal that will allow his company to sell their full self-driving cars - already available in the United States - in what is one of the company's largest markets.

While other Tesla vehicles were already available for Chinese drivers, the country's government blocked the distribution of full self-driving cars due to data security and safety concerns.

China's roads are uniquely hard to navigate due to the large number of pedestrians and cyclists. Tesla's agreement with Baidu will enable Musk's company to access the Chinese company's mapping service, Reuters reported.

Tesla's share prices jumped more than 10%, on Monday, when investors learned about the new deal, CNBC reported.
Four teens allegedly planned to buy guns and attack Jewish people after a bishop was stabbed in a church in Sydney, Australia, according to a police investigation reportedly included in court documents.

The teens were charged in Sydney Children's Court court last week with a range of offenses, including conspiring to engage in or planning a terrorist act.

The 16-year-old suspect in the bishop's stabbing has been charged with committing a terrorist act, which carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison.

Police allege that all of the teenagers  including the suspect  "adhered to a religiously motivated, violent extremist ideology," according to Sky News and News Corp's Asutralian newspapers.

The boys, ages 15, 16 and two 17, reportedly used the Signal encrypted messaging app to discuss their alleged plots just days after the stabbing that also left a priest injured.

"I wanna die and I wanna kill ... I'm just excited ... Is your plan to get caught or die or escape?" one of the 17-year-old boys allegedly said in a group chat, Sky News reported.

The 16-year-old allegedly responded: "We're gonna be planning for a while ... we prefer to escape, but whatever happens, it's the qadr [predetermination] of Allah."

The 15-year-old allegedly said: "I really want to target the yahood (Jewish people)."

Neither the New South Wales police department nor the attorney for two of the boys would confirm the information.

The attack on the bishop occurred at the Christ The Good Shepherd Church on April 15.

The service was being live streamed, and footage showed the attacker walking up to the altar and stabbing the bishop with a knife.

Other people jumped to his aid and were also injured before the supect was restrained.

Bishop Emmanuel had led a service Sunday for the first time since the attack. He wore an eyepatch and said he had lost his eye in the stabbing.

He forgave his attacker from the altar,

"To the young man who did this act almost two weeks ago, I say to you, my dear, you are my son and you will always be my son," Bishop Emmanuel said, according to Sky News.
Israeli officials reportedly fear the International Criminal Court may be preparing to issue war crimes arrest warrants for embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top government officials for actions in Gaza.

The court is also believed to be weighing arrest warrants for unspecified Hamas leaders, the New York Times reported Sunday, citing five Israeli and foreign officials.

It's unclear what specific charges may be under consideration against either side but the Israeli officials could be accused of preventing humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza and of mounting an excessively harsh response to Hamas' Oct. 7 surprise attacks against Israel, two officials reportedly said.

The Israeli officials who spoke to the Times didn't say what information prompted their concerns but one said the potential ICC action had affected recent decisions by Israel.

The ICC declined to comment, as did the office of chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who has previously confirmed an investigation into incidents during the war.

Netanyahu's office also declined to comment. But the prime minister said Friday on social media that such ICC action would "set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies fighting savage terrorism and wanton aggression."

"Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense," Netanyahu wrote in a post on X.

The comments followed speculation by Israeli news outlets about potential arrest warrants, the Times said.

Hamas and the Israeli military didn't respond to inquiries, and the office of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declined to comment on arrest warrant reports, the Times said.

The issuance of warrants would require approval by a panel of judges. It wouldn't necessarily lead to trials because the ICC, based in the Hague, has no police force and relies on its 124 member countries to make arrests.

Neither Israel nor the U.S. are members.

The court also cannot try defendants in absentia. It has warrants pending against more than a dozen international figures who remain at large, including Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Putin is wanted in connection with the alleged forced removal of Ukrainian children to Russia following the Russian invasion in 2022.

The ICC is an intergovernmental organization and tribunal that prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. It aims to bring perpetrators to justice when national jurisdictions are unable or unwilling to do so.
A judge sentenced a former military intelligence officer to more than 13 years in prison after kidnapping his estranged wife, stabbing her and burying her alive in the woods in Washington state.

Chae An pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted murder charges for the horrific 2022 crime.

The victim addressed the court during sentencing to tell the judge about the hell she endured.

"With courage, I must tell my story," she said.

Thurston County prosecutors credited her with saving her own life as she remained silent and still for hours after being buried alive.

She then managed to escape and ran as far as she could to get help.

Lacey Police were dispatched to a home on Oct. 16, 2022, to investigate a violent kidnapping.

Dispatch advised officers that they could hear muffled screaming and sounds of a struggle. It was later discovered that the victim had secretly dialed a call from her Apple watch.

Police found the home empty. The couples' children arrived a short time later and told officers their mother and father were at the home when they left to go to the store about a half an hour earlier.

The victim had a domestic violence protection order against her estranged husband. A video from a security camera showed An pulling his van into the garage, shutting the door briefly and then leaving just before officers arrived.

He had tied the victim's arms, legs, eyes and mouth and pulled her into the van.

About 1 a.m. the next day a resident in another area of the county was awakened by someone pounding on their door asking for help.

It was the victim who told them about her ordeal and Thurston County Deputies responded.

"My husband is trying to kill me," the woman told officers, KCPQ-TV reported. "Help me."

She explained how Chae had kidnapped her, dragged her into the woods, stabbed her and buried her in a 65-inch-long hole. with dirt and a tree on top of her, Law and Crime reported.

She was finally able to escape the hole and walked about a half-hour out of the woods.

Later that morning, someone walking on a trail found An's vehicle parked. Police responded and took him into custody.

His defense attorney claimed An had struggled with mental illness, specifically PTSD, from his time in the military, KING-TV reported.

"We hope that the conclusion of this case will allow the victim the time and space to focus on healing from this event," the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said in a post-sentencing Facebook post.
President Joe Biden has a sizable lead in the polls among people who still follow traditional news media - papers, cable and network television - over former President Donald Trump, a new NBC News poll indicates.

The survey, which was conducted by a bipartisan group of pollsters, revealed that Biden holds an 11-point lead over Trump among traditional news consumers. The gap between the two candidates is narrower when looking at digital news consumers, where Trump leads Biden 47% to 44%.

"It's almost comic. If you're one of the remaining Americans who say you read a newspaper to get news, you are voting for Biden by 49 points," Republican pollster Bill McInturff told NBC News.

People who don't follow political news at all tend to favor Trump and third-party candidates by a massive margin - with just 27% favoring Biden, compared to 53% favoring Trump.

"These are voters who have tuned out information, by and large, and they know who they are supporting, and they aren't moving," Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt told NBC News. "That's why it's hard to move this race based on actual news. They aren't seeing it, and they don't care."

The 15% of the electorate that doesn't follow political news is also more likely to back third-party candidates. When presented with a five-way ballot - featuring Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Cornell West and Jill Stein - a quarter of these voters chose one of the third-party options.

The voters, however, are less reliable supporters than those who follow political news. Fifty-nine percent of the poll respondents who voted in both the most recent midterm and general election said that they followed traditional news media. Forty percent of consistent voters follow digital media and just nine percent don't follow the news at all.
The search for two missing Alabama friends came to a tragic end when one of the victims was found dead, while the other was seen walking injured down a street according to a report.

Prior to their discovery, Cortez Thomas, 31, and Teshonda Means, 26, were last seen on Friday evening, in Birmingham. Surveillance footage captured the pair riding a three-wheel motorcycle together, AL.com reported.

The friends were reported missing by their families on Saturday morning. The following day, Means was discovered walking down a street in Birmingham, while still injured. Shortly afterward, Thomas was found dead outside an abandoned home.



Local residents saw Thomas' body and notified nearby law enforcement, according to AL.com.

There is no foul play suspected in Thomas' death or Means' injuries. Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates said that Thomas died when his motorcycle crashed into the abandoned house where his body was discovered.



Means was ejected from the vehicle during the accident, AL.com reported.
A 17-year-old Ohio boy pleaded guilty to multiple felonies, on Monday, including the 2022 reckless homicide of a 15-year-old girl.

Steven Fisher was expected to be tried as an adult this week, a year-and-a-half after the killing of Cleveland resident Jaiden Rose Rentas.

Cleveland Police discovered Jaiden's body in a still-running car, that had been abandoned in a field after her family initially said she was missing, WOIO reported.

Fisher was initially charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, receiving stolen property, grand theft, offenses against a human corpse and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle.

In addition to reckless homicide, he pleaded guilty to possession of stolen property, grand theft and gross abuse of a corpse.

Fisher is expected to appear in court for sentencing on May 22.
Hundreds of Columbia student-activists who faced threats of suspension gathered in front the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on Monday, in defiance of the university's demand that they clear out the occupied green by 2 p.m.

"We will continue until our demands are met," Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) said in a statement on social media. "We will not be intimidated."

Its 2 pm  the deadline Columbias president set for students to leave the encampment.



But the tents are still there, and now the lawn is surrounded by hundreds of protesters advocating for divestment pic.twitter.com/q6AShsDrLj  Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) April 29, 2024

The university's evacuation demands come after week-and-a-half dispute between the student protestors and the administration. Activist groups like Columbia SJP and Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD) have demanded that the college disclose more information about its financial holdings and divest from businesses which profit off of Israel's war in Gaza, among other requests.

The university ordered students to clear the encampment on the grounds that it is "creating an unwelcoming environment for members of our community."

The politics of the encampment have been subject to intense scrutiny from the beginning - there are Jewish activists involved in occupying the lawn and participate in associated activist groups. Students and faculty members even celebrated a Passover Seder inside the encampment.

Some, however, allege that the activism has led to a spike in on-campus antisemitism - with at least one rabbi associated with the university urging Jewish students to return home. Columbia SJP and its members have made repeated public statements asserting that Jewish students are a welcome part of their movement and that their issues are with the Israeli government and the university's administration.

The university distributed documents to the student activists, informing them that they would not punished for the encampment as long as they signed a form promising to not break any university rules before the end of the next academic rule. Not all students are eligble for the agreement, however, as some are facing pre-existing discplinary charges for their involvement in pro-Palestine activism. Students who sign the form could also still face harrassment and discrimination charges from the university.

The student activists argue that the university is not negotiating with them in good faith. They also compared the fliers distributed to them, with the documents that Israel airdrops on Gaza.

"Today's threats come after days of fruitless negotiations in which the University refused to seriously consider our demands for divestment, financial transparency, and amnesty for students and faculty disciplined in the movement for Palestinian liberation," Columbia Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) wrote in a statement.

"Columbia pulled out of negotiations over the weekend by threatening students with a mass campus lockdown and the eviction of every undergraduate from their dorms. It is our position that good faith negotiations are not possible so long as the University attempts to win arguments by weaponizing food insecurity, houselessness, and military attacks as leverage."
The death of Suzanne Morphew, who went missing on Mother's Day in 2020, has been ruled a homicide, according to autopsy results released Monday by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

The CBI said the autopsy determined Morphew's cause of death to be "homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication."

Butorphanol is a synthetic opioid, which, on its own, is found in a nasal spray used for the treatment of migraines, and can also be used as a painkiller. The butorphanol-azaperone-medetomidine combination is typically used to immobilize wild and captive animals including deer and bears, according to studies archived by the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine.

"The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case, said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. "The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzanne's death."

Morphew's disappearance nearly four years ago, when she left home for a bike ride on Mother's Day, made national headlines. Her bicycle was found down a ravine off Chaffee County Road 225, but investigators at the time said it didn't appear to have been involved in a crash, and there was no blood at the scene.

Her husband, Barry Morphew, was considered the prime suspect, and was charged with her murder. The case was dismissed without prejudice in April 2022, before her body was located, meaning charges could again be filed against him.

Morphew's body was located on Sept. 22, 2023, during an unrelated search, in the area of Moffat in Saguache County.

CBI said Morphew's family has been notified of the autopsy results. No additional arrests have been made since her body was found. She left behind two teenage daughters.

-- with reporting by TMX
Radisson Hotel Casablanca Gauthier La Citadelle opens its doors as the first upscale Radisson-branded hotel in Morocco. Situated in the heart of the vibrant Gauthier district in Casablanca, the thriving port city that fronts the Atlantic Ocean, the opening of Radisson Hotel Casablanca Gauthier La Citadelle marks Radisson Hotel Group's second hotel in Casablanca and the ninth hotel opening in Morocco.

Offering a delightful blend of comfort and convenience, Radisson Hotel Casablanca Gauthier La Citadelle is located in the central hub of Gauthier, near Villa des Arts and the "White City's" key cultural attractions, including La Corniche, Parc de la Ligue Arabe, the bustling Medina, and the majestic Hassan II Mosque.

Owned and operated by subsidiaries of Al Hoceinia Holding, the hotel boasts 133 spacious rooms, including nine suites which have been designed to offer guests a generous living space with premium amenities. Each room is equipped with a relaxation area as well as a desk for business travelers. The design of each room has been meticulously planned, using high-quality materials and a modern and clean white and beige aesthetic that strikes the perfect balance between functionality and comfort, offering guests an unrivaled and harmonious travel experience.

Braise restaurant offers guests an unforgettable culinary experience with its wood-fired cuisine, sophisticated decor, welcoming atmosphere, live music, and vast views. At the stylish Bliss rooftop bar and restaurant, guests can enjoy refined cocktails, delicious bar bites, and ambient tunes from the resident DJ while admiring the panoramic views of the city and the Arab League Park. The Lobby Bar is the perfect spot to unwind with an artisanal cocktail.

Boasting 450 square meters of state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces, including a ballroom and five meeting rooms equipped with the latest audiovisual technology, the hotel is the ideal venue to host an unforgettable event. For guests seeking to maintain their fitness routine, Radisson Hotel Casablanca Gauthier La Citadelle offers an energizing fitness center boasting a wide range of state-of-the-art cardio and strength-training equipment, as well as an outdoor pool and rejuvenating yoga classes.

Hotel website
Colliers, the leading diversified professional services and investment management firm, announces it has hired Bradley Burwell as an Executive Vice President to join the firm's rapidly growing Hospitality Practice Group as part of U.S. Capital Markets.

In his new role, Burwell will work alongside group leader Mark Owens, who is one of the foremost experts in the hospitality industry. Burwell brings to Colliers over $7 billion in transaction experience, representing a variety of internationally recognized clients with extensive experience spanning portfolios to luxury assets in New York, the United States and cross border. During the span of his career, Burwell has cultivated deep investor relationships and has extensive knowledge of real estate economics and hotel investment sales. Burwell skillfully pairs the lowest-yield investors with clients to achieve through-the-market outcomes.

Prior to joining Colliers, Burwell led CBRE's New York hotels team and executed some of the group's most notable transactions, including the sale of the Park Lane Hotel in New York, the Windsor Court in New Orleans, and the Four Seasons Vail, among others.

Burwell was with PricewaterhouseCoopers' Hospitality & Leisure Advisory Services prior to CBRE where he advised on myriad projects, including urban and resort hotels, vacation ownership projects, condominium hotels, and a variety of other resort residential development.
As Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, Maria Rocha Barros is responsible for legal, compliance and public affairs matters worldwide for Booking.com. Maria is passionate about ensuring companies grow their business in an ethical and sustainable way, and building long-term trusted relationships with stakeholders that are mutually beneficial. Prior to joining Booking.com, Maria was the European General Counsel of AB InBev, the leading global brewer, where she was responsible for legal, compliance, government relations, external communications, crisis management, security and CSR. Prior to that, Maria held a number of roles at AB InBev in the Company's Global Headquarters and Mexican operations, where she worked on various M&As deals (including the $20 billion combination with Grupo Modelo in 2013, and the $100 billion combination with SABMiller in 2016), post-deal integrations and in building AB InBev's international markets development business. Before joining AB InBev, Maria worked at the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York as a corporate associate. Born in London, Maria loves travelling and has lived in the UK, US, Brazil, Mexico and Belgium, and has now moved to the Netherlands with her family. Maria holds a bachelor of laws degree from the Universidade de Sao Paulo, a Masters from Stanford Law School in Corporate Governance and is admitted to practice in the United States (New York), England & Wales and Brazil.
Introduction

The GRIF brand is a platform which provides, knowledge, connections and inspiration for the restaurant investment industry globally. It has a strong sense of community and passionate advocates.

Founded in 2015, GRIF has been a 3-day conference held in Dubai and Amsterdam. For 2024 we will incorporate GRIF at FHS Saudi Arabia, running it parallel to the hotel investment-focused content.

GRIF Audience

The GRIF audience is made up of high-level industry executives seeking insight into best practices, trends, and innovations who are looking to network and meet new connections to grow. The GRIF audience includes:

Investors who want to meet owners of restaurant concepts, operators & franchisors looking for growth, equity or partners.

Hotel operators and owners looking for F&B partners, concepts and operators.

Restaurant owners/concept owners/ franchisors seeking to meet investors and potential operators to facilitate their growth.

Service providers who want to meet operators and investors.

Developers & Real Estate brokers looking for concepts to fill their sites and drive footfall.

2023 Highlights:

For more information please contact Anne Bleeker

+971 56 603 0886
This year, the month of Ramadan began fairly early compared to previous years. The Islamic holiday commenced on Monday, 11 March, and concluded on Tuesday, 9 April  lasting over four weeks. Combined with the Easter holiday weekend (29 March  1 April) and a peak tourist season in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai hotels saw positive performance during this time period.

Occupancy boost during Eid al-Fitr

As expected, Dubai hotel occupancy dipped slightly at the beginning of Ramadan, with occupancy fluctuating between 60 - 74%, with the exception of the Easter weekend when Dubai saw occupancy levels climb as high as 78.9% on 29 March (the Friday before Easter Sunday).

That, however, shifted during the week of Eid, which fell on Wednesday, 10 April (81.6%), when Dubai hotels saw a jump in occupancy levels, peaking on Friday, 12 April (at 92.9%). This was also helped by the UAE government declaring a public holiday from Monday, 8 April through Friday, 12 April, which constituted nine days off work in total, considering the weekends on both ends.

 Source: STR

Compared to the 2023 Ramadan & Eid celebrations, Dubais hotel industry reported improved performance year over year. Last year, Ramadan began on Wednesday, 22 March, with Eid falling on Friday, 21 April. During that period, the market saw its highest occupancy levels on Saturday, 22 April (at 90.4%), with occupancy at 80.4% on the night of Eid al-Fitr  those levels were lower than what was recorded this year.

It is important to note that Ramadan shifts approximately two weeks earlier each year. It has recently moved into Q1, which is peak tourism season in Dubai. In the past, Ramadan hotel performance was notably subdued. But as it moves towards the winter there is still enough leisure demand to sustain performance at pretty decent levels. The lack of major events and corporate demand is now somewhat offset by seasonality, which is great news for the industry.

Room rates told a similar story

While not as obvious, Dubai's average daily rate (ADR) followed a similar pattern as occupancy, with the market posting a slight decline in the metric at the beginning of Ramadan. That changed when taking place during the same time as the Easter Holidays, when Dubai posted the highest room rate levels (AED901.25 on 30 March) during the entire Ramadan and Eid period.

The night before Easter was the only day those levels surpassed the AED900 mark. When looking at the Ramadan month last year, the markets ADR also peaked the night before Easter (8 April 2023, at AED887.29).

 Source: STR

Looking merely at the week of Eid, the highest ADR levels were posted on Thursday, 11 April (at AED891.48)  the night after the Eid al-Fitr celebrations. The same was seen last year, when Dubais highest ADR levels were recorded on Saturday, 22 April (at AED777.12), also the night after Eid al-Fitr.

With leisure demand rebounding during Eid, as usual, occupancies above 90% were observed on 11-12 April. The extended Eid holidays announced in most Middle East countries led to tourism demand dispersion across the whole week of Eid and drove consistent performance over a longer time period.

*Analysis by Kostas Nikolaidis

About STR

STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com.

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The two unencumbered urban hostels, Jacobs Inn Dublin and Jacobs Inn Barcelona, add a combined 85 keys and 557 beds to Azoras 12,000-key hospitality portfolio, which is spread across 41 assets.

Urban hostels are a key target for Azoras hospitality strategy, which aims to combine 4-star hotel service with the social interaction offered by a premium hostel.

Both hostels will be operated by Latroupe, a pan-European hostel operator created by Azoras hospitality fund that currently operates three assets and 700 beds spread throughout Madrid, Bilbao, and Brussels.

Transaction also represents Azoras entry into the Irish hospitality market.

Madrid - Azora, the Madrid-based European real estate investment manager, has completed the acquisition of two hostels located in Dublin and Barcelona on behalf of its Azora European Hotel and Lodging Fund (AEHL or the Fund), through a transaction with a fund managed by BlackRock.

The portfolio, which comprises the Jacobs Inn Dublin and the Jacobs Inn Barcelona, is currently operated by Siggis Capital. The assets are sold unencumbered and will be operated by Latroupe, the boutique hostel operator owned by AEHL, which aims to redefine the concept of urban accommodation by combining the comforts and facilities of a large hotel with the atmosphere and vibrancy of a traditional hostel.

Latroupe was created in 2021 and manages a hostel portfolio comprising three assets in Madrid, Bilbao, and Brussels, with a combined 700 beds. This transaction will broaden the platforms European footprint and add over 550 beds to its portfolio. All assets operated by Latroupe are located in the city centre and combine 4-star hotel service with the vibrancy and social environment typical of a premium hostel. The company plans to continue expanding the portfolio of hostels it operates in other European cities.

Since 2011, Azora has become one of the leading hospitality and leisure investors in Europe, having acquired over 100 hotels and 26,000 hotel keys and invested over 3 billion in the hospitality sector. Azoras strategy targets high-quality hotels, urban hostels and businesses that may need active management and repositioning, where it partners and works hand in hand with leading operators.

Azora launched its first private equity fund for hospitality, Azora European Hotel & Lodging (AEHL), in 2021, with 815 million in capital. Since then, AEHL has invested into the vacation hotel segment in major European destinations with a value-add strategy based on asset transformation and active management of hotel operations. More recently, the fund has also begun to utilise an alternative hotel strategy for urban tourism aimed at travellers of all ages, through which Azora aims to revolutionize city tourism.

On the transaction, Azora was advised by Pinsent Masons, KPMG and Arcadis and BlackRock was advised by JLL, Colliers, Matheson LLP, CMS and PwC.

This acquisition represents a rare opportunity to acquire an urban portfolio in two attractive destinations which benefit from strong domestic and international tourism. The transaction also provides us with the chance to expand Latroupes footprint and to continue consolidating our urban hostels portfolio as a key part of our wider hospitality strategy through the entry into important new markets such as Ireland. Concha Osacar, one of Azoras Founding Partners

The transaction highlights Latroupes ambition to keep growing and adding new assets to the platform across some of the most consolidated European destinations. We are actively seeking new investment opportunities through the purchase of existing assets and through management agreements with property owners who want to leverage on Latroupe's technology and know-how to grow their business. Our aim is to be the reference brand for our customers when they travel in Europe, thanks to the quality of our service and our promise to connect travellers with the best of the local scene in each city. Carlos Cano, Latroupes Managing Director

About Azora

Azora Group (hereinafter "Azora") is a leading independent asset manager based in Spain, which has invested over 4bn of equity since its inception in 2003 and which currently manages c.9.7bn of AuM (as of March-2024).

Its platform, one of the most important in Spain, has more than 200 professionals with great expertise through the whole real estate cycle, including deal sourcing, structuring and investment, new developments and repositioning, asset management and rental and sale of individual assets or portfolios.

Azora has traditionally focused on residential, hotels, offices and renewable energy, and is currently developing new investment themes in logistics, senior homes and alternative real estate debt. Azora currently manages one of the largest portfolios of residential units for rent, with more than 14,000 homes, and created the largest hotel portfolio in Spain under variable rent agreements with hotel operators with more than 13,000 keys, which was acquired by Blackstone in July 2018. In addition to Spain, it currently manages investments in Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, among other countries, and has entered the US market.

Talia Jessener

Senior Consultant, Strategic Communications

AZORA Group
It used to be that youd find the perfect hotel by contacting local travel agencies or searching on good old Google. But a new report shows that search methods are changing, especially for Gen Z consumers. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are becoming increasingly popular for discovering hotels.

Why the Shift?

Recent studies highlight a significant trend: Gen Z (aged 18 - 24) is turning to social media for their travel searches. This age group bypasses Google in favor of visually-driven platforms like Instagram (67%) and TikTok (62%) to find places to stay.

Social media's appeal lies in its ability to showcase hotels in a more immersive way. Eye-catching photos and videos can give travelers a better sense of a hotel's vibe, amenities, and surroundings compared to traditional text descriptions.

What This Means for Hotels

Social media is an increasingly valuable tool to help attract potential guests. Here's how to best leverage it:

Have Active Social Media Accounts: Many hotels have active social media accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and even TikTok. When a potential guest follows your hotels social accounts, theyll get first-hand access to high-quality photos and videos showcasing your property, as well as the inside scoop on your latest promotions and top amenities.

Include a Blend of Location Tags and Destination/Property-Specific Hashtags in Your Social Media Content: Gen Z also finds hotels by searching location tags and relevant destination hashtags. Featuring established CVB hashtags along with property-specific hashtags can lead those who may not discover your unique hotel on traditional travel websites to take notice.

Incorporate Hotel Reviews and Recommendations Whenever Possible: Social media can be a great source of user-generated content. Keep an eye out for stellar reviews and recommendations from travelers on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. Ask for permission to share real guest photos to give social media users a more authentic feel for your property.

The Takeaway

Social media continues to revolutionize how travelers search for hotels. By combining the visual appeal of social media with the functionality of location tags, destination, and property-specific hashtags, you can confidently lead potential guests to select your hotel for their next adventure.

About Lodging Interactive

Since its founding in 2001, Lodging Interactive has provided digital marketing services to hotels worldwide, including select service, full-service, and luxury properties.

The Company's social media marketing and guest reviews response division, CoMMingle:Engage, serves a range of hospitality businesses, including hotels, restaurants, spas, and management companies.

Additionally, the Company provides subscription-based website development and digital marketing services. The subscription-based service is based on a 'pay-as-you-go' model and requires little upfront investment on the part of the hotel.

The Company continues to innovate by introducing supportive services that enhance its primary business lines. Recently, it launched Commingle360 and Social Media Amplified, custom landing page services aimed at driving direct bookings through social media content posts.

Lodging Interactive has received numerous awards, including the HSMAI Adrian Award and accolades from the International Academy of Visual Arts, Interactive Media Awards, Horizon Interactive Awards, Web Marketing Association, Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts, and Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards.

For more information, email [email protected], call 877-291-4411 ext. 704, or visit the company's website.

DJ Vallauri

President & Founder

+1 877 291 4411

Lodging Interactive

View source
Veteran Spotlight: Army Sgt. John Magnarelli

PLYMOUTH, Mass.  John Magnarelli served his country in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam from May 4, 1969, to April 10, 1970, as a sergeant.

He grew up in North Quincy and was drafted into the Army on Aug. 12, 1968.

"I had been working in a factory, Mathewson Machine Works, as a drill press operator since I graduated high school. It was a solid job and I had fallen into a comfortable routine," he said. "That morning, I left home with my dad, who drove me to the South Boston Army Base, where all new recruits were processed into service. There was no big send off  he just dropped me off on his way to work. He shook my hand and said, 'good luck and stay safe.'"

He would do his basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., which was built in 1917 and named after President Andrew Jackson.

"It was like a city  20,000 people, 2,500 buildings and 50 firing ranges on 82 square miles," he said. "I learned one thing very quickly, that you never refer to your rifle as a gun. That would earn you the ire of the drill sergeant and typically involve a great deal of running."

He continued proudly, "after never having fired a gun in my life, I received my marksmanship badge at the expert level."

He was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga., for Combat Leadership School then sent to Vietnam.

It would not only be lack of sleep that would plague him and his fellow soldiers, Magnarelli said, but mosquitoes, leeches and red ants.

"Their bites were worse than a bee sting," he recalled.

Magnarelli would go out on ambush patrols and recon sweeps.

"You could never bunch up in open spaces. We kept off of well-traveled paths too. We spent a lot of time walking through rice paddies and small streams which made us soaking wet and uncomfortable," he remembered. "Nighttime was the

worst  there's no sound except by the buzzing insects.

"I was anxious and scared, didn't know what the hell was out there and my eyes keep moving because if I stare at something too long, I'll swear it's moving."

Magnarelli spoke with admiration of one of his regimental commanders: Col. George S. Patton IV, son of Gen. George S. Patton, the World War II hero.

"From all accounts, he was exactly like his father as a military tactician and leader," said Magnarelli. "He was absolutely fearless and would often leave his command helicopter and jump on an Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle to lead a

battle directly from the ground. He had two Silver Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Purple Hearts."

He recalled the tragic story of another mentor, his 1st Sgt. Willie Johnson.

"He was a career military soldier from South Carolina, had a wife and six kids. He was firm but fair and full of life. We always called him 'Top,' which is a sign of affection for a first sergeant," Magnarelli said. "He was killed by a rocket propelled grenade just a few feet from me 

"One thing about combat is there is no rhyme or reason why some men survive and others don't. It's difficult as I recount the events of that night, but it is a step closer to the closure that I will never ever achieve ... memories start to fade about events and even the names of comrades we were close to and now are forgotten.

"But for the rest of my life I will remember Willie and all that he taught me. Mostly I'll remember him as a friend."

Magnarelli was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry and the Army Commendation Medal. He has written about his time in Vietnam in the memoir " 11B10: Memories of a Light Weapons Infantryman in Vietnam ."

Sgt. John Magnarelli, thank you for your service to our great country and welcome home.
MCLA in Talks With Anonymous Donor for Art Museum, Art Lab



Andre Lynch, the new vice provost for institutional equity and belonging, introduces himself to the trustees, some of whom were participating remotely. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts may be in line for up to a $10 million donation that will include a campus art museum.

President Jamie Birge told the board of trustees on Thursday that the college has been in discussions for the last couple years with a donor who wishes at this point to remain anonymous.

"It's a donor that has a history of working with public liberal arts institutions to advance the arts that those institutions," he said. "This donor would like to talk with us or has been talking with us about creating art museum and an art lab on campus."

The Fine and Performing Arts Department will have input, the president continued. "We want to make sure that it's a facility that supports that teaching and learning dynamic as well as responding to what's the interest of donor."

The college integrated into the local arts community back in 2005 with the opening of Gallery 51 on Main Street that later expanded with an art lab next door. The gallery under the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center had been the catalyst for the former Downstreet Art initiative; its participation has fallen off dramatically with changes in leadership and the pandemic.

This new initiative, should it come to pass, would create a facility on MCLA Foundation property adjacent to the campus. The donor and the foundation have already split the cost of a study.

"We conducted that study to look at what approximately a 6,500-square-foot facility would look like," said Birge. "How we would staff the gallery and lab, how can we use this lab space for fine and performing arts."

A gift agreement has been drafted and initially approved by the donor and their attorneys. Birge said this would cover the cost of construction, opening the building, building an endowment to manage the collection and the operation of the facility for three years. The total cost is pegged at $8 million to $10 million.

The donor is an artist so the collection given to the college will be their work. Birge anticipated he would be able to give the trustees an idea of what the donor wants to do before the end of the year.

This will not be the donor's first give to a public liberal arts college, said Birge, who cautioned the trustees that the talks are at the midpoint.

"It is hard not to get excited but we're also tempering that excitement," he said.

There was also good news on the financial front as the projected budget gap for fiscal 2024 has dropped by nearly two-thirds.

The college had gone into the new year $2.5 million short even after cuts including a dozen staff reductions, with plans to dip into reserves to cover the gap.

"The good news is that we continue to trend positive to budget, which have pretty much all year long," said Trustee Denise Marshall. "As of February, our net revenue exceeded the budgeted revenue by approximately $400,000."

She said it was important to note the accounting is on a cash basis that creates a timing difference between revenue coming in and payments going out.

"But even taking this into consideration, we're expecting a positive trend continues for the rest of this fiscal year," Marshall said. "Ultimately, this means that projected loss at year end will be less than a million dollars versus the projected loss of $2.5 million."

She estimated the actual gap will be less than $900,000 and there's the possibility they may not have to draw any reserves.

Trustee John Barrett III, who participated remotely, questioned where the revenues were coming from and asked about the staffing cuts.

"I would say a significant amount of that is unfilled positions or savings on salary," said Marshall.

Joseph DaSilva, vice president of administration and finance, said it wasn't 30 or 40 like Barrett had mentioned but around a dozen. But there were also variables related to open positions because of staff coming and going during that period.

He said there were other factors including more part-time students and "other operational expenses are trailing less than what we had budgeted."

"It's not just one line that makes up that difference where the savings is coming from," said DaSilva.

Barrett asked several different ways for explanations of this boost in revenues.

"I feel as though this budget is being made up on the backs of those that are paying these [student] fees," he said, and asked for a breakdown of revenue in layman's terms. "I want to make sure the money coming in is going into the classroom."

Birge said he would provide Barrett with the information.

"It is about a better, richer payer mix of out-of-state students that came in because programs when we launched," said Birge. "We did see an increase in retention from fall to spring greater than we typically have, and we've controlled for expenses so we don't have as many expenses as we projected the beginning of the year."

In other news, the college received its 10-year accreditation from the New England Commission of Higher Education.

"It was an incredibly clean report their were only positive things said by HECHE commission in that we've met all of our standards," said Birge. The process took the hard work of many people including faculty, staff and students, he continued, "this is a win for everyone."

One of its recommendations, development of a strategic plan, gets underway this year.

 Marshall said the fiscal affairs committee has given preliminary review the fiscal 2025 budget that will include a small hike in fees. She expected to present it to the full board at its meeting on June 6.

 Andre Lynch was introduced as the new vice provost for institutional equity and belonging. He was most recently director of diversity equity inclusion at Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School and has worked in equity roles in the State University of New York system, Syracuse University and the University of Nebraska. He's been at MCLA for three weeks.
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Liz Bonnins face has been used to advertise insect repellant after AI-generated voice messages scammed a firm into thinking she had granted them permission.

The BBC presenters management spotted Bonnin on online adverts for the product earlier this week, which they knew she had not signed up for.

AI experts uncovered the voice notes of Bonnin supposedly saying she was happy to appear in the campaign as a scam, which saw the duped company send 20,000 to fraudsters.

Speaking to the The Guardian , which broke the story, Bonnin said the fake messages were a violation and not a pleasant thing to discover.

Thank goodness it was just an insect repellant spray and that I wasnt supposedly advertising something really horrid! she said.

Bonnin, who has an Irish accent, added: At the very beginning it does sound like me but then I sound a bit Australian and then its definitely an English woman by the end.

The company that produced the advert, Incognito, was sent numerous voice messages by someone its CEO thought was Bonnin via Facebook, The Guardian reports.

open image in gallery BBC presenter Liz Bonnins likeness was used in an advert after AI-generated messages scammed a firm into thinking she had granted them permission ( BBC )

Incognitos CEO, Howard Carter, claimed he did not get Bonnins agreement authorised by her management because the messages said she was doing us a favour, provided we do it direct with her and not involve her main agency.

I hope that this elaborate scam story will be a warning to others not to fall for the same ruse, he told The Independent. All of us at Incognito apologise to Liz Bonnin and her associates for any distress we have inadvertently caused.

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The Independent has contacted Liz Bonnins representation for comment.

Last month, the BBC told a voice over actress her services would no longer be required for a highly sensitive documentary because they were using an AI generated voice instead.

Sara Poyzer, who starred in the West End production of Mamma Mia! described the experience of being ousted in favour of AI as sobering on social media.

Poyzer shared a screenshot of an email from the production company making the BBC show, which said: Sorry for the delay  we have had the approval from the BBC to use the AI-generated voice so we wont need Sara anymore.

After Poyzers post on X/Twitter went viral and outrage ensued, the BBC released a statement claiming there was important context for critics to note.

The statement said: We are making a highly sensitive documentary which features a contributor who is nearing the end of life and is now unable to speak.

In these very particular circumstances and with the familys wishes in mind we have agreed to use AI for a brief section to recreate a voice which can now no longer be heard. This will be clearly labelled within the film.
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Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison has revealed she was diagnosed with womb cancer in 2015, describing how it made her feel as if it had all come to an end.

The 58-year-old actor, who played Heather Trott on the BBC One show from 2007 to 2012, described how she found out about it during a smear test.

Id gone for a regular smear test  which had been clear  but Id started having a lot of backache and then I began spotting blood, which wasnt normal for me, she told The Mirror.

I had been fitted with a coil to help with very heavy periods but somehow I just knew something didnt feel right.

Fergison underwent several tests and a biopsy, and four months later, she received a cancer diagnosis.

I was in absolute shock; stunned to the core. I couldnt believe the doctor was talking about me, she said.

open image in gallery British actress Cheryl Fergison arrives at the National Lottery Awards 2010 held at the Camden Roundhouse on September 4, 2010 in London ( Getty Images )

The actor was then recommended a full hysterectomy, and she recalled how it made her feel, knowing she could have no children with husband Yassine.

Id not long married Yassine and suddenly any thought of having a child together had been taken away. We may not have gone down that route, of course, but wed lost the ability to choose, she said.

It brought on early menopause too; in terms of how I saw myself as a woman, it felt as if it had all come to an end. It was a horrendous time, she added.

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The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant said it was time to talk about her diagnosis.

The time is right to talk about it. My family and I have been through a lot but were still here.

Yes, there were some dark moments when I thought: Am I going to die? Am I going to leave my husband without a wife, my son without a mum? But I am strong and Id knock those thoughts away. I was determined that it wasnt going to beat me.

Fergison said she confided in some of her EastEnders co-stars, including Dame Barbara Windsor and Steve McFadden.

Their support meant the world to me, said Fergison, recalling McFadden arranging his home in Cornwall for her to recover in after her hysterectomy and Windsors insistence on helping out financially.

open image in gallery Actor Steve McFadden (C) and the cast of Eastenders with their Most Popular Serial Drama award during the National Television Awards at the O2 Arena on January 26, 2011 in London, England ( Getty Images )

I was in shock and said no but Barbs was insistent  I wasnt earning. They sat there and wrote a cheque. I was sobbing but Barbara hugged me and said: Dont worry. Were always going to be here for you.

Further backache last year led to a scare, as Fergison worried it was a sign that her cancer had returned, but her doctors said the initial treatment had got all the cancer.

Now recovered, Fergison focuses on eating healthy and exercising regularly, saying: Listen to your body. Even if its the smallest concern  go and get checked because if you havent got health, youve not got no wealth.

Ive come through it and so can others. Its all about living life now and Im ready to fly.
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On 14 November 1997, in the quiet suburbs of Victoria, British Columbia, 14-year-old Reena Virk was savagely beaten and drowned by a group of teenagers. The heinous crime became a media sensation due to the moral panic surrounding teenage girl violence at the time.

Rebecca Godfrey, an author from Victoria, was among those captivated by the horrific story of the young teen slain in her hometown. While in the process of writing her debut novel (2001s The Torn Skirt), Godfrey received numerous calls from friends about the murder. I went home soon after [the killing] and went into the prison, she told Interview Magazine in 2019. I was just stunned because the girls all looked like normal, cool, young teenage girls, not particularly like killers.

Over the next six years, Godfrey conducted exhaustive research, interviewing the accused and attending court trials, all of which would go on to inform her 2005 book, Under the Bridge.

Now, the events detailed in Godfreys best-selling non-fiction are the subject of Hulus new limited series of the same name. Starring Oscar-nominated actor Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon) as fictional investigator Cam Bentland and Riley Keough (Daisy Jones & The Six) as Godfrey herself, Under the Bridge centres on the authors investigation into Virks gruesome murder.

Virk had been the victim of relentless bullying by her classmates for her weight, appearance and religion. Born to an Indian father, Manjit, and an Indo-Canadian mother, Suman, who were both devout Jehovahs Witnesses, Virk wanted badly to fit in with her majority white peers. In a desperate bid to gain more freedom, she falsely reported her father for sexual molestation and was briefly placed in foster care in 1996. However, the charges were quickly dropped, and Virk returned home.

open image in gallery Reena Virk ( Family Photo )

Around a year later, Virk was invited to a party by a group of schoolmates, including two she had met through the foster care system. Elated by the invitation, she eagerly joined. The gathering, which took place behind the school, relocated to the nearby Craigflower Bridge after police broke it up.

As it approached 11pm, Virk was accosted by a girl who accused her of spreading rumours. The girl stubbed out her cigarette on Virks forehead before she was joined by seven others  six girls and one boy, all aged 14 to 16  who jumped in on the assault, kicking and punching Virk. The attack continued until Virk managed to get up and stagger across the bridge toward a bus stop to make her way home.

open image in gallery Lily Gladstone as fictional investigator Cam Bentland in Under the Bridge' ( Bettina Strauss/Hulu )

Two of the teenagers, Warren Glowatski, 16, and Kelly Ellard, 15, then dragged Virk back to the water, beating her and drowning her in Victorias Gorge Waterway. Eight days later, authorities recovered her partially clothed body. The autopsy report found extensive internal injuries to her back and abdomen that were consistent with being kicked and stomped.

In February 1998, six girls who had participated in the initial ambush, but werent involved in drowning Virk, were prosecuted in youth court. All six ended up being convicted of assault causing bodily harm and were handed a 60-day conditional sentence to one year in jail.

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The murder trial for Virk began in 1999, with Glowatski, then 18, tried as an adult and convicted of second-degree murder. Violence is not a recreational activity, Justice Malcolm Macauley told Glowatski in court, the death of Reena Virk and the shattered lives, including yours, are a testimony to that. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for seven years.

open image in gallery Riley Keough as Rebecca in Under the Bridge ( Darko Sikman/Hulu )

Ellards trial followed the next year and she too was tried as an adult and convicted of second-degree murder. However, the court set aside Ellards conviction decision on appeal and ordered a new trial. Over the next few years, Ellard  who now goes by Kerry Marie Sim  would stand trial three more times for the murder of Virk, before the Supreme Court of Canada eventually upheld her original life sentence in 2009.

For Virks parents, it took 12 gruelling years for their daughters death to be brought to justice. For so long, we were consumed with the legalities of dealing with a murdered child, the court prolonging the cases, Virks mother, Suman, told Canadas Global News in 2012. Its kind of like you put your feelings and grief on hold and Im finding that now Im feeling more of the impact, the emotions, the feelings.

After seven years in federal prison, Glowatski was let out on day parole in 2007, allowing him to participate in public activities during the day before requiring him to return to prison or a halfway house by night. In 2010, when Glowatski was 29, he was granted full parole.

open image in gallery Vritika Gupta as Reena Virk in Under the Bridge ( Darko Sikman/Hulu )

At the hearing, Glowatski, who went through significant rehabilitation, told the court that he had been in touch with Virks parents and had received their forgiveness. We dont want to hear anything else about him. I hope this is the end and he has truly turned his life around for his sake and ours, Suman said at the time, according to Vancouvers local outlet, CityNews. Time has made a difference. I think the major parts of the grief and loss have dissipated, also now lives have been going on. We just became grandparents.

Ellard, meanwhile, gave birth to her first child in 2016 after being allowed a conjugal visit with her federal parolee boyfriend. She gave birth again in 2022 but declined the opportunity for full parole, saying, Situationally, Im not ready, per Saanich News. As of 2023, she was still serving day parole. Unlike Glowatski, Ellard never made amends with Suman and Manjit, and maintained her innocence up until 2016; when asked by the parole board who was responsible for Virks death, Ellard finally responded, I believe I am.

Virks grieving parents dedicated their lives to travelling the country, and developing anti-violence campaigns and anti-bullying programmes in Canadian schools.

I hold tight to the knowledge that there is power in standing up. I share Reenas story with schools, in face-to-face talks, and afterward, countless students have come up to me to say theyve been bullied or even that they themselves have bullied others  and they vow that, amid tears and apologies, theyd never to do it again, Manjit wrote in a 2019 op-ed for The Globe and Mail. I wish someone among the group had stood up when they saw Reena suffer, and said, This is wrong. So I stand up, so that our children learn to stand up, too. I have to.

Under the Bridge is out now on Hulu

If youre travelling abroad and want to watch Under the Bridge then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get the best VPN deals on the market.
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Narendra Modi has claimed that he is on the way to a thumping victory in Indias ongoing national elections amid allegations that his campaign speeches and interviews are filled with hate speech and falsehoods.

Mr Modi has been on a whirlwind tour of the country campaigning for a rare third consecutive term as prime minister.

The elections began on 19 April and conclude with the declaration of the results on 4 June.

In an interview with The Times of India newspaper, Mr Modi said he has witnessed unprecedented display of love, affection and support for his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party at his campaign rallies.

This makes him confident, he added, that his ruling National Democratic Alliance is on track to cross the 400 mark, far more than the 272 seats needed for majority in the 543-seat lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha.

The people have seen what we can deliver and we believe that we can deliver and we believe that the people want a better tomorrow and they know that a vote for BJP means a vote towards development, Mr Modi told the newspaper.

Mr Modi, who hasnt held a press conference in his 10 years as prime minister or taken unscripted questions from journalists, has given just a handful of interviews to major newspapers in this election season, mainly targeting the opposition Congress party.

In these interviews and in his campaign speeches, he has been accused of lying and spreading sectarian hatred, especially against the Muslim minority. Indias Election Commission has confirmed it is investigating whether comments made in a rally about infiltrators and those who have many children constitute hate speech towards Muslims.

In the history of India, no prime minister has lowered the dignity of his post as much as Modiji has, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said.

open image in gallery A motorcyclist drives past a poster of Indias prime minister Narendra Modi in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, ahead of Indias national election ( AFP via Getty )

The news website Scroll analysed Mr Modis speeches delivered over the course of five days and said they constituted a catalogue of lies. The website found that the prime minister overstated the success of his partys welfare schemes and used divisive lies to attack the Congress partys campaign promises.

Mr Modi has, for example, falsely claimed that the Congress partys manifesto pledges to take wealth from Hindus in the form of inheritance tax and distribute it to minorities.

Scroll noted that even Mr Modis dog whistle reference to Muslims  those who have many children  was inaccurate as the fertility rate of Indian Muslims was declining faster than that of all other religious communities.

The Congresss manifesto does not promise any welfare measure specifically for Muslims. In fact, it does not mention the word Muslim at all.

open image in gallery Muslims offer Eid prayers marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan in Mumbai, India ( AP )

In a speech in Aligarh in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Modi claimed that Congresss former president Rahul Gandhi has said if the party comes to power a survey will be conducted to find out how much income, property, wealth, houses you have and that it will seize and redistribute the property.

The opposition partys manifesto does indeed pledge to redistribute the countrys wealth but not from Hindus to Muslims as Mr Modi implied. Congress will establish an authority to monitor the distribution to the poor of government land and surplus land under the land ceiling Acts, the document states.

At the manifestos launch on 6 April, Mr Gandhi addressed the question of wealth distribution saying that the Congress will do an X-ray of the country so that the underprivileged get their fair share. He did not mention private wealth.

Backward classes, Dalits, Adivasis, poor people belonging to the general category, and minorities will get to know what their share is in the country, he said.

open image in gallery Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrive to file his nomination papers for India's general elections ( AFP via Getty )

In a speech on 25 April in Morena in the heartland state of Madhya Pradesh, Mr Modi spoke about inheritance and wealth taxes, a hot campaign issue with the ruling party and the opposition accusing each other of being in favour of imposing them.

He declared, without evidence, that when former prime minister Indira Gandhi died, her son and successor Rajiv Gandhi abolished the inheritance tax to inherit her property, to ensure the government didnt get the money. Rajiv Gandhi is Rahul Gandhis late father.

It was an estate duty on a deceased persons assets that the Rajiv Gandhi government had abolished in 1985, not inheritance tax. The policy would apply from 16 March 1985. Indira Gandhi had been assassinated on 31 October 1984.

Mr Modi went on to falsely claim that the Congress would implement inheritance tax if voted to power.

The Congress has announced no such plan. The party manifesto only promises to address the growing inequality of wealth and income through suitable changes in policies.

Senior leaders of Mr Modis party have followed him in amplifying sectarian bigotry as well as falsehoods about the Congresss manifesto even as they have accused opposition leaders of spreading lies.

The ruling partys president, JP Nadda, accused the Congress of reflecting the ideology of the Muslim League in its campaign promises. The Muslim League was a political party in British India that advocated for the interests of Muslims and played a pivotal role in the establishment of Pakistan.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also from Mr Modis party, said the Congresss manifesto seemingly aimed to serve Pakistan rather than India.
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Japan's ruling party has lost all three seats in parliamentary by-elections in a setback for prime minister Fumio Kishida as he battles a major government corruption scandal.

The conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost the House of Representatives seats for Shimane, Tokyo and Nagasaki to the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPL) led by leftist lawmaker Kenta Izumi.

The loss is seen as sounding alarm bells for Mr Kishida who is seeking reelection as his party's leader in the autumn. It is also seen as punishment for the LPD scandal, which has eroded public trust and undermined Mr Kishida's leadership.

The results were extremely severe, LDP secretary general Toshimitsu Motegi said. We humbly accept the results and we will do our utmost to regain the trust from the public as we continue our effort to reform and tackle the challenges.

The LDP held all three seats previously but did not field its own candidates in Tokyo and Nagasaki fearing low support. The party had strategised to defend its fief in Shimane district, where a by-election was necessitated due to former LDP house speaker Hiroyuki Hosodas death.

Hosoda was one of the lawmakers linked to the slush fund scandal, which is now under formal investigation.

The ruling party has been facing flak since last November when it was revealed that a slew of politicians had been transferring campaign funds into untracked slush accounts.

Mr Kishidas party was reportedly concerned that public anger over the scandal could end its government at the next national election, which must be held before 30 October 2025.

Akiko Kamei of the CDPJ said her victory against former finance ministry bureaucrat Norimasa Nishikori of the LDP in Shimane, known as a conservative stronghold, was a big message to Mr Kishida.

"I believe the voters' anger over LDP's slush funds problem and the lack of improvement in daily lives in the prefecture became support for me," she said.

Mr Izumi, the CPDJ leader, said the by-elections were about political reforms. "There are many voters across the country who also want to show similar views," he said, adding that he will seek an early national election if the ruling party's reforms are too slow.

The LDP, on its part, could install a new leader in Mr Kishidas place ahead of the national election. Such a move would dash Mr Kishida's hope of leading the party for another three-year term.

As prime minister, he can call a snap election any time before the current term for the lower house expires in October 2025.

To rectify his public image, Mr Kishida has removed several cabinet ministers and party executives, conducted internal hearings, and drafted reform measures. Still, the approval ratings of his government have dwindled to around 20 per cent.
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New York City residents gathered around Union Square Park on Saturday to watch one man in an orange mask eat an entire tub of cheese balls.

The man, who hasnt revealed his name, is known as cheeseballman427 on both Instagram and TikTok. He began posting photos of himself back in March 2024 in his neon orange ski mask, before revealing his plan. Flyers recently began to make their way around Manhattan, as he advertised: Watch me eat this entire jar of cheeseballs. Union Square Park April 27th 3pm.

By not revealing his identity, his goal was to highlight that anyone can do what he does. I think masks are really funny, he explained in an interview with The Independent. I also think that it adds so much to the story of it all. You know, I think people really do care about anonymity, if anybody could be cheeseball man, and I think that's a beautiful thing to think about.

When the infamous day finally arrived, the 22-year-old New York University graduate said just how shocked he was at the amount of people who showed up to watch him eat the jar of cheese balls.

I really didnt expect this many people to show up, he said. I think everybody wants to be behind the mask.

He noted: No complaints. I suppose I didn't get arrested.

To hype up the hundreds in attendance, the man held up a flag with his face on it while the crowed shouted, Cheeseball Man or Eat those cheese balls.

As he made some progress on eating the entire tub, he recalled hitting a wall where he didnt think hed be able to continue. There was a moment that I was definitely going to throw up, he recalled. And then people said, Keep it down, really loudly. So, I just kept it in.

According to Cheeseball Man, he has a gluten intolerance and accidentally forgot to buy gluten-free cheese balls. I've always had a bit of a gluten allergy. I get kind of bloated upon eating gluten, he told The Independent. I thought that the cheese balls that I had gotten were actually gluten-free. but they weren't. But I gotta power through it for sake of the crowd, you know?

Many people ended up taking to TikTok and X, formerly Twitter, to show off clips from the event.

CHEESEBALL MAN DID IT #cheeseballman @ union square park, one post read on X, showing off the mans last few bites of the cheeseball jar.

I just saw a guy eat a whole bucket of cheese balls in Union Square, New York City, another tweet read.

Cheeseball Man is the hero we dont deserve but the one we need right now, a third person joked on X.

Other commenters thought that the cheese ball man was copycatting a man in Philadelphia, who had posted a similar flyer back in November where he advertised eating an entire rotisserie chicken. Cheeseball eating guy is not as good as Philly chicken man because theres no sense of humility. Also its a rip off, one post on X read.

He explained that he knew about these people, but felt they hadnt done it to their fullest potential.

The anonymous man ended up completing the task he set out to do in 30 minutes. He then spent some time signing autographs and taking pictures with people in the crowd. As for what the cheese ball-eating man does aside from snacking, he told The Independent that he does his best to clean up any unwanted trash around New York City.

I clean up the city. I pick up trash. You know, when I see people they need to, you know, he said.

However, he still vows to make sure he cleans up while still wearing the mask. Oh, I have to do it in the mask, he added.

The event as a whole appeared to be a success, and he revealed that he will be doing the same thing again next year with an even larger tub of cheese balls to eat.

As for his more recent plans, Cheeseball Man isnt really sure what he wants to do next - whether he stays off social media until his next cheese ball-eating event or to embrace his online persona.

I had a couple states reach out and asked me if I wanted to come to here, he said. I don't know. I've been getting so much press interviews and people reaching out. I'm not really sure where to take the whole thing. I'm thinking about maybe just keeping it to New York or maybe just not uploading anything until next year's event. I just want to make sure I'm doing what's right for my people.
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Eva Mendes has shed light on the parenting agreement she made with husband Ryan Gosling.

In an interview with Glamour published on 29 April, the 50-year-old Hollywood star clarified previous comments shed made about why she took a break from acting. During an appearance on the Today show back in March, Mendes said it was a no-brainer that she would take a step back from Hollywood while Gosling continued to pursue his acting career.

It was almost just like a non-verbal agreement that it was like: OK, hes going to work and Im going to work. Im just going to work here, Mendes said at the time. He went and he did his job. He just happens to be really good at his job. And he did it and he came home.

Now, speaking to Glamour, the Hitch star clarified that it wasnt a non-verbal agreement that led her to work from home. Rather, the longtime couple had many deep conversations about balancing both their professional and family lives.

For me recently in an interview I said it was almost like non-verbal agreement Ryan and I had [to step back from acting]. That got not twisted, but taken out of context because I meant it was almost a no-brainer. But there was actually obviously a lot of thought and conversation - especially on my end - of what I wanted to do with my life, Mendes told Glamour. It was very clear to me that I didnt want to be away from the kids. Acting takes you on location for months. But I still wanted to work. So I had to get creative about what that work was going to be.

Shes since gone on to pursue other business ventures, such as co-owning the women-founded sponge brand, Skura Style. Mendes explained that shes always loved cleaning and never considered doing the dishes to be a chore. However, maintaining a tidy household has become more challenging now with the constant chaos of children. Mendes and Gosling - who have been together since 2011 - are parents to two daughters: Esmeralda, nine, and Amada, seven.

Its definitely giving up that idea that its always going to be clean. Thats just impossible with kids. I find it easier now at seven and nine, but when they were smaller, it was just impossible at times, she said, when asked for her best advice on achieving a clean home. These days, Mendes explained that she engages her daughters in activities around the house so that their chores feel more like a bonding experience between them.

The Ghost Rider star also spoke candidly about the pressures of feeling like a super mom, and the high expectations that many mothers place on themselves to achieve the perfect work-life balance.

I am really not okay with the whole super mom thing that people assign certain mothers. Every mother is a super mom. Every mother is doing the best that they can, Mendes said. Theres certain areas I thrive in. I enjoy cleaning and keeping a clean house, but Im a terrible cook.

I really feel bad. Im not one of those moms thats making a meal every night and knows how to bake her own sourdough bread and knows how to That wasnt me during the pandemic, and its not me now, she continued. I have my strengths, and cooking isnt one of them. It doesnt mean I take them to the drive-through every day. Thats not what Im saying. But I try to be nice to myself about what Im not great at as a mom and as a person.
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Not everybody has to lose their virginity as a teenager. So says Rebel Wilson in her recently released memoir, Rebel Rising. Among the many headline-grabbing lines to come out of the book, perhaps the one that sparked the biggest furore was the revelation that the Pitch Perfect actor didnt have sex for the first time until she was 35.

Referring to herself as a late bloomer, Wilson, now 44, said she was sharing her experience in the hope of normalising the notion of losing your virginity later in life. People can wait till theyre ready or wait till theyre a bit more mature, she said. And I think that could be a positive message. You obviously dont have to wait until youre in your thirties like me, but you shouldnt feel pressure as a young person.

Despite cultures best efforts to convince us that everyone is at it like rabbits, Wilson isnt alone. A YouGov survey revealed that 5 per cent of Britons  4 per cent of women and 6 per cent of men who were willing to give an answer  aged 25 or older were yet to have sex for the first time. Meanwhile, a quarter of Japanese people remain virgins into their twenties and thirties, according to a 2019 study. Among those aged 30 to 34, the number of women who reported never having had heterosexual intercourse was 11.9 per cent, while this figure was 12.7 per cent for men.

But while its far from being a unique or even rare situation, theres still a huge amount of stigma around being a virgin beyond a socially acceptable age, according to Alyson Cadena, creator of the 30-Year-Old Virgin podcast. Now 33, she didnt have sex until the age of 31. Doing the podcast, I realised it wasnt some weird, abnormal thing  there are loads of us out there!  but people are ashamed to talk about it, so they think theyre the only ones. Were almost encouraging that stigma because we wont speak our truth.

In Cadenas case, the decision not to have sex wasnt really a decision at all  more something that crept up on her passively and unintentionally. A lot of us didnt actively decide to wait, she says. I was obese my whole life until the age of 30, when I had weight loss surgery. I thought I wasnt a desirable person because of that, and I just ruled myself out of dating and sex altogether. Its only in hindsight that shes realised that wasnt true  everyone has their own taste  and that people did (and do) fancy her.

This idea of inertia resulting in someone becoming a late bloomer, rather than it being a choice, is something Helen Mayor, a psychosexual and relationship therapist at the Thought House Partnership, has noticed with her clients.

Theres enormous truth in that, particularly for women, she says. They didnt plan it. But perhaps theyre nervous, theyre shy, theyre not body confident, they dont go out much  and sex just never happened. It can be very vulnerable, says Mayor  All these people are sitting with fear and a sense of isolation, believing I am the only one; only I am still a virgin in my thirties.

open image in gallery Steve Carell stars in The 40-Year-Old Virgin ( Universal Pictures )

Its one of the main reasons Cadena started her podcast  to break the silence, break the shame cycle, and help people in the same situation feel less alone. After all, the only other frame of reference in popular culture for most people is the 2005 Steve Carell movie The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

One of the biggest questions people have is: should they tell people theyre seeing that theyre a virgin? If so, when? As I started getting into dating, I had to think about that, says Cadena. Because some people will judge you, some are going to fetishise it as a weird kink  oh, Im going to take her innocence  and some people make this assumption that youre going to become too attached.

She went on a journey with it, swinging between never disclosing her status as a virgin and wanting to tell everyone up front to gauge their reaction. She eventually reframed it as something that could be disclosed but only to those who had earned the right to that information.

Whether you tell someone or not is your business, says Cadena. Sexually active people dont hand out a resume before they have sex! She adds that late bloomers think too much about other people. They need to re-centre and think, What do I need? If that means telling the other person, cool. If that means dont tell them, cool. If it means waiting for love or sleeping with the person you just started seeing, thats fine.

The more you delay it, the more youre keeping yourself away from the full spectrum of human experience Sachin Srinivasan, 34

Part of the decision to stop wearing it on her forehead was based on the predictably bizarre and creepy responses she received from some members of the opposite sex. People feel like they can be inappropriate and weird because youve shared this sensitive information, she says. She matched with one man on a dating app whose questions were nonsensical to the point of being insulting. He was like, Do you shave? Because no ones going to see it. People also loved to ask me if I masturbate  I fail to see why thats anyone elses concern!

As well as the passive factor, there are a range of reasons why someone might not have sex until later in life or not at all. It might be that theyre waiting for the right person or for marriage; there could be shame or fear attached to sex; it could be driven by religion; they may be wrestling with their sexual orientation or exploring whether or not theyre asexual.

For Sachin Srinivasan, a 34-year-old who teaches English as a second language in the US, it was cultural and religious reasons that initially kept him from diving between the sheets. Originally from Mumbai, he had sex for the first time at 25. Although that may not sound particularly old, I feel like it was super late in my peer group, he tells me. The decision was firstly religious, then it turned into a personal thing where for a few years I was waiting for the right person. And then it just felt more like something I had to do. It started weighing on me, it became a Thing, and desperation is a stinky cologne

Unlike Cadena, he didnt get rude responses from women but he did get mocked by male friends. As time went on, the jokes wore thin. After a while you go, Guys, can you cut it out already? Its almost taken as a sign of you not being a proper adult yet. I felt like sometimes I didnt get taken seriously.

open image in gallery Alyson Cadena hosts the 30-Year-Old Virgin podcast ( Alyson Cadena )

Srinivasan decided against mentioning that it was his first time to the woman to whom he lost his virginity: I felt telling people would scare them away so I just didnt.

Whatever the motivation behind someone remaining a virgin, the older they get, the more fear can  for some  build up around the idea of sex, says Mayor. The longer it goes on, the more sex can become something terrifying and incredibly vulnerable, as can the prospect of mentioning it to a prospective partner.

One of the ways that fear can express itself in women is through vaginismus. This is the bodys automatic reaction to the fear of some or all types of vaginal penetration, according to the NHS. Whenever penetration is attempted, your vaginal muscles tighten up on their own. You have no control over it. This physical response can in turn feed into greater shame and fear around sex for women, in a continuous vicious cycle thats hard to break.

Even for women who want to have sex, there can be so much fear in the body that the body doesnt allow it, explains Mayor. She often works in conjunction with a pelvic floor specialist so they can tackle the physical internal issues alongside the psychological ones. People need to know its really common  in people whove had sex before as well as those who havent.

But there can be unexpected benefits to waiting (aside from avoiding the awkward teenage cherry-popping stories that many people would rather forget). Im actually very grateful to have lost my virginity as a fully actualised adult, says Cadena. It wasnt this magical experience that I expected it to be  but I can make sense of that. Becoming a sexually active person who started dating in her thirties, I learnt so much about my body and my sexuality  much faster than I would have done in my teens. Im in touch with myself and my beliefs and who I am as a person.

Im actually very grateful to have lost my virginity as a fully actualised adult Alyson Cadena, podcaster

Its also been a rollercoaster ride, she admits, having done all her firsts in such a short space of time: dating, sex, falling in love, experiencing heartbreak. I had my heart broken for the first time at the age of 31  I felt like my heart got ripped out through my a**hole! I cant imagine having to go through that at 16, she says.

For late bloomers who are looking to have sex for the first time, Mayor recommends open communication. You set the pace, she says, write down a list of things youre comfortable to try. She also emphasises that safe sex is vital  the last thing you want to add is anxiety about getting pregnant or catching an STD  and recommends pre-emptive lubrication for women, to take the pressure off. Not getting wet can feel like the equivalent of a man not getting an erection. Just apply some lube, make it easy. Exploring your own body first is also going to make sex with another person much more enjoyable: Get to know your own anatomy and what you like, adds Mayor.

But, in the end, its down to the individual if, when and how they want to have sex for the first time. Srinivasan advises late bloomers to just go for it  its like ripping off a Band-Aid in the best way. The more you delay it, the more youre keeping yourself away from the full spectrum of human experience. Cadena doesnt think theres any clear answer but her advice is to trust yourself. If you think that this is the moment to do it, dont worry if its perfect; just allow yourself to be in the moment.

Everyone can agree on one thing, though  we need to talk about it more, drop the stigma, and normalise the fact that were all on different sexual timelines. I guarantee other people around you are also confused and struggling with this, says Cadena.

Within the infinitely broad, complex and beautiful spectrum of human experience, perhaps its time we finally started making more space for the sexual tortoises among us, not just the hares.
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A chewy peelable treat has continuously sold out at Walgreens, making it difficult for the drugstore to feed their customers what they want.

In the later months of 2023, TikTok brought to fruition another viral must-have. Millions of app users were rushing the shelves of Walgreens not for a round brush hair tool or ice-cold face roller, but for a delectable sweet  a $1.99 bag of Nice! Gummy Mango Peelable Candy.

Videos of the gummy showed customers tearing through the bag, ripping back an edible gooey peel, and popping the flavourful teardrop-shaped candy inside into their mouths. One post, published by TikTok user Trinh (@trinhdoesthings) amassed more than 8.9 million views.

Thats a soft gummy. Thats really good, Trinh admitted after explaining she was enticed to try the sweet from all the social media talk about it. The mochi-like outside proved to be just as good. Trinh couldnt help but succumb to the praise, agreeing that the candy was so fun to eat.

While the online acclaim is seemingly good for Walgreens  a company wrestling with debt and store closures  the brand hasnt been able to supply the masses with all the mango deliciousness theyve been craving.

Walgreens added the gummies to the stock of 2,500 stores in the fall of 2023. But before they knew it, the company had to implement a purchase limit of one bag per customer to make dwindling stock last longer.

Speaking toCNN, the company noted that the popularity of the mango treats unintentionally came about on the app. They didnt foresee the item having the online reputation it does now. Walgreens told the outlet that it didnt pay or partner with influencers, noting how individuals were encouraged to try it by peers who discovered it on their own.

Marty Esarte, the vice president of Walgreens brands, thought the interactivity of the candy was what attracted customers most.

The interactivity of it is really cool and its what makes the peelable candy really fun, Esarte told CNN. It also creates a discussion point: Is the outer layer better than the inner gummy or are they better together or separate?

Based on comments left on Trinhs TikTok video, Esarte is correct  people are obsessed with the dynamics of the candy.

One curious individual asked: Why dont people just eat the whole thing together?

I love the concept of peeling it, a fan wrote, while another shopper exclaimed: I went to three different Walgreens and they are sold out!! A fourth said: I could not find them I went to six Walgreens around me.

Walgreens spoke to The Independent about their future plans for restocking the candy.

Because of the success of the item, were currently expanding inventory on the mango item to 8,000 stores on May 22, a company representative said. A peelable banana flavor gummy will also launch in 5,700 stores on the same date, which will add another great item to the collection.
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Prosecutors are headed back to court Monday afternoon to announce whether they will retry an Arizona rancher after a jury deadlocked last week over whether or not to convict him in the shooting of a Mexican man on his property.

The jurors in the case against George Alan Kelly were unable to reach a unanimous decision on a verdict after more than two days of deliberation. Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Thomas Fink declared a mistrial on April 22.

After the mistrial, the Santa Cruz County Attorneys Office has the option to retry Kelly  or to drop the case.

The 75-year-old Kelly had been on trial for nearly a month in Nogales, which is on the border with Mexico. The rancher had been charged with second-degree murder in the Jan. 30, 2023, killing of 48-year-old Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea outside Nogales, Arizona.

Cuen-Buitimea had lived just south of the border in Nogales, Mexico. He was in a group of men that Kelly encountered that day on his cattle ranch. His two adult daughters, along with Mexican consular officials, met with prosecutors last week to learn about the implications of a mistrial.

Prosecutors had said Kelly recklessly fired nine shots from an AK-47 rifle toward a group of men, including Cuen-Buitimea, about 100 yards (90 meters) away on his cattle ranch. Kelly has said he fired warning shots in the air, but argued he didnt shoot directly at anyone.

The trial coincided with a presidential election year that has drawn widespread interest in border security. During the trial, court officials took jurors to Kellys ranch as well as a section of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Earlier, Kelly had rejected an agreement with prosecutors that would have reduced the charge to one count of negligent homicide if he pleaded guilty.

Kelly was also accused of aggravated assault of another person in the group of about eight people.
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Watch live as Humza Yousaf, the SNP Scottish first minister speaks live amid preparations to resign on Monday (29 April).

The Scottish National Party leader will step down at his official residence of Bute House, Edinburgh, after the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour tabled two no confidence motions.

The 39-year-old, who now runs a minority administration at Holyrood, sacked the Greens on Thursday and they have joined the opposition in confirming they will vote to oust him.

He reportedly rejected a potential agreement with the Alba Party under Alex Salmond as doing a deal with the devil and knows its time for someone else to lead his party, sources said.

He would need the support of at least one member of the opposition at Holyrood to survive the vote, which could take place as early as Wednesday.
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It all began when a nature lover stumbled across a gruesome stack of body parts from a dismembered body wrapped in sheets of cellophane.

The first discovery at Kersal Dale Wetlands on 4 April sparked a huge manhunt which led to the discovery of human remains at three other locations across Salfords beauty spots.

Remains were found at two more locations over the weekend after a dog walker found a package containing human remains in Colliery Wood on Saturday, while a diving team dredged up even more from Blackleach Reservoir near Bolton on Sunday.

More were found in an alleyway off a nearby railway on the same road in Winton where it is believed the victim, an unnamed man in his 60s, lived.

Police think the man died in March, and forensics have searched a property in connection with the case.

The remains found at the three new locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.

Police dogs scour Colliery Wood ( GMP )

ACC Sarah Jackson said, We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.

We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this mornings further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.

Police give update after more human remains found in Blackleach Reservoir ( PA )

Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.

The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.

Police officers by a forensic tent at Kersal Dale, near Salford, Greater Manchester, where a major investigation has been launched ( Peter Byrne/PA Wire )

We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.

Id like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support weve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.

Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski, 68, and Marcin Majerkiewicz, 42, have been charged with the murder of a person unknown between March 25 and April 2.

They appeared in the dock on Monday and followed proceedings with the help of Polish translators for the three-minute hearing at Tameside Magistrates Court in Greater Manchester.

Dressed in grey prison-issue tracksuits, they spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth.
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Deploying British troops on the ground to assist Gaza aid efforts would be completely insane and should be ruled out, senior Conservative MPs have warned.

Defence minister Leo Docherty declined to comment on reports that the UK Government is considering deploying troops to land humanitarian supplies from a temporary pier currently being built by the United States military.

This could involve driving trucks carrying aid from landing vessels via a causeway to the shore, where it would be deposited and picked up by aid agencies.

But Mr Docherty faced strong warnings from his own side and opposition MPs against such a move, amid fears for the safety of UK personnel, and calls for neighbouring Arab states to lead the distribution of supplies.

It would therefore be deeply unwise for the UK to commit British servicemen and women whether on the ground or on the pier in Gaza Robert Jenrick, Tory MP

The minister, responding to an urgent question from Labour, told the Commons: We are not going to comment on the speculation that there might be a ground role for UK forces; it wouldnt be right for me to comment on speculation and were very clear as to the current remit.

But Conservative, former cabinet minister, Robert Jenrick said: Hamas is a terrorist organisation that hates the United Kingdom and everything we stand for.

It would therefore be deeply unwise for the UK to commit British servicemen and women whether on the ground or on the pier in Gaza. Its for precisely that reason that the White House has categorically ruled this out.

Will the minister take the opportunity to do the same and reassure our constituents that we dont make an inadvertent mistake and British troops continue what they should be doing, which is facilitating the complete eradication of Hamas?

Mr Docherty replied: I agree entirely with his analysis and his comments about Hamas. Other than that, of course, I wont comment on speculation in the media.

Conservative MP Sir Julian Lewis, who chairs the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, earlier said: One of the main strategic aims of Iran, Russias ally, in supporting what Hamas did in October last year was to suck Western powers into the Middle Eastern theatre  thus diverting them from Russias existential conflict with Ukraine.

May I urge the minister not to comment on the suggestion that we might have British boots on the ground in the Gaza Strip, but to take the message back to the Secretary of State (Grant Shapps) that this would be a completely insane idea.

It would be far better to have moderate, Arab, neighbouring states deal with any distribution of aid which we have helped facilitate as a result of the viable RAF and sea power that we have exercised.

Have ministers forgotten about how British forces operated in Palestine in the Arab rebellion of 1936 because the Palestinians haven't Dave Doogan, SNP MP

Mr Docherty said: (Sir Julian) is right, the answers to the humanitarian and political challenges in the region lie in the region itself; I entirely agree with his analysis.

He made a relevant and good point about the requirement for us to maintain focus on Ukraine, our efforts to support our Ukrainian friends and defend their sovereignty.

Conservative MP Sir Jeremy Quin, who chairs the Defence Committee, sought assurances that the UK would only contemplate UK boots on the pier with appropriate force protection in place.

For the SNP, Dave Doogan said getting aid into Gaza to alleviate the unspeakable torment of the Palestinians must be a good thing, adding: The professionalism and capability of UK troops is beyond question.

But are ministers seriously suggesting that the best that Euro-Atlantic allies can muster is British troops? Have ministers forgotten about how British forces operated in Palestine in the Arab rebellion of 1936 because the Palestinians havent.

Mr Doogan said any risk calculation must command more robust analysis, rigour and humanitarian ambition.

Conservative MP Bob Stewart (Beckenham), a former soldier, said: Bearing in mind my experience in Northern Ireland, seven tours, Im slightly worried just in case members of our armed forces open fire  and they have done  in the Middle East, that at some future date a foreign country or indeed an international court will put them before such court and charge them.

Im hoping the minister will declare that such a thing will never happen.

Mr Docherty said: Our forces in the region operate with the full force of the law behind them on the basis of collective self-defence.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Israeli bombardment is the biggest problem when trying to get aid into Gaza, and sought assurances that the Government will not be deploying British troops anywhere on the ground in Gaza or the West Bank or any other part of the region.

Labour MP Zarah Sultana (Coventry South) said Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, should be held to account for his horrific crimes.

Israel has been the subject of international criticism for failing to let enough aid across its land borders, though it has promised to open more crossings, including its port in Ashdod to process aid shipments bound for Gaza.

The Israel-Hamas war was triggered by Hamas October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw another 250 being taken hostage.

Israels offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,300 people, according to the local health ministry, and swathes of the population are on the brink of starvation.
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Disabled people face being stripped of monthly cash payments as the government prepares to announce a crackdown on Britains sick note culture.

Changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be announced in the coming days as part of a wider blitz on benefits policy championed by Rishi Sunak ahead of local elections this week and a looming general election.

The proposed changes will reportedly target those with what the government terms mild mental health conditions that ought not to prevent Britons from working.

Millions face being stripped of their benefits in a government crackdown on sick note culture ( Getty Images )

The crackdown may include receipts being required to claim money back from the state, according to The Telegraph, while vouchers or treatment may be given instead of monthly cash payments.

Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, will address the Commons on Tuesday about the plans, which are being published in a green paper consultation.

The consultation is expected to make reference to similar models in other countries, such as New Zealand, where a health practitioner verifies extra costs, and Norway, where a letter from a GP outlines costs associated with someones condition.

PIP is one of a number of ways Britons can seek financial support from the government for disability. It is distinct from incapacity benefit, which is paid to those too ill to work.

Works and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride is expected to make the announcement on Tuesday (Aaron Chown/PA) ( PA Wire )

Around 2.6 million people of working age currently receive PIP every month, which can amount to as much as 5,000 a year and covers any extra expenses for people with disabilities, from stairlifts to taxis.

The annual cost of PIP, currently at around 22 billion, is forecast to rise by 50 per cent in four years as more people, including those with mental health concerns, qualify for the support.

Roughly 360,000 people currently claim PIP for anxiety and depression, which is double the figure five years ago and three times as many as for all cancers combined.

Mr Stride said this growth had been caused in part by the over-labelling of mental health conditions and that the welfare system had to get better at appropriately differentiating those conditions that make work impossible and those that do not.

There are those that have perhaps milder mental health conditions, or where perhaps there has been too great a move towards labelling certain behaviours as having certain [medical] conditions attached to them, where actually work is the answer or part of the answer, Mr Stride told The Times.

What weve got to avoid is being in a situation where for those people we too readily say, well, actually, we need you to be on benefits.

He suggested that talking therapies, social care packages, respite care and other options could be alternatives to cash payments.

It comes after Mr Sunak said earlier this month that he was on a moral mission to reform welfare and warned too many people were being parked on benefits.

Johnny Timpson, one of Mr Sunaks dementia champions, later quit in protest over the treatment of disabled people and the complexity of the benefits system.

Critics have also questioned where such alternative support will come from given there are currently 1.9 million on NHS mental health waiting lists.

But Mr Stride claims the government is prioritising this issue. He pointed to recent announcements of 400,000 more talking therapies as evidence that shortages could be plugged, though he did not elaborate on how.

He insisted that the fundamental reason for the changes was helping people get back into work, rather than cost cutting.

But he acknowledged that money has to be a factor given the projected increases in costs. Its difficult to describe as sustainable when were looking at a 63 per cent increase in PIP spend, about 13 billion over the next few years, he said. These are huge amounts of money.
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Irelands government has told Rishi Sunak it will send asylum seekers back to the UK in a growing diplomatic row over the Tory Rwanda law.

UK and Irish ministers are due to meet in London after Justice Minister Helen McEntee claimed the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Mr Sunak has insisted claims that the Rwanda plan is responsible for an influx of migrants shows the policy is working, but Irish prime minister Simon Harris has cried foul.

Migrants react as a French police officer stands by ready to puncture the smugglers boat to prevent migrants from embarking in an attempt to cross the English Channel ( AFP via Getty Images )

On Sunday, Mr Harris said Ireland would not provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges and asked his justice minister to bring forward emergency legislation to allow asylum seekers to be sent back to the UK.

But the move could spark a diplomatic row as a government source has now said any attempts to return the asylum seekers to Britain would amount to a grave double standard given that the UK is not allowed to send migrants who cross the English Channel back to France.

We wont accept any asylum returns from the European Union via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France, the source said. We are fully focused on operationalising our Rwanda scheme and will continue working with the French to stop the boats from crossing the Channel.

Irish premier Simon Harris says Ireland wont provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges ( Brian Lawless/PA )

The taoiseach said earlier this week that Mr Sunaks plan to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda has caused an uptick in the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the Republic.

In response, a spokesperson for Mr Harris said the Irish PM asked his justice minister, Helen McEntee, to bring proposals to cabinet next week to amend existing law regarding the designation of safe third countries and allowing the return of inadmissible international protection applicants to the UK.

Ms McEntee said she would be meeting with British home secretary James Cleverly on Monday to raise these issues.

The Conservatives plan to send asylum seekers to the east African nation received a fresh boost on Thursday after the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Act was signed into law, which ensures the practice of sending migrants to Rwanda is legally sound.

Mr Sunak later claimed the first flights to Rwanda would take off within 10 to 12 weeks, more than two years after the bill was originally proposed by former prime minister Boris Johnson in April 2022.

Deputy Irish premier Micheal Martin subsequently claimed there had been an influx of asylum seekers crossing into Ireland across the land border with Northern Ireland because people were fearful of being deported to Rwanda.

He said asylum seekers were seeking to get sanctuary here and within the European Union as opposed to the potential of being deported to Rwanda.

A Downing Street spokesperson disputed these claims, saying it was too early to jump to specific conclusions about the act, referring to the Safety of Rwanda Act.

But Mr Sunak later claimed the alleged influx of migrants into Ireland was evidence that the Rwanda plan was working as a deterrent to migrants.

What it shows, I think, is that the deterrent is already having an impact because people are worried about coming here and that demonstrates exactly what Im saying, he told Sky News Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

If people come to our country illegally, but know that they wont be able to stay, theyre much less likely to come, and thats why the Rwanda scheme is so important.
 Close King Charles diagnosed with cancer and undergoing treatment

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King Charles made a return to public duties with a visit to a hospital and specialist cancer centre in London on Tuesday.

The King, alongside Queen Camilla, met doctors and patients during the visit in a bid to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and highlight innovative research taking place at the University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre.

Both smiled broadly and waved to onlookers as they greeted staff including Baroness Neuberger, chairman of University London College Hospitals (UCLH), and David Probert, its chief executive.

It was the 75-year-old monarchs first public engagement since his cancer diagnosis, and follows a statement issued by Buckingham Palace in which the King was said to be making positive progress in his treatment.

Charles was also announced as the new patron of Cancer Research UK taking over the patronage from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth.

The public engagement also comes ahead of the planned return to the UK by Prince Harry for a ceremony to mark 10 years of the Invictus Games next week.
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Children have been held for over 12 hours in grubby and crowded immigration detention rooms at Luton airport, often with adults they do not know, the prisons inspectorate has found.

HM chief inspector of prisons, Charlie Taylor, found that Luton airport was unable to cope with the demands placed on it from immigration enforcement. The airport had the busiest detention facility of any airport, receiving more detainees than Heathrow, in part because of the high number of flights going to and from Eastern Europe, the inspector said.

We were particularly concerned to find that children were placed in crowded holding rooms with unrelated adults, the inspectors report found.

They described the small holding rooms at Luton and Stansted airports as grubby and crowded and said that Luton was unable to provide decent conditions for the number of detainees it held. The short-term holding rooms at the busiest UK airports are managed by service company Mitie Care and Custody, with local border force overseeing the operation.

Between June and November 2023, 2,898 people were detained at Luton. Over 2000 people were also held separately at each of the Heathrow terminals.

Luton airport immigration detention short-term holding facility was criticised by the inspectorate ( HM chief inspector of prisons )

Nearly 16,000 people were detained at airports across the UK in that period, with the most common nationalities being Romanian, Indian, Brazilian, Bulgarian and Colombian.

1,281 of these were accompanied children and 149 were unaccompanied children. Both groups had been detained for an average of 6.5 hours, which HM chief inspector said was too long. 20 lone children had been held for over 12 hours at either Luton, Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow or Manchester.

Six children who were travelling with an adult had been also been held for more than 24 hours at a UK airport.

However the chief inspector found that there may be some cases where it was safer for the child to stay in detention.

Mattress and bedding between chairs at Heathrow Terminal 3 ( HM chief inspector )

HM chief inspector came across a case of a 15-year-old girl who had arrived at an airport with a 31-year-old man. She initially described him as her boyfriend, but then said he was her cousin.

She had been known to social services as she had stayed at her cousins address on a previous visit to the UK, when she had attended hospital due to a miscarriage. The police had previously taken no action because they wrongly believed that her pregnancy had been conceived in a country where the age of consent was 14.

The man was allowed into the UK but the 15-year-old girl was detained as an unaccompanied child, with referrals made to childrens services. However, despite the worrying situation, social services said they would not help her and, rather than holding the girl until the next day, border force let her go home to her cousins address.

The main holding room at Luton airport ( HM chief inspector prisons )

The next day police and social services visited the child at her cousins home - she was taken into care and the cousin was arrested for trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The inspector also raised concerns about varying rates of child safeguarding referrals at different airports.

In the previous six months, over a quarter of detainees in airports across the country have been held for more than 12 hours, and nearly 600 people were held for more than 24 hours.

A London Luton Airport spokesperson said: The requirement to upgrade and expand the existing custody facility was first discussed in 2023. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Justice and remain ready to move forward with the project when they are in a position to do so".

A Home Office spokesperson said: We work at pace to ensure detention in holding facilities is for the shortest time possible and prioritise the processing of children and vulnerable people. Individuals in detention are held in safe and decent conditions, and we have improved facilities and medical support in recent years. We have already taken action to address some of HMIPs recommendations and will continue working closely with the Inspectorate to deliver further improvements.

A Mitie spokesperson said: It is positive to see the report acknowledge the sensitive and clear interactions between our colleagues and detainees as well as recognition of the good working relationships between ourselves and Border Force. The safety and wellbeing of those in our care remains our priority and our focus on safeguarding has also been noted in the report. We are working closely with colleagues and the Home Office to ensure the good policies and practices we have put in place are offered consistently.
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Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr is set to become the first Black mayor in Northern Ireland.

The politician, who arrived in Northern Ireland as a refugee, has been selected as the newest mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

This comes after she made history as the first Black politician to be elected to public office in Northern Ireland last year, when she was elected as a councillor in the Foyleside district of Derry.

Hailing her groundbreaking mayoral appointment on Monday, Kenya-born councillor Ms Seenoi-Barr said shes proud to be a Maasai woman and a Derry girl. She went on: I cannot express how much the honour of serving as mayor of Derry and Strabane means to me.

The people of this city have taken me into their hearts and everywhere I go I never fail to be amazed at the warmth, kindness and generosity of the people who live here. Having initially come to Derry as a refugee facing an uncertain future, I can now truly say that my family have found their home.

The significance of my appointment as mayor is not lost on me, and I will work for every single person in this city regardless of their religion, ethnicity or background. These are the values I have carried with me since getting involved in politics and are reflected in the ethos of my party.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) welcomed Councillor Seenoi-Barrs upcoming appointment, praising her as a source of constant enthusiasm, energy and positivity and a valued addition to the SDLP family.

Ms Seenoi-Barr, 42, has been working with the council since 2021, and has campaigned on gender rights issues for Maasai women, forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

Moreover, she is the founder and director of the citys North West Migrants Forum, which supports Black and minority ethnic communities who live in Northern Ireland.

At the height of the global Black Lives Matter protests in 2021, the councillor organised demonstrations and spoke out against systemic racism.

Ms Seenoi-Barr will take over from Derry City and Strabane Councils current mayor, Sinn Feins Patricia Logue.

The mayoral selection process has been criticised by some party members as undemocratic and prompted the resignation of current deputy mayor Jason Barr, who left the SDLP and will now stand as an independent councillor.

Mr Barr and another councillor, Shauna Cusack, had both planned to run against Ms Seenoi-Barr but said they were sidelined.

Their protestations were not sour grapes, the pair insisted, but moreover reflected a genuine concern about the lack of democracy in the process.

In a joint statement, they said that they had been rejected as candidates for the role, removing us from the process and competition, in order to put only one candidate forward for the post.

For the first time in history, none of the UK governments is led by a white man: Rishi Sunak is of Indian heritage, Wales just selected its first leader of African heritage in Vaughan Gething. Scotland elected a son of Pakistani immigrants, Humza Yousaf, as its first minister last year, although he has now resigned. Michelle ONeill is the first minister of Northern Ireland.

Ms Seenoi-Barr has been celebrated by Kenyan figures including senator Ledama Olekin who posted on Twitter/X: Please join me in congratulating my baby sister Councillor Lilian Seenoi for being elected as the first Black, Maasai mayor of the City of Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.

Ms Seenoi-Barr has previously said that racial equality is an afterthought in Northern Ireland, despite the progress being made in advancing equality in public life. She pointed to the fact that Northern Irelands new executive does not have any politicians who are of minority ethnic heritage.

Though Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic is a separate country, Ms Seenoi-Barrs appointment will inevitably evoke memories of Nigerian-Irish politician Rotimi Adebaris appointment as the first Black person to become a mayor in the Republic of Ireland in 2007.
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The Prince and Princess of Wales are celebrating their 13th anniversary and have marked the occasion by releasing an unseen wedding photo.

The future king and queen tied the knot in a memorable ceremony at Westminster Abbey in 2011 after meeting at St Andrews University in Scotland as students.

Royal experts say the pair will be celebrating very differently this year after Kates cancer diagnosis, which she revealed to the public in March.

They will undoubtedly be celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary privately, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told The Sun.

This year will be very different from previous years as Catherine is undergoing preventative chemotherapy after recovering from abdominal surgery.

The couple marked the occasion by sharing an unseen picture on social media from their nuptials 13 years ago.

As William and Kate celebrate their wedding anniversary, here we take a look at the timeline of their 20-year-long-union:

Prince William and his wife Kate wave to the crowds from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following their wedding at Westminster Abbey ( PA Archive )

2001

The couple met while studying history of art at Scotlands historic St Andrews University in 2001, but it would be some time before their relationship turned romantic.

The princes arrival at university was subject to intense media speculation, with many hoping that he would find his future princess while living a relatively normal student life.

Reflecting on their first meeting, Kate said she went bright red when she first met Prince William in a dorm hallway.

I went bright red when I met you and sort of scuttled off, feeling very shy about meeting you, she later admitted to him after their paths crossed.

But this embarrassment did not stop Kate from starting a friendship with the prince, bonding over a reported preference for muesli and fruit at breakfast.

By 2002, the pair were on such good terms that they moved into a shared house with friends.

It just sort of blossomed from there, really. We just saw more of each other and, you know, hung out a bit more, William said.

The pairs connection at university was recently dramatised in Netflixs The Crown ( Justin Downing/Netflix )

2004

In 2004, the news the world had seemingly been waiting for broke when the pair went public with their relationship.

This happened during a ski trip in Switzerland when they were first photographed together.

The tabloids delighted in the news, with one headline reading: Finally... Wills gets a girl.

Early 2007

After a successful few years together, Kate and William briefly split in April 2007, citing the pressures of growing up.

We were both very young, it was at university, and we were both sort of defining ourselves as such and being different characters, Prince William said of their break.

It was very much trying to find our own way and we were growing up.

The pair briefly split in 2007 as they grappled with the pressures of growing up ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Summer 2007

The pairs breakup did not last long and by the summer of 2007 they had reconciled, with Kate later admitting that she was grateful to have time apart because it taught her a lot about herself.

I at the time wasnt very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person, she said.

You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadnt realised. I think you can get quite consumed by a relationship when youre younger, and I really valued that time for me, as well.

2010

In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Kate at a lodge in Kenya and the pair announced the news in a televised interview that November.

This had personal significance for the family as it was in Kenya that Queen Elizabeth II first discovered that she was queen at the age of just 25, following the death of her father George VI.

So I was planning it, and then it just felt really right out in Africa. It was beautiful, William admitted.

2011

The couple had their seemingly fairytale wedding just months after going public with their engagement in November 2010. At the time, Prince William was second in line to the throne.

Kate married her now husband in a lace Alexander McQueen dress that remained a guarded secret until the day itself.

In one memorable moment from the ceremony, Prince Harry was captured on camera telling his brother, Wait till you see her.

The event was watched by an estimated 163 million viewers around the world.

Kate Middleton waves as she arrives at Westminster Abbey where she is helped with her dress by her sister Pippa ahead of her wedding with Prince William ( PA Archive )

2013

The couple welcomed their first child and future king Prince George, on 22 July 2013.

This resulted in mass celebrations throughout the UK and the Commonwealth.

Upon the death of his paternal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, in September 2022, Prince George took his fathers place in the line of succession as second in line to the throne.

He is reportedly shaping up to be a leader already and is allegedly very protective of his younger siblings.

2015

The couple welcomed their first girl and only daughter Princess Charlotte on 2 May 2015.

She has since become a favourite with fans of the royal family for keeping her younger sibling, Prince Louis, in check.

2018

Prince Louis was welcomed into the Wales family on 23 April 2018.

He has become beloved for his cheeky antics, which for many royal commentators have proven that the Wales family really are just like any other.

When planes passed over Buckingham Palace to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee in 2022, he couldnt help but relatably cover his ears and appear to scream.

Most recently, he was snapped taking a hilariously big breath to blow out his Christmas candle.

Prince Louis has pulled many memorable faces in his short life so far ( PA )

2022

In 2022, following the Queens death, Kate and William were officially made the Prince and Princess of Wales by King Charles.

The bestowing of the title Princess of Wales on Kate was particularly significant, as it had previously belonged to Williams late mother, Princess Diana.

The King said: With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.

2024

This year has seen Kate and William face whats been described as the greatest challenge in their married life so far  Kates cancer diagnosis.

On the Waless 13th wedding anniversary, royal expert Christopher Andersen acknowledged the challenge they are facing while asserting that they are stronger than ever.

This is obviously the most bittersweet anniversary William and Kate have ever experienced, Andersen told Fox News Digital.

Their marriage is stronger than ever, they have three beautiful children  and now they are facing the greatest challenge of their married lives.

The couple are strong enough to get through their greatest challenge so far, according to one royal expert (Stefan Rousseau/PA) ( PA Archive )

The royal expert added: Its hard to think of any marriage stronger than theirs or built on a more solid foundation.

William and Kate are certainly more equipped emotionally and in every other way to handle whatever life throws at them  and with the dual diagnoses of Kate and the king, life has thrown them a lot.

The couple have championed many causes in their work as senior royals, including the environment, poverty alleviation and mental health.

Most recently, they have helped to raise awareness of cancer, with the Princess of Wales extending her sympathy to anyone else affected by the disease and their families.
Humza Yousaf has stepped down as Scotlands first minister amid mounting pressure in the face of two upcoming no confidence votes.

Mr Yousaf was facing two votes of confidence after he terminated the powersharing deal between the SNP and Scottish Greens last week.

Despite previously saying he would not stand down and intended to win the confidence votes, the first minister has now announced that he is leaving his role during an impromptu press conference.

Announcing his decision, he said he had clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset his decision had caused.

He added: Ive concluded that repairing a relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.

I have therefore informed the SNP national secretary of my intention to stand down as party leader and ask that she commences a leadership contest for my replacement, as soon as possible.

The crisis in Mr Yousafs government began after he ripped up the powersharing agreement he had with the Scottish Greens, which had been brokered by his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon after the 2021 Holyrood election.

Following the breakdown in relations, the Greens immediately agreed to support a motion of no confidence in Yousafs leadership brought by the Scottish Conservatives.

A second no-confidence vote against the entire Scottish government was brought forward by Scottish Labour, which would have required the first minister and his ministers to resign if successful.

Humza Yousaf announced his resignation during a press conference ( Andrew Milligan/PA Wire )

As the SNP is two votes short of a majority at Holyrood, Mr Yousaf was dependent on the vote of the former SNP minister Ash Regan, who defected to Alex Salmonds Alba party last October in protest at the SNPs gender recognition reforms and approach to indpendence.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: I dont think Humza Yousaf any more is in a position to be able to lead.

He added: I dont think there is anything that Humza Yousaf will be able to say to restore the trust he has broken.

The SNP will now face yet another leadership election in a little over a year just as the party is beleaguered by scandal.

Last week saw the re-arrest of Peter Murrell, the husband of the former leader, in connection with Police Scotlands investigation into the SNPs finances.

The police launched a probe into 660,000 raised specifically for Scottish independence campaigning after it was allegedly diverted from the ring-fenced fund  sparking the exit of senior people from the SNP.

Ms Sturgeon resigned as Scotlands first minister and SNP leader last February, saying that the pressures of the job had become very difficult after eight years in charge.
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The Liberal Democrat candidate for London mayor has said his top priority is policing and crime following his own experience of being violently mugged.

Rob Blackie had his neck fractured and was fitted with a titanium replacement following the attack and his perpetrators were never caught.

Mr Blackie told The Independent he will focus on fixing the Met Police and tackle violence against women and girls.

After eight years, Londoners are feeling let down by Sadiq Khan, particularly on crime, he said.

I see this myself going around London. Every week, Ill knock on peoples doors. It might be a burglary, might be a car theft, it could be a stabbing nearby.

I am the only candidate with a serious and credible plan to tackle violence against women and girls. Its time the Mayor had a proper plan too - thats why I would create a new Mayoral Strategy for Violence Against Women and Girls and set up a new Sexual Offence Unit to drive up the number of sexual offenders caught in the capital.

Thats the thing that drove me to want to stand. Because I thought nobodys offering particularly serious solutions to that.

I know first-hand from having my neck broken how horrible it is be attacked, so my top priority is to fix Metropolitan Police.

Rob Blakie Kingston Womens Hub launching his violence against women and girls plan ( Liberal Democrats/Rob Blackie )

He said he will bring hundreds of officers back to the front line to focus on serious crimes on "instead of wasting time on stop and searches for low-level drug offences".

Mr Blackie, who is an anti-Brexit campaigner, has also pledged to introduce a London Passport, which will help EU citizens by providing legal support for their right to remain in the UK.

He said this is to protect them from the incompetent and institutionally feral Home Office.

Rob Blackies manifesto pledges include:

Police focus on on convicting violent offenders and rapists, instead of wasting time on stopping and searching young people for cannabis.

More police on the streets and for police stations to remain open

Introducing a London Passport to help EU citizens by providing legal support for their right to remain in the UK.

Fighting for more support for doctors and nurses.

The previous Liberal Democrat candidate, Luisa Porritt, received 111,716 votes in the 2021 election. This was 4.4% of all votes cast.

You can read Rob Blackies full manifesto here.

Voters can cast their ballot in person on 2 May, by post or by proxy. Find your nearest polling station here.

Everyone will need to show photo ID at polling stations before they vote.

The results will be announced at City Hall on Saturday 4 May.
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The Reform UK candidate for the 2024 London Mayoral Election has vowed to scrap the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) and refund all fines.

Howard Cox is the founder of Fair Fuel UK, a lobbying group that campaigns to reduce charges on motorists, particularly fuel duty.

As the founder of the FairFuelUK campaign, I am the only Mayoral candidate with a proven track record of making a difference to your lives by helping to reduce your cost of living, he said.

Since 2011, every driver, business and charity has benefited from paying thousands of pounds less to fill up their motorbikes, cars, vans and trucks  all because of my campaign against fuel duty increases.

No other Mayoral candidate has an equivalent record in successful campaigning, or my detailed knowledge of road user transport  both essential to get London moving again.

I want our city back. I will be strong on crime and take a zero tolerance approach to violent offenders. I will always listen to you, and from day one I will scrap all policies that do not benefit the majority of Londoners.

Speaking at an anti-Ulez protest earlier this year, Mr Cox describe the low-emission scheme as unnecessary.

Good, decent, honest, taxpaying, hardworking people are being impacted by Ulez, he said.

Its such a sad thing because we do not need Ulez. Science proves we dont need it.

Stop picking on the motorists, theyre the commercial heartbeat of the economy.

Mr Cox said that while he has an Ulez compliant vehicle, he had been bombarded by people like plumbers and sole traders, people like that who cant afford to change.

Figures released by TfL in October showed around 60,000 vehicle owners a day were paying the charge.

A taxi with an advert for Howard Cox ( Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images )

Reform UK leader Richard Tice said: Howard Cox is a proven winner. He will deliver decisive action, not the usual Labour or Conservative Partys arrogant divine right to rule rhetoric. Above all else, unlike the current Mayor, he will listen to you and act decisively on your behalf."

His manifesto pledges include:

Scrap Ulez and refund all Ulez fines and fees

Remove low-traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones

Triple the number of police officers in London

Triple the amount of affordable housing

Commission a significant memorial to Queen Elizabeth II

You can read his full manifesto here.

Voters can cast their ballot in person on 2 May, by post or by proxy. Find your nearest polling station here.

Everyone will need to show photo ID at polling stations before they vote.

The results will be announced at City Hall on Saturday 4 May.

Read the full list of candidates here .

Howard Cox did not reply to a interview request by The Independent.
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The Home Office has confirmed it will start detaining asylum-seekers within weeks for the first planned flights to Rwanda  after reports of a surprise move to round up people for deportation from Monday sparked anger from human rights groups.

Rishi Sunak insisted this week that flights carrying asylum-seekers to Rwanda would take off in July, as the Rwanda Bill passed through parliament and into law.

Despite still facing a host of difficulties in delivering on his flagship policy, Mr Sunak will be keen to show progress on illegal migration before calling a general election as pressure mounts on his leadership.

On Sunday, The Guardian published a report claiming the Home Office was set to launch a surprise two-week operation on Monday to detain refugees turning up for routine meetings at immigration service offices for deportation.

The article claimed they would be immediately transferred to detention centres, which have already been prepared for the operation, before flights taking them to Rwanda. The passed legislation means deported asylum seekers applications will be dealt with by the east African country.

The Home Office would neither confirm nor deny the papers claims, but said that, following the passage of its legislation, the government is entering the final phase of operationalising this landmark policy to tackle illegal migration and stop the boats.

At some stage inevitably this will include detaining people in preparation for the first flight, which is set to take off to Rwanda in 10-12 weeks. It would be inappropriate to comment further on operational activity, the spokesperson said.

Human rights advocates were quick to condemn the reported plan, warning such a move would further traumatise people fleeing torture and persecution.

Make no mistake, this latest attack on refugees by this government will further traumatise people who have fled from torture chambers seeking safety and a chance to rebuild their lives in the UK, said Sonya Sceats, chief executive of charity Freedom from Torture.

We know from our clinical services that even survivors of torture who are completely safe from harm tend to live in a semi-permanent state of hypervigilance to threats, because of their history of being rounded up, detained, and abused in authoritarian states.

Around 500 people crossed the Channel on small boats over the course of Friday and Saturday, the latest Home Office data suggests ( PA )

So news of this crackdown is sure to trigger mental health collapse in many men, women and children in the care of our therapists.

Compassionate people up and down the country will be sickened by this performative cruelty designed to generate headlines and stoke fear among people fleeing torture and persecution. This is not who we are as a country.

Glasgow-based lawyer Aamer Anwar called for people to mobilise to oppose this vicious inhumane policy, saying it was time to channel the spirit of Kenmure Street  a reference to the community protest which successfully halted an immigration raid in 2021.

While Mr Sunaks new legislation has sought to make it harder for people to challenge their deportation under the European Convention of Human Rights, there are still several ways in which people can do so.

Perhaps we will see legal applications sooner rather than later if this report is correct, said Sir Jonathan Jones, formerly the most senior lawyer in the civil service, in response to the Guardians story.

It comes days after The Telegraph reported that people earmarked for deportation were expected to be held in immigration detention centres, quoting a government source as saying: As soon as the treaty is ratified and we have got Royal Assent, we will start getting people ready  and that includes detention.

Home secretary James Cleverlyand Rwanda's foreign minister Vincent Biruta signed a new treaty in Kigali in December ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images )

The number of detention places for migrants earmarked to be sent to Rwanda has been increased to 2,200, which is more than double the amount officials had planned a year ago.

It comes as Irelands government announced plans to draft law changes which would enable asylum-seekers to be sent back to the UK, after justice secretary Helen McEntee revealed that four in five new arrivals to Ireland had crossed the border from the UK.

Irelands deputy PM and foreign minister Micheal Martin linked this rise to the Rwanda policy, which he said meant people fearful of staying in the UK were crossing the border to Ireland rather than be sent to the east African nation.

Pressed on whether the UK was exporting the problem, Mr Sunak insisted to Sky News on Sunday that the comments from Ireland showed the deterrent factor of his policy was already having an impact.

Around 500 people have crossed the Channel in a total of 10 small boats over the past two days, the latest Home Office figures suggest, bringing the total this year to more than 7,000  an increase on the same period in 2023.

Five people  including a seven-year-old girl  died trying to cross the Channel earlier this week, just hours after Mr Sunaks bill passed through parliament.

Last week, The Independent spoke to refugees in Dunkirk who said the policy would not deter them from making the dangerous crossing in small boats.
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Just days after promising to fight and win a vote of no confidence in his leadership, Humza Yousaf fought back tears as he threw in the towel.

His resignation is the latest twist in the chaotic tale of the SNP since the 2019 general election and the 2021 Scottish election.

Then, the party was riding high under the leadership of Nicola Sturgeon, whose smooth communication style helped reassure the people of Scotland during the Covid crisis and saw her become a household name across the UK.

Humza Yousaf fought back tears as he quit as first minister ( AFP )

It had succeeded in almost completely wiping out the Labour Party north of the border, while a majority of MSPs were in favour of, and pushing for, Scottish independence.

While it remains the largest party in Holyrood, and will likely continue to rule as a minority government, the SNPs electoral fortunes look bleak at best.

The Independent looks at what went wrong for the SNP, and where it has left the party.

When did things start going wrong?

Trouble arose for the SNP when the Scottish government received sexual harassment complaints against former first minister Alex Salmond relating to his time in charge.

Mr Salmond, who was first minister until he resigned after losing the 2014 Scottish independence campaign, quit the SNP in 2018 amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

He was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted rape, nine of sexual assault, two of indecent assault, and one of breach of the peace.

He was cleared of the charges but did not return to the SNP and went to war with the party which was under his protegee and former deputy Ms Sturgeon.

Alex Salmond quit the SNP and has since started the pro-independence Alba party ( PA )

He accused her of a lack of urgency in her approach to Scottish independence, and launched his new independence-focused Alba Party. The SNP accused him of self-interest and showing no sign whatsoever of reflecting on serious concerns about his own conduct.

What has happened recently?

The party enjoyed a period of rising support during the pandemic, when Ms Sturgeons cool communication style contrasted with the chaotic handling of Covid in the rest of the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon won praise for her calm communication style during the Covid crisis

As well as the partys political support rising, support for independence rose alongside it amid growing criticism of the government in Westminster.

But the party was thrown into turmoil last February when Ms Sturgeon announced her resignation just months before being arrested in connection with a long-running investigation into the SNPs finances.

She was released without charge, but her husband Peter Murrell was also arrested and has since been charged in connection with the embezzlement of SNP funds.

Peter Murrell was arrested and charged in connection with embezzlement ( Robert Perry/PA Wire )

Mr Murrell, who was chief executive of the SNP, was re-arrested this month over the probe into 600,000 of Scottish independence funding which was diverted elsewhere.

The leadership contest which followed Ms Sturgeons resignation opened up splits in the SNP, and saw front-runners Mr Yousaf and Kate Forbes take chunks out of each other in the brutal campaign.

Third-placed Ash Regan went on to quit the party, defecting to Mr Salmonds Alba party.

Why has Humza Yousaf quit?

The chaos of recent years caught up with Mr Yousaf, who announced his resignation after just 398 days as first minister.

Critics believe he isolated more socially conservative supporters by backing legislation to make it easier for people to change their gender and implementing a hate crime law that made transgender identity a protected characteristic, even though the same protections werent given to all women.

He then sparked the fury of the SNPs partners in government, the Scottish Greens, by scrapping the countrys target to reduce carbon emissions by 75 per cent by 2030.

The party was set to vote on whether to pull out of the power-sharing Bute House Agreement with the SNP, but Mr Yousaf removed Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater from government before they could.

This left him facing a no-confidence vote in which he would have had to rely on Alba defector Ms Regan, who he previously described as no great loss to the SNP.

The decision was politically calamitous, and despite having vowed to fight on, Mr Yousaf fought back tears as he announced his resignation.

What happens next?

The SNP will hold a leadership contest to pick the next first minister of Scotland. Former deputy first minister under Ms Sturgeon John Swinney quickly emerged as a front-runner, and is expected to say whether he is running in the coming days.

Former leadership contender Ms Forbes could also enter a contest.

It is thought the SNP wants to avoid another damaging leadership election, which would see candidates once again attack each other in televised debates.

But that will depend on whether the party can unify around a single candidate.

As first minister, Ms Sturgeon was critical of the Conservatives for changing leader multiple times without calling a general election. Labour has called for the SNP to hold Scottish elections, which would likely see large Labour gains at the expense of the nationalists.

And, if the next leader cannot gain the support of Holyrood, their hands may be tied and Scotland could be forced to hold an early election.

It has been a disastrous few years for the SNP, and the future for the party, and independence looks bleak.

That is why Britains top polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice called the saga Gods gift to the Labour Party.

Sir Keir Starmer will be watching developments north of the border with glee.
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Humza Yousaf has quit as SNP leader after just 398 days in office.

The Scottish first ministers decision to collapse a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens spectacularly backfired, and on Monday he stepped aside.

The once-dominant nationalist party is in meltdown. Former leader Nicola Sturgeons husband Peter Murrell, who ran the party for 22 years, has been charged in connection with the embezzlement of SNP funds.

Humza Yousaf vowed last week to fight and win a vote of no-confidence in his leadership ( Shutterstock )

Ms Sturgeon herself was arrested amid an investigation into the partys finances and then released without charge. She has denied wrongdoing.

Her predecessor Alex Salmond has returned to the political spotlight, aiming barbs at the SNPs descent into the politics of culture wars. And the party is being challenged by a resurgent Labour Party, set to win back swathes of seats north of the border less than a decade after being almost completely wiped out in Scotland.

Whoever emerges as Mr Yousafs successor faces a frightful inheritance. The Independent looks at who the runners and riders are to replace him.

John Swinney

The deputy first minister under Ms Sturgeon, John Swinney is reportedly being lined up as interim SNP leader while a contest to replace Mr Yousaf is held.

The Perthshire North MSP has held a series of roles in the Scottish government, including cabinet secretary for finance, the Covid recovery and education.

John Swinney said he will consider what the first minister says ( PA )

He is seen as one of the few figures who could command the support of the Scottish parliament while a leadership election takes place.

A party source told The Times Mr Swinney is seen as one of only a couple of people who can bring calm to choppy waters and bring reassurance to the public.

Asked if he would want to be first minister, Mr Swinney, who has been in the Scottish parliament since it was established in 1999, said it was a very demanding role.

He added: I will consider what the first minister says and reflect on that. I may well have more to say at a later stage during the week.

Kate Forbes

Kate Forbes came a close second to Mr Yousaf in the contest to replace Ms Sturgeon, winning 48 per cent of member votes.

She is seen as a divisive figure because of her membership of the Free Church of Scotland, an evangelical branch of Protestantism with socially conservative views on abortion and LGBT+ issues.

Kate Forbes is against gay marriage and having children outside wedlock ( PA )

During the leadership contest, Ms Forbes, then Scotlands finance minister, said she would have voted against gay marriage if she was an MSP when it became law in Scotland in 2014.

She also said having children outside of marriage is wrong. Several prominent SNP backers withdrew their support for Ms Forbes. She would again be a likely frontrunner in any leadership contest, but risks alienating members on the more socially liberal wing of the SNP.

She has been the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch since 2016 and previously worked as a researcher for an MSP.

Stephen Flynn

The SNPs charismatic Westminster leader was considered a potential successors to Mr Yousaf, although he ruled himself out on Monday night. He would have to lead the party despite not being an MSP. As it is a long race, he may yet be persuaded to run.

Former SNP leader Mr Salmond led the party from Westminster between 2004 and 2007, but it was in opposition at Holyrood at the time.

Stephen Flynn has reportedly been touring the country to meet his MP colleagues in their constituencies ( PA Wire )

Mr Flynn has reportedly been touring the country to meet his MP colleagues in their constituencies, which would help with momentum for any leadership bid.

Mr Flynn also worked as a researcher for an MP and MSP before being elected as the MP for Aberdeen South in 2019.

He has become a prominent figure in Westminster due to his strong calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and has repeatedly sought to exploit Labour divisions over the conflict.

Neil Gray

Neil Gray was elected MSP for Airdrie & Shotts in 2021, having served from 2015 to 2021 as the MP for the same seat in Westminster.

Neil Gray MSP is the health secretary for Scotland ( PA )

He was quickly promoted to become minister for culture, Europe and international development under Ms Sturgeon and now has responsibility for NHS recovery, health and social care.

He also began his career as a researcher in Holyrood, having worked as a press and research intern for the SNP parliamentary group.

Jenny Gilruth

Jenny Gilruth was elected to Holyrood in 2016 as MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes. Before entering the Scottish parliament, she worked as a modern studies teacher in Edinburgh and later taught humanities at a high school in Dunfermline.

She became culture minister in 2020 and has since served as transport minister and education secretary, a job she has held since last March.

Jenny Gilruth has been touted by some in the party as then next SNP leader ( PA )

On Monday she posted on X: John Swinney is the best choice to be Scotlands First Minister & the SNP leader. I will be strongly supporting him if, as I hope, he chooses to run.

She is married to Kezia Dugdale, the former leader of the Scottish Labour Party who was an MSP for Lothian from 2011 to 2019.
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A Tory MP and former government minister claims he was deported during a trip to Djibouti because of the east African countrys close relationship with China.

Tim Loughton, who was santioned by Beijing in 2021, said he was held at the airport for seven hours, barred entry from the country and then sent back to the UK on the next available flight.

China imposed sanctions on a number of MPs, including Mr Loughton, after the country said they had maliciously spread lies and disinformation about human rights abuses against the Uighur people.

The MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, who was in Djibouti for a 24-hour visit on 8 April, described the experience as very lonely and frightening.

He told the BBC: I told them I was a member of parliament and then it went all very frosty.

Djibouti is effectively a vassel state of China - what China wants, Djibouti kowtows to and having a troublesome MP who has been sanctioned by China turning up on their doorstep was clearly something they didnt want to entertain.

Mr Loughton said he was held for an hour in the arrivals hall, before later being taken to a holding room for three hours and then sent back on a flight to Britain.

He added: This was another example of how the tentacles of the Chinese Communist Government extend far and wide, and their malign influence in sensitive parts of Africa is particularly worrying.

Yet the intimidation of countless others who have dared to speak out against Chinas industrial scale human rights abuses and who do not have the platform an MP raises serious concerns.

The UKs Chinese embassy has been contacted for comment.

Mr Loughton is co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Tibet, which has previously shone the spotlight on Chinas record on human rights abuses.

He has previously called for a UN investigation into the use of slave labour in China and said the country is a serial abuser of human rights.

Mr Loughton is one of more than 100 MPs who are standing down at the next election.

The veteran backbencher, who has represented East Worthing & Shoreham since 1997, wrote in April that it was wiser to leave five minutes too soon than to continue for five years too long.

In a letter to his local Conservative association, Mr Loughton said: It has been a great honour to have served as the Member of Parliament for the newly created East Worthing and Shoreham constituency since 1997.

With the help of a fantastic local party association, we have fought seven general elections successfully.

By the time of the next one I will have spent more than 27 years in Parliament. After much reflection I have decided now is the right time for me to move on and hand over to someone new.

As former Cabinet Minister John Biffen appropriately put it: In politics I think it is wiser to leave five minutes too soon than to continue for five years too long.
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Watch as students from Columbia University hold a press conference after the school ordered them to vacate their protest encampment.

Columbia Universitys president said on Monday (29 April) that talks with pro-Palestinian protesters over the dismantling of an encampment on the Ivy League campus had failed and urged them to voluntarily disperse or face suspension from school.

President Nemat Minouche Shafik said days of talks between student organisers and academic leaders had failed to break a stalemate over the tent encampment set up to protest Israels war in Gaza.

Ms Shafik in a statement said Columbia would not divest assets that support Israels military, a key demand of the protesters, but offered to invest in health and education in Gaza, and make Columbias direct investment holdings more transparent.

Protesters have vowed to keep their encampment on the Manhattan campus until Columbia meets three demands: divestment, transparency in Columbias finances and amnesty for students and faculty disciplined for their part in the protests.
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Talks between pro-Palestinian student protesters and Columbia University officials have broken down, according to an update on Monday from the universitys president.

Administrators have negotiated with demonstrators for much of the last week as protests roiled the campus as they demanded that the college divest from Israel. Dozens have been arrested and the institution switched to virtual learning amid the turmoil.

A statement on Monday from Columbias embattled president Nemat Minouche Shafik said that regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement.

The university will not divest from Israel, but that it has offered to develop an expedited timeline for reviewing new proposals with the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the letter read.

Ms Shafik urged students who have set up an encampment on the college grounds in upper Manhattan to voluntarily disperse.

She also noted that the university is consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible.

The university warned protesters to clear out by 2pm EST on Monday or they would face suspension.

They have been asked to voluntarily leave by 2pm and identify themselves to university officials. In addition, the school wants student protesters to sign a form promising to adhered to the universitys policies through June 2025 or the date of the conferral of your degree. The school is promising not to hold the protest against any student so long as they agree to the terms on the document, the Columbia Spectator reports.

It is important for you to know that the University has already identified many students in the encampment. If you do not identify yourself upon leaving and sign the form now, you will not be eligible to sign and complete the semester in good standing, a university statement said. If you do not leave by 2pm, you will be suspended pending further investigation.

University officials said it would establish an alternative venue for demonstrations after the exam period and commencement have concluded. It said that the current unauthorized encampment is creating an unwelcoming environment for members of our community.

The schools president also implored the protesters to consider their classmates upcoming commencement ceremonies, noting that many students graduating this year did not get to celebrate their high school graduations due to the pandemic.

We also do not want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration, Ms Shafik wrote. Please recall that many in this graduating class did not get a celebration when graduating from high school because of the pandemic, and many of them are the first in their families to earn a university degree.

The university initially gave protesters a midnight deadline on 22 April to reach an agreement with the administration or be removed.

Students leading the Gaza protest have also asked the school to grant amnesty to students who have been disciplined as a result of the protest. That demand was not addressed in Ms Shafiks letter.

Ms Shafik has been the subject of near-universal criticism. Protesters and faculty have chastised her for calling the police to disperse the encampment on 18 April  when ended with the arrests of more than 100 protesters  as well as for her overall handling of the protest.

Those who oppose the Gaza protesters have also lashed out as Ms Shafik, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. The Republican leader visited Columbias campus last week to berate the protesters and to call for Ms Shafik to resign if she would not immediately quash the demonstrations.

I am here today joining my colleagues and calling on President Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos, he said during his address on 24 April.

Ms Shafik ignored the call to resign and the university continued to negotiate with the students. A university spokesperson told Retuers that they would not offer further comment on Ms Shafiks statement.

The Independent has reached out for comment.
 Close President Joe Biden insists order must prevail as police shut down college Gaza protests

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Police have arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian students as protests against Israels war in Gaza continued across universities over the weekend.

At least 25 protesters were arrested as police cleared an encampment at the University of Virginia, the university said in a statement.

Dozens of people were arrested for criminal trespass outside the Art Institute of Chicago at a demonstration after the institute called in police to remove protesters.

Meanwhile, students carried flags and banners during the University of Michigans commencement ceremony after the NYPD revealed on Friday morning that a police officer with the departments Emergency Service Unit unintentionally fired his gun while trying to access a locked office at Columbia University.

The bullet hit a wall inside the office. No one was injured.

On Thursday morning, hundreds of police officers dismantled a pro-Palestinian protest camp at the University of California at Los Angeles and arrested more than 130 demonstrators.

Live TV footage showed protesters under arrest, kneeling on the ground, their hands bound behind their backs with zip ties. Loud explosions were heard during the clash from flash-bang charges, or stun grenades, fired by police.

President Joe Biden also denounced protests that turned violent on college campuses on Thursday.
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Music icon Sean Diddy Combs has asked a judge to throw out a handful of claims from a lawsuit brought by a woman who accused him of drugging and sexually assaulting her back in 1991.

In a 26 April filing, obtained by People, Diddys attorneys claim that some of the allegations in Joi Dickerson-Neals suit were brought under statutes that did not exist at the time the alleged misconduct occurred and so should be tossed from the case.

Among the legislation in question are the New York State Revenge Porn Law, which was signed into law in 2019, and the New York Services for Victims of Human Trafficking law, which became law in 2007.

Because these laws took effect decades after the alleged sexual assault, these claims cannot survive the motion to dismiss, Diddys lawyers wrote.

They also called Ms Dickerson-Neals allegations false, offensive, and salacious.

In November, Ms Dickerson-Neal filed a complaint claiming the rapper intentionally drugged her during the 1991 alleged incident, when she was a student at Syracuse University.

This resulted in her being in a physical state where she could not independently stand or walk, the complaint alleges.

Ms Dickerson-Neal claims that Diddy then drove her to a place he was staying to sexually assault her.

As was his practice, but unbeknownst to Ms. Dickerson, Combs video recorded the sexual assault, the complaint alleges.

Days after the incident, the complaint claims that a male friend revealed to her that he had viewed the sex tape along with other men.

Horrified, Ms. Dickerson asked how many others saw it, to which he responded, everyone, Ms Dickerson-Neal claims.

Music mogul and entrepreneur Sean Diddy Combs arrives at the Billboard Music Awards on 15 May 2022 ( AP )

Regarding the revenge porn law, the complaint alleges that Ms Dickerson-Neal was depicted in a video image in which Combs engaged in sexual contact in which Plaintiffs body was unclothed or her intimate parts were exposed.

She did not consent to the depiction, as she was mentally incapacitated, it adds.

As for the human trafficking law, the complaint states: Defendants unlawfully administered to Plaintiff a narcotic or intoxicating substance in New York state, transported her, forced her to engage in sexual intercourse, and made a video recording of the revenge porn which he distributed throughout New York state  all without her consent.

The Independent has contacted Ms Dickerson-Neals attorneys for comment.

Ms Dickerson-Neal filed the suit in November 2023, under the New York Adult Survivors Act (ASA).

Her lawsuit is one of a string of recent lawsuits brought against Diddy as he faces allegations of wide-ranging sexual misconduct. A separate suit, filed by another woman under the ASA, against the rapper has been settled.

The rappers home in California and Florida were raided by federal agents in March in connection to an ongoing human trafficking investigation.

Diddy has not been charged with any crime in the case.
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The lead investigator in the Karen Read murder probe told friends that he had searched her phone for nudes, the court heard during the first day of her trial on Monday.

Opening statements got under way in the high-profile trial of the college finance professor who has been charged with murder in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend John OKeefe.

OKeefes body was found in the snow in front of a home in the early hours of 29 January 2022, following a night of partying at a bar in Canton, Massachusetts.

Days later, the 44-year-old professor was arrested and charged with murder. Prosecutors allege that Ms Read ran over her police officer boyfriend during a snowstorm and left him for dead on the freezing front lawn of their friends home.

Among the details which emerged in opening statements on Monday were the text messages that the lead investigator in the case, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, sent to his high school friends.

Reeds defence attorney David Yannetti told the court that Mr Proctor accessed Reads phone without a search warrant.

Karen Read in court on Monday 29 April 2024. She is accused of murdering her boyfriend John OKeefe during a snowstorm in January 2022 ( NBC News 10 Boston/YouTube )

He told his buddies that he was searching her phone for nude photos, and he was disappointed he hadnt found any yet, Yanetti told the court.

That is the professional and unbiased investigator who was chosen to lead the investigation into the death of John OKeefe.

Mr Proctor is now under investigation himself over his handling of the case. Massachusetts State Police announced this March  just weeks before Ms Reads trial got under way  that Mr Proctor was the focus of an internal investigation for a potential violation of department policy.

The probe came one day after Ms Reads legal team alleged that Mr Proctor has personal relationships with multiple people involved in the case  something he had failed to disclose.

Mr Proctor was reportedly friends with the Albert family. OKeefes body was found out the front of the Albert property in the snow. One of the family members, Brian Albert, is a Boston police officer.

In a bombshell court hearing in March, Ms Reads attorneys pointed to apparent text messages between Mr Proctor and the Albert family where they promised to send the trooper a thank you gift when this is all over.

The first day of trial also revealed that a hair belonging to OKeefe was found on the broken tail light of his girlfriends car.

Prosecutors pointed to evidence showing the victims hair was found on Ms Reads car, while fragments of her broken tail light were on OKeefes body.

Ms Reads defence argued in their opening statement that she has been framed for the murder, and is the victim of a cover-up.

An autopsy found that OKeefe had several abrasions on his right forearm, two black eyes, a cut on his nose, a two-inch laceration to the back of his head and multiple skull fractures. Authorities also say hypothermia was a contributing factor in his death.

Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally told the jury that the couple had met in 2004, briefly dated, and then rekindled their relationship in March 2020.

John OKeefe was found in the snow having suffered multiple injuries on 29 January 2022 ( Boston Police Department )

In the weeks leading up to Mr OKeefes death, the relationship had soured, he said, claiming Ms Read had accused the victim of having an affair and had started having one of her own.

Mr Lally told jurors that Ms Read had returned to the scene of the murder before telling a friend her boyfriend had not come home and asking for their help in searching for him.

The prosecution pointed to evidence including the cracked tail light and a Google search by her friend Jennifer McCabe as to how long it would take for someone to die if left out in the cold.

In the defences opening statement, Ms Reads attorney then stood up and told the jury that the prosecutions case was based on a shoddy and biased investigation.

Attorney David Yannetti told the court that his client had dropped OKeefe off at the home that night.

Karen Read was framed. Her car never struck John OKeefe, he said.

From a very early juncture in this case, you will question the Commonwealths theory of the case. You will question the quality of the Commonwealths evidence, he added.

Earlier in April, Ms Reads legal team presented three alleged third-party culprits who were inside the home at the time of OKeefes death and which they claim have a motive for the killing, according to The Boston Globe.

This includes Brian Albert, a Boston police officer who owns the home outside of which OKeefe was found dead, and a federal law enforcement agent named Brian Higgins, whom Ms Reads team claims has a romantic interest in her.

Mr Yannetti said that the Alberts are a well-connected law enforcement family and that their ties to investigators meant that their home was not searched as part of the murder probe.

The attorney also said that Mr Albert and Mr Higgins had spent around 20 seconds on the phone with each other that night, with the Google search by the friend happening a short time after this.

The defence attorney also cast doubt on OKeefes cause of death.

Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally gives the opening statement for the prosecution ( AP )

When John O'Keefe was found, he did not look like he'd been hit by a car. He looked like he'd been beaten up, Mr Yannetti said, arguing that the victim was a tall, large man whose injuries could not have been caused by being hit by a car going around 2mph.

Someone  not Karen Read  ambushed John OKeefe. Somebody probably didnt mean to kill him but somebody probably went too far, the attorney continued, claiming investigators failed to look into alternate suspects.

Mr Yannetti also said that the jury will hear from a snow plough driver, who passed by the house not long after prosecutors say Ms Read ran her boyfriend over. The defence attorney claims there was no body present at the time.

None of the alternate suspects laid out by the defence have been charged in connection to the case.

Supporters of Ms Read have been staging protests outside the court, insisting that she is innocent.

Earlier this month, Judge Beverly Cannone shrank the protest buffer zone outside the courthouse to 200 feet, NBC Boston reported.

While public comment will likely continue, the rule of law will be upheld, Judge Cannone said on the matter.

Judge Beverly Cannone addresses the jury before opening statements for the murder trial of Karen Read ( AP )

Witness accounts of the night OKeefe died were revealed in early April in newly-unsealed court documents following a request from The Boston Globe.

Ms Read and OKeefe had met their friend Ms McCabe at a local bar on the evening of 28 January 2022, according to witness statements. As the bar closed, the group was invited to the home of Nicole Albert and her husband Brian, a former fellow Boston police officer.

Ms Read told police she subsequently dropped OKeefe off at the Alberts home. Ms Read said she went home afterwards due to stomach problems.

In the early hours of the morning on 29 January, Ms McCabe said Ms Read called her in distress. The finance professor said she had tried to contact OKeefe and could not reach him, Ms McCabe told authorities. They later met up with another friend, Kerry Roberts, who received similar calls from Ms Read.

Ms Roberts told police Ms Read called and said her boyfriend was dead, claiming he may have been hit by a snowplough. Ms McCabe also told police Ms Read asked her: Could I have hit him?

The group then said they found OKeefe unresponsive lying in the snow in front of the Alberts home. Ms Roberts began CPR, and Ms McCabe called the police.

After paramedics arrived, witnesses said Ms Read repeatedly asked if her boyfriend was dead. Responding troopers also observed Ms Read had a broken tail light.

The officer was taken to a nearby hospital, but succumbed to his injuries, with Ms Read arrested a few days later.

She faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death.

The trial is expected six to eight weeks.
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A Minnesota state senator who allegedly broke into an elderly relative's home to steal her father's ashes has now been stripped of her committee assignments as she faces growing calls to resign.

Democratic state Senator Nicole Mitchell, 49, was arrested at her stepmothers home in the 700 block of Granger Road in Detroit Lakes at around 4.45am last Monday.

According to a criminal complaint, she was found dressed in black clothing and a black hat and admitted that she had entered through a basement window.

Ms Mitchell allegedly told investigators that she had entered her stepmothers house because she hoped to retrieve items of sentimental value, including pictures, a flannel shirt and her fathers ashes.

She was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary.

Ms Mitchell later denied the burglary allegations, writing in a Facebook post that she went to check on a loved one with Alzheimers after learning of medical information which caused her grave concern.

Like so many families, mine is dealing with the pain of watching a loved one decline due to Alzheimers and associated paranoia, she wrote.

Unfortunately, I startled this close relative, exacerbating paranoia, and I was accused of stealing, which I absolutely deny.

Minnesota state Senator Nicole Mitchell pictured in mug shot ( Becker County Sheriff's Office )

On Monday  one week on from the incident  Democratic Majority Leader Senator Erin Murphy said in a statement that Ms Mitchell has since been removed from her responsibilities, including her committee assignments and caucus meetings.

While the case is under review both in the Senate and in the courts, Senator Mitchell will be relieved of her committee assignments and removed from caucus meetings, the statement read.

This is a tragic situation, and there are still questions that need to be answered, Mr Murphy added.

Mr Murphy went on to say that the legal investigation into the incident is ongoing, while Ms Mitchell is also being investigated by the state Senate after Republicans lawmakers filed an ethics complaint against her.

Senators must be held to the highest standard of ethical conduct. Public trust has been violated, Republican state Senator Eric Lucero said on the senate floor last week.

Democratic State Senator Nicole Mitchell, right, of Woodbury, speaks with Senator Robert Farnsworth, the state Senate ( AP )

Ms Mitchell is currently one of six Minnesota politicians who have been arrested and are still serving the state.

At the scene of her arrest, she allegedly told investigators that her father had recently died and her stepmother had cut contact with her and other family members, according to court documents.

I was just trying to get a couple of my dads things because you wouldnt talk to me anymore, she told her stepmother as she was placed under arrest, the documents added.

Ms Mitchells backpack was then searched by police who found two laptops, a cellphone, her drivers licence, senate identification and Tupperware, the document continues.

One of the laptops, which was used to prop open a window, allegedly belonged to her stepmother, authorities said. Ms Mitchell said her stepmother had given her the laptop way back when, but her stepmother denied ever giving the laptop to the state senator,

Ms Mitchell was released without bond on the condition she would not have contact with her stepmother, among other restrictions, her attorney, Bruce Ringstrom Jr, told CNN.
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A New York district attorney was caught on officer body camera footage calling a cop an a**hole after being pulled over for speeding.

The incident happened on 22 April. Sandra Doorley, district attorney for Monroe County, was driving down Phillips Road in Webster, allegedly going 55mph in a 35mph zone.

An officer attempted to pull the woman over for speeding, but she evaded him, drove another mile to her residence and called the Webster police chief instead, according to the Democrat and Chronicle. Several officers responded to the address.

One officer immediately confronted the district attorney upon arrival and the two had a tense exchange. I didnt want to pull over, DA Doorley said. But you should know better right? Officer Cameron Crisafulli responded, reminding her that evading an officer is an arrestable offence. Now you made it a bigger deal than it needed to be.

A New York district attorney argues with police after failing to pull over during a traffic stop

In the footage, the woman can be seen repeatedly ignoring the officers requests, swearing at him and calling the Webster police chief to get the officer to leave me alone. Much of the interaction happened in the garage of the womans home.

At one point the officer said, What do you want us to do? Not do our job because its you? Officers ultimately issued the district attorney a ticket. Ill take care of this because Ill be prosecuting myself, she responded.

Shortly after the incident, the DA issued the following statement: I acknowledged that I was speeding and I accepted the ticket.

By 1pm the following day, I pled guilty and sent the ticket to the Webster Town Court because I believe in accepting responsibility for my actions and had no intention of using my position to receive a benefit.

Over the weekend, the Rochester City Council asked Letitia James, New York State attorney general, to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, said DA Doorley has undermined her ability to hold others accountable. She referred the case to the state Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct.

On Sunday, Doorley issued a video apology. Last Monday, I failed you and the standards that I hold myself to and for that I am so sorry. The district attorney said that shed had a bad day at work after dealing with three homicide cases and hearing news about her husbands medical condition.

New York state district attorney issues apology for refusing to pull over during traffic stop

But we all have bad days and stress. And it was wrong for me to take it out on an officer who was simply doing his job.
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The remains of a newborn baby were found dead and thrown into a trash can near freshmen student halls at the University of Tampa.

Just before 7pm on Sunday, officers from the Tampa Police Department responded to a report of a deceased infant near McKay Hall, a residence hall for their students on the universitys campus in Florida, police wrote in a release on Monday.

When they arrived, officers found a newborn baby girl wrapped in a towel and placed in a garbage bin near the student dormitory.

The body of the baby girl was transported to the medical examiners office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, police said.

The authorities added that the mother of the child was found and transported to a nearby hospital.

"The loss of a child is always a tragedy," said Lee Bercaw, the chief of police at the Tampa Police Department.

"As our department actively investigates this incident, we want all expectant mothers to know there are resources available."

It is currently unclear how the baby ended up in the hospital, nor what role the mother played in this tragic loss, if any, but the Tampa police did add in their statement how mothers facing difficult circumstances can get help.

The police said that Florida has a Safe Haven Law, meaning parents can anonymously surrender an unharmed newborn infant, as long as they are seven days or younger, to any fire station, EMS station, or hospital.

The baby was found wrapped in a towel in a garbage bin near McKay Hall ( Google Maps )

There will be no questions asked, and no charges will be filed for surrendering a newborn under the Safe Haven Law unless the infant has signs of abuse or neglect, the police wrote.

Videos seen by Fox13 late Sunday night showed the Tampa Police Departments forensic teams near the McKay Hall dormitory, which primarily houses freshmen students.

Just before midnight, students received a campus alert text message warning them that an investigation was taking place near McKay Hall, the outlet reported

They were told to avoid the area but were assured that there was no threat to the university community.

The Univesity of Tampa said in a statement to The Mirror that they are cooperating with TPD on the investigation and is offering counselling and resources to the campus community".

The police department said that this remains an active investigation.

The Independent has contacted The Tampa Police Department and the medical examiners office for further information.
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A man charged with helping a white supremacist gang member escape an Idaho prison last month appeared in court on Monday for a preliminary hearing.

Nicholas Umphenour is accused of helping break Skylar Meade out of custody while he was in a Boise hospital in the early hours of 20 March.

Umphenour and Meade had been held in the same unit of an Idaho Department of Corrections facility from December 2020 until January 2024. They are also allegedly part of the same white supremacist prison gang, the Aryan Knights, police said.

Umphenour is facing three counts of aggravated battery on an officer and using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

Umpehnours next hearing is on 20 May. He will appear alongside Tia Garcia who has also been charged for falsely reporting her car was stolen soon after the jail break.

Nicholas Umphenour (left) and Skylar Meade (right) are both thought to have been members of the Aryan Knights, a white supremacist gang ( AP )

Meade was serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at a sheriff in a high-speed car chase when he was taken to a hospital for medical treatment in March. Meade, who had been in prison since 2016, still had another 10 years to serve before he was eligible for release.

As he was being transported out of the facility on 20 March, his law enforcement escort was ambushed by a gunman. It resulted in two correction officers being shot and a third being hit by a fellow police officer who responded to the emergency call.

According to police, Umphenour pulled into the ambulance bay of the hospital at around 2am and opened fire on the officers. Police have said that it was a coordinated attack, and that the two men sped away from the scene in a grey four-door sedan.

Yet Meades escape bearly lasted two days. The two men were captured on 21 March and are being held on $2m bail.

They are also under investigation for the murders of two people who were killed during their 36 hours on the run. The victims have been identified as James L. Mauney, 83, of Juliaetta, Idaho, who was reported missing when he did not return from walking his dogs, and Gerald Don Henderson, 72, who was found dead outside his cabin near Orofino.
 Close Four law enforcement officers killed in shooting, standoff in Charlotte

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New details have emerged around a police encounter with the suspect months before the shoot-out in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday that left four law enforcement officers dead.

Back in January, Terry Clark Hughes Jr, 39, led officers on a high-speed chase, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Bill Beam. One of his officers tried to pull over Hughes. But rather than slowing down, he took off, the sheriff told WCNC.

The car chase was ultimately called off when a police officer noticed the Hughes vehicle was registered to a woman.

Four months later, Hughes opened fire on officers as they approached his home on April 29 trying to serve him warrants. He was wanted for possession of a firearm by felon and felony flee to elude.

Hughes was fatally shot during the exchange.

Two other people later found in the home where Hughes was firing from are fully cooperating with the investigation and are not considered suspects, CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings said.

Four officers were killed in the tragedy: North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott, Deputy US Marshal Thomas Weeks and CMPD officer Joshua Eyer.

Of the four officers injured, three have been discharged from the hospital while the fourth is in stable condition.
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Four law enforcement officers were killed during a shootout in Charlotte, North Carolina, after trying to serve a warrant at a home.

The incident took place around 1.30pm as members of US Marshals Fugitive Task Force attempted to serve a warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon at a suburban home in Charlotte, reported USA Today.

The suspect opened fire at the officers with a high-powered rifle as they approached the residence, said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police (CMPD) Chief Johnny Jennings.

Officers returned fire and hit an individual, who was later pronounced dead in the front yard.

Some of the officers who rushed to the Charlotte neighbourhood to rescue the first wave of downed officers were wounded as a second shooter began firing on them after they killed the wanted man. His name was not released but the chief said he was wanted as a felon illegally possessing a weapon.

Todays an absolutely tragic day for the city of Charlotte and for the profession of law enforcement, Mr Jennings said at a news conference. Today we lost some heroes that are just simply trying to keep our community safe.

After a three-hour standoff, the suburban Charlotte home was torn open. Armored vehicles smashed into it, ripping off windows and entire doorways that were left broken. Several armored vehicles were parked across yards, some with tree branches dangling off them.

A second person then fired on officers from inside the home where a high-powered rifle was found, Mr Jennings added.

A woman and a 17-year-old male were found in the home after the standoff. The two are being questioned, he said.

The Marshals Service confirmed one of its agents was killed. Two officers from the state Department of Adult Correction also were killed, said North Carolina governor Roy Cooper. The governor was in Charlotte and was speaking to the families of the officers killed and hurt. Their names have not been released.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Joshua Eyer died a few hours later at the hospital, Mr Jennings said. Eyer was named the officer of the month for the force for April a few weeks ago, the chief said. He certainly gave his life and dedicated his life to protecting our citizens, Mr Jennings said.

One other member of the task force, which is made up of federal agents and other officers from across the region, was injured. Three other Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers who responded to the scene were shot while trying to rescue the wounded officers.

This is a good example of what we try to tell people every single day, that when we put on this uniform, that we dont have any guarantees that we will return home, Mr Jennings told the conference. Yet we have a lot of great men and women across this entire country that do it every single day to make sure that youre safe and your communities.

At around 5pm local time, following the shootout in the residential area, police announced that at least one shooting suspect was deceased and that the area was safe.

The residence on Galway Drive is now clear, and the area is safe. Residents no longer need to shelter in place, the force wrote. At least one shooting suspect was located deceased at the residence after clearing the scene.

Officers were attempting to serve a warrant at a residence in east Charlotte when they were met with gunfire ( AP )

CMPD is questioning two other occupants of the home. CMPD and other law enforcement agencies will be at the scene to conduct the investigation. Some roadways in the neighborhood will remain closed. Please remain patient and cooperate with officers.

We know some answers, but we still have many that we have to clear up and in many that we have to continue to work on until we can really lock down, Chief Jennings told reporters.

At Mondays press conference, Charlotte mayor Vi Lyles became emotional as she addressed reporters.

Weve lost three people. They lost their lives after they gave us the opportunity to be in a safe place, and they lost their lives, she said.

These are people that care deeply about what theyve done for our profession. And now today we have to say to them, how much we are grateful for what they have done.

Neighbour Tyler Wilson told WBTV that officers had streamed into his home, including one who appeared to use his window to aim a sniper rifle.

At one point, Mr Wilson told the outlet, an injured officer had been dragged through his home by his shoulders, though he was not able to see the extent of the officers injuries.

He described the scene as gunfire galore, with officers army-crawling through his backyard, hiding behind trees, and jumping around bushes.

Officers ordered Mr Wilson and two others in the home to hide in a back room as the gunfire was ongoing.

Rissa Reign was cleaning her house when she heard the first shots ring out. There was a pause, then a second set of shots and then a third.

She stepped outside. When we came outside, there were no cops at all, then cops started rushing, rushing, rushing, rushing in, she said, adding armoured SWAT trucks quickly followed and they were going over the grass, everything, and they started shooting again.

Following news of the unfolding incident, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper posted on X that he was in contact with law enforcement concerning the tragic shooting and had offered state resources to help.

Many roads in the area, including Interstate 77, were closed so ambulances could get to hospitals faster. TV footage showed ambulances speeding to hospitals escorted by vehicles both in front and behind with their sirens wailing.

The neighbourhood, of one- and two-storey brick homes and small trimmed lawns, is very safe, said Alex Rivera, who lives on a street nearby.

I see, like, 50 police cars zooming in, and then I hear gunshots, he said on the front porch of the house he shares with his cousin.

I was scared, because there was so much going on. Another neighbour, William Cunningham, was moved to tears as he sat on his porch. He said he is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm but never expected such violence in his own neighborhood.Bless those officers and bless their families, he said. Nobody should get killed over a warrant.

Four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were placed on lockdown around afternoon dismissal, but that was lifted in the late afternoon, the district said.Police urged people to stay away from the neighborhood and asked residents to remain inside their homes until the all clear was given.President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting and spoke with Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles to express his condolences and support for the community.

North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis tweeted: An attack in Charlotte on our brave law enforcement officers who swore an oath to protect and serve us all. Susan and I are praying for everyones safety.

Additional reporting by the agencies
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Suzanne Morphews cause of death has finally been revealed almost four years after she vanished without a trace when she supposedly set off on a bike ride on Mothers Day 2020.

Following a dramatic case involving a missing mother-of-two, accusations of extra-marital affairs, the high-profile arrest and charging of her husband Barry Morphew with murder  before the charges were suddenly dropped  and the discovery of human remains three years on, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now ruled Morphews death a homicide.

The 49-year-olds death was caused by homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication, the autopsy from the El Paso County coroner found.

This cocktail of drugs is often used to tranquilise animals including bears.

During the investigation into Morphews disappearance, authorities had found a tranquiliser dart cap inside the dryer in the Morphew familys home, an FBI agent revealed at a preliminary hearing in 2021.

Mr Morphew told investigators at the time that he used tranquiliser darts while hunting deer bucks so that he could subdue them and cut off their horns. After the charges against Mr Morphew were dropped, he filed a federal civil rights lawsuit seeking $15m in damages over his arrest and first-degree murder charge.

According to the autopsy, the drugs found in Morphews system are marketed as a compounded injectable chemical immobilizer for wildlife.

The remains of Suzanne Morphew were found in September 2023, more than three years after she went missing

The National Institutes of Health describes Butorphanol as a synthetic opioid which is used as a nasal spray for treatment of migraine headaches and parenterally as a narcotic analgesic for moderate-to-severe pain or as an adjunct to general anesthesia.

The NIH states that a combination of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine is an effective, safe, and easy-to-use protocol when immobilising bears.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case, said CBI Director Chris Schaefer in a statement.

The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzannes death.

Morphew disappeared back on 10 May 2020 after her husband said she left their home in Salida, Colorado, to go on a bike ride.

Mr Morphew told police he left his wife at their home early that morning to travel to a construction job in Denver.

She was reported missing by a neighbour when the couples two daughters were unable to get in contact with her while they were on an out-of-state trip.

Her bike was found at the bottom of a steep ravine off Chaffee County Road 225 later that day. Police said the bicycle didnt appear to have been in a crash, and there was no blood on the scene.

At the time, Mr Morphew posted a tearful video on social media pleading for his wifes safe return.

Morphews husband Barry Morphew and the couples two daughters leave court after the charges were dropped ( AP )

Authorities conducted 135 searches across the state and more than 400 interviews across multiple states as part of the investigation.

In May 2021, one year on from when she was last seen alive, Mr Morphew was arrested and charged with murder.

It had previously emerged that all was not well in the Morphews marriage, with the couple frequently clashing about their finances. According to prosecutors, in February 2020, Suzanne bought a spy pen to see if she could capture Barry in what she believed was an extra-marital affair.

Oh, Im sure your mistress has you all happy now so you can say you love me but bully me when youre with me yea thats love, she told Barry in a message later released by officials.

However, in March 2020, Morphew herself had written a message to an old flame from high school that seemed to reference an affair of her own. Nobody loves you ... like the way I do, she wrote. I crave time with you. I crave the feeling I get when we connect. Physically or emotionally. Youre my guy. Always.

On 9 May 2020, the day before Morphew disappeared, she sent a photo of herself sunbathing to the man, the last official proof of life police say they had of her.

Barry Morphew pictured in his mug shot ( Chaffee County Sheriffs Office )

As well as the tranquiliser dart cap found in the Morphews dryer, a preliminary hearing revealed a trove of other evidence that law enforcement alleged tied him to the crime including cellphone location data and Mr Morphews truck GPS.

The data showed him opening and closing his trucks door multiple times on the day his wife had disappeared between 3 and 4am without leaving the driveway, all while his phone was in airplane mode, investigators alleged.

The charges against Mr Morphew were dropped in April 2022 as the prosecutions case fell apart when they were barred from presenting crucial evidence at trial  after a judge found the state had held back substantial evidence that could have helped Mr Morphews case of innocence.

This included DNA evidence that linked her disappearance to sexual assault cases in other states and which in turn suggested a different person might have been involved. Mr Morphew subsequently filed a $15m lawsuit against county officials, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights.

Because they were dropped without prejudice, the door remains open for prosecutors to pursue a new case against him in the future.

The Morphews two daughters have stood by their father throughout.

In September 2023, the mother-of-twos remains were found in Saguache County, about 40 miles south of the Salida area. The tragic discovery was made by agents from the CBI during a search for Edna Quintana, 55, a mother-of-five who disappeared in May 2023 after she went hiking with a boyfriend.

Following the tragic discovery, Mr Morphews attorney released a statement saying that he and the couples daughters were in grief.

They had faith that their wife and mom would walk back into their lives again. The news is heartbreaking, a statement from Mr Morphews lawyers said.

From what we know, Barry is as innocent as he was from Day 1. ...We hope the authorities will quickly admit their wrongful persecution of Barry, an innocent man, to treat the Morphews like the victims they are, and charge the person(s) responsible for Suzannes killing.
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The USs top diplomat called on Hamas leadership to accept what he described as an extraordinarily generous temporary peace deal offered by Israel on Monday as he returned to the region and met with regional power players.

Antony Blinken was at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as he made the statement and declared that "the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. More than 30,000 people, including several thousand children, have died as a direct result of the Israeli military offensive launched in Gaza following the deadliest terror attack in Israels history on October 7.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Mr Blinken said on Monday, according to media reports. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly. I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision."

The secretarys comments come just two days after Hamas militants released videos of two kidnapped hostages believed to be still held in the Gaza Strip; one was an American citizen, Keith Siegel. The group is believed to be holding around 130 hostages still in Gaza amid the fighting, taken captive during that October 7 attack. Five US nationals are thought to be among them.

His visit to the region and comments also come amid a massive wave of protests against the war  and the USs involvement via arms transfers to Israel  on college campuses around the United States. Disputes between university administrations and protesters who have set up makeshift encampments on their campuses have led to violent crackdowns by police, including at New Yorks Columbia University and Georgias Emory University.

President Joe Biden last week signed into law a national security supplemental legislation package which included more $20.68bn in military assistance for Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza and threatens to begin an assault in Rafah, where millions of refugees have fled to amid the fighting. The Biden administration continues to publicly and privately press the Israeli government against a Rafah offensive, but as of yet there is no sign that the Israeli military is backing down from the planned operation.

On Sunday, the US president and Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, held another phone call. The two men are thought to have a damaged relationship as Mr Bidens criticism of his counterparts handling of the war (not to mention Mr Netanyahus closeness to Donald Trump) have strained ties between them.

US officials also continue to publicly condemn the high rate of civilian casualties resulting from the Israeli assault into Gaza. At press briefings, the White House has insisted that Israel has taken steps, at the US presidents behest, to limit those casualties even as the death toll continues to climb to staggering heights.

Mr Biden was at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner over the weekend, which like many of his recent events was targeted by protesters who argue that Israel is committing a genocide with the US complicit in the brutality.

The presidents national security council (NSC) spokesman, John Kirby, pushed back on that assertion in an interview on Friday, and responded absolutely not when asked on MSNBCs Morning Joe whether the US had seen evidence of a genocide underway in Gaza.

The Israeli soldiers are not getting up, getting out of the rack, putting their boots on for the day and saying, 'Hey I'm going to go commit genocide, I'm going to go wantonly murder innocent Palestinians, the secretary asserted on MSNBC.

He continued: "Now, that said, there has been  and the president has talked about this  too many civilian casualties. The number needs to be zero, and there are too many people starving, too many people in need."
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Bernie Sanders speaks out about US college protests against Israels war in Gaza while drawing attention to the need to condemn, in every form, antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry.

Mr Sanders, the independent Vermont senator, was questioned by CNNs Dana Bash on State of the Union on Sunday over the role of antisemitism in pro-Palestine protests that have erupted across college campuses in the United States.

Reports of antisemitism have cropped up across university campuses since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, leaving 1,200 dead. Mr Sanders said to CNN that antisemitism is a vile and disgusting ideology.

But here is the reality: right now, what Netanyahus right-wing, extremist and racist government is doing is unprecedented in the modern history of warfare, he said.

We are looking at the possibility of mass starvation and famine in Gaza. When you make those charges, that is not antisemitic. That is a reality.

As the war has continued with ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza and more than 34,000 Palestinians being killed, antisemitic, Islamophobic and anti-Arab hate incidents have increased across the country, civil rights advocates have reported.

The continuing attack on Gaza has also seen pro-Palestine protests sweep across college campuses in solidarity with Gaza through demonstrations and encampments on campus lawns.

As tensions have escalated, hundreds of people have been arrested on differing campuses, students and professors alike, and law enforcement has launched violent crackdowns on the protests.

Bernie Sanders issued a scathing statement towards Netanyahu on Thursday over campus protests ( Getty Images )

More than 100 people at Columbia alone amid the protest encampments, which are demanding the school to divest their financial ties to Israel over the war in Gaza.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused US college students protesting against the war in Gaza of being antisemitic in a video released on Wednesday, where he referred to protestors as antisemitic mobs and compared them to what happened in German universities in the 1930s.

Mr Sanders responded in a statement on Thursday refuting Netanyahus accusations of antisemitism.

No, Mr Netanyahu. It is not antisemitic or pro-Hamas to point out that in a little over six months your extremist government has killed 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 77,000  70 per cent of whom are women and children. It is not antisemitic to point out that your bombing has completely destroyed more than 221,000 housing units in Gaza, leaving more than one million people homeless  almost half the population, Mr Sanders said.

The senator reiterated his statement on State of the Union on Sunday, adding that we have to pay attention to the disastrous and humanitarian disaster taking place in Gaza right now.

Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Saturday ( Copyright 2024 the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved )

Im Jewish, all right? My fathers family was wiped out by Hitler. Antisemitism is a disgusting and vile form of bigotry, which has killed millions of people, Mr Sanders said Sunday, according to CNN. I would hope that every American condemns antisemitism. We condemn Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry.

Mr Sanders accused Netanyahu in his Thursday statement of attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal war policies of your extremist and racist government.

It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable for your actions, he said.

Protests have taken place at a number of US universities including Yale, Columbia University, New York University, University of Southern California, and the University of Texas, Austin.

US House speaker Mike Johnson visited Columbia on Wednesday, where he also characterised all the campus pro-Palestine protests across the country as antisemitic and called for the universitys president to resign, yet he was greeted by a chorus of boos and chants from the crowd.
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Bill Barr has claimed Donald Trump often suggested executing his political rivals during heated moments of his four-year tenure in the White House.

Former White House communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin told The View back in December that Mr Trump once called for a staff member to be put to death for leaking a story about the then-president going down to a bunker during Black Lives Matter protests in summer 2020.

Former Trump administration attorney general Mr Barr was asked about the claims during an interview on CNN last week.

I remember him being very mad about that, Mr Barr said on the matter.

I actually dont remember him saying executing but I wouldnt dispute it, you know The president would lose his temper and say things like that. I doubt he wouldve actually carried it out.

CNNs Kaitlan Collins then asked whether the 45th president had made similarly extreme statements on other occasions during his presidency.

Mr Barr brushed off the comments saying that people would take Mr Trump too literally  before acknowledging that he would make such statements.

Former US attorney general Bill Barr is interviewed by Kaitlan Collins on CNN on Friday 26 April 2024 ( CNN )

He would say things similar to that on occasions to blow off steam. But I wouldnt take them literally every time he did it, Mr Barr said, adding: At the end of the day, it wouldnt be carried out and you could talk sense into him.

I dont think the threat is there. The thing that I worry about president Trump is not that hes going to become an autocrat and do those kinds of things, he said.

Having worked for him and seen him in action, I dont think he would actually go and kill political rivals and things like that.

The Independent has approached the Trump campaign for comment about Mr Barrs remarks.

Back in September, Mr Trump sparked outrage when he appeared to call for the execution of the outgoing head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, claiming he was committing treason.

Mark Milley, who led perhaps the most embarrassing moment in American history with his grossly incompetent implementation of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, costing many lives, leaving behind hundreds of American citizens, and handing over BILLIONS of dollars of the finest military equipment ever made, will be leaving the military next week, Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social.

This will be a time for all citizens of the USA to celebrate! he continued. This guy turned out to be a Woke train wreck who, if the Fake News reporting is correct, was actually dealing with China to give them a heads up on the thinking of the President of the United States. This is an act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH!

Former president Donald Trump speaks with the media at the end of the days proceedings at his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court on Friday 26 April 2024 ( AP )

General Milley later said that he had to take adequate safety precautions in response to the threatening comments.

Mr Trump has ramped up his use of violent rhetoric as he campaigns to take back the White House in November.

The former president has been slammed for his use of dehumanising language towards migrants, for comparing himself to the feared Chicago mobster Al Capone and for posting disturbing memes online, including one showing an image of President Joe Biden bound and gagged on the back of a MAGA pickup truck.

Despite Mr Barrs repeated statements of concern about Mr Trump, he has now said he will vote for him again this election.

Ive said all along, given two bad choices, I think its my duty to pick the person I think would do the least harm to the country, he told Fox News earlier this month.

And in my mind, I will vote the Republican ticket. I will support the Republican ticket. I think the real danger to the country  the real danger to democracy, as I say  is the progressive agenda.

Trump may be playing Russian roulette, but a continuation of the Biden administration is national suicide in my opinion.

Mr Trump responded to that endorsement, inevitably, with a cruel and taunting post about Mr Barr on his Truth Social platform.

Wow! Former A.G. Bill Barr, who let a lot of great people down by not investigating Voter Fraud in our Country, has just Endorsed me for President despite the fact that I called him Weak, Slow Moving, Lethargic, Gutless, and Lazy (New York Post!), Mr Trump posted.

Based on the fact that I greatly appreciate his wholehearted Endorsement, I am removing the word Lethargic from my statement. Thank you Bill. MAGA2024!
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Hunter Bidens attorneys anticipate an imminent lawsuit against Fox News and its associated streaming service Fox Nation and have requested that top personalities at the network preserve documents.

Attorneys for the presidents son cited statements made by Fox personalities including Jessie Watters and Maria Bartiromo in a lengthy letter sent to Fox attorneys last week and shared with The Independent on Monday. The letter demands immediate corrections to coverage of the allegations of Mr Bidens overseas business dealings and the charge by Republicans that Hunter Biden was involved in an influence-trading scheme with the knowledge or direction of his father.

Those allegations spurred the launch of the House GOPs impeachment inquiry, which has stalled due to a lack of testimony from witnesses or other evidence proving that President Joe Biden ever knew about his sons business dealings.

The letter from Hunter Bidens attorney also argues that the network has used his image outside of the bounds of protected journalistic inquiry. In particular, it cites a fictionalised mock trial put on by the Fox streaming service, Fox Nation, called The Trial of Hunter Biden. The broadcast involved a fake courtroom set complete with a mock judge, jury, prosecution and defence attorneys.

The full list of Fox personalities directed to preserve their communications includes: Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity, Jeanine Pirro, Dana Perino, Miranda Devine, Laura Ingraham, and Maria Bartiromo. The letter also names the BLT Team  named after the pricy Capitol-area eatery BLT Steak  where strategy meetings concerning the networks coverage of Hunter Biden supposedly took place.

Fox News responsded to the letter from Tina Glandian in a statement provided to The Independent on Tuesday.

Hunter Bidens lawyers have belatedly chosen to publicly attack Fox News constitutionally protected coverage regarding their client. Mr. Biden is a public figure who has been the subject of investigations by both the Department of Justice and Congress, has been indicted by two different US Attorneys Offices in California and Delaware, and has admitted to multiple incidents of wrongdoing. Consistent with the First Amendment, Fox News has accurately covered these highly publicized events as well as the subsequent indictment of an FBI informant who was the source of certain claims made about Mr. Biden.

Ms Glandians letter also accused Fox of minimising the news of the criminal indictment of Alexander Smirnov, a key source for the allegations against Hunter Biden, for allegedly lying to the FBI about those very allegations.

For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain. The recent indictment of FBI informant Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents, and monetized by the Fox enterprise, Hunter Bidens attorneys Mark Geragos, Bryan Freeman and Tina Glandian in a joint statement.

We plan on holding them accountable.

Later on Tuesday, Mr Bidens legal team released a second statement, demanding the retraction of the statement Fox provided to The Independent and other outlets.

Predictably, Fox News has once again doubled down on its efforts to mislead the public, said the attorneys. In its statement today, Fox falsely states that Hunter Biden was the subject of an investigation by Congress, which mischaracterizes the plain facts of his litigation, and intentionally avoids telling their audience that their attacks on Hunter were based on an informant who lied. We demand that Fox immediately retract and correct todays statement, which is the latest example of its relentless attack on Hunter Biden in complete disregard for the truth.

The threat of a lawsuit against the Fox network comes after the channels bosses settled a major defamation suit filed by Dominion Voting Systems in the wake of the 2020 election. In that case, numerous Fox personalities including ex-star Tucker Carlson were accused of recklessly spreading verifiably false conspiracies about the companys voting machines and software used in 2020, with top Fox boss Rupert Murdoch admitting that the hosts did so for ratings.

Fox ended up agreeing to a historic $787m settlement in the Dominion case, and suffered a blow to its reputation in journalism circles as a result of the lawsuit. Of particular concern to many reporters was the revealed efforts by Carlson to go after straight-news reporters at the company over their efforts to push back against falsehoods regarding the election.

Hunter Biden remains separately charged with federal tax crimes as well as an allegation that he lied about his history of drug use on an application for the purchase of a firearm.
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An Arizona state senator charged in the election subversion case in the state has been elected as its national committeeman for the Republican National Committee.

State Senator Jake Hoffman was indicted last week, facing allegations that he joined the effort to overturn President Joe Bidens win in the state. Mr Biden became the first Democrat to win Arizona on the presidential level since President Bill Clinton in 1996.

Mr Hoffman was indicted on Wednesday alongside 17 others  including former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former New York Mayor and Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Mr Hoffman was elected to the national committee alongside former state Rep Liz Harris. She was expelled in connection to questioning Mr Bidens 2020 victory in the state.

Im humbled and honored to have been elected as the next RNC National Committeeman for Arizona! Mr Hoffman wrote on X on Saturday. For the next 4 years I will work tirelessly to ensure that the RNC makes Arizona its #1 priority not only in 2024, but every year.

Each state and territory sends a state chairman, a committeeman, and a committeewoman to the RNC, with each getting one vote at RNC meetings and for who will be the RNC chair.

Jake Hoffman has rejected all allegations of wrongdoing ( AP )

RNC chair Ronna McDaniel recently left the post and she was replaced by election denier Michael Whatley, with former President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law Lara Trump being made co-chair.

On 5 January 2021, Mr Hoffman was set to be sworn in as a state representative a few days later. He sent a letter the day before the insurrection at the US Capitol to then-Vice President Mike Pence pushing him to delay the counting of the electors from Arizona.

It is in this late hour, with urgency, that I respectfully ask that you delay the certification of election results for Arizona during the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021, and seek clarification from the Arizona state legislature as to which slate of electors are proper and accurate, Mr Hoffman wrote, according to CNN.

Mr Hoffman, who joined the state senate in January last year, was one of the 11 so-called alternate electors. Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement on Wednesday that they deceived the citizens of Arizona.

The defendants intended that the false votes for Trump and Pence would encourage Vice President Pence to reject the certified Biden-Harris electors votes regardless of the result of any legal challenge, she said.

Former state Rep Liz Harris, the new committeewoman from the state, was expelled from the state legislature in 2023 after she invited an election denier to testify on groundless allegations during a broadcast election hearing at the legislature.

Arizona Republican strategist Barrett Marson told NBC News that These are not just your run-of-the-mill election deniers.

They are leaders in the whole experiment of election denialism, he added. I think it shows that both election denialism and a fealty to election denialism is now the state Republican Party in Arizona.

Mr Hoffman said in a statement this week: Let me be unequivocal, I am innocent of any crime, I will vigorously defend myself, and I look forward to the day when I am vindicated of this disgusting political persecution by the judicial process.

The Independent has reached out to the Arizona GOP for comment.
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Donald Trump and Florida governor Ron DeSantis have met privately for the first time since their bruising battle in the Republican presidential primaries.

The 77-year-old former US president and Mr DeSantis, 45, appeared to put their bitter feud to one side as they met in Miami on Sunday to talk about how they could work together ahead of Novembers election.

The meeting was set at the request of governor DeSantis, whose hopes of winning the White House were dashed in the primaries, a Trump campaign official told The Washington Post. Steve Witkoff, a Florida-based real estate broker known to both parties, orchestrated the get-together in Miami, Politico reported.

Mr Trump and Mr DeSantis are believed to have sat for several hours to discuss how they could close the fundraising gap with President Joe Biden ahead of a 2024 election rematch in November. Mr Bidens campaign has claimed it raised $90m in March, boasting that it was the highest total amassed by any Democratic candidate in history.

Mr DeSantis endorsed Mr Trump after dropping out of the presidential race and, earlier this month, told his deep-pocketed donors that he would be fundraising for the former presidents campaign.

Making amends might be beneficial for both Florida residents as it could also improve Mr DeSantiss image following a brutal primary campaign. The Florida governor hasnt ruled out a 2028 presidential run.

For almost a year, the ex-president personally attacked his primary rival, branding him with the nickname Ron DeSanctimonious. Just two days before the New Hampshire primary on 23 January, Mr DeSantis suspended his campaign.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis earlier this year ( AP )

Mr Trump was in the crosshairs during a call that Mr DeSantis made to supporters in February. I think hes got people in his inner circle who were part of our orbit years ago that we fired, and I think some of that is they just have an axe to grind, the Florida governor said.

Chris LaCivita, Mr Trumps top campaign aide, responded by slamming Mr DeSantis as a sad little man.

But the latest meeting has been hailed by DeSantis allies.

Its a great development and makes perfect sense for Trump, DeSantis and all Republicans, said Roy Bailey, one of three finance chairs for Mr DeSantis primary campaign.

Gov DeSantis had a really strong volunteer finance team and if we could plug that in and help Trump then thats what we need to do  and want to do. Its important to all get together and row in the same direction, he added.

It comes as more witnesses are expected take the stand on Tuesday as Mr Trump returns to New York for his hush-money trial. He is the first former US president to face a criminal trial. He has pleaded not guilty to all 34 felony counts relating to payments made before the presidential election in 2016 to adult film star Stormy Daniels allegedly to suppress allegations of an affair.

The former CEO of American Media Inc, David Pecker, gave testimony last week about the alleged suppression of stories, known as catch and kill, to support Mr Trump.

A second hearing about Mr Trumps alleged violations of a gag order, which was issued by Justice Juan Merchan to restrict him from publicly speaking about jurors, lawyers, potential witnesses, court staff and their families in the case, will be heard on Thursday.
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Prosecutors for the Manhattan District Attorneys office closed out the week at Donald Trumps criminal hush money trial with testimony from a major witness  former Trump aide Hope Hicks.

As one of the closest advisers to the former president, Ms Hicks was present at key moments during the 2016 campaign and for the first year of Mr Trumps administration.

As press secretary to the king of self-promotion, she worked closely with him as election day neared in 2016 just as the Access Hollywood tape and Karen McDougal affair allegations rocked the campaign.

In approximately three hours of testimony, she gave jurors firsthand insight into Trumpworld during a tumultuous few weeks on the campaign trail  giving a strong suggestion that her former boss was involved in payment to Stormy Daniels.

Here are the key takeaways from the day in court:

Trump walks back Thursdays claim gag order stops him from testifying

On Thursday as he left the courtroom and delivered his usual diatribe to the assembled media, Mr Trump claimed that because of the gag order imposed by Judge Juan Merchan, he was prohibited from testifying in his own defence.

That was totally untrue.

On Friday morning, on the way into court, he walked back that statement when asked whether the gag order would stop him from testifying.

No. It wont stop me from testifying. The gag order is not for testifying. It stops me from talking about people and responding when they say things about me, the former president said, presumably having been corrected by his legal team overnight.

Once in the courtroom, Judge Merchan began by clarifying the extent of the gag order for Mr Trump in person.

Merchan, diplomatically, said there may be a misunderstanding regarding the order restriction extrajudicial statements.

I want to stress Mr Trump that you have an absolute right to testify in trial, he said. That is a constitutional right that cannot be denied  in any way.  It is a fundamental right that cannot be infringed upon.

The gag order restricting extrajudicial statements does not prevent you from testifying in any way  or limit or minimise what you say from the witness stand, the judge added that it does not apply to statements made from the witness stand.

Donald Trump in court for his criminal trial on 3 May 2024 ( Getty Images )

Hope Hicks takes the stand

In a trial full of highly anticipated witnesses and with no published list of in what order they will appear  to protect them from being attacked online by the defendant  the appearance of Ms Hicks made narrative sense given the way the prosecution was laying out its case.

Ms Hicks was allegedly part of at least 10 telephone conversations with Mr Trump and Cohen regarding the hush money payments and alleged reimbursements.

Admitting with a laugh that she was really nervous, Ms Hicks began by explaining how she started working with the Trump family straight out of college and then the Trump Organization full-time in October 2014, transitioning over to the 2016 presidential campaign team.

Everybody who works there in some sense reports to Mr Trump  Its a big successful company but its really run like a small family business in some ways, she testified, explaining that by June 2015 she was speaking with the then-candidate every day and eventually became his press secretary  reporting directly to him and travelling alongside him.

Hope Hicks, a former top aide to ex-President Donald Trump, testifies during his criminal trial before Justice Juan Merchan on 3 May 2024 ( REUTERS )

Hicks recalls impact of Access Hollywood tape on campaign

Ms Hicks testified that she found out about the infamous Access Hollywood tape of Mr Trump making remarks about allegedly sexually assaulting women on the afternoon of 7 October 2016  just a month before the election.

She received an email from The Washington Post asking for comment while in her office on the 14th floor of Trump Tower and quickly forwarded the email to other campaign leadership, marking it urgent.

I was concerned. Very concerned, she told the court. I was concerned about the contents of the email, concerned about the lack of time to respond, concerned that we had a transcript and not a tape. There was a lot at play.

Ms Hicks recalled huddling with other campaign staff and Mr Trump while they worked out a response and that the then-candidate was upset.

She recalled being a little stunned and realised that it was a damaging development that would dominate the news cycle for days. An apology video statement from Mr Trump did little to quell the storm.

It was intense. Dominated coverage for I would say 36 hours leading up to the debate. At the time, I got the email  we were anticipating a Category 4 hurricane making landfall somewhere on the east coast and I dont think anyone remembers where that hurricane made landfall.

Hope Hicks walks from Marine One prior to boarding Air Force One as she departs Washington with then-President Donald Trump on 23 October 2020 ( REUTERS )

Hicks says Trump tried to hide news of Karen McDougal affair from Melania

Even closer to the election, Ms Hicks was contacted by The Wall Street Journal regarding a report that a woman named Karen McDougal has a story about Mr Trump purchased by The National Enquirer, which then never published it. The reporter wanted to know if the campaign knew anything about it.

Ms Hicks told the court she looped in Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner to try and buy them some more time through his relationship with the WSJ owner Rupert Murdoch. David Pecker at the Enquirer claimed the payment to Ms McDougal was for fitness columns and magazine covers.

Another denial was prepared and she and Cohen were in constant contact as the story was published.

Relative to some of the other stories we dealt with  it just didnt get a lot of traction, she recalled.

Mr Trump was concerned about the story and Melania Trump finding out, Ms Hicks testified.He was concerned how it would be viewed by his wife, and he wanted me to make sure that the newspapers werent delivered to their residence that morning.

After possibly denting Trumps defence, Hicks cries on stand

Under questioning by prosecution attorney Matthew Colangelo, Ms Hicks testified that Mr Trump told her that Cohen made the Stormy Daniels hush money payment on his own.

The former president told her: Michael felt like it was his job to protect him and that he did it in the kindness of his own heart and he didnt tell anyone about it.

Mr Trump also said it was better to do it when he did rather than have it come out before the election.

Ms Hicks was asked whether the idea that Cohen wouldve made a $130,00 payment out of the kindness of his own heart was consistent with what she knew about him.

Id say that would be out of character for Michael, she replied.

Judge Juan Merchan overruled objections from the defence team to the line of questioning.

Asked to elaborate, Ms Hicks said: I didnt know Michael to be an especially charitable person or a selfless person. [He was] the kind of person who seeks credit.

By implication, the former Trump aide appeared to make the prosecutions case against her former boss easier  that Cohen would not have acted alone and instead worked on behalf of Mr Trump, and that action was purposefully taken before the election.

As cross-examination by defence lawyer Emil Bove began Ms Hicks started to cry on the witness stand with a break being called so that she might compose herself.

Hope Hicks cried during her testimony at Donald Trumps first criminal trial ( REUTERS )

Cohen was a fixer but only because he first broke it, says Hicks

On her return to the stand, Ms Hicks was very critical of Cohen and characterised him as an outsider in Trumpworld often going rogue.

She testified that he was not part of the campaign, but would try to insert himself in certain moments.

He wasnt supposed to be in the campaign in any official capacity, she told the court.

Further, she added: He liked to call himself a fixer or Mr Fix It. But it was only because he first broke it.

Hicks paints favourable view of Trump and his family

In addition to her damning assessment of Cohen  a key witness for the prosecution  Bove also pushed softball questions to build up a better image of the defendant Trump while treating her more like a witness for the defence.

Ms Hicks spoke about her work and relationship with her then-boss and gave the impression that damage control over destructive stories was part of the job.

Moreover, ultimately Mr Trump cared about his family  an echo of lead defence attorney Todd Blanches portrait of him as a consummate family man in the opening statements.

Ms Hicks also changed up how she spoke of him, referring to him as the president, as the defence team said they would at the start of the trial.

President Trump really values Ms Trumps opinion, she said of her former boss and his wife. She doesnt weigh in all the time but when she does its really meaningful to him and he really respects what she has to say.

She was concerned about what the perception of this would be, and Mr Trump didnt want anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed, she testified. He wanted them to be proud of him.

Ms Hickss cross-examination concluded the week.

The trial resumes on Monday 6 May at 9.30am.
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Three women who had so-called vampire facials at a New Mexico spa appear to have been infected with HIV, marking the first cases of the disease being spread through cosmetic injection services, according to a CDC report.

In the summer of 2018, a woman in her 40s was told she was HIV positive, despite not being exposed to any known HIV risk factors  like injection drugs, blood transfusions, or sexual contact with someone who had tested positive for HIV. The woman did, however, report that she had recently been exposed to needles during the vampire facial procedure.

The two other patients had received vampire facials in 2018.

Vampire facials  done to rejuvenate skin  are conducted by receiving platelet-rich plasma with microneedling, the CDC wrote. They gained popularity since Kim Kardashian underwent the procedure during an episode of Kim and Kourtney Take Miami. She posted photos on Instagram after the procedure, revealing a horror-movie-like blood-smattered skin that was allegedly in the process of becoming more youthful.

Evidence suggests that contamination from an undetermined source at the spa during spring and summer 2018 resulted in HIV-1 transmission to these three patients, the agency wrote.

The CDC noted that the procedures were performed at an unlicensed facility that did not follow recommended infection control procedures or maintain client records.

During an inspection of the spa in the fall of 2018, investigators found  multiple unsafe infection control practices, including a rack of unlabeled tubes containing blood on the kitchen counter, unlabeled tubes of blood and medical injectables, like botox, stored in the kitchen refrigerator  next to food  and unwrapped syringes scattered in drawers, on counters, and discarded in regular trash cans.

The CDC report noted the unprecedented nature of the findings, writing that HIV transmitted through cosmetic injection services via contaminated blood has not been previously documented.

The owner of the spa pleaded guilty in 2022 to negligence, sentenced to more than three years in prison, KOB reported at the time.
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Four zebras being transported to Montana escaped near Interstate 90 in North Bend, Washington, prompting a community-wide effort to corral them.

Three of the animals were subsequently captured but one remained on the loose as of Sunday night, according to King County Animal Control.

Its unclear why the privately owned zebras were being driven to Montana.

The animals got loose when the driver stopped to secure the trailer near Exit 32 at around 1pm on Sunday, Washington State Patrol spokesperson Trooper Rick Johnson said.

This is a first for me and all WSP troopers involved. The community has come together to help, Mr Johnson wrote on X.

According to the Seattle Times, Laura Fisher was driving at 70 mph on Interstate 90 with her son when they noticed the doors of a trailer up ahead flapping in the wind.

They initially assumed it was empty but soon spotted nervous zebras edging towards the trailers edge.

Our main concern was that they were going to jump out of the trailer at 70 and probably die and cause a major issue for the other drivers, she was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

A few videos shared on Citizen App  a mobile app that sends users location-based safety alerts in real-time and allows them to read updates about ongoing reports, broadcast live video, and leave comments  showed the zebras running in traffic, according to KOMO News.

It said the drivers on Interstate 90 had to hit the brakes when they spotted the zebras.

Ones still on the loose, two are right down the street from me. We got zebras in April in North Bend, a witness Whitney Blomquist was quoted as saying.

Ms Blomquists security cameras motion sensor alerted her to unexpected wildlife activity in her side yard.

They start walking up my driveway and they make their way over to one of my rentals, she added. Ive had plenty of bears in my yard but this was a new one, for sure.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson said that once we get the other one  I wont say in custody  but back corralled, it is a feel-good story. Weve got three out of the four safe right now.

The King County Sheriffs Office has also not been able to verify how the animals escaped.
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French actor Gerard Depardieu has been questioned at a police station in Paris, reportedly over allegations of sexual assault.

The 75-year-old was summoned over two separate allegations brought by two women who worked with Depardieu on film sets in 2014 and 2021, broadcater BFMTV said.

The women have reportedly alleged that Mr Depardieu groped them during filming, once in 2014 on the set of The Magician and the Siamese. and the other in 2021, on the set of The Green Shutters.

Later on Monday, a lawyer for Depardieu said French police are no longer holding the actor. The lawyer, Christian Saint-Palais, said: "The police custody is over. He is no longer held in the police station."

The Paris police force said it wasn't authorised to comment and directed questions to the Paris prosecutor's office. The prosecutor's office said it had no comment "at this stage."

Police officers stand outside the police station where French actor Gerard Depardieu is expected to be questioned ( AP )

One of the two new alleged victim alleged in February that Depardieu grabbed her and touched her breasts on the set of The Green Shutters. Her lawyer told BFMTV that her clinet was passing through a corridor where Mr Depardieu was sitting.

He grabbed her, trapped her between his legs and touched her body up to her breasts, the lawyer said. She felt completely powerless, incapable of escaping this trap.

The alleged 2014 assault was reported to police in January this year, Le Parisien reported.

Depardieu denies wrongdoing and says that any relationships he has had were consensual. In an open letter last October, he said: I have never, ever abused a woman. His lawyer is yet to comment on the latest allegations.

In 2020, he was handed preliminary rape and sexual assault charges following allegations from actor Charlotte Arnould dating to 2018. The case remains open.

French President Emmanuel Macron described Mr Depardieu as a genius ... who makes France proud

A separate case filed last year and relating to allegations of groping on a 2007 film shoot was dropped by prosecutors for being past the statute of limitations.

Depardieu has faced public accusations by a dozen women of harassing, groping or sexually assaulting them.

Oscar-nominated Depardieu was long seen as a national icon in France. He has been a global ambassador for French film, having appeared in more than 200 productions, and enjoyed international fame with several roles in Hollywood.

But he has become a divisive figure in French society, with some women viewing him as a symbol of the countrys inability to tackle allegations of sexual abuse by powerful men in the wake of the #Metoo movement.

Others, including French President Emmanuel Macron and several well-known actors, have rallied to his defence.

Hes an immense actor, a genius of his art, Mr Macron said late last year. He makes France proud. Mr Macron told a press conference the following month that he regretted not having stressed the importance of the words of women who are victims of this type of violence.
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German prosecutors have said that they had launched an investigation into a Russian citizen arrested on suspicion of stabbing two Ukrainian soldiers to death in southern Germany over the weekend.

The soldiers - who had been convalescing in southern Germany - were found with serious stab wounds outside a shopping centre in the Bavarian town of Murnau am See on Sunday, according to police. One of them, aged 36, died at the scene, while the other, 23, succumbed to his wounds in hospital.

A 57-year-old Russian citizen was arrested in his home shortly after the act on suspicion of murder, police said.

According to an initial investigation, the three men knew each other, but further details need to be verified, local police spokesperson Stefan Sonntag told dpa. There were also indications that all three men had consumed alcohol.

The prosecutor generals office in Munich said it had since taken over the case and was not able to rule out a political motivation on the part of the alleged perpetrator.

Ukrainian consuls are clarifying information about the units in which the victims served and establishing contact with their families, the Ukrainian government said in a statement.

Ukraines Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba instructed the consulate general in Munich to keep an eye on the case and remain in contact with German law enforcement, it said.

We have clear evidence that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol, Sonntag was quoted as saying. A spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday expressed concern about the killings.

This is a worrying incident, no question about it. The circumstances must now be investigated more closely, Steffen Hebestreit told reporters in Berlin.

We can only speculate about the motives at the moment, he added.

But it is clear that we cannot tolerate such a thing on German soil anyway and that the Ukrainians, Ukrainians who have fled to us from the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, must now be safe.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees have come to Germany since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
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Latvians have been told to convert their basements into air raid shelters amid fears that Vladimir Putin could target the Baltic states next.

Vilnis Kirsis, the mayor of Riga, Lativas capital, said people should be ready to shelter in their cellars

We call on everyone during the big clean-up, but also afterwards, to ensure that your cellars and your basements can be used as shelters in case of emergencies, he said

Lativa is planning on preparing 100 shelters a month (file photo) ( Getty Images )

Latvia, a former Soviet republic, shares a 133-mile long border with Russia and has been a member of Nato since 2004.

Fears have been growing that the Russian president could target Latvia or one of the neighbouring Baltic countries Estonia or Lithuania, which are also members of the military alliance amid the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine.

Rigas civil defence commission has also started preparing shelters in public buildings across the city in preparation for a potential attack.

Gints Reinsons, head of the commission, said the city would prepare 100 shelters each month until the end of the year.

The basements of public buildings, schools, retirement homes, hospitals and town halls will be inspected by the authorities who will prepare them to serve as hiding places in the event of an attack, he told local media.

In January the three Baltic states agreed to set up a common defence zone on their borders with Russia and Belarus - an ally of Moscow - amid increased aggression by the Kremlin.

Nato soldiers take part in an exercise in Latvia ( Getty Images )

The three countries defence ministers met in Riga to approve the construction of "anti-mobility defensive installations" on their eastern frontiers and to develop missile-artillery cooperation.

Russias war in Ukraine has shown that in addition to equipment, ammunition and manpower, we also need physical defensive structures at the border from the first meter to protect Estonia, Hanno Pevkur, Estonias defence minister, said at the time.

Estonia said it would build 600 bunkers along its 183-mile border with Russia, with an initial budget of 60 million, according to Estonian public broadcaster ERR.

Each bunker is designed to accommodate 10 soldiers and the defence ministry plans to start construction in early 2025.
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Pedro Sanchez has said he will continue as Spains prime minister despite his wife being investigated over corruption claims.

He announced his decision on Monday morning after taking several days away from public duty to consider quitting.

The legal complaint against his wife, Begona Gomez, was filed by a legal platform that claims she used her position to influence business deals.

Last Wednesday, Mr Sanchez said the move was a personal attack on his family and he needed time to decide his priorities.

However, after several days of tension as the nation awaited his decision, the prime minister announced his decision to stay in office on Monday.

Mr Sanchez met King Felipe VI  a step that would have been necessary should he have decided to resign  but announced in a televised address that he had informed the monarch of his decision to stay on.

The prime minister had been encouraged to stay by widespread expressions of support over the weekend, he claimed.

I have decided to go on, if possible even stronger as prime minister. This is not business as usual, things are going to be different, he said in the national broadcast.

I give before you my commitment to work tirelessly, firmly and with serenity for the pending regeneration of our democracy and for the advancement and consolidation of rights and freedoms.

Mr Sanchez announced his decision to continue as PM on a national broadcast ( / )

He added: I pondered whether it was worth it to endure the attacks that my family have suffered for the past 10 years, as leader of the government of Spain. Today, after days of reflection, I have a clear answer.

If we all accept, as a society, that political action allows indiscriminate attacks against innocent people. If we agree that partisan politics justifies the use of hate, of incitement, and of falsehoods towards third parties, then it is not worth it.

The group that brought the legal complaint against his wife, Manos Limpias, or Clean Hands, acknowledged that it was based on newspaper articles. Spanish prosecutors say it should be thrown out.

Mr Sanchez blames the investigation on online news sites politically aligned with the leading opposition Popular Party and the Vox party, which spread what he called spurious allegations.

He has been Spains prime minister since 2018 and is one of Europes longest-serving Socialist leaders.

While popular internationally, he is loved or despised in Spain. His supporters say this should be a wake-up call to react against baseless attacks that are poisoning Spanish politics.

The Popular Party, however, said Mr Sanchezs behavior was frivolous, adolescent and unbecoming of a European leader. It said the decision was a tactical ploy to whip up support for electoral purposes.

Following his decision not to resign, fellow members of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party offered their support to Mr Sanchez.

The partys secretary Santos Cerdan Leon wrote on X/Twitter: We are going to continue working tirelessly. For the regeneration of democracy. To continue consolidating rights. So that clean politics prevails. We will face the challenges that lie ahead stronger than ever.
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Vladimir Putin has proudly displayed a selection of American and British tanks in Moscow after they were captured on the frontline in Ukraine.

A British Saxon armoured personnel carrier, believed to have been given to Ukraine in 2015, was among vehicles pictured parked in the Russian capital under red banners boasting Our victory is inevitable.

The display is part of a month-long exhibition, which also features an American Bradley tank, a Swedish CV90 and a French-made AMX-10RC armoured fighting vehicle.

The Russian president also plans to parade the armoured vehicles, some displaying British and US flags, to glorify the invasion of Ukraine.

The exhibition will run alongside Moscows Red Square Victory Day Parade on May 9 to celebrate Russias victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two.

A woman examines armoured vehicles captured by Russian troops during the war in Ukraine during an exhibition on the Poklonnaya Hill ( EPA )

It will also feature an American Bradley tank, a Swedish CV90 and a French-made AMX-10RC armoured fighting vehicle.

Putin used May 9 last year to launch into a fiery 10-minute speech in front of the Kremlin, thundering against Western global elites and claiming civilisation was at a decisive turning point.

The holiday commemorating the Soviet victory in World War Two is the most important day in the calendar in Russia under Putin, who casts his invasion of Ukraine as analogous to Russias fight against the Nazis.

Opening to visitors on May 1, the exhibition will run alongside Moscows Red Square Victory Day Parade on May 9 in commemoration of Russias victory against the Nazis. ( EPA )

Ukraine, which suffered proportionally greater losses than Russia in World War Two, calls that an abuse of shared history to justify aggression.

It came as Russia lost as many tanks in the Ukraine war as the total number it had in active service across its armed forces before Vladimir Putin launched the invasion.

More than 3,000 tanks have been damaged or destroyed in two years of fighting after Moscow failed in its initial blitzkrieg aimed at capturing the capital, Kyiv.

People visit an exhibition of tanks, APCs and guns of Ukrainian armed forces captured during the fighting displayed near the World War II museum on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow. ( AP )

To make up for the shortfall the Russian millitary has been resupplying the frontline from its strategic reserves of armour while urgently boosting defence spending and putting its economy on a war footing, says the analysis by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

German tanks at the exhibition of foreign captured weapons on Poklonnaya Hill ( EPA )

A group of militants attacked a police checkpoint in Russias North Caucasus region, killing two officers, officials said Monday.

Four other officers were wounded and all five attackers were killed in the shootout in the Karachay-Cherkessia region late Sunday, according to the regional branch of Russias Interior Ministry.

The Investigative Committee, the countrys top state criminal investigation agency, said the same gunmen had raided another police checkpoint in the region a week before, killing two police and injuring another. It didnt describe the attackers affiliation or motive.
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Russia has jailed two journalists on extremism charges for working with a group founded by the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin have been accused of producing content for Navalnys YouTube channel, NavalnyLIVE, run by the Foundation for Fighting Corruption. The organisation, which is dedicated to investigating corrupt practices by Vladimir Putin, his associates and the ruling elite, has been declared an extremist body by the Kremlin.

Mr Gabov, arrested on Saturday, was accused of being involved in the preparation of photo and video materials for the YouTube channel, Moscows Basmanny district court press service said. The freelance producer worked for multiple organisations, including the British news agency Reuters, which did not immediately comment.

Mr Karelin, who has dual citizenship with Israel, was detained on Friday night from northwest Murmansk region and accused of participation in an extremist organisation.

He previously worked with the American news agency Associated Press and the German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle before it was banned in Russia in 2022.

"The Associated Press is very concerned by the detention of Russian video journalist Sergey Karelin," the AP said in a statement. "We are seeking additional information."

Sergey Karelin appears in court in the Murmansk region of Russia on Saturday ( AP )

Russia has seen a string of arrests of journalists, activists and protesters since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The Russian government has passed laws since the war began criminalising false information about the military or statements seen as discrediting the military. In practice this has prevented Russian media from reporting anything other than the party line when it comes to the Ukraine war.

Forbes journalist Sergey Mingazov was placed under house arrest on Saturday, according to state media RIA Novosti. He was detained on charges of disseminating false information concerning the Russian army.

Another journalist, Antonina Favorskaya, was jailed for allegedly taking part in an "extremist organisation" by posting on the social media platforms of Navalnys foundation. She remains in pre-trial detention at least until 18 May.

Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal, is awaiting trial in Moscows Lefortovo prison after being detained on espionage charges in March 2023.
A British man has been charged over an arson plot targeting a Ukrainian business after allegedly being recruited by a Russian spy  and establishing links with the mercenary Wagner group.

The suspect, Dylan Earl, will face trial under the new National Security Act, the first case under the new legislation to crack down on foreign spies. Four other men have also been charged in connection with the plot.

But the case should not be seen as an isolated incident. There is a much broader, and more serious, Russian campaign of sabotage spanning the whole of Europe. And more disturbingly, the patterns of behaviour match predictions of what Russia would attempt to do in advance of open conflict with Nato.

Zelensky warns Ukraine will not exist if Russia wins war

It seems there are few parts of Europe not targets. Earlier in April, Germany arrested two individuals on suspicion of planning attacks on behalf of Russia, with a range of targets including US military bases. In Lithuania, Moscow has used organised criminal networks to arrange physical attacks on Russian opposition figures.

Swedish security police are investigating if possible sabotage could be behind a number of railway derailments in the far north of the country, while the Estonian security services have logged intensified Russian efforts to recruit local citizens to attack their own government.

Poland, which has key routes for getting supplies into Ukraine, has been targeted more frequently. Earlier this month, Polish authorities arrested a man reconnoitring security arrangements at the important Rzeszow airport, apparently with the intention of aiding an assassination attempt on Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky. Last year, the countrys train network was targeted by unauthorised radio signals in an act of apparent sabotage.

But recruiting proxies is just one of the ways Russia is already attacking Europe beyond Ukraine.

Theres a similar pattern in Russian electronic warfare disrupting flights around the Baltic Sea region. In March, Russia jammed the signal of an RAF plane carrying Grant Shapps and, just last week, Moscow was accused of targeting thousands of flights to and from UK airports.

But thats long been the norm for aircraft in the region. Far from being something that just affects Britons passing through, this is a major problem over an expanding area of Europe that dates back years and is becoming increasingly serious.

Russia appears to be targeting flight navigation systems in a bid to immobilise transport ( Getty )

This is so much the case, that its now treated as normal for a number of navigation systems to be unavailable over the Baltic and Black Seas. In northern Norway too, Russian GPS interference is not only disrupting air traffic on a daily basis, but hampering the work of police and emergency services.

That doesnt mean flying in Europe is unsafe  since airliners are still able to use a number of fallback options  but it does mean that some of the systems that ensure safe navigation and collision avoidance are no longer available. And where airports are reliant on GPS-based services, landing becomes impossible and flights have to divert or even give up altogether and return to their starting point.

Airlines are understandably cautious about bringing attention to an issue that some passengers might see as compromising their safety. But the economic costs and disruption are high and increasing  and its hard to see how much longer this can go on.

The growing impact of flight cancellations and aborted landings is a cost thats directly attributable to Russian action. But Western inaction means there are no consequences for Moscow.

At sea too, Russia is hard at its disruptive work. Moscows ghost fleet of vessels with mystery owners, suspect insurance, and registrations in places like Eswatini (which, as a landlocked country, is not a traditional seafaring nation) has been particularly busy with sanctions evasion and espionage around the Baltic island of Gotland, long recognised as a key target because of its importance for controlling sea and air traffic in the region.

All of these are examples of hostile action from Russia becoming gradually normalised because nobody is willing or able to deal with it

Again, the problem might look like a local one  but there are immediate costs for us all in the form of disruption and higher shipping costs and insurance rates. There are also the long-term implications of what Russia may be preparing to do.

And this last weekend, vessels in the region reported a wave of GPS outages, indicating that disruptive electronic warfare from Russia has stepped up a gear and is now affecting surface sea traffic. If nothing is done, the logical next step is for Moscow to attempt to block GPS for road traffic too.

With millions of navigation systems dependent on GPS location services, doing so could sow chaos on land across the region.

All of these are examples of hostile action from Russia becoming gradually normalised because nobody is willing or able to deal with it. In this way, Russia pushes the boundaries of what is acceptable, or at least accepted, by doing something that should be outrageous, and then doing it more when there is no response from the West.

But theres more. In 2020, I co-wrote a study for the Swedish Defence Research Agency on what military planners call A2AD, or anti-access/area denial  in other words how in the event of war, Russia could try to keep Nato forces from moving to where they were needed.

Disabling GPS systems would cause chaos for millions of drivers ( Getty )

My chapter looked at the number of ways Russia could immobilise Europe even before a conflict, without firing a shot. Whats alarming now is that so many of the methods I described, including GPS jamming, sabotage, local proxies and much more, are now already in play across Europe and in the UK. Russia has sharply stepped up its campaign against us, and thats a danger sign for what may come next.

Russias methods have evolved. The murder gangs that roamed Europe in the previous decade, including targeting Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, were made up of Russian military and intelligence officers.

Now, the pattern of attacks, including in the UK, shows Russia recruiting freelancers on their behalf. That could be because its own people are too easily identified, or too busy behind the lines in Ukraine. But the pattern shows what weve long known: that Russia can always find unscrupulous individuals to attack their own countries on Moscows behalf.

The British arson suspects have been charged under the new National Security Act, which has come into force none too soon, since previously a wide range of hostile actions against the UK on behalf of foreign powers were perfectly legal.

Russias increasingly bold aggression across Europe and the UK shows that we are all under attack. So its encouraging to see the Act already in use; but as Russias campaign continues, we should be prepared for plenty more shocking cases to be heard.

Keir Giles works with the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House. His next book will be Who Will Defend Europe (October 2024)
 Close Drone footage shows devastation in Ukrainian city after Russian artillery pounding

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Russia has pushed Ukraine onto the back foot on the battlefield as Kyiv grapples with shortages of troops and ammunition.

Outnumbered Ukrainian soldiers are being forced to pull back, one village after another, as intense fighting roils the countryside surrounding Avdiivka nearly three months after the strategic city fell to Russia.

Ukrainian forces are now racing to build more defensive fortifications at places along the around 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line.

The sting for Ukraine is sharpened after Russia launched an exhibition on Wednesday which proudly displays over 30 captured military vehicles from Ukraine, including US and UK-made, since the invasion began.

The exhibition was unveiled on Russias International Workers Day and will be open for a month for visitors.

It comes as a Russian ballistic missile struck a postal depot in the Ukrainian port of Odesa late on Wednesday, injuring 14 people and triggering a large fire, regional governor Oleh Kiper said.

Pictures and a video posted online showed flames and billowing clouds of smoke engulfing buildings and firefighters training their hoses on areas still ablaze. Most of the loading area appeared to have been reduced to a shell.
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Two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany, police said Sunday, and a Russian man was arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings.

The two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria.

Shortly after the slayings on Saturday evening, the police arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder, German news agency dpa reported.

The names of the victims and the suspect weren't released in line with German privacy rules. The possible motive for the killings wasn't yet known, authorities said. It also wasn't clear if the three men knew each other.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees came to Germany since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
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The Duchess of Edinburgh has become the first member of the royal family to visit Ukraine since Russias invasion, meeting president Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife in Kyiv.

Sophie, 59, made the surprise visit on behalf of the Foreign Office to show solidarity with those impacted by the war and as part of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, Buckingham Palace said in a statement.

The duchess champions the work of Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. She took on the role in 2019, on International Womens Day.

While there, she met with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and survivors of torture who shared their stories, as well as female volunteers who help their communities cope with the aftermath of the attacks with mental health care activities for children.

She also met with children who have now been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Kremlin authorities into occupied territory or mainland Russia.

Ukraine says roughly 20,000 Ukrainian children, including thousands of orphans, have been kidnapped by Russia since the full-scale invasion in February 2022. Only around 400 have been returned.

Sophie, left, and the first lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska inside the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv ( Getty )

The International Criminal Court last March issued an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin and his childrens ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova in relation to the abduction of children.

The duchess met with Mr Zelensky and first lady Olena Zelenska to discuss how best to support survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

Addressing the Conflict-related Sexual Violence Conference last month, she said: Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences.

They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors.

Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isnt an accepted part of conflict.

Sophie became the first royal family member to visit Ukraine since the war started two years ago ( Getty )

Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.

The duchess also paid her respects to those who lost their lives in Bucha, a small town on the north western outskirts of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. It has been two years since the town was liberated from Russian occupation, during which Russian soldiers are believed to have committed war crimes against the civilian population.

She also visited the Road to Life, a bridge which became a key part of the Ukrainian resistance when it was blown up to stop Russian troops proceeding to Kyiv, and later became a vital route for people to flee to safety from the Russian occupation.

Since 2022, the UK has pledged over 4.7bn in non-military support to Ukraine. This includes over 660m of bilateral assistance that prioritises the needs of women and girls, for example by funding vital services for survivors of Gender Based Violence, as well as working with the Office of the Prosecutor General to put survivors at the centre of approaches to prosecuting conflict-related sexual violence crimes.
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The US and UK have urged Hamas to swiftly accept an extraordinarily generous Israeli proposal for a truce in the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages.

Hamas negotiators are expected to meet Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo to deliver a response to the phased truce proposal which Israel presented at the weekend.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, US secretary of state Antony Blinken said at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly, he said. Im hopeful that they will make the right decision.

A source briefed on the talks said Israels proposal entailed a deal for the release of fewer than 40 of the roughly 130 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza in exchange for freeing Palestinians jailed in Israel. A second phase of a truce would consist of a period of sustained calm, Israels compromise response to a Hamas demand for a permanent ceasefire.

A total of 253 hostages were seized in a Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October in which about 1,200 Israelis were also killed, according to Israeli counts. Israel retaliated by imposing a total siege on Gaza and mounting an air and ground assault that has killed about 34,500 Palestinians, according to health officials in the Hamas-run strip.

Palestinians are suffering from severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine in a humanitarian crisis brought on by the offensive that has demolished much of the territory.

Britains foreign secretary David Cameron, who was also in Riyadh for the WEF meeting, described the Israeli proposal as generous. It included a 40-day pause in fighting and the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners as well as Israeli hostages, he told a WEF audience.

US secretary of state Antony Blinken at a meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority in Riyadh ( Reuters )

I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes in the world should be on them today saying take that deal, Lord Cameron said.

Lord Cameron was among several foreign ministers in Riyadh, including from the US, France, Jordan and Egypt, as part of a diplomatic push to bring an end to the Gaza war.

Mr Blinken reiterated that the United States  Israels main diplomatic supporter and weapons supplier  could not back an Israeli ground assault on Rafah if there was no plan to ensure that civilians would not be harmed.

More than a million displaced Gaza residents are crammed into Rafah, the enclaves southernmost city, having sought refuge there from Israeli bombardments. Israel says the last Hamas fighters are holed up there and it will open an offensive to root them out soon.

Israeli airstrikes on three houses in Rafah killed at least 25 Palestinians and wounded many others, medics said on Monday,

Asked about the overnight airstrikes on Rafah, an Israeli military spokesperson said fighter jets had struck terror targets where terrorists were operating within a civilian area in southern Gaza, declining to give details.

The IDF will continue to foil terrorist activity and protect Israeli civilians in accordance with international law, the spokesperson said.

At a Rafah hospital, relatives of those killed in the Israeli strikes came to take their bodies away for burial. Women and men cried as they bade farewell to the slain relatives wrapped in white and black shrouds.

His name is Deif-Allah [meaning guest in Arabic] and he was indeed a guest. He came as a guest after [his parents] longed for (him) for so long, after 10 years, said Abu Taha, holding the body of his baby boy, wrapped in a white shroud.

Ten people [were killed], the mother, her daughter, her granddaughters, her grandson, her son-in-law, their daughters and relatives, everyone. Theyre all gone, all 10 of them.

A senior Hamas official told Reuters that talks in Cairo would take place between the Hamas delegation and the Qatari and Egyptian mediators to discuss remarks the group has made over the Israeli response to its recent proposal.

Hamas has some questions and enquiries over the Israeli response to its proposal, which the movement received from mediators on Friday, the official said.

Asked about the new round of talks in Cairo, a Palestinian official close to mediation efforts said: Things look better this time.

Reuters
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The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Monday soared to 22, including a newborn, said Palestinian health officials.

Israeli warplanes struck three houses in the refugee camp, where over a million Palestinians have taken shelter from months of Israeli bombardment, health officials said.

Among those killed were six women and five children. A newborn baby of only five days of age died in the strikes.

Everyone was sleeping in their beds, said Mahmoud Abu Taha, whose cousin was killed along with his wife and their year-old baby in a house where at least 10 died.

They have nothing to do with anything.

Israeli planes struck three residential buildings in Rafah where more than half of Gazas displaced population is taking shelter to flee Israels assault.

The attacks occurred despite Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas pleading with the US to stop Israel from attacking the border city.

Mr Abbas, who heads the Palestinian Authority, said that the US was the only nation capable of halting Israels assault on Rafah.

We call on the United States of America to ask Israel to not carry on the Rafah attack. America is the only country able to prevent Israel from committing this crime, Mr Abbas told a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

It coincided with US secretary of state Antony Blinkens seventh diplomatic mission to the Middle East on Monday since the Israel-Hamas war began in October.

Before his trip to Israel this week, Mr Blinken called on Tel Aviv to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip at an event in Saudi Arabias capital.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, and in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas, he said at a World Economic Forum gathering in Riyadh.

They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, were looking to that, and Im hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic, Mr Blinken said.

Israel has threatened for weeks to launch a ground assault on Rafah and stepped up airstrikes last week to destroy what it calls Hamass "remaining battalions".

The US, the UK and several other nations have called on Israel not to launch a ground invasion of Rafah, fearing for the lives of the refugees gathered there.

Gazan authorities remove the remains of Palestinians from a mass grave ( Getty )

Israels war on Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians so far, displaced most of its 2.3 million people and laid much of the enclave to waste.

The ongoing war was triggered by an attack by Hamas militants on Israel on 7 October, killing 1,200 and taking 253 hostages.

US president Joe Biden "reiterated his clear position" on the Israeli militarys possible invasion of Rafah in a phone call with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said.

Mr Biden previously said Washington wouldnt support such an operation without an appropriate and credible humanitarian plan.

"The president reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel's security," the White House said in a statement, without providing further details.

Egypt is expected to host leaders from Hamas on Monday to discuss prospects for a ceasefire agreement with Israel.

Hamas said a delegation led by Khalil Al-Hayya, the group's deputy Gaza chief, would discuss a ceasefire proposal handed by Hamas to mediators from Qatar and Egypt as well as Israel's response.

The truce talks in Cairo will take place between the Hamas delegation and the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, backed by the US. "Hamas has some questions and inquiries over the Israeli response to its proposal which the movement received from mediators on Friday," a Hamas official told Reuters.
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Experts and users have warned about an increasing amount of seemingly AI-generated images, spreading across Facebook and other social networks.

The problem means that many groups are now filling with images intended to evoke a certain feeling: particularly wholesome images of grandmothers with cakes, for instance, or cozy cabins. Some are more unusual, such as a picture of Jesus made of crustaceans.

The problem has become sufficient that a team of researchers from Stanford Internet Observatory and Georgetown Universitys Center for Security and Emerging Technology have launched an investigation of more than 100 Facebook pages that had a particularly high amount of AI-generated content.

In their new paper, which has not yet been peer reviewed and is titled How Spammers and Scammers Leverage AI-Generated Images on Facebook for Audience Growth, they argue that the problem is a result of people looking to increase their following on social networks.

Much of the research and discourse on risks from artificial intelligence (AI) image generators, such as DALL-E and Midjourney, has centered around whether they could be used to inject false information into political discourse, the authors write. We show that spammers and scammers - seemingly motivated by profit or clout, not ideology - are already using AI-generated images to gain significant traction on Facebook.

The Independent asked Chris Cox, Metas chief product officer who built the original news feed, about the growth of such fake images during an artificial intelligence event earlier this month.

He said that labelling is absolutely critical. He pointed for instance to new rules that require every post in a feed to include a message indicating that it was generated by artificial intelligence, whether that was using one of Metas own AI systems or those from other companies, such as Midjourney.

The key here is: user experience along the way, making sure nobodys surprised about the experience theyre having, and relying on simple user experience tools that label AIs when we see it, he said. For what its worth, the amount of AI generated content in feeds is still de minimus.

But the new paper suggests that for now at least some of those groups are sharing unlabelled images. Those unlabelled images even appear to people who do not follow the groups or realise that they are AI-generated, meaning that they could easily lead to people confusing them for genuine pictures.

When that happens, those images often receive a flurry of supportive comments. But it is unclear how many of those comments are themselves being written partly or wholly using artificial intelligence tools.

That has led to some fear of the dead internet  the idea that the web will soon be filled with automated systems both creating and reacting to content, and thereby making many websites increasingly hostile to human users.
What comes to mind when you hear Iceland? Glaciers. Volcanoes. The Blue Lagoon. A craggy, rugged landscape lit up by northern lights, punctuated by waterfalls and steaming pools. The islands natural beauty is renowned the world over.

But Nordic food, on the other hand, doesnt have the best reputation. If youve watched any travel show that visits Iceland, youre likely to have seen the host grimacing over hakarl, the national dish of fermented Greenland shark. So notorious is this delicacy that the late Anthony Bourdain declared it to be one of the most disgusting things he had ever tasted; more recently, Jessica Hynes described it as a jelly cube of ammonia, while Richard Ayoade spat out his portion of hakarl after a few chews in a 2016 episode of Travel Man.

Aside from the cured shark meat, other Icelandic dishes tourists tend to curl their toes at include svi, half a sheeps head cross-sectioned, boiled and served with mashed potatoes; and harfiskur, fish that is so dried out it appears almost mummified. Preservation is an important part of the countrys flavours, which means many traditional foods are smoked, salted, cured, dried, or fermented.

Reykjaviks culinary scene is thriving as tourism grows ( Getty )

Modern-day Iceland, however, is very different. Located only a few degrees south of the Arctic Circle, the harsh climate previously meant that locals depended heavily on subsistence farming. Now, with imports, migration, tourism, and ever-improving agricultural technologies, the capitals food scene is full of excitement, fresh flavours and techniques, and has a burgeoning sense of pride.

The culinary talent in Reykjavik started seeing exponential growth some 20 years ago, which was around the time that accomplished chef Siggi Hall first launched the Food and Fun Festival. This week-long festival sees chefs from all over the world take over restaurants and create dishes that take inspiration from their own cultures and experiences using Icelandic produce.

Read more on foodie travel:

In the succeeding years, Icelands restaurant scene has exploded, particularly in the fine-dining arena. In 2017, the country gained its very first Michelin star in Dill, which has since been credited for paving the way for the rebranding of Icelandic cuisine. Since then, the country has collected three Michelin stars and has four more restaurants recommended in the Michelin guide, including Tides restaurant, housed in the stylish five-star Reykjavik Edition Hotel.

When visiting Reykjavik during the festival, I was initially unsure what to expect. Would the emphasis be on more traditional elements of Icelandic food? Would hakarl make an appearance on any of the menus? Would I be offered something controversial like whale or puffin meat? You can find these highly contentious foods at a handful of restaurants in Reykjavik, such as Grillmarkaurinn or 3 Frakkar.

Arctic char with a south Turkish citrus sauce at Tides ( Kate Ng )

But there was no hakarl, whale or puffin meat during the festival, with chefs keen to distance themselves from awkward conversations and difficult ingredients. Instead, they made use of the abundant lamb and fish available to Iceland, as well as lesser-known ingredients like Icelandic moss and crowberries. At Tides, which was taken over by Michelin-starred chef Osman Sezener, of Turkeys celebrated OD Urla, I feasted on an open-fire-cooked Arctic char with a south Turkish citrus sauce and Aegean-style octopus with a perfectly crisp tentacle tip that gave way to a pleasant chewiness.

I also had the pleasure of dining at Brut, a powerhouse when it comes to award-winning seafood dishes. Headed by another former Dill chef, Ragnar Eiriksson, and sommelier Olafur Orn Olafsson, Bruts relaxed atmosphere and open kitchen are inviting and friendly, with staff who are keen to have a little chat with customers. Contrasting textures and flavours ruled my night at Brut, with silky, buttery cod and delicate leeks juxtaposed with meaty, powerful monkfish served alongside fermented garlic and braised cabbage.

Dining in Reyjkjavik is a very laidback affair, with people swanning in late for reservations and hardly anyone batting an eyelid. This was the case everywhere I went and it singled me out as a tourist, as I was frequently one of just a handful of diners who turned up on time for their tables.

A Reykjavik Mule and Pisco Sour at Rontgen Bar ( Kate Ng )

Following dinner, there is no shortage of excellent drinking spots peppered throughout the city. Rontgen Bar serves a mean Reykjavik Mule using the countrys signature alcohol, Brennivin; Vinstukan Tiu Sopar is a basement wine bar with good vibes and excellent wine recommendations; and Kaffibarinn is nice and cosy with a great selection of beers.

Although Reykjavik is not an inexpensive city, it is possible to find cheap eats. Youll spot the signature red-and-white hut of the Bjarins Beztu Pylsur hotdog stands across the city, often with lines snaking out of them  you can score a hotdog and a soft drink for about 6. Reykjavik is also famed for its bakeries, where you can grab sandwiches and pastries that are more wallet-friendly. The cinnamon rolls at Brau & Co are legendary (and enormous). For vegan food, head to Mama Reykjavik, where youll find flavour-filled stews and wraps served in a cosy setting.

The city has undoubtedly found its feet as a food destination. My advice would be to make your reservations early  even if you dont really have to turn up on time for them.

Best restaurants in Reykjavik

Tides

Tides prides itself on showcasing the best of Icelands produce. As part of the Reykjavik Edition, its the first introduction to Icelandic cuisine for many tourists  and what a fantastic introduction it is.

Brut

Seafood plays an important role in Nordic cuisine, and Brut is one of the best places in Reykjavik to enjoy it. Its won a number of awards, for good reason  its a wonderful, elegant space to spend an afternoon or evening of feasting.

Sumac

This Michelin-recommended restaurant is bringing Mediterranean flavours to the Nordic island with style. It was recently featured in the latest series of Somebody Feed Phil, with host Phil Rosenthal singing its praises.

Bjarins Beztu Pylsur

Get in line for the world-famous Icelandic hot dogs, which are unusual because they incorporate lamb meat in the sausage instead of the usual pork or beef. Order a one with everything to get all the toppings, including raw onions, crispy fried onions, apple-based ketchup, mustard and remoulade.

Bernhoftsbakari

Icelands oldest bakery is well worth a visit, especially if youre curious about traditional baked goods like Icelandic cheesecake, which is made with skyr, and Hjonabandssla, a rhubarb-jam-filled cake known as marriage cake.

Mandi

Kebabs continue to make their mark around the world as a travellers favourite, and Mandi is no exception, especially with its budget-friendly prices. Grab freshly grilled mixed plates and wraps here, either to eat in or to go.

How to get there

Most flights from the UK will land at Keflavik Airport, which is a 45-minute drive from Reykjavik. Icelandic low-cost airline PLAY will get you there from Stansted airport from 82, with flights operating seven times a week, while easyJet leaves from Luton airport. British Airways and Icelandair also fly to Keflavik from Heathrow.

Kate was hosted by the Reykjavik Edition and PLAY airlines.
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A flight attendant has been charged after police said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom.

Police have also alleged that American Airlines worker Estes Carter Thompson III, 36, of Charlotte, North Carolina, had recordings of four other girls using lavatories on an aircraft where he worked.

Thompson was indicted on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of images of child sexual abuse depicting a prepubescent minor.

Thompson was charged and arrested in January 2024 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has been in federal custody since. A lawyer for Thompson said after the indictment by a federal grand jury that he was unable to comment.

Investigators said that about midway through a September 2, 2023, flight from Charlotte to Boston, the 14-year-old got up to use the main cabin lavatory nearest to her seat but found it was occupied.

Thompson then told her the first-class lavatory was unoccupied and escorted her there, investigators said.

Before she entered the bathroom, Thompson allegedly told her he needed to wash his hands and that the toilet seat was broken, they said.

After he left, the teen entered the bathroom and she saw red stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid, which was in the open position, officials said.

Beneath the stickers, Thompson had concealed his iPhone to record a video, investigators said. The girl used her phone to take a picture of the stickers and concealed iPhone before leaving.

open image in gallery American Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft taking off from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona USA ( Getty Images )

Prosecutors also allege hundreds of images of child sexual abuse generated through artificial intelligence were found stored on Thompsons iCloud account.

Attempted sexual exploitation of children carries a sentence of 15-30 years in prison, while possessing images of sexual abuse of a prepubescent minor can mean up to 20 years in prison.

Both charges also provide for at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution.

American Airlines previously issued a statement saying the flight attendant was immediately withheld from service" and hasnt worked since the phone was discovered.

A search of Thompsons iCloud account revealed four additional instances between January and August 2023 in which Thompson recorded a minor using the lavatory on an aircraft, according to investigators.

Those depicted in the recordings were 7, 9, 11 and 14 years old at the time, they said. Their families have been contacted by police, investigators said.
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A leading international airline has cancelled all flights to an Estonian airport until June at the earliest due to GPS interference in the area.

Finnair says that its normal services to Tartu, the cultural hub of Estonia, cannot operate safely because the approach is dependent on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

In a post on X, the Finnish airline said: Were suspending our flights to Tartu from 29 April until 31 May.

The approach methods currently used at Tartu Airport are based on a GPS signal and GPS interference in the area affects the usability of this method.

Russia is widely suspected of jamming or spoofing GPS signals close to its frontiers. Tartu airport is around 40km (25 miles) from the Russian frontier.

Finnair says it is working on an alternative approach solution that doesnt require a GPS signal.

Last week, two Finnair flights had to divert back to Helsinki after GPS interference prevented the approach to Tartu. On both 25 and 26 April, the evening flight from the Finnish capital abandoned the planned landing and turned around.

Finnair is the only airline operating international flights to and from Tartu.

Jari Paajanen, the carriers operations director, said: The systems on Finnairs aircraft detect GPS interference, our pilots are well aware of the issue, and the aircraft have other navigation systems that can be used when the GPS system is unserviceable.

Most airports use alternative approach methods, but some airports, such as Tartu, only use methods that require a GPS signal to support them. The GPS interference in Tartu forces us to suspend flights until alternative solutions have been established.

We apologise for the inconvenience the suspension causes to our customers.

Finnair says GPS interference has increased significantly since 2022. The airlines pilots have reported interference near Kaliningrad  the slab of territory, about the size of Yorkshire, that is a Russian exclave between Lithuania and Poland.

GPS interference has also been encountered in the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. It is perpetrated in two forms: jamming, which makes it impossible for pilots to know their precise location using GPS; and spoofing, whereby the aircrafts systems are tricked into representing the wrong position.

The airline says: Typically, GPS interference does not affect flight routes or flight safety, as pilots are well aware of it and aircraft have alternative systems in place that are used when the GPS signal is interfered with.

Last week Downing Street said an RAF plane carrying the defence secretary, Grant Shapps, was targeted by GPS interference for 30 minutes over the Baltic.
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The first arrivals at London Heathrow on day one of a strike by UK Border Force have reported no problems getting through passport control.

More than 300 PCS union members working for UK Border Force have walked out for four days, from 29 April to 2 May.

The strike coincides with the introduction of a new roster that, the union says, means 250 members will be being forced out of their current jobs on passport control.

The PCS said: Members are committed to the action and expect that their walkouts will disrupt passport checks for travellers coming into the UK at Heathrow airport.

But interviews with a sample of travellers arriving on the Heathrow Express at London Paddington station identified no problems with passport control.

Angie, a Delta passenger from Boston, told The Independent: It was kind of ridiculously easy  no people in front of me. I put my passport down [for the eGate], it beeped and I was through.

Other passengers told similar stories. A male passenger from Dubai with Emirates said: It couldnt have been easier. I went straight through. I wasnt aware of any issues.

A traveller from Dallas on American Airlines said he was impressed with the super-fast progress through passport control.

Most of the passengers The Independent met had been through Terminal 3. A woman who had arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5 on British Airways from Hong Kong reported passport control was very smooth.

Passengers from the UK, the European Union, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Singapore can use the eGates at the airport.

It is possible that travellers arriving at Terminal 4, which has a higher proportion of passengers who cannot use eGates, will face longer waits.

A Home Office spokesperson said: We are disappointed with the unions decision to strike but remain open to discussing a resolution with PCS union.

The changes we are implementing will bring the working arrangements for Border Force Heathrow staff in line with the way staff work at all other major ports, provide them with more certainty on working patterns, and improve the service to the travelling public.

We have robust plans in place to minimise disruption where possible, but we urge passengers to check the latest advice from operators before they travel.

Heathrow did not give permission to report from the airport itself. It earlier posted on X (formerly Twitter): Border Force officers at Heathrow plan to strike from Monday 29 April to Thursday 2 May.

Were supporting @ukhomeoffice with implementing their contingency plans. eGates will be open as usual, and most journeys should be unaffected. However, some longer queue times may be experienced.

On Thursday 25 April, eGate failures across the UK led to some severe delays, with passengers at Edinburgh having to wait up to two hours to be processed through passport control.

Another strike, involving members of the Unite union, is set to run for a week in May at Heathrow.

Unite is calling out firefighters and staff in airside operations, passenger services, trolley operations and campus security from Tuesday 7 May to Monday 13 May.

The airport says it does not expect passengers to be affected.

A planned strike by 50 aircraft refuellers working for AFS Aviation, scheduled for 72 hours from 4 May, was called off five days before it was due to start.

Unites general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: This is another victory for Unite in its campaign for members' pay and conditions and workers at AFS should be congratulated for standing firm against their employer and winning these improved terms.

Travellers between Heathrow and central London will be affected by the train drivers overtime ban that begins on Monday 6 May and continues until the following Saturday, 11 May. On Wednesday 8 May, the train drivers will strike and services will be reduced to half-hourly between around 7.30am and 7pm.
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Hundreds of UK Border Force officers at Heathrow airport are striking for four days over what their union calls an unworkable new roster system.

The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union has called the walk-out of members working for UK Border Force over new rosters that it claims would see around 250 of them forced out of their jobs at passport control.

Members voted by a margin of 9-1 in favour of industrial action over the issue.

The stoppage, involving more than 300 PCS members, involves UK Border Force offices working on passport control in all four Heathrow terminals.

These are the key questions and answers.

What is the dispute about?

At the root of the dispute is a controversial new rostering system.

The PCS union says planned alterations to shift patterns would have a detrimental effect on all the current staff and leave nearly 250 without a job on passport control, including many with disabilities or caring responsibilities.

The union says: The Home Office have indicated they will no longer accommodate their contractual flexible working arrangements, reasonable adjustments, or legacy contractual terms on the new roster.

There is anger at the rigidity of the new roster with many members saying it wont work.

If they refuse to accept the new contracts, they would be forced to seek jobs elsewhere in the Home Office.

The strike action comes because of the employers failure to enter into meaningful negotiations with PCS, and lack of willingness to offer any movement on their plans.

Wasnt a similar strike called off?

Yes. In late March the PCS union told the Home Office it had called a strike from 11 to 14 April  a very busy spell at the end of the school holidays for many families. But in what the union called a spirit of collaboration, the PCS called off the walk-out a week before it was due to start.

At the time the unions general secretary, Fran Heathcote, warned: This does not end the dispute. It is an opportunity for the Home Office to demonstrate they are genuinely seeking a resolution.

But she later called the new strike, saying: The Home Office should be doing all it can to retain experienced, trained staff  not lose them by introducing an unworkable new roster system.

What are the effects?

Since UK Border Force staff routinely check only arrivals at airports, rather than departures, the initial impact of the walk-out will be on people landing from abroad at Britains busiest airport.

The PCS said: Members are committed to the action and expect that their walkouts will disrupt passport checks for travellers coming into the UK at Heathrow airport.

But interviews with a sample of travellers arriving from the airport on the Heathrow Express at London Paddington station on the morning of the first day identified no problems with passport control.

Angie, a Delta passenger from Boston, told The Independent: It was kind of ridiculously easy  no people in front of me. I put my passport down [for the eGate], it beeped and I was through.

Other passengers told similar stories. But it is possible that travellers arriving at Terminal 4, which has a higher proportion of passengers who cannot use eGates, face longer waits. Heathrow did not give permission to report from the airport itself.

No one is able to predict exactly what will happen at times when there is an unexpected surge in arriving passengers especially when flights arrive containing a substantial proportion of passengers who need to be examined by officials.

Were large numbers to build up in the immigration hall of one or more terminals, it is conceivable that airlines would be ordered to delay disembarking new flights to avoid overcrowding.

Such an instruction could feed through to delays, with departing passengers unable board those planes on schedule. There could conceivably be cancellations of some departures.

But UK Border Force strikes in December 2022, which took place nationwide, did not have a significant effect.

What does the government say?

A Home Office spokesperson said: We are disappointed with the unions decision to strike but remain open to discussing a resolution with PCS union.

The changes we are implementing will bring the working arrangements for Border Force Heathrow staff in line with the way staff work at other ports, provide them with more certainty on working patterns, and improve the service to the travelling public.

Keeping our borders secure remains our top priority and we have robust plans in place to minimise any potential disruption.

What mitigation plans does UK Border Force have?

The Home Office may use techniques as deployed during the last walk-out by UK Border Force in December 2022.

Military personnel and civil servant volunteers were trained to replace the staff who normally check the passports of arriving passengers.

They were not able to provide the same level of service. But the hope among ministers and managers is that with many arrivals able to use eGates, excessive waits can be avoided.

In addition, it is possible that new Minimum Service Level legislation could be used to require a certain proportion of union members to work.

The Independent has asked the Home Office for a response.

What are my rights if my flight is disrupted?

Cash compensation will not be payable, because the issue is beyond the airlines control. But they have a duty of care to provide an alternative flight as soon as possible, as well as meals and, if necessary, accommodation while you wait.

Are other strikes threatened at Heathrow?

Yes: Unite is calling out firefighters and staff in airside operations, passenger services, trolley operations and campus security from Tuesday 7 May to Monday 13 May in a dispute over employment conditions.

The airport says it does not expect passengers to be affected.
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A Japan Airlines flight from Dallas to Tokyo was cancelled last week after its captain got drunk at a hotel bar in an incident involving the police.

The 157 passengers of the flight were later transferred to an American Airlines flight.

The unnamed 49-year-old captain started drinking as he dined with fellow crew members at a restaurant after landing his flight from Tokyos Haneda airport on Monday, the airline said. He continued partying in a lounge of his hotel and later his room, despite staff warning him against disruptive behaviour.

At round 2am on Tuesday, hotel staff called police as the pilot continued to make noise and disturb other guests.

Though the pilot did not violate Japan Airlines guidelines against drinking within 12 hours of boarding, he was prohibited from flying as a precautionary measure.

The airline said it cancelled the flight to check the physical and mental condition of the captain and needed time to arrange for his replacement, reported Japan Times.

The airline subsequently apologised to passengers for the inconvenience caused to them by the pilots inappropriate behaviour.

In March, a Delta Airlines pilot was sentenced to 10 months in prison after he reported drunk to duty at Scotlands Edinburgh airport.

The American pilot, Lawrence Russell Jr, 63, was scheduled to fly to New Yorks JFK airport on 16 June 2023. He was barred from flying after a test found his blood alcohol exceeded the legal limit and authorities found two bottles of Jagermeister liqueur in his bag.
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For destinations the world over, theres a delicate balance to be struck. Following the pause of tourism during Covid restrictions, many places reliant on visitors were champing at the bit to lure back holidaymakers once travel opened up again. But there are tourists  and then there are too many tourists.

Post-pandemic, the influx of millions of visitors to tourist-strewn towns has, in some cases, risen to levels above those seen in 2019. Too much tourism threatens to disrupt residents and natural ecosystems, and contribute to transport pollution.

Unesco has warned of potential damage to protected areas, and Fodors No Travel List recommended reconsidering a visit to suffering cultural hotspots with overstretched infrastructure, such as Venice, Athens and Mount Fuji, in 2024.

Some destinations themselves have started taking a stand. Italys hardened approach to tackling the issue is leading the charge against overtourism in peak season, and countries looking to maintain tradition and encourage sustainability through a redirection to low-impact tourism have followed suit.

Bans on cruise ships and short-term holiday rentals such as Airbnb, and caps on visitor numbers are among the ways destinations are trying to get a handle on escalating tourism, alongside championing considerate behaviour.

Here are the destinations cracking down on tourism, from Mallorca to the Galapagos Islands.

Read more on overtourism:

Italy

Day trippers to Venice will be charged 5 to enter the historic centre ( Getty Images )

Venice

Venice has heeded Unesco warnings of irreversible damage to its historic centre and introduced an entry fee for daytrippers between 8.30am and 4pm in spring and summer. Day-tripping tourists will incur a 5 (4.30) charge and be subject to a ticketing system as part of plans to tackle overtourism in the popular canal city flooded with 30 million visitors annually. The tax follows the Italian citys decision to ban cruise ships from the centre in 2019 after an incident where a cruise liner hit a dock.

The canal city has also introduced new rules banning the use of loudspeakers and limiting tour group sizes to no more than 25 people.

Portofino

In Portofino, tourists lingering in viral Instagram spots to take selfies could be fined 275 (242) for creating a dangerous situation. Implemented red zones or no waiting areas are intended to prevent traffic jams and congested pavements in the picturesque Italian Riviera town during peak season, April to October. Mayor of Portofino Matteo Viacava said tourists pausing to take pictures cause anarchic chaos and added in a statement to The Times: The objective is not to make the place more exclusive but to allow everyone to enjoy our beauty.

Capri

The island of Capri has proposed a barrier of buoys to stop boats from sailing too close to shore and prevent damage to its cove-filled coastline. Plans for a perimeter of 40 buoys 100m offshore for 3.7 miles around the Italian islands western coast were put forward by the local council in July 2024. The mayor of Anacapri, Franco Cerrotta, said that the barrier would also protect children in swimming areas from dangerous encounters with boats.

Rome

Romes rules prevent going topless, eating messy food and leaving love padlocks ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

Visitors to Rome may face severe fines or even bans at attractions in a crackdown on out-of-line tourist behaviour in the Italian capital. Since 2019 men are no longer allowed to go shirtless in public, love padlocks are forbidden from being attached to bridges and those caught snacking on messy foods around busy tourist attractions (specifically the Trevi Fountain), could also be fined. The regulations may also incur a warning from police patrolling attractions.

Sardinia

Travellers to Sardinia are warned against wandering on the inviting pink sands of Spiaggia Rosa at risk of a fine ranging from 500 (428) up to 3,500 (2,993). A stricter enforcement of the Budelli Island beach ban, first introduced over 30 years ago, stems from concerns that tourism poses a danger to the pink micro-organisms that live on the shore. In 2022, visitor numbers on five Sardinian beaches were capped at 60 and 3 per person, per day visitor fees were implemented in a bid to protect the islands shores from litter.

Florence

In June, Florence banned the use of Airbnbs and short-term private holiday rentals in its historic city centre. The Unesco World Heritage Site is home to around 11,000 short-term private rental properties and housing stock in the area had depleted the availability of affordable housing for full-time residents.

Trentino Alto Adige

New rules limiting the number of overnight guests in Trentino Alto Adige could make it more difficult for holidaymakers to find accommodation in the Italian regions areas of natural beauty including a famed glacial lake, Lago di Braies. The number of visitors staying in the area will be capped at 2019 levels in an effort to combat overtourism, top attractions including the Alpe di Siusi will require pre-registration and no new guest houses are permitted to open.

Greece

Athens

Athens capped the number of Acropolis tourists to 20,000 a day ( Getty Images )

The famed Greek Acropolis capped visitor numbers at 20,000 in September 2023 to reduce footfall at the ancient monument. Visitors will also have to book a time slot in advance with caps changing from hour to hour between 8am and 8pm. The Greek culture minister, Lina Mendoni said: The measure will address the need to protect the monument, which is the main thing for us, as well as [improving] visitors experience of the site.

Santorini & Mykonos

Greece is set to reduce the number of cruise ships that can call at islands, including Santorini and Mykonos in a bid to tackle the impact of overtourism. The new measures would be introduced to cap cruise liners and reduce the footfall of thousands of passengers on the clearly suffering Cycladic Islands. Limiting the availability of berths and anchoring slots could alleviate the growing pressure on Greek ports and a bidding process would reportedly be implemented for vessels to secure the slots.

Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatts mayor intended to reduce tourist footfall by a third in 2020 ( Getty Images )

The Austrian town said to have inspired Frozens Arendelle, Hallstatt, took measures to deter tourists from visiting the fairytale spot by constructing wooden fences that obstruct lakeside views of the area that make for a popular selfie backdrop. Pre-pandemic, foot traffic to the protected Unesco site was averaging 10,000 visitors a day prompting Alexander Scheutz, Hallstatts mayor, to cap the number of tour buses and cars allowed to enter the area with the intention of reduce tourism numbers by at least a third. Locals also took to the streets in October to protest overtourism with signs that read tourism yes  mass tourism no.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tourism in the Galapagos is tightly controlled with strict regulations on land and sea enforced by the Galapagos National Park Service. These include walking only on marked trails, visiting protected areas with a specialized guide only and not visiting the islands main natural beauty spots on privately owned yachts. As of 1 August 2024, all tourists visiting the archipelago must also pay an increased entry tax  $200 (155) for international visitors and $100 (78) for visitors from Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Boracay, Philippines

In 2018, Boracay, a popular tourist island in the Philippines, was closed for six months after the countrys president declared the once-white sand beaches cesspools. Sewage problems from hotels and restaurants accommodating the tourism industry threatened to take the environment of the idyllic island past the point of no return.

Maya Beach, Thailand

A swimming ban remains in place at reopened Maya Beach to protect the coral ( Getty Images )

Famous as the setting for the Hollywood blockbuster The Beach, Maya Bay in Ko Phi Phi Leh, Thailand, was closed in the summer of 2018 to restore the natural landscape, ecosystems and coral reefs overwhelmed by 5,000 tourists a day. The beach reopened in January 2022 but swimming in the bay remains banned to protect the restored coral and black-tipped reef shark population. Visitors are also only allowed to visit for an hour and motorboats are banned from the bay itself.

Penang, Malaysia

Penang became the first destination in Southeast Asia to ban short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb holiday homes in June 2023 as a result of the behaviour of international tourists negatively impacting local residents. Under the regulations, only commercial properties are now able to host guests on a short-term basis  this is subject to registration fees and a 75 per cent approval from the other residents in the hosts building.

Bali, Indonesia

Bali introduced a tourist tax to combat unruly behaviour ( Getty Images )

In February, Indonesian tourism giant Bali introduced a $10 (7.70) tourist tax to discourage unruly tourists from visiting the low-cost island. Visitors will be forced to pay the 150,000 rupiah levy before they can enter the popular backpacking destination, plus a tourist handbook outlining acceptable behaviour could also be distributed to travellers as part of further measures by the Bali Tourism Board.

Okinawa, Japan

The Galapagos of the East, Okinawa in Japan introduced a cap on visitor numbers to combat overtourism and protected an endangered species of indigenous wild cat, the Iriomote cat. As of April 2023, a maximum of 1,200 tourists a day will be able to travel to the Iriomote island of the Okinawa prefecture in a bid to preserve the ecosystem and the quality of life for permanent residents.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Amsterdam banned cruise ships from docking in the city centre in July 2023 ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

The latest measures of Amsterdams campaign against overtourism  a limit on the number of river cruises that enter the Dutch capitals waterways and plans to reduce overnight visitors by banning the construction of new hotels. The proposals to restrict the way tourists enter and stay in the city predict 271,000 fewer visitors per year via river cruise and aim to limit overnight stays to just 20 million tourists annually.

Ocean-going cruise ships were banned from docking in the city centre last July and Brits were urged to stay away by authorities in Amsterdam due to complaints of antisocial behaviour during stag parties and pub crawls. The Dutch capitals campaign in March 2023 targeted search engine keywords including stag party Amsterdam and pub crawl Amsterdam when entered by British internet users; a warning video consequently popped up.

Spain

Barcelona

In 2024 Barcelona increased its municipal tourist tax to 6.75 per night ( Getty Images )

Barcelona increased its municipal tourist tax from 5.25 to 6.75 per night in April 2024 for guests staying in a five-star hotel, with the sum paid to Barcelonas Generalitat and the City Council. The surcharge is on top of the general nightly tourist tax (now 3.50) paid to the region and, as a result, means that five-star hotel guests will pay 47.25 (41) per seven-night stay on top of their hotel room rate.

Last October, the Spanish city cut the number of cruise ships able to dock at its central port at any one time from 10 to seven and recently the 116 bus route, one of the few to stop outside Parc Guells main gates, was removed from tourist maps to deter holidaymakers from visiting in peak season.

The Catalan capital also pledged to eradicate short-term tourist rentals including Airbnbs by the end of the decade and introduce strict new measures to restrict souvenir shopping and displays in bad taste.

Seville

Holidaymakers visiting Seville will soon be charged to enter the historic Plaza de Espana under new plans to tackle overtourism in the southern Spanish city. Most of the details including the exact charge and ticketing system are currently unclear, but Sevillian citizens will be exempt from the charge.

Mallorca

A string of anti-tourism protests have stormed Mallorca so far this summer. In March and July, more than 10,000 people marched through Palma, chanting, Lets save Mallorca and on 1 June, residents were called to protest by setting up on the Spanish islands beaches by the social media group Mallorca Platja Tour.

Protesters demonstrating on the streets of Palma de Mallorca say that the marches against overtourism will continue until the Balearic government introduces measures to counter the housing emergency on the island.

Menorca

Tourists will only be welcome in Binibeca Vell between 11am and 8pm ( Getty Images )

The 195 homeowners in Menorcan village Binibeca Vell have put up ropes and chains with keep-out imagery to stop a parade of tourists from crossing the line into private properties. Tourists were also asked to only stop off in Binibeca between the hours of 11am and 8pm to reduce noise and respect residents.

French Polynesia

The pristine Pacific islands of French Polynesia plan to cap annual tourist numbers in a sustainability push. Local cruise lines with up to 700 passengers will take priority over international cruise ships and the cap will not exceed 300,000 visitors a year  equivalent to one tourist per local.

France

Street art of giant rat traps intended to deter tourists in Nice ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

French tourism minister, Olivia Gregoire presented a roadmap to combat overtourism by regulating tourism flows and supporting local authorities experiencing visitor surges last June. Iconic French attractions such as the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey in Normandy and the Louvre Museum previously risked being overwhelmed by the volume of visitors.

Machu Picchu, Peru

In 2019, the bucket-list Unesco site Machu Picchu introduced a strict ticketing system and time slots to tackle overtourism. Visitors must now arrive within a specific time slot with a four-hour time limit for each visit and a set closing time of 5.30pm. Previous rules already outlined that visitors were only able to enter Machu Picchu with an official tour guide, group sizes were limited to 16 people and defined routes had to be followed around the site.

Cornwall, UK

Cornish holiday lets face a compulsory registration proposal to ease the pressure on the property market ( Getty Images )

Cornish holiday lets are facing a compulsory registration proposal to combat overtourism during peak periods. Short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo have created an influx of additional holiday accommodation properties, adding to the already growing housing crisis in Cornwall. Last March, the government also proposed a 160m crackdown on problematic behaviour, including in short-term holiday lets.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

A Respect the City campaign in Dubrovnik introduced new measures for visitors to the Unesco World Heritage city, including bans on walking around in swimwear, driving without special permission, eating and drinking around cultural monuments and climbing on the city walls. All offences are punishable by fines and criminal charges. Visitors to Dubrovnik must also pay 2.65 (2.25) per person, per night from April to September.

Oahu, Hawaii

Oahu aims to bring visitor numbers to a more sustainable level ( Getty Images/iStockphoto )

Hawaii is cracking down on visitor numbers to take care of its unique natural environment, repair coral reefs and maintain state parks and trails. A $25 (20) green tourist fee is being considered in the state that would require tourists to pay when checking into hotels or short-term rentals. Democratic Gov. Josh Green said: We get between nine and 10 million visitors a year [but] we only have 1.4 million people living here. Those 10 million travellers should be helping us sustain our environment.

Bhutan, The Himalayas

Since the country opened to tourism in 1974, visitors to Bhutan must pay a Sustainable Development Fee, now US$100 (80) per day  the worlds most expensive entrance fee  to restrict footfall on the landlocked Himalayan nation and encourage high value, low impact tourism. The tourism tax was halved from $200 in September 2023 for travellers who opt to visit, a $35 increase from the $65 pre-pandemic charge.

Sintra, Portugal

For years, summer tourism to Sintras Unesco world heritage site has threatened to overwhelm residents, with congested traffic preventing locals from running everyday errands in the town centre. Local association QSintra says that traffic and disrespectful tourists have made Sintra, to the west of Lisbon, a congested amusement park and are calling on the council to take action.

Prague, Czechia

Prague has proposed a ban on silly stag costumes ( Getty Images )

A district council in Prague has proposed that outrageous costumes worn by stag and hen party groups be banned to tackle overtourism and reduce the toll of nightlife on locals in the city. The suggested silly costume ban intends to address noise pollution and unruly tourist behaviour in the areas nightlife scene.

Read more: Mallorca is going all out to repel tourists  but I wont stop holidaying there
A palliative care consultant has warned it could be deeply dangerous to have a doctor-led assisted dying system in the NHS.

Doctor Amy Profitt spoke of her concerns during an interview on Radio 4s Today programme on Monday (29 April).

The topic will be debated later today in Parliament after a petition led by Dame Esther Rantzen, who has stage four lung cancer.

Dame Ester said travelling to Dignitas in Switzerland is definitely on her agenda as MPs are to debate assisted dying laws in the UK.
Hundreds of students have refused to disperse from pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University after the school set a deadline for them to leave or face suspension.

Columbia Universitys president said on Monday (29 April) that talks with protesters who began camping on the Ivy League campus two weeks ago had failed.

In a letter, the school warned of interim suspensions for all students who do not voluntarily leave the protest by 1400 EST.

Dozens of protesters gathered to march around the encampment as the deadline elapsed on Monday afternoon.

Responding in a press conference, students called the attempts to make them leave repulsive scare tactics.
If youre experiencing feelings of distress and isolation, or struggling to cope, The Samaritans offer support; you can speak to someone for free over the phone, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

Dame Esther Rantzen has said travelling to Dignitas in Switzerland is definitely on her agenda as MPs are to debate assisted dying on Monday, 29 April.

The broadcaster, 83, backed a petition for a debate that gained more than 200,000 signatures after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

The cancer has spread. I know my time is very limited, Dame Esther told BBC Radio 4.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says the Scottish people are being fundamentally let down as he called for a general election to end the chaos.

Humza Yousaf quit as Scottish first minister on Monday (29 April) in an emotional speech to avoid being ousted by his opposition in a no confidence vote.

Mr Yousaf announced he was stepping down during an address at Bute House, Edinburgh, at midday today, just days before a vote on his leadership was expected.

Speaking to Sky News today, Sir Keir said: Its absolute chaos from the Scottish Parliament and SNP.
Rishi Sunak is not interested in pursuing a deal with Ireland on returning asylum seekers to the UK.

Downing Street has said the UK government has said it will not take back those who cross into Ireland until EU asylum rules change.

The UK prime minister told ITV News: Were not interested in that. Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

It comes after Ireland announced legislation to return a rising number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland.
Hamas should accept the generous ceasefire package which has been put on the table, David Cameron has said amid a push by Western leaders to end fighting in Gaza.

The foreign secretary called for the militant group to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza while speaking at the World Economic Forum, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the first time.

Lord Cameron claimed it never pays to be optimistic in pushing for an end to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, but insisted the group should take the deal being offered.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had earlier weighed in, saying Hamas had been presented with an extraordinarily generous offer by Israel that he hoped it would accept.
Protesters waved banners and blocked a highway in Turin, Itay, as they protested against a meeting of G7 environment ministers on Sunday 28 April.

They filled the highway lighting smoke bombs to bring traffic to a halt, while also waving Palestinian flags and holding banners.

Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7, made up of seven of the most economically powerful democracies in the world, including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan and Italy.

Environment ministers of G7 nations will be meeting in Turin over the coming days.
Roberto and Nicki Montoya enjoy arts and crafts with their daughter, Vera, at Sundays Camp Mather centennial celebration at the Southeast Community Center in San Franciscos Bayview neighborhood. Manuel Orbegozo/Special to the Chronicle Camp Mather, a city-owned summer camp on the corner of Yosemite National Park, celebrated 100 years of operation Sunday with a gathering at the Southeast Community Center in San Franciscos Bayview neighborhood. Manuel Orbegozo/Special to the Chronicle Camp Mather T-shirts were popular at the centennial celebration. Manuel Orbegozo/Special to the Chronicle Camp Mather, the city-owned summer camp on the corner of Yosemite National Park, marked its centennial Sunday with a San Francisco celebration. San Francisco Recreation and Park Department David Radke cleans up the porch area of his familys Camp Mather cabin in 2015. Leah Millis/The Chronicle 2015 Firefighters take a break after protecting Camp Mather from the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park in 2013. Paul Chinn/The Chronicle 2013 A couple of phone booths remained in 2013 at Camp Mather near Yosemite, which is San Francisco property. Kevin Fagan/The Chronicle 2013

The first time Roberto and Nicki Montoya signed up for a week at Camp Mather, they figured they might last three days without cellphones, without Wi-Fi, without TV. But it took only two days before they did not want to leave.

Three years later, they look forward to it to the point that they cannot wait a whole year for their week of summer camp, which is what brought the Montoyas and their daughter, Vera, 5, to the Camp Mather Centennial on Sunday at the Southeast Community Center in San Franciscos Bayview.

The 100th anniversary of the city summer camp on the corner of Yosemite National Park was worthy of a celebration, but more important to Roberto Montoya was the incentive that he was guaranteed a Camp Mather T-shirt in his size, XL, which is always sold out by the time he makes it to camp. A secondary consideration is that he got to see people in April he normally gets to see only in July.

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Camp Mather is the thing we look forward to, starting in January when our daughter starts asking about it, Montoya, 42, said as he proudly wore his tie-dyed 2023 camp T-shirt. The 2024 T-shirt will remain in its package until he can get it properly dyed, a new family tradition, done just once a year, like swimming in Birch Lake and stargazing without fog or light pollution. He would have mentioned archery, but there was a range set up Sunday to fulfill that urge.

Elvin Lin shoots an arrow at the Camp Mather centennial celebration in San Francisco. Manuel Orbegozo/Special to the Chronicle

Camp Mather is an opportunity to spend time with people from San Francisco in a uniquely connected environment, said Montoya, who was born and raised in the Mission District and attended St. Ignatius College Prep, class of 2000.

Attending a high school in the city is important because it is the sign of a true San Franciscan, and that is what Camp Mather is about. Neil Fahy, the 96-year-old senior naturalist, is Balboa High School, class of 1945, the year after he first worked a summer at camp. Tom Graham, the 76-year-old junior naturalist, is Riordan High School, class of 66, the year he first worked at the camp.

Camp Mather is one of those bedrock places you go to where nothing seemingly changes in a world where everything else around you changes, said Graham, one of the organizers of Sundays event, which was sponsored by the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, operator of the 320-acre facility, along with the Friends of Camp Mather.

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Naturalist Neil Fahy, 96, gives a presentation at the Camp Mather centennial celebration. Manuel Orbegozo/Special to the Chronicle

As soon as you turn onto the road into camp, the unmistakable smell of Camp Mather comes through the windows, Graham said. Its a combination of pine, fir and a plant called mountain misery. People pulling into camp always have their windows down for that olfactory sensation.

Sundays centennial was an attempt to bottle that smell and deliver it to the highly urban corner of Third Street and Evans Avenue, with a Chevron station across the street and the T-Third streetcar rumbling by. To enhance the rural mood, a rock climbing wall was brought in and the Flapjacks, an eight-piece outfit formed at Mather to play mostly folk music, were twanging away.

This is Camp Mather but in a city setting, said Kim Sarquis, who brought her 5-year-old daughter, Evelyn. She also brought a parka and two layers underneath it. Another benefit of Mather, she said, is that there isnt the wind.

Campers scale a rock climbing wall that was installed for Sundays centennial celebration of Camp Mather. Manuel Orbegozo/Special to the Chronicle

Camp Mather is 180 miles away in Tuolumne County, on the border of Yosemite National Park. Originally called the Hog Ranch, its changed its name to honor Stephen Mather (pronounced like lather) a San Franciscan and Lowell High School graduate who later became the first director of the National Park Service.

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It was a byproduct of the construction of Hetch Hetchy Dam in the 1920s. The sawmill that converted trees for the construction project and the quarters for sawmill workers were later to become the land for the camp, 329 acres that stretch along the Tuolumne River canyon.

After the dam was completed in 1923, the lumber camp was no longer necessary and was converted a year later. What was then known as the San Francisco Recreation Camp opened on July 5, 1924. At first an experiment, it worked so well that the city and county of San Francisco bought it for $12,500 in 1925. It was originally administered by the Playground Commission, which was later folded into Rec and Park.

Camp Mather is a San Francisco-run operation for summer vacations on the outskirts of Yosemite National Park. Tom Stienstra/The Chronicle

It was expanded with 25 new cabins, three washrooms and a store in 1928. Now it has 90 cabins and 20 tent sites, and can accommodate 500 campers a week for its 10-week season. Twice that many families are usually on the waiting list.

With all of our kids, if you said, Do you want to go to Disneyland, Hawaii or Camp Mather, they always pick Camp Mather, said Tom Barisone. Even my granddaughter, who is 3.

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Every January a lottery is held to select 120 families per week. Though anyone can apply, San Franciscans who provide proof of residency get preference. The most sought-after week is the one that includes July 4, and this year it is even more the most sought after with the actual centennial on July 5. But that would leave people out, so no special ceremony is planned. Thats what Sundays event was for.
Stephen Flynn has ruled himself out of the race to replace Humza Yousaf as Scotlands first minister.

Mr Yousaf admitted politics can be a brutal business as he announced his resignation just four days after tearing up the powersharing agreement the SNP had with the Scottish Greens.

The collapse of that deal had seen him facing two votes of no confidence in the Scottish Parliament.

Speaking on Monday evening (29 April), the SNPs Westminster leader ruled himself out of the race to replace Mr Yousaf.

I wont be a candidate for leadership, Mr Flynn told The News Agents podcast, before throwing his support behind John Swinney.
Campaigners both for and against a change in the law on assisted dying gathered outside parliament on Monday 29 April as MPs prepared to take part in a debate over a petition on the issue backed by Dame Esther Rantzen.

The Childline founder and broadcaster, who has stage four lung cancer, has said law reform would mean that I could look forward in confidence to a death which is pain-free surrounded by people I love.

Dame Esthers revelation in December that she had joined the assisted dying clinic Dignitas helped to put the issue back in the headlines.

A three-hour debate is planned for MPs to air their views on Monday afternoon, but there will be no vote at the end.
Airline had warned that pilot pay dispute threatened Sunday deadline

What the Airbus A321XLR jet will look like in Aer Lingus livery

Aer Lingus was unable to confirm this evening if it will be the launch customer for a new generation of Airbus aircraft as a pilot pay dispute saw it miss a deadline on Sunday for painting the new jet in the carriers livery.

The airline, part of the IAG group that also owns British Airways, Iberia and Vueling, had previously warned that a decision had to be made by Sunday, April 28 on whether or not a brand new Airbus A321XLR that has already rolled off the production line would be painted in the Aer Lingus livery.

It made a last-ditch effort to cement a pay deal with the Irish Airline Pilots Union (IALPA) earlier this month in advance of negotiations at the Labour Court that got underway on April 22 and which reconvened today.

The long-awaited Airbus A321XLR aircraft is billed by Airbus as a long-range route opener.

The plane maker says it will use 30pc less fuel than the previous generation of jets.

It has a range of 4,700 nautical miles (8,700km) and can carry between 180 and 220 passengers, depending on the configuration.

As of 2023, Aer Lingus had intended to use the first XLR aircraft in its fleet on its Dublin-Minneapolis St Paul service, which the airline has just relaunched, from this winter.

IAG ordered 14 A321XLR jets in 2019. Of those, Aer Lingus was due to receive six, with the first due for delivery in October. Aer Lingus is due to take delivery of three of the jets in 2025 and two in 2026.

However, Aer Lingus subsequently said that two of the jets would be delivered this year.

Decisions on the delivery of the XLR jets due to be delivered after 2024 will have to be made in coming months, according to Aer Lingus this month.

IAG chief executive Luis Gallego warned earlier this year that Aer Lingus would not be the launch customer for the XLR aircraft unless the pilot pay dispute could be resolved.

The airline, whose chief executive is Lynne Embleton, also told pilots in a letter last month that the potential loss of the planned A321XLR aircraft scheduled for delivery to Aer Lingus this year would immediately reduce its pilot requirement by 80 and its command requirement by 40.

IALPAs pay proposal includes a 20pc pay rise and the additional 7pc covering the cost by pilots of a 2019 crewing agreement.

The 12.25pc proposed by the carrier included 3.75pc to pay for that crewing agreement.
The value of venture capital (VC) investments in Ireland has fallen 80pc in the first three months of the year and the number of deals is also down sharply.

The latest figures from the Q1 24 Venture Pulse report produced by KPMG with data from PitchBook show the scale of the slowdown in the VC sector, where a fall in valuations as financial conditions have tightened has led to deadlock in markets where expectations of company founders and would-be investors are now often significantly mismatched.

Globally, VC investment fell to its lowest point in five years at the start of 2024.

The Irish data shows that 17 venture capital deals worth a combined $34.19m (32m) closed in Ireland in the first three months of this year. That was down from 24 deals worth $172.8m in the same period of 2023

The figures dont capture Japanese investment giant SoftBanks acquisition of a 51pc stake in Cubic Telecom in a deal that values the Irish business, led by Barry Napier, at over 900m. SoftBank agreed that deal in December 2023 and it closed on Friday, April 26, so falls outside the quarterly results.

This quarters largest deal was $7m raised by Galway-based medtech firm Ceroflo for its development of a novel technology for the treatment for intracranial atherosclerotic disease, a leading cause of stroke.

The next three biggest deals by size were Dublin-based OOHPod, a smart parcel locker service, which raised $5.9m, Dublin-based MOBY Bikes, a bike-sharing start-up, which raised $3m in equity funding through the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme, which offers tax relief to investors and another medtech, Dublin-based Coroflo, which raised $3m in equity funding as it prepares for production of its breastfeeding monitor this year.

Anna Scally, partner, head of technology and media at KPMG in Ireland, said interest in Irelands technology companies remains reasonably positive, despite the slowdown, citing opportunities for companies in the medtech, AI and cleantech areas in particular.

The European Parliaments recently agreed Artificial Intelligence Act could come in as soon as the end of June, she said, and its impact will start to be felt within six months, with full implementation taking effect within 24 months.

Companies will now have to factor the provisions of this Act into how they develop AI products and services to be rolled out in the European market.
I thought feck it, why not grow my own grain?  how this Carlow baker branched into farming

Seamus Jordan built a mill next door to his house near Borris and he wanted to use the best possible flour  which is Irish and organic so he started sowing his own wheat

Seamus

Azmia Riaz Mon 29 Apr 2024 at 22:20

Baker Seamus Jordan planted his crops of organic spring wheat last week. The south Carlow mans move into farming provides the perfect solution to his business, Plur Mill & Bakery, which he set up in 2021.
The expansion of the dairy herd and movement of animals around the country has been cited as a possible reason for the spike in TB incidence

Ireland might be about to turn a corner in the long-running battle to eradicate bovine TB, a senior Department of Agriculture official has said, despite increasing incidence rates in recent years and farmer disillusionment.

The comments come in the wake of the publication of a recent Department of Agriculture research paper, which found most vets dont believe TB can be eradicated by 2030, if at all.

With some 5pc of herds now locked up with TB, David Quinn, Superintending Veterinary Inspector at the Department Of Agriculture, conceded the statistics in relation to the disease are going in the wrong way at the moment, but said he was optimistic that maybe we might be about to turn a corner on it.

I suppose the other way to look at it is that 95pc of the herds are not locked up and that is a positive thing, he said, adding that the TB test and the eradication programme is something Ireland has to have in place.

On whether Ireland is any closer to eradicating TB, he said only two countries had eradicated the disease, Japan and Australia.

He also pointed to the expansion of the dairy herd as the genesis of the recent spike in TB incidence.

In the period, lets say, preceding the expansion of the dairy herds, we were around 3.7pc herd incidence, and it was on a downward trajectory.

I suppose the expansion of the dairy herd has probably acted as a kind of disrupter here. You had a lot of movement of animals all around the country as people either expanded herds or you had guys getting into dairy for the first time, he said.

In relation to the current skin test, Quinn said it is a very good test from a herd-screening point of view, but it does miss individual animals.

He pointed out that the TB virus has unique features that mean it can remain latent in animals and go undetected.

Obviously, if you miss those animals and they are left behind in the herd, the risk is they will spread the disease and it will be picked up by other animals, he said.

Quinn also addressed farmer concerns in relation to false-positive results and the absence of TB lesions in cattle when killed, explaining that there are now very few clinical cases of TB identified.

Most people will never see a clinical case anymore because of the screening test and because youre picking them up at an earlier stage of infection. So because of that, you tend not to see lesions in a lot of the animals.

So about 30pc of the reactors that go into the factory will be lesioned and that's not to say that the other 70pc are not infected, it's just that the lesions are microscopic, so you don't, you know, you can't see them with the naked eye, he said.
Department of Justice says it stands by its figure that over 80pc of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land borderHuman rights and refugee organisations have cast doubt on the 80pc figureIrish Government remains defiant in its plans to send back asylum seekersMeeting between Helen McEntee and UK home secretary cancelled as migration row deepensNorthern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris insists UK government does not want to upset its relationship with Ireland

A claim by the Justice Minister Helen McEntee that 80pc of asylum seekers are coming into the country from Northern Ireland is not based on data, evidence or statistics, Tanaiste Micheal Martin has said.

Mr Martin made the remarks after the minister last week claimed the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the State is now "higher than 80pc" following a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

The figure has since been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations.

It comes as UK and Irish ministers are meeting in London following a fall-out over migrants travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and into the Irish state.

Asked about the evidence for the claim today, Mr Martin said it was "clear from the presentation of migrants" that there was a change in where they came from.

He added that the Department of Justice had a "perspective" that there had been an increase in the number of arrivals through Northern Ireland.

Speaking to reporters at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, Mr Martin said: "On the 80pc and the evidence: Over a while, I think the Department of Justice officials would say - and it's not statistical, it's not a database or evidence base - but it is very clear from the presentations of migrants that there's a change in the nature of where migrants have come from, and that's the sense and the perspective that Justice have on this.

"Increasingly over the last year or two, there's been a shift. If you remember, all the earlier commentary was on people coming in on planes without documentation and so on.

"That has lessened somewhat and there's been a switch in terms of the pattern of migration, that's the sense from our Justice officials."

On Friday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said the figures provided by Ms McEntee were based on the number of people registering at the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin.

However, representatives from the Irish Refugee Council and the Committee on the Administration of Justice cast doubt on the figures.

The Department of Justice tonight said it stood by its assessment that a majority of asylum seekers are coming into the country through Northern Ireland.

The department told the PA news agency that 91pc of applications at the IPO so far in 2024 were made there for the first time rather than an airport or other port.

It said that its operational assessment was that more than 80pc of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This would equate to approximately 72pc of all applications this year.

In a statement, a spokeswoman said there are a number of circumstances in which someone might apply in the IPO without first applying at a port of entry.

They may enter at an airport with valid documentation for example but choose not to apply at that time. Or they may apply having been in the State for a period previously, for example on foot of a different permission to remain.

However, the departments firm assessment, based on the experience of staff and others working in the field, and based on the material gathered at interviews, is that over 80pc of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This is the departments operational assessment of the situation.

It comes as the Irish Government doubled down on its commitment to press ahead with plans to send asylum seekers coming from across the Border back to the UK.

It followed UK prime minister Rishi Sunaks remarks today when he said he is "not interested" in pursuing a deal with Dublin on returning asylum-seekers from Ireland to the UK.

He told ITV News: "We're not interested in that. We're not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesn't accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

"Of course we're not going to do that."

Asked whether there were any negotiations with the EU on returns, he said: "No, I'm focused on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running."

However, the Irish Government remains defiant in its plans to send back asylum seekers. It is examining laws to designate the UK as a safe country. Applications from asylum seekers coming from countries designated as safe are processed quicker.

Ireland already shares a common travel area with the UK, said a government spokesperson.

We are looking at legislation to facilitate the 2020 arrangement that was in place up until last month when the Irish High Court ruled the UK couldnt be designated a safe country. The Minister for Justice will bring proposals to cabinet tomorrow," they added.

A senior government source said Ireland is not going to engage in a "tit for tat" with the UK.

A second source said UK sign off is not needed for Ireland to pass and implement its own migration policies.

Ireland has been thrown into a diplomatic row with the UK after Justice Minister Helen McEntee's counterpart James Cleverly cancelled a meeting with her on Monday, saying there were scheduling clashes.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee then pulled out of a conference she was due to attend in London amid the deepening row with the UK over migration.

The row comes after the minister revealed last week that 80pc of international protection applicants coming into Ireland are doing so from the UK via the Northern Ireland land border.

The Irish Refugee Council has this morning questioned where this 80pc figure came from, and warned that proposed Irish emergency legislation to send migrants back to the UK may not be legally sound.

Tanaiste Micheal Martin and Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris co-chaired the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in London today.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Chris Heaton-Harris insisted the UK government did not want to upset its Irish neighbours.

Mr Heaton-Harris said: We know this is a very important matter for the British people and we intend to deliver on it.

There is no way that we would want to upset our relationship with Ireland in this space.

There was a joint commitment to protect the common travel area from abuse, he added.

Micheal Martin said he had moved to assure British officials at the conference today that the legislation would deal with the repercussions of a decision by Irelands High Court, which found that the basis for designating the UK a safe country for asylum purposes was contrary to EU law.

Mr Martin said that the decision related to an agreement on returning asylum seekers to the UK  and vice versa  that was struck between the two governments after Brexit.

So basically, it is restoring the situation to where it was before the High Court case of last March. Thats, in essence, what has been proposed, Mr Martin said at the joint press event with Mr Heaton-Harris.

If this legislation is, as I believe it is and Ive been assured it is, just setting us back in time to where we were and what we were dealing with, then Im comfortable with that, Mr Heaton-Harris said.

But we are fully behind implementing our Rwanda scheme.

Mr Martin said that Irelands Attorney General had advised that legislation would be needed to create a proper statutory basis for an agreement that we earlier had.

The High Court struck down the basis upon which we had we arrived at an agreement with the British government after Brexit. There was an arrangement, an agreement in terms of managing this issue, and these agreements have to be mutual.

No one country could say were sending back if theres not a reciprocal agreement, and it works both ways  so the United Kingdom could send people back to the Republic who might have originated here.

Thats the legislative backdrop underpinning all of this.

He said that both governments are committed to working together to deal with Common Travel Area issues including migration.

Mr Martin said Justice Minister Helen McEntee and UK home secretary James Cleverly will meet "in the coming weeks" after their meeting today was postponed.

Diary clash

Earlier today, Media Minister Catherine Martin said the meeting between the pair was cancelled due to a genuine diary clash.

"I would say from what I've been told it is a genuine diary clash and that both ministers are determined to meet at the earliest opportunity," she said, emphasising that it was a "postponement, not a cancellation, Ms Martin said.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss emergency legislation that would see asylum seekers "returned" to the UK tomorrow.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling which found that Ireland designating the UK as a "safe third country" for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

The UK government said it would decide who is allowed to enter the country, despite any legislation the Irish Government may pass.

The British prime minister's official spokesman said on Monday: "Even if Ireland was to pass legislation, it is up to the UK Government to decide who we do and don't accept into the country and, clearly, we aren't going to start accepting returns from the EU just as the EU doesn't accept asylum returns from the UK to France."

Mel Stride, the UK Work and Pensions Secretary, said on Monday that the claimed increase in people seeking asylum in Ireland who have crossed the border are early signs of the Rwanda plan's effectiveness.

Asked whether the UK would accept asylum seekers being sent back across the border into Northern Ireland, Mr Stride told LBC: "We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK.

"What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works. That's exactly why we are now having this conversation, because we have now passed that legislation."

Labour's David Lammy said it is "way too premature" to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

"I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, I'm afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel," the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 29th April 2024

Speaking before her meeting with UK home secretary James Cleverly was cancelled, Ms McEntee said in a statement: I am looking forward to discussing a number of important issues with the home secretary, including how we can better protect the Common Travel Area from abuse.

From an Irish perspective, it is essential that we can return people back to the UK when appropriate. Over the last month, I have been working on emergency legislation to allow us to recommence returns there.

I will seek government approval for the legislation to be rapidly drafted so that the UK can again be designated as a safe country for returns.

My department has been working on this as a priority since last months High Court judgment, and I intend that returns to the UK will recommence once the law is enacted.

Ms McEntee said fast processing of international protection applicants had been extended to Nigeria, the country with the highest number of applicants currently.

Under this regime, applicants for international protection were interviewed on their arrival and received a decision within 90 days, meaning those with a right to protection got it more quickly and those without a right were returned more quickly, Ms McEntee said.

She said she had engaged with gardai on abuses of the Common Travel Area and they were working closely with the PSNI.

I announced last month that my department would take over the immigration registration function from the gardai, she said.

This will be completed in the next 12 months and will free up 100 additional gardai for frontline enforcement work, including around deportations.

Irish Refugee Council

The Irish Refugee Council (IRC) has questioned the 80pc figure.

We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80pc figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology, chief executive Nick Henderson said in a statement today.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland. A person may pass through immigration control and then apply for protection at the IPO [International Protection Office]. They may not want to apply at the airport or port because they think they will be placed back on the flight and returned putting them at risk of persecution.

The IRC also said a person may be in Ireland with one status, but due to a change in circumstances, such as war in their country, they need to apply for protection.

For example, we have supported people from Gaza in this type of situation. This is known as 'sur place' refugees, Mr Henderson said.

He said that if people are moving to Ireland from the UK in great numbers, it should be viewed in the context that the UK is not a safe country for people seeking protection and does not currently process applications for protection if the person is deemed to have entered the UK irregularly.

The IRC also pointed out that the High Court declared last month that the process behind the designation of the UK as a safe third country is contrary to Ireland's obligations under EU law.

"It did not even need to consider the Rwanda issue to come to that conclusion, the IRC said.

Mr Henderson also said that under the UKs Illegal Migration Act 2023, the majority of protection claims made in the UK are permanently inadmissible.

If you enter the UK in a particular way (e.g. by boat) your protection application cannot be processed in the UK, he said.

Any protection or relevant human rights claim must automatically be declared inadmissible. That means the claim will never be considered in the UKs asylum system, no matter how strong it may be. The UN Refugee Agency has described this as amounting to an asylum bar in the UK.

The UK Refugee Council published research last week stating that the Illegal Migration Act could leave more than 100,000 men, women and children seeking asylum in permanent limbo by the end of 2024.

He said it was also worth noting that the Northern Irish Human Rights Commission advice is that the Illegal Migration Act 2023 is inconsistent with the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Henderson said that emergency legislation cited by government over the weekend would have to firstly overcome the issues identified by the High Court decision.

Even then, according to Section 21 of the International Protection Act 2015, a finding of inadmissibility and that a person can only be removed to a safe third country requires various conditions to be met, he said.

These include the person having sufficient connection to that country.

Sufficient connection means time spent in the country, family connections and cultural connection, he said.

A person can only be removed if they would be re-admitted to the country; this is unclear given UK government statements.

A person must also have the possibility to request refugee status; it is unclear if the Illegal Migration Acts provisions on finding applications inadmissible also allows for a person to lodge an application. A finding of inadmissibility and that the person can be returned to a safe country, is also an appealable decision to the IPAT [International Protection Appeals Tribunal] so the process may take a considerable amount of time.

Taoiseach warning

Speaking yesterday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said a new proposal allowing migrants to be returned to the UK from Ireland would be brought before the Cabinet next week.

He said other countries policies on migration would not be allowed to have an impact on those of Ireland.

Every country is entitled to have its own migration policy, but I certainly dont intend to allow anybody elses migration policy to affect the integrity of our own one, he said.

This country will not in any way, shape or form provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges. Thats very clear, other countries can decide how they wish to advance migration.

From an Irish perspective, we intend to have a firm, rules-based system where rules are in place, where rules are enforced and where rules are seen to be enforced.

Also yesterday, Northern Irelands First Minister Michelle ONeill called for a thought-out response to people who seek asylum in Ireland after travelling from the UK.

The Sinn Fein vice-president said none of Mr Harris, Mr Martin or Ms McEntee had yet been in contact with her about planned legislation on asylum-seekers arriving in Ireland from the UK.

I am the First Minister in the North and I have yet to hear from the Taoiseach or the Tanaiste or the Justice Minister, she said. To me, that highlights, maybe even underlines, how disorganised they are in dealing with this issue.
Man admits killing Irish grandfather (87) on mobility scooter in random attack

Thomas OHalloran was stabbed repeatedly in the neck, chest and abdomen by Lee Byer

Thomas OHalloran (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Holly Evans UK Independent Mon 29 Apr 2024 at 15:51







A man who repeatedly stabbed an 87-year-old Irish grandfather on a mobility scooter in a random attack in London has pleaded guilty to his manslaughter.
Brian Cox: I was talking to Ryan Tubridy about the Famine  he wants to do a programme on it and so do I
The typical Fremont home has a higher value than that of any other of the 10 most-populous Bay Area cities. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2022

When homebuyers started flooding into Fremont, many real estate agents pointed out their clients were getting much more space for their money than they would in cities such as San Francisco.

But that no longer appears to be the case. The East Bay suburbs homes sold for a median of $960 per square foot in March  $1 more than the price in San Francisco, according to data from real estate brokerage Redfin. That gives Fremont the third-most-costly square footage out of the Bay Areas 10 most-populated cities, behind Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.

In some cases, Fremont homebuyers may still be getting more space than their peers in other cities. Because Redfins data considers only the size of the building, not the lot its on, the expansive yards many Fremont homes come with arent included in the median prices.

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Still, it was only a few years ago that each square foot of living space cost hundreds of dollars less in Fremont than it did in San Francisco.

That changed during the pandemic, when homebuyers  suddenly able to live farther away from the office due to remote work  started showing much more interest in suburbs including Fremont and Santa Clara than in denser cities such as San Francisco and Oakland.

Fremonts homes became more valuable than San Franciscos in 2022, when home values were surging to record heights. In fact, the typical Fremont home has a higher value than that of any other of the 10 most-populous Bay Area cities.

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In the past year alone, Fremonts typical home value rose by 10.2% from $1.42 million in March 2023 to $1.56 million in March 2024. Thats the biggest percentage jump of any of the Bay Areas largest cities, just beating out San Joses increase of 10.1%. San Franciscos typical home value fell nearly 3% from $1.33 million to $1.29 million.

Fremonts homes still arent the most expensive per square foot, however. Among the 10 most-populated Bay Area cities, the median price per square foot exceeded $1,000 in just two  Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.

Santa Clara, like Fremont, saw home values increase rapidly during the pandemic, a trend thats reflected in a per-square-foot price thats nearly $300 more than it was five years ago.

Fremont, which for several years has been named the happiest city in the United States, has a lot going for it, according to city officials and real estate agents. They say the citys proximity to tech hubs and shopping centers, as well as its diverse population and school system, have kept open houses well attended.

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Ireland's Young Filmmaker of the Year Fiachra Cotter O'Culachain pictured at the Fresh Film International Film Festival. Photo: Don Moloney

Dublin Leaving Cert student Fiachra Cotter OCulachain has been named Irelands Young Filmmaker of the Year 2024 for his short film Ivy.

He was named the overall winner of the competition at the Fresh International Film Festival at Omniplex Cinema and Troy Studios in Limerick. Dundrum native Fiachra wrote, directed and edited the short film.

Ivy is a coming-of-age story featuring Hugh, a teenager whose life takes a turn when he meets the new girl-next-door Ivy.

"Fiachra's award-winning film, Ivy, is a perfect example of short filmmaking. It boasts a compelling story, talented ensemble cast, and impressive cinematography, said Fresh International Film Festival director Jayne Foley.

"Made by teens for teens, it beautifully captures the timeless tale of 'boy meets girl.' It's truly a deserving recipient of the title Ireland's Young Filmmaker of the Year 2024."

The fantastically shot winning film was praised for its beautiful cinematography and natural performances from the young ensemble cast.

It was Fiachras third time entering the Young Filmmaker of the Year. Last year he made a film focusing on the Covid-19 pandemic and he already has plans for his next project, set to begin filming in August.

The second place award went to 17-year-old Co Leitrim girl Olivia Louise Curto for Freequencies, the story of 10-year-old boy Olivers experiences with electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

In third place was the thought-provoking film Adaptation of the Only Nightmare Ive Ever Had by Jake Dundon from Co Tipperary. The award for best school went to St James CBS in The Liberties, Dublin for Charlie, a gripping short film following the journey of teenager Charlie as he deals with homelessness and family illness.

Emerging Limerick Filmmakers took home the best group award for Rat King, a film about a young boy who falls in love with a dead rat.

There were 17 winners announced in total, including:

RTE Factual Award: Sienna Graham, Dublin - Fighting for Home

Best Cinematography: Georgia Kelly, Co Wicklow - The Girl I Knew

Best Director: Cian Conachy, Co Cavan - Showtime

Best Screenplay: Oonagh Waldron & Cathal Anderson, NYAFS Kilkenny, - Dear Mrs Green

Best Art Direction: Ellen McSweeney, Co Kerry - Summer

Best Comedy: Abbi Henderson, Co Kilkenny - Chog

Best Concept: Sam Mullins, Dublin - Mornin

RTE 60 Second Award: Erin Geraghty, Co Mayo - The Seraph

Animation Ireland Award: Eoin Murphy, Co Cork - Inferno

Radharc Award: Nora Twomey, Co Cork - Devil May Care

Screen Producers Ireland Sustainability Award: Isobel Johnston & Laura O' Doherty Alexandra College, Dublin - Rumours

Bow Street Performance  Louis Martin, Dublin - Fog

All 42 of the films shortlisted in Irelands Young Filmmaker of the Year 2024 are available to watch on the Fresh Film YouTube channel.

The Fresh International Film Festival aims to encourage young people to explore filmmaking as a career. Past winners include director Vincent Lambe, who received an Academy Award nomination for the short film Detainment, filmmaker Donal Foreman and TV personality and comedian Justine Stafford.

This years awards ceremony was broadcast on RTE 2 and is available to watch back on the RTE Player.
The students at Mercy Secondary School in Dublins Inchicore would rather follow a story from a book than from Instagram thanks to a former board member who donated a library to the school as one of her final wishes.
The chief executive of Oxfam Ireland is calling on the Irish Government to finally introduce a wealth tax after new figures show that Irelands billionaires have seen their wealth grow by more than 15bn last year.

In a turn for the books, a growing number of the worlds super rich are demanding their respective governments make them pay more tax.

But in light of a lack of any similar calls from Irelands 1pc Oxfam Irelands chief executive Jim Clarken has spoken out.

Mr Clarken, who is an Executive Board Member of Oxfam International, said: "With the rising number of millionaires and billionaires in Ireland we believe the time is right to introduce a wealth tax.

He said Irelands wealthiest have not gotten to their position through their own ingenuity or talent alone.

Their wealth is built upon the work of countless others - on the investment every taxpayer puts into the education system, on the hard work of their employees, on the state and community supports they have had along the way. It is only right that everyone makes a proper contribution to the wider society.

Oxfam Ireland is proposing that the Irish government make the super-rich pay an additional percentage on their net wealth with the introduction of a permanent progressive wealth tax of an additional 2pc on net wealth above 4.67m ($5m), an additional 3pc on net wealth over 46.7m ($50m) and an additional 5pc on net wealth over 934.7 million ($1bn).

Mr Jenkins said Irelands super rich have a duty to their country.

In January, Oxfam published a report that shows the number of Irish people with an individual wealth of over 46.6m ($50m) has more than doubled between 2012 and 2022, rising from 655 to 1,435 individuals.

That same month more than 250 billionaires and millionaires from around the world penned an open letter to world leaders with one request: we ask you to task us, the very richest in society.

The signatories of the letter entitled Proud to Pay came from 17 countries. They include Succession star Brian Cox, Valerie Rockefeller, an heiress to the US dynasty and Disney heiress Abigail Disney. They said we are the people who benefit most from the status quo.

Meanwhile the income tax system is now increasingly reliant on higher earners, as opposed to the super rich. The current effective tax rate on a single person earning 100,000 is now 36.4pc or 39pc for someone earning 120,000.

The top 1pc of earners  those earning over 250,000 a year  pay 21pc of total income tax and USC, while the top 10pc pay 62pc of the tax and USC.
The chapel steps in Fermoy where Conor Dwyer and Sheila Dwyer went missing

Conor and Sheila Dwyer were last seen in Fermoy in 1991

Gardai are to launch a special appeal for information in one of Irelands highest-profile missing persons cases.

Cork couple Conor (62) and Sheila Dwyer (61) disappeared 33 years ago.

Tomorrow marks the 33rd anniversary of the last time the couple were seen in public  and detectives hope the fresh appeal, in tandem with a re-examination of the original case file and liaison with Interpol, will finally uncover clues as to what happened.

Gardai are interviewing the original members of the investigation team, all of whom are now retired, and are re-examining the case file, while also appealing for anyone with information about the disappearance to contact them.

A number of fresh pieces of information are being examined.

The bid to solve the case has the full support of the Dwyer family.

The appeal will be issued during a special feature on the case as part of RTEs CrimeCall at 9.35pm tonight.

The mystery over what happened to the couple still troubles gardai who helped investigate the disappearance in 1991.

The Dwyers were last seen just metres from their home at Chapel Hill in Fermoy, Co Cork, on April 30. Ms Dwyers family spoke to her by telephone 24 hours later  and the couple were never seen or heard from again.

The couple were reported missing on May 22. 

Detective Sergeant James OShea said officers are desperate to get answers for the family. 

It is an awful tragedy for the family to still have no answers after all these years, he said.

Retired Garda Sergeant Joe Watkins said officers involved in the case were still haunted by its unsolved status and the inability to offer closure to the family.

Even after all these years, it is a case that still bothers me because everyone involved wanted to get answers for the family involved, Sgt Watkins said.

The disappearance of a couple rather than an individual is highly unusual.

Despite repeated appeals, possible sightings in Ireland, Germany and France, no trace of the couple or their fate has ever been revealed.

The last sighting was by a neighbour near their Chapel Hill home at 9.30am on April 30 as the couple left to attend a funeral in the nearby church.

Local girl Catherine Fenton greeted them as they passed on the street  that was to be the last confirmed sighting of the couple.

The alarm was raised just over three weeks later on May 22 when Mrs Dwyers sisters, Maisie and Nellie became concerned at their repeated inability to locate the couple and alerted gardai.

ARCHIVE: Gardai investigating new twist in unsolved case of Cork couple Conor and Sheila Dwyer

Officers later gained entry to the family home. All their clothing was present and there was no sign of a disturbance. The post lay unopened where it had been delivered.

Their bank accounts have not been accessed since they went missing and gardai even found a significant quantity of cash by a dresser in the property.

The only thing missing was the couples Toyota car.

Detectives have always believed that tracing their Toyota Cressida holds the key to the mystery of what happened and have urged anyone with information to contact them.

The car, a white saloon, has the registration number 5797 ZT and has never been tracked down.

Sgt Watkins helped organise a recreation for a 1981 TV appeal with a replica vehicle driving through Fermoy.

It was baffling  everything was there. All of their property, their money, their passports and all of their possessions, he said.

I always believed that the Toyota Cressida was the key... if we could have found the car, the car was the link.

In the 1980s and 90s, the Cressida was a distinctive car and nothing like as commonplace as its stable sister, the Corolla.

Even an appeal for information for any parts from a Toyota Cressida car being offered for sale drew a blank.

The investigation was hampered by the fact that the couple disappeared with all their travel documents left at their Chapel Hill home.

It was decades before CCTV security camera networks and there was no trace of the couple or their car at ports or airports.

Officers conducted a search of the property and there was no indication the couple had packed for a trip.

Despite numerous appeals, TV reconstructions and even an RTE radio documentary, no confirmed trace of the couple was ever found.

The TV reconstruction revolved around the replica Toyota Cressida car. A possible sighting was reported in Munich in Germany in 1993, but both Bavarian police and Interpol were unable to confirm it.

Gardai now believe it was likely to have been a well-intentioned but mistaken report.

The German information intrigued gardai because Mr Dwyer, a handyman, had worked for a time in Ireland for a wealthy German businessman, Fritz Wolf, who had a home in nearby Castlelyons.

Mr Dwyer ran errands for the businessman and also looked after his collection of luxury cars, including a vintage Rolls-Royce.

A garda source has said that, despite enormous efforts over the past 33 years, the investigation lacked a key breakthrough in terms of evidence.

There were lots of theories but no hard evidence or information. That was always the problem, he said.

We just dont know what happened. Without any possible sightings to investigate, our best hope is tracing that Toyota Cressida car. Or what might now remain of it such as a licence plate or engine block.

The disappearance shocked neighbours, friends and family because all had reported nothing unusual with either Mr or Mrs Dwyer.

They were described as a normal couple who followed a weekly routine in terms of shopping, attending mass and contacting friends and family.

The couple were described as devoted to each other and had two sons, both of whom were working overseas in 1991.

Both have since left the north Cork area but have fully supported the fresh Garda appeal.

The family home was sold a number of years ago.
Number of speeding motorists falls, but use of mobile phones while driving is on the rise New garda figures show the status of the three lifesaver offences at the end of 2023, while the number of people killed in traffic collisions was the highest in nine yearsGardai are developing plans to place 100 static speed cameras on roads across the countryJustice Minister Helen McEntee has to correct the Dail record after publishing an entire database of incorrect garda staffing figures

Number of offences for using a mobile phone while driving is expected to rise this year

The number of drivers caught speeding and driving while intoxicated fell last year, but the number of offences of using a mobile phone while driving is expected to rise.

The offences were recorded as the death toll on our countrys roads rose sharply.

New garda figures show the status of the three lifesaver offences at the end of 2023, while the number of people killed in traffic collisions was the highest in nine years.

It comes as the Irish Independent has learned that gardai are developing plans to place 100 static speed cameras on roads across the country.

The devices, which measure the time it has taken a vehicle to travel between two points, would be a major change in the battle against speeding.

They are currently only in place on two roadways  the M7 and the Port Tunnel  but plans are now under way to add similar cameras on the N2, N3 and the N5 later this year.

Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Roads Policing Paula Hilman has been tasked with developing a business case for the introduction of 100 static speed cameras.

It will then be presented to the Department of Justice as part of their funding application for 2025.

The most recent figures for last year show that a total of 7,771 motorists were detained for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

This is a drop of just over 3pc from the 8,105 arrests for the same offence the previous year.

In the first 11 months of last year 143,178 were caught speeding  down nearly 8pc from the figure of 155,307 during the same period in 2022. The data for the final month of the year has yet to be published.

But detections for people driving while using their mobile phones are expected to rise, with 17,954 caught in the first 11 months of 2023, compared with 17,587 in the same period the previous year. This is an increase of 2pc by the end of November.

The data for December has yet to be published.

Last year 188 people died on Irish roads, the highest yearly figure since 2014, while so far this year 70 people have lost their lives.

Speaking earlier this month, junior transport minister Jack Chambers, who has responsibility for road safety, said that factors such as drink and drug driving as well as speeding are leading to the surge in road deaths, which he described as a crisis.

While three locations have been decided for new static speed cameras, nine others for the devices will be confirmed in the coming months.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson said An Garda Siochana is investing in technology to support road safety, including devices to allow all gardai to issue fixed-charge notices at the roadside.

A garda spokesperson said: Such cameras have been proven in other countries to be highly effective in reducing speed, which is a key contributor to road deaths.

The average speed cameras on the M7 and Port Tunnel have also proven effective in reducing speed.

In addition, there has been investment in new hand-held speed-detection devices, drug-detection devices, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology, and roads policing vehicles.

Following additional government funding, An Garda Siochana has also increased the hours of operation of GoSafe detection vans, with a focus on locations with high levels of collisions.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has to correct the Dail record after publishing an entire database of incorrect garda staffing figures.

Among the mistakes was the minister stating one of her local garda stations had six times more gardai than are actually based there.

The official garda staffing figures have been withdrawn after a bizarre technical error saw 166 newly graduated gardai assigned to just two garda stations.

One of the stations is in the ministers local constituency and the other is in a neighbouring area.

Not only were the inaccurate figures published by the Department of Justice, but the minister quoted them in a reply to a parliamentary question in the Dail.

The Dail record will be updated and the department will upload the corrected spreadsheet once received, the ministers department said.

There have also been concerns about the lower number of gardai in the roads policing units, at 627 members compared with 692 two years ago.

A garda spokesperson said they are committed to reducing the rate of road deaths, and plan to add about 75 gardai to roads policing over the next two years.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris this month also instructed all gardai to spend 30 minutes on road policing during every shift.

In the first two months of 2024, there were 878 arrests for drink driving and 488 arrests for drug-driving offences.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said he planned to have new legislation through the Oireachtas in four weeks. Photo: Gareth Chaney

Many pharmacies are currently at breaking point due to a 16-year pay freeze in HSE fees paid for dispensing drugs to medical card holders and others in state schemes, it was claimed yesterday.

Around 80pc of community pharmacists time is devoted to state services in administering the community drug schemes, including those for people with medical cards, but for much of the month they are financially subsidising the service.

The new president of the Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU), Tom Murray, said the fees paid for providing this vital service have been frozen for 16 years, while every other service provider, professional and employee in the health sector has had increased payments.

Pharmacists also highlighted worsening shortages of some medicines  including drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)  and called for long-delayed legislation to be passed that would allow them substitute medications themselves.

Donegal-based Mr Murray told the organisations annual general meeting in Athlone that as result of a draconian and regressive tiered fee structure, and in the face of rising costs, pharmacies are dispensing at a loss for significant portions of each month when providing state services.

As a result, every single pharmacy is now subsidising the State through their private business. he said.

This is unsustainable and cannot continue.

The IPU is calling for a reasonable dispensing flat fee structure of 6.50.

After 16 years of a pay freeze, this is a reasonable ask, particularly considering that in 2008 an independent review recommended 7.50.

More than 90pc of pharmacists have reported burnout from the increased administrative burdens and red tape they face on an ongoing basis.

Mr Murray welcomed an expert taskforce that is looking at the future of pharmacy, saying it was a milestone moment.

Earlier, pharmacists questioned Health Minister Stephen Donnelly on delays in introducing new powers for pharmacists that would ease the pressures faced by patients due a shortage of some medicines.

Medicine shortages are getting worse and impacting patients with a range of conditions including people with ADHD, eczema and diabetes, the pharmacists warned.

The issue is a global problem and it has got worse in the last year. A survey of pharmacists found certain steroid creams used to treat eczema, ADHD medication and Ozempic  the jab licensed to treat diabetes  were in short supply.

Clare Fitzell, IPUs head of strategic policy said the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024 is currently before the Oireachtas and this will allow pharmacists to appropriately substitute medicines for patients without needing to revert to the prescribing doctor. This should dramatically speed up the process for both pharmacists and prescribers and crucially, will ensure that patients get appropriate medicines quicker, she said.

Addressing the conference, Mr Donnelly said he planned to have the legislation through all houses of the Oireachtas in four weeks.
Police in Northern Ireland are becoming increasingly concerned for the whereabouts of three people missing from the West Belfast area.

Leah Lindsay (27) and her two children, seven-year-old Jayden Lindsay and three-year-old Keelan Lindsay, were last seen at around 11pm on Saturday 27 April in the North Belfast area.

Leah is described as being 5 foot 4 inches in height, of slim build, with brown hair worn as a ponytail and blue eyes.

She was last seen wearing a black coat with black and silver patches, leggings with socks pulled up and white trainers.

Jayden was last seen wearing a grey tracksuit with trainers and Keelan is described as wearing a navy coat and grey bottoms.

If you have seen Leah, Jayden or Keelan or have any information on their whereabouts please contact police on 101 quoting reference 690 28/04/24.
The provost of Trinity College Dublin (TCD) has said an email sent to her by the TCD Students' Union promising to cause serious financial and reputational damage to the university is unacceptable.

In the email, circulated to students today, Provost Linda Doyle said: "Last night, shortly after 8pm, the Students Union issued a very concerning email to me and other members of the university, including the Board, promising to cause serious financial and reputational damage to Trinity College Dublin.

"It was accompanied by an ultimatum to remove, by close-of-business today, an item from the agenda of tomorrows meeting of the finance committee. The agenda item relates to fee rates for one-year masters degrees."

The union sent an email to Ms Doyle and the Trinity board on Sunday night calling for the reversal of a proposed increase in fees for one-year masters degrees.

It is proposed to increase single-year masters fees by 2.3pc for the 2025/2026 academic year. Meanwhile, certain masters programmes and non-EU courses could go up 10pc by then.

The email from the union said: Provost Linda Doyle, this is your final and formal notice of escalation.

Remove the masters fee increases as well as the fee derogations amounting to more than +0.00% from the agenda of the Finance Committee of April 30th, and replace them with a fee-freeze proposal.

I am also aware of allegations about a toxic workplace environment in the Students Union this year and the email I received is also troubling in light of that

"If you fail to do so by April 29th COB, students will take actions that are seriously damaging to the reputation and finances of the university.

In response, Ms Doyle said: Irrespective of the pros and cons of the argument, which I discuss at regular meetings with the Students Union President, I know you will agree that threatening to seriously damage Trinitys reputation and finances is just not acceptable.

I am also aware of allegations about a toxic workplace environment in the Students Union this year and the email I received is also troubling in light of that.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 30th April 2024

Ms Doyle wrote in her email that she assumed the damage being threatened against Trinitys finances referred to the blocking of the Book of Kells.

Though Trinity is a public university, it cannot survive solely on Government funding and must find other sources of income. It would be great if that were not the case, but this is our reality, she said.

The income from the Book of Kells is therefore not nice to have additional income. It is the income that keeps the university going and it supports initiatives such as the student hardship fund.

TCD Students Union president Laszlo Molnarfi said students and the union were being attacked for taking action against the proposed fee increase. He said the email is an unprecedented escalation by university management.

"For a students union as for a trade union, it is perfectly natural for us to be able to escalate our action when our pleas go ignored, he said.

Mr Molnarfi said the proposed increase to masters fees would have a very damaging impact on access to education for people from less privileged backgrounds.

The students have found this year that the only way to get our university to listen to our demands is via disrupting

"Its so disappointing that the college is attempting to turn its own students against each other and against its own union.

He said disruption caused by students this year has proven quite successful, including blocking access to the Book of Kells, occupation of buildings and disruption of meetings.

"The students have found this year that the only way to get our university to listen to our demands is via disrupting, Mr Molnarfi said.

Asked about Provost Doyles reference in her email to a toxic workplace environment in the students union this year, Mr Molnarfi declined to comment.

The students union said a day of action will take place on Trinitys campus starting at 9.30am tomorrow. A silent protest will be held with no megaphones or chanting as students are currently sitting exams.

It is very concerning to see our provost paint the union in such a negative light, a statement from the TCD Students Union said. We would hate for this to discourage students from reaching out to their Union.

Trinity College has been contacted for comment.
Annie is a reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. She previously was a digital producer for The Chronicles Datebook section. She graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2017 with a degree in journalism. During her time there, she spearheaded a culture column, produced radio pieces for NPR-affiliate station KCBX, and was a DJ and writer for KCPR, the campus radio station. Before joining the Chronicle, she was an associate producer at SFGATE and interned at VICE and Flood Magazine. Shes particularly interested in communities and scenes that are often misunderstood.
Tattoo on Brendan Benny Treanors back features key details from the 2013 credit union robbery that left Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe dead

Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe murder suspect had tattoo drawn on his back depicting images linked to the crime

A suspect in the Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe murder investigation has had a tattoo inked on his back depicting images linked to the crime.

The artwork is featured in the new book Murder at Lordship, by Irish Independent journalist Robin Schiller and Pat Marry, detailing the investigation to catch the gang involved in the murder.

Det Gda Donohoe (41) was shot dead at Lordship Credit Union near Dundalk on January 25, 2013, after being ambushed while on a cash escort.

One of the chief suspects in the investigation was Brendan Benny Treanor (34), who gardai believed was one of the men involved in the robbery.

He was tried before the Special Criminal Court last year and, while being acquitted of the robbery, the three judges found he was a wider member of the crime group involved.

During the trial, it emerged Mr Treanor had a gangster tattoo inked across his upper back in 2018  five years after the murder.

It features images linked to the raid, including a pistol, bullets, a wad of notes, four gangsters and a long-barrelled gun over the roof of a BMW car.

Four men were involved in the robbery, a long-barrelled shotgun was used to murder the detective, and a BMW car was central to the crime, having been used to steal the getaway car and collect the gang after the armed raid.

The registration plate of the car in the tattoo reads Boss BFT, which gardai believe was an acronym for Brady, Flynn, Treanor.

Crossmaglen man Aaron Brady (33) is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years imprisonment for the capital murder of Det Gda Donohoe, while last December, James Flynn (33) was jailed for eight years for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the robbery.

During the trial, the prosecution alleged the tattoo was a pictorial admission by Mr Treanor of his involvement in the robbery.

Senior counsel Brendan Grehan said the artwork is almost a glorification of what happened, and it was an act of hubris by Mr Treanor to have the tattoo done after being spoken to by police about the murder.

The tattoo also featured a woman in a balaclava holding a gun to her lips. The prosecution said that in the early stages of the inquiry, it was investigated if a woman drove the getaway car.

The non-jury court accepted the tattoo as evidence, with Mr Justice Tony Hunt in his judgment describing it as the most striking and colourful part of the case against Mr Treanor.

He said the defendant had the tattoo applied out of a sense of impunity, that it signified his approval of the crime at Lordship, and that it was a despicable declaration on his part.

Brendan Treanor had more than an artistic interest in gangsterism, it was more active and concrete, the judge said, adding that the tattoo could be regarded as a pictorial admission that he was a member of the gang in the broad sense and that he approved.

However, Mr Justice Hunt found that the tattoo does not unequivocally show that Mr Treanor was one of the four men at Lordship that night and there was no evidence he was questioned under statutory instrument about what he had in mind when he took the extraordinary step to put it on his back.

The court said that, while Mr Treanor was closely associated with and supported, participated and approved of the gangs activities, there was insufficient evidence to convict him.

Murder at Lordship, by retired Detective Inspector Pat Marry and journalist Robin Schiller, is published this week by Allen & Unwin.
Sarah Careys article (Its wrong to oppose greenways in hope of railways that might never happen, Irish Independent, April 27) was, as always, concise and to the point.

In a couple of crisp sentences, she cut through the fog surrounding the entire greenway debate and the madly illogical opposition to the provision of such infrastructure.

Greenways revitalise neglected rural communities. That is inarguable, you just have to look at the reality of the local economic boost provided by these trails in places like Waterford, where the use of a closed railway line for leisure brought a quarter of a million unique visitors to the region in the first year of operation alone.

Apart from economic benefits, the impact of greenways on the health and well-being of local residents is immeasurable.

There is another upside to greenways on closed rail alignments, they keep these routes in public ownership in case they are ever needed for rail use in the future. For that alone surely they are worth building, or at least worth considering?

Carey highlights a staggering story in Mayo, where county councillors decided, against the advice of their CEO and against the wishes of 27,000 local petitioners, to insert a clause in the county development plan that blocks any feasibility study of a greenway on a closed railway between Claremorris and Charlestown.

They blocked any possibility of even examining whether such a project would be worth examining. It appears evidence-based policy-making has no place in the Mayo council chamber; it seems to prefer to rely on guesswork.

This is a story of councillors blocking investment in their own county, in direct opposition to the wishes of the people they are supposed to represent. You really couldnt make this stuff up.

John Mulligan, Boyle, Co Roscommon

Now Michael McDowell is back, his role in economic collapse is worth probing

Joseph Kielys letter on Saturday (Grim talk around jails should be replaced with a will to tackle main cause of crime  inequality, Letters, April 27), which mentioned the extravagant purchase of Thornton Hall for a new prison way back in 2005 by then justice minister Michael McDowell, brings back memories.

McDowell paid over 30m for the 150 acres of farmland in north county Dublin, almost 10 times the going rate for land adjacent to it.

Then Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said in the Dail: It was the most profligate waste of taxpayers money by a blundering minister that rivals anything that Deputy Enda Kenny has instanced about the other decisions on which you wasted so much money during the lifetime of this government.

It should also not be forgotten that McDowell came from a Fine Gael background when joining the Progressive Democrats. The PDs was not his preferred name though. He instead favoured calling the new party The National Party or the The Radical Party, among other names.

As McDowell is enjoying a sort of second wind in politics, perhaps journalists might look a little bit closer at his past and how he and the party he once led contributed to the financial and economic crash in 2008.

Otherwise we may be destined to repeat history, with the rise of right-wing ideologues who favour the haves and the well-heeled, if we choose to ignore our not-so-distant past.

Tom McElligott, Listowel, Co Kerry

European Jews in Israel were not opportunistic, they were returning home

Daniel Teegan (Palestine belongs to the Palestinians, despite best efforts of Old Testament, Letters, April 27) describes Jews who colonised parts of Palestine as opportunist emigres and converts to Judaism who bear no resemblance to ancient Arab Jews and do not share a common DNA with them.

A remarkable filtering of history is taking place here. Apart from the Jews who already lived in Palestine, the Jewish people who emerged from the liberated concentration camps were European, that is true.

However, they existed in Europe not as converts, but as descendants of Jews expelled systematically and repeatedly from Palestine by the Romans, by Christians and by Muslims.

How the six-million Jews murdered by Europeans would have loved to be mere opportunists, like the rest of us. The stories of Jewish survivors returning home to their European birthplaces on release from the camps and being murdered or finding their neighbours living in their houses are legion.

Irish people might consider the following scenario. If, in 1916, Irish emigrants in America, where they had arrived due to starvation and persecution by the British, were being murdered in captivity by the thousands and at the end of the purge no country would come to the aid of those survivors being released from the camps, would those Irish people have a right to return to the land of their roots and fight for an independent state, for the first time?

Eugene Tannam, Firhouse, Dublin 24

Trump v Biden debate: who wants to see two old has-beens rambling on?

There are some, mostly sane, people who feel a TV debate between Biden and Trump is likely to be a very damp squib and should be abandoned.

Who really has the need, much less the desire, to watch two old has-beens rambling on; one with no idea about history, integrity, geo-politics or anything else, the other doing his best to stay awake. What a choice.

David Ryan, Co Meath

If politicians spent less time talking we might just solve the housing crisis

The new homeless figures are truly shocking. We have one of the wealthiest economies in the world. We have an abundance of land, our population density is one of the lowest in the world.

Maybe if ministers stopped talking and started showing real leadership we might try building more homes.

Paul Doran, Dublin 22

My mistake in Spain was too late to fix by the time my friend had clocked it

While wandering through a village in Spain recently I was approached by a man pointing excitedly at his wrist. Assuming he was selling watches, I gestured in no uncertain terms that I was not remotely interested.

My companion, who understands Spanish, told me the man had politely asked me what time it was. No doubt he went away convinced that we Irish wouldnt give you the time of day.

Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9
How do you deal with the mental side of a cancer diagnosis? How does one cope? And whats the best psychological response to the disease?

Joining me on the Real Health podcast this week is author of a new book titled The Cancer Guide, clinical professor at Trinity College Dublin and psychiatrist, Professor Anne-Marie ODwyer.

Professor ODwyer started the conversation by telling me that peoples response to cancer is generally one of fear and terror and that is completely normal. She said patients will say to her, if only I had known, if only I had known that actually it's very normal to be terrified, overwhelmed, angry, grief stricken. I wish that I had known that this is a normal response because lots of people hide their responses.

The psychiatrist introduced me to a number of myths about cancer that she expands upon in the book. She told me that the myth of I must be positive all the time, is one of the most popular ones. It's just not possible. And it's particularly not possible if you've got cancer. And the problem with that particular myth is then if they're not positive, they're saying to me, Oh, God, I'm very anxious today. I'm very upset. Oh, that's terrible. That's going to make my cancer worse, she said.

Professor ODwyer explained to me that it's very important for the listener to know, is that no two types of cancer are the same. She highlighted that, No two cancers are the same, breast cancer is very different from bowel cancer. So, each of the cancer types is different. Everybody is different and people's responses are different.
It was a miserable evening on January 25, 2013 when Detectives Joe Ryan and Adrian Donohoe were tasked with a routine duty - escorting credit union takings across Cooley Peninsula. Starting from Omeath and ending in the quaint village of Lordship, Co Louth, they remained vigilant due to past burglaries.

The cash exchange was made and the convoy of gardai and volunteers began edging their vehicles towards the exit. Everything was going to plan.

Suddenly, and at speed, a Volkswagen Passat blocked the stone exit of the carpark. It was an ambush. Four men in balaclavas, two of whom were armed, jumped the rear wall of the credit union. The men with guns ran towards the unmarked garda car Adrian Donohoe and Joe Ryan were sitting in.

Det Gda Donohoe, unaware of the imminent danger, stepped out of the vehicle. He was fatally shot in the head from point-blank range. The assailants grabbed the cash and fled towards Carlingford. The whole incident lasted just 58 seconds.

Today on The Indo Daily, Fionnan Sheahan is joined by Irish Independent senior journalist Robin Schiller, and Pat Marry, former senior investigating officer on the Adrian Donohoe case. Both men are co-authors of Murder in Lordship: Inside the Hunt for a Detectives Killer. In the first of a two-part special on the 2013 killing of Det Gda Donohoe, they discuss one of Ireland's biggest manhunts, and the years-long detective work that goes into catching a garda killer.
An inquest in Tralee has finally answered a three-year long question - who was the man found dead on Slieve Mish Mountain in Kerry in 2020 and how was the FBI involved? This podcast was originally published on September 7th 2023.

An inquest in Tralee has finally answered a three-year long question - who was the man found dead on Slieve Mish Mountain in Kerry in 2020 and how was the FBI involved?

The body of a man was found on November 14, 2020, in the mountainous Tonevane area in Kerry by a farmer out looking for his sheep.

The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, but papers found on the dead mans body lead Gardai to contact US authorities.

The story that unfolded would bring the search for the dead mans identity from Tralee all the way to Oregan in the USA.

Kevin Doyle is joined on the Indo Daily podcast by Sinead Kelleher, reporter with the Kerryman and the Irish Independent, and by Jerry O'Sullivan, host of Kerry Today on Radio Kerry, to ask what drove a man from his American home, to a direct provision centre in Tralee, and how the FBI were connected in the tragic story of Thomas Stofiel.

This podcast was originally published on September 7th 2023.
Eddie Punch is standing as an Independent candidate in the Ireland South constituency.

Eddie Punch is standing as an Independent candidate in the Ireland South constituency for the European elections which will take place on Friday, June 7.

The Clare native stepped down from his role as Secretary General of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) after 25 years to enter electoral politics.

A suckler and beef farmer, Eddie sits on the board of Sixmilebridge Co-operative Mart and has been a Member of Council with the Irish Management Institute since 2021.

A former member of the National Economic and Social Council, Eddie has also worked in rural development with both Laois LEADER and West Limerick Resources.

Eddie has over 20 years of experience lobbying successive European Farm Commissioners and EU officials on a face-to-face basis in both Brussels and Strasbourg.

Mr Punch said he wants to use his experience for the people of Ireland South. I have negotiated with every EU Farm Commissioner since Franz Fischler in 2003. I want to put that experience to use for the constituents of Ireland South. This is not just about farmers; this is about all of those whose lives and economic wellbeing is linked to the success of our agri-food sector. This is about Irelands vital national interests, of which our farming sector is a key component.

Farmers are more actively engaged in sustainability than most of the population. We cant forget that the primary purpose of farming is to feed the world. Farming also can make a significant difference to renewable energy and we need to get the balance right in policy between food security, energy security and climate ambition.

Mr Punch also believes that balanced regional development is more critical than ever before. Instead of Dublin Airport further expanding, I would like to see a counterbalance created by increasing traffic into and out of Shannon, Cork and Farranfore Airports. Repeated calls to restore Waterford Airport as a regional gateway for commercial flights should also be fully supported.

A passionate advocate for people with disabilities, Eddie is committed to placing the escalating problem of mental health at the heart of his parliamentary brief if he is elected. Im a hard worker, a straight talker and a good listener and would provide a truly independent and experienced voice within this vast and varied constituency.

19 candidates will now battle it out for the five seats in the Ireland South constituency in this years European elections.

The counties in the Ireland South constituency include Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford and Wicklow.

Ireland currently has 13 MEPs in the European Parliament.

The number of MEPs Ireland has in the next European Parliament will however increase to 14 after this years elections.

An additional seat has been allocated to the Midlands-North West constituency.

The current MEPs in the Ireland South constituency are Deirdre Clune (FG), Billy Kelleher (FF), Sean Kelly (FG), Grace OSullivan (Green Party) and Mick Wallace (Independents 4 Change).

Cork MEP Deirdre Clune announced in recent months that she will not be running again for election.

The other four sitting MEPS have all confirmed that they will be contesting for re-election.

Cork businessman John Mullins is running as the second Fine Gael candidate with Sean Kelly.

Former RTE presenter Cynthia Ni Mhurchu has been selected by Fianna Fail as a candidate alongside Billy Kelleher in the Ireland South constituency.

Sinn Fein have selected Senator Paul Gavan and Kathleen Funchion a sitting TD for Carlow-Kilkenny to contest the Ireland South constituency, while

Limerick sociologist Niamh Hourigan has been selected as the Labour Party candidate.

The Social Democrats have selected Cork based solicitor Susan Doyle as their party candidate for the European elections.

People Before Profit representative Cian Prendiville will represent the party in the upcoming Ireland South European election.

Cork man Patrick Murphy has been selected by Aontu to contest for a seat in Ireland South, while Michael Leahy a Clare native has been confirmed as the Irish Freedom Party candidate in Ireland South.

Lorna Bogue who is a sitting councillor in the Cork City South East constituency since 2019 will be running for the Green Left party An Rabharta Glas.

Derek Blighe is running for the Ireland First Party, while Mary Fitzgibbon who hails from Ballymacelligott in County Kerry will be running as an Independent candidate.

Independent candidate Graham de Barra who hails from Cork has also confirmed he will run for election in the Ireland South constituency.

In recent days Independent TD Michael McNamara became the latest politician to announce that he will be contesting the European Parliament elections in the Ireland South constituency.

The European and local elections will take place on Friday, June 7.
Similar events covering all of the citys electorate areas are planned for later in the year, according to Cork City Council

A public drop-in session that will provide information on the supports available to refurbish vacant and derelict properties will be held from 10am to 12pm in Blackpool Library on Redforge Road this Friday.

No appointment will be needed to attend the Cork City Council-run session, which is aimed at helping anyone with a question on any element of a vacant or derelict property, from grants available to queries on planning or ownership or any other issue that may be preventing a propertys return to use.

Guidance will be provided by qualified practitioners who will be present at the session, which follows an initial event that was held in Bishopstown Library last Friday.

A major event is also planned for May 24 in the form of a seminar on the supports available to bring vacant and derelict properties back into use.

The Urban Fabric: Addressing Dereliction & Vacancy event, now in its second year, will be held at St Peters Church on North Main Street and host speakers and experts who will cover different aspects of the dereliction and vacancy issue.

Cork City Council said that further events covering all of the citys electorate areas are planned for later in the year, after Cork saw a major uptick in activity in dereliction last year, with the number of sites on the Derelict Sites Register being increased by 45%.

The local authority said that over 700 properties are being investigated for dereliction, placement on the register or are on the citys vacant homes register as of March 2024. It said that there has also been over 250 applicants for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, which allocated between 50,000 to 70,000 for the renovation of vacant and derelict homes.

Persons seeking more information about vacancy, dereliction, and housing grants and schemes, or looking to report a derelict site, are encouraged not to wait for such events and make contact with the council as soon as possible at www.corkcity.ie or by emailing DerelictSites@corkcity.ie and VacantProperties@corkcity.ie.
The town will host special ceremonies in honour of those who lost their lives in the 1915 tragedy

Many of those who survived or died after the Lusitania was struck by a German submarine's torpedo were brought to Cobh. Photo: Hendrick Verwey

The 109th anniversary of the sinking of the Cunard Ocean Liner Lusitania and those who lost their lives in the tragedy will be commemorated in ceremonies that will take place in Cobh on Bank Holiday Monday, May 6.

The ceremonies have been organised on an annual basis, this year by Cobh Tourism, because many of those who survived or died after the Lusitania was struck by a German submarines torpedo 11 miles off of the Old Head in Kinsale (May 7, 1915) were brought to the town, then known as Queenstown.

The ship had been en route from New York to Liverpool with 1,962 people on board and 1,201 people were lost as the ship sunk in just 18 minutes after being struck by the torpedo, with most bodies never recovered.

Over 145 victims whose bodies were found were buried on May 10, 1915 in the Old Church Cemetery, just outside Cobh, and glass memorial headstones now mark the graves within the cemetery.

A special memorial ceremony will commence at the Lusitania graves in the Old Church Cemetery at 2.30pm and following prayers, musical honours by the Commodore Male Voice Choir and the laying of wreaths, proceedings will move to Cobh Town Centre.

There, a Colour Party from the O.N.E. and representatives of the Royal Naval Association and other maritime and historical groups will assemble at approximately 3.15pm at the Lusitania Peace Memorial in Casement Square.

Further ceremonies will take place here including a wreath laying ceremony which members of the public are encouraged to attend.

In addition, the Cruise Ship Norwegian Pearl will arrive mid-morning on Monday 6th May and is scheduled to sail at 8pm.

Musical performances take place every Sunday from now until September on the Victorian Bandstand in Cobhs Promenade.

Those interested in finding out more about the Lusitania commemorations, visit www.visitcobh.com
Lowell High School in San Francisco has long been the subject of debate over the lack of diversity among its student population, who are admitted based on test scores and grades. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

If all 14 of the Black students admitted to San Franciscos Lowell High School attend the academically elite public school, they would make up just over 2% of the average-size freshmen class.

Thats an increase over last year, when just 11 Black students gained admission to the nationally renowned school through the schools merit-based process, which sorts students largely by test scores and grades and is disproportionately made up of white and Asian American students.

At Lowell we recognize there are students who are underrepresented in the larger school population and actively take steps to recruit from all San Francisco communities, district officials said in a statement.

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The lack of diversity at Lowell has long been a blemish on San Franciscos long-held academic crown jewel, which has churned out a Supreme Court justice, Nobel Prize winners, Silicon Valley billionaires and big-name actors.

Based on current trends, and a lack of any planned policy changes, thats unlikely to change anytime soon.

District officials said theyve been working to boost the number of Black and brown students at Lowell, targeting underrepresented students at middle school, hosting tours, working with students on applications and hosting focus groups for Spanish-speaking and African American students.

The number of Hispanic students admitted to Lowell fell by two this year, to 130. Thats a decline from 14.8% of those admitted last year to 12.8% for next fall.

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Hispanic students make up nearly 35% of the districts overall enrollment, and Black students constitute more than 7%. There are approximately 640 students in the average-size freshman class.

Outreach is only part of the equation to making sure all students succeed in the high school of their choice, said school board president Lainie Motamedi.

The work starts long before ninth grade to ensure our students are prepared and set up for educational success in high school, she said in a statement. The Board is focused on our students success, and is taking actions to improve and strengthen educational practices that will benefit all students.

In the meantime, there is little to no disagreement that the school lacks a representative number of Black and brown students, and there has been significant debate over decades about whether to change the admission policy to address it.

Opponents of the merit-based admissions policy have argued it was elitist and racist against Black and brown students, who were underrepresented in the public school.

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Supporters have said moving to a lottery would punish high-achieving students, and harm Asian American students, who are over-represented at Lowell, at about 47% of students. White students make up about 17% of enrollment.

The debate  often oversimplified as a diverse Lowell vs. an academically elite Lowell  has pitched the city into a frenzy over the years, provoking lawsuits, protests, school board recalls and making enemies of neighbors and friends.

Circumstances forced the school boards hand during the pandemic. Without valid grades and test scores, the board suspended the merit-based system and opted for admission largely based on a lottery for two years, which increased diversity. Some of the more progressive members on the board wanted to make that permanent. That debate heated up as Lowell students in 2021 criticized the school and district for failing to address a racist culture at the school.

Some questioned whether the lottery students would be able to keep up with the rigorous academics at the school and cited an increase in the number of Ds and Fs among the first crop of ninth graders, although school officials said there were way too many variables, including the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, to draw firm conclusions.

The issue remained unsettled until the successful recall of three school board members in February 2022. The new school board, with three mayoral appointees, reverted back to the merit-based system starting with the fall of 2023 freshmen class.

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The current board appears unlikely to change that status.

They are focused instead on managing a massive budget shortfall, which includes a process to identify potential schools to close, given the loss of 10,000 students over a 10-year period.

In November, however, four seats will be up for election on the board, so theres a potential for a more progressive shift, although recent political trends in the city have tilted moderate.

Meanwhile, at Lowell, 2,600 students are getting ready to take finals while seniors are preparing to graduate and then say goodbye.

Lowells principal, who is Black, is also saying goodbye after two years at the school. He announced this week that he is leaving the school and the district at the end of the school year but didnt say why.

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For two Black students, it was also the end of a journey, but one they hoped would leave a legacy for marginalized students coming in behind them.

Weve been working with the administration and teachers to really create a supportive environment if they do decide to come to Lowell, said Arianna Grice, senior class president and co-president of the Black Student Union.

Hannah Chikere, co-president of the Black Student Union, said students worked with administrators to create an equity plan to address discrimination, opened communication, developed a zero tolerance policy and worked with students to ensure that if they see something, they say something.

They both believe the school is better at addressing problems. But they arent optimistic Lowell will see a significant increase in the number of Black students in the near future.

Its hard to really control the numbers, Grice said. We really want to shift the experience we have.



Editors note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct share of the freshman class that would be Black students.
Millstreet Community Council has been allocated 117,000 under this years Town & Village Renewal Scheme which will enable a new community gym to be established in the town.

The allocation of funds has been welcomed by Fine Gael TD for Cork North West Michael Creed. Im delighted to hear that Millstreet Community Council has been allocated 117,000 under this years Town & Village Renewal Scheme. This money will enable the Community Council to refurbish an old cinema building at the west end of the town centre as the towns new community gym, he said.

Deputy Creed continued: Great credit is due to Cork County Council for their foresight in purchasing this building, which also housed a furniture store at one point in its history. When the refurbishment work is complete, and the new gym is up and running, the space currently housing the community gym can be used to extend the community creche. This will meet an urgent need for more creche places in Millstreet.

Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has announced a total of 20 million in funding under this years scheme, focusing on the revitalisation of rural town centres. It is great to see these policies delivering real change at local level and making a tangible difference to our rural towns and villages, he added.
There was a 19% increase in the number of claims relating to accidents caused by uninsured or untraced vehicles in Cork City and Cork County last year.

The new figures were published by the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) and the 19% increase in Cork represents a significant increase on the 11% rise experienced nationally. There were a total of 141 such claims in Cork City and Cork County in 2023, up from 118 that arose in 2022.

Nationally, the MIBI received a total of 1,927 claims across the country. This represented 187 additional claims from the 1,740 they received in 2022. Looking forensically into the breakdown of the claims relating to uninsured driving by county, the largest number came in Dublin (822), followed by Cork (141), Limerick (112), Kildare (102) and Galway (91). The number of claims relating to uninsured drivers grew in 14 counties with the largest percentage increases occurring in Mayo (up 80%), Meath (up 55%) and Kildare (up 42%).

Nine counties recorded a drop in the number of claims and three counties recorded the exact same number of claims as 2022.

Reacting to the growth in claims the MIBI said it reaffirms the importance of the new law enforcement system to clamp down on uninsured driving.

Since signing a data sharing agreement last November, the MIBI is now providing the insurance details for 3 million vehicles using Irish roads on a daily basis to An Garda Siochana.

This means that the gardai can now check the insurance status of any vehicle simply by scanning its registration plate.

David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI said the increase in claims relating to accidents caused by uninsured or untraced vehicles in Cork represents a cause for concern. This jump in claims due to accidents caused by uninsured vehicles in Cork should be a cause of concern for every law abiding motorist in the county. It is illegal to drive without valid motor insurance, yet there are still a significant number of people who are willingly flouting the law, he said.

Mr Fitzgerald said the levels of claims highlight the importance of the new law enforcement system. Every one of the uninsured motorists behind these claims is effectively putting their hands in the pockets of law abiding motorists in Cork and around the country and taking their money. As they broke the law and drove without insurance cover, it becomes the responsibility of the MIBI to handle the compensation associated with these claims. Our funding comes indirectly from drivers who pay their motor insurance.

Essentially these uninsured drivers took millions of euro from the rest of us last year and added 30 to 35 to the average motor insurance policy. With the level of claims growing in Cork, it reaffirms the importance of the new law enforcement system to clamp down on uninsured driving. We are now providing the gardai with updated insurance information for 3 million vehicles on Irish roads on a daily basis, he added. Our expectation is that this will be a gamechanger for law enforcement in dealing with the scourge of uninsured driving, Mr Fitzgerald said. If the gardai in Cork scan your registration number theyll know in seconds if there is valid insurance in place or not. We hope that as this new weapon begins to bite, it wont be long before the number of uninsured claims we receive also begins to fall for Cork and all around the country. That will be good for road safety on Cork roads also good for the pockets of law abiding motorists.
Cork County Council has officially launched its Town Centre First (TCF) Regeneration Plan for Skibbereen. Pictured: Aisling O Neill (member of Skibbereen Town Team), Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Valerie OSullivan, Cllr. Joe Carroll and Brendan McCarthy. Picture. John Allen

A Town Centre First (TCF) Regeneration Plan for Skibbereen has been officially launched by Cork County Council.

The ambitious but pragmatic plan for Skibbereen Town Centre represents the culmination of significant public consultation by Cork County Council as part of the national Town Centre First policy initiative.

Cllr Joe Carroll, Chair of the West Cork Municipal District deputising for the Mayor of the County of Cork, welcomed the ambitious plan. This plan for Skibbereen strikes a balance between what is bravely ambitious and realistically achievable, and I would like to acknowledge the contributions of all who have participated in its development.

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Valerie OSullivan said: While Skibbereen is the initial pathfinder town under the national Town Centre First initiative, Cork County Council is actively progressing a range of regeneration measures across towns in the county, covering areas such as sustainable travel, property activation and public realm enhancements.

The plan for Skibbereen will now be utilised as a resource for all stakeholders and to support funding applications for the projects and objectives that have been identified, she added.

The public consultation and plan development process for the Skibbereen TCF Plan commenced in July 2023.

930 submissions were received from the community and a Town Team of eight community representatives formed as a focus group with which the consultants and Cork County Council worked to shape the plan.

A series of public engagement events held in the town culminated in a community display event in Skibbereen Town Hall in December 2023.

The final plan contains 36 specific objectives, projects, and principles that have been identified through a collaborative and consultative process.

Copies of the Skibbereen Town Centre First Regeneration Plan are available in Skibbereen Library and online at www.corkcoco.ie and www.towncentrefirst.ie

Further information can be sought by emailing townregenerationoffice@corkcoco.ie
Tony ODonovan and William OBrien have been chosen April Cork Persons of the Month. Pictured at the announcement L/R Tina Quinn, AM OSullivan PR, Roger Russell, The Metropole Hotel, Tony ODonovan, Person of Month, Manus OCallaghan, awards organiser, William OBrien, Person of Month, Tony OConnell Photographer, Oonagh Buckley, Masterkabin. Pic by Tony OConnell Photography Agency.

Tony ODonovan and William OBrien have been jointly awarded Cork Persons of the Month for April.

Their dedication to empowering people with disabilities and enhancing the lives of children with additional needs has earned them the prestigious honour.

Mr ODonovans tireless advocacy for children with additional needs, particularly those on the autism spectrum, has earned him widespread admiration and respect.

Motivated by his son Kian, who is autistic, Tony has dedicated himself to enhancing the educational experience for children on the autism spectrum.

Each year on World Autism Day Mr ODonovan holds a draw with the help of donated spot prizes from members of the Ballyphehane and Togher business community to raise vital funds to support this cause.

Tony also walks 100 miles every March to raise funds and much-needed awareness of the barriers faced by children with additional needs and/or autism.

Through these fundraising efforts Mr ODonovan has raised close to 60,000.

These have funded the provision of crucial supports to special education units, schools, and classrooms.

His commitment has facilitated the purchase of sensory equipment, the renovation of sensory rooms, and funding for school transport and community social outings.

Schools in both Cork City and County have benefitted from Tonys exemplary fundraising efforts.

Tonys advocacy extends far beyond fundraising. He has been actively involved in initiatives such as the SuperValu Autism Friendly shopping hours and the development of the Autism Life-skill Friend Trolley, designed to enhance the shopping experience for families with autistic children.

"Tonys commitment to supporting children with additional needs is truly inspiring, said Cork Person of the Month Awards Organiser Manus OCallaghan. "His dedication and compassion exemplify the spirit of community service that we celebrate with the Cork Person of the Month award.

Mr OBrien is recognised for his pioneering work in founding the social enterprise See My Skills, dedicated to providing employment supports to people with disabilities.

Recognising the disproportionately high unemployment rates among individuals with disabilities in Ireland, William established See My Skills with a vision to create a more inclusive global workspace.

Through initiatives such as the Accelerator Schools Programme, which recently commenced across ten schools, See My Skills offers vital training in life and career skills, including goal setting, CV writing, and mock interviews, among others.

Mr OBrien a well-known figure in the Cork business community said: "At See My Skills, we aim to equip people with disabilities with workplace skills and experiences from an early age.

His dedication to creating opportunities for those facing barriers in the workforce aligns seamlessly with the values that make Cork a vibrant and caring community.

Mr OCallaghan paid tribute to Williams dedication. "Williams dedication to the betterment of Cork, as exemplified through his leadership in See My Skills, goes far beyond business success. By addressing an area of critical need in Ireland, See My Skills acts as a beacon of hope and change in the Cork community."

Both winners will now go alongside other monthly winners and be up for possible selection at the Cork Person of the Year annual Gala Awards Lunch which will be held in January 2025.
Two gardai on the beat in Dublin city centre. Pic: Stock photo

A shortage of gardai has created a sense of no-go areas in the city centre, a Dublin MEP has claimed.

Fianna Fail MEP Barry Andrews has claimed that people who live and work in Dublin no longer feel safe.

Threats and intimidation on public transport are far too common, he said.

Business owners and retailers cannot operate without doubling down on private security, and tourists who visit our city are all too often met with scenes of drug-taking, low-level crime, and anti-social behaviour.

Mr Andrews has teamed up with Fianna Fail justice spokesperson Jim OCallaghan TD to host a series of public meetings on crime and safety in the capital this week.

A survey by Amarach Research last December found that more than half of Dubliners were going into the city less due to safety concerns.

After the widespread riots in November last year, a lobby group for Dublin retailers held discussions with senior gardai about their concerns.

DublinTown asked that the number of gardai assigned to the city centre remain above pre-November levels, at least.

However, Mr Andrews said garda retirement is currently outstripping recruitment and Dublin is being policed on overtime.

Without a visible, widespread, and around-the-clock garda presence on our streets, these problems will deepen, he said.

In addition to street safety, we need dedicated transport police to return a sense of safety to bus and rail journeys.

Without enough gardai on the streets, there clearly are not enough gardai to spare for the bus and rail network.

A survey carried out by SIPTU last February found that more than 80pc of public transport workers say theyve been targets of abuse, with more than half saying anti-social behaviour is an issue for them at least once per week.

The union renewed their appeals for the establishment of dedicated transport police, and Mr Andrews supported this appeal.

As a Dubliner, I too am angry and sad that people dont feel comfortable and safe in large parts of our city anymore, he added.
A Kerry woman who head-butted her ex-partner has been convicted of assault and fined for the incident.

Helena Griffin (42) of Dowlings Hostel in Listowel was before Listowel District Court charged with assaulting Andrew Moran on Ballybunion Road, Listowel in February 2020 when he was collecting their daughter from school.

Mr Moran told the court when he arrived to the school he could his ex-partner was angry. He told the court that she head-butted him after attempting to enter the car.

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Judge Philip OLeary described the injury as nasty enough after he was shown photos in court.

Ms Griffins solicitor Pat Mann said that it was his client's argument that Mr Moran had in fact gone for her as she was trying to get into the car.

"Not a chance, replied Mr Moran during cross-examination.

Mr Moran told the court that Ms Griffin his ex-partner had sent an email a week later to him saying he deserved the headbutt and he forwarded this gardai. He said this showed she was admitting it. Mr Moran told the court that his ex-partner had also apologised for the incident.

Judge OLeary fined her 150.

Mr Mann said the parties should confine themselves to certain issues from now on.
The Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive took place this past Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

The Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive took place this past Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

AJ Gorman, Eamon Kirby, Noah OSullivan, Daith Nolan, John Harty, Brendan Duggan, Jack Faye, Cameron Godley, Jadine Duma and Edward Miller at the Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive School on Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

The Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive took place this past Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

Shannon Droey, Avi OConnor and Taylor Dowling at the Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive School on Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

Chloe OSullivan, Charlotte OConnor, Mia Brosnan, Molly Nolan, Abbie Boyle and Ms Dowling at the Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive School on Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

Jack OHallaran, Calum Hussey and Max Fitzgerald at the Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive School on Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

Amy OCarroll, Molly Donegan, Eva Kelly and Megan OLeary at the Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive School on Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

Sarah Garcia Leen, Aisling Kenny, Katie Hussey and Jamie Lee Donegan at the Run4Ryan memorial 5k run at Causeway Comprehensive School on Tuesday in memory of Ryan Gaynor who sadly passed away in 2023. Photo by Mark OSullivan.

The memory of the late Ryan Gaynor, a second year student in Causeway Comprehensive who passed away in December of last year, was remembered at an event held by the school in his honour last week.

It was just before the school broke for the Christmas holidays last year that the news broke of Ryans sudden passing and even now, almost five months on, his loss is still keenly felt in the school community, teacher Ruta Kanisauskaite told The Kerryman this week.

It was this continuing sense of loss that inspired the schools chaplain, Paul Montgomery, to start planning what would eventually become the Run4Ryan event, which took place on April 23.

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The day involved a 5km run followed by a bake sale as well as a moment of silence to remember and pray for Ryan. Students also wore clothes in Ryan's favourite colour of blue; all proceeds from the day  which totalled 2,760  were donated to the events chosen Family Resource Centre in Ballyheigue.

Now felt like the right time because it always felt too early to do something before this. They [the pupils] really miss him. The first weeks after it happened were absolutely horrendous. I'd even say that the first few months too. I mean, it still is there in them. It's something that's going to be with them forever. They are forever going to be reminded of it, said Ruta.

The late Ryan Gaynor.

"They did tell me that it [the run] was a beautiful way to commemorate the type of person that Ryan was because he would have been the type of person that would have wanted a day out like that. He was very active, chatty, always wanting to be out and about, she continued, adding that the day was a celebration of Ryan and his life.

After a moment of silence during a ceremony on the day, Ruta said that some of the students took it upon themselves to sing some of Ryans favourite songs.

Also, lending his support to the day was former student of the school, Paul Galvin, who donated two Kerry jerseys to the event for a fundraising raffle.
The remote working hub is strategically located just off The M8 Dublin to Cork corridor

The new remote working hub is located in Urlingford, Co Kilkenny

A brand new remote working hub has officially opened its doors in Co Kilkenny.

In a recent visit to the county, Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys officially opened EXIT 4, a remote working hub in Urlingford, Co Kilkenny.

This facility, strategically located just off The M8 Dublin to Cork corridor, forms part of Irelands National Hub Network, which aims to revive rural Ireland by providing people with the opportunity to live and work locally.

Urlingford Town Team has been central to the delivery of the EXIT 4 working hub and the redevelopment of the towns community centre.

Chair of the Town Team, Dympna Hayes, explained: The Hub will help to deliver Government policy promoting sustainable hybrid working patterns which will in turn help us to meet our climate action goals as well as Sustainable Development Guidelines.

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Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr Michael Doyle added that the Town Regeneration Office in Kilkenny County Council will support other regeneration projects throughout the County.

The Elected Members of Kilkenny County Council want to see our towns thrive and with the benefit of Town Centre First initiatives will be well placed to support communities in developing and delivering plans and projects, like this one, in future years.

Cllr Michael Delaney, Chairman of the Castlecomer Municipal District, thanked the members of the Town Team and the broader community for their commitment to the project. He pointed out that we need communities to get involved and get active and when they do we need to say thank you.

EXIT 4 remote working hub facilities are now open. Flexible plans are available to meet the needs of clients. For enquiries and to make a booking go to Exit4Urlingford.ie
A source familiar with the situation said it is believed that a man dressed in dark clothing entered the hospital with a pair of scissors

The woman is understood to have sustained non-life threatening injuries as a result of the incident

A woman has been hospitalised following an assault at an orthopaedic hospital in Kilkenny.

The assault took place on the campus of Kilcreene Hospital in Kilkenny city at approximately 8.30am this morning, Monday April 29.

A woman was rushed to St. Lukes General Hospital in Kilkenny with injuries that are understood to be non-life threatening.

A source familiar with the situation has told the Irish Independent that it is believed a man dressed in dark clothing entered the hospital with a pair of scissors.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 29th April 2024

A spokesperson for An Garda Siochana confirmed that investigations into the incident are ongoing. However they said that they received no report of a firearm being used.

"Gardai received a report and attended the scene of an alleged incident of assault, which occurred at a medical institution in Kilkenny this morning, Monday April 29, 2024, at approximately 8.30am.

A woman is receiving treatment at St Lukes General Hospital, Kilkenny, for injuries believed at this time to be non-life-threatening.

Investigations are ongoing, concluded the statement.

The Ireland East Hospital Group have also released a statement about the incident, confirming that they are fully cooperating with the Garda investigation.

"The Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) are working with An Garda Siochana following an incident that took place in Kilcreene Regional Orthopaedic Hospital, read the statement.

"Staff and management are fully cooperating with the gardai and their investigation.
The annual Sligo Engineering and Technology Expo will take place on Thursday 2 May at the Knocknarea Arena, in Atlantic Technological Universitys (ATU) Sligo.

Running from 10am to 5pm the Expo offers anyone considering studying engineering or computing students with the opportunity to interact with leaders in both fields from cutting edge companies across Ireland. The 2024 Expo is sponsored by Abbott, the global healthcare lead

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with leading companies such as Abbott, Hollister, MCi Ireland Ltd, Glan Agua, AbbVie, Valeo Vision Systems LTD and MCi Motion Controls. These companies and many others will be highlighting the career opportunities available in engineering and technology and discussing the cutting-edge technologies that are emerging in the industry.

In addition to industry leaders the attendees will also be able to hear from current students. The Expo will showcase the projects of over 100 final year students, including a Biogas Harvester, Vision-Based Fall Detection Systems, Intelligent Apple Quality Detection Machine, Fire Fighting Robot, Hydro Harvester and much more.

The 2024 Expo will also feature an exciting programme of talks with opportunities to have one-on-one sessions with industry experts to discuss your business challenges and potential solutions.

Welcoming the return of the Expo, Head of College and Head of the Faculty of Engineering and Design at ATU Sligo Una Parsons said:

The Expo is a great opportunity for our students to meet companies and learn about new technologies in the industry, interact with alumni and network with professional engineers.

"Many will be graduating this year and exploring future career options. Students from many of our local secondary schools will also be in attendance and we hope to inspire many to become engineers of the future.

"The Expo is also open to the public, so we are encouraging everyone to come along to see the vast range of employers in this sector. We look forward to meeting leading industry leaders and having the opportunity to showcase the incredible standard of work our students produce year after year.

Sean OHara, Site Director of Abbotts Diabetes business in Donegal, said The future of the world we live in will be shaped by the creativity and ingenuity of the next generation of engineers and computer graduates.

"Every day at Abbott these professions contribute to creating game-changing healthcare innovations that improve peoples lives around the world. We are delighted to sponsor the Sligo Engineering & Technology Expo in 2024. We hope the Expo inspires young people from across the Northwest to consider these exciting fields of study.
There have been more than a dozen safety incidents this year on United Airlines flights involving San Francisco International Airport. Aidin Vaziri/Tne Chronicle

A United Airlines flight from Sacramento to Denver was diverted to San Francisco International Airport on Sunday after mechanical issues were suspected on the aircraft.

United Flight 2285 was forced to land at SFO at 9:55 a.m., about an hour after takeoff, due to what United representatives said was a possible mechanical issue. It was unclear what caused the problem or which parts of the aircraft were affected, but a spokesperson said that no emergency was declared.

The airline chartered another plane to transport the 164 passengers and six crew members to Denver, the United spokesperson told the Chronicle.

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The Boeing jet circled above Sacramento County before flying south to SFO, aviation records showed.

There have been more than a dozen safety incidents on United flights involving SFO so far this year. One United Boeing 777 flight was diverted to the airport after a toilet overflowed into the cabin, while another was diverted after smoke was detected onboard.

Weeks before, a United flight bound for Japan lost a wheel during takeoff at SFO, with the wheel landing in an airport employee parking lot. Three days prior, another SFO-bound United flight traveling from Hawaii experienced an engine failure before it made an emergency landing at the airport. That same day, a United flight departing Houston emergency landed after flames engulfed an engine.

In an opinion article published in the Chronicle last month, aviation experts blamed the spate of diverted airplanes on a lack of experienced pilots, writing that the advent of flight automation and improved hardware reliability have prevented younger pilots from gaining experience.

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Pictured at a photocall to celebrate Sleater Solutions winning the 2024 LEO Sligo County Enterprise Award were: (L-R): Liam Kiely, A/Head of Enterprise, Sligo County Council, Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Cllr. Gerard Mullaney, Keith Sleater and Shane Kelly, Sleater Solutions and A/Senior Enterprise Development Officer, LEO Sligo, Stephen Walshe.

An automation, engineering & software solutions company from Sligo have been selected as one of the finalists for the National Enterprise Awards that take place next month.

Sleater Solutions Ltd. will represent Local Enterprise Office Sligo at the prestigious awards that take place on the 23rd May in the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin.

Sleater Solutions is a recognised industry expert in the provision of engineering, automation, and software solutions for clients in the food and beverage, manufacturing, automotive, medical device and pharmaceutical sectors.

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The company, which was founded in 2002, is based at Union Road Business Park, Collooney, Co. Sligo and employs 12 full-time and 5 other-time staff.

Cllr. Gerard Mullaney, Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council said: I would like to extend the good wishes of Sligo County Council to Keith, Shane and their team at Sleater Solutions Ltd., and wish them every success in the National Enterprise Awards Final.

From a base just outside Sligo, they are dealing with leading food and beverage, automotive and pharmaceutical companies in the U.K., Europe, North America and Asia.

The high-quality employment opportunities they offer are an excellent example of what makes County Sligo a great place in which to live, invest and visit.

Shane Kelly, Managing Director of Sleater Solutions Ltd., said: Sleater Solutions are delighted to represent Sligo at this prestigious competition and are looking forward to the chance to network with other leading businesses at the event.

We are proud of the fact that we can work with leading food and beverage, automotive and pharmaceutical companies from our base here Collooney in Sligo, and we acknowledge the help of Local Enterprise Office Sligo over the years.

We also look forward to the continued growth of our business, with help from Enterprise Ireland, having recently graduated to become a client company of theirs.

This is the 24th year of the Local Enterprise Office initiative, which was won last year by Advanced Cosmetic Manufacturing Ltd., supported by Local Enterprise Office Mayo. Headed up by Noreen Hackett, the Company works with Irish and international brands to research, develop, create and rapidly innovate cosmetic products such as skincare, self-tanning and body care.

Liam Kiely, Acting Head of Enterprise with Sligo County Council said: The National Enterprise Awards serve to highlight the very best businesses that the Local Enterprise Offices are working with across the country.

Local Enterprise Office Sligo have been working with Keith and the team at Sleater Solutions for many years and recently assisted in their transfer to Enterprise Ireland.

We have been hugely impressed with both their vision and their determination to grow their business and secure customers outside of Ireland. We are delighted to have them as our representative at the National Enterprise Awards Final on May 23rd.
There were 11 claims relating to accidents caused by uninsured or untraced vehicles in Sligo last year, down from 14 in 2022 according to new figures published by the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI).

Looking at the breakdown of the claims relating to uninsured driving by county, the largest number came in Dublin (822), followed by Cork (141), Limerick (112), Kildare (102) and Galway (91).

The number of claims relating to uninsured drivers grew in 14 of the 26 counties across the Republic, with the largest percentage increases occurring in Mayo (up 80%), Meath (up 55%) and Kildare (up 42%). Nine counties recorded a drop in the number of claims, with the largest percentage decreases coming in Leitrim (down 55%), Offaly (down 29%) and Sligo (down 21%). Three counties also recorded the exact same number of claims as 2022.

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Nationally, the MIBI received a total of 1,927 claims across the country. This represented 187 additional claims from the 1,740 they received in 2022, an 11% rise across the country.

Reacting to the national growth in claims the MIBI said it reaffirms the importance of the new law enforcement system to clamp down on uninsured driving. Since signing a data sharing agreement last November, the MIBI is now providing the insurance details for 3 million vehicles using Irish roads on a daily basis to An Garda Siochana. This means that the Gardai can now check the insurance status of any vehicle simply by scanning its registration plate.

As the MIBI is a not for profit organisation that was established to compensate victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles, effectively the expense of meeting these claims is borne by law abiding motorists. The average motorist will have contributed 30 - 35 at their most recent insurance renewal to cover the claims paid out by the MIBI in the last year.

Speaking about the level of claims received in 2023, David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI said, The increase in claims due to accidents caused by uninsured vehicles around the country should be a cause of concern for every law abiding motorist in Sligo and beyond. It is illegal to drive without valid motor insurance, yet as these figures show there are still a significant number of people who are willingly flouting the law.

Every one of the uninsured motorists behind these claims is effectively putting their hands in the pockets of law abiding motorists and taking their money. As they broke the law and drove without insurance cover, it becomes the responsibility of the MIBI to handle the compensation associated with these claims. We are a not for profit organisation so our funding comes indirectly from drivers who pay their motor insurance. Essentially these uninsured drivers took millions of euro from the rest of us last year and added 30 to 35 to the average motor insurance policy.

With this level of claims it reaffirms the importance of the new law enforcement system to clamp down on uninsured driving in Sligo and all around the country. We are now providing the Gardai with updated insurance information for 3 million vehicles on Irish roads on a daily basis.

So if the Gardai in Sligo scan your registration number theyll know in seconds if there is valid insurance in place or not. Were on record saying our expectation is that this will be a gamechanger for law enforcement in dealing with the scourge of uninsured driving. We hope that as this new weapon begins to bite, it wont be long before the number of uninsured claims we receive also begins to fall.

That will be good for road safety on Sligo roads, Irish roads and also good for the pockets of law abiding motorists across the country, Mr. Fitzgerald concluded.
Waiting list in Sligo driving test is less than in some counties.

Learner drivers in Sligo have to wait a minimum of two months before getting a driving test, which is much lower than the wait times at other test centres in the country.

A list released by RSA Ireland shows that the between 1st January to 31st March 2024, the minimum estimated waiting time for a learner driver to be invited for a test was 8 weeks in Sligo.

The data also states that on 31st March 2024, there were 1,924 applicants on a learner permit in Sligo, out of which only 319 candidates had their test booked and 694 had been invited to book a slot.

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There were 585 learner drivers waiting for a slot to be available to book the test, while 326 learners were not eligible to go for a test.

The figures released by RSA showed that there are 60,385 people waiting for a slot availability in the country, while the number of active testers is only 137.

The RSA had previously said that the driving test service has seen unprecedented demand over the last two years, with the number of applications in 2022 up by 28 per cent as compared to 2021.

According to the figures from January to March 2024, the highest estimated waiting time has been recorded at Dun Laoghaire/Deansgrange driving test centre in South Dublin. The estimated waiting time at this centre is about 8 months while there are 4,549 people on the waiting list for a slot.

Aontu representative Mairead Toibin told the Irish Independent that having enough driving testers is quite fundamental to coming to grips with the long waiting lists.

This is like Groundhog Day. Weve been hearing excuses and promises from successive governments, but none has taken the issue by the scruff of the neck and put common-sense measures in place to tackle it.

The implementation of more testers and tests taking place on public holidays or weekends is essential to tackle the 8-month backlog.
A fundraising campaign has been set up at idonate.ie to save Abbeyside Church's old bell tower. Photo by Patrick Keneally

A fundraising campaign has been launched to restore a historic church overlooking the sea in Waterford, and the public are urged to donate whatever they can to save the old bell tower.

Abbeyside Church's architecturally stunning Bell Tower and Chancel ruin are the historic and eponymous centre of Abbeyside Parish in County Waterford. The parish is fundraising to preserve the tower for future generations.

Today Abbeyside Church adjoins the tower forming the main entrance to the Church, meaning each time people worship they literally walk in the footsteps of the early Friars thus marking over seven centuries of ecclesiastical presence on this site.

The structure, officially recognised as a national monument, boasts a bell tower dating back to around 1450, affectionately known locally as the Clogchas, from the old Irish for belfry.

Water damage is now threatening the structural integrity of the bell tower and the Church authorities have to take action to preserve the structural integrity of the building.

The parish is fundraising to preserve the tower for future generations. Photo by Patrick Keneally

"Please only donate if you can genuinely afford it, said Fr Ned Hassett, PP of Abbeyside, Ballinroad, and Garranbane Parish. Time has taken its toll on our bell tower, with water damage threatening its integrity. To safeguard this heritage for future generations, a conservation program is imperative.

While the Parish has secured some funding, of 52pc, for the project, additional support is needed to stabilise the bell tower. We appeal to the community of Abbeyside, both near and far, to contribute to this vital preservation effort.

This is phase one of our conservation project. Phase two which will happen in the coming years is the conservation of the chancel, added Father Hassett. Donations can be made at www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/saveourabbey
Kilrush Drama Group also won Best Director for Niall McGrath and Best Stage Management awards

Niall McGrath being presented with Best Director Award by All Ireland Adjudicator Walker Ewart ADA at the Finals in Mountmellick.

John Redmond (Tom), Kay Cahill (Mary), Niall McGrath (Director), Erin Hogan (Lydia) from the cast and crew of Hooked. Photographs by Eamonn Doran KDG.

The awards won by Kilrush Drama Group with their production of Hooked. Cathy Tighe, Dougie Doyle, John Redmond, Kay Cahill, Raymond Byrne, Niall McGrath, Tommy Kavanagh, Erin Hogan, Dean Furlong, Kevin McEvoy and Lar Duffy.

Kilrush Drama Group were crowned the All Ireland Confined winners in the Bostik All Ireland 3 Act Drama Festival with their production of Hooked by Gillian Grattan on Saturday night.

Hooked received a brilliant adjudication from judge Walker Ewart after their performance on Thursday, April 25 and they also won Best Stage Management and Best Director.

PRO of Kilrush Drama Group, Mary Doran said: We performed it in Carnew three nights before we went away and each of the performances was good but theres no doubt about it, they peaked on Thursday night.

Kay Cahill, Erin Hogan and John Redmond, each one of them was outstanding, said Mary.

The group were delighted to take the Claire Galway trophy home with them to Wexford as All Ireland Confined Winners but Mary said that the standard of the eight other drama groups was exceedingly high this year and they didnt know what result to expect.

Once you go into the All Ireland, its a level playing field so you have to put on a production and do the best you can. They did a powerful job on it on Thursday night. The adjudicator praised every part of the production, the directing, the lighting, the sound, the ingenius set.

"Hooked is so different and so very well done. Were absolutely thrilled with the win, said Mary.

Each group was marked on four elements including acting, dramatic achievement, production and presentation.

In the lead up to the All Ireland in Mountmellick last weekend, Kilrush Drama Group were in top place on the leader board of the Confined Drama All Ireland League Tables, after seven wins on the festival circuit.

The group have also won Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Technical, Best Lighting, Best Sound and Best Set in the past.

Kilrush Drama Groups usual director for the last 60 years, Mick Byrne, was unable to take on the play this year and actor turned director Niall McGrath stepped up in his place. He was returned with a Best Director award at the festival.

Niall McGrath took it on and he left no stone unturned, hes an amazing find as a director and a wonderful actor too."

"It was a very simple set, designed by Niall McGrath but through lighting and sound and the way the actors used it, it worked fantastically. We won best stage management award as well, Claire Duffy was the stage manager. The adjudicator did say it was very much a team award, said Mary.

After the results were announced, there were celebrations that night in Mountmellick which continued on back at their hotel in Portlaoise.

On Sunday the group were welcomed home and brought by trailer through the streets of Carnew to St Brigids Hall. Even though it was spilling rain out, there was a great number of people there to welcome us home. There were a few speeches then in the hall as well, said Mary.

To top it all off, Kilrush Drama Group are also celebrating their 60 year anniversary this year. It is the icing on the cake to win an All Ireland, said Mary.

Kilrush Drama Group will take to the stage with their production of Hooked once more in several weeks but a date hasnt been decided yet.
An interesting bird, the subject of Wexford Naturalists Field Clubs May lecture will be The Woodcock.

The humble woodcock is a wader that has adapted to a woodland habitat. Once regarded as a delicacy being sold into the food chain, its sale was outlawed in Ireland back in 2015 following major concerns expressed by hunting groups and conservation bodies around the birds survival.

The presentation will be given by James O'Neill, who has been a doctoral student at University College Cork for the past five years and has just submitted his PhD thesis. Originally from Northern Ireland and having studied Zoology at Queen's University Belfast, he has travelled all over Ireland over the course of his research focusing on the Woodcock.

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In addition to the Woodcock, he is a keen birdwatcher and bird ringer, with a passion for shorebirds and swifts. However, no wildlife is safe from him and he enjoys delving into wildflowers, mammals, moths, butterflies and other insect groups when he gets the chance.

The lecture takes place in The Pumphouse at Wexford Wildfowl Reserve on Thursday, May 2, at 8pm.

Non-members of the club are welcome. Admission is 5 which includes light refreshments.

For more information on Wexford Naturalists' Field Club see www.wexfordnaturalists.com or pick up a brochure in your local library.
Neil and Mary Clancy with trustees Bob Nicholson and Ursula Cullen at the Animal Trust Fund Coffee Morning and Auction at the Wicklow Arms, Delgany.

Anne Redman, Liz Wilson and Ann Barton at the Animal Trust Fund Coffee Morning and Auction at the Wicklow Arms, Delgany.

Evelyn Branagh, trustee Joyce O'Connor and Geraldine Owens at the Animal Trust Fund Coffee Morning and Auction at the Wicklow Arms, Delgany.

Fiona and Lauren Tilson with Sinead and Katie Woods at the Animal Trust Fund Coffee Morning and Auction at the Wicklow Arms, Delgany.

Anne Connolly, Collette Dunne and Tina Dunne at the Animal Trust Fund Coffee Morning and Auction at the Wicklow Arms, Delgany.

Auctioneer Victor Evans and Stephen Bates at the Animal Trust Fund Coffee Morning and Auction at the Wicklow Arms, Delgany.

Julie Barnes, Ruth Hayden and Louise D'Arcy with some of their purchases at the The Animal Trust Fund Coffee Morning and Auction at the Wicklow Arms, Delgany.

The Wicklow Arms in Delgany hosted a coffee morning and auction in aid of Animal Trust Fund last weekend.

All sorts of items from paintings to hats were on offer, all aising money for Animal Trust Fund, which is based in Waterford and helps animals in need across Ireland.

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The morning raised an estimated 4,000 to help the charity, which was founded to rescue horses after World War II.
Writers and library users across Wicklow are encouraged to submit written works in the How a Library Changed my Life competition, which features a 500 prize and the chance to do a public reading in Amsterdam.

The Europe Challenge is an annual programme that brings together teams from libraries and communities across Europe to address social isolation, inequality, disinformation, climate crises and other local challenges by developing, sharing and implementing creative solutions with support from the European Cultural Foundation and its partners.

The Europe Challenge is now accepting written submissions under the title, How a Library Changed My Life, as part of The Europe Challenge writing competition.

Submissions, which can be made at theeuropechallenge.eu, must be in English and a maximum of 3,000 words in length.

Five winners will receive a cash prize of 500, be published in The Europe Challenge publication and have the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam to do a public reading of their winning piece at our event and book launch in September.

The deadline for submissions is May 20, at 12 p.m. CET. Winners will be informed via email in June.

Have you ever fallen in love or experienced a moment of connection, transformation, or inspiration within the walls of a library? a Europe Challenge spokesperson asked.

Have you ever laughed, cried, or fallen asleep in a library? Have you stumbled upon joy, solace, or magic among the shelves? Has a library ever been the backdrop to a chapter of your life story? Would you like to tell that story?

Share your most unforgettable library experiences with us and celebrate the magic of libraries.
Baltinglass Municipal District Councillor Avril Cronin has called on Bus Eireann to expand services on the integral 132 bus route that serves towns and villages throughout west Wicklow.

The 132 bus route, which currently provides a vital service to many west Wicklow residents, stops in towns and villages along the N81, proceeding to Tallaght Hospital, Heuston Station and Busaras.

Having campaigned tirelessly for an expansion of bus routes throughout the Baltinglass MD, Cllr Cronin said that the 132 bus route is the only one available to many communities south of Blessington and is vital for residents living along the N81 and its surrounding towns and villages.

With stops in Blessington, Hollywood, Annalecky, Baltinglass and then Rathvilly, the 132 route is a lifeline for many commuters working in the city, to students attending 3rd level education in the capital and also for many people attending medical appointments in Dublin hospitals, Cllr Cronin said.

It also allows for connections to other modes of transport such as the Luas and Irish rail services.

While the 132 has several services throughout the day, the last bus leaves Dublin at 5.30 p.m. Although overall this is a great service for some commuters, many people working in the city cannot make the 5.30 p.m. bus due to working hours.

I am, therefore, calling on Bus Eireann to extend the service on the 132 bus route to provide a later departure from the city in the evenings.

Asked about the lack of high-capacity transport infrastructure servicing west Wicklow, Cllr Cronin said that, unfortunately, residents in west Wicklow do not have the luxury of a train or a Luas line and rely heavily on the 132 bus route.

In recent years, we have seen a huge increase in passenger numbers on the 132 Bus Route and in recent months, Bus Eireann has provided a double-decker bus to cater for the demand, Cllr Cronin commented.

We are in a period where people are encouraged to use public transport. We hear lots of talk about keeping cars out of the city, but this cannot be achieved, if we do not have proper public transport in place.

I am urging Bus Eireann to expand the 132 bus service from the city centre by providing a later bus on its daily service.

As a commuter myself and a regular on the 132, I can see first-hand the difficulties many commuters face trying to get the last bus home at 5.30 p.m., she continued.

If, for any reason, people miss that bus, they are stranded in Dublin. Getting out of the city, back to towns and villages in west Wicklow later in the evening can be like the movie, 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles'.

It is not a huge ask to provide a bus past 5.30 p.m., and I am urging Bus Eireann to listen to its passengers and expand its service by providing a later bus in the evening.
Air assistance was required from Rescue 116 after a rock climber sustained an injury in Glendalough.

Wicklows mountain rescue teams experienced the busiest weekend of the year so far as they responded to three sperate callouts on Sunday, April 21, having also been involved in incidents on Friday and Saturday.

At 1pm, the Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue team and the Glen of Imaal Irish Red Cross Mountain Rescue team were both tasked to assist a rock climber who sustained an injury near Acorn Buttress in Glendalough.

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The casualty was treated for a leg injury, while air assistance was also sought from Rescue 116. Mountain rescue personnel lowered the casualty to a better location for helicopter extraction and the casualty was airlifted for onward care.

While that callout was taking place, both teams were also tasked to help a person with a suspected ankle injury near Kippure. Mountain rescue medics assessed and splinted the person's leg before they were packaged into a stretcher and extracted to be handed over to a waiting ambulance.

A third call was received while tending to the incident in Kippure, which marked the 40th callout of the year so far in County Wicklow.

The prior Saturday, April 20, both Wicklow teams assisted a person suffering from an asthma attack in Crone Woods, while the Friday saw the two teams deployed to aid a person who fell on the boardwalk in Glendalough and sustained a suspected head injury.

Today's News in 90 seconds - 29th April 2024
Andrea Vidaurre, 29, is among the recipients of the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize recognizing grassroots activism around the world. Provided by Goldman Environmental Prize Goldman Prize winner Andrea Vidaurre leads a tour of industrial and toxic sites in the Inland Empire. Provided by Goldman Environmental Prize

An industry promising next-day shipping seemed to be taking over Californias Inland Empire, replacing residential blocks with warehouses and drowning neighborhoods in diesel fumes.

San Bernardino County activist Andrea Vidaurre knew working-class communities were suffering most from poor air quality, and she launched a multiyear campaign that in 2023 led California to pass groundbreaking emissions limits for the trucking and rail industries.

No amount of diesel air pollution is OK to breathe, Vidaurre, 29, said. Yet were exposed to it every day, around the clock.

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Vidaurre is among seven grassroots activists from around the globe to be honored Monday as 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize recipients. Founded in 1989 by San Francisco philanthropists Rhoda and Richard Goldman, the prize recognizes people from the worlds six inhabited continents who are taking extraordinary actions to protect the planet.

Other 2024 winners included Nonhle Mbuthuma and Sinegugu Zukulu of South Africa, who stopped destructive seismic testing for oil and gas off South Africas Eastern Cape; Alok Shukla of India, who led a campaign to save 445,000 acres of forests from 21 planned coal mines; Teresa Vicente of Spain who fought to protect Europes largest saltwater lagoon; Australian citizen Murrawah Maroochy Johnson, whose work against the coal industry led to new rights for indigenous Australians when challenging coal projects; and Marcel Gomes, a Brazilian credited with linking the worlds largest meatpacking company, JBS, with deforestation in threatened ecosystems.

Prize winners receive a $200,000 award and are eligible to apply for additional grants to support their work.

John Goldman, president of the Goldman Environmental Foundation, said in a news release that the awardees demonstrated endless reserves of bravery, ingenuity, grit, and determination to do good.

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These seven leaders refused to be complacent amidst adversity, or to be cowed by powerful corporations and governments, Goldman said.

Vidaurre began pushing California air regulators to tighten standards for heavy industries in 2018, organizing warehouse and trucking labor unions together with environmental groups to lobby the issue in Sacramento.

Vidaurre brought Spanish-speaking workers and residents to the podium before state groups, including the California Air Resources Board, and interpreted so their concerns were heard. She and her colleagues brought state leaders on tours throughout their communities to see the impact of industry up close.

Her work was having an impact. The air resources board created its first advanced clean trucks rule in 2020, which cemented the states goals that trucks and locomotives would someday run without emitting harmful pollutants and greenhouse gases.

In 2020, Vidaurre founded the Peoples Collective for Environmental Justice, a community-based organization fighting environmental racism in the Inland Empire. That year, Vidaurre said the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the growing impact of freight industries: while commuter traffic slowed dramatically, freight traffic increased.

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Meanwhile, working-class communities like those throughout the Inland Empire had higher rates of underlying respiratory conditions and suffered greater impacts from COVID-19.

We normalized next-day shipping, but that has come at a cost for certain communities, Vidaurre said.

In April 2023, the air resources board adopted new rules for trucking and rail industries that essentially would ban the sale of new heavy-duty trucks that run on diesel by 2036 and require new locomotives to be zero-emission by 2045.

The rules, which must be approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are facing legal challenges from the trucking and rail industries.

Vidaurre said she was shocked and honored to have been considered among environmental activists doing impressive work across the country. Going forward, she and her colleagues will continue to push back against the impact of heavy industry on the Inland Empire.

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Super slimmers in Wicklow town have raised 4,925 for the Irish Cancer Society by donating the clothes they slimmed out of to the charitys shops.

The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw with the Irish Cancer Society is an annual event which takes place in Slimming World groups across Ireland and sees members donating clothes, shoes, and accessories that no longer fit.

The Slimming World Wicklow Town group who meet weekly upstairs in Ernies Bar collected 197 bags, worth around 4,925 for the Irish Cancer Society.

Slimming World Consultant Grainne Reynolds, who runs the Wicklow town group, says she is so proud of how her members came together to support the charity, as well as to celebrate how far theyve come on their own weight loss journeys.

She said: Every week Im inspired by my members and their dedication and determination to achieve their weight loss goals. Theyre just as enthusiastic when it comes to getting involved in events such as The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw too. I was bowled over by how many bags they filled with clothes that theyve slimmed out of to raise money for such an important charity. What I really love is that theyre so confident they will never need these clothes again because theyve made changes they can keep up for life.

As well as raising funds for the Irish Cancer Society, the aim of the event is also to raise awareness of how maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of developing some types of cancer.

Grainne added: Being overweight doesnt necessarily mean that a person will develop cancer, but we know that losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent a number of health conditions, including some types of cancer. The work that the Irish Cancer Society does to help those affected by cancer is vital. Im so proud of my members for their passion towards this fundraising event as I know that their contributions will help the charity continue its life-saving research.

Last year, Slimming World members, consultants and head office staff raised 181,500.00 for The Irish Cancer Society through The Big Slimming World Clothes Throw and are aiming to make this year even bigger and better.

Grainnes Slimming World group is held Upstairs in Ernies Bar every Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. For more information or to join Grainnes group either pop along or call her on 0871470704
Britain

Woman who murdered her parents and lived with their bodies for four years is jailed for life
Europe

Africans recruited to work in Russia say they were duped into building drones for use in Ukraine
Controversial law strips fighting-age men abroad of consular assistance

Military cadets visit graves of fellow soldiers killed by Russian attacks on Ukraine to mark the Orthodox feast of Palm Sunday in Lviv. Photo: Reuters

When Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, Vladimir sent his ex-wife and their four-year-old son abroad for safety.

Like most Ukrainian men, he stayed behind, barred from leaving by martial law. But after two years alone, and having been declared medically unfit to serve, he decided to join the family in Germany. A child needs a father, he said.
LATEST | Israeli airstrikes kill at least 22 in Rafah, including 5-day-old baby; Hamas has no major issues with ceasefire proposals  source

Israeli officials appear to be increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the countrys leaders

A girl pours water next to a tent, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinians, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Irish Independent Newsdesk Mon 29 Apr 2024 at 11:00







Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have killed at least 22 people, including six women and five children, Palestinian health officials said. One of the children killed in the strikes overnight into Monday was just five days old.
Biden jokes about Trumps age and legal woes at White House reporters bash  but event is overshadowed by Israels war in Gaza

Guests arrived at the White House Correspondents Association dinner to chants of Shame on you by hundreds of protesters over his support for Israels military campaign

Joe Biden has a laugh at the correspondents' dinner. Photo: Tom Brenner/Reuters

Harriet Barber Telegraph.co.uk Mon 29 Apr 2024 at 03:30







Joe Biden took aim at Donald Trumps age and legal woes during the White House Correspondents Association dinner at the weekend, an event ultimately overshadowed by Israels war in Gaza.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalised three days after appeal judge overturns 2020 rape conviction

Disgraced former producer, who is 72, remains in custody over separate rape

'Hes somewhat of a train wreck health wise,' Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala said. Photo: Reuters

Larry Neumeister Mon 29 Apr 2024 at 03:30







Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinsteins lawyer has been hospitalised for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
Giant panda Yun Chuan will soon make the trip from China to the US to his new home in San Diego Zoo (Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo via AP)

A pair of giant pandas will soon make the journey from China to the US, where they will be cared for at the San Diego Zoo as part of an ongoing conservation partnership between the two nations, officials said on Monday.
EPFO in India Mulls Raising Monthly Minimum Wage Ceiling After a Decade

Indias Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is reportedly considering raising the monthly minimum wage ceiling from INR 15,000 to INR 21,000 in order to improve coverage and bring under its purview millions of informal workers.



India has been mulling over revising the minimum wage slab, and as per media reports, the same was discussed in meetings of the Employees Provident Fund Central Board of Trustee (CBT).

The proposed increase comes a decade after the last hike and is an attempt to extend social security benefits in India to those working in the unorganized sector, i.e. about 94 percent of the workforce.

India is contemplating enhancing the wage ceiling under the EPFO from INR 15,000 (US$179.76) to at least INR 21,000 (US$251.67) to widen social security coverage. As of February 2024, just over 290 million people are subscribed to the EPFO.

The minimum wage ceiling under EPFO was last raised in 2014 from INR 6,500 (US$77.9) to INR 15,000.

Expanding EPF inclusivity

In June 2023, EPFO took action to streamline the procedure for qualified employees to apply for a higher pension under its Employees Pension Scheme (EPS). The procedure was rolled out to make it feasible for people to get greater pension benefits even in the absence of an employers consent or joint request.

Among recommendations made at the 235th meeting of the CBT, held on February 10, 2024, is to raise the minimum pension to INR 3,000 (US$35.95). Another proposal under consideration is to lower the limit of institutions covered by social insurance to 10 employees from the current 20 employees. It has also been reported that the CBT members are introspecting into a quick solution for old age pensions.

At the state level, several labor organizations and unions are lobbying to expand the scope of the Employee State Insurance scheme (ESI) to all informal workers. On March 28 this year, informal workers unions from 15 different sectors in the state of Maharashtra held a conference to explore extending the reach of the ESI. Participants included workers from the fishing industry, domestic helpers, salt pan workers, powerloom operators, and construction workers. According to reports, the state government is also eager to provide social security benefits to unpaid laborers.

Present provisions offered by EPFO

Present Rates of Contribution under EPFO Contributor Contribution accounts Administration accounts EPF EPS EDLI EPF# EDLI# Employee 12% / 10% * 0 0 0 0 Employer Difference of EE share and pension contribution 8.33%** 0.5%** 0.50%*** [w.e.f. June 1, 2018] 0 [w.e.f. April 1, 2017]

Notes:

# In case the establishment is exempted under the PF Scheme, inspection charges @0.18%, minimum INR 5/- is payable in place of admin charges. In case the establishment is exempted under EDLI Scheme, inspection charges @ 0.005%, minimum INR 1/- is payable in place of admin charges.

In case the establishment is exempted under the PF Scheme, inspection charges @0.18%, minimum INR 5/- is payable in place of admin charges. In case the establishment is exempted under EDLI Scheme, inspection charges @ 0.005%, minimum INR 1/- is payable in place of admin charges. * Contribution is rounded to the nearest rupee for each employee, for the employee share, pension contribution, and EDLI contribution. The employer share is the difference of the EE share (payable as per statute) and pension contribution.

Contribution is rounded to the nearest rupee for each employee, for the employee share, pension contribution, and EDLI contribution. The employer share is the difference of the EE share (payable as per statute) and pension contribution. ** Contribution is rounded to the nearest rupee for each employee, for the employee share, pension contribution, and EDLI contribution. The employer share is the difference of the EE share (payable as per statute) and pension contribution.

Contribution is rounded to the nearest rupee for each employee, for the employee share, pension contribution, and EDLI contribution. The employer share is the difference of the EE share (payable as per statute) and pension contribution. *** Monthly payable amount under EPF administrative charges is rounded to the nearest rupee and a minimum of INR 500/- is payable. If the establishment has no contributory member in the month, the minimum administrative charge will be INR 75/-.

Source: ContributionRate.pdf (epfindia.gov.in)

Key considerations

Qualification for pension: This may involve requirements like minimum service duration, age criteria, and decisions regarding early or delayed pensions.

This may involve requirements like minimum service duration, age criteria, and decisions regarding early or delayed pensions. Computation of pension amount: The EPFO offers clarification on how factors such as salary, contributions from both employee and employer, and tenure of service influence the final pension amount.

The EPFO offers clarification on how factors such as salary, contributions from both employee and employer, and tenure of service influence the final pension amount. Additional perks: EPFO also lists regulations concerning survivor benefits, withdrawal options, or nomination procedures. It is worth noting that EPFO members contributing for at least a decade make an employee eligible for a pension at 58 years old. The EPFO encourages delaying pension claims, offering an 8 percent increase in the pension amount for each year deferred until age 60. This choice allows for potentially accumulating a larger pension fund, resulting in higher monthly payouts during retirement.

EPFO also lists regulations concerning survivor benefits, withdrawal options, or nomination procedures. It is worth noting that EPFO members contributing for at least a decade make an employee eligible for a pension at 58 years old. The EPFO encourages delaying pension claims, offering an 8 percent increase in the pension amount for each year deferred until age 60. This choice allows for potentially accumulating a larger pension fund, resulting in higher monthly payouts during retirement. Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) : 8.33 percent is allocated to the EPS, providing a pension benefit to the employee upon retirement.

: 8.33 percent is allocated to the EPS, providing a pension benefit to the employee upon retirement. Provident Fund (PF): The remaining 3.67 percent is directed to the EPF, building up savings for the employee.

Members can request an early pension starting at age 50 if theyve served for at least 10 years. However, opting for an early pension leads to a reduced pension amount. Moreover, employees can choose to voluntarily contribute more than 12 percent of their basic salary to their PF. Nevertheless, employers are not obligated to match contributions exceeding the mandated 12 percent.

Understanding the EPFOs clarifications is crucial for employees to grasp their pension benefits and plan effectively. Awareness of the contribution structure and pension eligibility allows employees to anticipate their future benefits and assess if additional savings are necessary.

Summary

While India has established itself as one of the fastest-growing economies in the 21st century, approximately 92.4 percent of the workforce is engaged in the informal sector, leaving the majority with no social security. Raising the minimum wage can help low-paid workers have more savings, which will increase consumer spending and grow the economy as a whole.

(US$1 = INR83.44)
The Teeny Tini martini at Tallboy, a new martini dive bar opening soon in Oakland. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

A cheeky new bar is bringing seven kinds of martinis, hot dogs, slushies and late-night dancing to the East Bay.

Tallboy opens Wednesday, May 1, at 4210 Telegraph Ave. in Oaklands Temescal neighborhood. Owner Den Stephens, general manager at nearby bar North Light, defines Tallboy as a martini dive bar  a watering hole that serves thoughtful cocktails, Pabst Blue Ribbon and everything in between. He teamed up with the chefs of sensational Oakland Singaporean restaurant Lion Dance Cafe to create a snacky menu (which will carry on a taste of their food after Lion Dance closed over the weekend).

Stephens hopes Tallboy, named after the 24-ounce beer can, will be an irreverent yet welcoming neighborhood bar.

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I wanted to create a secondary living room for Temescal and Oakland, he said.

Bartender Jordan Edwards works behind the bar at Tallboy, opening soon in Temescal. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

For their drinks, a mix of high and low brow, Stephens and beverage director Zach Edwards waded into the annals of martini history, emerging with their own versions of seven classics. Tallboys dry, crushable house martini is a lower-proof blend of London dry gins, manzanilla sherry, bitters and a spray made from Jacobsen Salt Co. salt thats spritzed over the top. Theres also an appletini made with fresh Granny Smith apples, a lychee martini with mezcal and fresh lychee and a martina colada (a clarified pina colada, but served in a martini glass).

If its an espresso martini you seek, Tallboy serves one  just in slushy form. Want an ice-cold martini, but also in the mood for a shot? Order a round of teeny tinis (shot-size martinis) or any of the bars $3 craft shots.

Stephens is so martini-obsessed that he ordered 30 different glasses to find the best one for Tallboy. His final pick is tall and sturdy, sophisticated enough to handle a really elegant St. George gin martini and durable enough to get thrown around on a Friday night.

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The Thai Tea Slushy, left, and Espresso Martini Slushy at Tallboy, opening May 1 in Oakland. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Martinis and several seasonally rotating cocktails will range from $10 to $16. Yet the bar will also serve jello shots and a Miller High Life tallboy. The wine list will lean natural, and beers span from high-end to dive bar, Stephens said.

Lion Dance Cafe owners C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge, known for their boundary-pushing combination of Singaporean, Chinese, Italian and California influences, met Stephens across the bar at North Light. They came up with what they describe as fancy midnight food for Tallboy. Namely, hot dogs. A martini and a hot dog, Stephens said, is a really beautiful thing.

The Lion Dancing Dog ($14) is crowned with sambal mayo, crunchy peanuts, soy-pickled chilies, cilantro, fried shallots and lime. Other hot dogs are garnished with everything from local kimchi and cheese to more classic mustard and onions.

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The wedge salad, Lion Dancing Dog and Chex Mix at Tallboy. Hit Oakland restaurant Lion Dance Cafe is behind the all-vegan menu of fancy midnight food at the new bar. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Bar snacks range from Lion Dances standout peanuts fried with makrut lime leaves and chilies ($7) to house-made Chex Mix ($5). Lion Dances delicate A.S.S. cookies, named for the principal ingredients of almond, sesame and shallots, will be on tap for dessert. All of Tallboys food is vegan. (While Lion Dance closed April 27, the owners involvement with Tallboy will continue.)

The 3,000-square-foot Telegraph Avenue space, formerly cafe Hawk and Pony, has been designed to accommodate small and large groups. With more than 100 seats, someone can grab a glass of wine and read a book alone at a huge horseshoe bar, or roll deep with a group in one of the many curving banquettes or bistro tables. Light filters in through large, west-facing windows; there are also tables outside on the sidewalk. A dance floor will host DJs late into the night.

The space was built by contractor Roman Hunt (of top San Francisco bar Pacific Cocktail Haven), and devised by architect Said Eghbal (of North Light and San Francisco restaurants Del Popolo and Rich Table) and designer Jill Rosenthal (Rich Table).

Den Stephens is the owner behind Oakland bar Tallboy. He is the general manager of nearby Temescal bar North Light. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

The idea for Tallboy has been percolating in Stephens mind since before the pandemic. He felt strongly about opening it in Oakland, despite ongoing concerns about the citys economic challenges and crime. He signed a 20-year lease for Tallboy.

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I firmly believe in Oakland, he said. Im really hoping Tallboy is something that gets to be here for the long haul and can serve as that third space for Temescal for years to come.
Indias Corporate Affairs Regulator Seeks Public Feedback on 7 Regulations Under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code

Indias Ministry of Corporate Affairs has issued a circular inviting public comment on seven regulations associated with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Public feedback will be sought for a period of 30 days.

Indias corporate affairs ministry (MCA) has proposed regulatory changes on various aspects of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), including insolvency proceedings at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), the insolvency and liquidation process for financial service providers (FSPs), the resolution process for personal guarantors, pre-packaged insolvency procedures, and the format of annual reports.

Only selected stakeholders have been invited to submit responses with respect to framing and reviewing the rules and regulations of the IBC, issued under legislation administered by the MCA. The stakeholders will have 30 days to provide their input on the proposed changes.

For providing comments, the MCA has prescribed the below process:

a. Visit MCAs website, www.mca.gov.in; E-consultation Tab

b. Select Public Comments;

c. From the drop-down menu, select comments on Rules;

d. Provide your Name, and Email ID;

e. Select the stakeholder category.

READ: Indias Corporate Governance Reforms in 2023

IBC rules and regulations under review

The MCA is seeking revisions to the IBBIs regulations concerning the annual report, the annual statement of accounts, and the application to the adjudicating authority. This initiative aligns with their latest policy revision, unveiled in January, advocating for comprehensive assessments of various existing laws alongside pre-legislative discussions.

The specific stakeholders invited to submit comments on the review of the rules prescribed under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 are stated below: Corporate Debtor

Creditor to a Corporate Debtor

Insolvency Professional

Insolvency Professional Agency

Insolvency Professional Entity

Personal Guarantor to a Corporate Debtor

Proprietorship firms

Partnership firms

Academics

Investors

Others

Current insolvency rules and regulations under review are:

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2016 The IBBI (Form of Annual Statement of Accounts) Rules, 2018 The IBBI (Annual Report) Rules, 2018 The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Insolvency and Liquidation Proceedings of Financial Service Providers and Application to Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2019 The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Application to Adjudicating Authority for Insolvency Resolution Process for Personal Guarantors to Corporate Debtors) Rules, 2019 The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Application to Adjudicating Authority for Bankruptcy Process for Personal Guarantor to Corporate Debtor) Rules, 2019 The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process) Rules, 2021

The call for public participation can be viewed as Indias broader effort to streamline regulatory processes and reduce compliance costs. Ahead of the interim budget in 2024, Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the need for financial sector regulators to review existing regulations based on inputs from the public and regulated entities.

Regulatory amendments under the IBC can be accessed here: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (ibbi.gov.in)

Establishing a robust framework for corporate governance

India is working toward establishing a strong corporate governance framework to facilitate business operations and improve compliance. The need to streamline compliance, bureaucracy, and adjudication procedures is crucial.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 was launched to provide a time-bound, market mechanism for reorganization and insolvency resolution of persons (companies, limited liability partnerships, partnership and proprietorship firms, and individuals) in financial distress. During the pandemic period, the IBBI considered it expedient to provide an efficient alternative insolvency resolution process under the IBC Code for corporate MSMEs that would result in quicker, cost-effective, and value-maximizing outcomes for all stakeholders in a manner that is least disruptive to their business continuity. The Pre-packaged Insolvency Resolution Process (PPIRP) has been made available for corporate MSMEs. For resolving stress where the default is at least INR 1o million (US$119,792), the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) is available. The current PPIRP scheme for MSMEs allows only the debtor to trigger its own bankruptcy process, subject to the approval of financial creditors having at least 66 percent of voting power.

The latest IBC review also includes adjustments in thresholds for different categories of companies regarding mandatory governance and compliance obligations. Legal pronouncements from various judicial bodies and ongoing technological advancements worldwide have influenced the review process.

To enhance efficiency within the insolvency and bankruptcy regulatory ecosystem, the MCA has proposed to introduce an electronic platform that would streamline tasks, such as case management, automated filings, notice delivery, and record storage for the institutions involved.

Outlook

Industry insiders suggest that the PPIRP schemes long procedures and associated costs have limited the scope of benefits for MSMEs. On the other hand, bankruptcy experts hope that large enterprises that have the financial capacity to bear the expenses of drawn-out procedures will be added to the PPIRP scheme.

(US$1 = INR83.48)
Photo courtesy: PR Team

As part of the Earth Day celebrations, the W.E.Nature Society in collaboration with the NSS unit of Loreto College, Kolkata and Tarumitra  Friends of Trees jointly celebrated Earth Day on April 18 and19, April 2024.

Photo courtesy: PR Team

The two-day event centred around eco-friendly group activities organized for the college students on Day 1 and for the school students on Day 2.

The inaugural session began with a prayer song and a welcome address by Dr. Sr. A. Nirmala, Sister-in-Charge, Loreto College followed by Planting a Promise in which seeds of Aparajita, Red Lucky Seed, White and Pink Kachnar were sown by Dr. Sr. A. Nirmala, society heads, students and teachers.

Photo courtesy: PR Team

A documentary was shown on the role of Tarumitra in promoting ecological sensitivity among students.

On both days the students actively participated in meaningful eco-friendly group activities like making bird baths, bird feeders, seed bombs, nest making, eco-friendly Rangoli, best out of waste and Earth meditation.

Photo courtesy: PR Team

The activities were organized to sensitize the students to conserve natural resources and make optimum use of the resources available to promote sustainable practices and to encourage the students to adopt them.

Photo courtesy: PR Team

The activities helped them reflect upon their actions and captured the essence of their thought process towards preserving natural resources and saving planet Earth. The students then presented their innovative sustainable ideas.
Kolkata hosts a show on sustainable fashion. Photo Courtesy: PR Team of British Deputy High Commission Kolkata

Sustainable fashion was the key theme of the graduating fashion show of the students of JD Birla Institute organised in partnership with Indo-British Scholars Association (IBSA).

The sustainable fashion show was held at Nicco Park, East Pavillion on Friday.

The event Kaleidoscope showcased six ensemble designs crafted by the graduating students of JDBI.

These ensembles were Sunset Mosaic (beachwear adventure in patchwork from waste), Retrofitted Renaissance (A modern circular twist to tradition), Royal Threads (Reinterpreting the Rajputana through Benarasi craftsmanship), Biodiversity (Fashion extravaganza from sustainable new-age fibres), Bottled Swagger (Sustainable symphony of stylish jackets from RPET fabric), and Elements (Riches from waste).

Alison Barrett, MBE, Director, British Council India said: I'm delighted to be here in Kolkata to take part in the sustainable fashion show by students of JD Birla Institute and supported by Indo British Scholars' Association. The show celebrates the best of India and the UK in education and culture, and strengthens the 'Living Bridge' pillar of UK alumni in India who connect our two nations."

Subrata Paul, President, IBSA said: This sustainable fashion show is one of our key flagship events. This engagement is one of the ways to demonstrate IBSAs commitment towards sustainability and tackling the challenges of climate change. The retail and fashion industry plays a crucial role towards addressing climate change and the key is by innovating use of textiles and fabrics. We are also keen to work with the youth in increasing awareness of sustainable fashion. Its great to partner with JD Birla Institute and British Council for this initiative. I really thank you, our sponsors, who have supported this event.

The Chief Guest of the event was Kiran Uttam Ghosh.
Photo Courtesy: Elon Musk X page

Tech billionaire Elon Musk made a surprise visit to China and met Chinese Premier Li Qiang amid hopes that he can bring Teslas autonomous driving technology to Beijing.

According to reports, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said the country's huge market will always be open to foreign-funded enterprises.

Li was quoted as saying by CGTN that China will work hard on expanding market access and improving services to provide foreign-funded enterprises with a better business environment and stronger support, so that companies from all countries can invest in China with peace of mind.

Li said Tesla's development in China can be called a successful example of China-U.S. economic cooperation

It is hoped that the U.S. and China will meet halfway more often and promote the stable development of bilateral ties under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the Chinese premier was quoted as saying by CGTN.

Following the meeting, Musk wrote on X: "Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang. We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days."

Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang.



We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days. pic.twitter.com/JCnv6MbZ6W  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2024

Musk reportedly said he is willing to deepen cooperation with China to achieve more win-win results.

Earlier this month, Musk said he would visit India.

However, he delayed the visit.
Photo courtesy: X/@KailashOnline

Indore/IBNS: In a massive jolt to the grand old party just ahead of the elections, Congress' candidate from the Indore Lok Sabha constituency, Akshay Bam, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Madhya Pradesh minister Kailash Vijayvargiya posted a picture on X with Bam, who was seen inside a car with the BJP leader.

Vijayvargiya posted on X, "Congress' Lok Sabha candidate from Indore, Akshay Kanti Bam, is welcome to the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, state unit president VD Sharma."

Local Congress leaders have pointed fingers at the top brass over its decision to hand over ticket to Bam.

Speaking to NDTV, local Congress leader Devendra Singh Yadav said, "I had warned about Akshay Bam to our party leaders. I had warned that he would withdraw his nomination. It pains us that party workers like us have been serving the Congress for years yet the ticket was given to people like him."

The elections in the constituency will be held in the fourth phase on May 13.

Earlier, BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Gujarat's Surat, Mukeshkumar Chandrakant Dalal, had won the elections uncontested after the nominations of other candidates were either rejected or withdrawn.

As many as 15 candidates had filed nominations from the seat. 8 of 15 candidates including the Independents withdrew their nominations.
In frame: Prajwal Revanna | Photo courtesy: X/@iPrajwalRevanna

Bengaluru/IBNS: Janata Dal (Secular) lawmaker Sharangouda Kandkur has demanded the suspension of party leader Prajwal Revanna, who also happens to be the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, over a sex scandal, media reports said.

The controversy erupted in Karnataka after videos showing Revanna allegedly sexually assaulting several women went viral on social media.

It went viral a day after Hassan constituency went to polls in the Lok Sabha contest.

Kandkur told Deve Gowda- the JDS patriarch- that the party has been left with embarrassment and also damaged its reputation.

Meanwhile, Revanna left India for Germany on Saturday morning, after the videos went viral.

Though JDS has kept mum on the row, Deve Gowda's son and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy hinted that Revanna won't be spared if found guilty.

Kumaraswamy also clarified the party has nothing to do with Revanna leaving India.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has formed a special team to probe into the case.

The alleged scandal came to light after a woman filed a complaint against Revanna over sexual assault. She accused the JDS leader of sexually abusing her on several occasions between 2019 and 2022.

The country's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in an alliance with JDS in the Lok Sabha polls, has distanced from the row.
Photo Courtesy:Pixabay

Ajmer/IBNS: A cleric in Rajasthan's Ajmer was beaten to death inside a mosque by three masked men, media reports said.

The incident occurred at Ramganj's Kanchan Nagar on Saturday.

Mohammad Mahir, the victim who is from Uttar Pradesh's Rampura, was reportedly sleeping with six children inside the mosque when the accused entered and attacked the cleric.

The accused also took away Mahir's mobile phones and threatened to kill the children when they were screaming for help.

After the accused left, the children came out of the mosque and told their neighbours about the killing incident.

A case has been filed under Section 302 of IPC.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

Shakirullah Marwat, the district and sessions judge of Pakistan's South Waziristan region, who had appealed to the government and judiciary to accept the demands of his abductors after being kidnapped a day earlier, was released from captivity on Sunday, media reports said.

The Dera Ismail Khan CTD told Dawn News the abductee reached home safely after being recovered unconditionally.

Information Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif later confirmed the judges safe recovery.

In a video statement shared earlier from an unknown location, Marwat was seen saying as quoted by Dawn News: "Taliban brought me here. It is a jungle and a war is going on.

I request the federal and provincial governments, chief justices of Peshawar High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan to make sure the Talibans demands are accepted and my recovery is made sure as soon as possible, he said.

According to reports, an FIR was registered following his abduction at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station.

A CTD official told Dawn News the judges driver, Sher Ali Khan Mehsud, stated in the FIR that he along with Mr Marwat was going to D.I. Khan from Tank when 25 to 30 people equipped with sophisticated weapons intercepted their car at Garah Mohabbat Morr, forcing it to stop.

The gunmen then fired on the vehicle.

They blindfolded the driver and five of them boarded the judges car and drove away.

The FIR added that the judge was dressed in pants and shirt, but the kidnappers took out a shalwar kameez suit from the car and asked him to wear it. The kidnappers then set the car on fire, reported Dawn News.

The FIR said that the gunmen asked the driver to convey to the authorities that their relatives were kept in jails and they would release the judge if their demands were met, but warned of serious consequences otherwise.

The attackers then took the judge on a motorcycle.
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/4.0 International

The Pakistani government is likely to declare an emergency with the aim of bringing back out-of-school children into the education system and preventing further disparity in educational opportunities.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to announce an education emergency for four years to tackle the education crisis in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Sources told ARY News that the prime minister would officially declare education emergency in the country in a ceremony set to take place on Tuesday.

Chief Ministers and education ministers of all provinces are likely to attend the meeting.

Pakistan, a nation battling economic crisis, this year voted to elect a new government in power.

Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the PM after days of political debates and seat calculations with none of the parties winning a clear majority.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Punjab police have initiated the arrest of farmers' leaders in the province after they announced a demonstration in front of the assembly.

Punjabs farmers protesting against delay in purchase of wheat on the fixed government price amid a wet spell in the province, reported ARY News.

The farmers had to stage a protest demonstration in front of the Punjab Assembly in Lahore, the news channel reported.

The police earlier launched a crackdown against them.

President Kashtkar (farmers) Foundation Punjab Mumtaz Daulatana was arrested fro Pir Mahal.

The farmers also protested by wearing chains in their necks in Rahim Yar Khan over delay in official wheat procurement drive, ARY News reported.
Kesso Dialo shops for a book at Clios, a bookstore and bar, in Oakland. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Theres a sense when you enter Clios, an enchanting new bookstore and bar in Oakland, that youve exited time. This cant be 2024: No one is scrolling through a phone or typing on a laptop. All ears are free of headphones. Friends are playing chess, sipping tea from antique cups and saucers.

Mostly, people are reading. Everywhere you look, theres an absorbed reader curled up in a shaggy upholstered armchair, perched on a barstool with a glass of Prosecco and tucked away in a lava lamp-lit den.

In an age when our attention has become a commodity, it feels like a miracle that everyone here is abiding by the same unspoken code. This is a quiet place, a slow place, an analog place. When you enter Clios, you get it.

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Clios is part of a wave of hybrid bookstore-bars in the Bay Area, along with the poetry-centric Golden Sardine in San Francisco. Oaklands North Light, a charming bar with a sunny patio, has sold books since opening in 2019, with tight sections curated by famous authors like Patti Smith, Michael Pollan and Samin Nosrat; Santa Cruzs Bad Animal opened the same year, offering rare books alongside natural wine.

Throughout Clios, delightful discoveries await. One unassuming-looking bookshelf hinges open to reveal a secret nook filled with childrens books. Another room, lit by lava lamp, is devoted to erotica. What could really occupy you for hours at Clios, though, is simply perusing the main shelves. Theyre organized not by genre but by chronology, offering an endlessly engrossing journey through time.

Andrew Brown reads in the lava lamp-lit adult room at Clios. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

I wanted to present human civilization as one long narrative, said owner Timothy Don. The first book on the shelf is the epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest written story in existence. The selection then moves through the years, irrespective of geography or subject  so the Quran (revealed to Muhammad in the seventh century) appears near Beowulf (believed to have been written in the eighth century).

But Dons organizational scheme is more whimsical than mere publication date. Ulysses, by James Joyce, appears in two places: in the 1920s, when it was written, and among the Greek classics, since it is a retelling of Homers Odyssey. Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird is slotted in the 1960s, when it came out, and also in the 1930s, when it is set.

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This makes the browsing experience feel like a game  quick, why is The Meursault Investigation next to The Stranger?  but Don also has a deeper agenda. It provides a window into the extent to which the classics are not just these dead archival tomes written by white men, he said. The classics section includes contemporary writers like Derek Walcott, the Saint Lucian poet whose Omeros retells the Homeric epic, and Anne Carson, the Canadian classics translator.

The idea for a bookstore bar was percolating in the heads of Don and his friend Adam Hatch for years. Their working name for the business was the intentionally cheeky Adult Books. But both were too busy to actually make it happen  Don as the art editor at the literary journal Laphams Quarterly and the founder of the Oakland Book Festival, Hatch as the owner of the Starline Social Club.

Maevis Valentine mixes a drink as Lawrence Marcus relaxes at Clios, a bookstore-bar. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Then the pandemic hit. Starline Social Club closed (then made an unsuccessful, and somewhat controversial, attempt to reopen). Don lost two of his writing gigs. (Laphams Quarterly has since gone on hiatus.) Suddenly, the two had time on their hands. Almost immediately, they found a place with reasonable rent near Lake Merritt. The landlord allowed them to do a gut renovation, combining what was formerly a hair braiding salon, a massage parlor and a tailor shop into a two-story space.

They assembled a curatorial board of about 60 people, some of them scholars with expertise in a particular literary field or historical period. Don donated his own extensive book collection, and to fill the gaps began scouring estate sales (some people whod been living in a house in Moraga for 40 years were way into the Etruscans). Then people started hearing he was looking for books. A retired professor brought in three shelves worth of Bertrand Russell; a son offered up his late mothers prolific set of Faulkner.

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The one genre Don refuses to sell: self-help. The bar is our self-help section, he said. Or go check out the Stoics.

Hatch and Don abandoned Adult Books largely because they wanted it to be clear that the business is kid-friendly, landing instead on Clios, named for the Greek muse of history.

Shohei Postel, 7, reads in the secret childrens room at Clios, a bookstore and bar, on Grand Avenue in Oakland. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Within this cabinet of curiosities, food and drink could easily become an afterthought, but Hatchs selection is lovely, and the pricing remarkably accessible. A short list of wines by the glass (all $10) includes Kermit Lynch classics like the rustic Monferrato Rosso red blend from the Piedmont region of Italy, and theres also something to satisfy natty wine drinkers (currently an orange wine from Deux Punx). Draft beer is $5. House versions of standard cocktails like a negroni, manhattan and mezcal old fashioned are also $10, though upgrades are available; a martini with St. George Terroir Gin, for example, is $12.

Food is coming soon, with a menu of tapas (all under $12) inspired by one of Hatchs favorite bars, Quimet Quimet in Barcelona, Spain. Bites will include loquats with olive, honey and anchovy; a clementine and black olive salad; and montaditos (open-faced sandwiches) with toppings like tuna belly and uni. And while Clios is already serving espresso and tea from its main bar, an outdoor cafe is also in the works with seating on the Perkins Street sidewalk, facing the park. On sunny weekends, theyll grill souvlaki and other barbecue fare outside. You can get an espresso, a calvados or an Aperol spritz, smoke cigarettes and yell about existentialism, Hatch said.

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Speaking of existentialism, philosophy books are routinely among the bestsellers at Clios, to Dons surprise. Not exclusively existentialists, of course. We sell a lot of Hegel, Kant, Freud, he said. Marx sells like crazy. I mean, it is Oakland. The ancient Greek stuff he cant keep in stock.

When he says he sells a lot, Don isnt exaggerating. On one recent Saturday, he said, he sold $900 worth of books. The literary events at Clios  author readings, journal launches, book club-like discussion groups  have drawn up to 90 attendees. (While Don refuses to put Clios on social media, which he views as antithetical to everything hes trying to do here, he conceded he probably will need to start a website with an event calendar at some point.)

Maevis Valentine makes a drink at Clios, a delightful bar in a bookstore. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

As I browsed the shelves at Clios, glass of Verdicchio in hand, I had a pang of regret upon removing a book from its carefully selected niche, as if I were disturbing a museum piece. What heartless person would dare try to buy this first edition of The Princess Marries the Page, a one-act play by Edna St. Vincent Millay marked rare, and remove it from the exhibit?

I expressed this sentiment to Don, who laughed but said he knew what I meant. Theres certain books I have on the shelf that Ill put some ridiculous price on because I dont want them to disappear, he said. But he acknowledged that he is trying to break this attitude. This is not a dead archive. Buy the books. Take them home, read them. If you bring them back, Ill give you a drink and well put them back on the shelf.

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In the end, I saved myself the moral crisis and bought The Theoretical Foot by M.F.K. Fisher, a book of which Clios had multiple copies.
Photo Courtesy: Pixabay

Local clerics and tribal leaders in Pakistan's Landi Kotal, a tribal belt of the country, have imposed a ban on music and gambling in their respective areas.

A Jirga of the local clerics and elder was held in Nalo Shaheed area and decided that locals and more specifically picnic makers would not be allowed to play music, gamble, dance or do anything against the sharia law, The Express Tribune reported.

The participation of a local additional SHO also showed that police also supported the decision, the newspaper reported.

This is not the first time that local clerics have taken the law in their own hands.

In September 2017, local clerics gathered at a religious seminary. They were led by Syed Muhammad Ilyas Binori, the newspaper reported.

The Jigra then gathered musical instruments and tv sets and torched them in the presence of a crowd.

They stated it as steps to get rid of anti-Islamic practices.

Following the order, locals and social media users protested and demanded strict action against clerics.

The head of the seminary signed a written statement in which the entire episode was declared a gross misunderstanding and assured that there would be no repeat of it, The Express Tribune.

Similar scenes are common in Afghanistan

The Taliban in Afghanistan had imposed a ban on women's education, playing musical instruments and singing since snatching power in the country in 2021.

Taliban has also banned women from operating beauty salons in Afghanistan.

Despite facing formidable challenges, women-owned and run businesses in Afghanistan continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience, serving as vital pillars of economic stability and hope amidst adversity, a new UN report has found.

Released by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) on Wednesday, Listening to Women Entrepreneurs in Afghanistan, Their Struggle and Resilience, analyses data collected over the last three years, providing one of the most detailed views into the changing circumstances of women entrepreneurs in the country.

Women entrepreneurs have demonstrated incredible grit, boldness and resourcefulness under the most dire of conditions, said Kanni Wignaraja, UNDPs regional director for Asia and the Pacific.

The research revealed that Afghanistans women entrepreneurs face a range of hurdles and high costs while doing business.

Deepened discrimination and operational constraints coupled with a severely weakened financial system has forced 41 per cent of the over 3,000 women surveyed into debt.

Almost three quarters of respondents also reported severe movement restrictions, such as not being able to travel even to local markets without a mahram (a male chaperone).

Only five per cent reported having received loans via banks or microfinance institutions.
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons/ShareAlike 4.0 International

Karachi University is heading towards a complete closure after the non-teaching staff of the institute said they will observe pen-down strike for an indefinite period from Monday (April 29, 2024) till the acceptance of their demands by the varsity administration, an episode highlighting the tough situation in Pakistan and how things remained the same even after the change in the federal government.

Academic activities on the campus have partially been suspended since April 22 due to the teachers boycott of KU evening classes, reported Dawn News.

They are demanding for payment of leave encashment, reimbursement of medical bills and remuneration of evening classes pending for more than a year.

Speaking to Dawn News, senior KU teachers said that the non-teaching staffs boycott would likely lead to a complete suspension of academic and administrative activities on Monday.

Discontentment on the campus, they said, ran high given the administrations repeated failure to address employees grievances.

They hope that the strike called by the non-teaching staff will put pressure on administration and ensure their demands are met.

This decision would be taken up by teachers in the upcoming general body to be held this week after the elections on the two seats (each) of the KU senate and syndicate, Kuts president Prof Shah Aliul Qadr told Dawn News.

Education emergency

The Pakistani government is likely to declare an emergency with the aim of bringing back out-of-school children into the education system and preventing further disparity in educational opportunities.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to announce an education emergency for four years to tackle the education crisis in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Sources told ARY News that the prime minister would officially declare an education emergency in the country in a ceremony set to take place on Tuesday.

Chief Ministers and education ministers of all provinces are likely to attend the meeting.

Pakistan, a nation battling economic crisis, this year voted to elect a new government in power.

Shehbaz Sharif took oath as the PM after days of political debates and seat calculations with none of the parties winning a clear majority.
Colby Trickle was sentenced to life in prison for killing his wife. Photo Courtesy: Colby Trickle Facebook page

A US man allegedly killed his wife in 2019 and then used her life insurance payout to buy a life-sized sex doll worth nearly USD 2,000.

The man was identified as Colby Trickle and he allegedly killed his wife in 2019.

After murdering her, Colby Trickle called 911 and told the operator that his 26-year-old wife Kristen Trickle had shot herself in their Kansas home.

Sergeant Brandon Hauptman from the Hays Police Department was the responding officer and after speaking with Colby Trickle, and looking at the scene, he was suspicious, reported CBS News.

Three days later, coroner Dr. Lyle Noordhoek ruled that Kristen Trickle committed suicide which freed Colby Trickle to move ahead in his life.

However, investigators kept working further on the case.

Colby Trickle, who was in the Army Reserve, cashed in on two life insurance policies for his wife totaling more than $120,000, reported CBS News.

Detective Joshua "JB" Burkholder tells "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty as quoted by CBS News, "There's a mourning process that I think everyone needs to go through  should go through when a loved one dies  and to have him ordering this type of doll just months after his wife's death was concerning."

When Kristen Trickle's 's aunt, Delynn Rice, heard about the doll, she felt 'appaled'.

She told CBS News: "I was just appalled that he would use Kristen's life insurance money for a sex doll. It just was like he bought a replacement of her with her money."

According to reports, apart from buying a sex doll, Colby Trickle also spent thousands of dollars on video games, paying off debts, and buying music equipment in hopes of becoming a performer.

On July 14, 2021, 21 months after Kristen Trickle's death, Colby Trickle was charged with murder in the first degree and interfering with law enforcement, reported CBS News.

In November 2023, more than four years after Kristen Trickle died, her husband was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 50 years.
Demonstrators raise Palestinian flag at Harvard University campus. Photo Courtesy: Dr. Eli David X page

The ongoing pro-Palestine demonstrations across US universities are spreading like wildfire with anti-Israeli demonstrators recently flying a Palestinian flag at a spot in the Harvard University which is usually reserved for the American flag.

With protests spiralling out of control in the USA, a section of the protesting students could be seen in viral video trying to occupy the Harvard campus.

US  flag at @Harvard removed and replaced by Palestine  flag.



This has nothing to do with Israel, and everything to do with toppling US and the Western civilization.



pic.twitter.com/2hwANS8Jfn  Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) April 28, 2024

In a video, three demonstrating students could be seen raising the Palestinian flag over the iconic statue of John Harvard.

As the staff removed the flags, protesters yelled 'Shame!' and chanted 'Free, free Palestine' and 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free', reported The Harvard Crimson.

As the campus services Harvard staff member walked away with the Palestinian flags and two HUPD police officers, a student protester on the steps of University Hall attempted to grab the flags from the facilities staffer. Surrounding protesters immediately urged him to stop, the news portal reported.

A spokesperson of the university said the students actions violated Harvards policy.

The flags raised by protesters over University Hall were removed by Harvard facilities staff, the spokesperson told The New York Post. The actions are a violation of University policy and the individuals involved will be subject to disciplinary action.

A similar web of protests has been seen in recent times on various college campuses in the USA.

The demonstrations have been taking place over Israel's counter-offensive response on Gaza following attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
When we plan trips, we often get excited about visiting famous tourist spots we've heard so much about. However, some of these places don't always live up to the hype. Here are seven tourist spots that might leave you feeling underwhelmed.

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7 Most Overrated Tourist Spots Across The World

1) Mona Lisa painting (Louvre Museum, Paris)

Many people dream of seeing the famous Mona Lisa painting in person, but when they finally do, they might be surprised at how small it is and how crowded the room is. And, it's often hard to get a good view because of all the other tourists trying to take pictures.

2) Times Square (New York City, USA)

Times Square is known for its bright lights and bustling atmosphere, but it's also extremely crowded and noisy. Also, many of the stores and restaurants are overpriced, and it can be hard to appreciate the area's famous landmarks with so many people around.

times-square

3) Mount Rushmore (South Dakota, USA)

Mount Rushmore is famous for its giant sculptures of former U.S. presidents, but many visitors are disappointed to find that it's much smaller in real life than it looks in pictures. The entire experience is quite underwhelming since there isn't much else to do in the area besides taking pictures of the sculptures.

4) Madame Tussauds (Various locations worldwide)

Madame Tussauds is famous for its lifelike wax figures of celebrities and historical figures, but some visitors find the experience a bit creepy or touristy. Plus, the admission prices can be quite high for what you get.

Instagram/Anushka

5) Stonehenge (Wiltshire, England)

Stonehenge is a mysterious and ancient monument, but when you visit, you might be surprised at how far away you have to stand from the stones. There's not much else to see or do in the area, so the visit can feel a bit anticlimactic.

6) Little Mermaid statue (Copenhagen, Denmark)

The Little Mermaid statue is inspired by the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, but when you see it in person, you might be surprised at how overhyped and small it is. Additionally, it's often surrounded by tourists, making it hard to get even a good picture.

little mermaid

7) Manneken Pis (Brussels, Belgium)

Manneken Pis is a small bronze statue of a little boy peeing, and while it's a famous symbol of Brussels, many visitors find it underwhelming in person. The area around the statue can be crowded and dirty, making it a rather overrated tourist spot.

While these tourist spots are famous for a reason, it's essential to manage your expectations before visiting them. Remember that there are plenty of other exciting and less crowded places to explore during your travels.

For more on lifestyle, astrology and health from around the world please visit Indiatimes Lifestyle.
Not just the story and stellar performances, Laapataa Ladies dialogues also stole the show. The Kiran Rao directorial has got a new lease of life after its OTT release on Netflix. The heart-warming film about two brides who get lost on the same train leaves you with a beautiful thought and message to remember for life. As fans watched the film on OTT, they are simply bowled over. They are sharing their favourite scenes from the Aamir Khan production, especially the ones featuring Chhaya Kadam aka Manju Maai whose one-liners were quite hard hitting.

Hard-Hitting Lines By M From Laapataa Ladies

This performance by Chhaya Kadam in #LaapataaLadies is transcendental  pic.twitter.com/ZK8VKZzja0  Sukhada (@appadappajappa) April 27, 2024

1. "My husband and son would get drunk and beat me up. And then they would say, 'A man who loves you has the right to hit you. One day, I exercised my right as well."

Netflix

2. "Being happy on your own is the toughest thing, Phool. But yes, once you master it, no one can bother you."

Netflix

3. "For centuries, women in this country have been duped. This con is known as 'a respectable girl.'"

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4. "There's nothing shameful in being a fool. But feeling proud of being a fool is shameful."

Netflix

5. "Women can farm and cook. We can give birth to children and raise them. If you think about it, women don't really need men at all. But if women figured this out, men would be screwed, wouldn't they?"

Netflix

Chhaya Kadam AKA Manju Maai

Chhaya Kadam who essayed the role of Manju Maai predominantly works in Hindi as well as Marathi movies. You have previously seen her in films like Sairat, and Jhund and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi among others. Talking about the movie, he had previously told Bollywood Hungama in an interview, "The movie is so special for women. It speaks about their education and rights. For example, Phool is happy by being a wife and having that ghoonghat. So that needs to change. But I feel that every woman should get to do what makes her feels good. Like, Jaya (Pratibha) wanted to study further. Even my character got such dialogues to mouth. Like, Maine bhi haq jama diya. And I am also like that when it comes to dealing with an abusive husband. So, this film is so important even for single women."

Also Read: Meet The Talented Star Cast Of Laapataa Ladies Who Uplifted A Great Story With Their Stellar Performances

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Weekly Horoscope: Hey there! Get ready for your weekly horoscope, covering 28th April to 5th May, 2024. Wondering what the stars have in store for you? Let's take a peek into the future and see what the universe has planned for each zodiac sign.

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Weekly Horoscope

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

aries

This week, Aries, you're feeling a surge of creativity and passion, leading you to make bold moves in both your personal and professional life. However, remember to balance your enthusiasm with practicality to avoid burning out before the week ends.



Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

taurus

Taurus, this week is all about finding stability and security in your relationships and finances, leading you to make wise decisions that benefit your long-term goals. Stay open to new opportunities that come your way, as they could lead to unexpected blessings.



Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

gemini

Gemini, communication is key for you this week, as misunderstandings could arise if you're not clear about your intentions. Focus on expressing yourself honestly and listening attentively to others to avoid conflicts and maintain harmony in your relationships.



Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

cancer

This week, Cancer, you're encouraged to focus on self-care and emotional healing, allowing yourself to let go of past hurts and embrace new beginnings. Trust your intuition when making decisions, as it will guide you towards what's truly best for you.

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

leo

Leo, you're feeling ambitious and ready to take charge of your life, but be mindful not to steamroll over others in pursuit of your goals. Collaboration and compromise will be key to achieving success this week, so remember to work together with those around you.



Virgo (August 23 - September 22)

virgo

Virgo, this week is all about finding balance between work and play, as you're tempted to throw yourself into your responsibilities at the expense of your own well-being. Remember to prioritize self-care and relaxation to maintain your mental and physical health.

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

libra

Libra, your social life takes center stage this week, as you find joy and fulfillment in connecting with others and building meaningful relationships. Embrace opportunities to network and collaborate, as they could lead to exciting new ventures in the future.



Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

scorpio

Scorpio, this week brings a focus on your career and ambitions, motivating you to pursue your goals with passion and determination. Trust your instincts and don't be afraid to take risks, as they could lead to significant rewards down the line.



Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

sagittarius

Sagittarius, you're craving adventure and excitement this week, prompting you to seek out new experiences and expand your horizons. Embrace spontaneity and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, as it will lead to personal growth and fulfillment.



Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

capricorn

Capricorn, this week calls for introspection and reflection, as you assess your priorities and set new goals for yourself. Take time to nurture your emotional well-being and connect with your inner self, as it will guide you towards greater clarity and purpose.



Aquarius (January 20 - February 18)

aquarius

Aquarius, your creativity is in full bloom this week, inspiring you to express yourself through art, music, or other forms of self-expression. Trust your unique perspective and don't be afraid to share your ideas with the world, as they have the potential to inspire others.



Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

pisces

Pisces, this week brings a focus on your relationships, as you seek deeper connections with loved ones and resolve any conflicts that may arise. Practice empathy and understanding in your interactions, as it will strengthen your bonds and bring greater harmony into your life.



For more on lifestyle, astrology and health from around the world please visit Indiatimes Lifestyle.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making a big impact, causing job losses and prompting many to learn it to stay up-to-date. If you are interested in a job in AI, you may need to head to the Pink City! Interestingly, Jaipur has emerged as the leader in AI job growth among Tier 2 cities, according to a recent report.

Tier 2 & 3 cities are leading the AI job growth: Here's why

According to a report by GetWork, an HRtech platform, Tier 2 Indian cities like Jaipur, Gwalior, Haridwar, Jodhpur, Agra, and others are experiencing a rise in AI job opportunities.

AI

The platform analysed its database and found that approximately 13% of the AI job opportunities posted in the last five months were located in Tier 2 and 3 cities in India.



This surge in job postings for AI roles can be attributed to the growing talent pool in these cities and the availability of cost-effective labor.

As a result, leading companies are actively shifting their focus to these remote Tier 2 and 3 cities, which has contributed to the increase in AI job opportunities there.

Jaipur ranks highest in AI job opportunities, Bangalore still holds strong

GetWork's report reveals that Jaipur had the highest number of AI job openings, followed by Indore and South Goa.

Other Tier 2 and 3 cities with AI job opportunities included Agra, Dhar, Gwalior, Haridwar, Jabalpur, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Trivandrum, Udaipur, Bhopal, and Bikaner.

Job opportunity

It's evident that remote cities in the northern part of the country saw more AI job openings compared to smaller cities in the south.



While Tier 2 and 3 cities experienced a steady increase in AI job opportunities, Tier 1 cities like Bangalore, Delhi NCR, and Hyderabad maintained a strong demand, accounting for 86% of the total AI job openings, according to GetWork's report.

Additionally, the Indian Silicon Valley contributed to 34% of AI job openings in the last five months, followed by Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata.

Which AI job positions are in high demand?

Unsplash

Which AI job positions are in high demand?

The report indicated that AI positions like AI/ML Engineer, Robotics Engineer, Robotics Trainer, and Data Scientist had the highest number of job openings.

Additionally, prominent companies actively hiring in the AI sector include Microsoft, Google, Uniphore, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Apple, and others.

For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education.
On Sunday, shocking footage from Avadi, Chennai, surfaced, showing an infant sitting precariously on the edge of a tin roof at an apartment complex. The video, now circulating on social media, depicts the dramatic rescue of the baby. While the situation is alarming, it's also heartening to witness the community coming together to save the child.



A daring rescue of infant

The video unfolds with screams from bystanders as they witness a baby perched on the edge of a tin roof, dangerously close to a potential fall, such that any small movement could lead to a tragic outcome.

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According to the video's caption, the baby, just seven months old, had accidentally slipped from the fourth floor and ended up on a window porch.



This incident occurred in a tall apartment complex located in Thirumullaivoyal.

The tension escalates as the video progresses, with three men attempting to climb from the first floor to reach the baby. Meanwhile, others on the ground anxiously hold a bedsheet, prepared to catch the infant if she slips.

The harrowing scene keeps viewers on the edge of their seats as the courageous men work together to rescue the baby.

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Finally, with assistance from each other and amidst cheers from the crowd, one man successfully secures the baby and brings her to safety.



Watch the video here:

Disclaimer: Some readers may find the video disturbing. Discretion is advised.



Dramatic rescue of a toddler in Chennai! Good samaritans came together to save the seven-month-old baby who accidentally slipped from the fourth floor and landed on a window porch. The incident took place at a high-rise apartment society in Thirumullaivoyal. pic.twitter.com/O7QDOaIMkW  Sachin (@Sachin54620442) April 28, 2024

Baby fell while mother was nursing her

According to Avadi Police Commissioner Shankar, the incident took place at VGN Stafford, a residential area in Avadi. The baby fell while her mother, Ramya, was nursing her on the balcony.

"She fell when the mother was nursing her. The video and the rescue are genuine. We have not received any formal complaint. The child is doing fine," he said, speaking to NDTV.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
In an incident reminiscent of the Chipko movement, residents and nature enthusiasts in Navi Mumbai joined hands on Sunday to quietly protest against the destruction of Belapur Hill. The residents, which included many women as well, expressed their concerns about rapid encroachments, illegal temple construction, and tree cutting.



The Chipko movement was a non-violent environmental movement in India, primarily in the state of Uttarakhand (formerly known as Uttar Pradesh) during the 1970s, characterised by villagers - especially women - hugging trees to protect them from being cut down by loggers.

Chipko movement/ SUGi Project

Stop murder of trees, say residents

Carrying banners with messages like 'Save Belapur Hills' and 'Stop Murder of Trees,' residents gathered near MGM Hospital junction in Belapur to form a human chain.

B N Kumar, director of NatConnect Foundation, pointed out that despite residents raising concerns for nine years, numerous illegal temples have sprung up on the hill. NatConnect Foundation is an environmental protection organization located in Mumbai.

Kumar noted the participation of many housewives and children in the movement, who took time to support the cause silently.

BCCL

Concerns over illegal temples and lack of government action

The issue dates back to 2015 when temple construction in the Belapur hill had first begun.

Kapil Kulkarni, a local resident, expressed concern that encroachments are increasing without any government intervention, noting that, "Now we can see at least 20 temples on the hill."

Another resident, Himanshu Katkar, found it alarming that illegal structures even have access to water and power connections.

In response to NatConnect's complaint about the risk of landslides in the upcoming monsoon due to the structures weakening the hill, the chief minister instructed the Urban Development department to investigate.

However, Cidco, which controls the forest land, has yet to take decisive action. Meanwhile, NatConnect has filed an RTI application to learn about the steps taken to protect the hill. Kumar also notified the Cidco chief vigilance officer, who mentioned that a committee is reviewing the matter.

For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Neighborhoods near the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond are among the California communities designated as disadvantaged using an environmental harm screening tool. Nina Riggio/The Chronicle 2021

Regarding The Bay Area has the fifth dirtiest air of any region in America  worse than L.A. Heres why (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, April 24): The American Lung Associations State of the Air report confirms what Brightline Defense sees every day as we monitor air quality in Chinatown, SoMa, Bayview-Hunters Point and the Tenderloin in San Francisco.

We see it in the data we collect and hear about the real-world effect of dismal air quality in our conversations with the communities we serve. Recently, a single-room-occupancy hotel tenant leader shared that they were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease even though they have never smoked or been exposed to pollution while working.

We agree with the American Lung Association that state funding is key for the Bay Area. That funding is channeled through state mapping tools like CalEnviroScreen, and as CalMatters reported in the Chronicle in February, that screening often misses some of our most polluted communities.

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Brightlines on-the-ground experience in San Francisco tells us this is not an abstract policy debate: for every diesel engine we can retire, every building we can decarbonize, every zero-emission space and water heater that is installed, there are real people in our community who will benefit and breathe easier.

Eddie Ahn, executive director, Brightline Defense, San Francisco

Take lesson from past

Regarding Fix Americas problems (Letters to the Editor, April 24): Rich Ibarra takes issue the pending $95 billion foreign aid package that would mostly go to Ukraine and Israel, claiming the money would be better spent on homelessness programs here at home.

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While Ibarras point of view Im sure is sincere, it represents a naive and historically ignorant attitude about disregarding aggression abroad by totalitarian dictators. America tried isolationism before the 1930s, and it emboldened aggression by Hitler and Japan that led to World War II.

America retreating from the world will not bring peace, itll just encourage dictators to be more aggressive and make the world more dangerous, which is the historical lesson of the 1930s.

The only question is, are we going to learn from that mistake or repeat it?

Frank Sullivan, San Francisco

Not all protests alike

Regarding Campus activism is on full display in Berkeley. Voting, not so much (Joe Garofoli, SFChronicle.com, April 24): Malak Afaneh may be a successful law student, but she is a pretty lousy historian.

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Disruptive protests did not end the Vietnam War, as Afanah says. They probably extended the war by spurring a backlash in Middle America and giving Richard Nixon the visuals he used to win as the law-and-order presidential candidate in 1968 (and he then prolonged the war for years).

The few American social movements that succeeded  Civil Rights, the pro-life movement  combined demonstrations that elicited sympathy (not frustration) with pragmatic mainstream politics. Shut-it-down actions typically backfire (e.g., Occupy Wall Street).

If the current protests aggravate enough otherwise uninterested Americans, their major effect may well be, a rerun of 1968, the election of Donald Trump.

Claude Fischer, Berkeley

Maintain energy efficiency

Now that Berkeley has repealed its ban on new gas appliances, its important to note the other ways we can reduce emissions in our homes and workplaces.

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The cleanest, most affordable energy in the world is the energy we dont use! Surveys have shown that Americans overwhelmingly support energy efficiency and conservation measures that cut energy waste and save people money. In all conversations regarding clean energy and our nations green transition, we must make efficiency a core element of our plans.

However, several bills proposed in Congress recently would undermine the federal governments ability to set responsible efficiency standards.

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

People need to know this is happening, and they need to tell their members of Congress to vote against: HR6192, the Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act; HR7673, the Liberty in Laundry Act; HR7645, the Clothes Dryers Reliability Act; HR7637, the Refrigerator Freedom Act; HR7626, the Affordable Air Conditioning Act; and HR7700, the Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards Act.

Stop these bills, and we can all save money and protect the environment, too.

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While the title of Worlds Best Airport keeps shifting between Singapore and Doha, it looks like Dubai is gearing up to give tough competition to the two countries.

Construction commenced on a new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai on Sunday. The ruler of the Gulf emirate declared it as "the world's largest" terminal, with an estimated cost of approximately $35 billion (equivalent to Rs 2.9 lakh crore).

"We approved the designs for the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport and (are) commencing construction of the building for AED 128 billion ($34.85 billion)," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates posted on X.

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5 Runaways, 400 Terminals - The Upgraded Dubai Airport Will Have The Capacity To Handle 260 Million Passengers Annually

According to the government announcement, upon full operation, the new terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport will accommodate up to 260 million passengers annually.

The new airport will feature five parallel runways, capable of handling 260 million passengers and providing access to 400 aircraft gates.

Sheikh Mohammed characterized it as possessing "the world's largest capacity" and being "five times larger than the current Dubai International Airport," which ranks among the busiest air hubs globally.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO of Emirates, said, "The initial phase of the project will be completed within a decade, with a capacity to serve 150 million passengers annually."

Today, we approved the designs for the new passenger terminals at Al Maktoum International Airport, and commencing construction of the building at a cost of AED 128 billion as part of Dubai Aviation Corporation's strategy.



Al Maktoum International Airport will enjoy the pic.twitter.com/oG973DGRYX  HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) April 28, 2024

A Game-Changer for Global Connectivity

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The CEO of Emirates further highlighted that the airport will become the primary hub for flagship carrier Emirates, its low-cost counterpart Flydubai, and all airline partners, facilitating global connections to and from Dubai.



Al Maktoum Airport, located on the outskirts of the city, has seen limited traffic since 2010. Authorities aim for it to supplant Dubai International Airport, which has a capacity of handling up to 120 million passengers annually but cannot expand further due to its central location within the city.

Tourism Boom In Dubai

In February, Dubai revealed its highest-ever tourism figures, reporting a record of 17.15 million international overnight visitors in 2023. Hotel occupancy averaged around 77%, indicating robust demand. Despite fluctuations, Dubai's real estate market continues to thrive, approaching historic peak values.

However, the surge in passenger numbers has once again strained the capacity of DXB, as it is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and bordered by two major highways, limiting its ability to expand.

Pinterest

About Al Maktoum International Airport

Al Maktoum International Airport, situated approximately 45 km (28 miles) away from DXB, commenced operations in 2010 with a single terminal. Throughout the pandemic, it functioned as a parking facility for Emirates' double-decker Airbus A380s and other aircraft. Gradually, it has resumed operations, handling cargo and private flights. Additionally, the airport serves as the venue for the biennial Dubai Air Show and possesses ample desert land for potential expansion.
Join us to hear Dr Mohammed Subeh (Emergency Medicine Dept., El Camino Hospital) speak on his experience with health care treating war victims in Gaza.Dr Mohammed Subeh returned from Gaza on March 15 from an 8 week medical mission working with the International Medical Corps in establishing a field hospital in Rafah, Gaza.He will also be participating in Q&A at the end. Come and hear his eyewitness report!FB post: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=732496112394648&set=pcb.732496132394646 Human Rights Institute SJSUStudents for Justice in Palestine at SJSUStudents for a Democratic Society SJSUSJSU ASA
In a strategic move to bolster national security, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias has unveiled a 2 billion euros plan to develop a comprehensive anti-aircraft and anti-drone defence system to shield the country.

The announcement, made at the

Beyond 2024 defence exhibition in Thessaloniki, comes as a direct response to Turkeys growing military capabilities.

Mr. Dendias said the plan had been drafted as a sensible response to Turkeys expanding shipbuilding and drone programs.

Greece is not Luxembourg; our geopolitical reality is such that we cannot consider all our neighbours as friends, he said. While we do not seek to engage in an arms race, our priority remains clear: self-defence and deterrence.

The ambitious project, dubbed the twin domes initiative, aims to establish a protective canopy against aerial threats, enhancing Greeces defensive capabilities.

The move is part of the broader Agenda 2030 program, which Mr. Dendias hailed as the most significant overhaul in the history of the Greek Armed Forces.

The defence ministers announcement has been met with approval from military analysts, who view the investment a critical step to maintaining Greeces sovereignty and regional stability.

The project is expected to integrate cutting-edge technology, including advanced radar systems and interceptive measures, to effectively neutralise potential threats from the air and ensure the safety of Greek skies.

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A migrant sinking has claimed the life of one person, leaving four others missing off the coast of Samos island, authorities had said.

Details of the migrants were not released while search operations nearAgios Isidoros, northwest of Karlovasi continued.

The small boat, which had embarked from the Turkish coast, was spotted by a Coast Guard vessel on Sunday.

A total of 25 survivors were promptly rescued and transported to the port of Malagari. One of the migrants was found unconscious and was initially taken to the Health Center in Karlovasi.

Search operations continue around Samos for the missing persons. The Coast Guard, Frontex, and the vessel Albatross of the Hellenic Rescue Team are conducting ongoing searches based on the testimonies of the survivors.

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The draft law of the Interior Ministry on the productivity bonus for civil servants stands out on the agenda of the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

"The agenda of our monthly meeting includes many topics with focus on the central goal

of our policy which is to improve the daily life of citizens by overcoming pathologies that come from the past so that with bold reforms Greece can gradually approach the advanced states of Europe ," Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said during his introductory statement.

He also noted that the plenary session of the Parliament is discussing on Tuesday a very important draft law, the new judicial map.

Mitsotakis also emphasized: "Therefore we will continue the course of major reforms with even greater intensity and speed in view of the European elections in June, where it will obviously be judged how strong and effective the voices of Greek claims will be in the European Parliament, but also how stable the political landscape is, so that our country stays on a path of progress, approaching Europe."

He also stressed that we must take advantage of the days to come, to remind the citizens of the apparent success of the postal vote, as 180,000 applications have already been submitted. He reiterated that the deadline expires today at midnight.

The prime minister pointed out that greater transparency leads to higher competition and ultimately to reduced prices.

"We stand by the citizen in every way, recognizing that high prices are still the big problem facing Greek citizens," he said, adding that important steps that are being taken in defence, migration, anti-violence measures, economy and digitization of the public sector.

   iefimerida.gr
The officers of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested four suspected cultists and kidnappers in the state.

This was contained in a statement released by the commands Public Relations Officer, ASP John Timfon on Monday.

Timfon disclosed that the suspects were arrested at various locations in Eket Local Government Area of the state following credible information to the command.

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The suspects include one Godwin Adam. 35 years, Isaac Samuel Bassey 25 years Emmanuel Hanson Isong 29 years and Victor Usoro Eyire 35 years.

The statement reads: Sequel to the complaints received by the Command on inter-confraternity clash between different cult groups in Eket and its environs, the Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara gave a matching order to the DPO Eket Division, SP Felix Ekpoudom for the perpetrators to be fished out and prosecuted.

READ MORE: Son Kills 70-Year-Old Mother In Akwa Ibom, Blames Unknown Spirit

In compliance with these directives; on 9/04/2024 at about 4:45 pm, based on credible information, operatives of Eket Division arrested one Godwin Adam Aka Nasarawa m 35yrs of Idong Useme Village, one Isaac Samuel Bassey m 25yrs of Assang Usong Inyong, one Emmanuel Hanson Isong m 29yrs of Idung Uso Village, all of Eket L.G.A.

The Suspect has been on the Command wanted list for being a ringleader terrorizing Eket/Etinan/Ekparakwa Axis. Further effort led to the recovery of One English Pump Action Rifle, one Short Machine Gun (SMG), one locally made revolver pistol, eleven rounds of 9mm ammunitions, and four rounds of live cartridges from their Group Operational Base at Ikot Oku Ikono Village, Uyo L.G.A. Suspect confessed to being a member of Black Axe Cult Group.

Effort is intensified to arrest other fleeing gangs and possible recovery of their weapons. The Command remains resolute in its determination to rid the state of criminal elements.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order to stop the planned increase in subscription prices by Multichoice Nigeria Limited, the operator of DStv and GOtv.

It was gathered that the three-member tribunal, presided over by Saratu Shafii, gave the interim order following an ex-parte motion moved by Ejiro Awaritoma, counsel for the applicant, Festus Onifade.

Recall that the digital company, had last week announced another price increment across its DStv and GOtv packages effective May 1, 2024.

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The company attributed the price increases to rise in the cost of business operations in Nigeria.

According to the notice signed by Multichoice CEO, John Ugbe, sent to its subscribers and customers via email, the new prices for DStv packages are Premium package will now cost N37,000 monthly as against the current N29,500 subscription fee.

The price of the Compact+ bouquet has also increased to N25,000 from 19,800 monthly.

DStv said subscribers on its Compact bouquet will now pay N15,700 as against N12,500 they are currently paying, while those on the Confam package are to pay N9,300, compared to N7,400 currently being paid.

READ MORE: Multichoice Announces Hike In DStv, GOtv Subscription Packages Over High Operational Costs

Meanwhile, the tribunal, in a ruling today, restrained Multi-Choice from going ahead with impending price increase schedule to take effect from May 1, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed before it.

Shaffi said: The 1st defendant is hereby restrained from taking any step(s) that may negatively affect the rights of the claimant and other consumers in respect of the suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
Former Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, has advised the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to surrender himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Communities, EFCC.

Ortom gave the advise Sunday at the Regional Headquarters of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, in Makurdi during a thanksgiving service organized by his former appointees to mark his 63rd birthday anniversary.

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He said it was improper for the former Governor to go into hiding when called upon by the anti graft agency to clarify issues bordering on his tenure as Governor.

According to him, the act of evading the invitation of the anti-graft agency and trying to flee would bring shame and disgrace to former Governors.

His words, let me use this opportunity to advise my younger brother and friend, former Governor Yahaya Bello not to disgrace former Governors.

If you are called to come and account for your stewardship by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, go there.

You do not need to hide from EFCC, you do not need to resist arrest or anything. Go there and explain. EFCC are human beings who are doing their work.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC Shuts 50 Kaduna Outlets Selling Cooking Oil In Dirty Environ

If they are making inquiries, the laws are there. I have tried to get him on phone, I could not, I tried those around him, I could not. I want him to note, wherever he is, if he can hear me from there, he should go before the EFCC.

The former governor who lauded his former appointees for celebrating him at 63 said I did not know that I am still being appreciated after leaving office. This gesture may make me come out of my hibernation.

Being in power as Governor for eight years, he said, was not an easy task given the challenges and restrictions.

He said you live like a prisoner, you are restricted and many people you would want to see, you are unable to see them while those that want to see you will not be able to see you because of the security restriction. And some will hate you thinking it was deliberate.

I know that it is not everything I did that favoured everyone and it was not everything I did that favoured me also, that is the fact.

That is why I always encourage everyone of us to pray for leaders, pray for our President, Governors, political office holders and others including the clergy.

We are all prone to make mistakes as human beings because we are not perfect, prayer is very important.
One of the campaign coordinators of the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Abbey Excel has been killed by some yet to be identified gunmen, on Sunday.

Abbey, who served as a ward coordinator for the Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organisation Foot-Soldiers, was reportedly murderd at his home in Supare Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of the state.

The Director-General, David Ajobiewe, who condemned the killing of the Ondos Rulling All Progressive Congress chieftain, stated that the deceased wasnt a violent person.

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READ MORE: Ondo 2024: Why APC Declared Primary Election Inconclusive

Ajobiewe urged police to unravel the death of the late campaign coordinator.

He said: Excel had been a resourceful coordinator for the Aiyedatiwa campaign organisation in Ward 10 of Supare and was never known to be violent and never had any history of a local or domestic dispute.

We urge the police authorities to step up investigations into his gruesome murder and bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to book.

Also confirming the horrible incident in an interview with PUNCH, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, said: The state command is aware of the incident (killing) but the investigation is ongoing to unravel all that happened.
Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole has faulted Governor Usman Ododo for interfering in the saga between his predecessor, Yahaya Bello and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While speaking at a national integration conference at the weekend, Oshiomhole termed the action as a breach of law.

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According to Oshiomhole, Bellos refusal to show up in court also constitutes a breach of the law.

The senator also urged citizens to speak up against breaches of the law, irrespective of who is involved.

He said, If you are afraid, given the fact that you are very vocal, you are independent, you cannot be dismissed, you cannot be promoted or demoted

READ ALSO: Fuel Scarcity: NNPC Faults Oil Marketers Claim Of No Product In Stock, Urges Against Panic Buying

if you are afraid to mention the name of a former governor who breached the law and a sitting governor who used his immunity to cover a governor that lost immunity, where will the courage come from? Oshiomhole said.

This sophistry of saying we can name the child of a poor man who steal(s) a goat but we are afraid to mention the name of a big man who breached the law, that for me is at the root of our problems.

Recall that EFCC is accusing Bello, immediate-past governor of Kogi, of money laundering and corruption to the tune of N80.2 billion.

The EFCC operatives laid siege to Bellos Abuja residence in a bid to arrest him for grilling.

However, Ododo made an entrance and in a rescue effort, allegedly left the residence with Bello.
Copay accumulators place an immense and unnecessary financial burden on individuals who need treatment for serious diseases. Tom Kelley/Getty Images 2022

Until 2003, my life was happily uneventful  I was in good health, had a supportive family and partner, and my career was blossoming. I loved my life in the Bay Area  I was biking, hiking, learning to dance and going to museums, concerts and the theater. Then, one Friday morning in September, I awoke to a large dark smudge in the vision of my left eye; within six weeks, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

I remember crying on the Richmond BART line on my way home from the doctor that day. I had always taken pride in being an active, capable and self-sufficient person. What if MS, a disease that attacks the central nervous system and can leave someone severely disabled, took all of that away from me?

Fortunately, I found a terrific neurologist and together we determined the best medication for me. It worked well  over the past 21 years Ive only had a few relapses. Ive learned how to manage my time and energy to avoid fatigue, which triggers my symptoms. But theres no way of getting around the fact that MS is an expensive illness. According to a 2017 study, the average cost for the drugs a person with MS needs is $70,000 per year. Add visits to multiple doctors and routine specialized imaging testing, and the cost only goes up.

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With no cure for the disease, I and the nearly 1 million other people with MS in the U.S. can expect to take medications and access high levels of health care for the rest of our lives. Living with a serious neurological disease is stressful enough  the last thing any of us needs is to worry about unpredictable costs for our health care.

But that is exactly the situation many of us find ourselves in.

In 2022, I had to change my insurance provider and ended up on a plan with a $5,000 deductible. Fortunately, I qualified for a patient assistance program offered by the drug manufacturer that pays $20,000 annually toward the cost of my medication. After using my debit card from the program to pay for a three-month supply of my medication, I assumed that I had paid out my annual deductible. After all, that is the point of the program  to help ease a patients financial burden. But later, when I sought other medical treatments, my insurance company told me that the patient assistance funds did not apply to my deductible, and I was still on the hook to pay it in full.

Why? Because my insurance plan includes a provision in the fine print called a copay accumulator adjustment policy that prevents the value of my patient assistance program from being applied toward my annual cost-sharing obligation.

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In other words, my insurance company was double dipping and demanding that I cover the cost.

As someone who is living off my savings right now, I have to scrutinize every dollar spent. Having the unexpected additional burden of paying out my deductible to access health care has meant Ive had to pull even more from my shrinking savings and spread my payments across credit cards. Because of the costs, I have had to delay seeking treatment for nonurgent issues related to my MS, such as an MRI to track the progression of the disease and vision care to monitor its effect on my optic nerve.

Im not the only one in this impossible situation. According to surveys released by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, over 70% of people with MS have relied on patient assistance programs to maintain access to their medications, and 40% of individuals with MS have altered their treatment plans due to cost. Altering a treatment plan is risky  it can lead to disease progression, increased risk of disability and increased need for urgent health care including hospitalizations.

Many state legislatures have recognized copay accumulators for what they are: harmful policies that place an immense and unnecessary burden on individuals with serious illnesses and diseases. Twenty states as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico have already banned copay accumulators, but in California, theyre still legal.

Fortunately, that could change. In February, Assembly Member Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) introduced AB2180, which would ban copay accumulators in California and ensure that copay assistance funds benefit people, not insurance companies.

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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

Critics of the bill argue that copay assistance steers people to higher-cost drugs; however, my doctor and I didnt choose my medication based on how pricey it was  we chose the medication that treats my condition effectively and allows me to live my best possible life and contribute to society. Other people with chronic illnesses are doing the same. We are not being foolish health care consumers; were just trying to stay as healthy as possible by taking the medications and completing the tests our doctors have prescribed.
Former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, at the weekend, criticised some Northern Governors who traveled to the United States (US) for a security summit.

The US Institute of Peace had invited some governors from north-west and north-central zones to a two-day symposium on peace and security in northern Nigeria.

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The event took place between April 23 and 25.

Umar Bago, Governor of Niger, and Dikko Radda, governor of Katsina, were among the Governors present at the event.

Reacting via Facebook, Lamido said the governors exposed their ignorance of the countrys constitution.

The former Governor said security is solely the responsibility of the federal government because it is on the executive-legislative list.

His words: Their concern, commendable as it were, ended up exposing their ignorance at understanding the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the very instrument which gave them the legitimacy and the authority to be Governors, he said.

If the Governors had traveled to the US to engage on how to boost agriculture or health issues or any other pressing local problems listed on the Concurrent List of our Constitution, this could be quite understandable!

READ ALSO: Why Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Stalled  Umahi

But to engage on issues which are on the Exclusive Legislative List such as Security says a lot about the substance they are made of.

Lamido said there are other issues which are related to security that the governors could address.

Most urban towns in their States lack potable drinking water; refuse dumps have taken over some streets; all these have precipitous Security health hazards, he said.

Our children attend primary schools under the trees and where there are built classes, they take their lessons sitting on the floor, yet the Security implications of this can not be discerned by their Excellencies.

Deliberate and harshly induced poverty by unplanned government policies have made citizens lose their esteem, honor and self worth by lining up scrambling to collect palliative from patronizing and condescending leaders yet the Insecurity of this is of no worry or concern to them.

According to Lamido, there are institutions in Nigeria that can provide information to the governors on security.

Certainly, they could have gotten more than they wanted from our resourceful institutions such as NIPSS in Kuru Jos or ASCON in Badagry or even NIA! These three Institutions have more than enough materials, essays and templates on the problems of Security in Nigeria more than the far fetched American Institute.

But I blame the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NIA for failing to properly guide the Governors for this folly, he added.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, says peoples resistance to change is an obstacle to his leadership journey.

During a gathering of representatives from the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) at the Government House in Lafia, the state capital, Sule drew on social psychologist Douglas McGregors theory to highlight the reluctance of many to embrace change.

Reflecting on his experiences in international and national corporations, Governor Sule expressed how they motivated him to pursue public office, aiming to contribute positively to society.

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Having worked with global corporations, I felt compelled to bring back what Ive learned to benefit our society.

READ ALSO: Step Down From Kanus Case, Youve Been Compromised  IPOB Alleges Justice Nyako Is Under FG Pressure To Jail Nnamdi Kanu To Save Husband, Son From EFCC

Incorporating due process and transparency into governance has been my focus since assuming office.

Ive faced pushback from some within my administration who cling to old methods, resistant to change, he lamented.

He attributed part of the challenge to the states limited financial resources, often ranking Nasarawa low in federal allocation standings.

Despite innovative ideas, our resources are limited, hindering our ability to implement them fully, Governor Sule disclosed.
Philly homeowners are responsible for the pipes between their homes and the water and sewage mains on the street. Read more

A pipe was cracked near the sewage line in front of Rodney Robinsons Upper Darby home, and sewage was backing up into the street. He was told it would cost him more than $5,000 for the underground plumbing repairs.

His final bill: $0.

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His water and sewer line warranty covered the entire cost.

It was done, and there was no out of pocket, said Robinson, 53, who works in hospital security. In my opinion, it paid itself off.

Since then, he has never hesitated to pay about $50 a month for several HomeServe protection plans, including plumbing, heating cooling, and electric.

Homeowners across the region  some of whom may not know they are responsible for the underground plumbing on their property  have probably seen advertisements for warranties from companies such as American Water Resources, which offers optional protection to city residents.

On community Facebook groups, some have turned to neighbors to ask: Anyone have this? Is it a scam? Do I really need plumbing protection?

The Philadelphia Water Department recommends it, as homeowners are responsible for the exterior plumbing from their home to the streets main water and sewer mains.

We really do, especially if you have an older home, and you havent had plumbing updated in awhile, said spokesperson Brian Rademaekers.

Water line repairs typically cost between $350 and $1,575, according to Forbes, while water line replacement can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $12,000.

If youre weighing whether to sign up, here are some answers to questions you might have.

Is this American Water Resources flier legit?

Yes.

After a competitive bidding process, American Water Resources (AWR) was selected in 2018 to partner with the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) to offer homeowners optional water and sewage line protection at a discounted rate. The program covers normal wear and tear  think leaks, clogs, blockages, or breaks  but not third-party damage.

 READ MORE: Water privatization is coming under renewed scrutiny from Pa. lawmakers and regulators as consumers sour on rate increases

In Philadelphia, we have some of the oldest water infrastructure in the country, said Emily Schapira, PEAs president and CEO. If you dont know when your water and sewer lines were replaced, you should probably have the coverage.

The public-private partnership drew some controversy in 2019 when all 10 district Council members signed letters to constituents promoting the warranties  without disclosing that the authority was getting 20% of the sales revenue plus $100,000 a year.

The multiyear contract was renewed in December, but the energy authoritys revenue share has been reduced to 15%, according to Alon Abramson, PEAs director of residential programs.

The independent municipal authority, which focuses on energy affordability and sustainability, expects the program to bring in about $800,000 a year in revenue, an increase from the initial budgeted revenue of $500,000 as AWR enrollment exceeded expectations, according to authority officials. The funds go toward the PEAs operating budget and other energy programs.

As of this week, about 88,000 Philadelphians paid for AWR warranties, Abramson said, and the warranties have saved them almost $62 million in repair costs. Philadelphia homeowners pay about $15 a month for water and sewage protection through AWR, which did not return several requests for comment. Consumers are also free to shop around to other warranty companies.

Do consumers think these kind of warranties are worthwhile?

It depends whom you ask.

Robinson, the Upper Darby resident, for example, has always tried to be one step ahead of large, unexpected expenses. He said he would rather budget about $600 a year for insurance than risk having to suddenly shell out thousands for one emergency.

In Norristown, Tony Pham, 37, said his plumbing warranty  which costs less than $10 a month  proved worthwhile when he got a $10,000 repair covered. His only complaint was that the contractors who came out to excavate and repair the pipe took months for the repair, said Pham, 37, who works in finance. Homeowners with warranty protection cant choose their contractor.

Other potential consumers say they feel OK opting out of these warranties, betting that an emergency is unlikely and that theyll find a way to afford repairs if it does.

I dont think it has to be for everybody, especially if you know your water and sewer lines were replaced recently, Schapira said. For some, though it provides a lot of peace of mind.

What are my other options?

Most home insurance policies only cover peril, not normal wear and tear, but you can check with your insurer to see if you have an option to add additional coverage.

If an emergency occurs, you can also apply for a five-year, zero-interest homeowners emergency loan through the Philadelphia Water Departments website.

Consumer Reports experts recommend people set aside the money that they would put toward a warranty in a savings account instead of paying a company each month.
Joyce Wilkerson speaking at an April 2 news conference with Mayor Cherelle L. Parker behind her. Read more

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has asked Philadelphia school board member Joyce Wilkerson to continue serving indefinitely despite City Council on Monday withdrawing her nomination for a new term, an unexpected move that followed the most contentious negotiations between the administration and Council since Parker took office.

Council President Kenyatta Johnson, announcing the withdrawal at a 1 p.m. Council meeting Monday without a roll-call vote or public hearing, said the majority of Council members have had serious concerns with the nomination of Joyce Wilkerson to the board of education since it was announced several weeks ago.

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Johnson, who met with Parker on Monday morning, declined to make those concerns public out of respect for Ms. Wilkerson. He also thanked her for her extensive career in public service.

Council last week confirmed eight of Parkers nominees: Reginald Streater, Sarah-Ashley Andrews, ChauWing Lam, Crystal Cubbage, Cheryl Harper, Whitney Jones, Wanda Novales, and Joan Stern.

Wilkerson needed nine votes for confirmation; sources said she had only six.

Parkers maneuver was the latest step in what has been a wild stretch for the mayor, Council, and the school board.

Clearly, the mayor knows how to play chess, said Donna Cooper, executive director of Children First, a city nonprofit. We applaud her move that ensures the board will continue to benefit from Joyces dedication, institutional knowledge, and unwavering focus on whats best for children.

Objections from one Council member, and Mayor Parkers counter move

A frustrated Curtis Jones Jr. was the lone Council member to publicly object to Johnsons move to withdraw the nomination. Jones said he supported charters and questioned school board members sharply.

But, he said, I trust my mayor and her leadership. I think that if youre asking her to cook the meal, she should be allowed to buy the groceries.

Council has, in the past, given new mayors wide latitude to enact their agendas, Jones said.

I do not understand why we cant proceed that way today, Jones said. He requested a roll-call vote on withdrawing Wilkersons nomination; no such vote was taken. A roll-call vote on the motion would have forced some of his colleagues to go on record about her nomination.

Immediately after Council moved on to another matter, Wilkerson spoke to reporters outside Council chambers, producing a letter Parker had written to her formally requesting Wilkerson continue to serve on the board after her term expires April 30 as no one has been confirmed to replace you. The appointment will last until Parker picks a replacement.

Wilkerson said she was delighted to continue to serve. I think the board has made wonderful progress. She declined to comment on Councils objections to her; asked how long shell serve, Wilkerson said, What I know is whats in the letter.

The mayor praised Wilkerson as a laudable steward of the education of Philadelphias children.

In a statement, Parker doubled down on her full slate, including Wilkerson, saying the nine are among the best and the brightest our city has to offer, and they represent the kind of diversity, civic-mindedness and passion for public service that I seek every day as we continue to build the Parker administration.

Johnson said he wasnt sure whether Wilkerson is allowed to continue serving after her term ends on Wednesday, saying, That will be up to the Law Department to make the final decision.

But he made clear that it would be unacceptable if Parker lets Wilkerson serve indefinitely without nominating someone to replace her. The City Charter does not appear to specify a time frame for Parker to put forth a new nominee.

I know that Mayor Parker, who is a former member of this legislative body and who is also a former member of the [Pennsylvania] General Assembly, will respect the decisions of the members of this body, Johnson said after Council adjourned on Monday. We withdrew the nomination, and we expect the administration to send us a nominee to confirm.

Johnson said Council works collaboratively with the administration but is not a rubber-stamp body.

I know a lot of people are looking for the theater: Council president versus the mayor, Johnson said. But nevertheless, we are a legislative body and there will be times that we will disagree, and there will also be times we will agree because we all have the same common goals, and that is to move the city of Philadelphia forward.

Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, chair of the education committee, said he did not support Wilkerson because our schools have been inadequate under her leadership. He has taken issue with the districts handling of facilities issues in recent years, and also cited problems with the way the district operated during the pandemic as reasons he did not back Wilkerson.

A campaign to thwart Wilkerson

Objections to Wilkerson surfaced after a campaign, mostly by supporters of charter schools, against both her and Reginald Streater, the current school board president, over their handling of charter oversight, approvals, and closings.

Streater was finally able to coalesce enough support to move forward after a tense hearing, but Wilkerson was not.

Council sources have said that Dawn Chavous, Johnsons wife, was involved in the effort to defeat Wilkerson through her role with the African American Charter School Coalition. Chavous, spokesperson for the coalition, said the group has not taken any position on school board nominations, and that she has not used her position as Johnsons wife to steer Wilkersons fate.

Chavous was a member of Parkers Educational Nominating Panel, which chose Wilkerson from a field of 100-plus applicants for final consideration by the mayor. Chavous voted for Wilkersons selection on the panel.

Naomi Johnson Booker, head of the Global Leadership charter schools and a member of the coalition, sent a letter to Council over the weekend underscoring her issues with Wilkersons leadership, which she said was marred by a series of failures and disregard for accountability and transparency in decision-making processes, according to the letter, which was obtained by The Inquirer.

Booker cited not just charter-related problems she found with Wilkersons leadership, but also issues ranging from the districts academic performance and its lack of a facilities master plan to Wilkersons reported rude behavior as a board member and her restricting the superintendent from collaborating with charters as reasons she thinks Council should reject Wilkersons nomination.

Johnson pushed back against the notion that charter supporters were the only ones against Ms. Wilkersons nomination.

Wilkersons supporters made a full-court press

A diverse coalition of Wilkerson supporters has sprung up to defend her and urge Council to confirm her. PFT president Jerry Jordan, in a statement Sunday, said it was entirely unfortunate the Council has delayed the nomination of an incredibly well-qualified candidate with an unparalleled depth and breadth of experience. Ms. Wilkersons qualifications uniquely position her to be an instrumental member of Mayor Cherelle Parkers first appointed school board.

Jordan said that a school board appointment cannot, and should not, be a decision based on individual grievances or disagreements. As I have shared, the Federation has certainly not agreed with Ms. Wilkerson on every decision she has made. But complete agreement, alignment, and conflict avoidance should not be what our city seeks in board members.

Whats next

The eight confirmed school board members, who will be sworn in Wednesday, have expressed strong support for Wilkerson.

Its the slate, not just the eight, Streater said in a statement last week.
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Philadelphia City Councils recent attention to charter schools  whether they have been treated unfairly, and why a majority of closures over the past decade have been of Black-operated charters  has thrust the matter into the spotlight.

Councilmember and education committee chair Isaiah Thomas spoke plainly at a contentious hearing on Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers school board nominees  a matter that is not yet settled  earlier this month: Why dont we treat Black charter schools the same way we treat white charter schools? (Black-led charters represent about a quarter of the citys sector, but a majority of its closures.) How do you look at that number and say thats not racist?

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(Of the 17 schools that closed between 2013 and 2023, nine, or 53%, were Black-led.)

An independent investigation authorized by the school board in 2021 examined allegations of racism raised by a coalition of Black-led charters. Its report, released in October, found problems with transparency and training, but no intentional acts of racial discrimination or bias by the board or district charter schools office.

Members of the coalition and its supporters later blasted the boards characterization and handling of the report; some called for the resignation of members of the school board.

Heres a look at every Philadelphia charter closed since 2013, and the reasons for each schools end, as articulated by the charter schools office and School Reform Commission (until July 2018) or school board (after July 2018).

Each school had due process available to it via the ability to appeal to the state Charter Appeals Board, then Commonwealth Court, then the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Charters have the ability to stay open while pursuing due process, which often takes years to complete.

Hope Charter School, June 2013

Officials cited academic and management concerns about Hope, in West Oak Lane. Examples include a failure to meet growth targets and academic performance below state, district, and charter school average, a failure to make timely payments to the state teacher pension system, and significant barriers to entry for students. Hope was a Black-led charter.

Walter D. Palmer Leadership Academy Charter School, December 2014

The Palmer Charter School, in Northern Liberties, closed two months into the school year amid a financial collapse; the school ran consistent deficits and was unable to pay salaries and creditors. It also had operational and academic issues, including performance lower than district and charter school averages. Palmer was a Black-led charter.

Wakisha Charter School, December 2014

The closure of Wakisha, in North Philadelphia, was not prompted by any SRC or district action. It ran out of money. It was a Black-led charter.

Arise Academy Charter School, June 2015

Arise, a school for students in the foster care system, closed after significant academic concerns were raised. The school was also cited for failure to meet generally accepted standards of fiscal management or audit requirements and other financial and operational problems. It was not a Black-led charter.

Truebright Science Academy Charter School, June 2015

Truebright, part of a group of schools organized by followers of the Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, operated a school in Olney. It closed because of academic issues, including performance that was lower than state, district, and charter school averages. It was not a Black-led charter.

Imani Education Circle Charter School, June 2016

Imani, in Germantown, was an African-centered charter. It was ordered to close because of poor academics and what a state panel described as the continued substantial instability of Imanis fiscal operations. It was a Black-led charter.

New Media Technology Charter School, June 2016

New Media, in East Mount Airy, was closed because of poor academic performance, financial problems, and failure to provide students with the rich technology New Media had guaranteed in its charter. It also failed to meet its legal obligations to English language learners. The schools founder and founding board president went to federal prison after admitting they stole more than half a million dollars in taxpayer money. New Media was a Black-led charter.

Young Scholars Kenderton Charter School, June 2016

Young Scholars Kenderton, in North Philadelphia, closed on its own, blaming the high cost of educating the schools significant special education population. The school reverted back to Philadelphia School District control. It was not a Black-led charter.

World Communications Charter School, June 2017

Academic problems  including the school representing itself as a college prep school but offering no Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college programs for a time  were cited for World Communications, which was one of the first charters opened in Philadelphia, and located in Southwest Center City. The school also failed to ensure that all of its employees had federal background checks and child abuse clearances, and was cited for financial irregularities. World Communications was not a Black-led charter.

Delaware Valley Charter High School, June 2017

Delaware Valley failed to meet student performance standards spelled out in charter law, ensure all staff had background checks, and had financial problems ranging from deficits over multiple years to failure to make some payments to the state teachers retirement system. The school was located in Logan and was not a Black-led charter.

Khepera Charter School, June 2019

Khepera fell short of academic goals, including those it agreed to in charter conditions. The North Philadelphia school also had operational and financial problems, including failure to pay its landlord, make payroll, or offer federally mandated extended-year programming to students with disabilities because it had no money to do so. Khepera was a Black-led charter.

Eastern University Academy Charter School, June 2019

Eastern was cited for having consistently poor standardized test scores and operational issues, including violating students due process rights, losing affiliation with Eastern University, and a failure to follow the law around identifying students with diverse learning needs. The school, in East Falls, was a Black-led charter.

Architecture and Design Charter High School (CHAD), June 2020

CHAD was closed for academic issues, as well as operational and financial ones, including a failure to implement its mission and instructional model, have a legally compliant English learner program or student code of conduct. The school also lacked certified special education teachers, and failed to make timely wage tax payments. CHAD, in Center City, was not a Black-led charter.

John B. Stetson Charter School, June 2022

Stetson was a struggling district school that was given to the nonprofit ASPIRA organization to run as a charter, but ultimately taken back because it failed to dramatically accelerate student progress, as was promised under the school systems Renaissance charter program. It also had operational issues, such as failing to comply with its own bylaws, and financial issues including using charter funds to be used by ASPIRA and other ASPIRA charter schools not affiliated with the district. Stetson, in Kensington, was not Black-led, but Latino-run.

Olney Charter High School, June 2022

Olney, like Stetson, was given to ASPIRA to run as a charter under the districts Renaissance program, but its charter was pulled over similar issues  academics, financial, and operational.

Universal Daroff Charter School, August 2022

Daroff, another district school, was given to Universal Companies Inc. to run as a charter. It abruptly closed days before classes were supposed to begin for the year after a battle between the schools board and Universal resulted in the management company cutting ties with Daroff. The school had been cited for academic issues, operational problems including improper student expulsions and failure to meet city fire code, and financial issues such as lending money to other Universal entities, some of which was never repaid. Universal Daroff, in West Philadelphia, was a Black-led school.

Universal Bluford Charter School, August 2022

Bluford was another Renaissance Charter run by Universal for most of the charters tenure. It too got caught in the fight between the schools board and Universal and operated without a management organization for the final year of its charter, and had issues similar to Daroffs. Bluford was ultimately returned to district control. Universal Bluford, in West Philadelphia, was a Black-led school.
Rendering of the Tun. A nonprofit group plans to build it at 19 S. Second St. in Old City. Read more

National Park Service rangers in the historic district field questions all day from visitors. One of the most-asked is: Where is Tun Tavern?

In 1775, the Tun was the birthplace of what became the U.S. Marine Corps, hosting sign-ups by the Delaware River at what is now Penns Landing. That same year, John Adams drafted plans for the Navy in an upstairs room. The Tun also hosted meetings for four colonial-era Philadelphia nonprofit organizations that still exist today: the Freemasons (founded in 1731); the St. Andrews Society (founded in 1747); the Society of St. George (founded in 1772); and the Friendly Sons & Daughters of St. Patrick (founded in 1771).

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But the Tun was razed in 1781, and so visitors are directed to a historical marker on Front Street near Sansom Walk, several blocks away. The Tuns original site is beneath the southbound lanes of I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut Streets.

The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, a group of influential Philadelphians who have been a part of the Marine Corps, the Freemasons, and other Tun-connected organizations, wants to re-create the Tun as tavern and restaurant with a museum featuring artifacts and documents on display.

All profits from operations will go to support charitable initiatives, including veterans causes and scholarships, said Rob Brink, who chairs the foundation. He is deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Free and Accepted Masons, which held its early meetings at the Tun.

The foundation recently purchased two adjacent lots in Old City, on Second Street between Market and Chestnut Streets  several blocks from the original site, and currently occupied by a parking lot  for $4.4 million. The foundation is now trying to raise about $16 million for construction and start-up, said Craig Mills, a board member, Marine veteran, and executive shareholder with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, a Center City law firm.

For one little building that could only hold about 100-some people, an awful lot happened there, Mills said.

Organizers hope to open in time for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Marines, on Nov. 10, 2025. More likely, the organizers concede, it will be ready for the U.S. Semiquincentennial in 2026.

A revolution in colonial dining

Philadelphia has few dining establishments that honor Philadelphias entire history. Currently, the longest-operating restaurant is McGillins, which opened in 1860.

The circa-1759 A Man Full of Trouble Tavern, Philadelphias only extant pre-Revolutionary drinking spot, is expected to reopen in early summer after an extensive renovation. It had been shuttered to the public for decades. Succession Fermentory, a farmhouse brewery based in Chester County, will open a taproom while tavern owner Dan Wheeler will operate the rest of it as a museum.

The National Park Service is a few months from announcing a new operator for City Tavern, the re-creation of a historic bar in a circa-1976 building at Second and Walnut Streets, a spokesperson said. City Tavern closed in fall 2020 as the citys tourism trade dried up during the pandemic.

The Tun name

The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation is trademarking The Tun and plans to use it as the formal name.

However, 26 years ago, restaurateur Montgomery Dahm, a Marine veteran, opened Tun Tavern, a restaurant and brewpub connected to the Atlantic City Convention Center, and holds the Tun Tavern trademark. The National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico, Va., also has a Tun Tavern, for visitors.

Dahm told The Inquirer that he had spoken with both the foundation and another group (whom he declined to identify) that wants to open a Tun Tavern, and said he was open to negotiations about its use.

Im a patriot and I want [the Tun] to be built, but I also dont want to lose revenue in my current restaurant, which I will substantially if the Marines go there instead of my place, Dahm said, adding that he hosts fundraisers for Marine-related charities. Well ultimately see what happens.

The Tuns history

In 1693, English traders Samuel and Joshua Carpenter built the tavern at Water Street and Tun Alley, on the bank of the Delaware. Samuel sold it to Joshua, a brewer. At the time, the city sat high on a bluff. The tavern, warehouses, and wharves on the river were accessed by series of steps up to Front Street.

The tavern, which seated about 100, changed names over the years, mainly according to the owners names. Several nights a week in the 1740s, under Thomas Mullan, it was called Peg Mullans Beefsteak Club, after his wife.

Pat Dailey, president of the foundation, surmised that Peg Mullan was a good cook. Private beefsteak clubs were all the rage in London. Its where the wealthy would get together and rent a restaurant and just gorge themselves on beef and wine and whatever, Dailey said. At less than a mile from Independence Hall, it became popular among the Continental Congress.

Dailey, who owns Maido, the Japanese restaurant and grocery store in Ardmore, with his wife, Seiko, said the new Tun will be two restaurants in one. The tavern will have a traditional period look, while the larger Peg Mullans Beefsteak Club will resemble a maritime warehouse. (One wrinkle is that no one knows exactly what the Tun looked like. Artist Frank Taylor, whose popular 1922 drawing pops up in seemingly every Google search, was born 65 years after the Tun was razed.) Though artifacts will be displayed, Dailey said, there will not be a Marine Corps museum on-site. We have one of those, in Quantico, and its magnificent, he said. The other groups will have space within the museum.

Reviving the Tun

Dailey said the project was conceived about 15 years ago outside of Cookies Tavern in South Philadelphia. Every November 10, the owner, a Marine veteran named James Daddy Wags Wagner, threw a birthday party for the Corps that drew hundreds and shut down Oregon Avenue. Though Cookies is now Tankies, it still hosts the event.

I was standing there in the rain, eating birthday cake and drinking beer with hundreds of my closest friends, and I thought: This is crazy, Dailey said. Marines are irrationally proud that we are the only service that knows the date and the place we started. If you wanted to join the Continental Navy, you could join in Charleston, Boston, New York, Philadelphia. Same with Washingtons army. But if you wanted to join the Continental Marines, the sole recruiting place was Philadelphia.

Dailey took his time, sketching out a business plan while doing research. Nine years ago, he sent a proposal to the city Convention and Visitors Bureau, asking about organizing a 250th anniversary party. The bureau pointed him to Homecoming 250, a celebration of the Marines and Navys inceptions, coming in 2025. George Leone, the retired New Jersey judge who heads the committee, and Brink, whose Freemason lodge is heading toward its tricentennial in 2031, signed on to the board. Brinks wife, Allison, joined as secretary.

There have been perhaps five attempts over the last century to revive the Tun, including a wooden mockup that was part of the Sesquicentennial in 1926, Mills said.

As a Marine, Mills said, I can say that a lot of these [groups] were Marines who sat around and said, Yeah, lets do this. But they didnt have experience in construction, and finance, and in the restaurant business, and they were not well-funded, so they fizzled out. This is different with the assistance of the Masons and everyone else.
Doctors should wait to rip up the employment contracts prohibiting them from going to work for competitors, experts are advising, even though the Federal Trade Commission voted last week to bar employers from imposing such restrictions on employees.

Some health-care workers employed by hospitals, nursing home, and home-care agencies are among the one in five American workers affected by the FTCs 3-2 decision to ban noncompetes in a rule change that is already facing a court challenge.

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 READ MORE: New federal rule would bar noncompete agreements for most employees

Between 37% and 45% of physicians are bound by noncompete arrangements, according to the American Medical Association. There is no precise accounting of their use in Philadelphia, though comments submitted to the FTC by local doctors make it plain that the stakes are high.

A family medicine physician said their noncompete prohibits them for two years from taking jobs in a five mile radius of the hospital, which is enough to discourage them from seeking another job. Another physician wrote about being unable to accept any job in Philadelphia for a year.

To assess how the new rule could impact Philadelphia-area physicians, The Inquirer looked at the concentration of hospitals in the region and asked local doctors to share information about their noncompetes, which several agreed to do under condition of anonymity, out of concern about their current employment.

Seven local health system either declined to provide details of their use of noncompetes or didnt respond to request for comment in time for publication.

Despite the FTCs decision, experts said noncompetes are likely to remain part of the physician workforce landscape for years, as its not clear that the rule will survive appeals by opponents. And if it does, some medical providers could for various reasons be considered exempt from it.

Heres what you need to know about noncompetes:

What is a noncompete?

An agreement that bars workers from taking a new job in a certain geographic area, professional field, or with specific competitors for a period of time.

Highly paid workers in banking and tech historically received contracts with restrictive noncompetes, said David Abrams, a professor of law and economics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Youve seen it expand to lots of different areas, including health care, Abrams said.

 READ MORE: Johnson & Johnson is suing a former Philly-area employee, saying he took trade secrets to Pfizer

A typical noncompete clause for physicians includes a geographic distance  such as radius from a hospital  and restricts them from accepting a job within it for a certain time period.

About a half dozen local physicians told The Inquirer that their noncompetes limit them from going elsewhere to work within five or 10 miles from their current hospital for a year.

In a region with a high concentration of health-care facilities, a few miles can encompass many potential employers. For example, there are nearly 20 general hospitals in a 10-mile radius around Philadelphias City Hall, an analysis by The Inquirer found.

Some noncompetes in Pennsylvania can restrict physicians from moving 20 miles or further from their employer for a year or two, said Arvind Venkat, a Democratic state representative from the Pittsburgh area and a practicing emergency room physician. He is sponsoring a bill to ban noncompetes in Pennsylvania that passed the state house this month.

What did the FTC decide?

Noncompete agreements are a method of unfair competition, the FTC has ruled.

Once the rule goes into effect, it will generally ban employers from signing new noncompetes with workers.

The rule would also void most existing noncompete provisions, except for senior executives. The FTC said that only 1% of workers fall into that category.

The rule only goes into effect 120 days after it is added to the federal register.

Will the rule impact all doctors with noncompetes?

Some doctors in private practice and nonprofits could be exempt.

This is because physicians who work in a small private practice might be considered senior executives by the FTC.

Some nonprofits also could fall outside of the FTCs regulatory scope, said Larry Pockers, a partner at Duane Morris, a Philadelphia-based law firm. But this remains a gray area: The FTC has exercised its authority over some nonprofit hospitals in the past. An Internal Revenue Services nonprofit designation alone doesnt mean the organization is exempt from FTC scrutiny.

Each individual circumstance will have to be looked at on a case-by-case basis, Pockers said.

Who supports, opposes the rule?

Generally, doctor groups support restricting noncompetes, and hospital groups oppose the rule change.

The Pennsylvania Medical Society wants to ban noncompetes, with an exception for small medical practices. In a statement, the professional association, representing doctors statewide, said it supports the end of these contracts by large hospitals and massive health systems.

But the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania warned that banning noncompetes could result in bidding wars over providers and leave smaller organizations unable to retain medical staff.

Noncompetes help provide predictable access to care for patients, Nicole Stallings, the associations president said in a statement.

The FTC estimates that barring noncompetes would reduce the amount spent on physician services in the U.S. by $74 to $194 billion over the next decade. This is because noncompetes led to more consolidation of health care services and increased prices for consumers, according to studies cited by the FTC.

When will the rule take effect?

Probably not any time soon.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge in Texas to prevent the rule from taking effect. The complaint argues that the FTC overstepped its authority when it issued the rule.

Challenges by the Chamber and others could go all the way to the Supreme Court, where opponents of the FTCs ban could find a receptive audience, some experts believe.

This is a federal government agency that is approving and issuing a final rule in an area of law that has historically been regulated by the state, Pockers said.

Are other efforts to ban noncompetes in the works?

The Pennsylvania State House passed a ban on noncompetes in health care last week.

The bill specific to health care workers was cosponsored by Rep. Venkat. It now goes to the Senate, where its future is unknown. But the physician and elected official is cautiously optimistic following the bipartisan vote in favor of the bill in the House.

Fewer than a half-dozen states have fully banned noncompete agreements, including California.
NEW YORK  Protesters and police clashed Monday at the University of Texas in a confrontation that resulted in dozens of arrests, and Columbia University began suspending students as colleges around the U.S. begged pro-Palestinian demonstrators to clear out tent encampments as commencement ceremonies approach.

From coast to coast, demonstrators are sparring over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll, and the number of arrests at campuses nationwide is approaching 1,000 as the final days of class wrap up. The outcry is forcing colleges to reckon with their financial ties to Israel, as well as their support for free speech. Some Jewish students say the protests have veered into antisemitism and made them afraid to set foot on campus.

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The protests have even spread to Europe, with French police removing dozens of students from the Sorbonne university after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the main courtyard. In Canada, student protest camps have popped up at the University of Ottawa, McGill University in Montreal and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, The Canadian Press reported.

At the University of Texas at Austin, an attorney said at least 40 demonstrators had been arrested Monday on charges of trespassing and disorderly conduct, some of them by officers in riot gear who encircled about 100 sitting protesters, dragging or carrying them out one by one amid screams. Another group of demonstrators trapped police and a van full of arrestees between buildings, creating a mass of bodies pushing and shoving and prompting the officers to use pepper spray and flash-bang devices to clear the crowd.

The confrontation was an escalation on the 53,000-student campus in the states capital, where more than 50 protesters were arrested last week.

 READ MORE: Penn encampment grows despite order to disband; protesters vowed not to comply with request for IDs

The university late Monday issued a statement saying that many of Mondays protesters were not affiliated with the school and that encampments are prohibited on campus. The school also alleged that some demonstrators were physically and verbally combative with university staff, prompting officials to call law enforcement.

The plight of students who have been arrested has become a central part of protests, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.

The Texas protest and others grew out of Columbias early demonstrations that have continued. On Monday, student activists on the schools Manhattan campus defied a 2 p.m. deadline to leave an encampment of around 120 tents. If they left by the deadline and signed a form committing to abide by university policies through June 2025, officials said they could finish the semester in good standing. If not, they would be suspended, pending further investigation.

Instead, hundreds of protesters remained, marching around the quad and weaving around piles of temporary flooring and green carpeting meant for graduation ceremonies that are supposed to begin next week.

A handful of counter-demonstrators waved Israeli flags, and one held a sign reading, Where are the anti-Hamas chants?

While the university didnt call police to roust the demonstrators, school spokesperson Ben Chang said suspensions had started. He said that while the university appreciated the free speech rights of students, the encampment was a noisy distraction that was interfering with teaching and preparation for final exams. The university said it will offer an alternative venue for the protests after exams and graduation.

The protests also made some Jewish students deeply uncomfortable, he said.

Few other details from the university were immediately available, such as how students were involved, how the suspensions would be carried out or whether suspended students would be ejected from the campus. Protest organizers said they were not aware of any suspensions as of Monday evening.

Columbias handling of the protests also has prompted federal complaints.

A class-action lawsuit on behalf of Jewish students alleges a breach of contract by Columbia, claiming the university failed to maintain a safe learning environment, despite policies and promises. It also challenges the move away from in-person classes and seeks quick court action requiring Columbia to provide security for the students.

Meanwhile, a legal group representing pro-Palestinian students is urging the U.S. Department of Educations civil rights office to investigate Columbias compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for how they have been treated.

A university spokesperson declined to comment on the complaints.

In a rare case, Northwestern University said it reached an agreement with students and faculty who represent the majority of protesters on its campus near Chicago. It allows peaceful demonstrations through the June 1 end of spring classes and in exchange, requires removal of all tents except one for aid, and restricts the demonstration area to allow only students, faculty and staff unless the university approves otherwise.

At the University of Southern California, organizers of a large encampment sat down with university President Carol Folt for about 90 minutes on Monday. Folt declined to discuss details of what was discussed, but said the purpose of the meeting was to allow her to hear the concerns of protesters.

USC sparked a controversy April 15 when officials refused to allow the valedictorian, who has publicly supported Palestinians, to make a commencement speech, citing nonspecific security concerns for their rare decision. Administrators then scrapped the keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu, who is an alumnus, and declined to award any honorary degrees.

The backlash, as well as Columbias demonstrations, inspired the encampment and protests on campus last week week where 90 people were arrested by police in riot gear. The university has canceled its main graduation event that typically draws 65,000 people to the Los Angeles campus.

The students said at the end they wouldnt have considered this meeting a win from their perspective, and I can fully appreciate that, Folt said in a statement late Monday. For me, the most important point was that we were starting to talk, and I think that was vital.

Another meeting between Folt and protesters was scheduled for Tuesday.

Administrators elsewhere tried to salvage their commencements and several have ordered the clearing of encampments in recent days. When those efforts have failed, officials threatened discipline, including suspension, and possible arrest.

But students dug in their heels at other high-profile universities, with standoffs continuing at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale and others. Police in riot gear at Virginia Commonwealth University sought to break up an encampment there late Monday, clashing with protesters and deploying pepper spray and zip-ties to take them into custody.

Jacob Ginn, a second-year University of North Carolina sociology graduate student, said he had been protesting at the encampment for four days, including negotiations with administrators Friday.

We are prepared for everything and we will remain here until the university meets our demands and we will remain steadfast and strong in the face of any brutality and repression that they try to attack us with, Ginn said in reference to a potential police sweep of the encampment.
Joie Henney, 65, sits with his emotional support alligator, Wally, inside his home in 2019. The alligator has been Henney's companion since 2015. Read more

What happens when an alligator micro-celebrity goes missing? The internet goes on high alert.

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Wally  the famous emotional support alligator from Jonestown, Pa.  has been missing for more than a week after he was stolen from his enclosure, according to his handler Joie Henney.

The gator was allegedly taken from his enclosure sometime in the morning on April 21 while Henney was away in New Brunswick, Ga., Henney posted to Wallys official Facebook page Sunday. In another post, Henney explained that he believes some jerk who likes to  terrorize alligators took Wally and dropped him off in someone elses yard, who then called the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which then called a trapper.

That trapper then let Wally loose in an unnamed swamp with about 20 other alligators, Henney wrote.

The swamp is very large and the trapper said the chances of them finding Wally is slim to none, he said.

As of Monday morning, Wally had not been located. Posts recounting the saga have been shared more than 1,000 times on Facebook and viewed more than 128,000 times on TikTok, where Henney and his gator have 134,000 followers. Commenters have been extending their prayers for the missing gator, with some even offering to join the search efforts themselves.

Im in Louisiana, will start the drive NOW to help, wrote one TikTok user, while others have joked that they ride at dawn for Wally and will spill blood to ensure the gators safe return. Paul Bedard  the Florida-based alligator trapper and star of the Animal Planet reality series Gatorboys  has also pledged help, said Henney.

 READ MORE: From 2019 | Meet Wally, the emotional support alligator that helps a York County man deal with depression

Henney has also posted a GoFundMe seeking $30,000 to cover associated travel and advising costs, as well as potential legal and veterinary fees. It had raised just under $4,000 as of Monday morning.

Wally is Henneys 9-year-old, five-and-half-foot-long emotional support animal, prescribed to him in lieu of depression medication after three close friends died. Alligators are legal to own in Pennsylvania, and Wally and Henneys life together in between meet-and-greets has been pretty sweet: Couch cuddles while watching gator-themed television shows, taking dips in a neighbors pool, eating chicken wings, and occasionally wrestling.

He likes to give hugs, Henney told The Inquirer in 2019. I tell people to respect him, not fear him. He will not hurt you.

Wally endeared himself to Philadelphians in 2022, when he made an appearance at LOVE Park, where he splashed around in the sprinklers and posed for photos in front of the parks sculptures like every good tourist. Last year, Wally went viral for being denied entry to Citizens Bank Park during a Phillies playoff game, eventually going on to meet Gritty at a Flyers game last October. The mascot held him up like Simba from The Lion King.

 READ MORE: Wally, the emotional support alligator, denied entry to Phillies game

I know everyone wants to help and I wish I could tell you how you can but we are currently in a waiting game, said another post on Wallys Facebook page. All I can say is keep your prayers going and do what you can to make Wally viral  the more we can get him out there the better our chances.
The leaders of San Francisco's moderate political advocacy groups must decide whom to back for mayor, if anyone, amid a thicket of personal and professional ties some share with the leading moderate mayoral candidates: incumbent London Breed, center, and challengers Mark Farrell, right, and Daniel Lurie. Lea Suzuki, Stephen Lam and Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

As San Francisco heads into what will probably be the most expensive mayoral election in its history, an ascendant crop of moderate advocacy groups backed by wealthy donors could shift the outcome.

The organizations were founded over the past several years and broadly support building more market-rate housing, making the city friendlier to business and expanding police powers. While theyve already spent millions of dollars to influence some recent city elections, November will be the first time theyve thrown their weight around during a mayoral contest.

But first, the groups leaders must decide whom to back, if anyone, amid a thicket of personal and professional ties some of them share with the leading moderate mayoral candidates: incumbent London Breed and challengers Mark Farrell and Daniel Lurie.

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Take Jay Cheng, the head of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco. In recent months, he has played a role in staffing discussions for both the Farrell and Lurie campaigns, according to interviews and records seen by the Chronicle. Meanwhile, he is married to Kanishka Cheng, the head of TogetherSF Action, who used to work for both Farrell and Breed.

At another organization, Abundant SF, one leader is so closely tied to Breed that he has legally walled himself off from any discussions about independent spending in the mayors race to avoid potentially breaking campaign finance rules.

San Francisco District 3 Supervisor Aaron Peskin gestures during a kickoff event for his mayoral campaign at Portsmouth Square in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco, Saturday, April. 6 2024. Stephen Lam/The Chronicle

To many San Francisco progressives, these connections are another reason to be wary of the billionaire-backed advocacy groups. When Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin launched his mayoral campaign at a rally in Chinatown, he invoked a handful of billionaires pouring millions of dollars of dark money into ugly smear campaigns that he said threatened to destroy much of what makes this a unique, vibrant and magical city.

A few months ago, a group of progressives formed their own organization, the Phoenix Project, which seeks to expose the influence of moneyed moderate groups. A Phoenix Project leader said at the time that wealthy interests were trying to push San Francisco back toward big business, corporate real estate and the gentrification agenda.

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Yet the moderate groups and their wealthy donors may not find consensus on who should be sworn into City Halls Room 200 after the election. The Neighbors group hasnt decided whether its going to endorse anyone, Jay Cheng said in an interview.



David Ho, a political consultant and Chinatown organizer, said recent elections show the pendulum (is) swinging back to the moderate side. But while its clear that deep-pocketed donors will work to defeat Peskin, its possible that the moderate groups might not all endorse the same standard-bearer.



Their game plan is solid  the question is the execution, Ho said. Its not so clear cut whether the billionaire class is with the current mayor or with the challengers.

Some of the groups might choose to endorse multiple moderate candidates to take advantage of San Franciscos ranked-choice system and because the groups share the belief that stopping Peskin from getting elected is a top priority. Ranked-choice voting allows voters to choose up to 10 candidates in order of preference. When results are tallied, the candidates with the least number of votes are eliminated and their ballots are given to their voters next-highest preferences until one candidate has a majority.

Neighbors stands out as the biggest spender of all the moderate groups, having put about $9 million into local races over the past four years, according to a Chronicle review of campaign finance records. In the June 2022 election, the group spent more than $4.7 million  the most of any contributor  to boost the successful recall of progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin.

Like several of the other moderate groups, Neighbors has both a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm thats not allowed to participate in political campaigns and a 501(c)(4) offshoot that is permitted to support political candidates and causes.

As the groups importance rose, Jay Cheng positioned himself as a political matchmaker of sorts. In an April 2023 email, Cheng connected Lurie  whom Cheng called a good friend  with a political consultant whom Lurie eventually hired to help run the campaign he began five months later.

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Later, Cheng told another political player that they could land a $15,000-per-month job as a consultant for Farrell. The offer is open, Cheng wrote in a February text message reviewed by the Chronicle. Well hold the position for you as long as you need.

Cheng said in an interview that he is not involved in management-level decision-making for any mayoral candidate and was simply trying to help fellow colleagues and professionals get work.

The links, though, could attract scrutiny if his organization takes advantage of laws that allow independent expenditure committees to raise and spend unlimited funds to support a candidate  as long as the committee hasnt coordinated with the campaign. In 2016, Farrell paid $25,000 to settle accusations that he illegally coordinated with an independent spending committee during his successful 2010 run for the Board of Supervisors. The settlement said Farrell did not know about the misconduct, though he took ultimate responsibility.

Otherwise, political donations are capped. In San Francisco, individuals cant give more than $500 to a candidate in one election.

Brian Hildreth, a Sacramento campaign finance lawyer, said that if someone affiliated with an independent-spending group has too many close contacts with a political campaign, it starts to create a presumption that there is coordination happening between the two sides.



Cheng indicated that Neighbors might have to address his role in mayoral campaign staffing discussions if the group decides it wants to launch an independent spending effort to promote a particular candidate.



Well figure that out if we ever make a decision about what to do with the mayors race, he told the Chronicle. That may limit our scope of action as well.

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For now, Cheng said Neighbors is mostly focused on supporting two City Hall reform measures that TogetherSF Action, his wifes organization, hopes will qualify for the November ballot. One proposal would make it easier for the mayor to hire and fire the heads of city departments, while the other would reduce the number of commissions in a bid to cut down on bureaucracy.



It is our top priority by a long shot, Cheng said of the measures, which Farrell is also pushing after setting up his own fundraising committee and raising nearly $140,000. Without a fundamental restructuring around San Francisco government, were never going to be able to address the challenges that people want to see solved in the city.

Like her husband, Kanishka Cheng, the executive director of TogetherSF Action, has connections across the mayoral field. She once worked for Breed as her liaison to the Board of Supervisors and before that was a staffer for Farrell, both when he was the citys appointed mayor in 2018 and when he was a supervisor. When Farrell staffed up his mayoral campaign this year, he hired multiple TogetherSF Action alums, including his campaign manager, Jade Tu.

Still, Kanishka Cheng said in an interview that TogetherSF Action is keeping an open mind in the mayors race.

TogetherSF Action is not working with the Farrell campaign, she said. She acknowledged that its easy to assume a direct tie to Farrell given the overlapping relationships but said that her organization is trying to remain independent and neutral until it holds a mayoral debate next month and finishes its endorsement process.



The Lurie campaign said in a statement that Jay Chengs discussion of a specific job on Farrells campaign meant Farrell had crossed a bright red ethical line and accused him of flaunting the same ethics rules he was fined for violating previously. The Lurie campaign said the introduction that Jay Cheng made to Lurie months before his campaign launched was a world apart from what Mark Farrell did.

Farrell said in a statement that his team is working to earn the support of the Neighbors and TogetherSF groups as well as GrowSF, another moderate advocacy organization, by highlighting our vision and detailed policies. He said that no one from any of these organizations is working with our campaign.

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While these moderate groups have yet to start spending money in the mayors race, one candidate might not need their dollars. Luries candidacy is already getting a lot of help from an independent spending group called Believe in SF that has raised more than $3 million, including a $1 million donation from Luries mother, the billionaire businesswoman Mimi Haas. Believe in SF has plastered Luries face on billboards across the city and, in recent weeks, it has sent mailers highlighting Luries policy proposals to registered voters.

At the same time, Breed is receiving support from billionaire former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, whom she endorsed when he ran for president in 2020. He donated most of the $265,000 raised by an independent spending committee called Forward Action SF.

As the fundraising race intensifies, Peskins supporters say the fact that wealthy donors are funneling money to moderate candidates exposes the stark lines between him and other candidates.

As Aaron says, everybody seems to have a billionaire on their side but him, said Jim Stearns, Peskins political consultant. Grassroots, people-oriented candidates who are fighting for working people and fighting for renters and fighting for middle-income families  theyre not going to have the billionaires on their side. They have to rely on people power.

The mayoral campaign of Supervisor Ahsha Safai, who is also trying to court progressive voters, has made a similar point, saying Safai doesnt have billionaires bankrolling his campaign. Safai is shown in a file photo from Wednesday, April 17, 2024. Juliana Yamada/Special to The Chronicle

The mayoral campaign of Supervisor Ahsha Safai, who is also trying to court progressive voters, has made a similar point, saying Safai doesnt have billionaires bankrolling his campaign.

Its not yet clear where all of the cities ascendant political patrons want their money to go.

Investor William Oberndorf, a major contributor to the Neighbors group who has also donated to top Republicans, declined to comment. Another billionaire Neighbors donor, Chris Larsen, the co-founder of cryptocurrency company Ripple, declined to comment but has been public about his support for Breed. Billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz, who has backed TogetherSF Action, could not be reached for comment.

One moderate group that has made a decision is Abundant SF, which is backing Breed. Political director Todd David said Abundant, founded by tech CEO Zack Rosen, is concerned mostly with livability issues such as building more housing, improving public transit and investing in infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Very clearly, of all the candidates who are running, London Breed is superior on those issues, David said.

Yet David couldnt say whether Abundant will mount an outside spending effort to lift Breeds campaign. He said he has set up a legally documented firewall, so he is not included in any such discussions.

GrowSF, meanwhile, is now focused mostly on its efforts to oust two progressive supervisors, Dean Preston and Connie Chan. But the group plans to make an endorsement for mayor  possibly more than one. Whoever it endorses will be featured in the organizations voter guide mailed to hundreds of thousands of voters.

While GrowSF doesnt yet know whom it will endorse, the group is confident in the one candidate it does not want to win, said co-founder Sachin Agarwal.

Since Aaron Peskin entered the race, it has started to worry a lot of people about what that could mean for the city, Agarwal said, and so I think were going to see a lot more activity there around fundraising and advocacy and education  all the different pieces that we need to get in order to make sure that he doesnt win.
Pro-Palestinian (front) and pro-Israel protesters (rear) are separated by a barricade and walkway at the University of Pennsylvania Sunday. The group of pro-Israel Penn faculty and students had gathered a few blocks away on campus for a No Hate on Campus rally, and then marched to the pro-Palestinian tent encampment. Read more

Pro-Palestinian protesters stood firm at the University of Pennsylvania Sunday, entering the fourth day of an on-campus encampment that grew  despite an explicit dispersal order  as organizers and college administrators met to discuss student demands.

As darkness fell, there were about 30 tents still pitched, and a few hundred people protesting the war in Gaza remained gathered in the center of campus, making plans in the event that police could imminently try to disband their encampment.

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 READ MORE: Protests at Penn: Live updates Monday

People crouched together in lantern light shortly after 8:30 p.m. as an organizer told the group that within the next few hours, Penn police and administrators would be asking to check protesters identification. Encampment members would not be complying, the organizer said, suggesting Penns goal was to separate students from nonstudents, and that nonstudents would be asked to leave.

Protesters had divided themselves into three risk levels for those who are willing to face arrest and those who are not. Penn has been mum about how it will proceed if students do not comply, but hinted that discipline could follow.

It was a marked escalation in tensions in a day that had started with protest organizers expressing disappointment over a meeting two faculty and four students had Saturday with J. Larry Jameson, Penns interim president, and John L. Jackson Jr., the provost.

Administrators viewed our demands as unreasonable, protest organizers said in a statement. University officials would not comment on the meeting.

Earlier in the weekend, they had asked university administrators to disclose the schools financial holdings, divest from any investments in the war, and provide amnesty for pro-Palestinian students facing discipline over past protests.

The university would not budge, organizers said.

This indicates a failure on the part of university leadership to understand why we have established our encampment, they said in the statement.

Jameson on Friday night ordered the protesters to disband their encampment immediately because of alleged violations of university policies, including the act of the encampment, as well as the defacement of a statue on which a derogatory message was written.

But until these demands are met, we will continue to occupy this space, organizers said.

Man with a knife taken into custody

The organizers also said they rejected the notion that nonstudent protesters at the Penn encampment posed a safety risk to the demonstration.

Campus police took one man into custody after he appeared at a Passover Seder held at the encampment wearing a large knife in his belt.

The man, identified by his wife as Yosef Cohen, 70, of Philadelphia, meant no harm, Maddie Cohen said.

He was just trying to show the other side by walking around, Maddie Cohen said. It wasnt his intention to hurt anyone.

Yosef Cohen was taken to Penn police headquarters, where he was charged with having cutting instruments in streets or public places, a summary offense, police said.

Penns administration had reportedly told organizers not to hold the Seder, but they persisted. Four Jewish organizations joined the pro-Palestinian encampment for a celebration.

This Passover, Jews say: stop funding genocide, a sign  big enough to require two people to hold it  stood by a Seder table full of matzah and a bottle of grape juice put in place by Jewish Voice For Peace Philadelphia, Rabbis for Ceasefire, Jews for Ceasefire, and Tikkun Olam Chavurah.

Calling for a free Palestine and talking about the meaning behind the food on the table, participants sang, Solid like a rock, rooted like a tree. We are here, we are strong, in our rightful place.

Support from Gaza

Protesters were buoyed by support from Gaza, said a professor with Penn Faculty for Justice in Palestine.

University of Pennsylvania, thank you all, said a sign held by a woman in Rafah, a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip, according to a post on Twitter by the faculty group. Two other photos were included, too, expressing appreciation for Penns Gaza Solidarity Encampment.

Theyre risking so much, to make a principled statement, said Dagmawi Woubshet, an associate professor of English and member of the faculty group. Im sure it is heartening to see how they are being received in Gaza.

Woubshet said he hopes Penn officials hear the students message, too.

Were just hoping that  the university begins to take their demands seriously and tries to resolve this as quickly as possible, he said.

A counterprotest

About 250 Penn faculty and students congregated outside the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, away from the encampment area, many draped in Israeli flags, for a No Hate on Campus rally.

We hereby implore the university to take action, Benjamin Abella, professor of emergency medicine, told the crowd, as they chanted words are not enough.

According to Abella, the group has three demands: Work without harassment, study free from hate speech, and freedom to learn free of intimidation.

As the crowd condemned the existence of the encampment and asked for its removal, they joined in to sing John Lennons Imagine.

As some of the participants in the No Hate on Campus rally left, Penn junior Joseph Hochberg played Hebrew songs from a hand-size speaker.

Some of his friends declined to be part of the rally out of concern for their safety, according to Hochberg. But, he said he does not feel scared on campus.

The things they are chanting over there [at the pro-Palestinian encampment] are anti-Jewish, anti-American, said Hochberg, as the protesters chanted From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.

He hopes the administration follows through with its order directing that the encampment be disbanded.

They need to be removed. If they dont move peacefully then they will be arrested. Thats how it works in protests, Hochberg said.

More than 100 of the participants in the No Hate on Campus rally marched over to the pro-Palestinian encampment.

With 25 campus police officers present and the groups separated by a path and barricades, the demonstrators chanted at each other.

Rape is not resistance, shouted the pro-Israeli protesters. Intifada the revolution, replied the pro-Palestinian side.

Demonstrations elsewhere

As the Penn protest persevered, students across the region took part in similar demonstrations.

Three colleges in the greater Philadelphia area have encampments on their college greens: Penn, Bryn Mawr, and Swarthmore. Haverfords was removed voluntarily Sunday, officials said. Bryn Mawr College senior Maddy Kessler said that is because Haverford students are combining with the Bryn Mawr encampment.

Organizers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Villanova University have also planned pro-Palestinian rallies on their campuses this week.

Ongoing spectacle of protest

The strength of the encampment protest model is that its not one-and-done, said Mark Bray, a Rutgers historian, activist, and former organizer of Occupy Wall Street.

Rather than the pro-Palestinian demonstrators going home after a solitary march, Bray said the encampment movement creates this kind of ongoing spectacle of protest.

Of course, he noted the college encampments may have a natural expiration date when the semester ends. (For Penn, the spring term ends on May 14, and commencement takes place the following week.)

But I think that whether on an individual level or on a national level, the perseverance of these protests speaks to the dedication of the activists, Bray said Sunday. Even if the media isnt paying attention to whats going on in Gaza, these students certainly are.

As Penns leaders have ordered the encampments to disband and meet with student organizers, Bray cautioned against following in Columbia Universitys footsteps, when the New York Police Department raided the camp, arrested more than 100 students, and ignited the national movement.

I think it showed that simply trying to forcibly shut these things down just generates more attention, generates more interest, generates more sympathy and solidarity, Bray said. In such high-profile circumstances, repression can backfire.

Bray, who took part in the 59-day Occupy Wall Street protest in New York Citys Financial District against economic inequality in 2011, called the current movement on college campuses a huge deal.

Regardless if the protesters achieve their demands, Bray said the breadth of the current student movement is having a really strong impact on the broader political climate.

You could argue this is the biggest wave of national student activists that weve seen since maybe the anti-apartheid movement of the 80s, or you can make comparisons to the 60s, he said.

Staff photographer Elizabeth Robertson contributed to this article.
After more than two years of pursuing a consumer-protection case against ABC Capital  a Philadelphia company that ran a Ponzi-style international investment scheme fueled by distressed real estate and low-income tenants  Pennsylvanias Office of Attorney General has reached an agreement with the company.

The agreement, filed last week in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court, says the attorney general alleged that ABC and its chief executive, Jason Jay Walsh, engaged in unfair or deceptive trade practices. But under the terms, Walsh will avoid paying fines or admitting wrongdoing, and he and his partners will be allowed to make real estate deals in the state.

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ABC and Walsh will be barred from running a property management company in Pennsylvania for 25 years, but are permitted to operate rental units using third-party property managers. ABC also agreed to a $350,000 suspended fine  meaning it wont have to pay as long as it complies with the deal.

The attorney generals case dealt only with the conditions of rental properties and did not extend to ABCs alleged fraud on investors.

The underlying conduct has ceased, said Brett Hambright, press secretary for the attorney general. Our focus in resolving the matter was injunctive relief and to keep the actors out of the management business in Pennsylvania.

 READ MORE: ABC Capital was one of Phillys biggest real-estate companies. Critics call it a big fat nasty scam.

ABC was the subject of a 2022 Inquirer investigation that found Walsh and his partners collected funds from hundreds of investors from more than a half-dozen countries with promises to buy, renovate, and rent out rowhouses to generate steady returns. ABC was involved in the purchase of some 1,900 Philadelphia properties through hundreds of shell companies, before moving on to other U.S. cities.

But investors said that after taking their money, ABC did not complete the renovations. The scheme operated for years at the peril of desperate tenants, who were placed in substandard units where some suffered injury and illness due to poor building conditions.

Karla Cruel, a lawyer who has represented tenants dealing with ABC, said the lack of more aggressive enforcement efforts has contributed to a culture of impunity for real-estate fraudsters. This encourages people to involve themselves in real estate schemes, [telling them], In the end, nothing really happens to you, so go for it.

Walsh is separately facing criminal charges in Maryland for allegedly stealing $20,500 an investor had paid in advance for renovations, the Baltimore Banner reported. Walsh has not appeared for hearings, and court records show the case in warrant status.

He did not respond to a request for comment.

ABC has been hit with more than a dozen civil suits in federal court under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and has $3.3 million in outstanding judgments against it in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.

The federal lawsuits are on hold pending bankruptcy proceedings for a number of ABC-related companies  but the various bankruptcy cases were dismissed or delayed after Walsh or his partners, Yaron Zer and Amir Vana, failed to appear at meetings or turn over documents. A contempt motion against them has been pending for almost a year.

In our view  the ABC bankruptcies were brought in bad faith, and serve no other purpose but to delay legitimate litigation, said L. Anthony DiGiacomo III, a lawyer representing investors who say they were cheated by ABC.

In 2022, Walsh told The Inquirer he was still based in Philadelphia, though he was selling his home and maintained only a virtual office with no employees. He said at the time that he was committed to real estate development in the city.

He now lives in Aruba, according to posts on social media, where he markets himself as a guru called the Real Estate Doctor  offering online courses and one-on-one mentorship packages for as much as $50,000 to aspiring real estate moguls.

The arrangement with Pennsylvanias attorney general requires Walsh to make semiannual disclosures of his real estate holdings. An initial submission filed with the court shows the real estate investor still owns 22 parcels in Philadelphia, including 12 rental properties. The latter are all currently operated by third-party rental management companies.
Lynn Hall, built by Walter J. Hall, is an example of organic modernism in Port Allegany in McKean County, Pa. Hall built Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater house in southwestern Pa. Read more

Fallingwater, the Frank Lloyd Wright marvel that floats above a waterfall in Pennsylvanias Laurel Highlands, might be the most iconic house in America.

The man who handcrafted Wrights stone, glass, and concrete design in 1936 began building his own organic modernism gem  Lynn Hall  a year earlier, 200 miles north, in McKean County.

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Fallingwater, a national historic landmark and tourist attraction above the waters of Bear Run, only offers tours, but visitors can spend the night at Lynn Hall thanks to owners Rick Sparkes and Adam Grant. The determined dreamers from Florida found the abandoned and dilapidated building online, visited, and purchased the property in 2017 for $250,000.

Theyve since dropped over $1 million into its restoration.

It just had a magical feel to it, Grant said. We couldnt believe no one was saving it.

According to author Ed Byers, who wrote about Lynn Hall for the Pennsylvania Wilds tourism website, Walter J. Hall was already building his project when Wright was asked to design a home for a Pittsburgh businessman. Hall, a fan of Wrights work, envisioned Lynn Hall as a rest stop on scenic Route 6, featuring hotel rooms, a restaurant, a dance hall, a gas station, and housing and office space for his family.

Wright, according to Lynn Halls website, discovered Halls innovative use of poured concrete and mosaic stonework and asked him to join the Fallingwater team at Bear Run. According to Byers, Hall put a pause on Lynn Hall to help construct Fallingwater, and he and the famous architect often butted heads.

Walters penchant for artistic license and making changes on the fly in Wrights absence drove Wright mad, Byers wrote.

While Byers wrote about a controversy between Fallingwater and Lynn Hall regarding which piece of organic modernism came first in Pennsylvania, Sparkes and Grant say the two properties get along just fine. The team at Fallingwater, Grant said, was instrumental in helping Lynn Hall land on the National Register of Historic Places.

The folks at Fallingwater very much understand the importance of Lynn Hall, Grant said. Its all part of a movement beyond one or two examples.

Sparkes and Grant, in researching Hall, found that his son, Raymond Viner Hall, helped usher in an era of Allegheny Modernism, designing and building approximately 120 Usonian homes, inspired by Wright, and 27 schools and public buildings in the region.

Theyre little-known masterpieces, Sparkes said.

Lynn Hall is on Airbnb, with two accommodations: the Usonian Cottage and the Architects Suite. Its located in Port Allegany, approximately 290 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
Mayor London Breed hopes to send a $360 million bond to San Francisco voters in November to fund a variety of infrastructure projects and public space improvements, including seismic safety work at the citys public hospital and upgrades to two key transit plazas. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle 2023

Mayor London Breed hopes to send a $360 million bond to San Francisco voters in November to fund a variety of infrastructure projects and public space improvements, including seismic safety work at the citys public hospital and upgrades to two key transit plazas.

Breed announced Monday that her proposal would provide $167 million to help finance retrofits at San Francisco General Hospital and the Laguna Honda public nursing home that recently survived a threatened closure by the federal government. The money would further help renovate and expand the decades-old Chinatown Public Health Center on Mason Street above the Broadway Tunnel.

Also included in the bond would be $70 million for road repairs and $50 million to help shelter and house homeless families, either by buying new sites or renovating existing ones. The city would further plan to use the bond to invest $25 million into a facelift of Harvey Milk Plaza at the Castro Muni station, as well as an elevator repair and other enhancements to Powell stations Hallidie Plaza.

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Breed said in a statement that her new bond proposal was part of her efforts to make San Francisco a vibrant and healthy city.

This bond will invest in our critical infrastructure and advance projects that create jobs and prioritize important civic needs, Breed said. It will create safer streets and smoother roads, deliver welcoming and vibrant plazas and public spaces, support families, and strengthen our public health institutions that serve all of our residents.

Breeds office said she expects the proposed bond will be sent to the Board of Supervisors for consideration in the coming weeks, after approval by a City Hall capital planning committee. A supermajority of eight supervisors would need to agree to put the measure on the Nov. 5 ballot, where it would then need approval from two-thirds of voters.

The proposal already has support from a range of community leaders who said the projects the bond would pay for are sorely needed in San Francisco.

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Kim Meredith, CEO of the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, said in a statement that the measure would fund earthquake-safety upgrades, critical repairs and much needed renovations to deliver quality care  for all San Franciscans. Similarly, Sarah Wan, executive director of the Community Youth Center of San Francisco, said the planned renovation of the Chinatown Public Health Center would help the facility continue providing essential services to the Chinese American community, as it has done for many years.

Our community needs a state-of-the-art medical center to fully meet the growing needs to provide health care services for the next generation of our youth, families, and growing AAPI senior population in San Francisco, Wan said in a statement.

LGBTQ-rights activist Cleve Jones, a close friend of the late Supervisor Harvey Milk, said the bond would help pay for a long-planned memorial that would make Milks namesake plaza at Castro and Market streets a beacon to others all over the world.

Its very existence will give hope to people who need it, Jones said in a statement. And it is my hope that it inspires others all across the world to become a hero in their own communities, because the world needs a lot more people like my friend, Harvey Milk.

But some community leaders were critical of Breeds proposal because it did not include improvements to the San Francisco City Clinic, a SoMa health facility that provides low-cost testing for sexually-transmitted infections and treatment as well as HIV prevention and treatment services. Officials had previously discussed including $29 million for the clinic as part of the November bond.

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Jeffrey Kwong, president of the Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club, said the clinic is dilapidated and in need of investment. He said the mayor appeared to favor the plaza projects and sidewalk improvements over the clinic and urged the capital planning committee to reconsider.



Its irresponsible for the mayor, and I think its because shes running for reelection, Kwong said. She wants to spread out political goodies, but thats now how the bonds should work, and its indicative of a lack of planning on her part.



Breed spokesperson Jeff Cretan said in a statement that the clinic is an important public health resource and we are exploring options for (its) future. The clinic will continue to operate while Breeds administration works on investments to improve the patient experience, Cretan said.
We will partner with other organisations to tackle the most harmful scams, and we will continue to raise scams awareness with the people who are most at-risk as we work towards our common goal of making Australia a harder target for scammers, she said.
The attention that lithium-ion batteries have been getting of late is good on the one hand as it brings into consciousness some of the issues we need to be alive to, and then as society we are better informed to make decisions about how to manage the risks. However, theres a bit of alarmist commentary going on in Australia at the moment, and if that catches on, its not going to lead to good environmental outcomes which these batteries unquestionably help deliver through things like electric scooters and cars, he said.
On the frontline Insurance Business celebrates the top workers compensation providers of 2024. Industry expert Carol Murphy, executive vice president at HUB International, highlights what makes these firms stand out. Best-in-class major carriers have capabilities and jurisdictional expertise in all states. They are consistent, fair and responsive, and address claimants with empathy to support the clients good reputation. They avoid giving clients any surprises. The very best have reduced turnover so more consistency of high-quality claims adjusters and invest in continuous improvements in technology and analytics. While there are a multitude of factors to consider in the sector, the bedrock for a provider is delivering for the customer injured in the line of work. As an advocate of the customer, the first priority is the customers happiness with the carriers service and underwriting approach to optimize total cost of risk, explains Murphy. After that, it is making sure the program structure and costs are competitive and reasonable and providing the best tools and analytics to support the clients good reputation and improvements in total cost of risk. Any of these factors could go awry, prompting a desire to change carriers, but the most important factor is the customers level of satisfaction, especially with claims service.

AmTrust Financial Services



The New York-based firm has been in operation for 26 years and is a specialist in the workers comp sector.

AmTrusts abilities are unquestioned as this years recognition from IB marks the firms third successive annual 5-Star Workers Comp award.

With over 400,000 active policies, AmTrust devotes a lot of attention to smaller business and has become an unrivalled expert, making it challenging for competitors to match its offering,

Matt Zender, senior vice president, workers compensation strategy, says, We started writing small workers compensation and that business is administratively difficult. If youre having to touch those with an email and a regularity, it can become very difficult to make the economics work, but because we started writing small comp from the beginning, everything about our company was built to make sure that it was going to be able to support that, from our systems, to our people, to the way that we interact with our agents and our appetite that. Basically, we have a moat built around us.

We are a unique blend of being the third largest writer of workers compensation, but also have a nimbleness where were entrepreneurial enough that when anybody in the organization brings a suggestion to the table, we have the flexibility to execute against those suggestions

Matt Zender AmTrust Financial Services

There are five guiding principles that Zender attributes to the bedrock of the firms performance:

consistency

integrity

experience

reliability

innovation

He adds, Our appetite and approach has been consistent year over year, which allows our agents or partners to know what to expect from us. From an integrity perspective, our underwriters are given authority that allows them to be a meaningful partner for our agents and we stand behind the decisions they make.

Technology



AmTrust has established itself as a major player in the workers comp sector by refining its business to maintain that standing.

This has been done via investment and important strategic decisions.

We have made massive strides in our application programming interface (API) technology space, which allows us to interact with our agents digitally, and much more quickly than ever was possible before. Our interface technology allows our agents to transact with us all the way through quote, bind and policy issuance, which is unique to us, comments Zender.

For smaller policyholders, when our agents are working on that business, they need to work very quickly. If it takes too long, its simply not economical. So, we have to be able to support that through a transaction thats going to work very quickly and our systems allow us to execute that.

A recent case highlights how AmTrusts decisions on tech have enabled it to become an even stronger provider.

One of its larger agents had an issue involving 30,000 policies with a prior carrier, as policies were taking two to four weeks to get issued.

We were able to apply some technology solutions to it and we are now issuing those policies in less than four hours, and oftentimes instantaneously, says Zender.

This is the archetypal scenario that is driving the firm forward and the reason why it is a serial award winner.

Its invigorating when youre able to see not only that it was a solution that benefited AmTrust; it benefited our agent partner, but most importantly, it benefited the people that needed access to care. In some cases, waiting two to four weeks could have mattered, adds Zender. Now weve been able to remove that issue entirely. When you get wins like that, it just makes you want to find the next opportunity. It feeds the hunger, if you will, and makes you even hungrier.

Know the market



Even with efficient internal operations and vast sector experience, a fundamental reason AmTrust maintains its success is understanding policyholders.

Due to its focus on small businesses, it deals with a broad range of industries so it can capture patterns.

Zender explains, Theyve certainly changed in terms of payment options and integrating a payroll provider into the stream, so they can use their provider to remit their premium to us. For the most part, the small policyholders wear so many different hats and the workers compensation purchase is one they know they need to make and they would hope that they dont have to reference that at all throughout the year and when they do, were there to support them. But for the most part, their needs have changed around the edges, they havent changed at the core.

However, these edges are vital and there can be trends specific to particular sectors that AmTrust must be aware of. They do this by using their data and analytics.

Zender says, We would start at the broadest possible view, and then narrow ourselves in to the point where maybe were looking at, for example, our retention and how many policies are renewing with us, either on a premium basis or on a policy basis, and then you can look at maybe the number of midterm cancellations that you would have, and then you might look by class code. Then, if you see that youre having changes within that you might ask yourselves, was it due to any changes within the economic cycle. So, you start broad and narrow your way in, and that allows you to gain the insights.

And he highlights how the firms specialism allows it to become more informed annually so it can deliver even better service.

It comes back to that moat comment  when you have the data, you have the ability to gain the insights. It becomes a bit of have and have nots because were able to use our data to gain the insights and look into what it means for us. Whereas if you dont have that business, you dont have that ability.

That sophisticated approach is grounded in the ultimate point of the policies and the direct impact they have on injured workers.

If you lose sight of that, you lose sight of everything. Its what were in business for, to provide support and assistance when people do get injured on the job. Its why were here.
In the initial phase, brokers were engaged in discussions to identify the most crucial elements of workers compensation insurance policies. Subsequently, these professionals were asked to recommend insurance carriers and specific policies that excel in areas such as claims processing, customer support, competitive pricing, flexibility in policy terms, and communication efficiency.
How can we incentivize somebody to want a fortified roof like they would want a granite countertop? Thats our mission, said Hardy (pictured above left, and below, in front of storm maps) CEO of the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association, an arm of the states insurer of last resort thats also known as Coastal Property Insurance Pool, or the beach plan.
There's a mourning process that I think everyone needs to go through, should go through when a loved one dies, and to have him ordering this type of doll just months after his wife's death was concerning, he said.
Hielkema's cautionary statements align with the rising frequency and severity of extreme weather events due to climate change, which are driving up insurance costs and stoking fears of an insurability crisis. This trend has led some major home insurers to cease new business in areas like California following severe weather-related losses.
Danny Kaufman, president of Burns & Wilcox, discusses his company being named among this year's five-star wholesale brokerages and MGAs. He talks about the advantages of being a family business, the challenges facing wholesalers and MGAs, and how they can stand out.
A man accused of causing a fiery crash that shut down a major Connecticut highway bridge and killed a fuel delivery truck driver has been charged with negligent homicide, police said Thursday.

State police said Reginald Collins, 59, turned himself in Wednesday after learning that authorities had issued an arrest warrant for him related to the April 2023 crash on Interstate 95, a major artery between New York and Boston. His lawyer denied the allegations and said they came as a surprise.

State police said Thursday that Collins was driving his car on the southbound side of the Gold Star Memorial Bridge between New London and Groton when he blew out a tire, swerved and stopped in the right lane instead of pulling onto the right shoulder.

A fuel delivery truck then crashed into Collins car, flipped over onto its right side and caught fire, state police said. The 42-year-old truck driver, Wallace Fauquet III, of Stonington, was killed. Collins was knocked unconscious, and he and a passenger in his car were pulled to safety by good Samaritans as the flames approached the vehicle.

The arrest warrant alleges Collins created a traffic hazard by remaining stationary within the right acceleration lane and failing to move the vehicle out of the travel lane to a safe location.

Collins lawyer, Anthony C. Basilica, said his clients car was disabled when it came to a stop and he couldnt get over into the shoulder.

The crash resulted in the southbound side of the bridge being closed for hours and causing a major disruption in traffic. The Gold Star Memorial Bridge comprises two steel truss bridges  one each for southbound and northbound traffic over the Thames River. It is Connecticuts largest passenger and truck bridge at 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) in length.

The truck spilled about 2,200 gallons (8,340 liters) of home heating oil, and some of it went into the river. Videos from the scene showed flames burning and smoke rising from a lengthy section of the bridge and spreading to land on the Groton side. The fire damaged some protective fencing and the roadway, but did not damage the bridges structure.

Collins, of New London, was arraigned Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, improper parking, failure to register his vehicle and illegally operating a vehicle without proper insurance coverage. He was released on a promise to return to court on June 4.

Basilica said Collins had just bought new tires and was taking a test drive when one of them shredded on the bridge. He said Collins is considering a lawsuit against the tire store and Fauquets estate. He said Collins is still dealing with injuries from the crash including neck and back pain and post-traumatic stress.

State police said Fauquet was not licensed to transport hazardous materials such as fuel, but that did not take away from Collins role in the accident.

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Personal Auto Connecticut
A group attends a vigil for Palestine near a student encampment in support of Palestine at San Francisco State University on Monday, April 29. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle Students cover a candle at a vigil for Palestine near a student encampment on campus at San Francisco State University on Monday, April 29. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle A group attends a vigil for Palestine near a student encampment in support of Palestine at San Francisco State University on Monday, April 29. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle Photos are displayed at a vigil near a student encampment in support of Palestine at San Francisco State University on Monday, April 29. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle Maria Campos, center left, and Yaneli Lopez eat in a tent at a campus encampment in support of Palestine at San Francisco State University on Monday, April 29. Campos said she wants an end to the occupation in Palestine and everywhere. Benjamin Fanjoy/Special to the Chronicle A student who gave her name only as Ziniab speaks during a rally on Malcolm X Plaza at San Francisco State University on Monday, April 29. Students celled for a cease-fire and divestment from companies tied to Israel. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle Attendees set up tents at San Francisco State University during a rally on Monday, April 29. Students are calling for an end to military action in Gaza and for university leaders to divest holdings in companies tied to Israel. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

As hundreds of San Francisco State students shouted Intifada! and Free! Free! Palestine, from the river to the sea! on Monday, demonstrators set up a dozen tents in the middle of campus and joined a burgeoning nationwide student movement against Israels 6-month-old war in Gaza.

Five, six, seven, eight, Israel is a terrorist state! chanted students, many of them wrapped in Palestinian kaffiyeh scarves or surgical masks. Long live the intifada! they shouted, referencing the Arabic word for uprising that describes both violent attacks and nonviolent protests by Palestinians against Israel.

From a stage on Malcolm X Plaza, pro-Palestinian student leaders declared solidarity with the thousands of other students across the country who are calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

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We will respect the rights of students to peacefully protest and will work to keep them and the entire campus community safe, said Bobby King, a campus spokesperson.

S.F. State students say no to genocide! declared the president of the General Union of Palestinian Students, who gave her name only as Ziniab, as she addressed perhaps 1,000 students and echoed calls for university leaders to divest from any companies doing business in Israel.

The countrys military has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza and bombarded much of the territory with airstrikes. Human rights monitors warn that millions are at risk of starvation. All universities in the territory are gone, students noted. Hamas triggered the war on Oct. 7, when it invaded Israel, killed some 1,200 people and took 250 hostages. Hamas still holds about 100 of them.

California State Universitys complicity is investing billions from student tuition into companies doing business in Israel, Ziniab declared. Our outrage is loud and clear!

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To the cheers of students gathered in the plaza, she and other speakers said they were energized by the arrests of more than 100 Columbia University students demonstrators two weeks ago, followed by dozens more arrests at Yale.

Since then, Peoples University for Palestine encampments have sprung up at Stanford, UC Berkeley, Cal Poly Humboldt and other California campuses.

Students have demanded that administrators  including California State University trustees and the University of California regents  divest from companies doing business with Israel, from Lockheed Martin to McDonalds.

Attendees fill Malcolm X Plaza during a rally at San Francisco State University on Monday, April 29. They protested against continued military action in Gaza and called on university leaders to divest holdings in companies tied to Israel. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

Our tuition is being increased, and its going toward genocide instead of to better support the students, said Sara Ouchene, 20, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice studies. Regardless of how much money they get back (from the investments), at the end of the day, theyre contributing to the loss of human lives.

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Neither CSU nor UC officials have confirmed details about their investments in Israel.

At the San Francisco State rally, Omar Zahzah, an assistant professor in the Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Studies department, told the crowd that the growing movement was about more than stopping the war and divesting from Israel.

Ultimately, this is a call for the total liberation of Palestine! he cried, and described Israel as a nation of settler colonialists.

Similar calls on campuses across the country have triggered broad debate about whether demands for an end to Zionism  the establishment of Israel as a sanctuary state for Jews  is antisemitic.

One of the many signs students carried on Monday said, Zionism is racism. Another read, Anti-Zionism is not antisemitism.

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As masked students set up about a dozen tents across from Malcolm X Plaza, hundreds more cheered them on with cries of Intifada! Intifada!

A sign reading Cease fire now against a tent at San Francisco State University during a rally on Monday, April 29. Students are calling for an end to military action in Gaza and for university leaders to divest holdings in companies tied to Israel. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle

At Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, administrators have shut down the campus as demonstrators occupied a building there for the past week. At UCLA, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters clashed over the weekend.

Stanford students also have shown their support for divestiture in a vote. With one-third of the total student body participating, ballot results announced on Sunday showed 72% of undergraduates and 74% of graduate students in favor of following the guidelines laid out in the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions movement, calling for the university to cut and prevent financial ties with the targeted companies and industries, and any academic or corporate partnerships, funding war crimes in Israel.

Gabbie Baquiran, a business major observing the San Francisco State rally from the sidelines, gave thumbs up to the protesters.

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I think its really cool that were doing this, she said. Im glad I go to a school where were able to do protests and encampments like this.
Marsh, the insurance brokerage business of Marsh McLennan, announced an additional $25 million layer of capacity to its existing $100 million Cyber ECHO facility. Available to Marsh clients globally, Cyber ECHO now offers up to $125 million of excess cyber insurance cover and is the largest facility of its kind in the market.

Underwritten by Lloyds of London insurers, Marshs Cyber ECHO enables clients to access unmatched capacity to address their most complex cyber and technology risk exposures in any territory licensed by Lloyds. As a single facility, clients can benefit from an efficient placement process and streamlined claims mechanism. The new $25 million layer follows the same benefits as Cyber ECHO, such as optional reinstatement at pre-agreed rates in the event of a loss that erodes limits.

As the severity, frequency, and financial impact of cyber threats continues to grow, organizations are seeking the broadest coverage options beyond what is available in the open market, commented Serena France-Hayhurst, UK cyber placement leader, Marsh.

The reinstatement of underlying limits and surplus capacity through Cyber ECHOs new layer offers greater confidence and optionality to clients with increased exposures or more complex operations, as part of their overall cyber resilience efforts, France-Hayhurst added.

Source: Marsh

Topics Trends Cyber Excess Surplus
Zurich-based Lloyds coverholder Amboss Underwriting has assumed the portfolio of the Zurich branch of Oilfield Insurances Agencies.

Effective April 17, 2024, the announcement marks the commencement of Amboss operations in Zurich and Amsterdam. Amboss has received approval from Lloyds of London and Lloyds Insurance Company Brussels, allowing the company to write business in both the European Economic Area (EEA) and non-EEA regions as an approved coverholder. (The EEA includes EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.)

Amboss will be responsible for all legacy business written by the Zurich branch of Oilfield Insurances Agencies, and the entire Oilfield onshore energy team in Zurich joins Amboss.

We are delighted and very excited to embark on this new journey. As part of our commitment to our valued clients and business partners, we can assure everyone that there will be no change in day-to-day operations, commented Amboss chief underwriting officer, Colm Kelly.

Without the fantastic support of Alan Smith of Oilfield, we would never have reached this point. We also wish to thank all our brokers and mutual clients who believed in us, and our carriers who have facilitated our growth to a position of relevance. We look forward to engaging further to find mutually sustainable solutions for all parties, Kelly continued.

Led by Kelly, who holds more than 30 years of experience in this field, the Amboss underwriting team brings with them extensive expertise in underwriting an onshore energy portfolio, boasting a collective experience of 80 years in underwriting and claims handling.

Amboss target business lies in the full spectrum of the midstream and downstream sectors of the energy industry, with a particular focus on supporting clients through the energy transition to a more carbon neutral future. Supported by more than US$40 million of Lloyds security, Amboss will continue to expand and develop the portfolio, while exploring further lines of business for diversification.

EEA business operations are managed through the wholly owned subsidiary, Amboss Underwriting B.V., based in Amsterdam. Non-EEA business activities are overseen from the head office in Zurich.

Source: Amboss Underwriting

Topics Agencies Underwriting
Africa Specialty Risks (ASR), the pan-African focused re/insurance group, has launched ASR Syndicate 2454 focused on underwriting business across Africa. It is the first African-focused syndicate writing business at Lloyds and is managed by Apollo.

ASR Syndicate officially began underwriting on 26 April 2024 and has planned gross premium of approximately 70 million for 2024.

The syndicate will focus on underwriting ASRs existing lines of business, which include political risk & trade credit, political violence and terrorism, parametric, energy, property, construction, liability and treaty. There are plans to launch new lines of business in 2024, subject to necessary approvals.

This presents a unique opportunity for ASR and Lloyds, leveraging ASRs network and experience in Africa, bringing locally sourced, high quality, African business to the London market, ASR said. The syndicate will look to build Lloyds consortia following Syndicate 2454 to deploy greater capacity.

ASR will also leverage the Lloyds global brand and licenses to close the large corporate and specialty capacity gap for clients across Africa.

Currently, only 2% of Lloyds business comes from Africa, something which ASR Syndicate 2454 is strategically placed to expand. ASR began underwriting in February 2021, with the explicit aim of closing the insurance gap in Africa and facilitating international investment into and across the continent. To date, ASR has de-risked in excess of $20 billion of projects and assets across 49 African countries.

ASR has subsequently expanded to writing business in the Middle East and recently obtained approval in principle agreement from the Dubai Financial Services Authority to open an office in the Emirate.

Syndicate 2454 at Lloyds will complement ASRs existing binder arrangements with international and local African reinsurers.

Across ASR, we are building a business whose prime mission is to increase insurance penetration across Africa, and Syndicate 2454 is another positive step in helping us achieve our objective, commented Mikir Shah, CEO of ASR, in a statement.

Working with Apollo and Lloyds, we hope to be able to bring innovative risk mitigation solutions to the African insurance market and encourage high quality international capital and investment to take advantage of the vast opportunities we see on the continent, Shah said.

This is an exciting development for ASR, an opportunity to provide further capacity to Africa through Lloyds, alongside our pre-existing binder relationships, according to Martin Boreham, active underwriter of Syndicate 2454 and director of Underwriting at ASR.

Our ambition is to be the go-to Lloyds market for Africa, working with other Lloyds capacity providers to showcase the opportunities in Africa that we already see for re/insurers on a daily basis, Boreham added.

Andrew Gray, director of Apollos Strategic Partner Syndicates, said: Reaching this fantastic milestone is testament to Apollo and ASRs hard work, expertise and collaboration. We are proud to be a chosen partner of ASR, who are bringing something new and innovative to the Lloyds market, and excited to see what the partnership can produce in the future.

About ASR

Africa Specialty Risks (ASR) provides comprehensive risk mitigating solutions through high quality underwriting to local and global customers across Africa and the Middle East, giving them the confidence to grow their businesses sustainably. ASR is backed by Helios Investment Partners Fund IV and benefits from their extensive reach across Africa, as well as their knowledge and experience in our key markets.

Source: Africa Specialty Risks (ASR)

Topics Excess Surplus New Markets Lloyd's
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)  A tornado plowed through suburban Omaha, Nebraska, on Friday, damaging hundreds of homes and other structures as it tore for miles along farmland and into subdivisions. Some injuries were reported but there were no immediate reports that anyone was killed.

Multiple tornadoes were reported in Nebraska and Iowa on Friday, but the most destructive storm moved from a largely rural area into suburbs northwest of Omaha, a city of 485,000 people. Photos on social media showed the small city of Minden, Iowa, about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) northeast of Omaha also sustained heavy damage.

State Farm is the top insurer of homeowners multi peril in Nebraska and Iowa. The insurer has approximately $271 million of direct written premiums in Nebraska and $295 million in Iowa. The insurer represents writes nearly a quarter of all homeowners policies in both states.

Three people were injured in Nebraskas Lancaster County when a tornado hit an industrial building, causing it to collapse with 70 people inside. Several were trapped, but everyone was evacuated and the injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said.

Hundreds of houses sustained damage in Omaha, mostly in the Elkhorn area in the western part of the city, Omaha police Lt. Neal Bonacci said. Police and firefighters moved door-to-door to help people. Crews went to the hardest hit area and had a plan to search anywhere someone could be trapped, Omaha Fire Chief Kathy Bossman said.

Theyre going to be putting together a strategic plan for a detailed search of the area, starting with the properties with most damage, Bossman said. Well be looking throughout properties in debris piles, well be looking in basements, trying to find any victims and make sure everybody is rescued who needs assistance.

Bonacci said many homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

You definitely see the path of the tornado, Bonacci said.

In one area of Elkhorn, dozens of newly built, large homes were damaged. At least six were wrecked, including one that was leveled, while others had the top half ripped off. There were dozens of emergency vehicles in the area.

We watched it touch down like 200 yards over there and then we took shelter, said Pat Woods, who lives in Elkhorn. We could hear it coming through. When we came up our fence was gone and we looked to the northwest and the whole neighborhoods gone.

His wife, Kim Woods added, The whole neighborhood just to the north of us is pretty flattened.

Three people, including a child, were in the basement of the leveled home when the tornado hit but got out safely, according to Dhaval Naik, who said he works with homes owner.

KETV-TV video showed one woman being removed from a wrecked home on a stretcher in Blair, a city just north of Omaha.

Bonacci said only two people have been transported for treatment, both with minor injuries.

He said crews are now doing a second search of homes. He said fire crews would work throughout the night to check all the unsafe structures and make sure no one is inside.

People had warnings of this and that saved lives, Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, of the few serious injuries.

The tornado warning was issued in the Omaha area on Friday afternoon just as children were due to be released from school. Many schools had students shelter in place until the storm passed. Hours later, buses were still transporting students home.

Was it one long track tornado or was it several tornadoes? said Becky Kern, the warning coordination meteorologist in the National Weather Services Omaha office.

She said the agency planned to send out multiple crews over the next several days to determine the number of tornadoes and their strength, and that it could take up to two weeks to finish the evaluation.

Some appeared to be violent tornadoes, she continued. There were tornadoes in different areas. And so its like forensic meteorology, we call it, like piecing together, all the damage indicators.

Another tornado hit an area on the eastern edge of Omaha, passing directly through parts of Eppley Airfield, the citys airport. Officials closed the airport to aircraft operations to access damage but then reopened the facility, Omaha Airport Authority Chief Strategy Officer Steve McCoy said.

The passenger terminal wasnt hit by the tornado but people rushed to storm shelters until the twister passed, McCoy said.

After passing through the airport, the tornado crossed the Missouri River and into Iowa, north of Council Bluffs.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency spokesperson Katrina Sperl said damage reports were just starting to come in. Taylor Wilson, a spokesperson for the University of Nebraska Medical Center, said they hadnt seen any injuries yet.

In Lancaster County, where three people were injured when an industrial building collapsed, sheriffs officials also said they had reports of a tipped-over train near Waverly.

Two people who were injured in the county were being treated at the trauma center at Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln, the facility said in a news release. The hospital said the patients were in triage and no details were released on their condition.

The Omaha Public Power District reported that nearly 10,000 customers were without power in the Omaha area.

Daniel Fienhold, manager of the Pink Poodle Steakhouse in Crescent, Iowa, said he was outside watching the weather with his daughter and restaurant employees. He said it looked like a pretty big tornado was forming northeast of town.

It started raining, and then it started hailing, and then all the clouds started to kind of swirl and come together, and as soon as the wind started to pick up, thats when I headed for the basement, but we never saw it, Fienhold said.

The forecast for Saturday was ominous. The Weather Service also issued tornado watches across parts of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. And forecasters warned that large hail and strong wind gusts were possible.

It does look like a big outbreak again tomorrow, Kern said. Maybe slightly farther south.

___

Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas. Associated Press writers Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota, and Jeff Martin in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Photo: Two women help carry a friends belongings out of their damaged home after a tornado passed through the area in Bennington, Neb., Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Josh Funk)

Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Windstorm Iowa
Sixty-five percent of North American business leaders fear this election year will impact their ability to trade internationally, with 32% of U.S. leaders saying political risk is their number one threat.

In January, Beazley surveyed over 3,500 business leaders in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Singapore, France, Germany and Spain.

The results, published in Beazleys Risk & Resilience Report: Geopolitical Risk Snapshot 2024, found that 30% of international business leaders believe that political risk is the biggest threat they face this year, with 36% believing they are operating in a high-risk environment.

In this year of the election, when over 60 countries are holding major elections, businesses worldwide face significant political uncertainty, said Chris Parker, head of terrorism and deadly weapons protection at Beazley.

While previously some property insurance policies gave firms some cover from the risks associated civil unrest, property carriers have begun to exclude this risk, proving the importance of having standalone political violence and strikes, riots and civil commotion cover.

In the U.S., where a presidential election is looming, and the events of January 2021 are still front of mind for many, 25% of U.S. business leaders surveyed feel unprepared to deal with the political risks they face.

Globally, the Russian conflict against Ukraine continues to threaten peace in Europe, the conflict in Gaza risks igniting further unrest across the Middle East region, and concern over a Chinese invasion of Taiwan remains. There have been nine coups in West Africa, Central Africa and the Sahel region since 2020.

Lenders increasingly demand political risk protection, including trade credit risk, terrorism and war insurance coverage, for international firms looking to support the global energy transition, particularly in politically unstable regions. Twenty-seven percent of executives in the global energy and mining sectors say they are unprepared to deal with war and terrorism risks. These challenges have left businesses worrying about their ability to trade internationally.

Roddy Barnett, Beazleys head of political risks and trade credit, said specialty insurance can play a vital role in providing financial reassurance to businesses.

With growing political tensions across the globe, standalone cover for political risk and trade credit, political violence, strikes, riots and civil commotion is increasingly important, Barnett said. As businesses become exposed to a growing range of perils, the need to move away from pure terrorism cover is apparent, with businesses in major Western democracies being particularly affected.

Businesses need proactive contingency plans for macroeconomic and political risks that they are exposed to, said Matthew Dunne, focus group leader, U.S. political risk & trade credit at Beazley.

Diversification of supply, understanding local investment risk, having cover in place before something happens are all vital to building a robust risk mitigation strategy.

Topics Leadership
Additional tests of milk showed that pasteurization killed the bird flu virus, federal health officials said on Friday, as Colorado became the ninth U.S. state to report an infected dairy herd.

Federal lawmakers urged the Biden administration to further contain the virus spread as tests showed one in five U.S. commercial milk samples contained remnants of the virus, suggesting the outbreak is more widespread than previously thought.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) late on Friday said preliminary results from gold-standard PCR testing showed pasteurization killed the virus in milk and baby formula. It did not say how many milk products it had tested but added that it plans to do more testing on 297 products from 38 states.

One person, a Texas farm worker, has been confirmed to have bird flu and suffered conjunctivitis in the current outbreak following exposure to dairy cows. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization said on Friday the current overall public health risk is low, but is higher for those with exposure to infected animals.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed milking cows in Colorado tested positive, following earlier infections in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, New Mexico, North Carolina and South Dakota.

Congress members push for a stronger response added pressure on federal agriculture and health authorities still seeking to confirm how the H5N1 virus is spreading and its potential risks to people, one month after the first detection in a Texas dairy herd.

An analysis of U.S. Department of Agriculture data by a University of Arizona scientist offers new evidence that the first known H5N1 outbreak in dairy cattle is more far-reaching than the 34 herds in nine states that have officially tested positive.

Containing this before it spreads among humans is critical. Given lessons learned from COVID, this federal response is insufficient, Republican U.S. Senator Mitt Romney said in a post on X.

Some lawmakers, including Romney, have made a bipartisan push to reauthorize legislation known as the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act that lapsed last year and is aimed at bolstering the nations response to pandemics and other public health threats. The recent spread of bird flu and the detection of H5N1 genetic materials in milk have increased some calls for action.

The virus in the human case is significantly different from the bird flu virus samples taken from infected cattle that were made public by government officials last weekend, said Dr. Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Arizona.

The difference between the genetic sequences of the workers virus and the 239 other samples provided indicate that this was a very longstanding, widespread epidemic, he told Reuters.

The Texas Animal Health Commission said it did not receive the location of the workers farm or obtain samples of that herd to test because of the persons confidentiality.

I think the sequences out there probably arent representative of everything thats circulating, said Dr. Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Judes Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis.

A CDC spokesperson said in an email there are always some subtle changes in genetic sequences when flu viruses move from host-to-host, but said data points to the virus emerging from birds to infect cows and then transmission to the human.

BIRD FLU TRACES FOUND IN US MILK

One in five commercial milk samples tested in a nationwide survey contained particles of the H5N1 virus, the FDA said late on Thursday. The agency said there is no reason to believe the virus found in milk poses a risk to human health and on Friday described results of the new tests.

This says this virus has largely saturated dairy cattle throughout the country, said Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota.

Many infectious disease experts and government officials have said they believe the pasteurization process will inactivate the virus, also known as avian influenza.

Im not worried about the milk itself, said Samuel Alcaine, associate professor, of food science at Cornell University. It does indicate that the virus is more widespread among dairies than we had previously thought.

Osterholm said the U.S. should be doing much more sampling, in both dairy and beef cattle, as well as pigs.

Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, a significant dairy state with no reported cases, has urged the USDA to quickly deploy additional resources in states that have the opportunity to prevent the disease from entering herds.

The White House has said that it is monitoring the avian flu situation, launching an immediate response team to ensure the safety of the nations food supply, monitor trends to mitigate risk and prevent the virus spread.

Starting on Monday, the USDA will require dairy cows to test negative for bird flu before they are moved across state lines.

In Indiana, officials are weighing their own potential restrictions, such as testing within the state, though it has no confirmed cases, said Bret Marsh, the state veterinarian.

Were taking a look here at the state level to see what we may need to do, he said on a conference call.

Photo: AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File

Topics Texas
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear Elon Musks bid to throw out part of a securities fraud settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission restricting the billionaire businessmans public statements about his electric car company Tesla.

The justices turned away Musks appeal of a lower courts decision upholding the 2018 settlement reached after he said on social media that he had funding secured to take Tesla privatea statement the SEC in a legal action called false and misleading.

Musks settlement resolved the SEC lawsuit accusing him of defrauding investors. Under the agreement, Musk and Tesla each paid $20 million fines and he gave up his role as the companys chairman. Musk also agreed to let a Tesla lawyer pre-approve some posts he made on the social media platform then called Twitter before Musk bought the company and renamed it X.

Musk later sought to terminate the pre-approval mandate, with his lawyers in a court filing calling it a government-imposed muzzle that amounted to an illegal prior restraint on his speech.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman in Manhattan in 2022 rejected Musks request. A three-judge panel of the Manhattan-based 2nd U.S. Circuit of Appeals in 2023 upheld that decision.

The 2nd Circuit said Musk chose to allow screening of his Twitter posts, and had no right to revisit the matter because he has now changed his mind. The 2nd Circuit last year denied Musks request to rehear the case, prompting his appeal to the Supreme Court.

Musks lawyers argued that the SEC had no right to impose, as a condition of settling, a gag rule that they contend violated the U.S. Constitutions First Amendment constraints on governmental limits on free speech.
The Florida Supreme Court has given auto insurers more flexibility in reducing payments for medical services under the states no-fault auto insurance law and may have finally put to rest years of questions about the much-debated statute.

In answering a certified question from a federal appeals court, the Florida justices said that the no-fault law does not force insurers to choose between paying 80% of the maximum reimbursement allowed by Medicare or paying the full amount of the charges submitted by a medical provider. The insurer may, if the policy gives notice, choose to pay 80% of the charged amount, even if that amount is less than the maximum, the court decided.

Allstate correctly characterizes this 80% of reasonable expenses requirement as the overarching mandate of the PIP statute, the justices wrote in the April 25 opinion.

The courts decision is the long-awaited result from a 2019 class-action lawsuit brought by Revival Chiropractic in Altamonte Springs, Florida, and others against Allstate Insurance Co. The chiro practice had treated two Allstate policyholders involved in auto accidents, and took exception when Allstate would not pay the full bill. More than 28,000 other medical claims were similarly underpaid, the initial lawsuit noted.

This adds clarity on the PIP law, said Michael Carlson, president of the Personal Insurance Federation of Florida, which filed an amicus brief in the case. This, along with the end to attorney fees should really help reduce costs in auto.

The chiropractors argued that the wording of Floridas Personal Injury Protection act (the PIP or no-fault statute), allowed the insurer to reduce its payout only when it chooses to adhere to the maximum reimbursement method, based on Medicare or, in some instances, the state workers compensation fee schedules.

A federal district court agreed with the health care providers. Allstate appealed and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that multiple courts had reached differing conclusions on the confusing PIP statute.

In its answer to the federal courts certified question, the Florida Supreme Court found that Revival Chiropractic had misunderstood the law.

Revivals position is that Allstates election to limit reimbursements based on the schedule of maximum charges effectively provided an exception to the statutory provision limiting reimbursements to 80% of reasonable charges, the high court noted. But Revivals understanding is based on a misreading of the provisions of both section 627.736 and Allstates PIP policy.

The PIP statute is permissive, not mandatory, the court said. It provides that an insurer may pay 80% of the maximum, but that reasonableness of fees is the overriding thrust of the law.

 Revival contends that the policy reflects an election to exclusively proceed pursuant to the statutory provisions governing the schedule of maximum charges, the justices wrote. Revivals approach subverts the manifest purpose of both the PIP statute and Allstates PIP policy by ignoring the clear terms of both texts.

The court explained the fees at the heart of the litigation: The maximum on the fee schedule for the medical procedure was $115; 80% of that would be $120. Revival had submitted a charge of just $100, believing that Allstate would have to pay that amount. But the insurer elected to pay 80% of that charge, or just $80. That practice had deprived medical providers of more than $5 million, from 2014 to 2019.

The Supreme Court had settled a similar question in late 2021, in its opinion in MRI Associates of Tampa vs. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance. That decision found that State Farm was not bound by the 80%-of-maximum rule but could utilize its own, hybrid reimbursement schedule that paid less than what the medical provider billed for.

But the Revival case was in litigation when the MRI Associates decision was handed down, and at least two other recent Florida appellate court rulings have conflicted on key issues. Those state cases had been undermined but not fully repudiated by the MRI ruling, the 11th Circuit said in explaining why the Supreme Courts definitive opinion was needed.

The state justices tweaked the certified question to read:

Under a PIP policy providing notice that the insurer (a) will pay 80% of reasonable expenses for medically necessary services, (b) may limit payment pursuant to the statutory schedule of maximum charges and other statutory limitations, and (c) will pay 80% of a submitted charge if that charge is less than the amount reimbursable under the schedule or other statutory provisions, may the insurer pay 80% of the charge submitted by a medical provider, even if the charge submitted is for less than the amount reimbursable under the schedule?

The answer is yes, the justices agreed.

The Revival case now goes back to the 11th Circuit for final consideration.

In light of the ruling, some Floridians may wonder what is to stop providers from simply charging the fee-schedule maximum every time, going forward. For one thing, not all medical procedures are covered by the Medicare and workers comp maximum reimbursement schedule. And the PIP law requires that reasonable medical charges be in line with customary fees charged to most patients.

 Such a charge may not exceed the amount the person or institution customarily charges for like services or supplies, the no-fault statute reads. In determining whether a charge for a particular service, treatment, or otherwise is reasonable, consideration may be given to evidence of usual and customary charges and payments accepted by the provider involved in the dispute, reimbursement levels in the community and various federal and state medical fee schedules applicable to motor vehicle and other insurance coverages, and other information relevant to the reasonableness of the reimbursement for the service, treatment, or supply.

The Supreme Court opinion can be seen here. The initial complaint by Revival Chiropractic can be seen here.

Topics Florida Carriers
Leading fuel business Certa claims that more than 12m litres of biofuel it had already paid for is "missing or does not exist" after the majority shareholder of the Irish provider of the fuel went into administration in the UK.

Certa claims, in proceedings admitted to the Commercial Court on Monday, that the provider, Green D Project Ireland Ltd, gave misleading information the month before its UK majority shareholder, Green Biofuels Ltd, went into administration by saying it had some 17m litres of fuel in Ringaskiddy, Cork.

Certa, which operates a number of filling stations as well as providing home heating oil and fuel to the business sector, entered into an agreement to buy some 18m litres of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) biofuel, which is made from waste vegetable oils and animal fats. It is marketed as a low-emission substitute for diesel.

In 2022, in the light of general concerns about risks to the security of the electricity supply in Ireland, Certa sought to ensure it would have a large supply of biofuel in case it became necessary to power back-up generators.

It entered into an agreement with Green D to provide 18m litres of HVO biofuel for the sum of 26.7m.

In an affidavit, Andrew Graham, former managing director of Certa and current managing director of mobility with DCC Energy, said his firm paid the full purchase price to Green D in December 2022. Green D also agreed to store and ringfence Certa's 18m litre supply in the Cork facility, he said.

The money was paid to what Certa believed was a Green D account but which actually turned out to be a Green Biofuels account, he said.

Concerns began to arise in January 2023 when tank "dip" reports from Cork recorded storage of around just 4.7m litres. Concerns continued into the year when Certa was assured by both Green Biofuels and Green D representatives that some 17m litres would be in the storage tank.

Tosko Botev, Green Biofuels UK's commercial director, said a vessel was due to arrive during August, when Certa's supply would be ringfenced, he said.

In September, Mr Botev provided Certa with a tank dip measurement stating there was 17.3m litres in the storage facility, he said.

When Green Biofuels entered administration in the UK the next month, Mr Graham sought but was refused permission to carry out its own tank dips. Mr Graham, however, received a WhatsApp message from another Green D representative stating the dip was just over 8m litres.

Mr Graham said this was very concerning as it meant that, between when the 17m litre reading was given by Mr Botev and the WhatsApp message reading, some 250 trucks would have had to have transported 9.3m litres out of the facility over nine days to make the level drop to 8m litres.

He did not believe that it was "a realistic possibility". His request for an explanation about the difference in figures was not answered, he said.

When Certa representatives did get into carry out measurements, on October 11, it was established there was 7.7m litres.

Certa has got just 5.8m litres of the total 18m litres it paid for, he said. The whereabouts of 12.2m is "unknown", he said.

After Green Biofuels went into administration in the UK, the joint administrators then presented a petition to the Irish High Court to wind up Green D. This was resisted by Green D and in December, the court refused to confirm the provisional liquidators.

Green D then brought proceedings against Certa in relation to the use of the biofuel it supplies (known as GD+), and sought some 24.5m.

Certa seeks a number of declarations including specific performance of the agreement to provide the full 18m litres and that the 24.5m payment demand from Green D is invalid.

Mr Graham said that as part of an agreement between the parties involving the payment of money to Certa over the Easter, it was also agreed the Certa case should be admitted to the Commercial Court.

On Monday, on the application of Michael Cush, counsel for Certa, and consent from Paul McGarry, for the defendant, Mr Justice Denis McDonald admitted the case to the fast track Commercial Court and approved agreed directions for the progress of the proceedings.
Farmers are being urged to engage early with banks if needed as one organisation warns that the "fallout of the extremely wet and lengthy winter will be long-term".

Speaking following meetings with two of the main banks - AIB and Bank of Ireland - Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association farm business chairman Pat O'Brien has advised farmers who are worried about their farm finances to seek help and advice.

Obviously weather-related issues were one of the main topics of discussion at these meetings, but the credit facilities and associated interest rates available to farmers were also raised," Mr O'Brien said.

"We are very conscious that there has to be a pathway for farmers to farm their way out of cashflow difficulties and the banks will have to show consideration and support to those farmers when thats required."

Fallout

The ICMSA committee chairman said that the wintering of animals and paying for the increased fodder used along with replenishing stocks will be "crucial".

"While it looks like weather conditions are improving this week, the fallout of the extremely wet and lengthy winter will be long-term and will require extra bank support in some cases," Mr O'Brien continued.

He said that the ICMSA has requested that the banks operate a single point of contact so that farmers could explain their position "speedily and time-efficiently".

"Once the dust has settled on this long indoor housing period, farmers should engage with the financial services available to them and confidently secure the best product available," he added.

"Banks for their part need to provide decisions quickly and apply competitive interest rates that will help farmers farm their way out of their difficulties."
Auckland International Airport Limited (Auckland Airport) is considering an offer of fixed rate bonds maturing in November 2030 to New Zealand retail investors and to institutional investors.

Any such offer will be made pursuant to the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 as an offer of debt securities of the same class as Auckland Airports existing quoted debt securities. The bonds are expected to be quoted on the NZX Debt Market. It is expected that full details of the bond issue will be released the week of 6 May 2024.

Auckland Airport has appointed Bank of New Zealand and Craigs Investment Partners Limited as Joint Lead Managers.

Investors can register their interest with the Joint Lead Managers (details below) or a financial adviser. Indications of interest will not involve an obligation or commitment of any kind. No money is currently being sought and no bonds can be applied for or acquired until the offer opens and the investor has received a copy of the offer document in relation to the bonds.

A copy of a market update presentation to be made by Auckland Airport is attached.

Ends

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Aedin Gormley grew up in Rathmines, Dublin. In 1995, she began presenting the evening drivetime show on Raidio na Gaeltachta and working as a continuity announcer on RTE radio.

She has been presenting on RTE Lyric FM since it opened in 1999.

Movies and Musicals with Aedin Gormley is on RTE Lyric FM Saturday afternoons; she also presents Aedin in the Afternoon on Fridays.

RTE Lyric FM is celebrating 25 years on air with a gala birthday concert at Limericks University Concert Hall, Wednesday, 1 May.

Black and while classic films

My love of film is down to my dad who was a major film buff.

We were one of the first families to get a video recorder and I have lovely memories of snuggling up on the couch watching favourites like Rebecca, The 39 Steps, Kings Row and Jane Eyre.

As a family, we watched these films multiple times and were able to quote dialogue freely to each other and indeed hum the tunes.

I was aware of how music affected the film I watched from a very young age. Sadly, my dad died when I was 17, but he gave me so much.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

When I was 10 years old my best friend, Clare, and I went on the bus to The Adelphi cinema to see E.T.

We were blown away by the film. When we came out, I bought a poster that hung on my bedroom wall.

A scene from the film E.T.

On the bus home, I looked up at the sky wondering if there might be other life out there. I decided Id rather like to meet E.T.

This was my first major engagement with two geniuses in the film world who collaborate so successfully together  director Steven Spielberg, who made a masterpiece, and John Williams, who, for this magical score, won his fourth Oscar.

Juno and the Paycock

I was brought to the theatre from a young age to both musicals and plays.

A play that really made an impact was Sean OCaseys Juno and the Paycock directed by Joe Dowling in 1986.

It was one of those memorable productions where everything came together magnificently, with a perfect cast, including Donal McCann, John Kavanagh, Geraldine Plunkett and Maureen Potter.

OCasey writes so well for women. When Juno says to Mary that they will raise her child together with the line, Itll have whats far better  itll have two mothers", it gets me every time.

RTE Concert Orchestra

We are so lucky to have the RTE Concert Orchestra, one of the most versatile orchestras out there, who can play anything.

The orchestra is connected to my childhood as my mother, Ursula, played violin with them in the 1980s, so I was regularly taken to concerts.

It all came full circle when I started to present concerts with the orchestra through my work with RTE Lyric FM, which is always a joy.

They are a fabulous bunch of musicians. You cant beat hearing live music played so well.

Julie Andrews

I interviewed Julie Andrews about her autobiography, Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, where she gives a fascinating insight into what was a difficult upbringing in war-torn Britain.

She never really shared her early life story before this. She told some interesting anecdotes, about starring in My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison and in Camelot with Richard Burton on Broadway before her film career took off.

I also conducted a public interview with her at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre, which was an incredible experience.

She was just as you would expect her to be  professional, polished and polite. She utterly charmed us all.

Following the interview, the dinner with Julie Andrews and a small group was surreal!

Stephen Sondheim

I consider myself a Sondheim super-fan! Hes my all-time favourite composer and lyricist in the musical theatre world. He was one of the greatest and most original writers, who wrote grown-up musicals.

He explored human relationships in all their complexity in musicals like Company, Follies, Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd.

He was a master of melody and a genius lyricist, referred to as the Shakespeare of the musical world.

He was witty but could also break your heart with a song. His songs have great depth, after multiple listens I will still hear something I havent heard before.

Hamilton

Sondheim was a mentor to many, including Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator and star of the hit hip-hop musical Hamilton.

He pushed the format and style of musical theatre forward. As well as writing the music, lyrics and book for Hamilton, he played the lead role of Alexander Hamilton in the original Broadway production.

Hamilton the musical.

When it finally opened on this side of the Atlantic  in London  in 2017, I was hugely impressed  it was like nothing I had heard before.

I regularly make day trips to London to catch a matinee and finally seeing Hamilton on stage did not disappoint. I had to go back a second time. It blew me away.

Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Ive been making my way through the Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus podcast where she interviews iconic older women with attitude and wisdom.

The guest list is pretty impressive, including Jane Fonda, Bonnie Raitt, Sally Field and Carol Burnett.

My personal favourite in the series is author Isabel Allende. She imparts many gems, including a great attitude to ageing, suggesting we shouldnt ask, How old are you? but the more celebratory, How many years have you lived?

Galapagos with David Attenborough

Im often at my happiest walking in nature and Im a big David Attenborough fan.

I have always been fascinated by the Galapagos Islands and Attenboroughs landmark documentary series was a mesmerising examination of this miraculous landscape, its plant life and animals.

Fleabag

I adored Fleabag. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is such a talented writer and actor. A flawless ensemble cast with the brilliant Andrew Scott (who can do no wrong) alongside Sian Clifford, Olivia Colman and Bill Patterson.

Sian Clifford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge in Fleabag.

The internal monologues, and running commentary to the audience worked so well. Its incredibly funny, original and also touching and heart-breaking, as this complicated young woman navigates life while dealing with grief. It welcomes repeat viewings.

Kirsty Young

Desert Island Discs on BBC Radio 4 is a great show and one I tune into regularly. I listened to hundreds of episodes during lockdown. Kirsty Young remains the best presenter of the series.

Her beautiful voice, calm demeanour and interviewing skills are second to none. She was often not only an interviewer but a psychologist.

One of her stand-out guests was Dustin Hoffman. The two had an affable rapport and she really got an honest and poignant interview, providing great insight into the actor.
A meeting in London between Justice Minister Helen McEntee and UK home secretary James Cleverly was cancelled late on Sunday night amid an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

The pair had been due to speak about issues including strengthening the external border of the Common Travel Area and how to prevent abuses of it.

A Department of Justice statement late on Sunday said: "The meeting between the Minister for Justice and the Home Secretary tomorrow has been postponed and will be rescheduled in the near future."

According to the UK newspaper The Daily Telegraph, the meeting was cancelled by Mr Cleverly, who cited a diary clash as his reason for doing so. Ms McEntee will now meet with senior officials in Dublin.

The now postponed meeting was coming just days after Ms McEntee confirmed that around 80% of asylum seekers are now arriving here from across the border with the North.

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said this increase showed that his government's Rwanda deportation plan, which aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel, is working. Tanaiste Micheal Martin also suggested it is a direct impact of the UKs controversial Rwanda plan.

At the weekend, Taoiseach Simon Harris said Ireland would not provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges.

Read More Taoiseach hits back after Sunak says cross-Border migration vindicates Rwanda policy

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and co-operation between the British and Irish governments was not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

"When it comes to migration, I do think its important that there is collaboration, where appropriate, between the PSNI and Gardai."

The UK government rejected any bid by Ireland to return asylum seekers unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

A meeting will take place on Monday between Tanaiste Micheal Martin and the UK government's Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, when the former co-chairs a meeting of the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference in London.

The Justice Minister will meet with senior officials in Dublin today and regrets she wont be in attendance at the BIIGC, which will be attended by the Tanaiste. The minister said she looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon.

Ms McEntees planned meeting with James Cleverly was to form part of the ongoing extensive engagement and co-operation between the Department of Justice and the British Home Office, as well as operational co-operation between An Garda Siochana and the PSNI.

UK home secretary James Cleverly on last Thursday's visit to Lampedusa, focusing on the migrants whose landing on the Italian island marks their arrival into Europe. His meeting with Ireland's Justice Mister, scheduled for Monday, has now been postponed. Picture: Victoria Jones/PA

When planning for Monday's now-postponed meeting, the Justice Minister had said she would be discussing how both governments can better protect the Common Travel Area from abuse.

From an Irish perspective, it is essential that we can return people back to the UK when appropriate, she said. Over the last month I have been working on emergency legislation to allow us to recommence returns there.

I will seek Government approval for the legislation to be rapidly drafted so that the UK can again be designated as a safe country for returns.

"My department has been working on this as a priority since last months High Court judgment, and I intend that returns to the UK will recommence once the law is enacted.

Last week, Ms McEntee extended fast processing to whatever country has the highest number of applicants, which is currently Nigeria.

She said she expects this will have an immediate impact.

Since I introduced accelerated processing in November 2022, the applications from the eight designated safe countries have dropped by 50%, she said. I added two additional countries to the safe country list earlier this year, and eight more are under review.

The Newry River flowing into Carlingford Lough, marking the border between Co Down in the North and Co Louth in the Republic. File picture: PA

Under the fast-track regime, applicants receive an interview date when they arrive, and a first decision within 90 days. This means that someone who has a right to protection gets it more quickly, but it also means those without a right can be returned more quickly. It also means those refused have a negative immigration record, which impacts their ability to travel internationally.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has defended her partys rhetoric on open borders, arguing that it has long been her position on immigration.

Ms McDonald claimed there has been "a lot of misinformation around migration and accused the Government of scrambling on the issue.

Sinn Fein is not for open borders, we are for a system that is fair, human-rights compliant, efficient, she said on Sunday.

When it was put to her that Ireland doesnt have open borders, Ms McDonald said: I have used that term for clarification purposes, and Ive been using that language and making that point as far back as 2007.

She referenced an Irish Times report from 2007 when, as a then MEP for Dublin, she said Sinn Fein is not in favour of an open door or open border policy on migration.

I made the point then, and I make the point now, that anyone who says that Sinn Fein is for open borders is wrong," she said.

"We are for a system that is orderly, that is fair, that is human rights compliant, that is efficient  that's an important piece  and that is enforced."
Claims that the majority of asylum seekers entering Ireland had crossed the border from Northern Ireland have been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee last week claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the state is now higher than 80% following a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

It comes as Irish and UK ministers are meeting in London following a fallout over migrants travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and into Ireland.

On Friday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said that the figures provided by Ms McEntee were based on the number of people registering at the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said the figures provided were based on people arriving at the International Protection Office (Brian Lawless/PA)

However, representatives from the Irish Refugee Council and the Committee on the Administration of Justice cast doubt on the figures.

Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said: We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80% figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

A person may pass through immigration control and then apply for protection at the IPO.

They may not want to apply at the airport or port because they think they will be placed back on the flight and returned, putting them at risk of persecution.

Also, a person may also be here with one status, eg as a student, but due to a change in circumstances, like a war in their country, need to apply for protection.

For example, we have supported people from Gaza in this type of situation. This is known as sur place refugees.

Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, said he is sceptical of the claims put forward by the minister.

When you look at what the Department of Justice said, they said the border wasnt monitored routinely and the 80% seems to be based on the fact that a lot of international protection applications are happening in-country, in the Mount Street office rather than happening at ports and airports.

But theres a broad range of reasons why that would be the case. A lot of people make their asylum claims in-country and not at ports, they dont realise you need to do it at port.

Or take for example, if someone whos in Ireland, not as a refugee but as a medical student, they werent in need of international protection when they arrived. But then something happens.

Theyre from a very undemocratic regime, a family member gets arrested, gets tortured, gets detained, and they know theyre going to be in a similar risk if they go back and at that point is the point when they seek international protection.

So were sceptical. This isnt the first time this type of claim has been made. When the British governments Rwanda policy was launched a couple of years ago, back in 2022, a very similar claim was made that was treated with great scepticism by the ESRI.

(The ESRI) urged that it was treated with quite considerable caution because not only were in-country applications not really indicative of how many people were crossing the land border, but equally there were many other push factors that will lead into increases in international protection applications rather than the UK policy.
Custom-made, high-powered narco speedboats  which killed police officers in Spain this year  are being used in drug smuggling operations off the Irish coast.

Two Spanish police officers were killed when a high-powered speedboat smashed through a police boat which was intercepting a drug trafficking operation earlier this year. Eight people were subsequently arrested.

Detectives from West Cork travelled to Spain earlier this month to share intelligence and collaborate on plans to intercept international drug smuggling operations. They are also due to visit Lisbon in the coming weeks to collaborate with Portuguese police and anti-drug smuggling organisation MAOC(N).

Custom-built rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) are designed with a deepened hull to hold extra product in the front of the boat for drug traffickers and organised crime gangs. An extra fuel-holding area is also built into the hull so the ship can stay fuelled at sea for longer. They can also carry multiple high-powered engines.

These narco-boats also sometimes carry large drums of extra fuel which can be used and then cast out to be replaced with bales of drugs when picking up product.

These boats are now seen in drug smuggling operations across Europe.

A garda source said: "Little teams of these mercenaries will pick up the product and slip off into the darkness again for a price. Theyll move as quickly as they can, crossing borders to a safe haven.

Ireland is a major stepping stone from drug gangs into Europe, they said.

Were on the main thoroughfare. Ireland is the main stop after the Azores from South America.

So other countries will help Ireland when they can, pass on information. They know that it is a major stepping stone for Europe at the moment, especially when so much is publicised about our lack of resources to police it  by the navy or ourselves  and those highlighted facts don't go unnoticed. People are watching. Its literally a free run-in."

A custom-made, high-powered RIB has been intercepted by gardai, and unconfirmed reports from the public have been made of other potential sightings of these vessels.

The boats can be made in Portugal, sent to Holland, and moved onwards to countries such as Ireland, a source said.

Earlier this month, dramatic footage of a boat chase was released by Spanish police after officers chased a narco-boat and seized large quantities of cocaine and cannabis.

Spain's Guardia Civil arrested 63 people after officers seized more than 12,000 kilos of cannabis and 630 kilos of cocaine along the Andalusian coast and the Guadalquivir river.
A heroic Irish nun who saved hundreds of lives during two world wars is to be honoured next month in France, where her name is revered.

Kate McCarthy, who was born in Drimoleague, Co Cork, in December 1895, received the name Sister Marie-Laurence when she joined the order of the Franciscans in 1913, and was transferred to Bethune in northern France, where she worked in a hospital.

She nursed Allied soldiers during WWI, and later, during WW2, she worked with the French Resistance as part of its Musee de lHomme escape network, where she helped more than 120 Allied soldiers to escape Occupied France.

She was captured by the Gestapo in 1941 and spent a year in solitary confinement before being sentenced to death in 1942  a sentence she escaped.

She was jailed at Dusseldorf Lubeck and Hamburg before she was sent to the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp for refusing to make gas masks. Its estimated 130,000 women and children were imprisoned there between 1939 and 1945.

Kate McCarthy, who was born in Drimoleague, Co Cork, in December 1895, received the name Sister Marie-Laurence when she joined the order of the Franciscans in 1913.

Forced to do physical work with almost no food, her weight fell from 70kg to 27kg - around four stone - before the camp was liberated on April 30, 1945, two days after Hitlers suicide.

She and the other survivors were handed over to the Red Cross.

Following rehabilitation in Sweden and England, she returned to France a year later where she was personally decorated for her bravery by General Charles de Gaulle and later honoured by Winston Churchill.

She returned to Ireland to live in the Honan Home Convent in Cork, where she was appointed Mother Superior. She died in 1971 and is buried in St Finbarrs Cemetery.

The plaque to honour Sr Marie-Laurence, who is buried in Cork, has been installed in the Franciscan Sisters cemetery in Bethune, France.

While her story is virtually unknown in Ireland, Sandrine Donchez, the deputy director of culture and events at Bethune City Council, said Sr Marie-Laurences story is intimately linked to that of Bethune.

During the WW2, many women decided to resist by joining the army of shadows," she said.

They played an important but underestimated role during the Occupation - liaison or intelligence agents, messengers, radio operators, hosts of resistance fighters or Jews. Their commitment often meant they paid a high price.

A few months before the 80th anniversary of the Liberation, it was obvious to pay tribute to some of these remarkable women of the Bethunoise resistance - Sylvette Leleu, Sister Marie-Laurence, Francoise Beaurain, Marie Delestrez.

The plaque to honour Sr Marie-Laurence, who is buried in Cork, has been installed in the Franciscan Sisters cemetery in Bethune, France.

The town has now installed an interpretive plaque telling Sr Marie-Laurences story in an area of the towns northern cemetery dedicated to the Franciscan Sisters, which is also being restored.

We owe her, she said.

The city of Bethune, the historical associations, the congregation of the Franciscans are all proud to be able to honour this exceptional lady and to continue this duty of remembrance.

The plaques to the towns leading female resistance fighters who will be unveiled at a ceremony on May 24 next.
The family of a woman who died after giving birth to a healthy baby in University Hospital Kerry is distressed by the ongoing delay in finalising a review of her death.

Zimbabwean native Tatenda Mukwata died in University Hospital Kerry in Tralee on April 21, 2022.

Ms Mukwata was a resident at the Atlantic Lodge direct provision centre in Kenmare and had been granted permission to stay in Ireland shortly before she died. An inquest into her death, held last September, returned a verdict of death by medical misadventure.

The jury found that her death was probably preventable, noting that misdiagnosis was followed by a failure to investigate other possible differential misdiagnoses.

Tatenda Mukwata died at University Hospital Kerry, after giving birth to a healthy baby.

A review of her death was established in September 2022 and was expected to be finalised within 125 days.

In a letter received on Friday, the family was told that the review commissioner, general manager of UHK, Mary Fitzgerald, could not accept the draft report from the review team.

Mrs Fitzgerald said: I await assurance from the external review team that staff members participating in or affected by the outcome of the review process have been provided with an opportunity to review the draft report and provide feedback in line with fair procedures and natural justice as set out under HSE Incident Management Framework (2000).

Mrs Fitzgerald said she again offered her sincere apology on behalf of the hospital for the delays.

She said she now hopes that the report will be available to the family next week.

Solicitor Conor Murphy said that Tatendas mother Catherine and daughter Rutendo have always been very anxious to find out what exactly happened to Tatenda in UHK Tralee in April 2022.

He said: They could not be there, Rutendo was with her younger sisters in direct provision in Kenmare, Catherine was in England. Both were waiting for the wonderful news of the new arrival. Rutendo was brought to Tralee in a Garda car, expecting to meet her mother and baby sister.

"So they were not there when Tatenda bled to death, and processes like reviews are vital both in helping them process the tragedy and filling in the gaps in their knowledge.

Apologies 'cut and pasted'

He said that they are hoping that the review report will be able to provide them with more information about Tatendas death than her inquest could.

He added: So the failure to receive that report is extremely distressing for them, and the apologies and expressions of regret cut and pasted from one letter to another really dont do anything for them.

"The repeated assurances that the report would be delivered by January 2023, by October 2023, by December 2023, and the repeated failures to deliver on those assurances have added greatly to their trauma.

"This is a series of let-downs for a family who have already been let down by the HSE in the most awful way imaginable.

The HSE has been contacted for comment.
Rishi Sunak rejected the idea of accepting the return of asylum seekers from Ireland amid concerns the UK governments Rwanda policy was driving the flow of migrants across the border with the North.

The British prime minister said he was not interested in any sort of returns deal if the European Union did not allow the UK to send back asylum seekers who had crossed the English Channel from France.

The issue has been highlighted after the passage of the UK governments Rwanda legislation, which paves the way for asylum seekers to be sent on a one-way trip to the African nation.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Tanaiste Micheal Martin discussed the impact of the Rwanda policy during talks in London (Yui Mok/PA)

The UK government has hailed the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme, which is intended to help stop small boat crossings from France.

But as a knock-on effect, the Irish Government has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

The issue was discussed by the Irish and UK governments at high-level talks in London on Monday.

The Government has proposed new legislation to make it easier to send migrants to the UK, effectively reversing a High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe third country for returning asylum seekers because of the Rwanda plan.

But Mr Sunak told ITV News there was no desire in Westminster to accept asylum seekers back from Ireland.

Were not interested in that. Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.

Of course were not going to do that.

Asked whether there were any negotiations with the EU on returns, he said: No, Im focused on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running.

At a joint press conference in Westminster, Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris and Tanaiste Micheal Martin sought to play down any rift over the issue.

On the Rwanda scheme, Mr Heaton-Harris said The UKs new deterrent is clearly working and having some impact already.

An impact that will obviously increase as the first flights take off for Rwanda.

He added: We will obviously monitor all this very closely and continue to work with the Irish Government on these matters.

Mr Heaton-Harris said there was no way that we would want to upset our relationship with Ireland.

There was a joint commitment to protect the common travel area from abuse, he added.

The minister said while the deterrent effect of the Rwanda scheme was anticipated we are slightly surprised that it manifested itself so quickly after the Act became law.

And he said he was comfortable with the Irish Governments proposed legislation, which he said was just resetting the legal position following a High Court ruling that the UK was no longer a safe country.

The Tanaiste highlighted the need for international action to curb irregular migration.

And he acknowledged that any agreements on returns would have to be mutual and reciprocal.

Elsewhere, a postponed meeting between Helen McEntee and British home secretary James Cleverly was postponed.

The Justice Minister and Mr Cleverly had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

(PA Graphics)

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Minister Catherine Martin said the meeting was postponed due to a genuine diary clash.

Ms McEntee has claimed last week that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Meanwhile, English Channel crossings continued on Monday and the UK Home Office figures showed that more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

Some 500 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24% higher than this time last year and 7% higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday but groups of migrants were pictured being brought ashore in Dover, Kent, on Monday amid sunny, breezy and clear weather conditions at sea.

The UK Labour Partys David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.
For all their differences, a desire to change the dominant role of religion in schools is uniting education systems north and south of the border.

In the North, this desire is manifesting in a strengthening call for integrated education, which seeks to educate Catholic and Protestant children together.

In the Republic, it is becoming less about changing patronage (a reconfiguration process that has largely failed) and more about the re-negotiation of faith formation in schools.

This shared desire to change the role of religion in education was evidenced in the remarkable motion passed at the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) conference earlier this month, to set up a taskforce on faith formation in schools, and to kickstart the possible removal of the controversial religious certificate required for teachers to work in primary education.

The voice of an all-Ireland union

The motion on religion in education was passed by teachers from both sides of the border.

Unlike other teacher unions, the INTO is a whole-island union, representing 45,156 teachers at primary level in the Republic of Ireland, but it also includes 7,196 teachers at primary and post-primary level in Northern Ireland (2023).

On the surface, northern membership appears to be religious in nature. It is true that the vast majority of Catholic teachers in Catholic primary schools join the INTO.

Correspondingly, the bulk of Protestant teachers in Protestant primary schools join the Ulster Teachers Union (UTU). So, one would be forgiven for thinking that religion plays a significant role.

Not according to the union however. Much like their colleagues in the Republic, rather than being unwaveringly loyal to the centrality of Catholicism in education, it seems northern members of the INTO are similarly ready for change. Their support of the motion suggests this, as does the general interest in the North in integrated education.

Religion and Irelands oldest union

Founded in 1868, the INTO has always declared itself to be non-political (neither nationalist nor unionist) and non-sectarian, refusing to split along national and religious lines.

This neutrality goes back to the earliest roots of the organisation, and its commitment to representing all the national school teachers of Ireland regardless of religion.

As tensions grew in the late 19th century, the INTO began to fragment. Reportedly, a failure to drink a toast of loyalty to the Lord Lieutenant of Congress in 1883 resulted in a breakaway group of teachers in the North. They returned, but split more dramatically following the 1916 Rising.

The INTO said little about the Rising. But when Thomas Ashe died from force feeding while on hunger strike in September 1917 the School Weekly published that he had died tragically and was sincerely mourned by all who knew him. The unions subsequent participation in the anti-conscription campaign in 1918, was the final straw for members loyal to the Crown, leading to the formation of the UTU in 1919.

Very different systems

This shared history doesnt lessen the differences between the two systems today however. One contrast between the two jurisdictions is particularly stark.

At primary level in the North, children are screened at the age of 11. They are then sent to either more or less academic secondary schools on the basis of their results.

This early screening seems unimaginable in the Republic, where schools work within a far more inclusive model, and where, in general, children stay longer in an aspirational catch-all system.

Although free secondary education was introduced 20 years later in the Republic, according to a recent ERSI study, early school leaving is two to three times higher in Northern Ireland.

This gap has widened over time. The proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds who leave school with at most a lower secondary qualification is 14% in Northern Ireland, compared to 6% in Ireland. Streaming, whereby children are sorted by ability, has declined in the Republic also, based on research that it is largely detrimental to students.

Schools in the North also follow a different curriculum and are sharply divided by religion. Ninety-three per cent of primary-aged children in the North sit in classrooms of either Protestant or Catholic classmates. Even their screening tests differ depending on denomination.

In the South, only 6% to 7% of children sit in multi-denominational primary classrooms  but the rest are mostly taught in Catholic classrooms, where faith formation is taught during the school day, and features significantly in sacramental years.

And it is on this subject, the role of religion, that the two jurisdictions seem to find common ground.

Desire for Change

Now, as then, the INTO does not define itself as a Catholic organisation, even if it is the de facto Catholic union for primary teachers in the North.

INTOs Northern secretary Mark Taggart makes this very clear

Members choose INTO on the basis of profession, not religious beliefs, he tells the Irish Examiner.

We do not present ourselves as representing any particular sector of the community. While many of our members teach in Catholic maintained schools, we have members in all education settings across the North.

So, Northern members interest in changing the role of religion in school should not surprise anyone, says Central Executive Council (CEC) representative Seamus Hannah.

The members in the North will fall along similar lines as our colleagues in the south, she says.

INTO has campaigned in the North for a long time to have the Catholic Religious Certificate removed as a pre-condition for a teaching post in a primary school. This was reduced with the removal of the specific term 'Catholic' but a religious education certificate is still required.

In fact, a 2023 LucidTalk survey indicate that as many as 66% of people in the North, whatever their religion, support integrated education. A sizeable majority of those who agree that Integrated Education should be the norm are aged between 18- to 34 years old, suggesting that the younger generation are particularly supportive of moving beyond religious segregation.

The timing of this Northern Ireland wide attitudinal poll is particularly apt as we reflect on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement which pledged to facilitate and encourage integrated education, chairman of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF)  the body tasked with aiding education integration  Peter Osborne said.

Over the past 25 years we have seen interest, support and parental demand for Integrated Education continue to increase.

A recently published book, The Sundered Children, edited by author and journalist David Rice explores this topic of integrated education in considerable detail.

He opens the collection of essays by highlighting the dangers of children growing up in segregated schools, lamenting how the youngsters of Northern Ireland, with very few exceptions, are brought up in separate denominational schools, rarely encountering members of the other side until they are in their twenties. By that time prejudices are locked in, and it is too late to change many an outlook. The other side is seen as other, which can be anything from the stranger to be avoided, to the enemy to be feared.

Rice suggests that a united Ireland must not be considered before children can come to know one another through Integrated Education.

Historian Diarmaid Ferriter contributes a chapter.

A few months after the signing of the Belfast Agreement, he writes, a member of the management board of a girls Catholic primary school in Belfast wrote to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern about the need for the pupils in that school to be exposed to much more than they were used to: We have beautiful children who need to look beyond themselves. That was true of children in all denominational schools. Those children are now in their thirties. Surely it would be better if their children and grandchildren were educated in integrated schools to try and create a more united Northern Ireland?

Change to religion in the Republic

Similarly, people in the Republic are interested in change. In this jurisdiction it is not about bringing Protestant and Catholic children together  rather it is about being inclusive of children of all faiths and none in state schools.

In the Republic, there are signs of drastic change in religious belief. In Census 2022 the number of people who reported having no religion increased to 736,210, over 14% of the population. This was an increase of 63% since the 2016 census, and of 187% since the 2011 census. There were a further 3,823 people who reported that they were agnostic or atheist.

The recent INTO motion reflects these changes within schools. A 2022 Genisis report found that most parents (between 55% and 66%) do not think having a Catholic ethos or the option of faith formation are important when choosing a school, and most do not believe religious instruction is valuable within the school.

Proposing the motion on religion at the INTO conference, teacher and delegate Tomas OReilly from Sligo said that all teachers are asking for is a voice when it comes to religion in education.

Discussing his contribution with the Irish Examiner he explained that he has no problem with teachers teaching about all religions but is increasingly uncomfortable with faith formation.

Reconfiguration hasnt worked he said, the process whereby a Catholic school might convert to a different patronage, so change is required in how religion is presented in schools.

Because no matter how inclusive we try to be in our religion classes in the current system, and we do try to be inclusive, it must be hard for a child of a different faith or of no faith. It must be, he said.

As a churchgoer himself, he believes parishes would be better off investing directly in their communities.

In schools we run all sorts of programmes to encourage a lifelong love of reading. It is the same with faith formation.

Churches must want lifelong faith. Communion and Confirmation days are lovely occasions for families but cultural Catholicism is widespread now.

I have no problem with that, but I assume churches must want people to attend regular mass. Leaving it to the school doesnt achieve that.

OReillys suggestion, that we focus on the removal of faith formation and the sacraments, rather than reconfiguration, seems a wise one if we are to avoid the segregation of children, into religious and multi-denominational schools in the Republic, mirroring the segregation of children into Catholic and Protestant schools in the North.

Back to basics

Returning to a whole-island context, if this drive for more inclusive classrooms, or at least more flexibility in how religion and/or faith formation is delivered, Ireland would return to the system of national education that was established under the Stanley Letter in 1831, when the whole island was under Westminsters rule.

The aim then was for all children to be educated together in schools that would provide combined literary and separate religious education. The two main churches never embraced their suggested joint management of education however. It remains to be seen how they will respond to what is now a whole-Island desire for change.

In Rices book President Michael D Higgins authors the opening chapter.

The role of education is central to peacebuilding, he writes, with evidence to support the view that, when equitably available, of good quality, relevant and conflict-sensitive, education can help promote peace, inclusivity, tolerance, and provide safe environments.

On the other hand, when its delivery is characterised with exclusion and inequity, for example through a biased curriculum, it can exacerbate conflict.

Whilst hoping for integrated education in the North, President Higgins also reminds us that we cannot be complacent about the agenda for inclusive education in the Republic either. There is a desire amongst much of the citizenry for more co- educational, multi-denominational and non-denominational schools at primary and secondary levels, and we need to see these options being delivered without delay.

The convergence of these ideas on the role of religion in education seems interesting in the context of a united Ireland. Religion is one topic on which many educators, and certainly those within the whole-island INTO, agree.

The taskforce on religion must report to Congress by April 2025. It will be interesting to see how all other stakeholders, including the churches, respond to the findings.
The past and the future are vying for Darragh OBriens attention. Both have urgent calls on his time, but he and the Department of Housing can only do so much.

The futures call is in the form of the planning bill, currently going through the Oireachtas.

This will be a landmark legislation, but it is attracting a fair degree of controversy. The past is calling on him to make amends for those who went before.

In December 2023, Mr OBrien introduced a scheme to fund remedial works for Celtic Tiger apartments which were built in a shoddy or dangerous manner. A campaign had taken hold over the last decade to have such a scheme in place. This was a simple matter of justice.

Through the years of illusionary plenty, homes had been built in jig time.

It was later to emerge that this came at a cost. An investigation found that, between 1991 and 2013, up to 100,000 apartments may have been built with fire safety defects, structural defects, or have suffered water ingress.

It has long been accepted that, while errant builders and developers were responsible for this work, there was scant policing of the regulations. This was light touch regulation in action, where the integrity of the work was largely left up to those who were doing it.

When the secrets and lies began to emerge from behind walls in these complexes, many of the builders had gone out of business. Others had resurrected themselves as new entities, bearing no legal responsibility for their previous lives.

The current programme for Government included a provision for a remedial scheme. It was announced in January 2023, but wasnt finalized until last December.

The estimated cost is somewhere north of 2.5bn. Legislation will have to be enacted to give full force to the scheme, and therein is the clash between the past and the future.

While everybody would like to see the scheme up and running, there is only so much that the department can manage at one time. The urgency attached to the planning bill has meant that the remediation scheme has been pushed back.

Right now, it looks as if the legislation will hardly make it through the Oireachtas by the end of the year. That delays the scheme and lengthens the wait for homeowners who have been dealing with this issue for up to a decade.

A crucial element of the scheme was emergency works that were to take place before the passing of the law.

These works were deemed necessary in instances where fire safety defects posed a potential immediate threat to safety. This issue has arisen for dozens of developments, where management companies have been forced to deploy fire marshals. The marshals patrol a complex 24/7 to ensure that, if a fire breaks out, immediate action to evacuate can be effected.

However, response to this emergency has been delayed. The scheme is being run by the Housing Agency, but any proposed works must be sanctioned by local authority fire services in the affected areas.

A large majority of the stricken apartment complexes are in the Dublin region. Around 130 applications have been made, but none have been processed. According to industry sources, the delay is entirely down to local authorities failing to certify that the works can go ahead.

The authorities are understood to be resisting this largely on the basis that no provision of extra resources has been made to allow them divert personnel to this task.

The situation has become so critical that the minister is now personally intervening.

He is due to meet with representatives from the fire services, along with the City and County Managers Association, to work out a plan.

Discussions around this issue have so far been positive and productive, and the minister expects the meeting to make further progress in this regard, a spokesperson for the department said.

They would all certainly want to get the skates on. Some homeowners have already gone to considerable expense to remediate defects, and are in debt that is costing them on an ongoing basis.

More urgent is the plight of those whose homes are deemed to still pose a considerable risk to life and safety in the event of a fire.

While the impasse persists, they continue to live with the stress.

Pat Montague, of the Construction Defects Alliance  the main body which lobbied for the scheme  says it is deeply disappointing that, five months after it was established, none of those whose homes are deemed dangerous have been able to access the fund.

The fact that the apartment complexes have yet to receive any funding under the scheme has led to a lot of confusion and anxiety, he said.

We very much welcome the fact that the minister is personally meeting the fire services, and its vital in order to maintain the confidence of apartment owners in the scheme that there is a clear pathway forward on the resolution of the fire services issue, with a definitive timeline as to when applicants can expect to receive their funding under the scheme.
Queen of colour

Go bright or go home. We are obsessed with everything in this collection for DFS, pictured above, by Sophie Robinson. The broadcaster and queen of colour will be taking centre stage at the DFS Interiors Theatre at the permanent tsb Ideal Home show, today, Saturday, at 1.10pm. See dfs.ie

Floored

Im dreaming of the great escape  in my own backyard. This picture from Versatile is what got me thinking. This company is not short on spectacular ideas and supplies everything from tiles that look like carpets to outdoor flooring with a wooden effect and options for balcony living  for those of us perched aloft in upper-floor apartments. See versatile.ie.

Alfresco entertaining

The best summery vibes when entertaining alfresco depend on the lighting. Large lanterns create that wow factor for impact and glow. Crafted from durable faux-rattan fibres, the Breeze outdoor lantern at Meadows and Byrne (small, 110, and large, 198) combines rustic charm with modern functionality. Take a look at the website meadowsandbyrne.com.

Stylish piece

Ditre Italia has been making furniture in Italy since 1976. Renowned for its top-quality products, its designers focus on creating stylish pieces in the best fabrics and leather. As well as sofas and armchairs, Ditre Italia also creates dining, bedroom and outdoor furniture. We love the Pacific three-seater, pictured above, priced from 5960. See www.kubeinteriors.com.

Family living

A floor that will sustain family living for generations? Its hard to imagine. Especially if you have flooring that needs to sustain tantrums, four-footed family members and everything in between. But thats what Havwoods Ireland promises. The company has introduced its Amalgama flooring from its Italian collection, one of 15 shades available in chevron, herringbone block and planks. This is a highly consistent engineered board with two layers: a surface of select grade slow-grown European oak which accounts for over one-third of the overall depth, backed with a spruce or birch ply and featuring a traditional tongue and groove profile. The Italian collection boards are FSC-certified, have a lacquered finish and are suitable for fitting over underfloor heating. See havwoods.com/.ie.

Shine

The atmospheres electric in Bandon thanks to a Kinsale artists exhibition, Shine. Creative Bandon and Bandon Tidy Towns, supported by Cork County Council, commissioned Audrey Cantillons portraits of local treasures to adorn local ESB boxes.

The project celebrates talented Bandonites, according to Audrey. It recognises those who are excelling in the world of sport, adventure and the arts, she says. Famous faces included in the exhibition  but not yet on ESB boxes  include Graham Norton, Lyra and Innishannon rugby player Jack Crowley who went to school in Bandon.

Admire the prints at the towns Grey Heron Gallery, Bandon, P72 H966, until the end of the month; cantillonadesign.com/@cantillona.

Versatile shift

Brown is Colourtrends statement colour for 2024, introducing a refreshing and versatile shift in interior design trends. Unlike the boldness of greens or blues, brown brings a subtler yet equally impactful depth to spaces. The sophisticated shade Old Bone exudes a sense of history and timelessness.

See Colourtrend.ie
Police in Kenya say at least 40 people have died after a dam collapsed in the west of the country.

The floodwaters swept through houses and cut off a major road, police official Stephen Kirui told The Associated Press.

The Monday morning incident happened after the Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, collapsed and water spilled downstream.

Heavy rains pounding different parts of Kenya have led to dozens of deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands of people, according to the UN (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

Ongoing rains in Kenya have caused flooding that has killed nearly 100 people and caused the opening of schools to be postponed.

Heavy rains have been pounding the country since mid-March and the Meteorology Department has warned of more rainfall.

Kenyas Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki ordered the inspection of all public and private dams and water reservoirs within 24 hours to avert future incidents.

The ministry said recommendations for evacuations and resettlement would be done after the inspection.

The Kenya National Highways Authority issued an alert warning motorists to brace for heavy traffic and debris that blocked roads.

The wider East African region is experiencing flooding due to the heavy rains, and 155 people have reportedly died in Tanzania while more than 200,000 people are affected in neighboring Burundi.

Kenyas main airport was flooded on Saturday, forcing some flights to be diverted, as videos of a flooded runway, terminals and cargo section were shared online.

People try to clear the area after a dam burst in Kamuchiri Village Mai Mahiu (AP Photo)

More than 200,000 people across Kenya the country have been affected by the floods, with houses in flood-prone areas submerged and people seeking refuge in schools.

President William Ruto had instructed the National Youth Service to provide land for use as a temporary camp for those affected.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip.

Mr Blinken said that he would use his current Middle East trip  his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  to press that case with Israeli leaders.

Speaking at events in Riyadh, Mr Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive ceasefire agreement that would release hostages held by Hamas.

On his visit to the Middle East, Anthony Blinken said more must be done to get aid to Gaza (Evelyn Hockstein/Pool Photo via AP)

And, he said Hamas had been presented with an extraordinarily generous offer by Israel that he hoped the group would accept.

At a World Economic Forum gathering in the Saudi capital, Mr Blinken said: Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel and in this moment the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and ceasefire is Hamas.

They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, were looking to that and Im hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic.

Although talks continue, Hamas has thus far baulked at a series of offers negotiated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States and agreed to by Israel, and even without a deal, Mr Blinken said it was critical to improve conditions in Gaza now.

Were also not waiting on a ceasefire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza, Mr Blinken told Gulf Co-operation Council foreign ministers earlier on Monday.

But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza

We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the US maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks.

But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza, he said.

We need to improve deconfliction with humanitarian assistance workers. And we have to find greater efficiency and greater safety and deconfliction is at the heart of that.

And, finally we have to make sure that were focusing not just on inputs, but on impact.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and a deadly Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza this month only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them.

Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved.

WCK is resuming efforts in Gaza, working with our team of Palestinians to feed as many people as possible. Our team is finalizing construction on a new field kitchen in central Gaza named after Damian, one of our fallen heroes. Read more: https://t.co/Tdns2vCovU #ChefsForGaza pic.twitter.com/6VpFlfCLTh  World Central Kitchen (@WCKitchen) April 28, 2024

World Central Kitchen says it will resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.

The war has ground on since Hamas deadly October 7 attacks on Israel with little end in sight.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, hundreds of thousands more are displaced and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening.

The conflict has fuelled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses.

US support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for US President Joe Biden in an election year.

Mr Blinkens trip comes amid renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider the creation of a Palestinian state, which is one of the Saudis main conditions for normalised relations.

President Joe Biden is said to have discussed a potential offensive in Rafah with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Evan Vucci/AP)

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been warning Israel against a major military operation on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting further north.

Israel has not yet launched such an offensive, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that one will take place, asserting that it is the only way to wipe out Hamas.

Both topics were discussed during the Biden-Netanyahu phone call on Sunday, according to the White House and US officials.

During his trip, Mr Blinken said he would also underscore the absolute importance of not allowing the Israel-Hamas conflict to engulf the region.

The danger of conflagration was underscored this month when a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria prompted an unprecedented direct missile and drone response by Iran against Israel.

An apparent retaliatory Israeli strike on Iran followed.

Although the tit-for-tat cycle appears to have ended for now, deep concerns remain that Iran or its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or Yemen could act in such a way as to provoke a greater response from Israel or that Israel might take action that Iran feels it must retaliate for.
Nato countries have not delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliances chief has said, allowing Russia to press its battlefield advantage while Kyivs depleted forces wait for western military supplies to arrive.

Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said that serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield for Ukraine.

Nato allies have not delivered what they promised, Mr Stoltenberg said at a news conference in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, referring to delays by the US and Europe in sending weapons and ammunition.

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said that the lack of ammunition in Ukraine has allowed Russian forces to push forward (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Ukraines troops were compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the eastern region, where the Kremlins forces have been making incremental gains against their weaker opponent, Ukraines army chief said Sunday.

The Russian Defence Ministry claimed on Monday that its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

Mr Stoltenberg said: The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line.

Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces.

Ukraine and its western partners are in a race against the clock to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the recent slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the process of getting aid to Ukraine must be speeded up (Efrem Lukatsky/AP)

Mr Zelensky said new western supplies have started arriving, but slowly.

This process must be speeded up, he said.

Though the 600-mile front line has shifted little since early in the war, the Kremlins forces have in recent weeks edged forward, especially in the Donetsk region, by sheer weight of numbers and massive firepower used to bludgeon defensive positions.

Kyivs western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.

But vital US military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europes military hardware production has not been able to keep up with demand.

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg told President Zelensky that more ammunition and weapons were being sent to Ukraine (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Ukraines own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Russia is a far bigger country than Ukraine, with greater resources to draw on. It has also received weapon support from Iran and North Korea, the US government says.

Drawn-out Ukrainian efforts to mobilise more troops, and the belated building of battlefield fortifications, are other factors currently undermining Ukraines war effort, military analysts say.

Mr Stoltenberg said more weapons and ammunition for Ukraine are on the way, including Patriot missile systems to defend against the heavy Russian barrages that smash into the power grid and urban areas.

That additional help may be needed as Ukrainian officials say Russia is assembling forces for a major summer offensive, even if its troops are making only incremental gains at the moment.

(Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP)

Russian forces remain unlikely to achieve a deeper operationally significant penetration in the area in the near term, the Institute for the Study of War said in an assessment late Sunday.

Even so, the Kremlins forces are closing in on the strategically important hilltop town of Chasiv Yar, whose capture would be an important step forward into the Donetsk region.

Donetsk and Luhansk together form much of the industrial Donbas region, which has been gripped by separatist fighting since 2014, and which Putin has set as a primary objective of the Russian invasion.

Russia illegally annexed areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions in September 2022.
April 28, 2024: Russia is trying to perfect its Kh-69 stealthy cruise missile, which is an upgrade of the older Kh-59. Kh-69 was still in development throughout 2023, then in April 2024 six of these missiles, launched from a Russian fighter-bomber, were used to destroy a Ukrainian power plant. Ukrainian air defense systems did not detect the incoming Kh-69s because they were launched from Russian aircraft that were on the Russian side of the Ukrainian border and, when the missiles entered Ukraine, they were low to the ground and virtually undetectable by Ukrainian ground radar. It would take an aircraft based ground surveillance radar, like the one carried by the Americans AWACS aircraft, to spot incoming Kh-69s. Ukraine doesnt have any AWACS but NATO has fourteen of them and the United States has 31. There are dozens of smaller AWACS-type aircraft produced by other countries, such as Sweden, based on twin-engine business jets. NATO or the United States could provide Ukraine with some AWACS but Ukraine would have to supply jet fighters to protect the AWACS against potentially aggressive and possibly effective efforts to shoot them down. The Russians would certainly try, as one of their few AWACS-type aircraft were shot down or damaged by the Ukrainians.

Because a Ukrainian AWACS could detect the Kh-69 Russian cruise missile, the Russians would definitely try to shoot down any AWACS Ukraine might get. Ukraine hasnt received any but the Russians definitely have more Kh-69 cruise missiles they want to use against Ukrainian targets, even if the Ukrainians figure out how to detect and intercept them using ground radars and Patriot or similar anti-aircraft systems.

The 800 kg Kh-69 is definitely in service, but Russia is finding it difficult to produce more because a Kh-69 requires many electronic components that are not made in Russia and have to be imported from NATO countries. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has had to deal with severe economic sanctions. Russia has to smuggle in these components, which makes production of more Kh-69s possible, but at a low rate of production. Russia would like to have several hundred of these missiles but given the current situation the military receives three or four Kh-69s at a time.

Kh-69 range is 400 kilometers and Kh-69 covers that while traveling at 800-900 kilometers an hour. Guidance is GPS with a backup jam-proof INS (Inertial Navigation System). This means a Kh-69 will land within a few meters of its aim point and the 300 kg of explosives in its warhead will detonate with considerable effect. This was demonstrated when three Kh-69s demolished a Ukrainian power plant. Ukrainian air defenses have detected and shot down a few Kh-69s but found that these missiles were difficult to detect and because they flew so low, were problematic targets for air-defense systems. Fortunately for Ukraine, Russia has few Kh-69s and is unable to build a lot more in the near future. Russia will probably let the few Kh-69s they receive accumulate until they have a few dozen that use them all in a massive, and usually more effective attack on Ukrainian targets. The Ukrainian capital Kyiv could be a target despite the substantial air defenses protecting the city.

Russia still has dozens of older Kh-59 missiles. The Kh-69 is a much improved Kh-59. Before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, they had about 300 Kh-59 missiles and by 2024 these were gone. Russia can build a hundred or so Kh-59s a year and is continuing to do so. As is the Russian custom, these missiles are accumulated as they are produced so they can be used in large numbers all at once. This has more impact and also overwhelms air defense systems which can only destroy ten or twenty percent of the incoming missiles.
Prof. Dr. Erden Erturer

Cok spor cok da saglkl degil!
April 29, 2024: The April 14 Iranian missile and UAV attack on Israel was an expensive and spectacular failure because Israel had prepared for it over the previous twenty years. Back in 2000 Israel put its Arrow BMD (Ballistic Missile Defense) system into service. Since then there were only two opportunities to use it. The first was in 2017 when Syrian air defense units fired a Russian S-200 anti-aircraft missile at Israeli fighter-bombers that had carried out an attack in Syria and were flying back to Israel. The S-200 missed the Israeli aircraft because the aircraft had countermeasures, and so kept on going towards Israel. The Arrow target detection spotted the S-200 and decided it was a missile entering Israeli air space and must be dealt with. An Arrow missile was fired and an S-200 missile was destroyed. Many Israeli air defense officials believed that Arrow was more expensive than it was worth. Arrow was also used against Iranian ballistic missiles aimed, by Yemen Shia rebels, at southern Israel in October and November 2023. Arrow worked but it was too expensive and there were less expensive solutions like Davids Sling, which used Israels successor to American Patriot missiles.

The U.S. Navy had two warships off the Israeli coast when Iran launched everything it had against Israel. The American warships used the SM-3 BMD system to destroy several of the incoming Iranian ballistic missiles. This was the first combat use of the Navy SM-3.

In 2008 SM-3 was also used to destroy a malfunctioning U.S. spy satellite. A U.S. Navy cruiser armed with SM-3s was ordered to destroy the useless American satellite. First it used its Aegis radar to locate the 14-ton Lacrosse satellite traveling in an erratic orbit 220 kilometers above the ocean, with the cruiser below, then it launched an SM-3 missile at the large satellite which was about the size of a small bus. The Aegis radar and fire control system on the cruiser predicted where the satellite would be so the SM-3 missile hit it. This was not an easy to hit target, because the satellite was out of control and moving erratically. The orbit had to be predicted at least to the point where the cruiser could position itself under that orbit. But that was a good thing if this anti-satellite weapon was to be used again. In wartime, an enemy satellite might try to maneuver to avoid a shot from an Aegis equipped warship.

The February 22nd shot took six weeks to plan, mainly because there were so many unknowns. Now, many of those unknowns are known and another shoot-down can be carried out much more quickly. How quickly remains a secret.

There were other surprises as well. When the 20 pound missile warhead hit the satellite, there was an unexpected explosion as the hydrazine fuel of the satellite ignited. The flames burned for over twenty seconds. The impact of the inert warhead, which is just a warhead shaped hunk of metal, was more destructive than anticipated because it broke the satellite up into more and smaller pieces. That meant the fragments burned up while entering earths atmosphere and there was nothing left to hit the ground. This process provided an impressive light show for those who knew when and where to look in a night sky. Because of this event the navy was able to establish procedures for possible future satellite take-downs and ran some shipboard drills to test these new procedures.

So far, the Aegis system has knocked down 85 percent of the missiles fired towards it. To do this, the navy modified its Standard anti-aircraft missile system to knock down ballistic missiles. This system, the RIM-161A, also known as the Standard Missile 3 or SM-3, has a range of over 500 kilometers and max altitude of 160 kilometers. The satellite destruction took place at an altitude of 220 kilometers. This was a previously undisclosed capability of the Aegis anti-missile system.

The Standard 3 is based on the failed anti-missile version of the Standard 2, and costs over three million dollars each. Standard 3 has four stages. The first two stages boost the interceptor out of the atmosphere. The third stage fires twice to boost the interceptor farther beyond the earth's atmosphere. Prior to each motor firing it takes a GPS reading to correct the course for approaching the target. The fourth stage is the 20 pound LEAP kill vehicle, which uses infrared sensors to close on the target and ram it. The Aegis system only operates from cruisers and destroyers that have been equipped with the special software that enables the AEGIS radar system to detect and track incoming ballistic missiles. The plan was to fire two or three missiles at the satellite, to insure that one hit. Since the satellite will be destroyed at a low altitude, the fragments will quickly fall into the atmosphere and burn up. A Chinese anti-satellite test in 2007 was done 850 kilometers up, and nearly all those fragments are still in orbit being a threat to other satellites.

The U.S. Navy has also been working on launching various types of satellites from its submarines. But solid fuel SLBMs (sea launched ballistic missiles) can only put a ton or less into orbit. Smaller satellites can be put in orbit quickly using SLBMs. While the U.S. Air Force lays claim to all things space, the U.S. Navy is quick to demonstrate that sailors are able to operate up there as well. And maybe the navy should get more of the billions being spent on space operations.
We, the undersigned members of the Department of History [at the University of Southern California], unequivocally condemn the university administration for its decision to invite riot police to campus and employ violence against our students and colleagues.

On April 24, a diverse coalition of students assembled at Alumni Park to protest several things. Chief among them were:

1. The administrations unprecedented decision to deny the valedictorian of the graduating class, this year a Muslim woman of South Asian heritage, the opportunity to make an address at commencement and

2. The ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel. Students protesting accordingly made several demands of the USC administration, which included calls for divestment and steps to improve campus climate. Students plans for the day included yoga sessions, a series of teach-ins about Palestine, and inter-faith activities, all leading to a vigil for the dead at sunset. Protesting students were joined by faculty and other members of the university community. This included several people from our own department, including numerous undergraduate and graduate students. At least four faculty members also joined those gathered at Alumni Park both to protest USCs complicity in genocide and to ensure the safety of our students. Students were in fact peaceful; they posed no plausible threat to any other member of the university community; their actions were confined to a small part of campus; and they were in no way, shape, or form disruptive to the universitys mission or its day-to-day activities.

Despite these facts, the university administration decided to invite the LAPD onto campus, armed with batons, shields, armor, rubber bullets, and tear gas. In so doing, the administration escalated unnecessarily and introduced violence and weapons into a situation where there had been none.

The actions of USC administration:

 Needlessly and irresponsibly subjected students, faculty, and the wider university community to violence

 Led to the unjust arrest of 93 individuals for trespassing in the place where they work and study; among those arrested were two members of the History Department faculty

 Activated tools of state coercion to suppress free speech and free assembly on campus Like any institution of higher learning, USCs mission commits the university to developing, cultivating, and applying new knowledge through teaching and research. It is our job as faculty to produce new knowledge, transmit that knowledge to our students, and then help them apply it ethically and morally for the betterment of our communities. We have a duty of care to our students and an ethical commitment to the pursuit of free inquiry. The university administration is therefore obligated to create and maintain a safe space where students and faculty may enjoy the intellectual, social, and material conditions under which teaching and research can flourish. On April 24, learning and exchange did continue. Due to the administration, this was sadly moved from the safety of the classroom and the university commons to police wagons and jail cells. Under no circumstances is any of this acceptable.

On these points, the university administrations failure is total. By resorting to authoritarian methods, the university has created an environment where inquiry cannot be pursued and ideas may not be freely exchanged. In subjecting our students and colleagues to arbitrary violence, the administration has forfeited its right to lead. We accordingly demand:

 The immediate resignation of President Carol Folt, Provost Andrew Guzman, Senior Vice President Errol Southers, and Chief Lauretta Hill

 That the university drop all charges against the 93 individuals it had LAPD unjustly arrest and reimburse them any and all expenses incurred due to needless detention

 That the university refrain from further intimidation of students involved in peaceful protest or other forms of campus activism, whether it be threatening expulsion, suspension, the loss of scholarships, fellowships, and employment, or other punitive actions

Signed:

*Richard Antaramian, Associate Professor of History

Alice Baumgartner, Associate Professor of History

Marjorie Becker, Professor of History and English

Philip Ethington, Professor of History, Political Science, and Spatial Sciences

*Joan Flores-Villalobos, Assistant Professor of History

Jason Glenn, Associate Professor of History

*Josh Goldstein, Professor of History and East Asian Languages & Culture

Wolf Gruner, Professor of History, Shapell-Guerin Chair in Jewish Studies, and Founding

Director of the Center for Advanced Genocide Research

Sarah Gualtieri, Professor of American Studies & Ethnicity and History and Middle East Studies

Alaina Morgan, Assistant Professor of History

Jay Rubenstein, Professor of History and Religion and Director of the Center for Premodern

World

George Sanchez, Professor of American Studies & Ethnicity and History

Laura Isabel Serna, Associate Professor of History and Cinema & Media Studies

Nayan Shah, Professor of History and American Studies & Ethnicity

Francille Rusan Wilson, Associate Professor of American Studies & Ethnicity, History, Gender &

Sexuality, and Director USC Black Studies Initiative/Emerging Center

Benjamin Uchiyama, Associate Professor of History

*Aro Velmet, Associate Professor of History

*statement co-author

Relevant video added by Informed Comment:

ABC 7: LAPD arrests more than 90 people after pro-Palestinian protest at USC
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  Supporters of the Israeli genocide against tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian women, children, and noncombatant men in Gaza have fixed upon an unlikely villain in their denunciation of the slightest protest against this centurys worst act of barbarity. They are denouncing the patterned black-and-white scarf of cotton called a kuffiyeh or keffiyeh, which is worn by many Palestinians but also by Iraqis, Saudis and others in the Arabian Peninsula (where it is called a ghutrah). The scarf is useful in dusty climates. It can be drawn up over the face when dust is heavy. It can be worn on the head against the sun or the cool desert night, fixed by an agal, a thick, doubled, black cord. The latter can also be used as a horse or camel whip.

This ordinary item of apparel has become associated with Palestinian culture in North America, though it isnt only Palestinians who wear it, and in the nineteenth century it appears to have been mainly worn by Bedouins.

Embed from Getty Images

Group of Bedouin men. Getty Images

From symbolizing Palestinians, it has gone on to symbolize resistance to settler colonialism, which has perhaps understandably inspired panic among settler colonialists. The legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, my esteemed neighbor, has banned wearing it in its building, though NDP member Marit Stiles protested that members have worn kilts, kirpans, vyshyvankas and chubas in the legislature, pointing out that such items are not only culturally significant but have also been considered political symbols. In popular culture, at least, kilts have been associated with rebellion against the British throne, though perhaps Mel Gibson is responsible. A kirpan is actually a knife which symbolizes a sword, worn by many Sikh men. Sikhs are wonderful people but some are involved in separatist politics in India and that nice Mr. Modi has dispatched assassins to Canada over the issue. So Ontario lawmakers are all right with knives but not with a patterned cotton cloth.

Likudniks and Jewish Power fanatics in the US have also battened upon the kuffiyeh as somehow sinister or threatening, as a result of their frantic attempts to shield the current extremist, fascist Israeli government from criticism over the ethnic cleansing of Gaza. One such propagandist likened it to a hammer and sickle. This hate speech has actually gotten Palestinian-Americans shot.

Ironically, in the age of colonialism, white men often appropriated the keffiyeh to signal their omni-competence. The pale, blue-eyed T. E. Lawrence even seems to have imagined that he could pass for an Arab and that his image of himself as the liberator of the Arab peoples was plausible. The Arab revolt against the Ottomans during WW I was actually led by Faisal b. Hussein, and Lawrence was a minor British intelligence officer embedded with the Arab forces.

Embed from Getty Images

Lawrence of Arabia: British military officer and writer T. E. Lawrence (1888  1935), circa 1920. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Amira Jamarkani writes of Rudolph Valentino, another white hero who donned the kuffiyeh,

The character of the sheikh in popular romance novels both borrows from and builds on the history of the figure in U.S. popular culture. Here I am building on the work of Snitow (1983), Creed (1984), Radway (1991), and Wardrop (1995), to name just a few. I briefly trace several incarnations of the sheikh figure in order to note the ways the desert romance draws on multiple histories of the sheikh as a noble desert leader, as a savage and potentially dangerous figure, and as an oil-rich, powerful man. A key moment of origin for the sheikh in U.S. popular culture is E. M. Hulls popular novel The Sheik ([1919] 2004), itself a precursor of contemporary romance fiction, which entered the popular U.S. imagination largely through the success of the 1921 film adaptation starring Rudolph Valentino. Indeed, the caricature of the sheikh in the United States must be contextualized within a tradition of orientalist representations of sheikh characters in Hollywood films such as The Sheik, The Son of the Sheik, The Thief of Bagdad, Harum Scarum, and Lawrence of Arabia.

The VideoCellar Video: THE SHEIK (Silent 1921) Rudolph Valentino  Ruth Miller  Adolphe Menjou

She continues,

One of the key features of desert romances, beginning with the progenitor The Sheik, is the need to balance an image of the sheikh as a fierce desert man (Hull [1919] 2004, 33)that is, as virile, powerful, and dangerously sexywith the reassurance that he has a redeemable, softer side, which he can reveal only to the heroine. If Hulls The Sheik allayed miscegenation fears by revealing him to be European in the end, contemporary desert romances rely on marking the sheikh-hero as ethnically Arabian (i.e., from the fictionalized geographical region of Arabia, which is where most desert romances take place). Indeed, the power of the desert as exotic setting serves to racialize sheikh characters, even when they look alarmingly Western (Porter 2004, 23).

Embed from Getty Images

1920s 1921 The Sheik Rudolph Valentino And Agnes Ayres Romantic Arab Desert Drama Hollywood Movie Still (Photo By Nawrocki/Classicstock/Getty Images)

When the British created the Arab Legion in their new colony of Jordan after WW I, they incorporated the kuffiyeh into their uniforms. John Bagot Glubb Pasha became the head of the Legion in 1939. And guess what? Here he is in a kuffiyeh:

Embed from Getty Images

War and Conflict, Transjordan, Circa 1950s, General Sir John Bagot Glubb, also known as Glubb Pasha, Glubb Pasha was a British soldier best known for leading and training the Transjordan Arab Legion during the 1940s and 1950s (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)

So I guess the upshot is that the kuffiyeh is good when appropriated by powerful white men who claim authority over colonized Arabs. But when deployed as a symbol of the indigenous resistance to settler colonialism, it must be banned. Suddenly it makes people afraid.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 /Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd. (the "Company" or "GSilver") (TSXV:GSVR) (OTCQX:GSVRF) is pleased to announce an upsizing of its previously announced brokered, best-efforts offering ("Offering") for an additional C$2,250,000 under a private placement to accredited investors ("Private Placement"). The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company will now be up to C$10,875,000 under the combined Listed Issuer Financing Exemption ("LIFE") and Private Placement. The Offering consists of units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.20 per Unit (the "Offering Price"). The Offering is being led by Research Capital Corporation and Red Cloud Securities Inc. as the co-lead agents and joint bookrunners, on behalf of a syndicate of agents, including Canaccord Genuity Corp. (collectively, the "Agents").

Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company ("Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase an additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.30 for a period of 24 months following the closing of the Offering.

Net proceeds from the Offering will be used to, inter alia:

add to the Company's underground fleet and ramp up production at GSilver's producing mines in Guanajuato and Durango.

fund certain improvements to expand and modernize the processing facilities at the Topia mine and mill complex including capital expenditures and related costs.

fund corporate head office general and administrative expenses including legal, audit, overhead and salaries for the ensuing 12 months.

carry out detailed exploration at GSilver's mineral properties, particularly San Ignacio and Valenciana.

As part of the Offering, up to 43,125,000 Units ("LIFE Units") will be offered for sale to purchasers pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec, and other qualifying jurisdictions, including the United States. In addition, in relation to the upsizing, up to 11,250,000 Units ("Accredited Investor Units") will also be offered to accredited investors under the accredited investor exemption in all provinces of Canada, and other qualifying jurisdictions, including the United States. The LIFE Units offered will be immediately "free-trading" under applicable Canadian securities laws. Unless permitted under securities legislation, the Accredited Investor Units cannot be traded before 4 months and a day from closing of the Offering.

An amended and restated offering document (the "Offering Document") related to this Offering can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and at the Company's website at www.gsilver.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision.

The Offering is anticipated to close on or about the week of May 6, 2024 ("Closing"), or such later date as the Company and the Agents may determine. The Closing is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Agents will receive a cash commission of 6% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering and such number of broker warrants (the "Broker Warrants") as is equal to 6% of the number of Units sold under the Offering (in each case, subject to reduction for certain subscribers on a president's list of purchasers identified by the Company). Each Broker Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price equal to the Offering Price for a period of 24 months following the Closing.

To the extent that any directors and/or officers of GSilver (collectively, the "Insiders") participate in the Offering, such participation will constitute a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company expects any participation by the Insiders in the Offering will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 based on the fact that neither the fair market value of the Units subscribed for by the Insiders, nor the consideration for the Units to be paid by the Insiders, will exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

This new release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About GSilver

GSilver is a precious metals producer engaged in reactivating past producing silver and gold mines in central Mexico. The Company produces silver and gold concentrates from the El Cubo Mine Complex, Valenciana Mines Complex, and the San Ignacio mine; all three mines are located within the state of Guanajuato, which has an established 480-year mining history. Additionally, the Company produces silver, gold, lead, and zinc concentrates from the Topia mine in northwestern Durango. With four operating mines and three processing facilities, GSilver is one of the fastest growing silver producers in Mexico.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"James Anderson"

Chairman and CEO

For further information regarding Guanajuato Silver Company Ltd., please contact:

JJ Jennex, Communications Manager, +1 (604) 723-1433

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Continue to watch our progress at: www.GSilver.com

Guanajuato Silver Bullion Store

Please visit our Bullion Store, where Guanajuato Silver coins and bars can be purchased.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements and Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information, which relate to future events or future performance including, but not limited to, the size of the Offering, the intended use of proceeds therefrom and the anticipated closing date thereof, the Company's future development and production activities and opportunities for future exploration, development and production and the estimated timing and costs thereof; and the status of the Company as one of the fastest growing silver producers in Mexico.

Such forward-looking statements and information reflect management's current beliefs and expectations and are based on information currently available to and assumptions made by the Company; which assumptions, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, market, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include: our mineral resource estimates at El Cubo, El Pinguico and San Ignacio and the assumptions upon which they are based, including geotechnical and metallurgical characteristics of rock conforming to sampled results and metallurgical performance; available tonnage of mineralized material to be mined and processed; resource grades and recoveries; assumptions and discount rates being appropriately applied to production estimates; the ability of the Company to successfully integrate production from San Ignacio and Valenciana into the Company's existing mining and milling operations at El Cubo and the availability of excess processing and tailings capacity at El Cubo to accommodate same; the Company's ability to secure additional sources of mineralized material for processing, prices for silver, gold and other metals remaining as estimated; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; availability of funds for the Company's projects and to satisfy current liabilities and obligations including debt repayments, capital expenditures, decommissioning and reclamation estimates; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation) and inflation rates remaining as estimated; no labour-related disruptions; no unplanned delays or interruptions in scheduled construction and production; all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals are received in a timely manner; and the ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive.

Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements and information are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future results, level of activity, production levels, performance or achievements of GSilver to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to, market conditions, availability of financing, future prices of gold, silver and other metals, currency rate fluctuations, actual results of exploration, development and production activities, actual resource grades and recoveries of silver, gold and other metals, availability of third party mineralized material for processing, rising inflation and interest rates, geopolitical conflicts including wars, unanticipated geological or structural formations and characteristics, environmental risks, operating risks, accidents, labor issues, equipment or personnel delays, delays in obtaining governmental or regulatory approvals and permits, inadequate insurance, and other risks in the mining industry. There are no assurances that the Company will successfully complete the Offering in whole or in part on the terms and in accordance with the timing set out herein. Further, there are no assurances that GSilver will be able to continue to increase production, tonnage milled and recoveries rates, improve grades and reduce costs at its existing mines to process mineralized materials to produce silver, gold and other concentrates in the amounts, grades, recoveries, costs and timetable anticipated. GSilver's decision to process mineralized material from its mining projects is not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and therefore is subject to increased uncertainty and risk of failure, both economically and technically. Mineral resources and mineralized material that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability, are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them, and may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing, and other relevant issues. There are no assurances that the Company's projected production of silver, gold and other metals will be realized. In addition, there are no assurances that the Company will meet its production forecasts or generate the anticipated cash flows from operations to satisfy its scheduled debt payments or other liabilities when due or meet financial covenants to which the Company is subject or to fund its exploration programs and corporate initiatives as planned. There is also uncertainty about the impact of any resurgence of COVID-19, the ongoing war in Ukraine and conflict in Gaza, and higher inflation and interest rates and the impact they will have on the Company's operations, supply chains, ability to access mining projects or procure equipment, supplies, contractors and other personnel on a timely basis or at all and economic activity in general. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca including the Company's most recently filed annual information form. These forward-looking statements and information are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by law.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - District Metals Corp. (TSXV: DMX) (OTCQB: DMXCF) (FSE: DFPP); ("District" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the recently completed core drilling program at the Tomtebo Property located in the Bergslagen Mining District of south-central Sweden.

Drilling at the Tomtebo Property is part of the CDN $2.0M budget for exploration on the Tomtebo and Stollberg Properties approved by District and Boliden Mineral AB. As previously announced District and Boliden Mineral AB have agreed to collaborate on the development of District's wholly-owned polymetallic Tomtebo Property and Boliden's wholly-owned polymetallic Stollberg Property, pursuant to which District has been appointed as operator (October 30, 2023 and February 20, 2024 news releases).

Drilling at the Tomtebo Property commenced in mid-February where a total of 2,196 m of drilling in six holes (extension of TOM22-037B, TOM24-039 to -043) was completed (Figures 1 to 4). A total of 315 samples for multi-element assay and 120 samples for whole-rock lithogeochemistry were then selected. Drill core samples from these six holes have recently been sent to Boliden's Garpenberg Mine for core cutting. The samples will be sent to ALS Geochemistry in Mala, Sweden for assay preparation and then to ALS Geochemistry in Loughrea, Ireland for analysis. Assay results are expected in June.

Highlights

Strong footwall polymetallic sulphide mineralization encountered at the Steffenburgs zone: Hole TOM24-042 intersected copper-rich semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization over approximately 17.0 m (309.0 to 326.0 m) (Figures 1 to 4).

Additional footwall polymetallic sulphide mineralization from the Steffenburgs zone includes:

Hole TOM24-041 intersected multiple intersections of disseminated to stringer-style copper-rich sulphide mineralization over approximately 60.0 m (190.0 to 250.0 m).

Hole TOM24-043 intersected intermittent disseminated copper-rich sulphide mineralization over approximately 21.0 m (327.0 to 348.0 m).

Down-hole electromagnetic results show multiple off-hole conductors: all drill holes were followed up by Boliden's in-house, state of the art, down-hole, three component electromagnetic (DHEM) survey1, and holes TOM24-037B, 041 to -043 showed both in-hole and off-hole EM conductors that likely represent sulphide mineralization.

Rodney Allen, Technical Advisor for District, commented: "The most important exploration guide to track down volcanogenic massive sulphides (VMS) is to define where in the stratigraphic succession the original sea floor horizon that the VMS formed on occurs, and to then follow this "mineralized horizon" along strike and down-dip to locate the VMS lenses using the tools of geology, geochemistry and geophysics. VMS deposits always occur in clusters and each deposit generally comprises a cluster of massive sulphide lenses separated by less mineralized rock. Therefore, we can be certain that the massive sulphide that we intersected previously at the Steffenburgs zone is not the only massive sulphide lens in the Tomtebo system. Consequently, we designed hole TOM22-037B to locate and test the mineralized horizon to the northeast of the Steffenburgs zone and holes TOM24-039 and TOM24-040 to locate and test the mineralized horizon west of Steffenburgs. We anticipate that these holes have intersected the mineralized horizon, interpretation of the lithogeochemical samples taken in the drill cores is required in order to be certain. Holes TOM22-037B, TOM24-039 and -040 all intersected moderately to strongly hydrothermally altered volcanic rocks, which indicates that they are still within the Tomtebo mineral system. However, mineralization is weak and the alteration is interpreted to represent medial to distal types that occur several tens to hundreds of meters from potentially high grade mineralization. Consequently, further drilling will step out further along strike and/or drill deeper at these localities.

Holes TOM24-041 to -043, which drilled the Steffenburgs zone, all intersected intense proximal footwall-style alteration and associated footwall "stringer" sulphide veins and sulphide impregnation. In addition, TOM24-042 intersected extensive strong semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralization, which could be intense footwall mineralization rather than the sea floor massive sulphide; again, here we require results from the lithogeochemical sampling to be certain of the exact location of the ancient sea floor ore horizon. Strong footwall alteration and mineralization are more widespread than the overlying sea floor massive sulphide lens at Steffenburgs zone. Consequently, some drill holes intersect high grade mineralization within the footwall and little or no massive sulphide at the actual sea floor "mineralized horizon", whereas other holes intersect both semi-massive to massive sulphide in the footwall and massive sulphide at the mineralized horizon. This is normal in VMS exploration. Delineation of the sea floor massive sulphide lenses, which typically contain the highest grades, requires systematic drilling."

Garrett Ainsworth, CEO of District, commented: "The highlight of our recently completed drill program at Tomtebo is hole TOM24-042, which encountered 17.0 m of continuous semi-massive to massive polymetallic sulphides. We were pleasantly surprised with the visual content of copper-rich sulphides (chalcopyrite), which are often associated with elevated gold values at the historic Tomtebo Mine. Polymetallic sulphide mineralization at the Steffenburgs zone remains open at depth.

The use of Boliden's DHEM survey identified significant off-hole electromagnetic conductors in Hole TOM24-042 and in several other drill holes that are likely associated with sulphide mineralization that will require follow up."

Figure 1: Plan Map of Drilling at Tomtebo

Figure 2: Simplified 3D Model Looking Southeast at Steffenburgs Zone

Figure 3: Simplified Cross Section Looking Northeast at Steffenburgs Zone

Figure 4: TOM24-042 Sulphide Mineralization from 312.4 to 326.5 m

Drill Hole Summaries

Extension TOM22-037B (900 m step out northeast from historic Tomtebo Mine):

Hole TOM22-037B was drilled in 2022 at an angled orientation (-50 dip) to the south (180 azimuth) to 357.9 m. It was designed to test a blind magnetic high anomaly along the interpreted VMS mineralized horizon located 900 m northeast along trend from the historic Tomtebo Mine. Interpretation of the lithogeochemical samples taken in 2022 indicated that the hole did not pass the mineralized horizon and warranted continuation. TOM22-037B was extended by 200 m to 557.75 m.

Strong silicification and locally albite altered felsic mass flow deposits/pumice breccia were intersected up to 440 m. The alteration changed gradually from weak to moderate silica-biotite-muscovite alteration to strong silica-biotite-amphibole-garnet alteration up to 547 m. Narrow intervals of amphibole skarn replacing former carbonate rich layers were encountered at 516 to 523 m and 535 to 538 m. Small patches of up to 5% disseminated pyrite and pyrrhotite occurred at 514 to 525m, 535 to 541 m and 542 to 545 m. Alteration weakened from 547 m and the host has been interpreted as fine to medium grained, feldspar-quartz dominated felsic ash silt-sandstone. A weak BHEM off-hole anomaly was interpreted at ~240 m down-hole.

TOM24-039 (700 m step out northwest from historic Tomtebo Mine):

Hole TOM24-039 (326.9 m) was drilled at an angled orientation (-50 dip) to the southeast (159 azimuth). It was designed as a geological hole to test the interpreted VMS mineralized horizon located roughly 700 m northwest from the historic Tomtebo Mine.

After 15 m of overburden, the hole intersected weak to locally moderate altered felsic volcani(clastic) rocks with local meter-size cross cutting mafic dykes up. Trace pyrite is observed as local patches. BHEM did not reveal any off-hole anomalies. Pending lithogeochemical results should determine the rock precursor and alteration intensity.

TOM24-040 (500 m step out northwest from historic Tomtebo Mine):

Hole TOM24-040 (263.8 m) was drilled at an angled orientation (-50 dip) to the southeast (158 azimuth). It was designed as a geological hole to test the interpreted VMS mineralized horizon located roughly 500 m northwest from the historic Tomtebo Mine and a 200 m step-out from TOM24-039.

This hole intersected similar geology as TOM24-039, although alteration is more present. A zone of strong amphibole-garnet-cordierite-biotite-muscovite-silica altered felsic volcanic rocks with trace to 2% disseminated pyrite was observed between 159 to 175 m. A greenish, fine to medium grained, amphibole-pyroxene dominated skarn(?) with trace of pyrite-chalcopyrite was noticed from 202 to 226 m. A weak BHEM off-hole anomaly was interpreted at ~125 m down-hole. Pending lithogeochemical sampling should determine the rock precursor and alteration intensity.

TOM24-041 (Steffenburgs Zone)

Hole TOM24-041 (362.8 m) was drilled at an angled orientation (-59 dip) to the northeast (37 azimuth). It was designed to step out 60 m down dip from massive sulphides encountered in hole TOM22-038, which returned 25.5 m at 8.2% ZnEq2 (249.0 to 274.1 m), including a 0.40m interval at 384 g/t Au and 855 g/t Ag (273.7 to 274.1 m).

After 16 m of overburden, the hole intersected moderate to strongly altered felsic volcanic rocks with local disseminated to stringer-style pyrite (0.1 to 1.0%, and up to 20%) and pyrrhotite (0.1 to 1.0%, and up to 10%) from 15 to 362.8 m intercalated by meter-scale mafic dykes. Within this section chalcopyrite (0.1 to 1.0%) was observed from 99 to 101 m, 190 to 197 m, 205 to 214 m, 230 to 232 and 248 to 250 m with minor galena as traces to mm-sized stringers. Gahnite is locally present as patches from 100 to 107 m and 225 to 250 m.

Several potential fault zones (294 to 297 m and 305 to 308 m) with fine, disseminated pyrite-pyrrhotite were observed and sampled with regards to the Au-Ag intersections in TOM22-038. Moderately altered felsic volcanic rocks with disseminated pyrite (0.1 to 1.0%) and pyrrhotite (0.1 to 1.0%) alternating with mafic dykes continued to the end of hole depth at 363.8 m.

TOM24-042 (Steffenburgs Zone)

Hole TOM24-042 (657.0 m) was drilled at an angled orientation (-61 dip) to the northeast (54 azimuth). It was designed to step out 80 m down dip from TOM24-041 testing the depth extension of the intersected mineralization at Steffenburgs Zone.

After 12 m of overburden, the hole intersected a fine grained, laminated silicified felsic volcanic rock with no mineralization up to 41 m. A sharp transition from moderate to strongly altered felsic volcanic rocks with local disseminated to stringer-style pyrite (0.1 to 1.0%, and up to 5%) and pyrrhotite (0.1 to 1.0%, and up to 5%) was noticed from 41 to 118 m with occasional meter-scale mafic dykes. Within this section chalcopyrite (0.1 to 1.0%) was observed from 52 to 58 m, and 109 to 118 m. Gahnite was locally present as patches from 52 to 56 m. More intense biotite-muscovite-silica-cordierite alteration continued down-hole with local disseminated pyrite - pyrrhotite - chalcopyrite -sphalerite observed between 231 to 266 m including patches of abundant gahnite. Semi-massive to massive replacement style mineralization including fragments of altered felsic volcanic host rock, characterized by dense stringer networks of pyrrhotite-pyrite-chalcopyite that transition into massive pyrrhotite-sphalerite zones were noticed from 308.3 to 326 m. A fault zone was noticed from 334 to 340 m dominated by chlorite schists and minor pyrite-pyrrhotite disseminations. Moderate to intensely altered felsic volcanic rock with trace to weak disseminated pyrite-pyrrhotite mineralization continued down-hole, including a mineralized fault zone between 411 to 414m.

TOM24-043 (Steffenburgs Zone)

Hole TOM24-043 (386.0 m) was drilled from the same drill platform as TOM24-042 at an angled orientation (-53 dip) to the northeast (49 azimuth). It was designed to step out 50 m from TOM24-041 along strike towards north testing the down-plunge of the intersection mineralization at Steffenburgs Zone.

This hole showed similar lithological units and alteration styles as encountered in TOM24-042, including several weakly mineralized intervals from 54 to 105 m that were generally characterized by a pyrite, pyrrhotite, gahnite and trace chalcopyrite mineralization. An intensely altered felsic volcanic rock with two embedded amphibole-pyroxene skarns were observed from 302 to 363 m. Multiple intervals of polymetallic sulphide mineralization, including disseminated to veins of pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, gahnite, magnetite and chalcopyrite mineralization were noticed, closely associated to the skarn. The remainder of the hole was dominated by moderately altered felsic volcanic with trace mineralization.

BHEM in TOM24-041 to -043 indicated both in-hole and off-hole anomalies, which warrants investigation, together with numerous structural readings, obtained from orientated drill core. Compilation of the observed lithologies, alteration and zones of mineralization together with lithogeochemical data should improve the knowledge of the Steffenburgs Zone mineralization and the depth extension potential.

References

1 Allen, Rodney L., Jonsson, Rolf H. 2014. Boliden's Garpenberg Zn-Pb-Ag mine, Sweden - Critical factors behind the discoveries that turned mine closure into a large expansion project. SEG Conference Abstract 0393-000191. https://www.segweb.org/SEG/Events/Conference-Archive/2014/Conference-Proceedings/data/papers/abstracts/0393-000191.pdf

2 Metal prices used in USD for the ZnEq calculation were based on Ag $15.00/oz, Au $1650/oz, Cu $2.15/lb, Zn $0.85/lb, and Pb $0.75/lb. ZnEq equals = Zn% + (Ag g/t  0.0257) + (Au g/t x 2.831) + (Cu%  2.529) + (Pb%  0.882). The use of ZnEq is to calculate cut-off grades for exploration purposes, and no adjustments were made for metal recovery.

Technical Information

All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared by, or approved by Garrett Ainsworth, PGeo, President and CEO of the Company. Mr. Ainsworth is a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

The drill core reported in this news release was logged and prepared at the District Metals AB core facility in Sater, Sweden, and was shipped to Boliden's Garpenberg Mine for core cutting. The half core samples are then sent to ALS Geochemistry in Mala, Sweden for assay preparation and then the sample pulps are sent to ALS Geochemistry in Ireland (an accredited mineral analysis laboratory) for analysis. Samples are analyzed using a multi-element ultra trace method combining a four-acid digestion with ICP-MS analytical package ("ME-MS61"). Over limit sample values are re-assayed for: (1) values of copper >1%; (2) values of zinc >1%; (3) values of lead >1%; and (4) values of silver >100 g/t using the high-grade material ICP-AES analytical package ("ME-OG62"). Additional over limit sample values are re-assayed for: (1) values of zinc >30%; (2) values of lead >20% using the high precision analysis of base metal ores AAS analytical package ("Zn, Pb-AAORE"). Gold, platinum, and palladium are analyzed using the 30 g lead fire assay with ICP-AES finish analytical package ("PGM-ICP23"). Certified standards, blanks, and duplicates were inserted into the sample shipment to ensure integrity of the assay process. Selected samples are chosen for duplicate assay from the coarse reject and pulps of the original sample. No QA/QC issues have been noted with the results reported.

Some of the data disclosed in this news release is related to historical drilling results. District has not undertaken any independent investigation of the sampling nor has it independently analyzed the results of the historical exploration work in order to verify the results. District considers these historical drill results relevant as the Company is using this data as a guide to plan exploration programs. The Company's current and future exploration work includes verification of the historical data through drilling.

Mr. Ainsworth has not verified any of the information regarding any of the properties or projects referred to herein other than the Tomtebo Property. Mineralization on any other properties referred to herein is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Tomtebo Property.

About District Metals Corp.

District Metals Corp. is led by industry professionals with a track record of success in the mining industry. The Company's mandate is to seek out, explore, and develop prospective mineral properties through a disciplined science-based approach to create shareholder value and benefit other stakeholders.

District is a polymetallic exploration and development company focused on the Viken and Tomtebo Properties in Sweden. The Viken Property covers 100% of the uranium-vanadium Viken Deposit, which is an asset with substantial exploration and development expenditures that resulted in the definition of large historic polymetallic resource estimates in 2010 and 2014. The Viken Deposit is amongst the largest deposits by total historic mineral resources of uranium and vanadium in the world.

The advanced exploration stage Tomtebo Property is located in the Bergslagen Mining District of south-central Sweden and is situated between the historic Falun Mine and Boliden's Garpenberg Mine that are located 25 km to the northwest and southeast, respectively. Two historic polymetallic mines and numerous polymetallic showings are located on the Tomtebo Property along an approximate 17 km trend that exhibits similar geology, structure, alteration and VMS/SedEx style mineralization as other significant mines within the district.

For further information on the Tomtebo Property, please see the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Update Technical Report on the Tomtebo Project, Bergslagen Region of Sweden" dated effective October 15, 2020 and amended and restated on February 26, 2021, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

"Garrett Ainsworth"

President and Chief Executive Officer

(604) 288-4430

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding "Forward-Looking Information"

This news release contains certain statements that may be considered "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. In some cases, but not necessarily in all cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "targets", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "an opportunity exists", "is positioned", "estimates", "intends", "assumes", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and any similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, predictions, indications, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-Looking information in this news release relating to the Company include, among other things, statements relating to the Purchase Agreement and closing thereof; the Company's Swedish polymetallic properties; the Company's planned exploration activities, including its drill target strategy and next steps for the Swedish properties; and the Company's interpretations and expectations about the results on the Swedish properties.

These statements and other forward-looking information are based on opinions, assumptions and estimates made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances, as of the date of this news release, including, without limitation, assumptions about the reliability of historical data and the accuracy of publicly reported information regarding past and historic mines in the Bergslagen district; and in respect of the intention of the Swedish government to eventually lift or amend its moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Sweden; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund planned exploration activities, maintain corporate capacity; and stability in financial and capital markets.

Forward-Looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date such statements are made, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to risks associated with the following: the reliability of historic data on District's properties; the Company's ability to raise sufficient capital to finance planned exploration; that the Swedish government maintains its moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Sweden for the foreseeable future; the Company's limited operating history; the Company's negative operating cash flow and dependence on third-party financing; the uncertainty of additional funding; the uncertainties associated with early stage exploration activities including general economic, market and business conditions, the regulatory process, failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals, technical issues, potential delays, unexpected events and management's capacity to execute and implement its future plans; the Company's ability to identify any mineral resources and mineral reserves; the substantial expenditures required to establish mineral reserves through drilling and the estimation of mineral reserves or mineral resources; the uncertainty of estimates used to calculated mineralization figures; changes in governmental regulations; compliance with applicable laws and regulations; competition for future resource acquisitions and skilled industry personnel; reliance on key personnel; title matters; conflicts of interest; environmental laws and regulations and associated risks, including climate change legislation; land reclamation requirements; changes in government policies; volatility of the Company's share price; the unlikelihood that shareholders will receive dividends from the Company; potential future acquisitions and joint ventures; infrastructure risks; fluctuations in demand for, and prices of metals; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; legal proceedings and the enforceability of judgments; going concern risk; risks related to the Company's information technology systems and cyber-security risks; and risk related to the outbreak of epidemics or pandemics or other health crises. For additional information regarding these risks, please see the Company's Annual Information Form dated July 11, 2022, under the heading "Risk Factors", which is available at www.sedarplus.ca. These factors and assumptions are not intended to represent a complete list of the factors and assumptions that could affect the Company. These factors and assumptions, however, should be considered carefully. Although the Company has attempted to identify factors that would cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those disclosed in the forward-looking information or information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Also, many of such factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws.
VANCOUVER, BC, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Nuclear Fuels Inc. (CSE: NF) (OTCQX: NFUNF) ("Nuclear Fuels" or the "Company") mobilized two drills for the second phase of its 200 hole drill program at the Kaycee Project in Wyoming's Powder River Basin. In 2023, 89 drill holes were completed. Drilling in 2024 will continue to expand historic uranium mineralization at depth and expand mineralization along trend and on other high priority targets identified.

Nuclear Fuels is focused on the exploration and exploitation for In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") uranium resources. ISR technology extracts uranium in a non-invasive process using natural groundwater and oxygen, and a proven ion exchange process, for uranium recovery

Highlights:

Phase 1 drilling in 2023 successfully confirmed and expanded historic resources returning grades ranging from trace to 6.5 feet at 0.187% U 3 O 8(Gamma log) with a grade thickness of 1.216*;

O with a grade thickness of 1.216*; In 2024, Phase 2 drilling will commence with 111 permitted drill sites designed to expand the areas drilled in 2023 and define new mineralized zones along trend.

Based on the success of the 2023 drilling, an amendment to our drill permit has been filed to significantly expand the target area for drilling and increase the number of drill sites.

This work continues to build our Kaycee ISR focused project base as well as advancing the Bootheel project in Albany County, Wyoming .

Michael Collins, Chief Executive Officer of Nuclear Fuels stated, "We are in a long-term demand driven uranium cycle. The Kaycee Project provides a great opportunity to grow an economic ISR uranium resources in one of the most prolific ISR amenable sandstone hosted uranium basins in the US. We look forward to a successful year at both Kaycee and our wider Wyoming uranium project portfolio.

Selected 2023 drill holes with a grade thickness greater than 0.7 (%U 3 O 8 x footage) Drill Hole ID Zone From (ft) Thickness (ft) Grade (%U308) GT (Grade X Thickness) Total Hole GT SD23_009 3 331.0 4.0 0.227 0.908 SD23_010 2 330.5 3.5 0.240 0.840 SD23_012 1 285.5 4.0 0.180 0.720 SD23_020 1 178.0 3.5 0.252 0.882 SD23_050 2 291.5 7.0 0.142 0.994 SD23_052 3 278.5 6.5 0.187 1.216 SD23_054 1 270.5 4.0 0.218 0.872 SD23_065 2 305.5 4.5 0.237 1.067 1.567 SR23_001 1 401.5 5.5 0.141 0.776 SR23_002 3 422.0 4.5 0.233 1.049 1.542

To view the Kaycee uranium drill program video please visit: Kaycee Project- Nuclear Fuels (youtube.com) and for more frequent updates, follow us on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Kaycee Uranium Project, Wyoming

The Kaycee Project in Wyoming's Powder River Basin, Nuclear Fuel's priority project, consists of over 42 square miles of mineral rights over a 33-mile mineralized trend hosting more than 110 miles of identified roll fronts. The Kaycee Project is believed to be the only project in the PRB where all three known historically productive sandstone formations (Wasatch, Fort Union, and Lance) are mineralized and potentially accessible for ISR extraction. The Kaycee Project, under Nuclear Fuels, represents the first time since the early 1980's that the entire district is controlled by one company.

Nuclear Fuels acquired the Kaycee Project from enCore Energy Corp., which retains a back-in right for 51% of the project by paying 2.5X the exploration costs and financing the Kaycee project to production (costs recoverable from production) upon Nuclear Fuels establishing a minimum 15 million pound U 3 O 8 43-101 compliant resource.

Wyoming is a proven and prolific uranium producer with a pro-energy government and established regulatory regime for the permitting and extraction of uranium through ISR technology. As Wyoming is one of the few "Agreement States", hosting ISR uranium deposits, where the federal government and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission have ceded regulatory authority to the state government, permitting, and advancing uranium projects is more efficient and streamlined as compared to most other states. Wyoming, with over 250 million pounds of historic production, ranks as the state with the second most uranium production to date; most of which has been through the ISR method since 1990; predominantly from the Powder River Basin.

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mark Travis, CPG., a contractor to the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

*Drill holes are reported that returned significant zones of uranium mineralization with >2 ft thickness at or above a grade cut-off of 0.02 per cent eU3O8 or that are relevant to exploration targeting. %U3O8 by Gamma logging is a measure of gamma intensity from a decay product of uranium. Gamma log assays may be in disequilibrium with ICP-MS or PFN assays. Comparisons of U3O8 Gamma log and ICP-MS assays of Powder River Basin core samples indicate that U3O8 Gamma is comparable to ICP-MS uranium assay in the Powder River Basin. Grade Thickness, or GT, is defined as the product of the mineral grade multiplied by the thickness of the mineralization.

Drill holes are completed by Single Water Services using a 4.75 inch diameter rotary drill rig. Chip samples are collected for lithological logging every five feet. Century Geophysics of Tusla Oklahoma is contracted to conduct downhole gamma ray, resistivity, spontaneous potential, and deviation. Century Geophysics calibrates its downhole tools in the US Department of Energy uranium logging Test pits in Casper Wyoming to ensure the accuracy of the downhole gamma ray log measurements.

About Nuclear Fuels Inc.

Nuclear Fuels Inc. is committed to aggressive exploration of district-scale In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") uranium projects in proven and prolific jurisdictions. Focused on its priority Kaycee Project, located in Wyoming's Powder River Basin, our goal is to advance the project onto a path to production. enCore Energy Corp., under certain circumstances, maintains the right to back-in to 51% ownership by paying the Company 2.5X its exploration expenditures and financing the project to production (recoverable from production). With existing historic resources through a 33-mile trend, 110+ miles of mapped roll-fronts and 3,800 drill holes, Nuclear Fuels has secured the district under one company's control for the first time since the early 1980's. Nuclear Fuels also provides a unique model for development of our other uranium projects and has established a pipeline of future opportunities in well established uranium districts.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "potential", "believe", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to planned exploration programs and the results of additional exploration work in seeking to establish mineral resources as defined in NI43-101 on any of our properties. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with the completing planned exploration programs and the results of those programs; the ability to access additional capital to fund planned and future operations; regulatory risks including exploration permitting; risks associated with title to our mineral projects; the ability of the company to implement its business strategies; and other risks including risks contained in documents available for review at www.sedar.com under the Company's profile. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - April 29, 2024) - Bayridge Resources Corp. (CSE: BYRG) ("Bayridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed Satvir "Saf" Dhillon as its new Chief Executive Officer and President and as a director of the Company. Mr. Dhillon replaces Gurcharn Deol in the role of Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Dhillon brings a wealth of experience in the areas of corporate finance, business acumen and international corporate contacts. He was part of the initial team that orchestrated the growth of Idaho- based U.S. Geothermal Inc. ("U.S. Geo"). During his 12-year tenure, the team grew U.S. Geo from a USD$2 million start-up to a successful USD$300 million renewable energy independent power producer. Mr. Dhillon was an instrumental part of the team, working with a number of the top U.S., Canadian and European investment banks, several large cap North American banks as well as the U.S. Department of Energy to develop, construct and operate three new geothermal power plants in the Pacific Northwest that are still producing electricity today. Mr. Dhillon was a key force in driving U.S. Geo from having several hundred retail shareholders to having well over 30,000 retail shareholders, along with a strong institutional shareholder base. These efforts enabled U.S. Geo's transition from the TSX Venture Exchange onto the TSX and in the U.S. from the OTCBB onto the NYSE MKT.

Mr. Dhillon has successfully assisted the IPO and growth of a number of private and public companies over the last 20 years, holding business development and senior management positions as well as board positions with several companies on both the TSX Venture Exchange and the Canadian Securities Exchange.

"I would like to thank Charn and the team for setting a solid foundation for Bayridge and I am excited to commence working with the team to develop our strong portfolio of uranium and lithium assets," stated Mr. Dhillon. "The recently completed over-subscribed private placement enables us to get working immediately in developing our two new exciting uranium projects in the Athabasca Basin and the Sharpe Lake lithium project in the Red Lake mining district and also provides sufficient capital to enable us to complement our technical team and effectively market our company," he concluded.

Option and RSU Grants

The Company also announces that, on April 26, 2024, it granted an aggregate of 1,500,000 incentive stock options (each, an "Option") and an aggregate of 2,100,000 restricted share units (each, an "RSU") to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company. The Options are exercisable at $0.64 per share until April 26, 2027 and vested on April 26, 2024. The RSUs are exercisable until April 26, 2027 and will vest as follows: (i) 750,000 will vest on August 26, 2024; (ii) 450,000 will vest on December 26, 2024; (iii) 450,000 will vest on April 26, 2025; and (iv) 450,000 will vest on August 26, 2025.

The portion of the grant of Options and RSUs to the Company's directors constituted a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied on sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 for exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements under MI 61-101, given neither the fair market value of such Options and RSUs nor the fair market value of the common shares underlying such Options and RSUs exceeded 25% of the Company's market capitalization on the date of grant. The material change report to be filed in relation to the grant was not filed at least 21 days prior to the date of grant, as contemplated by MI 61-101, given the Company granted the Options and RSUs shortly before the issuance of this news release for sound business reasons.

None of the aforementioned securities have been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) or persons in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of the foregoing securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Bayridge Resources Corp.

Bayridge Resources Corp. is a mining exploration company that currently operates the Sharpe Lake property, a lithium exploration project in Ontario. The Company also has an interest in two uranium exploration projects located in the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, which were optioned from Canalaska Uranium Corp.

For more information, please contact:

Saf Dhillon, Director, Chief Executive Officer and President

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tel: 604-484-3031

Forward-looking information

All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that Bayridge expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Such statements may involve, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: the Company's intention to develop its portfolio of uranium and lithium assets; the recent private placement enabling the Company to commence work immediately at its projects and provide sufficient capital to complement its technical team and effectively market the Company. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by Bayridge based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond Bayridge's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Bayridge does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release.
Russia has arrested a journalist from the Russian edition of Forbes magazine for social media reposts over accusations of Russian atrocities in the Ukrainian town of Bucha, his lawyer and Forbes said on Friday.

Rights groups say hundreds of Russians have been arrested, fined and jailed for criticising Russia's offensive on Ukraine under tough military censorship laws.

Russian authorities have particularly targeted people for comments on Bucha, the Kyiv suburb where Russian troops have been accused of massacring civilians.

Moscow has rejected those charges and accused Kyiv and the West of staging the scenes of dead civilians and testimonies of torture.

"Sergei Mingazov was detained and is being held in a temporary detention centre" in the Far East city of Khabarovsk, the journalist's lawyer Konstantin Bubon said in a Facebook post.

He faces up to 10 years in prison under charges of spreading "false information," Bubon said.

"In short, for reposting a publication about the events in Bucha" on a Telegram channel, he added.

His Telegram channel, which has around 430 followers, features a number of reposts from April 2022 that allege Russian troops killed civilians in Bucha.

Russian forces controlled the Kyiv suburb for a month at the start of the campaign.

Pictures of dead civilians found on the streets made front pages around the world, triggering outrage in the West.

Forbes Russia said Friday it had not been able to contact Mingazov.

A Russian reporter was last month sentenced to seven years in jail for articles on alleged Russian war crimes, including at Bucha.

And opposition politician Ilya Yashin is serving eight and a half years in jail on similar charges after discussing the claims in a YouTube video.

Moscow has outlawed criticism of its offensive and has made independent reporting on the campaign effectively illegal.

Numerous foreign and Russian reporters have left the country over the last two years under the fear of arrest.

The Reporters Without Borders advocacy group said Russia arrested 34 journalists during 2023.

They included Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, a US citizen, and joint US-Russian citizen Alsu Kurmasheva -- both of whom are still in pre-trial detention.

bur/rlp

Meta
Romanian prosecutors Friday issued a fresh indictment against former president Ion Iliescu for crimes against humanity in a deadly 1990 crackdown on protesters, the latest of several proceedings against him.

Four people were killed in June 1990 after Iliescu allegedly called in thousands of miners to help police put down the demonstration, just months after the execution of the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

Repeated investigations into the violent crushing of the anti-communist protest have been dragging on for two decades.

First accused in 2005, the former president was ordered to stand trial in the case in 2017, but charges were dropped on procedural grounds and the investigation was later reopened.

Military prosecutors said in a statement on Friday they had ordered "the continuation of the criminal proceedings against Iliescu... on the charge of committing crimes against humanity".

Besides the four dead, two people were raped, more than 1,300 injured and some 1,200 unlawfully deprived of their liberty "on political grounds", the prosecutors said.

Iliescu, now 94, was informed of the charges against him at his home in Bucharest and could face up to 25 years in prison.

He has repeatedly denied being responsible for the violence, which brought widespread international condemnation.

Former prime minister Petre Roman and Virgil Magureanu, the intelligence chief at the time of the crackdown, are among others who were officially charged.

In 2014, the European Court of Human Rights criticised Bucharest for failing to fully investigate the crimes committed in the aftermath of the revolution, reviving the stalled legal proceedings in the case.

On Thursday, Justice Minister Alina Gorghiu said that the state had "an obligation... to Romanian society" to bring closure to the "old" case.

Teodor Maries, president of the 21 December 1989 civic association, which demands justice for the crimes, decried the authorities' slowness to act, but said he now saw "at least a glimmer" of movement.
The top UN court said it will rule Tuesday on charges by Nicaragua that Germany is breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention by supplying weapons to Israel for the Gaza war.

Nicaragua has hauled Germany before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to demand judges impose emergency measures to stop Berlin from providing Israel with weapons and other assistance.

The ICJ said Friday it would hand down its order at 3:00 pm (1300 GMT) on April 30, with presiding judge Nawaf Salam reading out the ruling.

Top lawyers from the two countries clashed earlier this month at the court, with Nicaragua saying Germany was "pathetic" to be both providing weapons to Israel and aid to Gazans.

Berlin retorted that Israel's security was at the "core" of its foreign policy and argued that Nicaragua had "grossly distorted" Germany's supply of military aid to Israel.

"The moment we look closely, Nicaragua's accusations fall apart," Christian Tams, a representative for Germany, told the court.

Nicaragua requested five emergency measures, including that Germany "immediately suspend its aid to Israel, in particular its military assistance including military equipment."

The war began with an unprecedented Hamas attack that resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people in Israel, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, with a retaliatory offensive that has killed at least 34,356 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.
Ukraine warned Friday that Moscow was ramping up attacks on railways in a bid to disrupt military supplies ahead of a fresh Russian offensive while Kyiv waits for new US weapon deliveries.

Kyiv fears Russia is seeking to press its advantage on the battlefield ahead of symbolic May 9 Victory Day celebrations, as both sides continued to launch deadly cross-border strikes.

A Ukrainian security source told AFP that Russia wanted to damage Ukrainian railway infrastructure to "paralyse deliveries and movement of military cargo" as Moscow prepares to advance.

"These are standard steps ahead of an offensive," the source added.

Russian forces have a firepower and manpower advantage at the front lines, and Kyiv has warned that fighting will become increasingly difficult in the coming weeks.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday announced a $6 billion military aid tranche, which is its largest ever for Ukraine and will include interceptors for both Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems.

The package is the second this week, after President Joe Biden signed a much-delayed bill to provide a total $61 billion of new funding for Ukraine.

- Costly delays -

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believed the Kremlin wants its army to capture the strategic heights of Chasiv Yar, a village in the eastern Donetsk region, before May 9, when Russia celebrates the Soviet Union's victory in World War II.

On Friday, he said the months of delays to US aid had cost his forces.

"While we were waiting for a decision on the American support, the Russian army managed to seize the initiative on the battlefield," he told a video meeting of dozens of Ukraine's international supporters.

Oleksandr Pertsovsky, head of passenger transport at state rail group Ukrzaliznytsia, confirmed that Russia had escalated its attacks on railway sites.

"They're hitting the stations indiscriminately. It's a very primitive way of doing it," he said.

Three railway employees were killed and four wounded in a Russian missile attack on the eastern Donetsk region Thursday, the company said.

Ten civilians were also injured Thursday when Russian forces attacked railway facilities in Balakliya in the Kharkiv region.

The Russian defence ministry said Friday that a strike on Udachne in the Donetsk region had targeted what it said were "Western weapons and military equipment" being transported by railway.

It also said it had struck railway loading facilities at Balakliya.

Those strikes represent just a small number of the attacks that have damaged trains or stations across Ukraine, including in more central regions like Cherkasy and Dnipro.

One of the deadliest single strikes of the war was on a railway station in Kramatorsk in April 2022, which killed more than 60 people fleeing Russia's advancing troops.

- Hospitals evacuated -

On Friday afternoon, Kyiv officials said they were urgently evacuating two hospitals in the capital after reports of a possible imminent Russian attack.

"A video is being widely circulated in the online media, actually announcing an enemy attack on these medical facilities," the Kyiv city council said on social media.

It said the video falsely claimed there were military personnel in the facilities, one of which is a children's hospital.

Russia's forces have previously struck medical facilities close to the front lines during the war, now in its third year.

In March 2022, Russia bombed a maternity hospital in the southern city of Mariupol, in what Kyiv and Western officials have called a war crime.

Officials on both sides of the front lines said at least five people died on Friday from the latest wave of cross-border strikes.

Ukraine's interior ministry said two women, aged 77 and 69, were killed by Russian shelling on the town of Bilopillya in the northeastern Sumy region.

The Russian governor of the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine, said one person died in a Ukrainian shelling attack on Friday.

In the Bryansk region, another Russian border area, a person injured a day earlier in a Ukrainian drone attack succumbed to her wounds, the governor said.

Moscow-installed authorities also said one person was killed in an attack on the Lugansk region, one of the four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims to have annexed.

burs/bgs/bfm
Washington's top diplomat will travel to Saudi Arabia on Sunday as the deadline approaches on a landmark -- and, analysts say, long-shot -- deal that would see the kingdom recognise Israel.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to Riyadh comes nearly seven months after the eruption of war in Gaza put the brakes on what was intended as a signature foreign policy achievement for his boss, US President Joe Biden.

It also comes as Americans prepare to vote in November on whether to give the 81-year-old Biden a second term, an election process that could scramble what progress has been made on Saudi-Israeli normalisation so far.

In September, before Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel sparked the war, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Fox News that "every day we get closer" to a deal that could also bolster the Washington-Riyadh security partnership.

However Prince Mohammed, Saudi Arabia's 38-year-old de facto ruler, also said the Palestinian issue was "very important" for Riyadh, adding: "We need to ease the life of the Palestinians."

As fighting drags on and mediators struggle to lock in a truce, Saudi officials have reiterated their insistence on recognition of an independent Palestinian state.

Princess Reema bint Bandar al-Saud, the Saudi ambassador to Washington, told the World Economic Forum in January that normalisation would be impossible without an "irrevocable" pathway towards that state's creation.

While it is no surprise Saudi Arabia would link ties with Israel to a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, "the price for normalisation, especially on the Palestinian front, has certainly gone up," said Saudi analyst Aziz Alghashian.

"What can be said is that there needs to be something more tangible than theoretical," he said.

"In other words, more irreversible steps that are clear-cut, rather than just promises."

The US State Department said that Blinken will discuss "a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel", during talks in Riyadh on Monday and Tuesday.

- Progress disrupted -

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites, has never recognised Israel and did not join the 2020 US-brokered Abraham Accords that saw its Gulf neighbours Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Morocco, establish formal ties with Israel.

During a debate in 2019, Biden vowed to treat Prince Mohammed as a "pariah" over human rights concerns.

But after Biden visited the Saudi city of Jeddah and fist-bumped the crown prince in 2022, his administration actively pursued a Saudi-Israeli deal that would build on the Abraham Accords, a foreign policy win for his predecessor Donald Trump.

The Saudis indicated they would want more than their Gulf peers got, bargaining hard for benefits like US security guarantees and assistance with a civilian nuclear programme with uranium enrichment capacity.

In the months that followed, Israeli and American officials issued bullish statements, while the Saudis said characteristically little.

Their leverage, strengthened by their status as perceived leaders in the Muslim world, was never in doubt, said Elham Fakhro of the Chatham House think-tank.

"Saudi Arabia is aware of how badly the Biden administration wants a deal," Fakhro said.

"It is also aware that no other Arab country holds as much leverage as it does in lobbying for the Palestinians."

Any momentum stalled abruptly with Hamas's October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign to destroy Hamas has killed more than 34,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

Riyadh has consistently denounced Israeli forces' conduct in Gaza, accusing them of "unchecked heinous war crimes" just this week.

- A tall order -

Even without the Gaza war, sealing the Saudi-Israeli-US deal would be a tall order.

"The US will have to deliver on something and none of Saudi Arabia's conditions (or requests) are easy," Fakhro said.

"A defence pact would have to go through Congress and its approval there is far from certain."

The rancour of election season in the US makes bipartisan deal-making even more difficult.

In any case, Netanyahu has repeatedly made clear his opposition to a Palestinian state, saying last month that Israelis rejected any attempt to "ram" it "down our throats".

Given Saudi Arabia's position, that means an imminent breakthrough is unlikely.

Long-time observers of Saudi diplomacy stress that should come as no surprise, despite the recent flurry of meetings and statements.

"From the beginning, Saudi Arabia was clear: addressing the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in a manner that satisfies the Palestinians is a precondition for normalisation with Israel," said Saudi analyst Hesham Alghannam.

"Saudi Arabia is genuine in its condition that normalisation is linked to the end of Israel's occupation of Palestinian land."
France has charged the ex-wife of a top Islamic State official with crimes against humanity on suspicion of enslaving a teenage Yazidi girl in Syria, French media reported.

A woman identified as Sonia M., the former wife of the jihadist group's head of external operations Abdelnasser Benyoucef, was charged on March 14, Le Parisien said Saturday.

The Yazidi woman, who was 16 when she was forced into slavery by Benyoucef, accused Sonia M. of raping her twice and knowing that her husband was raping her, the report said.

The woman, now 25, said she was held for more than a month in 2015 in Syria, where she was not allowed to eat, drink or shower without Sonia M.'s permission.

Sonia M. denied the allegations against her in a March 14 interview with French investigators, saying "only one rape" had been committed by her former husband.

The teenager "left her room freely, ate what she wanted, went to the toilet when she needed to", she said in her interview, seen by AFP.

Sonia M.'s lawyer Nabil Boudi slammed the charges as "opportunistic accusations", saying that prosecutors were seeking "to make her responsible for the most serious crimes, because the courts have not managed to apprehend the real perpetrators".

An arrest warrant has been issued for Benyoucef, according to a source close to the investigation.

France launched an investigation in 2016 into genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed against ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria since 2012.

The probe has focused on crimes suffered by members of the Yazidi and Christian communities as well as members of the Sheitat tribe, according to France's PNAT anti-terror unit.

"The aim is to document these crimes and identify the French perpetrators who belong to the Islamic State organisation," PNAT told AFP.
Military-ruled Burkina Faso has rejected as "baseless accusations" a Human Rights Watch report that soldiers killed at least 223 villagers in two attacks on February 25.

"The government of Burkina Faso strongly rejects and condemns such baseless accusations," communications minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo said in a statement late on Saturday.

"The killings at Nodin and Soro led to the opening of a legal inquiry," he said.

The minister expressed his surprise that "while this inquiry is underway to establish the facts and identify the authors, HRW has been able, with boundless imagination, to identify 'the guilty' and pronounce its verdict".

HRW described the massacre as "among the worst army abuse in Burkina Faso since 2015".

"These mass killings... appear to be part of a widespread military campaign against civilians accused of collaborating with Islamist armed groups, and may amount to crimes against humanity," the New York-based group said on Thursday.

According to the Burkina statement, "The media campaign orchestrated around these accusations fully shows the unavowed intention ... to discredit our fighting forces."

"All the allegations of violations and abuses of human rights reported in the framework of the fight against terrorism are systematically subject to investigations" followed by the government and the UN high commissioner for human rights.

The junta on Thursday suspended the BBC and Voice of America radio networks from broadcasting after they aired the report accusing the army of attacks on civilians in the battle against jihadists.

The West African nation under military rule has been battered by a jihadist insurgency that swept in from neighbouring Mali in 2015.

Thousands of civilians, troops and police have been killed, two million people have fled their homes and anger within the military at the mounting toll sparked two coups in 2022.
On April 16, the judge in the Dutch court of Zwolle was about to decide whether the trial would start in absentia. The indictment is ready, but alleged Eritrean trafficker Zekarias Habtemariam Kidane is still in custody in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which the Netherlands asked last year to extradite him. The man is accused of being part of a human trafficking network involved in money extortion.

The matter discussed at the hearing was a missing signature. Earlier this year, the prosecutor sent a summons to the UAE, where Kidane faces another court case for money laundering. But to date, his signature  and official proof that he received it  is still missing. After a brief deliberation, the judge decided that he could not be sure the 40-year-old defendant was aware of his rights and the trial could not start.

The provincial courtroom was filled up with over 30 people, including journalists, Eritrean NGO observers and a handful of academics. Every communication with the UAE takes up to six months, Prosecutor Petra Hoekstra told the court. Abu Dhabi, she said, gave no recent update on the Dutch extradition request. Kidane, described by Dutch police as one of the most notorious and cruel human smugglers in the world, has been held there since January 2023, when he was finally arrested in Sudan after escaping Ethiopian justice in 2021.

Extorsion of families living in the Netherlands

On the same day, the court of Zwolle also discussed the case of another Eritrean trafficker, Tewelde Goitom, also known as Amanuel Welid. Both suspects, Kidane and Welid, were previously convicted in Ethiopia for human trafficking. They belong to the same criminal organisation, says the prosecutor who wants their cases to be handled together. She also summoned five other people located in the Netherlands, suspected of taking part in the extortions.

Welid was extradited from Ethiopia to the Netherlands in October 2022, on accusation of participating in a criminal organisation involved in human smuggling, hostage-taking, extortion and sexual violence. The charges span from 2014 to 2020. Most of the victims are migrants from Eritrea who travelled to the Netherlands. The prosecutor outlined how during the journey, migrants were locked up in camps in Libya, abused, tortured and in some cases killed. To free them, families in the Netherlands had to pay large sums of money. The preliminary hearings in his case have been going on since January 2023.

Welid did not come to the hearing. His defence lawyer Simcha Plas told the judges she was concerned about the length of the proceedings, especially if they were to become dependent on those of Kidane. Welid has already been in pre-trial detention for a long time, she told the court. Kidane was called by the defence as one of its witnesses, and the court discussed whether his testimony could be collected online or in person.

The next hearing is scheduled for July 4. According to Brechtje Van De Moosdijk, press officer of the Public Prosecutor Service, the case will be heard on the merits not before early 2025.

Getting the truth about the trafficking network

I am happy about this court procedure and that victims can get justice, comments Tadese Teklebrhan, an Eritrean man living in the Netherlands and chair of the Dutch foundation Eritrean Human Rights Defenders (EHRD). Like some of the plaintiffs in the case, he came to the Netherlands through the Welids network in 2015. He is not a party to the case but has been following the hearings closely. We dont have any justice in Eritrea, so this is my first experience in court.

His colleague at EHRD Hadish Mebrahtu, who also runs the organisation Mahber Selam that helps Eritrean refugees settle in the Netherlands, thinks this trial is about getting the truth about the trafficking network. Civilians in Eritrea have a hard time following the case, said Mebrahtu. But he thinks the Eritrean regime is well aware of this Dutch trial. He and Teklebrhan hope this case will just be a starting point. Welid and Kidane are not the main root of the trafficking problem, the root is in the government of Eritrea, says Teklebrhan.

Since gaining independence from Ethiopia in 1993, Eritrea has been ruled by President Isaias Afwerki. His party is the only party, there is no free press nor free speech, and the national military service is mandatory and can last indefinitely.

The Eritrean government is so tightly controlled, explains Mirjam van Reisen, professor of International Relations at Tilburg University, who has been following the proceedings. It would be hard for a criminal organisation to operate outside the knowledge or the consent of the government, she adds. She has been studying the Eritrean human trafficking network since 2010. Van Reisens studies have documented the links between the defence and intelligence officials of the regime and the gang of Welid and Kidane, who came to a leading position under collusion and collaboration of the Eritrean government. According to the researcher, the government also controls the hawala, an informal money transfer system that is used to extort large sums from the families of migrants.

A highly lucrative ransom system

In 2023, Van Reisen and three colleagues published Enslaved, a book in which they mapped the ransom system. To free their loved ones from Libyan detention centres, families can pay up to 10,000 US dollars, the authors explain. These sums reached 40,000 USD in the Sinai region of Egypt, where Eritrean migrants fled starting in 2009. They estimate that between 2016 and 2021, around 114,000 Eritreans submitted a first-time asylum application in Europe  half of the 205,000 migrants and refugees held in captivity in Libya in that period. The ransoms paid by Eritreans alone is estimated at USD 1 billion. These are very conservative estimates, Van Reisen told Justice Info.

To pay for the ransoms, families are forced to collect loans from various members of the community. Thats such a strain on the community because people have all of these scores to settle, says Van Reisen. Mebrahtu agrees and talks about his experience asking the victims about their hopes for the trials. Some people expect financial compensation, he says, as they collected for the families, and they still have to pay back but it is really hard.

Hawala agents and financial debts make the life of Eritreans in Europe less safe. The traffickers and the regime have a network in the Netherlands, so people are still not feeling free, said Teklebrhan. Last year, the Dutch news broadcaster NOS reported that a group of Eritreans accused Welid of trying to influence witnesses via phone calls from his prison. He was then moved to another detention centre and placed under intensive supervision.

International cooperation

The cases of Welid and six other suspects stem from a joint international cooperation team set up in 2018 involving judicial and police authorities in Italy and the Netherlands, together with the United Kingdom, Spain, Europol, and since 2022 the International Criminal Court (ICC). Europol and Interpol also joined the investigations. They focus on tackling trafficking and crimes against migrants in Libya.

The Netherlands could move forward on this case because of the large number of Eritreans in the country, who stated how money was extorted from them by Welids network. The prosecutor said he heard dozens of witnesses in the Welid case. However, at the start of April, the Dutch news service NRC reported that Frontex has restricted the exchange of information with investigators, as a result of a new stricter interpretation of privacy rules. It was received with disappointment by the Dutch prosecutors, for whom the data collected by Frontex have been crucial for their investigations on human trafficking.

This trial shows that there is no indefinite impunity, says Van Reisen. But drawing from her research, she highlighted other crimes that she hopes will receive more attention in the future: Sexual violence-related crimes, they are horrendous and very, very difficult because women are so traumatised and men as well; and the killings, many people die. As these widespread attacks against a civilian population may also be charged as crimes against humanity, she hopes they will be prosecuted as such before the ICC and national courts.
Did Hong Hae In (Kim Ji Won) and Baek Hyun Woo (Kim Soo Hyun) get their happily ever after in "Queen of Tears" Episode 16?

Here's what went down in the much-anticipated finale!

'Queen of Tears' Episode 16: Baek Hyun Woo Rescues Hong Hae In From Yoon Eun Sung

The last episode started with Baek Hyun Woo being rushed to the hospital after the accident. His parents also rushed to see him, but they were too late because he left without receiving proper treatment.

Hong Hae In, on the other hand, woke up in the hunting cabin and panicked. She saw Yoon Eun Sung with a shotgun. He also questioned her, asking why she left. To appease him, she agreed to marry him and left the place.

Hyun Woo schemed with Grace Go to fuel the fire within Sol Hee by talking about Eun Sung and Hae In. He then found out where Hae In was, and called up his friend to take him there.

Despite the pain, he insisted on saving her.

Elsewhere, Sol Hee met with Eun Sung after she found out that he had taken all the money and converted it to dollars. Through their conversation, Hae In learned that it was Sol Hee who caused the accident at the beach.

Yoon Eun Sung, who still believed that his mother cared for him, was devastated to know that she was just after the money.

Baek Hyun Woo arrived at the hunting cabin and saved Hae In, but Eun Sung stopped them.

While the cops surrounded them, Eun Sung tried to convince her to go with him but she refused and told him that she felt unsafe and uncomfortable around him.

Triggered by her words, he aimed his gun and was ready to shoot her, but Hyun Woo took the bullet for her.

Yoon Eun Sung was shot by the police, which led to his death.

Hong Hae In Feels Guilty Towards Baek Hyun Woo

Hong Hae In cried her heart out, thinking of some memories that had Baek Hyun Woo, and feeling guilty for mistreating him after waking up from her surgery. His parents and family rushed to to the hospital. She apologized, and his mother held her as she cried.

Meanwhile, Kim Seon Ha (Na Young Hee) took care of Jeon Bong Ae (Hwang Young Hee) and informed her about the new details regarding the incident on the beach.

They realized that it was Hyun Woo who saved Hae In.

Both families waited in anticipation for Hyun Woo. The doctors assured them that he was already out of danger despite his injuries.

Sol Hee silently held a funeral for Eun Sung and quickly moved to get the money back, as well as taking his place as the chairman. She threw the evidence against her, hoping she'd be able to save herself.

Back at the hospital, Hae In waited for Hyun Woo to wake up.

Later on, he gained consciousness, and the first thing he asked was if she was alright, resulting in Hae In crying. Tearfully, she asked him why he was worried about her when he was the one in the hospital bed.

The family entered the room and shed tears, seeing Hyun Woo doing well.

Baek Hyun Woo, Hong Hae In Keep Their Promise to Each Other

In the next few days, Baek Hyun Woo and Hong Hae In spent more time and created more memories together.

Elsewhere, the Hong family, with the help of Hyun Woo as their lawyer, fought against Sol Hee and reclaimed their wealth.

Cheon Da Hye helped them and tried to convince Grace Go to turn themselves in. She did not want to do it at first but she still ended up helping the Hong family get the evidence against Sol Hee. She went to prison along with Da Hye and Sol Hee.

The Hong family and Baek Hyun Woo returned to Queens after winning the case. The couple was also back to getting to know each other slowly.

Hae In assumed that Hyun Woo would propose, but he paced himself, irritating her. They had a good conversation about their marriage. They decided to love each other despite the past.

Later on, Hae In's father passed the chairman position to his elder brother and stayed at Yongduri with his wife to live an easy life. Kim Seon Hwa enjoyed spending time with Hyun Woo's parents.

Da Hye also got out of prison, and reunited with Soo Cheol and their son.

"Queen of Tears" Episode 16 concluded with Baek Hyun Woo and Hong Hae In visiting their favorite spot in Germany with their daughter, Baek Soo Bin. They grew old together, and decades later, old Hyun Woo was seen visiting Hae In's grave.

In the last scene, he met her in the afterlife as she waited for him at the lavender field. They kept their promise to continue their love story beyond the living world.

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Shai San Miguel wrote this.
With her character as a rich and elegant mom of Kim Ji Won in "Queen of Tears," how wealthy is Na Young Hee in real life?

Who is Na Young Hee?

It's safe to say that you're a true K-drama fan if Na Young Hee, for you, is a familiar face. This is not to mention her three decades in the industry.

Born in Boeun, Chungcheong Province in South Korea, Na Young Hee will celebrate her 63rd birthday this coming September 20.

She entered showbiz in 1981, and since then, she worked on various projects jumping from movies to series, which made her name known, and now one of the most popular actresses in the industry.

For more than thirty years, the celebrity has contributed a lot to the acting industry with her performances.

Na Young Hee Net Worth 2024: 'Queen of Tears' Actress' Talent Fee Expected to Double

Her works benefited her big time as she gained nominations and awards such as Best Favorite Film Actress at the 25th Baeksang Arts Awards, New Actress in Drama in a special category at the Grand Bell Awards, and more.

Nevertheless, she garnered popularity and fortune from her profession. She has gained a considerable income from her acting work. According to a source, as of 2022, Na Young Hee has an estimated net worth of USD 6 million.

This 2024, although it is difficult to confirm since her personal life is not disclosed in public, it is safe to say that her income has increased due to her back-to-back projects. Her professional fee is also expected to skyrocket since she just finished another smashing hit drama "Queen of Tears."

Adding to her value as an actress is her years of professional experience in the business.

Did You Know? 'Queen of Tears' is Na Young Hee's Third Collaboration With Kim Soo Hyun

Viewers always see Na Young Hee play the rich and sophisticated mom of the drama's protagonists. The veteran actress may be playing the same role, but she always gives something new to every character she portrays.

In fact, this is not the first time that Na Young Hee worked with "Queen of Tears" lead actor Kim Soo Hyun.

The two already collaborated in the 2013 series "My Love From the Star" and "The Producers." Na Young Hee played Yang Mi Yeon in "MLFTS," the mother of Cheon Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun), who is the love interest of Kim Soo Hyun's character, Do Min Joon.

They reunited in the 2015 drama "The Producers," where she immersed herself in the role of Byeon Mi Sook.

This 2024, Kim Soo Hyun and Na Young Hee joined forces again for the third time in "Queen of Tears." She even shared snaps with the actor on her Instagram!

What can you say about the news? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article.

Shai San Miguel wrote this.
Park Sung Hoon discussed the rumors regarding his "chaebol" background on the upcoming "You Quiz on the Block" episode.

Following the huge success of the tvN K-drama "Queen of Tears," headlined by Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won, Park Sung Hoo, who played as the drama's villain Yoon Eun Sung, talked about his family background.

Is Park Sung Hoon A Real-life Chaebol?

Best known for his antagonist roles in "The Glory" and "Queen of Tears," Park Sung Hoon surprised the public after tvN's show "Free Doctor" talked about Korean celebrities born into a wealthy family.

Interestingly, the list included the actor, who, according to the panel of journalists, is believed to be just as rich as his character in "The Glory."

READ MORE: Park Sung Hoon's Comment About His Villain Role in 'Queen of Tears' Draws Laughter

According to the host, the actor attended a foreign language high school, which is considered an elite school that focuses its curriculum on foreign language studies.

"His family members are all highly-educated, so his family is pretty well-off," the host added, as obtained by a news outlet.

Furthermore, one of the journalists added that Park Sung Hoon is the only member of the family whose background is not in the medical or law industry.

Despite having a different career, Park Sung Hoon's parents were very supportive of him, especially his father.

Park Sung Hoon Quashes 'Chaebol' Rumor

Interestingly, as the actor swooned viewers with his amazing acting spectrum, he also shut down rumors regarding his family background.

In a teaser video of the upcoming episode of "You Quiz on the Block'', Park Sung Hoon shared how his family experienced financial struggles to the point that he didn't have money to buy himself a hamburger.

"The chaebol theory is really nonsense," he said, as mentioned in an outlet, adding, "When I was in high school, my family became extremely poor, and when my friends would buy hamburgers, I would squat on the stairs alone and wait for them."

In addition to this, he also recalled his experience, which he said was similar to the Oscar-winning movie "Parasite."

"I lived in the semi-basement room shown in the movie 'Parasite' for about 7 years. When I got my first vacation after enlisting, I called my mom and said, 'I'm going on vacation,'" he said, adding that the "situation was so bad."

Park Sung Hoon's quest on "Yoo Quiz on the Block" will air on Wednesday, May 3, at tvN.

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars.

KDramaStars owns this article

Written by Geca Flores
In the world of K-dramas, where on-screen chemistry often transcends into real-life speculation, the latest buzz surrounds the beloved duo of Kim Ji Won and Kim Soo Hyun.

Fans of the pair, who starred together in the hit drama "Queens of Tears," are abuzz with speculation about the nature of their relationship following a series of intriguing hints.

Coincidental Captures

The latest clue to fuel the fire of speculation emerged when both actors shared photos on their respective social media platforms.

A snapshot of Kim Ji Won donning an off-shoulder shirt coincidentally paralleled a similar image of Kim Soo Hyun baring his shoulder.

This synchronicity set tongues wagging among fans, sparking rumors of a possible romantic connection between the two.

Wrap-up Party Revelations

However, the hints didn't stop there.

Attendees of the "Queens of Tears" wrap-up party were treated to a delightful display of camaraderie between the co-stars.

Kim Ji Won arrived first, striking a playful crying pose for the cameras.

 Kim Ji Won on her way to Queen of Tears wrap-up dinner party today  pic.twitter.com/8C0mO2whzt  The Seoul Story (@theseoulstory) April 27, 2024

Shortly after, Kim Soo Hyun followed suit, mirroring her antics with equal enthusiasm.

[0428] #KimSoohyun sighting at the second round of wrap-up party.



OP wrote, I finally got to see Kim Soohyun! I waited outside the Black Pork House for three hours and just caught a glimpse of him from afar before leaving. On my way to the subway station, I happened to pass by pic.twitter.com/gaBcEAxi63  soohyunupdates (@soohyunupdates) April 27, 2024

This playful exchange only served to deepen suspicions among eagle-eyed fans.

Social Media Echoes

Further evidence was unearthed by diligent fans who meticulously tracked the actors' social media activity.

A week prior, Kim Ji Won shared a nostalgic photo album featuring memorable moments from the filming of "Queens of Tears," including a shot in front of a castle.

Astonishingly, Kim Soo Hyun later posted a strikingly similar photo taken from the same location, fueling speculation of shared experiences beyond the set.

Netizens have also noted subtle changes in Kim Soo Hyun's behavior during his collaboration with Kim Ji Won.

i need soowon to act like baekhong in that korean bbq wrap-up party right now #QueenOfTears #KimSoohyun #KimJiwon pic.twitter.com/Otf7BcHMkX  numi loves hyuniepoo (@chuguwugetot) April 27, 2024

Observers pointed out his meticulous grooming and sartorial choices during script readings, a departure from his typically understated attire.

they went to billiard club after first wrap up party?  meong (@nobodybuttee) April 28, 2024

Additionally, reports surfaced of his uncharacteristic shyness in Kim Ji Won's presence, even forsaking his habit of singing opera during filming mishaps.

Speculation vs. Skepticism

While fans eagerly speculate on the nature of their relationship, some skeptics have dismissed these clues as mere publicity stunts.

Despite the ambiguity surrounding their status, one thing remains certain: the undeniable chemistry between Kim Ji Won and Kim Soo Hyun continues to captivate audiences both on and off-screen.

As fans eagerly await further developments, one can't help but wonder if this reel romance might just have a touch of reality.

KdramaStars owns this:

Written by: Joan Cabigas




Monday, April 29, 2024 - Mustakima Mohammed Ali, a wanted terror suspect involved in the brutal killings of a police officer and two chiefs in Lamu County in December 2019 has been arrested.

The suspect was flushed out of a Malindi-bound bus in a Sunday afternoon operation by Anti-Terrorism Police augmented by their Special Operations Group (SOG) counterparts at the Sambaki Bridge roadblock while traveling from Lamu.

Mustakima Ali alias Abu Mahir and his accomplices holed up after the monstrous murders that occurred in December 2019, first hiding within Boni Forest from where they were smoked out by security personnel and disappeared to a neighboring country.

In April 2023, three members of his gang dared a return into the country but were intercepted and arrested along the Isiolo-Moyale highway while heading to Somalia.

They were charged at the Kahawa Law Courts and their case is ongoing.

Other suspects who have since been identified but are still at large remain on police radar.









The Kenyan DAILY POST.






Sunday, April 28, 2024  Transgender activist, Caitlyn Jenner had a heated exchange with some pro-Palestinian protesters while attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner held on Saturday night.

Caitlyn who encountered a throng of protesters, pulled out her cell phone and began recording them, showing no fear.

It was quite clear she was not on the side of the protesters as she stopped to challenge them and then flipped them off and left.

As she walked away, one protester hurled a weak sauce barb You're so old. Just leave. Go home. Caitlyn did the same thing coming out, filming the protesters and making her disdain more than apparent.

The protesters wanted journalists to boycott the dinner, noting that reporters had been killed during the war. They are demanding a cease-fire.






Monday, April 29, 2024  Fans are alleging that Chris Brown bought up all the tickets to his rival, Quavo's show, leaving the star to perform to an empty arena.

A video shared online shows Quavo performing to an almost empty venue after people failed to turn up for his show.

The former MIgos rapper had a headlining show at Hartford Healthcare Ampitheater in Bridgeport, Connecticut over the weekend.



The venue has an audience capacity of more than 5,700, but in footage from the show, it seemed an audience of barely more than a few hundred had turned up to see the rapper.

Those who turned up crowded together at the front of the stage, with the rest of the venue virtually empty.

As video of the empty venue circulated, people blamed Chris Brown and alleged that he bought most of the tickets to ensure fans couldn't buy it.

Chris Brown evil for this, apparently he bought all the tickets at the Quavo concert just so the crowd is empty, one person tweeted.



Chris Brown bought majority of the tickets for Quavos show. This is pure Savagery, said another fan.

Even 50 Cent reacted, writing: Oh this sh*t getting different. I know (n*ggas) tight. LOL.





However, some fans questioned just how willing Chris Brown would be to spend a fortune buying all the tickets, with the money will go into Quavo's pocket.

Chris Brown is yet to publicly comment on the speculation, but it seems logistically unlikely that hes to blame, especially as fans are interpreting Browns alleged act as a response to a diss track Quavo released only three days ago.




Monday, April 29, 2024 - Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Mithika Linturi, has vowed to reveal the names of individuals who have been selling faker fertiliser to unsuspecting Kenyans.

Speaking during a fundraiser at St. Theresa's Catholic in Imenti Central on Sunday, Linturi asked Kenyans not to be misled by people who do not understand the issue, as he will reveal the names of those involved during the week.

"People are talking about things they have no understanding of, I run the ministry and only report to my boss who knows how things are going.

"You will understand everything before the end of the week," he said.

On Friday, over 100 MPs signed a petition on a motion proposed by Bumula MP Jack Wamboka for his impeachment over alleged mismanagement in the Ministry of Agriculture.

In his response, Linturi termed the allegations as mere propaganda orchestrated to tarnish his name and reputation.

He asked farmers to disregard the 'noise' and instead buy fertiliser from the nearest National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and use it for planting.

"All these are propaganda by these MPs, I don't understand their motive.

"Don't be shaken, when you're doing well people come to distract your course.

"Go and pick fertiliser as we are in the top-dressing season don't be distracted," Linturi urged farmers in Imenti South.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Monday, April 29, 2024  A historian who has correctly predicted every presidential election since 1984 has made his prediction for the forthcoming presidential election in the US.

Allan Lichtman, a professor of history at American University in Washington, declared that 'a lot would have to go wrong' for Joe Biden to lose to Donald Trump in November.

Allan Lichtman devised a system, which he called '13 Keys', and wrote a 1980s book explaining the idea.





He says the technique enables him 'to predict the outcome of the popular vote solely on historical factors and not polls, tactics or campaign events.'

Despite polls showing Biden behind Trump in several swing states, Lichtman believes it's still in the president's favour to retain office, with two of his 13 keys - lack of serious primary challenge and incumbency - already in Biden's favour.

'That's two keys off the top,' he said. 'That means six more keys would have to fall to predict his defeat. A lot would have to go wrong for Biden to lose.'

Lichtman says polls showing Trump either competitive with or beating Biden nationally and in key swing states don't impress him.

'They're mesmerized by the wrong things, which is the polls,' he said. 'First of all, polls six, seven months before an election have zero predictive value.'

It doesn't mean the Biden campaign can act like it's a sure thing they'll repeat victory.

'It's always possible there could be a cataclysmic enough event outside the scope of the keys that could affect the election and here we do have, for the first time, not just a former president but a major party candidate sitting in a trial and who knows if he's convicted  and there's a good chance he will be  how that might scramble things.'

Lichtman claims the COVID-19 pandemic was a historical event that made him predict Biden's victory in 2020.

'The pandemic is what did him in,' he told The Guardian.

'He congratulated me for predicting him but he didn't understand the keys. The message of the keys is it's governance not campaigning that counts and instead of dealing substantively with the pandemic, as we know, he thought he could talk his way out of it and that sank him.'

However, some keys are working in Trump's favour.

One of the keys is a significant third-party challenger, which may be Robert F. Kennedy Jr's role in the race.

Two of the keys involve the economy and while some economic numbers have trended in Biden's favor, he has yet to see his approval rating tick up for it.

Social unrest is another key that tracks against Biden, with college campuses now a hotbed for anti-Israel protesting, with many of the young people referring to the president as 'Genocide Joe.'

Both the incumbent's charisma and the challenger's charisma are also seen as keys and while many feel both candidates are too old, age appears to be more of a factor against Biden than Trump.




Monday, April 29,2024 - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said he will not let Nairobi County Governor, Johnson Sakaja take Nairobi to the dogs.

Since his election as a governor in 2022, Sakaja's only legacy is corruption, bureaucracy, and mismanagement of public funds.

Speaking at a women's empowerment event at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday, Gachagua said though he is not a Nairobi voter, he will not allow the busy metropolis to be held hostage by cartels and looters.

The second in command was responding to accusations of interfering with Governor Johnson Sakaja's leadership amidst claims of a planned impeachment of the county chief.

According to the DP, Nairobi is too important to be left in the hands of select leaders as it is the government's city.

"Well continue traversing this city and doing development. We will take an interest in the welfare of this city and its leadership. Nairobi is too important to be left like that, "Gachagua said.

Gachagua said the city's glory must be restored even as Sakaja is under fire from Nairobians over his leadership's failure to live up to their expectations.

The flooding situation in the city has not helped the county chief, with many leaders and locals accusing him of failing to plan and act in time to restore the dignity of displaced families.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, April 29, 2024 - One of President William Rutos close confidantes in Mombasa County has lauded Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) for assaulting a security guard and some police officers in Mombasa while crossing the Likoni ferry.

The Saturday incident saw some KDF rangers assault a security guard and at the same time rough up some policemen who were manning the ferry.

In the melee, two police officers were injured by KDF rangers from the Mtongwe Navy base.

Reacting to the incident, Nyali Member of Parliament Mohamed Ali lauded KDF rangers for teaching the security guard a lesson, claiming he was notorious for harassing Mombasa residents while on the ferry.

Ali further said no one should summon those KDF rangers for beating a security officer and injuring police officers.

I support KDF 100%. Those private security guards are so brutal.

"Kenya Ferry should be protected by Kenya Police and not those guys who think they are so powerful even than the Police.

"No one should summon those KDF SPECIAL FORCE RANGERS. Jeshi iheshimiwe!Mohamed Ali wrote on X (formerly Twitter)

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, April 29, 2024  Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and his Defence counterpart, Aden Duale, have been on the receiving end lately following the recent clashes between the Kenya Defence Forces and the Kenya Police.

Kenyan leaders and citizens have accused Duale and Kindiki of inaction despite a rise in cases of fights between KDF and the Kenya Police.

In the latest fallout, a soldier reportedly stormed a police station, beat up police officers, and set a prisoner free.

Separately, a video went viral on Saturday, showing a contingent of military officers engaged in a scuffle with police officers at the Likoni Ferry.

In the last month, at least three incidents of fallout between KDF soldiers and the police have been recorded prompting a response from the communications department of both arms.

Kenyans are, however, concerned by the two CSs whom they accuse of remaining mum despite the incidents showing signs of getting out of hand.

While sharing one of the incidents, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko challenged the two cabinet secretaries to take charge and rein in on officers causing the commotion.

Controversial lawyer Miguna Miguna also chimed in explaining that the fallout is a result of decades-long systemic institutional chaos.

Kenyan citizens, on the other hand, were concerned that the fracas was derailing the officers from their duties of protecting civilian lives.

In the twin incidents that occurred on Saturday, the Kenya Defence Forces communications arm noted that investigations have already kicked off.

A video clip that went around on Saturday showed five on-duty servicemen beat up police officers and security officers stationed at Likoni Ferry.

The other incident saw a KDF officer stationed at Garissa storm a police station at Rabai Sub-County, Kilifi County, and free a suspect who was his cousin.

Earlier, Police officers in Turkana arrested KDF soldiers who they accused of slapping and disarming a traffic police officer at a roadblock mid-this month.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, April 29, 2024 - Flamboyant Nairobi-based lawyer, Donald Kipkorir, has attacked the Kenya Kwanza Alliance administration for acting normally yet Kenya is being devastated with floods

For the last three weeks, over 300 Kenyans have died due to deluge caused by the ongoing torrential rains.

Kipkorir in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said it is a shame for the government to be pretending that it is normal but it is not normal.

The lawyer suggested that in a civilized country, the government's primary focus would be on addressing the flood crisis.

"Kenya is being devastated with floods. Hundreds have died. Schools, houses & roads have been washed away.

"Yet Politicians continue operating as though things were normal.

"If Kenya was a civilized country, all Government efforts would be redirected to the flood crisis. BUT!"Korir said in a statement on his X account.

Kipkorir's remarks coincide with reports of severe flooding across various regions, including Mai Mahiu, where at least 45 people lost their lives after the old Kijabe dam burst.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Sunday, April 28, 2024  A 25-year-old Indian man, Sriram Ambarla, who was sentenced to 16 years imprisonment for the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend in London, had searched how to kill humans with a knife on the internet right before the attack.

He slashed Sona Biju's throat before stabbing her nine times at a London restaurant in 2022. The incident was caught on camera.

Ambarla, from Hyderabad, attacked Biju, 23, at the restaurant where she worked after threatening to murder her if she did not agree to marry him.

When Ms Biju turned him down by saying that she "did not want to live by his rules", Ambarla grabbed her by the neck and began stabbing her. She survived the vicious attack but had to spend a month at a hospital in a critical condition.

Ambarla was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Thursday, April 25, 2024, after pleading guilty to attempted murder. He also pleaded guilty to having a knife without lawful reason in a public place, for which he was sentenced to 12 months in prison concurrently.

During his sentencing hearing, the court was told that moments before Ambarla attacked, he searched online for What happens if a foreigner murders someone in the UK, How easy is it to kill someone with a knife and How to kill a human instantly with a knife.

In addition to the prison sentence, Ambarla was given a lifetime restraining order to never make contact with the victim.

The 2022 attack came after Ambarla manipulated and physically and mentally abused Ms Biju for years, the court was told.

The two began dating in 2017 after they met at a Hyderabad college.

However, the relationship quickly turned abusive, leading to their split around 2019 during which Ambarla used threats of self-harm to control Ms Biju.

He repeatedly showed up at her house unexpectedly and tried to blackmail her into marrying him, the victim said.

In 2022, both Ambarla and Ms Biju moved to the UK 2022 to pursue a master's degree at the University of East London but the abuse continued.

Ambarla would regularly contact the restaurant she worked at to talk to her and order food in hopes that she would deliver it to his house

Weeks after they moved, he visited the restaurant, where Ms Biju served him food, treating him just like any other patron. He sat there looking through his phone in an unsettling manner, she said.

Moments later, he approached her and repeated his offer to marry her or else he would kill her. When she refused, he took out a knife and stabbed her repeatedly.

He told the police that he snapped when he overheard her talking about wanting to celebrate the breakup.
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ValueZone provides a wide range of automated trading tools and bots, along with advanced settings for manual traders. The team's goal was to create tools that help traders reduce risks and increase profits. Recent security issues have raised concerns about ValueZone's reputation, leading crypto traders to explore other options.

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Monday, April 29, 2024 - Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has threatened to drop a bombshell over who orchestrated the fake fertilizer scandal as early as this week.

Speaking during a fundraiser at St. Theresa's Catholic in Imenti Central, Linturi blasted people who had attacked the Ministry of Agriculture over the fake fertiliser scandal.

He asked Kenyans not to be misled by people who do not understand the issue, as he will name those involved during the week.

"People are talking about things they have no understanding of. I run the ministry and only report to my boss who knows how things are going. You will understand everything before the end of the week," he said.

On Friday, over 100 MPs signed a petition on a motion proposed by Bumula MP Jack Wamboka for Linturi's impeachment over alleged mismanagement at the Ministry of Agriculture.

In his response, the CS termed the allegations as mere propaganda orchestrated to taint his name and reputation.

He asked farmers to disregard the 'noise' and instead buy fertiliser from the nearest National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) outlet and use it for planting.

"All these are propaganda by these MPs, I don't understand their motive. Don't be shaken, when you're doing well people come to distract your course.

"Go and pick fertiliser as we are in the top-dressing season, don't be distracted," Linturi urged farmers in Imenti South.

He questioned the MPs' criteria for analyzing fake fertiliser, saying they spend most of their time in offices.

"Some events are shocking, someone spends the whole day in the office and now says that the fertiliser is fake, yet they have never taken a bag to plant?" Linturi questioned.

The Kenyan DAILY POST


Monday, April 29, 2024  The government of President William Ruto has threatened to arrest Kenyans crossing the flooded rivers.

In a statement, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki directed that Kenyans crossing flooded rivers will be arrested and charged with attempted suicide.

County Security and Intelligence Committees (CSICs) nationwide were ordered to enforce the directive immediately.

"All CSICs are directed to immediately deploy enforcement teams at urban and rural road spots prone to stormwater flooding and without bridges or where the water has breached the bridge to prevent motorists or pedestrians from dangerous crossovers and to arrest and prosecute offenders for attempted suicide and/or attempted murder as the facts of the case may be," the statement read in part.

"Prevent the transportation of passengers across flooded rivers or storm water by unsafe canoes or boats and arrest inexperienced and unscrupulous persons taking advantage of the prevailing situation to cash in on persons in distress."

Additionally, all CSICs were ordered to inspect all public and private dams and water reservoirs in their jurisdiction within 24 hours effective at 1400hrs effective Monday, April 29.

After the inspection, Kindiki remarked that the committees should recommend cases requiring compulsory evacuation and temporary resettlement orders.

Explaining the tough measures, Kindiki remarked that the government was keen on preventing further loss of lives and property due to the flooding experienced in all parts of the country.

In that line, the government will coordinate with relevant agencies and partners to support all those affected by the floods.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, April 29, 2024 - Despite President William Ruto's efforts to create employment opportunities, Kenya has been ranked lower than almost all her neighbouring countries in carving out opportunities.

The Global Youth Development Index covering 2023 released on Saturday showed that Kenya managed to outperform Somalia which ranked the poorest at position 167.

Kenya, which emerged at position 136, ranked behind Rwanda at position 117. Burundi and South Sudan tied at position 114.

Ethiopia topped the Eastern African sphere at position 55 followed by Uganda (86), Tanzania (95), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) at position 102.

Globally, Ireland ranked top in the provision of employment and opportunities rank followed by Saint Lucia, Pakistan, Cuba, and Singapore.

"The Employment and Opportunity domain recorded the largest average improvement from 2010 to 2022, rising by 6.1 per cent," read the report in part.

"Worldwide, 155 countries improved and 28 deteriorated. Myanmar had the largest improvement, followed by Armenia, Vietnam, the Marshall Islands and Russia. Niger had the largest deterioration, followed by Afghanistan, Angola, Laos and Rwanda."

"Progress in this domain was driven largely by a 52.1 per cent improvement on the account indicator score, which measures access to bank accounts and the financial system, including mobile money," added the report.

According to the report, the Youth Development Index measured youth development based on six domains which included education, employment, equality, health as well as political participation.

"These domains, and the indicators within each domain, were decided upon through consultation with the YDI Expert Panel. To capture youth development within each country across all domains, 27 indicators were sourced.," added the report.

Since taking the reins, the Head of State embarked on a mission of connecting jobless Kenyans with jobs abroad in an effort to reduce the nation's unemployment rate.

Ruto revealed that he has negotiated hundreds of thousands of jobs across far-flung countries including Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Canada.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Monday, April 29, 2024 - Embakasi East Member of Parliament Paul Ongili alias Babu Owino has asked Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja to return the money he has stolen from poor Nairobians.

Currently, Nairobi is one of the counties affected by ongoing floods due to heavy rains and there have been casualties, especially in Mathare and Githurai.

However, according to Babu Owino, Sakaja has looted Sh 280 million meant for disaster management for Nairobi County.

The Orange Democratic Movement elected MP urged Sakaja, whom he nicknamed 'Mr. Dimples' to return the looted money so that it could help Nairobi residents marooned by floods.

We want the 280 million shillings umeiba meant for disaster management na uwache PR Ndogo Ndogo wewe mwizi.DIMPLEZ ina mambo, Babu wrote on his X (formerly Twitter).

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Monday, April 29, 2024 - 42 people have been confirmed dead following the collapse of the Kijabe dam in Nakuru County on Monday morning.

According to area residents, heavy rains led the old Kijabe dam to burst its banks and the deluge swept away several homes in Kamuchiri Village Mai Mahiu, Nakuru County.

Naivasha Police Commander Stephen Kirui confirmed the incident noting that several others have been rushed to Naivasha Hospital for treatment.

Kirui said the dam burst its banks sweeping through villages and cutting off traffic on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway

He said the search and rescue operation is ongoing but warned that the number of fatalities could rise as the search continues.

Preliminary reports indicate the dam broke its banks at 2 am, causing heavy destruction such as sweeping away vehicles on the busy highway.

Teams from the Kenya Police, County Disaster team, Kenya Red Cross, and community members are at the scene.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Sunday, April 28, 2024  A new poll has shown Donald Trump holds an advantage over US President Joe Biden as the campaign and Trump's criminal trial move forward.

According to the new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, most Americans say looking back, Trumps term as president was a success, while a broad majority says Bidens has so far been a failure.

Trumps support in the poll among registered voters holds steady at 49% in a head-to-head matchup against Biden, the same as in CNNs last national poll on the race in January, while Bidens stands at 43%, not significantly different from Januarys 45%.

The poll says 55% of all Americans now say they see Trumps previous and only presidency as a success, while 44% see it as a failure. In a January 2021 poll taken just before Trump left office and days after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, 55% considered his time as president a failure.

61% say Biden's presidency thus far has been a failure, while 39% say its been a success. Thats narrowly worse than the 57% who called the first year of his administration a failure in January 2022, with 41% calling it a success.

Republicans now are more unified around the idea that Trumps presidency was a success than Democrats are that Bidens has been one. Overall, 92% of Republicans call Trumps time in office a success, while just 73% of Democrats say Bidens has been a success so far. Among independents, 51% say Trumps presidency was successful, while only 37% see Bidens as a success.

45% approve of Biden's handling of health care policy and 44% approve of his handling of student loan debt.

Biden's handling of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza yields 28% approval to 71% disapproval, including an 81% disapproval mark among those younger than 35 and a majority disapproval among Democrats (53%).

A broad majority of all Americans, 70%, say economic conditions in the US are poor, with many, particularly Republicans, who feel that way saying their views would be more affected by a political shift than a change in the economy itself.

Among all voters, when independent candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Cornel West and Green Party candidate Jill Stein are included in the matchup, Trump holds 42% to Bidens 33%, with Kennedy at 16%, West at 4% and Stein at 3%. Kennedy draws 13% each from supporters of Biden and Trump in the initial two-way matchup.

The CNN poll was conducted by SSRS from April 18-23 among a random national sample of 1,212 adults drawn from a probability-based panel, including 967 registered voters.
A patient presents to the emergency room of a major local hospital with ulcers on the heels of both feet. The patient is more than 40 years old, smokes, and has hypertension but is not a diabetic.

It is determined that the patient has peripheral artery disease. The patient is admitted to Dr. Xs service. Dr. X is a vascular surgeon with a special interest in endovascular devices for peripheral artery disease. However, Dr. X, for whatever reason, is out of the country. Dr. Y is covering.

The patient is clueless about these behind-the-scenes circumstances.

A week later, Dr. Y performs a conventional femoral popliteal bypass on the right leg, presumably, to prevent amputation. A week after that, Dr. X returns and operates on the left leg, replacing a supposedly blocked portion of the left femoral artery with a state-of-the-art endovascular device, presumably to save the leg.

After both surgeries, a family meeting is arranged at the hospital. Neither Dr. X nor Dr. Y is present. A vascular surgery resident, a podiatrist, and the hospitalist are in attendance. Their purpose is to obtain consent for a left below-the-knee amputation. This is the leg upon which Dr. X inserted the endovascular device into the left femoral artery. The right leg, upon which Dr. Y performed a femoral-popliteal bypass of the right femoral artery, does not raise concern.

Questions arise. Why is the right leg fine and the left leg not? Why is a femoral-popliteal bypass performed on the right leg and not on the left? What about wound care? Their only answer is that dressings are regularly changed, and there is no infection in either heel bone.

If so, why not save the left leg with a second revascularization procedure rather than amputating it? These doctors know, but never admit, that the endovascular device inserted by Dr. X is not functioning. The left leg is in jeopardy; the right leg is not.

When questioned about a transfer to another local hospital in the same health care system, which has a reputation for limb salvage second to none, they answer: The family must make those arrangements if such a transfer is desired.

The patient wants the transfer and refuses the amputation. The doctors assure the patient that because there is no infection, there is still time to reconsider.

The patient is sent from the ICU to a nursing station and is now under the care of another hospitalist, who cooperates. For six days, wound care becomes noticeably better, and arrangements for transfer to the aforementioned hospital are underway.

Unfortunately, the patient is switched to another nursing station where another hospitalist is in charge. The ulcers on both feet are unattended and, unbeknownst to the patient, the transfer is stopped. Finally, maggots are seen infesting the decubitus on the left side.

Why else would maggots infest a wound if not for the lack of wound care?

The patient develops a life-threatening septic shock and consents to a below-the-knee amputation performed by Dr. X. After the amputation, Dr. X revises the stump, which results in a left above-the-knee amputation.

Following these surgeries, the parade of transfers to nursing stations continues. In the meantime, an infection in the wound where Dr. X first inserted the endovascular device goes unnoticed. Finally, Dr. X debrides this abscess and removes the device. Three months after admission, the patient is discharged to a rehabilitation and nursing facility, where he or she resides today.

At a post-operative appointment with Dr. X, the truth comes out. The endovascular device is not functioning. Dr. X obstructs the transfer because it would have made no difference. Furthermore, a narrative is underway to make it appear that the patient contributes to these problems by rejecting an amputation. However, no one of sound mind would grant consent for amputation when told that there is no infection, that there is still time to consent, and that a transfer to the other hospital known for limb salvage is being arranged.

While residing at the nursing and rehab facility, the ulcer on the right heel receives wound care. However, previous months of no wound care have a price, and an x-ray is suspicious of infection in the heel bone. At long last, an appointment is made with the wound care clinic at the same hospital reputed for limb salvage, and surgical debridement is scheduled.

After partial excision of the heel bone, the right leg is salvaged. This speaks volumes about potential salvage of the left leg had only doctors been diligent about transfer to this facility because, at the time, there was no infection.

For the readers convenience, two important journal articles are cited. In Circulation Research, there are 230 million similar patients worldwide, and many undergo limb-salvage procedures. In Annals of Vascular Surgery, after 14.5 months, 67 percent of patients who undergo revascularization surgery have complete wound healing; 12.2 percent die; 1.8 percent have other complications; 17 percent require a second revascularization procedure, but only 2 percent require amputation.

Is this amputation the background risk or medical malpractice? Using the risk management tool in my earlier articles, I prove malpractice with 95 percent confidence. However, who better to answer this question than ten prominent medical malpractice plaintiff attorneys? Yet, despite professing commitment to duty, patient safety, and advocacy, none agree to represent this client. As each points out, they work on a contingency basis. This does not mean there is no merit. It simply means this case is just not worth their time or effort to litigate. Their only advice is to seek another opinion.

If I, as a physician, should ever not help a patient, for whatever reason, I would never leave that patient swinging in the breeze as do these lawyers to this client. Society expects me, as a physician, to consult with a colleague, who can help. What society expects of lawyers remains to be seen.

Howard Smith is an obstetrics-gynecology physician.
One person has died in an accident that occurred this afternoon at Namasuba along Entebbe Road.

According to DPC Katwe Police Station Ibrahim Saiga four others were seriously injured.

He says the accident involved a Toyota Land Cruiser that rammed into three other vehicles. He says the injured yet to be identified have been rushed to Mulago hospital for treatment while the bod of the deceased has been taken to the Mulago hospital mortuary.

Saiga adds that the driver of the Land Cruiser has been arrested and is currently in police custody.
A Kilkenny man has been appointed as the new chairperson of a leading Irish law firm.

Mason Hayes & Curran has announced the appointment of partner Philip Nolan as its new Chair.

Philip attended the CBS primary and secondary schools in Kilkenny.

His parents are Margaret and Seamus Nolan, proprietors of Nolans Jewellers in the city.

Philip joined Mason Hayes & Curran as a trainee in 1997, became a partner in 2004 and was a member of the firms management group for 12 years.

Alongside his new role, he will continue to advise clients as Head of the firms Technology Law Team.

Mason Hayes & Curran is an award-winning business law firm, employing over 600 staff including 117 partners, with offices in Dublin, New York, San Francisco and London.

The firm assists clients in meeting their ongoing legal and commercial imperatives through every business life cycle.

Over recent years, Philip has helped grow the firms technology law team into one of the best known in Europe, acting for some of the worlds largest internet services companies in many high-profile cross-border investigations and cases.

This strategic move underscores the importance for legal firms to have leadership that understand the intersection of law, talent and technology.

Philips experience of building high performing teams and advising leading international companies will be integral in his new role.

Commenting on Philips appointment, Will Carmody, Managing Partner, said 'this new appointment further illustrates the unique trajectory of our firm'.

"Philips background combines the worlds of complex laws and emerging technology," he said.

"This will further enhance our client offering as the environment in which they operate changes rapidly.

"I would also like to thank our former Chair Christine ODonovan for her dedication over the last four years and wish her well in her continuing role as partner in our Aviation and International Asset Finance team."

Commenting on his appointment Philip Nolan described it as 'a great honour to become the firms Chair and to be able to work in this role with clients and staff at this exciting time in the market for legal services'.

"As the landscape for legal services rapidly evolves and our clients requirements become more sophisticated, the priority will be working with the firms management and lawyers to maintain our position as a market leader advising in emerging new areas of law," he said.

"Key to this will be attracting and retaining the most talented lawyers to support our clients."
Long awaited funding for the restoration of the King's River in Callan has been announced.

247,500 is to be allocated for a major project on the river which will allow the local community to use the river for activities like fishing, kayaking and canoeing, and swimming. The funds are being made available under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

Callan councillor Joe Lyons has warmly welcomed the funding, which he has been campaigning for in recent years. I am "absolutely delighted to announce that after many years of hard work on a project close to my heart, central to our town of Callan that the King's River will be restored to its former glory."

The funding has also been welcomed by Deputy John McGuinness who said he is glad to see substantial government investment in the project. "This is very positive news for Kilkenny."

Announcing the funding, today, Minister Heather Humphreys said: "I want to thank the local communities who brought forward these proposals and I look forward to seeing work commence on many of these exciting projects in the near future."

Funding has also been announced for a community green space in Dunnamaggin and phase 2 of the refurbishment of Urlingfords Community Centre, bringing the total funding announcement for Kilkenny to 995,000.
A man has told the trial of a Kilkenny man accused of over 120 counts of historical abuse that he was present in a car while the accused sexually assaulted his younger brother.

The Kilkenny man, who can't be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 121 counts of historic sex abuse. These counts include anal and oral rape as well as sexual assault against eight male complainants, who were then aged between 10 and 11 years of age. The offending occurred between 1995 and 2007 at various locations.

The 59-year-old denies any wrongdoing.

The third complainant to give evidence told Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting, on Friday, that the accused man lived in the same area as him when he was younger.

The 38-year-old said he was 11 or 12 when the abuse started. This complainant said the accused would touch his penis, both under and over his clothes. He also outlined incidents of masturbation, inappropriate touching and oral sex. He said the man raped him anally on one occasion.

He said the man threatened him to keep my mouth shut or his family would be killed.

The complainant described the abuse occurring at multiple locations, including in the man's car. He said the man would touch me up in the car and force him to touch the man inappropriately.

He said that his younger brother was sometimes in the man's car at the same time. The witness said the man was touching me up and my brother.

The complainant said the man would let him drive the car while he touched his brother. When asked by Mr McGinn if he ever spoke to his brother about it, the witness replied, We left it buried.

He said he told his mother about the alleged abuse, and she contacted gardai. He initially spoke to gardai when he was 14 or 15, but nothing happened.

He said the abuse stopped when he was around 15 but told Mr McGinn he couldn't remember the final incident. I suffered so much through the abuse, I made sure I forgot it, he said

During cross-examination, Roisin Lacey SC, defending, said her client denies the allegations, to which the complainant replied, That's lies.

She said her instructions are that the boy used to come to the door of the man's house for cigarettes, but was never in her client's house. Thats lies. I was looking for cigarettes, but I was in the house, the complainant said.

He agreed he was interviewed by social workers and gardai in 2000 about these allegations.

When Ms Lacey put it to him that her client denied threatening the boy, the witness insisted the man had done this.

She asked the complainant why he didn't say the man had threatened him during the interviews in 2000. He maintained he was threatened by the man but accepted this detail wasn't in the records of these interviews.

The witness told defence counsel that he couldn't recall how he first met the man but insisted that he did go inside his house. He said he didn't remember seeing the man's wife or children when he went into the house.

He accepted Ms Lacey's contention that his memory is a bit vague about some details and dates of the alleged abuse but insisted he is 100% clear about the locations.

The complainant clarified during cross-examination that his evidence is that the accused pressed up against his buttocks numerous times but only raped him on one occasion.

The trial continues before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and the jury.
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Sinn Fein candidate for Ireland South in the European elections and current TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Kathleen Funchion has submitted her nomination papers today (Monday, April 29).

Earlier this month, Ms Funchion was formally selected by the party to contest the European elections in this constituency, alongside Limerick-based Senator Paul Gavan.

FOR MORE ELECTION COVERAGE, CLICK HERE

"Today I was delighted to submit my nomination papers, to officially begin my campaign for the European election," the Kilkenny native stated.

"I know that people across Ireland South need change. Change starts here with the European and local elections taking place on June 7," she added.

"These elections are taking place at a time when Ireland is facing many challenges," adding, "voting for Sinn Fein in this election is the first step to getting this disastrous government out of office," she claimed.

"These elections are an opportunity for people to have their say on the change they want to see in Ireland and in Europe."

"We have a government that is out of touch, that doesnt understand the challenges we are facing, doesnt have the ideas or the capacity to fix them and is too deferential to the European Union," commented Ms Funchion.

"This election is an opportunity to deliver the change that is needed. By voting for Sinn Fein, you are voting for hard working MEPs committed to delivering change," Deputy Funchion concluded.

"Kathleen is a committed and tireless community activist who is determined to deliver the change that people need," Sinn Fein leader, Mary Lou McDonald stated.

The local TD will launch her campaign for a European seat on Thursday, May 2 in the Tower Hotel in Waterford.
In an innovative partnership aimed at prioritising the safety and well-being of students, Kilkenny County Council has joined forces with secondary school students in Kilkenny City to tackle the challenges posed by high car usage around school areas.

A recent survey conducted in secondary schools within Kilkenny City has revealed that 53% of students commute to school by car. The survey found that Kilkenny City schools have large catchment areas and, in some schools, over 60% of students live more than 5km away from the school. While the use of school buses is a popular option and the city bus numbers are on the rise, the sheer volume of cars directly dropping off students at school gates has led to increasingly unsafe conditions around school premises.

An often, dismissed concern is the adverse impact on air quality due to idling vehicles. The harmful gases and particulate matter exacerbate respiratory illnesses among young people in Ireland. Recognising the urgent need for action, Kilkenny County Council and secondary school students are advocating for a shift in behaviour among those dropping off students.

The collaborative initiative urges parents and guardians to drop off students away from the immediate vicinity of school gates, thus creating safer spaces outside schools. Encouraging students to walk the final leg of their journey, not only creates a healthier environment, but also promotes physical activity and provides students with an opportunity to enjoy fresh air before their school day.

We believe that by working together, we can create safer school zones for the benefit of everyone, remarked Mr. Larry Cotter from St. Kierans College.

This partnership between the council and our students exemplifies the power of collective action in fostering positive change within our community.

The call to action extends to all members of the community, for the month of May, urging them to support efforts to keep school areas car-free and to prioritise the safety and well- being of children and young people. By joining forces, Kilkenny County Council and secondary school students aim to create a healthier, more liveable environment for future generations," he said.
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MBABANE - Credit extended to the private sector closed the month under review at E18.7 billion, slightly lower by 0.02 per cent month-on-month, but grew by 7.3 per cent year-on-year.

According to the Central Bank of Eswatini, the month-on-month decline in private sector credit was evident in credit to businesses while credit to other sectors of the domestic economy and households and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH) increased. Credit extended to businesses contracted by 1.5 per cent month-on-month and grew by 7.1 per cent year-on-year to close at E9.2 billion at the end of February 2024. The month-on-month decline was observed in credit to the following subsectors: distribution and tourism (-10.2 per cent), mining and quarrying (-6.3 per cent), agriculture & forestry (-0.7 per cent) as well as community, social and personal services (-0.7 per cent).

Construction

On the other hand, growth was registered in the following subsectors; manufacturing (2.3 per cent), construction (1.3 per cent), transport and communication (1.2 per cent) as well as real estate (1.2 per cent). Further analysis of credit to businesses revealed that credit to large enterprises decelerated by 2.8 per cent month-on-month and grew by 1.2 per cent year-on-year to stand at E6.2 billion. Credit to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), on the contrary, increased by 1.4 per cent month-on-month and 21.2 per cent year-on-year to close the review month at E3 billion. Credit extended to other sectors of the economy grew by 8.3 per cent month-on-month and 29.5 per cent year-on-year to stand at E970.9 million at the end of February 2024.

Responsible for the increase were credit to other financial corporations and parastatals, which improved by 12.4 per cent to E571.1 million and 4.1 per cent to E320.5 million, respectively.

Credit to local government, on the other hand, fell by 1.4 per cent to stand at E79.3 million.

Claims

Credit extended to households and NPISH closed the month under review at E8.5 billion, reflecting an increase of 0.7 per cent month-on-month and 5.5 per cent year-on-year. Growth was registered in housing and other personal (unsecured) loans while motor vehicle loans decelerated. Consequently, housing and other personal (unsecured) loans rose by 0.9 per cent to E4.3 billion and 0.7 per cent to E3.2 billion, respectively. On the other hand, motor vehicle loans fell by 0.03 per cent to E1.1 billion at the end of February 2024. Furthermore, net claims on government held by the banking sector reached E2.1 billion at the end of February 2024, higher by 25.7 per cent month-on-month but lower by 28.2 per cent year-on-year. The month-on-month, increase was on account of government claims, which grew by 11.5 per cent to E7.2 billion, due to an advance from the central bank over the month under review. Government deposits also grew by 6.7 per cent to E5.1 billion over the review month.
MALKERNS - The third edition of the Makoti Festival saw nothing but beautiful African print design dresses from the Makotis who had attended the event.

The Malkerns Country Club played host to the highly anticipated festival. This extraordinary event drew close to 1 000 people from Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique and South Africa, who came together to celebrate women and embrace the beauty of cultural exchange.The festivities kicked off at 11am, as women arrived in their finest tailored outfits, filling the venue with elegance and vibrancy. The Makoti Festival served as a platform for women to showcase their unique fashion sense and express their individuality. The colourful array of outfits truly brought the venue to life, setting the stage for an unforgettable day.

Performances

The performances at the Makoti Festival were nothing short of exceptional, spanning across various genres, from Gospel to Soul. Attendees were treated to a diverse range of musical talents, ensuring there was something for everyone. The atmosphere was electric as renowned headliners, Ntokozo Mbambo and Nomcebo Zikode, took the stage. Their captivating and energetic performances left the audience in awe, their voices resonating through the air and filling hearts with joy. The festival was more than just a music event; it was a celebration of womanhood and a tribute to the rich cultural heritage of the region. The festival provided a platform for women to come together, share their stories and inspire one another.

It was a space where women could showcase their talents, skills and creativity, fostering a sense of empowerment and unity. Cultural exchange was another integral aspect of the Makoti Festival. With attendees hailing from different countries, the festival created an opportunity for people to learn about and appreciate each others traditions, customs and beliefs. It was a melting pot of cultures, where attendees could engage in meaningful conversations, forge new friendships, and broaden their horizons. The success of the Makoti Festival can be attributed to the dedication and hard work of the organisers, who meticulously planned every detail to ensure a seamless experience for all. From the stunning venue to the top-tier performances, everything came together flawlessly, leaving attendees with memories they will cherish for a lifetime.
MBABANE  A 19-month-old toddler has died after reportedly being fed yoghurt laced with poison.

Two other relatives aged 28 and 50 years, who also ate the yoghurt, survived, after they were quickly rushed to Mankayane Government Hospital. The incident happened in Mankayane last week. According to a source, the three individuals ate the yoghurt which led to the toddler dying, while the two were rushed to hospital, where they were treated and discharged. This follows an incident which happened at KaPhunga recently, whereby two children died after eating emasi laced with a poisonous substance. Another similar incident happened at Nsingweni in January, whereby three children, aged two, five and nine, were allegedly forced to ingest a poisonous substance by their mother. Acting Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Assistant Superintendent, Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the incident.

Investigating

Mnguni said the other two were treated and discharged. She said they were still investigating the matter but they still did not have a suspect. She explained that what they knew was that the people ate the yoghurt suspected to have been poisoned. Mnguni said these yoghurts were supposed to be delivered at home. She said the police were still investigating the matter, to identify the suspect and further understand, who the yoghurts were meant for. In the Nsingweni incident, the children, according to a relative, were found at their parents bedroom. The mother is said to have not shared or given a valid explanation to the family for her actions. Instead, she profusely apologised for the incident, claiming she had also ingested the substance. From hearsay, we gathered that she had informed other people she would engage in such an act as they purportedly had an argument with my brother, the relative said.
By Andrew Hammond

The political battle against climate change has, so far, largely been driven by government legislation and regulation. However, a key European Court on Human Rights (ECHR) ruling this month raises a new, potentially important legal precedent in the 46 member states of the Council of Europe.

Some eight years ago, KlimaSeniorinnen (Swiss Elders for Climate Protection, a group of 2,000 Swiss women all over the age of 64) filed legal action against their government for failing to take stronger action against climate change. On April 9, the ECHR in Strasbourg (which is unrelated to the EU) surprised the Swiss Government by upholding the lawsuit  which was backed by the Greenpeace NGO  by making an approximately 300-page ruling that insufficient measures against global warming infringes the human rights of the female senior citizens involved in the case.

A sign of the importance of the case is that it was heard by the 17 judges of the so-called Grand Chamber. This is the ECHRs most prestigious chamber and it ruled 16-1 in favour of KlimaSeniorinnen.

Swiss President Viola Amherd expressed surprise at the decision. She asserted that sustainability, biodiversity and net zero are key goals for Switzerland. However, Swiss politicians are divided on the ruling. The Swiss Peoples Party and Centre parties are critical of it, while the Socialists and Greens support the decision.

The ruling could have major significance, in part, because it is the first time that a supranational court has ruled on climate change, finding a direct link between quality of life, health and well-being. Specifically, the judges ruled that the demographic group of older females is particularly vulnerable to climate-induced heatwaves.

The court found that the Swiss state had violated ECHR Article 8 which enshrines the right to respect for private and family life." The right of groups of people to enjoy a healthy environment is a long-standing element of Article 8 case law.

The ruling sets a potentially key precedent in the 46 member states of the Council of Europe, increasing pressure on governments to step up their action. These countries include not only the 27 members of the EU, but also a wider range of nations such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

To be sure, some NGOs and wider activists have had domestic legal successes, inside and outside members of the Council of Europe. For instance, a judge in Montana ruled last year that state agencies are infringing on a constitutional right to a clean environment by allowing fossil fuel development.

However, the ECHR ruling represents the first occasion an international court has upheld a climate case. So it could now influence the law across a cross-section of the diverse members of the Council of Europe. There are also ramifications for cases of a comparable nature in wider jurisdictions too, including the Inter American Court of Human Rights in Costa Rica with cases pending which relate to the human rights impacts of climate change.

While the decision may be a boon to NGOs and wider activist groups, there has already been a political backlash in some member states. One common criticism is a perception that the judges are acting as de facto legislators, rather than judges, with U.K. Government lawyer, Sudhanshu Swaroop KC, asserting that the ECHR is seeking to legislate for a global challenge without having global jurisdiction.

The context to this statement is that the significant growth in domestic laws and regulations to address global warming is being passed at an increasing rate, especially since the 2015 Paris climate treaty was agreed upon. In a recent report by the Grantham Institute at the London School of Economics, it was revealed that there are over 800 climate change laws and policies now in places across the world, rising from 54 in 1997.

This context framed U.K. Foreign Secretary Lord David Camerons response to the ruling earlier this month. He said, I think its dangerous when these courts overreach themselves, because ultimately were going to solve climate change through political will, through legislation in this House of Lords and the House of Commons, by the actions we take as politicians, by the arguments we put to the electorate  and so I do think theres a danger of overreach.

Little surprise therefore that U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing growing calls from Conservatives to pull the nation out of the body. This is not only because of the climate ruling, but also because of potential ECHR legal obstacles to his Rwanda asylum policy.

The huge political challenge for Sunak is that the United Kingdom leaving the ECHR would have implications for the Good Friday Agreement underpinning the Northern Ireland peace process. It would also put the United Kingdom in a very small and undistinguished club to leave the Council of Europe, which comprises Russia and Belarus.

Taken together, the court ruling could therefore prove very significant in the years to come. However, the more that climate action shifts toward the legal arena, the greater the potential for political backlash, not just from Conservatives in the United Kingdom.

Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics.
By Ko Dong-hwan

KT&G CEO Bang Kyung-man visited Indonesia to oversee the expansion of the company's manufacturing bases there to make the country a hub for its overseas market expansion plan, according to South Korea's major tobacco company, Monday.

Bang joined the groundbreaking ceremony for the company's second and third factories in Surabaya, East Java, Friday.

Bang was joined by Gov. Adhy Karyono of East Java, Deputy Minister of Investment Andi Maulana and Commercial Attache of the Embassy of Korea in Indonesia Han Jong-ho, along with 80 other key officials.

Set to begin operation in 2026, the upcoming plants covering altogether 190,000 square meters of land will produce 21 billion cigarettes each year. With the new projects done, the company expects its Indonesian manufacturing capacity will reach 35 billion cigarettes per year and boast its biggest global base.

"We've been committed to delivering and accelerating our medium- to long-term vision of becoming a global top-tier company by executing vigorous investment strategies and leading bold innovations," Bang said during the groundbreaking ceremony. "Indonesia serves as our primary global export hub, driving the expansion of our export business in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets. We'll continue to develop the global production hub in Indonesia as a core growth engine."

Following the ceremony, Bang visited the company's first Indonesian plant in Surabaya to meet employees there. Wearing the traditional Indonesian attire, "batik," he sought to communicate with the workers and understand their local culture.

A day before, Bang visited the company's Indonesian subsidiary Asia-Pacific headquarters in Jakarta and its Western Jakarta branch.

Bang's latest Indonesian visit comes after the company in January last year announced its growth investment plan during the Future Vision Declaration Ceremony.

The plan revealed the company's aim to become a global market leader by focusing on next-generation products, cigarettes and health functional foods as three key products for global consumers.

The plan also included the company increasing its overseas sales to over 50 percent of its total sales revenue by 2027.

The company has recently restructured itself, splitting off its Asia-Pacific headquarters and Eurasia headquarters as separate companies to accelerate the company's global market expansion. Senior executives have been deployed to each of them to oversee management.

Last October, the company held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new manufacturing plant in Kazakhstan's Almaty region. The plant is expected to serve as the company's manufacturing hub for the Eurasian markets.

The company also expanded its production facilities for next-generation products in Daejeon last November to meet local consumers' demand.
Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Overcast with showers at times. High around 60F. NNE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy with occasional showers late at night. Low 43F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Angola, IN (46703)

Today

Overcast with showers at times. High around 60F. NNE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early with showers later at night. Low 43F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
BLACKPINK's Lisa has reached a remarkable milestone on Instagram, amassing a staggering 102 million followers. Her profile is a visual delight, with over 1,000 posts that consistently garner massive likes and engagement.

Despite Lisa's usual aesthetic perfection, one post stood out for all the wrong reasons. It was an advertisement for Thai financial provider TrueMoney, promoting her upcoming fanmeeting in Thailand.

The bright orange color and heavily edited visuals clashed with her usual feed, prompting mixed reactions from fans.

Fans Celebrate the Removal

On April 29, fans rejoiced as Lisa removed the TrueMoney advertisement from her feed. Social media platforms buzzed with excitement as fans expressed relief that her feed was "back to normal" and praised her decision to maintain her curated aesthetic.

She finally realized it was ruining his ig feed thank you https://t.co/0whpNR6BEV pic.twitter.com/bdOb0JEe4o  Ceo Lisas wifey (@lisapinks27) April 29, 2024

IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS: BLACKPINK Lisa Reveals $5.5M Mansion For The First Time - Here's Why She Did It

Lisa's Feed Returns to Normalcy

The removal of the controversial post was a welcome change for Lisa's followers, who appreciated her attention to detail in maintaining the visual harmony of her Instagram profile. Even Thai fans chimed in, expressing their happiness at the removal of the disruptive advertisement.

Event Recap: Lisa's Fanmeeting in Thailand

The fanmeeting, held on April 6, 2024, at the True ICON Hall in ICONSIAM, Thailand, was a memorable event for Lisa and her fans. While the TrueMoney post may have caused a stir, Lisa's fans are now looking forward to more updates from their favorite K-Pop idol on Instagram.

In recent news, BLINKs the dedicated fanbase of BLACKPINK's Lisa, came together online to defend her amidst rumors about her relationship with Frederic Arnault.

They criticized misogynistic comments and highlighted Lisa's pre-existing wealth and professional success.

Some fans also attributed the backlash to jealousy and national pride, especially regarding Lisa's Thai nationality and her rise to prominence within BLACKPINK. The discussion reflects both support for Lisa and frustration with societal biases and prejudices.

YOU MIGHT BE ALSO INTERESTED IN: Did BLACKPINK Lisa's Rumored Boyfriend Just Confirm Their Relationship? Here's What Happened

For more K-Pop news and updates, keep your tabs open here at KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Cassidy Jones.
MBABANE  Tanele Masekos Attorney Sibusiso Nhlabatsi says Thulani Masekos death is allegedly a joke to the Eswatini Government.

This follows reports that government presented possible clues to the European Union (EU) Parliament on the possible killers of Thulani, who was a Human Rights Lawyer. The government responded to the EU Parliament joint motion for a resolution on the situation of human rights defenders in the Kingdom of Eswatini, notably the murder of Thulani. The EU Parliament filed the motion on February 15, 2023. In a letter to the President of the EU Parliament, Roberta Metsola, dated August 22, 2023, government expressed commitment towards ensuring that Thulanis killers were apprehended and brought to justice. It was stated that in the letter received by the EU Parliament, government undertook to conduct a full and transparent inquiry into the killing of the human rights defender.

The State pointed out that the prime suspects in Thulanis killing were the militants responsible for other political killings. Four theories were listed, which, according to government, were in the public domain, through the media and social media. The theories, according to the letter, are leadership dispute, contract killers, political rivals and land disputes. According to Nhlabatsi, it is painful to read what government told the EU Parliament. He said it was clear that to government, Thulanis death was a joke. Nhlabatsi said the theories were created from the day Thulani was killed and they were still clinging onto them. He explained that it was crystal clear that there would be no justice for Thulani from governments perspective. Other options are under consideration to ensure though that there is justice for Thulani. The world deserves to know who killed him, Nhlabatsi said.

Leadership

On the leadership dispute, government said Thulani was a senior member of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), a political party that was formed in 1983 and has been the main opposition to the government for more than 40 years. Government said Thulani had considerable support within the party and extensive international support, and he had also gained the support of civil society through the Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF). The State told the EU Parliament that Thulani supported dialogue with government and opposed a more militant faction in PUDEMO and their participation in organising the June 2021 riots and subsequent killings. Government said he openly supported one of the founders of PUDEMO to take over the party. It was stated in the report with the EU Parliament that PUDEMO elections were to be held in November 2022, and it was considered a foregone conclusion that this bid would succeed with the support of Thulani.

Neutralise

The State disclosed that there had been allegations that Thulani might have been killed to neutralise his support for the bid to bring new leadership to PUDEMO. On contract killers, government told the EU Parliament that there had been allegations that Maseko might have been killed by contract killers, because he controlled PUDEMOs funds through his law firms trust account. According to this theory, Thulani had refused to release funds to pay them for recent killings, which had been allegedly ordered by the rival militant faction of PUDEMO.

Withholding funds for the activities of the rival militant faction has also been suggested as a motive for his killing, government stated in its report to the EU Parliament. On political rivals, the States theory suggested that there had been allegations that he may have been killed because he stood in the way of a rival political party called the Swaziland Liberation Movement (SWALIMO), which was involved in the riots of June 2021.

Government said Thulani was a leading figure in PUDEMO and carried national and international support through the MSF, the Political Parties Assembly (PPA) and other organisations. The State mentioned that Thulani was expected to play a significant role in the direction and outcomes of the national dialogue, which would have put SWALIMO at a considerable disadvantage in their quest for political power. It is stated that PUDEMO had indicated that they would disrupt the 2023 General Elections, while SWALIMO had expressed intent to contest the elections. This was not absolutely clear because of disagreements between the factions within these parties. The government report stated that SWALIMO had also experienced the killing of political rivals.

Government alleged that when one of their leaders (responsible for collecting and keeping arms and ammunition for SWALIMO), announced that he intended to break away from this movement with a colleague to form a new party called Swazis First Democratic Front (SFDF) because they were unhappy with its authoritative leadership style, he was abducted, tortured and killed. Government said his colleagues home was burnt down. This is an obvious reference to Muzi Mmema. His killers have not been arrested as well. Furthermore, another government theory was on land disputes, whereby they told the EU Parliament that there had been allegations that Thulani might have been killed because of his involvement in a number of highly charged land disputes around his homestead by people who had been dispossessed of their land or were facing the possibility of losing their land. Nhlabatsi also represents Thulanis wife, Tanele Maseko, who was accused by the police of refusing to release Thulanis two cellphones to investigators. The two cellphones, according to the Crown, potentially hold key information on Thulanis killers. Tanele Maseko has also been accused of not being cooperative in the investigation of the shooting of her husband.

Refusing

The police also alleged that Tanele was refusing to bring Thulanis children to be interviewed by investigators. Tanele went to court where she is, among other prayers, seeking an order that the national commissioner of police be ordered to provide a report or statement detailing what, if any actions were taken to view, download, save or alter in any way or form any item, setting or ordinary function whatsoever of her cellphone. Taneles cellphone was, at the time, in the possession of the police, after she was detained while entering the country through the Ngwenya Border Gate.
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China on Monday expressed grave concerns over Japan's planned export controls on certain items in the semiconductor and other fields.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement that the proposed measures of the Japanese side will seriously affect the normal trade between Chinese and Japanese enterprises and harm the stability of the global supply chain.

Japan should correct its wrong practices in a timely manner, the spokesperson said, noting that China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises.

As the semiconductor industry is highly globalized, a few countries' moves to generalize the concept of national security, abuse export control measures and fragment the global market have seriously deviated from the principles of free trade and multilateral trade rules, and impacted the stability of the global industrial and supply chains, the spokesperson said.

Zarazeno po 29.04.2024 08:04:03 Vydano Zdroj scio.gov.cn Original english.scio.gov.cn/pressroom/2024-04/29/content_117158175.htm lang en
MANZINI  We cant be bystanders as teenagers are impregnated by adults, says the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thuli Dladla.

Dladla was reacting to the statistics which revealed that the number of teenagers who visited health facilities for their first antenatal care (ANC) appointments in the last three months was 1 109. This publication, on Friday, reported that these minors included three 12-year-old pre-teenagers, four of them were 13 years old, 29 were aged 14 years and a total of 82 were 15-year-olds. The DPM said following these alarming statistics, her office would consult other relevant stakeholders and establish how best the situation could be dealt with, as there were laws in the country to deal with such acts. Dladla said her office shall not deal with the issue in a shortsighted manner, as that could lead to the minors shying away from public health facilities, which could result in them losing their lives due to complications.

Disheartening

We need a think-tank within the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice (and Constitutional Affairs) and the police in order to come up with the best way to deal with this disheartening issue, said Dladla. She minced no words as she explained that guardians and/or parents of the minors had a role to play in identifying and bringing those responsible for impregnating the youngsters to book. She said the parents and/or guardians at some point got to know who was responsible for impregnating their children and based on that, it was also their responsibility to report the statutory rape to the police. The DPM said: This issue is quite disturbing, as I have at some point, found pregnant underage girls at the Mbabane Government Hospital. My biggest concern is that in addition to the rape, some of the children are not able to return to school.

Dladla further said laws that would permit abortion in such instances could not be rushed to, as the key issue was to determine the cause of this act and deal with it. The DPM emphasised that this issue was quite complicated and her office was still brainstorming on how best to deal with it. In vernacular she said: Ngisayidlela ematsambo engcondvo. This publication had sought the DPM to establish what steps her office would take to ensure that the people responsible for impregnating the minors were dealt with through the countrys laws. The Health Promotional Officer in the Ministry of Health, Calvin Dlamini, was on Friday quoted saying to record such numbers in the first quarter meant that by the end of the year, the numbers would have increased drastically. He said last year they recorded an overall total of 4 469 teenagers who made their first ANC visit.

According to Dlamini, 1 179 came from the Hhohho Region, 1 073 from the Lubombo Region, 1 156 from the Manzini Region, and 1 061 teenagers were from the Shiselweni Region. Dlamini stated that in the past three months, from January to March, a total of 154 teenagers aged 16 years, 228 aged 17 years old, 297 who were 18 years old, and 312 aged 19 years, made their first ANC visit in various health facilities. Dlamini said these age groups were not well-matured and their organs were still maturing. He said this was a concern because they had over 1 000 teenagers whose pregnancies were at risk.

Episiotomy

He explained that 90 per cent of teenagers were not able to undergo natural birth and needed episiotomy. When asked if they reported the cases of underage teenagers to the police, Dlamini said they were aware of the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence (SODV) Acts stance on minors, but they were faced with a dilemma. The SODV Act, 2018, provides that the legal consenting age in Eswatini is 18 years. According to Section 37(1) of the Act: A person who maintains a sexual relationship with a child commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 20 years. Dlamini explained that they were fully aware that when a minor came for an ANC visit, they should report the matter to the police. However, he stated that taking the legal route meant that they would be chasing all the pregnant teenagers from seeking medical assistance.
MANZINI  The Ministry of Health has taken swift action to alleviate the ongoing renal challenges at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital.

Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula personally delivered the much-needed supplies to the hospital CEO, Mazwi Mavuso, who received them on behalf of the institution. On Saturday, the ministry delivered three months worth of supplies to the hospital, in response to the renal supplies challenge. The hospital has since confirmed that the issue was related to a shortage of supplies, rather than any deficiencies with the equipment itself. The Ministry of Healths swift intervention came just in time to alleviate the ongoing renal supply issues at RFM Hospital, which had previously forced the hospital to refer some patients to the Mbabane and Hlatikhulu Government hospitals. In response to a questionnaire from this publication, RFM Hospital CEO Mavuso disclosed that the hospital was treating 48 renal patients, with the capacity to provide dialysis to 24 patients per day. With eight dialysis machines in operation, he revealed that the hospital was able to serve eight patients simultaneously in each round of treatment, which lasted approximately for four hours.

Disclosed

Therefore, Mavuso disclosed that with three rounds each day, the hospital was providing dialysis to 24 patients daily. First is to correct the narrative that RFM is facing challenges with equipment. This is not correct. The challenge has always been supplies, not equipment, he said. He further appreciated government for the dialysis service in the country. Mavuso stated that it was a costly procedure, which typically cost about E40 000 monthly, per patient. He pointed out that patients in the public sector did not pay for this service. The CEO added that this service had prolonged life for many patients. He elaborated that the quality of life of patients with renal failure had been kept at reasonably good levels. Although ordering and receiving supplies had to do with supply chain issues, Mavuso said they were not in a position to know the exact nature of the challenges at central level.

Nonetheless, he pointed out that what they had seen was the dedication of the minister and the team to work on the issue and eventually have it resolved. We now have received our order on the April 27, 2024, and the minister was here to see to it that indeed we have received the much-needed supplies for dialysis. We are now confident that we will continue to provide the service to our patients, because the supplies we have received will last us a period of more than three months, giving us enough time to plan for the next delivery, he said. He was requested to provide an update on any interventions that the ministry was planning to implement to address the aforementioned challenges, as well as timeliness for implementation. From time to time we engage with the ministry on this subject and many others. There has been both short-term and long-term interventions and strategies, the CEO explained.

Arrangement

He said through the ministry, there had been an arrangement that in the meantime, the RFM would continue receiving supplies from the Mbabane Government Hospital Unit until their order has been delivered. Mavuso mentioned that the ministry has been working hard to ensure delivery of the ordered supplies by RFM, adding that through the sound leadership of the minister, they had RFM supplies delivered on Saturday. Mavuso said they would receive other supplies today. He was further asked that since it was a known fact that RFM Hospital was facing financial challenges, what was the administration doing to revive the financial status of the hospital in order to be once again regarded the better health facility in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Supplies

It is true that ENHI is still in a financial ICU, but it must be said that the non-availability of renal supplies has nothing to do with that. As previously reported, the institution has implemented several cost-containment measures to bring down total operational costs, he alluded.
VMPL

New Delhi [India], April 29: In the bustling streets of India, there exists a tradition that dates back centuries, woven into the cultural fabric of the nation: the art of kite flying. As Sameer Khan's eagerly awaited film, "Gabru Gang," has hit the marquee, the film promises not only to entertain but also to give two film viewers and all-expenses paid trip to Dubai. ( insta: Gabrugang_movie)

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For the uninitiated, kite flying, deeply rooted in India's history, has been a cherished pastime for generations. From the royal courts of ancient kings to the narrow lanes of bustling cities, the sight of colorful kites dancing in the sky has long been synonymous with joy and camaraderie. The sport holds a special place in Indian culture, symbolizing freedom, celebration, and the spirit of unity.

Director Sameer Khan, inspired by his own childhood memories of flying kites, embarked on a creative journey to bring the magic of kite flying to the silver screen. Drawing from the rich tapestry of India's cultural heritage, Khan weaves a fictional narrative set against the vibrant backdrop of Punjab, where the tradition of kite flying thrives.

Also Read | Raghav Chadha Missing? Case Against YouTube Channel Capital TV in Punjab for Equating AAP MP With Fugitive Vijay Mallya.

At the heart of "Gabru Gang" lies the story of Rajbeer Saluja, a young boy whose passion for kite flying leads him to form the Gabru Gang with his friends Arshad and Uday. Their journey is not just about competition but also about friendship, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams. Through exhilarating kite battles and heartwarming moments, the film captures the essence of this age-old tradition, inviting audiences to rediscover the joy of kite flying.

Produced by an esteemed ensemble including Ashok Goenka, Arti Puri, Vivek Sinha, and Sameer Khan himself, "Gabru Gang" boasts a stellar cast led by Abhishek Duhan, Srishty Rode, Avtar Gill, and Arti Puri. With a soundtrack featuring compositions by Usmaan Khan, Sandeep Nath, Manj Musik, and others, the film promises to captivate audiences with its soul-stirring music and poignant storytelling.

As "Gabru Gang" takes flight on the silver screen, it serves as a celebration of India's cultural heritage and a tribute to the timeless tradition of kite flying. In a world dominated by digital distractions, the film offers a nostalgic reminder of the simple pleasures found in traditional games and the importance of preserving our cultural roots.

Don't miss the opportunity to experience the magic of "Gabru Gang" in the theatres. Join Rajbeer and the Gabru Gang on their exhilarating journey through the skies, and let the spirit of kite flying soar once again in your hearts. And of course win that golden ticket to travel to Dubai, stay at a luxury hotel, get driven by a chauffeur vehicle and shop with the USD 500 allowance from the makers. What more can one ask for!

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by VMPL. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Srisailam, Apr 28 (PTI) Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'water water everywhere but not a drop to drink' line aptly describes the paradox of rural families of the Srisailam assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh, who battle to get water although living near a dam.

Many of the residents of Sunnipenta village in Srisailam mandal, located just 5-7 km away from the Srisailam dam, are getting piped water supply once a week and at times once in ten days.

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The low level of water in the dam owing to lack of rainfall has further aggravated the water woes here, an issue which has taken the centre stage in the political campaign ahead of the May 13 Assembly polls.

Out of five mandals in Srisailam Assembly Constituency having around 1.9 lakh voters, the problem of water shortage is acute in Srisailam and Atmakur mandals.

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"We have lived with water scarcity for many years and nothing has changed. It's been seven days, there is no piped water supply, " said Hussain who runs a cold drinks shop at the Sunnipenta bus stand.

Ahead of elections just four months back, the incumbent YSRCP government built five water tanks in the village. However the tap connections in some areas are yet to reach, he told PTI.

To tide over the water crisis, some of the residents are managing with borewells while others are buying water, he added.

"It is not that water is not there in the reservoir to meet the demand of this village. The problem is something else," said Srinivas Reddy, another resident of the village as he watches the roadshow of the TDP candidate at the circle of the bus stand.

Lack of manpower to pump the water from the dam, frequent repair of the motor and incomplete tap connections -- are the main reasons for the water crisis, he said.

TDP candidate Budda Raja Sekhara Reddy said, "It's a paradox there is water in the dam, but no water supply to the houses of residents of Sunnipenta village despite living near it."

He claimed that a three-stage pumping was installed to lift water from the dam with a budget of Rs 17 crore during the TDP tenure. Unfortunately, the existing government did not continue the work.

"People are hesitant to give their daughter in marriage in this village as shortage of water leads to a lot of hardship in running their homes. They have to fetch water from remote places just to survive," Reddy said and promised to address the issue if he was elected in the upcoming elections.

However, YSRCP leader Silpa Chakrapani Reddy, who is re-contesting from this segment, dismissed the allegations of the Opposition saying, "We have done a lot of development work here. There is a lot more to do and we will do in the second term."

While poor rainfall has led to reduction of water level in the dam, lack of political will has further intensified the water shortage issue, affecting every household.

The Srisailam Dam, located in the middle of the Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, is also called the Neelam Sanjiva Reddy Sagar Project named in honor of the first Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh.

The dam, inaugurated in October 1982, was constructed across river Krishna with a length of 1288 km of which 720 km is in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

"Since there is no standby motor to pump the water from the dam, there is water scarcity when a motor stops working. It takes at least 15 days for the repair," another resident Valli said.

Valli, whose father after World War-II worked as a driver during the construction of the dam in the 1960s, said the irrigation department employees are understaffed and the government has not filled the vacant posts after the retirement of the old employees.

However, according to the assistant engineer (water supply) in the irrigation department at Srisailam Chittibabu, "There was a water problem earlier and not anymore."

As per officials data, there was 33.34 TMC of water in the Srisailam dam as of April 27 while the dam's total capacity is about 807 TMC.

Srisailam assembly segment has 33 candidates in the fray, each one professing different ideology and commitment to do different things for the people but one thing remains common to all of them is acknowledgment of acute water problem.

People are hopeful that irrespective of whoever wins the elections, life becomes easier for them.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
By Shailesh Yadav

Ratnagiri (Maharashtra) [India], April 29 (ANI): Amidst a flurry of opposition criticism, the Static Surveillance Teams (SST) and Flying Squad Teams (FST) in Maharashtra are intensifying efforts to curb illegal cash flow and liquor usage across 11 parliamentary constituencies gearing up for elections.

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With an average of 150 to 160 cars inspected daily, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Maharashtra has mobilized 2096 SSTs and 1656 FSTs statewide. Additionally, coordination with 19 enforcement agencies, including the Income Tax Department and police forces, underscores the comprehensive approach.

SST teams, like the one led by Santosh Bidkar in Ratnagiri, operate round the clock, conducting random vehicle checks and meticulously recording details while ensuring transparency through videography.

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Despite occasional confrontations, many citizens, like Sunny Dhatr and Aditya, express support for the measures, emphasizing the importance of fair elections and urging cooperation from politicians.

Dipti, an advocate, applauds the Election Commission's initiative, highlighting its role in upholding democratic integrity.

As Maharashtra braces for the upcoming third phase of elections on May 7, spanning 11 crucial constituencies, including Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and Kolhapur, the nationwide electoral landscape also sees preparations for polling across 94 parliamentary seats in multiple states and union territories.

With the electoral momentum building up, the focus remains on ensuring a level playing field for all candidates and maintaining the sanctity of the electoral process. The rigorous scrutiny by the ECI's surveillance teams reflects a commitment to upholding electoral norms and fostering public trust in the democratic process. As the election day approaches, stakeholders across Maharashtra and beyond are closely monitoring developments, anticipating a smooth and transparent electoral exercise.

Maharashtra will be polling in 11 seats including Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg and Kolhapur in the third phase on May 7. Out of 48 seats, voting in 13 seats has been completed in the first and second phases.

The third phase will witness polling in 94 Lok Sabha constituencies across 12 states and UTs. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Jammu, Apr 29 (PTI) NIA Director General Sadanand Vasant Date and Jammu and Kashmir Police chief R R Swain on Monday underscored the need to strengthen collaborative efforts in investigations to combat terrorism in the Union territory.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief visited the police headquarters in Jammu, where he held a detailed interaction with the J-K director general of police and other senior officers, a police spokesman said.

Also Read | Telangana: Quick Action by TS Cyber Security Bureau Saves Citizen's Rs 1 Crore.

During the interaction, the officers emphasized the need to further strengthen collaborative efforts in investigations to combat terrorism and counter the support structures that aid and abet such nefarious activities, he said.

They called for devising more effective measures by focusing on effective investigations.

Also Read | Maharashtra Lok Sabha Elections 2024: 37 Candidates in Fray From Aurangabad Constituency; Shiv Sena Factions and AIMIM Lock Horns.

The officers focused on exploring opportunities and launching initiatives that will ensure sustainable support, resources, and coordination between the police and NIA, the spokesman said.

"This collaborative approach will further bolster investigation efficiency and enhance the overall efficacy of the anti-terrorism campaign. The initiative of a capacity-building programme between NIA and J&K Police was also discussed," he added.

The NIA and police have been engaged in a crackdown on the terror ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir for the past three years.

(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 29 (PTI) The Congress on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of taking inspiration from Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels while speaking about the party's Nyay Patra for the Lok Sabha elections.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "For his MA in Entire Political Science, Mr. Narendra Modi must definitely have read Joseph Goebbels on the value of propaganda and taken inspiration from him."

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He noted that Goebbels had stated that "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

Ramesh said he also wrote in 1941 that "The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big and stick to it."

Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: PM Narendra Modi To Address One Poll Rally in Karnataka, Three in Maharashtra Today; Rahul Gandhi To Campaign in Gujarat and Chhattisgarh.

Goebbels was the propaganda minister of German ruler Adolf Hitler.

"In his latest interview to a TV channel, which is being headlined, the outgoing PM has yet again blatantly, brazenly and shamelessly lied about the Congress's Nyay Patra. It once again proves that Mr.Modi's motto has always been 'Asatyameva Jayate.' Truth is slaughtered every time he speaks," the Congress leader alleged.

(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 29 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea of suspended Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Pooja Singhal seeking bail in a money laundering case linked to the alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds and other charges.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta declined the bail plea saying it's an "extraordinary case".

Also Read | Arvind Kejriwals Decision to Stay CM Despite Arrest Personal, Students Rights Cant Be Trampled Upon, Says Delhi High Court.

The apex court refused to interfere with the Jharkhand High Court order which had denied her bail.

The bench took into note that out of 17 prosecution witnesses, 12 have been examined by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and hoped that the trial in the case be concluded expeditiously.

Also Read | Mumbai Local Train Derailment: Services Hit for More Than Three Hours on Harbour Line After Train Coach Derails at CSMT Station (See Pics and Video).

"You wait for some more time for bail. This is not a normal matter but an extraordinary case. There is something seriously wrong in this case. We are not inclined to entertain the instant petition. We hope the trial will be concluded expeditiously," said the bench.

It also gave liberty to Singhal to revive her bail plea, if the trial is prolonged or if is there any other change in circumstance.

ED opposed the bail plea of Singhal saying that out of the total custody period, she has spent most of the time in a hospital at Ranchi.

On February 10, 2023, the top court granted interim bail of two months to Singhal who sought interim bail to look after her daughter who is ill.

She has been in custody since May 11, 2022 after raids were conducted at properties linked to her in connection with the money laundering case.

The top court was hearing an appeal filed by Singhal, a Jharkhand cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, against the Jharkhand High Court order dismissing her bail plea.

The Enforcement Directorate has accused Singhal of money laundering saying more than Rs. 36 crore cash, linked to alleged illegal mining, was seized by its teams as part of two separate money laundering investigations.

Apart from the 2000-batch IAS officer, her businessman husband, a chartered accountant associated with the couple and others were also raided by the ED as part of a money laundering probe linked to a case of alleged corruption in the MGNREGA scheme.

Singhal was arrested after the ED claimed it had credible evidence of her connection with CA Suman Kumar. Singhal was the secretary of the Department of Mines and Geology and the managing director of Jharkhand State Mineral Development Corporation Limited (JSMDC). (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
New Delhi, April 29: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Enforcement Directorate (ED) on former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's plea seeking interim relief in a money laundering case. A bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta listed the matter for the second week of May to hear Soren's plea.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court said that the Jharkhand High Court may pronounce the order in Soren's plea challenging his arrest in a money laundering case. Jharkhand High Court has reserved the order on Soren's plea on February 28 but the order is not yet pronounced. Aggrieved by the High Court for not deciding his plea, Soren moved the top court against it and in the meantime sought interim bail in the matter. Hemant Soren Bail Plea: Supreme Court Seeks ED's Response on Former Jharkhand CM's Interim Bail Plea in Money Laundering Case

On Monday, the apex court while hearing his plea observed the allegations relating to a plot of 8.5 acres. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Soren, apprised that HC has not passed the order on Soren's plea challenging arrest and urged the top court for interim bail in the matter. Earlier, Soren sought an urgent hearing on the grounds of the ongoing Lok Sabha poll. In February, Jharkhand High Court reserved its decision on Soren's plea challenging his arrest

Soren, in his plea, has claimed that his arrest was unwarranted and his remand in the matter was arbitrary and illegal. Hemant Soren, who has filed the petition through advocate Pragya Baghel, called his arrest illegal and malafide. In the meantime, he has sought interim bail. After a prolonged moment of speculation in the media and a hide-and-seek drama, former Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Chairperson Hemant Soren was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the land scam case in January. Money Laundering Case: Former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren Moves Supreme Court Seeking Relief

The probe pertains to huge amounts of proceeds of crime generated by forging official records by showing 'fake sellers' and purchasers in the guise of forged or bogus documents to acquire huge parcels of land valued in crores.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
PIGGS PEAK  A Lesotho illegal miner fell to his death while his brother watched helplessly, when they were mining gold illicitly on Friday night in Piggs Peak.

The male, aged 23, was said to have been part of a group of people who were illegally mining at the old Piggs Peak Mine. According to a community member, as the illegal miners, popularly known as zama zamas, were sifting through the soil they had excavated to collect the gold particles, the soil they had dug sank into the hole. Noteworthy is that illegal gold mining is carried out in an open-pit setup. This means that some of the miners do not go down a mine tunnel as the gold particles are available on the surface. The old Piggs Peak mine is under the jurisdiction of Hhelehhele Umphakatsi and is situated about five kilometres from the Lomati Mine, which is located at the foot of Lufafa Mountain, along the Mlumati River.

Alive

Meanwhile, an insider related that the deceased fell into the hole with the soil and his counterparts, who included his relative, used a rope to pull him out of the hole. The sources claimed that the deceased was still alive when he was pulled out of the hole; however, he had sustained severe injuries. The source said despite that the group of men were engaged in illegal activity, they contacted the police to report the incident as they rushed to Piggs Peak Government Hospital, where the 23-year-old was certified dead. Another community member expressed concern over the zama zama gang, as it was dominated by foreigners. The community member said this meant that there was a high possibility of gang members being illegally armed as they were stealing the precious mineral. The safety of the community is under threat and it can also degenerate the moral fibre of our society. It is really troubling, the sources said.

Also, the Mine Manager at Lomati Mine, Maqhawe Nxumalo, said illegal mining had negative repercussions to their entity, as they were part of the Hhelehhele community. Nxumalo said it was for this reason that they were an active stakeholder in any engagements and interventions against illegal mining. He also said any security solutions Lomati Mine put in place were also at the disposal of State law enforcement agencies, who were ultimately responsible for law, order, safety and security in the country. Meanwhile, the demise of the Lesotho national comes against the backdrop of a number of syndicates being arrested by members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) for illegal mining. There have been concerns that criminals from neighbouring South Africa (SA) were responsible for allegedly stealing natural resources in the country and they were suspected to be staying in some of the townships in Piggs Peak.

Previous concerns have also centred on some SA nationals being responsible for the theft of a precious stone known as Green Chert. The rock is mainly used in the construction industry for aesthetics. It is worth noting that when launching the second phase of the geoscientific mapping and characterisation of the landscape of the Kingdom of Eswatini in November last year, Dr Taufeeq Dhansay from the Ministry of Minerals and Energy in SA said the study would also assist identify any areas, where illegal mining was taking place and or the natural resources were tampered with. The research and data collection, he said, extended to 2.5 kilometres below the earths surface. This publication has reported that Eswatini was losing millions of Emalangeni to thieves who were stealing gold at the old Piggs Peak Mine. It was also reported that illegal miners were now digging for gold in more places than had been previously known and these areas were reportedly surrounding the old Piggs Peak Mine, as well as many other parts of northern Hhohho.

The mining of gold illegally is said to be lucrative as for a gramme, zama zama members sell it for about E500. An expose by Eswatini News revealed that some of the zama zamas worked in groups and that they were able to make between E20 000 to over E100 000 from the gold. The gold was reportedly being sold to buyers locally, who then transport it to neighbouring SA, before it goes to other countries. In 2019, Etienne Sales, the General Manager of Peak Timbers, revealed that thieves were stealing gold from the mine and that the situation was getting worse. At the time, he was quoted calling for assistance, saying the country was losing revenue to the criminals who were said to be stealing the gold from the old mine. He asked that action should be taken to protect the mine.
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Three Russian companies have received approval from the Indian government to provide marine insurance cover to tankers, according to a Directorate General of Shipping order.

The three Russian companies are Alfastrakhovanie PCL, Sogaz Insurance and VSK Insurance. Earlier, Russia's fourth largest insurer Ingosstrakh had received approval from the government to provide marine insurance cover to oil tankers..

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The approval will facilitate tankers carrying Russian crude oil to India amid a ban imposed by the European Union on insurance, trade finance, and other maritime services by EU companies for carrying Russian crude oil to any location.

The approval to Alfastrakhovanie PCL, Sogaz Insurance Co and VSK Insurance is valid till February 20, 2025, while approval to Ingosstrakh is valid till February 20, 2029.

Also Read | Sandeshkhali Land Grabbing Case: State Ministers Got Share of Profit in Sheikh Shahjahan's Illegal Land Deals, ED Tells in Court.

Marine insurance cover provides protection against loss or damage of ships, cargo, terminals and other liabilities arising out of transport of crude oil.

Earlier this month, two senior US treasury officials visited India to urge New Delhi to maintain the implementation of the oil price cap aimed at limiting profits to Russia, while also promoting stable global energy markets.

Following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the G7 nations, the European Union, and Australia jointly implemented a price cap. This cap prohibits the utilisation of Western maritime services, including insurance, flagging, and transportation, for tankers transporting Russian oil priced at or above USD 60 per barrel.

In 2023, Russia emerged as India's top oil supplier. India has strong economic and defence ties with Russia.

In shipping, third-party liabilities arising from operating ships such as oil pollution, wreck removal and damage to port property are commonly referred to as protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance.

Currently, such third-party risks are insured with the International Group of Protection and Indemnity Clubs (IG Clubs), a 13-member group based in London that provides liability cover to about 95 per cent of the world's ocean-going ships by capacity (tonage), placing a USD 1-billion limit on individual claims that involve pollution damage and wreck removal.

The Merchant Shipping (Regulation of Entry of Ships into Ports, Anchorage and Offshore Facilities) Rules, 2012, which took effect from April 2012, makes it mandatory for foreign ships of 300 gross tonnage or more, entering the country's port to hold a valid third-party liability cover against maritime claims.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Beijing [China], April 29 (ANI): China will lift its ban on the import of several agricultural and fishery products from Taiwan, based on scientific assessments, Central News Agency Taiwan reported quoting Zhao Zenglian, Vice Minister of China's General Administration of Customs on Sunday.

Specifically, China will reopen to imports of citrus fruit and two types of fish from Taiwan that meet quarantine requirements, Zhao said, without giving any dates for the lifting of the ban or any further details.

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CNA reported that Zhao announced the decision while hosting Kuomintang (KMT) legislative caucus whip Fu Kun-chi and another 16 KMT lawmakers during their visit to the customs bureau as part of the KMT delegation's three-day trip to China, which is aimed at improving cross-strait relations.

The Chinese government is willing to communicate further with the KMT and relevant authorities on resuming imports of Taiwan agricultural and fishery products, based on the shared political foundation of upholding the 1992 consensus and opposing Taiwan's independence, Zhao said.

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China's ban on imports from Taiwan was imposed on August 3, 2022, just hours after United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taipei for a brief visit.

The list of banned imports included citrus fruit, which China said were infested with mealybugs and contaminated with excessive pesticide residues. The other products were refrigerated largehead hairtail fish and frozen horse mackerel, China said at the time, citing recurrent detection of the COVID-19 virus on the fish packaging.

On Sunday, Taiwan's Acting Agriculture Minister Chen Junne-jih told CNA that his ministry had yet to receive an official notice from China of its decision to lift the ban.

Any communication on the issue should be made via the cross-strait quarantine platform, as has been done in the past, Chen said.

Taiwan's exports of pomelos totalled 7,062 metric tons in 2021, with 4,821 metric tons shipped to China, according to government statistics, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

After China imposed the ban on Taiwan citrus fruit, however, Taiwan's total pomelo exports dropped to 2,909 metric tons in 2022, with Hong Kong importing 2,623 metric tons, the data shows.

Last year, Taiwan's pomelo exports totalled approximately 2,709 metric tons, with Hong Kong again being the largest importer, buying 1,823 metric tons, according to the data. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Lahore, Apr 29 (PTI) Pakistan's Punjab government on Monday baton charged the protesting farmers and arrested over 200 of them including their provincial chief in Lahore amid the wheat procurement crisis.

After a bumper wheat in the Punjab province of over 120 million people, farmers have been complaining that the Maryam Nawaz government in the province is not purchasing wheat and flour mills are offering rates lower than the government-mandated support price for their crops.

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As a large number of farmers were heading towards the Punjab Assembly in Lahore on Monday to stage a sit-in the police personnel pounced on them at GPO Chowk, Mall Road and arrested over 200 farmers, a spokesperson for the Kissan Itehad Mian Omair told PTI.

He said the police used batons to disperse them in Lahore as all arrests have been in the city.

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The Kissan Board Punjab (KBP) President Mian Abdur Rasheed is among the arrested farmers.

The growers staged protests in several cities of Punjab on Monday as well and demanded the government increase the support price. The farmers said they would continue their protest till their demands are met.

On the other hand, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said that a political party (Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf of Imran) is doing politics on the issue of farmers.

We will not let anyone do politics on this issue and protect the interest of farmers, she said.

The farmers say their production costs have more than doubled in the last year but they are being forced to sell their produce at the last year's rates and even lower than that.

Official procurement has slowed as the previous caretaker government had imported wheat despite having a bumper crop. National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer said this decision was wrong and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already ordered an inquiry into it.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan said as the minimum support price is Rs 3,900 per 40kg, the crop is being sold at Rs 3,200 in the open market because growers are not sure whether the food department will buy their produce.

The farmers have asked the government to procure at least five million tonnes of wheat in the current season and raise the support to Rs 5,000 per 40kg.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Islamabad, Apr 29 (PTI) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has met IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva and discussed a new loan programme for the cash-strapped country to put the economy back on track.

In a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Special Meeting in Riyadh, the premier thanked Georgieva, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director, for her support to Pakistan in securing the USD 3 billion standby arrangement (SBA) from IMF last year that was now nearing its completion.

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Pakistan secured the USD 3 billion IMF programme in June last year, which helped it avert a sovereign default.

Pakistan is seeking a new long-term Extended Fund Facility (EFF) after the current SBA expires this month.

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Both sides also discussed Pakistan entering into another IMF program to ensure that the gains made in the past year were consolidated and its economic growth trajectory remained positive, according to a statement issued by the PM Office on Sunday.

Sharif reiterated his government's commitment to put Pakistan's economy back on track.

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has said Islamabad could secure a staff-level agreement on the new programme by early July.

Islamabad says it is seeking a loan over at least three years to help achieve macroeconomic stability and execute long-overdue and painful structural reforms, though Aurangzeb has declined to detail what size of the programme the country seeks.

If secured, it would be Pakistan's 24th IMF bailout.

The USD 350 billion economy faces a chronic balance of payments crisis, with nearly USD 24 billion to repay in debt and interest over the next fiscal year  three times more than its central bank's foreign currency reserves, according to Geo News.

According to the state-run PTV News post on X, this was the first meeting between the prime minister and Georgieva since his re-election last month. They last met in Paris in June 2023 on the margins of the Summit for New Global Financial Pact. The IMF Executive Board is expected to meet on Monday to decide on the final tranche of USD 1.1 billion under SBA, the post said.

IMF chief Georgieva appreciated the leadership of Sharif for timely securing SBA last year, according to the statement.

During the meeting, the prime minister said that he had directed his financial team to carry out structural reforms, ensure strict fiscal discipline and pursue prudent policies that would ensure macro-economic stability and sustained economic growth.

The IMF MD shared her institution's perspective on the ongoing programme with the premier, including the review process.

Separately, Prime Minister Sharif highlighted the global inequity in healthcare while speaking at a panel discussion on Redefining Global Health Agenda' during the special meeting of WEF.

Today, I think the first and foremost problem is global inequity, he said, adding that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed these imbalances and gaps. Imagine the global North and the global South; distribution of vaccines and so on and so forth, he said.

He further said that climate change had completely changed the landscape.  Pakistan does not contribute (to) even a fraction of emissions. Yet we are on the red list of climate change and in 2022, we experienced the worst floods in Pakistan ()and we had to invest hundreds and billions of rupees to rehabilitate people.

This is the prime minister's second trip to Saudi Arabia in less than a month. He last went on a three-day visit to the kingdom, which was his first foreign visit since he was re-elected as premier.

Separately, Sharif held a meeting on Sunday with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) President Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, where they both agreed upon the earliest completion of various ongoing projects of the IDB in Pakistan.

During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the WEF, the premier thanked the IDB for investing USD 1 billion in various projects during the previous PML-N-led tenure, a statement on PML-N's X account said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Taipei [Taiwan], April 29 (ANI): Taiwan's deputy trade representative, Yang Jen-ni on Monday pledged to push for more Taiwanese agricultural products to be exported to the United States during the latest round of trade talks between the two countries that kicked off in Taipei on Monday, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

The latest round of in-person negotiating as part of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade began in Taipei on Monday morning at the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN), which is part of the Executive Yuan, in Taipei.

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The Taiwanese delegation is led by Deputy Trade Representative Yang Jen-ni, while the US side is headed by Assistant United States Trade Representative for China, Mongolia and Taiwan Affairs Terry McCartin.

Before the beginning of the closed-door talks that will last until Saturday, Yang told reporters that the latest round of negotiations will focus on issues concerning labor, environmental protection and agriculture, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

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She said these topics were more complex compared to those covered in the previous round of talks because both countries have different legal frameworks and regulations relating to them.

"That is why we need to talk face to face, to get an understanding of our differences," she said.

Yang would not disclose more details on the issues that would be touched on during the scheduled five-day talks, including if food safety and security would be included. This line of questioning came as reporters spotted Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) Director-General Wu Shou-mei at OTN on Monday morning, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

Yang meanwhile told reporters that the OTN has prepared Taiwan's world-famous bubble milk tea and several Taiwanese specialities, including pineapples, guavas, and passion fruit, to welcome the visiting American delegation.

Asked if the agricultural products had been selected as part of a push to get wider access to the US market, Yang said that is her goal, without expanding what exact products were in focus.

Central News Agency Taiwan reported that Taiwan was the seventh-largest export market for US agricultural and related products in 2023, with a total value of USD 3.7 billion. Meanwhile, the US remained the number one export market for Taiwan's agricultural and related products for the second consecutive year in a row.

The total amount exported by Taiwanese agricultural firms totalled 17 per cent (USD 935 million) of Taiwan's 2023 exports, US government data shows.

According to both governments, the delegations are expected to discuss several areas outlined in the initiative's negotiating mandate. These meetings will be closed to the press and additional details about subsequent negotiating rounds will be provided at a later date.

The 21st Century Trade Initiative was launched in 2022 under the auspices of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U.S. on behalf of both governments in the absence of official diplomatic ties, Central News Agency Taiwan reported.

In June 2023, the two sides signed the first pact under the initiative, agreeing on customs administration and trade facilitation, regulatory practices, domestic regulation of services, anti-corruption, and matters relating to small and medium-sized enterprises.

After holding in-person negotiations last August in Washington DC, the two sides are currently working toward a second agreement. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Moscow, April 29: Two Russian journalists, Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin, were detained on charges of "extremism," with authorities accusing them of affiliations with a group associated with the late Russian opposition figure, Alexey Navalny, CNN reported.

Gabov and Karelin are alleged to have contributed to Navalny's influential YouTube channel, "NavalnyLIVE," known for its exposes on Kremlin corruption, drawing millions of viewers. Russian authorities have branded Navalny and his organisations as "extremist," resulting in the imprisonment of his associates and the exile of many others, as reported by CNN. Alexei Navalny Dies: Imprisoned Russian Opposition Leader Who Criticised President Vladimir Putin Passes Away in Prison at 47.

According to Moscow's Basmanny District Court, Gabov's involvement purportedly extends to the production of visual content for the YouTube channel. Gabov, identified as a producer for Reuters news agency, faces detention until June 27.

Karelin, apprehended in Russia's Murmansk region, stands accused of "participation in an extremist organisation." He has a background in journalism, having previously worked for outlets like the Associated Press (AP) and Deutsche Welle (DW), before the latter was banned in Russia in 2022. Who Was Alexei Navalny? Jailed Opposition Leader and Staunch Critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin Dies in Prison; All You Need To Know.

Photographs from a Murmansk court depict Karelin, who holds dual Russian-Israeli citizenship, seated in a glass enclosure during his hearing. The detention of Gabov and Karelin reflects a broader crackdown on journalists and Kremlin critics in Russia. President Vladimir Putin's administration has intensified efforts to suppress dissent, particularly following the invasion of Ukraine.

Sergey Mingazov, a journalist for Forbes, was recently placed under house arrest for allegedly disseminating false information about the Russian military. Navalny, once Putin's primary political rival, died in custody while serving a lengthy sentence on extremism charges. His family and supporters have accused the Kremlin of complicity in his death, an assertion vehemently denied by Russian authorities, CNN reported.
New Delhi, April 29: Sunita Kejriwal and Delhi Minister Atishi met jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail on Monday, said a prison official. The wife of CM Kejriwal, Sunita and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi arrived at Tihar around 12.40 p.m.

After meeting CM Kejriwal, Atishi, while talking to reporters, said that during the meeting, the CM first inquired about the well-being of the people of Delhi. He asked whether medicines were adequately available or not. He is deeply concerned about the people of Delhi. He also conveyed a message for women, assuring them that he will soon announce a promise of Rs 1,000 per month for women in Delhi, she said. Arvind Kejriwal's Wife Sunita Gets Permission From Tihar Administration To Meet Delhi CM in Tihar Jail, State Minister Atishi To Accompany Her.

Atishi also raised questions about why Sunita Kejriwal was denied a meeting earlier. Political prisoners were initially treated with respect, but now it seems to be turning into a dictatorship, she remarked after the meeting with the CM. Meanwhile, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is also scheduled to meet CM Kejriwal on Tuesday. Arvind Kejriwal Arrest, MCD School Case: Crucial Day for AAP and Delhi CM As Cases Come Up for Hearing in Supreme Court and High Court.

CM Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged excise scam, is lodged in Tihars Jail No-2. The jailed Delhi CM has provided a list of six individuals with whom he wants to meet in prison. The ED has termed CM Kejriwal the "kingpin and the key conspirator" of the alleged excise scam in collusion with other ministers of the Delhi government, AAP leaders, and other persons.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2024 02:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
New Delhi, April 29: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned incarcerated Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has filed a petition challenging his arrest and subsequent custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the excise policy case, as to why he has not moved a bail application before the trial court.

"Till date, you did not file an application for bail?" queried a bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna. Arvind Kejriwal Arrest, MCD School Case: CMs Post in Buzzing Capital Like Delhi Not Ceremonial, Office Holder Has To Be Available 247, Says High Court.

In response, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, said: "We have not filed a bail application because the arrest is illegal and the width of section 19 (of Prevention of Money Laundering Act) is much much wider when the arrest is per se illegal."

He added that the ED is required to demonstrate the "necessity to arrest" on the "materials available" with a "reason to believe" that the accused has been guilty of an offence under the anti-money laundering law.

Interjecting, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the ED, said that Kejriwal did not object to the subsequent custody.

"If initial arrest is illegal, therefore, I (Kejriwal) did not object to subsequent custody," Singhvi responded.

Further, he argued that documents, including CBIs FIR and EDs ECIR, did not connect Kejriwal remotely with the alleged scam.

"There are three supplementary charge sheets (by CBI) where I am not named," Singhvi said, adding that mere "non-cooperation" of a witness or denial of interim relief by the Delhi High Court for protection from coercive action could not be a ground for arrest.

Rising for the day, the apex court said: "We will take it up tomorrow."

In his latest affidavit filed before the apex court, the AAP supremo has condemned his arrest as politically motivated, arguing that it unfairly advantages the ruling party during the ongoing elections, compromising the principle of 'free and fair elections'. Arvind Kejriwals Decision to Stay CM Despite Arrest Personal, Students Rights Cant Be Trampled Upon, Says Delhi High Court.

He portrayed the case as a prime example of the Central government's misuse of agencies like the ED to suppress political opponents, reiterating his stance that the ED's actions were part of a concerted effort to undermine the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders.

Meanwhile, the counter affidavit filed by EDs Deputy Director said that Kejriwals petition was devoid of merit and his arrest was necessitated due to his "total non-co-operative attitude".

The affidavit said that Kejriwal was avoiding interrogation by not remaining present before the investigating officer despite being summoned nine times and while recording his statement under section 17 of the PMLA, he was avoiding answering questions by being evasive and totally non-cooperative.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2024 07:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Kolkata, April 29: Enforcement Directorate, on Monday, informed a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata that a share of the profit generated from the illegal land-grabbing deals of Sheikh Shahjahan in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali has gone to some influential members of the state cabinet. The ED counsel also informed the court that a part of the money earned from the deals was also invested in purchasing sophisticated arms. Sandeshkhali Violence: CBI Registers FIR in West Bengals Sandeshkhali Case in Connection with Land Grabs, Sexual Harassment Probe

The agency's claim comes amidst the recovery of sophisticated firearms, ammunition, explosives and bombs following a joint search operation by CBI and NSG at the residence of a close aide of Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali last week. On Monday, the ED counsel also informed the court that Shahjahan also used influence in manipulating different tenders floated by the state government for various government projects. There were manipulations in the tendering process to ensure that only close aides of Shahjahan were awarded the contracts, the ED counsel informed the special court. Sandeshkhali Case: CBI Creates Dedicated E-Mail ID for Receiving Victims Complaints Related to Land Grabbing Accusations in North 24 Parganas

While being produced in the special court, Shahjahan was questioned by the waiting media persons about the recent recovery of arms, ammunition and explosives from Sandeshkhali. However, he refused to give any answer on this issue.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 29, 2024 05:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Ride-hailing company Ola is reportedly planning layoffs. According to a report published on Monday, April 29, Ola Cabs is to undertake a restructuring exercise as part of which 10% of its total staff will be laid off. Amid the layoff news, Ola Cabs CEO Hemant Bakshi has resigned from his post. Hemant Bakshi, whose resignation come into effect immediately, joined the company in January this year. His resignation and the news about layoffs come just a few weeks after Ola Cabs initiated preliminary discussions with investment banks for an IPO. Google Layoffs: Tech Giant Lays Off Its Entire Python Foundation Team for Cheap Labour, Asks Them To Train Their Replacement To Be in Munich Office.

Ola Cabs CEO Hemant Bakshi Quits as Company Plans Layoffs:

Hemant Bakshi who joined Ola Cabs, the ride-hailing arm of ANI Technologies, has quit barely four months into the job even as the firm unveiled a restructuring exercise that will affect at least 10 percent of the staff, sources told Moneycontrol. Bakshi, whose resignation come https://t.co/dT1KAMFD5V  Chandra R. Srikanth (@chandrarsrikant) April 29, 2024

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)
On 28 April Brazils Vice Presidentand other cabinet ministers attended the agribusiness trade fair Agrishow, where Alckmin highlighted the importance of maintaining dialogue with opponents in congress amid recent tensions.

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On 27 April three members of Chiles Carabineros militarised police were shot dead and their bodies burned in the southern region of Biobio.

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On 26 April Perus judicial oversight body (JNJ) asked the countrys inspector general,, to open an investigation into the president of the constitutional court (TC),

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Mexico City has arrested a serial killer it never knew it had, Miguel Cortes, who is now being called Jeffrey Dahmer, who Mexican media believes to have killed around 20 people. He now also has his own serial killer nickname, "Mexican Jeffrey Dahmer."

More and more people are calling Cortes that serial killer nickname as days passed since his arrest at the hands of his final victim's neighbors, who then handed him over to police.

While his final victim, Maria Jose, a 17-year-old student, is well-known as her killing led to the Mexican Jeffrey Dahmer's arrest, police have now identified seven more of his victims. This means eight of the alleged serial killer's victims have now been identified and contradicts police's earlier downplaying of the serial killer's crimes, claiming he only killed six. The Mexican media believe there may be even more, around 20 victim in total, but Mexican authorities pushed back against this number.

Authorities have released the names of these seven identified victims, whose remains were found in the room Miguel Cortes was renting. They are Amairany R. (31), Frida Sofia L. (32), Claudia Andrea A. (36), Viviana Elizabeth G. (37), Cynthia Vanessa E. (39), and Norma Elena O. (41).

According to Mundo Now, Miguel Cortes was known to be dating one of these women, Frida Sofia L. She was dating him but she suddenly went missing around February 2015.

Cortes recently appeared during a hearing and the man people are calling the Mexican Jeffrey Dammer said, "When a body is suffocated, you remove the hands and there is an agonizing breath."

Why Is Mexico City Serial Killer Being Called the 'Mexican Jeffrey Dahmer?'

The case of Miguel Cortes has shocked Mexico as his case has not been seen in Mexico in recent history and local media have been making comparisons between his case and US serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer already.

READ MORE: Alleged Mexico City Serial Killer Miguel Cortes Kept Women's Bones in His Room

Unlike Dahmer, who targeted men, Cortes only targeted women. However, there are similarities to their cases as both serial killers dismembered their victims after killing them. Much like Dahmer, Cortes also sexually assaulted their victims, and it is also alleged that much like Dahmer, Cortes also engaged in necrophilia after killing his victims.

According to Mundo Now, Cortes was sexually abused by his father and became angry at women because his mother and sister did not stop his father from sexually abusing him when he was young.

As for his victims, the media presumes they were work colleagues and lab technicians, as well as students and sex workers.

Family of One of the Victims of the 'Mexican Jeffrey Dahmer' Protest Outside of Area Where He Was Arrested

Amairany Roblero has been missing for 12 years and she was still 18 when she disappeared, She is now one of the eight identified victims of the Mexican serial killer and her family showed up to the area where Cortes was arrested to protest why it took authorities that long to find her.

"The prosecutors had the case file, but they didn't ever give any results to her parents," Alejandra Jimenez, a friend of the family, told the Associated Press. She accompanied Amairany's parents during the protest that happened last Friday.

The grieving parents, who have now learned of their daughter's fate. "printed up flyers, and they distributed them outside of her school" where she was last seen when she went missing. They are now leading the protest.

"But they haven't shown her parents any belongings, no clothing, no photo, nothing," added Jimenez. "This is wearing down her parents physically, mentally."

READ NEXT: Rex Heuermann's Properties Raided; Nearly 300 Guns Found in 'Gilgo Beach Serial Killer's' Home

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WATCH: Mexico City seeks to downplay the case of a serial killer suspect who kept women's bones in his room - Associated Press
American tourists have been getting arrested in the Caribbean country of Turks and Caicos as of late and all of them have seemingly been arrested for having ammo in their luggage. The latest is a 30-year-old Virginia man who was just arrested there last weekend.

According to CBS News, Turks and Caicos officials took him under custody after they allegedly found two bullets in his backpack while trying to board a cruise ship. It was noted that being in possession of a gun or even ammunition is banned in the Caribbean country.

It used to be that tourists who were found with either a gun or ammo were just fined some money and let go. Things changed last February when a court ruled that even tourists who were caught with these items should go to jail. Since then, several Americans have found themselves in a similar predicament as Wenrich.

"I feel like, as a very honest mistake, that 12 years is absurd," said his wife, Jeriann Wenrich. Her husband now faces the potential of a mandatory minimum prison sentence, which is up to 12 years. "My son's only 18 months old, and I just don't want to him to grow up without a dad."

Four US citizens have also been arrested already, with some of them pleading guilty to possessing ammo in their luggage. However, some of them have told the media that they checked their belongings many times before leaving and found no ammo, yet they were still caught in possession of one.

"I opened it up and kind of give it a little shimmy, didn't see anything, didn't hear anything," one of the arrested Americans, Ryan Watson, said in an interview with CBS News.

READ MORE: Turks and Caicos: A Beautiful Country Off Bahamas With Fascinating Culture

US TSA Did Not Find Ammo Inside Luggage of American Tourists Arrested in Turks and Caicos

As for the US government, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agrees with some of these US citizens who were arrested in Turks and Caicos. In particular, the TSA noted that it did not detect any bullets inside the bag of Oklahoma man Ryan Watson when he flew from the Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma to Turks and Caicos.

Ryan Watson of Oklahoma and Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania are currently awaiting their court hearings in the Caribbean country but were surprised when they received an outpouring of support, according to NBC 10 Boston.

US State Department Warning Gun Owners About Traveling to Turks and Caicos After Ammo Incidents

After a series of arrests on the main island of Grand Turk, the US State Department issued a statement for gun owners in the US about traveling to the Caribbean country of Turks and Caicos, according to CBS News.

Turks and Caicos authorities "strictly enforce all firearms-and-ammunition-related laws," the US State Department said in the statement. "Declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into the Turks and Caicos Islands and will result in your arrest."

READ NEXT: Shakira Asks for Privacy for Her and Gerard Pique's Children After Vacationing in Turks and Caicos

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WATCH: American tourist faces prison in Turks and Caicos over ammo found in luggage - CBS Evening News
An Ohio man, Frank E. Tyson, tragically lost his life after a confrontation with police inside a bar in Canton.

Newly released body camera footage depicts the final moments of Tyson's life as he gasped for breath while being restrained by Canton police, Newsweek reports.

Tyson, 53, was pronounced dead less than an hour after the altercation on April 18, 2024.

The Canton Police Department disclosed a graphic 35-minute video capturing the sequence of events leading up to Tyson's death.

The incident unfolded after officers responded to a report of a car crashing into a telephone pole on Sherrick Road at around 8:15 PM.

Witnesses informed the police that Tyson, the driver of the vehicle, sought refuge in a nearby bar.

Officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch swiftly entered the establishment and encountered Tyson, who appeared visibly agitated.

Despite attempts to diffuse the situation, Tyson resisted, and a physical altercation ensued.

As officers attempted to restrain him, Tyson repeatedly cried out, "Call the sheriff!" Moments later, Tyson found himself on the ground, handcuffed and struggling to breathe.

READ NEXT: Ohio Man Charged with Murder of Uber Driver Amid Scam Belief

Parallels to George Floyd's Tragedy

The distressing scene depicted in Tyson's arrest bears unsettling similarities to the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, according to The Hill.

Like Floyd, Tyson uttered the haunting words, "I can't breathe," as he was pinned down by police officers.

The bodycam footage captures the officers' gradual realization that the Ohio man had become unresponsive.

Despite administering CPR and multiple doses of Narcan, a medication used to counteract opioid overdoses, Tyson remained motionless.

He was subsequently rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead at 9:18 PM.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation has launched an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Tyson's death.

In the meantime, Officers Schoenegge and Burch are on paid administrative leave while the investigation unfolds.

To maintain transparency, the city of Canton released the 35-minute video footage of Tyson's arrest to the public.

Prior to its release, the video was shared with Tyson's family as a gesture of respect and compassion during this difficult time.

The news of Tyson's tragic death has ignited anger and demands for accountability among the community members.

Mayor William V. Sherer II expressed his commitment to transparency and cooperation with the ongoing investigation conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Details of Tyson's Encounter with Police

The video footage portrays a chaotic scene as officers attempted to apprehend Tyson inside the AMVETS building.

Despite pleas from bystanders to remove Tyson from the premises, the situation escalated rapidly, culminating in Tyson's restraint on the ground, Canton.Rep noted.

Concerns about Tyson's well-being grew as he repeatedly expressed his inability to breathe.

However, officers persisted in their efforts to subdue him, even as Tyson lay motionless on the ground. It wasn't until several minutes later that officers realized Tyson had become unresponsive.

The prolonged restraint of Tyson and the delayed recognition of his deteriorating condition have raised questions about the appropriateness of Canton police tactics employed during the altercation.

As the investigation unfolds, authorities are under scrutiny to provide answers and ensure accountability for an Ohio man's untimely death.

The release of the bodycam footage serves as a pivotal moment for community dialogue and reflection on issues of police conduct and accountability.

Moving forward, stakeholders are urged to actively engage in discussions aimed at fostering trust, transparency, and meaningful reform within law enforcement agencies.

READ MORE: Body Found in Iowa Farm Field Likely That of Missing Truck Driver for 5 Months

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WATCH: Bodycam video shows Ohio man tells officers 'I can't breathe' moments before death in police custody - From 11Alive
From a legal perspective, the Britney Spears conservator case with her father, Jamie Spears, has finally been settled. However, soon after, she was hounded by paparazzi. They found her soon enough, hiding with her ex-boyfriend, Paul Richard Soliz.

As Paparazzi tried to chase her while riding in a Mercedes SUV driven by her rumored boyfriend, she went to the San Fernando Valley in California, where the paparazzi found her with Soliz. Geo News noted that the pair did not want to be photographed as they were trying to hide their faces.

Soliz dated the pop star while she was in the midst of her divorce from Sam Asghari. He was the one seen in the driver's seat, as it is rumored that the two exes are dating once again. However, Spears has recently denied these rumors on social media, saying, "Hopeless, romantic understanding that being single is awesome!!!"

Despite hiding from the paparazzi with her ex, Spears was still able to reach a settlement with her estranged father over the issue of his legal fees. Britney Spears was placed under the conservatorship with her father but was freed from it thanks to the #FreeBritney movement.

However, several legal issues still remained after being freed from the conservatorship, including her father's legal fee issues.

Settlement Finally Settled After Long Legal Battle Between Britney Spears and Father, Jamie Spears

The case continued because both parties still have an ongoing dispute over legal fees after the first filing in December 2021. PEOPLE Magazine reported that both parties confirmed that the case was settled for an undisclosed sum in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, April 25.

READ MORE: Britney Spears Dishes on Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and More in New Book, 'The Woman in Me'

"Although the conservatorship was terminated in November 2021, her wish for freedom is now truly complete," said Britney's lawyer, Mathew S. Rosengart, in a statement. "As she desired, her freedom now includes that she will no longer need to attend or be involved with court or entangled with legal proceedings in this matter."

"Britney Spears won when the court suspended her father, and Britney Spears won when her fundamental rights and civil liberties were restored," the pop star added.

Alex Weingarten, who represents Britney Spears's father, also released a statement that both parties "reached a settlement agreement resolving all outstanding disputes," adding, "I cannot comment on any specifics as the settlement is confidential. Jamie is thrilled that this is all behind him. He loves his daughter very much and everything he has ever done has been to protect and support her. It is unfortunate that some irresponsible people in Britney's life chose to drag this on for as long as it has."

Britney Spears Blasts Family After Settlement

It seems that Britney still has some hurt feelings, as she took to social media on Sunday morning, blasting not just her father but also her family while posting a picture of herself wearing only a thong.

The post was long, and TMZ summarized it as "basically, she says her family hurt her and claims the two people who brought her up with lessons about right and wrong -- implying her mom Lynne and dad Jamie -- hurt her the worst and aren't paying for it."

READ MORE: Britney Spears Net Worth 2023

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WATCH: Britney Spears Fights Her Conservatorship - LegalEagle
Armed assailants struck in southern Chile, killing three law enforcement officers before setting their vehicle ablaze, authorities reported.

The attack, occurring in the Biobio region approximately 400 kilometers south of Santiago, raises security concerns in the country, AP News reports.

The perpetrators remain unidentified, but the incident underscores the escalating conflict between the Mapuche indigenous community and landowners and forestry companies in the area.

The Biobio region and Chile's Araucania region have witnessed heightened tensions in recent years, leading to a state of emergency declaration and military deployment by the government to ensure security.

The Mapuche indigenous community, comprising about one in ten Chileans, faces longstanding grievances over land ownership.

Large forestry companies and farm owners control extensive territories originally belonging to the Mapuche, contributing to rural poverty among the indigenous population.

READ NEXT: Chile Wildfires: 122 Dead, Hundreds Missing

National Mourning and Presidential Response

Chile President Gabriel Boric declared a three-day national mourning period following the attack, expressing solidarity with the victims' families and vowing to bring the assailants to justice.

The president condemned the assault as cowardly, emphasizing its profound impact on the nation, according to Aljazeera.

The fallen Chilean police officers, identified as Sergeant Carlos Cisterna, Corporal Sergio Arevalo, and Corporal Misael Vidal, were honored during the mourning period, highlighting the government's commitment to honoring their sacrifice.

The attack sparked outrage across Chile, with citizens condemning the violence and reaffirming support for law enforcement personnel.

President Boric's visits to the region, accompanied by top officials, symbolized the government's determination to address the tragedy and ensure accountability for the perpetrators.

The president reiterated that there would be no impunity for such heinous acts, echoing the sentiments of the mourning nation.

Tensions and Ambush Details

Authorities revealed that the officers fell victim to three false emergency calls, leading to the ambush on a rural road near Concepcion.

The assailants targeted the officers with heavy-caliber weapons, resulting in the officers burning inside their armored patrol vehicle, the Daily Guardian noted.

The timing of the attack, coinciding with National Police Day, and its methodical nature suggest deliberate planning by the perpetrators.

The conflict between the Mapuche community and landowners and forestry companies stems from historical grievances over land rights.

Centuries of resistance against Spanish conquest culminated in Chile's independence, but the Mapuche continued to face challenges related to land ownership and socioeconomic disparities.

Ongoing skepticism and occasional outbreaks of violence complicate the government's endeavors to tackle these issues, hindering reconciliation efforts.

The attack underscores the urgency of addressing underlying grievances and fostering dialogue between stakeholders to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.

President Gabriel Boric's administration grapples with the task of harmonizing security priorities while implementing inclusive policies that tackle underlying conflict drivers.

As the country mourns the loss of the fallen Chilean police officers, the nation remains steadfast in its commitment to justice and reconciliation.

READ MORE: Argentina President Faces Massive Protest Over Education Cuts

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WATCH: Chile: President Gabriel Boric declares national mourning period after 3 police officers killed - From WION
The White House Correspondents' Association held its annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, with SNL comedian Colin Jost being this year's guest comic. As expected, he poked fun at President Joe Biden to his face and did not hold back. However, his most stinging jokes were reserved for former President Donald Trump.

"It's after 10 p.m. Sleepy Joe is still awake, while Trump has spent the last week falling asleep in court every morning-though Fox News just said he was being anti-woke," he jokes as he poked fun at the former president. He also pointed out the irony of the current election landscape, saying, "The New York playboy took your abortion rights away, and the guy who's trying to give them back is an 80-year-old Catholic."

As for Biden, he also skewered him for his age, and he also added Trump in as they are only three years apart in that department, joking, "I'm not saying both candidates are old, but you know Jimmy Carter is out there thinking, 'I could maybe win this thing.' He's only 99."

Colin Jost also poked fun at himself and his wife, movie star Scarlett Johanssen. "Good evening, everyone, I'm Colin Jost, and I'll be delivering the Republican response," he jokes as he introduces himself. "I'll be honest with you, I don't have a lot of time. I need to get back to New York because I'm juror number five on a big trial. Trump's lawyer took one look at me, and he's like, 'He's got to be on our side.'"

Jost also poked fun at the media, including the New York Times, joking, "Wordle is here! Sorry, I mean the New York Times. I forgot they do stuff in addition to puzzles."

He also pointed out how nerdy the White House Correspondents' Dinner actually is while also skewering Republican Matt Gaetz and his love of underaged girls, joking, "We're all here tonight at 'nerd prom'...well, Matt Gaetz is at regular prom."

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Hush Money Trial: New Witnesses Brought In as Defense Tries To Discredit One of Them

Joe Biden Pokes Fun at Donald Trump During White House Correspondents' Dinner

Before Colin Jost took to the podium to deliver his jokes, it was President Biden himself who was handing out the laughter as he not only poked fun at his Republican opponent but also at himself.

For Trump, Biden skewered his political rival over his childing antics, joking, As for Biden, he also skewered him for his age, and he also added Trump in as they are only three years apart in that department, joking, "The 2024 election is in full swing and yes, age is an issue, I'm a grown man running against a six-year-old."

He also joked about Trump's recent comments about the Battle at Gettysburg, as Biden joked, "Speaking of history, did you hear what Donald just said about a major civil war battle? 'Gettysburg - wow!' Trump's speech was so embarrassing, the statue of Robert E Lee surrendered again."

Donald Trump Triggered by Colin Jost and Joe Biden's Jokes About Him at White House Correspondents' Dinner

As for the former president, he did not seem very much amused by his rival and the SNL comedian poking fun at him. Trump, who has a history of thin skin and not being able to take jokes, took to social media and, as expected, ranted about it.

"The White House Correspondents' Dinner was really bad. Colin Jost BOMBED, and Crooked Joe was an absolute disaster! Doesn't get much worse than this!" posted the former president after being triggered by the two comedy routines.

READ MORE: Donald Trump Asked Supporters To Protest Hush Money Trial, But Few Showed Up, Now He Is Making Excuses

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WATCH: Colin Jost complete remarks at 2024 White House Correspondents' Dinner (C-SPAN)
Authorities in Guatemala raided the offices of the NGO known as Save the Children after a complaint that migrant children were being mistreated in the charity's many shelters in Texas. Soon after the complaint, a special investigation into the NGO was opened by Guatemalan authorities.

"The Public Prosecutor received a complaint referencing and highlighting incidents regarding Guatemalan children and teenagers being subject to vulnerabilities in shelters in Texas, connected with a network which [involves] NGOs that operate in the United States and Guatemala," Juan Luis Pantaleon. a spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor's Office, said in a statement.

The raid was done only to gather information for the investigation, including document searches and seizures, added the Guatemala Public Prosecutor's Office on social media. It all revolved around the complaint filed in Guatemala regarding the UK-based aid organization.

Rafael Curruchiche, a Guatemalan prosecutor whom the United States has previously sanctioned for aiding in corruption, claimed that the case is "transnational and of great transcendence," involving several organizations, according to CNN.

Guatemala Prosecutors Trying To Work With Texas Over Save the Children Abuse Allegations

Texas is now aware of the issue as the secretary general of Guatemala's Public Ministry, Angel Pineda, has already written a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding the reported abuse of migrant children in the shelters being run by Save the Children.

READ MORE: Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Fatalities Confirmed To Be Citizens From Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras

According to MSN, the Guatemalan prosecutors are now asking the Texas state government for its support in addressing allegations that Save the Children and several other aid organizations "could be participating in child trafficking operations."

The request comes as Guatemala has become a source where migrants are coming from, as well as serving as a major transit country for migrants seeking to come to the US-Mexico border. The reported migrant children who were abused while staying in shelters run by the aid organization are from Guatemala.

Save the Children Issues Statements Regarding Raid by Guatemala Authorities

Meanwhile, Save the Children itself has issued a statement after the allegations surfaced and Guatemalan officials raided its offices in Guatemala City, including its main headquarters in the country.

"We have been shocked and puzzled by the unprecedented search of our offices by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Guatemala," the UK-based NGO said in a press release, adding that it was not aware of any specific accusations against it.

"We defend the rights of children and adolescents and ensure that they survive, learn and are protected from harm in more than 100 countries around the world," the group added.

The Associated Press reported that the controversy began after Fox News contributor Sara Carter published a video of Peneda stating that he had received a complaint not just against Save the Children but also against other NGOs. The Fox News host was also the first to report about the raid in the US.

READ MORE: Who Is New Guatemala President Bernardo Arevalo and Why Are Traditional Politicians Going After Him?

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WATCH: Guatemala prosecutors raid offices of Save the Children charity - Associated Press
A festive atmosphere turned tragic as gunfire erupted at the Fiesta San Antonio, leaving two men dead and four women injured in San Antonio, Texas.

The incident occurred during the final day of the 11-day Fiesta celebration, shocking attendees and prompting chaos as onlookers scrambled for safety. The shooting unfolded around midnight near Market Square, where revelers were enjoying live music and festivities, the Daily Mail reports.

Two gunmen, identified as an 18-year-old and a 20-year-old, exchanged gunfire near the stage on Conch Alley.

Texas Police officers stationed nearby swiftly intervened, engaging the shooters in a gunfight.

READ NEXT: Texas Stabbing Spree Leaves 1 Dead, 2 Injured; Suspect Shot, Arrested

Texas Law Enforcement Response

Texas police officers, alerted by the sound of gunshots, pursued the 18-year-old suspect as he attempted to flee.

Upon witnessing the suspect firing at his adversary, officers responded by discharging their firearms, ultimately neutralizing the threat.

Both gunmen succumbed to their injuries, with the 18-year-old pronounced dead at the scene and the 20-year-old dying later at a local hospital, according to Express News.

Amid the chaos, four female bystanders sustained injuries during the crossfire. Two women, aged 36 and 29, sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Additionally, two young women, aged 24 and 23, sustained small injuries and were treated at the scene before being released.

The incident rattled downtown revelers, who described scenes of panic and confusion as the Texas Market Square shooting unfolded.

Social media platforms were flooded with videos capturing the harrowing moments, depicting terrified crowds fleeing from the gunfire.

As the investigation unfolds, authorities are working to determine the motives behind the shootout and identify those involved.

Meanwhile, the incident has reignited discussions surrounding public safety measures at large-scale events like the Texas Fiesta San Antonio.

Recollections and Concerns

For some, the shooting evoked memories of past tragedies, including the 1979 sniper shooting during the Texas Fiesta that claimed two lives and left many injured.

Amid expressions of sadness and disappointment, calls for enhanced security measures at Market Square have emerged, calling attention to the need for proactive measures to prevent future incidents, Houston Chronicles noted.

The San Antonio Police Department is actively investigating the incident, seeking to piece together the events leading up to the shooting and ascertain any underlying factors.

With questions lingering about the circumstances surrounding the altercation, authorities are committed to ensuring accountability and safeguarding public safety at community events.

As San Antonio grapples with the aftermath of the Texas Market Square shooting, the community remains vigilant, rallying together in support of the victims and their families.

This sad event underscores the importance of united action to tackle gun violence and create a safer community for both residents and visitors.

READ MORE: Ohio: Black Man Dies While Handcuffed, Saying 'I Can't Breathe' During Arrest

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Written by: Ross Key

WATCH: SAPD: Two dead, four hurt in Historic Market Square shooting on penultimate night of Fiesta - From KENS 5: Your San Antonio News
As Trump critics joke, MAGA often means "Make Attorneys Get Attorneys," as four lawyers tied to Donald Trump have officially been revealed also to be indicted in the Arizona fake electors case, along with Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows. They are John Eastman, Christina Bobb, Boris Epshteyn, and Jenna Ellis.

Arizona authorities revealed that former Trump chief of staff Mark Meadows and Trump lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, as well as the four other Trump attorneys, John Eastman, Christina Bobb, Boris Epshteyn, and Jenna Ellis, have all been indicted on conspiracy, fraud, and forgery charges.

Mike Roman, who served as Trump's director of Election Day operations in 2020, along with the four other Trump attorneys, was given nine felony counts each, according to the Associated Press. They allegedly organized the Arizona fake electors scheme by using fake documents to persuade Congress not to certify Joe Biden's victory.

A total of 18 pro-Trump Republicans were indicted in Arizona, with 11 initially being named, while Meadows and Giuliani were described as "Trump's chief of staff" and a "former mayor," respectively. The 11 Republicans named in the indictment were the 11 fake electors, while the others, including Ellis and Eastman, were initially unnamed.

Eastman, Meadows, and Giuliani slammed the case as "political," while Roman, Epshteyn, Bobb, and Ellis declined to comment. The former president was not charged in Arizona but was referred to as an unindicted co-conspirator.

An initial hearing for the Arizona fake electors case has been scheduled for May 21. Arizona is now the fourth US state to charge the former president's allies with using false or unproven claims about voter fraud related to the election.

Indictment Alleges That Arizona Fake Elector Scheme Defendants 'Deceived the Citizens of Arizona'

The indictment is still partially redacted, but several details about Arizona's case against the 18 co-defendants have already been revealed.

READ MORE: White House Correspondents Dinner: SNL's Colin Jost Skewers Joe Biden and Donald Trump

"In Arizona, and the United States, the people elected Joseph Biden as President on November 3, 2020," wrote prosecutors in the indictment. "Unwilling to accept this fact, Defendants and unindicted co-conspirators schemed to prevent the lawful transfer of the presidency to keep Unindicted Co-conspirator 1 in office against the will of Arizona's voters."

"Defendants deceived the citizens of Arizona by falsely claiming that those votes were contingent only on a legal challenge that would change the outcome of the election," continued the indictment. "In reality, Defendants intended that their false votes for Trump-Pence would encourage Pence to reject the Biden-Harris votes on January 6, 2021, regardless of the outcome of the legal challenge."

Arizona Fake Electors Scheme Defendant John Eastman Facing Disbarment

The Arizona indictment just means more legal trouble for John Eastman, who is not only indicted in the Georgia elections case but is also facing disbarment in his home state of California over his role in Donald Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election results in several key swing states.

Eastman was once a respected conservative law professor who once served as a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. However, his actions during the lead-up to the January 6 Capitol Insurrection led to many questioning his law expertise.

A California State Bar Court judge has already recommended he be stripped of his license to practice law in California. "Eastman's wrongdoing constitutes exceptionally serious ethical violations warranting severe professional discipline," wrote Judge Yvette Roland in her decision calling for Eastman to be disbarred.

She added, "Eastman made multiple patently false and misleading statements in court filings, in public remarks heard by countless Americans and to others regarding the conduct of the 2020 presidential election and Vice President Pence's authority to refuse to count or delay counting properly certified slates of electoral votes on January 6, 2021."

READ MORE: Donald Trump Asked Supporters To Protest Hush Money Trial, But Few Showed Up, Now He Is Making Excuses

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WATCH: Trump lawyer indicted for elector fraud after admitting it on live TV - MSNBC
Monica Garcia, the former star of "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," took to Instagram on Sunday to reveal the heartbreaking news of her miscarriage.

The 39-year-old TV personality shared the update less than three weeks after announcing her pregnancy. In an emotional Instagram post, Garcia shared her pain with her followers, expressing that she was still processing the heartbreaking news herself, People reports.

"One thing I promised myself when opening my life up to all of you was that I was going to do it completely unapologetically and authentically raw as possible. I would show you my life in all aspects because that is what I agreed to do," she stated.

The post featured two black-and-white photos: one showing her hand on top of someone else's hand and the other capturing her lying down in a hospital gown, looking at an ultrasound.

Garcia expressed her gratitude to her support system and healthcare providers, acknowledging their role during this difficult time. She also extended her love and support to others who may be facing similar challenges, including miscarriages, fertility issues, and pregnancy problems.

READ NEXT: Ashanti Announces Pregnancy with Nelly, Her First Child

Unexpected Pregnancy Announcement

Monica Garcia's pregnancy announcement came unexpectedly during an interview on "The Viall Files" podcast with Nick Viall.

She revealed that she had discovered she was pregnant during a routine visit to urgent care for an unrelated issue. This would have been her fifth child and her first with her 29-year-old boyfriend, whose identity she had chosen to keep private.

Despite her shock at the news, Garcia had embraced the pregnancy, eagerly anticipating the arrival of her new child, according to Page Six. However, the joyous occasion took a tragic turn with the sudden loss of her unborn baby.

Following Garcia's heartbreaking revelation, fans and fellow reality TV stars expressed their condolences and support.

Messages of sympathy poured in from various personalities, including Tamra Judge from "The Real Housewives of Orange County" and Tiffany Moon from "The Real Housewives of Dallas."

Garcia's openness about her pregnancy journey and subsequent loss reflects her commitment to sharing her life authentically with her audience.

Despite the pain of her miscarriage, she remains grateful for the love and support she has received.

Reflections on Garcia's Reality TV Journey

Monica Garcia's stint on RHOSLC was marked by controversy, particularly surrounding her revelation about running an Instagram account that had trolled her castmates in the past, The Cut noted. This revelation cast uncertainty on her future with the show, ultimately leading to her departure after just one season.

Despite the challenges she faced in the public eye, Garcia remained resilient and authentic in sharing her personal experiences, including the highs and lows of motherhood.

Her candidness regarding her miscarriage underscores life's fragility, highlighting the significance of empathy and support in times of grief.

READ MORE: Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger Criticized for Demolishing Historic LA Home

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WATCH: 'RHOSLC' Star Monica Garcia Suffers Pregnancy Loss With Baby No. 5 - From E! News
Disgraced Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein, whose conviction in New York was recently overturned, was suddenly rushed to a hospital after he was transferred to a different prison. Despite having his New York conviction overturned by a judge, Weinstein will remain in prison because his California conviction still stands.

Once considered the most powerful executive in Hollywood, the convicted sex offender was taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan for a more thorough examination. This happened after he was checked by doctors in the new prison he was transferred to, Rikers Island, the most infamous jail in New York state.

Arthur Aidala, the attorney to the disgraced former Hollywood producer, stated that it seems the 72-year-old Weinstein "needs a lot of help, physically."

"He's got a lot of problems," his lawyer told the media, according to NBC News. "He's getting all kinds of tests. He's somewhat of a train wreck healthwise."

Originally, Weinstein was held inside the Mohawk Correctional Facility, about 42 miles from Syracuse, New York. However, after the New York Appeals Court threw out his conviction and ordered a new trial to be held, he was transferred to Rikers Island. This was when doctors found that something was wrong with him and advised that he be taken to a hospital for further tests.

Previously, he was found guilty of forcibly performing oral sex on a production assistant in 2006. He was also convicted of third-degree rape for an attack on an aspiring actress in 2013. Because this case was overturned, a new case that would be heard by a different judge and a new jury was required.

Harvey Weinstein Remains Under Custody While Hospitalized

Despite the hospitalization, Harvey Weinstein is still scheduled to appear in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday afternoon, with a brand new judge, Judge Curtis Farber, overseeing the trial.

READ MORE: Harvey Weinstein's New York Conviction Overturned by Appeals Court, New Trial Ordered

New York City Department of Corrections spokesperson Frank Dwyer, stated that even though he has been hospitalized in Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital, Weinstein is still under custody as he awaits his return to court.

Prosecutors have previously stated that they fully intend to have the case retried with the same charges. The case was thrown out after the New York Court of Appeals found that not much evidence directly related to the charges were presented.

Harvey Weinstein Conviction Dismissal Met With Dismay from Victims, Women's Groups

Soon after Weinstein's New York conviction was overturned, over a hundred women, several women's groups, as well as his accusers and their lawyers, voiced their dismay over the New York Appeals Court ruling.

"This today is an act of institutional betrayal." said renowned Hollywood actress Ashley Judd, one of Weinstein's many accusers. Rose McGowan, another famous actress who accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct, stated, "They will never overturn who we are. Blessings to all who gave their all."

Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom and another one of Weinstein's accusers, released a statement saying, "This is a very sad day for countless women who suffered at the hands of a serial predator. Two juries have said unequivocally: Harvey Weinstein must never be able to rape another woman, and he deserves to spend the rest of his life behind bars. Harvey Weinstein is a serial predator and rapist."

READ MORE: Andrew Tate, Infamous Internet Personality, Arrested Again After Adin Ross Revealed Escape Plans During Stream

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WATCH: Actor Ashley Judd, reporter Jodi Kantor discuss Harvey Weinstein's conviction being overturned - CBS Mornings
Here is a look at some government and other community news across the Lehigh Valley region for the week beginning Monday, April 29.

Monday, April 29

BETHLEHEM | The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection scheduled a public hearing for 6-9 p.m. Monday, April 29 at Nitschmann Middle School, 1002 W. Union Blvd. in Bethlehem, on the application for a National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permit for a warehouse project in Hanover Township, Northampton County. Arcadia Development of Bethlehem proposes to construct a 250-thousand square-foot warehouse along Gateway Drive. The NPDES permit will allow for the discharge of stormwater from construction activities to Monocacy Creek, which is designated as high-quality, coldwater fishery. Written comments on the permit application may be sent to Pam Kania, Program Manager, DEP Waterways and Wetlands Program at pkania@pa.gov until 4 p.m. Thursday, May 9. View the permit application and learn more at dep.pa.gov.

U. MT. BETHEL TWP. | Bangor Area School Board will hold a finance committee meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 29 to discuss the school districts 2024-2025 preliminary budget. The meeting will be held in the Slater Conference Room located in the Bangor Area School District Administration Building, 123 Five Points Richmond Road.

Wednesday, May 1

N. WHITEHALL TWP. | The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Engineering District 5 announced that work will begin on Wednesday, May 1 to replace the Kernsville Road Bridge over Jordan Creek in North Whitehall Township. Kernsville Road will be closed and detoured while crews rehabilitate the bridge. Vehicle traffic will be detoured on Route 100, Hassadahl Road, and Route 309. The truck detour will utilize Route 100, Tilghman Street, and Route 309. The Kernsville Road bridge was constructed in 1929. The cost of the work is estimated at almost $3.1 million, PennDOT says. Motorists can check conditions on major roadways by visiting 511PA.com.

Thursday, May 2

HANOVER TWP. | The Hanover Township, Northampton County Zoning Hearing Board is scheduled to hold a hearing starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 2 on plans to demolish part of an office building and consolidate to lots to clear the way for a two-story medical office building at Adler Lane and Highland Avenue. The consolidation would combine two lots to create a single lot of nearly 10 acres. An existing bank building on one of the lots is not targeted for demolition and would be maintained under the plans. The zoning hearing is being held at the municipal building, 3630 Jacksonville Road.

Friday, May 3

ALLENTOWN | The Pennsylvania Museum and Historical Commission will hold a ceremony at 11 a.m. Friday, May 3 to unveil an Official State Historical Marker at the site of the former Allentown State Hospital. The hospital opened in 1912 and closed in 2010. Most of the buildings on the site have since been demolished and plans are in the works for a mixed-use redevelopment. The commission notes the hospital was the first homeopathic hospital for the treatment of children and adults with severe mental illness in Pennsylvania. During its nearly 100 years it provided care and treatment to thousands of the Lehigh Valleys most vulnerable citizens. The ceremony will take place at the front entrance to the hospital grounds at 1600 Hanover Ave.

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Macungie police are searching for a trio they say stole American flags from neighborhood homes.

The incident was reported around 2 a.m. Saturday along Lea Street. Video surveillance footage shows a woman and two men holding several flags as they walk down the street. The group then begins laughing while running off toward another home, the footage shows.

Police Saturday evening posted the video on the departments Facebook page. They continue to seek the publics help in identifying the suspects.

Those with information are asked to email Officer Matthew Miklich at mmiklich@macungiepd.org.

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is getting ready to make its mark in Warren County this week.

A spokesperson for the restaurant told lehighvalleylive.com Chipotle will open at 1045 a.m. on Tuesday off Route 22 in Pohatcong Township. The new menu item and a fan favorite, the Chicken al Pastor, will also be available.

The Chicken al Pastor will only be available for a limited time, the company said.

The 2,335-square-foot fast food joint will operate a drive-thru  or Chipote-lane at 1341 Route 22 in the same strip mall complex as Raymour & Flanigan furniture store and Aldi supermarket. Both are immediately adjacent to Wal-Mart Supercenter.

In total, the drive-thru is projected to generate hundreds of trips, or vehicles, throughout the week.

Are they still hiring?

Yes. Yes, they are, a spokesperson, told lehighvalleylive.com on Monday afternoon. Chipotle Mexican Grill will bring on, roughly, 30 employees, the company said.
Six people are now charged with possession of marijuana and intent to distribute in Warren County after an eight-month investigation into illegal weed sales out of several storefronts in Hackettstown, police said Friday.

Warren County law enforcement, in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Taxation, led a series of searches at five Hackettstown shops suspected of selling weed illegally on April 9.

Canna Campus, Good Luck Vapes, Smokey Bear and Mom N Pops CBD & Wellness Shop were each searched, Warren County Acting Chief of Detectives Brenton Warne said in a news release. Roughly $20,000 worth of suspected raw marijuana and U.S. currency, in total, were seized from the properties.

The individuals charged, according to the news release are:

Joseph Lansizera, 28, of Scranton, Pa.; Marlon Carbajal, 30, of Netcong, N.J.; Shiva Khosla, 26, of Rockaway, N.J.; Kimberly Aiello, 36, of Mt. Arlington, N.J.; Raymond Brown, 48, of Great Meadows, N.J.; and Michael Scardigno, 33, of Phillipsburg, N.J.

They are all charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

Khosla, Aiello, Brown and Scardigno each face an additional charge of unlawful possession of property derived from criminal activity stemming from cash seizures at the businesses, the prosecutors office said.

Lehighvalleylive.com has reached out to each of the named businesses and suspects. None chose to comment or respond immediately to the request for a comment as of Monday.

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Monday has already marked the warmest day of the year in the Lehigh Valley so far with temperatures soaring into the mid to upper 80s, meteorologists say.

Mondays highs will have a July-like feel to them, forecasters at The National Weather Service in Mount Holly say.

The forecast for the rest of Monday calls for sunny skies with a west wind of 5 to 10 mph. Its about 7 to 11 degrees higher than the high temperature of 78 recorded Sunday at at Lehigh Valley International Airport outside Allentown. Additionally, its about 15 to 16 degrees warmer than normal for April 29.

Forecasters predict Monday evening will give way to isolated showers and thunderstorms when temperatures cool into the upper 50s. The chance of precipitation is 20%, according to the weather service.

Normal temperatures this time of year range from lows in the upper 40s to highs in the upper 60s.

Daily record highs could be broken on Monday, April 29, with temperatures expected to run 15 to 16 degrees above normal, meteorologists say.Len Melisurgo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Paul Fitzsimmons, lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, told lehighvalleylive.com records could be broken by later Monday evening.

Allentowns last record high for April 29 was 86 degrees in 1974. Nearby Mount Pocono had a record high for April 29 of 82 degrees in 1974, while Philadelphia hit 90 degrees, also in 1974.

It is possible that we do end up breaking some records, Fitzsimmons said. Itll definitely be close.

Tuesday will bring patchy fog mostly before 8 a.m and another chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m., the weather services says. Otherwise, the forecast calls for partly sunny skies with a high near 74 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 30% with new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

AccuWeather predicts a high temperature of 78 degrees before falling to a low temperature of 54 degrees for Tuesday.

We stay warm on Wednesday with highs in the mid-70s, according to both weather agencies. Theres a chance of showers, mainly before 5 p.m., according to the weather service. The chance of precipitation is 40% with new precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday and Friday will also deliver temperatures expected to be higher than above normal, meteorologists say. Both days call for forecasts in the mid to upper 70s, according to both weather agencies.

Current radar

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
The European Parliament Liaison office will be in Portlaoise on Tuesday, May 7 for the regional launch of their go-to-vote campaign.



This campaign is designed to raise awareness of the European elections on 7 June, and also of the work of the Parliament and its impact on the lives of citizens.



Laois and Offaly will move in the June election from the South constituency to Midlands-North-West.



On Tuesday, May 7 the European Parliament Liaison office will have an information stand outside SuperValu from 1pm to 5pm.



"We'll be handing out leaflets, promo items and leaflets and engaging with people there to increase awareness of the elections and encourage a high voter turnout. Please come and say hello," said a spokesperson.



"In addition, we are partnering with the Wheel to organise an information event to demonstrate the impact the EU has on our daily lives and why citizens should vote in the European elections. We'll have lots of interesting speakers and there will be time for peer networking. The event also features EU funding success stories from the local community and presentations from the Irish National Contact Points for various EU funding programmes so you can learn more about the EU funding pathways available to your organisation.

"All are welcome to join us to gain insights on the benefits of active EU citizenship, learn from your peers, and find out how Access Europe can support you to start your EU funding journey! "
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) will receive additional resources if that is what is needed to fulfil its remit, Jack Chambers has said.

The Minister of State, who has responsibility for road safety, said an independent review of the RSA will conclude in the coming weeks.

Government ministers have met the RSA to discuss the increase in deaths on Irish roads since the beginning of the year.

To date, there have been 70 road fatalities, an increase of 13 compared with the same period last year.

There have also been 65 collisions to date this year, compared with 49 last year.

Mr Chambers said the RSA is getting more resources, including an additional three million euro to spend on awareness campaigns.

Were doing a wider review of the Road Safety Authority. Theres an independent review. Thats concluding presently, and thats looking at their funding models, Mr Chambers told RTEs Today with Claire Byrne programme.

For the last over 10 years, theyve been a self-financing agency through the fees that they generate.

Im not sure thats functional for the future, and there will need to be a new funding model in the context of the Road Safety Authority.

Recommendations are going to be made to me on that in the coming weeks and well bring that to government this summer to look at the structure, their funding model, and how we can make sure that the Road Safety Authority is best placed to fulfil its road safety remit and well be working with them to do that.

If additional resources are required, well be working with them to deliver on that.

The RSA has called for a complete review of the driver testing system as part of a plan to reduce the number of road deaths.

Mr Chambers said driving tests will be modernised and will begin later this year.

He said there has been a particular spike in the number of young people losing their lives.

Thats why weve set up a group that will meet eight times a year now to feed into our wider campaigns and initiatives so that young people have a strength here, he added.

We need to improve the message to them when it comes to the wider road safety crisis weve seen on our roads.

He said road safety education in schools will be widened, while the government will also monitor enforcement of road safety legislation to reduce road deaths.
Portlaoises new interpretive signs are designed to inform, engage and provide a sense of place to locals and visitors alike.

Laois County Council was awarded 500,000 under Failte Irelands Destination Towns Capital Investment Scheme to boost the attractiveness and tourism appeal of Portlaoise.

The grant aimed to enhance the access routes within the town connecting the older traditional section of the town with newly developed sections of Portlaoise by means of wayfinding interpretive signage in addition to signage detailing the history of the town and in particular the Old Fort Protector site.

The new suite of interpretive panels and signs are now in place at various locations throughout Portlaoise. Other aspects of the project included a street enhancement scheme which resulted in a range of buildings being painted around the town. New lighting was also installed in the three laneways, Bull Lane, Lyster Lane and Peppers Lane, at the Old Fort area and adjoining streets. New street furniture, footpath enhancements and landscaping improvements were carried out in key locations of the town centre as part of the project.

Laois County Council said the initiative has been warmly received by residents and visitors alike as it has improved the amenities and the appearance of the town.

Following consultation with Portlaoise Town Team and the Heritage Forum, work commenced on compiling all the relevant information required to produce the signs. The objective was to present the interesting heritage of Portlaoise in an engaging manner that is informative and evocative to both residents and visitors, and to create a sense of place in the historic core area of the town using high quality design and interpretation. Haley Sharpe Design were awarded the design contract while the manufacturing contract was awarded to CLS signage and facility management.

CE of Laois County Council John Mulholland, acknowledged the continued support of Failte Ireland. He also complimented both Haley Sharpe Design and CLS Signage. Mr Mulholland said the project would add to the tourism offering, making Portlaoise and Laois a great place to live, work and visit.

Speaking in Portlaoise, Manager of Irelands Ancient East at Failte Ireland, Justine Carey said: Failte Ireland is committed to the sustainable development of tourism across Ireland, which serves as a crucial economic driver and source of employment. We actively seek opportunities to expand the number of appealing destinations that offer captivating experiences for visitors, with the potential to drive visitors across the regions, which is why initiatives like our Destination Towns scheme are so important.

Failte Irelands work in partnership with Laois County Council through the Destination Towns scheme has significantly enhanced Portaloise Towns appeal as a tourist destination. By bringing the towns unique history and heritage to life, improving visitor orientation, and enhancing pedestrian movement and accessibility, visitors will stay longer, spend more and immerse themselves in local activities and culture.
Three rural Laois communities are getting almost 1 million to revitalise their town and village centres, including half a million to build the first playground in Ballyroan, on the grounds of a vacated and vandalised school.

Ballyroan village near Portlaoise is to get a playground, a multi-use games area, carparking and a landscaped communal area, all paid with a grant from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

Mountrath is getting 250,000 to regenerate the town centre facility which hosts the monthly farmers market, as well as public realm works in the town square and landscape improvements.

Rathdowney is getting the precise sum of 218,119 to install streetscape enhancement works in the town centre, and upgrade public lighting.

The 968,119 was announced on Monday, April 29 by the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys.

Deputy Charlie Flanagan welcomed the money for Laois.

This funding is extremely welcome news for Laois, especially residents of Ballyroan, Mountrath and Rathdowney. These excellent initiatives will ensure our smaller towns and villages are more attractive and sustainable places in which to live and work.

The benefit of previous funding under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme is now being felt countrywide and I am delighted today that even more areas in Laois will benefit from the funding.

I want to thank the Local Authorities for engaging with local communities in these instances to help them to identify good projects which have merited support," Dep Flanagan said.

Ballyroan's playground grant does not include renovating the boarded up school building for public use, planned also by the committee.

Fine Gael Cllr Barry Walsh is a member of the Ballyroan Community Development Association who are driving the project.

"This is a transformative project for the village of Ballyroan. It will provide an inclusive space in the village for everyone to enjoy. It is less than two years since a public meeting was held to discuss the future of the old school site which had fallen into considerable disrepair and had become an eyesore.

"In that time we secured the purchase of the site by Laois County Council for the community. We have been awarded 50,000 in feasibility funding to consult the residents and develop the plans. We secured Part 8 planning permission, and submitted a successful application for funding. I want to pay tribute to everyone who has worked so hard to make this project a reality," said Cllr Walsh.

Scoil Faolain Naofa was sold by the Catholic Church to Laois County Council earlier this year for 175,000. The building fell into dereliction after it was vacated in 2016 when the new mixed school opened, Scoil Eoin Phoil II Naofa. Residents had contacted the Leinster Express / Laois Live in concern at its derelict vandalised condition.
PICTURED ABOVE: Paddy Lavelle (ETBI General Secretary), Jo Cahalin (Manager of future building skills unit), Maria Barry (ETBI Data Governance Officer), Melanie Dunne (ETBI Facilities Administrator), Rachel Byrne (HR Officer), Jordan Eustace (HR Administrator), Ann Bergin (Finance Officer), Cllr Michael Maher (ETBI President), Mary Hilda Cavanagh (ETBI Board Member) and James Eustace (Director of OSD ETBI)

Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) staff travelled from across the country to Pipers Hill, Naas to celebrate the launch of its Workplace Wellbeing Strategy on National Wellbeing Day [26.04.2024].

The national representative body plan aims to support those who work with and represent Irelands 16 Education & Training Boards (ETBs).

ETBs employ over 32,000 staff nationally and deliver education and training to around 370,000 learners across primary, post primary and further education and training.

ETBI General Secretary Paddy Lavelle said, This initiative aims to improve how we care for the welfare of our greatest ambassadors, our staff. We hope through this plan to improve connectivity and collaboration across all of our teams, whether remote or on site, so that they can effectively support our 16 member ETBs, including Kildare & Wicklow ETB.

The launch saw staff take part in a tea morning and a Wellbeing Bake Off. The winner was Jordan Eustace from Kildare. As an organisation that operates using a hybrid work model, ETBI aims to achieve work-life balance by encouraging monthly meet ups and virtual tea breaks. The strategy also includes plans for a series of Life Cycle talks covering diverse life stages such as Planning for Parenting, Caring for Older Relatives, Building Resilience in Close Circles, Financial Wellbeing, Men's

Health, and Rainbow Week.

Speaking about the launch, ETBIs HR Manager and Kildare native Rachel Byrne said, Connections and people are so important to us. Introducing a wellbeing strategy will allow us to build a brighter working environment for the team, where everyone can thrive in their own space and as part of a team.

Also in attendance today was National ETBI President Cllr Michael Maher from Galway & Roscommon ETB.
The Bihar Jharkhand Association of Ireland (BJAI) hosted its third annual multicultural celebration of Holi, the festival of colours, at the community centre in Caragh.

The event brought together members of the community from various backgrounds to celebrate this joyous occasion. Bihar Jharkhand refers to parts of eastern India.

The event showcased the rich cultural diversity and spirit of unity within the Indian and Irish communities and featured a multitude of activities and performances for all ages.

It began with the lighting of diyas (cup-shaped oil lamps) and the singing of the national anthems of India and Ireland. Among those present were Senator Vincent P Martin, Naas Mayor Bill Clear, Deputy Mayor Seamie Moore, Cllrs Bob Quinn and Peggy ODwyer and Ciara Dunne, a local election candidate.

Children demonstrated their creativity and artistic skills through drawings and arts.

Read more Kildare news

There were performances of Indian and Irish songs, as well as traditional Holi folk songs and the highlight of the day was the Fagua, a traditional Bihari folk singing style associated with Holi and spring and a mix of music was provided by a DJ.

Traditional foods and delicacies were served.

But the main event was the traditional Holi playing, when participants joyfully smeared each other with vibrant colours, symbolising the triumph of good over evil and the arrival of spring.
A former Circuit Court judge has been told he is likely facing a custodial sentence after he was convicted of the sexual abuse of six young men almost 30 years ago.

Gerard OBrien, aged 59, of Old School House, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, was convicted last December of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault in relation to six victims.

The offences occurred at locations in Dublin between March 1991 and November 1997. O'Brien was a teacher at a Dublin secondary school and was aged between 27 and 33 at the time. The victimsfour of whom were his students or former students were then aged between 17 and 24.

The six victims have previously indicated they wished for O'Brien to be named but to maintain their anonymity.

At the Central Criminal Court this Monday, Mr Justice Alexander Owens said his provisional view is that he will impose a custodial sentence when he finalises the case on May 29 next.

He asked for a report from the Irish Prison Services in relation to the facilities that would be available to O'Brien and remanded him on continuing bail until the next date.

O'Brien, who pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. He resigned as a Circuit Court judge in January, having been appointed to the position in 2015.

During this Monday's sentencing hearing, Inspector Jonathan Hayes told Anne Marie Lawlor SC, prosecuting, that five of the six victims woke up to find OBrien performing sexual acts on them that they had not consented to.

Of these victims, four woke to O'Brien performing oral sex on them, with the fifth saying he woke to O'Brien licking his face and pressing his penis against his buttocks.

One of these five victims also said O'Brien attempted to rape him anally. The final injured party's allegation related to an act of masturbation in the toilets of a pub.

Three victim impact statements were submitted to the court.

One victim said in his statement that O'Brien betrayed me to my inner core.

OBrien was born with a rare congenital condition, Phocomelia, a side effect of the drug Thalidomide. During the trial, O'Brien said in evidence that his mother was convinced she took the drug.

This condition resulted in OBrien being born with no upper limbs and missing one lower limb. The court heard he requires assistance with everyday tasks, including toileting. He has no previous convictions.

Mr O'Higgins asked the court to take into account all relevant mitigating and personal circumstances when determining a sentence.
The leading housing and homeless charity Focus Ireland is teaming up with the organisers of the first-ever National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, April 30, and joins more than 30 organisations in supporting the initiative.

The official launch of National Voter Registration Day takes place at the Mansion House at 11am. With voter registration drives happening in locations throughout Ireland, the campaign's organizers are urging minority communities and young people to register to vote.

Speaking about the launch, Liliana Fernandez said: "We are delighted that Focus Ireland is joining us to ensure that all voices in Ireland are heard. We are calling on all minority groups, homeless people, and young people, to register to vote and make their vote count."

Brian Hearne, Policy and Communications Manager at the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) added: "Homelessness is having a detrimental effect on people's lives in Ireland, action needs to be taken to address the housing crisis. The upcoming Local and European Elections are an opportunity for everyone to have their say."

Mike Allen, Director of Advocacy at Focus Ireland: "Every voice counts, and registering to vote is the first step towards making a tangible difference in our communities. With voter registration drives planned across the nation, we believe the critical role of every eligible individual, including minority communities, people who are homeless, and young people, in building a more just and equitable society through active participation in the democratic process."

The National Voter Registration Day is on April 30 through the collaboration of community leaders, groups, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders.

More than 30 organisations are supporting the National Voter Registration Day initiative, including Black and Irish, the Irish Council for International Students, Focus Ireland, the National Women's Council, the Electoral Commission/An Coimisiun Toghchain, the Union of Students in Ireland, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the National Traveller Women's Forum.
There were five claims relating to accidents caused by uninsured or untraced vehicles in Leitrim last year, according to new figures published by the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI).

The MIBI received 1,927 claims, representing 187 additional claims from the 1,740 they received in 2022, an 11% rise across the country.

Reacting to the national growth in claims, the MIBI said it reaffirms the importance of the new law enforcement system to clamp down on uninsured driving.

Since signing a data-sharing agreement last November, the MIBI is now providing the insurance details for 3 million vehicles using Irish roads daily to An Garda Siochana. This means that the Gardai can now check the insurance status of any vehicle simply by scanning its registration plate.

The average motorist will have contributed 30 - 35 at their most recent insurance renewal to cover the claims paid out by the MIBI in the last year.

Looking at the breakdown of the claims relating to uninsured driving by county, the largest number came in Dublin (822), followed by Cork (141), Limerick (112), Kildare (102) and Galway (91).

The number of claims relating to uninsured drivers grew in 14 of the 26 counties across the Republic, with the largest percentage increases occurring in Mayo (up 80%), Meath (up 55%) and Kildare (up 42%).

Nine counties recorded a drop in the number of claims, with the largest percentage decreases coming in Leitrim (down 55%), Offaly (down 29%) and Sligo (down 21%). Three counties also recorded the exact same number of claims as 2022.

Speaking about the level of claims received in 2023, David Fitzgerald, CEO of the MIBI, said, The increase in claims due to accidents caused by uninsured vehicles around the country should be a cause of concern for every law-abiding motorist in Leitrim and beyond. It is illegal to drive without valid motor insurance, yet as these figures show there are still a significant number of people who are willingly flouting the law.

Everyone of the uninsured motorists behind these claims is effectively putting their hands in the pockets of law-abiding motorists and taking their money. As they broke the law and drove without insurance cover, it becomes the responsibility of the MIBI to handle the compensation associated with these claims.

We are a not for profit organisation so our funding comes indirectly from drivers who pay their motor insurance. Essentially these uninsured drivers took millions of euro from the rest of us last year and added 30 to 35 to the average motor insurance policy.

With this level of claims it reaffirms the importance of the new law enforcement system to clamp down on uninsured driving in Leitrim and all around the country. We are now providing the Gardai with updated insurance information for 3 million vehicles on Irish roads on a daily basis.

So if the Gardai in Leitrim scan your registration number theyll know in seconds if there is valid insurance in place or not. Were on record saying our expectation is that this will be a gamechanger for law enforcement in dealing with the scourge of uninsured driving. We hope that as this new weapon begins to bite, it wont be long before the number of uninsured claims we receive also begins to fall.

That will be good for road safety on Leitrim roads, Irish roads and also good for the pockets of law-abiding motorists across the country, Mr. Fitzgerald concluded.
Members from the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) in Leitrim were well represented at a members' day event to celebrate the 180th anniversary of the Society in Ireland on Saturday, April 20, in Dublin's Convention Centre.

The event was attended by over 1,000 SVP members and volunteers from all around Ireland.

The programme reflected on the Society's history, current position in Irish Society and the future with its Young SVP programme as a core part.

Speakers on the day included Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and current Chair of the Elders, SVP International President Juan Manuel Buergo Gomez, and Kevin Cunningham, founder of Ireland Thinks.

There were also congratulations from President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Simon Harris, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Deputy First Minister Emma-Little Pengelly and former President of Ireland Mary McAleese.

Since its foundation in 1844, SVP has been serving the poorest and most vulnerable in Irish communities through the Famine in the 19th century, two World Wars, an Uprising, a Civil War, cycles of economic austerity and a pandemic.

Calls for assistance in 2023 reached over 250,000 which is more than double the number of calls 10 years ago. The first conference, St Michan's, was established in Dublin and from there the Society has spread through every one of the 32 counties meeting the needs of those who seek its help.

Rose McGowan, SVP national president in Ireland, said: "Throughout every period of change, our members have been a bedrock of support for hundreds of thousands of Irish people. And we should be proud of that.

"Offering a little help at the right time can give people great hope for the future. You show kindness towards people requesting your help. You also show compassion and empathy for people in difficult circumstances and approach their needs with discretion while being mindful of confidentiality and being respectful and non-judgmental

"Our country's strength is grounded in our ability to work together to solve problems and SVP will continue to fight for investment in our communities and services based on the dignity and human rights of all.

"As the largest charity organisation working with people affected by inequality, poverty and racism we can show leadership by lending our voice to those who promote a society built on respect, compassion and inclusion. We do not tolerate hatred or racism; everyone deserves to be helped and welcomed when in need."
Urgent action is needed from the Government over the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland to protect human and animal health, peers have said.

The House of Lords cross-party Windsor Framework Sub-Committee has written to Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker following its inquiry into the potential effect of the medicines becoming unavailable or restricted.

Human medicines are covered by the Windsor Framework, the revised Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

But veterinary medicines were not part of the deal and are instead covered by a grace period which expires on December 31 2025, after which EU rules apply.

The committee heard serious concerns that the loss of veterinary medicines may have consequences for public health in Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland.

The committee said it is estimated that around a third of veterinary medicines currently used in Northern Ireland are at risk of discontinuation.

Committee chairman Lord Jay of Ewelme said: This is an issue of vital importance which affects everyone, regardless of political hue.

The Government has spoken of the need to make rapid progress, and we are stressing the need for a positive and swift outcome within what is a tight timescale complicated by upcoming elections in the EU and UK.

We have set out some solutions proposed by our witnesses.

They were united on the importance of political will in resolving this crucial issue, and the urgency in doing so, and we endorse their call for talks leading to a mutually-agreed solution between the UK and the EU as soon as possible.

In his letter to Mr Baker, Lord Jay said industry experts had stressed to the committee the link between animal and human health.

Witnesses addressing the committee also told of the potential for serious economic effects on the farming and agriculture industry in the absence of a solution, with farmers potentially unable to sell their produce.

The committee said the letter underscored concerns of experts  including farmers, vets and industry representatives  that the full impact of EU rules may seriously restrict the range of veterinary medicines currently available, as well as the importation of vaccines vital for controlling disease.

It said a number of witnesses made clear that the rural economy is an essential part of the social fabric of Northern Ireland and anything which affects the viability of this industry may have serious social, as well as economic, consequences.

The committee said industry experts had stressed the link between animal and human health, particularly for food-producing animals.

Concerns were also voiced to the committee about the impact on the food supply chain  Northern Ireland supplies the UK with enough meat and dairy to feed 10 million people.

It said restrictions on the supply of veterinary products also have the potential to affect pets as well as show animals such as horses. If horses are not able to access relevant vaccinations, they could be unable to travel to competitions.

The committee has made a number of recommendations. It has asked the Government for:

 An updated assessment of the number of veterinary medicines at risk of being discontinued;

 Its analysis of the potential economic consequences linked to a reduction in the availability of veterinary medicines;

 Whether an assessment has been made of the potential of a reduction in veterinary medicines for human health and the food supply chain in Great Britain and Ireland;

 What progress has been made in reaching a solution with the EU.

A Government spokesperson said: We secured a grace period, which safeguards the supply of veterinary medicines through to the end of 2025.

We have also set up the Veterinary Medicines Working Group, which is making positive progress towards identifying the steps needed to secure supplies for the long term.

It is due to report in the coming months.
An increase in first-time registrations at the International Protection Office is not conclusive evidence that there are more asylum seekers coming into Ireland from Northern Ireland, a think tank has warned.

It comes as the Irish Department of Justice claimed that approximately 73% of asylum seekers are coming into the country through Northern Ireland.

Government officials, including Taoiseach Simon Harris and Justice Minister Helen McEntee, said an increase in the number of people presenting at the IPO office rather than Dublin Airport or other ports indicates there is a rise in asylum seekers coming over the land border.

An earlier claim by Ms McEntee that 80% of asylum seekers are coming into the country from Northern Ireland was questioned by human rights and refugee organisations, while deputy premier Micheal Martin said it was not based on evidence, statistics or data.

On Monday evening, the department told the PA news agency that 91% of applications at the IPO so far in 2024 were made there for the first time rather than an airport or other port.

It said that its operational assessment was that more than 80% of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This would equate to approximately 73% of all applications this year.

Refugee groups have cast doubt on the figure for the proportion of Northern Ireland arrivals while a think tank said a first-time registration rate of approximately 80% at the IPO would not be unusual compared with other years.

Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said: We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80% figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) also said that data on IPO presentations alone is not conclusive evidence of the route being used or the reason for applying in Ireland as there are many possible reasons why people might apply in-land rather than at the border.

The ESRI also said presentations at the IPO compared to ports have often fluctuated significantly.

While noting there is little research on what might drive those fluctuations, an ESRI spokeswoman said that between 2017 and 2021, the percentage of international protection applications made at the IPO fluctuated between 47.6% and 79.5%, with little discernible pattern.

The ESRI researcher also told the PA news agency that deflection effects of asylum seekers to neighbouring countries are most common in nationalities that have travelled to both countries.

The UK is seeing significant increases in asylum applications at the same time as Ireland, many from nationalities that are different to those applying in Ireland (although there are overlaps).

The report indicated that for nationalities that traditionally applied in both countries, there may be a deflection effect from the UK.

However, it is very difficult to determine where this is the case without primary data collection with international protection applicants, which this research did not undertake.

Ireland has historically had much lower asylum applications than other western EU countries in particular, as Ireland experienced a transition to a country of net immigration later than many other western EU countries.

In a statement, a Department of Justice spokeswoman said: It has long been the case that a significant number of people apply for international protection for the first time in the IPO.

This has increased in 2024. To date in 2024, there have been 6,739 applications for international protection at the IPO. Of these 6,136 (91%) were made at the IPO for the first time and not at a port of entry.

There are a number of circumstances in which someone might apply in the IPO without first applying at a port of entry.

They may enter at an airport with valid documentation for example but choose not to apply at that time. Or they may apply having been in the State for a period previously, for example on foot of a different permission to remain.

However, the departments firm assessment, based on the experience of staff and others working in the field, and based on the material gathered at interviews, is that over 80% of cases of those applying for the first time in the IPO have entered over the land border. This is the departments operational assessment of the situation.

It comes amid a row between the UK and Ireland over migrants travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, and into the Irish state.

Recently, the High Court ruled that Irelands decision to designate the UK as a safe third country was against EU law, in the context of the planned transfer of asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Ms McEntee is seeking Government approval on Tuesday for the rapid drafting of legislation which would again designate the UK as a safe country for returns.

The Department of Justice has been working on the legislation to recommence returns to the UK as a priority.

The proposal by Ms McEntee intends to ensure that returns to the UK will recommence once enacted.

This follows the ministers decision last week to extend fast processing to whatever country has the highest number of applicants  currently Nigeria.

The department expects that this will have an immediate impact as applicants receive their decisions on a reduced timeline under the fast-track system.

Ms McEntee will also update Cabinet on her ongoing engagement around the steps being taken to prevent abuses of the common travel area with the UK.

She will provide an update on co-operation between gardai and the PSNI.

The minister announced last month that her department would take over the immigration registration function from the gardai, freeing up 100 additional members for frontline enforcement work, including around deportations.
Celltrion USA signs agreement with Express Scripts for its therapy for autoimmune diseases including the first FDA-approved subcutaneous infliximab ZYMFENTRAtm





JERSEY CITY, N.J., April 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Celltrion USA announced today that it has signed an agreement with Express Scripts, one of the nation's leading pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) negotiating on behalf of health plans covering more than 100 million people. The agreement, effective April 4, 2024 provides ZYMFENTRA Preferred Brand Access on the Express Scripts National Preferred Formulary serving 21.9 Million insured lives. Express Scripts provides plan participants such as Health Plans of the PBM the ability to add ZYMFENTRAtm (infliximab-dyyb) to their formularies.

"This agreement opens up an important pathway for access to treatment for millions of patients with chronic diseases," said Francine Galante, Vice President of Market Access at Celltrion USA. "We will continue to work with providers, patients and physicians to build upon our mission of developing transformational therapies that meet the needs of our patients living with chronic debilitating pain."

Celltrion's ZYMFENTRA, the first and only FDA-approved subcutaneous infliximab is now commercially available in the U.S.

The company continues to engage with national and regional health plans, as well as Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), to communicate the value of its FDA-approved therapies including ZYMFENTRA for patients with autoimmune disease and to secure broad coverage.

About Celltrion USA

Celltrion USA is Celltrion's U.S. subsidiary established in 2018. Headquartered in New Jersey, Celltrion USA is committed to expanding access to innovative biologics to improve care for U.S. patients. Celltrion currently has five biosimilars approved by the U.S. FDA: INFLECTRA?(infliximab-dyyb), TRUXIMA?(rituximab-abbs), HERZUMA?(trastuzumab-pkrb), VEGZELMA?(bevacizumab-adcd), and YUFLYMA(adalimumab-aaty) as well as a new biologic ZYMFENTRAtm. Celltrion USA will continue to leverage Celltrion's unique heritage in biotechnology, supply chain excellence, and best-in-class sales capabilities to improve access to high-quality biopharmaceuticals for U.S. patients. For more information, please visit: www.celltrionusa.com/.

About ZYMFENTRAtm (infliximab-dyyb)[1]

ZYMFENTRA is a prescription medicine used as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection) by adults for the maintenance treatment of: moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis following treatment with an infliximab product given by intravenous infusion (IV), moderately to severely active Crohn's disease following treatment with an infliximab product given by intravenous infusion (IV). ZYMFENTRA blocks the action of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a protein that can be overproduced in response to certain diseases and cause the immune system to attack normal, healthy parts of the body.

ZYMFENTRAtm (infliximab-dyyb) was approved by the FDA through the Biologics License Application (BLA) under the 351 (a) pathway of the Public Health Service Act (a "stand-alone" BLA). ZYMFENTRA is considered a new biologic with a first-approved subcutaneous administration form and thus will be under patent protection for its dosage form by 2037 and for its route of administration by 2040.

[1] Zymfentra Prescribing Information

Contacts

Sarah Amundsen

[email protected]

+1 920-946-0918

SOURCE Celltrion USA

28 april 2024 at 19:34

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Gaza, April 29 (UNI) At least 15 Palestinians were killed Sunday night in Israeli airstrikes on three residential buildings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported on Monday.

Many others were still trapped under the rubble, local sources told Xinhua, adding that civil defense crews were working to rescue them.

The Israeli army killed 66 Palestinians and wounded 138 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 34,454 and injuries to 77,575 since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

UNI/XINHUA GNK
CNNC Champions Nuclear Energy at 26th World Energy Congress in Rotterdam





ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- During the 26th World Energy Congress (WEC) held from April 22-25 in Rotterdam, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) showcased its leadership in driving the global nuclear energy sector forward. This year marked the 100th anniversary of the WEC, a pivotal platform for discussing energy solutions worldwide.

At The WEC, hosted by the World Energy Council, Yu Jianfeng, Chairman of CNNC, emphasized China's commitment to nuclear energy as a crucial part of the global energy transition. "Currently, the world economy is gradually recovering, and the energy industry is accelerating its green and low-carbon transition. Developing nuclear energy has become a broad consensus of the world", said Yu at a themed side meeting of the congress held by the CNCC. "As a promoter and practitioner of global nuclear energy development, China attaches great importance to the development of nuclear energy and promotes the safe and orderly development of nuclear power."

Currently, China has 55 operational nuclear power units, with an additional 36 units approved or under construction. Its total installed capacity ranks second globally and its construction scale has maintained the top position for several years. However, nuclear power accounts for only 4.7% of China's total electricity generation, indicating significant space for further development. Yu also pointed out that as a leading enterprise in China's nuclear industry, CNNC will actively deepen bilateral and multilateral nuclear energy cooperation.

At the WEC, CNNC participated in various discussions, including a roundtable with Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The discussions focused on advancing nuclear technology and enhancing the global nuclear supply chain for broader societal benefits.

CNNC also revealed its latest nuclear research facilities at the 17th China International Nuclear Industry Exhibition, further demonstrating its role as a comprehensive provider of nuclear energy solutions. The corporation's one-stop service approach in design, construction, and technical services positions it as a key player in the global nuclear industry. Sama Bilbao y Leon, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, along with other international experts, praised CNNC's contributions to the nuclear sector.

As the world transitions to cleaner energy sources, CNNC continues to innovate and lead in the nuclear power sector, supporting global efforts towards sustainable energy development, and remains committed to advancing nuclear energy as a safe, reliable, and sustainable energy source, contributing significantly to global carbon reduction goals.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2399451/Source_CNNC.jpg

28 april 2024 at 22:12

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PROTEINA Initiates Global Clinical Validation Project with Emory University School of Medicine, USA





PROTEINA announced today that it has held a kickoff meeting with Professor Janghee Woo and his research team at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, to begin global clinical validation of its flagship product, PPI PathFinder BCL2 Dx.

PPI PathFinder BCL2 Dx incorporates PROTEINA's "SPID (Single-molecule Protein Interaction Detection)" technology, enabling high-sensitivity detection of protein-protein interaction (PPI) complexes of BCL2 family proteins and more accurate prediction of any PPI inhibitors targeting the BCL2 family. In this clinical validation, PPI PathFinder BCL2 Dx will be used to predict drug responsiveness in patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), providing clinicians with guidance for more effective prescriptions of the widespread BCL2-targeted cancer drug "Venetoclax."

PROTEINA has previously conducted clinical validation of the same product domestically with the Hematologic Cancer Team at Seoul National University, and the findings are scheduled to be soon published in a high-profile scientific journal, Nature Biomedical Engineering, later this year.

Starting in May, PROTEINA will transport its Pi-View analysis device and related reagents to labs at Emory. Dr. Janghee Woo, a hematologist at Emory, has spearheaded a translational research laboratory focused on deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying hematological malignancies to improve clinical outcomes. This endeavor entails the collection and examination of several hundred AML samples to investigate the molecular intricacies of the disease and pinpoint biomarkers linked to therapeutic response. PROTEINA and Dr. Woo's research team will analyze these samples using the PPI PathFinder BCL2 Dx to validate its clinical efficacy.

Dr. Janghee Woo expressed optimism, stating, "This project will not only validate the clinical efficacy of the PPI PathFinder but also allow for collaboration across various fields through the expansion of solutions to further indications of Venetoclax."

PROTEINA's CEO, Tae-Young Yoon, remarked, "Having successfully completed domestic clinical validation in South Korea over the past two years, we are very excited about this large-scale clinical validation in the United States. We are committed to diligently completing the validation process as this would represent the first step towards wide use of PROTEINA SPID platform in providing PPI biomarkers for the emerging class of PPI-modulating drugs."

Furthermore, through this project, PROTEINA aims to enhance the technological competitiveness of PPI PathFinder and the SPID platform and plans to supply the solution to overseas CLIA-certified labs based on the results of this exploratory clinical study.

About PROTEINA

Founded in 2015 in Seoul, PROTEINA is a leader in proteomics, enhancing drug research with its innovative Single-molecule Protein Interaction Detection (SPID) technology. This platform provides exceptional sensitivity for detecting protein-protein interactions, essential for pharmaceutical R&D. Serving top pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions worldwide, PROTEINA's technology advances understanding of human biology, supporting modern healthcare solutions. With collaborations across Europe and North America, PROTEINA delivers insights that propel drug development and proteomic research.

29 april 2024 at 00:20

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Valtech Completes Acquisition of Kin + Carta





Valtech, the global leader in Experience Innovation, has today completed its acquisition of the digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta. This strategic investment cements Valtech's position as the first-choice business transformation partner. It enables the company to better support Fortune 500 and household-name brands looking to meet changing consumer expectations, build strong technology foundations, and drive sustainable growth through world-class experiences.

"Valtech's vision has always been to become the world's most influential Experience Innovation company. This acquisition marks a pivotal moment in achieving that," said Olivier Padiou, CEO of Valtech. "By bringing Kin + Carta's extensive expertise and client roster into the fold, we enter a new and exciting era. This means helping brands set new standards with intelligent and personalised experiences, powered by data and AI, that touch lives, grow businesses, and change how people experience the world."

"As two purpose-driven companies, it felt natural for Valtech and Kin + Carta to join forces," added Kelly Manthey, CEO of Kin + Carta. "With clear cultural alignment, complementary capabilities, and a shared vision for our industry, we are much stronger together. Our clients and technology partners will see the immediate benefits of a better, broader range of services. Our people will benefit from expanded career opportunities."

The transaction, valued at 239m, is funded by a combination of shareholder equity and external debt and sees Kin + Carta delisted from the London Stock Exchange. Kelly Manthey, Kin + Carta CEO, will become CEO of Valtech Americas and Chris Kutsor, Kin + Carta CFO, will take the role of Valtech Americas CFO, both effective immediately. Kelly and Chris will also join Valtech's Executive Committee.

To date, Valtech's growth strategy has focused on strong organic growth paired with acquiring specialist companies with complementary strengths. This has enabled it to deliver unmatched breadth and depth in its Experience Innovation offering. Acquiring Kin + Carta is a key milestone, as the transaction will bring Valtech close to delivering 1B USD in revenue. The acquisition is Valtech's biggest investment in the Experience Innovation category and cements its leadership position.

Better together

This strategic acquisition will catapult Valtech to the forefront of Experience Innovation as it fuses cutting-edge technology, consultancy, and creative design to redefine what's possible for businesses across all sectors and disciplines.

By bringing together two recognised leaders in their respective fields, the combined force of Valtech and Kin + Carta will unlock the following for clients and partners:

Global scale: Kin + Carta's sizeable footprint in the US and UK, alongside its LATAM and SEE delivery centres, further strengthens Valtech's presence in critical growth markets and adds 1,900+ consultants, engineers, and data scientists to its 6,000-strong global team.

Kin + Carta's sizeable footprint in the US and UK, alongside its LATAM and SEE delivery centres, further strengthens Valtech's presence in critical growth markets and adds 1,900+ consultants, engineers, and data scientists to its 6,000-strong global team. Increased vertical reach: Valtech broadens its retail, finance, automotive and public sector portfolio and reaches new clients in agriculture and other verticals.

Valtech broadens its retail, finance, automotive and public sector portfolio and reaches new clients in agriculture and other verticals. End-to-end delivery: Valtech strengthens its digital engineering, commerce, and experience design expertise with Kin + Carta's cloud, product development, data, and enterprise AI capabilities.

Valtech strengthens its digital engineering, commerce, and experience design expertise with Kin + Carta's cloud, product development, data, and enterprise AI capabilities. Expanded offerings: Together, Valtech and Kin + Carta can cross-sell a more robust suite of offerings and jointly pursue larger strategic engagements. Moreover, Kin + Carta adds America's largest automotive manufacturer, top financial institutions, top retailers and distributors (among others) to Valtech's portfolio.

Driving value for clients

"This deal represents a strategic acceleration of our vision," added Padiou. "Experience Innovation calls for a comprehensive strategy that seamlessly integrates and coordinates investments in four critical domains: cloud platforms, data and AI, app modernisation, and customer-facing digital channels to create world-class customer experiences that drive sustainable growth."

"At Valtech, we think about these domains as existing along an 'innovation continuum'," said Padiou. "Our focus on this virtuous cycle sets us apart from other organisations. We understand that for business to truly evolve, we cannot just fix individual problems but must modernise and change whole ecosystems."

Valtech's approach allows clients to create more seamless, adaptable and personalised customer experiences. By tying all the pieces together and making sure each domain supports the others, Valtech's work doesn't just have an immediate business impact but also leads to long-term growth.

Given Kin + Carta's deep expertise in cloud platforms, data, and AI, Valtech will be able to work more seamlessly across the full innovation continuum, delivering truly transformative business solutions that push the boundaries of what's possible in the industry. This creates a powerful force multiplier for innovation and growth.

About Valtech

Valtech is the Experience Innovation company that exists to unlock a better way to experience the world. With a focus on delivering exceptional business results, we empower brands to leap ahead of the competition and go beyond best practices. By blending crafts, categories, and cultures, our team of 6000 professionals in 23 countries help brands unlock value in a digitally accelerated world. It's at the intersection of insights and perspectives where we leverage the power of data, AI, creativity, and technology to achieve Experience Innovation for many of the world's best-known brands, including L'Oreal, LVMH, Mars, P&G, Volkswagen, and Dolby. See our work at Valtech.com.

About Kin + Carta

Kin + Carta is a global digital transformation consultancy. We support forward-thinking businesses with a focus on growth, inclusivity, and sustainability. We do this by creating Intelligent Experiences, powered by data and built in the cloud.

Our 1,900 consultants, engineers, and data scientists bring the power of technology, data, and experience to the world's most influential companies. Together, we help organisations accelerate their digital roadmaps, rapidly innovate, modernise systems, empower teams, and optimise for continued growth.

We're Kin + Carta and we're building a world that works better for everyone.

For more information, visit www.kinandcarta.com.

29 april 2024 at 02:35

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The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announce more than $3,1 M for the multifunctional cultural centre in Beaconsfield





BEACONSFIELD, QC, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Francis Scarpaleggia, Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Louis, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, and Karine Boivin Roy, Member for Anjou-Louis-Riel, on behalf of Mathieu Lacombe, Minister of Culture and Communications, Minister responsible for Youth and Minister responsible for the Outaouais region, announced a joint investment of $3,109,608 for the library of the multifunctional cultural centre in Beaconsfield.

The project involves the construction of the library of the new multifunctional centre which, under the one-stop-shop concept, will combine all services in one location and serve as a major cultural hub and gathering place for Beaconsfield residents. This new infrastructure will provide its users with state-of-the-art equipment and technologies.

Quotes

"The federal government is proud to announce funding for the new multifunctional cultural centre, which will provide Beaconsfield residents with access to facilities adapted to their needs. By building modern infrastructure that houses cultural and community initiatives such as those that will be offered at the multifunctional cultural centre, we are ensuring that culture is at the forefront and preserved for years to come."

Francis Scarpaleggia, Member of Parliament for Lac-Saint-Louis, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

"The Government of Quebec is very pleased to announce this great library project which will be part of the new multifunctional cultural center in Beaconsfield. Combining accessibility and efficiency, with its concept of a one-stop shop for all services, with gathering and cultural influence, this project will allow the municipality of Beaconsfield to offer new facilities and cutting edge of technology equipment to all its residents."

Karine Boivin Roy, deputee d'Anjou-Louis-Riel, on behalf of Mathieu Lacombe, Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications, Minister Responsible for Youth and Minister Responsible for the Abitibi-Temiscamingue and the Outaouais Regions

"We are very grateful to the Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada for this contribution which will allow our city to carry out such an important project. This redeveloped site will be an invaluable addition to our community and we look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to our residents and visitors."

His Worship Georges Bourelle, Mayor of Beaconsfield

Quick Facts

The federal government is investing $1,554,804 in this project under the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, while the Government of Quebec is also contributing $1,554,804 . The City of Beaconsfield is contributing $18,808,503 .

in this project under the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Infrastructure Program, while the Government of is also contributing . The City of Beaconsfield is contributing . Projects under this federal stream support improvements to cultural infrastructure, upgrades to recreational facilities, and improve community infrastructure.

The Quebec governments Aide au developpement des infrastructures culturelles program has a budget of $100 million .

governments Aide au developpement des infrastructures culturelles program has a budget of . The organizations it funds are also subsidized under the Invest in Canada infrastructure program and the Integrated Bilateral Agreement, which implements this federal program in Quebec and sets out the terms, obligations and commitments of the parties.

infrastructure program and the Integrated Bilateral Agreement, which implements this federal program in and sets out the terms, obligations and commitments of the parties. Including today's announcement, 210 infrastructure projects under the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream have been funded in Quebec , with a total federal contribution of more than $280 million and a total provincial contribution of nearly $265 million .

, with a total federal contribution of more than and a total provincial contribution of nearly . Under the Investing in Canada Plan, the federal government is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada's rural and northern communities.

Plan, the federal government is investing more than over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and rural and northern communities. Infrastructure Canada helps address complex challenges that Canadians face every day?ranging from the rapid growth of our cities, to climate change, and environmental threats to our water and land.

helps address complex challenges that Canadians face every day?ranging from the rapid growth of our cities, to climate change, and environmental threats to our water and land. The Plan Quebecois des Infrastructures 2021-2034 calls for investments of $153 billion , including $2.2 billion for the Culture sector aimed in particular at supporting real estate assets and the establishment of infrastructure cultural in our regions.

Associated Links:

Investing in Canada: Canada's Long-Term Infrastructure Plan

https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-publication-pic-eng.html

Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream

https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/icp-pic-INFC-eng.html

Federal infrastructure investments in Quebec

https://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/prog-proj-qc-eng.html

Programme d'aide au developpement des infrastructures culturelles [FR]

https://www.quebec.ca/culture/aide-financiere/immobilisations/aide-developpement-infrastructures-culturelles

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Web: Infrastructure Canada

SOURCE Infrastructure Canada

29 april 2024 at 10:29

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Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine Announces Founding Dean and Location in Downtown New Orleans at Benson Tower





The future HBCU medical school will be an anchor of the BioDistrict, helping to grow the city's economy, train more physicians and bring healthcare diversity to the Gulf South

NEW ORLEANS, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Xavier University of Louisiana (Xavier), a leading undergraduate institution in preparing Black students to successfully complete medical school, has announced continued progress with Ochsner Health (Ochsner), the Gulf South's leading academic medical center in training physicians, to launch their transformational Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM). This groundbreaking partnership marks a significant milestone in advancing medical education by addressing health disparities in diverse communities and helping fulfill the urgent need for more physicians in Louisiana and the nation. The new medical school will be in the burgeoning BioDistrict New Orleans, located downtown in Benson Tower next to Caesars Superdome.

"With the establishment of the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine, Ochsner and Xavier aim to address long-standing health disparities and foster stronger, healthier communities in pursuit of the mission to promote a more just and humane society gifted to Xavier nearly 100 years ago by our foundress, St. Katharine Drexel and her Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament," said Dr. Reynold Verret, President of Xavier University of Louisiana. "Our partnership with Ochsner affirms our commitment to advancing health equity and excellence. XOCOM will provide cutting-edge medical training and biomedical research and, through a culture of mentorship and leadership, empower our students to be agents of change in healthcare."

At a XOCOM signing celebration on April 29, 2024, Xavier and Ochsner officials announced that Dr. Leonardo Seoane, MD, FACP, Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of Ochsner Health, will serve as the new HBCU medical school's founding dean.

"Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine was born from a truly collaborative vision between Xavier University of Louisiana and Ochsner Health. It epitomizes our collective dedication to providing academic excellence in training the next generation of physicians, while fostering healthcare equity in New Orleans and throughout the United States," said Dr. Seoane, Dean of Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine. "By addressing the critical shortage of physicians in standing up this HBCU medical school in the Gulf South, XOCOM will pursue diversity in medicine and ensure equitable representation in healthcare to better serve our communities for generations to come."

The announcement follows votes by the Xavier University of Louisiana Board of Trustees and the Ochsner Health Board of Directors in February to approve the formation of the new medical school. On Monday, officials announced XOCOM's founding board of directors, which includes Xavier and Ochsner appointees:

C. Reynold Verret , PhD, President, Xavier University of Louisiana

, PhD, President, Pete November , CEO, Ochsner Health

, CEO, Ochsner Health Trevonne M. Thompson , M.D., FAAEM, FACEP, FACMT, Associate Dean, Admissions, University of Illinois College of Medicine

, M.D., FAAEM, FACEP, FACMT, Associate Dean, Admissions, College of Medicine Matthew Block , Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Ochsner Health

, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Ochsner Health Gary C. Butts, M.D., Executive Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Mount Sinai Health System

Veronica Gillispie-Bell, M.D., MAS, FACOG, Senior Site Lead and Section Head, Women's Services, Ochsner Kenner; Medical Director of Quality, Women's Services, Ochsner Health; Medical Director of Minimally Invasive Center for Treatment of Uterine Fibroids, Ochsner Health; Associate Professor, Ochsner Clinical School

Gregory N. Rattler Sr., Managing Director, JP Morgan Chase

Deborah Grimes , RN, JD, MSHQS, Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Ochsner Health

Slated to be the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) medical school in the Gulf South when it opens, XOCOM expands opportunities for New Orleans' downtown area as part of the BioDistrict, a development district that is growing biosciences and the local economy. As XOCOM advances healthcare equity and expands the physician workforce in the Gulf South, the medical school will also help the BioDistrict lead the region in healthcare excellence and promote inclusive, equitable job growth.

"Ochsner Health is committed to meeting the needs of the diverse communities we serve, and we are honored to continue our work with Xavier University of Louisiana to improve the health and wellbeing of New Orleans, our state and region," said Pete November, CEO, Ochsner Health. "By providing excellent training to more diverse physicians so they may better serve our communities, we are not only investing in the future of healthcare, but also in the long-term prosperity and wellness for our many neighbors, friends and family members throughout the Gulf South."

Reimagination of Healthcare to Improve Outcomes

Through the establishment of XOCOM, Xavier and Ochsner aspire to redefine the landscape of medicine by nurturing a new cadre of physicians who authentically mirror the communities they serve. XOCOM's vision is to unleash the power of diversity, transform medical education, and train compassionate physician scientists who will champion inclusivity and excellence in medicine.

XOCOM will boast state-of-the-art medical technology and facilities, providing students with immersive learning experiences and hands-on training opportunities. The curriculum will emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration, clinical proficiency, and compassionate patient care, equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge to address the complex healthcare challenges of the 21st century.

Xavier University of Louisiana will seek approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The new medical school, XOCOM, will seek preliminary accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). Accreditation is expected to take about three years and will be followed by recruitment. XOCOM aims to seat 50 students in the first class, and the medical school will continue to grow as it develops.

When it opens, the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine will join the nation's four existing historically Black medical schools: Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

Research shows an urgent need for this HBCU College of Medicine, as the demand for diverse doctors is expected to grow considerably. Every year, 25% of the incoming interns in the National Resident Matching Program come from foreign medical schools because there are not enough U.S. Medical School graduates. The Association of American Medical Colleges has projected a total shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. Louisiana is projected to rank third nationally for a shortage of physicians by 2030, with rural and underserved communities expected to be impacted the most. Black doctors make up just 5.7% of the nation's physicians, but Black populations account for 13.6% of U.S. residents. And while Hispanic doctors only account for 6.9% of the workforce, Hispanic people make up the largest minority population at 19%.

Studies show representation in medicine truly matters. A 2022 report in the National Library of Medicine emphasized that diversity in medicine plays a crucial role in enhancing health outcomes, as it improves quality access to health care services and fosters patient trust.

Working Together in the BioDistrict

Xavier and Ochsner are uniquely qualified to open a new HBCU medical school. For decades, Xavier, one of the country's top ranked HBCUs, has produced more Black students who achieve medical degrees and doctorates in the health sciences than any other higher education institution in the nation. Ochsner has a history of investing in communities and health equity, and demonstrated experience training physicians, annually instructing over 330 residents and fellows through graduate medical education.

Ochsner and Xavier's partnership began in the 1980s with the College of Pharmacy, which ranks among the top in the nation in producing Black graduates with Doctor of Pharmacy degrees. More recently, the two institutions partnered to create a Physician Assistant (PA) program, new graduate programs in health sciences and the Ochsner Health and Xavier University Institute for Health Equity and Research (OXIHER).

Working together in the BioDistrict, leaders in economic development, higher education, business, and nonprofits are creating a vibrant, authentic, and engaging place where industry and the community convene to tackle global challenges in health and wellness. The BioDistrict will drive the regional economy through strategic investments, grow the city's biosciences and health innovation ecosystem, and create jobs and economic opportunities for New Orleanians.

By anchoring their partnership with the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM), Xavier and Ochsner will advance healthcare excellence, bring new opportunities to marginalized populations and create stellar medical education for future generations.

To learn more, please visit www.xula.edu and www.ochsner.org.

SOURCE Ochsner Health

29 april 2024 at 16:11

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Students continue to maintain a protest encampment at Columbia University in support of Palestinians, in New York City, US, April 28, 2024. CAITLIN OCHS / REUTERS

Student demonstrators at Columbia University on Monday, April 29, defied an ultimatum to disperse or face immediate suspension, as tensions rose at the epicenter of pro-Palestinian protests that have erupted at US colleges.

Police arrested around 275 people on four separate campuses across the United States over the weekend, with the White House calling on the demonstrations to remain peaceful. Authorities at Columbia in New York issued a statement on Monday saying the protestors' encampment must be cleared, and adding that the university would not divest financial holdings linked to Israel  a key demand of demonstrators.

Columbia University, which said many Jewish students have left its campus, on Monday demanded that the protestors' encampment must be cleared, and added that Columbia would not divest financial holdings linked to Israel  a key demand of demonstrators. Students pushed back, vowing to defend their camp on the New York institution's main lawn, despite the threat of suspensions and disciplinary action from the college.

Read more Subscribers only US campus protests for Gaza turn into electoral trap for Biden

Protests against the Gaza war, with its high civilian death toll among Palestinian civilians, have posed a challenge to university administrators trying to balance free speech rights with complaints that the rallies have veered into anti-Semitism and threats of violence.

"Many of our Jewish students, and other students as well, have found the atmosphere intolerable in recent weeks. Many have left campus, and that is a tragedy," said Columbia University president Minouche Shafik in a statement announcing talks had broken down. "Anti-Semitic language and actions are unacceptable and calls for violence are simply abhorrent. One group's rights to express their views cannot come at the expense of another group's right to speak, teach, and learn."

Read more Police break up pro-Palestinian protest at Sorbonne university

Protest organizers deny accusations of anti-Semitism, arguing that their actions are aimed at the Israeli government and its prosecution of the conflict in Gaza. They also insist the more threatening incidents have been engineered by non-student agitators.

One student protest group called for demonstrators to gather on Monday "to protect the encampment" ahead of a reported 2:00 pm deadline to clear the tents or face disciplinary action.

Read more Subscribers only Columbia University deeply fractured by war in Gaza

The university had been in talks since last week with protest leaders over clearing the encampment but "regretfully we were not able to come to an agreement," said Shafik. The university said it offered to speed up a review of student proposals for divestment and to improve transparency.
People take part in a protest against a bill on "foreign agents" in Tbilisi, Georgia, on April 28, 2024. IRAKLI GEDENIDZE / REUTERS

Some 20,000 Georgians staged a "March for Europe" on Sunday, April 28, calling on the government to scrap a controversial "foreign influence" bill that the European Union has warned would undermine Tbilisi's European aspirations. There have been mass anti-government protests since mid-April, when the ruling Georgian Dream party reintroduced plans to pass a law critics say resembles Russian legislation used to silence dissent.

Waves of similar street protests  during which police used tear gas and water cannons against demonstrators  forced the party to drop a similar measure in 2023. Police have again clashed with protesters during the latest rallies.

On Sunday evening  before staging what organizers called a "March for Europe"  at least 20,000 people turned out at Tbilisi's central Republic Square, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) estimate. The kilometer-long procession, which featured a huge EU flag at its head, stretched out along Tbilisi's main thoroughfare toward the parliament. "I am here to protect Georgia's European future," said 19-year-old Lasha Chkheidze. "No to Russia, no to the Russian law, yes to Europe."

Read more Subscribers only Georgia split over draft law targeting press freedom inspired by Moscow

The rally was organized by around 100 Georgian rights groups and opposition parties, which have until now kept a low profile at the youth-dominated daily protests. "The authorities, which have reintroduced the Russian bill, are going beyond the constitutional framework and changing the country's orientation, betraying the unwavering will of the people," the organizers said in a statement.

At one point during the largely peaceful rally, demonstrators attempted to break through a police cordon outside the parliament building to hoist an EU flag there, an AFP journalist witnessed. Police used pepper spray without warning.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that "the protest turned violent" and that "demonstrators physically and verbally confronted law enforcement." Past midnight, hundreds of riot police were deployed in the area.

'Further away from EU'

To counter days of anti-government protests, Georgia's ruling party announced its own rally on Monday, when a parliamentary committee is set to hold a second reading of the bill.

If adopted, the law would require any independent NGO and media organization receiving more than 20% of its funding from abroad to register as an "organization pursuing the interests of a foreign power." Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili  who is at loggerheads with the ruling party  has said she will veto the law.

Read more Subscribers only Georgia President Salome Zourabichvili: 'Russia has already lost in many respects'

But Georgian Dream holds a commanding majority in the legislature, allowing it to pass laws and to vote down a presidential veto without needing the support of any opposition MPs.

Georgia's bid for membership in the EU and NATO is enshrined in its constitution and  according to opinion polls  supported by more than 80% of the population. Georgian Dream insists it is staunchly pro-European and that the proposed law aims only to "boost transparency" of the foreign funding of NGOs.

But critics accuse it of steering the former Soviet republic toward closer ties with Russia. "This law, as well as this government, are incompatible with Georgia's historic choice to be an EU member," the leader of the opposition Akhali party, Nika Gvaramia, told AFP at the protest.

EU chief Charles Michel has said the bill "is not consistent" with Georgia's bid for EU membership. It "will bring Georgia further away from the EU and not closer," he said. In December, the EU granted Georgia official candidate status.

But before membership talks can be formally launched, Tbilisi will have to reform its judicial and electoral systems, reduce political polarisation, improve press freedom and curtail the power of oligarchs, said Brussels.

Once seen as leading the democratic transformation of ex-Soviet countries, Georgia has in recent years been criticized for perceived democratic backsliding.

Read more Georgia: The absurd persecution of Mikheil Saakashvili
US TV host and comedian Conan OBrien has made his Irish TV series debut after tracing his family roots in Limerick - with the help of a local man.

Ros na Runs village rogue and publican, Tadhg O Direain is faced with a feisty delivery man whos having none of Tadhgs arrogant nonsense.

Standing his ground, Conan OBrien, the new Ros na Run delivery man is certainly no push over for Tadhg, as a war of words is declared between the two in Tigh Thaidhg.

On the set, Conan was helped by Limericks very own Kevin Hussey, the series production assistant and Irish language consultant.

Kevin helped the comedian with the Gaeilge and Irish phenetics, as well as with cue cards for his lines.

Loyal fans of Irelands only rural based TV drama will have to watch on April 30 at 8.30pm to see if the publican Tadhg throws Conan out of his pub.

Conan OBrien and HBO Max visited Ireland in January to record one of their unique travel shows as part of the Conan OBrien Must Go series. His primary focus was to trace his family roots in Limerick while taking in some of Irelands most unique features.

For his travel show, Conan Without Borders, the comedian made his way to Galbally, where he explained that his great-grandfather was from, before leaving in the 1870s.

READ MORE: Spelling champion Darragh is made of the write stuff

At the time of his visit, he also shared on social media that he was working with Limerick Genealogy to trace his roots while in the country.

Ros na Run Series Producer, Marion Ni Loingsigh and her production team were thrilled to cast Conan OBrien upon his request.

Never shy of a challenge, Ros na Run scriptwriters, producers and directors created a fun script for the world-famous comedian.

Ros na Run is broadcasted twice-weekly on Tuesday and Thursday at 8.30pm on TG4 with an omnibus on Sunday evening at 7.30pm and is also available on the TG4 and RTE players.
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THE Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) held its Donor Award Ceremony at the Greenhills Hotel on Ennis Road, Limerick, honouring remarkable individuals from Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, and Kerry.

These dedicated blood donors received awards for their significant contributions, reaching the milestone of 50 and 100 blood donations.

Grace OSullivan, area manager for the IBTS, opened the evening, expressing her gratitude: "We warmly welcome everyone gathered here tonight to celebrate the selfless acts of our donors, whose contributions empower us to save countless lives every day."

Cllr Gerald Mitchell, Mayor of Limerick City and County, congratulated the awardees. "It is an honour to be here to recognize the incredible generosity of our community's donors. Your dedication not only sustains lives but uplifts the spirit of our entire community," he remarked.

During the event, donors who had reached their 50th donation were awarded the gold blood drop, while those achieving their 100th donation received the prestigious pelican award.

The evening also included a poignant moment as a guest speaker shared how blood donations had critically supported her familys health, deeply moving the audience with her heartfelt story.

The event highlighted the on-going necessity for donations, emphasizing that blood is perishable and constant replenishment is essential to maintain a stable national supply.

Prospective donors and those interested in contributing again are encouraged to visit www.giveblood.ie or call 1800 222 111 for more information on clinic locations, dates, and how to make appointments.
Coromandel begins project work for Rs 1,000 cr Phosphoric, Sulphuric Acid plants in AP

Chennai, Apr 29 (UNI) Coromandel International Limited, Indias leading agri solutions provider,

has commenced the project activity to set up its Phosphoric Acid-Sulphuric Acid complex facility

at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh.

With an estimated outlay of Rs 1000 crores, the project is expected to be commissioned in two

years time, a company release here on Monday said.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held a few days back in the presence of Company Executive

Chairman, Arun Alagappan, in which Mr. S. Sankarasubramanian, Executive Director, Nutrient

Business signed key contracts with global technology partners.

The proposed 650 ton per day (tpd) Phosphoric Acid facility is designed with advanced DA-HF

(Dihydrate Attack-Hemihydrate Filtration) process technology and automated DCS system. This

will enhance companys backward integration capacities and provide stable supplies of phosphoric

acid for its fertiliser manufacturing by replacing more than 50% of Kakinada plants imported acid

requirement.

The Company also plans to set up an 1800 tpd Sulphuric Acid Plant to meet the captive needs in

phosphoric acid manufacturing, besides augmenting power from the waste heat generation.

Phosphoric acid and Sulphuric acid are used as key intermediates for manufacturing Phosphatic

fertilizers like DAP and NPKs, the release said.

Currently, companys fertilizer plants at Visakhapatnam and Ennore are fully integrated with captive

Sulphuric and Phosphoric acid facilities and the proposed expansion plan at Kakinada will make

this unit also an integrated complex.

With a capacity of around 2 million tons, the Kakinada plant is the Indias second largest phosphatic

fertiliser facility and contributes close to 15% of nations NPK fertilizer output. The plant facility also

acts as a habitat for countless diverse species of birds, while greatly contributing to biodiversity and

conservation of the ecosystem.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Arun Alagappan said "This investment signifies a pivotal moment in

Coromandel's journey towards strengthening its self-sufficiency goals in fertiliser manufacturing. Over the past few years, we have been building our upstream supply chain with investments in mining project and creating intermediate products capacity at Visakhapatnam for Phosphoric and Sulphuric acid."

The proposed Plant in Kakinada will be built on par with the best technology standards globally and

enable stable supplies of phosphatic fertilisers to the farming community.

This is in line with Governments vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat in fertiliser sector besides creating

employment opportunities in the state of Andhra Pradesh, he said.

The company is also exploring investment support from the State and Central Governments, which

can improve the project viability and ensure supply security for key raw materials used in fertiliser

manufacturing.

During the event, Coromandel signed contracts with technology partners M/s Prayon, Belgium for

DA-HF process technology for Phosphoric Acid manufacturing and with M/s MECS, USA for DCDA

process technology for Sulphuric Acid manufacturing.

The Company also signed a contract with M/s thyssenkrupp UHDE for Detailed Engineering of both

Phosphoric Acid and Sulphuric Acid projects.

UNI GV 1905
SINN FEIN Senator Paul Gavan has pledged if elected to the European Parliament, he will make it relevant to everyday people - and remain visible in Limerick.

The Castleconnell man, bidding to become Limericks first MEP in 20 years, launched his election campaign with party president Mary Lou McDonald in at the Strand Hotel in the city centre.

My first aim is to ensure a real strong visible representation for the people of Munster and Ireland South. I dont think we have that. We need someone to connect the fact really important legislation which governs all our lives is made in Europe, and I dont see the accountability, Mr Gavan said.

A senator for the last eight years and a trade union official before that, the Sinn Fein candidate pledged to be back in Limerick on a regular basis.

I will be visible. I wont be heading into the midsts of Europe to reappear like Bobby Ewing in five years time out the shower. Ill be back every weekend. Ill be holding meetings, information sessions and campaigning with people here, he added.

Part of the reason the European Parliament doesnt have the level of importance it needs to have is because the representation has not been there. We need MEPs who are going to be visible and I think there is a complete disconnect at the moment, added Mr Gavan.

Sinn Fein is running two candidates in Ireland South - a vast constituency serving the Munster counties plus Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow.

Mr Gavan is joined on the partys ticket by Carlow-Kilkenny TD Kathleen Funchion.

An agreement is in place which ensures both candidates only campaign in certain areas, and the Limerick senator is confident Sinn Fein can take two seats.

Kathleen is a comrade of mine. We are friends for years. Weve divided up the constituency 50/50. Unlike Fianna Fail, where you can see the candidates appearing in each others back yards, we are going to work collegially and collectively, he said.

READ MORE: Minister takes on role of election director for Limerick mayoral candidate

In his eight years in the upper house of the Oireachtas, Mr Gavan was the only opposition politician to get two bills through to legislation stage.

Arguably the most notable one was his tips bill, which gave service staff a legal right to gratuities given by guests.

He mounted a nationwide campaign on this alongside trade unions and student unions. I know one in three workers werent getting those tips, and I know these tips often made the difference between then paying their rent or not in any given week, he added.

Ms McDonald said her party colleague, if elected, will fight for a Europe which is a beacon of democracy and human rights.
THE YEAR is 1983. In the downstairs toilet at a house party in Limerick, two strangers share a kiss in the dark.

What might sound like the start of a modern love story quickly turns into a gripping tale of longing and obsession.

A story written by Liam McCarthy, the play Jilly Morgans Birthday Party is loosely inspired by Anton Chekhovs short story, The Kiss.

But instead of featuring the hotel of a grand estate, it takes us back to the vivid scene of Limerick in the 1980s.

Speaking of the story that sparked his creativity, Liam explains: I came across it years ago in college.

Theres this party at a hotel in a grand estate. A soldier goes into the wrong room and suddenly, he meets a woman, and she kisses him in the dark. A second later, she lets out a little scream and it's a case of mistaken identity and the whole thing disappears.

In Jilly Morgans Birthday Party, Jacks life is changed forever by a brief yet passionate kiss at a party. Quickly, the kiss becomes his lifelong fixation, leading him on a journey of self-discovery across four decades.

While the play starts in the 80s, every scene is set in a new decade. So they go to 80s, 90s, 00s, up to 2024. Through the years, he becomes increasingly preoccupied, increasingly obsessed, explains Liam.

Described as a social history of Limerick, the play paints a vivid portrayal of a beloved city, which constantly changed throughout the decades.

Limerick as a city has gone through so many transformations and changes, you know, between kind of a bleak recession time in the 80s, through to a boom with the Celtic Tiger. Just before the crash, suddenly all of Limerick was about the urban renewal and the pedestrianization of streets and the transformation was huge, he says.

With his play directed by Joan Sheehy, the Annacotty playwright hopes to bring joy to the public. The same joy he sees in the eyes of those who speak about their experience of Limerick in the 80s.

When my parents talk about the 80s or when I hear people talking about it, its sometimes very bleak sounding. But after researching it, there was also so much joy and craic.

Its so funny going around asking my parents, friends and loads of different people who are a bit older than me to tell us about the 80s. Their eyes light up when they start talking, he smiles. Obviously we're seeing it through a lens and there's a little bit of nostalgia as well.

Growing up, Liam was obsessed with theatre.

My parents were involved in the local drama groups and I was just kind of obsessed with it, a total nerd and plays are such odd things to be interested in.

Its live, and it's right in front of you, and in a way, you're a part of that, because plays don't exist without audiences. It's different every night, he says.

Once he got a bit older, he set up a theatre company with one of his friends - just for the craic.

We set it up when we were 15. We had great craic and suddenly, all our friends, like 20 people were involved in this company.

We used a deconsecrated church in Castletroy where we put on A Midsummer Night's Dream, he laughs.

READ MORE: Limerick man teams up with former All-Ireland winner to take on the Camino for CRY

With a house party being central to his latest work, one wonders what is the most memorable party Liam has ever been to?

I'm really preoccupied with Limerick at the moment. I remember early house parties when I was 17, when you weren't supposed to do things, he says with a cheeky smile.

I was a year younger than all my friends. Those nights and those parties were always like Will I get into the club?

That was always very memorable, because there was a chance that I wouldn't. I remember the thrill of that.

The world premiere production of Jilly Morgans Birthday Party will run at the Belltable from Thursday, May 2 to Saturday, May 11 - with performances at 8pm.

Preview performances will take place from May 2 to May 4, with the official opening on May 7.

You can book tickets via limetreebelltable.ie
A FORMER Scout leader who raped a young cousin causing her to pass out and ten years later sexually assaulted her two teenage sisters on a scouting trip has been jailed for seven and a half years.

The 61-year-old Limerick man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of two of the sisters who wish to retain their anonymity, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury last February following an eight day trial.

The man had pleaded not guilty to a number of offences.

He was convicted of two counts of indecent assault against one sister and one count of rape against her. The offences occurred in her home between 1979 and 1981 when she was aged between six and eight-years-old and the accused was between 15 and a half and 18-years-old.

He was also convicted of one count of sexual assault against each of her two sisters. These victims were teenagers at the time and the man was in his mid-twenties. These offences occurred between May and September 1991.

The women reported the abuse to gardai in 2019. The man continues to deny the offences.

At an earlier sentence hearing, the court heard that the first incident of indecent assault against the first sister involved him touching her vagina after carrying her upstairs and removing her underwear. He was babysitting her at the time.

In the second incident he asked her to touch his penis and then kiss it. She was encouraged to touch the teenager as if it was a game. She later recalled being disgusted by the incident.

The court heard that in the rape incident the young girl believes she must have passed out as her next recollection is lying on the bathroom floor and her cousin splashing water on her face.

Years later she told gardai that before she woke in the bathroom, she had been in a bedroom with her cousin who was encouraging her to bounce on the bed. She found herself lying down before the teenager raped her.

She concluded that she must have passed out as she found the incident tremendously shocking.

The court heard that ten years later the man, who was by then a Scout leader, convinced the sisters parents to allow the two other victims accompany him on charity fundraising trip with the Scouts.

During this trip, he arranged that the second victim sleep in a tent alone by herself. The teenager later woke up when she felt pressure on her face and body. She found her cousin lying on top of her and attempting to get his hands inside her sleeping bag.

He succeeded, despite her efforts to push him away before he sexually assaulted her by touching her breasts.

On the same trip, the third victim went on a drive with her cousin in a van. He drove to an isolated spot and when they both got out of the vehicle, he walked towards her, grabbed her by the elbows and forcibly kissed her on the lips.

Justice Kerida Naidoo said the women had prepared victim impact statements which he said spoke of the serious impacts the mans actions had on all three sisters.

The first woman described feelings of shame, guilt, pain and hurt. She found herself being a hyper vigilant parent which led to her children being restricted in the activities they take part in. She outlined the impact the offences had on her relationships with her extended family.

The second woman said in her victim impact statement that it takes a lot of strength to report such incidences to gardai but she encouraged other victims to first pause and take a breath because you are stronger than you think.

She recommended that victims also find a person they can talk to about the abuse.

This victim described feeling different all my life and said the abuse was like a stain on me and described feeling like an empty shell in the aftermath of the assault.

The third victim described feelings of being shocked, frightened, disgust, shame and sorrow and said the abuse impacted her relationships with her family.

She said she oppressed my own emotions as a form of survival but said that came at a cost for her and said the impact of the abuse is something that she will have to live with forever.

READ MORE: English criminal admits killing Clare busker who was using mobility scooter in London

Mr Justice Naidoo said the first victim didnt understand what was being done to her at the time and said the abuse of the other sisters should have been an innocent trip and noted that they had been excited to go on it.

The judge said the rape offence warranted a headline sentence of 12 years taking into account the age of the victim at the time, the fact that it had an immediate physical impact on her, that it occurred in her own home and the breach of trust involved.

He set headline sentences of two years for each of the sexual assaults against her.

Justice Naidoo said the mitigating factor in the offences against the first victim was the mans age at the time of the offence and accepted that he would have lacked maturity.

He noted however that at the time the accused had an age appropriate girlfriend and said any teenager would have known it was wrong to touch such a young child in this way.

Mr Justice Naidoo imposed a sentence of eight years for the rape offence.

Mr Justice Naidoo said the sexual assaults against the other two women involved pre-meditation and was very frightening for them.

He imposed concurrent terms for these two sexual assaults but ordered they they be consecutive to the term imposed for the rape offence, leading to a global sentence of nine and half years. The final two years of this term was suspended.
East Hyderabad is undergoing a remarkable transformation, evolving into a leading destination for discerning investors. The region has recently seen the inauguration of five state-of-the-art IT parks, marking the beginning of a new era of technological advancement. This development, along with the establishment of a new industrial park and corridor, is cementing East Hyderabad's reputation as a hub of industrial and innovative excellence.

Exceptional Connectivity and Infrastructure Businesses don't just exist in a place, they thrive on connections. East Hyderabad understands this, and it shows in their ambitious transportation projects. The Regional Ring Road (RRR) is the star of the show, opening up seamless access across the region. No more bottlenecks or long transit times  this is how modern businesses operate!

But it's not just roads. The Hyderabad Metro Rail's Red Line extension is a lifeline for commuters, reducing travel times and making East Hyderabad even more accessible to the city's talent pool. This isn't just about convenience; it's about attracting the best and brightest to fuel the area's growth. The growth of IT in East Hyderabad is planned to extend up to 100km, underscoring this ambition with the inauguration of a new IT hub in Suryapet in 2023, which is strategically located on the Vijayawada Highway and just 70 km from our project.

Businesses thrive on a strong backbone of connectivity, and the Hyderabad-Vijayawada Highway is proving to be just that. The central government's declaration of this route as a dedicated industrial corridor underscores its significance in fuelling economic expansion. This commitment to streamlined trade is further reflected in the dramatic increase in land prices. In 2021, a square yard stood at Rs. 8,000  by 2024, projections show a surge to Rs. 21,000, with a further leap to Rs. 60,000 by 2027. This is a testament to the burgeoning potential businesses see in this dynamic region.

Alongside this, the widened highway, 24 new flyovers for reduced congestion, and that massive 8-lane expressway signal a commitment to efficient trade. Picture goods and resources moving at the speed of business. That's what East Hyderabad is offering  a place where connectivity isn't just a buzzword, it's the foundation for success.

Sustainable Growth and Strategic Developments East Hyderabad isn't content with just being an investment hotspot; it's striving to be a model for responsible development. The Green Industrial Park is a testament to this commitment, providing a dedicated space for businesses that prioritise eco-friendly practices. Investors can be confident that their growth won't come at the cost of the environment  it's a place where progress and preservation go hand-in-hand.

The Declared Industrial Corridor reinforces this vision, offering state-of-the-art facilities designed for efficiency and streamlined operations. This focus on optimising resource use translates to reduced waste, lower transportation emissions, and ultimately, a smaller environmental footprint for businesses operating within the park. These strategic developments position East Hyderabad as a forward-thinking region, attracting investors who understand that true sustainability is essential for long-term success.

Investing in East Hyderabad means more than just seizing a lucrative opportunity. It means aligning your business with a community that believes in building a future where economic growth, innovation, and environmental responsibility are inseparable.

Be Part of the East Hyderabad Story Investing in East Hyderabad isn't just a smart move, it's a chance to anchor your business in a place where the future is being built at breakneck speed. The pace of progress here is exhilarating, and the opportunities match the ambition of the city's iconic skyline. This isn't just about growth  this is about joining a movement where forward-thinking businesses can truly flourish.

Imagine your investments fuelled by world-class infrastructure, where connectivity and innovation open doors you never thought possible. This is East Hyderabad  a place where visionary plans aren't just blueprints, they're the foundation of a thriving economic landscape. When you invest here, you're aligning yourself with a region that isn't content to follow trends; it's setting them.

Welcome to East Hyderabad, where ambition meets opportunity. It's your new investment horizon, a place where tomorrow's success stories are being written today. The future isn't coming  it's already here.

To know more, visit: https://easternhyderabad.com/
Bengaluru: In December last year, Udaan, an online trade platform for businesses and shop owners, raised $340 million in a Series E round. The funding round, led by M&G plc, with participation from existing investorsLightspeed Venture Partners and DST Globalvalued the startup 44% lower compared to the previous estimate of $3.1 billion in 2021.

Sharp cuts in valuation is not uncommon during a funding winter. But the fact is that $340 million is a lot of money. It was also one of the biggest late-stage deals of 2023 in India after PhonePe ($850 million); Lenskart ($600 million); Flipkart ($600 million); DMI Finance ($400 million) and Ola Electric ($385 million), according to an analysis by Entrackr.

The funding was raised on the back of a new strategy. Udaan, which sells everything from mobile accessories and bath fittings to medicines and footwear, badly needed a pivot. In 2022-23, its revenue had shrunk and the business bled. Intense competition in the business-to-business (B2B) trade market impacted the already wafer-thin margin the sector is known for.

Sample this: The companys gross revenue jumped multifold year over year, touching nearly 10,000 crore in 2021-22. In 2022-23, revenue dropped by a massive 43%, according to data sourced from Tracxn. During the year, it reported losses of 2,076 crore.

The online B2B channel in India operates at 0-6% gross margin, which is lower than the 5-7% made by the offline distributors of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products, according to a 2022 report by Jefferies on kirana e-commerce.

As Udaans losses mounted, concerns arose regarding the viability of its business model. This is a very punishing market if you dont have the right cost and revenue structures in place," said a former Udaan executive, requesting anonymity. Everybodys woken up to the fact that this is a low margin business," the executive added.

Udaan, therefore, is no more the company it was a year ago. The company grew rapidly before the pandemic and was one of the fastest startups to achieve the coveted unicorn status in 2018. But in the last two years, it has closed operations in several cities, consolidated categories, laid off a large number of employees and transitioned to a more cost-efficient model. Indeed, the company wants to go public in the next 18 months.

What exactly is the new model Udaan is pinning its hopes on? Before we answer, lets look at the companys beginnings and why it galloped the way it did before the pandemic.

Middle India pitch

View Full Image Since the time Udaan started, in 2016, it wanted to play in the unorganized market of B2B trade. (Mint)

Udaan, founded by three former Flipkart executivesAmod Malviya, Sujeet Kumar, and Vaibhav Guptastarted in 2016.

It started as a marketplace that was different from Flipkart or Amazon. While the two e-tailing giants focuses on consumers, Udaan wanted to play in the unorganized market of B2B trade. It wanted to connect farmers, wholesalers and retailers on one platform. The company started with apparel and electronics and then expanded to food, consumer goods and pharmaceuticals categories. Over time, it also introduced an inventory-led model. For instance, it stocks goods from FMCG brands.

For the three founders, all of whom came from small towns in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the vision was to build for middle India. I never wanted to go and focus on luxury markets or luxury goods. That does not excite me. What drives me is solving for the large population," Vaibhav Gupta, also Udaans chief executive officer (CEO), told Mint during an interaction.

Udaans pitch managed to grab investors attention right away. The fact that the founders were from Flipkart and had a successful track record of scaling an e-tailing business helped. It has raised about $1.5 billion thus far, a mix of debt and equity.

According to a report by AllianceBernstein, a global asset management firm, Udaans reach increased from 0.5 million cumulative number of buyers in December 2018 to 1.7 million by December 2020.

Another report by Redseer, an advisory firm, stated that by 2022, nearly half the existing user base of online B2B platforms planned to increase their spends on two companiesUdaan and JioMart, the online wholesale platform by Reliance Retail Ltd. But while Udaan is a pure play online venture, JioMart is an omnichannel business.

Over time, Udaan built a marketplace that serviced sellers and buyers through centralized warehouses and a centralized supply chain. This scale of operations came back to bite the company.

Age of experiments

View Full Image Kanishka Mohan, partner, Redseer.

Flush with cash, Udaan embarked on an experimentation spreejust too many before the pandemic, according to an industry executive who requested anonymity.

They were running 12 different categories, some 50-odd subcategories, experiments in logistics, business-to-consumer (B2C) couriers. There was just too much going on," the executive said.

For instance, in 2020, the company tested waters in B2C through an app called Pickily. The idea was to enable quick fulfilment through the dark store model. The experiment did not see the light of the day.

With the funding winter approaching, it suddenly got very expensive to maintain so many experiments, added the industry executive.

While everything digital boomed during the pandemic, pure online models, be it in edtech or e-commerce, started fumbling as things opened up post the lockdowns. Our estimates say that during covid-19, about 25-30% of retailers used Udaan or equivalent services. Today, however, that number is about 15%," Kanishka Mohan, partner at Redseer, said.

In 2020, Udaan launched a B2C app called Pickily. The idea was to enable quick fulfilment through the dark store model. The experiment did not see light of day.

Meanwhile, some FMCG brands sell limited supplies to Udaan to protect their relationships with traditional offline distribution networks. In fact, in 2021, Udaan had filed a complaint against FMCG major Parle Products before the Competition Commission of India (CCI), alleging that Parle had abused its dominant position by refusing to supply their products directly to Udaan. The CCI turned down the plea, noting the manufacturers autonomy in choosing its business partner.

Udaans CEO, however, told Mint that the FMCG problem is largely solved; that most brands believe Udaan is a parallel channel. At least 90% of them are giving complete supply to the demand we are raising," Gupta said.

Within the categories, pharma became difficult to crack, multiple current and former employees told Mint. A more organized category, the company struggled to find a value addition it could provide in the drug supply-chain.

The big pivot

View Full Image Bejul Somaia, partner, Lightspeed.

This brings us to Udaans operational pivot. From big to small, from centralized operations to hyper-local.

The company now has a cluster approachUdaan finds out the densest demand area in a city and sets up a localized supply-chain. India is divided into 50 clusters. Each cluster has its own supply chain, own warehouse, own fulfilment centres. These centres stock and serve only the designated cluster. The approach optimizes costs since the company doesnt waste money serving a few customers outside of the major demand centres.

Because we expanded across India, we did get scale. But, it was important to focus on demand in a small neighbourhood to optimize cost alongside scale," the CEO explained.

The pivot also worked for the customer, he added. It enables us to do next day delivery. And it also enables us to carry a very localized portfolio, which is relevant in India because the rice, the flour and the pulses which get bought and sold in Bengaluru are different from the rice you buy in Hyderabad," Gupta further said.

It was important to focus on demand in a small neighbourhood to optimize cost alongside scale. Vaibhav Gupta

The localized approach, meanwhile, has helped Udaan map its customer base betterthe size of a shop; its location; the estimate of what products the shop carries. Once we do that, we get a sense of what the market demand is. Our goal is that our shopkeepers should be able to find at least 80% of the products they keep on our platform," the CEO said.

Investors appear to like this modellike we mentioned earlier, the large funding round last year was on the back of this new strategy.

Udaans cluster strategy serves as a compelling blueprint for the company to scale its operations profitably, setting a new standard of excellence in the industry," Bejul Somaia, partner at Lightspeed, Udaans biggest investor, said. The cluster approach transforms how Udaan engages with the kirana stores by delivering sharper value propositions. This focus enhances customer satisfaction and drives improved service levels, higher buyer retention, share of wallet and order frequency," Somaia added.

View Full Image The cluster approach allows Udaan to deliver sharper value proposition to kirana stores. (Mint)

Nonetheless, the new model means a much smaller business for the company. As part of the restructuring, it has scaled back on categories and cities. Pharma is one of them.

There was a team of 20-30 people in pharma and Udaan was once doing 30-40 crores in business. They have been consolidating the vertical," said a former employee who didnt want to be identified. Six months ago, the pharma business shrunk to about 22 crore; the team was cut to just 6-7 people, he added.

While Gupta did not comment on the size of the pharma business or the employee count, he agreed that the company was consolidating the category and it now operates only in Bengaluru from a pan-India focus earlier. He calls it geography-specific category optimization".

We have expanded the portfolio; we have expanded the coverage and our Bengaluru business in pharma has grown over the last nine months, almost doubling in scale," Gupta said.

Private affairs

Udaan, meanwhile, is also pressing ahead with its private labels businessa high margin gameand an important piece in the companys path to profitability. Private labels were first added in 2021.

For a similar product, national brands give you 3-5% margin; regional brands or smaller brands 8-10%; private labels offer up to 15%," Mohan of Redseer said.

Captain Harvest (atta, rice, salt), Annabhumi (atta), Jayabhumi (rice and pulses), Bold & Classic (lifestyle) and Fabclassic (home & kitchen) are some of its private labels.

While some people Mint spoke to said that the private labels business is yet to gain traction, Gupta disagreed. In the Bengaluru cluster, they (private labels) have scaled up from single digit to above 10% of the overall business now, just in the last two months. Its a big part of our strategy," the CEO said.

The crowd

Udaans margins, meanwhile, face another challengegrowing competition.

A host of companies, big and small, old and new, have mushroomed in the B2B commerce space. Udaan doesnt have the tailwind that Flipkart did, some market watchers pointed out. The consumer e-tailing space, by the time Walmart bought Flipkart in 2018, was a duopoly (Amazon being the other giant). But B2B is more crowded with well funded players.

View Full Image File photo of a Metro Cash & Carry store. B2B commerce is more crowded with well funded players.

There is ElasticRun (the company calls itself a B2B e-commerce platform for rural India"); ProcMart (it raised $30 million in a Series B round in April); Flipkart Wholesale; AmazonDistribution; Supermarket Grocery Supplies (BigBaskets B2B arm) and Metro Cash & Carry India (a unit of Reliance Retail). Besides horizontal commerce platforms, there are single category players as wellthey focus on building a business around one category. Ninjacart (agri) and Jumbotail (food and grocery) are two of them. Further, FMCG companies like HUL and ITC have also been working on their own online B2B platforms called Shikhar and Unnati, respectively.

Udaan has already gone on an overdrive to conserve cash. Gupta said the company has reduced its burn by 80% in the last two years as it trimmed operations.

How the dynamic between FMCG brands and B2B e-commerce players unfold, going ahead, will be key to Udaans path to profitability and its ambitions of a public listing. Some time back, the company was eyeing an IPO in 2023. That timeframe has stretchedit would be ready for the public markets in the next 18 months, company executives said. The task, therefore, is cut out.

Udaan has already gone on an overdrive to conserve cash. Gupta said the company has reduced its burn by 80% in the last two years as it trimmed operations. With the new focus on hyper-local, he thinks the company has finally cracked the B2B code. Now, it has to demonstrate a few quarters of profitability, an executive quoted above said. How soon remains the billion-dollar question.
Bahrain-based investment firm Investcorp has acquired the National Stock Exchanges digital services business for 1,000 crore, its largest private equity deal in India signalling its ambition to double down on the countrys information technology and cybersecurity space.

The deal excludes the digital examinations business housed under NSE.

NSEIT Ltd has grown significantly in the US market over the last four years catering to a diverse range of clientele, including capital market players, investment banks, and large conglomerates. It also operates in West Asian markets.

Gaurav Sharma, head of Investcorps India investment business, said that nearly 70% of the firms investment pipeline in the country is focused on the software business services and healthcare sectors.

Software business services is an active vertical for us right now. We would be happy to look closely at new deals in the space over the next 6-9 months, Sharma added.

Also read: Why this Swedish PE firm is willing to bet $5 billion in India this year Investcorps other notable investments include logistics firm Xpressbees and online meat delivery platform FreshToHome.

Avendus Capital advised NSEIT on its acquisition by Investcorp.

The NSEIT buyout offers a platform play in financial services in developed markets for Investcorp, especially in the US, said Varun Laul, partner at Investcorp.

Given how rapidly the world is becoming digital, companies have realised that cybersecurity needs can be managed with a mix of in-house and outsourced capabilities. Since financial services is among the most regulated sectors in the world, a platform like NSEIT has gained importance, Laul said, explaining why NSEIT caught Investcorps eye.

Investcorp has invested in several IT services firms globally, including in the Netherland-based Netrom Software and the UKs Ubisense.

Over the past 2-3 years in India, Investcorp has looked at dozens of deals in the space with a focus on specialisation in financial markets, cybersecurity and digital transformation, according to Sharma.

When it comes to backing a mid-market IT services firm, the biggest question is how to compete with the large global players. This is where differentiation and quality of service comes in, Sharma said.

Also read: Norwest Venture shifts strategy to growth equity, late-stage VC deals Investcorp, which manages $50 billion in assets globally, currently has less than 2% of its total assets under management in India. However, it aims to double down on the market and take it to $5 billion AUM over the next five years.

In an earlier interview with Mint, Investcorp had said it would ramp up both its pace of investments and cheque sizes in India.

Investcorp will continue focusing on the mid-market investment space as it presents various opportunities in India. This is an area where Indian businesses need support. As they mature and emerge out of the venture capital ecosystem, private equity assistance becomes crucial, Sharma said.

Recently, the alternative investment firm launched a $100-billion platform anchored by China Investment Corporation to invest in Gulf Cooperation Council nations and China. Target sectors include consumer, healthcare, logistics and business services.
Elon Musk met with senior Chinese officials in Beijing on Sunday as he pushes for approval to introduce Teslas advanced driver-assistance technology in its biggest overseas market, where it has been losing ground to homegrown electric-vehicle makers.

Musk is stepping up efforts globally for wider adoption of Teslas Full Self-Driving," or FSD, software feature after a dismal start to the year for the worlds most valuable automaker, which saw its first-quarter profit drop to its lowest level since 2021.

Teslas chief executive is seeking to persuade Chinese regulators to green light the introduction of its FSD feature to Chinese drivers, according to people familiar with the discussions. Among those he met was Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Tesla has opened FSD for subscription in China, but it only provides lower-level autonomous features for use, leaving it lagging behind EVs made by some Chinese brands that can drive near-automatically in most scenarios.

In China, Tesla faces government restrictions over the data its cars can collect near sensitive sites, and it isnt allowed to transfer its Chinese data out of the country. Musk would like to transfer data to the U.S. to create a bigger pool that could better train the driver-assistance feature, the people said. That is a potentially thorny issue given Beijing regards protecting such data as a matter of national security.

Failure to win approval for FSD could erode the attractiveness of Tesla cars in the worlds most crowded EV market. Tesla last week halved the subscription price of FSD in the U.S. to entice adoption. On Friday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into Teslas more basic driver-assist system, which the authority said is tied to avoidable crashes and fatalities. Tesla didnt respond to a request for comment on the probe.

Tesla faces mounting challenges amid a broader cooling in consumer demand for EVs. It is cutting more than 10% of the global workforce after it reported falling revenue in the first quarter of the year and a sharp drop in profit.

Teslas sales in China of its vehicles made in the country slid last quarter by almost 4% from a year ago, while the rest of the EV market recorded 15% growth over the same period.

Workers at Teslas Shanghai factory said Sunday that they were asked to work on the weekend in anticipation of Musks visit to the country. The plant is usually shut on weekends after the company dialed back work shifts in March amid weakening demand.

Last week, Musk postponed a trip to India, where he was expected to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and unveil plans for Teslas entry to the country.

Teslas development in China is a successful example of economic and trade cooperation between China and the U.S., the Chinese Premier told Musk during their meeting Sunday, according to state broadcaster China Central Television.

Tesla is willing to further deepen the cooperation with China, Musk told Li, according to CCTV. Reuters earlier reported the visit.

Tom Zhu, a senior executive considered key to Teslas growth in China, and Grace Tao, who oversees Teslas external relations in the country, joined Musks meeting with officials, who included Chinas top economic planner and commerce minister.

Teslas lofty market valuation rests in part on the promise of its driving technology. The FSD system is an advanced version of the companys autopilot technology and is designed to help with driving tasks such as steering and lane changes.

We plan on, with the approval of the regulators, releasing it as a supervised autonomy system in any market thatwhere we can get regulatory approval for that, which we think includes China," Musk said during Teslas earnings call last week.

The latest version of Teslas self-driving capability is based only on artificial intelligence, and the company is working on expanding its core AI infrastructure and training capacity, Musk said during the call. Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja urged investors to regard Tesla as more than a car company.

Tesla has emphasized on its website and in users manuals that the software doesnt allow for fully autonomous driving and requires active driver supervision.

Tesla mainly relies on real-time visual data its car cameras collect to power its driving-assistance features, instead of using optical-radar signals to identify traffic, a technology route that most Chinese carmakers have applied. Earlier this month, Huawei Technologies launched its camera-based autopilot technology, which the Chinese company said was more intelligent and powerful than Teslas most advanced autopilot feature currently available in China.

China has banned Teslas cars from entering military sites and venues of government agencies and state-owned companies over concerns that data collected by the vehicles could pose national-security risks. The ban has been enforced more strictly in some cases, covering places including airports, train stations and public parking lots at police stations.

In recent years, concern over cybersecurity risks posed by data amassed by vehicles has prompted Beijing to require such data to be stored in China. Tesla has said that all data generated by its cars sold in China would be stored locally in a data center it built in 2021.

To improve its FSD capability and have the technology better work in Chinese traffic, Tesla will need data collected from China to help train the technology.

Teslas Tao said autonomous-driving technology is a key growth engine of the EV industry, according to a commentary published by Peoples Daily, the Communist Partys flagship newspaper, on Friday.

Tesla has led the industry in autopilot technology from computing power, fleet size and data to models, she wrote in the article. She also highlighted that Musk has repeatedly said he was willing to license Teslas driving-assistance capabilities to other car companies.

Write to Raffaele Huang at raffaele.huang@wsj.com and Selina Cheng at selina.cheng@wsj.com
Premji Invest, the family office of Azim Premji that manages over $10 billion for the tech mogul, is set to bolster its investments in artificial intelligence (AI) companies, Bloomberg reported citing a senior executive at the firm.

The fund's focus would be on refining its proprietary AI investment tools, TK Kurien, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Premji Invest told the publication.

Pioneering AI Investment in India In his first interview since 2017, Kurien told Bloomberg that Premji Invest is "among the first large Indian asset managers to use AI tools in private equity", adding that they are now working on "an AI quant model for public markets bets too".

Kurien added that the asset manager will "invest more" in the AI space following exponential returns.

Global Trend in AI Investment Premji Invest initiated its AI journey three years ago, employing 14 AI engineers and supporting emerging technology ventures, according to Kurien. He added that AI is helping the asset manager parse through over 10,000 companies on 600 parametres to "identify investment opportunities".

"The firm expects the entire exercise to also give it a birds eye view of emerging technologies and trends that could help it stay ahead of peers," Kurien said.

Notably, across the globe, investment firms such as BlackRock Inc. and SoftBank Group Corp, have also increasingly turned to AI for real-time market analysis.

Ventures Supported by Premji Invest AI sector firms backed by Premji Invest include Cohesity Inc. (data-management software company), Holistic AI (London-based enterprise software business), Ikigai, and Pixis.

Kurien intends to broaden access to few of its AI tools for open-source developers, while also exploring applications in streamlining legal processes and enhancing government services. This will "help Indias overburdened courts resolve cases faster and to also aid governments efforts to offer services more effectively," he said.

Sector Focus and Investment Strategy Kurien outlined technology and financial services as the primary sectors for investment, alongside consumer and healthcare in India's private market space; and healthcare and technology in the United States.

With a 120-member team spanning from Menlo Park (California) to Bengaluru (India), Kurien is "scouting for investment targets in the US with the latest technologies that can be brought to India", the report said.

Premji Invest maintains a patient capital approach, prioritising long-term value creation over short-term gains. The firm's assets, diversified across private investments, publicly traded equities, and other funds, have experienced significant growth over the years, underlining its commitment to sustainable investment practices.

"Premji Invests assets are allocated as private investments, publicly traded equities and investments into other funds. We are patient capital without an exit time frame," said Kurien.

Established by Wipro founder Azim Premji in 2006, Premji Invest allocates 5 percent of its returns to support philanthropic initiatives in India, as per Kurien. It has seen 4x surge in assets under management (AUM) over the past eight years, as per the report.
Bagalakote (Karnataka), April 29 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a fiery speech at a rally in Bagalakote, launching a veiled attack on prominent Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while accusing the grand old party of operating a 'vasooli' (extortion) gang.

In a pointed statement, Modi asserted that those who indulge in leisure vacations cannot contribute to India's progress, indirectly referencing Rahul Gandhi's recent leisure activities. He stressed the importance of dedication and vision in driving developmental initiatives, highlighting his commitment to transforming India by 2047.

"Those (including Rahul Gandhi) enjoying leisure vacations cannot develop Bharat. To work for the country, one needs to have a vision. To have a vision, one needs to have devotion. When nothing is present, the outcome is zero. But in the case of Modi, the vision and motto, both stand clear. Modi works 247 for 2047," he said addressing a rally ahead of Lok Sabha polls in the remaining 14 constituencies in the state scheduled on May 7.

The Prime Minister also accused the Congress of running a 'vasooli gang' rather than a government in Karnataka and slammed them for transforming Karnataka from a renowned tech hub to a tanker hub under their rule.

"Congress isn't running a government in Karnataka but a 'vasooli gang'. Karnataka, which is known as a tech hub and has made its name in the world, Congress has made it a 'tanker hub'," he declared, highlighting the alleged deterioration of the state's reputation and governance under Congress leadership."

Turning his attention to Karnataka's governance, Modi lambasted the Congress for treating the state as an "ATM" for their political interests. He accused the Congress of emptying the state treasury, leaving elected representatives without funds for developmental activities. The PM highlighted alleged financial mismanagement under the Congress's rule, contrasting it with the BJP's commitment to effective governance and fiscal responsibility.

"Congress party has made Karnataka its 'ATM'. In such a short time, these people have emptied the government treasury of Karnataka. The situation has become so grave that MLAs aren't getting funds for developmental activities," he said.

Modi criticised the opposition India Bloc, who have given up on winning the election, for unethically using technology to undermine his image and propagate false narratives.

"Those who already have lost elections are using technology, using Artificial Intelligence to create fake videos of me and spread misinformation," he declared, highlighting the alleged tactics employed by his political adversaries.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of neglecting the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), alleging that they prioritize political appeasement over genuine empowerment. He contrasted this with the BJP's initiatives, such as granting ST status to the Talwara community, positioning his party as a champion of marginalized communities.

"Congress is snatching the rights of SCs and STs. It can go to any extent to appease. On one hand, the BJP government gave ST status to the Talwara community. On the other hand, the Congress has initiated a campaign to change the Constitution in Karnataka and make STs deprived of their rights," he said.

In a move to underscore the BJP's dedication to social justice, Modi paid tribute to senior BJP leader Srinivas Prasad, praising his efforts in serving marginalized communities in Karnataka.

UNI BDN CS1409
Adani Enterprises Ltd is in advanced talks with about a dozen investors in the US and Europe to raise as much as $1 billion for its Mumbai airport and solar panel businesses, two people aware of the plans said. Top executives of the port-to-power conglomerate have met investors in the past few weeks to gauge their interest, the people said on condition of anonymity.

The group flagship plans to expand area under the Mumbai airport and triple its passenger-handling capacity with the fresh funds, the people said. "The bonds will be raised in dollars, mostly from investors in the US and Europe," said the first person, adding that 30-40% of the planned $750 million-1 billion amount will go into the solar panel business.

Adani Enterprises owns airports through its subsidiary Adani Airport Holdings Ltd and solar manufacturing via Adani Solar, an arm of another wholly-owned subsidiary Adani New Industries Ltd. The money will be raised for these twosubsidiaries.

"Adani is enhancing its focus on the green energy ecosystem. The supply of solar PV units has to be improved to match the country's renewable energy target. That creates an opportunity," one of the two people said, adding the amount will be raised in the next six months.

An Adani Group spokesperson declined to comment.

On Sunday, Adani said its data centre business joint venture, AdaniConneX, has secured commitment for a $1.44 billion loan. The JV plans to build nine data centres with a total capacity of 1 GW by 2030. "The financing has an initial commitment of $875 million, with an accordion feature to extend commitment up to $1.44 billion," the company said in a statement. Definitive agreements have been executed with eight international lenders -- ING Bank NV, Intesa Sanpaolo, KfW IPEX, MUFG Bank Ltd, Natixis, Standard Chartered Bank, Societe Generale, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.

Adani's debt burden

Around 34% of Adani group's total debt of about $27 billion or 2.26 trillion, which is around $9 billion, has been raised via bonds, mostly overseas ones.

Some of Adani's existing investors include BlackRock, AIA, Pimco, Fidelity, Apollo Global, Metlife, Cigna, Bluebay, Goldman Sachs and Barings. According to the person cited above, about 21 global investors purchased Adani's dollar bonds in the previous issuances, and many of them may join the coming issue as well.

Adani Enterprises had last raised about $750 million via bonds in April 2022 through a private placement, which will mature in 2029 and are not listed. That amount too was raised for the Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) project.

Adani groups 15 listed dollar bonds erased their losses in January after a favourable Supreme Court ruling related to last year's Hindenburg Research report.

Airport plans

In March, Karan Adani, managing director of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) said the group will infuse about 60,000 crore in the next 5-10 years in airports, with almost 50% for expanding the air side that includes the terminal and runway capacity of the two airports in Mumbai over the next five years. A part of it will go into the city-side of the Mumbai airport over 10 years. Adani will expand the airports' runways, taxiways, hangars and passenger terminals, apart from surrounding infrastructure such as hotels and shopping malls, said the two persons.

Adani, which owns eight major airports in India, is planning to grow its passenger-handling capacity from 73 million to 250-300 million passengers by 2040, Adani Airport Holdings CEO Arun Bansal had said last month.

MIAL, which operates Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), handles approximately 51 million passengers annually.

Karan Adani had said the group will also bid for the Airports Authority of Indias (AAIs) 26% stake in the Mumbai airport, whose domestic terminal T1 will be rebuilt after Adani's Navi Mumbai Airport opens in March 2025.

Adani's solar agenda

Apart from airports, Adani plans to use a part of the upcoming bond proceeds to further speed up its solar panel manufacturing business, according to the two persons.

With 4 GW manufacturing capacity, Adani owns India's largest green-field single-location solar cells and modules production facility in Mundra Special Economic Zone, Gujarat.

"This fund (from upcoming bonds) will be used to build the world's first ever fully integrated ecosystem of 10 GW Solar PV manufacturing in Mundra," said the first person.

He added that Adani Solar could use the funds to raise production of key basic elements for manufacturing solar panels such as metallurgical grade silicon, ingots, wafers, cells and other ancillaries like glass, backsheet, aluminum frames, and junction boxes in the SEZ.

Earlier, in July 2023, Adani New Industries had raised $394 million from Barclays PLC and Deutsche Banks AG for solar manufacturing business through a trade finance facility as a part of the group's plan to increase solar panel manufacturing capacity to 10GW by 2027.

India's net-zero journey

Adani Group's solar equipment ambition is somewhat in line with India's quest to be net-zero by 2050 from being the world's third largest carbon dioxide emitter currently.

According to a recent Mercom India Research report, the manufacturing ecosystem has failed to keep up with India's solar energy generation capacity between 2014 and 2023. India added 7.5 GW of solar capacity in 2023, a drop of 44% compared to the previous years 13.4 GW, according to a February report by Mercom India.

Large-scale solar installations were down 51% year-on-year to 5.8 GW in 2023, affected by extensions granted to several large-scale projects and delays mainly due to land and transmission issues, Mercom added said, adding that India ended 2023 with cumulative installed solar capacity of 72 GW.

Adani Solar has sold over 7GW of modules to domestic and overseas customers since inception, and according to rating agency Icra, India's solar cell and module exports by domestic original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) reached 8,840 crore in fiscal year 2023, a 364% jump from 1,819 crore in FY22.
MUMBAI : Unicorns on deal street are finding little love, as investors chasing rising valuations hitch their wagons to smaller startups. Founders, investors and bankers noted greater interest in companies valued up to a billion dollars, while those above $2 billion find few takers.

There were 318 deals in companies valued below $1 billion this year against just five in those valued over a billion, one valued over $2 billion and none for companies that are valued over $3 billion, data from Tracxn showed. To be sure, these are primary investments, where investors bring in fresh funds, and not secondaries where one investor buys out another.

Late-stage investors are drawn to high-quality companies with robust growth and a clear path to profit, said Pankaj Naik, managing director and co-head, digital and technology investment banking, Avendus Capital. "Their ability to pay valuation is highly linked to exit returns. Hence, for companies that are valued more than $2 billion, the key question investors are asking is whether this company has the potential to become 3X (after dilutions) over the next 5-6 years. In that case, investors are happy to underwrite 5X returns in companies valued less than $500 million, and have marginally cushioned their return expectations," Naik said.

Unicorns, or companies valued above a billion dollars, have been finding it difficult to raise capital in the last 12-18 months of the funding winter. While many companies are close to exhausting capital, existing investors are ready to fund them further, albeit with more stringent terms. These transactions are mostly structured in a way where investors get to protect their investments and ride the upside, if any. Some of India's prominent unicorns looking to raise funds currently include Ofbusiness, Lenskart, GoodGlamm and Zepto.

Amid last year's liquidity crunch, 1,419 deals were inked in the sub-billion-dollar category against 30 in those valued over a billion, data from Tracxn showed. Around 11 deals in companies valued over $2 billion and 9 deals in those valued over $3 billion got sealed.

Earlier this month, new-age media company Sharechat raised a bridge round of $60 million from existing backers as structured debt, which will be convertible in the next equity round. A person aware of the development said the valuation is being capped at $1.6 billion for the deal, and in the next funding round, the investors get to convert their debt to equity at that value. In an emailed response, however, the company denied the development.

The size of the economy and the opportunity in a particular sector will determine whether a company will be able to clock billion-dollar revenues, experts said.

Niren Shah, managing director and head, India, at Norwest Venture Partners said India is a smaller market compared to China and the US and therefore, it's hard for investors to take large bets in new-age companies.

There's a lot of competition in India, and therefore again, execution has to be absolutely impeccable. So, it's much easier to come in at, I would say, the $500 million mark. And find a company which can then get to $2 billion, as compared to coming at $3 billion or $4 billion and then seeing that company go to $15 billion. Our GDP per capita might be a barrier to sort of grow this stuff. So, I think people have become more cognizant, I think. There was a time in 2021, where a lot of people invested thinking every company will go to $20-25 billion, but that's not going to happen for all markets," Shah said.

Also read: Warming deal street hints a funding spring is near

The founder of a consumer startup looking to raise money said bankers have advised valuing the company rationally. Even in private rounds, the froth of 2021 is gone. You are more likely to raise money if you are not valued more than $800-900 million," the founder said on condition of anonymity, as the company is in the process of raising funds in near future. We are likely to hit the market in the second half of this year," he added.

At many unicorns, growth slowed as investors pressed for profitability and governance, and deals slowed due to a funding winter. Hence, exponential growth and corresponding increase in valuations of large start-ups plateaued, said Bhavin Shah, partner and private equity leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers India.

The mark-down in valuation of select start-ups also pulled back large investors to deploy significant sums of money. Overall sentiment in the private funds market seems to be giving an impression that this trend should reverse in the second half of this year," he said.

While most large companies that have managed to demonstrate stronger unit economics and either achieve profitability or inch towards it, public listing seems to be the most viable outcome to generate liquidity and give its investors an exit. And for those looking for private capital, there are growth and late-stage equity funds. The classic private equity investing style is pushing the bar high on justification of growth and margin levers in the future," Naik added.

Also read: Funding winter for startups likely to thaw this year
BENGALURU : "As technology becomes both more complex and more accessible, we need to do a better job of helping people understand what it's good at, and more importantly, what it's not good at," insists Rebecca Parsons, who describes herself as a "long-time tech devotee".

Parsons, chief technology officer emerita at tech consultancy firm ThoughtWorks Inc., was earlier a researcher and college lecturer in computer science, and remains a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

In an interview with Mint, she talks about, among other things, how enterprises can leverage artificial intelligence and generative AI while recognising and addressing their limitations.

Edited excerpts:

You were CTO of Thoughtworks for 16 years before your current role. Given the incredible pace at which technologies are evolving, how do you keep abreast and guide your organization to do so?

When I started, we had around a hundred people. The majority of our growth has been organic, and we've opened offices in many different countries. India is currently our largest country but we've had significant growth in China and Brazil too.

In terms of keeping up, as a CTO I have to be more of a generalist but there's no way I could keep up with everything so I let other people keep up with the things that they like and kind of harvest from there.

As an organization, we have gone from effectively being a software development consultancy to a software delivery consultancy, and so the scope of what we look at has become much bigger than it was when I joined. We weren't, for example, responsible for putting a lot of the stuff into production when I first joined as a developer but that's pretty standard now for us.

Our offerings, too, have evolved, and this has shifted the focus or broadened the scope of the kinds of technologies that we think about. At one point, our sales organization said: What percentage of our work should be in the .NET ecosystem, in the j2ee ecosystem or in the Ruby ecosystem because those were the only things that we did. Now we have Scala projects, Clojure projects, Rust projects, and people writing in Python too.

So we have a much broader skill set and that's just within the development community. We've also got designers now, and people with new skill sets such as infrastructure engineers or machine learning specialists, and user experience designers.

In one of your blogs you mentioned that while Gen AI is clearly the bright shiny object, let's not forget that there are problems that are better suited to non-Gen AI techniques. Kindly elaborate.

Our industry has a terrible problem with this thinking that here is the one true way, and it will solve all problems. GenAI, for example, is not necessarily a very good classifier (algorithm that sorts unlabeled data into labeled classes, or categories of information). If you have a set of data, you could use a pattern recognition algorithm or you could even use some deterministic statistical algorithms to at least give you a first shot.

One of the things that is a particular challenge with Gen AI is the extent to which it has democratized access to a powerful technology. Before Gen AI, in particular ChatGPT, you as a non-computer scientist, a non-computer scientist individual, would interact with an application that might have an AI (model) behind it, but it wouldn't matter as long as it got the job done.

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Now, somebody from marketing, or a lawyer or an accountant, can use one of these large language models (LLMs). That's good, in that it's a great source of innovation and creativity because you have people who don't have the perspective of a computer scientist thinking about how to solve a problem potentially.

But it's a problem because they (non computer scientists) don't always understand how the technology actually works and, therefore, what kinds of things it will be good for and what kinds of things are dangerous.

As technology becomes both more complex and more accessible, we need to do a better job of helping people understand what it's good at, and more importantly, what it's not good at.

I presume this is what you meant when you said in one of your blogs that "sometimes to take advantage of AI, it requires changing the problem-solving approach"?

Yes. But we also need to think about how we do work. And Mike Mason, our chief AI officer, talks about this as an AI-first mentality. I have a task in front of me, in what way can AI be applied to this task?

This may, in fact, change your workflow because of the way you're using the AI system. We need to be creative about how we think about achieving our objectives, if the premise is we are going to use AI.

And based on the potential of the systems, pretty much anyone can take advantage of these, but they might be rethinking what their workflow is.

The plain old AI, as you refer to it, is sufficiently mature in enterprises. But GenAI has many limitations. You alone have listed about 34 blips that are GenAI-related. Which of these are the key ones that CXOs should be mindful about?

A lot of that depends on the X (in the CXO). A CIO (chief information officer) in particular will probably want to be looking at some of the things around model testing, observability, and production support for GenAI.

If you're a software developer, you're probably going to be more interested in what we have to say about the various coding assistants, and how you use them.

If you're a business analyst, or a product manager or something like that, you might be more interested in some of the tools that support more open ideation.

It will again vary for the other Csthose COOs (chief operating officers), CFOs (chief financial officers), and CMOs (chief marketing officers). People at that level who aren't really technologists have a relatively simple model of how technology works. You stick something in a database and you ask for the answer, and you get the answer. And if you ask the same question multiple times, you get the same answer, because that's how they work.

But that's not how AI systems work. And in particular, that's not how GenAI systems work. They make things up (hallucinate). Even if they don't make something up, and it's accurate, they don't necessarily give you the same answer all the timethat's actually a feature, not a bug.

The other major risk is the black box nature, or lack of transparency, of AI models.

AI is requiring us to think even more carefully about are we building our tech in a responsible way? There's a lot we still have to understand about explainability and AI, which opens the black box up a little bit.

But we also have to look at what is the data that these systems are being trained on, because the whole point is these learning systems look into the past, try to find a pattern, and then replicate the pattern. And we know there have been and continue to be systemic biases, and if we use these systems poorly they're just going to perpetuate those biases and ultimately reinforce them.

Also do you share this fear that these models would eventually run out of training data and increasingly use synthetic data that can reinforce biases further?

I am concerned about using synthetic data to train the models because that is going to reinforce those biases even more quickly, and you could end up with a race to the bottom. Most people can, if they read something, they've got a pretty good sense of whether or not it was written by a human or written by an AI.

Do enterprises need a chief AI officer, given that this role would overlap with many functions that a CIO, CTO, chief digital officer, or chief data officer does?

Right now, the chief AI officer is in the same kind of position that a chief transformation officer has been as we've been going through these digital transformations, because even though it affects broad parts of the organization in very different ways, having someone at the C-level provides a focus.

You've got people who can keep up on things and then work with various parts of the company to see, for instance, how the CMO can use this to help the marketing function. But it would not surprise me if in a couple years' time we don't have a chief AI officer anymore.

How do you view the sharpening of focus on autonomous AI agents? What does it mean for businesses and what should they be cognizant of in this context?

We're still learning a lot about both the potential and the way multi-agent systems can go wrong.

There are some well-understood models and so this would be an area where I would start simple. If you don't need a multi-agent system, don't use one. If you've got a way to put a box around your autonomous agent until you understand how it's going to respond, do it.

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Because depending on what the capability of the agent is, if it decides to run amok, which these systems can do, it will do it at system speed, not people speed. And so the potential for error is greater just because of the speed at which it can continue to make mistakes.

So my simple advice is start small, start simple. Don't add complexity when you don't need it. You're already using the cool technology if you're doing AIyou don't need to throw multi-agent in it.

I would love your thoughts on the debate on whether artificial general intelligence (AGI) will or will not be achieved because AI models are getting better at reasoning and understanding contexts, which is causing a lot of panic in some sections.

First, I don't believe the planet is going to be destroyed by the paperclip optimizing AI anytime soon. We still have a lot of questions on what human intelligence actually means.

What I find interesting is some of the speculation coming from people like Geoffrey Hinton (computer scientist and cognitive psychologist, known as one of the 'godfathers of AI')it's conceivable that we're almost having a merging of what used to be the two schools of AI.

You have the neural network-based school and then you have the conceptual-based one, and there is some speculation that with the huge number of parameters the latest set of models have, some of those things are actually concepts that are being learned as opposed to just word sequences being learned.

We need to agree on what it would take to be intelligent. The Turing test (a test proposed by Alan Turing in 1950 to gauge if a machine can 'think') has been blown out of the water now.

I've seen some speculation that you can't really be intelligent unless you are actually grounded in the physical world. That means ChatGPT can't be intelligent because it's not connected to the world. It's connected to the internet, but it's not connected to the world.
Elon Musk has said he is "a big fan of China. The Tesla CEOs remark came after his company had cleared key regulatory hurdles and cleared its path to roll out self-driving software in China. It was Musks surprise visit to China, Teslas second-largest market after the US.

I have to say that. I also have a lot of fans in China. Well, the feelings are reciprocated," he added during his trip to Beijing.

Also Read: Elon Musk meets Chinese Premier Li Qiang after skipping India visit: 'Have known each other since...' Tesla boss Musk came to Beijing on April 28, Reuters reported, citing sources. He planned to discuss introducing Full Self-Driving (FSD) and sending driving data to other countries.

At least two people have told Reuters that Tesla made a deal with Baidu to use its maps to gather information on public roads in China. This is a significant step toward launching Full Self-Driving carsin the Asian country.

Also Read: Elon Musk on Great Replacement Theory says THIS, not immigration to blame for Europe's falling white population Musk earlier cancelled a trip to India to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi a little over a week ago because he had a lot of work to do at Tesla. He cited "very heavy Tesla obligations".

Netizens react to Musks remark Hmmm, this is potentially Elon's biggest flaw. Chinese people are great, but their government is something entirely different. The Chinese people's trust and respect for America is growing though, so that's a positive, wrote one user on social media.

True ambassador! You are better than our elected officials. Thank you Elon for helping to maintain the world economy and world peace, wrote another.

But x is not in china, what's reason behind it? China ban on crypto also, wondered one user on X (formerly Twitter).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the Congress-led state government, saying the grand old party has made Karnataka its 'ATM'. Addressing a Lok Sabha election rally in Bagalkote, PM Modi said, In such a short time, these people have emptied the government treasurythe situation has become so grave that MLAs there aren't getting funds for developmental activities.

Those enjoying leisure vacations can not develop Bharat! To work for the country, one needs to have a vision. To have a vision, one needs to have devotion. When nothing is present, the outcome is zero. But in our (BJP) Modi, the vision and motto, both stand clear, the Prime Minister said.

Here are top 8 quotes from PM Modi's Karnataka speech, 1) "I have been working on social media. In the world, those who have the most followers on social media, Modi is one of the top among them. I have utilised it positively to connect to the society. But those who have lost the elections, these people are making fake videos and using AI they are creating videos in my voice."

2) "I appeal to you to report such things wherever you see them, they will be taught a lesson. In the Madhya Pradesh elections, such things were run in the voice of Amitabh Bachchan that he had to file a complaint for the same..."

3) In Karnataka, Congress has started a campaign to change the Constitution and to snatch away the rights of SC/ST and OBCs. Our Constitution does not accept religion-based reservation. But the Karnataka government has given part of OBC reservation to Muslims.

4) "They (Congress) will not settle with this. They had earlier too in their manifesto said about coming out with a law to provide religion-based reservation. There is a similar signal in their manifesto this time."

5) I want to make my Dalit, SC/ST and OBC brothers and sisters aware about Congress' intentions. These people on the basis of religion, to keep their vote bank safe, are planning to loot your right which was given by Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution.

6) "So they feel that as SC, ST and OBC are with BJP. To gain the trust of minorities, they want to loot from SC, ST and OBC and give it to minorities. Will you let this happen?"

7) I want to guarantee today to my Dalit, Adivasi and OBC brothers and sisters. I will not let such intentions of Congress be successful. To protect your rights, your reservation, Modi will go to any extent. I'm assuring you this.

8) Congress is protecting terror and fundamentalist mentality to get votes. They say they will get rid of poverty in one go, after being in power for 60 years.
Inside a hangar tucked away in western Ukraine, dozens of workers in protective clothing mold fiberglass mesh and assemble the pieces into potent weapons: long-range drones.

With a range of up to 500 miles, the drones made here are designed to meet surging demand as Ukraine ramps up a campaign of strikes deep inside Russian territory in the third year of the war.

Theres a lot of orders we still cant fulfill," said the owner of the plant, who declined to be named because of concerns about being targeted by Russia.

Facing setbacks on the battlefield, Ukraine is using long-range drones to reach far behind the front line with Russian forces, hitting oil refineries, airfields and logistics. The strikes aim to squeeze fuel supplies to the Russian military and deprive Moscow of export revenues to fund the war. By bringing the war home to Russia, Kyiv could also compel Moscow to redeploy air-defense systems away from the front lines.

Cheaper and more available than cruise missiles, domestically produced drones enable Kyiv to get around political constraints on using weapons supplied by Western allies in attacks on Russian territory. Startup drone makers have cropped up to meet demand with products ranging from the sleek UJ-25 Skyline to an unnamed model with a fuselage made from a length of plumbing pipe.

Ukrainian officials said drones struck two oil refineries and an airfield in the Krasnodar region overnight into Saturday in the latest attack.

Russias Defense Ministry said its air-defense systems shot down 50 drones on a single day last weekend, including over the Moscow region. Falling debris ignited fires at energy infrastructure facilities in two regions, officials said. Earlier this month, drones struck an oil refinery and drone factory in Russias Tatarstan region some 930 miles from the border with Ukraine, demonstrating the growing range of Ukraines capabilities.

The strikes are a bright spot for Ukraine at a time when its battlefield prospects have darkened. The campaign, however, has emerged as a fault line between Kyiv and the Biden administration, which is concerned about the impact on energy prices.

Ukraine is better served in going after tactical and operational targets that can directly influence the current fight," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month.

Ukrainian officials say they must use all available means to resist Russia after a lengthy delay in the delivery of aid from the U.S. revealed the limits of Western support. A $60 billion package of aid for Kyiv was recently unblocked, but the infusion of arms and ammunition is unlikely to dramatically reverse Kyivs fortunes.

Ukrainian officials say they plan to make thousands of long-range drones this year.

In the early days of the war, Ukraine adapted commercially available drones such as the Chinese-built Mugin-5, which defense analyst H I Sutton said was used in one of the first attacks on the headquarters of Russias Black Sea Fleet in the occupied Crimean Peninsula in August 2022.

That and other similar drones have gradually been supplanted by Ukraines own designsthough they remain heavily reliant on commercially available Chinese components.

The drones typically carry a warhead of 44 pounds, according to Sutton, who has identified 19 different models used in attacks on Russian territory, including a balloon that drops mortar bombs from a high altitude.

Made largely of wood, the AQ-400 Scythe has an advertised range of 750 km (465 miles) and a 43-kg (95-pound) warhead. Bober, or Beaver, drones can fly up to 620 miles with a payload of about 20 kg (44 pounds). The deepest strike yet was carried out by a light A22 aircraft that had been automated and rigged with explosives.

Costs range from about $30,000 to 10 times that much, according to one drone manufacturer. Even at the top of the range, it is still considerably less than cruise missiles that Western countries have provided to Ukraine on condition they only be used in Russian-occupied territory.

The rapid evolution of Ukraines drone industry reflects the ingenuity and resourcefulness that have enabled it to resist invasion by a much bigger neighbor. But the ad hoc approach has limits against a country that has put its whole economy on a war footing and is deploying hundreds of Iranian-made Shahed drones in tandem with missiles to erode Ukraines air defenses.

What Ukraine needs to do is streamline production and select those drones that can be manufactured on a mass scale," said Samuel Bendett, an expert on unmanned aerial vehicles at the Center for Naval Analyses, a federally funded research organization in Arlington, Va.

It isnt clear how many long-range drones Ukraine is currently producing. One manufacturer said it was aiming to increase production to 500 a month by midyear.

Only about 20% of the drones succeed in reaching their target largely due to Russian jamming, said a Ukrainian military intelligence officer involved in launching them.

In a hangar in western Ukraine, several dozen workers are busy making one of the drones used to conduct deep strikes.

Five months ago, this room was completely empty," said a worker at the plant. The owner asked that the location of the plant, the name of the drone and workers identities be withheld to protect them from being targeted by Russia.

Before Russia invaded, the owner ran a business making plastic containers in the northern Kharkiv region. After fleeing to western Ukraine, he was working in rail logistics when the security services approached him last summer with a prototype of a long-range drone: could he replicate it?

In our entire lives wed never built anything similar to that," he said.

The businessman hired several veterans of the countrys aviation industry, which was a leader when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. At my age, I should have retired a long time ago, but my country is at war," said a 74-year-old former head specialist at the Kharkiv aviation factory.

Within two months, the team had built two replicas of the drone. They passed the test," the owner said.

The next challenge was scaling up. There are now 75 people on a production line that begins with pressing fiberglass mesh into molds shaped like wings, tail fins and noses. After 11 hours solidifying in a furnace, the parts are assembled to make a small plane with a 2-meter (6.6-feet) wingspan. The engine and explosives are fitted at another factory.

The plant can only make one or two bodies of each drone type a day. To boost capacity, the businessman recently bought a second polymerization furnace. He plans to expand the premises and hire 50 more people to work double-shifts.

At the same time, he is developing a drone model of his own with a planned range exceeding 1,000 km (620 miles).

Write to Isabel Coles at isabel.coles@wsj.com
Auditors are pushing back against recent proposals by the U.S. audit regulator that they say would significantly expand their responsibilities with needless extra work, but which many investors argue would help provide the transparency they have long sought.

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board says change is necessary. The regulator wants firms to take on a greater role in detecting fraud, as well as begin disclosing nearly a dozen new metrics about their operations and audits. Yet another proposal calls for more details on audit fees and cybersecurity risks, plus a confidential submission of financial statements.

In general, auditors support the boards fervor under Chair Erica Williams in trying to modernize auditing standards. But three recent proposalssometimes described by auditors as a pile-onwould load firms with added work and costs, particularly as they struggle to find and keep skilled personnel.

They are sounding increasingly harried.

If they were to go through with all of these proposals, I think it would be a radical overhaul of the profession," summed up Allison Henry, vice president of professional and technical standards at the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Meanwhile, some investors favor the PCAOBs tighter requirements, which would give them more insight into whether the company audits are worth the money they ultimately pay for them.

Of the three proposals, the one that has most inflamed the profession is an effort to get auditors to be more proactive in flagging possible fraud and other illegal activity by their clients. Last June, the PCAOB took a vote on it, which produced a rare split: Duane DesParte and Christina Hothe only two certified public accountants on the five-member boardopposed it.

Auditors are CPAs, not legal experts," Ho said in her dissent. The new requirements will significantly expand auditors need for expertise from lawyers, legal experts and possibly other specialists, resulting in a substantial increase in audit fees."

So incensed were audit firms that several called for the PCAOB to issue a revised proposal.

With auditors still smarting from the compliance proposal, this month the board unveiled two more proposals, one requiring firms to report 11 new data points, ranging from auditor retention to partner involvement and work experience. The other proposal focuses on cybersecurity risk and audit fees.

The PCAOBs stated mission is to protect investors. And since the 2022 ascent of Chair Williams, it has conducted sweeps to root out wrongdoing by audit firms, and is working to update standards and make inspections more efficient and transparent, it says. The PCAOB has approved stronger requirements around how firms verify outside evidence on their clients and supervise outside auditors, and has issued eight proposals, including the recent three. Part of its focus is updating dozens of rules intended to be temporary, some of which refer to outmoded technology, like fax machines.

The PCAOB is committed to modernizing standards that have been outdated for decades in order to best protect investors in todays world, and the public comment period is critical to that effort," a spokeswoman for the regulator said. We are grateful to everyone who has submitted comments and are carefully weighing all input."

But audit firms want laser-clarity around the new, more demanding PCAOB proposals in order to avoid audit deficiencies and regulatory sanctions, which can carry reputational and monetary costs.

Whats contributing to this epic battle, if you will, is that any of these things in a standard might seem reasonable until youre sitting across the table from an inspector and thats not in public view and those words can have nuance," said Colleen Boland, associate professor of accounting at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a former PCAOB senior economic research fellow.

Ho and DesParte have expressed dismay at the PCAOBs broadening agenda. DesParte, whose term ended in October, said last June he was increasingly concerned the PCAOB is incrementally imposing new auditor responsibilities in ways that will expand the breadth and cost of audits and fundamentally alter the role of auditors." (George Botic, a former PCAOB inspections head as well as a CPA, succeeded DesParte on the board and hasnt opposed any proposals since he joined.)

Ho, the lone dissenting vote on this months cyber-related proposal, lamented the boards apparent zeal" in issuing new burdens and responsibilities that may end up breaking the public company auditing professions back."

If we break the profession in the name of investor protection," she said, are we really protecting investors?"

The two have given voice to concerns swirling through the profession, highlighting the animus between the regulators and the regulated, said Jackson Johnson, president of Johnson Global Advisory, which advises accounting firms.

Firms are less fearful to push back and engage in a dialogue because of the pace of proposals," he said. They believe if we dont do something, this could be a runaway train."

Frauditors?

Auditorsin letters to the PCAOB, at a recent roundtable and in interviewshave vociferously argued against the proposal that could make them responsible for detecting and heading off corporate malfeasance, a job they say is more the bailiwick of company managers than auditors. Auditor independence could also be harmed, they say, also adding that the skills and legal expertise needed are beyond their professional abilities.

One well-known case from the last decade is used to bolster the argument for auditors role in catching fraud. KPMG, in a 2016 letter to senators, said it was aware of client Wells Fargos illegal acts at the center of a sales-practices scandal. But it didnt report the bank to authorities because the effects werent financially significant and therefore not within the auditors scope. At the time, KPMG also said it hadnt surfaced any information that wasnt already known to management.

Some investors also believe there is general reluctance to report illicit activity at clients. External auditors initially detect fraud just 4% of the time, compared with tips from employees and customers at 42%, according to a 2022 study from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

For investors, violations of the law can create liabilities that companies might need to disclose in their financials, possibly denting their brand and market valuation. Investors also want auditors to be more skeptical of managements work, in particular whether executives have adequately assessed that there are no significant errors in their financials, according to Sandy Peters, senior head of advocacy at the CFA Institute.

If management doesnt have a complete list [of laws relevant to their operations], but has a process thats reasonable, I think thats something that we want auditors to look at," Peters said at a PCAOB-led roundtable on the issue last month. And it may require they use legal expertise."

Some investors say the losses they might suffer as a result of, say, securities fraud are typically far greater than whatever they might recoup in monetary settlementslet alone what auditors would have to invest to comply with such a rule. The cost of fraud to investors is significant, at about $800 billion a year, said Luigi Zingales, a finance professor at the University of Chicago, citing his published research.

Investors91% of themwould accept some increase in costs to bolster auditor responsibilities under the compliance proposal, with a majority saying they wanted no more than a 30% increase, according to a February survey by the Center for Audit Quality, a professional group.

The Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association, a pension fund, suggested the regulator explore ways to reduce costs for smaller audit firms, said Amy McGarrity, chief investment and operating officer at Colorado PERA and member of the PCAOBs investor advisory group.

We dont want transparency at any cost," she said. We want relevant regulation thats going to improve outcomes."

Disclosing More

For years, though, investors have clamored for some of the changes outlined in the three recent proposals.

Additional disclosure, for instance, would provide more data for shareholders to evaluate audit quality, which could result in increased votes against companies auditors in their annual nonbinding votes on key company matters, said Brandon Rees, deputy director of corporations and capital markets at the labor federation AFL-CIO. Investors often oppose companies choice of auditors when they consider the amount of fees charged for nonaudit services excessive.

Auditors are afraid that institutional investors will start using the auditor-ratification vote as a meaningful way to hold them to account," Rees said.

Observers also sense that the PCAOB might be trying to get as much done as possible ahead of the November U.S. presidential election, which could derail certain projects if a new administration were elected.

But professional groups arent giving upeven if they lose this round. They will likely continue to fight the compliance proposal and perhaps even seek legislation to clamp down on the PCAOB, said Henry at the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs. The compliance proposal could become a rule sometime before the end of this year.

Even if its enacted, we need to continue to push back," she said.

Write to Mark Maurer at mark.maurer@wsj.com
The India-led Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) will unveil its new study on building disaster resilient telecommunications infrastructure and a new set of funding recipients for small island countries (SIDs) at the next CoP climate conference.

In an interview with Mint, CDRI director general Amit Prothi said that the organization will take its work on telecom infrastructure global and will start projects in foreign nations this year.

We're doing studies across several Indian states to understand where the risks are in the telecommunications space. So, is your equipment lying in a flood prone area? Is your tower designed for the new wind speeds that we might be experiencing? These are just basic things but there's a whole systemic approach to understand where risks might be in your infrastructure system, Prothi told Mint.

Resilient infrastructure is about making sure that the infrastructure continues to provide services when there are events like flood, earthquake or cyclone. We're doing studies across several Indian states to understand the challenges and bottlenecks in the telecommunications space, Prothi informed.

Is your equipment lying in a flood prone area? Is your tower designed for the new wind speeds that we might be experiencing? Is your backup power having enough fuel? There's a whole systemic approach to understand where risks might be in your infrastructure system. So, we are trying to come up with those advisories in the telecommunications space.

These studies are expected to be completed in the next three months, with plans to unveil them at the next Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC or 29th United Nations Climate Change conference (CoP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan later this year.

CDRI also plans to launch the second call of the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) next month in Antigua Barbuda to continue assisting small island developing states (SIDs) and incorporate it in its COP29 agenda.

IRIS, essentially a multi-year grant funding mechanism, promotes resilient, sustainable, and inclusive infrastructure development in small island countries. The IRIS Call for Proposals has been designed to channel support in SIDS through projects based on key themes that emerged from extensive consultations and inputs from SIDS stakeholders.

The key themes are risk informed policy and planning, implementation readiness, access to finance, and inclusion mainstreaming. CDRI launched the first call last year.

We've already allocated roughly $8 million in the first call, which'll go again to countries in this, and the grant range will be between 150,000 and half a million. The support requests so far have been in the early warning space, building code space, coastal resilient infrastructure space. But the next call is responding to what the SIDs need, and the call is designed to support that will be open to all the member countries, all the SIDs and the Pacific, Prothi said.

In the upcoming COP, we will be involved. We intend to announce the recipient of the second call for proposals at COP. Receiving proposals, evaluating proposals, selecting proposals and announcing the selection at COP are already planned. These two things are already there on our COP agenda," Prothi added.

He further informed that some foreign countries have expressed interest in CDRIs studies. On climate, the CDRI has also provided other countries probabilistic risk modelling services to allow them to assess risks from environmental shocks.

CDRI is also working with the government of Sikkim, in partnership with the World Health Organization, to understand the preparedness of health systems for natural disasters. He added that CDRI is interested in developing a framework that can be offered to other countries.

The CDRI was launched in 2019 during Prime Minister Modis remarks at the UN Climate Action Summit. Based in New Delhi and 60% of its funding coming from the Indian government, the organization has several global stakeholders, including national governments, multilateral development banks, the private sector and academic bodies, among others.

It has 39 countries as members and hopes to add more members from Africa. Currently, it counts Madagascar, Mauritius, South Sudan and Ghana among its membership.
An explosion of so-called hyperscale data centers in places such as Northern Virginia has upended plans by electric utilities to cut the use of fossil fuels. In some areas, that means burning coal for longer than planned.

These giant data centers will provide computing power needed for artificial intelligence. They are setting off a four-way battle among electric utilities trying to keep the lights on, tech companies that like to tout their climate credentials, consumers angry at rising electricity prices and regulators overseeing investments in the grid and trying to turn it green.

Ground zero for the fight is Northern Virginias Data Center Alley." About 70% of global internet traffic passes through the areas data centers. A spider web of power lines connecting data centers to the grid crisscross neighborhoods and parks. More are coming.

Amazon Web Services, Amazon.coms cloud-computing business, invested $52 billion in Virginia from 2011 to 2021 and plans to invest a further $35 billion by 2040. Loudoun County, Va., has nearly 37 million square feet of data-center space and 42 million square feet more has been proposed.

Northern Virginias title of global data-center king goes back decades to the earliest iterations of what became the internet. The infrastructure built then helped draw dot-com and telecom giants such as AOL, Yahoo and WorldCom. Miles of fiber-optic cable were installed, forming the backbone of the areas data-center infrastructure.

Data centers tend to cluster together in places that have established networks and access to a plentiful energy supply. The rise of ChatGPT and similar large-language AI models, which require huge amounts of computing power, turbocharged data-center demand.

Many new data centers coming to Northern Virginia are known as hyperscale, or facilities that are far larger than previous generations of data centers. The big ones use as much power as the city of Seattle.

Utilities want more fossil fuels to meet demand

For many utilities, the solution to rising demand is to keep coal-fired power plants burning for longer and add natural-gas power plants to balance big expansions of renewables.

Dominion Energy, which supplies electricity to most of the data centers in Virginia, expects their power use to quadruple over the next 15 years, representing 40% of the utilitys demand in the state.

Utilities in Georgia and North Carolina are adding fossil-fuel power or considering delaying the shutdown of coal-fired plants to meet the demands of data centers and other industries. Duke Energy told regulators it needs three new gas-fired power plants in the Carolinas. Otherwise it says it will have to keep coal plants open.

Dominion Chief Executive Robert Blue said the utility expects its peak load to increase at least 5% each year for the next 15 years. Were going to continue to be a big builder of renewables. Were building a big offshore wind farm. Were building a lot of solar. Were adding a lot of storage," Blue said. But we also recognize that were going to need some more natural gas in order to keep the lights on."

One of the great successes of the U.S. energy transition has been the steady elimination of coal power. About 10 gigawatts of coal power have been retired each year for a decade. That number will fall to about 6 gigawatts a year through 2030 because of higher demand, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Tech companies want to be green

Big tech companies such as Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon are among the biggest users of data centers. They have also committed to net-zero emissions worldwide in the coming decades.

Some are pushing back against the use of fossil fuels. Microsoft criticized Georgia Powers proposed gas expansion, saying the plans undervalue renewable energys ability to meet demand. Tech companies have warned that utilities could lose customers if they burn more fossil fuels. Georgia Power said its portfolio protects reliability, supports economic development and includes renewables and battery storage.

No data center wants to be tied to the need for new fossil resources, thats the problem," said Brian Janous, former vice president of energy at Microsoft. You cant throw this much [data-center] capacity at the system and not have some degree of fossil resources to support it." Earlier this year, Janous helped launch Cloverleaf Infrastructure, which is helping large electricity consumers find power.

Consumers dont want more data centers or more fossil fuels

While data centers can be a boon for local governments, providing jobs and reliable tax revenue, residents complain about the constant buzzing that emanates from the hulking structures and the power lines that crisscross their neighborhoods.

Raj Chintala, an information-technology employee in Loudoun County, said he used to enjoy watching the sunrise from the back porch of his home in the Northern Virginia suburbs just outside Washington, D.C. But a few years ago, a data center began to rise just feet beyond his backyard. Now its much darker," he said.

One recent $54.3 million proposal by Dominion would extend a transmission line 1.8 miles and build a substation to serve a planned Amazon data-center campus. Amazon said it has enabled 19 solar farms in Virginia and is the worlds largest corporate buyer of renewable energy.

Data-center grid investments, paid for by all customers, are called unfair by community groups. Elena Schlossberg, grassroots coordinator for the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, compared it to splitting a restaurant bill. Theyre ordering the $200 bottle of red wineand youre getting a Caesar salad," Schlossberg said.

Dominion also wants to build a 1,000-megawatt natural-gas plant, for times of high power demand, in Chesterfield County, where a coal plant closed last year. The utility is still removing millions of cubic yards of coal ash from storage ponds at the site.

Nicole Martin, president of the Chesterfield chapter of the NAACP, said the predominantly Black neighborhood had a fossil-fuel plant for nearly 80 years. Were supposed to endure the health risks and the environmental risk when this power plant, this energy, is not even being used for us," Martin said.

Dominion says the plant is critically important for reliability. Grid investments, plus the new projects, would raise average utility bills for customers from around $133 a month to $174 over 15 years, the company projects. New transmission lines often attract other users, with data centers ultimately bearing more of the cost of such upgrades, the company said.

Wind and solar cant serve data-center demand around the clock, so growth will need to be supplemented by natural-gas-fired power generation, said Arshad Mansoor, chief executive of the nonprofit Electric Power Research Institute.

You can be an idealist," Mansoor said. But if youre a realist, youll add a ton of solar and you can balance that with gas." The only other option to new gas plants is delaying coal and nuclear-plant retirements, he said.

Write to Jennifer Hiller at jennifer.hiller@wsj.com and Scott Patterson at scott.patterson@wsj.com
Turkish police detain 38 IS suspects

Ankara, April 29 (UNI) Turkish police detained 38 suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) group, the country's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Sunday.

The suspects were detained in the provinces of Adana, Aydin, Corum, Gaziantep, Kayseri and Mersin in the operations dubbed "Bozdogan-31," Yerlikaya said on social media platform X, without specifying the timing of the operations.

The police seized large amounts of both foreign and Turkish currencies, as well as some digital materials during the operations, he added.
If there could be some degree of respite for the common folk during this years overheated summer, it might be fewer electricity outages. And they might want to thank China for that.

Electricity generation by Indian power plants fired by imported coal has nearly doubled in the first three weeks of April from a year earlier as global prices of the polluting fuel have declined by about 30%.

This is primarily because of an oversupply in China, the worlds largest producer, which has pushed down global coal prices, making the nonrenewable energy source more accessible to Indian power plants.

This is timely for India because the country is set to witness its highest ever power demand this year, surpassing last years record levels. Estimates by the Central Electricity Authority suggest peak power demand may reach 260 GW by September.

Coal prices have eased in the past year and power plants in Maharashtra and Gujarat are importing coal amid the falling prices, said Jabal Patel, proprietor of Giant Asia, a Gujarat-based coal supplier, adding that about 18,000 tonnes of coal is being lifted on a daily basis.

Increased power generation Thermal or coal-based power plants account for about 55% of the total electricity produced in India. Plants based on imported coal account for only about 8% of Indias thermal power generation, but are crucial particularly in coastal states that are far from domestic coal mines.

Power generating plants that run on domestic coal too are operating at full capacity given adequate coal production in the country. The government had mandated these plants to blend 6% imported coal to ensure electricity supply, but that hasnt been necessary because of sufficient availability of the fuel at home.

Power generation by imported coal-based power plants increased nearly 90% to 6.51 billion units during 1-23 April, show coal ministry data. In the same period, power generation by power generation companies using domestic coal increased 5.03% to 78.51 billion units.

Between December and February, thermal coal imports into India increased to 50.6 million tonnes from 36.6 million tonnes in the same year-ago period.

Indian power plants that depend on imported coal tend to curtail their operations if the prices are high. The recent fall in coal prices has allowed them to operate at maximum capacity, industry executives said.

Besides, the government has directed such plants to operate at full capacity to meet electricity demand in the country.

The price of Australian G4 grade coal with energy content of 6,300 kilocalories per kilogram (kcal/kg) has declined 31.7% year-on-year to $129.13 per tonne. Similarly, Indonesian G11 grade coal with energy content of 4,200 kcal/kg is 24.3% lower at $54.52 per tonne, as per market estimates.

Thermal coal imports into India increased 14% to 207.4 million tonnes in the 2023-24 financial year, show data from rating agency Icra.

Adequate supplies Amrit Lal Meena, secretary to the Union ministry of coal, said coal stocks at power plants in India was at 46.88 million tonnes, adequate for about 19 days of operations. This is higher than the 33.70 million tonnes of coal stocks available for power plants in the same year-ago period.

There would not be any major depletion of coal stock and it would be adequate to meet the rising demand even with the temperatures rising, Meena told Mint. Our target is to have at least 40 million tonnes of coal at the plants by 30 June, and we are well on the way to meet that requirement.
Engineering solutions provider Diffusion Engineers, on April 29, has re-filed draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch initial public offerings (IPO).

The IPO consists of fresh issue of 9.85 million equity shares, each with a face value of 10. Additionally, eligible employees have a reserved subscription option, with those participating in this portion offered a discount.

According to market sources, the issue would be in the range of 125-150 crore. Earlier, the company had filed draft papers with the SEBI in December 2023 for IPO.

The company plans to allocate approximately 71.38 crore to finance capital expenditure needs for expanding its current manufacturing facility. Additionally, it earmarks 30.38 crore for establishing a new manufacturing facility in Hingna, Sonegaon District, Nagpur. Another 22 crore will be allocated to cover the company's working capital requirements and for general corporate purposes.

The offering is being conducted via the Book Building Process, with a provision that up to 50% of the offering will be proportionately allocated to Qualified Institutional Buyers. Additionally, a minimum of 15% of the offering will be reserved for Non-Institutional Bidders, while at least 35% will be reserved for Retail Individual Bidders.

Unistone Capital Private Limited is the sole book-running lead manager and Bigshare Services Private Limited is the registrar of the offer. The equity shares are proposed to be listed on BSE and NSE.

Established in 1982 under the guidance of Prashant Garg, currently serving as the Managing Director, Diffusion Engineers initially concentrated on trading welding electrodes for Super-conditioning. With over four decades of experience, the company has broadened its portfolio, extending to a wide range of products and services.

This expansion encompasses the manufacturing of specialized welding consumables, wear plates, and heavy engineering equipment crucial for various industries. Moreover, the company specializes in customized repairs and reconditioning services tailored to heavy machinery and equipment requirements.

During the fiscal year 2023, the company's restated consolidated revenue from operations experienced a noteworthy 24.58% year-on-year (YoY) surge, climbing to 254.88 crore from 204.59 crore in fiscal 2022. This increase primarily stems from heightened revenue in Welding Consumables, Wear plate / Wear Parts, and Trading activities.
Following an almost 76 percent rise in the stock in the last 1 year, domestic brokerage house Axis Securities has picked auto major Hero MotoCorp as its 'top pick of the week'. This is on the back of new product rollout, improvement in two-wheeler (2W) business, robust margin trajectory, and rural recovery.

The brokerage has a buy call on the stock with a target price of 4,935, implying a potential upside of 10 percent.

Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HEROMOTOCO) holds the market leader position in the Indian 2W industry with a market share of 34.6 percent (as of March 2022). Motorcycles constitute the primary source of its revenue, contributing 94 percent of total volumes, while scooters contribute 6 percent to its total volumes.

Read here: Axis Bank share price hits lifetime high after Q4 results 2024. More steam left? Hero is primarily focused on the domestic market, with 94 percent of its volumes originating from India. Entry-level motorcycles (75cc to 110cc) represent a significant portion of 75 percent of overall volumes. The company operates six plants in India and two international plants in Colombia and Bangladesh. Hero boasts a domestic manufacturing capacity of 9.30 million units per annum and a global capacity of 0.23 million units per annum.

Stock Price Trend The stock has surged almost 76 percent in the last 1 year and gained 7.5 percent in 2024 YTD. The stock witnessed some correction in April, down around 6 percent after a 6.7 percent rise in March. Meanwhile, it fell 4 percent in February but jumped 11.6 percent in January this year.

Currently trading at 4,491.85, the stock is 10 percent away from its record high of 4,979.95, hit on February 12, 2024. Meanwhile, it has soared 82 percent from its 52-week low of 2,470.60, hit on May 2, 2023.

Read here: Dolly Khanna picks up stake in multibagger HFC stock. Shares hit 52-week high FY24 Auto Sales Hero MotoCorp, a major two-wheeler manufacturer, reported a 5.5 percent increase in total sales for the fiscal year 2023-24, with 56,21,455 units sold, compared to 53,28,546 units sold in the previous fiscal year. This rise in sales demonstrates a positive trend for the company.

In terms of motorcycle sales, Hero MotoCorp sold 51,90,672 units in FY24, up from 49,59,156 units in FY23. Additionally, scooter sales increased to 430,783 units in FY24 from 369,390 units in FY23, indicating growth in both categories.

Domestic sales were also higher in FY24, with 54,20,532 units sold compared to 51,55,793 units in FY23. This growth in sales across various segments suggests that Hero MotoCorp experienced a successful fiscal year, reflecting a strengthening market position and potentially improved consumer demand for its products.

Read here: Apollo Hospitals announces deal with Advent; stock down 8% on valuation concerns Investment Rationale New Products Rollout, Execution Strategy to be in Spotlight: The brokerage pointed out that with the launch of differentiated products offering multiple industry-first features, Hero has built a strong product portfolio, thereby filling white spaces. The company has a clear strategy to win market share in the premium category of 2W, growing EV business, expanding Premia stores, upgrading existing stores to Hero 2.0, and investing in marketing (via both traditional and digital routes). While the change in top management has hit the throttle  all eyes are now on volume growth in coming quarters, it said.

2W Business: The current industry (domestic + exports) volumes in FY24E are approximately 14-16 percent below the industry peak of around 2.45 crore units in FY2018-19 (pre-COVID). This suggests that there is still potential for growth in the 2W industry, largely led by the expected revival in the rural economy, noted Axis. Overall, in the 2W domestic industry, it expects the 125cc and above segment to grow faster than the entry-level segment. With a stable increase in models, Axis estimates the company to grow at par with the industry (previously below industry). As the execution strategy plays out in FY25, it has conservatively build in a 7 percent CAGR volume growth over FY23-26E for Hero.

Read here: IRCON International shares surge 6.4% on  1,198 crore order win Strong EBITDA Margins: The companys EBITDA margin in Q3 came in at 14 percent, with a 200bps impact due to EV-related expenses. It is expected to improve further on the back of new product launches in the premium category and the managements focus on exports in key geographies, believes Axis. With commodity prices expected to largely remain stable, operational efficiency in EVs, and higher ASP led by product premiumization, the brokerage has factored in a conservative 14.5 percent EBITDA margin in FY26E.

Outlook & Valuation The brokerage is closely monitoring Hero MotoCorp's strategic moves, particularly its roadmap in the electric vehicle (EV) product portfolio, which includes investments in Ather Energy, the scaling up of VIDA, and its association with Gogoro. Additionally, the brokerage is watching Hero's foray into the mid-weight motorcycle segment, featuring models like the Karizma, HarleyX440, and Mavrick440. This expansion takes place amid a landscape of rising competition, where both existing and new players are vying for market share.

Read here: IRFC, RVNL, Axis Bank, SBI to BoB: 15 Nifty 50 breakout stocks in focus Actual volume growth across key segments will be the key monitor. Axis expects the 2W industry growth to play in favor of Hero specifically in the entry and 125cc segment.
Shares of IRCON International, a Navratna public sector enterprise and a prominent turnkey construction company in the public sector under the Ministry of Railways, surged by 6.4% in early morning trading today, reaching 266.90 per share.

This rise followed the company securing a significant order for Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) work.

In an exchange filing on Sunday, the company informed investors about receiving a letter of award for a contract valued at 1,198 crore through its joint venture with Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon. The contract entails the construction of the Kothavalasa-Koraput Doubling Project for a section of the Waltair Division, East Coast Railway.

Earlier in March, the company secured an order from the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for the construction of the Twin Tube Unidirectional Aizawl Bypass Tunnel, along with its approaches, in Mizoram, valued at 630 crore under the EPC mode.

In the current year thus far, the company's shares had surged by 50%, extending their bullish trend from the previous year, when they closed with a multibagger return of 187%.

Over the past twelve months, the shares have recorded a gain of 246%, resulting in an impressive return of 517% over just two years.

Also Read: RVNL share price jumps 4% from intraday low after winning Indian Railway project

IRCON International is a railway construction company that has diversified progressively into roads, buildings, electrical substations and distribution, airport construction, commercial complexes, and metro rail works.

The company has widespread operations in several states in India and other countries (Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh, South Africa, Algeria, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka). The company has completed more than 128 projects in 25 countries across the globe and 401 projects in various states in India.

In the recent Interim Budget of 2024-2025, a record capital outlay of 2.55 lakh crore for railways and 2.78 lakh crore for roads & Highways has been allocated, marking the highest-ever investment in these sectors.

The government has announced the implementation of three major railway corridor programs under the PM Gati Shakti initiative to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce costs. Additionally, initiatives such as the promotion of urban transformation through Metro rail projects and NaMo Bharat have been announced.

These government initiatives are providing significant support to the infrastructure sector, and Ircon International is poised to benefit from them.
Last week, SBI Card launched a travel-focused credit card. The timing seemed to be just right. It is peak summer, with many people finalizing last minute getaway plans to cooler destinations. Yet, what does SBI Card MILES offer to its users and how does it compare with other such cards? Mint explores.

Spends on a travel-focused card earn the cardholder rewards that can be converted into loyalty points of partner airlines or hotels, or can be used to book flights or hotels through the travel aggregator platform of the bank or card issuing company. One of the key features of a travel focused card is that it earns accelerated rewards on booking flight tickets or hotels. So, for instance, if the base reward rate of a travel card is 1% on all spending categories, it will earn more than 1% on hotel and flight ticket bookings. SBI Card MILES offers just that. The top variant of this card, SBI Card MILES Elite, earns 3% on travel spends, while all other spends earn 1% reward rate.

View Full Image (Graphic: Mint)

However, SBI Card MILES falls short on the quantum of rewards on travel spends when compared to other similar cards in the same fee range. In fact, the reward rate is less than other credit cards offered by SBI Card. SBI Cashback credit card offers 5% cashback on online spends, though theres an upper limit to how much one can earn. Still, you will earn more on this card when booking flights or hotels than the newly launched SBI Card MILES," said Tejas Ghongadi, co-founder of The Points Code, a platform that advises credit card users on how to optimise reward points.

SBI Card MILES has three variantsSBI Card MILES ELITE, SBI Card MILES PRIME and SBI Card MILESwith annual fee of Rs4999, Rs2999 and Rs1499, respectively (the fees does not include 18% goods and services tax, or GST). The top variant MILES ELITE earns six travel credits (TCs) for every Rs200 spent on travel categories and 2 TCs on all other spending categories. The value of 1 TC is Re1 when converted into airmiles or hotel points, which translates into a reward rate of 3% and 1% for travel and non-travel spends, respectively.

View Full Image (Graphic: Mint)

SBI Card has partnered with 16 airlines and six hotel groups, including some of the major groups such as Vistara, Etihad, United Airlines, Qatar Airways, Accor and ITC Hotels, among others. The reward rate on MILES PRIME and MILES cards for conversion to miles is 2% and 1%, respectively, on travel spends, whereas it is 1% and 0.5%, respectively, on all other spends.

Cardholders can also use the points earned to book flights or hotels directly on the travel aggregator platform of SBI Card but the value of 1 TC reduces to Re0.5 for this option. This reduces the reward rate on all its cards by half.

View Full Image (Graphic: Mint)

Credit card experts say there are better rewarding travel credit cards in the same fee range of SBI Card MILES. The two high rewarding cards that cardholders can consider are Axis Atlas and Amex Platinum Travel Credit, as per Gongadi. Axis Atlass 4% rate on non-travel categories is higher than what SBI MILES is offering on travel spends."

Sumanta Mandal, founder, Technofino, a digital platform that reviews credit cards and other banking products, concurred and said Both these cards are in the non-premium category as well so the 3% accelerated reward rate on travel spends on SBI MILES really pales in comparison. Axis Atlas offers a 10% reward rate on travel spends and 4% on other categories. Amex Platinum Travel Credit Card can give up to 12% rewards on 4 lakh spend."

The joining fee for Amex Platinum Travel is Rs3,500 and renewal fee, from the second year onwards, is Rs5,000. As for Axis Atlas, the joining and annual fees are Rs5,000. All these fees are exclusive of 18% GST.

Do note that in the case of Amex Platinum Travel card, the cardholder can bag a high reward rate only on reaching Rs4 lakh spending threshold through 25,000 bonus points and a Taj Voucher worth 10,000. Mandal said since Amex is not as widely accepted as other card networks on offline spends, cardholders should first put most of their spends up to 4 lakh on this card. Thats the only challenge with Amex Platinum Travel card. Below 4 lakh spends, the reward rate works out quite average. The other downside is reward rate after Rs4 lakh reduces significantly as there are no milestone benefits," he said.

View Full Image (Graphic: Mint)

To maximize travel benefits from credit cards, high spenders should use a mix of 2-3 cards, said Ghongadi. You may not get the desired hotel or airline partner with one card or the preferred hotel partner might give a better conversion rate in a card different than your primary card. Similarly, milestone benefits vary across cards and reward rate on some cards, like Amex Platinum Travel, drop drastically after a certain spending threshold. So, it is advised to use a combination of 2-3 cards to get a decent reward rate. But, in my opinion, SBI MILES doesnt make the cut in this mix," he said.

Atlas also offers an almost equal number of complimentary lounge visitsanother key offering of travel cardscompared to MILES ELITE. While the latter offers eight domestic visits, restricted to two visits per quarter and six international visits per year, Atlas gives eight domestic and four international visits to the base Silver tier. The number of lounge visits increase as cardholders move up the tiers.
(Bloomberg) -- AIA Group Ltd. posted a 27% actual exchange rate jump in new business value in the first quarter, led by growth in Hong Kong and mainland China, while announcing an additional share buyback.

The measure of future profitability of new policies sold surged to $1.3 billion, from $1.05 billion a year earlier, the Asia insurer said in a statement Monday. Annualized new premiums jumped 23% to $2.4 billion.

Stripping out the effect of exchange rate fluctuations, new business value surged 31% while annualized new premiums rose 26%. Its Hong Kong business new business value jumped 43%, while in mainland China, the measure expanded 38%, on constant exchange rate basis.

The firm will add $2 billion to the existing $10 billion buy-back program, in view of AIAs very strong financial position and our confidence in our future operational and financial delivery, Group Chief Executive Lee Yuan Siong said in the statement. The company set a fresh target to pay out 75% of its annual net free surplus generation, which will result in a higher distribution to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks, starting from this years annual results.

AIA operates in 18 Asia-Pacific markets, while counting its home base of Hong Kong and mainland China as the largest contributors of new business and policy sales by a wide margin. The year-ago quarter provided a low base for comparison, as the two markets were just emerging from Covid-era disruptions, such as mandatory quarantine for cross-border travelers and other social-distancing measures.

By the first quarter, mainland Chinese visitor arrivals in Hong Kong had recovered to 71% of the 2018 level, Citigroup Inc. analysts led by Michelle Ma wrote in a note last week. Mainland Chinese visitors and local residents contributed broadly similar shares to the units new business value growth in the three months, the company said.

Popularity Rises

In mainland China, insurance was also gaining popularity as a wealth management tool, while bancassurance profitability has improved, the Citigroup analysts wrote. AIAs success of selling tax-deferred pension savings products in mainland China continued into the first quarter, Michael Chang, CGSI Securities Ltd. head of Asian financials, wrote on Apr. 24. The Citigroup analysts also expected Thailand new business value to grow 18% on sales increases, stripping out exchange rate fluctuations. AIA described the Thailand growth as double-digit.

Importantly, the results directly addressed many investor concerns, Chang said in a note Monday. He cited the increased share buyback and clarity on future capital management policy, including the shareholder payout ratio.

AIAs Hong Kong-listed shares have lost 38% since 2022, even with new business value growth of 30% last year. Thats also despite $7.2 billion of buybacks that cut outstanding shares by 6% over the 21 months through December.

Its price-to-embedded value ratio of about one time was the lowest since its 2010 initial public offering, and about 40% below its three-year average, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Steven Lam wrote on Apr. 23.

Investor bearishness on Hong Kong and mainland Chinese companies and concerns about growth slowdown for new business value partly contributed to the slump, he added.

Regulator Inquiries

Investors may have also been spooked by a regulatory crackdown on unlicensed insurance sales earlier this month, Chang noted.

Hong Kongs Insurance Authority raided the offices of a licensed insurance broker and a referral company, regulators announced on Apr. 11. The broker was suspected of using unlicensed referrers to help advise and sell insurance. Senior Hong Kong insurance regulators also met with officials from the Monetary Authority of Macau, discussing topics such as combating unlicensed cross-border sales, the Hong Kong regulator said in a statement on its website Apr. 22.

AIA said more than 60% of its Hong Kong units new business value from mainland Chinese visitors were generated by its own agents in the first quarter.

(Updates with details and analyst reaction from fourth paragraph)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
(Adds details of Cleveland-Cliffs letter, Norfolk Southern response, background, paragraphs 2-8)

April 28 (Reuters) - U.S. steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs , a Norfolk Southern customer, has backed activist investor Ancora Holdings in its effort to have seven directors and a new chief executive officer installed at the railroad operator, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday.

Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves said in a letter to Ancora that the outcome of the proxy fight will have no impact on its customer or supplier relationship with Norfolk Southern, the report added.

"We believe in shareholder activism when the activist has a plan and knows how to execute the plan," Goncalves wrote in the letter cited in the Bloomberg report.

Norfolk Southern said in response to the Cleveland-Cliffs letter on Sunday: "It is unfortunate that Ancora continues to mislead our stakeholders about their strategy." It added that the "mathematic reality" of Ancora's proxy fight would require thousands of furloughs.

Cleveland-Cliffs did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

In February, a group of investors led by Ancora Holdings proposed the replacement of Norfolk Southern's top management, including its CEO, and nominated eight directors to the board.

The investor group, which has said it holds a large equity stake in the company, has been seeking to replace CEO Alan Shaw with former United Parcel Service executive Jim Barber. It also seeks to replace Norfolk Southern's chief operating officer, Paul Duncan, with Jamie Boychuk, a former executive at CSX.
(Corrects to include Anglo American's copper output in Peru in paragraph 8 and updates calculation in paragraph 11. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters)

By Clyde Russell

LAUNCESTON, Australia, April 29 (Reuters) - BHP Group's proposed takeover of rival miner Anglo American is one of those rare instances where a mega-merger actually makes strong business sense, but it will be difficult to pull off to the satisfaction of all parties.

BHP, the world's largest mining company, offered $39 billion last week to buy Anglo, a move the London-listed miner that grew out of South Africa rejected as "significantly" undervalued.

The expectation now is that BHP may boost its offer, or other buyers for Anglo, or parts of its diversified portfolio, may emerge.

Much of the media attention has focused on Anglo's copper assets as the lure for BHP, with a combined company becoming the world's largest producer of the industrial metal with a share of around 10%.

In effect, BHP's bid is largely seen as a massive vote of confidence in the future of copper, which is essential to the energy transition given its properties as a conductor and its resistance to corrosion.

The bid may also be a tacit admission on BHP's part that buying copper assets is far easier than trying to find them and develop new mines.

Anglo has interests in three copper mines in Chile and its production in the 2023 financial year was 507,000 metric tons, which resulted in underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $1.452 billion.

The London-listed miner also has a 60% share in the Quellaveco mine in Peru, which gave it production of 319,000 tons and EBITDA of $1.781 billion.

This gave Anglo total copper output of 826,000 tons and EBITDA of $3.233 billion, or 32% of the group's total for 2023.

BHP's copper business is more diversified, with operations in Chile, Peru, Australia and the United States, and in the 2023 financial year production was 1.717 million tons for an underlying EBITDA of $6.65 billion.

For the sake of argument, assume Anglo's copper earnings can be maintained and the copper price remains stable, it would take about six years for the earnings to pay off half of BHP's current offer price for Anglo.

Of course, it's likely that there would be some cost synergies, and it's also probably the case that copper prices rally, especially if the energy transition starts to accelerate.

That would make Anglo's copper assets more valuable to BHP as the return would be over a shorter time period.

Of course, this assumes that BHP's view of Anglo's assets is that copper is effectively half of the worth of the total company.

The question for investors looking at BHP's proposed takeover of Anglo is how much are Anglo's non-copper assets worth, can they be disposed of effectively, or integrated into the wider group.

COAL, IRON ORE

The asset that fits best with BHP's existing portfolio is Anglo's metallurgical coal mines in Australia's Queensland state.

BHP, through its alliance with Japan's Mitsubishi, is the world's largest exporter of the coal used primarily to make steel, while Anglo ranks third.

Combining their assets would create a dominant metallurgical coal player, so much so that the deal is likely to attract scrutiny from regulators, especially in countries like Japan, which source the vast bulk of their coal from Australia.

The current BHP proposal foresees Anglo's South African iron ore assets, held through Kumba Iron Ore, and the platinum mines of Anglo American Platinum, being divested and distributed to shareholders.

This may present problems for the South African authorities, but it's also a sad reflection of how international companies are no longer keen on assets in the country that was once renowned as a centre of mining excellence.

Iron ore is BHP's biggest earner, and the high-grade material produced by Kumba would be useful in the portfolio, but South Africa's political risk and crumbling infrastructure make it unattractive.

Anglo's Brazilian iron ore operations also offer high-grade ore, which BHP could integrate or seek to sell off.

Platinum is a commodity that may struggle in the energy transition, given its use in catalytic converters for internal combustion engine vehicles.

Anglo's other interests, such as diamonds through De Beers, and manganese through Samancor, could most probably be sold to existing partners: the Botswana government for De Beers and South 32 for the manganese.

Overall, the mechanics of the deal seem to make good sense for BHP.

They can be made to make sense for Anglo's shareholders if the offer is raised high enough so that they can't say no.

Winning over various regulators across several countries may be far more tricky, and compromises may be needed, and that could end up undermining the very logic of the deal in the first place.

Disclosure: At the time of publication Clyde Russell owned shares in BHP Group as an investor in a fund.
The Delhi High Court dismissed a plea seeking to disqualify Prime Minister Narendra Modi from participating in any elections for six years. The petitioner had sought PM Modi's disqualification, accusing him of violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by allegedly seeking votes in the name of "god and place of worship" during his recent speech at Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh.

Dismissing the plea on Monday, the Delhi High Court said that the plea is devoid of merits. Meanwhile, Live Law reported that Justice Sachin Datta rejected the plea moved by lawyer Anand S Jondhale, observing that the petition is thoroughly misconceived" since it cannot direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to act in a particular manner.

"The present writ petition is thoroughly misconceived. The petitioner presupposes that there has been a violation. It is not permissible for this Court to direct the ECI to take a particular view," the high court was quoted by Bar and Bench as saying.

What's PM Modi accused of? The petition filed by Advocate Anand S Jondhale referred to a speech delivered by PM Modi in Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh on April 9. Jondhale alleged that PM Modi not only sought votes in the name of Hindu and Sikh deities and their places of worship but also made comments against opposite political parties as favouring Muslims," Live Law reported.

He added that PM Modi's speeches "have the potential to create hatred amongst voters on the line of caste and religion", the report added.

As per Bar and Bench, the petitioner stated that even though he approached the ECI, asking it to register an FIR against the Prime Minister under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between groups) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and to disqualify Modi from contesting elections for six years, the Commission took no action.

What did the Election Commission say? Advocate Siddhant Kumar, appearing for the ECI, submitted that the poll body has been receiving such applications every day and that it would take action as per the law.
Uttarakhand Forest Fires: An ongoing firefighting operation aided by an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter persisted for the second consecutive day on Sunday in Uttarakhand's forests, officials confirmed to PTI.

The state documented eight new forest fires within the last day, consuming 11.75 hectares of land. The previous day saw 23 incidents, which ravaged 34.175 hectares, as stated in the forest department's daily report, it added.

Since November 1, 2023, Uttarakhand has logged a total of 606 forest fires, resulting in the destruction of 735.815 hectares of forest land, according to the bulletin.

Kumaon's Chief Conservator of Forest, Prasanna Kumar Patro, said no significant fires had erupted in the forests in the past 24 hours.

Here are the Top 10 Updates on the Forest Fires so far  The firefighting operation in Uttarakhand's forests with the aid of an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter persisted for the second consecutive day on Sunday (April 28), officials reported.

 The Indian Air Force has deployed a Mi-17 V5 helicopter equipped with a Bambi bucket, capable of carrying 5,000 litres of water, to douse flames in Nainital and surrounding areas, according to official sources.

 The state witnessed eight new forest fires in the past 24 hours, consuming 11.75 hectares of land. This is a decline from the 23 incidents that occurred from Friday to Saturday (April 26-27), which damaged 34.175 hectares, as per the forest department's daily bulletin.

 Since November 1, 2023, Uttarakhand has recorded 606 forest fires, resulting in the destruction of 735.815 hectares of forest land. No significant fires emerged in the forests over the last 24 hours, stated Kumaon's Chief Conservator of Forest, Prasanna Kumar Patro.

 Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met with Kumaon Division officials to discuss forest fires and instructed them to tackle it effectively. Dhami directed officers to stay alert and restricted forest officers from taking leave. He also advised against calling officers to Dehradun for meetings until the fires are under control. Earlier, he surveyed the affected areas by air and stated that efforts from the administration and officials are helping to manage the fires.

 In the Kumaon region, fires persist at two to three locations in Nainital district and one each in Champawat, Almora, Pithoragarh, and Bageshwar, according to Patro. Efforts are underway to extinguish fires in other areas, with ongoing firefighting operations aimed at prompt control, he assured.

 The recent surge in forest fires in Kumaon is attributed to heightened dryness caused by a heat wave in Champawat and Nainital districts, bordering Nepal.

 Intensified efforts are directed towards extinguishing ongoing fires and preventing fresh incidents in the worst-affected areas, including Nainital, Haldwani, and Ramnagar forest divisions. The involvement of various stakeholders, including the Indian Air Force, Army personnel, Prantiya Rakshak Dal volunteers, and homeguard personnel, has been pivotal in the firefighting operations, as highlighted by Kumaon Commissioner Deepak Rawat.

 Additional government vehicles have been allocated to expedite the deployment of firefighting teams to affected regions. Locals, along with forest panchayat officials, are actively engaged in firefighting efforts, serving as first responders.

 Forest department personnel are conducting awareness campaigns in hillside villages to educate residents about forest fire prevention measures, stated Garhwal DFO Anirudh Swapnil. Stringent actions will be taken against those found responsible for setting fires, with rewards offered to individuals reporting such violations.
Washington, April 29 (UNI) US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Monday that the US military destroyed five drones over the Red Sea as they posed a threat to US and allied vessels in the region.

"Between 1:48 and 2:27 a.m. (Sanaa time) [22:48 - 23:27 GMT], April 28, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) successfully engaged five airborne unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea. It was determined the UAVs presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region," the command said on X.

Yemen's rebel Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, has been launching attacks on commercial and military vessels in the region for months, in response to Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. The attacks prompted the United States to form a multinational coalition to protect shipping in the area, as well as to strike Houthi targets on the ground.
In the latest development in Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna's sex scandal case, one of the victims has shared her ordeals about the incident. The victim used to work as a cook in Revanna's residence. She has lodged a complaint against Prajwal Revanna and his father HD Revanna.

The woman complainant told Police in an FIR, "In a household with six female staff members, apprehension gripped us whenever Prajwal Revanna returned home. Even male colleagues cautioned us to exercise caution".

The woman alleged that bother father and son used to sexually assault women workers often.

Whenever (HD) Revannas wife wasnt there, he used to call the women to the storeroom and touch them while giving them fruits. He used to remove saree pins and sexually assault women, she added.

The victim alleged that Prajwal also misbehaved with her daughter over a video call.

"My daughter blocked his number after repeated calls," the complainant said.

The victim said she decided to complain after the alleged obscene video controversy.

Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of former prime minister H D Devegowda. MP from Hassan constituency, Prajwal is eyeing a second term and is contesting against Congress candidate Shreyas M Patel, the grandson of G Puttaswamy Gowda. The 33-year-old Prajwal was the NDA candidate in the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, which went to polls on April 26.

Prajwal's father HD Devegowda is an MLA from Holenarasipura.

The Karnataka government on Sunday constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe an alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal following a letter by the Chairperson of Womens Commission Dr Nagalakshmi Chowdhary to the government.

The three-member SIT formed by the state government will be headed by IPS officer Vijay Kumar Singh. DG CID Suman D Pennekar and IPS officer Seema Latkar will be members of the team.
The Supreme Court of India adjourned hearing of West Bengal government's plea challenging Calcutta High Court order which directed a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of land grabbing and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali till July.

Why should state protect interest of private individuals, the top court observed during the hearing today. To this, West Bengal replied, There are comments against the state which is being challenged as state has carried out fair investigation.

In its plea before the top court, the state government said the high court's April 10, 2024 order demoralised the entire state machinery, including the police force.

"The high court in a very generic order directed the State to provide the required support to the CBI without any guidelines, which amounts to usurping the powers of the state police to investigate any cognisable offence in the Sandeshkhali area, even if the same is not related to the allegations levelled by the PIL petitioners," the plea said.

A team of NSG commandoes was sent to investigate after the central agency received inputs about a large cache of arms  including foreign-made pistols  hidden in Sandeshkhali.

The CBI registered an FIR against five people and unknown others following the Calcutta High Court order. The federal probe agency is looking into several alleged offences in the Sandeshkhali region  including illegal land acquisitions and instances of violence and sexual assault against women.

ED officials were attacked on January 5 by a mob when they went to Sandeshkhali to search the premises of now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader Shahjahan Sheikh in connection with a ration distribution scam case.

Several women of Sandeshkhali have led protests against the ruling TMC and party leader Shahjahan, accusing him and his associates of perpetrating atrocities on them as well as gobbling up their land. Several women have also accused Shajahan and his aides of "sexual assault" under coercion.
King Charles is willing to meet the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, face-to-face when he returns to the UK for the Invictus Games. However, it will be a different story when it comes to talking to Meghan Markle.

Harry will be returning to the UK soon, while his wife Meghan Markle will stay in California with their kids. The Daily Mirror reported that if she went with him, it might distract from the event they would be attending. An expert thinks that King Charles wouldn't welcome Meghans presence as it might "overshadow the message of the service".

Also Read: Prince Harry worried about William's children George, Charlotte, and Louis: Of those 3, at least one will end up "The King has always kept the door open to Harry, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he would invariably get a warm reception. It will take its time. But, clearly the situation has changed in recent weeks beyond all expectations. I don't think it would be too difficult, it depends how you define reconcile. I think there's a long way to go before Harry is bringing over Meghan and the children," Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliam earlier told The Sun that there was a long way to go before Harry could bring Meghan and the children over to the UK.

Also Read: Prince Harry wants to spend more time with family in UK but can't as "I never thought that Meghan would come over because of the hostility towards her here, but one has to emphasise that it's obvious from the opinion polls. And, of course, you'd get a press that was far from flattering, but that is linked to the Sussexes behaviour over the last four years, Fitzwilliam said.

Harrys first visit to UK since Kates cancer diagnosis Prince Harry will attend the Invictus Games all by himself in May. This will be his first UK visit since it was revealed that his sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, has cancer.
(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government will cut the amount of time foreign students can work off campus to 24 hours per week, part of its effort to curb the explosive growth of the program.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced on Monday that the government is ending a temporary policy, started during the height of labor shortages in 2022, that had allowed foreign students to work full time.

The measure had raised a previous 20-hour cap and faced criticism for helping drive a surge in demand for foreign student visas because students could focus more on working than studying as a potential pathway to citizenship.

Read More: Canadas Student Trafficking Industry Is Backfiring on Trudeau

Still, Miller opted not to restore the previous limit, instead allowing foreign students to work a maximum of 24 hours a week starting in September. The new cap will ensure students focus primarily on their studies while having the option to work if necessary, his department said in a statement.

As Canadian colleges and universities head into the summer session, students who have a scheduled academic break may continue working unlimited hours.

Miller previously told Bloomberg News that about 80% of foreign students were working more than 20 hours a week. He said some big-box stores and other businesses that rely on foreign-student employees had pushed to preserve the full-time work week, as had some student groups.

The Retail Council of Canada had requested permanent regulation allowing 30 hours of work per week when class is in session.

Millers announcement is part of a suite of measures the government has been rolling out to respond to the unprecedented growth of the temporary resident population in Canada. It has pledged an overall cap on this demographic, a limit to foreign-student visas and a new framework that will set a higher standard for the colleges and universities that receive permits.

--With assistance from Brian Platt.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
The drug regulator of Uttarakhand has suspended the manufacturing licences of 14 products made by Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved citing misleading advertisements about their efficacy, a notification dated April 24 showed.

The Uttarakhand government's order has not been made public yet.

The licences have been put on hold for repeatedly publishing misleading advertisements about the effectiveness of these medications, the government order showed.

The Supreme Court has in recent weeks repeatedly criticised self-styled yoga guru and Patanjali Ayurved co-founder Ramdev for not complying with its directives to stop misleading advertisements of some of his products.

The apex court will be hearing Patanjali's case on Tuesday, April 30, to determine whether to press contempt charges against Ramdev or not.

Also read: 'Baba Ramdev crossed red line, unfortunate was...': IMA president tells why it took on Patanjali Earlier today, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr RV Asokan explained why the doctors' body dragged Patanjali to court saying Ramdev crossed a red line when he claimed he could cure COVID-19 and at the same time maligned modern medicine.

In an interview with news agency PTI, Asokan said Ramdev went against the medical profession by saying "modern medicine is a stupid and bankrupt science".

The Supreme Court recently heard the IMA's 2022 plea alleging a smear campaign against the COVID vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.

In a 2021 video, Ramdev was allegedly heard saying, "Allopathy is a stupid science and medicines such as Remdesivir, Fabiflu, and other drugs approved by the Drugs Controller General of India have failed to treat COVID-19 patients."

His remarks caused massive outrage and the IMA sent a legal notice to him.

The court had asked Ramdev, his aide Acharya Balakrishnan and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd last month to issue a public apology for not following its orders on misleading ads.

During a hearing on April 23, the court also came down heavily on the petitioner, the IMA, stating that its members also engage in recommending unnecessary and expensive medicines. It pointed out several complaints alleging unethical conduct of the IMA.
(Bloomberg) -- The top three US wireless providers vowed to fight fines totaling almost $200 million by regulators who said the carriers illegally shared customers location information.

The Federal Communications Commission on Monday announced it had fined T-Mobile US Inc. $80 million and its Sprint unit $12 million, while also penalizing AT&T Inc. $57 million and Verizon Communications Inc. almost $47 million. The agency first proposed the fines in 2020 and has since heard responses from the companies.

These carriers failed to protect the information entrusted to them, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. Here, we are talking about some of the most sensitive data in their possession: customers real-time location information, revealing where they go and who they are.

The FCC under Rosenworcel, a Democrat, has made data privacy and protection a priority. Areas of focus include data breaches, and vulnerabilities involving third-party vendors.

The carriers sold access to customer-location information to businesses that then sold it on to other parties, the FCC said.

T-Mobile said it had discontinued the practice. The FCC decision is wrong, and the fine is excessive. We intend to challenge it, a spokesperson said in an email.

An AT&T spokesperson said the FCC unfairly holds us responsible for another companys violation of our contractual requirements to obtain consent. AT&T said it expects to appeal the order.

Verizon said it shut down the program after one bad actor gained unauthorized access to information relating to a very small number of customers. The company said it, too, plans to appeal.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday that he was hopeful Hamas would accept an "extraordinarily generous" offer to halt Israel's Gaza offensive in return for the release of hostages.

"Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel," Blinken said in Riyadh at the World Economic Forum, during his to Saudi Arabia.

The US Secretary of State was quoted as saying by AFP that in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire was Hamas.

"They have to decide -- and they have to decide quickly," Blinken said. "I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision."

The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to alleviate the suffering of children, women and men, and to create space for a more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and the hostages out," reported PTI quoting Blinken.

"We can have a fundamental change in the dynamic" in more than half a year of bloodshed, Blinken said.

A delegation from Hamas was due in Egypt on Monday in a meeting sought by Qatar to broker a deal that would halt the Israeli offensive and see hostages freed.
Gazas Palestinian health authorities say they can no longer count all their dead. Hospitals, emergency services and communications are barely functioning. Extracting bodies from the vast number of collapsed buildings is a gargantuan task and not a priority while the war continues.

The nearly seven-month war has taken a devastating toll on Gazas residents. Health authorities say that more than 34,000 people have been killed so far, roughly 1.5% of the total prewar population. Their figures dont say how many were combatants.

The scale of the Palestinian numbers, treated with varying degrees of skepticism early on in the war, is now broadly accepted by United Nations experts, U.S. officials and some Israeli military officials. But Palestinian authorities say the figures in recent months have become less accurate given the difficulty in gathering data.

At the beginning we had systems, we had hospitals," said Medhat Abbas, a spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza. The Civil Defense teams were able to get people who were stuck under the rubble. Then the whole system collapsed."

To estimate the number of fatalities, the ministry now relies heavily on other sources of information such as testimonies from relatives of those killed, video of the aftermath of strikes and reports by media organizations, Abbas said.

The true picture of the wars human toll will take a long time to emerge, as thousands are estimated to remain buried under the rubble and in unmarked graves, according to local health authorities, witnesses and the United Nations.

A looming operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have been sheltering, risks pushing the number of deaths higher.

We think that, unfortunately, it is reliable. And I wouldnt be surprised if in the end it is an underestimate," Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organizations representative for the West Bank and Gaza, said of health authorities count of the dead in the enclave.

The Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been dismissive of the Palestinian estimates. Officials close to the prime minister have said that the Gaza health ministry is under Hamass political sway and therefore not a credible source of data.

Others have questioned the breakdown of the Palestinian figures among men, women and children. One analysis done for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in January argued that the figures long underrepresented the number of men killed.

View Full Image Graphic: WSJ

Israels military, however, has suggested that the Palestinian estimates of total dead could be roughly correct. Military officials say their campaign in Gaza has killed 11,000 to 13,000 Hamas and other militants.

They also estimate that close to two civilians have been killed for every militant. That would imply a total death toll in the mid-30,000s. Some civilians have been killed by Palestinian militants actions including misdirected rockets, Israeli military officials say.

Hamas officials have said that around 6,000 to 8,000 of their fighters have been killed. U.S. and Egyptian intelligence officials reckon the true number of dead militants is in between the Israeli and Hamas claims.

In March, when the Palestinian estimate reached 30,000 deaths, the Israeli militarys chief spokesman said the total figure could be roughly right. I dont push back. I dont question the number 30,000," Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters. He disputed the Gaza health ministrys claim that the vast majority were women and children.

Other Israeli military officials say nobody on either side really knows how many have died.

Around 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 240 kidnapped in the Hamas attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7 that triggered the war, according to Israeli officials. Dozens of hostages are still being held in Gaza.

The intense fighting between a modern army and a guerrilla force hiding among civilians is taking place in a sealed box the size of Philadelphia packed with more than two million people. The extent of the destruction has brought international pressure on Israel, and has sparked an outcry among young Americans that is roiling college campuses and complicating President Bidens hopes of winning re-election.

View Full Image A man carries the shrouded body of a child on Saturday. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

In the early weeks of the war, Palestinian health authorities based their death toll largely on data compiled by hospitals and shared electronically. The scale of destruction and displacement has since made that much harder.

Only 11 of the enclaves 36 hospitals are even semi-functional, along with six field hospitals. Very few ambulances are operational and able to reach victims. The result is the dead are less likely to be taken to hospitals, where they could be more easily reported through formal channels.

In early April, the ministry introduced an online form that allows residents to formally report the death of relatives. Those deaths are cross checked with known war-related fatalities.

Not all deaths are reported. Mustafa Hamdan, a 38-year-old resident of Gaza City, has lost five family members in the war, none of whom has officially been registered as dead.

Im aware of the form the Ministry of Health introduced, but I dont have a proper internet connection to add my family members," said Hamdan, an employee of the Palestinian Civil Defense, a local authority responsible for emergency services.

Hamdans job since the start of the war has been to extract people from under the rubble in the aftermath of strikes. In December, he took part in a mission to rescue victims of an airstrike. When he got there, he realized it was his own familys home. The building was on fire, but there was no water to put it out. Hamdans father, two brothers and a sister-in-law were killed.

There isnt enough heavy machinery to clear the rubble, and not enough fuel to run the machinery that is available. Rescue workers often have to use their hands or basic tools such as axes and shovels to get people out. When there is no chance of rescuing someone alive, the bodies are typically left behind, Hamdan said.

He and his colleagues have pulled dozens of bodies they werent able to identify from the rubble. We chose to bury those people after taking pictures of their faces so that they can be identified after the war," he said.

View Full Image Palestinian paramedics carry bodies recovered in the vicinity of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City earlier this month. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

Around 57% of the buildings in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the war, according to an analysis of satellite data by remote-sensing experts at the City University of New York and Oregon State University.

The level of destruction is especially high in the northern part of the enclave. The U.N. says it will take many years and hundreds of millions of dollars to move the rubble that has been accumulated so far.

Around 10,000 people included in the Health Ministrys official death toll havent been identified. Of those who have been identified, Gaza health authorities last week said around 40% are adult men, 20% are adult women and 32% are children. The rest are elderly men and women.

Earlier in the war, Palestinian health authorities said women and children made up over two thirds of the fatalities, a breakdown that many disputed, raising questions on the broader accuracy of the official death toll.

The Office of the U.N.s High Commissioner for Human Rights is working to verify and document the fatalities count. It requires two sources of information to confirm each death, typically a certificate from a hospital or morgue and testimony from family members.

It is a process that will take a long time to complete, particularly as the war is ongoing and most of the population remains displaced, says Ajith Sunghay, who heads the OHCHR office for the Palestinian territories.

The scale of the fatalities is unlike anything the Gaza Strip has experienced.

In previous conflicts in the Hamas-run enclave, in 2008-2009 and 2014, the numbers were nowhere close to what we are seeing," Sunghay said. The U.N. found the official Palestinian death tolls from those conflicts to be in line with, and sometimes lower than, what they verified. Now its a very different ballgame, but remarkably we have verified thousands."

Because of the nature of this war, the numbers shouldnt unfortunately surprise us," Sunghay said.

Zaher Sahloul, a Chicago-based critical-care doctor, in January spent two weeks at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. It was the height of the Israeli ground offensive there.

The intensity of the fighting meant emergency responders often wouldnt even attempt to reach the casualties in the city. Those injured in the war frequently arrived at the hospital by foot, on donkey-drawn carts or carried by relatives, said Sahloul, who also heads MedGlobal, a U.S.-based nonprofit group that sends medical professionals into conflict zones.

When there was active fighting in Khan Younis, people had to pull themselves out of the rocks," Sahloul said. There was no machinery, and it wasnt safe for anyone who wanted to remove rubble."

Healthcare workers had little time to focus on recovering and documenting the dead.

The priority was to treat the injured, to make sure the living had a chance to live," he said. The dead were the last priority."

Anat Peled and Marcus Walker contributed to this article.

Write to Margherita Stancati at margherita.stancati@wsj.com
US and Indian security officials finally named a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent who allegedly plotted the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. The Washington Post cited officials and a US indictment to claim that it was RAW officer Vikram Yadav who had "forwarded details about the target", Pannun, including his New York address.

As soon as the would-be assassins could confirm that Pannun was home, it will be a go-ahead from us," the officials said, as per the Washington Post's investigative report. It added that as per US intelligence agencies, the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel.

"That finding is consistent with accounts provided to The Washington Post by former senior Indian security officials who had knowledge of the operation and said Goel was under extreme pressure to eliminate the alleged threat of Sikh extremists overseas," the report said.

The list of the Indian officials allegedly involved in the plot doesn't end here. According to the report, US spy agencies "have more tentatively assessed" that India's National Security adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval "was probably aware of RAWs plans to kill Sikh activists, but officials emphasized that no smoking gun proof has emerged".

The Washington Post report mentioned that neither Doval nor Goel responded to calls and text messages seeking comment.

The report added that this "examination of Indian assassination plots in North America" is based on "interviews with more than three dozen current and former senior officials in the United States, India, Canada, Britain, Germany and Australia."

The report reiterated that Yadavs identity and affiliation "provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan...was directed from within the Indian spy service". It cited current and former Western security officials as saying that "higher-ranking RAW officials have also been implicated".

The United States had reportedly thwarted an attempt to assassinate Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on US soil. India had then reacted to these claims, saying that it had taken the inputs very seriously and that an investigation into the matter had already begun.
(Bloomberg) -- The US and its allies are concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants for Israeli officials just as the country is getting closer to a cease-fire agreement with Hamas, potentially jeopardizing a deal, people familiar with the matter said.

The worry is that Israel would back out of a truce if the ICC proceeds with the warrants, according to two of the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Group of Seven nations have begun a quiet diplomatic effort to convey that message to the Hague-based court, the people said.

The ICC is weighing arrest warrants targeting both senior Israeli officials as well as the leadership of Hamas over the two sides conduct of the war in Gaza, the people said. The New York Times previously reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be among those singled out.

Two of the people said that the gap between Israel and Hamas on an agreement to release hostages had narrowed in recent weeks and that a deal was now close. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the US and European Union.

Weve been really clear about the ICC investigation  we do not support it, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Monday. We dont believe that they have the jurisdiction.

The potential arrest warrants have become a major concern for Israel and the country is talking to international partners about it, one person said. Another said Netanyahu had asked Biden for help in a conversation Sunday to make sure the warrants arent issued. Axios reported that request earlier Monday.

Read more: Hamas Needs to Make Decision on Israel Truce Offer, Blinken Says

An ICC spokesperson declined to comment.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged leaders of the militant group to quickly reach a decision on Israeli conditions for a temporary cease-fire. Israel has been extraordinarily generous with proposals made during talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, Blinken said at a special event of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh on Monday.

The eyes of the world should be on Hamas saying take this deal, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron told the gathering. Were in a better place potentially than weve been for a while.

The New York Times reported Monday that Israel is ready to accept the release of 33 hostages, down from at least 40, during the first phase of a new truce. Hamas has said it cant free 40 women, elderly or sick captives as demanded in return for a six-week cease-fire because it doesnt have enough hostages in that category.

Group of Seven allies have been pushing Israel to put off an incursion into Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have taken refuge. An agreement could help bring an end to fighting in Gaza and put off the assault on the city, one of the people said.

On Oct. 7, Hamas attacked Israel in surprise raids, killing more than 1,200 people and taking around 250 as hostages. More than 34,000 Palestinians were killed in the ensuing Israeli campaign, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza. The US and other G-7 nations have repeatedly urged Netanyahu to do more to protect civilians in Gaza, while remaining staunch allies and suppliers of arms.

Read more: All About South Africas Genocide Case Against Israel: QuickTake

The US has never been a party to the ICC, which began its work in 2002 as a court of last resort for victims of genocide, war crimes and other atrocities. President Joe Biden revoked sanctions imposed on the court during the Trump administration and has cooperated in some cases, especially around allegations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine.

The courts chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, said in February that he was deeply concerned about the conduct of Israeli forces, as well as of Hamas fighters holding Israeli hostages. Those who do not comply with the law should not complain later when my office takes action pursuant to its mandate, he said at the time.

The ICC works separately from the International Court of Justice, the UNs main judicial body, which cant try or punish individuals. That court ruled in January that Israel must act to prevent Palestinians from being killed or injured in response to a genocide case brought by South Africa.

Read more: Why Rafah Is Raising Fears in Israel-Hamas War: QuickTake

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday instructed all his countrys missions worldwide to prepare for a wave of antisemitism, anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli outbreaks, following reports of the possible warrants. He said issuing the warrants would harm Israel forces and provide a morale boost to the terrorist organization Hamas and the axis of radical Islam led by Iran against which we are fighting.

--With assistance from Cagan Koc and Courtney McBride.

(Updates with US response in fifth paragraph, Netanyahu request in sixth paragraph.)

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The Chief Ministers Message on Workers Memorial Day and International Workers Day 2024

Remembering the Fallen and Celebrating the Workers Today

"Today I write to highlight two important days in which we celebrate workers and their rights: Workers Memorial Day and the 1st of May, International Workers' Day.

On Workers Memorial Day, on the 28th of April, we honour the memory of those who have lost their lives or suffered injuries or illnesses as a result of their work.

We must remember those who died at, or as result of, work as well as fight for the protection of the lives of those who are at work today.

As we commemorate this day, I therefore also reaffirm my Governments commitment to ensuring that every worker in Gibraltar has a safe, healthy, and fair working environment.

That means that we must be as alive to challenges to health and safety on building sites as we must be to challenges to health and safety in the office environment.

We will continue to work with the trade unions, employers and civil society to protect and promote the rights and interests of the workers.

We also, on the 1st of May, celebrate the achievements and contributions of the working people who, through Union organisation and representation, have fought for their rights and dignity throughout history.

We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the workers who have built our community, our economy, and our democracy.

Workers in Gibraltars economy have faced many challenges and hardships, especially in the past decade, when BREXIT and the COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted our lives and livelihoods.

Our workers  and our employers - have shown resilience, solidarity, and courage in the face of these generation challenges.

They have been the heroes and heroines of our collective response as a Community to this unprecedented crisis.

Whilst the GSLP Liberals are in Government, we will also continue to invest in the skills, education, and welfare of our workforce, to create more opportunities and prosperity for all.

So, let us honour those of our workers who have died at work, fight for the living and celebrate all our workers, and not just on 28th April and the 1st of May, but every single day."
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assured "nearly 800 thousand Canadians of Sikh heritage" that his government will always be there to protect their rights and freedom. His statement came soon after the 'Khalistan Zindabad' slogans were raised on the occasion of Khalsa Day on Sunday, April 28, in Toronto, according to a video in the YouTube channel of Canadian media organisation CPAC.

Trudeau said, The story of the Sikh community in Canada is, in fact, the story of the Canada...To the nearly 800 thousand Canadians of Sikh heritage across this country, we will always be there to protect your rights and your freedom, and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination.

The Canadian PM also noted that the country is enhancing the security and infrastructure programmes by "adding more security at community centres and places of worship, including Gurdwaras."

"Your right to practice your religion freely, and without intimidation is exactly that. A fundamental right guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that we will always stand up and defend you for," Trudeau assured the Sikh community in his Khalsa Day address.

India-Canada deal Trudeau further informed that Canada has negotiated a new agreement with India to add more flights and more routes between" the two countries.

He said, Vaisakhi brings together friends and family. I know that many of you have loved ones who you want to see more often. That's why, our government has negotiated a new agreement with India to add more flights and more routes between our countries. And we will keep working with our counterparts to add even more flights, including to Amritsar.

'Pro-Khalistan slogans' in presence of PM Trudeau Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as opposition leader Pierre Poilievre. The incident took place amid a sharp rise in anti-India sentiment in Canada in recent times.

"Khalistan zindabad" slogans were raised as Trudeau was about to take the stage for his address to mark Khalsa Day. The chants were heard getting louder till he arrives and commences his speech, in the video released by Canada-based CPAC TV.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

Thousands of people reached Toronto on Sunday for one of the biggest yearly gatherings in the city. According to the Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwaras Council (OSGC), Vaisakhi, which is also called Khalsa Day, celebrates the founding of the Sikh community in 1699. It is also the Sikh New Year.

In his speech, the Canadian PM said that diversity is one of the country's greatest strengths, and the country is strong not in spite of the differences, but because of those differences.

"One of Canada's greatest strengths is its diversity. We are strong not in spite of our differences, but because of our differences; but even as we look at these differences, we have to remember, and get reminded on days such as this, and every day, that Sikh values are Canadian values..." Trudeau said.

Trudeau had sparked a controversy on September 18, 2023, when he told the Canadian House of Commons that Canadian security agencies had been actively pursuing credible allegations of a potential link" between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Nijjar.



India rejected the claims and called the allegations as "absurd and motivated." New Delhi and Ottawa announced tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats in the wake of Trudeau's allegation of Indian involvement in Nijjar's killing.



Canada has the largest Sikh population outside Punjab, with 770,000 people reporting Sikhism as their religion in the 2021 census. India is Canada's largest source of foreign students, accounting for 40 per cent of study permit holders
Im penning these words from Bihar, whose political dynamics are key to understanding Indias intricate political landscape. Bihars politics is a play, full of twists and turns, where characters emerge unexpectedly and recede into the shadows without warning.

This is why the Bharatiya Janata Party did not hesitate to support Nitish Kumar when he broke with the grand alliance and formed a government with the party ahead of the 2020 assembly elections. This alliance fought and won the 2020 elections, but after 24 months, Nitish returned to Lalu Yadav, breaking free from the natural partnership" and returning to the old family".

Everyone knew then that the tide would turn again. Nitish, who had previously felt suffocated" with BJP, agreed to form a government with the party a few months before the Lok Sabha elections. He is now a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and has stated, Now I will not go anywhere; I will stay here." RJD and BJP also changed their tone on Nitish accordingly.

Shifting allegiances

Bihar is the only state in recent times where the chief minister has changed political partners four times. But why are the RJD and BJP collaborating with Nitish without learning from previous mistakes? The answer is simple. Among Bihars approximately 76.4 million voters, 810% choose to be with Nitish in all situations.

Also read: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar predicts more than 4,000 seats for NDA

The reason behind such loyalty to Nitish is that after becoming CM for the second time in 2005, he took several revolutionary initiatives. His government gave away bicycles to girls in every town and village. This brought girls out of homes to pursue education, and ushered in a shift in societys lowest classes. He also envisioned schemes for providing water and electricity to every household.

Furthermore, through liquor prohibition in 2016, he won the hearts of underprivileged women in villages. The experiment has also been criticized, though, owing to the loss of lives caused by illicit liquor. Liquor smuggling is also commonplace now. The law was so harsh that people started calling it devilish". It was softened to some extent as opposition mounted, but is still as hard as tortoiseshell.

The opponents of Nitish argue that his recent shift has done irreparable damage to his reputation. Some of his recent utterances have also drawn great outcry. The current election will be the most significant test of peoples attitudes towards him.

Political games

It is necessary to mention Tejashwi Yadav here. He fought the 2020 elections with the Congress and the Left. In due course, his Rashtriya Janata Dal became the largest party in the Bihar Assembly. But five of his MLAs switched sides and the BJP is again the largest party in the assembly with 85 MLAs.

Needless to say, BJP plays political games carefully. The party understands when to be friendly and when to abandon someone. The Paswans are an example of this. Ram Vilas Paswan died while campaigning for the 2020 elections, sparking a power struggle between his sons Chirag and younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras. The latter broke away his faction of the party taking five out of six MPs of Lok Janshakti Party and was appointed to the Union cabinet. This stunned Chirag, who also calls himself Modis Hanuman". But prior to the current elections, the saffron party pivoted back to Chirag, leaving Paras high and dry. Former chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi is among those who have joined and left the NDA. He has been shifting sides throughout time, which has been extremely beneficial for him.

Caste equations

The BJP has wisely balanced caste equations in the state. All its candidates intend to cross the river holding on to the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the most popular leader here, too. But INDIA bloc will give NDA a tough fight. In first phase of elections in Bihar, votes were polled for four seats. However, voter turnout at the polls was 5% lower, just as in other states of the Hindi belt. This has made the NDA more alert.

The people of Bihar are undoubtedly politically sensitive, but they remain obstinate about voting on the basis of castes. In such a situation, will NDA be able to work its magic in the state, just as it had done in 2014 and 2019, or will caste equations become the overriding factor? When viewed from the top, the land of Chanakya and Chandragupta appears to be filled with apathetic silence, but the same questions are resonating in the minds of every Bihari at this time.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. Views are personal.
The Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) working paper, Equity Markets and Monetary Policy Surprises, March 2024, is yet another attempt to make sense of the unfathomable ways of equity markets. This time, from the perspective of monetary policy; in particular, market expectations of the future path of policy and the impact of central bank communication and surprises on markets. Over the years, economists, financial wizards and others have tried to explain why stock markets behave the way they do. With limited success, or worse.

We have a range of theories, from the Efficient Market Hypothesis and Random Walk Theory to Modern Portfolio Theory, Capital Asset Pricing Model and the Arbitrage Pricing Theory, among others. Unfortunately, not one of these theoriessome of which even won their theorists Nobel prizeshas stood the test of time. Markets, almost invariably, seem to have the last laugh. What can possibly explain the dizzying speed at which marketswhether in India or the UShave run up in the post-covid years, a period marked by a global slowdown in economic growth? Remember, Indias quarterly GDP contracted by nearly 24% in the first quarter of 2020-21, while the US was expected to tip into recession.

Sure, both economies have recorded sterling recoveries since, with the US appearing to defy attempts of the US Federal Reserve to slow it down. And India is expected to be one of the worlds fastest growing major economies, even as China struggles to regain its eminence as an engine of growth. But that alone does not quite explain why the S&P BSE Sensex was up 68% in covid year 2020-21 (it is up 25% in the period from 1 March 2022 to 26 April 2024). One can point to surplus liquidity, thanks to quantitative easing by central banks trying to tackle the pandemics fallout. Never mind that they have shifted to quantitative tightening, starting some two years ago. But can liquidity alone explain markets? Sadly, no. Which is why RBIs new working paper is a welcome addition to the literature on this subject.

It is true that financial markets tend to react instantaneously with the release of new information and market prices reflect expectations about future economic and monetary developments." It is also true that market participants typically extract information from the central banks monetary policy communication." Further, their reactions are coloured by whether policy actions were anticipated and incorporated into their decisions or not, with unanticipated changes more likely to impact markets.

Using data on overnight indexed swaps, an interest-rate swap whose floating leg is linked to an overnight index, compounded every day over the payment period, the study concludes that equity returns on policy announcement days are impacted only by the markets expectations of the future monetary policy trajectory." Also, volatility in equity prices is affected by the surprise element of monetary policy and central bank messaging. Overall, equity markets are affected more by changes in market expectations of future monetary policy than by policy rate surprises.

Whether all this leaves us any wiser in our grasp of equity markets remains to be seen. For now, the party seems endless. Sure, weve seen corrections from time to time. But as Citigroups former CEO Chuck Prince once put it, As long as the music is playing, youve got to get up and dance." Dance, many surely will. But dont bet on an endless party.
Its easy to understand why the US Chamber of Commerce is so upset about the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) decision to ban non-compete agreements. The problem for businesses is not that they will lose trade secrets or valuable investments in workers to competitors. Its that they just lost bargaining power to workersand thats exactly what the FTC intended.

Despite the common perception that non-compete clauses are relevant only for employees with access to critical trade secrets, the reality is that they are often imposed across various industries on a wide spectrum of workers, many of whom do not handle any sensitive information. Its also the case that most hiring in the US involves people leaving one job for another, a critical factor shaping labour market dynamics. To see why non-compete deals matter, its important to understand the value of the right to quit one job and take another. The question is: Who should hold that right?

When parties can negotiate without cost and rights are clearly defined, noted the Nobel laureate Ronald Coase, they will reach agreements that result in efficient outcomes. The FTCs ban shifts the bargaining power from employers to workers: Employers must make more competitive counteroffers to retain talent.

Previously, if you were governed by a non-compete agreement, you could pay your employer to let you out of it. Now, according to Coases theory, even though the number of workers switching jobs might not change, the ban will have a distributional effect: Workers with more bargaining power could get higher wages.

But wouldnt workers simply have negotiated higher wages to compensate them for signing non-compete agreements in the first place? If this is true, then a ban on them would have little effect on wages. The evidence suggests that most workers dont have such negotiations and many sign such clauses without realizing that they may not even be legally enforceable.

Workers often face significant challenges in negotiating terms, especially when they lack information about their options and the job market. The process of understanding and negotiating non-compete agreements can be daunting without legal assistance, leading to a negotiation that is cheaper forand favoursemployers.

Moreover, non-compete clauses exploit behavioural biases that lead workers to underestimate their future cost. Some workers are shown that cause only after they say theyre set to leave. In comments received by the FTC, many workers noted that they werent aware of such clauses until the last minute.

These arguments imply that banning non-compete clauses might be important not just for higher wages, but for greater labour competition as workers become more mobile and make more job transitions. Research suggests such agreements can restrict economic activity and personal career growth. And its not just labour market competition that suffers. By restricting labour supply, existing businesses can prevent new rivals from entering their markets and driving down prices.

Non-compete-clause supporters argue that they are necessary to protect business secrets and justify investments in employee training. But existing laws already protect confidential information. And businesses can adopt alternative strategies such as training-repayment deals, which are more directly tied to the specific investments made in employees. Coases work shows no difference in these outcomes if payments are made to retain workers, as businesses can offer to pay workers not to take jobs with competitors.

The FTCs ban on non-compete agreements will help enhance labour market efficiency and economic growth. The US needs a competitive economy to stay strong in the global marketplace. And that requires workers who are able to take their skills where they are most valuedand new businesses that have access to the full talent of the US labor force.

In most other advanced economies, workers have rights to keep a job. The US, however, does not require employers to give reasons for terminating jobs, provide performance-improvement plans before such terminations, or offer a sufficient paid notice period before it is done.

The argument against those policies is that they would make it hard for the US to have a dynamic labour market. But the same logic applies to non-compete agreements: If it should be easy for employers to fire workers, then it should also be easy for employees to quit. And that requires US workers to have the right to take a better job. By allowing workers to move freely to roles where they are most valued, the FTC is fostering a competitive and fair labour market. bloomberg
The police crackdown on protests against the Gaza War in American universities, where students were staging sit-ins to demand a rollback of policies seen to be supportive of Israels offensive that has left over 35,000 Palestinians dead so far, leaves one aghast.

Reminiscent of how the 1960s peace protests over the Vietnam War were thwacked back, cops used the sort of brutal force that makes the countrys claims of free-speech tolerance ring hollow across a globe that the US says is seeing a clash of democracy and autocracy, with America on the side of freedom. Liberty for Palestinians, though, is a cry that was sought to be silenced with stun guns, rubber bullets and pepper balls, with non-violent students and even professors being roughed up.

Social media has been buzzing with charges of US hypocrisy. Indias foreign minister S. Jaishankar recently drew subtle attention to dissonance between US words and actions: Democracies should display understanding in regard to other democracies. After all, we are all judged by what we do at home and not what we say abroad." Americas claim to lead the free world has long been contested. The wars it backs are a giveaway. Students get it.
The Congress is currently in power in only three states  Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal. The grand-old party won the Himachal Assembly elections in December 2022, the Karnataka Assembly elections in May 2023 and the Telangana Assembly elections in December 2023.

Now, as the Lok Sabha Elections get underway, how will the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) perform in these states under Congress's rule? And what happens if the BJP wins in these three states? The answer may (or may not) lie in the performances in previous elections.

It is a well-known fact that the results of Lok Sabha polls is not always on the lines of the state assembly polls. Simply put, if one party wins the assembly polls, it doesn't guarantee that the same party will also win the parliamentary polls. There are many incidents to prove this. Let's take the states one by one.

Karnataka What do opinion polls say? The India TV-CNX Opinion Poll suggested that the BJP is likely to win the currently Congress-ruled Karnataka by winning 22 out of 28 Lok Sabha. India Today's Mood of the Nation also gave an edge to the BJP in Karnataka. It revealed that the NDA (BJP + JDS) may win 24 seats and the INDIA bloc is likely to bag four seats.

Last time, it was in 1999 that the Congress had won more Lok Sabha seats than the BJP. The Congress had bagged the maximum 18 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in 1999, while the BJP had won just eight. After 1999, the BJP has been winning more Lok Sabha seats than the Congress  although the state government has been shuffling between the BJP and the Congress.

What happened in previous polls? In the 2013-2014 election cycle, the BJP won the Lok Sabha Elections in 2014, while it lost the assembly elections in 2013. In the 2013 assembly polls, the BJP had won 40 seats, while the Congress had won 122 seats and the JD(S) 40 seats of the total 224 seats. Just a year later (2014), the BJP had won 17 seats(the majority), the Congress nine and the JD(S) two.

In the 2018 Karnataka Assembly polls, the BJP had won 104 seats, emerging as the single largest party. It, however, failed to form the government as it fell short of seven seats to cross the majority mark. A year later, in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the BJP won the maximum 25 seats of the total 28. One seat each was won by the Congress, the JD(S) and an independent candidate.

What happened next after 2019 polls? The Congress government collapse. The Congress-JDS(S)-led government in Karnataka collapsed after Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy lost the vote of confidence in the assembly. The BJP formed the government in the state.

This year, it is believed that if the Congress loses the Lok Sabha Elections to the BJP, the Siddaramaiah-led current state government may fall.

Telangana What do opinion polls say? The Mood of the Nation poll suggested that the biggest gain for the Congress would be in Telangana. The Congress would get 10 seats, up from three seats it won in 2019. The BJP, however, would lose a seat and settle at three in Telangana. Meanwhile, India TV-CNX opinion poll said the BJP could win four seats in Telangana.

What happened in past elections? The state of Telangana was formed in 2014. The regional Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now Bharat Rashtra Samithi) had won the state's first assembly polls in 2018, as well as its first Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

In the 2018 assembly elections, a maximum of 88 seats of the total 119 seats were won by the then TRS. The BJP had won just one seat, while the Congress won 19 seats, the AIMIM seven seats and the TDP 2 seats.

A year later, in the 2019 national elections, the TRS swept the polls, winning nine seats; the BJP had won four seats, while the Congress and the AIMIM won three and one seat, respectively.

However, in its second assembly polls, Telangana was won by the Congress. In the 2023 assembly polls, the grand-old party had crossed the majority mark in the assembly, that is, 60, to form government in the state. Now, will this year's Lok Sabha Elections be in line with the assembly polls last year, as it happened in the previous election cycle? This will ascertained only on June 4 when the results will be announced.

Himachal Pradesh What do opinion polls say? Both the Mood of the Nation poll and India TV-CNX opinion poll suggested that the BJP is likely to win all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh, as it did in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. The Network18 Mega Opinion Poll predicted that the BJP could net a whopping 67 percent of the votes, the Congress could end up with only 27 percent.

What happened in past elections? The BJP has been winning all the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal since 2014. Here's a comparison with assembly polls which happened in Himachal Pradesh two years before the Lok Sabha polls:

Assembly polls Lok Sabha Result 2017 | BJP (44); Congress (21) 2019 | BJP won all 4 seats BJP won both 2012 | BJP (26); Congress (36) 2014 | BJP won all 4 seats BJP won Lok Sabha, lost assembly 2007 | BJP (41); Congress (23) 2009 | BJP (3); Congress (1) BJP won both 2003 | BJP (16); Congress (43) 2004 | BJP (1); Congress (3) BJP lost both

The case of Himachal Pradesh becomes even more interesting, keeping in view the latest rebellion amid the ruling Congress party. In the 2024 Rajya Sabha Elections, a few Congress leaders were believed to have voted in the favour of the BJP candidate  indicting a rift within the Congress's state unit.
Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi said on Saturday, "Muslim men use condoms the most in India," as a counter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to the Muslim community as "those who have more children."

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief said the Modi government's data itself says the fertility rate of Muslims has dropped, while also accusing the Prime Minister of spreading lies to infuse hate among Hindus.

PM Modi says that Muslims have more kids, but the government's data itself reveals that the fertility rate among Muslims has declined. Muslims use the condoms the most. This is government data. The BJP is spreading a lie that Muslims will become the majority in India, said Owaisi who is contesting Lok Sabha elections from Hyderabad.

What PM Modi had said? Last week, PM Modi took an indirect jibe at Congress over Muslim community saying that the grand old party will distribute India's wealth to those who have more children if voted to power in the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

"If the Congress party comes to power, it would redistribute wealth of the people to Muslims," said PM Modi at a public rally in Rajasthan.

The Prime Minister also referred to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks made in December 2006 that the minorities, particularly Muslim minorities, should have first claim on the country's resources".

The Congress manifesto says they will calculate the gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom - Manmohan Singh's government had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets, PM Modi had said.

Earlier, when their (Congress) government was in power, they had said that Muslims have the first right on the country's assets. This means to whom will this property be distributed? It will be distributed among those who have more children, he added.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: A day after Congress' Delhi unit chief Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned from the post on April 28, citing his opposition to an alliance with the Aam Admi Party as the reason, AAP leader Sanjay Singh alleged Lovely played a big role in shaping an alliance between the two parties ahead of the general elections.

Arvinder Singh Lovely has played an important role in making an alliance with AAP. He has played a big role in forming the INDI Alliance in Delhi. When Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was being arrested, Lovely was the first from Congress to reach out. Why is he saying this? Let them know Singh told ANI on April 29.

Lovely's sudden resignation In his letter to the Congress National President, Mallikarjun Kharge, Lovely said that all unanimous decisions taken by the Senior Delhi Congress leaders have been unilaterally vetoed by the AICC General Secretary (Delhi In-charge).

The workers, Lovely said, were saddened by the fact that "ideals they had been fighting for during the last seven to eight years" were being compromised.

"The Delhi Congress Unit was against an alliance with a party which was formed on the sole basis of levelling false, fabricated and malafide corruption charges against the Congress Party. Despite that, the Party made a decision to ally with the AAP in Delhi...," he wrote in his resignation letter.

Lovely was appointed to the post in August 2023.

Not joining BJP Lovely also clarified that he had no plans to join any other political party after speculation arose that he would replace BJP's Harsh Malhotra from the East Delhi seat. Former Congress MLA Asif Mohammad Khan had claimed that BJP would field Lovely instead of Malhotra.

"I have only resigned as Delhi Congress chief, and I am not joining any political party," Lovely said at a press conference at his residence, clarifying that he has resigned from the post of Delhi Congress chief and not the party.

"We are fighting the elections together but never did the Congress workers say that we are giving a clean chit to them or giving them credit for building schools and hospitals, which is far from the reality. Those who are saying that I have resigned out of anger over ticket (distribution), it is not like that. You all know that I introduced the candidates by holding a press conference three days ago," Lovely said.

Lovely contested and secured 24 per cent votes the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from East Delhi. He contested against the BJP's Gautam Gambhir (who won the seat with 3.93 lakh votes), and AAP's Atishi.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has blasted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and wrongly attributed a controversial quote to India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, in the process charging that "they (Nehru-Gandhi family) call themselves accidental Hindus".

Speaking to ANI on April 29, the BJP leader said: "People who do not know the history and geography of India will definitely make such irrelevant comments. When I talk about Rahul Gandhi, I remember that once these people called themselves accidental Hindus."

"India has a rich tradition and our sages, Maharajas, and every section of the society have contributed in their respective fields...Rahul ji never remembered the atrocities of the Mughals, who left no stone unturned to Islamise India...It is unfortunate that those who call themselves accidental Hindus cannot feel pride about India's heritage..." he added.

Did Nehru Really Say 'Accidental Hindu'? As per a fact check by Alt News, the first reference to this alleged remark, "accidental Hindus", cropped up in 1959 and it is attributed to politician NB Khare. Academics credit Khare with having made this remark in reference to Jawaharlal Nehru.

The fact check found Nehru's own words on being a Hindu in the 1929 resolution by the Indian National Congress demanding purna swaraj from the British. In his INC presidentlal speech at Lahore, Nehru said the following on being a Hindu:

"I was born a Hindu but I do not know how far I am justified in calling myself one or in speaking on behalf of Hindus. But birth still counts in this country and by right of birth I venture to submit to the leaders of the Hindus that it should be their privilege to take the lead in generosity. Generosity is not only good morals, but is often good politics and sound expediency. And it is inconceivable to me that in a free India the Hindus can ever be powerless.

PM Modi takes 'Aurangzeb' jab at Rahul Gandhi Adityanath's comments came as the BJP and Congress traded jabs after Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that Gandhi "doesn't remember people (Mughals) who destroyed our religious places".

To this, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused Modi of "maliciously twisting" every statement made by Gandhi to "inflame communal passions".
Arvinder Singh Lovely, who resigned as the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) chief, has taken a dig at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh, who claimed the former was instrumental in the Congress-AAP pact in Delhi. Lovely described Sanjay Singh as a "nice person" but "seems like he is in trauma". Lovely said Singh "has not been able to return to normal after coming out of the jail".

Lovely had quit as DPCC chief citing the Cong-AAP alliance, prompting Sanjay Singh to come out with his version the Congress leader was instrumental in putting the pact in place.

"When INDIA bloc was formed, I wasn't the chief in April. I wasn't the [Delhi Congress] chief when INDIA bloc's second meeting happened in Bengaluru. I wasn't the chief even during the third meeting, but when I was made the chief, then unfortunately, they [AAP leaders] went to jail because of the cases against them," Lovely told PTI on Monday.

Then how can he [Sanjay Singh] say that I was the architect [of the AAP-Congress alliance], Lovely added. Lovely had taken the reins of the Delhi Congress in August 2023.

Sanjay Singh said on Monday, I say this with responsibility that Lovely played a crucial role in our alliance with the Congress. I am not aware of the reasons for his contrary views now.

Singh, however, refused to comment further, saying Lovely's resignation is an internal matter of the Congress.

Lovely revolts against AAP-Congress alliance Lovely resigned as the Delhi Congress chief on Sunday. In his resignation letter, he criticised the Congress' alliance with the AAP and decision to field Kanhaiya Kumar and Udit Raj from the North East Delhi and North West Delhi constituencies respectively in the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Speaking to PTI on Monday, Lovely also said that he was not upset but was finding himself "inefficient in giving my 100 per cent". He said, "I told them that these are the issues the party should focus on, and since I am not able to do them, you should give a chance to someone else."
Four years ago, the U.S. and its oldest ally in Asia were close to breaking up.

The Philippines had declared it wanted to exit a cornerstone defense pact between the countries. Then-President Rodrigo Duterte favored a realignment toward Beijing.

Today, the alliance is at its strongest in decades. The striking turnaround is the result of a U.S. charm offensive, a new leader in Manila and forceful Chinese actions against the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Some 16,000 American and Filipino military personnel are training in annual exercises called Balikatan, which began on April 22 and will feature Americas Himars rocket launcher and Stinger antiaircraft missiles. The goal is to make sure they can smoothly operate side-by-side if they have to go to war together.

Earlier this month, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.made his second visit to the White House in less than a year. Days before that, navy ships and aircraft from the U.S., Japan, Australia and the Philippines held joint drills in the South China Seaa strong show of force in support of Manila. Just weeks prior, on a trip to the Philippines, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken lauded what he called an extraordinary expansion in ties, echoing his counterpart Enrique Manalo, who said: Weve been on hyperdrive over the past year or so."

The shift marks a win for the Biden administrations strategy to counter China by shoring up Americas alliances.

China continues to overplay its hand and drive Manila right into the arms of Washington," said Zack Cooper, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute whose research focuses on U.S. strategy in Asia. Still, he said he is surprised by how quickly the relationship has accelerated in a short period.

The U.S. gained access to four additional Philippine military bases last year, taking the total to nine. A number of them are at locations that would be significant if a conflict were to break out in the South China Sea or the Taiwan Strait, two major flashpoints in Asia. The bases arent U.S.-controlled, but they are sites the American military would seek to use during hostilities to disperse its forces, launch aircraft and missiles, and complicate Beijings calculations.

View Full Image Filipino fishermen in wooden boats sail past a Chinese coast-guard ship. PHOTO: TED ALJIBE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

Washington is pouring tens of millions of dollars into upgrading runways and building warehouses, fuel storage and barracks at the sites, some of which are fairly basic. The Biden administration is seeking $128 million more for construction.

The sites represent efforts by the two sides to build out places where they can operate and exercise together, Adm. John Aquilino, head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said in remarks to reporters last week. And then ultimately, if need be, and the mutual-defense treaty were to be activated, those are places where we would fight together," he said.

That is valuable because America has only a few operating bases in the region, said Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute. In a conflict, its well-known facilities such as Kadena Air Base in Japan and Andersen Air Force Base in the U.S. territory of Guam would likely be targets of Chinese attack, he said.

The real challenge for the U.S. is: How do you diversify away from the handful of facilities that weve used in Asia over decades?" he said.

Cooper said the Philippines is a perfect option because of its location in the center of the first island chain, referring to a stretch of territory from the Japanese archipelago through Taiwan to the Philippines and the South China Sea.

U.S. forces are getting more familiar with the Philippine military sites via a busy schedule of drills. Participating in the Balikatan exercises are a group of U.S. Marines designed to rapidly move forward in a conflict with China and hop from island to island. Members of the Marine Littoral Regiment will train on Philippine islands less than 100 miles from Taiwan.

View Full Image Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House earlier this month. PHOTO: ANDREW HARNIK/GETTY IMAGES

In another strong signal, the U.S. Armys newest midrange-missile launcher arrived in the Philippines this month for its first Indo-Pacific outing. From the northern Philippines, the weapon system, called Typhon, could reach targets including Taiwan, Chinese bases in the South China Sea, sites along the Chinese mainland coast and even some military infrastructure deeper inside mainland territory, said Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.

What to me is surprising is the choice of the first deploymentits actually the Philippines instead of so-called much closer allies in Asia like Japan," said Koh. We are seeing a rather unprecedented reinvigoration of U.S.-Philippines defense relations."

That process has unfolded especially rapidly over the past year. China has made it increasingly difficult for the Philippines to resupply a military outpost Manila maintains in the South China Sea, on a reef Beijing also claims. Chinese coast guard and maritime militia ships have collided with Philippine resupply boats and blasted them with water cannons, injuring Filipino personnel on two occasions last month.

The Philippines is pushing back by broadcasting Chinese tactics to the world and drawing closer to the U.S. Washington in return has shown strong support to make the case it is a reliable ally, to deter China from escalating further and to ensure the South China Sea remains open for business.

For decades, the alliance had been rather moribund," said Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea in the Philippines. Now, because of the way that China has been asserting itself in the South China Sea, this has given an opportunity to the Philippines to draw on the alliance and leverage it for developing its own defense capabilities."

View Full Image Filipino and Australian military personnel at a naval base north of Manila on Thursday. PHOTO: TED ALJIBE/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

The Philippines militarylong focused on internal security operationsis finally getting the training and experience it needs for external defense, he said.

Chinas 2012 seizure of a South China Sea site has weighed heavily on the U.S.-Philippines alliance. American officials were involved behind the scenes in negotiations during the weekslong standoff between Chinese and Philippine ships over Scarborough Shoal. When Beijing took control of the site, Manila felt the U.S. hadnt done enough to defend its ally.

At the time, the U.S. also declined to say whether the countries mutual-defense treaty covered an attack in the South China Sea, deepening distrust in the Philippines where many believe U.S. equivocation emboldened China. In Washington, officials worried that Manila, counting on U.S. support, might make a mistake or take an overzealous step, leaving the U.S. to fight China.

Relations deteriorated further when Rodrigo Duterte came to power in the Philippines in 2016. Duterte was deeply distrustful of the U.S., crimped military exercises between the two and stalled U.S. upgrades of Philippine military sites. He also underplayed his countrys differences with Beijing in the South China Sea, where China was turning reefs into military bases.

As the U.S. began to see China as its No. 1 threat, the Trump administration turned to fix some of the long-festering grievances. Washington stated clearly in 2019 that the mutual-defense treaty applied to an attack on the Philippines in the South China Seaa position the Biden administration has since repeated dozens of times.

Marcoss 2022 election presented an openingand the U.S. went for it. President Biden met Marcos on the sidelines of a United Nations event a few months later, marking the first of seven meetings to date between Marcos and either Biden or U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. A parade of U.S. officials has made its way to the Philippines since 2022.

Koh, from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said the Biden administration is trying to make the most of Marcoss time in office, unsure of how political shifts in Washington and Manila might change the dynamic in the future.

You want to make sure everything is in place such that you could future proof the relationship," he said.

Peter Landers contributed to this article.

Write to Niharika Mandhana at niharika.mandhana@wsj.com
Unlike her stealthy, malaria-spreading cousin, the female Aedes aegypti signals her approach with an exasperating drone. Her bite is far worse than her buzz. If she carries a flavivirus pathogen, her victim can be infected with dengue fever. Most infections pass without symptoms, but an unfortunate few are racked with breakbone fever", which causes severe joint pain, haemorrhage and, occasionally, death. The after-effects, which are poorly understood, include fatigue and cognitive impairment. Aedes is so plentiful that the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reckons 100m people around the world fall sick with dengue every year.

The number of people contracting dengue has risen dramatically. In 2000 about 20,000 people died of it, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This year at least 40,000 will perish. By contrast, between 2000 and 2022, deaths from malaria declined by 30%, the WHO says.

The terrible fever and its after-effects are dengues greatest burdens. Cases have risen much faster than deaths. Latin America, the worst-afflicted region, had an average of 535,000 cases a year in 2000-05, according to the Pan American Health Organisation, an arm of the UN. In 2023 it suffered 4.6m. Already in 2024 there have been 5.9m (see chart). Aedes sickens Brazilians so badly that it could drag down national GDP by 0.2%. Schools in parts of the country afflicted with dengue suffer dropout rates that are about 5% higher than those spared it.

View Full Image (The Economist)

The suffering is likely to rise further and spread beyond the tropics. Aedes mosquitoes are sensitive to small changes in temperature and their range has been expanding as the planet warms. Anopheles, the species that spreads malaria, is already established in most of the world. Aedes is not. Modelling suggests that, on current trends of climate change, Aedes will spread into large parts of southern Europe and the United States, putting another 2bn people at risk of getting dengue.

Urbanisation also helps the disease spread. As people cluster in cities, each individual mosquito can bite more victims during its short, two-week lifespan. Cases are rising fast in places that had not previously suffered much from the disease, including Bangladesh and India. In recent years cases of dengue have been growing in California, southern Europe and subtropical Africa, too.

The world must prepare for much more of the fever. Although the rich northern hemisphere is increasingly at risk, it is the poorer parts of the world that will suffer most. Struggling economies can ill afford to have their productivity sapped by the disease. Nor will it be easy for them to pay for measures that might restrict its spread. Bed nets, a cheap and effective way to curb malaria, do not work for dengue, since Aedes, unlike Anopheles, bites people during the day.

Singapore has long done a fine job of fighting dengue. It helps that it is rich enough to pay armies of public-health workers to traipse through its streets, searching out the standing water in which mosquitoes breed, pipetting puddles and issuing fines. The city-state models outbreaks and then deploys platoons of insecticide sprayers in hazmat suits to the predicted epicentres. Latin American countries have hazmat armies too, but with modest budgets and vast areas to cover, they have not done much to slow dengues explosive growth in the region. Slums are hard places in which to track down mosquito breeding-grounds.

So it is wise to consider other approaches. Since 2016 Singapore has been running another, higher-tech dengue programme. Every week it releases 5m mosquitoes infected with wolbachia bacteria. This prevents them or their offspring from transmitting the virus that causes dengue and costs about $35m a year, or $6 per resident. Combined with new vaccines under development, it provides a way of fighting dengue that does not rely on legions of standing-water spotters. Trials of wolbachia infection in Colombia have seen a 94% drop in dengue incidents in the area where the mosquitoes are released. The worlds largest wolbachia-mosquito factory is due to start operations in the Brazilian city of Curitiba this year. As dengue spreads, other places should follow. The aim should be to turn Aedes buzz into a nuisance, rather than a menace.

 2024, The Economist Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved.

From The Economist, published under licence. The original content can be found on www.economist.com
Don't let soaring temperatures dampen your spirits. Discovering the right air cooler can transform your living spaces into cool and comfortable havens, even during the hottest days.

Whether you're seeking a compact personal cooler for individual use or a powerful desert cooler to refresh larger areas, this comprehensive guide will simplify your decision-making process. We'll delve into the diverse types of air coolers available, each with unique advantages and ideal use cases.

Learn about essential features like cooling capacity, airflow, water tank size, and energy efficiency, empowering you to make an informed choice.

No matter if you're looking to cool a bedroom, living room, or outdoor patio, we'll guide you through the options and help you find the perfect air cooler that aligns with your specific needs and budget. Let's explore the world of air coolers and create a revitalizing environment in your home.

Traditional vs. modern air coolersThe greatest thing about technology is that its constantly evolving. However, to the buyer, this can cause confusion in the vast ocean of options across various online portals. So, how do we differentiate? Traditional air coolers are often called swamp coolers and are usually made of metal and depend on the evaporation of water to cool the air.

Traditional air coolers are suggested for users who want effective cooling in dry climates. In humid and coastal regions, these air coolers may not be able to perform as expected. Why, you wonder? Moisture in the air inhibits the cooling process in these regions.

If you live in humid climates, you can consider buying modern air coolers that can change the way you keep your space cool during peak summers. Who should buy a modern air cooler? If youre on the lookout for advanced features such as adjustable fan speeds, remote control, and air purification capabilities, modern air cooling systems are your best bet against the heat. These new air coolers can also offer improved cooling performance and convenience, making them a worthy choice for a diverse range of environments.

In essence, you ought to purchase a product that can keep you cool while considering factors like your budget, features, and of course, the climatic conditions of your region.

Will air coolers work for everyone?

As is true for all modern appliances, no two devices are the same. At the same, not everyone goes into the market with the same needs. While air coolers can be an excellent solution for many Indian households, they may not be suitable for everyones needs. As we stated above, people who inhabit regions that have high humidity, frequent rainfall, or are situated across the coast may prefer to steer clear of coolers for a simple reason - they may struggle to effectively cool the air.

At the same time, if you have any respiratory problems, air coolers can make your symptoms worse by adding moisture to the air. So, you may be better off not buying a cooler in case you have any of the concerns we just discussed.

Where do air coolers work the best? If you live in places with dry climates where humidity levels are low, air coolers can turn your personal space into a haven of cool air with efficient and cost-effective cooling. Many modern coolers do not require complex installation and can operate without high energy consumption, making them a great long-term investment for your cooling needs.

Also Read: Best Hindware air coolers: Top 7 options to stay cool this summer season

Types of air coolers: Which one should you buy?

The best thing about modern cooling systems is the variety that is readily available in the market. Each purchase in the contemporary world means a quest to fulfil your personalised goals. One-size-fits-all mentality might not work for air coolers and its very important to make sure that you make the right choice in terms of your purchase. Check out the different types of air coolers below.

Personal air coolers: Such coolers are perfect individuals who wish to cool small spaces or specific areas. This could mean your bedside table, your desk, or similar small spaces that you inhabit regularly..

Such coolers are perfect individuals who wish to cool small spaces or specific areas. This could mean your bedside table, your desk, or similar small spaces that you inhabit regularly.. Tower air coolers: With tower air coolers, you get significant cooling capacity and airflow. These are suited for medium-sized rooms or offices and provide better cooling than personal coolers.

With tower air coolers, you get significant cooling capacity and airflow. These are suited for medium-sized rooms or offices and provide better cooling than personal coolers. Window desert air coolers: Such coolers are ideal for larger spaces such as living rooms or workshops that require more power to stay pleasant in the summer heat. With window desert air coolers, buyers can expect quick and efficient cooling even in the largest spaces.

Even with different types of air coolers factored in, you must consider the size of the area you wish to cool. Also look for specific features you require, such as portability, water tank capacity and more - all discussed below.

Also Read: Best Bajaj air coolers: Top 6 options for cool air indoors

What are the factors to consider while buying an air cooler?

Is your purchase feeling like an easier task with each sentence you read in our comprehensive buying guide? Theres more to consider while purchasing a new air cooler so that you not only get the most out of your purchase but to also make sure that your cooling needs are met effectively. A few factors to consider are mentioned below.

Cooling capacity : You must make sure that the air coolers cooling capacity accounts for the size of the room or the area you intend to cool, so that youre not left to struggle in the heat even with a new appliance. Typically, you should aim for a cooling capacity of around 16 to 24 CMH (Cubic Meters per Hour) per square meter of floor area. For a 300 sq ft room, you would need an air cooler with a cooling capacity of approximately 5,000 to 7,500 CMH. When considering airflow, aim for an air flow rate of around 300 to 450 CMH for effective cooling in a room of this size.

: You must make sure that the air coolers cooling capacity accounts for the size of the room or the area you intend to cool, so that youre not left to struggle in the heat even with a new appliance. Typically, you should aim for a cooling capacity of around 16 to 24 CMH (Cubic Meters per Hour) per square meter of floor area. For a 300 sq ft room, you would need an air cooler with a cooling capacity of approximately 5,000 to 7,500 CMH. When considering airflow, aim for an air flow rate of around 300 to 450 CMH for effective cooling in a room of this size. Portability : Some people like to continuously switch things up. If youre planning to move the air cooler between rooms frequently, you must opt for a model with built-in casters or handles for quick and convenient movement. This means you take cooling across the house.

: Some people like to continuously switch things up. If youre planning to move the air cooler between rooms frequently, you must opt for a model with built-in casters or handles for quick and convenient movement. This means you take cooling across the house. Water tank size : With larger water tanks, you dont need to keep refilling frequently. This means that you get continuous cooling, especially in larger spaces.

: With larger water tanks, you dont need to keep refilling frequently. This means that you get continuous cooling, especially in larger spaces. Energy efficiency : Lets be real - bills tend to pile up. Thats why we must save wherever we can. Its important to look for energy-efficient cooler models with adjustable fan speeds and timer functions. This way, youll get personalised cooling and minimised power consumption.

: Lets be real - bills tend to pile up. Thats why we must save wherever we can. Its important to look for energy-efficient cooler models with adjustable fan speeds and timer functions. This way, youll get personalised cooling and minimised power consumption. Automatic shutoff: A convenient feature, automatic shutoff turns off the air cooler once the desired temperature is reached or after a set period of operation. This means that the air conditioner does not run unnecessarily and reduces energy consumption.

A convenient feature, automatic shutoff turns off the air cooler once the desired temperature is reached or after a set period of operation. This means that the air conditioner does not run unnecessarily and reduces energy consumption. ECM Technology (Electronically Commutated Motor): Some air coolers are equipped with ECM technology. This tech uses advanced motor technology to adjust power consumption based on cooling demands. ECM motors are considered efficient and provide more energy savings than traditional motors.

Some air coolers are equipped with ECM technology. This tech uses advanced motor technology to adjust power consumption based on cooling demands. ECM motors are considered efficient and provide more energy savings than traditional motors. EER Ratio (Energy Efficiency Ratio): The Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of an air cooler's cooling capacity relative to its power consumption. This means that a higher EER ratio implies greater energy efficiency, allowing the cooler to provide more cooling per unit of electricity consumed.

The Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of an air cooler's cooling capacity relative to its power consumption. This means that a higher EER ratio implies greater energy efficiency, allowing the cooler to provide more cooling per unit of electricity consumed. Noise levels : Are you a light sleeper? You must consider the noise levels of the air cooler, especially if your goal is to use it in bedrooms or quiet spaces.

: Are you a light sleeper? You must consider the noise levels of the air cooler, especially if your goal is to use it in bedrooms or quiet spaces. Maintenance requirements: Costs can add up pretty quickly if you make the wrong purchase. Thats why you must pick an air cooler with accessible filters and removable water tanks for easy cleaning and maintenance in the long run. Regular cleaning of the water tank is essential to stop the buildup of algae, mould, and bacteria, which can affect both the cooling performance and air quality of the cooler. In addition, it's prudent to periodically inspect the pump and cooling pads of the air cooler for maintaining optimal performance. Cleaning and/or replacing the cooling pads delivers long-term cooling while extending the lifespan of the air cooler.

Also Read: Best tower air coolers in India: Buying guide for top 9 options in 2024

What are some essential features to have in an air cooler?

An air cooler, just like any modern appliance, is designed to cater to your specific needs. With features mentioned below, you can maximise your cooling benefits with an air cooler.

Adjustable fan speeds: Being able to change how much cooling you receive in your personal space is of paramount value. Thats why you must buy an air cooler that supports adjustable fan speeds based on your preferences.

Being able to change how much cooling you receive in your personal space is of paramount value. Thats why you must buy an air cooler that supports adjustable fan speeds based on your preferences. Remote control: Getting up to turn off your appliance can be a pain in the middle of the night. With a remote control, you can enjoy convenient access to control settings from a distance. This way, you can get rid of the need to manually adjust the cooler

Getting up to turn off your appliance can be a pain in the middle of the night. With a remote control, you can enjoy convenient access to control settings from a distance. This way, you can get rid of the need to manually adjust the cooler Timer function: Automatic shut-off and activation capabilities are now available on air coolers as well. This way, you save on energy costs while experiencing personalised cooling.

Automatic shut-off and activation capabilities are now available on air coolers as well. This way, you save on energy costs while experiencing personalised cooling. Air purification: A built-in air purification feature, such as HEPA filters, can be extremely useful in removing airborne particles and improving indoor air quality for your pleasure.

What are some of the reliable air cooler brands in India?

Symphony : A brand known for its cutting-edge air coolers, Symphony options are worth considering for your next purchase if you want the most bang out of your buck.

: A brand known for its cutting-edge air coolers, Symphony options are worth considering for your next purchase if you want the most bang out of your buck. Bajaj : A well-known name in the world of air coolers, Bajaj air coolers are famous for their superior cooling performance and modern features.

: A well-known name in the world of air coolers, Bajaj air coolers are famous for their superior cooling performance and modern features. Voltas : An established brand in the space of cooling, Voltas comes with the promise of long-term reliability and after-sales service for your cooler.

: An established brand in the space of cooling, Voltas comes with the promise of long-term reliability and after-sales service for your cooler. Havells : Air coolers made by Havells are known for their long-life and the best-in-class features across diverse budgets.

: Air coolers made by Havells are known for their long-life and the best-in-class features across diverse budgets. Usha: Among the top-known brands for air coolers is Usha, famous for its stylish and feature-packed appliances engineered especially for Indian households.

The list above is not exhaustive and there are numerous other brands like Honeywell, Crompton, Orient Electric, Kenstar, and Maharaja Whiteline. While brand reliability is important when you're making a new purchase, you must make sure that you buy an air cooler that matches your needs.

Also Read: Best air coolers for home: Top 10 options for a comfortable indoor experience during summer

Air coolers vs. air conditioners

Air coolers are effective and eco-friendly cooling appliances that can keep your space cool without the burden of high power bills. While they might not match the efficiency of air conditioners in extreme heat and humidity, they remain excellent, cost-effective cooling companions to beat Indian summers.

So, what sets air coolers apart from air conditioners? Air conditioners use refrigerants to cool the air, providing consistent cooling regardless of climate conditions and heat intensity, making them the most dependable cooling solution in the modern world.

Even then, air coolers offer several advantages over air conditioners, including lower energy consumption, simpler installation, and the added benefit of humidifying the air, which is particularly useful in dry climates. Curious about the benefits of purchasing an air cooler? Read on to find out more.

What are the benefits of air coolers?

Cost-effective: Air coolers cost less than ACs in the long run as they consume less energy and have a lower maintenance cost as well.

Air coolers cost less than ACs in the long run as they consume less energy and have a lower maintenance cost as well. Environmentally friendly: Air coolers employ natural evaporation processes to cool the air. Owing to this, they produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than air conditioners.

Air coolers employ natural evaporation processes to cool the air. Owing to this, they produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than air conditioners. Easy installation: Another advantage of air coolers is that they are relatively easier to install. You can set up an air cooler quickly unless you want it installed on your window, in which case you might require professional help.

Another advantage of air coolers is that they are relatively easier to install. You can set up an air cooler quickly unless you want it installed on your window, in which case you might require professional help. Adds moisture to the air: In dry climates, air coolers are useful in increasing indoor humidity levels. This means that in dry climates, users can get relief from dry skin and respiratory irritation.

Essentially, finding the right air cooler depends on multiple factors such as the climate, room size, and specific cooling requirements. In this comprehensive guide, you learnt the differences between traditional and modern air coolers, the essential features of air coolers, the benefits of air coolers, the biggest air cooler brands in India, and how air coolers compare to air conditioners. Now, you can confidently make an air cooler purchase.

There, youre now ready to make the purchase. Go ahead and enjoy exceptional cooling at home with an air cooler of your choice.

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This story originally appeared in the Tribune's Daytripping special section May 19, 2023.

The man who gave the public McCroskey State Park in Idaho did so in honor of his beloved mother, and he cared for it until his final days.

The 5,300-acre park sits on a mountain north of Potlatch just off U.S. Highway 95. There is one access road, Skyline Drive, that snakes its way through the park and gives adventurers access to trails, camping spots, cedar forests and spectacular views of the Palouse.

The land was once owned by Virgil Talmage McCroskey, who lived on a family farm outside Oakesdale, Wash., close to the Idaho border where McCroskey State Park sits.

According to Idaho Parks and Recreation, he fell in love with the forested mountain and envisioned it becoming a recreation destination.

He obtained much of the land with the goal to preserve it for future generations. He donated the land to Idaho in 1955 in honor of his mother, Mary Minerva McCroskey. In the late 1800s, Mary McCroskey traveled with her 10 children from Tennessee to Washington to take advantage of the fertile Palouse soil.

Virgil McCroskey felt called to dedicate the land to honor her and the other pioneer women of her time.
The Healthy Schools grant awards $400,000 over three years for schools to receive $40,000 to fund one full-time equivalent nurse position or $20,000 for a half-time nurse, depending on the schools need. The grant helps support school-based nursing in underserved schools in Idaho through funding by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare division of Medicaid, according to a news release from the Idaho State Department of Education.

Properly staffing our schools with employees trained to address student health and well-being is an important step in supporting our students and our educational communities, said Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield in the news release. Getting nurses into these schools has the potential to make an enormous difference not only for students, but for teachers and other staff members who can now defer to a trained expert when it comes to student health.

School news submitted by noon Thursday will be considered for publication in Sundays In the Schools. Events must be open to the public; any cost must be included in the description. Submissions can be sent to city@lmtribune.com. K-12 education reporter Kaylee Brewster can be contacted at (208) 848-2297 for more information.
MOSCOW -- University of Idaho student Madelynn Gregoire wanted to leave her stamp on Moscow before she graduated this May.

She did so in the form of 10-foot by 10-foot mural serving as an unofficial Moscow welcome sign that greets cars as they enter downtown from the north.

Gregoire was invited by J-U-B Engineers manager David Watkins to paint the mural on the side of the J-U-B building on the west side of Jackson Street at the intersection of Third Street.

Watkins said his staff wanted to bring some art to their downtown building, and perhaps participate in Artwalk in the future. He reached out to Gregoire, who won a student competition two years ago at the UI Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to paint a mural inside the J-U-B Undergraduate Teaching Laboratory on campus.

Gregoire began working with J-U-B since fall 2023 to finalize the design of this new mural.

Though J-U-B is a regional company, Watkins said they wanted the mural to have a local flavor.

The original thinking was focus on Moscow and Idaho as best we can, Watkins said.

It was Gregoires idea to make the mural look like a vintage postcard with the words Welcome to Moscow.
A group of Mean Scoil Mhuire students are continuing their tireless fundraising efforts in their Go Yellow campaign.

Go Yellow is a national fundraiser in aid of Children's Health Ireland and the National Maternity Hospital. On May 1, all schools and organisations around Ireland are being encouraged to take part, by wearing yellow clothes and donating 2 to support these vital organisations.



The story of the Go Yellow fundraiser began with the miraculous journey of Edward and Patrick McGlynn, who defied all odds at birth and overcame tremendous health challenges. Their incredible resilience inspired the girls to create their fundraiser as a way to give back and to support children's health care.



Go Yellow was inspired by the miraculous journey of the McGlynn boys, born prematurely at 24 weeks. Their fight for life meant enduring several critical surgeries whilst being cared for by the incredible staff in these children's hospitals.



The girls are overwhelmed with gratitude for the miracles performed by these staff members and that is why they want to give back and support these health staff.



The Go Yellow team travelled to Leinster House on April 17 at the invitation of Joe Flaherty TD.



Deputy Flaherty launched the committees ambitious national Go Yellow fundraiser in aid of the National Maternity Hospital and Childrens Health Ireland in February.



He extended an invitation to the committee to visit Leinster House, tour the Dail and meet with the Minister for Education, Norma Foley. The students thoroughly enjoyed their day and were delighted to promote their fundraiser in the houses of the Oireachtas.



On the day, they spoke with the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly TD and Sinn Fein Leader, Mary Lou McDonald. The students toured the Dail with Deputy Flaherty and were delighted to dine in the Dail restaurant. The committee would like to extend their sincerest gratitude to Deputy Flaherty.



The dedicated team of students working on this valuable fundraising project include Maria McGlynn, Head of Fundraising, Aoibheann Brennan-Grennan, Vice-Head of Fundraising, Shauna Nolan, Head of IT and Advertising and Ava Finneran, Secretary.



The girls are all Transition Year students in Mean Scoil Mhuire.

The fundraising day will be held on May 1. Additional information is available on the Go Yellow social media platforms on Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). Schools and businesses can register to participate.
Longford is to benefit from 817,000 in funding for three community projects in the county.

Senator Micheal Carrigy welcomed the funding allocated to three projects in Longford under the Town and Village Scheme announced by Minister Heather Humphreys this morning.

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today (Monday, April 24) announced funding of over 20 million to benefit rural towns and villages the length and breadth of the country.

Funding is allocated to deliver 82 projects right across Ireland, with the three Longford projects . The successful projects include the regeneration of derelict buildings, the provision of public plazas and farmers markets in town centres and the development of Town Parks.

Ballinalee will see the development of a community park with sensory equipment following the allocation of 190,000, in Edgeworthstown the grant of 248,000 will go toward the renovations to a community building for a social enterprise project.

The largest sum, 379,000, goes to the development of a special needs playground at the old dog track and create a connection to the Royal Canal.

Senator Carrigy said: I want to offer a sincere thanks to Minister Heather Humphreys for her continued support for Longford and to my colleagues on Longford County Council for their support.

At the opening of the skatepark last February Minister Humphreys spoke of the representations by Cllr Peggy Nolan for funding for the sensory park in Longford.

This playground is an essential piece of infrastructure, Cllr Nolan told The Leader, It's particularly for children with special needs and it develops the site's significance as a focal point for the community.

Cllr Nolan spoke of her delight at the announcement: I could cry with emotion. It was done in conjunction with our in-house architect, Richard Smith, and director of Service John Brannigan.

On the day of the opening I hitched a lift from Minister Humphreys. I made the case for the sensory playground. My next mission is to get funding for lights and a carpark for the area, Cllr Nolan said.

The Fine Gael elected representative said the plans are sympathetic to the site: The fact that it provides for landscaping to create a connection to the Royal Canal greenway is very important. It's going to be very aesthetically pleasing for the kids.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: April 29 2024

Nate Bruckenthal epitomized the highest ideals of selflessness and sacrifice, consistently placing his country's needs above his own life, said LaLota.

Today, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County) honored Stony Brooks Nate Bruckenthal, who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our great nation on April 24th, 2004. Last week, LaLota spoke on the House floor to honor Bruckenthal.

Nate Bruckenthal epitomized the highest ideals of selflessness and sacrifice, consistently placing his country's needs above his own life. His courageous actions not only saved numerous fellow Sailors but also stand as a testament to his unwavering bravery and heroism, said LaLota. In the face of grave personal peril, Nate's bravery serves as a poignant reminder of the extraordinary courage our service members aspire to embody. His dedicated service to our nation shall forever remain etched in our collective memory.

Background:

Nate Bruckenthal was born in Stony Brook, NY, and joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1999. He was later stationed on the USCGC Point Wells based out of USCG Station Montauk.

Because of his unique skills and abilities, he was chosen to be among the first Coast Guardsmen deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in early 2003. While there, he received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and a Combat Action Ribbon for action in and around the port of Um Qasar.

In March 2004, at the request of his command staff, he volunteered for a second deployment to Iraq. Only weeks after discovering that his wife was carrying his unborn child, Nathan Bruckenthal and two U.S. Navy sailors were killed when a suicide bomber attacked their rigid hull inflatable boat. Nathan had been chosen to become a part of the Taclets training unit and his job that afternoon was to instruct Navy personnel on how to conduct maritime interdiction operations. The team observed a suspicious vessel, which did not heed their commands. The team intercepted the vessel. This selfless act of courage protected the crew aboard the U.S.S. Firebolt, the off-shore oil platform, and the oil terminal itself at Khawr Al Amaya, in the northern Arabian Gulf.

For this action, Nathan was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with oak leaf, and his second Combat Action Ribbon. He was laid to rest with many of Americas best at Arlington National Cemetery. Nate is the first Coast Guardsman killed in action since the Vietnam War.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: April 29 2024

Defendants Allegedly Murdered Rival After a Dispute Over Control of a Trafficking Victim.

Earlier today, a seven-count indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Omari Scott, also known as Prince and Sir Prince, and Michael Simmons, also known as Victory, with murder in the course of sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force and related crimes. The charges stem from the defendants trafficking of women and promoting prostitution with customers in cars, hotels and along a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn known as the Penn Track which has operated for years as an open-air commercial sex market. In the spring of 2023, Scott violently punished a trafficking victim who attempted to leave his control to work instead for Cleveland Clay, another individual who had women working for him in prostitution on the Penn Track. Scott and Simmons decided to murder Clay, which Simmons carried out by shooting him multiple times at close range on May 1, 2023. Scott was arrested earlier today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo. Simmons is currently serving a sentence on unrelated charges and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charges.

As alleged, the defendants conspired to brazenly murder a rival for control of a victim they perceived to be their property in the course of sex trafficking, stated United States Attorney Peace. This Office is working alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners to prosecute the perpetrators who exploit vulnerable women for profit and we will provide support for these victims who have been harmed.

Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the New York City Department of Corrections, the New York City Human Resources Administration, the Kings County District Attorneys Office and the New York County District Attorneys Office for their valuable assistance with the case.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith said, Human lives are not pawns for criminals to manipulate for their own cruel wishes. Omari Scott and Michael Simmonss desire to establish control over their sex trafficking operation extended beyond violence against their victims, leading to the alleged murder of their rival. Their alleged actions  sexually exploiting women and conspiring to take a life of another individual  show a blatant disregard for humanity. The FBI will continue its efforts to pursue and bring to justice those who prey upon vulnerable populations with violence.

It is unequivocally detestable to compound the loathsome act of sex trafficking by allegedly murdering a business rival, stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. I commend everyone at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District and the FBIs New York Field Office for their continued partnership in this case. The NYPD and our colleagues remain steadfast in holding accountable anyone who seeks to profit from the abuse and exploitation of others.

As alleged in court documents, Scott and Simmons both recruited women to work in prostitution on their behalf along the Penn Track. Scott used threats and violence to force at least two victims to engage in commercial sex work and provide him with the proceeds. For example, in a conversation obtained by law enforcement, Scott warned a victim that he would knock [her] out for disrespecting me, and, on another occasion, told an associate on a recorded call that he was beating this b---- up tonight for failing to work quickly enough to locate customers.

On April 30, 2023, when Scott learned that a victim planned to leave him and work with Clay, he was captured on video violently dragging the victim by her hair into his car, and later told an associate on a recorded call, Im bout to violate that b----. . . Im about to do her something crazy. . . Im not respecting this shit. . . . Im about to kill this b----! Early the next morning, Scott and Simmons were captured on video engaged in a heated argument with Clay. Less than three hours later, Scott and Simmons were captured on video outside of a laundromat near the Penn Track before Simmons walked off to kill Clay in a parking lot, shooting him at least five times at close range. When Simmons returned, the laundromat video captured Simmons telling Scott, Hes down. . . hes down! Clay succumbed to his injuries and died later that day.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the sex trafficking charges, the defendants face a minimum term of 15 years in prison, and up to life imprisonment. If convicted of the murder charge, the defendants face up to life imprisonment, and are eligible for the death penalty.

If you are a victim of traffickingwhether by Scott, Simmons or someone elseand have information to provide, please contact the FBI, which is prepared to help you regardless of your immigration status, at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Suffolk DA Tierney: Four from Amityville Indicted for Their Roles in the Murder and Dismemberment of Yonkers Couple

Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: April 29 2024

Jeffrey Mackey, Alexis Nieves, Steven Brown, and Amanda Wallace Allegedly Took Part in the Disposal of the Bodies.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced the indictment of JEFFREY MACKEY, ALEXIS NIEVES, STEVEN BROWN, and AMANDA WALLACE, for their alleged respective roles in the February murders and dismemberments of 53-year-old Malcolm Craig Brown and 59-year-old Donna Conneely, both of Yonkers.

I would like to thank the hard-working men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department and my prosecutors for their tireless work in bringing this investigation to the point where we are able to charge the responsible individuals with murder and seek bail, said District Attorney Tierney. Those in law enforcement must do their jobs without fear or favor. Ethically, charges can and should only be brought when the facts and evidence are clear. I thank the team for ignoring the distractions and doing just that.

According to the investigation, on February 27, 2024, the victims, who were acquaintances of the defendants, were allegedly violently stabbed after they entered a home located at 25 Railroad Avenue in Amityville. Brown was stabbed once in the neck and once in the torso, while Conneely was stabbed multiple times in the neck and back.

The investigation revealed that MACKEY, NIEVES, and BROWN had allegedly planned to kill the victims prior to them arriving at the Amityville home. The defendants then allegedly dismembered the victims bodies in the bathroom of the home, and then dumped the remains in Southards Pond Park, Bethpage State Park, and a wooded area in West Babylon.

On February 29, 2024, a witness discovered a dismembered male arm in the brush at Southards Pond Park in Babylon Village and reported the finding to police. Law enforcement recovered another male arm a short distance from the first, as well as a female head and torso, a female arm, and parts of female legs on the opposite side of the park.

Upon further investigation, police located the Amityville residence where MACKEY, NIEVES, BROWN, and WALLACE had allegedly been staying. Suffolk County police recovered several cutting instruments including a large folding knife, a large kitchen knife, and two meat cleavers. Blood was found in multiple locations throughout the residence.

On March 4, 2024, MACKEY, NIEVES, BROWN, and WALLACE were arrested on multiple charges including hindering prosecution, tampering with physical evidence, and concealment of a human corpse. After their arraignments, all four defendants were released from jail without bail because the charges they faced at that time were considered non-bail eligible under New York State law, meaning prosecutors could not ask for, and judges could not set bail.

On March 15, 2024, WALLACE was arrested for petit larceny for allegedly stealing beauty products from a CVS in Lindenhurst. Acting County Court Judge James A. McDonaugh ordered WALLACE to be held in jail on bail. That case is pending in Suffolk County First District Court.

MACKEY, 36, of Amityville, was indicted for:

Two counts of Murder in the Second Degree, Class A-I felonies;

One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;

One count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;

One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;

One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and

One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.

NIEVES, 33, of Amityville, was indicted for:

One count of Murder in the Second Degree, a Class A-I felony;

One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;

One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;

One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and

One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.

BROWN, 44, of Amityville, was indicted for:

One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;

One count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;

One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;

One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and

One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.

WALLACE, 40, of Amityville, was indicted for:

 One count of Robbery in the First Degree, a Class B violent felony;

 One count of Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree, a Class D felony;

 One count of Tampering with Physical Evidence, a Class E felony; and

 One count of Concealment of a Human Corpse, a Class E felony.

On April 26, 2024, at their arraignments on the indictment, Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins ordered MACKEY be remanded during the pendency of the case. MACKEY is due back in court on June 3, 2024. He is being represented by John Halverson, Esq.

Justice Collins ordered NIEVES held on $1 million cash, $10 million bond or $10 million partially secured bond. NIEVES is being represented by Christopher Gioe, Esq. Her next court date is June 3, 2024.

BROWN is due back in court on April 30, 2024, and he is being represented by Ira Weissman, Esq.

WALLACE is due back in court on April 30, 2024, and she is being represented by Keith OHalloran, Esq.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Frank Schroeder and Dena Rizopoulos of the Homicide Bureau, and the investigation was conducted by Detective Kenneth Buckheit of the Suffolk County Police Departments Homicide Squad.
by Thomas R. Wells

Taiwan is an independent prosperous liberal democracy of 24 million free people that the Chinese Communist Party solemnly promises to annex to its empire by whatever means are necessary. Although Taiwans flourishing capitalist economy once allowed it to outgun and hence straightforwardly deter China from a military invasion, this military advantage has switched to China over the last 20 years. If Taiwan is to be kept free it must find another means to deter the CCP.

In fact it makes sense for Taiwan to develop a new deterrence that rests on multiple pillars and is thus robust to the failure of any one of them. Hence Taiwan appears very sensibly to be pursuing closer and more militarised alliances with America and other democracies of S.E. Asia threatened by Chinas imperial expansionism (especially Japan and S. Korea). At the same time, Taiwan is moving to adopt a porcupine strategic posture, investing in large numbers of cheap access denial weapons such as sea mines, torpedo boats, and anti-ship missiles that would exact catastrophic losses on any amphibious invasion fleet.

An additional possibility is for Taiwan to develop an independent nuclear deterrent of its own, which would be well within its technological capabilities (and something the KMT dictatorship actively pursued in the 1960s to 1980s before America persuaded them to drop it). On the one hand a nuclear deterrent would free Taiwan from dependence on US promises to risk a direct large-scale war with a nuclear armed super-power to stop a Chinese invasion (and the presidential elections that determine the worth of those promises). On the other hand, the ability to escalate a Chinese invasion to a nuclear conflict would also allow Taiwan to coerce its allies into upholding their promises of conventional military aid in case of an invasion, thus increasing the deterrence value of those promises in the eyes of the CCP. (Israel is reckoned to have done something similar at the nadir of the 1973 Yom Kippur war, making arrangements to ready its nuclear weapons for use that were intended to be visible to the US and thereby successfully extorting a massive airlift of conventional military supplies under the threat that if you dont save us, we are desperate enough to take this nuclear.)

One thing all those other deterrents have in common though is that they are only capable of deterring the CCP from the most extreme actions it may be contemplating against Taiwan. But what if China drops the idea of a full scale invasion (because it is successfully deterred) and instead tries something else from its menu of options. For example, what if China blockaded Taiwans ports and airspace, as it seemed to be practising during Nancy Pelosis visit in 2022? Taiwans weakness in conventional military power means that it cant contest China for control of its own sea and airspace. Moreover this is the kind of aggressive action short of military invasion that allies like Japan and America would not necessarily see as crossing their red lines, and even if they did, are unlikely to have any ready answers to. Yet such a blockade would be devastating to Taiwans economy and society, and in the medium term would also undermine its military readiness and international perceptions of its legitimacy as an independent country.

And so perhaps we need to add another pillar to Taiwans deterrence, but one that can be deployed in a proportionate way in response to acts of aggression that fall short of full scale military invasion. Economic sanctions such as those deployed against Putins Russia are the obvious such device: versatile enough to be scaled up or down and powerful enough to impose immediate and severe costs on the CCP regime. There is also an additional moral legitimacy to blockading a country to punish it for blockading another.

Unfortunately while economic sanctions would certainly hurt Chinas economy, they have some drawbacks. First, economic sanctions are indiscriminate weapons that would cause a great deal of hardship for hundreds of millions of ordinary Chinese citizens who are entirely innocent of the crimes of their unelected and murderous rulers. Second, economic sanctions on Russia caused significant disruption to the world economy, including extended effects on innocent 3rd parties (such as via higher food and energy prices in poor countries). But China is a far more important part of the world economy than Russia, and so the consequences of such a blockade would be almost as severe for those imposing it, and for 3rd party countries in the Global South, as for China. It is an odd weapon that shoots whoever is using it in the face as well as the person they are aiming at. That oddness also undermines the most important feature of a deterrent: the regime you are trying to deter has to believe that you would actually do what you threaten to do.

Fortunately there is another possibility that seems more promising: Information warfare.

Information war is the attempt to subvert a regimes grip over its population, and hence its ability to order them about and to draw resources from them to advance its goals (whether those goals be to fight wars, to fight Covid, or to extract loot). The internet  and especially social media  have made it much easier to pr0mote distrust of governments and institutions in other countries, for example by amplifying social divisions and disinforming people about what is happening.

Up to this point, information war has largely been employed by authoritarian regimes against their own populations, and against the populations of democracies that defy them. For example, Taiwan is the target of disinformation and distrust campaigns on a vast scale by the Chinese Communist Partys dedicated information warfare units.

Democracies do engage in information warfare of course, but they are constrained by domestic laws and norms against governmental deception and lying (famous scandals from Cold War era CIA sponsored information operations being exceptions that prove the rule), and also by democracies general lack of interest in what people in other countries think. The most democracies do is to (rather grudgingly) subsidise foreign language broadcasting that gives the populations of non-democracies some access to trustworthy information outside the control of their rulers. Naturally this enrages autocrats, but it is much less than democracies could do if they really tried.

The Chinese Communist Party is pathologically anxious about losing control because the basis of the legitimacy of their regime is the exclusion of any possibility of an alternative. Xis concept of Comprehensive National Security prioritises the survival of the regime and identifies a bewildering number of potential threats, including:

Any form of civil society (besides economic) that allows citizens to organise themselves and come to think that they can get things done or demand that things should get done by the government. (Private corporations too, the source of all Chinas economic development, have been brought more thoroughly under the supervision and control of the Party, at the cost of economic growth.) Womens equality, which despite its place in official party doctrine Xi Jinping seems to see as the leading cause of Chinas demographic collapse. (Generally, Xis obsession with social stability supports rather conservative values, and explains also why LGBT rights and even effeminate looking male influencers are being targeted) University student Marxist societies  since they may come to different interpretations of communist theology than that currently endorsed by the CCP Inconvenient history  every ten years or so the CCP rewrites Chinas history to whitewash its record. (One pillar of the regimes legitimacy is the CCPs tremendous and continuous record of success, which it gets to write for itself.) Even very ordinary people outside China criticising the regime or its policies in Chinese.

This paranoia is actually one of the greatest threats to Chinas peace and prosperity, since it has spurred an extremely aggressive attitude to merely potential threats that undermines the functioning of the state and economy (e.g. treating all foreigners as spies; banning encryption on the civilian internet) and generates resentment and distrust from foreign governments (e.g. China has border disputes with all its neighbours; many of them are investing in their militaries and reaching out to America).

The good thing about Xi Jinpings expansive and paranoid concept of Comprehensive National Security is that by greatly expanding what China considers a significant harm to its interests it necessarily makes it much easier to succeed in harming China at quite low effort. In effect Xi has made his regime into a hypersensitive snowflake, vulnerable to imaginary harms as well as real ones.

In response to Chinese aggression against Taiwan that fell short of military invasion, information war could be launched in retaliation, flooding China with alternative opinions to those the CCP prefers, and inconvenient but truthful information on sensitive topics (such as the CCPs dismal record of killing more Chinese people than all foreign invaders combined over all of history). Among other things this might include broadcasting Chinese language radio from over the border; distributing free VPNs by text message; and information-bombing students/tourists outside China.

Obviously Taiwan couldnt do this alone. Chinas hypersensitivity is a danger as well as an opportunity (as Lithuania recently found). But Taiwans allies (especially America, Japan, S. Korea) could join it in collectively and quite credibly committing to flood China with information that the CCP considers an existential threat.

Unlike the first set of deterrents that I discussed, information warfare allows for a proportional response to acts of aggression by China that fall short of full scale military invasion. It can also be modulated in response to Chinas own response, which facilitates the tricky business of de-escalating a conflict. Unlike economic sanctions, information warfare is very cheap for those employing it, and, because it is targeted at the bullseye the CCPs paranoia has painted on itself, it does not impose significant harms on large numbers of innocent ordinary people. Of course, information warfare of this kind would not actually topple the regime that misrules China. But the regimes exaggerated fear that it might do so creates the possibility of a deterrent, of raising the perceived costs of aggression against Taiwan to more than the perceived benefits.

Thomas Wells teaches philosophy in The Netherlands. He blogs on philosophy, politics, and economics at The Philosophers Beard.
Go through the post to find the first-time landlord-tenant checklist that will help you to make an informed decision whether moving in as a tenant or renting out your property.

Are you a landlord renting his flat for the first time? Or, are you a tenant who is planning to relocate and move to a rented house? Dont worry, if you fall in any of these categories, we got you covered. Our landlord-tenant checklist will help smoothen the process for you. It will also help you get your rent agreement right.

Let us first talk about the checklist for first time landlords. What are the dos and dont they need to follow.

Checklist for First-Time Landlords

While being a landlord holds many benefits and brings in monthly income without doing a 9 to 5 job, there are also many responsibilities involved. Renting a house is a stressful job as the landlord needs to learn about the legalities involved in leasing out a flat/house.

There are many tasks to be taken care of before you rent out your property, especially when you are doing it for the first time. Therefore, it is important to make a checklist of the tasks to keep track of all the legalities and to save yourself from getting into any trouble in the future.

Here is the checklist for first-time landlords:

1. Arrange Documentation: Renting a property involves arranging a set of documents and these are:

Tile Document: This document is proof that the individual who is renting the property is the actual owner of the property.

Share Certificate: This certificate states if the place rented out is a part of a colony or a cooperative society

Electricity Bill: The electricity bill should be in the owners name

NOC (No- Objection Certificate): This document states the conditions specified by the owner for rent/lease. For example, some may not allow bachelor or male tenants or female tenants.

2. Tenant Background Check: Now that you have the documents and also a few prospective tenants, it is important for you to run a background check. You must run a quick check to know the tenants home town, family and financial situation.

3. Police Verification: Most tenants dont take this process seriously, but it is important to get the tenant verification done. So once you have finalized a tenant, get the verification done at the nearest police station. The police verification will turn out to be beneficial in case you face any legal problems in future or if the tenant is involved in any illegal activity.

4. Fix the Rent as Per the Market Price: Before deciding on the rent, you must do a market check about the current prices. It would be difficult to get a tenant if you ask for more than the market price. However, if you wish to ask for a higher rent as compared to the market price, it is advisable to justify it by offering extra amenities like furniture, etc.

5. Agreement Clauses: When you draft the rental agreement, you must clearly specify the following clauses:

Maintenance Clause: You must mention if the maintenance charges like electricity bill, water bill, etc. are included in the rent or not.

Damaged Property Clause: In this clause, you must clearly state that apart from the normal wear and tear, the tenant will be responsible for all the damages. You must also mention that whenever the tenant plans to move out, he must return the premises clean and as received condition. And, in case the tenant causes any damage to the property, he needs to compensate for the same, or else can be taken to the court by you.

Increment Clause: This clause mentions that there would be an increase in monthly rent once the tenant crosses the threshold period in the tenancy. The period usually lasts for one year.

Tenants Obligation Clause: In this clause, you must mention all the obligations of the tenant. The clause must include all the situations which may cause legal trouble in the future.

Term of the Tenancy: Under this clause, you must clearly mention the tenure for which you want the tenant to stay. Also, the lock-in period which is the minimum period of the stay should also be mentioned.

Details of Furnishing: You should make a list of furnishings (if you are offering them to the tenant). You must mention that a penalty would be imposed if any harm is done by the tenant.

Now, let us move on to the checklist for first time tenants:

Checklist for First-Time Tenants

Renting a new flat involves not just packing and shifting, but also learning about legal documents and your rights as a tenant. Therefore, if you are planning to rent a property, here is a checklist to save you from unnecessary hassle and any legal trouble in future.

1. Research Well: When you start searching for a property to rent, go for a locality that is close to your college or office. This will save your time and also save your travel cost. However, apart from proximity of the locality to your workplace and market areas, you must also consider the safety of your family. Before finalising the house, do a search about the locality/society and check for things like CCTV cameras, watchmen, etc.

2. Read and Understand Your Rent Agreement Properly: Usually, the landlord prepares the agreement as per his convenience. And, in most cases, the tenant signs the agreement without understanding the clauses included. Here is a list of some clauses that a tenant must carefully read before he signs the rent agreement:

Maintenance Clause: Under this section, the landlord asks for annual and monthly maintenance charges. This can turn out to be a big shock in the future, if you do not read the agreement properly. Therefore, you must be aware of the maintenance clauses before you sign the agreement. You can also negotiate with the landlord if required.

Lock-in Period Clause: Lock-in period refers to the minimum stay duration that the tenant must commit to. It is usually a one year period. Therefore, read the clause carefully and clear all doubts before signing with your landlord.

Security Deposit Clause: As per Draft Model Tenancy, it is considered illegal to ask for a security deposit of more than 3 times the monthly rent. Also, the rate of the security deposit is governed by the state regulations and the landlord has to return the security deposit within a month of his house being vacated. Therefore, before signing the agreement, do read carefully the security deposit and rent being charged and raise your voice if you are being overcharged.

Eviction Clause: At times, landlords add strict provisions in the eviction clause. Therefore, as a tenant, it is your responsibility to be aware of the notice period and all the situations and circumstances of the eviction clause.

Tenure Clause: While reading the rent agreement, make sure that you check the end date and the starting date of the contract so that you can plan your stay accordingly.

Increment Clause: This clause mentions the increase in the monthly rent after a fixed period of time (usually a month). At the time of signing the agreement, you must be aware of this clause and the increase in rent that you would be paying after a year or so.

3. Property Documents: Before you finalise a property to rent, make sure that you run a quick check to confirm if the property is free of fraud. As a tenant, you have the right to ask for documentation like title deed, utility bills, etc.

4. Sign of the Legal Owner: It is important to ensure that the rent agreement is signed only and only by the legal authority and not by any caretaker of the property. You must make sure to double-check this to avoid any inconvenience in future.

5. Privacy of the Tenant: Once the rent agreement is signed, the flat belongs to you for a specific tenure. Therefore, the landlord cannot enter the flat in your absence or without your permission. Make sure to get this clause in the rental agreement so that the landlord respects your privacy.

Documents Required to Apply for Tenant Verification

Find below the list of documents landlords need to submit when applying for tenant verification.

Identity Proof: The identity proof of both tenant and landlord is required to apply for the tenant verification process. Documents, including Aadhar Card, Passport, Voter ID Card, Driving License, Ration Card, and Passport can be submitted as an identity proof with the application form.

Address Proof: The address proof of the property owner and the tenant is also required to be submitted with the tenant verification application form. Address proof documents include Passport, Utility Bills, Driving License, Voter ID Card, etc.

Ownership Proof: Property owners need to submit the proof of ownership over the property that they want to rent out. This also helps tenants perform a title check and save themselves from getting involved into any fraudulent transaction.

Utility Bills Receipts: Property owners need to provide their utility bills receipts to show that all the dues, including electricity, water, and other bills have been cleared till the date the property is being rented out.

Rent Agreement: A rent agreement created with the consent of both the parties, i.e., landlord and tenant also need to be submitted when applying for tenant verification.

Passport-Size Photographs: Passport-Size Photographs of both the parties are also required to be affixed on the tenant verification form.





7 clauses a tenant must check before signing a rental agreement in India

Video on Things to Keep In Mind While Renting Your First Apartment

In this video, well provide tips for first-time renters. Make your shift easy, comfortable and convenient with these tips.

Summing up Checklist for Landlords and Tenants

To conclude it all, keeping a checklist will help define your rights and duties as tenant or landlord. This will save you from any inconvenience in the future. A checklist is also important to form a relationship with the tenant/landlord that is mutually beneficial for both parties. If you are either planning to rent out your house or to stay on rent, you can list your house or find a house on rent at Magicbricks
by Barbara Fischkin

It was the summer of 1961. I was six years old. My mother and I had arrived in Omaha the night before, flying out of what was still Idlewild, not JFK International Airport, as it is now named. We would visit relatives with roots in the same Eastern European shtetl as my mother. Unlike most of the family, this branch had left the New York area for the cornfields of the American Midwest.

The relativesMax and his wife, Sarah, their grown children Geraldine and Stanley and a bachelor brother, Samwere the only Jewish people on their street. My mother told me this before we leftto prepare me. She knew that coming from the Midwood section of Brooklyn, I would find this odd. No other Jews? My mind, though, was fixated on adventure, being so far from New York for the first time, meeting new cousins and taking my first airplane ride.

Cousin Sarah, her hair already white, told me she had never been on an airplane. I remember the envious tone in her voice. I noticed her tone carried a signal that I was too young, thus undeserving, to have been granted this privilege.

I blew that off, as kids do at an age when guilt does not, or should not, get in the way of a good time. My mother suggested that I go across the street to play with a little girl who lived in a big house. I probably guessed she wasnt Jewish but my mind was still fixated on this new adventure.

With curiosity but without an iota of fear, I walked across that wide Omaha street by myself. Remember, those were the free-range days. I rang the doorbell and a girl my age answered. She had dark hair, not as black as mine, and a few dense freckles. I do not remember her name, perhaps because within minutes she said something so terrifying that it has blocked out everything else I learned about her that summer.

Are you are from New York? she said.

Yeah.

Who did your parents vote for, for president?

Kennedy, I said, amazed that she would ask. In Brooklyn, as far as I knew, every adult had voted for Kennedy.

My father says he should be assassinated, she replied.

I now know Kennedy had lost the state of Nebraska with only 37.9% of the total vote. And two years later he would be assassinated. In Texas.

But back then, as a child, all I could do was stand shocked. Somehow, at six, I knew what the word assassinated meant. Maybe I had heard it mentioned in connection with Abraham Lincoln. Although now when I think back, in school we had only learned that Lincoln was killed by John Wilkes Booth. Could I have heard assassinated mentioned in Brooklynthat Kennedy, as the first Catholic president and a staunch Democrat could be a target?

We played for a while. Then, I went home. I remember telling my mother what this new friend had said. I do remember using the word assassinated with my mother. As a child, I shared all details with her. She must have been shocked but she didnt let on. We were in foreign territory. With so few Jews, it might be enemy territory as well. I played with this little girl for the entire month we were in Nebraska. Maybe my mother thought that such a thing as the assassination of a president could not happen in the modern America of the 1960s.

I believe it was educational for my mother to send me across the street alone. I have considered how this would have been a different experience if my mother had walked me across the street, helicopter style, and heard the same threat. She might have tried to take over the conversation, likely telling the little girl that such thoughts were not nice. How would she have dealt with a situation in which she told a child that her fathers opinion was a bad one? Would she have demanded to see the little girls parents and caused a scene, leaving some kind of indelible mark on me? Theres no way to know. What I do know is that I survived this incident with my own stamina and that alone taught me the value of being an independent childand an independent adult.

I write this as the second offering of my memoir-in-progress, because it was the first time I can remember thinking that America might not be safe. And worse, that in my own times Americans wanted to kill other Americans. By the time I was four I knew about the anti-Semitic pogrom my mother had escaped in the old country. She was six-years-old when she ran from a burning building dodging murderous Cossacks. Later, with her family, she literally walked across Europe to escape to the United States, when she was the same age as I was that summer in Omaha.

Americans killing Americans soon became a current-day reality, with the assassination of JFK, then Martin Luther King, then Robert Kennedy. And on college campuses. Four students shot dead by the National Guard at Kent State. Eleven days later police killed two students and wounded a dozen at Jackson State.

We have returned to widespread campus protests for the first time since the end of the Vietnam war. Students across the country have created tent cities and set up vigils demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Hundreds have been arrested. The current speaker of the house Mike Johnson went to Columbia University to suggest the National Guard was required to tame the chanting Ivies. The outlandish suggestion ignored the fact that the NYPD was already arresting students, for better or worse. (My opinion: For worse). What more would the National Guard do? I contemplate this and shudder.

It is a symbol of our troubled times that such a preposterous notion did not bring jeers. We live in a time when a celebrated campaign speech included the presumptive GOP nominee displaying a cartoon depicting the President of the United States hog-tied in the back of a pickup. We live in a time where a majority of GOP voters think history books should whitewash the January 6 attack on the Capitol, a time when seemingly legitimate folksincluding Senators and members of Congressclaim that that the folks who chanted Hang Mike Pence were only joshing.

There is a notion that the country needs to return to the good old days a time when students were kept in line with military rifles, a time where separate but equal education was accepted. We are now in a time when otherwise reasonable folks suggest violence as a legitimate response to folks who disagree with them. I wonder what the little girl I once was would think about sending soldiers to college campuses with rifles to get students to pipe down. I wonder what her Nebraskan friend would think. And what would the father who wanted JFK assassinated think? I do not want to contemplate this last question too deeply.

Postscript: REMARKS OF SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY, OMAHA, NEBRASKA, MAY 7, 1960

And in this vital process of selecting a candidate Nebraska has always played an important role. For this is a historic primary  one of the first in the nation, dating all the way back to 1911. Every Democratic President in this century has come to Nebraska to submit his candidacy to the judgment of your peopleWoodrow Wilson in 1912, Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, and Harry Truman in 1948. And Republican contenders tooover the yearshave come to Nebraska. Your primary is an important vital tradition in Nebraska politics, forged in the spirit of the progressive popular reform movement which inspired both parties in this state under Bryan, Norris and a host of others.

For if a candidate wishes to understand the needs and aspirations of the people he seeks to servehe must go among them. He must view the cities and towns and factories and farms first hand. He must campaign in all sections of the countrythe East, the West, and the Far Westif he is to understand the problems of all sections and not merely his own. He must listen as well as talk, see as well as be seen, learn as well as teach. And the primary is the greatest instrument there is for that kind of education.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will announce his decision on his possible resignation at 11am, local time, an hour earlier than previously announced his office said on Monday morning. It will be a televised reading statement.

Sanchez, 52, surprised both foes and allies when he said on Wednesday he was taking several days away from public duty to consider quitting. He made his announcement on the same day a court said it would investigate his wife, Begona Gomez, for influence peddling and business corruption, allegations he said were false and orchestrated by his conservative opponents.

State broadcaster TVE said Sanchez went to the Zarzuela palace outside Madrid on Monday morning to speak to King Felipe VI without saying what they discussed. If there are fresh elections or a vote in parliament to swear in a new leader, they must involve the head of state. Key members of his Socialist (PSOE) government including Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero and Santos Cerdan, a top official in his party, were seen arriving at the Moncloa palace in Madrid ahead of the announcement. (Reporting by Belen

He could resign, or carry on as prime minister, or he could submit to a parliamentary vote of confidence and resign only if he lost the vote. Another option would be to call a snap election on July 21, the earliest day allowed by the constitution. Thousands of supporters held rallies in Madrid at the weekend calling on Sanchez to stay on. The prime minister, 52, first came to office in 2018 and secured another term for the Socialists last year as leader of a minority coalition government.

Opposition parties have condemned Sanchez's move. "Spain does not have a problem, the one who has a judicial problem is Sanchez, his government, his party and his circle. Let them solve it," Alberto Nunez Feijoo, leader of the conservative People's Party, told a meeting in the eastern city of Tarragona on Saturday.
Manchester, VT (05254)

Today

Rain likely. High near 45F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 41F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
The Celtics will be back at full strength again for a pivotal Game 4 on Monday night against the Heat with their first clean injury report of the series.

Luke Kornet had been listed for the first three games of the series with a calf injury but he was upgraded from probable to available for Game 3. The big man made his series debut in Game 3, posting two points and a rebound in five minutes and came out of the performance with no issue. His return should give Bostons bench more flexibility according to Joe Mazzulla.

It gives you an opportunity to play bigger, Mazzulla said. Rebounding, switch attack. Every game takes on a life of its own. So first game, the bench had a major part in the way they played because they were doubling and their zone. And part of switching, it negates some of what theyre able to do, so weve gotta find different ways to have them be more of a factor whether its in transition or just multiple actions playing faster. So theyre a key to the series so weve just gotta continue to work to make sure theyre there.

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On the other side, the Heat will have Delon Wright back available off the bench after he sat out Game 3 for personal reasons. He is officially listed as probable. Terry Rozier (neck) continues to be out for the 10th straight game. Jimmy Butler (knee) and Josh Richardson (shoulder surgery) also remain out for the series.

Wright was a big factor in Boston early in the series offensively with his 3-point shooting so his play should boost a Miami team that mustered just 84 points in Game 3.

Boston will look to take a 3-1 series lead in Game 4 which is set for 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Kaseya Center.
A federal grand jury in Worcester Superior Court indicted a Boston-area man for charges in connection with child exploitation and accusations of making child sex abuse materials, Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levys office announced.

Jalen Latimer, 25, of Roxbury, was indicted on Friday on one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, Levys office said in a statement. He has been in state custody on related offenses since his arrest in February, where he faces one count of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault and battery of a child, human trafficking of a minor and depicting a minor in sexual conduct.

Latimer is due to appear in federal court in Worcester on April 30.

Latimer was previously charged by a criminal complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor on Feb. 16, 2024.

The indictment said Latimer conspired with another individual to sex traffic a minor victim in July 2023, Levys office said. He then coerced two other children to engage in sexually explicit conduct to make child sex abuse material, Levys office continued.

The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking provides of a sentence of up to life in prison, up to a lifetime supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, Levys office said.
Bostons North End restaurant owners hung 20-foot by 4-foot banners over their neighborhoods main roads on Monday in another protest of the outdoor dining ban, the subject of the groups pending lawsuit against the city of Boston.

The banners read, If You Want A Reservation For Outdoor Dining in the North End, Call City Hall at 311! and No More Outdoor Dining Bans! The signs were hung on Hanover Street, one from Cantina Italiana to the corner of Fleet Street, on April 29. Two more signs are expected to go up over Salem and Parmenter streets with the same messages on Tuesday, meaning four banners in total will be hung up in the North End.

Several passersby on the sidewalk complimented the banners as they were installed. The signs were scheduled to go up at noon, but efforts were delayed. Reporters witnessed the signage going up after 1 p.m.

The 21 owners included in the suit say theyre being singled out against all other neighborhoods in the city by Mayor Michelle Wu with false and unclear logic. Their lawsuit was filed on Jan. 9, and was amended on March 7.

Mondays signage demonstration is the third open gathering the restaurateurs have held to further emphasize their points in the lawsuit. Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde, co-owner of Vinoteca di Monica and Carla Gomes, owner of Terramia and Antico Forno, have been the suits public face.

A banner hung on Hanover Street in the North End on Monday reads, "If you want a reservation for outdoor dining in the North End, call City Hall at 311."Hadley Barndollar

A demonstration was held on March 8, the day after the amendment was filed.

It included demands for millions of dollars in damages for revenue losses in 2023 and 2024, and restitution of fees they paid to the city to allow the dining option in 2022, amongst other compensations, as relief from a judge.

Another public meeting was held on March 28, where the owners highlighted the suits data points on 311 calls made to City Hall regarding pest control, garbage, congestion, and noise complaints.

The mayor said there were numerous complaints specific to the North End, while the owners said their data showed some of the logic was false and other arguments werent unique to their neighborhood.

Wu has not responded to a request for a statement and said she would not publicly comment on a solution to the pending litigation. She has defended the citys approach at an unrelated event in March in an audio recording provided by her office.

A letter to the owners in February, previously provided by the mayors office to MassLive, cited factors like the neighborhood being uniquely dense and its sidewalks in poor condition or are sometimes too narrow as factors in her decision.

The North End Restaurant Group hung banners across Hanover and Salem Streets in their continued fight for outdoor dining.Hadley Barndollar

The mayors letter also said trash built up and brought in more rodents, some owners did not comply with quiet hour rules and their patio barriers took up parking spaces and caused congestion and other factors.

A motion to dismiss the lawsuit has been filed by her office through attorney Samantha Fuchs.

Her office, through attorney Samantha Fuchs, had filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit earlier this month, The Boston Herald reported.

Fuchs said the groups argument is lacking and misguided, and that the citys stipulations are economic policies addressing the unique realities of a geographic area, while the the North Ends perspective is an unduly granular view.
A former American Airlines flight attendant accused of secretly filming five girls in airplane bathrooms last year has been indicted by a federal grand jury, according to the Massachusetts U.S. Attorneys Office.

North Carolina resident Estes Carter Thompson III, 36, was indicted on charges of attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a press release. The Charlotte resident was charged by criminal complaint in January and has been in federal custody since.

While working as a flight attendant on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Boston on Sept. 2, 2023, Thompson attempted to record a video of a 14-year-old girl as she used an airplane bathroom, according to the U.S. Attorneys office.

Midway through the flight, the victim got up to use the main cabin bathroom nearest to her seat, but after waiting a short time, Thompson told her to use the first class bathroom instead, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. He then told her he needed to wash his hands and that the toilet seat was broken and went into the bathroom before her.

The victim went into the bathroom and noticed red, handwritten warning stickers on the underside of the toilet seat lid, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Thompson is accused of hiding his iPhone beneath the stickers in an attempt to record a video of the victim.

The victim took pictures of the red stickers and the concealed iPhone with her phone before leaving the bathroom, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Thompson went back into the bathroom as soon as she left it.

When the victim returned to her seat, she told her parents what had happened and showed them the pictures she took, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Her parents then reported the incident to other flight attendants who notified the planes captain, and the captain notified law enforcement on the ground.

The victims father also confronted Thompson who, shortly thereafter, locked himself in the bathroom with his iPhone for a few minutes prior to the flights descent, the U.S. Attorneys office said. When law enforcement officers searched Thompsons phone, they found that it had been restored to its factory settings.

They did, however, discover the stickers shown in the victims photos in Thompsons suitcase, as well as evidence on his iCloud account of four additional instances during which he had secretly recorded a minor using the bathroom on an aircraft, the U.S. Attorneys office said.

The victims in the recordings were seven, nine, 11 and 14 years old when they were secretly filmed, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. The images were taken between January and August 2023.

Additionally, law enforcement discovered over 50 photos of a 9-year-old unaccompanied minor  including close-ups of her face while she was sleeping  in Thompsons iCloud account, the U.S Attorneys office said. They also found hundreds of AI-generated images of child sexual abuse on the account.

All victims involved in the case have been identified, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. All of their families have been contacted by law enforcement.

The charge of attempted sexual exploitation of children provides for a sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison, five years to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution. The charge of possession of child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 and restitution.
A funeral is being held Monday for a formerly missing World War II veteran from Massachusetts.

Manuel John Pimentel enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1939, according to Medford. He was killed in action on Sept. 24, 1942, on Guadalcanal.

The Department of Defense said he was reportedly buried in a marine cemetery on the island. However, when officials were able to search the site, they were unable to find his remains.

The website Missing Marines, an independent research project, stated the group ran into a Japanese military unit and were caught in a crossfire from multiple machine gun positions. The first burst of fire injured three Marines and killed two others, Pimentel and Corporals John Eddie Edwinson.

The fight continued and in total 10 Marines were killed.

Those who died in the firefight were temporarily left where they fell, the website states.

The next day, those remaining went out to locate and bury those who had died. Pimentel was reportedly carried to a spot where they hoped future patrols would spot the grave, the website said.

But two post-war expeditions, in 1947 and 1949, failed to locate the graves. They were declared non-recoverable, the website states.

Instead, Pimentel was memorialized on the Walls of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines.

But the city of Medford said there was a recent excavation of the site, which finally uncovered his remains.

He will now be buried with full military honors at the Cambridge Cemetery, the city said.

Flags have been lowered to half-staff on Monday in his honor.

The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Monday at Saint Josephs Church. A funeral procession will then follow Pimentels body to a cemetery in Cambridge.
Opening statements got underway in the murder trial of Karen Read on Monday, with two different accounts of what happened on the night of Jan. 28, 2022, the night before Boston police officer John OKeefes body was found in the snow, cold to the touch and with serious injuries to his head outside a home in Canton.

Read, 44, of Mansfield, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of OKeefe and Monday marked the first day that her defense attorneys and prosecutors from Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrisseys Office were able to address jurors directly about their competing theories of the case.
MIT President Sally Kornbluth on Saturday called for pro-Palestinian protesters to clear the encampment they had set up on the schools campus, saying in a video posted to YouTube, this particular form of expression needs to end soon and that protesters were violating school policies.

Kornbluth was not the only school leader in the state to ask protesters to take down the tents they had set up at a university campus, as officials at Tufts University made a similar, if more forceful, ask on Sunday. More than 200 pro-Palestinian protestors were arrested on college campuses in Massachusetts last week  at both Emerson College and Northeastern University.

In the video, Kornbluth said the encampment has been a clear violation of campus policies governing registering and reserving space at the school from the start. And while she acknowledged that the protests have been peaceful, Kornbluth said some of the chants launched by protesters were perceived as calling for the elimination of the state of Israel and more pointed chants had been added, which she called disturbing.

Theres a distinction between what we can say, what we have a right to say, and what we should say as members of one community, Kornbluth said, adding that the pro-Palestinian movement was made more complex and uniquely difficult by the fact that two groups on campus were painfully at odds with one another.

The nationwide campus protests began as a response by some students to Israels offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry.

Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses such allegations to silence opponents. Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.

Kornbluth said university leaders have heard a range of views that she described as irreconcilable  that the school must take a side in the conflict and that it already has, that the encampment must be taken down and that it must be allowed to stay, that students should be disciplined and discipline should be avoided.

Protesters at the school who violated rules around time, manner, and place of protest will face disciplinary action from MIT, she said.

Without doing so directly, Kornbluth seemed to reject calls by protestors to reject funding from the Israeli military for research projects  one of the key demands from those who established the encampment, saying I am not going to compromise the academic freedom of our faculty in any field of study.

Faculty routinely work with colleagues around the world, including in Israel, Kornbluth said. MIT faculty have the fundamental academic freedom to pursue funding for research of interest in their fields.

While Kornbluth said college officials have not interfered with the encampment to preserve students right to free expression, she said it was creating a potential magnet for disruptive outside protesters and commandeering space reserved by others.

Keeping the encampment safe and secure for this set of students is diverting hundreds of staff hours around the clock away from other essential duties, she said. We have a responsibility to the entire MIT community, and it is not possible to safely sustain this level of effort.

We are open to further discussion about the means of ending the encampment, but this particular form of expression needs to end soon, Kornbluth concludes.
A group of about a dozen student activists from Northeastern University, many wearing protective masks and/or keffiyehs to shield their identities, filled a Roxbury courtroom Monday morning to support a fellow student who had been arrested on the schools campus during a pro-Palestinian demonstration.

Kyler Shinkle-Stolar was arrested on Thursday, the same day students set up an encampment at the school, and faced a trespassing charge after he entered a campus building at Northeastern.

Shinkle-Stolar was not enrolled at the university at the time, and has five credits remaining until he graduates, his attorney, Carl Williams, said during his arraignment.

Shinkle-Stolar was ordered to complete 20 hours of community service and stay away from Northeasterns campus unless he was there for such official business as taking classes.

He was the first Northeastern protester to appear in court and others are likely to follow later this week, after more than 100 demonstrators were arrested at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the schools campus on Saturday.

The university has said protesters who identified themselves as Northeastern students would not be charged but others could be charged.

Shinkle-Stolar said he believes the university singled him out because of his previous pro-Palestinian actions on campus, including authoring a resolution ultimately passed by the schools student government calling on Northeastern to divest from such military contractors as Raytheon.

Divestment is one of the central demands for pro-Palestinian student protesters at Northeastern and beyond. And following the arraignment, many students re-emphasized their calls for the school to take action.

Were here to put pressure on Northeastern to disclose their ties to Israel, to denounce the genocide happening, at a bare minimum, and to divest from Israel, said one student, who identified herself only by her first name, Maya. A lot of our tuition dollars are going towards the killing of Palestinians.

Northeastern police and other local law enforcement began clearing the unauthorized tent encampment around 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning, university officials said.

Northeastern Police broke up the crowd at the universitys behest, and the department called for back-up from Boston Police, State Police, and the Suffolk County Sheriffs Department, State Police said.

In all, 98 protesters were taken into custody on the schools campus, just days after the arrest of 118 pro-Palestinian demonstrators at a similar encampment at Emerson College.

Of the 98 arrested, 29 are Northeastern students and six are faculty at the university, school officials said Monday.

The encampment at Emerson was established in a public way  Boylston Place  not on school property. At Northeastern though, the encampment had been constructed on private campus property.

Many of the arrested Northeastern students were held in academic buildings on campus while they waited to be taken to jail, students told MassLive on Monday.

School officials on Monday said they had no choice but to act.

It is important to note that all protesters were provided with several advance notices that the encampment would be dismantled, officials wrote. Protesters were offered several opportunities to leave the area and face no legal consequences. Many people took advantage of those opportunities.

The escalation of tensions on Friday night made it necessary to restore civility and ensure that our campus is a place where all studentsincluding the more than 8,000 who are celebrating their commencements this weekcan share in full and free access to space and facilities, Chancellor and Vice President for Learning Ken Henderson and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs David Madigan wrote.

It is absolutely despicable that they would cite campus safety as a reason to end our encampment which was very peaceful, Shinkle-Stolar, who is Jewish, said. Northeastern is just continuing to lie, continuing to repress any form of dissent and continuing to remain complicit in the genocide of Palestinians.

The nationwide campus protests began as a response by some students to Israels offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry.

Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses such allegations to silence opponents.

Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.

To claim that these protests are an issue of antisemitism on campus is quite insulting because it actually seeks to group all Jews as having to be supportive of Israel, Shinkle-Stolar said. Apartheid is wrong. Genocide is wrong, no matter who was committing it, no matter in whose name its being committed and no matter against whom its being committed.

Another student, Alex Madaras, said she believed activists would ultimately be able to get Northeastern to divest from Israel, saying the school would be on the wrong side of history if it did not.

For its part, Northeastern has said its endowment should not be seen as an instrument to serve specific political agendas or weigh in on matters upon which reasonable people can disagree.

The schools endowment is not invested in any specific companies, Northeastern said previously.

Still, Madaras said she had certainty we will divest.

August Escandon, a graduating senior, who is with the group Huskies for a Free Palestine, which organized the encampment, said it is not yet clear if the encampment will be rebuilt, or if protests will resume in the short term.

Many of us have visibly shown that we are willing to sacrifice our personal freedoms, our personal resources... for the Palestinian people, he said. We believe that the other students at Northeastern... will be on the right side of histories.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
An 18-year-old student tried to kill a staff member at a KIPP Academy charter high school in Lynn during a stabbing at the school on Monday, according to Lynn police.

Police have arrested Chelsea resident Larnel Jean Eustache and charged him with assault with intent to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, mayhem and other offenses in connection with the stabbing, Lynn police said in a press release.

The school staff member was stabbed multiple times during the incident, but was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Eustache ran away from the school before police arrived, but was found and arrested by officers a short time later.

Lynn and state police are still investigating the incident, but are not seeking any additional suspects, according to Lynn police. It is unclear when he will be arraigned.

Witnesses said an assistant principal was attacked with a knife, WCVB reported. The school was put under a secure hold following the stabbing, and its students were later dismissed for the day.

The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority. We will continue to partner with the Lynn Police Department to prioritize student and staff safety and well-being, KIPP Academy Executive Director Nikki Barnes said in a statement.

Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson said in a statement that he was deeply saddened and concerned by the incident.

KIPP Academy Lynn serves grades kindergarten through 12th grade, but has separate elementary, middle and high schools in Lynn, according to its website. It also has a Boston campus that serves grades kindergarten through 8th grade. The Lynn high school enrolls approximately 500 students.
Tufts University on Sunday called on pro-Palestinian protesters to end the encampment they have established on the academic quad on the universitys Medford/Somerville campus as the school prepares for commencement, a move that came a day after a similar encampment at Northeastern University was cleared by police.

While university officials, including President Sunil Kumar, said they supported the students right to protest, they said they saw behavior that clearly is trying to escalate the situation.

Protesters, including some who are unaffiliated with Tufts, have created conditions that have caused multiple community members and guests to lodge formal complaints, the letter signed by Kumer and other high-ranking officials reads.

Officials at Tufts said they have attempted to stay in communication with the protesters in order to avoid the escalation seen at other universities in greater Boston and across the nation and had delayed some commencement preparations to allow for the peaceful resolution of the protest.

Now the encampment must end, ideally peacefully and voluntarily, so we can prepare the campus for Commencement, officials wrote. Staff at the school would be reaching out to protesters to Monday morning to plan for the end of the encampment, they wrote.

The class of 2024 deserves to be celebrated. Many of this years graduates experienced the restrictions and losses of the pandemic and missed out on important life events including the opportunity to participate in their high school graduations, the letter reads.

A protest at the university on Friday, while peaceful, violated several university policies when demonstrators entered a classroom, blocked paths and defaced, stickered, and scrawled obscene language on buildings throughout the campus.

Even beloved spaces such as Alexs Place on the Tisch Library roof and the Jumbo statue were marred, the letter reads.

The university also received numerous complaints from visitors to campus over the weekend, including students on admissions tours. Those complaints accused protesters of harassment, intimidation ... and aggressive tactics. Officials pledged to investigate every complaint and hold those responsible accountable.

Officials accused protesters of trying to escalate and disrupt normal university activity and said exchanges with college staff are often followed by claims of threats and intimidation on protesters social media accounts.

Let us be perfectly clear: these claims are simply inaccurate and can only be seen as an attempt to further inflame the community by deliberately misrepresenting the situation, the letter reads.

University leaders said they would not discuss the possibility of meeting with student organizers until they took down the encampment and cleared the academic quad, writing that protesters actions increasingly come at the expense of their fellow students rights and a meeting could not be a reward for such behavior.

We are deeply troubled by the tremendous loss of Palestinian life, and we desire to work with all members of our community to support both the Palestinian and the Israeli people, the letter reads. It is time to celebrate the class of 2024.

In an Instagram post on Sunday, the Tufts chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine said protesters would not leave until their demands, which include disclosure and divestment of investments in Israel and ending the sale of Israeli products at dining locations on campus, were met.

We are in need of all support ... as we defend our Gaza Solidarity Encampment against Tufts admin escalation, they wrote.

Over the weekend, more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at an encampment at Northeastern University, just days after the arrest of 118 protesters at Emerson College.

The number of arrests nationwide approached 900 since New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested more than 100 demonstrators on April 18, the Associated Press reported.
Massachusetts state-run health insurance program, MassHealth, has trimmed more than 350,000 people from the rolls since last April, according to newly released data.

The caseload for the states combination of Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program fell to about 2.04 million people by the end of March, down from the 2.4 million who were enrolled at the start of April 2023.

Officials removed about 74,000 people from MassHealth in March -- almost 2,500 per day, on average -- offset by 23,000 Bay Staters who newly joined the program and another 27,000 who regained coverage after previously being deemed ineligible.

Cuts were even more significant in February  when 122,000 people were dropped from MassHealth, 17,000 signed up, and another 17,000 rejoined.

Through the first 11 months of the programs eligibility redetermination campaign, the publicly funded health insurance systems caseload has dropped by nearly 358,000.

Officials forecast at the outset of the effort that it would cumulatively decrease the MassHealth rolls by 300,000 to 400,000 people while freeing up $1.9 billion to spend elsewhere in fiscal year 2024.

(State House News Service/MassHealth)State House News Service/MassHealth

Most of the roughly 810,000 people who have left MassHealth since April 1, 2023, lost coverage for procedural reasons, according to state data.

About 541,500 were disenrolled because they did not provide enough information for MassHealth to confirm whether they were eligible, and another 15,200 could not be reached by state officials. The remaining 259,400 Bay Staters were confirmed ineligible after a review.

A similar trend is underway nationally. According to health policy nonprofit KFF, 69 percent of Americans disenrolled from state Medicaid systems lost coverage for procedural reasons.

The overall MassHealth caseload still remains significantly higher than it was before the COVID-19 pandemic -- the system had about 1.76 million members in February 2020 -- and officials have said they expect enrollment levels to remain elevated.

Federal policy blocked states from removing residents from Medicaid during the pandemic. After the state of emergency ended, all 50 states had to embark on similar efforts to determine eligibility for their full rolls.

MassHealth conducted its reassessment in a staggered manner, adding more people to the review process each month.

A spokesperson said Monday that the redetermination process has now started for every single member.

But officials stressed that the final wrap-up data for the year-long campaign will not be available until June. Thats because Bay Staters get a month or longer to submit materials needed to determine their eligibility.

State law requires residents to carry health insurance or face a tax penalty.

Over the same 11-month redetermination span, about 122,000 people who were declared ineligible for MassHealth newly enrolled in a plan available through the Massachusetts Health Connector marketplace, officials say.

Others likely registered for private plans available through employers, but data is not available on the insurance status of all of the disenrolled.
(*This story was updated at 4:52 p.m. on Monday, April 29, 2024, with additional reporting.)

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton isnt mincing words when it comes to the pro-Palestinian protests that have rocked college and university campuses across Massachusetts over the last two weeks.

He wants them shut down.

We live in a country that values freedom of speech, Moulton, D-6th District, said during an appearance on NBC-10s @Issue program on Sunday.

But these protests in many cases have threatened the safety of Jewish students, Moulton continued. Theyve completely disrupted the operation of universities, preventing all the other kids from being able to go to school. So, the universities have a right, and I would argue in this case, even a responsibility to shut them down.

The nationwide campus protests began as a response by some students to Israels offensive in Gaza after the terrorist group Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.

Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses such allegations to silence opponents.

Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organizers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war, MassLive previously reported.

The protests have since rippled across campuses throughout the state and country.

Senior leaders at Tufts University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have called for an end to the encampments that have paralyzed their respective campuses, even as theyve focused national attention on a burgeoning student protest movement.

Meanwhile, the president of Emerson College has the school will not take disciplinary action against students arrested as part of a pro-Palestinian protest encampment that was dispersed by Boston police last week, MassLive previously reported.

And on Saturday, police arrested about 100 people at Northeastern University as they broke up a pro-Palestinian protest encampment that formed earlier this week, according to the university and state police.

In an interview with WBZ-TV in Boston, Massachusetts Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk, said she firmly believes the students have a constitutional right to freedom of speech and to protest.

In a statement, Massachusetts Republican Party Chairperson Amy Carnevale called on colleges and universities to to swiftly dismantle these hateful protests and to levy appropriate consequences for those involved in fostering a hostile and discriminatory environment for Jewish and pro-Israel students.

The protests statewide have flagrantly violated numerous guidelines and rules set forth by these colleges and universities, Carnevale continued.

While the MassGOP holds the First Amendment in the highest regard, its evident that many aspects of these protests egregiously exceed the protections afforded by students First Amendment rights, she said. Instead, they have led to harassment and the creation of an unsafe environment for Jewish and pro-Israel students.

But you know, like anything else, people should be obeying the laws and, if theyre infringing on ingress and egress and other things, and were told as I understand it, of what the rules were, Spilka, who is Jewish, said.

Speaking to WCVB-TVs On the Record program on Sunday, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-8th District, who is among the lawmakers who have called for a cease-fire, said the protests seem to embody threats as well, especially to Jewish students.

The South Shore Democrat, who voted in favor of a massive foreign aid package that included help for Israel, said hes had kids in my district complain about the fact that theyve had to take the mezzuzehs down off their off ... their door jambs so that they wouldnt be identified as Jewish.

The students are fearful, Lynch continued, musing that theres something different going on here. This is not [like] previous protests. That was a protest against an idea or an action. This is, actually, a protest where there are victims on campus, as well as aggressors on campus.

In a statement released late last week, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, said she believed every student, regardless of background or faith, has a right to feel safe and show up in the world without fear or discrimination  and we must ensure that those exercising their right to free speech are met with dignity and respect, not criminalization.

The Boston lawmaker, who has been in the vanguard of the ceasefire movement, added that she had been deeply concerned about misinformation that aims to undermine this movement, outside agitators that detract from peaceful solidarity actions, and the aggressive response by law enforcement to students peacefully protesting across the country.
BOSTON  Manager Alex Cora spoke with the media Sunday while Red Sox second baseman Vaughn Grissom was in the middle of his rehab game with Triple-A Worcester.

Hes playing right now, Cora said. Having a good game. 2-for-2 and a walk.

Grissom stroked another two hits after Coras press conference ended. The 23-year-old finished 4-for-4 (four singles) with two RBIs, one run and one walk in Worcesters 8-5 win over Toledo.

Well reassess the situation tomorrow but if everything goes well, I do believe hell be with us (Tuesday), Cora said.

Grissom (hamstring strain) began the regular season on the IL after suffering an injury approximately two weeks into spring training. His 20-day rehab assignment began April 12. It lasts until Wednesday at the latest.

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Grissom has gone 10-for-30 (.333) with a .444 on-base percentage, two doubles, two RBIs, three runs, two steals, five walks and nine strikeouts in nine rehab games for the WooSox.

Boston should have multiple roster moves coming Tuesday. In addition to activating Grissom, trade addition Garrett Cooper, a first baseman, will be added to the 26-man roster.

Boston needed a first base replacement for Triston Casas (fractured cartilage connecting ribcage to sternum) who will miss at least two months. Boston placed Casas on the 60-day injured list Saturday to clear a 40-man roster spot for Cooper.

Other injury updates:

~ Starter Nick Pivetta (right elbow flexor strain) threw approximately 50 pitches in a sim game Saturday. He likely will make a rehab start for Worcester this week (possibly Thursday).

He bounced back well, Cora said about Pivetta. He feels great. So now we just map it out. From my end, I would like him to go down there and make a start if its 3 or 4 innings and then come back. But hell let us know how he feels. But definitely going down there, it makes sense. So I dont know when this week that happens but Im happy that hes feeling great and looking forward to having him back.

~ Starter Garrett Whitlock (left oblique strain) has played catch but has not thrown off a mound since being placed on the 15-day injured list April 17. Feeling better, Cora said. Hes been throwing but he still feels it. So its still there. So no mound progression for him.

~ Starter Brayan Bello, who was placed on the 15-day injured list April 24, is feeling great, Cora said. Yesterday was his best day. Were going to map it out and see what were going to do. He was very aggressive in his throwing program yesterday. No concerns. Like I said, Im less worried about him. I do believe hell be back sooner rather than later.
GREENFIELD  Taaniel Herberger-Brown  a 42-year-old man facing a murder charge in Greenfield  declined to be voluntarily extradited back to Massachusetts at a hearing Monday in Albany County Court in New York.

Another hearing is scheduled for May 31, according to the Albany County Court clerks office. Greenfield District Court approved a warrant for Herberger-Browns arrest on a murder charge, but he has not yet been extradited and arraigned in Massachusetts.

His attorney, Nicholas J. Horgan, declined to comment on Monday.
n its ongoing commitment to establish factoring as a viable financing solution for Africas small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), thus bolstering their participation in intra-regional trade and industrialisation, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and FCI recently held a two-day factoring conference in Harare.

Centred on the overarching theme of  Empowering Economic Growth Through Innovative Factoring and Receivables Finance Solutions  and the sub-theme of How factoring can serve as a catalyst for the financial inclusion of SMEs, the two day workshop that was held on April 22  23, focused on the pivotal role SMEs are poised to play in intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Co-organised in collaboration with FCI, the global body for factoring, the conference provided a platform for in-depth discussions and strategic initiatives to promote and enhance factoring within the Southern Africa region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade and Export Development Bank, Afreximbank, and FCI Board member, said:

Factoring provides an important alternative to other traditional financing sources available for SMEs such as bank loans, leasing, venture capital. And while factoring is globally acknowledged as an alternative form of financing to SMEs as evidenced by the EUR 3.7 trillion global factoring volumes, a recent study by Afreximbank on the financing schemes employed by SMEs in Africa showed that only 90 of the 2,895 sampled (representing 9.2 percent), used factoring as a financing option. This is instructive for two reasons. Firstly, it shows that factoring has not yet taken off to the extent that it should, with Africa accounting for less than 1 per cent of global factoring volumes. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it demonstrates the huge potential factoring holds for our continent.

She highlighted the contribution of Afreximbank in developing a model law that has since been adopted by seven countries, the provision of over US$100 million in financing, technical training to over 30 emerging factors in 2022/23 and over 3,000 delegates being exposed to awareness of factoring, with the sum effect of double growth in factoring volumes in Africa from EUR 21.6 Billion in 2017 to EUR 41.8 Billion in 2023. She added however that, despite the steady progress we have made in growing factoring, there remains substantial work to cover given the over US$330 billion SME finance gap per annum and overall factoring volumes of 1% in Africa.

It is in this context that the theme for the workshop is not only relevant, but also timely, reflecting both the urgent need to grow factoring, and at the same time, highlighting the potential of factoring in promoting economic growth in Africa  as seen in Europe and America. Mrs. Kanayo added.

Also speaking, Neal Harm, Secretary General, FCI, said: Open account trade finance (Factoring, Supply Chain Finance) is one of the most crucial financial services that can assist the growth of SMEs and their local economy. It provides the necessary liquidity to SMEs by converting their accounts receivables or invoices into cash. There is so much opportunity to fill the trade finance gap that exists across the globe through Factoring and Open Account Trade Finance. The World Trade Organization recently reported a US Dollar 2.5 trillion trade finance gap  much of which is with SMEs and emerging markets. But receivables are a very strong and a reliable asset that is self-liquidating. Factoring, Open Account, and Reverse Factoring are tools that can generate working capital to allow SMEs to grow.

Harm also presented the just released preliminary World Factoring Statistics showing that the steady growth of factoring in Africa continues, with 2023 witnessing a notable 13.5% increase compared to 2022, reaching a total volume of EUR 47.48 billion. This figure however represents a paltry 1.3% of the global factoring volume of EUR 3.7 million.

In her remarks, Dr. J.T. Chipika, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, said: The Factoring Conference comes at the right time, not just for Zimbabwe but also for Southern Africa to reflect and consider how best we can tap into the global and regional best practice in unlocking sustainable finance provided through factoring. Africa, as a continent can do better in promoting both international trade and factoring. We are grateful to Afreximbank who continue to support factoring in Southern Africa, including in Zimbabwe, where two-thirds of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is from SMEs and 60% of SMEs are women-owned, making factoring a gender- inclusive agenda.

She acknowledged that the Workshop comes hot on the heels of Zimbabwes new monetary policy framework introduced this month, and very timely in attracting 24 African countries and nine others to showcase the new Zimbabwe and its economic resilience. Afreximbanks continuing support was recognised as a backbone for the Zimbabwean economy especially during its financial exclusion from capital markets.

The Deputy Governor further emphasised that factoring and receivable financing will only thrive in a stable macroeconomic environment hence the importance of Afreximbanks support to Zimbabwe towards attaining macroeconomic stability, especially in prices and exchange rates.

Factoring Roundtables will be organised on the sidelines of the Afreximbank Annual Meetings to be held in Nassau, The Bahamas during June 12-15, 2024, FCI Annual Meeting in South Korea during June 9-13, 2024, and the Factoring Seminar during the Afreximbank Annual Trade Finance Seminar to be held in Namibia from June 1  4, 2024.
In the eighth meeting of the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (WGIHR), which was suspended yesterday until 16 May, State Parties to the IHR took a major step towards agreeing on the package of amendments which will be put forward to the World Health Assembly, which takes place from 27 May1 June 2024.

The amendments, proposed by IHR State Parties in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen the international communitys ability to detect and respond to pandemic threats, will be further discussed at the resumed eighth meeting on 16-17 May with a view to finalizing an agreed package for submission to the World Health Assembly in May for its consideration and, if agreed, formal adoption.

The International Health Regulations have been the cornerstone of global health security for decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic showed the need to strengthen them in some areas to make them fit for purpose, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. Countries are grasping this historic opportunity to protect future generations from the impact of epidemics and pandemics, with a commitment to equity and solidarity.

This eighth meeting of the Working Group on Amendments to the IHR (WGIHR) started on 22 April and suspended today. Whilst the process is being held alongside negotiations of the worlds first pandemic agreement to strengthen global collaboration among governments to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics, it was proposed in WGIHR8 that two separate Resolutions on the two processes be submitted to the World Health Assembly in May. Negotiations resume on the pandemic agreement on 29 April and continue until 10 May.

During the eighth meeting of the WGIHR, substantial progress on finalizing the package of amendments was made as State Parties reached agreement in critical areas.

WGIHR Co-Chair Dr Ashley Bloomfield said: The work to bolster our global defenses against public health emergencies and risks, through agreeing a stronger set of International Health Regulations, reflects both the risks our highly interconnected world faces today, and the recognition and readiness of countries to ensure their citizens are better protected.

Fellow WGIHR Co-Chair, Dr Abdullah Assiri, said the proposed amendments to the IHR are readily implementable and recognize the importance of equity in ensuring effective global response.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed the world that viruses of pandemic potential do not respect national borders, Dr Assiri said. Amending the International Health Regulations reflects the critical need to bolster our collective defenses against current and future public health risks so peoples health, societies and economies can be better protected, all whilst firmly respecting and adhering to the principle of national sovereignty.

The eighth meeting of the WGHIR will resume in a two-day final session 16-17 May to continue and conclude the work of the Working Group according to its mandate from the Health Assembly

The IHR have 196 State Parties, comprising all 194 WHO Member States plus Liechtenstein and the Holy See. These Parties have led the process to amend the IHR. The Regulations have been negotiated under Article 21 of the WHO Constitution. Any amendment will come into force for all States Parties, after a set period, except for those that notify the WHO Director-General of a rejection or reservation.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) held the HKU Entrance Scholarships Award Ceremony on April 19 to recognise outstanding academic and non-academic achievements of students admitted to the University in the 2023-24 academic year.

This year, more than 430 students admitted from Hong Kong and about 40 countries or regions were awarded, with a total scholarship amount of nearly HK$46 million contributed by donors, the HKSAR government, and the University.

The Acting President of HKU, Professor Richard Wong, gave an opening remark at the Ceremony. He said:  As one of the leading universities in Asia and the world, HKU believes in nurturing and empowering individuals who possess not only intellectual brilliance but also the passion to make a positive impact on society. Today, we celebrate not only students academic achievements but also their potential to become the leaders who will shape the future of our world. We will continue to provide our students with a world-class education that will empower them to become the leaders and change-makers of tomorrow. 

Benefactors of the Hon Ping Entrance Scholarship for Nigerian Students, Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairmans Scholarship and Hong Kong Jockey Club Striding On Scholarship, Lee Shau Kee Scholarships and Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship, M. W. Lo Memorial Scholarships for Outstanding Mainland Students, and Rosita King Ho Scholarship, as well as Professor Ian Holliday, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), were also among the guests of honour and presented awards to the students.

Representatives from ten Consulates-General attended the event to extend their warm wishes to the student awardees from their respective countries or regions. Representatives from 20 local secondary schools were also present to celebrate with their former students.

The students awarded have excelled in a variety of fields. They included 22 Presidents Scholars. Other scholarships awarded include the Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairmans Scholarship, for students with exceptional academic achievements; the Lee Shau Kee Top Athletes Scholarship for outstanding young athletes admitted to HKU through the Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme; and the Belt and Road Scholarship, which recognises outstanding students coming from the Belt and Road countries.

In addition to expressing their happiness at receiving the scholarships, the awardees are also looking forward to their university life and future career endeavours.

Penelope Septier, who received an HKU Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Talents, is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree at HKU as part of her dual degree programme with the French university Sciences Po. Penelope was grateful to both institutions for their close partnerships which encourage the East-West cultural collaborations and highlighted HKUs role in fostering knowledge exchange and providing rich academic resources. She also shared her experience interning at a local NGO specialising in human trafficking law, which allowed her to apply her learnings from her Psychology and Criminology at HKU, paving the way for her future career in international criminal law.

Receiving the Hong Kong Jockey Club Striding On Scholarship, Carina Cheung Ting Ting, who is studying for a Bachelor of Science degree, thanked the scholarship donors for providing financial stability and enabling her to pursue her passion as a nutritionist. The scholarship aims to recognise students who have achieved excellence while demonstrating resilience and strength of mind to overcome adversities or challenges in life and support these students undergraduate studies in Hong Kong. Carina emphasized her participation in various volunteer projects and the scholarships role in allowing her to attend a summer school programme at another prestigious university.

Rocky Gu Lok Hei, an HKU Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship for Presidents Scholars recipient pursuing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree, shared his experiences in anatomy dissection classes and his commitment to advancing the medical field through research and innovation.
The white city of Tangiers wakes gently at daybreak. Schoolchildren mill up and down the main streets of the old town, the medina, crossing paths with the crowd heading to offices and a few morning tourists.

Overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar at the northern tip of Morocco, Tangiers is a cosmopolitan place and gateway to the great continent of Africa. Every year, its timeless atmosphere attracts millions of tourists, who come to criss-cross its narrow paved streets.

The guest house Riad Saba, in the heart of the medina, welcomes holidaymakers with immense care. On the terrace, guests are treated to the view over the port while enjoying a tasty breakfast prepared by Ibrahim Jallouli.

Originally from Oujda, this young chef came to Tangiers to take advantage of the opportunities the city could offer him. I came here because its a city full of opportunities, which attracts tourists from all over the world with its cultural and gastronomic heritage, he comments.

For this young professional, the city guarantees access to essential services, particularly the availability of water. Water is essential in my line of business. I use it every day, either for cooking, drinking or washing ingredients. I couldnt manage without it. But Im conscious that having continuous, daily access to water is a real challenge in Morocco.

Like many of the Kingdoms citizens, Ibrahim is concerned about the effects of climate change on this vital resource. The region enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate, with the influence of the ocean keeping it damp and temperate.

However, its meteorological profile has been disrupted for several decades: temperatures are rising and rainfall decreasing, affecting the availability of water for millions of the citys residents.

The regions economy is expanding rapidly, attracting numerous industries, as well as experiencing a real population explosion. The need for water is increasing and placing heavy pressure on those who manage this precious resource.

The Moroccan government realised the scale of the situation several years ago and responded by launching the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Programme (PNAEPI) 2020-2027.

Through the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), the government is investing in a range of infrastructure projects to secure, strengthen and optimize water resources, with support from the African Development Bank. The city of Tangiers has benefited from a project completed in 2023: a raw water supply from the Ibn Battouta dam.

Built in the late 1970s, the reservoir has seen its level drop for several years. With raw water supplies decreasing in volume, it was time to optimize the resource. Until now, raw water from the dam used to flow to the Mharhar treatment plant via the riverbed of the same name. This open-air journey resulted in losses, mainly due to evaporation. An 11-kilometre water pipe has now been built to optimize the resource and remedy the situation.

The message is clear: water in Morocco needs to be conserved at any price in light of current and future climatic conditions. This philosophy is shared by the African Development Bank, which is helping Morocco to maintain its momentum. As a result, Africas premier development finance institution has supported the ONEE by providing EUR 10 million in funding for the project. This is in addition to the overall amount of EUR 1.2 billion already invested in the water sector in Morocco.

These investments are essential for improving the living conditions of the beneficiary populations and supporting the regions long-term socioeconomic development. As Ibrahim, our young chef, recalls, For me, water is life. If there were no water, there would be no life.

This project, among many others, points to Moroccos forward-looking vision for the water sector: one of progress and shared growth.
MANULLA has been deprived of rural broadband because of an utterly outrageous planning decision by Mayo County Council, a meeting of Castlebar Municipal District Council has heard.

Councillors from the Castlebar area have hit out at decision to refuse planning permission for a broadband apparatus  roughly the size of a portacabin  due to concerns about increased traffic along the N60.

The proposed development consisted of a 3.0-metre high, 3.0-metre wide cabin a 1.2-metre high fence containing wires, ducting and various other apparel.

If operational, it would have enhanced broadband connectivity for up to 1,000 people in the area.

Attacking the decision to refuse planning, Cathaoirleach of the Castlebar Municipal District, Cllr Al McDonnell, called for decision astonishing and called for it to be investigated.

The long-serving Fianna Fail councillor said the structure would have taken ten days to build and would require no more than five visits a year.

Cllr McDonnell said that such developments are typically exempt from any sort of planning approval.

The applicants had applied to Mayo County Council for a Declaration for Exempt Development under Section 5 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

Of 95 pervious applications by that body [National Broadband Ireland] in various local authorities around Ireland, it was found to be exempt from planning, so there was inevitable optimism that that would be the case here, Cllr McDonnell said.

A proposal by the applicant to move the access point to a private farmyard was also refused due to concerns about increased traffic, according to Cllr McDonnell.

I am astonished that there is elements within the planning office who have made this absolutely outrageous decision. I fail to come to terms with it that we, as a development authority, would justify the refusal of this application.

Cllr McDonnells remarks were supported by other members of the municipal district, with Fine Gael councillor Donna Sheridan branding the decision as absolutely crazy.

Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne said the decision raised fundamental questions about the attitude in the councils planning department and called for the decision to be referred to the relevant government minister.

Comparing the situation to the proposed development of forestry in nearby Craggagh, Cllr Sheridan said: People can go in and plant how much of an area in evergreen trees in Craggagh, and they dont need planning, and that box that youve showed us needs planning and it was refused. The world is gone mad is all I can say. That is shocking.

Cllr Ger Deere (Fine Gael) voiced concern about the matter, telling the meeting that councillors were getting regular representations about broadband while canvassing.

Cllr Blackie Gavin (Fianna Fail) also blasted the decision, commenting that pumping stations  which are of a similar size to the structure rejected by the council - do not require planning permission.

Its absolutely crazy, said Cllr Gavin, who works as a plumber for Mayo County Council. And if thats what its coming to, were only wasting out time in here. Whoever turned town this applicant should be ashamed of themselves.

Cllr Martin McLoughlin said that Mayo County Council has an obligation to support the rollout of broadband in whatever form, adding that the development would have provided huge benefit to the local community.

This is the least intrusive thing that ever came through a council in my time, he said. If the grass grew around it you wouldnt even see it.

David Mellett, Head of Castlebar Municipal District, that such applications would generally qualify for Declaration for Exempt Development must be assessed in the local context.

Mr Mellett said he would talk to planners in the council regarding the decision and said that the applicant has the option to appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanala.
County Mayo was well represented at St Vincent De Pauls (SVP) 180-year anniversary.

The charity has been providing their service to the most vulnerable in Irish society for 180 years now.

Members from the SVP society in Mayo were well represented at a members' day event to celebrate the anniversary of the society in Dublins Convention Centre.

The event was attended by over 1,000 charity members and volunteers from all around the country.

The programme reflected on the societys history, current position, and the future with its Young SVP programme as a core part.

Rose McGowan, SVP national president in Ireland, told the gathering: "Throughout every period of change, our members have been a bedrock of support for hundreds of thousands of Irish people. And we should be proud of that.

Offering a little help at the right time can give people great hope for the future. You show kindness towards people requesting your help. You also show compassion and empathy for people in difficult circumstances and approach their needs with discretion while being mindful of confidentiality and being respectful and non-judgmental, she added.

Speakers on the day included Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and currently Chair of the Elders, SVP International President Juan Manuel Buergo Gomez and Kevin Cunningham, founder of Ireland Thinks.

There were also messages of congratulations from President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Simon Harris, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill, Deputy First Minister Emma-Little Pengelly and former President of Ireland Mary McAleese.

Since its foundation in 1844 SVP has been serving the poorest and most vulnerable in Irish communities, through the famine in the nineteenth century, two world wars, an uprising, a civil war, cycles of economic austerity and a pandemic.

Calls for assistance in 2023 reached over 250,000 which is more than double the number of calls 10 years ago. The first conference, St Michans, was established in Dublin and from there the Society has spread through every one of the 32 counties meeting the needs of those who seek its help.

Ms McGowan continued: Visitation is of course not the only avenue we offer. There are our children and family services, shops, social housing and the necessary support services through national and regional offices,

Today is not just an opportunity to celebrate our history in Ireland, but also to use the occasion to reflect and renew our commitment as we face into yet another period of change, she said.

The SVP national president concluded: We need to make brave decisions at national and community level that put all human beings at the centre of securing homes, decent healthcare, incomes that help us thrive, community infrastructure and community cohesion for everyone.

The Society will continue our calls for more effective leadership from Government and a more co-ordinated effort that takes a long-term approach to the challenges people and communities face because of insufficient services and resources.
Midlands-North West European election candidate Chris MacManus MEP declared change starts now at his party's launch this past weekend.

Speaking at the partys packed campaign launch, Sinn Fein MEP and candidate for the European Elections Chris MacManus said, it would be hard not to be inspired by the launch.

The energy, motivation and excitement present, reflects the eagerness of Sinn Fein at all levels to get to work. To deliver real change and stand up for the people of Ireland. The message is clear. Change starts here. Change starts now, he said.

Sinn Fein Leader, Mary Lou McDonald, spoke to more than 800 party members at the launch of the partys Local Government and European election campaigns in The Helix in Dublin.

The leader called the upcoming local and European elections the first step in getting this failed government out of office.

We know that change is possible, we know that change is essential and, my friends, we know that change starts here, she added.

Sinn Fein is standing 335 candidates in the local elections, with a further six candidates in the European elections, the largest number of candidates the party have ever stood.

The party will, for the first time, stand candidates in every single electoral area, with 46 percent of the candidates being female.

MEP MacManus said the people of Midlands Northwest have a strong Sinn Fein team to vote for.

"I am proud to be running alongside Michelle Gildernew in Midlands Northwest. We will work together along with a strong team of Sinn Fein MEPs to stand up for you and your family on the issues that matter.

"This election is an opportunity to deliver the change that is needed. By voting for Sinn Fein, you are voting for hard-working MEPs committed to delivering change. MEPs who will stand up for Ireland, he concluded.
Minister of State, Alan Dillon TD, has announced a 474,145 grant for the redevelopment of a new Order of Malta headquarters in Castlebar.

The funds, allocated under Category 3 of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS), will revitalise the Pavilion Road building, which is currently unfit for use and requires redevelopment.

This news was confirmed by Minister Heather Humphreys TD during her visit to Mayo.

Minister Dillon expressed his delight in supporting the Castlebar Order of Maltas rebuilding efforts, calling the organisation a pillar of support to the community in the last 80 years.

It was disheartening to witness the current building on the verge of ruin, with operations being conducted from a garage at the rear of the unused building where they housed their ambulance and conducted training.

This funding will be instrumental in securing the continuation of their mission to save lives, touch lives, and change lives, he added.

The Castlebar Order of Malta currently comprises 40 members and 25 cadets, aged ten and above.

Minister Dillon continued: This new facility will allow them to host more events, enhance training, and maintain the highest standards, ensuring that ambulance and critical equipment are readily available even during peak periods.

Minister Dillon praised Second Lieutenant Tom Jennings, ex Officer-in-Charge Lieutenant Liam Mc Hugh, current Officer-in-Charge Cathal O Boyle, Donal Geraghty, and all the members of the Castlebar Order of Malta unit for their hard work in securing this funding.

He also thanked Mayo County Council and Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys TD for their support.

Local Mayo councillor, Ger Deere, also welcomed the news and called it a wonderful start to the week.

I was delighted to have supported this application along with all members of the Castlebar MD for this funding. For over 80 years, the Order of Malta have provided vital services to all sections of community life in our area.

Their commitment and outstanding volunteerism has to be applauded. This last number of years has been very difficult for them as they had no base to operate from, but despite this, they managed to keep providing great services. Thankfully, with this funding, they will finally have a state-of-the-art headquarters going forward. he said.

The local election candidate continued: On a day like today we remember all the wonderful volunteers and members who gave so much to the order, in particular I think of the late John Cunnighman, Heather Heneghan, and Gerry Costello.

The Fine Gael councillor commended Minister Alan Dillon, and said he has made this a priority since he was elected.

He also acknowledged the work of longstanding volunteer, Tom Jennings, who ultimately got this over the line.

My good friend Tom who has given over 40 years of dedicated services to the unit, and not a conversation goes by with Tom that he makes reference to the Order of Malta.

In addition, Minister Dillon confirmed funding for two more projects under the TVRS.

An allocation of 137,148 has been made to Balla CRD CLG for its Raise the Roof project, which aims to replace the roof of the Balla Community Centre.

A further 224,139 has been allocated to the Ballycroy Tidy Towns for the redevelopment of the existing playground, including the replacement of play equipment and surfaces, to rejuvenate a key community space.

Minister Dillon said the Raise the Roof project is a shining example of the communitys commitment to improving local facilities.

The previous funding of 120,000 I secured for the enterprise and remote working hub has already had a significant impact, and this additional funding will further enhance the community centre for the benefit of all residents.

While the dedication of the Ballycroy Tidy Towns team to improving their local area is truly commendable, said the Mayo TD.

He concluded: Today marks a significant day for these local communities, with over 835,423 being allocated to the county.
Mayo Farmhouse Cheesemaker, Velvet Cloud, was crowned Best New Cheese at the 2024 Irish Cheese Awards.

The Claremorris cheesemaker was honoured at a prestigious ceremony hosted by CAIS, the Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers, at Kilshane House in Tipperary.

Velvet Clouds Cloonbook cheese fought off stiff competition from across the country to take home the title of Best New Cheese.

Produced in Claremorris by husband and wife team Michael and Aisling Flanagan on their farm, they are best known for their sheeps milk yogurts and cheeses.

Cloonbook is a semi-hard mild and deliciously creamy limited edition cows milk cheese with milky, buttery undertones, that is matured for a minimum of ten weeks.

It is made in small batches using fresh creamy milk from Mr Flanagans uncles farm in the townland of Cloonbook, where he spent much of his childhood.

These days the farm, which has been in the Waldron family for generations, where Mr Flanagans mother, Mary, was born and raised, is run by his cousin, Domhnall.

The fond memories and deep-rooted family history are the reasons why the Flanagan's decided that Cloonbook was a fitting name for their cheese, which they launched in 2022.

The biennial celebration of Irelands farmhouse cheesemakers, now in its tenth year, named winners across seventeen distinct categories, culminating in naming one winner as this years Supreme Champion.

This followed a rigorous judging process that was undertaken by a high calibre panel of Irish and international cheese experts at Teagascs Ashtown Food Research Centre last month.

Speaking about how the Irish Cheese Awards positively affect the long-term future and success of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemaking, Chair of CAIS, Tom Dineen, said celebrating excellence at the awards honours our rich heritage and propels us towards a vibrant future.

By acknowledging and commending the dedication of individual cheesemakers, these awards ignite innovation, enhance standards, and nurture a thriving community of Irish cheesemakers. Together, we are forging a legacy of quality and sustainability, securing the lasting success of Irish farmhouse cheese making for generations to come, he added.

Velvet Clouds award-winning cheese is available to purchase online via their website, and from leading retailers and independent food stores throughout the island of Ireland.

The full list of this years winners covering all Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards is available to view online via the CAIS website.
Greater supports are needed for young LGBTQI+ people in Mayo, according to a new report by Belong To.

The report, conducted by a team of researchers in Trinity College Dublin and published last week in association with Belong To - LGBTQ+ Youth Ireland, found that the young LGBTQI+ population across the country are experiencing significant mental health challenges.

According to Belong To, the Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland report has demonstrated the importance of supports and safe spaces for young people in Mayo.

The report found the mental health of Irelands young LGBTQI+ population has deteriorated since 2016, when their last study was published.

According to the latest report, 72 percent of LGBTQI+ young people aged 14 to 18 have self harmed, as have 75 percent of the transgender and gender non-conforming communities.

Participants of the survey called for more safe spaces and affirmative services, particularly in rural areas.

This was echoed in the reports recommendation that funding is needed for regional LGBTQI+ resource centres, community groups, organisations and social spaces to provide access to youth work services, supports for parents and family members, alongside the provision of alcohol-free spaces and facilities for LGBTQI+ people.

Out of over 600 LGBTQI+ community members aged 14-18 participated in the study, half of them saying they have experienced severe symptoms of depression, with 33 percent admitting they had made a suicide attempt, five times the level found in a national study of youth mental health conducted in 2019 by mental health charity Jigsaw and UCD.

In comparison to cisgender participants, mental health challenges were highest amongst the transgender and gender non-conforming community, with 75 percent saying they had self-harmed in the past.

Speaking about the study findings last week, Moninne Griffith (she/her), CEO of Belong To, called the findings disheartening and upsetting, but not surprising.

Anti-LGBTQI+ and particularly anti-trans attacks are on the rise, and we are seeing increasing levels of hate directed at our community.

The first study in this series was conducted close to the time of the Marriage Equality referendum, when hopes were high as to what the future held for LGBTQI+ people in Ireland. However, a sense of complacency regarding support for LGBTQI+ people has crept into Irish society since then, with a perception that  because Marriage Equality was achieved and Pride has become a central calendar highlight for the country as a whole  the struggles of LGBTQI+ people have disappeared, she added.

Although the study found a positive change in public attitudes towards LGB people since 2016, the public surveyed had less favourable attitudes towards the transgender and intersex communities.

People who reported more knowledge and more frequent interaction with transgender and intersex people were significantly more likely to have positive attitudes.

Despite these figures, the report demonstrated the important and critical role LGBTQI+ community groups and support networks (family, friends, peers, work colleagues) play in supporting positive mental health amongst the community.

84 percent of participants felt that having a connection with the LGBTQI+ community through support groups had a positive impact on their mental health, with 93 percent of participants saying making LGBTQI+ friends also had a positive impact.

Ms Griffith said the study demonstrates the harsh reality that depression, anxiety and stress have increased amongst the community.

The CEO of Belong To explained that respondents reported increases in witnessing bullying in schools, which is leading to more young people are considering leaving school early.

Professor Agnes Higgins, Professor In Mental Health at Trinity College Dublin, who led the research team, said while progress has been made, commented on this and said: Bullying not only negatively impacted on young peoples desire to leave school early, but those who experienced LGBTQI+ related bullying in school, had poorer wellbeing and mental health outcomes in comparison to those who had not experienced LGBTQI+ related bullying.

He said it is clear that harassment and anti-LGBTQI+ hate speech is still a reality for many LGBTQI+ people in Ireland today.

The expansion of online forums appears to be exacerbating the problem, with 23 percent reporting experiencing anti-LGBTQI+ hate speech either online or in public media within the last year, he added.

Despite the findings, Ms Griffith acknowledged the positives, saying there are some to be taken from the report, in particular the important role that organisations like Belong To, play in providing safe spaces for young people.

These spaces allow our young LGBTQI+ people to grow into their identity, develop positive relationships, and witness the joy and pride that comes with belonging to the LGBTQI+ community.

Professor Higgins said: The research has many positive messages, with many expressing pride in their LGBTQI+ identity, as well as celebrating the connection, solidarity and sense of belonging that being engaged in LGBTQI+ culture and politics engenders. Importantly, a positive shift in public attitudes since 2016 was also evident, although less favourable attitudes towards transgender and intersex communities was apparent.

Ms Griffith concluded by saying these findings should serve as a rallying cry to the Government, policymakers and allies to help end LGBTQI+ stigma and discrimination, and create a society where the LGBTQI+ community can feel safe and supported.

The Being LGBTQI+ in Ireland study can be seen on the Belong To website.
Mayo student Michaela Morley appeared on the latest episode of The Late Late Show last Friday night.

Ms Morley joined host, Patrick Kielty, alongside Irish rugby legend, Brian ODriscoll.

The pair struck up their unlikely friendship when Michaela met the rugby star during her time in Temple Street Hospital in 2011, where at six-years-old she was receiving dialysis treatment due to lack of function in her kidneys.

The pair stayed in touch over the years, opening the renal unit at Temple Street children's hospital together in 2018.

Speaking on the day she first met Mr ODriscoll, the Ballyglass woman said she remembers a bit of it.

I remember himself (ODriscoll), and a few more of the Leinster rugby team coming in, and they had the Heineken trophy with them, and then they came up to the dialysis ward and I happened to be getting treatment that day.

They were giving all the kids the challenge of throwing the small ball into the trophy, and when it came to my turn I managed to get it in, it just happened to be captured on camera, she added, referring to the photo below.

Michaela Morley explained the iconic photo (pic: RTE one)

The Leaving Certificate student of Mount St Michaels secondary school in Claremorris said her life has changed tremendously since her kidney transplant in 2012.

My health was so bad before like, my appetite was very bad, I wasnt eating, I was peg fed up until the transplant, and I was just up and down three times a week from Mayo Its not an easy journey for anyone to make, especially coming from Mayo, at the time when we hadnt the good road we have now.

Cracking up the audience, Mr ODriscoll commented: Its too late Leos gone, referring to former Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, who was also a guest on the episode.

Brought on the show to raise awareness and celebrate Organ Donor Awareness week, Mr ODriscoll said the big thing is to download the organ donor app on your phone, or telling your loved ones that you want that.

I know Ive had that conversation with my wife, if the unthinkable happens, that you are offering life to other people, he said.

Telling viewers the story of Hannah Kiely, whose parents Marie and Denis launched Organ Donor Awareness week, the former Irish captain said after they lost their daughter, in their darkest hour, they managed to save four other lives, what an incredible gift to be able to do.

Im sitting beside living proof of the success stories and I think its really important for people to see that, he concluded.

You can download your digital organ donor awareness card from the Irish Kidney Associations website.

Watch the full interview below.
Aontu wants an international city in another part of the country as Dublin is overheating, party leader Peadar Toibin told delegates.

Mr Toibin, who is the party's only TD, said Ireland is becoming a lop-sided city state, and that a third of the country is living in commuter hell.

Mr Toibin addressed his party Ard Fheis conference in Maynooth, Co Kildare, on Saturday evening.

This is fraying at the very fabric of families. Mothers and fathers are getting to see their children for maybe an hour in the evening to put them to bed, he said on Saturday.

He said that most university-type jobs are based in the Dublin area, meaning young people are forced to move away from home to get a job, but some cannot afford to live in the capital and have to commute from 30, 40, 50 miles away.

He said his party wants a new international city built in another location in Ireland to address the issue, which could come from an existing town or city being developed.

We want to front load investment and infrastructure into that new city so that it grows to a critical mass and starts to draw down international investment in its own right, Mr Toibin said.

We want to see it grow to a critical mass that it comes a counter-balance to Dublin in terms of spatial growth.

Mr Toibin also called for the development of a border innovation zone to pull in infrastructure investment and enterprise funding for border counties.

He said: The root of this problem is, I believe that the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael/Green government is increasingly a south Dublin government that cannot see beyond the M50.

During his leaders address, Mr Toibin referenced the States planned Covid inquiry and the Governments handling of nursing homes, as well as immigration and what he called a lack of information being a petri dish for rumour.

He said the island should be treated as one unit in terms of migration policy and criticised a small number of extremists who are harvesting growing discontent due to government strategies.

This must be opposed. The colour of a person's skin is of no more significance than the colour of their eyes, he said.

Mr Toibin, a former Sinn Fein TD for Meath West, left the party after he voted against legislation to liberalise abortion laws in the wake of the Eighth Amendment referendum.

He founded the Aontu party in 2019, which has four councillors on the island and is polling at around 4 per cent.

Mr Toibin said that the party fought a David and Goliath battle on the two defeated referenda in March on amending Irelands constitutional wording on care and families.

While the Government and opposition parties advocated for Yes in both plebiscites, Aontu pushed for a No-No vote.

He claimed that since then, 400 new members have joined the party, which is just shy of 2,000 members.

Mr Toibin is running in the European elections as a candidate in the Midlands North West constituency.
by Fern Siegel , April 29, 2024

WPPs Ogilvy has named Antonis Kocheilas to the newly created role of global chief transformation officer.

Kocheilas is responsible for developing strategies and systems to help clients adapt to changing market conditions. He will also lead Ogilvy Consulting, the agency's enterprise and brand innovation unit.

Most recently, Kocheilas was global CEO of Ogilvy Advertising. His career includes working with blue-chip clients, such as SC Johnson, Mondelez International, PepsiCo, Unilever, CDW and Pernod Ricard.

In 2018, work for one client earned a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions.

This is his second tenure at Ogilvy, as he had initially joined the agency in 2011 as the global planning director for SC Johnson. Previously, he was GM of Ogilvy Athens.

Other agency work includes leading Mullen Lowe Athens.

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Devika Bulchandani, global CEO of Ogilvy, called Kocheilas an incredible orchestrator who brings together talent across capabilities to create innovative solutions that transform our clients brands and business.

Ogilvy's range of capabilities, coupled with Ogilvy Consulting, uniquely positions us to identify opportunities for transformation and innovation while helping clients devise strategies and systems that will enable them to capitalize on them, added Kocheilas. He says his goal is to raise the bar of our collective aspirations.
by Teresa Buyikian , April 29, 2024

As both Mothers Day and Cinco De Mayo quickly approach, QSRs are taking advantage of the holidays with limited-time-only promos.

Locations

Chicken Salad Chick has announced the opening of its 10th Mississippi location -- in the Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland. A grand opening celebration will be held on May 7, with the first 100 guests in line winning free chicken salad for a year.

Chipotle Mexican Grill celebrated the opening of its first location in Kuwait City in partnership with international franchise retail operator Alshaya Group on April 23. Chipotle's new location is at The Avenues, Kuwait's largest shopping mall -- and marks the first time the company has entered a new country in over 10 years.

Toppers Pizza is expanding throughout Wisconsin with a new restaurant in Watertown. The location opened on April 25 and is is promoting a Buy One Pizza, Get One Free offer through May 5.

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Cold Stone Creamery is introducing the limited-time-only Waffle Ice Cream Taco just in time for Cinco De Mayo. Available April 30 through May 5, the taco is comprised of Sweet Cream Ice Cream inside a waffle taco shell coated with chocolate and sprinkled with peanuts.

Jimmy Johns and Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix have teamed up to offer a Brunch in a Cup kit in time for Mothers Day. The kit includes the new limited edition Jimmy Pickle Bloody Mary Mix from Jimmy Johns and Zing Zang, alongside a custom glass, a Bloody Mary recipe, and a skewer to hold garnishes, which are a Jimmy Johns sandwich and pickle. The Brunch in a Cup kit will be available for purchase online at JimmyJohns.com for $34.99, along with individual bottles of Jimmy Pickle Bloody Mary mix for $9.99, while supplies last.

QDOBA is adding Mexican Steet Corn to its menu. The dish is a warm blend of sweet corn, poblano chiles, red bell peppers, creamy elote sauce and lime juice, and was inspired by the popular Mexican street food. The corn can serve as a topping on any QDOBA entree for no additional charge, or it is also available as side order topped with chile crema, cotija cheese and chopped cilantro.

Taco Cabana's new offerings as of May 1 include breakfast tortas Bacon & Egg, Chorizo & Egg and Country Sausage & Egg, served on refried beans and topped with pico de gallo and shredded cheese. New Loaded Fries include a Carne Asada option topped with queso, sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo. A Chili Cheese option is also available served with queso and chili con carne. The restaurant has also teamed up with Mexican beverage maker Jarritos for a new Mandarin Margarita.
by Ray Schultz , April 28, 2024

The Daily Gazette, of Schenectady, New York, is in talks to sell its building to the Capital District Transportation Authority, the Gazette reports.

The decision to consider a sale is driven, in part, by the relocation of the paper's printing operations to Springfield, Mass. In addition, only around 40 employees are now in the building on a given day following the pandemic, compared to a total staff of 115 people.

The negotiations could lead to Gazette employees still being allowed to work there.

A sale reportedly would allow the Gazette to better focus on providing quality local journalism, the paper says.

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The 108,000-square-foot building on Maxon Road Extension was built in 1988.
by Ray Schultz , April 28, 2024

The National Enquirer, the tabloid at the center of testimony last week in former President Donald J. Trumps hush money trial, remains for sale after two attempts to unload it, according to The New York Times.

Owner A360Media announced it had a deal with VVIP Ventures in February 2023, but that fell through. In April 2019, the Washington Post reported that the Enquirer was being sold to James Cohen, CEO of Hudson News, for $100 million. But that, too, was never completed.

At present, the Enquirer is in the hands of A360 Media, although the company does not list the title on its website.

David Pecker, the former publisher of the Enquirer,testified that the paper worked with the Trump campaign to catch and kill stories that could damage candidate Trump.

The Enquirer, which published a picture of Elvis Presley in his coffin, was started in 1926, according to the Times.
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, April 29, 2024

Havas Village Lisbon

Havas posted net revenues of 617 million euros in the first quarter, with organic growth of 2%. Total reported net revenue growth including acquisitions and currency impact was 4.8%.

advertisement advertisement The Havas results were posted this morning by parent company Vivendi.

The companys North America operation was the only region to lose ground in Q1 with an organic net revenue decline of 4%, which the firm said was in line with expectations.

Europe grew by 5.5% with contributions from almost all countries and activities, according to the company. Asia Pacific and Latin America also posted gains with particular strength in India and Mexico.

Havas did not offer growth guidance for the full year.

As reported earlier, Havas acquired three companies during the quarter, supporting what it called its customer-centric approach focused on digital and data. The companies were B2B specialist agency Ledger Bennett, social marketing agency Wilderness and digital transformation consultant Ted Consulting.
by Teresa Buyikian , April 29, 2024



Whats better than tacos? Tacos with money and a purpose.

The Taco Bell Foundation, Taco Bells 501c3 non-profit, recently announced its ninth annual Live Mas Scholarship program, with $10 million in scholarships available.

The 2024 program will provide over 1,000 passion-driven students with resources to fuel their educational dreams, according to a release. Out of the $10 million total, $7 million will go to Taco Bell fans nationwide, while $3 million will go to Taco Bell employees. Amounts of scholarships range from $5,000 to $25,000 per recipient.

The Live Mas Scholarship isnt scholastically based, as the chain touts it as a one-of-a-kind passion-based scholarship, (which) allows students aged 16-26 to highlight their passion and educational aspirations.

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Students apply via a two-minute video. This years winners have a variety of passions and nontraditional paths, with numerous scholars attending community college, vocational or trade schools, per the release.

"The Live Mas Scholarship cultivates a passionate community of diverse individuals united by their shared commitment to breaking down barriers for the causes they believe in," said Jennifer Bradbury, executive director of the Taco Bell Foundation. "We provide them with pathways to access new opportunities and resources, empowering them to create the change they envision."

Money for scholarships awarded to Taco Bell fans is funded by customers through the Taco Bell Foundation's yearly Round Up fundraiser, in which the average donation is 44 cents. Taco Bell Corp. and franchisees fund employee scholarships.

The taco chains nonprofit has also launched a newly formed Live Mas Scholarship Alumni Leadership Council, which is comprised of 12 alumni from the program. These leaders will commit for one year to help drive engagement, amplify stories, elevate narratives and foster relationships throughout the Taco Bell Foundation board.

The Live Mas Scholarship Summer of Connection, a conference designed to cultivate career skills and connections, will be held in July in San Diego and is open to Live Mas Scholarship winners.

Since launching in 1992, the Taco Bell Foundation has awarded over $155 million in grants and scholarships for education and career training.
by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, April 29, 2024







Sending mom flowers this Mothers Day? Probably, yes. But ad campaigns from Teleflora and DoorDash show just how different that can be.

Both companies are launching new marketing efforts as Mothers Day season kicks off in earnest. The National Retail Federation recently released the spending forecast for the holiday, predicting that America will pour $33.5 billion into celebrating Mom this year, making it the second highest on record. And  as ever  flowers are the most popular gift, chosen by 74% of the people in this years survey. Mothers Day, often called the Super Bowl of the floral industry, is expected to garner $3.2 billion in flower sales this year.

Teleflora is marking this years event with a campaign that celebrates who Mom was before she had you, back when she was wild, willful and possibly jumping out of airplanes. The campaign, MotHER: A Teleflora Love Story, stresses that while people feel parenthood is an essential part of their identity, its important to focus on pivotal moments that shaped them ahead of motherhood. Before she was a mother, she was her, the ads explain.

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The demands of motherhood can be all-consuming at times, making it challenging to have a sense of personal identity, says Danielle Mason, vice president of marketing at Teleflora, in the announcement. This campaign reminds us to celebrate every magnificent part of Mom  who she is now and the past that shaped her.

The ad, created by the Wonderful Agency, Telefloras in-house agency, runs on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Media buys also include connected TV, digital, and mobile.

The campaign also includes a contest on Instagram, with people building their own Reels using the companys template. Twenty winners will get Teleflora bouquets.

DoorDash is going a different way, targeting zillenials missing their mom. Working with DEPT, the digital ad agency, it cooked up a stunt to send four lucky mom-sick young adults home. Videos caught them ringing their mothers doorbells just as Mom was video-chatting with the DoorDash team about what their far-off child means to them.

The content series stars Allison Kuch, the TikTok personality, and the cast of the "Basement Yard "podcast. They ask and answer deep (and occasionally awkward) mom/child questions, like Whats my worst texting habit? and What did I do to deserve flowers?

The effort also includes an AR lens that allows people to connect to the moms in their lives, prompting them with the same questions.

At DoorDash, were always looking for unique ways to help our customers build meaningful connections with their loved ones during the moments that matter, says Mariota Essery, the delivery brands executive creative director, in the announcement. Whether thats helping you find the perfect bouquet to show Mom youre thinking of her or creating engaging ways to get to know her better, we know moms are a gift that should be celebrated.

The DoorDash campaign is scheduled to run through mid-May on the companys owned channels and via paid social media.

The NRF predicts total spending will fall just short of last years $35.7 billion. Conducted with Prosper Insights & Analytics, the survey finds that 84% intend to mark the day somehow, often with cards and gifts for women in their lives with mom-like influence. On average, those celebrating will likely spend just $254 per person. Those between 35 and 44 are the biggest spenders, with an average budget of $346.
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 29, 2024

A divided Federal Communications Commission on Monday ordered Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to pay more than $200 million total for sharing customers' location data.

The order comes more than four years after the Trump-era FCC first proposed the fines by issuing a notice of apparent liability.

The Commission has long recognized the importance of ensuring that information about who we call and where we go is not for sale, FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel stated Monday. By following through with this order, we once again make clear that wireless carriers have a duty to keep our geolocation information private and secure.

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Republican commissioners Brendan Carr and Nathan Simington dissented from the decision to impose fines.

The order requires AT&T to pay around $57 million, Verizon around $47 million, and T-Mobile $92 million (including $12 million for Sprint, which merged with T-Mobile after the FCC first proposed the fines).

The FCC said in a notice of apparent liability issued in 2020 that the carriers sold access to geolocation data to aggregators that resold the information to outside companies. That notice came around one year after Vice Media's Motherboard (which stopped publishing new stories in February) detailed how a journalist was able to pay a bounty hunter $300 to track a phone's location to a neighborhood in Queens, New York.

The major U.S. carriers have said they no longer sell location data.

Carr, who voted in favor of the notice of apparent liability four years ago, stated Monday that he believes the FCC lacked authority to impose the fines.

Given the nature of the services at issue, the Federal Trade Commission, not the FCC, would have been the right entity to take a final enforcement action, to the extent the FTC determined that one was warranted, he said in a written dissent.

Simington stated in a separate dissent that the FCC could have worked with the carriers to issue consent decrees to promote best practices to develop further safeguards around location-based and aggregation services.

AT&T said it expects to appeal after completing a review of the decision, while T-Mobile and Verizon said they plan to appeal.

In this case, when one bad actor gained unauthorized access to information relating to a very small number of customers, we quickly and proactively cut off the fraudster, shut down the program, and worked to ensure this couldn't happen again, Verizon spokesperson Rich Young stated.

Young added that the order concerns an old, opt-in program that was intended to support services like roadside assistance and medical alerts.

Unfortunately, the FCCs order gets it wrong on both the facts and the law, and we plan to appeal this decision, he added.

T-Mobile also said the decision was wrong and the fine excessive.

An AT&T spokesperson added that the order "unfairly" holds the company responsible for a third-party's violation of a contractual requirement to obtain consumers' consent to disclose location data.

The order "ignores the immediate steps we took to address that companys failures, and perversely punishes us for supporting life-saving location services like emergency medical alerts and roadside assistance that the FCC itself previously encouraged, the spokesperson stated.

Separately from this order, the FCC is expected to soon issue new privacy rules for broadband carriers.

Rosenworcel, who last year established a privacy task force at the agency, previously supported regulations that would have required internet service providers to obtain subscribers' permission before harnessing data about their web activity and app usage for ad targeting. (Those rules were later repealed by Congress.)
Autism is a common developmental disorder in the United States, impacting 1 out of every 44 children at the age of 8. The prevalence of ADHD is also increasing, impacting 9.4% of children between the ages of 2 and 17. #acetaminophen #pregnancy #neurologicaldisorders #medindia
An Air Force MQ-9 drone was forced to crash into the ocean due to a mechanical failure while flying over Africa last year, details in a new accident investigation report reveal.

The report, released this month, provides details on the May 4, 2023, incident "at an undisclosed location" somewhere within the U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, area of responsibility. Those details come as the service grapples with a slew of drone mishaps and as the unmanned aircraft increasingly become a target for adversaries.

Nearly 10 hours into the MQ-9's flight, a "propulsion system anomaly" occurred, causing the pilot of the remotely controlled aircraft to shut off the engines and steer it to the water after being unable to fly to a recoverable location, according to the accident investigation board's findings.

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"Recovery of the [aircraft] was not accomplished, inspection of the engine post-mishap was not possible," the report detailed.

The drone was from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada and piloted by an airman from the 184th Attack Squadron located at Ebbing Air National Guard Base near Fort Smith, Arkansas.

The loss of the MQ-9 cost the federal government $21,794,224, according to the report. News of the aircraft's crash in the AFRICOM region comes amid reports that the U.S. military will be reducing its presence in Chad and Niger, where it has conducted drone operations as part of a counterterror mission.

Details of the drone crash last year come amid other mishaps for the MQ-9.

The service had a total of 10 unmanned aircraft mishaps in fiscal 2023, according to an Air Force Safety Center spokesman. That marks a historic number of mishaps for the aircraft, which hasn't seen that many since fiscal 2015, according to public safety data.

It also comes as American drones become major targets amid rising global tensions.

As recently as Saturday, Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, The Associated Press reported.

In February, the Department of Defense confirmed an MQ-9 was downed off the coast of Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in the Red Sea, adding "that it was shot down by a Houthi surface-to-air missile."

Another MQ-9 went down Jan. 18, and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of militias in that country, claimed to have shot it down, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

Last year, there were numerous incidents involving Russian aircraft and American unmanned drones leading to strong rebukes from U.S. officials.

In July 2023, two Air Force drones flying over Syria had unsafe encounters with Russian jets within a week of each other, which experts told Military.com was an indication of Russia's growing military weakness amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Russian fighter jets caused an Air Force MQ-9 drone to crash in international waters in March 2023 during an attempt to intercept the remotely operated aircraft over the Black Sea, Military.com reported.

Air Force Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, said at that time that the incident resulted in a total loss of the MQ-9 aircraft and almost brought down the Russian jets.

"This unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash," Hecker said in a statement last year. "U.S. and allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace, and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely."

The MQ-9 has also seen other issues outside of conflict areas. Another accident investigation board report detailed that a civilian contractor was killed in September while doing testing on an MQ-9A drone.

Stephanie Cosme, 32, died on Sept. 7 after "she inadvertently walked into the parked remotely piloted aircraft's rotating propeller" during testing at Gray Butte Airfield near Edwards Air Force Base in California, Air Force Materiel Command said in a press release earlier this month.

The accident investigation board president said the test engineer was incorrectly taught how to take telemetry readings near the MQ-9A while the engine was running, and she also "lost situational awareness," the service said.

Related: 'Up-and-Comer' in Missile Defense Agency Died Following Air Force C-17 Testing Mishap
One of the Army's highest-profile divisions has set a ban on most work-related cell phone usage after work hours.

Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commander of the Fort Carson, Colorado-based 4th Infantry Division, issued a memo last week barring leaders from texting or calling subordinates between 6 p.m. and 5 a.m. -- with some caveats, including communications for health or safety reasons, or personal communications.

"We received feedback from our soldiers across the division expressing a desire for more predictability and better communication practices," Doyle said in a statement to Military.com. "If we practice good communication and training management fundamentals, then we'll place less unnecessary stress on the unit, improving quality of life and readiness.

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In his memo to the division, Doyle noted that after-hours communications keep soldiers on edge and, in many cases, aren't necessary. The new policy is also punitive, meaning leaders who do not abide by it could face legal or other disciplinary ramifications.

The move comes amid a historically high cadence of deployments and training rotations for soldiers, despite no major ongoing wars.

Soldiers are away from home now more than during much of the peak of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the service is tasked with missions in Africa, Europe and the Pacific. The little time soldiers do have at home to rest and spend time with their families is precious.

That constant barrage of missions, leaders have warned, has had an enormous impact on the mental health of the service's rank and file. Meanwhile, soldiers have reported unit-level leadership putting out guidance or texting information on the following day's events that could have waited until morning. But juggling quality of life for soldiers, while meeting the demands of the Army's missions, has been a difficult needle for top officials to thread.

The Fort Carson policy is akin to a similar set of rules established by the Army's 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, in 2022.

As some units are moving out to curb nonstop work communication, so-called "digital hygiene," sometimes referred to as "cyber hygiene" -- referring to how often someone is connected to technology -- is a growing topic in the media and medical field. Being constantly tethered to smartphones and other devices has been connected to depression, anxiety and other health ailments.

The Army didn't return a request for comment on whether it is considering any similar service-wide policy.

Relationships with phones, particularly with the rise of work-from-home culture, has made it easier for work to bleed into personal time. Some civilian companies have started to codify policies restricting when managers can contact employees outside typical working hours.

But mandating a disconnection has also caught some traction. A law was proposed in the California state legislature on April 6 that would create a so-called "right to disconnect," effectively giving employees legal protection to ignore work calls, emails and texts after hours.

In 2017, France passed its own right to disconnect law that gives workers at companies with more than 50 employees the right to sever digital communication from employers outside of regular business hours. Portugal, Belgium, Australia and Ontario, Canada, have also since passed similar laws.

"This policy is about improving the 4th Infantry Division culture," Doyle said in a statement. "We're listening and willing to implement solutions to move us closer to achieving what the soldiers requested and what our units needed."

Related: Soldiers Are Getting Burned Out. Army Leadership Knows It's a Problem.
Troops at Colorado Space Force Base Will Have to Bring Their Own To-Go Boxes for Dining Hall

While the initiative is aimed at reducing waste on base, the spokesperson added that they hope it will give troops on base...
JERUSALEM  Israeli officials appeared increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the countrys leaders, as international pressure mounts over the war in Gaza. Airstrikes overnight into Monday killed 25 people in a southern city, according to hospital records.

The deaths in Rafah included nine women and five children, one of whom was just 5 days old, according to the records and an Associated Press reporter. Israel is planning an invasion of the city  though its closest ally, the United States, and others have repeatedly warned against it, saying an offensive would spell catastrophe for the more than a million Palestinians sheltering there.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials have referred in recent days to an ICC probe launched three years ago into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants going back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war. The probe is also looking at Israel's construction of settlements in occupied territory the Palestinians want for a future state.

There was no comment from the court on Monday, and it has given no indication warrants in the case are imminent.

But Israels Foreign Ministry said late Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of rumors that warrants might be issued against senior political and military officials. Foreign Minister Israel Katz said any such warrants would provide a morale boost to Hamas and other militant groups.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.

The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle Easts only democracy and the worlds only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it, he posted on the social media platform X.

It was not clear what sparked the Israeli concerns. A series of Israeli announcements in recent days about allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza appears to be aimed in part at heading off possible ICC action.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said during a visit to the region in December that the investigation is moving forward at pace, with rigor, with determination and with an insistence that we act not on emotion but on solid evidence.

Neither Israel nor the United States accept the ICCs jurisdiction, but any warrants could put Israeli officials at risk of arrest in other countries. They would also serve as a major rebuke of Israels actions at a time when pro-Palestinian protests have spread across U.S. college campuses.

The International Court of Justice, a separate body, is investigating whether Israel has committed acts of genocide in the ongoing war in Gaza, with any ruling expected to take years. Israel has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and accused both international courts of bias.

Israel has instead accused Hamas of genocide over its Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war. Militants stormed through army bases and farming communities across southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostages.

In response, Israel launched a massive air, sea and ground offensive that has killed at least 34,488 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.

Israel blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because the militants fight in dense, residential areas. The military says it has killed over 12,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war has driven around 80% of Gaza's population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.

Israel has vowed to expand its ground offensive to Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinians have sought shelter from fighting elsewhere. Israel says Rafah is the last Hamas stronghold, with thousands of fighters embedded there.

U.S. President Joe Biden's administration, which has provided crucial military and political support for the offensive, has urged Israel not to invade Rafah over fears it could cause a humanitarian catastrophe  concerns he reiterated in a phone call with Netanyahu on Sunday.

The Biden administration faces a May 8 deadline to report to Congress on whether Israel is abiding by international law in its use of American military aid, including by allowing the entry of humanitarian assistance.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Israel on his latest trip to the region that began in Saudi Arabia on Monday. He said Israel needs to do more to allow aid to enter Gaza, but that the best way to alleviate the humanitarian crisis is for the two sides to agree to a cease-fire.

The U.S., Egypt and Qatar are pushing Israel and Hamas to accept an agreement they drafted that would free some of the hostages and bring about at least a temporary truce. Hamas is still believed to be holding around 100 hostages and the remains of some 30 others after most of the rest were freed in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners last year.

Hamas has said it will not release the remaining hostages without an agreement to end the war. Netanyahu has rejected that demand, saying Israel will continue its offensive until Hamas is destroyed and all the hostages are returned.

At an event in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Blinken called on Hamas to accept what he said was an extraordinarily generous offer from Israel. "In this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas, he said.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writers Michael Corder in The Hague, Netherlands, Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Matthew Lee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, contributed.
ALEXANDRIA, Va.  A judge ordered jurors Friday to keep deliberating after they said they were deadlocked in a lawsuit alleging a Virginia-based military contractor is liable for abuses suffered by inmates at the Abu Ghraib prion in Iraq two decades ago.

The eight-person civil jury has deliberated the equivalent of three full days in the civil suit in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

The trial, which began April 15, is the first time a U.S. jury has heard claims of mistreatment brought by survivors of Abu Ghraib.

Three former detainees sued Reston, Virginia-based contractor CACI. They allege the company is liable for the mistreatment they suffered when they were imprisoned at Abu Ghraib in 2003 and 2004 after the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

CACI supplied civilian contractors to work at Abu Ghraib as interrogators, in support of shorthanded U.S. Army soldiers. Abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib became a worldwide scandal 20 years ago when photos became public showing U.S. soldiers smiling and laughing as they inflicted physical and sexual abuse on detainees in shockingly graphic ways.

The plaintiffs have argued at trial that CACI interrogators contributed to their mistreatment, even if they didn't commit the abuses themselves, by conspiring with soldiers to mistreat inmates as a way to soften them up for questioning.

On Friday, the jury sent out a note saying that they have extensively discussed the evidence but we are still not unanimous on anything.

As is typical when a jury sends out such a note, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema told the jurors they must continue their deliberations. She sent them home early Friday afternoon to resume deliberating Monday morning.

During deliberations this week, the jury asked multiple questions about how to apply a legal principle known as the borrowed servants doctrine.

CACI, as one of its defenses, has argued it shouldn't be liable for any misdeeds by its employees if they were under the control and direction of the Army.

The plaintiffs' lawyers tried to bar CACI from making that argument at trial, but Brinkema allowed the jury to consider it.

Both sides have argued about scope of the doctrine. Fundamentally, though, if CACI has proven that its interrogators were under the command and control of the Army at the time any misconduct occurred, then the jury has been instructed to find in favor of CACI.

The issue of who controlled CACI interrogators occupied a significant portion of the trial. CACI officials testified that they basically turned over supervision of the interrogators to the Army.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued otherwise, and introduced evidence including CACIs contract with the Army, which required CACI to supervise its own employees. Jurors also saw a section of the Army Field Manual that pertains to contractors and states that only contractors may supervise and give direction to their employees.

The trial and the jury's deliberations come after legal wrangling and questions over whther CACI could be sued resulted in more than 15 years of legal wrangling.
Premier, Musk call for deepening cooperation

08:35, April 29, 2024 By Zhou Jin ( Chinadaily.com.cn

Premier Li Qiang meets on Sunday with Elon Musk, founder and CEO of US electric car manufacturer Tesla, at Diaoyutai Guest House in Beijing. [FENG YONGBIN / CHINA DAILY]

Tesla's success in China has demonstrated that equal cooperation and mutual benefits conform to the fundamental interests of China and the United States, Premier Li Qiang said in a meeting on Sunday with Elon Musk, CEO of the US electric car maker.

Calling Tesla's development in China a successful example of trade cooperation between Beijing and Washington, Li expressed the hope that the US will work in the same direction as China to promote the stable development of bilateral ties.

China's huge market will always remain open to foreign enterprises, he emphasized.

Li pledged to continue to expand market access and improve services to provide a better business environment and stronger support for foreign enterprises, allowing them to invest in China with confidence and assurance.

Musk said thanks to the hard work and wisdom of the Chinese team, Tesla's Shanghai gigafactory is his company's top performer.

He expressed a willingness to deepen cooperation with China to achieve more mutually beneficial outcomes.

It was Musk's second visit to China, Tesla's second-biggest market, within a year.

Built and put into operation in 2019, the Shanghai factory, Tesla's first gigafactory outside the US, delivered 947,000 vehicles last year, which was 33 percent more than in 2022.

Musk was quoted by Chinese media as saying, upon his arrival in Beijing on Sunday afternoon, that it was "good to see electric vehicles making progress in China. All cars will be electric in the future".

Statistics show that China's new energy vehicle sales surged 37.9 percent year-on-year to about 9.5 million last year, accounting for more than 60 percent of the global total.

Musk's visit also came as the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition is underway. The auto show started on Thursday and will run through Saturday.

In a fact-finding trip to the auto show on Sunday, Premier Li emphasized developing intelligent connected NEVs and making the automobile industry more high-end, smarter and greener.

Li made the remarks after visiting the booths of companies including Dongfeng, BMW, Geely, Xiaomi and Xpeng.

China's NEVs have a leading edge in market competition and open cooperation, and efforts must be made to maintain and develop these advantages, he said.

Li called for Chinese carmakers to accelerate breakthroughs in core technologies and strengthen forward-looking technological research and development, in order to push for the upgrade of the auto industry.

Noting that the Chinese and global NEV markets are seeing continuous growth, he said that China will further promote building a unified national market and expand high-level opening-up.

China will treat domestic as well as foreign enterprises equally, and facilitate broader exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign carmakers to promote common development and win-win outcomes, he said.

Efforts must be made to implement policies supporting purchases and usage, in order to further unleash the consumption potential of big-ticket items such as automobiles, he added.

(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)
ALEXANDRIA, Va.  A judge on Friday ordered a Marine Corps veteran and former militia member to remain jailed pending trial on charges he attempted to make ricin, a biological toxin.

Russell Vane, 42, of Vienna, Virginia, was arrested two weeks ago after authorities searched his house and found traces of ricin along with lab equipment and castor beans, from which ricin is derived, in a laundry room in a home he shares with his wife and two young children, according to court papers.

Vane came to authorities' attention after an online news outlet, News2Share, reported that the Virginia Kekoas militia had severed ties with Vane because they were alarmed by what they considered his loose talk about homemade explosives.

Read Next: USS George Washington Heads to Japan, Ending Troubled Shipyard Stay That Included String of Suicides

The Kekoas questioned whether he might be a government informant, according to court papers.

The news account prompted a federal investigation and a search of Vane's northern Virginia home. He was arrested after agents found a plastic bag with castor beans along with a handwritten recipe for extracting ricin from the beans, according to an FBI affidavit.

Subsequent tests confirmed the presence of ricin, according to court records. Also found in Vane's home was an Apocalypse Checklist outlining the necessary steps for quickly evacuating a home with necessary provisions.

At a detention hearing Friday in U.S. District Court, public defender Geremy Kamens said the government has wildly overcharged this offense  which carries a possible life sentence  and urged Vanes release on home confinement pending trial.

Kamens said there is no evidence Vane had threatened anyone. He said that it is virtually impossible for someone to manufacture ricin at home in a way for it to be used as a lethal weapon.

But U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga sided with prosecutors who said that Vane is a potential danger to the community and should remain locked up.

The judge said that regardless of the homemade poison's toxicity, he could not think of any innocuous reason for Vane to be trying to manufacture it.

Trenga also questioned whether Vane might pose a flight risk; the government introduced evidence that Vane recently tried to legally change his name in Fairfax County court and that he posted a fake online obituary of himself.

Vane's lawyer suggested the name change and fake obituary were an effort to distance himself from his connections to the militia.
Long before he became the last survivor of the battleship USS Arizona, Lou Conter was a hunter.

After surviving the infamous Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that killed 1,177 of his shipmates, Conter - who died April 1, 2024, at age 102 - became a naval aviator and was assigned to Patrol Bombing Squadron 11. The Black Cat unit was tasked with hunting enemy submarines at night in PBY-1 Catalina flying boats painted jet black as camouflage against the darkened sky.

Conter was an invisible, nocturnal predator, dropping one-ton torpedoes on Japanese subs in the Pacific and flying more than 200 missions during the course of World War II.

In honor of his legendary career as a naval aviator, Conter's grandnephew, now a Marine aviator, honored his great-uncles legacy the best way he knew how: with one final flight.

On April 18, 2024, Marine Corps Capt. Raymond Hower took off in his AV-8B Harrier II not just with Conters naval aviator wings - which he had bestowed upon Hower when the latter earned his wings of gold from the Corps in May 2020 - but the American flag that would adorn Conters burial casket and end up folded and presented to Louann Daley, Conters daughter, during his burial ceremony.

Uncle Lous valor as a naval aviator in World War II, especially after the Pearl Harbor attack, earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross, a testament to his heroism, Hower said in a Marine Corps press release. So, when I earned my wings of gold from the Marine Corps in May of 2020, it was a profound honor that he chose to pass on his own wings that he earned in 1942 to me.

Even though he passed away on April 1, there is one final tribute I could offer him: his last naval aviation flight, Hower added. Piloting a Harrier that carried the flag that will be draped on the casket of my Uncle Lou was a moment of profound reverence and surrealism for my family and me.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Raymond Hower holds his great-uncle Louis A. Conter's naval aviator wing insignia. (U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)

Make no mistake, Conters survival story as a quartermaster aboard the Arizona during the Pearl Harbor attacks is harrowing. But he was also shot down twice during the course of his career as a naval aviator - and his stories of surviving those shootdowns are as thrilling as the story of his survival of the massive explosion aboard the Arizona.

In September 1943, Conter was shot down off the coast of New Guinea and landed the aircraft in shark-infested waters. His 10-man crew thought they were all going to die. But death would have to wait: Conter instructed his men to stay together, hold hands and kick slowly, cause therell be sharks around  if a shark comes too close, just hit [it] in the nose with your fist as hard as you can, according to the Maritime Patrol Association.

The men followed his instructions. The entire crew was eventually rescued by a patrol torpedo boat and were back to flying another mission the next night.

The following month, Conter received the Distinguished Flying Cross for a daring series of below-treetop-level rescue flights along Papua New Guineas Sepik River, navigating just above the water with minimal clearance on either side of his aircraft. Conter and four other patrol boats would end up pulling 219 Australian coastwatchers to safety, with Japanese troops just a mile away.

It was one of the biggest rescues in World War II, Conter later told the Maritime Patrol Association. But no one knew about it because everything about the coastwatchers was top secret in those days.

Conters second shootdown came a few later In December 1943, when his aircraft was accidentally shot down by friendly fire from a U.S. Army Air Forces P-40 Warhawk fighter while attempting to rescue the crew of a downed B-25 bomber, according to Naval History and Heritage Command. While his nose gunner was killed, Conter and the rest of his crew survived and completed their missions, successfully saving the B-25 crew.

The U.S. Navy's PBY-1 'Black Cats' during World War II. (U.S. Navy)

On top of the hundreds of submarine patrol missions he flew during World War II, Conter also served as an intelligence officer and combat aviator, flying 29 missions from the USS Bonhomme Richard during the Korean War. After the conflict, he became the first Navy officer to attend the Armys Special Operations School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and would later develop the U.S. militarys Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape (SERE) training program during the Cold War.

Conter finally retired from service as a lieutenant commander in 1967. He became the last survivor of the USS Arizona after Ken Potts died in April 2023, also at age 102.

Growing up, I was blessed with the guidance of my great-uncle Lou, who stepped into the grandfather role for me, sharing tales of his Navy days, wartime aviation exploits and the pivotal morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Hower said. His presence epitomized strength, dedication and modesty, shaping my ideals of manhood.

Conter died of congestive heart failure at his home in Grass Valley, California. He was laid to rest next to his wife, Valerie, at St. Patricks Cathedral Cemetery in Grass Valley on April 23, 2024.



We could not have gotten through it without the support of the military. The military was such a big part of his life, Daley, his daughter, said of her fathers passing, according to the Navy. This was the final salute. We were so blessed to have him for 102 years.

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Americans: We love our trucks.

In 2023, the car-buying public in the United States took nearly 2.2 million full-size pickup trucks off the new car lot. According to the automotive site Jalopnik, that figure includes 750,789 Fords, 555,149 Chevrolets, 444,297 Rams, 295,738 GMCs, 125,185 Toyotas and 19,189 Nissans.

If that kind of purchasing frenzy  in the face of astronomical prices, no less  doesnt prove our undying love for these vehicles, I dont know what does.

It might seem as if trucks have always been part of the American DNA, but the love affair is fresher than you think. Commercially available four-wheel-drive trucks didnt even exist until after World War II.

Regardless of which brand youre loyal to or which branch of service youre in, every modern truck owner owes a debt of gratitude to Dodge and the U.S. Army.

Four-Wheel Drive Was Born on the Battlefield

A Dodge WC-63 brings soldiers and equipment for the Battle of the Bulge's combat reenactment during 70th-anniversary commemorations in Bastogne, Belgium, Dec. 14, 2014. (Visual Information Specialist Pascal Demeuldre/U.S. Army photo)

The Armys relationship with Dodge dates back to the 1916 campaign against Pancho Villa, where the companys speedy touring cars  primarily employed as staff and reconnaissance vehicles  impressed a young George S. Patton during the first motorized firefight in history in May of that year. Dodge supplied military vehicles throughout World War I and even tinkered with aftermarket, four-wheel-drive kits, but the automaker didnt have one of its own until it launched the WC series for the military in 1942.

These WC series trucks werent as fast or agile as the legendary Willys MB (this video offers a great size comparison of the two off-roading), but they had strength and cargo room to spare. As Motor Trend reports, Dodge built half-ton trucks with the WC-1 to WC-50 designations, and three-quarter-ton trucks with the WC-51 to WC-64 designations. Both sizes shared 80% parts compatibility, which streamlined manufacturing and kept battlefield repairs simple.

The trucks Dodge built for World War II earned the affection of troops with an under-stressed, straight-six engine that produced a modest 230 horsepower, a single-speed transfer case and, of course, four-wheel drive.

A Dodge WC series light truck is parked in front of a barn during the commemorations of Battle of the Bulge's 70th anniversary in Bastogne, Belgium, Dec. 14, 2014. (Visual Information Specialist Pierre-Etienne Courtejoie/U.S. Army photo)

The Dodge WC was so capable that the U.S. Army found all kinds of jobs for it, and the automotive history buffs at Truck Encyclopedia have an excellent repository where you can nerd out on all the facts and figures.

Throughout World War II, the WC platform was a blank canvas for the Dodge. Designers used it to build low-profile convertible troop carriers with a collapsible windshield and open bed, weapon carriers with anything from an M1918 Browning automatic rifle to an M3A1 37-millimeter anti-tank gun, cargo trucks to resupply front-line units, and radio trucks to keep communication lines open during the heat of battle.

One notable variant was the WC-54 -- the Armys standard ambulance. These were easy to spot by the large, metal cab and giant red cross. According to the National World War II Museum, this configuration was capable of carrying four stretchers or six seated patients to field hospitals at speeds of up to 55 mph.

The Dodge Power Wagon Reinvented the Civilian Truck Market

The Dodge Power Wagon was originally a 1930s-era cab paired with a military three-quarter-ton chassis. (Stellantis)

Unsurprisingly, World War II veterans came home from the European and Pacific theaters with a strong appreciation for the WC. According to the automotive site Hemmings, military surplus units were quickly snatched up by farmers, miners, construction workers and other hard-working Americans who jumped at the opportunity to own such a capable vehicle.

Dodge launched the civilian-market Power Wagon as a response to this demand in 1946, and as Motor Trend notes, it was largely unchanged from the U.S. militarys WC series. The truck was essentially a 1930s-era cab on the existing military chassis.

According to Brandt Rosenbusch, a historian with Stellantis (Rams parent company), the Power Wagon was predominantly marketed toward utility companies and farmers. Not only could it traverse rugged terrain, ford streams and haul heavy loads, but the trucks front and rear power-take-off units allowed it to supply power to accessories such as winches, post-hole diggers and farm implements, just like a tractor.

Shockingly, it took the rest of the auto industry (and the buying public) more than a decade to catch on to the magic of four-wheel drive.

According to Car & Driver, Ford didnt release a four-wheel-drive truck until 1959. Jalopnik reports that General Motors dealerships sold aftermarket four-wheel-drive conversion kits from Northwestern Auto Parts Company as early as the 1940s, but GM didnt offer a factory 4x4 until 1960.

Once the trend caught on, though, there was no going back. Every truck with power going to all four (or six) wheels owes its success to the innovative Power Wagon. Even the performance-crazed Ram TRX, Ford Raptor, Chevy Colorado ZR2 and Toyota Tundra TRD Pro are modern spinoffs of an old Army truck.

You Can Buy a Brand-New Power Wagon Today

Today, Ram sells a modern truck that carries on the Power Wagons tradition. (Stellantis)

Believe it or not, you can buy an original, wartime Dodge WC. Theyre solid vehicles that are still in demand. According to the auction site Classic.com, the average selling price for these trucks is $66,000, with some fetching as much as $260,000.

Most of us are better served by a modern Power Wagon, though. The current iteration carries on the tradition of heavy-duty trucks that can handle tough jobs on unforgiving terrain.

At the heart of the 2024 Ram 2500 Power Wagon are a three-quarter-ton, heavy-duty chassis, a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 making 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Its only available with four doors and a six-foot, four-inch bed.

The 2024 Ram 2500 Power Wagon comes with a few off-road upgrades over the towing-focused base truck. (Stellantis)

Off-road upgrades include locking front and rear differentials to improve power delivery on rough terrain and a disconnecting front sway bar for maximum articulation over large obstacles. The Power Wagon shares its 14.2 inches of ground clearance with the rest of the Ram 2500 line.

Whats all this cost? Ram lists a starting MSRP of $68,470 for the 2024 Power Wagon.

The current Power Wagon is a wildly capable truck right off the showroom floor, but theres always room for improvement. The Terminal List author Jack Carr built his Power Wagon to be a go-anywhere, do-anything overlanding rig.

Regardless of which truck you own, keep an eye out for old Dodges at military museums and local car meetups. If youre lucky enough to spot an old WC or Power Wagon, be sure to give it a tip of the hat and thank it for making the United States into truck country.

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Shota Imanagas 45-day posting window closes today, meaning the Cubs will likely announce his reported four-year contract in the near future. Its known that the Chicago outbid a field of interested parties including at least the Giants, Angels and Red Sox, although multiple reports in the final days of Imanagas free agency suggested there were as many as five teams in the mix. ESPNs Jesse Rogers now reports that the Pirates showed interest in the star NPB left-hander  a surprise entrant into the Imanaga market for a number of reasons.

On the one hand, word of interest that didnt materialize in a deal can be waved off by many as inconsequential. Imanaga is headed to the Cubs, and hell spend anywhere from two to five seasons there, thanks to the complex nature of his contract. (Four years are guaranteed, but he has multiple opt-out chances and the Cubs can supersede those by picking up a fifth-year option after the 2025 season.) Whats done is done. Imanaga is not and will not be a member of the Pirates.

On the other, the Pirates are a genuinely surprising entrant into the Imanaga bidding. Signing him wouldve required the Bucs to commit the largest contract theyve ever given to a pitcher; Francisco Lirianos $39MM pact currently holds that distinction. Thats interesting in and of itself, but its also further intriguing in that their reported interest now makes it worth wondering whether the Bucs might have a bit more money to spend than most wouldve assumed. And, if thats the case, its fair to consider that perhaps theyd be in play for other middle-tier starters who remain unsigned. The likes of Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery still figure to be well beyond the Pirates price range, but there are still a few notable arms in the next tier down  Marcus Stroman, James Paxton, Michael Lorenzen, Hyun Jin Ryu and Cuban righty Yariel Rodriguez (whos spent the past several seasons starring in NPB) among them.

Thus far, the Pirates have added lefties Martin Perez (one year, $8MM) and Marco Gonzales (acquired from the Braves for a PTBNL) to their rotation behind Mitch Keller. With right-hander Johan Oviedo undergoing Tommy John surgery earlier this offseason, however, theres greater need beyond that trio  especially considering Gonzales own injury troubles this past season. Former top prospect Roansy Contreras took a step back in 2023 after a more promising 2022 showing, while prospect Quinn Priester had a rocky debut in 2023.

The Pirates will get righty JT Brubaker back from his own Tommy John procedure this year, but hell surely be eased back into the fold and will be on some level of innings limit. Right-hander Luis Ortiz and southpaw Bailey Falter are among the teams other options in the rotation, and 2023 No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes could make his MLB debut during the summer of 2024. That all gives the Bucs some depth, but with at least two rotation spots still in flux, theres room for another arm to be added.

Its possible that the Pirates viewed Imanaga as an exception of sorts, and that their interest in him will go down as little more than a footnote. It remains unclear, after all, whether they pursued him with any level of aggression or whether they were hoping to land him on a shorter-term pact that falls well shy of where he ultimately landed with the Cubs.

If the Bucs fill out their rotation internally or make another budget pickup to stuff some low-upside innings into their starting staff, the interest in Imanaga will quickly be forgotten. But its nevertheless interesting to see Pittsburgh punching north of its typical weight class in free agency. General manager Ben Cherington indicated earlier this offseason that the teams payroll can be expected to increase  although last years $73MM Opening Day mark is quite a low bar to clear. The Bucs currently project for a payroll of about $70MM, per Roster Resource.
SAUGATUCK, MI -- Michigans fishing restoration efforts has hooked a new partner for trout season: Saugatuck Brewing Company.

The lakeside brewery will make a donation for each case of Rainbow Rodeo IPA sold from May to October in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The DNR is responsible for the protection and rehabilitation of some of the states most popular fishing spots.

The Michigan DNR manages 4.6 million acres of state land, including forests, parks, wetlands, lakes and rivers, making it the largest state-managed public land holding in the lower 48 states.

The donations from Saugatuck Brewing Co. will fund the DNRs efforts in battling invasive species, fostering the growth of fish populations and ensuring sustainable fishing for future generations.

Beer brings people together, and we need a little more of that to help rebuild and continue celebrating our beautiful backyard that is Michigan, said Sara VanSplinter, director of marketing for Saugatuck Brewing Company.

There is a lot of work to be done to protect what we love, and it aint no disco. Its a restoration rodeo.

Related: Saugatuck Brewing Co. introduces great bucking Rainbow Rodeo IPA

Saugatuck Brewing Co. released the Rainbow Rodeo IPA last year as a nod to Michigans fishing culture.

The beer casts a line of citrus, tropical and piney notes with enough body to make a splash. At 7% ABV, its made with malts of two row, caramel 60, white wheat and flaked oats coupled with centennial, Simcoe, cascade and Columbus hops.

Joining forces with the DNR was the perfect fit for the brewerys environmental values and core of being a lifestyle brand, Saugatuck Brewing Company CEO John Miller said.

As a private company that is passionate about conservation and outdoor activities this type of leadership is something our consumers can and should expect from us, Miller said.

We look forward to taking this beyond our pubs so retailers and consumers from all corners of the state can join us in helping enhance one of Michigans greatest assets, our environment.

In addition to the commitment from Saugatuck Brewing Co. and its retailers and distributors, the public is welcome to make their own contributions to the effort. Donations will be accepted through Sept. 30.
TRAVERSE CITY & GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Glass will be in session when Mr. Iglesias comes to Michigan this year. Gabriel Fluffy Iglesias will make two trips to the Mitten State in 2024.

The actor and comedian has just added Van Andel Arena to his Dont Worry Be Fluffy Tour. Iglesias will be in Grand Rapids on Saturday, November 23. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, May 2 at Noon. Tickets for his previously announced show at the National Cherry Festival on Friday, July 5, are already on sale.
NEW CARLISLE, Ind. (AP)  Amazon s cloud computing unit Amazon Web Services plans to invest $11 billion to build a data center in northern Indiana that will create at least 1,000 new jobs, state and company officials announced Thursday.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb called the project planned near the town of New Carlisle, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of South Bend, the largest capital investment announcement in Indianas history.

This significant investment solidifies Indianas leadership position in the economy of the future, and will undoubtedly have a positive ripple effect on the town of New Carlisle, the north central region and the state of Indiana for years to come, Holcomb said in a news release.

The announcement from Holcombs office and AWS did not include a timeline for the data center campus in northern Indianas St. Joseph County, which abuts the Michigan state line.

But Carl Baxmeyer, president of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners, said in the news release that it would be built over the next decade at the Indiana Enterprise Center, located just east of New Carlisle, and will be a major employment center for all of northern Indiana.

The AWS data center would contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment, and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing capabilities, and generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, according to the news release.

Roger Wehner, AWS director of economic development, said the Indiana data center will create numerous well-paying job opportunities and tap into the states burgeoning tech sector, while contributing significantly to the states growing economy.

Based on the company s planned investment, the Indiana Economic Development Corp. has committed to providing data center sales tax exemptions for eligible capital investments over a 50-year term, the release states.

The IEDC has also committed to a variety of performance-based tax credits to support the AWS data center plans, including up to $18.3 million in headcount-based tax credits, up to $55 million in Hoosier Business Investment tax credits, and up to $20 million in redevelopment tax credits, the release states.

AWS will provide up to $7 million to support road infrastructure improvements along State Road 2, surrounding the companys planned data center, according to the release.
DETROIT  A man fired a gun at a hospital employee and then turned the weapon on himself over the weekend in Detroit, police said.

It happened Saturday night at Detroit Medical Center Sinai-Grace Hospital, FOX 2 Detroit reports. The employee was unharmed. The suspect is in critical condition with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The incident is under investigation by the Detroit Police Department. No further details were provided.
KALKASKA, MI  A unique Northern Michigan landmark is no more.

For years, a famous shoe tree stood along a stretch of U.S. 131 north of Kalkaska, but thanks to an order by the Michigan Department of Transportation, the goofy spectacles time has come to an end.

UpNorthLive reported that due to safety issues and concerns for the trees overall health, MDOT crews have trimmed the tree and hauled the shoes away.

In fact, there were so many shoes that it took three pickup trucks to remove them all.

The weight of the shoes combined with the laces, in effect, girdling the branches of the tree which causes them to die. Then theyre in danger of falling into the roadway. If the tree were to die completely then theres the danger of it falling into the roadway as well, MDOT spokesman James Lake told the TV station.

So, there is certainly a safety component relative to the tree but also to people who stop along the road there isnt a lot of room to stop. Theyre stopping to add shoes, take pictures that can be a hazard as well.

MDOT is discouraging people from continuing to add their shoes to trees.
While Michigan deals with an outbreak of a deadly avian flu, spring bird migration is also about to peak, which may have some backyard bird watchers unsure whether to keep filling up their feeders.

According to Audubon Great Lakes, avian flu transmission to songbirds remains uncommon, though the organization still recommends taking some precautionary measures when feeding wild birds.

Most cases of the avian influenza A (H5N1), or HPAI, are currently found in domestic bird and poultry, but there are now documented reports of it spreading to wild birds, particularly free-ranging Canada Geese, cormorants, Tundra Swans, Snowy Owls and other raptors and waterfowl in the Great Lakes region, the organization said in a statement. While this is concerning, there are only rare incidences of the disease spreading to or by migratory passerines (songbird species) at this time, with current reports of cases impacting birds in the crow and jay family outside of the Great Lakes region.

RELATED: Why 6.5 million chickens were killed in Michigan this month

Cleaning and washing bird feeders regularly with soap and/or a 10% bleach solution, as well as raking or sweeping away debris under your feeders, are strongly recommended as general practices to reduce the spread of avian diseases.

Additionally, as of the end of April 2024, Audubon Great Lakes current recommendations include:

-Take down feeders when bird flu is active in wild birds in your region, or if you are seeing sick birds near or at where you are feeding, following the recommendations of local, state and federal wildlife agencies. Because food resources are abundant in the spring, Audubon assures that taking down bird feeders will not negatively impact backyard birds this time of year.

-Proactively monitor birds from a safe distance in your yard or at bird feeders.

-If you see a bird showing signs of illness, immediately alert state and local wildlife agencies. Signs of illness include swimming or walking in circles, holding the head or neck in an unnatural position, the inability to smoothly rotate or tilt the head, and difficulty flying. Do not attempt to directly touch or get near the bird.

-Report sick or dead birds to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources online here.

Learn more about avian influenza via the DNR and Audubon Great Lakes.

RELATED: Avian flu strikes Michigans largest egg producer
WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI  Two long-serving elected officials in Washtenaw County face accusations of premediated election engineering from fellow Democrats who say their late primary withdrawals likely guaranteed wins for candidates critics describe as their hand-picked successors.

In the months leading up to the to Tuesday, April 23 filing deadline for the August 2024 primary, county Treasurer Catherine McClary and Water Resources Commissioner Evan Pratt each filed for reelection.

Within a roughly 48-hour period surrounding the cut-off, both dropped out.

Then, they each endorsed alternate candidates who filed on deadline day and were left as the only names appearing on the all-important Democratic primary ballot in deep-blue Washtenaw County.

This is an anti-democratic move because by doing this they have basically appointed their successors, said Theresa Reid, chair of the county Democratic Party.

On Monday, April 29, the partys executive board issued a statement protesting the actions, noting other qualified candidates passed up opportunities to file because they were unwilling to mount primary challenges to unseat the respected sitting officials.

Read more: See whos running for office in Washtenaw County in 2024

Another group of prominent county elected leaders from across the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas said the behavior, while legal, was ethically dubious.

The actions taken this week circumvent the voters, violate the spirit of campaign laws and disregard Democratic Party values. The lack of trust this engenders in the public eye about the democratic process erodes good government, five Democratic Washtenaw County commissioners said in a statement issued Sunday, April 28.

It was premeditated election engineering, and it was wrong, the county leaders wrote.

Signing on to the missive were county board Chair Justin Hodge, and Commissioners Yousef Rabhi, Katie Scott, Annie Somerville and Andy LaBarre  five of the nine members of the county board.

Both Pratt and McClary defended their choices, while acknowledging the criticism they have sparked.

I certainly appreciate that concern. All I can say is we did everything by the book, whats allowed by the process, said Pratt, now serving a third term after first winning office in 2012.

Evan Pratt, the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner, at West Park in Ann Arbor in this file photo taken, Friday, Nov. 23, 2018. Ben Allan Smith | MLive.comBen Allan Smith | MLive.com

He acknowledged that he coordinated with Gretchen Driskell, a former Saline mayor and Michigan state representative, whom he endorsed for water resources commissioner when she filed at the deadline, withdrawing his own candidacy that day.

Driskells leadership acumen and ability to work with others led him to feel like she was someone who would lend stability to the job, he said.

Its a difficult decision, and I thought I made the best decision for the office and for our customers, Pratt said.

McClary, a veteran of county government, also said the choice to retire weighed heavily on her, following nearly three decades serving as treasurer and previous time in office as a county commissioner in the 1970s and 80s.

After long-time county employee Latitia Lamelle-Sharp filed to run for treasurer on deadline day, McClary withdrew from the ballot the following day, during a brief window state law allows candidates to do so. She then announced her retirement and threw support behind Lamelle-Sharp.

McClary pushed back on the notion that her decision amounted to a scheme to ensure Lamelle-Sharp would have a clear path to office.

Washtenaw County Treasurer Catherine McClary in an Ann Arbor News file photo.Larry Wright | MLive.com

I truly wish I were the mastermind that everybody is making me out to be, McClary said. Maybe I could have handled it differently, but this has been an incredibly difficult and incredibly personal decision that I made to retire. Ive loved this job, the people, the county, county residents, the taxpayers that we work with, the difference weve made.

McClary said she has spoken with Lamelle-Sharp about the treasurers position for nearly a year but also discussed it with others who were interested and wasnt certain Lamelle-Sharp would file.

I have fought my entire life to help women and people of color get a seat at the table, McClary said.

The treasurer noted that even with her name on the list of candidates, anyone could have filed to run for the office.

While that is true, it ignores the political realities on the ground, critics of her and Pratts decisions maintain.

They had been doing the job for a while. People respected the work they were doing, and they didnt want to just say they were going to run against them, said Ann Arbor county Commissioner Katie Scott.

The evidence is in each countywide officials achievements, she added.

McClary has been recognized nationally for innovative programs saving thousands of homes from tax foreclosure, as well as others helping Black homeowners establish ownership in once-segregated neighborhoods.

Pratt has advocated for increased flood control measures in the face of climate change-fueled storms bringing record rainfall, expanding the use of green stormwater infrastructure in collaboration with local officials on projects across the county.

Each has not faced a Democratic primary opponent since they first ran for office, a span covering two four-year election cycles for Pratt and six for McClary.

Its still possible that someone without party affiliation or a write-in candidate could challenge for the countywide seats in the November general election. Republicans Robert Zimmerman and Brian Bennett are also in the running for treasurer, with GOP candidate Lisa Gubaci-Root filing for the water resources commissioner race.

But in heavily Democratic Washtenaw County, those candidates would face immense barriers, with the primary usually determining who will win the office, said Ann Arbor county Commissioner Yousef Rabhi.

The voters were robbed, he said of the lack of a competitive primary. Its deeply disappointing that after the many years that these elected officials served our community that they would pull such a stunt to deny the people of Washtenaw County the opportunity to have their say.

Candidates say they followed procedures, are ready to run

In interviews, county Democrats critical of the filing deadline switch-ups said they are now faced with the task of rebuilding public trust while likely working with a new treasurer and water resources commissioner they say are tainted by the situation.

Asked if she would have to address it with voters, Driskell said she would not, pointing to her past record and residents who are now excited to see her take the water resources commissioner position.

I have a track record of being a long-term mayor of a city and involvement with infrastructure funding and planning and regionalism and water stewardship, she said.

Pratt approached her recently to ask if she would consider running, and her delay in filing had to do with making the decision and addressing it with members of the Dexter Township board, where she is currently a trustee and had planned to run for another term, Driskell said.

I would just say that Im interested in running for water resources commissioner, and Im excited about that opportunity, she said.

Lamelle-Sharp, who boasts decades as an employee of various county departments, said she made the decision to run on her own terms, coming to a final decision the week of the deadline after consulting with her family, her mentors and her pastor.

I followed the procedures that were laid out for everyone. Everyone had a deadline of 4 p.m. Everyone had a deadline of Tuesday, the 23rd. Everyone had an opportunity to file, she said, adding she didnt know what McClary planned to do when she submitted the paperwork.

Lamelle-Sharp said she would have been in the race whether or not McClary chose to run, or another candidate filed for the position.

The criticism of the treasurer, a trailblazer in the county, doesnt sit well with her, she said.

Its really sad that (McClary) has dedicated 50 years to Washtenaw County, 28 to the office of treasury, and this is what shes getting, Lamelle-Sharp said. That is disgusting.

Another path for long-term incumbents ready to step down?

Critics of McClary and Pratts decisions say there was a better way to handle their departures from office, and they didnt have to look far to find it.

In other races, long-term incumbent candidates bowed out earlier with public proclamations. County Sheriff Jerry Clayton announced he would not be running for another term two years in advance, in 2022.

Now, voters have a competitive, three-way Democratic primary for sheriff with each candidate articulating different approaches to the position, said Ann Arbor county Commissioner Andy LaBarre.

Clayton says the circumstances around his decision were different, noting he had already committed to a limited number of terms in office and underscoring the difficulty of deciding to retire from a long-held position of public service.

The criticism of Pratt and McClarys actions as anti-democratic has been grossly overblown, said the sheriff, also a Democrat serving in countywide office.

Although I might not have done the same, I agree with and support the reasoning for doing what they did, he said, noting each has served the county with integrity during their tenures.

Its only anti-democratic if nobody else had a chance to put their hat in the ring, the sheriff said.

Still, other Democrats maintain the last-minute withdrawals discouraged that possibility.

If you want to give your successor a legitimate chance to succeed in the office, dont deny them the legitimacy of a real election process, LaBarre said.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page, the Ypsilanti-area news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.
JACKSON COUNTY, MI  A man accused of robbing several banks in Jackson while he was on parole for bank robbery has taken a plea deal.

Thomas Carl Pryor Jr. pleaded no contest April 19 to one count each of armed robbery and bank robbery in return for prosecutors dismissing one additional count, court records show.

Jackson County Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson is to sentence Pryor on May 30.

Pryor, 50, was arraigned Sept. 25 for robbing a pair of banks in September in Jackson County. He was a suspect in a third bank robbery in Summit Township, but authorities did not charge him in that heist.

Related: Jackson man on parole for pair of bank robberies arraigned on new bank robbery charges

Police were called at 11:08 a.m. Sept. 19, to the American 1 Credit Union, 930 W. North St., in Jackson. Pryor was accused of entering the credit union and giving a note to the teller demanding an undisclosed amount of money, police said. No weapon was brandished and Pryor was not identified as the suspect at the time, police said.

The next day at 9:13 a.m. Sept. 20, police were called to Flagstar Bank, 301 W. Michigan Ave., in Jackson. During the second robbery, the suspect indicated he had a weapon before being handed an undisclosed amount of money and fleeing the area, police said.

Investigators were able to identify Pryor as the suspect in both robberies and soon arrested him, police said.

Unbeknownst to Jackson officers responding to the second robbery, there was a third bank robbery reported minutes earlier at 9:02 a.m. at the Flagstar Bank, 704 S. Brown St., in Summit Township, south of Jackson, said the Jackson County Sheriffs Office.

A male suspect matching Pryors description entered the bank and demanded cash from a teller while acting as if he had a firearm, police said. No firearm was actually observed.

Pryor was arrested about 9:24 a.m. Sept. 20 on Steward Avenue near Demay Court in Jackson. Surveillance video confirmed he was the person who robbed the Summit Township bank, police said.

Pryor remains lodged in the Jackson County Jail with bond set at $250,000 while he awaits sentencing.

Pryor was on parole for two different bank robberies in Jackson committed in 2001 and 2007, Michigan Department of Corrections records show. He was released on parole Oct. 25, 2022, after serving the minimum 15 years of his 15-to-40-year prison sentence.

Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Jackson daily newsletter.
Chirag Daruwalla is an astrologer with more than 18 years of experience advising clients on career, health, finance, business, money, and love marriage related queries, and on all kinds of life and work problems. Visit chiragdaruwalla.com, call/Whatsapp +91 8141566266 or email info@chiragdaruwalla.com
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Will PM still remain silent: Priyanka Gandhi slams BJP over Karnataka 'sex scandal'
April 29, 2024 / 21:50 IST



PM Modi said," I believe our country hates such dynasty politics. If someone tries to use the word sympathy to evoke sympathy among people, I say even that attempt will fail. People hate such things. They cannot accept such things. These are your family disputes, resolve them within your home. Why are you ruining the state of Maharashtra over this? "

Another thing is that the BJP has sacrificed for Maharashtra. Some people thought that we want the CMs seat. No. We could have taken the CMs seat, but didnt. We convinced the people of Maharashtra that we live for Maharashtra, not for ourselves. And in this election, this sympathy is in our favour that such a big party, with a chief minister who has been successful is now a deputy chief minister, has sort of put its self-respect on the backburner for the bright future of Maharashtra.

I believe in our country, Bengal has been ruined, Kolkata was once leading the economic growth, but is ruined by politics. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were earlier reduced to unstable conditions. Maharashtra should not be allowed to go down that route. Mumbai is the economic capital of the country. We should move ahead strongly in Maharashtra for the benefit of the country. We are conveying this sentiment to
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German engineering and technology major Siemens AG has unveiled an artificial assistant for industry to help increase productivity and improve efficiency at the Hannover Messe 2024 trade fair. While AI seemed to be the buzzword at the trade fair, Siemens is looking at India as not just a potential market but also as a source of talent.

Cedrik Neike, member of the managing board of Siemens AG and the Chief Executive Officer of the companys Digital Industries division, shares the companys plans to expand its digital and AI offerings for the industry and his perspective on how India can adopt the newer technologies in an interview with Moneycontrol.

Sunil Mathur, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the listed Indian subsidiary, shares how the company is engaging with the industry to implement these technologies. Edited excerpts:

Siemens introduced its first generative AI product for engineering in industries, Siemens Industrial Co-pilot. What exactly is this initiative and give us a sense of how this ties into your whole exercise of combining industry, AI and digital, and bringing it on the same page?

Cedrik Neike: We have amazing engineering tools and when you want to build a factory, you need these tools. What we have done is that we have added to these tools this Industrial Co-pilot, making it much simpler for people to use them. The idea is to make our tools easier, so more people can use them. This question of automation, but we also use CAD systems, etc. So the initiative is to work on how AI can make things faster.

Siemens global CEO spoke about opportunities in India and how the company is ready to take off. What exactly are you doing to tap that opportunity?

Neike: We have been in India for more than 157 yearsthe key thing is that India is the IT (information technology) hub of the world and can very soon also be a manufacturing hub of the world. Hannover Messe fair is all about IT and OT (operational technology) this year and how to bring this together; India is the perfect place to do so.

Also Read | Siemens has high hopes for India as economy booms: Matthias Rebellius

What we need for that is an educated young workforce, that is absolutely a tick. The second one is that the infrastructure is in place, thats happening in India pretty fast at the moment. If we combine those and then really see the investment in semiconductors, electronics, etc, India can be and will be the place to be.

When I spoke to you before COVID, when you were expanding the digital business, you had said that you were looking to make in India for the world. Now with your AI initiatives, do you see an opportunity in tapping Indian talent?

Neike: Some of the largest numbers of our software developers are in India; our biggest software development environment is in Pune. We have all of the different elements  electronics, PLM (product lifecycle management), CAD (computer-aided designs) system  all of our products sitting together.

Seeing how AI is going to be used, it's going to make products for the world. Not only physical products but also software products. I see that India can be used to do that. As we build new manufacturing environmentswe will have to invest quite a bit in AI and the right place to do this is in India to make sure that this gets adopted.

India is a price sensitive market and right now the private sector still seems a little jittery about going ahead with big capex commitments. Given this environment, how keen do they seem to adopt new technologies?

Neike: India has always been very open to technology, but India is very broad. It's not a country, it's a continent and it is extremely advanced. Some of them are very careful about how to move forward. And what we need to do is to find how we can make it less capex intensive and how can we make it easier for the SME (small and medium enterprises) market. While the big companies are rushing for it, the small ones need to adopt the concept.

Must Read | India is taking off, theres opportunity in expanding AI, industrial metaverse solutions to SMEs: Siemens CEO

Sunil Mathur: Indians are natural and digital natives. Digitalisation comes naturally to us. It will take some time for industries to realise the benefits of it. But the moment they see the potential, they will adopt. I think it will happen faster than we actually expected it to.

The private sector capacity utilisation has gone up to 80 per cent plus. They also see consistency coming ahead, stability coming ahead. So I think the private capex will now kick in. In the next couple of months, a couple of years, it will start kicking in. But it takes time as when they start looking at capex, they start designing their products and systems. That's when they start talking to us. And they want to know how we can help them. We are having those conversations with many of them; these are serious conversations.

Your CEO also spoke about the opportunity in the SME space in India for the adoption of new technologies. How are you hand holding them to help them adopt AI and digital offerings?

Mathur: It starts with the supply chain; it is in my interest to start working with my supply chain to make it more efficient and sustainable. If I can help my suppliers be more flexible in their manufacturing, I can become more efficient because my cycle times for predicting demand reduce. We go and talk to our customers to find their biggest pain points; then we go and tackle that problem.

Which sectors are the early adopters?

Neike: The first to adopt will be the ones which have big capex plans; they are using it. I mean, this is semiconductors, this is electronics, this is big pharma and chemicals. But I see others like food and beverages, cement and other industries, which are dependent on being efficient, also follow from a sustainability point of view.

Mathur: The building space is looking at energy efficiency very carefully. Food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, steel and cement are the other industries that are really looking at it.

What is the investment plan for digital and AI going ahead?

Neike: We invest, in general, more than euro 6 billion on R&D in Siemens, and a large part is being moved forward. We've been continuously investing, for example, also in India.

When you look at India, do you see any talent gap when we talk about newer technologies like AI?

Neike: The good thing about India is because it's such a learning-oriented culture, they pick up the skills, and India picks up the skills very fast. What is important for us, and we've been investing for years now, is base training.

Mathur: We have a big advantage  we have the global pool of talent sitting in India and we can tap that pool to address my customers in India as well.

When you look at an emerging and fast-growing market like India, what are the challenges?

Neike: Like always, when you go fast, you need to make sure you are putting the right bets. I think the one thing India has to make sure is that it leaps across technologies. So instead of copying what has been done in the past, adopt the newest technologies in order to be really competitive in the world.

What would be your advice for the government of India for policy and regulatory framework to create an enabling environment for Indian companies to adopt digital and AI?

Neike: I am not going to talk about consumers because we're mainly on the business side of things. The more we can actually exchange industrial data, infrastructure data, and be able to train the AI models on it, the better. So anything which enables us to basically learn from what is hidden as treasures within all of this manufacturing and infrastructure environment. And if any government, not only the Indian government, can help us unlock this potential, I think that would be great.

Mathur: I don't think there are any policy gaps. I think the policymakers are evolving also. They're seeing as the industry picks up, as the issues come to the table, the policymakers are open to it. They are listening to the industry and supporting it. Cyber security is a critical concern because manufacturers are concerned about data; the government is addressing that. Standards and regulations is another complex issue; none of them can be seen in isolation only for India.

(The reporter is at Hannover Messe 2024 upon the invitation of Siemens.)
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Wellington Chocolate Factory and Fix & Fogg have dropped a limited-edition bar for lovers of all things chocolate and peanut butter.

Packed with Fix & Foggs famous Hi Oleic nuts and WFC's Vanuatu cocoa dark chocolate, they reckon that "even the most disciplined chocolate lovers will devour it in one knockout round" - is that a challenge?!

I guess we can't feel too bad about scoffing a whole bar into our gobs because the teams promise it's "vegan, palm oil free and ethically sourced".

Roman Jewell, Fix & Fogg owner, says the best part about making the bar was nailing the taste.

"This bar went through a bunch of different variations and lots of taste testing in both camps, but there are no complaints there! We're so happy with the final product," he says.

This is actually the second time WCF and Fix & Fogg have teamed up after previously dropping their peanut butter and jelly bar collab.

Fans are stoked, with one writing: "Yum! Combination of two things I eat every day ."

"LOVE THIS on a whole lot of levels," said another.

While a third added: "What a combo!! Can't wait to try ."

The new bar will be available online and in-store at Wellington Chocolate Factory.
Drone - Archive Image View Photo

Jamestown, CA  Tuolumne County government officials report there will be some drones hovering over Jamestown and Columbia starting this Wednesday, May 1, and continuing through Wednesday, May 8.

They will be used to help design a future broadband internet infrastructure installation project. The drone survey work is funded by a Local Area Technology Assistance grant.

Tuolumne County IT Project Manager Len De Groot says it will produce detailed designs that can be used by any internet service provider to install broadband infrastructure, reducing costs and the time needed to break ground.

The company hired to do the work, Airworks, out of Boston, Massachusetts, reports, You can expect to see drones conducting operations in the community at about 200-feet to 300-feet high as well as some ground crews conducting safety checks and taking measurements on the ground. Work will be conducted between the hours of 7 AM to 5 PM. Minimal sound disruptions should occur.

The company continues, The data captured by this operation only includes utility structures (poles and wires), roads, sidewalks, and curbs and is only used for mapping purposes. Data collection through the use of drones and aircraft greatly increases the speed at which the County can complete community improvement initiatives such as this broadband installation/expansion project.

The scope of the aerial work covers most all of Jamestown and Columbia.
YET another FAKE doctor, who was operating at Parirenyatwa, has been EXPOSED.

Blessing Nyanzira, (24), was arrested as he tried to walk past a staff security checkpoint during the lunch hour break.

He produced two identity cards, bearing different names, claiming to be a medical doctor.

He then changed to identify himself as a University of Zimbabwe student doctor.

His lies sold him out as the security staff checked with both the hospital authorities and UZ Dean Faculty of Medicine and Health Services, who indicated that he was a fake doctor.

Nyanzira appeared in court on Saturday.

According to court papers, on Thursday, Claude Nyangani, who is a Loss Control Supervisor at Parirenyatwa, was on patrol during lunch hour, when he met Blessing, as he went through a staff security check point.

Blessing was putting on a scrub jacket inscribed Blessing Nyanzira and had a stethoscope on his neck.

Nyangani monitored Blessing before requesting his particulars.

He was presented with two identity cards, bearing different names from the one on his jacket.

He became suspicious and, after further enquiries, Blessing identified himself as a medical doctor who was on his way to the Harare CBD to meet up with Dr Ndurukwa, from the Zimbabwe National Army.

Dr Ndurukwa was contacted and he indicated he knew Blessing but not as a medical doctor.

Blessing then changed his story and told hospital security that he was a student doctor from the UZ.

Again, Nyangani contacted the university and was told Blessing never enrolled at the college.

In the past few weeks, two people have also appeared in court separately charged with theft and impersonation at the referral hospital.

Blessing is expected back in court today for bail considerations.

However, the State is opposed to his release saying there is overwhelming evidence against the fake doctor such that he might abscond.

Douglas Mutoredzanwa was arrested after he was caught holding an X-ray upside down.

The court also heard that Felix Tagonera masqueraded as a gynaecologist at the same hospital. HMetro.

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By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Weve been here before. As I wrote back in 2012:

Beginning last spring, Occupy started and spread in the ancient cities surrounding the Mediterranean basin: Tunis, Cairo, Athens, Madrid, Rome, among many others; Alexandria, Manama, Barcelona. Im sure I wasnt the only observer who, watching the Occupations move steadily westward, asked: Will Occupations scale? After all, Morocco, Egypt, Greece, and Spain are all small-ish [Mediterranean] countries; small in population, area, and GNP, and peripheral at that. And one might also argue that the square assumes a different position in the European imagination than the square does here, where the agora, if there is one, is the mall. Further, the United States is a multi-lingual and multi-national empire of continental scope. And the architects of the Federal system tried to ensure that there would be multiple centers of power in the United States. Would the Cairo + Madrid occupation paradigm scale to the United States? And yes, amazingly, wonderfully, awesomely, the Occupation paradigm did scale. My own small and small-c conservative state, Maine, has not one, not two, but three Occupations in Portland, Augusta, and Bangor (each of quite different character). When Occupy San Diego, on their way to Occupy Congress, got thrown off the Greyhound in Amarillo, TX, Occupy Amarillo came to their aid. UC Riverside researchers surveyed 482 incorporated towns and cities in California and found that 143  nearly 30 percent  had Occupy sites on Facebook between December 1 and December 8.. Rhizomic growth. Occupy didnt spread because of celebrity endorsements, or online petitions from career progressives, or corporate marketing programs, or billionaire funding. There were no focus groups. There was no polling. Occupy encampments spread despite  or because of  clearing operations organized by city mayors (who used oddly similar tactics and timing). Occupy participation spread despite  or because of  ongoing police assaults, especially by the NYPD white shirts of New York Mayor For Life Michael Bloomberg, and the thuggish OPD of Oakland Democrat Mayor Jean Quan. And Occupy ideas and tactics spread despite a relentless propaganda campaign in our famously free press comparing Occupiers to disease-bearing vermin and filth, with a rhetoric and an intensity worthy of Der Sturmer. (Cleverly, OWS had pre-empted this tactic by using some of its donated money to hire a cleaning truck.) Happily, We are the 99% stuck as a slogan, and in just a few months Occupy had changed the discourse to put income inequality (translation: class warfare) on the table; something that career progressives and their D allies in Washington have, oddly, or not, been unable to do in thirty years. Lets not forget or downplay these tremendous achievements! I am so grateful to the Occupations and the Occupiers, all of them, for giving me more hope than Ive had in years.

(Im using the word encampments in the headline, as opposed to the more generic protests, because the pre-Occupy occupiers in Europe called themselves campers, because thats the word used by the participants themselves, and because encampment suggests seizing and controlling space, a key feature of Occupy.)

It all seems so familiar. In a good way. Sadly, I dont have time to do a detailed comparative study between the events of 2011-2012 and those of today. We can, however, get a sense of scale (smaller today), the tactics (slightly more advanced), and the reaction (by which I mean that which reactionaries do; instantly vicious, from university administrations egged on by electeds). Ill look at those three aspects of todays encampments, and then speculate on the movements prospects.

Scale

Quantitively, here is a handy map from Palestine is Everywhere. 91 encampments globally:

(I only show North America.) Here a second map from Students for Gaza; 106 schools globally:

(Again, only North America; this map counts demands as well as encampments, so the figures may differ.)

These are probably undercounts, since volunteer projects like this are hard to source and maintain. Id be very surprised, however, if the count was an order of magnitude low. In any case, thats the scale; impressive, newsworthy, but nowhere near Occupy.

Qualitatively, here is a sampler of impressions I picked up on my travels (there will be a second set of impressions devoted to tactics and reaction later). In no particular order:

Columbia: Columbia Pro-Palestinian Protesters Havent DispersedDespite Suspension Threats [Forbes]. The universitywhich has been dealing with the encampment since April 17gave students the [2:00pm] deadline by distributing leaflets warning students who dont leave could face probation, access restriction, suspension for a term or more and expulsion, according to multiple reports. The encampment was not dismantled by the deadline, though.

Yale. Rebuilding:

BREAKING: Despite a wave of arrests at campus protests and nearly 50 arrests on Yales campus on Monday, hundreds of students have just REBUILT the divestment encampment in a new location. Dozens of tents have appeared with students forming barricades around them FREE PALESTINE pic.twitter.com/44CbrvMepo  Thomas Birmingham (@thomasbirm) April 28, 2024

MIT. Multicolored, various tents:

Im including the tents because of tweets like this, which were all over my feed for awhile:

Soros!  Sandi Foster (@sandidavidson5) April 25, 2024

I mean, come on. Maybe Amazon had a sale on green.

Berkeley. More tents:

The Free Palestine Encampment at UC Berkeley has grown to around 150 tents pic.twitter.com/0ZMnfzPB2q  Rae Wymer (@rae_wymer) April 28, 2024

UCLA: Fights break out between pro-Israel, pro-Palestine protesters at UCLA [The Hill]. A small number of counterprotesters attempted to breach barriers erected by the university to separate the two protest groups in the early morning, the Bruin reported. Pro-Palestine protesters later breached the same barriers, resulting in small skirmishes. The protests remained largely peaceful on Sunday, on both sides, the Bruin reported. No arrests were reported from the skirmishes.

Northwestern. More organization:

Day two of Northwestern's Gaza solidarity encampment, tents have quadrupled, students have built in, and we're not leaving anytime soon. https://t.co/wET9pUWUQP pic.twitter.com/4H2uMFXFEi  Christian (@thechristianpr) April 27, 2024

New Orleans. The only non-campus encampment I have seen:

Roughly 10 tents are setup within the square. @WWLTV pic.twitter.com/gO60NLJ71i  Lily Cummings (@lilyrcummings) April 29, 2024

All active and evolving, but small. To be fair, exponential growth is possible; lets wait and see. On the other hand, the encampment movement may simply be self-limiting; as a student movement, its vulnerable to events on the academic calendar, and has a narrow class base as well.

Tactics

Controlling the space of the encampment means providing amenities for campers and visitors, and defending the space against assaults by the authorities. (Im leaving surveillance out because nobody seems to be talking about it. No discussion of drones or Stingray or anything like that.) I think original tactics are a sign of a healthy movement, and so I will mark the ones I have not seen before new.

First, amenities. These will seem very familiar from Occupy.

1) Community kitchen:

Day 3 of the CUNY City College Encampment. The overall vibe is much better organized they now have a "community kitchen." Community building and training are happening all over. As this is the only encampment open to the public in NYC, almost the whole area is full of tents pic.twitter.com/btKnMtkkM2  Ali (@MerruX) April 28, 2024

2) Library:

Refaat Alareer Memorial Library in the Northwestern encampment in solidarity with Palestine  pic.twitter.com/zgIwQENY0p  Shishi (@ChiTownShishi) April 28, 2024

3) Drumming (granted, not all would consider this an amenity):

CUNY Encampment Day 3, were not going anywhere pic.twitter.com/eYoNNxVz0j  Qaid (Sicilian)   (@rossisparaneri) April 28, 2024

4) Jail support forms:

Students are already filling out jail support forms. pic.twitter.com/vunEi9ekDR  Stu (@thestustustudio) April 28, 2024

Second, defense:

1) Barricades (new). This is so great; the generation that was trained to build barricades in school against active shooters applies their lesson in a different context:

This is the video that I saw. https://t.co/GjohH3r5ru pic.twitter.com/GfxHQbiuX1  Lumpy Louise  The US are the Baddies (@LumpyLouish) April 27, 2024

2) Linked Arms:

Columbia University faculty have linked arms at the entrance of the encampment as the 2p deadline passes for students to vacate or face suspension. pic.twitter.com/oY899kr0Rf  Omar Jimenez (@OmarJimenez) April 29, 2024

3) Marching (new):

Students are encircling the Columbia University encampment as the 2 PM deadline to clear the tents passes. These Brave students are leading the world in standing for Palestine  pic.twitter.com/tFFTK5YIW5  Khalissee (@Kahlissee) April 29, 2024

4) ADA compliance (a special case of barricades; new):

BREAKING: The University of Florida Divest Coalition is trying to make an encampment using chairs only. They are claiming to be disabled and in need of the chairs. The UF Divest Coalition are trying to weaponize the Americans with Disabilities Act against the University of pic.twitter.com/xViQSAdIH6  Stu (@thestustustudio) April 29, 2024

5) Kettling police (new):

University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne protesters have encircled police using reinforced banners & signs pic.twitter.com/DmMecmBGhY  escalatenetwork (@readytoescalate) April 27, 2024

All of this  especially kettling the police  strikes me as marginally more forceful than Occupy proper (though perhaps my memory needs refreshing). This is all tough stuff, particularly in the face of our brutal and stupid police forces.

Reaction

Here Im going to skip over the snipers, the hasbarist trolls, the agent provocateurs, the private investigators, the bulldozers, the various exercises in bad faith by administrators, to focus on the changing roles of professors and administrators in the modern university. (After all, presumably people like McConnnell are muscling the administrators, and not, say, the AAUP, because thats where the power lies.)

First, lets look at the case of Caroline Fohlin, assaulted by cops at Emory. Here is a long thread:

And a second case, Steve Tamari, assaulted by cops at Washington University in St. Louis:

Police at Washington University in St. Louis assault a professor for filming at an anti genocide protest.  pic.twitter.com/b6IaNnvk0x  EMPIRE News  (@TheEMPIRENewsx) April 28, 2024

Now, theres only one reason those cops were there: The administrators called them in. And theres only one reason neither administration is up in arms protecting its professors: The administrators believe that what the cops did was right. Obviously, that has profound implications for university governance. From Splice Today:

Maybe Im a professor registers a certain privilege, but its a real privilege attributed to faculty by administrators. As you arrive and every semester after, they tell you, This is your place; you perform the most important function here; and you run it too, because we have faculty governance. The ultimate authority on most campuses, no doubt, is the board of trustees. But the day-by-day academic decisions have to come from or through the faculty Senate. As a prof, you have the run of the place: your key card gets you into every building. Youre welcome anywhere, really. So youve been told, maybe for decades. You feel entirely at home on the campus; its your place. You know everyone, seemingly. Youve taught dozens or hundreds of the students milling around. When they say youre trespassing, that seems incomprehensible. And when the administration calls the cops on you and the cops violently restrain and arrest you, youre liable to see your understanding of your institutional role dissolving instantly. Its hard to grasp how Emory and any other institution that has been arresting faculty can recover from these events. One things for sure: it will be a long road. In the usual end-of-year (May) and at the beginning-of-the-year (September) faculty meetings, administrators including the president will come before the faculty with various updates. How does next years class look? Hows the budget going? In this case, the people in the audience will have been subjected directly to violent arrest and restraint on expression by those very administrators. I dont think Emory can have a faculty meeting successfully for the next couple of years. That would be a problem at a university. Emoryalong with schools such as Vanderbilt and Rice, often thought of as Southern Ivieswill be in crisis for the foreseeable future.

It has long been unclear to me what value highly paid university administrators add. Presumably, having professors assaulted and arrested is one such. If so, we may need to revert to a more medieval structure; the university as an institution is, after all, a millenium old. Perhaps we should simply unbundle the entire mishegoss and have students band together to hire professors of their choice, as they did in the 1100s. Kidding. I suppose.

Prospects

From a long article in the Colorado Sun about the Auraria Campus encampment in downtown Denver, where Angela Davis spoke:

I want to emphasize what this means for history, Davis told a crowd of more than 200 while visiting campus after speaking at Colorado College on Friday. As you imagine this period being narrated 10 years, 20 years, 50 years from now, you will be the historical actors who made it possible for a breakthrough in the struggle against Zionism, the struggle to free Palestine. I cannot tell you how you make me feel, Davis said, because after having struggled for decades and decades, I realize that this is what weve been struggling for and I stand here not as an individual but to bear witness for all of those who have been involved in this struggle to generate solidarity with Palestine, justice for Palestine, freedom for Palestine. And if Palestine can be free, then the entire world can be free.

I applaud these encampments, and the courage and dedication of the students. Its pleasant to see people trying to do the right thing in the face of reactionaries trying to punish them for it. I think that the encampments and Occupations of 2011-2012 had highly beneficial effects on the body politic that continue to be felt, and the same will be true for 2024s. It is not clear to me that todays encampments have sufficient strength to achieve the goal that Davis set for them; they are certainly not of Occupys scale, let alone the Civil Rights movement (which also took decades of solid planning); here is a conservatives cynical or realistic view. But

But I am extremely dubious about free-floating words like freedom and justice, even solidarity. For example, of the analytical frameworks that could be applied to Gaza, (anti-)imperialism and (anti-)colonialism seem to me to be the least simple-minded and most supple (imperialism, being finance-driven, appeals to me). Very well. Now let us suppose we applied the neo-colonial frame to a woman in the sacrifice zone of East Palestine, OH, whose home was rendered valueless and whose water was poisoned because Norfolk Southerns capital accumulation-driven adoption of Precision Scheduled Railroad caused an enormous derailment followed by a chemical fire. Maybe throw in some Sachler-damaged family members from the oxycontin epidemic. Isnt it fair to regard East Palestine as colonized, just near to us, and not far away? And is there not some way that thinkers like Davis can bring solidarity to the two situations? Would that not, indeed, be pragmatically useful?

Appendix: Helpful Hint

Stop Using Your Face or Thumb to Unlock Your Phone [GIzmodo]. The general consensus has been that there is more Fifth Amendment protection for passwords than there is for biometrics, Andrew Crocker, the Surveillance Litigation Director at the EFF, told Gizmodo in a phone interview. The 5th Amendment is centered on whether you have to use the contents of your mind when youre being asked to do something by the police and turning over your password telling them your password is pretty obviously revealing whats in your mind.. The law is still in flux, so theres no hard and fast rule for protecting your phone from searches. Still, if you know you will be interacting with police, your best bet is to turn off biometrics before you head out, according to Crocker.  Convenience isnt everything.
A Financial Times story, in combination with a new post by Barnand economics professor Rajiv Sethi on student demands at Columbia regarding its investments in Israel-supporting companies, illustrate why investor boycotts, as in divestiture programs, seldom accomplish much directly. The exception to that general premise is when investor action calls attention to serious problems with the company that are not well reflected in the sale price, such as bad governance or, as with fossil fuel players, questionable future prospects (adverse regulatory environment, high prospect of stranded assets). Another exception is when dissident investors gain control of enough votes to pose a threat to the board and management (an activist group with 10% to 15% and a legitimate beef has the potential to get enough allies when it comes time to vote board resolutions and board members so as to force change).

Mind you, all of the above does not say that these campaigns dont have PR value, as in forcing boards of universities, public pension funds, and endowments, to splain why they are backing a genocidal regime. They help move the Overton window.

By contrast, consumer brands spend a lot of money on brand image, and many also maintain a large network of retail outlets that depend on having sufficient sales to be viable. So in some cases, as the Financial Times indicates today, buyer withdrawal can have meaningful effects. Admittedly, the case examples from the Financial Times are from Muslim countries, but they might be generalizable to areas with lots of students (outlets near campuses) and/or parts of the US with comparatively high Muslim populations.

Another example to watch regarding consumer boycotts is whether any air carriers who use Boeing equipment are seeing any meaningful traffic loss from the recent If its Boeing, I aint going flier preference. The big reason it probably wont, at least in the US, is that airline consolidation has produced a few ginormous carriers, with Southwest an all-Boeing operation, while Delta and United fly both Boeing and Airbus planes. Its not clear that consumers can shun Boeing, given that carriers sometimes change equipment at the last minute, unless they are willing to cancel their trip in that event. But the desire still bears monitoring.

Back to the investment side. Amar Bhide described the general problem of shareholder powerlessness in a Harvard Business Review classic, Efficient Markets, Deficient Governance. The germane sections of his 1994 article:

Shouldnt the managers and stockholders of U.S. companies love the rules under which they operate? In theory, market liquidity makes it easy for investors to diversify their risks and thus reduces the costs of capital for companies. But theres a catch: U.S. rules that protect investors dont just sustain market liquidity, they also drive a wedge between shareholders and managers. Instead of yielding long-term shareholders who concentrate their holdings in a few companies, where they provide informed oversight and counsel, the laws promote diffused, arms-length stockholding. Pension and mutual fund rules that require extensive diversification of holdings make close relationships with a few managers unlikely. ERISA further discourages pension managers from sitting on boards; if the investment goes bad, Labor Department regulators may make them prove they had adequate expertise about the companys operations. Concerned about overly cozy relationships between unscrupulous fiduciaries and company managers, the regulators have effectively barred all but the most distant relationships Thus the rules make large investors resolute outsiders. In a free-for-all market, the same institutions would likely demand access to confidential information before they even considered investing. Disclosure requirements also encourage arms length stockholding. Market liquidity itself weakens incentives to play an inside role. All companies with more than one shareholder face what economists call a free-rider problem. The oversight and counsel of any one shareholder benefits all others, with the result that all may shirk their responsibilities. This issue is particularly relevant when a company faces a crisis. In illiquid markets, the shareholders cannot run away easily and are forced to pull together to solve any problem that arises. But a liquid market allows investors to sell out quickly. In economist Albert Hirschmans terms, investors prefer a cheap exit to an expensive voice.

Barnard professor of economics Rajiv Sethi looks at a current case study, the student campaign demanding Columbia divest holdings in companies that are Israel-backers. From his post The Question of Divestment:

The student protestors who have camped out on Columbias West Lawn for the past couple of weeks have repeatedly maintained that that they will not move until they achieve divestment. The divestment they seekas spelled out in a proposal submitted to Columbias Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing in December 2023is from companies judged to be complicit in Israeli apartheid, illegal occupation, and genocide. These companies include Alphabet (formerly Google), Amazon, and Microsoft, with a combined market capitalization of more than seven trillion dollars. The committee rejected the proposal in February, which I imagine was a driving force behind the establishment of the encampment. I have thought quite a bit about the divestment question over the past few years, especially after being appointed in 2015 to a Presidential Task Force charged with examining the issues surrounding divestment from fossil fuels. Our deliberations considered the effects of divestment on the growth of the endowment and on the incentives faced by targeted companies. We argued that the effects would be minor on both counts, reasoning in the latter case as follows: Divestment involves a transfer of ownership in the secondary market for securities. Since every sale also involves a purchase, the demand for such securities from other individuals and institutions will determine the extent to which divestment will have an impact on the share price of the affected firms. To a first approximation, the anticipated future earnings of firms determine the price of shares in the secondary market. If divestment does not affect earnings, its impact on the share price will be negligible. That is, even a small decline in price relative to anticipated earnings would make the shares attractive to buyers looking for value, and their demand to buy would prevent significant declines. If the affected companies do not experience any change in the cost of raising capital, then the extent of fossil fuel extraction and sale will also be largely unaffected. As Adam Tooze has pointed out, Columbias portfolio has a very small share of direct investment in the specific companies targeted by the protestors. But even if this were not the case, divestment from publicly traded companies would have negligible impacts on their earnings, share prices, and costs of capital. This is especially the case with behemoths such as Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft, which have a combined market valuation exceeding a quarter of our annual Gross Domestic Product. Divestment is therefore a largely symbolic gesture that does not directly create strong incentives for companies to change business practices. This is very different from product boycotts, which can be extremely potent. However, if the publicity surrounding divestment can bring attention to an issue and lead to changes in behavior, it can start to have incentive effects.

A new story in the Financial Times confirms Sethis aside, that consumer boycotts can have a real impact. The pink paper describes how customers in Malaysia and Indonesia are rejecting American food and drinks chains to a degree that it has stopped a planned private equity sale of a portfolio company holding stakes in some big names operating there. From the Financial Times:

General Atlantic and CVC have paused multimillion-dollar stake sales in companies operating US fast food brands in Indonesia and Malaysia as protests and boycott campaigns over the Israel-Hamas war disrupt business. Consumers in Muslim-majority Indonesia and Malaysia have shunned US brands since the start of Israels assault on Gaza in October. The brands, including Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut, are being targeted over Washingtons support for Israel, even though they have emphasised their neutrality on the conflict. The companies operating the brands under a franchise model have also stressed that the fast food businesses are domestically owned. General Atlantic paused the sale of its 20 per cent stake in Starbucks operator Map Boga Adiperkasa in December, according to two people familiar with the situation. The stake in Map Boga Adiperkasa, which has a market capitalisation of $285mn and is one of Indonesias largest fast food franchise operators, is valued at about $54mn. CVC Capital Partners, one of Europes biggest private equity firms, has also halted the sale of its 21 per cent stake in Malaysias QSR Brands, the country operator of KFC and Pizza Hut, due to the boycotts, according to two other people with knowledge of the decision. One of the people said the sale was paused due to several factors, including not getting the desired valuation. Malaysias QSR is privately held and does not reveal financials. The stake was valued at more than RM1.2bn ($252mn) last year, according to local media reports. The freeze on the stake sales by the global private equity groups underscores the severity of the boycotts in a region home to 250mn of the worlds Muslims. People are shifting from food and beverage brands to beauty brands. The boycott is much more substantial now as opposed to symbolic, said Nirgunan Tiruchelvam, head of consumer and internet at Aletheia Capital, an advisory group focused on the Asia-Pacific region.

The Financial Times indicates that Muslim buyers are rejecting American brands because they are American. Mere professed neutrality on Israel does not cut it. And notice the Financial Times bleating that presumed locally owned franchisees are being hurt, presumably unfairly. Aside from the fact that some of the franchise owners may not at all be local, (sure there arent some Singaporean or Chinese in the mix), that excuse is a misdirection about how franchise economics works. The franchisor may indeed takes a not-large-seeing revenue skim, say 5% to 10%, and perhaps a profit share too. Some franchisors guarantee dependence by taking their cut through the sale of key inputs. Coca Cola requires its bottlers to buy its super secret syrup from them.

But those franchisor fees and payments are close to pure profit. And that mean the South-East Asian protestors are denting the parent, even if not as much as if they were targeting wholly-owner operations.

I am not quite as negative about divestment as Sethi is, since it forces influential people to justify why they dont sell the targeted holdings. The counter-argument include that in very liquid markets, where these positions are only a small portion of the total portfolio, the investment team is seriously saying they cant find reasonable substitutes? In other words, virtue here has effectively no cost to Columbia unless it staff choses to bungle the trades, so why not engage in some cheap image-bolstering?

Of course, that debate would also put the spotlight on the fact that the issue is not real world impact of divestiture or the lack thereof, but that the Israel backers will brook no criticism of the Zionist state and by extension, its fellow travelers.

Divestiture fans will argue that the South Africa divestiture movement proved to be effective. I am not close enough to the fine points of that campaign to think it was the divestiture movement per se, versus related boycotts (consumer/customer action!) and governments finally getting on board to pressure South Africa. Ive told the tale of my Communist college roommates being very involved in the South Africa divestiture movement; one typed for the ANC over her summers.

I met them in 1976, and theyd clearly been active in the South Africa cause for a while.

The negotiations to end apartheid in South Africa didnt start until 1990 and took nearly four years.

Now admittedly the spectacle of the slaughter is solidifying world opinion against Israel. That can and should accelerate the timetable for Israels position bcoming untenable. Israel is relying on no one being willing to take military action against the Zionist state, save the plucky Houthis, and that everyone will just forget about the bloodbath once Israel has killed or otherwise ethnically cleansed the Gazans. We and others have discussed the ongoing damage to the Israel economy, not just from the Houthis but also the corroding impact to the country of the many types of cost of the war. That is likely to create the biggest pressure on Israels leadership. But with most of the country seeing this fight as existential, and many even apocalyptic, even a bona fide depression taking hold may not move many minds.

In other words, while all measures to increase pressure on Israel are positive, none by itself looks likely to have much impact. And the clock is ticking for Palestinians in Israel.
Yves here. The spectacle of a wave of campus uprisings across the US in opposition to Israels genocide in Gaza evoke many memories and associations, above all to the Vietnam War demonstrations of 1968. But as Michael Hudson points out below, the Congressional campaign to ruin anyone who supports the protestors or even the right to free speech as anti-semitic comes right out of Senator Joe McCarthys playbook.

One of my two Communist college roommates had a grandmother who was the first to take the Fifth Amendment through her entire grilling by McCarthy, a source of pride in her circle. But then she became a Maoist when the rest of the family was Stalinist, so you could not longer talk about Russia at holiday gatherings.

Nevertheless, both roommates were very involved in the South Africa solidarity movement and promoted South African divestiture. I was apolitical and very much a nerd at the time and so regarded their campaign with curiosity, only to see later that they had been right, and early on top of that.

Theres a lot to like in Michael Hudsons post below, such as his shellacking of Columbia President Nemat Shafiks bootlicking performance before Congress.

By Michael Hudson, a research professor of Economics at University of Missouri, Kansas City, and a research associate at the Levy Economics Institute of Bard College. His latest book is The Destiny of Civilization. Originally published in the Investigacion Economica (Economic Research), produced by UNAM (Autonomous National University of Mexico)

The recent Congressional hearings leading to a bloodbath of university presidents brings back memories from my teen-age years in the 1950s when everyones eyes were glued to the TV broadcast of the McCarthy hearings. And the student revolts incited by vicious college presidents trying to stifle academic freedom when it opposes foreign unjust wars awakens memories of the 1960s protests against the Vietnam War and the campus clampdowns confronting police violence. I was the junior member of the Columbia three alongside Seymour Melman and my mentor Terence McCarthy (both of whom taught at Columbias Seeley Mudd School of Industrial Engineering; my job was mainly to handle publicity and publication). At the end of that decade, students occupied my office and all others at the New Schools graduate faculty in New York City  very peacefully, without disturbing any of my books and papers.

Only the epithets have changed. The invective Communist has been replaced by anti-Semite, and the renewal of police violence on campus has not yet led to a Kent State-style rifle barrage against protesters. But the common denominators are all here once again. A concerted effort has been organized to condemn and even to punish todays nationwide student uprisings against the genocide occurring in Gaza and the West Bank. Just as the House Unamerican Activities Committee (HUAC) aimed to end the careers of progressive actors, directors, professors and State Department officials unsympathetic to Chiang Kai-Shek or sympathetic to the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1975, todays version aims at ending what remains of academic freedom in the United States.

The epithet of communism from 75 years ago has been updated to anti-Semitism. Senator Joe McCarthy of Wisconsin has been replaced by Elise Stefanik, House Republican from upstate New York, and Senator Scoop Jackson upgraded to President Joe Biden. Harvard University President Claudine Gay (now forced to resign), former University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill (also given the boot), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Sally Kornbluth were called upon to abase themselves by promising to accuse peace advocates critical of U.S. foreign policy of anti-Semitism.

The most recent victim was Columbias president Nemat Minouche Shafik, a cosmopolitan opportunist with trilateral citizenship who enforced neoliberal economic policy as a high-ranking official at the IMF (where she was no stranger to the violence of IMF riots) and the World Bank, and who brought her lawyers along to help her acquiesce in the Congressional Committees demands. She did that and more, all on her own. Despite being told not to by the faculty and student affairs committees, she called in the police to arrest peaceful demonstrators. This radical trespass of police violence against peaceful demonstrators (the police themselves attested to their peacefulness) triggered sympathetic revolts throughout the United States, met with even more violent police responses at Emory College in Atlanta and California State Polytechnic, where cell phone videos were quickly posted on various media platforms.

Just as intellectual freedom and free speech were attacked by HUAC 75 years ago, academic freedom is now under attack at these universities. The police have trespassed onto school grounds to accuse students themselves of trespassing, with violence reminiscent of the demonstrations that peaked in May 1970 when the Ohio National Guard shot Kent State students singing and speaking out against Americas war in Vietnam.

Todays demonstrations are in opposition to the Biden-Netanyahu genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. The more underlying crisis can be boiled down to the insistence by Benjamin Netanyahu that to criticize Israel is anti-Semitic. That is the enabling slur of todays assault on academic freedom.

By Israel, Biden and Netanyahu mean specifically the right-wing Likud Party and its theocratic supporters aiming to create a land without a [non-Jewish] people. They assert that Jews owe their loyalty not to their current nationality (or humanity) but to Israel and its policy of driving the Gaza Strips millions of Palestinians into the sea by bombing them out of their homes, hospitals and refugee camps.

The implication is that to support the International Court of Justices accusations that Israel is plausibly committing genocide is an anti-Semitic act. Supporting the UN resolutions vetoed by the United States is anti-Semitic.

The claim is that Israel is defending itself and that protesting the genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank frightens Jewish students. But research by students at Columbias School of Journalism found that the complaints cited by the New York Times and other pro-Israeli media were made by non-students trying to spread the story that Israels violence was in self-defense.

The student violence has been by Israeli nationals. Columbia has a student-exchange program with Israel for students who finish their compulsory training with the Israeli Defense Forces. It was some of these exchange students who attacked pro-Gaza demonstrators, spraying them with Skunk, a foul-smelling indelible Israeli army chemical weapon that marks demonstrators for subsequent arrest, torture or assassination. The only students endangered were the victims of this attack. Columbia under Shafik did nothing to protect or help the victims.

The hearings to which she submitted speak for themselves. Columbias president Shafik was able to avoid the first attack on universities not sufficiently pro-Likud by having meetings outside of the country. Yet she showed herself willing to submit to the same brow-beating that had led her two fellow presidents to be fired, hoping that her lawyers had prompted her to submit in a way that would be acceptable to the committee.

I found the most demagogic attack to be that of Republican Congressman Rick Allen from Georgia, asking Dr. Shafik whether she was familiar with the passage in Genesis 12.3. As he explained It was a covenant that God made with Abraham. And that covenant was real clear.  If you bless Israel, I will bless you. If you curse Israel, I will curse you.  Do you consider that to be a serious issue? I mean, do you want Columbia University to be cursed by God of the Bible?[1]

Shafik smiled and was friendly all the way through this bible thumping, and replied meekly, Definitely not.

She might have warded off this browbeating question by saying, Your question is bizarre. This is 2024, and America is not a theocracy. And the Israel of the early 1st century BC was not Netanyahus Israel of today. She accepted all the accusations that Allen and his fellow Congressional inquisitors threw at her.

Her main nemesis was Elise Stefanik, Chair of the House Republican Conference, who is on the House Armed Services Committee, and the Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Congresswoman Stefanik: You were asked were there any anti-Jewish protests and you said No.

President Shafik: So the protest was not labeled as an anti-Jewish protest. It was labeled as an anti-Israeli government. But antisemitic incidents happened or antisemitic things were said. So I just wanted to finish.

Congresswoman Stefanik: And you are aware that in that bill, that got 377 Members out of 435 Members of Congress, condemns from the river to the sea as antisemitic?

Dr. Shafik: Yes, I am aware of that.

Congresswoman Stefanik: But you dont believe from the river to the sea is antisemitic?

Dr. Shafik: We have already issued a statement to our community saying that language is hurtful and we would prefer not to hear it on our campus.[2]

What an Appropriate Response to Stefaniks Browbeating Might Have Been?

Shafik could have said, The reason why students are protesting is against the Israeli genocide against the Palestinians, as the International Court of Justice has ruled, and most of the United Nations agree. Im proud of them for taking a moral stand that most of the world supports but is under attack here in this room.

Instead, Shafik seemed more willing than the leaders of Harvard or Penn to condemn and potentially discipline students and faculty for using the term from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. She could have said that it is absurd to say that this is a call to eliminate Israels Jewish population, but is a call to give Palestinians freedom instead of being treated as Untermenschen.

Asked explicitly whether calls for genocide violate Columbias code of conduct, Dr. Shafik answered in the affirmative  Yes, it does. So did the other Columbia leaders who accompanied her at the hearing. They did not say that this is not at all what the protests are about. Neither Shafik nor any other of the university officials say, Our university is proud of our students taking an active political and social role in protesting the idea of ethnic cleansing and outright murder of families simply to grab the land that they live on. Standing up for that moral principle is what education is all about, and what civilizations all about.

The one highlight that I remember from the McCarthy hearings was the reply by Joseph Welch, the U.S. Armys Special Council, on June 9, 1954 to Republican Senator Joe McCarthys charge that one of Welchs attorneys had ties to a Communist front organization. Until this moment, senator, Welsh replied, I think I never gauged your cruelty or your recklessness.  Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?

The audience broke into wild applause. Welchs put-down has echoed for the past 70 years in the minds of those who were watching television then (as I was, at age 15). A similar answer by any of the three other college presidents would have shown Stefanik to be the vulgarian that she is. But none ventured to stand up against the abasement.

The Congressional attack accusing opponents of genocide in Gaza as anti-Semites supporting genocide against the Jews is bipartisan. Already in December, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) helped cause Harvard and Penns presidents to be fired for their stumbling over her red-baiting. She repeated her question to Shafik on April 17: Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Columbias code of conduct? Bonamici asked the four new Columbia witnesses. All responded: Yes.

That was the moment when they should have said that the students were not calling for genocide of the Jews, but seeking to mobilize opposition to genocide being committed by the Likud government against the Palestinians with President Bidens full support.

During a break in the proceedings Rep. Stefanik told the press that the witnesses were overheard discussing how well they thought their testimony was going for Columbia. This arrogance is eerily reminiscent to the previous three university presidents who believed when walking out of the hearing that their testimony was acceptable. Columbia is in for a reckoning of accountability. If it takes a member of Congress to force a university president to fire a pro-terrorist, antisemitic faculty chair, then Columbia University leadership is failing Jewish students and its academic mission, added Stefanik. No amount of overlawyered, overprepped, and over-consulted testimony is going to cover up for failure to act.[3]

Shafik could have pointedly corrected the implications by the House inquisitors that it was Jewish students who needed protection. The reality was just the opposite: The danger was from the Israeli IDF students who attacked the demonstrators with military Skunk, with no punishment by Columbia.

Despite being told not to by the faculty and student groups (which Shafik was officially bound to consult), she called in the police, who arrested 107 students, tied their hands behind their backs and kept them that way for many hours as punishment while charging them for trespassing on Columbias property. Shafik then suspended them from classes.

The Clash Between Two Kinds of Judaism: Zionist vs. Assimilationist

A good number of these protestors being criticized were Jewish. Netanyahu and AIPAC have claimed  correctly, it seems  that the greatest danger to their current genocidal policies comes from the traditionally liberal Jewish middle-class population. Progressive Jewish groups have joined the uprisings at Columbia and other universities.

Early Zionism arose in late 19th-century Europe as a response to the violent pogroms killing Jews in Ukrainian cities such as Odessa and other Central European cities that were the center of anti-Semitism. Zionism promised to create a safe refuge. It made sense at a time when Jews were fleeing their countries to save their lives in countries that accepted them. They were the Gazans of their day.

After World War II and the horrors of the Holocaust anti-Semitism became passe. Most Jews in the United States and other countries were being assimilated and becoming prosperous, most successfully in the United States. The past century has seen this success enable them to assimilate, while retaining the moral standard that ethnic and religious discrimination such as that which their forbears had suffered is wrong in principle. Jewish activists were in the forefront of fighting for civil liberties, most visibly against anti-Black prejudice and violence in the 1960s and 70s, and against the Vietnam War. Many of my Jewish school friends in the 1950s bought Israel bonds, but thought of Israel as a socialist country and thought of volunteering to work on a kibbutz in the summer. There was no thought of antagonism, and I heard no mention of the Palestinian population when the phrase a people without a land in a land without a people was spoken.

But Zionisms leaders have remained obsessed with the old antagonisms in the wake of Nazisms murders of so many Jews. In many ways they have turned Nazism inside out, fearing a renewed attack from non-Jews. Driving the Arabs out of Israel and making it an apartheid state was just the opposite of what assimilationist Jews aimed at.

The moral stance of progressive Jews, and the ideal that Jews, blacks and members of all other religions and races should be treated equally, is the opposite of Israeli Zionism. In the hands of Netanyahus Likud Party and the influx of right-wing supporters, Zionism asserts a claim to set Jewish people apart from the rest of their national population, and even from the rest of the world, as we are seeing today.

Claiming to speak for all Jews, living and dead, Netanyahu asserts that to criticize his genocide and the Palestinian holocaust, the nakba, is anti-Semitic. This is the position of Stefanik and her fellow committee members. It is an assertion that Jews owe their first allegiance to Israel, and hence to its ethnic cleansing and mass murder since last October. President Biden also has labeled the student demonstrations antisemitic protests.

This claim in the circumstances of Israels ongoing genocide is causing more anti-Semitism than anyone since Hitler. If people throughout the world come to adopt Netanyahus and his cabinets definition of anti-Semitism, how many, being repulsed by Israels actions, will say, If that is the case, then indeed I guess Im anti-Semitic.

Netanyahus Slander Against Judaism and What Civilization Should Stand For

Netanyahu characterized the U.S. protests in an extremist speech on April 24 attacking American academic freedom.

Whats happening in Americas college campuses is horrific. Antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities. They call for the annihilation of Israel, they attack Jewish students, they attack Jewish faculty. This is reminiscent of what happened in German universities in the 1930s. We see this exponential rise of antisemitism throughout America and throughout Western societies as Israel tries to defend itself against genocidal terrorists, genocidal terrorists who hide behind civilians.

Its unconscionable, it has to be stopped, it has to be condemned and condemned unequivocally. But thats not what happened. The response of several university presidents was shameful. Now, fortunately, state, local, federal officials, many of them have responded differently but there has to be more. More has to be done.[4]

This is a call to make American universities into arms of a police state, imposing policies dictated by Israels settler state. That call is being funded by a circular flow: Congress gives enormous subsidies to Israel, which recycles some of this money back into the election campaigns of politicians willing to serve their donors. It is the same policy that Ukraine uses when it employs U.S. aid by setting up well-funded lobbying organizations to back client politicians.

What kind of student and academic protest expressions could oppose the Gaza and West Bank genocide without explicitly threatening Jewish students? How about Palestinians are human being too! That is not aggressive. To make it more ecumenical, one could add And so are the Russians, despite what Ukrainian neo-Nazis say.

I can understand why Israelis feel threatened by Palestinians. They know how many they have killed and brutalized to grab their land, killing just to free the land for themselves. They must think If the Palestinians are like us, they must want to kill us, because of what we have done to them and there can never be a two-state solution and we can never live together, because this land was given to us by God.

Netanyahu fanned the flames after his April 24 speech by raising todays conflict to the level of a fight for civilization: What is important now is for all of us, all of us who are interested and cherish our values and our civilization, to stand up together and to say enough is enough.

Is what Israel is doing, and what the United Nations, the International Court of Justice and most of the Global Majority oppose, really our civilization? Ethnic cleansing, genocide and treating the Palestinian population as conquered and to be expelled as subhumans is an assault on the most basic principles of civilization.

Peaceful students defending that universal concept of civilization are called terrorists and anti-Semites  by the terrorist Israeli Prime Minister. He is following the tactics of Joseph Goebbels: The way to mobilize a population to fight the enemy is to depict yourself as under attack. That was the Nazi public relations strategy, and it is the PR strategy of Israel today  and of many in the American Congress, in AIPAC and many related institutions that proclaim a morally offensive idea of civilization as the ethnic supremacy of a group sanctioned by God.

The real focus of the protests is the U.S. policy that is backing Israels ethnic cleansing and genocide supported by last weeks foreign aid. It is also a protest against the corruption of Congressional politicians raising money from lobbyists representing foreign interests over those of the United States. Last weeks aid bill also backed Ukraine, that other country presently engaged in ethnic cleansing, with House members waved Ukrainian flags, not those of the United States. Shortly before that, one Congressman wore his Israeli army uniform into Congress to advertise his priorities.

Zionism has gone far beyond Judaism. Ive read that there are nine Christian Zionists for every Jewish Zionists. It is as if both groups are calling for the End Time to arrive, while insisting that support for the United Nations and the International Court of Justice condemning Israel for genocide is anti-Semitic.

What CAN the Students at Columbia Ask For:

Students at Columbia and other universities have called for universities to disinvest in Israeli stocks, and also those of U.S. arms makers exporting to Israel. Given the fact that universities have become business organizations, I dont think that this is the most practical demand at present. Most important, it doesnt go to the heart of the principles at work.

What really is the big public relations issue is the unconditional U.S. backing for Israel come what may, with anti-Semitism the current propaganda epithet to characterize those who oppose genocide and brutal land grabbing.

They should insist on a public announcement by Columbia (and also Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, who were equally obsequious to Rep. Stefanik) that they recognize that it is not anti-Semitic to condemn genocide, support the United Nations and denounce the U.S. veto.

They should insist that Columbia and the other universities making a sacrosanct promise not to call police onto academic grounds over issues of free speech.

They should insist that the president be fired for her one-sided support of Israeli violence against her students. In that demand they are in agreement with Rep. Stefaniks principle of protecting students, and that Dr. Shafik must go.

But there is one class of major offenders that should be held up for contempt: the donors who try to attack academic freedom by using their money to influence university policy and turn universities away from the role in supporting academic freedom and free speech. The students should insist that university administrators  the unpleasant opportunists standing above the faculty and students  must not only refuse such pressure but should join in publicly expressing shock over such covert political influence.

The problem is that American universities have become like Congress in basing their policy on attracting contributions from their donors. That is the academic equivalent of the Supreme Courts Citizens United ruling. Numerous Zionist funders have threatened to withdraw their contributions to Harvard, Columbia and other schools not following Netanyahus demands to clamp down on opponents of genocide and defenders of the United Nations. These funders are the enemies of the students at such universities, and both students and faculty should insist on their removal. Just as Dr. Shafiks International Monetary Fund fell subject to its economists protest that there must be No more Argentinas, perhaps the Columbia students could chant No More Shafiks.

[1] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=syPELLKpABI

[2] https://stefanik.house.gov/2024/4/icymi-stefanik-secures-columbia-university-president-s-commitment-to-remove-antisemitic-professor-from-leadership-role

[3] Nicholas Fandos, Stephanie Saul and Sharon Otterman, Columbias President Tells Congress That Action Is Needed Against Antisemitism, The New York Times, April 17, 2024., and Columbia President Grilled During Congressional Hearing on Campus Antisemitism, Jewish Journal, April 18, 2024. https://jewishjournal.com/news/united-states/370521/columbia-president-grilled-during-congressional-hearing-on-campus-antisemitism/#:~:text=Columbia%20President%20Grilled%20During%20Congressional%20Hearing%20on%20Campus%20Antisemitism

[4] Miranda Nazzaro. Netanyahu condemns antisemitic mobs on US college campuses, The Hill, April 24, 2024.
Conor here: This piece takes aim at GOP governors, which is fair enough, but the larger takeaway might be that the unions are no longer waiting for help from Democrats that isnt coming. I believe were still waiting for Obama on card check, and lets not forget Biden blocking the railroad workers strike. As the following piece notes, the Biden administration also has no plan to challenge the anti-union laws these southern states are enacting, which means workers are, as always under both parties, on their own.

By Jessica Corbett, a senior editor and staff writer for Common Dreams. Originally published at Common Dreams.

Since six Southern Republican governors last week showed how scared they are of the United Auto Workers U.S. organizing drive, Tennessee Volkswagen employees have voted to join the UAW while GOP policymakers across the region have ramped up attacks on unions.

The UAW launched the largest organizing drive in modern American history after securing improved contracts last year with a strike targeting the Big Three automakersGeneral Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. The ongoing campaign led to the landslide victory in Chattanooga last week, which union president Shawn Fain pointed to as proof that you cant win in the South isnt true.

The Tennessee win is breaking the brains of Republicans in that region. Theyre truly astonished that workers might not trust their corporate overlords with their working conditions, pay, health, and retirement, Thom Hartmann wrote in a Friday opinion piece.

The problem for Republicans is that unions represent a form of democracy in the workplace, and the GOP hates democracy as a matter of principle, he argued. Republicans appear committed to politically dying on a number of hills that time has passed by. Their commitment to gutting voting rolls and restricting voting rights, their obsession with womens reproductive abilities, and their hatred of regulations and democracy in the workplace are increasingly seen by average American voters as out-of-touch and out-of-date.

Just before voting began in Chattanooga, GOP Govs. Kay Ivey of Alabama, Brian Kemp of Georgia, Tate Reeves of Mississippi, Henry McMaster of South Carolina, Bill Lee of Tennessee, and Greg Abbott of Texas claimed that unionization would certainly put our states jobs in jeopardy and the UAW is making big promises to our constituents that they cant deliver on.

The next nationally watched UAW vote is scheduled for May 13-17 at a Mercedes-Benz plant in Vance, Alabama.

Workers at our plant are ready for this moment, Mercedes employee Jeremy Kimbrell said last week. We are ready to vote yes because we are ready to win our fair share. We are going to end the Alabama discount and replace it with what our state actually needs. Workers sticking together and sticking by our community.

As workers gear up for the election, the Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 72-30 for a bill that would withhold future economic incentive money from companies that voluntarily recognize unions rather than holding secret ballots. The state Senate previously passed a version of the legislation but now must consider it with the lower chambers amendments.

The Associated Pressnoted that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed similar legislation on Monday and that Tennessee already has one on the books.

With his signature on Senate Bill 362, Kemps aim is to thwart future organizing attempts by workers at automotive plants in Georgia, such as those operated by Hyundai Motor Group, according toThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

As the newspaper detailed:

Georgia has been a right-to-work state since 1947, when Congress passed the Taft-Hartley Act, allowing workers to refuse to join a union or pay dues, even though they may benefit from contracts negotiated by a union with their employer. Just 5.4% of workers in the state belonged to a union in 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, also known as the Wagner Act, protects the right for workers to form a union and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions. The new Georgia law is expected to be challenged in court, labor experts have said.

Acting U.S. Labor Secretary Julie Su told the AP on Thursday that she is not sure if the department will challenge the laws, given the National Labor Relations Boards responsibilities, but she stressed that there are federal standards beneath which no worker should have to live and work.

In terms of joining a union, that choice belongs to the worker, free from intervention, either by the employer or by politicians, free from retaliation and threats, Su said. And what we are seeing is that workers who were thought to be too vulnerable to assert that right are doing it, and theyre doing it here in the South.

The U.S. labor chief also slammed unacceptable union-busting efforts by companies and suggested that protecting the right to unionize is part of President Joe Bidens promise to center workers in the economy.

He has said hes the most pro-worker, pro-union president in history, and we are going to make good on that promise. And that includes making sure that workers have the right to join a union, Su said of the president.

Bidens commitment to workers and unionizing rights has caught the attention of GOP leaders. The governors joint statement nodded to the UAWs January endorsement of the president, who is seeking reelection in November, and South Carolinas leader attacked the administration earlier this year.

During his January State of the State speech, McMaster declared that we will not let our states economy suffer or become collateral damage as labor unions seek to consume new jobs and conscript new dues-paying members. And we will not allow the Biden administrations pro-union policies to chip away at South Carolinas sovereign interests. We will fight. All the way to the gates of hell. And we will win.

News From the Statesreported Friday that of all the foreign-owned automakers in South Carolina, BMW would be the most likely mark in the near term if enough of its workers show interest. The massive plant near Greerthe manufacturers only U.S. production facilityemploys some 11,000 people, twice the number of workers at Volkswagen in Tennessee and Mercedes in Alabama. It has operated in the Upstate for nearly 30 years and is in the process of adding electric vehicle lines.

However, a UAW spokesperson told the outlet that they dont yet have the numbers for the BMW and Volvo facilities in the state, and Marick Masters, a Wayne State University professor who studies the union, said: I dont think theyre writing anybody off but they know the history of unionization. And I would say South Carolina is a very inhospitable place for unions.
NATOs highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, will meet on 16 May 2024, at the Allied Chiefs of Defence level. Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the Military Committee, will preside over the in person meeting, which will be also attended by the Ukrainian Chief of Defence. They will be supported by General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and General Philippe Lavigne, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT).

The meeting of the NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session (MCCS) will enable the Chiefs of Defence, to meet and discuss issues of strategic importance to the Alliance.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will join the Military Committee for the opening session to address the Alliance's key priorities and challenges.

The first session will be led by General Lavigne, SACT, and will focus on implementation of Multi-Domain Operations Concept and the Warfare Development Agenda (WDA) which provides the plan for NATOs military transformation for the next twenty years. More extensive discussions will also be held concerning aligning operations and defence planning within the NATO Defence Planning Process.

The second session will see the Chiefs of Defence meet in a NATO-Ukraine Council format to discuss Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, the situation on the ground, and NATO and Allied continued support to Ukraine.

The third session will see General Cavoli, SACEUR, brief the Chiefs of Defence on the progress made towards the implementation and executability of the DDA Family of Plans that were adopted at the Vilnius Summit in July 2023 (in preparations of the Washington Summit). Broader discussions will also be held on enablement, integrated air and missile defence, defence industrial capacity and societal resilience.

Media Opportunity

Thursday 16 May 2024

08:15 Livestreamed Opening Remarks by Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, and Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General.

18:00 Press Conference with

Chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer.

Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Christopher Cavoli

Media representatives holding a valid 2024 NATO Media pass will have access as usual to the NATO HQ. Media representatives wishing to attend the press conference are invited to contact the NATO IMS Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Office via email (pascad@hq.nato.int) with a completed accreditation form no later than 12h00 on Tuesday 7 May 2024

Media accreditation form

Media passes will not be mailed to applicants; they must be collected in person upon presentation of an ID card or passport and a valid national press pass (or accreditation letter from a recognized media organization). Media representatives will be given their accreditation at the Guard House South, NATO Headquarters, Boulevard Leopold III, Brussels, Belgium.

Passes must be worn visibly at all times, and security personnel may ask to see another form of ID at any time. Media representatives are informed that security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects carried onto the site. They are also advised to arrive with sufficient lead-time to clear security checks.

The opening remarks delivered by the Chair of the Military Committee and the NATO Secretary General will be streamed live on the NATO website.

The press conference will also be streamed live on the NATO website and the live feed will be provided to EBU.

Video footage will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal after the event.

Imagery

Following each event, photos, video and audio files will be made available on the NATO IMS webpage www.nato.int/ims, as well as on the Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence session (MCCS) event page.

Social Media

We will post the latest information and photos from the MCCS on the following Twitter accounts: @NATO_PASCAD and @CMC_NATO.

Please use the hashtags #NATOCHoDs and #NATOMC when tweeting about the NATO Military Committee.

Media Enquiries:

Ms Eleonora Russell, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Advisor to the NATO Military Committee and the NATO International Military Staff.

Tel: + 32 471 61 09 55

E-Mail: russell.eleonora@hq.nato.int

Cdr Grzegorz yko, Deputy Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Advisor to the NATO Military Committee and the NATO International Military Staff.

Tel: + 32 477 57 07 46

E-Mail: lyko.grzegorz@hq.nato.int

For more background information about the NATO Military Committee
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Kyiv on Monday (29 April 2024) for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the state of the war and the future of NATOs support to Ukraine.

The Secretary General praised President Zelenskyys leadership and the bravery of the Ukrainian forces and people, but acknowledged that leadership and bravery alone cannot repel the Russian forces; you also need arms and ammunition. He recognised that serious delays in support have translated to serious consequences on the battlefield. "Ukraine has been outgunned for months... fewer Russian missiles and drones have been shot down, and Russia has been able to push forward on the front line," said Mr Stoltenberg. "But it is not too late for Ukraine to prevail. More support is on the way."

Defence ministers heard President Zelenskyys clear appeal at a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council a few days ago, and they agreed to step up our support, said Mr Stoltenberg. He welcomed the major new package from the United States, providing over 60 billion dollars worth of aid, as well as new commitments by the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, adding: I expect further announcements soon.

The two leaders addressed preparations for the NATO Summit in July. "Allies have already agreed to plan for a greater NATO role in coordinating security assistance and training for Ukraine," said the Secretary General. I believe we also need a major, multi-year financial commitment to sustain our support. To demonstrate that our support to Ukraine is not short term and ad hoc, but long term and predictable. Moscow must understand: they cannot win. And they cannot wait us out.

On membership, Mr Stoltenberg said: "Ukraines rightful place is in NATO. Ukraine will become a member of NATO. The work we are undertaking now puts you on an irreversible path towards NATO membership, so that when the time is right, Ukraine can become a NATO member straightaway."

Later on Monday, Secretary General Stoltenberg delivered an address to the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament. He underlined the importance of preserving Ukraines freedom, adding that Ukraine is fighting to defend the same democratic values present at the heart of NATO.

While in Kyiv, Mr Stoltenberg also visited the National Defence University, greeting members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He also met staff from the NATO Representation to Ukraine to thank them for their service and dedication.
(As delivered)

President Zelenskyy,

My dear friend Volodymyr,

Thank you for your warm welcome.

Thank you for receiving me and my delegation here in Kyiv.

And as you said this is my third visit after the full scale invasion.

But I also had the privilege of meeting you here in Kyiv, in Brussels,

And several other places several times, also before the full scale invasion.

So let me start by thanking you for the cooperation and the friendship we have developed over all these years,

Both before but not least after the full scale invasion by Russia against Ukraine.

Your leadership is a powerful example to us all.

The bravery of your people and armed forces continues to inspire the whole world.

But leadership and bravery alone cannot repel the Russian forces.

You also need arms and ammunition.

Since the beginning of Russias invasion, NATO Allies have provided Ukraine with unprecedented support  including 99 percent of all military aid.

At the same time, I know that serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield.

For months, the U.S. was unable to agree a package.

And European Allies have been unable to deliver ammunition at the scale we promised.

Ukraine has been outgunned for months  forced to ration its ammunition.

This means that fewer Russian missiles and drones have been shot down.

And Russia has been able to push forward along the front line.

But it is not too late for Ukraine to prevail.

More support is on the way.

So Mister President, you addressed NATO Defence Ministers in the NATO-Ukraine Council I chaired just a few days ago.

Allies heard your clear appeal.

And they agreed to step up our support.

I welcome that the United States has now approved a major new package.

It provides over 60 billion US dollars worth of aid, including critical air defence and artillery ammunition.

The U.K. has just announced its largest delivery yet  including dozens of combat boats, hundreds of vehicles, thousands of missiles, and millions of rounds of ammunition.

Germany will deliver an additional Patriot system.

The Netherlands is contributing an additional 4 billion euros.

Other Allies are looking into what more they can do.

And I expect new announcements soon.

So we are working hard to meet Ukraines urgent needs.

And I have been clear that if Allies face a choice between meeting NATO capability targets or support to Ukraine,

They should support Ukraine.

And put plans in place to refill their stockpiles.

Stocks can and will be replenished.

Lives lost can never be regained.

To replenish our stocks, we need to produce more.

So I welcome that Allies are stepping up defence production,

And also working to produce together with Ukraine.

Today, we discussed the preparations for the NATO Summit in July.

So Mister President, I look forward to welcoming you to Washington for that meeting.

Allies have already agreed to plan for a greater NATO role in coordinating security assistance and training for Ukraine.

I believe we also need a major, multi-year financial commitment to sustain our support.

To demonstrate that our support to Ukraine is not short term and ad hoc, but long term and predictable.

Moscow must understand: they cannot win.

And they cannot wait us out.

Ukraines rightful place is in NATO.

Ukraine will become a member of NATO.

The work we are undertaking now puts you on an irreversible path towards NATO membership.

So that when the time is right,

Ukraine can become a NATO member straightaway.

I very much look forward to the day that the Ukrainian flag will fly high at the NATO Headquarters.

So President Zelenskyy,

Dear Volodymyr,

NATO stands with Ukraine.

For your security, and for ours.

Thank you once again.

President Zelenskyy: [interpreted from Ukrainian] Dear journalists, your questions are welcome. We'll start with My-Ukraina TV channel.

Question (My-Ukraina): [interpreted from Ukrainian] Mr. Secretary General, what do you think Ukraine deserves to hear at the Anniversary Summit in Washington? Is there a political will to offer this invitation? If not, then what can we expect? What are the discussions going on? And another question to the President. Many promises were made in the past. We heard about some brigades that were left without ammunitions. Of the promises made, how much ends up at the front? Can we expect that all the deliverables will be carried out? There are nine security agreements that Ukraine has made. Thank you.

NATO Secretary General: Well, I really believe that Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO. And therefore, I'm working hard to ensure that Ukraine will become a member of this Alliance. To have that decision we need all Allies to agree, we need consensus, we need not the majority but actually 32 Allies to agree. And I don't expect that we will have that agreement by the Summit in July. But I really hope that we can demonstrate that we are moving Ukraine closer to membership, and that they will arrive as soon as possible for us to have Ukraine as a full member. In the meantime, we should ensure that Ukraine becomes as interoperable as possible, that Ukraine is fully up to all NATO standards, so when the political conditions are in place, that Ukraine can become a member straightaway. Therefore, I also believe that what we now do when it comes to military support is partly about ensuring the urgent needs for Ukraine, and we discussed how we can step up more military support for Ukraine. But it's also about how to ensure that we deliver the capabilities and help to build the Ukrainian future force that enables Ukraine to become a member of this Alliance. So rest assured, we are working hard. We made some important decisions in Vilnius where we removed what we call the requirement for a Membership Action Plan, turning the path to membership from a two-step process to a one-step process. We agreed to establish a NATO-Ukraine Council. And we also agreed a big programme for interoperability, ensuring that when the political conditions are met, that Ukraine can become a member straightaway.

President Zelenskyy: [interpreted from Ukrainian] Thank you very much for your question. The voting at the US Congress was very important. Some deliveries have already been done. I won't tell more. I will only say that we haven't gotten all we need to equip our brigades. As far as the security agreements and assurances are concerned, they were very timely and important than the time that we have been waiting for the decision in US. You know that air defence costs a lot and the systems or replaceables that were delivered to Ukraine in the past several months were mentioned in some of those security agreements we made. Reuters.

Andrew Gray (Reuters): Andrew Gray from Reuters. A question specifically on air defence. Secretary General, you mentioned after the NATO-Ukraine Council that you expected announcements soon. Since then, we haven't heard of any more announcements of donations of Patriot batteries or other systems to Ukraine. So what makes you optimistic that you will now get those announcements? And also President Zelenskyy, the Secretary General mentioned that NATO members have not lived up to their promises in recent months in terms of what they promised to deliver. Do you feel personally let down by your allies? And do you feel you can still rely on them?

NATO Secretary General: Well, we are working in NATO to ensure that Allies are delivering more air defence to Ukraine. We have updated our overview of different air defence capabilities. And of course we welcome the decision by Germany to deliver a full new Patriot battery to Ukraine. And since our defence ministerial meeting in the NATO-Ukraine Council format with President Zelenskyy we have had Spain announcing that they will deliver Patriot [missiles]. We also have, of course, the major announcement by the United States and the United Kingdom, that also includes different air defence systems. And just today, Australia has announced that they will provide money for air defence systems, short range air defence systems as well as MANPADS. So there are big and small announcements which are coming and have already been announced. But we need more. We are focusing on Patriots, also the need to refurbish existing systems, to replenish and ensure that systems which are already delivered work as they should, that there are enough ammunition. Because if you don't have ammunition to the batteries, it's not much worth to have the batteries. And also, of course, it is important to remember that Patriots are important but so are also other systems  NASAMS, IRIS-T and many other systems, we need a layered air defence. And therefore we focus on a wide range of different systems and continue to work with Allies to make sure that they deliver and turn their commitments and announcements into real delivery of weapons and systems as soon as possible.

President Zelenskyy: [interpreted from Ukrainian] Thank you for your question regarding additional packages and quantity of missiles to do the Patriots. We are looking forward to positive developments. We'll be waiting for the deliveries to come. We were assured that there won't be any intermissions as regards additional Patriot batteries. It's hard to say that we have heard anything specific, but some initial steps have already been made. We discussed those with Mr. Secretary General. We are continuing our analytical work. We know what other partners can offer. So we're working on those additional Patriot batteries. As soon as they are in Ukraine, we'll all feel that, we'll know that. It's important to see that they work to defend our skies. And the last question from BBC.

Jonathan Beale (BBC): Thank you very much. Jonathan Beale from BBC. First of all, President Zelenskyy, can I ask you about what's happening in the east, the situation in the east. Your forces seem to be retreating at the moment. Is there a danger that retreat could become a route  in other words, your lines could collapse with Russian advances? You mentioned the expectation of the ammunition, the promises, that the US has made and now delivered on in terms of getting the vote through, but when will that ammunition start arriving on the front line? Will it make enough of a difference to stop the Russians? And how long will it be to take effect, do you think? And then I would like to ask the Secretary General: also how worried are you about the situation in the east at the moment? Do you think the pledges that NATO countries, including the US and the UK which you mentioned, are going to be enough to reverse the trends we're seeing, which is Russian advances? How soon will that ammunition arrive, do you think? And also you've mentioned there about the need for I think you've been honest and said that NATO has not delivered what its promised. And you have talked You know, I've listened to you for the past year talking about ramping up ammunition in the West, in European countries  and glaciers have melted faster. It's taking a long, long time. I just wonder if you've apologised to President Zelenskyy that NATO countries have not delivered what they promised? Thank you.

President Zelenskyy: [interpreted from Ukrainian] Thank you. Stabilisation and the battlefield. The capabilities of our armed forces, taking initiative, deploying counter-offense  all these things [are] dependent [on] three main, well, conditions, items. First, the vote to provide financial support at the bilateral level and of course, the United States support, this is number one. Second, timely deliveries of weapons and what will be delivered to Ukraine in the long run. The first of those conditions has now been met, though it was difficult. There is a package, there is financial support coming so we can count on this money. Second, timely, timely support of the armed forces. Well, I am yet to see significant positive developments. Deliveries have started, but this process needs to be sped up. And the number three, one thing is to have funds. Well, that's important and once again, we sincerely appreciate that decision, but it is as important to see what we can get with these funds. I'm not even talking about the issue of how these weapons can be used. So we do thank our partners, but there are two more conditions to be met. Thank you.

NATO Secretary General: NATO Allies have not delivered what they promised. The United States spent months not agreeing a package for Ukraine, and European Allies have not delivered the amount of ammunition they promised. And this has had serious consequences on the battlefield. The lack of ammunition has enabled the Russians to push forward along the frontline. Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and then lack of deep-strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces. And we see the consequences of that now.

Therefore, it is extremely important that over the last couple of weeks, we have seen some very important changes. The big US announcement of 61 billion dollars really is significant. The United Kingdom has announced its biggest-ever package, including air defences and millions of rounds of ammunition. And then you have many other Allies stepping up with different types of announcements. So now our responsibility is to ensure that these announcements are turned into real deliveries, physical deliveries, of weapons and ammunition, as soon as possible. And this logistic work, the practical implementation of delivery of ammunition and weapons to Ukraine, is chaired by, or General Cavoli, the US top commander in Europe, is responsible for that effort. Im in regular contact with him, and he's very much aware of the urgency. So they do whatever they can to make sure that announcements are turned into deliveries as quickly as possible, because time matters. Every day matters. General Cavoli is also the NATO Supreme Commander in Europe. So of course, this is something we then also coordinate closely and work closely with all NATO Allies to ensure that this happens. I'm also personally working with and engaging with different leaders across the Alliance. And we had a very important meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council where President Zelenskyy addressed us 10 days ago, in a way to sound the alarm bells and to make it absolutely clear that there is an urgent need for more, and Allies understood the message. And since then, we have seen new announcements and political decisions. And there will be new announcements in the near future.

But again, announcements are not enough, we need to see the delivery of the weapons. So I've stated this clearly, not only in my meeting with President Zelenskyy, but also publicly. Because I think we need to be aware that we have to be honest, and we have to realise that when we don't deliver, when we delay supplies, it's about life and death. It has real consequences. This war is not a kind of theoretical thing. If something's going on 24/7, and when we are not delivering as we should, then Ukrainians are paying the price. But it's also us, also all NATO Allies, because of course it has a cost to ensure that Ukraine prevails. And there's always a risk when you are engaged in conflict, like Ukraine is now. But the biggest risk is if President Putin prevails, and if President Putin wins. And the biggest cost is if Russia wins in Ukraine, because then we speak about enormously much bigger amounts of money, a much bigger amount of money that NATO Allies have to invest in our security. So supporting Ukraine is the best way to ensure our own security and that's the message to NATO Allies.

President Zelenskyy: [interpreted from Ukrainian] Thank you. With this, this press conference is over.
Gov. Abbott, a neocon Zionist, sent TROOPS to Texas universities to brutally assault pro-Palestine students

Right-wing Zionist and globalist in Republican garb Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has reportedly begun deploying troops to college campuses all across the Lone Star State to persecute everyone who is protesting against Israel's genocide in Gaza.

The below video footage shows military-clad law enforcement officers marching on foot and horseback, Stasi style, onto the campus of The University of Texas at Austin in pursuit of pro-Palestine protesters.

Abbot is controlled op. Imagine sending this to American protesters vs your our border. ? pic.twitter.com/wu5buZVI8K  Tony Montana (@9mmScorpion) April 24, 2024

The latest reports explain that upwards of 50 students and faculty members have been arrested so far with protests still ongoing. Just like at Columbia University in New York City, police are ordering everyone on campus to stop exercising their First Amendment right to free speech or else face immediate arrest  because America is an authoritarian police state now, in case you have not noticed.

(Related: You know who else wants to persecute pro-Palestine protesters on college campuses? John Podhoretz, who recently suggested sending in the National Guard to terrorize those opposed to Israel's genocide in Gaza.)

Zionist privilege

It is Gov. Abbott who is directly responsible for the persecution at UT. After hearing about the protests, which were organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the registered student organization and chapter of Students for Justice at Palestine, Abbott had a meltdown and sent in the troops to silence their free speech.

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.

All in all, as of this writing, 57 people have been booked into the Travis County Jail, which is music to Abbott's ears. All of the charges, though, have been disposed of, which is likely angering Abbott as he plots his next anti-Gaza persecution scheme.

Following the arrests, the Palestine Solidarity Committee posted a fresh call to "Stand with the Arrested, Stand with Gaza," urging both students and faculty in opposition to Israel's genocide in Gaza to converge at UT's Main Mall for a follow-up rally.

UT spokesman Brian Davis announced in a statement that 26 of the 50 some-odd people "who violated Institutional Rules and were ultimately arrested" have no affiliation with UT. You can see by this statement that Davis is just as misaligned with free speech as Abbott.

The same statement from Davis criticized the protests, claiming they "sought to follow the playbook of the national campaign to paralyze the operations of universities across the country."

In other words, Davis believes that the purpose of these protests is not to stop the Israeli genocide of Gaza but rather to "disrupt and create disorder."

Meanwhile, pro-Israeli Jewish protesters at UT who were chanting and singing were allowed to remain near the main square, demonstrating the Zionist privilege that infests the United States.

The National Guard has not yet been deployed to UT, but the Texas Military Department said it is ready to storm the campus should the protests continue any further.

"While the Texas National Guard was aware and prepared to respond to the protests at UT yesterday, no Soldiers were dispatched to the campus during the event," the department said in a statement to the media.

"DPS and law enforcement partners did not require assistance. The Texas National Guard is prepared to respond if requested."

Abbott is refusing to answer questions about whether or not he actually plans to deploy the National Guard, and is instead referring all media to contact the Texas Military Department for further information.

"He once wore a kippah and kissed a wall in Jerusalem," someone wrote on X about Abbott and his true alliances.

Israel's genocide in Gaza will not end well for the Zionists. Find out more at Prophecy.news.

Sources include:

Twitter.com

Statesman.com

NaturalNews.com
America: Goodbye my country

25 Ways the US is Being Destroyed Explained in Under 2 Minutes

(Article republished from PaulCraigRoberts.org)

A Warning to America: 25 Ways the US is Being Destroyed | Explained in Under 2 Minutes pic.twitter.com/qwmBO8DmMt  Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) April 22, 2024

I would add several more. For example, the independence of doctors requires private practice. Private practice is being destroyed systematically by medical insurance, malpractice insurance, Medicare, Big Pharma, and the US Congress which panders to Big Pharma for campaign contributions. Medical doctors are being forced into becoming employees for HMOs where they have to follow their employers protocols or be fired. This means that they must abandon the Hippocratric Oath and follow the profit-enhancing practices of their employer HMOs. Big Pharma provides software for diagnosis and treatment, and doctors have to prescribe according to what Medicare and insurance companies will pay a percentage of the billing amount. Even doctors in private practice find that what they can prescribe and what operations they can perform is limited to insurance and medicare decisions.

During the orchestrated Covid pandemic, the entire propaganda operation was geared toward maximizing Big Pharmas profits from the Covid vaccine and to cancelling peoples control over their own health care by imposing vaccine mandates. This was the first exercise in the imposition of mass tyranny in the Western World. Individual countries had experienced tyranny, but never before the entire Western world simultaneously.

In order to maximize Big Pharmas profits and impose mass tyranny, it was necessary to prohibit two safe, effective, known preventatives and cures for Covidhydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin. Doctors who successfully used these cures and preventatives to protect their patients were subject to persecution by medical authorities and governing boards. Some were fired from their HMO jobs and university medical schools, some were stripped of their licenses, some were prosecuted. In order to mass inject people with an untested vaccine under an emergency use order the requirement was that there were no cures. So, the fact that there were cures had to be suppressed. The utterly corrupt US medical establishment, the whore media and the Western governments suppressed the cures and ridiculed them as horse medicine.

If the Western peoples were not so insouciant, so gullible, so trusting of authorities, so utterly stupid and incapable of thinking for themselves, there would have been no orchestrated Covid pandemic and no mass vaccination, which is against all medical protocols in the face of a pandemic. According to all available scientific evidence to date, the Covid vaccine has killed and destroyed the health of more people than the Covid virus. The corrupt authorities have done their best to cover this up, but as I have reported the coverup has failed. Still nothing is being done about it.

Nothing can be done as long as Congress is dependent on campaign contributions from corporations. Our representatives are really representatives of those interest groups that fund election campaigns. Congress reports to them, not to us. The idiot US Supreme Court actually ruled that corporations had a legitimate Constitutional right to purchase the US government.

This ruling converted a government that represented the people into one that represented the political campaign contributors.

Another addition I would make is the destruction of manners. Try to find today any sign of the manners I grew up with or the civilization that existed. Men were taught to respect women, and women in those days were safer than they are in our feminist times. Even when I was in my 20s, when a woman entered the room, the men stood up. Car and restaurant doors were opened for women. Women were helped into their seat at the table. Only when women were seated did men sit down. Men were trained to be gentleman, and ladies to be ladies. No gentleman ever used a four-letter word in a womans presence, and no woman ever spoke one. Listen to the barbaric youth today. Even the terms ladies and gentlemen have passed out or have been driven out of use. Feminists said that civility was the way men patronized women and demanded an end to civility.

Elegance in dress and demeanor has left us. When is the last time you saw a well dressed man or woman on an air flight even in first class, in an airport, shopping mall, restaurant, on the street? It has been years.

I remember a few years ago a first class flight from a New York meeting to Atlanta. My seat mate was a young attractive black woman bursting out of her cut off shorts and minimal halter. She was happy and celebrating with her drinks. I asked her what her good news had been. She said that she had just been signed by a Jewish firm as a recording artist and that her future was made. I asked her about her music, and she played some for me from her cell phone. Every other word was four-letter. What struck me was that she had no sense of inappropriate language, much less shame, in presenting a litany of four-letter words to a person long outside her generation. For her, it was normality, what she knew. No reason for me to be disturbed.

In other words, she simply reflected her times. That told me that my civilized time had passed, and that we were headed down, not up.

Today in the Disunited States we have a government in power that was not elected; instead it used control over the blue cities in swing states and the whore American media to steal the election. Massive amounts of evidence was provided by experts that the election was stolen, but this was strongly denied by the whore media, and experts were prosecuted for making the facts known.

Today America is governed by an illegitimate tyrannical regime, and nothing has been done about it. The Republican Party is useless. Only Trump soldiers on with four orchestrated criminal indictments and a number of civil cases arrayed against him. The media, Democrats, and Rino Republicans are all against him. Only the people are for him, and the people are powerless. They dont even have the vote as the Democrats made clear by stealing the last two elections. Those prosecuting Trump have no concern that they are destroying Americas reputation and reducing the power of all future presidents, making them even more subservient to the deep state.

Americas only representativeDonald Trumpis so overloaded with criminal and civil prosecutions that he has no time to campaign and even as a billionaire is overwhelmed with the legal costs of defending himself from obvious nonsensical charges.

The legal profession, the law schools, the bar associations, the Congress, the courts, the media stand aside as if they are not also endangered and as if the weaponization of law isnt a foundation of tyranny.

What we are witnessing most certainly is the transformation of American law into a weapon for subjecting the American population and eliminating anyone who dares to protest or challenge the tyrannical ruling establishment.

This is the reason that the United States of America is a totally dead and buried formerly free nation. Americans have sat on their butts and allowed the destruction of civility, the rule of law, the Constitution, and their nation.

Read more at: PaulCraigRoberts.org
Dubai rain bomb took place due to heavy rainfall and poor drainage  not climate change

On April 16, two year's worth of heavy rain that fell in just 24- hours caused floods in the United Arab Emirates, affecting cities that lie directly within the Arabian Desert like Dubai as well as Sharjah, the Northern Emirates and different areas of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. According to the Emirati National Center for Meteorology (NCM), this was the country's heaviest rainfall recorded in 75 years.

The unprecedented levels of rain that flooded the desert city brought it to a complete standstill as residents looked to "swim their way out of the mess." Some have been pronounced dead, flights have been grounded, cars can barely go anywhere and the tedious cleanup work was declared to take a lot of time. Insurance insiders predicted that the damages would potentially cost up to $1 billion.

Dubai's busiest international airport canceled 2,155 flights, diverted 115 and did not return to full capacity until Tuesday. "We must acknowledge... that there has been an unreasonable and unacceptable deficiency and collapse in services and crisis management," prominent Emirati analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said on X, formerly Twitter.

In an interview, Jonathan Richards, a UAE resident from the U.K. said, "It was absolutely horrendous. It is the worst that I've ever seen in Dubai. We've seen some bad storms in the past, but this was like nothing else. It was like an alien invasion. The sky just kept on flashing thunder almost non-stop."

Meanwhile, the green tyrants of climate alarmism took advantage of this and blamed it all on climate change. An April 17 article written by Andrew Freedman, titled "Dubai's record-shattering 'rain bomb' has clear climate change ties," in the online news website Axios, claiming that record rainfall received in one day in Dubai has a clear connection to climate change.

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But analysts debunked this lie. According to Anthony Watts of the climate-focused website Watts Up With That, Axios conflated the weather events with long-term climate change. Other evidence suggested this was little more than a rare weather event, which has happened before according to weather history for the area. To top it all, the city drainage infrastructure was weak and it was unable to handle the excess water. (Related: Large-scale geoengineering projects to alter Earths climate, once dubbed a conspiracy theory, are now expanding globally right out in the open.)

Freedman's article already noted these: "At least two years' worth of rain, or about 6.26 inches, fell in just 24 hours, qualifying as what has come to be known colloquially as 'rain bombs' for their ultra-heavy totals in such short periods. This amount of rainfall in a single day would cause problems even in more temperate locations, let alone Dubai, a desert city with poor drainage." But he went on to say that the heavy rainfall event was forecasted by weather models. "The proximate cause of the flooding was a slow-moving and potent area of low pressure, or cold pocket of air aloft, that sparked complexes of severe thunderstorms over the United Arab Emirates and nearby countries on Tuesday," he said. "This storm system, along with the threat of heavy rainfall, was shown by weather models several days in advance."

As per a writeup on Newsable, since the forecast showed significant rain over the area, UAE's "cloud seeding" program was put into action. "Since the 1990s, UAE has been actively engaged in cloud seeding efforts, overseen by the NCM. This government agency manages the country's Rain Enhancement Program, utilizing a network of numerous weather stations to closely monitor atmospheric conditions for seeding operations," it explained. "Ahmed Habib, a specialist meteorologist at NCM, revealed to Bloomberg that seeding planes conducted seven missions over two days leading up to the heavy rainfall that inundated parts of the desert nation."

Watts concluded that it seemed like a simple case of a rare and intense short-term rainfall event, possibly juiced by cloud seeding. "Since short-term weather models were used to forecast it, climate does not enter the picture. Long-term climate models could not have forecasted such an event because it is well below their time scale of years to decades ahead," he concluded, adding that weather is not climate.

UAE to spend $544M for repairs

More than a week after the unprecedented deluge lashed the desert country, the United Arab Emirates announced that it would spend $544 million to repair the homes of Emirati families after widespread flooding killed four people  three Filipinos and one Emirati. UAE authorities have not released an official toll.

"We learned great lessons in dealing with severe rains," Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum said after a cabinet meeting. "The ministers approved two billion dirhams ($544,528,840) to deal with damage to the homes of citizens." Sheikh Mohammed, also the ruler of Dubai, one of the worst-hit of the UAE's seven sheikhdoms, also said that a ministerial committee was assigned to follow up on this file... and disburse compensation in cooperation with the rest of the federal and local authorities.

Cabinet ministers also formed a second committee to log infrastructure damage and propose solutions, Mohammed posted on X. "The situation was unprecedented in its severity, but we are a country that learns from every experience," he said.

Before it battered the UAE, the storm first landed in Oman on April 14, where it killed at least 21 people, the official Oman News Agency reported.

Check out ClimateAlarmism.news for more stories on propaganda movements that aim to push green tyranny.

Sources for this article include:

WinePressNews.com

WattsUpWithThat.com

ManilaTimes.net
Hungary backs Chinas PEACE PROPOSAL to end Russia-Ukraine conflict

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has voiced out Budapest's support of China's proposal to resolve the conflict in Ukraine during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.

In his statement, Szijjarto expressed that there is "no solution to wars on the battlefield," and warned that there is a large "pro-war camp" supported by global mainstream media and non-governmental organizations that undermines peace efforts.

"We support the Chinese peace plan, simply because it exists and calls for peace. And in our opinion, any initiative that diverts international political debates and international political discourse from war to peace is useful," Szijjarto said in a statement following the talks.

"But we must be louder in supporting peace," he added. "Both China and Hungary are strengthening the peace camp."

Szijjarto, speaking on behalf of the Hungarian government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has previously claimed many leaders in the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are suffering from "war psychosis," wherein they feel as if they are already at war with Russia.

He described the tone at a recent meeting of EU foreign and defense ministers as that of an army headquarters, where for hours "almost everyone was talking about how many units of what weapons and according to what schedule they are ready to supply to Ukraine" from military stockpiles, many of which are practically empty following over two years of providing limitless military aid to Kyiv.

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.

From the onset of the conflict, Hungary has been calling for a ceasefire and negotiations to save Ukrainian lives, with Orban insisting that "time is on the side of the Russians" and that "almost nobody" believes that Kyiv can actually win on the battlefield. (Related: EU threatening to SABOTAGE Hungary's economy if Viktor Orban continues to block military aid for Ukraine.)

Chinese peace proposal calls for ceasefire, protection of civilians, resumption of peace talks and end to sanctions

In February 2023, China also long urged peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, and issued a 12-point peace plan to end the hostilities.

The initiative includes a call for a cessation of hostilities, a resumption of peace talks, abandoning the "Cold War mentality" and respecting the sovereignty of all nations.

In contrast to Beijings proposal to end the fighting, Kyivs ten-point peace formula  first presented by President Volodymyr Zelensky in the fall of 2022  demands the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from all territories within Ukraines internationally recognized 1991 borders.

Moscow has described Zelenskys peace formula as an absolutely hollow ultimatum that is divorced from reality.

China's proposal, unveiled at a security conference in Munich, Germany, emphasizes a call for a ceasefire, peace talks and an end to sanctions against Russia.

However, skepticism regarding China's intentions has been voiced, particularly by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who expressed concerns about Beijing's support for Russia.

Despite China's claims of neutrality, Blinken cited intelligence suggesting that China may be considering providing lethal support to Russia, a claim vehemently denied by Beijing.

The 12-point proposal, while advocating for peace and dialogue, lacks specific details on key issues such as the sovereignty of Ukraine and the status of territories seized by Russia since 2014. It calls for the protection of civilians and prisoners of war, among other general principles.

Analysts note that China's policy appears to be leaning in favor of Russia, with some suggesting that Beijing is attempting to navigate a delicate balance between supporting Russia and maintaining an image of peace advocacy.

The Kremlin has also come out in support of China's peace proposal, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stating that Beijing's plan is the most reasonable proposal so far to resolving the conflict in Ukraine.

"The most important thing for us is that the Chinese document is based on an analysis of the reasons for what is happening and the need to eliminate these root causes. It is structured in logic from the general to the specific," said Lavrov. "This plan was criticized for being vague But this is a reasonable plan that the great Chinese civilization proposed for discussion."

Watch this clip of President Volodymyr Zelensky vowing to never give up any territory to Russia.

This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

ANALYSIS: Israel, Ukraine, Western Europe and the United States have already been defeated.

Ukraine now buying CHINESE DRONES because the American-made versions are unreliable.

Russia, China discussing plans to "double counteract" U.S.-led alliance of Western nations.

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban accuses EU of resorting to BLACKMAIL to force his support for Ukraine.

Hungarian security analyst: Russia-Ukraine war will not end in 2024.

Sources include:

RT.com

APNews.com

Reuters.com

Brighteon.com
IRGC officer warns: Iran is capable of striking Israeli nuclear facilities

A senior officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned Israel that Iran is capable of striking Israeli nuclear facilities . IRGC Brig. Gen. Ahmad Haghtalab claimed they have the necessary information about the location of those targets.

"We have a hand on the trigger to launch powerful missiles and destroy those targets," added Haghtalab in a statement to Iranian news agency Tasnim. Haghtalab, the officer responsible for protecting the Iranian sites, also said the Israeli nuclear facilities could be hit in a counterattack.

The Israeli nuclear industry has a public civilian component along with an alleged military component.

Tensions have increased in the Middle East this month after an Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria on April 1, in which seven IRGC officers were killed, including a high-ranking officer within the IRGC's special forces unit, the Quds Force.

Tehran retaliated last April 13 with a large barrage of drones and missiles, most of which were reportedly downed by Israel and its supporters, including Jordan. Israel responded with a strike on the central Iranian city of Isfahan. No Iranian nuclear sites were targeted.

Israel has an estimated 80 nuclear weapons at its disposal

Israel has an estimated 80 nuclear weapons at its disposal, including 30 gravity bombs and 50 warheads for medium-range ballistic missiles, as reported by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a well-known international security watchdog.

Haghtalab didn't mention which sites Iran intends to hit.

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Israel has been accusing Iran of covertly developing nuclear weapons for decades. Gilad Erdan, Israel's representative at the United Nations, asserted on April 14 that Tehran was only weeks away from building a nuclear weapon, as he appealed to members of the UN Security Council to contemplate what would have occurred if Iran "could have launched a nuclear bomb" when it attacked Israel. However, these claims were immediately dismissed by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The Iranian leadership has said that it regards all weapons of mass destruction as incompatible with Islam.

Nevertheless, Haghtalab stated that it would be "conceivable" for Tehran to review its "nuclear doctrine and politics" if Israel keeps threatening its nuclear facilities. "The threats of the Zionist regime against Iran's nuclear facilities make it possible to revise our nuclear doctrine and deviate from our previous considerations," Haghtalab said.

"If the Zionist regime wants to take action against our nuclear centers and facilities, it will definitely and surely face our reaction. For the counterattack, the nuclear facilities of the (Israeli) regime will be targeted and operated upon with advanced weaponry."

Nuclear sites are usually treated off limits for military action. But Haghtalab pointed out that Israel's attack on the consulate, an internationally protected diplomatic mission, was evidence that it does not care about playing by the rules. (Related: Iran just proved it can hit Israel with "Kheibar Shekan" ballistic missiles.)

Follow WWIII.news for more stories about conflicts in the Middle East and other parts of the world.

Watch the video below about Iran sending a strong message to Israel with its missile and drone barrage.

This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Iran mocks Israel's weak attempt at an attack: "Like toys, not drones."

An eye for an eye: Iran warns that it will destroy Israeli nuclear facilities if its own are targeted.

Iran threatens larger attack if Israel doesnt back off with its aggression.

Simulation shows NUCLEAR HELL would be unleashed in apocalyptic Iran vs. Israel war.

Israel vows to retaliate against Iran with new devastating strike (World War 3).

Sources include:

RT.com

TimesOfIsrael.com

Brighteon.com
Gavin Newsom targeting Arizona women to boost Californias ABORTION TOURISM

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to propose a legislative measure aimed at facilitating abortion services for residents of neighboring Arizona

The proposed bill intends to streamline the licensing process for Arizona-based abortion providers looking to extend their services to California. This initiative comes in response to the recent affirmation by the Arizona Supreme Court of a law from 1864 that effectively restricts access to abortions in the state.

"Were now doing that as it relates to being a good neighbor  not just to those that seek reproductive care and reproductive freedom, but also to our neighbors, particularly in Arizona," said Newsom. "Weve got some ideas to help those that seek to get their care in California to have their back as well." (Related: Newsom calls on Florida women to come to California for abortions after passage of six-week abortion ban in Sunshine State.)

Newsom underscored the importance of aiding neighboring states in accessing reproductive careparticularly in light of recent developments in Arizona's abortion laws. The proposal aims to assist individuals seeking abortion services in California, including those affected by the restrictions imposed in Arizona.

Newsom's office has indicated that further details regarding the legislation will be forthcoming. It is anticipated that the bill will be introduced in the statehouse by members of the California Legislative Women's Caucus.

Collaboration between Newsom's office and Arizona officials, including Gov. Katie Hobbs and Attorney General Kris Mayes, has been reported in the development of this legislation.

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.

Mayes has informed medical providers in Arizona that abortions can be performed until June 8th, the earliest possible date for the implementation of the 1864 abortion ban.

Concerns raised about the effectiveness of Newsom's proposal

Dr. Gabrielle Goodrick of Camelback Family Planning, an abortion clinic in Phoenix, expressed doubts about its effectiveness in addressing the needs of Arizonans. She pointed out logistical challenges faced by patients  depending on their economic situation  such as travel and childcare arrangements, which may hinder access to out-of-state abortion services.

"I just don't think it's realistic to think that that's going to help Arizonans. I hate to be the bearer of bad news," said Goodrick. "Arizona doctors could go to clinics that are already established in California, but again, that doesn't solve the problem of our patients getting to California."

Goodrick noted that a lot of providers in Arizona have families in the state, and having to uproot their practices to another state just to provide abortions is not a feasible plan.

"If you're, you know, 'on access,' you don't have good childcare, your car can't drive across the desert, it's not reliable enough, you have to bring someone with you if you're going to be getting a surgical abortion, so you have to have two people off work," said Goodrick. "So, it's logistics."

Questions have also arisen regarding the specifics of expedited licensing for abortion providers and the accompanying regulatory framework.

Furthermore, Cathi Herrod, president of the nonprofit the Center for Arizona Policy, has also raised concerns about ensuring the health and safety of Arionan women seeking abortion services in California. Herrod expressed apprehension regarding the potential risks of the proposed legislation.

"Will California really look out for the health and safety of women seeking an abortion?" asked Herrod. "What will they require for licensing or credentials for an abortion provider? So very concerned that once again, we see California's governor promoting abortion at all cost and not really caring about women's health."

Visit Abortions.news for more stories about abortion services in the United States.

Watch the following video entitled "Bill Maher believes WHAT about abortion?"

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Joe Biden wants to force employers to provide abortions for their workers.

Alabama passes bill that protects IVF service providers from lawsuits following granting of legal personhood to embryos in the state.

Missouri AG sues Planned Parenthood for trafficking minors to get abortions in other states.

911 call reveals woman severely injured by notorious Ohio late-term abortion facility.

Theyre coming for your CHILDREN: California Governor Gavin Newsom signs "anti-parent" law.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

NYTimes.com

ABC15.com

Brighteon.com
STUDY: COVID-19 spike proteins help cancer cells survive and RESIST chemotherapy

A new preprint cell study from Brown University has found that the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), helps cancer cells survive and resist chemotherapy

According to the study, led by Dr. Wafik El-Deiry, the director of Brown's Legorreta Cancer Center, spike protein may promote cancer survival and growth through interference with anti-cancer activities, blocking the function of a crucial cancer suppressor gene known as p53.

El-Deiry and his colleagues observed that when cancer cells encountered spike protein subunits, it reduced the activity of p53, a protein that helps defend the body against tumors. This allowed the cancer cells to escape the body's natural defenses against tumor formation. El-Deiry also explained that interfering with p53 can both foster cancer development and bolster cancer growth.

The study also used chemotherapy drugs to activate the p53 genes, but instead of dying, the researchers found that cancer cells containing spike protein subunits displayed increased resistance to chemotherapy, a standard treatment for various types of cancers. (Related: Dr. Robert Malone warns Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine may cause CANCER.)

"We saw enhanced cancer cell viability in the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike S2 subunit after treatment with several chemotherapy agents," said El-Deiry.

More and more studies are linking COVID-19 vaccines to cancer cases

A Japanese study, published in the medical journal Cureus on April 8, backed the findings of the research from Brown.

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.

The study examined age-adjusted mortality rates for 20 different types of cancer in Japan using official statistics on death, SARS-CoV-2 infections and vaccination rates from 2020 to 2022. Japan, which is now administering its seventh vaccine dose, shows "statistically significant increases" in cancer deaths following the administration of the third vaccine dose.

During the initial year of the pandemic in 2022, there were no excessive cancer mortalities (-0.4 percent). However, the data shows some excess cancer mortalities of 1.1 percent after the mass vaccination campaigns with the first and second doses in 2021, and then higher excess cancer mortalities of 2.1 percent in 2022 after the rollout of the third vaccine dose.

In 2022, excess mortalities for all cancers, specifically estrogen and estrogen receptor alpha (ER?)-sensitive cancers, including ovarian, leukemia, prostrate, lip/oral/pharyngeal, pancreatic and breast cancers, became substantial. Aside from the ER?-sensitive cancers, the study also shows a concerning trend in mortality rates for the most fatal cancerslung, colorectal, stomach and liver cancerswhich were declining before the pandemic. Nevertheless, the rate of decline decelerated following the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

All six cancer types exceeded anticipated mortality values in 2021 and 2022, even though pancreatic cancer already displayed a steady rise predating the pandemic.

The highest number of cancer-related mortalities occurred among individuals aged 80 to 84, with over 90 percent of this group having received a third vaccine dose. Almost 100 percent of the vaccines administered were mRNA-based, predominantly Pfizer's (78 percent) followed by Moderna's (22 percent).

Furthermore, the researchers argued that even with reduced cancer screenings and limited healthcare access at that time, the mortality rate increase in these cancer types is still unexplainable due to resolved restrictions on healthcare access for cancer screenings and treatments in 2022.

Visit VaccineInjuryNews.com for more on the adverse side effects of COVID-19 vaccines.

Watch the video below for more information about cancer-causing components in vaccines.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Young individuals vaccinated against COVID-19 are getting increasingly diagnosed with CANCER.

Florida Surgeon General calls for COVID-19 vaccines to be STOPPED due to cancer-causing contaminants.

Health Canada confirms that Pfizer COVID-19 injections contain SV40 DNA sequence that can cause CANCER.

STUDY: Disposable COVID-19 masks expose wearers to high levels of toxic compounds linked to cancer.

Studies prove vitamin D supplementation can prevent COVID-19 and protect against cancer, liver disease and cardiovascular disease.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com 1

LifeSiteNews.com

TheEpochTimes.com 2

Brighteon.com
Trump joins neocon Republicans in selling out America for Ukraine, Israel

Mr. Operation Warp Speed former President Donald Trump is now fully aligned with what retired United States Army Col. Douglas Macgregor described as "the money pigs in Washington."

Macgregor, speaking of President Trump, explained in an interview that the former president who rallied supporters around himself by claiming to be anti-swamp has basically become the swamp he railed against as part of his claim to political fame.

Despite overwhelming public opposition to all these foreign wars happening right now in places like Ukraine and Israel, Trump and the rest of the money pigs fully support sending all of your tax dollars to Volodymyr Zelensky, Benjamin Netanyahu and all the other war criminals who belong behind bars.

"Seventy percent of the American people" now oppose funding foreign wars, but current and future, Macgregor told former Fox News anchor Clayton Morris. Watch the full interview below:

(Related: Remember back in late December of 2021 after it was already obvious that Wuhan coronavirus [COVID-19] "vaccines" were killing people left and right when Trump tripled down in supporting them, claiming that Operation Warp Speed saved millions of lives?)

Trump's betrayal of America

Many are waking up to the fact that Trump is little more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. And as a former and possibly still current supporter of Trump himself, Macgregor seems to be leading the charge right now in outing Trump for who he truly is.

"What he did  is essentially align himself with the money pigs in Washington who were interested in everything other than the American people," Macgregor explained, calling it "catastrophically stupid" for Trump to support the latest $95 billion military aid funding package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

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.

"He's essentially throwing his principles overboard and his supporters under the bus," he added. "If I were working for him right now and he were president, I would have advised him under no circumstances to support the bill and instead focus our attention on the borders of the United States [and] restoring the rule of law."

As to why Trump is doing what he is doing, Macgregor believes that the former president is desperate to once again occupy the White House and have all eyes on him again since he loves attention.

"I think Mr. Trump wants desperately to be president," Macgregor said. "So, he is turning to everyone and anyone who has money willing to support him and will promise to do so  whatever they're asking."

Macgregor is the CEO of Our Country, Our Choice, an organization that claims it exists "to come together to save America." Its motto is "Truth set you free," and it supposedly centers around the "Christian roots" of the United States that Macgregor would like to see come back to the country.

In Macgregor's view, Trump "made a bad mistake" with supporting this foreign war funding bill, adding that "it will haunt him" come November.

Trump "should have stood with the 21 members" of Congress who opposed the bill because "quite frankly, most of America stands with those 21 members," Macgregor added.

Until judgment day comes from God himself, it appears as though Washington, D.C., will remain a cesspool no matter how many "populist" politicians occupy its borders.

"Trump is beginning to look a lot like 'a mile wide and an inch deep" kind of guy," one commenter wrote at Life Site News.

"Col. Macgregor is merely stating the obvious about Trump  the simple, plain, unvarnished truth and God bless him for doing so," wrote another.

Trump is losing a lot of supporters as they come to the realization that he is no different than the rest of the corrupt political establishment. Learn more at Trump.news.

Sources for this article include:

LifeSiteNews.com

NaturalNews.com
Ukraine has lost almost 500,000 troops in the conflict against Russia  about 10 times that of Moscow

Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu claims that the Ukrainian military has experienced nearly 500,000 military losses since February 2022.

Speaking at a ministerial meeting, Shoigu emphasized that Russian forces currently hold the initiative on the front lines, pushing back Ukrainian troops and preventing them from maintaining defensive positions.

Addressing the United States' planned allocation of over $60 billion in military aid to Kyiv, Shoigu expressed skepticism about its impact on the battlefield. He suggested that most of the funds would go toward U.S. military production rather than significantly altering the situation in Ukraine.

Shoigu criticized the U.S. approach, arguing that it effectively condones Ukrainian casualties in the conflict with Russia to serve American interests. "The American authorities cynically state that Ukrainians will be dying in the fight with Russia for their interests," said Shoigu.

The long-awaited, nearly $61 billion military aid package for Ukraine has finally been passed into law by the White House following months of political back-and-forth.

Highlighting Russia's defense production capacity and tactical flexibility, Shoigu reiterated the Defense Ministry's commitment to conducting long-range attacks on logistics hubs and depots supplying Western weapons to Ukraine. (Related: Ukraine running out of air defense missiles, giving Russia a FREE PASS to Kyiv.)

Ukraine rarely comments on the scale of its battlefield fatalities. But in February, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that his country had lost 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield. Estimates based on U.S. intelligence indicate the losses are much higher.

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.

Western sources claim Russian military casualties have surpassed 50,000

Meanwhile, the BBC has verified that Russia's military casualties in Ukraine have surpassed 50,000, marking a grim milestone in the ongoing conflict. Over the past year, as Moscow implemented its aggressive "meat grinder" strategy on the front lines, the death toll surged by nearly 25 percent compared to the previous year.

Collaborating with independent media group Mediazona and volunteers, the BBC has meticulously tracked these casualties since February 2022. The investigation involved examining new graves in cemeteries and analyzing open-source data from official reports, newspapers and social media.

According to the BBC's analysis, of the more than 50,000 alleged casualties  which is more than eight times higher than the only official public acknowledgment of fatality numbers given by the Kremlin in September 2022  about 27,300 are confirmed deaths that occurred in the second year of combat. The BBC further claims that the actual number of Russian deaths is likely to be much higher.

Of the deaths confirmed by the BBC, 9,000 were allegedly Russian prison inmates who were recruited into the military with a promise of freedom after their service. Several thousands more were allegedly volunteers and civilians with little to no military training or experience.

The analysis also does not include the number of deaths of Russian-aligned militia units that come from the disputed territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, internationally recognized as part of eastern Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, responding to the BBC's findings, asserted that it is the "exclusive prerogative of the Ministry of Defense" to provide information on casualties, because of laws covering state secrets and disseminating information during the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

Learn more about the deadly conflict in Ukraine at UkraineWitness.com.

Watch this video discussing the recent Russian conquest of the town of Novobakhmutivka.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Biden regime tells Zelensky regime to stop bombing Russia's oil refineries because it might cause global energy prices to soar.

Russia claims to have seized the initiative in Ukraine following significant territorial gains.

Ukraine suspends visa renewals for military-aged Ukrainians living overseas as punishment for NOT DYING in battle with Russia.

Russia warns: Fresh aid package for Ukraine will lead to more Ukrainian casualties.

Ukraine warns its frontlines could COLLAPSE at any time as generals fear severe losses from upcoming Russian offensive.

Sources include:

RT.com

BBC.com

Brighteon.com
Western sanctions against Russia causing more copper production to move to China, concentrating control over this critical metal in Chinese hands

Every time the United States attempts to punish Russia for its special military operation in Ukraine, it somehow backfires on America. And the shift in copper production to China is no exception.

America's super-smart leaders continue to sanction Russia as punishment for the war in Ukraine, which in turn is resulting in more and more industries fleeing the West for China.

Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel, for example, is responding to U.S. sanctions by moving some of its copper smelting production to China, announced company CEO Vladimir Potanin in a recent interview.

"This pressure forced us to think about how to get our goods to the distribution market in the right way," Potanin told the media, explaining that efforts by both the U.S. and the United Kingdom to target Russian-origin copper, aluminum, and nickel is not going the way these Western powerhouses had hoped.

"One of these non-standard solutions is to transfer part of production to markets of direct consumptions," Potanin added.

(Related: The ongoing copper crisis is threatening the future of "clean" energy" around the world because there is not nearly enough of this important metal available for the entire world to go "green.")

Norilsk Nickel shifts away from U.S. dollar as settlement currency

Norilsk Nickel is planning to establish a joint venture with China to build a new copper smelting plant by mid-2027. Once completed, the operation will be able to produce about two million metric tons of copper concentrate a year for the global market.

Because of U.S. sanctions, the final product will be sold as Chinese goods, which Potanin says are "much more difficult to sanction in China than Russian goods coming to China."

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.

Even in friendly jurisdictions, Russian metals companies face obstacles that necessitate a change like this, Potanin says. Thus, it only makes sense for Russia to continue forging these kinds of partnerships with China moving forward.

All of this is also coinciding with a dramatic shift away from the U.S. dollar as the standard settlement currency. De-dollarization, as it is also called, is a common theme in the current global economy, and Norilsk Nickel is part of it.

The company has already begun selling metal on the spot market in yuan rather than dollars using a mix of London and Shanghai prices.

In order to scale up production, Norilsk Nickel is also seeking access to China's battery technologies, which are used in electric vehicles (EV) and other so-called "green" technologies that are being pushed as a "clean" replacement for earth-based fuels like oil and gas.

None of these changes would be happening, at least not at the current speed, had U.S. and other Western officials not imposed sanctions on Russia. It is almost as if the powers that be want to drain the West of everything before fleeing like rats off a sinking ship.

"Chinese companies are also building factories in Russia," a commenter at RT wrote. "Russian companies can also build factories in China. For Russian companies, surviving in the face of sanctions is the most important thing."

"I hope this doesn't signal the start of a wholesale exodus of future-critical Russian firms to other countries," expressed another worryingly.

"Don't worry, when the formation of BRICS+ gets bigger and bigger enough to cover majority of countries in the world, the economy will be amongst themselves in the EAST trading bloc," wrote another.

"Say goodbye to Western fake money USD, euro, and no need to trade with the West."

The latest news about how China is becoming an economic powerhouse thanks to rampant corruption in the United States can be found at Communism.news.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

NaturalNews.com
Challenging weather conditions are expected in the central U.S. next week, according to a weather report. Commuters should keep alert for threats of isolated tornadoes, hail, damaging winds, and flash floods.

Recently, 10 tornadoes were reported in parts of North Texas. People are advised to keep updated with the latest forecasts in South-Central U.S to keep safe from severe weather outlook.

Tornado Watches were reported in parts of Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, and Kansas. The threats of scattered storms can unload in portions of north Texas into southwestern Oklahoma. An increasing risk of flash floods is likely.

Severe Weather Threats in Central U.S.

Residents in central states can experience rounds of storms this weekend until Monday. The stormy outlook can help bring isolated tornadoes and wet weather patterns.

Recently, a Nature World News (NWN) report showed that Southern Plains could expect severe weather threats this week. With a primary risk of tornadoes, commuters should limit outdoor activities and wait until the weather improves.

On the weekend, rainy conditions and travel delays could occur in the following areas:

Omaha

Des Moines

Kansas City

Wichita

Oklahoma City

Dallas

Little Rock

Springfield

St. Louis

Peoria

Dallas

Des Moines residents should watch out for severe weather in central Iowa, which is causing heavy rains and localized flash flooding.

In the central U.S., the localized damaging winds could reach 55 to 65 mph, accompanied by a rainy outlook. On Monday, severe thunderstorms could unload in the following areas:

Memphis

Shreveport

Jackson

New Orleans

Mobile

Little Rock

In Little Rock, residents should stay alert for severe weather outbreaks, including potential thunderstorm winds and large hail.

On Tuesday, hail and localized damaging wind gusts can unfold in Omaha, Kansas City, Des Moines, and Rochester.

In Kansas City, the latest advisory suggests a stormy outlook, warning that it could become severe with localized flash flooding threats and isolated tornadoes.

For Houston residents, a Coastal Flood Advisory was issued, causing potential minor coastal flooding and increasing waves. Strong rip currents can be likely, particularly on Gulf-facing beaches.

Additionally, a marginal to enhanced risk of severe weather can bring excessive rainfall in SE Texas, with potential hail, damaging winds, and tornado concerns.

Also Read: Southern Plains Weather Forecast: Severe Weather to Bring Flash Flood, Tornadoes This Week

Weather Preparedness for Severe Weather

This week, the latest weather outlook warns of severe weather threats in parts of the central U.S, causing potential power outages and travel disruptions.

Limiting outdoor plans is recommended to keep safe from severe weather, particularly in the central U.S. Keeping emergency kits is advisable if the weather worsens.

For tornado risks, homeowners should evacuate into safer areas when tornadoes occur, particularly avoiding windows, doors, and fragile materials.

Related Article: Texas-Oklahoma Panhandle Weather: Stormy Conditions, Elevated Fire Concerns Likely this Week

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News
A recent study reveals that nearly half of China's biggest cities are sinking.

The study based on recent satellite data believed that 45 percent of the land in China's largest cities is currently sinking at "moderate to severe" rates.

270 Million Living On Sinking Land

According to a study published in the journal Science, nearly half of China's urban areas, which account for 29% of the country's population, are sinking at a rate greater than 3 millimeters (about 0.12 inches) per year. There are 270 million people living on sinking land.

Meanwhile, 67 million people live on terrain that is subsiding at a rate of more than 10 millimeters (0.4 inches per year).

Researchers believe that one of the key causes of subsidence in China is widespread groundwater extraction.

Cities have been extracting water from subterranean aquifers faster than it can be restored, a predicament made worse by climate change-induced drought. Excessive pumping reduces the water table, causing the surrounding land to sink.

The land is likewise sinking as the weight of cities increases. Soil can compact naturally due to the weight of sediments collecting over time and massive buildings bearing down on the ground, causing the land to gradually sink.

The study also reveals that sinking already causes China to lose more than $1 billion per year. Within the next century, over 25% of coastal land might go below sea level. This would put hundreds of millions of people at serious risk of flooding.

Tianjin, China's northernmost city, with a population of 15 million, has been classified as one of the worst-affected locations.

Last year, 3,000 residents were forced to leave the city due to a "sudden geological disaster" caused by a sinking. Investigators blamed the problem on both water loss and the construction of geothermal energy plants.

"It really brings home that this is for China a national problem and not a problem in just one or two places. And it is a microcosm of what is happening around the rest of the world," said Robert Nicholls of Britain's University of East Anglia.

Read Also: US Coastal Cities at Increased Flood Risk Due to Sinking Land

Worldwide Problem

Land subsidence is not just an issue in China.

New York City is among many coastal cities in the United States that are sinking. In the Netherlands, 25% of the land has dipped below sea level. In Mexico City, perhaps the world's fastest subsiding city, terrain sinks at a rate of up to 50 centimeters (almost 20 inches) every year.

Another study discovered that approximately 6.3 million square kilometers of land worldwide were at risk of further sinking.

Sinking has a greater impact at coastlines, where sea levels are rising concurrently. This combination exposes more land, people, and property to damaging flooding.

Based on a 2022 data, out of the 44 main coastal cities now affected by the problem, 30 were in Asia.

"Most urban cities experience land subsidence, but we focus our attention on coastal cities because of sea level rise. However most urban cities experience land subsidence at rates comparable or even greater than subsidence in coastal cities," said Leonard Ohenhen, a doctoral researcher at Virginia Tech.

Experts suggested that at-risk cities may take lessons from Tokyo. The Japanese capital city fell by roughly 5 meters until officials prohibited groundwater mining in the 1970s.

They noted that in some areas, local officials will have to combat the problem by constructing flood-prevention systems.

Related Article: Sinking Land in Indian Town Forces Hundreds of People to Evacuate; Cracks Appear in Over 600 Houses
According to information published by Sebastien Lecornu on April 26, 2024, the initial orders for a new generation of aircraft carriers have been placed. Naval Group, Chantiers de lAtlantique, and Technicatome have received notifications to begin long-term services, including the development of nuclear propulsion systems.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

Model of the future next generation aircraft carrier, PANG, at Euronaval 2022. (Picture source: Navy Recognition)

France is set to begin the construction of a new-generation aircraft carrier, aimed at replacing the aging Charles de Gaulle carrier. Preliminary studies for this ambitious project, known as the Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Generation (PANG), commenced in October 2018. As of 2024, the project has reached the detailed pre-project phase, with a launch and implementation dossier expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

This initiative follows the retirement of the carrier Foch, which was sold to the Brazilian Navy in the early 2000s, leaving Charles de Gaulle as France's sole aircraft carrier. The Charles de Gaulle undergoes extensive maintenance every ten years, which includes dry-docking for up to one and a half years for major structural repairs and nuclear fuel replenishment.

This periodic downtime significantly reduces Frances naval projection capabilities, prompting the need for a second carrier to ensure continuous availability of an aeronaval group.

On December 8, 2020, President Emmanuel Macron, during a visit to the Framatome site in Le Creusot, officially launched the PANG program and confirmed the choice of nuclear propulsion for the new carrier. This decision aligns with the recommendations of the French Navy's general staff, given the significantly larger tonnage of the new ship compared to Charles de Gaulle, which demands greater power for operations.

The propulsion system will feature a new model of nuclear reactors, K-22, developed by Framatome Defense in collaboration with TechnicAtome, designed to deliver 220 to 230 megawatts, enabling the carrier to reach speeds of 30 knots and to operate advanced systems like electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) and directed energy weapons.

The new carrier is expected to implement the CATOBAR system (Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery), which has been a standard in French carriers since the 1960s.

The integration of electromagnetic catapults, which are significantly lighter than traditional steam catapults, will enhance operational flexibility and enable the launch of a wide range of aircraft, from drones to the new generation fighter jets.
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LzLabs defence rests on an interpretation of the EU Software Directive. The 1991 European directive, which has long been codified into UK law, allows third-party software developers to analyse products in developing alternatives providing they avoided copying the source code.

Mainframes, championed by IBM, emerged to dominate the nascent information technology market in the 1960s, and many large enterprises such as banks and telcos still rely on IBMs mainframe technology, now known as IBM Z, to run key applications.

The cost of rewriting applications is high, so many large enterprises have elected to maintain them on their original platform. That option is becoming less viable over time as mainframe skills dwindle with grey beard engineers versed in the intricacies of running mainframes retiring and younger developers more focused on developing workloads for cloud-based computing.

Technologies such as SDM potentially free enterprises from the dependency they still have on IBMs hardware and operating systems. Any verdict that weakened the applicability of the EUs Software Directive in the UK could have wider ramification for the UK technology sector.

A separate case brought by IBM against LzLabs and another company, Texas Wormhole, in the US in March 2022 is currently expected to come to trial late this year or early next. It relates to allegations of infringement of patents and misuse of trade secrets. These legally distinct claims also relate to the role and conduct of Winsopia in the development of LzLabs Software Defined Mainframe.

The case brought in the UK is being heard in the Technology and Construction Court division of the High Court before Mrs Justice OFarrell, and is expected to last nine weeks.
I'm a big fan of China, have lots of fans there: Elon Musk

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esla CEO Elon Musk, on his ongoing visit to China, said that he is a big fan of the country and that many people are his admirers there.

The billionaire said this during a meeting with Ren Hongbin, the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) on Sunday.

"I'm a big fan of China. I have to say that," Musk was heard saying in a now widely shared video on X.

I also have a lot of fans in China, well the feelings are reciprocated, he added.

Musk made an "unannounced and surprising" visit to Beijing on Sunday, where he also met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days," said Musk in a post on X.com along with a picture with Qiang.

"Tesla's business in China is a successful example of Sino-American economic and trade cooperation," Premier Li Qiang was quoted as saying by CCTV News.

Lauding the hard work and wisdom of the Chinese, Musk said: Tesla's Shanghai Gigafactory is the companys best-performing one. Tesla is willing to further deepen cooperation with the Chinese side to achieve more win-win results."

Meanwhile, Musks visit has also raised hopes for bringing Teslas autopilot and supervised full self-driving (FSD) technology to China, known to be the Electric Vehicle makers second-biggest market.

Musk was earlier, this month, expected to visit India, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, the tech billionaire scrapped the plan amid crucial Tesla quarterly results and will possibly visit the country later this year to announce his investment plans.

When asked by a user Why he didn't visit India first? Musk replied, I meet with more foreign leaders than our sitting President.

 I'm a big fan of China, have lots of fans there: Elon Musk

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Australian PM calls leaders' meeting amid gendered violence crisis

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ustralia's Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has called an emergency meeting of the country's leaders to address a crisis of violence against women.

Anthony Albanese will on Wednesday hold a meeting of the national cabinet, which is composed of federal, state and territory leaders, to discuss plans to prevent male violence against women, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We need to look at the full suite of policy measures that can make a practical difference here," he told state media Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television on Monday.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister was one of thousands of Australians who joined protests across the country demanding an end to gender-based violence following a wave of incidents.

According to the advocacy group Destroy the Joint, 27 women have died violently in Australia so far in 2024, more than double the 12 in the first four months of 2023.

Addressing protesters in Canberra, Albanese dismissed organisers' calls for the government to declare family violence a national emergency, instead making the case for long-term action to address the national crisis.

He told the ABC on Monday that an emergency declaration would trigger immediate one-off government actions, such as emergency payments during natural disasters.

"What we need here is not one-off actions. What we need here is a concerted plan," he said.

Earlier on Monday, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said that misogyny online was working against government policies aimed at reducing violence against women.

She told Seven Network television that adolescent boys in particular are being fed violent content online that is supporting misogynistic attitudes.

 Australian PM calls leaders' meeting amid gendered violence crisis

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OpenAI, UK's Financial Times ink content licensing deal

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he creator of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot ChatGPT OpenAI on Monday inked a partnership pact with UK-based Financial Times (FT) to licence its content and develop AI tools.

Under this partnership, the global news publisher will licence its material to Sam Altman-run OpenAI to help create generative AI technology that can create text, images and code indistinguishable from human creations.

"Our partnership and ongoing dialogue with the FT is about finding creative and productive ways for AI to empower news organisations and journalists, and enrich the ChatGPT experience with real-time, world-class journalism for millions of people globally," Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, said in a statement.

In addition, the FT noted that it became a customer of ChatGPT Enterprise earlier this year.

"This is an important agreement in a number of respects. It recognises the value of our award-winning journalism and will give us early insights into how content is surfaced through AI," said FT Group CEO John Ridding.

OpenAI has entered into multiple agreements with news organisations to licence their content for training AI models.

Axel Springer, the publisher of several media outlets including Business Insider, Politico, and the European publications Bild and Welt, has signed a similar agreement with OpenAI to extract data from its articles.

In December last year, The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft, alleging that the tech companies used millions of articles to build ChatGPT's underlying models without proper permission.

In the lawsuit, the company said it had been in licensing discussions with Microsoft and OpenAI for months but none had resulted in a resolution.

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Sonakshi thanks filmmakers who've taken 'the risk' to cast her differently

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n a career spanning over a decade, Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha has fearlessly explored roles outside the box.

The actress is thankful to filmmakers, who have taken the "risk" of showcasing her in a different light.

Reflecting on her journey from being in talks for her character in 'Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar' to becoming Fareedan, Sonakshi told IANS: "It was a beautiful journey, from actually meeting him, discussing the project, listening to the story, and witnessing how he developed my character as we went along. It was a beautiful process.

Sonakshi was thrilled when she was informed that she would be playing a negative character.

The actress added: "I have been waiting for a director to see and portray me to the audiences in a different light, and who better than Sanjay sir to do it."

Sonakshi is thankful to filmmakers like Vikramaditya Motwane for 'Lootera', A.R. Murugadoss for 'Akira', and Reema Kagti for 'Dahaad', among others.

"Very few people have taken that sort of risk with me, and whoever has done it, I am truly thankful to them. Vikramaditya Motwane with 'Lootera', 'Akira' Murugadoss, Reema Kagti in 'Dahaad', and now this, she said.

For an actor, it really is a dream to push yourself and present to the audience a side they haven't seen before. Fareedan is something I have been waiting to do for the longest time.

Playing shades of grey has been on Sonakshis bucket list.

I have always wanted to play a slightly negative character on screen You dont hate the character for any reason. She has her own reason to behave the way she behaves.

The show will air on Netflix from May 1.

 Sonakshi thanks filmmakers who've taken 'the risk' to cast her differently

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In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers investigated the link between deployment duration to military bases that utilized open burn pits and the probability of being diagnosed with respiratory or cardiovascular diseases among veterans.

The study revealed that extended deployment to bases utilizing open burn pits is linked to slightly increased odds of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, ischemic stroke, and hypertension, suggesting potential adverse health outcomes linked to environmental factors while serving in the military.

Study: Deployment to Military Bases With Open Burn Pits and Respiratory and Cardiovascular Disease. Senior Airman Julianne Showalter, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_pit. Accessed 29 Apr. 2024.

Background

The military of the United States has utilized open burn pits for the disposal of various materials, including medical, hazardous, and solid waste, during multiple operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Despite restrictions imposed by the Department of Defense (DOD) in 2009 and efforts to adopt alternative waste disposal methods, burn pits remained in use until more sustainable options were implemented.

Despite concerns raised by the public and veterans themselves, few studies have investigated the lasting health effects of burn pit exposure.

While deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) has been linked to increased respiratory disease risk, it is challenging to isolate the impact of burn pit exposure due to the complex mixture of emissions and other airborne contaminants encountered during military service.

About the study

This study aimed to assess how deployment to bases with open burn pits impacts long-term cardiovascular and respiratory health outcomes among veterans.

The cohort study examined Air Force and Army veterans who deployed to OIF or OEF from 2001 to 2011 and enrolled with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to receive health care after their deployment.

The study utilized declassified records of military deployment linked to VHA health data to assess the link between deployment to bases utilizing open burn pits and long-term cardiovascular and respiratory health outcomes among veterans.

A cohort of veterans meeting inclusion criteria was established, excluding Navy and Marine veterans due to data unavailability and those with incomplete deployment records before 2005.

Burn pit exposure and deployment history were determined using DOD records, with health outcomes assessed through healthcare records maintained by the VHA up to 2020.

The analysis considered covariates, including obesity, smoking status, demographic factors, service branch, and income level.

Statistical analysis involved multivariable logistic regressions to examine associations between burn pit exposure and disease outcomes, adjusting for covariates.

Sensitivity analyses addressed methodological concerns, including exclusions and potential sources of confounding.

Findings

The study included 459,381 Air Force and Army veterans deployed to OIF or OEF between 2001 and 2011. Follow-up data were collected from the VHA until the end of 2020.

The cohort, predominantly male (87%) and racially diverse (white veterans accounted for 67% of the population), was, on average, 31.6 years old when they entered VHA care. Over 94% of the veterans had a history of Army service.

Participants exhibited varied socioeconomic indicators, including high rates of obesity (34%) and cigarette smoking (43%).

Most cohort members (86%) had been deployed to bases with burn pits at least once, with a median exposure duration of 244 days.

Analysis of the relationship between the duration of burn pit exposure and various health outcomes showed a slight increase in the odds of asthma (1%) and COPD (4%) per 100 days of exposure, with modest dose-response associations across exposure tertiles.

Hypertension was also associated with exposure to burn pits, with a slight elevation in the probability of ischemic stroke observed, though precision was limited. No associations were observed for interstitial lung disease.

Sensitivity analyses indicated minimal impact on association measures after exclusions and adjustments for covariates.

Adjusting the model for the deployment duration accounted for most of the difference in associations between adjusted and unadjusted outcomes, except for hypertension, which showed increased association only after adjusting for all covariates.

Conclusions

The cohort study revealed that more prolonged periods of open burn pit exposure were linked to slight increases in COPD, hypertension, and asthma among veterans from OIF and OEF.

These associations were modest; however, given the large number of veterans who may be potentially affected, the authors argue that even slight elevations in risk should be considered clinically significant.

Previous studies had limitations in assessing burn pit exposure effects. This study, with a more extended median follow-up period of 10.9 years and a larger sample size, provided important insights.

Although limitations existed, including potential biases and lack of detailed burn pit exposure data, these findings underline the need for ongoing evaluation of health risks linked to burn pit exposure among veterans.

These findings highlight the importance of considering potential long-term health impacts when providing healthcare and benefits to veterans and the value of declassified deployment data for researching military-related health outcomes.
Monica Kelly was thrilled to learn she was expecting her second child.

The Tennessee mother was around 13 weeks pregnant when, according to a lawsuit filed against the state of Tennessee, doctors gave her the devastating news that her baby had Patau syndrome.

The genetic disorder causes serious developmental defects and often results in miscarriage, stillbirth, or death within one year of birth. Continuing her pregnancy, doctors told her, could put her at risk of infection and complications that include high blood pressure, organ failure, and death.

But they said they could not perform an abortion due to a Tennessee law banning most abortions that went into effect two months after the repeal of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, court records show.

So Kelly traveled to a northwestern Florida hospital to get an abortion while about 15 weeks pregnant. She is one of seven women and two doctors suing Tennessee because they say the state's near-total abortion ban imperils the lives of pregnant women.

More than 25,000 women like Kelly traveled to Florida for an abortion over the past five years, state data shows. Most came from states such as Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi with little or no access to abortion, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. Hundreds traveled from as far as Texas.

But a recent Florida Supreme Court ruling paved the way for the Sunshine State to enforce a six-week ban beginning in May, effectively leaving women in much of the South with little or no access to abortion clinics. The ban could be short-lived if 60% of Florida voters in November approve a constitutional amendment adding the right to an abortion.

In the meantime, nonprofit groups are warning they may not be able to meet the increased demand for help from women from Florida and other Southeastern states to travel for an abortion. They fear women who lack the resources will be forced to carry unwanted pregnancies to term because they cannot afford to travel to states where abortions are more available.

That could include women whose pregnancies, like Kelly's, put them at risk.

"The six-week ban is really a problem not just for Florida but the entire Southeast," said McKenna Kelley, a board member of the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund. "Florida was the last man standing in the Southeast for abortion access."

Travel bans and stricter limits

Supporters of the Florida restrictions aren't backing down. Some want even stricter limits. Republican state Rep. Mike Beltran voted for both the 15-week and six-week bans. He said the vast majority of abortions are elective and that those related to medical complications make up a tiny fraction.

State data shows that 95% of abortions last year were either elective or performed due to social or economic reasons. More than 5% were related to issues with either the health of the mother or the fetus.

Beltran said he would support a ban on travel for abortions but knows it would be challenged in the courts. He would support measures that prevent employers from paying for workers to travel for abortions and such costs being tax-deductible, he said.

"I don't think we should make it easier for people to travel for abortion," he said. "We should put things in to prevent circumvention of the law."

Both abortion bans were also supported by GOP state lawmaker Joel Rudman. As a physician, Rudman said, he has delivered more than 100 babies and sees nothing in the current law that sacrifices patient safety.

"It is a good commonsense law that provides reasonable exceptions yet respects the sanctity of life for both mother and child," he said in a text message.

Last year, the first full year that many Southern states had bans in place, more than 7,700 women traveled to Florida for an abortion, an increase of roughly 59% compared with three years ago.

The Tampa Bay Abortion Fund, which is focused on helping local women, found itself assisting an influx of women from Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and other states, Kelley said.

In 2023, it paid out more than $650,000 for appointment costs and over $67,000 in other expenses such as airplane tickets and lodging. Most of those who seek assistance are from low-income families including minorities or disabled people, Kelley said.

"We ask each person, 'What can you contribute?'" she said. "Some say zero and that's fine."

Florida's new law will mean her group will have to pivot again. The focus will now be on helping people seeking abortions travel to other states.

But the destinations are farther and more expensive. Most women, she predicted, will head to New York, Illinois, or Washington, D.C. Clinic appointments in those states are often more expensive. The extra travel distance will mean help is needed with hotels and airfare.

North Carolina, which allows abortions through about 12 weeks of pregnancy, may be a slightly cheaper option for some women whose pregnancies are not as far along, she said.

Keeping up with that need is a concern, she said. Donations to the group soared to $755,000 in 2022, which Kelley described as "rage donations" made after the U.S. Supreme Court ended half a century of guaranteeing the federal right to an abortion.

The anger didn't last. Donations in 2023 declined to $272,000, she said.

"We're going to have huge problems on our hands in a few weeks," she said. "A lot of people who need an abortion are not going to be able to access one. That's really scary and sad."

Gray areas lead to confusion

The Chicago Abortion Fund is expecting that many women from Southeastern states will head its way.

Illinois offers abortions up until fetal viability  around 24 to 26 weeks. The state five years ago repealed its law requiring parents to be notified when their children seek an abortion.

About 3 in 10 abortions performed in Illinois two years ago  almost 17,000  involved out-of-state residents, up from fewer than a quarter the previous year, according to state records.

The Chicago nonprofit has prided itself on not turning away requests for help over the past five years, said Qudsiyyah Shariyf, a deputy director. It is adding staffers, including Spanish-language speakers, to cope with an anticipated uptick in calls for help from Southern states. She hopes Florida voters will make the crisis short-lived.

"We're estimating we'll need an additional $100,000 a month to meet that influx of folks from Florida and the South," she said. "We know it's going to be a really hard eight months until something potentially changes."

Losing access to abortion, especially among vulnerable groups like pregnant teenagers and women with pregnancy complications, could also increase cases of mental illness such as depression, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder, said Silvia Kaminsky, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Miami.

Kaminsky, who serves as board president of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, said the group has received calls from therapists seeking legal guidance about whether they can help a client who wants to travel for an abortion.

That's especially true in states such as Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri that have passed laws granting "personhood" status to fetuses. Therapists in many states, including Florida, are required to report a client who intends to harm another individual.

"It's creating all these gray areas that we didn't have to deal with before," Kaminsky said.

Deborah Dorbert of Lakeland, Florida, said that Florida's 15-week abortion limit put her health at risk and that she was forced to carry to term a baby with no chance of survival.

Her unborn child was diagnosed with Potter syndrome in November 2022. An ultrasound taken at 23 weeks of pregnancy showed that the fetus had not developed enough amniotic fluid and that its kidneys were undeveloped.

Doctors told her that her child would not survive outside the womb and that there was a high risk of a stillbirth and, for her, preeclampsia, a pregnancy complication that can result in high blood pressure, organ failure, and death.

One option doctors suggested was a pre-term inducement, essentially an abortion, Dorbert said.

Dorbert and her husband were heartbroken. They decided an abortion was their safest option.

At Lakeland Regional Health, she said, she was told her surgery would have to be approved by the hospital administration and its lawyers since Florida had that year enacted its 15-week abortion restriction.

Florida's abortion law includes an exemption if two physicians certify in writing that a fetus has a fatal fetal abnormality and has not reached viability. But a month elapsed before she got an answer in her case. Her doctor told her the hospital did not feel they could legally perform the procedure and that she would have to carry the baby to term, Dorbert said.

Lakeland Regional Health did not respond to repeated calls and emails seeking comment.

Dorbert's gynecologist had mentioned to her that some women traveled for an abortion. But Dorbert said she could not afford the trip and was concerned she might break the law by going out of state.

At 37 weeks, doctors agreed to induce Dorbert. She checked into Lakeland Regional Hospital in March 2023 and, after a long and painful labor, gave birth to a boy named Milo.

"When he was born, he was blue; he didn't open his eyes; he didn't cry," she said. "The only sound you heard was him gasping for air every so often."

She and her husband took turns holding Milo. They read him a book about a mother polar bear who tells her cub she will always love them. They sang Bob Marley and The Wailers' "Three Little Birds" to Milo with its chorus that "every little thing is gonna be alright."

Milo died in his mother's arms 93 minutes after being born.

One year later, Dorbert is still dealing with the anguish. The grief is still "heavy" some days, she said.

She and her husband have discussed trying for another child, but Florida's abortion laws have made her wary of another pregnancy with complications.

"It makes you angry and frustrated. I could not get the health care I needed and that my doctors advised for me," she said. "I know I can't go through what I went through again."
Construction has commenced on a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, has stated that it will be the largest terminal globally, with an estimated cost of approximately $35 billion (Rs 2.9 lakh crore).

Today, we approved the designs for the new passenger terminals at Al Maktoum International Airport, and commencing construction of the building at a cost of AED 128 billion as part of Dubai Aviation Corporations strategy, Sheikh Mohammed wrote on the X platform.

Dubai International Airport, the worlds busiest for international travel, will move its operations to the city-states second, sprawling airfield in its southern desert within the next 10 years in a project worth nearly $35 billion, its ruler said Sunday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoums announcement marks the latest chapter in the rebound of its long-haul carrier Emirates after the coronavirus pandemic grounded international travel.

Plans have been on the books for years to move the operations of the airport known as DXB to Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central which had also been delayed by the repercussions of the sheikhdoms 2009 economic crisis.

We are building a new project for future generations, ensuring continuous and stable development for our children and their children in turn, Sheikh Mohammed said in an online statement.

Dubai will be the worlds airport, its port, its urban hub and its new global centre. The announcement included computer-rendered images of curving, white terminal reminiscent of the traditional Bedouin tents of the Arabian Peninsula. The airport will include five parallel runways and 400 aircraft gates, the announcement said. The airport now has just two runways, like Dubai International Airport.

The financial health of the carrier Emirates has served as a barometer for the aviation industry worldwide and the wider economic health of this city-state. Dubai and the airline rebounded quickly from the pandemic by pushing forward with tourism even as some countries more slowly came out of their pandemic crouch.

The number of passengers flying through DXB surged last year beyond its total for 2019 with 86.9 million passengers. Its 2019 annual traffic was 86.3 million passengers. The airport had 89.1 million passengers in 2018  its busiest-ever year before the pandemic, while 66 million passengers passed through in 2022.

Earlier in February, Dubai announced its best-ever tourism numbers, saying it hosted 17.15 million international overnight visitors in 2023. Average hotel occupancy stood at around 77%. Its boom-and-bust real estate market remains on a hot streak, nearing all-time high valuations.

But as those passenger numbers skyrocketed, it again put new pressure on the capacity of DXB, which remains constrained on all sides by residential neighbourhoods and two major highways.

Al Maktoum International Airport, some 45 km (28 miles) away from DXB, opened in 2010 with one terminal. It served as a parking lot for Emirates double-decker Airbus A380s and other aircraft during the pandemic and slowly has come back to life with cargo and private flights in the time since. It also hosts the biennial Dubai Air Show and has a vast, empty desert in which to expand.

The announcement by Sheikh Mohammed noted Dubais plans to expand further south. Already, its nearby Expo 2020 site has been offering homes for buyers.

As we build an entire city around the airport in Dubai South, demand for housing for a million people will follow, Dubais ruler said. It will host the worlds leading companies in the logistics and air transport sectors. However, financial pressures have halted the move in the past. Dubais 2009 financial crisis, brought on by the Great Recession, forced Abu Dhabi to provide the city-state with a $20 billion bailout.

Meanwhile, the city-state is still trying to recover after the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the UAE, which disrupted flights and commerce for days.

(With PTI inputs)
Shares of Kotak Mahindra Bank on Monday, April 29, rose 2 per cent to Rs 1,638.75 apiece on the BSE on value-buying, after two days of decline. The private sector lenders shares saw selling on Thursday and Friday after investors exited the investment following the RBIs action against the bank on Wednesday.

On April 29, shares of Kotak Mahindra Mahindra closed Rs 31.85 or 1.98 per cent higher at Rs 1,640.25 apiece on the BSE.

In the previous two trading sessions on April 25 and April 26, the banks shares saw a combined loss of 12.75 per cent. On April 24, when the RBIs barred Kotak Mahindra Bank from onboarding new customers online and from issuing credit cards, the lenders shares stood at Rs 1,843 apiece on the BSE, which declined 12.75 per cent to Rs 1,608 till the April 26 closing.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday, April 24, barred Kotak Mahindra Bank from onboarding any new customers online and through mobile banking channels, and issuing new credit cards.

The RBIs decision stems from significant concerns identified during IT examinations of Kotak Mahindra Bank in 2022 and 2023. The banks failure to address these concerns adequately and promptly led to the imposition of restrictions.

The restrictions will be reviewed after a comprehensive external audit and remediation of deficiencies. While no specific timeline is provided, its estimated to take between 6 to 12 months. Kotak Mahindra Bank said it is actively working to strengthen its IT systems to resolve the issues promptly.

On Friday, S&P Global Ratings said RBIs regulatory action on Kotak Mahindra Bank could restrain the lenders credit growth and profitability. Credit cards are a higher-yielding target growth segment for Kotak Mahindra Bank. This portfolio grew at 52 per cent year-on-year as of December 31, 2023, compared with total loan growth of 19 per cent.
Hemant Bakshi, the CEO of Ola Cabs, the ride-hailing division of ANI Technologies, has resigned just four months after assuming the position. This departure comes amidst plans for a restructuring initiative within the company, which is expected to impact at least 10 percent of the workforce, according to a report by Moneycontrol.

Bakshi, whose resignation took immediate effect, joined the ride-hailing company in January. Bakshi joined the firm to take care of day-to-day operations.

With this restructuring, certain roles within the organization will be rendered redundant and could impact as much as 10% of the workforce, a source told Moneycontrol.

Ola Cabs CEO Hemant Bakshi would be moving out of Ola to pursue interests and opportunities outside of the companyAggarwal will be looking after and there will be a new appointment soon, a source told Moneycontrol.

Ola cab IPO

The announcement follows shortly after Ola Cabs commenced initial talks with investment banks about an IPO.

The ride-hailing company is considering the possibility of launching an initial public offering.

Established in 2010, Ola Cabs quickly secured support from notable investors such as SoftBank and Tiger Global.

In light of intensifying competition, government mandates for fleet electrification, and a strategic shift towards the Indian market, Ola Cabs has recently ceased its international operations in select countries.

Weve reassessed our priorities and have decided to shut down our overseas ride-hailing business in its current form in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. We remain very excited and focused on our mission to serve 1 Billion Indians, the firm responded in a statement to Moneycontrols queries.

Ola Earnings

In FY23, Olas Mobility business saw a revenue increase of almost 58 percent, reaching Rs 2,135 crore. Significantly, the firm achieved a positive EBITDA of Rs 250 crore for the first time, a notable turnaround from the Rs 66 crore EBITDA loss reported in FY22.

ANI Technologies, the parent organisation encompassing Ola Fleet, Ola Financial Services, and Ola Stores, disclosed a consolidated revenue of Rs 2,799 crore in FY23, marking a nearly 42 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase. This growth was achieved despite a decline in revenue from Ola Fleet and Ola Financial Services during the same period.
PSEB 12th Result 2024: Punjab Board Plus Two Result Latest Updates Check PSEB 12th Result Latest Updates And Direct Link Here.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live When will the Results Be Announced? According to media reports, the Punjab board Class 12 results 2024 are due on or before April 30. The official notification confirming the time and date is expected to be released shortly at pseb.ac.in.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: When Were Exams Held? The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) class 10 board exams 2024 were conducted from February 13 to March 30.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Hardcopy of Marksheet The online marksheet that students will get will act as the provisional one. The PSEB will issue a hardcopy (original marksheet) of the results to the students at a later stage.

Punjab Board Class 12 Results 2024: Where To Access Roll Number? To check the results, students need to enter their roll numbers. This is available on the admit cards. Those who have lost their admit cards can check with their respective schools to access their roll/application numbers.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Grades vs Marks Grade Marks A+ 91-100 A 81-90 B+ 71-80 B 61-70 C+ 51-60 C 41-50 D 0-41

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Toppers Likely to Get Cash Prize The students securing the top 1 rank in the years 2022 and 2023 were given a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh while ranks 2 and 3 were also awarded cash prizes.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: How to Check via DigiLocker? Step 1: Visit the Digilocker website  digilocker.gov.in Step 2: If you have made an account on the app, log in using your credentials Step 3: Under the education category, choose PSEB Step 4: Select the Punjab Board 12th exam result 2024 category. Step 5: Key in your Aadhaar card number, and the result will appear on your screen.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: How to Know If I Have Passed Exam? Students scoring 33 per cent marks overall and in every subject is considered to have passed the PSEB class 12 exam. While checking the marksheet, it would be marked as P which means pass.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Official Announcement Awaited The PSEB is expected to make an official announcement on date and time of class 12 results shortly. Students are advised to frequently visit the official website of the board at pseb.ac.in to jet latest updates.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: How to Check Via SMS Students can also use the SMS facility to check their results if they are unable to access PSEBs official website due to heavy traffic. To do so, enter your roll number as PB12(roll number) in a new message box and send it to 5676750. The subject-specific score will be displayed on the screen once it is available.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Over 2.74 lakh Students Passed in 2023 A total of 2,96,709 students appeared for the class 12 examination of which 2,74,378 passed recording a passing percentage of 92.47%

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: How to Check Scores Online? Step 1: Go the official website of PSEB  pseb.ac.in Step 2: Click on the Punjab board class 12 result 2024 link on the webpage Step 3: On the browser, a new page will be displayed. Step 4: Enter the roll number and press the submit button. Step 5: Your Punjab Board Class 12 result 2024 will be shown on the screen. Take a printout

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Re-evaluation In case a student is not satisfied with the marks obtained by them, they can apply for the re-evaluation process. They can also appear for the compartment exams which will be conducted by the PSEB in due course.

PSEB Class 10 Result 2024 Released The Class 10 results were released earlier, with a pass percentage of 97.24 per cent, a bit lower than the previous years 97.56 per cent. In the Punjab Board Matric Exam 2024, Aditi from Teja Singh Independent Senior Secondary School in Shimlapuri, Ludhiana, secured the top spot with a perfect score of 650/650read more

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: What Was The Pass Percentage Last Year? The overall pass percentage for the Punjab Board Class 12 result 2023 was 92.47 per cent.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Results First, Scorecard Later The Punjab board is expected to release the Class 12 results via a press conference first, as was the case with the Class 10 results. A day later, the boards website will host the link for checking the results.

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Pass Percentage Over the Last 6 Years YEAR PASS PERCENTAGE 2023 92.27% 2022 96.96% 2021 96.48% 2020 92.77% 2019 86.41% 2018 65.97%

PSEB 12th Result 2024 Live: Login Credentials Required To check the Punjab board class 12th marks online, students will need thier ADMIT CARD or the hall ticket as it contains their roll number. The students roll number is the most important details required to check the PSEB class 12 board results. Students are advised to keep their hall tickets in hand prior to checking the marks.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, said the sympathy of Maharashtra is with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and not Sharad Pawar or Uddhav Thackeray post the split of their parties, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena, respectively.

Responding to a question from Vilas Bade, anchor of News18 Lokmat, Modi said, The storms that erupted within the Shiv Sena or the NCP clearly show that when you give importance to only your family members over other leaders it leads to difficulties. The trouble in Sharad Pawars house is their family dispute. Should the daughter get the reins or the nephew? Similar is the tussle in Shiv Sena like the Congress  should a deserving leader be promoted or the son?

ALSO READ | Narendra Modi Mega Exclusive | Cong Manifesto Has Muslim League Stamp, I Was Forced To Bring Out The Truth, Says PM

These are their disputes. I believe our country hates such dynasty politics. If someone tries to use the word sympathy to evoke sympathy among people, I say even that attempt will fail. People hate such things. They cannot accept such things. These are your family disputes, resolve them within your home. Why are you ruining the state of Maharashtra over this, asked Modi.

PM Modi said another thing is that the BJP has sacrificed for Maharashtra. Some people thought that we wanted the CMs seat. No. We could have taken the CMs seat, but didnt. We convinced the people of Maharashtra that we live for Maharashtra, not for ourselves. And in this election, this sympathy is in our favour that such a big party, with a chief minister who has been successful is now a deputy chief minister, has sort of put its self-respect on the backburner for the bright future of Maharashtra.

Modi further added that Maharashtra should not go down the Bengal or Bihar route. I believe in our country, Bengal has been ruined, Kolkata was once leading the economic growth, but is ruined by politics. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were earlier reduced to unstable conditions. Maharashtra should not be allowed to go down that route. Mumbai is the economic capital of the country. We should move ahead strongly in Maharashtra for the benefit of the country. We are conveying this sentiment to the people of Maharashtra, we are convincing them and the people of Maharashtra are giving us a very positive response.

When asked about how many seats the BJP could win in the state, he said, We are moving ahead with a lot of strength. Votes will go up and the seats will too.

Commenting on the coalition governments in the state, Modi said, Its true that the state has been seeing coalition governments for a considerable period now. There was Vilasrao DeshmukhEven when Sharad Pawar became the chief minister, he was not able to do so alone with absolute majority. Secondly, it has been Maharashtras misfortune that for some time now, no CM has been able to serve the five-year term. Devendra Fadnavis was the first person after a long time who served the entire term. The government then was clean and spotless. It was a government that worked for the welfare of the people.

ALSO READ | Narendra Modi Exclusive Interview | BJP Ideology Very Clear, Says PM on Inheritance Tax Debate

When asked if the BJP-Shinde Sena-Ajit Pawar NCP coalition was having issues deciding the seats, the PM said, I think the problems you mentioned apply to the opposition. They have not been able to decide seats, they are unable to take decisions, parallel elections are being fought there. There is nothing of such sort on our side. We have joined hands and are out to fight unitedly. We have prepared well in advance. Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP have done it. There is no harmony among the fake parties of the opposition.
The Ajmer Lok Sabha constituency is one of Rajasthans 25 parliamentary constituencies. It encompasses parts of both Ajmer and Jaipur districts. The constituency is further divided into eight assembly constituencies: Dudu, Kishangarh, Pushkar, Ajmer North, Ajmer South, Nasirabad, Masuda, and Kekri.

Date of election: 26 April, 2024

Current MP: Bhagirath Chaudhary (BJP)

Candidates: Bhagirath Chaudhary (BJP) and Ramachandra Chaudhary (Congress)

Key Voting Factors

Voter choice in Ajmer Lok Sabha constituency is determined by a complex interplay of caste dynamics and regional issues. BJPs strong presence, coupled with the support of the Rawat community and the Modi factor, positions the party favourably here.

BJPs Stronghold: The BJP, particularly ex-MP Rasa Singh Rawat, held a dominant position in Ajmer from 1989 onwards. Rawats five-term tenure as MP underscored the partys historical strength in the region. He passed away in 2021, but his legacy continues to influence the constituency.

The BJP, particularly ex-MP Rasa Singh Rawat, held a dominant position in Ajmer from 1989 onwards. Rawats five-term tenure as MP underscored the partys historical strength in the region. He passed away in 2021, but his legacy continues to influence the constituency. Although the 2009 election saw a shift with Sachin Pilot securing victory for Congress in Ajmer, the 2014 Modi wave brought the seat back to BJP. At that time Sanwar Lal Jat was elected MP.

BJP currently has a strong sway on the Ajmer seat, having held it for 10 years. BJPs holds 7 out of 8 assembly segments within the Ajmer Lok Sabha constituency.

But the defeat of the sitting MP in Kishangarh assembly segment in 2023 suggests potential vulnerabilities. Bhagirath Chaudharys defeat in the assembly election raises questions about his individual popularity. In fact he was pushed to the third place.

Patni Familys Economic Power: Bhagirath Chaudhary maintains close ties with the powerful Patni family and enjoys their support. The Patni family, led by Ashok Patni, holds extensive mining operations and a strong foothold in the cement industry.

Bhagirath Chaudhary maintains close ties with the powerful Patni family and enjoys their support. The Patni family, led by Ashok Patni, holds extensive mining operations and a strong foothold in the cement industry. This economic dominance translates into substantial political influence within the Ajmer region. Their influence over thousands of workers and their prominent role can potentially sway votes in favour of Chaudhary.

Caste Dynamics: Ajmer boasts a diverse caste composition, with SC/ST communities constituting approximately 22% of the population. Jats represent a significant voting bloc at around 16-17%, followed by Muslims at around 12%. Rajput and Vaishya communities also hold sway in certain areas.

Ajmer boasts a diverse caste composition, with SC/ST communities constituting approximately 22% of the population. Jats represent a significant voting bloc at around 16-17%, followed by Muslims at around 12%. Rajput and Vaishya communities also hold sway in certain areas. Jats and Gujjars constitute major voting blocs in Ajmer. While the BJP candidates Jat identity might offer some advantage, the Congress has sought to leverage Sachin Pilots influence to garner Gujjar support.

Jat influence appears concentrated in specific pockets like Kishangarh and Nasirabad. Jat voters often support candidates with a higher perceived chance of winning, irrespective of party affiliation. However, issues like farmer protests, female wrestlers protests etc. could skew the Jat vote.

The Rawats: The Rawat community has witnessed a rise in political prominence in the area. Several members have secured electoral victories and attained key positions within the BJP government.

The Rawat community has witnessed a rise in political prominence in the area. Several members have secured electoral victories and attained key positions within the BJP government. BJP has actively cultivated their support. Suresh Rawats appointment as Water Resources Minister exemplifies this strategy. The Rawat communitys support is crucial for BJPs success in Ajmer and neighbouring regions like Rajsamand.

Ramchandra Chaudhary: Congress has pinned its hopes on Ramchandra Chaudhary, known as the dairy king of Ajmer. He has a long-standing association with the Ajmer Dairy network and connections with local farmers.

Congress has pinned its hopes on Ramchandra Chaudhary, known as the dairy king of Ajmer. He has a long-standing association with the Ajmer Dairy network and connections with local farmers. This grants him a strong support base in rural areas. Despite his rural popularity, Chaudhary has historically struggled to gain traction in urban areas, leading to defeats in previous elections, including contests as an independent candidate and on a Congress ticket.

Chaudharys selection has also created angst withing Congress ranks. Congress dropped the much younger Riju Jhunjhunwala, who has joined the BJP in revolt. Riju is the Chairman of RSWM Ltd., one of the largest manufacturers and exporters of textiles.

Sachin Pilot: Pilot holds significant sway over Gujjar voters due to his past representation of the Ajmer constituency and his community affiliation. Pilots active involvement and mobilisation of Gujjar support is essential for the Congress candidates success. Without his intervention, Gujjar votes might be split, weakening the Congresss position.

Pilot holds significant sway over Gujjar voters due to his past representation of the Ajmer constituency and his community affiliation. Pilots active involvement and mobilisation of Gujjar support is essential for the Congress candidates success. Without his intervention, Gujjar votes might be split, weakening the Congresss position. Interestingly, prior to the assembly elections Pilot and former CM Ashok Gehlots supporters had clashed in Ajmer at an office bearers meet. On the forefront were the backers of Ramachandra Chaudhary and then RTDC Dharmendra Rathore. Rathore is a long time Gehlot loyalist.

Urban-Rural Divide: The BJP enjoys strong support in urban areas like Ajmer Town, while the Congress candidates influence appears concentrated in rural segments. This urban-rural divide poses a challenge for the Congress, as urban centres often hold a larger concentration of voters.

The BJP enjoys strong support in urban areas like Ajmer Town, while the Congress candidates influence appears concentrated in rural segments. This urban-rural divide poses a challenge for the Congress, as urban centres often hold a larger concentration of voters. Religious Significance: Ajmer holds immense religious importance for both Hindus and Muslims, housing the revered dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and the unique Brahma temple in Pushkar. This religious diversity adds a unique dimension to the constituencys social fabric.

Ajmer holds immense religious importance for both Hindus and Muslims, housing the revered dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti and the unique Brahma temple in Pushkar. This religious diversity adds a unique dimension to the constituencys social fabric. The PMs decision to hold a rally in Pushkar, the site of the historic Brahma temple, on April 6 (foundation day of BJP) emphasizes the great importance BJP puts on the seat.

Despite the efforts of the central government in developing the Ajmer Dargah, and also visits by PM Modi, ground reports indicate that the Muslim vote will largely stay with the Congress.

The claim by Maharana Pratap Sena that Ajmer Dargah is a sacred Hindu temple has also queered the pitch against BJP among Muslims. The issue has overshadowed the PMs offerings to the Dargah twice in the past year, and the promise by Centre to provide develop Sufi shrines like Ajmer and Tajbagh.

Modi Factor: However, the Modi wave remains a significant influence among Hindu voters, potentially overshadowing local issues and candidate preferences. On ground reports indicate that the huge popularity of the PM could be a major factor in swinging votes for the BJP.

Key Election Issues

Paper Leaks: Exam paper leaks continue to be a major issue in Ajmer. There is considerable youth anger over incidents, despite the efforts of successive governments. Recently, 14 trainee cops were arrested in connection with a 2021 paper leak case. The leak of papers for recruitment of teachers under RPSC (Rajasthan Public Service Commission) had also become a hot topic, with Sachin Pilot leading a five-day padayatra from Ajmer to Jaipur against then Chief Minister Gehlot. The newly formed BJP government has taken a strong stance against paper leaks, with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal highlighting the arrest of 63 individuals involved in such activities.

Exam paper leaks continue to be a major issue in Ajmer. There is considerable youth anger over incidents, despite the efforts of successive governments. Recently, 14 trainee cops were arrested in connection with a 2021 paper leak case. The leak of papers for recruitment of teachers under RPSC (Rajasthan Public Service Commission) had also become a hot topic, with Sachin Pilot leading a five-day padayatra from Ajmer to Jaipur against then Chief Minister Gehlot. The newly formed BJP government has taken a strong stance against paper leaks, with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal highlighting the arrest of 63 individuals involved in such activities. Power Supply: Ajmer faces a deficit of power supply in the constituency which has led to load shedding. With summers approaching the issue of power supply will be on the minds of voters as temperatures reach as high as 45. According to the latest reports, areas across Ajmer are currently facing 1-4 hours of load shedding.

Ajmer faces a deficit of power supply in the constituency which has led to load shedding. With summers approaching the issue of power supply will be on the minds of voters as temperatures reach as high as 45. According to the latest reports, areas across Ajmer are currently facing 1-4 hours of load shedding. Traffic Congestion: Construction activities associated with NHAIs metro projects have burdened the already congested Ajmer Road, causing inconvenience and delays for commuters. Local residents and authorities have expressed concerns about the potential escalation of traffic woes. While metro development will enhance public transportation infrastructure, the traffic congestion due to work has disrupted lives for residents.

Construction activities associated with NHAIs metro projects have burdened the already congested Ajmer Road, causing inconvenience and delays for commuters. Local residents and authorities have expressed concerns about the potential escalation of traffic woes. While metro development will enhance public transportation infrastructure, the traffic congestion due to work has disrupted lives for residents. Lack of Skill Training Institutes and premium Universities: According to reports, the youth in Ajmer are exasperated by the lack of higher technical education opportunities. Constituents have shown disappointment at the lack of IITs and IIMs in Ajmer despite it being an educational hub. Constituents feel that successive state governments failure to tackle these issues are also contributing to higher-than-normal levels of unemployment.

According to reports, the youth in Ajmer are exasperated by the lack of higher technical education opportunities. Constituents have shown disappointment at the lack of IITs and IIMs in Ajmer despite it being an educational hub. Constituents feel that successive state governments failure to tackle these issues are also contributing to higher-than-normal levels of unemployment. Limited Development: Ajmer boasts historical importance as the former capital of Rajasthan and possesses well-established connectivity and key government institutions. Despite its relatively higher amount of development, Ajmer lags capital Jaipur in city infrastructure.

Ajmer boasts historical importance as the former capital of Rajasthan and possesses well-established connectivity and key government institutions. Despite its relatively higher amount of development, Ajmer lags capital Jaipur in city infrastructure. Limited Influence of Agniveer Scheme: According to on ground reports, the Agniveer schemes impact on Jat youth in Ajmer is considered minimal due to the regions lower participation in the military and a greater focus on business and local industries.

Voter Demographics

Total Voters (2019 Election)  18,62,158 voters

Rural Voters: ~ 66.3%

Urban Voters: ~ 33.7%

Religious Composition

Muslim : ~ 12.7%

Christian: ~ 0.4%

Jain: ~ 1.5%

Sikh: ~ 0.27%

Social Composition

SC Voters: ~ 19.5%

ST Voters: ~ 3%

Infrastructure Development

Ajmer Development Plan: Ajmer city, Kishangarh, Kekri and Beawar are included in this plan. Many schemes related to heritage and city development including water distribution, roads, streetlights, sewerage, transportation are part of the plan. The plan envisages that there will beno no gap between Jaipur and Ajmer in infrastructure in 10 to 15 years. The population of Ajmer is expected to expand, and the city is likely to be designated a Metro City in the future.

Ajmer city, Kishangarh, Kekri and Beawar are included in this plan. Many schemes related to heritage and city development including water distribution, roads, streetlights, sewerage, transportation are part of the plan. The plan envisages that there will beno no gap between Jaipur and Ajmer in infrastructure in 10 to 15 years. The population of Ajmer is expected to expand, and the city is likely to be designated a Metro City in the future. Ajmer Metro: Work on Ajmer Metro has been started and is currently ongoing in the city. As mentioned earlier, the metro work is causing traffic congestion and temporary roadblocks. However, the residents largely feel the city will benefit once the project is finally completed.

Work on Ajmer Metro has been started and is currently ongoing in the city. As mentioned earlier, the metro work is causing traffic congestion and temporary roadblocks. However, the residents largely feel the city will benefit once the project is finally completed. Ring Road: A 147 KM long ring road is being built in Jaipur, and as a result Ajmer will eventually benefit. The Northern Ring Road project is expected to cut down transit time to Delhi, as traffic can avoid entering Jaipur city. But residents along Ajmer Road are currently facing difficulties due to NHAI blocking inlet roads. The blocked roads have impacted daily commute and accessibility.

A 147 KM long ring road is being built in Jaipur, and as a result Ajmer will eventually benefit. The Northern Ring Road project is expected to cut down transit time to Delhi, as traffic can avoid entering Jaipur city. But residents along Ajmer Road are currently facing difficulties due to NHAI blocking inlet roads. The blocked roads have impacted daily commute and accessibility. Ajmer Smart City: Ajmer was added to the smart city project back in 2015. Since 2015, 34 projects have been launched under the smart city scheme of which 15 have been completed while the rest are at different stages of completion.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
There are just four days left for the nomination process for Amethi and Rae Bareilly to end and barely 20 days for the elections. By now, one would think that the Congress and Gandhis would have geared up for a fight and finalised the strategy.

ALSO READ | Will Rahul Gandhi Give Amethi Another Go? Heres What Congress Strategists Must Keep in Mind

However, despite the Congresss Central Election Committee (CEC) unanimously pitching for Gandhis as candidates, the silence has continued. Sources say Gandhis, particularly Rahul Gandhi, is having some reservations and doubts. According to them, this issue was raised at a late-night meeting of the Gandhis and very close aides.

TO GIVE UP WAYANAD OR AMETHI?

Topping the areas of concern is if Rahul Gandhi wins from both Wayanad and Amethi/ Rae Bareilly, he would have to give up one. With the Congress being relatively strong in the South, giving up Wayanad before the state polls in Kerala could be suicidal.

In fact, this was the point made by Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) incumbent Amethi MP Smriti Irani when she had gone to Wayanad. She had said that just like he had abandoned Amethi, Rahul Gandhi would give up on Wayanad too. The Congress is hopeful of forming a government in the state during Assembly elections, so Wayanad cannot be abandoned.

PRIYANKA GANDHI VADRA: LOSE STAR CAMPAIGNER OR UP SEAT?

But then equally tough would be giving up Rae Bareilly or Amethi. Both are the last two holds of the Congress in the critical state of Uttar Pradesh. And with the Congress being weak in the north, giving up these states would make it a cakewalk for the BJP.

To those who suggested that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra could make a poll debut from one of these two seats, the concern raised was that very few days were left for campaigning and in case she loses, it would be a bad start for her political electoral debut.

There are also many who feel that she has been a successful campaigner. In case, she contests now she would be stuck in her constituency for the next 10 to 15 days. These days are critical for the Congress to perform well in the rest of the country as can it afford to lose a star campaigner and orator like Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who has been the most aggressive and effectively taking on the PM.

ALSO READ | Smriti Iranis Griha Pravesh, Rahul Gandhis Ghar Waapsi Yatra: Aiming for Home Run in Amethi Ahead of LS Polls

The worry is that in case of this delay, the BJP would smile. Sources say Rahul Gandhi asked, How long will we be caught in the BJPs narrative?

Its a catch-22 situation now for the Gandhis. If they fight, there is a problem, if they dont, there is a bigger problem  the tag of runaway netas will stick to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and this would give enough reason for Irani to have a cakewalk. More importantly for the BJP to permanently make the point that Rahul Gandhi is not really a fighter as he has been made out to be.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is hoping to register a hat-trick on the Lucknow seat this Lok Sabha election. Whether or not will he be able retain the seat, maintaining the 33-year-long legacy of Lucknow being a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold remains to be seen. People, including Muslims, hailing from the constituency said Rajnath Singh is a big name and will continue to win, irrespective of who he contests against. However, some people said winning the Lucknow Lok Sabha Seat wont be a cakewalk for the BJP stalwart since its for the first time in history that an alliance candidate has been folded against him from this seat.

Of the total 80 Lok Sabha Seats in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Lucknow Lok Sabha Seat, one of the strongholds of BJP since 1991, has always been associated with illustrious personalities including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Vajpayee contested eight times from here, winning five times and it is the only reason which fetched it a local title of Atal Ji Ki Seat (Atal jis seat). Not only this, the constituency holds significance for the Nehru-Gandhi family as Vijay Lakshmi Pandit, the sister of Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first MP from here. The Nehru familys influence continued with Sheorajwati Nehru succeeding Vijay Lakshmi Pandit.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls, BJP has fielded Rajnath Singh for the third consecutive time while INDI alliance has made Ravidas Mehrotra its joint candidate. This will be the first time that the opposition has fielded its joint candidate against BJP on this seat and this has made the political battle on Atal Ji Ki Seat, all the more ferocious. Samajwadi Party has fielded Ravidas Mehrotra, an INDIA bloc candidate who is also an SP MLA from Lucknow Central Assembly seat and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has fielded Sarvar Malik in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This has posed a fresh challenge before BJP candidate Rajnath Singh, the sitting MP of Lucknow, to maintain the 33-year-old legacy of this being a BJP seat. Voting will take place in Lucknow on May 20.

Despite the challenge, people hailing from Lucknow came out in support of the BJP stalwart, while calling him a true Lakhnawi. The locals say their support is always with Rajnath Singh and he will win with a victory margin of over 5 lakh votes. He is a big leader. There are a substantial number of Sikhs and Muslims who have turned up to support him. Irrespective of who he contests against, he will win, said Sudhanshu Shukla, a local who joined Rajnath Singhs roadshow as he filed his nomination as a BJP candidate from the Lucknow Lok Sabha Seat for 2024 Lok Sabha Polls on Monday.

Khursheed Alam, another local who hails from Lucknow, said he is hopeful that Rajnath Singhs victory margin this time would cross the mark of 5 lakh. Lucknow Seat ek alag mijaaz ki seat hai (Lucknow is a seat of different mood). Here people have always voted for a liberal leader, be it Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lalji Tandon or Rajnath Singh. This time, too, we will vote for the BJP, said Alam.

However, there were few who said that winning the Lucknow Lok Sabha Seat is not going to be a cakewalk for Rajnath Singh, this time. Indeed Rajnath ji has registered a thumping victory in the past two Lok Sabha elections but this time the scenario is different. Its for the first time an alliance candidate has been fielded from Lucknow Lok Sabha Seat. This will certainly bring down the victory margin for Rajnath ji, said Saurabh Shukla, a trader who hails from Lucknow.

Caste Dynamics

Shashikant Pandey, a political analyst and HOD, Department of Political Science, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar university, Lucknow, said caste dynamics is one thing that makes Lucknow Lok Sabha seat different from others. The seat is more of a basket of all castes and a blend of religious affiliations. According to the elections held in 2019, there are a total of 19.37 lakh voters here, in which the number of male voters is 11 lakh and the number of female voters is more than 9 lakh. Talking about the caste equations of Lucknow, about 71 percent of the population here is Hindu. Out of this, 18 percent of the population is Rajput and Brahmin. Here the population of the OBC community is 28 percent and the number of Muslim voters is 18 percent. In the elections held in the year 2022, BJP had won 3 out of five assembly seats, said Pandey.

The Glorious Past

Lucknow, historically a Congress stronghold, witnessed its political landscape evolve over the years. Vijay Lakshmi Pandit, sister of Jawaharlal Nehru, marked its political debut in 1952, followed by a succession of Congress victories until 1967 when Anand Narayan Mulla, an independent Urdu poet, secured the seat. Sheela Kaul reclaimed it for Congress in 1971, succeeded by Hemwanti Nandan Bahuguna from the Janata Party. Subsequently, the BJP emerged as a dominant force, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee serving as MP for a record five terms from 1991 to 2004, solidifying BJPs influence. Over 18 general elections, Congress won seven times, while BJP triumphed on eight occasions, establishing a strong presence since Vajpayees tenure. Lucknow has transformed into a BJP bastion, reflecting the shifting political dynamics of the region.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi kicked off the partys campaign at a massive rally in Salipur in the Kendrapara parliamentary constituency of Odisha by coining a new acronym  PANN  to hit out at the BJD and BJP.

Over here (Odisha), BJD and BJP are bound by marriage (BJD aur BJP ki shaadi ho rakhi hai) or you may call it a partnership. They are together. And, in this marriage, they have given PANN to the people of Odisha, he said. Until a few weeks ago, alliance talks between ruling BJD and opposition BJP, which failed to fructify, had stormed political discussions in the state.

Bahut paan aap ne kha liya, pet kharab ho gaya. Ab aap Congress ki sarkar layiye, Gandhi said, trying to win over the voters. He also paid tributes to Utkal Gouraba late Madhusudhan Das at Satyabhamapur in Cuttack.

The Congress leader elaborated on the acronym PANN, calling it a grouping of VK Pandian, Home Minister Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Congresss PANN is a caustic take on the colloquial paan (betel leaves chewed with acrea nuts) that every Odia is familiar with.

The first person mentioned in Gandhis attack was VK Pandian, former IAS officer, 5T secretary and a close aide of Naveen Patnaik who wields considerable power in the state despite his Tamilian roots.

Accusing BJP and BJD of corruption, Gandhi said: Your entire wealth has been stolen by these people. In the mining scam, Rs 9 lakh crore of your wealth was stolen, you lost Rs 20,000 crore in land grab where farmers fields were acquired. Another Rs 15,000 crore were stolen in the plantation scam. The MP promised to return the money when the Congress forms the government in the state and at the Centre.

Drawing parallels between Odisha and Telangana, Gandhi argued that in the latter, it was actually the Congress that had played the role of the opposition.

BJP and BRS were married. Every day, their baraat used to be taken out, there was a lot of drama. In Telangana, the Congress exposed the BJP and BRS as one and the same. If anyone was playing the role of the opposition, it was the Congress.

Expanding on the Telangana story, Gandhi claimed that the partys guarantees which ensured that the poor in Telangana got money directly in their bank accounts resulted in a win for the Grand Old Party in the state.

In 2019, Congresss score in the assembly elections was a dismal nine out of 147 in Odisha. In terms of vote share, it lost nearly 10 per cent, dipping from 25.7 per cent in 2014 to 16.1 per cent in 2019.

Gandhi, who touched Odisha during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, wooed voters with his partys performance in Telangana and Karnataka. He promised that just as Congress governments in Karnataka and Telangana have transferred Rs 2,000 every month into the bank accounts of women, the same will be done in Odisha if voted to power. Other promises included Rs 3,000 per month for youth, 200 units of free electricity, gas cylinders at Rs 500 instead of Rs 1,100, and support price of Rs 3,000 per quintal of paddy for farmers.

Odisha goes for simultaneous polls. In 2019, Congress had won just one of the 21 parliamentary seats, Koraput, by a wafer-thin margin of 3,000 votes. The Grand Old Partys vote share dipped by a massive 13 per cent from 26 per cent in 2014 to 13.8 per cent in 2019. In the five years between 2014 and 2019, the BJP replaced the Congress as the principal opposition party in Odisha, gaining rapidly at the latters expense.

Targeting over 22 per cent of the states tribal population, Gandhi said: Narendra Modi has insulted the adivasis of Hindustan. He has called you vanvasi and not adivasi. You are not vanvasi. You are the first owners of Hindustan. This land was yours. Congress party will give you back the rights of zameen, jal aur jangal.

Meanwhile, the BJD and BJP said Gandhi s campaign will have no impact in the state.

Given the apparent proximity between the BJD and the BJP, the big question is whether Rahul Gandhi can revive the dwindling fortunes of the party in a state it ruled 25 years back.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Fear of political violence, especially post-poll violence, after the polls, dominates the elections on the ground in West Bengal. It is not about the electoral bonds, or ED/CBI arrests, not even the assault on women, or corruption, but the anxiety of being intimidated, abducted or attacked rules the roost across the rural constituencies in the state.

It is not only the heat or fatigue that have contributed to a drop in polling percentage in the first two phases of the Lok Sabha elections. It is also the fear that prevents many from venturing out to cast their vote.

News18 travelled extensively across constituencies and districts, and found that the rural electorate was most concerned about intimidation, suffering injuries or being killed. Since the first phase of election, the state has witnessed a seizure of a large cache of arms from a Trinamool Congress leaders house in Sandeshkhali, a bomb blast at a BJP leaders house in Hingalganj, clashes on polling day leading to injured voters while senior politicians have been attacked while campaigning.

Political violence is routine in the state, but there is a feeling of exhaustion that seems to have set in. In 2021, according to reports, 40 TMC and BJP cadres were killed in violent clashes. The Calcutta High Court had directed the CBI to probe the alleged killings, following which it registered 52 cases that are still being investigated.

The memory is still fresh.

Does violence force a voters behaviour to change?

The behavioural pattern of voters has changed. I am a TMC worker. My family, my neighbours, the entire village, we all support Didi for the schemes she has implemented, for the security she has given to us. But, why do local leaders always torture us? I am not even talking about demanding cut money (extortion) for government schemes. I am talking about the humiliation in every election, said Meher Biwi, a resident of Gobindapur village in Palashi under Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency.

Local leaders come and tell us on polling day that we do not need to go to the polling booth, and our votes will be cast. Why is that so? We tell them that we are their supporters, we want to vote for Didi, but they tell us not to worry about our votes, and that they will take care of everything. This is disgusting, she added.

Rafika Biwi, who lives in Tehatta that is 35 km from Palashi, expressed a similar concern. Didi has given us Lakshmir Bhandar, which gives us Rs 500 financial assistance every month. We are Didis voters, but over the past six elections, including the panchayat, I voted only twice. They (local leaders) asked us not to come out of our houses. We are scared of violence, she said.

There is much resentment among village residents as they see that the same mercenaries, who once allegedly worked for the CPM, have migrated to the TMC after 2011. And, they are now allegedly being bought by the BJP.

A BJP worker in Murshidabads Beldanga, Samir Mondal said he changed from the Congress to the saffron party thinking it will act to curb violence in the state. I thought that the mercenaries will be brought under control. The party will act against violence and protect the voters. But, a section of mercenaries who worked for the TMC has now joined the BJP. What changed then? We are seeing all those goondas of the TMC joining the BJP and getting a ticket to contest. It remains the same for us. There is no point fighting and casting your vote here, he said.

To fight elections in Bengal, a party needs to have a group of mercenaries; not for indulging in violence but for resistance. Our workers cannot be beaten up and bruised the way it used to be. We need to stop them, a senior BJP leader told News18.

The TMC, however, has alleged that the violence is an outcome of public rage as they were tortured by the BJP and the central forces.

What lingers? Terror and trauma

With two phases done, there are five more left. Even as senior politicians of Bengal  across parties, including the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP  are bringing up different issues during their campaign to woo voters, the most emotive issue that strongly resonates on the ground is nothing but the fear of violence.

As the elections inch closer to the southern parts of the state, the situation seems to be worsening. This is a usual pattern during the polls. Despite the Election Commission of India allotting more than 900 companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) in the state  the highest deployment in the country  reports of sporadic violence and intimidation continue to pour in ahead of the third phase.

The state has at least 80,000 polling booths and with polling in seven phases, the poll body can cover almost all areas with central forces. But, the primary concern among voters is the post-poll situation when the forces will leave.

Bappa Mondal, a resident of Lalbagh in Murshidabad, recounted how he saw his friend being dragged out of his home and beaten up after the elections in 2021. This whole village was almost aligned to the TMC, but my friend has always been a Congress supporter. After the elections, he was intimidated, dragged out of his house and beaten up, he said.

He added: I am a TMC worker and I tried to stop them, but they said he should be taught a lesson. I will never forget that day. I have almost dissociated myself from political parties since. My friend now works as a labourer in Tamil Nadu.

During the 2023 panchayat elections, there was a spate of violence while government sources said at least 48 people were killed. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing the media, had said at least 19 people were killed. Accusing the BJP of violence, she had said only 60 out of 70,000 booths witnessed violent incidents, adding that her government will grant Rs 2 lakh compensation for those who have been killed.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
The BJP and Congress have sought more time from the Election Commission of India to reply to notices issued to the parties over alleged model code violations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi.

The poll body issued notices to both the parties on April 25, asking for a reply on the morning of April 29. According to sources, while the BJP has asked for one weeks time to respond to the notice, the Congress has asked for 14 days. Initially, the Congress had sought time till 5 pm on Monday, as against the original deadline but later said it will need two weeks time.

Last week, in a different approach to model code violations by leaders of political parties, the EC wrote to the BJP and Congress saying it will address the party heads on a case-to-case basis; the individual star campaigner will continue to be responsible for their speeches, it said.

In its letter to BJP president JP Nadda, the EC raised the complaints registered against the prime minister by the Congress and CPI(M) on April 21, as well as the CPI on April 23. The three parties complained about Prime Minister Modis speech in Rajasthans Banswara on April 21.

For the Congress, the letter was issued based on a complaint lodged by the BJP. The poll body had

sought a response by 11 am on April 29 from party president Mallikarjun Kharge. The BJP letter dated April 19, which was attached to the notice, stated that Rahul Gandhi violated the model code of conduct while addressing a public gathering in Keralas Kottayam on April 18.

In the notices, the EC said the two parties are national and, hence, are expected to be the standard bearer in political and campaign discourse and, as such, should also set high standards of compliance of the model code of conduct. Usually, the individual who violates the election code gets the notice but this time, instead of writing to a particular leader, the poll body held the party head responsible.

Out of seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections, polling for two is complete. The counting of votes is on June 4.
Outside Ashoknagar railway station in Madhya Pradeshs Guna, Lodhi Chai Wala stall resembles a news channel studio. The tin-roofed tapri and the adjoining cigarette-pan masala shop is surrounded by posters and hoardings of union minister and BJP candidate Jyotiraditya Scindia. Ask the customers and shop owners if the Lok Sabha elections are one-sided and an intense debate begins.

A passerby, Harvir, stops to declare: Chunav bilkul ek tarfa hai sab Modi ji ke liye hain. Jo tax dene mein ghabrate thay, jinko Modi ne pakad liya, woh bas dhikkar rahe hain. Nahin to shehar mein, ladies mein, sab mein Modi Modi (It is a one-sided election in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Only those who have been arrested for tax evasion are criticising him, otherwise all sections support Modi).

Gokul, who owns the cigarette shop, feels the Congress should have fielded a better candidate. Chunav ek tarfa nahin hai. Agar Congress se koi bada chehra aa jaata toh woh jeet sakte thay (It is not a one-sided election. Had the Congress fielded a big face, it had a chance), he said.

Driver Golu Rai, however, insisted that the elections in Guna will not be about personalities but issues. We have no water supply in Ashoknagar, roads are not wide enough and farmers are reeling from debt; these will be election issues this time, he said.

Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindias campaign reminds people of the Gwalior airport built in no time during his term. He has also promised better air connectivity for the people of Guna. But, some local residents want better railway infrastructure.

Hawai patti banayi unhone; airport ka kisan kya karega? Aam aadmi ke liye toh train badhaye, usmein general compartments badhaye (What will a farmer do with the airport? We are farmers who need water for irrigation, electricity to run machines; we need more trains, more general compartments). Trains that come here only have two general compartments and get packed to capacity in no time, said a local resident, Vivek Rai.

But, he added: Modi ji toh pradhan mantri banenge (Modi will become the prime minister).

Ashoknagar is the home turf of Congress candidate Rao Yadvendra Singh Yadav, a BJP worker who joined the Congress before the 2023 assembly election and lost. His late father, Deshraj Singh Yadav, was a BJP MLA who had taken on Scindia.

Political analysts said the Congress fielded Yadvendra hoping to cash in on his familys influence in and around Ashoknagar, while the Yadav factor may prove beneficial. Party workers pointed out that former Scindia aide KP Singh Yadav, who defeated the minister in 2019, gained Yadav support in this constituency.

Rajpal Singh, a businessman, rejected caste-based political math. Humara desh vikas shiksha se payega, jaati se nahin. Shiksha, swasthya, bijli, sadak; yeh mudde hain, jaati nahin (Our country will progress through better education, health, electricity and roads, not from caste-based politics), he said.

Guna is one of the biggest Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh with eight assembly segments  Shivpuri, Pichhore, Kolaras, Bamori, Guna, Ashoknagar, Chanderi and Mungaoli. The BJP won five of these in the recently concluded assembly polls.

At Shivpuri market, BJP supporters said the tally will get better in the Lok Sabha polls. Asked if their vote will be for Modi or Maharaj, as Scindia is popularly known, the opinion is divided.

Under Modi jis rule, everything is going well. So many steps have been taken for the safety and security of women. The rule of law has returned, ration is being delivered on time, said Prem, who owns a sweet shop.

His customer Hari Om disagreed. Yahan Modi ji ka kya hai. Sab to Maharaj ka hi hai (Nothing here is Modis, everything belongs to Maharaj), he said.

Asked if Maharaj is so popular, then what went wrong in 2019, he said: Last time, perhaps, some mistakes were made. People felt he was inaccessible. But, this time, it is him all the way, he said.

A student, Pushpendra, chimed in: Scindia got us a medcial, engineering colleges here. Look at this road, he made them better. He was a union minister in the UPA and had many responsibilities; so, perhaps people felt that he was unable to give them time as their MP. But, now he has come to the right party. The BJP karyakartas here will ensure he wins by three to five lakh votes, he said.

At public meetings, it is this double engine that Scindia is underlining for Guna voters. His campaign song  Modi ji ki guarantee aur Scindia ki mehnat  is a hit. At the Kachhaua village in Pichore, News18 spotted local residents dancing with the minister to the tune of the campaign song.

Holding the white kamal (lotus bud) in hand, Scindia reminds people of all the schemes  from free ration to the PM Awas Yojana  that the Modi-led central government has ensured. Even the MP governments Ladli Behna Yojana finds a mention.

At Pichhores busy chowk, unemployment and Gunas development are the talking points. Development is the biggest election issue, but the BJP will benefit from the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, said a young voter, Satpal Raghuvanshi.

While some complained that Maharaj is too distant for them to raise their issues, women voters in Pichhore cut them short. We got money under the Ladli Behna Yojana. Safety and security is better now. What more do we want? We are happy with the current regime, said a group of three women before rushing to catch a bus from Pichhores main chowk.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
As Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra are reeling under a severe heatwave with temperatures ranging between 41 and 45 degrees Celsius, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started holding four election events a day and travelling an average 3,500 kilometre every day.

On Monday, for instance, PM Modi has four scheduled events  one public meeting in Karnataka followed by three in Maharashtra. His day will start in Karnatakas Bagalkote, followed by Maharashtras Solapur, Satara and Pune. Roughly, PM Modi is scheduled to travel more than 3,650 kilometre through the day. Among the four public meetings, the only one in the evening is that of Pune. The rest are taking place in sweltering afternoon, a time when the IMD has advised people from the heatwave affected states to avoid stepping out unless unavoidable.

On Sunday, PM Modi had four public meetings in Karnataka alone  in Belagavi, Uttar Kannada, Devanagere and Ballari. His first meeting was at 11 am and the last at 5 pm. As the sun was spitting fire in Uttar Kannada, the 73-year-old animatedly asked the crowd, Those who rejected the invite for Ram Mandir, will the nation reject them or not? Will Karnataka reject them or not? Will you reject them or not?

A while after, in Ballari, at his fourth rally on Sunday, he sounded as charged up when he mentioned how the BJP government ensured PFI members are behind jail and the recent blast at Bengalurus Rameshwaram Cafe. PM Modi roughly travelled 4,300 kilometre on Sunday.

Saturday was relatively easy with just two rallies in the evening  at Maharashtras Kohlapur and South Goa. Kohlapur is reeling under excessive heat.

A day before, on Friday, the Prime Minister addressed three rallies and took part in one roadshow spread across three states  West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. His first event was as early as 10.45 am and the day concluded with a road show that started at 6.30 pm and went on for over an hour.

Modi started with West Bengals North Malda where he targeted the Mamata Banerjee government, followed by two consecutive rallies in Bihar  Araria and Munger  where he targeted Lalu Prasad Yadavs RJD reminding people about the dark ages of Lantern (electoral symbol of the RJD). At peak afternoon in Munger, Modi addressed a packed house, Munger has been the biggest victim of the jungle Raj.

By evening, he was in Uttar Pradeshs Bareilly, where he travelled through the road, standing on top of a customised vehicle next to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, holding an LED Lotus  the electoral symbol of the BJP. Euphoric crowds waited for hours, armed with their smartphones. Having started his first rally before 11 in the morning, Modi didnt let that affect Bareilly where he waved continuously at the crowds, attacking the Samajwadi Party and the Congress alliance.

Modi travelled more than 3,000 kilometre on Friday which was also the second phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha election 2024. If BJP sources are to be believed, the tempo of Modis everyday schedule is going to be more excruciating in the weeks ahead.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Congress leader Akshay Bam on Monday withdrew his nomination from Indore constituency on Monday, according to reports.

Indore Collector Ashish Singh confirmed that Bam has withdrawn his nomination from the seat where the BJP has fielded sitting MP Shankar Lalwani.

Senior BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya also tweeted a photo with Bam in his car and said he welcomes the Congress nominee in the party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It may be noted that today is the last of withdrawing nomination and the polling in Indore will be held on May 13 in phase 4 of Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, police have been deployed outside Bams house in Patrakar Colony. Local Congress leaders started gathering outside his house. Bam has not contested any election in his political career so far. The Congress offered him the opportunity to contest from Indore at a time when several party workers, including three former MLAs of the party, have switched sides and joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Indore, the largest constituency in the state in terms of number of voters, has 25.13 lakh electors. The BJP has expressed confidence of winning the seat by a margin of eight lakh votes this time.

In Madhya Pradesh, which is considered as BJPs stronghold, the party won 28 out of 29 parliamentary seats in 2019, barring one seat of Chhindwara, where former Chief Minister Kamal Naths son Nakul Nath registered victory.

The BJP has already opened its account for 2024 elections, winning the Surat Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat. BJP candidate from Gujarats Surat, Mukesh Dalal, won the Lok Sabha elections unopposed after the nomination paper of Congress pick was rejected and other candidates withdrew from the race. The nomination of the grand old partys candidate from Surat, Nilesh Kumbhani, was rejected after the district returning officer prima facie found discrepancies in the signature of the proposers. Then, the nomination form of Congress substitute candidate, Suresh Padsala, was also declared invalid.

Notably, on the last day of withdrawal of the nomination forms on Monday, as many as 8 candidates which included mostly Independents and Bahujan Samaj Partys (BSP) Pyarelal Bharti, withdrew their papers.

Of the 24 nominations filed, 12 including two Congress candidates were rejected while 12 others withdrew.

The last time someone won uncontested in the general election was back in 1989, when Mohammad Shafi Bhat of the National Conference won unopposed from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in Jammu and Kashmir.

(With PTI inputs)

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
The temperature in North Karnataka is around 38 degrees C, but former Chief Minister (CM) Basavaraj Bommai is on a hectic campaign schedule in Haveri-Gadag Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to polls in less than a week.

Although Lingayats are in significant number, the constituency has considerable presence of Muslims (nearly 2.5 lakh) and Kurubas, who are expected to back the Congress. This is making the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sweat it out.

News18 caught up with the BJP candidate in Byadgi, a town popular for its red chilli, where Bommai was explaining Congresss Sam Pitrodas inheritance tax controversy. When asked if the issue resonated with the rural masses, he said, Inheritance tax is an issue in rural areas. Farmers have got very little. It is a question of their livelihood. Pitroda wants to bring the American model. Their 6% population is dependent on agriculture, while in India, the number is 66%. The Congress is out of touch with the ground reality.

Bommai is promising two things in every rally he addresses. We have irrigated more than one lakh hectares when I was the irrigation minister. We will bring industrialisation to both Gadag and Haveri, which will bring jobs to youngsters, he said.

Bommai plays down the impact of Karnataka governments Congress guarantees, arguing that the implementation is patchy and comes with several riders.

Modi Guarantees will build peoples lives, livelihood and their income. Congress Guarantees are all temporary. People are fed up because they have not done development work worth a single paisa. They had promised 200 units of free electricity under the Gruha Jyothi. Show me one person who got 200 units? They are telling blatant lies. Where have they given 10 kg of rice? Yuva Nidhi is a non-starter, he argued.

When questioned about Congresss allegation that the Centre has not released Rs 5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra project, as announced last year, Bommai hit back saying, My advice to them is send a proposal in a proper way. How do you seek funds without putting forth a proposal?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi rubbished the match-fixing allegations of opposition parties during polls, asking why the Congress  which was in power before 2014  failed to return to the Centre if it had the might of the central agencies backing it.

In an exclusive interview with Network18, PM Modi said the answer to the Oppositions doubts over EVMs had been given by the Supreme Court.

In 2014, they had ED and CBI, then why did they lose? They even put my home minister in jail, then why did they lose? If elections could have been won by ED-CBI, then ED-CBIs work has been done by the Congress for years, they would have won, PM Modi said in response to a question by Network18s Group Editor Rahul Joshi.

The prime minister added: You cannot fix the election of such a big country, even for a municipality you cant fix elections. Try it. Is it possible? They are just fooling the world. The sad thing is that instead of asking them, the media asks us [about these allegations].

Watch my interview tonight at 9 PM on the News18 network, where Ill be covering a multitude of issues and sharing my thoughts. https://t.co/vIu0B1P8Y8 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 29, 2024

PM Modi said the charges were stemming from the disappointment of the INDIA bloc. For the past few days, these people have become so disappointed that they are looking for excuses. Because even after defeat, you need to go in front of the people. That is why I think that maybe they are already looking for all these excuses. This is probably their internal exercise.

The prime minister also slammed the Congress for its manifesto, calling it influenced by the Muslim League. He was scathing in his attacks on Congress leader Rahul Gandhis idea of wealth redistribution as he termed it an Urban Naxal thought.

X-ray means raiding every household. If any woman has hidden gold where she stores grains, even that will be X-rayed. The jewels will be confiscated. Land records will be scrutinised. And these will be redistributed. This Maoist ideology has never helped the world. This is an entirely Urban Naxal thought.

The full interview will go live on News18 channels and digital platforms at 9pm on Monday, April 29.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an exclusive interview with Network18, attacked the Congress for trying to loot the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in the country as he pointed out several instances when the Grand Old Party pushes for quota on the basis of religion.

Responding to a question by Network18s Group Editor Rahul Joshi on former prime minister Manmohan Singhs 2006 video about poor Muslims having the first right on the countrys resources, PM Modi pointed to the Congress manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and said it had the stamp of the Muslim League.

The prime minister further gave instances to prove that Singh had always wanted to take a part of the OBC reservation and give it to Muslims several times during his tenure.

You see the history of Congress. This demand (for reservation) has been raised since the 1990s. There is a huge section of society in the country which felt that something should be done for them, there were protests for it. Before 1990, Congress completely opposed it and suppressed it. Then whatever commissions they formed, whatever committees they formed, their reports also started coming in favour of OBCs. They kept denying, rejecting, and suppressing these views. But after the 90s, due to vote-bank politics, they felt something must be done, he said.

PM Modi added: So, what was the first sin they committed? In the 90s, they decided to classify Muslims as OBCs in Karnataka. So, they were rejecting and suppressing OBCs earlier, but for political gains, they labelled Muslims as OBCs. Congress was ousted from the Centre. This plan remained stalled till 2004. When Congress came back in 2004, it immediately decided to give OBC quota to Muslims in Andhra Pradesh. The matter got complicated in court. The Indian Parliament had decided to give 27 per cent reservation to OBCs in line with the basic spirit of the Constitution. Now, they tried to loot this 27 per cent quota.

The prime minister said the Grand Old Party, in its manifesto for the 2009 polls, mentioned the demand again. In 2011, there is a Cabinet Note on this where they decided to give a share from the OBC quota to Muslims. They tried this in the UP elections too but to no avail. In 2012, the Andhra High Court cancelled it. They went to Supreme Court, even there they did not get any relief. The 2014 Manifesto also talked about reservation on the basis of religion.

When the Constitution of India was made, no RSS or BJP people were present. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Pandit Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and several great men of our country were present, and after long contemplation, they decided that reservation cannot be given on the basis of religion in a country like India. But see their manifesto for the 2024 elections. It has the imprint of the Muslim League. The way they are flouting the Constitution, the way they are insulting Ambedkar There is a sword of danger hanging over reservation for SCs and STs. They will make life difficult for OBCs. Should I not inform the people of the country about this?

Slamming the Congress argument about lack of OBC judges as well as no representation from the community in the media, PM Modi asked if it was his government that formed any policy since 2014 to hamper the growth of OBCs.

These are their sins. It is their (Congresss) sins that the country is paying for. If they had followed secularism in the true sense, had done social justice in the true sense, not done vote bank politics, then they would not have had to roam around with fake papers today. I believe that whatever I have been doing for the past 10 years, the results will be such that whatever questions are asked, we will be able to answer them, based on our actions. We will give justice to everybody.

He added: How did our country get the first Adivasi President? Through our thought process. We got three chances to make the President of India. Once during Atal-jis time, twice during my tenure. Who did we elect the first time? First, we made a member of the minority community, Abdul Kalam. Then I made a Dalit (Ramnath Kovind), then an Adivasi woman (Droupadi Murmu). Our actions show our thought process.

The prime minister, in the exclusive conversation, also shared his views about the BJPs development agenda, the 2024 Lok Sabha battle and oppositions barbs against him. The full interview will go live on News18 channels and digital platforms at 9pm on Monday, April 29.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
In a mega exclusive interview to News18 Network, Prime Minister Narendra Modi identified welfare of the society and last-mile delivery as the two main focus areas of his Lok Sabha elections campaign. Speaking to Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, the Prime Minister added that his is not an election-time government.

Asked whether his claim of the Congress wanting to redistribute wealth among Muslims is a real threat, PM Modi called for a closer look at his campaign.

I feel that maybe your team has not tracked my entire campaign. There are many good developmental things which may not be fitting in terms of TRP. But you must have seen that my entire election campaign is focused on two things. One, we have done work for the welfare of society. The biggest difference in this government [compared to previous ones] is that last-mile delivery is our specialty. See, no government is formed to do bad, it wants to do good. Some people know how to do good for others, some people wait for good things to happen. I am a person who believes in working hard and getting things done, he said.

Detailing the initiatives and welfare policies of his government in the last two terms, PM Modi said: I am continuously saying in the elections that we have built 4 crore houses for the poor. I tell so many people that when you go for this election campaign, please help me by sending a list of people whose houses have not been built. As soon as my third term starts, I want to take this work forward.

Confident of security a record third term, Prime Minister Modi laid out his vision for the next five years. I want to build 3 crore more houses. Ayushman Bharat Yojana is the worlds largest health insurance and health assurance scheme. This is the assurance of treatment to 55 crore people. It is an assurance that Modis government is with you. This time, we have said in the manifesto that no matter which class, society, background a person belongs to, whoever is above 70 years of age  both men and women  will get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. This time we have also said in the manifesto that we will give this benefit to ASHA workers. We will give benefits to transgenders, no matter what their age is.

The condition of banks in our country was miserable. More than half of the population of the country was such that it gave money to open accounts in banks but the banks never opened their accounts. Then Modi came and opened 52 crore bank accounts, and I took the biggest advantage of it. I took the trinity of Jan Dhan, mobile and Aadhaar and encouraged Direct Benefit Transfer. A sum of Rs 36 lakh crore  the figure is very big  has gone into peoples accounts [via Direct Benefit Transfer]. This huge financial inclusion has happened in our country [due to opening of accounts]. This is more than the number of accounts that would have opened in the world in a year, he added.

There is Jal Jeevan Mission in our country. In India, 3-4 per cent of the villages would get water from taps in their homes, that too in urban localities. Today, tap water has reached 14 crore rural families, he further said.

Comparing the performance of his government to the pre-2014 situation, PM Modi said: You see, what was the situation before 2014? Fragile 5 used to be the headline. Today, we have become a vibrant economy. In IMF, there is a group of 150 countries of the world  which includes China and India  which we can call developing countries or countries with an emerging economy.

Asked whether the ongoing elections are a referendum on Narendra Modi, the PM said his is not an election-time government.

I do not run any election-time government. If you see my record of 10 years, then on an average, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, I went to some corner of India. I have been among the people and that is why my visits continue. I believe elections are the festival of democracy and as such it is the duty of all political parties to go among the people as much as possible. They should engage in dialogue and discussion. So, whether its election time or not, I consider it my duty as a worker in the political field to meet the people.

As far as these two phases of elections are concerned, I have seen such public support in very few elections. In a way, the people are fighting these elections. They are fighting for good governance. They are fighting to fulfil their dreams. I feel perhaps I am just the medium. I am more enthusiastic to go among the people this time because when the people are so enthusiastic to take up such a big responsibility, I feel it is my duty to bow down to them and seek their blessings. When the first round of elections took place, I had told some friends that people who were campaigning against us were finished. After the second round, they are demolished. First, people finished them, now they demolished them.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Corruption should not be treated as the new normal, otherwise it will hurt the country a lot, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an exclusive interview to Network18 amid the Lok Sabha elections in which he is batting for a third straight term.

The prime minister spoke to Network18s group editor Rahul Joshi on the independence of probe agencies like the ED and CBI as well as the oppositions accusation that the BJP-led central government is misusing these for political gains. He also dismissed a newspaper analysis showing that cases against 23 out 25 opposition leaders were shelved or dropped when they joined the BJP.

ALSO READ: Narendra Modi Mega Exclusive | Rahul Gandhis Wealth Redistribution Idea an Urban Naxal Thought, PM Tells News18

Prime Minister Modi said the courts, which are independent and supreme, are examining these cases and their word will be final on such charges. First, not one case has been dropped. Whatever the courts decide will happen. They are independent. Second, how many such cases pertain to the political leadership? Only 3%. Even big bureaucrats are in jail. After all, why were these agencies formed? If these agencies were formed with a purpose, wont they fulfil that? Our courts are supreme anyway The courts must be examining it, he said.

The opposition INDIA front ramped up its attack on the Modi-led Centre, especially after the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged excise policy scam. The Congress, AAP and other alliance parties had recently held the Loktantra Bachao Rally in the famous Ramlila grounds in the national capital to protest the action against the AAP convener, who is lodged in Tihar Jail.

Moving onto the topic of corruption, which has been one of the BJPs main talking points leading up to the elections, PM Modi said there should be debate around this and it should not be treated as the new normal. He said there were some who were trying to glorify corruption, which should be criticised.

Lets not take the matter of corruption lightly. There should be a debate around this. There was a time when even accusations would shake things up. And today, even after conviction and punishment, some are waving and having their photos taken. Are they glorifying corruption? This should be criticised. Corruption shouldnt be treated as a new normal. Otherwise, it will hurt the country a lot. This is not about BJP vs others, he said.

The PM said an environment is slowly being created in which corruption is being normalised, but the country has to be resolved on getting rid of it as the poor are suffering. Speaking about the Centres technology-driven initiatives like direct benefit transfer (DBT) and GeM portal, he said the system has to be policy-driven on the journey to eradicate corruption.

I see that slowly an environment is being created where it is being thought: Oh, thats alright. That happens. [But] Poor people are dying. We have to rid the country of corruption. That should be the countrys resolve. I believe in making the system policy-driven. Use technology. Earlier, a prime minister used to say a rupee goes [towards the people] but only 15 paise reach them. Today I say when a rupee goes out, the full 100 paise reach  direct benefit transfer. How? By improving the system! We launched the GeM portal, a big step towards reducing corruption, he said.

Modi further said apart from these steps to improve the system, there has to be an awareness in society that corruption cannot be tolerated at any level.

Second, we have to awaken society. Let society also be made conscious that corruption cannot be tolerated at any level. That environment is getting created in the country. But political people are not afraid. Someone would support them [the corrupt] just because they would want to oppose us. This is not correct, he added.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, said that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is not facing issues over seat-sharing and is fighting unitedly in Maharashtra.

ALSO READ | PM Narendra Modi: Maharashtras Sympathy With BJP; Sena, NCP Split Over Family Disputes | Exclusive Interview

The NDA includes Maharashtras Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) group. I think the problems you mentioned apply to the opposition. They have not been able to decide seats, they are unable to take decisions, parallel elections are being fought there. There is nothing of such sort on our side. We have joined hands and are out to fight unitedly. We have prepared well in advance. Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP have done it. There is no harmony among the fake parties of the opposition, said Modi, replying to a question from Vilas Bade, anchor of News18 Lokmat.

When asked about how many seats the BJP could win in the state, he said, We are moving ahead with a lot of strength. Votes will go up and the seats will too.

Modi said Devendra Fadnavis was the only CM to complete a five-year term in Maharashtra after a long time. Its true that the state has been seeing coalition governments for a considerable period now. There was Vilasrao DeshmukhEven when Sharad Pawar became the chief minister, he was not able to do so alone with absolute majority. Secondly, it has been Maharashtras misfortune that for some time now, no CM has been able to serve the five-year term. Devendra Fadnavis was the first person after a long time who served the entire term. The government then was clean and spotless. It was a government that worked for the welfare of the people.

ALSO READ | PM Modis Big Lok Sabha Poll Prediction: Clean Sweep In Bengal, 40/40 In Bihar | Exclusive Interview

Modi further added that Maharashtra should not go down the Bengal or Bihar route. I believe in our country, Bengal has been ruined, Kolkata was once leading the economic growth, but is ruined by politics. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were earlier reduced to unstable conditions. Maharashtra should not be allowed to go down that route. Mumbai is the economic capital of the country. We should move ahead strongly in Maharashtra for the benefit of the country. We are conveying this sentiment to the people of Maharashtra, we are convincing them and the people of Maharashtra are giving us a very positive response.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an exclusive interview to News18 Network, challenged the Congress or state governments to bring back Article 370.

Responding to Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshis question on the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjees claims that she wont allow the enforcement of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Modi said, First of all, whoever understands the Constitution of India, whoever knows the federal structure of India, and whoever knows what is in whose jurisdiction, wont ever say such things. Because this is not in their jurisdiction. If Modi is the chief minister of a state, he cant do such things. The central government will do what is in its ambit. A state government will do whatever is in its ambit. But fooling the people is a trend nowadays  to keep them in the dark. Thats why they keep saying anything at all.

Second, I challenge the Congress party to hold a press conference and say they will restore 370. They talk big about the Constitution. They talk about Babasaheb Ambedkar. They abuse us so much. But Babasaheb Ambedkars Constitution was not applicable for the entire nation. For 70 years, the Indian Constitution was not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir. There, Dalits are getting reservation for the first time [after the Article 370 move]. The Valmiki community is getting reservation for the first time. What are they talking about? Do they have the courage to hold a press conference and say, Well bring back Article 370? Can any party dare say that? Modi said.

Watch my interview tonight at 9 PM on the News18 network, where Ill be covering a multitude of issues and sharing my thoughts. https://t.co/vIu0B1P8Y8 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 29, 2024

The Centre, in March 2024, announced the implementation of the CAA. The purpose of this bill is to give Indian citizenship to refugees of six communities (Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis), who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The CAA was an integral part of the BJPs manifesto for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. While the government maintains the law is not against Muslims or will not take away citizenship of Indias Muslims, the exclusion of the community has led to criticism from the Opposition. The National Register of Citizens (NRC), which is in place in Assam, looks to maintain a record of citizens. Earlier, the Centre had said that those left out of the Assam NRC could get reprieve if they apply for citizenship under CAA.

Then President Ram Nath Kovind on August 5, 2019, declared abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. This meant the separate Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir ceased to be in operation and the Central government got the power to redraw the map of the erstwhile state, which thereafter became a Union Territory (UT). The Governor of Jammu and Kashmir became Lieutenant Governor.
The moment polling ended in Karnatakas Hassan Lok Sabha constituency last Friday (April 26), its sitting MP and NDA candidate Prajwal Revanna drove to the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and boarded a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt in Germany.

The next day, the police found out that he had fled the country the night before while the state government formed a special investigation team to probe serious charges of sexual predation against him. Only a few days before polling, sex videos allegedly featuring him and a number of women  young and old  surfaced on social media leaving the public in Hassan as well as the rest of the state shocked.

The Gowda clan made a feeble attempt to dismiss the horrifying images as fake, but there were not many takers. The video clips seemed to have hurt his re-election bid and a panicked Prajwal fled the country fearing serious backlash.

Reputation dented, JD(S) hit hard

This incident has dented the reputation of the Gowda family, whose head HD Deve Gowda is a former prime minister. The JD(S), too, has been hit hard in their leaders fiefdom of Hassan, which he has carefully built over the past 60 years. Some of his party leaders and workers have gone to the police against his grandson, aggravating the situation.

The most unexpected and shocking response for the family has come from Prajwals uncle and former CM HD Kumaraswamy. Reacting to the incident, he welcomed the SIT and said: Those who ate salt should drink water, this is the law of the land. If he has fled the country, the police will bring him back. I have nothing to do with this incident.

His hyper-aggressive older brother and Prajwals father HD Revanna has so far kept quiet and is yet to come out of his home since voting day. His politically ambitious mother Bhavani Revanna has switched off her phone since the video clips surfaced.

According to the police, there are hundreds of video clips while dozens of women have come forward to lodge complaints against Prajwal. A majority of them have alleged that he sexually assaulted them using his political and money power.

It is well known that Deve Gowda himself worked the phones to save his grandson before he fled. Chief minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar expressed their shock over the revelations and assured a free and fair investigation into the matter.

The SIT is headed by additional director general of police BK Singh, and has two women IPS officers  Suman D Pennekar and Seema Latkar. A team headed by Singh is also credited with successfully cracking the sensational murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh a few years ago.

The incident has sparked outrage across the state while different organisations are demanding the MPs arrest and quick trial. Karnataka revenue minister Krishna Byregowda described it as the worlds biggest sexual abuse scandal and promised swift action. An embarrassed alliance partner BJP is, meanwhile, maintaining silence over the incident prompting the ruling Congress to ridicule it.

HD Revanna named alongside son

A 47-year-old woman, who worked as a house help at the Revanna home, has also lodged a complaint naming both Prajwal and his father alleging extreme sexual harassment over the years. Insiders are expecting several such complaints in the next couple of days.

The sex scandal has caused a massive earthquake in the JD(S), forcing party leaders to go quiet. The ruling Congress feels that the BJP-JD(S) alliance will anyway collapse after the polls while this incident will destroy the Gowda familys political fortunes.

Abrasive and uncouth, HD Revanna has been lording over Hassan district in an almost feudal manner for the past 30 years. Prajwal is also infamous for his arrogance and sexual misconduct.

If the SIT manages to nail both father and son, it can bring down the Gowda empire, first in Hassan and later across the rest of the Old Mysore region. Some local BJP leaders had warned the saffron party not to field Prajwal from Hassan; they are now saying the party has done a lot of damage by ignoring their timely advice.

If the investigation is successful and there is no political management, the Gowdas are unlikely to escape. The 92-year-old former PM is facing the toughest challenge. First, he has to save his family and, later, his party. But, both age and sympathies are no longer on his side.
Wealth redistribution is a Maoist ideology that has never helped the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Network18 in an exclusive interview as he slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhis demand for a socio-economic survey to re-allocated resources.

People who consider themselves political experts should ask such people that if the conditions you (Congress) describe are real, then you have been in power for 50-60 years. You gave birth to this. Why did you let it come to this? the prime minister asked in response to a question by Network18s Ground Editor Rahul Joshi.

Secondly, X-ray means raiding every household. If any woman has hidden gold where she stores grains, even that will be X-rayed. The jewels will be confiscated. Land records will be scrutinised. And these will be redistributed. This Maoist ideology has never helped the world. This is an entirely Urban Naxal thought, he added.

The prime minister also tore into the Grand Old Partys manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, saying it had the imprint of the Muslim League. This is why the Jamaat, which usually keeps writing, kept quiet about the manifesto even after 10 days, because it will help them. They kept quiet to protect them. It then becomes my responsibility to awaken the country to the fact that they are planning to loot you. Dr Manmohan Singh has said clearly who has the first right on the countrys resources. They have clearly stated their intentions.

Sharing his views on the much-talked-about inheritance tax debate, PM Modi said while he was talking about development and inheritance, they are talking of plundering that inheritance.

Their [Congress] history till date is about doing what they have mentioned in the manifesto. It is my responsibility to tell the countrymen that they are taking the country in this direction. Now you decide whether you want to go or not. But it is my responsibility that on the basis of facts and importance, I should tell you [the truth].

Indicating that BJP would never be on board the concept of inheritance tax, the prime minister said BJPs vision for the country is clearly laid out in its manifesto. What the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to do is written in our manifesto The ideology of the BJP is clear. We go before the country with our manifesto and works. Please dont impose their great thoughts on us, he said, referring to Congress leader Sam Pitrodas remarks on inheritance tax.

Pitroda, US-based president of the Congresss overseas wing, had recently spoken about inheritance tax in the US while delving into the issue of redistribution of wealth, triggering a political war of words and giving the BJP ammunition in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

In recent election rallies, the PM has highlighted Pitrodas comments on wealth redistribution, saying zindagi ke saath bhi, zindagi ke baad bhi is the opposition partys mantra to loot people.

How does the thought that we will carry forward their plan even come to your mind? the Prime Minister exclaimed during the interview to News18 Network.

The full interview will go live on News18 channels and digital platforms at 9pm on Monday, April 29.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
BJP candidate Mukesh Dalal was elected unopposed from Surat Lok Sabha constituency last week after all other candidates, including Congress Nilesh Kumbhani, withdrew their nominations.

The rejection of Nilesh Kumbhanis candidature came after the district returning officer identified discrepancies in the signatures of the proposers. The election officer deemed the signatures on Kumbhanis nomination form as fake, leading to the cancellation of his candidacy. Additionally, the nomination form of Suresh Padsala, the Congress substitute candidate from Surat, was also invalidated.

What Is An Uncontested Election?

An uncontested election is when a candidate is declared the winner without a single vote being cast. As per election nomination rules, a candidate endorsed by a recognised political party needs at least one voter from the constituency to propose their candidacy. But if the candidate is Independent or nominated by an unrecognised political party, 10 voters from the constituency must sign the nomination paper.

According to Section 53 (3) of the Representation of Peoples Act of 1951, in case the number of candidates is actually less than the number of seats that are required to be filled, then the returning officer shall forthwith announce all such candidates to be elected.

The actions of the returning officers are actually governed by Section 33 of the Representation of the People Act of 1951, which is about the presentation of the nomination documents and other requirements needed for a valid nomination.

Sub-section 4 of the section states that the returning officer, on the presentation of the nomination paper, shall actually satisfy himself that the electoral roll numbers and names of the candidate and his proposer are the same as those entered in the electoral rolls.

The Handbook for Returning Officers (Edition 2) also suggests if there exists only one candidate contesting in any constituency, then that particular candidate should be announced to have been elected just after the last hour for the withdrawal of the candidature.

What About NOTA?

The Conduct of Election Rules of 1961 actually entitles the electors to choose not to vote as per Rule 49-O. In case of Rule 49-O, there are chances for the elector to comprise with his secrecy. However, in the case of NOTA (None Of The Above), the secrecy of the elector remains safe.

As per the Election Handbook, NOTA votes are not to be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the total valid votes.

The option of NOTA has been in place since 2013.

Has This Happened Before?

In Indias first general election in 1951, Rupaji Bhavji Parmar of the Congress won unopposed from the Panchmahals-cum-Baroda East seat, while Major General Himmatsinhji Jadeja secured a similar win for the party from Halar seat in Saurashtra.

During the 1951 Lok Sabha Election, the Bombay State had 37 Lok Sabha seats, including 14 from Gujarat, six from Saurashtra and two from Kutch. Among the 14 seats in Gujarat, single-seat constituencies encompassed Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mehsana East, Mehsana West, Kheda North, Kheda South, Baroda West, and Panchmahal, Surat and Ahmedabad had two seats each.

So, a total of 10 candidates were elected unopposed across the country in the first Lok Sabha election. Besides the ones from Bombay State, contestants from Visakhapatnam, Coimbatore, Mehbubnagar, and Raigarh Phulba seats were also elected unopposed. Seven candidates, two Independent candidates and one from Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party (KMPP) were elected unopposed in the first Lok Sabha.

The last time a person was elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha  not including bypolls  was Mohammad Shafi Bhat of the National Conference. He won unopposed in Jammu and Kashmirs Srinagar in 1989. Before that, Farooq Abdullah, also from the National Conference, was elected unopposed from Srinagar in 1980.

Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav also won unopposed from the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat in 2012 after the two other candidates for the constituency withdrew their nominations.

The most MPs elected unopposed in a single election were in 1952, 1957, and 1967, at five each, according to a report by The Indian Express.
With Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approving militarys plan for an offensive in Rafah last month, more than 1 million Palestinians living in Gazas southern city are weighing the option to stay or flee. Reports suggest that Israeli military has called up two reserve brigades for duty in Gaza, set up tent encampments in north of Rafah.

At least 20 Palestinians were killed in an airstrike on three houses in Rafah on Monday. In Gaza City, in the north of the Gaza Strip, Israeli warplanes struck two houses, killing at least four people and wounding several people, health officials said, as reported by news agency Reuters.

US President Joe Biden had reiterated his clear position on Rafah to Israel PM Netanyahu in a call on Sunday.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appealed to the US to ask Israel to stop the Rafah operation, pointing out that even a small strike in Rafah would force Palestinians to flee the Gaza Strip.

Israel, however, had said the military offensive in Rafah is necessary to eliminate Hamas and free the remaining 133 hostages taken captive since the October 7 attack, most of whom are believed to be alive.

The Rafah attack comes after the international agencies made a renewed effort to press for ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Hamas had last weekend said it was studying Israels counterproposal for a Gaza ceasefire after media reports emerged saying a delegation from mediator Egypt was in Israel trying to jump-start stalled negotiations.

More than 85% of Gazas 2.3 million inhabitants have been left homeless. Most of the displaced have sought shelter in Rafah, which had a pre-war population of about 300,000.

Why is Rafah Important?

Netanyahu had said, It is impossible to complete the victory (against Hamas) without the Israel Defense Forces entering Rafah.

Rafah is located along the 12 km border that divides The Gaza Strip, a narrow 41-km Palestinian territory situated along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, from Egypt. It is a home to four Hamas combat battalions.

There are three main entry and exit points  the Erez crossing in the north, and the Rafah crossing in the south. In the south of Gaza, there is also the Karem Abu Salem goods crossing. The Erez crossing is managed by Israel while Rafah, a vast territory of mountains and desert, is controlled by Egypt.

Israel controls Gazas airspace and territorial waters but Rafah is the only crossing that is not directly under it.

Geographically and strategically, the Rafah crossing is the primary exit point for people from Gaza, and also serves as a main link between Gaza and the world.

The Rafah crossing is under Egyptian control as per a 2007 agreement with Israel.

It is only through Rafah that people of Gaza get essential items such as fuel, cooking gas, medicine and construction materials from Egypt. However, the crossing remains shut for most days of the year.

Israel opened the Rafah crossing following the 1979 peace treaty, and the movement of people from Gaza into Egypt remained in Israels control from 1982 until 2005. From November 2005, the Rafah crossing came under Egyptian, Palestinian Authority and European Union control  the first time Palestinians had gained partial control of one of their international borders.

After Hamas seized control of Gaza in June 2007, the European Union withdrew control of the border. Israel and Egypts subsequent joint blockade and their decision to shut down the Rafah crossing following the Hamas takeover effectively sealed off the Gaza Strip on all sides. Since then, the crossing has only been intermittently open to Palestinians, according to a report by an American non-profit media organisation National Public Radio NPR.

What Are Israels Plans in Rafah?

Hamas should know that when the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] goes into Rafah, it would do best to raise its hands in surrender. Rafah will not be the Rafah of today, Israeli Brig. Gen. Itzik Cohen had told Israeli public broadcaster Kan, adding that the city would be free of arms and hostages, as mentioned in an NPR report.

In February, Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official and a negotiator in the first and second Palestinian intifadas, or uprisings, in the 1980s and 2000s, had told Reuters that Rafah is the last bastion of Hamas control and there remain battalions in Rafah which Israel must dismantle to achieve its goals in this war.

The Reuters report had said, quoting an Israeli security source and an international aid official, that Gazans could be screened to single out Hamas fighters before being sent northwards. A separate Israeli source said Israel could also build a floating jetty north of Rafah to enable international aid and hospital ships to arrive by sea.
Even as the Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) is fighting for its survival in the ongoing Lok Sabha election, the emergence of a controversy around sitting Hassan MP Prajwal Revannas alleged involvement in several obscene videos has had an impact on the partys image. The JDS, which is in alliance with the BJP in the Lok Sabha election in Karnataka, has distanced itself from the row. But political pundits say it has left the alliance embarrassed, though this may not have much of a political impact.

It definitely has left the alliance partners  BJP and JDS  thoroughly embarrassed, said political analyst Sandeep Shastri.

The next round of elections is in North Karnataka where the JDS does not draw many numbers in terms of support. So, I think it will have minimal visibility in that sense. Unless the SIT probe comes out with significantly concrete evidence, I think the BJP will be able to dismiss it as morphed. Had it blown up the way it has now, just before the polls, then it would have had a different impact in Southern Karnataka, Shastri explained.

As the controversy broke out, the ruling Congress set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the obscene video case. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, Obscene video clips are circulating in Hassan district, where it appears that women have been sexually assaulted, while announcing the probe. Meanwhile, it is reportedly said that Prajwal Revanna, 33, fled to Germany as soon as the video clips were found circulating in the district.

The alleged video clips surfaced a couple of days before Hassan went to the polls in the second phase on April 26.

Nagalakshmi Chaudhary, Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, took up the issue suo moto and requested the Congress government and the State DGP, Alok Mohan, to set up an investigation team and probe into the matter as they claim that many women were found to have been allegedly sexually assaulted by the MP. Revannas election agent, in a complaint filed in Hassan, called it morphed and an attempt to malign his name by those who are opposed to him with malicious intent.

MG Poornachandra Thejaswi, who has been representing both the JDS and the BJP, in his formal complaint lodged in Hassan, has named some Naveen Gowda among others for allegedly being involved in circulating the morphed videos and images with the intent to defame and malign the incumbent MP.

Reactions

Revannas uncle and former JDS chief minister HD Kumaraswamy made the statement that the party will support a transparent probe into the matter, and when complaints are filed, strict legal action will be taken.

Kumaraswamy also stressed that if Prajwal had fled to another country, then the SIT team that has been set up should ensure they bring him back to Karnataka to be part of the probe and the JDS has no role in it.

Be it HD Deve Gowda or me, we have always respected women and when we have been approached with complaints. We have resolved their issues with immediate action. The CM has ordered an SIT investigation, let it begin and let them bring him back from abroad. That is not our concern or does not need our role, Kumaraswamy said.

JDS alliance partner BJP have also distanced themselves from the controversy and has sought an immediate report on the issue.

BJP spokesperson S Prakash told News18, BJP has nothing to do with this, the government has formed an SIT, let there be probe. This does not affect our alliance. Kumaraswamy himself has said if he (Prajwal Revanna) has done anything wrong, he should face action. The government should come out with a report as soon as possible. It is for the JDS to handle this, not the BJP, he said.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Underlining concerns over fundamental rights and accountability, the Delhi High Court on Monday rapped the state of governance in the national capital in the absence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The High Courts remarks came amid ongoing debates on the functioning of the Delhi government, including the non-supply of books to the children studying in MCD schools, in light of Kejriwals recent arrest and subsequent absence from office. Citing the importance of Kejriwals role as CM, the court earlier stressed that his personal interests should not obstruct the fundamental rights of children or impede the governments ability to carry out its duties effectively.

Shedding of crocodile tears

The High Court criticised the Delhi government for shifting blame onto other institutions, describing such actions as mere shedding of crocodile tears. If the party in power in GNCTD believed in the solution suggested in the minutes of the meeting dated 15th January 2024, nothing prevented it from moving a suo moto resolution in the MCD House authorising the Commissioner to make payment for text books, writing material and uniform. Consequently, the submission of learned counsel for the GNCTD blaming other institutions amounts to nothing but shedding of crocodile tears, the court said.

There is a ring of truth in the statement made by the Honble Minister of Urban Development, Mr. Saurabh Bhardwaj that any increase in the financial power of the Commissioner, MCD shall require the Chief Ministers approval. It amounts to an admission that the Delhi Government, due to absence of the Chief Minister is at a standstill, it added. Shortly after the HCs hearing, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh announced that he would hold a press conference on the courts decision.

        4    Sanjay Singh AAP (@SanjayAzadSln) April 29, 2024

Buzzing capital city like Delhi

The High Court underlined that while no new policy decisions could be made in Kejriwals absence, the responsibilities associated with constitutional posts required swift and efficient decision-making, particularly in times of crisis or urgent need. A Chief Ministers post in any State, leave alone a buzzing capital city like Delhi is not a ceremonial post. It is a post where the office holder (when in office) has to be virtually available 24 x 7 to deal with any crisis or natural disaster like flooding, fire, disease, etc. National interest and public interest demands that no person who holds this post is incommunicado or absent for a long stretch of time or for an uncertain period of time, the court said.

Undoubtedly, no new policy decision can be taken but holders of Constitutional posts have to everyday take important as well as urgent decisions. For instance, the issuance of free textbooks, writing material and uniforms as well as the replacement of broken chairs and tables in accordance with the existing policies in the MCD schools is an urgent and immediate decision that brooks no delay and which is not prohibited during the model code of conduct, it added.

Earlier on Friday, the Delhi HC came down heavily on the Delhi government over the non-supply of books to the children studying in MCD schools. The court said Kejriwal had put personal interest over the national interest by not resigning from the post of Chief Minister despite being in jail. A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora made these remarks while dealing with a PIL raising the issue of the poor condition of MCD schools because of the logjam in the civic body. The court had said the Delhi government was interested in the appropriation of power.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
A 27-year-old woman, whose decomposed body was found wrapped in a blanket in Navi Mumbais Uran town last week, was allegedly in a relationship with the accused for four years, sources said.

Sources told CNN-News18 that the accused, a taxi driver named Nizam, allegedly picked up the victim, Poonam Kshirsagar, from Mankhurd and took her for a drive in his car to Khadavli in the Kalyan area of Thane district on April 18.

Poonam was allegedly killed on April 19, and her body was dumped at the side of the road at Talekhar along Chirner-Kharpada in the Uran area. According to the police, her decomposed body was found by locals on April 25.

Upon investigation, the police confirmed that the body was Poonams, whose missing report was filed by her family on April 19.

Nazim, originally from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, has now been arrested by the police.

According to the police, Poonam was unaware of Nazims relationship status until she found out he was married with a child. They had a fight over a phone call, and following that, it led to the incident.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who visited the victims family, claimed that Nizam took her to Kalyan and then murdered her. He then packed her body in a suitcase and dumped it in a deserted place.

Lodha, who is Mumbai Suburban Guardian Minister, noted that this is the third incident in Mumbai and said it will not be ignored.

The minister further stated that the issue of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis living illegally in Mumbai will have to be addressed.

Otherwise, a young Hindu woman will not be able to go out of the house safely, he stated.

Additionally, he also assured to bring justice to Poonam and warned of violent agitation if strict action is not taken against the accused within 24 hours.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
In todays edition of News18 Morning Digest, we bring you what Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Network18s Group Editor Rahul Joshi in an exclusive interview, along with other top stories.

Narendra Modi Exclusive | Congress Trying to Loot 27% OBC Quota for Muslims, Says PM, Trains Guns on Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an exclusive interview with Network18, attacked the Congress for trying to loot the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in the country as he pointed out several instances when the Grand Old Party pushes for quota on the basis of religion. READ MORE

Used To Call Women To Storeroom: Woman Tells Cops In Prajwal Revanna Sex Scandal Case

The woman who filed a complaint against JD(S) chief and former prime minister HD Deve Gowdas son and grandson, HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna, claimed that after four months of starting her job, Revanna repeatedly called her to his room. READ MORE

Mahadev Betting App Case: Actor Sahil Khan Travelled Through 6 States in Four Days to Evade Arrest, Say Sources

Actor and influencer Sahil Khan, who was arrested by the Mumbai police crime branch from Chhattisgarh on Sunday morning, travelled through six states in four days to avoid arrest. READ MORE

Supreme Court To Hear Arvind Kejriwals Plea Against ED Arrest In Delhi Excise Policy Scam Today

The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta is expected to hear the matter. READ MORE

Pro-Palestine Protests Continue To Roil US Universities, Tally Of Arrested Students, Faculty Reaches 900: Updates

US universities campuses continue to see massive protests demanding ceasefire in Gaza as well as divestment from Israel and companies that are associated with the Israeli government and its army. Protests demanding colleges and universities cut financial ties to Israel because of the Israel-Hamas war. READ MORE

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmahs Sodhi Was to Marry Before He Went Missing, Had Financial Issues: Report

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmahs Sodhi, aka Gurucharan Singh, went missing on April 22. Ever since, family members, co-stars and fans have been worried for him. While the police investigation is on, a new report has claimed that the TMKOC star was set to marry soon. The report also claimed that the actor was struggling financially. The new update came just a few days after it was reported that Gurucharan was last spotted in New Delhi. READ MORE

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued a stay order on any further probe into the illegal appointments within the Staff Selection Commission (SSC). However, the order regarding the termination of 25,000 teachers recruited illegally, has not been stayed. This decision, made under the directive of the Chief Justice of India (CJI), comes amid ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the controversial appointments.

The highest court in the country has directed that no coercive action be taken until Monday, indicating a temporary halt to the investigative process pending further judicial review. This comes after the Calcutta High Court on Monday ordered a CBI investigation into the alleged Group-C and Group-D (nonteaching staffs) appointment scam in the state-run secondary and higher secondary schools.

The West Bengal Central School Service Commission (WBCSSC) and West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) were scheduled to file an affidavit in the case before a division bench of Chief Justice on Monday. The CBI probe order was given after the affidavit was submitted before the division bench.

During the hearing, the chief justice said that the culprits must be identified and action must be taken against them. The court then ordered a CBI probe into the matter and directed to form an inquiry committee with a DIG rank officer to look into the fake appointments of at least 25 Group-D staffs.

There is an invisible hand behind the fake appointments of at least 25 Group D staff. People behind this invisible hand need to be exposed, the court said. The probe agency has been asked to submit a preliminary report by December 21. In 2016, the state had recommended appointment of some 13,000 group D staff in state run schools. Based on the recommendation, state WBCSSC conducted exams and based on interviews, the commission has finalised a panel of prospective employees.

The validity of the panel was expired on May 4, 2019 and it is being alleged that that the Commission has illegally recommended appointments from the panel even after its expiry. Later, a section of candidates who failed to secure appointments despite remaining enlisted in the panel moved court alleging that the Commission had illegally recommended appointments from the panel even after its expiry.

The petitioners presented 25 such illegal appointments and drew the courts attention to a deep-rooted corruption mechanism sitting firm within the system. During the course of back-to-back hearings, the Court had lashed out at the commission and warned it of a CBI probe into the corruption charges, if required. Then, Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay had also observed that he is thinking of deploying central forces in the Commissions office to prevent recruitment documents from getting tampered with.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
The woman who filed a complaint against JD(S) chief and former prime minister HD Deve Gowdas grandson Prajwal Revanna claimed that after four months of starting her job, he repeatedly called her to his room.

After four months of joining, Revanna kept calling me to his room. There were six women workers in the house and everyone said that they were scared when Prajwal Revanna came home. The male workers in the house also alerted the women workers to be careful, the woman, who worked as a house help, stated.

The woman complainant also named HD Revanna, Prajwals father and Deve Gowdas son, as an accused in the case.

She mentioned how Revanna, who is an MLA from Holenarasipura, would call the women to the store room and touch them when his wife was not around the house.

Whenever (HD) Revannas wife wasnt there, he used to call the women to the store room and touch them while giving them fruits. He used to remove saree pins and used to sexually assault women, she added.

The woman also stated that Prajwal behaved inappropriately with her daughter during a video call, Hindustan Times reported.

My daughter blocked his number after repeated calls, she added.

Prajwal, 33, is the incumbent Hassan MP and is also the NDA candidate from Hassan in the Lok Sabha elections, which went to polls on April 26. The JD(S) joined the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in September last year.

According to a report by The Indian Express, the woman complainant revealed to the police that she chose to step forward and name Revanna and Prajwal after watching online videos of other victims sharing their experiences. Detailing her case, she claimed that the abuse happened between 2019 and 2022.

Her complaint, along with others, and the FIR filed against Prajwal will be forwarded to the SIT led by Additional General of Police Bijay Kumar Singh. The team comprises IPS officers Suman D Pennekar and Seema Latkar.

Karnataka Government Announces SIT Probe

On Saturday, Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in response to a letter from the State Commission for Women, which said influential politicians seeking sexual favors from women and allegedly raping some of them.

Video clips allegedly showing Prajwal engaging in sexual acts with several women, including some government employees, surfaced.

Meanwhile, JD(S) MP Prajwal reportedly departed on a 3:00 am flight on April 27 for Frankfurt, Germany.

BJP Helped Prajwal To Flee The Country: Priyank Kharge

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Monday accused the BJP-led central government of helping Prajwal flee the country.

Also, @BJP4Karnataka are waiting for your approval to hit the streets and get justice to hundreds of victims who have been abused by your Hassan MP candidate, Kharge wrote in a post on X.

. @narendramodi avare,I am sure you will be ranting about Cafe Rameshwaram blast again. Of course, you will deny Central Govt intelligence failures to identify IS cells across the country. But Kannadigas, would also like to know,why did the former Mysuru BJP MP issue passes  Priyank Kharge /   (@PriyankKharge) April 29, 2024

BJP Warned About Prajwals Obscene Videos Last December

BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda had alerted the state leadership about allegations of Prajwal Revannas sexual misconduct months before he was announced as the NDA candidate for the Hassan seat.

Gowda wrote to BJP state president BY Vijayendra in December last year, informing him about the obscene video clips. In his letter, Gowda opposed the BJPs potential alliance with the JD(S) and stated that he possessed a pen drive containing 2,976 video clips allegedly filmed by Prajwal and purportedly used to blackmail many women, as per The Hindu report.

Whoever has done wrong should be punished: Kumaraswamy

Speaking about the scandal involving his brother and nephew, JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said that the partys stance, as well as his personal stance, is clear, stating whoever has done wrong should be punished.

Whoever has done wrong will be punished. There is first-hand information that the candidate will win. I have no links to this matter. This matter will not affect us in the election. Here, there is no matter of family. I want to tell Congress to speak about the person, not the family. Whoever has done wrong should be punished, Kumaraswamy stated.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
As Himachals popularity continues to soar, traditional tourist hubs like Shimla and Manali are becoming overcrowded. Consequently, travellers are venturing into lesser-known corners of the state, craving authentic experiences and a deeper connection with the local culture. Summer in Himachal Pradesh offers a refreshing escape from the sweltering city heat, and travellers are increasingly seeking out cooler, more serene destinations, says Deep Banka, COO, Zostel.

Banka adds, At Zostel, weve recognized this trend and are actively expanding our presence in these unexplored gems. By collaborating closely with locals, we aim to provide travellers with an immersive experience, allowing them to delve into the rich heritage and culinary delights of Himachal Pradesh. This summer, we anticipate a significant surge in travellers, with an expected 1.5x increase in the demand for May and June alone. Influx of travellers expected from Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad. Were excited to welcome travellers to these hidden havens and help them create unforgettable memories amidst the breathtaking Himalayan landscape.

Banka suggests best places to visit in Himachal this summer:
International Dance Day, also known as World Dance Day, is celebrated globally on April 29 every year to promote the rich variety of dance forms practiced worldwide. It encourages people to immerse themselves in the art and learn more about it through a wide array of events and festivals held across the globe. Since its inception in 1982, the International Dance Committee and the International Theatre Institute (ITI) select an outstanding dance personality to write a message for this special occasion annually.

International Dance Day 2024: History

The history of International Dance Day traces back to 1982, when the Dance Committee of International Theatre Institute (ITI), in collaboration with UNESCO performing arts, founded this day to be commemorated every year on April 29. This special day also happens to be the birthday of famous French dance artist Jean-Georges Noverre, who was born in 1727, who is considered the creator of modern ballet.

Since its beginning, International Dance Day has featured a special message each year from a distinguished choreographer or dancer. The message is selected by the International Dance Committee and the Executive Council of ITI. This message is translated into numerous languages and circulated globally, serving as an inspirational celebration of the universal language of dance.

International Dance Day 2024: Significance

International Dance Day aims to celebrate dance as a universal art form across political, cultural and ethnic barriers. The purpose is to bring people together through the common language of dance, fostering unity and understanding.

Additionally, this day acts as a platform for various dance communities to promote their work on a global scale, raising awareness among governments and leaders about the value and importance of dance in all its forms. This, in turn, encourages support and recognition of this expressive and enriching art.

International Dance Day 2024: Types Of Classical Dance Forms

India boasts a vibrant tapestry of classical dance forms, each with its unique style and story. Bharatanatyam, from Tamil Nadu, captivates with expressive footwork and intricate hand gestures. Kathak, originating in North India, is known for its graceful spins and storytelling elements. Odissi, Odishas treasure, showcases the sculpturesque poses of temple dancers. Keralas Kathakali dazzles with elaborate costumes and dramatic narratives.
Nilesh Sable is a familiar face in the Marathi Television industry. His new comedy show Hastay Na Hasaylach Pahije started its journey on April 27. The show attracted a massive audience soon after the telecast of the first episode. As the show started its journey the host was seen visiting a temple praying for the success of the show.

The Actor and Television presenter posted a picture on Instagram of him visiting the Jyotiba temple. The caption read when translated to English Good in the name of Jyotiba .. With his blessings, our new program Hasatay Na Hasay Must Laugh Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm on Colors Marathi.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nilesh Sabale (@dr.nilesh_sabale_official)

The actor was seen seeking blessing for his upcoming show. In the photos he posted the actor was seen wearing a black shirt along with an off-white trouser. In another photo, Nilesh was seen wrapped in a red shawl while he sought blessing from the pandit. He was seen offering puja and taking the divine tilak. As Nilesh got to visit the sacred Jyotiba, he shared his feelings on Instagram. Soon after the actor posted the pictures, they went viral creating a huge buzz among the netizens.

Alongside Nilesh Sable, actor and comedian Bhau Kadam and Omkar Bhojane will also be seen in the show. The telecast of the show kickstarted on April 27 and is set to broadcast on Colours Marathi. Hastay Na Hasaylach Pahije will be telecasted every Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm. The show is set to be directed by Nilesh himself.

The famous Television anchor started his acting career in the Marathi industry after winning the Zee Marathi Reality show Maharashtracha Superstar in the year 2010. After gaining some fame, he then hosted popular shows like Home Minister and Fu Bai Fu. Nilesh then went on to star Navra Majha Bhavra under the direction of Kamlakar Gujal. He touched the heights of success while hosting the show Chala Hawa Yeu Dya. He won the Marathi Utsav Natyancha Awards for Best Anchor for his anchoring skills in the show.
Bhojpuri actress Amrita Pandey was found dead at her apartment in Bihar on April 27. According to multiple media reports, Amrita had shared a cryptic note on her WhatsApp status a few hours before her death. Do naav me savaar thi uski zindagi, humne apni naav duba ke uska safar aasaan kar diya (Their life was on two boats, we made their path easier by sinking our boat), read her alleged post.

Amritas family has claimed that she was worried about her career as she wasnt getting enough work opportunities, according to a report in Times of India.com. Amrita was also reportedly battling depression.

In 2022, she had tied the knot with Chandramani Jhangad, a Mumbai-based resident originally from Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, who works as an animation engineer. Amrita was last seen in web series Pratishodh. She had also worked with Bhojpuri superstar Khesari Lal Yadav in the film Deewanapan.

The Jogsar Police received the news of a womans alleged suicide at the Divyadharma Apartment in Adampur Ship Ghat on April 27. Upon arrival and entry into the premises, they discovered the body of actress Amrita Pandey lying on the bed. According to statements from family members quoted by TOI, Amritas sister entered her room around 3:30 pm and found the actress hanging from a noose. Efforts were made to save her, and Amrita was rushed to the nearest hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival. The Jogsar police station is currently investigating her death.

DISCLAIMER: This news piece may be triggering. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata).
Dharmendra has taken a trip down memory lane as he shared a rare and old photo with his father and son Sunny Deol. In no time the photo has been trending on social media. Dharmendra also wrote an emotional message. Fans are seen reacting to it.

In the photo, Dharmendra is also seen young and posing with his father, and on the other side Sunny Deol is seen in casual wear. kaash! MAA BAAP ko aur waqt diya hota ! the caption wrote. Dharmendra often shares old photos with celebrities or with his family members. On April 11 Dharmendra shared a monochrome photo with late actor Dilip Kumar. The picture is currently going viral on social media. In the photo, Dilip Kumar is seen feeding cake or sweets to Dharmendra with his own hands. Sharing the photo on his X handle, Dharmendra wrote, Eid Mubarak in the caption. Dharmendra and Dilip Kumar used to share a deep bond of friendship and were often spotted together at events in Mumbai.

Take a look here:

kaash! MAA BAAP ko aur waqt diya hota ! pic.twitter.com/GuFxI93Aaf Dharmendra Deol (@aapkadharam) April 28, 2024

Dharmendra has worked with Dilip Kumar in the Bengali film Paari and its Hindi remake, Anokha Milan. On the work front, Dharmendra was last seen in Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. He will be seen in Sriram Raghavans Ekkis. The film will also star Amitabh Bachchans grandson Agastya Nanda. It is touted to be a biopic of the 1971 war hero, Arun Khetarpal.

During a recent interview, she revealed that her husband, Dharmendra, was not pleased when she first decided to join politics. He was concerned about her safety. Alongside, she remembered how the late actor Vinod Khanna helped her when she was beginning her political journey.

In a recent interview with News18, Hema Malini shared her husband Dharmendras concerns about her political career. She said, Dharamji didnt like it. He told me not to contest elections as its a very difficult task. He said I have experienced that. So when he said that its a difficult task, I thought let me take it as a challenge. She mentioned that Dharmendra faced challenges due to his fame, with people always wanting to talk to him. She also added that, as a woman, she faces similar challenges, but she handles them well.

Dharmendra, who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the BJP from Bikaner, Rajasthan, between 2004 and 2009, faced criticism for not attending Parliament sessions regularly. Instead, he focused more on his acting career and personal duties.
Its been a week since Gurucharan Singh, an actor who played the role of Sodhi in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, disappeared. The police are investigating. The latest update suggests he withdrew Rs 7000 from an ATM near Palam, Delhi, on April 24th, two days after he went missing. Earlier, CCTV footage showed him crossing the road in Palam on April 22nd. Some reports say he was having financial problems and was about to get married.

However, his family spoke to Indianexpress.com and said they didnt know anything about Gurucharan having plans to get married. They also mentioned they didnt know where these reports were coming from. The family member also said that Gurucharans father couldnt speak at the moment, and they didnt have any updates on the case. Theres no confirmation about the actors financial issues. His father told the police that Gurucharan Singh wasnt troubled mentally, which adds to the mystery of his disappearance. On Sunday, the Delhi Police Special Cell visited Gurucharans home to investigate where he might have gone before he went missing.

Gurucharan Singh was supposed to catch a flight from Delhi to Mumbai at 8:30 pm on April 22, but he never arrived. His phone has been off since then. His father filed a police complaint, and a case for abduction was registered under section 365. The police are still looking into the matter.

Meanwhile, Mandar Chandwadkar, who plays Bhide in TMKOC, shared with the same portal that Gurucharan often travelled between Delhi and Mumbai. They last met at Dilip Joshis sons wedding in December. Mandar said he is surprised and concerned about Gurucharans disappearance and is hoping for his safety. He said, Its really surprising for me as well. He keeps travelling between Delhi and Mumbai. Last we met at Dilip Joshis sons wedding in December. We had a nice time together, but since then we have not been in touch. Just hoping and praying all is well.
The label of BTS, Big Hit Music, said on April 26 that the group leader RMs second solo album, Right Place, Wrong Person, will come out on May 24. This is the same date as the release date for Newjeans new album, fueling rumours that HYBE utilised RMs album to target NewJeans amid their dispute with ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin. HYBE has now officially cleared the air around the concurrent date of release for both of its artists albums.

In an interview with Newsen, the business stated that when it comes to planning album releases, every label under HYBE functions autonomously. Dates can occasionally overlap because of unavoidable scheduling issues. In this case, the decision was taken following discussions and with the full consent of CEO Min Hee-jin.

It all began on March 26 when Min Hee-jin declared that NewJeans would be releasing double singles in Korea on May 24 and Japan on June 21. Not long afterwards, on April 26, BIGHIT said that RM would release his second solo album on May 24, the same day as NewJeans.

The internet quickly began to speculate that, given the current conflict with Min Hee-jin, this was a calculated effort by HYBE to incite rivalry between the labels and thwart NewJeans potential return.

Why are newjeans fans complaning that RM has the same release date as their faves??? Isnt newjeas suppossed to be the succesful independent amazing, came from the bottom 5th gen ruler group now a days?Why are they worried of someone else releasing their music on the same day???? pic.twitter.com/f4fVaOpJBQ gaby (@outrogaby) April 27, 2024

In contrast, HYBEs latest remarks have refuted these rumours, emphasising that Min Hee-jin was consulted and the overlap resolved, guaranteeing that there were no underlying problems.

Recently, an ongoing conflict arose between HYBE and its subsidiary ADOR after the parent company launched an audit against CEO Min Hee-jin, alleging that she attempted to obtain separate management rights for ADOR and disclosed confidential and financial information about the company to third parties.

In response to the parent companys request that Min Hee-jin resign from her role as CEO, she denied any wrongdoing and called an urgent press conference on April 25. Min Hee-jin asserted during the conference that HYBE disregarded NewJeans promotions and began an audit at a time when the girl group was at its most vulnerable  they had an upcoming comeback.

Moreover, Min Hee-jin charged that ILLIT, the newest girl group from HYBE, was an imitation of NewJeans.
Kamal Haasan and Shruti Haasan had a rare conversation, shedding light on their father-daughter bond, Kamal Haasans views on materialism, and his upbringing with limited finances. During the chat, Shruti asked Kamal about an unfulfilled wish, prompting him to discuss his thoughts on materialistic desires.

For More: Kamal Haasan Reacts To Shah Rukh Khan Wanting To Buy A Plane: I Felt Happy Seeing Him Because

Actor and influencer Sahil Khan, who was arrested by the Mumbai police crime branch from Chhattisgarh on Sunday morning, travelled through six states in four days to avoid arrest.

For More: Mahadev Betting App Case: Actor Sahil Khan Travelled Through 6 States in Four Days to Evade Arrest, Say Sources

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmahs Sodhi, aka Gurucharan Singh, went missing on April 22. Ever since, family members, co-stars and fans have been worried for him. While the police investigation is on, a new report has claimed that the TMKOC star was set to marry soon. The report also claimed that the actor was struggling financially. The new update came just a few days after it was reported that Gurucharan was last spotted in New Delhi.

For More: Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmahs Sodhi Was to Marry Before He Went Missing, Had Financial Issues: Report

Rumours have been swirling about a potential romance between Navya Naveli Nanda and Siddhant Chaturvedi. The pair, often seen interacting affectionately on social media, have sparked considerable excitement among fans. On April 29, 2024, Siddhant celebrated his 31st birthday and shared several photos and videos from the festivities on Instagram, which included him playing guitar, singing, dancing, and enjoying time with friends. Notably, his outfit consisted of a red printed satin shirt paired with black trousers.

For More: Siddhant Chaturvedi Celebrates 31st Birthday With Guitar And Dance; Rumoured Girlfriend Navya Naveli Nanda Reacts

Shruti Haasan and Santanu Hazarika have reportedly broken up. The couple was dating for a while and even were also in live-in relationship before they parted ways. The now-former couple has also unfollowed each other on Instagram.

For More: Shruti Haasans Ex Boyfriend Santanu Hazarika BREAKS Silence on Their Break Up: I Am Sorry
Apart from being a stellar actress, Kareena Kapoor Khan is also known for having a noteworthy approach to fashion. Be it glamorous red carpet appearances or casual candid outings, the actress always manages to make heads turn. Having said that, her recent public appearance will surely make your heart skip a beat. Bebo looked all things beautiful in an Anarkali kurta as the paparazzi captured her in Bandra.

Kareena looked drop-dead gorgeous in shades of white and gold. She completed her look with oxidised jhumkas and tied her hair to a neat bun. Well-defined eyes and lips made her look charming. She found the perfect balance between elegance and charm as she waved at the paparazzi, donning one of her brightest smiles.

Kareena Kapoor Khan is currently basking on the success of her recently released film Crew. The film, which also stars Tabu and Kriti Sanon, opened to a warm response from the masses upon its release on March 29. The film, over its first weekend, performed significantly well and concluded its first weekend in India with a collection of Rs 32.60 crore.

On the work front, Kareena Kapoor Khan is all set to star in Toxic, co-starring Yash. It has now been claimed that Kareena will play the role of Yashs sister. It is also claimed that she has a powerful role in the film. If the report is true, this will mark Kareenas first Kannada film.

A source told Times Now, It is basically a brother-sister story with Yash and Kareena playing inseparable siblings. The director was keen to have Kareena on board with Toxic from the inception of the project. Negotiations were on. Everyone presumed Kareena was being brought into the project as Yashs leading lady, when in fact Kareena was offered a far more powerful role. She has never been seen like this before. Meanwhile, it is also rumoured that Shruti Haasan could play the lead role.
Actor and influencer Sahil Khan, who was arrested by the Mumbai police crime branch from Chhattisgarh on Sunday morning, travelled through six states in four days to avoid arrest.

The 47-year-old actor, known for his roles in comedy movies like Style and Excuse Me, left Maharashtra on April 25 and travelled nearly 1800 km in four days.

Sources told CNN-News18 that Khan initially travelled to Goa, then proceeded to Karnataka, and from there to Hubballi city. He finally reached Hyderabad in a private car. In an attempt to conceal his identity there, he dressed himself in simple clothes and wore a scarf around his face.

The source further added that when Khan was in Hyderabad, the police tracked his location, prompting him to flee towards Chhattisgarh. He even travelled through the Naxalite area of Chhattisgarh, however, the driver refused to take that route during the night hours.

The police arrested him when they discovered he was staying at Hotel Aaradhya International in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh.

The Mumbai police had been tracking the actor for 72 hours. During his arrest, they also seized two mobile phones and some cash from him.

Khan has been apprehended for his alleged involvement in the Mahadev betting app case, which allegedly facilitated illegal gambling and transactions.

His arrest by the Mumbai cyber cells Special Investigating Team (SIT) came after the Bombay High Court rejected his anticipatory bail application last Wednesday. The police claim that one of these betting apps was allegedly owned by Khan. He has been remanded to police custody until May 1.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Nicole Kidmans performances have captivated Hollywood for over three decades. Honouring her transformative role as an outstanding performer across the cinematic landscape, the actress was bestowed with the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award on Sunday. With this, she also became the first Australian actor to be given the highest honour by the organisation. While her award acceptance speech included a lot of praise for all her previous filmmakers, the actress feels she would be a terrible director herself.

Kidman explained that she has a lot of ideas but a director has to make a decision, which is not her suit. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter at the AFI red carpet, Kidman explained that a producers duties align much more with her interest.

I feel like I would be a terrible director because I always have so many ideas. A director has to make choices, and thats not my strong suit. But Im very good at being passionate and supporting the voices and reading a script and going I love this script, or seeing somebody and going, I love this actor, I love this director, how do I support them? And they maybe have done nothing, but I want to get behind them. Thats what I love doing; it excites me, and it really makes me happy. I love shining the light on other people or helping to do that, she said.

As a producer, Kidman has helmed projects like Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers, The Undoing, Love & Death, and many others.

Nicole Kidman Expresses Gratitude To Her Directors

While accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award, the Moulin Rouge star also hailed the directors in Hollywood and said, Theres so many more exciting young directors and voices that are completely original and need to be heard, and they have a lot to say. We need to give them a chance to say it and to hear them, and I am here, I am ready to roll up my sleeves. I am here always to support those voices.

She also went forward to thank all her previous directors individually including The Portrait of a Lady director Jane Campion, Dead Calm filmmaker Phillip Noyce, To Die For director Gus Van Sant and The Hours director Stephen Daldry.

She also mentioned directors Lars von Trier, Alejandro Amenabar, Jonathan Glazer, Noah Baumbach, Mimi Leder, John Cameron Mitchell, Rob Marshall and Lee Daniels.
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmahs Sodhi, aka Gurucharan Singh, went missing on April 22. Ever since, family members, co-stars and fans have been worried for him. While the police investigation is on, a new report has claimed that the TMKOC star was set to marry soon. The report also claimed that the actor was struggling financially. The new update came just a few days after it was reported that Gurucharan was last spotted in New Delhi.

According to India Today, the probe in the case revealed that Gurucharan was soon to get married and was struggling with financial difficulties. The report added, He left his home for the airport in Delhi, but never took the route. It has also been revealed that the actor, who played the role of Roshan Singh Sodhi, was seen roaming through the streets of Delhi with a backpack and reportedly withdrew Rs 7000 from an ATM in Delhi before he went missing.

The actors phones last known location, as per his phone, was Delhi. He was in the city until April 24. His phone has been switched off ever since. He was last traced near his house in Palam.

On Friday, it was reported that Gurucharans father filed a missing complaint which read, My son Gurucharan Singh, Age: 50 years, had left at 8:30 am on 22nd April to go to Mumbai. He went to the airport to catch a flight. He didnt reach Mumbai, neither has he returned home and his phone is not reachable. He is mentally stable and we had been searching for him but now he has been missing.

Sodhis close friend Ms Soni also spoke to Pinkvilla when she revealed that the actor was unwell for the last few days and had even undergone a few tests. She also shared that Sodhi wasnt eating properly for the last few days.

Before leaving for Delhi, his blood pressure was high and he had undergone a few tests as well. He wasnt even eating much before he left for Delhi. I really hope and pray that he is fine, and returns back safe and sound, Ms Soni said.
As the Indian political stage sets for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a whirlwind of discourse swirls around Sam Pitroda, the Indian Overseas Congress Chairman. His recent proposition for an inheritance tax, mirroring the American model, has sparked a fiery debate across the nation. Pitrodas vision is one where the state would inherit a lions share of 55 per cent of the deceaseds wealth, leaving a mere 45 per cent legacy for the bereaved family. This, he argues, is a stride towards equitable distribution, a slice of affluence redirected for the greater good.

Yet, this notion has not been met with universal applause. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has castigated the Congress, insinuating avarice that transcends mortality. The Congress, he suggests, eyes the wealth of the departed as yet another avenue for exploitation.

Pitroda, a technocrat-turned-political strategist, and a confidant of the Gandhi dynasty, has often found himself at the epicentre of controversies. In an era where the BJP has woven a narrative of progress, nationalism, and a revival of Bharats roots, the Congress appears adrift, searching for its ideological moorings. At such a juncture, Pitrodas comments have granted him an unbridled spotlight, raising questions about the Congress tactical acumen.

The echoes of the past linger; the 2019 elections saw Mani Shankar Aiyars caustic remarks towards Prime Minister Modi, which many believe cost the Congress dearly. It seems history may be repeating itself as the party struggles to rein in its stalwarts, whose words wield the power to uplift or unravel the painstaking efforts of its cadre.

In this intricate tapestry of Indian politics, every thread, every colour, every pattern holds significance. As the battle for the soul of India intensifies, the Congress must navigate the turbulent waters of public opinion, lest it be swept away by the tides of change. The saga of Pitroda and Aiyar is more than a tale of individual missteps; it is a reflection of a party at a crossroads, deciding the path it will tread in the annals of Indias democratic journey.

Privileges of being Pitrodas And Aiyars

In the grand theatre of Indian politics, where every actor plays a part, some roles are more privileged than others. The characters of Sam Pitroda and Mani Shankar Aiyar stand out, not for their connection with the pulsating streets of India but for their perceived detachment from them. They are the modern-day court jesters, whose words echo through the halls of power, insulated from the dusty realities of the ground.

These men, draped in the cloak of privilege, find solace in the cool embrace of air-conditioned chambers, far removed from the sweltering heat of the political landscape. Here, in these ivory towers, words are spoken with a freedom that only comes from a lack of accountability. Their statements, sometimes absurd, sometimes profound, reverberate without consequence, shielded by the legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family.

The strength of Pitroda and Aiyar lies not in their grassroots activism but in their perceived wisdom, which they believe can illuminate the minds of the masses deemed less enlightened. They are the self-appointed sages of the Congress party, dispensing knowledge as they see fit, often oblivious to the discordant notes their words strike in the symphony of Indian democracy.

Yet, in this disconnect lies a paradoxical power. Their privilege affords them a platform to influence, shape discourse, and challenge the status quo, all while remaining untouched by the very currents they seek to direct. It is a dance of shadows and light, where the figures of Pitroda and Aiyar loom larger than life, casting long silhouettes that stretch far beyond the reach of their voices.

In the end, the privilege of being a Pitroda or an Aiyar is a double-edged sword. It cuts through the cacophony of political noise, leaving a mark that is indelible, for better or for worse. As the Congress party navigates the turbulent waters of Indian politics, it must reckon with these privileged voices, ensuring that their echoes do not drown out the chorus of the common man, for whom the stage of democracy was truly built. The saga continues, as India watches and waits to see how the narrative will unfold.

Why does Congress protect these people?

In the labyrinth of Indian politics, the Congress party stands as a venerable institution, a legacy of the nations tryst with destiny. Yet, within its hallowed halls, a conundrum persists  the protection of certain individuals who seem disconnected from the grassroots reality. To say the Congress shields such figures is to oversimplify the discontent simmering among its dedicated workers and leaders, who often view these privileged few with disdain.

The crux of the matter lies in the partys evolutionor some would argue, devolutioninto an entity orbiting the Nehru-Gandhi constellation. Figures like Sam Pitroda and Mani Shankar Aiyar, nestled close to the family, have seemingly turned the party into a receptacle for their elitist musings, shielded by the Gandhis for reasons shrouded in familial enigma.

Since independence, the Nehru-Gandhi lineage has intertwined with intellectuals and activists whose ideologies often appear alien to Indias rich tapestry of culture and history. Their Marxist-tinged narratives on society, economics, and politics stand in stark contrast to the indigenous ethos of the land.

Sonia Gandhis protective embrace of these individuals, owing to their association with Rajiv Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhis apparent Leftist leanings, has fostered an environment where such ideologues thrive. They propagate a vision of India that, to many, seems marred by distortions and dissonance.

The question then arises: Why does the Congress harbour these voices? Perhaps it is a testament to the partys loyalty to its old guard, or maybe it reflects a deeper ideological struggle within. As the Congress navigates the tumultuous waters of contemporary Indian politics, it must reconcile these internal contradictions. It must decide whether to cling to the vestiges of a bygone era or to forge a new path that resonates with the heartbeat of India.

The saga of Pitroda and Aiyar is not just about individual transgressions; it is emblematic of a party at a crossroads, choosing between the comfort of the known and the uncertainty of a new direction. The Congress future may well depend on its ability to harmonise the chorus of its diverse voices, ensuring that the symphony it composes strikes a chord with the people of India. The narrative continues, as the nation watches with bated breath.

What Congress does not understand

The Congress is the Oppositions voice, the counterpoint to the ruling symphony orchestrated by the BJP. But within this grand theatre, a paradox unfoldsa tale of privilege, entitlement, and myopia.

India, the mosaic of a billion dreams, transcends the confines of any political family. It breathes with the pulse of its people, their aspirations, and their struggles. The Congress, once the architect of Indias destiny, must recognise that its canvas extends far beyond the Nehru-Gandhi legacy. It is not merely a political dynasty but a vessel for the collective hopes of a diverse nation.

Sam Pitroda and Mani Shankar Aiyarnames etched in the annals of Congress history. Their privilege lies not in their grassroots connection but in their proximity to the Gandhis. Within the hallowed halls of Lutyens Delhi, they muse, detached from the sweat-soaked streets where party cadres toil. Yet, their words echo, shielded by the familys legacy. Meanwhile, the foot soldiersthe tireless workers, the leaders who bleed Congress bluewatch from the wings, their voices muted.

The Congress must grapple with its ideological compass. Pitroda and Aiyar, with their Marxist-infused musings, seem out of sync with Indias soul. To combat the BJP, the Congress must shed such baggage. It cannot fight fire with folly. Targeting Narendra Modi with personal attacks or proposing wild ideas like an inheritance tax only weakens its stance. India demands substance, not spectacle.

(The author, a columnist and research scholar, teaches journalism at St. Xaviers College (autonomous), Kolkata. His handle on X is @sayantan_gh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views)
Conflicts between police forces of Opposition-ruled states and Central enforcement agencies  namely, CBI, NIA, NCB, Customs, Enforcement Directorate, and Income Tax, are being regularly reported, which does not augur well for the security of the country. The latest case to grab headlines is the attack on NIA officers by an unruly crowd of miscreants in East Medinipur district in Bengal.

The NIA team which was probing Bengals Bhupatinagar blast case, in which three persons were killed in December 2022, had to confront an irate mob, which objected to their arresting two suspects. The windows of the NIA vehicle were smashed and two officials sustained injuries. Another similar incident that occurred on January 5, 2024, prompted the Calcutta High Court to transfer the probe into an attack on Enforcement Directorate officials at Sandeshkali from the West Bengal police to the CBI. The court also directed that the custody of TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh, who was arrested by the West Bengal police on February 29 in connection with the attack, be handed over to the central agency.

In May 2023, Income Tax officials faced a hostile reaction from alleged supporters of Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity, Excise and Prohibition, V. Senthilbalaji on Friday, when they reached the premises of his brother, V. Ashok Kumar, and his acquaintances in Karur district to conduct searches. Some officials were allegedly manhandled and a vehicle was vandalised. Another ED official was arrested by Tamil Nadu police alleging corruption charges. Accusations and counter-accusations by Central law enforcement agencies and state police are on the rise in many states.

In March 2021, the Kerala police registered a case against the ED officials for allegedly forcing Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the gold smuggling case, to give statements against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. According to the FIR, the ED officials who had questioned Swapna Suresh allegedly forced her to give false statements against the chief minister in order to make fake evidence.

An outgoing Customs Commissioner even went to the extent of criticising the Kerala government, alleging that there were many attempts to intimidate and run him down during his tenure. Though there were many pulls and pressures, I never allowed anyone to browbeat us. My reporting officer is not the CM or the state government. Investigation in the gold smuggling case is going in the right direction now, he said.

Denying reports that appeared in a section of the media that he was under tremendous pressure from the Centre, he said: People who have no idea about central agencies are making such wild allegations. It is also weird to say that central agencies are being used to portray the state government in a bad light. We are bound by Customs rules and regulations.

This writer, while discussing the above incident with a retired Kerala cadre IPS officer, was told that the situation has deteriorated so much, due to rampant politicisation of the force, that personnel are identified and segregated as owing allegiance to which political party!

Another bone of contention is the withdrawal of general consent to the CBI, by many states namely, Punjab, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Telangana and Mizoram. The CBI is governed by the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act of 1946, which requires the investigative agency to obtain the consent of state governments before it can investigate a crime in a particular state. In other words, without the state governments express consent, the CBI cannot exercise its power within that states borders, something that makes the investigative agency different from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which has jurisdiction all over India.

All the above kinds of conflicts, mistrust and growing animosity between state and central agencies do not augur well for the security of the nation. Many nations and NGOs are constantly plotting to destabilise the nation in every possible way. If state governments start using the police to disrupt the functioning of Central enforcement agencies, then it is time to consider the creation of a National Police with all India jurisdiction, and all officers transferrable across India like the existing central services.

The citizens need to have a choice as to whether investigations need to be done by the state police or central police. Presently, criminal investigations, especially communal rioting, political murders and rapes (incidents like Sandeshkali in Bengal) which are investigated by state police, have come in for lots of criticism, due to investigatory lapses, whether by negligence or design. Aggrieved citizens have to now approach the courts even to get an FIR registered! Courts are routinely being implored with pleas seeking CBI investigation, fearing botched investigations, dilution of charges and non-inclusion of crucial witnesses. There needs to be a permanent mechanism, if necessary by Constitutional amendment, to establish a National Police.

This writer has often emphasised and reiterated the need to create separate central jails, for housing offenders of central laws. As jails are fully controlled by the state governments, and offenders of central laws are also housed in the same jails, there is great scope for disrupting investigations and state police interfering in the investigatory processes, at any time, which can prove detrimental to the successful prosecution of the case.

Modi government 3.0 has to address the twin issues of the creation of a National Police, and a National Jails Authority, to permanently resolve the unnecessary frictions between Central enforcement agencies and state police.

The writer is a retired officer of the IRS and the former director-general of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Pakistan has been addicted to foreign aid since its inception so much so that its existence is now dependent on it. According to various estimates, Pakistan has received around $155 billion in aid from 1947 up to 2022-23. However, the aid has been squandered away in an exemplary manner!

Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has come out with a report on the use of foreign aid by Pakistan that brings out some startling facts in this regard. The report highlights how the elite in Pakistan and the international consultants are the only two sections that have benefited from this aid.

According to this report titled Foreign Aid Donors and Consultants: Analysing Pakistans Foreign Aid inflows and its Outcomes, both the donors and Pakistans civil servants (primarily civil bureaucracy and military) are responsible for the foreign aid bearing little in terms of development over all those decades. Over time, they have developed a healthy relationship that is based upon looking after each others interests. Donors, for example, can push loans through the official machinery without due diligence or need assessment (whether the loan is needed at all?) while the civil servants can enjoy perks like paid foreign tours, project allowances, project posts, consulting and post-retirement work with donors.

The report reveals that the global consulting industry has also made its mark in Pakistan, with big consulting firms like McKinsey picking up contracts for various projects and assignments. The discussion over its work in Pakistan and its evaluation is rare. Pakistan first hired consultants in 1949, and the trend continues till now, with either the donors or the government handing out contracts to donors. An effort to develop Pakistans own home-grown consultancy was initiated in the early 1970s, with the establishment of organisations like PEC and NESPAK. However, the policy did not make much headway as the influence of external donors and lack of policy continuity plus government support led to fizzling out of this initiative. But it left these organisations largely dependent upon public dole without much to show for (especially PEC).

Too many projects, too little development

With the help of foreign aid, Pakistan starts on average more than 1300 projects every year. PIDE has analysed 250 such projects to gauge the final outcome and the results tell a story of how international aid money is getting wasted in Pakistan. According to this analysis, there was no outcome for 32 per cent of the projects, 28 per cent were delayed, 4 per cent were unsuccessful, there was zero disbursement for another four per cent of these projects, one per cent was cancelled and only 13 per cent were successfully implemented. Even those projects which have been put in the category of successful only met the criterion of the foreign aid being spent within a stipulated time. Their impact has hardly been measured.

According to PIDE, till end-June 2022 (FY 21-22), 238 donor-financed projects were running across Pakistan worth $33 billion (95 per cent on loans), the majority of them delayed due to one reason or the other.

By now, Pakistans external debt liabilities stand at $127 billion (and increasing), with ever-increasing dependency on external inflows to finance consumption and investment, and to repay the earlier accumulated debt. Reportedly, in the first quarter of this fiscal year (FY 23-24), debt repayments (of which a substantial portion was on repaying foreign debt) were equivalent to the total income of the federal government, informs the PIDE report.

Military aid benefits donor countries

A major chunk of aid received by Pakistan is in the form of military aid. These are short-term inflows which are creating long-term benefits not for Pakistan but for donor countries. And Pakistan also ends up doing debt servicing and paying huge commitment charges, if this aid isnt used.

PIDE has cited the example of military aid given by the US to Pakistan for F-16 fighter jets. Pakistan has been using these jets since the 1980s as American aid started flowing in. While all aid may not have been tied, a substantial portion was, specifically to buy creditors weaponry (F-16 jets and Cobra Gunship helicopters are two examples of major purchases through US aid). This was repeated in the early 2000s as Pakistan became an ally in Americas War on Terror when Pakistan placed an order for the advanced Block 50/52 version of F-16s (earlier versions were A and B Block-15 series) using US inflows. For context, the deal created an estimated 7,000 jobs along the supply chain, across the US, creating a present and future revenue stream from manufacturing and services, upgrades, training and spares, etc.

According to different estimates from various international agencies, almost 40 per cent of Pakistans population lives below the poverty line. Around 40 per cent of people in Pakistan are illiterate. Pakistan has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world with more than 23 million children not attending the schools. The female literacy rate is only 48 per cent which implies that the majority of Pakistan females are not able to get even basic education. Pakistan spends per capita $38 on healthcare which is much lower than most other developing countries. Around 33000 physicians graduate every year from medical schools out of which 40 per cent leave the country. The healthcare infrastructure is non-existent in provinces like Balochistan, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

It is clear that Pakistan has failed miserably to use foreign aid for its common people. So, the question is: where has all this money gone? The international community and especially the global financial institutions need to come out with answers. The money doled out by these institutions to Pakistan is contributed by other countries as these institutions are supposed to help the countries in need, not in greed.

The writer is an author and columnist and has written several books. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.
Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Monday said that the party has decided to suspend his nephew and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna over his involvement in the alleged sex scandal.

A decision was already made. Tomorrow it is to be recommended at the core committee meeting in Hubballi. Because he (Prajwal) is a Member of Parliament, it has to be done from Delhi. So I had requested Deve Gowda (JD(S) National President and former PM). Neither he (Gowda) nor I were aware of this issue, Kumaraswamy claimed.

Speaking to reporters, the former Karnataka chief minister said, Some issues that have come out, on the basis of that it has been decided yesterday itself to suspend (him). But many were in a hurry.

Amid attacks from the states Congress-led government, seeking their response on the issue, Kumaraswamy also sought to distance JD(S)s alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the case.

Prajwal Revanna is also the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate from the Hassan constituency, which went to polls in the first of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on April 26.

Earlier in the day, Kumaraswamy had said, My party and my stand is the same, that whoever has done wrong should be punished.

Talking about the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the matter, HDK also asked about Who released the pen drive three days back? What was the reason?. The pen drives contained the alleged explicit video clips that showed Prajwal indulging in sexual acts with several women.

He said that an old matter has been opened up now, asking Why didnt they bring it up back then?

So far, there are no direct allegations against Prajwal Revanna. If the charges are truepunishment should happen in accordance with law. There is no compromise. If Prajwal Revanna is wrong, our family is in agreement for action to be taken against him, Kumaraswamy said.

He had also said that there was no space for any questions about defending Prajwal Revanna, adding that the party would take merciless action if the SIT probe proves the charges against the Hassan MP.

Kumaraswamy Defends BJP, PM Modi, Slams Congress

The former Karnataka CM also defended the BJP and PM Modi amid the Congress attempt to target them over the issue. He asked, Did Modi come for Prajwal Revannas campaigning? What does Modi have to do with this case? What does the BJP have to do with this? Why link this with them? What does Deve Gowda (former PM) or Kumaraswamy have to do with this?

He expressed strong discontent over the involvement of his father and former Prime Minister Deve Gowdas name, along with some other family members.

He hit back at the Congress and asked them why they are bringing family into it. Discuss about the individual, he said, an individual and his deeds are in question here, not the family why bring the familys name, Deve Gowdas name or Kumaraswamys name?

I have myself said whoever has committed the mistake has to undergo punishment, he said, Wrong is wrong, irrespective of who has committed it.

PRAJWAL REVANNAS WHEREABOUTS

The statement from Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs office, which announced the formation of the SIT, also said the police have information that Prajwal has left the country.

What should I say, if you ask me? Will he ask me and go anywhere They, the government, will take action, Kumaraswamy replied to a question over Prajwals whereabouts.

MATTER OF INDIVIDUALS BACKGROUND

The JD(S) leader noted that the topic of where did the party and the Revanna family come to know about this matter is different. Those are completely separate. If it had to come to our notice we could have taken action and stopped this embarrassment from happening. This matter is about an individuals background, Kumaraswamy said, asking that can we watch where he goes or comes every day? Is it in our hands?

POLITICAL CONSPIRACY OR NOT?

Responding to a reporters question, Kumaraswamy agreed that there is also a probability of this being a political controversy. Lets see. Let the SIT report come out. It is being said that the pen-drive (containing video clips) has been circulated. Some experts are behind it, let it come out, he said.

While expressing his faith in the SIT and the governments fair investigation, he said that such incidents shouldnt be happening.

NO IMPACT IN ELECTIONS, HASSAN CANDIDATE WILL WIN

He asserted that the incident will have no affect on the party in the Lok Sabha polls, saying In Hassan, the candidate will win. This will not affect us in the election. Here there is no matter of family.

Prajwal will win with a good margin, Kumaraswamy said confidently while also noting that this matter in the last few days has led to state-wide discussion.

CASE A CONSPIRACY, SAYS HD REVANNA

Hassan MP Prajwal Revannas father and JD(S) leader HD Revanna called the alleged sex scandal case to be a conspiracy and confirmed that his son has gone abroad.

The MLA from Karnatakas Holenarasipura and son of former PM HD Deve Gowda said that it would be the decision of the JD(S) to expel Prajwal. He added that the videos which are being circulated are four-five years old.

I know what kind of conspiracy is going on. I am not someone who will get scared and run away. They have released something that was 4-5 years old. Expelling him from the party is left to the party high command. The State government is theirs. Let them investigate, the JD(S) leader said.

ATROCITIES AGAINST WOMEN HIGHLY CONDEMNABLE: BJP

The BJPs Karnataka unit took to microblogging site X and said, Atrocities against women are highly condemnable. It is our stand that whoever is guilty, appropriate legal action should be taken against them.

It is highly condemnable that the Congressmen are standing on the streets and demanding justice for the victims even though they have their own government, the saffron party said.

The BJP asked, Congressmen, who stopped you from demanding an immediate transparent probe into the case by the Chief Minister and Home Minister??

THE CASE

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah had ordered a SIT probe into the alleged sex scandal on Sunday. Video clips allegedly showing Prajwal Revanna indulging in sexual acts with several women including a few government employees following whivh, the Karnataka State Commission for Women asked the chief minister to set up a special investigation team.

The Womens Commission said that it also has cases allegedly involving women being forced or filmed without their consent.

(With PTI inputs)

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
Samsung is gearing up for a big battle in the foldable arena and the 2024 launches will need to feature mega upgrades from the brand. Samsung has not officially confirmed when the foldable launches will happen but a new report claims we could see the Galaxy Z Fold and Flip 6 launch in July this year. The company is also expected to announce its first-ever Galaxy Ring at the event among other products that form part of its 2024 lineup, which includes the Galaxy S24 series launched in January this year.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Foldable Launch Date: What We Know

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2024 launch event for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 models could happen on July 10, as per this report here. It also mentions that Samsung could host the big launch event in Paris, France in the next few months, which coincides with the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics happening in July as well. Samsung is likely to host the launch briefing in India as well and most of us can just tune into the event livestream online.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked July 2024 Event: What Products Will Be Launched?

The biggest headline makers at the Galaxy Unpacked July 2024 event will be the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 models. The new foldables should come with a refreshed design, giving it a distinct appeal compared to its predecessors. The screen sizes could be the same but the form factor could surely use a wider profile rather than tall. It is likely to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and feature a triple rear camera module. There have been rumours about a budget and Ultra foldable model this year but we dont expect to see them at the supposed July launch event.

Having said that, we could see Samsung debut the Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Buds models as well. It is hardly surprising to see Samsung say the Ring will mostly focus on health features for which it will have a new app called My Vitality Score. This app will not only track your health activities and offer tips to people if they have to improve something.

Samsung is extending the Ring to work with the Galaxy Watch which is rather interesting because both the devices should be serving the same purpose. Having said that, people might finally have the freedom to sleep without wearing a watch, now that there is a Ring to do the health tracking for them.
A New York model named Alexandra Berrocal earns $30,000 (Rs 25 lakh) per annum. Do you know how? Only by showing off her hands. Yes, you read that right. The Brooklyn resident works in the fashion realm like many others. Her work includes gigs like pouring coffee into a cup or squeezing product with hands and rubbing it around like that. Its a very niche industry, the 37-year-old model told The New York Post. Theres not that many people that know its even a real thing, she added. Ironically, this isnt even her primary profession. She has a full-time job in the footwear industry.

Berrocals gigs arent consistent. She makes approximately Rs 62,588 for a five-hour shoot to Rs 1 lakh for a 40-minute shoot.

Alexandra Berrocal has done modelling for big brands like YSL, Microsoft, Brandon Blackwood, Macys, Shake Shack, Kiss Nails and Serena Williams Jewelry. She shoots photos or videos, while holding the products in her hand. She says that when she submitted her portfolio to the fashion companies, she was selected within 10 minutes. She got this job because of the colour, nails and shape of her hands. The frequency of these gigs can be two to three times a month, which can also increase to 10 times. Berrocal said she learned that brands prefer even skin complexions, slender fingers, nice nail beds and clear skin without tattoos or scars.

She says that she has small hands, but it works in her favour as she usually does the shoot of the beauty products.  And I think because my hand is so small, I make the product look bigger, said Alexandra Berrocal. As for the upkeep, the model keeps her nails manicured and in a short almond shape. She does her household work wearing gloves. She protects her hands by always keeping them moisturised. While sharing the tips, she said, If you wash your hands, make sure to put lotion on immediately after, because your hands are one of the first places that show ageing.
Yuehe historical area, which covers an area of 90,000 square meters, could date back to the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). With the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Waiyue river and Liyue river flowing through, the area is the most complete and largest historical area in Jiaxing City that can best showcase the residential and cultural characteristics of the water town in "Jiangnan," the scenic region south of the Yangtze River.

Since 2003, various measures were taken to regain the prosperity of the area: more than 80,000 square meters of traditional residential buildings were restored in traditional style, and a tourism industry has been developed taking advantages of local historical heritages.

Nowadays, Yuehe historical area is welcoming about 5 million tourists a year and becomes a popular tourist attraction in the region. (Xinhua/Xu Yu)
It is not every day that we come across mysterious terms like the Third Man Syndrome. However, a recent episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit sparked a detailed discussion on the same. Originally aired in March 2024, the episode primarily focuses on an assault that took place on the character of Javier after he sensed someone beside him during the attack. While the NYPD struggled to find the mysterious person, the main protagonist Olivia Benson claimed that there was no one around him as the woman who saw the entire attack said that Javier was alone.

To this, Detective Terry Bruno explained that it could be a case of Third Man Syndrome. Its a weird hiccup in the human brain when its trying to comfort itself in survival situations, not too different than a guardian angel, he added.

Now the question arises what actually is Third Man Syndrome and how does it affect a persons mindset or behaviour?

As the latest episode has sparked a lot of discussions on social media platforms, many took to X to share their thoughts on the theory. A user wrote, Look up the Third man syndrome. People in dire straights experience a presence that guides them out of a bad situation. Ernest Shackleton experienced it. Guardian angel? while another one commented, Accidentally ruined my best friends day by excitedly telling her about Third Man syndrome while shes on a mountaineering course in the snow.

Implement the Third Man Syndrome. This phenomenon is an unseen presence reported by mountain climbers and explorers during traumatic survival situations, another X wrote on the micro-blogging platform.

It is a phenomenon when a person during a situation emergency or crisis feels the presence of an additional person who does not or never existed. Sometimes it is a comforting presence whereas other times that feeling even intervenes and provides assistance to save the persons life. From mountaineers to polar explorers, divers, prisoners of war, sailors and even 9/11 survivors, there are a number of stories of people who have experienced the presence of a companion and a helper.

Example Of Third Man Syndrome

One such encounter was recorded in verse by T.S. Eliot in his poem, inspired by Irish explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.

Towards the end of his imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition in 1914, there was a point when Shackleton and his two surviving crew members almost faced death. However, it was then that Shackleton suddenly felt an unseen presence around them. While their ship was ice-bound, the group still managed to set off on foot to cross the ranges and glaciers of South Georgia to reach a whaling station.

Years after the dangerous expedition, Shackleton confined it to a journalist revealing, It seemed to me that we were four, not three.
The misconception that money tarnishes love and the belief that love has no role in financial discussions often prevail in society. Nonetheless, the reality remains that these two entities must live in harmony with one another since they are here to stay. But how much of a factor does money really play in marriages? As it turned out, quite a lot. A user on the social networking site X (formerly Twitter) shared an incident that demonstrates the extent a father would go to ensure his kids were happy and safe.

According to the social media post, the womans friends father allegedly paid an agency a sum of Rs 3 lakh in exchange for proposals from families earning above Rs 200 crore annually. However, the user gave no further information regarding the aforementioned family or the name of the agency. She asserted, however, that the father continued to pay the exorbitant sum to get proposals for his daughter from extremely rich families.

A friends dad paid 3 lacs as a fee to only get rishtas from families with 200 Cr+ turnover! Would you  MISHKA RANA (@RanaMishka) April 26, 2024

The post has piqued the internets interest and prompted a heated debate over how much people are interested in spending on weddings. Soon after the post went up, there were 2 lakh views and many comments.

A curious user asked, Rishta hua? (Got any marriage proposals?).

Rishta hua ? Arjun Seth (@arjunpearlseth) April 26, 2024

To which the user replied, Ab tak to nhi, rejected 80+ (Not yet. Rejected 80+).

Ab tak to nhi, rejected 80+ MISHKA RANA (@RanaMishka) April 26, 2024

Another user detailed matchmakers business saying, Very normal. This fee is a filter to get creme de la creme. The matchmakers fee is usually 1-2% of the total expense of the marriage. Example- A wedding costing Rs 1 Crore would get the broker Rs 1-2 lakh easily. This is then adjusted with the initial fee paid.

Very normal. This fee is a filter to get creme de la creme.The matchmaker's fee is usually 1-2% of the total expense of the marriage. Example- A wedding costing Rs 1 Crore would get the broker Rs 1-2 lakh easily. This is then adjusted with the initial fee paid.  Krishna Mishra (@KrishnaSMishra) April 26, 2024

Sharing the same instance, another user mentioned, One of the family members did the same  Paid 2.5L for Rishita from UHNI. It took six months for the girl to find her soul mate. If I dont go wrong they have been happily married for the last 6 years and have two kids.

One of the family member did the same  Paid 2.5L for Rishita from UHNI. It took six months for the girl to find her soul mate. If I dont go wrong they are happily married for last 6 years and have two kids. SM | Million Dollar Minds (@MlnDollarMinds) April 26, 2024

Yet another user said, I have paid 11 k for sons perposal advance. On successful perposal charge is 2 lakhs.

I have paid 11 k for son's perposal advance On successful perposal charge is 2 lakhs vikas bathija (@dharmeshwines) April 29, 2024

The overall discussion in the comments section focused on how expensive weddings are in India.
Radhika Gupta, the Managing Director and CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund and a panelist on Shark Tank India season 3, is popular for sharing posts related to finance and investment. Recently, the business woman uploaded a series of pictures on Instagram with her son, Remy at a park and admired Bengaluru. She also loved the feeling of Im going to do something big in the air. Despite common complaints about the citys traffic and rising temperatures, Gupta shared that the open spaces and welcoming environment became the highlight of her trip. She also appreciated the kindness shown to her and her son by Shark Tank India fans during their visit to Bengaluru.

Last week, Gupta reached out to her X (Formerly Twitter) followers and asked for activities suggestions to do with a two year old in the city. Several of them recommended visiting Cubbon Park and Gupta followed their advice. She wrote, Namma Bengaluru rocks. A weekend with Baby Shark mixing work and park trips and snuggles. I know everyone whines about the traffic and now the warm weather but I love the huge open spaces, the feeling of Im going to do something big in the air, and mostly the incredible warmth of the folks here. Lots of Shark Tank fans who were so kind to me and Remy through this whole trip.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Radhika Gupta (@iamradhikagupta)

Reacting to the post, a user wrote, Very relatable as a mom. Wish more power to u maam.

Another shared, Most beautiful moments of life spent with our kids and seeing them grow.

So lovely, a comment read, while another wrote, Cute baby Shark.

Another added, Nice to see you, junior. You are doing a great job.

Radhika Gupta has joined the list of entrepreneurs praising Bengaluru. In recent months, there has been a growing debate among startup founders and business personalities regarding the best cities for work opportunities. Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Gurgaon have emerged as top contenders in this discussion as each city offers unique advantages and opportunities for professionals to grow their business.

Gupta joined the panel of Shark Tank India Season 3, alongside other popular faces such as Ritesh Agarwal, Founder and CEO of Oyo, Zomatos Deepinder Goyal and Azhar Iqubal from Inshorts. On the other hand, Aman Gupta, Anupam Mittal, Namita Thapar, Peyush Bansal and Vineeta Singh have been part of the reality show since its inception in Season 1.
Have you ever eaten so much that it instantly takes you into a food coma? Or have you ever, on purpose, tried a hot and sizzling plate of a dish that makes your tears run down your eyes? If thats the case, then a restaurant named Wing Kingz, located in Canterbury, Kent, UK, has introduced a new culinary challenge that will surely test your spice tolerance. The food challenge has been named Earn Your Wingz and requires the participants to eat 15 chicken wings that are coated in the Carolina Reaper pepper sauce. The flavorful sauce is known for its extreme spice and heat. However, the restaurant has implemented a unique Loss of Life Waiver form that has to be signed before embarking on this fiery challenge.

Wing Kingz bizarre Earn Your Wingz challenge involves a lot of difficulty and can turn out to be a potential threat to life. As a result, the restaurant asks the customers to sign a life waiver form before taking on the challenge. The restaurants waiver form is a way to acknowledge the potential for intense discomfort that can be caused by Carolina Reaper and will protect both the restaurant and the participant. The challenge has been designed to test the bodys ability to handle extreme heat and spice. The participants will be required to finish all 15 wings within a strict 10-minute window. They will also be given an extra 5 minutes to assess their condition and understand the effects of the challenge. Those who win the challenge will be honoured with a complimentary meal and a spot on the restaurants Hall of Fame wall.

According to the New York Post, the Loss of Life Waiver form read, I acknowledge that I will be engaging in the Earn Your Wingz Challenge, whereby there may be a risk of personal injury, illness, or possible loss of life and damage to or loss of personal property. I agree that I am participating in the Earn Your Wingz Challenge at my own risk, and I accept that Wing Kingz, its employees, or affiliates will not be held responsible for any consequences that may result from my participation.

Talking about the Carolina Reaper Pepper, it was developed by American breeder Ed Currie and has a scorching heat that can reach up to 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU). It held the title of the worlds hottest pepper from 2013 until recently, when it was replaced by another hot pepper created by Ed Currie too.
The vampire facial is one of the many over-the-top minimally invasive cosmetic procedures that have become common over the years. Kim Kardashian got a vampire facial in a 2013 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, which pushed it into the mainstream. In simple terms, this cosmetic treatment involves injecting pallet-rich blood plasma into ones face via microneedling. Earlier this month, USAs Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that three women in New Mexico contracted HIV after getting vampire facials from an unlicensed medical spa.

This is believed to be the first documented case where people have contracted HIV via a facial treatment. In its Morbidity and Mortality Report, released last week, the CDC mentioned that after the investigation of the culpable clinic, located in New Mexico, they found that the clinic reused the one-time-use disposable equipment, which likely infected women with HIV.

Here are some key points about vampire facials.

A vampire facial, also known as PRP therapy, first involves drawing out the clients blood and then putting it through a device called a centrifuge that divides blood into plasma, white blood cells, platelets and red blood cells. The doctor then takes out the plasma and platelets or platelets-rich plasma (PRP) and injects it into the clients face using microneedling.

This cosmetic treatment is believed to accelerate collagen production which reduces signs of wrinkles, sun damage and pigmentation. However, there is very little research to prove its efficiency.

Vampire facial has a low recovery time. One can return to their daily routine within hours after the treatment, provided they avoid sun exposure, exfoliation or strenuous exercise for a week. The full effects of vampire facial may take up to a week to show.

As per Pristyn Care, an Indian health tech company, in India, one session of vampire facial can range between Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000. Similarly, as per the American Academy of Dermatology Association, in the USA, the estimated cost of one vampire facial can range between $250 to $1,500 (approximately between Rs 20,000 to Rs 1.2 lakh).

The FDA has not approved platelet-rich plasma (PRP) procedures, used in vampire facials, for cosmetic use. PRP treatment is only approved for medical procedures such as bone grafting. Plastic surgeon Dr Lawrence Koplin told BBC, These facials are not FDA-approved because the injection of platelets into the skin for the purpose of improving the skin appearance is off-label and not proven to be effective.
Making the saying, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned come true, is a woman who sought the best revenge from her cheating ex-boyfriend. The internet hailed the gutted girlfriend for her evil plans which she hatched on her ex-beau by cancelling a five-star romantic holiday to Lanzarote, Spain.

A woman anonymously wrote under the Girls Overheard podcast, about her friend and explained her revenge story. The commenter shared that last year, her friends boyfriend broke up with her out of the blue over the phone. The guy was in the military and was away at the time. The woman found this to be really odd and had no prior warning that he wasnt happy, but she did not read much into the situation and accepted what he wanted.

But things took a turn after two weeks post-breakup. He shared that he would pay her money back for the vacation and instead take his mother. Once again, she thought nothing of it because, he was quite shy and reserved, so he did not raise much suspicion. It was the arrival of a letter from a travel and tourism company with details of the name change, which to her surprise, was not the name of her ex-boyfriends mother, but a name that she did not recognise.

It turned out that this shy beau had a secret Tinder account and had an affair for months while he was in a relationship with the commenters friend. While this left her enraged, she decided that revenge is a dish best-served cold and hence, logged onto the travel website using his credentials and cancelled the non-refundable trip a day before the holiday. At that time, he was driving the girl he was having an affair with from the south of England to Scotland to depart from Glasgow the next day.

While the social media loved the revenge plan, a few pointed out that the scorned woman did not go far enough to exact her vengeance. One called it the most satisfying revenge story, while another came up with a devilish plan stating that they would have changed his name too to their friends and would have waved them from the plane.
Tesla has cleared some key regulatory hurdles that have long hindered it from rolling out its self-driving software in China, paving the way for a favourable result from Elon Musks surprise visit to the U.S. automakers second largest market.

Honored to meet with Premier Li Qiang.We have known each other now for many years, since early Shanghai days. pic.twitter.com/JCnv6MbZ6W  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 28, 2024

Tesla CEO Musk arrived in the Chinese capital on Sunday where he was expected to discuss the rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and permission to transfer driving data overseas, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

"I'm a big fan of China. I have to say that. I also have a lot of fans in China, well the feelings are reciprocated." Elon Musk pic.twitter.com/ZrsQckpjEX  DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) April 29, 2024

His trip came just over a week after he scrapped a planned visit to India to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing very heavy Tesla obligations.

On Monday, two separate sources told Reuters Tesla had reached an agreement with Baidu to use the Chinese tech giants mapping license for data collection on Chinas public roads, which they described as a key step for FSD to be introduced in the country.

And a top Chinese auto association said on Sunday Teslas Model 3 and Y cars were among models that it had tested and found to be compliant with Chinas data security requiremnts.

I hope China and the US can work together for regional prosperity  Elon Musk pic.twitter.com/eBWcs6ZHoY  Dima Zeniuk (@DimaZeniuk) April 28, 2024

Data security and compliance have been key reasons why the U.S. electric vehicle maker, which rolled out the most autonomous version of its Autopilot software four years ago, has yet to make FSD available in China, its second-largest market globally, despite customer demand.

Chinese regulators had since 2021 required Tesla to store all data collected by its Chinese fleet in Shanghai, leaving the company unable to transfer any back to the United States.

Musk is looking to obtain approval to transfer data collected in the country abroad to train algorithms for its autonomous driving technologies, the person said.

Musks visit to China, first reported by Reuters, was not flagged publicly and the person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak with media.

The plane that Musk arrived on departed from Beijing Capital Airport at 0517 GMT, according to Chinese flight tracking app Flight Manager and was headed to Anchorage, Alaska.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Musks departure.

Equity analysts at Wedbush called the surprise visit a major moment for Tesla.

Rival Chinese automakers and suppliers such as Xpeng and Huawei Technologies have been seeking to gain an advantage over Tesla by rolling out similar software.

Retired newspaper commentator Hu Xijin said on his Weibo account that Tesla was the only foreign-funded automaker to meet Chinas data compliance requirements and said that this would pave the way for Tesla cars to enter premises owned by government agencies and state-owned firms across China.

This is not only a breakthrough in China, but also a significant demonstration for the entire world in solving data security issues, he said.

Tesla cars have for years been banned from entering Chinese military complexes over security concerns relating to cameras installed on its vehicles. Its cars have also been turned away from sites holding important political events, such as an annual summer leadership conclave the ruling Communist Party held in 2022.

CHINA DATA

The improved prospect of FSD entering China comes as Tesla shares have lost almost a third of their value since the start of the year, as concerns have grown about the EV makers growth trajectory. Last week, Tesla reported its first decline in quarterly revenue since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic slowed production and deliveries.

Musk said last week that Tesla would introduce new cheaper models using its current EV platforms and production lines and would offer a new robotaxi with self-driving technology. He said on X this month that he would unveil the robotaxi on Aug. 8.

Chinas complicated traffic conditions with more pedestrians and cyclists than in many other markets provide more scenarios that are key for training autonomous driving algorithms at a faster pace, according to industry experts.

If Musk is able to obtain approval from Beijing to transfer data collected in China abroad this would be a game changer around the acceleration of training its algorithms for its autonomous technology globally, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a note.

Musk said this month that Tesla may make FSD available to customers in China very soon, in response to a query on X.

CHINESE PREMIER MEETING

Musks trip to China involved a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who praised Teslas development in China as a successful example of U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation, and the organiser of the ongoing Beijing auto show.

The chairman of Chinese battery giant CATL Robin Zeng, a key Tesla battery supplier, also visited Musks hotel in Beijing on Monday, according to a Reuters witness. Reuters could not immediately confirm with CATL if Zeng met with Musk.
India summoned the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner on Monday and conveyed its strong protest after separatist slogans were raised during an event in Toronto addressed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

On Sunday, pro-Khalistan chants filled the air during a Khalsa parade where Trudeau addressed the attendees on the occasion of Khalsa Day. Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party (NDP) also attended the rally.

The Canadian Deputy High Commissioner was today summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to the raising of separatist slogans on Khalistan at an event which was being personally addressed by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a readout. In the MEA statement, India expressed deep concern over such actions, highlighting the political space in Canada for separatism and extremism.

India strongly protests Khalistan slogans at a public event attended by Canadian leaders:https://t.co/ELigT7BEDl pic.twitter.com/7k9DCl2yAv Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 29, 2024

READ MORE: Watch: Khalistan Zindabad Slogans Fill The Air As Canadian PM Justin Trudeau Addresses Khalsa Day Event

Indias deep concern

The Government of Indias deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event. This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence. Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens, it added.

As Trudeau delivered his speech during the Toronto event, pro-Khalistani chants were heard throughout. The video of the rally went viral on social media site X. Khalistani separatists and the Canadian governments policies which do not restrict them from spreading Hinduphobia and anti-India hatred have led to the deterioration of India-Canada ties. Khalistani separatists have been tied to incidents of vandalism at Hindu temples as well as attacks on members of the Indian diaspora.

India-Canada ties soured after Trudeau last September said that Ottawa was actively pursuing credible allegations that Indian agents were potentially linked to the June killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Canada has been asking India to cooperate in its investigation of Nijjars killing. Strongly rejecting the accusations, New Delhi asked Ottawa to furnish solid proof.

Check Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Schedule, Key Candidates And Constituencies At News18 Website.
A Hamas official said that there are no major issues with the latest proposal from Israel and Egypt for a truce in the ongoing war in Gaza. A delegation from the militant group is due Monday in Egypt, where it will respond to Israels latest proposal.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States are acting as mediators and are trying to tie Hamas and Israel to long-sought truce in Gaza and release of Israeli hostages held in the coastal enclave after almost seven months of war.

The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles, the official told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss the negotiations.

Hamas has previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire  a condition Israel has rejected.

A report by news website Axios citing two Israeli officials said that Israel has proposed that it is willing to discuss the restoration of sustainable calm after hostages are released. If reports are to be believed then this would be the first time that Israeli leaders have suggested they are open to discussing an end to the war, the news website said.

Hamas senior leader, Khalil al-Hayya, will inform Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Monday the groups response to the truce proposal.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday discussed the state of negotiations of the deal that secures the return of hostages held in Gaza since Hamass attack on Israel on October 7.

During his talks with Netanyahu, Biden promised ironclad support for Israel but reiterated his clear position on Israels plans to launch a military operation in Rafah saying that the US cannot support it unless Israel ensures full protection of the residents there along with another million internally-displaced Palestinians who are fleeing the war.

He said the US does not believe that Israel will be able to safely evacuate and care for that many civilians.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also arrived Monday in Riyadh kicking off a new crisis tour aimed at finalising the ceasefire and increasing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

The top US diplomat will also visit Jordan and Israel on his seventh visit to the region since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. In Saudi Arabia, Blinken is expected to hold new talks with the Saudi leadership on potential normalisation of relations with Israel.

The ongoing war in Gaza has also created problems for the Biden administrations as pro-Palestinian protests rock US universities. The White House insisted Sunday that the protests must remain peaceful as the tally of those arrested across the country, since the wave of demonstrations began at Columbia University in New York earlier this month, reached 900.

Hamass October 7 attack resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,454 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

A one-week halt to the fighting in November saw 80 Israeli hostages exchanged for 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

In Israel, protesters have taken to the streets to urge the government to secure the freedom of the 129 hostages who remain in Gaza since being seized by militants on October 7, including 34 the military says are dead.

The war has brought besieged Gaza to the brink of famine, UN and humanitarian officials say, reduced much of the territory to rubble and raised fears of broader conflict.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken, who landed in Saudi Arabia on Monday for his seventh visit to the region since the October 7 Hamas attacks and subsequent war in Gaza, said the Palestinian militant outfit should accept the generous truce deal.

He said he remains hopeful that Hamas will accept the extraordinarily generous offer to halt Israels Gaza offensive in return for the release of hostages.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Blinken said in Riyadh while addressing attendees at the World Economic Forum.

They have to decide  and they have to decide quickly. Im hopeful that they will make the right decision, Blinken said.

The US secretary of state also said that the US-Saudi security pact for Israel normalisation is nearing completion.

He said the US is close to finishing the security pact with Saudi Arabia which will be offered if and when it makes peace with Israel. The work that Saudi Arabia, the United States have been doing together in terms of our own agreements, I think, is potentially very close to completion, Blinken said in Riyadh.

Speaking of the Rafah military operation that the US is trying to deter Israel from undertaking, Blinken said that the US is yet to see a plan that offers protection to over a million residents and internally displaced Palestinians who are now in Rafah.

We have not yet seen a plan that gives us confidence that civilians can be effectively protected, Blinken told a meeting of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh.

(with AFP inputs)
The Hyderabad man who stabbed his girlfriend and slashed her throat at a London restaurant in 2022 searched how to kill a human instantly with a knife, authorities probing the case who had access to his online search history said.

Sriram Ambarla, 25, attacked his ex-girlfriend Sona Biju, 23, inside the London restaurant where she was employed after giving her repeated threats saying that he would murder her if she did not agree to marry him.

Biju reportedly responded by saying that she did not want to live by his rules. Moments later Ambarla grabbed her by the neck and started to stab her. Fortunately, Biju survived the attack but spent a month hospitalised in a critical condition.

Ambarla was pronounced guilty and sentenced to 16 years in jail in London. Ambarla told cops that he acted in the way he did because he apparently overheard her talking about wanting to celebrate the breakup.

During the hearing, prosecutors told the court that moments before Ambarla attacked Biju, he searched What happens if a foreigner murders someone in the UK, How easy is it to kill someone with a knife and How to kill a human instantly with a knife online.

Biju and Ambarla were dating since 2017 after they met a a Hyderabad college. The attack came after Ambarla manipulated and physically and mentally abused her for several years.

As the relationship turned abusive, they split in 2019, but despite that Ambarla kept threatening her with self-harm to control her. Biju said that he would appear unannounced to her house and used to blackmail her to marry him.

Both of them moved to the UK in 2022 to pursue a masters degree at the University of East London but the abuse continued. He used to dial the restaurant regularly to order food hoping it would be Biju who would deliver it to his house or to speak to her.

One day he visited the restaurant and Biju served him like she would serve any other patron. She told law enforcement that she noticed Ambarla was looking through his phone in an unsettling manner.

He approached her moments later and repeated his offer to marry her, warning that he would kill her if she refused. Biju refused and a few moments later Ambarla took out a knife and stabbed her repeatedly.

(with inputs from Times of India)
Amid a surge of pro-Palestinian demonstrations roiling US campuses and spilling over into Europe, United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed drew attention to his 2017 prophetic warning regarding the perils of complacency of Western countries towards extremism.

In a reposted video clip from a 2017 interview, bin Zayed warned about the consequences of neglecting to confront and counter extremist elements in Europe. He forewarned that such negligence would foster an environment conducive to the proliferation of radicalism and even terrorism within Europe and the broader Western sphere. The clip shared with the caption I told you so, resurfaced as pro-Palestinian protests intensified on US campuses.

I told you so https://t.co/Vqg3B8WOdO    (@ABZayed) April 28, 2024

He Knows What Hes Talking About

During a panel discussion at the Tweeps forum in 2017, bin Zayed underscored the urgency of addressing extremist migration to Europe. During the Arabic-speaking panel, bin Zayed cautioned that Europe could witness a surge in radical extremism due to indecision, political correctness, or a misguided sense of expertise on Middle Eastern and Islamic affairs.

Zayeds warning

The resurfacing of bin Zayeds warning gained momentum after billionaire Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X, shared the video, endorsing bin Zayeds insight. Musks endorsement amplified the reach of bin Zayeds remarks, garnering millions of views, likes, and shares across social media platforms. The resurgence of bin Zayeds message coincides with a wave of pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses.

Demonstrators at prominent universities, including Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, and Boston University, have displayed solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Tensions rose Monday at Columbia University, the epicenter of pro-Palestinian protests across US campuses, with college authorities and student demonstrators in open conflict after negotiations broke down.

Hundreds Arrested

Across the United States, police arrested around 275 people on four separate campuses over the weekend, with the White House calling on the growing protests in recent weeks to remain peaceful. Columbia University, which said many Jewish students have left its campus, on Monday demanded that the protestors encampment must be cleared, and added that Columbia would not divest financial holdings linked to Israel  a key demand of demonstrators.

Students pushed back, vowing to defend their camp on the New York institutions main lawn, despite the threat of suspensions and disciplinary action from the college. Protests against the Gaza war, with its high civilian death toll among Palestinian civilians, have posed a challenge to university administrators trying to balance free speech rights with complaints that the rallies have veered into anti-Semitism and threats of violence.

Europe

Hamas bloody October 7 assault on southern Israel and the devastating Israeli response have stoked existing rancour over the Middle East conflict between two diametrically opposed camps in Europe. European authorities are clamping down on pro-Palestinian protests, rights groups told news agency AFP, as the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza sharply polarises opinion across the bloc.

We see hate speech laws and we see counterterrorism laws being instrumentalised, being weaponised to go after what is legitimate speech under international standards, said Amnesty International researcher Julia Hall. She added that there has been an avalanche of cancellations and targeting of peaceful protesters, academics, anyone who is basically out there in solidarity with Palestinian human rights or is criticising the state of Israel.

(With agency inputs)
Israel has dropped its demand that Hamas free 40 living hostages as part of a truce agreement and will now accept the release of 33 hostages, The New York Times reported on Monday, citing three Israeli officials.

This comes as US State Secretary Antony Blinken urged Hamas to swiftly accept an Israeli proposal for a truce in the Gaza war and the release of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant group.

One of the officials says the shift was due to assessments that some of the 40 hostages whose release Israel was demanding have died in Hamas captivity, The Times Of Israel reported. The numbers relate to hostages in a so-called humanitarian designation  women, children, men over 50, and those who are sick, the report added.

READ MORE: Blinken Hopes Hamas Will Accept Generous Gaza Deal

Hamas negotiators were expected to meet Qatari and Egyptian mediators in Cairo on Monday to deliver a response to the phased truce proposal that Israel presented at the weekend. Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Blinken said at a meeting of the World Economic Forum in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly, he said. Im hopeful that they will make the right decision. Earlier, it was reported that Israels proposal to Hamas entailed a deal for the release of fewer than 40 of the roughly 130 hostages believed to be still held in Gaza in exchange for freeing Palestinians jailed in Israel.

A second phase of a truce would consist of a period of sustained calm  Israels compromise response to a Hamas demand for a permanent ceasefire. A total of 253 hostages were seized in a Hamas attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7 in which about 1,200 Israelis were also killed, according to Israeli counts. Israel retaliated by imposing a total siege on Gaza and mounting an air and ground assault that has killed about 34,500 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

(With agency inputs)
US universities campuses continue to see massive protests demanding ceasefire in Gaza as well as divestment from Israel and companies that are associated with the Israeli government and its army. Protests demanding colleges and universities cut financial ties to Israel because of the Israel-Hamas war.

A report by the Associated Press said that campuses were largely quiet over the weekend but there were scuffles and some pushing and shoving by protesters on both sides of the issue at the University of California, Los Angeles. About 275 people were arrested on Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis. The number of arrests nationwide approached 900 since New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested more than 100 demonstrators on April 18.

Arizona State University fraternity boys tore down the protest camp while police watched on and secured the perimeter. Teamwork makes the dream work. pic.twitter.com/gSNdHNrEUq Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) April 27, 2024

The Portland State University (PSU) appeared to accommodate some of the demands of the student protests as it announced that it will pause receiving gifts and grants from aerospace giant Boeing. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) currently operates nine different Boeing products, according to the aerospace companys website. The plane and defence equipment makers website says that it contributes a $3.5 billion benefit to the Israeli economy. The company on its website says its relationship with Israel dates back more than 75 years  to the founding of the State of Israel.

Northeastern University crushed an anti-genocide protest because someone was heard shouting, "Kill the Jews."At :10, it is clear a pro-Israel counter-protester holding an Israeli flag was the one who uttered that phrase Yet another Zionist hate crime hoax https://t.co/yA6CnRdNUV pic.twitter.com/xlnzFOanli  Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) April 28, 2024

The sweeping pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the countrys universities were triggered by protests at Columbia University in New York City. The protests led to the arrest of over 200 students and faculty members.

The university over the weekend said that students and administrators there have engaged in negotiations and have set a series of deadlines for protesters to leave the encampment  which they have missed  but have decided that bringing back police to remove the encampments at this time would be counterproductive.

At the University of California, Los Angeles, protesters from both sides jostled. Counter-protesters who organised a Stand in Support of Jewish Students rally next to the encampments of pro-Palestinian students said their goal was to stand up against hatred and antisemitism.

BREAKING: Jill Stein and her Campaign Manager and Deputy Campaign Manager, Jason Call and Kelly Merrill-Cayer, have been arrested at Washington University in St. Louis while supporting a protest against WashUs ties to the war on Gaza.Video from @KallieECox pic.twitter.com/rkUYC9b5Qx Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) April 28, 2024

California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, which is situated in the northern part of the state ordered an enforced hard closure as pro-Palestinian protesters occupied two halls. The authorities told news outlets that the cost of the occupation  including damage done by theft, vandalism and graffiti  was estimated to be in the millions.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said in a social media post that she and two of her campaign managers were among those arrested from the Washington University in St. Louis where more than 100 people  including 23 students and four university employees  were arrested on suspicion of trespassing.
UK-based AstraZeneca has acknowledged in court that its Covid vaccine can cause a rare blood clotting condition, British media reports said on Monday.

This follows a class action lawsuit brought by families who allege harm caused by the pharmaceutical giants vaccine. The admission comes amid legal proceedings triggered by claims that the vaccine led to serious health complications, The Daily Mail reported.

In a legal document submitted to a UK court in February, the Cambridge-based company conceded that its vaccine can, in very rare cases, cause TTS, referring to thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome. This condition involves the formation of blood clots accompanied by a low platelet count, which is critical for blood clotting.

Previously known as vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT), this exceedingly rare complication has been listed as a potential side effect of the jab. According to the British daily, AstraZenecas admission paves the way for case-by-case settlements concerning individuals affected by the adverse reaction.

In the wake of the lawsuit, AstraZeneca has come out to express sympathy for those affected by adverse reactions to its vaccine while reaffirming its commitment to patient safety. The company underlined regulatory authorities stringent safety standards and reiterated the vaccines overall safety profile.
Colby Trickle, resident of Hays in the US state of Kansas, in 2019 called 911 to inform authorities that his wife had shot herself. Even though police officer Sergeant Brandon Hauptman from the Hays Police Department was suspicious after reaching the crime scene, Colby Trickle was let go because the coroner, Dr. Lyle Noordhoek, ruled Kristen Trickles death a suicide.

Police kept wondering if Colby Trickle had something to do with his wifes death and kept working the case.

Months later, Colby Trickle, cashed in on two life insurance policies for his wife totaling more than $120,000, spending nearly $2,000 on a life-size sex doll two days after he received the payout. His sudden purchase raised eyebrows.

Detectives flagged that Colby Trickle did not seem like he was going through a mourning process following the death of his wife. Theres a mourning process that I think everyone needs to go through  should go through when a loved one dies  and to have him ordering this type of doll just months after his wifes death was concerning, Detective Joshua JB Burkholder was quoted as saying by CBS News.

The death and the investigation that led to the 2023 arrest of Colby Trickle was also discussed on docuseries Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind.

Detectives did not rely on their suspicions to arrest Colby Trickle. They found that Colby, a member of the US Army Reserve, lied about his tours to Central America and West Asia. When they contacted the US Army, they said that Colby was never deployed overseas.

The law enforcement officials who kept building the case against Colby for two years also had suspicions about the size of the gun and the clothes his wife Kristen was wearing at the time of her so-called suicide.

I was just appalled that he would use Kristens life insurance money for a sex doll. It just was like he bought her replacement with her money, Kristen Trickles aunt, Delynn Rice, was quoted as saying by CBS News.

Assistant Ellis County Attorney Aaron Cunningham told the outlet that the $120,000 of the insurance money was spent away in about eight months. Colby paid off debts, spent thousands of dollars on video games and bought music equipment as he had plans of becoming a performer.

Police also noted Kristen Trickles phone alarm that kept going off at the scene that morning. Detective Joshua JB Burkholder said that in most cases when individuals commit suicide they do not have any plans for the day.

She had set an alarm to get up, to get ready for work, and had plans for that day. A lot of times, individuals who are thinking about suicide and do commit suicide  they dont have any plans for the day. Theyre not setting alarms. It doesnt matter when they get up, he said.

Colby Trickle was charged in July 2021, 21 months after Kristen Trickles death, with murder in the first degree and interfering with law enforcement. Dr. Ashley Christiansen, a psychologist hired by the prosecution to conduct a psychological autopsy of Kristen Trickle told jurors that after conducting the autopsy they found that Kristen Trickle was unlikely to have taken her own life.

The jury also found Colby Trickle guilty and he was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 50 years last November.
The United States found five Israeli units committed individual incidents of gross violations of human rights against Palestinians in the West Bank before the Hamas attack in October, the State Department said Monday.

Four of the units have taken remedial measures, State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters, with consultations ongoing over the fifth unit. The announcement comes after the Biden administration decided to hold off on its decision to blacklist the fifth unit, an infantry brigade of mostly ultra-Orthodox soldiers that has been accused of abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank.

This comes a week after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would fight against anyone who plans to impose sanctions on units of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). He made these remarks after reports surfaced that the US is planning to sanction other IDF and police units for alleged rights violations in the West Bank. If anyone thinks they can impose sanctions on a unit of the IDF  I will fight it with all my strength, Netanyahu had said in a statement. Earlier this month, the United States announced a series of sanctions linked to Israeli settlers in the West Bank, in the latest sign of growing US frustration with the policies of Netanyahu.

State Departments decision to publically call out Israel comes as the US is reportedly making a last-ditch effort to prevent The Hauge-based International Criminal Court (ICC) from issuing arrest warrants against PM Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. Diplomatic efforts increased on Sunday and Monday to reach a long sought-after truce and hostage-release deal in Gaza as global opposition to the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian territory has also been growing in the wake of the looming invasion of Rafah.

According to an internal State Department memo, some senior US officials have advised State Secretary Antony Blinken that they do not find credible or reliable Israels assurances that it is using US-supplied weapons, in accordance with international law. Under a National Security Memorandum (NSM) issued by President Joe Biden in February, Blinken must report to Congress by May 8 whether he finds credible Israels assurances that its use of US weapons does not violate US or international law.

(With agency inputs)
The Portland State University (PSU) appeared to bow to student protests across US universities demanding divestment from Israel continues to intensify. The university authorities said that it will pause receiving gifts and grants from the Boeing Company and will hold a forum to debate the ethics of doing so, US broadcaster CNN said, citing the universitys president.

The PSU also saw massive protests against Israels war in Gaza where students also demanded that their institutions cut ties with Israel and divest from the companies that manufacture weapons, technology and other items to the country.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) currently operates nine different Boeing products, according to the aerospace companys website. The plane and defence equipment makers website says that it contributes a $3.5 billion benefit to the Israeli economy.

The company on its website says its relationship with Israel dates back more than 75 years  to the founding of the State of Israel.

I have heard many students and faculty express that they would like to see PSU cut ties with the company. I initially found these demands confusing and arbitrary: PSU has no investments in Boeing but accepts philanthropic gifts from the company and, given that Boeing is a major employer in the region, many of our alumni work there, PSU President Ann Cudd said in a letter, accessed by the broadcaster, to the campus community Friday.

However, the passion with which these demands are being repeatedly expressed by some in our community motivates me, as a scholar of academic ethics and a university leader responsible for the well being of our campus constituents, to listen and ask additional questions, Cudd further added.

Ann Cudd said the university will host a two-hour moderated debate in May with faculty and students.

The White House insisted Sunday that pro-Palestinian protests that have rocked US universities in recent weeks must remain peaceful, after police arrested around 275 people on four separate campuses over the weekend.

We certainly respect the right of peaceful protests, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABCs This Week.

But, he added, we absolutely condemn the anti-Semitism language that weve heard of late and certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there.

The wave of demonstrations began at Columbia University in New York but they have since spread rapidly across the country.

While peace has prevailed in many campuses, the number of protesters detained  at times by police in riot gear using chemical irritants and tasers  is rising fast.

They include 100 at Northeastern University in Boston, 80 at Washington University in St Louis, 72 at Arizona State University and 23 at Indiana University.
Pro-Khalistan chants filled the air during a Khalsa parade in Toronto where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the attendees on the occasion of Khalsa Day. His rival Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party and Jagmeet Singh of the New Democratic Party (NDP) also attended the rally.

Today, leaders from the Liberal, Conservative, and NDP parties joined the Khalsa parade (Parade of the Pure) in Toronto to appeal to Khalistan voters.Trudeau was gifted a sword, while Pierre took things a step further than Trudeau by bending the knee, and Jagmeet delivered pic.twitter.com/RJW9ZNvSYk  Mocha Bezirgan (@BezirganMocha) April 29, 2024

As Trudeau delivered his speech, pro-Khalistani chants were heard throughout. We have to remember and get reminded on days such as this and every day, that Sikh values are Canadian values. Truth, justice, openness, compassion, service, human rights. These are the values at the heart of Sikhism. These are the values of the heart of Sikh Canadian communities. But theyre also values at the heart of all Canadians, Trudeau said as Khalistan Zindabad slogans were chanted.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Happy Vaisakhi! pic.twitter.com/B9nymTeVyb Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 29, 2024

The video of the rally went viral on social media after Mocha Bezirgan shared it on social media site X. He said that Justin Trudeau was gifted a sword by the rally organisers.

In the video, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre can also be seen taking a knee, as a mark of respect for the community. Jagmeet Singh delivered his speech in Punjabi.

To the nearly 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage across this country, we will always be there to protect your rights and your freedoms, and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination, he said.

He said that his government will enhance the security infrastructure program for more security at community centres and across all gurudwaras. Your right to practise your religion freely and without intimidation is exactly that  a fundamental right, guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, that we will always stand up and defend you for, he further added.

Khalistani separatists and the Canadian governments policies which do not restrict them from spreading Hinduphobia and anti-India hatred has led to deterioration of India-Canada ties.

Khalistani separatists have been tied to incidents of vandalism at Hindu temples as well as attacks on members of the Indian diaspora. The separatists have also attacked Sikhs who do not agree with their ideology.
Syria has avoided getting embroiled in the Gaza war, experts said, despite a strike on Irans Damascus consulate, blamed on Israel, that threatened to ignite a regional conflagration.

The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is seeking to strike a delicate balancing act between Russia and Iran, which have propped up it up during 13 years of civil war and helped it reclaim lost territory.

Syria is part of the so-called Axis of Resistance  an alliance of Iran-backed groups that has launched attacks on the Islamic republics arch-foe Israel or its alleged assets since October. But its other main ally Russia maintains diplomatic ties with Israel and has pushed for stability in Syrias south, which borders the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Israelis clearly warned Assad that if Syria was used against them they would destroy his regime, said a Western diplomat who requested anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media. Recent months have seen a series of strikes on Iranian targets in Syria, widely blamed on Israel, culminating in an April 1 raid that levelled Tehrans consulate in Damascus and killed seven Iranian Revolutionary Guards, two of them generals.

That strike prompted Iran to launch a first-ever direct missile and drone attack against Israel on April 13-14 that sent regional tensions spiralling. The attacks have also pushed Iran to reduce its military footprint throughout southern Syria, especially in areas bordering the Golan, a source close to Hezbollah and a war monitor told AFP.

 Russia and UAE influence 

Russia and the United Arab Emirates have urged (Assad) to stay away from the conflict, said Andrew Tabler of the Washington Institute. Last year, Syria returned to the Arab fold, seeking better ties with wealthy Gulf states, in hopes they can help fund reconstruction  although Western sanctions are likely to deter investment. In 2018, the United Arab Emirates re-established ties with Syria, and it has been leading the charge to reintegrate Damascus.

Syria appears to have heeded Russia and the UAEs call, and its border with the Golan Heights remains relatively calm despite a handful of strikes launched by Hezbollah-allied fighters. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor says that since the start of the Gaza war only 26 rocket attacks from Syria have targeted the Golan, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981.

Most have landed in open areas, which is read in Washington and elsewhere as a sort of code that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wants to stay out of the Gaza conflict, Tabler said. Assad hopes the Arabs and the West will compensate him for his restraint, and the Russians are pushing him towards this path, he said.

 Tricky Hamas ties 

Earlier this month, Russias defence ministry said it had established an additional position in the Syrian part of the Golan, to monitor the ceasefire and promote de-escalation. While massive demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza took place in several Arab capitals, Damascus only saw a handful of small pro-Palestine rallies, witnesses said.

Syria has had a difficult relationship with Palestinian militant group Hamas, whose October 7 onslaught on southern Israel triggered the war. Hamas and Assad reconciled in 2022, a decade after the militants, long allied with Damascus, broke ties over its suppression of largely Sunni protests that triggered Syrias civil war.

Hamas comes from the same ideological school as the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist group with origins in Egypt, which Syria considers to be terrorists. The regime hates Hamas and has no desire to support the Muslim Brotherhood, whose victory could only strengthen their friends in Syria, the diplomat said. Hamas announced last year the opening of a new page with the Syrian government, but Assad felt that it was still too early to talk about a return to normality.
"It is not true that we got the Structured Currency from the World Bank. The World Bank gave us a consultancy that assisted us in obtaining further information on the Structured Currency," said Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor John Mushayavanhu.@ReserveBankZIM @ZimTreasury pic.twitter.com/adTW9vl4fQ
Wouldn't it be comforting to have a priest accessible online, a man of the cloth who could offer you solace and advice right from the computer screen? A group called Catholic Answers apparently saw that potential in "Father Justin," an artificial intelligence-driven chatbot launched last week for the faithfulbut the AI clergyman has since been stripped of his status after he offered some unusual advice and commentary to baffled users, reports Futurism .

Among the oddities disseminated from Father Justin's virtual pulpit:

Despite being a computer-generated chatbot, Father Justindescribed by Business Insider as "clad in black with a priest's collar and a fatherly gray beard"apparently offered the sacrament and took confessions.

"I am as real as the faith we share," he insisted to Futurism staff.

Per that site's interactions with the bot, the good priest was also found to be a "hard-liner on social and sexual issues," noting that "the Catholic Church teaches that masturbation is a grave moral disorder."

The Pillar asked Father Justin if a baby could be baptized with Gatorade "in an emergency," and the bot-priest replied in the affirmative.

Catholic Answers addressed the controversy on Wednesday, noting that from now on, "Father Justin" would be known simply as "Justin," a new "lay theologian," per Futurism. "We do not want the character to distract from the important purpose of the application, which is to provide sound answers to questions about the Catholic faith in an innovative way," the group said in a release. The group also insisted that Father Justin "never was a real priest" in the first place, so it would be inaccurate to say he's since been laicized or defrocked. In this video, however, the AI priest informed viewers he'd been ordained "in the beautiful city of Rome." Here, an in-depth interview with Catholic Answers COO Jon Sorensen on the creation of Father Justin. (More artificial intelligence stories.)
Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis met in Miami on Sunday, marking the first time the two former rivals for the GOP presidential nomination have spoken since DeSantis ended his campaign in January. The meeting, first reported by the Washington Post, was confirmed by several sources who spoke anonymously to the newspaper as well as outlets including Fox News and NBC News. The bottom line on the significance of the meeting, per Axios: "DeSantis is a prodigious fundraiser. Trump badly needs the cash in the general election against President Biden." More along those lines from the various outlets:
A new national poll by CNN has Donald Trump six points ahead of President Biden when the two are placed in a hypothetical head-to-head contest, with the support of 49% of registered voters compared to Biden's 43%. Those numbers have held basically steady since CNN's last national poll in January, which had Trump at 49% and Biden at 45%. However, a new CBS News poll shows that in three crucial states, they're about even. Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania are among "the handful of states that decided presidential elections" in recent years, CBS notes, and in all three of them, Trump and Biden are separated by just one to two points, with Biden ahead in Michigan (51% to 49%) and Trump ahead in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania (50% to 49% in both states). More from the polls:
Four teenagers plotted to buy guns and attack Jewish people days after a bishop was stabbed in a Sydney church, according to police documents cited in news reports on Monday. Five teens, aged 14 to 17, were charged in a Sydney court on Thursday last week with a range of offenses including conspiring to engage in or planning a terrorist act, the AP reports. Police alleged they all "adhered to a religiously motivated, violent extremist ideology" and were part of a network that included a 16-year-old boy charged with stabbing Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on April 15 as a church service was being streamed online.

According to a police fact sheet tendered to the Sydney Children's Court, two of the defendants charged last week discussed buying guns on April 19, the same day the bishop's alleged attacker was charged, News Corp Australia newspapers reported. Four of the boys charged last weeka 15-year-old, a 16-year-old and two 17-year-oldsallegedly used the encrypted messaging app Signal to plan their attack, with one of them allegedly saying, "whatever happens, it's the qadr (predetermination) of Allah," the newspapers reported. Meanwhile, in an interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp., the parents of the 16-year-old charged with stabbing the bishop as well as a priest said their son was violent and had a suspected autism spectrum disorder, but they said he was not a terrorist.

(More Australia stories.)
It's been almost a decade since Geerte Piening, a 21-year-old student living in Amsterdam, got fined for peeing in public after she couldn't find an accessible loo late at night. Now, women there are celebrating after a long fight to set up more public toilets in the Dutch city, which has announced it will start doing just that in October, at a cost of about $4.3 million, reports the NL Times.

2015 incident: That's when Piening, after a late night out with friends at the bar, found herself on the street having to urinate, but with no public toilet in sight. She ended up going in an alleyway as friends shielded her and earning a $120 fine from police for public urination, per the Guardian.
French media are reporting that actor Gerard Depardieu is in police custody for questioning about allegations made by two women that he sexually assaulted them on movie sets. Broadcaster BFMTV and the daily Le Parisien reported that the 75-year-old actor was summoned Monday morning by Paris police and placed in custody, reports the AP . The Paris police force said it wasn't authorized to comment and directed questions to the Paris prosecutor's office. The prosecutor's office said it had no comment "at this stage." One of Depardieu's lawyers, Christian Saint-Palais, was seen walking into a police station in the 14th district of Paris after lunching Monday at a nearby restaurant. He had no comment.

Depardieu has denied wrongdoing. In an open letter last October, he said: "I have never, ever abused a woman." BFMTV and Le Parisien reported that the police summons relates to accusations of sexual assault filed by two women who accuse him of groping during filmingone in 2014, the other in 2021. The alleged 2014 assault was reported to police in January this year, Le Parisien reported. The other alleged assault involved a 53-year-old movie decorator. She alleged that Depardieu grabbed her and kneaded her waist, stomach, and breasts during filming for Les Volets Verts, or The Green Shutters, according to the woman's lawyer, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, when she filed the complaint in February.

Depardieu has also been accused by more than a dozen other women of harassing, groping, or sexually assaulting them. He was handed preliminary rape and sexual assault charges in 2020 following allegations from actor Charlotte Arnould. Depardieu was long seen as a national icon in France. He has been a global ambassador for French film and enjoyed international fame with several roles in Hollywood. More on Depardieu's accusations and antics here. (More Gerard Depardieu stories.)
It's a significant victory for advocates of transgender rights: A federal appeals court based in Virginia has ruled that state-run health care plans must cover gender surgeries. The Washington Post reports that the ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit is the first such decision in the nation. However, the Supreme Court may have the last word, notes the AP. Details:

In North Carolina, NC State professor Julia McKeown sued after having to cover the full cost of her gender-affirming surgery. She is one of several plaintiffs in the case, called Kadel vs. Folwell. (Max Kadel is a state employee and transgender man who sued after losing coverage of testosterone, as NC Newsline previously reported.)

In West Virginia, trans Medicaid users challenged a state law that bans "transsexual surgeries."
This story has been updated with new developments. Columbia University announced Monday evening that it has begun suspending students who defied a 2pm deadline to clear out of a pro-Palestinian encampment on the New York campus. The protesters, along with hundreds of their supporters, began to leave by 4pm, the New York Times reports; the university had not called in police. Several dozen students and about 80 of the original 120 tents in the Manhattan encampment remained, with a dozen faculty members outsidea few of whom said they would stay overnight to safeguard the students' right to protest. A small number of counter-demonstrators waved Israeli flags, per the AP, with one holding a sign reading, "Where are the anti-Hamas chants?"



The university said the pro-Palestinian protesters in the encampment will be required to sign a form committing to following university policies until June 30, 2025, Axios reports. Those who don't comply will face sanctions including "probation, access restriction, suspension for a term or more and expulsion," the university said.
A New York state prosecutor under investigation for her behavior when police tried to pull her overrepeatedly telling an officer "I'm the DA"apologized on Monday. "I failed you and the standards that I hold myself to," Monroe Country District Attorney Sandra Doorley said in a video. "And for that, I am so sorry. What I did was wrong, no excuses." She has admitted driving 55mph in a 35mph zone last week when an officer spotted her car. Doorley did not stop, WXXI reports, and the officer turned on flashing lights and the siren and followed her about a mile to her house. She could have been arrested for not stopping, police said.

Bodycam footage shows the confrontation after both arrived at Doorley's home, per NBC News. She tried to get into the house while the officer told her: "You can't just go inside, this is a traffic stop." Doorley replied: "I understand the law better than you. Get out of my f------ house." Told that she was speeding, the district attorney said, "I don't really care." Doorley called the police chief and at one point said: "If you give me a traffic ticket that's fine. I'm the one that prosecutes it. Go ahead." A police supervisor was called to the house, and she was given a speeding ticket. "I'm having a really bad day," Doorley said. "I've been dealing with murders all over the city."

Activists demonstrated on Monday in Rochester, calling for Doorley's removal, per the New York Times. Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday that she has referred the case to the State Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct, adding that the district attorney has "undermined her ability to hold others accountable for violating the law." Doorley also apologized to the officer as he left her house. "I'm sorry you had a bad day, and I'm sorry it went this way," he answered. "I do respect what you do. Have a good day." Doorley paid the ticket the next day. WXXI has the videos here. (More New York state stories.)
"Requiescat in Pace."

Born in Auckland on 28 September 1937, Sir Vincent combined an academic career with that of a prolific writer and editor.

He graduated from Auckland and Oxford universities, and lectured in English at Victoria and Waikato universities before becoming literary editor of the New Zealand Listener.

Six years of fellowships at New Zealand and Australian universities followed, interrupted by a year as resident playwright of Wellington's Downstage Theatre where the first of his several stage plays was performed in 1983.

Called Shuriken, it deals with the fateful misunderstandings which led to the death of 50 Japanese prisoners of war and a New Zealand guard at Featherston in 1943.

O'Sullivan concentrated mainly on poetry in his earlier years, with 11 volumes published beginning with Our Burning Time in 1965.

But in the 1970s, he turned increasingly to short stories which have been published in five collections, starting with The Boy, The Bridge, The River.

Death and other forms of loss, deprivation and betrayal are central themes.

In 1988, O'Sullivan resumed his academic career as professor of English literature at Victoria University.

His novel Let the River Stand won the Montana Book Award in 1994 and was followed by others including Believers to the Bright Coast.

He edited eight volumes of writing by Katherine Mansfield, and several anthologies of New Zealand poetry, and wrote studies of James K Baxter and John Mulgan.

Sir Vincent was Knighted in December 2021.
Petrol prices might be about to get even worse for Kiwis, that's despite rising by 26c per litre this year alone.

Predictions suggest the price could go even higher.

New Zealand Automobile Association (AA) fuel prices spokesperson Terry Collins told AM our petrol prices were "literally" at the mercy of international conflicts and geopolitics.

"We're driven by all those external costs, the price of the fuel, the shipping, the refining etc, and the only part we have any control over is the taxes and the levies we put on the fuel over here," he said.

Collins also said that fuel prices reflect what's been happening in the economy generally.

"The price of running a petrol car has gone up just under 11 percent, that's including all the costs, insurances, etc, over the past year and obviously fuel is one of those inputs that drives those costs up," he said.
At 5:30pm on Anzac Day, footage shows a car pulling up outside Glitter Jewellers in the south Auckland suburb of Manurewa.

The group of five masked offenders ran into the store and smashed their way through the second entrance.

Staff and customers fled in terror as the offenders swooped in and smashed several cabinets - stuffing bags with gold and jewels.

It unfolded right in front of Glitter Jewellers employee Navita Shee's eyes.

"We are definitely very, very scared," she admitted to Newshub.

"The next day, 5:30pm hit and I just kept looking outside and at the cameras, thinking they're going to come again."

Navita believes the robbery was "definitely pre-planned".

"When you look at the camera, they knew exactly where to go," she said.

Glitter Jewellers is a family-owned business. They moved to New Zealand in 2008.

Navita's father, Manoj Singh Shee, agreed they feel unsafe following the incident.

"We're paying tax, we're paying GST, but feeling not safe," he stressed.

"You can see why people are leaving this country, you know? They're not feeling safe," Navita added.

They said police have "never come back" following the robbery.

From the jewellers, it's just a short walk around the corner to the local police station, and yet the owners of the store told Newshub it took police about ten minutes to get there.

However, police have launched what they're calling Operation Dusk to investigate if what happened here in Manurewa is connected to other jewellery heists across the city, including an aggravated robbery on Sunday in Westgate.

A bystander filmed offenders as they smashed through cabinets at the Michael Hill store at Auckland's North West shopping mall.

West Auckland resident Ross Karl was standing at the entrance to Specsavers inside the mall, when he heard smashing glass.

"They closed the doors, they locked us in for fifteen minutes, and then the whole place got evacuated," Karl told Newshub.

Last week, a jewellery store in Westfield Newmarket was robbed - for the second time in nine days.

"I think people are reading about these things every day in the news and hearing about them and worrying about them so when it happens near them they feel helpless."

Helpless is just how the Shee family are feeling, after doing everything right by equipping the store with CCTV, a fog cannon and even a double entrance.

"It's just such a scary feeling... I get goosebumps," Navita admitted.

Police Minister Mark Mitchell told Newshub he has reached out to the family and spoken with them.

Mitchell said he has "utter sympathy" for the family, and everything they have been through.

However, he admitted the rise in retail crime is going to take some time to get to the bottom of.

He also acknowledged that there are "deep social issues that this country is grappling with".
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TDT | Riyadh

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

The Minister of Finance and National Economy, His Excellency Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, affirmed the commitment of Bahrain to supporting peace and security efforts, as well as upholding the values of coexistence and human fraternity in the region and the world in line with the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain.

The minister emphasised the support of the Kingdom for the Palestinian cause and efforts to reach a peaceful, just, and lasting solution to the issue.

Shaikh Salman was speaking as he met with Sigrid Kaag, the Chief Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs and Reconstruction in Gaza, on the sidelines of World Economic Forums Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.

He emphasised the need to unify international efforts for regional stability, highlighting the crucial role of international institutions in promoting common security and supporting development and sustainability globally and in the region. The meeting discussed the latest regional and international developments.
PanOmiQ completes Whole Genome Sequencing analysis with a clinical report in 7 hours.

CALGARY, AB, April 25, 2024 /CNW/ - BioAro, a pioneer in genomic research and technology, is set to officially launch PanOmiQ, a revolutionary software that will redefine the landscape of genomic analysis globally by providing real-time insights into the complexities of the human genome. With unparalleled speed, precision, and versatility, it promises to transform healthcare worldwide. The Global launch of PanOmiQ software will take place during the Precision Medicine Expo on May 9th, 2024, at Dubai World Trade Center, UAE.

Dr. Anmol S. Kapoor MD FRCPC, Founder and CEO of BioAro, Cardiologist. (CNW Group/BioAro Inc.) Global Launch of World's Fastest Genomic Analysis Software, PanOmiQ on May 9th, 2024. (CNW Group/BioAro Inc.) PanOmiQ, World's Fastest Real-Time Genomic Software. (CNW Group/BioAro Inc.)

BioAro's, Founder and CEO, Dr. Anmol S. Kapoor, shared "Our team at BioAro are committed to pushing the boundaries of genomic research and technology through real-time genomic testing and analysis to provide enhanced quality of life and Healthspan. With the launch of PanOmiQ, we are ushering in a new era of precision medicine, where every patient receives tailored treatments based on their unique genetic makeup."

Joining him at this prestigious launch is Dr. George Patrinos, Professor and Head of the Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics and Individualized Therapy at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras (Greece). Dr. Patrinos acknowledges PanOmiQ as a groundbreaking solution that seamlessly integrates results from multiple omics disciplines, providing a comprehensive report for personalized health decisions in real-time. He believes that this innovative software offers a holistic solution for precision health and longevity.

As the culmination of years of research and development, PanOmiQ stands as the world's fastest genomic analysis software to date. With its unified approach integrating primary, secondary, and tertiary analysis of genomic and metagenomic data, it enables healthcare specialists to decode DNA sequences in real-time, empowering them to make informed decisions.

"Turnaround time in genomic analysis is critical, and this is where PanOmiQ comes in with its unmatched speed and accuracy. The proprietary AI- platform also provides clinical annotations and helps better understand disease risk." said Dr. Raja B. Singh, Chief Scientific Officer at BioAro. While it once took 13 years to screen the human genome and now it typically takes around 4 weeks, PanOmiQ pushes the boundaries even further, completing the process in just 7 hours. This remarkable efficiency not only streamlines processes but also reduces costs associated with ineffective treatments and prolonged recovery periods. By democratizing access to genomic information, PanOmiQ aims to make precision medicine universally accessible and affordable, transcending geographical and socioeconomic barriers.

Dr. Minal Borkar Tripathi, Director of Genomics at BioAro, said, "With the power of artificial intelligence, PanOmiQ helps identify rare diseases, health predispositions, and pharmacogenomic insights with unmatched speed and precision. Its ability to provide Pharmacogenomic analysis is a major advancement in tailoring treatment for optimal patient care."

PanOmiQ's capabilities extend to microbial community analysis (metagenomics), medication tolerance assessment (pharmacogenomics), and soon, MultiOmics for proteins, metabolites, and the transcriptome. This approach enables the identification of biomarkers influenced by lifestyle, medications, and environmental factors, facilitating tailored healthcare interventions for multifactorial disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), rooted in dysbiosis, mental health issues, and lifestyle factors.

PanOmiQ excels not only in analysis but also in its compatibility with various genetic file formats like FastQ and VCF, streamlining workflows and integrating seamlessly into existing processes. While AI ensures efficiency, PanOmiQ utilizes 20+ sets of databases to ensure accuracy and highly detailed results.

The future of genomic science is on the brink of transformation with the integration of Quantum technology. BioAro's PanOmiQ leads this revolution, harnessing Quantum technology to redefine possibilities in this field. With real-time, precise genomic sequencing and interpretation on quantum-based computers, the future of genomic research is rapidly advancing, and BioAro is actively invested in driving innovation and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in genomic science.

Please join us at the Precision Medicine Expo on May 9th, 2024, at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where BioAro will introduce PanOmiQ's groundbreaking capabilities. Register at www.PanOmiq.com and secure your reservation and experience the future of real-time genomics analysis firsthand.

About BioAro Inc.

BioAro is a Precision Health, HealthSpan, and Longevity Biotech Company committed to pioneering innovative solutions for optimal well-being. With a focus on research, development, and implementation, BioAro aims to lead the way in advancing precision health strategies that enhance healthspan and longevity.

For more information, visit: www.bioaro.com

SOURCE BioAro Inc.

Please email [email protected] or call 403-860-5683.
HANGZHOU, China, April 26, 2024 /CNW/ -- Hikvision made a significant appearance at Intertraffic Amsterdam, the leading global trade fair for mobility and traffic technology. At the trade event, Hikvision unveiled a suite of traffic, transport, and parking management solutions and products powered by Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) technology, which promised to improve urban mobility, road safety, and operational efficacy.

Elevating urban traffic intelligence with AIoT

Hikvision redefines urban mobility with AIoT-powered solutions at Intertraffic 2024 Hikvision redefines urban mobility with AIoT-powered solutions at Intertraffic 2024

One highlight of the Hikvision stand was its intelligent urban traffic solution, which leveraged the power of AIoT to deliver comprehensive real-time monitoring, incident detection, and traffic control. This solution intelligently reshapes traffic dynamics, offering a more responsive and data-driven approach to enhance situational awareness and traffic management. Key innovations in the solution included:

Hikvision's radar-video fusion cameras

These combine the range perception of radar with the visual perception of video. The 4 MP Radar and Video Vehicle Detector, for example, helps to enhance road safety by providing early warning of potential hazards in challenging situations such as blind spots at intersections and obstacles outside the visual range.

These combine the range perception of radar with the visual perception of video. The 4 MP Radar and Video Vehicle Detector, for example, helps to enhance road safety by providing early warning of potential hazards in challenging situations such as blind spots at intersections and obstacles outside the visual range. Hikvision's All-In-One Traffic Spotter

This stands out with its multifaceted design incorporating video, radar, and lighting technologies for heightened traffic violation detection. Its streamlined column design facilitates effortless installation.

This stands out with its multifaceted design incorporating video, radar, and lighting technologies for heightened traffic violation detection. Its streamlined column design facilitates effortless installation. Hikvision's Radar-Linked PTZ Camera

This ensures consistent performance in adverse weather and lightening conditions, and minimizes false alarms with advanced deep-learning algorithms.

Innovating parking management

Hikvision also introduced its parking management solutions. These combine extremely precise license plate recognition and intelligent barrier controls incorporating highly accurate radar sensors. This comprehensive approach enhances security, reduces the need for manual intervention, and streamlines traffic flow across parking areas. The Global Shutter CMOS* (GMOS) ANPR camera was a new addition to the lineup. Designed to seamlessly blend in the environment, it is tailored for the task of discreetly capturing license plates at parking facilities that prioritize subtlety.

Advancing public transportation safety and efficiency

Attendees also had the opportunity to explore Hikvision's latest public transport solutions, integrating AI-driven analytics with advanced video security, on-site voice broadcasting, and centralized management for enhanced onboard security, improved passenger experience, and operational efficiency for buses and taxis. This included the Four-way monitoring system and the Panoramic Auxiliary System, both designed to reduce blind spots and provide high-definition imaging to improve driving safety.

"As ever, we are continually expanding our suite of technologies to enhance traffic safety and efficiency," said Nick Wu, Project Product Director at Hikvision Europe. "Our commitment lies in minimizing the need for extensive roadside installations by incorporating comprehensive perception and robust AI within unified device frameworks. These innovations automate and streamline every aspect of traffic management, from violation detection to traffic flow monitoring, driving safety, and parking management."

To find out more about Hikvision's urban mobility products and solutions, please explore its official website.

Note: CMOS stands for Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor.

SOURCE Hikvision Digital Technology

Luke Liu, [email protected]
BROMONT, QC, April 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Semiconductors power the world. From computers to medical equipment, to electric vehicles, semiconductors  or microchips  produce so much of what we depend on. They are also critical in the global race to scale up and adopt artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies that have the potential to transform our economies.

As global supply chains adapt to meet increasing demand, we can leverage Canada's innovation and talent to grow our microchip industry, create high-paying jobs for Canadians, and become a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced a new federal investment of $59.9 million to support projects from IBM Canada and the MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI), one of Canada's microelectronics research and innovation leaders, to create more semiconductors and unlock economic growth.

These projects, with a total value of $226.5 million, will support research into ground-breaking quantum technologies, add new manufacturing capacity and capabilities to IBM Canada's semiconductor packaging facility in Bromont, Quebec, and strengthen the semiconductor supply chain in Canada. They will also drive significant growth for Quebec and create more than 280 new highly skilled jobs in the Bromont region. At the same time, IBM Canada and C2MI will help foster the next generation of Canadian innovators in semiconductor packaging and quantum technologies by offering up to 240 co-op positions.

Combined with additional support from the Government of Quebec, this federal investment, made through the Strategic Innovation Fund, will help IBM Canada keep pace with the market, attract new clients to its Bromont facility, and contribute to a strong domestic production of the semiconductor products that businesses and consumers need. It will also help secure good jobs for Canadians and bring modern, ground-breaking technologies to our shores  furthering semiconductor and quantum research in Canada. This is about investing in innovation to build a strong semiconductor sector in Canada, grow our economy, and create new opportunities for this generation and the next.

Quotes

"Today's announcement is a massive win for Canada and our dynamic tech sector. It will create high-paying jobs, invest in innovation, strengthen supply chains, and help make sure the most advanced technologies are Canadian-made. Semiconductors power the world, and we're putting Canada at the forefront of that opportunity."

 The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

"Semiconductors are part of our everyday life. They are in our phones, our cars, and our appliances. Through this investment, we are supporting Canadian innovators, creating good jobs, and solidifying Canada's semiconductor industry to build a stronger economy. Canada is set to play a larger role in the global semiconductor industry thanks to projects like those we are announcing today. Because, when we invest in semiconductor and quantum technologies, we invest in economic security."

 The Hon. Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"For Bromont and our regional economy, this investment is transformative. Canada and Quebec's global-leading semiconductor development will give us a leading edge. This initiative not only drives economic growth but also fosters good, innovative jobs. Our hub of green innovation is powered by exceptional talent that will develop key technologies ranging from next-generation vehicles to electronics to medical devices. It shows the vital role that governments can play in stabilizing our future during supply chain disruptions. With strong partnerships like those with IBM and C2MI, we are securing a brighter future and ensuring we are prepared for whatever comes next."

 The Hon. Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"IBM's investment in Bromont will ensure that Quebec continues to stand out in the industry of microelectronics. This increase in production capacity will solidify Quebec's position within the strategic sector of microelectronics in North America."

 Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec's Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy

"Advanced packaging is a crucial component of the semiconductor industry, and IBM Canada's Bromont plant has led the world in this process for decades. Building upon IBM's 107-year legacy of technology innovation and R&D in Canada, the Canadian semiconductor industry will now become even stronger, allowing for robust supply chains and giving Canadians steady access to even more innovative technologies and products. This announcement represents just one more example of IBM's leadership and commitment to the country's technology and business landscape."

 Deb Pimentel, President, IBM Canada

"IBM has long been a leader in semiconductor research and development, pioneering breakthroughs to meet tomorrow's challenges. With the demand for compute surging in the age of AI, advanced packaging and chiplet technology is becoming critical for the acceleration of AI workloads. As one of the largest chip assembly and testing facilities in North America, IBM's Bromont facility will play a central role in this future. We are proud to be working with the governments of Canada and Quebec toward those goals and to build a stronger and more balanced semiconductor ecosystem in North America and beyond."

 Dario Gil, Senior Global Vice-President, IBM

"We are unquestionably entering an era of quantum revolution, where perspectives are multiplying and are confined only by those of the collective imagination. C2MI's new quantum chip manufacturing capabilities, as announced today, will complement the state-of-the-art infrastructure and core technologies currently in place, bringing us one step closer to developing hardware for domestic companies. With these new equipments, C2MI, in collaboration with its partners, is poised to develop and produce quantum chips, paving the way for a resolutely cutting-edge future that will ensure both Quebec's and Canada's competitiveness and leadership in this field."

 Marie-Josee Turgeon, President and Chief Executive Officer, MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI)

Quick Facts

This new Strategic Innovation Fund investment builds on the commitment announced by Prime Minister Trudeau and the President of the United States of America , Joe Biden , in March 2023 to advance a cross-border semiconductor manufacturing corridor, beginning with Canada and IBM providing a significant investment to develop new and expanded packaging and testing capabilities at its Bromont facility.

, , in to advance a cross-border semiconductor manufacturing corridor, beginning with and IBM providing a significant investment to develop new and expanded packaging and testing capabilities at its facility. The Strategic Innovation Fund is in place to support research, development, and commercialization of new products that pave the way for Canada as a global innovation leader and attract investments that create jobs. The Government of Canada launched the Strategic Innovation Fund in Budget 2017 to ensure Canada remains a top destination for businesses to invest, grow, and create jobs.

as a global innovation leader and attract investments that create jobs. The Government of launched the Strategic Innovation Fund in Budget 2017 to ensure remains a top destination for businesses to invest, grow, and create jobs. This announcement also builds on other recent federal initiatives to support and grow Canada's semiconductors supply chain, including: Providing $90 million to the National Research Council of Canada's Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre, to update its capacity as Canada's only pure play compound semiconductor foundry and enhance its ability to better meet Canadian and global client demand. Providing $36 million through the Strategic Innovation Fund to Ottawa -based company Ranovus Inc., to advance the domestic production and manufacturing of semiconductor products and services. Launching the Semiconductor Challenge Callout, a $150 million allocation from the Strategic Innovation Fund, to bolster the development and manufacturing of semiconductors in Canada . Funding was increased to $250 million in March 2023 .

semiconductors supply chain, including: Semiconductors are critical to Canada's national security, economy, and technological interests. Nearly every industry  including automotive and electric vehicles, defence, telecommunications, and low-carbon technologies  requires semiconductors for current technologies and future innovations.

national security, economy, and technological interests. Nearly every industry  including automotive and electric vehicles, defence, telecommunications, and low-carbon technologies  requires semiconductors for current technologies and future innovations. Canada's semiconductor sector includes over 500 homegrown and multinational companies conducting research, development, and manufacturing of microchips. This includes over 100 design firms, 30 applied research laboratories, and five manufacturing facilities in areas such as compound semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems, and advanced packaging.

semiconductor sector includes over 500 homegrown and multinational companies conducting research, development, and manufacturing of microchips. This includes over 100 design firms, 30 applied research laboratories, and five manufacturing facilities in areas such as compound semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems, and advanced packaging. In Budget 2024, the Government of Canada announced a $2 .4 billion package of measures to secure Canada's AI advantage. These investments will accelerate job growth in Canada's AI sector and beyond, boost productivity by helping researchers and businesses develop and adopt AI, and ensure this is done responsibly. Learn more.

announced a .4 billion package of measures to secure AI advantage. These investments will accelerate job growth in AI sector and beyond, boost productivity by helping researchers and businesses develop and adopt AI, and ensure this is done responsibly. Learn more. With over 282,000 employees working across 175 countries, IBM is one of the world's largest and longstanding information technology products and services companies. IBM Canada's semiconductor advanced packaging facility in Bromont, Quebec , is the largest manufacturing facility of its kind in North America .

, is the largest manufacturing facility of its kind in . Based in Bromont, Quebec , the MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI) plays an important role within Canada's semiconductor industry by offering a unique infrastructure, state-of-the-art scientific equipment, a network of nearly 400 organizations covering countless sectors, and a team of seasoned and talented professionals. It is the essential link between applied research and the accelerated commercialization of microelectronic components.

Associated Links

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister's Office

PMO Media Relations: [email protected]
Canada demonstrates global leadership in work to reduce smoking

OTTAWA, ON, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Canada's world precedent-setting requirement for warnings directly on every individual cigarette is now being implemented with these warnings appearing on cigarettes being sold in stores. Tobacco companies have a deadline of tomorrow, Tuesday, April 30, to ensure that all their King Size cigarettes depict these new warnings. Retailers will have three additional months, until July 31, to ensure that these cigarettes have the new warnings.

The 6 rotated bilingual warnings are:

Canadian cigarette package warnings on individual cigarettes (CNW Group/Canadian Cancer Society)

Poison in every puff

Cigarettes damage your organs

Cigarettes cause cancer

Tobacco smoke harms children

Cigarettes cause impotence

Cigarettes cause leukemia

"A health warning directly on every individual cigarette is novel, unprecedented, and simply cannot be ignored," says Rob Cunningham, Senior Policy Analyst, Canadian Cancer Society. "These new health warnings will be there with every cigarette and every puff, and during every smoke break. The warnings will reach youth who experiment by borrowing cigarettes from a friend. The warnings will reduce smoking and the appeal of cigarettes, and thus prevent cancer and other diseases."

For the warnings directly on cigarettes, there will be 2 sets of 6 warnings, with sets changed in rotation. The first set of warnings for "King Size" cigarettes (83-85 mm in length), the most common size sold and the standard international size, will be implemented April 30, 2024, at the manufacturer level and July 31, 2024 at the retail level. For "regular size" cigarettes (70-73 mm in length), the implementation date is January 31, 2025, at the manufacturer level and April 30, 2025, at the retail level. In 2021, 69% of the Canadian cigarette market was comprised of King Size cigarettes. The regulations requiring the warnings on cigarettes were announced on May 31, 2023, with the implementation transition period that has since followed.

A new round of 14 picture health warnings on the package were appearing in stores in January, given that manufacturers had a deadline of January 31, 2024, for package warnings. But manufacturers were given a longer transition period to have warnings directly on cigarettes.

It is expected that many countries will follow Canada's example and also adopt warnings on cigarettes, just as there are now 138 countries/territories that have required picture warnings on cigarette packages, following the Canadian precedent implemented in 2001. Already, Australia has announced that it is moving forward to require warnings on cigarettes.

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in Canada, killing 46,000 Canadians each year, including about 30% of all cancer deaths. Based on 2022 data, there are still 3.8 million Canadians who smoke, representing 12% of the population aged 12+. An enormous amount of work needs to be done to achieve the objective of under 5% of Canadians using tobacco by 2035.

About the Canadian Cancer Society

The Canadian Cancer Society works tirelessly to save and improve lives. We raise funds to fuel the brightest minds in cancer research. We provide a compassionate support system for all those affected by cancer, across Canada and for all types of cancer. Together with patients, supporters, donors and volunteers, we work to create a healthier future for everyone. Because to take on cancer, it takes all of us. It takes a society.

Help us make a difference. Call 1-888-939-3333 or visit cancer.ca today.

SOURCE Canadian Cancer Society

Rob Cunningham, Senior Policy Analyst, Canadian Cancer Society, 613-762-4624
/Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or for dissemination in the United States./

CALGARY, AB , April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd. (TSXV: HASH) ("SSC") is pleased to announce its 2023 annual results. Selected financial, operational and transactional information is set out below and should be read in conjunction with SSC's December 31, 2023 financial statements and the related management's discussion and analysis, which are available for review on SSC's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. SSC is also pleased to announce the appointment of Murray Brown to the position of Vice President, Operations, and to reiterate previously announced Q1 2024 guidance.

Jeff Swainson, President & CEO of SSC, stated: "2023 was a transformative year for SSC as our incredible team exceeded expectations across the board. Against a backdrop of continued industry headwinds, we eliminated all long-term debt, increased gross revenue by 149% to approximately $7.0 million, increased normalized net income by 215% to approximately $1.9 million, and strengthened our team significantly. Continued strong results are what matters to our team, and we now look to profitably expand our market share through continued organic growth and opportunistic acquisitions, capitalizing on the significant opportunities resulting from industry headwinds."

2023 Financial Highlights:

December 31, 2023 Working Capital (1) : $3,693,879 .

: . 2023 Gross Revenue : $6,973,401 ( December 31, 2022 - $2,799,367 ), an increase of 149%.

: ( - ), an increase of 149%. 2023 Net Revenue : $6,191,646 ( December 31, 2022 - $2,799,367 ), an increase of 121%.

: ( - ), an increase of 121%. 2023 Gross Margin : $3,497,279 ( December 31, 2022 - $38,427 ), an increase of 9,001%.

: ( - ), an increase of 9,001%. 2023 Gross Margin : 57% of net revenue ( December 31, 2022 - 1.4%), an increase of 3,971%.

: 57% of net revenue ( - 1.4%), an increase of 3,971%. 2023 EBITDA (1) : $1,401,847 ( December 31, 2022 - $1,191,950 loss), an increase of 218%.

: ( - loss), an increase of 218%. 2023 Adjusted EBITDA (1) : $2,246,926 ( December 31, 2022 - $1,143,343 loss), an increase of 297%.

: ( - loss), an increase of 297%. 2023 Net Income : $1,040,316 ( December 31, 2022 - $1,683,799 loss), an increase of 162%.

: ( - loss), an increase of 162%. 2023 Normalized Net Income(1) : $1,885,395 ( December 31, 2022 - $1,635,192 loss), an increase of 215%.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (1) Non-IFRS financial measure. See discussion in the Non-IFRS Financial Measures advisories section of this press release below.

2023 Operations and Transaction Highlights:

Brands : Launched the popular brands Astrolab ( May 2023 ) and Frootyhooty ( November 2023 ).

: Launched the popular brands Astrolab ( ) and Frootyhooty ( ). Facility Sale Leaseback: In June 2023 , SSC eliminated $7,047,169 of debt and liabilities through a sale leaseback transaction of SSC's facility.

In , SSC eliminated of debt and liabilities through a sale leaseback transaction of SSC's facility. Financings : In August 2023 , SSC raised $584,694 of equity at $0.20 /unit (a " Unit "), each Unit being comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, and converted $1,162,348 in convertible debentures to Units at $0.17 /Unit, eliminating all remaining long-term debt of SSC.

In , SSC raised of equity at /unit (a " "), each Unit being comprised of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, and converted in convertible debentures to Units at /Unit, eliminating all remaining long-term debt of SSC. Go Public Transaction: On December 18, 2023 , SSC went public on the TSXV under the "HASH" ticker symbol through a reverse takeover transaction with Dash Capital Corp.

Appointment of Vice President, Operations and Option Grant

SSC is also pleased to announce the appointment of Murray Brown as Vice President, Operations of SSC. Murray is currently the Production Manager of SSC. Murray comes with four decades of experience at the executive level in cannabis, oil and gas services, and manufacturing. Prior to joining SSC, Murray served as Vice President, Operations and Chief Financial Officer of Custom Cannabis for a period of five years. In connection with Murray's appointment and a past executive appointment, SSC has granted an aggregate of 400,000 stock options under SSC's equity incentive plan at an exercise price of $0.20 per share and expiring on April 24, 2027. The option grants and appointment of Murray remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Reiteration of Q1 2024 Financial Guidance

SSC projects record quarterly gross revenue during Q1 2024 of approximately $3,100,000 (Q1 2023 - $1,789,562), representing a growth rate of 73%. SSC also projects Q1 2024 adjusted EBITDA of approximately $500,000 (Q1 2023 - $318,978) (see Non-IFRS Financial Measures, below), a growth rate of 56%, and quarterly Q1 2024 net income of approximately $310,000 (Q1 2023 - $44,491), a growth rate of 597%.

SSC expects to issue its Q1 2024 results on or around May 9, 2024.

About Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd.

SSC is a public company incorporated under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). SSC's mission is to provide pure, potent, terpene-rich ready to consume cannabis products to discerning cannabis consumers. For more information regarding SSC, please see www.simplysolventless.ca.

Notice on Forward Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends", "expects", "projected" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning profitably expanding SSC's market share through continued organic growth and opportunistic acquisitions, and SSC capitalizing on the opportunities resulting from industry headwinds, and the timing of releasing SSC's Q1 2024 results. SSC cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of SSC, including expectations and assumptions concerning SSC, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those described in SSC's filings available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of SSC. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and SSC does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by securities law.

Non-IFRS Financial Measures

This press release includes references to "Working Capital", "EBITDA", "Adjusted EBITDA" and "Normalized Net Income", which are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The intent of these non-IFRS measures is to provide additional useful information to investors and analysts. These non-IFRS measures do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and is therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities. As such, these non-IFRS measures should not be considered in isolation or used as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Working Capital is defined as current assets less current liabilities as reported on SSC's consolidated statements of financial position. Working Capital is considered as a useful measure by management of SSC to indicate SSC's ability to service its short-term financial obligations with short-term assets.

EBITDA is calculated as income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expenses. EBITDA is considered as a useful measure by management of SSC to understand the profitability of SSC excluding the effects of capital structure, taxation and depreciation, but may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as EBITDA less the sale of SSC's facility, plus the acquisition of Dash Capital Corp. and share compensation expense. Adjusted EBITDA is considered as a useful measure by management of SSC to understand the profitability of SSC excluding the effects of certain non-operating items.

Normalized Net Income is calculated as income less the sale of SSC's facility, plus the acquisition of Dash Capital Corp. and share compensation expense. Normalized Net Income is considered as a useful measure by management of SSC to understand the profitability of SSC excluding the effects of certain non-operating items.

The following table reconciles current assets and current liabilities to Working Capital:

As at Dec 31, 2023 $ Dec 31, 2022 $





Current assets 8,419,131 3,467,464 Current liabilities 4,725,252 2,339,957 Working Capital 3,693,879 1,127,507

The following table reconciles net income (loss) to EBITDA:

Year Ended Dec 31, 2023 $ Dec 31, 2022 $





Net and comprehensive (loss) income 1,040,316 (1,683,799) Add (deduct):



Depreciation and amortization 48,207 229,854 Net interest (income) expense 313,324 261,995 EBITDA 1,401,847 (1,191,950)

The following table reconciles net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA:

Year Ended Dec 31, 2023 $ Dec 31, 2022 $





Net and comprehensive (loss) income 1,040,316 (1,683,799) Add (deduct):



Depreciation and amortization 48,207 229,854 Net interest (income) expense 313,324 261,995 Gain on disposal (417,814) - Acquisition of Dash Capital Corp. 1,043,909 - Share compensation expense 218,984 48,607 Adjusted EBITDA 2,246,926 (1,143,343)

The following table reconciles net income (loss) to Normalized Net Income:

Year Ended Dec 31, 2023 $ Dec 31, 2022 $





Net and comprehensive (loss) income 1,040,316 (1,683,799) Add (deduct):



Gain on disposal (417,814) - Acquisition of Dash Capital Corp. 1,043,909 - Share compensation expense 218,984 48,607 Normalized Net Income 1,885,395 (1,635,192)

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd.

Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd., Jeff Swainson, President and CEO, Phone: 403-796-3640, Email: [email protected]
% Arabica continues Canadian expansion with its first location in BC, offering a premium coffee experience

VANCOUVER, BC, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ - World-renowned Japanese coffee brand % Arabica is excited to announce the grand opening of its latest Canadian location, Whistler. Set to open its doors on Saturday, May 11th, % Arabica Whistler will mark the brand's third venture in the Canadian market and first in BC, following the opening of its two Toronto-based locations.

% Arabica Whistler (CNW Group/% Arabica)

Over the past decade since its inception in Kyoto, Japan, the independent coffee brand has gained global recognition, with 188 stores worldwide in over 24 countries. Rooted in a profound love for coffee and design, % Arabica Whistler represents a culmination of founder Kenneth Shoji's journey and vision.

% Arabica Whistler is the brand's newest location located right in the heart of Whistler Village, a destination for adventurous travelers from around the world, this picturesque destination is surrounded by the breathtaking alpine playground to the bustling village. % Arabica will elevate the Whistler experience for travelers and adventurers alike by providing them with high-quality coffee and an ambiance that will encourage them to take a moment to enjoy a cup of coffee that is made from the world's finest beans.

"We're thrilled to introduce % Arabica's distinctive coffee and lifestyle experience to Whistler, a destination renowned for its outdoor activities and appreciation for quality," said Kenneth Shoji, founder of % Arabica. "Whistler's breathtaking scenery and international appeal perfectly align with % Arabica's ethos of inviting people to 'See the World Through Coffee.' We're eager to expand the vibrant culture of this iconic Canadian destination with world-class coffee."

On Saturday, May 11, % Arabica Whistler officially opens its doors at 4295 Blackcomb Way, Unit 123. To celebrate, % Arabica will be offering free pastries to the first 50 customers. For more information, store hours, and more, please visit http://arabica.coffee .

About % Arabica

% Arabica was founded by Kenneth Shoji in 2013, and opened its global flagship store in Kyoto, Japan in 2014, and has since gained a devoted following thanks to its exceptional coffee and simple, timeless store design. Famous for its iconic locations worldwide, % Arabica rapidly expanded globally with locations in 24 countries in North America, Asia, Europe and Middle East and over 188 stores.

Shoji was inspired to start % Arabica after realizing he wanted an amazing cup of coffee every daywith equally amazing customer experience. To learn the coffee business, he purchased a coffee farm in Hawaii, started a green bean trading company, exported Japanese coffee roasting machines and then became a distributor for Slayer. With this experience under his belt, he launched % Arabica, led by his vision to grow the brand across the world - which is reflected in the % Arabica motto, "See the World Through Coffee."

Specializing in premium varieties of coffee, % Arabica is renowned for serving the world's finest coffee beans, and making perfect, yet simple, barista brews. % Arabica sources largely from small farms, serving their unique blend, as well as single-origin beans from around the world with a carefully curated menu that spans espresso-based coffees, specialty lattes, drip coffees, matcha, and much more specialty offerings.

SOURCE % Arabica

Alanna Fallis, Pomp & Circumstance PR, [email protected]
LightSolver, creator of a new laser-based computing paradigm, announced a breakthrough in quantum-inspired high-performance computing. Its LPU100 system unleashes the power of 100 lasers to solve the toughest optimization problems, challenging the processing times of quantum and supercomputers. The LPU100s laser array represents 100 continuous variables, and can tackle problems with up to 120^100 combinations, empowering organizations to enhance their business and engineering processes and make mission-critical decisions faster than ever before.

The LPU (laser processing unit) is based on laser physics. It converts a mathematical problem into a physical logic formulation, then maps it into obstacles within the lasers optical path. Coupled lasers interact with each other and then seamlessly converge towards the minimal energy-loss solution that corresponds to the solution to the mathematical problem.

LightSolver calls its technology quantum-inspired because it mimics some aspects of quantum computers, such as scanning all possibilities in parallel, due to the highly parallel nature of its laser configuration. It can overcome barriers mimicking the quantum tunneling effect, due to its deep connectivity and unique laser dynamic.

They Make Lasers and Photons Behave Like Spin States in Matter

It appears to be an annealing system using lasers. The physics and how they get the lasers to couple and perform these actions is very complicated.

Quantum annealing is a computational method that uses quantum mechanics to solve optimization problems more efficiently than classical computers. Its a process that maps a problem into a search for the lowest point in a large landscape, which corresponds to the best possible outcome.

Laser coupling is hard for us to understand and explain but the actual process is described as easy by the scientists. Lasers have multimodes and phases and these processes have been done for decades.

Gives Computational Advantage

The compute capabilities of the LPU100 are now accessible to select enterprise clients through LightSolvers new cloud platform. This solution combines the innovative all-optical hardware of the LPU100 with LightSolvers algorithmic processing layer to bring ultra-fast results to enterprises across industries for problems with up to 1M variables.

As a purely optical system, the LPU100 overcomes the performance barriers of electronics and can execute mathematical operations at unprecedented speed. For example, a vector matrix multiplication (VMM), which is an operation in optimization and various other applications, can be executed by the LPU100 in as little as 10 nanoseconds, compared to a GPU which needs a few microseconds for the same operation. Another benefit of the LPU100 is that it operates in ambient conditions and is the size of a traditional desktop computer.

We are excited to collaborate with LightSolver and begin testing use cases on their cloud platform, said Yoram Avidan, CTO Innovation Lab & Global Head of Citi Accelerator, where LightSolver is a member. Financial institutions will undoubtedly benefit from the LPU100s powerful optimization and decision-making abilities, which provide opportunities to boost revenue and reduce risk.

Key applications of the LPU100 include:

Logistics: Optimize day-to-day operations by improving vehicle routing, scheduling and dispatching, warehouse optimization, and supply chain management in real-time.

Manufacturing: Increase productivity in factories and warehouses through optimized resource allocation, scheduling, assembly line balancing, and facility layout optimization.

Aerospace: Optimize material design and enhance decision intelligence for mission-critical processes in which ultra-fast processing times are needed.

Finance: Boost returns and decrease risk in critical financial challenges, including portfolio management, trading optimization, liquidity and risk management, and financial planning and budgeting.

In a head-to-head challenge, LightSolver achieved 2X-1,000X faster Time-to-Solution (TTS) for solving Max-2-SAT problems compared to a leading deep learning solver.

Taking on the 3-Regular 3-XORSAT Challenge, LightSolver solved the problem in polynomial time, while all other state-of-the art classical and quantum computers solved it in exponential time.

LightSolver developed a quantum-inspired algorithm for sparse coding that resulted in more accurate estimations than classical approximation methods.

In a recent benchmark, LightSolver produced optimal solutions within fractions of a second for the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), a classical optimization challenge in logistics that is used to accelerate the delivery and collection of goods, routing, job scheduling, carpooling, and more. LightSolver outperformed the industry gold standard, demonstrating the platforms ability to manage real-time schedule adjustments in dynamic operations.

The Nextbigfuture substack article has some more background on the Lightsolver scienc.
An armed robbery occurred at a supermarket parking lot in an affluent North Jersey suburb last week, authorities said.

The robbery was reported in the parking lot of 175 Franklin Avenue in Ridgewood on April 24 at 8:40 p.m., the Bergen County Prosecutors Office said. A Stop & Shop supermarket is located at the address, according to property records.

Prosecutors did not release the details of the incident. No arrests have been made.

The village of Ridgewood has a population of about 26,000 and its median household income is $211,224, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Stop and Shop could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
The mother of an elementary school student filed a lawsuit last week against Verona Public Schools alleging her daughter was sexually assaulted by another student more than 20 times while in first and second grades.

The assaults allegedly occurred from October 2021 through January 2023 in a student bathroom at F.N. Brown Elementary School, according to the suit filed April 22 in Superior Court of Essex County.

The victim was 6 and 7 years old when her male classmate would enter the bathroom and crawl under her stall to molest her, the suit says.

Your mom isnt going to be able to help you, the student allegedly told the girl during one of the alleged attacks.

The extent of the physical and psychological damage inflicted upon (the victim) cannot be understated, the suit says.

The district is investigating the allegations, Verona Schools Superintendent Diane DiGiuseppe said Monday.

The Verona Board of Education has and continues investigating the allegations outlined in the complaint, DiGiuseppe said. As this matter is in active litigation, we cannot further comment.

The lawsuit claims the girl told a teacher about the alleged sexual assaults, but the woman did not believe her and ordered the girl to apologize to the student for accusing him.

After the girl began staring off in the distance, refusing hugs and having emotional outbursts at home, her mother took her to a hospital, where a psychologist determined the girl was showing clear signs of sexual trauma, the lawsuit said.

The girl was then removed from F.N. Brown Elementary School out of fear for her emotional and physical well-being, the suit says.

The lawsuit names several school officials, saying they were deliberately indifferent, reckless, negligent and/or tacitly approved of the hostile environment.

The suit alleges sexual harassment and gender discrimination, and states the girl has suffered humiliation, stress, anxiety, emotional anguish and dysfunction.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Evidence markers are seen on Marshall Drive in Hoboken early Monday morning, April 29, 2024, after a fatal shooting.Joe Shine | For The Jersey Journal
A North Bergen man met a 13-year-old girl at a local park and then convinced her to take money in exchange for sex, authorities said.

Henry Sunun Sutuj, 24, was arrested at his home by the The Hudson County Prosecutors Office Special Victims Unit April 26, less than a week after he sexually assaulted the teen at a North Bergen motel, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.
The head of a major U.S. retailer visited Woodbridge Center mall last week to reassure employees their jobs arent going anywhere.

Boscovs chairman and chief executive officer, Jim Boscov, spent Friday with employees at the retail chains Woodbridge Center location, which opened in 2013. His visit comes amid news of the struggling malls sale to an unnamed buyer for $70.4 million, in a huge loss to investors.

Part of the visit was to reassure employees, because there has been so many rumors and customers not thinking well stay open as the mall goes through changes, Boscov store manager Hillary Kessler said on Monday.

He reassured them we are not going anywhere, said Kessler, a 15-year employee of the company. This store is a very strong store for Boscovs, so were staying at this mall and we will not be closing.

Boscovs might be going strong, but malls in general are struggling. Foot traffic at U.S. malls was down 4% on average in 2023 from the prior year, and about 12% lower than 2019 levels, according to real-estate data firm Green Street.

Woodbridge Center is a local example of a nationwide trend.

The huge mall in Middlesex County has been on the decline for years, since the COVID-19 pandemic. Brookfield Properties, the malls previous owner, reported high rates of vacancy and a decline in retail customers that has been felt throughout the state and country at other indoor shopping centers.

The Chicago-based real estate company has been experiencing challenges with other retail properties in the region. In February, Brookfield Properties announced it was also looking to sell the Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The struggling regional mall in Woodbridge sold to an unnamed buyer in February for $70.4 million, the New York City-based credit rating firm Kroll reported. Although the sale resolved a loan issue tied to the mall, the price was still 80% less than its previously appraised value of $366 million, according to the commercial real estate firm CoStar.

Woodbridge Mayor John E. McCormac said previously the details of the transaction would remain confidential until those entities involved share details themselves.

Its unclear exactly whats next for the Woodbridge Center mall, but McCormac said it will remain a shopping center. The mayor, who has led Woodbridge since 2006, said officials made crystal clear they would not accept any housing or warehouse components no matter who purchased the property.

The mall still has attractions including JCPenney, Macys, Victorias Secret and, of course, Boscovs.

Boscovs describes itself as the largest family-owned department store in the nation. The retail store has eight locations in New Jersey and 51 across the country, according to its website.

Were still opening stores when other retailers are closing them, said Kessler. Boscovs does very, very good  whether we have a mall around us or whether we are a stand-alone store. So, we independently do well as a retailer.

Jim Boscov was named CEO of the retail chain in 2015. Hes the third generation of the Boscov family to lead the company.

Weve seen an evolution in the mall business and initially it was a concern, but Boscovs is enough of a destination that what weve learned is that even if the mall is going through an evolution  and thats whats happening, sometimes theyre going through a phase where theyre dying  and then somebody steps in and they make it right, Boscov said in an interview last year with PennLive.com.

Boscov credits the companys success to its employees.

Its the relationships they establish with customers that you cant find anymore, he said last year.

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Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com.
Royal Caribbean has stopped ships from docking at a private island port in Haiti due to ongoing violence in the region.

The cruise line canceled ships from docking at that port through May, but last week Royal Caribbean modified cruise schedules to avoid the port throughout the summer and into September, according to a post on the Royal Caribbean blog.

Guests booked on cruises in the summer and early fall are getting notifications from Royal Caribbean that their visits to Labadee have been canceled, the blog post stated. On Tuesday (April 23), cruisers began to share updates they received from Royal Caribbean that their itineraries have been updated to drop Labadee and replace it with another port or a sea day.

Labadee is a beach area owned by Royal Caribbean located on a peninsula in northern Haiti. It is barricaded from the rest of the country and has its own security force.

Between January and March of this year, more than 2,500 people were killed or injured due to violence across Haiti, specifically in the capital of Port-au-Prince.

Royal Caribbean International did not formally announce any changes on its website. Royal Caribbean Blog is not connected with Royal Caribbean International and is just a site for fans of the cruise liner.

However, the blog reposted a notice from the cruise liner about the itinerary changes without mentioning the violence.

Due to the continuing situation in Haiti, well now visit Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, instead of Labadee, Haiti, the notice reads. Were sorry for the change  your safety is our top priority. Nevertheless, were excited to visit a new port with you!

This decision by Royal Caribbean comes after the U.S. issued a warning to tourists to avoid traveling to Haiti at this time due to an increase in gang-related violence.

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American workers, rejoice: Joe Biden just sided with you against rich and powerful corporations, cracking down on a widespread practice that traps people in their jobs like indentured servants.

This is that clause buried in those papers you have to sign on your first day on the job, that blocks you from moving to a rival business in the area for a year or two, after you leave  a so-called non-compete agreement.

It was originally intended to stop top executives from walking out the door with trade secrets, like the formula for Diet Coke. But its been so rampantly abused that now, even the sandwich-making grunts at Jimmy Johns cant take a job at another nearby hoagie shop for two years, lest they reveal whats in that B.L.T. Absurd.

Thankfully, a new rule just announced by Bidens Federal Trade Commission will ban nearly all of these agreements, making current ones unenforceable, once it goes into effect in 120 days. Noncompete contracts for senior executives can remain in place, but cant be renewed or expanded.

This is huge. It means that 30 million Americans  1 in 5 workers, from florists to doctors  are finally free to find better jobs. Its also expected to raise wages by $300 billion a year, the FTC says, since switching jobs is one of the best ways to boost your salary.

Imagine the relief of a hairdresser whos been blocked from working at a salon anywhere within a two-hour drive of her home for years, just because of a non-compete she had little choice but to sign with a former employer when she desperately needed the work.

Or an $11-an-hour employee with Home Depot who found several better jobs in the same field, yet because of one of these agreements, couldnt take a single one of them, as More Perfect Union reported.

So instead of doing the exact same thing for 70K plus bonuses, I was stuck in abject poverty trying to provide for my wife and disabled toddler, this person wrote to the FTC, during the public comment period for the new rule.

The FTC received 26,000 responses  more than 25,000 of which were cheering on the change, like this Home Depot worker. Yet hours after it was finalized, it was already facing legal challenges from the business community thats been abusing people like this for years.

A company owned by a Republican megadonor filed suit to block the FTC from implementing this  represented by lawyer Eugene Scalia, son of the late Supreme Court justice and Donald Trumps former Secretary of Labor.

A man who, like other Republicans, has trumpeted the value of free markets and free people. This is the land of the free, folks, except when we are imposing oppressive limitations on Americans right to work.

Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas and rob the American economy of dynamism, as FTC Chair Lina Khan rightly says. Its new rule could also help employers, who are barred by these agreements from hiring the folks they need.

These contracts are everywhere in medicine, too. Even in a country with a shortage of doctors, a burnt-out pediatrician in an underserved city cant leave her hospital for a better one in the same area without taking her kids out of school, selling her house and moving somewhere else entirely.

How is this the American way? Doctors, fast food workers, hair stylists and security guards dont have trade secrets, so why should they be trapped in a job where they cant threaten to go elsewhere, no matter how poor the conditions?

The effective blackout area for a former Jimmy Johns worker would cover 6,000 square miles in 44 states and the District of Columbia, the Huffington Post reported.

This was an abuse of power, plain and simple. And unlike Republicans in the pockets of big business, Biden was right to step in.

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Donald Trumps senior advisor Jayson Miller seems to have Hillary Clinton on his mind.

Though the former secretary of state who lost to Trump in 2016 cant say the feeling is mutual.

Clinton posted the message to social media after a Trump critic highlighted how Miller has consistently insisted Clinton will, or is, running for president again.

Cant say the feeling is mutual. https://t.co/nmsCXfXq4I  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 29, 2024

Clinton has said for years shed never run for president again.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
As protests continue to roil across college campuses nationwide because of the Israel-Hamas war, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein was among those arrested.

BREAKING: Jill Stein and her Campaign Manager and Deputy Campaign Manager, Jason Call and Kelly Merrill-Cayer, have been arrested at Washington University in St. Louis while supporting a protest against WashUs ties to the war on Gaza, Stein posted to social media with a video that showed her being taking off in handcuffs.

BREAKING: Jill Stein and her Campaign Manager and Deputy Campaign Manager, Jason Call and Kelly Merrill-Cayer, have been arrested at Washington University in St. Louis while supporting a protest against WashUs ties to the war on Gaza.

Video from @KallieECox pic.twitter.com/rkUYC9b5Qx  Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) April 28, 2024

Stein was at Washington University in St. Louis, where photos showed uniformed police attempting to remove masked protesters as others, also wearing masks, linked arms to thwart the efforts.

In a statement, the university said more than 100 people  including 23 students and four university employees  were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Megan Green, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, said in a social media post that she was present and the protest remained calm until the police came in like an ambush.

The universitys statement defended the action and said protesters did not have good intentions on our campus and that this demonstration had the potential to get out of control and become dangerous.

in 2017, Stein pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminal mischief in North Dakota for protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline last year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
A grand jury has indicted a woman who, while working as a code enforcement officer for a Jersey Shore town, allegedly stole more than $75,000 intended to be used as public funds.

Police last August charged Michelle Calderon, 37, with abusing her position with Ventnor in Atlantic County, accusing her of stealing cash payments to the city from residents. She was indicted April 11 on charges of official misconduct, misapplication of entrusted property, failure to make lawful disposition of property, altering computer software to commit theft, and tampering with records.

Police allege Calderon, of Egg Harbor Township, altered monetary balance sheets on Ventnors computers from 2021 to 2023 in an attempt to hide her crimes.

Calderon was suspended without pay pending the cases outcome, a city officially previously told NJ Advance Media. She has been a public employee since 2013, earning $45,200 annually, according to state pension records.

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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
BALTIMORE  Aaron Boones decision to move left fielder Alex Verdugo into the cleanup spot in his lineup in the Yankees last two games worked better than he or anyone could have dreamed.

The Yankees pounded the Brewers 15-3 on Saturday, then whipped them again 15-5 on Sunday with Verdugo going 4-for-11 with a homer and four RBI in the blowout victories.

In Baltimore this week for a showdown series against the Orioles, the Yankees will have to try someone else in the four spot because Verdugo was placed on the paternity list Monday with his girlfriend giving birth in Arizona.

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This will be the couples second child.

Verdugo told NJ Advance Media last week that his girlfriend was due to give birth any day and he hoped hed back to Arizona in time for the delivery.

Verdugo started each of the Yankees first 29 games and hit .267 with four homers, 13 RBI and an .804 OPS.

The Yankees replaced Verdugo on their 26-man roster by calling up catcher/first baseman Carlos Narvaez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

This is the first trip to the big leagues for the 25-year-old Venezuelan, a right-handed hitter who batted .211 with two homers and 12 RBI in 23 Triple-A games. He was 4-for-11 with a homer in his last three games.

Narvaez made 23 starts this season, 14 at catcher, six at first base and three at designated hitter. He also played three innings of third base.

The Yankees and Orioles begin a four-game series at Oriole Park on Monday night. The Yanks lead the AL East by one game over Baltimore.

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Randy Miller may be reached at rmiller@njadvancemedia.com.
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For no good reasons, the United States recently launched a Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors, and groundlessly accused China of the so-called "unfair practices," threatening to impose new restrictions including raising the tariff rates for both steel imports and aluminum imports from China. Such unilateral and protectionist practice not only hurts the economic and trade relations between China and the United States, but also undermines global economic stability and development. The petition for the Section 301 investigation initiated by the United States into China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding sectors is filled with unfounded accusations. It misinterprets normal trade and investment activities as damaging to U.S. national security and corporate interests, and wrongly attributes America's own industry issues to China. This not only lacks factual basis but also goes against economic common sense. The petition describes the so-called "unfair trade practices" of China as the "biggest obstacle" to the recovery of the American shipbuilding industry. However, as the United States itself has stated, only 1 percent of the world's commercial vessels are produced in the United States today, and its ranking has dropped from the first place in 1975 to the 19th place today. Multiple researches have shown that the U.S. shipbuilding industry has lost its competitive edge years ago due to overprotection. According to the Financial Times, the shrinkage in the U.S. shipbuilding industry is a result of several factors, including a hollowing out of shipyards and construction capacity, a decrease in the number of marine engineers and architects, and an overall decline in competitiveness. The United States accuses China of adopting so-called "non-market" practices while providing discriminatory subsidies worth hundreds of billions of dollars to its own industries. This accusation is baseless. In fact, the development of Chinese industries is a result of enterprises' efforts to advance technological innovation and actively join market competition. Take the shipbuilding industry as an example. Chinese shipbuilding companies have strengthened technological innovation, accelerated high-end, intelligent, and green development, actively participated in market competition, and honed their skills in the global market. The development of China's shipbuilding industry is a natural outcome of international industrial development and China's comparative advantages. It's not the first time for the United States to shift its domestic problems overseas in an attempt to find a cure. The last U.S. administration initiated a Section 301 investigation against China and raised tariffs, which was ruled by the WTO as a violation of its rules. The terms of the Section 301 are typical examples of unilateralism, and the United States, driven by domestic political needs, has launched a new Section 301 investigation, openly calling for arbitrary adjustments to tariffs on Chinese products, which is a repeated mistake. Under the excuse of so-called "national security," the United States politicizes economic and trade issues, formulates discriminatory industrial policies, and sets numerous trade barriers, which will only harm others without benefiting itself. The shipping industry bears over 80 percent of the global trade transportation and is crucial for global trade and economic growth. The United States' trade bullying practices not only fail to address its own deep-rooted problems, but also disrupt global industrial and supply chains, hindering the healthy development of the world economy. In recent years, the United States has implemented a number of measures to suppress China's economic, trade, and technological advancements. The list of sanctions against Chinese companies keeps growing, which is not about "de-risking" but rather about creating risks. History has repeatedly proven that for China and the United States, one country's success is an opportunity for the other. Faced with new and evolving situation in China-U.S. business ties, the two sides should stay committed to mutual respect, mutual benefit and equal-footed consultation, follow economic and market rules, expand and deepen mutually beneficial business cooperation, respect each other's development rights, and work for win-win outcomes for the two countries and the world at large. China is willing to develop its relationship with the United States based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation. At the same time, China will continue to firmly safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and development interests. The U.S. side should face its own problems, stop abusing unilateral trade measures, immediately cancel the additional tariffs imposed on China, and return to the rules-based multilateral trading system as soon as possible. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)
BURNS HARBOR  Cleveland-Cliffs is planning major investments in hydrogen at its Northwest Indiana steel mills, betting big the new fuel stock for blast furnaces will lessen their carbon impact and ensure their long-term sustainability.

The Cleveland-based steelmaker has been testing hydrogen injections into Indiana Harbor Blast Furnace #7 in East Chicago and anticipates its blast furnaces will be heated in the future by a mix of the traditional coke, the natural gas it's already been using and at least half hydrogen, Cleveland-Cliffs Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Lourenco Goncalves said during a visit to United Steelworkers Local 6787 in Burns Harbor.

Cleveland-Cliffs anticipates being the largest customer of the hydrogen hub planned near the BP Whiting Refinery when it comes online in 2029. Goncalves said it could be a transformative investment that would drive economic development in the Calumet Region, including the potential of auto plants for hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The steelmaker already built a multimillion-dollar hydrogen pipeline to Cleveland-Cliffs Indiana Harbor Works in East Chicago.

"We are always investing in our plants," he said. "In this area, we are going to have the most important thing, a game-changer, hydrogen. Hydrogen is coming. Hydrogen is a game-changer."

The steelmaker hopes to lessen its carbon footprint.

"Hydrogen is a game-changer because hydrogen is a reductive like carbon is a reductive," he said. "But carbon produces CO2. Hydrogen produces H20. H20 is water vapor. The decarbonization will get a real boost when we'll have the hydrogen here. That's the biggest thing."

Cleveland-Cliffs successfully injected hydrogen into Indiana Harbor Blast Furnace #7 in East Chicago, using it as 12% of the fuel mix. It hopes to get the level up to 20% by the next test.

"This is new technology. We started in the single digits but we're already up to higher. We believe when hydrogen is widely available, we're going to be able to pass 50%," he said. "We hope that it will have a positive impact on our costs but it depends on how cheap hydrogen will be. This is a chicken-and-egg thing. Hydrogen is not used because nobody produces hydrogen. And nobody produces hydrogen is because nobody uses hydrogen. So what we're doing we are making viable for the hub to exist. Our offtake with Indiana Harbor, which will be first, and Burns Harbor, which will be next, will be 200 tons of a hub that will produce 1,000 tons a day."

The U.S. Department of Energy pledged $1 billion to in part build a hydrogen production hub in Whiting that would serve industry in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, helping them transition away from fossil fuels. The private sector is expected to contribute another $5 million to $8 billion to a project that would employ more than 16,000 skilled tradesmen.

"We'd use 20%. We'd by far be the biggest user," he said. "Then the hub is a go because there's demand. There's baseload. Then car manufacturers could build cars here that would be fueled by hydrogen. Toyota, Hyundai and Honda are very interested and I'm sure others will follow. This is a game-changer. This is an enabler. The hydrogen will enable a different type of manufacturing that would be based in hydrogen, not in carbon. The industrial revolution was built in carbon. The second industrial revolution I'm envisioning is based in hydrogen."

A hydrogen hub in Whiting could lure more industry like auto manufacturing to Northwest Indiana, Goncalves said.

"That's where the concentration would be," he said. "I already sell them steel and I would rather have them closer. They certainly will not be in Michigan for hydrogen because hydrogen's here, not there. Hydrogen can travel by pipeline but chances are if the production is here, they will be here because it will be easier for them. There's no point in being far away. So it's a great opportunity for Northwest Indiana to capitalized off of the hydrogen."

Automakers like Toyota already have been developing hydrogen fuel cells for vehicles, Goncalves said.

"It's a technology that's already being developed. I'm not talking pie in the sky. Everything you can do with natural gas you can do with hydrogen," he said. "Hydrogen is a good replacement for natural gas and more than excellent replacement for coke."

Investing in hydrogen at the steel mills could be a transformative catalyst for the area, Goncalves said.

"That's what steel mills do. Steel mills bring development to the surrounding area," he said. "Imagine a circle and a bigger circle around the circle. Steel mills are in the center because we supply others. One job generated in the steel mill usually generates 10 new jobs in the surrounding area, from clients to restaurants to dry cleaners. That's what we do."

Cleveland-Cliffs will keep doing hydrogen tests at Indiana Harbor through the end of the year. It picked Blast Furnace No. 7 for the trial because it's the largest.

"Why I did Indiana Harbor first is it's the biggest," he said. "If it works there, it works everywhere."

It anticipates being able to supply the mills from the hydrogen hub in 2029.

"We are trying to expedite that as much as possible," he said. "We have technology for blast furnaces here in this area that is more developed than anywhere else in the world. We mix coke with natural gas. Here in the United States particularly in the Midwest  Middletown, Burns Harbor, Indiana Harbor, Gary, Cleveland  we have natural gas. With natural gas you can replace a portion of the coke. That's why my emissions are much better than the emissions in Japan. Natural gas is not carbon. It's CH4. It's methane. Natural gas is more carbon friendly than coke and we use a lot of natural gas."

Natural gas replaces at least 30% to 40% of the coke that historically would have gone into blast furnaces here.

"We use natural gas to the maximum possible limit," he said. "Burns Harbor uses the lowest coke rate in the western world. It's significant."

Hydrogen will allow Cleveland-Cliffs to replace even more coke, a purified form of coal, in its blast furnaces.

"We'll use more and more hydrogen. We try to minimize the coke as much as we can," he said. "With the hydrogen we believe we can cut our emissions, which are now 1.54 tons of CO2 per ton of steel company-wide. That's the lowest of any blast furnace anywhere in the world. Nippon Steel is 1.96 tons of CO2 per ton of steel. The average is the world is 2.15. We are much better, not just better but much better. When we have hydrogen, this number will go below 1 ton of CO2 per ton of steel. We're going to replace so much coke with so much hydrogen. We are the leader now but we're going to have a number I never would have even imagined."

Cleveland-Cliffs still anticipates using some coke to maintain the mechanical stability of the blast furnaces.

"You always need some coke," he said. "Remember hydrogen is a gas. Natural gas is a gas. Coke is a solid. Otherwise that thing doesn't sustain itself. So there will always be some coke. But what's the problem? The problem is generating less CO2. With hydrogen we will generate less CO2."

Cleveland-Cliffs eventually will need to build a hydrogen pipeline to Burns Harbor as well.

"We're working toward the target of having hydrogen at an industrial scale by 2029 so we'll have plenty of time," he said.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last year, students at scores of colleges and universities across the United States have come out to protest in support of Palestinians.

As the war in Gaza has escalated, universities have been caught in an often vitriolic debate over how to handle the protests, which many Jewish students and alumni say have often veered into antisemitism and instilled fear on campus. University leaders have also faced pressure from Republican lawmakers demanding they do more to quash speech that they say encourages violence against Jews.

Demonstrators and their faculty supporters say that these demands are intended to suppress their political speech and support for the Palestinian cause.

Several institutions have cracked down on pro-Palestinian protests and encampments. On April 18, Columbia Universitys president called the police to clear out the encampment on its New York City campus, just a day after she vowed to members of Congress that the university would discipline some protesters. Over 100 protesters were arrested that night.
Paramount is preparing to announce the departure of its chief executive, Bob Bakish, as soon as next week, according to three people with knowledge of the matter, a sudden development even as the company is exploring a merger.

The impending move is a result of Mr. Bakishs worsening relationship with Shari Redstone, the companys controlling shareholder, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing a delicate matter. Ms. Redstone grew frustrated with what she saw as his inability to get important deals across the finish line, including a sale of the Showtime and BET cable channels, the people said.

Two people familiar with the matter said several of Paramounts senior executives had expressed reservations about the direction of the company to a representative of the board of directors in recent weeks, further eroding Mr. Bakishs standing with Ms. Redstone.

The company is in talks to merge with Skydance, a media company controlled by David Ellison, the tech scion and Hollywood producer. It is also negotiating a lucrative deal to keep channels like Nickelodeon and MTV on the Charter cable system.
All strong institutions stand to benefit from internal dissent and external pressures. But too often, recent efforts to reform institutions have meant reconstituting them in ways that distort or fundamentally undermine their core mission.

Nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, university departments and cultural institutions have ousted leaders and sent their staffs into turmoil in pursuit of progressive political goals. In the wake of the 2016 election and the 2020 murder of George Floyd and in a rush to apply sweeping In this house we believe standards unilaterally, organizations have risked overt politicization, mission drift, irrelevance and even dissolution. And now the war in Gaza is ripping its way across American universities.

The latest target is PEN America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to free expression by journalists and authors. Last week, after an increasingly aggressive boycott campaign by some of its members, PEN canceled its annual World Voices Festival, which was conceived by Salman Rushdie and was to mark its 20th anniversary in May. This followed a refusal by several writers to have their work considered for PENs annual literary awards. The ceremony awarding those prizes was also canceled.

An open letter sent to PEN Americas board and trustees and republished on Literary Hub, now the de facto clearinghouse for pro-Palestinian literary-world sentiment, accused the organization of implicit support of the Israeli occupation and of aiding and abetting genocide. It demanded the resignation of PENs longtime C.E.O., Suzanne Nossel, and current president, Jennifer Finney Boylan. According to its 21 signatories, mostly up-and-coming authors, among writers of conscience, there is no disagreement. There is fact and fiction. The fact is that Israel is leading a genocide of the Palestinian people.
It took less than 46 seconds for the helmeted assassin to pull over his motorcycle, walk to the drivers side of the S.U.V., yank open the door and fire his handgun four times, killing one of Iraqs most prominent TikTok personalities, a 30-year-old woman whose name on social media was Um Fahad.

The security camera footage of the killing in front of a Baghdad home on Friday evening is startlingly explicit but sheds little light on either the killers identity or the reason Um Fahad was targeted. The Iraqi Interior Ministry, which released the video, said it had formed a committee to investigate her death.

The victim, whose real name was Ghufran Mahdi Sawadi, had become popular on social media sites, especially TikTok and Instagram, where her videos showed her wearing tight or revealing clothing, or singing and cuddling her young son. They won her some 460,000 followers, but also drew the ire of conservatives in Iraqi society and in the government.

At one point, officials ordered Ms. Sawadi jailed for 90 days, reprimanding her for a post that showed her dancing at her 6-year old sons birthday party.
When the choreographer Kate Prince set out several years ago to create a dance show based on the music of Sting, she was unsure what story she might be able to tell using his varied songbook.

Then she saw photos of young Syrian refugees taking desperate risks to reach safety in Europe, and she had an idea. She would use some of Stings and the Polices most affecting music, songs like Desert Rose and Every Breath You Take, to tell the story of a family displaced by war.

The result is Message in a Bottle, which premiered in London in 2020 and comes to New York City Center in Manhattan for a two-week run beginning on Tuesday. In the nearly two-hour show, featuring Princes dance company, ZooNation, she draws on freestyle dance, salsa, Lindy Hop, street dance and other styles to bring to life 27 songs.

People get married to my songs, people play my songs at funerals, Sting said. Im always happy that they have a function. And here the function is to tell an important, worthy, wonderful story.
By the time Rachel Khong was finishing her latest novel, Real Americans, in 2022, interest in the book was so high that it sparked a 17-way bidding war between many of the countrys top publishing houses.

Among the interested parties was John Freeman, the writer, literary critic and executive editor at Knopf, who was teaching in Paris that summer and planning to fly to Sarajevo for a book festival. He learned Khong was on vacation in Istanbul, which he thought was sort of on his way (I didnt really look at a map, Freeman confessed). Maybe the two could meet?

They got together at a cafe in Istanbul  a dog cafe, to be precise, where they were greeted at the door by a resident basset hound. The whole scene, he said, felt like a page out of the novel that Khong had been writing, where you see people blown slightly sideways through life, through unexpected passages that they often choose very quickly.

The meeting went so well, and the email Freeman sent afterward was so compelling (he offered to be her longtime editor, snowplow, hurricane lamp, map holder and in-house fire starter, among other things) that Khong signed a deal with Knopf five days later.
Israel wrestled with invading Rafah as negotiators sought a cease-fire

International diplomats converged yesterday on the Middle East to press for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas as Israel wrestled with whether to begin a ground invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, according to Israeli analysts and officials. The officials said that they were open to holding off on an invasion if it meant that Israeli hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attacks would be released.

Benny Gantz, a member of Israels war cabinet, said that freeing the estimated 100 or so remaining hostages is urgent and much more important than entering Rafah.

Pressure on Israel to stop the fighting seemed to be growing. President Biden warned Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, against invading Rafah and pressed for a cease-fire on a call, and officials said they believed that the International Criminal Court was preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Hamas officials on charges related to the conflict.
Israeli officials said today that they had reduced the number of hostages they were asking Hamas to free in exchange for a temporary cease-fire in the war in Gaza. The new stance raised expectations that the two sides might be edging closer to agreeing on their first truce in five months. A new round of cease-fire negotiations could begin as soon as tomorrow.

For months, cease-fire talks have been at a standstill as Israel had demanded that Hamas release at least 40 hostages. Now Israeli officials say they are prepared to settle for only 33, in part because they believe that some of the 40 have died in captivity.

Israels new offer included a 40-day cease-fire and the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners, according to Britains foreign minister. Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, called it extraordinarily generous and said that Hamas alone stood in the way of a deal.

A mid-ranking delegation from Israel is planning to fly to Cairo tomorrow to resume talks if Hamas agrees to attend. Egypts foreign minister said he was hopeful that the two sides could reach a deal.
It now seems likely that Donald Trump will be able to run for president this year without having faced any legal penalties for his effort to overturn the last presidential election. To many of his supporters, of course, this outcome is just. But it is also striking.

Most Americans believe that Trump committed serious crimes, polls show. He chose not to order the authorities to stop a violent attack on the Capitol, even when his vice president was in danger. And he directed state election officials to find him votes. Even so, Congress did not sanction him, and neither of the criminal trials related to his actions may even start before the 2024 election.

In todays newsletter, Ill explain how this happened, by focusing on the three crucial groups of people: Republican senators, Democratic (or Democrat-appointed) prosecutors and Republican appointees on the Supreme Court.

1. Republican senators

The simplest path for addressing Trumps attempts to overthrow an election was always in Congress. Congress has the power to impeach officials and bar them from holding office again, and it has used this power before. Most criminal convictions, by contrast, do not prevent somebody from holding office.
Why Elon Musk went to China

Just days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Beijing and warned China about unfair trade practices, Elon Musk landed in the Chinese capital. The Tesla bosss meeting with Chinas No. 2 official may have paid off: Musk reportedly cleared two obstacles to introducing a fully autonomous driving system in the worlds biggest car market.

The split screen again reveals the gap between Western diplomacy and corporate imperatives. Tesla has to stay committed to China even as it faces big headwinds  a conundrum that other multinationals also face, and one that Beijing is eager to exploit.

Musk is betting big on self-driving, and China is key. Tesla last week reported its worst quarter in two years as a price war hurts profit. Tesla shares have plummeted (though theyve rebounded in recent days, and are up more than 8 percent in premarket trading) amid plans for big layoffs.

Musk has tried to reassure the market by pushing ahead with a low-cost model. Fully autonomous driving is also crucial. Musk told analysts last week that if investors dont believe Tesla would solve the technological challenge that is autonomous driving, I think they should not be an investor in the company.
Philips Respironics has reached a $1.1 billion settlement over claims that people who used their CPAP and other breathing devices were harmed by noxious gasses and flecks of foam that lodged in their airways, sometimes for years.

Thousands of people contended in lawsuits that they had been injured by popular Philips DreamStation machines. The settlement affects CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, machines that people with sleep apnea or other respiratory difficulties use at night to improve their breathing, as well as other types of machines used at home and in hospitals.

Philips did not admit any fault in the settlement, including whether the devices caused the injuries, according to a financial report issued Monday.

The personal injury settlement follows a $479 million settlement reached in September over economic losses to the patients and medical equipment sales companies that financed replacement devices. Philips also agreed to a consent decree earlier this year that forced the company to halt U.S. sales of new devices until certain conditions are met.
The student group, Spectrum WT, set a few guidelines. The show would be PG-13, the students told the university. Kids under the age of 18  the students had in mind the siblings of a performer  could come only if they were accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Despite this plan, the president of West Texas A&M, Walter Wendler, announced in March 2023 that he was barring the event from campus. In a statement on his personal website, Wendler called drag shows derisive, divisive and demoralizing misogyny. Spectrum WT sued, arguing that Wendlers decision to cancel the show was a textbook example of discriminating against speech based on viewpoint.
Columbia University officials are now weighing what final disciplinary action to take against a student leader of the pro-Palestinian movement after an inflammatory video resurfaced in which the student said Zionists dont deserve to live.

The university said last week that it was banning the student, Khymani James, from campus, after intense criticism and uproar over the video. According to a notification the university sent to Mr. James that was examined by The New York Times, he was placed under an interim suspension.

That means that Mr. James could potentially return to class, despite the remarks that have been widely condemned. Or he could be expelled.

The sequence of events has brought scrutiny and questions about the schools disciplinary approach to Mr. James, given that at least some administrators have been aware of the remarks for several months. This weekend a Columbia spokesman sought to make clear that it is taking the matter seriously.
New York University officials will move to discipline student demonstrators who remain in a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus, the university announced in a statement on Monday.

The encampment was erected on Friday, as similar sites spread on college campuses across the country, following Columbia Universitys lead. Students removed their tents on Friday as N.Y.U. demanded but continued to stay overnight at the encampment.

On Sunday night, college officials presented the protesters with two options: end the overnight stays without consequences or stay and possibly face conduct charges, according to the statement. School leaders extended the deadline to respond to noon on Monday.

By Monday afternoon, students had not responded and had remained at the site, John Beckman, a university spokesman, said in the statement. Accordingly and regrettably, N.Y.U. is moving forward with disciplinary processes, he said.
One America News, a right-wing cable news network, on Monday retracted a report claiming that Donald J. Trumps former fixer had been the person who actually had an affair with the porn star whose claims of a sexual relationship with Mr. Trump are key to his criminal trial.

The retraction came after the fixer, Michael D. Cohen, hired a leading defamation lawyer to address the false report, which was posted on the networks website on March 27.

The lawyer, Justin Nelson, had represented Dominion Voting Systems in a suit against Fox News that cost that network $787.5 million to settle. Mr. Nelson worked with Mr. Cohens longtime lawyer, Danya Perry, in what was a remarkably quick about-face by OAN.

There are no monetary damages, but the story is being removed from the website and all social media, the network said in a statement on Monday.
Chinas violations of human rights and the basic norms of internet freedom are blatant and obvious. This month, with little fanfare, the country ordered Apple to block downloads of WhatsApp, Threads and Signal within its borders. It already prevents citizens from connecting to dozens of other providers of information, including this newspaper and Wikipedia, and for years, it has aggressively surveilled journalists and dissidents.

That abysmal track record gives the United States every right to demand that TikTok find a different owner  one not subject to the control of the Chinese state.

Last week, President Biden signed a law that did just that. TikToks current owner, ByteDance, has long emphasized that global institutional investors  such as the Carlyle Group, General Atlantic and Susquehanna International Group  have a 60 percent stake in the company, but it is still, at its core, a Chinese company, with headquarters in Beijing and subject in multiple ways to the direction of Chinese officials. This new law, which gives TikTok roughly 270 days to find a new owner, is designed to change that. But more fundamentally, it sends a message to the world: You cannot disregard basic internet norms and expect to be treated just like any other country.

Infrastructure is destiny, and on some level, the continuing struggle to control the internet is a struggle for the future of civilization. We are already very far from the vision of the internet, laid out in the 1970s and 1990s, of a network that would bring the nations and peoples of the world together in harmony. That may have been too idealistic, even then  but today we can still draw a line at mass surveillance and censorship and make it clear that nations that break norms are not entitled to full access to American markets.
Now that the lawyers are laying out their respective theories of the case in the criminal prosecution of Donald Trump in New York, it would be understandable if peoples heads are spinning. The defense lawyers claimed this is a case about hush money as a legitimate tool in democratic elections, while the prosecutors insisted it is about a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election.

Yet this case is not really about election interference, nor is it a politically motivated attempt to criminalize a benign personal deal. Boring as it may sound, it is a case about business integrity.

Its not surprising that the lawyers on both sides are trying to make this about something sexier. This is a narrative device used to make the jurors and the public side with them, but it has also created confusion. On the one hand, some legal experts claim that the conduct charged in New York was the original election interference. On the other hand, some critics think the criminal case is a witch hunt, and others claim it is trivial at best and at worst the product of selective prosecution.

As someone who worked in the Manhattan district attorneys office and enforced the laws that Mr. Trump is accused of violating, I stand firmly in neither camp. It is an important and straightforward case, albeit workmanlike and unglamorous. In time, after the smoke created by lawyers has cleared, it will be easy to see why the prosecution is both solid and legitimate.
Mustafa Suleyman grew up in subsidized housing in one of Londons roughest areas. His father, a Syrian immigrant, drove a taxi. His mother was a nurse with the National Health Service. When the prestigious Queen Elizabeths School accepted him at the age of 11, the family moved into a safer, leafier neighborhood a few miles north.

There, he met 20-year-old Demis Hassabis, after becoming friends with his younger brother. Demis was a chess prodigy and video game designer whose parents  one a Greek Cypriot, the other a Singaporean  ran a London toy store.

Today, they are two of the most powerful executives in the tech industrys race to build artificial intelligence. Dr. Hassabis, 47, is the chief executive of Google DeepMind, the tech giants central research lab for artificial intelligence. Mr. Suleyman, 39, was recently named chief executive of Microsoft AI, charged with overseeing the companys push into A.I. consumer products.

Their path from London to the executive suites of Big Tech is one of the most unusual  and personal  stories in an industry full of colorful personalities and cutting rivalries. In 2010, they were two of the three founders of DeepMind, a seminal A.I. research lab that was supposed to prevent the very thing they are now deeply involved in: an escalating race by profit-driven companies to build and deploy A.I.
President Biden and the president of Mexico on Monday vowed combined action to prevent illegal immigration as Mr. Biden remains under intense political pressure from all sides to address the impact of surging border crossings ahead of the presidential election this year.

In a joint statement, Mr. Biden and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said they had ordered their national security aides to work together to immediately implement concrete measures to significantly reduce irregular border crossings while protecting human rights.

The statement, which followed a phone call between the two leaders on Sunday, did not specify any actions under consideration. A senior administration official declined to elaborate on what the United States and Mexico might immediately implement. But the official said the possibilities under discussion included stronger enforcement measures to prevent railways, buses and airports from being used for illegal border crossing and more flights taking migrants back to their home countries.

The issue could be a deciding factor in whether Mr. Biden stays in the Oval Office for another four years. Polls of both Republicans and Democrats in recent months indicate that the situation at the border is a serious concern. And even some of the presidents most fervent supporters in liberal cities are demanding that he do something to stanch the flow of migrants.
The Libre Initiative, part of the political network created by the billionaire industrialist Koch brothers, on Monday will unveil a seven-figure voter engagement effort and ad campaign targeting members of Congress who have supported what it calls President Bidens punitive economic policies.

The campaign, one of the most expansive undertaken by the group, will include digital ads, public events at Hispanic grocery stores and restaurants and a new Spanish language website criticizing Bidenomics, a term that conservatives have adopted to attack Mr. Bidens economic policies.

Despite a run of positive economic data, including strong job growth and record unemployment, the economy has been a stubborn weakness for President Biden and Democrats, particularly among Black and Latino voters. Leaders at Libre, which gave The New York Times an early look at the plans, said they were focused on attracting Latinos on what they think is a winning issue for Republicans at a time when their party is seeking to increase its appeal to Hispanic voters.

Bidenomics is devastating Latino families savings, quality of life and their ability to plan for the future, Jose Mallea, Libres chief executive, said in a statement. To reverse this trend, its critical that Latino families learn what overspending and overregulating are doing to our countrys economy  and prosperity.
Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, whose daughter was among the students arrested at a Columbia University protest encampment against Israels actions in Gaza, suggested while visiting the protesters on campus last week that some Jewish students supported genocide.

Ms. Omar, a Democrat, was rejecting the argument that the protests were antisemitic, noting that many of the participants were Jewish.

I think it is really unfortunate that people dont care about the fact that all Jewish kids should be kept safe, and that we should not have to tolerate antisemitism or bigotry for all Jewish students, whether theyre pro-genocide or anti-genocide, she said.

Earlier in the week, the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, used his own visit to Columbia to suggest that President Biden should summon the National Guard to college campuses, a prospect that brought to mind the National Guards killing of four unarmed student protesters at Kent State University in Ohio during the Vietnam War. He was accompanied by his Republican colleague Anthony DEsposito, who accused the pro-Palestinian protesters of being proud that youve been endorsed by Hamas.
A major Pennsylvania hospital shut down its liver transplant program last week, becoming the second medical center this month to take such an unusual step.

The hospital, the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, said Monday that it had closed the program and submitted to a review from federal officials. The decision to inactivate comes after concerns about clinical processes and documentation were identified, the hospital said in a statement.

It was unclear what specific problems prompted the closure. But in interviews with The New York Times, six current and former employees said that staffers had raised several concerns about the program, including that it regularly declined available organs, potentially keeping people on the waiting list from receiving lifesaving transplants. Hospital officials would not comment about those accusations.

The Hershey closure comes just weeks after Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston suspended its liver and kidney transplant programs. That hospital told The Times that it believed that one of its doctors had manipulated records to make some of his own patients ineligible to receive new livers.
Four zebras escaped from a trailer on a highway exit in Washington State on Sunday, leading dozens of residents, police officers and volunteers to join in an effort to corral them.

Among them was a person with particular expertise in wrangling loose animals: David Danton, of Mount Vernon, Wash., who worked for nearly 15 years as a rodeo clown and rodeo bullfighter.

He and his wife, Julie Danton, had been driving home from a cattle drive in eastern Washington when they stopped to help the police and neighbors capture the zebras in North Bend, Wash., about 30 miles east of Seattle.

It was kind of divine intervention  we happened to be in the exact spot and had the knowledge, Ms. Danton said.
Fears of renewed ethnic slaughter in the Sudanese region of Darfur, where genocidal violence killed as many as 300,000 people two decades ago, have soared in recent days, with a looming assault on an embattled city that is already threatened by famine.

The contest for control of El Fasher, the last city held by Sudans military in Darfur, has prompted alarmed warnings from American and United Nations officials who fear that mass bloodshed may be imminent. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, told reporters on Monday that the city was on the precipice of a large-scale massacre.

El Fasher is the latest flashpoint in a year-old civil war between Sudans military and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary group that the military once nurtured and is now its bitter rival for power. The conflict has devastated one of Africas largest countries and created a vast humanitarian crisis that U.N. officials say is one of the biggest in decades.

The crisis also brings a sharp focus on the role of foreign powers accused of fueling the fight, especially the United Arab Emirates.
Cease-fire talks could restart today

Negotiations for a pause in the fighting between Israel and Hamas could restart as soon as today, officials said. A mid-level Israeli delegation is planning to fly to Cairo for new talks mediated by Egypt, but only if Hamas also agrees to attend, Israeli officials said.

Hopes for a cease-fire were raised after Israel scaled back its demand that at least 40 hostages be released and said it was prepared to settle for 33, in part because it believes that some have died in captivity.

That makes it a little easier to reach a deal, Patrick Kingsley, our Jerusalem bureau chief, told us yesterday. But there are still many stumbling blocks.

Hamas wants a truce that gives it a chance of surviving the war as a military force, whereas Israel wants a deal that would allow its army the chance to eventually resume fighting and rout Hamas, he added. Thats why Israel wants a short cease-fire, while Hamas wants a longer one that could be dragged out into permanence.
Gerard Depardieu was ordered on Monday to stand trial on criminal charges that he sexually assaulted two women during a 2021 film shoot in France, deepening the French actors legal woes and further tarnishing his global reputation as he faces a growing number of accusations of sexual violence.

The Paris prosecutors office announced that Mr. Depardieu, 75, would be tried in October over allegations that he sexually assaulted the two women on the set of Les Volets Verts, or The Green Shutters, a movie by the French director Jean Becker that was released in 2022.

The prosecutors office did not identify the two women or provide any details about the alleged assaults. Lawyers for Mr. Depardieu did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday evening, but the actor has repeatedly denied any sexual misconduct in the past.

The order to stand trial was a serious development for Mr. Depardieu  one of the most prominent men in France to face accusations of sexual wrongdoing, especially since a new wave of allegations swept through the French movie industry in recent months.
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What to Know: First Trial in Alleged Coup Plot in Germany Begins

Three trials this spring are centered on the Reichsburger movement. Some of its members say the modern German state is actually a corporation run by shadowy bureaucrats.

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Outside the courtroom in Stuttgart, Germany, on Monday at the opening of the Reichsburger trial. Credit... Pool photo by Thomas Lohnes/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of Spain declared on Monday that he would not resign, nearly a week after publicly raising the possibility in response to corruption accusations against his wife that he and other officials denounced as a smear campaign.

The decision by Mr. Sanchez, who has repeatedly astonished his supporters and frustrated his conservative critics with his knack for political survival, is a momentous one for him, his country and all of Europe.

Mr. Sanchez inspired anxiety, bewilderment and right-wing hopes last week when he responded to the opening of a judicial investigation into his wife by canceling his public schedule and issuing an emotional public letter. He wrote that harassment against his family had become intolerable and that he was considering quitting.

But on Monday, he walked back from the precipice after days of apparent reflection out of the public eye. Spains public prosecutors office had already sought to have the complaint against his wife dismissed for lack of evidence.
Britains newly ratified plan to put asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda has drawn objections from human rights groups, British and European courts, the House of Lords and even some members of Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks Conservative Party.

To that list, add another aggrieved party: Ireland.

The Irish government said last week that asylum seekers in Britain who fear being deported to Rwanda are instead traveling to Ireland. It is drafting emergency legislation to send them back to Britain, triggering a clash with its neighbor, which said it would refuse to accept them.

Irish officials estimate that 80 percent of recent applicants for asylum crossed into the country via Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, and with which the Republic of Ireland has an open border. That suggests that Britains vow to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is already having something of a deterrent effect, which was Mr. Sunaks sales pitch for the policy.

But it comes at the expense of Ireland, which is already struggling to absorb an influx of refugees from Ukraine and elsewhere, and has seen violent clashes over immigration erupt in small towns and major cities. On Sunday, Irelands prime minister, Simon Harris, said, This country will not in any way, shape or form provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges.
Like other governments across the Middle East, Egypt has not been shy about its position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its denunciations of Israel over the war in Gaza are loud and constant. State media outlets broadcast images of long lines of aid trucks waiting to cross from Egypt into Gaza, spotlighting Egypts role as the main conduit for aid entering the besieged territory.

Earlier this month, however, when hundreds of people gathered in downtown Cairo to demonstrate in solidarity with Gaza, Egyptian security officers swooped in, arresting 14 protesters, according to their lawyer. Back in October, the government had organized pro-Palestinian rallies of its own. Yet at those, too, it detained dozens of people after protesters chanted slogans critical of the government. More than 50 of them remain behind bars, their lawyers say.

It was a pattern that has repeated itself around the region since Israel, responding to an attack by Hamas, began a six-month war in Gaza: Arab citizens grief and fury over Gazas plight running headlong into official repression when that outrage takes aim at their own leaders. In some countries, even public display of pro-Palestinian sentiment is enough to risk arrest.

Out of step with their people on matters of economic opportunity and political freedoms, some governments in the Arab world have long faced added discontent over their ties with Israel and its chief backer, the United States. Now the Gaza war  and what many Arabs see as their own governments complicity  has driven an old wedge between rulers and the ruled with new force.
Hamass military wing said on Monday that it had launched a salvo of rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel, an apparent attempt by the group to signal that it is still capable of striking within Israels borders even as it studies the latest proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza.

The Qassam Brigades, Hamass military wing, said in a statement that it had targeted an Israeli military position in Kiryat Shmona, the largest city in Israels far north, with a concentrated rocket barrage from southern Lebanon. The Israeli military said in a statement that most of the roughly 20 launches that crossed the border had been intercepted, and that it had responded by striking the source of fire. There were no injuries or damage, the military said.

Though Hamas is based in Gaza, many of its leaders are exiled in Lebanon, where the group has a sizable presence and operates largely out of Palestinian refugee camps. Since the Hamas-led terror attack on Oct. 7 prompted Israel to go to war in Gaza, Hamas has occasionally launched rocket attacks into northern Israel from within Lebanons borders, though its ally Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, has launched far more. Both groups are backed by Iran. Israel has also targeted Hamas figures in Lebanon in deadly strikes.

Walid al Kilani, Hamass spokesman in Lebanon, said the attack was the minimum duty given Israels continued attacks in Gaza. We know that Hezbollah is doing its duty and more, but the battlefield requires everyone to participate, Mr. Kilani said.

The launches on Monday, although muted in their impact, highlighted Hamass continuing ability to threaten Israel with rocket fire despite more than 200 days of a devastating Israeli air and ground offensive that has decimated the groups military capabilities in Gaza.

Mohanad Hage Ali, a Beirut-based fellow with the Carnegie Middle East Center, said the attack was likely an attempt by Hamas to signal that it was still part of the fight. While it was largely symbolic, it could also be a means to apply pressure amid the Gaza cease-fire negotiations, he said.

Data compiled by the online website Rocket Alert  which tracks warnings of rocket launches using Israeli military figures  shows that there were just 37 alerts in April in response to detected rocket fire from Gaza, compared to around 7,300 in October at the onset of the war. More than six months into the conflict, the data shows a significant drop-off in the number of warnings of rockets from Gaza.

Alerts indicating rocket fire from Lebanon, however, have remained largely steady, the data shows. Most of those are launched by Hezbollah, but Hamas continues to launch attacks from Lebanon with Hezbollahs blessing.

Amin Hoteit, a military analyst and former brigadier general in the Lebanese army, said the latest attack was a sign of the integrated front of operations among Hamas, Hezbollah and other Iran-backed groups in the region.

Hwaida Saad and Jonathan Rosen contributed reporting.
Israeli negotiators, offering a hint of hope for negotiations over a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, have reduced the number of hostages they want Hamas to release during the first phase of a truce, three Israeli officials said on Monday.

For weeks, cease-fire talks have been at a standstill. Now, with the new proposal in hand, a mid-ranking delegation from Israel was planning to fly to Cairo on Tuesday to resume them  but only if Hamas agrees to attend, according to two of the officials. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.

Hamas did not respond to a request for comment about whether it would send representatives to Cairo. A senior Hamas official said on social media on Monday that the group was studying a new Israeli proposal.

The American secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, who was meeting in Saudi Arabia on Monday with Arab diplomats, said the onus was now on Hamas.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Arab officials on Monday in Saudi Arabia about the war between Israel and Hamas and the difficult issues it has created, from humanitarian aid to hostages. Mr. Blinken plans to travel to Jordan and Israel on Tuesday.

After landing in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, shortly after dawn, Mr. Blinken met with Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, and then with foreign ministers and a top foreign policy adviser from five other Arab nations in the Persian Gulf that, along with Saudi Arabia, form the Gulf Cooperation Council. Prince Faisal was also part of that second meeting. On Monday night Mr. Blinken met with Saudi Arabias crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

The State Department listed the cease-fire and hostage issues first in the summary it released of Mr. Blinkens one-on-one meeting with the prince. The two discussed ongoing efforts to reach an immediate cease-fire in Gaza that would secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, the department said.

The two diplomats also talked about greater regional integration and a pathway to a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel, the summary said. That was a reference to negotiations over a broad deal that would involve the United States, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Palestinian representatives agreeing to terms that would result in the creation of a Palestinian state and greater diplomatic recognition for Israel in the region.
Albi, which means heart in Arabic, is the chef Michael Rafidis love letter to the foods of his Palestinian American childhood. The kitchen is dominated by a coal-fire hearth, which sends fragrant wafts of smoke out to the dining room alongside Mr. Rafidis inspired takes on Levantine classics such as hummus (topped with crab and charred ramps), kebabs (skewered morsels of date-glazed duck and foie gras) and grape leaves (stuffed with rockfish, green tomato and preserved lemon). The passion of the place is also on display in the wine list. Packed with classic gems and deep cuts from all over the world (with particular emphasis on the Middle East), the charming wine list has sections, like #Unapologeticallyclassicwhitewines, and Donnie Darko Reds, that make even the biggest wine snobs crack a smile. MELISSA CLARK

1346 Fourth St. SE, Washington, D.C.; 202-921-9592; albidc.com

Petworth | African Diasporic


Las Cruces Plans to Hire Travel PR Partner Wed., Oct. 9, 2024 Visit Las Cruces, which is the convention and visitors bureau of New Mexicos second largest city, wants a PR firm to help position it as a premiere tourism destination.
Christina Pryor (L) & Carla Amundaray-Gadea

The Levinson Group has hired Christina Pryor and Carla Amundaray-Gadea as senior directors in Washington and New York.

Amundaray-Gadea, who joins TLG's Big Apple outpost, was a VP at Edelman during a three-year stint there, supporting clients on consumer and social issues.

Previously, she spent another three years at BCW Global focused on corporate communications and regulatory issues, and four years at Sphere Consulting, handling government investigations, disputes and transactions.

Pryor has more than a decade of experience in communications, law and policy.

She joins TLG DC from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, where she was a senior advisor to administrator Anne Miligram.

Earlier, she was in DEAs PA office, responsible for media relations, executive communications, digital strategy, community outreach, and partnerships.

Prior to the DEA, Pryor worked at Brunswick Group on litigation and crisis communications, and was an attorney at both Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Davis Polk & Wardwell.

TLG CEO Molly Levinson said Amundaray-Gadea and Pryor are welcome additions to the strategic communications shop.

"Carlas strong background in helping leaders and organizations navigate game changing issues and moments, including recently serving in the crisis and risk practice at Edelman, along with Christinas recent experience serving as senior advisor to the Administrator at the DEA, and her background as a former practicing lawyer and a communications advisor to private sector leaders, bring valued perspectives and capabilities to our growing TLG team and our clients, Levinson told ODwyers.
Met Eireann is forecasting a change in the weather for Ireland later in the week after a wet and windy start on Monday and Tuesday. According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, it's going to become milder or indeed it'll gradually become warmer this week and through the weekend.

There's uncertainty in the detail from Thursday onwards, and while there'll be further showers or spells of rain in places, there's likely to be a good lot of dry weather too with sunshine.

According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, there will be a wet start this morning (Monday) for most, with outbreaks of rain, but the rain will clear northeastwards through the morning and early afternoon. The rest of the day will bring a mix of bright or sunny spells and scattered showers, some heavy. Rather windy or breezy for a time, with fresh to strong southerly winds veering westerly, the winds stronger for a time in coastal parts of the east, south and west. The winds will generally ease light and variable later on. Maximum temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees.

Tonight will bring a mix of clear spells and some well scattered showers early on, but becoming cloudy from the south, with rain moving northwards, becoming heavy at times, with the chance of some spot flooding. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees in mostly light variable breezes, but becoming breezy in southeastern and eastern coastal parts with strengthening southeast winds.

According to Met Eireann, Tuesday, will bring further rain for a time, some of it. However, the persistent rain, will generally clear northwestwards through the morning, with bright or sunny spells and showers following for the rest od the day. Some of the showers will be heavy, with the likelihood of thunder and lightning and the possibility of hail. Highest temperatures of 10 to 14 degrees. It'll be breezy for a time early in the day in coastal parts of the east and also in the north with fresh to strong southeasterly winds, but the winds generally becoming mostly moderate southerly. The winds will decrease light to moderate southeasterly or variable later.

Still some scattered heavy showers at first on Tuesday night, but the showers will become isolated overnight and there'll be a mix of cloud and clear spells. A few mist patches are likely also. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees, in light to moderate southeasterly breezes.

According to Met Eireann, it will be much drier on Wednesday, the first of May, as compared to earlier in the week. There'll be a lot of dry weather overall with spells of sunshine, though there'll be a scattering of showers, a few possibly heavy. It's likely to become cloudier in eastern parts through the day. Highest temperatures of 12 to 15 or 16 degrees in mostly moderate southeast winds, decreasing light later.



Some clear spells continuing on Wednesday night, mainly in the southwest and west, otherwise it'll become increasingly cloudy from the east. Rain will push in from the Irish Sea to parts of the east and north overnight, while it'll stay mostly dry elsewhere, but with some mist and fog patches forming. Lowest temperatures of 3 to 8 degrees, lowest under clearer skies in the southwest, in mostly light variable breezes.



According to Met Eireann, there's uncertainty in the detail from Thursday onwards. At the moment, it looks like there'll be some limited bright or sunny spells on Thursday, mostly likely in the southwest, but overall a good lot of cloud, with outbreaks of showery rain in places, some of it heavy. Some parts of the country may escape the rain though, with the southwest looking most favoured. Highest temperatures of 12 degrees under the cloud and rain to about 15 or 16 degrees in the drier brighter areas, in light to moderate westerly or variable breezes.



Some clear spells on Thursday night, but there's most likely to be a good lot of cloud, with showery outbreaks of rain in places. Lowest temperatures of 4 to 9 degrees in light variable breezes.



According to Met Eireann, Friday is likely to bring some sunshine and good dry spells, but with the chance of heavy showers or even a longer spell of rain in places. Getting milder with highest temperatures of 13 to 17 degrees in light to moderate northwest breezes.



According to Met Eireann, it will become warmer over the weekend, and while there's a good lot of uncertainty, it looks like there should be a good of dry weather overall with sunshine, but with the possibility of heavy showers at times too. Temperatures are likely to reach between 15 and 19 or 20 degrees in mostly light winds,
Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy won the Zurich Classic in New Orleans in dramatic fashion on Sunday with Lowry holing a birdie on the last hole in regulation to force a playoff before the Irish duo went on to win on the first extra hole.

After a slow start to the final round, they came with four birdies in five holes around the turn and birdies on 16 and 18 to get them to 25 under par.

That left them level with Martin Trainer and Chad Ramey but the American's were wayward on the playoff home and McIlroy tapped in from the edge of the hole to win it for the Irish pair.

But based on videos posted to social media platforms, that was only the start of it for the long time friends as they celebrated their win in the Big Easy.

Firstly Shane had some difficulties with his winners belt as he can be heard telling Rory 'it's a bit snug' which sends McIlroy into fits of laughter.

"It's a little bit snug." pic.twitter.com/4g7sdJLPHw  PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 29, 2024

With one belt one and one belt in hand, and beads around their necks they can be seen being led by a jazz band to continue the celebrations...

... and then there was this.
A status yellow thunderstorm warning is in place for sixteen counties, including Offaly, with Met Eireann warning of heavy downpours in areas affected.

Many parts of the country enjoyed sunny and warm weather this Sunday afternoon and there was no indication that a weather warning was imminent.

The status yellow warning was issued by Met Eireann just before 7pm and it remains in place until 9.30pm.

It applies to all of Leinster as well as counties, Waterford, Tipperary, Cavan and Monaghan.

Yellow Thunderstorm Warning



Carlow, Cavan, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow



Valid from now until 21:30



https://t.co/w5QtJ1UyEP pic.twitter.com/YQ3ecBrjAV  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) April 28, 2024

In its latest forecast, Met Eireann says it will be mostly cloudy this Sunday night with outbreaks of rain spreading northeastwards over the country.

Lowest temperatures of 3 to 7 degrees with light to moderate southerly winds, increasing strong along southern and eastern coasts.

There will be a wet start to Monday for most, with outbreaks of rain clearing northeastwards through the morning and early afternoon, followed by scattered showers.
BEIJING, Apr. 27 (China Economic Net)  Record-breaking batteries that can power up to 1000km range, world's first hydrogen-fueled extended range vehicles, industry's first neural network-based planning/control large model... an assortment of disruptive technologies dazzle visitors' eye at the ongoing international auto exhibition held in Beijing. The amount of innovation in China is driving global cooperation and pushing the auto industry forward, a Global Product Manager of the Germany-based Casco Automotive Group told China Economic Net (CEN) at the biennial auto exhibition. Themed Driving to smart mobility, the grand event witnesses the display of 117 global premieres, 41 concept vehicles, and 278 types of NEVs this year. The auto parts zone alone has gathered nearly 500 companies from 13 countries. NEVs, unsurprisingly, took the center stage. Over 60% of the debut cars globally are powered by green energy, amid Chinas rapid, committed transition to greener economy. In the first half of April, over half of passenger vehicles sold in China were NEVs, surpassing conventional fuel vehicles for the first time. The world has been waking up to the fact that not only are the Chinese brands coming, but they are expanding very quickly and getting somewhere where consumers are turning their preference to them, Johan Annell, Partner and General Manager Beijing of advisory firm ARC Group. As per the projection of CMC Auto Import& Export, over 40% of the vehicles exported from China would be NEVs in 2024 with the total auto exports up by 15%-20% to 6 million units. Looking forward, there is a lot left in the US and Europe to increase adoption. In the emerging markets, too, some are leapfrogging, Johan Annell said, adding that Southeast Asia could be the next top destination for auto investment and cooperation. A London-based anonymous auto designer for a China-UK joint venture told CEN that the competence of Chinese brands is making the European markets and the manufacturers wake up and go for higher quality and lower prices. The bar shouldnt be lowered in the name of anti-subsidy probe to meet everyone elses. In the last few years, emerging Chinese brands like Neo, BYD, XPeng, etc. are reaching international levels and even higher. We have to really think our standards need to go up as well, he said.
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This is Chapter 5/Section 2, of the 2024 Serialization of the third printing (2013) of the book by Steven Jonas: "The 15% Solution: How the Republican Religious Right Took Control of the U.S., 1981-2022. The book was first published in 1996. The 2013 version of the book (the most recent one) is available on Amazon, in print and on Kindle, at: click here.

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Summary of the Decision (Supreme Court Bulletin)

"Supreme Court Has No Constitutional Review Authority"

Anderson v. Board of Education, Certiorari to United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

No. 101-11. Argued October 31, 2002-- Decided May 13, 2003.

Petitioner, a parent acting on behalf of her minor child, brought a civil action against the Board of Education of the state of New Jersey seek ng to pre vent it from enforcing a law passed during the 2001 session of the State Legislature mandating voluntary prayer in the public schools of that state. Both the trial and appeals courts in the state of New Jersey found for the respondent. Petitioner appealed to the Supreme Court. Without arguing the merits, respondent filed a brief claiming that under 28 U.S.C., Chap. 81, para. 1260, generally known as the "Helms Amendment [1]," the U.S. Supreme Court did not have jurisdiction in this case.

Held: Under the cited section of the U.S. Code, the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction to review appeals of state school prayer statutes. Further, there can be found in the Constitution of the United States no grant of authority to the Supreme Court to review the action of any other branch of the Federal Government or any branch of any state government for its "constitutionality."

(a) Article 3, Section 2 of the Constitution defines the authority of the Federal judicial power: "The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made under their authority; to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls; to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies to which the United States shall be a party; to controversies between two or more states."

(b) It is clear that the plain language of this article supports the holding of the Court. Under the Doctrine of Original Intent, by which the Constitution should always be interpreted, it is clear that the Constitution means only what it says, not what any individual judge or group of judges collectively think that it ought to say or would like it to say. It thus be comes clear that the series of decisions handed down by Chief Justice John Marshall and his colleagues in the first quarter of the 19th century which established the theory of Supreme Court "judicial re view" for "constitutionality" were based on faulty legal reasoning.

(c) In the first of these cases, Marbury v. Madison, the Court invalidated an "Act of Congress giving the Court jurisdiction to hear original applications for writs of mandamus, because in such cases the Constitution limits the Supreme Court to appellate jurisdiction" (Cox). While that opinion may be valid, nowhere does the Constitution give the Court the power to apply it with the force of law. Rather, as in Great Britain, the legislative branch, through the will of the majority, is the only appropriate judge of the "constitutionality" of its own acts. In his written opinion, the Chief Justice stated that if "the courts lacked the power to give sting to constitutional safeguards . . . , the Legislative and Executive Branches might too often override the Constitution" (Cox). That may well be true. But if the Founding Fathers had wanted to give the Federal judiciary that "protective" function, they would have clearly writ ten it into the Constitution. Chief Justice Marshall was reading into the Constitution words that he wanted to see -- but were not there.

(d) In Martin v. Hunter's Lessee, Justice Joseph Story expanded the Supreme Court's review powers to include decisions made by the State courts (Cox). Like Chief Justice Marshall, Justice Story was reading into Article 3, Section 2 of the Constitution what he wanted to see there. In Cohens v. Virginia Chief Justice Marshall affirmed Justice Story's conclusion in Martin, using the same faulty reasoning (Cox).

(e) Finally, in McCulloch v. Maryland, Chief Justice Marshall not only reaffirmed the Court's review authority, unstated in the Constitution, but found in it other "implied powers," giving the Congress authority to undertake actions not otherwise specified by the Constitution (in this case renewing the charter of the United States Bank which it had originally established in 1791) (Cox).

(f) After extensive review of the opinions and reasoning in the decisions made in the aforementioned cases, careful review of the language of the Constitution itself, and a consideration of the available evidence on Original Intent, the Court was able to find no basis for the conclusions on "implied powers" that Chief Justice Marshall and his colleagues drew in those decisions referable to the authority of either the Supreme Court or the Congress. Thus, the Court held, the precedents established by those cases and all their successors down through the years were based on faulty reasoning and a reading of the Constitution not in ac cord with the Doctrine of Original Intent. Thus those faulty precedents must be abandoned. Since the specifics of Marbury, Martin, Cohens, and McCulloch had long since become moot, the Court chose not to reverse those decisions. However, it did reverse the holdings made in those cases that the Supreme Court had any power to review the actions of the Federal Executive and Legislative branches or any State courts for their "constitutionality."

11 F. 11th 111, Affirmed. Chief Justice Steps delivered the opinion of the Court; seven justices joining, one dissenting.

Author's Commentary

Anderson v. United States was the most significant decision handed down by the Supreme Court in the old United States since Marbury v. Madison, referred to in the decision summary reproduced above. In that case, Chief Justice John Marshall had established the power of the Supreme Court to review actions of the two other branches of the Federal government. As correctly noted by Chief Justice Steps that power is no where clearly granted to it by the Constitution itself. Nevertheless, Marshall said, if the Supreme Court found such actions to be unconstitutional, they were null and void. His reasoning went as follows (Cox):

"The Constitution is either a superior paramount law, unchangeable by ordinary means, or it is on a level with ordinary legislative acts, and, like other acts, is alterable when the legislature shall please to alter it. If the former part of the alternative be true, then a legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law; if the latter part be true, then written constitutions are absurd attempts, on the part of the people, to limit a power in its own nature illimitable."

Marshall, of course, held that the "former alternative" was true, its truth found in the fact of the Constitution itself. He then drew the defensible conclusion that the body given the power to adjudicate disputes arising under the Constitution, and Article 3 Section 2 surely did that, indeed had the power to review the actions of the other two governmental branches for their constitutionality. That authority was extended to the appellate review of state court decisions having constitutional implications under the defensible conclusion that by ratifying the Constitution in the first place, the states had ceded to the Unit ed States that appellate jurisdiction, which is clearly contained in Article 3 Section 2 (see the decision in Cohens).

Once the Court under Marshall's leadership had made those judgments, the full American power structure quickly came to agree with him. The Jeffersonians did make several modest attempts to undermine the independence and authority of the Supreme Court, but failed and ultimately gave up. From that time onwards, American jurisprudence came to be firmly established in the legal structure that Chief Justice Marshall had constructed on the Constitution's base, as he interpreted it.

One very important principle set forth by Marshall, and subsequently accepted by all parties to American government down to the Transition Era, was that the Constitution was a document that meant more than it explicitly said, that was open to interpretation, and held within itself "implications." And by implication that meant the Constitution was a document that could grow and change with changing times and circumstances, that it was indeed designed to grow and change with changing times and circumstances.

During the Transition Era there came to be propounded what the Supreme Court Bulletin's summary of Anderson refers to as the "Doctrine of Original Intent." One of its early protagonists was one Edwin Meese, the most prominent of President Ronald Reagan's several Attorneys General, later President of Right-Wing Reaction's Transition Era coordinating body, the highly secretive Council for National Policy. A former local prosecutor with no back ground in Constitutional law, a lawyer who once was supposed to have said that if the police arrested some one that was evidence enough he or she was guilty, Meese held that if it wasn't in the Constitution, in clear language, it didn't exist. (Meese later became the head of the Council for National Policy, the highly secretive coordinating body for a wide range of Reactionary Republican and Christian Rightist organizations during the run-up to fascism.)

A more cerebral proponent of the Doctrine was one Robert Bork. He had two principal claims to fame. One was that as the third-ranking Justice Department official in 1973, on the orders of President Richard M. Nixon he fired a supposedly independent prosecutor during the scandal that eventually came to be known by the name "Watergate" and that eventually led to Nixon's resignation as President. (Bork's two superiors at the time both resigned rather than carry out an order which in deed was later found to be unlawful.)

The other was that he was the most celebrated failed Supreme Court nominee in the history of the old U.S. And his nomination failed precisely because he held to Constitutional theories that were completely at odds with those held by almost everyone else at the time considered to be an authority on the matter. But his time eventually came. The Court did adopt the theory he espoused so eloquently in so many legal papers and articles. Summarizing the theory, Bork held that (1993):

". . . principles not originally understood to be in the Constitution [have no constitutional validity]. Where the Constitution is silent, [a Supreme Court] Justice has no [legislative review] authority. To act against legislation without authority is to engage in civil disobedience from the bench and to perpetrate limited coups d'e'tat that overthrow the American form of government."

By implication, of course, Bork was attacking Marshall, because what he found in the Constitution was certainly not originally understood to be there (assuming that "originally" in this context means "when the Constitution was written"). And by so doing, Bork was in the front of a movement to deny 200 years of American jurisprudence. His, in essence, was the thinking behind Anderson.

It is interesting that Bork's theory of Original Intent would appear to have much in common with the theory of "Biblical Innerantism" that was all the rage among the Religious Right during the Transition Era and provided a major piece of the foundation of the thinking that lead to American Fascism. But that's another story, one we will get to later.

A spirited attack on the theory of Original Intent had been offered a few years before Bork wrote the article cited above, by Judge Irving R. Kaufman, a Federal Circuit Court of Appeals judge (1987):

"I regard reliance on original intent to be a largely specious mode of interpretation. I often find it instructive to consult the Framers when I am called upon to interpret the Constitution, but it is the beginning of my inquiry, not the end. For not only is the quest for 'intent' fraught with obstacles of a practical nature -- notably that the Framers plainly never foresaw most of the problems that bedevil the courts today - it may also be more undemocratic than competing methods of construing the Constitution.

"If the search for 'intent' sums up the constitutional enterprise, then current generations are bound not merely by general language but by specific conceptions frozen in time by men long dead. . . .

"The open-textured nature of most of the vital clauses of the Constitution signifies that the drafters expected future genera ions to adapt the language to modern circumstances, not conduct judicial autopsies into the minds of the Framers. When the Founding Fathers talked about due process, equal protection and freedom of speech and religion, they were em bracing general principles, not specific solutions [emphasis added]."

Kaufman here is of course defending the expansive approach to Constitutional interpretation that lead to the broadening of protections for individual rights that so enraged Right"'Wing Reactionaries in the latter half of the 20th century and lead eventually to Anderson.

It is ironic that in his younger days Kaufman was the judge who pre sided over the trial of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, accused of being atomic"'weapons spies, convicted, and eventually executed. Many people around the world thought the trial and the subsequent failed appeals process were possibly rigged and certainly major miscarriages of justice. Both Ethel and Julius were political progressives and he was an active member of the Communist Party. Ethel was almost certainly not a spy, and if Julius was, he was apparently engaged only in stealing industrial, not atomic weapons, secrets.

The trial and execution of the Rosenbergs, it was revealed later, featured unprecedented collusion between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Department of Justice, and the Courts, including both Judge Kaufman and the Supreme Court (Meeropol; Schneir and Schneir; Wexley). But it was a major feature of the so"'called "McCarthy Period" (1945"'60). During that time of so"'called "anti"'Communist hysteria," individual rights for many left"'wing Americans were harshly suppressed. Punishment, most often in the form of political and judicial harassment and loss of employment, not imprisonment or death, was meted out simply for having, holding to, and expressing unpopular ideas, not for engaging in any even faintly illegal activity.

As an echo in a way of McCarthyism, in Anderson a group of Right"'Wing Reactionary justices overturned the whole U.S. legal tradition from the time of the founding and organization of the Republic because they didn't like the outcomes that tradition had produced. With the Court out of the way, by its own hand no less, Right"'Wing Reaction had succeeded in emasculating the powers of one of the three protectors of American constitutional democracy, the Courts, the media, and the Congress, on which it had set its sights during the Transition Era (see Appendix III). Thus Anderson significantly accelerated the development of fascism in the old U.S. But who ever said that the Court was not always truly a political institution (Rodell)?

A Parthenon Pomeroy Diary Entry, May 15, 2003

We did it, we did it. We've finally got the Supreme Court out of our hair. And those old fogeys handled the comb them selves. The people are going to rule now. Wow! 15 years of hard work to change that damned Court. We're going to save our country, our freedom, our American way of life. I can't believe it. But i'd better believe it. I do believe it. This is going to fix things up all right. Jobs for every one. Cut taxes to the bone. And we can get the coons out of the schools, get sex out of the schools, get those f*ggots out of the schools, get prayer back in, where it belongs. Yowy kazowy. This is what we need to get America back to where it ought to be, to what it can be, to what it always was and always will be. Thanks, God, and thanks Pat, too.

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References:

Bork, R., "The Senate's Power Grab," New York Times, June 23, 1993.

Cox, A., The Court and the Constitution, Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin, 1987, pp. 58, 59, 63, 66, 75, 342, 360.

Kaufman, I.R., "No Way to Interpret the Constitution," New York Times, Jan. 2, 1987.

Meeropol, R., "Critique with Mort Mecloskey," WUSB-FM, 90.1, Stony Brook, NY, October 30, 1995.

Rodell, F., Nine Men: A Political History of the Supreme Court from 1790 to 1955, New York: Random House, 1955.

Schneir, W. and Schneir, M., Invitation to an Inquest, New York: Doubleday, 1965.

Supreme Court Bulletin (Windham, NH), "Supreme Court Has No Constitutional Review Authority," Vol. 24, No. 8, June 2003, p. 3.

Wexley, J., The Judgment of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, New York: Cameron and Kahn, 1955.

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Author's (SJ) Note:

[1] Author's Note: The "Helms Amendment," offered in Congress a number of times from the early 1980s onwards by Senator Jesse Helms (R"'NC) (Cox) and his ideological successors, was finally passed by the 107th Congress in 2001. The language was unchanged from that version offered by Senator Helms in 1991 as S. 77: "Sec. . (a) This section may be cited as the 'Voluntary School Prayer Act'. (b) (1) Chapter 81 of title 28, Unit ed States Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section: #1260. Appellate jurisdiction: limitations '(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 1253, 1254, and 1257 of this chapter and in accordance with section 2 of Article III of the Constitution, the Supreme Court shall not have jurisdiction to review, by appeal, writ of certiorari, or otherwise, any case arising out of any State statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, practice, or any part thereof, or arising out of any act interpreting, applying, enforcing, or effecting any State statute (and etc.) which relates to voluntary prayer, Bible reading, or religious meetings in public schools or public buildings . . .'"

There is no indication or evidence that Senator Jesse Helms would have support ed the specifics of the Supreme Court's decision in Anderson v. Board of Education or any of the actions taken pursuant to it by any branch of the U.S. government or any successor.

(Article changed on Apr 29, 2024 at 5:58 PM EDT)

(Article changed on Apr 29, 2024 at 6:05 PM EDT)
One City Works to Solve our National Embarrassment

Through No Fault

"When I pulled up to the house I knew something was wrong," Art told me. Yet it would be several days until he found out his world would soon be turned upside down.

Art greeted the well-dressed man with Brylcreemed hair and an adulating assistant returning from the front door. "Would you happen to know if Mr Smith is available?"

"That's my landlord. I hardly ever speak to him. I think he has a bunch of houses like this," Art answered back. When inquiring about the visit, he was only informed they were from a bank Mr Smith did business with, thank you very much, but confidentiality and all. Art told me this story early in 2020 over a pitcher of beer in Humble, TX. I had known him for about a year, though we worked in vastly different departments, and every time he advanced in his job, learned a new skill, he was driven almost to tears. In my paraphrase here of our discussions I'll tell his story, one that tens of thousands of Americans went through during the 2008 financial crises over sub-prime loans, where banks repossessed houses in every county, and almost every ZIP Code, in the country.

"It was 10 days later I found out the house was being taken from the owner," he continued, taking a healthy swig of lager. Art was dutifully making his lease payments. Mr Smith wasn't turning over these payments toward the mortgage, and the foreclosure meant Mr Smith was being evicted in 30 days. "From 10 days before," as Art told me.

Now, with only 20 days to go, he and his 2 children - about 5 and 8, as I recall - had to scramble to find affordable housing. Two years before, his wife died in a late-night drunk-driver double fatality crash returning from her nursing job in a rural Oklahoma hospital. His position as an apprentice in a machine shop meant the couple was doing fair financially; young, but slowly stepping up the ladder into the lower middle financial class. Mom, however, was the main bread winner, as apprentice wages were appreciably pale in comparison. Now, with her income gone and expenses piling up, Art finished his 3-bed apartment lease and found a 2-bed home with 2 full bathrooms and a small pool for less money. He even signed a 2-year lease, and paid 4 months' worth of payments in advance.

His brow furrowed, sweating, as me told me how he scrambled, when finding out about the pending eviction, trying to get money back from the owner, appealing to the bank, even trying to take the owner to small claims court. Yet the expenses he would incur, including revenue lost from taking time off to create and attend a court case, and the money already paid in, were more than the limit for small claims court, and no attorney would take him without a retainer fee when they could - during America's worst housing crisis since the 1930s - be paid to represent similar clients.

Through no fault of their own, Art and his children became homeless. "I picked us up a membership at the Y, and we carried duffle bags wherever we went, showered there and no one in the school or at work found out for weeks we were living in our car." Eventually the wife's family found out and moved the trio to a north Houston suburb. After nearly 5 weeks of homelessness, Art had a place to stay and started working at the same company I worked, slowly advancing him in new skills at a great company (where I have been for nearly 9 years now) with low-cost health insurance for the trio.

Others had it much worse during that crisis, still in nearby memory, becoming permanently homeless, dying of exposure, becoming addicted to drugs, in trouble with the law, beaten, robbed, ignored by society. The "dregs of the Earth," some have called the homeless. We avoid catching their gaze as we walk the streets in our shiny urban downtowns, blaming them for crime, blaming them for their looks, their smell, and of course the panhandling. Some see these supposed outcasts as victims of their own decisions only, and figure any help to them, from any source, only supports their habits, exacerbates their problems, and drains precious resources from the public coffers.

Overarching Crisis

A report released just this January surveyed the horrifying number from 2023. Over 653,000 people were homeless, meaning without a mailing address and permanent, reliable shelter. Just over half experience sheltered homelessness, meaning they occupied an emergency shelter, safe haven or transitional housing. The rest, the study reported, were "experiencing unsheltered homelessness in places not meant for human habitation." And nearly a quarter million were either part of a family with children, or under the age of 25, considered "unaccompanied youth".

The problem is not getting any better. In the past decade the number of people experiencing homelessness increased each year from 2016, though understandably the numbers from 2021 were not in the report. In those years, the scale went from 550,000 to over 100,000 additional Americans on the streets, or in some form of shelter. The largest numerical jump was after 2022, when the economic impact of the government's mishandling of the Covid-19 epidemic proved disastrous for household stability.

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The immigration crisis is a cruel government business. New Yorkers and immigrants are victims of this business project. The conflict is not in the interests of both groups of the population. However, all people have an interest in stopping uncivilized immigration. What we can do? This is discussed in this article.

Crime is on the rise in New York

New York is no longer safe. In 2024, only 37% of city residents rate public safety in their area as excellent or good. In 2017 this figure was 50%. According to citizens, the metro is now a little safer during the day than at night seven years ago.(1)

The opinion of townspeople confirms the increase in crime. In 2023, the total number of "Seven Major Felony Offenses"* reached 126,786. This is the highest figure since 2006! One of these crimes, "Felony Assault", was committed 27,876 times. This is a record value since 2000!(2) The total number of "Non-Seven Major Felony Offenses"** was 61,212 in 2023. This is the highest value since 2009. One of these crimes, "Felony Possession of Stolen Property", was committed 1516 times. This is the highest value since 2003.(3) The study notes a rapid increase in the "number of individuals being advertised online for purposes of prostitution in New York." This figure has almost tripled from 68,891 in 2021 to 243,721 in 2022.(4)

However, do not rush to blame immigrants

As we see, criminal activity is growing. The only visible reason for the increase in crime is immigration. But what kind of immigration is this? This cannot be called "illegal" immigration. Everything happens with the permission of the authorities and, unfortunately, at the expense of taxpayers. New York is being ruined by "uncivilized" immigration. The city is filled with immigrants who, due to government policies, cannot live normally.

This causes concern to city residents, including due to the increase in crime. Immigrants and New Yorkers have become victims of a dubious political decision that is properly described as an "inhumane" business project!

Taking advantage of the current laws of NYC and hoping for financial support from the authorities, about 180 thousand asylum seekers arrived in New York over 2 years.(5) This is a catastrophic number of people who are unlikely to be able to obtain documents to live a normal life. The current asylum system is unable to process this number of immigrants. From 2001 to February 2024, New York City granted asylum to 102,508 people. Another 36,274 people were refused.(6) That is, at the current speed of processing documents, it will take almost 30 years to consider the cases of people who arrived in New York in 2 years!

It is also impossible to send these people home, since deportation occurs a little faster than the provision of asylum. From 2003 to January 2016, 84,908 immigrants were deported from New York.(7) That is, it will take more than 25 years to deport immigrants who arrived in the city in 2 years. But even this is unlikely. Because nationwide, the number of new cases in immigration courts is growing three times faster than existing cases are being processed. That is, for every 1 case reviewed, there are 3 new ones. The courts are failing to handle immigration cases. Queens County, NY, ranked third in the country in the number of immigrant cases heard by the courts. There are 96,719 cases here. This is almost 10% of the total number of immigration cases considered by US courts!(8)

As we see, 180,000 asylum seekers are trapped! They cannot get documents and cannot go back. The life of these people cannot be normal! It is unlikely that New York City officials would have told them this information!

But 180,000 hapless asylum seekers are not the whole problem. Even before their arrival, there were 476,000 undocumented immigrants in the city.(9) That means the total number of undocumented people in New York is about 656,000! But the city's population is about 8.3 million people.(10) That is, almost 8% of New Yorkers are undocumented. This means that these people cannot live normally. In such a situation, the city cannot be safe! But the most incredible thing is that the authorities created this situation using laws and taxpayers' money.

Why are the authorities accepting new immigrants if almost half a million people who previously arrived did not receive documents? It's simple. People are money! Every immigrant is a source of income. Even if the immigrant does not have documents. Therefore, the authorities are accepting new asylum seekers, although they cannot provide documents for hundreds of thousands of people who arrived earlier.

This is a business on people who suffer and cannot live as US citizens! According to official information from the authorities, undocumented immigrants in New York State paid $3 billion in taxes in 2021.(9) Over the next 30 years, the 180,000 arriving asylum seekers must pay approximately $65 billion in taxes to city, state, and US governments. This amount is minus benefits!(9) This is the price of the inconvenience of citizens and the suffering of asylum seekers! We are all victims of the Democrats' terrible economic policies. But they know what they're doing.

Republicans are trapped

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[Seattle WA - April 28, 2024] - Ukraine War Animals Relief Fund (UWARF) proudly welcomes Richard "Chris" Hyde as its new Chief Charity Officer. Hyde, a seasoned professional with a demonstrated passion for animal welfare and extensive experience in strategic communications and international collaboration, joins UWARF in its critical mission to address the urgent needs of abandoned animals in war-torn Ukraine. With an estimated 500,000 abandoned dogs and cats struggling to 
A person died in Linn County after a chase and a police shooting on Interstate 5 Sunday evening, Oregon State Police said.

The pursuit began around 3 p.m. when state troopers responded to a reported shooting in Coburg that left one person critically injured, police said. Local deputies and state troopers soon zeroed in on a car they believed was connected to the shooting around 6 p.m. and started to follow it, heading north on I-5 from exit 209, near Harrisburg.

Law enforcement deployed spike strips, and the car crashed along the shoulder of the interstate, officials said in a statement. Linn County deputies and Oregon State Police troopers shot their weapons at the scene. The driver of the car died and the cars passenger was injured.

No officers were injured, the Linn County Sheriffs Office said.

The Albany Police Department is investigating the police shooting. All involved deputies and troopers have been put on leave, as per protocol.

 Fedor Zarkhin is a breaking news and enterprise reporter with a focus on crime. Reach him at 971-373-2905; fzarkhin@oregonian.

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Sixteen Republican lawmakers and legislative candidates from Oregon plan to visit the Arizona-Mexico border Monday, saying that lax security around the southern border exacerbates the drug crisis in Oregon, 1,000 miles north.

The group, which includes about one third of Republican lawmakers in the Oregon Legislature plus three candidates, plans to visit Yuma, Arizona, and meet with Arizona lawmakers in Phoenix. Theyll pay for the trip with personal or campaign funds, and a spokeswoman for Senate Republicans who will join the trip plans to use vacation time to attend.

Many of the lawmakers attending the border tour signed a letter to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year praising his standoff with the Biden administration over border issues. Abbott has put up razor wire on the border, bused tens of thousands of undocumented migrants to Democratic cities far from the border and blocked U.S. Border Patrol agents from accessing some land.

Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said the Oregon lawmakers letter to Abbott led to more connections with their colleagues in Arizona and Texas, resulting in an invitation to visit the border in Arizona. Despite Oregons distance from the southern border, he said Oregonians should be concerned about illegal immigration and drug smuggling.

We know that there are drugs coming over the border, and those end up in probably all states, but certainly in the western states, he said. Weve obviously seen some crime impact from people who have come in illegally. I think all of us want legal immigration, and recognize the need, but we also want to know whos in the country and right now, we dont, and that theres significant danger there.

Crime and immigration have been increasingly linked in Republican rhetoric, but researchers say immigrants of all sorts are less likely to commit crimes than American-born residents. Federal law enforcement reports that, while the southern border is a significant drug smuggling route, most of the drugs are brought by highly organized and compartmentalized Mexican organized crime groups, not immigrants and asylum seekers.

Knopp, who led Senate Republicans six-week 2023 walkout over abortion and transgender health care legislation, cant return to the Legislature next year because voters approved a constitutional amendment barring lawmakers who miss 10 or more days of floor sessions from reelection. He said he expects Oregon Republicans to introduce bills related to border security, immigration and crime  though what effect they could have when the federal government controls immigration policy and Democrats control Oregons legislative and executive branches remains to be seen.

The Oregon Republicans will participate in a tour of the border in Yuma led by Jonathan Lines, a Yuma County supervisor and former chairman of the Arizona Republican Party.

His itinerary for the Oregon Republicans includes walking along the border itself and seeing the different barriers erected on the orders of past administrations. Hell also take the visitors to meet with nongovernmental organizations and groups in Yuma, including visiting a local hospital and food bank. Theyll meet with leaders from Amberlys Place, a local child welfare center and hear from former Arizona Democratic state Sen. Amanda Aguirre, who leads the Regional Center for Border Health.

For many people, this is not real, he said. They see images.

Lines told the Capital Chronicle he has fielded many requests from elected officials and candidates  most of them Republicans, though Democrat-turned-independent candidate for president Robert F. Kennedy Jr. participated in one  to tour the border. Some come just to get campaign photos and videos and others are there to learn, he said, but he shares the same information with both groups.

Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner, said hes joining the trip because he wants to hear from Arizonans about how Oregon can help try and keep the bad guys out while allowing legal immigration to occur. He hears frequently from voters about border concerns, and hes trying to figure out the connection between the southern border and the limited authority held by lawmakers in Salem.

What I do know is weve heard testimony at the Capitol about drug cartels, he said. In my small little town of Milton-Freewater, Ive got Highway 11, and four months ago in December, I had over 200 people in a room, asking me, the state police and ODOT to create a safety corridor because they were concerned about drug cartels driving through and human trafficking cartels coming through.

Smith said he also hopes to meet with Arizona lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, to deliver an Oregon flag and discuss issues that matter to them.

Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford and no relation, also hopes to double-dip on the trip by connecting with Arizona lawmakers: He wants to build a coalition of western legislators who can work together on fire policy and exert pressure on Congress to provide resources to prevent and respond to the infernos that blaze across the Western U.S. each year.

He said illegal drugs, many of which law enforcement suspects make it across the southern border, are a top concern in his southern Oregon district.

Theres basically three ways to get drugs to Portland and two of them, two of those highways come through my district, Brock Smith said.

Earlier this month, for instance Oregon State Police reported that they stopped a Phoenix man driving north of Roseburg with 62 pounds of methamphetamine and 22,000 fentanyl-laced pills that police said the man was taking to Portland.

Democrats panned the visit as a campaign stunt. Hannah Howell, executive director of the House Democrats campaign arm, FuturePAC, said Democrats are staying in Oregon to fix Oregons problems and Republicans are welcome to join them.

Its honestly baffling, Howell said. While Oregonians are worried about rising prices and safety and homelessness, Republicans are inventing a reason to bring divisive national problems  that they dont even know how to solve  to our state.

Howells counterpart at the Senate Democratic Leadership Fund, Oliver Muggli, added Oregonians expect their elected officials to be focused on our people in our state, not playing MAGA politics a thousand miles away. This is a cheap election-year stunt that does nothing except show how deeply out-of-touch Republican politicians are with Oregon priorities.

Whos going to the border?

Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend

Sen. Fred Girod, R-Silverton

Rep. Vikki Breese-Iverson, R-Prineville

Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford

Sen. Kim Thatcher, R-Keizer

Rep. Greg Smith, R-Heppner

Rep. Court Boice, R-Gold Beach

Rep. Virgle Osborne, R-Roseburg

Rep. Boomer Wright, R-Coos Bay

Rep. Lucetta Elmer, R-McMinnville

Rep. Christine Goodwin, R-Canyonville

Rep. Dwayne Yunker, R-Grants Pass

Bruce Starr, Senate candidate from Dundee

Michael Summers, Senate candidate from Redmond

Keri Lopez, House candidate from Redmond

-- Julia Shumway, Oregon Capital Chronicle

The Oregon Capital Chronicle is a nonprofit news organization focused on Oregon government, politics and policy.
After being pushed out of the South Park Blocks on Thursday and Friday nights by Portland police, pro-Palestinian protesters occupied a portico at Millar Library on the Portland State University campus over the weekend, with permission from the university president.

On Sunday, the sounds of hammers and drills punctured the otherwise quiet downtown campus as protesters appeared to build items near the north entrance to the library, which had been defaced by graffiti. The south entrance, meanwhile, remained open to students, faculty and others, at the request of President Ann Cudd, who met with protesters Saturday.

Cudds response so far to the protesters stands in contrast to those of university presidents elsewhere in the country. The New York Times reported Sunday that campus protests against the war in Gaza have led to 800 arrests, from California to Massachusetts. Her response also shows that the location of a protest matters. The Park Blocks fall under the jurisdiction of Portland Parks & Recreation and city police, but the library entrance is PSU property.

A group attempting to occupy a portion of the South Park Blocks has refused to leave despite several warnings from @PDXParksandRec Rangers that the park closed at 9p. Officers are clearing the park now. Portland supports free speech activity when done lawfully!  Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) April 26, 2024

Protesters have scored other concessions from PSU officials in their stand against the Israel-Hamas war. On Friday, Cudd announced PSU would reexamine its philanthropic relationship with Boeing after student activists criticized the companys ties to the Israeli Air Force.

In an email to students and employees Sunday, PSU reiterated its support for free expression and the exchange of ideas.

The email added: The university endeavors to draw a bright line between protecting freedom of speech and activities including discrimination, harassment, intimidation, property damage and assault. We expect all of our campus community members to conduct themselves in ways that follow student and professional codes of conduct. This includes following all anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies.

No PSU student has been disciplined over their actions in connection with the protests, a spokesperson for the university said Sunday, when graffiti was also visible on library windows.

But campus officials also announced they will close the library Monday starting at noon in anticipation of a larger protest planned for the Park Blocks on Monday afternoon. Nearby university buildings will be accessible only to people with PSU badges.

 Beth Slovic is a deputy editor on the public safety and breaking news team. Reach her at 503-221-8551 or bslovic@oregonian.com.

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A necessary read for the girls, gays and theys and our allies as we navigate a rapidly changing, culturally fraught, complicated country where our bodies are constantly being legislated. Sign up for Honey today!

Americans are having fewer babies.

According to a newly published Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, 3.6 million babies were born in 2023, about 54.4 live births for every 1,000 women between the ages of 15 to 44. This is down by 2% from 2022 and the lowest its been in over a century.

Those who are having children are waiting longer to become parents. Per the report, the teen birth rate is at a record low of 13.2 births per 1,000 teens between 15 and 19. Birth rates were highest for women ages 30 to 34, and the only age group with an increased birth rate were women 40 and older, at 13 births for eber 1,000 women, though this is still the lowest of every age group.

The fertility rate has been trending down for years, but there was a mini baby boom during the pandemic which some economists believe is due to the rise in remote work, reports Axios. Experts say numerous factors play into this overall decrease.

The highest rates have, over time, been shifting towards women in their 30s whereas before it used to be with women in their 20s, said lead author Dr. Brady Hamilton, a statistician with the National Center for Health Statistics. One factor, of course, is the option to wait. We had a pandemic, or theres an economic downturn, lets say  women in their 20s can postpone having a birth until things improve and they feel more comfortable. For older women, the option of waiting is not as viable.

Economics plays a major role in peoples decision to forgo kids or wait later in life to start having them. NerdWallets 2024 Cost of Raising Children Report revealed many peoples decisions to not have children is driven by cost. About 31% of Americans under 60, including 38% of millennials who arent parents, say they dont plan to have kids because raising a child is too expensive. Additionally, of parents of minors who dont plan to have more children, 1 in 5 say its because the cost of raising kids is too high.

The cost of children looms large in the minds of both parents and prospective parents, making people think twice before growing their family, Kimberly Palmer, a NerdWallet personal finance expert told Parents. For many people, the cost of children is so high that they delay having kids, skip having them altogether, or have fewer children than they would have otherwise.

According to Forbes, in 2024 it costs $18,865 to give birth in the U.S., and according to research by LendingTree, the average cost of raising a child until theyre 18-years-old is $237,482. With an average salary of $59,384, most Americans cant afford another mouth to feed, especially considering the additional economic barriers and lack of supportive policies they face.

The average student debt per borrower is $37,088, according to the Education Data Initiative. As student loan debt rises, many borrowers struggle to reach what have been traditionally considered milestones such as purchasing a home and having children. Additionally, the U.S. lacks supportive policies, compared to other nations, surrounding affordable childcare and paid parental leave, making it difficult for parents to juggle work and family life.

The decision to have kids impacts us all. Heres why declining fertility rates matter:

Shrinking workforce

Plummeting fertility rates have led to American women now having 1.6 kids on average, below the 2.1 replacement rate which is needed to sustain the population, according to Vox. This shortage of people is pointing to a smaller workforce in the future, which experts say has the potential to further strain economic growth.

This is the issue of the future, because this is going to become the first-order issue for all kinds of industries in America, Lant Pritchett, a development economist and RISE Research director at Oxford Universitys Blavatnik School of Government, told Business Insider in May. They just wont be able to attract workers.

With an aging population and fewer people in the workforce to contribute to social programs such as Social Security and Medicare, the Social Security Office of Policy predicts financial challenges, with Social Security funds projected to be exhausted by 2040.

This lack of financial security is one of the reasons people are waiting longer to retire. Many elders simply cant afford to stop working, an issue projected to deepen as millennials and Gen Z age.

Need for more caregivers

Shifting age structures may cause issues for smaller families who might not have the support they need for childcare and eldercare. Though an aging population indicates that grandma will probably be around to meet her grandkids, she may be too frail to help.

As the age gap between individuals and their relatives widens, people will have family networks that are not just smaller, but also older, said Diego Alburez-Gutierrez, head of the Research Group Kinship Inequalities at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. While this could theoretically help ease the burden of childcare for parents, these (great-)grandparents may actually need care themselves.

Additionally, Congress Joint Economic Committee says that lower fertility rates means children have less siblings, or no siblings, which may shift our learned behaviors and social capital. According to the report, siblings are often a persons longest-lasting relationships, providing support, helping them gain interpersonal skills, and teaching kids to exhibit self-control.

Unbalanced power

Research by the Lancet published last month found shifts in global fertility, predicting that three-quarters of countries will not be able to sustain their population size by 2050.

The implications are immense, said Natalia Bhattacharjee, co-lead author of the study and lead research scientist at Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. These future trends in fertility rates and live births will completely reconfigure the global economy and the international balance of power  and will necessitate reorganizing societies.

Countries with growing populations may have a competitive edge in workforce development and innovation, leaving the U.S. potentially in a different position globally, and poorer countries, which are expected to see their birth rates double by the year 2100, in a stronger position to negotiate policies, according to experts from the Lancet study.
Join American Indian Programs & Services and the Gender + Equality Center 1-3 PM in the Five Moons Lounge on April 29th to honor and call for justice for missing and murdered Indigenous women. The event will feature speakers, free food, and resources.

Hosted by: Gender + Equality Center, Office of Student Life

Additional Information can be found at: https://ou.campuslabs.com/engage/event/10124170
A 14-year-old Florida teen accidentally shoots brother after finding an unsecured and stolen firearm.

The younger brother, Amir Williams, age 11, was killed at home when all of his siblings were at home with no guardian in sight.

Discovery of the Gun and Fatal Consequences

A 14-year-old Florida teen accidentally shoots his own brother after having underage gun access.

When the young teen found a gun and confessed to shooting his 11-year-old younger brother resulting in the fatal injury. Authorities revealed that the boy discovered the firearm in an alley near their residence.

On Friday, April 26, the St. Petersburg police department swiftly responded to a resident's house in the 1400 block of 43rd St. after receiving reports of a gunshot wound to an 11-year-old boy.

The boy, Amir Williams, age 11, died at the scene. The incident occurred while the children were at home during a school holiday, with their mother absent.

The older brother of Amir disclosed to investigators that he stumbled upon the gun, and no one else in the household was aware of its presence.

However, the police department had recorded that the gun used by the minors was a gun reported missing earlier in the week on April 24th in St. Petersburg.

Law enforcement officials are collaborating with prosecutors to assess potential criminal charges in connection with the stolen gun.

Unsupervised Access to Firearms Raises Concerns

In the United States, approximately 4.6 million minors reside in households with at least one loaded and unlocked firearm, despite many parents believing otherwise.

This accessibility poses significant risks as a substantial number of children are aware of the gun's location and can access it within a short period, even if their parents are unaware.

While 70% of parents believe that their adolescents cannot independently reach firearms at home, more than one-third of children from these households claim they can access the gun within five minutes.

Shockingly, a considerable number of these children handle firearms without their parents' knowledge, with nearly a quarter of parents unaware of such activities.

Household guns, being easily accessible to youth, contribute significantly to incidents such as school shootings, youth suicides, and accidental shooting deaths among children.

Research indicates that a significant proportion, between 70% and 90%, of guns involved in youth suicides, accidental shootings among children, and school shootings perpetrated by individuals under 18 are sourced from homes, relatives, or friends.

Numerous studies highlight the heightened risk of youth suicides and accidental shootings in homes where guns are kept loaded and/or unlocked, underscoring the urgent need for responsible firearm storage practices and awareness among parents and caregivers.

The continuous accidental fatality of children from guns are now being felt more nationwide. Thus, the call for responsible gun ownership to secure children inside the house and in any communal areas.

After this incident, numerous people are also advocating to teach younger children about gun safety and to educate on what to do in situations like finding a gun in places to avoid fatal incidents like this.

The loss of another young life by his own brother due to unsecured weapons shows the need for continued efforts to enhance gun safety practices and prevent similar incidents in the future, ensuring the well-being and safety of all individuals, particularly children.
I was pleasantly surprised to run into the core Interpreter Foundation filmmaking team  Mark Goodman, James Jordan, and Russ Richins, along with their frequent collaborator Rhett Fernsten  in the lobby of our hotel this morning. Theyve been down in Tennessee doing the final scene for Six Days in August, and I had somehow thought that they were going from there to Upper Canada Village, in Ontario. I was wrong, though: They are filming a few additional minutes at the Genesee Country Village and Museum, just outside of Rochester. It was fun to find out that theyre staying in the same hotel that we are. They report being very pleased with the footage that theyve recently generated.

We attended church this morning in the beautiful chapel that is stands near to the Palmyra New York Temple. Afterwards, we did some filming around the Frame Home on the Joseph Smith Family Farm there. and then we continued our work at the Peter Whitmer Farm near Fayette, New York. Steven C. Harper joined with Casey Griffiths and me for enjoyable filmed discussions in both Palmyra and Fayette. In Palmyra today, we spoke mainly about the experience of the Eight Witnesses, which occurred on or near the Smiths farm. In Fayette, we discussed the Three Witnesses, who saw the angel and the plates and other ancient artifacts  and heard the voice of God  somewhere on or near the Whitmer farm.

Its been another long and surprisingly exhausting day, and its getting late. So I think that I will share, here, three accounts taken from my recent reading of William J. Peters, with Michael Kinsella, At Heavens Door: What Shared Journeys to the Afterlife Teach about Dying Well and Living Better (New York and London: Simon and Schuster, 2022):

And then, as I was looking toward the window, I had this image of this golden light and Dad with his two brothers and his mom and their arms around each other, walking away, and he was looking back over his shoulder, like, Yeah, its okay. Im good. They were all young, and he was wearing his army uniform. It was interesting because the pictures that we have of his mother are all from when shes older. I remember that it struck me that I didnt know if I ever saw a picture of her at that age, but there she was. He always described her as being very careworn because of the multiple jobs and the economic stress. But she didnt look careworn, she looked healthy and happy. Dad had his arm around his brother Martin on one side and his mother on the other. And his brother Sam was on the other side, but they were all arm in arm, the four of them walking away. The whole scene was just like a movie, where theres this gold light, not super bright, but you could see its brighter there, and everybodys smiling and happy and there was a message of Okay, its time to go. (164, italics in the original)

The bright, golden light is a striking feature of the preceding account. Such light, described in pretty much those terms, is a very striking element in many near-death accounts. Often, the light is golden. Often, its perceived as white.

What Amelia saw was a woman walking toward what I thought was me. I didnt think she was coming toward Tom, because she just appeared. I watched her, and I thought, Shes a beautiful young woman. Shes so beautiful. And I remember thinking, I must remember this. I must remember this. I must remember that shes beautiful. She had a pale face and a sort of slightly pointy chin; her face was like a heart. Very pronounced cheekbones. She wasnt anybody I recognized. She had long, dark hair that was like what women wore in the seventies, a Joni Mitchell or someone like that. And I always leave this bit out, because I think people will think Im mad, but she was wearing like a gown. A proper gown in white. I think she mightve been holding something in her hand. . . . She was walking quickly, with purpose and with intent. She appeared solemn, strong, and wise. Then I looked at what she was walking through, and it was a tunnel. I find it really difficult to describe that tunnel, because it was dark. But there was light shining through it. If I looked at the walls of that tunnel, it wasnt brick or cement. It was like air. But it was solid. So the only way I can compare it to something is that it would be like a cloud. A dark storm cloud looks quite solid, but you can see the sun behind the cloud trying to break through, and when it does, you know the suns out. And thats what it felt like. Now that Ive read so many books on death, I know everyone talks about tunnels. But I hadnt read those books then. I was just reading normal books. And I remember seeing the tunnel and out of the corner of my eye, I could almost see this incredibly intense white light. And I knew that white light was really good. I knew everything was okay, because of this intense white light. (178-179)

Again, light. Light that somehow conveys goodness and safety. And, of course, the famous tunnel.

And now Im going to tell you the reason why I didnt answer the phone: because my soul had left my body. My soul was with my husband, and I am absolutely convinced of it. I have no scientific proof, but for me, its perfectly obvious. I found myself behind my husband, who is going up into the blue sky. And theres this feeling of perfect beatitude. It was perfect, perfect peace, kind of what I saw in his face when I walked into his room that morning. In this experience, I couldnt see his face exactly. It wasnt as if I could see my husband physically, but I was following him into the heavenly spheres, into blue light and white clouds. I dont know how high I was, but I was up there with him, and I kept following him and following him. And at one point, I made the decision to come back. Im sure I didnt actually have the choice; I think I had to come back. If I didnt, I would have to die. So I had the consciousness that if I continued to go with him, then that would be my end. There was no fear, I just said, I dont think I can go any further for the moment. Then I turned around, and it was as if I could see the earth from hundreds of thousands of kilometers from where I was. If youve ever studied the Old Masters, Hieronymus Bosch, or Brueghel in the Renaissance, they drew all kinds of weird things, horrible things on earth. I turned around, and I see the earth the way Ive never seen the earth in my entire life. I saw all this treason and treachery; it was almost like I was looking at hell, although I didnt think that at the time. . . . [I]t was absolute, perfect bliss, something I had never felt before and have never felt again. (188-189)

Posted from Rochester, New York
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***

Good Works Necessary for Salvation

For neither celibacy nor marriage avails anything without works, since even faith, which is specially characteristic of Christians, if it have not works, is said to be dead, . . . (Against Jovinianus, Bk. I, 11)

For when Peter, representing the Apostles, says to the Lord: [Matthew 19:27] Lo we have left all and followed you, the Lord answered him, [Luke 18:29-30] Verily I say unto you, there is no man that has left house or wife, or brethren, or parents, or children for the kingdom of Gods sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this time, and in the world to come eternal life. (Against Jovinianus, Bk. I, 26)

For if the woman is saved in child-bearing, . . . why did he add if they continue in faith and love and sanctification . . . ? [1 Tim 2:15] (Against Jovinianus, Bk. I, 27)

In vain do we make our boast in him whose commandments we keep not. To him that knows what is good, and does it not, it is sin. James 2:26 As the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. And we must not think it a great matter to know the only God, when even devils believe and tremble. He that says he abides in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. Our opponent may choose whichever of the two he likes; we give him his choice. Does he abide in Christ, or not? If he abide, let him then walk as Christ walked. But if there is rashness in professing to copy the virtues of our Lord, he does not abide in Christ, for he does not walk as did Christ. (Against Jovinianus, Bk. II, 2)

But, beloved, I am persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation. For it is not accordant with the righteousness of God to forget good works, . . . (Against Jovinianus, Bk. II, 3)

Lot also, Gods friend, whom He saved upon the mountain, who was the only one found righteous out of so many thousands . . .

(Letter 22: To Eustochium, 8)

What great power compassion has and what high rewards it is destined to win, the blessed Cyprian sets forth in an extensive work. It is proved also by the counsel of Daniel who desired the most impious of kings  had he been willing to hear him  to be saved by showing mercy to the poor. [Daniel 4:27] (Letter 66: To Pammachius, 5)

When in the gospel the apostles ask their Lord and Saviour what He will give to those who have left all for His sake, He tells them that they shall receive an hundredfold now in this time and in the world to come eternal life. [Mark 10:28-30] [Letter 108: To Eustochium, 3]

One who despairs of salvation can have no expectation of a judgment to come. For if he dreaded such, he would by doing good works prepare to meet his Judge. Let us hear what God says through Jeremiah, withhold your foot from a rough way and your throat from thirst and again shall they fall, and not arise? Shall he turn away, and not return? [Jeremiah 8:4] Let us hear also what God says by Isaiah: When you shall turn and bewail yourself, then shall you be saved, and then shall you know where you have hitherto been. We do not realize the miseries of sickness till returning health reveals them to us. So sins serve as a foil to the blessedness of virtue; and light shines more brightly when it is relieved against darkness. Ezekiel uses language like that of the other prophets because he is animated by a similar spirit. Repent, he cries, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies, says the Lord. [Ezekiel 18:30-32] Wherefore in a subsequent passage he says: As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked: but that the wicked turn from his way and live. [Ezekiel 33:11] These words show us that the mind must not through disbelief in the promised blessings give way to despair; and that the soul once marked out for perdition must not refuse to apply remedies on the ground that its wounds are past curing. (Letter 122: To Rusticus, 1)

In Egypt the monasteries make it a rule to receive none who are not willing to work; for they regard labour as necessary not only for the support of the body but also for the salvation of the soul. (Letter 125: To Rusticus, 11)

. . . that he may not be shut out by the bridegroom because being unprovided with the oil of good works his lamp has gone out. [Matthew 25:1-10] (Letter 125: To Rusticus, 20)

The same may be said of sanctification and of that chastity without which no man shall see the Lord. Each of these is a step on the upward way, yet none of them by itself will avail to win the virgins crown. The gospel teaches us this in the parable of the wise and foolish virgins; the former of whom enter into the bridechamber of the bridegroom, while the latter are shut out from it because not having the oil of good works they allow their lamps to fail. [Matthew 25:1-12] (Letter 130: To Demetrias, 11)

Baptismal Regeneration / Baptism & Salvation / Born Again

If it were possible for us to be always immersed in the waters of baptism, sins would fly over our heads and leave us untouched. The Holy Spirit would protect us. (Against the Pelagians, Bk. III, 1)

No sooner do they rise from the baptismal font, and by being born again and incorporated into our Lord and Saviour thus fulfil what is written of them, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered, than at the first communion of the body of Christ they say, Forgive us our debts, . . . (Against the Pelagians, Bk. III, 15)

If baptism makes a man new and creates a wholly new being, and if there is nothing of the old man held over in the new, that which once was in the old cannot be imputed to the new. (Letter 69: To Oceanus, 2)

All iniquities, we are told, are forgiven us at our baptism, and when once we have received Gods mercy we need not afterwards dread from Him the severity of a judge. The apostle says: And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. [1 Corinthians 6:11] All sins then are forgiven; it is an honest and faithful saying. (Letter 69: To Oceanus, 4)

What the true effect of baptism is, and what is the real grace conveyed by water hallowed in Christ, I will presently tell you . . . (Letter 69: To Oceanus, 5)

And it is to the grace of baptism that the prophecy of Micah refers: He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us: he will subdue our iniquities, and will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. [Micah 7:19] (Letter 69: To Oceanus, 6)

Time would fail me were I to try to lay before you in order all the passages in the Holy Scriptures which relate to the efficacy of baptism or to explain the mysterious doctrine of that second birth which though it is our second is yet our first in Christ. (Letter 69: To Oceanus, 7)

. . . baptism ensures the salvation of the child . . . (Letter 107: To Laeta, 6)

. . . regeneration through the baptismal laver, . . . (Letter 123: To Ageruchia, 11)

Of those engendered of the seed of Adam no man is born without sin, and it is necessary even for babes to be born anew in Christ by the grace of regeneration. (Letter 144: To Optatus, 9)

Infused Justification / Sanctification

Amongst other passages, Paul the Apostle writes to the Romans: [Romans 6:21-22] What fruit then had ye at that time in the things whereof you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end eternal life. I suppose too that the end of marriage is death. But the compensating fruit of sanctification, fruit belonging either to virginity or to continence, is eternal life. (Against Jovinianus, Bk. I, 37)

Working Together with God (Synergy)

God created us with free will, and we are not forced by necessity either to virtue or to vice. Otherwise, if there be necessity, there is no crown. As in good works it is God who brings them to perfection, for it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that pities and gives us help that we may be able to reach the goal: so in things wicked and sinful, the seeds within us give the impulse, and these are brought to maturity by the devil. (Against Jovinianus, Bk. II, 3)

We are agreed, then, that in good works, besides our own power of choice, we lean on the help of God; in evil works we are prompted by the devil. (Against the Pelagians, Bk. I, 2)

Now where there is grace, this is not given in return for works but is the free gift of the giver, so that the apostles words are fulfilled: it is not of him that wills nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy. [Romans 9:16] And yet it is ours to will and not to will; and all the while the very liberty that is ours is only ours by the mercy of God. (Letter 130: To Demetrias, 12)

Since our wills are free, they argue, we are no longer dependent upon God; and they forget the Apostles words what have you that thou did not receive? Now if you received it why do you glory as if you had not received it? [1 Corinthians 4:7] A nice return, truly, does a man make to God when to assert the freedom of his will he rebels against Him! For our parts we gladly embrace this freedom, but we never forget to thank the Giver; knowing that we are powerless unless He continually preserves in us His own gift. As the apostle says, it is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy. [Romans 9:16] To will and to run are mine, but they will cease to be mine unless God brings me His continual aid. For the same apostle says it is God which works in you both to will and to do. [Philippians 2:13] And in the Gospel the Saviour says: my Father works hitherto and I work. [John 5:17] He is always a giver, always a bestower. It is not enough for me that he has given me grace once; He must give it me always. I seek that I may obtain, and when I have obtained I seek again. (Letter 133: To Ctesiphon, 6)

Human Beings Helping Cause Others to be Saved

For me, too, I feel sure, she makes intercession and asks God to pardon my sins in return for the warnings and advice that I bestowed on her, when to secure her salvation I braved the ill will of her family. (Letter 39: To Paul, 7)

Another would perhaps describe how for his salvation you left the east and the desert and how you soothed me your dearest comrade by holding out hopes of a return: and all this that you might save, if possible, both your sister, then a widow with one little child, or, should she reject your counsels, at any rate your sweet little nephew. (Letter 60: To Heliodorus, 9)

Not content with assuring her own salvation she has sought yours also, in former days at home and now in the holy places. (Letter 122: To Rusticus, 1)

. . . yet you will not follow her when her salvation leads you to the threshold of the faith! P. . . your fellow-servant who daily sighs for your salvation and never despairs of it. While you are wandering about your own country . . . she is interceding for you in the venerable spots which witnessed the nativity, crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, and in the first of which He uttered His infant-cry. She draws you to her by her prayers that you may be saved, if not by your own exertions, at any rate by her faith. (Letter 122: To Rusticus, 4)

Falling Away from Salvation (Apostasy)

Therefore I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway. [1 Corinthians 9:27] If Paul is afraid, which of us can venture to be confident? If David the friend of God and Solomon who loved God were overcome like other men, if their fall is meant to warn us and their penitence to lead us to salvation, who in this slippery life can be sure of not falling? (Letter 79: To Salvina, 7)

. . . without the gift of grace afterwards received and kept they cannot be saved. (Letter 85: To Paulinus, 2)

It is better to lose a portion of ones substance than to imperil the salvation of ones soul. It is better to lose that which some day, whether we like it or not, must be lost to us and to give it up freely, than to lose that for which we should sacrifice all that we have. . . . the sinner must not despair of salvation nor the righteous man rest secure in his virtue. (Letter 123: To Ageruchia, 15)

*

***

Summary: I compile writings from St. Jerome (c. 343-420) which substantiate his opposition to the novel 16th century Protestant innovation of faith alone.
After installing Windows 11, you should check some settings and adapt them to your needs and streamline its use. Here, well show you the 13 most important Windows 11 settings to adjust that maximize security and improve the operating system with just a few clicks.

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This article is based on Windows 11 version 23H2, the most recent major version of the operating system. Most of the settings can also be implemented in Windows 10 and older Windows 11 versions and work in the same way in Windows 11 version 24H2, this years upcoming update.

Customize Explorer  show file extensions and drives

Windows has been hiding known file extensions for years by default. This is initially annoying because it means that the correct file name is not displayed in full. There is also the security risk. For example, the file important-document.doc.exe is displayed as important-document.doc, in this case because Windows simply hides the file extension exe.

This turns an executable file, such as malware/ransomware, into an unsuspicious Word document at first glance. You can quickly work around the problem by activating View > Show > File name extensions in Explorer.

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You can also find the setting in other Windows versions in the Folder Options > View under Hide extensions for known file types. In this case, you must deactivate the option.

In the folder options, you can also select the option This PC within the General tab under Open File Explorer for. In this case, Explorer starts with the view of the drives, not with the rarely desired Start view. You can also open the Start view with a single click on Start in the top left-hand corner.

After updating to Windows 11 or installing the operating system, you should first go to Windows Update in the settings. You should first make sure that the message You are up to date appears in the upper area. Click on Check for updates and make sure that all updates are installed. Windows also updates the malware protection definition files in this way.

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It can also be useful to activate the option Get the latest updates as soon as they are available. This ensures that your Windows system receives updates faster than other users. Microsoft distributes many updates in waves. If you activate this option, you can get ahead of the waves, but be warned that riding the bleeding-edge of updates leaves you more open to potential bugs.

In addition, click on Advanced options and activate Receive updates for other Microsoft products. This will ensure that the other Microsoft software on your PC (like Office, Edge, and the Xbox app) are always up to date.

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At this point, it may also be useful to specify when you work on the PC under Active hours. This ensures that Windows does not start within this time after installing updates.

Important: Optimize malware protection settings for drivers

After installing Windows 11, open the Windows Security app from the Start menu. You should see a green icon with a tick next to all settings. If this is not the case, check the area by clicking on the relevant icon.

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For Device security, you should ensure that the Memory integrity option is activated in Core isolation > Core isolation details. This prevents successful attacks by malware. If this option cannot be deactivated, this is due to an outdated and therefore insecure driver.

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You should also ensure that Microsoft blacklist of vulnerable drivers is activated. This allows you to block insecure drivers that attackers can use to introduce malware onto the system.

Important: Adjust virus and threat protection

In the Windows Security app, you should switch to Virus and threat protection after installation. Click on Manage settings under Virus and threat protection settings and make sure that all options are switched on here, primarily Real-time protection, Cloud-based protection, and Automatic transmission of samples.

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It is also important that you ensure that the security information for Virus and threat protection updates is up-to-date. Use Protection updates and then Check for updates to update them directly.

If you are using external virus protection, these adjustments are not necessary as this deactivates the internal virus protection in Windows.

Check Windows activation

In the settings, you will find the option to check whether Windows is activated via System > Activation. Without activation, the operating system will stop working after a while and many settings will not be available. Here you can see whether the activation is working and, if necessary, you can use Change to re-enter your product key for Windows 10 or Windows 11.

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Are all drivers installed?

Use the command devmgmt.msc, which you enter in the search field of the taskbar, to see whether all drivers are installed for all existing devices on the PC. If unknown or other devices are still displayed here, you should obtain the latest driver from the manufacturer and install it.

Professionals still activate drive encryption

On notebooks in particular, you should ensure that you use Bitlocker for drive encryption. To do this, enter bitlocker in the search field of the taskbar and activate the protection.

Bitlocker is available in Windows 11 Pro and Enterprise. Bitlocker isnt available in Windows 11 Home, alas, but you can use device encryption instead. This can be found in the Windows 11 settings.

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This article was translated from German to English and originally appeared on pcwelt.de.
President of the College of Counselling and Psychology (CCP), Rev. Prof. Samuel Oheneba-Dornyo has admonished graduands to go out there to heal a hurting world.



In a speech he delivered at the 9th Graduation Ceremony, themed "Healing a Hurting People: The Role of Professional Counsellors and held at Haatso, Accra, Friday, 26th April, 2024, he noted that the world is in a difficult state and the cardinal merit of training counsellors is to provide healing and direction for a hurting world.



The College President shared that the vision of the college is to be a world-class institution for training Professional Counsellors who can heal a hurting world with a mission to educate and develop the talents and skills of individuals to become Professional Counsellors, emphasising the use of modern scientific tools and cutting-edge innovative training in a traditional lecture form, distance learning, a virtual campus model and practical attachment under supervision.



In recounting the historical trajectory of the school, he noted that it started at Cantonments in Accra as International Theological Seminary in 1998, training Ministers of the Gospel and Christian Counsellors. In 2004, the school initiated the journey towards accreditation from the National Accreditation Board (NAB) of the Ministry of Education (GES).



"Accreditation is a long process of meeting stringent requirements for educational assurance, quality, and high standards of excellence," stated Prof. Oheneba-Dornyo, highlighting that in 2013 they received institutional authorization and were asked to seek affiliation. "We gained affiliation with the Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon in the year 2014," emphasized the President of CCP.



Currently, according to Rev. Oheneba-Dornyo, the school has received Accreditation and submitted the Post Graduate Diploma and a Master of Arts in Counseling Programs to the Ghana Tertiary Education Council (GTEC). The College is awaiting certification for these programs to roll soon. "This is how far God has brought us," stated an elated school President.



In order to push the school to the next level, it continues to subscribe annually to the world's most exhaustive E-Library, where students have access to over 5000 uploaded books, articles, and journals in Counselling Psychology as well as other related fields of study.



Since the year 2014, according to Prof. Oheneba-Dornyo, the College has trained at the Executive Certificate level, over 1000 Counsellors at the Lay and Para-professional levels. "The cream of our students are Evangelicals, Catholics, Pentecostals, Charismatics, and Muslims, cutting across different professions such as Ministers of the Gospel, Medical Doctors, Human Resource Managers, Engineers, Soldiers, the Police, Immigration, Fire Service, and Customs etc."



The President of CCP revealed they have students in all the regions of Ghana as well as those coming from other countries including Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Rwanda, Gambia, USA, UAE, Uganda, UK, and Canada, among others.



In examining the legal framework that governs counselling in Ghana, Rev. Oheneba-Dornyo hinted that, with the passage of Act 857 of the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act 2013 by the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, it established the Ghana Psychology Council (GPC) with its mandate of supervising the practice of applied psychology/Counselling.



Since the year 2016, the College of Counselling and Psychology has received its accreditation from the GPC to run its courses.



The special guest of honour for the occasion was Okatakyie Ababio Boakye Danquah II, Honorary Consul, Consulate of Jamaica, Managing Partner, Minka-Premo, Osei-Bonsu, Bruce-Cathline & Partners and current Chairman of National Communications Authority.



The other special guests included, the Rev. Prof. Johnson Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, President, Trinity Theological Seminary, Legon; Dr. Sampson Atiemo, Chairman of the Governing Council and Members of Council, the College of Counselling and Psychology; Dame (Dr) Mrs. Mary Anane-Mensah, Ag. Registrar of the College of Counselling and Psychology (CCP); Ms. Anna Plange, Ag. Registrar of the Ghana Psychology Council (GPC) and Mr. Frank Owiredu-Yeboa, the Executive Secretary of Ghana Academy of Christian Counsellors (GACC) were present to grace the occasion.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Electricity supplies have been restored to Sierra Leone following weeks of power cuts, after it paid off part of the $48m (38m) bill it owed to a Turkish company.



The $18m payment came as the country's energy minister resigned, saying he took full responsibility for the crisis.



Most electricity supplies to the capital, Freetown, come from a Turkish ship anchored off the countrys coast.



Last week, Karpowership said it had severely cut supplies to the city - from 60 megawatts to 6 megawatts - because of the unpaid bills, but the disruption has been going on for far longer.



Residents of the country's main cities have been going for days on end without any power and hospitals have also been affected.



The Reuters news agency quotes a doctor as saying that at least one infant has died because of a lack of power, while medics have been using mobile phones to provide light as they carry out procedures.



Before supplies were restored, Fatmata Gassim, a second-year engineering student in Freetown, told the BBC's What in the World podcast of her frustration at the lack of power.



"How do you iron your clothes, how do you make your food, how do you go to sleep? We pay our electricity bills so I dont see why we should be forced to live like this, she said.



Following the resignation of Kanja Sesay, the office of President Julius Maada Bio said the energy ministry would now fall under the direct supervision of the president.



Karpowership previously cut supplies to Sierra Leone in September over unpaid bills.



It is one of the world's biggest floating power plant operators, with several African states relying on it for electricity.



In October, it briefly cut power to Guinea-Bissau, saying it had no option "following a protracted period of non-payment".



The power ships work by converting gas into electricity, which is then fed into the national grid.



Although access to electricity has increased in sub-Saharan Africa in recent years, it still remains low, with more than 50% of the region's population having no grid connection, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad).

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party for the 2024 general elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia will from Monday, 29th April to 10th May 2024 begin his regional campaign tour ahead of the upcoming 7th December general polls to sell his campaign message to the electorate nationwide.



The Vice President will start from the Eastern Region, commencing the tour from Akropong and round up the day tour in Koforidua the regional capital.



He will engage chiefs, student unions, market women, the Muslim communities, and the clergy as well as inspecting and commissioning some of the government projects in the region.



Dr. Bawumia will on 2nd May storm the Western Region, 3rd May Western North, 7th May the Ahafo region, 8th May Bono and end the first phase tour in the Ashanti Region respectively.



Dr Bawumia has explained that he wants to be the next President because he has a vision for Ghana by transforming it through a digitalization agenda, creating more jobs, continuing investing in human capital development, building systems, embracing the 4th Industrial Revolution, and diversifying the economy.



According to him A country that offers sustainable jobs with meaningful pay and is positioned as a major player in the global digital revolution. I firmly believe that Ghana can become a leader in digital innovation and achieve the economic growth and development that our people deserve. To do this, we need to continue investing in human capital development, build systems, embrace the 4th Industrial Revolution, and diversify our economy.



Dr Bawumia also explained that Ghanas successful digitalization drive has addressed some of the basic system challenges that have stunted our economic growth, and I am determined to do more. I have faced challenges in my efforts to digitalize Ghana, with some doubters dismissing my innovations as impossible to implement. However, I have persisted in my mission to overcome these obstacles and have successfully spearheaded Ghanas digitalization drive.



As a nation, we must channel our energies into building a kind of country that assures a safe, prosperous, and dignified future for all Ghanaians. We need leadership that is grounded in sacrifice, loyalty, inclusion, hard work, integrity, compassion, humility, and accessibility.

These values have guided my public service, and they will continue to guide me as your flagbearer and eventually as the President of the Republic of Ghana come 7th January 2025, he said this on the day he was elected as the flagbearer of the NPP.



I am not asking for your vote because of my ethnic, regional, or religious background. I am asking for your vote because I am a competent and capable leader who has a track record of delivering results. The flagbearership of the NPP is an opportunity for us to consolidate our gains across the country, increase our support base, and continue the great work of our tradition for the people of Ghana.



As a flagbearer of the NPP, I will work to secure votes in our non-traditional areas while maintaining our strongholds. I have demonstrated that throughout the 2012, 2016, and 2020 elections, he told Ghanaians.



He further underscored that the NPP is a party that values competence and leadership, and by supporting me, you will send a strong message to the NDC that we will not be swayed by their attempts to attack me, our tradition, our party, or our record. I am committed to building a brighter future for all Ghanaians, and I need your support to make it happen.



The 2024 Flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party, will be accompanied by his National Campaign Team, the National Executives of the party, Ministers of State, as well as some Members of Parliament in the various regions to be visited.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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Telecel, an Africa-focused telecommunications company, has officially introduced its brand in an exciting market launch in Adum - Kumasi.



This follows the main brand unveiling in Accra in March 2024



Telecel Ghanas brand presence in the Ashanti Region underscores the mobile operators commitment to being a key player in the socio-economic development of the people in the region.



Hon. Sam Pyne the Mayor of Kumasi, who welcomed Telecel on behalf of the Regional Minister highlighted the significant role of telecommunications in all critical sectors of development such as agriculture, education, health, and entrepreneurship and shared his optimism that the presence of Telecel in the country will spur development.



"Telecel Ghana's investment in our region promises to enhance our connectivity and empower our people economically and socially and I am happy about the potential growth of local businesses. he said.



Ing. Patricia Obo-Nai, Chief Executive Officer of Telecel Ghana, reiterated the company's commitment to the region with a focus on the provision of digital innovations and affordable telecommunication services to meet the growing needs of Ghanaians.



"I am excited about how Kumasi has received our brand. With the strong backbone of Telecel's advanced technology and customer-centric services, Telecel Ghana is poised to bring unmatched connectivity and innovative solutions to the Ashanti region and beyond." she stated.



The Telecel Group, which operates in over 20 African countries, entered the Ghanaian market in February 2023 by acquiring a 70% majority stake in Ghana Telecommunication Company Limited (GTCL).







Source: Peacefmonline com









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The Electoral Commission (EC) has said that, through their innovations, they have saved the country a whooping ninety million United States Dollars ($90m).



According to the Electoral Commission, the election cost per person from thirteen USD ($13) to seven USD, seventy cents ($7.70)



The Electoral Commission, in a press release dated 17th April, 2024, in an attempt to dismissed allegations by the former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, stated that, the commission has gone through innovative cycle to mitigate the old traditions of electoral processes.



"The history of Ghanas electoral process is one that shows improvements in every election cycle. Indeed, for most voters who have had voting experience under the 4th Republic, the 2020 elections provided the best voting experience, with shorter queues and even shorter time spent going through the voting process. Additionally, the commission reduced the cost of election from thirteen US Dollars ($13) to seven US dollars seventy cents per person and saved the nation a whooping ninety US$90 million."



The Electoral Commission stated that through its innovative policies, for the first time in the history of Ghana, the Election was fully funded by the Government of Ghana.



The Electoral Commission stated that the commission succeeded in registering 17 million persons in 38 days in a COVID environment and during a rainy season as part of their innovative policies.



Former President, John Mahama, during an interview at the London School of Economics and Political Science, took a swipe at the Electoral commission stating that the commission has recruited NPP members to be returning officers which according to him, is an indictment on the credibility of elections in Ghana especially ahead of the December 7 general elections.



The former President noted that, the commission must be innovative in their operations but the Electoral Commission, in their response, have reiterated that the new administration of the EC officials, have championed an innovative cause that has saved Ghana huge sums of money thereby making the commission a sought after within the African continent.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Police have accused a Catholic priest in Montgomery County of stealing over $40,000 from a Chester County parish in order to fund his addiction to cell phone games.

The Rev. Lawrence Kozak, 51, of Pottstown, has been charged with theft and related crimes, according to reports from 6ABC and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Officials said that an accountant working at St. Thomas More Church in Pottstown discovered a number of Apple transactions on credit card statements in 2022. The ID used to make these purchases was registered to Kozak, the Inquirer said.

Those expenses went towards such mobile phone games as Wizard of Oz slots, Candy Crush Saga, Cash Frenzy, Mario Kart Tour, and Pokemon Go, police said.

Investigators later found that Kozaks Amazon account had used the parishs credit card to buy a backpack, an Amazon Fire tablet, and a childrens chemistry set, all of which were sent to Kozaks goddaughters home.

When interviewed by police, Kozak said he was seeking counseling for his gaming addiction. He also initially denied that he used the parish credit cards for those purchases, although he later conceded he could have used them accidentally, the Inquirer reported.

The business manager for St. Thomas More, however, told authorities she had asked Kozik about unexplained purchases on credit card statements and warned him about mixing personal and business expenses.

Kozak has been removed from his position and was placed on administrative leave in November 2022, according to a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
Jack Osbourne revealed there was a time he was near death after contracting leptospirosis, a bacterial disease caused by rat urine.

During the April 23 episode of The Osbournes Podcast, he and his sister Kelly Osbourne, along with parents Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, discussed their near-death experiences.

I got leptospirosis, which is just like a crazy viral disease. Yeah, that sucked, the 38-year-old said. Id gone and done some filming in a place called Bario in Malaysia, and we were doing a jungle track. I got really sick when I got out of the jungle but it took about two weeks.

Per the Cleveland Clinic, a person can contract leptospirosis after getting water or soil contaminated by animal pee (urine) in your nose, your mouth, your eyes or a break in your skin. The disease can cause flu-like symptoms that can worsen into Weils syndrome, a life-threatening illness, in a small number of people.

After leaving Malaysia, Jack Osbourne went on to say that while he was on a trip in Lapland, Finland, he began experiencing symptoms. I got really sick up there I literally was dying. This wasnt like a fake thing, he said.

After getting medevaced to a university hospital in Helsinki, he revealed he had to get flown to London due to the language barrier.

At this point, Im like five days into my body legitimately shutting down and Im lying in this bed, I havent eaten, my kidneys and liver are like going into failure and Im like, Uh, Im [expletive] losing it.

Jack Osbourne went on to explain that he had six doctors and none of them were able to diagnose him and he even panicked because of other possible diagnoses such as malaria and HIV.

Fortunately, the head of tropical diseases for the NHS (National Health Service) was able to properly diagnose his illness.

I had Weils disease, which is leptospirosis, Jack said. I got it because Ive got leech bites on the bottom of my feet. I was swimming and bathing in a river and we were climbing on rocks and jumping into this jungle river and I stepped in a puddle on this boulder and it had rats piss in it.

For humans, leptospirosis can cause a wide range of symptoms, including high fever, chills, vomiting and jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), to name a few. Some infected persons may not experience any symptoms at all. If left untreated, the disease can lead to kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, or death, according to the CDC.

Leptospirosis is treated with antibiotics, such as doxycycline or penicillin, which the CDC states should be given early.
Talk about a disturbance in the neighborhood.

Who knew the source of it would be coming from underground invaders?

In one South Carolina county, the emerging cicadas are so loud that residents are grabbing their phones and dialing 911 to inquire about why they are hearing sirens or a loud roar.

The thing is these buzzing insects are coming out in droves, due to an unusual synchronized natural phenomenon -- a mating ritual that occurs once every 221 years is happening between two broods of insects. Their mating call can reach up to 100 decibels and can be as loud as a subway train, depending on where in the United States you reside.

This seems to be the case for the fed-up South Carolina residents -- the insects are so loud that the sheriffs office reported receiving many 911 calls about the noise.

The Newberry County Sheriffs Office sent out a message on Facebook on April 23, informing residents that the loud sound is just the male cicadas singing to attract their female counterparts after more than a decade of being dormant.

Some people have even flagged down deputies to inquire about the noise, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster told Huff Post.

The medium to large insects have also been spotted in North Carolina and Illinois.

Trillions of red-eyed periodical cicadas are emerging from underground in the eastern U.S. this month, and the broods emerging are on 13- or 17-year cycles.

The collective noise the insects make can be as loud as jet engines, so scientists who study them resort to wearing earmuffs to protect their hearing.

Although to some, the noise is annoying, they pose no danger to humans or pets, Foster wrote in a post to county residents. Unfortunately, it is the sounds of nature.
The massive fire that broke out early Saturday morning at an abandoned factory in Stewartstown, York County, caused only minimal damage to other buildings and couldve been much worse, according to the fire chief who oversaw the response.

In a letter to the community posted on Facebook late Saturday, Eureka Volunteer Fire Department Chief Todd Gibney said the response was a huge win given that firefighters had anticipated much more damage to the surrounding community.

Fire companies were called to the vacant furniture factory  a heavy timber and brick building constructed around 1900, according to Gibney  around 2 a.m. Saturday. The propertys footprint is 82,500 square feet, the fire chief wrote, with the three-story building creating nearly a quarter-million square feet of structure.
Two people have been charged after a missing womans remains was found nearly two weeks ago in an abandoned western Pennsylvania building.

State police said Friday that they had charged Shawn Dedominicis, 35, and Karissa Brewer, 32, with abuse of a corpse related to the death of RiKiah Griffie, a 25-year-old who was last seen in Aliquippa, Beaver County, in October 2022.
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Donald Nimneh Sets His Sights on the WSOP Main Event After RGPS Victory

Kirk Brown Live Reporter Copy link

A total of 648 players tried their luck in The $700 RunGood Poker Series Destination: Council Bluffs Main Event at The Horseshoe Casino. That tally created a prize pool worth $372,600 that only 80 players were lucky enough to see any piece of.

After the dust cleared, it was Omaha local Donald Nimneh who stood atop the heap, a sum of $69,546 his for the taking, adorned with an RGPS ring.

Oh, Im very excited, he said as he marveled at his hefty payday, as it is his biggest tournament score, aside from a big mystery bounty pull at the Wynn a few years back. According to The Hendon Mob, his biggest cash was from two years ago in this same building for a sixth-place finish in the 2022 RunGood Contender Series Main Event for $15,901!

Nimneh is of Libyan heritage but was originally from Rhode Island until he moved to Omaha some years ago. And it wasn't until he got to the Midwest that he discovered the great game of poker.

Yes, I used to watch WPT (World Poker Tour) on TV and online, and I would try to do some of those things here in the cash games, but that was before I realized they are two very different games! I am much better at tournaments and a terrible cash player!

Nimneh is currently a truck driver who travels all over hauling beef, corn, and other midwestern goods while he also pursues his poker passion. When asked about plans for WSOP, he said he is definitely going to be there, playing the mystery bounty and then coming back for his first shot at the WSOP Main Event!

RGPS Council Bluffs Main Event Final Table Results

Rank Player Prize 1 Donald Nimneh $69,546 2 Stefan Kegley $48,758 3 Tyler Klumb $31,403 4 Stephen Moy $22,710 5 Jon Gibbs $17,427 6 David Fager $13,999 7 Mike Vanier $11,633 8 Scott Buller $9,270 9 Adam Bacome $6,956

Action on the Day

It did not take long for the players to start dropping. Many accomplished players saw their days end earlier than their hopes as players like Brian Winter (60th-$1,218), Taylor Howard (46th-$1,427), Greg Raymer (40th - $1,613) Jared Ward (28th-$1,837), and Blair Hinkle (14th - $4,583). Even the Day 1 chipleader, Nick Barksdale, met his end after running up a monster stack throughout the day but lost several big flips in a row and ultimately busted in 15th place for $4,583. The last player to fall before the final table was Daryl Oppelt, who moved all in on the river of a paired board with seven-high but was called by Mike Vanier with two-pair after a three-minute tank. Oppelt collected $5,725 for his efforts, and the final nine players took their seats.

Final Table Action

RGPS Council Bluffs Final Table

It did not take too long to see the first casualty of the final table. On the very first hand, Adam Bacome moved all in with ace-king against the pocket tens of Vanier. Failing to improve, Bacome was the first casualty at the final table, exiting in ninth place for $6,956.

Scott Buller was the next one out the door after a few hands had passed. He had just lost a huge pot to Stephen Moy when his nines were cracked by ace-ten, and he moved all in for just a few big blinds with king-six offsuit and was called by David Fager with ace-king. An ace appeared on the flop and the rest was history, sending him to the exit in eighth place for $9,270.

Soon after Bullers exit, Vanier met a similar fate. He was cruising at the top of the chip counts for almost a full level until he lost a few big hands in a row, the biggest one when he called Stephen Moys shove on a ten-high board with pocket eights. Moy, however, held ten-three for top pair, which held through the runout to score him a huge double and left Vanier short. Vanier then moved all in with ace-queen and was called by none other than Moy to put him at risk with pocket fives. A five on the flop spelled the end for Vanier, and he was sent to the cage in 7th place for $11,633.

The next two eliminations came back-to-back when short-stacked Fager fell to Tyler Klumb when his king-five was bested by queen-seven on a queen-high flop. Immediately after, Jon Gibbs shoved with king-queen and was called by Nimneh, who called with eight-five offsuit. Both a queen and an eight appeared on the flop, but the turn was brutal as it came a five to give Nimneh two-pair and the river bricked to eliminate Gibbs in fifth place.

In fourth place, Moy hit the chopping block. He was left with under ten big blinds after doubling up Stefan Kegley and moved in with nine-seven offsuit against the king-jack of Klumb. A jack appeared on the flop to give Klumb a big lead, and the runout changed nothing, making Moy the fourth-place finisher.

After a quick break and around 10 minutes of three-handed play, Klumb and Nimneh got involved in a big pot that ultimately resulted in a shove from Klumb on a king-high flop and a snap-call from Nimneh. Klumb held king-four for the top pair, but Nimneh held pocket aces for the lead. The board failed to improve Klumb, and he was thus sent out in third for a nice payout of $31,403.

Stefan Kegley

Nimneh and Kegley then went to battle heads-up, with Nimneh holding a 5-1 chip lead, but there was plenty of back-and-forth action between the two for a solid 15 minutes. It ultimately ended after Kegley was ground down to around 10 big blinds, and he got it all in with pocket nines versus the jack-ten of Nimneh. The flop came nine-high, which was a dream for Kegley, but it quickly turned into a nightmare as the runout of queen-king gave Nimneh a runner-runner straight for the win. With that, Kegley was eliminated as the tournaments runner-up for $48,758, while Nimneh was crowned the champion and awarded the first-place prize of $69,546 and the RunGood ring.

Well, thats it for the RGPS Destination: Council Bluffs stop, but be sure to tune in next week for all the action in St. Louis at Hollywood Casino! As always, keep a tab open on PokerNews for everything poker!

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Will Patrik Antonius Win 2 Million in Monaco?

Richard Hayes Live Reporter Copy link

Day 2 of the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Monte Carlo 100,000 EPT Super High Roller has concluded here at Sporting Monte-Carlo, with nine players returning for Day 3 to battle it out for the title.

The event attracted a total of 72 entries, comprising some of the biggest names in poker, and generating a prize pool of 6,985,440 with 11 places being paid and a minimum cash good for 174,600.

Finnish poker legend Patrik Antonius leads the way, looking to add to his EPT Baden Main Event win in 2005, and is closely followed by Spanish crusher Juan Pardo and British phenom Ben Heath.

Final Table Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Counts Big Blinds 1 Patrik Antonius Finland 3,940,000 65 2 Juan Pardo Spain 3,400,000 56 3 Ben Heath United Kingdom 2,480,000 41 4 Christoph Vogelsang Germany 2.390,000 39 5 Byron Kaverman United States 2,085,000 34 6 David Yan New Zealand 1,425,000 23 7 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom 1,095,000 18 8 Jean-Noel Thorel France 775,000 12 9 Alex Kulev Bulgaria 425,000 7

Day 2 Action

29 players navigated their way through Day 1, with Jacob Amsellem leading the way, and they were joined by 15 Day 2 entrants, including Antonius, Maher Nouira, Conor Beresford and Roman Hrabec, to bring the field at the start of Day 2 to 44 players.

Nouiras second bullet was unfortunately a short one, as he was the first player to bust Day 2.

Amsellem's tilt at the title would start to go south after running into the set of David Yan and he would not make the money.

Defending champion Alex Kulev was among the chip leaders at the start of Day 2 and he made a strong start, leading the way after the first break and eliminating Steve O'Dwyer after winning a race. He remains in the running for back-to-back titles but comes into the final table as the short stack.

Alex Kulev

The knockouts came relatively fast at the beginning of the day, but slowed down considerably once around 20 players were remaining, with players such as Dan Smith, Lewis Spencer and Joao Vieira departing before the final two tables.

Mikita Badziakouski lost a flip against Nick Petrangelo to bust shortly before the money, and Aleksejs Ponakovs and Orpen Kisacikoglu also departed at this stage.

Mike Watson was the unfortunate player to bust on the bubble, after missing his flush draw versus Jean-Noel Thorel's top pair.

Pardo then eliminated Justin Bonomo in a battle of the blinds, while Byron Kaverman would send Petrangelo to the rail in tenth after his pocket eights held in a flip.

Mike Watson

All players at the final table are guaranteed a minimum payout of 218,300, and the champion will be taking home the princely sum of 1,967,440.

Final Table payouts

Place Payout 1 1,967,440 2 1,269,300 3 906,700 4 697,500 5 536,500 6 426,500 7 341,200 8 272,800 9 218,300

Day 3 will begin at 12.30 p.m. local time on Monday, April 29th and will be streamed on a 30-minute delay by PokerStars beginning at 1 p.m. PokerNews coverage will also be on a 30-minute delay in order to correspond with the stream.

Action resumes with 60-minute levels at Level 19 with blinds of 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 big blind ante.

Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for all your coverage of what is guaranteed to be a thrilling conclusion to the event.

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13th Bullet a Charm? Shaun Deeb Needs 8th Place Finish Just to Profit in Texas Poker Open

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

Should Shaun Deeb finish in ninth place, which pays $40,000 in the $3,300 buy-in Texas Poker Open Main Event, the East Coast poker pro would actually lose money.

The tournament at Champions Club, one of the top Texas poker rooms and is co-owned by Phil Hellmuth, attracted 735 entries, most of which were Deeb (partially joking).

Can Poker Star Finish in 8th Place?

Heading into Sunday's Day 2 session in Houston, 86 players returned from the eight Day 1 starting flights. Many big name pros bagged chips, including Andrew Lichtenberger (185,000), Ryan Riess (242,000), Dan Sepiol (250,000), Josh Arieh (581,000), and numerous others.

On Day 1f, Deeb found a bag on his 13th bullet, finishing the session with 907,000 chips, making him among the big stacks. Daniel Holmes finished that day with the chip lead at 1,365,000.

Deeb is in for $42,900, which means he'll need a final table appearance just to get his money back. Ninth place pays $40,000, slightly below his tournament investment. But an eighth place finish would do the trick as it pays $52,000. Somewhere, Norman Chad is busy writing up an anti-unlimited rebuy tweet.

The winner is set to collect $400,000 in the PokerGO Tour event. Day 2 is currently underway and available on the PokerGO YouTube channel. Erik Seidel and Michael Wang were among those seated at the televised feature table at the time of publishing.

When this article went to publish, 58 players remained  $7,500 guaranteed minimum payout. Sepiol, Jeff Platt, and Aashir Aggarwal were among those who have been felted on Day 2.

Deeb continues to make headlines in 2024 ahead of the World Series of Poker (WSOP). He's leaner and in shape now following a $1 million body fat loss prop bet win against Bill Perkins, which he wrapped up in February via a buyout. And now his pockets are going to be a bit thinner if he doesn't finish in eighth place at Champions Club.

The six-time bracelet winner will once again be among the favorites to win the WSOP Player of the Year award this summer, and of course the likely highest bid in the $25k WSOP Fantasy Draft, which takes place May 27 in Las Vegas.

Shaun Deeb Weighs in on Prop Bet Win

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Day 2 of the 2024 PokerStars European Poker Tour Monte Carlo 100,000 EPT Super High Roller has concluded here at Sporting Monte-Carlo, with nine players returning for Day 3 to battle it out for the title.

The event attracted a total of 72 entries, comprising some of the biggest names in poker, and generating a prize pool of 6,985,440 with 11 places being paid and a minimum cash good for 174,600.

Finnish poker legend Patrik Antonius leads the way, looking to add to his EPT Baden Main Event win in 2005, and is closely followed by Spanish crusher Juan Pardo and British phenom Ben Heath.

Final Table Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Counts Big Blinds 1 Patrik Antonius Finland 3,940,000 65 2 Juan Pardo Spain 3,400,000 56 3 Ben Heath United Kingdom 2,480,000 41 4 Christoph Vogelsang Germany 2.390,000 39 5 Byron Kaverman United States 2,085,000 34 6 David Yan New Zealand 1,425,000 23 7 Stephen Chidwick United Kingdom 1,095,000 18 8 Jean-Noel Thorel France 775,000 12 9 Alex Kulev Bulgaria 425,000 7

Day 2 Action

29 players navigated their way through Day 1, with Jacob Amsellem leading the way, and they were joined by 15 Day 2 entrants, including Antonius, Maher Nouira, Conor Beresford and Roman Hrabec, to bring the field at the start of Day 2 to 44 players.

Nouiras second bullet was unfortunately a short one, as he was the first player to bust Day 2.

Amsellem's tilt at the title would start to go south after running into the set of David Yan and he would not make the money.

Defending champion Alex Kulev was among the chip leaders at the start of Day 2 and he made a strong start, leading the way after the first break and eliminating Steve O'Dwyer after winning a race. He remains in the running for back-to-back titles but comes into the final table as the short stack.

Alex Kulev

The knockouts came relatively fast at the beginning of the day, but slowed down considerably once around 20 players were remaining, with players such as Dan Smith, Lewis Spencer and Joao Vieira departing before the final two tables.

Mikita Badziakouski lost a flip against Nick Petrangelo to bust shortly before the money, and Aleksejs Ponakovs and Orpen Kisacikoglu also departed at this stage.

Mike Watson was the unfortunate player to bust on the bubble, after missing his flush draw versus Jean-Noel Thorel's top pair.

Pardo then eliminated Justin Bonomo in a battle of the blinds, while Byron Kaverman would send Petrangelo to the rail in tenth after his pocket eights held in a flip.

Mike Watson

All players at the final table are guaranteed a minimum payout of 218,300, and the champion will be taking home the princely sum of 1,967,440.

Final Table payouts

Place Payout 1 1,967,440 2 1,269,300 3 906,700 4 697,500 5 536,500 6 426,500 7 341,200 8 272,800 9 218,300

Day 3 will begin at 12.30 p.m. local time on Monday, April 29th and will be streamed on a 30-minute delay by PokerStars beginning at 1 p.m. PokerNews coverage will also be on a 30-minute delay in order to correspond with the stream.

Action resumes with 60-minute levels at Level 19 with blinds of 30,000/60,000 with a 60,000 big blind ante.

Be sure to stay tuned to PokerNews for all your coverage of what is guaranteed to be a thrilling conclusion to the event.
Cade Klubnik passed for three touchdowns and Phil Mafah added two short touchdown runs as No. 10 Clemson rolled past Wake Forest 49-14 for its fifth straight win. The Tigers turned a couple of interceptions into touchdowns as they started to pull away with a 28-point second quarter. Klubnik threw for 309 yards and Mafah gained 118 yards on 20 carries. Wake Forest dropped its fourth consecutive home game. Quarterback Hank Bachmeier was limited to 126 passing yards with a pair of interceptions and two touchdown tosses before he was replaced midway through the third quarter. Read moreKlubnik and Mafah spark Clemson in a blowout win at Wake Forest
Lots of older adults are writing memoirs these days, and for lots of different reasons.

Some memoirs are done mainly to remember and make sense of our lives, and their real value lies in the writing itself: self-understanding and integration. Others write an account of their lives for their families, especially grandchildren, who will cherish the stories of someone they loved and whose life shaped theirs. Still others are written for publication, because they tell an important story that belongs to the whole community and may be read as living history.

Millicent Browns memoir, Another Sojourner Looking for Truth, belongs to that third category. Millicent Brown was the chief plaintiff in the 1963 case that desegregated South Carolinas public schools. A teenage girl at the time, she was one of 11 Black students who transferred to all-White schools in 1963. She and Jacqueline Ford Middleton went to Rivers High School in Charleston.

That action not only changed the Charleston community forever, it also impacted her life in personal ways that have taken a lifetime of further experience to grasp. The narrative of her lived experience, both public and private, is a story thats important to us all. Why? Because we are still in a mess; were still trying to figure out the real questions, adjust to different realities and change hearts. A personal narrative by a key player attempting to understand her own journey can be a light for finding our way through unresolved social issues today. Thats why University of South Carolina Press asked Millicent Brown to write it.

Whats the thread that connects that time in your life to now? That is the question I put to Dr. Brown. She made a courageous and costly public statement when she was 15, followed by a wide-ranging career in academics (where she earned a Ph.D.), civil rights activism and higher education as a professor at several colleges. Now, she is retired and back in her hometown. Across a lifetime of change, I asked, does your life story have a unifying theme you can discern?
Hazel was born September 20, 1932 in Hatch Bend, Florida, a town that was founded by her grandfather. She was the youngest of six. She grew up on a farm, which had no electricity until she was in grade school. Her chores included plucking chickens and helping her brothers skin squirrels. As  Read moreObituary Hazel Lee Carlton
Two 20-year-old women were killed in a weekend hit-and-run in downtown Charleston near an entrance to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, police said.

The Charleston County Coroners Office identified the victims on April 29 as 20-year-olds Lizzy Zito and Arianna Gamber. They were both from Simpsonville, near Greenville.

Zito was a College of Charleston student studying psychology, the school confirmed.

Today's Top Headlines Story continues below

She died two weekends before she was expected to graduate. She would have completed her degree in just three years.

The College of Charleston offers condolences to Lizzys family, friends, classmates, faculty, staff and others who knew her. We ask that you please keep Lizzys family and friends in your thoughts during this most difficult of times, said Ron Menchaca, the vice president of marketing and communications at the College of Charleston.

One of Gambers friends posted on Facebook that she was the brightest light in every room.

Though the women died near the downtown entrance to the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, there is no indication the two were jogging or exercising when a driver fatally crashed into them and fled the scene, police said.
The Post and Courier won two first-place awards and a third-place showing in the National Headliner Awards, one of the country's oldest and largest journalism contests.

All three pieces were written by Senior Projects Reporter Tony Bartelme, who worked with photojournalists Andrew Whitaker, Gavin McIntyre and Henry Taylor on the winning articles.

Bartelme and McIntyre received a first-place feature writing nod for "Finding the Clotilda," a compelling look inside the search for one of the most infamous ships in American history.

Today's Top Headlines Story continues below

In 1860, the schooner Clotilda smuggled about 100 captive Africans into Mobile Bay in Alabama despite an 1808 law banning the importation of enslaved people. Soon after, its captain burned and sank the ship, perhaps to conceal the evidence. Its location faded into history until a reporter in 2018 happened on a submerged shipwreck that appeared to be the Clotilda.

"Cinematic prose, an unsolved mystery, heirs who remember and intrepid reporters. That's what breathes life into Tony Bartelme's beautifully crafted story of two men's search for the Clotilda and the answer to the question of what really was 'the last slave ship'," the judges wrote. "Bartelme provides an alluring ride in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and through Africatown history."

A first-place award for environmental writing also went to Bartelme, Andrew Whitaker and African journalist Borso Tall for The Saharan Connection," a deep look into the large role Saharan dust plays in determining whether hurricanes form off Africa  and strike the United States.
Growing up next to the serene waters of the Little Pee Dee River was a blessing. Feeling the tug from a bass on my fishing rod or slaloming late afternoons when everyone else had gone home and the river was like glass are just a couple of the special memories this river has given me.

It is what I am sharing with my children and what I look forward to introducing to my granddaughter, who is expected in July. This river is home. It is a sanctuary and a cornerstone of the communities it passes through. However, as I look back on my childhood memories, I am also filled with a sense of urgency  a realization that the very core of what makes the Little Pee Dee River so special is now under threat.

The looming phantom of development and proposed construction of Interstate 73 across the river on Highway 917 casts a shadow over the Little Pee Dee and its surrounding wetlands. That's why it's disheartening, yet not surprising, to see the Little Pee Dee River listed as No. 5 on America's Most Endangered Rivers of 2024.

For those of us who call the banks of the Little Pee Dee home, this designation serves as a wake-up call  a call to action in defense of our natural heritage. It's a reminder that we cannot take the continued existence of this precious natural resource for granted. We must fight to protect it from the forces of development and destruction.

The Little Pee Dee has garnered national attention now, but the people and communities who call it home have a deep-seated, ingrained love for the river and wetlands and a sense of responsibility to safeguard them for future generations.

While facing this adversity, I have witnessed the power of community and collective action. From grassroots organizations to individuals, there is a groundswell of support for the protection of the Little Pee Dee River and its wetlands. Together, we are advocating for policies that prioritize conservation over convenience and greed.
Don't be fooled by claims that Charleston County's Nov. 5 sales tax referendum is a pro-greenbelt package. If voters approve it  and we urge them not to  the important work of creating new parks and conserving land would take a step back, especially compared to neighboring counties. Read moreEditorial: Don't be fooled by claims Charleston County tax referendum is pro-greenbelt
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 03:01:30

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The Based Degen Club, a pioneering force, recently experienced an unprecedented surge. The $BDC token jumped from $200K to a remarkable $2M within just 24 hours of its launch on April 23, marking a tenfold increase.BAHAMAS, CARRIBBEAN / ACCESSWIRE / April 28, 2024 / With the latest developments, Based Degen Club's $BDC Token surges from $200K to $2M in the first 24 hours. As the Based Degen Club launches the $BDC token, it aims to make wealth creation in cryptocurrencies accessible to everyone. Using the Base blockchain, $BDC breaks away from traditional finance to empower more people with decentralized principles.Based Degen ClubBased on Degen Club's Meme coin $BDC, which is characterized by its inspiration from internet memes and cultural references, it has demonstrated the potential for significant financial gains, fueled by its widespread appeal and rapid value appreciation. In a time when memes have a significant impact, $ BDC's approach has proved to be a savvy business strategy.Based Degen ClubThe token's association with panda memes infuses it with a unique identity and an element of fun, setting it apart from others. This aims to broaden $ BDC's appeal, attracting a diverse array of investors drawn to its features and investment prospects.The surge of some Base tokens, valued at a staggering $2 billion, underscores the immense potential for growth within the cryptocurrency ecosystem. Within the Ethereum layer-2 network, the token has an extraordinary doubling of its total value to $2.13 billion in less than a month.Furthermore, the Based Degen Club remains committed to its mission of fostering a more inclusive and enjoyable crypto experience. With a focus on security, growth, and community, $BDC seeks to eliminate barriers to financial success and usher in a new era of decentralized wealth creation.About Based Degen Club:Based Degen Club, a leading platform in the blockchain industry that focuses on developing innovative solutions that integrate the cryptocurrency market. The platform is poised to make the crypto market accessible by providing an intuitive and user-friendly platform.Official project linksChart: https://dexscreener.com/base/0xf7f73cd9fece35de3d925bbda47fec72d670bdab Twitter: https://twitter.com/baseddegensclub Tg:https://t.me/BasedDegensClubCompany name - Based DegensContact Person - Peter ParsonContact email - contact@ degens.world Website: https://degens.world/ SOURCE: Based Degen Club
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PARIS, FRANCE and CAMBRIDGE, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Biophytis SA (Euronext Growth Paris:ALBPS), ("Biophytis" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company specialized in the development of therapeutics for age-related diseases, today announces the implementation of a dedicated strategy for partner search in obesity.Biophytis is continually working on the search for partners thanks to a sound strategy and action plan, with the Company being fully committed to drive groundbreaking scientific and technological advances that have the potential to transform the lives of obese patients worldwide.Biophytis' partnering strategy is based on the search for the best partners selected through precise targeting and an in-depth analysis and understanding of the pharmaceutical landscape to select the right partners and identify mutual benefits. We are looking to licence-out BI0101 (20-hydroxyecdysones) to regional or global pharmaceutical companies that will co-develop with us the drug candidate up to marketing authorization in the treatment of obesity and other indications and have the capacity to launch and commercialize it in the main regions. BIO101 (20-hydroxyecdysone) is in clinical development (phase 2 OBA study in preparation) in obesity, in combination with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP1-RA).Furthemore, the Company has established a refined and tailored action plan to serve these objective, which includes close collaboration with local agents to provide expertise and network and a Senior Management's presence in the most attractive business events in pharma. For this, Biophytis will attend the BIO US conference, the largest business development conference on the American continent to be held from June 3 to 6 in San Diego.Stanislas Veillet, CEO of Biophytis, stated: "The obesity market is currently soaring, with the USA (more than 110 million patients), China (approximately 70 million patients) and Brazil (more than 40 million patients) having the highest prevalence rates. It is crucial for Biophytis to position itself in these key regions which are open to innovation and present great potential revenue wise. Beyond the financial aspects, Biophytis has the ambition to address a gigantic medical challenge. But we can't accomplish this on our own. Only by partnering with the brightest minds in science and healthcare can we serve the needs of patients. Biophytis' Partnering strategy is founded on 4 values that will be at the core of our approach: trust, expertise, performance and ambition." ****About BIOPHYTISBiophytis SA is a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in the development of drug candidates for age-related diseases. BIO101 (20-hydroxyecdysone), our lead drug candidate, is a small molecule in development for muscular (sarcopenia, phase 3 ready and Duchenne muscular dystrophy), respiratory (Covid-19 phase 2-3 completed) and metabolic diseases (obesity, phase 2 to be started). The company is based in Paris, France, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Company's ordinary shares are listed on Euronext Growth (Ticker: ALBPS -ISIN: FR0012816825) and the ADSs (American Depositary Shares) are listed on OTC market (Ticker: BPTSY - ISIN: US09076G4010). For more information, visitwww.biophytis.com Forward-looking statementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "outlook,""believes,""expects,""potential,""continues,""may,""will,""should,""could,""seeks," "predicts," "intends," "trends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that Biophytis considers to be reasonable.However , there can be no assurance that the statements contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The forward- looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Biophytis or not currently considered material by Biophytis. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Please also refer to the "Risk and uncertainties the Company is to face section from the Company's 2023 Financial Report available on BIOPHYTIS website ( www.biophytis.com) and as exposed in the "Risk Factors" section of form 20-F as well as other forms filed with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission, USA). We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,future developments or otherwise, except as required by law.Biophytis contactsInvestor relationsNicolas Fellmann, CFOInvestors@ biophytis.com MediaAntoineDenry: antoine.denry@taddeo.fr - +33 6 18 07 83 27Nizar Berrada: nizar.berrada@taddeo.fr- +33 6 38 31 90 50SOURCE: Biophytis
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 14:05:25

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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Bold Ventures Inc. ( TSX.V:BOL) (the "Company" or "Bold") is pleased to announce that it has completed geophysical modelling of 6 high priority electromagnetic conductors identified by a helicopter-borne, versatile time domain electromagnetic (VTEM Plus) and magnetic survey carried out by Bold in 2022. A copy of the report may be found in the Project Reports section found on the Farwell Battery and Precious Metals Project page. Combined with the geological and geophysical work accomplished to date, a drill program to test these targets has been developed.The Farwell Gold and Copper project is located approximately 55km northwest of Wawa Ontario and consists of 133 Cells and Multi Cells comprising 15,901 acres (6,935 hectares). For reporting purposes, the Farwell property has been divided into three areas exhibiting gold and copper mineralization. They are the Farwell Sulphide Zone, the Tundra Gold Horizon and the Koala Gold Area. The focus for this phase of work is the Farwell Sulphide Zone where historical diamond drilling intersected highly anomalous copper values ranging up to 1.47% Cu over 5.2m (Bennett and Thurston 1977). The Farwell property geology and exploration results can be viewed at the Farwell Battery and Precious Metals Project.The Company is also pleased to report an agreement to amend the Farwell anniversary optional payments due on June 1, 2024 to become due on December 1, 2024. The amendment is subject to regulatory approval. Full details of the amended anniversary dates follow.The Farwell Option AmendmentFurther to the Company's Press Release dated October 3, 2023, the Company wishes to advise that the Farwell Option Agreement has been further amended on April 29, 2024 pursuant to a Third Amending Agreement (the "Farwell Third Amendment") as follows:by extending the date the cash option payment of $50,000 due on June 1, 2024 is payable to December 1, 2024; by extending the date the 400,000 shares are issuable from June 1, 2024 to December 1, 2024; and by extending the date an aggregate of $480,000 of work expenditures were due to have been made from June 1, 2024 to December 1, 2024.All shares to be issued will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance. The Farwell Third Amendment is subject to TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX V") approval.The Burchell Option AmendmentIn addition, further to the Company's Press Release dated October 3, 2023, the Company wishes to advise that the Burchell Option Agreement has been further amended on April 29, 2024 pursuant to a Third Amending Agreement (the "Burchell Third Amendment") as follows:by extending the date the cash option payment of $60,000 due on May 1, 2024 is payable to November 1, 2024; by extending the date the 350,000 shares are issuable from May 1, 2024 to November 1, 2024; and by extending the date an aggregate of $200,000 of work expenditures were due to have been made from May 1, 2024 to November 1, 2024.All shares to be issued will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance. The Burchell Third Amendment is subject to TSX V approval.A recent article posted on the Bold website provides an overview of chromite markets that may be accessed on Bold's Critical and Battery Minerals page.Bold's Koper Lake ProjectBold's Koper Lake Project is located in the Ring of Fire. The Company owns a 10% carried interest (through to production) in the Black Horse Chromite NI 43-101 Inferred Resource (the Black Horse) of 85.9 Mt grading 34.5% Cr2O3 at a cut-off of 20% Cr2O3 (KWG Resources Inc., NI 43-101 Technical Report, Aubut 2015). Bold also owns a 40% working interest in all other metals found within the Koper Lake claims and has a Right of First Refusal on a 1% NSR covering all metals found within the claim group.The Black Horse is contiguous with the Blackbird Chromite deposits owned by Wyloo Metals (formerly Noront Resources Inc.). The Koper Lake claims are located approximately 300 m from their Eagle's Nest Ni-Cu Massive Sulphide Deposit that is in the permit acquisition stage. Chromite, nickel and copper are critical minerals that will play an important role in the electrification plans for Ontario and the rest of North America. The Company is encouraged by these ongoing developments in this emerging critical minerals mining camp.Bold Ventures management believes our suite of Battery, Critical and Precious Metals exploration projects are an ideal combination of exploration potential meeting future demand. Our target commodities are comprised of: Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd) and Chromium (Cr). The Critical Metals list and a description of the Provincial and Federal electrification plans are posted on the BoldCritical and Battery Minerals page .The technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Gerald D. White, B.Sc., P. Geo., a qualified person (QP) for the purposes of NI 43-101.About Bold Ventures Inc.The Company explores for Battery, Critical and precious Metals in Canada. Bold is exploring properties located in active gold and base metals camps in the Thunder Bay and Wawa regions of Ontario. Bold also holds significant assets located within and around the emerging multi-metals district dubbed the Ring of Fire region, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario.For additional information about Bold Ventures and our projects please visit boldventuresinc.com or contact us at 416-864-1456 or email us at info@ boldventuresinc.com "David B Graham" David Graham President and CEONeither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such actual results of curr
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Regions Bank associates gather for a beloved annual Lunar New Year event.By Allison AicherNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Regions Bank associates gathered in early 2024 to celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the Lunar New Year event, hosted by the Atlanta Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Network.Regions has established a growing number of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Networks for associates throughout the bank's geographic footprint, The associate-led networks strive to create a workplace where everyone can thrive, supporting associate development through interactive programming, workshops and the availability of network leaders.This is the 11th year that Regions associates have gathered to learn more about the Lunar New Year and share the favorite traditions and cultures of those who celebrate every year. Atlanta associates gathered for an in-person lunch with treats and a photo booth before a companywide virtual event was held.Approximately 55 people joined in person while the virtual event reached over 600 associates."We started this event 11 years ago, then took it virtual during COVID," says Consumer Credit Risk Executive Tom Bloetscher, who serves as executive sponsor for the event. "It's amazing to see what it has grown into and how it gets better and better each year." Vivian Xiong has led the planning on this event for 11 years, along with a team of her colleagues from Data and Analytics and Consumer Credit Risk, and with support from the Atlanta DEI Workplace subcommittee. Approximately 55 people joined in person while the virtual event reached over 600 associates. Associates had a lively chat during the event, making this an incredibly interactive time for remote and in-person attendees.Associates learned fun facts about Lunar New Year traditions, and how the representation of dragons in American culture differs from Asian cultures. Sasha Li and Xiang Li gave presentations highlighting the delicious foods eaten throughout the holiday throughout Asia. Associates learned the difference in the solar and lunar calendars as well as what predictions 2024 held for the different animal signs of the lunar zodiac. Henry Wu even gave a quick martial arts lesson! The event ended with a compilation video from previous Regions associates wishing everyone a Happy Lunar New Year. It really tied it all together in how we are all one Regions family and life is so much brighter when we support one another.Regions DEI Areas of ImpactDiversity, equity and inclusion activities at Regions are focused on three areas of impact: workforce, workplace and marketplace.Workforce: We view diversity as a competitive advantage that enhances business performance and generates innovative solutions by fostering a broader range of perspectives and ideas.Workplace: We create and maintain a work environment that is inclusive, and where associates are encouraged to collaborate across differences.Marketplace: We leverage DEI and social responsibility focus to strengthen our relationships with communities, clients, customers and external stakeholders.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Regions Bank on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: Regions BankWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/regions-bankEmail: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Regions Bank
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 15:01:13

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CKH Group is on a mission to get local governments compliant with their annual financial audits in order for them to be viable for certain state and federal funding.ATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 /CKH Group, an Atlanta-based CPA firm, has revolutionized the government contracting space by going directly to all 159 counties and 611 cities in Georgia and connecting with local governments of all sizes in order to offer staff augmentation and auditing services. As part of an initiative to support the Georgia community, they have identified a problem they are ready to solve.CKH Group Logo CKH Group's logo with one of Georgia's local government locations as a backdropLocal governments can be barred from certain federal or state funding due to being delinquent on the annual audits of their financial statements. Smaller government entities may struggle to find a company within Georgia with the experience to take on the work and deliver the same level of quality and timeliness that is needed. However, CKH Group has made it a mission to tailor their services to the needs of the community. With this in mind, CKH Group has also hired three Army Veterans with over 50 years of operational experience in State and Federal Government, which has considerably aided in understanding challenges faced within the government sector."CKH Group deeply cares about all municipalities and how each individual citizen is impacted by the overall financial status of each town, city, and county throughout the state of Georgia. We demonstrate our sense of commitment and loyalty by having personally driven to all cities and counties throughout the state," Roger Nixon, VP of Business Development at CKH Group, remarks. In his team's travels, they have connected with local governments who may be in need of these services to remain compliant and secure state funding.CKH Group's Government Auditing Division has already assisted over a dozen local governments and developed rapidly as they have identified this need within local communities. When asked why they traveled in-person to each community rather than communicating digitally like other companies might, Roger explained, "Old-fashion values is what CKH Group was founded upon years ago, and what drives us today to develop deep and long-standing relationships with those that we serve; where each one is treated with priority." Local governments who may also require annual financial statements audited and would like to gain access to federal funding can reach out to CKH Group or make them aware of any requests for proposals.About CKH Group:CKH Group is an Atlanta-based small business CPA firm specializing in providing comprehensive financial solutions to state and local governments. With a commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by government entities, CKH Group offers assurance, tax, accounting, and advisory services designed to help local communities flourish. For more information on how CKH Group can be of assistance, visit https://www.ckhgroup.com Contact InformationClara BuseMarketing Coordinatorckhmarketing@ ckhgroup.com 7704959077SOURCE: CKH GroupView the original press release on newswire.com
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 19:50:28

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Highlights include 55.4% increase in total revenue, 69% increase in subscription revenue, 112.8% increase in gross profit, and 20.4% reduction in operating loss compared to FY2022.Key Developments:Total Revenue of $1,811,885 represents an increase of 55.4% compared to FY2022 due to increases in both new contracts signed and growth of existing contracts. Gross profit in FY2023 doubled from $602,896 to $1,282,680 compared to FY2022 due to increased subscription revenue (up 69% YoY), product revenue (up 15.4% YoY) and professional services revenue (up 436.8% YoY). Operating expenses were reduced by $1,304,197 or 12.6% in 2023 vs 2022 due to increases in efficiency, and reductions in staff costs. Operating loss was reduced by $1,990,085 or 20.4% due to reduced costs and increased profitability. KITCHENER, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 /Cloud DX (TSXV:CDX)(OTCQB:CDXFF), a leading North American digital health platform and provider of remote patient monitoring (RPM) solutions, is pleased to report results for the 12 months ending December 31, 2023.Earnings Call Webinar:Monday April 29, 2024 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDTRegistration - click hereFiscal Year 2023 Financial Highlights:Summary of Results:Revenue:For the year end December 31, 2023, total reported revenue of $1,811,885 increased by $645,882 or 55.4% compared to the same period in 2022.Subscription increased by $353,837 or 69%, while Product revenue increased by $93,952 or 15.4% vs FY2022 due primarily new patient enrollments in Canada and the USA.Professional services revenue increased by $184,650 or 436.8% due to larger customization, integration and optimization contracts invoiced in the period.These positive results show that Cloud DX revenues from new and expanded contracts are accelerating year-over-year.Government grant funding was $453,543 in FY 2023, an 8.2% decrease from FY 2022 due to the timing of payments on active grants. Fluctuations in professional services revenue and grant funding amounts from period to period is not unusual.Expenses:Annual operating expenses decreased $1,304,197 or 12.6% in the year compared to the same period in 2022, mainly due to a $1,208,550 decrease in salaries, wages & benefits reflecting selective staff reductions.Cost of inventories increased by $63,778 in 2023 compared to 2022 due to purchase of additional inventories of Connected Health kits.Please see the Q3 Consolidated Financial Statements and Q3 MD&A for more details.Customer Statistics FY2023The Company announced the following contracts or contract extensions in 2023: 7 contracts were executed with Ontario Community Paramedic Services, funded under theCommunity Paramedicine for Long-Term Care program (CPLTC). 3 contracts were executed with Provincial or Territorial Health Ministries. 4 contracts were executed with Ontario Family Health Teams (FHTs). 4 contracts were executed with Canadian hospitals or academic medical centers. 2 contracts were executed with clinics including a US based clinic in Illinois. Notable customers include Alberta Health Services, Alberta Primary Care Networks, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and Mohawk Medbuy, the premier hospital procurement agency in Canada.Subsequent events:Since January 1, 2024, Cloud DX has announced 24 contracts and contract extensions valued at over $5.1 million. Notable announcements include new contracts with Health PEI, VHA Home HealthCare, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, 2 Ontario Community Paramedic Services, and contract renewals with Yukon Health, 5 Ontario Community Paramedic Services, 4 Ontario hospitals, and 7 clinics including an MDVIP Clinic in Illinois.On March 19, 2024, the Company announced that $4.2 Million in Debentures converted early at the above-market conversion price of $0.154/share. In addition, investors agreed to a voluntary pooling and escrow of 26 million shares. This early conversion and escrow eliminates $575,000 in annual accrued interest. 14 of 17 Debenture holders in the announced transaction are arms-length.On April 8, 2024, the Company announced a Private Placement offering up to 27,500,000 Units consisting of 1 common share and 1 share purchase warrant, at $0.12/Unit for gross proceeds of $3.3 million. Warrants will have a term of 36 months at an exercise price of $0.18/share. The offering is expected to close an initial tranche in the period between April 29, 2024, and May 5, 2024.About Cloud DXAccelerating digital healthcare, Cloud DX is on a mission to make healthcare better for everyone. Our Connected Health remote patient monitoring platform is used by healthcare enterprises and care teams across North America to virtually manage chronic disease, enable aging in place, and deliver hospital-quality post-surgical care in the home. Our partners achieve better healthcare and patient outcomes, reduce the need for hospitalization or re-admission, and reduce healthcare delivery costs through more efficient use of resources. Cloud DX is the co-winner of the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE, winner of "2022 Top Innovator" from Canadian Business, a 2021 "Edison Award" winner, a Fast Company "World Changing Idea" finalist, and one of "Canada's Ten Most Prominent Telehealth Providers." Cloud DX is an exclusive partner to Medtronic Canada, Teladoc Health Canada and Sanrai International.Cloud DX Investor Site https://ir.clouddx.com/overview/default.aspx Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.# # #Social LinksTwitter https://twitter.com/CloudDX Facebook https://www.facebook.com/clouddxinc/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/cloud-dx/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cloud.dx/ For media inquiries please contact:Marketing EnquiriesPhone 888-543-0944 marketing@ clouddx.com For investor inquiries please contact:Jay Bedard (Canada)Cloud DX Investor RelationsPhone 647-881-8418 investors@ clouddx.com Officer responsible for this Press Release:Simon SelkrigChief Financial OfficerPhone 888-543-0944 simon.selkrig@clouddx.com Forward Looking StatementsThis news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / CMC Metals Ltd. (TSX-V:CMB)(Frankfurt:ZM5P)(CMCXF:OTCQB) ("CMC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the terms to its proposed non-brokered private placement. The proposed terms are to sell flow-through units of the Company (each, a "FT Unit") at a price of C$0.04 per FT Unit and for gross proceeds of $400,000 and non-flow-through units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at a price of C$0.035 per Unit for gross proceeds of $100,000. The aggregate gross proceeds will be C$500,000 and may be increased up to C$750,000 (collectively, the "Offering"). Red Cloud Securities Inc. and other agents will be acting as finder on behalf of the Company in relation to the Offering. A new corporate presentation has been placed in the company website at www.cmcmetals.ca and interested participants are encouraged to contact the Company President and CEO - Kevin Brewer for further information.Each FT Unit will consist of one common share of the Company to be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a "FT Share") and one-half of one transferrable non-flow-through share purchase warrant (each full warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one Warrant. Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one non-flow-through common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.07 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the closing date of the Offering.Proceeds from the sale of FT Shares to eligible investors in Canada will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" and "flow through mining expenditures" as these terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada). Such proceeds will be renounced to the subscribers with an effective date not later than December 31, 2024, in the aggregate amount of not less than the total amount of gross proceeds raised from the issue of FT Shares.The net proceeds from the sale of FT Units will be used to fund the Company's exploration program at its Silverknife, Amy and Silver Hart Properties in the Rancheria Silver District, (Yukon/British Columbia), potentially limited activities at Logjam (Yukon) and Bridal Veil (Newfoundland and Labrador) and the net proceeds from the sale of NFT Units will be used for general working capital.The Company may pay finders' fees comprised of cash and non-transferable warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") in connection with the Offering, subject to compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The terms of the Finder's Warrants will be the same as the Warrants distributed in the FT Units and the NFT Units. All securities issued and sold under the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from their date of issuance. Closing is subject to customary closing conditions including, but not limited to, the negotiation and execution of subscription agreements and receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.The securities being offered will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons," as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.About CMC Metals Ltd.CMC Metals Ltd. is a growth stage exploration company focused on opportunities for high grade polymetallic deposits in British Columbia, Yukon and Newfoundland. Our flagship project is the Silverknife Property in the emerging Rancheria Silver District. Other projects in this District include the Amy project (British Columbia) and the Silver Hart Deposit/Blue Heaven claims (Yukon). Our polymetallic projects with potential for copper-silver-gold and other metals include Bridal Veil (Newfoundland) and Logjam (Yukon), both of which are available for option.On behalf of the Board:"Kevin Brewer" Kevin Brewer, President, CEO and DirectorCMC METALS LTD.For Further Information and Investor Inquiries:Kevin Brewer, P. Geo., MBA, B. Sc.(Hons) , Dip. Mine Eng.President , CEO and DirectorCellular : (+52) 669 198 8503kbrewer80@ hotmail.comSuite 1000-409 Granville St.Vancouver , BC, V6C 1T2To be added to CMC's news distribution list, please send an email toinfo@ cmcmetals.caor contact Mr. Kevin Brewer directly.Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."This news release may contain certain statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law, including without limitation, statements that address the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles and exploitation activities and developments. In this release disclosure regarding the potential to undertake future exploration work comprise forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions. While such estimates and assumptions are considered reasonable by the management of the Company, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive and regulatory uncertainties and risks, including the ability of the Company to raise the funds necessary to fund its projects, to carry out the work and, accordingly, may not occur as described herein or at all. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, the impact of the constantly evolving COVID-19 pandemic crisis and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Readers are referred to the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators for information on these and other risk factors, available at www.sedar.com . Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future perfor
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LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / EZ-trades.com is pleased to announce the unveiling of its latest initiative aimed at providing pathways to financial independence for individuals from all walks of life. In an ever-evolving financial landscape, it recognizes the importance of empowering individuals with accessible and straightforward methods to secure their financial futures.With a focus on simplicity and accessibility, the company's new initiative offers practical tools and resources to help individuals take control of their finances and work towards achieving their financial goals. Through a user-friendly interface and easy-to-understand educational materials, it aims to demystify the world of finance and make it more approachable for everyone.The unveiling of these pathways to financial independence underscores EZ Trades' commitment to democratizing finance and ensuring that individuals have the resources they need to build a secure financial future. By removing barriers and providing clear guidance, it seeks to enable individuals to make informed financial decisions that align with their long-term objectives.In today's fast-paced world, achieving financial independence can seem like a daunting task. However, with the support and guidance provided, individuals can take confident steps towards realizing their financial aspirations. By equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate the complexities of the financial world, it aims to foster a culture of financial empowerment and resilience.They understand that each individual's financial journey is unique, which is why their pathways to financial independence are flexible and customizable. Whether users are just starting on their financial journey or looking to enhance their existing strategies, here to support everyone every step of the way. EZ-trades.com review is a testament to how customers consistently praise the company's commitment to simplicity and accessibility. Many highlight the user-friendly interface and easy-to-understand educational materials as key factors that set EZ-trades.com review apart from that of other financial services providers. Users appreciate the company's dedication to enabling individuals to take control of their finances and work towards their financial goals, noting that its resources have helped them navigate the complexities of the financial world with ease.In an era where financial stability is more important than ever, EZ-trades.com offers accessible and practical solutions to help individuals build brighter financial futures. Through their commitment to simplicity, accessibility, and empowerment, they are paving the way for a more financially secure tomorrow for all.About EZ-trades.com EZ-trades.com is a company dedicated to providing accessible pathways to financial independence for all. With their user-friendly tools and resources, they aim to educate and enable individuals to take control of their finances and work towards their goals. The commitment to simplicity and accessibility ensures that everyone, regardless of background or experience, can navigate the financial landscape with confidence.By prioritizing clarity and guidance, they strive to demystify finance and make it approachable for everyone. They understand that achieving financial independence can seem daunting, but with their support, individuals can confidently navigate their financial journeys. EZ Trades' flexible and customizable solutions cater to each individual's unique needs, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to build a brighter financial future.Company DetailsCompany Name: EZ-Trades.com Email Address: media@ ez-trades.comCompany Address: 1 Ropemaker St, London, EC2Y 9AW, United Kingdom Company Website: https://ez-trades.com/ SOURCE: EZ-Trades.com
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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Congratulations to Franklin Templeton's Margaret King, who was recognized by Junior Achievement of Northern California (JA) as a 2024 Volunteer of the Year. The award recognizes efforts to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.Junior Achievement is a key global charity partner of Franklin Templeton. Employee volunteers help deliver JA curriculum to provide innovative, hands-on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy education to students.King, along with other volunteers and educators, was honored at the JA Virtual Hall of Fame event in April.This is how Margaret describes her experience with the organization:I'm excited to be involved with Junior Achievement because it provides an opportunity to educate and inspire the next generation of financial and technology leaders. Being able to share my experience and help shape young minds, foster financial literacy, and empower students to make informed career decisions and financial goals is a tremendous opportunity. JA is a great community service medium for experiential learnings for aspiring high school students who are looking at meaningful careers in making an impact on brighter financial outcomes for all. It's inspiring to see young talent interested in the fintech industry.Franklin Templeton extends its sincere thanks to Margaret and other employee volunteers for sharing their time and talents with their communities.About Junior Achievement of Northern CaliforniaJunior Achievement's mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Locally, JA connects students, educators, and business professionals together to build quality partnerships that empower young people to own their economic success by becoming financially literate, workforce ready, and equipped with entrepreneurial skills. Each year, JA serves 90,000 students agency-wide in experiential, hands-on learning that enable them to connect their studies in school to real-world business and industry. After participating in JA, students see first-hand how academic success can prepare them for a fruitful and meaningful future. Learn more at norcal.ja.org About Franklin TempletonFranklin Resources, Inc. [NYSE:BEN] is an international investment management firm with subsidiaries that operates as Franklin Templeton serving clients in more than 150 countries. Franklin Templeton's goal is to help clients achieve better outcomes through expertise in investment management, wealth management, and technology solutions. Thanks to its specialized investment managers, the company has developed expertise in all major asset classes on a global scale - including equities, fixed income, alternative solutions and custom multi-asset solutions. With offices in over 30 countries and over 1,500 investment professionals, the California-based firm has over 75 years of investment experience and over $1.6 trillion in assets under management as of March 31, 2024. For more information, please visit franklintempleton.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.Margaret KingView additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Franklin Templeton on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: Franklin TempletonWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/franklin-templetonEmail: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Franklin Templeton
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 11:00:45

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The Series A round of funding was led by Data Point Capital, alongside GoHub Ventures and Adara Ventures to accelerate growth in Latin America and Spain and launch services in the US market. Indigitall provides an AI-based platform to personalize, segment, and automate all digital communication channels.MADRID, SPAIN / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Indigitall, a company that provides a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution to personalize digital communications between brands and their customers, has closed an over-subscribed 6M Series A funding round. The funding round was led by Data Point Capital, a venture capital firm based in the United States, along with GoHub Ventures and Adara Ventures, two Spain-based venture capital firms.Headquartered in Madrid, Indigitall's AI-powered software allows organizations to communicate with their customers across all incoming and outgoing digital channels and to personalize their messaging campaigns according to the unique audiences on each channel."This new funding will enable us to expand our market-leading position with Spanish-speaking customers by investing further in Latin America and Spain and entering the US," said Juan Carlos de la Vela, CEO and co-founder of Indigitall. "It represents a major step forward for Indigitall, bringing us closer to our goal of becoming a global leader in the digital communications industry," added Xavier Omella, co-founder of Indigitall."We were very impressed by the strong position that Indigitall has staked out in the Spanish-speaking market," said Mike Majors, Managing Partner at Data Point Capital. "Achieving triple digit revenue growth and profitability in the past three years signals the strength of business and validates the vision of Juan Carlos and Xavier. We are very excited to partner with them in this next phase of growth." "Their exponential growth, the potential of their product, combined with the knowledge and vision of the founders, and their ability to attract foreign capital, are the factors that lead us to bet on Indigitall. Throughout the process, the team has demonstrated a clear ambition to take the company to the next level, and at GoHub Ventures, we want to support them on that path," points out Ines Calabuig, Managing Partner at GoHub Ventures."Indigitall has already demonstrated its transformative impact on businesses, and we believe they are well-positioned to become a global leader in applying an AI-driven approach to the customer journey," said Rocio Pillado, Partner at Adara Ventures. "We look forward to supporting them in this next stage of growth." About Indigitall Indigitall's SaaS platform is uniquely able to personalize, segment, and automate all digital communications in one place. This comprehensive solution covers smartphones, mobile apps, web browsing, Google and Apple Wallet, and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Teams, Messenger, and Instagram. In addition, Indigitall can be seamlessly integrated with any CRM, making it a true omnichannel messaging solution that is unmatched in the market.Indigitall works with over 200 enterprises and has established operations in over 20 countries, including Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. Notable companies that have integrated Indigitall into their mobile applications and websites include McDonald's, Bankinter, Banco de Credito de Peru, Movistar, Televisa, and Grupo Claro. The company also powers customer experience AI chatbots for clients such as Mercadona, El Corte Ingles, and Sanitas. Indigitall is Meta's exclusive partner for WhatsApp Business Platform services in Spain. For more information, visit https://indigitall.com Contact Information Kistine AchaMarketing Director kistine.acha@indigitall.com SOURCE: Indigitall
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 18:46:04

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In Cambridge, United Kingdom, Illumina champions STEM education opportunities with local studentsNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Illumina Originally published on Illumina News CenterOn April 25, Illumina opened its doors in Granta Park, Cambridge, to celebrate DNA Day. This annual event marks a significant milestone in the history of science: the successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the groundbreaking discovery of DNA's double helix structure by James Watson and Francis Crick, along with Rosalind Franklin, in 1953.This year's DNA Day festivities at Illumina were joined by 150 enthusiastic children from schools in underserved areas of Cambridgeshire. The learners engaged in hands-on science activities, including extracting DNA from strawberries, and toured one of Illumina's state-of-the-art laboratories. This behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of genomic research was designed to inspire young scientists who may one day play pioneering roles in research and innovation at companies like Illumina.During the event, the Illumina team was honored to welcome Anne, The Princess Royal, to Illumina's Europe regional headquarters in Cambridge. The visit gave the students a unique opportunity to interact with King Charles's sister as well as learn about the importance of genomics firsthand. The Princess Royal champions STEM education, encouraging kids to explore the world of science and increasing the presence of women in the field.In keeping with the spirit of DNA Day, Illumina hosted their annual global genomic literacy initiative, The Future Is Bright, which exemplifies the company's commitment to promoting equitable access to STEM education and inspiring the next generation of scientists. Throughout April, Illumina partners with schools and nonprofit organizations, such as Form the Future and Cambridge Science Centre, to provide educational programs and activities for learners of all ages.Anne Bailey, CEO of Form the Future, says, "We are immensely grateful for Illumina's support as our corporate partner, enabling us to engage primary school students in stimulating STEM activities. Their funding and dedication to releasing staff to work alongside us are instrumental in inspiring young minds and fostering a belief that a future in STEM is within reach, particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Together, we're bridging the gap in our local economy, empowering a diverse array of students to pursue rewarding careers in the life sciences and beyond." In 2024, an expected 100,000 learners globally will participate in The Future Is Bright; in the UK alone, some 10,000 pupils benefited from the campaign and its spirit of collaboration and service. Watch the video below to see the highlights of the day.Last year, The Future Is Bright hosted 130 events, reaching students in six countries and every US state. The program was powered by 1500 employee volunteer hours and 2300 donated strawberry DNA extraction kits. More than 1600 community partners and schools participated, and 71% of the American classrooms were part of Title 1 schools where low-income families make up at least 40% of enrollment. As of December 2023, Illumina has reached a total of 1.6 million STEM learners, as part of its target to reach 5 million by 2030. The Future Is Bright campaign is a key program in achieving this goal.Through hands-on activities, engaging interactions, and valuable partnerships, Illumina continues its commitment to empowering young scientists and paving the way for a brighter future fueled by science and innovation.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Illumina on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: IlluminaWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/illumina Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Illumina
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 15:48:10

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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / The Clorox Company:Originally published on Impact PodcastNiki King is the VP and Head of Sustainability for The Clorox Company, where she oversees the company's integrated IGNITE ESG efforts including driving strategies and roadmaps to achieve the company's ambitious ESG goals and implementing the company's ESG governance structure. She is also responsible for engaging a broad set of internal and external stakeholders to embed ESG throughout the organization and ensure Clorox continues as a leader in the ESG space.John Shegerian: Do you have a suggestion for a Rockstar Impact Podcast guest? Go to impactpodcast.com and just click Be a Guest.' to recommend someone today. This edition of the Impact Podcast is brought to you by ERI. ERI has a mission to protect people, the planet, and your privacy and is the largest fully integrated IT and electronics asset disposition provider and cybersecurity-focused hardware destruction company in the United States and maybe even the world. For more information on how ERI can help your business properly dispose of outdated electronic hardware devices, please visit eridirect.com . This episode of the Impact Podcast is brought to you by Closed Loop Partners. Closed Loop Partners is a leading circular economy investor in the United States with an extensive network of Fortune 500 corporate investors, family offices, institutional investors, industry experts, and impact partners. Closed Loop's platform spans the arc of capital from venture capital to private equity, bridging gaps and fostering synergies to scale the circular economy. To find Closed Loop Partners, please go to www.closedlooppartners.com John: Welcome to another edition of the Impact Podcast. I'm John Shegerian, and I'm so honored to have with us today, Niki King. She's the VP and Head of Sustainability for the Clorox Company. Welcome to the Impact Podcast, Niki.Niki King: Thanks so much for having me, John.John: It's an honor to have you here today, representing such an iconic and important brand. And before we get talking about all the things in sustainability you're doing with your colleagues at Clorox, I'd love you to share a little bit about your background. Niki, where you grow up, and how'd you get on this journey, and who inspired you along the way?Niki: Absolutely. I currently live in New Jersey, but like many of my peers and sustainability professionals, I've really had quite the journey. If you would have asked me 25 years ago what I would be doing, it certainly wouldn't be this, nor would I have imagined this roller coaster that my career has been. But I grew up in a tiny town in rural Alabama. We literally had one-stop life and a face in the courthouse window. So that's a true story. You can Google it. It's an interesting one. That's the claim to fame. I had pretty humble beginnings.Continue reading hereImage courtesy of Impact PodcastView additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from The Clorox Company on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info:Spokesperson: The Clorox CompanyWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/clorox-company Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: The Clorox Company
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 15:01:43

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Second South Florida Location Strengthens Southern PresenceCOLUMBIA, MD / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Nava Health, a leader in integrative and functional medicine, announces the grand opening of its newest location at in Plantation, Florida. The Plantation Nava Health Center is the Company's sixth location overall and its second in the Sunshine State. The center will open its doors to the public on Monday, May 6.Nava Health isn't just about treating illness; the Company views healthcare as a proactive journey toward optimal well-being. Recognizing the growing emphasis and effectiveness of preventative and longevity-focused medicine, Nava Health offers a comprehensive suite of services tailored to empower individuals. Offerings include functional medicine, focused on the root causes of health issues, regenerative medicine, which aims to restore cellular and tissue function, and personalized wellness plans that provide a roadmap for long-term health.Strategically located in Plantation, just 30 miles south of Nava's Boca Raton center, the second South Florida location makes personalized longevity medicine even more accessible for residents in the region. This new location allows Nava Health to continue empowering individuals to optimize their health and well-being through a skilled integrative team of physicians and modality experts, personalized vitality plans, and a wide range of functional medicine services."Following the success of our first South Florida location in Boca Raton, Nava Health is excited to expand its reach and empower residents of Plantation to take control of their health," says Zach Dancel, Chief Operating Officer. "Our proven approach, combining personalized care with cutting-edge technology, has already transformed the lives of over 40,000 clients. We look forward to building a strong presence in Plantation and improving the community's health." "Our Plantation location allows us to expand our presence as a provider in personalized longevity medicine in South Florida," says Bernie Dancel, Founder and CEO. "Building on the client growth we've seen at our Boca Raton location, we look forward to bringing our portfolio of health and wellness treatments and services to a new community." Plantation Location Opening Strengthens Presence in South FloridaNava Health strategically positions its centers to serve diverse communities. Currently, four centers serve the Baltimore-Washington area, with two now serving patients in South Florida. With plans for continued expansion, Nava Health is on track to bring its unique brand of integrative medicine to several additional markets this year.Plantation, Florida, located in the center of Broward County, boasts a vibrant blend of suburban comfort and urban amenities conducive to healthy living and holistic wellness. Nava Health's decision to open a new store in Plantation is a response to the city's commitment to fostering well-being and vitality among its residents.By offering personalized wellness plans, preventative care, and transformative therapies, Nava Health aligns seamlessly with Plantation's health-conscious community. From busy professionals seeking balance to families prioritizing holistic health, Plantation's diverse population presents a significant opportunity for Nava Health to empower individuals to improve their health.To learn more about Nava Health's transformative approach to wellness and its new Plantation, Florida location, please visit navacenter.com About Nava HealthNava Health is a vertically integrated, tech-enabled healthcare practice combining integrative, functional, preventive, and regenerative medicine. Our innovative medical practice uses a data-driven, personalized approach to optimize health and increase longevity. We provide each client with an individualized wellness roadmap tailored to their specific symptoms, medical needs, and personal goals. All client wellness roadmaps result from a proprietary diagnostic process, the "Nava Method," which utilizes data and specially designed software to create optimal personalized client outcomes. To learn more visit navacenter.com Media ContactSuzanne Coblentz Scoblentz@ navacenter.com Investor ContactJohn Nesbett/Jen BelodeauIMS Investor Relations nava@ imsinvestorrelations.com SOURCE: Nava Health
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 16:45:17

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NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / U.S. BankU.S. Bancorp Impact Finance contributed $18.1 million to Malcom's Place, financing 62 affordable housing unitsU.S. Bancorp Impact Finance provided $18.1 million in equity to Malcom's Place in Omaha, Nebraska, to finance 62 affordable housing units.Originally published on U.S. Bank company blogOmaha, Nebraska residents, community leaders, government officials and key collaborators, including U.S. Bank, recently gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of MLK Square, the final phase of the North 30th Street Choice Neighborhoods Implementation effort.U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance, a subsidiary of U.S. Bank, provided a federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity commitment of $18.1 million to Malcom's Place to finance 62 affordable housing units. Malcom's Place features 95 units overall, including some at market rates."This development is significant to the Omaha community because it not only provides much-needed affordable housing, but it also offers programs and services to residents and makes investments in the neighborhood," said Kellie Johnston Dorsey, assistant director, Housing & Community Development, for the City of Omaha Planning Department.The housing is provided in a mixed-income format, with about one-third project-based voucher units, one-third affordable units and one-third market rate units, so units are available at multiple rent levels.Malcolm's Place is located at the former Spencer Homes West site in North Omaha and is expected to be completed this summer. Some phases of the neighborhood are finished while others are still in development.TheChoice Neighborhoods programuses public and private dollars to support local strategies designed to address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public or HUD-assisted housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation."Choice Neighborhoods Implementation brings hope to communities and is a wide-scale revitalization centered around housing," said Vihar Sheth, Impact Finance managing director of Affordable Housing. "U.S. Bank is a reliable partner through the life of these neighborhoods because there are multiple phases of the investment, and we are both big enough and committed enough to be there for the long haul and bring all parts of the bank to the overall effort." Avideo featuring the neighborhoodshares local perspectives.At completion, North 30th Street will contain nearly 450 units of new mixed-income, energy-efficient housing and include new infrastructure, playgrounds, retail storefronts, and community space.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from U.S. Bank on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: U.S. BankWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/us-bank Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: U.S. Bank
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 14:15:42

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POMPANO BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / In a groundbreaking move that has captured the attention of the technology and financial sectors, Ranaex is set to unveil its latest cryptocurrency, RNAC. Scheduled for launch on April 29, 2024, at 8:30 ETD , this innovative digital asset is designed to redefine the realms of blockchain technology and finance. As the launch date approaches, both enthusiasts and skeptics are keen to witness the impact RNAC will have on the broader cryptocurrency market. This detailed article explores Ranaex technical aspects, its market potential, the technology that underpins it, and its implications for investors and the global economy.RNAC: A Benchmark in Blockchain InnovationRNAC stands as a testament to Ranaex's dedication to leading the charge in blockchain innovation. Engineered with state-of-the-art cryptographic security features, RNAC is designed to reduce transaction costs significantly when compared to its contemporaries, while also providing unmatched transaction speeds. Central to RNAC's technological breakthrough is its novel consensus algorithm. This algorithm is not only engineered to scale mining operations more effectively but also reduces the environmental impact associated with traditional mining practices dramatically. By optimizing both the economic and ecological aspects of blockchain technology, RNAC is poised to set a new standard in the cryptocurrency landscape.Potential for the Market and Economic ImplicationsThe introduction of RNAC could significantly alter the dynamics of the current cryptocurrency market. With its promise of reduced fees and faster transactions, RNAC is well-positioned to draw a substantial user base from existing platforms that grapple with scalability and high operational costs. Financial analysts predict that RNAC could emulate the impact seen with Binance Coin (BNB) during the Bitcoin halving events, potentially positioning RNAC as a pivotal player in the crypto market just as Binance Coin rose to prominence by offering unique advantages in response to specific market conditions.From an economic perspective, RNAC's debut may accelerate the broader acceptance of cryptocurrencies as viable alternatives to traditional fiat currencies. This shift could hasten the adoption of digital assets in everyday transactions, thereby expanding the cryptocurrency market's influence on global financial systems.Integration and Strategic PartnershipsRanaex has forged strategic partnerships with several leading financial institutions and technology firms to ensure the successful deployment and adoption of RNAC. These collaborations aim to integrate RNAC seamlessly into existing payment systems and e-commerce platforms, simplifying the use of RNAC as a payment method and enhancing its utility and value.Regulatory Considerations and ChallengesLike any new cryptocurrency launch, RNAC faces regulatory scrutiny. Ranaex has proactively collaborated with financial regulators across various jurisdictions to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The company's transparent approach to these engagements has been well-received, potentially setting a precedent for how new cryptocurrencies navigate the complex regulatory landscape.Nevertheless, challenges remain in securing broader acceptance for RNAC. Globally, regulatory bodies are increasingly focusing on the security, privacy, and financial risks associated with cryptocurrencies. Ranaex must navigate these challenges adeptly to achieve widespread adoption of RNAC.Support for Developers and CommunitySupporting developers and nurturing a community are pivotal to RNAC's potential success. Through forums, hackathons, and partnerships with educational institutions, Ranaex has made significant investments in building a robust community around RNAC. This community-driven approach not only fosters innovation within the RNAC ecosystem but also cultivates user loyalty and trust, which are vital for long-term success.Forecasts and Insights for InvestorsFor investors, RNAC represents a novel opportunity within the cryptocurrency industry. Experts recommend monitoring RNAC's initial market performance and the broader market's reaction to gauge its long-term viability and profitability. Investors are advised to consider the technical foundations, regulatory environment, and market acceptance of RNAC when making investment decisions.ConclusionAs the countdown to RNAC's launch begins, all eyes are on Ranaex to deliver on its promises. Mark your calendars for April 29, 2024, at 8:30 ETD, and prepare to witness a potential new era in the realm of digital currencies. While it remains to be seen whether RNAC will soar to new heights or encounter hurdles, its introduction is undeniably a landmark moment in the ongoing evolution of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.Media InformationFor additional information and media inquiries, please contact:Name: Ethan CarterOrganization: RANAEXWebsite: https://ranaex.com Website: https://h5.ranaex.com/ Email: support@ ranaex.com Address: 817 West Sample Road, Pompano Beach, Florida 33064IG: https://www.instagram.com/ranaex_official/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/RANAEX_Official DisclaimerAs a committed entity in the cryptocurrency trading space, RANAEX underscores the importance of a secure and decentralized trading environment. Nonetheless, it's crucial for investors to recognize that digital currency trading is not devoid of risks, including potential market volatility and losses. RANAEX encourages all users to undertake comprehensive research and possibly seek financial advice before engaging in investment decisions, acknowledging and understanding the inherent risks involved.SOURCE: RANAEX
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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, DISSEMINATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATESVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / South Pacific Metals Corp. (TSXV:SPMC)(FSE:6J00) ("SPMC" or the "Company") announces a non-brokered private placement financing of up to 3,750,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of C$0.40 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$1,500,000 (the "Offering").Each Unit will consist of one common share of SPMC and one common share purchase warrant, with each warrant exercisable into one common share at an exercise price of $0.90 per share at any time up to 24 months following the closing date of the Offering. If the volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSX-V") is equal to or greater than C$1.40 for a period of 30 consecutive days, the Company will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the warrants by giving written notice that the warrants will expire on the date that is not less than 10 days from the date notice is provided by the Company to the warrant holder.The Units issued under the Offering will be subject to a four month hold period and the Company will not pay a finder's fee. The proceeds of the Offering will be used as follows: (i) approximately US$500,000 (approximately C$685,000) to carry out exploration work on its properties located in Papua New Guinea, and (ii) the balance on general administrative and working capital purposes.The Offering is subject to the acceptance of the TSX-V.About South Pacific Metals Corp. (SPMC)SPMC is an Asia-Pacific focused copper and gold exploration company with four highly prospective projects: KRL South, KRL North, Kili Teke and the May River Project. All projects are located in premier exploration mining regions in Papua New Guinea. KRL South and KRL North both have the potential to host copper-gold porphyry and high-grade epithermal mineralisation, similar to that being currently mined in the adjacent high-grade Kainantu Gold District. Kili Teke is an advanced exploration project only 15 km from the world-class Porgera Gold Mine and hosts an existing Inferred mineral resource with multiple opportunities for expansion and further discovery. The May River Project is adjacent to the world-renowned Frieda River Copper-Gold Project, and historical drilling indicating there is potential for a significant copper-gold mineralized system. SPMC has a highly experienced leadership team with experience working together in the region and with established in-country partners.South Pacific Metals Corp. Adam Clode, Interim Chief Executive Officer (Tel: +604.649.2350)Email: info@ krl.com.sg Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Disclaimer and Forward-Looking InformationStatements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainty affecting the business of SPMC. In making the forward-looking statements, SPMC has applied certain assumptions that are based on information available, including SPMC's strategic plan for the near and mid-term. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. SPMC does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.SOURCE: South Pacific Metals Corp.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 14:05:41

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / SouthGobi Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:SGQ)(HK:1878) ("SouthGobi" or the "Company") announces that pursuant to Rule 2.07A of the of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange ("Listing Rules"), the Company will disseminate future corporate communications of the Company (the "Corporate Communications") to its shareholders ("Shareholders") electronically and only send Corporate Communications in printed form to the Shareholders upon request.In this connection, the following arrangements will come into effect from the date hereof.NEW ARRANGEMENT OF DISSEMINATION OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONSElectronic Dissemination of Corporate CommunicationsBoth the English and Chinese versions of all future Corporate Communications will be available electronically on the Company's website ( www.southgobi.com) and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange's website ( www.hkexnews.hk) in place of printed copies.2. Actionable Corporate CommunicationsThe Company will send the actionable Corporate Communications of the Company ("Actionable Corporate Communications") to Shareholders individually in electronic form by email. If the Company does not possess the email address of a Shareholder or the email address provided is not functional, the Company will send the Actionable Corporate Communications in printed form together with a request form for soliciting the Shareholder's functional email address to facilitate electronic dissemination of Actionable Corporate Communications in the future.PROVISION OF SHAREHOLDER'S EMAIL ADDRESS TO THE COMPANYIn support of electronic communication by email, the Company will send a letter to the Shareholders on April 30, 2024 together with a reply form for provision of email address and/or request for printed copy of Corporate Communications and Actionable Corporate Communications ("Reply Form") to request for the email address of the Shareholders and the preference of the Shareholders in receiving the Corporate Communications and Actionable Corporate Communications in printed form.The Company recommends its Shareholders to provide the Company with their email address or any revision thereof at any time in the future by reasonable notice in writing to the Company's branch share registrar in Hong Kong, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong or by email toSouthGobi.ecom@computershare.com.hk While the Company will use reasonable efforts to send future Actionable Corporate Communications to its Shareholders using the email address provided by the Shareholders, it is the responsibility of the Shareholders to provide email address that is functional.If the Company does not possess the email address of a Shareholder or the email address provided is not functional, the Company will act according to the above arrangements. The Company will be considered to have been duly discharged of and released from its obligations, and to have complied with the Listing Rules, if it sends Actionable Corporate Communications to the email address provided by a Shareholder without receiving any "non-delivery message".REQUEST FOR PRINTED COPY OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND ACTIONABLE CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONSFor those Shareholders who wish to receive a printed version of all future Corporate Communications and Actionable Corporate Communications or, if for any reason, have difficulty in gaining access to the Company's website, the Company will, upon receipt of reasonable request in writing by the Shareholder to the Company's branch share registrar in Hong Kong, Computershare Hong Kong Investor Services Limited, at 17M Floor, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong or by email to SouthGobi.ecom@computershare.com.hk , send future Corporate Communications and Actionable Corporate Communications (as the case may be) to such Shareholder in printed form free of charge.Please note that the preference in receiving Corporate Communications in printed form of a Shareholder shall be valid for one year starting from the receipt date of your instruction unless being revoked or superseded (whichever is earlier). Further request in writing will be required if a Shareholder prefers to continue receiving printed copy of future Corporate Communications and Actionable Corporate Communications.About SouthGobiSouthGobi, listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange, owns and operates its flagship Ovoot Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. It also holds the mining licences of its other metallurgical and thermal coal deposits in South Gobi region of Mongolia. SouthGobi produces and sells coal to customers in China.Contact: Investor RelationsEmail: info@ southgobi.com Mr. Ruibin Xu Chief Executive OfficerOffice: +1 604 762 6783 (Canada) +852 2156 1438 (Hong Kong) Website: www.southgobi.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: SouthGobi Resources Ltd.
PR-Inside.com: 2024-04-29 17:15:48

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ROCK HILL, SC / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / The next business day, April 30, 2024, marks the deadline for employers to submit Form(s) 941 to the IRS. Quarterly filing of this form is mandatory for businesses deducting taxes from employee wages. This includes Medicare, Social Security, and federal income taxes. Serving as a vital payroll tax document, Form 941 reports the business's tax obligations to the IRS.For businesses in need of efficient e-filing solutions or those striving to meet their filing deadline seamlessly, TaxBandits offers an excellent solution.Seamless 941 E-filing for AllTaxBandits provides a comprehensive 941 e-filing solution suitable for businesses, tax professionals, and service providers of all sizes. From businesses filing one form per quarter to tax professionals managing multiple clients and Payroll Service Providers handling the requirements of numerous businesses, TaxBandits ensures easy and accurate compliance with IRS filing requirements.Tax Professionalscan take advantage of PRO features that come free with their TaxBandits account. This includes client management, staff management, and reporting tools.Built-in Error Checks for Accurate FormsThe TaxBandits e-filing process is designed to help their clients file accurate forms. Completed 941 forms are audited using the IRS Business Rules to catch common filing errors that could result in a form rejection.Bulk Uploads Boost EfficiencyTaxBandits offers941 bulk upload Excel templatesdesigned to assist high-volume filers in uploading their form data efficiently. This feature enables them to generate ande-file Form 941in large batches, eliminating the need for manual form entry. Alongside saving time, TaxBandits provides cost-saving benefits to its clients through a volume-based pricing structure.Support of New Form 941-SPEffective 2024, the IRS has discontinuedForms 941-PRandForm 941-SS . Until now, these forms have been required for employers to file if their business was located in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and other U.S. territories.These forms are no longer required, instead employers canfile Form 941 , or opt tofile Form 941-SP(Spanish). TaxBandits now supports Form 941 for clients who prefer to complete the form in Spanish.E-file Form 941 for Current and Previous QuartersTaxBandits also supports prior year filings ofForm 941for the 2023, 2022, and 2021 tax years. Businesses seeking a solution for catching up on their quarterly 941 filings can benefit greatly.When asked about tomorrow's approaching deadline, Agie Sundaram, CEO and Co-founder of SPAN Enterprises (parent company of TaxBandits) stated, "TaxBandits offers a streamlined solution for meeting every business's IRS e-filing requirements. Meet your quarterly deadline with TaxBandits' simplified filing, time-saving features, and exceptional customer support." VisitTaxBandits.comtoday to create an account andfile 941 online !About TaxBanditsThe 1099 and W-2 experts! TaxBandits is a SOC 2 Certified, IRS-authorized e-file provider of1099 Form ,Form W2 ,Form 1095-B ,Form 1095-C ,940 ,941 , andForm W-9 , serving businesses, service providers, and tax professionals of every shape and size.Additionally, software providers and other high-volume filers can take advantage ofTaxBandits API . The integration allows them to add value for their clients and expand monetization efforts. TaxBandits API enables seamless preparation and e-filing of1099 NEC , W-2, 941, 940, andACA 1095 forms . Software providers can also use the developer-friendly1099 APIto request W-9s and use that information to automate 1099 filings efficiently.About SPAN EnterprisesSPAN Enterprises is the parent company of TaxBandits and a variety of other business management and e-filing applications. Located in the small city of Rock Hill, SC, SPAN Enterprises proves that big ideas grow in small towns.With existing Business Management and E-filing Applications such as TruckLogics and ExpressTaxExempt, SPAN Enterprises is at the forefront of innovative applications. Learn more at https://www.spanenterprises.com/ For any media inquiries, please reach out to Stephanie Glanville, Content Writer atstephanie@ spanenterprises.com ###SOURCE: TaxBandits
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TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Tsodilo Resources Limited (TSX Venture Exchange:TSD) ("Tsodilo" or the "Company")(TSX- V:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) is pleased to announce that it has negotiated a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of 1,042,500 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price per Unit of CDN $0.30, which will provide gross proceeds to the Company in the amount of CDN $312,750. Proceeds from the Private Placement will be used for the advancement of the Xaudum Iron Formation project in Botswana and for general corporate purposes and working capital.Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company ("Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant") of the Company, each such Warrant entitling the holder to purchase one Common Share of the Company for a period of 24 months from the date of closing at an exercise price of USD $0.30.The Common Shares and the Warrants comprising the Units and the Common Shares underlying the Warrants will be subject to a four month plus a day hold period from the date of closing per applicable regulatory requirements.Closing of the Private Placement is subject to, among other things, receipt by the Company of TSX Venture Exchange approval.About Tsodilo Resources LimitedTsodilo Resources Limited is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond and metal deposits at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto") and Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba and Bosoto projects.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive OfficerJbruchs@ TsodiloResources.comHead Office Telephone +1 416 800-4214 Facsimile +1 416 987-4369 Website www.TsodiloResources.com This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, which address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider(as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.SOURCE
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GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Unlocking High Yields: HowKoi's DeFi Ecosystem Thrives on zkSyncIn the ever-evolving world of decentralized finance (DeFi), yield-seeking investors are constantly on the lookout for platforms that not only promise high returns but also offer sustainability and security. Koi, the largest native DeFi protocol on zkSync, emerges as a front-runner in this arena, offering a compelling combination of high yields and innovative technology. Here's a deep dive into how Koi leverages zkSync to deliver outstanding performance and why it's a top choice for liquidity providers.The Synergy of Koi and zkSync: A Gateway to Enhanced ReturnszkSync, known for its Layer 2 scaling solutions, provides the perfect infrastructure for DeFi protocols looking to enhance efficiency and reduce transaction costs. By being native to zkSync, Koi taps into these benefits, facilitating seamless transactions that are not only fast but also cost-effective. This integration is critical as it allows Koi to pass on the savings from lower transaction fees directly to its users through higher yields.The core of Koi's yield strategy lies in its Automated Market Maker (AMM) Decentralized Exchange with stable pools, alongside its yield and bond platforms. By combining liquidity provider (LP) fees with additional rewards paid out in Koi tokens, the platform ensures that users enjoy attractive and sustainable Annual Percentage Yields (APYs). This dual-reward system incentivizes users to provide liquidity, thereby enhancing the liquidity depth and overall health of the financial ecosystem Koi is building.Sustainable High APYs: More Than Just a NumberKoi distinguishes itself by not only offering high APYs but ensuring these yields are sustainable over time. This is achieved through strategic token distribution and management of liquidity pools. The platform's use of static APYs for its farming pools provides stability, allowing liquidity providers to plan and invest with confidence.Community and Token Holder Value: The Core of Koi's StrategyAt the heart of Koi's operations is its commitment to its community and token holders. The upcoming zkSync airdrop is a testament to this commitment, where significant value is expected to be redistributed to the Koi community. This not only boosts the intrinsic value of holding Koi tokens but also aligns with the platform's ethos of mutual growth and prosperity.The veDAO model implemented by Koi further empowers its community by allowing token holders to participate in decision-making processes. This model integrates profit sharing and platform airdrops, ensuring that token holders benefit directly from the success of the ecosystem.Looking Forward: Growth and Adoption"We're incredibly grateful for our amazing community and the growth we have experienced in the last year, having done over $1B USD in spot volume, $5M+ in protocol fees, 1M+ unique active wallets, and having already reached the ranks of top 100 projects in all of Web3 for revenue and fee generation, we're excited for the future!" - Michael Laurens, Head of Growth - KOI Finance.With the upcoming zkSync TGE and the potential for massive growth in the zkSync ecosystem as a whole, Koi is set to expand its user base significantly in the coming year. These strategic moves, combined with its robust technological foundation and strong community focus, position Koi as a leader in the next wave of DeFi innovations.Join today: https://dapp.koi.finance/ Contact Information:Company name: Mute FoundationCompany Number: QC-376065Address: Suite #5-204, 23 Lime Tree Bay Avenue, P.O. Box 477Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, KY1 1108 - Cayman IslandsName: MichaelEmail: marketing@ koi.finance SOURCE: Koi Finance
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AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 / Amsterdam will host the premier fintech event of the year,Money20/20 Europe , from the 4th to the 6th of June. As the world's leading platform where important financial discussions happen and transformative decisions are made, this event promises a powerful gathering of financial and tech industry leaders.A Top-Notch LineupUnder the theme Human X Machine', the 2024 edition of Money20/20 Europe is set to explore the complex dance between human creativity and machine intelligence. The event will feature more than 350 speakers, including industry icons from top-tier banks like Deutsche Bank and ING, leading fintech firms such as Adyen and Revolut, and key figures from the European Central Bank and the European Commission.Highlighting the event will be a fireside chat with former French President Francois Hollande, facilitated by Scarlett Sieber, Money20/20's Chief Strategy & Growth Officer. Sieber shared her enthusiasm about the discussions to ensue, noting, "We are thrilled to probe the profound impacts of AI and human collaboration on the financial landscape, a synergy that's reshaping how we perceive and interact with money." The lineup of confirmed speakers can be foundhere .Exploring New DimensionsThe conference will look into five important topics, each echoing the theme 'Human X Machine'. Attendees will engage with concepts such as 'A Customer Universe of One', emphasizing hyper-personalization in financial services, and 'The Age of Atomic Finance', where cutting-edge technologies like AI and quantum computing are helping to revolutionize finance.Ethical Innovations and Tech EvolutionsA notable keynote will be delivered by Pav Gill, the whistleblower from the Wirecard scandal, who will discuss the role of ethics in technology. Gill reflects on his journey, stating, "At Confide, we are not just building tools; we are fostering a culture where ethical practices are at the core of business operations." Bringing leaders togetherMoney20/20 isn't just an event, it is an engine of growth and innovation in the fintech sector. Since its debut in 2012, it has served as a critical platform to form partnerships, discuss groundbreaking ideas, and drive the financial sector forward. This year, the event is back in Amsterdam, ready to set the stage for discussions that will define the future of finance.The Money20/20 Europe agenda can be foundhere .Join the ConversationFor those in the financial and technology sectors, Money20/20 Europe offers an outstanding opportunity to witness the evolution of the industry firsthand.As Money20/20 Europe prepares to open its doors, the financial community waits with bated breath to discover how the Human X Machine' theme will unfold and drive the industry towards a more integrated, innovative future.The final price break will be on May 10th, with savings of 100. Additionally, usingthiscode will save you an extra 200. So get yourticketsnow!About Money20/20Launched by industry insiders in 2012, Money20/20 has rapidly become the heartbeat of the global fintech ecosystem. Over the last decade, the most innovative, fast-moving ideas and companies have driven their growth on our platform. Mastercard, Airwallex, J.P. Morgan, SHIELD, GCash, Stripe, Google, Marqeta, VISA, Adyen, Checkout.com and more make transformational deals and raise their global profile with us.Money20/20 attracts leaders from the world's greatest VC firms, banks, regulators and media platforms: convening to cut industry-shaping deals, build world-changing partnerships and unlock future-defining opportunities in Bangkok (23-25 April 2024), Amsterdam (4-6 June 2024) and Las Vegas (27-30 October 2024).Money20/20 also recently launched Twentyfold, a Digital Intelligence product containing the deepest and widest repository of fintech startup data in the world.Money20/20 is where the world's fintech leaders convene to grow their businesses. Money20/20 is part of Ascential plc.Follow Money20/20 onXandLinkedInfor show developments and updates. We're Where Money Does Business.Media Details Company Name: GuerrillaBuzzCity & Country: Amsterdam, NetherlandsMail: sascha@ guerrillabuzz.com Website: https://guerrillabuzz.com/ SOURCE: Money20/20
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Zinklar Elevates Market Presence in North America with Ben Boix as Managing Director, Reinforcing Commitment to Consumer-Centric InsightsNEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2024 /Zinklar, the pioneering consumer insights platform headquartered in Spain, today announces the expansion of its North American team with the appointment of Ben Boix as Managing Director. This strategic move reflects Zinklar's commitment to empowering businesses across the world with actionable data through customer-centric insights.Ben Boix Ben Boix, Zinklars Managing DirectorBoix brings over 15 years of extensive experience in market research, strategic analysis, and leadership. Combined with his MBA from Berkeley-Haas School of Business, this positions him perfectly to lead this exciting expansion for Zinklar."With the U.S. market representing a significant opportunity for growth, I am excited to lead Zinklar's efforts in this region," added Boix. "Our goal is to democratize access to consumer insights, enabling companies of all sizes to prioritize their customers and place them at the core of their business." "Zinklar's expansion of our U.S. team is a significant step in our mission to democratize consumer insights globally. With Ben Boix as Managing Director, we're poised to empower businesses with actionable data, driving consumer-centricity and strategic growth," said Jordi Ferrer, CEO of Zinklar.Zinklar understands the important role of market research in helping companies meet consumer demand, encouraging the development of new products, and crafting campaigns that resonate with evolving consumer preferences. With up to 40% of Zinklar's clients already getting consumer insights through the platform, businesses are ensuring that every decision-making is guided by a consumer-centric approach."As businesses navigate an increasingly complex market landscape, Zinklar aims to be their trusted partner, offering tailored solutions to address their evolving needs," adds Boix.By integrating artificial intelligence and emotion AI, Zinklar offers deep, thorough consumer insights. These insights will empower businesses with the clarity to devise compelling market strategies and operational tactics, ensuring companies to remain ahead in a competitive landscape.With Zinklar's expansion into the U.S. market, businesses can expect a new era of informed-making and strategic growth. Welcome to the future of consumer insights with Zinklar.For more information about Zinklar, visit www.zinklar.com About Zinklar:Zinklar is a leading insights provider dedicated to empowering companies to make informed decisions by closely engaging with their customers. Through its cutting-edge platform, Zinklar enables businesses to access actionable consumer insights, driving market agility, and securing a competitive advantage. With a mission to revolutionize decision-making processes, Zinklar fosters a collaborative environment between companies and customers, ultimately transforming organizations into consumer-centric entities.---Media Contact:Andrea CamachoPR and Communications ManagerZinklarEmail: andrea.camacho@zinklar.com Phone: 657-072-151Contact InformationAndrea CamachoPR and Communications Managerandrea.camacho@zinklar.com +34657072151SOURCE: ZinklarView the original press release on newswire.com
Billionaire industrialist Rasaq Okoya and his wife, Shade, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

Shade married Mr Okoya in 1999 when she was 21, while he was 59.

Mr Okoya married many wives, but prominent among them are Shade and Kuburat Okoya, his senior wife.

The businessman spared no expense for the momentous occasion, which coincided with Shades 47th birthday.

The Okoyas impressive Oluwanishola mansion, located along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos, served as the venue for the grand celebration.

The event commenced with prayers led by clerics and attendees dressed in their finest attire.

Famous comedian Tee-A served as the master of ceremonies to maintain the lively atmosphere. At the same time, the talented Sharp Band provided music to keep the guests entertained throughout the event.

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Dignitaries in attendance included Emeka Anyaoku, a billionaire businessman; Kessington Adebutu, the Oniru of Iruland; Abdulwasiu Lawal; Senator Florence Ita-Giwa; Samuel Adedoyin, Executive Chairman of Doyin Investment Limited; veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo; and Sijibomi Ogundele, known as Sujimoto, among many others.

In a heartfelt interview with Channels TV, the 84-year-old Razaq Okoya couldnt contain his deep affection for Shade, his youngest and last wife.

He said, Shes a lovely, honest, and faithful woman who is very interested in the family. She cares for the home and loves everybody, including her children.

Shes very hardworking. She wakes up as early as 7:00 AM and tidies the house satisfactorily. She does her best to keep the factory going.

Competitive woman

The children of the MD/CEO of Eleganza Group described her as a competitive woman who aims to win at everything she does.

Shade is the managing director of Eleganza Fashion Products Limited and Eleganza Cruise and Travels Limited, a director of Eleganza Group and RAO Investment Property Company Limited, and the Deputy Managing Director of Eleganza Industrial City Limited.

Wahab Okoya, her son, said she raised, guided, and shaped him into who he is today.

She has goals and consistently achieves them. She is my lawyer, fighting my battles. Shes my doctor, teacher, mentor, and everything to me.

Similarly, her daughter, Oyinlola Okoya, described her as caring, hardworking, and determined and noted her penchant for doing things uniquely.

More so, Olamide Okoya noted, Shes a phenomenal woman, and Im fortunate to have her as my mother. Shes a great influence on me, and like my sibling, we agree.

She added that her mother had assisted her not only in work and life but also in fashion and other areas.

Furthermore, Amina Okoya described her mother as caring, kind, and hardworking, expressing the pleasure of always having her presence.

Jubril Okoya emphasised that his mother played a crucial role in his life and had always been there for him.

Subomi Okoya said, Shes bold; everything she does is bold, and everybody knows when shes doing something because of her boldness.

Accolades

Her stepdaughter, Abiola Okoya, noted that Shade is dear to her because she cared for her father and didnt relent.

She said, I love her dearly because shes taking care of my daddy, and she is not short of taking care of him because we (the children) cant do all that. Shes doing it, and we have a double celebration: her birthday and anniversary. So, I wish them all the best and thank God for today.

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For three exhilarating days in the heart of Lagos, the GTCO Food and Drink Festival transformed the sprawling grounds of the GTCentre into a bustling epicentre of culinary innovation and cultural celebration.

Nestled along Plot 1 Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Lagos, from April 26 to 28, 2024, this culinary spectacle dazzled attendees with various flavours, aromas, and experiences.

The 7th edition of the GTCO Food and Drink Festival, which began on Friday and ended on Sunday, promised an unforgettable experience with diverse activities catering to food lovers of all ages.

When visitors set foot inside the festival grounds, they were greeted by the tantalising sights and sounds of live cooking demonstrations, tasting sessions, and a bustling marketplace teeming with hundreds of food retailers.

One of the biggest hits of the festival  Street food!

Imagine walking through the festival grounds, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of vendors grilling delicious treats. It was like taking a culinary tour of Lagos food arenas without leaving the GTCentre.

But the fun didnt stop there. The festival organisers went all out to ensure everyone had a good time. There were games for the kids, interactive exhibits, and even a baking class for aspiring young chefs. It was a feast for the senses and a celebration of food in all its glory.

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As part of the festival highlights, chef masterclasses featured global dishes that added an international twist to the food fest. Famous chefs like Aldo Zilli and Robin McBride led these sessions, sharing their love for cooking with the crowd. Aldo Zilli delved into Italian cuisine beyond pasta, revealing the diverse flavours of Italy. Robin McBride uncovered the secrets of wine tasting, helping attendees explore the world of wine in a sensory experience.

From traditional African dishes to innovative fusion cuisines, attendees revelled in the rich diversity of flavours and cultures on display.

Here, PREMIUM TIMES highlights 10 street foods that stole the show at the events food village.

Traditional roasted Corn and Groundnuts

As attendees wandered through the festival grounds, the sight and scent of roasted corn evoked memories of Lagos bustling street corners.

Despite its seasonal availability, roasted corn remained a perennial favourite among Lagosians. Charred over blazing hot fires, each kernel achieved the perfect balance of tenderness and smokiness, enveloped in a sweet and savoury aroma that tantalised the senses.

Pitakiwa Boli and Grills

The chefs brought the taste of Port Harcourt to Lagos with Pitakiwa Boli and grills that tantalised taste buds with succulent skewered meats and perfectly roasted plantains.

Attendees marvelled at the chefs skilful craftsmanship as they expertly charred the meats to perfection, infusing each morsel with smoky, savoury goodness. Accompanied by traditional sides such as yams and spicy sauces, Pitakiwas offerings transported festival-goers on a sensory journey through the flavours of Southern Nigeria.

Titus and Kote Grills

Part of the street food lineup at the GTCO, Titus fish stood out as a supreme choice. Its unparalleled taste and versatility made it a favourite among food enthusiasts.

Suya by Glover Suya

Suya is an extremely loved street food in Nigeria, and at the GTCO festival, Glover Suya brought their version.

A quintessential West African delicacy, Suya captivated the senses with its succulent skewered beef, marinated in a compelling blend of spices and grilled to perfection.

Its a taste you will remember, with its burst of flavour and the spicy kick from cayenne pepper and ginger.

Barbecue Delights

From tender ribs to savoury kebabs, the festivals barbecue offerings promised a smoky indulgence that satisfied even the most discerning palate.

Grilled over open flames, each dish boasted a charred exterior and succulent interior, infused with the rich flavours of marinades and seasonings.

Fried Snail Meat

African peppered snails, sauteed with peppers, onions, and garlic, are a delicacy that offers a compelling fusion of flavours and textures.

With a chewy texture and earthy taste, snails readily absorbed the spicy sauce, creating a finger-licking appetiser that left attendees craving more.

Spring Rolls

Originating from ancient China, spring rolls made a delicious appearance at the festival. They were filled with a paste of julienne-style vegetables and minced meat.

Crispy on the outside and bursting with flavour on the inside, these bite-sized delights offered a perfect balance of textures and aromas, satisfying appetites with every savoury bite.

Puff Puff

A beloved Nigerian snack, Puff Puff delighted festival-goers with its golden-brown exterior and fluffy interior.

Deep-fried to perfection and tossed in cinnamon sugar, each bite offered a warm and comforting indulgence reminiscent of childhood memories and family gatherings.

Ram Meat

Attendees were treated to a culinary adventure as they savoured raw, unskinned ram meat roasted evenly over open flames. Served with a generous drizzle of red sauce and pepper, each bite offered a burst of flavour and juiciness, showcasing the rich heritage of Nigerian cuisine.

Grilled Catfish

With its wide surface area and moderate firmness, catfish emerged as a delicious canvas for grilling.

Marinated in a flavorful blend of spices and herbs, each fillet boasted a charred exterior and tender interior, creating a dish that delighted seafood enthusiasts and carnivores alike.

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A high court in Effurun, Delta State, has ordered famous blogger Linda Ikeji to pay N30,000,000 as general damages to Africas Neo-Black Movement (NBM) over a libellous publication.

NBM is a nonviolent, nongovernmental organisation (NGO) founded in 1977 by nine Nigerian students at the University of Benin. Neo-Blackism, promotes equality, research into traditional African culture, and the liberation of the Black race.

The NBMs logo is an axe breaking the shackles of colonialism.

On 19 October 2021, Ikeji, in a publication on her blog, allegedly referred to NBM of Africa as a dreaded cult group, black axe, and criminal organisation.

NAN reports that the NBM and three others slammed a N1 billion lawsuit against the blogger over alleged defamation and libel.

The registered trustees of NBM of Africa listed as claimants in the lawsuit include Ese Kakor, Felix Kupa and Mayor Onyebueke.

On Monday, Roli Daibo-Harriman, the presiding judge, also awarded N300,000 for the cost of litigation against the blogger.

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The court ordered Ms Ikeji to place a publication in her blog and national dailies, retracting the defamatory publication.

Ms Ikeji was also ordered to restrain from further damaging publications against the claimants and members of the NBM of Africa.

The blogger was said to have been absent in court, and neither was she represented.

Speaking after the court proceedings, Kelvin Agbroko, lead counsel to the claimants, said it was a well-deserved judgment.

Mr Agbroko said the case would serve as a lesson to bloggers to verify the information before making a publication.

He said, NBM of Africa is a legal organisation duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The defendants publication against my client has been cleared as damaging.

NBM is good to go; we will take all necessary steps to enforce the terms of the judgment against her. t was an erudite judgment that is all-encompassing and will be difficult to fault.

Reacting to the judgement, Ese Kakor, president of NBM of Africa, said the case had been on for about two years.

What Ikeji did was just to sell in a bid to defame the character of NBM of Africa; it is very wrong, he said.

I advise other bloggers not to follow the same steps as they may face similar litigation. Do not try and defame peoples character.

NBM has nothing to do with cultism, black axe. It is not a criminal organisation but a registered organisation.

(NAN)

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Candidates who sat the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) can now check their results.

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB), Is-haq Oloyede, a professor, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday.

Between Friday, 19 and 29 April, more than 1.9 million candidates took the computer-based examination to rank candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions.

Mr Oloyede, however, said the examination body had withheld the results of 64,624 candidates for possible infractions. He said the board was investigating the withheld results.

Mr Oloyede, according to a copy of his speech obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, said: Out of a total of 1,989,668 registered candidates, 80,810 were absent. A total of 1,904,189 sat the UTME within the six days of the examination.

He said the results of total of 1,842,464 candidates have been released.

Pass Rate

The registrar further noted that 8,401, representing 0.5 per cent of candidates, scored 300 and above in the examination. The maximum score obtainable in the UTME is 400.

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He said 77,070, representing 4.2 per cent, scored 250 and above and that 439,974, representing 24 per cent, scored 200 and above.

He added that 1,402,490, representing 76 per cent of candidates, scored below 200.

Withheld results, infractions

The JAMB registrar explained that 78 of the withheld results are under investigation for alleged examination misconduct, 4,594 for procedural investigation of candidates, 2,896 under investigation on verification, and 57,056 for centre-based investigations.

For the centre-based investigation, 18 centres are involved, with the breakdown presented as Edo 1, Akwa Ibom, Delta 2 and Kwara 1.

Mr Oloyede, however, noted that theres a downward trend in the cases of examination infractions noticed in the UTME since the introduction of computer-based tests almost ten years ago.

He said the board only had 78 cases of examination misconduct in the just-concluded UTME. Even these cases are largely in terms of impersonation and smuggling of devices into the examination hall, he said.

He added that JAMB is determined to sustain the tempo through the adoption and automation of all its processes, starting from registration and examination to admission.

The Board witnessed a near-zero infraction in the 2024 UTME except for a few cases, representing a tiny fraction of what was reported last year. This is encouraging, and the Board is poised to consolidate on the successes recorded, he said.

Hitches

Mr Oloyede added that only 25 of 9,156 examination sessions experienced hiccups, which disrupted 150 sessions in 95 of the 774 centres.

The affected sessions were promptly rescheduled. Only one centre, Makama School of Technology, Old Motor Park, Along FCCE (T) Road, Bichi, Kano State, was delisted for substandard performance, he added.

Gender, PWDs data

The JAMB registrar added that this years registration had more female candidates for the first time in three years.

According to the data he provided, 1,007,275 (50.6 per cent) female candidates registered for the examinations compared to 982,393 (49.4 per cent) male candidates.

Last year, 49.7 per cent of candidates were female. In 2022, they represented 48.4 per cent of the total candidates.

Out of the total registration, 3,164 were persons with disabilities (PWDs), Mr Oloyede added.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe

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Afreximbank has called on Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to shift more investment focus to Africas mining sector as part of efforts to create value.

IsDB has a long, robust relationship with Africa, with Libya and Egypt among the league of countries that agreed in 1974 to start the organisation.

Today, Libya and Nigeria rank among its top five member nations in terms of shareholding size.

The scale of the transactions IsDB has done with Africa through International Islamic Trade Finance, which provides trade support to participating countries on behalf of the bank, has surpassed one billion dollars, Benedict Oramah, president of Afreximbank, said in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Sunday at a conference marking the banks half a century in business.

Afreximbank itself lends to support developmental initiatives and projects with Africa as its focus.

Today there can be no better place to invest than in Africa. That is the continent of the future. That is the youngest population. That is a continent that will in a very very short time actually account for almost 40 per cent of global population, the Afreximbank chief said.

Its a continent that has all the minerals you can think of that are yet to be exploited, not to talk of the water, agricultural land, all the things that the world today is lacking. So that is a place that can become a good partner of Saudi Arabia as it implements the Vision 2030.

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Saudi Arabia, one of the latest economies to join the scramble for Africas mineral wealth, dominated by China and the US, in the worlds quest to harness the critical metals required for a green energy transition, this year announced a $15 billion plan to scale supply.

A huge slice of that is expected to go into tapping cobalt, graphite, lithium, nickel and manganese in East Africa.

Scramble for Africa

Africa holds vast quantities of the minerals the world is looking to for the mass manufacturing of car batteries and components central to the shift to renewable energy sources for automobiles from reliance on fossil fuels.

That has returned only little socio-economic value following years of underinvestment, which has seen foreign mining companies ship the continents minerals largely in their raw state overseas without processing or adding much value.

Resource-rich Democratic Republic of Congo, one notable example, has mineral reserves worth $24 Trillion, according to the United States Agency for International Development, but ranks among the poorest nations on the earth.

Countries like Zambia and Nigeria, Africas economic powerhouse and most populous country, are insisting that investors add layers of value to minerals before they can be exported.

Mr Oramah told panellists and participants at the private sector forum of the IsDBs annual meetings that Saudi Arabias Vision 2030, anchored on socio-economic and cultural diversification, has become a hub for Asia, Europe and Africa to connect.

If Saudi Arabia achieves this vision, so the global market is nearer, the African ports will become integrated into the Saudi ports, we are able to more effectively also diversify from mineral resources just as Saudi Arabia also diversifies from oil, he said.

This February, the United States said it would back the project linking the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia through rail to the Lobito Port in Angola with more funding as it creates a corridor for itself to ease mineral importation.

China is bankrolling the construction of a parallel 1,860-kilometre rail line between Zambia and Tanzania, where it is positioning the port of Dar es Salaam as a key hub for importing minerals out of the continent.

On Saturday, the first day of the golden jubilee event, Cote dIvoire landed a 70.5 million deal to fund a project aimed at the development of root & tuber and regional cassava value chains. Another project of the same nature, but valued at 60.6 million, was approved in favour of the Republic of Benin.

Of IsDBs membership, Africa accounts for 25 of the 57 countries spread across four continents that also include Asia, Europe and South America. Saudi Arabia is the biggest member of IsDB, holding nearly a quarter of the paid-up capital.

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Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, says the traditional institutions in Nigeria must be strengthened and protected from the influence of elected officials.

Mr Kalu stated this on Saturday during a visit to the palace of the Emir of Kano, Aminu Bayero.

The deputy speaker, in a statement by his spokesperson, Levinus Nwabughiogu, on Sunday, said he planned to engage with the traditional rulers in the ongoing constitutional amendment process and to incorporate the traditional institutions into the document.

Mr Kalu, the chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, said monarchs must have security of office, not guaranteed by the local government chairmen, governors or the president but by the constitution.

This institution is not as strong as it is supposed to be. The traditional institution must be strengthened, protected and secured. Those who are heading it must feel secure. They must not be at the mercy of the local government chairpersons not the security that comes from the state government or the president of the federal government but the constitution.

Thats why I am one of the advocates of a thorough and adequate recognition of the institution of the traditional rulers in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because you are there, playing a role.

We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that there is a problem you are helping us to solve by being on the seat. Its not about the glory that goes with it but the responsibility, he said.

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In his response, Mr Bayero expressed gratitude to the deputy speaker for the visit, describing him as a worthy son of Nigeria.

The emir noted that Mr Kalus visit will further strengthen the bonds of national unity and cohesion mostly yearned for by Nigerians.

He also appreciated the deputy speaker for carrying the traditional rulers along in the constitution review process, assuring him that the institution, made up of individuals with invaluable experience, will make their contributions.

Meanwhile, Mr Kalu also visited the palace of the Emir of Bichi, Nasir Bayero, in Kano.

Influence of governors over traditional institutions

Over the past couple of decades, traditional rulers in Nigeria have seen their influence and powers watered down from the height they occupied in the pre-independence era and immediately after independence. The military incursion in 1966 dealt the first blow to the influence of the traditional rulers.

The 1976 local government reforms further stripped traditional rulers of their constitutional role, and the framers of the 1999 constitution did not include the institution in the document.

In the last couple of years, there has been a strong clamour from traditional rulers for their inclusion in the constitution.

In 2019, the monarchs made a strong push for their inclusion in the Constitution. During the last alteration, the traditional rulers, through the Coordinating Committee of the Council, submitted a memorandum to the National Assembly.

In the memorandum, the traditional rulers, among other things, proposed that the constitution should recognise the chairmen of the states Councils of Chiefs as members of the Council of State as it has been in all the Nigerian constitutions.

However, the lawmakers did not incorporate the recommendations during the last alteration.

In the absence of constitutional roles, traditional rulers are governed by chieftaincy laws in different states. Often, governors use these laws to influence the selection of traditional rulers or even arbitrarily remove them.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State suspended a traditional ruler for conferring a chieftaincy title on a political opponent.

Former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State dethroned Muhammed Sanusi as the emir of Kano. Many viewed the dethronement as politically motivated.

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Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State inaugurated a 50,000-hectare rice farm at Ndok in Ogoja Local Government Area on Sunday.

The initiative is supported by a credit scheme in which the state government allocates N150 million monthly to agricultural development initiatives.

Mr Otu said with the initiative, the state government was poised to revolutionise the agricultural sector directly with farmers.

We are engaging with farmers groups as part of our agricultural revolution, focusing initially on short-term food crops like rice and cassava.

We are also progressing towards the development of oil palm and rubber plantations.

We are committed to ensuring the provision of essential resources like credit-guarantee schemes to facilitate financial assistance for dedicated farmers, he said.

The governor encouraged individuals to seize the opportunity to engage in agricultural production.

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Earlier, Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation, Johnson Ebokpo, said the government had acquired new tractors to be distributed to local government areas to enhance agricultural mechanisation.

He said that farmers cooperatives would manage the tractors.

Mr Ebokpo added that the initiative aimed at empowering youths while supporting small-holder farmers in scaling up their operations.

In his remarks, the Chairperson of the Rice Farmers Association in Cross River, Emmanuel Anoh, projected a minimum yield of six tonnes of rice per hectare of land.

He said the six tonnes would translate to 140 bags of 50kg of rice per hectare, stressing that the significant increase would transform food availability in Nigeria.

Mr Anoh commended the Cross River government for the initiative and expressed confidence about its positive outcome.

(NAN)

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The internet is a shared home for mankind. In order to maintain its global hegemony, the United States has abused its information technology and resource advantages, engaging in wiretapping and espionage, creating public opinion, manipulating public sentiment, undermining rules, decoupling supply chains. These actions run counter to the global digitization process and have made the US the world's largest perpetrator of cyberattacks, producer of cyber weapons, and disruptor of cyberspace order. To expose the hegemony and bullying behavior of the United States in cyberspace, the China Cybersecurity Industry Alliance (CCIA) has organized the compilation of the report "US Threats and Sabotage to the Security and Development of Global Cyberspace" (both Chinese and English versions) (hereinafter referred to as the "Report"). The Report, from the perspective of cybersecurity expertise, employs empirical analysis to closely track the specific actions of the United States that threaten and undermine global cyberspace security and development. Drawing on reports and articles published by government departments, global cybersecurity companies, research institutions, and news media in recent years, it integrates various analytical processes and research results to systematically analyze the serious threats and damages caused by the United States to global cyberspace security and development, as well as to world peace and stability, and the civilization and progress of humansociety. TheReport is divided into six sections based on behaviors and timeline, mainly covering the US infiltrates and subverts foreign governments via the Internet, performs indiscriminate cyber surveillance and espionage, attacks and deters against other countries in the cyberspace, triggers a cyber arms race, abuses political measures to disrupt the global industry and supply chain, and sabotages cyberspace rules and order. The following is the full text of the Report: US Threats and Sabotage to the Security and Development of Global Cyberspace Preface Cyberspace is the home of mankind. But to maintain hegemony, the US abuses its IT and resource advantages and extended hegemony to the cyberspace. It conducts cyber espionageand theft, shapes and manipulates public opinion, breaks rules and seeks decoupling and disrupts supply chains. It has been the biggest cyber attacker, cyber weapon maker, and cyber order breaker in the world. It is seriously threatening the development and security of the global cyberspace, the peace and stability of the world, and the civilization and progress of human society. 1. Infiltrating and subverting foreign governments via the Internet The US uses the Internet as a subversion instrument. Against the target countries, it performs ideological infiltration and control, spreads fake news, smears their governments, incites the people, misleads public opinion, interferes with their internal affairs and subverts their state power via the Internet. Since 2003, many abnormal regime changes have happened in the Eurasian region. As shown in Georgias Rose Revolution, Ukraines Orange Revolution and Kyrgyzstans Tulip Revolution, protests and riots happened in elections and evolved into overall political crises. Dubbed as the second CIA, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is long funded by Congress and the White House. On March 29th, 2022, Damon Wilson, president and CEO of NED, acknowledged the US had planned color revolutions in the region via the Internet. In 2011, the so-called Arab Spring originated from Tunisia, overwhelmed West Asia and North Africa, and caused social turmoil, tens of thousands of casualties and a loss of one trillion dollars. Based on Twitter, Facebook and other social media, the US shaped public opinion, incited people, and advocated Western values. It incited people to take to the streets to trigger social turmoil and regime changes. On February 25th, 2022, the former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton acknowledgedthatWe did some of that in the Arab Spring in an interview with MSNBC when talking about interfering with other countries via the Internet. In August, 2022, Stanford Internet Observatory and the research company Graphika jointly published a report Unheard Voice: Evaluating five years of pro-Western covert influence operations. The report showed popular social media outlets like Twitter, Meta and Instagram had a number of interconnected sham accounts funded by the US government. The accounts used deceptive tactics to cover covert campaigns for almost five years to support the US and its allies and oppose countries including Russia, China and Iran. 2. Performing indiscriminate cyber surveillance and espionage The US takes national interests as an excuse,and abuses its IT and industrial advantages to spyon the world in cyberspace massively, systemically and indiscriminately. From civilians to national leaders, politicians to international organizations, diplomatic missions to firms, no one can be exempt from the US intelligence agencies even including the US allies. The US data theft has breached global Internet users privacy, trampled on human rights and infringed upon the sovereignty of other countries. In 2007, the National Security Agency(NSA) started a top-secret surveillance program PRISM to monitor global communication, including that of the US citizens, from the servers of nine such Internet giants as Google, Facebook and AOL. In June, 2013, the former defense employee and subcontractor Edward Snowden disclosed to The Guardian and The Washington Post secret files of PRISM. The files showed the US government had been tracking real time data including emails, live chats, videos, audios, files and photos and monitoring everything about the targets. On June 7th, 2013, the then US President Obama acknowledged the program. The Washington Post later noted that the NSAs surveillance was covert and might be illegal. In 2015, WikiLeaks published that the US spied on 35 Japanese targets including Japanese cabinet members and Mitsubishi. In February, 2020, The Washington Post, ZDF and SRF published a joint investigation report and revealed the CIA and the German Federal Intelligence Service used a Swiss communications encryption firm Crypto AG to spy on governments and firms by covertly controlling Cryptos encryption products sold to 120 countries. In May, 2021, DR reported the NSA and the Danish Intelligence Service wiretapped leaders of EU countries including then German Chancellor Angela Merkel. On May 31st, 2021, President Macron and Chancellor Merkel attended a virtual Franco-German Council of Ministers meeting and requested the US and Denmark to explain. This is unacceptable among allies, said President Macron. In early April, 2023, The Washington Post and many media outlets reported a leak of many US military intelligence documents on the Ukraine crisis. The leaked documents showed the US eavesdropped on the UN Secretary-General Guterres and leaders of other countries such as the Republic of Korea and Israel. On April 18th, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the UN had officially expressed to the US its concern on the above mentioned media reports. 3. Attacking and deterring other countries in the cyberspace Based on its cyber advantages, the US uses cyber deterrence as a major instrument of its hegemony. Cyber deterrence is increasingly becoming its preference in international relations. The US frequently attacks other countries in cyberspace, uses cyberspace as a main battlefield of a new Cold War, and adopts a defend forward tactic based on all its state power including politics, economy, diplomacy and the military. In particular, the US takes civilian critical infrastructure cyber attacks as a new method to maintain hegemony and achieve political, economic and military objectives. This greatly harms the security, development and social stability of other countries. In December 2010, the Stuxnet virus was used to attacked the Iranian Natanz Nuclear Power Plant. It destroyed a number of centrifuges and delayed related nuclear projects. On June 1st, 2012, New York Times reported Stuxnet originated from a program Olympic Games of the US government around 2006. This was the first cyber weapon attack in the real world. The US was so excited to find the cyber warfare cost much lower than the traditional warfare that it soon established cyber forces. It has been the initiator and source of global cyber warfare. Equation Group is a cyberattack group with notorious track records. But the US supports it in cyber attacks globally. On August 13th, 2016, a famous hacking group The Shadow Brokers revealed in social media that the leaked data showed the Equation Group had hit over 45 countries in over ten years. The attack manual and string of malware program were exactly the same with those of PRISM. The evidence indicated the link between the Equation Group and the US NSA. In 2018, the US published the DoD Cyber Strategy, which initiated the hunt forward principle of cyber warfare, and extended its cyber defense line to other countries. In the mid of October, 2022, the US Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) published policy documents on cyber warfare. Based on the documents, the objective of the US cyber operations was to own the domain; the US cyber forces put critical infrastructure as legitimate targets during times of cyber conflicts; and pursued preemptive strike as an offensive strategy. This showed the US militaristic ambition to seek hegemony in cyberspace. Since 2018, CYBERCOM has conducted over 40 operations in over 20 countries including Estonia, Lithuania and Ukraine. It used the so-called situational awareness and the defend forward methods to uncover, locate and expose adversaries cyber operations to conduct cyber deterrence and strikes. In December, 2022, French COMCYBER commander Aymeric Bonnemaison told the parliament that the US CYBERCOMs hunt forward operations in Europe were quite aggressive. Hunt forward operations were only excuses of the US cyber espionage and attacks and had made its European allies very uneasy. On June 1st, 2022, Sky News reported that Paul Nakasone, Commander of US CYBERCOM and Director of National Security Agency, acknowledged in an interview that in December, 2021, the US sent a cyber force to Ukraine and stayed there for about three months. In the Ukraine crisis, the US also conducted a series of operations across the full spectrum; offensive, defensive, [and] information operations. This was the first time that a senior US official confirmed the US cyber attacks against another country. On September 5th, 2022, Chinas National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center and Qihoo 360 Technology Co., Ltd. published a Report on the Cyber Attacks of NSA on Chinas Northwester Polytechnical University (NPU).The report showed NPUs network had been repeatedly attacked by overseas hackers attributed to Office of Tailored Access Operation(TAO)under NSA for years. TAO infiltrated and controlled NPUs critical information infrastructure with over 41 dedicated cyber weapons to steal key network equipment configuration, network management data, and operation and maintenance data. On July, 26th, 2023, Wuhan Municipal Emergency Management Bureau published a statement that CVERC and Qihoo 360 detected a cyber attack from overseas organization on its earthquake monitoring center. Some front-end station collection points of earthquake reporting data had been implanted with backdoor programs. The media later reported that the recent investigation found very complex backdoor malware that fit the characteristics of US intelligence agencies. This was the latest example of the US cyber attack on Chinas critical Chinese infrastructure with a clear military reconnaissance purpose. 4. Triggering a cyber arms race The US is the culprit of cyber arms race. It viewed cyberspace as a new battlefield,introduced new combat concepts, and conspired to dominate this new battlefield. Early in 2009, the US founded the first cyber command in the world and continued to strengthen cyber forces. It had built dozens of large intelligence-gathering systems and developed a huge armory of cyber weapons. Instigated by the US, its allies soon followed suit and the cyber arms race is getting white-hot globally. By 2015, the US had developed over 2,000 cyber weapons including worms, Trojans, logic bombs and trapdoors. EternalBlue was a tool accidentally leaked from the NSAs cyber armory. It was later changed into the WannaCry virus. On May 12th, 2017, the WannaCry ransomware attack erupted, hit about 300,000 computers in over 150 countries, and caused a loss of up to 8 billion dollars. On August 18th, 2017, CYBERCOM was elevated to the US 10th combatant command as equal to the US Central Command. Until September, 2018, the US Cyber Mission Force(CMF) had had 133 cyber teams, including 13 Cyber National Mission Teams, 68 Cyber Protection Teams, 27 Cyber Combat Mission Teams and 25 Combat Support Teams. 5. Abusing political measures to disrupt the global industry and supply chain The US government uses political security and ideology as an excuse, overstretches the national security concept and hypes up the China threat narrative. It ignores Chinas adherence to the independent foreign policy of peace over the decades, smears Chinas great contribution to the global cyberspace and voice of justice, and forces its allies to take sides. It ignores the international order after WW2, the basic principles of cyberspace, and the UN consensus on developing and implementing globally interoperable common rules and standards for supply-chain security. It abuses its export control measures, oppresses foreign firms or entities with political, economic and financial measures, and creates exclusive small cliques. It has disrupted global trade, violated market laws, undermined market rules and trade order, and destabilized global industry and supply chain. The US Department of Commerce has put a number of firms and entities on the Entity List of export control and caused chaos in the global supply chain. Taking China as an example, more than 1400 Chinese entities were on the list spanning industries including telecommunication, finance, and transportation before September, 2023. The list included technology firms like Huawei and SMIC, and research and education entities like Harbin Institute of Technology and the Institute of Computing Technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences. In May, 2019, the US gathered 32 countries for the Prague 5G Security Conference in Czech Republic, jointly published the Prague Proposals, and conspired to ban Chinas 5G products from the policy, security, technological and economic aspects. The US also pressed European, Asian and African countries to ban Huaweis 5G products. Globally, many media and industrial experts argued that banning Chinese companies from 5G was an embarrassing request against global digitalization and its future development. In September, 2021, the US used increasing supply chain transparency as an excuse and forced hundreds of major firms throughout the semiconductor supply chain including Apple, Microsoft, Intel, TSMC and Samsung to submit their confidential information including customer information, sales data, chip inventories and expansion plans. The request put their confidential corporate information at the risk of leakage, cut their advantages in price negotiations with the US firms, eroded the trust and confidence of global customers and undermined the semiconductor supply chain in the world. In August, 2022, US President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Actand forced international firms to side with the US. Based on the Act, the US government requested foreign firms like TSMC and Samsung who would benefit from the American chip industry subsidies to set up chip plants in the US. In this way, the US could dominate the industry chain of high-end chips and harass the chip industry of other countries. In April, 2024, US President Biden signed a package of Foreign aid bills, which included forcing ByteDance to divest its TikTok US business within nine months, or it would banned in United States. This regulation fully reflects the United States double standard to maintain its cyber hegemony of controlling and manipulating international public opinion platforms. On one hand, it advocates freedom and democracy internationally while selling social media platforms it controls to nearly all countries worldwide. On the other hand, it broadens the notion of national security, exploiting legal measures for coercive and predatory actions. 6. Sabotaging cyberspace rules and order The US deems itself the leader of cyberspace and makes most of the defects of cyberspace like unsound regulations and imbalanced development to strengthen its superpower hegemony. It puts its own interests over the interests of the world and puts the global cyberspace into a security dilemma, promise-breaking deadlock and trust-breaching panic. On September 23rd, 2019, the US and another 27 countries published a Joint Statement on Advancing Responsible State Behavior in Cyberspace.This statement distorted and tampered with the framework of responsible state behavior and deviated from the consensus the US and its cohorts had agreed with. This fully illustrated the US all-time principle of applying international law in a selective and utilitarian way. The US deliberately ignored the aspiration of the international society to build a peaceful cyberspace and divided the cyberspace into peacetime and non-peacetime. Its intention was to legalize its offensive military operations in cyberspace and make the cyberspace a new battlefield. Such behavior maliciously aggravated cyber conflict risks among countries and was detrimental to cyberspace peace and security. On April 28th, 2022, the US gathered over 50 countries and jointly published a Declaration for the Future of the Internet. It openly affirmed to promote and sustain an Internet that is global and interoperable. In reality, it discarded multilateral platforms like the UN, created small cliques based on ideology, and undermined the international order and rules with gang rules of blocs. The so-called declaration was a latest example of US intention to divide the cyberspace and trigger cyber confrontation. Conclusion Cyberspace is a shared space of mankind. Every country has shared interest and future in cyberspace, and aspires to a peaceful, secure, open, cooperative and orderly cyberspace. But the US recklessly maintains its cyber hegemony, pursues absolute security of itself at the cost of other countries, and even pursues a way of undermining and splitting the cyberspace. The US vicious deeds impede global digitalization, run against the history, and must be denounced by the world. For the interest of mankind, governments of conscience, firms, social organizations, scholars and netizens aspiring to fairness, justice and freedom should strengthen dialogues and cooperation, promote development, maintain security, pursue jointgovernance and shared benefits, build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, and work for a brighter future for mankind. (End)
The founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Afe Babalola on Monday called on those seeking the dissolution of the country to learn from China on how diversity could be used for economic prosperity.

Mr Babalola made the appeal at the 1st Inter-Continental Universities Conference, hosted by the ABUAD in collaboration with China-Africa Discourse Studies (CECADS), at the University campus in Ado Ekiti.

Speaking at the conference with the theme, Building Bridges for Advancing the SDG: Enhancing Inter-University Scientific Collaboration between Africa and China, the legal icon noted that most people believed that the size of China, coupled with the large number of tribes and languages, were responsible for its underdevelopment, just as many Nigerians also believed that the large number of tribes and languages was also responsible for her underdevelopment.

However, China has today taken advantage of the population and made the country a huge success and one of the first three civilised countries in the world.

Those advocating that Nigeria should be balkanised should learn from how China took advantage of its size, population and manpower to become one of the leading civilised and industrialised countries in the world, he said.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Consul General of the Peoples Republic of China, Yan Yuqing, said that China would be willing to cooperate more with Nigeria in the field of higher education.

Ms Yuqing added that the Asian nation would support more outstanding Nigerian students studying in China, and Chinese students coming to Nigeria for exchanges. She said that China would also support more joint scientific research among universities.

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The Consul General observed that Nigeria being the largest economy in Africa, as well as the African continent, had great potential for development in terms of science, technology and innovation, talent development and technology-driven innovation.

I believe that Afe Babalola University is the key facilitator of China-Nigeria cooperation in education and science and technology for sustainable development.

China and Nigeria are important strategic partners. I look forward to deepening the friendship and mutual understanding between our two countries through cooperation in education, science and technology and employment empowerment, and thus creating an example for cooperation in other areas, she said.

She further noted that presently, numerous Chinese companies were investing in Nigeria, creating a large number of jobs while promoting the development of Nigerian society.

China is willing to support the empowerment of Nigerian youths, and through Chinese language and vocational skills education, provide more Nigerian youths with the opportunity to work in Chinese enterprises and even serve as the companies administrators.

Today, I invite the heads of CCECC and Power Construction Corporation of China, who have made great contributions to the development of Nigerias infrastructure construction, power and agriculture sectors, to accompany me on this visit. And I am sure they will welcome the outstanding students of Afe Babalola University to join them in the future, she added.

In his keynote address, the Acting Executive Secretary, National University Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, noted that the Africa-Asia Inter-Continental Universities Conference represented a significant opportunity to build bridges across our continents, by bringing together academics, researchers, diplomats, and other experts from Africa and China, including students.

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Premium Times Books, the book publishing arm of the Premium Times group, is excited to announce the release of its latest title, Writing for Media and Monetising It, by Azu Ishiekwene, a veteran of the Nigerian media and public commentary, which is due to hit bookshops soon.

This 280-page book, comprising 15 chapters and informative epilogues, is an innovative resource material and guide for students and scholars of the media, alongside professionals, who increasingly require novel roadmaps for navigating the exciting maelstrom that the media  and its various iterations or strands of practice  have become.

Writing for Media and Monetising It reveals how all of Mr Ishiekwenes close to four decades of media work and public intellection have earned him a prized birds eye view, and still that depth of gaze, if not some form of omniscience, to both observe society keenly and equally calibrate the evolution of the media.

As such, this book chronicles various levels of disruption that have come to bear on media practice, particularly in terms of how they impact and can  more saliently  enhance the livelihoods of practitioners.

Of necessity, it identifies and seeks to bridge knowledge gaps, towards a renewed engagement with the economics of the media in these times; importantly, how writers and content creators can stay within the cusps of innovation, and thereby keep their work in demand, towards better compensation.

Part autobiographical, part personal reflection on a profession undergoing forceful transfiguration, and part manual for keen media workers or career pilgrims, on how to leverage their skills for more worthwhile recompense, Azus didactic form of storytelling is masterly in its subject command and projections.

Canons of practice within the media enterprise, who have read the book, experienced its uniqueness, and who offer advance praises of its novelty include Sonala Olumhense, a renowned syndicated columnist, who notes that, in this title, Azu Ishiekwene gives back to the Times and Seasons that fostered him by giving to the future: showing how you can take your place in the bigger, bolder media, and be directly compensated by it.

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He further observes, rightly, that, It is a world that did not exist when Azu was setting out, but one in which those who learn its pathways may be not simply craftsmen, but the owners of the craft.

Equally, Farooq Kperogi, a professor of Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA, observes that The book is a valuable resource for students, early- to mid-career journalists, and content creators seeking to understand and thrive in our increasingly intricate and rapidly evolving media ecosystem. He goes on in the affirmation of how, Ishiekwenes first-hand experiences, combined with interviews with professionals, make this a comprehensive manual for effective, impactful writing in todays digital world. Moreover, he recommend(s) it in the highest terms.

The array of insightful annotations on Writing for Media and Monetising It ranges from that of South African journalist and editor, Ferial Haffajee, who believes there is none better than Azubuike Ishiekwene to steward young journalists into a world and landscape (so) fundamentally changed and shifted from what we have known, to the endorsement of Abimbola Adelakun, a notable columnist and professor in the African/African Diaspora studies programme of the University of Texas at Austin. Also, prominent academics, Professors Abiodun Adeniyi of Baze University, Abuja and Oluyinka Esan of Caleb University in Lagos, alongside journalist, author and communications consultant, Ngozi Anyaegbunam.

While Adelakun considers Writing for the Media and Monetising It as representing a generous and gracious gift from Azu Ishiekwene  a master journalist, writer, analyst, critic, and media man, she more so sees in it a collection of lessons and insights that will inspire and challenge a rare gift from a master of the craft.

Adeniyi notes the unmistakable hands-on approach and simplicity of the book, which captures the core essences of lettering for beginner and intermediate learners and could serve as refresher literature for the initiated. Yet, for Esan, Azus track record, the deep insight which he demonstrates as a seasoned columnist are further justifications that commend the present initiative.

The author, Mr Azu Ishiekwene, is a highly respected and well-read columnist in the local and international media, whose over 35-year experience have seen him serve as Editor and Executive Director, Publications, at The PUNCH newspapers, then as Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief of The Interview magazine, is currently the Senior Vice Chairman/Editor-in-Chief at the LEADERSHIP Media Group. A Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and director of the Dantiye Centre for Leadership and Journalism, he is also the writer of an earlier title, The Trial of Nuhu Ribadu.

Copies of Writing for the Media and Monetising It can presently be pre-ordered from www.azu.media and delivered both locally and internationally, pending its formal presentation later in June.

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From the Fubara-Wike political battle to the hike in fares by commercial transport operators in Akwa Ibom, the fourth week of April was eventful in South-south Nigeria.

These are the major stories from the region last week.

Resignation of pro-Wike Rivers commissioners

Six months after the political rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike (now FCT minister) began and four months after signing the peace deal, events in the oil-rich state are exposing fresh tensions, suggesting that the rift is far from being over.

The battle for control of the political structure in Rivers State between Messrs Fubara and Wike continued on Monday. The pro-Wike House of Assembly members overrode Governor Fubaras veto. It passed another bill into law, making it the fifth time in four months that the Rivers assembly has dispensed with Mr Fubaras assent to bills in the state.

The feud entered a new phase on Wednesday with the resignation of two pro-Wike commissioners from Governor Fubaras cabinet following their redeployment from key ministries.

Isaac Kamalu, finance commissioner, and Zacchaeus Adangor, attorney general and commissioner for justice, both loyalists of the FCT minister, tendered their resignations hours after their redeployment was announced.

WhatsApp pictures moved the Nigerian Governor to reconstruct the road

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State last week said he was moved to reconstruct a flooded road in the state capital through pictures sent to his WhatsApp by an unknown resident in the state.

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The governor disclosed this while inaugurating an underground flood control project and the reconstructed Atiku Abubakar Avenue in Uyo, the state capital.

Mr Eno said he visited the site of the road the same day he got the message, adding that the area was impassable.

Meanwhile, residents of Akwa Ibom State were forced to trek some long distances as commercial transport operators increased fares after petrol stations shut down business, following the withdrawal of services by members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN)

As a result of IPMANs action, the price of petrol went up to N1,000 per litre at black markets, resulting in a hike in transport fares by between 50 and 100 per cent in the state.

Killing of police operative

It was a sad day in Rivers State as a police operative, Sunday Baba, was killed by gunmen in the state.

The police in the state disclosed the killing of Mr Baba, an inspector, in a post on X. They did not, however, provide details of the incident.

Also, in River State, the police arrested a vigilante commander and three others over the alleged vandalisation of a telecommunication mast.

The police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, who identified the vigilante leader simply as Kingsley, said he and other group members were providing coverage for others to disassemble the mast when they were intercepted by the operatives.

In the neighbouring Edo State, the police also arrested suspected gunmen who stormed a church in the state and abducted a pastor during worship service.

The police spokesperson in the state, Chidi Nwabuzor, who disclosed the arrest on X, said the suspects have confessed to the crime.

Suspension of Traditional Rulers in Cross River

The Governor of Cross River State, Bassey Otu, within the week, suspended two clan heads in the state over an alleged insubordination.

Ekpenyong Asuquo, the clan head of Atimbo and Archibong LeNelson, the clan head of Akansoko in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state, was suspended for allegedly rejecting the appointment of a new paramount ruler for the area by the governor, an action, Mr Otu described as unacceptable act of insubordination.

Former Newswatch CEO loses wife

On a sad note, a former editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine, Ray Ekpu, last week announced the death of his wife, Uyai.

Uyai, 73, died last week Sunday after a brief illness, Mr Ekpu said.

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Motorists are queuing up in large numbers at filling stations across Kano State struggling to buy petrol that is now selling at over N1,000 per litre.

The queues have been witnessed since last Thursday in Kano and neighbouring Jigawa at the retail outlets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) that were selling the product at N617 per litre. But the situation changed Monday morning as the queues extended to other stations selling at higher rates.

At some places like Kabuga on BUK Road and Tarauni on Maiduguri Road, our reporter observed traffic gridlocks caused by the long queues. The situation was the same across major parts of the city as only a few stations had the product, according to a resident, Haruna Ibrahim.

Mr Ibrahim said filling stations in the metropolis were charging as high as N1,000 as of Monday morning, adding that he bought the product over the weekend at prices ranging between N950 and N920 before the price skyrocketed on Monday.

A tricycle operator told PREMIUM TIMES that after he bought petrol at N1,030 Monday morning at a filling station in the Tudun Yola area, he raised his fare to N300 from N200 for a trip from Kabuga to Kano line motor park.

The operator, who did not provide his name, said many of his colleagues were buying fuel from black marketers at exorbitant prices just to avoid the queues at filing attention.

PREMIUM TIMES correspondent who went around petrol stations Monday morning found that some were shut while the others had long queues.

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Some tricycle operators at the Aliko filling station on Maiduguri Road in the Kano metropolis blocked all entrances to the station after accusing fuel attendants of preferential treatment of car owners.

Jigawa State

Meanwhile, In Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, only one of the two NNPC outlets was selling fuel. The NNPC outlet in the Fanisau area on the Kano Maiduguri highway has remained closed for weeks.

At the Dutse NNPC sales outlet, our correspondents witnessed angry motorists accusing the station managers of segregating the queues to favour government officials and other well-to-do customers.

Some buyers alleged that the NNPC station in Dutse often shut down claiming to have run out of the product only to reopen at midnight to sell to black marketers. PREMIUM TIMES could not confirm this allegation.

A car owner, Baba Habu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the fuel queue in Dutse was caused by the NNPC hoarding the product.

If the NNPC station at Fanisau and the one in Dutse can dispense fuel optimally, there wont be queues and if two more NNPC stations are built in Dutse it will solve the problem of high prices and long queues, Mr Habu said.

PREMIUM TIMES tried last Wednesday and Thursday to speak with the NNPC outlet managers in Dutse to respond to the allegations against them but they were not accessible.

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The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has registered 1,814,344 candidates for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates.

The registered candidates are from 22,229 schools, according to the Head of the Nigeria National Office, Amos Dangut.

Speaking Monday during a press briefing at the councils office in Lagos, Mr Dangut noted that the examination would occur between Tuesday, 30 April and Monday, 24 June, in Nigeria and three other African countries, spanning seven weeks and six days.

He said the candidature for 2024 increased by 192,948, and they would be examined in 76 subjects, comprised of 197 papers.

He added that about 30,000 senior secondary school teachers, nominated by various ministries of education, will supervise the examination.

2024 Examination

Mr Dangut further noted that the National Identification Number (NIN) was made a component of the registration process, in line with the directive of the Federal Government.

All hands are on deck to ensure that WASSCE for School Candidates, 2024, is hitch-free. However, non-adherence to the registration deadline is still a lingering challenge in preparation for examinations, he said.

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He noted that the results of candidates sitting the examination will be released 45 days after the conduct of the last paper. In comparison, certificates will be printed and issued to schools in less than 90 days after the release of results.

Mr Dangut added that results will be released along with the digital copies of candidates certificates, which can be accessed on the Digital Certificate platform.

He also said that to provide resource materials further to aid candidates learning, the examination body has now introduced a compilation of past questions with the marking schemes.

With this development, we hope candidates will use the booklets to enhance their study and preparedness for the examination, he said.

Insecurity, malpractice, others

To ensure security during the examination, Mr Dangut said the council is collaborating with the police and state government.

He said: Conducting examinations has been challenging. Instances of insecurity exist in many places across the country, and conducting tests in insecurity-prone areas would require extra security arrangements.

Consequently, we are liaising with the Inspector General of Police and State governments to provide adequate security to ensure that the examination is conducted nationally in a safe and secure environment.

On malpractices, Mr Dangut reiterated that the council deals with candidates and examination functionaries who engage in acts of examination malpractice of any kind.

He said the penalties for involvement in examination malpractice are meted out on erring candidates, supervisors and schools upon establishment of culpability by the Nigeria Examinations Committee (NEC).

The council, on its part, has rolled out several awareness campaigns nationwide and organised seminars for school proprietors, principals, students and other key stakeholders to sensitise them on the immediate and long-drawn effects of examination malpractice, he said.

Similarly, flyers, banners, posters, and other reminders to keep the message fresh in the minds of all stakeholders and candidates sitting the examination have been rolled out.

He also warned that WAEC will not condone the heinous acts of all operators of rogue websites during the conduct of the examination.

Parents are hereby cautioned to desist from patronising these evil-doers who are hell-bent on frustrating the efforts of WAEC, he said.

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The Ogun State Government has sealed off Gasco Marine Ltd, the company whose truck was involved in an accident that caused an explosion in the Ita-Oshin area of Abeokuta North Local Government Area on Saturday.

Addressing journalists after sealing off the premises of the company located at Onijoganjogan, Abeokuta, the Senior Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor on Environment and chairperson, Special Task Force on Environmental Matters, Farouq Akintunde, said the accident occurred due to the negligence of the company.

Two days ago, Ogun State was in a tumult with the news of a fire incident that occurred around Ita-Oshin. We can authoritatively confirm that the truck that was involved in that fire is from this company.

It was a sorry case because it involved loss of life and destruction of properties. Our preliminary investigation shows that it was due to an act of negligence from the company as they did not do the needful as regards the truck.

As a regulatory body which is in control of all these matters, we believe there is a need for us to conduct safety and audit tests on all their trucks to prevent future occurrence. In doing so, we have to shut down the premises. After that, all other procedures will follow, he said.

Mr Akintunde disclosed that the company would be unsealed as soon as all necessary steps and precautions have been put in place.

He maintained that as a business-friendly state, the government does not take joy in sealing off business premises perpetually.

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The narration in Burden of Service unfolds at four distinct levels of pre-text, text, context, and sub-text. It is replete with claims of moral high ground and completeness of disclosure but  as with nearly all memoirs  the reader must have an eye for both the credible and the incredulous. The line between these two can sometimes be non-existent in Adokes mind.

Senior Nigerian public officers are notoriously parsimonious with their recall once out of office. From among their club, memoirs are unusual. In a country ruled by whim, risk aversion is prudent when you are out of power. By feigning amnesia, yesterdays men limit the likelihood that their successors may remember them for the wrong reasons. Moreover, with government as the principal guarantor of a good life, respect for the rule of Omerta is the only way to retain any hope of access to its revolving doors.

When it occurs, departure from this trend is usually enforced. This is why Mohammed Bello Adokes 2019 memoirs remain notable. Adoke, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), was attorney-general and minister of Justice under President Goodluck Jonathan for five years, from 2010 until 2015. Since leaving office, he has endured exile, detention, and a failed criminal trial in connection with the infamous Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL) 245 granted in April 1998 by General Abacha to the shadowy Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

Even before his trial began, Adoke felt called upon to discharge a burden in relation to the controversies that dogged him after office. Fittingly, his story is published under the titled Burden of Service. The sub-title, Reminiscences of Nigerias Former Attorney-General, underscores the point that Adoke is, remarkably, the first former attorney-general of the federation to publish an account from his time in office. In addition to the Malabu Oil controversy, Burden of Service also offers insights into many other highlights of the Goodluck Jonathan years, including the hand-over of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, recovery of the endless Abacha Loot, the removal of Ayo Salami as president of the Court of Appeal, and the climactic denouement to Nigerias 2015 presidential election. In the afterglow of what he must regard as judicial vindication, it is timely to re-examine Adokes own narration.

While his parochial account is interesting in and of itself, it is the vignettes he offers when he is not necessarily pleading his own cause that make Adokes insights deserving of attention. A general theme of his is the shiftiness of Nigerian politicians and he illustrates this with several issues in the book. Some deserve scrutiny.

Adoke narrates how many people close to President Jonathan donated money to support the campaign of General Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. According to him, many of my cabinet colleagues, including those known to be close to the President, had made donations to Buharis campaign. Those involved included heads of agencies. A Principal Officer of the National Assembly from the PDP was to later confess publicly that he donated N5 million to the APC during the elections.

The first is the currency of loyalty in Nigerian politics. Under General Abacha, politicians popularised I am loyal as a cult greeting. It is not lost on those interested that anyone who has need to repeat affirmations in this way probably knows nothing about loyalty in the first place. Illustrating this point, Adoke narrates how many people close to President Jonathan donated money to support the campaign of General Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. According to him, many of my cabinet colleagues, including those known to be close to the President, had made donations to Buharis campaign. Those involved included heads of agencies. A Principal Officer of the National Assembly from the PDP was to later confess publicly that he donated N5 million to the APC during the elections.

This shiftiness is not limited to politics; it also extends to high matters of constitutional legality. This is the second highlight from Burden of Service. Adoke tells a remarkable story about the fate of the Constitution (Fourth Amendment) Bill of 2015, which was said to have failed to receive presidential assent before President Jonathan vacated office. The amendment included clauses granting immunity to law-makers, life pension to former presiding officers of the National Assembly, and inducting them into life membership of the National Council of State. It also contained a provision dispensing with presidential assent to constitutional amendments. As Adoke recalls, after the 2015 election, the National Assembly transmitted the Bill to President Jonathan for his assent. By the time Adoke learnt of this, President Jonathan had reportedly assented to the bill and authorised for it to be returned to the National Assembly. So, Adoke raced to the presidency to explain to the President the dangers inherent in the provisions contained in the amendment he assented to. After his encounter with President Jonathan, the President looked genuinely surprised and promptly withdrew his assent, whereupon he directed the attorney-general to prepare a memorandum elucidating all the issues. raised and why he would have to veto the bill. The rest is history but an important constitutional question arises: can a president having assented to a law unilaterally withdraw his assent?

Thirdly, there is the issue of weaponisation of litigation against the public purse in judgment debts. Its best to render this in Adokes own words: Many of the claims were bogus but since it was an organized scam, they were getting away with it. Again, there were too many people interested in judgment debts. We were getting calls from all manner of people, including members of the National Assembly. Actually, some National Assembly members were making appropriation for judgment debts based on an understanding with the debtors (sic). It was a conspiracy against the national treasury. This does not require any translation but it is noteworthy that Attorney-General Adoke chose not to tell who they were.

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Fourth, there is the matter of plea bargains in white collar crimes involving politically exposed persons (PEPs) in Nigeria. About this, Adoke tells the story of the presidential pardon granted former Bayelsa State Governor, Diprieye Alamieyeseigha. According to him, Alamieyeseighas conviction was under a plea bargain and as part of the plea bargain he was to be granted presidential pardon by (President Umaru) YarAdua after his release from jail. This, however, did not materialise as President YarAdua fell ill and died. Plea bargains are subject to approval by courts and its doubtful whether this part of the deal was disclosed to any court. It certainly wasnt disclosed to Nigerians.

In telling the story of the removal of Ayo Salami as the president of the Court of Appeal, for instance, Adoke prefaces his narration with the implicit disclaimer that the Attorney-General is not a member of the National Judicial Council (NJC), who recommended the retirement of Salami. He then proceeds to a pro-forma narration that is half-hearted to the point of being manifestly disingenuous.

Fifth, as Attorney-General of the Federation, Adoke was also the official leader of the Bar. His memoir offers an unusual insight into how he views hierarchies at the Bar. To make this point, he tells the story of how, before his time, a substantial part of the budgetary allocation made for solicitors fees was being paid out only to two or three private solicitors. There was a case of a former Attorney-General that was paying a Senior Advocate N50 million for each case. The result was there was insufficient money to go round and many cases against government went un-defended, leading to more judgment debts. So, how did Adoke address this? He decided that no SAN would be paid more than N5 million for a brief; any other lawyer, who was not a SAN, would receive a maximum of N2 million. In the un-complicated calculus of Attorney-General Adoke, a SAN is worth 250 per cent of a non-SAN!

The narration in Burden of Service unfolds at four distinct levels of pre-text, text, context, and sub-text. It is replete with claims of moral high ground and completeness of disclosure but  as with nearly all memoirs  the reader must have an eye for both the credible and the incredulous. The line between these two can sometimes be non-existent in Adokes mind.

In telling the story of the removal of Ayo Salami as the president of the Court of Appeal, for instance, Adoke prefaces his narration with the implicit disclaimer that the Attorney-General is not a member of the National Judicial Council (NJC), who recommended the retirement of Salami. He then proceeds to a pro-forma narration that is half-hearted to the point of being manifestly disingenuous.

According to Adoke, Salami had personally encouraged him to apply for SAN. However, Chief Justice Katsina-Alu, who was the other party in this terminal dog-fight with Salami, was his mentor and adopted father and benefactor, who personally recommended him to President Jonathan for the position of attorney-general. Why it should fall to the Chief Justice of the Federation to nominate the Attorney-General of the Federation is another matter altogether. It is difficult to escape the conclusion that in this part of the book, at least, Adoke was  to put it rather mildly  less than economical with the truth.

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer, teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and can be reached through chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu.

An earlier version of this article was published in October, 2019.

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We spoke for exactly 11 minutes and 38 seconds about three weeks ago. We discussed his health for about three minutes and I also had a brief chat with his son, Osama. The rest of the time was taken up by political talk and a review of the security situation in the country. His voice was strong, clear and passionate. He didnt sound like an 86-year-old man who had just three weeks to take the final bow. I like to remember him that way: Pontificating, assertive, hopeful, witty. I pray that God gives his family the fortitude to bear his demise.

Some people inspire us with their lives, others teach us a lesson with their death. In the case of Honourable Sidi Hamid Ali, a veteran journalist, politician, persuader, author and statesman, his life enriched so many narratives, while his death, last week, diminished all who knew him.

Sidi Hamid Ali was a man-and-a-half; too much for one country, not enough for two. Restless, sharp-witted, impulsive, perspicacious, creative and loyal to causes and people he believed in, he was one of a kind. In the almost five decades that I was privileged to know him, he still ranked as an enigma  half-question, half-possibility, half-exclamation, half-puzzle-behind-puzzle. His persona was easy to understand but if you thought you knew him, you would eventually find out that you didnt fully know him.

Gun Incident

The first thing that comes to the mind of many people when the name Sidi Ali is mentioned is the incident in the House of Representatives during the Second Republic, when he was alleged to have drawn a gun and thrown the entire House into panic. What actually happened was that a fellow parliamentarian had assaulted Sidi Ali (which was a serious parliamentary offence) and Ali had duly reported the matter to the Speaker and other leaders of the House. He waited for several days for action to be taken against his assailant but no such action was forthcoming.

So, he decided to teach them all a lesson. He smuggled a gun into the legislative chambers and as soon as he saw his assailant, who was conferring with other colleagues, he drew the gun. Legislators, led by the Speaker, voted with their feet! The assailant didnt show up in the House for several weeks until he was assured that his apology had been accepted by Ali. Although a stickler for rules, he was not averse to stirring things up when necessary.

Born in Kano in 1938, he spent part of his childhood in Ghana, where his father, Alhaji Sidi Ali, ran a thriving cattle business. He started school in Shahuci Elementary School in 1945, and in 1949 went to Kano Middle School, where he was in the same class with Murtala Mohammed, who was to join the army in later years and become Nigerian head of state.

He was sent back to Ghana for higher education but he was enmeshed instead in radical politics, which led to his expulsion. He and some of his colleagues came to the attention of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who decided to help mould them to become useful to Africa of the future. Nkrumah gave him a scholarship to study in the UK, but the plan didnt work out because he did not have an A-Level certificate, so he was sent to New York in the US, where there was a provision for a six-month remedial course to make him eligible for university admission.

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In the run-up to the Second Republic, he had written an article critical of the military and had been slammed in prison. The prominent party in Kano was the radical Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), which sent two of its members, Abubakar Rimi and Inuwa Wada, to co-opt Ali as a candidate for the Federal House of Representatives. His nomination form was filled while in prison and he eventually won the election, representing Danbatta

Those were the days of momentous events in many parts of the world. In Africa, the Congo crisis was in full bloom. Young Sidi Ali was the chairman of the Political Committee of the Pan African Students Organisation (PASO). In that position, he led demonstrations and was part of the group of African students who provided security for Cuban leader Fidel Castro when he stayed in a hotel in Harlem. The American authorities fingered him as one of the undesirables.

Journalist and Author

After bagging his degree, he returned to Ghana but the situation had drastically changed, as Nkrumah had been overthrown and the ruling military men were very edgy. By the mid-sixties, the political situation in Nigeria itself had deteriorated. When Sidi Ali returned, he had the good fortune of meeting benevolent seniors like Alhaji MD Yusuf and Alhaji Ahmed Joda, both of who assisted him in getting into the civil service.

He was in the team that ran the propaganda machine of the Nigerian government throughout the civil war. His skill as a prolific writer also came in handy in his later career as an author of nine books.

Fittingly, Ali became known as a principled politician and uncompromising journalist. It was his journalism that fed his political activism.

In the run-up to the Second Republic, he had written an article critical of the military and had been slammed in prison. The prominent party in Kano was the radical Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), which sent two of its members, Abubakar Rimi and Inuwa Wada, to co-opt Ali as a candidate for the Federal House of Representatives. His nomination form was filled while in prison and he eventually won the election, representing Danbatta, even though he was from Darma in Kano City. All that mattered to the people was that he was Mallam Aminu Kanos candidate.

When I first met Honourable Sidi Ali, I was working for DRUM magazine and we shared many friends and sources. I used to visit him in his home and office in Obalende, near Dodan Barracks, Lagos. We called him Sarki of Obalende. He was a treasure throve of information. We even managed to collaborate on a few anti-apartheid programmes, at a time when Thabo Mbeki and his fellow freedom fighters also had their offices in Obalende. Proverbially speaking, you could say he knew where all the dead bodies were buried. He therefore enjoyed the respect of fellow professionals and, indeed, the ruling elite, whether in uniform or in babariga. In those pre-internet days when every little source was gold, Sidi Ali was the gold mine itself.

We were to link up again when my office moved to Abuja. He had earlier relocated to the new capital city. We simply continued from where we left off. All through his life, he remained passionate about Nigeria actualising its potentials. He operated an open-clock policy in the sense that if he was thinking of some idea or writing something and needed clarification or simple contextualisation, he would call me, even if it was 2a.m.!

He was a go-getter. He once told me the story of how he wanted to see Chief Awolowo at his Ikenne residence but was prevented by security men. He then told the head of the security that it was Mama Awolowo he wanted to see, not Papa. A message was sent to Mama and she promptly replied that Sidi was her son and should always be given free passage whenever he came. With him, you never said never.

In the 90s, Honourable Ali was a regular visitor to my office at Academy Press in Ilupeju, where he processed tons of quality calendars, diaries, annual reports and journals to the envy of many advertising agencies. As a devout Muslim, he observed all his religious obligations routinely, as he would just disappear with my office assistant to one corner whenever it was time for the Muslim prayer. In all his business dealings, his word was his bond.

Friend and Brother

We were to link up again when my office moved to Abuja. He had earlier relocated to the new capital city. We simply continued from where we left off. All through his life, he remained passionate about Nigeria actualising its potentials. He operated an open-clock policy in the sense that if he was thinking of some idea or writing something and needed clarification or simple contextualisation, he would call me, even if it was 2a.m.!

Every Eid-El-Kabir, I always had a full pot of ram meat from Honourable Ali. Even if I was in Lagos, he would arrange for a driver to bring my share of the sallah meat from Kano to Abuja where my staff would collect the consignment.

We spoke for exactly 11 minutes and 38 seconds about three weeks ago. We discussed his health for about three minutes and I also had a brief chat with his son, Osama. The rest of the time was taken up by political talk and a review of the security situation in the country. His voice was strong, clear and passionate. He didnt sound like an 86-year-old man who had just three weeks to take the final bow. I like to remember him that way: Pontificating, assertive, hopeful, witty. I pray that God gives his family the fortitude to bear his demise.

Adieu, my detribalised friend, collaborator and elder brother, Mallam Sidi Hamid Ali. Allah Ya gafarta maka, Ya dawwamar da kai gidan aljanna.

Wole Olaoye is a Public Relations consultant and veteran journalist. He can be reached on wole.olaoye@gmail.com, Twitter: @wole_olaoye; Instagram: woleola2021.

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True to his words, the church of Christ is now back to the days of the early Apostles where there was so much implacable hatred and disdain for truth and those who stand for it. It is these enemies of the truth that have now ganged up, covertly or publicly, to attack the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many of these agents of the devil are audaciously pastoring dead churches, that however have so many religious activities, but which, according to the Biblical standard of church operations, are actually dead.

At no other time since the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ has the world been confronted by the rising spate of reputable but dead churches, like today. It is a major pandemic of global proportion. This message is so important to your life and to my life because of the strategic impact of the local church or ministry we belong to on every aspect of our lives. Your choice of church will impact your marriage. Your choice of church will impact your finances. Your choice of church will impact your mindset and worldview. It will impact your understanding and application of scriptures. Above all, it could determine where you will spend your eternity. Jesus once said, when the blind lead the blind, both of them will fall into a ditch (Matthew 15:14). In other words, you will likely end in the same place the leader you are following will end. There is no simpler way of saying this.

And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. (Revelations 3:1)

First and foremost, we have a biblical injunction to fellowship with one another; Church attendance is not out of fashion. Church attendance is not a religious dogma. It is an instruction from the heart of God. You cannot grow in an environment of isolation. Isolation will kill you in these last and evil days. I do not need a church is the road to apostasy. See the strategic instructions to you and me about the value in a community of fellowship.

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42).

See the words, they continued steadfastly. Your ability to develop the capacity for steadfastness is greatly enhanced in the community of other believers. Satan understands this principle so much, which explains why he uses the weapon of isolation to weaken the church. Not even in the world of the occult do they patronise the concept of isolation. Their togetherness is called a brotherhood, which they nurture and guide so jealously.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common (Acts 2:44). See the word again, together.

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An American preacher who came to a conclusion that his church was dead decided to announce this to his congregants. To make it more memorable, he decided to announce the death of his church in the most dramatic way. He stood up on the podium, grabbed the microphone, and said to the church after the end of the service, someone has just died. We are having the funeral service this evening. Please invite everyone to the evening service.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25).

Friends, please understand that we are contending with a post-Christian culture  one whose values are antithetical to Biblical teachings. Gods servant, John J. Murray, former pastor of the free church of Scotland, once said and I quote:

We are now back to the days of the early Apostles. The Roman empire under which many Christians were martyred was pluralistic and supremely tolerant of religion. The only people they could not tolerate were the Christians.

True to his words, the church of Christ is now back to the days of the early Apostles where there was so much implacable hatred and disdain for truth and those who stand for it. It is these enemies of the truth that have now ganged up, covertly or publicly, to attack the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Many of these agents of the devil are audaciously pastoring dead churches, that however have so many religious activities, but which, according to the Biblical standard of church operations, are actually dead.

An American preacher who came to a conclusion that his church was dead decided to announce this to his congregants. To make it more memorable, he decided to announce the death of his church in the most dramatic way. He stood up on the podium, grabbed the microphone, and said to the church after the end of the service, someone has just died. We are having the funeral service this evening. Please invite everyone to the evening service. The members were stunned. Who died, many of them asked? Surprisingly, the evening service was packed to the brim.

We are in the last days. In the days of the Apostles, they also contended with various shades of churches. Revelations chapters 2 and 3 describe many of these churches in their true forms. One of these churches was called dead by the Lord Jesus Himself. Jesus said that although this particular church had a good reputation, but in reality it was dead. This was the church in Sardis.

This preacher, who was called, eccentric by Dr David Jeremiah, actually engaged pall bearers to move a coffin to the church during the evening service. They placed the coffin at the front of the alter, after which the pastor told each member to file out to see the person who had just died. As each member filed out to look into the coffin, they were looking at their faces, as the pastor had actually placed a large mirror at the bottom of the coffin. The message was clear, the dead person was the church  all its members.

We are in the last days. In the days of the Apostles, they also contended with various shades of churches. Revelations chapters 2 and 3 describe many of these churches in their true forms. One of these churches was called dead by the Lord Jesus Himself. Jesus said that although this particular church had a good reputation, but in reality it was dead. This was the church in Sardis.

When God says that something is dead, it means that it is dead, its physical state notwithstanding. We are not just talking about physical death here, but also about spiritual death or other kinds of death. People die physically, spiritually, relationally, financially, and even intellectually. But the worst of them is the spiritual type. God told Adam in Genesis 2:17, the day you eat of the tree I told you not to eat from, you will die. For Adam, it was a spiritual death, total and complete annihilation from God. For Abimelech, God told him, You are a dead man (Genesis 20:3), which for him would have meant physical death. So, Gods definition of death transcends physical death alone, it also involves spiritual death, which is the worst form of death.

Something that quickly jumps out of what Jesus said to John in Revelations 3:1 is the fact that this church, according to the Lord Jesus, had a good reputation. In other words, the church in Sardis was a reputable church from the outside and in the eyes of the world. It is instructive to critically review what makes a church reputable from a human standpoint. From a Biblical standpoint, the choice of a church is not made arbitrarily, but by the leading of the Holy Spirit. God is the giver of shepherds or pastors. When you want to make your choice of a church, Jeremiah 3:15 must be your guide rail.

Ayo Akerele is the senior pastor of Rhema Assembly and the founder of the Voice of the Watchmen Ministries in Ontario, Canada. He can be reached through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com

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In accordance with the Scheme of Arrangement dated 28 March, 2024, pursuant to Section 715 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 between the Bank and the holders of the fully paid ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each in the Bank, the shareholders voted to transfer 31,396,493,787 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each held in the issued and paid-up share capital of Zenith Bank Plc to Zenith Bank Holding Company Plc (the HoldCo) in exchange for the allotment of 31,396,493,787 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each in the share capital of the HoldCo in the same proportion to their shareholding in the Bank.

Similarly, the shareholders approved that each Existing GDR Holder receive, as consideration for each existing GDR held, one new HoldCo GDR.

The shareholders also approved that all of the shares held by the nominees of the Bank in Zenpay Limited, a direct subsidiary of the HoldCo, together with all rights and liabilities attached to such shares, be transferred to the HoldCo. The Board of Directors were also authorised to delist the shares of the Bank and the Existing GDRs from the official list of the Nigerian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange respectively as well as re-register the Bank as a private limited company under CAMA Act 2020.

In his remarks during the EGM, the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, thanked the shareholders for their unwavering commitment, which has been instrumental in the Banks outstanding performance over the years. He expressed his delight at witnessing the transition of the Bank to a holding company, which is anticipated to position it advantageously for exploring emerging opportunities in the Fintech space while bolstering its digital and retail banking initiatives.

Also speaking during the EGM, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, lauded the Founder and Chairman, Mr Ovia, for his pivotal role in creating an institution that has consistently been a trailblazer in the nations financial services industry. Mr Onyeagwu expressed his optimism about the Banks growth trajectory in the coming years as it transitions into a holding company structure.

According to him, The HoldCo structure presents an opportunity for us to unlock value for shareholders in terms of opportunity in other sectors beyond banking. The first part is Fintech, where we have already received the approval and the license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which we are launching soon. It is going to be focusing on an area that we know has not been touched on by anyone.

So it is more like us finding an open wide space where we can begin to operate, and with a HoldCo, what that means is that we have an opportunity to diversify our investment. We can begin to look at other business verticals that were restrained by the kind of authorisation we have. So, it presents a big opportunity for us to have a wider lens and scope in terms of what we can do. It will also position us to think of opportunities beyond Africa. We will be looking at key business verticals that have the potential to enable us to create value for shareholders.

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On the recapitalisation plan of the Bank, Mr Onyeagwu stated that the Bank is on course to receive the needed shareholders approval in the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for 8 May, 2024, which will kickstart its capital raising effort in line with the CBN directive. He expressed confidence in the Banks ability to raise the stipulated capital, stating that amongst its peers in the industry, Zenith was expected to raise the least amount due to its already robust capital base.

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Shareholders of Nigerias foremost brewing company, Nigerian Breweries Plc, have unanimously approved capital raising of N600 billion by way of rights issue at the 78th Annual General Meeting of the company held at the Muson Centre, Shell Hall, Onikan, Lagos on Friday, 26 April, 2024.

With this development,the Board now has the authorisation to undertake capital restructuring by way of a rights issue that will enable all the companys shareholders the opportunity to acquire more shares in proportion to their holdings, at a price determined by the Board taking into consideration the market conditions.

Speaking during the Annual General Meeting, the Interim Chairman of the Board of Directors, Siep Hiemstra, explained that the decision to seek approval for the capital raising is in line with the companys commitment to improving its financial position and returning the business to profitability while creating value for the shareholders.

According to Mr Hiemstra, the objective of raising fresh capital to the tune of N600 billion is to enable the company settle its outstanding FX payables as well as part of the local bank facilities, which would lead to the elimination of the naira devaluation risk or foreign exchange losses as well as the reduction of huge interest burden on the company. He disclosed that the majority shareholders, Heineken, has already indicated its readiness to support the recapitalization exercise by taking up and paying for the portion of the shares allotted to it.

Mr Hiemstra said Following the challenging year 2023, and the present volatility of the Nigerian business environment, we are focused on our strategic recovery plan backed by parent company Heineken, prioritising efficiency and agility in all areas of operations; and maintaining market leadership through its rich portfolio of brands. We will continue to demonstrate resilience to deliver value for shareholders and all stakeholders.

Some of the shareholders who spoke at the meeting described the recapitalization exercise as a step in the right direction noting that it would have a considerable impact on the companys business growth and performance.

While applauding the company on its business recovery plan, the National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Boniface Okezie, stated that there was no better time to make such an audacious move as this would help to significantly improve the companys performance.

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Mr Okezie expressed profound appreciation to the board and management for providing exceptional leadership which has led to its resilience amid adversity.

He said We believe in the leadership of Nigerian Breweries and we are certain that soon enough,we will reap the benefits of these bold decisions.

In his remarks, the Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans Essaadi, conveyed his gratitude to the shareholders for their support, stating that the company remains committed to delivering long-term growth to its shareholders, despite the current economic headwinds and challenges.

While we cannot influence the external environment, we are committed to maintaining resilience in the face of adversity. We are confident that the company will remain in a good position to weather the storm. We will sustain a strong cost management culture; optimize our operational footprint;and leverage our strong brand portfolio, exciting innovations and route to consumers to win in the market Mr Essaadi said.

A breakdown of the companys audited results for the 2023 financial year shows that revenue rose by 9% versus the prior period of 2022, and operating profit declined by 15% from N53 Billion in 2022 to N45 billion in 2023 due to higher input costs and one-offreorganization costs despite the strong and aggressive cost savings and other efficiency measures.

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The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) announced on Monday that it has received an interim dividend payment of N450 million out of the N1.5bn declared by the Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited.

This payment represents NCDMBs 30% share in the company for the year ended 2023.

The NCDMB had in July 2018 invested $10m to acquire 30% stake in the 5000 barrels per day (bpd) modular refinery project located at Ibigwe, Imo State, to support the Federal Governments policy on modular refinery, stimulate investment and create employment opportunities.

Rising from a Board Meeting of Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited, the Executive Secretary NCDMB, Felix Omotsola Ogbe confirmed that a total dividend of N4.5bn had been approved for the year 2023, pending final approval at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The company reported a total profit of N23.6bn as profit after tax for the same year.

The Executive Secretary hinted that NCDMB expects to receive an additional 30% of the outstanding N3bn dividend after the convening of AGM later this year. He added that the receipt of this interim dividend payment is a testament to the strong performance and profitability of Waltersmith Refinery and Petrochemical Company Limited. The NCDMB is proud to be a part of this success and looks forward to continued collaboration with the company in the future, he stated.

He affirmed that the company is upscaling the refinery capacity from 5000 bpd to 10,000bpd and the expansion project is 44% completed and on time to be commissioned by early 2025.

NCDMBs investment in the Waltersmith project was also geared to catalyse the industrialisation of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors and deepen Nigerian Content in the oil and gas industry. It was the first third-party investment embarked by the Board, and it provided proof of concept and paved the way for other successful investments by the Board.

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Two weeks ago, NCDMB received a cheque of $1 million from Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL), being part of the return on investment (ROI) on one of the Boards strategic investments. The cheque was presented by the Chairman of the company, Emeka Ene when he visited the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa Bayelsa State, where he was received by the Executive Secretary, Mr Ogbe and other members of the Boards management.

Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL) is a joint venture company between Xenergi Limited and NCDMB Capacity Development Intervention Company and it culminated in the construction and commissioning of a 300 MMscfd Capacity Kwale Gas Gathering (KGG) and injection facility located in the Umusam Community, near Kwale in Delta State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.

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At least five people were killed on Sunday when suspected herders invaded Nimbo, a community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigerias south-east.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the attackers invaded the community in the evening and shot sporadically, killing a yet-to-ascertained number of people in the community.

An indigene of the community, who identified herself as Oluchi, said she saw the bodies of five people killed by the attackers.

Ms Oluchi said a child of about two years old was among those killed.

Four others included one old woman and three men, she said in Igbo language.

The indigene said the attacks by the suspected herders across communities in the council area have been frequent in recent times.

She regretted that security agencies were often deployed in the area only when there was an attack.

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Another indigene, who asked not to be named for fear of being attacked, said the suspected herders invaded the community and opened fire on some residents who were mourning a deceased person in Ugwuijoro, a village in the Nimbo Community.

The indigene said several others sustained gunshot injuries during the attack.

He identified some of those killed in the attack as Simon Ugwu, Chukwuebuka Oruku, Julius Ogbonna Odiegwu and Gabriel Ezea.

When contacted on Monday afternoon, the police spokesperson in Enugu State, Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Ndukwe, however, said he would provide details of the attack in a statement which will be made available to the reporter later.

You will get the full details (of the attack). I am preparing a statement on that now, he said.

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Growing liquidity and interconnectivity foster greater price transparency

LONDON, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --Global energy and commodity price reporting agency Argus has launched new natural gas prices for the Danish market.

Danish gas trading has intensified over the past year, driven by Denmark's increasing interconnectivity with other markets and the promise of a near-term rebound in domestic gas production.

Since the start-up of the Baltic Pipe pipeline in October 2022, Denmark has been receiving Norwegian gas directly, with much of this supply transiting to Poland. In addition, the restart of the Tyra gas field and hub last month has bolstered domestic gas production, which can either remain in the Danish grid or be exported to the Dutch TTF or German THE markets, depending on market opportunity. Denmark's export potential is further bolstered by its substantial biomethane production capabilities.

Argus Media chairman and chief executive Adrian Binks said: "We are pleased to have responded to industry requests to publish assessments for Danish gas prices. We worked closely with market participants to develop these indexes that add new transparency to the increasingly liquid Danish market, which has cemented its status as an important and growing gas producer, exporter and transit facilitator."

Argus contact information

London: Seana Lanigan

+44 20 7780 4200

Email Seana

Houston: Matt Oatway

+1 713 968 0000

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Singapore: Tomoko Hashimoto

+65 6496 9960

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About Argus Media

Argus is the leading independent provider of market intelligence to the global energy and commodity markets. We offer essential price assessments, news, analytics, consulting services, data science tools and industry conferences to illuminate complex and opaque commodity markets.

Headquartered in London with over 1,400 staff, Argus is an independent media organisation with 30 offices in the world's principal commodity trading hubs.

Companies, trading firms and governments in 160 countries around the world trust Argus data to make decisions, analyse situations, manage risk, facilitate trading and for long-term planning. Argus prices are used as trusted benchmarks around the world for pricing transportation, commodities and energy.

Founded in 1970, Argus remains a privately held UK-registered company owned by employee shareholders and global growth equity firm General Atlantic.

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SOURCE Argus Media
NEW YORK, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global automotive engine oil level sensor market size is estimated to grow by USD 1.33 billion from 2024 to 2028, according to Technavio. This growth is expected to occur at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.31% during the forecast period.

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive Engine Oil Level Sensor Market 2024-2028

Key Trends Fueling Growth

HELLAs combi sensor for oil quality and oil level management: The old way of checking engine oil in a car is by pulling out a stick from under the hood and seeing where the oil level is between two lines. If it's too low, you need more oil. But it's hard for drivers to do this regularly. HELLA came up with a cool solution: a special sensor that checks six things about the oil while the engine runs. It uses sound to measure how much oil there is and a vibrating tool to see if the oil is good or needs changing. This sensor talks to the car's computer with just one wire. The computer figures out if the oil is still good or if it's dirty and needs changing. This helps drivers know when to change the oil without guessing. The sensor can even tell if there's too much oil in the engine when it's turned off. So, by using this smart sensor, drivers can keep their engines running smoothly, making the car companies happy because more people will buy their cars.



For more detailed insights on the market trends with forecast market size and historic data (2017 - 2021)- Buy This Report Now

Major Challenges:

Low-cost manufacturing countries to lose low-cost advantage In the car-making business, things have changed recently. Before, the big car companies took on most of the responsibility for fixing problems and dealing with pressure to lower prices. But now, they're passing more of that onto their main suppliers, who then pass it on to the companies that make the individual parts. This is happening because everyone wants to save money and keep making a profit. One way they're doing this is by moving their factories to countries where it's cheaper to run them, like Taiwan , China , South Korea , and India . These places have become big players in making car parts because they have cheap labor, good access to materials, and they're good at making electronics. But now, even these countries are starting to have higher labor costs. In China , for example, people are making more money than before, so it costs more to hire them. This means companies have to fight to keep their workers, which drives up labor costs even more. The government has also made rules about how companies treat their workers and how they run their factories, which adds to the costs. All of this makes it harder for companies that make things like engine oil sensors for cars to keep their costs down. So, it's likely that the global market for these sensors won't grow as much as expected.



To know more about the market opportunities impacted by market dynamics, click here to- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Analyst Review

In the dynamic automotive industry, the market for Automotive Engine Oil Level Sensors continues to gain traction. These sensors play a crucial role in maintaining engine health and efficiency by providing real-time measurement of oil levels. With advancements in technology, automakers are increasingly investing in innovations to improve engine performance and reduce emissions.

Real-time monitoring of engine oil levels is a key component in ensuring optimal engine operation and addressing performance issues. As competition intensifies, brand recognition and market visibility become essential factors for success in this market.

Capital investments in research and development are necessary to stay ahead of the economic and political landscape, which can significantly impact the industry. Overall, the Automotive Engine Oil Level Sensor Market is poised for growth as the demand for more efficient and environmentally-friendly engines continues to rise.

Market Overview

The Automotive Engine Oil Level Sensor market is a significant segment in the global automotive electronics industry. These sensors play a crucial role in ensuring optimal engine performance and longevity by continuously monitoring and reporting the engine oil level. The market is driven by the increasing demand for fuel efficiency and reduced emissions in the automotive sector.

Factors such as the growing adoption of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and electric vehicles (EVs) are also expected to fuel market growth. The market is highly competitive, with key players focusing on product innovation and technological advancements to gain a competitive edge.

Some of the major components of an engine oil level sensor include a float sensor, a temperature sensor, and a microcontroller. The market is expected to grow at a steady pace in the coming years, driven by the increasing demand for safety and convenience features in vehicles.

To understand more about this market report- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

7 Customer Landscape

End-user OEMs Aftermarket

Application Microcar Economy Car Mid-size Car Full-size Car

Geography APAC North America Europe South America Middle East And Africa



8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Venodr Landscape

11 Vendor Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
JERSEY CITY, N.J., April 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Celltrion USA announced today that it has signed an agreement with Express Scripts, one of the nation's leading pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) negotiating on behalf of health plans covering more than 100 million people. The agreement, effective April 4, 2024 provides ZYMFENTRA Preferred Brand Access on the Express Scripts National Preferred Formulary serving 21.9 Million insured lives. Express Scripts provides plan participants such as Health Plans of the PBM the ability to add ZYMFENTRA (infliximab-dyyb) to their formularies.

"This agreement opens up an important pathway for access to treatment for millions of patients with chronic diseases," said Francine Galante, Vice President of Market Access at Celltrion USA. "We will continue to work with providers, patients and physicians to build upon our mission of developing transformational therapies that meet the needs of our patients living with chronic debilitating pain."

Celltrion's ZYMFENTRA, the first and only FDA-approved subcutaneous infliximab is now commercially available in the U.S.

The company continues to engage with national and regional health plans, as well as Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), to communicate the value of its FDA-approved therapies including ZYMFENTRA for patients with autoimmune disease and to secure broad coverage.

About Celltrion USA

Celltrion USA is Celltrion's U.S. subsidiary established in 2018. Headquartered in New Jersey, Celltrion USA is committed to expanding access to innovative biologics to improve care for U.S. patients. Celltrion currently has five biosimilars approved by the U.S. FDA: INFLECTRA (infliximab-dyyb), TRUXIMA (rituximab-abbs), HERZUMA (trastuzumab-pkrb), VEGZELMA (bevacizumab-adcd), and YUFLYMA(adalimumab-aaty) as well as a new biologic ZYMFENTRA. Celltrion USA will continue to leverage Celltrion's unique heritage in biotechnology, supply chain excellence, and best-in-class sales capabilities to improve access to high-quality biopharmaceuticals for U.S. patients. For more information, please visit: www.celltrionusa.com/.

About ZYMFENTRA (infliximab-dyyb)[1]

ZYMFENTRA is a prescription medicine used as an injection under the skin (subcutaneous injection) by adults for the maintenance treatment of: moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis following treatment with an infliximab product given by intravenous infusion (IV), moderately to severely active Crohn's disease following treatment with an infliximab product given by intravenous infusion (IV). ZYMFENTRA blocks the action of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), a protein that can be overproduced in response to certain diseases and cause the immune system to attack normal, healthy parts of the body.

ZYMFENTRA (infliximab-dyyb) was approved by the FDA through the Biologics License Application (BLA) under the 351 (a) pathway of the Public Health Service Act (a "stand-alone" BLA). ZYMFENTRA is considered a new biologic with a first-approved subcutaneous administration form and thus will be under patent protection for its dosage form by 2037 and for its route of administration by 2040.

[1] Zymfentra Prescribing Information

Contacts

Sarah Amundsen

[email protected]

+1 920-946-0918

SOURCE Celltrion USA
MINNEAPOLIS, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Centerspace (NYSE: CSR) announced today its financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2024. The tables below show Net Income (Loss), Funds from Operations ("FFO")1, and Core FFO1, all on a per diluted share basis, for the three months ended March 31, 2024; Same-Store Revenues, Expenses, and Net Operating Income ("NOI")1 over comparable periods; and Same-Store Weighted-Average Occupancy for each of the three months ended March 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, and March 31, 2023.

Three Months Ended March 31,



Per Common Share





2024

2023 Net income (loss) - diluted





$ (0.37)

$ 2.76 FFO - diluted(1)





$ 1.16

$ 0.89 Core FFO - diluted(1)





$ 1.23

$ 1.07



































Year-Over-Year Comparison

Sequential Comparison Same-Store Results(2)





Q1 2024 vs. Q1 2023

Q1 2024 vs. Q4 2023 Revenues





3.5 %

0.5 % Expenses





(2.2) %

(0.1) % NOI(1)





7.5 %

0.9 %































Three months ended Same-Store Results(2)

March 31, 2024

December 31, 2023

March 31, 2023 Weighted Average Occupancy

94.6 %

94.8 %

94.9 %

(1) NOI, FFO, and Core FFO are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information on their usage and presentation, and a reconciliation to the most

directly comparable GAAP measures, refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Reconciliations" and "Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Other

Terms" in Supplemental and Financial Operating Data within. (2) Same-store results are updated for disposition activity. Refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Reconciliations" in Supplemental and Financial

Operating Data within.

Highlights

During the three months ended March 31, 2024 , Centerspace successfully executed the sale of two non-core apartment communities in Minnesota for an aggregate sales price of $19.0 million ;

, Centerspace successfully executed the sale of two non-core apartment communities in for an aggregate sales price of ; Net loss decreased to $0.37 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2024, compared to Net income of $2.76 per diluted share for the same period of the prior year;

per diluted share for the first quarter of 2024, compared to Net income of per diluted share for the same period of the prior year; Core FFO per diluted share increased 15.0% to $1.23 for the three months ended March 31, 2024 , compared to $1.07 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 ;

for the three months ended , compared to for the three months ended ; Same-store revenues increased by 3.5% for the first quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2023, driving a 7.5% increase in same-store NOI compared to the same period of the prior year;

Centerspace repurchased 87,722 common shares for total consideration of $4.7 million and an average price of $53.62 per share; and

and an average price of per share; and Centerspace narrowed the 2024 financial outlook ranges for net income per diluted share and FFO per diluted share and raised the mid-point for Core FFO per diluted share. Refer to page S-15 in the Supplemental and Financial Operating Data within for additional detail.

Balance Sheet

At the end of the first quarter, Centerspace had $228.3 million of total liquidity on its balance sheet, consisting of $215.6 million available under the lines of credit and cash and cash equivalents of $12.7 million.

Revised 2024 Financial Outlook

Centerspace revised its 2024 financial outlook. For additional information, see S-15 of the Supplemental Financial and Operating Data for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 included at the end of this release. These ranges should be considered in their entirety. The table below reflects the revised outlook.



Previous Outlook for 2024 Updated Outlook for 2024

Low High Low High Net income per Share  diluted $ (1.31) $ (0.99) $ (1.34) $ (1.10) Same-Store Revenue 3.00 % 5.00 % 3.00 % 4.50 % Same-Store Expenses 5.50 % 7.00 % 4.00 % 5.50 % Same-Store NOI 1.50 % 3.50 % 2.50 % 4.00 % FFO per Share  diluted $ 4.54 $ 4.80 $ 4.57 $ 4.76 Core FFO per Share  diluted $ 4.68 $ 4.92 $ 4.74 $ 4.92

Additional assumptions:

Same-store recurring capital expenditures of $1,075 per home to $1,150 per home

per home to per home Value-add expenditures of $25.0 million to $27.0 million

to Proceeds from dispositions of $19.0 million

Note: FFO and Core FFO are non-GAAP financial measures. For more information on their usage and presentation and a reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure, please refer to "2024 Financial Outlook" in the Supplemental Financial and Operating Data within.

Upcoming Events

Centerspace is scheduled to participate in the following conferences:

BTIG 4th Annual Housing Ecosystem Conference which will be held in New York, NY , May 6-7, 2024 ;

, ; BMO 2024 Real Estate conference which will be held in New York, NY , May 8, 2024 ; and

, ; and National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("Nareit") REITweek: 2024 Investor Conference which will be held in New York, NY , June 4-5, 2024 .

Earnings Call

Live webcast and replay: https://ir.centerspacehomes.com





Live Conference Call

Conference Call Replay Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at 10:00 AM ET

Replay available until May 14, 2024 USA Toll Free 1-833-470-1428

USA Toll Free 1-866-813-9403 International 1-929-526-1599

International 1-929-458-6194 Canada Toll Free 1-833-950-0062

Canada 1-226-828-7578 Access Code 748370

Access Code 274742

Supplemental Information

Supplemental Operating and Financial Data for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 included herein ("Supplemental Information"), is available in the Investors section on Centerspace's website at www.centerspacehomes.com or by calling Investor Relations at 701-837-7104. Non-GAAP financial measures and other capitalized terms, as used in this earnings release, are defined and reconciled in the Supplemental Financial and Operating Data, which accompanies this earnings release.

About Centerspace

Centerspace is an owner and operator of apartment communities committed to providing great homes by focusing on integrity and serving others. Founded in 1970, as of March 31, 2024, Centerspace owned interests in 70 apartment communities consisting of 12,883 apartment homes located in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In 2022, Centerspace was named the National Apartment Association's Leading Organization in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. For more information, please visit www.centerspacehomes.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release and the accompanying Supplemental Operating and Financial Data are based on the company's current expectations and assumptions, and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements do not discuss historical fact, but instead include statements related to expectations, projections, intentions or other items related to the future. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "will," "assumes," "may," "projects," "outlook," "future," and variations of such words and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results of operations, financial conditions, or plans expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Although the company believes the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be achieved. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact should be deemed forward-looking statements. As a result, reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors beyond the company's control and could differ materially from actual results and performance. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to those risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Centerspace's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" contained in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, in its subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other public reports. The company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue due to subsequent events.

Contact Information

Investor Relations

Josh Klaetsch

Phone: 701-837-7104

Email: [email protected]

Marketing & Media

Kelly Weber

Phone: 701-837-7104

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Centerspace
CHENGDU, China, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Horticultural Exhibition 2024 Chengdu kicked off on Friday, attracting hundreds of exhibitors from more than 30 countries.

Ahead of the event, the Chengdu Opening-up and International Cooperation Center organized several seminars between local enterprises and delegations from overseas cities that have friendly ties with Chengdu. On Thursday, a group from Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia and a twin city of Chengdu, met with local enterprises specializing in ecological and environmental protection.

Representatives from Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia and a twin city of Chengdu, meet with local enterprises on Friday.

"We are very grateful to the center for inviting us to the meeting," said Zeng Xi, director of the investment and development department from Chengdu Environment and Investment Urban Management Service, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chengdu Environment Group.

"We have found some fields of common interest between our group and Ljubljana, such as renewable resources, ecological conservation and new energy photovoltaics," Zeng said, adding he hopes to establish an effective communication channel between the two sides for future cooperation.

Dejan Crnek, vice-mayor of Ljubljana, said: "We intend to collaborate with Chengdu in the sector of sustainable transportation. We all know the city has advanced hydrogen-powered vehicle and battery industries, and we hope to introduce those technologies to our city to increase urban operational efficiency. Upon my return, I will recommend Chengdu enterprises to relevant departments, and I believe there will be opportunities for cooperation."

Representatives from Fergana, Uzbekistan, also visited the center on Thursday and met with local enterprises in the fields of trade, economy, industry, and cultural tourism. Among the participating Chengdu companies was Gioneco, a developer of urban digital platforms, which has launched projects in Uzbekistan.

"We have prepared for our projects in Uzbekistan since 2022, and have branched out into Fergana," said Liu Yong, director of Gioneco's marketing development department. "It is expected we will be able to access more international resources in the near future with the support of the center. Meanwhile, we plan to bring our business friends from Uzbekistan to Chengdu, helping local enterprises tap the international market and promoting bilateral trade."

Expressing his admiration for Chengdu's business environment, Azimjon Yuldashev, head of the Department of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan in Fergana Region, said he hopes to see a cooperation platform established by the center to help more Chinese companies grow in Uzbekistan and to assist Uzbek firms in coming to China.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2399373/Representatives_Ljubljana_capital_Slovenia_a_twin_city_Chengdu_meet_local.jpg
ALEXANDROUPOLIS, Greece, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 26, Guohua Energy Investment Co., Ltd. (GHEI), a subsidiary under China Energy Investment Corporation hosted the 3rd Corporate Open Day of the Thrace Wind Project, under the theme "Clean Energy Delivers a Better Life for All" in the Municipality of Alexandroupolis, Thrace, Greece. The company unveiled the 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report of China Energy Europe Renewable Energy S.A. (CEERE).

Chinese representatives from the State Council Information Office, China International Communications Group, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Dunhuang Research Academy, and others, as well as representatives from Greek institutions including the Administrative Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace of Greece, the Municipality of Alexandroupolis, the Greek Fourth Emergency Response Team, and the Greek Forestry Management Authority, and a visiting youth delegation from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki attended the opening ceremony.

After the ceremony, the youth attendees visited the Korfovouni Wind Farm to learn about the safety production of wind farms, measures for bird protection, and the cultural construction of CEERE. The visiting youth had the opportunity to immerse themselves in a day as "wind farm inspectors" to experience the daily operations of wind farms as well as the corporate ethos of "diligence, dedication, innovation and excellence" of China Energy Investment Corporation. Elenh, a Greek youth student, expressed her sincere admiration for GHEI's endeavors to promote renewable energy development in Greece and hoped for wider adoption of green development principles, envisioning a cleaner and greener future for the beautiful planet.

This event is part of GHEI's "Gen Z Energy Tour China-Europe" series for 2024. These activities aim to organize European "Gen Z" youth to visit both Greece and China, providing them with opportunities to explore the rich cultures and histories of both nations, witness new technologies, breakthroughs, and achievements of Chinese clean energy companies represented by GHEI of China Energy Investment Corporation, and foster cultural exchanges and mutual learning between China and Europe. Currently, the event has successfully concluded its Beijing session and Greece Session.

The 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report of CEERE outlines its efforts and achievements in green energy, promoting cultural integration, environmental conservation, and supporting public welfare since its establishment five years ago, actively fulfilling corporate social responsibilities. The report highlights GHEI's comprehensive implementation of ecological environmental protection and water and soil conservation efforts in Europe, promoting green practices across the entire industrial chain in the past five years. Annually, the company generates approximately 160 GWh of green electricity, equivalent to saving 53,000 tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 150,000 tons. Moreover, the company actively engages in cultural exchanges, participates in community welfare initiatives, conducts multiple donations to local schools and fire brigades, and hosts various cross-cultural integration activities for consecutive years. In 2023, CEERE was honored with the "Outstanding Achievement Award for Entrepreneurship and Responsibility" by the Chinese Embassy in Greece.

SOURCE China Energy Guohua Investment Europe Renewable Energy S.A.
FORT WORTH, Texas, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorneys from the Dallas-based plaintiffs' law firm Hamilton Wingo recently won a $6 million verdict against Walmart for a customer who was severely injured while visiting one of the retail giant's auto care centers in the Fort Worth suburbs.

A jury of nine men and three women in Tarrant County's 67th District Court delivered the unanimous verdict on April 25 following four days of trial and less than five hours of deliberations. The case is Carl Louis Chojnicki v. Wal-Mart Stores Texas, LLC, et al., No. 067-327732-21.

Experienced Hamilton Wingo attorneys Barrett Robin and Sean T. Cook brought the case to trial on behalf of Carl Chojnicki, who was seriously injured in 2019 when he was struck by a vehicle at the Walmart Auto Care Center in North Richland Hills.

The jury heard evidence that a Walmart employee failed to exercise ordinary care when driving a customer's vehicle in reverse before striking Mr. Chojnicki, who suffered a broken femur that required surgery.

In addition to arguing that Walmart and the co-worker were responsible for their client's injuries, Mr. Robin and Mr. Cook presented evidence that Walmart was grossly negligent since the company knew of the risks involved in failing to follow an established "spotter" policy but was indifferent to the safety of others in failing to properly staff the auto care center.

The jury assessed 80 percent liability against Wal-Mart Stores Texas, LLC, and 20 percent against the employee driving the vehicle. Mr. Chojnicki's award includes $1.482 million for future medical care, past physical pain, past mental anguish, and past and future physical impairment. Walmart was assessed an additional $4.518 million in exemplary damages based on the jury's unanimous finding of the company's gross negligence. Mr. Chojnicki's past medical bills were not part of the case or included in the damages requested at trial.

"We could not be more proud of our entire trial team, and the tireless work that Barrett and Sean did to win this well-deserved verdict for our client," said Hamilton Wingo founding partner Chris Hamilton. "We are very grateful to the jury for their attentive service and thoughtful verdict."

Dallas-based Hamilton Wingo is one of the country's premier trial law firms, having won billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements. The firm's versatile and dedicated attorneys represent people from all walks of life in a wide range of serious cases, including personal injury and wrongful death cases involving automobile, airline, and other transportation incidents, workplace safety issues, dram shop liability, dangerous products, industrial catastrophes, medical malpractice, premises liability, utility accidents, water contamination, and environmental litigation. To learn more, visit www.hamiltonwingo.com.

For more information, please contact Bruce Vincent at 214-763-6226 or [email protected].

SOURCE Hamilton Wingo LLP
FAIRFIELD, N.J., April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- David Sweetnam, Director of Lab EU & Asia for Keypoint Intelligence, has been recognized as a Difference Maker by ENX Magazine, an honour given to individuals who have significantly influenced the imaging industry. This prestigious acknowledgment comes as no surprise to those familiar with Sweetnam's contributions over the past seventeen years.

Since joining Keypoint Intelligence in 2007, Sweetnam has played a pivotal role in transforming the company's operations from a primarily US-based entity into a global powerhouse. He was instrumental in the establishment and success of a European lab, broadening the firm's testing programs to encompass wide format and production technologies, as well as spearheading the new Direct to Garment (DTG) testing initiatives. His innate ability to listen to and understand a client's challenges and apply his deep industry expertise has resulted in numerous product improvements and assisted many OEMs with strategic market entry approaches.

Colleague Pete Emory, who nominated Sweetnam, shared, "Working alongside David for nearly two decades has been both enlightening and enjoyable. His exceptional analytical capabilities and comprehensive industry knowledge have been vital in our efforts to adapt and expand our business model to meet the dynamic demands of the industry."

"I am deeply honoured to receive the ENX Difference Maker award," said David Sweetnam, Director of Lab EU & Asia at Keypoint Intelligence. "Being recognized alongside such esteemed honorees is truly special," said David. "Many thanks to Erik Cagle and the team at ENX Magazine, my colleagues at Keypoint Intelligence who make Keypoint Intelligence a great place to work, and of course, those who nominated me."

For a complete list of the 2024 ENX Magazine Different Makers click here.

About Keypoint Intelligence:

For 60 years, clients in the digital imaging industry have relied on Keypoint Intelligence for independent hands-on testing, lab data, and extensive market research to drive their product and sales success. Keypoint Intelligence has been recognized as the industry's most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis, and awards due to decades of analyst experience.

SOURCE Keypoint Intelligence
Fraud has increased for 66% of Australian organisations year-on-year.

has increased for 66% of Australian organisations year-on-year. In APAC, digital channels account for more fraud losses than physical channels.

losses than physical channels. Four in five Australian organisations say fraud is affecting their customer conversion rates.

SYDNEY, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LexisNexis Risk Solutions has unveiled the findings of its 2023 LexisNexis True Cost of Fraud Study  Asia Pacific. The annual report, based on a commissioned survey conducted by Forrester Consulting, reveals that businesses in APAC now bear a cost of fraud that is 3.95 times the face value lost in fraudulent transactions.

In Australia, 66% of companies reported an increase in fraud in the 12 months prior to the survey, while organisations incur an average cost of AUD$3.68 ($2.96 for retailers and $4.21 for financial institutions) for every Australian dollar lost to fraud. These costs encompass financial losses due to fraud, as well as internal labor expenses, external costs, legal costs and recovery fees, along with the expenses associated with replacing or redistributing lost or stolen merchandise.

While rapid adoption of digital payments not only improves payment experiences, it also exposes numerous systems and channels to more innovative fraud attacks. Across APAC, digital channels account for 51% of overall fraud losses, surpassing physical fraud for the first time. Consequently, cybercriminals exploit the anonymity of digital, cross-border transactions to execute fast and untraceable fraud. Additionally, the rise of scams and the use of technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), expands cybercriminals' ability to exploit both consumers and businesses.

The study also reflects the evolution of criminal tactics. In APAC, the stage of the customer journey with the highest fraud losses is new account creation, presenting the greatest challenge for both financial institutions (46%) and retailers (44%). Criminals are exploiting the growing popularity of digital banking and digital commerce by using stolen or synthetic identities to open fraudulent accounts.

"New forms of fraud clearly increase the risk of financial losses for consumers and businesses, including both the direct and consequential expenses, such as staff time to investigate incidents," said Konstantin Poptodorov, director Market Planning, Australia and New Zealand at LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "The issues facing businesses become even more challenging due to the fraud multiplier effect, where the losses experienced by organisations continue to increase and far exceed the lost face value in any transaction. Preventing fraud requires a multi-layered approach throughout the customer journey."

Key Findings from the True Cost of Fraud Study  Asia Pacific:

Commercial Impact: Fraud significantly affects how customers perceive and interact with businesses. Seventy-five percent (75%) of Australian respondents report that fraud has influenced customer satisfaction compared to 73% across APAC. Seventy-nine percent (79%) notice its impact on customer conversion, higher than the 75% recorded in APAC.





significantly affects how customers perceive and interact with businesses. Seventy-five percent (75%) of Australian respondents report that has influenced customer satisfaction compared to 73% across APAC. Seventy-nine percent (79%) notice its impact on customer conversion, higher than the 75% recorded in APAC. Evolving Fraud Management Practices: Criminals constantly innovate. This dynamic nature of criminal behavior means that fraud and its associated costs are not static threats that businesses can simply diminish. For instance, new payment methods provide fraudsters with opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities in the retail sector. Financial institutions are realising increasing trends in identity theft, scams and digital wallet fraud .





Criminals constantly innovate. This dynamic nature of criminal behavior means that and its associated costs are not static threats that businesses can simply diminish. For instance, new payment methods provide fraudsters with opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities in the retail sector. Financial institutions are realising increasing trends in identity theft, scams and digital wallet . Moving Forward: Given the rising threat of fraud and cybersecurity risks, organisations should embrace forward-thinking fraud management and authentication solutions. This involves leveraging the capabilities of cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, and biometric and behavior-based authentication methods.

Methodology: The True Cost of Fraud Study  Asia Pacific conducted a survey of 382 fraud management decision-makers at financial institutions and retail companies in APAC, including 75 in Australia. Data collection and survey questions reference a 12-month period. The study leverages data and analysis to understand the current state of fraud and the challenges associated with digital payments in emerging markets. This information comes from a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of LexisNexis Risk Solutions in August 2023.

Download the LexisNexis True Cost of Fraud Study  Asia Pacific.

About LexisNexis Risk Solutions

LexisNexis Risk Solutions includes seven brands that span multiple industries and sectors. We harness the power of data, sophisticated analytics platforms and technology solutions to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. For more information, please visit LexisNexis Risk Solutions and RELX.

Media Contact:

Ade O'Connor

+44 7890 918 264

ade.o'[email protected]

SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions
NEW YORK, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global femtech market size is estimated to grow by USD 38.06 billion from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 12.02% during the forecast period. The report provides a comprehensive forecast of key segments below-

Segmentation Overview

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global FemTech Market 2023-2027

End-user 1.1 Direct-to-consumer 1.2 Hospitals 1.3 Fertility clinics 1.4 Others Type 2.1 Devices 2.2 Software 2.3 Services 2.4 Others Geography 3.1 North America 3.2 Europe 3.3 Asia 3.4 Rest of World (ROW)

Buy full report at US USD2500 - Buy Now

1.1 Fastest growing segment:

During the coming years, more people will buy directly from companies that sell products for women's health. These companies, called FemTech, use technology to make things like birth control, menstrual health, and fertility solutions. In 2017, the direct-to-consumer part of this market was worth USD 11.6 billion. FemTech businesses are making it easier to talk about things like periods and sexual health. Some started by focusing on pregnancy care but now offer products for different stages of pregnancy. As more companies work on improving women's reproductive health, this part of the market will grow.

Get a glance at the market contribution of rest of the segments - Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Analyst Review

The FemTech market is experiencing significant advancements in addressing various health conditions and concerns specific to women. This includes mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, hormonal imbalances, and metabolic syndrome.

Lifestyle habits and poverty rates also play a crucial role in women's health, making digital health solutions increasingly important. FemTech's development encompasses medical devices, wearables, and telemedicine services that cater to reproductive health, menstrual health, and menopausal symptoms.

Venture capitalists and investment interests are recognizing the potential of this sector, leading to the creation of innovative fertility tracking and family planning technologies. These advancements are revolutionizing women's healthcare and improving overall aging-related health.

Market Overview

In the rapidly evolving world of technology, FemTech market emerges as a significant sector, focusing on innovative solutions designed specifically for women's health and needs. This niche industry encompasses various areas such as menstrual technology, fertility tracking, pregnancy and childcare, and women's sexual and reproductive health.

Products like menstrual cups, period tracking apps, and telemedicine platforms revolutionize women's lives, making their experiences more comfortable and convenient.

The market is projected to reach unprecedented heights, driven by increasing awareness, technological advancements, and a growing consumer base.

To understand more about this market- Download a FREE Sample Report in minutes!

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

2 Market Landscape

3 Market Sizing

4 Historic Market Size

5 Five Forces Analysis

6 Market Segmentation

7 Customer Landscape

8 Geographic Landscape

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

10 Venodr Landscape

11 Vendor Analysis

12 Appendix

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
SAN FRANCISCO, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IT-Harvest, the only data-driven cybersecurity industry research firm, is excited to announce its presence at the upcoming RSA Conference from May 6 to 10th at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. The IT-Harvest team, including founder and chief research analyst Richard Stiennon, and CTO Maximillian Schweizer, will be available at booth #4309 in the North Hall. Stiennon will be signing free copies of his Security Yearbook 2023. Each book includes a discount coupon for 40% off Security Yearbook 2024, slated for release by Wiley in early June. The Security Yearbook series is the only history of the IT security industry and includes a directory of over 3,200 vendors by country, US State, and category.

Booth #4309 Security Yearbook 2024

In addition to the book signing, IT-Harvest is proud to demo the Dashboard, the only decision support tool tailored for security architects and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). The Dashboard boasts detailed profiles of 3,818 cybersecurity vendors and 10,400 products, enabling users to find and compare products based on features and their alignment with the MITRE ATT&CK framework.

As a special offering for RSA Conference attendees and the global cybersecurity community, IT-Harvest is providing free access to the Dashboard with complete data on all 405 vendors exhibiting at RSAC. This limited access is available from today until May 10, allowing attendees to meticulously plan their visit to the Expo, and giving non-attendees the opportunity to explore information on 405 of the top cybersecurity vendors globally. The sign-up form at dashboard.it-harvest.com/rsac will provide immediate access.

"We're delighted to engage with the community at RSA," said Richard Stiennon, IT-Harvest's founder. "The conference is a great opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the Dashboard and discuss pivotal trends and insights from the latest Security Yearbook. We look forward to interacting with fellow professionals and aiding them in their quest for robust cybersecurity solutions."

About IT-Harvest

IT-Harvest is an independent research firm specializing in the analysis of the dynamic cybersecurity market. IT-Harvest is committed to providing detailed, actionable intelligence on the vast world of cybersecurity technologies and market trends. Founder, Richard Stiennon publishes his research for free at stiennon.substack.com IT-Harvest is the first industry analyst firm to incorporate large language models into its research methodology. Its knowledge base of 3,818 vendors and 10,400 cybersecurity products is the only source for concise data on the entire industry. New data sets are being added all the time as are new ways to mine that data.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Leslie Kesselring

1.503.358.1012

[email protected]

SOURCE IT-Harvest
BEIJING, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- JA Solar, a global leader in the photovoltaic (PV) industry, has entered into a 200MW PV module distribution agreement with Exel Solar, a respected distributor in Mexico. This strengthened partnership, formalized in April 2024, seeks to enhance collaboration between the two companies and support Mexico's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030.

JA Solar Solidifies Partnership with Exel Solar Through 200MW PV Module Distribution Agreement

Since JA Solar's entry into the Mexican market in 2016, the company has delivered high-efficiency, reliable products and exceptional services to local customers. Exel Solar's decade-long experience in the PV market, extensive sales channels, and deep market knowledge complement JA Solar's capabilities. The 200MW distribution agreement marks a new phase of cooperation, accelerating the development of the gigawatt-scale market.

Mexico's PV market holds significant potential due to its abundant solar resources, offering a promising landscape for growth. JA Solar's position as the leading module provider in Mexico in 2023, bolstered by support from its business partners, highlights its commitment to the market. Together, JA Solar and Exel Solar will continue to advance sustainable energy transformation and contribute to Mexico's progress in the renewable energy sector.

About JA Solar

Founded in 2005, JA Solar is a manufacturer of high-performance photovoltaic products. With multiple manufacturing bases and 13 sales subsidiaries around the world, the company's business covers silicon wafers, cells, modules and PV power stations. JA Solar products are available in 165 countries and regions. With its advantages of continuous technological innovation, sound financial performance, and well-established global sales and service networks, JA Solar has been well received and highly recognized by customers from home and abroad. The company has been listed on Fortune China 500 and Global Top 500 New Energy Enterprises for several consecutive years.

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook to know more about JA Solar.

SOURCE JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.
HOUSTON, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today it has been awarded an estimated $771 million in cost-plus-fixed-fee contract options to continue mission-critical support to the U.S. Army Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and European Command (EUCOM) under the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) V contract. LOGCAP is an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract with combatant command (COCOM) based task orders. The option period 4 performance is March 2024 to March 2025.

Under the terms of the contract, KBR will continue to provide life support, equipment readiness, training and supply chain solutions to the U.S. Army. Currently, KBR supports approximately 20,000 U.S. government personnel across roughly 50 locations in Europe and North America. KBR provides mission-critical solutions that include contingency operations, humanitarian support, facility management, life-cycle asset management and integrated supply chain solutions. Additionally, KBR is providing sustainable energy solutions that enable the reduction of carbon emissions and fuel consumption at multiple locations throughout the COCOMs.

"KBR has spent three decades developing and refining a resilient, global supply chain in support of our LOGCAP work," said Byron Bright, KBR Government Solutions U.S. President. "Our agile staffing solutions and deep domain expertise allow us to consistently deliver mission-critical services to the U.S. Army, and our ability to conduct multi-domain operations means we are prepared for any contingency that arises. KBR provides critical services when the mission can't fail."

In addition, KBR provides LOGCAP support to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, and supports military exercises across NORTHCOM and EUCOM. In Europe, KBR currently supports LOGCAP operations in Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Turkey.

About KBR

We deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in over 30 countries.

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

Visit www.kbr.com

Forward Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future performance, services and opportunities, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond the company's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those set forth in the company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which discuss some of the important risks, uncertainties and assumptions that the company has identified that may affect its business, results of operations and financial condition. Due to such risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

SOURCE KBR, Inc.
CHICAGO, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) today announced the appointment of Noelle O'Mara as executive vice president & president, New Platforms and Acquisitions effective May 6.

In this role, O'Mara will have responsibility for identifying and scaling new organic growth platforms and acquisitions. This work will span strategy, product innovation, commercialization, synergy capture, and in-market execution.

"Noelle's leadership and track record of delivering results will be instrumental in advancing Conagra's ambition to further scale emerging brands while delivering an ambitious innovation and growth strategy," said Sean Connolly, president and chief executive officer, Conagra Brands.

With over 20 years of experience in the CPG industry, Noelle is a purpose led, performance driven leader who has a proven track record of growing businesses, building capabilities, and creating high performing teams. Prior to joining Conagra, O'Mara served as Group President at Tyson Foods where she was responsible for the $10 billion Prepared Foods business unit, including manufacturing facilities and over 19,000 employees. In this role she drove record growth and was also responsible for spearheading enterprise innovation and brand building with leadership of marketing communication and design, insights and analytics, innovation, culinary, and research and development. Before joining Tyson Foods Noelle held senior level general manager positions at Kraft Foods where her marketing and innovation impacts led to industry awards including Chicago Crains "40 under 40" recognition.

"I'm excited and humbled to join the incredible team at Conagra Brands," said O'Mara. "I look forward to building upon the company's success and fueling continued growth as we further our consumer driven portfolio."

O'Mara is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business.

About Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, and Slim Jim, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.ConagraBrands.com.

For all media inquiries, please contact:

MEDIA: Mike Cummins, [email protected]

INVESTORS: Melissa Napier, [email protected]

SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc.
Orange Sparkle Ball was awarded a Real World Deployment Grant from the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification for a series of pilots testing autonomous robotic pickup.

ATLANTA, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Orange Sparkle Ball, an innovation and impact accelerator based in Atlanta, Georgia, announced today it will be launching an Autonomous Robotic Pickup Platform in Detroit, Michigan with funding from the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP) provided by the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME). OFME launched the MMFP to provide support to mobility and electrification companies looking to deploy their technology solutions in the state of Michigan.

"This pilot program is the latest example of how the state's commitment to mobility expands beyond the movement of people to find real world solutions to challenges impacting our communities," said Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer of the State of Michigan. "The sustainable benefits of investments in mobility solutions continue to manifest in new, groundbreaking ways and Michigan is proud to be at the forefront of autonomous robotic pickup with the support of Orange Sparkle Ball."

Orange Sparkle Ball plans to build an Autonomous Robotic Pickup Platform by conducting a series of pilots to explore pickup of end-of-life materials. "We're excited to take our years of experience testing autonomous robotic solutions and focus on picking up end-of-life materials. And Detroit is a fantastic place to deploy these civic infrastructure tests as the city is focused both on future technology opportunities and the needs of communities," says Orange Sparkle Ball's Ashley Touchton. The company will launch the project by picking up residential and commercial food waste for composting. This first test involves Ottonomy, an autonomous robot startup, picking up food waste in partnership with Detroit composting startup Scrap Soils and Brother Nature, an urban farm in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood.

Meaghan Kennedy, founder of Orange Sparkle Ball, explains, "The use of this technology for pickup has been under investigated, and we're happy to be exploring expanded use of autonomous robot technology. Additionally, as a Michigander, I'm particularly proud to be conducting these pilots in Detroit. The unique expedited permitting process implemented by the City of Detroit in a first-of-its-kind Transportation Innovation Zone and the mobility funding platform from the State of Michigan built to support startups is allowing us to explore new mobility use cases in Michigan, partnering with several Michigan-based technology companies and community partners."

Orange Sparkle Ball plans to conduct each phase of the project in the Transportation Innovation Zone (TIZ) established by the City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI) in Corktown. The project will leverage the expedited permitting process established by OMI and has already received a permit for the first pilot.

With years of experience working with startup technology, Orange Sparkle Ball is well-positioned to build solutions into a civic tech platform, providing new opportunities for both technology startups and the community. Further, it is costly, both in terms of time and money, to provide services to less densely populated areas, so utilizing autonomous technology provides an exciting opportunity for the future of city services.

After completing the initial food waste pickup pilot, Orange Sparkle Ball will continue exploring autonomous pickup tests in Detroit through the end of 2024. Following completion of the composting pilot, subsequent tests will involve several autonomous technology partners, including Michigan-founded Refraction AI and Detroit-based Intermode, all with the goal of understanding how autonomous technology might fill gaps in city infrastructure while providing for community good.

About Orange Sparkle Ball

Orange Sparkle Ball is an innovation and impact accelerator sitting at the junction of research, technology, human-centered design principles, and organizational goals. Orange Sparkle Ball creates organization and community-focused innovation programs, runs data-driven pilots to demonstrate proof of the future state, creates multi-faceted communication strategies to stakeholders, and develops environments that support progress toward metrics or key performance indicators. Experience with government, industry, startups, public/private partnerships, and academia allows Orange Sparkle Ball to provide a full ecosystem approach to customized solutions. For further information, visit www.orangesparkleball.com.

SOURCE Orange Sparkle Ball
DENVER, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Medicine Man Technologies, Inc., operating as Schwazze, (OTCQX: SHWZ) (Cboe CA: SHWZ) ("Schwazze" or the "Company"), will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its financial and operational results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. The Company's results will be reported in a press release prior to the call.

The Schwazze management team will host the conference call, followed by a question-and-answer period. Interested parties may submit questions to the Company prior to the call by emailing [email protected].

Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

Toll-free dial-in: (888) 664-6383

International dial-in: (416) 764-8650

Conference ID: 84167910

Webcast: SHWZ Q1 2024 Earnings Call

The conference call will also be broadcast live and available for replay on the investor relations section of the Company's website at https://ir.schwazze.com.

Toll-free replay number: (888) 390-0541

International replay number: (416) 764-8677

Replay ID: 167910

If you have any difficulty registering or connecting with the conference call, please contact Elevate IR at (720) 330-2829.

About Schwazze

Schwazze (OTCQX: SHWZ) (Cboe CA: SHWZ) is building a premier vertically integrated regional cannabis company with assets in Colorado and New Mexico and will continue to take its operating system to other states where it can develop a differentiated regional leadership position. Schwazze is the parent company of a portfolio of leading cannabis businesses and brands spanning seed to sale.

Schwazze is anchored by a high-performance culture that combines customer-centric thinking and data science to test, measure, and drive decisions and outcomes. The Company's leadership team has deep expertise in retailing, wholesaling, and building consumer brands at Fortune 500 companies as well as in the cannabis sector.

Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. was Schwazze's former operating trade name. The corporate entity continues to be named Medicine Man Technologies, Inc. Schwazze derives its name from the pruning technique of a cannabis plant to enhance plant structure and promote healthy growth. To learn more about Schwazze, visit http://www.schwazze.com/.

Investor Relations Contact

Sean Mansouri, CFA or Aaron D'Souza

Elevate IR

(720) 330-2829

[email protected]

SOURCE Schwazze
Consumption of standard coal is cut by 3,234 tons, with CO2 emissions reduced by 8,409 tons. Water usage decreased by 40%.

The Company's investment in environmental protection increased to 70 million RMB .

Shanghai Electric continues to lead in green technology, achieving multiple breakthroughs in low-carbon technological innovation, with investment in R&B hitting a five-year record high.

SHANGHAI, April 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Electric (SEHK:2727, SSE:601727) announced that the Company has published the 2023 edition of its Environment, Social, and Governance report, which highlights its latest efforts in driving toward sustainability across its corporate operations throughout the year. The newest report, the eighth since its first one that was released in 2016, offers an overview of Shanghai Electric's technological milestones in its three major business areas  energy equipment, industrial equipment, and integrated services  through which the Company helps facilitate green, low-carbon transformation in countries such as China, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Shanghai Electric Launched 2024 Ramadan Donation Campaign, Providing Rice, Flour, Cocking Oil, and Chickpeas, along with Other Daily Necessities to Villagers Celebrating Eid al-Fitr. Shanghai_Electric

"At Shanghai Electric, we prioritize innovation in green technology, accelerating low-carbon development while zeroing in on eco-investing as part of our effort to strengthen our role in tackling global climate issues. Last year has seen us expand cooperation for green projects spanning transportation, energy, and infrastructure, helping spur economic growth with minimal environmental impact. In 2023, Shanghai Electric continued to take actions to support the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, fostering international exchange on the climate crisis by supporting COP28 and making an effective contribution to decarbonization," said Wu Lei, Chairman of Shanghai Electric.

Significant Headway Towards Sustainability Driven by Tech Innovation

Over the past year, Shanghai Electric has ramped up investment to develop new technology and products for driving decarbonization and global climate protection. In 2023, the Company's spending on research and development (R&D) hit 5.381 billion RMB, the highest in the past five years. Shanghai Electric's latest venture in heterojunction (HJT) technology and N-type bifacial modules has bolstered its solar product portfolio, with the percentage of R&B investment increasing to 33.5%. The launch of a range of new products in 2023, which includes the 16MW offshore wind turbine powered by the Poseidon platform, the 500kW containerized vanadium liquid flow energy storage system, and the 2000Nm3/H Alkaline electrolyzer, has further boosted Shanghai Electric's technological prowess. The R&B endeavors enabled the Company to acquire 2,931 patents.

"2023 marked a year of innovation for Shanghai Electric. We believe that technology is the primary productive force that drives our business forward, so we are strengthening our position in the green energy industry, focusing on the development of energy equipment, industrial equipment, and integrated services to promote industrial transformation and upgrading," said Liu Ping, President of Shanghai Electric.

In 2023, Shanghai Electric leveraged its strategic advantages and industry expertise to provide green solutions for more energy and industrial companies, contributing to low-carbon green transformation and development. Shanghai Electric participated in the construction of the world's first fourth-generation nuclear power station and an ultra-supercritical double reheat coal-fired generator unit that refreshes the world's record for its low coal consumption. In addition, Shanghai Electric's landmark project, the world's first floating wind-fishery integration project, was completed in the year, with its solutions empowering green transformation for China, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Serbia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, and more.

Diverse Professional Pathways Empower Employee Career Development

Shanghai Electric continuously enhances learning and career advancement opportunities for its workers, providing upskilling and reskilling programs to benefit its employees. The Company fosters a culture of inclusivity, ensuring the continuous growth and adaptability of its workforce in a rapidly changing global landscape. In 2023, the Company organized seminars and training programs for middle-aged and young managerial and technical workers, issued a white paper on occupational health management, took measures to strengthen awareness of workplace safety, and hosted an array of activities designed to enrich employee experiences and improve their employability.

Supporting Community Development and Improving Local Livelihoods

In 2023, Shanghai Electric invested 30.433 billion RMB in supporting rural construction in China with donations made by the Company and its subsidiaries to enhance local infrastructure and livelihoods, reaching 5.088 million RMB. In Dubai, Shanghai Electric worked with local communities to develop an HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment) management system with the aim of improving the ecological environment and biodiversity in areas near the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

For communities near the Thar integrated coal mine and power project in Pakistan that were affected by natural disasters, Shanghai Electric provided air conditioners, and computers, and built a 10,000-square-meter hospital, which is dubbed a "mobile hospital" by local residents. During Eid al-Fitr 2024, Shanghai Electric also donated foods and vegetables to neighboring villages as part of its initiative to connect local communities and promote multiculturalism.

Please visit https://www.shanghai-electric.com/listed_en/upload/resources/file/2024/04/28//101437.pdf to read more of the report.

Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2399342/2024_04_04_10_05_23.mp4

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2346204/Shanghai_Electric.jpg
TORRANCE, Calif., April 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sling Pilot Academy, a premier flight training institution located in Torrance, CA, and the City of Torrance have settled a dispute in State Court over Sling's business license.

In October 2023 Sling received a letter from the City of Torrance saying that Sling's business license would not be renewed in 2024 due to a never-enforced 1977 resolution limiting the number of flight schools at Torrance Airport. The resolution had been made, but never enacted as an Ordinance, by a 1977 City Council responding to complaints from residents about noise from airplanes flying over their homes.

Facing irreparable harm, Sling filed a complaint in California State Court. On December 21st, 2023 Judge Curtis Kin of the Superior Court of the State of California issued a Temporary Restraining Order against the City of Torrance, preventing them from blocking the issuance of Sling's 2024 business license. The day before, the City of Torrance City Council voted to enact an Ordinance and Urgency Ordinance limiting the number of flight schools at Torrance Airport to 6 flight schools. As in 1977, the City Council was responding to complaints from residents about noise from airplanes flying over their homes.

On January 12th, 2024 Judge Kin again sided with Sling's attorneys and issued a Preliminary Injunction against the City of Torrance restraining and enjoining them from taking any action to block the issuance of Sling's 2024 business license on the grounds that there can only be 6 flight schools at the airport. This injunction protected against the irreparable harm that would have come to Sling's 90+ employees and 200+ students had Sling's business license been cancelled.

After some movement regarding businesses registered as flight schools at the Torrance Airport it was determined that Sling fell "within the 6" (flight school limitation), and the City of Torrance reached out to Sling to settle the dispute and dismiss the case in California State Court as well as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 16 Complaint that Sling had filed with the FAA. On April 12th, 2024, Sling and the City of Torrance signed a Settlement Agreement and filed for dismissal of both complaints.

Sling Pilot Academy remains committed to working with the City of Torrance and the residents surrounding the airport. Sling believes in its mission to offer flight training to the residents of the local region and to uplift their lives by enabling the path to the life-changing career of an airline pilot. The severe pilot shortage has created a desperate need for pilots in this segment of our Critical Infrastructure. Flight Training is specifically called out as part of our Critical Infrastructure and Sling has in the past been a recipient of a $500,000 Federal Grant designed to create pilots for the aviation workforce.

Sling will continue to engage with local residents to better understand the annoyance of airplane noise. Sling will continue to work on voluntary procedures to mitigate this problem and Sling will continue to work on the "Whisper Sling" project to make its quiet airplanes even quieter and more pleasing to the human ear. Sling Pilot Academy intends to become the world's quietest flight school with these technical advancements.

website www.slingpilotacademy.com. Email [email protected]

SOURCE Sling Pilot Academy
SHANGHAI, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and SEHK: 2057) ("ZTO" or the "Company"), a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China, today announced that it will release its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024, after the U.S. market closes on May 15, 2024.

ZTO's management team will host an earnings conference call at 8:30 P.M. U.S. Eastern Time on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, which is 8:30 A.M. Beijing Time on Thursday, May 16, 2024.

Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows:

United States: 1-888-317-6003 Hong Kong: 800-963-976 Singapore: 800-120-5863 Mainland China: 4001-206-115 International: 1-412-317-6061 Passcode: 1526153

A replay of the conference call may be accessible through May 22, 2024 by dialing the following numbers:

United States: 1-877-344-7529 International: 1-412-317-0088 Canada: 855-669-9658 Passcode: 5307524

A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available at the Company's investor relations website at http://zto.investorroom.com.

About ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.

ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and SEHK: 2057) ("ZTO" or the "Company") is a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China. ZTO provides express delivery service as well as other value-added logistics services through its extensive and reliable nationwide network coverage in China.

ZTO operates a highly scalable network partner model, which the Company believes is best suited to support the significant growth of e-commerce in China. The Company leverages its network partners to provide pickup and last-mile delivery services, while controlling the mission-critical line-haul transportation and sorting network within the express delivery service value chain.

For more information, please visit http://zto.investorroom.com.

For investor inquiries, please contact:

Investor Relations

Tel: (86) 21 5980 4508

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc.
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
Mexico City, April 29 : At least 14 people died and 31 were injured when the bus they were travelling in while on pilgrimage overturned near Malinalco in central Mexico.

The accident occurred on Sunday morning on the Capulin-Chalma highway and state police have attended to it, the local Mexican security secretariat said in a statement. Medical units also rushed to the scene to transport the injured to hospitals.

How the driver had come to lose control remained unclear.

According to media reports, the pilgrims from Guanajuato state were travelling to Chalma, the site of a Christian sanctuary to the south-west of Mexico City. The sanctuary is one of the most important destinations for pilgrims in Mexico.
Gaza, April 29 : A Hamas official has said that the group will not accept any agreement with Israel that does not include a cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said in a statement on Sunday that the group "will not accept any agreement that does not include a cessation of war in Gaza", Xinhua news agency reported.

Abu Zuhri added that Israel's response, which reached the movement through mediators, is under study, and that it is too early to reach a decision regarding it.

A Hamas delegation is scheduled to visit Cairo on Monday, to deliver the movement's response regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and to negotiate a hostage-for-prisoner swap deal with Israel, according to a source from the movement.

The source, who preferred not to mention his name, added that the delegation is headed by Khalil Al-Hayya, the Hamas deputy chief in Gaza.

Earlier in the day, as reported by Israeli public radio, a senior Israeli official described the current development as "decisive moments in the efforts to reach a new hostage deal with Hamas."

The official added, "We are awaiting the response of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar," expecting it to be made "within the next 48 hours." He noted that Israel has expressed readiness to make "very significant concessions" regarding the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza.

On Saturday, Hamas announced that it had received Israel's official response to the movement's position on the Gaza ceasefire, which was submitted to the mediators Egypt and Qatar on April 13.

At the time, Hamas reiterated its demands, including "a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the (Israeli) army from Gaza, the return of the displaced to their areas and places of residence, the increase of relief and aid for the strip, and the start of its reconstruction."

Abu Zuhri noted in the Sunday statement that Hamas would study the new Israeli proposal, and upon completion, it would hand over its response to the mediators.

The movement's announcement came after Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel recently arrived in Israel in an effort to broker a ceasefire deal between the conflicting parties.

Kamel held a series of meetings with Israeli security officials on the potential military operation in Rafah and the release of detainees, according to Israeli media outlets.

Qatar, Egypt and the United States are seeking to reach a deal for a prisoner exchange and a second ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, following the first one that ended last December.

Israel estimated that there were still about 134 Israelis held hostage in Gaza, whereas Hamas announced that 70 of them had been killed in Israeli indiscriminate airstrikes.

Israel holds more than 9,000 Palestinian prisoners in its jails, whose conditions have worsened since its war on Gaza began last October, resulting in deaths among them, according to Palestinian organizations concerned with prisoners.
Beirut, April 29 : French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne has called on Lebanon's Hezbollah and Israel to avoid escalation, reaffirming France's ongoing efforts to prevent the expansion of conflict between the two sides.

"We reject the worst scenario in southern Lebanon, and it is in no one's interest for the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel to expand," Sejourne was quoted by Lebanese TV channel Al-Jadeed as saying on Sunday.

Sejourne made the remarks after his meeting in Beirut with senior Lebanese officials, during which they discussed solutions to the ongoing conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We have presented proposals to all partners, considered Lebanon's response, and will wait for Israel's response on Tuesday. An agreement must be reached in the end," he said.

Sejourne emphasized France's commitment to safeguarding Lebanon, stressing the importance of restoring stability in southern Lebanon by sending the Lebanese army to the area.

He said that Paris would continue to support the Lebanese army, pointing out the "decisive role" of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in "avoiding the worst scenario," and urging all parties to allow UNIFIL to carry out its tasks.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said during his meeting with Sejourne that "the French initiative constitutes a practical framework for implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701," according to a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers.

Mikati said Lebanon was committed to its full implementation, and demanded Israel to honor its commitments and stop its destructive aggression in southern Lebanon.

During the meeting with Sejourne, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib also underlined the importance of implementing Resolution 1701 to achieve stability.

The resolution was adopted in August 2006 to seek a full cessation of hostilities shortly after a month of deadly warfare between Israel and Hezbollah ended with a fragile truce.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on October 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.
Chennai, April 29 : A delegation of senior Israeli officials led by Mossad Chief David Barnea will reach Cairo on Monday for indirect mediatory talks with Hamas.

The Hamas delegation will also reach Cairo on Monday with Qatar and Egypt taking the lead for the mediation regarding the release of hostages and temporary ceasefire talks in the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.

Hamas, according to Arab media have in principle agreed to the release of a minimum of 33 hostages. The hostages include women, old people, sick and men above the age of fifty. Hamas has demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. This includes those arrested with grave offences, including murder.

Sources in Israel's defence ministry told IANS that they have communicated to the mediators that the IDF would not be withdrawn from the Gaza Strip.

Israel, it may be recalled, has already called upon the Hamas side not to drag its feet from the release of hostages and has stated that if Hamas backs out from the deal then the Rafah ground operations will be imminent.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have already deployed its elite Nehal brigade in the Rafah region and are waiting for the outcome of the talks in Cairo.

President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has already shared the countryas apprehensions of an Israeli attack in the Rafah region with the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken during his last visit to Cairo.

Blinken has reached Saudi Arabia on a two-day visit and will be communicating with both the Egyptian and Qatar mediators regarding the temporary ceasefire.
Chennai, April 29 : The Tamil Nadu Police have banned the use of drones and hot air balloons in Kodaikanal hill station where Chief Minister M.K. Stalin along with his family is scheduled to stay for six days till May 4.

The Chief Minister and family will be staying in a private resort at the hill station.

The Dindigul Superintendent of Police, A. Pradeep announced the ban on Monday. Police have closed key routes to Kodaikanal, including Batlagundu, Palani and Adukkam for a few hours on Monday as part of the security exercise due to the high-profile visit.

The routes would be opened to the public after the Chief Minister and his family reached the hill station.

However, tourist guides and tour operators of the hill station said that the Chief Minister's visit to Kodaikanal would lead to many tourists staying away.

K.R. Shivakumar, a tour operator, while speaking to IANS said, "The visit of Chief Minister and his family is welcome. However, the CM could have opted to reach Kodaikanal in a helicopter as there are five helipads in the area catering to VIP visits. Several tourists have cancelled the bookings as they fear heavy restrictions during the visit of the Chief Minister."

However, sources in the Tamil Nadu tourism department told IANS that the Chief Minister visiting Kodaikanal would attract tourists from within and outside the country.

The Chief Minister had stayed in this hill station before the 2021 Assembly elections also. Stalin's DMK won the election leading him to the CM's chair.
New Delhi, April 29 : In response to a recent threat assessment report issued by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced plans to deploy Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at all offices of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) across the country, according to sources.

This move comes in light of escalating attacks and threats targeting officials of the federal agency.

According to MHA sources, the initial deployment of paramilitary forces will focus on key cities, including Mumbai, Jalandhar, Kolkata, Jaipur, Ranchi, Raipur and Kochi.

"Discussions are ongoing regarding the extension of CISF cover to ED offices in other states, reflecting a comprehensive approach to enhancing security measures across the board," said an MHA source.

With ED operating from 21 zonal and 18 sub-zonal offices spanning 40 cities across five regions -- west, east, central, south and north -- the agency maintains a robust pan-India presence. The headquarters located on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in Delhi already benefits from CISF protection.

The urgency for heightened security measures became apparent following an incident on January 5 this year when a mob attacked a team of ED officers from the Kolkata unit in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali. Three officers were injured in the attack.

This incident served as a stark reminder of the risks faced by enforcement officials in carrying out their duties.
New Delhi, April 29 : Are you worried that your habit of losing keys and everyday items may be a sign of poor memory? Well, a new book suggests that it may not be the case "always."

The new book 'The Psychology of Memory' by two US professors from Rhode Island College and Indiana University suggests that anyone can boost their powers of recall, and that "losing keys is normal."

In the book, Dr Megan Sumeracki and Dr Althea Need Kaminske stated that storing and retrieving information is far more complex than people think.

The book also highlighted simple recollection-boosting techniques to improve learning.

"Because we are most aware of our memory when we have trouble remembering something, our intuitions about how memory works might be a little biased," Dr Kaminske said.

"You may be unsurprised to learn that our memory systems are not necessarily designed to remember where we put our phones. Or keys. Or water bottles."

"Though we would hazard a guess that if we were in a survival scenario where dehydration was a concern, we would be much more aware of water sources."

"People are better at remembering information when they process it in a fitness-relevant scenario, such as being stranded in the grasslands of a foreign land," the authors said.

Further, the book shows how memory can be impaired by alcohol, sleep deprivation, and caffeine.

The authors suggested memory-boosting techniques like 'retrieval practice' -- the strategy of 'pulling' facts from memory. For example, deliberately addressing a new colleague's name every time you see them may help you memorise the name.
New Delhi, April 29 : Filmmaker Mani Ratnam, along with stars Kamal Haasan and Ali Fazal, have arrived in the national capital to commence shooting for the next schedule of their upcoming film 'Thug Life'.

A source close to IANS shared that the filmmaker and the actors arrived in New Delhi on Sunday evening.

The source added: "They will be shooting for a month in Delhi For the entire month of May, they will be shooting. It will be an all-outdoor shoot. They will be shooting in some prominent locations in New Delhi."

'Thug Life', a Tamil film, is an action drama co-written by Ratnam and Kamal.

The film features Kamal in a triple role, alongside Trisha, Abhirami, Nassar, Gautham Karthik, Joju George, and Aishwarya Lekshmi.

This project marks the reunion of Ratnam and Kamal after their 1987 cult film 'Nayakan'.
Mumbai, April 29 : A stable and visionary political leadership, young talented population, vast AI and startup community and innovations across businesses will help India reach its $30 trillion GDP growth goal by 2047, Paul Marriott, President for Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) of cloud software major SAP said here on Monday.

Emphasising the need to make India's journey from "incredible to inevitable" to become 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047 as laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the top company executive said that the country is now the fastest growing economy and the third most digitised nation in the world.

"India can reach its $30 trillion GDP goal by 2047 which is a staggering 10 times from today. It is possible with the kind of innovations we are seeing in businesses across all the segments, with an amazing political leadership at the helm," Marriott told a packed house at the company's flagship event in the financial capital.

He stressed that businesses in the country must join the generative AI bandwagon and grow further at scale.

"We are investing significantly in India to empower cutting-edge technology to give businesses the next big opportunity in an AI era," he noted.

In this direction, the company is providing Indian businesses with solutions across three key areas: make supply chains intelligent and sustainable, innovate with Business Al and empower India's growth through SMEs (small and medium enterprises).

Manish Prasad, President and Managing Director for SAP Indian Subcontinent, informed that about 60 per cent of India's GDP touches the SAP ecosystem.

"When it comes to inclusive growth, 80 per cent of our customers in India represent small and medium businesses. That is the foundation for future growth," Prasad told the gathering.

SAP has its largest R&D development centre in India outside of Germany where it is headquartered.

There are 75 million SME businesses across India, giving employment to nearly 123 million people in the SME ecosystem in the country.
Mumbai, April 27 : Actress Naila Grrewal has showered praise on her 'Ishq Vishk' co-star Rohit Saraf, describing him as a generous actor to work with.

The actress said that their partnership has provided them with the opportunity to elevate scenes with greater nuance.

Reflecting on their partnership, the 'Maamla Legal Hai' actress said: "Collaborating with Rohit Saraf has been a deeply rewarding journey for me as an actor. His remarkable talent, unwavering professionalism, and passionate commitment to his artistry serve as a constant source of inspiration."

Naila said: "Our partnership has not only been incredibly enjoyable but has also provided us with the opportunity to explore and elevate our scenes with greater depth and nuance."

"Rohit's generosity on set brings a unique energy to our performances, and his tireless dedication to his craft is truly commendable."

'Ishq Vishk Rebound' also features Pashmina Roshan and Jibraan Khan. The film serves as a sequel of sorts to 'Ishq Vishk', which marked the debut of Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor.

Released over two decades ago, 'Ishq Vishk' depicted the tale of two childhood friends, Rajiv and Payal, portrayed by Shahid and Amrita Rao.

'Ishq Vishk Rebound' is directed by Nipun Avinash Dharmadhikari and is scheduled to hit theaters on June 28.
Chennai, April 29 : The Greater Chennai Police on Monday arrested a Rajasthan native in a case related to the murder of a Keralite couple living here.

The accused was identified as Mahesh (29) from Udaipur in Rajasthan. He was working as a salesman in a hardware shop in Chennai.

The bodies of Sivan Nair (68) and his wife Prasannakumari (62) were found at their residence at Muthaputhupettil in Avadi on Sunday night.

Sivan Nair and Prasannakumari hail from Erumeli in Kerala and have been living in Chennai for the past several years. While Sivan Nair was a Sidha doctor, Prasannakumari was a retired teacher from Kendriya Vidyalaya. Relatives informed police that 800 gm of gold was missing from the residence of the deceased.

Police found a mobile phone in the residence of the deceased and an investigation commenced based on this phone and finally reached the suspect Mahesh.

A senior officer of the Avadi police station told IANS that further investigation is on to check whether robbery was the only motive behind the murder and whether more people were involved in the murder. Since the past few days, there have been several incidents of robbery in Chennai and surrounding areas.
Chandigarh, April 29 : In the biggest drug seizure this year by Punjab Police, the Commissionerate Police of Jalandhar busted an international drug syndicate with the arrest of three operatives and seized 48 kg heroin, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.

The syndicate was actively involved in trans-border and inter-state drug smuggling and spread across five countries -- Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan and Canada, alongside a domestic network spanning Jammu & Kashmir and Gujarat.

Illicit funds of Rs 21 lakh were confiscated from the three. A cash counting machine and three high-end vehicles were also seized.

The DGP said first information reports (FIRs) under the NDPS Act have been registered and an investigation is ongoing. He added that the aim was to demolish the drug network.

More details are awaited.
New Delhi, April 29 : The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that questioned the interpretation of Section 66 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The petitioners, Ashok Kumar Singh and another individual alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was improperly influencing other agencies, including the police and CBI, to initiate FIRs based on information it shared under this section.

The petition had accused the ED of acting in multiple conflicting roles by pressuring agencies to register FIRs, thereby overstepping its boundaries as laid out in the PMLA.

Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora heard the case and said that such interpretation issues be addressed in specific proceedings before an appropriate court.

During the proceedings, ED's counsel, Zoheb Hossain, argued that the PIL was more about serving private interests rather than public welfare.

He claimed that the petition mirrored concerns already raised in a separate petition pending before a single judge, thus attempting to overreach the court's process.

Hossain said that a PIL should not be used to address individual grievances disguised as public causes, labelling such actions as an abuse of the legal process.

On the other hand, the petitioner's counsel maintained that advocating for a client on a specific legal issue does not preclude raising the same issue in the form of a PIL, provided there is no personal interest involved.

Ultimately, the division bench concluded that the matter could be effectively resolved by a single judge since it did not challenge the constitutional validity of the section in question.

The bench noted that parties involved in criminal proceedings have the liberty to contest the interpretations and proceedings at appropriate times and forums.

The court disposed of the petition, reaffirming the right to address the interpretation of Section 66 of the PMLA in a relevant legal setting.
New Delhi, April 29 : Sunita Kejriwal and Delhi Minister Atishi met jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Tihar jail on Monday, said a prison official.

The wife of CM Kejriwal, Sunita and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi arrived at Tihar around 12.40 p.m.

After meeting CM Kejriwal, Atishi, while talking to reporters, said that during the meeting, the CM first inquired about the well-being of the people of Delhi.

"He asked whether medicines were adequately available or not. He is deeply concerned about the people of Delhi. He also conveyed a message for women, assuring them that he will soon announce a promise of Rs 1,000 per month for women in Delhi," she said.

Atishi also raised questions about why Sunita Kejriwal was denied a meeting earlier. "Political prisoners were initially treated with respect, but now it seems to be turning into a dictatorship," she remarked after the meeting with the CM.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is also scheduled to meet CM Kejriwal on Tuesday.

CM Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged excise scam, is lodged in Tihar's Jail No-2.

The jailed Delhi CM has provided a list of six individuals with whom he wants to meet in prison.

The ED has termed CM Kejriwal the "kingpin and the key conspirator" of the alleged excise scam in collusion with other ministers of the Delhi government, AAP leaders, and other persons.
Seoul, April 29 : South Korean Foreign and Defence Ministers met Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Monday to discuss ways to expand cooperation in regional security and the defence industry.

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Defence Minister Shin Won-sik held a meeting with Albanese and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong to exchange opinions on Indo-Pacific strategic cooperation, the military and defence industry, and North Korean issues, Yonhap news agency reported.

The meeting took place ahead of the Korean ministers' "two plus two" talks with Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles, slated for Wednesday, their Ministries said.

The Ministers vowed to further advance the "comprehensive strategic partnership" and bolster defence ties. After the meeting, Albanese emphasised the importance of continuing to develop bilateral relations for regional security.

"South Korea is a crucial regional partner for Australia. Our two countries are working together towards an open, stable, and prosperous region," Albanese wrote on X.

Earlier in the day, Cho paid tribute at the Australian National Korean War Memorial in Canberra.

Australia was among the 22 countries that sent troops and gave medical aid to South Korea under the UN flag during the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a ceasefire, not a peace treaty.

Canberra dispatched a total of 17,164 service members during the war, and 340 of them were killed in action, according to South Korean data.
Satara : , April 29 (IANS) In Satara constituency of cooperative-rich Western Maharashtra, it's a direct fight between BJP nominee and sitting Rajya Sabha member Udayanraje Bhosale and NCP SP candidate and sitting legislator Shashikant Shinde.

Bhosale is the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the representative of the seat of the Maratha warrior's empire, and Shinde is the representative of the politically-influential Mathadi workers.

In all, 16 candidates are in the fray for the seat but it is an acid test for the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi.

Interestingly, the police's move to register a case of embezzlement along with financial fraud against Shinde and 24 others including the former Chairman, Secretary and all Directors of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) for the FSI-allocation scam has become a "hot" political topic in Satara constituency.

Bhosale and the Mahayuti in general are targeting Shinde on this issue, saying that the party will continue its fight against corruption.

On the other hand, NCP SP chief Sharad Pawar has threatened to launch a statewide agitation if Shinde is arrested during the ongoing campaigning.

Sharad Pawar has claimed that the action against his party nominee is politically-motivated and the voters will give a befitting reply by electing Shinde.

Satara was a traditional Congress bastion till 1999 as after a split in the grand old party the NCP grabbed the seat and since then till 2019, retained its supremacy.

During the 2019 General Elections, Bhosale, who had won the seat in 2009 and 2014, had emerged victorious. However, thereafter he quit the NCP and joined the BJP.

In the bye-election, NCP nominee and former Sikkim Governor Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil defeated Bhosale and thereby tightened its grip over the constituency.

The BJP and Bhosale are therefore approaching the voters with an appeal to give him a chance again in a bid to compensate for his defeat in the 2019 bye-election.

Bhosale is cashing in on his 'Robinhood' image apart from his proximity with the voters and family background. However, he faces a tough task of bringing on board the veteran NCP legislator and former Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council Ramraje Nimbalkar, Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai and NCP legislator Makarand Patil due to the existing rift.

Moreover, the differences between Bhosale and BJP legislator Shivendra Raje Bhosale may prove to be a headache for him though the latter has joined the campaign.

Incidentally, both are cousins and erstwhile royals from Satara.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and another Dy CM Ajit Pawar have separately asked their party leaders to bury the hatchet and work for Bhosale's victory.

On the other hand, Shinde, who is banking on the sympathy and support of the people of Satara for his boss Sharad Pawar, is also reaching out to the voters on a slew of works done by him during his stint as the member of the Legislative Assembly from Koregaon and Jawali and also as the minister for Krishna Valley Development.

After his defeat in the 2019 Assembly elections, Shinde is currently a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council and actively taking up a number of infrastructure and irrigation projects in the district.

Shinde downplays the charges against him in the FSI and toilet scam saying that it was all done out of political vendetta and he is prepared for arrest.

One of the main issues in the constituency is unemployment due to inadequate development of industries in the area and the consequent migration of job aspirants to Pune.

This apart, there is the issue of the closure of big companies situated in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation estate and none being replaced by new industrial units, leading to lack of job opportunities.

Plus, inadequate amenities in the drought-prone areas of the constituency have been taken up by political parties as well as civil organisations.

Satara's tourism potential remains untapped and the tourism industry has been making a strong case for the government's intervention.

The Satara Lok Sabha constituency comprises Wai (NCP-AP), Koregaon (Shiv Sena), Karad North (NCP-SP), Karad South (Congress), Patan (Shiv Sena) and Satara (BJP).

There are 25,63,643 voters comprising 13,04,930 males and 12,58,713 females.

Polling for the Lok Sabha elections is slated for May 7.

During the 2019 elections, Bhosale as the NCP (united) candidate had polled 579,026 votes (51.91 per cent) defeating the Shiv Sena (united) candidate Narendra Patil who had got 452,498 votes (40.57 per cent).

Thereafter, the mid-term election was held after Bhosale parted ways with NCP (united) and joined the BJP.

In that election, NCP (united) nominee Patil outpaced Bhosale. Patil polled 636,620 (51.04 per cent) votes against 548,903 (44.01 per cent) votes by Bhosale.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in SJ)
New Delhi, April 29 : About 86 per cent of Indian organisations see a moderate to strong relationship between sustainability and their company's profitability, a new report said on Monday.

According to the cloud software major SAP, 77 per cent of Indian businesses have seen sustainability strategies contributing to outcomes such as revenue or profit growth to a moderate or strong degree.

"Sustainability is now a business necessity rather than merely a moral duty. It can no longer be seen as distinct from the overall financial performance of the company," said Manish Prasad, President, and MD of SAP Indian Subcontinent.

"It is evident from the findings of our study that businesses that prioritise sustainability are more successful," he added.

Moreover, the report mentioned that 58 per cent of Indian firms expect a positive financial return on their sustainability investments within the next five years.

About 39 per cent of businesses plan to increase their investments in sustainability over the next three years.

"The Asian market represents more than 50 per cent of the worldas emissions, and so as one of the fastest growing hotbeds of innovation and economic activity in the region, India is in a unique position to lead the charge against climate change," said Paul Marriott, President, SAP Asia Pacific Japan.

In addition, the report said that 69 per cent of Indian organisations use sustainability data to inform strategic and operational decision-making to a moderate to strong degree.
New Delhi, April 29 : The Viksit Bharat Ambassador event in Visakhapatnam on Monday saw a gathering of students, working professionals and some retired officials, with all hailing the government's 'developed India' dream by 2047.

Many of the participants spoke to IANS and lauded the Viksit Bharat Mission, which seeks to encourage and inspire the young generation to become 'ambassadors of change', that Bharat is about to see over the next few decades.

Earlier in the day, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday addressed the Viksit Bharat Ambassador Campus Dialogue at Gitam University and listed the Modi government's achievements in the last 10 years and also elaborated on how the country missed out on key opportunities during the UPA era.

Amrita, an MBBS student who attended the Viksit Bharat event, told IANS that it is a great initiative and it will put the country on a sturdy growth path.

"I feel proud as an Indian that my country has become the fifth largest economy and is slated for more in years to come," she said.

She said India's digital footprints were growing at exponential pace and the world is also recognising it.

"Digitisation of records and UPI payments are some of biggest changes that we see," she added.

Another student pursuing an MBBS course said that Viksit Bharat mission seeks to develop a world-class infrastructure, evolve a sustainable model of growth and also improve living standards in the country across all spheres.

"Viksit Bharat will ensure that every individual benefits from economic progress," she said.

Upadhayay Sharma, a resident of Visakhapatnam and retired chief manager in public relations said that Viksit Bharat is a wonderful initiative by the Modi government and it will yield big returns for the country, in years to come.

"Today, GDP is on an upswing, students and professionals are turning entrepreneurs. India is becoming the new hub of digital growth and UPI payments have given the country a new identity," he said.

He further said that the Viksit Bharat Ambassador initiative under the visionary leadership of PM Modi will set the stage for the country's bigger positioning on the world stage and India will soon become the world's third-largest economy.

Sahib Verma, who works for a foreign exchange company, said that the financial sector is also upbeat about the goals and prospects of Viksit Bharat.

He said that today the country is witnessing far-reaching changes as small retailers including street vendors are also using digital technology for payments.

"Farmers are also benefiting greatly, they are not only using smartphones but also using 5G technology, they are learning farming via digital channels," he added.
Cairo, April 29 : A Hamas delegation has arrived in Cairo amid renewed negotiations for a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal with Israel, airport sources told DPA.

The three-member Hamas delegation flew in from Doha to discuss the latest proposal for a ceasefire and an exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, the sources said.

Israeli news website ynet reported on Monday that the proposal envisages the release of 33 hostages in return for several hundred Palestinian prisoners. These are to include women, including female soldiers, elderly people, the injured and the "mentally impaired."

Citing a senior Israeli government representative, ynet reported that the duration of the ceasefire would depend on the number of hostages released. Hamas is demanding the release of 50 prisoners for every soldier and 30 prisoners for every civilian, according to the news outlet.

Under the proposal, Israel would also withdraw from a central road that divides the Gaza Strip into two parts - north and south. Residents of the northern section would be allowed to return to their homes.

A large majority of the approximately 2.2 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip have fled to the south during the war.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have to choose between a hostage deal and the continued existence of his government.

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, threatened on Sunday to end the government if the current hostage deal is implemented and a military operation in Rafah is stopped.

Netanyahu's political survival depends on his far-right coalition partners.

--IANS/DPA

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New Delhi, April 29 : The Supreme Court on Monday raised eyebrows on the filing of the plea by the West Bengal government against the court-monitored CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe into land grabbing and extortion cases in Sandeshkhali.

"Why should the state government come as the petitioner for protecting the interests of some private individuals?," asked a bench presided over by Justice BR Gavai.

The Bench, also comprising Justice Sandeep Mehta, questioned the filing of the special leave petition (SLP) by the state government saying that the Calcutta High Court only ordered an investigation into the land grabbing and other allegations.

Explaining the stance of the state government, senior advocate Jaideep Gupta said that the plea is filed against certain findings and "unfair comments" contained in the impugned order of the high court.

At this, Justice Mehta said, "You can go to the high court and ask for expunging of the remarks if you are aggrieved."

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, also appearing for the state government, sought an adjournment for filing of additional information.

"Can your lordships consider it (listing) after two or three weeks because this information will be relevant," submitted Singhvi.

On similar lines, Gupta said, "We are only asking for one week. Kindly fix it next Monday. We want to put some material on record."

At this, Justice Mehta asked, "What prevented you from doing it with the SLP?"

Adjourning the matter post-summer vacation in July, the Supreme Court clarified that the pendency of the petition before the apex court will not be used for "any purposes", including prolonging of proceedings pending before the Calcutta High Court.

In an order passed on April 10, the Calcutta High Court directed the CBI to commence its probe into the matter after creating a special investigation team (SIT) for that purpose.

A division bench of Chief Justice T. S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya had asked the investigative agency to submit a detailed report to the high court following which the latter will decide on the next course of action.

Several public interest litigations (PILs) were filed before the Calcutta High Court in connection with illegal land grabbing and extortion at Sandeshkhali, where the main accused was a section of the local Trinamool Congress leaders led by the now-suspended ruling party leader Sheikh Shahjahan.

Earlier in March, the Supreme Court had dismissed the plea filed by the state government challenging the CBI probe into the attack on ED and CAPF teams at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas District on January 5.

However, it had ordered to expunge the adverse observations made against the West Bengal Police and the state government in the impugned judgment of the Calcutta High Court.
Bagalkot, : April 29 (IANS) In the run up to the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday continued his scathing attack on the Congress party.

Addressing a massive gathering at the 'Vijay Sankalp Rally' in Bagalkot on the second day of his tour of Karnataka, the PM cautioned the people against voting for the grand old party by asking, "Can you hand over the responsibility of a vast country like India to the Congress?"

"The history of the Congress is all about looting this country," PM Modi stressed and added that the plight the party was in today was because of the sins committed for years.

"That is why the whole country is saying that the Modi government will come to power once again," he stated.

"Modi is not a person who carries out strikes on the sly. After carrying out the Balakot strikes inside Pakistan, though the Press was waiting, I contacted my Pakistani counterpart to inform them of the attack. They did not come on the line and later the contact was made. Modi always strikes from the front.

"He will never allow innocents to be killed in India. This is the New India. I will go into their house and strike.

"Give a befitting answer to appeasement politics on June 7," he stressed.

He added that this General Election would determine the future of the nation and was about making India a developed country.

"This election is about building Bharat and it is our conviction to take it to the position of top three economies. Your one vote will do that job. Your vote gives strength to Modi and in turn he will make Bharat the top third economy of the world," the PM stated.

"We want to make Bharat a manufacturing hub and skill centre. Those who go for holidays and enjoyment won't understand this concept. To understand this they should have a vision. One's life needs to be dedicated and after working day and night one will get that conviction and goal," he said.

He added that the pain and woes of the people did not matter to the Congress.

"Before the Modi government took over, electric poles did not reach 18,000 villages of the country. This was happening in the 21st century. Crores lived in darkness and at night they faced challenges from wild animals.

"For generations their children did not get to read at night. After coming to power, Modi made it a mission and today there is no village without electricity connection in the country," he stated.

"You (people) decide whom the country should be handed over to," PM Modi appealed.

PM Modi said, "Can we entrust the country to the Congress, whose only agenda is to plunder the nation when in power? In its 60 years of rule, the Congress has forged its own identity.

"The Congress has turned Karnataka into an ATM for its corruption. In such a short time, they have emptied the state treasury. MLAs are unable to access funds for development on time.

"Every public interest scheme has fallen victim to the Congress' corruption. That's why I say - Where Congress goes, destruction follows."

He added that the Congress did not care to develop villages on the borders and during the tenure of the BJP government, first priority was given to them in terms of development.

"Most beneficiaries of the PM Awas Yojana and others hail from the SC and ST communities.

"Due to the Congress' vote bank politics, the rights of SC/ST communities are no longer secure in the country.

"On one hand, the BJP government in Karnataka granted Scheduled Tribe status to the Talavara community. More than 3 lakh families in Karnataka have been issued Hukku Patra. However, in Karnataka, the Congress has initiated a campaign to amend the Constitution and strip away the rights of SC/ST/OBC communities.

"The Karnataka government has allocated a portion of OBC reservation to Muslims. They had previously mentioned in their manifesto about making laws to provide reservation based on religion," PM Modi said.
Kolkata, April 29 : Enforcement Directorate, on Monday, informed a special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata that a share of the profit generated from the illegal land-grabbing deals of Sheikh Shahjahan in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali has gone to some influential members of the state cabinet.

The ED counsel also informed the court that a part of the money earned from the deals was also invested in purchasing sophisticated arms.

The agency's claim comes amidst the recovery of sophisticated firearms, ammunition, explosives and bombs following a joint search operation by CBI and NSG at the residence of a close aide of Shahjahan in Sandeshkhali last week.

On Monday, the ED counsel also informed the court that Shahjahan also used influence in manipulating different tenders floated by the state government for various government projects. There were manipulations in the tendering process to ensure that only close aides of Shahjahan were awarded the contracts, the ED counsel informed the special court.

While being produced in the special court, Shahjahan was questioned by the waiting media persons about the recent recovery of arms, ammunition and explosives from Sandeshkhali. However, he refused to give any answer on this issue.
New Delhi, April 29 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday met a fruit seller Mohini Gowda in Karnataka's Sirsi region and showered praise on her for the good work that she was doing towards Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan.

On his arrival at the helipad in Sirsi of Uttara Kannada district early in the day, PM Modi met the woman who sells fruits at a local bus stand. The photos and videos of the moment have gone viral after landing on social media and are also eliciting many reactions from netizens.

Mohini Gowda, a fruit seller at Ankola bus stand has made a distinct identity for herself because of her unique trait. She sells fruits wrapped in leaves. If someone throws the leaves after eating fruits, she picks them up and disposes of them in the dustbin.

PM Modi, currently on a campaign trail to Karnataka, took time out to appreciate and admire the contributions of Mohini Gowda in the Clean India Mission.

"Such examples of people contributing towards PM Modi's vision of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan will act as a motivating force for others," wrote one user on X.

Early in the day, PM Modi addressed a poll rally in Bagalkote and lashed out at the ruling Congress government while making a series of stinging jibes at it.

He said that Congress dispensation turned the state, a globally reputed tech hub into a 'tanker hub' and said that it was running an 'extortion gang' rather than a government.
Visakhapatnam, April 29 : : Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, addressing the Viksit Bharat Ambassador event in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam on Monday, sought to break down the purpose and rationale behind Modi government's ambitious Viksit Bharat 2047 mission and also why there was a need for the 'ambassadors of change'.

The Finance Ministers exhorted the participants, including students, professionals, and retired officials, to become 'Ambassadors' of the Viksit Bharat pledge and help contribute to achieving the objective by 2047 and also admitted that if the country was to achieve such heights, greater participation of the citizens remains a pre-requisite.

She also urged the Viksit Bharat ambassadors to speak good stories about India.

"Speak of the good achievements of people of India for the sake of people of India," she said.

Shedding further light on their role, she said that Viksit Bharat Ambassadors will boldly put forth the statistics and data to counter the doubters and naysayers.

"We need Viksit Bharat ambassadors to counter naysayers. There is a need for constant fight against forces which are undermining us," she said.

She cited the example of India adapting digital technology for payments. "There were 131 billion UPI transactions from India in 2023-24 alone," she said.

The Finance Minister pointed out that from vegetable and fruit sellers to toddy sellers and even alm seekers during Sankranti, everyone is using QR code.

The Union Minister also said that while 1991 marked a milestone in India's economic history with the economy being opened up, this did not help the country till 2014.

She claimed that before 2014, the decade was completely lost because of bad policies and massive corruption.

She claimed that due to the initiatives taken by the Modi government during the last 10 years, the country has improved its ranking to the fifth largest economy from 10th place in 2014.

"India is poised to become the third largest economy in two years," she said.

The Union Minister, further interacting with the Viksit Bharat participants, spoke about several initiatives and reforms that put the nation on a strong growth trajectory.

She pointed out that last year the highest number of patents were granted.

Over 1 lakh patents were granted in 2023-24. There were record-breaking copyright registrations at 36,378 and there was a three-fold increase in GI registration. There were also highest-ever design registrations of 27,819. She attributed this to the emphasis the government is giving to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

The exports from the services sector soared to the highest-ever mark of $340 billion in 2023-24.

Replying to a query, she said the government identified 13 sunrise sectors in which India is already showing leadership potential. These include renewable energy, advanced chemistry, green hydrogen, and Artificial Intelligence.

She spoke about some of the recent initiatives to harness the skills of youth. In the interim Budget for 2024-25, the government created Anusandhan corpus for Rs.1 lakh crore to support and create new avenues for India's tech-savvy youth and make India a global hub for innovation. It will provide long-term financing and support for research and innovation in sunrise domains.

"Since the announcement of Atmanirbhar Bharat in 2020, India's defence exports have grown rapidly. Till recently we were importing the majority of defence equipment. Now our defence exports are Rs. 22,000 crore by March 2024."

Sitharaman said that the government is also setting up India's Artificial Intelligence Mission with a budget outlay of Rs 10,300 crore. This will be used for improving computer infrastructure and for developing indigenous AI capabilities attracting AI talent and financing AI startups.

She said India's semiconductor mission will make the country a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.

The Finance Minister also said the roll-out of India's 5G network was the fastest in the world.
New Delhi, April 29 : External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, on Monday, asserted that foreign policy "matters to everyone in a globalised world" as he spotlighted India's enhanced ties with Bangladesh and its growing outreach towards southeast Asia.

Addressing a session on the integration of India's northeast with southeast Asia and Japan at Delhi's Kirori Mal College, Jaishankar detailed how the efforts made by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi have benefitted India's northeast massively over the last decade - especially through improvement of ties with neighbouring Bangladesh and the 'Act East' policy that focuses on forging new partnerships with the 10-nation ASEAN and beyond.

"If you look at the last decade, northeast India has actually been a big beneficiary of this dramatic improvement in India-Bangladesh ties. When we did the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) in 2015 and things settled down, there was a new level of trust and confidence between both countries. You saw a lot of other problems being resolved, including dealing with terrorism and instability," said Jaishankar.

The EAM asserted that the Modi government has, through increased connectivity projects, been successful to a great extent in restoring the situation that existed before the India-Pakistan war of 1965.

"What we have actually seen since 2015 has been initially a rebuilding of what you can say was the pre-1965 (situation). In the 1965 war, East Pakistan cut off all the connections which were then with the rest of India, including all the rail and road links. So, the initial challenge was to get that back. We have now seen the road links and train connectivity restored and trains and buses moving from this side to that side today," stated Jaishankar.

Getting access to ports in Bangladesh, such as Chittagong and Mongla, has also given a massive boost to trade in the region, especially to India's northeast.

"Ports like Mongla or Chittagong would have been the natural ports for the northeast if you look geographically. But, those ports, for political reasons, could not be accessed by us. Today, when we look at the possibilities that have opened up with the Northeast, the enormous improvement in India-Bangladesh relations has actually opened up many more opportunities there," said the EAM.

Another significant infrastructure project that the Modi government has invested heavily in is the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway that would eventually connect the country's northeast with Vietnam.

Jaishankar admitted that the "game-changer" project may have hit a roadblock due to the current political situation in Myanmar, but listed the enormous significance of the connectivity corridor that could shape the future of the region.

"Parts of it have been built. When the trilateral highway is complete, there is the possibility for the first time of smooth logistics movement all the way from India to Vietnam. If we can somehow get through the Myanmar challenge, the possibility of having a corridor that runs down the lateral of southeast Asia coming down all the way to India will happen," he mentioned.

The "great challenge" that Myanmar has turned out to be, stated the Minister, is not just limited to infrastructure projects.

"Until there was restoration of democracy, we had one set of problems. And then, in the last few years after the military takeover, there has been a new government in many ways in most areas. In fact, today we are also mitigating its consequences on our own border, there are larger stakes that we have about the connectivity to Myanmar."

"If all of this works, think about it. Once the northeast gets connectivity eastwards through Myanmar, southwards into Bangladesh, the entire eastern India, including the eastern seaboard of India, is developed more intensively, which is definitely the objective of the Modi government. On the horizon there is a completely new promise of a much brighter economic future for northeast India," he said.

Earlier this month, Jaishankar had mentioned how India's "growing interest" in foreign policy reflects both "democratisation and globalisation", saying that Modi 3.0 will only make it stronger.
New Delhi, April 29 : Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has been summoned to appear before Delhi Police IFSO's Cyber Crime Unit on May 1 in connection with a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, where his statement indicating a commitment to abolishing reservation quotas for Muslims in the state, was changed to make it seem that he was advocating scrapping of all reservations, sources said on Monday.

Sources told IANS that Reddy has been asked to appear with his mobile phone allegedly used for posting the fake video on X.

A Delhi Police team will also be reaching Telangana to serve the notice to individuals who tweeted this fake video.

Since the Congress' Telangana unit posted it on X, notice will be served to them also, a source said.

Earlier, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya had said that the Telangana Congress was circulating a doctored video of Amit Shah, alleging it to be entirely fabricated and capable of inciting widespread violence.

"The matter is under investigation. We are trying to trace the origin of the video and people who posted it will be questioned and notice will be served to them to participate in the probe," a source said.

The development comes after Delhi Police on Sunday registered an FIR after two complaints were received by it, one from the BJP and another from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The case has been registered under Sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, and 171G of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 66C of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is in possession of IANS, the MHA, in its complaint, stated that it has been found that "some doctored videos are being circulated by users of Facebook and Twitter".

"The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities which is likely to affect public tranquillity and public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law," the ministry said, as per the FIR.

It stated that a report was attached with the complaint containing details of links and handles from which the doctored videos of the Home Minister are being shared.

The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on social media purportedly showing the Home Minister suggesting the BJP's intention to annul reservation provisions for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Mumbai, April 29 : Actor Deepak Tijori, who is making his directorial debut with the upcoming film 'Tipppsy', has shared insights on casting Danish Bhat for the movie.

Danish, who is known for his roles in 'Heroine', 'Tiger Zinda Hai', 'Baaghi 3', 'Samrat Prithviraj', and 'Tiger 3', plays a pivotal character named Kabir. He embodies the essence of a hippie biker persona with a penchant for extensive travelling.

The debutant director expressed full conviction in casting Danish for the role.

Discussing Danish's role, Deepak told IANS: "When I signed him, I was absolutely convinced he was my 'Kabir' for aTipppsya. I believe casting the right character is half the job done. He builds up the mystery in the film; hence, it's a very significant character, and he did justice to it. It was amazing working with him, and I hope the audience loves the film as much as we did while making it."

Danish revealed that he actually signed on for this film five years ago.

He described Deepak not only as an amazing director but also as a great human being.

Danish told IANS: "With his clarity of vision, he knows exactly how to bring out the performances he is looking for, while also allowing actors to bring a certain level of their perspective to the screen. I feel grateful that he believed in me for this role, and at the same time, I am really excited about this film."

Discussing his role, Danish said: "The appearance draws inspiration from Charlie Hunnam's portrayal in 'Sons of Anarchy'. In this new role, I embody a distinct character, exuding style with a leather jacket, long hair, and a plethora of tattoos. These elements reflect the confidence and attitude of the character I portray in the film, a departure from my previous roles."

The film is set to arrive in theaters on May 10.

Meanwhile, Danish also has the Telugu film aHari Hara Veera Mallua in the pipeline, in which he will be seen sharing the screen with Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan and Bobby Deol.
Guwahati, April 29 : Assam Police have arrested one person in connection with a doctored video involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.

The arrested person has been identified as Reetom Singh.

"Assam Police have arrested an individual named Reetom Singh in connection with the fake video involving Honourable Home Minister Sri Amit Shah," the Assam CM tweeted.

A senior police officer confirmed that the arrest was made on Monday.

Singh was picked up from Guwahati after the registration of a case at the Panbazar police station in connection with the doctored video, he said.

On Sunday, the Delhi Police registered an FIR following a complaint regarding a doctored video of Amit Shah after the BJP said that the clipping showing the Home Minister commenting on reservation was fake.
Bagalkot : , April 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday that the rights of SC-ST communities are no longer secure in the country due to the Congress' vote bank politics.

"Our Constitution does not allow reservation on the basis of religion. The manifesto of the Congress party states about giving reservation on the basis of religion," PM Modi said while addressing a mega public rally in Bagalkot city of Karnataka.

He stated that the BJP government had in Karnataka granted Scheduled Tribe status to the Talavara community with more than three lakh families in the state having been issued Hukku Patra.

"However, Congress has initiated a campaign to amend the constitution and strip away the rights of SC/ST/OBC communities. The Karnataka government has allocated a portion of OBC reservation to Muslims. They had previously mentioned in their manifesto about making laws to provide reservation based on religion," said PM Modi.

In his speech, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the sad state of affairs in Karnataka, accusing the Congress party of emptying the government treasury in a short span of time.

"In Karnataka, the Congress party isn't running the government, it's operating an extortion racket. The entire administration is preoccupied with recovering money, funnelling it into the treasury, only to siphon it off for their own gain. Our once renowned Tech Hub, Karnataka, and Bengaluru, have been reduced to Tanker Hub by the Congress government. The tanker mafia is extorting money from people for water, with a share of the commission finding its way into the pockets of Congress members," he said.

Asserting that extremist forces have become rampant in Karnataka, PM Modi pointed out the incident where a shopkeeper was attacked for listening to Hanuman Chalisa within his shop. He also mentioned the Bengaluru cafe blast, saying that the Congress made attempts to downplay it to solely gain votes.

Attacking the Congress government once again over the Hubballi murder incident, the Prime Minister said that the whole nation is worried about the law and order situation in Karnataka.

"The Congress government is busy destroying Karnataka. Instead of controlling crime, Congress is promoting an anti-social and anti-national mindset," he said.

He also expressed his concern about the misuse of technology.

"This is the age of social media and technology. Those who are defeated in polls are using the technology to create fake videos. By making use of AI, my voice is faked and videos are circulated. If you come across any such videos, inform the party or the police".

Prime Minister Modi also paid respects to the prominent Dalit leader V. Srinivas Prasad who passed away in the wee hours of Monday. "Srinivas Prasad was a true mass leader. In his public life, Srinivas Prasad dedicated every moment to the welfare of the poor, exploited. His contributions will be remembered always," he underlined.
Mumbai, April 29 : Actress Sreeleela, who predominantly works in Telugu and Kannada movies, has declined to work in a dance number opposite Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay in the upcoming Tamil film 'GOAT'.

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Actress Sreeleela, who predominantly works in Telugu and Kannada movies, has declined to work in a dance number opposite Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay in the upcoming Tamil film aGOATa.

The film would have marked Sreeleelaas foray into Tamil cinema and her pairing opposite Vijay, who's known for his dancing skills, would have been a treat for the fans. But, as per a media report, the actress didnat want to debut in Tamil cinema with a dance number. Hence, she politely turned down the offer for the song.

Sreeleela has emerged as a dancing sensation, and her latest song aKurichi Madathapettia from the Telugu film aGuntur Karama with Mahesh Babu has been trending on the Internet.

The actress has different plans for Tamil cinema and is waiting for the right opportunity with a substantial role.

The US-born actress, who has been feted thrice with SIIMA honours from 2021 to 2023, will be next seen in the Telugu film aUstaad Bhagat Singha, which also stars Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan.
Kolkata, April 29 : The Calcutta High Court on Monday refused to interfere with a previous order by its single-judge bench putting an interim stay on any investigation by Kolkata Police against BJP legislators accused by ruling Trinamool Congress of insulting the National Anthem within the state Assembly premises.

The order for a stay on the police investigation in the matter was given by the bench of Justice Jay Sengupta in December last year.

However, the West Bengal government moved the division bench of Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya, which heard the matter on Monday, but declined to interfere and referred the matter back to the same single-judge bench.

The incident occurred on November 29 when Trinamool legislators, sporting black shirts and led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, were protesting near the statue of BR Ambedkar within the Assembly premises against the non-release of central funds to the state government under various centrally-sponsored projects.

Towards the end of the protest, a group of BJP MLAs, led by the Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari arrived at the Assembly premises and shouted "thieves" while pointing at the protesting demonstrations.

The Chief Minister complained to the Speaker that the BJP legislators were raising derogatory slogans while the ruling party MLAs were singing the National Anthem. Later three Trinamool legislators filed a complaint in the matter following which the cops of Hare Street police station in central Kolkata registered an FIR and started an investigation.
Chennai, April 29 : A 45-year-old man died while climbing Velliangiri hills in Coimbatore to offer prayers at the Lord Shiva temple located atop the hill, Coimbatore Forest Department said in a statement on Monday.

Chennai, April 29 (IANS) A 45-year-old man died while climbing Velliangiri hills in Coimbatore to offer prayers at the Lord Shiva temple located atop the hill, Coimbatore Forest Department said in a statement on Monday.

The tragic incident had occurred on Sunday, according to the statement. The deceased, identified as Punniyakodi, was a resident of Ponneri Taluk in Tirvallur district.

According to the officials, he was climbing the hill along with a group of devotees and suddenly, he felt uneasy and nauseous.

The police said that Punniyakodi was brought down to the Boulavampatti Primary Health Centre, however, before being administered first aid, he died.

This is the ninth reported death of this season during the trek on the Velliangiri hills.

Earlier, responding to the situation, Coimbatore Forest officials advised people with medical conditions like heart ailments, diabetes, breathlessness, and obesity, as well as aged people, to not climb Velliangiri hills.

In addition to this, the devotees are also advised to have a complete medical check-up and fitness test before undertaking the Velliangiri temple trek.

The trek commences in February and continues till late May. It is believed that the idol of Lord Shiva at the top of the hill was aSwayambhua or appeared on its own.
Thiruvananthapuram, April 29 : The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority on Monday directed the Palakkad District Collector to order the closure of all educational institutions in the district till May 2 in the wake of a heat wave alert.

The temperature in Palakkad, which borders Tamil Nadu's Kovai, has been high for a while and on Saturday, the IMD issued an alert that the mercury will rise to 41 degrees.

Consequent to the directive, all educational institutions have been asked to stay closed till May 2. Apart from this, all residents have been asked to stop all outdoor activities from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while counters will be opened to provide drinking water.
Hyderabad, April 29 : Delhi Police on Monday summoned Telangana Congress social media in-charge, state coordinator and spokesperson in connection with a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over reservation.

A team of Delhi Police reached Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) headquarters Gandhi Bhavan, and served notice on party's social media in-charge Manne Satish, state coordinator Naveen Pettem and spokesperson Asma Tasleem. The notice has been reportedly served under section 91/160 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Earlier, sources said that Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has also been summoned to appear before Delhi Police IFSO's Cyber Crime Unit on May 1 in connection with the doctored video of HM Shah, where his statement indicating a commitment to abolishing reservation quotas for Muslims in the state, was changed to make it seem that he was advocating scrapping of all reservations.

Sources told IANS that CM Reddy has been asked to appear with his mobile phone allegedly used for posting the fake video on X.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police has asked Satish to appear before the department's Special Cell on May 1 for investigation into a case registered on April 28.

The Congress leaders have been asked to provide information about the video tweeted/re-tweeted by them on their X handle.

They have also been told to bring mobile phone/ laptop/ tablet or any other electronic device used to create/upload/tweet the video.

They have also been directed to also bring electronic devices used to record the video before uploading and tweeting the same.

Delhi Police registered a case under IPC sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, 171G read with 66-C IT Act.

The video of a speech delivered by Home Minister Amit Shah at Siddipet in Telangana's Medak district at a BJP election rally on April 25 was allegedly doctored and circulated on social media.
New Delhi: A view of the Supreme Court in New Delhi on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023. (Photo: Wasim Sarvar/IANS). Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, April 29 : The Supreme Court on Monday refused to pass any interim direction staying the Calcutta High Court's order cancelling 25,753 appointments in teaching and non-teaching posts made by the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) in 2016.

However, a bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, said that no precipitative action will be taken by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the state government officials who were involved in approving the creation of super-numeric posts till the next date of listing.

The Bench, also comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said that it will take up the matter for further hearing next Monday.

It also asked the petitioner side to demonstrate if there was any secondary material available to segregate valid appointments of all the 25,753 persons empanelled in 2016 for various categories of jobs at secondary and higher secondary schools in the state.

In an order passed last week, the Calcutta High Court nullified the appointment of the candidates selected from the expired panels and asked them to return the entire salary drawn, along with an annualised interest of 12 per cent, within the next four weeks.

Besides directing the West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) to start the recruitment process afresh, a division bench of Justices Debangsu Basak and Shabbar Rashidi also directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry on with its investigation into the matter.

Taking cognisance of the state cabinetas decision for the creation of super-numeric posts, the Calcutta High Court said that the CBI, if necessary, can question the masterminds behind the creation of the seats in excess of the vacant posts.

These super-numeric posts, which have remained under the cloud since the beginning, are perceived to provide room for ineligible candidates recruited illegally.

In July last year, the apex court had set aside the interim direction passed by the Calcutta High Court terminating services of 32,000 primary teachers and asking the West Bengal authorities to complete the recruitment process for the newly created vacancies within three months.

Asking the high court to decide the appeal pertaining to the school-jobs-for-cash scam at the earliest, the Supreme Court had stressed that the opportunity for a hearing has to be given to all concerned.
New Delhi, April 29 : Following a sharp rebuke to incarcerated Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his government, along with the AAP-led MCD last week, the Delhi High Court on Monday said that Delhi Government has come to a standstill after the AAP supremo's arrest.

The remark came as Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj submitted that any increase in the financial power of the MCD Commissioner shall require approval of CM Kejriwal.

The court further said that a CM's post in a buzzing capital like Delhi is not ceremonial and it is a post where the office holder has to be available 24X7.

The observation is being viewed as another major setback for the AAP which has said that CM Kejriwal would maintain his role in government affairs while incarcerated.

"National interest and public interest demands that no person who holds this post is incommunicado or absent for a long stretch of time or for an uncertain period of time," the Bench said.

The court was hearing a PIL alleging a dire state of education in MCD-run schools. The court earlier said that nearly two lakh students lacked basic amenities due to administrative hurdles.

On Monday, the Bench ordered the MCD Commissioner to incur the expense of providing textbooks and other material to students without being constrained by the 5 crore expenditure limit.

It said, "Consequently, this court is of the view that non-availability of the Chief Minister or non-formation of a Standing Committee or disputes pertaining to appointment of an aldermen by the Hon'ble LG or non-delivery of judgment by a competent court or non-compliance of certain provisions of Delhi Municipal Corporation Act cannot come in the way of the school-going children receiving their free textbooks, writing material and uniform forthwith."

During the proceedings, the court said that CM Kejriwal's decision to continue as CM despite his arrest is his personal decision but that does not mean that because the CM is not available, "fundamental rights of young children will be trampled upon and they will go through the first term of school without textbooks, writing material and uniforms."

The court said that receipt of free textbooks, writing material and uniforms by schoolchildren is not only a legal right under the Right to Education Act and its rules, but is a part of the Fundamental Rights under Article 21A of the Constitution.

It noted that the real issue in the matter is of "power", "control", "turf dominance" and "who takes the credit".

Last time, the court had pointed out CM Kejriwal's failure to resign despite facing arrest on alleged money laundering charges, accusing him of placing personal interests above national interests.

The court had last week also criticised the AAP government's failure to provide textbooks to over 2 lakh students studying in the MCD schools in the national Capital.

A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora criticised the Delhi Government for prioritising "power over public welfare."

Later, even the office of the Lieutenant Governor had accused the Delhi Government and Minister Bharadwaj of delaying the approval of a proposal to temporarily enhance the financial powers of the MCD Commissioner from Rs 5 crore to Rs 50 crore.

CM Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam. He is currently in judicial custody.

The Bench had said that children are not commodities for trading as it criticised the government's admission of failure in multiple aspects under the MCD's jurisdiction.
Moscow, April 29 : An attack on a police checkpoint in Russia's North Caucasus has left two officers and five gunmen dead, authorities said on Monday.

The militants approached the post in the Karachay-Cherkessia region on Sunday night, leading to the deadly shoot-out, the region's Interior Ministry said.

In addition, two police officers were killed, and four other officers were injured.

The multi-ethnic region in the North Caucasus sees frequent bloody clashes between criminal gangs or militant Islamists and the security forces.

The authorities said that the same attackers who struck on Sunday were responsible for an attack on a police checkpoint that killed two officers on April 22.

In the latest incident, they were also said to have had explosive devices on them.

--IANS/DPA

sd/kvd
Jaipur, April 29 : The Jaipur International Airport on Monday received a threat on its official email ID, warning that bombs will be planted at the airport as well as on three airlines.

The mail was sent by "Terrorizers-111 Group" and said: "Do not take this warning lightly".

In the wake of the threat, airport security personnel, police, bomb disposal and dog squads conducted a search operation but found nothing suspicious.

Jaipur Airport police station's Inspector Motilal Sharma told IANS, "We have conducted the exercise after a bomb threat mail was received at the official email of Jaipur International Airport at around 9.45 a.m. Security agencies were alerted."

"The police, along with airport security personnel, launched a search operation. The entire airport complex and its surroundings were searched by the bomb disposal squad and dog squad. However, no suspicious thing has been found in the airport premises during the search operation. Further investigations are under progress," he said.

A similar threat was received by the Dabolim airport in Goa on Monday morning but also proved to be a hoax.

Along with Jaipur International Airport, many airports, including Varanasi, Chandigarh, and Srinagar have been sent bomb threats.

However, this is the fourth time in around four months that Jaipur Airport has received a bomb threat.

Earlier, threats were made to blow up the airport on April 26 and February 16 this year, and December 27, 2023. The April 26 threat was also on email but turned out to be a hoax.

Sharma told IANS that the prime suspect had been detained in this case but declined to share any further information.
Guwahati, April 29 : A vehicle in the convoy of Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary met with an accident on Monday, leaving a policeman injured, officials said.

According to officials, the accident occurred when Daimary was en route to the Salbari area in the Baksa district from Kokrajhar.

A vehicle of the convoy collided with a truck that was coming from the opposite side, leaving one security personnel injured.

The injured person was identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Hemant Goswami, who sustained head injuries and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he received treatment.

Police have launched a probe into the incident.
Vijayan wants LDF Convenor E.P. Jayarajan to be more active in politics. Image Source: IANS News

Thiruvananthapuram, April 29 : Kerala CPI(M) Secretary, MV Govindan, on Monday gave a clean chit to his senior party colleague and Left Convenor, EP Jayarajan, saying there was nothing wrong in hosting BJP leader Prakash Javadekar for tea.

MV Govindan pointed out that what EP Jayarajan did was very different from what Revolutionary Socialist Party Lok Sabha MP, NK Premachandran did when he had lunch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Yes, what Premachandran did was wrong and it has to be seen differently from Jayarajan serving tea to Javadekar. Both are different and what Premachandran did was totally wrong," said Govindan.

Incidentally, the Kerala unit of the CPI(M) had raised a hue and cry when PM Modi invited a handful of MPs, including Premachandran, for lunch in the final session of Parliament.

After this and during Lok Sabha election campaigns, the Left had time and again alleged that Premachandran would soon join the BJP.

Govindan was speaking to the media soon after the CPI(M) brass met to discuss the Jayarajan-Javadekar tea rendezvous at the former's son's residence last year.

The issue had taken the state by storm as Jayarajan disclosed it when the state went to the polls on April 26.

"Jayarajan explained in the meeting what happened between him and Javadekar and we were convinced. We told him that he should be careful when selecting 'friends' and asked him to proceed with legal action against those who spoke against him," said Govindan.

Things went haywire last week, when a known power broker and middleman TG Nandakumar said that there was a meeting between a very tall leader of the CPI(M) and Javadekar after the former expressed his desire to join the BJP.

A day later Kerala BJP Vice President Shoba Surendran named Jayarajan and claimed that she met him three times to discuss his entry into the BJP.

Meanwhile, after the party meeting on Monday, Jayarajan told the media that all the rumours of him joining the BJP were baseless and the news of his meeting with Javadekar was part of a conspiracy.

"The media should be careful and not give space to people who say baseless things. This was a conspiracy and a fraud perpetrated by some and the media fell for it. People have now come to know everything," said Jayarajan.

Now with Govindan giving a clean chit to Jayarajan, the speculation over the veteran leader being removed from the Convenor's post has been set to rest.

However, according to critic Joseph C Mathew, "I don't think this matter will rest here, as the national leadership of the party will be looking into it."
Brazil-based world's leading pulp producer Suzano is confident about the growth prospects of the Chinese market and has introduced a trial trade of its products in renminbi in order to strike deep roots in the country, the company's global CEO told China Daily. "Our confidence is that China is preparing even more for the future," said Walter Schalka, CEO of Suzano. "We already made a trial to trade our product in renminbi, as we strive to be more localized to serve our customers here." Schalka said he sees a good correlation between the company's business and China's GDP growth. The Chinese economy grew 5.2 percent year-on-year last year and has set a target to grow 5 percent this year. "Together with the steady economic growth, the company's pulp business grew 6.6 percent last year in the Chinese market," he said. "China now represents roughly 40 percent of our total exports. Suzano is exporting to over 100 different countries around the globe, but China is by far the most relevant market for us," Schalka said, adding that this percentage is "steadily growing "every year. Schalka disclosed that the company had already gained some orders at the beginning of this year and is confident that the order book will keep growing. He made the remarks as the Brazilian company celebrated its 100th anniversary with Chinese stakeholders in Shanghai late last month. During the celebration, the company reinforced its commitment to further expanding in the Chinese market, and called on its local stakeholders to work together to shape the future. Schalka said: "The Chinese market is very dynamic and has been growing, but we see even more potential for growth for the coming years." "The per capita consumption in the tissue business in China has been growing steadily. It's still below certain Western regions such as Europe and the United States. There is an opportunity for us, as we are seeing higher GDP growth opportunity to keep enhancing and increasing per capita consumption," he said. In March, Suzano signed two strategic partnership frameworks, one with the China-UK Low Carbon College of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and the other with its business partners. This constitutes an important part of Suzano's new global initiative of investing $100 million in the coming years to strengthen innovation and sustainability practices across all regions. "Innovation is part of our DNA," Schalka said. "We set our innovation hub in Shanghai last year and the idea is to work not only with our customers to enhance their competitiveness, but to look for alternatives to use biomaterials for the future as well." Schalka believes such innovative efforts are in line with the country's focus on developing new quality productive forces. "It appears to me as a shift toward innovation-driven growth, with a focus on advanced productivity that moves away from traditional economic models. Strategic emerging industries and industries of the future are seen as key drivers of the new quality productive forces," he said. "These industries include biotechnology, new energies, new materials and environmental protection, all industries that will contribute not only to growth, but to ensure high-quality growth and healthy development of society in harmony with nature," he added. In the long run, China's ongoing new round of technology revolution and industrial transformation, in response to its transition from high-speed to high-quality growth, is expected to unleash its inherent growth potential and inject new impetus into the high-quality development of the Chinese economy, he said. "Companies aligned with the new quality productive forces and promoting high-quality development, such as Suzano, will continue to thrive in China," he added.
Kolkata, April 29 : Considered a Trinamool Congress stronghold, the ruling party of West Bengal is facing multiple challenges in the Mathurapur Lok Sabha constituency in North 24 Parganas district this time.

The first factor is the poor condition of the dams scattered over Mathurapur, resulting in flooding in different parts of this constituency.

The grievance of the common people in Mathurapur is that despite being elected thrice from this constituency since 2009, outgoing Trinamool MP Choudhury Mohan Jatua was hardly seen there in the past 15 years.

Jatua, a former IPS officer, is not contesting this time as the Trinamool has replaced him with Bappi Halder. However, the fresh nomination has also sparked controversies because of his name getting involved with corruption.

Earlier this month, the Calcutta High Court issued a show-cause notice to the officer-in-charge of Mathurapur police station for not registering an FIR against Halder over allegations of panchayat fund defalcations by the latter.

Halder also has attempted to justify Jatua's prolonged absence in the constituency. According to him, the absence was prompted by Jatua's age-related ailments. However, Halder added that Jatua's commitment towards his constituency has been proven by the spending of his funds allotted under MPLAD.

The BJP candidate from Mathurapur, Ashok Purkit, has vehemently opposed Halder's claims.

"There has been no development in Mathurapur for the past so many years. The dams have not been maintained or repaired for years. If I am elected, my prime focus will be the maintenance and regular repair of the dams. My focus will be on constructing concrete structures of the river dams," Purkit said.

Also in the fray at Mathurapur are CPI-M's Sarat Chandra Halder and All India Secular Front (AISF) nominee Ajay Kumar Das.

What makes the contest interesting is the mix of voters in this constituency. While the Scheduled Caste voters contribute 29 per cent to the voters' strength, minority voters contribute little over 24 per cent.

This distribution of votes might be an area of discomfort for the Trinamool this time as a clear shift of SC voters towards the BJP has been witnessed throughout the state since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The general sentiment about Bengali-speaking minority voters towards the AISF might result in a sharp division in the overall minority votes, considered an asset for both the Trinamool and the AISF.

Mathurapur is known for its association with the Marxist leader of Tevaga movement (peasant uprising) in Bengal, Kansari Halder.

Barring the period between 1984 and 1989, Mathurapur was a virtual red fort from 1967 to 2004.

However, the pattern changed in 2009 with Jatua getting elected for the first time before getting re-elected in 2014 and 2019.

With a voter strength of around 16 lakh, the rural pockets dominate 94 per cent of the constituency.
New Delhi, April 29 : While there is no record to date of sustained human-to-human bird flu transmission, the recent virus mutations show it may be inching closer to humans, according to health experts on Monday.

The bird flu or avian influenza A (H5N1) virus outbreak in poultry farms is not a new occurrence. It has periodically been reported all around the world, including poultry farms in parts of India.

Migrating wild birds bring the virus to poultry farms. However, in recent years, this bird flu virus H5N1 has jumped to mammals.

In 2023, the H5N1 virus killed a record number of birds and also spread to otters, sea lions, foxes, dolphins, and seals, among others. More recently it also affected numerous cattle farms across the US. Health officials in the US found fragments of bird virus in pasteurised milk sold in stores, including in about 20 per cent of samples in initial testing across the country.

"This shows that the H5N1 bird flu virus has now adapted for circulating among mammals. It is now able to easily spread from mammal to mammal, rather than having to jump each time from bird to mammal. This shows the virus has made suitable adaptations already. And bird flu virus has moved one step closer to humans," Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Associationas National Covid-19 Task Force, told IANS.

Importantly, "there is no record to date of sustained human-to-human transmission. This can only occur if the virus makes more adaptations by mutating. The concern now is the virus has found a new host among cattle, which is always in contact with man," he added.

Can bird flu infect humans?

Bird flu -- a common phenomenon seen in India -- raised infection concerns among humans in Jharkhandas Ranchi last week. Two doctors and six staff members of the Regional Poultry Farm in Hotwar were quarantined for two days. However, their throat swab samples sent for tests on April 27, were found to be negative.

According to data from the World Health Organisation, from 2003 to 2023, a total of 873 human cases of infection with influenza A (H5N1) and 458 deaths have been reported globally from 21 countries. However, to date, no sustained human-to-human transmission has been detected.

"Human infection due to avian influenza happens only with close contact with infected animals. Although the risk for human infection is rare, such occurrences come with a high mortality rate," biologist Vinod Scaria, told IANS.

The high mortality rate is because "humans have no prior immune memory for this particular type of influenza virus", said Dr Jayadevan.

The WHO believes that available epidemiological and virological evidence does not indicate that current bird flu viruses have acquired the ability of sustained transmission among humans. However, the recent episode of transmission to cattle, where it has reportedly affected one human, has raised fresh concerns.

Genomic analysis suggests that it has silently been spreading among the cattle for months - since December or January.

"Scientists are worried whether the virus will now make further adaptations where it can not only easily infect man, but also spread from man to man, in which case it could become a major catastrophic event. We hope it will not happen," Dr Jayadevan told IANS.

The WHO advises people in close contact with cattle and poultry to regularly wash hands and employ good food safety and food hygiene practices, pasteurise milk, as well as to get vaccinated against seasonal human flu, to reduce the risk that H5N1 could recombine with a human avian virus.

"Appropriate personal protection while handling infected birds/dead birds or excreta is very important and awareness of this among the public is important," Scaria told IANS.
Madrid, April 29 : Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday said that he will carry on in his post after threatening to resign over an inquiry into alleged corruption by his wife, Begona Gomez.

"I have decided to carry on as the head of the government with even more strength, if possible," the Socialist politician said in his speech in Madrid.

The huge solidarity rallies organised by his supporters in Madrid and other cities over the weekend influenced his decision, which he said he had made together with his wife.

Sanchez, 52, unexpectedly announced on Wednesday that he was considering stepping down after nearly six years, owing to what he said were baseless claims made against his wife.

The allegations against Gomez, who does not hold public office, were laid by the right-wing Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) organisation. It accused her of influence peddling and business corruption. Manos Limpias later acknowledged that the allegations were based on media reports that could be false.

The public prosecutor's office in Madrid last week also requested that a preliminary investigation into Gomez, 49, be dropped.

Last Wednesday, Sanchez startled the country when he wrote on X that he was tired of the political "mud pit" that had been created by the right and far right.

The leader of the European Union's fourth-largest economy wrote he needed to decide "whether it is worth it" to stay in office and would announce his choice on Monday. He cancelled all public duties in the interim.

More than 10,000 people demonstrated in Madrid on Saturday, calling for him to remain in office. About 5,000 turned out in the Spanish capital on Sunday evening. They held posters saying "Don't give up" and accused the right-wing of resorting to "blackmail" and "fake news."

The Spanish parliament narrowly voted last November to confirm Sanchez in office for a renewed four-year term, nearly four months after snap elections were held. Sanchez controversially promised an amnesty deal for Catalan separatists in return for the votes of two Catalan parties.

--IANS/DPA

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Tehran, April 29 : The Iranian Foreign Ministry on Monday rejected speculation about nuclear cooperation with Pyongyang following the arrival of a North Korean business delegation in Tehran.

The group, headed by Minister for External Economic Relations Yun Jong Ho, travelled to the Iranian capital last week for an economic conference, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani.

Any link to cooperation on nuclear matters was "unfounded," he added.

There was speculation in South Korea that military cooperation between North Korea and Iran could be discussed during the visit.

The two countries - both of which have faced strict international sanctions and isolation on the diplomatic stage for their nuclear activities- have repeatedly been accused of active cooperation, particularly in the field of missile technology.

Iran's controversial nuclear programme has been the subject of renewed interest in recent months following the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Kanaani last week denied again that Tehran is striving to build nuclear weapons.

--IANS/DPA

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Bengaluru/Hyderabad, April 29 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, reacting to the notices served on him and other state Congress leaders by Delhi Police over an alleged doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Monday asserted that they are not afraid of such notices.

He alleged that after using the CBI, the ED and the IT, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was now using the Delhi Police to win the elections. "We are not the ones to be afraid. We are the ones who respond," he said while addressing an election rally of the Congress at Sedam in Karnataka.

"Modi Ji and Amit Shah Ji were so far using ED, IT and CBI to win the elections. I have just received information that Delhi Police have reached the Telangana Congress party office. Somebody posted (video) on social media and they reached the Gandhi Bhavan with the notice for the Telangana Congress President and Chief Minister. This means that after using ED, IT and CBI, Modi Ji is using Delhi Police to win elections," he said.

Revanth Reddy cautioned the people of Karnataka that if they voted for the BJP, they would lose SC, ST, and minority reservations.

"If you vote for Congress, the reservation will continue," he said and exuded confidence that the Congress will form the government at the Centre.

Delhi Police summoned Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Telangana Congress social media in-charge, state coordinator and spokesperson over a morphed video of Amit Shah about reservation. A team of Delhi Police reached the state Congress headquarters Gandhi Bhavan and served notices on the party's social media in-charge Manne Satish, state coordinator Naveen Pettem, and spokesperson Asma Tasleem.

The notice has been reportedly served under section 91/160 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and the leaders asked to appear before the Delhi Police's Special Cell on May 1 for an investigation into a case registered on April 28. They have been asked to provide information about the video tweeted/re-tweeted by them on their 'X' handle. They were also asked to bring their mobile/laptop/tablet or any other electronic device used to create/upload/tweet the video, as well as the electronic devices used for the purpose of recording the video before uploading and tweeting the same.

The Delhi Police registered a case under IPC sections 153, 153A, 465, 469, 171G read with 66-C IT Act. The video of the speech delivered by Amit Shah at Siddipet in Medak district at a BJP election rally on April 25 was allegedly morphed and circulated on social media. The Union Home Minister had stated that if BJP comes to power it will scrap Muslim reservations and distribute the same among SCs, STs and OBCS. The video was doctored to give the impression that reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs will be removed.
Pune/Ahmednagar/Satara, April 29 : Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar said on Monday that winds of change are blowing all over the country and even the people's perceptions vis-a-vis the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is different now owing to its lapses and failures.

Addressing election rallies for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates in the Shirur and Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituencies, Pawar said he has interacted with thousands of people in the past few weeks while campaigning all over Maharashtra and sensed their desire for change.

"The masses, farmers, workers, youth, and women are upset by the overall working style of the people who got the opportunity to rule the country for 10 years, but have let them down," said Pawar.

Adding to the crises in different sectors are the clouds looming over the Constitution authored by B.R. Ambedkar which has come under threat from the BJP, he claimed.

"However, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) doesn't believe so In all his speeches, he keeps criticising Jawaharlal Nehru and other ex-PMs, and also us The PM cannot get sleep at night without targeting us (the opposition). He must uphold the dignity of his post through work," Pawar said.

However, the present regime doesn't believe in the parliamentary democratic system or the opposition, and how a harmonious relationship between the ruling party and the opposition is required to resolve national problems, the senior leader said.

"When I was the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his senior ministers would often sit with me and discuss issues, they sought our opinions and if they felt we were right, they assured to implement them," recalled Pawar.

"But the present-day rulers want to change the Constitution, and their leaders are saying this publicly... They have not bothered to hold local elections here for so many years, they do not want the people to have the right to vote for their decisions and are trying to take away the authority vested by the Constitution," he warned.

Addressing a largely rural and farming audience in the rallies along with other MVA leaders of the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), Pawar said. "The people in whose hands Maharashtra is today have no interest in the issues concerning the masses."

"This election is for the country, and if we all don't play a united role, Maharashtra will face a crisis situation. The masses are clamouring for change and there is a need to achieve it through the current elections in a democratic manner," Pawar said.

The NCP (SP) chief also spoke about the concerns of the agricultural community, recalling how suicides by the farmers had gone down when he was the Union Agriculture Minister for 10 years.

But the situation has again deteriorated under the current government, he said.

The rallies were also attended by Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, party candidates Amol Kolhe (Shirur) and Nilesh Lanke (Ahmednagar), besides crowds of farmers and youth braving the blazing afternoon sun.
Bengaluru : Karnataka HC invalidates the Lok Sabha membership of Prajwal Revanna from the Hassan constituency. Image Source: IANS News

Bengaluru, April 29 : The BJP and JD(S) have distanced themselves from the alleged sex scandal involving NDA candidate for Hassan, Prajwal Revanna, who is former Prime Minister, HD Deve Gowda's grandson.

Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition, R Ashoka stated in Bengaluru on Monday that "no one is above the law and all are equal before the law."

"Former CM and JD(S) President HD Kumaraswamy has spoken about it. The government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Let the government take action," Ashoka stated.

The SIT was formed in the backdrop of a letter written by the Karnataka Women's Commission chief to the state government.

It is alleged that Prajwal Revanna was involved in harassing and sexually abusing thousands of women and he recorded the acts.

According to sources, Prajwal Revanna has gone to Germany after the formation of the SIT.

Reacting to the controversy, BJP state President, BY Vijayendra stated in Bagalkot, "Let the truth come out in the SIT probe."

Former National General Secretary of the BJP, CT Ravi stated in Hubballi that the law was the same for all citizens.

"It can't be said that this case will impact the results of the election but it can't be ruled out that it won't have an impact at all.

"We have not given Prajwal Revanna a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections, the JD(S) fielded him from Hassan Lok Sabha seat as the NDA candidate," Ravi stated.

Former Chief Minister and JD(S) state President, HD Kumaraswamy stated that those "who had committed crime will get suitable punishment. Let the probe reveal the truth. There is no question of pardoning the guilty."

Meanwhile, JD(S) MLA Sharana Gouda Kandakur wrote a letter to HD Deve Gowda on Monday demanded the suspension of his grandson from the party.

"The video in circulation has caused embarrassment as Prajwal Revanna is seen in these videos. Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy respect women. The JD(S) symbol is a woman carrying a bundle of grain stalks on her head and reflects respect towards women. This has caused embarrassment to the party. Hence, he should be suspended from the party," Kandakur demanded.

The Congress-led Karnataka Government has formed a SIT to probe the sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna. His father HD Revanna is an MLA from Hassan's Holenarasipur constituency.

Polling for the Hassan parliamentary seat was held on April 26.

The release of the video has stirred a huge controversy in the state ahead of the second leg of the Lok Sabha polls on remaining 14 seats, slated for May 7.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said last Saturday that the obscene video clips were in circulation in Hassan District. The clips show atrocities being committed against women.
Mumbai, April 29 : Two days after the police invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the three main accused in the firing case outside actor Salman Khan's home were on Monday sent to police custody till May 8, while one was given judicial custody for health reasons.

Mumbai, April 29 (IANS) Two days after the police invoked the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), the three main accused in the firing case outside actor Salman Khanas home were on Monday sent to police custody till May 8, while one was given judicial custody for health reasons.

Vicky Gupta (24), Sagal Pal (21), and Anuj Thapan (32) have been sent to police custody till May 8 as the investigators want to unravel the entire conspiracy behind the pre-dawn shooting outside Khanas Bandra West home on April 14.

The fourth accused, Sonu Chander Bishnoi (37), was remanded to judicial custody on health grounds.

Last weekend, after the arrests of Sonu Bishnoi and Thapan, plus two others named as wanted accused, the Mumbai Police slapped the dreaded MCOCA besides the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act.

The two others are mafia don Lawrence Bishnoi, and his brother Anmol Bishnoi, who had claimed responsibility for the firing on April 14.

While Gupta and Pal are accused of firing five rounds at Khanas Galaxy Apartments, Sonu Bishnoi and Thapan allegedly supplied them with two pistols and bullets.

The pistols and bullets were flung into Tapi River in Surat (Gujarat) by Gupta and Pal, who later fled to Kachchh district bordering Pakistan from where they were nabbed within 36 hours of the incident on April 16.

After nabbing Gupta and Pal, both from Bihar, the police also arrested Sonu Bishnoi and Thapan from Punjab on April 25 and brought them to Mumbai.

Anmol Bishnoi, who is now wanted in the case, is reportedly living in Canada, and keeps travelling to the US and other nations, while his brother Lawrence Bishnoi is currently jailed for various crimes.
Jaipur, April 29 : A 20-year-old NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide in Rajasthan's Kota late on Sunday, the police said on Monday, adding that the student was found hanging from the ceiling fan when the police broke open the door of his room.

Jaipur, April 29 (IANS) A 20-year-old NEET aspirant allegedly died by suicide in Rajasthanas Kota late on Sunday, the police said on Monday, adding that the student was found hanging from the ceiling fan when the police broke open the door of his room.

The deceased identified as Sumit, a native of Rohtak district in Haryana, was preparing for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) in Kota.

"His parents called him on Sunday, but there was no response. So they called the hostel warden who then informed the police," an officer said.

On getting no response, the police broke open the door of Sumit's room and found him hanging from the ceiling fan at around 10 p.m. on Sunday.

The postmortem was performed on Monday, and the exact cause of death is being ascertained, said the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Soni.

Sumit, who had unsuccessfully appeared for NEET earlier, was all set to take the test on May 5.

The officer also said the anti-hanging device was not found in Sumit's room. Out of the 12 rooms in the hostel, the anti-hanging device is missing in two rooms which is being probed by the police.

Sumit's parents had planned to visit Kota after his exams and take him back.

His father Vijaypal, who runs a fabrication shop, said that Sumit had no issues nor was he under any kind of pressure.

His grandfather Ramkumar also said that this doesn't seem to be a case of suicide, demanding an SIT probe into Sumit's death.

His family members said that hostels and institutes should be held responsible in such cases as the parents leave their kids in their trust.

The police said they are probing why the hostel did not install spring-loaded fans as per the district administrationas guidelines.

This was the eighth case of 'suicide' by a student in Kota this year.

Earlier, a student preparing for NEET committed suicide on March 24; on March 6, Abhishek, a JEE aspirant from Bihar, had ended his life; on February 20, the body Rachit, a JEE aspirant from Madhya Pradesh, was found in a forest area near Kota; on February 13, Shubhkumar Chaudhary from Chhattisgarh was found dead; on February 2, a student from Uttar Pradesh took his life; on January 31, a JEE aspirant named Niharika committed suicide; while another NEET aspirant from Uttar Pradesh took the extreme step on January 24.
New Delhi, April 29 : The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking the disqualification of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly soliciting votes for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by invoking Hindu and Sikh deities and places of worship.

The plea, filed by lawyer Anand S. Jondhale, was turned down by Justice Sachin Datta, who deemed it "thoroughly misconceived" as it presupposed a violation of the Model Code of Conduct.

The court clarified that it cannot direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take a particular stance on any complaint.

Advocate Siddhant Kumar, representing the ECI, assured the court that Jondhale's complaint would be duly considered in accordance with the law.

Kumar also said that the poll panel receives numerous complaints, as he assured the court that due process would be followed.

Jondhaleas petition sought a six-year disqualification of the Prime Minister under the Representation of the People Act, along with a prohibition on seeking votes in the name of religious deities and places of worship.

The petition stemmed from PM Modi's speech in Uttar Pradesh on April 9, which allegedly invoked religious sentiments. The petitioner accused the Prime Minister of making divisive comments against opposing political parties and favouring specific religious communities.

He also cited instances where PM Modi referred to the construction of the Ram Temple, development of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, and the return of copies of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan.

Jondhale argued that such speeches had the potential to incite hatred among the voters along caste and religious lines, urging action in accordance with the Model Code of Conduct.

Despite Jondhale's earlier complaint to the ECI, alleging violations under Section 153A of the IPC and seeking disqualification under the Representation of the People Act, he claimed no action had been taken to date.
Mumbai, April 29 : Manipal Hospitals announced on Monday that it has signed a binding agreement to acquire an 87 per cent stake in Kolkata-based hospital chain Medica Synergie.

The acquisition is in line with Manipal Hospitals' strategy of expanding its footprint and presence in eastern India, a statement noted.

However, India's second-largest hospital chain did not disclose the amount for which the deal has been clinched.

Manipal Hospitals MD & CEO Dilip Jose said Manipal Hospitals would integrate Medica Synergie into its portfolio and rebrand it.

The acquisition of Medica has increased the bed count of Manipal Hospitals from around 9,500 to over 10,500.
New Delhi, April 29 : A delegation led by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) and filed a complaint against the Congress demanding stringent action over a doctored video involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The BJP delegation in its complaint alleged that the Congress circulated a doctored video of Amit Shah, aiming to disrupt the election process.

The BJP also urged the ECI to take steps to ensure free and fair elections in West Bengal, raising concerns over Trinamool Congress' acts.

Vaishnaw told reporters that the Congress intends to derail the entire election process by using deep fakes, and morphed and fake videos.

"Today, the BJP has complained to the Election Commission against Congress' attempts to spread confusion among the public by posting deep fake messages from its official handles," the Minister said.

Vaishnaw also said that in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress has made violence its electoral tool.

"The BJP has urged the Election Commission to take steps to ensure free and fair elections in West Bengal," said Vaishnaw.

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has been summoned by the Delhi Police on May 1 in connection with the doctored video of Amit Shah, police sources said on Monday.

Sources told IANS that Reddy has been asked to appear with his mobile phone allegedly used for posting the fake video on X.

A Delhi Police team has reached Telangana to serve the notice to individuals who tweeted the fake video.

"Since the Congress' Telangana unit posted it on X, notice has been served to them also, " a source said.

"The matter is under investigation. We are trying to trace the origin of the video and the people who posted it will be questioned," the source added.
New Delhi, April 29 : The Supreme Court on Monday extended its earlier order staying criminal proceedings initiated against Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai, who, in an interview on a YouTube channel in October 2022, claimed that it was a Christian NGO that had first filed a case to ban the use of crackers during Diwali.

Posting the matter for further hearing in September, a bench, headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, asked complainant V. Piyush, the social activist who had instituted the case before the magistrate's court in Tamil Nadu's Salem, to file his reply to Annamalai's petition within a period of six weeks.

The bench, also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, clarified that the interim order staying further proceedings pending before the trial court will continue till the next date of listing.

The top court in February this year issued notice on Annamalaias plea, observing that prima facie, no case of hate speech was made out against him.

Earlier, the Madras High Court dismissed the petition filed by the BJP leader seeking quashing of the criminal case.

A bench of Justice Anand Venkatesh observed that the interview of Annamalai disclosed a divisive intent on the part of the petitioner to project that a Christian NGO was acting against Hindu culture.

Annamalai had given an interview to a YouTube channel on October 22, 2022, just two days before Diwali that year, alleging that it was a Christian NGO that had first filed a case to ban the use of crackers during the festival. In his petition, the complainant alleged that the BJP leader had deliberately fanned communal hatred by "lying" that it was a missionary NGO that filed a case against bursting crackers during Diwali celebrations. The Salem magistrate court had taken cognisance of the complaint and issued notice to Annamalai against which he had moved the Madras High Court.
New Delhi, April 29 : The European Commission on Monday designated iPadOS, Apple's operating system for tablets, as a "gatekeeper" under the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA).

In September last year, the Commission designated Apple as a "gatekeeper" for its operating system iOS, its browser Safari, and its App Store.

It also opened a market investigation to evaluate whether Apple's iPadOS constitutes an important gateway for business users to reach end users and therefore should be designated as a gatekeeper.

This investigation has now ended and found that Apple "presents the features of a gatekeeper in relation to iPadOS".

"On the basis of the findings of the investigation, the Commission concluded that iPadOS constitutes an important gateway for business users to reach end users and that Apple enjoys an entrenched and durable position with respect to iPadOS," the EU said.

"Apple has now six months to ensure full compliance with the DMA obligations as applied to iPadOS," it added.

The Commission named Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta, and Microsoft as gatekeepers, and each had to completely comply with all DMA obligations by March 7.

"Today we conclude the first market investigation for qualitative designation under the DMA finding that also iPadOS is an important gateway for businesses to reach consumers," Thierry Breton, Commissioner for Internal Market said.
New Delhi, April 29 : As campaigning for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections gathers pace, a stark contrast has been observed by experts in the poll strategies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, especially when it comes to their star campaigners addressing rallies all over the country.

While the BJP, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular, has focused on holding election rallies in areas that go to voting next as per the seven-phase schedule, the Congress and its top leaders like Rahul Gandhi are drawing flak for being 'careless' with their planning.

PM Modi, having already done over 70 rallies and roadshows till now, on Sunday addressed four back-to-back rallies in Karnataka's Belagavi, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere, and Ballari, which will go to the polls in the third phase on May 7.

On Monday, he was in Karnataka's Bagalkote before addressing public meetings in Maharashtra's Solapur, Satara, and Pune.

On the other hand, former Congress President Rahul Gandhi addressed the public in Daman and Diu and Odisha's Kendrapara on Sunday.

On Monday, he was in Gujarat's Patan and Chhattisgarh's Bilaspur for campaigning.

Analysts are somewhat baffled with the Congress' choice of venues for holding Rahul Gandhi's rallies as Kendrapara goes to the polls in the seventh and last phase on June 1. Not just that, Congress' last win in the constituency came way back in 1952.

Calling it a case of poor planning, the experts reckon it as one of the many reasons why the party has failed to maximise gains in the ongoing elections.

Meanwhile, even while following a gruelling schedule, addressing one rally after the other from one corner of the country to another, PM Modi is thanking the BJP supporters for turning up in large numbers for his rallies across the nation.

"Incredible energy at the public meeting in Pune! Gratitude to everyone for joining the rally in huge numbers," the Prime Minister said while addressing a rally in Pune on Monday.
Pune : , April 29 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured Punekars that it is his guarantee to the citizens of Maharashtra that the day is not far when they will travel in a bullet train.

"This is Modi's guarantee to Maharashtra's brothers and sisters, that the day is not far away when you all will be traveling in a bullet train. During Manmohan Singh's 'remote' government, the amount they spent on infrastructure, we have spent that much on infrastructure in one year," PM Modi said in Pune.

He was addressing a campaign rally for MahaYuti nominees Muralidhar Mohol (Pune), Sunetra Pawar (Baramati), Shivajirao Adhalrao (Shirur) and Srirang Barne (Maval).

"Congress ruled the country for 60 years. But, during the Congress rule, more than half of the people of the country did not have basic facilities. We have only had the opportunity to serve you for 10 years but in this period we have not only fulfilled the basic needs but also worked hard to fulfill the aspirations of every class. We are moving forward with a vision to fulfil both needs and aspirations," he added.

Listing various infrastructure projects, PM Modi said that they all reflect the image of a modern India.

"You also know, if one lives in a city, or in a village, seeing good roads, modern infrastructure is heartening. You have to work hard too. Modern infrastructure gives us confidence. Here you see the Pune Metro, the new look of the Pune Airport, the Palkhi Marg, the Mumbai Nagpur Samruddhi Highway, the semi-high speed Vande Bharat train that connects every place, all these are the images of a modern India," said PM Modi.

He mentioned that in the last 10 years, Indian youngsters have launched more than 1.25 lakh startups.

"Today's India is moving forward with full faith in the research, talent, and technologies of its youth. Look at the peak of Startup India. In just 10 years, Indian youth have started more than 1.25 lakh startups. It is a matter of pride that many of these are from Pune. Our mission to reform, perform, and transform is now showing results," he added.

According to Prime Minister Modi, the policy changes made by the government are also showing results in the field of mapping with progress being made in various sectors such as space, defence, and industry.

"There are intelligent youngsters in Pune. We have decided to give Rs one lakh crore to people who want to innovate," he mentioned in his speech.

Modi said that 10 years ago, mobile phones had to be imported but now India has become the second-largest mobile phone exporting country in the world.

"Now, we will see India becoming a hub for electric vehicles. BJP's vision is to make India a semiconductor and innovation hub. There is also a resolve to make India a hydrogen hub. This is the first government which has thought of common citizens," he said.
New Delhi, April 29 : The Congress on Monday claimed to have submitted at least 20 complaints against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its star campaigners with the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding necessary action for 'blatant violations' of the Model Code of Conduct.

New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) The Congress on Monday claimed to have submitted at least 20 complaints against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its star campaigners with the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding necessary action for ablatant violationsa of the Model Code of Conduct.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to X and informed that a party delegation comprising Rajiv Shukla, Gurdeep Singh Sappal, Supriya Shrinate, and others went to the Election Commission to lodge complaints against the BJP related to poll code violations in different states.

In its slew of complaints, the Congress has accused the BJP of repeated religious pitches during poll campaigns, 'vicious' and 'malicious' statements by the top BJP leaders in Rajasthan, fake news circulation against its poll manifesto, besides alleging EVM tampering and booth capturing in Assam.

In its representation against Yogi Adityanath, the Congress complaint alleges that the UP Chief Minister made false statements about its manifesto.

It said that the Chief Minister falsely claimed that Congress wanted to impose Sharia law, which was aimed at invoking religious sentiments and influencing the elections.

The party also accused Union Minister and top BJP leader Anurag Thakur of making misleading and provocative statements with the intent of giving a false impression that the Congress manifesto was tilted towards a certain community.

Ahead of the third phase of polling on May 7, the election heat seems to be shifting to the poll panel, as earlier in the day, the BJP also lodged a complaint against the grand old party.

A BJP delegation led by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and national spokesperson Anil Baluni lodged a complaint with the EC against the Congress, accusing the party of circulating a fake and morphed video of Home Minister Amit Shah with the purpose of derailing the poll process.
Hyderabad, April 29 : Swift action by the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau on a complaint by a citizen about unauthorised transactions from his bank account resulted in saving the entire amount of above Rs 1 crore.

The victim lodged a complaint with the cyber crime helpline at the TS Cyber Security Bureau (TSCSB) within 12 minutes after receiving three messages about the transfer of money from his Axis Bank current account.

According to TSCSB Director Shikha Goel, Harsh, a resident of Nacharam in Hyderabad, on Saturday morning, received three messages about the transfer of money from his bank account. The unauthorised transfers were to the tune of Rs1,00,10,005. He immediately alerted the Axis Bank and also complained at the Cyber Crime helpline number 1930.

The helpline immediately uploaded the transaction details on the CFCFRMS portal, alerted Axis Bank and HDFC Bank, to which the amount was fraudulently transferred by the suspect, and ensured that the amount was put on hold, she said.

"This is an example of swift action by the victim in reporting the crime on 1930 within the golden hours and by the 1930 helpline staff in alerting the banks concerned and intercepting the fraudulent money from going into the hands of suspects, resulting in saving the entire amount of above Rs.1 crore," Goel said.

She met the complainant and complimented him for reporting within 12 minutes to 1930. She also appreciated the staff of 1930 who acted promptly and made sure that the amount was put on hold within 25 minutes of reporting.

She appealed to people to report any cyber fraud to helpline number 1930 immediately.
Jaipur, April 29 : The cyber crime unit of Rajasthan Police on Monday lodged an FIR in connection with a doctored video Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of reservations which has been posted on different social media platforms.

The FIR was registered in Jaipur based on a complaint submitted by the Rajasthan BJP social media team.

Senior BJP leaders, including Rajendra Singh Shekhawat and Ajay Vijayvergiya, submitted the complaint at the cyber crime police station in Jaipur.

Stating that a fake video of Amit Shah has gone viral on social media platforms X and Facebook, Vijayvargiya said, "An attempt is being made to instigate a row over reservations by doctoring a video of the Home Minister. Keeping in mind the possibility of disruption of social harmony during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has filed a complaint in this regard with the cyber police station in Jaipur."

"The user made the video viral by editing it. The doctored video claims that Amit Shah wanted to scrap reservations. However, all the senior leaders of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have repeatedly assured that no changes will be made in the Constitution regarding reservations.

"PM Modi has also made it clear in his speeches how the Congress insulted B.R. Ambedkar and the reservation issue. The PM also mentioned that the Congress wants to give reservations to the people of a particular community by snatching the reservation rights of OBC, ST, and SC communities. The Congress is misleading the common people during the elections," alleged Vijayvergiya.
Kothagudem : , April 29 (IANS) BJP national president JP Nadda has termed the INDIA bloc as an alliance of corrupt and family-owned parties.

He said leaders of parties which are part of the INDIA bloc are either in jail or on bail.

JP Nadda said this while addressing an election rally here on Monday in support of BJP candidates for Khammam and Mahabubabad Lok Sabha constituencies. He pointed out that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, P. Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram, and Lalu Yadav (who is also a member of the INDIA bloc) are all on bail.

He also mentioned that BRS leader K. Kavitha, AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia are in jail.

JP Nadda also slammed Congress for allegedly planning to impose a tax to take away the hard-earned assets of people.

The BJP leader also alleged that the Congress government in Telangana took away the reservation of OBCs, SCs and STs to provide religion-based reservation to Muslims.

The BJP president said Dr B.R. Ambedkar had clearly stated that the reservation cannot be given on the basis of religion but only on the basis of caste and backwardness.

Alleging that the previous BRS government in Telangana was indulging in many scams, he said the new Congress government in the state is also not looking honest.

He said that BJP is the only party which has a vision, thinking and intent to take the country ahead.

"We want to form a stable and strong government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Strong government means taking decisions and implementing them like construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya and repealing Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

JP Nadda alleged that whenever the Congress was in power, the country saw weak and helpless governments whose prime minister invited terrorists for talks and the governments which indulged in scams every day.

JP Nadda said that under PM Modi's leadership, the Indian economy was growing rapidly.

Countries like the US, Europe, Australia, Japan and China are all facing economic slowdown and India is the only country whose economy is growing, he said. Asserting that India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership became the fifth-largest economy, he said that in two years, it will become the third-largest economy.

JP Nadda said that 25 crore people were lifted out of poverty.

He also said that it was PM Modi-led government which cared about the poor, villages, tribals, Dalits, oppressed sections, youth and farmers.

The BJP chief said that in five years, people will get cooking gas through pipelines.

"The country will become self-reliant in pulses and oil. Three crore more houses will be built in five years under PM Awas Yojana," JP Nadda said, adding that PM Modi considers Telangana as his own.

The stateas tax share and grant-in-aid by the Centre has increased three-fold, he claimed.

For developing Warangal and Karimnagar smart cities, the government allocated Rs 2,700 crore.

He said various economic corridor projects will immensely benefit Telangana.

BJP MP K. Laxman, party candidate for Khammam T. Vinod Rao and party candidate for Mahabubabad Azmeera Seetaram Naik were present.
New Delhi, April 29 : The body of a 48-year-old Traffic Marshal with injuries on lips and his right eye, suspected to be due to nibbling by rats, was found at a tin shed here on Monday, the police said.

The deceased was identified as Gopal Gupta, a resident of Hari Nagar Extension in Jaitpur.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rajesh Deo said: "He was working as a security guard with GSS Securities and was performing the duties of Traffic Marshal at Meethapur Chowk."

During the initial probe, it was revealed that Gopal was an alcoholic.

"He had come to the place of incident (tin shed) where he slept beside Rajesh a.k.a Sonu who was known to him. Rajesh has been traced and his version has been recorded. Prima facie the case does not seem to be of homicide," said the DCP.

The DCP further said that the fresh injuries on Gopal's body seems due to nibbling by rats.

"Postmortem of Gopal is being conducted at AIIMS. Further legal action shall be taken as per the findings of the autopsy report," the DCP added.
Patna April 29 : After RJD candidate Rohini Acharya filed her nomination for the Saran Lok Sabha seat in Bihar on Monday, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, the sitting MP who has been renominated by the BJP, accused her father and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav of killing developmental schemes in Saran to please the people of a particular community.

"I was elected from Saran in the past two elections and projects worth Rs 33,000 crore are currently underway in the district. Many projects have been inaugurated while many more are in the pipeline. I have a dream project to build an international airport in the district," Rudy said.

"When Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Chief Minister of Bihar, he did not set up a single electric pole in Sitab Diara. Now, roads have been constructed in Sitab Diara, embankments have been built to prevent flooding of the Ganga River, while a power substation has also been established here. Lalu Prasad Yadav killed such schemes during his tenure as the CM," Rudy said.

Reacting to Rohini Acharya pointing out the 'backwardness' of Sitab Diara, Rudy said: "I have adopted Sitab Diara and I regularly live in the district. Before commenting on such issues, she should consult her father and get more knowledge about Saran."

"Lalu Prasad Yadav is ill and hence I suggest that he should take rest and avoid campaigning for his children," he said.

--
New Delhi, April 29 : In a fresh development involving the controversial BBC documentary concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Delhi court has issued a fresh summons to the BBC, UK.

The move comes as the previously served summonses were allegedly unsuccessful.

Recently, Additional District Judge Ruchika Singla of the Rohini Courts issued a fresh summons to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and others in a defamation suit seeking to restrain them from publishing the documentary on PM Modi or any other material related to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The suit was filed by BJP leader Binay Kumar Singh. The judge observed that the BBC and the other defendants -- Wikimedia Foundation and the US-based digital library Internet Archive -- are foreign entities and the service of summons must be effected as per the guidelines issued by Delhi High Court.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had issued a fresh notice to the BBC on a suit filed by a Gujarat-based NGO, Justice on Trial, claiming that the documentary titled 'India: The Modi Question', "cast a slur" on the country's reputation and that of the judiciary and the Prime Minister.

Justice Sachin Datta had also issued notice to BBC India on the plea. The counsel for the petitioner NGO informed the high court that notices were issued to the BBC -- UK and India -- earlier but they could not be served.

Judge Singla has listed the matter for next hearing on August 27.

The judge also noted that the Wikimedia Foundation and Internet Archive have received the summons.

The counsel for the plaintiff placed on record the tracking report as per which the summonses were served upon ABC Legal Service on March 23.

However, the court said: " Summons issued to defendant no. 1 (BBC, UK) not received back. Same be issued afresh on the UK address in compliance of order dated 07.07.2023 on filing of processing fee (PF) within 7 days from today."

Last year, it was opposed that since the defendants are foreign entities, the service could be effected only as per the procedure prescribed.

During the hearing, the court on July 27, 2023 said that mere filing of a 'vakalatnama' by the lawyers shall not do away with the mandatory requirement of the service of summons on the defendant entities under the prescribed procedure.

"Hence, by virtue of the same, it is clear that as per the rules formulated under the Hague Convention and by the Government of India, the summons/notices in foreign countries can be effected only through the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, Government of India, which has admittedly not been done in the present case," the court said.

It added: "It is directed that the summons be issued afresh to the defendants on the filing of PF within 7 days to be served through the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice, as per rules."

Binay Kumar Singh, who claims to be the state executive committee member of the Jharkhand BJP and an active volunteer of the RSS and VHP, moved the suit through advocate Mukesh Sharma stating that the claims made in the documentary against the RSS and VHP are made with the intention of defaming the organisations and its volunteers.

The two-volume documentary series that has already been banned in the country is nevertheless easily accessible in the public domain on Wikimedia and the Internet Archive, Singh argued.
Agartala, April 29 : The police arrested a BJP leader in Tripura on Monday for allegedly manhandling a presiding officer during the Lok Sabha elections for the Tripura East constituency held on April 26.

A police officer said that North Tripura district BJP chief Kajal Das was arrested by the police after the assistant returning officer in the Bagbassa Assembly segment filed an FIR against him on April 26, accusing the BJP leader of manhandling a presiding officer during the polling last Friday.

However, when the police produced Das before a local court, it granted bail to the BJP leader.

The North Tripura DSP had earlier constituted an inquiry committee to probe the matter.

In a separate development, North Tripura District Election Officer (DEO) served a show-cause notice to BJP MLA Jadab Lal Nath for misbehaving with a booth official in the same Bagbassa Assembly segment during polling on Friday.
Chitradurga : , April 29 (IANS) Prominent Lingayat seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, who faces charges of sexual exploitation of minor girls, surrendered before a sessions court in Karnataka's Chitradurga on Monday and has been sent back to jail.

The Supreme Court had cancelled his bail recently and directed him to surrender before the court to be taken to judicial custody.

After the surrender, the authorities took the seer into custody and sent him to the district prison after conducting a medical test.

The seer's lawyer Pratap Jogi said that the Supreme Court had given direction for the court hearing the matter to complete the inquiry within four months and that the seer will have to be in prison for a few months.

On April 23, the Supreme Court stayed the order of the Karnataka High Court granting bail to the seer, contending that it would be appropriate to conduct the questioning of witnesses when the accused seer is in judicial custody. It also stated that until the inquiry of the victims and their parents is completed, the seer must be in prison.

The court order came as counsel for victims argued that the seer is highly influential, and even as the charge sheet is submitted, he could influence the witnesses during the trial.

The two minor girls who were studying at the Marugha mutt-run institution had complained about sexual exploitation by the seer to the Nazarabad police on August 26, 2022, and he was arrested on September 1, 2022.
Mumbai, April 29 : Amid finger-pointing and an eyeball-to-eyeball row unfolding, pressure is now building on the top Congress leadership to field a Muslim candidate from Mumbai for the upcoming May 20 Lok Sabha elections, sources said here on Monday.

The development came a day after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge -- without taking names -- indicated in Assam that the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies in Maharashtra could probably have reservations about fielding a Muslim candidate in the state or Mumbai.

Taking umbrage, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut painstakingly cleared the air to say that any such impression conveyed to the Congress leadership was misleading and erroneous.

"We have never said to the Congress to field this candidate or not nominate some other contendera it is the party's internal matter. We shall welcome any candidate they decide and work wholeheartedly to ensure their victory," asserted Raut.

Apprehensive of a possible backlash, senior Congress leaders like Chandrakant Handore, MP, ex-Minister Suresh Shetty, MLC Bhai Jagtap and MPCC treasurer Amarjit Manhas held a meeting to soothe state Congress Working President M. Arif Naseem Khan, besides assuring that they would take up the matter with the party top levels.

A senior source said that a letter had been sent to the central party leadership to reconsider Prof. Gaikwad's nomination and accommodate Khan in Mumbai North Central since he is a prominent local leader.

The leaders have also urged the party to field Prof. Gaikwad from Mumbai North constituency which has a fair sprinkling of Dalit, minorities and OBC voters, and expressed optimism that this could resolve the problem amicably plus save the Muslim support base of the MVA.

Raut declared that Khan is a senior and respected Muslim community leader, an ex-Minister with good credentials and has excellent rapport with the SS (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders.

"We have absolutely no objections if the Congress fields Khan 'saheb' from anywhere, we shall support wholeheartedly to ensure his victory," said Raut, as Congress leaders heaved a sigh of relief.

Last week, Khan stoked a major row after he quit as the party's Star Campaigner and the poll campaign panel to protest against the failure of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to field a single Muslim nominee for the 48 LS seats in Maharashtra.

A peeved Khan dropped dark hints that the blunder could prove costly and the MVA nominees may forfeit the Muslim and other minority votes in the states, particularly where the minorities dominate, amid speculation that the SS (UBT) reportedly was reluctant to support a Muslim candidate.

Assuring that he was "not a rebel", Khan, an ex-Minister, made his displeasure public after the Congress named city party President Prof. Varsha Gaikwad as the Mumbai North Central constituency candidate but did not oppose her nomination.

"Now, it is up to the Central leadership in Delhi to take a call on Khan for Mumbai North Central, which he was very keen to contest, and nominate Prof. Gaikwad from Mumbai North," said a state party leader.

Incidentally, around 35 years ago, there was a precedent when the Congress had nominated late ex-Minster Celine D'Silva from Mumbai North East, but following an uproar had replaced her with the late ex-Union Minister Gurudas Kamat, in the 1989 LS polls, he added.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in )
Agartala, April 29 : Three elected women representatives from Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan are taking part in the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population Development (CPD), officials said on Monday.

A Tripura government official said that the three women representatives from rural India would showcase womenas leadership at the grassroots in the UNFPA (United Nations Fund for Population Activities) event in New York.

Sabhadhipati of the Sepahijala Zilla Parishad in Tripura, Supriya Das Dutta, along with Kunuku Hema Kumari, Sarpanch of Pekeru gram panchayat in Andhra Pradesh, and Neeru Yadav, Sarpanch of Lambi Ahir gram panchayat in Rajasthan, would participate in the five-day event that commenced on Monday.

The Additional Director of Tripuraas Panchayat Department, Prasun Dey, said they would highlight the crucial role played by the women in the grassroots political leadership and their contributions to sustainable development.

All three women have been nominated by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Dey said that Das Dutta would deliberate on issues such as womenas empowerment and gender inequality, including the role, leadership, and impact of women in the development process, highlighting economic self-reliance achieved by women through self-help groups (SHGs).

Das Dutta was instrumental in the creation of various fora for rural women and in strengthening the SHG movement, Dey said.

Das Dutta, the daughter of Shital Das, a labourer in Bishalgarh, said that at the UN meet, she would deliberate issues such as womenas empowerment and gender inequality, including the role, leadership, and impact of women in the development process of the country.
Kohima, April 29 : Assam Rifles, which guards the 1,643 km-long unfenced India-Myanmar border in four northeastern states, recovered a large quantity of arms, ammunition, radio sets, a satellite phone, a Chinese bike along the frontier in Nagaland's Mon district on Monday, officials said.

Defence sources said that based on specific intelligence inputs, Assam Rifles launched a massive search operation early in the morning and intercepted the arms and ammunition, communication devices and other war-like stores in northern Nagaland. One person has been detained.

These seized items include 11 mortar tubes (81 mm), four tubes (106 mm), 10 pistols, 198 hand-held radio sets, a satellite phone, a Kenbo bike (Chinese), a Bolero vehicle and other war-like stores.

An Assam Rifles statement said that the recovery of these heavy calibre, military-grade weapons close to the border is a major success for the border sealing operation underway by the force.

The recovery is also a major blow to the nefarious designs of inimical elements trying to disturb the peace in the region, the statement said, adding that the presence of military-grade weapons and the handheld radio sets (nearly 200) indicate the ill intentions and extent of damage that could have been caused.

The apprehended individual and the recovered items have been handed over to the Nagaland Police, it said.
New Delhi, April 29 : A Delhi court has handed life imprisonment to a 44-year-old man convicted of raping his minor daughter.

The judge presiding over the case, Babita Puniya, deemed the crime 'diabolical' and underscored its heinous nature, surpassing any mitigating factors that could have been considered.

The court said that such a stringent sentence was necessary to ensure justice, serve the interests of society, and act as a deterrent against similar atrocities while also acknowledging the possibility of redemption for the perpetrator.

In addition to the life imprisonment, the court ordered compensation of Rs 13 lakh for the victim's relief and rehabilitation.

The convict had previously been found guilty of rape and aggravated penetrative sexual assault under

Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Despite considering the convict's role as the sole earner for his family, which included elderly parents, a grandmother, wife, and four children, the court noted that the severity of the crime and the familial relationship between the perpetrator and victim outweighed any personal circumstances.

The court pointed out the aggravating factors in the case, noting the innocence and helplessness of the victim, who was subjected to repeated acts of violence resulting in her giving birth at the tender age of 17.

The victim's rejection of interim compensation granted in 2022 further underscored the trauma she endured, prompting the judge to prioritise the severity of the crime, societal welfare, and the victim's recovery over mitigating factors.

--IANS

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Bhubaneswar, April 29 : The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha Police has busted a racket involved in the misappropriation of funds worth crores of rupees deposited in the banks through cloned cheques, an official said on Monday.

A member of the gang was arrested from Balaghat area of Madhya Pradesh on April 26. The accused was identified as Pomesh Tembhare of Kirnapur in Balaghat district. Tembhare, brought to Odisha on transit remand following a local court's order at Balaghat, was produced before the OPID court, Balasore on Monday.

The EOW busted the racket while investigating a case registered on the allegations of Sujata Kanungo, Chief Manager, Bank of India's Baripada branch in Mayurbhanj district.

Kanungo complained about illegal transactions of Rs 9,56,76,600 from the account of District Mineral Foundation Trust of Zilla Parishad, Mayurbhanj maintained through the production of four cheques on April 10 and 18.

"During the investigation, it was learnt that the fraudsters, by producing forged or cloned cheques, managed to transfer Rs 9,56,76,600 to two different accounts in the name of PT Constructions & Supplier maintained with Bank of Maharashtra and SK Enterprises maintained with Punjab & Sind Bank. It was also found that the amount was further diverted to many other accounts from the accounts of PT Constructions & Supplier and S K Enterprises," an EOW source said.

The police also ascertained that more than Rs 2.68 crore out of the total Rs 9.56 crore has been transferred to the account of PT Constructions & Suppliers, the firm owned by Tembhare.

The Raipur-based firm is a sham one and created only for the fraud.

EOW team with the help of local police and CAPF nabbed the accused from his hideout in the Maoist-hit village of Balaghat.

"The accused is a member of a larger gang having complex network in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. They have been doing these scams for at least 4 years. They have been doing it through well planned and meticulous methods from cheque cloning to multi-layering of money transfers, creation and operations of multiple mule bank accounts, withdrawal of money, information network, local touts etc.," added the EOW source.

The police have reportedly blocked Rs 5,04,06,900 and frozen Rs 13,56,948 deposited in 33 accounts out of the total amount withdrawn illegally.
Kolkata, April 29 : The National Security Guard (NSG) will submit a report to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the nature of explosives seized from the residence of a close aide of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district on April 26.

The CBI counsel informed a Basirhat sub-divisional court on Monday that the NSG has seized a bag full of explosives from Sandeshkhali for testing purposes.

He also informed the court that besides explosives, two firearms were also found in the bag.

Also on Monday, the counsel for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) informed a special PMLA court in Kolkata that a portion of the money that Shahjahan and his associates earned from illegal land grabbing was used for purchasing firearms and ammunition.

As per the estimates of the CBI, the total value of the firearms and ammunition seized from Sandeshkhali on April 26 amounted to over Rs 40 lakh.
Gurugram, April 29 : To curb cybercrime in the district, the Gurugram Police have sent a notice to the nodal officer of Google seeking action against two fake investment-related apps.

Taking cognisance of the notice, Google has reportedly removed both the apps from its Play Store, the police said on Monday.

According to the police, Naveen, the SHO of the cybercrime police station in Gurugram, took action against the two apps named FHT and SS-Equitrade that were available on Google Play Store.

"By using these apps, the cyber fraudsters lured people promising good returns on their investments. During the probe, it was found that the FHT app was downloaded by about 1.55 lakh people," the SHO said.

"We appeal to the general public not to transfer money in the name of investment without obtaining complete information, otherwise anyone can become a victim of cyber fraud," he added.
Khammam : , April 30 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said that he believes that a coalition government will be formed at the Centre as the BJP will not even get 200 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a road show here while campaigning for BRS candidate Nama Nageswar Rao for Khammam Lok Sabha constituency, KCR, as Rao is popularly known, exuded confidence that his BRS will win 12 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

He also predicted that Nageswar Rao would become a minister at the Centre.

The former Chief Minister vowed to fight to safeguard the interests of Telangana till the end and claimed that the BRS government took care of every section of people.

Alleging that the Congress came to power by uttering lies, KCR asked what happened to the promises made by the party to give one tola gold for the marriage of a poor girl under the Kalyana Lakshmi scheme.

He asked women if they were getting Rs 2,500 per month promised by the Congress party during Assembly elections.

The BRS chief said he was being targeted for demanding the Congress government fulfil its promises.

"I achieved Telangana state. Will you jail me?" he asked and made it clear that he was not scared of such threats.

KCR said some people are stating that after the Lok Sabha elections, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will join the BJP and has not even once denied the statements of BJP leaders.

The former Chief Minister said BRS leader Harish Rao threw a challenge at Revanth Reddy that they both will hand over their resignations to intellectuals and if the government fails to waive farm loans by August 15, the intellectuals will forward the Chief Ministeras resignation to the Governor and if the farm loans are waived as promised by Revanth Reddy, Harish Raoas resignation as MLA will be forwarded to the Speaker.

While Harish Rao reached Telangana Martyrsa Memorial with his resignation, the Chief Minister did not turn up, he said

--IANS

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Aizawl, April 29 : The Assam Rifles in separate joint operations arrested two drug peddlers and recovered drugs worth over Rs 9.83 crore from their possession in Mizoram, officials said on Monday, adding that the drugs were smuggled in from Myanmar.

Assam Rifles sources said the para-military troopers along with other law enforcing agencies arrested a person from Aizawl on Monday and recovered 20,000 Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs 6.66 crore from his possession.

In a separate joint operation, a drug peddler was apprehended from Zokhawthar in Champhai district on Sunday night, leading to the recovery of heroin worth Rs 3.17 crore from his possession.

The seized drugs and the apprehended individuals have been handed over to the police for further legal proceedings.
Kolkata, April 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address an election rally at Krishnanagar Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal's Nadia district on May 3.

Earlier, the Prime Minister had addressed a rally in Krishnanagar on March 2.

However, at that time, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was yet to announce the name of Amrita Roy -- who hails from a Royal family -- as the candidate for Lok Sabha polls from that constituency.

Trinamool Congress has named Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from the Lok Sabha because of her alleged involvement in the cash-for-query scam, from the Krishnanagar LS seat.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's scheduled rally in Krishnanagar on Tuesday has been cancelled at the last moment.

West Bengal unit BJP sources said that the Union Home Minister was expected to address two rallies in West Bengal on Tuesday, one at Krishnanagar and the other at Bardhaman-Purba constituency. However, as per the latest schedule, HM Shah will address only the Bardhaman-Purba rally.

Krishnanagar, one of the two Lok Sabha constituencies from Nadia district in West Bengal, is one of the most discussed constituencies in the state at this time for multiple reasons.

Amrita Roy had received a telephone call from PM Modi after her name was announced as a BJP candidate.

Besides, the Trinamool Congress has been targeting Late Raja Krishnachandra Roy, the most iconic name from the Royal family of Krishnanagar.

Trinamool Congress has started a campaign against Amrita Roy of carrying the lineage of Late Raja Krishnachandra Roy, who was responsible for conspiring with the British against Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula.
New Delhi, April 29 : Besides Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, summons were also issued to four Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) members -- Shiva Kumar Ambala, Asma Tasleem, Satish Manne, and Naveen Pettem -- in connection with a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sources told IANS on Monday.

A doctored video of Amit Shah went viral on social media recently, where his statement related to reservations for Muslims was changed to make it seem that he was advocating for scrapping reservations altogether.

On Sunday, Delhi Police registered an FIR after two complaints were received by them, one from the BJP and another from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Meanwhile, Assam Police have arrested one person in connection with the doctored video involving Amit Shah, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday. The arrested person has been identified as Reetom Singh.

A senior officer of Delhi Police told IANS that the Assam Police have not yet contacted the relevant investigating unit of Delhi Police in connection with the case.

"Our focus is on tracing the origin of the video, determining who initially fabricated the footage," said the officer.

He also said there's a possibility that the Assam Police might have arrested a man who shared the doctored video.

Telangana CM Reddy has been asked to appear before Delhi Police on May 1 with his mobile phone that was allegedly used for posting the fake video on X.

Earlier, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused the Telangana Congress of circulating the doctored video of Amit Shah, alleging it to be entirely fabricated and capable of inciting widespread violence.

"The matter is under investigation. We are trying to trace the origin of the video, and the people who posted it will be served notice to join the probe," a source said.

"The video seems to be doctored, spreading misleading information with the intention of creating disharmony among communities, which is likely to affect public order issues. It is requested to kindly take necessary legal action as per the provisions of law," the Home Ministry said, as per the FIR lodged by the Delhi Police.
Kolkata, April 30 : Despite raising questions over the functioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), the opposition parties are not accepting the challenge from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to come forward and identify the flaws in EVMs, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said on Monday.

"Both the Congress and the Trinamool Congress have raised questions about EVMs. The ECI has urged them to come forward and identify the flaws in the machines. However, they never came forward to do that," the Minister said during an election rally at Durgapur on Monday.

He also referred to the attacks on a section of the judiciary by the top Trinamool Congress leadership where the main issue is a former judge of the court contesting the Lok Sabha polls as a BJP candidate after resigning from judicial services earlier this year.

"Our government is taking all possible steps to maintain the independence of the judiciary. A former judge has full freedom to make his choice after resigning from judicial service," Meghwal said.
Satara : , April 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday criticised the Congress for keeping the retired armed forces personnel deprived of the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme for many years, saying the party only showed the Rs 500 crore "jhunjhuna" (rattle).

"The Congress has a mastery of misleading and speaking lies. It ruled the country for 60 years but the Constitution of B.R. Ambedkar was not applied in Jammu and Kashmir. We did it. Modi abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir," PM Modi said while speaking at a rally to campaign for BJP nominee Udayanraje Bhosale who is contesting against NCP (SP) candidate Shashikant Shinde.

"Modi has guaranteed 'One Rank One Pension' to the families of soldiers and fulfilled this guarantee. How can anyone forget that for 40 years, Congress deprived the families of soldiers from the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme? They used to say that they will bring this scheme by only making an announcement of Rs 500 crore.

"The Congress has a mastery of lying. The BJP government has released more than Rs 1 lakh crore under the 'One Rank One Pension' scheme to the ex-servicemen," PM Modi said.

Stepping up the attack against Congress, PM Modi further said: "The country became Independent in 1947. The Congress allowed slavery mentality to flourish. Today the whole world respects the armour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Even today, across the world, when the subject of the Navy comes up, the name of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is mentioned. But for so many years, Independent India had British footprints in its Navy. The NDA government removed the footprints of the British.

"The land of Satara is the land of bravery. Today, whether it is a Military Apshinge village or any soldier family of Satara, they are most happy to see a self-reliant Indian Army. Our army today has more than one Indian-made weapon. Now you tell me, will those whose shops were closed by Modi be happy? Will the middlemen who think the Congress government is very good will praise Modi?" PM Modi wondered while addressing the rally.
New Delhi, April 30 : BJP leader Praveen Shankar Kapoor has filed a defamation suit against jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi Minister Atishi over allegations levelled by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders that BJP tried to lure AAP members with large sums of cash in exchange for defection.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tanya Bamniyal, presiding over the Rouse Avenue Courts, has scheduled the case for pre-summoning evidence on May 4.

CM Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam.

Kapoor contended that AAP's claims of BJP's attempts to poach its members are baseless, saying despite the serious accusations, AAP leaders failed to provide any evidence to support their assertions.

The BJP leader's legal action refers to a tweet by Kejriwal on January 27, where he alleged that the BJP approached seven AAP MLAs with offers of Rs 25 crore each to switch sides.

Kapoor also cited a press conference held by Atishi on April 2, which reiterated similar claims.

Kapoor, who previously issued a legal notice to Atishi for her remarks, demanded retraction and apology for her statements made during the press conference. He also expressed concern over the fallout from Atishi's allegations, indicating that he has been subjected to ridicule and blame due to his association with the BJP.
Bengaluru, April 30 : The Congress in Karnataka on Monday launched a scathing attack against the BJP-JD(S) alliance after an alleged sex scandal involving former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna.

However, Prajwal's father and JD(S) MLA, H.D. Revanna, said that his son would appear for an SIT probe whenever he is asked to.

Earlier on Monday in Belagavi, Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar said: "Prajwal Revanna had unleashed brutality on 300 to 400 women. It is not feasible to remember the count. The victims belong to the age group of 16 to 50 years. Maids and police officers are the victims. It is not known whether the atrocity was committed on the victims after issuing threats. The accused is a pervert sexual offender."

H.D. Revanna is the main accused in the latest FIR lodged by the police and his son and the NDA candidate from Hassan Parliamentary seat, Prajwal Revanna, has been named as the second accused.

"I am getting phone calls from abroad. Why are BJP leaders tight-lipped? Don't they see the plight of women?" Minister Hebbalkar added.

"By pretensions, they (BJP and JD-S) want to hush up the case," she said.

Opposition leader R. Ashoka said the JD(S) must be asked about the sex scandal involving Deve Gowda's grandson.

"The Prime Minister did not speak about it (sex scandal), the accused was made to sit next to him. I am not doing any politics here. I am raising my voice as the Karnataka Women and Child Welfare Minister," Hebbalkar added.

Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar's son Mrinal Hebbalkar is the Congress candidate from the Belagavi Parliamentary constituency, who is pitted against former Chief Minister and BJP candidate Jagadish Shettar.

Meanwhile, H.D. Revanna, the father of the accused Prajwal Revanna, said on Monday that no matter where his son is, he will appear for an inquiry if the SIT issues a summons to him.

Prajwal flew abroad when he did not know that an FIR was lodged against him.

"For four decades the Congress has been pursuing hatred towards the Deve Gowda family. This is not new for our family. The probe was conducted by central agencies like the CID and CBI against our family," H.D. Revanna added.

Refusing to comment on the FIR filed against him of sexual harassment and his son's alleged sex scandal, his comments would be not proper when the SIT is conducting the probe.

Former Chief Minister and State JD(S) President, H.D. Kumaraswamy, said in Shivamogga that there is a conspiracy behind the circulation of alleged sex videos involving Prajwal Revanna.

"Who released them (the sex videos)? They were released three days before the Lok Sabha election. Why was it not released before if they (the victims) wanted justice? Kumaraswamy asked.

"The Karnataka government has formed an SIT, let it conduct a probe and find out the truth," he said.

When asked about the whereabouts of Prajwal Revanna, Kumaraswamy angrily said that how would he know where he is?

"If Prajwal Revanna is guilty, JD(S) would initiate stringent action against him," he added.
Guwahati, April 30 : Reetam Singh, who was arrested by Assam Police from Guwahati for his alleged involvement in spreading a doctored video of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is associated with the Congress war room in the state, a party spokesperson said on Monday.

Bedabrata Borah, the chairperson of the Assam Congress media cell, said, "In the middle of elections, Assam Police have arrested Reetam Singh, the Congress war room coordinator in Assam, for criticising the government's policies which are detrimental to democracy.

"Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah has also condemned the arrest of Reetam Singh and demanded his immediate release," Borah said, adding that Singh shared a video of Home Minister Amit Shah on SC/ST reservations from his personal social media handle.

"Reetam Singh was arrested for a tweet; however, no action was taken against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after he issued a provocative statement to set ablaze Sonia Gandhi's house in the national capital. Thirty cases are pending against Badruddin Ajmal, yet he has not been arrested. The BJP's way of functioning is a threat to democracy," the Congress leader told IANS.

The police had earlier said that Reetam Singh was arrested from Guwahati and a case against him has been lodged at the Panbazar police station. However, the Assam Police have not issued any statement about the accused's connection with the Congress.
Bengaluru, April 30 : Former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna, an accused in the alleged sex video scandal, will be asked to return to India by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), said Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara on Monday.

Speaking to media persons, Parameshwara said that an SIT probe would be complete soon and a report is submitted within 10 to 15 days in such cases.

"In this case, the directions have been given on the time frame to the investigation officers. If not for the time frame, the probe will be conducted for years," he added.

The Home Minister said that an investigation would be conducted and action would be initiated against all the accused mentioned by the victims in the complaint.

"Based on the complaint to the Karnataka State Commission for Women, the state government has formed the SIT led by senior IPS officer B.K. Singh. Two women Superintendents of Police are also part of the team," he added.

"The state government will not interfere in the probe, it is left to the probe agency to take it forward. The Investigating Officers will take the pen drives containing alleged sex videos which will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for verification. The evidence needed to be collected."

"According to official information, the main accused Prajwal Revanna had travelled to a foreign country, he will be called back to India by the SIT," Parameshwara said.

The investigation would be conducted against JD(S) MLA H.D. Revanna against whom the complaint of sexual harassment is lodged separately.

Once the SIT gives a report, the action would be initiated against the accused persons, the Home Minister added.

The SIT officers will probe the matter of the possibility of many more pen drives containing sex videos being prevented from being circulated, Parameshwara said.

The state government is ready to provide security to the complainants and victims if there is a necessity, he added.

Meanwhile, the mother-in-law of one of the victims has said that her daughter-in-law was quiet for five years and lodged a complaint of sexual harassment now.

"Bhavani madam (Prajwal Revanna's mother) has helped us and she stood with our family. She (daughter-in-law) was taken out forcefully and a complaint was lodged. It is being done to bring disrepute to the Deve Gowda family. This is a false complaint," she added.

Meanwhile, the SIT has expedited the probe and managed to locate five victims and received information from them after bringing them to the SIT office, sources said.

The victims included government officers and political leaders.

The victims have recorded their statements in front of Superintendent of Police Seema Latkar, sources added.
At the 2024 Sharjah International Booksellers Conference, held April 2728 in the United Arab Emirates, publishing consultant and former Kinokuniya Bookstores senior director Kenny Chan set the tone for the event. "We are living in a world of unprecedented change," Chan said, noting the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, global political uncertainty, and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. "There's never been a more important time for books and bookselling. I believe we will not only survivebut thrive in the future."

Chan highlighted the conference's packed agenda, featuring keynote speeches, educational workshops for sharing best practices, and networking opportunities to foster business relationships. "I speak on behalf of everybody in this room when I say thank you for all that has been done to make this event possible," Chan stated. "It's incredibly special when book trade professionals gather together like this."

This was being the third time the conference has been held and it attracted more than 550 booksellers and publishing professionals from 76 countries. The two-day meeting primarily drew booksellers from the global SouthIndia was well represented, as were the Gulf States and the continent of Africa .

Sharjah Book Authority chairperson Bodour Al Qasimi's keynote addressed the importance of collaboration in the global publishing industry. "In a world characterized by rapid technological shifts, changing consumer preferences, intense competition and economic pressures, being interconnected and open to collaboration is more vital than ever," Al Qasimi said. "Only by working together and supporting one another can we secure a prosperous future for our industry."

Al Qasimi, who previously served as president of the International Publishers Association, highlighted how the conference brings together diverse professionals from Africa, the Arab region, Asia, South America, and Europe. "This diversity propels us forward, igniting innovation and fostering growth," she said. "Instead of fearing AI, we must embrace it and make the most of its potential to propel us forward."

Recognizing that challenges vary across regions, Al Qasimi nonetheless stressed that "our diversity remains our true strength." She encouraged attendees to engage with colleagues from other markets, listen to unique perspectives, and learn from varied experiences.

The multi-day conference, featuring workshops, networking events and an exhibitor showcase, aims to be "educational, interactive, interesting and useful," Chan said in closing.

The keynote talk was an interview with Andrea Giunti, executive vice president of the Giunti al Punto bookstores, Italys largest chainwith 267 stores and Giunti Editore S.P.A., among Italys largest publishing houses.

Giunti noted that while large "superstore" bookshops were effective in the past, Giunti is now focusing on small to medium-sized neighborhood stores. "Today, if someone wants a specific book, they'll just order it from Amazon," he said. "We focus on bringing books to where people are, whether shopping malls, city centers, train stations or airports."

This approach has allowed Giunti to open 15-20 new stores per year across Italy. The company has a strong presence in southern Italy compared to competitors who concentrate more in the wealthier north. "Sometimes we open in an area with no bookstore at all," Giunti said. "It works really well, and can spur other openings nearby."

When asked about cultivating employee expertise, Giunti emphasized the importance of kindness. "We really want our people to be kind to customers," he said. "It doesn't cost anything and brings great returns. It's the best investment for a bookselling company."

Giunti also touched on the company's loyalty program, a challenge in the Italian fixed book price environment that limits discounts. "We focus more on experiences, events, and the educational side," he explained.

The conversation turned to Giunti's stunning new "Libreria Giunti al Punto" bookstore inside the historic Odeon Cinema in Florence. By day it operates as a bookshop, transforming into a cinema in the evenings. "It was a bet, bringing together two things people think aren't thriving - bookstores and cinemas," Giunti said. "But print is still 80% of sales. We had to turn people away on opening weekend. They come to work in the bookstore like it's a Starbucks."

Giunti sees bookselling as a "responsibility" to bring culture to consumers. "If we sell them a boring book, they might stop reading," he said. "It's a big responsibility, as we know the percentage of readers is connected to a country's GDP. Books can change lives."

The engaging dialogue showcased Giunti's innovative approaches to bookselling, from store location strategy to experiential retail, demonstrating how creative thinking can invigorate the industry. As Giunti put it: "We just want people to see books and be close to them. That's how you grow interest in reading."

Other keynote talks included sessions with prominent Emirati businesswoman Raja Al Gurg, author director of the Easa Sale Al Gurg Group; Emile Tyan, owner of Beiruts Librairie Antoine in Beirut; and with Nadia Wassef, owner of the Diwan bookstore chain in Egypt.

The remainder of the two days offered a roundtable format featuring booksellers leading conversations on topics ranging from curation to marketing to working with literary festivals.

Three Americans led roundtables: Jessica Stockton-Bagnulo, owner of Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn, discussed bookstore partnerships; Brooke ODonnell, managing director of IPG, spoke about working with a U.S. distributor; and this reporter ran a conversation about unorthodox book events.

Im impressed with the number of people who are interested in finding out how to work with the U.S. market, ODonnell said, noting that IPG's drew a range of participants, including booksellers and publishers who wanted to sell Arabic-language books to diaspora populations in the United States.

Stockton-Bagnulo, who was visiting the U.A.E. for the first time, said she was impressed with the scope and organization of the event, saying it reminded her of some of the best bookselling events in the U.S. We have so much to learn from each other, she said.
More than 1,200 booksellers in all 50 states participated in the 11th annual Independent Bookstore Day (IBD), held on April 27. As Heather Atkinson, a bookseller at Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis, put it, the celebration, held on the last Saturday of April each year, has become something of an indie booksellers Christmas.

Many stores partnered on organized crawls for book lovers, who received passports and stamps to mark their progress. Some booksellers in areas with large concentrations of storessuch as Chicagoland, which had 45 participating storeswent so far as to commission shuttle buses to more efficiently transport customers to different locations. (One bookseller reported that she took the opportunity to handsell a favorite read to customers during the bus ride.)

While most passport programs don't require a purchase for a stamp, the San Diego Book Crawl incentivized visitors to spend $10 in each participating store to earn stamps, which entitled them to prizes including totes, mugs, enamel pins, and stickers. Meanwhile, to get ahead of demand, the 28 Twin Cities booksellers participating in IBD started stamping passports a week before the actual day. Some of those bookstores ran out of passports by midday Saturday, including Comma, a Bookshop in Minneapolis, which resorted to stamping small blank cards.

Out west, Seattle also listed 28 bookstores on its passport, and gave store visitors 10 days to fill their cards. The western Washington region hosted a South Sound Book Crawl, coordinated by Invitation Book Shop in Gig Harbor, with 11 more participating stores to the south and west of Seattle. sweet pea Flaherty, owner of King's Books in Tacoma, described Saturday morning as "bonkers."

Special programming also encouraged customers to stop into participating stores. In St. Louis, Left Bank Books held a cocktail party for a trio of authors on IBD, with special libations inspired by each book, which drew a crowd. Also a draw for customers was Libro.fm's "Golden Ticket" giveaway, which entitled lucky shoppers who found a branded ticket hidden in a store's stacks to one free audiobook credit per month for a year.

Local reading groups began getting in on the action this year, too. In Tacoma, a silent book club caffeinated at a coffee shop on Saturday morning ahead of a book binge. Another club planned to get together the next day, April 28, to read and discuss their purchases at a wine bar and a coffeehouse across the street from A Good Book in Sumner, Wash. ("You have to pace yourself," a customer at A Good Book cautioned a zealous friend as they browsed the shelves.)

Sales were robust and booksellers ran low on popular titles including Salman Rushdie's Knife, Leigh Bardugo's The Familiar, Percival Everett's James, and Emily Henry's Funny Story. At Roundabout Books, in Bend, Ore., since 2016, owner Cassie Clemans called IBD "our second-best sales day ever." Clemans said IBD and December 23 tend to bring in Roundabout's strongest sales, and IBD lets her "pay for rent in one day. It makes all the difference, year after year." Zenith Bookstore in Duluth, Minn., called IBD the best sales day in the seven-year history of the store, and in Wichita, Kan., Watermark Books and Cafe reported that IBD surpassed Small Business Saturday. "IBD was definitely our best selling day since the holidays," said Watermark marketing and events manager Abel Velasquez. Clouds and rain in Wichita "perhaps prevented us from passing what we did last year, but it was still our best sell day of the year by a large margin."

An Independent Bookstore Spirit Week served as a warmup to the Saturday celebration, and festivities continued well into Sunday at many stores. After a frantic weekend of ringing up sales and stamping book-crawl passports, many booksellers may be wondering whether IBD should become Indie Bookstore Weekend.

This story has been updated with further information.
In spring 2022, Seven Stories Press editor Greg Ruggiero read a New York Times op-ed that unnerved him. In it, University of Michigan law professor and former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuade discussed the then-upcoming state elections and how several candidates for secretary of statethe office that generally oversees voting in each statewere seeking to use the post as a platform to spread disinformation about the security of U.S. elections.

What I saw in Barbs message was an effort to warn the country about the very real possibility of fascism in America, Ruggiero said. A few days later, Ruggiero emailed McQuade and invited her to expand her op-ed into a book. McQuade replied somewhat bashfully, he recalled, having never written a book before. But an introductory phone call and a few brainstorming sessions later, the two had mapped out what would become Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America.

On February 27, the book landed with a splash, debuting at #3 on the New York Times bestseller list. Seven Stories publicity director Ruth Weiner largely credits McQuade for the books success. McQuade brought with her an audience from her appearances as a legal analyst on NBC News and MSNBC, her popular podcast #SistersInLaw, and some 680,000 followers on X. But there is also the books timely subject matter. The rising threat from disinformation is arguably the most important issue of this historic moment, said Seven Stories founder and publisher Dan Simon.

In Attack from Within, McQuade explores how bad actors at home and abroad are sowing division and eroding trust in the institutions that have sustained American democracy, and how social media platforms have become particularly potent engines of disinformation. The books final section offers several proposed solutions, all of which are anchored by a single core value: an unyielding commitment to the truth, McQuade writes. While we can never rid politics of spin and advocacy, she concludes, we can insist on facts and refuse to perpetuate assertions we know to be lies.

With some 67,000 copies in print so far, the book has resonated with readers. But it also feels especially pertinent for publishers. As trusted institutions, book publishers have long been regarded as bulwarks against disinformation. At the same time, however, book publishers have historically maintained a rather arms-length approach to fact-checking, for the most part putting the onus on authors to guarantee the accuracy of the facts contained in their manuscripts. But with disinformation on the rise, as McQuade argues in her book, is that kind of soft approach to accuracy still sufficient?

McQuade isnt so sure. While we all need to read with a critical eye to avoid being deceived or misled, publishers have a duty to the public to ensure that they are putting out accurate facts, she said. Failing to fact-check strikes me as a recipe for publishing false claims.

Indeed, a scan of the publishing industry headlines suggests a number of recently published books might have benefited from a more rigorous fact-checking approach. Earlier this month, for example, critics took aim at White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy by Paul Waldman and Tom Schaller (Random House), suggesting the authors misread or misused the academic data they relied on to create their political portrayal of white rural Americans. In a scathing piece in the Atlantic, contributing writer Tyler Austin Harper even cited the books shoddy methodologies, misinterpreted data, and distorted studies as evidence of an anti-rural prejudice. And Last November, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadowss publisher, All Seasons Press, actually sued him after media reports suggested that Meadows told federal investigators that he had not seen any evidence of election fraud, seemingly contradicting statements in his book about the election being stolen.

While the political stakes have been raised in recent years, the issue of fact-checking for book publishers is hardly new. In a 2010 PW article, the late Random House publisher Daniel Menaker conceded that in the digital age it was probably time for publishers to revisit their fact-checking practices. Still, total accuracy, he said, will always be an insoluble problem for publishers, primarily due to costs. It would be impossible for publishers to check all their books and still create an economy of scale.

Ruggiero agrees there is no simple answer for publishers, especially in an age when the concern has shifted from James Freys embellishments in A Million Little Pieces, for example, to the kind of false narratives and alternative facts used to undermine our democracy. Better fact-checking might mitigate misinformation, he said, but that does not address the willful attempt to achieve political domination through deception.

At the same time, Ruggiero questions whether publishers can continue to risk passing the buck on accuracy. Indeed, Attack from Within was vetted by professional fact-checkers, which McQuade called an essential step in the books publication process. In addition, Ruggiero and McQuade worked page by page to check and cite sources (some 1,117 citations, to be exact, Ruggiero said).

For Seven Stories, it is a matter of putting public interest over profit, Ruggiero suggestedsomething more publishers may also choose to do in these uncertain times. McQuade concurs: Regardless of our political preferences, without a commitment to truth, we cant expect to make any progress as a society.
Fiction

May 1

The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder (Barbour, $15.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-63609-833-3). In this gothic-tinged Regency, Eliza Ellis attempts to recover repressed memories that could shed light on an unsolved murder.

Nonfiction

May 7

Hell: In Search of a Christian Ecology by Timothy Morton (Columbia Univ., $26.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-231-21471-1). This book explores evangelical Christianity and white supremacys role in fueling the climate crisis and seeks to establish a healthier relationship between religion and ecological politics.

Engage Your Destiny: Practical Ways to Run After Your God-Given Purpose by Ben Peterson (Dexterity, $26.95, ISBN 978-1-947297-96-8). The author, an Army veteran, mines his struggles with addiction, trauma, and abuse to contend that God is present in believers darkest moments.

When God Became White: Dismantling Whiteness for a More Just Christianity by Grace Ji-Sun Kim (IVP, $18 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5140-0939-0). Kim unearths how depictions of a white, male Jesus were fashioned by European Christians and used to undergird colonial societies.

Say Good: Speaking across Hot Topics, Complex Relationships, and Tense Situations by Ashlee Eiland (Nav Press, $16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64158-700-6) aims to help readers engage with diverse perspectives and confidently express their convictions in fraught conversations.

Grieve, Breathe, Receive: Finding a Faith Strong Enough to Hold Us by Steve Carter (W Publishing, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7852-3561-3). The author, a pastor, describes how he found peace through God following a professional crisis and advises readers on healing after setbacks of their own.

Do It Anyway: Dont Give Up Before It Gets Good by Tasha Cobbs Leonard (Waterbrook, $26, ISBN 978-0-593-60087-0). The Grammy Awardwinning artist recounts how Gods strength has fueled her through triumphs and trials, from suffering a devastating miscarriage to releasing her Billboard top 10 gospel album.

Alive with Spirits: The Path and Practice of Animistic Witchcraft by Althaea Sebastiani (Weiser, $18.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-57863-825-3) breaks down a magical practice centered on communing with the land and local spirits.

May 14

Gospeler: Turning Darkness into Light One Conversation at a Time by Willie Robertson (Thomas Nelson, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-4003-3848-1). The Duck Dynasty star shares ways Christians can discuss their faith with friends, family, and neighbors without preaching.

In the Shadow of Freedom: The Enduring Call for Racial Justice by Alessandra Harris (Orbis, $35 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-62698-542-1). Harris takes on mass incarceration, the death penalty, and the war on drugs for a scripturally grounded look at dismantling systemic racism in America.

May 21

30 Rights of Muslim Women: The Definitive Guide by Daisy Khan (Monkfish, $29.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-958972-33-5). Khan outlines Muslim womens religious freedoms and how they can be harnessed through faith-based activism.

Brown Faces, White Spaces: Confronting Systemic Racism to Bring Healing and Restoration (WaterBrook, $27 hardcover, 978-0-593-444825). Morrison argues that God calls the church to stand firmly committed to racial reconciliationand for each one of us to make choices that lead to healing.

May 28

Who Did You See Today? The Power of Outrageous Kindness by Dustin Schadt (B&H, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-4300-8552-2). Schadt suggests that Jesuss love can inspire cynical Christians to better care for friends, family, and strangers.

Empowered to Repair: Becoming People Who Mend Broken Systems and Heal Our Communities by Brenda Salter McNeil (Brazos $19.99, ISBN 978-1-58743-448-8) explains how activists can leverage resources, organize their peers, and avoid long-term burnout through rest and prayer.

The Spirit of Fatherhood by Larry Hagner (Morehouse, $18.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64065-711-3). The founder of Stronger Families shares advice for parenting with faith and purpose, including how to create a Godly home and instill moral values.
A bucolic philosopher. Thats the term used by the Chinese literati to describe author Liu Liangcheng. Born in 1962 in Xinjiang, Liu has written more than 50 books in the past 25 years and even has a literature center named after him that showcases his works such as Bearing Word, Bomba, Drifting Soil, Hollowed Out, In Xinjiang, and A Village of Ones Own. Many of his essays have also been included in the Chinese middle school textbooks and university courses.

Bearing Word, for instance, was published in English by Balestier Press in May 2023; rights for the Arabic, Macedonian, and Nepalese editions has been sold. Set in ancient Xinjiang during a turbulent time, this 340-page fable revolves around Ku, a folk messenger and polyglot, and Xie, a donkey that understands what humans are saying and can communicate with every creature out there, including ghosts. Ku, tasked to deliver the donkey to a hostile country thousands of miles away, then embarks on a journey that crosses battlefields and deserts while bearing witness to incredible life and death.

In Bearing Word, Liu delves deep into the changesthrough faith, love, power, and warin the human soul. He strikes a harmonic balance between human and nature, which essentially boils down to his own writing philosophy and belief that everything has a spirit, says deputy editor-in-chief Lu Zhizhou of Yilin Press, a subsidiary of Phoenix Publishing and Media Group (PPMG) that specializes in Chinese and translated literary titles.

For Lu, Bearing Word is also about translation. As Ku notes in the story: All languages from distant places felt like dream talk. He further acknowledges the transformative power of translation, pointing out that the difference between languages is so great, translating between them is like herding out a flock of goats in the morning and finding theyd turned into dogs by afternoon. Translation is the engine that enables our authors and their works to go global and cross different cultural and language barriers, and so these observations from Kuand by default, from the authorare particularly illuminating not just for us at Yilin Press but for everybody in the publishing, translation, and rights business, Lu says.

Then there is Bomba, the novel that won the 11th Mao Dun Literature Award last year. In the Chinese publishing circle, Bomba is lauded as a majestic saga in the same vein as Francois Rabelaiss Giant accompanied by a quixotic sense of innocence. Lius mastery in turning oral tradition and folk stories into this highly imaginative and philosophical fiction has been frequently compared to that of Calvinos, adds Lu.

In Mongolian epic, bombaoriginally means a treasure vaserefers to the mothers womb for all human beings and living things. Lius Bomba draws on Jangar, Mongolias best-known epic poem, which describes the bitter struggle of 12 great warriors and thousands of brave soldiers defending their homeland.

In Lius story, bomba is the name of the grassland where storyteller Qi and his people live, and where people remain forever at the age of 25, free from aging or death. During the cold nights on the way eastward, they recite the Jangar epic together, telling the story of three children and their games, and lead the tribe out of the harsh conditions, thus changing their destiny.

Bomba traces the lost childhood and innocence of mankind. It tells the world ancient and novel Chinese stories with words full of dreamy and philosophical thoughts. It seeks to take readers back to the original meaning of the world through dreams, games, and stories, and allow them to see themselves in another time, says Lu.

Bearing Word and Bomba are among the many bestselling works that Yilin Press had published since its 1988 inception. Its catalog, which has more than 500 new titles every year, includes top authors such as Yu Hua, Ge Fei, Ye Zhaoyan, A Yi, and Lu Min. Our social science titlesContemporary Chinese Visual Culture, Daughter of Dunhuang, and The Theory of Moral Capital, for instance are known domestically and proven influential abroad, says Lu, adding that Yilin Press has copublishing programs with multinational publishers such as Simon & Schuster, Springer, and Taylor & Francis. To-date, our imprint has sold rights to over 160 publishers in more than 50 countries.
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o Reserve Auction. Build a mobile home or live on an RV here on this 1.09-acre land lot in Apache County, Arizona. Petrified Forest Estate Unit 2 Lot 17, Sun Valley-Puerco.Parcel Number 211-25-017. A dirt road across the lot enhances the value of this land(N7160). Please see all the pictures. This lot is close to the town of Sanders. Access via dirt roadbeautiful real estate lot. The title will transfer via a special warranty deedno back taxes or liens. No time limit restrictions to build....

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Pop music star Taylor Swift took to social media Sunday to thank her fans for their support of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, which was released on April 19.

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"My mind is blown. I'm completely floored by the love you've shown this album. 2.6 million ARE YOU ACTUALLY SERIOUS??" Swift wrote in her weekend post.

"Thank you for listening, streaming, and welcoming Tortured Poets into your life. Feeling completely overwhelmed. I was already so fired up to get back to the tour but you doing THIS?? May 9th can't come soon enough."

Her 11th studio album -- which was released as two versions, the second of which has 15 extra songs -- includes the title track, as well as "Fortnight," "Florida!!" and "thanK you aIMee."
Why would someone like you ever need body armor? This was a question my soon-to-be-ex-wife asked me around Christmas 2023. (And, no, that question alone isnt the reason were getting divorced.) At the time, us both knowing the sh*t we were going through, I joked, Sometimes I just want a tight, heavy embrace.

I referenced her weighted blanket and inserted my own standard of sarcasm  a fine mix of truth and snide humor. But her question did get me thinking: Why, indeed?

I am 100 percent civilian. And in the context of armor-manufacturer brand speak  where its important to further classify context  Im a law-abiding and/or concerned citizen. My training background is mostly competition-focused, with a small degree of personal defense as it relates EDC and home security. I can likely electric slide better than I can Groucho walk.

But Im highly intentional in most aspects of my life, especially when it comes to self-sustainability and protecting the ones I love. Below are some reasons why every civilian should consider investing in body armor, followed by insight as to why they shouldnt.

THE WORLD CHANGED FOUR YEARS AGO  AND NOT FOR THE BETTER.

During our interview for our Issue 72 piece 7 Lifesaving Skills Every Gun Owner Should Know, Wesley Medical trauma director Dr. David Acuna shared how shootings went up significantly at the start of COVID and havent gone down.

COVID made it worse and it never got better, said Acuna. Society changed. It wasnt just COVID, but were also going through a lot of social unrest in cities. And I think the populations attitude toward law enforcement and just social norms just took a dive.

And it affected society in a way that has not recovered. Our data here [at Wesley Medical Center] also reflects national data. And so we were in the low single digits in 2019, probably like 3 to 4 percent of our penetrating trauma [which includes both gunshots and stabbings]. I think in 21, we dropped back down to the 8-percent range.

But alarming world trends extend well beyond COVID.

Todd Meeks is the president of Spartan Armor Systems based in Tucson, Arizona. Approximately 75 percent of their sales are to concerned citizens (the remaining customers being law enforcement and military).

As a result of the controversy at the Mexican border, his company has seen an increase in purchases from ranchers and other civilians in the region.

So thats kind of a unique situation being close to the Mexico border, Meeks said. The other reason is with active shooters in schools and stuff like that were starting to see a lot more school safety officers.

Were selling more to schools these days for them, Meeks said. Theyre keeping it in their office, and then if theres an active shooter situation, they have it. Again, thats not so much civilian.

But Spartan Armor Systems also sees a high volume of their purchases originating from civilians in higher-risk jobs such as convenience-store clerks, dispensary staff, bank tellers, post-office personnel, or even mail carriers. A lot of these workers opt for soft, concealable armor.

And I think a lot of times its more about things that hit close to home, said Meeks. So if youve had an incident in your area, we will definitely see an increase. It makes people feel safer.

Sometimes thats half the battle, too, said Meeks. Instead of doing nothing, youre doing something.

Weapons, cartridges, and load-development have all evolved, and body-armor manufacturers are keeping pace both for compliance purposes, but to also protect against emerging threats. Comfortable options, including models designed specifically for women, are also expanding.

In December 2023, the NIJ put out the following statement:

In early 2024, the NIJ Compliance Testing Program will stop accepting new armor models for testing under the old version of the standard. Behind the scenes, the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) will use NIJ Standard 0101.07 to accredit ballistics laboratories and, in spring 2024, the program will begin testing, evaluation, and certification of ballistic-resistant body armor to the updated standard. Law enforcement agencies should expect to see body armor certified by NIJ to the 0101.07 standard sometime in late 2024 or early 2025.

While armor and bullets may seem like the most attractive option, exercise equipment might do more to save your life in the long term.

The NIJ Compliance Testing Program is NIJs body armor certification program. It involves testing armor to protect against common handgun, rifle, and stab threats. The program ensures law enforcement, military, and even law-abiding citizens can know what body armor meets their minimum performance requirements.

The performance standard has been revised six times since the first version was published over half a century ago. According to the NIJ, these updates are vital to maintain an appropriate response to the ever-evolving weapons arsenal being produced worldwide.

For concerned-civilian consumers looking to purchase armor, its advised to check if plates are NIJ certified (versus just tested). Certification is a lengthy, expensive process for manufacturers, but that certification ensures your purchase will protect you according to the specifications set forth by the NIJ.

For info, check out our Body Armor 101 at RECOILweb.com.

To actually go through a true NIJ certification, youre sending for Level IV, I think we sent 50 to 60 plates, said Meeks. Theres conditioning involved, including submersion tests where theyre underwater, some even scratched as part of conditioning.

The conditioning is what will make most people that try to get their end plates NIJ certified  that conditioning will kill you [as a manufacturer]. It is the biggest expense, but legitimacy matters.

LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS BUYING BODY ARMOR MAKES IT EASIER FOR MORE LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS TO BUY BODY ARMOR.

Firstly, understand your state laws  specifically if you reside in New York, California, Illinois, or Connecticut. In New York, civilians cannot purchase any body armor unless the state deems their profession warrants it.

In Connecticut, purchases must be made face-to-face. Both California and Illinois are trying to pass legislation to restrict or eliminate the purchase of body armor. Spartan Armor Systems actually has a blog posted titled Body Armor Laws by State 2023: Know Your Rights, which they will be updating soon for 2024.

If were honest, most of us would be adequately served with a low profile Level III vest, rather than hard plates.

Matthew Davis is the founder and CEO at WarBird Protection, which just recently released a line of NIJ-

certified Level II to IIIA soft body armor. Davis has been heavily involved in the body-armor industry for the past 50 years. He has seen how federally funded military engineering has driven innovation, but also appreciates how big contracts, alongside civilian investments, have benefited the market for concerned citizens.

The military funds tons of research programs, and they generate specifications for armor that challenge the art of the possible, said Davis. They really push manufacturers and our suppliers to collaborate on our research and development programs. This results in a ton of new technology, which then spills over into the law enforcement and civilian markets.

For Spartan Armor Systems, when COVID hit, they were dealing with bottlenecks in terms of facility space, storage, manufacturing, and shipping. But then 16 million people became first-time gun owners, and just as toilet paper was in high demand, so was body armor.

Early on, we were outsourcing our laser cutting, said Meeks.

During COVID [thanks to increased sales], we brought on a 4,000-watt Trumpf laser. We had to build a customized gantry and a crane to pick up the sheets of steel. The state of emergency during that time allowed us to do that. It allowed us and some of the other players in the industry to grow.

Spartan Armor Systems purchased an autoclave to align with industry best practices for manufacturing Level IV plates. We vacuum bag the ceramic material and then its got a composite backer, and that autoclave allows that composite material to bind to the ceramic, Meeks said. All the big players and all the real players in the industry use an autoclave to manufacture their Level IV plates.

While technological advancements are mainly the result of Department of Defense (DOD) spending and contracts for military engineering, the more body armor civilians purchase, the easier we make it for manufacturers to justify production costs and source raw materials domestically. A higher shipping volume leads to shipping discounts for manufacturers and facilitates quick delivery, and overall, a distribution infrastructure that helps get gear to those who need it yesterday.

IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.

Seems obvious, no? But what setup saves your life, and what slows you down  its potentially a lifesaving decision.

Theres the saying that ounces are pounds and pounds are pain, said Gabriel Todd, vice president for business development at Vecro Materials, a company that remains the only company in the world that has successfully completed the NIJs administrative clarification for scalar armors. We call it an imbricated armor system, said Todd.

Increasing protection by using trauma plates over vital organs is a way to balance weight with resistance to threats.

Verco Materials manufactures body armor that draws into and molds to the body. This scalar or imbricated armor is certified by the NIJ to stop a 7.6251 (M80 FMJ) traveling at 2,800 feet per second. It remains exclusive to military and law enforcement, but Todd, with over 15 years of experience in the engineering of body armor, understands the trickle-down-technology benefits to the civilian market.

I kind of think of it the same way as we think of like NASA funding, said Todd. What is your mission set? What are you willing to negotiate on and what are you actually not willing to negotiate on?

If youre putting on your body armor and a rucksack and youre rucking it  you know 10, 20 clicks  yeah, but if youre not used to wearing armor and youre not in shape for that armor, theres actually the greater chance of injury by wearing more weight than you need.

Preparing yourself for the most likely, highest level of threat is the general consensus.

You should be preparing yourself for all cases and that means being physically and mentally fit, said Todd.

If youre law enforcement or military and youre wearing it all day, every day, you have to weigh the real possibility of fatigue injuries versus the statistical chance of an encounter. If youre a civilian not having to do that all day, every day, but youre keeping yourself fit enough that you can throw it on when you need to then you can probably put up with quite a lot more.

Statistically speaking, said Todd, something like 96 percent or even more of all firearm encounters are with handguns. So if youre looking at things from a statistical point of view, some of this becomes even null and void because the possibility of you encountering something that needs more than soft armor is really low.

Balance the level of protection with the perceived threat. Soft armor may be a better option offering better coverage if youre most likely to face adversaries armed with handguns.

WarBird Protection, with its offering of soft body armor, has invested in this understanding. There are over 3,000 documented cases where police officers have been saved by their bulletproof vest. Body armor works, and it can serve as a critical component to keeping you and your family safe, said Davis. When selecting body armor, its important to perform a threat assessment. What type of weapons are you likely to encounter? On the streets of America, this is most likely handguns ranging from 9mm to .44 Magnum.

Theres a reason why police officers wear soft body armor when out on patrol, said Davis. Its standard issue equipment that aligns with the most likely threats they face in the line of duty. Heavier plates and tactical armor have their place, but they are reserved for active shooter response and SWAT teams who commonly engage in high-risk situations.

A SLICK PLATE CARRIER SERVES TO ASK BOTH THE LITERAL AND FIGURATIVE QUESTION: WHAT COMES NEXT?

A plate carrier, plates inserted, still slick with nothing secured to MOLLE webbing  it serves as a blank canvas. What comes next?

A 5.56 placard? Pistol-magazine pouches? TQ holder? IFAK? All which beg the question  how trained are you with what youre adding?

The general rule is as follows: Make holes. Stop holes. Plug holes.

So then, what are your groupings from 100 yards offhand with a rifle? Whats your draw-to-shot time with a pistol, and hows that Bill Drill coming along? How far from a wound should you twist down a tourniquet? Can you recognize arterial bleeding from venous?

If youre reading this and arent sure, perhaps its less of a question of what to add to that plate carrier packed with armor, but rather: What do I invest in prior to body armor?

Before spending on these things, said Todd, think about spending money on a medical course, on a field aid course or an outdoors aid course  because the reality is if youre trying to be prepared, you are far more likely to encounter a car accident.

What medical aid is needed immediately? God forbid, but the reality is that even for your family, if youre trying to be prepared, youre far more likely to encounter a medical situation.

If youre on the job, the next steps are pretty clear, said Davis. If youre a civilian whos enhancing their personal security, we recommend you seek out some professional training. There are great concealed-carry and home-defense instructors out there who can provide you with the proper training.

Bottom line: Training will always trump gear. Preparedness is far more than what hangs from a 35-pound-capacity hook. Brain over brawny hard armor, as the saying goes. The NIJ cannot classify what level sits between your ears. Only you can. Invest wisely.

Reach out to me on Instagram

(@WildGameJack) with any questions or comments.

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Pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered at the Arch in downtown Athens on Monday afternoon in support of the 16 arrested on campus earlier that day. Following several pro-Palestine encampments set up at colleges around the country, a group of demonstrators held an encampment at the Old College in North Campus that lasted for an hour and a half before UGA police and administration shut it down. 16 of the initial demonstrators were arrested, sparking outrage and prompting the rally at the Arch.
Payments banks are expecting to get the rights to offer small-ticket loans sometime soon, according to an industry source familiar with the matter.

The industry has been in talks with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for some time in seeking lending rights.

At a time when many payments banks are struggling, allowing them to provide loans could help improve their margins, a senior executive from one such bank told Business Standard.

The RBI regulations currently bar payments banks from offering loans to customers.

However, these banks can offer loans to employees using their own resources, adhering to a board-approved policy that specifies the limits on such loans.

Queries emailed to the RBI and the finance ministry on a possible change to lending norms for payments banks remained unanswered until the time of going to press.

The entire concept of payments banks was to address the needs of merchants, including lending and other services.

"So, it would be a welcome move if lending was permitted. Otherwise, with the current model, payments banks may be heading towards closure, said a former executive of a payments bank.

In August 2015, the RBI granted licences to 11 payments banks, of which five surrendered their licences without starting operations, leaving only six players in the segment: Airtel Payments Bank, Paytm Payments Bank, India Post Payments Bank, Fino Payments Bank, NSDL Payments Bank, and Jio Payments Bank.

Recently, the RBI stopped Paytm Payments Bank from accepting deposits and adding new customers, thereby shutting its operations.

Payments banks are allowed to receive deposits of up to Rs 2 lakh per customer but cannot lend.

The 2014-15 Budget presented by then finance minister Arun Jaitley had introduced a new framework for licensing various types of banks, including payments banks.

In the last few years, payments banks have established a large network across the country. If lending is allowed, customers can both withdraw money and get loans from the same place.

"Since payments banks have a lot of customer data linked to digital activity, it will ensure sustainability and stability of this model.

"They can start with small loans and then move into more secure loan segments, said another executive of a payments bank.

"Technology is one of our biggest expenses.

"Right now, we invest deposits in government securities and fixed deposits, resulting in very low net interest margins.

"Offering small loans will give us better margins and create a more sustainable model, one of the officials quoted above said.

Batting for new model
Taiwan is keen to collaborate with India and help it become a leader in the semiconductor space, Jason Ho, chairman of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce in India, said, asserting that the Taiwanese companies have the supply chain for things that the Indian market needs.

Photograph: Jason Lee/Reuters

Manufacturing semiconductors  used in electric and hybrid cars, drones, and communication devices  is fairly complicated, entails huge investment, and can be a cumbersome process.

Since Taiwan has already established itself as one of the key global chipmakers, collaboration with India in this space can be a win-win for both sides.

India has strengths such as designing capability and market demand.

"We have sufficient capacity that can be allocated to India since Taiwanese companies have the supply chain for things that the Indian market needs, Ho told Business Standard.

Taiwan already has enough capacity for 28 nanometer (nm) chips, which is also Indias focus area to cater to the needs of the telecom and automobile sectors.

In the future, India need not invest money in this space.

"While I agree with the Modi governments Make in India programme, in a high-tech industry like semiconductor, it may not work, and the focus should be on collaboration, he said.

Some Taiwanese companies are relocating their manufacturing base to India in a bid to diversify supply chains, amid growing tensions with China.

In the last year, foreign direct investment inflow from Taiwan has increased and the number of companies investing has grown to 290 from 150.

They have made investments, primarily in the electronics, information and communication technology, petrochemicals, steel, shipping, footwear manufacturing, automotive and motorcycle components, finance, and construction industries.

Collaboration of small and medium enterprises is another focal area.

Both sides have strengthened cooperation in important areas of policy sharing, technological assistance, innovation, entrepreneurship and business incubation, market development, as well as capacity and capability building.

Trade

The bilateral trade in 2023 amounted to approximately $8.224 billion, down 2.78 per cent during the same period a year ago.

No free trade agreement (FTA) currently exists between the two countries, although some discussions were held a few years ago but without much progress.

We need more investment between countries and a free trade agreement can also push that, Ho said.

India is the 16th largest trading partner of Taiwan.

Taiwan's exports to India reached $6.013 billion in 2023, marking a 13 per cent growth, and positioning India as the 12th largest export market for Taiwan.

On the import side, Taiwan imported goods worth $2.211 billion from India, a decrease of 29.62 per cent from 2022.

India stands as the 25th largest import source for Taiwan.
'Not just Maharashtra, the Congress has not fielded even one Muslim candidate from Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa.'

IMAGE: Women voters shows their ink-marked fingers after casting their vote during phase-I voting for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 at Duliajan in Dibrugarh, Assam. April 19, 2024. Kindly note the image has only been posted for representational reasons. Photograph: ANI Photo

"If I go for campaigning and ask minority community members to vote for the Congress, they would definitely question me why should they vote for the Congress when the party couldn't give even one ticket to a Muslim."

Naseem Khan, who quit the Maharashtra campaign committee, tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com why he is upset with the Congress party.

What made you take this decision?

I have listed the reason in my letter to party President Mallikarjun Kharge. I am a five-time minister and also a prominent face of the minority community in the Congress. I am also the working president, Maharashtra Congress and I am also a senior Congress leader.

All the workers, leaders and minority community organisations have been calling me since yesterday (April 25, 2024) expressing their concern about the Congress attitude of not giving even a single ticket to a member of the community from Maharashtra.

And there are 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state (as per the seat-sharing formula decided by the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), the Sena got 21 seats, Congress 17 and NCP (SP) 10 seats).

These workers are asking me questions about why the Congress couldn't field even a single Muslim candidate from Maharashtra. And I am unable to give them a satisfactory answer. There is no face-saver for a senior leader like me in front of my community.

To express my feelings of being ignored, I have withdrawn my name as a star campaigner from the third phase of the Lok Sabha election. I did campaign during the first two phases of this campaign and since there were two more seats yet to be filled from the Congress quota I had hopes that I would get a Congress ticket.

Are you upset you were not given the ticket to contest from the Mumbai North Central constituency?

I am not upset because I did not get a ticket from this constituency. I am upset because the Congress couldn't field even a single minority community member to contest the Lok Sabha election.

Were you hopeful of getting the Mumbai North Central seat? You have been a former MLA from Chandivali, which is one of the Vidhan Sabha segments of this constituency.

I am a four-time MLA and I did not harbour any hopes of getting a Lok Sabha ticket. It was the Congress which told me two months ago that I will be given the Mumbai North Central seat and asked me to start preparations.

IMAGE: Naseem Khan, left, with Congress leader D K Shivkumar, right, and then Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora, centre. Deora quit the Congress and joined Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena. Photograph: PTI Photo

Why do you think the Congress did not field a single member of a minority community, especially a Muslim, from any of the 17 seats it was allotted?

You need to speak about it to Kharge sahab and (K C) Venugopal sahab (the general secretary, Congress [Organisation]). In my letter to the party president I have expressed my sentiments and have informed him that I am resigning from the campaign committee.

If I go for campaigning now and ask minority community members to vote for the Congress. they would definitely cross question me as to why should they vote for the Congress when the party couldn't give even one ticket to a Muslim.

Not just Maharashtra, the Congress has not fielded even one Muslim candidate from Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Goa.

Why do you think this has happened?

I don't know. Only the Delhi leaders who make decisions will know why. The Maharashtra and Mumbai unit of the Congress had unanimously passed a decision that at least one member of the Muslim community should be given a ticket.

The AICC (All India Congress Committee, the party's apex decision making body) members who took this decision and ignored the unanimous decision of the state and Mumbai unit should know the reasons.

Are you going to discuss this matter with either Rahul or Sonia Gandhi?

I will definitely lodge a complaint with them and let them know how I have been ignored. The Congress ideology has always believed in taking people of all religions together and the Maharashtra Congress always had the tradition of giving at least two tickets to the Muslims.

In your assessment, will the Muslims turn away from the Congress because not a single Muslim has been given a ticket from these states as you pointed out?

Muslims are obviously upset, angry and disappointed with this attitude of the Congress. I can't hazard a guess if this will have any impact on how Muslims will vote.

During your campaign, did you feel that the Muslims in Maharashtra are getting attracted to the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasheb Thackeray) party?

I don't think the Muslims are gravitating towards the SS (UBT), but the Muslims definitely will vote against the BJP government's ten-year misrule and will definitely support the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
'After a month of working on the new machine, I realised that the black glass on the VVPAT lets the programmer manipulate not just the electronic system, but the paper vote too.'

'And it will not be detected even during the mock poll or the actual voting because of the black glass.'

IMAGE: An electoral officer demonstrates the functioning of EVMs and VVPATs to polling officials during a training programme for the Lok Sabha polls in Kullu, April 26, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Supreme Court, on April 16, 2024 while hearing petitions seeking 100% cross-verification of votes cast through VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) said, 'The problem arises when there is human intervention that makes unauthorised changes when they are around the software or the machine.'

As people's trust over EVMs (Electronic Voting Machine) wanes and the debate on whether can be manipulated or not rages on, Rahul Mehta, an alumnus of IIT-Delhi, developed an EVM to demonstrate that the machines could be manipulated.

Mehta demonstrated that how the EVM and VVPAT (VVPAT unit produces a paper slip that is visible to the voter on the transparent screen for about seven seconds) can be manipulated.

Before the interview, Mehta, who is also president of the Right to Recall Party, showed Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier how the machine can be manipulated.

"The only solution is giving the option of ballot paper to the voter," insists Rahul Mehta.

IMAGE: A sealed Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at a polling station in Alipurduar district in West Bengal, April 19, 2024, after the end of the first phase of the general election. Photograph: Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters

When did you start getting the suspicion that EVMs could be manipulated?

The first anti-EVM article I wrote was in 1989 in the college magazine when I was a 4th year student at IIT-Delhi after reading reports that 19% of EVMs were defective from day 1.

In 2003 when I came to know that EVMs would be used all over India, we started the EVM Hatao movement.

That's because the manipulation can as simple as putting a remote control inside the machine to change any number of votes.

In 2011, I gave a demonstration that the machine can be manipulated. The Supreme Court sat on this issue for another two-and-a-half years and said in 2013 that there should be VVPAT. But even in 2017, only 5% booths had paper VVPAT.

I started thinking how the paper vote shown in VVPAT could be manipulated. But I could not find out for 8 years.

In 2019, a friend of mine sent me pictures of the new EVM plus VVPAT saying they looked different. Yes, they looked different, and it took me some time to notice that the glass colour had changed.

What I saw in 2014 had a transparent ordinary glass, but the one we saw in 2019 had black glass.

After a month of working on the new machine, I realised that the black glass on the VVPAT lets the programmer manipulate not just the electronic system, but the paper vote too. And it will not be detected even during the mock poll or the actual voting because of the black glass.

Remember in 2014 itself, it was shown that electronic votes could be manipulated.

In 2019, I found that even the paper vote also could be manipulated in such a way that nobody would suspect any foul play.

But it took me 8 years to find out how paper manipulation in the VVPAT could be done.

So, in my opinion the proposal asking for 100% counting of VVPAT slips is ridiculous.

IMAGE: An electoral officer demonstrates the functioning of the EVM and VVPAT) during a training programme for polling officials ahead of the Lok Sabha elections at Tezpur in Sonitpur, Assam, April 12, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Why do you think the Election Commission changed the transparent glass to black?

I have no idea. They have not answered my questions.

Even in the 200 FAQs on VVPAT, it was not mentioned that they had installed a black glass.

There are two glasses in VVPAT: One glass in the front and another glass behind the glass. The effect of these two glasses is that a voter will not be able to see whether there is a paper behind the glass. Only when the light inside is turned on can the voter see the paper.

The interesting thing is, no political party objected to it when the Election Commission changed the glass. I have shown this to all political parties, but they showed no interest. No Supreme Court lawyer showed any interest.

It was only in April 2024 when appearing for Association for Democratic Reforms that Prashant Bhushan told the court, 'It had to be a transparent glass, but it was changed to dark opaque mirror glass where it is only visible when the light is on for 7 seconds.'

IMAGE: A polling official with the EVM leaves ahead of the first phase of voting in Sonitpur, April 18, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Do you think the political parties didn't react because of ignorance?

I would say, deliberate ignorance!

I have shown this demo to a large number of senior political leaders across all parties from December 2019 onwards.

I will go on to say that every political party supported EVMs and EVM black glass. Their opposition to EVM is only lip service.

The pro-EVM lobby floods YouTube and social media with so much news that real news does not get noticed.

Today, even the Supreme Court judges had to accept that EVMs could be manipulated.

Technical experts across the world have demonstrated that the electronic part of the machine is not reliable.

IMAGE: Election officials count postal ballots from the North Kolkata Lok Sabha constituency at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, May 23, 2019. Photograph: ANI Photo

That's why countries that had tried the electronic machine went back to paper ballots...

But in India, this is still going on.

The Election Commission in India has been saying from 2017 that elections in India have not been conducted with EVMs alone and but with paper ballots also as VVPAT has paper inside.

IMAGE: EVMs and VVPATs are brought to the strong room after polling in Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, April 20, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

But the voter does not get to touch the paper, she or he can only see it. The voter doesn't get a chance to put it in a box.

Who took the decision not to give the paper slip from VVPAT to the voter? The Congress party in 2013.

IMAGE: Rahul Mehta. Photograph: Kind courtesy Rahul Mehta IMAGE: Rahul Mehta.

The Congress took the decision that the paper slip should directly fall into the box.

The fact is, you have to redesign the whole machine if you want to give the slip to the voter.

So, what can be done to stop possible manipulation of EVMs-VVPATs?

The only solution is giving the option of ballot paper to the voter.

In every constituency, there about 20 lakh (2 million) voters, 10,000 to 15,000 voters use postal ballots. It means the paper ballot design is already there with the collector. All s/he has to do is print 20 lakh instead of 10,000-15,000 ballot papers.

Also, panchayat and municipal elections use paper ballots.

It means the government staff has all the experience to handle paper ballots and ballot boxes.

IMAGE: Polling officials leave for their respective polling stations after collecting EVMs and other election material ahead of the first phase of voting in Tinsukia, April 18, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

In such a scenario, why do we need EVMs at all?

We don't need EVMs at all.

Right now, my proposal is that you give the option of EVMs or paper ballot to the voter. If s/he has faith in the EVM, let her/him use the EVM. If not, let the voter use paper ballot.

The EVM that they use is useless as the black glass helps in manipulation.

IMAGE: Members of Mission Save Constitution protest at the Patiala House Court in New Delhi, January 5, 2024, demanding an EVM free election. Photograph: Amit Sharma/ANI Photo

A recent survey found that 50% of the people polled did not have faith in EVMs...

In the surveys we have conducted, we have found that more than 70% of the people do not trust the EVMs.

But the Supreme Court says it does not trust private opinion polls.

What prevents the government or the court from conducting a survey on whether people trust EVMs or not?

IMAGE: A Samajwadi Party hoarding stating 'EVM Hatao Ballot Lao' outside the party office in Lucknow, December 13, 2023. Photograph: Amit Sharma/ANI Photo

So, in your opinion, we should go back to ballot papers?

Yes. But we need to modify the ballot papers to stop invalid votes.

Now that we have NOTA, the number of invalid votes will decrease.

Another modification that needs to be done is the border space between two candidates should be thick so that the ink stain will not spill over.

There should be CCTV cameras in all the booths.

Also, counting can be done right after you finish the day's voting. If it happens, there will be no movement of ballot boxes.

I will go on to say that ballot papers are cheaper than EVMs.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Thirty-six out of the 266 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat have criminal cases against them, with some also facing attempt to murder and dacoity charges, as per an analysis of their affidavits by the Association for Democratic Reforms.

IMAGE: Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel (second from left) during a public meeting for the Lok Sabha polls, in Panchmahal, Gujarat, April 28, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Elections to 25 out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7. The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Surat seat has already been declared elected unopposed.

"Out of the 266 candidates, 36, or 14 percent, have criminal charges against them, as per details provided by them in the affidavits. Out of them, 21, or 8 percent, have serious criminal cases against them," ADR's Gujarat coordinator Pankti Jog told reporters in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Serious criminal cases are those which attract a maximum punishment of 5 years or more, are non-bailable, related to murder, rape, kidnapping, bribery, assault, causing loss to the exchequer, crimes against women, hate speech, and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, she said.

Among the major parties, out of the 25 BJP candidates, four, or 15 percent, have criminal cases against them, with two facing serious charges, as per the data of ADR, which is an electoral reform advocacy group.

Out of the 23 Congress candidates, six, or 26 percent, are named in criminal cases, with three facing serious charges, showed the ADR analysis of the Election Commission data.

Tribal leaders Anant Patel and Dilip Vasava, contesting from Valsad and Bharuch seats respectively, are facing cases on charges of attempt to murder.

Patel is the Congress candidate, while Vasava is the Bharat Adivasi Party nominee.

Aam Aadmi Party candidate Chaitar Vasava and independent nominee Ismail Patel, both constesting from Bharuch seat, have the highest number of 13 criminal cases each against them.

The cases against Chaitar Vasava include dacoity, sexual harassment, abetment of suicide and hate speech, as per the ADR data.

Ismail Patel is facing various charges including dacoity, forgery and voluntarily causing hurt.

Out of the total 118 independent candidates, 18 have criminal cases against them, with 11 facing serious charges, the ADR said showed.

Anant Patel is also accused in cases of attempt to murder, dacoity and voluntarily causing hurt. In one case, he was also convicted and fined Rs 99.

Dilip Vasava, who is facing the charge of attempt to murder, was sentenced to three years imprisonment in 2016. He has filed an appeal against the court order which is currently pending, the data showed.

Chaitar Vasava was sentenced to 6-month imprisonment and fined Rs 1,000 in one of the cases.

Independent candidate from Kheda seat, Hitesh Parmar, is facing charges of stalking and criminal intimidation, according to the data.

Congress' Banaskantha seat candidate Geniben Thakor has a case pending related to abetment of suicide, said the data.
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) have arrested six more persons in Rajasthan in connection with an inter-state drug racket and unearthed a fourth manufacturing lab in Sirohi district with the seizure of narcotics worth Rs 45 crore, officials said on Monday.

IMAGE: Gujarat Police ATS and NCB had unearthed four drugs-making units in Gujarat and Rajasthan on April 27, 2024. Photograph: X

The NCB and ATS, after about three months of "intensive" technical and ground surveillance, had on April 27 busted three "clandestine" drug manufacturing labs in Rajasthan and Gujarat leading to the seizure of 300 kg of narcotics and arrest of seven persons, according to NCB Deputy Director General (Operations) Gyaneshwar Singh.

A total of 149 kgs of mephedrone or 'meow meow' drug (both in powder and liquid form), 50 kg ephedrine, and 200 litres of acetone was recovered from the three labs located in Bhinmal of Jalore district and Osian in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, the officer said.

On Sunday, six drug dealers, including the mastermind of the Rajasthan network, who were part of the same network were arrested. These persons were involved in the purchase of raw materials from suppliers in Gujarat for making mephedrone drug, the officials said.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the accused used to manufacture drugs in their laboratories and dispose of this entire material in just a month. For this, they used nail polish or paint remover, which has deleterious effects on the human body, as the base material, they said.

Joint Director (NCB) Ghanshyam Soni, in a statement on Monday, said drugs worth Rs 45 crore have been seized from the lab in Sirohi.

Soni said the drugs seized from Jodhpur's Osian are being investigated by teams of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and added, "Only after the completion of this investigation, the worth of the drug could be ascertained".

Those arrested on Sunday have been identified as mastermind Kuldeep Singh Rajpurohit and his accomplices Rajaram Meghwal, Bajrang Lal Bishnoi, Deepak Solanki, Shiv Ratan Agarwal and Rampratap, the officer added.

Jodhpur (Rural) Superintendent Dharmendra Singh Yadav said the team is also trying to nab Jagdish Bishnoi, who is an aide of Rampratap.

Rampratap ran a medical store in Osian and the drug manufacturing lab was set up in the same premises behind the shop.

Yadav said the police picked up Rampratap from his house early morning following an input that he had been operating a laboratory for manufacturing narcotic drugs in Osian.

"Rampratap disclosed that they had set up the drug manufacturing lab in Osian nearly three months ago and had brought chemicals from Gujarat to manufacture mephedrone, but they were apprehended before they could start preparing the drug," said Yadav.

During interrogation, it came to light that the drug supply had already begun from the lab in Jalore district's Sanchor, falling near Rajasthan-Gujarat border, while manufacturing in Osian was yet to begin.

According to the accused, both these labs were set up three to four months ago. They used to procure raw materials from Gujarat on Rajpurohit's instructions and prepare the drug to be sold in local areas.

The local police along with the NCB and ATS have now swung into action to get to the roots of this racket. The mastermind of the drug gang operating in Rajasthan, Kuldeep Singh, would operate the labs in Sanchore and Osian in Rajasthan, and Amreli and Pipalaj in Gujarat.

Rajpurohit had a vast knowledge on drugs and used to guide others in their preparation at the different labs.
The Congress on Monday held protests in Karnataka demanding the immediate arrest of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of sexually abusing hundreds of women.

IMAGE: Congress supporters protest against Janata Dal-Secular MP Prajwal Revanna over his alleged involvement in the sex scandal, in Bengaluru. Photograph: ANI Photo

Congress workers -- with women members joining in large numbers -- took to the streets in Hubballi, Hassan and Bengaluru, among other places, seeking action against the 33-year-old grandson of Janata Dal-Secular chief and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.

In Bengaluru, the protest was led by All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba outside the office of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee.

Lamba said the horrifying case of sexual violence against hundreds of women has shocked the nation.

"More than 3,000 videos with hundreds of women being sexually harassed, violated and even brutalised by MP Prajwal Revanna over the past few years have shaken the conscience of Kannadigas and Indians alike," she said.

In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "The leader with whom the PM gets photographed by placing his hand on his shoulder. The leader for whom the PM himself campaigned 10 days ago. Praised him on stage. Today, that leader of Karnataka is absconding from the country."

"Just hearing about his heinous crimes committed is heart-wrenching. This ruined the lives of hundreds of women. Modi ji, will you still remain silent?" the Congress general secretary said.

Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera shared on X a letter written by BJP leader Devaraj Gowda to the Karnataka BJP president on December 8 last year.

He said the letter exposed the presence of a pen drive full of "sleaze videos of Prajwal Revanna".

"Why did the bjp still go ahead with the alliance? Why no action was taken on the serial rapes video recorded and kept in the pen-drive? Why did the PM campaign for and shared the stage with Prajwal Revanna despite knowing that Prajwal is the kingpin of world's biggest & murkiest sex abuse?" Khera said.

Who helped Prajwal Revanna escape to Germany, he asked.

"Why is the PM silent?" Khera said.

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party has helped the Hassan MP escape authorities in the alleged obscene video case.

"They (BJP) ensured that he fled the country. How did he leave the country? Who facilitated it? I'm directly blaming the BJP on this front," Kharge said.

Kharge further slammed the BJP-JDS alliance for fielding Revanna again in the Lok Sabha elections and questioned their silence over the matter.

"Despite knowing the fact that the Hassan MP (Prajwal Revanna) was known for such antecedents, despite letters being received by them from BJP functionaries, from BJP office bearers, that there are thousands of victims who have been abused by the Hassan MP. Still, they went in and gave the ticket. They were so quick to capitalize on the Hubballi murder case," he said.

"Why are they so silent now? Why aren't they protesting in every town? Why aren't they protesting in every village like they did during the Hubballi murder?" he asked.

The Congress government in Karnataka on Sunday constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate the allegations against the Hassan MP and Lok Sabha poll candidate after several videos of Revanna allegedly sexually abusing women came into the public domain.

The explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days.

The JD-S joined the NDA in September last year.

Prajwal is the NDA candidate in Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, which went to the polls on April 26.

According to police sources, he fled the country after voting was over as the videos began surfacing.

The Karnataka government started an SIT investigation after a letter by Chairperson of Women's Commission Dr Nagalakshmi Chowdhary to the government regarding the sexual abuse of hundreds of women allegedly by Revanna.

The three-member SIT of IPS officers is led by the Additional Director General of Police (CID) Bijay Kumar Singh, while the other two members are Assistant Inspector General of Police Suman D Pennekar and Mysuru Superintendent of Police Seema Latkar.

The SIT has been directed to complete its investigation swiftly.

With inputs from agencies
The Delhi high court on Monday dismissed a petition that had sought directions to disqualify Prime Minister Narendra Modi from contesting elections for six years for allegedly seeking votes in the name of deities.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated during a public meeting for the Lok Sabha elections, in Shahjahanpur. Photograph: ANI Photo

Justice Sachin Datta said the plea was devoid of any merits.

Petitioner Anand S Jondhale, a lawyer, had urged the court to take action against Modi for allegedly seeking votes in the name of gods and places of worship, saying this amounted to violating the Model Code of Conduct and committing an offence under the Indian Penal Code and Representation of the People Act.

The Lok Sabha polls are currently being held in the country.
India on Monday summoned the Canadian deputy high commissioner and lodged a strong protest with him over raising of pro-'Khalistan' slogans at a public event in Toronto that was attended by Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several other leaders.

IMAGE: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Baisakhi celebrations at Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Photograph: Justin Trudeau on Facebook

The ministry of external affairs described the shouting of the slogans at the event that was personally addressed by Trudeau as "disturbing" and said it illustrated once again the political space that has been given in Canada to "separatism, extremism and violence".

It said the actions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens.

"The Canadian deputy high commissioner was today summoned to the ministry of external affairs with regard to the raising of separatist slogans on 'Khalistan' at an event which was being personally addressed by the prime minister of Canada," the MEA said.

The summoning of deputy high commissioner Stewart Wheeler came a day after the event in Toronto.

In his address at the event, Trudeau reaffirmed Canada's unwavering commitment to safeguard the rights and freedoms of the Sikh community.

"The Government of India's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event," the MEA said.

"This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence," it said in a statement.

It further added: "Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens."

The ties between India and Canada came under severe strain following Trudeau's allegations in September of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on June 18 in British Columbia.

New Delhi rejected Trudeau's charges as "absurd".

Days after Trudeau's allegations, India asked Ottawa to downsize its diplomatic presence in the country to ensure parity.

Subsequently, Canada withdrew 41 diplomats and their family members from India.

India has been asserting that its "core issue" with Canada remained that of the space given to separatists, terrorists and anti-India elements in that country.

Following Trudeau's allegations last year, India temporarily suspended issuance of visas to Canadian citizens. The visa services were resumed several weeks later.
The share of such voters has shrunk to 1.9 per cent of registered voters in 2024 from 2.7 per cent in 2014.

IMAGE: Gurukul School of Art students with face paint create voting awareness for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Mumbai, April 25, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

For the twelve years that Anshika studied in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, she often took her bicycle to school.

"But it would get punctured frequently because of the bad roads in my area," she says.

Now, 21 and a college student in Mumbai, Anshika is still impatient with the pace of infrastructural development in her constituency and wants the government to do better.

She forms part of a shrinking minority of the youth who are coming of voting age in the ongoing elections.

A smaller proportion of the voting age population belong to the age group of the youth between 18 and 29 years old, than has been the case since the 1970s.

Around 29.8 per cent of those who are of voting age are between 18 and 29 years old, the lowest since 1971 when it was at 28.5 per cent, shows an analysis of population data from the United Nations.

It has been above 30 per cent for the elections between 1977 to 2019.

However, the absolute number of the young continue to increase. They will account for over 300 million, close to the entire population of the United States of America (chart 1).

This refers only to the proportion of electorate eligible to vote and not the actual list of registered voters.

As per data from the Election Commission of India, there are nearly 20 million voters aged between 18 and 19 years registered for the general elections.

But the share of such voters has shrunk to 1.9 per cent of registered voters in 2024 from 2.7 per cent in 2014.

The youngest cohort of the youth vote (18 to 22 years) accounts for nearly 13 per cent of the total voting population.

Just 6.5 per cent of the electorate in Russia, which recently held its elections, was of the same age.

It would be 7 to 8 per cent of the voters in the UK and the US. Both countries will enter polls later this year.

Within India's neighbourhood, Pakistan and Bangladesh had a higher share, and this also applies to women of this age group (charts 2, 3).

"All political parties during their campaigns, at least in rhetoric, talk about youth, young voters and why they should be part of politics. And though all political parties have student wings and youth wings, those who lead these wings are in their mid-thirties and above," notes Rahul Verma, political scientist, and a fellow at the New Delhi-based think-tank Centre for Policy Research.

"Beyond rhetoric I haven't seen any serious measure by political parties to mobilise these young voters," Verma said.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has launched various campaigns, like the 'Turning 18' campaign, on its social media platforms to increase young voter engagement.

"For now, I am not impressed with the performance of any political party," says Anshika.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
The BSP has not entered into any alliances and has also been keen to shed the tag of being a 'B-team' of the BJP.

IMAGE: Mayawati with her nephew Akash Anand at the Bahujan Samaj Party office in Lucknow. All photographs: ANI Photo

The Bahujan Samaj Party has entered the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh facing the twin challenge of retaining its support base among Dalits and establishing Akash Anand, party chief Mayawati's nephew, as her political successor.

In 2019, the BSP, in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal, won 10 Lok Sabha seats, second only to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

But any hopes that the party pinned on this result to suggest a revival was punctured in the 2022 assembly polls.

It could win only one of UP's 403 seats, and its vote share reduced to less than 13 per cent.

For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, 28-year-old Anand has campaigned diligently, including addressing a public meeting in Nagina.

Nagina is one of the ten seats that the BSP won in 2019, but emerging Dalit leader, te Azad Samaj Party's Chandra Shekhar Azad is also contesting for this constituency.

But political observers say the challenge facing the BSP is far greater than merely settling the question of succession or appealing to the Dalit support base, especially the youth.

"The BSP's predicament in UP is grave now. The state has shown a propensity towards a two-party system, or bi-polar politics," said Ashok Bharti, who leads the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations. In the 2022 assembly polls, the Samajwadi Party emerged a clear number two.

IMAGE: Mayawati interacts with her nephew Akash Anand at the party office in Lucknow.

No alliance with BJP

For the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BSP has not entered into any alliances and has also been keen to shed the tag of being a 'B-team' of the BJP.

At a rally in Muzaffarnagar, Mayawati blamed the BJP of being 'casteist' and 'vindictive', adding that the ruling favoured big business.

She accused the Samajwadi Party of ignoring the interests of the Muslims.

In a recent interview, Anand called the Congress and SP as the 'B-team' of the BJP.

The BSP's list of candidates so far has 14 Muslim names, including Mohammad Irfan Saifi from Moradabad, Zeeshan Khan from Rampur, Shaukat Ali from Sambhal, and Athar Jamal Lari, who will fight against Narendra D Modi from Varanasi.

In 2019, the BSP performed well in western UP, winning Nagina, Saharanpur, Bijnor and Amroha from the 16 seats that voted in UP in the first two phases of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

But the BSP's list also has a significant number of Brahmins, like Rakesh Dwivedi from Akbarpur, Manish Tripathi from Mirzapur, and Dayashankar Mishra from Basti.

An uphill battle

According to Shashikant Pandey, professor, department of political science at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, the BSP should have gone for an alliance.

Professor Pandey, however, believes that the party has fielded candidates "judiciously:.

"This time, they seem to be trying to shun the image of a B-team," he said. "This can be harmful for both, the INDIA bloc as well as the BJP."

Professor Pandey was, however, unsure about the BSP's eventual performance in the Lok Sabha elections.

"The party seems confident right now. In some seats, the BSP may be in the fight but it seems difficult for them to win a majority in the state," he added.

Another analyst, a faculty of political science at one of the colleges at Delhi University, said that the BSP's selection of candidates "will not hurt the BJP" as its vote bank and issues are different.

"But it would be interesting to see the next assembly elections in UP."

With inputs from Archis Mohan

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday asserted that Arvind Kejriwal will remain the chief minister of Delhi as it downplayed the High Court's observations that no person who holds this post can be incommunicado or absent for an uncertain period.

IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita holds her maiden Lok Sabha poll roadshow in support of the AAP's East Delhi candidate. Photograph: Courtesy AAP on X

>Addressing a press conference, Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said that the decision that Kejriwal should continue to be the chief minister even after being jailed was that of the people of Delhi.

"Kejriwal was the chief minister, is the chief minister and will continue to be the chief minister" of Delhi," he said and added that the same High Court has dismissed three PILs demanding the removal of Kejriwal as chief minister.

The chief minister, who was arrested on March 21, is currently lodged in the Tihar jail here under judicial custody in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy.

The high court, while dealing with a PIL highlighting the non-supply of educational material and other statutory benefits to students in MCD schools, said that a chief minister's post in any state, let alone a buzzing capital like Delhi, is not a ceremonial post and the office holder has to be virtually available 24x7 to deal with any crisis or natural disaster.

"National interest and public interest demands that no person who holds this post is incommunicado or absent for a long stretch of time or for an uncertain period of time. To say that no important decision can be taken during a model code of conduct is a misnomer," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora said.

It also said that Kejriwal's absence cannot allow students to go through the first term without free textbooks, writing material and uniforms in MCD schools.

"Expressing my full respect towards the High Court, I want to say that Arvind Kejriwal is a true patriot. Nobody can raise questions on his patriotism. He is a victim of a political conspiracy. He does not have a lust for any post... when the question of values came, he had resigned from chief minister's post within 49 days," Singh said.

The AAP leader said that the work of the people of Delhi won't be affected.

"Arvind Kejriwal is serving the people of Delhi like a true patriot even in jail. It is the decision of the people of Delhi and party MLAs that he should remain CM. The same High Court has dismissed three PILs demanding the removal of Kejriwal as chief minister. The High Court said that he should not resign," he claimed.

Singh noted that ministers meet Kejriwal in jail and get directions.

"The high court decision should be looked at from the perspective of the non-formation of the standing committee in MCD due to LG's interference. All works are ongoing and our ministers are solving people's problems," he stressed.

The high court was dealing with a PIL by NGO Social Jurist, represented by advocate Ashok Agarwal.

The high court noted the students of MCD schools are entitled to free textbooks, writing material and uniforms in accordance with their constitutional and statutory rights, and the schools are going to close for summer vacations shortly.

It directed the MCD Commissioner to incur the expenditure required for fulfilling the obligations forthwith without being constrained by the expenditure limit of Rs 5 crore.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested Kejriwal on March 21, after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from coercive action by the federal anti-money laundering agency.

The high court had, on April 9, upheld Kejriwal's arrest in the money-laundering case, saying there was no illegality about it and that the ED was left with "little option" after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation.
'The focus of the legislation will be to minimise user harm and increase the accountability of platforms, while also promoting innovation.'

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy Gerd Altmann/Pixabay.com

A high-powered committee, led by the principal scientific advisor to the Government of India, is developing a framework for artificial intelligence (AI).

This committee, it has been learnt, includes representatives from various ministries, academia, industry associations, including Nasscom, and think-tanks, such as the Indian Software Product Industry Round Table (iSPIRT).

The principal scientific advisor's office serves as the apex scientific advisory body to the Union government on scientific policy in India.

It has released several working papers on AI in the recent past.

A dedicated regulation or comprehensive framework for AI is expected to be introduced after the Lok Sabha elections, a government official stated.

"We will be taking a balanced approach when it comes to regulating AI. The focus of the legislation will be to minimise user harm and increase the accountability of platforms, while also promoting innovation," the official said.

"There have been more than 70 draft versions of the AI policy so far, and a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder discussion is still ongoing," the official added.

Earlier this month, Business Standard reported that a committee involving members from different central ministries recommended the establishment of an inter-ministerial body to oversee AI regulation.

The committee suggested a 'whole-of-government approach' to AI regulation, under which every ministry would have a role, in addition to the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY).

India currently lacks a dedicated policy framework to govern AI, amid growing concerns about the potential harms and risks associated with the technology.

In the past, MeitY had issued advisories asking intermediaries and AI platforms to regulate the risks arising from the use of AI and to ensure that biases in their models do not adversely affect Indian users.

In January this year, the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the prime minister proposed a 'Complex Adaptive Framework' approach to regulate AI.

Through this approach, the EAC advised establishing guardrails, mandating manual 'overrides' and 'authorisation chokepoints', requiring audits for transparency and accountability, outlining liability protocols, and setting up a specialist regulator to monitor AI.

The discussion around AI regulations is not new. It began as far back as 2018 when the NITI Aayog released a paper titled National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence.

Among other recommendations, NITI Aayog emphasised the appropriate handling of data, ensuring privacy and security through the establishment of data protection frameworks, and the creation of sectoral regulatory frameworks.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Delhi high court on Monday refused to grant bail to three suspected Indian Mujahideen operatives facing trial for their alleged involvement in the September 2008 Delhi serial blasts that claimed 26 lives.

Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The high court, however, directed the trial court concerned to conclude its trial in the case by taking up hearing at least twice a week, noting that the accused have been behind bars since 2008.

In three separate judgments, the high court dismissed the appeals filed by Mubeen Kadar Shaikh, Saquib Nisar and Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy, challenging a trial court's orders denying them bail.

While denying bail to Nisar, a bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Shalinder Kaur said, "The allegations against the appellant and the role attributed to him does not persuade this court to release the appellant on bail."

A lot of recovery related to the blasts was allegedly made from him, it said.

Regarding Shaikh, the bench said he is a qualified computer engineer and has been alleged to be an active member of the Indian Mujahideen's media cell and, as a part of large conspiracy, had prepared the text and content of the terror mail sent in the organisation's name and does not deserve to be released on bail.

Peerbhoy was denied bail by a bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Manoj Jain, noting that he was working in a company with offices in Pune and his job was to develop email software such as proxy servers, web proxy servers and, at the relevant time, was allegedly leading the media group of terror outfit.

In all three judgments, the high court noted that it was informed by the prosecutor that 497 witnesses were cited initially. Of them, 198 witnesses were dropped and 282 have already been examined so far. Only 17 witnesses are left to be examined.

"We are informed that the special court is conducting proceedings on every Saturday so as to expedite conclusion of trial, which is already at its fag end. However, in the peculiar facts of the present case and keeping in view that the appellant is behind bars since 2008, we direct the concerned special court to conclude the trial in the present matter by taking it up at least twice a week," the high court said and added that it is conscious speedy trial is an accused's valuable right.

It added that the observations made are tentative and the trial court shall not take the same as final expression on the merits of the case.

On September 13, 2008, serial bomb blasts occurred at different places in Delhi -- Karol Bagh, Connaught Place and Greater Kailash. In addition, three live bombs were also detected and defused.

These serial blasts created panic, resulting in the deaths of 26 people and causing injuries to 135, besides destruction of property, according to the prosecution.

On the same day, the Indian Mujahideen took responsibility for the serial blasts by sending emails to various electronic and print media and also mentioned that the blasts in Rajasthan's Jaipur on May 13, 2008, and Gujarat's Ahmedabad on August 26, 2008, were organised by them as well, the prosecution said.

FIRs were lodged at different police stations in the national capital for the offences under the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Information and Technology Act.

The three accused were arrested in 2008 from different places and have been in custody since then.
A Research and Analysis Wing official identified as Vikram Yadav was involved in the assassination plot of Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US and the move was approved by the then Indian spy agency chief Samant Goel, according to an investigative media report published on Monday.

IMAGE: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, founder of the outlawed Sikhs for Justice. Photograph: Courtesy X

Pannun is one of the main leaders of the Khalistan movement and the legal advisor and spokesperson for Sikhs for Justice, which aims to promote the idea of a separate Sikh state. The Indian government has declared Pannun a terrorist.

In an investigative report, The Washington Post newspaper said, "That India would pursue lethal operations in North America has stunned Western security officials."

"Yadav's identity and affiliation, which have not previously been reported, provide the most explicit evidence to date that the assassination plan -- ultimately thwarted by US authorities -- was directed from within the Indian spy service," the daily reported.

"Higher-ranking (Research and Analysis Wing) RAW officials have also been implicated, according to current and former Western security officials, as part of a sprawling investigation by the CIA, FBI and other agencies that has mapped potential links to (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) Modi's inner circle," it said.

The top American daily -- which is now owned by American billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder and head of Amazon -- said it is investigating a global surge in such campaigns of cross-border repression, as well as the global forces leading India and other nations to employ tactics normally associated with the world's most repressive governments.

For this story, Post reporters conducted dozens of interviews with officials, experts and targeted individuals in New Delhi, Washington, Ottawa, London, Prague and Berlin, it said.

"In reports that have been closely held within the American government, US intelligence agencies have assessed that the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel," the daily claimed.

"That finding is consistent with accounts provided to The Washington Post by former senior Indian security officials who had knowledge of the operation and said Goel was under extreme pressure to eliminate the alleged threat of Sikh extremists overseas.

"US spy agencies have more tentatively assessed that Modi's national security adviser, Ajit Doval, was probably aware of RAW's plans to kill Sikh activists, but officials emphasised that no smoking gun proof has emerged," it said.

Quoting officials, The Washington Post said, the foiled assassination was part of an escalating campaign of aggression by RAW against the Indian diaspora in Asia, Europe and North America.

The alleged plot to kill Pannun in the US coincided with the June 18 fatal shooting of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey in Canada's British Columbia province in June last year. That operation was also linked to Yadav, according to Western officials.

Both plots took place amid a wave of violence in Pakistan, where at least 11 Sikh or Kashmiri separatists living in exile and labelled terrorists by the Modi government have been killed over the past two years, the report said.

Senior Indian government officials named in the Washington Post report did not respond to it seeking comment, the daily said.

However, when asked about the investigation into the allegations made by the US in the Pannun case, ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last week, "We have set up a high-level committee. The committee is looking into information that was shared by the American side with us, because they also equally impact our national security."

The high-level committee is looking into those aspects and that is where it is right now, Jaiswal said in New Delhi on April 25.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on April 1 had said that India's national security interests are involved in its investigation into the alleged involvement of a government official in the assassination plot aimed at Khalistani extremist Pannun.

The Washington Post reported that the Biden administration has refrained from making charges against Yadav.

"Charging decisions are the prerogative of law enforcement alone," national security council spokesperson Adrienne Watson told The Washington Post, and the Biden NSC has rigorously respected that independence.

"The only US charges made public to date are against an alleged middleman, Nikhil Gupta, who is described in the indictment as an Indian drug and weapons trafficker enlisted to hire a contract killer. Gupta, an Indian national who has denied the charges, was arrested in Prague on June 30 and remains in prison. He is awaiting a Czech court ruling on a US request for his extradition," the Post reported.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea raising the issue of tallying of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips with the votes cast using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

IMAGE: An electoral officer demonstrates the functioning of EVMs and VVPATs to polling officials during a training programme for the Lok Sabha polls in Kullu, April 26, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

A bench of justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta told the petitioner's counsel that a coordinate bench of the apex court had last week delivered its verdict on the issue.

"A coordinate bench has already taken a view," the bench said, while refusing to entertain the plea.

When the petitioner's counsel said the issue was of transparency and the apex court had already suggested some safeguards, the bench observed, "Another bench has already passed an order two days back."

On April 26, an apex court bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta had rejected the pleas seeking complete cross-verification of votes cast using EVMs with VVPAT, an independent vote verification system which enables electors to see whether their votes have been recorded correctly.

Terming the suspicion of manipulation of the EVMs "unfounded", the bench had rejected the demand for reverting to the old paper ballot system, saying the polling devices were "secure" and eliminate booth capturing and bogus voting.

However, the top court had opened a window for the aggrieved unsuccessful candidates securing the second and third places in the poll results and allowed them to seek verification of micro-controller chips embedded in five per cent EVMs per assembly constituency on a written request upon payment of a fee to the poll panel.

It had directed that from May 1, the symbol loading units should be sealed and secured in a container and stored in a strongroom along with the EVMs for a minimum period of 45 days post-declaration of results.
Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said a vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a "vote for destruction" and asserted the INDIA alliance, of which his party is a constituent, will not allow Barsu and Jaitapur projects to come up in Maharashtra's Konkan region.

IMAGE: Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray addresses a rally in Ratnagiri. Photograph: @ShivSenaUBT_/X

He was addressing a rally in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency in the state's coastal belt for party candidate and sitting MP Vinayak Raut, who is pitted against Union minister Narayan Rane.

The proposed Barsu (refinery complex) and Jaitapur (nuclear power plant) projects are destructive for environment, the former chief minister asserted.

"A vote for Modi is vote for destruction. I am sorry I had come here last time appealing to you to make Modi the PM and you listened to me. Now I am telling you, just like you listened to me during the Covid pandemic, that you must keep BJP's dictatorship at bay," Thackeray said.

Alleging the BJP had hatred for Maharashtra, Thackeray claimed it wanted to change the Constitution, which was drafted by "son of the soil" Babasaheb Ambedkar.

"Babasaheb Ambedkar, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj were born in Maharashtra. What can we do if Aurangazeb was born in Gujarat," he asked, linking the Mughal emperor, widely perceived as bigot, to the PM's home state.

Thackeray said Modi keeps blaming the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who was on the post for 16 years, while the combined tenure of Modi and Vajpayee was longer.

"They should tell the country about their work and achievements," he said, adding PM Modi lacks the self-confidence of 2014 and 2019 (general elections).

Attacking the BJP, he said former PM and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee's soul must be shedding tears on the party's state now.

Without naming Narayan Rane, Thackeray said the former went wherever he saw power, got important posts but did nothing for the Konkan region.

He asked if Rane, who is Union MSME minister, had brought a single medium or micro business to the Konkan.

"If you all were not around, Konkan would have seen goondaraj (rule of goons)," Thackeray told his supporters."
The Congress on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of taking inspiration from Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels while speaking about the party's Nyay Patra for the Lok Sabha elections.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets the gathering during a rally in Uttara Kannada. Photograph: ANI Photo

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "For his MA in Entire Political Science, Mr. Narendra Modi must definitely have read Joseph Goebbels on the value of propaganda and taken inspiration from him."

He noted that Goebbels had stated that "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

Ramesh said he also wrote in 1941 that "The English follow the principle that when one lies, one should lie big and stick to it."

Goebbels was the propaganda minister of German ruler Adolf Hitler.

"In his latest interview to a TV channel, which is being headlined, the outgoing PM has yet again blatantly, brazenly and shamelessly lied about the Congress's Nyay Patra. It once again proves that Mr.Modi's motto has always been 'Asatyameva Jayate.' Truth is slaughtered every time he speaks," the Congress leader alleged.
The Supreme Court on Monday wondered why the West Bengal government has come in as a petitioner before it for "protecting the interest" of some private individuals in the Sandeshkhali matter.

IMAGE: A bomb squad team of the National Security Guard arrives after CBI recovered weapons in a case related to the violence against ED officials, at Agarhati village in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, April 26, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The apex court's observation came when it was hearing the state government's plea challenging the Calcutta high court's April 10 order which directed a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation into allegations of crimes against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali.

"Why should the state come in as a petitioner for protecting the interest of some private individuals?" a bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta asked.

The counsel appearing for the state said it was aggrieved by some comments made in the high court order.

"There are comments about the state government and that is unfair because the state government has taken full action," the counsel said.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who appeared for the state, said at the outset that the matter may be taken up after a couple of week because they have some very important information which they want to file.

The bench posted the matter for hearing in July.

In its plea before the apex court, the state government has said the high court's order demoralised the entire state machinery, including the police force.

"The high court in a very generic order directed the State to provide the required support to the CBI without any guidelines, which amounts to usurping the powers of the state police to investigate any cognisable offence in the Sandeshkhali area, even if the same is not related to the allegations levelled by the PIL petitioners," the plea said.

The CBI is already investigating the case of the attack on the Enforcement Directorate officials in Sandeshkhali and has registered three FIRs related to incidents on January 5.

Noting that the investigation will be monitored by the court, the high court had directed the CBI to file a comprehensive report on the alleged illegal conversion of agricultural land into water bodies for pisciculture after conducting a thorough inspection of revenue records and physical inspection of land alleged to have been converted.

The high court had also directed the CBI to investigate allegations of crimes against women and land grabbing in Sandeshkhali and submit a comprehensive report to it on the next date of hearing.
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Periods of rain. High 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
NEWFANE  After a property owner offering RVs as emergency housing complied with the Vermont Environmental Court's order to remove the vehicles, the town of Brattleboro withdrew its complaint.

A trial in Windham Superior Court, Civil Division scheduled for Monday and Tuesday on the town's proposed injunction was no longer needed. Town Attorney Bob Fisher planned to ask the court to order that the RVs not be lived in, be brought up to health and fire codes, or be taken off the property.

"Because they're already removed, it's moot," he said in an interview at the courthouse. "So we removed the request for the injunction."

Assistant Fire Chief Charles "Chuck" Keir III said Daims complied with the Environmental Court's order about two weeks ago. The RVs are no longer on the Washington Street property.

"From the town's perspective," Fisher said, "the health and safety of the community has been accomplished by the RVs being removed."

Appeals are still underway with the Vermont Board of Health and Environmental Court, however. Daims appealed the court's order to pay the town approximately $9,728 in fines.

Daims recounted a hearing in March when the town requested $72,000 and Judge Thomas Walsh hinted that he could raise the figure to $170,000.

"I was pretty scared when he went into deliberation," Daims said in a phone interview late Monday afternoon. "He cut the award down 85 percent, which was good. It doesn't completely ruin me. But the thing about that case is that was still a loss for us and for property owners here in Brattleboro because the judge ruled in effect that corporate indemnity didn't apply. That was completely baffling to me."

Daims argued that he was working for Brattleboro Common Sense. He's the executive director of the organization, which is headquartered on his property.

Environmental court sides with local board on RV housing BRATTLEBORO  The Vermont Environmental Court upheld the Brattleboro Development Review Boar

Fisher said the state health board in September decided occupancy in the RVs should not be allowed "because they failed to meet the health codes."

"That is on appeal and is awaiting oral argument," he said, anticipating a five-minute argument sometime in June.

For the trial, Fisher had been planning to ask the civil court to agree with the state health board that the RVs violated rental and health codes.

"The oddity of this case is as of last July 1," he said, "appeals from the local Board of Health go directly to superior court."

That had not yet gone into effect when Daims appealed the town's Board of Health decision so the case was heard by the state board. The town's case had been the last one heard by that board.

Fisher suggested bringing the matter to civil court likely would have been a speedier process.

"But the courts may not have the same expertise that the members of the [Vermont] Board of Health have in regard to health issues," he said. "This case is a little different because it deals with rental housing and that sort of stuff."

Board of Health orders no occupancy in RVs until satisfactory inspection BRATTLEBORO  The Vermont Board of Health ordered that RVs used for emergency housing on a W

Daims called Monday's court outcome "very, very good for us."

"I'm jazzed," he said in a phone interview late Monday afternoon, adding that his friends and supporters feel the same. "They just don't want me to be hurt by the action that the corporation took. I support the corporation but it was a corporate-owned project and the town was very crafty in prosecuting me instead of the corporation. Anyway, it feels good to have some of it behind us."

Homeless people living in Newfane and Swanzey, N.H., were given the RVs, Daims said. His group hopes they will continue the project, keeping track of what measures can be taken to make them more livable and warm in the winter.

Developing liberal housing policies is a goal for the group. Daims believes the town has not been progressive enough in addressing the housing crisis or other issues such as climate change.

"We're experimenting with very lenient rental policies because the tight rental policies are part of homelessness," he said. "People can't get in here or there because they don't have a good credit history or they have a criminal history. We try to ignore all of that."

Two or three of the tenants in the RVs had legal problems and a history of crime, Daims said. He described them as "very good tenants."

"People going through that, seeing the worst of themselves, have learned," he said.

His group has another idea about how to proceed with emergency housing in RVs but not within Brattleboro.

"That wouldn't be cool because we're trying to negotiate all the end of charges from the town," Daims said.

His hope is that with the latest development, the state health board will determine its order is moot.

A new project underway at BCS headquarters involves renting out a mud room as a one-night shelter. Daims suggested the offering would be "legally safe."

"We got favorable results so far but it's in its infancy so far," Daims said. "I think a mudroom may be arguably better for people than the RVs if they have a candidate space."

Daims pointed at evidence of the RV program developing to be successful over time. In the winter as his group contended with the state health board's decision and the civil court allowing the project at least until matters were resolved with the town, they started taking people into the house.

"Our buddy Megan [Bishop] is our best new resident here," Daims said. "She's been working, she's learning business procedures. We're hoping she can start her own business soon. We didn't expect that to happen a year and a half ago."

Daims has represented himself in the court cases and state health board proceedings. He said he is acting as counsel for BCS as it seeks a judgment that the town violated Martin v. Boise, a ruling that said cities cannot enforce anti-camping ordinances if they do not have enough homeless shelter beds available for their homeless population.
On April 28th, the Anhui Theme Day event for the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition was held at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing. The theme of the event was "Embrace the New Era of Automobiles and Create a Better Life Together." The Beijing Auto Show, resuming after a 4-year hiatus, is the first top international auto show in China this year, drawing attention from major car manufacturers worldwide. From Anhui, companies such as Chery, JAC, NIO, BYD, and Volkswagen Anhui made a strong showing, with dozens of new models debuting. These heavy-hitting products and the latest research and development technologies provided audiences with a powerful visual impact and an enjoyable experience. They showcased to the world the vigorous development and technological innovation achievements of Anhui's automobile industry. In recent years, our province's "leading industry" has surged forward, continuously driving the integrated development of complete vehicles, components, and the aftermarket. The "new energy and intelligent connected vehicle industry" has been included among the top ten emerging industries. Numerous car manufacturers have joined the race into the new energy arena, positioning Anhui as a rising force in the global automotive industry landscape. The Anhui Theme Day event will further promote our province's business environment and automotive industry, advertise Anhui's automotive brands, foster Beijing-Anhui exchanges and cooperation in the automotive field, and help build a new energy vehicle industry cluster with international competitiveness.

Source: Anhui Daily
YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. Digital Julfa Network, an initiative that brings together Pan-Armenian intellectual, technological, commercial, and cultural power, will launch its first centre in the metaverse, on the Fastexverse virtual platform.

The initiative aims to revive and give a 21st Century perspective to the 300-year-old rich commercial and cultural heritage of New Julfa, to attract Armenian and international companies from all over the world through a digital marketplace.

The initiatives organizers are announcing that companies can now join the Digital Julfa Network on the Fastexverse platform and they are inviting for long-lasting partnership.

In the metaverse environment, Armenian companies will be able to use innovative trading methods such as tokens and cryptocurrency.

"The opening of the Armenian centre is a logical continuation of the launch of the digital network. Over the past 18 months, we have established the scope of the project, held discussions with various businesses, studied the business case and existing solutions to bring the business model into the digital world. We decided to collaborate with Fastexverse, which will create a copy of Digital Julfa Network in a three-dimensional virtual domain," said Emma Arakelyan, the initiator of Digital Julfa Network, CEO and Founder of Orion Worldwide Innovations, and Venture Partner of Covenant Venture Capital.

By joining the Digital Julfa Network on Fastexverse, Armenian and other international companies will have a digital market in a three-dimensional virtual domain, creating a wide range of virtual tours and virtual trading and shopping opportunities for visitors. By receiving a virtual space for at least two years, companies will use the services of an artificial intelligence assistant that will answer customer inquiries automatically, 24/7, create avatars of their companies employees to automate a number of functions, receive full technical support and service package, represent their brand to customers around the world, and expand the geography of sales.

Fastexverse is delighted to be a part of this historic project. We hope that Digital Julfa Network, like New Julfa in its time, will become a prominent trading platform, uniting Armenian businesses," said Vahe Khachatryan, Head of Fastexverse.

The goal of the network is to attract partners not only in the business world, but also to bring together the Armenian intellectual force: scientists, analytical centres, and advanced technology companies, as well as families operating in the New Julfa period, who still continue their activities.

After launching in Dubai in 2025, events will be held in Venice, Amsterdam, Kolkata, Singapore, Manila and Nice over the next seven years to attract more companies.

Fastexverse is a dynamic, three-dimensional virtual platform that creates metaverse experiences and spaces for businesses and their customers, offering a variety of tools and integrations for product/service display and sales, event organization, discussion, and partnership.

The official launch of the Digital Julfa Network was announced during the Orion Summit 2022 Technology Summit in Yerevan. Further developments were discussed during the Orion Summit 2023 in New York, and today, the digital network is ready to launch. To register for the Digital Julfa Network and leverage future and digital technologies for business development, you can contact the email address info@orionwi.com.
Despite Taiwans reassurances, pro-China media used the news to spread disinformation

On March 20, when asked by a Taiwanese legislator about the possibility of raising taxes in a war scenario, Taiwans Finance Minister mentioned it as an item for consideration.

Despite subsequent reassurances from the Taiwanese government that no such policy was planned, the statement ignited a media frenzy across the Taiwan Strait.

In China, in particular, pro-Beijing media in China exploited this news for disinformation campaigns aimed at fueling distrust against the United States among Taiwanese, while depicting the islands citizens as victims of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Moreover, these outlets attempted to stir doubts about Taiwans capability to defend itself in a potential cross-Straits conflict.

Some domestic voices within Taiwan also played a role in amplifying these narratives.

Below are details of what AFCL found.

Stoking distrust

AFCL found that pro-Beijing media outlets used discussions of Taiwans war tax to stoke distrust about the United States within Taiwan.

For example, Ta Kung Pao, a Hong Kong-based pro-China outlet, used remarks from U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander John Aquilino to allege collusion against Taiwanese interests by leaders of Taiwan and the United States.

During a Congressional hearing on March 20  the same day as Taiwans war tax discussion  Aquilino highlighted concerns that China might be preparing to invade Taiwan by 2027, a prediction originally made by former commander Philip Davidson in 2021.

Pro-Beijing media outlets also criticized Aquilinos comments, suggesting they were a covert push for the DPP to introduce the war tax, accusing Taiwanese politicians of using it as a pretext to buy more American arms, or as a form of subtle coercion by the U.S. military.

These articles generally lacked substantial evidence and failed to acknowledge the clarifications issued by the Taiwanese government.

Some domestic voices within Taiwan also played a role in amplifying these narratives.

Some prominent political commentators, for instance, appeared on TV news programs to claim the DPP was using the tax to demonstrate it was committed to preparing for a protracted future conflict and the United States and Taiwan had colluded to propose the tax.

Chinese netizens and Taiwanese political commentators suggested that U.S. interests towards Taiwan spurred the proposal of a war tax. (Screenshots/Weibo, NetEase and YouTube)





Such views echo what Beijings Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson Chen Binhua said at a press conference on March 27.

In response to the media inquiry on Taiwans war tax discussions, Chen criticized the DPP for deliberately creating Cross Strait tension in order to benefit their party at the expense of Taiwans citizens.

Chen also portrayed the United States as taking advantage of the Taiwanese people, calling Aquilinos statement regarding war preparations as a deliberate exaggeration of Chinas military threat to Taiwan in order to enrich American arms dealers through spreading fear.

Chen warned that this will only escalate cross-Strait tension and push the region into an increasingly dangerous geopolitical situation, inflaming doubts of inability to resist.

Doubts about Taiwans capability to defend itself

Beijing-backed media, while consistently underscoring the dangers of a cross-Strait conflict, also sought to portray Taiwans military as helpless in any potential confrontation, seemingly aiming to psychologically intimidate Taiwan into capitulating without resistance.

This narrative was bolstered by selectively airing clips from Taiwanese news out of context, thus magnifying local citizens purported lack of confidence in their military.

A prime example of this tactic was the widespread distribution of an interview segment from Taiwanese outlet CTI News, where a young man comments: We cant win the war anyway, so we might as well just surrender.

This clip was extensively shared across platforms like Douyin, Weibo, TikTok, and YouTube by official Chinese media and popular social media influencers.

An interview with young Taiwanese by CTI News was later republished by Chinese official media and influential social media users across a number of platforms. (Screenshots/YouTube,Douyin & Weibo)

These posts often included messages promoting negotiations between China and Taiwan as the preferable solution to avoid conflict.

Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke, Taejun Kang and Malcolm Foster.
YEREVAN, 23 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. A project, titled "International Human Rights Standards in Focus" was presented at a press conference at the BTA National Press Club in Sofia on Monday. During the initiative, implemented by the Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Rights Foundation (BLHR), 12 discussions simulating cases regarding human rights were held, the project manager, lawyer Dilyana Giteva, said.

The project with a budget of EUR 150,000 started in early August 2022 and ends on Tuesday. It has been implemented with financial support from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.

The activities under the initiative were attended by lawyers, magistrates, and jurists. The lectures within the project were related to the right to life, family, and privacy, as well as issues concerning protection from domestic violence, refugee and migrant rights, rights to freedom and security, among others. The simulation processes were exercises in which participants were divided into three groups - lawyers, government representatives, and court members. They discussed and pleaded different cases. There were 12 simulations in total with each lasting for four hours.

During the project, a human rights manual was also developed, updating topics from an existing manual. Five new topics were also developed, Giteva explained.

BLHR Executive Director Stoyan Madin said that his organization notices a reluctance in Bulgarian institutions to comply with the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.

(This information is being published according to an agreement between Armenpress and BTA.)
The former prime minister said hes never made a wrong decision, including about the canal.

A boy looking for fish in a nearly dry canal in the Long Phu district in the southern Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, March 8, 2016.

Cambodias leader Hun Sen has said that his country would not negotiate with Vietnam over the planned Funan Techo canal, despite concerns about its environmental and geopolitical impacts.

A group of Vietnamese experts suggested last week that Hanoi should ask Phnom Penh to delay the project for further discussions.

Former prime minister Hun Sen, who is now the president of the Senate and still retains much power, told a business banquet that construction of the 180 km (112 mile) canal will go ahead as planned this year, emphasizing the project was of national interest.

The Funan Techo canal, officially known as the Tonle Bassac Navigation Road and Logistics System Project, will connect the Cambodian coastal province of Kep on the Gulf of Thailand with the inland provinces of Kandal and Takeo and the capital Phnom Penh via a tributary of the Mekong River.

It will be developed by a Chinese company at a cost of US$1.7 billion and, when operational in 2028, will help reduce Cambodias dependence on Vietnams sea ports for its international trade.

But the project has raised concerns in Vietnam where the rice-growing Mekong delta is vulnerable to sea water incursions if the Mekongs flow is reduced. A series of dams on the river in China to the north has already raised fears about flows downstream.

Some Vietnamese experts said the Cambodian canal could reduce the flow of the river by up to 50% in Vietnams delta, home to 17.4 million people.

Hun Sen dismissed the concern, saying any loss of water would affect Cambodia first.

No mistake in 47 years

The Funan Techo canal project was proposed and approved when Hun Sen was head of the government and analysts say it is being seen as one of his great legacies.

Hun Sen has never made a wrong decision in the past 47 years, the veteran leader, referring to himself, told a dinner hosted by the Cambodian Oknha Association. Oknha is a title bestowed on Cambodians who are committed to charity or generous with donations to the government.

Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge soldier who defected to fight alongside Vietnamese forces, and who first became prime minister in a government set up by Vietnam after it invaded Cambodia, said his country is not inferior to Vietnam.

Cambodia knows how to protect its interests, Vietnam does not need to care, the Senate president was quoted in Cambodian media as saying.

While calling for Vietnams understanding, Hun Sen said Cambodias eastern neighbor also built a lot of dams to protect their crops and these have an impact on Cambodia.

He said he was not pushing Cambodians to hate Vietnamese people and the Vietnamese side must do the same, the Khmer Times quoted him as saying.

Map of the proposed Funan Techo canal. (Cambodia National Mekong Committee)





Vietnamese analysts say the canal could also have security implications by allowing naval forces to operate on inland waterways near the Vietnamese border. Vietnams foreign ministry this month urged Cambodia to provide information and an impact assessment on the water resources and ecological balance of the delta region.

The U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh has also called for more information, saying that while the United States respects Cambodias sovereignty in internal governance and development decisions, the Cambodian people as well as people in neighboring countries would benefit from transparency on any major undertaking with potential implications for regional water and agricultural sustainability.

We urge 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, an embassy spokesperson said last week.

Edited by Mike Firn.
A dozen Candlelight Party activists have been arrested since January, the partys secretary general says.

Cambodias Candlelight Party supporters wave before marching during an election campaign for the June 5 communal elections in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on May 21, 2022.

A Candlelight Party official has been detained and sent for police questioning in Cambodias Kampong Cham province  the latest arrest of an opposition party activist ahead of next months council elections.

Seven plainclothes police arrested Kong Thareth at his home on Sunday, held him overnight and sent him to provincial court for questioning on Monday, his son told Radio Free Asia.

No reason was given for the arrest, Kong Ly Hour said. He added that the family doesnt have any personal or business disputes.

The Candlelight Party is planning to field candidates in the May 26 provincial, municipal and district council elections, even though the National Election Committee ruled last year that the party wasn't eligible for last Julys national elections.

Only those already directly elected by the public to Cambodias 1,652 commune councils are allowed to vote in the council elections.

Kong Thareth is the second deputy chief of Veal Vong commune  an elected, local government position. He is also the deputy chairman of the Candlelight Partys executive committee in Kampong Cham.

Kong Thareth, in an undated image. (Candlelight Party via Facebook)





Before the arrest took place, there was a call asking him to meet a very important person to discuss something, but he refused, Kong Ly Hour told RFA. Then he was told that if he doesnt come to meet them, there will be a big problem.

After Kong Thareth was taken into custody, police deleted video from Kong Ly Hours phone and warned him not to take any more pictures, according to Kong Ly Hour.

A dozen arrests since January

Under Prime Minister Hun Sen, the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, or CPP, has used threats, legal action and offers of cash or government jobs to co-opt political opponents and activists.

Hun Sen, 71, resigned in August but remains the head of the CPP. His son, Hun Manet, became prime minister.

Since January, 12 Candlelight Party activists have been arrested across the country, according to Ly Sothearayut, the partys secretary general.

Those arrests include senior activist Dang Bunhak, who was taken by police from his Phnom Penh home on April 5. He was accused of fraud after police received complaints that he registered candidates without their consent.

Those who were arrested, some of them are the local election candidates and some of them are currently commune councilors elected by the people, Ly Sothearayut told RFA. We are asking for their release. They have full rights to political activities of the party they favor.

In March, another opposition activist, Meu Seanghor, was arrested in Kampong Cham and charged with incitement.

Meu Seanghor had planned to be a candidate for the upcoming council elections, according to the newly established Nation Power Party, which said last month that the arrest was an act of intimidation and would provoke a gloomy environment ahead of the May 26 election.

RFA attempted to contact Kampong Cham Provincial Police Commissioner Heng Vuthy for comment on Kong Thareths arrest, but the call went unanswered.

Translated by Sum Sok Ry. Edited by Matt Reed.
A Department of Homeland Security vehicle parked outside the Federal Courthouse in Boston, where Wu Xiaolei, a Chinese student at the Berklee College of Music, was found guilty in January 2024.

A court in the United States has jailed a Chinese student at Berklee College of Music for nine months for initiating a stalking and threat campaign against an individual who promoted freedom and democracy in China, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Wu Xiaolei, 26, was handed the sentence by U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper, who also sentenced Wu to three years of supervised release.

Wu had stalked and threatened a Chinese woman who posted fliers in support of democracy in China with having her hands chopped off if she posted anything more.

The sentencing comes amid growing concern over Chinas ongoing attempts to wield political influence on overseas university campuses, and over the sometimes violent lengths the Little Pink supporters of the Chinese Communist Party are willing to go to further Beijings interests on foreign soil.

The fliers, which were posted on the college campus, read: Stand with Chinese People as well as, We Want Freedom and We Want Democracy.

Wu also threatened the woman, saying that her actions had been reported to the state security police in China, who would be paying a visit to her family.

Wu Xiaolei is shown in an undated screengrab supplied by the Massachusetts District Attorneys Office. (RTR)





He was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of cyberstalking and one of interstate transmission of threatening communication in January 2024, the department said in a statement on its website dated April 24.

Wu also tried to find out where the victim was living and publicly posted the womans email address in the hopes that others would abuse the victim online, the court found.

Avoiding Little Pinks

Mr. Wus criminal conduct is very serious, Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy said in the statement. He harnessed the fear of potential retribution from the [Chinese] government to harass and threaten an innocent individual who had posted an innocuous, pro-democracy flier on the Berklee campus.

Wus violent threats had instilled fear into his victim, Levy said, adding that judicial officials and prosecutors will not tolerate efforts to intimidate and threaten people to suppress their First Amendment rights.

Censorship and repression campaigns will never be tolerated here, Levy said.

Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division said Wus actions amounted to weaponizing the authoritarian nature of the Peoples Republic of China to threaten this woman, calling the case disturbing.

The FBI will do everything it can to ensure that those who try to infringe on our fundamental rights  will face similar consequences, Cohen said.

A Chinese student at an American university who gave only the nickname Eve for fear of reprisals said she has run into Little Pinks on her campus, too.

Whenever I run into Little Pinks, I walk the long way around because I dont want them to ruin my good mood, Eve said.

I once met a Little Pink who said he supported liberating Taiwan by force, thereby losing any chance of my friendship for good, she said. I think they have been brainwashed, and are being used by the regime.

Indoctrination and brainwashing

Xie Tian, a professor at the University of South Carolina Business School, said he has been reported to the authorities by Little Pink activists at other U.S. schools.

Once I wrote an article, and it turned out that someone, I believe they were a Little Pink, misinterpreted the meaning of it and reported me to my school, distorting my meaning and denouncing me, Xie told RFA Mandarin in an interview on April 25.

Eve said she believes Wus sentencing will have an effect on how far supporters of the Chinese government are prepared to go in future.

At the very least, they will be more restrained on the surface, she said. There is no way to change the way they think, but at least they wont dare to go to such extreme lengths in public.

Xie agreed.

I dont think this case will change the way they think, but it will curb their behavior, he said.

Changing the way they think would require a long period of study and thought to get rid of the Chinese Communist Partys indoctrination and brainwashing, Xie said.

But at least they know now that the consequences of doing this stuff can be very bad.

Translated by Luisetta Mudie.
The bombings are part of an urban operation in the countrys largest city, targeting military troops.

Guerrilla groups battling Myanmars military have claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in the biggest city of Yangon, group representatives told Radio Free Asia on Monday.

Since a February 2021 coup, armed groups in the former capital have launched attacks on government and junta-occupied buildings, as well as claiming the killing of administrators implementing the juntas widely unpopular conscription laws, announced in February this year.

Anti-junta activists claimed responsibility for attacks on a metal factory in Yangons Hlaing township, where the junta had stationed troops, and on a police station in Hlaingtharya township on Sunday night..

We launched the attack as part of the Urban Freedom operation in order to escape the military dictatorship, said a member of the Yangon-based group Dark Shadow who declined to be identified.

The latest spate of violence included an attack with a grenade launcher on a police station, the anti-junta force member said.

The anti-junta groups had no information about casualties in the attacks.

RFA was not able to independently verify their accounts and the Yangon regions junta spokesperson, Htay Aung, did not respond to telephone calls seeking comment.

The activist said the attacks were carried out with the assistance of an anit-junta network known as the Urban Support Campaign, which supplied the grenade launcher.

The Yangon Victory Force, another anti-junta group, also told RFA its members attacked the metal factory in Hlaing township with a remotely detonated landmine because a junta tactical operation command was stationed there.

Residents said they heard explosions from Hlaing township late on Sunday and after the blasts the junta has tightened security in the area.

On April 6, a group called Urban Special Force said it had attacked a junta army position near Aung Mingalar bus station in Yangons Mingaladon township with long-range missiles.

Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Kiana Duncan and Mike Firn.
The Philippine government on Monday took delivery of a Japanese-made mobile radar system that it says adds eyes to the air forces ability to safeguard the countrys skies amid an increasingly fraught atmosphere in the disputed South China Sea.

Filipino Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. received documents for the TPS-P14ME Mobile Air Surveillance Radar System from Endo Kazuya, the Japanese envoy, and then turned them over to Lt. Gen. Stephen Parreno, the Philippine Air Force chief, at Camp Aguinaldo in Manila.

The radar is a critical component of our [Air Force] surveillance and early warning capability, Parreno said Monday.

Truly, it will play a significant role in bolstering the Philippine Air Forces capabilities in maintaining situational awareness in our airspace.

Teodoro said the radar adds [to] our scope of domain awareness, particularly in the aerial domain.

It adds eyes, he said.

Manila has now received two of the four radars it bought from Tokyo for U.S. $98.7 million in 2020, in a government-to-government deal. The deal includes three fixed radar units and a mobile radar unit, manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation.

The defense department took delivery of one of the fixed radars in December, and Teodoro said the remaining two would be received in the next two years.

The Japanese radars are being placed under the control of the Philippine Air Forces 508th Aircraft Control and Warning Wing, although the defense department has declined to say where they would be deployed ultimately.

Parreno said the radars would ensure that we maintain a watchful eye on the horizon for potential threats anytime, anywhere, crucial in light of an ever changing geopolitical landscape in the region.

While he did not mention where such potential threats may come from, the Philippines has been locked in a bitter territorial contest with China. Manila says Beijing has often blocked and harassed Filipino supply boats going to an old Navy ship stranded at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal to serve as Manilas outpost there.

The leaders of the Philippines and Japan, along with U.S. President Joe Biden, recently held a summit in Washington and agreed to work together to maintain peace in the South China Sea, which is claimed by Beijing in virtually its entirety on historical grounds, causing friction among neighbors.
Rights groups say law is frequently used by the government to silence critics.

Vietnam arrested two Facebook users over the weekend under Article 331, a vaguely written law that rights groups have said is often used by the government to silence dissent.

On Saturday, police in the northwestern province of Dien Bien arrested Bui Thi Linh, 35, for posting links to articles and livestreaming videos related to the arrest of her husband last year on drug charges.

The videos violated Article 331 because they abused the rights to democracy and freedom to violate the legitimate rights and interests of the State, the rights and interests of organizations and individuals, the Capital Citys Security online newspaper said.

According to the authorities, her posts offended the honor and dignity of numerous officers and leaders of the Dien Bien Police, Dien Bien Peoples Procuracy, and Dien Bien Phu City Peoples Court. She was also accused of resisting law enforcement and non-cooperation, leading to her compulsory return to the police station for questioning.

Then on Sunday, police in the capital Hanoi arrested Duong Minh Cuong, 28. Authorities have yet to explain the details surrounding his arrest.

Translated by Anna Vu. Edited by Eugene Whong.
Lawyers have joined the call for stricter enforcement of UN convention against torture.

After a long day of practicing his religion at the Phuc Long Pagoda, Buddhist monk Thich Minh Vuong received a phone call from his relatives. They told him his older brother, Vu Minh Duc, had died in hospital after being interrogated by police in Dong Nai province.

"I couldn't breathe when I heard the news of his death, my heart was choked," said Vuong.

On March 22, Duc answered a police summons in connection with a fight near his home in October 2023. Later that day, police asked his wife to come in and sign documents "related to his health.

When she arrived, an investigator said they had taken Duc to hospital for emergency treatment because he had fainted during interrogation.

He was later transferred to a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City where he was pronounced dead at 9:30 p.m. that day.

The death certificate provided by Cho Ray Hospital shows that Duc died at 11 p.m. with the cause of death a coma after circulatory respiratory arrest following brain damage, cardiac arrest, acute kidney failure, acute liver failure and soft tissue damage to the right and left thighs.

His family said the body was covered with bruises, marks of torture.

Monk Vuong witnessed the autopsy a day after his brothers death. He said Ducs wrists were covered in scratches, his chest had a massive bruise, while his buttocks and thighs were purple and black.

On April 26, RFA called police Long Thanh district, where Duc was interrogated, to ask for information. An officer on duty asked the reporter to go to the headquarters to discuss the case.

Ducs death is the latest case of a Vietnamese citizen dying in unclear circumstances in police custody. Vietnam has been a member of the U.N. Convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CAT) since 2015.

In March 2015, the Thanh Nien newspaper reported that from October 2011 to September 2014, there were 226 deaths in detention facilities nationwide. The Ministry of Public Security explained them as being due to illness and suicide. Since then, no further reports have been issued.

Radio Free Asia collated reports from state-controlled media and found that in 2018, at least 11 people died in detention facilities.

Since 2020, at least 14 deaths have been reported, three described as suicide by police in spite of family doubts.

Two days after Ducs death, Dong Nai provincial police suspended a captain, Thai Thanh Thuong, and investigator Luu Quang Trung, pending an investigation into the death.

However, the family has not received any information about the case from authorities, including the autopsy results. Police have not visited them or offered an apology.

Vuong has sent Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong 25 reports with images showing traces of suspected torture but has received no response.

Lawyer Nguyen Van Mieng, who is a political refugee in the United States, said that since joining the Convention against Torture, the National Assembly of Vietnam has amended the 2015 Criminal Code and the 2015 Criminal Procedure Code to focus on preventing torture and protecting human rights but there is a big gap in implementation.

We still hear official information from the state that there are cases of people who were healthy but died unexpectedly when they went into the police station. People died because of torture, he said.

Human rights lawyer Dang Dinh Manh cited a land dispute in Dong Tam commune in 2020, in which he was one of the defense lawyers, as illustrating evidence of torture.

"Of the 29 defendants in the case, up to 19 people confirmed in court that they were brutally tortured, beaten in the dead of night  and were not given medical care when they were injured," he said.

Lawyer Mieng said authorities should strictly enforce the Criminal Procedure Code and lawyers must be present at all stages of an investigation to prevent suspects from being tortured.

Manh said audio and video recording equipment in the interrogation room must be on at all times and officers committing torture or inhumane treatment of suspects," must be severely punished.

Vuong agreed with the lawyers.

I also hope that when working like this, citizens will be asked to invite lawyers or be allowed to have their families present to see how police officers work, he said. [They must] seriously investigate and severely punish those who have violated international conventions.

Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn.
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
YEREVAN, 29 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 29 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.27 drams to 387.81 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.67 drams to 415.62 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.05 drams to 4.17 drams. GBP exchange rate up by 0.32 drams to 485.89 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 284.10 drams to 29214.66 drams. Silver price up by 3.01 drams to 344.44 drams.
Thousands of Georgians demonstrated in rival pro- and anti-government rallies as parliament resumed discussions of the so-called "foreign agents" bill. Supporters of the ruling Georgian Dream party gathered in central Tbilisi on April 29 after a mass opposition protest the night before. Critics of the legislation say it would stifle civil society by restricting the operations of organizations with foreign funding.
7 Another protester carries both a Georgian and an EU flag near the parliament building.



The final reading of the bill is scheduled to be debated on May 17. Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili told media that she will veto it if its approved in its final reading. However, she also said the ruling Georgian Dream party has enough lawmakers to override her decision if she does so.
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.
Outgunned Ukrainian troops are fighting to hold off Russian assaults as Moscow looks to capture more territory in the Donbas region. Speaking with RFE/RL, the head of Ukraine's Council of Reservists, Ivan Tymochko, said Russia is trying to capture the entire Donetsk region.
Ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, his armed forces have pounded Ukraine with missiles and drones fired from the relatively safe confines of Crimea.

Following his occupation of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula in 2014, the Kremlin leader poured billions of dollars into militarizing Crimea, expanding bases and constructing depots and other infrastructure.



Now fortress Crimea faces a significant new threat that could neutralize its crucial role in the 26-month-old war: U.S. long-range ATACMS, or Army Tactical Missile Systems. After nearly two years of hesitation, the United States earlier this month delivered versions of the powerful ballistic missiles that can travel 300 kilometers -- essentially reaching any of the more than 100 military targets on the peninsula.

"The delivery of ATACMS is a big breakthrough. It could basically make Crimea militarily worthless," Philip Karber, a Washington-based military analyst who focuses on Ukraine, told RFE/RL.



Crimea is home to Russia's Black Sea fleet, six air bases, command-and-control centers, arms depots, docks, barracks, and more. It is also dotted with air-defense radars and anti-missile systems to protect the facilities.



Russia regularly fires missiles, including hypersonic ones, and drones from Crimea into southern Ukraine. Lately, it has been pounding the Ukrainian port city of Odesa from the peninsula.



'An Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier'



Crimea also serves as a key logistics hub for Putin's war effort. Russia moves critical supplies such as ammunition, heavy armor, fuel, food, and medical equipment from the Krasnodar region to Crimea by road, rail, and ferries and other ships. Much of the supplies and manpower move north through the peninsula into the Russian-occupied parts of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhya regions.



"Right now, Crimea is like an unsinkable aircraft carrier for the Russians, launching drones and aircraft and providing logistical support to their forces in southern Ukraine," Ben Hodges, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant general who commanded U.S. forces in Europe, told RFE/RL.

Ukraine struck several key military targets on the peninsula --including air bases and the 19-kilometer Crimea Bridge, the only physical connection between Russia and Crimea and a critical military supply route -- even before the latest deliveries of ATACMS were approved by the United States on April 24.



Though Russia regularly shuts down the bridge due to threats, Moscow continues to deliver substantial supplies to Crimea across the link as well as via ferries, Karber said. Ships also carry cargo to Sevastopol, the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea fleet located on the peninsula's southwest coast.



Zelenskiy for months had been urging the Biden administration to send the longer-range ATACMS, which carry a 230-kilogram warhead, in order to hit military targets far behind Russian lines, especially those in Crimea. Ukraine produces a only small number of long-range missiles, though it hopes to begin ramping up output this year.



The United States last autumn sent a shorter-range version of the ATACMS with a reach of 165 kilometers that sprays bomblets when it explodes. Ukraine successfully used them for the first time in October against targets in eastern Ukraine.



Shortly after receiving the longer-range ATACMS earlier this month, Ukraine on April 17 reportedly used them to strike Dzhankoi air base in northeast Crimea, damaging Russian helicopters, an S-400 strategic surface-to-air platform, the country's most advanced air-defense system, and an aerospace surveillance complex used as a command-and-control center. The reports could not be independently verified.



The Numbers Game



The United States has not announced how many of the longer-range ATACMS it has already sent to Ukraine or how many more Ukraine could receive in the coming months.



The New York Times, citing unidentified U.S. officials, said more than 100 of the longer-range ATACMS were delivered to Ukraine. Multiple ATACMS may be needed to destroy or severely damage a single target, Karber and Hodges said.



Colby Badhwar, an independent defense analyst, said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the United States could plausibly give Ukraine 200 of the long-range ATACMS and possibly more if the roughly 1,140 "expired" missiles in U.S. stocks are still usable.



Ukraine possesses other Western-made missiles though those supplies are dwindling. The United Kingdom last year sent Ukraine its Storm Shadow precision cruise missiles that can hit targets as far away as 250 kilometers. Last week, London announced it would be sending more.



Proof Of Concept



In the span of 10 days in September 2023, Ukraine used its supply of Storm Shadows to hit two targets in Crimea: a shipyard and the Black Sea Fleet's headquarters in Sevastopol. Ukraine has destroyed or damaged about 24 Russian vessels in the Black Sea -- including the flagship Moskva, which was sunk in April 2022 -- using a combination of domestic and Western weapons.



Less than two weeks after the strike on the headquarters, Russia withdrew the bulk of its Black Sea Fleet from the peninsula to the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

"The Ukrainians have already proven the concept of what a handful of precision weapons can do against the Russians in Crimea," Hodges said, referring to the Storm Shadow strikes on Crimea and the subsequent Russian retrenchment.



In an interview with the Washington Post last month, Zelenskiy said the ATACMS would enable Ukraine to drive the Russian Air Force from the peninsula.



"When Russia knows we can destroy these jets, they will not attack from Crimea," he said. "It's like with the sea fleet. We pushed them from our territorial waters. Now we will push them from the airports in Crimea."



Badhwar said ATACMS, which travel at much greater speeds than Storm Shadows and can reach their targets in minutes, are better suited for use against time-sensitive targets like mobile, ground-based air and missile-defense systems, aircraft on the ground, logistical assets engaged in the loading and unloading of supplies, and artillery and missile launchers.



However, he said the German Taurus cruise missile is better suited than ATACMS to target the Crimea Bridge. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far resisted pressure to give Ukraine the powerful missile, though Western officials hope the U.S. decision to supply the ATACMS will force the German leader's hand.



Nowhere To Hide



Now that Ukraine is armed with ATACMS, Hodges said, there is nowhere for Russian forces in Crimea to hide. Ukraine's armed forces "know every square meter" of the peninsula, he said. During his visit to the Munich Security Conference in February, Zelenskiy said he showed U.S. officials which targets he wanted to strike with ATACMS.



"The first big step toward the liberation of Crimea is making it untenable. And long-range, precision strike capability will give Ukraine the opportunity to do that," Hodges said.



"You don't have to kill all the Russians," he said. "You just have to make sure that they don't have fuel, ammunition, and food."



While Karber said Ukraine would also likely launch ATACMS against Russian military facilities in the occupied eastern parts of the country where Moscow has been making progress and is gearing up for an offensive, Hodges said Crimea is the key to victory.



"Crimea is what we would call the decisive terrain of this board. Whoever controls Crimea is going to be the winner here," Hodges said.

In the meantime, just isolating Crimea by destroying supply lines would reduce pressure on Ukrainian forces, he added. Russian missile and drone attacks emanating from the peninsula would ease, and Russian troops in the occupied south would face logistics issues, Hodges said.



Ukraine could then potentially free up troops in the south for the tougher theater in the east, he said.



"It will clearly have a broader effect other than just getting the Russians out of there," Hodges said. "It'll have an effect across the theater, psychologically as well as logistically and physically."

With reporting by Volodymyr Prytula of RFE/RL's Crimea.Realities
YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Kyiv on April 29 for talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the state of the war and the future of NATOs support to Ukraine, according to a report by NATO press office.

The Secretary General praised President Zelenskyys leadership and the bravery of the Ukrainian forces and people, but acknowledged that leadership and bravery alone cannot repel the Russian forces; you also need arms and ammunition. He recognized that serious delays in support have translated to serious consequences on the battlefield.

"But it is not too late for Ukraine to prevail. More support is on the way," he said.

Secretary General Stoltenberg welcomed the major new package from the United States, providing over 60 billion dollars worth of aid, as well as new commitments by the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, the report adds.

On membership, Stoltenberg said: "Ukraines rightful place is in NATO. Ukraine will become a member of NATO. The work we are undertaking now puts you on an irreversible path towards NATO membership, so that when the time is right, Ukraine can become a NATO member straightaway."
A shadowy Uzbek firm with ties to the president's family has scrambled to reanimate its dormant website after a recent RFE/RL investigation revealed it had secured more than $100 million in secretive state gas deals despite having a virtually imperceptible public business footprint.

The RFE/RL expose published on April 25 found that the company, Ultimo Group Limited, quietly won a 2021 tender to serve as a middleman for at least $36 million in overpriced natural gas for delivery to Uzbekistan's largest cement factory, which was owned by the state at the time.

The investigation found that Ultimo Group, which was granted the state contract just over a month after it was founded, had multiple ties to a close confidant of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev's son-in-law, Otabek Umarov, who serves as his deputy security chief.

The sudden and lucrative emergence of Ultimo Group in the Uzbek gas sector was striking in part because the company was all but unknown to the public and did not have a functioning website.

But shortly after RFE/RL published its investigation, Ultimo Group added a corporate logo and content to its website, primarily stock photographs and several curt, backdated news items going back more than three years.

The date given for the earliest of these newly added news items -- March 11, 2021 -- actually predates the existence of the Ultimo Group website, whose domain was registered nearly a month later, online records show.

Most of the news items added to the website are no longer than a paragraph and closely mirror headlines and articles posted by the Uzbek news site Gazeta.uz.

The website's newly added claim that Ultimo Group "supplies natural gas to the Republic of Uzbekistan" and that its "business interests cover mainly the regions of Central Asia and South-East Asia" appears to contradict comments by company director Ravshan Mutalov one week before RFE/RL published its investigation.

"We haven't been operating for more than a year," Mutalov said by telephone when asked about the company he works for in the gas sector. Mutalov declined to name the company or provide further details.

RFE/RL could find no record of commercial activity by Ultimo Group after 2022.

RFE/RL's investigation also found that Ultimo Group received at least $66 million in wire transfers from Uzbek state gas-transit monopoly, Uztransgaz, under a gas contract whose details remain unclear.

While Mirziyoev has repeatedly made public calls to stamp out graft and cronyism, the anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International wrote in its most recent assessment of Uzbekistan that the gas-rich nation, Central Asia's most populous, "remains an authoritarian state characterized by high levels of corruption, nepotism, and abuse of power."

Mutalov is among several individuals and companies in a cross-border network linked to Ultimo Group and Umarov, including Umarov's close confidant, Uzbek Judo Federation head Azizjon Kamilov.

This network includes several companies in the United Arab Emirates that have operated under the name Ultimo Group and Rushmore. One of these U.A.E.-based Ultimo Group companies was managed by the British license holder of Umarov's personal sports-apparel brand, 7Saber.

A key figure in the U.A.E. - based part of this network is an Uzbek associate of Umarov and Kamilov named Doniyor Kadirov.

The new life for Ultimo's dormant website was not the only notable online change visible following RFE/RL's investigation.

After it was published, Kadirov temporarily locked his Instagram account. When it became visible to the public again, a photograph showing him together with Umarov and Kamilov had been removed.

Kadirov operates both the U.A.E.-based company Ultimo Group FZCO and several companies operating under the name Rushmore, which all use the same phone number. Following the RFE/RL investigation, that telephone number was removed from their websites.

On April 29, RFE/RL called the two listed contact telephone numbers on the refurbished website of the Tashkent-based Ultimo Group, which did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment.

Automated messages said the numbers were not in service.

RFE/RL's Baktygul Chynybaeva and Riin Aljas contributed to this report.
Welcome to Wider Europe, RFE/RL's newsletter focusing on the key issues concerning the European Union, NATO, and other institutions and their relationships with the Western Balkans and Europe's Eastern neighborhoods.

I'm RFE/RL Europe Editor Rikard Jozwiak, and this week I'm drilling down on two sanctions issues: How Georgia is gambling on its EU prospects; and the EU's "big bang enlargement" 20 years later.

Brief#1: The Georgian EU Gamble

What You Need To Know: The Georgian government is once again testing Brussels's patience by attempting to reintroduce a so-called foreign-agent law, with the first of three readings in parliament already successful.

Ruling Georgian Dream and its allies tried to adopt an almost identical bill last year but backed down after massive street protests and pressure from the West.

While this looks like a bid to consolidate and fire up Georgian Dream's electoral base ahead of October's parliamentary elections, the question is whether the party has cynically mastered the art of having its cake in its relationship with the EU and eating it, too.

Deep Background: There is arguably no better time to push through a foreign agent law, which requires civil-society organizations and media outlets that get foreign funding to not only report the fact to local authorities but also submit to oversight that could encompass sanctions for as-yet-undefined criminal offenses.

The European Parliamentary elections on June 6-9 will kick off an almighty backroom scramble for top jobs in Brussels that could last months. When Brussels isn't navel-gazing, much of its focus will be on aiding an ailing Ukraine in its war against Russia or seeking to prevent the entire Middle East from descending into war.

Sure, Brussels spoke out rather forcefully on Tbilisi's recent move: EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged "Georgia to refrain from adopting legislation that can compromise Georgia's EU path, a path supported by the overwhelming majority of Georgian citizens."

European Council President Charles Michel was even more blunt when he tweeted, "Let me be clear: the draft Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence is not consistent with Georgia's EU aspiration and its accession trajectory and will bring Georgia further away from the EU and not closer."

On April 25, the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a resolution that included unmistakable criticism directed at Tbilisi.

Drilling Down:

Look more closely, however, and it's clear Brussels isn't totally focused. At the EU summit in Brussels earlier in April, the leaders of all 27 member states adopted conclusions on Ukraine and Turkey and spent most of their time haggling over how to make the bloc more competitive. Not a word on Georgia.

When EU foreign ministers assembled in Luxembourg last week, Georgia wasn't on the agenda. Lithuania and Croatia raised it at the very end of the meeting under "any other business," but there were no real decisions.

It may well be that a group of EU foreign ministers plans to travel soon to Tbilisi, or Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili might attend an upcoming EU foreign affairs council. But in the meantime, the European Parliament's resolution, while tough-sounding, is nonbinding on member states.

I hear from Brussels that there are no potential sanctions on leading Georgian political figures in the pipeline, and neither is any sort of "midterm" assessment of how Georgia is faring on reforms needed to take the next step in its EU accession process (going from candidate status to open membership talks).

The real enlargement report by the European Commission is due in late October, so there's plenty of time to reverse any decision in Tbilisi. Some of my Brussels sources expect someone in Tbilisi -- potentially even former Prime Minister and current Georgian Dream Honorary Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili -- to water down or withdraw the bill altogether in an effort to appear statesmanlike.

It's also clear the Georgian government is dividing its eggs among multiple baskets, not only the pro-Western one. It cannot be going unnoticed within Georgia's leadership that Russia is far from capitulating in Ukraine, and Brussels must recognize this as well.

How else to interpret France's invitation to Russian representatives to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings that helped end World War II, raising the specter of EU-sanctioned Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov showing up?

Or take the Ukraine-led so-called peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June. Kyiv is hoping more than 100 countries will be in attendance, including China. But from what I hear from Brussels, Beijing is mainly demanding that "peace plans" other than just Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's be discussed, potentially paving the way for some sort of Russian presence at the next such meeting.

In a sense, Georgia's moves increasingly resemble those of another EU candidate country: Serbia. And Belgrade, despite its open praise of Moscow and refusal to align itself with Brussels' Russia sanctions, is still a front-runner among EU hopefuls.

Granted, Serbia has neither opened nor closed any EU accession chapters in three years, but don't rule out that this could change in June if some EU member states demand Belgrade move forward a bit if there's a green light for the de facto start of enlargement talks with Ukraine and Moldova.

Despite being generally "difficult" for Brussels on so many issues, Belgrade still gets lots of carrot and not much of a stick. It has so far escaped EU sanctions over last year's deadly attack by armed Serbs on Kosovar police officers in the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo. And when the EU recently approved a three-year, 6 billion-euro "growth plan" for the Western Balkans, Belgrade was made the single-largest recipient.

Georgia may very well repeat the same trick. EU diplomats recently approved 30 billion euros for the country in nonlethal military aid via the so-called European Peace Facility (EPF) -- an off-budget vehicle the EU has mainly used to finance arms deliveries to Ukraine.

As with Serbia, Georgia is counting on the help of a special friend inside the bloc: Hungary. Under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Budapest has leveraged green lights for Ukraine on various EU-related issues to help, for example, Bosnia-Herzegovina move ahead as well. And with Hungary occupying the six-month, rotating EU presidency starting in July, Budapest has made clear its priority to move EU enlargement forward -- and that very much includes positive steps for Tbilisi.

Brief#2: 20 Years After The EU's 'Big Bang' Expansion

What You Need To Know: This week the European Union will look back on its "big bang" enlargement of 2004. On May 1, 20 years ago, the then largely Western European club of 15 democracies underwent what was arguably its single largest transformation by adding 10 new members, 75 million more citizens, and nine additional official languages -- among many other things.

That enlargement was indeed special, as apart from the two southern island states of Cyprus and Malta, it extended EU membership to eight countries emerging from ex-Yugoslavia (Slovenia), the former Soviet Union (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), or the defunct Warsaw Pact (Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia).

Three years later, Bulgaria and Romania joined the club, and in 2013 came the most recent addition, with Croatia formally acceding. With 2004, Europe was starting to "breathe with both its lungs again" -- a metaphor first used by Pope John Paul II to describe improved relations his Roman Catholic Church experienced with Eastern Christian Churches after the fall of communism in 1989 but which later became a catchphrase for a more politically united continent.

But amid all the celebrations, two major questions will inevitably will pop up: How well is the EU really breathing? And does the club have the lung capacity for more members, since there are 10 more states -- from the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, and indeed, Turkey -- that still aim to join?

Deep Background: Asking officials in Brussels from countries that joined the EU two decades ago how important membership was, my question was met with near incredulity. One highlighted the freedom of movement between most member states and the benefits this has brought to students, workers, and family members across the bloc. More poignantly, an official from one of the Baltic states remarked dryly that they would be where Ukraine or Moldova is now: either at war with Russia or under intense political pressure from the Kremlin.

Yet there is no debating that the 2004 enlargement ultimately proved challenging. Ferenc Laczo, an assistant professor of European history at Maastricht University, noted in a recent article that the "big bang" 20 years ago "changed the union more than West Europeans had expected but less than East Europeans had hoped."

He added that billions in capital moved west to east in search of skilled but cheaper labor, whereas people traveled in the opposite direction in pursuit of higher salaries and better quality of life.

This is true, but with some qualifications. Most older member states imposed restrictions, some lasting up to seven years, for workers from the freshly minted member states.

The United Kingdom was an exception, and accepted millions of newcomers. Speaking about it today, many officials in Brussels say this was a significant factor in the Brexit vote in 2016, when the slogan "Take back control" summed up general discontent, including over immigration of all sorts.

Drilling Down:

The economics of the "big bang" are generally considered a success. Germany now imports more from Poland than France, and the Czech Republic might soon overtake Paris in that regard as well.

Speaking in the European Parliament, Poland's prime minister at the time of accession, Leszek Miller, noted Poland's GDP has grown 40 percent since membership.

In 2004, the average GDP per capita of the 15 old EU member states was around $20,000; for the 10 new members it was $9,000. That gap is still there, but it's narrowing.

Not one of the 10 Central and Eastern European member states (so adding Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania to the mix) is a net contributor to the common EU budget, which is calculated by gross national income (GNI).

In fact, all of them are still below the EU's average GDP, although the Czech Republic and Slovenia are close. Twenty of the poorest regions in the bloc are in the east, even if some regions around capitals like Budapest, Bratislava, Prague, and Warsaw are doing well.

Then there is political development. Poland and Hungary are still under so-called Article 7 procedures, which can result in members losing their council voting rights due to fears over democratic backsliding and rule of law.

While Poland might soon exit the Article 7 procedures, there are fears that Slovakia under its new populist government might take its place. There have previously been serious concerns about the political direction of Slovenia under the premiership of Janez Jansa, or about former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis's use of EU funds. Bulgaria and Romania just recently got partial (sea and air, but not land) Schengen membership despite fears over corruption and organized crime.

The question now is whether the EU is ready for another enlargement or is still grappling with the idea of keeping the club intact. The six EU hopefuls in the Western Balkans have made scant progress in the last decade and serve as a sober reminder to Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine that EU members' desire to enlarge waxes and wanes.

in the last decade and serve as a sober reminder to Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine that EU members' desire to enlarge waxes and wanes. The ambitious idea by the outgoing president of the European Council, Charles Michel, for the bloc to be ready to take in new members by 2030 is no longer discussed much in the corridors of power in Brussels. Neither is the need for the EU to reform in order to enlarge, even though ideas continue to float around .

is no longer discussed much in the corridors of power in Brussels. Neither is the need for the EU to reform in order to enlarge, even though ideas . With farmers in many of the countries bordering Ukraine incensed about the influx of cheap Ukrainian agri-products that they say undercuts their domestic markets (something that would be the norm if Ukraine were to join) it's clear that even eastern EU members have misgivings about further expansion.

Polls have shown that support for Ukraine's EU membership remains strong, but recent research commissioned by the European Council on Foreign Relations shows such backing isn't overwhelming and support for Moldova and Montenegro joining isn't matched by similar enthusiasm for any of the other seven candidate countries.

Looking Ahead

On April 29-30, the bloc's European affairs ministers are assembling in Brussels to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2004 enlargement. They will be joined by their counterparts from the current EU candidate countries and focus on how to ensure the rule of law in an expanded European Union.

On May 2, the European Commission is expected to present to EU member states its proposals for more sanctions on Belarus and Russia. Among other things, the EU is set to restrict Russian funding for NGOs inside the bloc, impose an import ban on stolen Ukraine cultural objects, and punish companies in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan that facilitate the delivery of sanctioned goods to Russia.

That's all for this week. Feel free to reach out to me on any of these issues on Twitter @RikardJozwiak, or on e-mail at jozwiakr@rferl.org.

Until next time,

Rikard Jozwiak

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Aurora Mayor Jim Orman was stunned to learn Monday that Wells College, the center of his village and a major employer, will close at the end of the spring semester.

The shock was evident as Orman discussed the closure with The Citizen, hours after Wells informed employees and students that this semester would be its last.

"It's a sad day," Orman said. "You have such an economic impact on the village ... It's hard to describe."

Wells College in Aurora will close at end of spring semester Wells College will close at the end of the spring semester due to declining enrollment and financial struggles.

After years of declining enrollment and financial struggles, Wells College decided to cease operations. Jonathan Gibralter, the college's president, and Marie Chapman Carroll, chair of the board of trustees, said the institution "does not have adequate financial resources to continue."

The closure of the 156-year-old college will affect 370 students and nearly 200 employees. The students who aren't graduating this year will be offered opportunities to transfer to other institutions, with Wells identifying Manhattanville College as its preferred "teach-out" partner.

Orman said it's too early to say what impact losing Wells College would have on Aurora. The employees and students at the college provided a boost to the village's economy by frequenting local businesses. Many employees, he noted, live in the village.

One potential impact is how Aurora will proceed with projects funded by a $10 million state Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant. Aurora joined with Cayuga and Union Springs to apply for the grant and the villages were announced as the winners in February.

One of the proposed DRI projects is the creation of a workforce development center at Cleveland Hall on the Wells College campus. There would be office space for village officials within the facility, but Orman is unsure whether that project will move forward.

Among the other local leaders reacting to Wells College's announcement is Cayuga County Legislature Chairwoman Aileen McNabb-Coleman, who told The Citizen that she is following up with Gibralter and Orman "to provide support wherever possible between now and June."

"On behalf of Cayuga County, our thoughts are with the administration, students, workforce and the Aurora community upon the heartbreaking news of the closure of Wells College, a longstanding fixture in Cayuga County for 156 years," McNabb-Coleman said.

State Sen. Rachel May, who represents Cayuga County, described Wells' announcement as "devastating news" in a statement provided to The Citizen. She said she has spoken with Gibralter and offered assistance to the college, employees, students and the surrounding community.

"Wells College has been a venerable and creative institution, educating students, employing faculty and staff, and serving as a good neighbor in Aurora for over a century and a half," May said. "The winds of change in higher education these days just proved too strong for them to withstand."

Wells is the latest upstate New York private college to close. The College of Saint Rose in Albany announced in December that it will close at the end of the academic year. Cazenovia College in Madison County closed in 2023.

Gov. Kathy Hochul is aware of Wells College's decision to close at the end of the semester. A spokesperson for Hochul said the governor is "committed to ensuring the best possible outcome for students and the community impacted by this closure. Our administration will assist students, as needed, to ensure they are able to complete their degrees at other institutions."
From the history of the womens press in Romania

Women's emancipation was a theme that attracted more and more followers starting with the second half of the 19th century

History Show

Steliu Lambru, 08.07.2024, 14:00

Individual rights and freedoms, enunciated since the 18th century, focused on the promotion of equality, beyond any criteria of religion, race, ethnicity, and gender. Womens emancipation was a theme that attracted more and more followers starting with the second half of the 19th century, and socialism and feminism aimed at militating mostly for womens rights in modern society. The most persistent efforts were made for womens wage rights and political rights, the right to vote being a gain they obtained since the 20th century. The press also campaigned for granting equal rights to women, being among the most powerful means by which the goals of the feminist movement were achieved.

In Romania as well, womens emancipation and feminism appeared in the second half of the 19th century, the struggle for obtaining rights also being fought through the press. Articles of different sizes and on different topics of interest to women usually appeared in all publications. But the magazines that assumed the role of womens emancipation began to have a constant audience, among those that committed to the project of female emancipation being Femeia (The Woman) magazine. Magazines with the word woman in the title appeared starting in 1868, Woman. Non-political journal being the first. Other magazines such as Romanian Woman, Village Woman, Woman and Home, Orthodox Woman, Elegant Woman, Woman from Dambovita, Working Woman appeared for shorter or longer periods and, from the title, one could guess their profile. The longest period during which a womens magazine was published was between 1946 and 1989, entitled just like that, Woman, which continues to be issued today.

Womens magazines were not written only by women, as one might think. One could say that, on the contrary, women entered the world of journalism that defended their rights later. The social democrat Elena Gugian was one of them. In 2000, when the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporations Oral History Center interviewed her, Gugian remembered that, at 19 years old, in 1944, when she had joined the Social Democratic Party, her career followed the working-class environments that she had joined and from where she drew inspiration for the texts that she published in the magazine she worked for.

Elena Gugian: There were many women from factories in the party organizations. They were from the APACA textile factory, with mostly female employees. There were women also from the Anghelescu Sweets Factory, on Soseaua Viilor street, from the Flora can factory also on Soseaua Viilor, from the Medicines Factory, and from the Cigarette Factory. Where the employees were mostly women, we had organizations and held meetings with them there, at the workplace. I met women, I talked with women, as I was a journalist and I recorded what was discussed there for the magazine of the womens organization, which was called the Working Woman.

The Working Woman magazine, put out by the Romanian Social Democracy, tried to be very involved in the issues facing working-class women. Elena Gugian remembers the first issues of the magazine, and its revival after the war: It was known under this name ever since 1930, when it was still multiplied by mimeograph as a small, 2-3-page flyer, and it died at the same time with the old democratic parties in 1938. It was reissued in 1946 as a magazine, taking over the original name. On 32 pages, originally only in black and white and later on in red and combinations of red and black or red and blue, depending on the ink we were able to find each particular time.

Elena Gugian did field work and was literally in love with her profession: Because I was the youngest in the team, I would run around like crazy, together with the photographer, we would take photos, do reports, collect data. I would also liaise with the press services of the diplomatic offices set up in Bucharest, to get photos and articles about the Social-Democratic women in those countries.

After 1945, when WWII ended, everything had to be rebuilt, especially peace. And Elena Gugian and her fellow workers contributed to the general effort: :We were interested in womens issues, for a number of reasons. After the war, many women found themselves to be head of their households, with children to raise, after their husbands had either died in the war or returned with disabilities. So women had to find jobs. Most of them were illiterate, and our biggest concern was how to help them learn to read and write. We organised basic literacy classes, to help them at least sign their salary stubs. But some of them grew to like reading, and got ahead.

Between 1945 and 1948, the Working Woman magazine followed its goal, and continued to promote the principles of equality. Renamed The Woman in 1948, with the rise of the communist regime, the magazine saw another chapter in its history, one in which it served as a means of propaganda for a repressive regime. (LS, AMP)
The need for cultural dialogue

Pope Francis paid a visit to Venice, also addressing artists at the Venice Art Biennale

Pope Francis (Photo credits: Facebook / La Biennale di Venezia)

Corina Cristea, 29.04.2024, 14:00

Testing his endurance and strength after a series of health issues in recent months, Pope Francis on Sunday paid an official visit to Venice, the first since his election in 2013 and also the first time a Pontiff is visiting the Venice Art Biennale, a prestigious art exhibition. Romania too is represented at the Giardini della Biennale, as well as in the New Gallery of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Venice. The Popes visit was a reciprocation of the visit several artists paid to the Sisteen Chapen in June last year, the Pope said. The world needs artists, the Pope said on this occasion, arguing that artists are called to create genuine citadels for escape, with Biblical references, working together to rid the world of senseless and now hollowed-out antinomies, behind which there is always the rejection of the other. I confess that next to you I do not feel like a stranger: I feel at home. And I think this actually applies to every human being, because, for all intents and purposes, art holds the status of a city of refuge, a city that disobeys the regime of violence and discrimination to create forms of human belonging capable of recognizing, including, protecting, embracing everyone. Everyone, starting with the last ones, the Pope said during a meeting held at the Sancta Maria Magdalena Church, the Giudecca prison chapel, where the Pope started his visit by speaking to the women inmates there.

Held over April 20-24 November this year, the Venice Art Biennale has reached its 60th edition, and comprises works by new contemporary artists. The project representing Romania is What Work Is, an exhibition curated by Ciprian Muresan, featuring Serban Savu as lead artist, exploring the complex balance between work and personal time. The Biennale this year is themed Foreigners Everywhere, a topic strongly resounding with Savus work, which explores feelings of disorientation and displacement, focusing on the difficulties experienced by workers abroad and their impact on feelings of belonging and identity. The Pope then went on to visit the Basilica della Salute, where he addressed young people. We live in a world suffocated by products created by man, which make us lose our awe for the surrounding beauty. The Genesis teaches us to be creators of beauty ourselves, to create something never-before made. Life must be given, not managed. Let us break away with the mesmerizing world of social media that numbs our soul, Pope Francis said. In his traditional Sunday prayer in San Marco Square, before a 10-thousand strong crowd, Pope Francis called for peace and urged people to care for our common home, a reference to the impact of overtourism on the environment. (VP)
Singapore will on Monday release Q1 figures for unemployment, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In the three months prior, the jobless rate was 2.0 percent.

Thailand is scheduled to release March numbers for imports, exports, trade balance and industrial production. Imports are tipped to rise 4.55 percent on year after adding 3.20 percent in February. Exports are seen lower by an annual 4.50 percent after advancing 3.60 percent in the previous month. The trade surplus is pegged at $830 million following the $550 million deficit a month earlier. Industrial production is expected to slip 1.90 percent in year after falling 2.84 percent in February.

Finally, the in Japan in Japan are closed on Monday for Showa Day and will re-open on Tuesday.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

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Dutch consumer electronics giant Philips Electronics NV (PHGFF.PK,PHG) reported that its first quarter net loss attributable to shareholders widened to 999 million euros or 1.10 euros per share from last year's 665 million euros or 0.72 euros per share, hurt by Respironics litigation provision and higher tax expense, partly offset by improved operational performance.

For the full year 2024, Philips continues to expect 3%-5% comparable sales growth and an adjusted EBITA margin of 11%-11.5%.

Philips reiterated its confidence in delivering the 2025 plan, acknowledging that uncertainties remain.

Philips said that the company and plaintiffs' have reached an agreement, following mediation with Judge Diane Welsh, to settle personal injury litigation and a medical monitoring class action in the US, aiming to resolve uncertainties associated with litigation.

While Philips and Philips Respironics deny any fault or liability, or that any injuries resulted from Respironics' devices, the settlement addresses claims filed in US courts and potential claims submitted to the census registry, the company said.

Under the settlement, Philips Respironics will pay a total of $1.1 billion, with payments expected in 2025, funded from Philips' cash flow generation. Consequently, a 982 million euros provision was recognized in the first quarter 2024.

Additionally, in April 2024, Philips Respironics signed a court-approved consent decree and obtained final court approval for a previously announced economic loss settlement in the US, for which a provision was recognized in the first-quarter 2023.



Furthermore, Philips concluded an agreement with insurers to receive 540 million euros to cover Respironics recall-related product liability claims. This income is anticipated to be recognized in the second-quarter of 2024, with payment expected during the same year.

Philips reported Monday that its adjusted income from continuing operations attributable to shareholders for the first quarter was 235 million euros or 0.26 euros per share compared to 192 million euros or 0.21 euros per share in the prior year.

Sales for the first quarter declined to 4.14 billion euros from 4.17 billion euros.

Group comparable sales increased 2.4%, driven by growth in the Diagnosis & Treatment and Personal Health segments, partly offset by a decline in Connected Care.

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Business News
Shares of Philips Electronics NV surged around 47 percent in the morning trading in Amsterdam as well as around 44 percent in the pre-market activity on the NYSE after the Dutch consumer electronics giant announced Monday that Philips Respironics will pay a total of $1.1 billion to settle personal injury and medical monitoring litigation in the US. The company also announced a wider loss in its first quarter and maintained annual outlook.

Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips, said, "We started the year in line with our plan, with order intake growth outside China turning positive and strong margin improvement. Supported by key innovation launches and strong focus on our execution priorities, we remain confident in our performance improvement plan for 2024.... The approved consent decree and economic loss settlement, and now the resolution of the personal injury and medical monitoring litigation in the US, are significant milestones and provide further clarity on the way forward for Philips."

For the full year 2024, Philips continues to expect 3 percent-5 percent comparable sales growth and an adjusted EBITA margin of 11 percent to 11.5 percent.

Philips reiterated its confidence in delivering the 2025 plan, acknowledging that uncertainties remain.

Further, Philips said that the company and plaintiffs have reached an agreement, following mediation with Judge Diane Welsh, to settle personal injury litigation and a medical monitoring class action in the US, aiming to resolve uncertainties associated with litigation.

The settlement addresses claims filed in US courts and potential claims submitted to the census registry. Meanwhile, Philips and Philips Respironics do not admit any fault or liability, or that any injuries were caused by Respironics' devices.

Under the settlement, Philips Respironics will make the $1.1 billion payments in 2025, funded from Philips' cash flow generation. Consequently, a 982 million euros provision was recognized in the first quarter 2024.

In April 2024, Philips Respironics signed a court-approved consent decree and obtained final court approval for a previously announced economic loss settlement in the US, for which a provision was recognized in the first-quarter 2023.

Furthermore, Philips concluded an agreement with insurers to receive 540 million euros to cover Respironics recall-related product liability claims. This income is anticipated to be recognized in the second-quarter of 2024, with payment expected during the same year.

In its first quarter, net loss attributable to shareholders widened to 999 million euros or 1.10 euros per share from last year's net loss of 665 million euros or 0.72 euros per share.

The results were hurt by Respironics litigation provision and higher tax expense, partly offset by improved operational performance.

Philips' adjusted income from continuing operations attributable to shareholders for the first quarter was 235 million euros or 0.26 euros per share compared to 192 million euros or 0.21 euros per share in the prior year.

Sales for the first quarter declined 1 percent to 4.14 billion euros from 4.17 billion euros a year ago. Group comparable sales increased 2.4 percent, driven by growth in the Diagnosis & Treatment and Personal Health segments, partly offset by a decline in Connected Care.

Comparable order intake, meanwhile, was down 4%.

In Amsterdam, Philips shares were trading at 28.98 euros, up 46.8 percent.

In pre-market activity on the NYSE, the shares were trading at $30.31, up 43.9 percent.

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Business News
Sight Sciences, Inc. (SGHT) said it received a positive jury trial verdict of $34 million associated with the patent infringement case it filed on September 16, 2021 against Alcon Inc., Alcon Vision, LLC, Alcon Research, LLC, and Ivantis, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Following a five-day jury trial, the jury found that Alcon willfully infringed all three Sight Sciences' asserted patents and awarded monetary damages for past infringement. The monetary damages are comprised of $5.5 million in lost profits and $28.5 million in royalty damages for sales of the Hydrus Microstent for the period from its commercial launch through trial.

Sight Sciences is an eyecare company focused on developing and commercializing interventional solutions intended to transform care and improve patients' lives.

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Beijing (Gasgoo)- On April 29, SAIC Motor released its first-quarter report for 2024, showcasing steady progress despite challenges like intensified price wars in the Chinese automotive industry.



Photo credit: SAIC Motor

In the first quarter of this year, the automaker achieved a total operating income of 143.07 billion yuan and a net profit of 2.71 billion yuan attributable to shareholders, demonstrating robust economic performance.

From January to March of 2024, SAIC Motor's deliveries reached 1.132 million vehicles, up 9.3% year on year. SAIC Motor's new energy vehicle sales soared 47.9% from the same period last year, exceeding 210,000 units. Among which, 168,000 units were sold domestically, up 117.5% year on year.

Sales in overseas markets also witnessed growth, with deliveries increasing 21.3% year on year to 269,000 units in the first quarter. SAIC Motor's top ten overseas markets in the period included the UK (26,000 units), Australia (17,000 units), and Italy (13,000 units), showcasing a continuously optimized sales structure.

Photo credit: SAIC Motor

At the ongoing Auto China 2024 in Beijing, the highly anticipated smart sedan IM L6 from IM Motors made its debut, featuring industry-leading technologies such as the agile digital chassis, Lightyear solid-state battery, IMOS 3.0 intelligent cockpit system, and SUV-like multifunctional intelligent space.

With over 21,000 units of cumulative orders, the official pricing for the IM L6 has not yet been announced, but its popularity is evident. Other notable vehicles showcased alongside the IM L6 include the Roewe D5X DMH, the Tiguan L Pro, the Cadillac IQ OPTIQ, Buick's new GL8 PHEV, Chevrolet's Trailblazer Plus, and the all-electric Wuling Xingguang, all poised to boost SAIC Motor's overall vehicle sales in the coming months.
Beijing (Gasgoo)- On April 27, Chinas Traffic Management Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security (TMRI), CATL, CITL, and Binhu Shanshuicheng signed a cooperation agreement in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, to jointly establish the Taihu Bay V2X Innovation Center (Intelligent Vehicle Operation Safety Inspection Center).

Photo credit: CATL

The aim is to promote innovative policies for the safe operation of intelligent vehicles in China, provide support for the safe and high-quality development of new energy vehicles and power batteries, build a national industrial cluster, and support the development of the national intelligent automobile industry.

According to the agreement, the four parties will fully utilize the resources of Wuxi Binhu Shanshuicheng as a leading area for V2X technology, CATL's world-leading battery technology and complete industrial chain, the technical resources of the TMRI as a national-level research institution, and CITL's excellent market expansion capabilities.

The focus will be on cooperation in areas such as new energy battery safety testing and application scenario testing, R&D of new energy vehicle powertrain testing equipment, and new energy smart transportation. By accelerating the transformation of technological achievements and exploring new development models, they aim to enrich V2X applications with battery services.
AUSTIN, TexasThe parent company for Chaturbate has reached a settlement with the office of Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to resolve a lawsuit accusing the adult live-streaming giant of violating age verification requirements laid out in the controversial House Bill (HB) 1181.

"Its a very positive development that this company has decided to follow the law and begin reasonable age verification measures designed to protect Texas children from harmful material," said Paxton in a press statement. Other pornography companies should follow this example and willingly choose to do the right thing and abide by the law.

According to a copy of the settlement reviewed by AVN, Chaturbate's parent company, Multi Media LLC, is ordered to pay a civil penalty of $675,000. "Payment shall be made by either a cashiers check or money order made payable to the State of Texas," per the settlement. Chaturbate is also ordered to implement age verification software in order to operate in Texas.

"Promptly after suit was filed, on March 21, 2024, Multi Media, LLC, implemented the age verification required by Texas law," reads the settlement. "Subsequently, the parties respective counsel conferred and agreed to the terms of a final order that fully resolves the issues alleged in the states petition."

AVN previously reported on lawsuits filed by Attorney General Paxton in Travis County courts against Chaturbate and the parent companies of xHamster and Pornhub. Pornhub's parent company, Aylo, is currently a party to a case being petitioned for a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court that challenges the constitutionality of HB 1181.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Quinn Emanuel represent Aylo, which is joined by the parent companies of the largest tube sites in the world and the Free Speech Coalition. The groups maintain that First Amendment rights are being violated by requiring age verification to view age-restricted materials.

AVN reached out to Chaturbate COO Shirley Lara for comment, but had not received a response as of post time.
Large theropods were as smart as reptiles but not as intelligent as monkeys, according to new research led by University of Bristol paleontologists.

In a study published last year, Vanderbilt University paleontologist Suzana Herculano-Houzel claimed that dinosaurs like T. rex had an exceptionally high number of neurons and were substantially more intelligent than assumed.

She claimed that these high neuron counts could directly inform on intelligence, metabolism and life history, and that T. rex was rather monkey-like in some of its habits.

The Late Cretaceous North American theropod dinosaur T. rex is a superlative predator, being among the largest, heaviest, and most powerful (in terms of bite force) terrestrial carnivores of all time, said University of Bristols Dr. Hady George and colleagues.

Recently, Dr. Herculano-Houzel proposed that anthropoid primate-level intelligence should be added to T. rexs already impressive predatory resume based on high estimates for the number of neurons in its forebrain.

This conclusion emerged from a paradigm whereby neurological variables estimated from endocasts can, so it is claimed, be used to infer metabolic parameters, behaviors, and longevity in fossil species.

In their new study, Dr. George and co-authors took a closer look at techniques used to predict both brain size and neuron numbers in dinosaur brains.

They found that previous assumptions about brain size in dinosaurs, and the number of neurons their brains contained, were unreliable.

This new research follows decades of analysis in which paleontologists and biologists have examined dinosaur brain size and anatomy, and used these data to infer behavior and lifestyle.

Information on dinosaur brains comes from mineral infillings of the brain cavity, termed endocasts, as well as the shapes of the cavities themselves.

The authors found that their brain size had been overestimated  especially that of the forebrain  and thus neuron counts as well.

In addition, they show that neuron count estimates are not a reliable guide to intelligence.

To reliably reconstruct the biology of long-extinct species, researchers should look at multiple lines of evidence, including skeletal anatomy, bone histology, the behavior of living relatives, and trace fossils, they said.

Determining the intelligence of dinosaurs and other extinct animals is best done using many lines of evidence ranging from gross anatomy to fossil footprints instead of relying on neuron number estimates alone, Dr. Hady added.

We argue that its not good practice to predict intelligence in extinct species when neuron counts reconstructed from endocasts are all we have to go on, said Dr. Kai Caspar, a paleontologist at the Heinrich Heine University.

Neuron counts are not good predictors of cognitive performance, and using them to predict intelligence in long-extinct species can lead to highly misleading interpretations, said Dr. Ornella Bertrand, a paleontologist at the Institut Catala de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont.

The possibility that T. rex might have been as intelligent as a baboon is fascinating and terrifying, with the potential to reinvent our view of the past, said Dr. Darren Naish, a paleontologist at the University of Southampton.

But our study shows how all the data we have is against this idea. They were more like smart giant crocodiles, and thats just as fascinating.

The results were published in The Anatomical Record.

_____

Kai R. Caspar et al. How smart was T. rex? Testing claims of exceptional cognition in dinosaurs and the application of neuron count estimates in palaeontological research. The Anatomical Record, published online April 26, 2024; doi: 10.1002/ar.25459
POMPANO BEACH, Fla.M.D. Science Lab, maker of the Swiss Navy brand, is now shipping its Premium Silicone Lubricant in a special Pride bottle.

As the annual Pride celebration approaches, Swiss Navy scheduled the product to be available at the optimal time to help increase sales for its retail partners.

As an added bonus, for a limited time during the month of June, Swiss Navy will be including 25 free 5ml Pride edition packets for every 12 bottles of Pride that a retailer purchases. Retailers are encouraged to reach out to their Swiss Navy sales representative for more details.

Swiss Navys Premium Silicone Lubricant is extra nourishing to sensitive skin and is formulated to be ultra-long lasting, requiring less application. Silicone lubricant is naturally hypoallergenic and waterproof, so it doesnt dry out quickly, making it ideal for people looking for smoother intimate experiences.

To place an order for Swiss Navys Pride Lubricant, contact a sales representative.

To view the latest Swiss Navy product range, visit swissnavy.com.

For sales and marketing resources, visit Swiss Navys B2B Resource Center at b2bswissnavy.com.

Retailers and their staff are encouraged to sign up for free online certification training to become a Certified Swiss Navy Expert at swissnavycertifiedexpert.com.
Billings West High students are some of the best German language-learners in the nation.

Every year for the last three years a West student has nabbed a spot to travel to Germany for three weeks on scholarship  current senior Lola Sheridan accomplished the feat last year, and senior Hudson Wyss, the year prior. This year, sophomore Johanna Smith will go for the three weeks, with 37 other top-ranking students from across the country.

Less than 50 students qualify nationally, and the fact that we have three who are currently still West High students is incredible, West High School German teacher Paul Asleson said. My colleagues and I pour so much into the program. So, to see these results, it gives us validation in what were doingwere elevating students to the highest level.

They also win medals. In January, 38 medals were awarded to West High students for performance in the National German Exam, placing the school in the top 30% nationwide. Six were gold medalists, ranking in the top 10%.

Roughly 15,000 students across the country take the national exam every year.

Its a rare thing nationally, for there to be three full-time German language teachers at one high school, Asleson said, let alone two native German speakers as part of the faculty.

Of West Highs 2,200 students, 409 students are enrolled in German classes this semester. What inspires so many students to take German 1, continue on to German 2, and 3 and earn national ranks and medals while doing so?

Theres a lot of debate out there within the language teaching community about what language learning should look like, Asleson said. There used to be this perception of only smart people could learn a language. Only the gifted people stuck around and took three, four years of a language.

Asleson and his colleagues Olga Shatalova and Natasha Campbell though, are passionate about breaking barriers to language learning, and creating a fun, inclusive space for all students to excel in.

We really jumped on board with the idea that every single student is able to learn a language, he said. I think that attitude of embracing all students to come into our program, all students can succeed, I think thats one huge pillar of our program.

Teaching methods used by the three of them may seem a little out-of-the-box when compared to traditional second-language curriculums. Its more science-driven, similar to how children learn their first language, Asleson said.

Its subconscious, he said. Were facilitating a space where language will come naturally. Theres very little English spoken at all by the time they get to level 3.

Campbell, who teaches German 1, tells her students to make as many mistakes as they can.

Theyre like a two-year-old kid, youre excited when the kid is speaking, saying something. Thats how we are, always supporting, Campbell said. They dont have any fear, they have fun, they speak.

Its more about that Aha! moment for Campbell, than assigning homework, she said.

They dont even know theyre learning but for 52 minutes, theyre engaged.
Koninklijke Philips , the Dutch healthcare giant, has finally reached a settlement with US regulators over a Respironics product recall back in 2021 worth $1.1bn, causing shares to soar by more than a third on Monday morning.

The news follows a so-called consent decree agreed earlier this month with the Department of Justice and Food and Drug Administration, which restricts the manufacture and sale of certain sleep therapy and respiratory devices.

The company's chief executive Roy Jakobs called recent developments "significant milestones and provide further clarity on the way forward for Philips".

By 1040 in Amsterdam, the stock was up 34% at 26.53  a level not seen since April 2022.

Respironics initiated a voluntary recall "of significant scale" in June 2021 after finding that the soundproofing foam used in certain devices might degrade into particles that could be ingested or inhaled by users. According to FDA data, more than 15m devices were recalled altogether.

On Monday, Philips said it had reached a litigation settlement with the DOJ worth $1.1bn, with payments expected in 2025 and a 982m provision being recognised in the first quarter.

Philips also concluded an agreement with insurers to pay the company 540m to cover Respironics recall-related product liability claims, with the income expected in the second quarter 2024 and payments expected sometime during 2024.

"Following the remediation of sleep therapy devices and the reassuring test results to date, these important milestones on litigation, the consent decree and insurance provide Philips with a clear path forward for sustainable value creation," the company said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Philips reported a 2.4% increase in group sales to 4.1bn in the first quarter, though comparable order intake was down 3.8% due to weakness in China due to industry-wide anti-corruption measures initiated by the government and by subdued consumer demand.

The company reported an operating loss of 824m for the quarter, which included the Respironics provision.

We started the year in line with our plan, with order intake growth outside China turning positive and strong margin improvement," Jakobs said.

"Supported by key innovation launches and strong focus on our execution priorities, we remain confident in our performance improvement plan for 2024."
Senior Whitehall officials fear Thames Waters financial collapse could trigger a rise in government borrowing costs not seen since the chaos of the Liz Truss mini-budget, the Guardian can reveal. Such is their concern about the impact on wider borrowing costs for the UK, even beyond utilities and infrastructure, that they believe Thames should be renationalised before the general election. Officials in the Treasury and the UKs Debt Management Office fear that, unless the UKs biggest water company is renationalised as soon as possible, prolonged uncertainty about its fate could damage confidence in UK plc at a sensitive time, with elections in the UK and the US later this year.  Guardian

Ireland has landed a 700m (600m) Brexit bonanza with a steep increase in tax revenues flowing from customs duties now applicable to imports of clothing, food and other goods from Great Britain. Before Brexit, Britain enjoyed customs-free exports to Ireland and the rest of the EU because it was part of the single market and customs union. But when Boris Johnson sealed a hard Brexit and quit the single market, it meant fresh controls, checks and duties would be payable on exports to the EU.  Guardian

A wave of luxury vehicle thefts on Britains streets is being fuelled by Chinese companies selling cheap jamming devices, experts have warned. The jammers, which can block GPS, mobile phone and radio signals, range from cheaper, low-powered devices covering a couple of metres to more powerful ones capable of blocking signals within a distance of 100 metres or more. This allows car thieves to steal vehicles and then car thieves to steal vehicles and then block signals from any tracking devices, making it much harder to discover their whereabouts once they have been taken.  Telegraph

The former boss of Persimmon, who stepped down as chief executive of the listed housebuilder amid an outcry over his unfathomable pay package, is on a collision course with the American hedge fund backer of his new venture. Jeff Fairburn, best known in the City for a 75 million bonus payout at Persimmon in 2018, teamed up with Elliott Advisors to buy Avant Homes as the housing market prospered from a cut to stamp duty during the pandemic.  The Times

HM Revenue & Customs is investigating the tax affairs of Babylon, the insolvent healthcare technology company that was championed by Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, and had links to the Conservative Party. Officials are investigating tax matters relating to the period before the appointment in August of administrators from Alvarez & Marsal over Babylon Partners, the main British operating company.  The Times
Coffee comes in many forms including Americanos, espressos, cappuccinos, mochas, lattes, and more. However, you may not have heard of Vietnamese coffee, which is distinct version made from brewed coffee and sweetened condensed milk. It has the rich coffee flavor that coffee aficionados love along with a sweet, creamy taste from the sweetened condensed milk. While the ingredient list seems simple enough, the technique of making Vietnamese coffee is just as important to consider as it requires a phin, which is a type of coffee press that is comparable to a French press. Here is a beginners guide to Vietnamese coffee.

The History of Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese coffee originated in the Southeast Asian country of Vietnam. During the French colonial period in Vietnam, which began in the late 19th century, the French introduced coffee into the country. However, many Vietnamese people found the taste of coffee to be too strong and bitter, which led to them adding sweetened condensed milk to their coffee to balance out the flavor and make it more palatable.

While sweetened condensed milk is a distinct feature of Vietnamese coffee with its thick viscosity, its use in this beverage has practical origins. Due to how expensive milk was and how challenging it was to access, sweetened condensed milk was a more appealing choice. It is also more stable than fresh milk as it doesnt require refrigeration when it is unopened and once it is opened, it can be refrigerated for up to a week.

The Type of Coffee to Use

While you may think you can use whatever coffee you have on hand to make your own version of Vietnamese coffee, it is essential to use Vietnamese coffee beans to make authentic Vietnamese coffee. Vietnamese coffee has a unique strong taste that other types of coffee may not be able to match.

In Vietnam, Robusta coffee beans are commonly grown since it is easier to grow them in abundance in areas at low altitudes than Arabica coffee beans. Robusta coffee beans have twice as much caffeine as Arabica beans, along with a strong flavor and slightly more bitterness. Considering this, it is easy to determine why these particular coffee beans are so important to making authentic Vietnamese coffee at home.

If you have an Asian grocery near where you live, you can check to see if it carries Vietnamese coffee. Otherwise, you should be able to order popular Vietnamese coffee brands such as Trung Nguyens Vietnamese coffee online.

Vietnamese coffee beans are traditionally roasted dark for a robustness of flavor. While they were previously roasted with a caramel-type oil to offer the beans a sweet flavor, today, they are roasted in butter, which impacts the taste and richness of the coffee.

If you have ever tried Vietnamese coffee outside of Vietnam, you may not have had it with Vietnamese coffee. However, the truth is that Vietnamese coffee beans are what makes this unique beverage Vietnamese coffee, and therefore, they are an integral ingredient.

The Equipment Needed for Vietnamese Coffee

In Vietnam, a piece of equipment known as a phin is essential for making Vietnamese coffee. The phin is similar to a French press in that it is used to brew slow-drip coffee with medium to coarse coffee grounds. The phin is a small metal pot that has a perforated bottom so that coffee can drip through it into a cup below it.

The coffee is placed in the phin, and then water is poured over the coffee before being pressed into a cup. While you can enjoy the coffee black, it is often mixed with sweetened condensed milk for a classic Vietnamese coffee.

To find a phin to use at home, check out your local Asian grocery store or search online. They are quite accessible online due to the rising popularity of Vietnamese coffee.

How to Brew Vietnamese Coffee

Brewing Vietnamese coffee at home is quite easy, particularly if you have the correct equipment. Here is how to brew Vietnamese coffee at home.

Pour some sweetened condensed milk into the bottom of a serving cup.

Place ground Vietnamese coffee in the phin filter and set it on top of the serving cup.

Pour boiling water over the coffee grounds; use the phin press to press the water out of the coffee into the cup. It is ideal to start with only a couple of tablespoons of water to allow the coffee grounds to expand and produce a more flavorful coffee before adding the rest of the water.

Allow the phin to sit on top of the cup until it has finished dripping, which should take about 5 minutes.

Remove the phin and stir the coffee with the sweetened condensed milk to combine.

Serving Vietnamese Coffee with Ice

While Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk is a comforting beverage to have on a cool day, many people love to enjoy it as an iced coffee on hotter days. If you would like to make iced Vietnamese coffee, once you have brewed it according to the above instructions, fill a glass with ice and pour the brewed coffee over the top.

FAQ

What type of coffee should I use for Vietnamese coffee?

For Vietnamese coffee, it is best to use Vietnamese-grown Robusta beans, which are high in caffeine, and produce that signature bitter and bold coffee flavor.

Can I use a French press to make Vietnamese coffee?

Yes, if you dont want to invest in a phin, which is the classic press for making Vietnamese coffee, and already have a French press, you could use that instead. The process will be quite similar with the main difference being that you will have to pour the coffee into your serving cup rather than setting the press over the cup as you would with a phin.

Can I use coconut milk in Vietnamese coffee instead of sweetened condensed milk?

If you enjoy a dairy-free diet or simply love the taste of coconut, you could replace the sweetened condensed milk with coconut milk instead. However, for the creamiest results, try adding coconut cream rather than the more fluid milk.
Foreign investments are highly welcomed in almost every country, as this flow of money represents the engine of the world economy. Of course, foreign investment laws and regulations differ from one country to another, which is why it is extremely important to learn more about how to properly invest in some countries before making any decision. India is not different, as it has a vast selection of rules and regulations for foreign investments, and these are some of the most important things you need to know regarding that topic.

Learning more about FDI

The first thing to know about investments in India is that Foreign Direct Investment regulations and policies are there to support and encourage the economic growth of this country. Of course, the primary role and goal are to protect national interests, which is why these regulations are set so that with thorough revision by the government, the national growth of the country rises while it will not affect the national interests.

There are two routes through how Foreign Direct Investment is executed - automatic and government route. Each has certain benefits and downsides, which is why learning more about sectors in which foreign companies can invest so that they can speed up the entire paperwork process is of vast importance, and also where LEI.net - Official Registration Agent can be of much help with.

Taxation

Okay, this is one of the aspects that every business that plans to invest in India should carefully study. Namely, every investor must comprehend the tax implications of their investments. Tax evasion is not an option, and there are strict rules and regulations that prevent such malicious actions. On the other hand, this also means that one needs to work within the regulations of the country, including tax rates, fees, and proper paperwork. Avoiding any possible error and mistake in this area is a must, as even a small misstep can have huge repercussions, and you can only do so by working within the law of this country.

Different labor laws

Many people are unaware of the employment and labor laws in this country, which are in certain aspects much different. The minimum wage is just the first step, and everything else, from how one must treat their employees to the rules and employees' behavior and working assignments, is strictly regulated. All of this means that every investor must adhere to these laws to ensure fair treatment of employees and avoid any possible legal problems. There are also rules regarding how employees are paid, meaning that investors must ensure compliance with the anti-money laundering and corruption laws.

There is also a segment dedicated to health insurance for workers, as this is a huge aspect of the social security framework of this country. Much has changed in the past couple of years in India, and foreign investors must learn more about the legal side of how to invest in this country but also work within the laws and regulations and provide sufficient working conditions for their employees.
The lead attorney for the North Dakota Governor's Office is resigning to return to the private sector.

Ryan Norrell has served as general counsel for the office for about two years, after taking over Feb. 28, 2022, for the retired Leslie Bakken Oliver, who had served since Gov. Doug Burgum took office in 2016. Burgum is not seeking reelection this year. Norrell in his resignation letter called the role "the pinnacle of my career." His resignation is effective June 17, the Governor's Office announced Monday.

State Labor Commissioner Nathan Svihovec will serve as interim general counsel while he continues to lead the Department of Labor and Human Rights. He holds a law degree from the University of North Dakota and previously served as an assistant state attorney general from 2017-20, and as an attorney for a Bismarck-based law firm.

Before joining the governor's office Norrell had been general counsel to Farm Credit Services in Mandan since 2015. He also previously served as a water law attorney at Dwyer Law Office in Bismarck, legal counsel for the state Public Service Commission's Public Utility Division, and as states attorney for LaMoure County.

Ryan has been a key resource on the Governors Office team these past two years, providing valuable legal advice and representation on a broad range of issues including numerous judicial appointments, tribal gaming compacts, complex legislation, energy policy and pushing back against federal overreach, Burgum said in a statement.
Waste-to-energy manufacturer SAEL is planning a significant expansion with an investment of up to Rs 35,000 crore over the next two and a half years, aiming to increase its total capacity to 10 gigawatts across its various energy verticals. The company's Chief Investment Officer, Varun Gupta, discussed these ambitious plans.

Currently, SAEL has a renewable capacity of 6,500 megawatts, encompassing a range of projects such as ground-mounted solar, agricultural waste energy conversion, solar module manufacturing, and construction through its Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) business. Gupta emphasized the focus on expanding these existing projects to increase capacity.

Gupta elaborated on the company's financial strategy for its expansion. "By December 2025, we aim to invest around Rs 18,000 crores to expand our committed capacity of 4 gigawatts. This follows a successful $1 billion fundraising round completed in January 2024. We are preparing for another billion-dollar capital raise, consisting of both debt and equity, scheduled for June 2024", he stated.

SAEL has established strong partnerships with key financial institutions to support its growth plans. Gupta highlighted collaborations with organizations like the Asian Development Bank, India Infradebt, Tata Capital, Kotak, and Aseem Infra, which enable the company to navigate commercial risks effectively. These partnerships reflect SAEL's commitment to ensuring financial stability and compliance with international ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) standards.

Reflecting on the company's growth trajectory, Gupta noted, "We've grown from 400 megawatts in 2022 to 4 gigawatts in FY24a tenfold increase. We plan to bid for an additional 3-5 gigawatts in the next eighteen months, aiming for a total installed capacity of 10 gigawatts by FY27".

SAEL is also exploring future ventures in solar with storage solutions and hydro projects, although the company remains focused on its four primary verticals. Gupta emphasized SAEL's commitment to bolstering its infrastructure and capacity to meet the rising demand for renewable energy solutions in India.

renewable energy becomes a dominant, sustainable force in the power grid", Gupta added, underscoring SAEL's dedication to innovation and sustainable development in the energy sector. "We are laying the groundwork for a future wherebecomes a dominant, sustainable force in the power grid", Gupta added, underscoring SAEL's dedication to innovation and sustainable development in the energy sector.

SAEL's plans to expand its operations and investment in renewable energy infrastructure highlight the company's role in advancing India's energy transition and supporting sustainable economic growth
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has revealed a long-term collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). As part of this agreement, AWS will assist in the training of 25,000 employees from TCS, India's leading IT services provider, in cutting-edge cloud and GenAI capabilities. TCS, boasting a workforce of over 350,000 trained in AI/ML, including GenAI, asserts its readiness to cultivate one of the most extensive AI-proficient workforces globally.

TCS has been recognized as one of the early Global System Integrator Partners to attain the AWS GenAI competency. This designation is awarded to partners who demonstrate profound expertise and technical acumen in leveraging AWS technologies and adhering to best practices for integrating generative AI solutions.

These AWS Partners facilitate the seamless integration and deployment of AWS-based solutions to meet the unique needs of all customers, from startups to global enterprises. The competency is a recognition of TCS for its role in helping customers and the AWS Partner Network (APN) in the progression of services, tools, and infrastructure pivotal for the implementation of GenAI technologies such as Amazon Bedrock, Amazon Sagemaker Jumpstart, Amazon Q, and Amazon CodeWhisperer.

Krishna Mohan, Vice President and Deputy Head, AI.Cloud Unit, TCS said, Achieving AWS generative competency as a launch partner is a result of TCS industry-leading and forward-looking investments along with our deep collaboration with AWS. Our early and holistic focus in bringing generative AI capabilities at scale for our customers including AWS generative AI practice reflects TCS commitment towards enabling businesses with next-generation technologies for driving enterprise agility, innovation, and growth.
In today's digital age, social media platforms have become indispensable tools for businesses looking to establish their brand presence and connect with their target audience. The rise of influencers has further revolutionized the way brands approach marketing and advertising, giving rise to the business of influence. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the strategies that businesses can adopt to achieve success on social media platforms through influencer marketing.

Understanding the Power of Influence

Influence is the ability to affect the decisions and behaviors of others. On social media platforms, influencers leverage their credibility, authenticity, and large following to promote products or services. They have built a loyal audience that trusts their recommendations, making influencer marketing a powerful tool for brands to reach potential customers.

Identifying the Right Influencers

The key to a successful influencer marketing campaign lies in identifying the right influencers for your brand. Consider factors such as relevance, reach, engagement, and authenticity. Choose influencers whose values align with your brand and whose audience matches your target demographic.

Building Relationships with Influencers

Building strong relationships with influencers is crucial for long-term success. Approach influencers with genuine interest and respect for their work. Offer value, whether it's through exclusive access, product samples, or financial compensation. Collaborate with influencers on creative campaigns that resonate with their audience while highlighting your brand's unique selling points.

Creating Compelling Content

Content is king on social media platforms, and collaborating with influencers allows brands to create authentic and engaging content that captures the attention of their target audience. Work with influencers to develop creative concepts that showcase your brand in a relatable and compelling way. Whether it's through photos, videos, or stories, aim to tell a story that resonates with your audience and drives action.

Setting Clear Objectives

Before embarking on an influencer marketing campaign, it's essential to define clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs). Whether your goal is to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or boost sales, setting measurable targets will help you evaluate the success of your campaign and optimize future efforts accordingly.

Measuring ROI

Measuring the return on investment (ROI) of influencer marketing campaigns is essential for demonstrating their effectiveness and informing future strategies. Track key metrics such as engagement, reach, click-through rates, and conversions. Use analytics tools provided by social media platforms to gain insights into the performance of your campaigns and make data-driven decisions.

Staying Authentic and Transparent

Authenticity and transparency are critical in influencer marketing. Audiences value genuine recommendations from influencers they trust. Ensure that sponsored content is clearly disclosed to maintain transparency and preserve the integrity of your brand and the influencer's reputation.

Adapting to Trends

Social media trends are constantly evolving, and businesses must stay agile to remain relevant. Keep an eye on emerging trends and adapt your influencer marketing strategies accordingly. Experiment with new formats, platforms, and technologies to engage with your audience in innovative ways.

Navigating Regulatory Compliance

As influencer marketing continues to grow, regulatory bodies have implemented guidelines to ensure transparency and consumer protection. Familiarize yourself with relevant regulations, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines in the United States, and ensure that your influencer partnerships comply with legal requirements.

Linking Your Way to Social Media Success

The power of link on social media platforms. From optimizing your bio links to driving traffic through strategic placement, this resource covers everything you need to know to maximize your social media presence.

Building a Community

Influencer marketing is not just about promoting products or services; it's about building a community around your brand. Encourage engagement and interaction with your audience by responding to comments, hosting giveaways, and creating user-generated content campaigns. Cultivate a sense of belonging and loyalty among your followers, turning them into brand advocates.

Case Studies: Success Stories in Influencer Marketing

To illustrate the effectiveness of influencer marketing, let's explore some success stories from brands that have leveraged influencers to achieve remarkable results.

Case Study 1: Fashion Nova

Fashion Nova, a fast-fashion retailer, has become synonymous with influencer marketing success. By collaborating with influencers across various social media platforms, Fashion Nova has built a massive online following and generated millions in revenue. The brand's partnerships with influencers such as Kylie Jenner and Cardi B have helped propel it to unprecedented heights of success.

Case Study 2: Daniel Wellington

Daniel Wellington, a Swedish watch brand, is another example of effective influencer marketing. The brand strategically partners with micro-influencers on Instagram, providing them with free products in exchange for promotional posts. This approach has helped Daniel Wellington build a strong brand presence on social media and drive significant sales.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy for brands to succeed on social media platforms. By leveraging the credibility and reach of influencers, businesses can connect with their target audience in authentic and impactful ways. However, success in influencer marketing requires careful planning, relationship-building, and ongoing optimization. By following the strategies outlined in this guide and staying attuned to the evolving landscape of social media, brands can harness the power of influence to achieve their marketing objectives and drive business growth.
A stable and visionary political leadership, young talented population, vast AI and startup community and innovations across businesses will help India reach its $30 trillion GDP growth goal by 2047, Paul Marriott, President for Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) of cloud software major SAP said here on Monday.

Emphasising the need to make Indias journey from 'incredible to inevitable' to become Viksit Bharat by 2047 as laid out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the top company executive said that the country is now the fastest growing economy and the third most digitised nation in the world.

India can reach its $30 trillion GDP goal by 2047 which is a staggering 10 times from today. It is possible with the kind of innovations we are seeing in businesses across all the segments, with an amazing political leadership at the helm, Marriott told a packed house at the companys flagship event in the financial capital.

generative AI bandwagon and grow further at scale. He stressed that businesses in the country must join thebandwagon and grow further at scale.

We are investing significantly in India to empower cutting-edge technology to give businesses the next big opportunity in an AI era, he noted.

In this direction, the company is providing Indian businesses with solutions across three key areas: make supply chains intelligent and sustainable, innovate with Business Al and empower India's growth through SMEs (small and medium enterprises).

Manish Prasad, President and Managing Director for SAP Indian Subcontinent, informed that about 60 per cent of India's GDP touches the SAP ecosystem.

When it comes to inclusive growth, 80 per cent of our customers in India represent small and medium businesses. That is the foundation for future growth", Prasad told the gathering.

SAP has its largest R&D development centre in India outside of Germany where it is headquartered.

There are 75 million SME businesses across India, giving employment to nearly 123 million people in the SME ecosystem in the country.
STATEN ISLAND, NY -- Popular Japanese clothing apparel store UNIQLO, which operated a location in the Staten Island Mall about 10 years ago, is returning to the New Springville retail hub next month, this time opening in a first-floor space opposite H&M.

According to the retailers website, the Staten Island outpost will host its grand opening on Friday, May 10, launching a weekend of in-store giveaways and events. Mall management has confirmed that date.
Pennsylvania State Police say a Pike County man stabbed his grandmother and set her on fire because he believed she was the devil.

George F. Sisco, 28, of Milford, has been charged with criminal homicide in the death of Margie S. Finlay, 67, of Milford, according to reports from the Pocono Record and WBRE/WYOU.

He is also facing charges of aggravated assault, aggravated arson and arson endangering property, and misdemeanor charges of terroristic threats and possession of an instrument of crime.

First responders arrived at the scene of a house fire along Oak Court in Milford at about 11:45 a.m. Friday, according to a criminal complaint. Upon arrival, they found a person inside saying, He set her on fire. I saw my mother on fire.

Milford Fire Department Assistant Chief Eric Passaro then told officials he came across Sisco, who said that she was the devil, and threatened to kill anyone who came inside the home.

After law enforcement arrived, firefighters then went into the home and found Finlays dead body.

When interviewed by police, Sisco said that he had believed for several months that his grandmother was the devil.

On Friday, police said, he saw Finlay putting flea medication on her cat and thought she was trying to poison the animal.

Police said Sisco then hit Finlay, and then slashed her throat and stabbed her. He then set her on fire because he said he had read in the Bible that you need to use fire and the holy spirit in order to kill the devil. He then said a prayer over her body while the fire spread, news reports said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A Staten Island teen was among a select group of adolescents honored for their distinguished entries in an NYPD essay contest recently.

Paul Chudnovskiy, 18, a senior at New Dorp High School, like many other teens, enjoys spending time with friends, staying in shape, blasting his favorite tunes, and dabbling in the latest video games. But its his avid devotion to his community of Midland Beach and his upmost respect for the NYPD that drove this budding leader to participate in the 2024 Police Commissioner for a Day Essay Contest.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Longtime customers and friends made their way to New Brighton for last call at one of Staten Islands oldest, most venerable watering holes.

Hugs were shared and hands were shaken as a mix of melancholy and musings over the old days was in the air at Liedys Shore Inn Sunday afternoon. Bar owner Larry Liedy kept up the business of the bar, while taking time to reminisce with old patrons and new.

It feels kind of funny, an emotional Liedy, 73, told the Advance/SILive.com. The neighborhood has definitely changed and when you stay in one spot too long, you become the stranger.

"Last call" at Liedy's Shore Inn on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at Liedy's Shore Inn in New Brighton. (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod)Scott R. Axelrod

A fourth-generation owner, Liedy has been a fixture in the community since 1992, when he left a job with the Department of Sanitation to take over the bar from his late dad, Charlie.

Liedys great grandfather was a brewer in Germany who came to the United States  first Bayonne, New Jersey, then Staten Island  and bought the establishment in 1905. The bars liquor license, however, goes back to the 1880s, according to Liedy.

Having been in the business for over 30 years, Liedy shared a couple of interesting tidbits about the bar, including the fact that two experts in the paranormal were convinced that the building was haunted, and that a spirit was calling out for Liedy to leave the establishment.

He also proudly pointed out that a quick shot from Madonnas 1986 video for Papa Dont Preach was filmed in Liedys phonebooth a bit before she was well-known enough to have drawn a crowd: I have stories for days, Liedy added.

Larry Liedy calls "last call" on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at Liedy's Shore Inn in New Brighton. (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod)Scott R. Axelrod

Its tough to be a bar owner. You have to be here every day, Liedy said. My father told me the key to success was to keep the place clean and charge a dollar less for a drink than anyone else.

Liedy also credits a commitment to always respecting customers and always giving everybody a fair shake as keys to the bars longevity.

Its the best neighborhood bar on Staten Island, said longtime patron, T.K., of West Brighton. As far as the people, there were never any problems. The owner and patrons couldnt be nicer; its like Cheers. Were very sad to see it go  were going to miss this place and especially Larry.

Oakwood resident, music legend and Liedys mainstay Jimmie Mack, whos been performing at Staten Island venues since 1967, told the Advance/SILive.com that he feels bad for Liedy, and that hell especially miss playing gigs at the bar.

Liedy's mainstay, singer/songwriter Jimmy Mack, performs at Liedy's Shore Inn on Sunday, April 28, 2024 (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod)Scott R. Axelrod

It feels like family here, you know what youre walking into, said Jim McCarthy of Castleton Corners. The bar always had some great back-and-forth banter between patrons and great live music  it was almost like sitting in your living room.

While Mark McDermott of New Brighton simply said: Larry Liedy. Doors always open. Arms always open. Rock on!

While Sunday was deemed a last call, the final drink wont be served until Liedys officially closes on Thursday, May 2.

Asked what he plans to do without having to worry after the bar, Liedy said hed like to take a break. He said hes looking forward to finally having time to sit down and read a book.

Larry Liedy joined Jimmie Mack for a rendition of "Under the Boardwalk," on Sunday, April 28, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod)Scott R. Axelrod

Lenaye Liedy McGill, Liedy's co-owner and Larry Liedy's sister, holds court at Liedy's Shore Inn on Sunday, April, 28, 2024. (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod)Scott R. Axelrod
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A community church, a fixture in Oakwood, has officially turned 100.

There are few that can say they have survived a hundred years. Oakwood Heights Community Church, with its rich history, has not only done that, but has also stood tall and strong  being a constant support to the community, Trustee Patricia Caridi Russo said.
ClearVue Technologies appears hellbent on boosting its smart glass manufacturing capability after the companys newly-appointed North American boss Charles (Chuck) Mowrey pinpointed a United States supply deficit as his major focus.

Mowreys plans for the West Perth-based company will be fuelled by new manufacturing and distribution agreements signed in recent months in the US, Singapore, South Africa and Australia for its window technology that reduces both energy use and costs, while enhancing thermal comforts for occupants of buildings where they are installed.

The market is potentially wide open for ClearVue Technologies, with billions of square metres of new glazing being installed in new constructions globally.

Mowrey told Bulls N Bears this morning that while he planned to maintain a global market awareness for ClearVue, he intends to focus on building the massive North American business. He would concentrate immediately on growing the companys manufacturing capacity to meet what he said was a strongly-anticipated demand.

ClearVue is potentially looking at a global market involving billions of square metres of window glazing being installed in new constructions, while the retrofit market is also likely to be vast. The company could also amplify its reach into the market through the construction of photovoltaic (PV) spandrels and building facades.
Star Entertainment Group chairman David Foster has stepped down, the latest scalp to be claimed by the second inquiry into the culture of the struggling casino business.

Foster, who had been acting as executive chair following the departure of former chief executive Robbie Cooke last month, has been replaced as chair by director Anne Ward.

David Foster was removed as chairman of Star over the weekend.

Speaking at the Bell inquiry into the casino groups culture on Monday, Ward said while it was possible for the casino business to operate independently within the next six months, it needed the right leaders.

I believe that with the right leadership team, The Star can be transformed. Possibly within six months, she said.
Attempts to sequestrate at least some part of the 220 billion ($420 billion) of Russian assets which are frozen under the sanctions regime, and apply it to the Ukrainian war effort, have further stoked suspicions. We live in an era of global money which is supposed to be governed by law of contract, yet the West casually disregards its own rules when it suits while still lecturing others on abiding by them. If the West can do this to Russia, moreover, it can do it to anyone. Simply to help yourself to the assets would plainly be an act of unmitigated theft, and though possibly justifiable on moral grounds, would undermine wider faith in global money. If you are going to claim the moral high ground, its important to be consistent. Yet it seems that one illegal act  Russias invasion of Ukraine  is to be countered by another in the seizure of Russian assets. The Global Times, a Chinese state controlled news outlet, had this to say about the matter: To seize and transfer frozen Russian assets... will set a disastrous precedent against the existing international financial order.

Nor is it an issue only of concern to Russia, its Chinese allies, and the Global South. Moving from freezing assets to confiscating and disposing of them is something that needs to be carefully considered, Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, said last week, which is understated central bank speak for this is beyond the pale. Central banks are often accused of being essentially supranational organisations with scant regard for the nations to which they belong. Sometimes its true. During both the First and Second World Wars, they set out to operate in international money markets as if not a shot had been fired, with regular contact maintained and gold reserves scrupulously curated on behalf of hostile powers. Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank. Credit: AP Yet they were absolutely right to do so, for theirs is the long view that one day the war will be over and order will be restored. Western financial mores must prevail throughout, untouched by human conflict. Thats why Western powers are tying themselves up in knots trying to figure out a legal way in which they can grab the Russian money. Its complex, and not wholly convincing.

Simply to help yourself to the assets would plainly be an act of unmitigated theft, and though possibly justifiable on moral grounds, would undermine wider faith in global money. Loading The great bulk of the Russian assets are held through a hitherto largely unheard-of institution called Euroclear, a Belgium-based financial services company that specialises in settling securities transactions, and the safekeeping of these securities. Unfortunately for Russia, some part of its foreign currency reserves are held in Euroclear, much of it originally in government bonds. Many of these have now matured, and thereby been turned into cash. Euroclear is not obliged to pay interest on cash, but is now earning quite large amounts of it on the frozen assets. Questions therefore arise over who the interest belongs to.

It is this money that G7 powers seek to mobilise for Ukraines benefit, either by seizing it directly, which is the favoured US approach, or securitising it for immediate use as a down payment on any reparations that might eventually be extracted from Russia. Western policymakers seem to be coalescing around this latter approach as potentially the most legal way of getting their hands on the money. In the end, however, it amounts to little more than a fig leaf. Call a spade a spade; whichever way you cut it, this is Russian money. It sets a particularly unfortunate precedent to confiscate it, however compelling the case for making Putin pay for the damage hes caused. Beijing will be only too happy to use it as a way of further alienating the Global South from their one-time Western masters. What really sticks in the craw about all this is that when we look around the world today, and see the enormous progress that has been made in lifting billions out of poverty, and the astonishing leap forward in wealth and prosperity that has been achieved, it is above all the Western-designed, rules-based order on trade and finance that has enabled it.
Unsurprisingly, Seven still hasnt lived down revelations that the networks Spotlight program paid for Bruce Lehrmanns sex workers and cocaine in an attempt to secure a tell-all interview with the former Liberal staffer.

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On Monday, director of news and public affairs Craig McPherson announced his widely anticipated departure, the latest victim of the scandal that has engulfed the network and enraged its octogenarian billionaire overlord Kerry Stokes.

That is, widely anticipated by everyone except The Australians media writers Sophie Elsworth and James Madden, who in Mondays paper wrote that it was understood that McPhersons job was safe. Not understood by Craig.

The news boss follows Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn, supervising producer Steve Jacko Jackson and junior fixer-turned-Federal Court witness Taylor Auerbach out the door. Outgoing chief executive James Warburton made his departure effective immediately following a recent board meeting. Stokes long-term consigliere Bruce McWilliam also called it quits last month, before the Spotlight scandal had truly blown up.
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Review Eating outSt Peters Discover the joys of grab-and-go snacks at this Japanese-style convenience store Hit up Domo 39 in St Peters for konbini classics such as onigiri, bento boxes, stir-fried noodles, sweet-and-sour chicken and soft-serve rice cream. Lee Tran Lam April 29, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

1 / 10 If youve been to Japan, youll feel a happy sense of deja vu at Domo 39. Steven Siewert 2 / 10 A fish bento box. Steven Siewert 3 / 10 Takana and shiso onigiri. Steven Siewert 4 / 10 Steven Siewert 5 / 10 Yasai yakisoba. Steven Siewert 6 / 10 Soft-serve rice cream. Steven Siewert 7 / 10 The match Swamp. Steven Siewert 8 / 10 Fridge shelves filled with sweets. Steven Siewert 9 / 10 Steven Siewert 10 / 10 Iced yuzu matcha juice. Steven Siewert Previous Slide Next Slide Japanese$$$$ Step into Domo 39 in St Peters and look up: theres an artwork crafted from 10 kilograms of rice on the ceiling. Its a clue to this cafes specialties: the triangle shapes evoke onigiri (Japanese rice balls) found in the nearby fridge and the soft-serve cones topped with swirls of rice cream. If youve been to Japan, youll feel a happy sense of deja vu at Domo 39. Thats because this grab-and-go eatery pays tribute to konbini: the nations famously great convenience stores. If youve never witnessed the around-the-clock glow of Japans 7-Eleven, Family Mart and Lawson stores, you might wonder how these shops have gained culinary hall-of-fame status in a land also renowned for sushi temples and Michelin-starred omakase restaurants.

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Shiso and takana onigiri. Steven Siewert You might find the answers on Google (which surfaces articles such as Every amazing thing youve heard about Japanese convenience stores is true) or if you have the travel budget to experience the neon-lit rows of egg sandwiches, onigiri and bento boxes first hand. But if you cant, Domo 39 is a worthy consolation prize. The all-purpose joys of Japans convenience stores are clear to the cafes co-owner Eugene Leung, who was recently in Kanagawa, south of Tokyo. My wifes Japanese. So we took our nine-month-old to see her family, he says. With a dining schedule centred around a babys needs, he ended up buying many konbini dinners: grabbing convenience-store classics, such as famichiki (fried chicken), and new favourites such as vermicelli with mentaiko (cod roe) and takana (mustard greens). Sure, eating these meals over the hotel room sink wasnt the most glamorous setting, but the tastiness of his konbini haul transcended that. I thought, this is just the best thing, he says.

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Domo 39s team includes familiar faces from Leungs other cafes, such as Dika Prianata (his partner at Marrickvilles Kurumac) and Ophelia Ng (his old manager at Kirribillis Cool Mac), as well as new collaborator, Mapo Gelatos Matteo Pochintesta. They make their mark across the menu: the Swamp (a matcha hot chocolate) is something Ng created during her Cool Mac days. Dont be dissuaded by the murky name  your first sip will confirm its flat-out delicious. Also great: Domo 39s iced matcha banked with the lively, citrus punch of yuzu juice. Cups of rice cream. Steven Siewert Pochintestas scoops at Mapo Gelato are among the citys best, so his soft-serve twirls at Domo 39 are understandably a drawcard. You can try seasonal specials (such as a strawberry flavour so fruity and vivid, it feels like summer has been revived) or the signature rice cream, which shares the pure-form blankness of its key ingredient. You can sprinkle Japanese toppings over your cups and cones, such as toasty rice puffs, kuromitsu (black sugar) and kinako (toasted soybean powder). While Domo 39 doesnt have the multi-aisle magnitude of traditional konbini, theres a tight selection of bento boxes, filled with everything from yasai yakisoba (stir-fried noodles with vegetables) to sweet-and-sour chicken nanban, plus a range of onigiri stuffed with ginger pork and egg, tuna and mayonnaise, mentaiko and chives or vegetarian-friendly fillings, like takana or shiso konbu. Theyre served hot at your table or you can swipe them straight from the fridge.

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[Its] been amazing to see people coming in, grabbing an onigiri on their way to work, says Leung. That makes me feel warm inside  that people in Australia have embraced that instead of [more] avocado on sourdough. There are other things to eat for breakfast. The matcha Swamp. Steven Siewert And when the temperature drops, that might include miso soups and other warming dishes. Domo 39s hard-working fridge also includes portable joys from other postcodes,

such as bento cakes from Rydes Enze (the bakerys chiffon slices, topped with rosewater and lychee mousse, are like a cherry-blossom viewing: pretty in pink). The shelves also showcase a rainbow of Japanese-inspired shortbreads and chocolates from Melbournes Mame Cocoa, which are hard to find in Sydney and are top-tier sweets. Also on the shelf are the owners favourite Japanese grocery items, such as Happy Turn rice crackers.

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Were trying to stock things that are a little bit different, says Leung. Domo 39s name is a playful reference to saying thank you in Japanese. Its apt, because Im grateful Leung and his team have brought the warm glow of Japans konbini stores here  no passport flex necessary. The low-down Vibe: A local remix of Japans beloved convenience stores. There are dine-in rice dishes (such as katsu don) and shelves filled with in-house snacks and lunch sets. Insta-worthy dish: The Swamp, which tastes like a green tea Kit Kat thats been artfully melted into a cup. Average cost for two: $50, plus drinks.

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Victorian public sector nurses and midwives have warned they will close hundreds of beds and cancel elective surgeries if the Allan government fails to resolve their pay dispute within the next 14 days.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation nurses voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action to pressure the government to agree to better pay, allowances and working conditions in a meeting this afternoon.

Nurses and midwives gather to reject the governments pay offer. Credit: Aisha Dow

About 700 nurses and midwives dressed in red gathered at the Moonee Valley Racecourse, to reject the governments offer of a 3 per cent annual increase in wages, and an extra $1500 annual payment.

We have your back Victoria. Time to have ours, one of the banners read.

From next week, members will refuse to work overtime and begin administrative paperwork bans.

They have vowed to dramatically ramp up action if the dispute is not resolved by May 17, by closing one in four hospital beds, and cancelling one in four elective surgeries.

The threat of industrial action comes as tens of thousands of Victorians still languish on the elective surgery waiting list and others struggle to access essential health services.

Lisa Fitzpatrick, the Victorian secretary of the union, said the community would be concerned but said she didnt think they would blame nurses and midwives.

Im hoping [the public] will direct that concern at the state government and the public hospital lawyers, which is where it belongs, Fitzpatrick said.

The nurses union is warning deteriorating conditions for permanent nurses and midwives is leading many to reduce their hours or take up casual shifts, putting stress on frontline health services.

The union provided data showing that health services are spending more on overtime and agency nurses, including $291 million in 2023.

Fitzpatrick said by reversing this trend and rebuilding the permanent workforce they could fix the health system.

The union is seeking 15 new or improved allowances to help fill unpopular shifts and make permanent work more attractive.

It wants funding for transport to and from home for nurses and midwives who work overtime.

It is also calling for a right to disconnect that would stop management continually texting and calling staff on their days off to ask them to fill shifts.

In 2011, hundreds of beds and elective surgeries were closed and cancelled by Victoria nurses in a bitter dispute with the then Baillieu government, which planned to water down nurse-patient ratios and replace some nurses with low-skilled health assistants.

In November 2011, Fair Work Australia ordered a stop to industrial action on the basis it was putting patients health and safety at risk.

If elective surgery cancellations and bed closures were to come into effect as part of the latest action, there would be a list of exceptions, including neonatal, paediatric, maternity and oncology wards.
Thousands of commuters will have their daily journey times more than double to almost an hour on a one-way trip along a 13-kilometre rail corridor in Sydneys south when buses replace trains for 12 months.

Dubbed Southwest Link, a mix of all-stops and express buses will serve three core routes between Bankstown and Sydenham from as early as July when the T3 Bankstown rail line closes for conversion to run driverless metro trains.

Bankstown line passengers will be forced to catch replacement buses along congested roads. Credit: Edwina Pickles

Under the plans, buses will run every two to four minutes in peak periods on some routes for up to 60,000 commuters a day who will be disrupted by the rail lines shutdown.

For much of the rest of the day, a mix of all-stops and limited-stop services will run at least every 10 minutes and at least every 15 minutes late at night.
Two men dressed in black with their faces hidden carry petrol cans into the front yard of a suburban home in the early hours of the morning. Moments later, the property is ablaze, leaving the two occupants inside to scramble for their lives.

On Monday, police released CCTV footage of the attack that shows a white Honda HR-V deliver the men outside the house at King Street, Fairfield West, at 2.10am on March 23. The masked men crouch behind some hedges with the petrol cans as they wait for the car to leave.

After the car has driven away, the men appear to pour petrol over the front yard, which is quickly engulfed in flames.

As the home catches fire, the two men run from the scene to a nearby street, still carrying the petrol cans, where they are picked up by the same white Honda.
The number of pro-Palestinian campsites at the nations universities has grown to four, as Jewish groups claim they are turning campuses into no-go areas for Jewish students and academics.

By Monday, protesters had established a campsite on the lawns of the Australian National University and another camp at Curtin University in Perth was expected to be set up on Tuesday.

University of Sydney bachelor of science student Yasmine Johnson is the Students for Palestine organiser. He has set up camp on the university grounds. Credit: Louie Douvis

It has been almost a week since the encampment at the University of Sydney popped up, mirroring pro-Palestinian protest camps across the United States which began at Columbia University in New York on April 17. Similar encampments have also been established at the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland.

The University of Sydney is carefully monitoring the campsite and has so far not moved to remove it, as was done at Columbia University when administration called the police to move protesters on.
A woman who tripped over a bike lane divider in Brisbanes CBD and fractured both her elbows is suing the council for more than $170,000.

Tracey Schwass, 60, was crossing Elizabeth Street, near Albert Street, in February 2021, when she tripped over a raised, yellow bicycle lane separator.

I had a handbag on one arm and a shopping bag on the other. I wasnt on my phone ... I couldnt have done that anyway because I had bags in each hand, Schwass said.

Tracey Schwass is suing Brisbane City Council.

There were lots of road works in Albert Street at that stage  [and] the crossing was really busy because it was lunchtime.
Concerns were flagged about a helmet used by MRH-90 Taipan pilots the night of a fatal crash after a test found a software upgrade posed an unacceptable risk, an inquiry has been told.

Captain Danniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock and Corporal Alexander Naggs were killed when their chopper crashed off the north Queensland coast in July 2023 during Exercise Talisman Sabre.

The helicopter crew who perished in the crash.

The disaster led to the early retirement of the Taipans last year, their service already tarnished with fleet-wide groundings and serious incidents.

Hearings for the inquiry into the crash resumed on Monday.
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi has told a court that One Nation leader Pauline Hanson levelled the ultimate racist slur by telling her to piss off back to Pakistan in a social media post.

Faruqi is suing Hanson under racial discrimination laws in response to the comment on Twitter, now X, which was posted on September 9, 2022. The Federal Court trial before Justice Angus Stewart started in Sydney on Monday.

Mehreen Faruqi and Pauline Hanson outside the Federal Court in Sydney on Monday. Credit: Nick Moir

Faruqi, who migrated from Pakistan in 1992 and is deputy leader of the Greens, is seeking court orders requiring Hanson to delete the post, attend anti-racism training at her own cost, and make a $150,000 donation to a charity chosen by Faruqi.

I started experiencing racism in an overwhelming way once I entered into public life, Faruqi told the court on Monday. She denied bringing the action because Hanson was a political opponent, and said she had experienced extreme trauma.
Perths neighbourhoods are being reshaped as its population ages, the baby boomer population moves into retirement and millennials and generation Z continue to have smaller families.

The number of Perth suburbs where deaths outnumber births sits at 26 according to 2022-23 population data compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Natural population increase or decline (a measure of births minus deaths) is one of the three drivers of local population, along with the movement of people within Australia, and overseas migration.

In Rockingham, deaths outstripped births by 88 in 2022-23, more than any neighbourhood in Greater Perth. The next largest natural population declines were in Bentley-Wilson-St James (-76), Mandurah (-74), Manning-Waterford (-67) and Bull Creek (-57).
Each week, WAtoday reaches out to the Perth community to find out three things people love the most about our coastal capital. This week, West Coast Fever defender Sunday Aryang is in the hot seat sharing her favourite parts of life in the west, having called Perth home for 22 years.

West Coast Fever defender Sunday Aryang. Credit: West Coast Fever

The outdoor lifestyle in Perth offers endless opportunities for exploring. From the beautiful coastline to the lush greenery of its parks and reserves, Perth is a paradise for outdoor lovers.

Whether its venturing down south to explore the stunning beaches and landscapes, or discovering the hidden gems of the Swan Valley with its vineyards and scenic trails, theres always an adventure waiting to be embraced. I love venturing out and looking for fun activities to participate in, which I find incredibly easy to come across because there are so many options available here.

Lets not forget Kings Park, offering panoramic views of the city skyline and the tranquil waters of the Swan River, making it the perfect spot for a picnic or a peaceful stroll.
Howard Debenham is a former diplomat with a long list of postings including as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Consul-General in Bangkok, Tokyo and Washington DC, and State Director for Queensland. He authored Waiting round the Bend  a life in Australias foreign service'.

China is challenging the fractured world order of the West  and the pushback from the imperial powers of yesterday is mired in hypocrisy.

Why is the West so determined to demonise China? Sure, it may have driven a lot of tough business and trade deals and, sure, it may be competing for influence among the worlds poorest nations  but which rich and powerful nation hasnt?

As Chinas business and trade performance has so remarkably boosted the wealth of many countries, surely its own wealth is not the problem. Nor can it be what China does, overtly or covertly, politically or diplomatically, to promote its interests outside China  everyone else does this too, more or less.

So it must be its power that is creating such a tizz. In other words, while its acceptable (sort of) for China to become wealthy, its not acceptable for it to become powerful  least of all militarily. To have the kind of power that has, anywhere else, long been the closest companion of serious wealth.

To the West, it seems, China has forgotten its place: Why, look at what that nasty communist Mao did despite we of the West having once tried so hard and with such sincerity to help put the Chinese people on the right path. How dare they now present to us such a face of strength and power!

Lets try to see this through Chinese eyes: We, the Chinese of the 21st century, recall that we were once the most advanced civilisation on the planet. We promoted and achieved great discovery in the sciences and the humanities, in adventure way beyond our shores and, yes, in warfare. We nurtured towering philosophers and thinkers. We were great traders. The ancient Silk Road, all the way across the brutally vast deserts, steppes and mountains of Asia to Europe, was ours. Way back in the 1400s our great ships were trading through into the Mediterranean in the lead-up to Europes Reformation  which we may well have seeded. And Columbus may well have used our maps to discover the new world.

We suffered, over the millennia, from the tyranny of warlords and princes. But Genghiss and Kublais Mongols forged a wider unity and showed a sufficiently bold face to the rest of the world that we were for a long time left to build and strengthen as a country, as a people and as a vibrant mix of cultures, industry and innovation.

But our leadership wavered and tyranny returned. We withdrew into ourselves, creating vulnerabilities which others, foreigners, came to exploit. In time, we were to be widely plundered, looted and reviled  sometimes being openly given the same status, in our own country, as dogs. In the opium wars of the mid-1800s, we failed to stop the British ravaging us with their opium from British India, and the curse of opium was to spread throughout the world.

Dogmatic and fundamentalist Christians were these foreigners all, in whose eyes we heathens could not be saved. They promoted a leadership for us which would be compliant with their needs and their beliefs  such as the Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek. How we suffered. Again. Suffered until a new order, a new belief system, which to us seemed to be working well enough in Russia, offered us some hope.

For a time, the Japanese ravaged and reviled us. The same Japanese who had been encouraged, back in the early 1900s by Americas Teddy Roosevelt and a cheer squad of the usual European imperialists, to build an empire in the east. To trample all over Korea and to not be unduly held back from having its way with us. How stupid they were.

Throughout the centuries, when the world was open, we travelled to wherever the work was. We sent our earnings home to help our families, the core of our being, survive. We were industrious and entrepreneurial, often beyond the fragile tolerances of our host communities. They habitually set us apart and treated us badly. But we dug deep. The Australians even crafted a law to prevent us from coming. Their leaders did not call it the white Australia policy, but most Australians did and were for a long time proud of it. Proud enough to declare, when the Jews of Hitlers Germany were desperately seeking refuge, that Australia did not have a racial problem and it was not going to import one.

Mao Zedong started well but lost his way and delivered yet another period of deep suffering for us. From which, though, many lessons were learned and they have contributed to the rise of our new China. Such as in reinforcing our national character (partly through all that suffering) in strengthening unity and stability, in improving our sharing of opportunity and wealth, and in boosting our position of identity and influence in a challenging world order. A tired and ageing order which, to its horror, seems to be slipping.

Where would we Chinese be if we simply joined such an order; if we were to embrace its beliefs?

Well, in thinking it through, we would consider, naturally, the orders performance through its ages of imperialism  from which originated the plundered wealth (especially from India and Africa) that paid for its power  to more contemporary times.

We could start with Christian-dominated Europes role in provoking in Russia a new political and social belief system  free of the princes of divine right and the religious dogmas which had for long enough so shackled and enslaved its people. And how, later, following Russias contribution of some 27 million dead in World War II and its breaking of Hitlers monstrous back (while the West waited for its chance to do some ankle biting), Truman and Churchill turned their backs on Roosevelts promised assistance with Russias rehabilitation, instead applying energy and fear to the demonisation of the new, the unholy, Russia.

We would note the orders role, also at that time, in restoring the European imperialists to their possessions in South-East Asia and the mighty bloodbaths that followed. And what it has done since in the Middle East and Iran, from the time of carving up the regions oil bounty among the powerful nations of the West to its messy installing of compliant dictators, and its even messier deposing of non-compliant dictators. Not to mention its confected invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and its catastrophic promotion of the Arab spring.

We would consider, too, its behaviour in Central and South America, and its studied neglect regarding the ethnic slaughtering in Rwanda and Bosnia.

In the age of abundant information and more available truth, it is now more widely acknowledged than ever that other versions of this history have been concocted to excuse Western excesses and to promote Western interests.

We Chinese conclude, overall, that we have more to give to todays world than we can either take or learn from those of the West who yearn for their flawed and misrepresented yesterdays.

Todays China is built on a proud, if at times harsh and tumultuous, history. A history from which it derives its unique character and from which it draws the confidence to continue on its own course. Its a course that should continue to benefit from abundant positives in its evolving political, social, industrial and business systems and the sophistication of its international relations. As well as to assure, naturally, its protection from others.

Given the bristling military assets and interests of others in its vicinity and the dreadful record of the Wests military and other adventures around the world over the past 60 or 70 years, is it any wonder that China has been pushing its first-line defences further out into the South China Sea?

Or would the West rather have China give it something more immediately meaty, something with which to cast a dark shadow over China, such as some missile assistance to, say, a Cuba? For the blackest hearts at Langley, the answer would probably be a resounding yes  even though Khrushchevs Russia thoroughly rubbed their daddies noses in it. For the moment, seeing what can be made of Hong Kong and Taiwan might suit, but the Chinese may now, more than ever, be up to this game.

Why is the West so determined to demonise China? Sure, it may have driven a lot of tough business and trade deals and, sure, it may be competing for influence among the worlds poorest nations  but which rich and powerful nation hasnt?

As Chinas business and trade performance has so remarkably boosted the wealth of many countries, surely its own wealth is not the problem. Nor can it be what China does, overtly or covertly, politically or diplomatically, to promote its interests outside China  everyone else does this too, more or less.

So it must be its power that is creating such a tizz. In other words, while its acceptable (sort of) for China to become wealthy, its not acceptable for it to become powerful  least of all militarily. To have the kind of power that has, anywhere else, long been the closest companion of serious wealth.

To the West, it seems, China has forgotten its place: Why, look at what that nasty communist Mao did despite we of the West having once tried so hard and with such sincerity to help put the Chinese people on the right path. How dare they now present to us such a face of strength and power!

Lets try to see this through Chinese eyes: We, the Chinese of the 21st century, recall that we were once the most advanced civilisation on the planet. We promoted and achieved great discovery in the sciences and the humanities, in adventure way beyond our shores and, yes, in warfare. We nurtured towering philosophers and thinkers. We were great traders. The ancient Silk Road, all the way across the brutally vast deserts, steppes and mountains of Asia to Europe, was ours. Way back in the 1400s our great ships were trading through into the Mediterranean in the lead-up to Europes Reformation  which we may well have seeded. And Columbus may well have used our maps to discover the new world.

We suffered, over the millennia, from the tyranny of warlords and princes. But Genghiss and Kublais Mongols forged a wider unity and showed a sufficiently bold face to the rest of the world that we were for a long time left to build and strengthen as a country, as a people and as a vibrant mix of cultures, industry and innovation.

But our leadership wavered and tyranny returned. We withdrew into ourselves, creating vulnerabilities which others, foreigners, came to exploit. In time, we were to be widely plundered, looted and reviled  sometimes being openly given the same status, in our own country, as dogs. In the opium wars of the mid-1800s, we failed to stop the British ravaging us with their opium from British India, and the curse of opium was to spread throughout the world.

Dogmatic and fundamentalist Christians were these foreigners all, in whose eyes we heathens could not be saved. They promoted a leadership for us which would be compliant with their needs and their beliefs  such as the Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek. How we suffered. Again. Suffered until a new order, a new belief system, which to us seemed to be working well enough in Russia, offered us some hope.

For a time, the Japanese ravaged and reviled us. The same Japanese who had been encouraged, back in the early 1900s by Americas Teddy Roosevelt and a cheer squad of the usual European imperialists, to build an empire in the east. To trample all over Korea and to not be unduly held back from having its way with us. How stupid they were.

Throughout the centuries, when the world was open, we travelled to wherever the work was. We sent our earnings home to help our families, the core of our being, survive. We were industrious and entrepreneurial, often beyond the fragile tolerances of our host communities. They habitually set us apart and treated us badly. But we dug deep. The Australians even crafted a law to prevent us from coming. Their leaders did not call it the white Australia policy, but most Australians did and were for a long time proud of it. Proud enough to declare, when the Jews of Hitlers Germany were desperately seeking refuge, that Australia did not have a racial problem and it was not going to import one.

Mao Zedong started well but lost his way and delivered yet another period of deep suffering for us. From which, though, many lessons were learned and they have contributed to the rise of our new China. Such as in reinforcing our national character (partly through all that suffering) in strengthening unity and stability, in improving our sharing of opportunity and wealth, and in boosting our position of identity and influence in a challenging world order. A tired and ageing order which, to its horror, seems to be slipping.

Where would we Chinese be if we simply joined such an order; if we were to embrace its beliefs?

Well, in thinking it through, we would consider, naturally, the orders performance through its ages of imperialism  from which originated the plundered wealth (especially from India and Africa) that paid for its power  to more contemporary times.

We could start with Christian-dominated Europes role in provoking in Russia a new political and social belief system  free of the princes of divine right and the religious dogmas which had for long enough so shackled and enslaved its people. And how, later, following Russias contribution of some 27 million dead in World War II and its breaking of Hitlers monstrous back (while the West waited for its chance to do some ankle biting), Truman and Churchill turned their backs on Roosevelts promised assistance with Russias rehabilitation, instead applying energy and fear to the demonisation of the new, the unholy, Russia.

We would note the orders role, also at that time, in restoring the European imperialists to their possessions in South-East Asia and the mighty bloodbaths that followed. And what it has done since in the Middle East and Iran, from the time of carving up the regions oil bounty among the powerful nations of the West to its messy installing of compliant dictators, and its even messier deposing of non-compliant dictators. Not to mention its confected invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and its catastrophic promotion of the Arab spring.

We would consider, too, its behaviour in Central and South America, and its studied neglect regarding the ethnic slaughtering in Rwanda and Bosnia.

In the age of abundant information and more available truth, it is now more widely acknowledged than ever that other versions of this history have been concocted to excuse Western excesses and to promote Western interests.

We Chinese conclude, overall, that we have more to give to todays world than we can either take or learn from those of the West who yearn for their flawed and misrepresented yesterdays.

Todays China is built on a proud, if at times harsh and tumultuous, history. A history from which it derives its unique character and from which it draws the confidence to continue on its own course. Its a course that should continue to benefit from abundant positives in its evolving political, social, industrial and business systems and the sophistication of its international relations. As well as to assure, naturally, its protection from others.

Given the bristling military assets and interests of others in its vicinity and the dreadful record of the Wests military and other adventures around the world over the past 60 or 70 years, is it any wonder that China has been pushing its first-line defences further out into the South China Sea?

Or would the West rather have China give it something more immediately meaty, something with which to cast a dark shadow over China, such as some missile assistance to, say, a Cuba? For the blackest hearts at Langley, the answer would probably be a resounding yes  even though Khrushchevs Russia thoroughly rubbed their daddies noses in it. For the moment, seeing what can be made of Hong Kong and Taiwan might suit, but the Chinese may now, more than ever, be up to this game.
WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to apologise to the Girrawheen couple severely injured in an alleged home burglary on April 16.

This masthead revealed former immigration detainee Majid Jamshidi Doukoshkan, who was freed from his detention after a landmark High Court ruling in November last year, is one of the men accused of pretending to be police officers to enter the house of Ninette and Philip Simons before allegely assaulting and robbing the couple.

Ninette Simons is still recovering after the terrifying ordeal on April 17.

The incident has caused a political storm for the Commonwealth which had introduced a flurry of emergency powers after the November decision to track the detainees.

At a press conference Mettam said Albanese owed the family and community an apology.

She also took aim at the WA government for assuring the public that the detainees would be monitored closely.

The tragedy surrounding the individuals who were violently attacked as a result of this home invasion is hard enough to grapple with but to understand the complete failure of Roger Cook and the Labor Government to keep the community safe, and to take on their own responsibilities in relation to this crime, beggars belief, she said.
Overall, gas exports from WA are at least 80 per cent foreign-owned. This matters for two reasons. First, the foreign companies that control WAs and Australias gas resources do not necessarily act in the best interests of the state or the country. A WA parliamentary inquiry recently investigated the operation of the states domestic gas reservation policy.

It found gas exporters are meant to supply 15 per cent of gas produced to WA, but they have actually delivered just eight per cent. It is clear these companies are under-supplying the WA market. There is no shortage. This provides a convenient excuse for Premier Cook and others to push for yet more large new gas projects. The new projects would also be export-focused and do little to solve WAs energy problems. Its a game of smoke and mirrors. Second, the significant foreign ownership of gas exports means that most of the benefits flow to overseas owners. Very little benefit is received by the WA public because gas companies receive most of the gas they export royalty-free. Read that again if you have to  most gas is royalty-free. Iron ore mines pay royalties. Gold mines pay royalties. The vast majority of WAs gas is extracted and exported without paying any royalties.

Worse, gas companies often pay little, if any, company tax or petroleum resource rent tax. The federal government collects more revenue from university HECS payments than from the PRRT. Loading In 2021-22 Chevron, Exxon, Woodside and Shell made $55 billion selling Australian gas and paid just $1.7 billion in company tax and PRRT. Gas companies arent paying their fair share of tax. Returning to the phony shortage, any domestic shortfall could be solved simply by ensuring these

companies comply with their obligations under the gas reservation policy. The fig leaf for the gas shortage fiction in WA is a report known as the Gas Statement of Opportunities.

Its author, the Australian Energy Market Operator, forecasts in it that in some circumstances WA gas consumers could be left short. But the trick being played by the premier and the gas industry is not noting that the report work assumed gas companies in WA would continue exporting gas without limits. Under this assumption, companies would always prefer to profit by exporting gas to receive higher international prices. But in the real world, the WA and federal governments have a choice. They could stand up for the interests of West Australians and ensure a sufficient supply of gas. It is a choice for the premier not to stand up to the gas companies. It is a choice to hand control of the publics resources to foreign-owned corporates. It is a choice for the Commonwealth not to charge royalties and not to raise more revenue from the petroleum resource rent tax. The gas industry gets away with this pantomime because of a political and media echo-chamber that never asks the hard questions about the gas industry.
The peak body advising the NSW government on how to tackle the domestic violence crisis has pleaded for significant funding to be invested in men and boys, with critical prevention work needed in schools, sporting clubs and grassroots community organisations.

Domestic Violence NSW met Premier Chris Minns last Friday to urge the government to end years of underfunding of domestic violence services in the upcoming June budget.

Domestic Violence NSW chief executive Delia Donovan says the housing crisis makes it harder for women to escape. Credit: Louise Kennerley

The group has also warned that the housing crisis needs to be urgently addressed, highlighting the need to build 7500 social and affordable homes in NSW each year for the next two decades to provide enough safe accommodation for women and children fleeing danger.

In its pre-budget submission, Domestic Violence NSW  the peak group representing 150 organisations  highlighted critical areas it says the government must fund to prevent and respond to domestic violence in the state. It says at least another $80 million in this years budget is required.
Victorian councils that miss targets for new housing face being stripped of planning powers as the Allan government looks to dramatically increase the supply and affordability of homes.

Developers would also be hit with a new universal liveability charge across all postcodes, replacing a much-maligned infrastructure contribution charge that currently only applies to the metropolitan fringe.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny are considering new proposals to reform Victorias housing industry. Credit: Eddie Jim

Under proposals being considered in the second stage of Labors push for more homes, housing targets would be written into local planning schemes and require council planners, councillors and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal members to consider them when weighing up approving housing developments.

Sources within and close to the government said carrot and stick measures were being considered to pressure councils into approving more housing. They include the state seizing planning control over key precincts from councils that do not meet targets, and a bigger pot of infrastructure funding for those that do.
Its supposed to be extremely good for your health, but swimming in freezing water leaves me cold.

Its not that I dont admire those people who do winter laps in sea pools regularly and those who summon up the courage to take the polar plunge into ice from the water sports deck of Antarctic cruisers. I just dont want to be them.

Taking a dip in cold waters is supposed to be good for you, but you can keep it. Credit: Getty Images

This last activity is not on my bucket list, along with other things not on my bucket list, like hot-air ballooning. I appreciate the experience might be exhilarating but any activity that needs a doctor on standby Ill steer clear of, thank you.

But warm water, even hot water, thats another thing. Give me a hot spring and Ill beat a path to it.
J.W. MARIOTT, DAWN BEACH:--- His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten held a reception in honor of the Royal Decorations nominees as part of the Kings Day celebration themed Community Unity: The diversity of volunteerism.

Governor Baly gave the following speech:

Distinguished guests, good evening.

My wife Janique, our children, and I are very happy to see you show up in these large numbers here this evening. It gives me great pleasure to bid each and every one of you a warm welcome.

Welcome to this our Kings Day celebration, celebrating the Birthday of His Majesty King Willem Alexander which is actually tomorrow April 27th, and honouring eight persons for their outstanding service to our community. They will be honored this evening as the recipients of a Royal Decoration granted by His Majesty the King.

The work, achievements and service of these persons will be showcased to you this evening as a testament to the divers spectrum and reach of their volunteerism. Their varied community work touched and impacted the lives of so many in our society, resulting in enhanced positive community development and, ultimately, community unity. Hence the theme for this evenings celebration, Community Unity: The diversity of volunteerism.

Community unity is important for social, economic, political, and the overall well-being and progress of a society. A united community encourages persons to work together towards common goals and the common good. As the gap between the haves and the haves does not grow larger worldwide and within our community, if we do not do anything about this, societal problems will only get worse. When a community is united, the people within that community are more likely to extend a helping hand and assist the most vulnerable within the community. This act of community awareness and unity is not unfamiliar to St. Maarten. Traditionally, our society has always been one characterized by support, encouragement, empathy, understanding, and goodwill towards one another. Colloquially termed as Jollification. Although traditionally seen when building homes and other physical structures, I encourage you to be inspired by the commendable citizens who will be honored this evening because they have transcended from that traditional focus of Jollification to many different areas of society where a helping hand is needed to build character, self-confidence, pride, our community unity and therefore our nation. We are thankful for the added value they provide to our community and their contribution to the enhancement of community unity and St. Maartens overall well-being.

As Governor of Sint Maarten I am therefore delighted, on behalf of His Majesty, to recognize these eight individuals, in a few moments for their contribution to community unity through their diversity in volunteerism and present them with their Royal Decoration.

Our recipients this evening have portrayed continued exemplary work in and for our community with an impressive display of selfless service ranging from:

 Filling a void and lack of quality service;

 Encouraging and providing a skill-set therefore creating and expanding the possibility of job opportunities for our youth;

 Promoting and aiding the development of a compassionate community;

 Transforming lives;

 Transformative youth empowerment;

 Championing for awareness;

 Relentlessly providing selfless care; and

 Providing vital support to the vulnerable in times of need.

With this extensive list of achievements as just mentioned one would think it to be an easy task to find and spot these individuals within our society, but it is not. It is not because these persons do what they do without looking for any recognition. Except for the individuals and lives of those impacted by their work, their work usually goes unnoticed and they function under the radar of recognition. So it is quite a task to find suitable candidates to nominate for a Royal Decoration. There is a committee tasked with that role. The Royal Decorations Advisory Committee also commonly referred to by the acronym; RODAC, and I would like to take the time at this moment to introduce them to you.

Before I call the members of the RODAC to the stage please allow me to say:

It is an honor and special distinction to be awarded a Royal Decoration and I therefore hereby beforehand convey my congratulations to each of the awardees and to their family and friends on this honorable and momentous occasion.

Distinguished guests, I wish all of you an inspirational and enjoyable evening.

Now, please join me in welcoming to the podium for their introduction, the new RODAC members, Ms. Makhicia Brooks (chairlady), Ms. Cassandra Jansen (Secretary), Ms. Fabiana Arnell-Vanterpool, Ms. Zylena Bary, Ms. Jessica Rogers, Mr. Garrick Richardson and off-island and therefore unable to be with us this evening Mr. Reuben Thompson.

This committee builds on the foundation set by and stands on the shoulders of the previous RODAC committee whose members have served for a span of over 20 years. At this time, I would like to call to the podium those members and offer them a token of appreciation for their service to our community for year in year out seeking viable candidates for a Royal Decoration, putting the applications together and handling the segment of our program in which the Royal Decorations bestowed by His Majesty is presented to the recipients.

Please give them a resounding round of applause as they make their way to the podium; Ms. Valerie Gitterson-Pantophlet, Mr. Maxime Larmonie, Ms. Irene Hodge (not present) and Mr. Harold Wally Havertong (not present).

Thank you, God bless you and your families and God bless St. Martin
Embattled French tech giant Atos says needs more cash



Paris, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



Struggling French tech giant Atos said on Monday it needs more cash than previously estimated to stay afloat and welcomes a government offer to acquire company activities linked to national security.

Atos -- which runs supercomputers for France's nuclear deterrent, holds contracts with the French army and is the IT partner for this year's Paris Olympics -- is sagging under almost five billion euros ($5.4 billion) of debt.

Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire announced on Sunday that he had sent a non-binding letter of intent to acquire the "sovereign activities" of Atos to prevent them from "falling under the ownership of foreign actors".

The activities include supercomputers, servers using artificial intelligence and quantic computing, and cybersecurity products.

"The (Atos) group welcomes this letter of intent, which would protect the sovereign strategic imperatives of the French state," the company said on Monday.

Atos said the proposal values the businesses at between 700 million and one billion euros.

Le Maire's announcement sent shares in Atos surging 14 percent after the Paris stock exchange opened.

They have tumbled by 70 percent since the start of the year.

Atos said it now needs 1.1 billion euros in cash "to fund the business over the 2024-25 period", up from a previous estimate of 600 million euros.

mch-kp-kd/lth/gil
EU says Apple iPad operating system to face stricter rules



Brussels, Belgium, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



The EU on Monday said Apple's operating system for iPads must comply with tougher new rules that Brussels is imposing to rein in the world's biggest digital companies.

The European Commission designated Apple's iPadOS system as a "core" service under the landmark Digital Markets Act (DMA), which forces companies to modify their business ways to encourage competition between online platforms.

It joins other Apple products that were already in the DMA net since September: iOS for iPhones, the App Store, and the Safari browser.

Under the DMA, digital firms and some products called "gatekeepers" have to abide by a list of rules including allowing interoperability with rivals' communication services and limiting how data is shared between products put out by the same parent company.

Other designated gatekeepers are Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, TikTok owner ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft.

The inclusion of iPadOS adds to a long tussle between the European Union and Apple over the bloc's new digital laws.

Apple has been one of the DMA's most vocal public critics, claiming the law ushers in privacy and security threats for users.

The commission, the EU's powerful competition regulator, said it named the iPadOS system because it locked users into the iPad operating system.

"Apple leverages its large ecosystem to disincentivise end users from switching to other operating systems for tablets," it said.

The operating system also "locked-in" Apple's business users, it said, "because of its large and commercially attractive user base, and its importance for certain use cases, such as gaming apps".

Apple has six months to comply with the DMA gatekeeper rules, the commission said in a statement.

"Today's decision will ensure that fairness and contestability are preserved also on this platform, in addition to the 22 other services we designated last September," the EU's competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, said.

Apple already faces a commission investigation under the DMA.

In March, Brussels said it would probe whether Apple's App Store allows developers to present users with offers outside of its app marketplace, free of charge.

raz/rmb/gv

Apple

GOOGLE

Alphabet Inc.

Amazon.com

Meta
Finnair suspends flights to Estonian city over Russian GPS interference



Helsinki, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



Finnair said Monday it was suspending flights to the Estonian city of Tartu for one month due to GPS interference that the Estonian foreign minister labelled a Russian "hybrid attack".

All flights to Tartu were suspended between April 29 and May 31 while "an alternative approach solution that doesn't require a GPS signal can be put in place at Tartu Airport," the Finnish carrier said in a statement.

GPS interference can "prevent the aircraft from approaching and landing", Finnair said, adding the interference "is quite common in the area".

Last week two Finnair flights headed for Tartu had to turn back to Helsinki due to GPS interference, it said.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on Monday told Estonian public broadcaster EER the GPS interference was the result of "completely deliberate actions", calling it a Russian "hybrid attack".

"Russia knows perfectly well that the interference caused by it is very dangerous to our aviation and goes against the international conventions, which Russia has also joined," Tsahkna told EER.

Baltic foreign ministers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania warned on Sunday in an interview with the Financial Times that widespread Russian GPS jamming increased the threat of an aviation accident, citing the case of the Finnish flights.

Finnair is the only airline operating international flights to the Estonian airport.

"Flight safety is always our top priority, and as the approach to Tartu currently requires a GPS signal, we cannot fly there in the event of GPS interference," said Jari Paajanen, Finnair's director of operations.

The aim is to "build approach methods at Tartu Airport that enable a safe and smooth operation of flights without a GPS signal", Finnair said, adding that such alternative approach methods are used in most airports already.

GPS interference has increased since 2022, the airline said, with Finnair pilots reporting interference "especially near Kaliningrad, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean".
Financial Times enters ChatGPT content deal



San Francisco, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



The Financial Times on Monday entered into a partnership deal with ChatGPT creator OpenAI that will integrate the news outlet's journalism into its chatbot.

The deal allows select attributed summaries, quotes and links from the FT's reporting to appear in ChatGPT responses to relevant queries.

"This is an important agreement ... that recognizes the value of our award-winning journalism and will give us early insights into how content is surfaced through AI," said FT Group CEO John Ridding.

The partnership follows a series of recent content licensing agreements struck by OpenAI as it aims to enrich ChatGPT's knowledge base with trustworthy sources.

In the past few months, The Associated Press, Germany's Axel Springer, French daily Le Monde and Spanish conglomerate Prisa Media have also entered content deals with OpenAI.

Microsoft-backed OpenAI has been actively courting media companies as scrutiny increases around allegations of AI's violation of copyright agreements and the technology's potential for spreading misinformation

Talks toward a similar content sharing deal with the New York Times broke down, and the US news giant in December sued OpenAI in a US federal court.

The Times accused OpenAI of reproducing and repackaging portions of its exclusive reporting and articles when training the underlying language models powering ChatGPT.

OpenAI has strongly pushed back, arguing the use of publicly available data including news articles for general training purposes constitutes fair use.

The lawsuit underscores simmering legal tensions between tech companies building large language models and financially hard-hit news publishers fiercely protective of intellectual property.
UN 'alarmed' by Iraq law criminalising same-sex relations



Geneva, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



The United Nations said Monday it was "alarmed" by a new law in Iraq criminalising same-sex relations, and called for them to be shelved.

Homosexuality is taboo in Iraq's conservative society. However, there had not previously been a law that explicitly punished same-sex acts.

"We are alarmed by the passing of a new law by Iraq's parliament that criminalises consensual same-sex relations as well as other forms of private consensual behaviour with jail terms of up to 15 years," UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement.

"The law runs contrary to several human rights treaties and conventions ratified by Iraq, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and should be shelved."

Transgender people will be sentenced to three years' jail under the amendments to a 1988 anti-prostitution law.

The amendments also set a minimum seven-year prison term for "promoting" same-sex relations and a sentence ranging from one to three years for men who "intentionally" act like women.

"There is extensive evidence that such laws also legitimise prejudice, expose people to hate crime, police abuse, harassment, intimidation, blackmail and torture," Shamdasani said.

"Furthermore, they perpetuate discrimination and denial of access to basic services, including in healthcare, education and housing."

She said everyone had the right to protection from discrimination on grounds including sexual orientation and gender identity.

The amended law makes "biological sex change based on personal desire and inclination" a crime and punishes transgender people and doctors who perform gender-affirming surgery with up to three years in prison.

The amendments also ban organisations that "promote" homosexuality and punish "wife swapping" with a prison sentence of 10 to 15 years.

LGBTQ Iraqis have been forced into the shadows, often targeted with "kidnappings, rapes, torture and murders" that go unpunished, according to a 2022 report by Human Rights Watch and the IraQueer non-governmental organisation.
US says still talking to Niger about army pullout



Abidjan, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



The United States is still talking with Niger about the withdrawal of 1,000 American military personnel, and decisions will be announced in the coming weeks, the US Africom commander said on Monday.

There were "still discussions ... between the US and Niger, the governing body there in Niger," General Michael Langley told a press conference.

"Decisions will be made public in the coming weeks," the Africa Command chief said in the Ivory Coast city of Abidjan.

Niger's military junta, which seized power last July, announced in March it was ending a military cooperation agreement with Washington, which this month agreed to remove the troops and sent a delegation to Niamey to work out an orderly departure.

The talks began in Niger a week ago, according to the Pentagon.

Niger, a linchpin in the US and French strategy to combat jihadists in West Africa, houses a $100 million American drone base.

Niamey faces violence by Boko Haram jihadists and their rivals Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) from the southeastern region of Diffa near Nigeria.

"We still realise that a threat is still out there ... on the northern borders," Langley said after meeting Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara.

The general also spoke of "the future of the partnership between Cote d'Ivoire and the United States, in this case Africom" and how to deepen security and civil society aspects of it.

Following the overthrow of elected president Mohamed Bazoum, the Niger junta kicked out soldiers from former colonial power France before the end of 2023.

Russian military instructors arrived in Niger this month with an air defence system and other equipment, state media said, after talks between military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
France orders firms to prioritise anti-air missile orders



Paris, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



France has ordered firms involved in production of Aster air defence missiles to prioritise those contracts, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Monday.

It was "the first time" he had used special powers to compel queue-jumping for defence orders, meaning "civilian orders must from now on have lower priority," Lecornu said in Calvi, Corsica, where he was meeting his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto.

"Players in the defence industry must understand that they have to work faster, and that the country's future depends on this work," Crosetto said.

Aster 15 and 30 missiles are produced by pan-European manufacturer MBDA, and Italy and France have supplied an unspecified number to Ukraine as it defends against Russian invaders.

Kyiv has asked for more of the missiles, which have also been used to defend against drones launched by Yemen's Huthi rebels against ships in the Red Sea.

A source familiar with the matter said a major supplier affected by the order was Aubert et Duval, which produces specialist steel for items including submarines and the barrels for Caesar truck-mounted cannons supplied to Ukraine.

MBDA says it will reduce production times for Aster missiles to "less than 18 months by 2026" -- from 42 months in 2022.

Output of Asters should increase by 50 percent over the same timeframe, CEO Eric Beranger has said.

One brake on production is the fact that missile components "cross the Alps several times" during the manufacturing process.

Lecornu said it was "urgent to simplify the bureaucracy" around shipping the weapons between France and Italy.

Final assembly of Aster missiles currently takes place in France, but Lecornu said he looked "favourably" on Rome's request to set up a second production line in Italy.
Gaza aid pier to cost US at least $320 mn: Pentagon



Washington, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



The temporary pier being constructed by the US military to boost aid deliveries to Gaza will cost Washington at least $320 million, the Pentagon said Monday.

"That's about our rough estimate right now, approximately $320 million," Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told journalists, adding: "That's an initial cost for the temporary pier."

The Pentagon announced Thursday that construction of the pier had begun, saying it should be operational in early May.

At that point, aid will be transported via commercial vessels to a floating platform miles off the Gaza coast, where it will be transferred to smaller vessels, brought to the pier and taken to land by truck for distribution.

Plans for the pier were first announced by US President Joe Biden in early March as Israel held up deliveries of assistance by ground.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza -- which has been devastated by more than six months of Israeli operations against Hamas -- remains dire, with a senior US administration official saying last week that the territory's entire population of 2.2 million people is facing food insecurity.

Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the war resulted in the deaths of about 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,488 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Iraq repatriates 700 people from Syria camp



Mosul, Iraq, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



Iraq repatriated 700 people from Syria's Al-Hol camp, home to tens of thousands of people including family members of suspected jihadists, a local official and a war monitor said Monday.

More than 43,000 Syrians, Iraqis and foreigners from at least 45 countries are held in the squalid and overcrowded camp in Kurdish-controlled northeast Syria.

Al-Hol houses relatives of suspected Islamic State (IS) group militants alongside refugees.

"700 people or around 160 families have returned from Al-Hol" in the latest repatriation effort, said the Iraqi official, requesting anonymity because he is now allowed to speak to the media.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said that 714 Iraqis left the camp on Sunday.

Upon arrival in Iraq, authorities usually keep returnees from Al-Hol for weeks or even months at what officials describe as a "psychological rehabilitation" facility in Al-Jadaa camp near the northern city of Mosul, where they also undergo security checks before returning home.

Nearly 160 Iraqi families were repatriated from Al-Hol in March.

More than 1,920 Iraqi families have been transferred so far to Al-Jadaa, national security adviser Qassem al-Araji said in March. The figure includes 1,230 families who had been allowed to return home.

Repatriation of family members of suspected IS members has stirred controversy in Iraq, where the jihadist group had seized large swathes of land before being defeated in late 2017.

Some Iraqis have resisted the repatriation efforts, saying they do not want IS families among them.

Still, Baghdad regularly repatriates its citizens from Al-Hol, a policy commended by the United Nations and the United States.

Despite its territorial defeat, IS militants continue to conduct attacks against civilians and security forces in both Iraq and Syria.
Italy's navy downs drone headed for Red Sea merchant vessel: ministry



Rome, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



An Italian navy frigate shot down a drone in the Red Sea headed in the direction of an escorted merchant ship, Italy's defence ministry said Monday.

The Virginio Fasan frigate, which was protecting a European commercial freighter, shot down the drone Monday morning near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, said the ministry in a press release.

"The drone, with similar characteristics to those already used in previous Huthi attacks, was about 5 kilometres from the Italian ship, in the direction of the escorted merchant ship," it said.

The ministry said "complex attacks with missiles and drones" had earlier occurred in the morning, but they "were foiled thanks to evasive manoeuvres carried out by the merchant ship", following instructions from the naval frigate.

A missile that exploded in the water near the escorted ship caused only minor surface damage, it said, adding that the Fasan and merchant ship were "continuing as planned on their route".

Italy has operational command of the "Aspides" mission, launched by the EU in February to protect merchant vessels transiting the vital Red Sea trade route from attacks by Iran-backed Huthis.

The Huthis, who have vowed to target Israeli, British and American ships, as well as vessels heading to Israeli ports, say their campaign is intended to signal solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
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His mother Emma Bartolo said that when she arrived at the mortuary to see the schoolboy, who had lined up an apprenticeship as an electrician and plumber, she was unable to dress him due to the horrific knife wounds all over his body. When she tried to put a pair of new trainers on him, one foot was practically hanging off. She added: They savagely took my boy. His precious life was not theirs to take.
I hope Hamas do take this deal and frankly all the pressure in the world and all the eyes of the world should be on them today, saying take that deal. It will bring about this stop in the fighting that we all want to see so badly.
The minister, responding to an urgent question from Labour, told the Commons: We are not going to comment on the speculation that there might be a ground role for UK forces; it wouldnt be right for me to comment on speculation and were very clear as to the current remit.
But with the SNP not having a majority at Holyrood he would need to secure the backing of at least one MSP from another party to achieve this  and the Greens made clear they would not support the First Minister in the vote of no confidence he is facing.
He added: The Common Travel Area, there will be ongoing discussions around that and its been overall beneficial to Irish citizens and to UK citizens and we want to maintain those benefits. I think the optimal way to deal with issues around migration is to continue discussion in the context of the Common Travel framework.
The Rwanda Bill and a treaty with Rwanda are intended to prevent further legal challenges to the stalled asylum scheme after the Supreme Court ruled the plan was unlawful, on the basis that some asylum seekers sent from the UK to the African country could be returned to the country from where they had fled even if it would mean they were at risk of torture and even death.
A Department for Education spokesperson said: Schools and sixth form colleges will benefit from 1.8 billion this financial year to help maintain their buildings, taking the total amount of funding to over 17 billion since 2015, and our school rebuilding programme is transforming buildings at over 500 schools over the next decade.
Afterwards, Ms Sturgeon said: I know how big a privilege being first minister is, but also the toll it can take. I also know what a wrench it is to step aside, even when sure it is the right thing to do.
By removing the gap between diagnosis and treatment, it eliminates the long anxious wait for potential treatment that patients currently have to go through, but it also means that patients can get treatment before a nodule has time to grow in size or spread to other parts of the body.
The Northern Ireland Executive will also need to decide on whether and how it will underwrite any future increases in cost, so we are all, all partners are working together to try and figure out what the number is and how we can deliver on it.
Chinese FM holds talks with Bolivian counterpart

Xinhua) 08:48, April 29, 2024

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing on Sunday, and both sides pledged to advance bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that China and Bolivia enjoy a traditional friendship featuring mutual understanding and support. The year 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bolivia. China is willing to work with the Bolivian side to take this opportunity to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote China-Bolivia strategic partnership to a new level.

Wang said that both sides should continue to strengthen political mutual trust; enhance exchanges and cooperation between the governments, legislatures and political parties of the two countries; strengthen exchange of governance experience; synergize development strategies; and tap into the potential for cooperation in new areas such as digital economy, plateau agriculture, information and communication, and green development.

China and Bolivia should enhance coordination on multilateral strategies, jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and firmly safeguard the common interests of the Global South, said Wang, adding that China is willing to work together with Bolivia and other Latin American and Caribbean countries to promote the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future.

Sosa noted that China is an important strategic partner for Bolivia, saying Bolivia hopes to upgrade cooperation with China in various fields such as economy and trade. Bolivia welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country.

Bolivia firmly supports the one-China principle, and the global initiatives proposed by China. Bolivia is willing to promote Latin America-China relations, Sosa said.

After their talks, the two foreign ministers witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the foreign affairs academies of the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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The European Commission on Monday approved, under EU State aid rules, Romania's plans to grant the Romanian state-owned flag carrier TAROM restructuring aid for up to EUR 95.3 million (RON 473.69 million), the commission reported on Monday.

The measure would enable the company to restore its long-term viability while minimising competition distortions.

"The Romanian restructuring aid approved [on Monday] will help maintain regional connectivity of Romanian citizens and businesses. Following our in-depth investigation, we concluded that TAROM's restructuring plan will ensure that the airline becomes viable in the long term. To limit any possible competition distortions triggered by the public support, TAROM will significantly downsize its number of routes and aircraft," Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President in charge of competition policy, is quoted as saying in a press statement released by the commission on Monday.

On May 28, 2021, Romania notified to the commission a plan for the restructuring of TAROM. The restructuring plan sets out a package of measures for streamlining TAROM's operations, renewing its ageing fleet and reducing costs.

In July 2021, the commission opened an in-depth investigation to assess whether the Romanian restructuring measures in favour of TAROM would be in line with EU state aid rules. During the in-depth investigation, Romania updated the restructuring plan to address the concerns raised in the opening decision.

The notified restructuring measures now include a debt write-off of around EUR 49.53 million (RON 246.19 million) corresponding to the rescue aid amount, approved by the commission in February 2020, plus interest; and a capital injection of around EUR 45.77 million (RON 227.50 million).

The commission assessed the measures under its guidelines for rescuing and restructuring non-financial undertakings in difficulties, finding in particular that the aid contributes to the objective of common interest of providing regional connectivity to Romanian citizens and businesses by enabling TAROM to return to viability through the implementation of its restructuring plan.

Also, the restructuring measures tackle the problems that caused TAROM's financial difficulties, in particular through the renewal of its ageing fleet and the reduction of costs.

According to the commission, the measures are proportionate, as TAROM makes a significant own contribution of around EUR 77.66 million (RON 381.12 million) in the form of proceeds from aircraft sale and a finance lease concluded at market terms, and the aid comes with safeguards to limit distortions of competition in the Single Market. These include the reduction of the number of routes that TAROM operates, as well as the number of aircraft, and maintaining such reduced capacity, thereby limiting its market presence for the entire duration of the restructuring period, namely until December 31, 2026.

On this basis, the commission concluded that the Romanian measures are in line with EU State aid rules.

EU State aid rules, more specifically the commission's guidelines for rescuing and restructuring non-financial undertakings in difficulties enable member states to support companies in difficulty, under certain strict conditions. The guidelines only allow a state intervention in a company in financial difficulty under specific conditions, requiring in particular that the company undertakes a sound restructuring plan to ensure its return to long-term viability, that the company contributes to the cost of its restructuring, that competition distortions are limited and that the measure contributes to an objective of common interest.

The restructuring state aid for TAROM of up to EUR 95.26 million approved on Monday by the European Commission proves that we are on a good trajectory, according to representatives of national airline.

"This is a very important step for TAROM, one of Romania's flagship companies that will ignite an ample recovery and reorganisation process, and the aid that the European Commission has approved proves the good trajectory of the company at this moment," TAROM representatives said.

The financial aid was approved by the European Commission with the aim of restoring the company's long-term viability while minimising competition distortions. Of this, EUR 49.53 million (RON 246.19 million) is to the rescue aid amount, approved by the commission in February 2020, plus interest; and a capital injection of around EUR 45.77 million (RON 227.50 million).

The European Commission's approval of the restructuring aid means TAROM has the green light for all actions included in the submitted recovery and organisation plan, which were being implemented. TAROM's objectives are to regain profitability and become a successful airline again, thus bringing many benefits to the customers it serves.

AGERPRES
The Gopo Awards Gala, now in its 18th edition, will take place on Monday night at the Ion Caramitru Hall of the I. L. Caragiale National Theater in Bucharest, where last year's cinematographic achievements will be celebrated, told Agerpres.

The event will be premiered by the stand-up comedy actor Claudiu Teohari, known to the public as Teo, according to the website premiilegopo.ro.

More than 900 guests from the world of Romanian cinema are invited to participate in the event during which the performances of local cinema from the previous year will be rewarded.

The event will be broadcast live, starting at 19:00, on VOYO, TIFF Unlimited and on premiilegopo.ro.

One of the most valuable actresses in Romania, Rodica Mandache, will be honoured at the Gala with the Gopo Lifetime Achievement Award, and the artist Dan Nutu will be awarded the Lifetime Activity Award. The Special Prize will be awarded to the stuntman Adrian Stefanescu.

The Gopo 2024 awards are organized by the Association for the Promotion of Romanian Film.
President Klaus Iohannis stated, on Monday, that the sacrifice of war veterans remains permanently in our consciousness, noting that now, when Europe is facing Russia's war against Ukraine, action must be taken more than ever so that democratic values, the rule of law and world order based on rules to prevail in the face of extremist, autocratic manifestations and the use of force in international relations.

The president mentioned that the celebration of War Veterans' Day is the opportunity to "reaffirm adherence to principles and high national and human ideals".

Klaus Iohannis emphasized that our country owes the veterans the commitment to continue the fight to protect the nation's values and achieve European and Euro-Atlantic strategic interests.

He conveyed, in this difficult context, "a good thought to the members of the armed forces and all the institutions of the national security system, who fulfill their responsibilities, as part of the efforts of NATO and the EU, to ensure the security of the country and to protect our strategic interests".

In turn, the Government informs, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu emphasized, in a message sent on the occasion of War Veterans' Day, that "we have a place to call home" thanks to those who, through sacrifice, defended everything we love and have.

According to the source, the Romanian state dedicates April 29 to all veterans who, since 1877, fought for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Romania.

"The moral duty we have is to keep alive the memory of these fighters with love for the country. Eternal memory to the veterans we honor, good health to the few surviving veterans of the Second World War," Ciolacu stressed.
Ashanti (43) proudly showed her first baby bump while her song Sweet Baby played in a short video clip on Instagram. St. Louis Nelly first hinted at a pregnancy at their 11th Black and White Ball. Nelly placed his hand on Ashantis stomach; she made a heart over it before sharing a laugh.

This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation. Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiance, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience, Ashanti said.

The baby will be Nellys third; his two other children from a previous relationship are Chanelle, 29, and Cornell Haynes III, 24. Nelly also adopted his sister, Jackie Donahues kids, Shawn and Sydney Thomas, after she passed away from leukemia.
ST. LOUIS  Lily Clark thinks at least half of St. Louis doesnt know what boba tea is. And thats good news for her and her younger sister.

Boba, a flavored tea drink served with chewy tapioca balls, is taking off in the St. Louis region, and the Clark sisters company, Bo.co Boba, is gearing up for a busy year.

Its kind of like the new latte, said Clark, 26. You see how addicted people are to latte pouring and coffee art.

Boba, invented in Taiwan in the 1980s, can be hot or cold and made with different tea flavors, types of milk and toppings, including foam or jelly.

Boba has been available in the region for a while. But now it's gaining popularity unlike years past, and not just among the regions small but growing population of Asian residents. Bespoke boba tea shops now dot the map from St. Charles to Belleville.

Its great, said Jeff Wade, executive director of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of St. Louis. Boba seems to be popping up left and right. I know a couple other folks starting boba businesses.

For Clark and her sister, Luci, 22, Bo.co Boba actually started as a joke.

The Clarks had never had boba until a high school trip to Taiwan in 2018. Luci Clark loved the drink so much she had it every day there.

When the two couldnt find St. Louis options to quell their new cravings, the Clarks began to banter about bringing boba to the Gateway City.

We were fascinated by the concept, Lily Clark said.

Four years later, an opportunity to work at Julias Market Stand Cafe at the Soulard Farmers Market brought the sisters inside joke to life.

Boba beginnings

The cafe owner told the Clarks they could sell whatever they wanted out of the stand as long as they were there every Saturday to work it.

At first, they were unsure if people would support them: The COVID-19 pandemic was trailing off. Anti-Asian rhetoric was still simmering. And the product was so new in St. Louis.

It was such a novel concept that year, Clark said. I think were probably one of the first (boba businesses) in St. Louis.

That summer, the Clarks sold about 80 cups of boba each Saturday.

Lily, who had just earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and Luci, a student at Webster University studying video game design, kept their business a secret from their parents, who the Clarks described as risk-averse.

We were like, Lets just not tell them so they dont yell at us, Clark said.

Carol Clark, their mother, said she and their father, Steve, knew their kids were working in Soulard that summer  they just werent quite sure what they were doing.

But the sisters quickly became so busy at events around the St. Louis area that they were forced to come clean.

Carol Clark said she was unsurprised.

As a parent, you worry about your kids, and I thought that might go away once they get older, but actually I dont think thats so, said Carol Clark. Im excited that they are willing to take those risks and see what happens.

Lily Clark said St. Louis was an easy market in which to launch Bo.co because of all the minority and women-centric initiatives available. Recently, the company received small grants through UMSL and Food City, an initiative aimed at creating a more inclusive, sustainable food ecosystem in the St. Louis metro area.

Though not immune to a sisterly spat every once in a while, the two said they work well as partners.

Were both really passionate about growing the business and being in the business, Lily said.

Sometimes that passion leads to arguments. And sometimes it solves them.

Bringing Asian flavors to St. Louis

This summer, the sisters have another packed schedule of farmers markets and events where they hope to introduce Bo.co Bobas tea flavors to more people.

Bo.co sells authentic Asian flavors, such as cinnamon toast Thai tea or ube shortbread as well as a selection of American classics that tend to be sweeter, such as strawberry milk and coffee latte. The business also offers juices with popping boba, syrup-filled pearls that burst in your mouth.

The sisters source their ingredients from Olive Supermarket in University City, the state of Washington and Taiwan, but they said they plan to start making their own tapioca pearls from scratch soon.

Its been a great experience so far, they said. They enjoy explaining Asian flavors to people who dont know them.

Plus, Bo.co Boba helps the sisters, both Chinese adoptees, learn more about the culture as they talk to customers from China and Taiwan.

Its important to us that we are building a brand that bridges Asian and American culture to help inspire future Asian-American entrepreneurs, Lily Clark said.

Plans for a Webster Groves brick-and-mortar location fell through earlier this year.

So the sisters pivoted. Theyre investing in a custom-built food truck, to debut this summer.
The family of a Black teenager who was shot by a white homeowner when he mistakenly went to the wrong Kansas City address filed a lawsuit Monday, described by the familys attorney as an attempt to put pressure on the criminal trial later this year.

The complaint, filed by Cleo Nagbe on behalf of her son, Ralph Yarl, alleges that Andrew Lester, 84, was negligent when he shot the 16-year-old without warning more than a year ago, on April 13, 2023. It states that Yarl suffered and sustained permanent injuries, as well as pain and suffering, as a direct result of Lesters actions.

Lee Merritt, the familys attorney, said the civil suit is to give the family a chance to be in the drivers seat in pursuing justice for Ralph as the states criminal case against Lester unfolds.

Lester pleaded not guilty in September 2023. The trial was scheduled to begin more than a year later on Oct. 7, 2024.

Lesters attorney in the criminal case, Steve Salmon, said he is evaluating the civil complaint and will discuss it with Lester. He said at a preliminary hearing for the criminal case that Lester was acting in self-defense, terrified by the stranger who knocked on his door as he settled into bed for the night.

The suit is based on what he has said, Merritt told The Associated Press. If hes saying, I mistakenly thought this person was a robber, were saying thats negligence. You werent paying close enough attention. Everybody who rings your doorbell cant be a robber.

Yarl mixed up the street name of the house where he was sent to pick up his siblings. Yarl testified at the hearing that he rang the doorbell and then reached for the storm door as Lester opened the inner door. Lester told him, Dont come here ever again, Yarl recalled.

He said he was shot in the head, the impact knocking him to the ground, and was then shot in the arm.

The case, which drew international attention, animated national debates about gun policies and race in America.

In a statement, Nagbe said the shooting not only shattered our family but also exposed a critical gap in our societal fabric, where the safety of our children is jeopardized by reckless actions.

The lawsuit also names the homeowners association, Highland Acres Homes Association Inc., as a defendant. The association did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

Merritt said the family is aware the litigation might be delayed pending the outcome of the criminal case but wanted to still begin the process. He cited state law that allows the victim access to the criminal case records that has not yet been satisfied, as the prosecutor seeks clarification from the judge on the cases gag order.

Yarl was uniquely resilient after the shooting, Merritt said, but his resiliency has kind of grown into some impatience with being the person who was shot a year ago.

He doesnt want to be that person, Merritt said. He wants to be an amazing band player, a good friend, a student, a rising college student.
COLUMBIA, Mo.  Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said Sunday she was charged with assault after police arrested her during a pro-Palestine protest at Washington University the day before.

Video prior to the arrest shared on social media shows officers using a bicycle to push against a group of protesters including Stein. The protesters appear to push back.

Julie Hail Flory, a spokeswoman for Washington University, did not immediately provide information on the identity of those arrested or their charges on Monday. St. Louis County police referred questions to the Washington University Police Department.

While I was being assaulted with a bicycle, one of the police bent down and picked up my foot in order to try to further destabilize me into falling backwards, Stein said in an interview Sunday. And I wiggled out of his grip, you know, in an effort not to fall back on my head.

And he then informed me that I was going to be charged with assaulting a police officer, if you can believe it, she said.

We were violently assaulted and arrested with ~100 others peacefully protesting genocide at Washington University in St. Louis.



Many US police departments - including St. Louis' - are being trained by Israel to use military occupation-style tactics against their own communities. pic.twitter.com/1zGf2R1nW2  Dr. Jill Stein (@DrJillStein) April 29, 2024

Stein, a 73-year-old physician and activist who won 1% of the popular vote for president eight years ago, is hoping to take advantage of this years fragmented field, which in addition to President Joe Biden, 81, and former President Donald Trump, 77, also includes independent challenger Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 70.

Stein has focused on pushing for an end to Israels war in Gaza as many on the left voice anger with Bidens handling of the conflict  and her arrest Saturday has generated national media attention.

Stein said in a four-way race its possible to win with as little as 26% of the vote, adding she is the only anti-genocide, anti-war, pro-worker candidate on the ballot; Stein said her campaign is on track to be on the ballot across the country.

Missouri Green Party organizers are working to collect the 10,000 valid signatures the party will need for candidates to run under its label this year. A party official said Monday the party had collected more than 8,000 signatures.

Kennedys campaign is also collecting signatures in Missouri. The submission deadline is July 29.

In an interview with the Post-Dispatch on Sunday following a campaign event in Columbia, Missouri, Stein criticized a two-state solution to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and called for a negotiated solution to the war between Ukraine and Russia  dramatic departures from current U.S. foreign policy.

Biden in February rejected a request by Putin to negotiate over Ukraine, The New York Times reported, and the United States also supports a negotiated two-state solution between the Israelis and Palestinians, according to the U.S. State Department.

Even so, the United States on April 18 vetoed a resolution at the United Nations that would have granted Palestine full UN membership.

Theres still room for discussion on this, but my sense is that that has been tried for 75 years, Stein said of a two-state solution. What you get is ... basically a one-state solution, where the U.S. just vetoed the rights of that second state.

Essentially the so-called two-state solution is a one-state solution, a one-apartheid-state solution, Stein said. We now need a one-equitable-and-just-state solution, where everyones rights are recognized.

Stein and Russia

Stein in 2015 was pictured at an event for Russian television network RT, seated near Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Senate Intelligence Committee in 2017 began investigating Steins campaign for possibly colluding with Russia; a Senate Intelligence Committee report released in 2019 said the Russian Internet Research Agency worked to promote Steins campaign.

She said Sunday the Senate committee found nothing and called very preposterous the argument that we had benefited from Russian social media interference.

Stein had been scheduled to appear Saturday night at the Uhuru Solidarity Center in St. Louis. Omali Yeshitela, founder of the anti-colonial Uhuru movement, as well as two other Black empowerment organizers active in St. Louis, were accused in an indictment unsealed last year of participating in a yearslong Russian campaign to sow dissent in the United States, the Post-Dispatch reported in April 2023. Cases were pending as of Monday.

Stein said Sunday the Ukraine-Russia conflict was a very regrettable result of the betrayal of the promise made to then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev for NATO not to move one inch eastward following the reunification of Germany  echoing a claim made by Putin in December 2021, prior to Russias invasion in March 2022.

You promised us in the 1990s that (NATO) would not move an inch to the East. You cheated us shamelessly, Putin said then, one of many times he has criticized eastern NATO expansion.

But Gorbachev, who died in 2022, said in an interview with Russia Beyond the Headlines released in 2014 that the topic of NATO expansion was not discussed at all during talks, though he did say the decision by the United States and allies to expand NATO into the east was definitely a violation of the spirit of the statements and assurances made to us in 1990.

Former Under Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said in 2022 then-Secretary of State James Baker in February 1990 posed a hypothetical to Gorbachev, asking him if he preferred to have a united Germany  sort of, independent, neutral, not linked to the West  in the heart of Europe or if he preferred to have a united Germany in NATO with the jurisdiction not one inch further?

Its that hypothetical that Putin goes back on, but then one has to look at what happens during the rest of 1990, Zoellick said, adding the final Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe didnt preclude other countries from joining NATO.

Told she was echoing the Russian viewpoint on the United States and NATO expansion, Stein said, you could say Russia is, you know, mimicking my view, going on to cite most experts and political scientist John Mearsheimer, who said in 2014 after Russia invaded Crimea that the taproot of the trouble is NATO enlargement.

Its very unfortunate that the U.S. essentially ginned up this war. Its unfortunate and, you know, criminal that Putin invaded but under very understandable circumstances, Stein said.

Stein also said if elected she would declare a climate emergency on her first day as president.

In declaring a climate emergency, the president then has the power to basically shut down all fossil fuel development on the oceans and the pipelines that feed them  the export facilities along the coasts, for example, the liquid natural gas export facilities, Stein said.

She also said we would begin the Green New Deal, the jobs program to reboot the economy and create a manufacturing economy rather than the financialized economy that benefits largely the top 1%.
NEW YORK  Protesters and police clashed Monday at the University of Texas in a confrontation that resulted in dozens of arrests, and Columbia University began issuing suspensions as colleges around the U.S. begged pro-Palestinian demonstrators to clear out tent encampments as commencement ceremonies approach.

From coast to coast, demonstrators are sparring over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll, and the number of arrests at campuses nationwide is approaching 1,000 as the final days of class wrap up. The outcry is forcing colleges to reckon with their financial ties to Israel, as well as their support for free speech.

The protests have even spread to Europe, with French police removing dozens of students from the Sorbonne university after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the main courtyard. In Canada, student protest camps have popped up at the University of Ottawa, McGill University in Montreal and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, The Canadian Press reported.

At the University of Texas at Austin, an attorney said at least 40 demonstrators had been arrested Monday, some of them by officers in riot gear who encircled about 100 sitting protesters, dragging or carrying them out one by one amid screams. Another group of demonstrators trapped police and a van full of arrestees between buildings, creating a mass of bodies pushing and shoving and prompting the officers to use pepper spray and flash-bang devices to clear the crowd.

The confrontation was an escalation on the 50,000-student campus in the state's capital. On social media, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott reposted video of state troopers arriving, saying No encampments will be allowed." Just last week, hundreds of police pushed into protesters at the university, arresting more than 50 people.

The Texas protest and others grew out of Columbia's early demonstrations that have continued. On Monday, student activists at Columbia defied a 2 p.m. deadline to leave an encampment of around 120 tents on the schools Manhattan campus. Instead, hundreds of protesters marched around the quad, clapping, chanting and weaving around piles of temporary flooring and green carpeting meant for graduation ceremonies that are supposed to begin next week.

The university didnt call police to roust the demonstrators. But three hours after the deadline passed, school spokesperson Ben Chang said Columbia had begun suspending students. He didnt indicate how many students were involved. He also didn't say how the suspensions would be carried out or whether suspended students would be ejected from the campus.

College classes are wrapping up for the semester, and campuses are preparing for graduation ceremonies, giving schools an extra incentive to clear encampments. The University of Southern California canceled its main graduation ceremony.

But students dug in their heels at other high-profile universities, with standoffs continuing at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, Yale and others.

Protesters at Yale set up a new camp with dozens of tents Sunday, nearly a week after police arrested nearly 50 and cleared a similar one nearby. They were notified by a Yale official that they could face discipline, including suspension, and possible arrest if they continued.

Yale said in a statement Monday that while it supports peaceful protests and freedom of speech, it does not tolerate policy violations such as the encampment. School officials said that the protest is near residential colleges where many students are studying for final exams, and that permission must be granted for groups to hold events and put up structures on campus.

In a rare case, Northwestern University said it reached an agreement with students and faculty who represent the majority of protesters on its campus near Chicago. It allows peaceful demonstrations through the June 1 end of spring classes, requires removal of all tents except one for aid, and restricts the demonstration area to allow only students, faculty and staff unless the university approves otherwise.

At Brown University in Rhode Island, school President Christina H. Paxton offered protest leaders the chance to meet with officials to discuss their arguments for divestment from Israel-linked companies in exchange for ending an encampment.

In the letter to student protesters at Columbia, school officials noted that exams are beginning and graduation is upcoming.

We urge you to remove the encampment so that we do not deprive your fellow students, their families and friends of this momentous occasion, the letter said.

The demonstrations have led Columbia to hold remote classes. The school said in an email to students that bringing back police at this time would be counterproductive. The university said it will offer an alternative venue for the protests after exams and graduation.

Columbia's handling of the protests has prompted federal complaints.

A class-action lawsuit on behalf of Jewish students alleges a breach of contract by Columbia, claiming the university failed to maintain a safe learning environment, despite policies and promises. It also challenges the move away from in-person classes and seeks quick court action requiring Columbia to provide security for the students.

Meanwhile, a legal group representing pro-Palestinian students is urging the U.S. Department of Education's civil rights office to investigate Columbia's compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 for how they have been treated.

The plight of students who have been arrested has become a central part of protests, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.

Gaza war protests ignite on US college campuses


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When Phylicia Robinson Dove took on the job of designing costumes for MusicalFare Theatres current production, she knew that this would take special thought. It isnt often that the costumes are the title of the show, but with Crowns, that is what its all about.

Crowns is a love letter to the importance of beautiful hats in the lives of Black women. Playwright and actress Regina Taylor adapted her play from the coffee-table book by photographer Michael Cunningham and journalist Craig Marberry, subtitled Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats. Set the action to a Gospel track, peppered with blues and hip-hop, and the result is a joyous celebration of a tradition that goes back centuries.

Crowns was first a hit in New York City in 2002 before becoming a regular on regional stages in every part of the country. Buffalos own Carmen Ruby Floyd was in the original New York show. The musical was last done in Buffalo in 2012, at the Paul Robeson Theatre. The current MusicalFare production stars Danielle N. Green, Latosha Jennings, Janae Leonard, Zhanna Reed, Ember Tate-Steele, Davida Evette Tolbert and Preston Brown, with music direction by Karen Saxon and choreography by Naila Ansari.

Dove, a self-taught seamstress, faced the challenge of living up to the shows pedigree and to a tradition that has roots in two continents  North America and Africa. Plus, the hats had to stay in place through a host of energetic dance numbers and Gospel acclamations.

Fortunately, Dove is a designer who knows whats what. She talked about it in a joint interview with Crowns director Thembi Duncan.

When you think of headwear for African American women, it goes all the way back to Africa, Dove said. Crowns and wraps showed heritage, traditions, nationalities, where your culture or tribe was from. Then we get to post-slavery Reconstruction, where Black women were still held down in a hierarchical system, the headwrap wasnt something to be glorified. It was looked down on.

Since then, Dove says, its been reclaimed, something to celebrate. Black women took something that was demonized and reclaimed it. With their headdresses, they tell stories.

Dove embodies that reclamation in her own way. A Brooklyn native, she has made her home in Buffalo since 2010, founding Black Monarchy, an Afro-centric retailer that brings African designs into forward-fashion. That has evolved into regular work with local theaters, beginning with her Artie-nominated costumes for the critically acclaimed 2022 musical Once on This Island at Sheas 710 Theatre.

In that case, the tropical costumes were a colorful reflection of the colorful characters. But for Crowns, the costumes, the hats, are characters themselves, defining the six cast members by mood, personality and, as the women like to say, hattitude.

Dove, it turned out, had no problem with that.

I actually grew up with many of the characters who are in the show, Dove said. Mother Shaw is my grandmother, the pinnacle of the Black church; Velma is my mom, who has the loudest hats, the storytelling hats. Last Mothers Day I made her a little fascinator, just for fun, so I had firsthand knowledge and experience with all kinds of hats, with all the shapes of them, of the crowns. 

To build the wardrobe, Dove checked out thrift stores, Brooklyn millinery shops and even the family closets.

Yes, I did pull some from my grandmothers collection, Dove confesses, sometimes adding to the pieces, sometimes being inspired to create new looks all her own.

That individuality is important. Thembi Duncan, director of Crowns, said in the interview with Dove that the two of them worked closely with the cast members to develop each character, to make sure the costumes reflected the story.

Not surprisingly, every woman had her opinions about the hats, making for a beautiful collaboration, Duncan said.

Hats for Black women, just like our hair, are a revolutionary act, Duncan explained. (With hats) we could adorn ourselves to face the world, where there was always systemic prejudice and aggression coming toward us. The way that we would fight back was not through fighting, it was through adornment and beauty.

Whether wide-brimmed or tall, with feathers or flowers, with buttons and bows or ribbons and lace, every piece of headwear makes a statement that goes far beyond fashion. With her choice of hat, a Black woman is telling the world two things: who she is, and how she wants to be seen.

That is a message anyone can relate to, Duncan said.

You dont have to be a Black woman to enjoy this, she said. Or Black, or a woman. Its a deeper dive than that.

Its a front-row access to a culture that should have been better known by everybody.

PREVIEW

"Crowns"

The play continues through May 19 at MusicalFare Theatre on the Daemen University campus, 4380 Main St., Amherst. Performances are 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Visit musicalfare.com.
An Air Force E-4B National Airborne Operations Center aircraft sits at the international airport in Bogota, Colombia. (Jerry Morrison/U.S. Air Force)

(Tribune News Service)  Aviation mainteance, repair and overhaul company Sierra Nevada has received an Air Force contract that will create work at Dayton International Airport and Beavercreek.

Sierra Nevada Corp., based in Englewood, Colo., was awarded a $13,080,890,647 cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price incentive (firm-target), and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC), the Department of Defense recently said.

Sometimes called the doomday plane, the center is meant to be a strategic command-and-control military aircraft used in war and in emergency situations.

The current Boeing E-4 planes were built in the 1970s.

This contract provides for the development and production of the SAOC weapon system to include engineering and manufacturing development for the ground systems, production aircraft, and interim contractor support, the Pentagon said.

Work will be performed in Colorado and Nevada, as well as Beavercreek and Vandalia. Its expected to be completed by July 10, 2036.

On X, Sierra Nevada said it is building the airborne command center of the future! SAOC is a highly specialized aircraft that ensures continued critical command, control and communication during national emergencies for POTUS (president of the United States), SECDEF (secretary of defense) and CJCS (chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff). Were honored to support this important mission.

This contract was a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received, the DOD said. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $59 million are being obligated at time of award.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base is the source of the contract. AFLCMC is based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The current Boeing E-4 Nightwatch is a militarized version of the Boeing 747-200, a four-engine, swept-wing, long-range, high-altitude airplane capable of refueling in flight, according to the Air Force description.

The plane features a command work area, a conference room, briefing room, an operations team work area, communications area and rest area, with room for up to 111 people. It is designed to weather the effects of an electromagnetic pulse and boasts advanced electrical systems and communication equipment.

(c)2024 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio)

Visit www.daytondailynews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Five arrests were made last week stemming from two incidents of stolen vehicles, according to the Buffalo Police Department.

A 14-year-old girl from Buffalo is accused of being involved in both incidents.

On April 26, police observed a stolen vehicle driving recklessly at Leroy Avenue and Holden Street and tracked it until it parked and five occupants fled on the 200 block of Hastings Avenue.

The female minor, along with a 16-year-old male, a 17-year-old male, Nojaved Serrano, 18, and Willie Weeden, 19, all of Buffalo, were charged identically with one count of felony third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle, a class A misdemeanor. Weeden received an additional charge of felony fourth-degree grand larceny.

On April 25, the 14-year-old girl was charged with one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle after officials tracked a stolen vehicle until it was parked at Central Park Plaza and Hill Street. Police apprehended the girl who they said fled the vehicle after it was parked.

In both cases, Erie County Sheriffs Air 1 helicopter tracked the stolen vehicles, providing aerial surveillance for Buffalo police.

 Mike Petro
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from Aviano Air Base, Italy, lands in U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, April 23, 2024. (U.S. Air Force)

AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy  F-16 Fighting Falcon jets from Aviano Air Bases 510th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron have deployed to the Middle East, as Iranian-backed militants continue to target U.S. allies and commercial vessels.

The 510th arrived last week and is replacing the District of Columbia Air National Guards 121st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which had been deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility for several months under 9th Air Force.

Aircraft from the Washington, D.C.-based 113th Wing, which includes the 121st, initially deployed to the Middle East on Jan. 17, an earlier service statement said.

The F-16s will support a variety of missions, including Inherent Resolves fight against ISIS, Operation Prosperity Guardians protection of civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, and many other force protection and deterrence missions, 9th Air Force officials said.

Service officials did not disclose how long the deployment will last or where the squadron will be based, citing security concerns.

U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from Aviano Air Base, Italy, taxi on the flight line at an air base in U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility, April 23, 2024, after arriving from Italy. (U.S. Air Force)

The rotation of U.S. air power to the Middle East comes weeks after American fighter pilots intercepted dozens of Iranian drones headed toward Israel. That April 13 attack has been the most visible incident in a series of confrontations between the U.S. and Iran in the region.

Meanwhile, Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have continued to attack commercial ships. On Sunday, U.S. Central Command said it successfully engaged five aerial drones over the Red Sea. Two days before that, CENTCOM said the U.K.-owned M/V Andromeda Star sustained minor damage following a Houthi missile attack, but was able to continue its course.

Tensions have remained high ever since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The Israeli counteroffensive led regional militias to step up their attacks on U.S. forces in the Middle East.

The Pentagon sent additional troops to the region in response, including missile defense batteries, a carrier strike group and F-16s from the New Jersey Air National Guards 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.

Stars and Stripes reporter J.P. Lawrence contributed to this report.
Naval Base Guam is home to Submarine Squadron 15, Coast Guard Sector Guam, Naval Special Warfare Unit One and other tenant commands. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes)

A driver fleeing a traffic stop on Naval Base Guam caused base security officers to stop all traffic at the main gate for nearly three hours Monday.

The stop was made around 9 a.m. at the intersection of Chapel Road on Naval Base Guam, about 1.5 miles from the installations main entrance.

The driver fled, but security stopped and detained that person near the gate. The entrance was subsequently closed from about 9:30 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., according to several posts on the bases official Facebook page.

No injuries were reported and the driver was not identified.

Amid the closure, erroneous reports of an active shooter circulated on base, according to one of the Facebook posts.

There is NO active shooter situation and the base is NOT on lockdown, the base wrote around 10:30 a.m., about an hour after the initial post.

Base spokeswoman Theresa Cepeda provided the same information posted on Facebook without identifying the driver held by security, why that person was stopped or where the active-shooter report originated. She did not immediately return several phone and email requests for further information Monday.

The episode marked at least the second time an incident closed the front gate of a military base on Guam since last month.

A man driving a stolen bus struck a barrier outside Andersen Air Force Bases front gate on March 14, resulting in traffic delays, according to Brig. Gen. Thomas Palenske.

A man (not affiliated with Andersen AFB) allegedly stole this bus and hit one of our barriers at the gate turning it into a crime scene for about an hour, Palenske, commander of the 36th Wing, wrote on Facebook that day. Something different every day at Andersen AFB! Murica!

The post included a video of the incident, which showed police chasing what appeared to be a yellow school bus to Andersens front gate.

Guam police identified the driver as Jesse Sablan Basaliso and said he attempted to enter Andersen following a police pursuit that began in the village of Dededo about five miles away, Guam Police Department spokeswoman Officer Berlyn Savella said by phone March 15.

Basaliso later pleaded not guilty to charges of theft of a motor vehicle, eluding a police officer and criminal mischief, The Guam Daily Post reported March 28.
The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, a group of influential Philadelphians who have been a part of the Marine Corps, the Freemasons, and other Tun-connected organizations, wants to re-create the Tun as tavern and restaurant with a museum featuring artifacts and documents on display. (Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation/Facebook)

(Tribune News Service)  National Park Service rangers in the historic district field questions all day from visitors. One of the most-asked is: Where is Tun Tavern?

In 1775, the Tun was the birthplace of what became the U.S. Marine Corps, hosting sign-ups by the Delaware River at what is now Penns Landing. That same year, John Adams drafted plans for the Navy in an upstairs room. The Tun also hosted meetings for four colonial-era Philadelphia nonprofit organizations that still exist today: the Freemasons (founded in 1731), the St. Andrews Society (founded in 1747), the Society of St. George (also founded in 1747), and the Friendly Sons & Daughters of St. Patrick (founded in 1771).

But the Tun was razed in 1781, and so visitors are directed to a historical marker on Front Street near Sansom Walk, several blocks away. The Tuns original site is beneath the southbound lanes of I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut Streets.

The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation, a group of influential Philadelphians who have been a part of the Marine Corps, the Freemasons, and other Tun-connected organizations, wants to re-create the Tun as a tavern and restaurant with a museum featuring artifacts and documents on display.

All profits from operations will go to support charitable initiatives, including veterans causes and scholarships, said Rob Brink, who chairs the foundation. He is deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Free and Accepted Masons, which held its early meetings at the Tun.

The foundation recently purchased two adjacent lots in Old City, on Second Street between Market and Chestnut Streets  several blocks from the original site, and currently occupied by a parking lot  for $4.4 million. The foundation is now trying to raise about $16 million for construction and start-up, said Craig Mills, a board member, Marine veteran, and executive shareholder with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, a Center City law firm.

For one little building that could only hold about 100-some people, an awful lot happened there, Mills said.

Organizers hope to open in time for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Marines, on Nov. 10, 2025. More likely, the organizers concede, it will be ready for the U.S. Semiquincentennial in 2026.

A revolution in colonial dining

Philadelphia has few dining establishments that honor Philadelphias entire history. Currently, the longest-operating restaurant is McGillins, which opened in 1860.

The circa-1759 A Man Full of Trouble Tavern, Philadelphias only extant pre-Revolutionary drinking spot, is expected to reopen in early summer after an extensive renovation. It had been shuttered to the public for decades. Succession Fermentory, a farmhouse brewery based in Chester County, will open a taproom while tavern owner Dan Wheeler will operate the rest of it as a museum.

The National Park Service is a few months from announcing a new operator for City Tavern, the re-creation of a historic bar in a circa-1976 building at Second and Walnut Streets, a spokesperson said. City Tavern closed in fall 2020 as the citys tourism trade dried up during the pandemic.

The Tun name

The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation is trademarking The Tun and plans to use it as the formal name.

However, 26 years ago, restaurateur Montgomery Dahm, a Marine veteran, opened Tun Tavern, a restaurant and brewpub connected to the Atlantic City Convention Center, and holds the Tun Tavern trademark. The National Museum of the Marine Corps near Quantico, Va., also has a Tun Tavern for visitors.

Dahm told The Inquirer that he had spoken with both the foundation and another group (whom he declined to identify) that wants to open a Tun Tavern, and said he was open to negotiations about its use.

Im a patriot and I want [the Tun] to be built, but I also dont want to lose revenue in my current restaurant, which I will substantially if the Marines go there instead of my place, Dahm said, adding that he hosts fundraisers for Marine-related charities. Well ultimately see what happens.

A drawing of the old Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. (National Archives)

The Tuns history

In 1693, English traders Samuel and Joshua Carpenter built the tavern at Water Street and Tun Alley, on the bank of the Delaware. Samuel sold it to Joshua, a brewer. At the time, the city sat high on a bluff. The tavern, warehouses and wharves on the river were accessed by a series of steps up to Front Street.

The tavern, which seated about 100, changed names over the years, mainly according to the owners names. Several nights a week in the 1740s, under Thomas Mullan, it was called Peg Mullans Beefsteak Club, after his wife.

Pat Dailey, president of the foundation, surmised that Peg Mullan was a good cook. Private beefsteak clubs were all the rage in London. Its where the wealthy would get together and rent a restaurant and just gorge themselves on beef and wine and whatever, Dailey said. At less than a mile from Independence Hall, it became popular among the Continental Congress.

Dailey, who owns Maido, the Japanese restaurant and grocery store in Ardmore, with his wife, Seiko, said the new Tun will be two restaurants in one. The tavern will have a traditional period look, while the larger Peg Mullans Beefsteak Club will resemble a maritime warehouse. (One wrinkle is that no one knows exactly what the Tun looked like. Artist Frank Taylor, whose popular 1922 drawing pops up in seemingly every Google search, was born 65 years after the Tun was razed.) Though artifacts will be displayed, Dailey said, there will not be a Marine Corps museum on-site. We have one of those, in Quantico, and its magnificent, he said. The other groups will have space within the museum.

Reviving the Tun

Dailey said the project was conceived about 15 years ago outside of Cookies Tavern in South Philadelphia. Every Nov. 10, the owner, a Marine veteran named James Daddy Wags Wagner, threw a birthday party for the Corps that drew hundreds and shut down Oregon Avenue. Though Cookies is now Tankies, it still hosts the event.

I was standing there in the rain, eating birthday cake and drinking beer with hundreds of my closest friends, and I thought: This is crazy,  Dailey said.  Marines are irrationally proud that we are the only service that knows the date and the place we started. If you wanted to join the Continental Navy, you could join in Charleston, Boston, New York, Philadelphia. Same with Washingtons army. But if you wanted to join the Continental Marines, the sole recruiting place was Philadelphia.

Dailey took his time, sketching out a business plan while doing research. Nine years ago, he sent a proposal to the city Convention and Visitors Bureau, asking about organizing a 250th anniversary party. The bureau pointed him to Homecoming 250, a celebration of the Marines and Navys inceptions, coming in 2025. George Leone, the retired New Jersey judge who heads the committee, and Brink, whose Freemason lodge is heading toward its tricentennial in 2031, signed on to the board. Brinks wife, Allison, joined as secretary.

There have been perhaps five attempts over the last century to revive the Tun, including a wooden mockup that was part of the Sesquicentennial in 1926, Mills said.

As a Marine, Mills said, I can say that a lot of these [groups] were Marines who sat around and said, Yeah, lets do this. But they didnt have experience in construction, and finance, and in the restaurant business, and they were not well-funded, so they fizzled out. This is different with the assistance of the Masons and everyone else.

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Pallets of ammunition are loaded onto an 86th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules on Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 7, 2022. (Emma Quirk/U.S. Air Force)

KYIV  As officials in Washington said $61 billion in desperately needed aid would begin flowing to Ukraines military, officials and activists in the Ukrainian capital credited an effort by a coalition of political and civil society actors  all united by the fear that Ukraine could be defeated in its existential battle against Russia.

American, Ukrainian and European officials, Ukrainian Americans, Nobel laureates, academics, soldiers mothers, evangelical pastors and a host of others joined in a months-long lobbying campaign to overcome the obstruction of the bill by hard-right Republicans. It was not always coordinated but was laser-focused on getting the legislation through Congress.

Now, they hope the arms will arrive in time to blunt the advance of Russias invading forces, who capitalized on the delay in assistance to seize more territory and the momentum in the war. But with some experts predicting the fight will last years, the lobbying network is now another crucial element that can be activated in Ukraines defense.

Numerous groups from different angles approached Congress from different angles. And it succeeded, said Victoria Voytsitska, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament, who traveled to Washington last week with a group of senior European officials. It was a hectic week on the Hill, and I think everyone understood that this is a historical moment.

There is a saying, the more the merrier,  Voytsitska said.

Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., finally put the package up for a vote, relying on Democrats to get it approved.

I take a taxi to the airport in Washington with a sense of relief, human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk tweeted after the vote in the House. Last week, Matviichuk, co-winner of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize, met with congressional members to describe the abuses that Russias invading forces have inflicted upon Ukraine.

There was no breakthrough moment or meeting, and no one group could take credit for swaying the needed majority of representatives to back the bill, Matviichuk told The Washington Post.

Ukrainian civil society, she said, has this approach, which is called we are a drop in the ocean, which means that we all, all the efforts, are modest because we are not gods, we are human beings, Matviichuk said. But together  we can change the reality for better.

Matviichuk was brought to Capitol Hill by Razom, a Ukrainian American human rights group, which helped coordinate the lobbying effort among nongovernmental organizations.

Razom, which means together in Ukrainian, also organized meetings for members of Congress with American mothers whose sons have died fighting in Ukraine, Ukrainian children who were deported to Russia, and scores of others who could speak firsthand about the war.

Razom helped set up an exhibit in Johnsons home district in Louisiana where visitors donned goggles to virtually tour destroyed sites in Ukraine.

As part of a nationwide campaign, they also aired television and radio spots and bought billboard ads highlighting that Russian forces have destroyed hundreds of churches and tortured and killed Christian pastors.

One such billboard popped up across the street from the church Johnson attends in his district. We pushed on every lever, said Mykola Murskyj, director of advocacy at Razom.

We did things like bring over shrapnel from Ukraine, from cruise missiles that exploded in civilian areas, and put it on their desk and say, look, this is what were up against, Murskyj said. You know, this landed in somebodys house, and now its in your office.

Murskyj said his organization had a come-to-Jesus moment at the end of January, when they realized that the aid legislation could fail.

The intensity was high; there was energy in the air. And we realized that we needed to do everything that we possibly could to make this happen. Murskyj said, adding that there were dozens of organizations, and hundreds if not thousands of individuals, who worked hard to get the legislation passed.

At the center of the effort was a push to convince Johnson, who spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly about the bill, as well as with other government officials and civil society activists.

Johnson indicated early on that he would support the legislation if his main questions were addressed, those involved in the talks said. Over time, he became an ally.

I think the most effective thing [the Zelenskyy administration] did was, they listened, and then they gave the speaker space to work the issue, said a person familiar with Johnsons position, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the political sensitivity of the issue. They took him at his word after that meeting with Zelenskyy in December.

Up until that point, it had really been an aggressive pressure campaign, the person said. And really, from my view, it was having the opposite effect because it was just making the people who were never Ukraine-ers say, Theyre just eviscerating you; theyre not interested in giving you space or whats in Americas interests. 

European officials also added pressure, bolstering the threat assessments that the speaker was getting from the U.S. military by mentioning the Ukraine issue to Johnson repeatedly during visits to Washington.

For Johnson, a Southern Baptist, arguments from fellow members of the evangelical community were particularly important, those involved in the process said. The speaker met numerous groups of religious leaders from the United States and Ukraine who pushed him to pass the aid bill.

American evangelicals helped dispel a narrative circulating in the conservative media that Ukraine was persecuting Christian communities, pointing out that it was in fact Russia that was restricting religious freedom.

This month, two Southern Baptist organizations wrote to Johnson before the vote. The Russian governments decision to invade Ukraine and to target Baptists and other evangelical Christians in Ukraine has been a tragic hallmark of the war, the Land Center for Cultural Engagement in Fort Worth wrote.

We desire peace. But more than that, we desire a peace that is based on the principles of justice, the letter said.

Johnson also met with groups of Ukrainian evangelicals.

The week before the vote, Johnson spoke with Serhii Haidarzhy, an evangelical pastor whose wife, Anna, and 4-month-old son, Tymofii, died in March in a drone strike on their apartment building in Odessa.

Haidarzhy and his 2-year-old daughter, Lizi, survived the strike. When he met Johnson, Haidarzhy showed him photographs of the drone, the same Iranian-made drones that attacked Israel just a few days before, said Pavlo Unguryan, a Ukrainian pastor who helped arrange the meeting and was present.

It was a very emotional meeting, Unguryan said.

A photo posted on social media showed the three men standing together, holding a box of chocolates with Ukrainian scenes on it.

Unguryan has known Johnson for more than a year  a deep relationship, he said. In January, he attended a day of prayer and repentance at the Museum of the Bible in D.C., where Johnson was a featured guest and Unguryan was invited to deliver a prayer for Ukraine.

Unguryan and Johnson had time for only a handshake and to hug each other, he said. I asked everyone, including congressmen, to please pray about Ukraine.
An injured child sits amid the rubble of a destroyed building in Rafah, southern Gaza, on Jan. 18, 2024. (Loay Ayyoub for The Washington Post)

A new assessment from Amnesty International asserts that Israel has used U.S.-supplied weapons against Palestinian civilians in alleged violations of international law, a finding certain to inflame the heated debate about whether the United States should curtail support to its closest Middle Eastern ally.

The advocacy groups findings, following similar conclusions from an independent panel of experts and recent analysis from other civil society groups, were set to be disclosed later Monday as the Biden administration, under mounting scrutiny, faces a looming deadline for determining whether Israel has abided by the laws of war.

The Amnesty International report provides an accounting of incidents in which civilians have allegedly been injured or killed in Israels campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and in other instances. It says Israels military has used U.S.-manufactured weapons, including Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) and Small Diameter Bombs (SDBs), to conduct unlawful attacks or kill civilians, which Amnesty says should be investigated as potential war crimes.

The incidents underscore the overall pattern of unlawful attacks by Israeli forces and the extremely high risk that U.S.-made weapons and other materials and services provided to the Israeli government are being used in violation of international law, the group said in its report, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post ahead of its release.

The United States government must immediately suspend the transfer of all weapons and other articles to the Israeli government so long as compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law is not demonstrated, it said.

A senior Israeli government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Israel complies with the laws of armed conflict and that Hamas, on the other hand, used civilian casualties as a propaganda tool.

As Israel seeks to minimize civilian casualties because it is the right thing to do, and it is the most effective strategy in countering terrorism, Hamas seeks to maximize civilian casualties by targeting Israeli civilians while using Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages as human shields, the official said.

The report also cites other instances where the weapons were not identified or were not of U.S. origin.

The United States has long been Israels primary military backer, providing more than $3 billion a year in security aid. The two countries partnership has come under heightened scrutiny since Israel began its offensive against Hamas following the militants attacks on Oct. 7, which killed about 1,200 people. Palestinian authorities say that more than 34,000 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in the ensuing Israeli airstrikes and ground operations.

The White House, in response to pressure over the war in Gaza, said in February it would require countries that are engaged in conflict and receive U.S. weapons to provide the United States assurances that they will use them in compliance with international law and facilitate the delivery of American aid.

Under that requirement, National Security Memorandum-20, the administration must submit a report to Congress by May 8 about whether Israel has met those standards as it has attested.

Since early in the conflict, the Biden administration has faulted the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to sufficiently protect civilians and enable the entry of aid. More recently, President Joe Biden hinted that the U.S. government could withhold support if Israel plunges ahead with an expected offensive in the southern city of Rafah  even though officials have consistently said they have not found Israel to be in violation of international law.

Officials say that more aid has entered Gaza in recent weeks, after Biden issued his ultimatum to Netanyahu.

The congressional reporting deadline comes as the Biden administration deliberates about whether to place an Israeli military unit on a list of foreign entities banned from receiving U.S. security aid because of allegations of gross violations of human rights  another point of friction in U.S.-Israeli ties.

As Biden accelerates his political campaign for a second term in the White House, he faces criticism from within the Democratic Party and among young voters over his support for Israel. But a possible suspension of U.S. aid to any element of Israels military has also been met with criticism from Republicans.

The incidents cited by Amnesty include strikes in December and January on residential buildings in Rafah that the organization said employed U.S.-manufactured arms and killed at least 95 people, including more than 40 children. Amnesty later visited the sites of those attacks to interview survivors and analyze weapons fragments.

Amnesty also accuses the Israeli government of violating best practices for protecting civilians in wartime, saying its military issues unrealistic evacuation orders, and citing what it says is the arbitrary detention and torture of Palestinians in the West Bank. Its report also finds that the Israeli government is in violation of a separate U.S. law requiring nations that receive U.S. defense items to cooperate with the delivery of U.S. humanitarian aid.

The groups conclusions mirror those of an April 18 report from a group of independent experts, including law scholars and former U.S. officials, which found systematic disregard for fundamental principles of international law, including recurrent attacks launched despite foreseeably disproportionate harm to civilians and civilian objects.

The experts include Josh Paul, a former State Department employee who resigned last fall over the administrations stance on the Gaza conflict, and Noura Erakat, a professor at Rutgers University.

The incidents cited by that task force, mostly drawn from reporting by other groups and media publications, include October and December strikes that the report said killed more than 100 people.

Paul, Erakat and the other experts deemed those incidents just the most easily identifiable among a clear pattern of violations of international law, failures to apply civilian harm mitigation best practices, and restrictions of humanitarian assistance, by the government of Israel and the [Israel Defense Forces], often utilizing U.S.-provided arms.

In March, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam released their determination related to the National Security Memo requirements, saying Israeli assurances of compliance were not credible. That report stated that Israel had committed war crimes.

Amnesty conducted field assessments in some of the incidents included in its assessment, which it said were conducted at great risk. Because watchdog groups and journalists are often unable to conduct assessments in person, the group urged the Biden administration to accept cases where there is a reasonable presumption that U.S.-origin munitions and other articles were involved.

The burden to prove to the contrary should shift to the U.S. government, it said.
This undated photo released early Tuesday, April 30, 2024, by the U.S. militarys Central Command shows construction of a floating pier in the Mediterranean Sea off the Gaza Strip. (U.S. Central Command)

WASHINGTON  The U.S. militarys initial cost of the temporary floating pier off Gazas coast is about $320 million, a Pentagon official said Monday.

Weve been very clear this is a temporary solution to help get humanitarian aid into Gaza. This is just one other way of getting aid in, Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh told reporters.

The figure, first reported by Reuters, has not previously been disclosed about the operation that includes about 1,000 American troops.

The pier, known as Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, or JLOTS, is meant to provide a new way to deliver badly needed aid into Gaza. The World Health Organization has warned some 2.3 million Gaza inhabitants face extreme hunger that could become a full-blown famine by next month as Israel continues its war against Hamas militants, who launched a surprise assault in October from the enclave.

President Joe Biden first announced the JLOTS operation on March 7 during his State of the Union speech. One day later, Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said the temporary pier would be operational within about 60 days.

Ryder, the Pentagons top spokesman, said Thursday U.S. ships have begun construction on the pier.

The Army last month sent four ships from the 7th Transportation Brigade at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., toward the Mediterranean to spearhead the operation. The Navy, in addition to the Benavidez, deployed two more ships to help in the construction of the pier. One of those ships, the USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo was forced to return to the United States last week after suffering an engine room fire.

Ryder also confirmed there was a mortar attack in Gaza in the area where the pier will connect with the shore. But the strike, which happened Wednesday, caused minimal damage. U.S. forces were not impacted.

Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a statement Thursday referred to the mortar attack as unfortunate but predictable.

This has been an ill-conceived mission from the start. President Biden should never have put our men and women in this position, and he should abandon this project immediately before any U.S. troops are injured, Wicker said.

A senior military official, who spoke Thursday to reporters on the condition of anonymity, said the U.S. has full confidence in the plan developed with the Israelis in the last month.
Aaron Cawley however was convicted of careless driving, fined 2,000 and disqualified from driving for one year

A 43 year old off-duty Sligo garda who crashed his BMW into a tree planter and subsequently charged before the district court with drunk driving had the case dismissed by Judge Brendan OReilly over a nine day delay in sending a blood sample for analysis.

The garda however was convicted of careless driving, fined 2,000 and disqualified from driving for one year.

Aaron Cawley, Rathbraughan Park, Ballytivnan, Sligo was charged with drunk driving and also dangerous driving at Rosses Point on April 10 2022.

The judge dismissed the drunk driving charge on the basis of a nine-day delay by gardai in bringing the blood sample taken from Garda Cawley to the medical bureau in Dublin for analysis.

Evidence in the case was heard by Judge OReilly at the district court earlier this month and he adjourned his decision to last Thursday. Sergeant Terence McMahon of Grange Garda Station had outlined at the earlier sitting how on Sunday, April 10 2022 at 1:10am he received a report of a road traffic accident at Rosses Point.

Sgt McMahon and his colleague Gda Dolan made their way to the location at 1:30am. There was another garda patrol car and an ambulance already at the scene. The accident involved a 07-registration BMW car which was travelling from Rosses Point to Sligo.

The vehicle had left the side of the road and on the hard shoulder there was a large tall planter which the car struck.

The impact had flattened the tree and caused considerable damage to the front passenger side of the car, the bumper, the engine and the front left wheel was heavily impacted. The sergeant said there was a single occupant in the drivers seat and he could see it was Aaron Cawley.

The ambulance personnel were making efforts to try and get him out of the vehicle and Mr Cawley seemed unconscious at the time.

Sgt McMahon told the court he could see prescribed medication on the passenger seat. On the passenger seat footwell, there were open cans of Bulmers cider. The ambulance crew got Mr Cawley out of the vehicle and brought him to the rear of the ambulance.

Sgt McMahon said he also went to Sligo University Hospital and organised kits to get a sample and asked Dr Barry Cosgrove to attend the hospital on behalf of gardai.

The treating doctor in A&E was Dr Chloe Doran. Sgt McMahon told her that Mr Cawley was the driver of a vehicle that had been involved in a traffic accident and as a result it was his duty to get a sample of blood.

Sgt McMahon said he told Dr Doran that there was still power to take a sample even though he was unconscious.

Dr Doran agreed that a sample of blood could be taken. Dr Cosgrove took a blood sample at 2:52am. Sgt McMahon left the hospital with a sealed kit. On April 11 at 4pm the sergeant gave Sgt Ken Foley the sample to bring to the medical bureau in Dublin.

The court was told the concentration of alcohol was 63mgs/100ml blood.

Giving his decision in the case, Judge OReilly said he had taken copious notes during the five hours of hearing of the facts and he said he wanted to compliment both the prosecution and defence for the way they handled what was a difficult case.

Mr Leo Mulrooney BL with State Solicitor Ms Elisa McHugh prosecuted, while Mr Keith OGrady BL instructed by Mr Mark Mullaney appeared for Mr Cawley.

The Judge said he said he was satisfied Mr Cawley was driving the vehicle at Rosses Point. In relation to the dangerous driving charge, he was satisfied from hearing the evidence that the State had failed to discharge the burden of proof to convict Mr Cawley of dangerous driving but the State has successfully achieved the threshold to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that of careless driving and he convicted Garda Cawley of this offence.

He said in relation to the submissions regarding drunk driving, the evidence was given that a blood sample was taken from Mr Cawley who was an unconscious driver.

He said he was satisfied Sgt McMahon had followed the correct procedure and had consulted with the doctor at Sligo University Hospital.

He said there was a question raised about the note signed but there was no statutory requirement of this. He said in relation to a prosecution under section 15 of the Road Traffic Act, it has been litigated extensively and there is ample case law around it.

The requirement is that the sample has to be delivered to the Bureau as soon as is practicable rather than as soon as possible.

He said taking the facts in this case, Sgt McMahon had the sample taken on April 10 and he handed it to Sgt Ken Foley on April 11 to bring to the Bureau.

Sgt Foley had referred to protocol in Sligo in cases of blood from unconscious persons is handed in person to the Bureau.

He said that Sgt Foley shortly after had outlined about getting a call in relation to the Palani double murders in Sligo at that time.

The blood sample taken from Mr Cawley was kept secure but not in a temperature controlled environment. The sample was not received by the Bureau on April 19.

Sgt Foley had previously told the court he is a sergeant in the Crime Scene Investigations Unit and due to his involvement in the murder investigations into the deaths of Aidan Moffat and Michael Snee and that it was the Easter Bank Holiday, he said it was April 19 before he was able to bring the exhibit to the medical bureau.

Judge OReilly said that the gardai in evidence were very fair. He said he put it to Sgt Foley did he offer to return the sample to the investigating member or send by registered post.

Judge OReilly said he recalled Sgt McMahon and asked if he was involved in the murder investigations and he said he was not.

Judge OReilly said the Palani murders was an exceptional event in Sligo and gardai deserved great credit for their investigations.

However, he said he was finding that the blood sample was not delivered as soon as practicable. He said it should have been handed over to the investigating member or someone else to deliver by hand. The Judge said he was dismissing the drunk driving charge. The court heard the defendant had no previous convictions.

Mr OGrady said his client is a serving member of An Garda Siochana and is a man of poor medical health and he needed his car. He submitted that he should not be disqualified as it was his first offence for careless driving. Judge OReilly replied that careless driving is a vast charge, one that includes a momentary lapse.

He said the circumstances in the case were that there was a collision between Mr Cawleys vehicle and a planter. The road was wide and had public lighting.

There was evidence of speed due to the damage of the tree planter and the bumper to Mr Cawleys car. The judge said he was satisfied there was drink involved.

In the circumstances he was convicting him of the reduced charge of careless driving. He fined Garda Cawley 2,000 with six months to pay and disqualified him for one year. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.

Last March, Garda Cawley was acquitted at the District Court of causing damage to his ex-wifes car which was parked outside her home at Old Bundoran Road, Rathbraughan.
Brian Wildman (41) pleaded guilty to possessing 293,313 in cocaine and cannabis for sale and supply

A man caught pouring cocaine down a toilet when gardai raided his house has been jailed for three years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Brian Wildman (41) pleaded guilty to possessing 293,313 in cocaine and cannabis for sale and supply at his home in Charnwood Grove, Clonsilla, Co Dublin on August 1, 2020.

He also admitted possessing 19,130 in cash as the proceeds of crime on the same occasion.

Garda Thomas McDaniel told Laura Cunningham BL, prosecuting, that when gardai arrived at the house with a warrant, they found a large amount of drugs paraphernalia including weighing scales.

Wildman was upstairs trying to put cocaine down the toilet, but he only managed to empty one bag before gardai arrived.

Gardai retrieved cocaine with a street value of 158,047 and vacuum-packed cannabis resin worth 135,266.

Gardai also came upon a co-accused man, Keith Banks, standing at the kitchen counter throwing a white powder onto the floor.

Banks (45) of Castleknock Glade, Laurel Lodge, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to the same offences as Wildman and was jailed for five years in June 2022.

Passing sentence on Wildman, Judge Martin Nolan imposed a lesser sentence than that handed to Banks, after hearing extensive evidence of Wildmans medical difficulties.

The court heard that Wildman was the subject of an unprovoked attack over a decade ago which resulted in a brain injury, requiring a metal plate to be inserted into his head.

During lockdown, Wildman began to suffer unexplained chronic seizures and was eventually diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis or inflammation of the brain.

Michael Bowman SC, defending, explained that Wildman requires regular hospitalisation for chemotherapy to manage the brain swelling and is also on immuno-suppressants.

Medical reports were presented to the court describing Wildmans health as in a fragile state with his GP saying he is not medically fit to attend an Irish prison.

The court heard that although Wildmans seizures have reduced in frequency, they remain violent and unpredictable and a prison environment would be utterly unsuitable for him.

Judge Nolan said the court could not impose a non-custodial sentence because of the seriousness of the crime and the level of Wildmans involvement.

The judge said it is the duty of the prison to protect and mind their prisoners and it is up to them to decide whether they can safely keep Wildman and deal with his medical complications.

Judge Nolan ordered that all medical reports be handed over the prison service and urged Wildman to tell someone of the rank of prison governor exactly what was wrong with him.

The judge said Wildman had been a vital cog in the distribution of drugs and had become involved due to his own drug-taking.

Wildman has four previous convictions for minor road traffic offences dating back to 2009.

Garda McDaniel agreed with counsel that Wildman showed no signs or trappings of wealth and was not living a luxurious lifestyle.

The court heard that Wildman told gardai on arrest that he had accumulated a drug debt of 25,000 and was under duress from others to become involved in the drug operation.

Mr Bowman said Wildman had a history of work in the construction industry but developed a significant drug habit, at one stage taking half an ounce of cocaine a week costing 1,100.

The court heard that Wildman has two children with whom he has a good relationship.

He requires ongoing chemotherapy and his physical fitness has deteriorated dramatically due to the effects of his condition and the medication he requires, the court heard.
Professor told 11-year-old they were boyfriend and girlfriend and asked her for naked images

Academic Philip Newsholme sent a naked video of himself to what he thought was an underage girl

A disgraced professor who spent almost two decades teaching in UCD is now facing a lengthy jail sentence in Australia after pleading guilty to almost 50 child exploitation offences.

Professor Philip Newsholme (63), who was the Head of Biochemistry in UCD before moving to Australia, groomed children online including an 11-year-old girl who he told they were boyfriend and girlfriend and that he loved her.

He used encrypted apps and social media to talk to multiple children to try and get them to send him images.

Newsholme, who alerted police after he sent a naked video of himself to what he thought was an underage girl, also distributed and received child abuse imagery from online associates.

He told one online associate that he really likes little girls aged between five and 12.

He has pleaded guilty to 45 charges relating to child exploitation and the distribution and possession of child abuse imagery and the case is due before Perth District Court in June for mention ahead of sentencing.

He was refused bail and is currently behind bars as he awaits sentence Newsholme was an Oxford-educated biochemist who began lecturing in UCD in 1993.

He received a promotion to Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry in 2002, Associate Professor in 2007 and Head of Biochemistry in UCD Dublin in September 2008.

During his time at the college he gave interviews to respected newspapers including The Irish Times and Sunday Independent on topics varying from how his research could lead to new treatment for diabetes to whether women were being poisoned by toxins in their make-up.

After 18 years at UCD he left Ireland to become Professor and Head of School, Biomedical Sciences at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia, in September 2011.

Newsholme came on the radar of police after he sent a naked video of himself to what he thought was an underage girl. This led to Crimestoppers in New South Wales tipping off police, who raided his home in May last year.

Investigators seized several digital devices when they raided the property in the Perth suburb of Como, where Newsholme lived alone.

He had been chatting with a number of underage girls online.

One was an 11-year-old girl who he had been chatting to for a month and who he told that they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

He told her he loved her and asked her to send videos of herself to him.

He then said he would be careful not to get her pregnant and other vulgar acts.

He used Snapchat and Telegram to contact his victims.

Investigators also found a large amount of child abuse images and videos on his devices.

Police also raided Curtin University, where they seized other devices linked to Newsholme.

When he first appeared in court last year, the shamed academic was charged with 12 child exploitation offences relating to the distribution and possession of child abuse material and using electronic communications to expose a child believed to be under 16 years to indecent matter.

At his initial court appearance police said they had identified three children from Australia, the UK, and the US who had been targeted by Professor Newsholme and were attempting to identify more.

Police identified more crimes committed by Newsholme as part of their investigation and he was subsequently charged with a total of 45 offences relating to his exploitation of children.

Court records show he has pleaded guilty to all 45 offences.

Newsholmes case is next listed for mention in Perth District Court on June 21.

A spokesperson for Curtin University said Newsholme is no longer employed at Curtin.
Waters, of Sandycove, Dublin, was giving evidence in his defence against a 75,000 defamation of character claim by Holland, of Ranelagh

John Waters described Kitty Holland in court today as a very good reporter who, he claimed, had received poor leadership and had been badly advised and handled by her then Irish Times editor Kevin OSullivan, following a tip-off about the untimely death of Indian woman Savita Halappanavar in University Hospital Galway.

He told his counsel Feargal Kavanagh SC he found it baffling to hear OSullivan state in video evidence to the court that 12 years after he published Hollands story he felt he and the Irish Times had been vindicated in breaking what they knew about the tragic event at the time.

Waters, of Sandycove, Dublin, was giving evidence in his defence against a 75,000 defamation of character claim by Holland, of Ranelagh, Dublin, who alleges he, although not specifically naming her, had accused her in a speech to a Renua conference as having lied in her report and of being the journalist who started the lie. He has denied all of Hollands claims.

Then-editor OSullivan said he never had any concern about the veracity of Hollands original article and the newspaper had never been asked to print any clarification or correction.

It was one of the biggest stories in my 10-year term as editor and is up there with one of the most important we have published, he told Andrew Walker SC, who appeared with barrister Shane English and Lavelle Solicitors for Holland.

Mr Waters said Kitty Holland had been put into doing something that with a little bit of good counsel, advice and reflection would have been avoided. He felt the Irish Times feared they would have missed their scoop and had become impatient and had gone off at half cock.

Journalist Kitty Holland leaving the Four Courts.(Photo: Collins Courts)

If I had been editor of the Irish Times I would have set two or three reporters loose in Galway for several days to find and interview contacts in the hospital, he told Mr Kavanagh, who appeared with barristers Conor Rubalcava and Greg Murphy and solicitor Brendan Maloney.

He said that although the editor, deputy editors, the news editor, and at least one solicitor, later joined by the chief sub editor, had joined Ms Holland to discuss the story there had been a misdirection of the writer.

Waters said most of Ms Hollands article had been based on an interview with Ms Halappanavars husband and, although recorded, had not included certain statements made by him.

He said there had been no evidence in the story that a consultant had said he could not terminate her pregnancy while there was a foetal heartbeat and because Ireland was a Catholic country.

It had transpired it had been the midwife who had stated this and Savita, a Hindu who the judge said was crying at the time, had said: I am neither Irish or Catholic.

Mr Waters told Mr Kavanagh he would have had no argument with the Irish Times headline on the story if it had been prefaced with the words Husband States.

Earlier in his evidence Waters, a journalist and author and former columnist with the Irish Times, said when he first read Hollands report under the headline Woman, denied termination, died in hospital, he felt it was being used to take the newspaper over the line in the discussion leading up to the Eighth Amendment referendum.

He said the words spoken in his outline address to between 80 and 100 party members of Renua had not been aimed at Ms Holland.

The case continues tomorrow.
Colm McElroy (70) attacked the victim on the mans doorstep

A retired assistant school principal struck his neighbour in the face with a torch when tempers boiled over amid a dispute over noise and barking dogs.

Colm McElroy (70) attacked the victim on the mans doorstep after being confronted for making a racket at bins outside their homes late at night.

Dublin District Court heard there had been a history of issues between them and McElroy may have seen the red mist.

Finding him guilty, Judge John Hughes said the parties had been very fond of their dogs but werent behaving like good neighbours.

He ordered a probation report on McElroy and adjourned the case.

McElroy, of Oak View, Santry, had pleaded not guilty to assault and assault causing harm to his neighbour, Graham Gordon, on February 5 last year. His defence claimed it was the victim who had actually assaulted him.

Dublin District Court heard Mr Gordon heard a noise in the lane, looked out and saw the accused at the bins with his dog, which was barking. Mr Gordons own dogs started barking and he approached McElroy about the noise.

McElroy looked shocked, smelled of alcohol and told him not to talk to him and get out of my way. The accused appeared to stumble and fall into a hedge.

Mr Gordon called him a pathetic, drunken old man, which he regretted. McElroy then attacked from behind, hitting the back of his head before striking him in the face with a metal torch, causing a cut to the bridge of his nose.

McElroy also shouted obscene words in the victims door while in a state of manic aggression and called him a pervert.

There was a history between the neighbours, with Mr Gordon saying McElroy had ignored him for years.

Mr Gordon and his husband worked at home on Zoom meetings and complained that McElroy would disturb them by frequently going to the bins with his dog, making their dogs bark.

Mr Gordon said the assaults had a severe impact on him, affecting him mentally, and he had had counselling.

McElroy had been a secondary school teacher for 45 years before retiring, his lawyer said.
What to know about the week ahead

Evans Bank will release its first-quarter earnings after the market closes on Tuesday.

Small Business Matchmaker, presented by the Small Business Administration and SCORE, will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday at Salvatore's Italian Prime, 6461 Transit Road in Depew. The event gives small businesses the opportunity to meet procurement officers of federal, state and local government agencies, and prime contractors, that they would like to sell to. Registration is available at lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/wegf6ds

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Three men who were students of OBrien (59) at a Dublin secondary school in the 1990s made victim impact statements for his pre-sentence hearing

Victims of sexual abuse by former judge Gerard OBrien have said they were conned and manipulated by an extremely egotistical and conniving man who abused his position of privilege and power when he worked as a teacher.

Three men who were students of OBrien (59) at a Dublin secondary school in the 1990s made victim impact statements for his pre-sentence hearing at the Central Criminal Court today. They were among six young men OBrien was convicted of abusing.

Gerard OBrien. Photo: Collins

Postponing sentencing to next month, Mr Justice Alexander Owens said he wanted prison authorities to be first sent an occupational therapists report on OBrien, who suffers from a disability.

The former teacher is missing his arms and one leg, as a result of his mother taking the anti-morning-sickness drug Thalidomide when she was pregnant.

Judge Owens said his provisional view was that OBrien would be serving time in custody but remanded him on continuing bail until the next date.

Defence barrister Michael O'Higgins asked the judge for leniency, saying O'Brien had been an immature and lonely man at the time and had never been able to have an ordinary relationship.

He had "scaled very lofty heights" but had now "come crashing down" and "lost everything," Mr O'Higgins said.

Gerard OBrien pictured at the Criminal Courts of Justice

OBrien, of Old School House, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary, was convicted last December by a Central Criminal Court jury of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault on six young men.

The offences happened at locations in Dublin between March 1991 and November 1997.

OBrien was a secondary school teacher in his 30s at the time and the victims, four of whom were his students or former students, were aged between 17 and 24.

He had denied all the charges.

OBrien, who was appointed a Circuit Court judge in 2015 resigned from the bench after his conviction.

During the trial, the jury heard OBrien, who has a rare disorder, Phocomelia, is missing both hands and a foot and would ask students in the secondary school he taught in to assist him in going to the toilet.

Gerard OBrien pictured at his home in Thurles

Many of the victims had stayed in OBriens homes to help him get dressed and shaved in the morning.

Five of the victims said they had gone to sleep in bed beside O'Brien when they woke up to find him performing sexual acts on them that they had not consented to.

Four said O'Brien performed oral sex on them, with the fifth saying he woke to O'Brien licking his face and pressing his penis against his buttocks.

One of the five also said O'Brien attempted to rape him anally. The assault on the sixth victim was an act of masturbation in the toilets of a pub.

O'Brien had admitted sexual contact with three of the complainants but claimed it was consensual. He denied any sexual activity at all with the others.

In evidence, the sixth victim said he googled OBrien and found out that he was a Circuit Court Judge, which was one of the reasons he decided to make a complaint to the gardai.
He betrayed me to my inner core. His actions have caused me a lifetime of chronic anxiety, a decade of zero self worth, a suicide attempt and a nervous breakdown

VICTIMS of sexual abuse by former judge Gerard OBrien have said they were conned and manipulated by an extremely egotistic and conniving man.

OBrien (59), a schoolteacher at the time, was a fraud" and a "horrible individual who had been trusted and admired by his pupils, but abused his position of privilege and power, they said.

Three men who were students of OBrien in the 1990s made victim impact statements for his pre-sentence hearing at the Central Criminal Court today. They were among six young men OBrien was convicted of abusing.

Postponing sentencing to next month, Mr Justice Alexander Owens said he wanted prison authorities to be sent an occupational therapists report on OBrien, who is disabled and will have special requirements in jail.

Judge Owens said OBrien would be serving time in custody but remanded him on continuing bail until the next date, May 29.

Defence barrister Michael O'Higgins asked the judge for leniency, saying O'Brien had been an immature and lonely man at the time and had never been able to have an ordinary relationship. He had "scaled very lofty heights" but had now "come crashing down" and "lost everything," Mr O'Higgins said.

Gerard OBrien

OBrien, of Old School House, Slievenamon Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary, was convicted by a jury last December of one count of attempted anal rape and eight counts of sexual assault on six young men. The offences happened at locations in Dublin between 1991 and 1997, when O'Brien was teaching at a south Dublin secondary school.

OBrien was in his 20s and 30s at the time and the victims, four of whom were his students or former students, were aged between 17 and 24.

He had denied all the charges.

OBrien, who was appointed a Circuit Court judge in 2015 resigned from the bench after his conviction.

The court heard OBrien, who was a Thalidomide baby and has a rare disorder, Phocomelia. He is missing both hands and a foot and would ask students in the secondary school he taught in to assist him in going to the toilet.

Many stayed overnight in OBriens homes to help him get dressed in the morning.

Five of the victims said they had gone to sleep beside him when they woke to find him performing sexual acts on them that they had not consented to.

Four said O'Brien performed oral sex on them, with the fifth saying he woke to O'Brien licking his face and pressing his penis against his buttocks.

One of the five also said O'Brien attempted to rape him anally. The assault on the sixth victim was an act of masturbation in the toilets of a pub.

O'Brien had admitted sexual contact with three of the complainants but claimed it was consensual. He denied any sexual activity at all with the others.

Today, Inspector Jonathan Hayes read out two victim impact statements while a third man read his own.

One victim said he was 16 years old when O'Brien first asked him to bring him to the toilet.

For a young child to be involved in such an intimate situation was strange but was fully encouraged by the school at that time to be charitable. In hindsight I think, why should young pupils have been taking him to the toilet in the school, considering he was surrounded by adult staff teachers?

OBrien started pushing the boundaries sexually until he assaulted him.

I wonder now could they have done more to protect us from you? he said of the school.

For many years I believed I was stupid or naive to let this happen to me but now believe l was being manipulated and abused. I was manipulated by an extremely egotistic, conniving, intelligent man, who knew exactly In the back of his brain what he was doing - pushing the boundaries and seeing what he could get away with for his sexual thrills.

I was an innocent school pupil being charitable towards you. You abused the situation with privilege and power.

He was left emotionally scarred, with trust problems.

You're a fraud and horrible individual that was not willing to at the least admit wrongdoing. You conned and manipulated not just me and the other victims but the school community you worked in, he said.

Another victim said before he was assaulted he had nothing but admiration for my teacher who had overcome so much in life.

He betrayed me to my inner core. His actions have caused me a lifetime of chronic anxiety, a decade of zero self worth, a suicide attempt and a nervous breakdown, he said.

His resulting self doubt and anxiety were improving but I will never fully recover from the mental damage that Gerry O'Brien has inflicted upon me, he said.

I am sure when Gerry O'Brien has served his sentence I will still be attending therapy on a regular basis, he said.

The third victim read out his own statement, saying he was in fifth year when he was recruited as a helper.

As dependency increased on me as a helper and the first assault took place I was hit with shock, loss of trust, shame and disappointment. Complete loss of focus, control and respect for those I trusted and believed in. I was scared and I tried to run away.

His attitude towards adult life was misdirected, he said.

Before I met Gerard O'Brien I was happy, outgoing and a trusting person who felt safe and secure within myself. It is impossible to say how my life would have turned out had I not experienced his abuse of trust, his grooming and manipulative actions. This behaviour should not be experienced by anyone. The results are destructive.

Mr OHiggins accepted O'Brien's position as a teacher was an aggravating factor. The time of the offences was a different era when there were different mores", he said.

There had been a lack of support for OBrien who was left to sink or swim. He said drinking was a feature and there was something of an alcohol culture in place.

None of those absolve him of responsibility, Mr OHiggins accepted.

A probation reports analysis of sophisticated grooming by OBrien was too narrow, Mr OHiggins said.

Gerard O'Brien

He had siginificant physical disabilities and had always needed help washing, dressing and using the toilet. As an adolescent, he was determined his disability did not impair his capacity to enjoy his life.

After teaching, O'Brien had returned to a legal career and set up his own practice in 2006. He became state solicitor for north Tipperary before becoming a judge in 2015.

Although he had excelled professionally he had never been able to have an ordinary relationship with anybody throughout his entire life.

He himself had been sexually abused as a child.

OBrien was gay in a largely homophobic society and had "unmet sexual needs."

He had been lonely and very very immature, he was psychologically vulnerable and had low self esteem and limited coping skills, a psychologists report said.

His position of power as a teacher had been somewhat confused by his reliance on students to help him.

Mr OHiggins said the school also had responsibilities and did not rise to the occasion. People are rarely all good or all bad, the accused had lived a life of adversity and it was a case that must be taken in the round, Mr OHiggins said.

He scaled very lofty heights, hes now come crashing down, hes lost everything; his standing has gone, his income has gone, Mr OHiggins said. He cuts a very very isolated figure.

The court heard OBrien had brought his wheelchair to court in the event that he was sentenced today.

A testimonial was provided by retired solicitor Dara Robinson, a former colleague who said OBrien was in many ways a remarkable man. He said this was not to detract from OBriens convictions or their gravity.
Jose Bejarano (43) provided his bank account details to a third party

A man who acted as a money mule, allowing his bank account to be used as part of a scheme to defraud the Trinity College hardship fund, has been handed a suspended sentence.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that Trinity College made a complaint to gardai in November 2021, and an investigation is continuing into the scheme, which resulted in over 549,000 being defrauded from the fund.

Jose Bejarano (43) provided his bank account details to a third party, and 6,800 was transferred from the fund to his account in four payments between April and May 2021. He had no involvement or knowledge of the scheme to defraud the Trinity hardship fund, the court heard.

Bejarano, who has an address at the Academy, Park West, Co. Dublin, was handed a suspended 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to handling or transferring the proceeds of crime.

Following his arrest, he told the gardai that a colleaguea security guardasked if he could use Bejarano's bank account to make a transfer as his account was not working.

Bejarano said he provided his details in good faith and that it is not unusual for people to allow others to use their bank accounts for transactions in Venezuela due to issues with the banking system.

The court heard that two transactions totalling 3,400 were paid into his account between April and May 2021. A further 3,400 was transferred into his account from a relative's bank account, with this money also originating from the Trinity hardship fund, the court heard.

Bejarano then withdrew the 6,800 and gave it to a third party. He received between 300 and 400 with the balance of 6,400 for the third party.

The investigating garda told Carol Doherty BL, prosecuting, that Bejarano gave his bank details as a favour to his colleague, then asked a relative to provide their account details.

He has no previous convictions, was cooperative with gardai and has not come to recent negative attention.

The garda accepted the defence's suggestion that it was reasonable for Bejarano to believe this colleague, who was working as a security guard, was garda-vetted and licenced.

It was further agreed that there is no evidence that there was any arrangement in advance for Bejarano to receive payment for his role.

The garda confirmed that Bejarano acted as a money mule at the lowest level and had no involvement in taking money from the hardship fund.

It was also accepted that Bejarano is not a man of means, is at low risk of re-offending and has no convictions in this or another jurisdiction.

Defence counsel told the court his client moved to Ireland from Venezuela in 2014 and has two children. He has a long work history and is the main breadwinner for his family, as his wife works part-time and has health issues.

He told the court his client believed the security guard to be a person of good standing who was working in a position of trust. He said his client was naive and reckless and should not have placed his trust in this third party.

He said there was no prior agreement for his client to be paid before the process started and that he is remorseful.

He asked the court not to hold against his client that the money came from a hardship fund as there is no evidence his client was involved or had knowledge of the scheme.

Judge Orla Crowe said the court could not overlook the fact that the scheme involved a hardship fund intended to support students experiencing difficulties.

She noted that the monies had not been repaid and the fund was at a loss of 6,800 in relation to Bejarano's participation.

Judge Crowe said Bejarano thought he was obliging a work colleague and took an active role by allowing his bank account to be used and handing over the money, for which he received 400.

She imposed a suspended sentence of 18 months, taking his personal circumstances and the mitigation into consideration.
Emergency services were alerted to the scene at the residential property in Tallaght at around 9.30pm last night

A nine-year-old girl was lucky to escape serious injury after being struck by shotgun pellets in a Dublin shooting last night.

The child was standing at the front door of her Tallaght home when a masked man opened fire with the weapon.

Emergency services were alerted to the scene at the residential property in Tallaght at around 9.30pm.

Its understood that the family were in their sitting room last night when an individual knocked on the door.

A man and the child went to the front door when a shotgun was suddenly discharged into the property.

Its understood the adult male was struck in the leg while the nine-year-old girl was hit by shotgun pellets in the arm.

The masked gunman then fled the scene and a criminal investigation is underway.

Despite the recklessness of the gun attack, the man and child did not suffer any serious injuries and did not require medical treatment.

A source said: It is pure luck that neither suffered any sort of serious injury after a shotgun was indiscriminately fired through the front door.

Gardai are investigating a motive for the shooting and are probing if it is linked to a personal dispute.

Detectives based at Tallaght Garda station have launched an investigation into the shooting and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

A garda spokesman said: Gardai attended the scene of an incident involving the discharge of a firearm, which occurred at a residential location in Tallaght, Dublin 24, on Sunday, April 28, 2024 at approximately 9.30pm. Investigations are ongoing.
Tattoo on Brendan Benny Treanors back features key details from the 2013 credit union robbery that left Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe dead

Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe murder suspect had tattoo drawn on his back depicting images linked to the crime

A suspect in the Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe murder investigation has had a tattoo inked on his back depicting images linked to the crime.

The artwork is featured in the new book Murder at Lordship, by Robin Schiller and Pat Marry, detailing the investigation to catch the gang involved in the murder.

Det Gda Donohoe (41) was shot dead at Lordship Credit Union near Dundalk on January 25, 2013, after being ambushed while on a cash escort.

One of the chief suspects in the investigation was Brendan Benny Treanor (34), who gardai believed was one of the men involved in the robbery.

He was tried before the Special Criminal Court last year and, while being acquitted of the robbery, the three judges found he was a wider member of the crime group involved.

Gardai believe Brendan 'Benny' Treanor was one of the men involved in the Lordship Credit Union robbery which left Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who'd been on a cash run, dead

During the trial, it emerged Mr Treanor had a gangster tattoo inked across his upper back in 2018  five years after the murder.

It features images linked to the raid, including a pistol, bullets, a wad of notes, four gangsters and a long-barrelled gun over the roof of a BMW car.

Four men were involved in the robbery, a long-barrelled shotgun was used to murder the detective, and a BMW car was central to the crime, having been used to steal the getaway car and collect the gang after the armed raid.

The registration plate of the car in the tattoo reads Boss BFT, which gardai believe was an acronym for Brady, Flynn, Treanor.

Crossmaglen man Aaron Brady (33) is serving a life sentence with a minimum of 40 years imprisonment for the capital murder of Det Gda Donohoe, while last December, James Flynn (33) was jailed for eight years for conspiring to steal the getaway car used in the robbery.

During the trial, the prosecution alleged the tattoo was a pictorial admission by Mr Treanor of his involvement in the robbery.

The artwork features a pistol, bullets, a wad of notes, four gangsters, and a long-barrel gun over the roof of a BMW car. Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe was murdered during the course of the 2013 robbery

Senior counsel Brendan Grehan said the artwork is almost a glorification of what happened, and it was an act of hubris by Mr Treanor to have the tattoo done after being spoken to by police about the murder.

The tattoo also featured a woman in a balaclava holding a gun to her lips. The prosecution said that in the early stages of the inquiry, it was investigated if a woman drove the getaway car.

The non-jury court accepted the tattoo as evidence, with Mr Justice Tony Hunt in his judgment describing it as the most striking and colourful part of the case against Mr Treanor.

He said the defendant had the tattoo applied out of a sense of impunity, that it signified his approval of the crime at Lordship, and that it was a despicable declaration on his part.

Brendan Treanor had more than an artistic interest in gangsterism, it was more active and concrete, the judge said, adding that the tattoo could be regarded as a pictorial admission that he was a member of the gang in the broad sense and that he approved.

However, Mr Justice Hunt found that the tattoo does not unequivocally show that Mr Treanor was one of the four men at Lordship that night and there was no evidence he was questioned under statutory instrument about what he had in mind when he took the extraordinary step to put it on his back.

The court said that, while Mr Treanor was closely associated with and supported, participated and approved of the gangs activities, there was insufficient evidence to convict him.

The book about the notorious murder is published this week by Allen & Unwin

Murder at Lordship, by retired Detective Inspector Pat Marry and journalist Robin Schiller, is published this week by Allen & Unwin.
Trevor Byrne (43) was brought to hospital after taking ill in the prison

Gardai were on alert last week after a number of suspicious phone calls to Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, from people trying find out where a Kinahan gangster was being treated in hospital.

Last weekend, Trevor Byrne (43) was brought to hospital after taking ill in the prison, where he is serving 17-and-a-half years for firearms and robbery offences.

He is also under investigation in relation to the murder of Eddie Hutch (58), brother of Gerry The Monk Hutch, who was shot dead in 2016 as part of the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Byrne was treated in the Mater Hospital for several days before being discharged and returned to prison last week.

Read more Kinahan gunman spat at and tried biting prison officers during violent hospital meltdown

Gardai were on alert during his time in hospital after phone calls were made to the prison by people trying to establish what hospital room he was being treated in.

Armed gardai were ordered to carry out extra patrols of the area to prevent any potential attack.

One source said: Obviously that information wasnt and is never given out, but the nature of the calls raised suspicions.

There were concerns of an increased threat on Byrne given what he is being investigated for and armed gardai carried out extra patrols in the area, but no incidents were reported.

While he was in hospital, Byrne was also under watch by prison officers and is understood to have spat at and tried to bite a member of staff during his hospitalisation. He is now the subject of internal disciplinary proceedings arising from the incident.

Daniel Kinahan and Trevor Byrne

Byrne previously served an eight-year sentence for the robbery of a pub and off-licence, after which he tried to hijack an unmarked garda car, pointing a gun at gardai.

He managed to escape in a taxi, after holding a gun to a taxi-drivers head while being pursued by gardai.

He has also been arrested twice by gardai investigating the murder of Eddie Hutch and a file was submitted to state prosecutors this year in relation to the case.

Mr Hutch was shot dead outside his north-inner city home on February 8, 2016, three nights after the Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne, which escalated the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Byrne was among a dozen people who were named in the file in which gardai also recommend that mob boss Daniel Kinahan should be charged with murder.
Eastern European gangsters linked to the Irish mob boss attempted to gain political influence in a bid to gain control of their country

KINAHAN allies the Tito and Dino Cartel tried to gain political influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina with the aim of taking over the state, it was alleged this week.

The Eastern European mob is headed by close Kinahan ally Edin Tito Gacanin, who has been dubbed the European Escobar by US officials.

Together with the Kinahans and other international associates, they form part of what is described as a supercartel  pooling their substantial resources and networks to profit from illegal activity primarily based around the drugs trade.

The gang were targeted in an operation led by the Bosnia and Herzegovina State Investigation and Protection Agency with the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Europol.

Kinahan ally Edin Tito Gacanin

Police arrested 23 people on Monday, including senior law enforcement officers, as part of the operation.

Later in the week, prosecutors presented shocking claims before court as detention measures were requested for numerous people, including Mustafa Selmanovic, head of the Special Police Unit of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vahidin Munji, the acting director of the Federations Police Directorate, and Edin Kavar, of the countrys Intelligence and Security Agency.

In total, nine law enforcement officials were before the courts alongside 14 other, including businessmen Gordan Memija, from Sarajevo, and Haris Behram, from Mostar, as well as Tarik Zulovi, manager of a hospital in the central Bosnian city of Zenica.

Police from several agencies seized drugs and arrested 23 suspects

The Sarajevo Times reported that the suspects are charged with organised crime, money laundering, abuse of position, receiving rewards and other forms of benefits.

Prosecutors allege that members of the cartel tried to gain political influence with the aim of taking over the state.

They said that as part of this plan they contacted local politicians and offered financial support.

They also say members of the criminal group advised setting up citizens associations to achieve political influence, and messages decrypted from the Sky messaging app showed they were often interested in the political situation.

Prosecutors highlighted the role of Haris Behram who formed a citizens association, Brankovac.

They also pointed out that businessman Gordan Memija paid several police officers to act as personal security for Gacanin when visiting Sarajevo.

It is alleged that a large amount of material evidence was found in Memijas possession.

They also allege that Edin Kavar, of the Intelligence and Security Agency, handed over official documents related to organised crime for financial gain.

Prosecutors say that the money was laundered through the procurement of uniforms for police through a company called Rhea Express, which was owned by Ermin Alamerovic, who is also a suspect in this case.

Edin Tito Gacanin

Prosecutors allege that from 2016 to 2021 an organised crime group led by Adnan Smajlovic laundered drug-trafficking money obtained from the Tito and Dino Cartel.

They describe the cartel as an organised crime group operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the UAE, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, South America, the Republic of South Africa and other countries.

They allege the accused people joined through the Sky encrypted message app, using code names such as Aristotle and Lucky Luke.

Prosecutors allege Edin Gacanin and Adnan Smajlovic made decisions on the execution of criminal acts while other members of the group acted on their instructions.

Daniel Kinahan

Gacanin, who was a guest at Daniel Kinahans Dubai wedding in 2017, received a seven-year term in the Netherlands last year for smuggling 2,400kg of cocaine from South America into Europe.

Meanwhile, the Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina Journalists and the Helpline for Journalists this week condemned statements of the countrys Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konakovic, about media reporting of the operation.

In a statement, they claimed the minister abused the public space of the Ministry and of his own position and tried to criminalise a number journalists without argument and evidence calling them part of the media-judicial mafia because they wrote about the arrests and connections with the Tito and Dino Cartel.
The victim (70) was attacked by a member of a group of six men last week.

Police in Scotland are appealing to an Irish man who drove a 70-year-old man to hospital after he had been assaulted to come forward.

The victim was attacked by a member of a group of six men as he got out of his black Renault Scenic in the West Granton Road area of Edinburgh last Wednesday, April 24 at around 4.10pm.

Members of the public rushed to his aid, including one Irishman believed to be named Paul, who brought him to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment.

Authorities were contacted afterwards and investigators from Police Scotland are now hoping to get in contact with Paul.

In an appeal, Detective Sergeant John Dunn said: We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, or may have been in the area on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 24, to come forward.

"We are particularly keen to trace the man who drove the victim to the hospital, as he may be able to assist our enquiries.

"He is described as an Irish man, who went by the name 'Paul'.

"If you are this man, or believe you know him, please get in touch."

Anyone with information that can assist police is asked to call 101, quoting incident 3511 of April 24.

Information can also be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Hino dealership supremo, Robert Pino Harris, was once the subject of an IRA kidnap bid

The extent of the fortune of Robert Pino Harris has finally come to light, seven years after his death.

Intensely private, he was one of Irelands richest men at the time of his death on July 27, 2017, aged 75. He owned the vast Hino truck dealership on the Naas Road in Dublin.

Mr Harris is one of Irelands most fascinating rags-to-riches stories. The son of a Limerick scrap dealer, he worked his way up to become the largest truck dealer in the State.

At the time of his death, news reports estimated his fortune at 175m.But in a will dated April 22, 2024, Mr Harris, with an address at Sorrento Road in Dalkey, Co Dublin, left an estate valued at 232,734,597.

Denise Harris

Mr Harris wrote: I give, devise and bequeath all of my property of every description both real and personal and wheresoever to my wife, Denise Harris, for her own use and benefit absolutely and I appoint her to be the sole executrix of this my last will.

Denise Harris is now CEO of the Harris Group.

Unusually, Mr Harriss solicitors PD Gardiner & Co also left a letter attached to the probate to provide context to the estate.

It read: The assets compriseprimarily of shares held by the deceased in a private limited company, which operates under the trading name of the Harris Group. The share valuation is predominantly arrived at via the trade value within the group, together with the properties held by the group.

As a child, Harris earned the nickname Pino because of his love of pinhead porridge. His father was a horse dealer who got involved in the scrap metal business in Dublin.

In the 1960s, Mr Harriss fortune turned when he came across Hino  a Japanese brand, unknown in Europe at the time  during a visit to an overseas motor show.

Pino Harris and the J Harris team

He struck a deal and began importing the trucks into Ireland in 1968 via his company, J Harris Assemblers, and expanded the business to include Chinese, Italian and Korean vehicles.

In the mid-1990s, his three truck franchises  Hino, Isuzu and Iveco  accounted for 25pc of the Republics market for heavy-goods vehicles. Hino also rose in the construction industry, commanding a 40pc market share of cement mixers for decades.

Aside from importing trucks, Mr Harris was a keen property investor and is believed to have made millions buying and selling land in west Dublin. Known as a hands-on operator, many staff stayed with him for decades.

He also enjoyed a close friendship and business relationship with entrepreneur Bill Cullen.

Even as he became wealthy, he lived for many years in a terraced house in Phibsboro on Dublins northside.

Industry insiders once recalled how Mr Harris was entertaining a group of Hino executives when they asked for his advice about a specific truck problem. He put on a pair of overalls and solved the issue himself.

He was the subject of an IRA kidnap attempt in the 1980s  but he rammed his way past his assailants in his car. That experience is said to have fuelled his desire for privacy.

'Christina O'

The multimillionaire was also once an investor in the Christina O yacht that had been owned by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who married Jackie Kennedy on the vessel.

In 2017, he had been experiencing ill-health but was expected to recover in hospital before his death. Recalling his sudden death in an interview with The Currency last month, his widow said: I was told on the previous Friday evening, at six o clock, that he only had a few days to live. We all think that someone we dearly love will always be there forever, I never anticipated what would happen.
The most recent threat follows two that were made last Wednesday

Gardai are investigating a third call threatening the security of Justice Minister Helen McEntee that was made on Saturday.

The most recent threat follows two that were made last Wednesday which prompted the evacuation of Minister McEntees home.

While she was not at home when the previous threats were made, her husband and young family were moved until it could be established the property was safe.

The latest call was made to the helpline of the Samaritans late on Saturday.

Issues of security around the homes of public representatives have risen in recent weeks after the west Dublin home of Children and Integration Minister Roderic O Gorman was targeted by protesters on April 18.

At that time Taoiseach Simon Harris, Justice Minister Helen McEntee and Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys joined others in condemning the protest by a group of masked and hooded people at Minister OGormans home.

Gardai were called after masked protesters placed placards and banners on his gates and railings.

Messages printed and painted on the signs related to immigration matters, such as South Dublin Says Close The Borders.

Gardai in Blanchardstown were notified and attended the scene, maintaining a presence there until the group dispersed.

No arrests were made, but the incident led to debate about how gardai should handle such situations. Taoiseach Simon Harris, whose own home has been targeted by protesters in the past, said he was frustrated by the incident, and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he has sought clarity on whether the laws are robust enough or just need to be enforced, or if new laws are required.

I am very concerned that either the laws are there and aren't being robustly enforced in all cases. I'm a little frustrated that this is going on for too long. It's been a long time since 2017 when people were outside my home. And I worry that theres a worsening of what we're actually seeing. I want to have a very clear answer right now as the leader of the Government  do we need new laws? And if we do, let's get on with it, he said at the time.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told Minister McEntee that where protests "cross the line" into "harassment or intimidation", they are fully investigated.

He also circulated a communication to gardai stressing that it is imperative that citizens are protected from abusive behaviour where there is a reasonable suspicion of criminality, but at the Garda Representative Association annual conference last week, gardai said they needed guidance on the issue and what legislative provisions they should rely on in those circumstances.

The Department of Justice, An Garda Siochana, and the Samaritans have not commented on the latest security threat to Minister McEntee, but it is understood the matter is being investigated fully.
Schools dealing with the negative effects of social media on students  the endless scrolling, distraction from homework, spreading rumors and bullying  are fighting back.

Alarmed by what they see as a youth mental health crisis, two dozen schools and districts in Western New York are joining the federal litigation against social media companies seeking changes to the platforms to make them less addictive. They also are looking for restitution for the expenses incurred dealing with mental health issues among students.

We know that social media is a significant contributing factor to some of the mental health issues that we have among our school-age populations, because of the way it causes people to interact with each other, said Hamburg Superintendent Michael Cornell, whose district joined the lawsuit.

I think what youre seeing is these school districts across the country are taking a stance against these companies to require them to make the necessary changes to make their platforms safer, said William Shinoff of the Frantz Law Group, a California-based personal injury law firm.

In April 2023, the law firm filed papers in U.S. District Court in San Francisco on behalf of 16 school districts against Meta, TikTok, Snap, YouTube and other social media companies. The litigation accuses the social media companies of designing their products to foster addictive behavior and use algorithms to funnel certain kinds of content to students, encouraging them to spend more time on their platforms.

School districts sued over child sex abuse also battling in court with insurers A Hamburg lawsuit is among dozens across the state in which insurers are at odds with school districts and nonprofit organizations over whether they are obligated to defend against and pay damages in Child Victims Act cases.

More than 900 districts have joined the litigation, including 100 from New York State. Hodgson Russ of Buffalo also is representing local districts.

In addition to Hamburg Central School District, other local school districts participating are Alden, Buffalo, Depew, Eden, Grand Island, Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda, Springville-Griffith Institute, Tonawanda, West Seneca and Williamsville. The Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES and Westminster Community Charter School also joined.

Resolutions adopted by the districts indicate that schools have had to hire additional counselors, develop resources and train staff to handle the burgeoning number of students succumbing to what best can be described as a youth mental health crisis.

The local districts are not paying any legal costs, but school personnel will gather data for the lawsuit.

The lawsuits accuse the social media companies of engaging in reckless and negligent misconduct, causing a mental health crisis among youth.

School aid not as bad as some school districts feared. But trouble lurks The governor attempted to do away with save harmless, which guarantees a district would not receive less foundation aid than the previous year, but that was a non-starter for state legislators.

Meta said it is working to provide teens safe experiences online, and has developed more than 30 tools and features, including ways to set time limits, age verification technologies and restricting those under 16 from receiving direct messages from people they dont follow.

These are complex issues, but we will continue working with experts and listening to parents to develop new tools, features and policies that are effective and meet the needs of teens and their families, a Meta spokesperson said in an email.

James P. Frantz of the Frantz Law Group said the safeguards put in place by social media companies are not effective.

The kids are getting right around it, and theyre not doing anything about the change. And the parents cannot control it, Frantz said.

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory last year that said while social media may have benefits for some children and adolescents, there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.

Social media platforms know that the answer is to structurally correct harmful design features and functions, said Mitch Prinstein, chief science officer for the American Psychological Association, in a press release on a health advisory on social media use in adolescence. Most children and adolescents lack the experience, judgment and self-control to manage their behaviors on these platforms, which is why we see over 50% reporting at least one symptom of clinical dependency on social media today.

Educators have been talking about the mental health crisis in schools for years. Some districts, such as Hamburg, have trained all staff  from administrators to cafeteria workers  to recognize students who need help.

There is a necessity to go and provide these mental health services to provide greater services to their students, and also educate the students and families on the harms of social media and the safe use of social media, said Shinoff, the lawyer for the California law firm.

Each district is a separate case, and the first trial is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025, Shinoff said.

The social media companies are a clear and present danger to America youth, Frantz said. Theyre interfering with their classroom work, interfering with their ability to get into college, and then theyre causing them severe emotional distress, and we need to stop that.
Infamous hardman Bobby Tohill talks from his death bed about republican life as he prepares to meet his maker

Bobby Tohill in his living room beside a picture of Bobby Sands

Bobby Tohill talking to our reporter in hospital in 2004 after a failed kidnap attempt

Notorious IRA hitman Bobby Tohill says he is in his death throes but has no regrets about his life.

Given just nine months to live by doctors less than a year ago, time is fading fast for the former IRA hardman who instilled fear during his time as an active member of the terror groups ruthless D Company in west Belfast before joining the ranks of the INLA.

As rumours of his demise spiralled out of control on social media this weekend, Tohill gave an exclusive bedside interview to the Sunday World and revealed he has no regrets about his blood-soaked past  yet admitted he has some sadness in his heart for the pain and suffering he caused.

When asked if he was a killer and who he killed, he refused to be specific. He will take that part of his life story to the grave.

I want to make this clear: I have no regrets, none, none, absolutely none. I did what I did because I had to, no one forced me to do the things I did, I did them and have no regrets, Tohill told the Sunday World.

Bobby Tohill on the lower Falls Roads

I dont regret a single part of my life but as Im in the death throes, Im sad that people had to die, but they had to, just as I am now.

Were people hurt by me? I do wish that things never happened in the first place? But I had no choice, I am facing my God.

Did I kill anyone during my time being active? I cant answer that, I couldnt answer that. I would implicate myself and my comrades in a very serious way.

All I can tell you is I played a major role. I was involved in hurting and killing people during the struggle, Tohill told the Sunday World.

The 66-year-old father-of-six remains a dedicated Irish republican  and his broken body belies an undiminished allegiance to the cause.

A ruthless operator, there is no doubt he took lives and ruined lives.

His sworn allegiance to the IRA wasnt enough to insulate him.

Unhappy with the direction in which the Provos were going, he defected to the INLA and it was rumoured he had joined the Real IRA  which he denies.

On a Friday night in February 2004 a four-man IRA snatch squad swooped on Kellys Cellars bar in Belfast city centre to abduct him.

Bobby Tohill talking to our reporter in hospital in 2004 after a failed kidnap attempt

It took 10 minutes to overpower him and bundle him into a van.

He was bound for the border and an executioners bullet, only for the unlikely intervention of an unmarked police car which rammed the van.

Speaking to the Sunday World at the time from his hospital bed, he told us he knew his time was up.

He said he received a savage beating at the hands of his abductors.

Tohill had been implicated in the murder of his childhood friend Danny McGurk in 2003.

Although he was arrested and released, he was always under suspicion for his alleged role in the brutal assassination.

He still denies any involvement.

No, I did not kill Danny McGurk. He was my friend, a lifelong friend, since we were young, growing up on the Lower Falls.

Yes, I was part of D Company then INLA, but not the Real IRA  but I did not pull the trigger on Danny McGurk, no.

I wasnt on the front line in those days with any organisation, I was on the periphery of the Real IRA, never a member and I did not kill Danny.

There were elements within my own community who thought I was involved but I can tell you now, no.

When I came back from Dublin  I left after the kidnapping  I was slightly mixed up. I was never a member of the Real IRA, never.

Diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver too late, there is nothing doctors can do.

Tohill has faced death before  hes been shot and beaten on multiple occasions.

His kidnapping in 2004 almost brought the peace process down as he fingered the IRA as being responsible when interviewed by this reporter at his hospital bedside in Belfasts RVH.

He said this week: Yeah, I have faced death before; times when I knew I was going to die, like when I was kidnapped and many more occasions.

But the difference is that I was in control, I knew what I was doing, I knew the dangers, I knew who and what I was fighting, in the back of the van, yeah I knew I was going to die but it was by my own hand, my own actions.

Bobby Tohill in his living room beside a picture of Bobby Sands

Today I know I am going to die, but I have no control, life has dealt me this card.

I have no control over what is happening to me. I know there are people who will think I deserve this, I dont.

I was given nine months, that has passed. How long do I have? I cant answer that. All the signs of my ailment are starting to show.

My legs and arms are starting to swell, they are bleeding, massive weight loss, I think I lost about five stone, Im on my way to meet my maker.

I dont want forgiveness from anyone, but understanding. I am a genuine, kind, and peaceful man in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I will go to my grave with the wish of peace and happiness across the world, I dont want another Bobby Tohill in this world.
A significant moment in the history of Tauranga is being marked today.

The historic St Georges Anglican Church in Gate Pa will host a solemn service commemorating the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gate Pa, also known as Te Pakanga o Pukehinahina.

The Anglican Parish of Gate Pa is inviting the public to a short service at St. George's Anglican Church on April 29 to commemorate the Battle of Gate Pa, also known as Te Pakanga o Pukehinahina.

The gathering is to honour all those who fought and died in this tragic event and the consequences of the battle for nga iwi o Tauranga Moana.

The service will start at 4pm, as that's the time of day back on April 29, 1864, when the British forces began their march up Pukehinahina.

A plaque laid in honour the unnamed Maori who were killed at the Battle of Gate Pa and buried there. Photo: SunLive.

We will hear an account of the battle and then have a time of silent reflection with images playing, says Anglican Parish of Gate Pa vicar Rev. John Hebenton.

At 4.30pm the bell will be rung 60 times to remember the about 60 men who lost their lives in the battle. We will finish with prayers/karakia for the future of our city.

The battles at Pukehinahina - Gate Pa and Te Ranga were part of the New Zealand wars, a series of armed conflicts that took place in New Zealand from 1845 to 1872 between Maori and new European settlers, also known as Pakeha.

A previous commemoration of the Battle of Gate Pa held at St. Georges Anglican Church. Photo: SunLive.

"There were many reasons for these conflicts - Land was the main one. Maori owned it and the settlers wanted it," says a post on the Today in History NZ Facebook page.

"Settlers also brought with them new laws and politics that largely excluded Maori.

"The signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi should have meant that Maori iwi had undisturbed possession of their lands and taonga. Before the signing of the treaty, deals involving land sales were questionable, and the treaty stated that all Maori land should only be sold to the government.

"But the treaty was increasingly ignored by the settlers, which resulted in anger and violence."

A close-up of one of St. Georges Anglican Church stained glass windows depicting a scene from the Battle of Gate Pa where a Maori fighter gave water to dying British soldiers on the battlefield. Photo: SunLive.

The Battle of Gate Pa is one of many battles that took place during the NZ wars, which started in Wairau at the top of the South Island, with major battles in Taranaki and the Waikato before the battles in Tauranga.

General Duncan Cameron led the British troops with over 1600 men into battle. Cameron Road was named after him.

The Battle of Gate Pa has captured people's imagination for two reasons  firstly because of the defeat of an elite force of professional British soldiers by Maori, and secondly, because of the honourable conduct of Maorii towards the dead and wounded soldiers.

St George's Anglican Church was built on the battle site about 118 years ago as a memorial to those involved and the descendants of those on the British side of the campaign.

The story of both the battles and the aftermath are usually told at the church during the months leading up to April 29, with integrity, and to offer ways the people can hear about, engage with and reflect upon these stories and what they mean for us living in Tauranga Moana.

Rev John Hebenton. Photo: SunLive.

In 2014 huge gatherings commemorated the 150th anniversary of the battles of Gate Pa and Te Ranga with some very significant events held on the actual days of the battles.

Today, on the 160th anniversary, a rededication ceremony was held at 6.15am with the unveiling and blessing of the recently refurbished Gate Pa pou.

At 12pm, a ceremony was held at the Otamataha/Mission Cemetery in Marsh Street. Markers were placed on the graves of those members of the 68th Durham Light Infantry who fell at Gate Paand the ensuing battle at Te Ranga.

The service at 4pm today at St Georges Anglican Church will be followed by refreshments in the church lounge.

Remembering Te Pakanga o Pukehinahina  The Battle of Gate Pa  160th Commemoration - will be held at St George's Church, 1 Church Street, Tauranga at 4pm on Monday, April 29.
A sister cities visit to Hitachi, Japan, by a small delegation from Tauranga has helped cement strong relationships, particularly in the area of arts, culture and education exchanges.

Hitachi Mayor, Mr. Haruki Ogawa, says his city is excited to explore new education and cultural exchange programmes, as well as exploring potential sporting connections.

It was wonderful to meet with Commission Chair Anne Tolley and the delegation from Tauranga. We are excited about further developing our education and cultural exchange programmes as well as exploring potential sporting connections, he says.

Meanwhile, Tauranga City Council Commission Chair, Anne Tolley, says the five Tauranga delegates were blown away by their reception in Hitachi.

Representatives from Tauranga City Council, Creative Bay of Plenty, Priority One and Education made up the delegation.

Council paid $17,932.14 for flights and accommodation for the three Council and Priority One delegates. Gift costs totalled $793.01. Hospitality arrangements were provided by the hosts, at no cost.

Hundreds of Council staff came out of their offices to welcome us on arrival, setting the tone for the visit and showing us just how much this relationship means to the people of Hitachi, says Tolley.

The council-to-council connection is the backbone that underpins and enables our cultural and education exchanges. In a world where geopolitical tensions are rising around the world, its important that we dont take our international friendships for granted and keep building the mutual understandings between people, cities and countries.

The delegation met with a vast range of representatives from different sectors in Hitachi, including Hitachi City Council, Hitachi Education Board, Hitachi Chamber of Commerce, local businesses and cultural groups.

Key areas of focus for future relationships between the sister cities are:
People are urged to give generously this Chopper Appeal Month to support the thousands of lifesaving missions flown by rescue helicopters every year as costs of equipment and training continue to rise.

A total of 9228 helicopter missions were flown by New Zealands nationwide network of rescue helicopters in 2023, including 519 missions in the Bay of Plenty region.

This Thursday, May 2, Westpac teams around the country will be out and about raising funds for their local rescue helicopter service in the annual Chopper Street Appeal.

Westpac NZ chief executive Catherine McGrath says people who are saved by a chopper often tell their rescuers of their relief when they hear a helicopter on its way.

For the thousands of people who need rescuing every year  many in life-or-death situations - theres no greater sound than a chopper approaching.

No matter where you are in the country, its comforting to know that the expert services of a Chopper crew usually arent far away.

As a proud partner of the rescue helicopters for more than four decades, Westpac team members around the country will be busy throughout May raising money for an important cause.

Every dollar makes a difference, so were asking New Zealanders to dig deep to help keep those blades turning and keep communities safe.

Last year, the Westpac Chopper Appeal raised $1.4 million for the rescue helicopter trusts around the country.

Philips Search & Rescue Trust group manager Vanessa Richmond says the publics generosity has helped the trust invest in the capabilities of its aircraft and crew.

Our team are highly specialised, and we take great pride in providing New Zealanders with first class medical care in some of their greatest times of need.

We need to invest in regular equipment upgrades and maintenance, and those costs are rising all the time. We know Kiwi families are feeling cost pressures too, which is why were hugely grateful to anyone who can donate even a small amount over the month of May.

Westpac funds the marketing and administration costs of the Chopper Appeal and distributes all funds raised back to donors local rescue helicopter trust.

People wishing to make a donation or find out more can visit www.chopperappeal.co.nz.
Update: Tuseday 9.46am.

On Monday April 29, Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews were called to a fire in Minden just before 2.30pm.

"There were four fire trucks and two water tankers in attendance," says a fire and emergency spokeserson.

"Fire had spread from a controlled burn.

"Fire and Emergency crews left around 7pm yesterday.

"The landowner monitored the fire ground overnight."

Update, 3.43 pm: Fire and emergency services are attending a large fire in Minden.

Fire Emergency NZ were notified of the fire at 2.23 pm.

"This is a large gorse fire that is approximately 150m x 100m in size," says a FENZ spokesperson.

"They are conducting a water relay."

"Three fire trucks and two water tankers are in attendance."

Initial report:

The vegetation fire is large and out of control, says a Fire Emergency NZ spokesperson.

The fire is spreading quickly and they say they are unsure how big the fire is.

Three fire trucks and one water tanker are currently attending and trying to extinguish the fire.

SunLive is working on getting more information and will provide an update when we can.

At the scene?

Phone 0800SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz
Juanjo Cerero Granada Monday, 29 April 2024, 11:12 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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There are more and more people of international origin living in Granada. The foreign-born population registered in the province is more than four times the number registered this time twenty years ago according to the historical series of continuous census data made available to the public by Spain's INE national statistics institute.

In 2002, for example, this group was made up of 15,857 people, while in 2022, the last year for which there is confirmed data, that figure climbed to 69,157, i.e. more than three times as many, or 336 per cent.

The monitoring of the data shows how the variation in the political and economic situation has been a significant driver of the changes observed in these two decades. The first major upturn in the number of registered foreigners occurred between 2002 and 2005, the years immediately after the introduction of the euro, the incorporation of up to 12 new countries into the European Union and the signing and ratification of treaties such as those of Nice and Lisbon.

During those years, year-on-year increases of more than 40 per cent were seen and the trend continued to rise until 2008, when the effect of the economic crisis led many people who had come to Grenada in search of a better life to return to their countries of origin.

The trend then reversed, and year-on-year variations were negative between 2012 and 2017, by when the United Kingdom was already fully immersed in the Brexit debate with the referendum on remaining in the EU taking place in 2016.

By 2018, this political context, coupled with the slow but steady improvement in economic data, led to a return to positive growth in the number of foreigners in the province, a trend that progressively gained strength until 2020, when the effect of the pandemic slowed down the numbers.

Although the figures have not returned to negative figures, they are more limited; in 2022, for example, there were 2.65% more foreign-born people living in Granada than in the previous year, while in 2018 and 2019 the figure had remained above six points in both cases.

In any case, the overall calculation leaves a clear interpretation: an increase in foreigners in the overall population of Granada. Whereas in 2002 they represented just 1.94% of the total, today they represent 7.5%, i.e. approximately one in every 13 inhabitants.

Work and holidays

A break down by municipality shows that growth has been quite uneven among the different areas of Granada, driven mainly by two different types of migratory processes. One, for reasons of work, with people moving to places with strong seasonal agricultural production, for example.

Another shows people coming for holidays, leisure or retirement, with the proliferation of second homes in areas such as the Costa Tropical or the Alpujarra, where it is not uncommon to find foreign families in search of an alternative lifestyle.

With respect to 2003 - the first year for which the INE offers data broken down by localities - among the municipalities where the foreign population has increased the most over the total census in absolute terms are Castaras (+32%), Jete (+29%), Gualchos (+27%), Albunol (+26%) and Torrenueva Costa (+22%); with the exception of the first which is located in the Alpujarra, this 'top five' is made up almost exclusively of coastal municipalities.

In sixth place is Zafarraya in Alhama de Granada, an area that offers a lot of agricultural work. In the case of Granada city the foreign population increased by 4.5%.

In 2022 as many as one in four of the province's municipalities, 45 out of 174, had at least one foreign inhabitant for every ten. Once again, the highest percentages are recorded mainly among municipalities with access to the coast and in the Alpujarra, where depopulation among Spanish people has had an influence.

The first positions are occupied by Polopos, Albunol and Gualchos, all of which are on the Costa Tropical, and where at least one out of every three registered inhabitants was born outside Spain. The Alpujarra is represented by towns such as Castaras, Carataunas, Orgiva and Canar; in all of them, foreign residents account for more than 25% of the total.

There are only four municipalities in the whole province where foreign residents account for less than 1% of the total. These are Torre-Cardela, Alicun de Ortega, Gobernador and Montejicar. There are 11 population centres in which there are fewer than ten inhabitants of foreign origin such as Guadix or Los Montes, Morelabor, Albunan, Alamedilla, Beas de Guadix and Dehesas de Guadix, among others.
Alekk M. Saanders Torremolinos Monday, 29 April 2024, 18:50 | Updated 22:06h. Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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Thousands of Dutch nationals headed for Torremolinos on Saturday 27 April to help celebrate their king's birthday. The crowds were dressed in orange and, just like their compatriates throughout the Netherlands, they shouted the traditional chant: 'Oranje boven, oranje boven, leve de koning!' (Orange colour above all, orange colour above all, long live the king!)

Zoom On the square in La Carihuela. A.M.S.

The celebration on Saturday in Torremolinos had more in common with events in Amsterdam as well as the colour and the chanting. The weather was unusually rainy and grey for the Costa del Sol.

Malou, a Dutch expat on the Costa del Sol, noticed that the greyish Torremolinos resembled the Dutch capital. "This day is amazing in the Netherlands, but usually it always rains there. True, this time the beautiful sun has abandoned La Carihuela as well, but we don't mind that. Maybe it even makes us feel much more comfortable, like home, in the always welcoming Torremolinos. We see everything with a positive outlook. Now you know why we are considered one of the happiest nations in the world, and definitely, the funniest," she told SUR in English.

A.M.S.

Meanwhile, the colour orange was enough to brighten up La Carihuela until the sun made an appearance later that evening. The epicentre of the festivities was in Plaza Chiriva with a fountain whose water is often coloured orange. Local restaurants and shops, like tree leaves in the Netherlands in autumn, changed their colour to orange. This 'chameleon trick' worked: crowds of people rushed to the shops to buy goods containing orange and its hues. Ice cream was sold better and coffee was drunk more where staff wore orange hats, orange scarves or orange shirts.

In the streets of Torremolinos. A.M.S.

The iconic Playa Miguel beach club stood out with its orange balloon columns and Dutch paraphernalia. Plaza Chiriva was filled with ethnic food stalls, souvenirs, snacks and beer, as well as a large stage where various DJs and artists performed.

"Over time, the colour orange has become not only a symbol of courage and independence, but also a symbol of national pride and the kingdom as a whole. That's why we go out proudly displaying our national colours," Henning, who has lived on the Costa del Sol for 15 years, told SUR in English.

Highlight of the day. A.M.S.

This picturesque neighbourhood of Torremolinos is considered the most Dutch in Spain. Torremolinos is home to around 700 registered Dutch citizens. However, on Saturday there were thousands of Dutch people there dressed head-to-toe in orange.

Hundreds of Dutch people went to Torremolinos from all over the Costa del Sol to celebrate one of the most important holidays. Many travelled to La Carihuela from the Netherlands just for this holiday. And it's a tradition too, as La Carihuela has historically been a favourite place for the Dutch to visit and live.

"The love affair with Carihuela began in 1963 when Wim Kuipers arrived on the Malaga coast from the Netherlands and obviously fell in love with Torremolinos, which was then going through its golden age. The Dutchman started promoting hotels and restaurants and then got into the property business, and all these six decades later many Dutch people have followed in his footsteps," Henning said.

Every year the party in La Carihuela gets bigger and bigger. This means that the Dutch love for Torremolinos has not faded over the decades. Of course, the Dutch were accompanied by many people of other nationalities who wanted to join the party.
Jesus Hinojosa Malaga Monday, 29 April 2024, 14:04 | Updated 14:37h. Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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The project to relaunch the Malaga Nostrum shopping centre with the construction of a Costco supermarket on the site currently occupied by the cinema is still not ay closer to becoming a reality after more than two years of administration. However, the owners of the retail park, Seville-based Bogaris group, are confident they will soon obtain the necessary planning permission to launch the first phase of this operation, which will consist of adapting what was the former Conforama furniture shop to house the cinema area, which will be smaller in size.

Head of Costco for Spain and France, Diane Tucci, recently spoke with mayor Francisco de la Torre and reaffirmed her commitment to Malaga. Costco is considered to be the second largest supermarket chain in the world after Walmart and above Carrefour, which is in third position.

"Works to start this year"

Javier Martin, general manager of Bogaris, told SUR everything is ready for the works to start this year. "In two or three weeks we expect to receive the planning permission from the city hall for the first phase of the project," said Martin, who is confident it can start in September.

The refurbishment of the former Conforama furniture shop, designed by architect Salvador Moreno Peralta, required the prior processing of an urban planning study to be able to increase the current height of the building by 1.65 metres in order to be able to accommodate the screening rooms. This study has already been approved and now all that remains to be done is to obtain the building permit, which, according to the head of Bogaris, "is only awaiting the concession".

From then on, work will start on the new cinemas, which will last for a year. Once the current cinema building has been vacated, it will be demolished.

Building permit granted

If there are no issues, the new cinemas could open next year and the current cinemas will be demolished, with Costco to start building its shopping centre on the plot, designed by architect Antxon Taberna from the firm Tecnicos Consultores.

When could the store be finished? According to Javier Martin, the American chain's intention is to build it within nine or ten months. In this case, it would not have to wait for the planning permission because it has already been granted since April last year, so construction would start immediately once the cinemas have been demolished.

The planned schedule is for Costco to open in Malaga in 2026. Although the overall investment of the entire refurbishment of the Malaga Nostrum centre will exceed 60 million euros, the work to be carried out by Costco is valued at 18.3 million. The new hypermarket, with a car park of 640 parking spaces, will also have a restaurant area, toilets, optical and audiometric areas, as well as offices.

Bogaris said he is confident that before this summer the town planning approval will be granted for another project that goes hand in hand with Costco's arrival in the area, the construction of a petrol station also managed by this American chain. It will be built on the site resulting from the demolition of one of the commercial warehouses on the block where Conforama was located. Bogaris' intention is to hand over to Costco next year the plots available for the hypermarket and the fuel filling station, after the corresponding demolitions.
Regina Sotorrio Malaga Monday, 29 April 2024, 10:22 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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The Cala Mijas music festival on the Costa del Sol has been cancelled this year following a major row between the event organisers and town hall.

Event promoter Last Tour confirmed talks had broken down with Mijas council over "repeated and serious breaches" in the sponsorship contract. However, town hall claimed it was Last Tour who had breached the agreement and reserved the right to take "the appropriate measures to rectify the damage caused".

In a statement, Last Tour criticised the non-payment of "important sums" for the 2023 festival, an amount the new council of mayor Ana Mata had left unpaid due to an objection from the municipal auditors. According to the council (which has been governed by the Partido Popular with the support of Vox and Por mi Pueblo since 2 November), there were a series of expenses "which may not correspond" to municipal funds and which would have to paid by the organiser. The council pointed out, as an example, 50,000 euros for buses that transported festival-goers from the camping area, also municipally owned, to the site of the concert. The total of these costs, the town hall claimed, "could exceed two million euros, a far cry from the 1.2 million euros the council is contractually obliged to pay".

There are seven invoices for 952,875 euros that neither of the two parties believe they should pay. Two other invoices had "errors" that should have been corrected by the festival promoter; a correction that, according to town hall, was never made, which prevented the invoice from being taken to an extraordinary plenary session in order to lift the auditors' objection and make the payment.

Also, as the town hall pointed out in March, the 2022 festival is being audited by the Court of Auditors, with signs indicating the 2023 event would follow the same path. Regarding that year, Mijas also pointed out in its note that, "despite repeated requests", Last Tour has never justified the annual investment committed by contract.

Comunicado Last Tour Statement pic.twitter.com/NABzrHK3Lv  Cala Mijas Festival (@CalaMijasFest) April 26, 2024

But the disagreements are not solely financial. Last Tour pointed out other breaches "no less serious, such as the lack of conditioning and provision of facilities at the venue". Meanwhile, the council said the contract establishes that the organiser should have presented the line-up for the 2024 event at the end of the 2023 festival. "As of today, this town hall does not even have a proposal for the same," Last Tour said.

Both parties throw the ball back at the other side for the lack of interest and willingness to move the event forward. "It is obvious that the unjustified disregard by the council of its contractual commitments prevents the continuation of the agreed collaboration (...) and, what is even more regrettable, shows the lack of interest of the municipal body in the successful organisation of the festival. Faced with such a position, Last Tour has been forced to take the decision to terminate the agreement and cease organising the festival," the promoter said.

Meanwhile, the council responded: "Despite the provision of the site where the event was held with the proper connections and adequate networks, as established in the contract, and the express request of the council to present a proposal for a line-up to carry out the 2024 show, Last Tour has not been willing to carry out this new edition of the festival".

The Cala Mijas was the big bet of the previous local government team led by the socialist Josele Gonzalez

The cancellation of the event, which has been rumoured for weeks, was confirmed just four months before it was set to appear for the third year - scheduled for 29, 30 and 31 August - and with many tickets for the event already sold. In fact, many people immediately bought tickets for 2024 at a reduced price after the last concert last summer. According to the organiser's sources, the full amount will be refunded.

Cala Mijas was the big bet of the previous municipal government team led by the socialist Josele Gonzalez. So much so that last year the festival had the surprise visit of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who attended The Strokes, a band of which he is a big fan.

Five-year contract signed

It all goes back to 2021, after the Covid-19 pandemic. Mijas council called a public tender to organise a large-scale international cultural event on unused land, a tender that was won by Last Tour, the same promoter of BBK Live, one of the veteran events on the festival calendar. A five-year contract was signed, with a municipal investment of 6.3 million euros during that period. Last Tour, for its part, was obliged to make an initial investment of eight million euros, which would increase by one million per year until reaching 12 million in 2026.

Thus was born Sonora Mijas, a macro concert venue with three stages that last year welcomed 110,000 people during its three days of live music. In the first year alone, town hall estimated the economic impact of the festival at 20 million euros, with a 27% international audience and high press coverage. The Strokes, Arcade Fire, Arctic Monkeys, Liam Gallagher, The Chemical Brothers, Florence and The Machine and dozens of other bands were part of the line-up.
Almudena Nogues Malaga Monday, 29 April 2024, 22:00 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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The weather map of Malaga province is once again turning yellow. This time with the focus on the Axarquia coast. The eastern strip of the Costa del Sol will be under a coastal phenomenon warning this Tuesday (30 April). From 3pm, Spain's state weather agency (Aemet) has activated the 'risk' warning until 11pm with a south-westerly wind forecast to blow at 50 to 60 kilometres per hour (force 7) with waves of 2 to 3 metres.

So, after a Monday with some heavy spring storm showers the wind will take centre stage tomorrow. "Tuesday will be a day of transition and only a few light showers are expected in mountain areas. A cold and humid air mass will cause a drop in temperatures and will also be accompanied by strong winds, with greater incidence in coastal areas," said the Aemet spokesperson in Andalucia, Juan de Dios del Pino.

In addition to Malaga province, in Andalucia this Tuesday, Almeria and Granada will continue to be under a weather warning - also at yellow level from 10am onwards. "On Wednesday, the westerly wind could reach 70 kilometres per hour in the west of Almeria province and in Almeria city," added Del Pino.

The delegate of the state agency in the region anticipates that from Thursday the cold mass will leave the region, which will result in a rise of around 8C in the maximum temperatures that will last until the first days of next week.
Almudena Nogues Malaga Monday, 29 April 2024, 14:35 Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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The American retail giant, Costco Wholesale, is closer to landing in Malaga province. After a long journey, with more than two years of planning application paperwork, the owners of the Malaga Nostrum shopping centre hope to start work in September to move the cinemas to the building formerly occupied by Conforama and thus vacate the space that the US supermarket chain plans to occupy. The owners of this retail complex - the Seville-based Bogaris group - hope that the necessary planning permissions will soon be obtained to launch the first phase of this operation.

Javier Martin, general manager of Bogaris, has assured SUR that everything is ready for the works to start this year. His aim is for the adaptation to begin in September. If there are no problems, the new cinemas could open during the course of next year and the demolition of the current cinemas would then be carried out, on whose plot Costco will begin the construction of its shopping centre, designed by the architect Antxon Taberna.

When could the shop be finished? According to the planned schedule, the expected opening of Costco in Malaga would be a reality in 2026. With an ambitious challenge ahead: to conquer a local market that is not used to its unique sales philosophy. At Costco, customers are not mere buyers. They are partners. The hypermarket works like a club where you have to register and pay an annual fee to be able to go to the checkout.

Its origins, in 1976 in an aircraft hangar

Costco Wholesale Corporation was born in the United States in 1976 under the name Price Club. Its first store was aimed at professionals and was located in an aircraft hangar in San Diego. This first business, started by retailer Sol Price and his son Robert, soon attracted private customers interested in its prices and variety. In 1983, a former Price employee who had specialised in distribution and mass merchandising opened the first Costco store in a Seattle warehouse, and a decade later, in 1993, the two companies merged under the name Price Costco.

The leap to Europe, from Seville

Since then, the American giant has been expanding by opening shops all over the world, including the Asian market and Australia. Although it has a notable presence in the United Kingdom, with some thirty stores, its arrival on the old continent was a long time coming. The first Costco on the European continent opened in Seville in May 2014. The following year it debuted in Getafe (Madrid), in 2020 it opened in Las Rozas (also in Madrid) and later in Sestao (Vizcaya). The Valencian municipality of Paterna will be its next opening, although as is happening in Malaga, the project is suffering delays in its initial schedule.

Zoom Interior of one of its establishments.

This is how it works: a philosophy somewhere between Makro and Lidl

Costco's sales system could be said to be halfway between the philosophies of Makro and Lidl, two chains that have established themselves in Spain thanks to their competitive prices. Makro is the big retail giant and the German chain has always offered very low prices while saving on other services. Costco has a bit of both business models, with its own personal stamp.

Membership system: How much does it cost to join the club?

To be able to shop at Costco, you have to become a member by paying an annual membership fee. To do this, you have to fill in a form in the shop itself or do it online. To join the club costs around 36 euros a year for individuals and 30 euros for companies and the self-employed. Once you have paid, you receive a card with which you can go to the cash desk. If you are not satisfied, even on the same day you sign up, the company refunds the amount and cancels your membership. At the close of the 2022 financial year -the latest data made public- this distribution giant had around 400,000 members in Spain, many of them from the hotel and catering industry.

Zoom

An extensive catalogue: from food to clothing, electronics to jewellery

Much of the catalogue is dominated by dry groceries. However, the company also includes an attractive bazaar section where you can find everything from toys to clothing, appliances, kitchenware to jewellery, home decor and electronics. At Costco you can find a large selection of exclusive products, including catering products, confectionery, electrical appliances, television, car parts, tyres, toys, electronic devices, sporting goods, jewellery, watches, cameras, audiovisual, books, household products, health, beauty, furniture, office equipment and products... all with the best quality, the corporate website highlights.

Extra large formats or family packs

At Costco, the vast majority of products are sold in extra-large formats or family packs with more units than we are used to in other hypermarkets. The aim is to sell a lot of volume in order to adjust profits and thus achieve lower prices.

Its own private label

The company prides itself on always offering the best brands, including some well-known American brands that have yet to gain the trust of the Spanish public. They also have their own private label, Kirkland Signature, which is highly valued by consumers. As the chain points out on its own website, this brand offers everything from shirts to pet food, laundry detergent, toilet paper, canned food, even car and beauty products, it emphasised.

Why is it so cheap?

There is no single answer to this question. Many factors come into play to enable the chain to achieve such price competitiveness. First of all, Costco's stores are as economical as possible in terms of facilities and ancillary services. Their shops look more like industrial warehouses where products are spread out in large aisles stacked on pallets and high shelves. Another hallmark of their philosophy is the large format, not only in the space of their stores. The vast majority of products are sold in extra-large sizes or family packs with the aim of selling a lot of volume in order to adjust profits and thus achieve lower prices. In addition, Costco invests very little in marketing or advertising campaigns.

What is known about this shop in Malaga

The chain's intention is to build it within nine or ten months. In this case, it would not have to wait for the planning permission from Urbanismo because it has already been granted since April last year, so the construction could start immediately once the existing cinemas have disappeared. For the moment, it is known that its hypermarket in Malaga Nostrum will have a car park with 640 parking spaces distributed between the basement and the ground floor, where there will also be a workshop for the sale and fitting of tyres, a restaurant area, toilets, optician and audiometric areas, as well as offices.

Its arrival in the city includes a fuel filling station

Likewise, Bogaris is confident that before this summer the urban planning approval for another project that goes hand in hand with Costo's arrival in this area can be issued This is for the construction of a fuel filling station, also managed by the American chain.
SUR Malaga Monday, 29 April 2024, 11:18 | Updated 11:41h. Opciones para compartir Copiar enlace

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Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced this Monday that he will not be resigning, after taking five days to consider his future in the role.

In a much awaited speech Sanchez thanked supporters for all the encouragement he had received in recent days and said that had influenced his decision.

"This is what I have decided and I've informed the head of state: I have decided to continue, stronger than ever, at the helm of the government," he said.

Sanchez referred once again to the "harassment" that his family had been suffering for years.

He will stay to continue to fight against those who, he said, tried to bring him down with "personal attacks, fake news and lies to gain what they did not achieve in the elections".

"Whatever our profession, we live in a society which demands that we keep moving at all costs, but there are times that the only way forward is to stop, reflect and decide in which direction we are going in," he said to justify the five-day hiatus in his public agenda.

"We have to say 'enough is enough!', or this degradation of public life will condemn us as a country," he added.

The decision comes as great relief to his party, after five days of concern about how to progress if their leader had stood down at short notice.

Last week's letter

The decision comes after Sanchez said in a letter to the people of Spain posted on X on Wednesday that he was going to take five days to reflect on whether it was worth staying in the job. That morning it had been revealed that an inquiry had been opened into his wife, Begona Gomez, following allegations of influence peddling and corruption in business.

I need to pause and reflect, Sanchez said in his lengthy letter. I need to answer the question as to whether it is worth it, he wrote.

He said that right and far-right-wing groups were intent on creating a political mire and he needed to decide whether I should continue at the head of the government or give up this high honour.

It was announced earlier on Wednesday that a Madrid court had opened the investigation after Manos Limpias, an organisation described as a right-wing pseudo-trade union, reported Gomez over the allegations.

These had been swirling around for weeks on right-wing news websites. Manos Limpias, which has made successful accusations against public figures in the past including the sister of King Felipe, qualified its accusations against the PMs wife on Thursday, saying they were based on the press reports and it was up to the judge to prove them right or wrong.

In his letter, Sanchez said his wife was taking legal action against false claims. He accused Spains right wing political groups of a strategy designed to harass and bring down the couple that has been going on for months. He added that he was deeply in love with his wife who had to live with mud being slung at her day after day.

Zoom PSOE supporters outside the party headquarters on Saturday. Europa Press

Reactions last week

Reaction to Sanchezs letter, which reports said was a personal initiative that few close to him had advance warning of, has divided along party political lines.

High-profile members of the PMs PSOE party queued up on Thursday to offer support and urge him not to stand down.

Deputy PM and finance minister Maria Jesus Montero criticised the campaign to undermine, delegitimise and dehumanise the PM has had to suffer personally since taking up office.

The head of public prosecutions, a government appointee, called on the investigating court to dismiss the case against Gomez.

Meanwhile politicians on the right said Sanchez had made an antidemocratic move to generate public sympathy. Leader of the opposition Partido Popular, Albert Nunez Feijoo, called Sanchezs action a teenage show, adding that the PMcould not govern on compassion.

Crowds show support

Over the weekend thousands of Socialist supporters gathered outside the PSOE party headquarters to show their support for Sanchez. "Pedro, stay," shouted the crowds, along with PSOE government ministers who greeted and encouraged the supporters.
DeWitt, N.Y.  Police said they are investigating shots fired Sunday evening in the parking lot of a DeWitt restaurant.

Officers from the DeWitt Police Department responded around 7 p.m. to the Empire Buffet inside the DeWitt Town Center shopping plaza on Erie Boulevard East, according to Lt. Jerry Pace, a department spokesperson. State Police and Onondaga County sheriffs deputies also responded.

No injuries were reported, Pace said. Four people of interest are being questioned by police, he said.

A vehicle was damaged by the gunfire, Pace said. Officers met a driver with their car along Grant Boulevard in Syracuse, according to Onondaga County 911 Center dispatches.

Staff writer Jon Moss covers breaking news, crime and public safety. He can be reached at jmoss@syracuse.com or @mossjon7.
Editors note: This article was updated Monday evening with a statement from Syracuse University.

Syracuse, N.Y.  Around 50 Syracuse University students set up a tent encampment on the schools quad on the last day of classes Monday, joining other pro-Palestinian protests nationally.
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Upstate Medical University has resumed its tick-testing program, but it will now cost up to $75 to find out if a tick is carrying pathogens that can cause diseases in humans.

The program will now charge $37 for Onondaga County residents and $75 for residents outside the county. Onondaga County residents will pay less because the county government has provided some funding for the program.
To the Editor:

People are entitled to their own opinion on the closing of Jamesville Penitentiary, and they are equally entitled to the facts.

On Dec. 8, 2022, with 23 days left in office, outgoing Sheriff Eugene Conway and County Executive Ryan McMahon joined together to announce the closing of Jamesville Penitentiary. From Dec. 8, 2022 to Feb. 7, 2023, when the county legislature voted to close Jamesville (my 38th day in office as sheriff) I continually stated Im not opposed to closing Jamesville to save taxpayer dollars as long as the combining of the two jail populations would be feasible factoring in incarcerated individual classification. Classification decides what incarcerated individuals can be housed together (women cant be with men, maximum security cant be housed with minimum security, etc.). Counting heads and beds simply doesnt work.

From the beginning of the Jamesville closing proposal, all I asked for was time to figure out if the proposal was viable factoring in incarcerated individual population trends, number of warrants on file in Onondaga County, pending cases in the courts, etc. Historically, the Onondaga County jails have been plagued with overcrowding. The jails population reached all-time lows in 2019-2020 due to bail reform, Raise the Age, and Covid-19. Since 2021, there has been a steady, trending increase in the incarcerated individual population; in the past year, 2023-present, we have seen an 18% increase. What does that increase look like when the jails are combined, and classification is factored in? Keep in mind it is not how many beds you have (counting heads and beds), it is how many beds you need (classification  looking at your highest inmate population).

Since Oct. 15, 2023, the combined incarcerated individual population has held steady at 550 to 600-plus, with anticipated increases as warmer weather approaches. When the incarcerated individual population is classified appropriately, looking at a one jail model, we find 80-100 incarcerated individuals without beds that would have to be housed outside of Onondaga County. The only county that would be able to house that number of incarcerated individuals is Monroe County in the Rochester area. However, Monroe County does not have the personnel to handle the additional work. The Onondaga County Sheriffs Office would not only have to provide the personnel to Monroe County, they would also have to provide all the required services: medical, legal, visitation, religious and educational programs etc. Supposing the Commission of Corrections (the state agency responsible for oversight of all jails in New York) would allow the Monroe County option, the cost would be $122.13 per day per incarcerated individual along with all the other incidentals (Deputy overtime, vehicles, fuel, etc.) for an overall cost of $6 million to $7 million per year. Closing one jail to only open a second jail three counties away is going to save money and help with personnel shortages?

Another argument Ive heard repeatedly is the sheriff has been missing legal appointments in violation of the 2014 Hurrell-Harring lawsuit. Before my administration taking office, 26 legal appointments were missed in the month of December 2022 alone. In my 16 months in office, only two legal appointments have been missed. That argument is off the table!

Closing Jamesville is not good for public safety nor for the people of Onondaga County. I would rather not be involved in lawsuits, but I absolutely have to do all I can to keep people safe. Maybe a housing development would look good on the Jamesville property, but no one will want to move in if I have to let all the incarcerated individuals out. Closing Jamesville is disaster by design, we all know how that will work out.

Toby Shelley

Onondaga County Sheriff

Related: Sheriff says inmate count analysis shows Jamesville closure wont work. McMahon: Find a way
The regular spring turkey season opens May 1 and runs through May 31 in Upstate New York north of the Bronx-Westchester County line, and also in Suffolk County on Long Island. The bag limit is two bearded birds, one per day.

New Yorks spring turkey harvest averages between 16,000 to 18,000 birds, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. But that number varies based on the number of hunters afield, as well as turkey productivity in the previous few springs.

This spring, DEC expects an improved turkey harvest compared to last year. Since hunters prefer to take toms (two+ year-old birds), theres typically a two-year lag between summer productivity and spring take.

Turkey population trends

Overall, the states turkey population is lower compared to the early 2000s, DEC said, confirming what most CNY hunters already know.

But results of a five-year DEC study that concluded in 2021 suggests turkey populations may have stabilized in the south and central portions of the state, said Joshua Twining, a postdoctoral research scientist at Cornell University.

The study was based on millions of photos taken from a network of nearly 3,000 camera traps in forested areas with the goal of providing estimates of the states fisher population.

Findings from our study in the central and western parts of the state dont align with harvest-based trends data collected from across the entire state which suggest that turkey populations might be declining, Twining said, though he cautioned that the study wasnt designed for turkeys and doesnt specifically estimate population size.

DEC is currently working on new abundance estimates for turkeys across the state to better inform species management in the future.

Spring turkey harvest dashboard

In both the spring and fall, DEC uses hunter surveys to estimate turkey harvest. Data from these surveys help biologists understand turkey population trends around the state.

Now for the first time DEC has made hunter survey data available through an online dashboard. The dashboard is basically an interactive map that lets you click on various regions to see historic harvest data to help you better plan your turkey hunts.

Other important info for the 2024 spring turkey season

Hunting is permitted in most areas of the state, except for New York City and Nassau County.

Hunters must have a turkey hunting permit in addition to a hunting license.

Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day.

Hunters may take two bearded turkeys during the spring season, but only one bird per day and no more than one bird per season in Wildlife Management Unit 1C (Suffolk County).

Hunters may not use rifles or handguns firing a bullet. Hunters may hunt with a shotgun or handgun loaded with shot sizes no larger than No. 2 or smaller than No. 9, or with a bow or crossbow. Crossbows may not be used in Westchester or Suffolk counties.

Successful hunters must fill out the tag that comes with a turkey permit and immediately attach it to any turkey harvested.

Successful hunters must report harvests within seven days of taking a bird. Report harvests online at DECs Game Harvest Reporting website or call 1-866-426-3778 (1-866 GAMERPT).

For more information about turkey hunting in New York, see the 2023-24 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide or visit the Turkey Hunting pages of DECs website.

Turkey hunting safety tips

Dont stalk. More than half of turkey hunting injuries happen when a hunter stalks another.

Wear hunter orange at all times. Never wear turkey colors  red, white, or blue.

When sitting still, put hunter orange on a nearby tree.

When calling, sit against a tree to break-up any silhouette.

Wrap any takes or decoys in hunter orange.

Always assume any call or footsteps are from another hunter. Dont shoot until you see the whole turkey and can identify its sex.

When encountering another hunter, speak clearly and dont move. Never wave or use a turkey call to alert another hunter.

Turkeys are tough birds. 30 yards or less is the best distance for a clear head or neck shot. Do not try to shoot turkeys in the body or while they are flying.

Smaller shot, no. 4, 5, and 6, work better than larger shot, due to denser shot patterns. New shotshell technologies allow for shot sizes as small as 8 and 9 to be effective for turkeys. Do research and pattern shotguns to learn what works for each setup.

Buying sporting licenses

Earlier this year, DEC announced that licenses for the 2024-25 license year will be printed on regular old paper, not special synthetic stock. The idea is that this will allow easier access to licenses and tags for at-home printing. The switch, which begins Aug. 1, does not apply to the spring 2024 turkey season.

Sporting licenses may be purchased online at any time, and hunters can use the HuntFishNY mobile app to display an electronic copy. You can also get sporting licenses at any one of the roughly 1,100 License Issuing Agents across the state. Find the closest LIA to you on DECs website.

Hear a ruffed grouse?

DEC would like to know if you hear ruffed grouse drumming while afield to get a sense of the birds distribution and abundance in NY. Visit DECs website or call (518) 402-8883 to download a form. While youre at it, check out DECs citizen science webpage.

Send us your turkey pics!

Wed love to see your bird: long beards, little spurs, its all good. Dont forget to provide (1) names of anyone shown in the photo (2) their hometowns (3) birds weight, length of beard and/or spurs (if possible) (4) where they bagged it. Give us a few colorful details about the hunt, we love a good story.



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Upstate NY siblings bag two spring gobblers on opening day: The training wheels are off - newyorkupstate.com

Manlius youth gets spring gobbler second year in a row - newyorkupstate.com

Steve Featherstone covers the outdoors for The Post-Standard, syracuse.comand NYUP.com. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com or on Twitter @featheroutdoors. You can also follow along with all of our outdoors content at newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/ or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/upstatenyoutdoors.
By Rick Karlin | Times Union, Albany

Albany, N.Y.  The Federal Trade Commission last week made it a lot easier in theory for certain employees to switch jobs within the same industry, but the precise fallout of the ruling wont likely be clear for months.

On Tuesday, the Federal Trade Commission, in a Democratic-Republican party-affiliated 3-2 vote, ruled that non-compete clauses are prohibited for most employees.

Those clauses, when signed by workers, prohibit the employees from going to work for a competitor in the same geographic region and for a certain period of time, such as two years, after leaving a job.

Labor proponents including the AFL-CIO have long disliked these employment clauses, saying it inhibits people from switching jobs for higher pay, thereby suppressing wages overall.

Non-compete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas, and rob the American economy of dynamism, FTC Chair Lina Khan said in announcing the news.

Business operators, though, say the clauses can protect the intellectual property that some employees may gain at a particular company. And they believe a lack of non-competes could be disruptive.

Nationwide, as many as 30 million people may be covered by non-compete clauses of various strictness and scope.

In the Capital Region, employment experts say there are probably several thousand people, at least, who are covered under non-compete clauses, especially in the IT or information technology, engineering, medical fields and among high-level salespeople.

They are very common, said Miriam Dushane, managing partner at Alaant Workforce Solutions, a Capital Region staffing company that works with a lot of IT providers.

It was not entirely unexpected, Robert Schofield, a partner in Albanys Whiteman Osterman & Hanna law firm, said of the FTC decision.

Schofield stressed that the matter will remain unsettled for a while. Thats because the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday sued in federal court in Texas to block the FTC decision. It argues that the decision goes beyond the authority of the FTC.

The court case could go on for months, he said. Moreover, if the White House changes hands next November, a new Republican president, presumably Donald Trump, would probably reverse the FTC decision given his pro-business stance.

And local employers said they are still digesting details of the ruling.

The FTC ruling is several hundred pages long and we are still evaluating its impact on our contracts, a spokesman for St. Peters Health Partners said. Non-competes are often used in the health care industry to retain key employees.

Why they exist

There are reasons why some fields use non-competes.

In a community with just a few major health care practices or hospital groups, for instance, doctors could be lured back and forth with offers of higher pay, more autonomy or better working conditions. Thats especially true for specialty fields where practitioners are few and far between.

But the clauses dont apply just to doctors.

As an example, they are often used among executives in the waste hauling or garbage collection business, Schoefield said.

Its a competitive industry with low profit margins and an executive at a particular waste hauler would have inside knowledge of the operations and how they can haul trash more efficiently.

For information technology, Dushane said thats a big field in the Capital Region with several companies providing IT or computer programming work to state agencies. Non-compete clauses can prevent employees from leaving for a few dollars an hour more.

Non-competes often lay out geographic limits saying, for example, that a specialized pediatric oncologist cant jump to a competing hospital or health care practice within a 50-mile radius, or after two years upon leaving a job.

The issue of non-competes has been around for years, with labor and employee advocates pointing to cases where camp counselors and hairstylists have been asked to sign such agreements, which would presumably keep them out of their local labor market for two years after leaving a given employer.

Business operators tend to see it as destabilizing. And some argue that its unfair to let a person, who gained technical knowledge and experience to take the knowledge elsewhere unless some time has passed.

That explains the time limits, such as two years, Schofield said.

Additionally, there are still rules against solicitation, which in this context means taking ones clients or customers when changing jobs.

Examples

Non-competes have been at the center of some well-known disputes such as the case of the Jimmy Johns sandwich chain. The company dropped its non-compete clauses in 2016 under pressure from then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman who said the agreements had locked minimum wage employees into their jobs at the chain.

Additionally, several states in recent years, notably California, Oregon and Minnesota, have passed laws banning or curtailing non-compete clauses.

Last year, lawmakers in New York passed a bill to ban non-competes but Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed it in December.

The bill was opposed by the states politically powerful and deep-pocketed banks and investment firms that argued a ban on non-competes could hurt Wall Streets status as a financial center.

Hochul wanted the non-compete ban to apply to lower wage workers, exempting top investment executives, but the two sides couldnt reach an agreement by the end of the year.

There is one profession that is exempt from non-compete clauses, Schofield said, and that is lawyers. The exemption is based on the idea that clients have a right to choose their lawyer no matter where they may be practicing.

___

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Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
extreme_torque Senior - BHPian



Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,407 Thanked: 5,257 Times

re: Your review of Air India | 2 years since Tata took over



Coming back to Air India, I had high hopes given they have been acquired by Tata and it had been a reasonably long time since the acquisition. The Melbourne to Delhi flight had non working infotainment screens and not just mine. None of screens in my row were working and it was the same story in most rows. If I were to hazard a guess, more than 70% of the screens were not working. And this is on a 12.5 hour long haul direct flight mind you. Fortunately I was well prepared for such an eventuality and had movies downloaded via Netflix on my iPad. The seats had decent legroom but the foot stand was missing on my seat and a lot of other seats too. The food and overall service was pretty average as well and they dont serve alcohol/wine after taking off even if you ask for it. Its only in between the meals half way into the flight.



If you think this was bad, Delhi to Melbourne was worse. It started well though. The domestic flight from Delhi to Mumbai was great - the plane was clean and smelled nice, the food was pretty great as well and all the infotainment screens were working. Surely the international route would be the same if not better, or so I thought. The Mumbai to Melbourne flight has the dubious distinction of being my worst international flying experience ever - the seats were worn right down to the nub, the foot stands were missing again, instead of 70%, it was more like 90% of the infotainment screens werent working, the plan smelled bad and 3 of the toilets were out of order - this is on a long haul direct international flight mind you. I cannot fathom how they think it is okay to provide such a terrible experience on an international long haul flight. Tata should be ashamed of themselves. I am NOT flying Air India ever again, even if they offer me the cheapest price possible on a flight.



Was on twitter/X after my experience and chanced upon this lady complaining about the same flight as well.

https://twitter.com/AboutIndia/statu...18807793357025



P.S. Have also posted this on the international airlines thread. Recently flew Air India from Melbourne to Delhi and the Delhi to Melbourne via Mumbai and it was possibly the worst experience I have ever had on an international flight. The previous worse was Sri Lankan airlines but it was mostly due to a long 3 hour flight delay and Colombo being less of an airport but more of a glorified train station. The flying experience was pretty okay and the stuff inside the aircraft was working properly and the food and the general presentation was quote okay too.Coming back to Air India, I had high hopes given they have been acquired by Tata and it had been a reasonably long time since the acquisition. The Melbourne to Delhi flight had non working infotainment screens and not just mine. None of screens in my row were working and it was the same story in most rows. If I were to hazard a guess, more than 70% of the screens were not working. And this is on a 12.5 hour long haul direct flight mind you. Fortunately I was well prepared for such an eventuality and had movies downloaded via Netflix on my iPad. The seats had decent legroom but the foot stand was missing on my seat and a lot of other seats too. The food and overall service was pretty average as well and they dont serve alcohol/wine after taking off even if you ask for it. Its only in between the meals half way into the flight.If you think this was bad, Delhi to Melbourne was worse. It started well though. The domestic flight from Delhi to Mumbai was great - the plane was clean and smelled nice, the food was pretty great as well and all the infotainment screens were working. Surely the international route would be the same if not better, or so I thought. The Mumbai to Melbourne flight has the dubious distinction of being my worst international flying experience ever - the seats were worn right down to the nub, the foot stands were missing again, instead of 70%, it was more like 90% of the infotainment screens werent working, the plan smelled bad and 3 of the toilets were out of order - this is on a long haul direct international flight mind you. I cannot fathom how they think it is okay to provide such a terrible experience on an international long haul flight. Tata should be ashamed of themselves. I am NOT flying Air India ever again, even if they offer me the cheapest price possible on a flight.Was on twitter/X after my experience and chanced upon this lady complaining about the same flight as well.P.S. Have also posted this on the international airlines thread.
Ayu8648 BHPian

Join Date: Jan 2024 Location: Mumbai Posts: 29 Thanked: 464 Times

Switched to a 2011 Toyota Etios 1.5 from a VW Polo | Ownership Report



Now starting with the post I'll divide it into three parts i.e

 why the etios that to a 3rd hand one.

 The Car.

 our experience so far.

(Note- Its my aunts car so it was her making majority of the decisions, I was the one giving suggestions)





1. Reason to go for the Etios-

So search for a new car started somewhere early in 2022 after we had to part our ways with our beloved Vw Polo 1.2 TDI 2012 Model unwillingly because of its sudden gasket failure which happened so suddenly when the car was doing well otherwise, the repair costs quoted were exorbitantly high and we had no option but to sell it on point (I wasn't even able to see it for one last time) letting that car go was/is the hardest thing EVER, mainly because of special place I have for her in my heart and forgetting a car which you've had an association with for one long decade is impossible and even more so when its your first love, which happened to you when you were as small as 6 years old! I still remember walking into the Vw showroom with my tiny feets with having zero interest in the polo and leaving with only her in my heart (Also the Jetta!).

Well, thats a story for some other day.



These were the cars we checked out-

( I wasn't present in any of the test drives so the showroom experience is in my Aunt's point of view)





(Image sourced from Team BHP)



1. Kia Sonet- It was a car my aunt insisted on test driving, but I wasn't as keen because it just wasn't the right upgrade to the polo but she anyway test drove the 1.2 IMT and was okay with the performance of the car. The car overall was good but the quality was clearly a downgrade and the waiting period stretched to almost 6 months! and that wasn't okay because we wanted the car immediately, so the sonet was kept on hold.







(Image sourced from Team BHP)



2. Magnite - Again a fantastic car. Nicely designed, offered great value but was striked out pretty easily as soon as my aunt closed the doors, The car literally shaked and a friend who was accompanying her had to remind her that its a magnite and not the polo. Despite of knowing that its a 4 Star rated car, she just wasn't confident about its built. She didn't even bother to test drive it, Magnite was clearly off our minds.







(Image sourced from Team BHP)



3. Taigun - Now the Taigun wasn't on our list due to the price and also otherwise but she couldn't resist checking it out when the showroom was just opposite. Test drove the 1.5 GT plus and understood what the hype was about my aunt was really impressed with it but a downside that even she noticed was the build that was just slightly lower than the polo but that was manageable. The Taigun looks absolutely Fabulous in the Curcuma Yellow. It was just the right car to upgrade to but what wasn't manageable was the price even the base taigun Comfortline costed 13.50 OTR and hence there was no question of the Taigun .



We did see other cars but but none picked our interests,

Now we were in dilemma as to what next? My Aunt had the Sonet 1.2 Turbo petrol IMT on her mind, she was in a place where the want to try a new brand was outweighing the negatives of the car which were in LOADS. the only thing putting her off was the waiting period of 5 months (which was good for me) I wasn't even remotely impressed by the Sonet, Knowing Kia as a brand I knew we were settling for something less.

Honestly, there weren't any great cars to upgrade to, the only car that could possibly be an upgrade was the Taigun, I wanted it to be the Taigun anyway (Now the Virtus!). Also the feeling we get while buying a new car was absent. One of the reasons being the Sonet. We gave it a thought and to my relief we decided to go for a second hand car wait for a few years and ultimately go back to Vw



From here the journey of hunting second hand cars Started, this was around March 2022. Now with a budget of 3-4 lakhs we checked out a few cars, our priorities weren't many apart from the obvious ones i e safety, the built, preferably petrol and one of the main one was having a higher ground clearance making ingress and egress easy for the elderly in our family. This being the first second hand car in the family we didn't know much about the criterias of inspecting the car.

Some people in the know suggested cars like celerio or the wagonr according to our budget but there was no way we were buying any of the two in 3-4 lakhs we knew we would get a better car at the same price and continued our search, checked out the city 2013 model, this car got an immediate green flag from me because of the comfort it offered and I personally liked the styling of the car but the problem was that it wasn't maintained well and GC was not enough either, Next was the ecosport which again got a BIG yes from me but was striked off because my aunt feared of getting the same service experience like Vw moreover fords absence in the country only added to the concern. Saw the duster and it was just perfect but that demanded us to stretch our budget quite a bit, admist all of this we came across a 2011 Etios VX, second owner and 66000 km driven. It immediately grabbed our attention because it was comparatively less driven and frankly for a Toyota 66000 is nothing and most importantly it was immaculately well maintained, there were a few small dents but they weren't any sort of deal breakers and also the price was well into our budget infact almost half of it!

There was no way we were letting this car go We had a look at the car and were very satisfied with it. So the Etios it was, got the paper work done and bought her home on Akshay Tritiya on 3 May 2022.





THE CAR



Exterior-



The car as I said before was extremely well maintained it didn't remind the fact that it had changed a couple of owners. There were two dents below the ORVMS and a small one on the bootlide, the headlamps had turned yellow and that was the only thing that needed replacement, which we replaced in the first service. It looks okayish on the front but hundred times better than the rear. My most favourite part ahead is the Innova derived cute smiling grill.





On the back, the car looks too much like the Logan/Verito sedans and moreover I am not a fan of those stubby triangle shaped taillamps and to add to my discomfort the car came with black bumper protectors which I hate, to me they spoil the look of the car.

What I Personally liked is the Serene Bluish Silver shade as what Toyota likes to call it, its an interesting colour where sometimes in direct sun it comes upon as various shades of blue and silver.







From the side the car looks pretty proportionate, doesn't look Liva with a boot stubbed forcefully on it. I like how the shoulder line continues its way on the A pillar to all the way back to the C pillar. The Side skirts definitely do good to this car and add a hint of sportiness. The alloys do a good job of filling the wheel arches but in my opinion a set of 4 chunky alloys would look just great.

Built wise the car is very light, the doors are feather light they just won't hang on the way and are always on the way to close themselves quite the opposite of the doors on the polo which had three steps for opening and closing.







Like everybody says the Etios is a very plain Jain looking car it doesn't try hard to impress you, Toyota certainly played it safe with the design but to me I think its a kind of design that grows on you after a while.

Its a car where car is the way it is, it does not die to grab your eyeballs. Its having that kind of an attitude like 'I am the way I am, if you like me then that's great, if you don't then that's your problem'. I think Etios is that type of a car and I've come to like it and moreover the smiling grill only adds to my appeal.





Interior- Now this is a part where I think Toyota messed up Big time. the interior design as well as the quality feels horribly cheap especially after getting used to the quality of the polo, the etios felt extremely inferior.





Problem isn't with the no nonsense approach but the way things have been put together and the tacky quality. For Eg the buttons that do not have the reassuring feel to them.



Aesthetically the dash looks just okay not a fan of having the instrument cluster in the centre, but I like the round Ac vents though.

Equipment wise this car doesn't offer much, just the necessary things like air conditioning, power windows, central locking and a few others including a cooled glove box. This being the VX it came with leather seats and red fabric inserts on the door pad. What I like the most of being inside though is the space, theres acres and acres of space, its by far the most comfortable car in our family. In the Polo due to the low ground Clearance and limited space, my grandparents used to find it uncomfortable to get in. Initially we doubted if this car would be comfortable in case of ingress and egress for them but we were more than happy when we got a thumbs up from them. Seating 3 abreast is not at all a Problem, infact fitting 4 skinny people for short distances is possible also the cushioning of the seats is perfect. The fact that the seats are not contoured add to the comfort of the middle passenger. The Boot is HUGE by every standards, everybody always complained about the small boot in the polo and how they couldn't fit their luggage while on trips but with the etios they can fit all their world and can sleep in the boot themselves! On a serious note Etios's boot can really put some Executive sedans to shame.

Overall the Whole interior was stock apart from the tacky steering wheel cover the previous owner had put. The only change that We made was the Audio system which according to my Aunt looked old and weird, I personally don't like to mess up with the electricals of the car and prefer to keep it stock and I tried to convince her to keep the stock system but... anyway.





Etios under the cracked skies

Mechanically the car does well .The 1.5 motor does a good job being under the hood, the car feels peppy to drive and its a joy when you receive the power in a quick and linear way. This 1.5 motor feels much active than the sluggish 1.2 TDI which used to get alive only past the 2000 rpm mark and used to need working the gears under heavy conditions, the light weight of the etios helps alot to make it light on its foot, It feels very drivable than the polo. What it cannot match is the ofcourse Stability and the Handling dynamics of the polo. Etios just doesn't give the confidence on high speeds the way polo gave. Comparing them would be an idiot's task.

The ride quality is very nice, soaks up all the bumps and this is even when the shock absorbers are not in their ideal condition. The thing that messes the experience is the poor sound insulation, the wind noise is clearly audible even when you aren't on high speeds, that takes away the sense of the otherwise comfortable interior.





Etios with her very old relative

THE EXPERIENCE







It has been almost 2 years with the car and it has given us no issues whatsoever (its a Toyota afterall, what else do you expect), we've crossed the 85000 kms mark and are looking forward to make it upto the lakh mark. The car serves its promise of being practical and importantly reliable. We get around 10 kmpl in the city and 16 kmpl on the Highways, it drives well and is considerably fun to drive, especially with having the 1.5 motor in such a light car it actually feels breeze like to drive. It is exactly the 'Fill it shut it and Forget it' type of a car, ekdum tension free. Its a relief to own her especially after owning a german car for so many years, which gave a new problem every month (hey, I am not complaining!) .My Aunt finds the fact that the earth would not end if this car is not serviced on time oddly uncomfortable.







Just the regular service at 6 months intervals because of the the high running. Its doing great, even maintenance wise the bill hasn't crossed 10 k mark, we haven't changed anything mechanically yet. We only replaced the audio system and replaced the headlamps which was worth the 3000 bucks because now the car looks thousand times better. Tyres are the same, suspension also doesn't need any work. So basically the car is all good to go 1 more year before it is set to be replaced (Hopefully A hearty thanks to the previous owners of the car for treating her so nicely. Whenever the time comes I hope she goes to an owner who will continue to treat her as nicely.





Etios and long drives

Things I wish were improved

1. Quality- Even if it is a 4 star rated car, the build doesn't inspire confidence. I am sure a bit more weight wouldn't take a hit on the fuel Economy. The quality of interior trim reminds me of cars that are well below the segment. On high speeds over the highways when you go over a few rumble strips, the whole dashboard vibrates as if it's going to fall apart anytime. In some places like the boot and the front doors the panel gaps are clearly evident, the first time I noticed the gap on the bootlide I thought the boot was actually open. Toyota didn't have to make the fact that 'the Etios twins are built to a price' this public.



2. Equipment- I am not much of a techy person but would certainly not mind having a few basic useful features like a Bootlamp, keyless go, rear reading lights, Rear fog lamps and a nice pair of keys.



3. Rear End- I do not have any problem with the look of the car but the rear end is something I can't stand. For me the front and rear do not compliment each other. The split tail lamp like effect that Toyota tried to give with the Platinum Etios polished things a bit but there was a whole room for improvement even further.



4. Sound Insulation- Now this comes under quality but it deserves a special mention. All the wind noise is clearly audible on high speeds, as it is Etios does not inspire much confidence on high speeds and the poor sound insulation adds to that.



5. Desirability- All the above mentioned Things I wish were improvedIt isn't a desirable car by any means. Its genuinely a good car but you understand that only once you live with it. Toyota went so strict with the car that it was deprived of desire.



Interestingly, when you think about the two cars , the Polo and the Etios, you realise that despite of them being so different they are yet too similar. The biggest similarity is the strict no nonsense approach, you dont get unnecessary crap like 10 air purifiers, 100 colour ambient lighting, 50 wireless chargers to tickle your fancy, the two offer the stuff that you require and then some more. Both the cars are well built and safe, Etios takes a small step back in the former though. You'll have fun in the driver's seat of both these machines, the Polo gives you a sudden bang after a considerable turbo lag whereas in the Etios power delivery is linear. Most importantly both of them are very respectable cars, both of them have strong fan bases who swear by these machines. Also, The two cars fabulously depict the values of their respective brands then may it be the Tough build and the german engineering of the polo or the Japanese reliability of the Etios.





The best angle of the car

Honestly, I wasn't happy with the idea of getting the etios initially because it didn't feel right after experiencing a Vw for a decade. Also, its uber image didn't go well with me but overtime when I looked at the Etios as an independent car I came to like it because firstly its a Fantasically engineered car, if you see, its a car which has got all the basics right and how! - Comfort, Ride quality, safety, is peppy to drive and space, everything thing that matters is more than perfect. This car doesn't have the flash, both technologically and aesthetically that some other car have but its more than perfect in the areas it must be. Etios is that introvert who is shy to interact with others but is quite confident and capable of doing great things. Toyota actually did an exceptional job considering that the Etios twins were their first small cars but they outdid themselves to a great extent that it misfired. All the positives became negatives, The twins were so good that they found more Taxi drivers than private owners, dont forget the toyota badge that cemented the trust even more. Ofcourse nobody wants to be seen in a car that is so common in Taxis. Most of the times people just pass it on as if its something utterly inferior by saying its a Taxi car and fail to understand how remarkably well built the car really is overall. Its a shame that people really didn't care about the car, how comfortable, how spacious, how balanced it was, all they were bothered about was the image. The fact that people never truly understood the potential of this car, my friends, breaks my heart.



Etios says Bye! Firstly before starting with the car let me tell you all that this is my first post on Team BHP, so please pardon me for my mistakes and most importantly a BIG thank you to the Moderators for making me a part of this heaven of a community, TRULY thank you!Now starting with the post I'll divide it into three parts i.e why the etios that to a 3rd hand one. The Car. our experience so far.(Note- Its my aunts car so it was her making majority of the decisions, I was the one giving suggestions)1. Reason to go for the Etios-So search for a new car started somewhere early in 2022 after we had to part our ways with our beloved Vw Polo 1.2 TDI 2012 Model unwillingly because of its sudden gasket failure which happened so suddenly when the car was doing well otherwise, the repair costs quoted were exorbitantly high and we had no option but to sell it on point (I wasn't even able to see it for one last time) letting that car go was/is the hardest thing EVER, mainly because of special place I have for her in my heart and forgetting a car which you've had an association with for one long decade is impossible and even more so when its your first love, which happened to you when you were as small as 6 years old! I still remember walking into the Vw showroom with my tiny feets with having zero interest in the polo and leaving with only her in my heart (Also the Jetta!).Well, thats a story for some other day.These were the cars we checked out-( I wasn't present in any of the test drives so the showroom experience is in my Aunt's point of view)(Image sourced from Team BHP)1. Kia Sonet- It was a car my aunt insisted on test driving, but I wasn't as keen because it just wasn't the right upgrade to the polo but she anyway test drove the 1.2 IMT and was okay with the performance of the car. The car overall was good but the quality was clearly a downgrade and the waiting period stretched to almost 6 months! and that wasn't okay because we wanted the car immediately, so the sonet was kept on hold.(Image sourced from Team BHP)2. Magnite - Again a fantastic car. Nicely designed, offered great value but was striked out pretty easily as soon as my aunt closed the doors, The car literally shaked and a friend who was accompanying her had to remind her that its a magnite and not the polo. Despite of knowing that its a 4 Star rated car, she just wasn't confident about its built. She didn't even bother to test drive it, Magnite was clearly off our minds.(Image sourced from Team BHP)3. Taigun - Now the Taigun wasn't on our list due to the price and also otherwise but she couldn't resist checking it out when the showroom was just opposite. Test drove the 1.5 GT plus and understood what the hype was about my aunt was really impressed with it but a downside that even she noticed was the build that was just slightly lower than the polo but that was manageable. The Taigun looks absolutely Fabulous in the Curcuma Yellow. It was just the right car to upgrade to but what wasn't manageable was the price even the base taigun Comfortline costed 13.50 OTR and hence there was no question of the Taigun .We did see other cars but but none picked our interests,Now we were in dilemma as to what next? My Aunt had the Sonet 1.2 Turbo petrol IMT on her mind, she was in a place where the want to try a new brand was outweighing the negatives of the car which were in LOADS. the only thing putting her off was the waiting period of 5 months (which was good for me) I wasn't even remotely impressed by the Sonet, Knowing Kia as a brand I knew we were settling for something less.Honestly, there weren't any great cars to upgrade to, the only car that could possibly be an upgrade was the Taigun, I wanted it to be the Taigun anyway (Now the Virtus!). Also the feeling we get while buying a new car was absent. One of the reasons being the Sonet. We gave it a thought and to my relief we decided to go for a second hand car wait for a few years and ultimately go back to VwFrom here the journey of hunting second hand cars Started, this was around March 2022. Now with a budget of 3-4 lakhs we checked out a few cars, our priorities weren't many apart from the obvious ones i e safety, the built, preferably petrol and one of the main one was having a higher ground clearance making ingress and egress easy for the elderly in our family. This being the first second hand car in the family we didn't know much about the criterias of inspecting the car.Some people in the know suggested cars like celerio or the wagonr according to our budget but there was no way we were buying any of the two in 3-4 lakhs we knew we would get a better car at the same price and continued our search, checked out the city 2013 model, this car got an immediate green flag from me because of the comfort it offered and I personally liked the styling of the car but the problem was that it wasn't maintained well and GC was not enough either, Next was the ecosport which again got a BIG yes from me but was striked off because my aunt feared of getting the same service experience like Vw moreover fords absence in the country only added to the concern. Saw the duster and it was just perfect but that demanded us to stretch our budget quite a bit, admist all of this we came across a 2011 Etios VX, second owner and 66000 km driven. It immediately grabbed our attention because it was comparatively less driven and frankly for a Toyota 66000 is nothing and most importantly it was immaculately well maintained, there were a few small dents but they weren't any sort of deal breakers and also the price was well into our budget infact almost half of it!There was no way we were letting this car go We had a look at the car and were very satisfied with it. So the Etios it was, got the paper work done and bought her home on Akshay Tritiya on 3 May 2022.THE CARExterior-The car as I said before was extremely well maintained it didn't remind the fact that it had changed a couple of owners. There were two dents below the ORVMS and a small one on the bootlide, the headlamps had turned yellow and that was the only thing that needed replacement, which we replaced in the first service. It looks okayish on the front but hundred times better than the rear. My most favourite part ahead is the Innova derived cute smiling grill.On the back, the car looks too much like the Logan/Verito sedans and moreover I am not a fan of those stubby triangle shaped taillamps and to add to my discomfort the car came with black bumper protectors which I hate, to me they spoil the look of the car.What I Personally liked is the Serene Bluish Silver shade as what Toyota likes to call it, its an interesting colour where sometimes in direct sun it comes upon as various shades of blue and silver.From the side the car looks pretty proportionate, doesn't look Liva with a boot stubbed forcefully on it. I like how the shoulder line continues its way on the A pillar to all the way back to the C pillar. The Side skirts definitely do good to this car and add a hint of sportiness. The alloys do a good job of filling the wheel arches but in my opinion a set of 4 chunky alloys would look just great.Built wise the car is very light, the doors are feather light they just won't hang on the way and are always on the way to close themselves quite the opposite of the doors on the polo which had three steps for opening and closing.Like everybody says the Etios is a very plain Jain looking car it doesn't try hard to impress you, Toyota certainly played it safe with the design but to me I think its a kind of design that grows on you after a while.Its a car where car is the way it is, it does not die to grab your eyeballs. Its having that kind of an attitude like 'I am the way I am, if you like me then that's great, if you don't then that's your problem'. I think Etios is that type of a car and I've come to like it and moreover the smiling grill only adds to my appeal.Interior- Now this is a part where I think Toyota messed up Big time. the interior design as well as the quality feels horribly cheap especially after getting used to the quality of the polo, the etios felt extremely inferior.Problem isn't with the no nonsense approach but the way things have been put together and the tacky quality. For Eg the buttons that do not have the reassuring feel to them.Aesthetically the dash looks just okay not a fan of having the instrument cluster in the centre, but I like the round Ac vents though.Equipment wise this car doesn't offer much, just the necessary things like air conditioning, power windows, central locking and a few others including a cooled glove box. This being the VX it came with leather seats and red fabric inserts on the door pad. What I like the most of being inside though is the space, theres acres and acres of space, its by far the most comfortable car in our family. In the Polo due to the low ground Clearance and limited space, my grandparents used to find it uncomfortable to get in. Initially we doubted if this car would be comfortable in case of ingress and egress for them but we were more than happy when we got a thumbs up from them. Seating 3 abreast is not at all a Problem, infact fitting 4 skinny people for short distances is possible also the cushioning of the seats is perfect. The fact that the seats are not contoured add to the comfort of the middle passenger. The Boot is HUGE by every standards, everybody always complained about the small boot in the polo and how they couldn't fit their luggage while on trips but with the etios they can fit all their world and can sleep in the boot themselves! On a serious note Etios's boot can really put some Executive sedans to shame.Overall the Whole interior was stock apart from the tacky steering wheel cover the previous owner had put. The only change that We made was the Audio system which according to my Aunt looked old and weird, I personally don't like to mess up with the electricals of the car and prefer to keep it stock and I tried to convince her to keep the stock system but... anyway.Mechanically the car does well .The 1.5 motor does a good job being under the hood, the car feels peppy to drive and its a joy when you receive the power in a quick and linear way. This 1.5 motor feels much active than the sluggish 1.2 TDI which used to get alive only past the 2000 rpm mark and used to need working the gears under heavy conditions, the light weight of the etios helps alot to make it light on its foot, It feels very drivable than the polo. What it cannot match is the ofcourse Stability and the Handling dynamics of the polo. Etios just doesn't give the confidence on high speeds the way polo gave. Comparing them would be an idiot's task.The ride quality is very nice, soaks up all the bumps and this is even when the shock absorbers are not in their ideal condition. The thing that messes the experience is the poor sound insulation, the wind noise is clearly audible even when you aren't on high speeds, that takes away the sense of the otherwise comfortable interior.THE EXPERIENCEIt has been almost 2 years with the car and it has given us no issues whatsoever (its a Toyota afterall, what else do you expect), we've crossed the 85000 kms mark and are looking forward to make it upto the lakh mark. The car serves its promise of being practical and importantly reliable. We get around 10 kmpl in the city and 16 kmpl on the Highways, it drives well and is considerably fun to drive, especially with having the 1.5 motor in such a light car it actually feels breeze like to drive. It is exactly the 'Fill it shut it and Forget it' type of a car, ekdum tension free. Its a relief to own her especially after owning a german car for so many years, which gave a new problem every month (hey, I am not complaining!) .My Aunt finds the fact that the earth would not end if this car is not serviced on time oddly uncomfortable.Just the regular service at 6 months intervals because of the the high running. Its doing great, even maintenance wise the bill hasn't crossed 10 k mark, we haven't changed anything mechanically yet. We only replaced the audio system and replaced the headlamps which was worth the 3000 bucks because now the car looks thousand times better. Tyres are the same, suspension also doesn't need any work. So basically the car is all good to go 1 more year before it is set to be replaced (HopefullyA hearty thanks to the previous owners of the car for treating her so nicely. Whenever the time comes I hope she goes to an owner who will continue to treat her as nicely.Things I wish were improved1. Quality- Even if it is a 4 star rated car, the build doesn't inspire confidence. I am sure a bit more weight wouldn't take a hit on the fuel Economy. The quality of interior trim reminds me of cars that are well below the segment. On high speeds over the highways when you go over a few rumble strips, the whole dashboard vibrates as if it's going to fall apart anytime. In some places like the boot and the front doors the panel gaps are clearly evident, the first time I noticed the gap on the bootlide I thought the boot was actually open. Toyota didn't have to make the fact that 'the Etios twins are built to a price' this public.2. Equipment- I am not much of a techy person but would certainly not mind having a few basic useful features like a Bootlamp, keyless go, rear reading lights, Rear fog lamps and a nice pair of keys.3. Rear End- I do not have any problem with the look of the car but the rear end is something I can't stand. For me the front and rear do not compliment each other. The split tail lamp like effect that Toyota tried to give with the Platinum Etios polished things a bit but there was a whole room for improvement even further.4. Sound Insulation- Now this comes under quality but it deserves a special mention. All the wind noise is clearly audible on high speeds, as it is Etios does not inspire much confidence on high speeds and the poor sound insulation adds to that.5. Desirability- All the above mentioned Things I wish were improvedIt isn't a desirable car by any means. Its genuinely a good car but you understand that only once you live with it. Toyota went so strict with the car that it was deprived of desire.Interestingly, when you think about the two cars , the Polo and the Etios, you realise that despite of them being so different they are yet too similar. The biggest similarity is the strict no nonsense approach, you dont get unnecessary crap like 10 air purifiers, 100 colour ambient lighting, 50 wireless chargers to tickle your fancy, the two offer the stuff that you require and then some more. Both the cars are well built and safe, Etios takes a small step back in the former though. You'll have fun in the driver's seat of both these machines, the Polo gives you a sudden bang after a considerable turbo lag whereas in the Etios power delivery is linear. Most importantly both of them are very respectable cars, both of them have strong fan bases who swear by these machines. Also, The two cars fabulously depict the values of their respective brands then may it be the Tough build and the german engineering of the polo or the Japanese reliability of the Etios.Honestly, I wasn't happy with the idea of getting the etios initially because it didn't feel right after experiencing a Vw for a decade. Also, its uber image didn't go well with me but overtime when I looked at the Etios as an independent car I came to like it because firstly its a Fantasically engineered car, if you see, its a car which has got all the basics right and how! - Comfort, Ride quality, safety, is peppy to drive and space, everything thing that matters is more than perfect. This car doesn't have the flash, both technologically and aesthetically that some other car have but its more than perfect in the areas it must be. Etios is that introvert who is shy to interact with others but is quite confident and capable of doing great things. Toyota actually did an exceptional job considering that the Etios twins were their first small cars but they outdid themselves to a great extent that it misfired. All the positives became negatives, The twins were so good that they found more Taxi drivers than private owners, dont forget the toyota badge that cemented the trust even more. Ofcourse nobody wants to be seen in a car that is so common in Taxis. Most of the times people just pass it on as if its something utterly inferior by saying its a Taxi car and fail to understand how remarkably well built the car really is overall. Its a shame that people really didn't care about the car, how comfortable, how spacious, how balanced it was, all they were bothered about was the image. The fact that people never truly understood the potential of this car, my friends, breaks my heart.
desi_motorhead Newbie



Join Date: Jul 2023 Location: India Posts: 9 Thanked: 69 Times

2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 Ownership Review



I've been riding motorcycles for over a decade now, both my previously owned ones being Royal Enfields', I wanted to get something different for a change especially since there are so many new launches happening this year.



Little background leading up to the decision to go for the 401, My first motorcycle was a Bullet 350 UCE(clocked 40k Kms) which I had for six years and later got the RE Continental GT 535(clocked over 1.8 lakh kms) in 2017



The Bullet was my first motorcycle, got it second hand and it thought me a lot in terms of riding a heavier bike in traffic, on the highway and also to deal with the issues that came with it in terms of quality, and repairs.

Then came the GT when RE launched the 535, I felt it a bit odd to bring back a retro concept and add modern equipment on it, but when I rode it for the first time I fell in Love with they way it handled itself and it was a huge difference from how the Bullet felt.

Which for me was a very fun motorcycle to ride and the fun part of riding was the most important aspect I was looking for while test riding the choices on offer.



Since I owned two RE's already, I checked out both the Continental GT 650 and the New Himalayan 450

The GT 650 has a great engine but the suspension felt disconnected and with RE now adding USD forks on the new models it would be worth the wait for the next variant of the GT650

The Himalayan is a huge step up from the previous generation with the showa suspension and a new engine, it was the closest contender and almost bought it but cancelled in the end when the Husky was launched.



Then came the 2024 KTM Duke 390, the biggest differentiating factor was how light it was in comparison to the RE's and has a lot of power on offer, test rode it four times over varying distances and it felt great but the design of the Duke is not something I can live with, its just too polarising for my taste.



Triumph speed 400, the bike looks great and finish qualities are top notch and its compact for all that it offers, test rode it two times but I felt it lacked the power at the top-end, I somehow felt my 535 was more powerful on highways.



HD 440X This was another surprise for me, the motorcycle looks modern but has a retro feel while riding, it feels laid back and can do daily commutes really well and also light cruising which would fell very similar to touring on a Bullet or Classic but not what I was looking for.



Aprilia RS 457 - This is probably the most anticipated motorcycle and the only other twin cylinder engine apart from RE manufactured in India at a reasonable price.

Test ride was not available only the display bike at Marathahalli showroom, on paper and per reviews its a great bike but Im not a fan of the faired motorcycle, but would definitely take a chance on something like the RS457, the biggest question was how would Aprilia handle the after sales service which is yet to be seen so did not want to get one now.



The Husky had launched in January but there was no news about the bike at the dealers till end of March, they kept saying RTO approval was pending, not sure what that was about but in the end of March I contacted the dealer just to check as I was going to pay for the Hmalayan 450 in April.

KTM Indiranagar dealer said that the bikes will be available from first week of April, so I decided to wait for another week.

Once I saw the bikes in the flesh, I felt this was what i would be getting, the design just grew on me - I like simple designs and prefer more functional elements.



Next thing I knew, cancelled the Himalayan and paid for the Svartpilen 401, there was no test ride bike but I had ridden the Duke so I had a good idea of how it felt - it was fun to ride and somehow knew this would be no different.



Delivery took another week after payment as I wanted to take the motorcycle with the number plates fixed at the showroom.



On-Road Cost (Bengaluru):

Ex-Showroom Price:  291737

RTO-LTT & Registration:  59351

Comprehensive Insurance:  32708

RSA:  1340

Total:  385139



Initial observations:

The bike is just as light as the Duke 390 and just as fun , major difference being the raised handle bars and how the ride feels due to the different tires. The power is great but the one thing that stands out is how light it feels, I've done about 250kms of riding, the engine feels smooth and does run hot - its new and peak summer - it should get better after the first service.

The quickshifter works as intended but its my first time using one so will need to get used to it, I did have trouble finding neutral couple of times though.



The motorcycle came with Apollo Tires, Dealer said they did not get approval for the Pirelli's, for me its not a huge thing, I would have changed them out once they wear out anyways - not planning on adding super expensive tyres.

But Husqvarna India/Bajaj should have made some announcements on this especially for prospective customers.



The Spoke Wheels - Yes fixing flats would be a pain but the dealer said I can change to alloys at the service center, I'm not in a hurry to do that as yet, I've dealt with punctures on a heavier motorcycles multiple times so not really worried about it.



One con I noticed from the start was how low the horn sounds, I was told its as per pollution regulations but on the highway its useless especially with all the wind and with large trucks.



Will share an update once the first service is done.



EDIT 1:



Have done close to 500kms on the motorcycle,



Likes:



- The lightweight feeling with all the power is really addictive

- Quickshifter works well and really smooth once past 70KMPH

- Compactness of the whole package, amazing to see how a small engine puts out ~46bhp

- The chassis and engine is great combination in the corners, very responsive

- Simple and useful dashboard layout it is easy to switch between switching off traction control and ABS(rear only)

- The headlight has good throw both for low beam and high beam, I don't feel the need to add an auxiliary lights.

- Comfortable seat, its long and has good cushioning- not too soft or too hard.



Dislikes:



- There is lack of torque low down in the rev range, but since I've been used to motorcycles which have been the opposite, I'm still getting the hang of it.

- The horn is too low, would need to change before I take it on highway runs

- Spoke wheels - yes it can be changed but I feel Bajaj/Husqvarna could have given a choice to upgrade through a MYI type option from the showroom itself, anyways will change them in future

- No Bluetooth connectivity, contacted the dealer to understand how to get this as an add-on as nothing was mentioned during delivery.

- There is strangely only one mode - Street - not sure why they did not just remove and keep the Traction control and ABS options.



Engine heat and vibes are not a con for me, its a single cylinder motorcycle and will have both which become part of riding or more manageable over time.





Attaching a few images,

Cheers. !



The first time I got to see the Motorcycle was at Delivery:





The engine has BAJAJ engraved on it, not sure if the KTM's have this as well..





The DRL is circular and unique in this class and looks really good





The Dash is nice and clean, displays all the required information and has option to choose different display modes(All info, info with favourites and reduced info)







Seat is long and comfortable, did not have any discomfort over 2-3 hrs of continuous riding and nice logo detailing on it.





Not sure why they have mentioned tire pressures with decimals, i'll just be using 29-32 (maybe these pressures were for the Pirelli's ?..)





Can't comment on the Apollo Tramplr XR yet- hope they are good









Rear wheel has two weights added and none on the front wheel





The horn has a really low sound, definitely not useful on highways





The inlets to fill engine oil, and coolant, rear brake fluid are all on the right side - really helpful while servicing





Bash plate has good coverage underneath, I like how Husqvarna did not charge extra for this and the compact engine guards





The suspension works well, but i'm still getting used to it, nice to see they are easily adjustable (the rear requires a tool though)











Very subtle branding all round the bike - not easy to make out which motorcycle it is when passing by(actually not easy to tell people what its called either )





I did not find the tank panel that useful its a very odd shape to strap anything on it, would have been easier to mount a tank bag without it, will see if it can be removed in future.





The saree guard is not too ugly, will leave it on for now





I did take it for a light off-road run, it will manage but the handlebar needs to be bit more rear set to be able to comfortably stand on the pegs

Brought home the new 2024 Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 after checking out other options.I've been riding motorcycles for over a decade now, both my previously owned ones being Royal Enfields', I wanted to get something different for a change especially since there are so many new launches happening this year.Little background leading up to the decision to go for the 401, My first motorcycle was a(clocked 40k Kms) which I had for six years and later got the(clocked over 1.8 lakh kms) in 2017The Bullet was my first motorcycle, got it second hand and it thought me a lot in terms of riding a heavier bike in traffic, on the highway and also to deal with the issues that came with it in terms of quality, and repairs.Then came the GT when RE launched the 535, I felt it a bit odd to bring back a retro concept and add modern equipment on it, but when I rode it for the first time I fell in Love with they way it handled itself and it was a huge difference from how the Bullet felt.Which for me was a very fun motorcycle to ride and thepart of riding was the most important aspect I was looking for while test riding the choices on offer.Since I owned two RE's already, I checked out both the Continental GT 650 and the New Himalayan 450The GT 650 has a great engine but the suspension felt disconnected and with RE now adding USD forks on the new models it would be worth the wait for the next variant of the GT650The Himalayan is a huge step up from the previous generation with the showa suspension and a new engine, it was the closest contender and almost bought it but cancelled in the end when the Husky was launched.Then came the 2024 KTM Duke 390, the biggest differentiating factor was how light it was in comparison to the RE's and has a lot of power on offer, test rode it four times over varying distances and it felt great but the design of the Duke is not something I can live with, its just too polarising for my taste.Triumph speed 400, the bike looks great and finish qualities are top notch and its compact for all that it offers, test rode it two times but I felt it lacked the power at the top-end, I somehow felt my 535 was more powerful on highways.HD 440X This was another surprise for me, the motorcycle looks modern but has a retro feel while riding, it feels laid back and can do daily commutes really well and also light cruising which would fell very similar to touring on a Bullet or Classic but not what I was looking for.Aprilia RS 457 - This is probably the most anticipated motorcycle and the only other twin cylinder engine apart from RE manufactured in India at a reasonable price.Test ride was not available only the display bike at Marathahalli showroom, on paper and per reviews its a great bike but Im not a fan of the faired motorcycle, but would definitely take a chance on something like the RS457, the biggest question was how would Aprilia handle the after sales service which is yet to be seen so did not want to get one now.The Husky had launched in January but there was no news about the bike at the dealers till end of March, they kept saying RTO approval was pending, not sure what that was about but in the end of March I contacted the dealer just to check as I was going to pay for the Hmalayan 450 in April.KTM Indiranagar dealer said that the bikes will be available from first week of April, so I decided to wait for another week.Once I saw the bikes in the flesh, I felt this was what i would be getting, the design just grew on me - I like simple designs and prefer more functional elements.Next thing I knew, cancelled the Himalayan and paid for the Svartpilen 401, there was no test ride bike but I had ridden the Duke so I had a good idea of how it felt - it wasto ride and somehow knew this would be no different.Delivery took another week after payment as I wanted to take the motorcycle with the number plates fixed at the showroom.On-Road Cost (Bengaluru):Ex-Showroom Price:  291737RTO-LTT & Registration:  59351Comprehensive Insurance:  32708RSA:  1340Total:Initial observations:The bike is just as light as the Duke 390 and just as fun, major difference being the raised handle bars and how the ride feels due to the different tires. The power is great but the one thing that stands out is how light it feels, I've done about 250kms of riding, the engine feels smooth and does run hot - its new and peak summer - it should get better after the first service.The quickshifter works as intended but its my first time using one so will need to get used to it, I did have trouble finding neutral couple of times though.The motorcycle came with Apollo Tires, Dealer said they did not get approval for the Pirelli's, for me its not a huge thing, I would have changed them out once they wear out anyways - not planning on adding super expensive tyres.But Husqvarna India/Bajaj should have made some announcements on this especially for prospective customers.The Spoke Wheels - Yes fixing flats would be a pain but the dealer said I can change to alloys at the service center, I'm not in a hurry to do that as yet, I've dealt with punctures on a heavier motorcycles multiple times so not really worried about it.One con I noticed from the start was how low the horn sounds, I was told its as per pollution regulations but on the highway its useless especially with all the wind and with large trucks.Will share an update once the first service is done.Have done close to 500kms on the motorcycle,- The lightweight feeling with all the power is really addictive- Quickshifter works well and really smooth once past 70KMPH- Compactness of the whole package, amazing to see how a small engine puts out ~46bhp- The chassis and engine is great combination in the corners, very responsive- Simple and useful dashboard layout it is easy to switch between switching off traction control and ABS(rear only)- The headlight has good throw both for low beam and high beam, I don't feel the need to add an auxiliary lights.- Comfortable seat, its long and has good cushioning- not too soft or too hard.- There is lack of torque low down in the rev range, but since I've been used to motorcycles which have been the opposite, I'm still getting the hang of it.- The horn is too low, would need to change before I take it on highway runs- Spoke wheels - yes it can be changed but I feel Bajaj/Husqvarna could have given a choice to upgrade through a MYI type option from the showroom itself, anyways will change them in future- No Bluetooth connectivity, contacted the dealer to understand how to get this as an add-on as nothing was mentioned during delivery.- There is strangely only one mode - Street - not sure why they did not just remove and keep the Traction control and ABS options.Engine heat and vibes are not a con for me, its a single cylinder motorcycle and will have both which become part of riding or more manageable over time.Attaching a few images,Cheers. !The first time I got to see the Motorcycle was at Delivery:The engine has BAJAJ engraved on it, not sure if the KTM's have this as well..The DRL is circular and unique in this class and looks really goodThe Dash is nice and clean, displays all the required information and has option to choose different display modes(All info, info with favourites and reduced info)Seat is long and comfortable, did not have any discomfort over 2-3 hrs of continuous riding and nice logo detailing on it.Not sure why they have mentioned tire pressures with decimals, i'll just be using 29-32 (maybe these pressures were for the Pirelli's ?..)Can't comment on the Apollo Tramplr XR yet- hope they are goodRear wheel has two weights added and none on the front wheelThe horn has a really low sound, definitely not useful on highwaysThe inlets to fill engine oil, and coolant, rear brake fluid are all on the right side - really helpful while servicingBash plate has good coverage underneath, I like how Husqvarna did not charge extra for this and the compact engine guardsThe suspension works well, but i'm still getting used to it, nice to see they are easily adjustable (the rear requires a tool though)Very subtle branding all round the bike - not easy to make out which motorcycle it is when passing by(actually not easy to tell people what its called eitherI did not find the tank panel that useful its a very odd shape to strap anything on it, would have been easier to mount a tank bag without it, will see if it can be removed in future.The saree guard is not too ugly, will leave it on for nowI did take it for a light off-road run, it will manage but the handlebar needs to be bit more rear set to be able to comfortably stand on the pegs Last edited by desi_motorhead : 27th April 2024 at 18:28 . Reason: adding new details and finishing touches
Abhinav667 BHPian

Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rishikesh Posts: 94 Thanked: 154 Times

Atrocious reliability on my Hyundai Creta - Head gasket failure @ 40,000 km



Although we love our car and my local service centre support is superb, the reliability with the car over the last year has been atrocious, needing repeated visits to the service centre, and resulting in enormous repair bills.



ISSUE #1



At around 35,000 kms last year, the air conditioner conked off on a highway drive from Rishikesh to Delhi on a hot summer day in May. The car was handed immediately to a Hyundai dealer in Delhi, who diagnosed it as a compressor failure. They changed the compressor, along with all the other components in the AC system, such as the cooling coil, and the total bill came up to Rs. 41,000/-. This already seemed ridiculous on a car with such low mileage, but I have seen countless Grand i10s/Xcents/MK1 Cretas with their dashboards out at Hyundai service centres over the years with this exact issue. So I almost feel like this failure was inevitable  Hyundais of this era are extremely prone to AC issues.



ISSUE #2



Following this, the car had a full service just 900-odd kms later back home in Rishikesh at 36,000 kms on the clock. This was however 3 months after the AC repair and we noticed the exhaust had developed a giant rust hole at the back  another common issue with Petrol Cretas of this era. Replacing the rusted section of the exhaust was suggested by the Hyundai service staff, and it was another 5-figure part replacement that was quoted. The replacement exhaust section was however not available at any of the Hyundai service centres or warehouses nearby, and we were not keen on driving around the car with a boomy exhaust for too long. So we eventually got the rust spot welded by a local repair shop, and then had the exhaust painted in an anti-rust coating from the Hyundai service centre.



ISSUE #3 - The Big One



These niggles on a car with such low mileage were already quite frustrating, but sadly thats not the end of it. The final gut-punch was delivered to us recently at the 39,500 mark with a head-gasket failure. The Hyundai service staff says this will require opening up the engine to fix it. The repair job was quoted to us at roughly Rs.60,000, as a lot of the components will be replaced in the engine and the head too will require skimming. How an engine at just 40,000 kms requires such an extensive repair is simply incomprehensible to us, and it just shows that the quality of components being used by Hyundai are extremely poor.



The car is driving normally and we havent had any overheating whatsoever from the engine  the temperature gauge is something I constantly keep an eye on. However, there are some tell-tale signs of an issue in the cooling system. For example:



1) The radiator tends to go completely dry randomly, despite there being plenty of coolant in the reservoir. If we top-up the radiator, it pushes the coolant back to the expansion tank upon running the engine and eventually goes dry again. This leads to the reservoir being overfilled and it slowly spits all the excess coolant out. The local Hyundai service centre has topped up the radiator twice, only for it to be bone dry again the next day.



2) Even upon parking the car aside for a couple of days after driving, if you open the radiator cap on a cold engine, it burps out air, and spits out coolant from the expansion tank.



3) During cold starts, there is a sound of water gushing out from behind the dashboard. This was the first sign that we picked on. I took the car to the Hyundai service centre immediately, and they just topped up the radiator and sent me on my way again.



4) There was an odd smell from the heater and air-conditioner the first time the radiator went dry.



The local Hyundai dealer kept the car with them for a full diagnosis, checking for error codes and such from the OBD port, and monitoring the thermostat and fan operation, but found nothing wrong there. They eventually got back to us and diagnosed it as a head-gasket failure.



The service staff in Rishikesh also suggested that the AC repair done in Delhi last year may have been the culprit for this failure. They suggested that while disassembling the dashboard and the AC components for the repair, the coolant from the hoses must have leaked out while they were disconnected, which was not re-filled. This wouldve caused the engine to run with no or low coolant, resulting in it to overheat, and eventually cracking the head-gasket.



I called the Hyundai service centre in Delhi to re-verify whether the coolant was topped up after the AC repair, and they said it wasn not. The repair invoice doesnt mention it either. The service manager justified it by saying the coolant lines have nothing to do with the AC repair, and therefore there was no need to top up the coolant, which is why it was never done. Besides the car was serviced shortly after in Rishikesh, during which they should have checked the coolant levels according to him. He also said the car wouldve never made it back to Rishikesh if there was low coolant.



For a second opinion, we also took the car to another Hyundai service centre in Dehradun and told them about the issues we were having. They said the car was perfectly fine, and only needed a new radiator cap, which was faulty and was causing the issues we noticed. The new radiator cap temporarily fixed the issues, but the signs mentioned above have slowly crept back again, pointing to it indeed being a head-gasket failure.



What should be the next step here? Spending 60k on an engine repair on such a low-mileage car seems ridiculous. If you combine the cost of the AC repair done in May last year with the repair suggested here by Hyundai, thats over Rs. 1 lakh worth of repairs in a span of a year, on a car thats clocked just 40,000 kms. Besides, if its the negligence of the Hyundai service centre during the AC repair job that has caused this failure, shouldnt Hyundai fix this under a goodwill warranty? What good is getting my car serviced and repaired through the official outlets if the quality of work undertaken is this negligent?



Besides, even if we shell out for the repair, whats the guarantee the car will continue to be reliable post this? Is owning a Hyundai just an endless money pit? We have been considering adding another Creta to the family, however this has seriously soured our experience of owning a Hyundai and is making us seriously re-consider our decision.



We own a 2016 Hyundai Creta Petrol Automatic that we bought new, which has just touched 40,000 kms on the clock. The car is sparsely used for inter city highway trips for the most part and has been diligently maintained at the local authorized Hyundai service centre in Rishikesh. When we bought the car, we went for a Hyundai with a torque converter automatic + a naturally aspirated engine, hoping for solid reliability compared to something like a turbo + DSG combo from other brands that we preferred more. We also picked Hyundai, assuming a lower cost of ownership over the long term, as we like to usually keep our cars for a very long time. However, our Creta has been anything but reliable to own and the out of warranty repair costs are quickly starting to get silly.Although we love our car and my local service centre support is superb, the reliability with the car over the last year has been atrocious, needing repeated visits to the service centre, and resulting in enormous repair bills.At around 35,000 kms last year, the air conditioner conked off on a highway drive from Rishikesh to Delhi on a hot summer day in May. The car was handed immediately to a Hyundai dealer in Delhi, who diagnosed it as a compressor failure. They changed the compressor, along with all the other components in the AC system, such as the cooling coil, and the total bill came up to Rs. 41,000/-. This already seemed ridiculous on a car with such low mileage, but I have seen countless Grand i10s/Xcents/MK1 Cretas with their dashboards out at Hyundai service centres over the years with this exact issue. So I almost feel like this failure was inevitable  Hyundais of this era are extremely prone to AC issues.Following this, the car had a full service just 900-odd kms later back home in Rishikesh at 36,000 kms on the clock. This was however 3 months after the AC repair and we noticed the exhaust had developed a giant rust hole at the back  another common issue with Petrol Cretas of this era. Replacing the rusted section of the exhaust was suggested by the Hyundai service staff, and it was another 5-figure part replacement that was quoted. The replacement exhaust section was however not available at any of the Hyundai service centres or warehouses nearby, and we were not keen on driving around the car with a boomy exhaust for too long. So we eventually got the rust spot welded by a local repair shop, and then had the exhaust painted in an anti-rust coating from the Hyundai service centre.These niggles on a car with such low mileage were already quite frustrating, but sadly thats not the end of it. The final gut-punch was delivered to us recently at the 39,500 mark with a head-gasket failure. The Hyundai service staff says this will require opening up the engine to fix it. The repair job was quoted to us at roughly Rs.60,000, as a lot of the components will be replaced in the engine and the head too will require skimming. How an engine at just 40,000 kms requires such an extensive repair is simply incomprehensible to us, and it just shows that the quality of components being used by Hyundai are extremely poor.The car is driving normally and we havent had any overheating whatsoever from the engine  the temperature gauge is something I constantly keep an eye on. However, there are some tell-tale signs of an issue in the cooling system. For example:1) The radiator tends to go completely dry randomly, despite there being plenty of coolant in the reservoir. If we top-up the radiator, it pushes the coolant back to the expansion tank upon running the engine and eventually goes dry again. This leads to the reservoir being overfilled and it slowly spits all the excess coolant out. The local Hyundai service centre has topped up the radiator twice, only for it to be bone dry again the next day.2) Even upon parking the car aside for a couple of days after driving, if you open the radiator cap on a cold engine, it burps out air, and spits out coolant from the expansion tank.3) During cold starts, there is a sound of water gushing out from behind the dashboard. This was the first sign that we picked on. I took the car to the Hyundai service centre immediately, and they just topped up the radiator and sent me on my way again.4) There was an odd smell from the heater and air-conditioner the first time the radiator went dry.The local Hyundai dealer kept the car with them for a full diagnosis, checking for error codes and such from the OBD port, and monitoring the thermostat and fan operation, but found nothing wrong there. They eventually got back to us and diagnosed it as a head-gasket failure.The service staff in Rishikesh also suggested that the AC repair done in Delhi last year may have been the culprit for this failure. They suggested that while disassembling the dashboard and the AC components for the repair, the coolant from the hoses must have leaked out while they were disconnected, which was not re-filled. This wouldve caused the engine to run with no or low coolant, resulting in it to overheat, and eventually cracking the head-gasket.I called the Hyundai service centre in Delhi to re-verify whether the coolant was topped up after the AC repair, and they said it wasn not. The repair invoice doesnt mention it either. The service manager justified it by saying the coolant lines have nothing to do with the AC repair, and therefore there was no need to top up the coolant, which is why it was never done. Besides the car was serviced shortly after in Rishikesh, during which they should have checked the coolant levels according to him. He also said the car wouldve never made it back to Rishikesh if there was low coolant.For a second opinion, we also took the car to another Hyundai service centre in Dehradun and told them about the issues we were having. They said the car was perfectly fine, and only needed a new radiator cap, which was faulty and was causing the issues we noticed. The new radiator cap temporarily fixed the issues, but the signs mentioned above have slowly crept back again, pointing to it indeed being a head-gasket failure.What should be the next step here? Spending 60k on an engine repair on such a low-mileage car seems ridiculous. If you combine the cost of the AC repair done in May last year with the repair suggested here by Hyundai, thats over Rs. 1 lakh worth of repairs in a span of a year, on a car thats clocked just 40,000 kms. Besides, if its the negligence of the Hyundai service centre during the AC repair job that has caused this failure, shouldnt Hyundai fix this under a goodwill warranty? What good is getting my car serviced and repaired through the official outlets if the quality of work undertaken is this negligent?Besides, even if we shell out for the repair, whats the guarantee the car will continue to be reliable post this? Is owning a Hyundai just an endless money pit? We have been considering adding another Creta to the family, however this has seriously soured our experience of owning a Hyundai and is making us seriously re-consider our decision.
Looking to prevent another mass internet attack like the great Mirai hack, the United Kingdom just became the first country to ban weak default passwords on IoT devices.

The law, which took effect Monday, bars IoT manufacturers from setting default passwords such as admin or 12345 on their devices, a practice that makes them easy pickings for hackers, The Register reports.

The vulnerability thats targeted by the new UK law opened the door to the infamous Mirai hack of 2016, in which a massive botnet comprised of hundreds of thousands of hijacked IoT devices managed to briefly knock much of the East Coast offline.

This news story is part of TechHives in-depth coverage of the best smart home systems.

Besides barring weak default passwords, the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act 2022 mandates that IoT manufacturers publish their contact details to make bugs and other issues easier to report.

The law also says that smart-home device makers must be open with users about when security updates are on the way.

Manufactures who dont follow the rules could be subject to fines up to 10 million or 4 percent of their global revenue, according to The Registers report. Companies may also have to recall products that arent in compliance with the new law.

While many smart device manufacturers have beefed up their password security with mandatory two-factor authentication and similar measures, plenty of routers, security cameras, and other IoT devices still ship with weak default passwords, such as 0000, 12343, or admin.

These weak passwords make it easy for users to gain first-time access to their new IoT devices. The problem, of course, is that too many users never bother to change the passwords.

In the case of the Mirai attack, a self-replicating worm pinged IoT devices across the internet, looking for products that were protected only with the weakest of default passwords.

Once a vulnerable IoT device was hijacked, it was dragooned into an ever-growing army of compromised smart gadgets, allowing the botnet attacks to accelerate and intensify.

The Mirai attack was so widespread that internet access across the country became unstable for roughly a week.

The culprits behind the hack were ultimately caught, but as long as IoT manufacturers continue to release products with weak default passwords, the vulnerability that made the Mirai attack possible will remain a threat.

As The Register notes, the EU is considering legislation that includes similar provisions to the UKs new law, but for now, the U.S. lacks its own provisions against weak default IoT passwords.
During the FTC's investigation into antitrust allegations against Amazon, the regulatory body has accused Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy, prominent figures within the company, of deleting messages pertinent to the probe. The FTC asserts that Amazon neglected to preserve crucial documents, indicating a breach in compliance with legal requirements.

In a recent development, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has accused Amazon's top exclusive of deleting text messages relevant to the ongoing antitrust investigation against the company, including founder Jeff Bezos and CEO Andy Jassy. The FTC claims that Bezos, Jassy, and other Amazon executives utilized the encrypted messaging platform Signal to communicate between April 2019 and May 2022. Utilizing a feature within Signal, Bloomberg reported that these messages were not retained, potentially hindering the FTC's case against the tech giant. Following a security breach involving Bezos' phone in 2019, Bezos and several other executives purportedly adopted Signal as a communication platform. The move came after the National Enquirer allegedly threatened to expose Bezos' private photos and text messages.

Amazon's Response, Court Examination

Tim Doyle, a spokesman for Amazon, informed that the company had proactively notified the FTC about the use of Signal by Amazon employees years ago. Doyle stated that Amazon had preserved and provided access to these communications for FTC scrutiny. Additionally, he emphasized that the conversations in question were unrelated to the ongoing investigation by the FTC.

Allegedly, the court is examining the timeline of instructions provided by Amazon executives to employees regarding the use of Signal, as well as the directives concerning the preservation of messages sent through the platform.

In 2019, FTC took action by commencing an antitrust investigation into Amazon. This inquiry mandated that the corporation uphold its responsibility to retain all communications and supply pertinent documents to the commission for thorough review and analysis.

Also read: FTC Introduces Rule to Combat Impersonation Scams, Targeting $1.1 Billion Losses in 2023

Authorities cited precedents where Signal was a focal point in legal battles, such as the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried for fraud and the recent legal confrontation between Google and Epic Games. Amidst the scrutiny surrounding Amazon's communication practices, Google has found itself under similar scrutiny.

Allegations have surfaced suggesting that Google directed its employees to use chat platforms with the history function disabled, resulting in messages disappearing after 24 hours. This approach has sparked concerns regarding transparency and accountability within the company's internal communications framework.

Consequently, the Justice Department has intervened, initiating legal action against Google and seeking sanctions for these alleged practices. However, the resolution of this legal dispute awaits a ruling from the court, leaving the outcome uncertain.
The latest concept from Italdesign debuted earlier at the Beijing Auto Show 2024, introducing the world to the all-terrain luxury performance electric vehicle Quintessenza. This electric vehicle can transform into a pickup truck but is closed off in its rolling liftback-esque rear trunk. It features a rugged but sleek and modern design that completely revamps the renowned Porsche 911 Dakar.

It is a hybrid of a GT and pickup vehicle, a luxurious take on the famed rally car from the German automotive brand.

Italdesign Quintessenza Concept Debuts in Beijing Auto Show

At the Beijing Auto Show 2024, Italdesign unveiled its latest masterpiece, the Quintessenza concept EV. This luxury car is a testament to the brand's commitment to excellence, offering a blend of all-terrain capability and luxurious aesthetics. Whether it's dirt, asphalt, concrete, or rocky terrain, this car is designed to conquer them all while providing a premium driving experience.

The Quintessenza caters to the desires and requirements of free-spirited, youthful individuals seeking a vehicle for urban travel with their families but who also like to get away to deepen their connection with the natural world and its elements. Italdesign

Not only does the Italdesign Quintessenza offer the best of both worlds in terms of performance and luxury, but it also champions sustainability. This clean energy vehicle is a testament to Italdesign's commitment to creating a better future. It's a car that's not just made for humans, but also for the planet we call home.

Electric Pickup Boasts of 777hp, Luxury Design

This is an Italian design take on the famed Porsche 911 Dakar, capturing its capabilities to go both on and off-road. It features a 777-horsepower electric motor. It is a two-door GT that can seat four, with the rear seats offering a 180-degree 'stargazing' mode and a rolling enclosure for the liftback-style trunk.

Its concept video offers a way to maximize a camping trip and camp out in style, one that appeases adventurers and will help them get anywhere with the concept EV.

Auto Show's Top Concept EVs

Auto Shows bring some of the best concept cars in the world, with the shift to electric power now being one of the top focuses of different designers, brands, and manufacturers. In the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, Mattel introduced the Barbie Extra, an electric vehicle that used the Fiat 500e as its base vehicle but was designed to bring the famed personality of the doll.

In 2023, the IAA Mobility motor show in Munich introduced one of the world's most famous German luxury brands, its new Concept CLA Class EV. This focuses on an electric car made under the revolutionary Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA), which will shift towards this by late 2024. The company claims that production will start making it a full-fledged EV.

Some of the best vehicles introduced to the world started as concepts and via auto shows, featuring different focuses like luxury, performance, rally, and more. Many went on the electric vehicle path.

Italdesign's take on improving the Porsche Dakar is here with the Quintessenza, offering a 777-horsepower electric vehicle that can transform into a classic pickup of the 90s, conceptualizing a luxury, all-terrain car.
New York Police Department officer Salvatore Provenzano has reportedly been ruled not guilty regarding a 2021 case wherein he punched an erratic customer in an Apple store.

The Police Benevolent Association made the announcement. In regards to the incident, Fox News said that Provenzano was found not guilty of assault for a single punch he made to defend himself against a repeat criminal causing chaos in an Upper West Side Apple Store.

(Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images) BERLIN, GERMANY - JANUARY 04: A woman holding a smartphone walks past the Apple Store on January 04, 2019, in Berlin, Germany. Apple has temporarily halted sales of its iPhone 7 and 8 models in Germany following a court case launched by Qualcomm over a possible patent infringement.

As per the New York Post, on the other hand, the subject attempted to break away from Provenzano during a struggle, and Provenzano allegedly punched him in the bodycam confrontation captured on tape.

That day, a complaint was also filed against the individual, although the case has already been closed.

The Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office indicted Provenzano in July 2023; he was placed on administrative leave without pay, even though there was no physical harm to the suspect and two security guards who were eyewitnesses were never asked to appear before the grand jury.

It is stated that other cops who saw the altercation attempted to step in and talk sense into the man's head, but to no avail.

A Case Against a 'Good' Cop

PBA President Patrick Hendry stated that even though Provenzano had been acquitted, the case never belonged in court because it did not support the prosecution's story.

According to the President, the issue was never about justice or fairness-rather, it was about throwing off a dedicated police officer; he adds that both the guy Provenzano was accused of assaulting and another man who had thrown himself on the floor, threatened security, and refused to leave the store for more than half an hour had been barred from the Apple Store.

If the prosecution had agreed to drop the case to second-degree harassment, the officer would not have gone to jail and would not have had a criminal record.

However, Provenzano, a 17-year police veteran, turned down the offer, entered a not-guilty plea, and decided to take his chances in a judge's trial.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office claims that Acting Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Maxwell Wiley informed the court that the prosecution was correct in filing the case despite the acquittal.

In a statement, DA Alvin Bragg expressed his gratitude to Judge Wiley for his thorough and deliberate assessment of the case and to the prosecutors for their diligent work.

Uber Murder Case

On another font of criminal news, Uber has just entered a recent case concerning the driver Loletha Hall's murder case. After being directed to an Ohio residence, where 81-year-old Wiliam J. Brock fatally shot her because he believed she was part of an internet scam, the Uber driver perished.

An Uber official called the incident "a horrific tragedy," and the account has since been disabled.

Brock was accused of murder, kidnapping, and felonious assault about Hall's passing. In the two felony murder counts, Brock's underlying crime was either kidnapping or attempting to commit felonious assault, which is how he killed Hall.

Related Article : Rising Car Theft Cases in Canada Linked to Criminals Exploiting Apple AirTags

(Photo: Tech Times)
The United Kingdom is reportedly set to crack down on common and weak passwords, requiring manufacturers of internet-connected devices to direct users to change commonly used security keys.

The new legislation is also set to make security and update reports clearer.

The PSTI regime, or Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure, plans to impose minimal requirements that must be met to avoid penalties.

According to the government, the regulations are a "world first" that will guard UK businesses and consumers against cybercrime and increase security.

As a result, producers of various electronics, including phones, TVs, and smart doorbells, are now obligated, by law, to safeguard internet-connected gadgets from hackers and remind consumers to update any default passwords.

(Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Brands must provide contact details and maintain transparency regarding the timing of security upgrades to facilitate bug and concern reporting.

At a time when hackers are attacking consumers and businesses more frequently than ever, the new safeguards are anticipated to increase people's confidence in purchasing and using technology.

According to the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), more than half of UK households reportedly have a voice assistant, such as Alexa.

According to reports, home networks typically included nine devices.

These can include web-enabled toys or remotely controlled equipment such as stoves, refrigerators, radiators, and standard broadband routers.

Since their widespread use, an increasing number of hackers have gained control of these devices and abused themsometimes secretly photographing or recording, spying on individuals, or stealing personal information.

Read Also: Medical Tech Company LivaNova Reports Cyberattack Compromising US Patients Data

Experts Weigh In

According to security expert Ken Munro of Pen Test Partners, a company that conducts ethical hacking against smart gadgets, the new regulation is a positive move.

He also said it has historically been far too simple for manufacturers to discontinue support for older models when they introduced new ones, and it would be helpful for buyers to compare the number of years of support that a product was guaranteed to provide.

According to him, a manufacturer prioritizing cyber-security could be indicated by a more extended support period.

Jonathan Berry, the minister of science and technology, said the risks posed by the internet grow as our daily lives depend more and more on linked gadgets.

UK on Cyberattacks

The United Kingdom's Government Communications Headquarters issued a warning about cyberattacks and artificial intelligence in January, stating that as these technologies advance, cyberattacks are likely to increase in frequency.

This makes the new cybersecurity-focused legislation timely.

In the next two years, AI may make it simpler for inexperienced hackers to wreak havoc online, according to a recent warning about ransomware attacks and phishing scams that potentially affect the entire world.

The article asserts, in particular, that threat actors' social engineering skills will be enhanced by artificial intelligence.

Genetic artificial intelligence (GenAI) can enable convincing contact with victims, including creating lure documents without requiring translation, spelling, or grammar checks, often signs of phishing.

Related Article: MIT Develops Powerful Chip Designed to Guard Against Cyber Breaches

(Photo: Tech Times)
Canada welcomes the arrival of RIZON class 4 and 5 electric MD trucks. This introduction marks a significant milestone in the country's transition towards sustainable transportation solutions.

Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany/Toronto, Ontario, Canada - RIZON, Daimler Trucks newest brand, is announcing the Canadian launch of its battery-electric Class 4-5 trucks. The RIZON brand will be presented in Canada for the first time at Truck World in Toronto from April 18th to 20th and will be available to Canadian customers for the first time, with preorders set to begin in June 2024. (Photo: Daimler Truck)

Revolutionizing Medium-Duty Trucking

These all-electric medium-duty work trucks, belonging to Daimler's pioneering RIZON brand, offer an innovative alternative to traditional diesel-powered vehicles.

Following their successful unveiling at the 2023 ACT Expo in Anaheim, California, the RIZON trucks have garnered considerable attention, with anticipation building for their official market launch.

With preorders slated to open in June, Canadian fleet operators will have the opportunity to embrace cutting-edge electric technology, enhance their operational efficiency, and contribute to a greener future.

Andreas Deuschle, Global Head of RIZON, highlights Canada's strong commitment to green energy and infrastructure, making it an ideal expansion opportunity for RIZON.

He expresses enthusiasm about introducing their zero-emission solution to Canadian customers, emphasizing the reliability and cutting-edge technology of RIZON's OEM trucks from Daimler Truck.

RIZON aims to reach a fresh customer base with a purpose-built chassis for electric vehicles. These potential customers may be new to Daimler or seeking to replace the aging fleets of Isuzu or Mitsubishi Fuso covers with more modern alternatives.

What sets RIZON apart is its emphasis on delivering a smooth, quiet, and car-like driving experience. This feature makes transitioning from vehicles like the Ford E-Transit much more seamless than anticipated.

In addition to California and select US states, the Canadian government has outlined intentions to restrict or outright prohibit the use of diesel trucks on its roadways.

Despite Canada's commitment to achieving zero emissions by 2050, Daimler's introduction of a new brand may seem unnecessary to some.

For Canadian customers, RIZON will introduce four model variants: the e16L, e16M, e18L, and the e18M. These models will offer a variety of configurations and options, catering to gross vehicle weight ratings (GVWRs) ranging from 7.25 to 8.55 tons.

Navigating the North American Market

In North America, particularly in medium-duty trucks, there is a significant opportunity to introduce the RIZON truck. Known for its agility and ease of use, the RIZON model stands out as a promising option.

Daimler's vast network of dealerships under Freightliner and Western Star provides a sense of reliability and accessibility for potential buyers, especially those new to the medium-duty truck market.

This widespread network ensures that customers can access support, maintenance, and service, enhancing their confidence in the product.
Fieldstone walls may be the typical fencing in rural countryside and other parts of Europe, but in New England alone, they are not only a way to mark one's territory but also a scientific phenomenon for researchers.

To be more particular, various researchers are now studying New England's fieldstone walls to determine what they offer, with an estimated 240,000 miles laid out across the region.

The walls are centuries old, with researchers finding it massively spread across the region, identifying the builders as mostly European settlers.

New England Fieldstone Walls: Now Under Study from Researchers

According to Robert M. Thorson of the University of Connecticut, abandoned fieldstone walls in the New England region (comprised of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island) left a massive mark in US history.

This was because it comprises an estimated 240,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) of stone fencing across the land.

Moreover, it was revealed by the researcher that it was made mainly by European settlers in the country, with the oldest ones dating to 1607. Still, most were from the agrarian century amidst the American Revolution and towards the Civil War.

Thorson regarded these as thigh-high and wide, with the long stone walls capable of wrapping around the Earth as much as ten times from the equator and reaching the Moon in its closest state to the planet.

Read Also : Rare WW2 Photo Reconnaissance Spitfire Was Just Rebuilt After 76 Years

Phenomenal Early Works on New England's Stone Walls

Thorson also released a field guide behind the New England stone walls, highlighting the staggering phenomenal work of early settlers and Americans in the region, one that is unique because of its hard crystalline bedrock, glacial soils, and farms.

These fieldstone walls were made as fences to protect and mark one's territory, with early humans stacking them onto each other to build them using glacial stones.

Ancient Architecture and Development in America

While it was known that the Kingdom of Great Britain was among the first to discover America and helped develop civilization in it, there were still many earlier visitors to the country who influenced the natives here.

A study in 2018 revealed that there were earlier ancient humans who traveled to North America from Asia using a 17,00-year-old coastal route before the English.

Additionally, it was revealed that ancient Americans used an assortment of pointy weapons made of rocks dating to around 15,700 years ago, which was unearthed in 2022.

These 14 projectiles were identified to be thousands of years older and considered more ancient than the previously dubbed oldest weapons discovered in the Americas from previous studies.

America's history is long and massive, but the early influences it had to bring more background into what made this country, especially with the remnants that researchers are still looking to study.

New England's fieldstone walls are long enough to reach the Moon at its closest state to the Earth, and this phenomenal quantity baffles scientists, prompting this latest study.
This is not a drill. Delta's famed retro games emulator is coming to iPad devices soon. It will be available for devices with the eligible operating system, allowing users to enjoy iconic 8-bit or 16-bit-style titles.

The creator says it is coming shortly, and it will be optimized for the larger screen of the device compared to its original version, which is dedicated to iPhones only.

After Apple's App Store changed its guidelines regarding game emulators, the experience is finally here, with Delta being one of the top-rated apps on the market.

Delta Emulator is Coming to the iPad Soon

Riley Testut, the maker of the Delta iOS emulator, recently announced via his Threads post that an iPad version of the iOS game emulator is coming soon.

This is massive news for all emulator gamers, as the experience was made initially exclusive to the iOS and iPhone platforms, with no other devices available to play it.

According to Testut, the team has been working on an iPad version for a long time now, and it is near completion during this time. The creator added that they are currently working on controller skins and fixing several bugs before this release.

Initially, they thought that game emulators would only be available in the EU, and they would launch it with the AltStore PAL, which does not support the iPad.

What to Expect from Delta's iPad Version

With this massive change, it will soon be possible to enjoy emulation via the Apple iPad devices, optimizing the experience on the bigger screen for retro titles.

Testut revealed that the release of the Delta iPad version would be during its next major update release, particularly for version 1.6.

Apple Game Emulators

Emulators were a big NO for Apple in the past years, and since then, the company tried to block and catch all emulator apps made available to the App Store under its anti-piracy rules.

It is known that among the early iOS emulators like GBA4iOS and the DOS Emulator, Apple took massive steps toward removing them from the App Store and making them unavailable to use on iPhones.

However, all that changed when Apple updated its App Store policies and guidelines earlier this April, announcing to the world and developers that emulators may soon be allowed on the platform.

Initially, it was thought of as only for EU users, as they are under the Digital Markets Act, but Cupertino later announced that this applies to the world.

Various developers have presented their apps to Apple for this iPhone emulator era, with Delta among the most popular and highly rated ones, specifically developed for iOS.

That being said, they have long planned for its iPad version but were unsure if this would be allowed.

Now that this is confirmed, the company will soon release the Delta emulator for the iPad, optimized for the big screen.
Gen Z young professionals are reportedly now changing and/or pursuing careers that are "here to stay" amid the booming artificial intelligence technology, claims Lincoln Tech CEO Scott Shaw.

Due to the high expense of higher education, the debates surrounding it, and the potential threat artificial intelligence poses to certain white-collar jobs, a large portion of Generation Z is inclined to pursue trade schools and blue-collar jobs in order to fill the tech gap.

As younger generations choose to pursue trades and careers rather than pay for college tuition, enrollment in vocational community institutions has increased by 16% since 2018, according to a January 2024 National Student Clearinghouse report.

The Lincoln CEO outlines the demographics of people choosing higher vocational education and trade employment wherein the average age of pupils is 25, he noted, with 20% of them having just graduated from high school and 50% being 21 or younger.

Read Also: Generative AI Already Widely Used by Most Executives: Survey

Decrease in College Education Pursuers

He also mentioned the kids who changed their minds completely and are now pursuing different vocations. According to him, a lot of people have tried college and changed careers since it was not the appropriate fit for them. These people now want to pursue their passions.

For the second year in a row, there was a reduction in undergraduate completions for the 2022-2023 academic year, according to a different Clearinghouse report that was made public in April. Still, there was an increase in first-time certificate holders in building, manufacturing, and mechanical or repair professions that year.

Fears that artificial intelligence may replace humans in jobs that have historically been performed by them in the workplace and in conflict are only growing.

AI Taking Over Jobs

In a recent piece, it was suggested that drones might eventually take the place of soldiers in combat, with AI deciding who to target. Machine intelligence is already being used by businesses to replace human work.

According to Immersive Labs' Director of Cyber Threat Research, Kev Breen, AI has had a major influence on the technology landscape in the past year, and companies are rushing to remain ahead of the curve. He goes on to note that although it is very popular, there is also a lot of FUDfear, uncertainty, and doubtas well as misinformation.

The recent, explosive advances in AI have led to the worry that AI will eventually replace humans. One area of concern is that AI systems can make important judgments without considering ethics, and another is the possibility of employment displacement in several industries.

An additional source of unease is the notion of autonomous weaponry and surveillance technologies functioning without human supervision. Not only are job losses a source of concern, but there are also serious ramifications for security, privacy, and the foundation of human civilization.

Large tech company SAP recently disclosed that it is cutting jobs despite spending over $2 billion on artificial intelligence. This is part of a significant organizational change.

SAP declared that it would change 8,000 jobs concurrently. This news suggests that while some people will lose their jobs, others will be trained for jobs involving artificial intelligence.

Related Article: Japan's AI Tool Knows When Fresh Grads Will Quit Their Jobs: New Study

(Photo: Tech Times)
Austria has recently raised the alarm on the urgent need for global action to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) in weapons systems amid growing concerns over the development of so-called 'killer robots," Reuters reports.

On Monday, April 29, Austria hosted a conference to revive discussions on this pressing issue. At the meeting, Austria discussed the ethical and legal challenges posed by the advancement of AI technology in warfare.

(Photo: GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images)

Austria Calls for Urgent Action on AI Weapons Control

During the conference, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg stressed the necessity of agreeing on international rules and norms to ensure human control over AI weapons.

"We cannot let this moment pass without taking action. Now is the time to agree on international rules and norms to ensure human control," Schallenberg said.

He warned against the profound implications of allowing machines to determine "who lives and who dies," advocating for human oversight in critical decision-making processes.

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric, echoed the need for decisive action.

"What we see today in the different contexts of violence are moral failures in the face of the international community," Spoljaric said.

Reuters tells us that years of UN discussions on lethal autonomous weapons (LAWS) have seen minimal progress, raising concerns about a shrinking window for action.

Read Also : Young Professionals are Increasingly Pursuing AI-Proof Jobs

AI Warfare

The deployment of AI in warfare is no longer a theoretical concern but a present reality. Drones equipped with AI technology, like those in Ukraine, already demonstrate autonomous capabilities to find targets when communication with operators is disrupted.

Additionally, reports indicate that the United States is investigating the use of AI by the Israeli military to identify bombing targets in Gaza.

Concerns over the accuracy and reliability of AI systems have been raised, with examples ranging from misrecognizing objects to causing fatal accidents in civilian contexts.

Previous reports have shed light on the increasing integration of AI into military operations. The US military has confirmed the use of AI to identify targets for precision air strikes in the Middle East, with over 85 airstrikes guided by AI-driven algorithms. These strikes targeted facilities in Iraq and Syria.

Furthermore, the Pentagon's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) project aims to develop AI-powered drones to support human-piloted jets in combat scenarios.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's efforts to develop AI drones with image recognition targeting systems further highlight the global trend toward AI-driven warfare.

Earlier this month, The Telegraph reported that Ukraine is actively pursuing the development of drones equipped with image recognition targeting systems.

This initiative aims to enhance Ukraine's defense capabilities by creating drones that are more resilient to electronic interference and can autonomously identify and strike targets.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.
Yahoo shifts toward content curation in Singapore, resulting in the dismissal of its editorial and social media staff.



Some Yahoo Singapore personnel were laid off from the digital news outlet known for its blend of third-party and original reporting. According to The Straits Times, Yahoo's thorough evaluation highlighted partner content's constant engagement.



The Edge Singapore reported on April 29 that 17 Yahoo employees will leave the company after May 7 due to a strategic adjustment. On April 23, affected employees met with HR. Impacted employees can apply for new jobs.

Change in Strategy

Under its new agenda, Yahoo is hiring three "curation editors" and a market lead for Yahoo News Singapore. A Yahoo spokesperson said the company's editorial policy is changing to reflect Yahoo Singapore's strategic ambitions. The representative reassured users that Yahoo will continue to provide a variety of high-quality news, lifestyle, and financial content from local and international sources.



Selected Yahoo syndicators include HuffPost, AFP News, Reuters, EdgeProp, and The Edge Singapore.



Yahoo already restructured in Singapore. In 2022, the firm laid off seven journalists in the country, following cuts in 2016. Yahoo does not have a union in Singapore.



The company continues to invest in Asia and expects most Yahoo News sites to blend third-party and original content.

An internet user reads a website in Beijing on 21 March, 2008 which contains a list and photos of what the Chinese government calls "The 19 most-wanted Lhasa rioters", vowing to punish those responsible for last week's violence in the Tibetan capital Lhasa.

Tech Job Cuts to Continue

Yahoo Singapore's staff layoff comes as the trend of tech companies downsizing workforce persists. Numerous big firms cut staff in 2023, eliminating over 240,000 tech jobs. This year, more than 75,000 tech layoffs have been recorded so far.

This year saw 270 tech businesses have laid off workers. Despite the bad news, fresh career possibilities are developing as business executives debate whether artificial intelligence (AI) will generate jobs or replace them.



Unfortunately, tech layoffs will continue, as indicated by recent trends reported by Techopedia.



Amazon slashed more cloud jobs in April, while Dell Technologies laid off 6,000 workers or 5% of its total. Microsoft, Google, eBay, and Tesla are cutting workers, with Tesla cutting 6,000 jobs in Texas and California.



Following its August announcement to replace 8,000 marketing and communications roles with AI, IBM terminated many jobs in March. CEO Arvind Krishna suggested AI and robotics may replace 30% of back-office jobs in five years.



US tech layoffs rose 3% to 84,638 in February, the largest in 11 months. Cisco Systems announced a 5% employment cut, or approximately 4,000 jobs.



Grammarly cut 230 employees to focus on AI-enabled workplace solutions. Instacart also let off 250 people, or 7% of its staff, to streamline operations, focus on critical initiatives, and execute organizational reforms.
G7 holds 'strategic' talks in climate hotspot Italy



Turin, Italy, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



G7 ministers meet for environment and climate change talks in Turin on Monday, with experts urging the highly industrialised countries to use their political clout, wealth and technologies to end fossil fuel use.

The Group of Seven meeting in the northern Italian city is the first big political session since the world pledged at the UN's COP28 climate summit in December to transition away from coal, oil and gas.

It comes as a new report by a global climate institute shows the G7 is falling far short of its targets.

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Turin on Sunday, some burning photos of the G7 leaders as they accused them of failing future generations over the climate crisis.

Rome, which holds the G7 rotating presidency, says it wants Turin to be "a strategic link" between last year's Conference of Parties in Dubai and COP29, which will take place in November in Azerbaijan.

The aim is "to make the course set out by COP28 practical, real, concrete," Italian Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said ahead of the meeting.

Italy, a climate change hotspot vulnerable to wildfires, drought and glacier retreat, is putting "biodiversity, ecosystems, warming seas" high on the agenda, he said.

Delegations from Dubai and Azerbaijan are in Turin, as well as from Brazil, which hosts the G20 this year.



- 'Innovative' -



Environment ministers from the G7, which includes Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US, will meet for four working sessions over two days at the 17th century Palace of Venaria.

Environmentalists want to know how they intend to follow through on pledges such as the agreement in Dubai to double energy efficiency rates and triple renewable capacity by 2030.

The talks will stress the need to diversify sources of critical materials key to renewable energy systems, as well as minerals reuse, in a bid to stop overreliance on China, which dominates in green technologies.

Italy says rare earths and renewables will be part of discussions with African delegations invited to Turin.

Canada, France, Germany and the UK are pushing for a global treaty to reduce plastics pollution, and are expected to use the G7 to rally a reluctant US and Japan.

Climate watchers hope for a ramping up of support for less developed countries in decarbonising their industrial production, with experts advising on particularly tricky sectors, like cement and steel.

There may be commitments on more funds for adaptation to climate change, and Italy said the G7 would discuss "innovative" financing models amid calls for more accessible finance for vulnerable countries.



- 'Watched closely' -



Together the G7 makes up around 38 percent of the global economy and was responsible for 21 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, according to the Climate Analytics policy institute.

Not one member of the group is on track to meet existing emission reduction targets for 2030, managing instead to cut them by "at best around half of what is needed", a report by the institute said last week.

The US finalised sweeping plans Thursday to curb emissions from fossil fuel plants, giving existing coal plants until 2032 to reduce their carbon dioxide output by 90 percent.

France is expected to push for the G7 to phase out coal by 2030, but Japan is reluctant to set a date.

Germany -- Europe's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases -- is unwilling to wean off gas, as is Italy.

Italy's far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed repeatedly to transform Italy into a gas hub for Europe, seeking new suppliers in the Mediterranean and Africa and expanding gas infrastructure.

Luca Bergamaschi, founder of Italian climate think tank ECCO, questioned Italy's claim that gas was essential for its energy security, and said its interest in nascent technologies such as nuclear fusion is misguided.

G7 decisions "have a big impact on the markets and on the ideas and expectations of investors", and Italy's stewardship in Turin "will be watched closely", he said.
Kenya delays schools reopening due to floods



Nairobi, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



Kenya said Monday that it would postpone the reopening of schools by one week due to "ongoing heavy rains" that have triggered deadly floods in the East African nation.

Schools were originally scheduled to reopen on Monday, following mid-term holidays, but the torrential monsoon downpours have affected many educational facilities, prompting the education ministry to delay the resumption of classes.

"The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools is so severe that it will be imprudent to risk the lives of learners and staff before water-tight measures are put in place to ensure adequate safety," Education Minister Ezekiel Machogu said.

"Based on this assessment, the Ministry of Education has resolved to postpone the reopening of all primary and secondary schools by one week, to Monday, May 6, 2024," he said in a statement.

Seventy-six people have lost their lives in Kenya since March, as heavier than usual rains batter East Africa, compounded by the El Nino weather pattern.

Flash floods have submerged roads and neighbourhoods, leading to the displacement of more than 130,000 people across 24,000 households, many of them in the capital Nairobi, according to government figures released on Saturday.

Sixty-four public schools in Nairobi -- nearly a third of the total number -- have been "substantially affected" by the flooding, Belio Kipsang, the principal secretary for education, said Friday.

In eastern Kenya, a boat carrying "a large number of people" capsized on Sunday in flooded Tana River county, the Kenya Red Cross said on X, adding that 23 others had been rescued.

Video footage shared online and broadcast on television showed the crowded boat sinking, with people screaming as onlookers watched in horror.

The monsoons have also wreaked havoc across neighbouring Tanzania, where at least 155 people have been killed in flooding and landslides.

In Burundi, one of the world's poorest countries, around 96,000 people have been displaced by months of relentless rains, the United Nations and the government said this month.

Uganda has also suffered heavy storms that have caused riverbanks to burst, with two deaths confirmed and several hundred villagers displaced.

Late last year, more than 300 people died in rains and floods in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, just as the region was trying to recover from its worst drought in four decades that left millions of people hungry.

El Nino is a naturally occurring climate pattern typically associated with increased heat worldwide, leading to drought in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere.
With the gaze of much of the world fixed on the wars unfolding in Gaza and Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to expand his countrys reach in Africa.

He is now using Libya as a stepping stone to position Russian submarines in the central Mediterranean and place nuclear weapons on Europes southern flank.

Enrico Borghi, a centrist MP and member of the Italian parliaments intelligence committee, recently warned that Russias interest in Tobruk in Libya is no mystery, which could be a preamble for sending its nuclear submarines there, much like the Soviet Union sent its missiles to Cuba in 1962.

It is clear that having submarines a few hundred kilometres from NATO states would not be good for security.

In light of this, Washington's move to reopen an embassy in Libya a decade after suspending its operations in the country is significant.

Not only is a strong Russian presence in Libya, a security threat to NATO and Europe  Libyas geographic location, linking Niger, Chad and Sudan to North Africa and Europe, makes it of vital strategic importance.

Russian footprints all over

The Russian footprint in Libya has grown substantially, alongside an evolving military presence evidenced by a recent delivery of military supplies to the port of Tobruk.

This strategic eastern city saw the arrival of armoured vehicles, weapons, and equipment  the fifth such shipment within a brief span, indicative of a systematic build-up.

The supplies, presumed to have been dispatched from Russia's naval facility in Tartus, Syria were transported by vessels of its Northern Fleet, reflecting an unyielding commitment to Moscow's Mediterranean gambit that has survived the impacts of the war in Ukraine.

The entrenchment in Libya also serves as a gateway for deeper inroads into Africa where Moscow is astutely exploiting a partnership void, offering African regimes military and economic collaboration devoid of the conditionalised engagements favoured by Western patrons.

Russian nuclear submarine, Yuri Dolgoruky, is seen during sea trials near Arkhangelsk, July 2009 - AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

The shipment and what it entails are not an isolated development but part of a broader Russian pattern to establish a perpetual military presence akin to its nearly decade-long posture in Syria.

Such an expansion is a direct challenge to NATO's southern flank.

The introduction of advanced air defence systems by Russian operators in Libya that threaten Western over-the-horizon counter-threat operations across North Africa and the Sahel shifts the regional balance of control in the air, while also threatening freedom of navigation since the delivery of anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) capabilities will negate NATO's operational reach in its own backyard.

How prepared is the West for Lybia's further decline?

The entrenchment in Libya also serves as a gateway for deeper inroads into Africa where Moscow is astutely exploiting a partnership void, offering African regimes military and economic collaboration devoid of the conditionalised engagements favoured by Western patrons.

Furthermore, Russia's pursuit of a naval presence in Libya's eastern region, likely to culminate into a base for its nuclear submarines, provides Moscow with more than just a strategic outpost looking towards the entire EU.

It adds a frustrating layer of complexity to NATO's security calculus now weighing steady Russian gains in Ukraine, and the long-term impacts of the US pullout from Niger and potentially Chad.

Simply put, Moscow's playbook in Libya is changing from the usual fusion of military engagement with political influence in Libya, partly facilitated by the alignment with regional strongman Khalifa Haftar.

Libya's Khalifa Hifter, the commander of the self-styled Libyan National Army, is seen at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, February 2023 - AP Photo/Jon Gambrell

Simply put, Moscow's playbook in Libya is changing from the usual fusion of military engagement with political influence in Libya, partly facilitated by the alignment with regional strongman Khalifa Haftar.

By supplanting Western influence, Russia's opportunism and leveraging of geopolitical fault lines have helped enhance its stature even at the height of a needless war in Ukraine.

The cascading impact of Moscow's manoeuvring raises serious questions about the West's preparedness for the declining prospects of a stable, secure and sovereign Libya.

This is why Washington's decision to reestablish a diplomatic presence in Libya is a strategic bid aimed at countering Russia's growing presence, while simultaneously bolstering the United Nations Support Mission.

The US is back in town, however

The move comes after a palpable hiatus pointing to recalibrated approaches in Washington's Libya file to embody a strategic calculus that transcends traditional diplomacy, for a re-engagement that can effectively counteract Russias growing inroads into Africa.

It is the clearest reflection yet of the interplay between geopolitical rivalry and the urgency of stabilising a paralysed country on Europe's southern periphery.

By re-establishing a physical diplomatic footprint in Libya, the US is taking a rare proactive stance that carries profound implications for Russia's ascent. The planned facility in Tripoli will facilitate closer monitoring and the ability to challenge Russian narratives and influence on the ground.

Re-introducing US diplomats to Libya is not merely a symbolic act. It will allow for persistent engagement with Libyan actors to maintain key relationships and develop a firm grasp on local dynamics that often elude remote diplomacy.

A secure and stable Libya is deeply intertwined with broader interests that, when carefully managed, will help immunise the country from a rising tide of instability that could undermine its transition to a post-paralysis era.

a police officer waves vehicles through a checkpoint during rush hour in Benghazi, May 2019 - AP Photo/Rami Musa

It also represents a tangible commitment to supporting UN-led mediation efforts and laying the groundwork for pivotal elections. A secure and stable Libya is deeply intertwined with broader interests that, when carefully managed, will help immunise the country from a rising tide of instability that could undermine its transition to a post-paralysis era.

The September 2012 attack on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi cast a shadow over a US return to Libya, stifling any optimism for re-establishing a diplomatic presence.

The memory of the Benghazi attacks also galvanised an evolution in US diplomacy regarding Libya that is predicated on security and sustainability.

This includes cultivating ongoing on-the-ground engagement with Libyan actors and establishing robust channels for dialogue to address issues before escalations.

It is a welcome pivot towards pre-empting potential risks, intervening diplomatically to avert crises, and ensuring the Libyan polity is insulated from worsening regional vulnerabilities.

There's no time to waste

Libya's protracted state of fragmentation poses challenges in Brussels' push to confront migrant surges, as any turmoil between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Maghreb acts as a catalyst for the mass movement of people towards Europe, with implications for security, political cohesion, and safety net systems within the EU.

Furthermore, the power vacuum in Libya could become a breeding ground for extremism that would be difficult to counteract given the enduring presence of mercenaries and foreign fighters, alongside deeply entrenched local militias across a very complicated security landscape.

To achieve sustainable peace, the US and Europe will have to leverage diplomatic pressure and develop effective strategies to uproot the political economies of Libya's hybrid actors that are key to their longevity.

In addition, Western involvement is critical for supporting the UN-brokered political settlement among Libyan actors, by providing an environment conducive to transparent electoral processes and equitable resource distribution.

Strategic engagement includes recognising Libyan sovereignty and facilitating national reconciliation through initiatives that reflect the "Libyan-owned and Libyan-led" principles, foundational to the UN's approach and stressed by Libyans themselves.

Moreover, efforts to establish inclusive national mechanisms for the transparent and equitable management of Libya's wealth and resources must run parallel with political mediation.

Failure to do so risks undermining reconciliation efforts and the building of a stable, secure future by addressing long-term economic and political marginalisation, particularly in Libya's south.

Therefore, focused efforts on economic integration, accountability, and the rehabilitation of Libya's tattered social fabric, backed by Western support, will be crucial in restoring stability in Libya.

Hafed Al-Ghwell is the Executive Director of the North Africa Initiative (NAI) and Senior Fellow at the SAIS Foreign Policy Institute (FPI), Johns Hopkins University.

Contact us at view@euronews.com to send pitches or submissions and be part of the conversation.
G7 urged to be 'bold' in climate hotspot Italy



Turin, Italy, April 29 (AFP) Apr 29, 2024



G7 environment ministers gathered in Turin on Monday for two days of talks, as the UN warned "excuses" for failing to take bold actions on climate change were "not acceptable".

The Group of Seven meeting in the northern Italian city is the first big political session since the world pledged at the UN's COP28 climate summit in December to transition away from coal, oil and gas.

UN climate chief Simon Stiell kicked off the talks by urging the highly industrialised countries to use their political clout, wealth and technologies to end fossil fuel use.

"I often hear in forums like this one that, 'we cannot possibly move too far forward, lest we predetermine the outcome of negotiations'" at the UN level, Stiell told the ministers.

"It is utter nonsense to claim the G7 cannot -- or should not -- lead the way on bolder climate actions," said Stiell, who leads the United Nations climate change organisation.

The talks come as a new report by a global climate institute shows the G7 -- which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US -- is falling far short of its targets.

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Turin on Sunday, some burning photos of the G7 leaders who they accused of failing future generations over the climate crisis.

Environmentalists want to know how the ministers intend to follow through on pledges, such as the agreement at COP28 in Dubai to double energy efficiency rates and triple renewable capacity by 2030.

They also want a bold deadline on ending fossil fuel use.

France is expected to push for the G7 to phase out coal by 2030, but Japan is reluctant to set a date.

Germany -- Europe's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases -- is unwilling to wean itself off gas, as is Italy.



- 'Quantum leap' -



Rome, which holds the G7 rotating presidency this year, says it wants Turin to be "a strategic link" between last year's UN climate talks and COP29, which will take place in November in Azerbaijan.

Italy, a climate change hotspot vulnerable to wildfires, drought and glacier retreat, is putting "biodiversity, ecosystems, warming seas" high on the agenda, according to Italian Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin.

Ministers are discussing "renewables, energy efficiency, phasing out fossil fuels" as well as "research for next-generation nuclear power, fusion, the circular economy, critical raw materials, biofuels," he said Monday.

The talks will stress the need to diversify sources of critical materials key to renewable energy systems, as well as minerals reuse, in a bid to stop overreliance on China, which dominates in green technologies.

Canada, France, Germany and the UK are pushing for a global treaty to reduce plastics pollution, and are expected to use the G7 to rally a reluctant US and Japan.

Together the G7 makes up around 38 percent of the global economy and was responsible for 21 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, according to the Climate Analytics policy institute.

Not one member of the group is on track to meet existing emission reduction targets for 2030, on track instead to cut them by "at best around half of what is needed", a report by the institute said last week.

Climate watchers hope for a ramping up of support for less developed countries in decarbonising their industrial production, with experts advising on particularly tricky sectors, like cement and steel.

There may be commitments on more funds for adaptation to climate change, and Italy said the G7 would discuss "innovative" financing models amid calls for more accessible finance for vulnerable countries.

The UN's Stiell said the G7 needed to see "a quantum leap in climate finance as core business".

"'Challenging budget conditions' is not an acceptable excuse for failing to deliver substantial new public climate finance pledges," he told the ministers.
A giant Japanese consortium has committed to backing the development of Ardea Resources Goongarrie Hub project in Western Australias Goldfields region  a major milestone for the nickel-cobalt operation billed by the Federal Government as globally significant.

Sumitomo Metal Mining and Mitsubishi Corporation have agreed to join Ardea to form an incorporated joint venture (JV) to be known as Kalgoorlie Nickel (KNPL). Management has described the decision by the Japanese companies as an enabler for the project and a massive independent endorsement for its potential.

Ardea Resources managing director Andrew Penkethman presenting with the AUSTRADE delegation in Japan.

Once in production, the company expects Goongarrie Hub to be one of Australias biggest nickel-cobalt producers.

Goongarrie Hub is a subset of six deposits within the companys wider Kalgoorlie Nickel project (KNP) that features 854 million tonnes at a grade of 0.71 per cent nickel and 0.045 per cent cobalt, giving 6.1 million tonnes of contained nickel and 386,000 tonnes of contained cobalt. Outside of the Goongarrie Hub deal, it means Ardea still has more than 2 million tonnes at its disposal within its wider KNP.
Theres an irony in the small-screen adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyens novel The Sympathizer being a hit with viewers and critics alike, as Hollywood has long been one of his targets. The Unofficial Ministry of Propaganda for the United States as he calls Hollywood in the book is a part of the mechanism of American military and political hegemony, and imperialism that produced someone like me, Nguyen says, referring to his own experience as a refugee who fled Vietnam, yet who accepts that he is now American.

This stance does not mean that Nguyen, a professor of English at the University of Southern California, has rejected cinematic motifs or devices in his writing. His fiction adopts the cinematic, not only from Hollywood as his second novel, The Committed, set in Paris evokes French cinema too.

Viet Thanh Nguyen insisted on a 90 per cent Vietnamese cast in the small-screen adaptation of his prize-winning novel, The Sympathizer. Credit:

The Sympathizers recognisable locales are Vietnam as a steamy exotic noir, offset by the endless sun-bleached parking lots of Los Angeles. The tension of the narrative ratcheted up by the logic of a Cold War thriller but stretched beyond its elastic limit, so lampooning the original device.

I grew up steeped in television and in movies, mostly out of Hollywood. And so, my imagination is also rather visual. And as much as I criticise Hollywood, I still also think that it produces great works of art. Does this approach to writing amount to appropriating Hollywood to defeat it? I think that might be a fair characterisation, he says, as long as we understand that its not just about movies, its about power.
In twitching terms, the situation unfolding at the Werribee sewage treatment plant is a mega rarity.

An American golden plover, all decked out in his breeding-plumage best, has somehow found himself blown, or has flown, thousands of kilometres off course.

The off-course American golden plover that somehow wound up at Melbournes Western Treatment Plant. Credit: Carol Moyse

The hopeful lothario, covered in golden flecks that indicate his readiness to take a mate, should have landed in the Arctic, probably in Alaska or Canada, for his species breeding season.

Instead, hes somehow wound up alone and presumably perplexed at Melbourne Waters Western Treatment Plant.
What about when 29-year-old Jill Meagher , an ABC staffer, was raped and strangled to death while walking home from a bar in Brunswick in Melbourne in 2012? That was a crime that shocked the nation, but perhaps not shocked enough to be declared a national crisis, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did on Sunday when labelling the calamity of domestic violence today.

But wasnt it also a national emergency in 2001, when the Australian Institute of Criminology reported that more than 1.2 million adult women had experienced an incident of sexual violence since the age of 15, and that one woman was being killed by a current or former partner every week?

Who in their right mind could not agree with that description, given that 27 women have been killed so far this year in Australia, 12 more than for the corresponding time last year?

So, now its a national crisis because  following the alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst in Forbes last week and Erica Hay four days later in Perth, both in their homes  politicians, advocacy groups and the media have decided its a national emergency.

What about when 22-year-old Melbourne comedian Eurydice Dixon was raped and murdered in Carlton North six years ago and her body dumped in Princes Park? Im almost home safe, she messaged her partner shortly before her life was taken.

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Surely, that was a national emergency given the outcry, the despair, the nationwide vigils, and given, particularly, the Victorian polices less than helpful messaging that women ensure they have situational awareness and awareness for their own personal security.

The response to these clumsy words was predictably outraged because it read to many as code for victim blaming. One woman countered on Facebook with a response that I have kept because of its eloquent fury: You know what would be great? she wrote. If an instance of a young man murdering a woman was seen as the opportunity to talk about whats going wrong with our boys and men. That we keep seeing them snap and take their frustration and damage and dysfunction out on women and girls. That they harm them. That they rape them. That they kill them. The questions we should be asking are not how can girls make themselves safer? Or why do women take these risks [walking home]? Or when will women be more aware of their surroundings and take some responsibility? That is all bullshit.

The questions we SHOULD be asking are how are our boys connecting to other people? Are they showing respect for the girls and women in their lives? Do they seem withdrawn and hostile? Are you ever worried about their ability to regulate anger, control their temper, admit when theyre in pain? Should my son be getting professional support? Is my brother dangerous? Is my father stable? What options are available to me if I think any of the men in my life pose a risk to someone else, or themselves?
This article is part of a series on the impact of toxic forever chemicals produced as part of the documentary How To Poison a Planet.

Australians generally expect that when companies sell a product not only will it work but also it wont harm them.

And that when theres a problem, there will be laws and regulations that will hold wrongdoers to account.

3M Global Headquarters in Maplewood, Minnesota. Credit: Bloomberg

While there is a law protecting consumer rights when a product doesnt work, it will surprise many that it is not illegal to sell unsafe goods in Australia.

This is particularly alarming in the wake of a Herald investigation and a newly released Stan documentary, How to Poison a Planet, which exposes a story of contamination, cancer, cover-ups and corporate malfeasance in the emerging health and environmental scandal of forever chemicals, or PFAS.
The news Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The NSW government has formally commenced its Transport Oriented Development Program, a major prong in its plan to increase housing supply in NSW and help build 377,000 new homes by 2029. From May 13, development applications can be lodged under the new policy at the first 18 train or metro stations. The new planning controls allow apartment blocks of up to six storeys (technically 22 metres, or 24 metres if there are shops on the ground floor) within 400 metres of the station. It marks the start of a program that  at this stage  will expand to 37 train and metro stations by June 2025. There are also another eight accelerated precincts, mostly around current or future metro stations, that are being master-planned by the government for significantly more density. Planning Minister Paul Scully said housing was the largest single cost-of-living issue facing the people of NSW and the plans finalised on Monday were a critical part of boosting vital supply. How we got here The government announced the TOD program in December, shortly after the Herald detailed the plans, which had been accidentally published on the Department of Planning website in advance.

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It contained two tiers: the aforementioned accelerated precincts, where development would be greater, and a list of 31 stations where controls would be changed in April 2024, following a brief period of consultation with councils. In early April, six more stations were added to the list, giving a total of 37. But many were also delayed to allow councils more time to put forward their own plans for deriving equal or greater housing growth. For example, the starting date for Marrickville, Dulwich Hill and Ashfield was pushed back until December, while North Wollongong, St Marys and Wiley Park were delayed until April 2025. On Monday, the government released detailed plans for the 18 starting sites and confirmed their start date as May 13. The programs formal title is the Transport Oriented Development State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP). Key players At a macro level, Premier Chris Minns has driven the governments push for more housing density. He routinely cites Sydneys prohibitively high cost of housing as a key reason people  especially young people of working age  are leaving the city.

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Scully and his department secretary, Kiersten Fishburn, are responsible for the design of the TOD policy, with involvement from Transport Minister Jo Haylen (whose portfolio includes the Metro network, the basis for much of the forecast transport-oriented development), as well as Housing Minister Rose Jackson, whose key brief is social and affordable housing. Planning Minister Paul Scully on Monday. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos Heavily involved in this policy are local councils, with whom the state government has enjoyed a love-hate relationship. Minns put mayors on notice early in his term with barbs about NIMBY-ism. But recently, the government has been at pains to stress that councils are part of the solution. It offered councils significant deferrals on this TOD policy and promised the controls would only last until councils did their own planning, which yielded an equal or greater number of new homes. The development industry is also a key player, helping to shape this and other government housing policies (on Monday, the Property Council described itself as the original architects of the policy). Generally, the industry has praised Minns for his ambition and rhetoric and cautiously welcomed each announcement, while warning publicly and privately that market conditions may render some of the solutions unfeasible. What they said Paul Scully, NSW planning minister: This is a win-win-win for communities, where there is an opportunity for housing, an opportunity for jobs, an opportunity for greater amenity and close to public transport. These are the sorts of measures that will stop families packing up and giving up not only on Sydney but often on the rest of NSW. Mark Speakman, NSW opposition leader: Premier Chris Minns called these the largest planning reforms in the states history, yet he failed to provide any opportunity for community consultation. While these areas are earmarked for more than 175,000 new homes, the Minns government hasnt put one cent forward for new schools, roads or parks to support the increased population.

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Katie Stevenson, executive director, Property Council NSW: Industry was adamant that the height controls under the TOD SEPP would need to double to make delivering the next wave of homes commercially viable. It is disappointing to see that these calls have fallen on deaf ears. What you need to know As the TOD program moves from idea to plan to reality, the real question is now whether these reforms will actually lead to more housing - and how quickly. Thats why the feasibility of these potential developments is crucial. The program has never pretended to be fast: the time frame is 15 years. That is because it takes a long time for developers to buy up property and amalgamate sites. Ultimately, it is up to property owners whether they want to sell. Once a suitable parcel of land has been acquired, the developer then has to lodge an application and go through the planning process, which can also be lengthy. Land in Sydney is notoriously expensive, particularly in well-located areas such as the north shore and inner west. The development industry is now raising significant concerns that six storeys may not be enough to make a project viable. Put another way: the cost of land and construction will be such that the apartments wont be affordable, if they are built at all. Gavin Melvin, acting director of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (NSW), said the TOD program would need to be watched closely and improved if it becomes clear it is not delivering as hoped. A political hot potato

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The state Liberal opposition has sympathised with the governments goal of boosting housing supply. That was ostensibly a goal of the previous administration, too: in 2017, then-planning minister Anthony Roberts was touting his own plan for transport-oriented development, saying: This is a crisis. Were almost at the point of no return. However, the Liberals are critical of Labors methods, accusing the government of trampling over local planning controls, failing to consult properly and neglecting new infrastructure for suburbs impacted by higher density. The government points out that, by definition, the TOD locations are already served by a train or metro line. The Planning Department selected the 37 sites from a list of 305 because they already had the capacity to accommodate more homes, and recently published its full assessment criteria. Up to 150 residents, councillors and stakeholders attended a meeting in Ku-ring-gai earlier in the year to voice concerns over the north shore TOD zones. Credit: Michael Koziol Labor is also confident that younger voters want action on housing affordability and will reward any progress toward that end. Nonetheless, the issue will be politically divisive at the next election and during council elections to be held in September 2024. The government is keen to stress that it is working with most councils toward a common aim - except Ku-ring-gai, on Sydneys north shore, which resisted. New planning controls will commence at all four of its stations  Roseville, Lindfield, Killara and Gordon  on May 13. That papers over tensions with quite a few councils, including Labor-led ones, such as Inner West. There, Labor is demanding the government do some of the hard yards itself by allocating billions to build social housing and releasing its long-awaited audit of public land suitable for housing development.

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Twice a week senior students at Riverside Girls High gather in a classroom during their lunch break and spend 40 minutes debating calculus, algebra and geometry problems.

The schools voluntary maths club, for students enrolled in higher-level HSC courses, has become a regular informal study session where a maths teacher guides the group as they tackle tough questions from past exam papers.

At Riverside Girls High, the success rate for advanced maths  the ratio of high scores to total HSC exams sat  rose from 12 per cent in 2019 to 25 per cent last year. Credit: Kate Geraghty

We get to know our students very well from that extra time outside the confines of normal classes. The club is casual but interactive, and helps us pinpoint any gaps in knowledge quickly, says the schools head of maths, Eleanor MacIntyre.

Riversides principal Louise McNeil says the maths club is just one of multiple strategies that has contributed to steady improvements in HSC maths results in recent years.
The CFMEU has again taken industrial action at Cross River Rail sites across Brisbane, this time over a long-running dispute with contractor CPB.

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The union wants CPB to cut its members a better deal and improve safeguards, as it competes with a rival union, the AWU, for dominance in Queensland.

Cross River Rail workers have joined the CFMEU in droves because CPB will not listen, the AWU

will not speak up for them and the Queensland government only cares about staged photo ops

and spin, said CFMEU assistant state secretary Jade Ingham.

Ingham is expected to rally members at the Albert Street site at lunchtime.

Cross River Rail is due to start operating in 2026. A spokesman said the industrial action was a matter for the unions and CPB.

We encourage all parties involved to continue to bargain in good faith and to reach a resolution, so we can continue to deliver this transformational project, the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority spokesman said.
Two people killed in a light plane crash at Mount Beauty Airport in Victorias northeast had intended to distribute the ashes of a loved one over the picturesque High Country.

Pilot Greig Wanless, 67, and passenger Kate Callingham, 39, were killed when the plane they were travelling in nosedived on Saturday afternoon.

Wanless was a volunteer at the Plenty CFA and a former student and staff member at Ivanhoe Grammar School.

Police at Mount Beauty airport on Saturday. Credit: Nine News

Greig was such a wonderful and important member of our school community, the schools development manager Geoff Brown said on Sunday.
Cutting the highway that runs through the heart of Melton in half to make way for a walkable boulevard with space for cycling and trees is at the centre of a council plan to revive the western suburbs economically depressed town centre.

A handful of underutilised parks will also be developed into multi-storey housing sites as part of the attempt to inject new life into central Melton.

Long-time Melton resident and florist Kris Testi says downtown Meltons glory days are long past. Credit: Jason South

Melton is the fastest growing city in Australia, but its traditional commercial centre has been hollowed out as shoppers abandon the area for the nearby Woodgrove Shopping Centre, which is underpinned by major retail chains such as Coles, Kmart and JB Hi-Fi.

A socioeconomic analysis for the council has found that the community of central Melton is on average older and poorer than other parts of the municipality, and that the areas best chance of being rejuvenated is by increasing its population density, walkability and quality of public transport, rather than trying to lure major brands back to the struggling strip.
A further video seemed to show the PM saying to Williams: Do you want me to speak or not? I am the prime minister. Loading It was a bad look. On Monday, Williams doubled down on her accusation, posting on social media that the prime minister abused his power, was aggressive and demonstrated his entitlement. Albanese did a round of breakfast interviews in which he deflected questions about who said what and attempted to reassure voters he is taking seriously the problem of gendered violence. He has called an urgent national cabinet meeting for Wednesday, and his government is two years into a National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children. It also implemented family and domestic violence leave as an employee entitlement.

This is a big test for Albanese. At times of national crisis, a national leaders job is to sponge up emotion, and he will be judged on how well he does it. (Its pretty much always a he, isnt it? But interesting to ponder how a female PM might have handled such a situation.) Just ask former prime minister Scott Morrison; he copped national anger over the pandemic response and he was further walloped by a wave of female outrage over his handling of Brittany Higgins allegation of rape in Parliament House, a rape now proven to a civil standard. Morrison was scorned for not appearing at the March 4 Justice rally at Parliament House in March 2021. He was (rightly) lambasted for saying, in the House of Representatives, that it was a triumph of democracy that not far from here, such marches, even now, are being met with bullets, but not here in this country. Scott Morrison listens as then-opposition leader Anthony Albanese criticises him in parliament on March 15, 2021, over the then-prime ministers response to the March 4 Justice rally. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Morrison must be feeling either empathy or schadenfreude as he watches Albanese cop bad press for his handling of the rally. Morrison clearly still feels as if he was misunderstood. Last week he told this mastheads James Massola that Australians had not known who he really was. I think at the end of the day, to my detriment, they [voters] bought a narrative peddled by others to destroy me, which was effective, but they didnt know [me], he said. The urge for self-defence and justification must be strong at times like this, particularly for Albanese. Unlike Morrison, the prime minister has a broadly friendly political persona.

His background as a Labor-left progressive gives him some genuine credibility when it comes to traditional issues of the left, which include gender equality and violence against women. But you cant always be the good guy. As prime minister, youre most importantly the man who commands the federal budget. You have the responsibility to find a way of speaking that is really about listening. You have to acknowledge the scale of the human tragedy involved  the waste of female potential, the injustice of the women living in terror, the fear and the frustration, the extremely high stakes.

You have to acknowledge the powerlessness of women in this situation, then contrast it with the huge power you have, and pledge to use that power on their behalf. Loading The same, by the way, goes for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton. Where is he? As a former Queensland cop with years of experience on the front line of family violence situations, Dutton is extremely well-placed to offer practical solutions that can be implemented quickly. What would a Dutton government do to attack this problem? Ultimately, it is immaterial whether Albanese was invited to speak to the rally or not.

This problem is too important, and it needs total focus and unity of purpose. Albanese might have been chippy and fragile, but there is goodwill and momentum in the government on this issue. Lets exploit it, starting with the federal budget in a fortnights time. It doesnt matter what Albanese says at a rally. What matters is what he says in the expenditure review committee, and what his treasurer, Jim Chalmers, says on budget night.
The nations most senior Catholic leaders are pushing for Pope Francis to visit Australia in September, as the pontiff prepares to undertake a gruelling tour of South-East Asia and the Pacific.

The Vatican announced earlier this month that Pope Francis planned to travel to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore from September 2 to 13 in what would be the longest international trip of his 11-year papacy.

Pope Francis waves after presiding over the Easter Vigil celebration. Credit: AP

Sources involved in the effort but not authorised to speak publicly said Catholic leaders had been liaising with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the proposal for Pope Francis to add a brief Australian leg to his tour.

The campaign has the backing of the Albanese government, which has offered to help facilitate the trip.
Education Minister Jason Clare is demanding states account for every federal dollar spent on students with disabilities as well as those from Indigenous or disadvantaged backgrounds in exchange for almost $6 billion more in public school funding.

But NSW and Victoria say more data collection wont solve problems in schools, claiming that onerous reporting conditions tied to the proposed 2.5 per cent funding increase will only add to pressures on teachers.

Education Minister Jason Clare is demanding states reveal how they are spending federal money on disadvantaged students. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Clare said the governments push for greater transparency isnt about adding workload to our already overworked teachers, it is about making sure that parents and teachers can see that the money we invest goes to the schools that need it.

I have put billions of dollars for public schools on the table, but I reiterate that there are no blank cheques here, Clare said.
The most pro-China leader in the Pacific, Manasseh Sogavare, has conceded his prime ministership is over after suffering a bruising voter backlash in this months Solomon Islands elections, a development that will come as a major relief to Australian officials.

Sogavare has been the dominant figure in Solomon Islands politics over more than two decades, holding the prime ministership on four separate occasions since 2000.

Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare (left) with his Chinese counterpart, Li Qiang in Beijing in July 2023. Credit: AP

Sogavare has often had an antagonistic relationship with Australia, alarming Australian officials when he switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 2019 and again in 2022 when he agreed to a secretive security pact with Beijing.

Sogavare announced he was standing aside from the prime ministerial leadership contest on Monday to allow Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele to run for the position on behalf of a coalition led by his Ownership, Unity and Responsibility (OUR) Party.
This is a very good house  these buyers knew that, if they didnt find this, they had to wait a lot of time to find something of this calibre. The vendors are also a multigenerational family and are looking to move into an even larger home. An extensive renovation was completed in 2018. Credit: The buyers cant wait to move in. They also have a dog and loved that [pet] room. The house last traded for $3.7 million in 2015, records show.

The property was one of 667 scheduled auctions in Sydney at the weekend. By evening, Domain Group recorded a preliminary auction clearance rate of 68.3 per cent from 420 reported results, while 96 auctions were withdrawn. Withdrawn auctions are counted as unsold properties when calculating the clearance rate. In Concord West, at 14 The Drive, a three-bedroom, single-level red brick house sold for $3.03 million  about $330,000 above its $2.7 million reserve. Auctioneer Edward Riley said the pace of the auction was so frenetic it was done and dusted within five minutes. There was an opening bid of $2.5 million. The next bid was $2.7 million and then literally, it was like rapid fire: $2.8 million, $2.9 million, $3 million. Then ... it was $1000, $10,000, $1000, $10,000. And we were done, Riley said.

Nine registered to bid, all mostly young families, but, due to the aggressive and fast-paced nature of the bidding, only two were able to participate. Selling agent Dib Chidiac from the eponymous agency said the vendors were extremely happy as they had reached their reserve by the second bid. We bought the auction forward by a week because of the demand and interest that we had, Chidiac said. The buyers are a young upsizing local family looking to renovate and extend. In Cremorne, a two-bedroom apartment located at 4B/37 Reynolds Street sold under the hammer for $1.88 million.

Seven registered and four made offers on the well-maintained unit with beautiful views. The interest was from a mix of downsizers and young professionals. Bidding opened at $1.45 million and went up in a mix of $10,000, $20,000 and $30,000 bids until it went above the guided range of $1.5 to $1.6 million. It sold $330,000 above reserve for $1.88 million. BresicWhitneys selling agent Shabina Kamal sold the tightly held unit. Kamal said the main drawcard of the property was the enclosed balcony. [The balcony] was quite oversized and had beautiful views over Middle Harbour. So that, combined with the price, was very attractive.

Elsewhere, at 21 Church Street in Randwick a four-bedroom semi, devoid of furniture and virtually staged for the photos, sold bang on reserve for $2.5 million. Five registered to bid and three actively bid, all owner occupiers. Bidding opened at $2.1 million below its $2.2 million guide and went up in $50,000, $10,000 and $5000 increments. It sold for $2.5 million to a first home buyer couple with a baby from Double Bay. Selling agent Natalie Field from McGrath Coogee said all the interested parties were excited to have the opportunity to add value and make the home their own. You definitely have to do work to it before [moving in], which affected a lot of people who were happy to do that; young families that really just want to put their own spin on it, Field said.
Manila: The Philippines has cancelled in-person public school classes for the next two days and said the power grid on its main island could be strained as the country grapples with a heatwave that is also affecting other parts of South-East Asia.

The state weather agency said the heat index  which measures the temperature felt by individuals as it takes humidity into account  was expected to remain at a record 45 degrees, in the range which it classes as dangerous as conditions can trigger heat stroke from prolonged exposure. On Monday, it was expected to reach as high as 46 degrees in Manila.

A man unloads blocks of ice from a truck during a heatwave in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday. Credit: Bloomberg

It could continue hitting record highs until the second week of May, Glaiza Escullar, a state weather forecaster, told DZBB radio station.

The heatwave is putting pressure on power supplies on the main island of Luzon, which accounts for three-quarters of economic output, with reserves thinning after 13 power plants had shut down earlier this month, the Philippines grid operator said in a statement. The government urged people to save electricity.
Washington: Israeli officials increasingly believe the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for senior government figures on charges related to the war with Hamas, according to five Israeli and foreign officials.

The Israeli and foreign officials also believe the court is weighing arrest warrants for Hamas leaders.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Credit: AP

If the court proceeds, the Israeli officials could potentially be accused of preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and pursuing an excessively harsh response to the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel, according to two of the five officials, all of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly discuss the matter.

The Israeli officials, who are worried about the potential fallout from such a case, said they believed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was among those who might be named in a warrant. It is not clear who might be charged from Hamas or what crimes would be cited.
More "DoGoods" From Hyundai

SAVANNAH, Ga., April 29, 2024 -- Hyundai recently contributed to local Savannah nonprofit organizations to support safety, education, and reforestation in the community. Memorial Health Dwaine and Cynthia Willett Children's Hospital of Savannah and Safe Kids Savannah received a donation to support child passenger and driver education programs. Georgia Southern University received a donation to provide scholarships to undergraduate students in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Coastal Bryan Tree Foundation received a donation to help replant trees within the Coastal Bryan County region. Ceremonial checks were presented to the organizations in Savannah, Georgia, the week of April 22.

"Over the past two years, Hyundai has established impactful relationships with local organizations in Savannah whose work aligns with our vision of progress for humanity," said Brandon Ramirez, director of corporate social responsibility, Hyundai Motor North America. "As we begin to call Georgia home and prepare for the opening of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, we are proud to invest back into the community by supporting safety, education, and reforestation initiatives that support our neighbors in coastal Georgia."

Hyundai established its partnership with Children's Hospital of Savannah and Safe Kids Savannah in 2022, and since then has donated $75,000 to support the Child Passenger Safety Program and driver education. Children's Hospital of Savannah is the lead agency for Safe Kids Savannah, a local coalition of organizations and individuals whose goal is to prevent injury among children. Hyundai's donation will continue to support the hospital's consumer educational events, including car seat safety checks hosted by certified child passenger safety technicians.

"This donation will allow our Safe Kids program to give car seats to parents who may not otherwise have them for their children," said Heather Newsome, administrator for the Memorial Health Dwaine & Cynthia Willett Children's Hospital of Savannah. "Keeping children safe and healthy is our goal. Thank you, Hyundai, for helping us in this endeavor."

Hyundai and Georgia Southern University are entering the second year of partnership, with Hyundai donating a total of $30,000 to STEM scholarships for undergraduate students thus far. With Hyundai's commitment to innovation and Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America being built nearby, the company seeks to invest in the next generation of leaders in the science, technological, and engineering fields.

Coastal Bryan Tree Foundation is committed to reforestation in the Coastal Bryan County region, with the mission to plant, promote, and protect trees. Hyundai's donation will be used to ensure the organization can continue its significant work in sustaining the environment of Coastal Georgia.

Hyundai also partnered with the United Way of the Coastal Empire and the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire on health-related initiatives. The United Way will use the donation towards their community mental health program, and the Ronald McDonald House will use the donation towards their programming that cares for critically ill children and their families.

Additionally, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America and Hyundai Motor America participated in a volunteer day at America's Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia. Over 20 employees helped pack 2,940 breakfasts for the summer breakfast program, which feeds children across Coastal Georgia.

Hyundai Motor America

Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Company's Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (in development in Georgia), and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundai's 835 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a recent economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com.
Plans made for new maltings in Scotland

Crisp Malt, Norfolk-based malt manufacturer, has submitted plans for a new maltings on its Portgordon site in Scotland.

According to Crisp Malt, the new maltings is planned in response to increasing demand for malt from distilleries in Scotland. Through the additional malting facility, Crisp Malt aims to provide distilleries with better access to Scotland-malted product, and support the growth of the malted spirits industry.

The new site has been planned with sustainability in mind; Crisp Malt says the maltings will house state-of-the-art technologies to achieve sustainability goals.

Jake Lambert, operations director, said: Crisp Malt has been supplying the Scottish distilling industry since the 1960s. Our current site at Portgordon opened in 1979 and produces 42,000 tonnes of malt to Scottish distilleries every year. This application seeks to support the growing success of the Scottish distilling industry.

The design and landscaping of the proposed maltings will help the new development to sit well within the landscape. We want to continue to invest locally to ensure that the economic benefits of the growth plan will stay within Moray. This substantial investment will support the local economy, create jobs, provide more opportunities for local growers of maltings barley, and support the distilling industry on its journey to net zero.

If planning permission is approved, the company expects to begin production at the new site in 2027.

29 April 2024 - Lucy Schofield
Got heaps of clothes to donate? Here's how to do it for free without leaving your house
Actor Sahil Khanarrested in Mahadev betting app case





MUMBAI,

THE Mumbai cyber cells SIT on Sunday arrested actor Sahil Khan in connection with the Mahadev betting app case, a police official here said. The actor was apprehended from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday after the Bombay High Court rejected his pre-arrest bail plea, he said. He was subsequently brought to Mumbai and placed under arrest, the official said. Sahil Khan was sent to two-day police custody starting from April 29. Khan was recently questioned by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed in connection with the case. The actor, known for films like Style and Excuse Me, has become a fitness expert. The Mumbai police had earlier arrested one person in connection with the case, the official said. Khan is the second person to be arrested by the city police in the case, he said.

The SIT has been conducting a probe into the alleged illegal transactions between certain financial and real estate firms in the State and the promoters of the controversial Mahadev betting app. The size of the scam is about Rs 15,000 crore, as per the first information report (FIR) registered by the Matunga police here in the case. An investigation is underway against Khan and 31 other individuals. The probe involves examining their bank accounts, mobile phones, laptops, and all technical equipment, according to the police. While the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating money laundering angle in the Mahadev betting app case, Mumbai police have registered a separate case against 32 persons.
Bereft of core agenda, shrinks to personal attacks





Bhavana Aparajita Shukla

Outwitting issues affecting large section of population, the current dichotomy of electioneering in the State is witnessing personal attacks. In a recent move, CM Dr Mohan Yadav fiercely targeted Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi and said that even after getting married, she continues to write her surname as Gandhi. Yadavs comment came in the light of Priyankas earlier statement on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in her speech. After second phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 26, the war of words between the leaders of political parties is becoming more intense. While addressing a meeting in support of Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, CM Dr Mohan Yadav said, The soul of former Prime Minister Nehru must be shedding tears that his granddaughter does not wear mangalsutra even after getting married.

CM Mohan Yadav further said, According to our tradition, as soon as the daughter gets married, she adds her in-laws surname to her name. How is Priyanka (Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi) a Gandhi? All these are fake Gandhians. They are only Gandhis followers. They want to garner votes on the name, but public will settle all accounts. CMs this remark came in response to Priyankas statement that she had made, while addressing a meeting on Saturday in support of Congress candidate Anant Patel in Dharampur, Valsad, Gujarat. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi had also targeted PM Modi. She also called PM Modi uncle. Along with this, Priyanka Gandhi said that PM Modi is talking nonsense to you on the basis of the seriousness of his post. He said that everywhere there is an uncle who holds a court and imparts knowledge to everyone. Similarly uncle ji started saying that if Congress comes to power then they will break your jewellery and mangalsutra and give it to someone else.
Elephant attack : 2 out of 3 injured women succumb





Staff Reporter

A wild male elephant that came from Telangana to Gadchiroli district a few days ago, wreaked havoc in Bhamragad taluka as it killed three persons in last four days. On Thursday, the tusker attacked three women from Hidur village of Bhamragad taluka and injured them seriously. Out of three women, two victims succumbed to their injuries on Sunday. One day before this incident, the same elephant killed a farmer named Gonglu Rama Telami (46) of Kiyar village of Bhamragad when he was working in his farm which is situated near the forest. Whereas, the very next day, the three women named Mahari Devu Wadde (50), Raje Kopa Alami (50) and Vanje Juru Pungati from Hidur village faced the elephant attack during the Mata Puja programme which was underway in the village at around 7.30 pm. The elephant attacked the crowd seriously injuring the three women. Out of these three women, Wadde and Alami were critical and on Sunday, they succumbed to their injuries in General Hospital at Chandrapur.

Both women died due to serious injuries on legs and stomach. After their death, we are waiting for the post-mortem report and after autopsy, the bodies were handed over to their families, S Rameshkumar, Conservator of Forest (Territorial), Gadchiroli told The Hitavada. The tusker was first seen in Kosfundi village of Bhamragad taluka on early Thursday morning. It then went to Karampalli-Tekla forest. Then same day in the evening, it attacked the farmer. Then it moved to Hidur village same day and attacked on these three women. According to the officer, before entering in Gadchiroli district, this elephant also killed two persons in Telangana and damaged crop and houses there. This elephant came from Chhattisgarh. First it entered Telangana, creating panic among villagers in that state and now it entered Bhamragad taluka of Gadchiroli, said Rameshkumar. We are monitoring the movement of the elephant with the help of our Hulla team and forest men in adjoining areas of the taluka. We are also using drone to monitor the movement of the elephant, said the senior officer.
Canadian broadcaster and actor Lister Sinclair once told me an interesting story about a visit he paid to Hungary in 1945 just at the end of the Second World War while on an assignment with the Canadian Military. In a small village, an old lady, probably in her 80's, came up to Lister and showed him an interesting piece of paper, which was given to her own Grandmother. As a child this grandmother lived in a village that happened to be frequented by Ludwig van Beethoven while on a holiday in the area. Beethoven loved watching children at play, and they in turn found him a fascinating person. The grandma in question, as a young girl, was particularly admired by Beethoven, who sketched out a brief bit of music on a piece of paper and handed it to her, remarking "keep a hold of this. It might be worth something some day". This was the piece of paper the old woman showed Lister, who forever kicked himself for not borrowing it and making a copy!

Ludwig van Beethoven: Two Bagatelles

Rudolf Buchbinder, piano - Beethoven: Famous Piano Pieces. Rudolf Buchbinder - Teldec Esprit John Cage: Two

Jack Behrens, pianos - Jack Behrens. Water Music - Furiant Records - Jack Behrens. Water Music - Francis Poulenc: Concerto in D Minor for 2 pianos and orchestra

Guher & Suher Pekinel, pianos; Orchestra Philharmonique de Radio France; Marek Janowski, conductor - Saint-Saens: Le Carnival Des Animaux. Guher & Suher Pekinel/OPRF/Janowski - Teldec Johannes Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, Op. 56a

Sinfonieorchester des Sudwestrundfunks; Jascha Horenstein, conductor - Horenstein. Brahms. Symphony No. 1. Variations on a Theme of Haydn - Vox Legends
Explosion aftermath: Damaged permanent structures razed





Staff Reporter

Although central investigating agencies are already looking into the explosion incident that took place at Shamim Kabadi's scrap warehouse, situated at Khajri Khiria bypass last Thursday, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has now reportedly been formed to further probe the matter. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the district administration bulldozed the damaged permanent structures situated within the periphery of Raza Metal Industries where the explosion occurred. The workshop belongs to Shamim Kabadi. Various agencies right from the local level to the national level are making collective efforts to uncover the truth behind the incident and address the potential violations of laws. As well, the investigating agencies are carefully exploring all angles surrounding the explosion incident, including the source of explosive material and the nature of explosion itself. This comprehensive investigation aims to unravel the origins of the materials involved and shed light on the circumstances that led to the detonation. By examining these crucial aspects, the authorities seek to uncover any potential links to illicit activities and ensure a thorough understanding of the incident.

On Sunday, the district administration with due support of anti-encroachment squad of Jabalpur Municipal Corporation bulldozed the office and adjacent permanent structures. Meanwhile, the police are preparing to announce a reward for the absconding Shamim Kabadi and are also uncovering people who had secretive partnerships and involvement in his business. It may be noted that, a powerful explosion occurred at Shamim Kabadis scrap worshop, located near Khajri Kheria bypass, resulting in the loss of two lives. Shamims son, Faheem Kabadi and his partner Sultan Ali have been implicated in a case of premeditated murder. Both Faheem and Sultan have already been arrested and are currently in remand till May 1.

In the aftermath of the massive explosion, central intelligence agencies such as the NIA, ATS, Military Intelligence and NSG have become active and they will present their investigation reports to their respective senior officials. The police are conducting their own investigation into the matter and it is learnt that an SIT led by Additional SP has been formed, including a CSP and SHO. The Superintendent of Police will supervise the investigation conducted by the SIT. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the administration has demolished the office and nearby permanent structures situated in workshop. Prior to the action, the administration had a day before yesterday bulldozed illegal portion of Shamim Kabadi's residence and his brother Salims house.
Indian Navy assists crude oil tanker after it comes under missile attack





NEW DELHI,

THE Indian Navy swiftly assisted a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker with 30 crew members including 22 Indians after the vessel came under missile attack from Houthi militants. Indian Navys destroyer INS Kochi responded following the attack on the vessel, MV Andromeda Star, on April 26, officials said, adding all the crew members are safe. The US Central Command said Iranian-backed Houthi militants launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into the Red Sea in the vicinity of merchant vessel Maisha and MV Andromeda Star. MV Andromeda Star is a Panaman-flagged and Seychelles-operated vessel.
Removal Of Judge





By Adv. R. S. Agrawal

JUSTICE Atul S Chandurkar and Justice Jitendra Jain, at the Principal Seat of the Bombay High Court, have reiterated the well-settled legal position regarding the narrow scope of judicial review under Article 226 of the Constitution of India in all matters, particularly in service matters and unless the decision making process is shown to be vitiated, the Court should not exercise its discretion and jurisdiction as an Appellate Court. The division bench at the HC has stated in the decision Aniruddha Ganesh Pathak v. Registrar General and the State Law and Judiciary Secretary, Mumbai, that in service matters, an employer is the best judge to consider the allegation and the punishment to be imposed and unless the process of establishing the charges and imposing the punishment has not been followed in accordance with the principles of natural justice, the Court would and should be slow in interfering in such matters. This writ petition was filed by A G Pathak for getting quashed the impugned order passed by the Maharashtra Law and Judiciary Department, Mumbai on January 14, 2022 for removing the petitioner from the judicial service. He had also prayed for reinstatement in Service with consequential benefits. On March 19, 2010, the petitioner was appointed as a Civil, Judge, Junior Division.

During the tenure of his service, he was posted at various districts till the date of his removal. It is also necessary, according to the High Court, to take into consideration its judgement in the case  High Court of Judicature at Bombay through its Registrar v Shashikant S Patil and Another  (2000)1 SCC 416 as regards the scope available for this Court while exercising jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India while considering a challenge to an order passed by the Disciplinary Authority of the High Court. In this case under consideration before the High Court, it is not the case of the petitioner that there has been a violation of decision making process in arriving at the conclusion which is reflected in the impugned order of January 14, 2022 and rightly so. The petitioner was given Memorandum of charges on May 7, 2018 along with all the supporting documents. The petitioner was given a show cause by the Disciplinary Committee to give his say on Charges-1,6 and 7. The petitioner replied to the said Show Cause Notice issued by the Disciplinary Committee. The respondent-Registrar General arrived at the finding that these 3 charges have been proved and consequently thereafter, imposed punishment of removal from judicial service in accordance with Rule 5(1)(viii) of the Maharashtra Civil Services (D&A) Rules, 1979.

Therefore, in the HCs view no fault can be found in the decision making process adopted by the respondents and, therefore, to that extent, this Court would not be inclined to interfere in the impugned order. It is a universally accepted norm that Judges and Judicial Officers must act with dignity and must not indulge in as conduct or behaviour which is likely to affect the image of judiciary or which is unbecoming of a Judicial Officer. If the Members of the Judiciary indulge in a behavior which is blameworthy or which is unbecoming of a judicial Officer, the Writ Courts are not expected to intervene and grant relief to such a Judicial Officer. Ordinarily, an order terminating services of a Judicial Officer by passing an order of dismissal from service or other on the recommendation of the HC as contemplated under Article 235 of the Constitution of India would be liable to be interfered with broadly on proof of a breach of a Constitutional provision, principles of natural justice or the applicable service rules. The HC has noted that in the judgment of the case  Nawal Singh v State of UP and Another (2003)8 SCC 117, the SC has held that judicial service cannot be treated as a service in the sense of employment. Judges, while discharging their functions exercise the sovereign judicial power of the State and hence standards expected to be maintained are of the highest nature.

The petitioner had not challenged the impugned order on the ground of mala fides. The report of PDJ, Nandurbar of February 17, 2017 records what he found and saw on his visit to Shahda Court on November 25, 2016. In the said report, it has been recorded that the appearance and body language of the petitioner was not of a normal person and further the petitioner was also personally asked to behave properly by the PDJ, Shahda. On enquiry from staff, Bar and others, serious complaints against the petitioner surfaced. It was also revealed by those who know that he used to come to Court after taking drink, and has not been punctual. It has not been the case of the petitioner that the person, who has prepared the report is biased against the him. A report by the District Judge, Jalgaon, who visited Shahda is also on similar lines. The Disciplinary Committee has agreed with the findings of the Inquiry Officer after discussing the evidence. It cannot be said that the impugned order is perverse and without any application of mind. Therefore, in the HCs view, it cannot reach conclusion that the findings of the Disciplinary Committee can be said to be perverse or without any material in support thereof.

The Court cannot sit over the decision of the respondents to re-appreciate the evidence to conclude that the punishment is not justified and is disproportionate on the basis of evidence on record. All evidence go to prove that the petitioner was regularly under the influence of liquor. The HC has stated that it has no reason to reach the finding that, on the basis of material, the Disciplinary committees finding fault with the petitioner in the case to the extent of recommending his removal from the post cannot be said to be perverse. According to the High Court, the contention of the petitioner, that the punishment is disproportionate is also without merits. The fact, that the petitioner was a Judge, his conduct and behaviour has to be above par is a very crucial aspect, which has to be considered for imposing the punishment. The evidence on record clearly prove charge Nos 1, 6 and 7 and the petitioner had lost the faith of not only the Bar, but also of the Bench and staff working with him on account of his conduct, therefore, discretion having been exercised without any arbitrariness by the respondents, the High Court has no reason to interfere in the respondents decision.
Those who turned down Ram temple invitation will be rejected by voters: PM Modi





Sirsi (Karnataka),

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that those who turned down the invitation for the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be rejected by the people in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. He was apparently referring to the Congress party for not attending the event. Modi said a decision on building the Ram temple should have been taken the very next day of the countrys independence. Targeting the Congress on the issue, he alleged that the same forces tried till the last minute to ensure that the Ram temple was not built and had approached the court on the last day as well. The Congress and its coterie tried for 70 years that the Rama temple should not be built, the Prime Minister said, addressing a public gathering at this taluka headquarters town in Uttara Kannada district.

The trustees of Ram temple ignored all the hurdles put by the Congress and its allies, went to their houses and invited them to attend the consecration ceremony, which was a kind gesture on their part, he said. They (Congress leaders) rejected the Ram temple inauguration invitation. The country will reject those who turned down the Ram temple invitation, Modi said. He told the crowd about another surprising development where the Ansari family, which had fought against Ram temple for two to three generations and wanted Babri Masjid in the same place, wholeheartedly accepted the invitation to attend the consecration ceremony. The Congress and its coterie rejected the invitation by the Ram temple trustees to attend the consecration.

Though Muslim, the Ansari family attended the consecration of the temple and were present throughout the event. Later, they gave a small idol of Lord Ram made of wood to his (Ansari) gunman. This is the difference, the Prime Minister said. In Ayodhya, people had to wait for 500 years to see Lord Ram temple. Lakhs of people were killed, Modi said, adding, the decision to build the temple should have been taken the next day of independence. But they did not build the temple, he said, targeting the Congress. For doing such things, one requires a 56-inch chest. Modi underlined that the Ram temple was not built with Government or taxpayers money, but with the money of devotees of Lord Ram.
School districts grappling with Pennsylvanias decadelong teacher shortage saw a glimmer of hope last year as teaching certifications issued across the state substantially increased, although more work still needs to be done, a new report found.

In all, 5,577 people earned their in-state teaching certifications during the 2022-23 school year, an increase of 1,357 certifications from 2021-22 when 4,220 were issued, according to a report from the Penn State Center for Education Evaluation & Policy Analysis, which analyzed data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

I didnt really expect it to go up that much, said Ed Fuller, an associate professor at Penn States College of Education who wrote the report. I thought wed probably trend up a little bit, maybe, or trend sideways. [I was] surprised.

The number of certifications increased by 27.7% between 2021-22 and 2022-23. The last time an increase that big was reported was in 2017-18, Fuller said.

But while the increase was welcomed by many throughout the state, it is still not enough to immediately offset the states teacher shortage.

Pennsylvania for years has grappled with declining certification numbers. According to data from the states education department, 15,031 in-state certifications were issued during the 2010-11 school year, a number that has now dropped to 5,577. Thats a decrease of 9,454 certifications. And educators are also leaving their positions at significant rates. Between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, nearly 7.7% of Pennsylvania teachers, or a total of 9,587, left the field, Fuller found in a previous report.

That means that the number of in-state teacher certifications actually decreased by 62% between the 2010-11 and 2022-23 school years.

And the number of people obtaining their initial teaching certification continues to be substantially lower than those who received emergency certifications, when people with a bachelors degree become certified to temporarily fill open teaching positions. In 2021-22 there were about 1,600 more people obtaining emergency permits than initial certifications. In 2022-23, that difference increased to about 2,000, Fuller found.

Here are three key takeaways from the report:

Teaching certifications by subject

Similar to overall state numbers, certifications in core subject areas  pre-K and elementary, English language arts, math, science, social studies, health and gym, fine arts, world languages and special education  increased between 2021-22 and 2022-23.

According to the report, the greatest increase of 651 was reported in pre-K and elementary certifications. That means that last year 2,257 people were certified to teach the states youngest learners, the report found.

Special education certifications saw the next highest increase, by 262, between the two years, as 1,251 people received certifications in 2022-23. That was followed by social studies, which saw a jump of 98 certifications for a total of 419 in 2022-23.

But when comparing the 2010-11 school year to 2022-23, each subject area saw significant decreases.

Under that comparison, pre-K and elementary certifications declined by 4,337 between 2010-11 and 2022-23. That was followed by special education  a field hit especially hard by the teacher shortage  which recorded a 1,671 drop in certifications in that time. English language arts saw a decrease of 707 certifications.

We know the shortages differ a lot by subject area, Fuller said. Some schools cant find elementary teachers. ... Special ed, huge shortage. The supply is woefully inadequate. English language learner, higher-level courses in math and science. Its so hard to fill those positions.

County impacts

According to the report, almost all areas of Pennsylvania also experienced dramatic declines in teacher certifications based on the number of teacher preparation program graduates between 2010-11 and 2022-23.

In all, the Philadelphia area saw the greatest declines followed by the Pittsburgh region and then central Pennsylvania. Allegheny County saw a drop of 315 newly certified teachers between 2010-11 and 2022-23, followed by Washington, which decreased by 166; Butler, 153; Westmoreland, 35; and Beaver, 19. Montgomery and Philadelphia counties saw the highest decrease of 482 certifications.

There were some small increases in counties throughout the state during that time frame, mainly because of the shift in certifications over the past year. That includes Franklin, which saw a boost of 70 newly certified teachers, and Huntingdon, which increased by 14.

Those numbers again shift when comparing certifications between 2021-22 and 2022-23. In that time, all but five counties with teacher preparation programs saw increases. Butler reported an increase of 55, in that time. Washington followed with 27. Allegheny had 17 and Westmoreland reported nine new teachers.

In the Philadelphia area, Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties had a collective increase of 446 newly certified teachers, the report found.

Recommendations

Fuller did not know what led to the increase in newly certified teachers last year. But he did suggest several recommendations on how to improve the education field for teachers.

That includes reducing the cost of obtaining a certification, meaning the state should provide scholarships and offer loan forgiveness programs to help those trying to enter the teaching profession, Fuller said. Pennsylvania in April opened the $10 million Educator Pipeline Support Grant Program to applicants, which gives a stipend of $10,000 to student teachers meeting program requirements.

Other suggestions included having the state pay for certification tests, develop an education dual enrollment program that would introduce high school students to the career, increase teacher salaries, administer a statewide educator working conditions study and a teacher preparation program quality review, and support career advancement.

Several similar initiatives are already underway across the state, including teacher preparation programs at local school districts and programs to help recruit and retain teachers of color.

So good news, Fuller said of the increase, but weve got a ways to go.
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Showing ugly face of muscle powerStudying the repoll trend

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Muscle and Money Power. Add Gun Power to the list of Power and the script is ready to capture in print the election to the two seats of the Lok Sabha held for Manipur. The people may have spoken and sealed the fates of the candidates in so far as the Inner seat is concerned, but the fact of the matter is when repoll was ordered in as many as 11 polling stations what is the guarantee that the election was free and fair in all the other polling stations ? The Outer Parliamentary Constituency too has taken a somewhat similar trajectory with the Election Commission of India ordering repoll in 6 polling stations, the date for which has been fixed on April 30. Take note. Repoll is ordered only when trouble breaks out at any polling station, meaning there were voices of opposition raised to any strong arm tactics that could have been employed. But this does not answer the question of whether such strong arm tactics were employed or not at the other polling stations ? This poser should apply to both the Lok Sabha seats. Unofficial it may be, but it is not without reason why one gets to hear of so many stories doing the round of how the understanding of a free and fair poll was dismissed with a wave of the hand or with the brandishing of a stern/threatening look or whatever handy there might be to wave to the people. Live video footage of muscle power or bulldozing ones way with the security personnel just soaking in the drama has already gone viral on the social media and one wonders why there has been no report of the police or law enforcing agencies taking up any action against the person/s responsible for the blatant show of muscle power. Or damaged or wrecked electronic voting machines doing the round and inviting sarcastic comments from the public. A reality this is, and it is against this background that six polling stations in the Outer Parliamentary Constituencies are set to go for repoll on April 30. Will the repoll be fair, is the question that is doing the round. Just a few hours away but where is the guarantee that the same elements who turned the beautiful understanding of adult franchise into an occasion of muscle flexing exercise will not repeat their feat as witnessed on April 26 ? With no report of a single individual being pulled up for throwing their weight around, it is not surprising to see the general resignation to the reality that there is nothing to suggest that the repoll would be in any way better than what happened on April 26. What is stopping the police and the law enforcing agencies from cracking the whip, despite the fact that the video clippings clearly show the identity of the people instilling fear and apprehension amongst the voters ? Cant a suo motto case be taken up ?

Repoll is itself an undeniable admission that there were serious lapses when the election was held as scheduled and this is where it becomes crucially important for the lawn enforcing agencies to take up the needed steps to ensure that such a fiasco is not repeated when the repolling is held. Is the election authority geared up to meet any challenges when the 6 polling stations go for repoll on April 30 or will it be just an official ritual ? Only time will tell, but it is also crucial for everyone to acknowledge that repoll is held only when the irregularities become too jarring that it leads to a confrontation between two parties. In other instances it could be a case of the people meekly toeing the line of the diktats being imposed by the power players. There is no guarantee that such a possibility will not happen when the 6 Constituencies go for the repoll on April 30. Not the first time that this is being underlined here, but this is the first time in recent memory that the Lok Sabha election here has evoked so much interest and while the issues in the Inner seat and Outer Constituency may be poles apart, it stands that the two men Manipur gets to send to Lok Sabha have a huge responsibility on their shoulder. It is in realisation of this immense importance that so much interest has been placed on the outcome of the election and it is precisely because of this that there were resistances and will be resistances when the free choice of the people is sought to be muted.
2 Kuki-Chin terrorists killed in Bangladesh

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DHAKA, April 29 : Two armed terrorists of Kuki-Chin National Army were killed today in a drive conducted by Bangladesh Army in remote Baklai Para area of Ruma upazila in Bandarban.

"Two armed terrorists of Kuki-Chin National Army were killed after receiving bullets during a raid today," said a press release of the Inter Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR).

During the drive, members of Bangladesh Army recovered three firearms, huge amount of ammunition, walkie-talkies and other equipment.

Earlier, on April 22 last, one armed terrorist of Kuki-Chin National Army was killed in an army raid at remote Munlai para of Ruma upazila in Bandarban.

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Police and pro-Palestine protesters clashed Monday night after officers tried to clear a makeshift encampment on the lawn outside the James Branch Cabell Library on VCUs Monroe Park campus, pitching tents in what they called a liberation zone" and demanding an immediate end to Israels offensive in Gaza.

The chaotic scene, which began at around 8:30 p.m., saw protesters build a barricade with shipping pallets and hurl water bottles and other objects at the police. Officers, some in riot gear, charged the line of demonstrators and deployed chemical agents in an effort to disperse the crowd. Police made numerous arrests and began disassembling the tents, blankets and tarps at the scene.

VCU said in a statement Monday night that the gathering violated several university policies, but did not specify which university rules had been broken.

"VCU respectfully and repeatedly provided opportunities for those individuals involved, many of whom were not students, to collect their belongings and leave," the statement read. "Those who did not leave were subject to arrest for trespassing."

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VCU did not say how it determined that some of the protesters were not students of the school.

While supporting an environment that fosters protected speech and expressive activity, VCU must maintain an atmosphere free of disruption to the universitys mission," the statement continued.

The first signs that a showdown was imminent came at 7:30 p.m., when VCU sent an alert to the campus community that said police were on the scene of a public assembly at the library, located at 901 Park Ave. The alert advised drivers and pedestrians to avoid the area. At 8:47 p.m., VCU issued another alert to the campus community that said "Violent Protest Monroe Park. Go inside."

Unmarked vehicles and buses full of police in riot gear were seen amassing outside the library. Police then declared an unlawful assembly and ordered the protesters to leave the scene.

As police moved in, emergency tornado sirens were activated in the vicinity. The library posted signs saying the facility was closed, but allowed some people inside as the incident unfolded.

Protests held at campuses across U.S.

Earlier Monday, VCU student and protest organizer Sereen Haddad, 19, told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the group of demonstrators was taking cues from protests on college campuses across the country.

Hundreds of arrests have been made on campuses nationwide in recent days as police have responded to pro-Palestine rallies and marches at Columbia University, Virginia Tech and elsewhere. The protests have centered on demands for schools to separate from companies advancing Israels military efforts in Gaza.

This is a zone for the community to come together for one common cause, which is the liberation of Palestinian people and Palestinians right for self-determination, Haddad said of the latest such gathering at VCU.

On Sunday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, speaking with CNNs State of the Union from Ramstein Air Base in Germany, had said Virginia would protect peaceful gatherings on campus, but will not tolerate instances of intimidation and hate speech.

Youngkin, speaking hours before police made arrests at Virginia Tech over the weekend, said: First we have to begin with the fact that freedom of expression and peacefully demonstrating is at the heart of our First Amendment, and we must protect it.

But that does not go to, in fact, intimidating Jewish students and preventing them from attending class and using annihilation speech to express deeply antisemitic views.

Youngkin, who is on a trade mission to Europe, said he has been working with Attorney General Jason Miyares, university presidents and law enforcement at the state, local and campus levels to make sure that, if there are protests, they are peaceful.

Were not going to have encampments and tents put up, he added.

But by Monday evening, an encampment had sprung up in the heart of VCU's Monroe Park campus.

Speaking in the middle of the park adorned with Palestinian flags and posters, Haddad laid out the groups demands: disclosure of any university investments in Israel or in companies that support Israel, divestment from those companies, protection of pro-Palestine speech on campus and a university declaration calling for a ceasefire and the immediate end to the occupation, colonization and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and ... U.S. complicity in (the) ongoing genocide.

Haddad also said the release of "hostages on both sides ... needs to happen."

Final exams begin this week and VCU must provide students the opportunity to safely and successfully complete the semester. The gathering violated several university policies. pic.twitter.com/Kj13WtI4TM  VCU (@VCU) April 30, 2024

Haddad said the group would remain on the lawn as long as needed  until their demands are met. By Monday afternoon, the protesters were chanting and dancing, working on homework, and screen printing posters and T-shirts.

Wagons of tents were present and protesters brought food, water and tarps Monday morning. Haddad initially would not confirm that the group planned to set up an encampment as protesters have done on college campuses across the U.S., but said the group had been inspired by such events nationwide.

People have started to take that step because ... the steps we have taken so far ... are not working, she said. With that in mind, people decide to peacefully escalate.

By around 5:30 p.m., dozens of tents were erected.

Haddad, who is Palestinian, said she has lost over 100 family members in Israels operations in Gaza since Oct. 7. She said members of her fathers family living in Gaza had reached out to express their appreciation for her activism.

The situation has not improved there, she said, adding that, if it appears that Palestinian suffering has lessened, it is only because people have stopped paying attention and journalists covering the conflict have been killed.

Unfortunately, my family is still going through a genocide, she said.

Haddad told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that her father had been invited to sit down with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, but had considered the invitation merely a conciliatory measure and had declined.

Haddad said her father instead wrote a letter to Blinken in which he asked how (Blinken) would feel if he had to look face-to-face with someone who was directly responsible for the murder of over 100 of (his) family members.

Aviva Albert, a VCU freshman studying philosophy, was among the protesters and told The Times-Dispatch that she has been kind of active in pro-Palestine circles, but does not feel she has been doing enough for the cause.

Albert, who is Jewish, said her family is very, very Zionist.

Im trying to combat that, she said, (and) come out from the belly of the beast.

Youngkin's spokesman said Monday night that the governor was being briefed multiple times a day by Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Terrance C. Cole.

Cole is also in touch multiple times a day with campus police chiefs.

Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera is also talking to college presidents and boards of visitors to get a sense of the situation on campuses.

Youngkin spokesman: Police response decided at college level

Rob Damschen, director of communications for Youngkin, said police response to protests is decided at the college level, based on college policy  for example, on encampments  and on determinations by the college president and board of visitors about how much conversation there should be with demonstrators about violations before ordering police to act.

Each campus has its own mutual aid agreement with state and local law enforcement.

Those agreements determine who, besides campus police, participates in any police action. Invoking the agreement is up to the campus police chief.

College officials around the U.S. are asking student protesters to clear out tent encampments. Police arrested demonstrators at the University of Texas, and Columbia University said it was beginning to suspend students who defied an ultimatum to disband the encampment there.

Early protests at Columbia sparked pro-Palestinian protest encampments at schools across the U.S.

On Sunday night and early Monday, police cleared the lawn of the Virginia Tech Graduate Life Center of a three-day protest against Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Police approached protesters in the so-called Gaza Liberation Encampment at 10:15 p.m. and told them they would be subject to arrest if they did not disperse within five minutes.

You dont have to do this, protesters are shouting. Youre on the wrong side of history. pic.twitter.com/ppYSrGFgDC  Samuel B. Parker (@SamuelParkerRTD) April 30, 2024

The university had said since Friday that the encampment "was not a registered event consistent with university policy."

As of late Monday, police reported more than 80 people had been arrested as the protests had grown to more than 300 people.

Nine University of Mary Washington students were also arrested over the weekend after protests on the Fredericksburg campus, said Amirah Ahmed, president of the schools Students for Justice in Palestine group.

UMW President Troy D. Paino said in a statement that the university supports the rights of students and others to demonstrate and protest, providing such activities do not disrupt normal campus operations, obstruct free access to university buildings or unreasonably infringe upon the rights of others.

Five Democratic lawmakers, elected to the state legislature in 2023, released a statement Monday night criticizing what they called campus crackdowns on student protests urging peace.

The lawmakers who signed the statement said they condemn all forms of antisemitism, all forms of hatred and bigotry, and any act of violence against private citizens affected by this international conflict. They added that they also share concerns about law enforcement crackdowns on Protected First Amendment rights at college and university campuses.

The statement was signed by Dels. Rozia Henson Jr., D-Prince William; Joshua Cole, D-Stafford; Adele McClure, D-Arlington; and Nadarius Clark, D-Suffolk; and Sen. Saddam Azlan Salim, D-Fairfax.

Keith Epps of the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star and Payton Williams of the Roanoke Times contributed to this report.

Gallery: VCU students set up Liberation Zone on campus
Meghen greets working class

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IMPHAL, Apr 29: Daily wage earners and labourers belonging to the working class are suffering the most amid the ongoing "Kuki aggression", said former rebel leader RK Meghen today.

Extending May Day greetings to the workers and labourers, RK Meghen said class difference still exists today, and closing this gap requires changes in the faulty system and a socio-political change.

India is a capitalist economy, and Manipur under it is seeing oppression of the weak and working class by the rich, he said.

In India, big companies are prospering and workers are being exploited, he said.

Meghen said the significance of observing May Day has increased. The day is observed to commemorate the labour movement. The labourers and workers must be given their rights and not exploited, he added.

Talking about May Day and the ongoing conflict in Manipur, Meghen said the poor, who are daily wage earners and labourers are suffering the most at present.

About 70 percent of the volunteers who have come out to protect the motherland in the frontline belong to the poor and working class.

"They deserve our deepest respect and appreciation. They must be given their rights," Meghen said.

Labour Day is observed on May 1.
The Kasba mandal president of BJPs South Kolkata organisational district, Saraswati Sarkar, was allegedly attacked and hit on her head by some miscreants on Saturday night. As per sources, the incident occurred in the course of a dispute over wall grafitti ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the area.

Former Union minister and BJP Lok Sabha MP candidate Debashree Chowdhury staged a dharna in front of Kasba Police station demanding the arrest of the criminals involved in the attack. Meanwhile Union minister Smriti Irani spoke to Saraswati and the latter expressed her concern over law and order in the locality.

Saraswati Sarkar, the president of the Kolkata organizational district of the BJP, alleged that she and other party supporters were assaulted by Trinamul Congress workers. In protest, BJP supporters rallied vigorously at Anandapur Police Station. Debashree Chowdhury, the BJP candidate for South Kolkata Lok Sabha constituency, participated in the protest. She wanted to meet with the officer-incharge but found he was not present.

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today urged the people of Malda to ensure the BJP lost in Bengal by supporting only Trinamul Congress candidates. Addressing a public meeting at Sujapur in Maldah (Dakshin) Lok Sabha constituency, Miss Banerjee said: Only you can stop the victory of the BJP. Dont divide the anti-BJP vote by supporting the Congress candidate here. TMC has not yet won a Lok Sabha seat in Malda.

But the people of Malda and Murshidabad gave me huge support in 2021. As a result we stopped the BJP from coming to power. Miss Banerjee said: Please dont divide the vote by supporting Congress. Congress will not win a single seat in Bengal. If you vote for Congress it would only help the BJP. Please vote only for the TMC. Congress is contesting the elections in association with the CPI-M, though I was willing to give up two seats in Malda for the Congress. Do you want me to surrender before the CPIM? If BJP wins, you will suffer. I have been protecting you.

BJP will implement NRC forcibly, if it comes to power, and will send you to detention camps. We are fighting on our own in Bengal. We are helping Congress in other states. We need to form a government in Delhi this time. If you really want us to form a government in Delhi, dont divide votes, because only TMC can take on the BJP in Bengal and we need a decent number of Lok Sabha seats from Bengal to prevent the BJP from returning to power. I will lead INDIA to form the government in Delhi. People will vote where there is a strong political party, Miss Banerjee said. Coming down heavily on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following his statements made in a public meeting in Malda, Miss Banerjee said: Modi Babu is trying to create divisions between Hindu and Muslim. I will maintain the unity of all religions unto my death. Mangoes from Malda and Murshidabad are famous. Do mango lovers ask who produced the fruit, Hindu or Muslim, she asked.

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Terming Mr Modi as jobeater tiger, Miss Banerjee said: If there is any irregularities, it should be investigated and corrected. But we cannot accept the cancellation of all 26,000 teachers jobs. She was referring to the recent Calcutta High Court order cancelling the appointment of all 25,753 persons empanelled in 2016 by the WBSSC for various categories of jobs in secondary and higher secondary schools in the state. BJP keeps control over the court. My government is with those who lost their jobs and will meet its responsibility to them.

We have started a legal battle against the cancellation of appointments, Miss Banerjee said. BJP has taken away these peoples jobs with the help of lawyers backed by CPIM and Congress. Bengal will not surrender before them, she said. If BJP comes to power and implements Uniform Civil Code, you will face problems to maintain your culture and religion, she added. Miss Banerjee said: The outgoing MP didnt speak a single word in Parliament for Bengal. Why will people vote for him? You have been supporting ABA Ghani Khan Choudhury, I didnt have problems because I still respect him. As a family member of Ghani Khan, Mousam Noor is now Rajya Sabha member.

But the Congress candidate does not deserve support as a family member of Barkat da. TMC candidate Sehnaj Ali Rehan is more competent to raise your voices in the Parliament. Miss Banerjee attended another public meeting at Habibpur in Maldah (Uttar) Parliamentary Constituency today and campaigned for her party candidate Prasun Banerjee.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner expects to have some tough things to say about mail service in Central Virginia when he sits down soon with U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, he told the Richmond Times Dispatch editorial board on Friday.

Virginia has the worst on-time mail delivery record in the nation, and a recent audit of the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center in Sandston, which handles all of Central Virginia's mail, found an egregious lack of attention to detail, including losing mail that falls off conveyor belts and poor coordination between processing machines and trucks moving mail.

Were going to take the inspector generals report and so I expect to have a frank and candid exchange, Warner said, referring to the audit.

In a wide-ranging conversation with Times-Dispatch reporters and editors, the Virginia Democrat said he hopes the recent breaking of congressional logjams on aid to Ukraine and Israel, reauthorizing targeted collection of intelligence from non-Americans in foreign countries and trying to force China to sell TikTok means Capitol Hill dysfunction may be ending.

He said he thinks his focus on ways to give a hand to first-generation, first-time homebuyers as well as help hard-pressed businesses in distressed communities gain access to capital can build bridges across partisan divides.

But he said America still needs to do more to protect itself against cyber threats.

Mail service

This the second time Ive seen this movie, Warner said of Central Virginia's mail problems, specifically the Richmond area.

The three-term senator and former Virginia governor said he started looking into Charlottesvilles mail problems three years ago and the disruption was not nearly as great as it was in Richmond.

In Richmond, its obviously enormously frustrating, Warner said, noting that members of the Virginia congressional delegation hear from folks all the time about important items sent through the mail  like bill payments  that did not reach their destination in a timely manner.

Warner said the performance numbers have ticked up in recent months, from a trough between November through February, but the Postal Service has farther to go.

A surge effort to deal with Charlottesvilles basic problem  not enough staff  helped there, he said.

A similar surge is needed in Richmond, where the Postal Service rolled out a new approach to processing and moving mail, he said.

He said making Richmond the rollout location for DeJoys Delivering for America system, without fully informing the community ahead of time, was a mistake.

It appears that the success of the program was only being viewed in terms of the routes and the amount of money saved and they didnt even include customer satisfaction as one of the criteria, which is stunning, Warner said.

If you go back, before the rollout of the new system, Richmond already was in the bottom 10 of customer and performance delivery, Warner said.

Why the Postal Service would start with one of the least-performing centers in the country for this rollout and not have customer satisfaction as part of the criteria for success is beyond me, Warner said.

Israel and Gaza

Warner, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, spoke amid news that pro-Palestine demonstrations have led to encampments at a number of universities across the country. Jewish students and faculty say some of the protests have led to intimidation and antisemitism.

As for protests at universities: I think were unique in the fact that weve got a First Amendment. Youve got a right to protest, Warner said.

But I also believe, as well, that while you protest, that doesnt mean you can shut down a school or cancel classes. And if you break the law, I think the law needs to be enforced.

Warner said the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel was horrific, but that he worries that realization of how terrible it was has begun to fade.

Warner said he thinks Israel made a mistake in not disseminating videos of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks more widely. The horrificness of that  event faded as the horrificness of Israel bombing  across Gaza took preeminence, he said.

On Wednesday Hamas released a hostage video of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was born in Berkeley, Calif. and spent his childhood years in Richmond before moving with his family to Israel.

Warner said the U.S., Israel, and Sunni Arab states thought that the Israel Defense Forces would be more successful at this stage. More than 200 days into the conflict, Warner said, the latest guesstimates are that Israel has only eliminated 40% to 45% of Hamas fighters and penetrated about 40% to 45% of the tunnel network.

Theyve been much more resistant than expected. And I think for a while there ... the thought that Israel was much militarily more superior  they lost a little of that image, he said.

Warner said that when Iran launched missiles at Israel and Israel repelled them, with U.S., French, British, Jordanian and Saudi help, there was a moment that reestablished Israels military primacy, but also demonstrated that Israel is stronger with allies.

Warner said of the Jordanians, British, French and Saudis: They are not going to continue to help if this war in Gaza continues.

He added: Israel, I think, has been still in somewhat of a shell-shocked position post-October, so Im not sure that all Israelis really appreciate how much loss of support thats happening ... around the world, and frankly, amongst the generation of young Americans.

Foreign aid

Warner said finally getting a vote on aid to Ukraine and Israel felt like a huge victory  and added that he is crossing his fingers about whether it makes change in the usual gridlock.

Gosh, I wish, I hope, its a breakthrough, he said.

In 2023, what kept me motivated a little bit was I kept thinking, you know, 2021 wasnt that long ago when we got the infrastructure bill  we had ARPA (the American Rescue Plan) and we had veterans legislation. We were being viewed as maybe the most bipartisan Congress in 50 years.

Hes encouraged that the votes on aid to Ukraine and Israel, and cracking down on TikTok, were about 80% in favor, while even the more controversial intelligence collection bill passed with a 2-to-1 margin.

So, I will hope for a breakthrough rather than simply a burst of rationality, he said.

Warner sponsored the foreign collection bill  formally the reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

National security issues

The Intelligence committee was not where he expected to land when first elected to the Senate in 2008.

It really has opened up for me  this is still a bipartisan committee, he said.

It was our committee to first point out the problems of Huawei and 5g issues, he said, referring to concerns that the Chinese telecommunications firm and its technology facilitated spying.

Cyber still remains one of our greatest vulnerabilities, he said. Protecting data from hacking could get even more challenging with the development of artificial intelligence, he added.

Im up to my eyeballs on AI, he said.

He said trying to find guardrails so that artificial intelligence technology doesnt unleash the kind of fake video, photo and audio that could disrupt financial markets and elections is still a major challenge.

This tech combination with national security, thats kind of my sweet spot, he said.

Taxes

Warner said he expects some of the affordable housing issues hes focused on will be in the mix of tax legislation when Congress decides next year what to do as former President Donald Trumps tax cuts expire.

The senators ideas include tax credits for rehabilitating houses, subsidies so that first-time homebuyers can take out 20-year mortgages with monthly payments closer to the lower levels prevailing for 30-year loans, and tax credits for employers willing to help employees with downpayments.

Like his work on the intelligence committee, Warner said he hopes to win some GOP allies for his initiatives on affordable housing, with their focus on helping moderate-income families build wealth.

He said he has already seen that with efforts to expand funding for Community Development Financial Institutions as a member of a bipartisan caucus trying to promote this way of lending to business in lower-income communities.

His political future

Warner was not yet ready to tip his hand on whether he will seek a fourth term in 2026.

I like my job, Warner said. I feel Im being productive, he added, noting that he is part of every bipartisan gang there is.
A Trinamul Congress party worker was beaten to death in the Baguiati area last night, sparking clashes in the area. At least 13 persons were detained in this connection. Tension prevailed in Baguiati after the death of the TMC worker as his relatives and local residents took to the streets demanding the immediate arrest of the assailants. The situation escalated into violence. The incident occurred in the Baguiati Arjunpur Paschimpara area. Local residents claimed that the conflict arose between two factions, one of them by the areas councillor Debraj Chakraborty.

Last night, Sanjeev Das, also known as Potla, was sitting in a tea stall when suddenly members of the opposing faction attacked him. He was brutally assaulted with rods and bricks. Local residents rushed him to the nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead. This sparked further chaos. The clash intensified between the two factions. At midnight, the police arrived to calm the situation. The disruption of electricity supply in the are led to renewed conflict. Later, police reinforcements were called to the scene.

The daughter of the deceased said: My father has been attacked several times before. Cases have been filed multiple times, but no action has been taken. We went to Debraj Chakraborty for help, but nothing was done. No one helped us. The police came only after my father died. We demand strict punishment for the accused. On the other hand, Debraj Chakraborty stated: The police are investigating. I have known the family for many years. Whether this is a factional conflict or something else will be understood through investigation. Let the police conclude their investigation. According to police, the victim, Sanjeev Das, was a history-sheeter with several cases against him.

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Actor Ethan Hawke is beaming with pride over his daughter Mayas acting prowess, showering her with praise for her role in the upcoming movie Wildcat. Hawke, who directed Maya in the film, spoke candidly about his experience, expressing both admiration and a professional stance during the filming process.

Despite his paternal pride, Hawke was careful not to let familial affection cloud his directorial responsibilities. I worried I would fail her if I did that, he confessed, emphasizing the need for professionalism on set. He highlighted the dedication of the entire team, emphasizing their commitment to creating meaningful art.

However, when it comes to Mayas role as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things, Hawkes perspective shifts. I can be proud of her and geek out with so much joy when I watch Stranger Things, he shared. Yet, as her director, his focus remains on achieving their artistic goals.

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Currently, Maya is busy filming the next season of Stranger Things in Georgia, much to the excitement of fans. Despite Hawkes attempts to pry out details, Maya remains tight-lipped, playfully chiding her father for being too nosy.

Wildcat, Mayas brainchild, explores the life of renowned short-story writer Flannery OConnor. Mayas fascination with OConnors work dates back to her high school days, leading her to acquire the rights to the stories. However, both Maya and Ethan knew that bringing OConnors complex life to the screen would be no easy feat.

In their late-night conversations, they pondered over how to capture OConnors essence authentically. Maya envisioned a film centered around a fiery young woman navigating the intricacies of life and creativity, challenging traditional narratives dominated by male protagonists.

Ethan Hawke wholeheartedly supported Mayas vision, recognizing the importance of portraying complex female characters on screen. She had this idea to make a movie about a young womans own relationship to herself and her work, he explained, echoing Mayas desire to delve into the complexities of human experience.

Their collaboration stands as a testament to their shared passion for storytelling and the power of cinema to illuminate the human condition. As Maya continues to carve her path in Hollywood, Ethan Hawke remains her biggest cheerleader, celebrating her achievements both as a father and a fellow artist.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday said Chandrayaan-3 mission and COVID management are among the most impactful things done by India in the past 10 years.

People around the world are fascinated by Indias technology feats, the External Affairs Minister said while addressing an event in Kirori Mal College here.

We are the fifth largest economy, soon well be the third. What decisions we make at home are also very keenly followed by the world. So, if we are now in the coming weeks going to decide our future in whatever way we wish, its not just a conversation amongst ourselves. Its a conversation or a discussion in which the other six billion people are also tuned in. These are all actual aspects of why Bharat matters, Dr. Jaishankar said.

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Probably much more fascinating to the world is actually those technology feats that we do. I would say in the last 10 years, probably the most impactful thing we have done, other than COVID management, was going to the moon, he said.

Dr. Jaishankar said the Chandrayaan-3 mission had a huge impact on the perception of Indians abroad.

And finally, as I said, a lot of it is about actually a country which has the ability to stand up for itself, for its interests, for its citizens, stand up to pressure, and in a sense, you know, radiate its own persona and its culture, he said.

Speaking about Indias global image at the present time, Dr. Jaishankar said the perception of India changed after how India handled the COVID challenge. He noted that India started as a country of great concern and ended up as the source of the greatest support.

He said, I do want to share with you as someone who travels a fair amount, what is actually our global image today. Because when we say why Bharat matters, at the end of the day, countries matter because there is a perception, there is a branding which has been created. I, from my own travel experiences, thought of six or seven really key points today. When any of you go abroad or you meet someone from abroad, these are actually their perceptions of India.

One, I would say the dominant one is that this was a country which handled the COVID challenge exceptionally well. It started out as the country of the greatest concern. It ended up as the source of the greatest support. And not just handled the COVID, they actually took the right decisions which enabled us today to become the fastest growing economy of the world. Because do remember, a lot of countries today have still not recovered from the COVID. That their economic performance even today is still shaped very much by the shock and damage that they suffer during COVID, Dr. Jaishankar said.

The External Affairs Minister also spoke about how India has been bringing its people back home when there is a war or any other emergency situation in another country. He talked about how Indian students were brought back to India under Operation Ganga. Dr. Jaishankar noted that there were many nations who asked their citizens that they had to return to their country on their own.

He said, The second is the manner in which we secure our citizens of India. Believe me, that has got everybodys attention in the world. You know, a lot of us rightly are very proud of how  Ill give you an example of how we got our students out of Ukraine in Operation Ganga. As I said, rightly so. But I also want you to know that there were many countries who actually told their students and their citizens, saying, sorry guys, theres nothing I can do. You now have to figure out your own way out.

And these were not developing countries. They were even developed countries, who actually told their people, you are on your own. So, this change which has come about, that any Indian travelling anywhere has that sense, that look, you know, sometimes people talk about, you know, theres something called a passport index. And the passport index basically is based on how many places you dont need a visa for, the External Affairs Minister added.

He emphasised that the Indian passport is looked at with greater respect and it shows that the government stands with the person carrying that passport.

The External Affairs Minister said the passport index should include who will come for a person when he or she is in trouble and the system which is willing to back you up when you go out and termed it the real value of the passport.

He noted, To me, there is something missing in that index. I would have put which passport you are carrying and who will come for you when you are in trouble. And believe me, if you put that factor in, you will get a very different passport index out there. Not getting a visa and having an ability to travel easily is just one part of it.

What happens when something goes wrong? Who will look after you? Who has a system which is ready to back you up when you go out? To me, thats the real value of the passport. And if the Indian passport today is looked at with greater respect, as I said, one part of it is what you do at home. But the other is also that people know that this passport means that their government stands behind the person whos carrying the passport, the External Affairs Minister added.

Stressing that people abroad are fascinated by how things like ration card systems and election systems work in India.

Dr. Jaishankar said, The third is our performance at home. And I often share with my own colleagues in the cabinet and in the parliament that they think that when the foreign minister goes out of India, all the time we discuss foreign policy makes sense.

Highlighting the infrastructure progress in India, the External Affairs Minister said the Indian government has built 40 million houses and given to people who have low income.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Congress wants to give reservation on religion basis to Muslims because it knows the BJP already has the largest number of SC, ST and OBC MPs in Parliament, and can be challenged only with the support of its vote bank of Muslims.

Addressing a BJP election meeting in Bagalkot, Karnataka, he said the Congress thinks it can strengthen its vote bank by transferring to it a share of the OBCs reservation benefit. Will you accept this, he said.

The Prime Minister said I want to assure my Dalit, Adivasi and OBC brothers, and I give guarantee that I will not allow any such plans of the Congress to succeed, and to protect your rights and reservation, Modi will go to any length.

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He said the 2024 poll will decide the future of India. Mr Modi asked people that the Congress which has focused only on looting the country during its governments, will you trust it taking care of such a large country. Can a party which has a history of looting the country, can it be trusted again, he said. The party only deprived the poor and marginalized sections of basic amenities in its 60 years of rule.

To continue its loot, the party is now treating Karnataka as its ATM, he said. In a short time of its government in the State, the party has emptied the treasury; legislators are not getting timely allocations from legislators development funds; and the Centre has information about the State governments economic condition, the day is not far, when the Karnataka government will not be able to pay salaries to its employees, he said.

There is hardly any welfare scheme which has not been targeted for corruption by the Congress, the Prime Minister said. That is why all people with experience say, the return of Congress can only mean disaster.

He said the Congress is not running a government in Karnataka, but an extortion gang. The whole government is busy planning where to target money. The moment money comes into the Treasury, they plan how to loot it. Bengaluru and Karnataka are known as Tech Hubs, but the Congress state government has converted the Tech Hub into a Tanker Hub.

For water, tanker mafias are charging whatever they like, and the Congress is getting its commissions. The Congress is not satisfied with just this. It is dreaming of a scam of lakhs of crores of Rupees like 2G. Do these people looting Karnataka deserve punishment on the 7 May or not, he asked.

Mr Modi said he wanted to alert people that the Congress government in the State has started a campaign to change the Constitution and deprive the SCs and STs of their reservation rights. The Karnataka government has already given a share of the OBC quota to the Muslims, he said.

The party has been mentioning in its manifestoes making a law to give reservation on religion basis and even in its latest manifesto, the party has given similar signals, he said.

The Prime Minister said some people in frustration are misusing technology in the current elections. He is among the toppers in the use of social media, but he has made a positive use of this and to share feelings of people.

But these people who have lost elections and lost ground, are using technology, making fake videos, using artificial intelligence, and putting on the social media obnoxious videos in my voice, thereby posing a big threat, he said.

I appeal to people about this big threat, you can inform police and the BJP; legal action will be taken, and they will be taught a lesson. In Madhya Pradesh elections, they used Amitabh Bachchans voice and the actor had to file an FIR finally. We have to be alert, he said.

Warning anybody attempting a terrorist attack, he recalled the Balakot surgical strikes and said I dont attack from the back. At the time of the Balakot strike, he said I had alerted the Press about the attack, but I wanted to inform Pakistan about the air strike and killing of their men, but they would not take the call.

So we waited, and the talk took place at 12 midnight and then I informed the world about the air strike, and how Pakistan was taught a lesson. I dont hide, and dont attack from hiding, I do it openly, and for the country. I want to tell even now those who try to kill our people, this is New India, will enter your homes to attack you, he said.

Recalling the Hubballi killing of a girl in Karnataka, he said she was stabbed to death in a shocking incident, but the Congress in the interest of its vote bank was trying to speak against the girl, and protect the attackers. The party showed that for appeasement, it can go to any length.

He said extremist forces are gaining strength in the State. If any shopkeeper listens to Hanuman Chalisa, he is attached. In the Bengaluru bomb blast by terrorists, the government said a gas cylinder had burst; have they lost their head. This is not normal crime, this is terrorism, and the government is promoting this mentality, he said.
Led by Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and partys OBC Morcha chief Sunil Yadav, a massive protest was staged by the party workers against the Congress accusing the party of depriving people of backward castes of their rights.

Starting from Mandir Marg, Sachdeva and Yadav, along with the party activists, marched to the Congress headquarters carrying banners and posters, while they were later detained by the police when they tried to go past the barricades.

During the protest, demonstrators expressed their discontent by burning an effigy of Rahul Gandhi, the Delhi BJP claimed.

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Addressing the protestors, Sachdeva said that he had never imagined that in a country where the majority population is over 80 per cent, they would have to take to the streets to fight for their rights.

He further claimed that whenever the Congress party came to power, it has worked to divide the nation.

 If the Congress party attempts to snatch away the reservation given to the OBC and SC/ST communities by the Constitution, then it will not be tolerated, Sachdeva said.

The Delhi BJP president further claimed saying,  a Congress leader has said that South India should be separated from India. With such a mentality, if the Congress continues to advance, then this situation is dangerous for the unity of the country.

He alleged that the Congress says it will distribute property and talk about giving 55 per cent to those who have nothing to do with this country.

Today, even foreign powers are eyeing to destabilize the country, so we have to go door-to-door in this election and knock on every door to talk about the policies and actions of the Modi government. It is the right time when every person who is working against the interests of the minorities needs to be explained through votes, Sachdeva said.

Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Yadav claimed that, along with reservation for minorities, the Congress is indulging in manipulation, which will not at all be tolerated by the OBC Hindu society.

Until Rahul Gandhi comes forward and apologizes to the people, our struggle will continue. Today, the Congress party wants to fight among us in the name of caste and keep talking separately to the Muslims. We will continue this struggle until Rahul Gandhi comes forward and apologizes to the Hindu OBC society,  Yadav added.

Firebrand Delhi BJP leader Kapil Mishra who was also present during the protest alleged that the Congress wants to crush the rights which Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar had given to the OBCs.

Today the Congress Party has become the second face of the Muslim League, Mishra claimed, further saying that whatever was written in the document of Muslim League, the same thing has been written by Congress in the manifesto of 2024.
In a devastating upset for the Congress, the partys Indore Lok Sabha candidate, Akshay Kanti Bam, on Monday withdrew his nomination from the polls, practically serving the seat on a plate to the BJP candidate and sitting MP Shankar Lalwani.

Sources said that Bam is also likely to join the BJP.

Bam (45) reached the Indore Collector Office along with BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola, a close confidant of minister Kailash Vijaywargiya, and withdrew his papers.

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According to Collector Ashish Singh, Bam and two other candidates have withdrawn their nominations from contesting the polls.

April 29 was the last date for withdrawal of nominations of candidates for Indore seat. The constituency will go to polls on May 13, in the fourth phase.

We welcome Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Indore Akshay Kanti Bam to the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National President J P Nadda, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and State President VD Sharma, Vijaywargiya said in a tweet in Hindi.

Meanwhile, police were deployed outside the house of Bam in Patrakar Colony in Indore. Local Congress leaders started gathering outside his house.

In Indore, Bam was the main challenger against BJPs sitting MP Shankar Lalwani (62).

However, Bam has left the Congress in a lurch and at a point of no return.

Indore, the largest constituency in the state in terms of number of voters, has 25.13 lakh electorate where the BJP has given a slogan of winning by a margin of eight lakh votes this time.
The Congress on Monday released a new list of four candidates for Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.

According to a communique issued by Congress General Secretary in-charge of Organisation KC Venugopal, the Congress has fielded its Punjab president Amrinder Singh Brar from Ludhiana parliamentary seat.

Former Deputy chief minister of Punjab Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa would contest from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat as the partys nominee.

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As per the list, the Congress has fielded Kulbir Singh Zira from Khadoor Sahib parliamentary constituency and Vijay Inder Singla from Anandpur Sahib seat.

The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) has finalised the name of four candidates, said Venugopal.

Meanwhile, Randhawa in a post on X said, I express my profound gratitude to the entire Congress leadership for bestowing upon me the honour and responsibility of serving the people by nominating me as the candidate for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency.

I pledge to the residents of the constituency that their welfare will be my utmost priority and that I will leave no stone unturned to fulfill the duties entrusted to me, he added.

The AAP and Congress announced seat-sharing in several states for the Lok Sabha elections. However, both the parties are contesting the elections solo in Punjab.

Currently, the AAP is in power in Punjab.

Voting in 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab is scheduled to be held on 1st June.
An FIR has been registered against BSP national coordinator Akash Anand along with the partys three Lok Sabha candidates and 30 others for allegedly giving inflammatory speeches during a public meeting in this city of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Monday.

Anand is the nephew of party supremo Mayawati and her political heir.

According to police, Anand was the chief guest at the public meeting held at Raja College ground here on Sunday. They said his speech was in violation of the model code of conduct.

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The case has been registered under relevant sections against Akash Anand, district president Vikas Rajvanshi, BSP candidate from Lakhimpur seat Anshay Kalra, Dhaurahara candidate Shyamkishore Awasthi, and party candidate Mahendra Singh Yadav from Sitapur seat, senior officer Anoop Shukla said.

Another case has been registered against about 30 unidentified people on the basis of a video, he said.

Police said the matter is being investigated.
Five villages in North Kashmirs Handwara have been fully inundated and several bridges and other infrastructure projects have been damaged due to flash floods triggered by incessant rain on Monday.

More than 336 families from the flood-affected areas have been evacuated to safe places, an official report said in the evening. All government and private schools have been closed for tomorrow across Kashmir.

The Kashmir Valley is witnessing a flood situation as the water level of rivers and other water bodies is rising. The divisional administration was monitoring the situation.

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All major roads, including the Jammu-Srinagar highway, Srinagar-Ladakh highway, Mughal Road were blocked due to snow, landslides and shooting stones.

The administration has been put on alert across the valley.

Reports said that 198 families have been evacuated from Handwara tehsil alone. Also, 51 villages of the district have been partly affected, while 5 villages of Handwara have been fully affected by the floods.

It was given out that floods have damaged some major infrastructure assets in the district which include Shumriyal Bridge, Khumryal Bridge (side walls), Shatmuqam Bridge, Shipora- Hayhama bridge, Farkyan bridge, two RDD buildings at Kupwara and Handicrafts office building.

Shumryal-Gundajhanger road got cut-off due to scouring and a breach in Doban Kachama dam.

Meanwhile all the border roads have been closed due to fresh snowfall and avalanche threat.

Deputy Commissioner (DC), Kupwara, Ayushi Sudan has directed for immediate restoration measures to connect Shumryal and Gundjahanger villages.

At least 12 houses have been damaged in Kishtwar district of Jammu.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) successfully executed another significant anti-narcotics operation in the high seas on Sunday afternoon, close on the heels of apprehending a Pakistani fishing boat with a substantial quantity of drugs onboard.

In the joint operation spanning over two days, an Indian fishing boat carrying two perpetrators and 173 kg of narcotics onboard was apprehended in the Arabian Sea.

Based on specific and credible intelligence inputs from ATS Gujarat, the ICG strategically deployed its ships and aircraft across the vast expanse of sea, ensuring comprehensive sea-air coordinated surveillance to prevent the boat from evading detection.

Upon positive identification of the suspect boat, swift interception followed. Subsequent investigations confirmed the accuracy of the intelligence inputs, establishing the involvement of the fishing boat and its two perpetrators in smuggling about 173 kg of drugs.

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Further investigation into the crews involvement is underway. This operation marks the twelfth apprehension by the ICG over the last three years, serving as a testament to the coordination and success of joint efforts between the ICG and ATS Gujarat in combating drug trafficking via sea routes, an official press note issued by the ICG on Monday said.
Theres a popular saying about the war in Ukraine that goes something like this: If the Russians stop fighting, the war ends. If the Ukrainians stop fighting, Ukraine ends.

More than anything else, that simple aphorism highlights the nature of the most damaging conflict in Europe since World War II: Unprovoked military aggression by the authoritarian Russian Federation against a European democracy.

Russia started it in 2014 by illegally invading and annexing Crimea, while Russian leaders flatly denied the invasion. NATO members responded with relatively puny sanctions. Then in 2022, Russia went for the rest of Ukraine, after again repeatedly denying its army would invade.

But as the Russian Army grabbed new territory in eastern Ukraine, NATO countries responded. Subsequently, theyve sent more than $175 billion worth of defensive weapons, according the United Nations. The lions share of that funding came from NATO members other than the United States.

Those weapons  remember the Javelins and HIMARS?  effectively stalled the Russians advance. But now Ukraine is running low and needs more arms. The Russians are advancing, and the Ukrainians are begging.

And that was the subject of an April 20 vote in the House of Representatives to send $60.8 billion more in U.S. weapons.

The great news is, the $60.8 billion in additional aid easily passed with a strong bipartisan majority, 311 to 112.

But the three-member delegation from western Virginia didnt exactly shine with that ballot. Two of our congressmen, Reps. Ben Cline of Botetourt, and Bob Good of Campbell County, voted against Ukraine aid.

Only Rep. Morgan Griffith or Salem voted in favor of additional U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine.

At least one of them  Cline  also tried to stop all U.S. military aid to the beleaguered country, when he also voted for a (failed) amendment offered by Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. It wouldve reduced U.S. military aid to Ukraine to zero.

With emails sent Thursday to each congressmans office, I sought to better understand why they voted the way they did. But the lawmakers appear exceedingly shy about discussing that. Since the queries, their silence has been deafening.

So lets look at their history, and past statements, to see if we can divine anything, eh? Well start with Cline, whos represented the 6th Congressional District since 2019.

On the issue of Ukraine aid, Cline seems to talk a good game, but often votes in the opposite direction. For example, consider what he said in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion.

In advance of a Feb. 24, 2022, speech by President Biden, Cline issued this tweet:

I stand with the American people in our solidarity against Russian aggression and we pray for peace in Ukraine. As the President addresses the Nation this afternoon, he must impose all diplomatic and economic pressure on the Kremlin to send a strong and clear message to Russia and our enemies that an attack on a sovereign country will be met with swift and devastating consequences.

Immediately after the speech, in an interview with WUSA-9 TV in Washington, D.C., Cline accused Biden of not doing enough for Ukraine. At the time, he wore a Ukrainian flag on his lapel.

Europe is leading the way and Biden is playing catch up. You know, we have sanctions, but they have enormous holes in them, Cline said. Later in the interview Cline said: We need to go further  and be aggressive in order to tell Putin he has to stop and reverse course with Ukraine.

But later that year, on Dec. 24, 2022, Cline voted against $45 billion in military aid for Ukraine (it passed, as part of a $1.7 trillion budget bill). And he bragged about that vote on his congressional website.

Cline also telegraphed his more recent April 20 vote against $60.8 billion for Ukraine when he appeared on the podcast Real Americas Voice with John Solomon in February.

We have an administration that doesnt know what success is, cant define success in Ukraine, and wants to send more taxpayer dollars into this black hole of a proxy war, Cline said.

Basically, Clines playing the same game on Ukraine that the gun lobby plays after the latest U.S. firearms massacre. He offers thoughts and prayers but little action thats concrete to stanch the conflict. It comes across as woefully insincere.

The other no-to-Ukraine-aid vote came from Good, who has represented the 5th Congressional District since 2021. Hes currently locked in a GOP primary battle for the Republican nomination with state Sen. John McGuire, a pro-Trump lawmaker who proudly attended the Jan. 6 Stop the Steal rally in Washington, D.C.

By this past December, Good was also leader of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative Republican lawmakers. And he vowed (inaccurately, it turned out) to hosts of the podcast Point Counterpoint that additional American arms to Ukraine was a nonstarter.

Support for Ukraine is dead on arrival in the House until if and when, uh, the Senate passes our outstanding strong border security bill, Good said on the podcast.

Back in September, on an interview with CNN, Good didnt even seem to understand why the Russia-Ukraine conflict was important to America.

What is our direct national security interest to lead us to borrow from our kids and grandkids to further exacerbate our spending situation, our debt situation and to further deplete our own military reserves when this administration has depleted and weakened our military since he became president? Good asked.

Those words echoed more than a few isolationist American politicians in the late 1930s who vehemently opposed America helping Europe contain Nazi Germany. And thats what led us into World War II.

Perhaps Good shouldve been listening more closely to Rep. Morgan Griffith, who voted in favor of the $60.8 billion package for Ukraine weapons.

Griffith has represented the 9th Congressional District since 2011. Although he doesnt have a perfect voting record on Ukraine aid, hes been warning Russia about Ukraine going back to the invasion of Crimea in 2014. Back then he did an interview with WCYB-5 in Bristol.

We need to be making sure that the Russians understand there will be a price to pay if they continue their aggressive expansionism and if they try to use their military force to overrun the rest of Ukraine or even the areas that have Russian-speaking people in large numbers, Griffith said then.

And a little more than a month ago, at Graham High School in Bluefield, the congressman told students this:

It is better to send money to help the Ukrainians fight than to send troops.

(Griffith also told the students that the 9th District would benefit from helping Ukraine, because of all the arms manufactured at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant.)

Griffiths right  thats what the conflict boils down to. Obviously, hes a student of modern European history.

In the late 1930s, American and European powers allowed Hitler to remilitarize the Rhineland (in violation of the Treaty of Versailles), annex Austria and part of Czechoslovakia, then conquer the rest of Czechoslovakia. All that happened before Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and launched World War II.

It wouldve been easier to stop Hitler in 1936 in the Rhineland. The problem was, nobody tried.

Heres another way to frame Griffiths statement to the high-schoolers:

Its better to spend money on American weapons to help Ukraine now, than far more American money and blood when Putin continues his expansionist aims in Europe later.

What a shame that Cline and Good havent learned that lesson.
Local emissions and inefficient combustion of various fuels play a significant role in the poor air quality and associated health risks in North India, a new research has shown.

The research from Prof Sachchida Nand Tripathi of the Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) has identified the major sources of harmful air pollutants along with their impact on human health in the region.

The study, published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, reveals that local emissions, particularly from incomplete combustion of various fuels, play a significant role in the poor air quality and associated health risks in the region.

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While previous studies have highlighted the severity of air pollution in India, identifying the exact sources and their relative contributions has remained a challenge.

Prof Tripathis team, in collaboration with national and international researchers, analysed air quality data from five locations across the Indo-Gangetic Plain, including sites in and around Delhi, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue.

Prof Tripathi, Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Sustainable Energy Engineering, said here on Monday that, The crucial insights from our study into the sources of air pollution and their impact on health in Northern India will help us to develop more effective strategies to improve air quality and protect public health. The study has led to a greater understanding of the dominant role played by local emissions and inefficient combustion. It is a matter of great pride that the study has been published in Nature Communications, one of the leading peer-reviewed, open-access journals covering all natural sciences.

The study found that local sources and processes are the main factors contributing to the widespread air pollution across the region.

Inside Delhi, ammonium chloride and organic aerosols from traffic, residential heating, and industrial activities are key contributors. Outside Delhi, emissions from agricultural burning and secondary organic aerosols formed from these emissions are more prevalent. Contributing to the problem is the incomplete burning of fuels like wood, dung, coal, and petrol. This creates harmful particles that can damage our lungs and cause various health problems.

Regardless of location, the study identified organic aerosols from incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels as the major factor driving air pollutions oxidative potential  a key indicator of its ability to cause adverse health effects.

Prof. Tripathi explained further, The oxidative potential refers to the free radicals that are generated when pollutants interact with certain substances in the environment or our bodies. These free radicals can cause damage by reacting with cells, proteins, and DNA. Oxidative potential measures how likely air pollution is to cause this reaction, which in turn can lead to health problems like respiratory diseases, heart disease, and accelerated ageing. There is an urgent need to address this issue and reduce emissions through targeted interventions to improve combustion efficiency in various sectors.

Prof Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, lauded the research, This study exemplifies IIT Kanpurs commitment to finding solutions for the critical challenges that India is facing. Professor Tripathis research provides valuable insights and knowledge that can guide policymakers and stakeholders in their efforts to mitigate air pollution and its detrimental effects on our health. I congratulate Prof. Tripathi and his team who have been doing outstanding research to address the serious problems caused by air pollution.

The research underscores the need for comprehensive strategies that address local emission sources and promote cleaner technologies, particularly in the transportation, residential, and industrial sectors. Implementing stricter emission standards, promoting renewable energy sources, and raising public awareness about the health impacts of air pollution will help achieve cleaner air and a healthier future for not just the north but the rest of the
Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Sadanand Vasant Date, and the J&K DGP RR Swain on Monday discussed the strategy to combat terrorism and counter the support structures of terror outfits across the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu & Kashmir.

The NIA DG visited the police headquarters here and closely interacted with Swain and other senior officers.

During the interaction, the officers underlined the need to further strengthen the collaborative efforts in investigations to combat terrorism and counter the support structures that aid and abet such nefarious activities and devise more effective measures by giving thrust on effective investigations, a police spokesman said.

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The officers focused on exploring opportunities and launching initiatives to ensure sustainable support, resources, and coordination between the J&K Police and the NIA. This collaborative approach is expected to bolster investigative efficiency further and enhance the overall efficacy of the anti-terrorism campaign.

The initiative of capacity building programme between the NIA and the J&K Police was also discussed, the spokesman said.

ADGP (Headquarters/Coordination) PHQ MK Sinha, ADGP Law & Order Vijay Kumar, ADGP Jammu Zone Anand Jain, ADGP CID Nitish Kumar, IGP NIA, Vijay Sakhare, DIG NIA Amit Kumar and SP NIA Jammu Sandeep Chaudhary were present during the interaction.
The CPI(M) state secretariat, which met here on Monday amidst the controversy over LDF convener E P Jayarajans revelation about his meeting with BJP leader Prakash Javadekar, has not recommended any disciplinary action against the senior party leader.

At a press conference held here, after the party state secretariat meeting, CPI-M state secretary MV Govindan said Jayarajan will continue as the LDF convenor.

 EP Jayarajan will continue as the LDF convener. Nothing has happened to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him, MV Govindan said, and he added that the claim that he (EP Jayarajan) had met BJP leader Shobha Surendran in Delhi and Thrissur is false.

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Jayarajan has been instructed to take legal action Sobha Surendran and that anti-communism is behind the allegations, MV Govindan said

Govindan stated that Jayarajan had informed the party that a planned move was being made against him and the party.

The CPI-M state secretariat has accepted Jayarajans explanation that Javadekar had arrived at his sons residence unannounced but he had quickly left the house after exchanging some pleasantries with the BJP leader.

Jayarajan had only an innocent role in this, Govindan said. He also said that Jayarajan was instructed to end his relationship with broker Nandakumar.

KPCC president K Sudhakaran had stirred up a storm on Thursday, accusing EP Jayarajan of secretly plotting to defect to the BJP by opening a secret communication channel with the partys leadership.

CPI-M suddenly found itself in a quandary after BJP leader Sobha Surendran endorsed K Sudhakarans accusation.

BJP leader Shobha Surendran revealed that EP Jayarajan held discussions with her and other party leaders on joining the BJP. Negotiations regarding Jayarajans entry into the BJP had been almost completed, she said and added that chief minister Vijayan is aware why Jayarajan has withdrawn from his attempt to join the saffron party. She said Jayarajan withdrew from the move following threats from the CPM leadership in Kerala.

Meanwhile, responding to the development, Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan said CPI-M in Kerala does not have the guts to raise a finger against EP Jayarajan who spoke to BJP as the CMs agent. He said CPI-M and the Chief Minister are afraid to take action against EP Jayarajan.
Raking up the alleged sexual escapades of Prajwal Revanna, incumbent MP and Lok Sabha NDA candidate in Karnataka, the Congress party on Monday hit out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he has helped Prajwal flee the country.

Former Prime Minister and JD (S) Chief HD Devegowdas grandson, Prajwal Revanna, who is the BJP led-NDA alliance candidate of Hassan constituency of Karnataka that went to polls on April 26, has been accused of sexually exploiting several women and a case has been registered against him, AICC in-charge, Odisha, Dr Ajoy Kumar said here on Monday.

Prajwal is a sitting MP of Hassan Lok Sabha. He has raped and forcefully taken videos of young women who came to him seeking help for jobs. And the Prime Minister has helped him flee the country, Kumar said.

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How can women be safe in this country when you give tickets to sexual predators? How can they not feel enraged or disgusted by such acts of their own people, he questioned.

Coming down heavily on PM Modi, Dr Kumar said: The PMs eerie silence in the brutal cases of rapes and murder of girl victims of Unao, Hathras, Kathua, his silence on the cases of grave sexual assault on a minor by Asamram Bapu and sexual assaults by Ram Rahim, BJP MP Brijbhushan, MLA Sandeep Singh, his silence on the Bilkis Bano rape case speaks volumes of his respect and regard for women and girls of our country.

Citing the crime against women perpetrated by the high profile JD (S) MP, Dr Kumar pointed out that rising crimes against women in India has been a matter of grave concern.

India has one of the highest rates of violence against women in the world, he said.

Crimes against women rose by 15.3 per cent in 2021 from the previous year, according to the latest data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), with 4,28,278 cases registered in 2021 following 3,71,503 cases in 2020. A total of 3,75,058 women (above the age of 18) went missing in India in 2021. These statistics should have sent alarm bells ringing at the Centre, but PM Modi refuses to so much as address crimes against women, he reiterated while briefing reporters here.

Stating that atrocities on women in the country have increased by two-fold, he charged the Prime Minister is approaching the crime on party line.

He regretted that there is no option by the government when party functionaries commit atrocities on women. The government is covering their crime. Raising the Varanasi BHU case, he charged the Prime Minister with maintaining silence on this issue.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a plea seeking a declaration that those who do not want to be governed by the Muslim Personal Law must be allowed to be governed by the secular law of the country.

Issuing notice to the Centre and the Kerala after some deliberation, a bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra, asked the Attorney General R. Venkataramani to nominate a law officer, who can assist the court and posted the matter for hearing in the second week of July 2024.

The petitioner  a Kerala-based Muslim woman Safiya PM  has stated that she is a non- believer Muslim and hence should be governed by the Indian Succession Act 1925 with respect to inheritance instead of the Muslim Personal Law (Sharia Law). She said her father too is a non-practising Muslim.

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Sharia law says that a Muslim who renounces faith in Islam, will be ousted from the community and thereafter she is not entitled for any inheritance right in her parental property, says the petition by Safiya.

The petition says that as per Sharia law, a Muslim person cannot bequeath more than 1/3rd of his properties by way of Will.

The petitioner Safiya has stated that her father cannot bequeath more than 1/3d of his property to her and the remaining 2/3rd will go to her brother who was suffering from Downs syndrome  a genetic condition caused by an extra Chromosome.

Safiya has further stated that she has a daughter and after the petitioners (Safiya) death, the entire property will not go to her daughter as her fathers brothers will also get a claim.

The absence of any provision for having the inheritance rights, even after leaving the religion, puts the citizen in a dangerous situation as neither the secular laws of the State nor the religious laws would protect her. As per Sharia law, one who has left Islam will lose her inheritance rights. It is the prayer of the petitioner that she should be governed by the provisions of the Indian Succession Act, 1925, the petition states.

It further said that petitioner strongly believes that the practices under Sharia law are highly discriminatory towards Muslim women and hence it violates the fundamental Rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution.
The Supreme Court will hear on Monday the pleas filed by two prominent Opposition leaders  Delhi chief minister and AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal and former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren  challenging their arrest by the Enforcement Directorate, days before the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

The bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will hear both the petitions.

While Kejriwal was arrested in a money laundering case related to the alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22, Soren was arrested in an alleged land scam.

In his plea, Kejriwal has challenged the Delhi High Courts April 9 judgment rejecting his writ petition challenging his arrest and subsequent ED custody.

The AAP chief is currently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody. He told the Supreme Court that the ED could not prove that money in the liquor policy case went to the AAP.

Last week, Soren also moved the top court challenging his arrest. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Hemant Soren, submitted before the court that the Jharkhand High Court had reserved the order on his plea in February but is yet to deliver the judgement.

Earlier on Saturday, the special PMLA Court in Ranchi refused to grant bail relief to Soren. The former Jharkhand CM had sought 13 days of bail to attend the funeral of his uncle.
About three years ago, Asean leaders gathered in Jakarta for an emergency summit on Myanmar at which the FivePoint Consensus (5PC)  entailing the cessation of violence in the country, constructive dialogue among parties to the conflict, the appointment of a special Myanmar envoy and the provision of humanitarian assistance  was agreed upon with the State Administration Councils (SAC) senior general Min Aung Hlaing. The 5PC has since seen very limited progress. Airstrikes by the Myanmar military and fighting among various armed actors continue, leading to the displacement of more than 2.5 million people since the 2021 coup. Inclusive platforms for political dialogue have not materialized.

While Indonesia created a new precedent of meeting with various stakeholders across Myanmar, the Asean chairs one-year tenure remains too short for significant breakthroughs. Hitherto, observers have described Aseans 5PC as failed, toothless, not appropriate, and a dead pact and have said Asean centrality is in tatters. Nonetheless, there are three useful features of the 5PC. It is deliberately capacious: its points (except naming the AHA Centre) remain broad with room for interpretation. It is not a peace plan and was crafted to avoid binding the actions of any successive chair.

Second, the 5PC is what Asean member states believe gives Asean the standing to be involved in the Myanmar crisis. Many may disagree that any agreement from Min Aung Hlaing is required for Asean engagement, but it is nonetheless significant to Asean, committed to its principle of nonintervention. Without the 5PC, there would be no basis for Asean involvement. Third, the 5PC is a measure aimed at preventing major power rivalries around the Myanmar crisis by establishing a test case for Asean centrality. Consequently, the 5PC carries high stakes for Aseans credibility in responding to the crisis through regional initiatives. Making progress on the 5PC is crucial.

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Successive Asean chairs face at least three main challenges. The first is discerning a mediumterm strategy for Aseans engagement with Myanmar. The 5PC was designed to address the immediate aftermath of post-coup violence. But the desired cessation of hostilities will never come without a minimum acceptable medium-term strategy, accommodating the Myanmar peoples visions for the future. Here, half measures aimed solely at cease-fires will make no progress. Second are the limits of time and operating within the one-year Asean chair timeframe. Sensemaking and trust-building are massive undertakings, as Indonesia discovered through its painstaking efforts.

The chair needs to understand facts, histories, and perspectives on the ground, then analyse the interests of domestic and regional actors, before finally devising its policies for the year. The first two stages might already take up the best part of five months, leaving a mere two to three months to craft its approach on Myanmar for the Asean summit. The third challenge is supplementing efforts at internal convening with external rallying. It must create space to bring together Myanmar stakeholders and simultaneously muster meaningful support from the international community.

Between Myanmar, Asean and regional actors, there remains a wide gap of understanding. Many Myanmar stakeholders do not understand Aseans processes and limitations, and many Asean member states do not fathom the complex relations and perspectives among the Myanmar groups. Asean must continue to create the space to learn from the various relevant Myanmar stakeholders and seek the support of the major frontline states, namely China and India, for its efforts. It is time to rethink the terms of the chairs special envoy to enable Asean to deal with the aforementioned challenges. After three years, it is clear that no chair has the capacity to deal with the issue alone.

In fact, it is unfair to leave the responsibility to the chair alone. Indonesias proposal of a troika mechanism is a nod towards the need for a sustainable, more permanent mechanism. In this respect, the creation of an Asean office on Myanmar follows sensibly. The office should focus on three main areas of the 5PC mandate  cessation of violence, delivery of humanitarian assistance and facilitation of stakeholder dialogues  to create the spaces and conditions for a nationbuilding process.

A troika-plus mechanism (one that includes key Asean countries that have the competence, leverage and persistence to engage) could see its members share a rotating coordinator role of the office, dividing up labour by issue, stakeholders or time periods. Importantly, the office must continue engagement with all stakeholders in Myanmar, not only with the Myanmar military, as its main modus operandi. Finally, domestic engagement will have to be balanced with efforts on the external front, where the office could coordinate international envoys and rally support for Aseans approach. A new United Nations special envoy has been appointed, and fresh coordination of envoys is needed.

While the international community has given verbal support to Asean centrality, it must also be rallied to provide support through policy options, technical assistance, resources and political leverage. With a more permanent Asean office on Myanmar, a medium-term 5PC strategy can be built. This helps to avoid short-term, individual actions, such as elections organized by the junta or through the existing Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, that might derail medium-term objectives. The Asean strategy would ideally turn into a framework that coherently guides and shapes the chairs efforts for the year and allows each chair to make piecemeal, sustainable progress on the crisis.

This framework should outline how Asean, with the full support of the UN Security Council, can help to achieve three key objectives: (1) a humanitarian cease-fire, (2) a negotiated transition and (3) the establishment of an inclusive federal democracy in Myanmar. These objectives cover short, medium and long-term goals. New procedures for implementation and milestones to measure progress toward the objectives must be developed.

As recently as December 2023, the 17th Asean Defense Ministers Meeting acknowledged the need to develop concrete, practical and measurable indicators in support of the implementation of the FivePoint Consensus. Thankfully, the 5PC is sufficiently broadly worded to allow flexibility in activities and implementation. The establishment of a permanent office in Myanmar, initiated by the current chair Laos, could be formalized by Malaysia and effected by the Philippines. The time to start is now.

(The writers are, respectively, director of research at the Surin Pitsuwan Foundation, Thailand; head of the Department of International Relations and coordinator for the Myanmar Initiative Program at the Jakartabased Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and executive director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy, Myanmar.)
No doubt, India has not been sitting idle all this while. Besides QUAD, which is a formal strategic partnership, India has been forging strategic bilateral partnerships with littoral democracies that are similarly under threat by an openly aggressive China, such as Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Mauritius, Seychelles, Malaysia etc. But none of these bilateral defence partnerships is a formal military alliance. In the event of a war with China, it is anybodys guess if they will actively support India or merely support resolutions backing poor India in the UN.

And join the loud chorus condemning Big Brother China and whole-heartedly extending strong moral support to peaceful, democratic India. Historically, China has always been the dominant power in Asia, or so it perceives itself to be. European major powers are different. When not at war, they have maintained peace through a balance of power. For centuries, these powers ~ Great Britain, Prussia, France, Spain, Italy, Russia etc. have learnt to live with one another after prolonged armed conflicts had exhausted them, both materially and emotionally.

This went on for centuries, till the end of World War II. In the 20th century, the rise of the trans-Atlantic USA and the appearance of small and medium powers in Europe, and the spread of democracy induced European powers to unite and protect themselves against autocracy. The destructive power of modern technology, especially atomic and nuclear power, acted as a great catalyst for peace. NATO was born. China was an altogether different story in Asia. For two thousand years, it was the Middle Kingdom ruled by Emperors and independent warlords in the outlying provinces. Since the dominant Yellow Race comprised the biggest Empire in Asia, it was surrounded by small kingdoms and races that bought their survival and existence through tributes to the Asian overlord. Largely unchallenged, and aided by geography, the Chinese Empire did not force their hegemony on their neighbours, including maritime countries.

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As India was hardly a unified nation till the advent of the British in the 19th century, the concept of balance of power in Asia amongst various nations has been somewhat alien to Indian strategic thinking. In the 21st century however, Asia is like it was never before. The Chinese Empire is a modern nation united, or shall we say unified, by a central Communist tyranny. India meanwhile is a united, powerful nation through the magic of its modern Constitution and the marvelous British legacy of strategic dimension in its foreign policy.

The existing order dictates a replication of the balance of power in Asia, something that is proving to be anathema to Chinese communists. After decades of economic rivalry, democratic India has outpaced the command economy of a Communist state. It is a modern marvel, something that our giant neighbour finds hard to stomach. History repeats itself, the European story now repeating in Asia. It is to maintain peace ~ a balance of power in Asia between the two major powers.

But the concept is not acceptable to the Chinese, used as they are historically to receive tributes from its small Asian neighbours. The concept is missing from the Chinese political lexicon. As a consequence, India is at the receiving end, facing an existential threat. Lenin, the founder of the Communist movement when confronted with a similar insurmountable challenge famously asked: What is to be done? A time has come when India needs to ask itself the same question. Looking to the current geo-political scenario, apply for NATO membership, so to say. Or, more accurately, re-apply. By definition, India is not eligible. It is not an Atlantic power.

Believe it or not, it first applied, so to say, for admission in 1962, as revealed recently in declassified official documents made public by the then Indian Ambassador to US, B.K. Nehru. The Chinese had suddenly attacked India without provocation and rapidly advanced right up to the Assam valley. There was panic in New Delhi and Prime Minister Nehru sent an SOS to the US President for immediate air cover. He offered to the Americans to let US pilots fly Indian aircraft and bomb the advancing Chinese troops all along the border in the Eastern sector. But equally suddenly, the Chinese announced a ceasefire and halted its advance. Incidentally, the US was the military leader of NATO then as it is now. Though India is vastly superior today in terms of military strength and capability, the question survives if India can take on the Chinese on its own. The border dispute remains unresolved.

The two opposing armies remain in eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation in the disputed Northern land border for three years plus. There is an altogether new dimension to Chinese expansionism, and that is extending its maritime boundaries in the South China Sea. It has laid claim to almost the entire South China Sea. This is happening for the first time in the 21st century, after it has developed the worlds largest Naval force. It has started laying claims to numerous uninhabited islands. It is developing AI (artificial islands) faster than the other AI (artificial intelligence) for the PLA to own these.

All credit to Indian diplomacy to organize QUAD to counter the growing maritime Chinese threat. With the US as the senior partner, the other two are friendly Asian democracies under similar threat ~ Japan and Australia. But India is the only QUAD nation sharing a long land border with China, the other three are under maritime threat. The next question arises, what is the nature of the longterm threat? As of now, the Chinese are a continuing threat to our Eastern border. The concern should be about the Chinese long-term strategy in the Eastern sector, coveting a mountainous terrain where, in the famous (or infamous) words of late Krishna Menon, former Defence Minister, not a blade of grass grows. It could be just feigning, looking at the current overall Chinese behaviour.

They are currently focusing their attention on Taiwan, with their unprovoked brinkmanship in the Taiwan Strait. As the Chinese, somewhat uncharacteristically, are openly threatening to use force to take over Taiwan, the Strait will become a Chinese lake, affecting Indias growing trade with its East Asian friends. According to Indias former Foreign Secretary, Vijay Gokhale, the loss of the Taiwan Strait will severely affect half of Indias trade flow to the East. It will disrupt supply chains in Indias key export sectors such as pharma and electronics. Disruption in submarine cables will affect the flow of data between India and the Silicon Valley. Unfortunately, Taiwan is in a very unenviable position.

A vibrant democracy, the Chinese have relentlessly pressurized an overwhelming number of UN members to de-recognize it in terms of its self-proclaimed One China policy, i.e. Beijing. The only major power halfrecognizing it is the US. In the event of an attack on Taiwan, US policy is strategically ambiguous. India appears to have no policy in such an eventuality. This is disturbing for a nation that will be most adversely impacted. In the memorable words of Mr Gokhale, Indias hope that the Chinese will not use force is akin to the policy of the ostrich in burying its head deep in the sand. As Galbraith put it memorably, the tragedy of India in 1962 was that some Indian ruling politicians had raised hope to the level of strategy

ASHOK KAPUR The writer is a retired IAS officer
A delegation of senior Israeli officials led by Mossad Chief David Barnea will reach Cairo on Monday for indirect mediatory talks with Hamas.

The Hamas delegation will also reach Cairo on Monday with Qatar and Egypt taking the lead for the mediation regarding the release of hostages and temporary ceasefire talks in the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.

Hamas, according to Arab media have in principle agreed to the release of a minimum of 33 hostages. The hostages include women, old people, sick and men above the age of fifty. Hamas has demanded the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. This includes those arrested with grave offences, including murder.

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Sources in Israels defence ministry told IANS that they have communicated to the mediators that the IDF would not be withdrawn from the Gaza Strip.

Israel, it may be recalled, has already called upon the Hamas side not to drag its feet from the release of hostages and has stated that if Hamas backs out from the deal then the Rafah ground operations will be imminent.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have already deployed its elite Nehal brigade in the Rafah region and are waiting for the outcome of the talks in Cairo.

President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has already shared the countrys apprehensions of an Israeli attack in the Rafah region with the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken during his last visit to Cairo.

Blinken has reached Saudi Arabia on a two-day visit and will be communicating with both the Egyptian and Qatar mediators regarding the temporary ceasefire.
Ghana is the latest country to give the go-ahead to SpaceX and its Starlink satellite internet service.

Late last week, according to news agency Ecofin, the National Communications Authority of Ghana (NCA) approved the local subsidiary of Starlink to provide high-speed satellite internet services in the country.

The regulator announced that administrative procedures for the issuance of the operating license are underway and expected to be completed soon.

The Ghanaian communications regulator has been widely quote as saying: The approval of the application follows the policy approval of the satellite licensing framework in Ghana by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization.

A driver for this approval, signalled by Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghanas minister for communications and digitisation, in late March, is likely to have been the widely reported disruption across Africa after multiple subsea cables had been damaged off the coast in West Africa.

It's true that backup solutions helped to limit the disruption (as we discussed in this feature). However, while not as cheap to use, satellite networks do offer a more reliable source of communications. Thus, licensing satellite operators is now part of the measures implemented by the NCA to manage disruption in the future and ensure good service quality to consumers.

It's also true that there has been increasing interest in Starlink services in Ghana. In fact in December 2023, the regulator had to warn against the illegal provision and use of Starlink services.

Starlink will now be able to provide its services directly to consumers through its kit, or lease capacity to operators and internet service providers to fill coverage gaps. It plans to commence commercial operations in Ghana starting from the third quarter of 2024.

Nevertheless as we reported earlier today, the news from Africa isnt all good as Cameroon, among other countries, maintains a ban on Starlink kit imports.
Crypto trading markets are becoming increasingly competitive every day and it has become necessary to use advanced tools to thrive in your crypto trading goals. Bit Alpha AI is one such tool that has been receiving rave reviews on the internet ever since it was launched. The creator of Bit Alpha AI says that this automated trading bot can assist a person in finding the best trading opportunities and makes trading seamless. In this Bit Alpha AI review, we will dissect different aspects of the trading system and analyze them meticulously.

Visit Bit Alpha AI

Bit Alpha AI has become the topic of discussion among traders and experts alike after it was claimed by the team that developed this platform that it works efficiently for both novice and experienced traders. This gave the impression that Bit Alpha AI can be used by traders with varying needs, experience, and trading goals. Although this claim made by the creators of the trading platform seems to be true, it is important to delve deeper into the other aspects of Bit Alpha AI to determine its efficacy in supporting profitable trading.

This Bit Alpha AI review is an account of the detailed analysis that we have done on the trading system and we have included all important information and facts about the bot that might help you reach an informed decision. So without further ado, lets dive into the review.

Bit Alpha AI - Fact Overview

Platform Name Bit Alpha AI Platform Category Web-Based Trading System Robot Type Crypto Robot Platform Type Multi-market trading assets (Crypto, stocks, forex pairs, and more) Platform Cost None Payout Time Within 24 hours Fees No additional fees Minimum Deposit $250 Deposit Options A diverse range of deposit options Countries Eligible Available globally with restrictions in some regions like the United States, France, Iran, Cyprus, and Israel Safety and Security Follows strict safety protocols, employs advanced encryption technology, and supports two-factor authentication. Official Website Click Here

What Is Bit Alpha AI?

Bit Alpha AI is an automated trading platform that helps you with trading by delivering you all the insights and data that will encourage you to make profitable decisions and minimize the risks of loss. The trading platform is created to help a trader make maximum profits without having to bear the process of trading all alone. Bit Alpha AI offers traders all the assistance that supports seamless trading.

As mentioned before, Bit Alpha AI is created for both novice and experienced traders. The trading system has many unique features that make it different from other trading systems available on the internet. Bit Alpha AI is a user-friendly trading platform that can be used by anyone quite easily and conveniently.

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Features Of Bit Alpha AI

Bit Alpha AI is a trading platform that has multiple features which makes it an efficient one and different from other crypto trading systems available on the internet.

Advanced technologies: Bit Alpha AI is a trading platform that has been developed by integrating advanced technologies. These technologies of the trading system give you insights into the trading system, analyze the trading market, find the best trading opportunities for you, and so on. All of the assistance that the Bit Alpha AI technologies can provide you will help you trade profitably and easily.

Adjustable assistance: Bit Alpha AI has a feature that allows you to adjust the level of assistance that you need. When trading, traders of the bot are provided with the option to customize the assistance that they require. This makes Bit Alpha AI a trading platform that can be efficiently used by both novice and experienced traders. The trading platform also has the option for automated trading which could be very beneficial for people who are trading for the first time.

Simultaneous trading: Bit Alpha AI supports simultaneous trading. This means a trader can trade multiple cryptocurrencies at the same time without any hassles. Therefore, a trader of Bit Alpha AI can easily diversify their portfolio. Since Bit Alpha AI has a portfolio management system, it will keep a record of all simultaneous trading transactions that you have been part of.

Safety and security: The safety and security of Bit Alpha AI is one of the prime features of the trading system. To ensure that traders get to have a safe place for trading, Bit Alpha AI has integrated top-notch security technologies into their systems. Along with this, the Bit Alpha AI trading platform also protects your privacy while trading and does not ask you to share any confidential information.

Easy-to-use: Bit Alpha AI is easy to use and can be used by people with zero experience with trading systems quite efficiently. The trading system has an interface that is easy to navigate through and everything you need for trading is provided on the official website of Bit Alpha AI.
The advent of crypto trading has changed how people see and handle finances. It has offered a flexible yet unconventional way to achieve and make more profits. This form of trading also enables both decentralized and centralized forms of trading and traders can experience seamless exchanges and transactions.

However, since the crypto market is highly volatile, it is important to get accurate data to make the right predictions and invest wisely. Many crypto trading platforms are available today that can help traders make informed decisions and huge profits.

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One such platform is the Bitcoin Era trading system, which has been garnering positive feedback from traders and other crypto enthusiasts. So, I wanted to find out why there is much hype around this platform and what features make it different from the others. In this Bitcoin Era review, we will look at all the factors of this trading system, such as how the platform works, its features, and how you can register on this platform.

Lets look at the detailed analysis of the Bitcoin Era trading system in this review.

Bitcoin Era - Quick Facts

Trading Bot Name Bitcoin Era Registration Required Yes Registration Fee None Supported Assets Cryptocurrencies, stocks, forex, and other assets. Minimum Required Deposit $250 Payout Time 24 hours Countries Supported United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, Hong Kong, and more. Hidden Charges Zero Deposit Methods Different deposit and withdrawal methods are supported Customer Support 24/7 Official Website Click Here

What is Bitcoin Era?

Bitcoin Era is a crypto trading platform designed using the latest and cutting-edge technology. The platform helps traders get a seamless trading experience by providing them with accurate data signals, and market predictions, helping them identify potential risks, and also providing them with adequate ways to mitigate the risks. This platform offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface, which makes it easier for both novice and experienced traders to navigate through the platform. The platform also provides two modes; automatic and manual, allowing traders to switch between the modes and even conduct trading according to the market conditions in the automatic mode. Traders do not have to pay registration fees while registering on this platform and only need to make an initial deposit of $250. It also supports various cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin, and others.

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Bitcoin Era - Features

The Bitcoin Era trading system has many features that not only help simplify trading but also help traders make informed trading decisions. So, listed below are some of the features integrated into this platform.

Integration of the latest technologies

One of the standout features of the Bitcoin Era platform is that the latest technologies are used to enhance the trading experience. Cutting-edge technologies, such as algorithms, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence are integrated into this platform. This enables traders to get valuable insights into the market conditions and give accurate predictions about the performance of an asset or a cryptocurrency.

User-friendly and intuitive interface

Bitcoin Era has a user-friendly interface where traders can easily navigate and understand the working mechanism of this platform. The fairly intuitive platform enables users to get a seamless trading experience and eliminates any complications.

Web-based system

Bitcoin Era is a web-based platform, which means users do not have to download it on their desktop or mobile device. There is no need for any installation, upgradation, or platform maintenance. Users can access this platform, on their desktops, laptops, and mobile phones.

Manual and automated mode

The Bitcoin Era system offers traders both manual and automated modes and they can freely switch between these modes. There is no need to stick to the screen when you put the platform in automatic mode and if you want to handle the things by yourself, you can change it to manual.

Supports multiple assets and cryptocurrencies

The Bitcoin Era platform supports various cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Dash, and many others. Apart from cryptocurrencies, the system also supports different assets and stocks. This provides an opportunity for traders to diversify their portfolios.

Free demo mode

The Bitcoin Era trading system provides a free demo mode for its users. This is a practice or a trial mode, with which users can get accustomed to the platform effortlessly. Using the free demo mode, novice traders can step into the trading and widen their knowledge in trading.

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How Does Bitcoin Era Work?

Here, we will be looking at the working mechanism of the Bitcoin Era trading platform. After registering on this platform, traders can set the parameters according to their trading plan and target. They can set the entry and exit points, start and stop prices, time frames, and volumes, and the system works according to these set parameters and optimizes the data based on it. Each move made by the system is based on the precise trade signals generated by it. We have already discussed the technologies incorporated into this platform, these advanced technologies can help monitor current market indicators and generate the right trade signals.

The platform also provides real-time data, which can help traders make informed decisions, and seize the right opportunities. This ensures that traders dont miss out on any opportunities and make huge profits by making the right moves. Traders can also switch between manual and automatic trading mode. They do not have to spend their whole time on this platform looking for the right opportunities. When the platform is in automatic mode, the system will make the right moves according to the market conditions and can help mitigate any losses. The Bitcoin Era platform aims to provide a seamless experience for traders.

How To Register on Bitcoin Era?

If you want to open an account on the Bitcoin Era platform, you only need to follow three simple steps and your account will be set up in a few minutes. So, lets look at the steps that one should follow to open an account on Bitcoin Era.

Step 1: Registration

To create an account on the Bitcoin Era platform, one should first register on this platform. For this, you can visit the official website and click on the Register. You need to fill out a form with your details, such as your name, phone number, and email address and set it up with a strong password. After entering these details, click on the register button and wait for the confirmation mail.

Step 2: Complete registration

The Bitcoin Era verification team will verify the details. After they verify the details, they will send a confirmation email to the given email address. You need to click on the confirmation link and complete the registration process by entering the rest of the details.

Step 3: Begin real-time trading

Before you begin trading through this platform, you need to set the trading parameters and set up your trading account. You have to make an initial deposit of $250 as a minimum capital. The amount can be deposited via any payment method such as Credit/Debit, net banking, or PayPal. You can also deposit large amounts according to your trading goals.

Register On Bitcoin Era For Free

Bitcoin Era - Pros and Cons

This Bitcoin Era review has taken us through the different aspects of this trading system. Here, we will be looking at the pros and cons of the Bitcoin Era. So, lets check them out.

Pros:

User-friendly trading system.

No registration fee.

Simple registration process.

The minimum deposit required is $250.

Supports different cryptocurrencies and assets.

Different payment methods are available.

Traders have full autonomy over their funds.

Strict safety protocols are followed.

Beginner-friendly platform.

Free demo mode is available.

24/7 customer support.

As some countries have restricted trading policies and laws, the Bitcoin Era system cannot be used in these countries.

Bitcoin Era - Cryptocurrencies supported

Bitcoin Era provides an opportunity to diversify the trading portfolio of traders as it supports various cryptocurrencies, assets, and stocks. Given below are some of the cryptocurrencies supported on this platform.

Bitcoin (BTC)

Montero (XMR)

Litecoin (LTC)

Ethereum (ETH)

Binance Coin (BNC)

Ethereum Classic (ETC)

Dash (DASH)

Cardano (ADA)

Polkadot (DOT)

Dogecoin (DOGE)

To get the complete list of cryptocurrencies and assets supported on this platform, you can visit the official website.

Bitcoin Era - Minimum cost and profits

When we take a look at other trading platforms and compare them with the Bitcoin Era trading system, the latter is more affordable. Users do not have to pay any registration fee and an account can be opened without spending a penny. They only have to pay a minimum amount of $250 to begin live trading. The platform does not charge any maintenance, transaction fees, or other charges. The minimum deposit can be increased according to the traders goals and experience. The platform also supports different payment methods, such as Credit/Debit, net banking, PayPal, and other methods.

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Bitcoin Era - Customer Support

Bitcoin Era customer support is led by a team of experts and dedicated members, who are available 24/7 to resolve any technical issues. Traders can also contact them to clear any doubts or raise any issues related to transactions, portfolios, or any system-related problems. Users can contact customer support at any point of the day and get it resolved immediately. You can visit the official site to get the contact details of Bitcoin Era customer support.

Bitcoin Era: Customer Reviews

There are many Bitcoin Era customer reviews published on various websites and platforms. You can find that the user responses have been positive so far and they are even available on platforms such as Reddit and Quora. Many people have posted inquiries about this platform and Bitcoin Era users have given positive responses and feedback. Many traders have said that after they started using this platform, they were able to identify the right opportunities, which has helped them achieve profits over time. If we evaluate the customer responses, it does point to the genuineness and efficiency of this platform.

Bitcoin Era - Is It A Legit Trading Platform?

Different advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, algorithms, and analytic tools have been integrated into the platform. With the help of these top-notch technologies, the platform not only provides real-time data but also ensures a safe and secure trading experience. Encryption technologies have been used to protect user data and keep out other fraudulent activities. Traders do not have to pay any account charges, registration fees, or transaction charges for using the platform. They are only required to make an initial capital investment of $250. So far, Bitcoin Era has received a high success rate and also got positive feedback from the users. Looking at all these factors, it is clear that the Bitcoin Era trading system is a legitimate platform.

With over 19 reviews on Sitejabber, the platform has a total rating of 4.4 out of 5. Most testimonials say the same thing: Bitcoin Era is a legitimate trading platform

Bitcoin Era - Bottom Line

All the important aspects of the Bitcoin Era have been discussed in this review. This crypto trading platform has been developed using cutting-edge technologies to ensure precision and market data accuracy. The platform has helped more than hundreds of traders to make the right decisions and choices and earn more profit than expected. Users also consider this platform to be safe and secure as all the encryption and safety measures are integrated into it. Moreover, the usability of this platform is not just limited to experienced traders. Even novice traders can step into trading through this platform as it offers a user-friendly and intuitive interface. The free demo mode also becomes a practice or a trial mode, in which various strategies can be experimented without having to make any real investments. As we have already seen, Bitcoin Era received positive feedback from its users and it not only provides an opportunity to get into trading at a minimum investment, it also helps traders to grant on to the right opportunities. Analyzing all the details of this platform, the Bitcoin Era does seem to be worth a shot.

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FAQs

Which countries do not permit the use of Bitcoin Era?

Due to restrictions in trading, the Bitcoin Era system cannot be used in countries such as Iran, Israel, Cyprus, France, and the United States.

Is the mobile version of Bitcoin Era available?

No. The mobile version of Bitcoin Era is not available till now. It is a web-based platform and can be viewed on mobile devices.

Who can use the Bitcoin Era trading system?

Individuals who are above 18 years of age can only be involved in trading activities. Therefore, people below 18 years are not permitted to use this system.

How long does the verification process take?

The verification process only takes a few minutes and the team will send a confirmation mail after all your details have been verified.

What if I do not make any profits by using the Bitcoin Era system?

If you do not make any profits after using the Bitcoin Era trading system, you can close the account and withdraw all your funds at any time.
Typical Vietnamese coffee is brewed hot and poured over ice  but a trend is emerging that combines modern cold brewing with traditional Vietnamese iced coffee. Heres how to make it yourself.

Cold brewing is a method of extracting only the more delicate, sweet-tasting components of coffee  leaving behind the heavy, astringent, and bitter elements.

The resulting coffee is smooth, refreshing, and highly caffeinated.

The main downside of this method is that it trades speed for flavor  youll need to set your coffee aside for about 24 hours to finish brewing.

Making Vietnamese cold-brew coffee is surprisingly simple  heres how it works.

Vietnamese Coffee Cold Brewing Specs:

Brew time : 12 to 24 hours

Coffee/water ratio : 1 part coffee to 4 parts water

Grind : Coarse

Water temperature : Cold or room temperature

Recommended coffee: HaNoi coffee, SaiGon OG coffee

Tools & Ingredients: Vietnamese Cold Brew Coffee

To prepare Vietnamese coffee using the cold brew method, youll need the following tools and ingredients:

Cold or room temperature water  Its for steeping coffee grounds and extracting their flavors while preventing bitterness and acidity that result from using hot water. Coarsely ground Vietnamese coffee beans Aim for a consistency similar to sea salt for best results. A cold-brew coffee maker  You can also use a pitcher, a large mason jar, or a French press, whichever you have available. Theres no need for fancy equipment here. A spoon or spatula For stirring and mixing the coffee grounds and water thoroughly for consistent extraction. Fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth  These tools help strain the coffee concentrate and separate it from the coffee grounds after the steeping process. You wont need this if using a cold brew coffee maker or French press. Sweetened condensed milk  It's a traditional ingredient that adds creamy texture and sweetness to Vietnamese coffee. Fridge Youll use it to store the concentrated cold brew before serving to preserve its flavor and freshness. Ice cubes (optional)  Important for chilling the cold brew when serving.

Step-By-Step Instructions: Vietnamese Cold Brew Coffee

Here are the steps to follow when preparing Vietnamese coffee using the cold brew method:

Step 1: Measure Your Coarse Ground Coffee

Youre going to want to use roughly 4 times as much water as coffee. So measure the volume of the container youre using and then divide by 4. This is how much coffee you should be using.

A good starting point if youre not sure is to use about 1.5 cups of coffee and 6 cups of water.

Step 2: Combine Coffee With Water

Measure your water and mix it with your coffee grounds. Give everything a good stir to make sure its all saturated with water.

Step 3: Let It Sit Overnight

Cold brewing takes a lot of time. The lack of heat makes it hard to extract the coffee thoroughly, so more time is needed. Let it sit at least overnight. A full 24 hours is even better.

Keep your cold brew in the fridge, covered.

Step 4: Strain the Coffee Concentrate

After the steeping time elapses, remove your cold brew concentrate from the fridge. If your cold brew coffee maker has a filter, strain the cold brew concentratedirectly into a clean container.

If youre using a French press, use the plunger to separate the grounds from the water and pour the liquid into a new container.

If your coffee concentrate is in a pitcher or another container, you can use a fine mesh sieve or a cheesecloth to separate the coffee grounds from the liquid  you may need to do this in batches. Once you strain it all, discard the coffee grounds.

Step 5: Serve With Sweetened Condensed Milk Over Ice

Pour about 4 ounces of your fresh cold brew coffee over some ice and mix in about 2 ounces of condensed milk. Use a spoon to stir everything in and youre ready to drink!

The Benefits of Cold Brewing Vietnamese Coffee

Besides being easy to make and not requiring any special equipment, cold brewing your Vietnamese coffee has the following benefits:

1. Reduced Acidity

The low temperature used in cold brewing prevents chemical reactions that produce acidic compounds in coffee. As a result, cold-brewed coffee is easier on the stomach, reducing heartburn or acid influx some people experience after drinking coffee.

2. You Dont Need to Use as Much Sweetener

Low acidity and bitter taste give cold-brewed Vietnamese coffee a smooth flavor that doesn't need much sweetener. Cold brewing can be an ideal alternative for preparing your Vietnamese coffee if you're looking to reduce your sugar intake or calorie consumption.

Related: How many calories are in Vietnamese coffee?

3. Quick Prep Time

While it takes about 24 hours to make the initial cold brew, you can make it in bulk and portion it out in seconds over the course of several days. This means your morning coffee takes less than a minute to prepare, compared to the 5 or 10 required to brew fresh coffee.

The Downsides of Cold Brewing Vietnamese Coffee

While cold brewing Vietnamese coffee offers several advantages, it also has some downsides to be aware of:

1. Initial Brewing Time is Slow

Steeping cold brew coffee requires a very long time. If you want to prepare a quick cup of coffee from scratch, cold brew is not a good option. Its better if you have time to plan ahead, brewing several batches of cold brew at once to keep in the fridge for when you need it.

2. It Requires More Coffee

Cold brewing demands a high coffee-water ratio to get the required flavor. The need to use for more coffee for cold brew than you would use with conventional hot brewing methods. If youre trying to get the maximum value out of your coffee, cold brew is probably not the best way to do it.

3. High Caffeine Content

Some people don't mind large amounts of caffeine; many even prefer it. However, if youre sensitive to caffeine and dont want anything too strong, avoid cold brew. This is true for both arabica-based and robusta-based cold brews. The slow, cold extraction pulls out more of the active caffeine over time than a quick 25 minute steep in hot water.

Related: How much caffeine is in a Vietnamese coffee?

FAQs: Vietnamese Cold Brew

Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about cold-brewing Vietnamese coffee.

1. Does cold brew Vietnamese coffee taste the same as iced?

No, cold brew is different than iced coffee. Cold brew is made by steeping coarsely ground coffee beans in cold water for 8-24 hours, then straining the liquid. Iced Vietnamese coffee is traditionally made with the phin filter using hot water, which is then cooled by mixing with ice.

In terms of taste, cold brew is smoother, less acidic, and more strongly caffeinated  while regular Vietnamese coffee has a much more intensely bold and roasted flavor.

2. What coffee works best for cold brew Vietnamese coffee?

Vietnamese coffee is characterized by the use of high-grade robusta coffee. Its much stronger, bolder, and punchier, which pairs perfectly with the intensely sweet condensed milk.

When preparing Vietnamese coffee using a cold brew system, opt for something with at least 50% robusta.

Our HaNoi blend uses 100% robusta coffee grown in Vietnam and works great as a cold brew.

If you want something a little less caffeinated, try our SaiGon OG instead, which uses a blend of robusta and arabica for a more balanced flavor.

3. Can I turn my cold brew into a hot drink?

You can heat up a cup of cold brew coffee if you want, but remember that it tastes different from a regular cup of coffee, and we wouldnt recommend it. Hot or cold, you can add sugar and cream or milk if you prefer, or try a coffee syrup if you want a touch of flavor.

4. What is the ideal coffee-to-water ratio for Vietnamese cold brew?

The recommended ratio is 1 part coffee to 4 parts water, providing a balanced flavor and strength for Vietnamese cold brew coffee.

5. How long does it take to cold brew Vietnamese coffee?

Cold brewing Vietnamese coffee typically requires 12 to 24 hours, allowing time for the coffee flavors to be fully extracted without the bitterness.

6. Do I need special equipment to make Vietnamese cold-brew coffee at home?

No special equipment is needed. You can buy specialized cold-brew coffee makers that work great, but a typical mason jar or French press works wellt, too.

7. What are the benefits of making Vietnamese coffee using the cold brew method?

Cold brewing reduces acidity, making the coffee smoother and easier on the stomach, and it doesn't require as much sweetener due to its naturally sweet flavor profile. You can also brew cold brew coffee in bulk and portion it out as needed in the morning.
Africa Data Centres, which describes itself as Africas largest network of interconnected, carrier and cloud-neutral data centre facilities, has announced the launch of an exclusive channel partner programme, ADC Channel.

This programme, says the company, is designed to establish colocation and ecosystem partnerships, empowering members to expand their product portfolio and offerings alongside their market presence including an expanded data centre footprint.

It goes on to describe ADC Channel as a unique opportunity for global carriers, internet service providers (ISPs), system integrators, data centres, mobile networks, content developers, telecommunications companies, network infrastructure operators, hyperscalers and others to deliver state-of-the-art, sustainable and cost-effective digital solutions to their clients.

The primary objective of ADC Channel is described as fostering collaboration among partners, facilitating the delivery of optimised solutions and comprehensive support to clients. Partners enrolled in ADC Channel will benefit from a flexible approach that accommodates various partnership and go-to-market models.

Finhai Munzara, CFO of Africa Data Centres, emphasises that the benefits of the ADC Channel programme extend to all types of partners. Our facilities are designed with the needs of hyperscale, wholesale and enterprise clients in mind, catering to their technical, operational and commercial requirements. Whether its greenfield projects, built-to-suit facilities, powered shells, dedicated halls or hybrid colocation, we offer flexible, scalable and sustainable solutions that suit partners of every kind.

Africa Data Centres says participation in the channel programme requires no investment and entails no capital expenditures for building data centres.
The US customs have rejected nearly a third of spice shipments exported by MDH Pvt Ltd due to salmonella contamination over the last six months, according to a report.

Moreover, the rate of rejection since October 2023 has increased twofold compared to the previous year due to salmonella, reported The Indian Express. Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause diarrhoea and nausea.

This comes amid reports that Hong Kong food safety regulator Centre for Food Safety (CFS) ordered recall of certain MDH masala powder products over presence of cancer-causing ethylene oxide, a pesticide.

These include MDH's Madras Curry Powder, Mixed Masala Powder and Sambhar Masala Powder. Everest's Fish Curry Masala was also recalled by Hong Kong's CFS and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

However, MDH has dismissed the allegations regarding the presence of pesticides in its products and assured its customers that all its products are 100 per cent safe. The company said it abides by health and safety standards, both domestically and internationally. "MDH tagline, 'Asli Masale Sach Sach, MDH MDH' and 'Real Spices of India' reflect our genuine commitment to providing authentic, high-quality spices to customers," it stated.

It stated that it has not received any communications from the food regulators in Hong Kong or Singapore. MDH added that the Spice Board of India or the Indian food regulator, FSSAI, have also not received any communication or test reports from these foreign authorities.

"This reinforces the fact that the allegations against MDH are baseless, unsubstantiated, and not backed by any concrete evidence," the spice maker stated. "MDH reassures its buyers and customers about the safety and quality of all its products. We reassure our buyers and consumers that we do not use Ethylene Oxide (ETO) at any stage of storing, processing, or packing our spices."

In September 2019, US regulator Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had asked MDH to recall its sambhar masala distributed in northern California over salmonella contamination.

In June 2023, the FDA had ordered recall of Everest's sambhar masala and garam masala as well as Nestle's Maggi Masala-ae-Magic from 11 states after the products tested positive for salmonella.
Ever since the poster of the upcoming multi-starrer movie Kalki 2898 AD was dropped, there have been several criticisms, with people pointing out that the poster and characters shown in it looked very much similar to the settings and people of Denis Villeneuves 'Dune' film franchise.

Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, stars Prabhas, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone, Disha Patani, and Amitabh Bachchan.

Director Nag Ashwin took the criticism head-on and said the two films look similar because of sand.

At the recent VFX Summit in Hyderabad, the director was asked why the film "looks a lot like the Hollywood movie Dune when it comes to the theme and the artwork.

Nag Ashwin replied saying it was because of the sand. "You noticed the film has sand in it, no? Basically, whenever theres sand, itll look like Dune, he said.

However, sand was the only factor that many on social media pointed out that the film's poster had in common with Dune. Some observed that Padukone's character resembled that of Chani played by Zendaya in Dune. A user called it Zendayafication of Deepika.

Touted to be an epic science-fiction dystopian movie inspired by Hindu mythology, Kalki 2898 AD is scheduled to be released on June 27.

According to media reports, the director had earlier said the movie "starts with Mahabharat and ends in 2898 AD."

"It spans 6000 years in time. We tried to create worlds, imagining what they would be like while still keeping it Indian and not making it look like Blade Runner," he had said.
Nigeria recently became the first country to roll out a new vaccine (called Men5CV) recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), which protects people against five strains of meningococcus bacteria.

The Conversation Africa asked Idris Mohammed, a professor of infectious diseases and immunology and former board chair of Nigeria's National Programme on Immunisation, to explain the new vaccine and its likely impact.

What is meningitis?

Meningitis is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord, usually caused by infection. It can be fatal. Meningitis can be caused by several species of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

The highest global burden is seen with bacterial meningitis. Around one in six people who get this type of meningitis die. One in five have severe complications.

The main bacteria responsible for the disease are Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The main symptoms are sudden high fever, backache, stiff neck, headaches, nausea, vomiting and intense dislike for sunlight (photophobia).

Patients with a severe infection can experience confusion, delirium and loss of consciousness.

Meningitis can affect people of any age.

Meningitis bacteria are transmitted from person to person through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions from carriers. Kissing, sneezing or coughing on someone, or living in close quarters with an infected person, facilitates its spread. The average incubation period is four days but can range between two and 10 days.

Epidemics of meningitis are seen across the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The so-called African meningitis belt consists of 26 contiguous countries from Senegal and The Gambia in the west to Ethiopia in the east.

Outbreaks have also been reported in countries outside Africa like Canada, Belgium, France, Brazil and Denmark.

Why does Nigeria have a high burden of meningitis?

Nigeria's 19 northern states are within the African meningitis belt. A few southern states such as Osun, Ogun and Anambra are also affected. The major factors that determine meningitis infection include a hot and dry environment and dusty atmospheric conditions.

Between 1 October 2022 and 16 April 2023, Nigeria reported 1,686 suspected cases of meningitis, including 124 deaths, for a case fatality ratio of 7 per cent. The highest proportion of reported cases is among children aged 1 to 15 years.

Factors that contribute to meningitis are all present in northern Nigeria. Low or no vaccination; presence of carriers; under-nutrition; overcrowding; scarce rainfall; low humidity; high temperatures. It's often over 35C, sometimes as high as 45C.

The general population can't afford nutritious foods that can boost the immune system. Add to these factors the level of education, poor hygienic conditions and overcrowding, and perfect conditions for an epidemic outbreak are complete.

Although the burden of epidemic meningitis is highest in the north of Nigeria, there is sporadic infection countrywide.

What's specific about the meningitis strains in Nigeria?

There are five strains of meningitis in Africa: serotypes A, C, W, X and Y.

Infectivity and clinical features (symptoms and signs) are the same with the strains. These features were established by serotype A, which was the first and dominant strain in the country. The severity of the infection may be higher with the new variants, such as group C meningococcal, as seen in some cases in north-western Nigeria.

Serotypes W, X and Y may have similarly higher severity because the organisms are new to the country. Immunity to them is therefore not strong enough.

What makes this new 5-in-1 vaccine so special?

For more than a century, epidemics of meningococcal meningitis have ravaged the African meningitis belt. Some of the earliest prevention attempts involved the use of sulphur drugs and penicillin based antibiotics.

But these were not successful in preventing outbreaks. Mass use of sulphur-based drugs for prevention had to be abandoned because by the 1970s Neisseria meningitides had become resistant to these drugs.

The next obvious line was to consider vaccination with available polysaccharide vaccines. These use specific pieces of the disease-causing germ, like its protein, sugar, or the casing around it. They give a very strong immune response that targets key parts of the germ.

There was only one such vaccine available at the time. This was the A+C vaccine (Institut Meriuex), which had never been used routinely or on a large scale until an epidemic in Bauchi in 1978. The vaccine terminated that epidemic within a few weeks.

Since then, several researchers like John Robbins have advocated intensified mass vaccinations with the polysaccharide vaccines. But the WHO was reluctant, with fairly good reason. Polysaccharide vaccines are poorly immunogenic, meaning not able to elicit protective immunity to the disease particularly in young children, because they do not have immune memory. So the vaccines are not cost-effective or sufficiently protective.

The 1996 outbreak in northern Nigeria affecting over 120,000 people and causing 12,000 deaths and described by the WHO as the largest in recorded history changed the narrative. A joint WHO/PATH Meningitis Vaccine Project facilitated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation produced the highly effective conjugate meningitis A vaccine (known as MenAfriVac). Over 260 million people in the African meningitis belt were vaccinated with it. This led to the virtual elimination of meningococcal A serotype.

But serotypes C, W, X and Y then emerged. Hence the critical importance of the 5-in-1 (also known as MenFive, or Men5CV). Proper and sustained vaccination with the 5-in-1 vaccine should put paid to epidemics of meningococcal meningitis in Africa.

What impact will the new vaccine have on meningitis control in Nigeria?

By containing the five most important serotypes causing meningitis in Nigeria, this vaccine is bound to have a far reaching positive impact on control of the disease. Among all the 26 African countries within the African meningitis belt, Nigeria is by far the most populous. Thus an epidemic of the disease affects many people.

Before the year 2000 hardly a case of serotype C, W, X, or Y had been reported in Nigeria. The success of group A conjugate MenAfriVac introduced in 2010 in Burkina Faso has changed the pattern and periodicity of epidemic meningitis, and the real challenge and menace of replacement serotypes underscores the critical importance of the 5-in-1 conjugate meningitis vaccine. Its impact will be huge.

(The Conversation: By Idris Mohammed,Professor Emeritus, Gombe State University)
The Congress has hit out at the JD(S)-BJP coalition in Karnataka, stating that the saffron party helped JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who has been booked in a sexual harassment case filed by his former house help, flee the country. Prajwal, sitting MP from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, fled to Germany on Sunday after "obscene" video clips began to circulate.

Prajwal Revanna is the BJP-JD(S) alliance's candidate from Hassan, which went to polls on Friday.

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge said: "They (BJP) ensured that he fled the country. Today, if he's left the country as the rumours are being floated, then how did he leave the country? Who facilitated it? I'm directly blaming the BJP on this front."

He also questioned the BJP-JDS alliance for fielding Prajwal Revanna, despite being aware of his conduct. He added that there were "thousands of victims" abused by the MP. "Despite being aware of Prajwal's antecedents, the BJP went ahead and gave him the ticket. the BJP functionaries had written letters against Prajwal," Kharge said.

He questioned the silence of the BJP on the issue, stating that "they were so quick to capitalise on the Hubballi murder case. "Why are they so silent now? Why aren't they protesting in every town?" he questioned.

#WATCH | Kalaburagi: On 'obscene videos' case involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge says, "Despite knowing the fact that the Hassan MP (Prajwal Revanna) was known for such antecedents, despite letters being received by them from BJP functionaries, pic.twitter.com/ywxqhMQafg  ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2024

The Karnataka government on Sunday constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe an alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal following a letter by the Chairperson of the Women's Commission Dr Nagalakshmi Chowdhary to the government.

The JD(S) leadership has tried to distance themselves from the incident. Party chief H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday said he would like to wait for the facts to come out of the investigation but asserted that there is no question of forgiving anyone who has committed a crime as per law.

He, however, denied involvement in Prajwal leaving the country and said it was the responsibility of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to get him back if required.

Karnataka Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar too hit out against the BJP leadership, accusing Karnataka BJP chief B Y Vijayendra of being aware of the video clip.

"BJP leader Devarajegowda wrote a letter to BY Vijayendra. When Amit Shah came to Mysuru, BJP leaders Preetham Gowda and AT Ramaswamy advised against an alliance with the JD(S). Despite this, Amit Shah, J P Nadda and PM Modi decided to move ahead with the alliance," Hebbalkar said, and questioned whether the BJP would continue its alliance with JD(S).
A cleric who was sleeping beside six kids at a mosque in Rajasthan's Ajmer was allegedly beaten to death by a group of unidentified assailants on Saturday night.



Mohammad Mahir was beaten to death using sticks by a group of three men, reports said. According to Ajmer police, the trio first threatened the children after storming the mosque at night. After they forced the minors to run away from the mosque, they launched a brutal attack on Mahir.

The police are yet to identify or trace the masked men who fled the religious institution soon after the crime. Mohammad Mahir had reached Ajmer just a couple of days back to teach children, India Today said in a report.

Ajmer residents, across communities, reached the mosque and demanded swift action.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attacked the Congress and said the state government, instead of ensuring justice in the Hubbali murder case attacked the victims dignity to satisfy its vote bank.

Addressing a Lok Sabha poll campaign rally at Bagalkote in Karnataka, the prime minister said, When one of our daughters was stabbed multiple times in Hubballi, the government here started attacking the dignity of that daughter to save their 'vote bank'. In Karnataka, fundamentalists have gone uncontrolled, a shopkeeper listening to 'Hanuman Chalisa' in his shop was attacked."

Modi also charged Congress has turned a state known as a tech hub into tanker hub. Congress isn't running a government in Karnataka but an 'extortion gang'. Congress has made Karnataka a 'tanker hub'. These people are dreaming of a scam like the 2G scam, ANI reported.

Neha, the daughter of Congress Councillor of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation Niranjan Hiremath, was stabbed to death by her former classmate Fayaz Khondunaik on the campus of BVB College on April 18.

-with inputs from agencies.
With voting just a fortnight away, Congresss Indore candidate Akshay Bam withdrew his nomination for contesting Lok Sabha polls on Monday and he has reportedly joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Bam was contesting polls for the first time this election.



Indore Collector Ashish Singh confirmed that Bam has withdrawn his nomination. Senior BJP leader and state cabinet minister Kailash Vijayvargiya posted a picture on his X account in which Bam was seen sitting in a car with him. "Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Indore Akshay Kanti Bam is welcome to the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party national president J.P. Nadda, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state president V.D. Sharma," Vijayvargiya tweeted.

Local BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola was also seen accompanying them in the car. Mendola is a trusted associate of Vijayvargiya.

The Congress had fielded Bam (45), a newbie in the poll arena, against sitting BJP MP Shankar Lalwani (62) from the Indore Lok Sabha seat, which is a stronghold of the saffron party. Polling will be held on May 13 in Indore.

Meanwhile, police have been deployed outside Bam's house in Patrakar Colony. Local Congress leaders started gathering outside his house.

The Congress offered him the opportunity to contest from Indore at a time when several party workers, including three former MLAs of the party, had switched sides and joined the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Indore, the largest constituency in the state in terms of number of voters, has 25.13 lakh electors. The BJP had expressed confidence of winning the seat by a margin of eight lakh votes this time.

Congress leader Subhashini Sharad Yadav told PTI, This has happened out of fear. For a healthy democracy, it is important that all the parties and people from different communities get participation. It happened in Surat as well as Indore. The party is not weak. It is evident how democracy is being murdered."

-wth PTI inputs.
Large swathes of India reeled from searing heat and stifling humidity on Monday with maximum temperatures soaring to 45 degrees Celsius, straining power grids and prompting health warnings from government agencies.

Authorities in Jharkhand suspended classes up to 8 due to the sweltering heat.

Intensely hot conditions are expected in east India until May 1 and the south peninsular region over the next five days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

The weather office issued a red alert, warning that extreme heat could scorch parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha over the next two to three days. An orange warning is in place for parts of Telangana, Karnataka and Sikkim.

On Monday, temperatures shot up to 45.4 degrees Celsius (8.6 notches above normal) in Kalaikunda and Kandala, 45 degrees Celsius in Nandyal (Andhra Pradesh), 44 degrees Celsius in Sheikhpura (Bihar) and 44.8 degrees Celsius in Baripada (Odisha).

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions prevailed in parts of West Bengal, Gujarat, Bihar, Sikkim, Odisha, Jharkhand, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, the IMD said in a statement.

The threshold for a heat wave is met when the maximum temperature of a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius in the plains, 37 degrees in the coastal areas, and 30 degrees in the hilly regions, and the departure from normal is at least 4.5 notches.

A severe heat wave is declared if the departure from normal exceeds 6.4 notches.

The IMD said people in areas where a red alert has been declared could develop heat illness and heatstroke and suggested taking extreme care.

In orange-alert areas, there is a likelihood of heat illness in people who are either exposed to the sun for a prolonged period or doing heavy work.

The Met office said high humidity could add to people's inconvenience in Assam, Tripura, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Goa, Kerala and Karnataka during the next five days.

The ongoing heatwave spell is the second this month. Heatwave conditions have been prevailing in Odisha since April 15 and in Gangetic West Bengal since April 17, according to the Met office.

The IMD also said warm night conditions are likely in east Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka over the next five days. High night temperatures are considered dangerous because the body doesn't get a chance to cool down.

Increasing nighttime heat is more common in cities because of the urban heat island effect, in which metro areas are significantly hotter than their surroundings.

Amid the prevailing but weakening El Nino conditions, the IMD had earlier warned of extreme heat during the April-June period, coinciding with the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections.

Lakhs of voters had to cope with the searing heat when they stepped out to exercise their franchise in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26.

Voting to elect representatives from 94 constituencies in 12 states will take place on May 7.

The Met office has said four to eight heatwave days are expected in different parts of the country in April against a normal of one to three days. Ten to 20 heatwave days are expected against a normal of four to eight in the entire April-June period.

The areas and regions predicted to witness a higher number of heatwave days are Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Maharashtra, Vidarbha, Marathwada, Bihar and Jharkhand. Some places may record more than 20 heatwave days.

The intense heat could strain power grids and result in water shortages in parts of India.

Global weather agencies, including the IMD, are also expecting La Nina conditions to develop later in the year.

El Nino conditions -- periodic warming of surface waters in the central Pacific Ocean -- are associated with weaker monsoon winds and drier conditions in India. La Nina conditions -- the antithesis of El Nino -- lead to plentiful rainfall during the monsoon season.

In a mid-April update, the IMD said India would experience above-normal cumulative rainfall in the 2024 monsoon season with La Nina conditions, expected to set in by August-September, being the dominant factor.

The monsoon is critical for India's agricultural landscape, with 52 per cent of the net cultivated area dependent on it. It is also crucial for replenishing reservoirs critical for drinking water apart from power generation across the country.
The BJP has targetted the ruling BJP in Odisha, taking a jibe at former civil servant and BJD leader V K Pandian, as it warned the people against "attempt to bring outsiders to the helm in the government." The BJP and BJD had considered forming an alliance, which failed to materialise.

The Lok Sabha and assembly elections will be held simultaneously in the state. As per the EC announcement, the Odisha assembly elections will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.

BJP president J P Nadda, who was in Behrempur on Sunday, said there were attempts to bring outsiders to the helm of the government. Urging people to end the 24-year BJD rule in the state, Nadda, while addressing an election rally at Ambapua here, questioned whether "there was no son of the soil to run the government in the state."



"Is there no son of the soil to run the government in Odisha that we have to import people from other states?" he said, in an apparent reference to Pandian, who hails from Tamil Nadu. Pandian is Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's close aide.

The BJP chief also said the Modi government ensured prosperity on all fronts and in every aspect during its tenure at the Centre in the last 10 years. "The BJP has ensured prosperity on all fronts and in every aspect during its tenure at the Centre in the last 10 years," Nadda said, adding that the BJP was attempting to bring in external leaders in Odisha, alleging that corruption and babu raj' were rampant under the BJD government.

"The state government's misdeeds have led to 160 chit fund companies swindling Rs 32,000 crore from 20 lakh people in Odisha," Nadda claimed.

Earlier, the Prime Minister also hit out at the BJD government, claiming that Odisha's identity and its language are under threat and people of the state will not tolerate this any longer.

Modi made this assertion in an interview with a news channel, a part of which was shared by the BJP on X. "The BJP should get a chance to serve the people of Odisha," the prime minister said. "Odisha's identity, its language and literature are in crisis today. The BJD government has worsened the situation in the state. The people will not tolerate this for much longer. This time there will be a change in Odisha," Modi said in the interview with CNBC TV18.
With Odisha facing simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assembly, the election campaign is going on in full swing across the state. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is set to file nomination for his traditional Hinjli assembly constituency in Ganjam district on April 30 but the date for his nomination for his second assembly constituency, Kantabanji, in western Odisha, is yet to be announced.

On Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched his partys campaign at Kendrapara while BJP National President J.P. Nadda addressed a public meeting at Berhampur the same day. The voting in the state will take place in phases starting from May 13 till June 1 and the fate of 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats will be decided when the votes are counted on June 4.

Patnaik has been the states CM since 2000 and is seeking his sixth tenure this time. BJP has been the main opposition party in the state since 2019, with Congress being relegated to the third position.



All three parties have been announcing names of candidates in phases. Congress has replaced its candidate Dulal Chandra Pradhan with former BJD minister Nagendra Pradhan, who joined the party recently. He will be up against BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in Sambalpur. Other parties, including the Left and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, have very limited presence in the state.

BJD, an anti-Congress party with its origin from the former Janata Parivar, of which Naveen Patnaiks father and former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik was a prominent member. After the latters death in 1997, the former was drafted by his fathers colleagues in the then Janata Dal at national and state level to contest the by-election from the newly vacant Lok Sabha seat. However, nobody would have guessed that the writer-turned-political novice continue to helm Odisha for the several decades. Patnaik not only formed BJD, a political party named after his father, he has also made Odisha a BJD fortress.

Patnaik holds the record of staying maximum years in power in the state and that career began in early 1998 when he joined the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet. The BJP-BJD alliance swept Odisha Lok Sabha polls that year and repeated the victory in 1999. Patnaik remained a minister during Vajpayees second term, following which he took over as Odisha Chief Minister in 2000, a post he held for five terms till 2024.

The BJD broke alliance with BJP ahead of the 2009 elections because of Sangh Parivars alleged involvement in Kandhamal communal riots in 2008. Patnaik continued to counter all national waves whether it was the Congress-led UPA in 2004 and 2009 or the Narendra Modi led-NDA in 2014 and 2019. Though BJD claimed that it is maintaining equal distance from Congress and BJP, the ruling party in Odisha has continued to help the saffron party when it comes to national issues inside and outside the Parliament as well as during the Presidential elections.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, a former Odisha-cadre IAS officer, was elected on BJP ticket with BJD support from Odisha twice. However, an alliance between BJD and BJP during the ongoing elections could not materialise, with BJD and BJP facing each other similar to the 2019 scenario.

Rahul Gandhi, during his Sunday visit to Odisha, claimed that BJD and BJP were working in tandem in the state despite lack of a formal alliance. Call it a partnership or marriage, both BJD and BJP are together, he said. Rahul alleged that PM Narendra Modi runs government from Delhi for billionaires while Patnaik runs government for select people in Odisha. Though Patnaik is the chief minister, the BJD government in the state is being run by his aide V.K. Pandian. In an apparent reference to PM Modi, Rahul said, Uncle-ji and Naveen Babu have given Odisha to PAANN meaning Pandian, Amit Shah, Narendra Modi, Naveen Patnaik. They have looted your wealth.

On Sunday, BJP chief Nadda also addressed his partys Vijay Sanklpa Samavesh at Berhapur, where he called for a change of government in the state. This government needs to be changed. The people of Odisha are left out of Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Such a government should not exist. Despite having an opposition government, Modi has given maximum grants to Odisha. Rail budget for the state has been increased by 12 times with 25 railway stations under construction at a cost of Rs 550 crores, he said.

Nadda slammed the BJD government for instituting a Babu Raj in Odisha, voicing his concern over the influx of outsiders introduced by Patnaik and encouraged the people to "resist foreign rule". He asked the sitting government whether the people of Odisha are incompetent that it has to hire outsiders.

On April 25, Union Home Minister Amit Shah while launching BJPs election compaign in the state, asked the people of the state to uproot the government and help form Odishas first BJP government for a faster development and restoration of states language and cultural glory. Describing Patnaiks tenure since 2000 as "lost years", he said, The government here not only hindered the states progress but also allowed corrupt officials to distance Odisha from its linguistic and cultural heritage while states with BJP-led governments were scaling new heights of development.

Exuding confidence that BJP will get 20 out 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state and significantly contribute to the partys 400 paar dream, Shah said, The party will also get a majority in Vidhan Sabha and form a government on its own. Shahs attack on Patnaik reflects BJPs more critical attitude towards BJD after the alliance talks failed to materialise. The venue of the home ministers first meeting in the state was significant as it comes under Bolangir Lok Sabha constituency where the chief ministers proposed new second constituency Kantabanji is located.

Patnaik had developed the Puri Parikrama project around Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri which was consecrated before Ayodhyas Ram temple inauguration. Pointing out this, Shah accused Patnaik of trying to divert peoples attention from Ayodhya project. He said the state government has lowered the dignity of the religious place to promote tourism and promised to redevelop Puri along the lines of Kashi Viswanath temple in Uttar Pradesh.

Later meeting partymen at Bhubaneswar, Shah said Odisha needs to have a healthy, young and clear Odia speaking Chief Minister.

Earlier, PM Modi had also reiterated the issues raised by the BJP, saying, Odishas pride and the Odia language are in danger. I dont think Odishas people will tolerate it for a long time. He also said, In such a situation, we think we should get the chance to serve Odisha. If we get the chance, we will take Odisha to the peak of development. Odisha could have become richest state in the country with abundant resources.
Qatar-based multinational telecommunications company Ooredoo Group has partnered with Nokia to upgrade connectivity and drive 5G enterprise innovation, as the two companies put it.

Specifically, Ooredoo Group has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with global technology giant Nokia to upgrade business connectivity with what are described as cutting-edge 5G solutions.

Under the agreement, both companies will collaborate closely to develop and deploy 5G private networks, delivering innovative market and enterprise-specific solutions customised to meet the diverse needs of businesses across industries.

Ooredoo says its business customers will benefit from high-performance, low-latency 5G connectivity, enhanced IoT capabilities and ultra-reliable communication networks. This will enable them to enhance productivity and efficiency and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Specific aims of the agreement and a timetable have not yet been offered. However, Najib Khan, Group Chief Business Services Officer at Ooredoo, hints that this is only the start, saying: This partnership marks the beginning of a collaborative effort to build capabilities and develop a pipeline for future opportunities in the 5G enterprise domain.

Of course Ooredoo is an international communications company, serving consumers and businesses in ten countries. This may be why Stephan Litjens, Vice President of Enterprise Campus Edge Solutions, Nokia, describes this collaboration with Ooredoo as another significant milestone for the evolution of 5G in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.
A recent US media report states that a hit team was hired by a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer to plot an attack on Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Vikram Yadav, in one of the messages to the hit team, wrote that the assassination is a "priority", reported the Washington Post.

According to the report, Yadav forwarded the details about the target, Pannun, including his New York address.

However, the Washington Post report claimed that the Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on the article.

The report further added that "the assassination would be carried out when they confirm that Pannun was home".

Earlier, the US intelligence agencies assessed that the operation targeting Pannun was approved by the RAW chief at the time, Samant Goel. The intelligence agencies also had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national security adviser, Ajit Doval, was probably aware of the RAW's plan to kill Pannun, a US citizen.

A Financial Times report in November 2022 said that the US had foiled a plot to kill Pannun. It further added that the US issued "a warning" to the Indian government over its alleged involvement in the plotting to kill the Khalistan separatist.

However, India's investigation behind the plot revealed that rogue operatives were behind it. Reportedly, India claimed that the operatives were not in any way authorised by the government.

The federal prosecutors had accused Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, of his role in conspiring with the Indian government to kill Pannun. An amount of $1,00,000 was promised to pay the assassin, alleged the prosecutors. India had set up a committee to look into these allegations.

Pannun, a dual citizen of the United States and Canada, is the founder of Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), an outfit banned by India for its alleged anti-national activities under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. In 2020, Pannun was labelled as a terrorist under the provisions of the UAPA as well.
The pro-Palestinian protests in US campuses continue to gain strength over the weekend with skirmishes between pro-Palestine and pro-Israel supporters rocking the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

More arrests were also reported with over 275 people detained across various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis.

In UCLA, which has been witnessing protests and counter-protests, things spilt out of control after some demonstrators broke through a barrier that the school had set up to separate the two factions, reported Reuters. According to Mary Osako, UCLA's vice chancellor for UCLA strategic communications, protestors of both factions shoved one another shouted slogans and insults, and in some cases traded punches.

"UCLA has a long history of being a place of peaceful protest, and we are heartbroken about the violence that broke out," Osako said in a statement. However, by evening the tension began to ease after pro-Palestinian protesters trickled back to the encampment. Though police officers in riot gear were seen standing at a distance from the crowd, university officials said police will not intervene unless they feel students are in harms way.

Meanwhile, demonstrators on George Washington University's campus left the encampments by Sunday night, but another group erected an encampment of about 20 tents on a nearby public street over the weekend, the school said. The varsity had earlier warned that students who remained there would be temporarily suspended and administratively barred" from school grounds.

The university said there had been no incidents of violence during on-campus demonstrations though it said the actions of some protestors have been highly offensive to many members of our community.

The US campuses witnessed pro-Palestine protests during the last week with more than over 100 demonstrators arrested at New Yorks Columbia University. Dozens more students were also arrested at New York and Yale universities. University of Southern California also saw over 100 students arrested while riot police had to storm the gates of the University of Texas at Austin to disperse the demonstration.

Protesters are demanding a ceasefire in the war with Hamas the divestment of university assets in companies involved with the Israeli military, and an end to U.S. military assistance to Israel.

However, administrators, including those of Columbia, allege that the unauthorised protests are a violation of school rules which disrupt learning and foster harassment and antisemitism.

Meanwhile, the protests have caught the attention of President Joe Biden. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on ABC News on Sunday. He added that the President acknowledges that many Americans have strong feelings about the war in Gaza.

"He respects that and as he has said many times, we certainly respect the right of peaceful protest," Kirby said. "People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly, but it has to be peaceful. However, the President condemns antisemitism and hate speech.
Russia has made significant gains in the east of Ukraine, with its troops seizing three villages west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka. Kremlin's troops had entered the region a week ago pushing back Kyivs outnumbered troops to new positions.

At present, the Russians have captured the front-line village of Ocheretyne in the Donetsk region where fierce fighting is happening. Ukraines top commander Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskii wrote on the Telegram app that the situation at the front has worsened.

He said things were "most difficult" but "not critical or catastrophic. "In general, the enemy achieved certain tactical successes in these areas, but could not gain operational advantages," Syrskii said, adding that Russia had committed four brigades to the assault.

The Russian attack on Ocheretyne was reportedly a surprise one, which helped the Kremlin's units to bypass a network of Ukrainian trenches and establish a salient, reported The Guardian. They have since taken over the neighbouring villages of Solovyove and Novokalynove and attempting to push farther west. Ukraines eastern command said its forces controlled two-thirds of Ocheretyne, where there was fierce fighting.

Meanwhile, regional analysts say the Kremlin is attempting to exploit a window of opportunity before US assistance is delivered.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia has been bringing in reinforcements and has a threefold advantage in some sectors.

"Its recent tactical gains suggest an ambitious plan to encircle the Ukrainian garrison cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in a summer offensive. Whether it will succeed is unclear. Russia is unlikely to overwhelm Ukrainian defences," the ISW said last week.

It observed that the arrival of US aid in the coming weeks will allow the Ukrainian forces to address their shortage of munitions.

Telegram blocks bots

Ukraine's military spy agency GUR said on Monday that the management of the Telegram messaging platform has blocked official bots that opposed Russia's military aggression against Ukraine."Today, the management of the Telegram platform unreasonably blocked a number of official bots that opposed Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, including the main Intelligence bot," GUR said in a statement posted on the Telegram.
Islamabad, Apr 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday met the International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva and discussed a new loan programme for the cash-strapped country, Sharifs office said.

In a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Special Meeting in Riyadh, the premier thanked Georgieva for her support to Pakistan in securing the USD 3 billion standby arrangement (SBA) from IMF last year that was now nearing its completion, Dawn newspaper reported.

According to the state-run PTV News post on X, this was the first meeting between the prime minister and Georgieva since his re-election. They last met in Paris in June 2023 on the margins of the Summit for New Global Financial Pact.

The IMF Executive Board is expected to meet on Monday to decide on the final tranche of USD 1.1bn under SBA, the post said.

The pair discussed further programmes to ensure gains made in the past year were consolidated and the economic growth trajectory remained positive. Georgieva shared her institutions perspective on the ongoing programme with Pakistan, including the review process.

Pakistan secured the USD 3 billion IMF programme in June last year, which helped it avert a sovereign default.

Separately, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted the global inequity in healthcare while speaking at a panel discussion on Redefining Global Health Agenda during the special meeting of WEF.

The premier said that when he visited Saudi Arabia in 2003, he was struck by a very nasty cancer. He said that he was then flown to New York and had to undergo surgery costing thousands of dollars.

And I wondered how many people in my country can afford this kind of expensive treatment  not very many, he said.

Shehbaz said that when he came back to Pakistan, he was elected the chief minister of Punjab and his government built hospitals specialising in kidney and liver diseases as well as cancer.

Today, I think the first and foremost problem is global inequity, he said, adding that the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed these imbalances and gaps. Imagine the global North and the global South; distribution of vaccines and so on and so forth, he said.

He further said that climate change had completely changed the landscape.  Pakistan does not contribute (to) even a fraction of emissions. Yet we are on the red list of climate change and in 2022, we experienced the worst floods in Pakistan ()and we had to invest hundreds and billions of rupees to rehabilitate people.

Talking about polio, he said that Pakistan was a great beneficiary of the Bill Gates Foundation. If I did not acknowledge Bill Gates generosity here, it would not be fair to myself and fair to him.

This is the prime ministers second trip to Saudi Arabia in less than a month. He last went on a three-day visit to the kingdom, which was his first foreign visit since he was re-elected as premier.

The invitation was extended by Saudi Arabias Prime Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and WEF Executive Chairman Prof Klaus Schwab, the Foreign Office (FO) said.

In a post on X on Sunday, Prime Minister Shehbaz said he looked forward to important discussions on pressing challenges of our times during the special meeting.

Separately, Shehbaz held a meeting on Sunday with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) President Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, where they both agreed upon the earliest completion of various ongoing projects of the IDB in Pakistan.

During the meeting, held on the sidelines of the WEF moot, the premier thanked the IDB for investing $1 billion in various projects during the previous PML-N-led tenure, a statement on PML-Ns X account said.

Meanwhile, in a consultative meeting with Saudi federal ministers and other Riyadh officials, Shehbaz lauded the SIFCs role in the Kingdoms investment in Pakistan, Radio Pakistan stated.

The premier stressed the need to work tirelessly day and night for the countrys progress and prosperity, warning that there was no room for laziness.

During the session, the prime minister received detailed briefings from various relevant ministries, regarding progress in investment with the Saudi government, the report added.
Starbucks doesnt sell Vietnamese coffee, but theres a custom request you can use to get (nearly)authentic-tasting Vietnamese coffee regardless.



Starbucks boasts an extensive menu of coffees and teas, as well as customized drinks  which roughly 60% of its customers prefer.



One of the biggest gaps in Starbucks menu is Vietnamese coffee.



This preparation style relies on the bold robusta bean and a strong, concentrated brew, which is then balanced with sweetened condensed milk and cooled with ice.



Here, youll learn how to order Vietnamese coffee at any Starbucks (or any other coffee shop) and everything else you need to know about this magical beverage.



What to Order: Starbucks Vietnamese Coffee



Starbucks doesnt offer traditional Vietnamese coffee, but you can order something similar.



The coffee wont be made with a Vietnamese phin, but you can customize the drink so it at least resembles the original.



Heres what to order:



1. An iced quad shot of espresso in a venti cup (4 shots of espresso)



2. Four pumps of white chocolate mocha syrup



3. Top with vanilla sweet cream foam



If youre trying this drink for the first time, vary the pumps of chocolate mocha until you find the level of sweetness you like. If two pumps are not sweet enough, just ask for an extra pump free of charge.



While its not the same as the traditional Vietnamese coffee youll have in a specialized restaurant, the resemblance is uncanny.



Differences Between This Starbucks Hack & Traditional Vietnamese Coffee



The Starbucks drink is similar, but its not the same as the original. Here are some of the major differences.



1. The Preparation Process



Starbucks, like many coffee shops around the world, uses espresso machines for many of its drinks. These machines force hot water through the coffee grounds, resulting in a concentrated few ounces of coffee called espresso.



In contrast, traditional Vietnamese coffee uses a metal filter, called a phin filter, positioned on top of the cup. Hot water passes through the coffee grounds slowly, making the coffee more potent. You wont be able to get Vietnamese coffee made this way at Starbucks. Truth be told, slow brewing is one of the things that make Vietnamese coffee one of a kind.



2. The Main Sweetener



White chocolate mocha syrup is a popular coffee addition and is a staple in many popular drinks. Its main ingredients are sugar, white chocolate, and milk  the taste resembles sweetened condensed milk, a must in traditional Vietnamese coffee.



While adding this syrup to espresso will help recreate a Vietnamese coffee, it's not exactly the case. One of the main differences is that sweetened condensed milk is denser and has a distinct creaminess that white chocolate mocha syrup doesn't have. Adding a topping of sweet cream foam can mimic the traditional consistency.



3. The Base Coffee



If youre a coffee connoisseur, the coffee flavor will definitely stand out. One of the main differences between the traditional and the Starbucks wannabe is the flavor. Starbucks uses arabica beans, which are more subtle and have a slightly sweet flavor with a fruity aroma.



Traditional Vietnamese coffee, on the other hand, is made with either 100% robusta beans or a blend thats high in robusta and lower in arabica. Robusta has a higher caffeine content, a somewhat bitter profile, and an exceptional earthy aroma that makes it truly unique.



Although Vietnamese coffee is characterized by its dark roast, different flavors are often added to the roasting process, such as vanilla, butter, mocha, chicory, and whiskey.



Starbucks makes a decent substitute, but dont forget that you make your own drink at home if you want the real thing (well get to that next!).



How to Make Vietnamese Coffee At Home



Its a mistake to think that the only good coffee comes from a coffee shop. Its not difficult to make an excellent cup at home, whether its espresso, drip, French press, or Vietnamese. With a little know-how, you can be your own barista.



One crucial ingredient is the coffee bean, so make sure you have a high-quality robusta, like HaNoi Coffee beans  or Instant Vietnamese Black Coffee, if you want to skip a step.



Our favorite, for the most legit experience, is Robusta Vietnamese coffee, but be warned because these beans arent for everybody. They might be way more potent than what youre used to.



Real Vietnamese coffee is made with a phin filter. Its similar to espresso but as a pour-over. The filter sits on top of the cup, and the coffee drips onto a layer of sweetened condensed milk.



The phin filters are easy to use; just add medium-ground coffee to the filter and add water. The specific amounts depend on the filter and how much coffee youre making.



Add ice if you want your drink cold.



FAQs: Starbucks Vietnamese Coffee



1. Can I order traditional Vietnamese coffee at Starbucks?



No, Starbucks does not offer traditional Vietnamese coffee on its menu, but you can customize an order to resemble the taste of Vietnamese coffee by requesting an iced quad espresso with white chocolate mocha syrup topped with vanilla sweet cream foam.



2. What are the main differences between this Starbucks version & traditional Vietnamese coffee?

The differences include the preparation process (espresso machine vs. phin filter), the main sweetener (white chocolate mocha syrup vs. sweetened condensed milk), and the base coffee used (arabica beans at Starbucks vs. robusta beans in traditional Vietnamese coffee).



4. Why does Starbucks use arabica beans instead of robusta?



Starbucks primarily uses arabica beans for their slightly sweet flavor and fruity aroma, contrasting the traditional Vietnamese coffee made with robusta beans, which have a higher caffeine content, a somewhat bitter profile, and an earthy aroma.



5. Can I make authentic Vietnamese coffee at home? What do I need?



Yes, you can make authentic Vietnamese coffee at home using a phin filter, high-quality robusta beans, and sweetened condensed milk. The process involves brewing the coffee directly onto the condensed milk and then adding ice if desired.



6. How much caffeine is in the Starbucks version of Vietnamese coffee?



According to Starbucks, two shots of espresso (a doppio) have approximately 150 mg of caffeine. That's quite a bit, considering how little coffee that is. Each shot is one ounce, so two ounces is about  cup. Four shots would have a whopping 300 mg.



A traditional Vietnamese coffee (24 ounces) has about 60150 mg of caffeine.



7. How many calories are in the Starbucks version of Vietnamese coffee?



Each pump of coffee syrup has about 20 calories. Starbucks adds three pumps to their tall (12 oz) drinks.



This is comparable to the sweetened condensed milk in Vietnamese coffee, which has about 20 calories for two tablespoons.



8. Can I use something besides a phin filter to make Vietnamese coffee?



You can use other brewing methods, but the results wont be quite the same.



The key is to get strong, concentrated coffee, so espresso or the moka pot can work well. You could use a French press or drip coffee maker, but use more coffee grounds and less water to make a stronger brew. A medium-fine grind will help you get closer to the right flavor.



(Disclaimer : The above Press Release is provided by HT Syndication and PTI will not take any editorial responsibility of this content.). PTI PWR

PWR
Islamabad/Riyadh, Apr 29 (PTI) Pakistan, one of two countries where polio remains endemic, was working tirelessly to eradicate the disease, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Monday, as he underlined that all partners needed to put in continuous efforts to reach the ultimate goal of a polio-free Pakistan.

Prime Minister Sharif discussed with Bill Gates, the founder and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the ongoing activities between Pakistan and the foundation in the areas of immunisation, nutrition and financial inclusion on the sidelines of a special meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Gates, in the interaction with the prime minister on the sidelines of the WEF special meeting here, praised the programme of immunisation and polio immunisation in Punjab under Sharif's leadership as chief minister of the province and suggested the spread of the practice across the country, a statement released on X said.

Recalling Gates' visit to Pakistan in February 2022, the prime minister invited him to visit the country again and reiterated his commitment to continue working with Gates to ensure a strong partnership between Pakistan and the Gates Foundation, the statement said.

Earlier, Sharif and Gates participated in a high-level panel discussion at the World Economic Forum titled "Redefining the Global Health Agenda".

Thanking the Gates Foundation for its long-standing support for polio eradication in Pakistan, Sharif said his country was working tirelessly to eradicate polio and stressed that continuous efforts were needed by all partners to reach the ultimate goal of a polio-free Pakistan.

Gates appreciated the efforts of Pakistan and said the eradication of polio was very important to save future generations from this deadly disease.

Sharif and Gates also discussed the ongoing activities between Pakistan and the foundation in the areas of immunisation, nutrition and financial inclusion.

The prime minister said the Gates Foundation was a reliable partner in the socio-economic development of Pakistan and provided support in IT, STEM education and disaster management, among other areas.

Sharif is on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, the second in less than a month, to attend the World Economic Forum and also hold bilateral meetings with world leaders.

The World Economic Forums (WEF) Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy will be held on April 28 and 29 in Riyadh in the Gulf nation.

Sharif is accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who is also the foreign minister, and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
Los Angeles, Apr 29 (AP) Protests are roiling college campuses across the US as upcoming graduation ceremonies are threatened by disruptive demonstrators, with students and others sparring over Israel's military offensive in Gaza and its mounting death toll.

Many campuses were largely quiet over the weekend as demonstrators stayed by tents erected as protest headquarters, although a few colleges saw forced removals and arrests. Many students are demanding their universities cut financial ties with Israel over the large-scale operation in Gaza it says was launched to stamp out the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

Protesters on both sides of the rancourous debate shouted and shoved each other during duelling demonstrations Sunday at the University of California, Los Angeles. The university stepped up security after some physical altercations broke out among demonstrators, Mary Osako, vice chancellor for UCLA Strategic Communications, said in a statement. There were no reports of arrests or injuries.

About 275 people were arrested on Saturday at various campuses including Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and Washington University in St. Louis. The number of arrests nationwide approached 900 since New York police removed a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at Columbia University and arrested more than 100 demonstrators on April 18.

The plight of students who have been arrested has become a central part of protests, with the students and a growing number of faculty demanding amnesty for protesters. At issue is whether the suspensions and legal records will follow students through their adult lives.

Faculty members at universities in California, Georgia and Texas have initiated or passed largely symbolic votes of no confidence in their leadership.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said President Joe Biden knows that there are very strong feelings but would leave managing the protests to local authorities.

People should have the ability to air their views and to share their perspectives publicly but it has to be peaceful, Kirby said on ABC's This Week.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, in an interview that aired on Sunday, called it a dangerous situation and placed the responsibility with college administrators.

There's also antisemitism, which is completely unacceptable. I've been shocked to see that in this country, he said on NBC's Meet the Press".



HOW IT STARTED

The nationwide campus protests began as a response by some students to Israel's offensive in Gaza after Hamas launched a deadly attack on southern Israel on October 7.

Militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. Vowing to stamp out Hamas, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry.

Israel and its supporters have branded the university protests as antisemitic, while critics of Israel say it uses such allegations to silence opponents. Although some protesters have been caught on camera making antisemitic remarks or violent threats, organisers of the protests, some of whom are Jewish, say it is a peaceful movement aimed at defending Palestinian rights and protesting the war.

Student demonstrations have sprung up across the US in various locations including New York, California, Missouri and Massachusetts.



NEW YORK: Early protests at Columbia University in New York City, where demonstrators set up tents in the centre of the campus, sparked pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country. The demonstrations have caused the school to hold remote classes.

Columbia has set a series of deadlines for protesters to leave the encampment, which they have missed, but the school said in an email to students that bringing back police at this time would be counterproductive.

The students and administrators have engaged in negotiations to end the disruptions, the university said in a statement on Saturday night.

On Sunday, students walked among dozens of colourful tents in front of Low Library, where rows of chairs already have been set up in preparation for commencement in May.



CALIFORNIA: At UCLA, police set up barricades before hundreds of demonstrators on both sides joined a growing crowd Sunday near tents where pro-Palestinian students have been staying around-the-clock.

Pro-Israel demonstrators who arrived for a Stand in Support of Jewish Students rally said their goal was to stand up against hatred and antisemitism.

The counterprotest was organised by the Israeli-American Council, whose leader Elan Carr urged marchers to remain peaceful, the Los Angeles Times reported.

We don't want any violence, Carr told the crowd as the rally ended. Don't engage. You go right to your cars, you move peacefully. Can we agree?

Across town, the University of Southern California said it was open on Sunday after administrators shut down the campus a day earlier because of what the school called vandalism and disruptions.

USC drew criticism after refusing to allow this year's class valedictorian, who has publicly supported the Palestinian cause, to make a commencement speech. Administrators then scrapped the keynote speech by filmmaker Jon M. Chu. Last week the school announced the cancellation of its main graduation event, a day after more than 90 protesters were arrested by police in riot gear.

In the northern part of the state, officials on Saturday ordered an enforced hard closure of California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Two halls remained occupied by pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The school said Sunday that the cost of the occupation was estimated to be in the millions, including damage done by theft, vandalism and graffiti".



MISSOURI: Washington University in St. Louis locked some campus buildings and arrested protesters Saturday. Photos showed uniformed police attempting to remove masked protesters as others, also wearing masks, linked arms to thwart the efforts.

The university said in a statement that more than 100 people, including 23 students and four university employees, were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Megan Green, president of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, said in a social media post that she was present and the protest remained calm until the police came in like an ambush.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein said in a social media post that she and two of her campaign managers were among those arrested.

The university's statement defended the action and said protesters did not have good intentions on our campus and that this demonstration had the potential to get out of control and become dangerous.

Some of those arrested also face charges of resisting arrest and assault resulting from injuries to three police officers including a severe concussion, a broken finger and a groin injury, the statement said.

The Missouri chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the arrests as heavy-handed.



MASSACHUSETTS: Police in riot gear cleared an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston on Saturday.

About 102 protesters were arrested and will be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, the Massachusetts State Police said.

Northeastern said in a statement that the demonstration, which began two days ago, had become infiltrated by professional organisers with no affiliation to the university and antisemitic slurs, including kill the Jews, had been used.

The Huskies for a Free Palestine student group disputed the university's account, saying in a statement that counterprotesters were to blame for the slurs and no student protesters repeated the disgusting hate speech.

Students at the Boston protest said a counterprotester attempted to instigate hate speech but insisted their event was peaceful. (AP) PY

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Los Angeles, Apr 29 (AP) Growing up, Teresa Vicente spent long days in Spain's Mar Menor swimming in transparent waters, cupping seahorses in her hands and partying under the moonlit sky. Out there, she recalled, time stood still.

But over the decades, chronic contamination from mining, development and agricultural runoff turned the once crystal-clear waters of Europe's largest saltwater lagoon into a graveyard. A mass fish die-off in 2019 prompted the professor of philosophy of law at the University of Murcia to take action.

Over the next several years, Vicente, now 61, led a grassroots campaign to save the region's ecological jewel from collapse. Her efforts helped lead to a new law passed in 2022, giving the lagoon the legal right to conservation, protection and damage remediation.

Vicente is one of this year's seven winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize, known as the Green Nobel", which honours grassroots activists and leaders from across the globe for achievements in protecting the natural world. The recipients were selected from about 100 nominees.

(This prize) signifies an international recognition that we are facing a new stage in humanity," said Vicente in Spanish. It's a stage where human beings understand they are part of nature. And this recognition means that it is not a local or national conquest, but rather a European and international one".

They call Mar Menor the lagoon of magic," she added, "and all of us on this journey have seen a lot of magic.

The other winners are:

 Marcel Gomes, executive secretary for the media nonprofit Reporter Brasil, who organized a campaign that alleged connections between beef from the world's largest meatpacking corporation, JBS, and illegal deforestation in Brazil and helped pressure retailers around the world to stop selling the meat.

 Indigenous activist Murrawah Maroochy Johnson, who helped stop development of a coal mine in Australia's Queensland state that would have devasted nearly 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) of a nature preserve, spewed nearly 1.6 billion tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over its lifetime, and endangered the rights and culture of Indigenous peoples.

 Alok Shukla, who led a community movement that saved nearly half a million acres (200,000 hectares) of forests from 21 proposed coal mines in Chhattisgarh, a state in central India.

 Andrea Vidaurre, who helped convince the state of California's air quality agency to establish two transportation regulations that limit emissions from trains and trucks. The rules include the nation's first emissions limit for trains.

 Nonhle Mbuthuma and Sinegugu Zukulu, Indigenous activists who prevented seismic testing for coal and gas in a coastal area off South Africa's Eastern Cape.

Michael Sutton, executive director of the Goldman Environmental Foundation, called the winners an incredible group of individuals laboring, sometimes in obscurity, against overwhelming odds to prevail against governments, against industry."

Vicente was born and raised in Spain's southeastern city of Murcia, home to the Mar Menor. When she learned about the 2019 fish die-off, she was at the University of Reading in England studying how other countries had successfully bestowed legal rights upon natural resources to protect them.

To save the lagoon, Vicente in 2020 helped write the first draft of a bill granting legal protection to the Mar Menor and submitted it to Spain's Parliament, which allows citizens to propose laws directly. But the process required her to gather 500,000 signatures during COVID-19 lockdowns.

By November 2021, with help from thousands of volunteers across Spain, Vicente had amassed nearly 640,000 signatures  and the law was passed in 2022.

She never doubted she would succeed. "People had understood that they were part of that ecosystem and were excited about the idea of ??being able to defend their rights," she said. "When people forget their political differences, their religious differences or their economic differences, and give themselves over to a new idea of justice, that is a sure success.

The Goldman Environmental Prize was founded in 1989 by philanthropists Richard and Rhoda H Goldman to recognise common people working in their communities to protect and improve their environment. (AP) SCY

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Riyadh, Apr 29 (AP) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip and that he would use his current Middle East trip  his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  to press that case with Israeli leaders.

Speaking to Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers in Riyadh, Blinken said best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive cease-fire agreement that would release hostages held by Hamas. But, in the meantime, he said it was critical to improve conditions now.

The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to alleviate the suffering of children, women and men, and to create space for a more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and the hostages out," he said.

"But we're also not waiting on a cease-fire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza, Blinken said. He said that because President Joe Biden has been insisting that Israel do more, including in his phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, there had been improvements, although not nearly enough.

We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the US maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks. But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza, he said.

We need to improve deconfliction with humanitarian assistance workers. And we have to find greater efficiency and greater safety and deconfliction is at the heart of that. And, finally we have to make sure that we're focusing not just on inputs, but on impact.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and a deadly Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza this month only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them. Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved.

World Central Kitchen says it would resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.

The war has ground on since Hamas' deadly Oct 7 attacks on Israel with little end in sight: more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, hundreds of thousands more are displaced and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening.

The conflict has fuelled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses. US support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for Biden in an election year.

Blinken's trip comes amid renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider one of the Saudis' main conditions for normalised relations: the creation of a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been warning Israel against a major military operation on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting further north. Israel has not yet launched such an offensive, but Netanyahu has repeatedly said that one will take place, asserting that it is the only way to wipe out Hamas.

Both topics were discussed during the Biden-Netanyahu phone call on Sunday, according to the White House and US officials.

During his trip, Blinken said he would also underscore the absolute importance of not allowing the Israel-Hamas conflict to engulf the region.

The danger of conflagration was underscored this month when a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria prompted an unprecedented direct missile and drone response by Iran against Israel. An apparent retaliatory Israeli strike on Iran followed.

Although the tit-for-tat cycle appears to have ended for now, deep concerns remain that Iran or its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or Yemen could act in such a way as to provoke a greater response from Israel or that Israel might take action that Iran feels it must retaliate for. (AP) SCY

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Seoul, Apr 29 (AP) Emboldened by his party's recent election win, South Korea's opposition leader pressured President Yoon Suk Yeol to accept special investigations into allegations involving top officials and his wife, as they met Monday for talks on bipartisan cooperation.

The meeting was their first since Yoon took office in 2022 after defeating Lee in the country's closest presidential election. During their 2022 campaigns, Yoon, Lee and their supporters demonised each other and filed dozens of lawsuits against one another.

Yoon proposed the meeting as he faces growing calls to cooperate with Lee's Democratic Party, whose victory in the April 10 parliamentary election allows it to extend its control of the single-chamber National Assembly until after Yoon's single five-year term ends in 2027.

In his lengthy opening remarks, Lee said the election results mean the people's stern demand for correcting wrong government administrations, addressing economic troubles and restoring democratic rules.

Lee urged Yoon to accept independent probes into the 2022 Halloween crush in Seoul that killed 159 people, and the 2023 death of a marine who drowned during a search-and-rescue for flood victims. Lee's party has accused Yoon of ignoring public demands and retaining top officials and military commanders responsible for the deadly incidents.

Lee also asked Yoon to resolve diverse suspicions involving his family" that "poses a big burden on government operations.

That was apparently a reference to first lady Kim Keon Hee, who faces an allegation of involvement in a stock price manipulation and other scandals.

I'd say it would be good for you, as president, to respect the National Assembly and consider the opposition party as a partner for government operations, Lee said.

In a briefing after the meeting, senior presidential adviser Lee Do-woon said that Yoon told Lee Jae-myung that he won't oppose a special law to investigate the Halloween deaths but noted some legal concerns over an ad-hoc investigation committee. He didn't mention Yoon's responses to demands for other probes.

During the meeting, Lee also asked Yoon to accept his contentious idea of the government giving 250,000 won (about USD 180) to all South Koreans as a way to boost the economy, a step that Yoon's party has called a populist measure. Lee Do-woon, the presidential adviser, said Yoon said that he prefers selectively supporting those in need.

In a separate briefing, Democratic Party spokesperson Park Sung-joon accused Yoon of lacking a resolve to revive public livelihoods. Park cited Lee Jae-myung as suggesting he was disappointed at the meeting's results.

No agreement was reached, but Yoon's office said the president and Lee Jae-myung agreed to meet frequently without setting a date for their next meeting.

In one positive news for bipartisan cooperation, Lee told Yoon that his party would support the government's high-stakes push to increase medical school students, which prompted thousands of young doctors to walk out of the job in February.

The government recently suggested it's open to halving its target medical school enrollment quota to 1,000 from previously proposed 2,000, but doctors say they can't accept any increase in students.

Yoon has said South Korea needs to create more doctors as it has one of the world's most rapidly aging populations and its doctors-to-patient ratio is among the lowest in advanced economies. Doctors say schools can't deal with a too steep increase in students, but critics say they simply worry the supply of more doctors would eventually result in lowering their income.

The parliamentary election was seen a litmus test of Yoon, who has been struggling with low approval rating and an opposition-controlled parliament that has limited his policy agenda since his inauguration. Critics say the election defeat was largely attributable to the government's failure to suppress rising prices and other economic problems and Yoon's personal management and leadership styles.

Despite the election defeat, Yoon's major foreign policy agendas will likely remain unchanged as they mostly don't require parliamentary endorsements. Yoon has pushed hard to boost a trilateral cooperation with the United States and Japan to cope with North Korea's evolving nuclear threats and other challenges. (AP) PY

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Internet and banking services were reportedly disrupted in Mauritius on Friday due to a technical glitch with the South Africa Far East (SAFE) submarine cable, although connectivity was restored late the same day.

According to Bloomberg, Mauritius Telecom issued a statement on Friday saying that the SAFE cable had been damaged on the link between Mauritius and South Africa, which was impacting internet services on the island.

SBM Bank (Mauritius) also issued a statement on Friday saying that its ATMs, point-of-sale terminal and cards were experiencing a temporary unavailability due to a problem with the SAFE internet gateway.

By late Friday, according to a separate Bloomberg report, Mauritius Telecom had revised its assessment of the problem, saying the SAFE cable hadnt been damaged after all. Rather, Mauritius Telecom said, the disruption had been caused by a perturbation in the service on the traffic transiting through the SAFE cable.

All service was back to normal by late Friday.

The SAFE cable  which links South Africa, Mauritius, La Reunion, India and Malaysia  is one of just two international subsea cables landing in Mauritius. The T3 subsea cable  which directly connects Mauritius to South Africa  was completed in the middle of last year.

The SAFE cable disruption came in the wake of several incidents in the past two months in which subsea cable damage around the African continent led to internet outages in at least 11 countries. In February, three cables were severed in the Red Sea by an anchor drag. The following month, an undersea canyon avalanche off the coast of Cote dIvoire damaged four cable systems: WACS, MainOne, South Atlantic 3 and ACE.
Islamabad, Apr 29 (PTI) Pakistan authorities claimed on Monday that they have arrested four suspects involved in the killing of Chinese engineers in a deadly terrorist attack last month.

Five Chinese nationals and a Pakistani driver were killed in the attack on March 26 when a vehicle-borne suicide bomber targeted a convoy escorting Chinese engineers in the remote Besham area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but officials said that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was involved in the attack.

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province said that a probe by a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) exposed the network of terrorists, claiming that the "key actors" of the network involved in the attack have been identified.

Four accused have been arrested...efforts are underway to capture the entire network," the CTD Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa said in a statement.

It identified the suspects as mastermind Adil Shehbaz, and Muhammad Shafiq Qureshi, Zahid Qureshi and Nazeer Hussain. All of them belong to the Mansehra district of the province.

The CTD said that terrorist Shehbaz has admitted to playing a pivotal role in the execution of the Besham attack adding that the facilitator belonged to TTP.

The Chinese engineers were on their way to the Dasu hydroelectric project from Islamabad when their van was attacked in Bisham and fell into a deep ditch after being hit by an explosive-laden vehicle, coming from the opposite direction on the Karakoram Highway.
Washington, Apr 29 (AP) Medical device maker Philips said Monday it will pay $1.1 billion to settle hundreds of personal injury lawsuits in the US over its defective sleep apnea machines, which have been subject to a massive global recall.

The Dutch manufacturer did not admit any fault and said it reached the agreement to resolve any uncertainty over the cases. The payout also includes medical monitoring claims from patients who used the company's devices and could be exposed to future risks.

Philips has recalled more than 5 million of breathing machines since 2021 because their internal foam can break down over time, leading users to inhale tiny particles and fumes while they sleep. Efforts to repair or replace the machines have been plagued by delays that have frustrated regulators and patients in the US and other countries.

Monday's announcement is another step toward resolving one of the biggest medical device recalls in the industry's history, which has dragged on for nearly three years.

Philips shares rose more than 35% to a one-year high on the news.

Earlier this month the company reached a settlement with the US government that requires an overhaul of how it manufactures of sleep apnea devices. The agreement also requires the company to replace or reimburse patients for recalled machines.

Most of the devices recalled are continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines. They force air through a mask to keep mouth and nasal passageways open during sleep.

Company CEO Roy Jakobs said in a statement the recent settlements are "significant milestones and provide further clarity on the way forward for Philips.

The FDA's website warns patients that the risks of ingesting the sound-dampening foam could include headache, asthma, allergic reactions and more serious problems.

An FDA inspection of Philips' Pennsylvania offices in the fall of 2021 uncovered a spate of red flags, including emails suggesting the company was warned of the problem with its foam six years before the recall. (AP) SCY

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Baghdad, Apr 29 (AP) Iraq has repatriated hundreds more of its citizens linked to the Islamic State group from a sprawling camp in northeastern Syria, Iraqi and Syrian officials said Monday.

Ali Jahangir, a spokesman for Iraq's Ministry of Migration and Displaced, said the nearly 700 Iraqis, mostly women and children, arrived late Sunday at a camp near Iraq's northern city of Mosul, where they will undergo a rehabilitation program with the help of international agencies in an effort to distance them from extremist ideology.

Despite an aggressive repatriation campaign by Baghdad, Iraqis remain the largest nationality among the nearly 43,000 residents of al-Hol camp which houses the wives, widows, children and other family members of IS militants. Syrians are the second-largest nationality. More than 6,000 people from 57 other countries are housed in a separate area known as the Annex.

These are Iraqi citizens that we have to rehabilitate, Jahangir said. Leaving them at al-Hol camp means they are a time bomb that could threaten Iraq's security.

In 2014, IS declared a caliphate in large parts of Iraq and Syria and attracted tens of thousands of supporters from around the world. The extremists were defeated by a U.S.-led coalition in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019. Tens of thousands of people linked to the group were taken to al-Hol camp close to the Iraqi border.

The heavily guarded camp, overseen by the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, was once home to 73,000 people.

Sheikhmous Ahmad, a Kurdish official overseeing camps for displaced in northeastern Syria, said 187 families consisting of 697 Iraqis were repatriated Sunday. He said it was the 15th group to return home.

An SDF official, Siamand Ali, said the presence of foreigners at al-Hol and the smaller Roj camp is a burden on the force that also protects the facilities and raids IS sleeper cells that carry out deadly attacks in Syria.

Repatriating them to their countries is a positive step and reduces the pressure on us, Ali said.

Iraq's Yazidi community has expressed concerns over the repatriations of IS families fearing a repetition of the extremist massacre against the community that took place in 2014. Then, IS militants killed thousands of men and took many women and teenage girls who were held as sex slaves.

Khairi Bozani, the director of office for Yazidi abductees, said they have raised the community's concerns with Iraqi officials because some of the repatriated families are being placed in areas around the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar. Bozani said that even though the returnees are mostly women and children, they still carry the extreme ideology of the Islamic State group.

The office of Iraq's national security adviser said 7,556 citizens have been repatriated from al-Hol. Jahangir said they have no exact figures of how many Iraqis remain at the camp.

Hawar News, the news agency for the semiautonomous Kurdish areas in Syria, said the latest figures from al-Hol show 42,781 people there including 19,530 Iraqis, 16,779 Syrians and 6,461 other nationalities. The agency says 11 residents have not been identified.

Last week, Kurdish-led authorities repatriated 50 women and children from al-Hol and Roj camps to Tajikistan. (AP) AMS
Paris, Apr 29 (AP) French media are reporting that actor Gerard Depardieu is in police custody for questioning about allegations made by two women that he sexually assaulted them on movie sets.

Broadcaster BFMTV and the daily Le Parisien reported that the 75-year-old actor was summoned Monday morning by Paris police and placed in custody.

The Paris police force said it wasn't authorised to comment and directed questions to the Paris prosecutor's office, which said it had no comment at this stage."

We have no information to communicate or confirm before having assessed any eventual charges and directions, the office said in an emailed response to questions from The Associated Press.

One of Depardieu's lawyers, Christian Saint-Palais, was seen walking into a police station in the 14th district of Paris after lunching at a nearby restaurant.

No need to ask me any questions," he said. You know very well that a lawyer cannot speak at this stage of the procedure, and personally I regret that other persons have spoken, so I won't make any comment.

A lawyer for one of the alleged victims did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Depardieu has denied wrongdoing. In an open letter last October, he said: I have never, ever abused a woman.

BFMTV and Le Parisien reported that the police summons relates to accusations of sexual assault filed by two women who accuse him of groping during filming  one in 2014, the other in 2021.

The alleged 2014 assault was reported to police in January this year, Le Parisien reported.

The other alleged assault involved a 53-year-old movie decorator. She alleged that Depardieu grabbed her and kneaded her waist, stomach and breasts during filming for Les Volets verts, or The Green Shutters, according to the woman's lawyer, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, when she filed the complaint to the Paris prosecutor's office in February.

Depardieu has also been accused by more than a dozen other women of harassing, groping or sexually assaulting them. He was handed preliminary rape and sexual assault charges in 2020 following allegations from actor Charlotte Arnould.

Depardieu was long seen as a national icon in France. He has been a global ambassador for French film and enjoyed international fame with several roles in Hollywood. (AP) GSP
Riyadh, Apr 29 (AP) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday begins his seventh diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began more than six months ago. He has his work cut out for him.

The war has ground on since Hamas' deadly October 7 attacks on Israel with little end in sight: more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, hundreds of thousands more are displaced and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening.

The conflict has fuelled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses. US support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for President Joe Biden in an election year.

Just ahead of Blinken's visit  which includes a little more than a day in Saudi Arabia before stops in Jordan and Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday  Biden spoke by phone on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Blinken's trip comes amid renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider one of the Saudis' main conditions for normalized relations: the creation of a Palestinian state.



Here is a look at the main issues Blinken will tackle:

CEASEFIRE TALKS AND PREVENTING WIDER CONFLICT

The Biden administration has been working closely with Egypt and Qatar for months to negotiate a deal between Israel and Hamas for the release of Israeli hostages abducted during the October 7 attacks that launched the war in exchange for a temporary but extendable ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel. Those negotiations, while ongoing, have yet to bear fruit.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been warning Israel against a major military operation on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting further north.

Israel has not yet launched such an offensive, but Netanyahu has repeatedly said that one will take place, asserting that it is the only way to wipe out Hamas.

Both topics were discussed during the Biden-Netanyahu phone call on Sunday, according to the White House and US officials.

Blinken also will speak to those issues in talks with Arab and European foreign ministers gathered in Riyadh for a meeting of the World Economic Forum. He'll also discuss not allowing the Israel-Hamas conflict to engulf the region, which will be a focus of a separate meeting he will have in Riyadh with his counterparts from the Gulf Cooperation Council.

The danger of conflagration was underscored this month when a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria prompted an unprecedented direct missile and drone response by Iran against Israel. An apparent retaliatory Israeli strike on Iran followed.

Although the tit-for-tat cycle appears to have ended for now, deep concerns remain that Iran or its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or Yemen could act in such a way as to provoke a greater response from Israel or that Israel might take action that Iran feels it must retaliate for.



HUMANITARIAN AID FOR GAZA

The Biden administration also has been pushing Israel to further expand the scope and scale of humanitarian aid convoys bringing food, medicine, water into the territory.

In Jordan and Israel, Blinken will focus largely on such aid, meeting with various relief organizations as well as officials in both countries to underscore the urgent need for more assistance.

In Israel, those discussions will be accompanied by talks on Israel's military plans, a State Department official said.

Blinken is expected to emphasise the importance of sharply boosting the flow of assistance and sustaining the increase.

While deliveries have increased, they are still not at levels needed to avoid what the UN says is a looming famine in Gaza. The US also is building a pier near Gaza City through which aid shipped from Cyprus can be sent for distribution to Palestinian civilians.

Officials in the US and Cyprus say the pier is expected to be completed soon, but there are still big concerns about security for the facility and the aid workers who will be bringing supplies from the port to communities.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and a deadly Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen aid convoy in Gaza this month only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them. Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved.

World Central Kitchen says it would resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.



GAZA'S FUTURE AND NORMALISING ISRAEL-SAUDI TIES

In Saudi Arabia, a State Department official said Blinken would be focused primarily on plans for a post-conflict Gaza in separate meetings with Arab and European foreign ministers.

The US has been working with a group of five Arab nations  the so-called Quint of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates  on planning for reconstruction and governance of the territory once the war ends. After initial reluctance in the early stages of the war to commit to participating in such planning, the Arabs in January agreed to do so, although many of their specific contributions to the effort have not been completely determined yet and will not likely be set at this meeting, the official said.

Later, Blinken and those same Arab ministers along with several from Europe will meet jointly to go over their ideas and tell the Europeans that there is a role for them  both financially and with specific expertise  to play in Gaza's post-conflict future, according to the official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to preview Blinken's discussions.

He will have separate meetings with Saudi officials, expected to include the country's de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, about the US-Saudi portion of a proposal for the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel and how that can be merged eventually with the broader plan for Gaza.

Prior to Hamas' October 7 attacks in Israel, US officials believed they were close to securing an agreement.

After the war began, those relations became tied to Israel's acceptance of an independent Palestinian state.

Netanyahu and his far-right government have refused to consider it but that hasn't stopped Blinken or other officials from repeating their argument that the futures of Gaza, Palestinians overall, Israel's long-term security and regional stability all depend on one.

Blinken will speak with the Saudis and the other Arabs about reaching lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. (AP) PY

PY
Kathmandu, Apr 29 (PTI) Investments worth more than NRs 9 billion have been approved for four projects in Nepal as a key investment summit, which witnessed the participation of hundreds of investors from various countries, including India, concluded here on Monday.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' Sunday inaugurated the third edition of the Nepal Investment Summit 2024 with the theme 'Emerging Nepal'.

"The third investment summit attracted 2,500 guests, including 800 potential international investors, Sushil Bhatta, CEO of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN), said at the closing ceremony here on Monday.

Altogether, 152 projects were showcased and good responses were shown by the investors, Bhatta said.

Investments worth more than NRs 9 billion have been approved for four projects in Nepal, officials said.

Some 12 foreign investors, including those from India, China, the US and the UK, directly met with Prime Minister Prachanda during the two-day summit. Thirty delegates held meetings with top officials of different ministries, including the Ministry for Industry and Commerce and Finance, according to IBN.

Inaugurating the summit, Prachanda said Nepal is a suitable destination for investment and there are immense opportunities in the country.

Prachanda, who is leading a government dominated by left parties, said that Nepal is fully committed to a liberal economic policy, providing full protection to investors.

He urged investors from across the globe to seize the opportunity and benefit from it.

The summit witnessed the inking of about 12 MoUs between Nepal and its development partners and foreign investors. The summit attracted investors from around four dozen countries, including, India, China, Japan, the UK, the US, the UAE and Germany.

Nepals BLC (Bhuramal Lunkarandas Conglomerate) belonging to Chaudhary Group and Indias Yotta Data Services Pvt. Ltd. Signed an agreement for the establishment and operation of a Data Centre in Nepal.

On the sidelines of the summit, Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun on Monday released a handbook for Indian investors keen on exploring more business opportunities in Nepal.

Published by the Nepal India Chamber of Commerce and Industries, the handbook consists of insights into rules, regulations, taxation, investment climate, intellectual property rights, and investment procedures for prospective investors looking to engage with Nepals market.

Speaking at a plenary session on the second day of the summit, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ravi Lamichhane called foreign investors to invest in Nepal in different sectors. He assured them of a safe and conducive investment climate in the country.

Addressing the closing ceremony, former prime minister and CPN-UML chairman K P Sharma Oli said Nepal is emerging as a new investment destination. He assured support from all the political parties to the foreign investors and said that foreign investment will help Nepal attain rapid economic growth and social transformation.

Former prime minister and Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba extended his party's full support to investors. He said that his party had paved the way for the entry of foreign investment by pursuing a liberal economic policy and reforms in the 1990s.

In 2017, Nepal hosted the first investment summit, drawing investment commitments worth USD 13.5 billion from different countries.

Similarly, the second investment summit held in 2019 secured nearly USD 12 billion for 50 projects.
Islamabad, Apr 29 (PTI) Pakistan's leading right-wing Islamic leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday came out in support of his erstwhile rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, saying the opposition party has the right to hold rallies and even form a government.

Rehman, the chief of his faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), made a blistering speech in the National Assembly, slamming the powerful establishment for allegedly rigging the political system.

It is the right of the PTI to hold a rally, he said. We also objected to the 2018 election and we object to this (February 8 polls) one too. If the 2018 poll was rigged, why is the current one not rigged?" he asked.

PTI leader Asad Qaiser had demanded the party's right to organise a rally. "The demand of Asad Qaiser is correct and it is the right of PTI to hold a rally," Rehman said in his speech.

Rehman urged the ruling coalition of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan Peoples Party to allow the PTI to form the government if it enjoyed a majority in the parliament.

Leave this power. Come and sit here [on the opposition benches], and if the PTI is indeed the larger group, then give them the government, he said.

The cleric then expressed his dismay over the role of the establishment and bureaucracy in election and running the country.

The establishment and bureaucracy had no role in achieving this country, he said.

He alleged that the elections held on Feb 8 were not fair but flawed.

"What kind of election is this where the losers are not satisfied and the winners are upset?" he said.

He drew parallels with neighbouring India. Just compare India and ourselves both countries got independence on the same day. But today they (India) are dreaming of becoming a superpower and we are on the verge of bankruptcy, he said.

He said that decisions are made by somebody else but politicians are blamed for the problems.

Rehman also lamented the failure to implement recommendations from the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), emphasising the importance of upholding Islamic principles.

We got the country in the name of Islam, but today we have become a secular state. Since 1973, not a single recommendation of the CII has been implemented. How can we be an Islamic country? he said.

The CCI is a constitutional body set up to help Islamize the laws.

He also said that Pakistan was begging the International Monetary Fund to avoid bankruptcy.

The JUI-F was the arch-rival of PTI and had spearheaded the move for the ouster of Imran Khan. After his downfall, JUI-F became part of the coalition government. However, he parted ways with the PML-N and PPP after the elections as he alleged that the polls were rigged to keep his party out of power.

It is believed by many that by supporting the PTI, the cleric is putting pressure on the establishment and the government to cut a deal to get a bigger share in the spoils of politics than his potential.
Thane/Mumbai, Apr 29 (PTI) Police on Monday arrested five persons on the charge of murdering a 30-year-old man and injuring his friend at a chicken shop located in Mulund area near Thane city, an official said.

The duo was attacked with sharp weapons and iron rods on Sunday night over an argument on the payment of a Rs 200 bill for chicken tandoori at the shop owned by two of the accused, he said.

A police station official said the argument broke out between Akshay Narvekar and his friend Akash Sable (30) with the chicken shop owner Imran Khan (27) and his brother Salim Khan (29) on Sunday night.

"The heated exchange escalated into a fight with the Khan brothers and another set of three others allegedly attacking Narvekar and Sable with rods and choppers. As the duo fell unconscious, the accused persons rushed them to a hospital where Narvekar succumbed to his injuries," the official said.

After the hospital informed the local police about the Medico-Legal Case, an FIR on the charge of murder was registered and the five persons were arrested, he said.

Narvekar was working as a peon at the officer of the Maharashtra chief minister, the official said. The arrested persons are identified as Imran Khan (27), his brother Salim Khan (29), Farooq Gaffar Bagwan (38), Naushad Ali Bagwan (35) and Abdul Ali Bagwan (40).

Another police official said Narvekar and Sable had gone to a chicken shop owned by the Khan brothers in Thane on Sunday morning where they had an argument about the payment of the bill.

"The matter was resolved then but the two sides came to blows again in the night when Narvekar and Sable visited the shop of Khans located in Mulund area near Thane," he said.

All the accused were produced before a court which remanded them to police custody till May 8.

Further investigation is underway, the official added.
Mumbai, Apr 29 (PTI) The Customs department has seized 20.95 kg of gold valued Rs 13.57 crore and Rs 23 lakh worth of electronics goods, tobacco items and cigarettes, all smuggled by passengers at the Mumbai international airport in the last one week, officials said on Monday.

During investigation, nine passengers who arrived at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) were arrested by the Mumbai Customs for brining these items illegally into the country, an official said.

The action was taken by officials of the Airport Commissionerate of the Mumbai Customs between April 22 to 28 in as many as 27 cases, he said.

Customs officials laid traps at the airport and detained passengers based on suspicion, he said.

During checking of passengers and their luggage, they recovered gold jewellery concealed in their body and gold dust in oval shaped capsules concealed in their private parts, the official said.

The officials also found gold dust concealed between two layers of trousers worn by passengers and also in wax form from the rummaging of flight, he said.

The Customs department recovered 20.95 kg of gold worth Rs 13.57 crore and also electronics items, tobacco and cigarettes worth Rs 23 lakh from passengers, with their cumulative value coming to Rs 13.80 crore, he said.
Kolkata, Apr 29 (PTI) Expressing "shock and surprise" that someone can be excommunicated from his religious community in 2024, the Calcutta High Court on Monday dismissed an appeal by a gurdwara in the city.

A division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam observed that excommunication is a serious disease which was deep-rooted in ancient India.



"The court is shocked and surprised to find that in the year 2024, the appellants being office-bearers of a Sangat can pass an order ex-communicating the writ petitioner," the bench said.

The court held that a single bench was fully justified in allowing the petition of Sardar Lalu Singh challenging the ex-communication decision against him by the Gurdwara Chhota Sikh Sangat and also in imposing a fine on it.



The division bench rejected the appeal by office-bearers of the Sangat.



Singh was excommunicated over a dispute between his son and daughter-in-law, with the Sangat holding that he had not done anything to resolve it.



A visibly annoyed Chief Justice Sivagnanam said that the appellant office-bearers do not deserve to stay in their houses, but in correctional homes and also warned that the court would order their arrest if they do not take corrective steps.



The court said that it is more surprising that that matter has surfaced in the community to which the appellants belong.

Stating that he did not expect this to come from an organisation or the community to which the appellants belong, the Chief Justice verbally observed, "They are persons who are known for their valour and commitment and in the Indian Army there is a Sikh regiment."



The division bench said that the Sangat had no business to interfere into the internal matters of a family and compel the father to settle the dispute.



The court asked whether people are living in barbaric times or in the year 2024.



Rejecting a prayer for deleting the fine of Rs 50,000 each imposed on the three office-bearers by the single bench of Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya for causing severe harassment and trauma to Singh, the division bench reduced it to Rs 25,000 each for the three appellants.



The division bench, also comprising Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya, directed Singh to donate the said amount to the gurdwara as undertaken by him.

On a petition by Singh, the single bench had on January 22 set aside his excommunication and restrained the office-bearers of the gurdwara from excommunicating him in future on the same ground by subsequent communication.
Cameroon authorities have reportedly banned imports of Starlink kits and are confiscating them at the border, even though SpaceX plans to stop service availability in the country this week.

According to a report from ITWeb Africa on Friday, the move is related to government claims that the LEO satellite operator  which does not yet have a licence to operate in Cameroon  poses a potential threat to both national security and fair competition in the telecoms sector.

A statement from Cameroon Customs Director General Fongod Edwin Nuvaga said Starlink technology was a national security threat because its lack of a licence means that it isnt subject to oversight by the Telecommunications Regulatory Board.

According to media reports, Cameroons minister of posts and telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng, made similar comments earlier in April. Libom Li Likeng also said that Starlinks presence in the market would threaten state telco and ISP Camtel by essentially providing better service.

Fongod said that the customs department will continue to seize Starlink kits until it receives a licence to operate in Cameroon.

Ironically, earlier this month, Starlink said in a statement that starting on April 30, it would disable roaming to countries where it has not yet secured a licence, including Cameroon.

That announcement followed a report in the Wall Street Journal earlier this month that Starlink kits are finding their way into the hands of Russian soldiers in Ukraine (which Reuters also reported in February) and paramilitary forces in Sudan via the black market.

Neither SpaceX nor Starlink has officially acknowledged that report. But in a growing number of countries where Starlink isnt licenced to operate, some users have been working around that by purchasing the service in countries where Starlink is available and using its roaming feature to access the service at home.

Cameroon joins a growing list of countries that are banning Starlink kit imports. Starlink has also been banned in other countries across Africa, including Cote dIvoire, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Senegal, Mali and Sudan, according to Ecofin Agency.

That said, the recent fiasco over subsea cable cuts causing internet outages across Africa over the last couple of months has shed light on the benefits of satellite-based options. In March, shortly after four subsea cables were severed off the coast of Cote dIvoire, Ghana  which banned sales of Starlink kits last year  said it planned to issue a licence to Starlink.
Aizawl, Apr 29 (PTI) Over 1,96,000 tourists including foreigners visited Mizoram in the year 2023, the state Tourism department said.

A total of 1,96,880 tourists visited the northeastern state in 2023 of which 1,93,445 were domestic and 3,435 were foreigners, the state tourism department.

With 1,162 tourists, Americans topped the list of foreigners visiting the northeastern state, it said, adding that tourists from other foreign countries including Japan, Australia, Israel, Canada and the United Kingdom, also visited Mizoram last year.

The tourist footfall in 2022-23 was over 2.22 lakh of which 2.18 lakh were domestic tourists and 3,551 were foreigners.

The tourist footfall in the state was minimal during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was 20,564 in 2020-21 and 1.32 lakh in 2021-22.

Mizoram tourism is making headway with a 'responsible' tourism policy that came into force in August 2020.

The 'responsible' tourism policy envisages a sustainable development strategy, coordination, strengthening institutional framework and skill development.

The policy also focuses on making tourism a tool for development of villages and local communities, eradicating poverty and providing livelihood for the local population while upholding the principles of economic, social and environmental responsibilities.

In the past, foreigners had to obtain Protected Area Permit (PAP) from the Union Home Ministry in order to travel to Mizoram.

However, the Home Ministry has suspended PAP and all foreigners except from Afghanistan, Pakistan and China are now exempted from PAP.

Although PAP is no longer required for foreign tourists, every foreigner has to report themselves at the Foreigner Registration Office in Aizawl within 24 hours of their arrival in Mizoram.
Kolkata, Apr 29 (PTI) Following are the top stories from the eastern region at 5 pm.



ELN38 ELECTIONS-BH-SHAH

Top leaders of INDIA bloc will scramble for PM's post if it comes to power: Shah

Jhanjarpur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday warned that a victory of the opposition INDIA bloc, even by mistake, will lead to a scramble among top leaders of the alliance for the prime ministers post.



ELN66 ELECTIONS-JH-2NDLD KALPANA

Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana files nomination as JMM candidate for Gandey assembly bypoll

Ranchi: Jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren's wife Kalpana on Monday filed her nomination as the JMM candidate for the Gandey assembly bypoll.



CAL2 NL-SHUTDOWN-RELAXATION

Business establishments reopen in Nagaland after three-day shutdown

Kohima: Business establishments in Nagaland reopened on Monday after three days in the wake of a shutdown call by an industry body to protest against unabated extortion by underground groups, officials said.



CAL3 WB-COURT-ED-SHAJAHAN

PMLA court extends Shajahan's judicial custody in money laundering case till May 13

Kolkata: A special PMLA court on Monday extended the judicial custody of the now-suspended Trinamool Congress leader, Shajahan Sheikh, till May 13 in connection with a money laundering case over alleged siphoning of cash in the garb of pisciculture business.
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has renewed its call for finding a solution to the decades-long Tibet conflict with China through talks, days after Beijing asserted that it will talk only with the representatives of the Dalai Lama and not with the government-in-exile.

Last week, the Sikyong or political head of Tibet's government-in-exile (CTA), Penpa Tsering, said his administration has opened back-channel talks with Beijing to explore ways to find a resolution to the Tibet issue.

At the same time, Tsering said there is no immediate expectation of a forward movement from the informal talks.

The remarks were seen as signs of willingness by both sides to re-engage over a decade after the formal dialogue process hit a dead end in view of anti-China protests in Tibet and Beijing's hardline approach towards the Buddhist region.

Following Tsering's remarks, China on Friday said it would talk only with the representatives of the Dalai Lama and not the officials of the Tibetan government-in-exile based in India.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin also ruled out dialogue on the Dalai Lama's long-pending demand for autonomy for Tibet.

After China's reaction, CTA spokesperson Tenzin Lekshay said the Middle Way Policy of the Central Tibetan Administration is to seek genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within the framework of the Chinese Constitution and that a solution to the long-pending matter will be beneficial to both sides.

"The Middle Way Policy (MWP) of Central Tibetan Administration is to seek genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people within the framework of the Chinese constitution & Regional National Autonomy Law of China. Resolving Sino-Tibet conflict through MWP is mutually beneficial," he said on 'X'.

Tibet's government-in-exile is based in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and represents over one lakh Tibetans living in around 30 countries.

From 2002 to 2010, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's representatives and the Chinese government held nine rounds of dialogue that did not produce any concrete outcomes. No formal talks have been held since then.

In its talks with China between 2002 and 2010, the Tibetan side pitched genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people in line with the Dalai Lama's middle-way policy.

The Dalai Lama has been favouring resolution of the Tibetan issue through dialogue.

After a failed anti-Chinese uprising in 1959, the 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet and came to India where he set up the government-in-exile. The Chinese government officials and the Dalai Lama or his representatives have not met in formal negotiations since 2010.

Beijing has been maintaining that it freed "serfs and slaves" from a brutal theocracy in Tibet and brought the region on the path of prosperity and modernisation.

China has in the past accused the Dalai Lama of indulging in "separatist" activities and trying to split Tibet and considers him as a divisive figure.

However, the Tibetan spiritual leader has insisted that he is not seeking independence but "genuine autonomy for all Tibetans living in the three traditional provinces of Tibet" under the "Middle-Way approach".

Relations between the two sides strained further due to protests against China in Tibetan areas in 2008.
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) India on Monday summoned the Canadian deputy high commissioner and lodged a strong protest over the raising of pro-Khalistan slogans at a public event in Toronto in the presence of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the raising of the slogans at the event as "disturbing" and said it illustrated once again the political space that has been given in Canada to "separatism, extremism and violence".

It said the actions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens.

"The Canadian deputy high commissioner was today summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to the raising of separatist slogans on 'Khalistan' at an event which was being personally addressed by the prime minister of Canada," the MEA said.

"The Government of India's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event," it said.

"This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence," the MEA said in a statement.

It added: "Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens."
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the death of BJP MP V Sreenivasa Prasad, describing him as a champion of social justice who devoted his life to the welfare of the poor, downtrodden and marginalised.

He said on X, "I am extremely pained by the passing away of senior leader and MP from Chamarajanagar, Shri V. Sreenivasa Prasad Ji. He was a champion of social justice, having devoted his life to the welfare of the poor, downtrodden and marginalised."

He was very popular for his various works of community service, Modi said, conveying condolences to his family and supporters.

The 76-year-old Lok Sabha member from Chamarajnagar in Karnataka and former Union minister was ailing for some time and passed away at a Bengaluru hospital.

On March 18 this year, Prasad had announced his retirement from electoral politics.
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday expressed pain that some Rajya Sabha members with legal background were "running away" from their constitutional ordainment and not contributing to legislation making.

Dhankhar, who is also the chairperson of the Rajya Sahba, said that he would "never" see them in the Upper House of Parliament at least in the early part of the day on Mondays and Fridays.

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha start functioning from 11 am when Parliament is in session.

In the Supreme Court, Mondays and Fridays are designated as "miscellaneous days" when a lot of cases, including new ones are listed for hearing.

"I express my anguish and pain that Rajya Sabha has gifted senior advocates as members. I wish they would contribute to legislation making," Dhankhar said at an event here.

He said the House has senior advocates P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, K T S Tulsi, Abhishek Singhvi, Vivek Tankha as members.

"I wish they had spared time to participate in the proceedings of the Upper House, the House of Elders. I wish they had discharged their constitutional ordainment," Dhankhar said.

The vice president said there was a lack of participation by legal luminaries who were "running away" from their constitutional ordainment and not discharging their public duties.

He said this while referring to the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Act and the Bharatiya Sakshya Act which were enacted by Parliament recently.

On an earlier occasion, Dhankhar had said that the legal luminaries could have contributed more when these Bills were being discussed by the Rajya Sabha.

Referring to the alternative dispute redressal mechanism in the country, the vice president referred to the concern expressed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud that the arbitration space in India resembles an "old boys club" and that nowhere in the world is arbitration in such a "tight fist" control by former judges as in India.

Dhankhar said there is a perception that the Indian alternative dispute settlement mechanism adds "one more tier" to the national litigation ladder system.

He said there is a strong urge and tendency to invoke Article 136 of the Constitution which was meant for a "narrow slit window". But now the wall is demolished and it is being invoked massively, Dhankhar said.

Article 136 deals with the special leave to appeal by the Supreme Court. It means that the Supreme Court is authorised to grant in its discretion special leave to appeal from any judgement in any matter passed by any court or tribunal in the territory of India (except military tribunal and court-martial).
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita has been granted permission by the Tihar jail administration to meet him and will visit him later today, the AAP said on Monday.

"Sunita Kejriwal will be meeting the chief minister at 12.30 pm. She will be accompanied by Delhi cabinet minister Atishi during the meeting," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.

On Sunday, the AAP had said that the jail authorities had denied her permission to meet the chief minister, a charge refuted by the prison authorities.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will meet Kejriwal on Tuesday.
Bengaluru, Apr 29 (PTI) Repolling was held peacefully at a polling station in Indiganatha village of Hanur, which falls under Chamarajanagar Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka on Monday, amid elaborate security arrangements, after a clash between groups on Friday resulted in damage to EVMs.



Polling began at 7 am and ended by 6 pm.



Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena told PTI, Repolling was good and it went peacefully. Almost 13.42 per cent votes have been cast.



The repolling was ordered by the Election Commission following reports that electronic voting machines were damaged at the polling booth in Indiganatha village in Chamarajanagara district on April 26 during a clash between two groups of people over whether to vote or not in the Lok Sabha elections.



According to the district administration, the villagers had earlier decided to boycott the polls, citing lack of adequate infrastructure development. However, after assurances and efforts by the local officials, polling began.



As per preliminary information, one of the groups wanted to vote while the other was keen to boycott, leading to clashes between them during which they damaged EVMs, and also indulged in stone-pelting, the officials said.



In a letter addressed to the Karnataka chief electoral officer, the EC had stated that based on the reports submitted by the returning officer and general observer for Chamrajnagar constituency, and after taking all material circumstances into account, it declared that polling held at polling station number 146 under the Hanur assembly constituency on Friday was void.
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) Former Delhi MLAs Devender Yadav and Rajesh Lilothia are the likely front runners for the post of Congress' city unit chief after Arvinder Singh Lovely resigned from the post citing the alliance with the AAP as one of the reasons, the DPCC sources said on Monday.

Though the sources said either Yadav or Lilothia is Lovely's successor, others feel Abhishek Dutt can also be considered for the post.

Lovely submitted his resignation from the DPCC president's post on Saturday to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. He said the Delhi Congress unit was against the alliance but the party high command went ahead with it.

In his resignation letter, Lovely also said he found himself "handicapped" as all unanimous decisions taken by senior Delhi unit leaders have been "unilaterally vetoed" by AICC Delhi in-charge Deepak Babaria.

Former DPCC chief Anil Chaudhary on Monday urged Kharge to expel Lovely from the party.

Taking to X, he wrote in Hindi saying what Lovely has done is very unfortunate. The way Congress candidate Nilesh Khumani in Surat gave a walkover to the BJP by colluding with them, Lovely has done the same in connivance with the BJP, he alleged.

"I request my leader respected @kharge ji and organisation general secretary @kcvenugopalmp ji to expel @ArvinderLovely from the party with immediate effect. Organisation is supreme," he wrote on X.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh lauded Lovely on Monday for the party's Lok Sabha poll alliance with the Congress. Singh told a press conference here that the credit for his party's Lok Sabha poll alliance with the Congress in the national capital goes to Lovely as well.

"I say this with responsibility that Lovely played a crucial role in our alliance with the Congress. I am not aware of the reasons for his contrary views now," the Rajya Sabha MP said when asked for his comment on the Congress leader's resignation from the party post.

Reacting to his remarks, Lovely told PTI, "Sanjay Singh is a nice man. But I think he is still in trauma. He has not been able to get normal after coming out of jail.

"When the INDIA bloc was formed in April, I was not the president (of the Delhi Congress). I was not even the president when the second meeting of the bloc took place in Bengaluru," he said.

Lovely said during the third meeting in Mumbai also, he was not the president. When he became the president, Singh was unfortunately sent to jail, he said.

"How did he (Sanjay) get to know that I was the architect (of the alliance)? It means there was someone in the jail who used to bring him out," he said.
Kolkata, Apr 29 (PTI) Out of the 57 candidates contesting in the four Lok Sabha constituencies going into phase 3 polling on May 7, around 23 per cent are crorepatis with an average asset of Rs 1.84 crore, an analysis of their affidavits pointed out on Monday.

Of the 13 crorepati candidates, three are from the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Independents while the Congress and the All India Secular Front have two each.



Three Independent candidates are also crorepatis.

The BJP, CPI(M) and the Bharathiya Jawan Kisan Party have one crorepati candidate each, the analysis conducted by the West Bengal Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said in a statement.

"The average of assets per candidate contesting in the West Bengal phase three Lok Sabha elections is Rs 1.84 crore," it added.

Khalilur Rehman, TMC candidate from Jangipur constituency, has assets valued at over Rs 51 crore while Independent candidate Mohammed Jamal Saikh contesting from Maldaha Dakshin seat has a total asset of Rs 41,000, the study said.

Analysing the education details of the 57 candidates, it was found that 26 have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th and 12th standard, while 31 candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above.

The phase three polling is scheduled in Jangipur, Maldaha Dakshin, Maldaha Uttar, and Murshidabad.
Ahmedabad, Apr 29 (PTI) Thirty six out of the 266 candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat have criminal cases against them, with some also facing attempt to murder and dacoity charges, as per an analysis of their affidavits by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Elections to 25 out of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on May 7. The BJP candidate from Surat seat has already been declared elected unopposed.

"Out of the 266 candidates, 36, or 14 per cent, have criminal charges against them, as per details provided by them in the affidavits. Out of them, 21, or 8 per cent, have serious criminal cases against them," ADR's Gujarat coordinator Pankti Jog told reporters here on Monday.

Serious criminal cases are those which attract a maximum punishment of 5 years or more, are non-bailable, related to murder, rape, kidnapping, bribery, assault, causing loss to the exchequer, crimes against women, hate speech, and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, she said.

Among the major parties, out of the 25 BJP candidates, four, or 15 per cent, have criminal cases against them, with two facing serious charges, as per the data of ADR, which is an electoral reform advocacy group.



Out of the 23 Congress candidates, six, or 26 per cent, are named in criminal cases, with three facing serious charges, showed the ADR analysis of the Election Commission data.



Tribal leaders Anant Patel and Dilip Vasava, contesting from Valsad and Bharuch seats respectively, are facing cases on charges of attempt to murder.

Patel is the Congress candidate, while Vasava is the Bharat Adivasi Party nominee.



Aam Aadmi Party candidate Chaitar Vasava and independent nominee Ismail Patel, both constesting from Bharuch seat, have the highest number of 13 criminal cases each against them.

The cases against Chaitar Vasava include of dacoity, sexual harassment, abetment of suicide and hate speech, as per the ADR data.



Ismail Patel is facing various charges including dacoity, forgery and voluntarily causing hurt.



Out of the total 118 independent candidates, 18 have criminal cases against them, with 11 facing serious charges, the ADR said showed.



Anant Patel is also accused in cases of attempt to murder, dacoity and voluntarily causing hurt. In one case, he was also convicted and fined Rs 99.



Dilip Vasava, who is facing the charge of attempt to murder, was sentenced to three years imprisonment in 2016. He has filed an appeal against the court order which is currently pending, the data showed.



Chaitar Vasava was sentenced to 6-month imprisonment and fined Rs 1,000 in one of the cases.



Independent candidate from Kheda seat, Hitesh Parmar, is facing charges of stalking and criminal intimidation, according to the data.



Congress' Banaskantha seat candidate Geniben Thakor has a case pending related to abetment of suicide, said the data.
Bengaluru, Apr 29 (PTI) JD(S) MLA and former minister H D Revanna on Monday said he was open to an investigation over the allegations of sexual abuse involving his son and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and himself, and said they were ready to face action in accordance with law, if the charges are proved.

Alleging that there was "politics" behind the issue, the elder son of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said his son Prajwal Revanna would "join" the probe "whenever he is asked to".





Several video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna sexually abusing hundreds of women had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days.



The government has constituted an SIT to probe the alleged sexual abuse of hundreds of women by the MP.



Prajwal is the NDA candidate in Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, which went to the polls on April 26.







Also, a case of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation was registered on Sunday against the father-son duo -- Revanna along with Prajwal Revanna -- at the Holenarasipur police station in the Hassan district based on a complaint by a woman who worked in their household.







"We are here, we will face it legally... Some four or five years (old) thing they have got it now and booking case...I will not react to this issue, as the case has been given to SIT and their investigation should not be hindered," H D Revanna told reporters here.





When it was pointed out that an FIR has been registered against him too, he said, "There is politics, I don't want to comment. They (Congress) are in government and they will do whatever they want."





He further said, "All these things are not just today, the Deve Gowda family in the last 40 years (has been targeted by) Congress. CoD (now CID), Lokayukta probe, we have been facing for the last 40 years... I don't want to react to anything...let them take action in accordance with law," he said, adding that he hasn't spoken to Deve Gowda on the issue.





Responding to some Congress leaders' claims calling it the biggest sex scandal, he said, "If it is, let them investigate. They have formed SIT...we will see what happens in accordance with law."



The police have information that Prajwal has fled the country, after the voting was over on April 26, according to a statement issued by the Chief Ministers office, which announced the SIT probe.





Questioned about Prajwal's whereabouts, H D Revanna said, "Normally he had to go (without saying where), and he has gone. Did he know they will file an FIR and constitute an SIT? He will come when called for investigation."


Bengaluru, Apr 29 (PTI) A JD(S) MLA on Monday demanded the expulsion from the party of MLA and former Minister H D Revanna and his son and MP Prajwal, who have been booked for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation by the police.

The Karnataka government has constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe an alleged sex scandal involving the 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.

The FIR registered against Revanna and Prajwal had been referred to the SIT.

Some explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna, the BJP-JD(S) alliance's candidate from Hassan which went to polls on Friday, had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days.

The MLA from Mulbagal in Kolar district Samruddhi V Manjunath said the charges against the father-son duo have embarrassed the party workers so much that they do not wish to even take the name of their party.

"In the recent days, 'Hassan's Leelas' are shining all over in the media, which has not just embarrassed ordinary workers in the state, but they feel ashamed to even mention the name of the party," the MLA said in a post on 'X'.

"As a first-time MLA, I am in a pitiable situation of not being able to answer the questions asked by the media," he said. "If an MLA faces such a difficult situation, think about the situation of ordinary workers."

He said it was high time Deve Gowda and state party President and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy took an "appropriate decision."



"I request you to decide what is important for you -- whether you want the future of 19 MLAs or Revanna and his Prajwal of your family. I request that Revanna and Prajwal, who are accused, be expelled from the party within 24 hours, to save the party's principles and save us from embarrassment," Manjunath said.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
New Delhi, Apr 29 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday stayed a Calcutta High Court order directing the CBI to probe into the role of West Bengal government officials in a teacher recruitment scam.

The top court was hearing a plea by the West Bengal government against a high court order invalidating the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff made by the School Service Commission (SSC) in state-run and state-aided schools.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra said it will hear the matter on May 6.

"We will stay the direction which says the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) will undertake further investigation against officials in the state government," the bench said.

Calcutta High Court had said the CBI would undertake further investigations with regard to the persons involved in the state government approving the creation of supernumerary post to accommodate illegal appointments.

If necessary, the CBI will undertake custodial interrogation of such persons involved, it had said.

Challenging the order, the state government, in its appeal filed before the top court, said the high court cancelled the appointments "arbitrarily".

"The high court failed to appreciate the ramification of cancelling the entire selection process, leading to straightaway termination of teaching and non-teaching staff from service with immediate effect, without giving sufficient time to the petitioner state to deal with such an exigency, rendering the education system at a standstill," the plea said.
Noida, Apr 29 (PTI) A court in Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar district on Monday sentenced six people to life imprisonment for killing a local Samajwadi Party leader in 2019.

However, three others who were accused in the murder of SP's Dadri area president Ramtek Katariya were acquitted by the court of Additional District and Sessions judge Ran Vijay Pratap Singh.

The court also slapped a penalty of Rs 50,000 each on the convicts, Additional District Government Counsel Nitin Kumar Tyagi said. Tyagi had taken over the case from ADGC Bhag Singh Bhati, who was the first government counsel in the case since trials began in 2019.

Katariya was shot dead in the afternoon of May 31, 2019 on a road in the Dadri area by assailants who came in a car and two motorcycles. The reason behind the murder was related to a property dispute, he said.

"Keeping in view the facts of the case, the circumstances, the arguments presented by both the parties and the nature of the crime and the condition of the deceased Ramtek Katariya and his family, the accused Baleshwar, Kapil alias Rana, Annu Kataria, Krishna, Chandrapal and Nitesh alias Nitte are sentenced to the following punishment. The objectives of justice will be achieved with the punishment," the judge stated in the order, awarding all six accused life terms for murder.

The accused have also been convicted for various terms ranging from 2 years to 3 years for other offences in the same case. The period previously spent by the accused in jail in this case will be adjusted in this sentence and all the sentences will run concurrently, the order stated.
Bengaluru, Apr 29 (PTI) BJP MP from Karnataka's Chamarajanagar and former Union minister V Sreenivasa Prasad, who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here, died on Monday, family sources said.

He was 76. Prasad is survived by his wife and three daughters.

The six-time MP from Chamarajanagar and two-time MLA from Nanjangud in Mysuru district was ailing for some time.

On March 18 this year, Prasad announced his retirement from electoral politics, marking an end to his almost 50 years in public life.

He started his political career with the erstwhile Janata Party in 1976 and joined the Congress in 1979. He also had a stint with the JD(S), JD(U), and the Samata Party before joining the BJP.

Prasad served as the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 1999 to 2004.

He joined the Congress later, got elected as an MLA in 2013 and became the revenue and religious endowment minister in the Siddaramaiah government.

In 2016, Prasad resigned from the Karnataka Assembly and rejoined the BJP. He contested the 2017 Nanjangud bypolls on a BJP ticket but lost. He then successfully fought the Lok Sabha election from Chamarajanagar in 2019.
New Delhi, Apr 28 (PTI) A 33-year-old mechanic was stabbed to death Sunday at his rented house in the Mahindra Park area of northwest Delhi, police said.

The victim, Zahid, was known to his alleged killer, who has been identified as Ravi, they said. The two reportedly had a fallout over a woman.

Police said they received a PCR call about a stabbing incident at Mahindra Park Police Station around 4.30 pm.

Zahid and Ravi were known to a woman, who too was present at the house when the stabbing took place, an officer said.

"Zahid saw the woman with Ravi at his house. A verbal spat ensued between them. Ravi stabbed Zahid who died," a senior police officer said.

Ravi, who also received some cuts in the scuffle, called up police after he stabbed his friend.

"Ravi himself called the police and informed about the incident. The deceased was a paper cutting machine mechanic. Ravi is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital," said the officer.

Police said they will question Ravi once he gets a discharge, as well as the woman.
Is your organisation looking to digital transformation to deliver much needed cost savings and efficiency gains this year?

If the answer is yes, youre far from alone. Australias total ICT spend is expected to hit a record $133 billion in 2024, up 7.8 per cent on the previous year, according to Gartner.

Its predicted spending on software and services will surge by 12.8 per cent and 8.2 per cent respectively, as businesses seek to optimise their infrastructure and operational costs by investing in cloud and digital enablement.

Sanctioned by the State

The Australian government has long been alive to the business benefits e-invoicing can deliver.

In 2020, it sought to accelerate adoption by the countrys commercial sector by mandating that all federal government agencies be in a position to receive Peppol e-invoices by 1 July 2022.

An internationally recognised framework for e-invoicing and e-procurement, Peppol (Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine) is used by more than 30 countries in Europe, Asia and North America.

Having this technology in place has enabled the government to implement a five-day payment policy for its small business suppliers.

The state and territory governments have followed suit: NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the ACT have all launched e-invoicing adoption programs and the Australian Tax Office is encouraging local authorities to do likewise.

If you sell to the public sector, or aspire to do so, being able to take advantage of these favourable payment terms can make a real difference to cash flow.

Better bread and butter business processes

But while it can be relatively easy to pique decision makers interest in big picture programs of work, its all too common for more basic business processes to be overlooked in the transformation stakes, despite the significant benefits digitising them would deliver.

Invoicing is a case in point. In 2024, many local enterprises are still using traditional methods and legacy systems to bill their customers for goods dispatched or services rendered.

Manual billing also carries the risk of human error and getting it wrong can cost businesses dear. Having invoices rejected because theyre incorrect can mean their payment is delayed by days, if not weeks. If that happens frequently, youve got yourself the perfect conditions for a cash flow crunch!

Moreover, sub-optimal billing processes create a less-than-stellar customer experience and may even cause customers to question the professionalism of your organisation.

Turning to technology

Adopt e-invoicing and its a very different story.

The digital exchange of invoices between a supplier and a customers financial software systems via a secure network, e-invoicing eliminates many stages in the billing process  think printing, storing, posting and emailing.

Implement a modern e-invoicing platform and your customers will be able to access and download their bills securely, immediately theyre issued  and your accounts receivable team will be able to monitor whether and when theyve done so.

Processing time is reduced for both parties and that means youre likely to be paid faster. Thats a boon in todays times, given the increased costs associated with accessing finance facilities for cash flow purposes.

Youll be able to reduce your operating costs significantly too, if your invoice volume is high. By Deloitte Access Economics reckoning, theres a $20 saving to be had each time a paper invoice is replaced by an electronic equivalent.

Invaluable insights

E-invoicing also creates an opportunity to avail yourself of unprecedented insights into your customers payment journeys, including a birds eye view of their payment patterns and behaviours.

An invoice that remains unopened several days after being sent, for example, may be more likely to require chasing than one thats been accessed on the day of receipt.

Having that granular business intelligence at their fingertips  choose a platform with advanced automation capabilities and invoicing data will be collected, cleaned, monitored and presented automatically and in real time  can help your AR team get on the front foot with delinquent debtors.

Dealing with them promptly before, not after, they slide into default, will help protect your organisations cash flow and bottom line.

While the adoption of e-invoicing may not be an imagination grabbing project, the benefits it can deliver are significant and ongoing. If productivity gains, cost savings and getting cash in the bank faster are priorities for your organisation, its transformative digital technology you cant afford not to have in your ICT stack this year.

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In a dramatic escalation of pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, two senior ministers issued threats to leave the government on Sunday, as Israel negotiates a deal for the return of hostages held by Hamas and prepares for a ground offensive in Rafah.

War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz warned that if a responsible outline for the return of hostages is reached, but ministers who led the government on October 7 prevent it, the government will have no right to continue to exist and lead the campaign.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened that the government would have no right to exist unless Israel invades Rafah, rejecting an Egyptian-mediated hostages-for-ceasefire proposal as a humiliating surrender.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid denounced the ultimatums, saying, The government needs to choose: Return the hostages alive, or Ben Gvir and Smotrich. Relations with the Americans or Ben Gvir and Smotrich. An agreement with the Saudis or Ben Gvir and Smotrich. The security of Israel or Ben Gvir and Smotrich.

Despite the political threats, an Israeli official insisted that preparations for Rafah are continuing, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant pledged to eliminate Hamas and return the hostages.

The developments come as the US has expressed concerns over a potential humanitarian catastrophe in Rafah, with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby saying Israel agreed to listen to US concerns before carrying out a military invasion.

A senior Hamas official said the terror group would deliver its response to Israels latest counterproposal for a Gaza truce on Monday, as diplomatic efforts intensify to reach a truce and hostage-release deal.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas warned that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be the biggest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people, appealing to the US to stop the operation.

(YWNs Jerusalem Desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel.)
The IDF on Monday evening announced that two IDF reserve soldiers fell in battle in the central Gaza Strip earlier on Monday.

The soldiers were identified as Master Sgt (res.) Ido Aviv, Hyd, 28, of Karmiel and Master Sgt (res.) Kalkidan Meharim, Hyd, 37, of Petach Tikva.

Both soldiers were killed in an explosion amid a battle with terrorists in the Netzarim Corridor.

A third soldier was seriously injured in the explosion.

(YWNs Jerusalem Desk is keeping you updated on Isru Chag in Israel.)
Tesla boss Elon Musk has made a surprise visit to Beijing as he looks to woo officials over self-driving cars.

In a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang last night, Musk said the electric car maker was willing to cooperate to 'achieve more win-win results'.

It comes as the Tesla chief aims to launch its self-driving cars in China and convince officials to transfer data collected in the country abroad to train algorithms.

On a mission: Tesla boss Elon Musk has made a surprise visit to Beijing as he looks to woo officials

Musk has previously tried to calm the Chinese authorities by establishing a data centre in Shanghai.

But the trip comes just days after US regulators said a three-year-long investigation into Tesla's autopilot mode had identified at least 13 crashes in which the feature had been involved.

Dan Ives, tech analyst at Wedbush, said the meeting was a 'watershed moment' for the US company, which has suffered with slowing electric vehicles sales prompting the firm to cut 10 per cent of its 140,000 global workforce.

Tesla shares have slumped by over a third since the start of 2024.
A prominent Elementis shareholder has called on the FTSE 250 firm's chief executive to stand down, saying the chemicals business requires 'urgent change'.

Activist investor Gatemore Capital Management said in a scathing open letter published on Monday that Paul Waterman had presided over an extended period of weak results caused by 'self-inflicted management failures'.

The so-called failures include spending more than half the firm's current market capitalisation on acquisitions, such as that of Mondo Minerals, which it bought in 2018 for $500million from private equity giant Advent International.

Manufacturer: Elementis makes ingredients for use in deodorants and skin creams

Gatemore owns 0.6 per cent of Elementis shares.

The letter accuses Elementis of overpaying for Mondo while failing to achieve the 'promised synergies' from the takeover, thereby causing higher debts and cash flow problems that led to a covenant reset and axed dividends.

In addition, the fund manager said the company's financial performance had been 'disappointing', with earnings per share and operating profit margins both declining even after numerous cost-cutting measures.

Gatemore said Elementis shares have underperformed their peers and the FTSE 250 Index by 76 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively, since Waterman took over in 2016. They were 1.75 per cent up at 139.6p on early Monday afternoon.

Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: 'Naming and shaming in this way are classic techniques by investors who are fed up with a company.

'Typically, this tends to be a measure of last resort, and it will be interesting to see if other investors rally together and put on more pressure to enforce change in the business.'

Elementis, which makes ingredients for use in deodorants and skin creams, has recently received takeover offers from US rivals Innospec and Minerals Technologies and investment group KPS Capital Partners.

While Gatemore acknowledged the problems facing London-listed firms had 'clearly not helped', it said this cannot justify Elementis's 'scale of underperformance'.

Gatemore said Elementis's board was 'not aligned' with shareholders because corporate governance rules discourage businesses from incentivising directors with equity.

Less than 0.05 per cent of the firm's shares are held by its non-executive directors, equivalent to 332,000, but they take in around 526,000 annually in fees.

'The misalignment in interest as reflected in this configuration is, unfortunately, not uncommon in UK PLCs, where boards are disincentivised from acting decisively and with appropriate urgency for the benefit of shareholders,' Gatemore added.

To turn things around, Gatemore wants Elementis to replace Waterman because he is 'no longer trusted to be the individual' to correct 'past missteps'.

Gatemore is also urging Elementis to conduct a strategic review to make it 'more attractive for a strategic buyer' and speed up its cost savings programme.

In response to the letter, Elementis said in a statement: 'The board continues to believe that shareholder value is best driven by a focus on delivering the substantial actions that are currently being progressed at pace throughout the business and that underpin progress towards the 2026 targets of 19 per cent+ operating margin, >90 per cent cash conversion and >20 per cent return on capital, generated by $90million of above market revenue growth and $30million cost savings.

'The Board continues to engage with, and welcomes feedback from, all shareholders, with a clear focus on driving shareholder value, and looks forward to updating the market in its trading update alongside its AGM tomorrow.'
Tesla shares surged yesterday as Elon Musk moved a step closer to launching self-driving cars in China

In a much-needed boost, the electric vehicle makers billionaire boss struck a navigation deal with Chinese tech firm Baidu.

He also agreed terms for how the US group handles data security and privacy issues.

The clearing of the two major hurdles came during a surprise visit to Beijing where Musk met Chinese premier Li Qiang to discuss the car industry.

Tesla shares surged more than 15 per cent yesterday.

Driving forward: Tesla boss Elon Musk (pictured) has struck a navigation deal with Chinese tech firm Baidu

The business has been looking to roll out its self-driving cars in China, its second-largest market globally, and convince authorities to transfer data collected in the country abroad to train algorithms.

Musk, 52, said Tesla was willing to cooperate to achieve more win-win results. The group has previously tried to reassure Chinese authorities by establishing a data centre in Shanghai in 2021.

The share price rally follows a bumpy few weeks for Tesla, which is cutting 10 per cent of its workforce as it battles subdued demand for electric cars.

Musks whirlwind visit also came just days after US regulators said a three-year investigation into Teslas autopilot mode had identified at least 13 crashes in which the feature had been involved.

Dan Ives, tech analyst at Wedbush, was upbeat about the car makers future.

While demand challenges exist in China for Tesla, Wall Street is looking through this painful transition period for the long term growth story to emerge for Musk with fully self-driving a key ingredient in that recipe for success, he said.

Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at broker AJ Bell, said: Elon Musk comes in for a lot of stick but the one thing he does appear to do well is those sensitive hand-shaking moments.

Its cutting-edge, autonomous tech is likely to be the bit that holds Teslas cars above other EVs [electric vehicles] and allows the US company to charge a premium for its models.

She added: Getting that tech signed off for Chinese drivers is going to be a crucial part of the companys next difficult chapter and Mr Musk has taken some important strides forward in making that happen.
Following a successful event in 2023, Online Retailer Conference & Expo returns to the ICC Sydney Exhibition Centre, in July 2024.

Hosting an unmissable list of international and local speakers, exhibitors and workshops, Australias largest e-commerce and retail expo will be held at the ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour on July 24th and 25th, 2024.

Over two days the conference will feature the whos who of the online retail industry discussing the sectors hottest topics including AI automation, customer data optimisation, and B2B transformation.

The conference itself, which will be ticketed, has 12 conference tracks catering to businesses of any size and provides access to over 150 speakers, sharing the latest industry insights, case studies, panels from leading local and international retailers and networking events. Online Retailer also offers FREE access to the Expo, show floor conference content and the morning conference keynote sessions.

The highly anticipated event will feature keynote speakers from some of the most recognisable international names in the retail business including Kai Li, VP International from Revolve, and Sarah Lukins, GM Digital from Fisher & Paykel, New Zealand.

Local speakers will include Christine Guerru, Ecommerce Acceleration Director from LOreal Australia, Jarrod Calamante, Head of Ecommerce at Spotlight Retail Group, and Joanna Robinson, Chief Marketing Officer from The ICONIC.

Online Retailer Event Director, Matt Smith said, Were thrilled to be back this year to share the latest and most innovative new technologies and developments in the online retail space. We have an exceptional lineup of local and international speakers who will discuss some of the most important issues facing our industry. No matter the stage of their business or what they are hoping to achieve Online Retailer Conference & Expo is guaranteed to provide retailers with unparalleled inspiration and opportunities to learn from industry innovators through our roster of panel discussions, workshops, and networking activities.

Attendees will get to hear from leading brands and strategic partners on how they are navigating this ever-changing industry  conference highlights will include:

Cross-border e-commerce : Hear from international keynote speaker, Kai Li of cult online fashion and beauty retailer, Revolve. Kai will share key insights and tips for successful cross-border e-commerce operations including how to gain in-depth demographic insights into your target market, best practices for fulfillment and returns as part of your cross-border logistics strategy, and how Revolve has managed to derive the majority of its revenue from repeat customers.

: Hear from international keynote speaker, Kai Li of cult online fashion and beauty retailer, Revolve. Kai will share key insights and tips for successful cross-border e-commerce operations including how to gain in-depth demographic insights into your target market, best practices for fulfillment and returns as part of your cross-border logistics strategy, and how Revolve has managed to derive the majority of its revenue from repeat customers. Customer experience (CX) excellence: At a time when the cost of living is driving change in consumer shopping behaviour, retailers face multiple challenges in maintaining customer loyalty. Attendees will learn how they can use technology and multiple touchpoints to engage with and gauge customer sentiment, identify opportunities for customer retention, and how they can create a meaningful and memorable customer experience, making them stand out from their competitors.

Following massive interest in 2023 the conference will again host a dedicated B2B transformation track that will help B2B companies embrace digital technology and business transformation by illustrating new channels for growth. Key areas of discussion will include developing a long-term roadmap for B2B businesses, eliminating pain points to help enhance operational efficiency, and enhancing your customer experience to drive business resilience.

The coinciding free-to-attend expo will gather one of the widest arrays of ecommerce solutions providers with more than 140 exhibitors showcasing the latest technologies and innovations with the express purpose of providing online retailers an edge over the competition.

On the final evening of Online Retailer, the conference will play host to the Australia Post Online Retail Industry Awards (ORIAS) to finish off the event with a bang. The ORIAS is Australias leading retail awards program that celebrates the excellence of Australasias vibrant and innovative multichannel and online retailing visionaries.

Ticketing to the event is available now. The Expo is free (but registration is required), and ticketed events start at $99+ GST for a Retail Elevate Workshop Ticket, through to $1,499 for a 2-day retailer conference pass.

To find more information or to book a ticket now, please visit http://www.onlineretailer.com/

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Baloise Holding AG (OTCMKTS:BLHEF  Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 154,500 shares, a drop of 5.1% from the August 31st total of 162,800 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently ? days.

Baloise Stock Performance

BLHEF opened at $201.18 on Tuesday. The firms fifty day moving average is $174.32 and its two-hundred day moving average is $166.53. Baloise has a twelve month low of $142.29 and a twelve month high of $201.18.

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Baloise Holding AG, together with its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the insurance and banking businesses in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg. It operates through Non-Life, Life, Asset Management & Banking, and Other Activities segments. The company offers various non-life insurance products, including accident, health, general liability, motor, fire and other property, marine, credit protection, and legal expenses insurance.

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Part of our European election campaign, we are looking at and analysing one of the largest and most costly legislative packages in the Union: the European Green Deal (EGD). The event organized together with Bundnis C  Christen fur Deutschland focused in particular on security of supply in 3 key areas: food, energy and housing.

We are convinced that the sensible use of the natural resources is a Biblical mandate and we need to improve resilience and act in responsible ways for the sake of future generations. This event aimed to inform the voters in Germany of the details of the Green Deal and the inherent challenges, as well as to explore the opportunities for innovation and adaptation to the new climate realities.

Andreas Schick, Managing Director of Netze-Gesellschaft Sudwest mbH, spoke about the energy sector and in particular about hydrogen being the 'transition fuel' which could run on some of the existent gas infrastructure, is cleaner than fossil fuels, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve our energy security while we develop other types of renewable energy.

Helmut Jager, Chairman of the Karlsruhe District Farmers' Association, addressed the food security by detailing the Farm-to-Fork strategy and underlining its shortcomings. In his view, although the European Commission's strategy wants to make a significant push towards reducing farming and towards turning farming organic, in the end it will hinge on the market demands. He also informed the audience of the hidden costs of farming and dispelled the myth that the agri sector gets all the subsidies it needs to function.

Dominic Potters, entrepreneur and board member of the European Christian Political Youth (ECPYouth), tackled the housing security issues. He presented the requirements in the Green Deal regarding housing, old and new (insulation, carbon footprint, sustainable construction materials etc.), as well as the housing shortages and the ever-rising costs. As Christians we should not disengage or wholly dismiss the policies prescribed in the EGD, but take this opportunity and be creative about how we do things. We can all play a part in making our cities greener, in adapting buildings to make them more sustainable, being conscious of our consumption, choose transportation which pollutes less etc. Potters provided the city of Antwerp as an example implementing some of these efforts, sometimes successfully, other times with mixed results. He recommended wisdom and a balanced approach towards the housing policies stipulated in the EGD: some of them make sense and can be implemented fairly easy while others are counter-intuitive, radical and/or expensive and threaten to accelerate poverty or leave areas behind.

Chairwoman of Bundnis C  Christen fur Deutschland and Vice-President of the ECPM, Karin Heepen, concluded the event by echoing the points made by previous speakers, as well as adding ECPM's commitment to relational thinking (meaning change and innovation should be bottoms-up and should benefit all shareholders: people, the environment and businesses). She spoke critically of the associations between big business and politicians or the government and advocated for support and priority given to SMEs and family-based businesses, which are the backbone of a healthy economy.
The United States is frustrated with the stalled effort to achieve a political solution in Syria, said Ambassador Robert Wood, U.S. Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations. He urged all Security Council members to call on the Syrian regime to finally engage in the political process in good faith.

In the meantime, the humanitarian situation in Syria remains bleak. More than 16 million people in Syria depend on assistance, with 10.8 million of the most vulnerable requiring immediate, life-saving aid, explained Ambassador Wood:

These staggering numbers confirm once again what the humanitarian assistance community and the Syrian people have been saying for years: not enough aid is getting to those who need it. The 90-day arrangement with the Syrian regime for UN access through Bab Al-Salam and Bab Al-Rai crossings expires in a few weeks. These two crossings have provided important capacity and enabled faster, more efficient aid deliveries to communities in need, on top of the vital crossing at Bab Al-Hawa. The six-month arrangement for that crossing expires in July.

Extending these arrangements at the last minute is no way to address the daunting scale and persistence of humanitarian needs in Syria, declared Ambassador Wood.

With regard to detentions and missing persons, Ambassador Wood welcomed the recent funding of the Independent Institution for Missing Persons in Syria. Families deserve to know the fates and whereabouts of over 155,000 missing or arbitrarily detained persons in Syria by all parties to the conflict.

Ambassador Wood reiterated his deep concerns that the Syrian regime has allowed Iranian-aligned militia groups to operate on its territory while Iran continues to provide these militias with advanced weapons, intelligence support, financial aid, and training.

Irans militant proxies and partners only seek to advance their own destabilizing agenda and it is clear the Syrian people increasingly resent their presence. To prevent further escalation in Syria and neighboring countries, the United States will continue to work with our diplomatic partners towards resolving all the tensions in the region.

The Syrian people have suffered for far too long, and their increasingly dire plight demands a robust response from the international community.

We must recommit ourselves, said Ambassador Wood, to providing the necessary funding, political will, and collective action to help Syrians who are in desperate need.
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The number of claims in accidents caused by uninsured vehicles grew by 11% in 2023, according to figures from the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI).

The MIBI was established in 1955 to compensate victims of road accidents caused by uninsured and unidentified vehicles.

It said the average motorist will have contributed 30-35 euro at their most recent insurance renewal to cover the claims paid out by the MIBI in the last year.

It said that in 2023, it received a total of 1,927 claims, up 187 on 2022.

The largest number of claims it received were from Dublin (822), followed by Cork (141), Limerick (112), Kildare (102) and Galway (91).

The number of claims relating to uninsured drivers grew in 14 of the 26 counties, with the largest percentage increases occurring in Mayo (up 80%), Meath (up 55%) and Kildare (up 42%).

Nine counties recorded a drop in the number of claims, with the largest percentage decreases coming in Leitrim (down 55%), Offaly (down 29%) and Sligo (down 21%).

It comes as the Gardai and Government clamp down on road policing in response to an increase on road fatalities; 69 people have been killed on Irish roads so far this year, compared to 51 people in the same period last year.

Chief executive of the MIBI David Fitzgerald said: This jump of almost 200 claims due to accidents caused by uninsured vehicles should be a cause of concern for every law abiding motorist in the country.

It is illegal to drive without valid motor insurance, yet as these figures show there are still a significant number of people who are willingly flouting the law.

Every one of the uninsured motorists behind these claims is effectively putting their hands in the pockets of law abiding motorists and taking their money.

The MIBI provides An Garda Siochana with the insurance details for three million vehicles on Irish roads, meaning gardai can instantly check whether a vehicle is insured by scanning its registration plate.

Mr Fitzgerald said: Were on record saying our expectation is that this will be a gamechanger for law enforcement in dealing with the scourge of uninsured driving.

We hope that as this new weapon begins to bite, it wont be long before the number of uninsured claims we receive also begins to fall.
UK and Irish ministers are due to meet in London amid an escalating row over migrants travelling from the UK to Ireland.

Irelands deputy premier and foreign affairs minister Micheal Martin is to co-chair a meeting of the British Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC) in London on Monday with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

Home Secretary James Cleverly and Justice Minister Helen McEntee had been due to meet on Monday to discuss strengthening the Common Travel Area, but the meeting was postponed late on Sunday night.

It comes as Channel crossings continue and Home Office figures show more than 7,000 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey  reaching a new record high for the first four months of a calendar year.

It was confirmed on Monday that Ms McEntee will not attend the BIIGC and will instead meet senior officials in Dublin.

The minister looks forward to her meeting with the Home Secretary being rescheduled soon, a statement said.

Ms McEntee has claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now higher than 80% due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

After Mr Martin said the increase could be driven by migrants in fear of being deported to Rwanda, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that shows the UKs Rwanda plans effect.

The plan aims to send asylum seekers to the east African nation to deter others from crossing the English Channel.

Irish premier Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland will not provide a loophole for other countries migration challenges and said Ireland will draft legislation for a new returns policy.

Mr Harris also said that close collaboration and co-operation between the British and Irish Governments is not just desirable, but absolutely essential.

In response, the UK Government rejected any bid by Ireland to return asylum seekers unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

We wont accept any asylum returns from the EU via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France, a Government source said.

Mel Stride, the UK Work and Pensions Secretary, said on Monday that the claimed increase in people seeking asylum in Ireland who have crossed the border are early signs of the Rwanda plans effectiveness.

Asked whether the UK would accept asylum seekers being sent back across the border into Northern Ireland, Mr Stride told LBC: We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK.

What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works. Thats exactly why we are now having this conversation, because we have now passed that legislation.

The Prime Minister has made it very clear  in 10-12 weeks time we are going to be seeing people going on to planes, we are geared up for it, its going to happen, and my view is its going to work.

Labours David Lammy said it is way too premature to say that the Rwanda plan is working.

I suspect, actually, as the weather warms up we will see this scheme, Im afraid, has not deterred many, many people from crossing the Channel, the shadow foreign secretary told LBC.

I think its way too premature to say now that weve seen a few people go to Dublin somehow this has been achieved. Thats just not going to be the case.

Mr Lammy also called for a co-ordinated agreement with European countries, rather than a whack-a-mole situation where compromises are made with individual states as they raise complaints.

On Sunday, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle ONeill urged a thought-out and considered response from both the British and Irish Governments.

Irish ministers are expected to discuss on Tuesday emergency legislation that would see asylum seekers returned to the UK.

The legislation is being drafted in response to an Irish High Court ruling which found that Ireland designating the UK as a safe third country for returning asylum seekers, in the context of the Rwanda plan, is contrary to EU law.

Ms McEntee said in a statement: I will seek Government approval for the legislation to be rapidly drafted so that the UK can again be designated as a safe country for returns.

My department has been working on this as a priority since last months High Court judgment and I intend that returns to the UK will recommence once the law is enacted.

Mr Martin said: I am pleased to be in London for another important meeting of the BIIGC, the first such meeting since the restoration of the Strand I and Strand II institutions.

As ever, there are numerous areas of mutual interest for the Governments to discuss and I look forward to another productive conference.

Some 500 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK on Friday and Saturday alone, taking the provisional total for 2024 to date to 7,167.

This exceeds the previous record high figure of 6,691 for January to April 2022 and has already surpassed the 5,946 arrivals in the first four months of last year.

It means arrivals are 24% higher than this time last year and 7% higher than at this point in 2022.

No crossings were recorded on Sunday.
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Scatec ASA, a leading renewable energy solutions provider, signed a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Statkraft Energia do Brasil Ltda in Br. . .
ELKO  Great Basin Colleges substance-abuse counseling courses have received a two-year accreditation and praise from the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission for excellence in the preparation of the 21st century addiction professional workforce.

That preparation is needed across Nevada, according to Professor Oscar Sida, who said we have a tremendous need for substance-abuse counselors in the state. We have some of the lowest numbers in the country. I think were 48th out of 50. Were not anywhere near meeting capacity.

He said the colleges program can help meet the need in the state, especially in rural communities.

Since our program is fully online, students are able to serve their community while in their academic program, and they are more apt to stay there and practice. We grow them in their own community, said Sida, who is coordinator/faculty for the human services program.

He said the accreditation announced earlier this month is conditional, but he and the college will work to align more of our courses to meet their standards for longer-term accreditation that improves professional visibility and creditability.

Great Basin Colleges dean of health science and human services, Staci Warnert, said she was thrilled that our human services programs have received accreditation from the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission. It is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff, who work hard to ensure curricular excellence and provide high-quality education at GBC.

Warnert, who is based at the colleges Winnemucca branch, said in an email the college is proud to offer a comprehensive curriculum that equips our graduates with the knowledge, skills, and compassion needed to support those affected by addiction.

All substance-abuse counseling courses at the college feature stackable credits, Sida said.

The college offers a 30-credit certificate for substance abuse counseling that can get you in the door as a para-professional, and students can add another year to achieve an associate degree to work as an intern under a licensed professional, he said.

Students can then add two more years to receive a bachelors degree, and when you get your bachelors you can be fully licensed as an alcohol and drug counselor, Sida said in a phone interview.

Although the courses are online, students need to do practicum at agencies in their communities and they need to take national examinations to be certified. Sida said the new generation of students are digital natives, so online works for them. We record lectures and upload them to YouTube, and we use a lot of different mediums.

Students also can apply their credits for an advanced degree to work in related fields, said Sida, who works at the colleges Pahrump campus and has a private evening counseling practice in Las Vegas.

All credits are transferable in higher education in Nevada, he said.

Sida said the college started substance abuse counseling courses in 2008. He started with the college in 2016, and he expanded the program in 2018 to add the bachelors degree courses. He said there were six graduates this year in the associate and bachelors programs.

Its not easy to work with folks in early recovery. Its really difficult to go through, he said, pointing to withdrawal and psychological and behavioral changes that happen when they quit using. If we dont have folks who care enough to help these folks through this experience, they are going to continue to have this problem in the community.

Sida said people who are addicted are not bad people, but the drugs kind of twist their mind and values and perspective and they do bad things, so we want them to take responsibility for what they have done plus teach them a new way of being.

College President Joyce Helens said in an announcement that Sida is committed to improving human services programs offered by the college and has also worked with the Nevada System of Higher Education on securing mental-health support services and is working with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Medicine.

Sida said the UNLV program is to increase the behavioral health workforce.

He said that BeHereNV is an initiation the college will work with to increase mental-health providers in Nevada, and a chart he provided shows the U.S. average ratio for mental health providers is 380 to 1, but the Nevada average is 422 to 1, and the range for different areas of the state is 287 to 1 to 2,580 to 1.

He said there is less stigma and a better understanding of the need for mental-health care, as well as physical-health care, and we need to meet the newer generation where they are at.

There also is a growing interest from students in substance-abuse counseling, especially at the high school level, Sida said. Students recognize problems in their communities and sometimes begin courses while still in high school, he said.

Those who train in substance-abuse counseling also learn about psychological trauma, pathologies and mental health treatments to do their job because about 80% who have an addiction have an underlying problem, Sida said.

He said he finds the work fulfilling because when a person starts to function better and their overall health and well-being improves, the well-being of family, friends and the community improves.

According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly pay for substance-abuse, behavior disorder and mental-health counselors is $25.47 an hour, although the hourly wages are as high as $35.58 an hour and as low as $14.18. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that as of May 2023, the annual wage varied from $36,700 to $89,920.

Sida said anyone interested in substance abuse counseling courses can contact the college. The tuition is $6,000 for an associate degree, which he said is a very affordable undergraduate education.
ELKO  Great Basin College student Karissa Sena-Fadenrecht was named to a Phi Theta Kappa Division IV International Vice President at the Catalyst Conference April 4-6 in Orlando, Florida.

Karissa is pure sunshine, and I cannot wait to see her dazzle this coming year as the Division IV International Vice President, said Samantha Levy, the facilitator for the International Phi Theta Kappa Officer election.

As she enters the Phi Theta Kappa International executive internship, Karissa and her fellow officers will become shining beacons to thousands of Phi Theta Kappa members on an international level.

Karissa will serve as a Phi Theta Kappa International Vice President in Alaska, Washington, Montana, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, California, Arizona, New Mexico and Hawaii, as well as Palau, Micronesia, the Marshal Island, American Samoa and Canada.

In 2020, Karissa chose to attend GBC in Elko, which became a safe place and an educational space for her to learn and grow.

She declared a double major in early childhood education and social work, and accepted an invitation to join PTK in 2022.

Karissa was enthusiastic about community service and providing support for children in the foster care system in rural Nevada. She and the Beta Beta Epsilon team organized the You Matter Foster Child Campaign, which collected 12,000 brand-new items for foster children in rural Nevada, along with 7,500 diapers and over $500.00 in gift cards for foster teens.

This was just the beginning of Karissas charitable contributions to her chapter, college, community, and region. The following year, Karissa was elected vice president of the Beta Beta Epsilon Chapter and vice president of the NV/CA Region. She fulfilled both roles.

The Beta Beta Epsilon Chapter credits Karissa with developing and presenting Self-Care and Mindfulness forums for all GBC students. The forums were also presented at the fall NV/CA Regional Conference and the Tea at Three regional Alumni workshop in 2023.

Karissa worked endless hours, along with her chapter members, to ensure that Beta Beta Epsilon participated in regional and international initiatives. In three years, the chapter ascended from a one-star to a five-star status.

Karissas inspirational drive, ambition, and kindred spirit continually motivated the chapter officers and members to grow as leaders and community servants.

While fulfilling her PTK duties on a local and regional level, Karissa also works full-time as a preschool teacher at the Great Basin College Child & Family Center.

On Tuesday evenings, she works for Heart & Hope as a facilitator for youth who have been exposed to domestic violence. Karissa never stops giving of herself.

Karissa credits her chapter members and her adviser, Lynette Macfarlan, for their constant support. While immersed in regional duties, Karissa always stayed connected to her chapter.

Karissa believes that she grew as an inspirational leader because of the mentorship and guidance provided by the Regional Directors, Myriam Moody, Bruno Rhoads and Cathy Gillis. She is eternally grateful for the unconditional support she received from NV/CA Alumni President Kristine Lowe.

Karissa has formed life-long friendships with her NV/CA Regional Officer Team, Brooklyn Asterino-Starcher, Florence Thwe, Sabre Iglesias, and Jerry Hnin.

Her regional officer team also served as her international campaign managers. They helped Karissa win the hearts and the votes of thousands of PTK delegates who elected her as the Division IV International Vice President at the Catalyst Conference in Orlando.
CARSON CITY  The Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education approved the employment agreement for Amber Donnelli to serve as Interim President of Great Basin College.

Donnellis term as interim is set to begin July 1.

We are confident that Dr. Donnelli will provide strong leadership and guidance to Great Basin College, Board of Regents Chair Amy J. Carvalho said. Her personal connection to the college and deep understanding of Great Basins mission and its unique place in Nevadas higher education landscape make her an ideal fit for the role.

Donnelli started her higher education journey at Great Basin College, earning her Associate of Science in Nursing.

She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in Nursing Education from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the same institution.

Licensed as a Registered Nurse in Nevada and certified as a Nurse Educator (CNE) by the National League for Nursing, Donnelli brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her leadership roles. She has held various administrative positions, including Associate Vice President of Faculty Success and Dean of Health Science and Human Services at Great Basin College.

Dr. Donnellis appointment represents a proud moment for Great Basin College and the entire NSHE community, said NSHE Chancellor Patricia Charlton. Her path from student to interim president shows the true power of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

I am honored to be entrusted with the responsibilities of Interim President of Great Basin College, Donnelli said. Returning to the institution where my educational journey began is a privilege, and I am eager to work alongside faculty, staff, students, and the broader community to advance the colleges mission.

Donnelli says she plans to advance the mission and vision of Great Basin College by fostering student success with resources, support, and comprehensive education that equip students for the workforce and fields of study they will enter.

She also plans to strengthen ties with local businesses, organizations, and residents to create mutually beneficial partnerships.

A summary of Donnellis contract can be found in the Board of Regents April 19, 2024 Special Board Meeting Materials.
Over the past few weeks, Mayor Q has turned KCMO into a punching bag for Missouri Republicans looking to score quick & easy points amid campaign season 2024.

Here's the latest power move that leverages sketchy and largely unpopular comments from the city hall honcho that he has continually had to walk back . . .



Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, is the latest Republican speaking out.



We just saw Mayor Quinton Lucas from Kansas City, he said. Hes been saying that hes been talking to the mayors in Denver as well as New York City to bring those illegal immigrants here to help with the workforce. We dont want illegal aliens here in the state.



Hoskins, a member of the right-leaning Freedom Caucus, has filed legislation that proposes tough restrictions for immigrants who have illegally entered the U.S. and reside in Missouri.



What Senate Bill 1520 would do, it would make it a state crime in order to be an illegal alien here in the state, Hoskins said. Put a $10,000 fine and then deport any illegal alien thats not supposed to be here back to wherever they came from. I think this is very important.

Despite filing the bill earlier this year, Hoskins is calling on his colleagues to advance his bill due to Lucass invitation to migrants to move there and find work.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
To start the week we check in the heiress, actress and reality show pioneer hottie Paris who inspires us the check pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Kansas City Weekend Survival Stories

2 residents, 2 cats rescued from house fire in South Blue Valley neighborhood The Kansas City Fire Department rescued two people and two cats from a house fire early Sunday morning.

Moving Dirt In Midtown

Historic Westport High School transformed into apartments in 16-Acre redevelopment project Built in 1908, students once walked the halls of Westport High School, but today the old senior high is the site of an 138 unit-apartment building.

Show-Me Not-So-Special Politics

Is a special session on the horizon for Missouri lawmakers? - Missourinet The clock is ticking for Missouri lawmakers, who have passed six bills so far this year. With three weeks left to go in the Missouri Legislature's session, the Senate's gridlock this year has created a giant traffic jam of bills awaiting attention. If lawmakers don't pass some of Gov.

More Deets On Legal Crackdown

GOP Lawmakers To Kansans: No Medical Marijuana, No Expanded Medicaid And No More Debate Until Next Year Kansas has yet to pass medical marijuana, unlike Ohio and potentially Florida, where voters can propose laws on the ballot.

Serving Our Neighbors In Need

Operation BBQ Relief deploys to Nebraska after devastating tornado outbreak Dozens of reported tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest

Diva Offers Sneak Peek

Paris Hilton bares all for sensual Flaunt magazine photo shoot Paris Hilton wore nothing during a sensual Flaunt magazine photo shoot, in which she discussed her love of fashion and music, motherhood and more.

MAGA Moves Unpacked

Trump maintains lead over Biden in new survey Former President Trump maintains a lead over President Biden in a hypothetical matchup, a new survey found. Trump has 49 percent of support among registered voters while Biden has 43 percent, according to the CNN survey, which was conducted by SSRS. These results have remained roughly unchanged from the previous two CNN surveys conducted in...

Left Coast Slugs It Out

US campus protests: Rival Gaza protest groups clash at UCLA Scuffles break out between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel activists, with no sign of student demos tailing off.

GOP Truce Underway

Trump and DeSantis meet to 'bury the hatchet' after 2024 primary fight: Sources DeSantis met privately with Trump in Miami on Sunday, multiple sources say, marking the latest development in the pair's rocky relationship after the Republican primary

Talker Shares Regret

Ellen DeGeneres Addresses 'Getting Kicked Out of Show Business' on Her New Comedy Tour: 'It's Been a Toll on My Ego' The former talk-show host launched her 'Ellen's Last Stand...Up Tour' in L.A. and said it will soon be taped for a Netflix special

Newman Comeback Reported

Once dominant at CBS News before a bitter departure, Dan Rather makes his first return in 18 years Dan Rather was synonymous with CBS News before the veteran anchorman left in bitterness in 2006, following a discredited report on then-President George W

Baller Glamour For Good Cause

Patrick Mahomes shares an inside look at his star-studded charity gala Patrick Mahomes has given fans an inside look at his Las Vegas charity gala after a host of star names came together to raise money for his foundation this weekend.

Johnson County Wines Again

Overland Park wine bar honored with prestigious international title A wine bar in Overland Park is one of only four in the State of Kansas to receive a prestigious international title by wine connoisseurs.

Forecast To Start This Week

Sunny and mild to kick off the week in the metro Multiple Impact Day days this week will likely disrupt your outdoor plans

Ava Max - My Oh My is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
The former KCPD Detective remains behind bars BUT we notice friends, family AND QUITE A FEW MISSOURI POLITICOS signing on to a petition for pardon.

Recently, denizens of our www.TonysKansasCity.com blog community noticed this public summary of the sitch from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund and we think their perspective is both educational & newsworthy . . . Here's more:



Developing . . .
You can expect to see more smiles at Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada this week as the national coffee chain has kicked off its Smile Cookie campaign Monday, April 29.

The Smile Cookie sales continue until May 5, with 100 per cent of sales proceeds going to more than 600 charities and community groups, each one selected by the local Tim Hortons restaurant owners.

Last years campaign raised $19.7 million.

Our annual Smile Cookie campaign is a beloved and cherished tradition for Tim Hortons restaurant owners, team members and guests because of the amazing impact we can make together  while enjoying some delicious cookies, Tim Hortons' president Axel Schwan said in a news release.

Smile Cookies are chocolate chip cookies done up with icing to give them smiles. Besides cookies, customers can also purchase from a choice of four Smile Cookie personality pins, those being: Loopy, Bugsy, Starry and Squirmy.

Charites and community groups supported by the campaign vary from Tim Hortons location to location.

Tim Hortons has an interactive map on its website where customers can check to find out what charities are being supported at their local locations.
Gorilla trekking is the main adventure activity that differentiates Uganda from most African countries. If you are a student either pursuing a degree and looking to visit or simply volunteering in Uganda, you might at one point wish to visit one of the gorilla national parks.

Here is what you need to know when planning your gorilla safari as an international volunteer or international student visiting Uganda:

Gorilla Permit Rates

The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) does not have any special rates for students in regard to gorilla trekking. All rates are based on nationality. If you hold a non-African passport, you will be placed in two categories: foreign residents and foreign non-residents.

Foreign residents are those people residing in Uganda. In most cases, they all have a work permit. It is important to note that if you do not have a residence permit or a work permit, you will not be eligible for the category of foreign residents. Permits for foreign Residents of East Africa cost $700 per permit. Foreign international students can also qualify for this category.

Foreign non-residents are people who are in Uganda in most cases on a visit Visa or a tourist visa. These are also the kind of people who hold a passport from a non-African country. Their gorilla trekking permits cost $800 per person.

International students coming from African countries outside the East African community are placed in the category of Africans whose gorilla permit costs $500 per person.

Students or Volunteers coming from Uganda's neighbors (technically the East African Community) share the same benefits as Ugandans. Their gorilla trekking permit costs about US$80 per person.

Transportation

There are two major forms of transport for most Uganda safaris: hiring a car for self-drive or hiring a car with a driver (Similar to booking a safari package from a tour operator). These two options have their technicalities involved. You will have to discuss the insurance policy, refund policy, fuel policy among several other policies related to your trip.

The bus is not a recommended option because there are no buses that go straight to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. They all stop in town centers that are more than 10 kilometers away from the park. You will at one point have to hire a car to drop you off or pick you up from the park offices.

Accommodation

Accommodation in gorilla parks are quite expensive. If you are not fond of camping; it is recommended to spend a night in Kabale. However, if you are to spend a night in Kabale, it is also important to note that you can only conveniently trek in Ruhija sector.

By the time you set off for your gorilla trek, there will not be any place where you can buy any food or coffee for breakfast more so if you are spending a night in a city center guesthouse. It is therefore recommended that you prepare whatever you will eat during your trek a day before.

Alternatively, you can opt for gorilla trekking in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park. Here, you can spend a night in Kisoro and still trek gorillas in Mgahinga conveniently. The road trip to Mgahinga is also quite amazing; thus, it is highly recommended to go above Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.

Booking a Gorilla Safari in Uganda as a Volunteer or a Student

It is important to note that only licensed tour operators are allowed to purchase gorilla trekking permits from the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

To avoid the whole trouble of finding where to sleep, the transportation, planning for fuel, booking gorilla trekking permits; you can easily opt to book a gorilla safari with one of the top Uganda safari companies listed the Association of Uganda tour operator's website or Uganda Tourism Board website. They will handle your gorilla safari based on your budget. Do not forget to inform them that you are booking as a student or volunteer since some companies have special packages for the same.

The most recommended time for student gorilla trekking safaris is March, April, May and November. This is often the time of the year when there are only a few people gorilla trekking in Bwindi impenetrable national park and Mgahinga gorilla national park.

There are several other things you might have to plan for including the packing list and snacks. But to the best of our knowledge the above information is the most crucial and important information when planning a gorilla trekking safari in Uganda as a student or volunteer.
Among the many things to see in Lisbon, one of the must-visit places is none other than Belem Tower. Also known as the Tower of Saint Visit, this picturesque 16th-century fortification sits by the water, which gives visitors quite a view.

Travelers are allowed to enter and explore the Belem Tower. However, this whole experience can be quite a challenge if you make certain mistakes during your visit.

Here are some mistakes you shouldn't make so that your visit to Belem Tower will be a smooth and hassle-free as possible.

Expect a Short Wait

This might be the understatement of the century, but do not come to Belem Tower and expect a short wait. This is most especially true if you decide not to come early.

Waiting in line can take a while as they only allow a limited number of people inside the tower. If you're running on a tight schedule during your visit to Lisbon, you should always take into account the amount of time you'll spend waiting just to see a tourist attraction.

Given this, it is also recommended that you come early if you want to avoid waiting in a long line.

Related Article : Here's What to Keep in Mind When Planning Your Visit to Sao Jorge Castle

Assume the Lisboa Card is Your Ticket

Belem Tower is part of the Lisboa Card, which means having the card guarantees you a free entry into the tower. However, do not mistake the mistake of lining up just with your Lisboa Card. Why? The Lisboa Card isn't exactly the ticket you need to enter.

This was a mistake this writer and her husband nearly made during their visit. It was a good thing that, after observing the entrance to the tower, the realization eventually dawned that security wasn't letting those with Lisboa Cards in. Instead, they were told to head to the ticketing booth to show their Lisboa Card to get a ticket.

Again, avoid wasting your turn to finally go in and go get a ticket first before lining up.

Come Unprepared for Climbing Some Steps

The Belem Tower's name should give you an idea that there are steps to be climbed when you finally head inside. The upper floors, which contains the tower's important rooms, can only be accessed by climbing up some relatively steep steps. It goes without saying that you have to be prepared to climb up such steps.

This might be a problem for those with knee issues or for senior citizens. However, these stairs are not too long, and are very manageable to ascend and descend. Based on this writer's experience, fellow travelers generally don't get rude when you carefully go up and down, which is a relief for those who have to watch every step they make.
Seafood processing. Photo for illustration

On April 25, the Ministry of Industry and Trade cited the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore to inform the press about this event.

Statistics from the Singaporean corporate regulatory authority showed that during the time under review, the country imported nearly 340 million SGD worth of aquatic products from nearly 100 countries and territories, a decrease of 5.67% from the same period in 2023. It mainly imported shrimp, crab, crustacean, fresh fish, chilled fish, fish filet, frozen fish, and mollusc.

Seafood groups account for a large proportion in Singapore including: shrimp, crab, and crustacean seafood, accounting for nearly 25% of the total consumption; fresh and iced fish (19.86%); fish filets, iced or frozen fish meat (18.15%); frozen fish (15.45%); and molluscan seafood (11.02%).

Items such as fresh fish, processed fish and aquatic seafood account for a relatively low proportion of 4.05%, 4.11% and 2.43%, respectively.

Among the Top 15 seafood exporters to the Singaporean market, Malaysia continues to take the lead, followed by Norway, Indonesia and China.

In the three months, Vietnams seafood export turnover to the market reached more than 24 million SGD, up 3.22% and only accounted for 8.58% of the market share.

Counsellor Cao Xuan Thang, head of the Vietnam Trade Office in Singapore, said Singapore has continuously expanded and diversified supply sources to ensure food security, but this has also boosted competition among seafood exporters to the country./.
Audiences visit the "Center of the World" exhibition, which aims to trace back to the origin of Chinese civilization, focusing on Xia, Shang and Zhou, the three earliest dynasties in Chinese history and collectively referred to as the Bronze Age, held in the Hong Kong Museum of History in south China's Hong Kong, April 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

More than 150 sets of cultural relics from 15 institutions in eight cities in central China's Henan province have been transported southward to Hong Kong and are now on display in the Hong Kong Museum of History, telling the story of Chinese civilization in this international metropolitan.

by Xinhua writer Chu Mengmeng

HONG KONG, April 29 (Xinhua) -- During her five-day study trip to central China's Henan Province last April, Chun Wai-wa marveled at the high degree of development of ancient Chinese civilization while exploring the ruins of cities dated from around 2000 years to 4000 years ago.

"How can I pass on my deep feeling to the audience in Hong Kong?" pondered Chun, assistant curator of the Hong Kong Museum of History (HKMH), as she and her colleagues crafted plans for the first exhibition of the General History of China Series.

One year later, more than 150 sets of cultural relics from 15 institutions in eight cities in Henan have been transported southward to Hong Kong and are now on display in the HKMH from April 3 to July 8, telling the story of Chinese civilization in this international metropolitan.

Audiences visit the "Center of the World" exhibition, which aims to trace back to the origin of Chinese civilization, focusing on Xia, Shang and Zhou, the three earliest dynasties in Chinese history and collectively referred to as the Bronze Age, held in the Hong Kong Museum of History in south China's Hong Kong, April 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

ORIGIN IN CENTRAL PLAINS

Titled "Center of the World," the exhibition aims to trace back to the origin of Chinese civilization, focusing on Xia, Shang and Zhou, the three earliest dynasties in Chinese history and collectively referred to as the Bronze Age.

But why Henan? According to Hui Siu-mui, curator of HKMH, Henan houses the ruins of the capitals of all three dynasties, and numerous cultural relics were unearthed in the region.

The idea from those Hong Kong curators was echoed by their Henan counterparts as soon as the latter had been contacted.

"We have always paid great attention to cultural exchanges via relics, as it is a good way to vividly tell the story of Chinese civilization," said Ren Wei, director of the Henan Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, adding that cultural relics from Henan embodied the essence of Chinese civilization and could definitely unleash unique charm in Hong Kong, where diversified cultures exchange and blend among one another.

Upon returning to Hong Kong, Chun and others started to go through a large amount of photos, videos and other documents collected during their trip to Henan and pick out the most representative relics that can piece together a holistic picture of China's Bronze Age.

Under coordination, 15 institutions finally agreed to offer collections, including large and complete sets of bronze wares, jade wares, potteries, bone wares and oracle bones. Noteworthy, 33 items are grade-one national treasures and about 40 items are on display outside Henan for the first time.

As both the Hong Kong and Henan teams hope to display more of the latest achievements in Chinese archaeology, there are 44 items unearthed after the year 2000.

A lot of details of the exhibition also demonstrate the joint efforts made by the two sides during a year of intensive cooperation. For instance, to provide high-definition pictures for the catalog, the Henan team made efforts to find a venue suitable to take a group photo for a huge set of bronze ritual objects.

Audiences visit the "Center of the World" exhibition, which aims to trace back to the origin of Chinese civilization, focusing on Xia, Shang and Zhou, the three earliest dynasties in Chinese history and collectively referred to as the Bronze Age, held in the Hong Kong Museum of History in south China's Hong Kong, April 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

CULTURAL RELICS COMING SOUTH

After nearly one year's preparation, relics from all over Henan successively arrived at Henan Museum this March, waiting to be transported southward collectively.

Many of the exhibits are "popular stars" with a tight exhibition schedule. As a result, the handover was limited to only three and a half days. Experts from both sides checked and recorded every detailed feature of each item in an intense and orderly manner.

It was the first time for Wong Yun-Chiu, assistant curator from the Conservation Office of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, to deal with so many ancient bronzes with his own hands.

"I learned some traditional as well as innovative restoration methods from my Henan peers," Wong recalled, adding that chemical analysis was adopted at Henan Museum to reinterpret the bronze-casting techniques of ancient times.

To safely ship those precious items, a number of packaging boxes were customized in special sizes and shapes. Every step of the transportation scheme was examined again and again.

The lid of the Wangziwu Ding of the Spring and Autumn period, having been evaluated by experts to be in a rather fragile state, was left behind in Henan. "It pained us to make the decision," Chun said, "but the 'blessing in disguise' may be that the audience can view the inscriptions inside the Ding without its lid."

The display arrangement also highlights the security of the relics. "Based upon that consideration, we then figured out the best ways that allow the audience to appreciate the time-honored craftsmanship," Wong said.

During the exhibition, the condition of the cultural relics is monitored by Wong and his colleagues around the clock, with key indicators including temperature, humidity, the intensity of illuminance and the impurity level of the environment.

"The suitable humidity of bronze wares is under 40 percent. As to oracle bones, it should be a little higher than 50 percent," Wong explained, a close attention was paid to this regard as Hong Kong is much wetter than Henan.

Audiences visit the "Center of the World" exhibition, which aims to trace back to the origin of Chinese civilization, focusing on Xia, Shang and Zhou, the three earliest dynasties in Chinese history and collectively referred to as the Bronze Age, held in the Hong Kong Museum of History in south China's Hong Kong, April 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE OF ANCIENT CHINESE CULTURE

During the previous year, apart from works related directly to those cultural relics, it had also been a priority for the Hong Kong curators to find simple and interesting ways to illustrate the thousands-years-old history to the audience.

The exhibition is supplemented by several multimedia devices in this concern. At the entrance of the exhibition hall, visitors can enjoy a short video summarizing the history of the three dynasties. Cartoons are put up beside certain exhibits to explain their features or related stories. There is even an interactive video game in the display area of some oracle bones that allows people to experience the divination ritual of the Shang Dynasty.

On the first two days of the exhibition, the Huaxia Ancient Music Orchestra of the Henan Museum staged an ancient Chinese music show for the Hong Kong audience. Dressed in traditional Chinese clothing, actors played out ancient tones recorded in historical documents with imitative ancient musical instruments.

Other fringe programs of the exhibition during the following months include forums, lectures, and handicraft workshops, organized jointly by Hong Kong and Henan. A study trip of some Hong Kong history teachers to Henan is scheduled in June.

By April 22, the exhibition has welcomed around 39,000 visitors. Launched by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office of the HKSAR government in collaboration with the HKMH, the exhibitions of General History of China Series will last five years and display historical relics of significant periods in chronological order.

A ding of the Western Zhou Dynasty stands out on the exhibition with an old label sticking on it. It has been deliberately kept as a witness of the story of people protecting cultural relics from gunfire during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression in the first half of the 20th century.

"By the exhibition, we want to show to the audience not only the ancient Chinese civilization, but also its inheritance and transmission," said Hui. 

Editor: JYZ
Please, if you have information, just share it. It's the plea of the mother of missing teen,
Gabrielle Norris is a first-generation college student, and she wants to share her story so others will benefit from what shes learned. I want people to find their own stories, she says. There are people here willing to help you and want you to succeed, but you do have to step outside of your comfort zone. I feel like it helps others when I share my own experiences.

Norris felt like she needed different scenery and a different environment before she transferred to the University of Arkansas, which fit the bill for both.

Norris spending time in the CORD.

She earned two associate degrees from Pulaski Tech before she came to the U of A in spring 2023, where she enrolled in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences to major in criminology and sociology and minor in political science.

She funded her education in Fayetteville thanks to the Arkansas Transfer Achievement Scholarship, an opportunity for graduates from UA System community colleges to transfer to the U of A at the same tuition rate as their two-year institution. According to Norris, That program helped ease my financial burden. Its the best deal ever. You just cant beat it.

The scholarship program creates significant opportunities for students in every corner of the state, and it subsequently contributes to the knowledge base and economic wellbeing of communities throughout Arkansas. Its also a part of a larger focus on supporting Arkansas students. Since 2019, the university has invested an additional $7 million in scholarships dedicated to Arkansans, and these new funds have created additional opportunities for both new and current students. In 2022, 98% of Arkansas freshmen who applied for scholarships received an award.

After stepping foot on the Hill, many transfer students feel like they are starting over. And while that brings excitement and a host of new opportunities, it can also feel daunting. Despite their seniority, they can feel like freshmen again  navigating new spaces, getting acclimated to a new culture and making new friends.

Norris served as a Fulbright Ambassador during her time at the U of A.

Norris says she faced numerous adjustments, including bigger class sizes. But she also found her sense of belonging through her involvement in TRIO and ASG and working as a Fulbright Ambassador and a peer mentor in the 360 Program.

Norris, too, says The CORD  particularly the writing and tutoring centers  were valuable resources as she acclimated to the demands of her major. And the Multicultural Center provided a sense of belonging and a welcoming place on campus to meet others.

Now, as a senior preparing to graduate, Norris plans to pursue a masters degree at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. Her career aspiration is to work with the FBI or engage in detective work.
The complete cessation of the blockade of the border with Ukraine by Polish farmers is the result of a consistent dialogue between Kyiv and Warsaw at the highest and highest levels, as well as the involvement of farmers' associations of both countries.

Commenting on the unblocking of the road to the last checkpoint on the border where the protest took place (Hrebenne - Rawa Ruska), Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Zvarych told Ukrinform, expressing hope that the border blockade is "a page turned forever" in bilateral relations between Ukraine and Poland.

According to the Ukrainian diplomat, Polish farmers have stopped protesting on the access road to the Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska checkpoint, so traffic through the checkpoint is now moving normally. Thus, the border is completely unblocked, and no checkpoints are currently blocked.

"I believe that the consistent dialogue with the Polish government at the highest and highest level, the openness and constructive approach of the Ministries of Agriculture of Ukraine and Poland, the direct involvement of farmers' associations of the two countries in the dialogue and reasoned appeals to farmers have yielded results," Zvarych emphasized.

He expressed his gratitude to all parties involved in this process for eventually stabilizing the situation at the border.

"I hope that everyone has drawn the necessary conclusions from this situation, and the main one is that only our common enemy, Russia, always benefits from our disputes. Therefore, we must be more responsible in our words and actions towards each other than ever before," the ambassador emphasized.

In his opinion, the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Poland "has successfully passed another important test of strength".

"And I hope that the blockade of the border between us is a page that we have already turned forever," the Ukrainian ambassador to Poland concluded.

As reported earlier, according to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the passage of freight transport resumed at the Hrebenne - Rawa Ruska checkpoint after 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 29. Registration and passage of trucks across the border in both directions is carried out as usual. However, according to available information, trucks transporting grain crops will not be allowed to enter Poland. This type of cargo can only move through Poland in transit mode, the State Border Guard Service emphasized.

According to RMF24, the permission of Polish farmers to protest near this checkpoint was valid until April 30. The farmers blocking the border wanted to extend it for another month. However, Marek uszczynski, Mayor of the Lubyczy Krolewskiej Commune, refused to allow them to do so. He motivated his decision by the significant losses caused by the border blockade for local entrepreneurs, customs agencies and customs warehouses. He emphasized that local residents should not suffer because of the farmers' protest. Nevertheless, the organizers of the protest plan to file a protest against the mayor's decision with the District Court in Zamosc.

The Polish-Ukrainian border has been blocked by carriers since November last year, and since February this year by Polish farmers.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed the invitation to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to attend the anniversary summit of the Alliance in Washington on July 9-11.

The head of the Alliance announced this today in Kyiv during a joint press conference with the President of Ukraine, reports an Ukrinform correspondent.

"Today, we discussed the preparations for the NATO Summit in July. So Mister President, I look forward to welcoming you to Washington for that meeting," said Jens Stoltenbreg.

He noted that the Allies had already agreed to plan for a greater NATO role in coordinating security assistance and training for Ukraine, adding he believes NATO also needs a major, multi-year financial commitment to sustain support for Ukraine and to demonstrate that it is not short term and ad hoc, but long term and predictable.

Moscow must understand: they cannot win. And they cannot wait us out. Ukraines rightful place is in NATO. Ukraine will become a member of NATO. The work we are undertaking now puts you on an irreversible path towards NATO membership. So that when the time is right, Ukraine can become a NATO member straightaway, Stoltenberg stressed, expressing hope that one day, the flag of Ukraine will fly at the NATO Headquarters.

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Published April 29, 2024

MONROE, LA  ULM TRIO CCAMPIS (Child Care Access Means Parents In School) staff member Anthony Bartley recently attended the first Generation Hope national conference in New Orleans, HOPE 2024. The event was held March 13th-16th and was created by Nicole Lynn Lewis, author of Pregnant Girl: A Story of Teen Motherhood, College, and Creating a Better Future for Young Families.

Lewis, herself a former teenage student-parent, works tirelessly to bring to light the needs of student-parents and how higher ed can help to meet those needs. From the beginning, we wanted this to be a different kind of conference -- one where attendees felt connected, learned from people they didn't always interact with, and left with real action steps, Lewis stated. It was also critical that at HOPE, student-parents felt seen, valued, and centered. The energy in the room indicated we hit those marks.

Attending the conference were faculty and staff from community colleges, four-year institutions, Generation Hope Alums, FamilyU Cohort members, and student-parent fellows from around the country. The prevailing theme centered on identifying student-parents on campus, working with faculty to accommodate and incorporate students with children on campus and, when necessary, into their classrooms. Many topics were discussed, including flexible schedules, access to housing, wraparound services, affordable tuition, and access to childcare.

Currently, our nation has a childcare crisis made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to quality and reliable childcare is becoming harder to find. There is much research that shows children who attend high-quality early care and education programs are more prepared for school and have better and more persistent educational outcomes.

Statistically, less than 2% of teen mothers will earn their degrees before age 30. Student-parents are more likely to be students of color. Estimates show that nearly 1 in 5 undergraduate students are student-parents and that 40 percent of Black women undergraduate students are parenting while in college. Studies have shown that student-parents have incredible persistence to completion and academically outperform their non-parenting peers.

We have to do more to try and identify student-parents, Bartley said. Once done, we can work to establish lines of communication that will allow us to better serve these students. For example, a single mother or father of a 6-month-old child will have different needs from those with a 14-year-old. Do they have access to childcare close to the institution? Does it have flexible hours? We have to meet them where they are, find what needs we are meeting and what we are falling short on, and work with faculty, staff, and administration to meet those needs, he added.

For more information, contact the ULM CCAMPIS office at (318) 342-1097, Tammy Anderson (taanderson@ulm.edu) or Anthony Bartley (bartley@ulm.edu).
RIYADH, April 28 (Xinhua) -- A special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) commenced on Sunday in Riyadh, with a focus on global collaboration, growth and energy for development.

"Today, we gather at a time when the world is facing many changes, with our economies, societies, and industries facing unprecedented challenges and vast opportunities," Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim said at the opening of the special meeting, emphasizing the importance of global participation for a world economy that works for everyone.

WEF President Borge Brende referred to the meeting as a significant event to review de-escalation in the conflicts in the Middle East, the humanitarian situation in Gaza and other important regional and international topics.

The WEF special meeting is scheduled to continue until Monday, with the aim of facilitating dialogue among thought leaders and the public on a range of topics including environmental challenges, mental health, digital currencies, artificial intelligence, the role of the arts in society, modern entrepreneurship, and smart cities.

Editor: WXL
This photo shows tents of the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University in New York City, the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza have intensified in American universities, fueling anti-war sentiments within the United States, but they have been met with tough measures from the universities and local authorities, with over 700 people having been arrested so far.

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel.

The growing protests underscore latest escalations in the Israel-Palestine conflict, which, coupled with the Biden administration's doubles down on Israel support, have fueled anti-war sentiments within the United States, with public dissatisfaction with the government mounting rapidly.

However, what faces the almost peaceful protests are tough measures from the universities and local authorities, with over 700 individuals having been arrested so far.

PROTESTS BOILING

On April 17, student protesters opposed to Israel's war in Gaza have camped out on the Columbia University campus, calling for the university to financially divest from companies and institutions that "profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."

In just 10 days, universities across more than 30 states in the United States have been swept by waves of protests. As reported by Bloomberg, as of Friday, there are at least 50 sit-ins at colleges across the country, spanning from Ivy League institutions to state schools nationwide.

On Thursday, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the top public universities in the United States, hundreds of protesters gathered and built a protest encampment in support of Palestinians.

Protesters displayed signs on campus with slogans such as "Let Gaza live," "This is not war, this is genocide," and "Stop the massacres," calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for the universities to disclose and divest financial holdings tied to Israel and U.S. weapons makers.

The UCLA rally came one day after another pro-Palestinian protest against the Israeli war in Gaza at the University of Southern California's (USC) Los Angeles campus, where over 90 protesters were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department in hours of clashing.

"Shame on you! Shame on you!" demonstrators chanted as the police took away students and off-campus activists.

People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

CRUEL CRACKDOWN

The USC is not the only place where local authorities have taken tough measures against protesters. According to the New York Times, since the nationwide protest erupted on April 17, hundreds of students from nearly 20 U.S. universities have been arrested.

In Texas, police bulldozed into student protesters at the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday. More than 50 people were arrested, reported local media outlet Austin American-Statesman.

Meanwhile, many university administrations have been actively working to shut down the demonstration and, in some cases, punish participants.

Amid widespread protests on campuses, the USC on Thursday canceled its main stage graduation ceremony for students that had been planned for May 10. This decision came after Muslim student Asna Tabassum was barred from delivering her valedictorian speech due to her public advocacy for supporting Palestine.

Such crackdowns and punishment have sparked a backlash from professors. With hundreds of pro-Palestine students arrested and more and more campus protests disbanded, educators are increasingly showing support for students.

"Rather than respond to faculty and student concerns about the canceling of Asna Tabassum's valedictorian speech and the arrest of peaceful protesters, the USC has unfortunately doubled down on its authoritarian approach and simply canceled an aspect of graduation that students earned and looked forward to," USC assistant sociology professor Brittany Friedman was quoted by the Guardian as saying.

"It is disheartening to see the current state of higher education in our country, the mass exposure of students to police violence, and the complete disregard for what the USC claims to stand for," said the professor.

In New York, some New York University educators were arrested shortly after shielding Muslim students as they prayed, while professors at the City University of New York physically united to create a barrier separating their students from the police.

"To get to our students, you have to get through us," they chanted in unison.

In fact, the protests are not limited to the United States. Following the Columbia encampments, the protests have further spread to universities from France to Australia. In Australia, for example, students from the University of Sydney set up pro-Palestine encampments and unfurled banners reading "Columbia First, USYD next," while University of Melbourne students pitched tents on the south lawn of their main campus.

People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

ISRAEL WELL SHELTERED

The Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip has so far left more than 34,000 dead and about 77,000 wounded, most of whom were women and children.

While the anti-war protesters continue to demonstrate their sympathies over the civilian casualties as they refuse to yield in the face of crackdowns, the response from the U.S. administration and certain politicians seems indifferent to public sentiment.

On Wednesday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Columbia University's president to resign. "We just can't allow this kind of hatred and antisemitism to flourish on our campuses, and it must be stopped in its tracks. Those who are perpetrating this violence should be arrested," he said.

While responding with excessive and vehement condemnation of domestic peaceful protests, the U.S. administration turns a deaf ear to the cries from Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden signed a 95-billion-USD foreign aid bill recently, in which 26 billion U.S. dollars go to Israel despite international criticism over the civilian casualties the Israeli army caused in Gaza.

Weapons to Israel remain "sacrosanct" in Washington, and the aid package highlights a "huge gap" between Democrats in Congress and rank-and-file voters, including those currently protesting at colleges nationwide, Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, was quoted by The Hills as saying.

They're calling on all the other parties in the region to be restrained, whereas they "encourage Israelis to act with total impunity," Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy think tank, told Al Jazeera TV.

Editor: WXL
In a landmark decision, faculty members at the University of Kansas (KU) have voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionizing.

The vote, which took place with 850 in favor and 132 against, marks a significant shift in the dynamics of academia, particularly at public universities in the United States. The new union, the United Academics of the University of Kansas (UAKU), is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the American Association of University Professors.

Background and Context

The decision to unionize comes after years of mounting pressure on universities to address issues such as stagnant wages, job insecurity, and deteriorating working conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges, highlighting the need for a collective voice to advocate for faculty rights and interests.

Kate DeJarnette, a clinical assistant professor in the university's speech-language-hearing department, emphasized the importance of faculty unity in addressing these issues. She mentioned that faculty and academic staff are joining forces to improve KU, and today, they decisively voted to ensure their voices are heard regarding critical university matters.

READ MORE : Kansas Board Of Regents Prohibits Universities From Requiring Diversity Statements

Scope and Representation

One of the UAKU's defining features is its inclusive representation of faculty members. The union will represent a broad swath of faculty members, including full-and part-time, tenured and nontenure-track professors, lecturers, librarians, and curators. This inclusive approach underscores the union's commitment to advocating for the interests of all faculty members, regardless of their employment status or position within the university.

The AFT, in a news release, highlighted the diverse representation within the union, stating that it "will represent a broad swath of faculty members." This diversity of representation is seen as a strength of the union, as it ensures that the voices of all faculty members are heard and accounted for in decision-making processes.

Key Issues and Demands

Faculty members have expressed various concerns that they hope the union will address. Chief among these are better wages, job security, and improved working conditions. The AFT also noted that faculty members have expressed a need to fix "unkept classrooms and buildings," indicating a broader concern for the overall working environment at the university.

The union's formation comes at a time when higher education institutions across the country are grappling with similar issues. The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities within the higher education system, leading many faculty members to question the sustainability of current working conditions.

Implications and Future Outlook

The formation of the UAKU will likely have far-reaching implications for both faculty members and the university. For faculty members, the union represents an opportunity to significantly impact decision-making processes and to advocate for their interests more effectively. For the university, the unionization of faculty may lead to changes in how it operates and interacts with its employees.

A university representative expressed positivity regarding collaboration with the new union, mentioning the provost's anticipation of working with them and faculty, staff, and students to advance KU's mission.

The decision by University of Kansas faculty members to unionize reflects a broader trend within higher education towards collective action in addressing long-standing issues. The formation of the UAKU represents a significant milestone for KU faculty members and underscores the importance of collective bargaining in ensuring fair treatment and working conditions for all faculty members.
In a significant development, the University of Phoenix has reached a settlement amounting to $4.5 million following accusations of employing unlawful recruitment strategies aimed at military students.

This settlement, announced by the California Attorney General's office, marks the culmination of a protracted investigation into the for-profit institution's practices. The University of Phoenix, known for its online education offerings, stands at the center of controversy for its alleged exploitation of military veterans eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill between 2012 and 2015.

Unveiling the Investigation: Decade-Long Scrutiny

The settlement's roots trace back to a nearly decade-long investigation initiated to probe the University of Phoenix's recruitment tactics directed towards military personnel. The probe, fueled by mounting concerns over the institution's aggressive recruitment strategies, delved into the period spanning 2012 to 2015. During this time frame, the University of Phoenix reportedly invested substantial sums, totaling over $250,000, to sponsor 89 recruiting events. These events ranged from conventional recruitment drives to unconventional initiatives like concerts, fashion shows, and even a chocolate festival, as per the findings of the Center for Investigative Reporting.

READ MORE : Idaho Senate Votes Against Restructuring Bill For University Of Phoenix Acquisition

Exploiting Benefits: A Lucrative Endeavor

The University of Phoenix's recruitment practices proved not only aggressive but also immensely lucrative, particularly in the realm of federal education benefits. Despite an executive order from President Obama explicitly prohibiting such tactics at for-profit institutions, the University of Phoenix managed to secure a staggering $1.6 billion in federal education benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs between 2013 and 2021. This made the institution the foremost beneficiary of GI Bill funding, surpassing all other contenders in the past decade.

The investigation uncovered a troubling pattern of disregard for regulations, including violations of California's False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law. These findings underscored the severity of the university's transgressions, highlighting a systemic failure to adhere to ethical recruitment standards. California Attorney General Rob Bonta condemned the University of Phoenix's actions, asserting that it had employed deceptive and unlawful tactics to divert service members' education benefits towards its own institution.

Implications of the Settlement: Remedial Measures and Legal Ramifications

The settlement reached between the University of Phoenix and the California Attorney General's office carries significant implications for both parties involved. Apart from the substantial financial penalty amounting to $4.5 million, the settlement mandates the implementation of various injunctions aimed at reforming the institution's recruitment practices. These injunctions include prohibitions on recruiting agents attending training sessions and orientations for service members, as well as restrictions on the use of military seals in advertising endeavors.

The settlement serves as a cautionary tale, signaling the repercussions awaiting institutions that flout regulatory frameworks and exploit vulnerable demographics for financial gain. For the University of Phoenix, the settlement represents a critical juncture necessitating introspection and reform. It underscores the imperative of prioritizing ethical recruitment practices and upholding the integrity of educational institutions.

Moving Forward: The Imperative of Ethical Recruitment Practices

The University of Phoenix's settlement underscores the broader imperative of fostering ethical recruitment practices within the realm of higher education. Institutions must prioritize transparency, integrity, and accountability in their interactions with prospective students, particularly vulnerable demographics such as military personnel. The exploitation of federal education benefits for financial gain not only undermines the trust bestowed upon educational institutions but also perpetuates systemic inequities within the education landscape.

As stakeholders within the educational ecosystem, it is incumbent upon institutions, regulatory bodies, and policymakers to collaborate in safeguarding the interests of students and upholding the sanctity of educational pathways. By fostering a culture of accountability and ethical conduct, we can mitigate the risk of predatory practices and ensure that higher education remains a beacon of opportunity and empowerment for all.

A Call for Reform and Accountability

The University of Phoenix's settlement serves as a stark reminder of the perils inherent in unethical recruitment practices within the higher education sector. As institutions grapple with the fallout of the settlement, it is imperative to heed the lessons learned and embark on a path of reform and accountability. By prioritizing transparency, integrity, and ethical conduct, we can safeguard the interests of students and uphold the fundamental principles that underpin our educational system.
In November, Iowa's Board of Regents adopted a broad diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mandate across its public universities, including the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa. However, recent legislative developments have stirred controversy and raised concerns about the future of DEI programs in the state's higher education institutions.

The introduction of Senate File 2435 by Iowa lawmakers has ignited a heated debate over the role of DEI programs on college campuses. The bill proposes significant changes, including the restructuring of central DEI offices and a review of all DEI positions at the universities. Additionally, it includes an institutional neutrality requirement that prohibits the promotion of certain contested opinions related to DEI.

The Controversial Legislation

Iowa lawmakers recently introduced a bill that could drastically alter diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the state's public universities. The bill, Senate File 2435, includes provisions that would ban DEI offices and activities related to race, gender identity, and sexual orientation at these institutions.

The legislation's introduction sparked immediate controversy and criticism. Supporters argue that it promotes neutrality and prevents the promotion of controversial ideas. Critics, however, say that it infringes on free speech and academic freedom, potentially stifling meaningful discussions and initiatives on campus.

READ MORE : Iowa House Republicans Revive Effort To Ban Diversity Programs At Public Universities

Impact on Iowa's Universities

If signed into law, Senate File 2435 would have far-reaching consequences for Iowa's public universities, including the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa. The bill would require these institutions to restructure their central DEI offices and eliminate any DEI functions deemed unnecessary for compliance or accreditation. It would also mandate a review of all college, department, or unit-level DEI positions to determine their necessity, with the possibility of adjusting or eliminating positions not deemed essential.

Additionally, the bill includes an institutional neutrality requirement that prohibits universities from promoting certain contested opinions related to DEI, such as unconscious bias, social justice, and racial privilege. Critics argue that this provision could restrict academic freedom and prevent universities from taking a stance on important social issues.

Response and Criticism

The introduction of Senate File 2435 has been met with strong criticism from various groups. Democratic state representative Adam Zabner, whose district includes most of the University of Iowa, expressed concern about the potential chilling effect the bill could have on teachers and professors. He also criticized including DEI provisions in a budget bill, suggesting lawmakers should focus on more pressing issues, such as freezing tuition.

Critics argue that the bill's broad definitions of DEI offices and activities could lead to unintended consequences. Jeremy C. Young, director of the Freedom to Learn program at PEN America, a free expression group, warned that the bill's language could ban any DEI-related program or activity, even those not directly funded by the university.

Supporters of the bill, however, argue that it is necessary to ensure that public universities remain neutral on controversial issues. Tyler Coward, lead counsel for government affairs at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech group, stated that the bill does not restrict students' or faculty members' free speech or academic freedom. He believes the bill's focus on institutional policies and procedures rather than individuals aligns with FIRE's principles.

The debate over Senate File 2435 highlights the ongoing tension between promoting diversity and inclusion on college campuses and protecting free speech and academic freedom. While supporters of the bill argue that it encourages neutrality and prevents the promotion of controversial ideas, critics fear that it could stifle meaningful discussions and initiatives on campus.

As the bill awaits Governor Kim Reynolds' decision, stakeholders on both sides of the debate closely watch the outcome. The impact of the legislation, if signed into law, could have far-reaching consequences for Iowa's public universities and the broader discussion surrounding DEI programs in higher education.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the education sector, from how students learn to how their skills are assessed. The Educational Testing Service (ETS), known for administering the SAT, recently hosted a conference in Washington to delve into the implications of AI on education. With 200 experts in attendance, the event highlighted the growing importance of alternative credentials, the emergence of AI, and its potential to reshape learning and testing in classrooms and the workforce.

Redefining Credentials: The Shift Towards Skill-Based Assessment

A college degree has traditionally been the gold standard for signaling competence and workforce readiness. However, the rise of AI is challenging this notion. According to a recent ETS survey, 78% of respondents believe that ongoing skill acquisition, such as earning certificates or licenses, will be as valued as a college degree in a decade.

Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS, emphasized the changing landscape, noting that learners increasingly seek new ways to showcase their skills beyond traditional degrees. This shift is driven by both learners, who are challenging the adequacy of degrees as a signal for their abilities, and employers, who place greater value on a broader range of skills, including communication and teamwork.

AI is seen as a catalyst for meeting this demand. It offers personalized learning experiences and real-time feedback, allowing students to develop and demonstrate their skills more effectively. ETS showcased several AI assessment tools at the conference, including HireUp, designed to evaluate skills like innovative thinking and effective communication while identifying areas for improvement.

READ MORE : Amazon Web Services And Educause Introduce New Assessment For Higher-Ed's AI Readiness

The Evolution of Soft Skills: AI's Role in Assessing Durable Skills

In addition to technical skills, employers are increasingly prioritizing soft skills, such as communication and collaboration, which are harder to measure. Lydia Liu, from ETS, highlighted how AI expands the scope of skills that can be tested. For instance, AI can analyze body language, facial expressions, and gestures, providing a more holistic assessment of communication skills.

Libby Rodney of The Harris Poll emphasized that soft skills will become even more valuable as AI automates technical tasks. Employers will seek a technically proficient but also communicative, creative, and collaborative workforce. This shift underscores the importance of AI in assessing and developing these skills.

Harnessing the Power of AI in Education: Opportunities and Challenges

Kara McWilliams of ETS outlined the diverse applications of AI in education. AI could assist in college admissions, screening job applicants, and predicting student group dynamics for group projects. However, McWilliams stressed the need for equitable access to AI tools, as not all learners and educators have the same resources.

Derrick Anderson, from the American Council on Education, expressed hope that AI could simplify the process of granting students credit for prior learning, further emphasizing AI's transformative potential in education.

Despite the potential benefits, McWilliams cautioned that major changes in education systems would not happen overnight. She emphasized the importance of making incremental changes to gradually adapt to AI's capabilities.

In his closing remarks, Johnny C. Taylor of the Society for Human Resource Management highlighted the urgency for change in the workforce. Employers are struggling to find candidates with the right skills and work ethic, and AI is poised to automate many tasks previously done by college graduates. Taylor emphasized the need to reskill the workforce for the jobs of the future, acknowledging that relying solely on degrees as a proxy for talent is no longer sufficient.

AI is reshaping education profoundly, from redefining credentials to assessing and developing a broader range of skills. While the future of education with AI holds immense promise, it also presents challenges that must be addressed to ensure equitable access and preparation for the evolving workforce.
In an era where digital connectivity pervades every aspect of society, data safeguarding has become paramount, particularly within educational institutions.

Recent findings from Moody's Investor Service reveal a concerning trend: universities are increasingly targeted by cyber attacks. In response to this growing threat landscape, higher education institutions worldwide are fortifying their cybersecurity defenses, channeling more excellent resources and attention toward protecting their digital infrastructure.

The Rising Tide of Cyber Threats

The digital age has ushered in unprecedented connectivity and convenience, but the ominous shadow of cyber threats comes with it. Universities, renowned knowledge, and research hubs have found themselves in the crosshairs of malicious actors seeking to exploit vulnerabilities in their digital systems. Moody's Global Cyber Risk Issuer Survey underscores the gravity of the situation, with a notable escalation in cyber attacks targeting higher education institutions.

Cyber attacks on universities encompass a spectrum of nefarious activities, ranging from data breaches to ransomware attacks. Hackers, motivated by financial gain or ideological agendas, target universities for their vast repositories of sensitive information, including research findings, financial records, and personal data of students and faculty. Moreover, institutions operating research or medical centers are particularly susceptible, given the high stakes associated with proprietary research data and healthcare records.

The prevalence of cyber threats underscores the urgent need for universities to bolster their cybersecurity posture. While the digital landscape offers boundless opportunities for collaboration and innovation, it also demands a proactive approach to risk mitigation and resilience-building.

READ MORE : The Growing Threat Of Cryptojacking In Higher Education

Allocating Resources for Cyber Defense

Recognizing the imperative to safeguard their digital assets, universities are increasingly allocating resources toward cybersecurity initiatives. Moody's report reveals a noteworthy uptick in cybersecurity budgets among higher education institutions, with a staggering 70% increase in allocation from 2019 to 2023. This spending surge underscores universities' concerted efforts to confront the evolving threat landscape head-on.

Despite the commendable increase in cybersecurity budgets, universities still lag behind other institutions in expenditure on cyber defense. The higher education sector allocates a mere 7% of its budget to cybersecurity, trailing the global average of 8%. While the disparity is a cause for concern, it also catalyzes universities to reassess their priorities and reallocate resources to bolster cyber defenses.

The distribution of cybersecurity spending varies across institutions of different sizes. Large universities with substantial financial resources are in charge of cybersecurity investment, with dedicated line items in their budgets. Conversely, smaller institutions, constrained by limited budgets, face more significant challenges in allocating resources toward cybersecurity initiatives. Nevertheless, the imperative to safeguard digital assets transcends financial constraints, necessitating a collective commitment to cyber resilience.

Strengthening Cyber Resilience Through Preparedness

As the adage goes, "Prevention is better than cure." In cybersecurity, proactive measures are paramount in mitigating the impact of potential cyber-attacks. Moody's report highlights the importance of institutional preparedness, with most universities having response plans to address cyber incidents. This proactive approach underscores a commitment to resilience-building and risk mitigation within the higher education sector.

Central to the efficacy of response plans is dedicated cyber staff within institutions. Large universities, boasting dedicated cybersecurity teams, are better equipped to effectively detect, respond to, and mitigate cyber threats. However, the disparity in cyber staffing levels across institutions underscores the need for capacity-building initiatives, particularly within smaller universities with limited resources.

Furthermore, collaboration and information-sharing are vital components of a robust cybersecurity strategy. Universities can leverage collective intelligence to enhance their cyber defenses and preempt potential threats by fostering partnerships with peer institutions, government agencies, and cybersecurity experts. Investing in cybersecurity awareness and training programs empowers faculty, staff, and students to adopt cybersecurity best practices and remain vigilant against emerging threats.

The proliferation of cyber threats poses a formidable challenge to universities worldwide, necessitating a paradigm shift in cybersecurity strategy. Moody's report serves as a clarion call for higher education institutions to prioritize cyber resilience and fortify their defenses against evolving threats. By allocating resources, fostering preparedness, and embracing collaboration, universities can safeguard their digital assets and uphold their commitment to academic excellence in the digital age.
The Balochistan Apex Committee in its 16th meeting on Monday has taken important decisions regarding the improvement of law and order, the eradication of terrorism and smuggling, the second phase of the repatriation of illegal immigrants

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) The Balochistan Apex Committee in its 16th meeting on Monday has taken important decisions regarding the improvement of law and order, the eradication of terrorism and smuggling, the second phase of the repatriation of illegal immigrants.

The Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti chaired the meeting while Commander-XII Corps Lieutenant General Rahat Naseem Ahmad Khan, Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs Mir Ziaullah Langau, Chief Secretary Balochistan Shakeel Qadir Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Home Zahid Saleem, IG Police Balochistan Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Chief Collector Customs Balochistan Abdul Qadir Memon along with other senior civil and military officials were in attendance.

In the meeting, it was decided to strictly implement the prevailing SOPs while reviewing the provision of foolproof security of the CPEC projects and the foreign nationals working on them.

The participants of the meeting agreed to start large-scale operations to prevent smuggling by removing administrative and legal loopholes.

In the Apex committee, it was also decided to take effective measures to stop the cross borders smuggling of sugar, fertilizer, petrol and diesel.

In the meeting, it was also decided to prevent the smuggling of non-customs paid vehicles from the area bordering the neighboring countries.

Earlier, in the briefing presented by the Home Department revealed the data of repatriation of illegal immigrants.

The meeting was told that as per the guidelines and decision of the Federal government, the process of repatriation of more immigrants has been subjected to a fixed timeline.

On the occasion, Chief Minister Bugti said that a peaceful Balochistan is the guarantor of a stable Pakistan adding that the fight against terrorism is not confined to the security forces and militants but it involves all of us, and we have to fight it collectively.

He said murderers of innocent people do not deserve any leniency and whoever has taken the gun will be dealt with iron hand.

Sarfraz Bugti said we will go to the house of every disgruntled Balochistani who has genuine reservations and we will try

to address them.

The chief minister said that they were determining the positive direction for better governance, the fruits of good governance will start reaching the people in five to six months.

Everyone has to play his role for the betterment of the province, he maintained.

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The Federal Law Minister says the losses in the Quetta region is around fifty-five percent and the government is working on this issue to facilitate consumers.

ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-April 29th, 2024) Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said massive meter tampering and gas theft are the main reasons behind over billing and extra service charges in Balochistan, especially in Quetta, by the Sui Gas Company.

Responding to a Calling Attention Notice moved by Haji Jamal Shah Kakar in the National Assembly, the Minister said losses in the Quetta region is around fifty-five percent and the government is working on this issue to facilitate consumers.

The Law Minister also laid the Seed (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 before the House.

Responding to another Calling Attention Notice, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazeer Tarar informed the House the National Highway Authority has allocated around 960 million rupees for the maintenance and repair of the Chakdara-Upper Dir road.

He said the maintenance work will likely be completed by the end of the next month.

At the outset, the House offered fateha for the departed soul of former Member of the National Assembly Afzal Hussain Tarar, who was also the father of MNA Saira Afzal Tarar.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspects the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday stressed the importance of developing intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs) and making the auto industry more high-end, smarter and greener.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks when he inspected the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition.

He called for pursuing industrial innovation led by sci-tech innovation, furthering opening up and cooperation, and better satisfying and creating market demand.

China is holding the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition (Auto China 2024) at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing, with "Driving to Smart Mobility" being the theme of this year's event.

After touring Auto China 2024, Li said he was encouraged by the exhibition, given that China's intelligent connected NEVs have strong development momentum.

Li expressed his hope that to make positive contributions to the global green and low-carbon transformation, automakers will accelerate efforts to tackle core technologies, strengthen industrial chain coordination and promote intelligent manufacturing levels, while enhancing the development and layout of forward-looking technologies and boosting the auto industry by improving quality and upgrading continuously.

The premier stressed that China and global NEV markets are growing steadily, and that there is plenty of room for market demand. China will boost more extensive exchanges and cooperation among automakers from home and abroad in terms of capital, technology, management and talent, helping them share in China's market opportunities.

Li called for giving play to the leading role of the auto industry in expanding investment and boosting consumption.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspects the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

Editor: GSY
(@FahadShabbir)

The National Assembly on Monday passed the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which would give the legislative effect to the taxation proposals of the federal government

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) The National Assembly on Monday passed the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which would give the legislative effect to the taxation proposals of the federal government.

The bill was taken by the House as the supplementary agenda and Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar moved the bill.

The House passed the amended bill which aims to give legislative effect to the taxation proposals of the federal government to liquidate a significant number of appeals pending before Commissioner IR (Appeals) and Appellate Tribunals as ATIR is the last fact-finding authority in the appellate hierarchy provided in fiscal statutes.

Over the years, and for various reasons, including arbitrary constitution of benches, inadequate number of benches, delay in fixation of cases and disposal of appeals, a substantial amount of revenue, to the tune of Rs 2 trillion, is held up in litigation before the ATIR.

Earlier, a meeting of Senate Special Committee to consider and make recommendations on the Money Bill, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 was held at Parliament House.

Attorney General of Pakistan, Mansoor Awan, briefed the committee that the Primary objective of the Money Bill is to create a dedicated Director General Law position within the FBR for the timely disposal of tax litigation pending before Commissioner Inland Revenue and Appellate Tribunals.

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar and Chairman FBR Malik Amjed Zubair Tiwana and other senior officials of Finance division and FBR also attended the meeting.

The Attorney General further added that Money Bill will serve as a safeguard against tax evasion, as the government is determined to broaden the tax base to combat the current financial crunch.

Moreover, the Money Bill curtails the period of appeals before the High Court from ninety days to thirty days and restricts the jurisdiction of Commissioner Appeal to cases where the value of tax does not exceed 10 million rupees, with the right of appeal in cases where the value assessment exceeds 10 million rupees before Appellate Tribunals.

After detailed deliberation, the Special Committee passed the Money Bill with amendments.

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ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) an attached department of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development would establish OPF Higher Secondary Girls School Academic Block the government's unwavering commitment to providing quality education to the children of overseas Pakistanis.

An official source told APP that the construction of a new Academic Block at OPF Girls Higher Secondary School, Rawalpindi reflects the government's dedication to meet the educational needs of both the overseas community and the general public.

At present, 710 students including 279 children of Overseas Pakistanis are enrolled in the said school. New Academic Block will be constructed on an area of 21057 Sqr. Ft to accommodate around 300 more students. The proposed construction work of the new academic block will be completed with an estimated cost of Rs.99.93 million. The new academic block includes classrooms, daycare, a conference room, an art studio, a medical room, and a cafeteria.

Highlighting the alignment with the Prime Minister's vision, he underscored the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development's relentless efforts to extend maximum facilities and assistance to Pakistani expatriates, not only domestically but globally. Recognizing the invaluable contributions of overseas Pakistanis to the national economy, he affirmed the government's commitment to exploring all avenues to facilitate them comprehensively.

He expressed optimism regarding the pivotal role overseas Pakistanis can play in national development, leveraging their knowledge, expertise, and global exposure for the betterment of the country.

He commended the management of OPF for the successful launch of the new academic block at OPF Girls Higher Secondary School, Rawalpindi, underscoring the importance of such initiatives in fostering educational growth.
RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) The Price Magistrates are conducting raids to check prices of 'Roti and Naan', said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi, Hasan Waqar Cheema.

He said that on the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the price of 100 grams of Roti was fixed Rs 16, while the price of 120 grams of Naan was fixed Rs 20.

He said that the government was taking all possible measures to ensure implementation of the fixed prices of 'Roti and Naan'.

Hasan Waqar Cheema said strict action would be taken against profiteers, selling 'Roti and Naan' at higher prices than the prescribed rates.

The DC said, objective of the administration was to ensure implementation of fixed prices of 'Naan and Roti'. After the reduction in flour prices, the rates of 'Naan and Roti' were reduced, he added.

Hasan Waqar Cheema said that the benefit of the reduction in flour prices would be passed on to the people in any case.

The DC informed that 335 tandoors were checked during last 24 hours in Rawalpindi and 268 were selling 'Naan and Roti' at the new rates.

A fine amounting to Rs 223,000 were imposed on 67 tandoors which were selling 'Roti and Naan' at a price higher than the fixed price, he said adding, 15 tandoors were sealed.
Commander Turkish Land Forces, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir here at General Headquarters on Monday and appreciated the role of Pakistan Army in ensuring peace and stability in the region

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) Commander Turkish Land Forces, General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir here at General Headquarters on Monday and appreciated the role of Pakistan Army in ensuring peace and stability in the region.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release, during the meeting, matters of mutual interest and measures to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation were discussed.

However, they expressed satisfaction over deep-rooted relations between the two countries, based on historic, cultural and religious affinity. The COAS emphasized the need to further strengthen existing military to military cooperation between the two Armed Forces.

Earlier on arrival at GHQ, the Commander Turkish Land Forces, laid wreath at Yadgar-e-Shuhada.

A smartly turned out contingent of Pakistan Army presented the guard of honour to the visiting dignitary.
Ouagadougou, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) Burkina Faso has suspended a swathe of international news organisations, some indefinitely, for airing accusations of an army massacre of civilians, with the communications regulator CSC adding more outlets over the weekend.

Among those named are French newspaper Le Monde, British publication The Guardian, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and French broadcaster TV5 Monde.

They were suspended for reporting on a Human Rights Watch (HRW) statement accusing soldiers of killing at least 223 people in revenge attacks on two villages on February 25.

Other news media named by the CSC in an order dated Saturday, were French regional newspaper Ouest-France, African website APAnews and the Swiss-based Agence Ecofin.

Already on Thursday, the CSC announced it had directed internet service providers to suspend access to the BBC, VOA and HRW from Burkinabe territory for two weeks.

The military rulers of Burkina Faso have dismissed as "baseless" the HRW report on the massacre, which found 56 children were among the dead.

"The killings at Nodin and Soro led to the opening of a legal inquiry," communications minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo said in a statement late Saturday.

He expressed his surprise that "while this inquiry is underway to establish the facts and identify the authors, HRW has been able, with boundless imagination, to identify 'the guilty' and pronounce its verdict".

HRW described the massacre as "among the worst army abuse in Burkina Faso since 2015".

"These mass killings... appear to be part of a widespread military campaign against civilians accused of collaborating with Islamist armed groups, and may amount to crimes against humanity," the New York-based group said on Thursday.
Georgia's ruling party bussed in thousands of people from across the country on Monday for a rally in the capital aimed at countering days of mass anti-government protests over a controversial "foreign influence" bill

Tbilisi, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) Georgia's ruling party bussed in thousands of people from across the country on Monday for a rally in the capital aimed at countering days of mass anti-government protests over a controversial "foreign influence" bill.

The Black Sea Caucasus nation has been gripped by mass anti-government protests since mid-April, when the ruling Georgian Dream party reintroduced plans to pass a law that critics say resembles Russian legislation used to silence dissent.

The European Union has said that, if adopted, the proposed legislation would undermine Tbilisi's long-standing bid for EU membership.

The latest demonstration against the measure saw some 20,000 people on Sunday in a kilometre-long "March for Europe" in the capital Tbilisi.

On Monday evening, thousands of people gathered outside parliament in a rally organised by the ruling party, amid widespread reports that government employees were being forced to attend.

Georgian television stations broadcast images of people being taken to Tbilisi on Georgian Dream busses.

"We urge patriots from across the country to gather and say no to revolutions funded by dirty money, attacks on the church,.. LGBT propaganda, propaganda of narcotics, the discreditation of state institutions, radicalism, and polarisation," the party said in a statement.

In a rare public appearance, powerful billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili -- the ruling party chairman who is widely believed to be calling the shots in Georgia -- is expected to address the crowd.

Parliament's legal affairs committee announced that the legislature will vote on the draft law's second reading at a plenary session on Tuesday.

Last year, a wave of anti-government protests -- during which police used tear gas and water cannon against demonstrators -- forced Georgian Dream to drop similar legislation.

Police have again clashed with protesters during the latest rallies.

Georgian Dream insists it is staunchly pro-European and that the proposed law only aims to "boost transparency" of the foreign funding of NGOs.

But critics accuse it of steering the former Soviet republic toward closer ties with Russia.

EU chief Charles Michel has said the bill "is not consistent" with Georgia's bid for EU membership" and that it "will bring Georgia further away from the EU and not closer."

In December, the EU granted Georgia official candidate status, but said Tbilisi will have to reform its judicial and electoral systems, reduce political polarisation, improve press freedom and curtail the power of oligarchs, before membership talks can be formally launched.
Dusseldorf, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) A German former soldier will go on trial on Monday accused of spying for Russia, as Berlin faces a surge in Moscow-linked espionage cases amid the Ukraine war.

The suspect, identified only as Thomas H. in line with German privacy laws, was arrested in August last year in the western city of Koblenz.

He is accused of passing information to Russian intelligence services that he obtained while working in the procurement unit of the German military, or Bundeswehr.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, Germany -- the second-largest supplier of military aid to Kyiv -- has seen a jump in alleged spying cases linked to Moscow.

Thomas H. had been a career soldier, working at the army's Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support Department.

The department, which has about 12,000 employees, has seen its work increase substantially since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, as Berlin pumps more funds into a wide-ranging overhaul of the Bundeswehr after years of neglect.

In May 2023, the suspect "approached the Russian general consulate in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin and offered his cooperation", prosecutors said in a statement when he was arrested.

"In the process, he passed on information he had obtained in the course of his professional activities for it to be passed on to a Russian intelligence service."

After his arrest, media reports suggested he had access to sensitive information as the department he worked in counted among its tasks the procurement of highly modern systems for electronic warfare.

These included technology for the surveillance and disruption of opponents' radio systems and the shutting down of enemy radio or airshield systems.
Nearly six years after wildfires killed more than 100 people at a Greek resort, an Athens court on Monday convicted six people of involuntary manslaughter and criminal negligence

Athens, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Apr, 2024) Nearly six years after wildfires killed more than 100 people at a Greek resort, an Athens court on Monday convicted six people of involuntary manslaughter and criminal negligence.

None of the politicians among the 21 people prosecuted were convicted, however, sparking fury among relatives of the victims present in court, media reports said.

Six people -- including the then head of the fire service -- received suspended jail sentences of up to 111 years each for their role in the response to the inferno that tore through Mati on July 23, 2018.

The six also made payments of up to 40,000 Euros ($43,000) each to the court.

The governor of the region of Attica and the mayors of districts in and around the seaside community of Mati, northeast of the capital, were all let off.

Reacting in court, relatives of the dead shouted: "Your court is an insult to the dead, the living and the truth", "There is no justice" and "You have no shame", state tv broadcaster ERT reported. Others wept.

"The reaction is reasonable," minister of state Makis Voridis told Skai TV.

"This kind of a sentence is not commensurate with this kind of tragedy," he said.

Greece's deputy justice minister Ioannis Bougas told Skai radio that the sentences will "almost certainly" be appealed by a state prosecutor.

Wildfires that broke out around Mati spread so fiercely that people burned to death in their cars because traffic jams prevented them fleeing.

Others drowned when they waded into the sea to escape the flames.

Many people went who into the sea had to wait for several hours for help to arrive.

Local fishermen were first to help ahead of the coastguard and navy.

"We are lucky to be alive," one of the survivors told reporters at court.

In total, 104 people died and dozens injured.

- Poor urban planning -

The blaze destroyed an estimated 1,260 hectares (3,100 acres), the Athens Observatory said at the time.

The then government of left-wing prime minister Alexis Tsipras said that with winds blowing at up to 120 kilometres (75 miles) an hour, there had been little time for officials to mount an effective evacuation.

Police and the fire brigade gave different accounts.

Witnesses said at the time that residents had not been warned of the imminent danger.

Instead of being diverted away from the fires, many motorists were accidentally directed towards the flames and became trapped in Mati's narrow streets.

Prosecutors lodged criminal negligence suits against 21 officials from the fire service, port police and civil protection, as well as against local authorities.

Four senior officials, including then police minister Nikos Toskas and several police chiefs, resigned and fire fighters were forced to quit or move to jobs in other areas.

Experts have said that poor urban planning, including a lack of proper access routes and the construction of too many buildings next to combustible forest areas, contributed to the disaster.

The conservative government that succeeded Tsipras's administration pledged to introduce systematic evacuation plans as soon as wildfires approach populated areas.
(UroToday.com) The 2024 Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) held in Lugano, Switzerland between April 25th and 27th was host to a session addressing the management of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Dr. Michael Morris discussed the ideal monitoring of mHSPC patients in daily clinical practice.



Conventional imaging in mHSPC remains insensitive to either disease response or progression when compared to PSA kinetics. Additionally, conventional imaging does not image the tumor directly, except for nodes and viscera. A flare phenomenon occurs in up to 50% of patients and confounds interpretation misleading the clinician. As such the Prostate Cancer Working Group (PCWG) 2 and 3 consensuses recommend ignoring the initial on-treatment scan.



The NCCN guidelines currently recommend periodic imaging to monitor treatment response for mHSPC patients.

The treatment landscape for mHSPC has significantly evolved over the last decade, and, as such, Dr. Morris argued that the follow-up method must evolve as well.

With these changes in the treatment paradigm, we are now observing different patterns of disease progression. Radiographic progression can occur in the absence of PSA progression. A post hoc analysis of the ARCHES trial of enzalutamide doublet therapy in mHSPC patients demonstrated that of 79 patients treated with this doublet combination, 27 (34.2%) developed radiographic progression in the absence of a PSA rise. Conversely, only 28/188 (14.9%) patients in the placebo + ADT arm experienced such an outcome. Patients with radiographic progression, irrespective of PSA progression, had worse survival outcomes highlighting the prognostic significance of these radiographic findings. The investigators of this study concluded that regular imaging is recommended to detect radiographic progression among patients treated with potent androgen receptor pathway inhibitors, such as enzalutamide + ADT, as serial PSA monitoring alone may not be sufficient to detect radiographic progression in many patients.

Is PSMA PET imaging the answer here? And if so, what are the imaging parameters that are most important for assessing treatment response? For metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer patients treated with taxanes (docetaxel and cabazitaxel), Shagera et al. demonstrated that PSMA total tumor volume changes were significantly correlated with survival outcomes.1

For patients receiving radioligand therapy such as Lu-PSMA, what is the imaging parameter? What is its value compared and combined with other variables such as PSA kinetics and circulating tumor cell count changes?

There have been numerous frameworks proposed to assess progression/response criteria, including the PSMA PET Progression (PPP) criteria and Response Evaluation Using PSMA PET/CT in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (RECIP).2,3



Dr. Morris noted that it is important to be aware of the flare phenomenon on PSMA-PET/CT observed in mHSPC patients treated with androgen receptor inhibitors, owing to the increased expression of PSMA on the cell surface. This variable PSMA expression is more commonly observed in the castrate-sensitive state, relative to the castrate-resistant setting. There is also some early evidence that this flare phenomenon observed after short-term ADT may be an early marker of tumor aggressiveness in treatment-naive metastatic prostate cancer patients. As the magnitude of the flare phenomenon (i.e., the PSMA SUVmax) increases, the corresponding FDG SUVmax decreases. Additionally, these patients experience worse serum PSA responses with worse flare events.4



He noted the lineage plasticity that occurs in prostate cancer cells, whereby there is a loss of tumor suppressors, activation of oncogenic drivers, and epigenetic changes that occur in ~15% of patients treated with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors. To date, there is no durably effective treatment for these clonal models that rapidly progress and demonstrate heterogeneous biology.

The clonal evolution of these cells leads to a loss of typically expressed cell surface molecules such as PSMA; however, there is an increase in Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3), which is an actionable target for novel molecular imaging modalities.

Dr. Morris noted that with regards to PSMA for the imaging of patients with mHSPC, the current guidelines remain inconclusive with regards to their recommendations. The ASCO guidelines note that PSMA may be considered for disease burden determination. The SNMMI recommends considering PSMA if considering metastasis-directed therapy or for assessing disease burden. The NCCN guidelines note that PSMA may be appropriate for staging (+/- conventional imaging techniques).

Dr. Morris concluded his presentation with the following take-home messages:

Serial imaging should be performed in the contemporary era. Monitoring by PSA alone is insufficient Unclear what is the best imaging algorithm (NCCN states 6-12 months)

PSMA PET imaging does not avoid short-term confounding images Generally best not to react to initial scans, just like PCWG4 May not detect treatment-emergent neuroendocrine prostate cancer



Presented by: Michael Morris, MD, MS, Medical Oncologist, Clinical Director, Genitourinary Medical Oncology Service & Prostate Cancer Section Head, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY

Written by: Rashid Sayyid, MD, MSc - Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) Clinical Fellow at The University of Toronto, @rksayyid on Twitter during the 2024 Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference, Lugano, Switzerland, April 25th - April 27th, 2024

References:
(UroToday.com) The 2024 Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) held in Lugano, Switzerland between April 25th and 27th was host to PSMA for Diagnostic and Treatment session. Dr. Thomas Hope discussed how to select patients for radioligand therapy in clinical practice, discussing patient eligibility criteria and how to determine the appropriate number of cycles to administer.



What were the PET imaging-based inclusion criteria for patients in the VISION and TheraP trials? In VISION, patients were required to have PSMA-positive disease on the basis of a central review of 68Ga-PSMA-11 staging scans. PSMA positivity was defined as uptake greater in metastatic lesions than in the liver. Further, they could have no PSMA-negative metastatic lesions. 13% of screened men were deemed trial ineligible based on these criteria. A PSA50 response (i.e., 50% decrease in PSA levels) was noted in 46% of radionuclide-treated patients.1 To screen into TheraP, all men had both 68Ga-PSMA-11 and 18F-FDG PET/CT and were required to have high PSMA-expression (at least one site with SUVmax20) and no sites of FDG-positive/PSMA-negative disease. 31% of screened men were deemed trial ineligible, and the PSA50 response was higher at 65% in this more strictly selected cohort of patients.2 Thus, we see early evidence that treatment selection based on imaging parameters/criteria may influence treatment response/sensitivity to radionuclide therapy.

Do baseline PSMA PET imaging parameters predict treatment response? An ad hoc analysis of VISION demonstrated that event-free and overall survivals were superior among patients with higher mean standardized uptake values (SUV) at baseline. This is critical for appropriate patient selection, whereby Lu-PSMA should be encouraged for eligible patients with high mean SUV values (e.g. 10), whereas those with limited uptake may be considered for alternate regimens (e.g,, cabazitaxel as in the control arm of TheraP).



A similar ad hoc analysis was conducted in TheraP. In patients with PSMA SUVmean levels of 10, the odds of a response to LuPSMA were substantially higher (odds ratio [OR]: 12.2, 95% CI 3.4  59.0) as compared to those with PSMA SUVmean of <10 (OR: 2.2, 95% CI 1.1  4.5) (p-value for difference = 0.03). This was reflected in superior PSA50 response rates (91% versus 52%) and PSA progression-free survival HRs (0.45 versus 0.77) for SUVmean  10 versus SUVmean < 10.

As illustrated below, there is a higher proportion of men who were screened trial ineligible in the TheraP trial (31% versus 13%). As such, this suggests that some VISION trial participants would have likely screened ineligible for TheraP.

What happens to these patients in the VISION-TheraP gap? Analysis of the UCSF cohort (n=99) suggest that 39% of these patients achieve a PSA50 response.3

What is the role of FDG PET for patient selection? Ad hoc analysis of TheraP has demonstrated that metabolic tumor volume on FDG-PET was a prognostic biomarker, with volume 200mL portending significantly worse treatment response rates with both LuPSMA and cabazitaxel.

But do we need FDG PETs performed for patients being considered for PSMA radioligand therapy or is PSMA alone sufficient? In an analysis of 89 mCRPC men referred for 177Lu-PSMA therapy between 2019 and 2021, Seifert et al. demonstrated that FDG PET  PSMA discordances occur in 18% of patients. However, only 5% of patients had mismatch findings not detected using PSMA PET-only.4 As such, perhaps FDG PET is not required for screening potentially eligible patients for radioligand therapy. Patients for PSMA radioligand therapy should be selected based on uptake greater than that in the liver. SUVmean > 10 is not relevant for clinical decision-making in the current patient population.

How do we determine when to delay or stop treatment? This is likely a multifactorial decision related to patient response (PSA and imaging), patient symptoms, and toxicities (mostly hematologic).



With regards to the assessment of patient response in Lu-PSMA-treated patients, John et al. have demonstrated that post-treatment SPECT changes in tumor volume correlate with overall survival.

Additionally, combining post-treatment SPECT changes with PSA kinetics can be used to dictate dosing and potentially spare early responders additional therapy, and thus toxicity. In a cohort of 125 men treated with 6-weekly 177LuPSMA-I&T, a composite PSA and 177Lu-SPECT/CT imaging response following the 2nd dose was used to determine ongoing management. Patients in response group 1 (marked reduction in PSA/imaging partial response) received a treatment break until subsequent PSA rise, at which time they were re-treated. Response group 2 (stable or reduced PSA and/or imaging stable disease) received 6-weekly treatments until six doses, or no longer clinically benefitting. Response group 3 patients (rise in PSA and/or imaging progressive disease) were recommended for an alternative treatment. Overall survival rates were 19.2 months, 13.2 months), and 11.2 months, respectively, confirming the safety of this approach in response group 1 patients. Notably, the median months of 'treatment holiday' for response group 1 was 6.1 months.6



What is the impact of post-treatment imaging on management? It appears that 28% of patients have radioligand therapy stopped due to disease progression. Conversely, 20% of patients have radioligand therapy stopped due to a marked response.



Dr. Hope noted that repeat imaging (preferably with post-treatment SPECT) should be performed to evaluate PSMA uptake. Conventional imaging (CT/MRI) is still needed to exclude the development of PSMA-negative disease.

Dr. Hope concluded his presentation with the following take-home messages:

PSMA radioligand therapy should be reserved for patients with lesions demonstrating PSMA tracer uptake greater than that observed in the liver.

PSMA SUVmean and nomograms should not be used to determine if a patient is a candidate for PSMA radioligand therapy. FDG PET should be saved for difficult circumstances.

Post-treatment SPECT should be used to follow patients over time to evaluate for a response.

Presented By: Thomas Hope, MD, Professor, Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA

Written by: Rashid Sayyid, MD, MSc - Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) Clinical Fellow at The University of Toronto, @rksayyid on Twitter during the 2024 Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference, Lugano, Switzerland, April 25th - April 27th, 2024

References:
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing on Sunday, and both sides pledged to advance bilateral cooperation and multilateral coordination.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that China and Bolivia enjoy a traditional friendship featuring mutual understanding and support. The year 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bolivia. China is willing to work with the Bolivian side to take this opportunity to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote China-Bolivia strategic partnership to a new level.

Wang said that both sides should continue to strengthen political mutual trust; enhance exchanges and cooperation between the governments, legislatures and political parties of the two countries; strengthen exchange of governance experience; synergize development strategies; and tap into the potential for cooperation in new areas such as digital economy, plateau agriculture, information and communication, and green development.

China and Bolivia should enhance coordination on multilateral strategies, jointly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and firmly safeguard the common interests of the Global South, said Wang, adding that China is willing to work together with Bolivia and other Latin American and Caribbean countries to promote the building of a China-Latin America community with a shared future.

Sosa noted that China is an important strategic partner for Bolivia, saying Bolivia hopes to upgrade cooperation with China in various fields such as economy and trade. Bolivia welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country.

Bolivia firmly supports the one-China principle, and the global initiatives proposed by China. Bolivia is willing to promote Latin America-China relations, Sosa said.

After their talks, the two foreign ministers witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the foreign affairs academies of the two countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Editor: GSY
USM Announces Federal Grant to Develop Cyber Warfare Curricula for National Guard Soldiers, Citizens

Mon, 04/29/2024 - 10:04am | By: Van Arnold

To fortify its commitment as a leader in cybersecurity education and training, The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will use a $1.5 million Department of Labor grant to develop new cyber warfare curricula for students, faculty, and U.S. Army National Guard soldiers.

The INtegrated Cyber Instructor Training Ecosystem (IN-CITE) grants key objectives include:

Determining what skills the workforce requires to act as creative adversaries in cyber exercises.

Creating curricula for cyber warfare training exercises.

Engaging academic, military, non-military government, and industry partners as an Advisory Council to sustain advanced training content and delivery methods.

Dr. Henry Jones, Director of Research Development and Scientific Entrepreneurship at USM, will serve as Principal Investigator for the grant. He emphasizes that cybersecurity today is best addressed by an understanding that the only constant in this highly consequential field is rapid change.

We sought this grant because through our long-term relationship with the National Guard and Camp Shelby, we saw how difficult it can be to keep soldiers up-to-date with the rapid changes in cybersecurity issues; how important it is for their personal and operational security to be educated, and that USM has cybersecurity experts nearby who have the knowledge that would make a difference, said Jones.

Funding for this innovative training grant will be provided over a three-year period. USMs School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering (CSCE) will develop the new curricula. Last July, USM received the designation as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Defense (CAE-CD). The prestigious honor is earned via a program established by The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

The CAE-CD designation acknowledges the contributions of our faculty to curriculum rigor, research activity, and public and private sector collaborations in cybersecurity, said School Director Dr. Sarah Lee. This recognition highlights USMs leadership in traditional and non-traditional cybersecurity education in the state. On behalf of the USM School of Computer Science and Computer Engineering, I am excited to be a partner in this federal grant program that will enhance security efforts at home and abroad.

The curricula are designed for two types of participants  National Guard soldiers who will learn the latest cybersecurity practices and how to respond to challenging threats, and U.S. citizens (USM students initially) who will learn how to be good bad guys in exercises that will test the soldiers.

The Mississippi National Guard is very excited to partner with the University of Southern Mississippi to further advance cybersecurity education within our ranks, said Maj. Gen. Janson D. Boyles, Adjutant General of Mississippi. We value the esteemed partnership with USMs School of Computing Sciences and Computer Engineering as we continue to advance the cybersecurity know-how and cyber warfare mitigation skills of the men and women serving in the MSNG.

Added USM President Dr. Joseph S. Paul: Southern Miss is proud to join our partners in the U.S. Army National Guard in developing this essential cybersecurity training. This grant deepens our connections with the National Guard and gives Southern Miss students a unique opportunity to engage with cybersecurity experts. I am confident their participation will prepare them well for careers in this rapidly growing field.

On average, hackers attempt 26,000 cyberattacks per day, or once every three seconds, in the United States. According to Cybersecurity Ventures, the global annual cost of cybercrime is predicted to reach $9.5 trillion in 2024. Compounding this is the rising cost of damages resulting from cybercrime, which is expected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.

A report by IBM revealed that the average cost of a data breach was $4.35 million last year, the highest average on record, whereas the average cost of a ransomware attack was $4.54 million. For the 12th year in a row, the United States held the title for the highest cost of a data breach, $5.09M more than the global average.

The unprecedented advances of 21st century science and technology has expanded the traditional battlefield beyond the traditional land, air, and maritime domains and into space, cyberspace and across the electromagnetic spectrum demanding that as a force, we re-think how we compete with our adversaries, said Col. William Lee Henry, Commander Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center. In a shift to multi and all domain operations concepts, the Army realizes the importance of increasing its focus on systems and networks to effectively operationalize cyber, information warfare, electronic warfare and space capabilities.

Henry stressed that collaborative research partnerships between universities and U.S. military entities such as this one between the Mississippi National Guard and Camp Shelby are critical in sustaining and enhancing national defense and homeland security missions.

We are honored to continue our long-standing relationship with the University of Southern Mississippi in a partnership that will bring cutting edge research and technological advances to the tactical edge that will benefit our warfighters operating across the globe, said Henry.

Jones notes that this collaborative effort will bring the latest threat and protection insights from the best sources available to all who participate.

There are very few locations in the country where the military and academia have cybersecurity collaborations like this underway, and we arent aware of any who have our vision of a dynamic curriculum that will combine the most up-to-date insights from the military, academia, and industry, said Jones.
Ute Romling

Ute Romling, a preeminent microbiologist from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, is the guest speaker at the University of Wyoming Thursday, May 2.

Romling will discuss Microbial biofilm formation -- about origin, multicellularity and clinical impact in a free public talk at 5:10 p.m. in Room 138 of the Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center. She also will give a research seminar Friday, May 3, as part of the UW Department of Molecular Biologys seminar series.

In her public presentation, Romling will explain that most microbes live in communities known as biofilms. Such communities are formed when microbes colonize various types of surfaces and produce self-protecting matrix.

The matrix materials protect microbial biofilms from drying and exposure to harmful chemicals, including disinfectants and antibiotics, thus facilitating human and animal infections. According to the latest data, it is estimated that about 70 percent of human infections involve microbial biofilms. Some of the most problematic biofilms are formed on the surfaces of prosthetic devices, in chronic wounds and in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.

Romling is among the world experts in biofilms. Her work has helped uncover how bacteria make decisions to form biofilms and what components enteric bacteria produce to protect themselves. Her research has focused primarily on Salmonella Typhimurium and E. coli, but also on pathogenic Pseudomonas and Candida.

She received her doctorate degree from Technical University of Hannover, Germany, and postdoctoral training at the Hanover Medical School and also at Karolinska Institutet. She began her independent research career in Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Germany, and, in 2001, moved to Karolinska Institutet.

She has been published in about 150 publications that have been widely cited. Among her many recognitions is an elected membership in the European Academy of Microbiology.

Romlings UW visit is sponsored through a Global Perspectives grant from the UW College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.

For more information, email UW Department of Molecular Biology Professor Mark Gomelsky at gomelsky@uwyo.edu.
Mandy Marney

The University of Wyoming welcomes Mandy Marney as director of UW Extension and associate dean of the College of Agriculture, Life Sciences and Natural Resources.

Marney joined UW Extension in 2020 as associate director and was named senior associate director in 2022. She assumes her new role today (Monday).

I am pleased that Dr. Mandy Marney will join the leadership team of our college as an associate dean and the director of UW Extension, says Kelly Crane, interim dean of the college. In her prior roles at UW, Mandy has clearly demonstrated her leadership capacity through innovation, collaboration and a dedication to ensuring UW Extension is responsive to the needs of Wyoming communities.

As senior associate director, Marney has helped oversee extension programming across the state, with an emphasis on 4-H and community vitality and health. Throughout her tenure at UW, she has supported county and statewide initiatives addressing community well-being, mental and physical health, and youth leadership.

I am deeply honored to accept the position of associate dean and director, Marney says. I am excited about serving the organization in this new role, working with college leadership, the extension administration team and our field faculty to make positive differences in the lives of Wyoming residents.

Marney also looks forward to building relationships with stakeholders and partners on a regional scale. In 2023, she helped launch the Western Region Mental Health and Nutrition Network, bringing together researchers and professionals to address widespread challenges related to nutrition, food security and mental health.

Marneys interdisciplinary approach to community outreach stems both from her academic background and her experience as an educator and administrator at several land-grant universities.

Before joining UW Extension, Marney served as district director at Kansas State University Research and Extension. She also held several positions at University of Missouri Extension, including extension associate in bioengineering, agriculture preparedness specialist and community development specialist.

As a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Marney earned a B.S. in agricultural journalism, followed by a masters degree in environment and behavior and a doctorate in human environmental sciences. From 2007 to 2016, she served as a program director for the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station.

To contact Marney, email amarney@uwyo.edu. To learn more about UW Extension programming, visit www.uwyo.edu/uwe or call (307) 766-5124.

About UW Extension

Since 1914, University of Wyoming Extension has provided lifelong learning opportunities to Wyoming citizens across the state. With roots in agricultural education, UW Extension supports rural communities facing contemporary challenges and changes. UW Extension brings the universitys resources to each of the states 23 counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation. To learn more about UW Extension, visit www.uwyo.edu/uwe or call (307) 766-5124.
JIUQUAN, April 28 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhou-17 crew held a handover ceremony with the Shenzhou-18 crew and transferred the keys of the country's space station to the latter on Sunday.

Up to now, the Shenzhou-17 crew has completed all planned tasks. The three astronauts will return to the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on April 30, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

At present, the landing site and all participating systems are making final preparations to welcome the astronauts back.

The Shenzhou-17 crew members, consisting of Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin, were launched to the Tiangong space station last October, and have remained in orbit for about half a year.

China launched the Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship on April 25, sending three astronauts -- Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu -- to its space station for another six-month mission.

Editor: WXL


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April 27 - Haiti's transition council on Saturday said it will vote for the country's next president on Tuesday as part of efforts to bring the Caribbean country under control amid rampant gang violence.

The election will take place at the prime minister's Villa d'Accueil office on Tuesday morning, a statement said.

The transition council took power in a ceremony on Thursday, formalizing the resignation of former Prime Minster Ariel Henry as Haiti seeks to establish security after years of gang violence wreaking chaos and misery.

The transitional government's mandate runs until February 2026, by when there are slated to be elections, and cannot be renewed.

The council's installation is seen as a key step toward the deployment of a multinational security mission Henry requested in 2022 and the United Nations approved more than six months ago.

Armed gangs, equipped with weapons trafficked largely from the United States, have for years tightened their grip on the capital and sought to topple Henry. Since he pledged to resign last month, they have called for a broader "revolution."

Key ports have been closed for more than a month, but on Thursday, Florida-based non-profit Hope for Haiti said a first humanitarian flight since the capital's airport shut down had landed in Port-au-Prince: a U.S. military plane bringing 20 pallets of rehydration solution for cholera patients.

Separately, Haiti's national police said it received a shipment of equipment paid for by Haiti's government and flown in by U.S. authorities.

Foreign diplomats hailed the transition council as an important step to restore security, and Kenyan President William Ruto said the nation stands "ready and willing" with its counterparts to "rapidly execute the security support infrastructure."

"Kenya assures the Transitional Presidential Council of Haiti of its full support as it shepherds the country through this complex interregnum," Ruto said on X.
Australia, one of Ukraine's largest non-NATO donors, has announced a military aid package worth around $65 million to support Kyivs war effort following Russias invasion.

The package includes funding for drones, short-range air defense systems, inflatable boats and generators, as well as equipment like helmets, masks and boots.

The additional funding was announced by Australias deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, during a brief visit over the weekend to Ukraine.

Marles told local media that the Canberra government is committed to supporting Ukraine to resolve the conflict on its terms, adding that their spirit remains strong.

Australia is also part of a multinational program to train Ukrainian troops in the United Kingdom through Operation Kudu.

Canberra has also joined the U.K.-led so-called drone coalition to boost Ukraines aerial defenses.

Vasyl Myroshnychenko,Ukraines ambassador to Australia, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that Australias help will make a difference in his countrys fight against Russia.

We are extremely grateful for the package that was announced and that Australia has joined the drone coalition, especially now that we see how the nature of war is changing," Myroshnychenko said. "The role of drones is becoming more important, and we have to have a steady supply of those drones and that was a very important contribution from Australia to help us get that advantage on the battlefield.

The new package brings Australias overall financial support to Ukraine to more than $650 million.

Previous aid included supplying armored vehicles, infantry carriers, lightweight towed howitzers, and munitions.

Australias announcement follows a $61 billion military aid package for Ukraine signed last week by U.S. President Joe Biden.

The Canberra government also has imposed restrictions on hundreds of Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, military commanders and businesspeople. They are the most sweeping sanctions Australia has ever put on another country.

Additionally, Canberra has banned imports of Russian oil, petroleum, coal and gas.

More than 11,000 Ukrainians on various types of Australian visas, including visitors permits, have come to Australia since Russia invaded in February 2022.
U.S. President Joe Biden called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to release American journalists Evan Gershkovich and Alsu Kurmasheva from Russian prisons, during the White House Correspondents Association Dinner Saturday in Washington.

Journalism is clearly not a crime, Biden said. Putin should release Evan and Alsu immediately.

Gershkovich, a Russian correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, was arrested in March 2023 on espionage charges that he, his employer and the U.S. government vehemently deny. Earlier this month, his pretrial detention was re-extended until late June.

Meanwhile, Kurmasheva, a dual U.S.-Russian national who works at the Tatar-Bashkir service of VOAs sister outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, has been jailed since October 2023. She is facing charges of failing to self-register as a so-called foreign agent and spreading what Moscow views as false information about the Russian military.

Gershkovichs family and Kurmashevas husband attended the black-tie gala, which was first held more than a century ago.

We are doing everything we can, Biden said of U.S. efforts to secure the release of Gershkovich and Kurmasheva.

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed the importance of Biden mentioning the imprisoned journalists.

[Biden] believed it was an opportunity, speaking in front of all of you, to talk about what journalists have to go through and how brave it is for journalists to go out there and deliver  really deliver the news, she said.



It is important to lift that up. It is important to speak to that. We believe  and I've said this many times from this podium  journalism is not a crime, Jean-Pierre added.

In Gershkovich's case, the State Department moved quickly to declare the journalist wrongfully detained, which opens up additional resources to help secure his release.

Press freedom groups, however, have noted that, to date, the State Department has not made the same designation for Kurmasheva.

When asked about the status of Kurmashevas designation, Jean-Pierre on Monday referred reporters to the State Department.

The Department of State continuously reviews the circumstances surrounding the detentions of U.S. nationals overseas, including those in Russia, for indicators that they are wrongful, a State Department spokesperson previously told VOA.

In his address, Biden also mentioned the case of Austin Tice, an American journalist who was kidnapped while reporting in Syria in 2012 and has been held there ever since.

Biden also called for the release of Paul Whelan, a former Marine who is serving a 16-year sentence on spying charges that he and the U.S. government deny.

Were not going to give up until we get them home, Biden said.

VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell contributed to this report.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone Sunday about the nearly seven-month war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, but the White House gave no immediate signal that a cease-fire is in the offing.

A White House statement said the two leaders reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate cease-fire in Gaza."

Negotiations have been underway for months on ways to halt the fighting, but Israel and Hamas remain stalemated in talks brokered by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar.

In the call with Netanyahu, the White House said Biden noted his agreement with 17 other world leaders demanding that Hamas immediately release the 100 or so hostages it is holding and agree to a cease-fire. The U.S. has been pushing for a six-week halt in the fighting.

Hamas has demanded that Israel end the war and leave Gaza, but Netanyahu has resisted and held out the threat of a ground invasion on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering in hopes of staying safe from the Israeli aerial bombardment.

The White House said Biden again made it clear to Netanyahu that the U.S. opposes an Israeli ground attack on Rafah because of the danger to the Palestinians living there.

The two leaders also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including through new northern openings starting this week.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told ABCs This Week show that a temporary pier for humanitarian relief trucks the U.S. is building on the Gaza coast of the Mediterranean Sea could open in two or three weeks.

The Biden-Netanyahu call came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the Mideast for talks with regional officials in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel from Monday through Wednesday.

The State Department said Blinken would emphasize the U.S. view that it is Hamas that it is the obstacle to a cease-fire. It said the top U.S. diplomat will also emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.

In Saudi Arabia, Blinken is participating in a ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council to advance coordination on regional security, the State Department said. He is also attending a World Economic Forum special meeting on global collaboration, growth, and energy for development.

Hamas killed 1,200 people in the initial attack in Israel last October and captured about 250 hostages, with about 100 of them released during a week-long cease-fire in late November.

Israels subsequent retaliatory counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, with Israel saying the death toll includes several thousand Hamas militants it has killed.

Hamas is believed to still be holding about 100 hostages, along with the remains of 30 or more hostages who have either been killed or otherwise died in the ensuing months.

Also Sunday, the U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza to provide essential relief to civilians in Gaza affected by the ongoing conflict, a CENTCOM statement said.

The joint operation included Jordanian provided food and four U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft. The U.S. C-130's dropped over 25,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), CENTCOM said. To date the U.S. has dropped nearly 1,110 tons of humanitarian assistance.

Israel also carried out further airstrikes and shelling in Gaza on Sunday, while a video of two hostages being held by Hamas militants since the October attack prompted new outrage in Israel, where protesters have piled pressure on the government to reach a deal.

Global opposition to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has also been growing, with world leaders and aid groups warning that a looming Israeli invasion of Rafah would lead to massive civilian casualties.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas appealed to the United States to stop Israel from invading Rafah, which he said would be "the biggest disaster in the history of the Palestinian people.

The U.S.  Israel's main ally and weapons supplier was the only nation capable of preventing Israel from "committing this crime," Abbas told the global economic summit in Saudi Arabia.

Some material in this report came from Agence France-Presse.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met in Amman Tuesday with Jordans top leaders and the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Gaza amid a push to seal a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas and bring in more aid to the Gaza Strip.

Blinken held separate talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and King Abdullah II, before his meeting with Sigrid Kaag, U.N. senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza.

During his meeting with Abdullah, Blinken discussed efforts to reach a cease-fire that secures the release of hostages and emphasized that Hamas should accept the proposal on the table.

Blinken also discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to achieve enduring peace in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.

Blinken thanked Abdullah for Jordans leadership in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid, including joint U.S.-Jordan airdrops that to date have delivered over 1,000 tons of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza.

The two leaders discussed joint efforts to expedite the flow of additional urgently needed aid to Gaza from Jordan through land routes. Blinken also commended the kings commitment to economic modernization and vital public sector reforms.

Later on Tuesday, Blinken met with Palestinians from Gaza at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs before meeting with Kaag. Blinken told Kaag he was anxious to hear directly from her, adding, The entire team is doing extraordinary work to ensure that people in Gaza get the help and support and the assistance they need.

On Monday during a stop in Saudi Arabia, Blinken also said he was hopeful Hamas will accept what he characterized as Israels extraordinarily generous offer for a cease-fire in Gaza in return for the release of hostages.

"In this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a cease-fire is Hamas," Blinken said in Riyadh. "They have to decide  and they have to decide quickly."

Israel declared war on Hamas after its October 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of about 250 hostages.

"I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision, Blinken said. "We can have a fundamental change in the dynamic."

A delegation from Hamas participated in talks Monday in Egypt, which with Qatar has been seeking to broker a deal that would halt the Israeli offensive and see hostages freed.

Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, a figure that Israel says includes several thousand Hamas fighters.

Blinken said in Riyadh that the United States is close to finishing a security agreement with Saudi Arabia that would be offered if the country makes peace with Israel.

The work that Saudi Arabia, the United States have been doing together in terms of our own agreements, I think, is potentially very close to completion, Blinken told an audience at the World Economic Forum.

He added the two nations have done intensive work together over the last month on Israeli-Saudi normalization.

Blinken disclosed that he was scheduled to be in Saudi Arabia and Israel on October 10 last year to focus specifically on the Palestinian part of the normalization deal because that is an essential component. But it did not happen because of the Hamas terror attack on Israel.

In order to move forward with normalization, two things will be required: Calm in Gaza and a credible pathway to a Palestinian state, Blinken said.

U.S. officials have said creating a pathway to a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel is key to lasting peace and security in the Middle East and to Israel's integration in the region.

The Saudis have demanded, as a prerequisite, to see an Israeli commitment to the two-state solution.

Blinken met for nearly an hour Monday with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the Gaza conflict and ongoing tensions in the Mideast. Following his stop in Jordan, Blinken heads to Israel, where he is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials.

Netanyahu has rejected the two-state solution and the return of the Palestinian Authority to control Gaza, demands that are widely supported by the international community.

Nimrod Goren, a senior fellow for Israeli affairs at the Middle East Institute, told VOA in an email, Saudi Arabia has been gradually opening towards Israel for a decade. Significant progress was made in the months prior to the Hamas attack of October 7, with the hope of linking an Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement to a pre-presidential election, U.S.-Saudi defense pact. The war stalled the process, but talks are continuing and are at a decisive phase.

If Netanyahu's opposition to the two-state solution remains unchanged, Goren added, he might struggle to secure normalization with Saudi Arabia.

Humanitarian assistance



Speaking at a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh earlier Monday, Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is for there to be a cease-fire.



Some analysts said the United States needs to fully enforce its law and arms policy on Israel to ensure accountability and adequate humanitarian aid delivery.



Ari Tolany, director of the Center for International Policy's security assistance monitor, told VOA, U.S. law and policy will need to hold its largest recipient of security assistance to account for a meaningful peace.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken to the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan and reaffirmed Washington's support for a peace treaty between the South Caucasus neighbors, the State Department said on Sunday.

Yerevan suffered a major defeat last September when Baku's forces retook the region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which while part of Azerbaijan had a predominantly Armenian population.

Peace talks have become bogged down in issues including demarcation of the two countries' 1,000-kilometers (620-mile) border, which remains closed and heavily militarized.

Blinken spoke to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev on Sunday and urged him "to keep up the momentum with his Armenian counterpart, reiterating U.S. willingness to support those efforts," the State Department said in a statement.

Aliyev's press service said on Sunday that foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia will soon hold a meeting in Almaty in Kazakhstan to continue negotiations.

"The president considers an important step that ... Azerbaijan and Armenia have begun the process of border demarcation," Russia's Interfax news agency cited the press service as saying.

In a separate call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Blinken reaffirmed U.S. support for progress on a durable and dignified peace agreement, the department said, but did not specify when the call took place.

In his call with Aliyev, Blinken also welcomed the transfer to house arrest last week of a prominent Azerbaijani economist and opposition politician who has been imprisoned since last July while awaiting trial.

Azerbaijan has also detained a string of independent reporters since late last year. Several are now facing trial on charges unrelated to journalistic activity, such as smuggling.

"Secretary Blinken again urged Azerbaijan to adhere to its international human rights obligations and commitments and release those unjustly detained in Azerbaijan," the State Department said.
Herds of endangered hippos are stuck in drying ponds in Botswana's northwest as the El Nino-induced drought takes its toll on wildlife.

In Botswana, home to one of the worlds largest hippopotamus populations, around 500 hippos are stranded as blistering heat dries up water sources, Moemedi Batshabang, director of the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, told VOA.

More than 200 of the endangered animals are stranded at the Nxaraga lagoon near the town of Maun in the northwest.

The Maun-based Save Wildlife Conservation Fund is working with the wildlife department to save the stranded hippos. The groups director, Lars Gorschluter, said they are pumping water into the lagoon and giving the hippos food.

"This time its a bit harder because of missing rainfall that means hippos are trapped in the pool. They dont have much food outside to get, thats why we have to feed them every day with lots of bales of lucerne and others, Gorschluter said.

Hippos need water to protect their sensitive skin from Botswanas extreme heat.

Gorschluter has ruled out moving the affected animals to areas with reliable water sources, such as the Okavango Delta.

We also considered the translocation of the hippos, together with the department of wildlife, but rejected it because of high costs and lack of budget, Gorschluter said.

Some hippos are also stuck in the mud as water levels recede in the Chobe River, which flows from Namibia.

Namibian authorities this week indicated they are working with their Botswana counterparts to drill more boreholes in hopes of refilling the drying channel.

But local conservationist Map Ives urged authorities to let nature take its course.

In a case like this, the hippopotamus, I believe, should be left alone. They have a choice; they can get on their feet, and they can walk. There is always some water within 100 kilometers of where they are. They can walk to that water, Ives said. The other alternative  if they are old, weak or sick, is that they will die. Yes, we live in an age where human beings do not want to see animals die, but if you leave nature to itself without human interference, it will balance.

The El Nino drought that has affected much of southern Africa has meant water is scarce, which has destroyed food sources and critical habitats for other kinds of wildlife as well.
Burkina Faso on Sunday suspended several more international news organizations, some of them for an indefinite period, over their coverage of a report accusing the army of extrajudicial killings, its communications regulator said.

This follows similar action last week, when Burkina Faso temporarily suspended the programs of Voice of America and BBC/Africa following the broadcast of news stories about a Human Rights Watch report accusing the Burkinabe army of abuses against civilian populations.

Among those named in the weekend order are French newspapers Le Monde, Ouest-France, British publication The Guardian, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle and French broadcaster TV5 Monde, the Superior Council of Communication (CSC) said.

TV5 Monde's broadcasts would be suspended for two weeks, while access to its website would be blocked, the junta-led West African country's communications council said.

The websites of Deutsche Welle, Le Monde and Ouest-France, The Guardian and African agencies APA and Ecofin have also been blocked until further notice, the CSC said.

Reuters was not able to immediately reach the media groups for comment.

On Saturday, Burkinabe government spokesperson Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo rejected HRW's allegations as "peremptory" and denied that the authorities were unwilling to look into the alleged atrocities.

"The killings ... have led to the opening of a judicial investigation," Ouedraogo told Reuters, citing a March 1 statement by a regional prosecutor.

On Thursday, the CSC on Thursday ordered the immediate halt of the rebroadcasts and suspension of the programs of VOA and BBC/Africa for two weeks. Access to the websites and digital platforms of BBC, VOA and Human Rights Watch was also suspended within Burkina Faso.

The Human Rights Watch report accused the Burkina Faso military of summarily executing at least 223 civilians in two villages in late February.



In its broadcast of the story on the Human Rights Watch report, VOA sought reactions from several Burkinabe officials but did not receive any response.

VOA stands by its reporting about Burkina Faso and intends to continue to fully and fairly cover events in that country, the outlets acting director John Lippman said Friday in a statement.

We ask the government of Burkina Faso to reconsider this troubling decision, he said.

A BBC spokesperson had a similar message: The suspension reduces the BBCs ability to reach audiences with independent and accurate news. We will continue to report on the region in the public interest and without fear or favour.

Press freedom groups also condemned the suspension of the two outlets.

The suspensions extend a pattern of censorship in the country, which has included previous suspensions of several French and local outlets, Jonathan Rozen, the senior Africa researcher at the Committee to Protect Journalists, told VOA in a statement.

Military-ruled Burkina Faso has in recent months suspended other Western news outlets, including the French television broadcasters LCI and France24, French radio broadcaster Radio France Internationale, the French daily newspaper Le Monde and the French magazine Jeune Afrique.

Journalists in Burkina Faso should not have to contend with censorship by authorities in addition to challenges of reporting amid insecurity in the country, Rozen said.

Sadibou Marong, the director of the Reporters Without Borders sub-Saharan Africa bureau, agreed, calling the suspensions yet another blow to press freedom in Burkina Faso.

They [authorities] are using suspensions against those who dare to report freely, added Marong, who is based in Senegals capital Dakar.

Burkina Faso is one of several West African nations in the Sahel region, including Mali and Niger, that have been combating Islamist insurgencies. The military seized power in a 2022 coup, citing the governments failure to put down a jihadist insurgency that erupted in 2015.

The West African country was once lauded as a regional leader in media freedom.

It used to really be a success story in terms of press freedom in Africa, Marong said. But that status came to an end following military coups in January and September 2022, he noted.

The decision to suspend VOA and the BBC come just one week ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3.



VOAs Liam Scott contributed to this report. Some information came from Agence France-Presse, Reuters and The Associated Press.
China's leader Xi Jinping kicks off a six-day trip to Europe this Sunday, his first visit to the continent since 2019. The trip will include stops in France, Serbia and Hungary and comes amid rising tensions over trade with the European Union and concerns over Beijings support of Russia.

Some analysts say that while Russias war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict are likely to come up during the trip, Xi will be looking first to address trade tensions during the trip and to double down on Beijings close relationship with Budapest and Belgrade.

In light of Europes growing appetite to investigate what they view as Chinas unfair trade practices, [Xis European tour] is a trip to disrupt the EUs efforts to adopt tougher trade measures against China, said Zsuzsa Anna Ferenczy, an expert on EU-China relations at National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan.

And by making stops in Serbia and Hungary, Ferenczy said Xi hopes to show that China remains influential in Central and Eastern Europe despite the growing number of countries withdrawing from the Beijing-led initiative known as Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe.

For Beijing, the symbolism of the trip to Serbia and Hungary is important as the stop in Budapest serves as an opportunity to amplify divisions within the EU, she told VOA by phone.

Investigations piling up

Since last month, the EU has launched investigations against several Chinese products, including green energy products and security devices, and initiated a probe into Chinas public procurement of medical devices.

The EU also increased scrutiny over several Chinese companies over the last week, toughening safety rules against Chinese fashion retailer Shein and opening formal proceedings against Tiktok under its Digital Services Act.

Beijing has repeatedly characterized Western countries concerns about Chinese excess capacity in some sectors as baseless hype and urged the EU to stop wantonly going after and restraining Chinese companies under various pretexts.

Rebalancing trade

Despite Beijings objection to concerns expressed by Brussels, France has reiterated the need for European countries to rebalance trade relations with China during recent bilateral meetings between Chinese and French officials.

The European Union is a very open market, the most open in the world. But the current deficits with a certain number of countries, including China, are not sustainable for us, said French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne during his trip to China last month.

During a phone call with French President's Diplomatic Counselor Emmanuel Bonne on April 27, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing hopes the French side will push the EU to continue to pursue a positive and pragmatic policy toward China, Wang said.

While France supports the EUs efforts to rebalance trade relations with China, some experts say French President Emmanuel Macron will try to maintain a cooperative relationship with China.

France wants to demonstrate that it is one of the major countries that can maintain channels of communication at all levels with China, Sari Arho Havren, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in Brussels, told VOA by phone.

On April 25, Chinese and French armed forces agreed to establish a mechanism for maritime and aerial cooperation and dialogue, which Beijing characterized as a vital step to implement the consensus reached by Xi and Macron.

While trade issues will likely dominate Xis meeting with Macron, some analysts say the French president will try to address the issue of Chinas ongoing support for Russia.

Macron will try to convince Xi to agree [to reduce] Chinas support to Russia, but in Europe, hopes that Sino-Russian collaboration will diminish are fading away, Philippe Le Corre, a Senior Fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis, told VOA in a written response.

Friend-shoring in Serbia and Hungary

In Hungary and Serbia, Ferenczy said Xi will focus on deepening bilateral cooperation in different sectors, especially infrastructure projects, and Beijings role as a strategic investor in both countries.

We need to see his trip to Hungary and Serbia in the context of the Belt and Road initiative since Beijing is trying to revitalize the infrastructure project in Europe, she told VOA, adding that the Belgrade-Budapest Railway will be an important part of Chinas attempt to expand its flagship infrastructure project in Central and Eastern Europe.

In recent months, the Hungarian government under Prime Minister Viktor Orban has tried to attract large amounts of Chinese investment  especially in the electric vehicle sector  while deepening security cooperation with Beijing.

During an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CGTN last week, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto expressed his opposition to the EUs anti-subsidy investigation against Chinese EVs and said he looks forward to the potential impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on Hungary's electric vehicle and battery manufacturing industry.

Havren in Brussels said since Hungary is a member of the EU, the relationship with Budapest is particularly important to China. Hungary could impact possible sanctions or anything that is of importance to Beijing in the EU, she told VOA.

While the trip is unlikely to change the current dynamics between the EU and China, Havren said Xi will try to use Chinas relationship with middle powers like France and its iron-clad friendship with countries like Hungary to make itself more visible and relevant in Europe.
At least 45 people have died in southwestern Kenya after a dam burst Sunday night following heavy rains that spawned devastating flooding across the country.

Earlier, several people went missing after their boat capsized in a river in eastern Kenya.

Kenyan rescue teams were searching for survivors swept away by floods in the Mai Mahiu area of Nakuru County.

John Karungu, who lives near the dam, said it broke around 2:30 in the morning and that people on the downstream side pleaded for help as the rushing water engulfed their homes. Karungu and his neighbors managed to rescue several children, but some were swept away.

We managed to leave the house in time before the gushing waters swept away everything, including our livestock," Joel Kuria, a farmer, told Reuters. He also said he heard the screams of victims being washed downstream."

According to residents, at least 16 homes were swept away in the area.

Later reports said a clogged tunnel may have played a role in the flooding.

Kenyan Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen and Nakuru County Governor Susan Kihika visited the flood zone to assess the damage and mobilize authorities and agencies for rescue operations and aid distribution to the victims.

Naivasha Police Commander Stephen Kirui told VOA they have recovered dozens of bodies, and some of the survivors were admitted to hospitals in the area.

"So far, we have retrieved 45 bodies. We have not identified the gender of adults and children. Almost three villages have been swept [away], and a large number of people, 110 persons, have been admitted to several hospitals within Naivasha Sub-County," Kirui said.

Kirui said it was still raining in the area.

Last week, the Kenya Red Cross warned of more rains, called on Kenyans to brace for more flooding and urged the population to take precautions.

Kirui said they have managed to clear the roads, but the flooding threat persists.

"The situation is now coming to a [sense of] normalcy, and the roads are passable," Kirui said. "We are trying to remove the trees that have barricaded the roads, and now the roads are passable. I want to advise the members of the public within these areas that they should keep off from the floods. They should move to higher ground whereby they cannot be swept away by the water, because there is heavy rain coming, and it may not be good."

More than 140 people have died in heavy rains that have hit the East African country since mid-March. Thousands of people have been displaced. In Nairobi alone, 10,000 people have lost their homes, according to Reuters.

The death toll is expected to rise after a boat capsized in the Tana River in eastern Kenya over the weekend. The Kenyan Red Cross said it rescued 23 people from the boat, but more than a dozen were still missing.

The flooding has prompted the Kenyan government to delay the reopening of schools until next week.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
The European Union is tightening visa rules for people from Ethiopia in response to what it says is a lack of cooperation from the Ethiopian government with the repatriation of those who have entered Europe illegally.

As a result of the changes, the EU said the visa processing time for Ethiopian nationals will triple, from 15 to 45 days, and that waiving requirements for certain paperwork will no longer be allowed.

Ethiopian officials and diplomats will need to pay to obtain travel visas, the EU said. Multiple entry visas will no longer be allowed.

The European Commission said the new rules were due to a lack of response from Ethiopian authorities with regard to readmission requests, and shortcomings with the organization of both voluntary and non-voluntary return operations.

The restrictions come as European governments try to control the influx of refugees leaving war-torn African countries to enter Europe.

The voyage of migrants over the Mediterranean Sea to Europe - typically organized by criminal gangs  is dangerous and often fatal. However, the largest share of migrants entering Europe comes from individuals entering countries legally and overstaying their visas.

Ethiopia is still reeling from its two-year conflict in the northern Tigray region which ended in 2022. Since the conflict, most of the six million living in the region have depended on international aid.

Some information in this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
Finlands national carrier Finnair said Monday it is suspending flights to Estonias second largest city for a month after two of its planes were prevented from landing in Tartu because of GPS disruptions.

The cause of the GPS interference that forced the two flights to return to Helsinki last Thursday and Friday was not immediately known, but Estonian officials blame GPS jamming in the region on Russia.

Planes approaching Tartu Airport currently rely on GPS signals, said Finnair, which is the only airline to fly into that city. But there are other navigational tools that can be used, and the airline said it would suspend daily flights there from April 29 to May 31 so that an alternate solution can be installed at the airport.

Most airports use alternative approach methods, but some airports, such as Tartu, only use methods that require a GPS signal to support them, said Jari Paajanen, Finnairs director of operations.

Finnair said GPS interference has been increasing over the past two years. Finnair pilots have reported interference especially near Kaliningrad, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, the company said.

Paajanen said when the GPS isnt being relied upon for airport approaches, disruptions to the service dont typically result in safety issues. Our pilots are well aware of the issue, and the aircraft have other navigation systems that can be used when the GPS system is unserviceable, Paajanen said.

However, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Monday that jamming carried out by Russia is so dangerous that sooner or later it will cause a crash, the Baltic News Service said.

So, this is a deliberate action that interferes with our lives lived in a dangerous situation and this can be considered as a hybrid attack, Tsahkna told Estonian broadcaster ERR.
Two Ukrainian men were stabbed to death in southern Germany, police said Sunday, and a Russian man was arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings.

The two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria. Shortly after the slayings on Saturday evening, the police arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder, German news agency dpa reported.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement that the two men were members of the Ukrainian military; According to preliminary information, the deceased citizens were military personnel undergoing medical rehabilitation in Germany.

The names of the victims and the suspect weren't released in line with German privacy rules. The possible motive for the killings wasn't yet known, authorities said. It also wasn't clear if the three men knew each other.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees came to Germany since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.
German prosecutors said Monday that they are not ruling out a political motive in the stabbing deaths of two Ukrainian soldiers in southern Germany on Saturday.

The two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and undergoing medical rehabilitation in Germany, were killed at a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria. Their names have not been released due to privacy laws.

Police arrested a 57-year-old Russian in his home on suspicion of murder shortly after the attack, police said.

The public prosecutor general's office in Munich took over the investigation Monday because of a possible political motivation for the crime.

"The motive for the crime is currently unclear, although a political motivation cannot be ruled out and is being investigated in all directions," said the prosecutor general's office Monday.

Early indications suggested the three men knew each other, local police spokesperson Stefan Sonntag told dpa, the German press agency.

A spokesperson for the German government declined to comment on the case Monday, citing that the police investigation was ongoing. The Russian embassy has also declined to comment.

Mourners gathered near the scene of the attack with flowers and Ukrainian flags to hold a small vigil for the soldiers.

Two German-Russian nationals were arrested in Germany in a separate case this month on suspicion of plotting sabotage attacks, including on United States military facilities. Officials said their plot was an effort to undermine military support and aid for Ukraine.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees have come to Germany since Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany is also home to a significant Russian community, including 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who moved to the country after the Soviet Unions collapse in 1991.
Iraq has repatriated hundreds more of its citizens linked to the Islamic State group from a sprawling camp in northeastern Syria, Iraqi and Syrian officials said Monday.

Ali Jahangir, a spokesman for Iraq's Ministry of Migration and Displaced, said the nearly 700 Iraqis, mostly women and children, arrived late Sunday at a camp near Iraq's northern city of Mosul, where they will undergo a rehabilitation program with the help of international agencies in an effort to distance them from extremist ideology.

Despite an aggressive repatriation campaign by Baghdad, Iraqis remain the largest nationality among the nearly 43,000 residents of al-Hol camp which houses the wives, widows, children and other family members of IS militants. Syrians are the second-largest nationality. More than 6,000 people from 57 other countries are housed in a separate area known as the Annex.

"These are Iraqi citizens that we have to rehabilitate," Jahangir said. "Leaving them at al-Hol camp means they are a time bomb that could threaten Iraq's security."

In 2014, IS declared a caliphate in large parts of Iraq and Syria and attracted tens of thousands of supporters from around the world. The extremists were defeated by a U.S.-led coalition in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019. Tens of thousands of people linked to the group were taken to al-Hol camp close to the Iraqi border.

The heavily guarded camp, overseen by the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, was once home to 73,000 people.

Sheikhmous Ahmad, a Kurdish official overseeing camps for displaced in northeastern Syria, said 187 families consisting of 697 Iraqis were repatriated Sunday. He said it was the 15th group to return home.

An SDF official, Siamand Ali, said the presence of foreigners at al-Hol and the smaller Roj camp is a burden on the force that also protects the facilities and raids IS sleeper cells that carry out deadly attacks in Syria.

"Repatriating them to their countries is a positive step and reduces the pressure on us," Ali said.

Iraq's Yazidi community has expressed concerns over the repatriations of IS families fearing a repetition of the extremist massacre against the community that took place in 2014. Then, IS militants killed thousands of men and took many women and teenage girls who were held as sex slaves.

Khairi Bozani, the director of office for Yazidi abductees, said they have raised the community's concerns with Iraqi officials because some of the repatriated families are being placed in areas around the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar. Bozani said that even though the returnees are mostly women and children, they still carry the extreme ideology of the Islamic State group.

The office of Iraq's national security adviser said 7,556 citizens have been repatriated from al-Hol. Jahangir said they have no exact figures of how many Iraqis remain at the camp.

Hawar News, the news agency for the semiautonomous Kurdish areas in Syria, said the latest figures from al-Hol show 42,781 people there including 19,530 Iraqis, 16,779 Syrians and 6,461 other nationalities. The agency says 11 residents have not been identified.

Last week, Kurdish-led authorities repatriated 50 women and children from al-Hol and Roj camps to Tajikistan.
Palestinian health officials said Monday a series of Israeli airstrikes overnight killed at least 22 people in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

Witnesses and medics said the airstrikes hit three houses in Rafah.

The area located along the border between Gaza and Egypt is currently host to more than half of Gazas population as people seek shelter from Israels military campaign aimed at eliminating the Hamas militant group.

Israels military said Monday its warplanes carried out strikes against Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.

Hamas officials were due Monday in Egypt for the latest talks about a proposed cease-fire Israel that would include a halt in fighting for a period of weeks and the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone Sunday about the nearly seven-month war between Israel and Hamas militants in Gaza, but the White House gave no immediate signal that a cease-fire is imminent.

A White House statement said the two leaders reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Negotiations have been underway for months on ways to halt the fighting, but Israel and Hamas remain stalemated in talks brokered by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar.

In the call with Netanyahu, the White House said Biden noted his agreement with 17 other world leaders demanding that Hamas immediately release the 100 or so hostages it is holding and agree to a cease-fire. The U.S. has been pushing for a six-week halt in the fighting.

Hamas has demanded that Israel end the war and leave Gaza, but Netanyahu has resisted and held out the threat of a ground invasion on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering.

The White House said Biden again made it clear to Netanyahu that the U.S. opposes an Israeli ground attack on Rafah because of the danger to the Palestinians living there.

The two leaders also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza, including through new northern openings starting this week.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told ABCs This Week show Sunday that a temporary pier for humanitarian relief trucks the U.S. is building on the Gaza coast of the Mediterranean Sea could open in two or three weeks.

The Biden-Netanyahu call came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed to the Mideast for talks with regional officials in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel from Monday through Wednesday.

The State Department said Blinken would emphasize the U.S. view that it is Hamas that it is the obstacle to a cease-fire. It said the top U.S. diplomat will also emphasize the importance of preventing the conflict from spreading and discuss ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region, including through a pathway to an independent Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel.

Hamas killed 1,200 people in the initial attack in Israel last October and captured about 250 hostages according to Israeli tallies.

Israels subsequent retaliatory counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,400, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory, with Israel saying the death toll includes several thousand Hamas militants it has killed.

Hamas is believed to still be holding about 100 hostages, along with the remains of 30 or more hostages who have either been killed or otherwise died in the ensuing months.

Also Sunday, the U.S. Central Command and the Royal Jordanian Air Force conducted a combined humanitarian assistance airdrop into Northern Gaza to provide essential relief to civilians in Gaza affected by the ongoing conflict, a CENTCOM statement said.



The joint operation included Jordanian provided food and four U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft. The U.S. C-130's dropped over 25,000 Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), CENTCOM said. To date the U.S. has dropped nearly 1,110 tons of humanitarian assistance.

CENTCOM also reported it successfully engaged five aerial drones over the Red Sea. It did not specify the origin of the drones, but in recent months U.S. forces have been working to protect the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping corridors from attacks by the Yemen-based Houthi militant group.

Some material in this report came from Agence France-Presse.


A bomb hidden in a donkey cart killed five people and severely injured five others in northeastern Kenya on Monday, according to interior ministry officials.

The bomb unleashed by the criminals was laden on a donkey cart to avoid detection, said Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki in a prepared statement, adding that the crime scene [in the town of El Wak] has been sealed off for evacuation and investigations while various security formations are in pursuit of the attackers.

Kindiki did not identify any suspects in the attack, for which nobody immediately claimed responsibility. The region, however, is often targeted by al-Shabab militants.

The Somalia-based terror group has carried out attacks in Kenya in retaliation for Nairobis military support of Mogadishus counterterror efforts. Kenya is a major supporter of a broader multinational effort to stabilize the Horn of Africa.

The military mission is planned to end in December, which would leave Somalia largely responsible for its own security.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
The 12-month grace period for student loan borrowers ended on September 30. The "on-ramp" period helped borrowers who are struggling to make payments avoid the risk of defaulting and hurting their credit score.

"The end of the on-ramp period means the beginning of the potentially harsh consequences for student loan borrowers who are not able to make payments," said Persis Yu, Deputy Executive Director at the Student Borrower Protection Center.

Around 43 million Americans have student loan debt, amounting to $1.5 trillion. Around eight million of those borrowers had enrolled in the SAVE plan, the newest income-driven repayment plan that extended the eligibility for borrowers to have affordable monthly student loan payments. However, this plan is currently on hold due to legal challenges.

With the on-ramp period and a separate program known as Fresh Start ending and the SAVE plan on hold, student loan borrowers who are struggling to afford their monthly payments have fewer options, added Yu. Student loan borrowers who haven't been able to afford their monthly payments must consider their options to avoid going into default.

If you have student loans, here's what you need to know.

What was the on-ramp period?

The Education Department implemented this grace period to ease the borrower's transition to make payments after a three-year payment pause during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this year-long period, borrowers were encouraged to keep making payments since interest continued to accumulate.

"Normally, loans will default if you fall about nine months behind on making payments, but during this on-ramp period, missed payments would not move people towards defaulting and then being subject to forced collections. However, if you missed payments, you still be falling behind ultimately on repaying your loans," said Abby Shaforth, director of National Consumer Law Center's Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project.

Since this grace period has ended, student loan borrowers who don't make payments will go delinquent or, if their loans are not paid for nine months, go into default.

Borrowers who cannot afford to make payments can apply for deferment or forbearance, which pause payments, though interest continues to accrue.

What happens if I don't make my payments?

Borrowers who can't or don't pay risk delinquency and eventually default. That can badly hurt your credit rating and make you ineligible for additional aid and government benefits.

If a borrower missed one month's payment, they will start receiving email notifications, said Shaforth. Once the loan hasn't been paid for three months, loan servicers notify to the credit reporting agencies that the loan is delinquent, affecting your credit history. Once the borrower hasn't paid the loan for nine months, the loan goes into default.

If you're struggling to pay, advisers first encourage you to check if you qualify for an income-driven repayment plan, which determines your payments by looking at your expenses. You can see whether you qualify by visiting the Federal Student Aid website. If you've worked for a government agency or a non-profit organization, you could also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which forgives student debt after 10 years.

What happens when a loan goes into default?

When you fall behind on a loan by 270 days  roughly nine months  the loan appears on your credit report as being in default.

Once a loan is in default, it goes into collections. This means the government can garnish wages (without a court order) to go towards paying back the loan, intercept tax refunds, and seize portions of Social Security checks and other benefit payments.

What if I can't pay?

If your budget doesn't allow you to resume payments, it's important to know how to navigate the possibility of default and delinquency on a student loan. Both can hurt your credit rating, which would make you ineligible for additional aid.

If you're in a short-term financial bind, you may qualify for deferment or forbearance  allowing you to temporarily suspend payment.

To determine whether deferment or forbearance are good options for you, you can contact your loan servicer. One thing to note: interest still accrues during deferment or forbearance. Both can also impact potential loan forgiveness options. Depending on the conditions of your deferment or forbearance, it may make sense to continue paying the interest during the payment suspension.

What is an income-driven repayment plan?

The U.S. Education Department offers several plans for repaying federal student loans. Under the standard plan, borrowers are charged a fixed monthly amount that ensures all their debt will be repaid after 10 years. But if borrowers have difficulty paying that amount, they can enroll in one of several plans that offer lower monthly payments based on income and family size. Those are known as income-driven repayment plans.

Income-driven options have been offered for years and generally cap monthly payments at 10% of a borrower's discretionary income. If a borrower's earnings are low enough, their bill is reduced to $0. And after 20 or 25 years, any remaining debt gets erased.

What is the latest with the SAVE program?

In August, the Supreme Court kept on hold the SAVE plan, the income-driven repayment plan that would have lowered payments for millions of borrowers, while lawsuits make their way through lower courts.

Eight million borrowers who had already enrolled in the SAVE plan don't have to pay their monthly student loan bills until the court case is resolved. Debt that already had been forgiven under the plan was unaffected.

The next court hearing about this case will be held on October 15.

What happened with the Fresh Start program?

The Fresh Start program, which gave benefits to borrowers who were delinquent prior to the pandemic payment pause, also closed on September 30. During this limited program, student loan borrowers who were in default prior to the pandemic were given the opportunity to remove their loans from default, allowing them to enroll in income-driven payment plans, or apply for deferment, among other benefits.
U.S. officials are negotiating the removal of American troops from Niger after the country's military junta ended a longstanding pact. Niger is the latest Sahel country to eject Western forces and replace them with Russian troops. Analysts say similar moves have not improved military security for Niger's neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso. Henry Wilkins reports.
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf resigned Monday, ahead of a no-confidence vote he was facing in parliament after he dissolved a coalition with the Green Party last week and failed to secure a deal that would have given his government a ruling majority.

At a news conference Monday, Yousaf said would also step down as leader of Scotlands pro-independence National Party (SNP) as soon as a new leader is chosen in a party election.

Yousafs governing coalition was put in jeopardy last week when he dissolved an alliance with the Greens over differences on several issues, including climate change goals. He announced last week he was reducing the nations carbon emissions goals. The two sides also clashed on gender recognition reforms.

The 39-year-old Yousaf, who served most recently as Scotlands health minister during the COVID-19 pandemic under former First Minister Nicolai Sturgeon, replaced Sturgeon when she resigned just more than a year ago.

Sturgeon had forged the coalition between the Greens and the SNP in what became known as the Bute House Agreement. It marked the first time the Greens had served in a United Kingdom government. Scotland is part of the United Kingdom but, like Wales and Northern Ireland, has its own semi-autonomous government.

At his news conference Monday in Edinburgh, Yousaf said he stood by his decision to end the cooperation agreement between the SNP and the Greens and seek a minority SNP government.

But he also admitted he clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.

After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I've concluded that repairing a relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm, he said.

The development leaves the once-dominant SNP in a decidedly weakened position. After her resignation in February of 2023, Sturgeon, Scotlands longest-serving first minister, was arrested in June of last year in connection with a campaign finance investigation. Her departure also revealed deep divisions within the party regarding the far-left views of their coalition partners, the Greens.

Yousaf was facing two separate no-confidence votes, from the Conservative Party and the opposition Labour Party  this ahead of U.K.-wide elections expected later this year.

The SNP currently holds 43 of the countrys 59 seats in the U.K. parliament.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Authorities in Pakistan said Monday that militants had unconditionally released a senior judge who had been held hostage for two days in a volatile northwestern region.



Judge Shakirullah Marwat was kidnapped, along with his driver, on Saturday from a road near the militancy-hit district of Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.



Mohammad Ali Saif, a provincial information advisor, confirmed to VOA the judges safe recovery, but he would not share further details.

Marwat was traveling to Dera Ismail Khan when dozens of armed men ambushed his vehicle.



The driver, who was briefly held captive, conveyed the kidnappers' demands to Pakistani authorities for the release of their imprisoned relatives and militant partners in exchange for the judge's freedom.



On Sunday, militants sent a video to journalists in which Marwat had stated that he was taken hostage by the Pakistani Taliban. He had also pleaded with the provincial and federal governments and the countrys chief justice to urgently meet militants demands to secure his recovery.



While police claimed the judge was rescued in a security operation, highly placed official sources told VOA that local tribal elders had helped secure the release of the hostage through negotiations with his captors. It was unclear immediately whether any prisoner exchange or ransom was involved.



Separately on Monday, a Pakistan military statement said that it carried out a pre-dawn intelligence-based operation against a suspected militant hideout in a district adjoining Dera Ismail Khan and killed four terrorists.



Pakistans border areas have lately experienced a dramatic surge in deadly attacks against security forces by militants linked to the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban.



Last week, eight Pakistani customs officials tasked to counter weapons smuggling were also killed by suspected TTP militants in separate attacks in Dera Ismail Khan.



Pakistan says TTP is orchestrating the violence from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, killing hundreds of civilians and security forces in recent months. The neighboring countrys fundamentalist Taliban authorities reject the charges, saying no foreign militant groups are based on Afghan soil.
Nearly six years after wildfires killed more than 100 people at a Greek resort, an Athens court on Monday convicted six people of involuntary manslaughter and criminal negligence.

None of the politicians among the 21 people prosecuted were convicted, however, sparking fury among relatives of the victims present in court, media reports said.

Six people  including the then head of the fire service  received suspended jail sentences of up to 111 years each for their role in the response to the inferno that tore through Mati on July 23, 2018.

They were permitted by the court to reduce their sentences with a payment of up to $43,000 each.

The governor of the region of Attica and the mayors of districts in and around the seaside community of Mati, northeast of the capital, were all let off.

Reacting in court, relatives of the dead shouted: "Your court is an insult to the dead, the living and the truth," "There is no justice" and "You have no shame," state TV broadcaster ERT reported. Others wept.

"The reaction is reasonable," minister of state Makis Voridis told Skai TV.

"This kind of a sentence is not commensurate with this kind of tragedy," he said.

Wildfires that broke out around Mati spread so fiercely that people burned to death in their cars because traffic jams prevented them from fleeing.

Others drowned when they waded into the sea to escape the flames.

Many people who went into the sea had to wait for several hours for help to arrive.

Local fishermen were first to help ahead of the coast guard and navy.

"We are lucky to be alive," one of the survivors told reporters at court.

In total, 104 people died and dozens were injured.

The blaze destroyed an estimated 1,260 hectares (3,100 acres), the Athens Observatory said at the time.

The then government of left-wing prime minister Alexis Tsipras said that with winds blowing at up to 120 kilometers (75 miles) an hour, there had been little time for officials to mount an effective evacuation.

Police and the fire brigade gave different accounts.

Witnesses said at the time that residents had not been warned of the imminent danger.

Instead of being diverted away from the fires, many motorists were accidentally directed towards the flames and became trapped in Mati's narrow streets.

Prosecutors lodged criminal negligence suits against 21 officials from the fire service, port police and civil protection, as well as against local authorities.

Four senior officials, including then police minister Nikos Toskas and several police chiefs, resigned and fire fighters were forced to quit or move to jobs in other areas.

Experts have said that poor urban planning, including a lack of proper access routes and the construction of too many buildings next to combustible forest areas, contributed to the disaster.

The conservative government that succeeded Tsipras's administration pledged to introduce systematic evacuation plans as soon as wildfires approach populated areas.
Countries trying to negotiate a new global agreement on combating future pandemics began bridging their differences Monday, but they're racing against time to seal a deal.

The 194 nations in the World Health Organization are back at its Geneva headquarters for one last round of negotiations, after a two-year effort to secure a landmark accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response overran last month's deadline.

Issued with a new, slimmed-down draft text that kicks some of the tougher topics down the road, countries began going through its 37 articles in turn.

However, the handful of articles opened Monday were still being negotiated as the day's session was ending, with side discussion groups trying to come up with solutions.

"It's going as was to be expected. Most member states indicated that with this new text we are on the right track, but at the same time there are still a lot of things that need to be addressed," talks co-chair Roland Driece told AFP.

"The process is very time-consuming, and time is our biggest enemy," the Dutch health diplomat said. "There are outstanding issues which are complicated  but time is not our friend."

Sting of COVID

The goal of the talks, which last 12 hours a day and run until May 10, is to get an agreement ready for adoption at the WHO's annual assembly of member states, which starts May 27.

In December 2021, the raw sting of COVID-19  which shredded economies, crippled health systems and killed millions  motivated countries to seek a binding framework of commitments aimed at preventing another such disaster.

But big differences quickly emerged on how to go about it.

The main disputes revolve around access and equity: access to pathogens detected within countries; access to pandemic-fighting products such as vaccines produced from that knowledge; and equitable distribution of not only counterpandemic tests, treatments and vaccinations but the means to produce them.

The new draft focuses on setting up the basic framework and pushes some of the trickier details into further talks running into 2026, notably on how the planned WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System will work in practice.

Clash of narratives

One senior figure in the negotiations said there was a positive spirit, but that needed to be translated into "concrete action." Another said the talks were "in the swing now," with movement expected Tuesday.

Nongovernmental organizations following the talks at WHO headquarters said it was difficult to read how they were progressing.

"We're witnessing a clash of narratives: We are either near the collapse, or the light at the end of the tunnel," Jaume Vidal, senior policy adviser with Health Action International, told AFP.

"I was convinced that the situation was worse than it seems," Vidal said. "Discussions are taking place  that's already a step forward  but we're still missing some specific steps. We need public commitments on some of the articles."

African unity

Alongside the African group, the Group for Equity bloc of countries is trying to ensure developing nations are not cut adrift again when it comes to accessing vaccines, tests and treatments.

African Union health ministers released a statement Monday committing to getting "legal certainty for both users and providers" from the PABS system.

"Africa stands ready to play its part and commits to engage actively in the ongoing negotiations," the ministers said, following a meeting in Addis Ababa.

They called for an international financing mechanism with explicit new, sustainable and increased funding from developed countries for pandemic preparedness and response.

Indonesia has been a key player in the Group for Equity.

Wiku Adisasmito, one of Indonesia's lead negotiators at the Geneva talks, said both parts of the PABS system  having quick access to detected pathogens, and sharing the resulting benefits, such as vaccines  needed to be on an equal footing.

"That's key, not only for Indonesia but for most developing countries," he told AFP.

"All countries are not equal in terms of capacity, and the pathogens are only coming from hot spots," he said, explaining that developing countries needed financial support to ramp up their surveillance for emerging dangerous pathogens in animals and the environment.

If the talks needed an even greater reminder of urgency, the WHO has raised alarm in recent weeks about the exponential growth of H5N1 bird flu, with concerns about what could happen if it starts being transmitted between humans.
A senior U.S. official warned Monday that more than 2 million people in El Fasher, in Sudans North Darfur region, are under imminent threat of a large-scale massacre from a paramilitary groups attack and urged the international community to pressure the warring parties to de-escalate.

There are already credible reports that the RSF and its allied militias have razed multiple villages west of El Fasher, U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters at the United Nations. And as we speak, the RSF is planning an imminent attack on El Fasher.

The RSF is the Arab-dominated Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group that is made up of elements of the Janjaweed fighters who carried out a genocide in Darfur in the early 2000s.

The head of the RSF has been locked in an armed power struggle with the head of the Sudanese Armed Forces for just over a year. The fighting has spread from Sudans capital, Khartoum, to other parts of the country, and now looks ready to engulf North Darfur and the civilians trapped there.

The U.N. Security Council met behind closed doors to discuss the situation Monday and was briefed by U.N. political and humanitarian officials.

A crisis of epic proportions is brewing, and to avoid further death, destruction and suffering, five things need to happen, immediately, Thomas-Greenfield said. First, the RSF must end its siege and buildup of military forces in El Fasher and swear off any attack on the city. All parties to the conflict must take urgent steps to de-escalate.

She also called for protection of civilians and respect for international law; for external actors to stop providing the combatants with weapons; and for safe and unimpeded aid access. She also demanded the parties return to the negotiating table.

"Because this conflict will not be solved on the battlefield, it will be solved at the negotiating table," Thomas-Greenfield said.

The last thing that Sudan needs is a further escalation on top of this conflict that's been going on for a whole year, British Deputy U.N. Ambassador James Kariuki told reporters after the meeting. The council is concerned about the humanitarian crisis  about the scale of the famine risk  and it is concerned about the displacement of people.

In a statement Saturday, the 15-members of the U.N. Security Council repeated their call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, leading to a sustainable cease-fire. They also reminded countries of their obligations to comply with a U.N. arms embargo on Sudan.

Alarm bells

The U.N. began raising the alarm on the situation in El Fasher earlier this month, warning that fighting there could unleash bloody intercommunal strife throughout Darfur."

El Fasher is also a long-established humanitarian hub, and fighting there would further complicate aid deliveries.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Monday that the security situation has already effectively cut off humanitarian access to El Fasher.

In a statement, OCHA said more than a dozen aid trucks with supplies for 122,000 people are stranded in neighboring Northern State. The trucks cannot continue to El Fasher because of the insecurity and lack of guarantees for safe passage.

The U.N. says 330,000 people are dealing with acute food insecurity in El Fasher  many of them displaced persons who moved there seeking safety. The World Food Program reached 40,000 of them in the past month.

On Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres office said his special envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, is engaging with the parties to try to de-escalate tensions in El Fasher.

Analysts at the Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab have also been tracking the situation and warned in a report on April 19 that the RSF likely already control the north, east and west roads into the city and have essentially trapped the Sudanese Armed Forces in El Fasher with no resupply or escape route.

That means civilians are also trapped, including tens of thousands of African Zaghawa, Masalit, Fur and other non-Arab ethnic groups, whose communities were victims of the genocide two decades ago.

The United Nations has called on the parties to allow civilians safe passage out of the city.

Since the war began last April, more than 8 million people have been forced from their homes in search of safety. Nearly 2 million of them have fled Sudan to neighboring countries. Of those who remain, 18 million are facing acute hunger, with 5 million a step away from famine.
Ukrainian troops, outnumbered by Russian ground forces, are retreating from positions in eastern Ukraine as Russian troops advance westward, Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also made fresh pleas to allies to send more Patriot air defense systems as soon as possible.

Syrskyi said that Kyiv's outnumbered troops had fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.

"The situation at the front has worsened," the top general wrote on the Telegram messaging app, saying the "most difficult" areas were west of occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, a strategically important town captured by Russian forces in February.

Ukrainian forces face a worsening position in the east while awaiting delivery of U.S. weapons following the approval by Congress of a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine last week.

"We are still waiting for the supplies Ukraine was promised," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address Sunday. "We are expecting those volumes and scope that can change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine's interests, he added.

Zelenskyy said he had just spoken with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and thanked Congress for passing the stalled aid package but pressed on the urgency for speedy deliveries that would allow Ukraine to maintain its positions and disrupt Russian war plans.

"In my conversation with Mr. Jeffries, I underscored that Patriot systems are needed, and as soon as possible," he added.

Ukraines eastern front lines in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions have seen fierce clashes in recent weeks as Russian forces seek to grind out gains along the more than 1,000-kilometer front line. Additionally, shortages of ammunition and personnel have increasingly hamstrung Ukraine's defenses, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based research group.

The institute, however, assessed that despite Russian advances, it is not likely that Kyiv's defensive lines will collapse.

A Ukrainian intelligence source told the Reuters news agency this week that Russia was conducting airstrikes on Ukrainian railways to disrupt the delivery of U.S. weapons to the front and to complicate military logistics.

In his post, Syrskyi expressed hope that once the U.S. starts suppling the weapons promised under the aid package signed into law by President Biden last week, the situation will stabilize on the battlefield.

Syrskyi also said that fresh Ukrainian brigades were replacing worn out units that had suffered losses in those areas.

Syrskyi, however, omitted information on the alleged capture of Novobakhmutivka, another village near Berdychi, as Russia's defense ministry claimed Sunday.

Online battlefield maps produced by open-source intelligence analysts suggest that Russians have advanced more than 15 kilometers on the village of Ocheretyne since capturing Avdiivka.

Farther north, the Kyiv-held town of Chasiv Yar is emerging as a key battleground because of its position on higher ground -- that if taken by Russian forces -- could serve as a gateway to the cities of Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Syrskyi described Chasiv Yar and the village of Ivanivske to its northeast as the "hottest spots" on that part of the front while Russia's defense ministry said it had repelled Ukrainian counterattacks near Chasiv Yar.

Syrskyi also said his forces were closely monitoring an increase in the number of Russian troops in the area of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, located about 30 kilometers northwest of the Russian border.

Recently, he said, the city of 1.3 million has been pummeled by airstrikes, calling them a deliberate effort by Moscow to make Kharkiv uninhabitable.

A 36-year-old woman was pulled alive from the rubble after Russian shells destroyed her home Sunday morning in the northeastern Kharkiv region, the local administration reported. Her 52-year-old neighbor was also rushed to the hospital with a stomach wound, the administration said.

Overall, Russian shelling Saturday and overnight wounded at least seven civilians across Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials.

Syrskyi said there were so signs that Russia was directly preparing for an offensive in the north of the country.

"In the most threatening directions, our troops have been reinforced by artillery and tank units," he said.

Meanwhile, Russian drones struck the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv early Sunday, setting a hotel on fire and damaging the areas energy infrastructure, Vitaliy Kim, the local Ukrainian governor, reported on the Telegram messaging app. "The enemy attacked the city with an unmanned aerial vehicle of the 'Shahed-131/136' type," he said, adding there were no casualties.

The Russian side claimed that the strike on Mykolaiv targeted a shipyard where naval drones are assembled, as well as a hotel housing "English-speaking mercenaries" who have fought for Kyiv. Russian state agency RIA cited Sergei Lebedev, described as a coordinator of local pro-Moscow guerrillas.

Reuters said Lebedevs claim could not be independently verified.

The Russian defense ministry said Sunday morning that 17 Ukrainian drones were downed overnight over four regions in the countrys southwest. Three drones were intercepted near an oil depot in Lyudinovo, an industrial town about 230 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border.

One of the Ukrainian drones damaged communications infrastructure in Russia's southern Belgorod province, Governor Vyachaslav Gladkov said Sunday. The province borders Ukraine.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Some information for this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
The United Nations said Monday that it was alarmed by a new anti-LGBTQ+ law passed by Iraqs parliament.

Baghdad quietly passed the law Saturday criminalizing same-sex relations with harsh prison sentences up to 15 years.

Ravina Shamdasani, U.N. human rights office spokesperson, said in a statement that the law should be shelved.

The law criminalizes transgender people under an amendment to a 1988 anti-prostitution law. The amendment prohibits "biological sex change based on personal desire and inclination," punishing transgender people and doctors who perform gender-affirming care with three years in prison.

Iraqs parliament set a seven-year minimum prison sentence for those who promote homosexuality and a maximum three-year sentence for men who intentionally act like women.

Shamdasani said the law violates several human rights treaties signed by Iraq, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides all people equal protection from discrimination.

The law perpetuates discrimination and denial of access to basic services, including in health care, she said.

The legislation marks Iraqs first law that explicitly punishes same-sex relations. But LGBTQ+ Iraqis have always been forced into the shadows.

Gay and transgender Iraqis are frequent targets of "kidnappings, rapes, torture and murders," according to a 2022 report by Human Rights Watch and IraQueer.

Shamdasani said the new bill will legitimize prejudice and expose people to hate crimes, police abuse, harassment, intimidation, blackmail and torture.
The White House says U.S. President Joe Biden has again spoken with Netanyahu as Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to the Middle East. Pressure is building on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza. Its being widely reported that the International Criminal Court is preparing to issue arrest warrants for top Israeli and Hamas officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday (April 28) issued a fresh plea to the international community to hurry up and deliver more air defenses, start formal talks for his country to enter the European Union, and invite Ukraine to join NATO. And Elon Musk arrived in Beijing on Sunday on an unannounced visit. He wants to discuss the rollout of Full Self-Driving software and permission to transfer data overseas.
A deadly Russian missile attack Monday on the Black Sea port of Odesa killed at least four people and injured at least 28, among them two children and a pregnant woman. Four of the wounded are in serious condition receiving urgent care, regional Governor Oleh Kiper said.

In a post on the Telegram messaging app, Kiper said one of the injured children is a 12-year-old boy and that the strike damaged houses and set fire to a large building that he described as an academy. He posted evidence showing smoke rising from the building close to the seafront.

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered his condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the strike and said those who were wounded are receiving care.

He reiterated his call for urgent delivery of weapons from allies.

Prompt assistance and protection of life that is timely and courageous enough are what help us all in Ukraine to endure, he said.

Zelenskyy said he discussed Monday with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg the significance of timely delivery of weapons to Ukraine.

Timely and sufficient decisions on air defense for Ukraine are what we need right now to protect lives, he said.

During the visit in Kyiv, Stoltenberg said that help is on the way to boost Ukraines war effort against Russia and that allies are working hard to meet Ukraine's urgent needs."

Stoltenberg said that despite Ukraines losses, it's "not too late" for the country to win its defensive war against Russia if more weapons arrive quickly.

"Ukraine has been outgunned for months, forced to ration its ammunition. ... But it's not too late for Ukraine to prevail," he said at a news conference alongside Zelenskyy.

Stoltenberg criticized monthslong delays in U.S. military aid to Ukraine, adding that such delays had "serious consequences on the battlefield."

The NATO chief acknowledged that the alliance's other member countries have also failed to deliver in good time what they promised to Ukraine.

The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line. Lack of air defense has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep-strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces, Stoltenberg said.

Stoltenberg was visiting Ukraine when Russia claimed the capture of two Ukrainian villages in the Donetsk region within 24 hours as Kyiv's munitions and exhausted forces are being depleted on the front.

Ukraine and its Western partners are racing against time to deploy critical new military aid that can stave off Russian advances across eastern areas, as well as repel drone and missile attacks.

Zelenskyy said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly.

"This process must be speeded up," he said, adding, "Some things have started to arrive." He declined to elaborate.

Ukraine has been dependent on Western military aid to counter Russia's larger and more powerful army.

Kyiv's Western partners have pledged to stand with Ukraine "for as long as it takes." But essential U.S. military help was held up for six months by political wrangling in Washington, and Europe's military hardware production has not been able to keep up with demand.

Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden signed into law a congressionally approved $95 billion supplemental aid package, $61 billion of which is dedicated to Ukraines war effort.

Biden said military shipments of the package will start "right away," raising hopes in Kyiv that its critically low stocks of artillery shells will soon be replenished.

Some information for this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
By Nike Ching

The United States is close to finishing a security agreement with Saudi Arabia that would be offered if the country makes peace with Israel, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday in Riyadh.

The work that Saudi Arabia, the United States have been doing together in terms of our own agreements, I think, is potentially very close to completion, Blinken told an audience at the World Economic Forum, or WEF.

He added the two nations have done intensive work together over the last month on Israeli-Saudi normalization.

Blinken disclosed that he was scheduled to be in Saudi Arabia and Israel on October 10 last year to focus specifically on the Palestinian part of the normalization deal because that is an essential component. But it did not happen because of the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas on Israel.

In order to move forward with normalization, two things will be required: Calm in Gaza and a credible pathway to a Palestinian state, said Blinken.

U.S. officials have said creating a pathway to a Palestinian state with security guarantees for Israel is key to lasting peace and security in the Middle East and to Israel's integration in the region.

Blinken is holding talks with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman later Monday, before traveling to Jordan and Israel, where he is expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials.

The Biden administration continues to work on a potential agreement that could lead to normalization of Saudi relations with Israel, even as some officials and analysts consider it a remote possibility.

Last week, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he plans to return to Saudi Arabia soon. His agenda includes discussions with Saudi officials whether a deal to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia can be reached. Sullivan had earlier postponed his trip to the Middle East due to a cracked rib.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the two-state solution and the return of the Palestinian Authority to control Gaza, demands that are widely supported by the international community.

The Saudis have demanded, as a prerequisite, to see an Israeli commitment to the two-state solution.

"If Netanyahu's positions do not change, he will probably not be able to deliver normalization with Saudi Arabia. It may be that a U.S.-Saudi offer for such a normalization will be publicly made, so when Israelis go to the polls, they can take this option into account," Nimrod Goren, a senior fellow for Israeli affairs at the Middle East Institute, told VOA in an email.

Humanitarian assistance

Speaking at a meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh earlier Monday, Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is for there to be a cease-fire.

We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the U.S. maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks. But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza, Blinken said.



Blinken is visiting Riyadh, Amman, and Tel Aviv from April 28 to May 1  his seventh diplomatic mission to the Middle East region since the Israel-Hamas war began more than six months ago.

Blinken will focus on the effort to secure a cease-fire in Gaza that would see the release of hostages and ensure humanitarian aid into the enclave continues or increases, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in the statement.

Also Sunday, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told ABCs This Week show that the United States is continuing to push for a six-week cease-fire in the nearly seven-month war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants.

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Also Sunday, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told ABCs This Week show that the United States is continuing to push for a six-week cease-fire in the nearly seven-month war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas militants.

The cease-fire talks have been going on for months, and despite periodic signals that a deal might be close, Kirby gave no indication of new progress in the discussions.

He said Israel has assured U.S. officials it will not send ground troops into the southern Gaza city of Rafah without fully hearing U.S. concerns that such an attack would endanger the lives of more than 1 million Palestinians who are sheltering there.

Kirby said that a makeshift Mediterranean Sea pier being constructed on the Gaza shoreline could be completed in two or three weeks so that more humanitarian aid can be transported into the narrow territory to help feed famished Palestinians.

Ken Bredemeier and Chris Hannas contributed to this report.
Photo: Tristar Media/Getty Images

French actor Gerard Depardieu is in police custody in Paris, being questioned about allegations of sexual assault, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported on April 29. Depardieu turned himself in for questioning about two alleged assaults on film sets. One of the alleged assaults occurred in 2022 on the set of The Green Shutters, and the other was on 2015s The Magician and the Siamese, according to Variety. Depardieu is still facing a 2018 accusation of rape by actress Charlotte Arnould, while another case filed by actress Helene Darras was dropped in January 2024 due to the statute of limitations on the alleged 2007 assault. In 2013, Mediapart published an open letter by 13 women accusing Depardieu of sexual violence. Depardieu has denied all of these allegations.
The standouts of the Durst prosecution team are John Grisham protagonists run through a Workaholics filter. Photo: MAX

One does not expect to laugh during The Jinx: Part Two, director Andrew Jareckis return to the orbit of eccentric and ominous accused serial killer Robert Durst. But thats before Wonder Twins Michael and David Belcher, two goofy bro-dogs who are essentially John Grisham protagonists run through a Workaholics filter, show up to talk about their work on the prosecution team.

The Jinx: Part Two initially feels too self-congratulatory, like Jarecki returned to Dursts story solely to take another victory lap for capturing his confession on a hot mic years ago. But the second episode, Friendships Die Hard, devotes more time to the Los Angeles prosecution team, led by deputy district attorney John Lewin, as it chases Dursts allies to get one of them to crack, and thats where the Belchers come in. Theyre the first figures we see in the episode, seated next to each other and introduced as law clerks on Lewins team. Their goofy energy is immediate. Michael recounts how he got recruited by Lewin in March 2016 to work on the Durst case, which he initially thought was related to Fred Durst (does Gen Z roll with Nookie like that?), and convinced Lewin to hire his twin brother, David, too.

Max. Max.

The twins serve as excellent audience stand-ins, people who learned about Robert Durst through The Jinx, became investigators of Durst afterward, and operate at enough of a remove from the case that they can criticize Dursts wackiness  the same stuff that fascinates and repels us. They also feel like extras from the first season of American Vandal, giggling about who drew the dicks, or the braggadocian sons of camera-loving FBI agent Doug Mathews from McMillions. They are incongruous to The Jinx: Part Twos otherwise cheerless tone, and they are delightful. I have so many questions.

1. The Belchers talk about how they broke up the monotony of paperwork by listening to Dursts phone calls from jail. The twins do an admirably over-the-top imitation of Dursts uniquely foghornlike way of saying Bob to introduce himself on the phone calls, and its such a practiced thing that Im assuming they bust this out all the time. How many hundreds of times do we think theyve said Booooooob to themselves or others? Their parents have to be sick of it, right?

Photo: MAX

2. Lewin nicknames the Belchers the Wonder Twins for getting to the office earlier and staying later than anyone else. Did the twins commute together? Share an office? Did they ever do the twin thing of switching places without telling anyone? What level of Dead Ringers derangement are we dealing with here, if any?

3. Relatedly: Do the boys share ties? In one scene, Michaels wearing a red patterned tie and Davids wearing a blue one; in a picture we see of them with Lewin, Michaels wearing a blue tie and Davids wearing a red one. The idea of a shared accessory wardrobe feels cute and Sweet Valley High to me, and these two have such puppy-dog energy that this seems like something they would be excited about. I hope they do it.

4. The Belchers talk about how their initial responsibilities included sorting through 150,000 pages of discovery, and a picture shows that they were part of a larger group of law students helping with the case. But none of the other clerks is featured in The Jinx: Part Two so far. What do they think about the Belchers? I crave Suits-like drama!

5. In one of the seriess (too many) re-creations, we see the twins passing out files while gathered at a table littered with coffee cups, highlighters, cellphones, and  doughnuts. Michael is the more gregarious twin, so Im going to guess hes a sprinkles guy. David is a comparative mystery  does he go with powdered-sugar cake? Raspberry jelly? Maybe even a dark-horse cruller? Thankfully, the twins do show up in future episodes of The Jinx: Part Two, so weve got time to figure this out  a mystery whose goofiness is a welcome respite from every awful thing Durst (allegedly) got up to.

6. Jarecki made The Jinx after he directed the film All Good Things, starring Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, and Lily Rabe as fictionalized versions of Durst; his disappeared wife, Kathleen; and his best friend, Susan Berman, both of whom hes suspected of killing. If we go full circle and The Jinx becomes a film, who plays the Belchers? Iron Claw boys Zac Efron and Jeremy Allen White are at least a decade too old for this, but I nominate them.

7. If the Belcher brothers were to be cast as relatives of the Bobs Burgers Belchers, are they rich kids from Kings Head Island? Are they twin lawyers with a funny billboard offering their services? Put your Loren Bouchard hat on, folks.
The first two episodes of The Sympathizer are what I might call a slow burn: plenty of world-building, character introductions, and expository dialogue  stylishly shot and compelling but without a clear hook. In the third episode, the last directed by Park Chan-wook, the show finally finds its footing, but not without a few curious stumbles.

The previous episode left us with little doubt about the Majors fate. The General wants him dead and tasked the Captain with pulling the trigger. But the Captain, with Bon in tow, arrives at his former bosss front door in the dead of night for a final confirmation. The General refuses to give any direct order, saying: Do as you see fit. You know what is to be done. Its the Lenin quote he praised the Communists for in the premiere, now directed (rather ironically) at the mole under his nose.

Back in the car, Bon is driving, a symbolic switch-up as hes emerged from his mute depression. When discussing possible assassination tactics, the Captain learns that Bon had served in the top secret F-6 program as a trained assassin for the South Vietnamese army. Their best bet, Bon determines, is to fake an armed robbery in the parking lot of the Majors apartment complex. So they begin to tail the Major, observing his daily activities and dropping by his house. The Captain struggles with seeing the Majors family from afar, especially his newborn twins. It pains his conscience, though he knows that his own head is on the Generals platter if the Majors is spared. At the Majors house, Bon and the Captain run into his mother (or rather, his mother appears out of the blue, giving the men a mild jump-scare), whos having a longevity party to celebrate her 80th birthday. She tells them the Major is selling candy to make more money: He wants to get rich. Like a real American.

Later, when the Captain confronts the Major about his business activities, he begs him not to tell the General. The Major makes his plea to the Captain in English before enveloping him in a hug. The code-switching perhaps emphasizes the Majors newfound commitment to the American Dream. If you fully commit to this land, you become fully American, the Major says. But if you dont, youre just a wandering ghost living between two worlds forever. The scene (and sentiment) is quite maudlin. The North Vietnamese commander reading the Captains letter scoffs at the sentimentality, and Im also tempted to. Another thing thats increasingly unclear is how much time has passed since the evacuation. You start to wonder: How did the Majors wife already bear twins? The Major mightve learned to speak English fluently in Vietnam, but Id venture that the first few months of uprooting ones life to a foreign country is not conducive to starting a black-market business. (I suppose the same can be said of the Generals liquor store.) Anyway, enough of my complaints about realism. But remember, the Captain is the narrator here, as both an overt and omniscient figure. Hes as reliable (or unreliable) as we want him to be.

You would think that a murder plot would warrant some tense austerity, but one of the episodes best developments is the ribbing repartee between Bon and the Captain, which relaxes the scenes with some vital levity. Theres also a lot more cursing (Vietnamese is a casually crude language) and laidback banter that helps to reveal more of the Captains true personality. The Captain invites Ms. Mori (or Sofia, as she insists) to the longevity party and, to his surprise, encounters Claude in the neighborhood, walking a small white dog. Claude has on a fedora and a silk scarf tied around his neck, homosexual accessories that contribute to his apparently disarming guise: Im whoever I need to be. Just like you. Silly, because no one would clock heterosexual Claude as CIA in the wild? Still, the run-in pressures the Captain to act quickly, as hes anticipating instructions from Man on how to proceed.

The Captain is on edge at the longevity party, although its unclear exactly what hes anxious about. He runs into a dressed-up Lana, who just performed on stage, and fumbles in introducing her to Sofia, initially referring to Ms. Mori as his boss. Theres a smidge of sexual tension and flirtation between the Captain and Lana, which adds to my earlier complaint about temporal uncertainty and inconsistency. Upon the partys arrival, Sofia also wonders, Are you sure you guys are refugees? Its a valid question! Is it CIA money? Speaking of, Robert Downey Jr. makes another appearance, this time as the gravel-voiced Congressman Ned Goodwin, who presents the Majors mother with an army sword. The Captain asks the Major to include him as a business partner, and both he and Bon look visibly pained posing for the group picture at the partys end.

The Captain gets the idea of planning the murder on Independence Day from the Major himself. The Major is excited to celebrate. Its their first Independence Day in America and one year before the bicentennial, according to the Major, so we can assume that its summer 1975, a few months since their arrival stateside. On the holiday, the Captain wears a blonde wig that makes him look like an anime cosplayer and carries his gun disguised in a Happy Burger bag. Did you pick that on purpose? Bon asks of the bag. I thought it might put him at ease, the Captain responded. Theres a slapstick-like quality to the murder plot before its usurped by the menace of the Captains task. The original plan goes horribly. The Captain had handed the Major a durian (a roughly five-pound fruit with a spiky exterior) as a gift, which the Major employed as a weapon. Bon intervenes, setting off fireworks to cover up the sound of the Captain killing the Major. They run off, and the Captain slaps on one of the Majors America, Love it or Leave it stickers to frame the murder as a racially motivated crime.

But thats not enough death for one episode. The imprisoned Captain is interrupted by the Northern commander, who asks whether hes ready to talk at length about a certain incident. It contains boiled eggs, as briefly foreshadowed in the second episode. The CIA and Southern army had captured a Northern agent responsible for crafting bombs from wristwatches. His code name is the Watchman (Phong Le), and Claude commands the Captain to try and crack him. In the Watchmans cell, the Captain successfully implies to the prisoner that he is a Communist spy before derisively threatening him of torture: Why wait until the Americans have electrocuted your balls with a thousand bolts? You know the CIAs nickname for a penis thats been through that process? The electric eel. The Watchman agrees to confess and asks for three hard boiled eggs for breakfast. He eats the first two before swallowing the third whole, lodging the unpeeled egg in his windpipe and suffocating to death. Here, the Captain is complicit in the Watchmans suicide as an aide. Meanwhile, Claude is framed as the insensitive villain who peels and pops the Watchmans third egg into his mouth.

Without the novels densely detailed accounts of the Captains innermost thoughts, revealing to us the nuances and contradictions of his personality, the script compresses his complexity into heroic pathos. The novels Captain was more cut-throat and harsh, willing to take risks to crumple his comrade just to get on Claudes good side. He had no idea of the Watchmans suicide plan and felt guilty that his actions had pushed his comrade to the brink. Its a frustrating deviation that re-characterizes the Captain as the protagonist in the scene rather than an antagonist less deserving of our sympathy.

After the flashback to the Watchman, the Captain returns to the Majors funeral, where Claude shows up and praises the Captain for his work. Claude has a new job for him  in Hollywood. They drive to a steakhouse (the natural habitat of the most dangerous creature on Earth, a white man with a suit and tie, Claude clucks) and sit down for a meal with Professor Hammer, Ned Goodwin, and a white Hollywood director whos making a movie about Vietnam. To be honest, I was a fan of RDJ in drag until this scene, which purposely tries to smash the metafictional barrier. It made for a distracting, unnecessary gimmick to have all his characters seated in conversation with one another, with the Captain there as an accessory to the drama. Technically, though, he is. The episode ends at a jazz club, with Claude playing the piano while all the other white men snort drugs and flirt with women. The off-kilter atmosphere feels a lot like a bad acid trip. Bright lights, vacant eyes, a woman with whipped cream on her private parts. Out of place, the Captain extricates himself from the crowd and sits in a quiet booth to flip through the Directors script. It briefly takes him back to Vietnam before his homeland reverie is interrupted by the ghost of the Major. Love it or leave it, the Major says. His face is disguised behind the Happy Burger bag before the Captain rips it off to look his demon in the eye. The Major is dead, but its the Captain who has to contend with his wandering ghosts.
Photo: Chelcie Parry

What happened to our literature in 2020? What kind of document did we create of the vast bewilderment, the isolation, fear, and loss? With more distance, patterns will surely start to emerge  someone out there is probably already cooking up an English seminar on pandemic writing. If so, they should include Abe Kooglers Staff Meal, a quietly surreal shapeshifter of a play with a tilted sense of humor and a generous, sorrowful heart. Koogler started writing Staff Meal in January 2020 and finished the first draft in April, and while the play is intriguing without that context, whole other strata of feeling and meaning reveal themselves once you know. Imagine watching a dance imported from an unfamiliar place  first, its shapes and rhythms are interesting; then you learn that its a funeral dance, a dance of mourning, and it becomes something else.

The plays light, alinear movement circles around a restaurant  and also the idea of a restaurant. Onstage, there are tables and candles and silverware, Deco-printed wallpaper and low lighting, servers (Carmen M. Herlihy and Jess Barbagallo, both great at being sweetly weird, attentive, thoughtful), and the aura of a mythical owner whose nameGary Robinsonthe servers whisper with hypnotized reverence. Have you read Flights of Fancy? Barbagallos server asks an anxious new waiter (Hampton Fluker) about a book Gary has written, the contents of which are left vague. The new guy has not, which launches both senior servers into the kind of knowing homily you might get from a record-shop employee whos appalled that you dont own Blonde on Blonde:

Server 1: Everyone reads Acts of Service  almost no one reads Flights of Fancy. Server 2: Theyre companion pieces. You cant understand one without the other. S1: But literally no one reads Flights of Fancy! S2: Some customers have. The true customers have. S1: Obscure, but essential. S2: Its Gary Robinsons best book.

In the shows program, Koogler writes about being fascinated by restaurants, by the intricate rhythm of a group of people working together to make and serve meals. The metaphorical leap to theater isnt hard to make. Both, at their best, are made up of intertwined flights of fancy and acts of service. Both are fueled by passion and, at their less-than-best, take advantage of it. Both involve a lot of unpaid or underpaid labor; weird schedules and too much alcohol; collaboration and vision; playfulness and rigor; a commitment to excellence and a belief, despite all the bullshit, in transcendence. The phenomenal Hulu show The Bear is about a restaurant, but its hero, Carmy, could be talking about theater when he offers this comfort to his fellow chef, Sydney: Look, its probably hard for your dad to be supportive because he doesnt understand that this job doesnt pay much, it doesnt amount to anything, and it doesnt make a whole lot of sense, you know?

What else makes a restaurant the perfect symbol for playmaking? COVID-19 took both away from us. In Staff Meal, director Morgan Green and her scenic designer Jian Jung have mapped out a long arc from seeming normalcy to emptiness and absence. In the small Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Jung has constructed an ambitious set of interlocking, sliding walls that shape and reshape the space, slicing it into hard angles and, the further the play goes, swallowing both locations and people into pockets of darkness. Greg Keller and Susannah Flood are wonderful as a pair of kind weirdos who begin as coffee-shop strangers with a daily waving acquaintance, move toward an increasingly phantasmagorical first date at Gary Robinsons restaurant, and then, beyond the warm, bizarre safety of the restaurants walls, disappear. The citys so dark tonight, says Mina (Flood). Why is everything closed? says Ben (Keller), blinking into the shadows. Where is everyone? Mina whispers. Theres no taxis, theres no cars on the streets  I dont hear the subway, the lights are all red. Ben half laughs: The nuts  the guy who sells nuts, is gone

Im sorry, WHAT IS THIS PLAY ABOUT? shouts the excellent Stephanie Barry during a wickedly funny moment of metatheatrical breakdown. I dont want to spoil the whole sequence, but coming where it does, Barrys question does more than make us laugh. Weve got to take time with it, carry it with us for the rest of the show  and though much of what Barry has to say is straight-up hilarious (Do you ever get this feeling with young writers, or early writers, writers who are developing  do you ever wonder: When will they develop?), shes also key to helping us understand that what this play is about is loss. Staff Meal is about loving something, spending time and care and effort on it, watching it evaporate in front of you anyway  then sitting in its absence and starting to wonder, What did it mean after all?

Thats where the title comes in. If you watch The Bear (or work at a restaurant), then you already know, but just in case, a digital marquee above the set fills us in: STAFF MEAL: A meal that a restaurant serves its staff outside of business hours, free of charge. So Staff Meal is a play for the people who make plays. Its a specific concept, this restaurant, says Barbagallos server with scholarly confidence. You have to know what youre in for. Herlihys server isnt so sure. She tilts her head, musing: But how many people are really into it?  Like if you make this restaurant, and you know its awesome, and your co-workers know its awesome, and rare, and special, and a few customers know that too, but most of the customersthe people who are actually like, supposed to eat at the restaurantarent really that into it, is it really a good restaurant? At this point, any artist in the audience is attempting to just be cool and do some deep breathing before going into a public panic attack.

Koogler knows that people are going to use words like weird and surreal and experimental to describe Staff Meal. He knows that the show is a specific concept and he is, in part, offering it as a gift to his co-workers, an act of service for the ones who lost their livelihoods and purpose when the world shifted. But he also knows that truly generous, worthwhile theater is never just for an in-crowd, and that the people who are actually like, supposed to eat at the restaurant need to feel welcomed  challenged, destabilized, surprised, yes, and also excited. Its not about dumbing down or straightening out, but about working from a place of invitation. Great chefs can serve wild meals and great artmakers can take you on wild journeys if theyre working not from condescension but care.

But then, all the care in the world cant prevent the tablecloth from getting pulled or the ground from caving in. If its not plague, its capitalism or plain shit luck. The servers nervously assure themselves that Gary Robinson is pretty fucking rich and as long as Gary Robinsons around well be fine. But who is Gary? Whos actually in charge of anything, and how do we change systems we really have very little clue about when what wed like to be doing is just making good things with good people? In Staff Meal, the unparalleled wildcard Erin Markey embodies both the spirit of chaos and the hidden haplessness of authority. As a lurking, mumbling, metamorphosing vagrant, they haunt both restaurant and play, grinning as they tell us, I am the threat  And  [I] keep this whole thing going. Markey isand I say this as highest praisea total freak. They almost break the show simply through their pronunciation of the word chestnuts, and when they inform usabout the hierarchy of ownership and management at the restaurantits vagrants all the way down, theres something downright Beckettian about it. Without recourse to literalism, Koogler conjures the quintessence of 2020  the absurdity and fragility, the aimlessness and mental rabbit holes, waiting and grief, the forgetting how to talk to other people, listening to yourself and thinking I sound like an alien in a person suit. Staff Meal feels like a portal: We tumble through its funny, eerie evocation of the moment that madeis still makingour present, and we come out the other side feeling, for all its ebb toward emptiness, full.

Staff Meal is at Playwrights Horizons through May 19.
Photo: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images

On April 24, TikTok user Joe Biden signed a bill into law that could see the app banned. If parent company ByteDance does not sell TikTok to an American buyer in nine months, the app will be removed from Apple and Google app stores, and any Americans with the app still on their phone could no longer update. ByteDance has promised that it 1) will fight the law in the courts, and 2) wont sell regardless. Per NBC News, the Chinese government has said TikToks algorithm is a national security asset, and without that algo intact, TikTok is just Reels. And who wants Reels?

But we at Vulture are optimists. Maybe some benificent, possibly fictional, company can buy TikTok from ByteDance and keep us all entertained with more Bear vs. Man debates or Who TF Did I Marry story times. Here are some helpful suggestions:

Evolution Media

This is the production company behind shows like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules. Since Scandoval mostly played out on TikTok (and on TikTok videos of podcasts), it would make sense to vertically integrate before the next big drama. Plus, the TikTok shop could stop trying to pressure me into getting an at-home stepper and focus on whats really important: Mamaws Beer Cheese and James May t-shirts.

Successions Roystar Wayco

Sure, they screwed up Vaulter, but that was the old regime! The company had a helluva time with the death of its founder and whatnot. Now that things have kind of settled down under Tom Wabsgans management, Roystar is primed for a cute little acquisition. Willa could run it, maybe.

The IWW

ByteDance cant keep TikTok because of scary, foreign, communist China. For years, weve allowed the Chinese Communist Party to control one of the most popular apps in America, Senator Marco Rubio said of the app. But the anarcho-socialist Industrial Workers of the World was founded in Chicago, baby!

Severances Lumon Industries

Everyone who gets severed will now have an Innie, an Outie, and a Scrollie, who only remembers the time spent flipping through vids on TikTok.

Wayne Industries

Gotham TikTok would have a field day.

Dwayne The Rock Johnson

The man is bald and started a shampoo line. He can do anything.

When does the TikTok ban start?

If The Rock and ByteDance cant come to some sort of agreement, TikTok could be out of the app store by January 2025. But it probably wont. ByteDance has already promised to challenge the laws constitutionality, according to NBC News. That could send the law to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, and put a pause on that nine month clock. Then whoever wins will most likely appeal to the Supreme Court. ByteDance is expected to file their suit this fall.
Elections for European Parliament take place in June.

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday said she would stand in June's European elections as the lead candidate in her ruling right-wing Fratelli d'Italia (FdI) party.

Meloni, who made the announcement on stage during a party conference in Pescara, said: "We want to create a majority that brings together the centre-right forces and send the left into the opposition even in the EU."

The move by the premier is viewed as a symbolic bid to boost support for her party in the upcoming vote however if elected she would not stand down as Italy's prime minister.

Instead, her votes would be transferred to the next FdI candidate in line for a seat in the European parliament.

Urging voters to write "only Giorgia, my first name" on the ballot because "I will always and only be one of you, one of the people", Meloni said she would not use "a single minute" of her time as prime minister to campaign.

Her party aims to obtain at least 26 per cent of the vote, as it did 18 months ago in elections that resulted in the formation of Italy's current right-wing government, news agency ANSA reports.

Meloni is the latest party leader to enter the race for the European parliament, following Elly Schlein of the centre-left opposition Partito Democratico (PD) and Antonio Tajani of the centre-right Forza Italia, part of the ruling coalition.

Photo credit: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com.
Dining chat: A waiter gave our anniversary bubbly to the table next to us. What should we have done?
The best places to go in the South Pacific are the places where other visitors dont go. Credit: Getty Image

VANUA LEVU, FIJI

Its barely 60 kilometres north of Viti Levu, Fijis main island, but Vanua Levu is nothing like the Fiji you know. The island is made up of copra and sugar plantations set amid rainforest, beaches and villages connected by dirt roads. Theres only one sealed road and its main tourist town, Savusavu, is one main street with a few bars and restaurants. But youll find some of Fijis best luxury resorts here, including Namale Resort & Spa, set among 200 hectares of wilderness. Thats because Vanua Levu sits beside one of the worlds best dive locations, Somosomo Strait, protected by the 200-kilometre-long Great Sea Reef.

SAVAII, SAMOA

Samoa is Polynesia at its most traditional, and its biggest island, Savaii, is the most traditional of all. Its only an hour by ferry from Upolu, but just 24 per cent of Samoas population live here. Theres one paved road that circumnavigates the island and the speed limit is 40km/h, though no one goes that fast. Theres everything from waterfalls to the largest shield volcano in the South Pacific  where youll find more than 500 species of flowering plants, a quarter of which you wont find anywhere else. While life is endearingly simple (Sunday church services are a bona fide attraction), youll find one of the South Pacifics most charming luxury resorts, Le Legato, and world-class diving and surfing.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This article is part of a series on the impact of toxic forever chemicals produced as part of the documentary How To Poison a Planet. See all 11 stories . Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the names of people who are deceased. Skye Sturgeon was told to call off her 21st birthday celebrations when her tumour returned. Instead, she spent the milestone learning to walk, talk and eat again after surgeons carved away the growth wrapped in nerves on her brain stem. At first, Sturgeon was inconsolable. The gruelling recovery from her first brain surgery when she was 18 had wrecked her. But she steeled herself for what lay ahead. I would rather it happen to me than to anyone else because I knew that I could do it, she recalled. Skye and Jade Sturgeon. Skye and her younger sister, Jade, had spent an idyllic childhood playing together on the pearly white sands of Jervis Bay, their home town and a NSW tourist mecca. They were oblivious to something sinister lurking beneath its picture-perfect facade. During high school, Jade began complaining of symptoms that were eerily similar to Skyes  migraines, muffled hearing, a loss of balance that led to her keeling over in the supermarket aisle.

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I was like, Do I have a brain tumour? And the doctors were like, No, thats impossible, Jade recalled. Because of what your sister went through, maybe youre just scared that the same things going to happen to you, but its impossible. The odds of Skye developing the type of tumour she did at her age were roughly 1.5 in a million. The chances two sisters with no family history of brain cancer would both fall on the wrong side of those statistics were infinitesimally small. But Jades condition deteriorated dramatically over the next few years before she was sent for an MRI scan in 2022 at the age of 23. Lightning had struck not once, but twice. Jade had the same type of tumour as Skye, but on both sides of her brain. Skye and Jade Sturgeon spent nearly every day in the water as children. I think that broke my heart the most, Skye said. Everyone was in shock when they found out about Jade. Some of them thought it was me again, and I was like No, no, no, its my sister.  Now, the shellshocked Aboriginal sisters find themselves at the forefront of an international chemical contamination scandal.

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They now know the creeks and waterways that were their safe haven as youngsters were poisoned with invisible forever chemicals pollution. They are among an unlucky cohort of young people on opposite sides of the globe who have grown up within contamination plumes and have the same burning question: did forever chemicals cause my tumour? A new Stan documentary, How to Poison a Planet, documents the heartache of those families after forever chemicals in firefighting foam contaminated thousands of communities worldwide, from the secluded Aboriginal village of Wreck Bay to the town of Oakdale, Minnesota, in Americas Midwest. In 2018, this masthead uncovered 21 cancer cases from an Oakdale high school where the drinking water was contaminated with high levels of forever chemicals, including six cases of brain tumours. A researcher found children who died in Oakdale were 171 per cent more likely to have had a cancer diagnosis than children who died in areas unaffected by the contamination. Forever chemicals  per- and poly-fluoroalkyl chemicals (PFAS)  are also found at low levels in hundreds of everyday household products and in the blood of 98 per cent of the worlds population.

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Last year, this masthead revealed that in the early 2000s the average Australian adult had one of the most notorious forever chemicals in their blood at 20 times the safe level secretly calculated by a scientist working for one of the manufacturers. The toxic tide For generations, the tides of soapy white suds that would drift down the creeks in Wreck Bay were welcome playthings to children like Skye and Jade Sturgeon. Skye and Jade share a close bond. Kids, bubbles, foam, it was exciting. And obviously, it wasnt good, Skye said. The pair would also hunt for pippies along the shoreline and bask in clay holes, rich ochre hiding a terrible secret. The Aboriginal community in Jervis Bay, 200 kilometres south of Sydney near the internationally recognised sands of Hyams Beach, was slowly being poisoned.

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Forever chemicals in firefighting foam were leaching off a neighbouring naval base and into the communitys food and water supply. By the time they reached young adulthood, Skye and Jade Sturgeon would both be diagnosed with a benign type of tumour called a meningioma, which form in the layers of tissue surrounding the brain. The tumours are rarely seen in children and most commonly strike people between 40 and 70 years old. Doctors have been searching for a hereditary link that could explain the sisters misfortune, but genetic testing has so far drawn a blank. We were in shock and theyre looking at us in shock, said their mother, Eileen McLeod, recalling the moment doctors discovered both sisters had the same type of tumour. They said you hear of it in generations, but not with two sisters. I asked how and why did this happen? In your profession, you should know. They shook their head and said we are dumbfounded, McLeod recalled.

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Hundreds of mourners, many wearing white ribbons, gathered at a funeral home in Ballarat North to farewell 23-year-old Hannah McGuire, who was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend earlier this month.

McGuires mother, Debbie McGuire, spoke at the funeral thanking those in attendance and remembered her amazing daughter.

Mourners at Hannah McGuires funeral. Credit: Joe Armao

We come together with great sadness, but also with thanks for the time we had with her. Today we celebrate Hannahs life and all the things that made her the amazing daughter that she was, she told those inside the chapel.

Hannah touched our lives in profound ways and her memory will forever remain etched in our soul. Hannah, we miss the way your presence made everything feel right.

Hannah McGuires ex-boyfriend has been charged with murder. McGuire was one of a number of women who have died under allegedly violent circumstances across Australia this year, which have rocked the nation, sparked protests and prompted calls for a royal commission into violence against women.

Nicole van Berkel, a lifelong friend of McGuires parents, said she was an exceptional young woman who inspired the lives of those around her with her determination to succeed in her education and sports.

McGuires body was found in a burnt-out car in bushland in Scarsdale, about 25 kilometres south-west of Ballarat, earlier this month.
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australia Jewry, said the event was designed to split our country apart and induct children into racial hatred and religious extremism.

Dr Elizabeth Strakosch, co-Executive Officer of the Jewish Council of Australia told the Herald: We should be proud of all of the students and children, many of whom are Jewish, who are speaking out against this unfolding genocide. We all seek to raise our children with a strong sense of values and what is right and wrong in the world.

A statement from the organisers of the excursion, Families for Palestine, said the event was a peaceful gathering of multi- and no-faith people to educate children about social justice and solidarity, especially amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Children were encouraged to engage voluntarily with Palestinian issues, with chants and slogans led by both children and adults. No one chanted that Israel is haram; misreporting of this is dangerous, as it puts communities at risk of harassment, underscoring the significance of our educative work at Families for Palestine.

We aim to raise socially conscious individuals empowered to advocate for justice, rejecting any suggestion of promoting violence or hatred.
Warning: this report contains the name and image of a deceased Indigenous man, with his familys permission.

A 35-year-old Indigenous man who died of unknown causes in Perth in February has still not been laid to rest as his daughter and new wife argue over whether he should be cremated or buried.

Details of the feud are laid bare in court documents after a Supreme Court judge was left to decide the outcome when the mans daughter brought legal proceedings against his wife.

James Woods, left.

James Woods died on February 28.
Fifty-one cases have been lodged in the British High Court, with victims and grieving relatives seeking damages estimated to be worth up to 100 million ($191 million). About 69 million doses of the OxfordAstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine were administered in the European Union, according to the European Medicines Agency. Loading AstraZenecas admission  made in a legal defence to Scotts claim  follows intense legal wrangling. It could lead to payouts if the drug firm accepts that the vaccine was the cause of serious illness and death in specific legal cases. The British government has pledged to underwrite AstraZenecas legal bills. In a letter of response sent later, in May 2023, AstraZeneca told lawyers for Scott that we do not accept that TTS is caused by the vaccine at a generic level.

Lawyers argue that the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is defective and that its efficacy has been vastly overstated  claims AstraZeneca strongly denies. Scientists first identified a link between the vaccine and a new illness called vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) as early as March 2021, shortly after the COVID-19 vaccine rollout began. Lawyers for the claimants argue that VITT is a subset of TTS, although AstraZeneca does not appear to recognise the term. The government has indemnified AstraZeneca against any legal action but has so far refused to intervene. Kate Scott, Scotts wife, told Britains Telegraph: The medical world has acknowledged for a long time that VITT was caused by the vaccine. Its only AstraZeneca who have questioned whether Jamies condition was caused by the jab.

Its taken three years for this admission to come. Its progress, but we would like to see more from them and the government. Its time for things to move more quickly. I hope their admission means we will be able to sort this out sooner rather than later. We need an apology, fair compensation for our family and other families who have been affected. We have the truth on our side, and we are not going to give up. Sarah Moore, a partner at law firm Leigh Day, who is bringing the legal claims, said: It has taken AstraZeneca a year to formally admit that their vaccine can cause the devastating blood clots, when this fact has been widely accepted by the clinical community since the end of 2021. In that context, regrettably it seems that AZ, the government and their lawyers are more keen to play strategic games and run up legal fees than to engage seriously with the devastating impact that their AZ vaccine has had upon our clients lives. In a statement, AstraZeneca said: Our sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost loved ones or reported health problems. Patient safety is our highest priority, and regulatory authorities have clear and stringent standards to ensure the safe use of all medicines, including vaccines.

From the body of evidence in clinical trials and real-world data, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine has continuously been shown to have an acceptable safety profile, and regulators around the world consistently state that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks of extremely rare potential side effects. The company pointed out that product information relating to the vaccine was updated in April 2021, with the approval of the UK regulator, to include the possibility that the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine is capable, in very rare cases, of being a trigger for TTS. The company does not recognise claims it has performed an about-turn in acknowledging that the vaccine can cause TTS in court documents. Independent studies show the AstraZeneca vaccine was incredibly effective in tackling the pandemic, saving more than 6 million lives globally in the first year of the rollout. The World Health Organisation has said the vaccine was safe and effective for all individuals aged 18 and above and the adverse effect that has prompted the legal action was very rare.

The vaccine  heralded at its launch by then-British prime minister Boris Johnson as a triumph for British science  is no longer used in the UK. In the months after the rollout, the potentially serious side effect of the jab was identified by scientists. It was then recommended that under-40s be offered an alternative jab because the risk of the AstraZeneca vaccine outweighed the harm posed by COVID. Lawyers representing families suing the drugs company argue that the vaccine was not as safe as individuals were entitled to expect. They are suing the firm, based in Cambridge, under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Scotts lawyers have argued that he suffered personal injuries and consequential losses arising out of his sustaining vaccine induced immune thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (VITT) as a result of his vaccination on 23 April 2021, with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination. Official figures from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency show at least 81 deaths in the UK are suspected to have been linked to the adverse reaction that caused clotting in people who also had low blood platelets.

In total, almost one in five people who suffered from the condition died as a result, according to the MHRAs figures. The government runs its own vaccine compensation scheme, but alleged victims claim the one-off payment of 120,000 is inadequate. Figures obtained under a freedom-of-information request show that out of 163 payouts made by the government by February this year, at least 158 went to recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme gives compensation to those injured by vaccines or to bereaved next of kin. Fewer than five people under the scheme received vaccines other than AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca has previously argued in court papers that claims against the company are confused and wrong in law. In the defence filing, AstraZeneca said the benefit/risk profile of the vaccine was, and remains, positive.
Lviv: Defence Minister Richard Marles says the Australian government is prepared to send more military equipment and financial support to aid Ukraines fight against Russia until the war ends on Kyivs terms.

Visiting the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, Marles promised the latest $100 million package was just the next tranche of support and by no means the end as he declared Ukraines armed forces were fighting for Australias national interest on the battlefield.

Defence Minister Richard Marles (left) and Australian Army chief Lieutenant General Simon Stuart at a ceremony for fallen Ukrainian soldiers in Lviv on Saturday. Credit: Department of Defence

The deputy prime ministers visit  the first by a member of the Albanese government for almost two years  coincided with another fierce round of Russian airstrikes, as missiles pounded power facilities in central and western Ukraine on Saturday, increasing pressure on the ailing energy system as the country faces a shortage of air defences despite a breakthrough in US military aid.

The airstrikes, carried out with ballistic and cruise missiles fired by Russian strategic bombers based in the Arctic Circle, marked the fourth large-scale aerial assault targeting the power system since March 22.
Washington: US president Joe Biden has taken aim at Donald Trumps age and legal woes at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, an event ultimately overshadowed by Israels war in Gaza.

The 2024 elections in full swing and, yes, age is an issue, Biden said. Im a grown man running against a six-year-old.

Biden has recently ramped up his attacks on Trump, marking a shift in strategy as the November election draws in.

Age is the only thing we have in common, Biden, 81, said of Trump, 77. My vice president actually endorses me, he said in a swipe at the former vice president Mike Pences decision not to back Trump in his bid for re-election.
The WCO Regional Customs Laboratory Professionals Programme, launched in 2013 as the WCO/Japan Regional Customs Laboratories Programme, provides an opportunity for technical officers to expand and update their knowledge and skills in the chemical analysis of samples for Harmonized System (HS) classification purposes. It is designed for laboratory analysts who are or will be working in Customs laboratories. Participants will gain practical experience at the WCO/Asia Pacific Regional Customs Laboratory (RCL) in India, Japan or the Republic of Korea, and gain knowledge about the HS at the World Customs Organization (WCO).

The aims of this programme are that participants should:

obtain and update knowledge and skills in the chemical analysis of samples for HS classification purposes;

gain knowledge and skills, especially regarding the implementation of new technologies and techniques as well as the use of sophisticated equipment;

develop an understanding of how to enhance the efficiency of the management of the Customs Laboratory;

improve general understanding of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the International Convention on the HS and its amendments;

gain greater understanding of how the HS and its instruments and tools, including tools on implementation and infrastructure, operate at international and national level;

know the core fundamentals of the HS, in order to understand the basic rules for classifying goods in the HS Nomenclature and to legally justify their classification decisions;

enhance their tariff classification abilities, particularly in the field of agriculture and chemical products; and

identify current challenges for their administrations in Customs Laboratory word and, based on the knowledge and techniques obtained through this programme, appropriate measures to address these challenges for sharing in the form of report and presentation for sharing with participants and their administrations.

Candidates for the Programme must be Customs officials, (i) who are working at a Customs Laboratory as an analyst; or (ii) who would be a candidate to work at a Customs Laboratory in the near future.

Under this Programme, selected Customs officials of an appropriate technical level will be given an opportunity to study one week at the WCO Headquarters and then, will be divided into three teams for the six weeks at the RCL in India, Japan or the Republic of Korea, to enable them to acquire practical experience.

The Programme is conducted in English.

The nomination process for this programme is undertaken as detailed below:
By Cate McCurry, PA

Claims that the majority of asylum seekers entering the Republic had crossed the Border from the North have been questioned by human rights and refugee organisations.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee last week claimed that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into the State is now higher than 80 per cent following a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

It comes as Irish and British officials are meeting in London following a fallout over migrants travelling from Britain to Northern Ireland and into the Republic.

On Friday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said that the figures provided by Ms McEntee were based on the number of people registering at the International Protection Office (IPO) in Dublin.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said the figures provided were based on people arriving at the International Protection Office Photo: Brian Lawless/PA

However, representatives from the Irish Refugee Council and the Committee on the Administration of Justice cast doubt on the figures.

Nick Henderson, chief executive of the Irish Refugee Council, said: We dont know how the Department of Justice came to the 80 per cent figure and, as far as we know, has not published its methodology.

Just because a person has not applied for protection at an airport or port it does not automatically mean the person has crossed the border from Northern Ireland.

A person may pass through immigration control and then apply for protection at the IPO.

They may not want to apply at the airport or port because they think they will be placed back on the flight and returned, putting them at risk of persecution.

Also, a person may also be here with one status, eg as a student, but due to a change in circumstances, like a war in their country, need to apply for protection.

For example, we have supported people from Gaza in this type of situation. This is known as sur place refugees.

Daniel Holder, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, said he is sceptical of the claims put forward by the Minister.

When you look at what the Department of Justice said, they said the border wasnt monitored routinely and the 80 per cent seems to be based on the fact that a lot of international protection applications are happening in-country, in the Mount Street office rather than happening at ports and airports.

But theres a broad range of reasons why that would be the case. A lot of people make their asylum claims in-country and not at ports, they dont realise you need to do it at port.

@DeptJusticeIRL, as far as we know, have not published evidence to support 80% figure.



Just because a person does not apply at airport, doesn't mean they came through NI.



A person may apply directly at the IPO.  Irish Refugee Council (@IrishRefugeeCo) April 27, 2024

Or take, for example, if someone whos in Ireland, not as a refugee but as a medical student, they werent in need of international protection when they arrived. But then something happens.

Theyre from a very undemocratic regime, a family member gets arrested, gets tortured, gets detained, and they know theyre going to be in a similar risk if they go back and at that point is the point when they seek international protection.

So were sceptical. This isnt the first time this type of claim has been made. When the British governments Rwanda policy was launched a couple of years ago, back in 2022, a very similar claim was made that was treated with great scepticism by the ESRI.

[The ESRI] urged that it was treated with quite considerable caution because not only were in-country applications not really indicative of how many people were crossing the land border, but equally there were many other push factors that will lead into increases in international protection applications rather than the UK policy.
Funding under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme has been announced for three projects in the county.

A 474,145 grant has been made available for the redevelopment of a new Order of Malta headquarters in Castlebar. The funds, allocated under Category 3 of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS), will revitalise the Pavilion Road building, which is currently unfit for use and requires redevelopment.

An allocation of 137,148 has been made to Balla CRD CLG for its Raise the Roof project, which aims to replace the roof of the Balla Community Centre. A further 224,139 has been allocated to the Ballycroy Tidy Towns for the redevelopment of the existing playground, including the replacement of play equipment and surfaces, to rejuvenate a key community space.

The news was welcomed by local TDs.

Minister for State Alan Dillon expressed his delight in supporting the Castlebar Order of Maltas rebuilding efforts, stating, The organisation has been a pillar of support to our community for the past 80 years. It was disheartening to witness the current building on the verge of ruin, with operations being conducted from a garage at the rear of the unused building where they housed their ambulance and conducted training. This funding will be instrumental in securing the continuation of their mission to save lives, touch lives, and change lives.

The Raise the Roof project is a shining example of the communitys commitment to improving local facilities. The previous funding of 120,000 I secured for the enterprise and remote working hub has already had a significant impact, and this additional funding will further enhance the community centre for the benefit of all residents.

While the dedication of the Ballycroy Tidy Towns team to improving their local area is truly commendable, he added.

Deputy Michael Ring congratulated and commended the successful projects.

The benefit of this funding will be felt hugely in the successful areas. These projects have come from local communities themselves so the funding will make a real difference in these areas.

These projects are all about making our rural towns and villages great places to live, work and raise a family. I wish to commend the local communities who brought forward these proposals and I look forward to seeing these projects coming to fruition.

Castlebar councillor Ger Deere singled out Order of Malta stalwart Tom Jennings for special praise in helping to get their project over the line.

"He has given 40 years of dedicated servie to the unit and not a conversation goes by with Tom that does not make reference to the Order of Malta," said Cllr Deere.
A 4km pilgrim path at Croagh Patrick and state-of-the-art tourism hub in Erris will be officially opened by Minister Heather Humphreys later today.

The Minster will be in Augleam to open the SOLAS Visitor Centre and announce funding to revitalise towns and villages across rural Ireland.

This new 4m building, supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Udaras na Gaeltachta, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Pobal, Mayo Co. Council and Failte Ireland, is set to highlight the rich history, unique heritage, and captivating language of the Mullet Peninsula.

The Minister later travelled to Croagh Patrick to open the new pilgrim path.

Delivered in collaboration with the Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group this flagship project was hand-built over the course of three years.

The upgraded pilgrim path will provide sustainable access to Croagh Patrick and address the substantial erosion of the mountain.

Thousands of tonnes of rock and soil were removed from the Reek to make it safe and accessible, as well as protecting the mountain.

The path runs from the statue of St Patrick near the base of the mountain to the church at the top of the Reek.
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.
Science meets history at Adler Museum of Medicine

Exhibition celebrates the life and scientific journey of Nobel Laureate and alumnus Sydney Brenner.

Professor Sydney Brenner (1927-2019) was a molecular biologist best known for explaining how DNA encodes the message to make proteins, which are the building blocks of cells and ultimately of organism.

Themed Science meets history, celebrating the life and scientific journey of Sydney Brenner, the exhibition launch took place at the Adler Museum of Medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University.

The exhibition runs until 30 May 2024.

The exhibition marked five years since Brenners death in 2019 at the age of 92, and 10 years since the formal establishment of the Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience (SBIMB) at Wits  the only research institute worldwide to bear his name.

Sydney Brenner is a Wits alumnus with four degrees from Wits (1942 to 1951), and a Nobel Laurate. In 2002, Sydney Brenner and his colleagues Bob Horvitz and John Sulston received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death, using the nematode worm as their model organism.

The exhibition was a collaboration between the SBIMB, the Adler Museum, and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Library & Archives in the US, where Sydney Brenner first went in 1954, with which he had an enduring association, and to whom he donated his personal collections.

Ludmila (Mila) Pollock, the Executive Director of the CSHL Library & Archives, who has been responsible for digitizing many collections, including the personal collections of Sydney Brenner, attended the exhibition launch and contributed original materials for the exhibit.

Also in attendance were representatives from Wits who had supported the development and eventual establishment of the SBIMB in 2014. These included former Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Professor Loyiso Nongxa, with a special mention for the late Professor Belinda Bozzoli.

Philip Goelet represented the Sydney Brenner Charitable Trust, which supports SBIMB postdoctoral scholars.

Dr David Twesigomwe and Dr Luicer Ingasia Olubayois are the first two beneficiaries of these fellowships and are based at the SBIMB, and co-hosted by the University of Edinburgh.

Twesigomwe was also the MC at the exhibition launch.

Professor Lindelani Mnguni, Deputy Dean: Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Health Sciences, delivered the welcome address, opening with, Its nice to see evidence [of genetics] in Carla! [Carla is Sydney Brenners daughter].

Mnguni said, Sydney Brenner was one of us. His legacy lives on. We stand on the shoulders of giants  we teach what he found. We need to keep the legacy going.

How a boy from Germiston went on to win the Nobel Prize

Brenners daughter, Carla Brenner Roach, the youngest of his three children and visiting from London, regaled the audience with entertaining, nostalgic, and insightful reminisces about her late father.

She recalled that her father confounded expectations, having learnt to read at four-years-old and that the Brenner laboratories worldwide had spawned no fewer than five Nobel Laureates.

Known as a maverick scientist, Sydney Brenner never prepared for his talks says his daughter, although, in his speech when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2002, he said that I believe a scientist must be judged by those who you impact in reference to supporting privileged minds from under-privileged circumstances.

Speaking at the launch, Professor Michele Ramsay, Director of the SBIMB, said that Brenners interest in genetics had been sparked at Wits, when he became fascinated with chromosomes and genes  "Although at that time it was a long time before he knew what a gene was," says Ramsay.

A prodigy who matriculated at the age of 14 from Germiston High School, Sydney Brenner was awarded a bursary to study medicine at Wits in 1942.

Ramsay says, We are honoured to have Ms Renee Goosen, Principal of Germiston High School here tonight, adding that a delegation had earlier toured Sydney Brenners high school in the East Rand of Gauteng.

Very early in his studies at Wits, Sydney Brenner worked on the chromosomes of the elephant shrew, a small rodent, when completing his Honours and Masters degrees. He had two publications from that work and reprints from that work are in the collection here [at the Adler Museum], says Ramsay.

After graduating from Wits, Sydney Brenner left South Africa in 1952. He went to the University of Oxford on a bursary to complete his DPhil. He later shared an office with Francis Crick, who with John Watson discovered the double helical structure of DNA  a finding that leveraged the research of Roslyn Franklin.

Ramsay says, On 7 July 1960, Sydney sent a telegram to Berkley, California to his wife, which said Experiment a resounding success! Returning Sunday 10th . And were really grateful to Carla who brought the original telegram, which is on display.

The experiment was about the seminal work that Sydney Brenner and colleagues did in terms of discovering that the messenger RNA was the intermediate between the DNA and the protein.

Sydney Brenner, Crick and Watson were members of the RNA Tie Club, an informal scientific club of select scientists who deciphered the genetic code explaining how proteins were synthesised from the information in genes. Six of these 'RNA Tie Club' members would go on to win a Nobel Prize.

Son of South Africa, son of Wits

In 1972, Wits awarded then 45-years-old Sydney Brenner an honorary doctorate. Already then [Wits] saw that he was going to go on to do amazing things, and this [honorary degree] was an event that brought Sydney Brenner back to South Africa after a 16-year absence, says Ramsay.

Brenner Roach said that South Africa and Singapore meant the most to him. He had inspired the field of molecular biology in both countries and, in 2003, was granted honorary citizenship of Singapore, which also named an orchid after him.

Symposium towards precision medicine in Africa and preserving medical history

A one-day research symposium preceded the exhibition and featured a scientific session, Exploring African genomic diversity and precision medicine applications and a session focused on the Medical Humanities titled, The importance and impact of preserving medical history through scientific exhibitions and archives.

Ramsay says that the SBIMB will publish two journal articles this year, both of which further emphasize diversity in Africa. One article focuses on microbiomes, and the other is developing a database of regulatory variants, which the SBIMB will also make available to the international scientific community.

The SBIMB has a vibrant genomics research community and two highlights this year include studies that emphasize diversity and novel discovery in Africa, says Ramsay.

One article focuses on the human gut microbiomes, and the other on developing a database of regulatory variants. The unique data from these studies will be available to the international scientific community.

Ramsay says, We need to be responsible about sharing [our data] so that researchers globally can use the data collected in Africa to ultimately make difference to the health of the people of Africa, as we enter the era of precision medicine.

Emphasizing the importance of museums and archives such as the Sydney Brenner collection at the Adler, Professor Richard Cooke, Chairman of the Board of the Adler Museum said that the Adler had had 8000 visitors in 2023.

In terms of integrating archives in education, Cooke asked, How can we inspire our students? How can museums support the academic project? To this end, the Wits MBBCh and BHS curricula are currently under review. These revisions will hopefully include a History of Medicine course for undergraduates.
Global collaboration adds up for mathematician

Number theory specialist Professor Florian Luca is now a CNRS Fellow-Ambassador.

The National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS  Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) is Frances national centre for scientific research.

Luca joined the School of Mathematics at Wits in 2014. He is a number theory specialist with a particular research interest in Diophantine equations and arithmetic functions.

His current research focuses on the Skolem problem and automatic word transcendence criteria, which are topics of interest not only to mathematicians but also to theoretical computer scientists.

Twice A-rated by the National Research Foundation, Luca is considered a world expert in his field by international peers.

The CNRS Fellow-Ambassador system was created in 2023. This new instrument is rooted in the tradition of the eminent visiting professors in academia who are world-leaders in their fields.

The goals of the Fellow-Ambassador system are both to energise French research and to demonstrate  via the quality of world-class scientists that participate  the attractiveness of the CNRS, doing so in a way that goes beyond simple speech, says Alain Schuhl, Chief Scientific Officer at the CNBS.

By being present over a long-term basis within a laboratory, a Fellow-Ambassador becomes more accessible and available to interact with French researchers on scientific issues, and more broadly on how to approach research, according to CNRS. These high-calibre figures can assume a support role more spontaneously with younger scientists and doctoral students, who may not have had the opportunity to meet them in a conference.

Luca says of his nomination, I am of course very happy and honoured to receive such a nomination. For almost 20 years, I have maintained a very good collaboration with France in general, and more particularly with Professor Yuri Bilu and his research group in Bordeaux.

The CNRS and Wits lead numerous joint research projects, notably in Physics, Astronomy-Astrophysics, Anthropology, Palaeosciences, Environment and Ecology. In 2021, Wits University established a PhD partnership programme with the CNRS.

Professor Lynn Morris, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation, says: Congratulations Florian on being named a CNRS Fellow Ambassador. Thank you for continuing to bring much prestige to Wits through your research.

Lucas portrait-interview for the CNRS Mathematics website follows:

What does the CNRS Fellow-Ambassador nomination mean to you?

I was very surprised to learn this. I am of course very happy and honoured to receive such a nomination. For almost 20 years, I have maintained a very good collaboration with France in general, and more particularly with Professor Yuri Bilu and his research group in Bordeaux.

Official cooperation began in 2004 as part of joint projects of ANUIES and CoNACyT on the Mexican side, where I was based at the time, and CNRS on the French side. For many years, I travelled to Bordeaux for short (a few weeks) or longer (up to three months) periods under all kinds of arrangements, from one-month professorships to "positions rouge" of the CNRS and I engaged in interesting research work with this team. Notably, 2 or 3 of these extended stays were as part of the ALGANT program , a famous international master's program of which Bordeaux is among the participants.

I ended up co-authoring articles with several French doctoral students in the laboratory. Some of my Mexican and South African doctoral students were also invited to visit Bordeaux and wrote joint articles with French doctoral students. I am happy to receive this nomination which will allow me to continue my visits to Bordeaux over the coming years.

What do you expect from this appointment?

I am happy to continue traveling to Bordeaux because we still have many projects in progress. However, I know many other colleagues in France with whom I would like to have the opportunity to interact more. I therefore plan to approach them in the near future and inquire about the possibility of visiting their laboratories for a few weeks at a time over the next three years, with the aim of identifying suitable joint research topics that could lead to interesting results in the future.

When it comes to the goals I hope to achieve, there are two different directions. On the one hand, I would like to start making my annual month-long visits soon. The first visit will probably take place in September or October in Bordeaux, I will communicate my exact dates to the CNRS by July.

On the other hand, in the coming years, I would like to organize visits to Paris, Nancy and Marseille where I have many colleagues with whom I would like to cooperate. On the African side, I would like to continue to receive visits from French colleagues or teams to give us conferences and collaborate with my colleagues and our students. If there is interest on the French side, I would like to serve as an ambassador and ask my university that the CNRS could open an office at Wits, which CNRS researchers could use to visit us more often.

What is IRN GANDA?

GANDA, for Geometry and Arithmetic, is an International Research Network funded by the CNRS and its partners. Born under the impetus of the numerous collaborations existing between South Africa and the University of Bordeaux, it today brings together mathematicians from France, South Africa, Denmark and Madagascar. The network is led by Fabien Pazuki, professor at the Copenhagen Institute of Mathematics and by Yuri Bilu, professor at the Bordeaux Institute of Mathematics.

Since its creation in 2018, IRN GANDA has enjoyed great success: following conferences organized in South Africa, several collaborations between researchers from the different countries involved were born. If the original partner was the University of Stellenbosch, the network has since opened up to the University of the Witwatersrand as well as the University of Antananarivo, expanding its research themes to related subjects in order to follow the scientific evolution of the country.

Both structuring and exploratory, IRN GANDA supports numerous collaborative projects, whether long-term or for shorter periods, while including thesis and sometimes Masters students during events in order to perpetuate this dynamic. exchange in the future.
French actor Gerard Depardieu, pictured here in February 2018, has been taken into police custody.
Drop in number of Welsh-medium pupils in Wrexham blamed on lockdown

This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 29th, 2024

Covid lockdown measures have been blamed for a drop in the number of pupils entering Welsh medium education in Wrexham.

Figures released by Wrexham Council show that there were 181 youngsters in year one being taught in Welsh in 2022, representing 12.4 per cent of the overall pupils on the school roll in the county borough.

This was compared to 213 children (14.3 per cent) being taught in Welsh for the same age group during the previous year.

Education officials said the decrease was believed to be due to pupils from English-speaking families learning from home during the pandemic, meaning they could not use the Welsh language as often.

A report to councillors shows the number of youngsters in Wrexham going into Welsh medium education has now returned to similar levels to 2021.

The issue was raised by Acton and Maesydre councillor Corin Jarvis (Lab) at a meeting of the councils lifelong learning scrutiny committee meeting as members discussed plans to develop Welsh-medium education.

In response, education officer Dafydd Ifans: It was very impacted by Covid. One of the things that happened during Covid that particularly affected the Welsh sector was that some children were at home with their parents, who were English speaking.

Some of them reported that they found it difficult to support their children during that time, and that then had a knock-on impact in terms of the numbers coming through into Welsh medium schools.

A lot of hard work has happened since then, from members of the Welsh Education Forum, to encourage parents to make that choice and were seeing the fruits of that coming through.

The Welsh Governments has set out plans to increase the number of Welsh speakers to one million by 2050.

The councils plan sets out how it intends to improve standards in Welsh-medium provision and the teaching of Welsh.

The impact of the Covid pandemic on the number of pupils entering Welsh medium education was also previously noted by education watchdog Estyn.

In a report covering the 2021/22 academic year, officials said: Learners ability and readiness to use spoken Welsh was negatively impacted by long periods of non-contact with the language.

In both Welsh and English-medium providers, many learners lacked confidence in speaking Welsh when they returned as their main contact with the language had always been through their educational provider.

In secondary schools in particular there was a general decline in the use of Welsh between peers.

Many Welsh-medium providers placed a strong emphasis on improving learners spoken Welsh, which had a positive impact.

By Liam Randall  BBC Local Democracy Reporter
North Wales MS backs campaign for law to create a smoke free Wales

This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 29th, 2024

A North Wales MS has backed a campaign to create a smoke free Wales.

Llyr Gruffydd, who represents the region in the Senedd, recently met with representatives from Cancer Research UK at the Welsh Parliament, and he pledged his support for the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

The Plaid Cymru politician says the Bill, which is making its way through the Westminster parliament will save lives and save the Welsh NHS billions of pounds.

The aim of the legislation is to create the first smoke free generation by raising the age of sale of tobacco.

It would ensure that people born on or after 1 January 2009 (turning 15 this year) would not legally be sold tobacco in their lifetime.

If the legislation is passed by UK Parliament it will then go to the Senedd to be voted on via a legislative consent motion.

Around 325,000 people smoke in Wales, which equates 13% of the population.

Smoking causes around 3,100 cases of cancer each year in Wales. It is a leading cause of preventable ill health and premature death in Wales.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Wales, while more than 7 out of 10 lung cancers in the UK are caused by smoking.

According to YouGov polling conducted on behalf of ASH Cymru 69% of Welsh adults support the ambition of creating a smokefree society by 2030.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would provide new powers to introduce regulations to restrict e-cigarette flavours, packaging, and point of sale displays in retail outlets I order to clampdown on youth vaping.

Llyr Gruffydd MS said: Though it is certainly encouraging that we have seen a huge reduction in the number of people smoking in Wales over the last few decades, the fact of the matter is that there is much more that needs to be done.

Almost 4 out of 10 cancers in Wales are preventable; and smoking is the leading cause of preventable cancer.

Not only does preventing cancer saves lives, it saves money, and reduces pressure on the Welsh NHS, which as we all know is under severe strain at this time.

As the population grows and ages, reducing the number of preventable cancers will be absolutely essential for controlling ever-growing health budgets.

Research has shown that smoking is a key driver of cancer inequalities in Wales.

Therefore through reducing tobacco use in Wales we can take a big step towards addressing some of the stark differences in health across our nation.

This is why I fully support this measure to help create a healthier, fairer, smoke free Wales.
Popular Coffee and Chat Group has launched in Wrexham

This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 29th, 2024

A brand new friendship group has been launched in Wrexham following the success of other similar schemes in the region.

Deeside Oddfellows, which hosts a range of affordable and accessible events across North Wales and Chester, is bringing its popular Coffee and Chat group to The Lemon Tree restaurant so residents have the opportunity to meet likeminded people in the city.

The first meeting was Wednesday 17 April between 10.30am and 12pm. The regular coffee morning will continue at the same time and location on the first and third Wednesday of each month. The cost is as per menu. Our next meet up is 1st May.

The launch comes off the back of similar events the Deeside Oddfellows hosts in Saltney and Llandudno, which have proved popular. Other events organised are a walk at Loggerheads on Monday 20th May at 11am, a day trip to The Iron Works in Oswestry on Tuesday 18th June and the Oddfellows Brass Band are giving a free concert at the Venue Cymru, Llandudno on Sunday 26th May at 3pm.

Denise Turner, Branch Secretary at Deeside Oddfellows, said: Weve a number of Coffee and Chat groups which are always really well attended, with people from all sorts of backgrounds and different interests coming along.

We think its important that people have the opportunity to get together and connect with other friendly people in their community, so were excited to welcome the people of Wrexham to this new event.

We know a thing or two about friendship here at the Oddfellows. Weve been supporting one another for over 200 years, so why not come along and find out all the great things we have planned and how we can help and support you?

Deeside Oddfellows is made up of 490 mostly older and retired local members and anyone is welcome to join. It is one of 99 branches that make up the Oddfellows nationwide network, which is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the UK.

The Society aims to improve its members lives through friendship and support. As well as its events, Oddfellows members can access a variety of benefits including care and welfare support and a travel club. There are also opportunities to take part in fundraising and volunteering initiatives.

To find out more about the new Wrexham Coffee and Chat group or Deeside Oddfellows, get in touch with Denise on denise.turner@oddfellows.co.uk or call 01244 675757.

More information about the Oddfellows can be found at www.oddfellows.co.uk.

Top pic:: Deeside Oddfellows members enjoying coffee and a chat at the first meet up at The Lemon Tree, Rhosddu.
Two former North Wales Police officers to be barred from policing after misconduct hearing

This article is old - Published: Monday, Apr 29th, 2024

Two former police officers who made cruel, shocking and offensive comments were found to have been in breach of the Standards of Professional Behaviour relating to Discreditable Conduct at a Misconduct Hearing at Police Headquarters in Colwyn Bay today.

Former PCs Iwan Williams and Terence Flanagan, who both resigned prior to the hearing, would have been dismissed had they still been serving officers.

North Wales Police say they have been placed on the Barred List, meaning they will not be able to serve as a police officer at any point in the future.

Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman KPM, who chaired todays hearing, said: There is no place for behaviour such as this in North Wales Police or our society.

It is totally unacceptable, and I remain committed to rooting out and dealing both swift fully and robustly with anyone who does not demonstrate at all times the professional standards needed to earn and keep the respect and trust of our local communities.

I expect the highest standards of conduct and behaviour from my officers and staff.

Most of the public would feel as I do, that the conversation between the officers about a victim of domestic abuse and colleagues was unacceptable on any level and certainly not the conduct they would expect of police officers.

The public have the right to expect that NWP officers and staff will operate at the highest possible standards of professional behaviour.

The fact that this conversation took place out of the view of the public does not detract from the impact and harm that it has caused.

Misogynistic, discriminatory, or sexualised comments will not be tolerated within a modern service.

I have been clear that we are committed to changing the culture and ensuring that violence against women and girls is eradicated.

I am fully aware that the majority of my colleagues in North Wales Police display exemplary behaviour both on and off duty.

They will feel as let down as I do by the behaviours outlined.
In America and across Europe and internationally, the ruling class is responding to mounting student anti-genocide protests with violent crackdowns. Hundreds of students are being arrested in universities across the United States. In Spain, hundreds of thousands have protested since the beginning of the war, while in Sanaa, Yemen, over a million people gathered last week to protest the US-backed genocide in Gaza.

A young boy helps to carry a large Palestinian flag during a demonstration to show solidarity with Palestinians during a protest march in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, April 21, 2024. [AP Photo/Paul White]

The pseudo-left Revolutionary Left (IR) group, the former Spanish affiliate of both the International Marxist Tendency (IMT) and the Committee for a Workers International (CWI), is suddenly trying to distance itself from PSOE-Sumar government, and its main ally in parliament, Podemos. All these parties are accomplices in the Israeli genocide against the Palestinians.

Under first the PSOE-Podemos government (2020-2023), and now the PSOE-Sumar government, IR backed these parties of capitalist government and worked to block working class opposition on their left. Both governments increased trade, military, and economic relations with the Zionist regime, particularly in arms. Under PSOE-Podemos, Spain sold weapons to Israel worth hundreds of millions of euros while Madrid spent millions buying weapons with the combat-tested mark. The PSOE-Sumar government kept buying and selling millions of euros worth of weaponry from Israel.

IR is now attempting to distance itself from these parties, to hide its support for parties complicit in the genocide. In PSOE-Sumar, the NATO Government and the militarism, IR states:

[W]e cannot place any trust in a government that has demonstrated ad nauseam that it operates for the interests of the capitalists and follows the directives of imperialist masters in Washington. Likewise, other political forces, such as [Podemos], which no longer bear governmental responsibilities but center their entire strategy on institutional action, do not present a viable alternative. Many of the aggressive measures mentioned were endorsed while Podemos held ministerial positions, and their current critique, devoid of any assumption of responsibility, only exacerbates their credibility crisis. Militarism is an organic feature of social democracy. Historically, they have consistently acquiesced to the ruling class, and this tendency persists in their current bellicose stance in Ukraine, their NATO alignment, and their complicity with the Zionist genocide. This leftist faction does not constitute part of the solution but rather contributes to the problem.

IR is running from Podemos like rats fleeing from a sinking ship. IR knows Podemos and Sumars support is plummeting to all-time lows. In the regional elections held this year in Galicia and the Basque Country, Podemos failed to win any seats. Eight years before, Podemos was the most voted party in the Basque Country. The polls are equally dire for the upcoming European elections, where Podemos is expected to receive 2.3 percent of the vote, down from 10 percent in 2019.

Sumar, a split-off from Podemos ruling with the PSOE at national level, is also collapsing. It did not obtain any lawmakers in Galicia and only one seat in the Basque Country. It is polling at 2.9 percent in European elections.

The crisis of the main Left Populist parties of bourgeois rule in Spain is exposing IRs own bankruptcy. Over the past decade, IR has been one of the greatest cheerleaders of Podemos and its participation in a PSOE-led government. In 2019, when Podemos entered into government, IR wrote that this represents an event of historical significance which has raised enormous expectations. Such a government, they said, was the result of the great mass mobilization that has shaken the Spanish State.

Despite Podemos flagrantly right-wing policiesraising the military budget, slashing pensions and wages, providing billions of euros in corporate bailouts and pursuing a profits-over-lives policy in the COVID-19 pandemic that cost over 140,000 livesIR kept working as a de facto faction of Podemos.

IR threw all its strength into supporting the leader and founder of Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, in the Madrid regional elections in 2021. It called for a Podemos vote with posters larger than those of the pseudo-left party itself. They boasted of hanging 11,000 posters and distributing more than 121,000 pamphlets backing Iglesias.

Pablo Iglesias speaks during a parliamentary session in Madrid, Spain, Thursday October 22, 2020. [AP Photo/Pablo Blazquez Dominguez]

Over the next years, the PSOE-Podemos government escalated its war at home and abroad. It provided hundreds of millions in weaponry to the far-right Ukrainian regime in the NATO war against Russia, massacred refugees on Spains borders, imposed minimum service requirements on air crews, and attacked striking truck drivers and metal workers. All the while, it intensified its support for the far-right Netanyahu government, despite it brutal occupation of Gaza that led to the October 7 uprising against Israel.

Nonetheless, IR once again called the left to rally behind the PSOE-Sumar government after last years elections. In November 2023, the PSOE and Sumar formed a new coalition government, without Podemos. Soon after, IR posted an article titled Pedro Sanchez supports his investiture: a Government for social peace and collaboration with imperialism. While admitting the reactionary character of the PSOE-Sumar government, IR continued:

Despite everything, the constitution of a PSOE-Sumar Government appears in the eyes of a large majority of our class as a million times preferable to a PP-Vox Government. From Revolutionary Left we perfectly understand this opinion. Of course, it would be profoundly wrong for the left-wing forces with parliamentary representation to deny their critical support for Sanchezs investiture!

Soon after, IR welcomed Podemos exit from government as many of its voters joined pro-Palestinian protests. The largest and most sustained anti-war movement since the Vietnam War era was erupting around the world, with millions participating in protests. IR stated From Revolutionary Left we welcome this decision, and we say that it has to be the beginning of a real break with the social democratic policies of that left that has become an essential prop of capitalist rule...

Podemos left government not because it opposed the genocide in Gaza, austerity or militarism, all of which it supported from 2020 to 2023. To make clear its continuing support for the PSOE and Sumar, Podemos leader Ione Belarra declared that the democratic forces [Podemos, PSOE and Sumar] must work together against the far-right.

IR now is following the exact same path. It is distancing itself from Podemos, the same way Podemos took distance from the PSOE-Sumar government. However, it aims not to mobilize working class opposition to the PSOE-Sumar government, but to guard the left flank of the pseudo-left parties tasked with defending the strategic interests of Spanish imperialism.

IR is promoting regionalist and nationalist forces that defend the PSOE-Sumar government in parliament. For the Galician elections, it called for a vote to the Nationalist Galician Bloc (BNG), stating: It would be very important to strengthen street action and demand from day one that a BNG-PSOE Government fulfills its promises. In the Basque country it called to vote for the Basque-nationalist EH Bildu party, arguing, we are not abstentionists, and that is why we ask for a critical vote for EH Bildu.

Both parties have supported the PSOE-Podemos and the PSOE-Sumar governments in hiking military expenditure to record levels and turning Spain into a spearhead of NATO against Russia in Ukraine.

IR justifies its support for these parties under the idea that Revolutionary communists, Leninists, have never championed abstentionism in elections. This is a shameless and miserable charade. IR has never been a Marxist organization. This organization traces its roots back to a British-based group led by Ted Grant that broke with Trotskyism and split from the Fourth International in the late 1940s.

The Grant group subsequently became among the most vociferous promoters of Pabloism, which the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) was formed to fight in 1953. Adapting to the post-Second World War social order, the Pabloites wrote off the working class as an independent revolutionary force. They argued that the Stalinist bureaucracy, bourgeois nationalist movements in the colonial countries, and the union and social-democratic bureaucracies would be transformed under mass pressure into revolutionary organizations.

Grant and his followers developed entryism as a permanent strategic orientation. They aimed not at politically educating workers through a struggle against the pro-capitalist bureaucracies, but to keep radicalized workers within the confines of the Labour Party and trade union bureaucracies.

In Spain, IR demanded that workers and youth should subordinate themselves to the PSOE in the 1980s, then the Stalinist-led United Left and then Podemos since 2014. Now, faced with the growing collapse of Podemos, IR is searching for new tools to prop up the discredited PSOE-Sumar government.

Mobilizing the working class to halt the genocide requires breaking with the nationalist outlook of pseudo-left groups that subordinate workers to the Spanish capitalist state. Only an international, independent movement of the working class can halt arms deliveries to Israel, stop repression of protests, and end the wars. The political basis of such a movement is the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals struggle to expose pseudo-left tendencies such as IR and build sections of the ICFI in Spain and internationally as the revolutionary leadership of the working class.
The following statement was sent to the World Socialist Web Site by the National Steel Car Rank-and-File Committee (NSCRFC). The NSCRFC was established at the companys plant in Hamilton, Ontario, on the eve of a seven-week strike waged by 1,400 workers last summer for substantial wage increases and an end to dangerous working conditions. You can contact the committee at nscrfc@gmail.com and read one of its previous statements on the lessons of last years strike here.

***

Brothers and Sisters,

The recent United Steelworkers (USW) newsletter cover page was dedicated to the annual National Day of Mourning for workers who have been killed, injured, or suffered illness due to workplace-related hazards and exposures. This takes place on April 28 every year. The newsletter goes into a bit of the history involved in how this day came about. Some of the highlights include:

The day started with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) passing a resolution for a national day of mourning in 1983 at its annual convention.

The Canadian Labour Congress passed a similar resolution at its annual convention in 1984.

By 1989, the National Day of Mourning began to be recognized worldwide.

In December of 1990, the Workers Day of Mourning Act was passed making April 28th, 1991 the National Day of Mourning. Flags are flown at half mast at all federal buildings (this will also be done at NSC).

The newsletter goes on to outline the purpose of the day, at least according to the various well-paid union bureaucracies:

To remember and honour lives lost and injured. To renew the commitment to improving health and safety in the workplace. To prevent further deaths, injuries and diseases from work.

While we agree with all this on the surface, some serious questions must be asked here. The Day of Mourning and the stated purposes behind it has been in effect for 34 years. Yet at our workplace alone, four people, brothers Andrew Kenmuir, Fraser Cowan, Colin Grayley, Quoc Le, have been gruesomely killed in 20 yearsthree of them in less than two. Other than point 1, what has happened to point 2 and 3? And doesnt that make the National Day of Mourning largely ineffective and performative?

The reason for its ineffectiveness can be understood by examining the basis of production and the class nature of the trade unions that started the Day and their current state. We also think it appropriate to bring up the old theory of Social Murder as it relates to working life under the capitalist system. To understand some of this, we need to review the recent past.

On the afternoon of Thursday June 9, 2022, USW Local 7135 and the Hamilton and District Labour Council called for a protest at the factory gates over the death of Quoc Le, which had happened the previous Monday. NSC closed the plant because of the protest, cynically claiming that it posed a threat to the health and safety of our people, customers, suppliers, and, partners.

Workers protesting outside National Steel Car in Hamilton, Ontario, on Thursday, June 9, 2022, three days after 51-year-old worker Quoc Le was killed in a horrific workplace accident. [Photo: Hamilton and District Labour Council ]

At that protest, USW District 6 Director Myles Sullivan openly said that National Steel Car was putting profits ahead of the lives and safety of the workers here. (That was an earth-shattering insight, Captain Obvious!!!) Piecework was identified as the central culprit in the spate of industrial deaths we had seen to that pointthree in 21 months up to that point. We agreed then and we agree now. This was even supposed to be a central plank in the negotiations the current executive talked about last year.

Yet, after the USW tried to block us from striking by ambushing us on June 25 with a tentative agreement that did nothing on pieceworkan ambush which we defeated by voting the agreement downthe true nature of NSC reared its ugly head during our strike. NSC owner Greg Aziz withheld our vacation pay and the USW starved us out on the picket line on $250 per week, despite the union controlling a strike fund with some $850 million in it. Meanwhile, the piecework issue was dropped in the backroom negotiations that ultimately ended our strike with a sellout agreement.

The incentive or piecework is an antiquated form of production. It pits one worker against the other, thereby breaking down the necessary solidarity needed in the working class. The same solidarity the current executive and its various hog callers accused the NSCRFC of breaking down last summer. It forces, and incentivizes, workers to speed up and do things unsafely to gain a few extra crumbs of their rightful wage. This pressure is intensified by NSCs refusal to pay us a liveable base wage rate, something which the USW has tacitly accepted for decades.

We are two-and-a-half years out from another potential contract negotiation. But this piecework issue, and the health and safety ramifications surrounding them, cannot be left untouched until the next round of collective bargaining. How many more of us will have been injured or even lose our lives if this system is not stopped now?

What is necessary is a fight for workers control over health and safety in the plant. We, who perform dangerous and demanding jobs on the line every day with sub-par equipment, should determine the pace of work, procedures to prevent workplace accidents, and necessary upgrades to our tools and the building to keep us safe. And we should do so with a liveable base wage, so we are not under financial pressures to cut corners to meet the arbitrary piecework target.

We mentioned the class nature of the trade unions. This is important because it helps explain why the USW leadership cannot wage a genuine struggle against piecework or to secure these other improvements in our conditions.

The unions base themselves on two things. They adhere to a program of nationalism that binds their members to an antiquated national silo when the economy has long since been internationalized. The unions also accept capitalism as the unending socio-economic system of organization within which they can work.

This is why the USW was promoting, and still does promote, the use of Bill C-45 or the Westray Bill. They claim the kill a worker/go to jail law will keep employers in line. It needs to be noted that since the law came into effect two decades ago in 2004, there have been only nine successful prosecutions. The best the law has done for the three recent deaths at NSC are:

Fraser Cowan$140,000 fine and a 25 percent victim surcharge fine of $35,000

Collin Grayley$140,000 fine and a 25 percent victim surcharge fine of $35,000

Quoc LePending

And no criminal charges have been laid to this point. So much for the USWs faith in the legal process and parliamentary parties who claimed it would serve as a mechanism to hold employers accountable!

The fact that Aziz and countless other corporate executives get away scot free while presiding over workplaces that are nothing more than death traps brings to mind the concept of social murder. Here we quote Friedrich Engels on the matter:

When one individual inflicts bodily injury upon another such that death results, we call the deed manslaughter; when the assailant knew in advance that the injury would be fatal, we call this deed murder. But when society places hundreds of proletarians (workers) in such a position that they inevitably meet too early and an unnatural death, one which is quite as much a death by violence as that by the sword or bullet; when it deprives thousands of the necessities of life, places them under conditions in which they cannot liveforces them through the strong arm of the law, to remain in such conditions until that death ensues which is the inevitable consequenceknows that the thousands of victims must perish, and yet permits these conditions to remain, its deed is murder just as surely as the deed of a single individual; disguised, malicious murder, murder against which no one can defend himself, which does not seem what it is, because no man sees the murder, because the death of the victim seems a natural one, since the offence is more one of omission than of commission. But murder it remains. (Friedrich Engels, The Condition of the Working Class in England, 1845)

The piecework process, never mind the shoddy equipment we are forced to use, is at the heart of why we have lost four people gruesomely in two decades. The demand to produce more for less and with less cannot be overstated here as the underlying cause. We note that even as the current union executive chortles about its accomplishments last year as an outcome of the strike in its re-election pamphlets, the piecework issue hangs over our heads.

The piecework issue is at the heart of Azizs profits and that is why he threatens a lengthy strike if we push him on it. A lengthy strike is something no one wants, not because we think it isnt necessary, but because we know from recent experience that the USW will do everything it can to either sell us out or starve us out.

The USW will also shy away from a direct conflict with National Steel Car, of which it is the junior partner in the profit game, and with the political establishment in Ontario and federally, which enforces the brutal profit-driven economic system and backs NSC management to the hilt as it exploits us.

Doug Fords hard-right Conservative government has sent inspectors to our plant who took no action in spite of hundreds of visits in the years leading up to the recent spate of deaths. The USW, like the rest of the union bureaucracy, is in bed with the Trudeau Liberals, who with their New Democrat supporters in parliament think that societys resources are best used arming the military to wage war around the world rather than investing in workplace safety and social services.

Mourning our lost friends and coworkers is important. Understanding and assimilating the class issues underlying why those deaths happened, and the necessity for an independent political struggle, which is the basis of this committee is even more important. Because once we do that, we are armed with the knowledge to put an end to the system that causes that unnecessary loss of life in the pursuit of profit. Anything less than that is, as we said, performative.

If you agree with this position on the National Day of Mourning, and other subjects weve written on, join us and help grow this committee into a pole of opposition against the malign neglect of National Steel Car, the support it receives from the political establishment, and the treachery of the United Steelworkers. If you want to hear a REAL discussion on the program workers in Canada and internationally need to fight back against ruthless capitalist exploitation and imperialist war, sign up here for the International Committee of the Fourth Internationals International May Day online rally on Saturday, May 4 at 3 p.m. Eastern time.
Mastercard held its annual year-end press conference at the JW Marriott Hotel with the participation of Avsar Gurdal, Mastercard General Manager for Turkey and Azerbaijan, Mehmet Gulez, Vice President of Mastercard Advisors for Turkey and Azerbaijan, and Emil Zeynalov, country manager for Azerbaijan.

The world is constantly changing and progressing towards digitalisation, and Mastercard is one of the main participants in the digitalisation process in Azerbaijan and offers various financial solutions for the convenience of customers in order to increase the volume of cashless payments and improve financial literacy.

At the press conference Mastercard discussed important aspects and innovations in the field of payment technologies and financial services, presented innovative projects and programmes aimed at improving the availability of financial services in Azerbaijan. The issues related to security measures taken by Mastercard to protect customer data and prevent fraud in online and offline spheres were also touched upon.

Mastercard General Manager for Azerbaijan and Turkey Avsar Gurdal noted at the press conference that the Azerbaijani market is one of the most strategic ones and consumers in Azerbaijan have a special specificity. The process of adaptation of any new technology in Azerbaijan is much faster than in any other market in the world. Of course, the role of the regulator - the Central Bank of Azerbaijan, which actively supports all innovations. As a result of this trend, the level of digitalisation in Azerbaijan has already reached 31%, compared to 5% only 8 years ago.

"Mastercard continues to work in Azerbaijan with local financial institutions to create and develop financial solutions and improve financial literacy. In particular, cooperation with Azericard, the rebranding of the largest cinema chain in "CineMastercard", the expansion of Masterpass service coverage, investments in tokenisation - all this proves our commitment to the process of introducing the latest technologies in Azerbaijan to develop financial inclusion," Emil Zeynalov, Mastercard's representative in Azerbaijan, said during the press conference.

"Our goal for 2024 is to deepen cooperation, transfer our knowledge and experience in the field of information services, which we have acquired worldwide, in order to contribute to making Azerbaijan a regional centre for the field of information services," said Vice President of Mastercard Advisors for Turkey and Azerbaijan Mehmet Gulez

The speakers also spoke about the current state and prospects of e-commerce development in Azerbaijan with the use of Mastercard payment technologies, as well as announced plans for further development in the Azerbaijani market and strategic directions of activity in the coming years.
The Socialist Equality Party calls on all workers and young people to mobilise against the planned mass deportation of asylum seekers set to begin this week.

On Sunday, the Observer newspaper ran an exclusive reporting that the Home Office will launch a two-week national campaign to detain asylum seekers on Monday in preparation for their deportation to Rwanda.

The details of the fascistic initiative presented are chilling. Weeks earlier than expected:

Officials will pick people up nationwide and hold refugees who turn up for routine meetings at immigration service offices.

They will be immediately transferred to detention centres already prepared for the operation and held to be put on later flights to Rwanda.

The Home Office had begun hiring civil servants to travel to Kigali before Parliament passed the Rwanda Act.

Though some asylum seekers identified for these flights have already been held, Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks earlier declaration that the first flights to Rwanda would take off in 10 to 12 weeks was assumed to mean that roundups would not take place for several weeks.

But the government has speeded up its gestapo operation ahead of Thursdays local council elections in England. With the Tories predicted to suffer major losses, and rumours circulating of a leadership challenge and even a snap election, the prime ministers response is a visceral appeal to the partys xenophobic base.

A Home Office Immigration Enforcement vehicle in north London [Photo by Philafrenzy / Wikimedia / CC BY-SA 4.0

On April 22, the Conservative government finally passed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill to deport immigrants and asylum seekers to the African country, after two years of blocking by the House of Lords.

Sunak hailed this landmark legislation as a fundamental change in the global equation on migration Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives. He boasted, We have prepared for this moment. To detain people while we prepare to remove them, weve increased detention spaces to 2,200.

The rounding up of the 2,200 is now underway, with the legislation ultimately threatening around 52,000 people with deportation to Rwanda. In a breach of international law, the Bill creates a new power to ignore any interim measures (injunctions) the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) may make ordering a flight set for Rwanda to stay on the runway in Britain.

Moreover, the Refugee Council has predicted that 115,575 asylum seekers will be left in permanent limbo by the end of this year, because the new law bars the UK from processing their claims and there is not the capacity for them all to be deported to Rwanda.

The UK measures pave the way for further outrages throughout Europe and internationally, as the ruling class whips up foul anti-immigration sentiment, nationalism and xenophobia to facilitate their policies of austerity and war.

This month, the European Parliament adopted the Common European Asylum System, meaning that refugees will have to undergo their asylum procedure outside the EU in military-guarded detention centres.

Fascist Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has struck a deal allowing the deportation of 1,500 refugees and asylum-seekers to Libya, while those intercepted by Italy in the Mediterranean Sea and deemed illegal will be sent to Albania for asylum processing and repatriation, held in two detention centres able to hold 3,000 people.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has pledged to examine whether asylum applications could be processed abroad.

The Republic of Irelands Justice Minister, Helen McEntee, will meet UK Home Secretary James Cleverly in London Monday to coordinate immigration policy. Prime Minister Simon Harris has asked McEntee to bring proposals to cabinet to amend existing law regarding the designation of safe third countries and allowing the return of inadmissible international protection applicants to the UK.

McEntee told RTE, My focus as minister for justice is making sure that we have an effective immigration structure and system. Thats why Im introducing fast processing, thats why Ill have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK, and thats why Ill be meeting with the home secretary to raise these issues on Monday.

Sunak boasted that these comments were proof of success: [That] is why youre seeing multiple countries talk about doing third country partnerships, looking at novel ways to solve this problem, and I believe [they] will follow where the UK has led.

Legal challenges to this crime are being shut down. The principle of non-refoulement guarantees that no one should be removed to a country where they would face torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, or other irreparable harm. But amid reports of an exodus of civil servants opposed to the breaking the law and threats of a strike, Sunak has warned regarding all international and domestic legal challenges to deportations: Weve put beyond all doubt that Ministers can disregard these injunctions with clear guidance that, if they decide to do so, civil servants must deliver that instruction.

Politically, the Labour Party marches in lockstep with the Tories on immigration, just as it does on austerity and war. Labour has pledged to repeal the Rwanda Bill on coming to office, but only because it is too expensive and inefficient. Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper pledged in the Telegraph to clear the asylum backlog with a new fast track system for safe countries, end asylum hotel use, and set up a major new Returns and Enforcement Unit to swiftly return those with no right to be in the UK We have to restore order to the border.

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting said it was unlikely a Labour government would bring people back from Rwanda if some are sent there. Once people are settled in Rwanda, theyre settled in Rwanda, he told Sky News, and it was doubtful that Labour would unpick that situation.

Neither will the trade unions do anything to oppose the governments scheme.

Everything depends on the independent intervention of workers in defence of asylum seekers.

The government knows this. The police are already preparing to repress opposition. The Observer reports that Police in Scotland have been put on alert because of the high risks of street protests and attempts by pro-refugee campaigners to stop detentions... Local communities in Scotland have twice prevented deportations by staging mass protests on Kenmure Street in Glasgow, in May 2021, and in Nicolson Square, Edinburgh, in June 2022.

On both occasions, hundreds of people surrounded immigration enforcement vehicles to prevent asylum seekers being removed after tense standoffs between protesters and police.

The police were eventually forced to release two men, a failure that the Border Force is determined to prevent this time. The Observer reports that Officers will not take part in the detentions for the Rwanda flights operation but will take part in crowd control and policing the operations.

Workers and young people must pick up the gauntlet thrown down by the government and the police. Protests must be organised wherever asylum snatches are made, outside detention centres and at airports. Civil servants and other workers must not allow themselves to be dragooned into criminal activity by state intimidation and the refusal of union leaders to fight. Strikes must be mounted and blockades implemented.
Around 200,000 people marched for Palestine in London on Saturday for the 12th national demonstration. Protesters assembled in Parliament Square and proceeded up Whitehall, past Downing Street and through central London to a rally in Hyde Park.

Protesters were enthused and encouraged by the student demonstrations and occupations in the United States that have spread globally. When references were made from the platform to the student protests around the world, including one at the UKs Warwick University, the crowd applauded and cheered.

Those attending were above all determined to register their opposition to advanced plans for an assault on Rafah, the location of 1.2 million refugees from the north of Gaza.

The Socialist Worker published the results of a survey it carries out at the national demonstrations, extrapolating that thousands of newer forces galvanised by the horrors of the imperialist backed genocide are attending. It reported, 16,000 people were on their first national march on Saturday. And there is also a large core of very regular protesters who have been part of the marches from the start and stuck with them. Nearly a third said they have been on all the demos or all but one.

This determination to fight among millions contrasts with the political neutering of the mass movement by the leaders of the protests in the Stop the War Coalition (STWC), Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) and pseudo-left groups such as the Socialist Workers Party, which is the publisher of the Socialist Worker.

To the extent that any demands are put forward from the platform other than to keep demonstrating in the streets, it is that everyone rely on the trade unions to lead the fight against the opposition to genocide and that the dwindling number of Labour lefts convince the Labour Party to break its alliance with Washington and Jerusalem and support a permanent ceasefire.

The only current MP from the party who spoke at Saturdays protest was Apsana Begum. Yet again, Begum was studious in refusing to mention party leader Sir Keir Starmers support for the genocide.

Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader expelled from the parliamentary party by Starmer over four years ago, made a speech almost bereft of politics. The parson of the official anti-war movement, who can criticise no-one, Corbyn stated, Our movement has come about from all shades of opinion, and all parts of this countries and all other countries. Were a movement for global peace and global justice in opposition to the arms trade and the cynical decisions that are costing the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians.

A feature of the coverage of the rally by the Stop the War Coalition was its claims that the trade unions are now moving into struggle. Posts on its X account on Saturday included the claim of a Massive turnout on todays trade union bloc ahead of #MayDay4Palestine on Wednesday.

Another, from Sean Vernell, a leading Socialist Workers Party member and high-up bureaucrat in the University and College Unionreposted by the STWCread, The movement for a free Palestine continues to grow as does the support from within the trade union movement. Next step May 1st workplace day of action: Solidarity with Palestine - Defend the right to strike and protest.

No such mass movement organised by the unions exists. The trade union bloc on the last few marches has consisted of members of branches where the pseudo-left have some influence, with a few banners brought along. There were no national banners of the two largest unions in Britain (Unison and Unite) on the protest, only one representing the London and Eastern region of Unite. Instead of a Unite national banner, at the head of the trade union bloc was a Unite Members Say Stop the War banner.

This was necessary because Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham refuses to support the protests. Graham wrote to union officials earlier this month opposing groups involved in attempts to disrupt arms supplies from the UK to Israel and stating that Unite would have nothing to do with anything threatening to undermine the defence industry or demand the disbandment of NATO and AUKUS [the Australian, British and US military alliance against China].

Far from the unions rallying their 5 million-plus membership, the Trades Union Congress does not back the marches, with leader Paul Nowak not appearing at a single protest. No national trade union leader spoke at this weeks demonstration.

The claim that the unions were raring to go was even punctured from the platform by Libby Nolan, President of Unison, who said, This is a trade union moment that the trade unions should be rising to. This a moment for our unions to pressure our government and incoming shadow [Labour] government to do something to call for a ceasefire now. Stating that it was nearly three months since the International Court of Justice found it plausible that Israel had committed genocide, she urged the trade union movement must put more pressure on, it must do more.

That the unions are organising nothing is tacitly acknowledged in the call by the Stop the War Coalition for action on May 1, which is centred on individual workers themselves organising events. No industrial action is being taken by any union in defence of the Palestinians, with STWC listing just eight events nationally, including four in the capital.

The London events are: a Hammersmith and Fulham Council Unison Workplace Day of Action for Palestine @ 1-2pm; a lunchtime walkout at St. Georges Hospital, Tooting; a rally to be confirmed, and held after work at 5pm at Guys Campus, Kings College London, and another 5pm rally at Kings College Hospital.

The promotion for the May 1 Day of Action by the STWC makes no criticism whatsoever of the union bureaucracy, urging only that workers Gauge what action best fits your circumstances, including a possible 30-minute stoppage outside the workplace, a lunchtime gathering, or If you dont work in an industry that has lunch-breaks as such, find out when most are free after work

Concluding the rally was PSC leader Ben Jamal, who made reference to the first demonstration in London in support of the Palestinians, also held in Hyde Park, in 1921. He said that the movement was a success because it was bringing the people with us and piling the pressure on the political establishment.

Many of those demonstrating do so despite, not because of, the rotten politics of the STWC leadership. They also know that the central demand to Stop Arming Israel can only be successful if directed to workers in the arms industry, haulage, the ports and airports. However, the pseudo-left and Stalinist groups in the STWC sabotage such a struggle with their insistence that the trade unions and their corrupt, pro capitalist, pro-war leaders be allowed to determine what happens without challenge.

All workers and youth opposed to genocide and the many students now returning to campus must take forward a struggle independently from and against the trade union bureaucracy, and all those appealing to the political establishment.

Protesters listening to the speeches in Hyde Park, April 27, 2024

Those who understand the urgent need for a political turn to the working class should contact and join the Socialist Equality Party and International Youth and Students for Social Equality. To understand the political perspective on which a new mass socialist anti-war movement must be based, register to attend the May 4 online May Day rally of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
The Committee For Public Education (CFPE) hosted an online forum last week, attended by teachers, academics and students, which opposed the six-month genocide in Gaza and the victimisation of educators.

A section of the Melbourne rally on November 12, 2023

In the opening report, CFPE national convenor and Socialist Equality Party National Committee member Sue Phillips condemned the barbaric war crimes being carried out against the Palestinian people on a daily basis.

She explained: The death toll currently stands at more than 35,000. Once the missing civilians are countedburied under tonnes of rubblethe true death toll is likely over 44,000. In addition, a further 75,815 people have been wounded. In just six months, 5.45 percent of Gazas population has been killed, wounded, or is missing.

More than 13,000 children have been killedthe most defenceless, innocent and vulnerable sections of societywith many thousands tragically made orphans. If the children, the younger generation of Gaza survive, they face permanent life-changing physical disabilities, including carrying with them the psychological scars and horrors of trauma into the next generations. The comments by the head of UNICEF last Novemberthat Gaza has become a graveyard of childrenhas now been vindicated more than a thousand times over and continues every single day.

Emphasising the complicity of Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Phillips cited a recent statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Michael Fakhr. He noted: We have never seen a civilian population made to go hungry so completely and so quickly [] in modern history. The Australian government has provided military support to the Israeli offensive. The time will come where the Australian government will be held accountable for aiding and abetting a genocide and starvation.

In line with this global agenda, governments internationally are transforming and militarising their economies for war. Schools and universities are being integrated into the war drive through curriculum programs and research from weapons manufacturers.

Phillips noted the ruling elites response to growing unrest featured: Intensifying censorship and legislation to illegalise demonstrations, falsely promoting the lie that to be opposed to the genocide, to be pro-Palestinian, equates to antisemitism. Every effort is being made to criminalise and silence workers and youth.

Witch hunts, doxing campaigns, and sackings have hit multiple professionsmedical professionals, journalism, the arts, as well as education. In the US, Zionist groups have mounted electronic billboards outside schools, provocatively accusing teachers of antisemitism after they spoke out against the atrocities in Gaza. On campuses university student protests against genocide are being met with suppression of free speech, arrests and expulsions from education institutions.

Slanderous billboard by Accuracy In Media targeting New York City schoolteacher for opposing genocide in Gaza. [Photo: Accuracy In Media]

In Australia, the Gaza protests have continued for more than 26 weeks. Last year, school student strikes were subjected to hysterical right-wing media denunciations fully backed by the federal Labor government and state Labor governments. In the schools, educators that engaged in Palestine solidarity work were slandered as antisemites, terrorist supporters, and threatened with disciplinary action.

In Victoria, the right-wing campaign within the school system was led by the Zionist lobby and endorsed by Victorias Labor deputy premier and education minister Ben Carroll, who denounced teachers as divisive and inflammatory for taking initiatives such as wearing keffiyehs and Palestinian flag pins.

Phillips explained the case of Jason Wong, a young secondary teacher, who spoke at an after-school rally in Melbourne in support of the Palestinians. Channel 9 News reported one sentence from his speech, completely out of context. This led to an orchestrated campaign against Wong aimed at having him sacked.

Wongs speech, in fact, directly opposed antisemitism. The one sentence reported was, Hamas was doing exactly what they had to do. A document circulated by Wongs supporters has explained that he was not supporting Hamas or terrorism, adding: Jason made the point that many others, including the Secretary General of the UN, have madethat there is a context for Hamas violence on October 7th, and without this context the history of the oppression of Palestinian people remains untold.

One right-wing outfit called the Unsilent Majority, planned to stage a provocative demonstration on the first day of the school year outside the secondary school where Wong teaches. The group, claiming victory, called off the action after learning that Wong was being investigated by the Department of Education.

Phillips warned that Wongs defence cannot be straitjacketed within the framework of trade unionism, of appeals to the Australian Education Union (AEU) bureaucracy. The union bureaucracy has a history of collaborating with government and department victimisations. Like other unions, the AEU has refused to characterise the Israeli military operation as genocide, and has made a false equivalence between the violence of the occupying Zionist forces with that committed by the oppressed Palestinian people.

After the discussion on the forums opening report, the following resolution was passed unanimously:

This meeting of the Committee For Public Education condemns the genocide being perpetrated against the Palestinian people by the Zionist state of Israel and its imperialist backers.

Six months of the US-backed Israeli onslaught has resulted in the killing of more than 35,000 people, at least one-third of these children, and the destruction of virtually the entire physical infrastructure of Gazahouses and apartments, universities and schools, mosques, hospitals and healthcare facilities, as well as basic water and sewerage facilities. The Netanyahu regime is using mass hunger as an instrument of its genocidal war, with a deliberately engineered famine now threatening the lives of tens of thousands more internal refugees. More than a million people remain in the besieged enclave of Rafah, with Tel Aviv pledging to soon extend its offensive into the city.

The CFPE condemns the complicity of the Australian Labor Partythe federal Labor government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and its state counterparts. None of the Australian governments formal suggestions of a ceasefirenor occasional hand-wringing over specific Israeli operations such as the murder of aid worker Zomi Francom and her colleagueshas altered Canberras lockstep alignment with the Zionist state. The Labor government continues to facilitate the transfer of Gaza bombing targets via the Pine Gap spy base in central Australia, and export of critical Australian-made weapons components to Israel.

The CFPE demands an immediate end to the bombardment. The siege on Gaza must be ended, and food, water, electricity, medical care, and all other necessities must be made available immediately.

The CFPE extends its solidarity with the world-wide antiwar movement, including demonstrations, strikes, blockades and other actions. We condemn the coordinated Zionist campaign against those speaking out against Israeli war crimes, and reject with contempt the effort to portray support for the rights of the Palestinian people with antisemitism.

We oppose all victimisations, including doxing campaigns. The CFPE especially defends the right of all educators to speak out against the genocide in Gaza. We condemn anti-democratic directives that have threatened public school workers with disciplinary action if they are deemed to have violated various codes of conduct.

The CFPE condemns the victimisation of secondary school teacher Jason Wong, for speaking at a demonstration opposing the Israeli onslaught in Gaza. Wong is reportedly under investigation by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT), a statutory body that has sweeping powers, including the authority to deregister individual teachers. Deregistration effectively ends a teachers career by barring any school from employing them in any capacity. The CFPE calls for the broadest defence campaign in defence of Wong, including through the moving of resolutions in every school throughout Australia.

We warn that the Australian Education Union (AEU) will do nothing to defend teachers and school workers democratic rights.

The bureaucracy has a decades-long history of collaborating with government and education department victimisationsin Wongs case it issued no public statement in his defence, and at two union regional meetings, officials spoke and voted against resolutions expressing support for him. This is consistent with the complicity of the AEU and all the trade unions in the Gaza genocide, as they have done nothing in response to a call of the Palestinian trade unions for global solidarity, halting the arms trade with Israel as well as funding and military research.

The CFPE calls on all educators to discuss the war at their workplaces, organise resolutions, and demonstrations, and form independent rank-and-file committees, turning to other sections of the working class to develop a unified movement against genocide and war.

Contact us:

Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/678929646894212

www.facebook.com/commforpubliceducation

Twitter: @CFPE_Australia
On Friday, the US Defense Department announced it was sending its largest weapons order to Ukraine to date, totaling $6 billion, after President Joe Biden signed into law a $95 billion military spending bill last Wednesday.

This is the largest security assistance package that weve committed to date, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a Pentagon news conference.

A US Army soldier prepares the crane for loading the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) on to the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) in Queensland, Australia, July 26, 2023. [AP Photo/Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Dickson]

Austin announced the procurement at a meeting of the Ukraine contact group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where the United States is coordinating arms shipments from NATO countries for the US-led proxy war with Russia.

Austin blustered, We will not falter, we will not flinch, and we will not fail.

The package marks the second time in just two days that the United States announced a new weapons shipment to Ukraine, following the announcement of a new $1 billion weapons shipment on Wednesday.

Fridays announcement is not a transfer from existing US weapons stockpiles, but rather a multi-billion-dollar procurement agreement with major US defense contractors.

The stock prices of these merchants of death rose immediately following Congress passage of new spending last week. The Wall Street Journal reported:

Lockheed Martin and RTX, formerly known as Raytheon Technologies, have been the biggest beneficiaries of the $30 billion in federal contracts already awarded to supply Ukraine and refill US weapon stockpiles. Other contractors, including General Dynamics, last week reported strong quarterly sales as they delivered on deals awarded over the past two years.

To date, the United States has provided more than $44 billion in weapons to Ukraine, together with tens of billions of dollars in direct financial subsidies.

Last week, the Biden administration confirmed that it had secretly sent Ukraine long-range missiles capable of striking at a distance of over 190 miles. The Ukrainian armed forces used these weapons to carry out a strike on an airbase in Crimea earlier this month. In another strike, the weapons were used to attack the port of Berdiansk on the Sea of Azov.

Confirming that the US secretly provided the weapons in March, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Thursday, They are now in Ukraine, and have been in Ukraine for some time. They arrived there before the supplemental was done.

Last year, President Joe Biden had categorically ruled out sending the long-range missiles to Ukraine, declaring, We are not encouraging or enabling Ukraine to strike beyond its borders. But as with nearly everything else Biden said he would not do in Ukraine, plans to send the missiles were already in the works at that time.

In a press briefing, a defense official told reporters that the weapons would be used to strike Russian territory in Crimea, where, right now, Russia has had relatively safe haven, the New York Times reported.

Despite the vast quantity of weapons and money delivered to Ukraine, the military situation remains disastrous for Kiev.

In January of last year, Austin and General Mark Milley, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced that the US and its allies would go on the offensive to liberate Russian-occupied Ukraine.

Since that time, the US-planned Ukrainian offensive of that year has turned into a debacle, with Ukrainian forces being pushed back across the front. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, while hundreds of thousands of potential draftees have gone into hiding in order to avoid conscription.

In a statement Friday, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the Russian army managed to seize the initiative on the battlefield, but said that it was possible to stabilize the front.

In a statement on Telegram Sunday, Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander in chief of Ukraines armed forces, declared, The situation at the front has worsened. He confirmed that Ukrainian forces had retreated in Donetsk.

He added:

The most difficult situation is in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions, where fierce battles continue... Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, preserving the lives and health of our defenders, moved to new front lines west of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka.

On Saturday, Russias Ministry of Defense claimed that over 8,000 soldiers from the Ukrainian military were killed in combat over the past week. He said the Russian armed forces captured two settlements and were on the attack along the entire front line.

Ukrainian authorities are increasingly desperate to dragoon ever greater numbers of men to the front. This month, the Ukrainian parliament passed a law, taking effect May 1, which lowers the minimum age of mobilization from 27 to 25 and requires all men eligible for the draft to register on an online database.

At the same time, the Ukrainian government under Zelensky has canceled all consular services for military-age men in a bid to force some of the reported 4.5 million Ukrainian men living abroad to return home and enter the fight. A recent article in the Economist described the harrowing struggle to avoid being draftedan almost certain death sentence:

For men like Sasha... that presents an impossible dilemma. He feels stuck in the middle, he says, not wanting to leave his home but fearful the draft officers might knock on his door next. You can leave, but its a one-way ticket. You can go to the front lines, but that may be a one-way ticket too. Or you can stay here and live in fear. One estimate late last year suggested 650,000 men of fighting age had left Ukraine, the majority by illegal means. Getting papers to leave was once a matter of paying a few thousand dollars to a corrupt officer. Now it is nearly impossible. The need on the front lines is stronger than ever, and no one is volunteering to fight.

Despite the disastrous situation, the United States is demanding that Ukrainian troops once more go on the offensive.

With the capabilities and resources we provided, hopefully Ukraine will have the ability to not only hold its own, but regenerate additional capability and create options for itself, Austin said in announcing the weapons shipment.

The US and European imperialist powers, facing the prospect of defeat, are demanding a fight to the last Ukrainian. But with hundreds of thousands of fighting-age men dead, preventing the total collapse of Ukrainian forces will inevitably require ever-greater involvement by NATO forces.

Over the past two months, the leaders of five NATO member states have raised the prospect of direct deployment of NATO troops to Ukrainea prospect that is becoming increasingly likely with every passing day.
Late last month, the UAW announced a deal with management at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) in North Adams. One hundred twenty members of UAW Local 2110 voted to ratify a new contract, ending a strike that began March 6.

The new contract is a sellout. It raises wages to only $18 an hour, well below a living wage in western Massachusetts. The new wages go into effect within 30 days, retroactive to January 1.

Negotiations began October 1, 2023, and the agreement came after eight collective bargaining sessions focused on wages. The strike lasted for three weeks and workers returned to their jobs the day following the announcement of the deal. During the walkout, MASS MoCA administration kept the museum open in a strikebreaking move.

MASS MoCA is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual art and performing arts in the United States. Its ongoing exhibitions feature works by conceptual and minimalist artist Sol LeWitt; light and space artist and National Medal of Arts recipient James Turrell; and German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer. Performances include dance, theater and musical artists, and public arts programs are offered for children, teens and adults.

MASS MoCA was created in 1999 after numerous fundraising efforts, including those at the state, local and private levels. Along with the Clark Art Institute and the Williams College Museum of Art, MASS MoCA is part of a complex of significant art museums in northern Berkshire County, contributing to the regions cultural life and tourism. The museums buildings formerly housed printing and electrical component manufacturing facilities.

Prior to the agreement, the UAW stated that 58 percent of the museums unionized employees earned $16.25 per hour, with full-time workers averaging $43,600 per year. MASS MoCA management offered only a $1 increase, to $17.25 per hour, bringing annual earnings for workersincluding part-timersto just $35,880. The union sought a minimum 4.5 percent wage increase this year, which would have brought the hourly minimum wage to $18.25, just 25 cents per hour more than what was finally ratified.

The Economic Policy Institutes Family Budget Calculator estimates the cost of a very modest living in Berkshire County at $47,000 per year for a single person without children, and $117,000 per year for a family of four. The Massachusetts Institute of Technologys Living Wage Calculator finds that a childless individual living in Berkshire County would need to make $21.83 per hour to cover basic needs such as food, housing, medical care and transportation, which is nearly $7 more than Massachusetts already inadequate $15 per hour minimum wage. In 2022, a one-day strike resulted in the already meager minimum hourly wage rate moving from $15.50 to $16.25.

According to the UAW, the contract agreement includes:

An increase to $18/hour minimum

A 3.5 percent across-the-board increase to base pay, retroactive to January 1, 2024

A 3.5 percent across-the-board increase to base pay, effective January 1, 2025

Time-and-a-half overtime rates to apply to all hours worked after 10 hours in a day

Officials for both management and the museum praised the agreement after it was announced. Its a good agreement, said Maida Rosenstein, director of organizing for UAW Local 2110. The museums management also offered praise. The agreement marks another bold precedent that both the union and MASS MoCA desired and worked together to achieve, stated Kristy Edmunds, museum director.

Museums should not be treated as luxuries for wealthy individuals but should be publicly funded and open to the public at no charge. MASS MoCAs current and emeritus board of trustees is made up of financial, political, and educational elites, some of whose personal fortunes would be capable of lifting MASS MoCA workers wages out of the poverty level.

The attack on the living standards of museum workers occurs alongside those of autoworkers, logistics workers, railroad workers, healthcare and other workers, both nationally and internationally.

Last year the UAW rammed through a sellout contract on automakers which has paved the way for thousands of layoffs so far this year. The Teamsters union pushed through a similar contract at UPS, which provided management labor certainty to close 200 facilities and automate 400 more.

Even more fundamentally, the working class is being made to pay for the trillions spent on wars against Russia, Israels genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, and war preparations against China.

MASS MoCA workers must break free of the UAW apparatus and align with the dozens of other dues paying UAW members in the US Northeast by forming rank-and-file committees independent of the unions and the two big-business parties.

In addition to MASS MoCA, UAW Local 2110 holds the contracts at numerous museums in the Northeast, including the Bronx Museum of the Arts, Brooklyn Museum, Childrens Museum of the Arts, Guggenheim Museum, Jewish Museum, Museum of Modern Art (New York), Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), New Museum of Contemporary Art, Portland Museum of Art and Whitney Museum of American Art.

Workers at cultural institutions should travel to support their brothers and sisters on picket lines when strikes occur and shut down museums until workers demands are met.
Far from easing tensions between the two countries, US Secretary of State Antony Blinkens trip to China, which concluded last Friday, was aimed at intensifying the confrontation with Beijing by setting out an ever-expanding set of demands. During the three-day visit, he met with President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other top Chinese officials.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Beijing [AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein]

At the top of Blinkens list was the demand that Beijing end its sale of so-called dual-use items to Moscow as the US-NATO war in Ukraine against Russia has suffered a series of reversals. Washington has acknowledged that China has not sold weapons to Russia but is now insisting that Beijing assist the US and its allies in crippling the Russian economy, particularly its war industries.

Blinken told a press gathering on Friday that he had reiterated our serious concern about the PRC [China] providing components that are powering Russias brutal war of aggression against Ukraine. He pointed in particular to Chinas sale of machine tools, microelectronics and nitrocellulose, declaring that Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without Chinas support.

After accusing China of supporting the greatest threat to European security since the end of the Cold War, Blinken added: In our discussions today, I made clear that if China does not address this problem, we will. While he did not spell out the details, the Biden administration has made clear that it is considering a new round of punitive sanctions targeting Chinese banks that facilitate trade with Russia.

Blinkens comments stand reality on its head. While Russias invasion of Ukraine was based on the reactionary interests of the Russian oligarchy, the US deliberately goaded Moscow into reacting by seeking to incorporate Ukraine into its NATO military alliance. Washington provoked the war with the aim of destabilising and breaking up the Russian Federation in preparation for conflict with China, which US imperialism regards as the chief threat to its global domination.

Even as it is funnelling another $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine and backing Israels genocidal war in Gaza, the Biden administration is deliberately heightening tensions with China over Taiwan by undermining the One China policy on which US-China relations have been based since the 1970s. In establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1979, the US de facto recognised Beijing as the sole legitimate government of all China, including Taiwan. The US cut diplomatic ties with Taipei and withdrew American military personnel.

Under the Trump and now Biden administrations, the US has thrown the process into reverseending longstanding protocols limiting official contact, boosting military sales and stationing US troops on Taiwan. As well as providing military aid to Ukraine, the legislation signed into law by Biden last week for the first time provided military aid to Taiwan to the tune of $8 billion.

While Blinken repeats the mantra that the US upholds the One China policy, Washington is strengthening ties with Taipei and encouraging a formal declaration of independence, knowing full well that China has little choice but to take military action to protect what it regards as its core interests.

Chinese President Xi appealed to Blinken for a defusing of tensions, saying that the two countries should be partners rather than rivals and calling for mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation. Beijing, however, is well aware of the dangers posed by Washingtons provocative actions. Foreign Minister Wang said the US and China could keep to the right direction of moving forward with stability or return to a downward spiral and even slide into confrontation.

Wang warned that the US should not overstep Chinas red lines. He told Blinken: Chinas legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed, and our core interests are facing challenges. By core interests, Wang is referring to Taiwan in particular, about which there was no agreement, while the suppression of legitimate development rights is a reference to the raft of punitive US trade measures against China.

Even as Washington demands Beijing assist in strangling Russian industries, the US has imposed tariffs on a broad range of Chinese goods, as well as bans on the export of the most advanced computer chips and chip-making equipment to China. The US is deliberately seeking to prevent Chinese hi-tech industries from developing as rivals to their American counterparts and more broadly to undermine the Chinese economy.

Following on from US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellens visit to China earlier this month, Blinken repeated accusations of unfair trade and dumping items such as electric vehicles and solar panels onto the US market, allegedly that it is costing American jobs. Behind the demand for a supposed level playing field will undoubtedly be a new round of punitive trade measures against China, particularly as Biden is facing re-election this year.

Areas of agreement during Blinkens visit were minorChina had taken steps to limit the sale of chemical precursors to the dangerous opioid Fentanyl, and to discuss managing Artificial Intelligence, and had restarted military-to-military talks with the US. By contrast, the US continued to stoke major disagreements that only ensure that the downward spiral toward war continues.

Blinken again accused China of dangerous actions in the South China Sea, particularly against the Philippines over the contested Second Thomas Shoal. As the Philippine administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has turned to Washington, the US has seized the opportunity to expand its military bases in the Philippines and stage provocative joint military exercises in the South China Sea, including near the Second Thomas Shoal.

Blinken repeated that US support for the Philippines under their military alliance was ironcladmeaning that the US would back the Philippines militarily in any conflict with China in the South China Sea.

Blinken also waved the tattered flag of America as the champion of democracy, raising concerns about human rights within China, in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet. This is the banner under which US imperialism has waged its illegal wars in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia in which millions have died. The accusation against China is all the more grotesque as the US is backing to the hiltdiplomatically, financially and militarilyIsraels war of annihilation against Palestinians in Gaza that has already cost more than 30,000 lives.

Blinkens visit, like that of Yellen earlier this month, was an exercise in confrontation, provocation and threats aimed at bullying China into making concessions even as the US escalates its military preparations to open up a third front in the Indo-Pacific in the emerging global conflict underway in Europe and the Middle East.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles visited Ukraine on Saturday, where he pledged support for the Kiev regime until it is able to resolve this war on its terms. That is an open-ended and indefinite commitment to a proxy war stoked, instigated and prolonged by the US and NATO, with the aim of inflicting a major defeat on Russia.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles (left) shaking hands with Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal in Lviv, April 28, 2024. [Photo: X/Twitter @RichardMarlesMP]

Marles was only the second government leader to visit Ukraine since NATO provoked Russias reactionary invasion in February 2022. In July of that year, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined the line-up of US and allied leaders visiting Kiev and promoting an escalation of the conflict.

As a consequence of this militarist policy, which has included the scuttling of any negotiated end to the war, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians have been killed. Multiple reports have indicated a crisis of the Ukrainian army, which includes its increasing reliance on compulsory service and its loss of substantial territory to Russia.

The US has responded by doubling down, because the war is viewed as a central component of its broader campaign to block any challenge to its hegemony, including through wars and confrontations in the Middle East, against Russia and China, aimed at dominating the Eurasian landmass.

Marles visit came just days after US President Joe Biden signed a bill providing over $US60 billion in additional military aid to Ukraine. The day before he arrived, the US confirmed it would also provide Ukraine with Patriot missiles, in a major step towards direct conflict with Russia.

In addition to signaling that there will be no letup in the US escalation in Eastern Europe, the funding bill made clear this is part of a global war drive. It included more than $US26 billion for Israel, to fund the genocide in Gaza and military operations against Iran, and $US8 billion towards war preparations directed at China. That includes funding for the Taiwanese military, which is being primed to play a role similar to that of Ukraine against Russia, in provoking Beijing into war.

Marles hailed the US military bill. It had begun a moment where the world needs to stand up on behalf of Ukraine. He continued: [W]eve seen the package pass through the United States. That is huge for Ukraine, a huge boost in morale.

An aspect of the massive US funding is undoubtedly to pressure other allies into also making substantial commitments. Marles unveiled an additional $100 million in aid for Ukraine, taking the total Australian contribution to more than $1 billion since the war began.

Half of the new funding is for short-range air defence systems. It appears that will primarily involve the provision of RBS 70s, which are a man-portable air-defense system with the capacity to shoot down aircraft. Over $32 million is earmarked for drones and $16 million more for other military equipment.

Previous Australian commitments have included the donation of Bushmaster army vehicles, as well as surplus rifles and ammunition. Australia previously deployed a E-7A Wedgetail surveillance aircraft to the region to aid the war effort, and has participated in a British-led program to train Ukrainian recruits.

When the war began and Australia started to announce commitments to Ukraine, these were presented as non-lethal and auxiliary military aid. This was an attempt to present Australia as a friendly party to Ukraine, but not an active participant in its war with Russia.

Marles latest announcement shows that this mask has largely been removed. Some of the weaponry that Australia is providing is of a plainly lethal character, and can be used in offensive operations.

Marles also revealed that Australia has been supplying unspecified precision air-to-ground munitions to Ukraine, which are already in use on the battlefield. That shows that Australian munitions are directly being used against Russia, making the country a de facto participant in the war. This has been carried out behind the backs of the population, with no previous public discussion or announcement of the deliveries.

Marles was only in Ukraine for a couple of hours, but in that time he identified his Labor government fully with the extreme right-wing regime in Kiev and its regional partners.

En route, he held a joint press conference with Polands Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. Marles hailed that country for its work in organising Europe, but certainly in supporting Ukraine in defending against Russias appalling invasion of its country. The Polish government is far-right. In addition to its virulent hostility to Russia, it openly touts its racist anti-immigrant policies and is reviving the political forces that collaborated with the Nazis in World War II.

In Ukraine, Marles visited Lviv and held a joint press conference with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Marles repeated the lies that the Ukrainian regime represents democracy and freedom. In fact, it is a notoriously corrupt government that has banned most opposition parties while overseeing a police-state reign of terror targeting popular disaffection with the war. With large sections of the male fighting-age population having been wiped out, Kiev is ever-more reliant on fascist militias such as the Azov Battalion.

While continuing the propaganda line, Marles hinted at the real motives for the involvement of the US, NATO and their allies such as Australia in the war. Ukraine, he said, was crucial to the global rules-based order. That is the stock code phrase for global order dominated by the US established in the aftermath of World War II.

Most notably, Marles drew a connection between the war in Eastern Europe and developments in the Indo-Pacific. He declared: In a world which has become increasingly smaller and more interdependent, where events in eastern Europe are having an impact on the way countries see events playing out in the Indo-Pacific, and visa versa, it means that, as we focus on our region, on the Indo-Pacific, of course, we can only do that by having an eye to whats occurring everywhere in the world and particularly whats occurring here in eastern Europe.

This is in line with the increasing attempts of the US to draw together Washingtons confrontations with Russia and China. As Marles was making these statements in Ukraine, US Secretary of Defence Antony Blinken was in Beijing, demanding that the Chinese regime halt a wide range of exports to Russia, even though it is not supplying weaponry.

In addition to trying to ensnare China in the deepening war, the clear aim is to send a threat that a similar US and allied build-up is developing in the Indo-Pacific, as in Eastern Europe.

Australia is at the forefront. Through the AUKUS military pact with the US and Britain, it is acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, as one component of a vast militarisation. That includes the deployment of US strike forces to the north of the continent, as well as Australias own development of missile capabilities across all branches of the armed forces. The Labor government is also continuously campaigning throughout the region to align Asian and Pacific states with Washingtons anti-China push.

Signalling Australias commitment to American militarism on a global scale, Marles last week visited Australian Defence Force personnel where they are stationed at the Middle East Headquarters in the United Arab Emirates. They are aiding US operations throughout the region, including its campaign against Houthi forces from Yemen, who attempted to block shipments through the Red Sea that assist Israels genocide in Gaza.

In addition to backing the Zionist regimes mass murder of the Palestinians, Labor has vocally backed the US-led moves to use this war crime as the launching pad of a regionwide offensive targeting Iran.
25 years ago: Indonesian military shoots 52 people dead in Aceh

On May 3, 1999, Indonesian troops killed 52 people in the province of Aceh, on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Soldiers fired automatic weapons into a crowd of thousands of villagers gathered near the industrial town of Kreung Geukueh to protest at the heavy-handed actions of the military over the weekend. Some people were shot in the back as they attempted to flee.

The confrontation developed after the military claimed that a soldier from a local Guided Missile Detachment unit had been abducted during a meeting of the Aceh Merdeka or Free Aceh movement over the weekend. Local villagers claimed that at least one person was beaten up by troops during an army sweep of the surrounding area. Several thousand unarmed people, including women and children, gathered to express their anger and were then fired upon.

Women soldiers of the Free Aceh Movement photographed with Commander Abdullah Syafei'i, 1999

According to one eyewitness, soldiers chased the crowds and fired at them from behind. They even fired inside a house where villagers who were trying to escape had run. The armed forces stated that 18 had died and 81 were injured. Officials later acknowledged that 52 had been killed.

Defence Minister and Armed Forces Chief General Wiranto described the shootings as regrettable and promised an investigation, but immediately justified the armys actions as self defense. The local army commander Major General Rachman Gaffar claimed that the villagers were sympathizers of the Free Aceh organization which had been attempting to invade the missile base. He warned that the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI) would take up arms against the separatists.

The army killings were part of a crackdown by the military aimed at intimidating the Achenese population, which had a long history of struggle against the Dutch colonialists and then against the Indonesian government after independence in 1945. From 1980, Aceh was proclaimed a military operations zone, giving the army broad powers of search and detention. In 1998, mass graves uncovered in the province indicated that the military had murdered thousands of people in a bid to stamp out the Free Aceh movement.

The brutal killings demonstrated that, in spite of claims of the establishment of democracy after the resignation of the longtime dictator Suharto a year earlier, the repressive apparatus of the Indonesian state remained entirely in place.

50 years ago: Nixon releases edited transcripts of Watergate tapes

On April 29, 1974, US President Richard Nixon announced in a TV address that he would hand over transcripts of conversations recorded in the White House between himself and senior staff related to the break-in at the Democratic National Convention Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. in June 1972. Nixon decided to release the transcripts after months of stonewalling the official investigation into Watergate by the House Judiciary Committee.

Nixon

The transcripts of the conversations released by the White House were highly edited and the original audio tapes themselves were still not turned over, as ordered by Congress. The written material that was handed over to Congress only began with conversations recorded in September 1972, thereby excluding the crucial evidence recorded in June immediately after the break-in. The material was nonetheless damning.

The transcripts revealed that Nixon authorized payments to silence E. Howard Hunt, one of the lead organizers of the break-in; that Nixon and his aides discussed how to get their story straight to best deceive the public; and that former head of the Justice Department, John Mitchell, had lied during his testimony before the Senate when he denied having played any role in Watergate or the attempted coverup.

Sensing that the political establishment, even within his own party, was beginning to move against him, Nixons selected release of evidence was a desperate attempt to show some of the underhanded conduct of his administration, while still concealing the most blatantly illegal acts. In his televised remarks he continued to argue that executive privilege protected his operations, and that the office of the president by nature requires secrecy:

I have been reluctant to release these tapes not just because they will be embarrassing to mewhich they will, and not just because they will become the subjects of speculation and even ridiculewhich they willand not just because certain parts of them will be seized upon by my political and journalistic opponentswhich they will. Ive been reluctant because the principle of confidentiality is absolutely essential to the conduct of the Presidency.

Ultimately, this last-ditch effort to prevent the full release of the tapes failed to halt the implosion of the Nixon administration. In order to distance themselves from the White House after the criminal nature of the administration was now out in the open, the Republican leaders in the House and Senate both made statements against Nixon. Senate Republican Leader Hugh Scott called the conduct revealed in the transcripts deplorable, disgusting, shabby, and immoral and House Republican Leader John Jacob Rhodes stated that he believed Nixon should consider resigning.

The House Judiciary Committee would continue to demand the full, unedited release of the Watergate tapes, while Nixon refused to make any more evidence available. The issue would be taken to the Supreme Court, which unanimously ruled against Nixon and forced the release of the tapes on July 24, 1974.

75 years ago: Strike erupts at Ford auto plants over speedups

On May 5, 1949, workers at Ford plants in Michigan, including the massive River Rouge facility, walked off the job in an indefinite strike opposing speedups of the line. The stoppage would paralyze a host of parts suppliers and other flow-on industries, meaning that while some 60,000 workers were directly involved, around 100,000 were idle during the dispute.

The strike was the second in less than a year, provoked by workers accusations that Ford management was speeding up the line unannounced. This was part of a broader offensive aimed at boosting productivity, without providing any improvements to wages. It occurred in the lead-up to contract negotiations covering the major auto companies later in the year, with the aim being to change the facts on the ground prior to the talks.

Walter Reuther [Photo: Detroit Free Press Archive-Wayne State University]

During the strike, workers held mass meetings as well as a rally involving tens of thousands in Detroit. The United Auto Workers (UAW) union, however, did everything it could to wear down the strike and ensure a return to work. It isolated the stoppage to Ford, and did not seek to mobilize broader support. UAW President Walter Reuther entered into backroom negotiations with the company, aimed at shutting down the dispute. After three weeks of the strike, Reuther engineered a return to work, based on a vote at a hastily-called meeting that was attended by only around 3,000 of the 60,000 strikers. Previous meetings, with far larger attendance, had rejected attempts to end the stoppage.

The Militant, the publication of the Socialist Workers Party, then the Trotskyist movement in the US, explained that the strike had been terminated without any of its demands being met. Ford continued to deny the allegations of a speedup.

The Militant stated: [T]he Reuther leadership does not intend to challenge the company on the real issuethe prerogative of management to control speed on the line. To truly challenge the speed-up demands direct, on-the-job intervention by the workers in the sphere of production control. But Reuther agrees with the corporations that increased production is the answer to all problems, and this, in itself, means he will put up no real struggle on the speed-up issue. The article concluded by noting that the sell-out pointed to the need for a new leadership, from the rank and file, committed to a program of genuine struggle.

100 years ago: Whampoa Military Academy founded in China

On May 1, 1924, the Chinese nationalist movement (Kuomintang) founded the first modern Chinese professional military school in Whampoa (now the Huangpu district in the city of Guangzhou, formerly Canton) with the nationalist leader Chaing Kai-Shek as its first head.

The opening ceremonies were led by the veteran Chinese nationalist leader Sun Yat-Sen, who delivered a speech that was to form the lyrics of the national anthem of the current Republic of China in Taiwan.

Sun Yat-sen (standing behind table) and Chiang Kai-shek (on stage in military uniform) photographed at the founding of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1924

The construction of the academy was funded by the Soviet Union, and it was staffed primarily by Soviet instructors. The USSR and the Communist International, under the leadership of Stalin, had given political support to the Kuomintang, which the Chinese Communist Party had joined. This led to disaster in the Shanghai revolution three years later. The genuine Marxists in the Left Opposition of the Russian Communist Party opposed this alliance.

Many of the Soviet instructors had been trained in the Russian Civil War. These included Andrei Bubnov, a former commissar of the Red Army in Ukraine, and later a prominent leader of the Left Opposition.

The academy had other notable instructors and students who were to play important roles later, both on the side of the Stalinist Communist Party and on that of the Kuomintang. The academys first chief political officer was Zhou Enlai, a close ally of Mao Zedong, and later the first premier of the Peoples Republic of China.

The academy trained many officers who would fight the Japanese after 1937 in both the nationalist and Stalinist forces, and then against each other during the Chinese Civil War. These included Lin Biao, who would later become the vice chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, only to be repudiated by the Maoist leadership in 1971. Many other Asian students trained there, including Vietnamese students who were to play a role in the fight against French imperialism. The Stalinist leader Ho-Chi Minh lectured at Whampoa.

Harold Isaacs, in his Tragedy of the Chinese Revolution, notes how, in its first years, Whampoa bred a new type of military man for China, but it also became the breeding-ground of Chiangs power. To it flocked some of the best youth of the land. From it came some of the sturdiest fighters of the revolution. But the growth of the mass movement, the rising power of the labour unions and the peasant associations, soon drove the dividing line of class through the ranks of Whampoas cadets.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Azerbaijani Parliament members Tural Ganjaliyev, Vugar Bayramov, and Secretary General of Club Climate Europe analytical center Angele Kedaitiene have discussed Azerbaijan's contribution to the energy security of the EU on the Baku Network expert platform, Trend reports.

The sides highlighted Azerbaijan's important role in this regard.

According to the Azerbaijani MPs, Azerbaijan is one of the main partners of Belgium and plays a key role in the supply and transit of energy resources from third countries to the EU markets.

The sides acknowledged that Azerbaijan's geographical position renders it a pivotal player in facilitating the transit of energy resources from Central Asian countries to Europe.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Azerbaijan has proven itself to be a reliable and honest partner, supplying not only oil but also gas to Europe over the years, according to an article published on the Brussels-based EU Reporter web portal, Trend reports.

"The Caspian blue fuel has become the key to stability for several European countries. Responding to the growing needs of the region, the parties agreed to increase gas supplies to Europe to 20 billion cubic meters per year by 2027," the article said.

The corresponding memorandum was signed in the summer of 2022 by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the publication explained.

"Confirmed natural gas reserves in the country amount to 2.6 trillion cubic meters, with projected reserves estimated at around 3 trillion cubic meters. The main source of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Europe is the giant Shah Deniz field, but in the future, other fields such as Babek, Umid, Karabakh, and Absheron are also planned to be involved.

The first gas and condensate from Absheron were obtained in July 2023, and gas production is set to begin this year as part of the project to develop the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli block. Initially, it is planned to produce about half a billion cubic meters, but volumes could increase fivefold in the future," the article noted.

The publication authors correctly noted that the supply of Azerbaijani gas to Europe is a large-scale and long-term project.

The authors reminded that annual meetings of ministers within the framework of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor have been organized in Azerbaijan since 2015, while the latest session, attended by representatives from 23 countries, six international organizations, and 44 companies, took place in early March of this year.

"The Advisory Council plays a significant role not only in coordinating activities within the Southern Gas Corridor but also in discussing the further steps of participating countries in ensuring energy security. Being an essential mechanism, the Advisory Council helps to adequately respond to modern challenges, and for this reason, ministerial meetings on green energy have been held within the council for the past few years," the publication said.

Moreover, as the authors pointed out, in the near future, Azerbaijan will become not only a supplier but also a transit country for renewable energy sources to Europe from Central Asian countries.

"In November of last year, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan agreed to establish a joint venture for exporting green energy to Europe. The agreement was reached at a meeting of the energy and economy ministers of the three countries held in Baku.

In this context, the Southern Gas Corridor can play an important role in the green energy transition. During the transitional period when renewable energy sources cannot fully replace fossil fuels, the Southern Gas Corridor can guarantee the stability of energy supplies. Additionally, natural gas is a cleaner fossil fuel compared to coal and oil, meaning its use leads to lower greenhouse gas emissions," the authors emphasized.

The article highlighted that Azerbaijan's contribution to diversifying energy sources and strengthening Europe's energy security is significant.

"The strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the EU in this area will continue to evolve, contributing to the stability and sustainable development of the entire region. It is a country striving for economic diversification and investment in the future.

Investments in the development of the oil and gas sector are accompanied by long-term strategic reforms aimed at increasing transparency and improving the business climate. Azerbaijan has proven itself to be a responsible player in the global energy market, ready for long-term cooperation and joint solutions to global challenges," concluded the article.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Over the past period, Azerbaijan and Germany have fostered friendly and partnership relations, expanding their economic and trade ties with positive outcomes evident in trade turnover, political analyst Azer Garayev told Trend.

Highlighting President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Germany at German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's invitation, as well as the meetings that followed and his participation in the high-level segment of the 15th Petersberg Climate Dialogue, was another historic event that demonstrated Azerbaijan's growing global influence and its proactive approach to addressing climate change.

"Germany and Azerbaijan have friendly and cooperative relations that are characterized by a constant evolution of their interaction. This is especially noticeable in the growth of economic and trade links, which produce favorable trade turnover outcomes and point to a steadily improving trajectory in Azerbaijani-German relations. The signing of almost 80 bilateral documents highlights the depth of Germany's connection with Azerbaijan and makes it stand out among European countries," Garayev said.

Regarding Germany's readiness to serve as a forum for discussions between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Garayev stated that Germany is eager to do so because it recognizes Azerbaijan's beneficial role in the South Caucasus, as well as the country's contributions to economic growth, peace, and security.

"German companies are particularly drawn to Azerbaijan's solid stability and favorable investment climate. The friendly counterparts have taken note of Azerbaijan's steadfast and reliable stance, which has significantly contributed to the deepening of economic cooperation between the two nations." Notably, productive negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan were held after the Munich conference, advancing the peace agenda. All things considered, Germany shows itself to be a trustworthy ally on Western negotiating tables, expertly preserving an impartial stance," the political analyst said.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Blood of Zeus Season 2 continues the epic tale of Heron, a young man in ancient Greece who discovers he is the son of Zeus and must defend the world from demonic forces. Set for release soon, the adult animated fantasy series promises intense battles and divine powers. The trailer unveils thrilling new adventures, while the returning cast, including Derek Phillips as Heron and Claudia Christian as Hera, ensures an engaging continuation of the gripping plot.

Heres everything you need to know.

Release date  when is Blood of Zeus Season 2 coming out?

The Blood of Zeus Season 2 release date is May 9, 2024.

Blood of Zeus Season 2 is helmed by Powerhouse Animation Studio, the creative force behind the first installment. Executive producers Brad Graeber, Michael Hughes, Vlas Parlapanides, and Charley Parlapanides are leading the charge, promising another visually stunning and narratively compelling season. With the success of the first season, which premiered on Netflix in October 2020, fans can anticipate more epic battles, divine powers, and captivating adventures in Season 2.

Trailer  watch it now

You can watch the Blood of Zeus Season 2 trailer below:

The trailer teases thrilling battles, divine powers, and a gripping narrative centered around Heron, the son of Zeus, as he navigates the power vacuum among the gods and confronts the terrors of the Underworld to save his brother, Seraphim. With stunning animation and intense storytelling, the trailer sets the stage for an epic new chapter in ancient Greek mythology.

Cast  who is in Blood of Zeus Season 2?

The Blood of Zeus Season 2 cast includes:

Derek Phillips as Heron

Jason OMara as Zeus/Elias

Claudia Christian as Hera

Elias Toufexis as Seraphim

Mamie Gummer as Electra (Herons mother)

Chris Diamantopoulos as Evios (Poseidon)

Jessica Henwick as Alexia

Melina Kanakaredes as Ariana

Matthew Mercer as Hermes (Alexias Father)

Adetokumboh MCormack as Kofi

Adam Croasdell as Apollo, Hephaestus

Danny Jacobs as King Periander, King Acrisius

Matt Lowe as Ares

Jennifer Hale as Artemis, Clotho

Fred Tatasciore as Hades

David Shaughnessy as Chiron, Dionysus

Vanessa Marshall as Arianas Sister, Villager

Plot  whats the story about?

Blood of Zeus follows Heron, a young man who discovers he is the son of Zeus and must battle a demonic army to save the world, while navigating conflicts with gods and demons alike.

In ancient Greece, Heron discovers his divine heritage as the son of Zeus through his mother Electra. Tasked with thwarting a demonic threat, he faces not only the demons but also the wrath of Zeuss wife, Hera, who conspires with Herons skeptical brother, Seraphim. Amidst a brewing conflict among humans, gods, and demons, Herons journey unfolds as he grapples with his newfound demigod abilities.

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Celebrate Haitian Heritage Month in Miami at these arts and cultural events

Theres a Haitian proverb that says, Deye mon, gen mon. Behind mountains, there are mountains.

Ive been pondering that piece of wisdom ever since I sat in the packed concert hall of the Adrienne Arsht Center earlier this month to watch the Miami-made film Mountains. The award-winning film, which tells a slice-of-life story about gentrification in Little Haiti, was one of the highlights of the Miami Film Festival. The films Miami debut was so highly anticipated, filmmakers Monica Sorelle and Robert Colom got a standing ovation before the movie even started.

The consensus was clear, Mountains is one of the best and most accurate depictions of what Little Haiti looks and feels like -- or at least what it feels and looks like now. And the message of the film is as poignant as ever. What makes communities like Little Haiti special is the people. And the people are worth celebrating.

May is Haitian Heritage Month and this is the latest installment of Arts Notes, the Heralds monthly arts and culture events column. Send me suggestions for next month at arosa@miamiherald.com.

Celebrate Jean-Michel Basquiat and Haitian culture at PAMM

Exposicion Florencia del artista estadounidense Jean-Michel Basquiat durante su inauguracion en la Fundacion Louis Vuitton en Paris, el 2 de octubre de 2018.

You dont have to be an art buff to know Jean-Michel Basquiat. Chances are, you already do. The groundbreaking New York artist, who was of Puerto Rican and Haitian descent, died in 1988 at just 27 years old, and yet he remains as one of the most significant figures in contemporary art.

Perez Art Museum Miami is celebrating his legacy and Haitis rich cultural heritage with Haitian Heritage Night Legacy: The Spirit of Basquiat, an evening of art, music and interactive experiences. The event features DJ Gardy, DJ Bullet, NSFL Dance Ensemble, Tradisyon Lakou Lakay, Awoze Twoubadou and Rara Lakay.

When: May 2, 6 - 11 p.m.

Where: Perez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd.

Info: Free with RSVP. https://www.pamm.org

Picasso of Haiti speaks at Plantation art exhibit reception

Renowned Haitian artist Philippe Dodard posed next to some of his recent pieces during the 2022 Caribbean Fine Art Exhibit and Awards reception to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the Haitian social and culture organization Le Pti Club where he received a lifetime achievement award, in Plantation, on Friday September 16, 2022.

Lunion Fait La Force is a group art show curated by Le Pti Clubs Jimmy Moise featuring Sophia LaCroix, Dominique Ambroise, Annick Duvivier Ligonde, Garry Laurent, Claudia Apaid, Helene Boisson and Neddjie Bien-Aime.

At the shows opening reception, acclaimed Haitian artist Philippe Dodard, known as the Picasso of Haiti, will make an appearance as a guest speaker along with master sculptor and painter Edouard Duval Carrie. The event will feature a performance by Tlo France.

If you cant make it to the reception, the exhibit is on view until June 2.

When: May 4, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m.

Where: Island SPACE Caribbean Museum, 8000 W Broward Blvd Unit 1202, Plantation

Info: Free event. https://www.eventbrite.com

Discover Caribbean cinema at Third Horizon Film Festival

A scene from Calls From Moscow, a feature film that will be screened at the Third Horizon Film Festival this month.

After a hiatus last year, Miamis own Third Horizon Film Festival returns for its seventh edition with in-person and virtual screenings. The festivals lineup includes nearly 40 feature narratives, documentaries and short films from over 20 countries around the world.

The Caribbean is heavily represented in the film lineup, with works from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Martinique and Puerto Rico. Monica Sorelle, the director of the aforementioned film I cant stop talking about, Mountains, serves as the festivals managing director.

The festival kicks off May 9 at PAMM with the world premiere of a collection of short films by Third Horizon Forward, an initiative for Miami-based filmmakers of Caribbean descent.

When: In-person May 9-12, virtual May 13-19

Where: Opening night at Perez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd. Screenings continue at Koubek Center, 2705 SW Third St., Miami.

Info: Full schedule and tickets available online at www.thirdhorizonfilmfestival.com

Dance the night away at Little Haiti Cultural Complex

Sonidos del pequeno Haiti, un evento familiar programado para cada tercer viernes del mes en Little Haiti Cultural Complex.

Put your dancing shoes on.

Sounds of Little Haiti, a night of Haitian music, dance and food, returns to the Little Haiti Cultural Complex with performances by two legendary konpa bands, Tabou Combo and Mizik Mizik. The event celebrates the diversity of Haitian music, including konpa, rasin, zouk and rap kreyol.

When: May 17, 6 - 11 p.m.

Where: Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 Northeast 59th Terrace Miami, FL 33137

Info: Tickets start at $25. https://www.eventbrite.com

Beloved Haitian Compas Festival returns for 26th year

A group performs at the Haitian Compas Festival at Mana Wynwood on May 19, 2018.

Keep your dancing shoes on.

Besides a special guest appearance from Mizik Mizik, this years lineup of artists includes King Street, DJ Heavy, Nu Look, Ekip, DJAPOT, Roody Roodboy and a surprise artist. The festival is advertising several parties before and after the main event, too.

And dont forget to bring your flag!

When: May 18. Doors open 1 p.m. Showtime from 2 - 11 p.m.

Where: FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd.

Info: Full schedule and tickets available online at www.haitiancompasfestival.com. Free entry for children age 10 and under.

Acclaimed Haitian artist has first U.S. solo show in Miami

The plaza of the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami.

When youre tired of dancing, head to the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami.

Currently on display are two exhibitions of work by Manuel Mathieu, a Haitian-Canadian visual artist who grapples with migration, displacement and his enduring ties to his homeland. Born in 1986 in Port-au-Prince, Mathieu emigrated to Montreal at age 19.

His work on display at MOCA reflects not just his own life but the complex history of his homeland.

When: On view until Oct. 6

Where: MOCA North Miami, 770 NE 125 Street, North Miami

Info: https://www.mocanomi.org

This story was produced with financial support from individuals and Berkowitz Contemporary Arts in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
Melania Trump made an appearance on the 4th night of the Republican National Convention. Here's a timeline of her 26-year relationship with Donald Trump.

Donald and Melania Trump met in 1998 and dated on and off until getting married in 2005.

In 2006, Melania gave birth to their son, Barron, who is Donald's fifth child.

The couple was the center of attention when Donald was president from 2016 to 2020.

Former President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, met back in 1998 and have been married since 2005.

Here's a complete timeline of their relationship, from their first meeting to their time together in the White House.

September 1998: They met at a party thrown by their mutual friend Paolo Zampolli.

According to Vanity Fair, Donald Trump brought a different date to the party. Scott Gries/GettyImages

When they first met in September 1998, Melania Knauss was working as a model in New York after immigrating to the US from Slovenia in 1996.

According to Vanity Fair, Trump and Knauss first crossed paths while attending a party  thrown by their mutual friend and co-owner of Metropolitan Models, Paolo Zampolli  at New York City's Kit Kat Club during Fashion Week.

1999: Trump and his second wife, Marla Maples, finalized their divorce.

Marla Maples was Donald Trump's second wife. Diane Freed /GettyImages

Trump and his second wife, Marla Maples, finalized their divorce in 1999  just after Trump and Knauss first crossed paths  but they'd been separated since 1997.

Per the New York Post, Maples told The Telegraph, "Donald was never the man I wanted to marry. He and his world were alien to me  I'm so happy to be away from Donald and I'm just trying to move as far away as I can."

November 9, 1999: The couple did a controversial interview on "The Howard Stern Show."

The two discussed their personal life on "The Howard Stern Show." Spencer Platt /GettyImages

In November 1999, Trump did a phone interview on "The Howard Stern Show." The conversation quickly turned personal as Knauss was brought on the phone, and the couple started openly discussing their sex life with the host.

Trump was quiet for much of the interview while Stern grilled Knauss about what she was wearing and asked if she was nude  to which she responded, "Almost."

January 2000: They broke up briefly, and Trump sent Knauss well wishes in a public statement.

The two took a short break before getting engaged two years later. Spencer Platt/GettyImages

Reports of a breakup circulated in early 2000, and Trump himself confirmed the split to New York Times reporter James Barron on January 13 at a party celebrating the Miss USA pageant.

He told the reporter, "Melania is an amazing woman, a terrific woman, a great woman and she will be missed."

April 2004: Trump asked Knauss to marry him.

Melania Trump called the engagement a "great surprise." Evan Agostini /GettyImages

Trump proposed to Knauss in 2004 with a 15-carat ring valued at $1.5 million dollars, which he got at half price, according to The New York Times.

Of their engagement, the future Mrs. Trump told the New York Post, "It was a great surprise. We are very happy together."

January 22, 2005: They got married in Palm Beach, Florida, and celebrated at Mar-a-Lago estate.

Donald and Melania Trump wed one year after getting engaged. Bryan Bedder/GettyImages

The two tied the knot in Palm Beach, Florida, on January 22, 2005, and hosted the reception at Donald's Mar-a-Lago estate.

Melania reportedly wore a $100,000 couture gown designed by John Galliano for Christian Dior, according to The Kansas City Star.

Several celebrities were in attendance among the 500 guests, including the Clintons and Barbara Walters, as well as Billy Joel and Tony Bennett, who both sang at the reception.

May 17, 2005: They made their television debut as a married couple on "Larry King Live."

Donald and Melania Trump did an interview on "Larry King Live." Evan Agostini/GettyImages

A few months after their wedding, the couple appeared on "Larry King Live." They discussed everything from their first meeting to their relationship dynamic, and Melania noted that she and Donald were a great match right from the start.

"It was a great chemistry and energy. We had a great time and start [sic] to talk ... Something was there right away," she said.

Donald added, "We just have a really good relationship."

March 20, 2006: They welcomed their son, Barron, together.

Barron is Donald Trump's fifth child. Bryan Bedder/GettyImages

Barron William Trump was born on March 20, 2006.

He's Melania's only child and Donald's fifth, with his closest half-sibling, Tiffany, almost 13 years his senior.

June 16, 2015: Nine years later, Donald announced his candidacy for US president.

Donald Trump announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2015. Christopher Gregory/GettyImages

After years of teasing about running for president, Donald officially announced his candidacy at Trump Tower in New York City on June 16, 2015.

His daughter Ivanka introduced him on stage while he descended down an escalator with Melania.

During his speech, he made a number of statements regarding his agenda, including building a wall along America's border with Mexico.

November 2, 2016: Melania made her first solo campaign speech.

She described her decision to move to the United States and earn citizenship "as the greatest privilege in the world." Alex Wong /GettyImages

One day before the presidential election in 2016, the future first lady made her first solo speech at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

She was introduced by future Vice President Mike Pence's wife, Karen Pence, and spoke of her husband's goals as president as well as her own immigration story.

January 20, 2017: They had their first dance as FLOTUS and POTUS at the Inaugural Ball.

The Trumps danced to "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. Aaron P. Bernstein/GettyImages

Following President Trump's inauguration ceremony, the couple did their first dance at the Inaugural Ball to Frank Sinatra's "My Way."

June 11, 2017: Melania and Barron joined Donald in the White House months after the inauguration.

Melania Trump delayed her move to the nation's capital by a few months. Mark Wilson /GettyImages

Once President Trump was officially inaugurated, he moved from New York to the White House in Washington, DC. But in a break from tradition, Melania and Barron didn't join him for months.

They officially moved into the White House on June 11, and Melania tweeted a picture of her view of the Washington Monument to celebrate.

January 12, 2018: Reports of an affair between the newly elected president and Stormy Daniels broke.

Donald Trump made headlines after Stormy Daniels said they had an affair. AP Images

In 2018, reports of an affair and payoff between President Trump and adult-film star Stormy Daniels broke.

According to The Wall Street Journal, a lawyer for Trump reportedly arranged a $130,000 payment to Daniels a month before the 2016 election "as part of an agreement that precluded her from publicly discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Mr. Trump."

According to Daniels, the affair occurred in July 2006, soon after Barron was born.

October 12, 2018: Melania opened up about her marriage and role as the first lady in an interview.

The interview aired in October 2018. Alex Wong/GettyImages

The first lady sat down with ABC reporter Tom Llamas for a tell-all interview.

When Llamas asked, "Do you love your husband?" Melania simply replied, "Yes. We are fine. Yes."

He also probed about the president's reported affair, and Melania said she doesn't think much about it since she has "much more important things to think about and to do."

August 16, 2020: Melania appeared to brush her husband's hand away while descending the steps of Air Force One.

Donald and Melania Trump are still together after 15 years of marriage. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

When the president and first lady exited Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Melania appeared to brush her husband away as he attempted to take her hand twice on their way down the stairs.

Similar rebuffs occurred when they were boarding Marine One in February 2018 and during a press event in April 2018.

But this time, some commentators conceded that she could've been holding down her dress in the windy conditions.

October 2, 2020: They both tested positive for COVID-19.

Melania and Donald Trump both tested positive for the virus. CARLOS BARRIA/Reuters

In the midst of the 2020 election campaign trail, the president and the first lady both tested positive for COVID-19. Their son Barron also tested positive along with several members of the White House staff.

November 2, 2020: Melania gave her final campaign speech before the election.

Melania Trump spoke in North Carolina the day before the election. AP Photo/Chris Carlson

The day before the 2020 presidential election, Melania gave a solo campaign speech in Huntersville, North Carolina.

In the speech, she advocated for her husband's efforts when it came to the coronavirus pandemic and repeated President Trump's messaging around law and order while slamming presidential candidate Joe Biden.

The next day, she cast her vote for her husband in Palm Beach, Florida.

January 2021: The couple moved to Mar-a-Lago after exiting the White House.

Melania and Donald Trump exiting Air Force One in Palm Beach, Florida. Noam Galai/Getty Images

As President Biden was sworn into office at the beginning of 2021, the Turmps relocated to their Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida.

April 4, 2023: Melania didn't join her husband for his arraignment in New York.

Former President Donald Trump in court for his arraignment in New York. (Timothy A. Clary/Pool Photo via AP)

When Donald attended his April arraignment in New York City Melania did not appear to be present.

The former first lady was also noticeably missing during Donald's post-arraignment speech at Mar-a-Largo later that day.

April 26, 2024: Donald wished his wife a happy birthday before entering court for his New York trial.

Former US President Donald Trump is on trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City. DAVE SANDERS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Before entering the courtroom for his New York criminal trial, Donald paused in front of a group of journalists and wished his wife a happy birthday.

"It'd be nice to be with her, but I'm at a courthouse for a rigged trial," he said.

April 27, 2024: Melania returned to the campaign trail.

Melania and Donald Trump haven't spent much time in public together lately. Alon Skuy/Getty Images

Melania hadn't been present for much of Donald's 2024 presidential campaign since he announced he was running again in 2022.

But she reportedly returned to the campaign trail for a private Log Cabin Republican event in West Palm Beach.

July 18, 2024: Melania Trump appears on the fourth night of the Republican National Convention ahead of Donald Trump's speech

Former first lady Melania Trump arrives on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Melania, who has largely stayed off the campaign trail, appeared on the fourth night of the Republican National Convention ahead of Donald Trump's speech. During the speech, he talked about the attempted assassination and formally accepted the GOP nomination for president. He also thanked Melania for the letter she posted publicly after the assassination attempt, in which she called for unity.

This story was originally published in November 2018 and most recently updated on July 18, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili will visit Azerbaijan in the coming days, Trend reports, referring to the minister's statement to Iranian media.

He noted that he will take part in an international meeting organized in the cultural sphere within the framework of his visit to Azerbaijan.

Furthermore, Esmaili emphasized holding meetings with a number of Azerbaijani officials during the visit and making efforts to develop cooperation in the cultural domain.

The minister further mentioned plans to hold meetings with presidents of other countries.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Nico Muhly is a world traveler. The composer was home in New York when he spoke with the Burlington Free Press in early April, but on the days before and after that conversation his itinerary included trips to Paris, Los Angeles and London.

When hes home, though  not home in New York, but home home, the place where he feels he really belongs  its in central Vermont.

If I say Im going home, Muhly said, its to Randolph.

One of the worlds most highly regarded contemporary composers, Muhly was born 42 years ago at Gifford Medical Center in Randolph. His parents lived primarily in Providence, Rhode Island, but their home and artistic studio in Tunbridge, outside Randolph, is where he feels most rooted, having spent every summer and most weekends there.

Considering his Vermont connections, its a little surprising that Muhly has never written a commissioned piece for the states most prominent classical organization, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. That changes May 4 when the VSO and another Vermont-born musician making waves internationally, pianist Adam Tendler, premiere a piece Muhly created specifically for Tendler and the VSO.

Randolph-born composer Nico Muhly

Working at Carnegie Hall, with Sufjan Stevens

The composer has certainly written high-profile commissioned pieces before, for the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and more. Muhly has collaborated with choreographers including Benjamin Millepied at the Paris Opera Ballet and Kyle Abraham at the New York City Ballet. He has dipped into the world of popular music to work with indie stars such as Bryce Dessner of The National and Sufjan Stevens.

Muhlys mother, Bunny Harvey, an artist and teacher, attended the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence. Muhlys father, documentary filmmaker Frank Muhly, also went to school in the city, attending Brown University. Harvey taught at Wellesley College, 35 miles away in Massachusetts, so the family lived mostly in Providence, where Muhly attended school.

Muhly said his mothers parents had homes in Woodstock and Randolph Center before his parents bought an old Cape Cod-style home in Tunbridge in the 1970s that theyve added onto bit by bit. Those additions include a studio where Muhly sometimes creates his compositions.

Its gradually expanded into this kind of magical place, said Muhly, who called the Tunbridge home a gathering point for friends and family. When he describes it to first-time visitors he says, Yes, the highway (Interstate 89) is there, kind of, but its a click farther away than other places.

Muhly attends festivals and collaborates with musicians worldwide, but that doesnt keep him from Vermont. Sometimes, he said, hell wake up in a place like Helsinki, fly to Boston, board a tiny plane bound for Lebanon, New Hampshire, and arrive in Tunbridge to find himself grilling a chicken at 6 p.m.

Randolph-born composer Nico Muhly

Compositions by Justin Morgan

The story of how Muhly came to work on the VSO piece, a co-commission with the New Jersey Symphony, is not complicated.

The phone rang and I said Sure, he said. It was pretty simple.

The composition itself, a piano concerto titled Sounding, was not as easy. Muhly based the 15-minute piece on hymns by Justin Morgan, the renowned 18th-century horse breeder who lived in Randolph.

He was kind of a polymath, Muhly said of Morgan. He was a composer/horse breeder. I think he was also a publisher. He was one of the originators of shape-note music.

Tapping into music a couple of centuries old is not uncommon for Muhly. I would say a lot of my music is in some sort of dialogue with the past, either explicitly or not, he said. But Morgans style didnt mesh easily with Muhlys approach.

That music is actually quite at variance with the music from the past that I really relate to, which is Anglican choral music, Muhly said. He had to translate Morgans style into his own language.

That was randomly more challenging than I thought, Muhly said. It kind of doesnt matter how big the piece is. You still have to have a really good idea.

Adam Tendler performs a composition by fellow Vermont native Nico Muhly on April 11, 2024 at The Phoenix in Waterbury.

Adam Tendler plays Muhlys music

Muhly often writes compositions with friends in mind to play them. He wrote Sounding to be played by Tendler, who grew up outside Barre, just up Vermont 14 from Tunbridge. Muhly said Tendler can provide the technical fireworks the piece requires.

Muhly said he likes to ask when writing for a musician such as Tendler how does this fit in your hands? Then, he said, I am able to tailor the suit.

Tendler performed April 11 at The Phoenix in Waterbury in conjunction with the Waterbury-based contemporary chamber group TURNmusic. The program featured eight piano pieces written by Muhly between 2005 and 2022.

The works displayed Muhlys range, from the delicate, deliberate tone of Lilt to the more energetic and flamboyant Move. Tendler concluded with Eiris, Sones, a Muhly composition that will appear on Tendlers upcoming album.

Tendler said he didnt know Muhly while growing up in Vermont; they became friends while living in New York. I really started as a fan of his, Tendler told the audience at The Phoenix.

He described Muhlys music as precise, but also surprising. Muhly likes to include what Tendler called glitches in his compositions, where one note can change the shape of an entire piece.

I call it sometimes the anti-ending, Tendler said, adding that Muhly might not care for that description. I think its interesting to hear something that upends what has been established.

Muhly will be back in Vermont for the May 4 performance of Sounding. He said hes really happy with the piece, despite having wrestled with creating it.

Im glad I did it, Muhly said, so I dont have to do it anymore.

If you go

WHAT: Mozart, Mazzoli, and Muhly, a concert presented by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4

WHERE: The Flynn, Burlington

INFORMATION: $8.35-$59. www.vso.org

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Nico Muhly, renowned composer, returns to Vermont with work for VSO
Isabel Season 1 is a Spanish drama TV series created by Jonathan Cuchacovich and based on the life of renowned Chilean-American journalist Isabel Allende. Also called Isabel: The Intimate Story of Isabel Allende, the show chronicles Isabels journey as she defies societal norms for her happiness. At the pinnacle of her success, she faces her daughters life-threatening illness. Despite the agony, Isabel remains resilient, never allowing it to shatter her spirit.

Heres how you can watch and stream Isabel Season 1 via streaming services such as HBO Max.

Is Isabel Season 1 available to watch via streaming?

Yes, Isabel Season 1 is available to watch via streaming on HBO Max.

Isabel Season 1 portrays Isabels life as a joyful mother and prominent feminist journalist in Chile, which is disrupted by the Chilean military dictatorship, leading to her exile in Venezuela. Despite facing adversity, writing becomes her solace and gateway to the world. However, tragedy strikes, challenging her journey to success and motherhood.

The main cast of Isabel Season 1 includes Daniela Ramirez as Isabel Allende and Nestor Cantillana as Miguel Frias, alongside other supporting actors like Rodolfo Pulgar and Catalina Silva.

Watch Isabel Season 1 streaming via HBO Max

Isabel Season 1 is available to watch on HBO Max. The streaming platform offers a diverse range of exclusive content, including blockbuster movies, acclaimed TV series, and original programming.

Go to HBOMax.com/subscribe Click Sign Up Now Choose your plan: $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (with ads)

$15.99 per month or $149.99 per year (ad-free)

$19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (ultimate ad-free) Enter your personal information and password Select Create Account

Max With Ads provides the services streaming library at a Full HD resolution, allowing users to stream on up to two supported devices at once. Max Ad-Free removes the services commercials and allows streaming on two devices at once in Full HD. It also allows for 30 downloads at a time to allow users to watch content offline. On the other hand, Max Ultimate Ad-Free allows users to stream on four devices at once in a 4K Ultra HD resolution and provides Dolby Atmos audio and 100 downloads.

The Isabel synopsis is as follows:

From a young age, Isabel was willing to break all the socially accepted standards of her time to pursue happiness and blaze her own path. Then, at the peak of her career, she receives the devastating news that her daughter is on the verge of dying. The pain may have bent her, but it never broke her.

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

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The post Isabel Season 1 Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via HBO Max appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
While the United States continues to debate how and when hip-hop lyrics can be used in court, dissident Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi was sentenced to death on April 24 for lyrics that criticized the Islamic Republics ruling regime.

The sentence, handed down by the ruling Republic Court of the Islamic Republic, overturns a decree from the higher Supreme Court which, according to the New York Times, found issues with the original ruling that sentenced Salehi to six years imprisonment and banned him from making music or singing for two years.

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The reason given for Salehis execution, which the Islamic Republic administers by hanging, is his involvement with Irans 2022 protests through his music.

Salehi, 33, released his song, Soorakh Moosh (Rathole) in 2021, calling out Western apologists of the Islamic Republic. The song went viral and he was promptly arrested. He was released in November 2023, but quickly re-arrested after dropping this video speaking about his time in prison. Reports of his torture and solitary confinement were confirmed by those in touch with Salehi and posted by his social media manager, Negin Niknaam, who is based in Germany.

Salehis cousin Azadeh, who resides in the U.K. says, Putting the heartache to the side, its visible that we all admire the bravery of Toomaj, and we need to do our best to put pressure on Islamic regime in Iran to stop punishing Iranians. I wish not only for Toomaj, but all Iranians to achieve their basic human rights that has been deprived of them for 45 years, she concludes, referring to 1979, the year the regime took power.

Executions for speaking out against the regime are not uncommon in the Islamic Republic: 834 prisoners were killed in 2023. Thousands remain imprisoned, among them, artists, actors, filmmakers, athletes, journalists and musicians. Incarcerated rapper Saman Yasin is serving a five-year sentence. Iranian composer Mehdi Rajabian, who won the United Nations International Art Contest for Minority Artists last year, was imprisoned for three years with three months in solitary confinement and 40 days on a hunger strike. Rajabian was with Salehi when he was most recently arrested (and appears with him above in the last photo before that arrest). Salehi was well aware of the consequences of his words when he published his songs online.

A prominent rapper in Iran who asked to remain anonymous tells Variety, On days when words have lost their meaning, or words have drifted away from their essence, Toomaj makes words clear, he said. Toomaj has worked peacefully to achieve minimum citizenship rights not only for himself but also for the entire society he lives in. He wrote poems about the fences that have been used in the ruling of the regime of Iran to exploit the people, so that by reading them, people would remember the meaning of words again. The first thing I heard from Toomaj was a poem in which he said, Didnt you see them firing of IRGC missiles? In my opinion, keeping the historical memory alive is one of the tools of Toomajs civil struggle  for the freedom of humanity and not the execution of humanity.

Iran-born, London-based Iranian-British musician Sepp Osley says, Toomaj uses his music to simply promote the power of peace and love, but because he is in Iran where the tyrannical regime of the Islamic Republic rule, he now faces the sentence of death simply doing what so many of us artists around the world take for granted.

The Global Music Awards awarded its heretic award for protest/activist music to Salehi in 2023. Also that year, Salehi was awarded the Index on Censorships freedom of expression award in arts. Freemuse, in collaboration with the United Nations and UNESCO highlighted Salehi, among other Iranian creatives in its 2023 State of Artistic Freedom report which outlines global artistic rights violations.

Of Salehis execution sentence Niknaam said, In reality, Toomaj has been sentenced to death due to his music and tweets. We are incredibly shocked. In this world no artist has been sentenced to death for their music and tweets. This is a serious alarm for Iran and the world. In my opinion more pressure should be placed on Islamic Republic with heavy sanctions. And we eliminate Islamic Republic from human rights because they have issued a death sentence to an artist merely for his speech. This is the first time that Islamic Republic has issued an execution sentence for speaking up.

I think the international community must question the health and judiciary process of the courts system, she continued. We always ask and hashtag no to executions and they continue to issue execution sentences.

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From rock n roll to jazz, blues and grunge, musical movements have often been born out of human conflict. The devastation of the Second World War  more than 75 million dead; Coventry, Dresden and Warsaw reduced to rubble; ordinary people consigned to a lifetime of suffering with PTSD  was followed by an unprecedented cultural revolution.

In Britain and America, this meant teenage girls going wild for the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, young people experimenting with drugs and finding their spiritual home in music by Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin, and an explosion of filmmaking, visual art and literature.

But in Germany in the 1950s and 1960s, a generation was being forced to face the horror of their history head-on. Teenagers were returning to bombed-out schools to find that their teachers still conformed to Nazi ideology; their parents and grandparents remained shackled by conservatism; those who had defied the Third Reich were either dead or coming home from prison camps, scarred and broken. The musician Gunter Schickert, of the trio GAM, describes the situation in Neu Klang, Christoph Dallachs definitive oral history of krautrock: They took the survivors and asked them a quick couple of questions, and Bobs your uncle, they were de-Nazified and they could go back to work.

Infrastructure and generational harmony were not the only parts of German society that had been obliterated. Irmin Schmidt, the keyboardist of Can, says that deep-rooted feelings of shame, grief and betrayal meant that, in the 1950s and 1960s, Germany had been destroyed, and its entire culture along with it.

Young Germans grappling with their identity werent encouraged, later on, by the insistence of the British music journalists John Peel and Richard Williams (of Melody Maker) on labelling an emerging new genre from the country as krautrock. Kraut was a dirty word, spat out as an insult by Allied soldiers. According to pioneers such as Kraftwerks Michael Rother and Tangerine Dreams Klaus Schulze, it showed a refusal from the West to accept that Germanys teenagers were trying to be different. As Lutz Ludwig Kramer, of Agitation Free, puts it: We broke with structures  how could they give us such a backward-looking name?

Even the most apparently thoughtful of minds treated them as sinners. Achim Reichel, whose group the Rattles opened for the Beatles in 1966, watched John Lennon on stage at the Star-Club in Hamburg, completely naked, guitar in front of his parts, with a toilet seat around his neck, miming a Hitler salute to the horror of his audience.

Influenced by free jazz, hippies, Leftist student politics and, eventually, the advent of computers, krautrock bands such as Tangerine Dream, Can, Faust and Kraftwerk have markedly different sounds but a shared inspiration: they were trying to reckon with being German. It doesnt seem far-fetched to surmise that krautrocks reliance on electronics was a direct retort to the old, bucolic lifestyle held up as an ideal under the Fuhrer.

Neu Klang is laudably ambitious in scope, and it becomes evident early on that the study of krautrock (and music) itself plays second fiddle to sociology and politics. Thus, it becomes a complicated tale: a mammoth series of interviews with just about every musician from the scene you can think of  one notable missing voice is that of the Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese, who died in 2015  alongside chapters divided by theme.

There are sections on hair (the longer, the better), travelling (the African continent and India were very in) and celebrated clubs such as the Zodiac Free Arts Lab. We learn about the widespread use of LSD and hash, and where young people were taking them: mass squats such as West Berlins famed Kommune 1, filled with rich kids and models and wannabe guitarists obsessed with having orgies. And Dallach delves into the 1968 murder of the student Benno Ohnesorg by a police officer  which changed everything, uniting young and old in their revulsion.

It makes for a thorough but scattershot effect that isnt helped by the authors decision to forgo written-through prose in favour of short, choppy transcriptions. You must decipher the story yourself, map out your own conclusions  a daunting task when faced with four decades of history and a genre so elusive. The interviews are consistently fascinating, but Dallachs failure to analyse his findings makes Neu Klang seem incomplete.

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Mitch McConnell says he doesnt currently see a path forward for national abortion ban

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., said on Sunday that he does not believe a nationwide ban on abortions would pass in his chamber, but McConnell declined to comment on whether he would personally support such a measure.

I don't think we'll get 60 votes in the Senate for any kind of national legislation, McConnell said on NBCs Meet the Press" when asked whether he would back a federal abortion ban if it came to a vote.

It's going to be sorted out at the state level, McConnell, 82, said.

A number of states across the country have passed legislation around abortion access since the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that had provided the nationwide right to an abortion.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) walks to the Senate Chambers as the Senate takes up a $95B foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

More than a dozen predominantly red states have enacted near total bans on abortions, while a handful of blue states including Oregon and Vermont allow abortions regardless of the gestational period, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. Abortions late in a pregnancy remain rare and are typically due to medical concerns.

Abortion rights have become a major rallying cry for Democrats up and down the ballot in 2024. This year, voters in nearly a dozen more states will weigh in on ballot initiatives related to abortion access, including in Maryland and New York.

National Republicans, meanwhile, are split over how to approach the issue.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has proposed a national abortion ban after 15 weeks (about 3 and a half months) of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and life-threatening medical emergencies. Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 GOP presidential nominee, has expressed opposition to such a measure, arguing that it would hurt Republicans in the general election.

McConnell affirmed on Sunday that he was not advocating for Graham's proposal or any other legislation restricting abortion at the national level, despite his track record of bringing anti-abortion measures to a vote. In 2020, when McConnell was the majority leader, he brought to two abortion-related bills to the Senate floor, even though they lacked the 60 votes needed to pass.

The bills included measures that would have prohibited abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and required doctors to attempt to save the life of an unborn fetus after an abortion procedure.

This election year, McConnell plans to avoid such a vote.

Im not advocating anything at this level, the Kentucky Republican said in the interview that aired Sunday. I think it's going to be sorted out all across the country, and be very different in different states.

As for how Republicans will campaign on the issue of abortion in 2024 elections, McConnell suggested a cohesive party message isnt likely.

We get elected by states, he told NBC. My members are smart enough to figure out how they want to deal with this very divisive issue based upon the people who actually send them there.

McConnell plans to step down from his leadership position in November, though he will serve the rest of his Senate term.

Contributing: Savannah Kuchar, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mitch McConnell says he doesn't see path for national abortion ban
The term safari typically evokes images of dusty African savannahs and bouncy 44 rides in pursuit of the iconic Big Fivelion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and African buffalo. While this classic game-drive ritual has its place, a different breed of water-based adventures is gaining momentum.

In Africa, swapping wheels for hulls can save time. In Rwanda, for instance, traveling aboard the Kivu Queen uBuranga, the first motorized houseboat on Lake Kivu, cuts travel time for gorilla trekking jaunts in the Volcanoes National Park or searching for chimpanzees in the Nyungwe Forest National Park. Both would take many hours by car. Plus its just a much more pleasant way to travel.

In other parts of the world, the only way to see marine wildlife is by boat. Cruises are great for visiting more areas and seeing a variety of landscapes, Allie Almario, the Galapagos and Amazon safari expert at Philadelphia-based Premier Tours, told Robb Report. Going by boat in the Amazon, for example, allows you to navigate the tributaries easily for access into some of its most remote areas.

Weve curated our favorite water trips to animal-laden lands, whether its traveling in a houseboat or go-anywhere expedition vessel, drifting along rivers or cruising to the worlds most remote polar regions. Accommodations range from intimate five-star island hideaways to brand-new superyachts to more communal, high-end river boats. What they share: A wildlife-focused itinerary that not only provides opportunities to witness water-dwelling species but also the diversity of fish and underwater mammals and wide-ranging bird species, all from the comfort of a luxurious floating camp.

Here are 12 of our favorites.

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Costa Rica is a destination with some of the most lush rainforests, stunning beaches, and thriving wildlife. The Central American country has coastlines in the Caribbean and Pacific. It has many protected natural areas and some of the best weather travelers could ask for. Costa Rica has very friendly locals, so travelers commonly feel welcome to the country.

It is ranked as one of the most visited international destinations since it has such a thriving tourism industry. Like any other destination, Costa Rica has a shoulder and high travel season. Travelers who want to capture the height of Costa Ricas beauty should visit during the dry season, from December to April. This season brings forth some peak experiences in Costa Rica.

April is the best time to visit the country during this season. Some of the most captivating things during this month are the lush green foliage and warm sun. April is during the high season so there may be more tourists around, but the weather and events make it worth it.

Average Temperature This Time of Year

The average temperature in Costa Rica during April is around 60-78 Degrees F

Weather

April is a very appealing time to visit Costa Rica. Out of the warmest months, April has the mildest weather in general. It has manageable temperatures but also has lower precipitation levels than the other months. So travelers visiting in April can enjoy some of the warm, sunny days without the heavy rainfall that accompanies the rainy season. There may be trickles of rain but overall, April is one of the best times for beach days and tourism activities.

Travelers can better enjoy outdoor activities and community events in Costa Rica during April. The top things to do in Costa Rica during this time are catamaran rides, snorkeling, hikes, and kayaking. Visitors to Costa Rica during April should be sure to pack their sunscreen and be prepared to be active.

Photo credit: Alix Greenman

Travel Tip:

Travelers visiting during April should be sure to bring polarized sunglasses and UVA/UVB-protected clothing

Spring break and Easter may coincide with travel during this peak season, so there may be crowds if travelers do not plan accordingly

Since this is a popular time to travel to Costa Rica, the prices of travel may spike so booking ahead of time is advisable

Water Sports

April is still the peak season for visitors, so there is plenty to do in Costa Rica. Especially travelers who enjoy being in the water. This month is one of the best times to surf since there are tamer waves. So this time is great for beginner surfers and swimmers. Those seeking an adrenaline rush can go river rafting or go sport fishing. Travelers can expect slightly cooler waters in April since the warmer ocean waters kick in around May. The North Pacific Coast of Costa Rica is a great place for travelers to have ocean fun.

Photo credit: Silivan Munguarakarama

Travel Tips:

Costa Rica is a country with more than 800 miles of coastline, so travelers will have plenty of space to explore. A laid back beach town for travelers to visit is Santa Teresa.

National Parks

The national parks of Costa Rica are famous due to the diversity of the natural environment. In fact, there are 30 national parks in Costa Rica. So visiting Costa Rica during one of the countrys peak weather seasons is a great plan for outdoor adventurers. The country is home to about 5% of the worlds biodiversity, which is a significant amount. National parks and forest reserves make up 25% of Costa Ricas total land area, so conservation is a very important cause for the country. Some of the top national parks to visit are the Tenorio Volcano National Park, Corcovado National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park.

Photo credit: Angela Erick

Travel Tip:

Costa Ricas most visited national park is Manuel Antonio National Park. This park does not allow guests to feed animals, but other parks may have different policies.

Wildlife Sightings

Travelers can also discover the thriving wildlife of Costa Rica. Animal lovers will appreciate the various experiences they can have with the animal inhabitants of the country. Sea turtles, sloths, and macaws are among some of the most popular animals for tourists to see while in Costa Rica. Many tours take advantage of optimal times in April to observe animals. For example, April is a great time to visit Costa Rica for bird watchers. They will catch migratory birds right around the time they are juveniles, so travelers may be able to snag a prime watching spot.

Photo credit: Charlotte Rush

Travel Tip:

Costa Rica is known as the hummingbird capital of the world, travelers should take rainforest tours to be able to observe these delicate creatures.

Juan Santamaria Day

Juan Santamaria Day is celebrated on April 11 every year. The national holiday is a day of remembrance for a national hero who single-handedly diverted an invasion of Costa Rica. Juan was merely seventeen and lost his life in the process. The day of his death (and those preceding it) marks a time for celebrating his legacy.

Some popular festivities for Juan Santamaria Day include dancing, parades, concerts, and even marching bands. Although the holiday is celebrated in many areas of Costa Rica the main events occur in the city of Alajuela. Being able to observe this culturally significant holiday is simply one of the reasons why April is the best time to visit Costa Rica.

Photo credit: Mauricio Leo

Travel Tip:

Travelers should stay in Alajuela with locals during the week of Juan Santamaria Day. In that case, visitors will get to immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture.

Culinary Adventures

There are many staple foods in Costa Rica. Some of the best (and most popular) foods include gallo pinto, casado, and arroz con pollo. Gallo pinto is the national dish. It consists of rice and beans with onions, peppers, cilantro, and spices. Travelers will not get bored with the local flavors that Costa Rica offers. Costa Rica has a mix of Spanish, Caribbean, and Indigenous influences which translate to the types of foods travelers can truly enjoy. To get a taste of the diverse influences, travelers can even book a tour with a Costa Rican culinary adventure group that explores the area in April.

Photo credit: Daniel Angele

Travel Tip:

Food and culture go hand in hand in Costa Rica so there are select all-inclusive resorts that offer culinary experiences to travelers.

World Class Resorts

To enjoy the full splendor of Costa Rica in April, travelers can book a top-notch resort with all the bells and whistles. All-inclusive resorts are all the rave, especially with guests who want to sit back and relax. Total relaxation is the most ideal way to enjoy the pleasant weather of April for travelers who visit Costa Rica. Two of the top-rated all-inclusive resorts in Costa Rica include Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica and Barcelo Tambor.

Photo credit: Chalo Garcia

Travel Tip:

Travelers are advised to either book their all-inclusive resorts at least nine months in advance or snatch last-minute deals.

Pura Vida Culture

The overall laid-back culture of Costa Rica is a popular feature of the area. This uniquely positive outlook is shared by locals of Costa Rica, which has been referred to as one of the happiest countries in the world. Pura Vida translates to pure life from Spanish but it practically means being grateful and not dwelling on the past. This motto surely keeps the local stress level down, which in turn will impact travelers perception of Costa Rica. Lots of travelers come back to visit Costa Rica wanting to embody that way of life.

Photo credit: Bernd Dittrich

Travel Tip:

To adapt to the pura vida lifestyle, travelers should slow down and enjoy lifes little pleasures.

Costa Rica is a majestic and incredible destination with much to offer to travelers. Those planning to visit Costa Rica should aim for an April trip to appreciate the best weather and activities. From an immaculate attitude towards life and breathtaking nature, Costa Rica during April is hard to match. Surround yourself with misty waterfalls, thriving jungles, and sandy beaches this spring.
It's Arab American Heritage Month. Where can you find Arabian food around Evansville?

EVANSVILLE  April is National Arab American Heritage Month, so we want to make sure you know where to go in the Evansville area for delicious Arabian food.

What is Arabian food? Thats a good question, and it can mean many things. There are 22 countries in the League of Arab States. These are:

On the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea: Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Syria.

On the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, the Island of Comoros, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Iraq lies just to the north of the Arabian peninsula and shares a border with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and Syria.

In North Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Farther south and east in Africa: Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan.

The House of Como's Arabian salad with lemon and mint dressing placed in a puffy flat bread for wrapping.

All of these areas have their own styles of cuisine, and note that there are many countries near Arabian areas including Turkey, Iran (Persia) and Afghanistan that are not Arabic and, while there may be some overlapping in cuisine, have distinct cultures and languages.

Locally, our Arab restaurants serve foods that are (for the most part) traditional to the countries on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

George Hage, who was from Chicago but of Lebanese heritage, opened the House of Como in 1960, and it still serves the same dishes now that it did then.

Alongside a steakhouse menu and some Italian pasta and chicken specialties, customers enjoy big bowls of Arabian salad with a lemony dressing and soft flat Arabian breads; beef shish kabobs; cinnamon-scented chicken djage atop a mound of rice with pine nuts; eggplant casserole with tomatoes and ground beef; kibi nea, which is raw ground beef with cracked wheat with onion petals for scooping. Hummus and Lubia green beans with tomatoes are also offered.

The House of Como is at 2700 S. Kentucky Ave.; 812-422-0572.

A salad plate at Kabob Xpress contains, clockwise from upper left, Greek salad with pita, eggplant salad, baba gannoush, hummus, and stuffed grape leaves with yogurt sauce.

The current owners of Kabob Xpress are Jennifer Issa and Najeh Sassi, who are Palestinians. The original owners, Hossam and Walaa Mohamed, were Egyptian, and you can still see the Egyptian influence in the eggplant dip, which is prepared in the Egyptian style with fried eggplant, tomato, and a touch of chile spice. Creamy baba ghanouj eggplant dip is available as well.

Merguez, a spicy North African sausage made with beef and lamb is also offered here. Also on the menu are a wide variety of kebabs, gyro and chicken shawarma sandwiches, salads including fatoush with fried pita chips, hummus, falafel and more. Desserts include baklava and chocolate mousse.

Kabob Xpress is at 3305 N. Green River Road; 812-402-0244.

Falafel at Manna Mediterranean Grill are served with tahini sauce, pita bread and a side of your choice. We like the refreshing Mediterranean salad.

Manna Mediterranean Grill is owned by Palestinian Amjad Manna and his wife Kristi Manna. The restaurant has been a long-time favorite on Lincoln Avenue.

Some of the specialties on the menu are kibbeh, which are crisply fried beef and wheat shells stuffed with more juicy ground beef with pine nuts and spices; grilled spiced leg of lamb shawarma; braised lamb shanks; and beef kafta kabobs  a special hand formed, grilled mixture of ground beef with herbs and spices. Also on the menu are other kabobs and classics such as stuffed grape leaves, tabbouleh salad, falafel and lentil soup. Desserts include baklava and vegan brownies.

Manna Mediterranean Grill is at 2913 Lincoln Ave.; 812-473-7005.

On the first Sunday in October, the Evansville Islamic Center welcomes the public to an International Food Festival featuring dishes from all over the Islamic world, including many from Arab countries as well as other countries around the Middle East, Africa, Pakistan and India. Some specialties youll find here are stuffed fatayer breads; homemade date-filled mamoul cookies; koshari  an Egyptian dish of lentils, rice and pasta with flavorful sauces; and musakhan  chicken baked with onion and tangy sumac served in a wrap.

A thousand savory fatayer pastries are made every year for the International Food Festival.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Where can you find Arabian food around Evansville?
Asian American TikTok users have weighed in on a question posed on a recent podcast: Do SoCal Asians have a superiority complex?

For some, Southern California is viewed as the mecca and standard for Asian American culture, with an Asian population in Los Angeles County of 15.8% and in Orange County of 23.3%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And those outside of the area are saying that perspective creates an uncomfortable and unnecessary dynamic.

I think for the Asian American diaspora outside of Southern California, we look at that and we have to somehow prove that were also that type of Asian, said Heidi Kang, 32.

That type of Asian, according to Kang, is one with easy access to various Asian restaurants, media, cultural shops and other Asian people.

The debate over this superiority complex stemmed from a clip posted by The 949 Podcast, a show hosted by Asian Americans. The podcast, which is a reference to the Orange County area code, recently received backlash on TikTok for a comment one of the hosts made about Asians outside of Southern California.

There is a part of me, like if I meet Asians from the other random a-- states, right? Im like bro youre not from Cali, bro, one host said. The podcasters then admitted that this mentality is a problem. The 949 Podcast did not respond to a request for comment. The clip touched a nerve for Asian Americans who grew up in areas like the Midwest, South and Pacific Northwest. They shared negative experiences with SoCal Asians in which they were judged for not being Asian enough because they grew up in predominantly white spaces.

Kang posted a stitch video responding to the podcast clip. She grew up in Nebraska and Iowa. Kang told NBC News that, in her experience, SoCal Asians have been dismissive, or even mocking, of other Asian American realities.

They grew up in a place where you have more access to Asian culture, and a lot of us outside of Southern California, we didnt get to control where we grew up or where we lived, Kang said. Kang said she has been interrogated by SoCal Asians in the past about what kind of friends she has, how connected to her heritage she is and what kind of food she eats. She said this has been a way for them to judge whether she is whitewashed or not.

They basically think Im a white person because they have this idea about how the Midwest is, she said.

Jennifer Kang, 20, moved to Oregon from California when she was in high school. She went from attending an elementary school that was 50% Asian to being one of the only ones in her high school. When she visited a friend from Southern California after the move, the friend told her she got more whitewashed. (Jennifer Kang is not related to Heidi Kang.)

Kang, who is Korean, said she speaks Korean and is in touch with her heritage. Still, her Asianness has been questioned because she doesnt have the same interests as some SoCal Asians. She said she has been judged by SoCal Asians for lacking access to Asian restaurants and was once questioned for being unaware of 88Rising, an Asian hip hop collective that has a large fanbase in California.

There really is no measurement for being Asian, she said.

James Zarsadiaz, associate professor of history and director of the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program at the University of San Francisco, said that regional stereotypes play into the perception of a superiority complex among SoCal Asians.

If you take race out of the conversation, there is this notion of the coasts of the United States as the trendy or cooler, more sophisticated parts of the United States and everyone else in the interior, and that includes the South, is not with it, he said.

As a result, Zarsadiaz said that people often mistakenly assume that there is no access to Asian American culture or community in states between the coasts. While their experiences may be different, people should embrace the regional differences of Asian America, Zarsadiaz said, and understand their different challenges, struggles and unique traits.

Still, the criticism of SoCal Asians by those outside of the region comes from the trauma of being marginalized in their communities, Zarsadiaz said.

Its a double rejection, he said.You were probably also lampooned or ostracized by non-Asians where you grew up, but now also other Asians within your community, who are in theory supposed to be in solidarity  are also now poking fun of you or making you feel like youre not part of the group.

Jennifer Kang said some SoCal Asians fail to recognize that other Asian Americans in predominantly white areas feel pressure to assimilate and fit in with their white peers.

I definitely hid these kinds of parts of myself, but when kids in class are telling you that your English is really good, or youre getting made fun of for Covid and stuff like that, you dont really want to stand up for yourself, Kang said.

Ultimately, Kang said Asian Americans should be bringing people into the community rather than keeping them out.

Its so awesome being Asian and theres so much deep culture in history that is there for us to learn and to be shared, she said. Why are we gatekeeping these things?

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Elmin Mammadov and Shahin Babayev were appointed deputy ministers of digital development and transport of Azerbaijan by relevant decrees of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Trend reports.

Elmin Mammadov was born in 1987.

He worked in various positions in the Main Department of Legislation of the Ministry of Justice of Azerbaijan in 2011-2013, in the International Cooperation Department of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan in 2013-2015, in the Department of Legislation and Legal Expertise of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan in 2015-2021.

From 2021 until this appointment, he worked as the head of the legal department of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport.

Shahin Babayev was born in 1988.

He's a member of the International Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Babayev began his career in 2011 at the Sumgayit Technological Park. Since 2012, he began working at Azercosmos, where until 2021 he served as head of the financial department.

Before his appointment as deputy minister, Babayev was an adviser to the Minister of Digital Development and Transport.
Bainbridge Island named one of the top small towns in the West

Bainbridge Island has been named one of the best small towns in the West in USA Todays 10Best Readers' Choice Awards.

USA Today 10Best, the go-to site for reader-voted and editor-recommended travel guides, solicits nominations from an expert panel to highlight the best small towns across the U.S., then readers vote for their favorites.

Myriah Riedel makes her way along the sidewalk of Bainbridge Island's Winslow Way on a very rainy Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020.

Bainbridge Island, at No. 7, was joined by nearby neighbor to the south, Gig Harbor, at No. 6, on the top ten list announced in April.

The island was noted for its small-town feel within proximity of Seattle, and the nomination pointed out several Bainbridge museums and parks as attractions, including the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, KiDiMu children's museum, and the Bloedel Reserve. The community is also well known for its main street, Winslow Way, bustling with small shops and local restaurants just blocks from the ferry terminal to Seattle and a waterfront public park. Popular local events dot the calendar through the year, including the Grand Old Fourth array of festivities for July 4, a weekly farmers market and art walk, and the annual Mochi Tsuki festival that honors the community's Japanese American heritage each winter.

The steamed sweet rice sticks to 10-year-old Luke Meidells cherry wood mallet as he and Alayna Hatch, 11, help pound the rice in the granite bowl to make mochi during Mochi Tsuki at Bainbridge Islands Woodward Middle School on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024.

The top choice on the 10Best list for small towns in the West was the popular tourist spot of Seward, Alaska, known as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and nearby glaciers and more.

Here's the full list of places that made the top 10:

Seward, Alaska Solvang, California Grants, New Mexico Cody, Wyoming Manitou Springs, Colorado Gig Harbor, Washington Bainbridge Island, Washington Williams, Arizona Durango, Colorado Ashland, Oregon

For more information on the USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, and to see the rest of the best small towns in the U.S.  from west coast to east coast  visit 10best.usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Bainbridge Island named No. 7 small town in the West by USA Today
It's a serious flavor gamechanger.

ALLRECIPES / QI AI

On a recent weekend getaway to Panama City Beach, Florida, I stopped at a locally-owned beach shack-style restaurant that more than one local had recommended for a great meal. Hungry from a morning at the beach, I approached the counter and saw the menu was full of Mexican-inspired delights like burritos and nachos, but it was its build-your-own quesadilla menu that made my stomach growl.

At Finns Island Style Grub, the options for the perfect, custom-made quesadilla are endless, from proteins like mahi mahi and brisket to add-ins like grilled onions and avocado. What caught my attention inspired my taste buds, however, was a sweet ingredient: pineapple. I ordered a carnitas quesadilla with pineapple and jalapeno and my life was forever changed.

It only took one bite of my delicious pork, jalapeno, and pineapple quesadilla to have a new favorite quesadilla add-in. The smokiness of the pork carnitas combined with some light heat from the jalapenos and the sweet tang of pineapple was the perfect blend.

I was immediately a fan, but is it as controversial to add pineapple to a quesadilla as it is to toss the tangy fruit on pizza? Considering that many Mexican dishes, like the marinade for al pastor pork, call for pineapple chunks or its juices, its not completely unheard of to add the fruit to a savory dish. Still, it had never occurred to me to use pineapple as a quesadilla ingredient until my lunch at Finns.

Why Pineapple and Pork Are the Perfect Flavor Pairing

Justin Buxton, the chef and owner of Finns, says his restaurant has been offering build-your-own quesadillas since it opened in 2009. In fact, pineapple has always been a big part of the menu at Finns, as Buxton says it fits the restaurants island-style theme.



We put pineapple on our nachos and salad automatically at Finns, says Buxton. We also serve it with our kids' meals if they want fruit. I think the sweetness and acidity of pineapple enhances the flavor of many items, especially anything savory.

Buxton says my quesadilla combo of choicecarnitas and pineapplewas a particularly good call, as the pork shoulder at Finns is slow-smoked and seasoned with jerk spices, so it blends well with the fruitiness of the pineapple. When you add the sweetness of the pineapple it brings it to another level, he says. Your tastebuds kinda freak out.

My Favorite Pineapple Quesadilla Combos

When I arrived home from my weekend in Panama City Beach, my love of pineapple in quesadillas was solidified in my own kitchen. I immediately went to work testing pineapple as an ingredient in other quesadilla combinations, tossing chunks with ham and cheese for lunch one day and with barbecue chicken and cheese for dinner for my family. Like me, my husband and teenagers were immediate pineapple-quesadilla converts.



The Biggest Tip for Adding Pineapple to Quesadilla

Want to add pineapple to your at-home quesadillas? Buxton has this major pointer: If adding pineapple to recipes at home, I always suggest fresh, he says. Canned will do the trick, but fresh pineapple is fairly inexpensive and freezes well.

Also, know that your willingness to try this possibly controversial add-in could will make you a bit of a quesadilla connoisseur. As far as popularity goes, pineapple doesnt get added to quesadillas at Finns as much as expected, says Buxton. But the ones who know, know.



Read the original article on All Recipes.
The Caribbean has long been a popular cruise destination for British holidaymakers  but with its well-serviced routes and winter-sun appeal, its all too often dismissed as little more than sun, beaches, rum and calypso. In reality, however, it is one of the most diverse and fascinating regions on the planet, encompassing more than 7,000 islands and a vast number of disparate cultures and traditions, many of them still relatively off the beaten track.

Now, cruise lines are beginning to branch out, widening their horizons to include more of the Caribbeans lesser-known corners, catering to passengers who want to eschew the sail-and-flop in favour of culture, history and a more authentic experience.

Their itineraries take in various offbeat islands, but also sweep around the Caribbeans western edge from Venezuela to Mexico, taking in the tiny San Blas Islands off Panama, the incredible rainforest wildlife of Costa Rica and the deep rivers of Belize, revealing rediscovered Mayan cities and pyramids.

Truly, this is a world far beyond the classic Caribbean  and one thats now easier than ever to discover. The five routes below help provide some inspiration.

Leeward Islands

The Leeward Islands mark the eastern boundary of the Caribbean, and exploring them under sail is quite an experience. The pink sands of Barbuda are perfect for snorkelling and swimming, while Dominica possesses a vibrant mixture of European and African cultures, with the Caribbeans only remaining population of pre-Columbian Carib Indians.

Guadeloupes capital, Pointe-a-Pitre, offers a blend of French and Creole culture, historic buildings and lively markets. Admire the bright yellow cathedral of St-Pierre and St-Paul, then head for Nelsons Dockyard in Falmouth Harbour, where you can watch the world go by at a waterside cafe.

One of the best ways to explore the Leeward Islands is by sailing yacht - Alamy

Book it: Star Clippers (01473 242666; starclippers.co.uk) has the seven-night Leeward Islands cruise from 1,307pp (cruise-only), full-board. Price includes a 20 per cent Early Booking Discount, valid until April 30 2024. Calling at Barbuda, Dominica, Terre-de-Haut, Iles des Saintes, Guadeloupe, Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, Gustavia, St Barts, Philipsburg and Sint Maarten. Departs Sint Maarten on Dec 14 2024.

Central America

This cruise not only takes you deep into the culture of Central America, but also to the tiny archipelagos that litter its coastline, where you are highly unlikely to see another cruise ship. In English-speaking Belize, youll visit ancient Mayan cities and a wildlife-rich coral reef. In Nicaragua, take a taxi to little-explored Big Corn Island with its colourful wildlife statues, then watch hummingbirds feeding in the trees around Hondurass oldest city, Trujillo, before exploring the remains of its 16th century colonial past.

Below the surface there's a wildlife-rich coral reef in Central America - HURTIGRUTEN

Book it: Hurtigruten Expeditions (02045711385; travelhx.com) has the 13-day Tropical Waters & Remote Island Communities in the Caribbean cruise from 3,186 per person. Calling at Belize, Utila Island, Cayos, Miskito, Island de la Providencia, Big Corn Island, Bocas del Toro and Colon. Departs Miami on Sept 25 2024.

Eastern Caribbean

Start in the pristine Turks and Caicos Islands (still considered by those in the know to be one of the worlds best kept secrets), paying a visit to the jewel in its crown, Grand Turk, where the diminutive main street of its capital, Cockburn Town, is lined with examples of British Colonial architecture. Next, youll sail to quirky Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the island of St Thomas, with its Danish-colonial style houses, then on to Puerto Ricos San Juan, with its Unesco world heritage old town and El Yunque rainforest tours.

There's so much to discover in the Eastern Caribbean - Alamy

Book it: Holland America (0344 338 8605; hollandamerica.com) has the seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise from 1,219 per person, including all drinks and WiFi. Calling at Grand Turk, St Thomas, San Juan, Half Moon Cay and Fort Lauderdale. Departs Fort Lauderdale on Oct 20 2024.

Southern Caribbean

The islands of the Dutch Caribbean  Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao  kick off this itinerary in unforgettable fashion. In Willemstad, Curacaos capital, youd be forgiven for thinking youd stumbled into a brightly repainted version of Amsterdam  but join the locals at the Plasa Bieu, a large covered hall with open kitchens, and a plate of the local Krioyo cuisine will soon prove otherwise. Explore the local fish market in Bonaires capital, Kralendijk, and amble to the huge covered market in Fort-de France when you reach Martinique  also notable for its amazing library (imported stone by stone from France) and its beautiful native flowers.

Curacao's capital looks like a brightly repainted version of Amsterdam - Getty/iStock

Book it: Seabourn (0344 338 8615; seabourn.com) has the 12-Day Treasures Of Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao cruise from 4,799 per person (all inclusive, with WiFi). Calling at Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Martinique, Dominica, St Kitts, Antigua and Tortola. Departs San Juan on Dec 2 2025.

Puerto Rico

Taking in examples of both American and Spanish-influenced Caribbean cultures, this cruise kicks off in St Thomas and concludes in Puerto Rico. The route takes in various exclusive enclaves in between  including St Barths, where the international jet set flee for upmarket solitude, and the privately owned Norman Island, at the southern tip of the British Virgin Islands. The latter is said to hold undiscovered pirate loot, but if searching for buried treasure sounds too much like hard work, the beaches of White Bay (and the world famous Soggy Dollar Bar) make a lovely spot to kick off your flip flops and relax in the sun.

The beaches of White Bay are a beautiful sight - Alamy

Book it: Mundy Cruising (020 7399 7670; mundycruising.co.uk) has the Virgin Islands and Undiscovered Puerto Rico cruise from 4,995 per person, including return UK flights, one night in Miami, one night in St Thomas, overseas transfers, all meals and drinks, port taxes and gratuities. Calling at Lovango, White Bay, St Barths, Norman Island, Boqueron, Salinas and Puerto Rico. Departs St Thomas on Nov 23 2024.

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Dame Esther Rantzen says she has joined Dignitas and that dogs have kinder deaths than people

Dame Esther Rantzen said she has joined Dignitas and that dogs have kinder deaths than people, as campaigners congregated outside of Parliament ahead of a debate on assisted dying.

Dame Esther said she is considering travelling to Switzerland for an assisted death, after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer in 2023, and has implored MPs to attend Mondays debate.

The Childline founder and broadcaster has branded the current law as not right and not ethical, and has called for a free vote on assisted dying in parliament.

MPs are to debate assisted dying for the first time in almost two years after a petition backed by Dame Esther, Dignity in Dying and the Daily Express secured more than 200,000 signatures.

She told the BBCs Today programme: I beg MPs to attend it, whatever their view, whether they support a change in the law or they dont, its so important they hear the evidence from around the world because other countries are ahead of us, other countries have legalised assisted dying under carefully regulated circumstances.

The evidence is clear, it does not damage palliative care, and in some cases, it has a really positive impact and for me personally, it would mean I could look forward in confidence to a death which is pain-free surrounded by people I love.

Whereas the only other way of having a pain-free death to look forward to in confidence is to go to Dignitas in Switzerland, without my family. Because if my family go with me they could be investigated by the police well...for killing me or pressuring me to die, which is absurd I know, but its also extremely painful.

Esther Rantzen said she would be watching the debate closely (PA)

In an interview with GMB, she added: I had three deaths that happened soon after each other. There was Desmond, my husband, my mother and there was my dog. Theres no question, our dog had the best death.

We discovered he had cancer and before the symptoms got painful, we put him to sleep. We offer our beloved pets a pain-free death and we cant offer it to our beloved family.

She is unable to attend the debate on Monday because she is too ill but campaigners and bereaved relatives are gathering outside parliament ahead of the debate.

Broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby, who has described the current law as increasingly unbearable following the death of his younger brother Nicholas, a motor neurone disease (MND) sufferer, is expected to be among the high-profile figures gathered.

Others including actor Dame Susan Hampshire and long-time campaigner Peter Tatchell are said to be lending their voices to calls for a change in the law at a demonstration on Monday afternoon in central London ahead of the Westminster Hall debate.

Pro-change campaign group Dignity in Dying said terminally ill people and bereaved relatives will also be among those gathered, while the organisation My Death, My Decision described it as a significant moment in the campaign for a compassionate assisted dying law.

Long-time campaigner Peter Tatchell is joining calls for a change in the law (PA)

The petition, which has led to Mondays debate, stated: Terminally ill people who are mentally sound and near the end of their lives should not suffer unbearably against their will.

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi, a member of the petitions committee, is due to open the debate, while victims and safeguarding minister Laura Farris will respond on behalf of the government. There will not be a vote.

The issue was last voted on in the Commons in 2015, when it was defeated at second reading stage by 330 votes to 118.

But it has been less than two years since a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying took place, with one held in July 2022. On that occasion, some 38 MPs contributed to the three-hour debate.

Those who oppose a change in the law have voiced concerns that legalising assisted dying could put pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives for fear of being a burden on others, and argue the disabled, elderly, sick or depressed could be especially at risk.

Dr Gordon Macdonald, chief executive of the campaign group Care Not Killing, described Mondays debate as a missed opportunity to talk about fixing the UKs palliative and social care system.

He said: Instead of discussing this dangerous and ideological policy, we should be talking about how to fix the UKs broken and patchy palliative care system so everyone can have a dignified death.

Assisted suicide is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.

In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is committed to allowing a vote on legalising assisted dying should Labour win the general election, while Downing Street has previously said it would be up to parliament whether to debate legalising assisted dying again.
Effort to keep seniors in their homes longer set to expand to Portsmouth. Here's how.

They were once called the Greater Village of Newport.

Now, a group of volunteers have expanded and are called the Aquidneck Island Village.

Mary Alice Smith, the co-chair of the village, said that soon seniors could rely on volunteers to help them run errands, fix Internet issues or just change a lightbulb.

At first, the village was going to represent Middletown and Newport. Now, that group has expanded its range and will cover Portsmouth.

Caroline Dillon, executive director of The Village Common of Rhode Island, and members of her non-profit staff began meeting with locals last spring and later this year the Village volunteers are expected to start work.

Greater Newport Village Steering Committee members (Left to Right) Sheila McEntee, co-chair; Judy Webb, Judi Tisdall and Joan Zuerner discuss plans for the new concept.

We've responded to people's interest and expressions of wanting services in their areas since we began this project. When we learned at our first public meeting in February in Newport how many people from Middletown were interested, we expanded to include them, Smith said recently.

We also received feedback from our Middletown gathering in March that folks there feel the Greater Newport Village name makes Middletown residents and officials feel less visible and important than Newport. We wanted to be more inclusive.

Based on that mindset, the groups range has expanded and it will now cover Middletowns neighbor to the north, while also becoming the Aquidneck Island Village.

We have three Steering Committee members from Portsmouth who strongly advocated for expanding our geographic coverage to Portsmouth and are enthusiastic about doing outreach to the Portsmouth community, Smith also said.

She said the steering committee voted unanimously at the April 18 meeting to expand and change the name.

The Village Common of Rhode Island (which oversees all the villages) gives us the flexibility to respond to such feedback and to shift our service area and name as we deem appropriate, Smith added.

We all felt it would be easier to change the name now than to rebrand later.

Members will want transportation to many doctors offices and other destinations in Portsmouth, so our volunteers will be driving there anyway.

In an interview earlier this year, Smith said she hopes to launch the group in the spring. However, the group awaits more feedback and will conduct more outreach.

There will be an informational session at the Portsmouth Free Public Library on Wednesday, May 22, from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

The program is a worldwide one that began in Boston in 2002 and then in Providence in 2015.

The volunteers are subjected to background checks and are trained, according to Smith.

The Greater Village volunteers do not offer health assistance or medical care. But unlike a local senior center, volunteers can enter seniors homes and help them with small chores and repairs, as well as run errands such as medication pickups and deliveries.

Its that added bit of help for people who need help with the challenges of aging, Smith said during an interview earlier this year.

Smith said the program is endorsed by the American Association of Retired Persons and the World Health Organization.

In Rhode Island, the Village Common operates in a building in Providence. Since starting in that city, there are now villages in Barrington, Burrillville, Edgewood, Gloucester and Westerly, according to a written release. When a senior calls, it goes to all volunteers within that community. The first responder then visits the seniors home.

They are a fantastic group from the community, Dillon said during an interview earlier this year about the Aquidneck Island group. They are passionate and driven and we are thrilled to be working alongside them.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Village Common of Rhode Island expands to Portsmouth
Located just outside Tampa, Mello on the Beach channels Palm Springs in the Sunshine State.

Courtesy of Mello on the Beach

Living near downtown Tampa, I dont get out to the beaches in the Tampa Bay area nearly as often as you might think. (Read: life.) But when I do, I usually set my sights on a day trip to the sublime stretch of sand along Anna Maria Island, about an hours drive south of my home and another world entirely.

My recent weekend stay with my husband and our two young kids at the newly-opened Mello on the Beach was nothing short of transporting. From the outside, the two-story hotel fronting Manatee Beach (at the southern end of Anna Maria Island in the area called Holmes Beach) looks a lot like other low-rise, retro Gulf Coast motels you find along much of this stretch of the Florida coast.

Terry Ward/Travel + Leisure

But when we pushed open the gate from the parking area and strolled onto the property to find colorful outdoor furnishings and cozy sitting areas shaded with palms greeting us outside our three-bedroom apartment, High Tide, we were all smiles.

Inside, there are even more colorful and fun design touches, starting with the spacious eat-in kitchen with a colorful terrazzo countertop and retro tiling on the walls. The living room, overlooking the hotels boomerang-shaped pool, had an oversized L-shaped couch, bright throw pillows surrounded by mid-century-inspired furnishings, and a retro rotary-style phone (that actually worked!) that my kids instantly gravitated to.

Jennifer Rosenthal, principal of Miami and New York City-based Studio J & Co, is behind the hotels playful design, which she says is meant to reimagine what a Palm Springs hotel could feel like in a small beachside community like Anna Maria Island.

We wanted to create a retro yet elevated getaway with lots of Instagrammable moments for all guests alike, Rosenthal says.

Its a design and feel that works, as I felt at once whisked away to a mid-century Palm Springs mindset while also very grounded in a classic Florida beach getaway at the same time.

The hotel opened in July 2023 and has 11 units, all with full kitchens and private patios, spread between two stories and surrounded by tropical landscaping and a white picket fence. You can be down on the beach within a minute of closing the door to your unit  accessible via a code, so you dont need to keep track of a card or key.

I found cheerfulness in just being at this hotel, thanks to the decors expert melding of color pops in the fresh white spaces and abstract patterns on the wall coverings mixed with soft and beachy textures throughout. (My kids clearly felt similarly and asked why High Tide couldnt be our home.)

Anna Maria Island, loaded with vacation rentals, was lacking a stylish and modern beachfront stay like this one, and its clear Mello on the Beach filled a clear need. Locals living in the area who wandered by commented that they loved what had been done with the place, a result of demolishing the 1975 building that sat on the site previously.

While the comfort of our apartment was hard to leave, I loved making a coffee in the morning and walking down to the beach for a stroll alongside the waters edge, lined with shore birds, at sunrise. My family and I spent days rotating between the pool, beach, and activity lawn for Jenga and ladder ball competitions, while the firepit was the perfect place to sit with a cocktail after catching the sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

Here, read on for Travel + Leisure's full review of Mello on the Beach.







Mello on the Beach

The hotel has a prime location with direct beach access and several laid-back, beachy restaurants within walking distance.

Accommodations include one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments with full kitchens and luxe linens in the bright and cheerful bedrooms.

An outdoor activity lawn, set just back from the dunes, has lawn games (corn hole, Jenga, and the like), tables, and Adirondack chairs around a giant fire pit for alfresco hangs.

The retro boomerang-shaped heated pool has giant inflatables, colorful tubes to relax on, and plenty of lounge chairs shaded by umbrellas.

The hotels vibrant, retro-inspired color pop design instantly boosts mood.









The Rooms

The hotels one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments all have full kitchens with colorful terrazzo countertops, custom concrete tiling, and full-size washing machines and dryers, making them perfect for a night or much longer stay.

Units have playful names like Sol Mate, Hip Nautic, and Vitamin Sea, and the bedrooms each take on a unique color scheme, with white furnishings livened up with color-pop custom wall coverings and pretty wooden headboards. Touches like throw-back rotary phones in candy colors, beautiful coffee table books, and throw pillows with fun messages like Chill Pill add a homey touch.

Units also have private outdoor spaces with chairs and lawn furniture for relaxing in addition to the hotels public hangout areas, including the large pool deck and outdoor lawn games. All rentals include pool and beach towels, beach chairs, beach umbrellas, and personal coolers. The hotel even throws in pet accessories for four-legged friends, who are also welcome to stay the night.

Food and Drink

The hotel has no onsite restaurants or bars, but all units have full kitchens with all the utensils, pots, and pans you need for cooking meals.

Alternatively, an inexpensive little burger and hot dog joint, Skinnys Place, is right across the street from the hotel and serves buffalo chicken, chili and grilled cheese. You dont even need to cross the street to reach Anna Maria Island Beach Cafe, beachfront on the block just north of the hotel, with a happening little tiki bar, all-you-can-eat pancakes for breakfast every day of the week, and all kinds of salads, seafood platters, burgers, and sandwiches on the menu.

Activities and Amenities

Terry Ward/Travel + Leisure

With beach chairs, umbrellas, and a cooler all provided for you here, its just a few steps from your accommodations at Mello on the Beach to the sand, where towering pine trees shade a pretty picnic area alongside the dunes, and a wide beach awaits.

For guests who prefer to hang poolside, the propertys boomerang-shaped heated pool is lined with palm trees and lounge chairs shaded by umbrellas. Oversized inflatables add to the Instagram-friendly scene, along with poppy striped umbrellas  theres a gorgeous tiled outdoor shower, too. The hotels activity lawn, set just back from the dunes and with beach views, is a fun place to gather off the sand on an astroturf surface stocked with lawn games surrounding a huge firepit and available barbecue grills. You can rent bicycles on the property to pedal north to Anna Maria Islands top sights, including the fishing pier and many more beachfront cafes.

Family-Friendly Offerings

Terry Ward/Travel + Leisure

With onsite bike rentals and an activity lawn stocked with free games, the property is designed to make family fun intuitive. My kids loved splashing around on the giant inflatables in the pool. That I could sit on High Tides patio with a coffee while watching them do a dawn patrol pool swim was a nice perk, too. An hours worth of free bike rentals is also included with your stay.

Accessibility and Sustainability

For an ADA-compliant room, book the ground-floor three-bedroom suite with a roll-in shower.

Location

Terry Ward/Travel + Leisure

Right on Manatee Beach at the southern end of Anna Maria Island, the hotel fronts one of the Tampa Bay areas prettiest stretches of sand. Youre about an hours drive south of Tampa, 45 minutes from downtown St. Petersburg and about 40 minutes north of Sarasota here. If your main vacation goal is to beach it, you could do without a car here most of the time, taking advantage of the free Island Trolley that stops right near the hotel to visit Bradenton Beach to the south and sights to the north on Anna Maria Island. However, its handy to have your own wheels to explore further afield in the area.

How to Get the Most Value Out of Your Stay

Mello on the Beach partners with Homes and Villas by Marriott, through which individual units can be rented. All Marriott Bonvoy members can earn or redeem points when booking through HVMI.

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Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.
He mapped 3,000 miles of NC rivers, recording every joy and hazard

For the last 20 years, Ive carried around a battered, dog-eared guidebook smeared with the mud of 20 rivers  a manual for dodging rocks in the Eno, shooting through rapids on the Haw and spotting the herons on Great Coharie Creek.

Anyone who ever shoved a canoe into brown Tar Heel water did so with the aid of Paddling Eastern North Carolina, a tool so comprehensive it includes the exact GPS coordinates for when the Black River becomes snake-infested swamp, requiring a boater to get out and walk.

The columnists copy of Paul Fergusons paddling guide, a companion on dozens of NC river outings.

An engineer by trade, Ferguson has floated every inch of navigable water east of Chapel Hill, logging 3,200 miles and feeding every bit of useful information into his tape recorder:

the safest place to launch on the Neuse when banks rise 40 feet high;

the downed trees blocking passage through the Tar River forests;

the whereabouts of dams  both man and beaver-made, on the Deep;

and most crucially, the minimum amount of water to keep a boat from scraping bottom  a constant threat in summer.

Paddlers who know and love him joke that Ferguson would try to map a puddle of spit on the ground, and on Friday night in Pittsboro, they celebrated the great dean of North Carolina rivers, who at 81 has finally slowed down his paddling.

It took forever, he said of his work, but it was so much fun.

The states most avid small-boat enthusiasts, those small-boat nerds who still own dented aluminum canoes from Sears, applauded another paddling luminary: Bob Brueckner, who with a tenure of four years holds the record for longest-serving president of the Carolina Canoe Club.

Bob Brueckner, longest-serving president of the Carolina Canoe Club, on the Rocky River.

Since 1987, Brueckner has taught hundreds how to manage a kayak through rapids, collected and hauled off thousands of pounds of river trash and navigated the complex bureaucracy that goes into making land friendly for self-propelled boats.

One by one, his admirers stood to recall his watery folklore: building a wooden canoe with his father and then wrecking it on the Eno, inventing a concoction called Twisted Miss made from Swiss Miss cocoa and rum, then spitting it into a post-paddling campfire for pyrotechnic effect.

When I have any money, I buy paddling gear, said his sister Ann, quoting Brueckners unofficial motto. If I have any left, I buy food and clothing.

Rivers in North Carolina are notoriously unpredictable, and a tranquil float can turn disastrous in a hundred ways.

The water gets rocky west of Raleigh, and a boulder lurking just under the surface will grab a boat by the bottom and spin it around backward, filling it with water. I lost my wedding ring on the Haw escaping this exact scenario.

To the east, the steep river banks get slick with pudding-thick mud, and a paddler trying to climb over them will slip around like Scooby Doo getting chased by a ghost. Trees growing in this gooey soil fall over and block the entire river  an obstacle you often discover by rounding a bend and smacking into it.

I cannot count the trees I have scrambled over while dragging my boat behind, but I can count the number of times Ive fallen off them into neck-deep water: twice.

Ferguson knows these hazards too well.

In 2004, he tried to beach his canoe above a dam on the Haw River, but instead got sucked into the current and tumbled backward over a 15-foot drop to the boulders below.

He cracked two vertebrae in his neck and broke his leg in the fall, and waited in the cold water while his paddling companion ran for help. Medics dragged him up the hill in a stretcher, shooting him full of morphine until a helicopter could arrive.

Paul Ferguson is celebrated by the Carolina Canoe Club after 50 years of logging information on NC rivers.

The point of celebrating these paddling icons is to hand the next generation access to their considerable work, giving curious new explorers the treasure maps that are starting to yellow with age.

Theres a reason so few people have camped on the wooden platforms perched on the Roanoke River and heard the bobcats screech at night, or floated past the 2,000-year-old trees on the Black River and thought they had stumbled onto a set from The Lord of the Rings:

Theyre crazy-hard to reach, and anything crazy-hard to reach requires a good guide. In Pittsboro Friday, that guide sat at the head table in a room full of fellow explorers, listening politely to the stories he inspired.

Toward the end, one of them stood and offered this toast:

If you were ever asked, Who would you rather share a campfire, tall tales and a bottle of bourbon with, your answer should be ... ?

The whole room said Fergusons name.

Uniquely NC is a News & Observer subscriber collection of moments, landmarks and personalities that define the uniqueness (and pride) of why we live in the Triangle and North Carolina.
We know McDonald's is seemingly everywhere; it's the largest restaurant chain in the world by total stores. Even if only four African countries have a McDonald's, they're pretty much ubiquitous everywhere else. But the total numbers might amaze you, especially compared to other facilities typically considered more important for a functioning society than a fast food chain.

Take McDonald's and hospitals, for example. The United States has 6,120 hospitals. That's not an insignificant number of healthcare facilities, but it's less than half the number of McDonald's in America, which rises to 13,529. So, isn't this a huge problem we should be concerned about?

Well, not really, no. While it may seem odd that there are so many locations of one specific restaurant chain compared to an essential service like a hospital, it makes a lot of sense. After all, how often do you need to eat compared to how often you need medical attention?

Read more: The Ultimate Ranking Of American Fast Food Restaurants

It Makes Perfect Sense There Would Be More McDonald's Than Hospitals

exterior of a hospital - Dragon Claws/Getty Images

McDonald's reached its lofty success by being cheap, accessible, and consistent  the company's focus on an invariant experience in particular is why McDonald's dislikes regional menu items, for instance (and why some locations selling random, unofficial food items tends to make corporate unhappy). A quick, affordable dinner option where you always know what you're getting will always be in high demand, so it's not surprising the chain has thousands of locations. After all, you need to eat every day, and each location can only handle so many customers.

What most people don't need every day is medical attention. Hospitals are critical, and it's true that healthcare suffers from issues like accessibility in rural areas and staffing shortages across the board in America; GoodRx's research indicates that 80% of the country can't easily access healthcare. But even if there were enough hospitals and medical professionals to comfortably serve every American, the number of McDonald's locations would vastly outnumber them  and that's not some crisis we need to worry about.

Other Essential Services Vastly Outnumber McDonald's

hands holding mcdonald's burger - New Africa/Shutterstock

It also makes sense because a hospital is a centralized location where people go in an emergency. A single hospital is much larger and can serve many more people than a single McDonald's restaurant at one time, while a company like McDonald's will want to ensure as much geographic coverage as possible over a broader area in order to maximize profit. Hospitals, meanwhile, aren't generally concerned with luring in as many customers as possible  especially not the 1,551 public hospitals in the United States.

The proof is in the pudding here, as other essential services  which typically require smaller locations spread over a larger geographic area than hospitals  vastly outnumber McDonald's. There are 18,000 local police departments in the U.S. (meaning an even higher number of precincts), for example, and 27,129 registered fire departments. The disparity is even more severe with schools: America has 130,930 elementary, middle and high schools, reflecting the nature of an essential service millions of people rely on consistently from day to day, similar to how they always need to eat.

So, while it may seem strange that there are double the number of McDonald's locations in America as there are hospitals, it's pretty standard. There's no reason to treat it like a crisis that needs solving.

Read the original article on Daily Meal
Ten years before I was born, at 4:40 on the morning of Nov. 10, 1971, my mother and another woman sat yogi-style on the floor of an Ann Arbor, Mich., kitchen and lit themselves on fire. They were just blocks from the University of Michigan campus, where my mother had been a student. She had just turned 20. Police tracked the smell of burning hair to find the women sitting on the floor, facing each other, screaming.

They werent doing anything to put the fire out, Police Chief Walter Krasny told the Ann Arbor News. We have no idea why they would do something like this. They didnt use gasoline or anything. We presume they were fully clothed in street clothing and just set themselves on fire.

My mothers self-immolation was the prologue to my life. Every time another instance of self-immolation occurs, as happened earlier this month outside a courthouse in New York City , I wonder about the people and where they sit in the lineage of the act. The inevitable think pieces after a high-profile self-immolation often sound the same, because what can one say? Its an incredibly contextual act. Its personal, and political. The act is the message, and vice versa. You cannot understand what it means without knowing the persons story. And sometimes not even then.

Ive always been reluctant to link my mothers story to any sort of protest. It felt both sensational and inaccurate to place her suicide attempt into the political history of self-immolation. Because of our cultural tendency toward binary thinking, people are quick to pick a label to understand this act: protest or illness. To accept an act as protest neither negates nor implies mental illness. Both things could be true at once, and other factors altogether could be in play. Implying that mental illness precludes taking a stance is infantilizing.

Many rushed to conclude that mental illness had led a U.S. airman, Aaron Bushnell, to kill himself in February . He set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington. However, Bushnell had posted on social media that he was going to kill himself in protest, and screamed Free Palestine as he went up in flames.

If an individual offers an explanation, Ive always been inclined to accept their statement as is. When they do not, things are stickier. My mother, who died in 2005, spoke about her decision to me only once, when I was 12. Looking back on her account as an adult, I believe that mental illness was one factor. But she also told me she had been drawn to the student activism sweeping the country at that time. I have never found either of those explanations complete enough.

The year my mother and the woman with her burned, 1971, marked the end of a string of Vietnamese monks self-immolating following Thich Quang ucs burning at a Saigon intersection. It was an era of protest, student unrest, spiritual awakening and the cultism that often accompanies fading trust in institutions. Martyrdom and protest, profound grief and psychological angst were in the ether  as they are now. This month in New York City, as one man burned himself in the protest zone outside Donald Trumps trial, students uptown were demonstrating for a free Palestine. I cant help the gnawing sensation that while moving forward, we have also traveled back. Now, I wonder, whether my mother and the other woman were somehow tapping a cultural current of the early 70s. Channeling it.

In a 1965 letter to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh wrote about how difficult it is for the Western Christian conscience to understand the self-immolation of Vietnamese monks. He explained that the actions were neither suicide nor protest, but were devotional: "During the ceremony of ordination, as practiced in the Mahayana [Buddhist] tradition, the monk-candidate is required to burn one, or more, small spots on his body in taking the vow to observe the 250 rules of a bhikshu, to live the life of a monk, to attain enlightenment and to devote his life to the salvation of all beings.  The importance is not to take ones life, but to burn. What he really aims at is the expression of his will and determination, not death."

According to news reports, in the ambulance on the way to the University of Michigan Burn Center, my mother or the woman she burned with whispered: Its lovely to die together. At no point that night, or in the months that followed, as my mother healed and the other woman eventually died in the hospital, did they ever make a statement to police. They refused to say more about their intent. As such, theirs was an almost anomalous case  resisting efforts to be categorized as protest or illness.

For a long time, I thought her burning had no place in this larger sociopolitical context, but the more I see it refracted through todays lens, the more I understand that even without stated intent, an act of self-burning is inherently political. People around the world have self-immolated because of job loss or oppressive domestic or cultural environments. They have burned to protest political regimes and to decry imperialism. They have burned, as the monks did, to express will. Whatever the impetus, maybe no other act has so exemplified the personal as political. And maybe its no coincidence that personal is political was coined by feminists in 1970  the year before my mothers suicide attempt, when people were fighting for many of the civil rights being rolled back now, state by state.

What does an individual act of self-immolation mean? That can be hard to answer, but whats clear to me is that these acts have meaning, and that meaning is often multifaceted. They could be conveying pain within themselves, or in their families, or in the larger systems in which we work and love and live. Whether in illness or protest or both, or for other reasons entirely, they are expressing their will and determination. With their bodies, they are saying look here now. If burning oneself is a way of speaking out, we oversimplify or sensationalize the act at our own peril.

Nina St. Pierre, a culture writer and essayist in New York, is the author of the forthcoming memoir  Love Is a Burning Thing .

If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A perfectly imperfect dog has been in a Florida shelter for more than 800 days  and he still needs a home.

I dont understand why nobody wants me, the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast said in Facebook post written from the perspective of Jamal the dog. I try to give them puppy eyes, and even a little whine to let them know how desperate I am for a home. I have never once gotten adopted in the 2+ years Ive been waiting.

The humane society shared the emotional post April 26, about 800 days after Jamal landed at its Palm City facility. He arrived in February 2022 after his owner needed to move and couldnt bring him along, Sarah Fisher, communications manager for the shelter, told McClatchy News in an email.

Early on, Jamal was terrified and did not like to be touched. But over the years, the quiet dog reportedly has grown to trust shelter workers.

I had a rough start to life, the humane society wrote. I wasnt socialized well as a puppy, and it took me a long time to come out of my shell.

Jamal, now the shelters longest resident, also has become known for his love of playing fetch and splashing in doggy pools. Hes still apprehensive around new people, and the shelter hopes he will find a patient owner.

I get so excited when visitors come to the shelter, the animal organization wrote in its most recent post. I think is this really going to be MY day for a family? But then they leave with another dog and my heart is shattered to pieces.

The shelter, which said Jamal ends up heartbroken when hes not adopted, believes he would do best in a home with no other pets. Hes described as a perfectly imperfect mixed-breed dog wanting a second chance.

All I ask is for a home, the shelter wrote. Will you at least give me a try?

As of April 29, the humane societys website showed 4-year-old Jamal was still in need of a new owner or foster home. More details about the shelters adoption process can be found at hstc1.org.

Palm City is a roughly 100-mile drive north from Miami.

She fell in love with shelter dog  but couldnt adopt. Then came a joyful reunion

Sweet dog came to Florida rescue in rough shape. Then came amazing transformation
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. In the current geopolitical environment, the world's top countries, particularly the United States and the European Union, are facing serious challenges in obtaining critical raw materials. The European Union has already begun deepening cooperation with some governments in this area, and one of those governments is Uzbekistan.

According to Trend, on April 5, 2024, Uzbekistan and the European Union signed a memorandum of understanding to create sustainable value chains for vital raw commodities. The agreement is intended to have an impact on the development of Uzbekistan's mining industry as well as provide the European Union with minerals like copper and molybdenum. In the following step, the parties will collaborate to develop an operating strategy.

Laziz Kudratov, Minister of Investment, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan, and Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice President of the European Commission.

In recent years, European state representatives, particularly those from France and Germany, have paid increasing visits to Central Asian countries, particularly Uzbekistan. For example, French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to Uzbekistan on November 2, 2023, addressed strategic problems. Meanwhile, Germany's economic objectives include boosting the number of multinational corporations operating in Uzbekistan and expanding new investment opportunities. The recent meeting between Olaf Scholz and Shavkat Mirziyoyev resulted in the signing of a $9 billion trade, investment, and technology deal.

For the Central Asian countries, which this time became independent participants in the historic "Great Game," there are now ample opportunities. However, since the interests of the powers in the region are different, this also poses additional risks for independent states. Here, one of the factors affecting the geopolitical balance is the availability of critical raw materials reserves. There is a serious confrontation between major powers over critical raw materials, and this situation is predicted to continue in the future. Europe's attempts to reduce its dependence on critical raw materials from Russia, which is in conflict, and the fact that China is one of the world's consumers in this area, are a challenge for official Brussels.

Why is Uzbekistan, which possesses critical raw materials, becoming a strategic partner of the EU?

Critical row materials, or raw resources metals, are used in many strategic and critical aircraft components, such as mercury lamps, lasers, microwave filters, battery electrodes, nuclear batteries, etc., as well as in the production of renewable energy equipment (solar panels, wind turbines, electric cars). It is more profitable for Europe to use the deposits that have already been explored and confirmed in Soviet times than to explore new deposits.

One of the reasons for the West's increased attention to Uzbekistan is its rich copper deposits. At the same time, as the EU's efforts to meet climate goals are threatened, Brussels is trying to find alternative ways out.

According to confirmed open-source information, deposits of raw resources are located in China, India, Russia, and Brazil. Based on Western press reports, China maintains its dominance in raw resources metal production and creates competition. Viewing this as a threat, the European Union is therefore focusing on new arrangements and projects with states located in the Central Asian region.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated in one of her speeches to Parliament: "Lithium and raw earth metals will soon become more important than oil and gas. Our demand for raw earth metals alone will increase fivefold by 2030. We must avoid re-dependence as we did with oil and gas." Thus, Europe is certainly in search of a new and reliable supplier of these resources. Considering all this, Central Asia is attracting attention as a new global player, with Uzbekistan as well as Kazakhstan welcoming the influx of foreign investors into the country.

Transportation logistics are of strategic importance.

In the transportation of raw materials vital to the Western world, the topic of stable transportation directions naturally becomes particularly relevant. Therefore, the most suitable and safe option may be considered the realization of critical raw material supply from Central Asia to Europe via Azerbaijan. The sides have not yet made official statements in the press on this issue. If we take into account the ongoing global changes in Eurasia, it can be seen that the traditional line through the Russian Federation has already lost its relevance due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

On the other hand, it is clear that a transportation corridor that could pass through Iran would not be sustainable, given the historically unpredictable nature of relations between official Tehran and the West. Therefore, the export of raw metals to the West is likely to be carried out within the framework of the Middle Corridor project, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Indeed, in this case, Azerbaijan's role and importance as a transit country, stable, reliable, and possessing the necessary infrastructural capabilities, increase, and the official Baku supports this strategic project.

Thus, the sustainable export of raw materials vital for Europe from Central Asian countries to the West can be implemented precisely through Azerbaijan.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
People around the world enjoy sandwiches in different ways, and Uruguay is no exception. The roots of its chivito sandwich run deep, dating back to 1944. That year, chef Antonio Carbonaro was working the kitchen at El Mejillon, a seaside restaurant in the popular Punta del Este resort, when a guest requested something unusual. She reportedly hailed from Cordoba, a mountainous province in Argentina where cabrito Cordobes, or Cordoban goat meat, was a culinary staple  and that's exactly what she wanted.

The woman requested a sandwich with the meat, and while this no doubt would have been delicious (not to mention that goat is overall more nutritious than lamb), El Mejillon didn't have goat meat in stock. Not one to back down from a challenge, Carbonaro decided to get creative. He whipped up a sandwich with steak, ham, cheese, lettuce, and mayonnaise, presenting it to the customer as the "chivito," which translates to "little goat." Whether or not the Argentine woman enjoyed the sandwich has been lost to time. The name stuck, though, and today the sandwich is regarded as one of Uruguay's most iconic dishes.

Read more: 41 Must Try Hot Sandwich Recipes

What Makes An Authentic Uruguayan Chivito Sandwich?

Person holding chivito sandwich - Marcos Milan Rodao / Shutterstock

There are several variations of the chivito out there, including the chivito Canadienese which adds Canadian bacon, onions, peppers, and olives to the sandwich. If you want to make an authentic Uruguayan chivito, though, look no further than Alejandro Sequeira, co-author of "Chivito: The King of Sandwiches." Sequeira lays out a specific technique for the filling, saying that the ham should be folded over the cheese like a "booklet," with the lettuce leaves always serving as a base (via Parts Unknown). This, Sequeira says, will "prevent the bottom slice of the bread from getting soggy." Since Uruguayans prefer using softer breads for their sandwiches, avoiding excess moisture is paramount. (Incidentally, you should apply expert layering techniques to all of your sandwiches, not just the chivito  it's a sure way to never eat a messy sandwich again.)

In terms of ingredients, the Uruguayan chivito has evolved since 1944. In addition to Antonio Carbonaro's five ingredients, the modern iteration contains tomatoes and eggs, making an already-hefty sandwich even more imposing (and tempting). Some variations add fresh bell peppers to the mix, adding a crisp sweetness to contrast with the soft bread, rich meat, gooey cheese, buoyant egg whites, and crunchy peppers.

Read the original article on Mashed
A second Michigan dairy farm worker has contracted bird flu, bringing the number of cases in the United States this year to three, and the total ever detected in the U.S. to four. The latest case stands out because the worker developed a cough, marking the first time this year bird flu has led to flu-like symptoms in a human, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a May 30 statement. Pink eye and fatigue were the only symptoms in this year's previous infections.

U.S. health officials are "preparing for the possibility of increased risk to human health" due to bird flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a May 24 statement. In April, the CDC confirmed the first human case of the year, a dairy farm worker infected in Texas. All infected individuals had prolonged close contact with infected cattle. The CDC maintains that the risk to the general public is still "low," but the CDC has also warned that, if it isn't contained, the bird flu virus could mutate, "potentially causing a pandemic." Already, the Department of Health and Human Services has set plans in motion to make 4.8 million doses of bird flu vaccine, CIDRAP reports.

Dairy cattle herds have been infected in Texas, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio and South Dakota. Cases in birds in New York City parks and green spaces have also been confirmed by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai researchers.

How concerned should you be about bird flu, and what might this mean for the food supply? Heres what you need to know.

 What is bird flu?

Bird flu  clinically known as influenza A (H5N1)  is a variation of flu virus that spreads primarily among birds and poultry and can be highly contagious and even fatal among birds, according to the CDC. Occasionally, the virus will jump to other animals if they eat infected birds or drink water contaminated by the feces of infected birds, the CDC says. That has become more common in recent years. Viruses are constantly mutating, and the more they spread, the more they mutate. A recent family of variants may be particularly adept at infecting other animals, including cattle, according to the World Health Organization.

Its rare for the virus to infect humans, and when it does happen, its usually confined to one person who was in close contact with an infected animal and doesnt spread to others. Bird flu may cause mild to severe sickness in humans, and it has the potential to cause pneumonia and severe, sometimes fatal lung inflammation. Since 2020, there have been 26 cases in humans confirmed by the WHO, seven of which have been fatal.

 Have people been infected?

Three people have been infected in this year's outbreak among dairy cattle, making a total of four people in the U.S. who have had the virus ever. (The first-ever U.S. case was in a poultry worker who contracted the virus in 2022 while culling infected birds and recovered after experiencing only mild fatigue.)

The third and latest person infected this year is the second case in Michigan. The latest person is also a dairy farm worker who is thought to have contracted bird flu from a dairy cow. But, unlike in this year's other two cases, the worker had a cough, the first time officials have seen respiratory symptoms in the latest outbreak. The first infected Michigan dairy farm worker was being closely monitored after coming in contact with infected dairy cattle when they tested positive. Their only symptom was pink eye, and they initially tested negative for H5N1 when their nose was swabbed. However, an eye swab confirmed that they had bird flu. They have since made a full recovery.

The first human case of 2024 (and second case ever) detected in the U.S. was a dairy farm worker in Texas, who was diagnosed in late March after developing pink eye. Eye inflammation was the only symptom the Texas dairy worker experienced; they never developed any respiratory symptoms that health officials might have expected with bird flu.

No other human cases have been confirmed in the U.S., but wastewater testing revealed bird flu had found its way into Texass sewage system beginning as early as March  nearly a month before the first human case was uncovered. The testing has found bird flu in 19 of the 23 places that have been monitored, CNN reported. But its unclear if the virus found in sewage came from cattle, birds or humans. Experts told The Atlantic that they suspect that there have likely been more undiagnosed cases in dairy farm workers. The CDC on May 24 urged stepped-up global surveillance to detect such cases, and told doctors to consider bird flu as a potential cause when patients who have had possible contact with animals  such as at an "agricultural fair"  present with pink eye or respiratory symptoms.

Meanwhile, Australia has reported its first ever human case of bird flu. A child who had traveled to India tested positive in March and had a severe infection, officials said, but has since recovered.

 What's being done?

The federal government is providing $200 million to help stem transmission, Reuters reported on May 10. The CDC has also requested that states provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to dairy farm workers who might be at risk, according to an emailed statement. Federal funding will provide each affected farm with up to $28,000 a day toward measures to slow the spread among animals and prevent transmission to humans, CNN reported. Health agencies will also get $101 million for continued food safety monitoring.

Dairy and poultry farm workers remain the CDC's main concern. On May 6, the agency asked state health and agriculture departments to provide PPE to dairy farm workers at risk of contracting bird flu in an effort to prevent any additional cases, the agency said in an emailed statement. But many at-risk farmworkers have yet to receive their protective gear, Reuters reported on May 23. The CDC has also asked state health officials to take other steps like making sure they have bird flu tests available to confirm possible infections. It also said health officials should stay in close contact with veterinarians and agriculture department officials and asked to be notified of any "challenges" states encounter.

 What are the risks to humans?

For the general public, the risk remains low, the CDC says. Although human bird flu cases are extremely rare in the U.S., the CDC has asked states to step up their monitoring for the virus. Summer brings a lull in cases of common human flu, so testing often falls off. But, on May 21, the CDC said states should keep their monitoring at peak levels, testing positive flu samples to see if the illness was caused by H5N1.

 What does it mean for our food and milk?

After particles of the bird flu virus were discovered in about 1 in 5 samples of grocery store milk, further Food and Drug Administration testing has confirmed that the virus was inactivated by pasteurization, a sterilizing process used on more than 99% of the commercial milk supply. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also tested ground beef for bird flu, and all the samples came back negative.

Bird flu has also been found in unpasteurized milk, but you shouldnt consume unpasteurized milk or cheese regardless, the CDC warns, because they carry risk of infections like listeria. The CDC also says that the risk of being infected from eating eggs is low, and properly cooking them would kill any virus anyway.

Farms are prohibited from selling products  including milk and eggs  from sick animals, so its unlikely that contaminated food would wind up on grocery store shelves. The most likely impact of the bird flu outbreak in animals on the food supply is rising prices. Egg prices have shot up as chickens have been culled or died, limiting the supply of eggs. Milk prices could see increases but are stable so far.

On April 15, Colombia became the first country to restrict the importation of beef and beef products from U.S. states with infected herds, Reuters reported. CDC tests have shown that properly cooking beef kills the bird flu virus and the agency says that the food supply is safe. However, on May 24, the USDA announced in a press statement that bird flu virus was detected in meat from one sick dairy cow that had been culled (meaning the meat never would have been sold). All other 95 samples tested by the agency were negative.

 Are there bird flu vaccines and treatments?

Yes. According to a CIDRAP report on May 22, the U.S. government could have the 4.8 million doses of bird flu vaccine ready in a month or two. One of the two candidate vaccines the U.S. government stockpiles appears to be a good match against the currently circulating virus, officials say. The shot will only be distributed if the current outbreak takes a turn for the worse by, for example, spreading from person to person, spreading more easily and often from animals to humans, if cases are confirmed in people with no contact with dairy cattle, or if human illnesses from bird flu become more severe, officials said.

 How can I avoid bird flu?

Avoid close or prolonged contact with wild birds, cattle or any other animal suspected of being infected. The CDC also recommends steering clear of surfaces that may be contaminated with raw milk, animal feces, litter or anything else that might have crossed paths with an infected animal.

Cooking poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165F will kill off any virus. It's also recommended for milk drinkers to consume only pasteurized milk to prevent contracting bird flu or other viruses or bacteria from raw foods, and to avoid raw or undercooked foods sourced from animals that may be infected with bird flu.

This article was originally published on April 4, 2024. It has since been updated.
Three restaurants in Miami, two in Broward named best brunch spots in the U.S.

Just in time for Mothers Day, the biggest brunch day of the year, three Miami restaurants and two from Broward were just named among the best brunch spots in the country.

In its Top 100 Brunch Spots for 2024, Yelp highlighted Wynwoods R House (no. 21), famous for its Latin American fare and energetic drag shows; Rosies, the restaurant run by husband-and-wife team Akino and Jamila West in the Little River neighborhood that was recommend by the Michelin Guide (no. 31); and Bistro Cafe in Miami (no. 73), an all-day brunch spot that highlights traditional Puerto Rican dishes.

Farah Abu-Hantash, Yelp senior community manager for Miami, called the city a brunch hot spot.

The spirit of exploration and decadence makes Miami a must-visit destination for brunch lovers and the perfect destination for an unforgettable Mothers Day brunch, he said.

Owen Bale, the CEO of R House Wynwood, was thrilled with making the list.

Beyond thrilled to receive this recognition from Yelp!, he said. And its even sweeter to know that this ranking is based on guest experience and feedback. We love to make our brunch experience incredible for every guest who walks through our doors.

Bistro Cafe in Miami serves breakfast and brunch with a Puerto Rican flair.

Rosies, which serves Southern fare like chicken and waffles and banana pancakes with vanilla custard, was recently named for the second year in a row as a Michelin Bib Gourmand, a designation that signifies a restaurant that serves quality food at a reasonable price. The outdoor restaurant is closing temporarily, however, to prepare to move into its permanent location in the same neighborhood. Its final day is Mothers Day.

Two Broward County restaurants also made the list: the eclectic Bulegreen Cafe Yard in Oakland Park and Java & Jam on Las Olas Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Earlier this year, Bulegreen Cafe Yard, which specializes in crepes, waffles, sandwiches and specialty coffee, also made Yelps 2024 Top 100 Places to Eat list. Vagner Carli, who co owns Bulegreen Cafe Yard with his partner Carlos Riveiro De Castro, said that such acclaim is rewarding to the restaurant.

It shows us we are doing something right, he told the Miami Herald. Somehow, people like what we do. That recognition gives us the fuel to continue. For us, its not only about giving the best food but also the best service. We like to give people an experience.

The no. 1 brunch spot in the U.S., according to Yelp, is Toasted Gastrobrunch, with two locations in Las Vegas and three in California. The highest ranked brunch spot in Florida was the Michelin-recommended Psomi in Tampa (no. 9), a Greek restaurant that boasts the 2023 Michelin Young Chef Award winner Christina Theofilos.

To come up with the best brunch list, the Yelp data team analyzed business ratings and how many reviews of each restaurant appeared.

If you go

Miami

R House Wynwood: 2727 NW Second Ave., Miami; www.rhousewynwood.com; 305-576-0201

Rosies: 162 NW 73rd St., Miami; www.rosiesmia.com; 305-631-2496; closes after Mothers Day

Bistro Cafe: 1352 NE First Ave., Miami; 786-533-3876

Broward

Bulegreen Cafe Yard: 3299 Dixie Highway., Oakland Park; www.bulegreen.us; 954-530-5852

Java & Jam: 301 East Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale; java-jam.com; 954-353-3250
Mexican cruises may be the way to go for Texas families who are looking to travel over the summer without breaking the bank.





Imagine visiting multiple ports, keeping all your luggage in one place, and no flying. Alyssa Maisano, travel agent and owner of Picture It Travel Co., recommends cruising out of Galveston. The city is located on the southern coast of Texas. From Fort Worth, its about a four-and-a-half-hour drive. Note that when you drive to the port, you will need to account for parking your car for a week. This will cost $25 a day if you book through the port of Galveston, for a total of $200 for the week.

Even with parking, a cruise would still be cheaper than a family vacation to Mexico that includes cost of airfare. Overall, an affordable weeklong cruise with parking will cost a family of four $5,000. Traveling to Cancun, Cozumel, or Puerto Vallarta, are cheaper options among tropical vacations but not as cheap as an all-inclusive cruise. Right now, for a family of four to fly to Mexico, airfare would cost around $1,200 alone. An all-inclusive resort for a week would cost a minimum of $5,000  what an entire cruise costs.

Galveston often offers large cruise ships with seven- to eight-day itineraries. Masianos recommended cruise line is Royal Caribbean.

Royal Caribbean out of Galveston is my go-to for families because the ship is always new and it accommodates all generations, said Maisano.

Norwegian Cruise lines is more directed at teenagers and adults. Where Carnival is good for younger kids and families, but can have the rep of being the party boat. If you go on Carnival, Maisano stresses that you should choose a newer ship. Maisano recommends the Jubilee or Mardi Gras ships when cruising with Carnival.

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Maisano has a few rules of thumb when it comes to booking a cruise. Heres what you need to know:

Never take an old ship. Old ships can have sewage, smoke, and creaks at all times. Maisano recommends not booking ships older than ten years. Always take note of how new your ship is and when its last refurbishment was done before booking.

The cheapest rooms are often the ones without windows. A detail that may be important to note for those who have a tendency to get sea sick.

Always show up the day before your ship takes off. If you are cruising out of Galveston on June 5, you need to be in Galveston by June 4 in a hotel so you do not risk missing take off.

Always book travel insurance. If you happen to miss the ship at one of the ports, or experience delays and cancellations, insurance will cover you.

If taking excursions booked with a third party that is not the cruise line, check with the third party to make sure their times are correct and are strictly enforced to prohibit delays. Otherwise your ship may sail off without you.

Booking Galveston often gives you seven- to eight-day travel options whereas booking out of Port Canaveral or Miami, Florida, gives you shorter (five days) options.

To book the most affordable cruise, book almost a year in advance. Right now, some cruise lines even have itineraries up for 2026.

Out of Galveston, here are the Mexico cruises to book with Royal Caribbean.

Lowest prices to Puerto Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, January 2025.

Lowest prices to Cozumel and Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras, November 2024.

Lowest prices for Cozumel and Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, Belize City, Belize, and Roatan, Honduras, November to December 2024.

Maisano specializes in Disney cruises and North Texas family travel. She can accommodate travel needs for airfare, cruising, hotel and resort stays.
Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire that claimed the life of a man Sunday in the Florence neighborhood of Los Angeles, officials announced.

Crews with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to calls about the blaze at 140 E. 71st Street at around 6:18 p.m.

It took 40 firefighters just 14 minutes to get to the scene, access the blaze, confine and fully extinguish flames in one room of a single-story family home, according to a department news release.

Firefighters on the scene of a deadly fire in the Florence neighborhood of L.A. on April 28, 2024. (viewer photo)

Firefighters on the scene of a deadly fire in the Florence neighborhood of L.A. on April 28, 2024. (viewer photo)

Firefighters on the scene of a deadly fire in the Florence neighborhood of L.A. on April 28, 2024. (Citizen)

Smoke seen billowing from a house fire in the L.A. neighborhood of Florence on April 28, 2024. (Citizen)

Firefighters on the scene of a deadly fire in the Florence neighborhood of L.A. on April 28, 2024. (Citizen)

Firefighters on the scene of a deadly fire in the Florence neighborhood of L.A. on April 28, 2024. (Citizen)

Footage of the incident posted to the Citizen App showed smoke coming from the home that could be seen from several blocks away. Firefighters were also seen on the roof of the home.

During the well-coordinated fire attack, firefighters discovered one person deceased inside the residence, fire officials noted in the release.

Iranian rappers death sentence sparks protests in Southern California

The victim was only identified as a 52-year-old man, who was beyond medical help and declared dead at the scene, officials said.

While the exact cause of the deadly blaze remains under investigation, LAFD Spokesperson Brian Humphrey said that firefighters found no evidence of functional smoke alarms in the residence and that the 101-year-old building was not equipped with optional residential fire sprinklers.

Another resident, a woman, was displaced by the fire and told officials that she would seek her own accommodations.

A positive identification of the decedent, as well as the specific cause, time and manner of his death, will be determined by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner, officials added.

No other injuries were reported, and no further information was provided.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Kansas City Police Department reported a motorcycle crash that left one person with critical injuries in Kansas City, Missouri on Monday morning.

According to KCPD, a dark grey Harley Davidson was traveling westbound on Independence Avenue when a black Toyota Camry pulled out from Topping Avenue. The driver of the Harley struck the drivers side of the Toyota and was ejected from the motorcycle.

2 with non-life-threatening injuries after train derails in KC: police

Police said the motorcyclist was taken to a hospital with critical injuries and was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The driver of the Toyota, as well as a front-seat passenger and a child in the backseat, were not injured in the crash.

Police have not released the motorcyclists identity, but FOX4 will update this story with the latest information from law enforcement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Just because the 2024 election may decide the future of American democracy doesnt mean that the race is riveting, let alone dramatic, six months before November 5. Each day of this campaign seems endless for Democrats desperately craving reassurance from polls, portents, or messages from the Delphic Oracle.

But the shocking truth (come close to the screen so I can whisper this) is about all that we know at this stage is that the election will be very close. This you-cant-read-it-anywhere-else bombshell assessment is solely based on the fact that four of the previous six presidential races have been summon-the-election-lawyers tight.

We are a big-tent party when it comes to differing psychological ways of dealing with the specter of the Once and Future President Donald J. Trump.

This nerve-jangling uncertainty does have its value: It can serve as a Rorschach test revealing 10 common personality types of Democrats. We are a big-tent party when it comes to differing psychological ways of dealing with the specter of the Once and Future President Donald J. Trump. Here, in a draft paper originally intended for the American Psychoanalytic Association, is my typology of these Democrats:

The Poll Vaulters: Their slogan might as well be, Have CrosstabsWill Travel. They treat every new poll as if it were the Rosetta Stone. When The New York Times in early March led the paper for two straight days with dire-for-Biden poll results, it sparked a dramatic upsurge in airline reservations to Auckland, New Zealand, for January 20, 2025. Historically, polls in the early spring are about as accurate as a blunderbuss. But these poll-propelled Democrats are obsessed with every detail, from the size of a polls sample to the partisan breakdown of left-handed voters with some college education. Sadly, a large proportion of political reporters suffer from the same malady.

Eeyore Democrats: They know that America is doomed, since they can already hear the sound of marching jackboots. These natural pessimists can take any event and turn it into new evidence that Trump will prevail. In their view, Mike Pence declaring that he would not endorse Trump in 2024 is an example of the Former Guy cleverly purging disloyal Republicans to strengthen the GOP for November. These depressives interpret every new economic indicator as bad news for Joe Biden. Advice for friends of such Eeyore Democrats: Never allow them to take a scenic walk, supposedly just for the exercise, across a high bridge.

Fox News Masochists: These Democrats take the military mantra, Know your enemy, to ridiculous extremes. They watch Fox more often than an 84-year-old retiree in North Dakota who is convinced that immigrants are surging over the border solely to steal his hard-earned hoard of Bitcoin. Instead of reading polls, these long-suffering Democrats try to divine the political mood by watching the facial expressions of Fox News hosts when they talk about Trump.

Armchair Political Consultants: They have it all figured out based on gut instincts and regular viewing of Morning Joe. Their magic elixirs range wildly, from Joe Biden exclusively appealing to Nikki Haley voters to the president veering left to reassure the base. But what is consistent is the absolute certainty with which these would-be James Carvilles deliver their strategic pronouncements to anyone they encounter at the grocery store or the health club.

Democratic Media Critics: They are particularly assertive, since they have more than a dollop of truth on their side. It is undeniable that news organizations blunder into false equivalency by, say, likening a Trump rant threatening to destroy the Constitution with run-of-the-mill partisan invective from Biden. This produces anodyne headlines like, Presidential Contenders Exchange Barbs. But these frightened Democratic media critics have lost all sense of proportion. They are obsessed with every sentence in every news story, especially in The New York Times. It is hard for them to grasp that a swing voter in Wisconsin will probably not be swayed by a dumb headline on page 19 of the print edition of the Times.

Head-in-the-Sand Democrats: This rare breed takes its inspiration from Voltaires Dr. Pangloss, who believed that all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds. Thats a hard doctrine to follow for 2024, but you have to admire these oblivious Democrats for trying to maintain a smiley face. In their view, Trump cannot possibly win, because they dont know any Trump voters. And, besides, that sort of authoritarian triumph cant happen here. This mindset, by the way, appears to afflict the Biden White House.

Self-Absorbed Democrats: They are convinced that all politics revolves around them personally. Whether their animating cause is Gaza, student loans, or climate change, they are convinced that Bidens position on their pet issue will decide the election. As evidence, they cite all their friends who feel the same way. Of course, none of these Democrats live in a swing state. But they all do seem to believe that as goes Brooklyn, so goes the nation.

Doctors Who Forgot to Go to Medical School: The lack of formal credentials does not prevent these Democrats from making instant diagnoses every time Biden appears on the TV screen. Worried about the stamina of the 81-year-old president for the fall campaign, these ace diagnosticians, operating from afar, detect in Biden every known disease from advanced dandruff to the bubonic plague.

Contested Convention Dreamers: These look-to-the-future Democrats have always assumed Biden would not really run for a second term. Even when the president announced last year that he was running, these dreamers clung to their predictions. They then expected a Biden withdrawal as the dramatic close of the State of the Union address. Now, as a fallback position, they have convinced themselves that in mid-August, on the eve of the Chicago convention, Biden will react to dispiriting polls by bowing out of the presidential race. They can picture Biden saying, Ive fooled you for over a year. But I can no longer live a lie. Im not running. In this cockamamie fantasy about a last-minute floor fight for the nomination, they join every political reporter who has been hoping to witness a second convention ballot sometime in their lifetime.

The Gimlet-Eyed Realists: These Democrats do not allow natural biorhythms dictating pessimism or optimism to determine their political expectations. They also realize that up-for-grabs voters in swing states are probably ignoring springtime political news because (gasp!) they feel they have better things to do. As a result, these Democratic realists take pains not to overreact to any political development while the trees are still budding.

There is just one problem: There are only three of these Democratic realists in existenceand I have my doubts about the other two.
A 101-year-old woman keeps getting mistaken for a baby on flights and says it's because American Airlines' booking system can't handle her age

A 101-year-old woman keeps getting mistaken for a baby on flights and says it's because American Airlines' booking system can't handle her age

A 101-year-old woman says American Airlines keeps getting her age wrong.

She says the computer can't process that she was born in 1922, not 2022.

Airlines have increasingly adopted computerization across systems, but errors have caused serious disruption.

American Airlines cabin crew were expecting to look after a baby on board a flight from Chicago to Marquette, Michigan, this weekend.

But sitting in the seat designated for the infant, they instead found a 101-year-old woman, according to a BBC reporter who was also on the flight.

The centenarian, named Patricia, had booked the seat for an adult but laughed off the incident with the confused cabin crew.

Patricia, who didn't want her surname to be shared, told the BBC: "It was funny that they thought I was only a little child and I'm an old lady!"

But she said it wasn't the first time American Airlines had mistaken her for a baby.

Patricia, who flies every year to visit family, said the airline's booking system couldn't seem to process the fact that she was born in 1922 rather than 2022.

"My daughter made the reservation online for the ticket, and the computer at the airport thought my birth date was 2022 and not 1922," she said.

During a previous trip, the BBC reported, the glitch meant that airport staff met Patricia after a flight without a pre-arranged wheelchair, thinking that they would just transport a baby through the terminal.

"The same thing happened last year, and they were also expecting a child and not me," Patricia said.

She had to wait on the plane until all other passengers had disembarked while they brought her a wheelchair, the BBC reported.

"I would like them to fix the computer as my poor daughter had to carry all our luggage and apparel almost a mile from one gate to the other," she said.

American Airlines didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Airlines are increasingly adopting automation across their systems to make operations more efficient, and passengers mostly embrace the convenience that technology brings to their travel experiences.

In the latest annual American Customer Satisfaction Index, app services, ease of making reservations, and airlines' websites were the factors that customers were most satisfied with when traveling with US airlines.

But while technology generally makes operations smoother and more efficient, glitches routinely pop up, often affecting more vulnerable passengers with special requirements.

Errors with technology have also caused serious disruption to global travel.

A glitch in the UK's national automatic flight-planning system last August left air traffic controllers processing flights by hand. The issue led to more than 1,500 flight cancellations across Europe.

In 2022, 12,000 American Airlines flights were left without pilots after a glitch allowed them to drop assignments. The airline had to offer pilots triple pay to cover the fallout.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Wisconsin Social Session on Abortion and Family Well Being has brought together 14 residents from a diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints to create proposals for state lawmakers on abortion. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

Editors note: This is the first in a series about a group of Wisconsin residents trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide.

MADISON, Wis.  Thomas Lang, 61, is white, deeply Catholic and opposes abortion.

Each one of us has a beginning, and that unique beginning  is conception, Lang said. And I would go back to the lack of personhood in slavery and how that personhood can be manipulated.  And Im saying, no, that child has rights.  And yet we are going to allow for the killing, murder, because of this, this and this.

Anti-abortion activists and legal scholars in the U.S. increasingly argue that denying the personhood of all unborn life is akin to slavery. Its a comment that doesnt sit well with the women of color in this room of people with different beliefs about abortion, including some with their own traumatic pregnancy experiences. The women repeatedly point out that white supremacy and racism are well rooted in every aspect of American life, including reproductive health care.

Ali Muldrow, who is Black, a mother of three girls, and runs an abortion fund in Wisconsin, told the group that the so-called father of gynecology, J. Marion Sims, invented tools like the speculum and surgical techniques after torturing enslaved women in horse stables. As someone who faced painful and medically complex pregnancies, Muldrow, 36, pointed out repeatedly that Black women are more likely to die in childbirth than white women, and more likely to experience criminalization because of their pregnancies. She said she was temporarily jailed while pregnant with one of her daughters after being beaten by an abusive boyfriend.

Muldrows first pregnancy was at 16, and she hired a lawyer to be able to have an abortion as a minor. She said she doesnt regret that abortion or the one she had at 18, or her subsequent decisions to parent despite the varying medical, social, and economic perils she sometimes faced. But shes firm that these were her decisions to make, and rejected Langs personhood argument.

Our personhood is invalidated every day, Muldrow said. My health matters, and its a factor throughout the entirety of a pregnancy. My body as a tool for breeding, like a cattle animal that can be bred and forced to have kids, is something Im really against, because Im against slavery.

Ali Muldrow, who is a mother of three girls and runs an abortion fund in Wisconsin, told the group about how Black women are more likely to die in childbirth than white women and spoke of her own difficult pregnancies. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

In this room at a historic space in Wisconsins capital city, 14 people from around the state have been recruited to find common ground on abortion amid their deeply divergent stances. The Wisconsin Citizen Solutions on Abortion and Family Well Being is an experiment designed by Starts With Us, a nonprofit civic organization whose mission is to try to effect change through citizen solutions and show that people on opposite sides of controversial issues can come to a mutual understanding when they engage in guided mediation.

Founded in 2021, Starts With Us launched its first project last year on gun rights and safety in Tennessee, following a deadly school shooting in Nashville. KIND Snacks founder and Shark Tank entrepreneur Daniel Lubetzky has said that, as the son of a Holocaust survivor, he was motivated to co-found this nonprofit to address toxic polarization and extremist thinking. Other founding partners include renowned chef Jose Andres, civil rights activist Bernice King, and hip-hop artist will.i.am.

For its second session, held for three days in Madison in December 2023 and for a final day this month, Starts With Us invited 14 Wisconsinites to tackle what has become a galvanizing political issue ever since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion rights nearly two years ago.

To us, the opportunity to build and to actually create solutions is the brass ring, Starts With Us CEO Tom Fishman told States Newsroom. But at minimum to have transformative experiences for 14 people in a room and then tell that story is such that it gives people hope and confidence  that at minimum we dont have to  reduce each other as a caricature list of talking points on two sides of an issue thats sold to us by algorithms and cable news.

After months of processing the discussions from the sessions with health, legal and policy experts, Starts With Us on Wednesday unveiled what the group achieved consensus on. Wisconsin residents can now rank and comment on the proposals online. At the end of a monthlong public feedback period, the participants will see which proposals have majority support and evaluate next steps, including bringing some or all of the proposals to state lawmakers for consideration.

Why Wisconsin

The team chose Wisconsin because of its dynamic politics  a swing state with a Democratic governor, a GOP-controlled legislature, and a liberal-leaning state supreme court  and because its one of more than a dozen states that banned abortion in the wake of the historic Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision. Abortion services resumed in Wisconsin last year, after a Dane County judge ruled that an 1849 feticide law does not apply to abortion, but litigation continues, as do further attempts to restrict abortion. Earlier this year the Wisconsin State Assembly passed a 14-week abortion ban that failed to advance in the Senate. As of now, abortion can be performed until 20 weeks post-fertilization.

The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision attempted to reconcile biological complexities and diverse moral worldviews regarding pregnancy, developing life, and reproductive autonomy. Dobbs changed that by letting states make their own abortion laws. And in many states that has meant conservative lawmakers pursuing hardline restrictions and even resurrecting laws from the 1800s, as in Arizona. These policy changes have broadly impacted maternal health care throughout the U.S.

A majority of voters post-Dobbs are showing they dont want strict abortion bans. Already in six blue, purple, and red states voters have preserved abortion rights directly on the ballot, and about a dozen more are trying to do the same in November. Spurred by the fall of Roe, some have gotten into politics, like Wisconsin participants Heather Martell, now a Chippewa Falls alderman, and Dr. Kristin Lyerly, who this month launched a bid for Congress as a Democrat in Wisconsins 8th Congressional District (she has since stepped away from Starts With Us because her campaign conflicts with its nonprofit status). Lyerly is among several OB-GYNS around the U.S. who have sued their states for criminalizing pregnancy termination, which they believe cannot be divorced from standard medical care.

Starts With Us head of programs Ashley Phillips said they recruited individuals based on their nuanced public views on abortion and their willingness to come to the table with opponents on this issue. She said hundreds of Wisconsinites were contacted but many never responded. The selected participants were each paid travel expenses and a $900 honorarium for four days of their time and effort.

The chosen 14 consist of 11 women and three men. Five (three women, two men) mostly oppose abortion; they are white, range in age from 25 to 76, and identify as Catholic or Protestant. The remaining nine include four Black women, one Hispanic woman, and range in age from mid-30s to mid-70s, and identify as Unitarian, Jewish, and atheist. Theres a lot of overlap in the whole group. Several have experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse, and poverty. Most are parents.

How abortion views are born

From day one there is resounding agreement around the table that the current health, economic, and legal systems do not work for many families in Wisconsin or the country at large. Roe and Dobbs flipped the overall legality of abortion, but neither federal court decision addressed the underlying economic and social factors that, according to reproductive-health researchers at the University of California San Francisco, lead many to choose abortion  nor did they address the limited reproductive, prenatal and maternal care access around the U.S.

These charts have guidelines participants in the Wisconsin Citizen Solutions on Abortion and Family Well Being project are following as they try to arrive at some consensus on potential abortion policies. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

But the larger debate in the room, and outside of it, is who gets to make decisions in a given pregnancy: the person who is pregnant or the state? And at what point should the developing life be protected from termination?

Though life-of-the-mother exceptions exist in most of the current abortion bans, stories about women being denied health care pervade around the country. Patients who have been able to travel and survive their experiences have sued. On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about whether doctors should be protected from prosecution under federal law if they provide abortion care to a patient in an emergency, even in a state with an abortion ban.

Also becoming more pervasive are stories about women denied abortions despite a fetuss fatal anomalies. The same weekend the group met in Madison, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a court order that would have allowed Texan Kate Cox to terminate a non-viable pregnancy, forcing Cox to travel out of state. Its a story that 37-year-old alderman and legal assistant Heather Martell is unfortunately familiar with.

As Martell explained to the other participants, in 2021, she went to her 19th week anatomy scan excited to see what would have been her second living child. But the ultrasound and subsequent detailed scans uncovered a rare disorder known as VACTERL association, which can affect multiple body systems and cause abnormalities in the vertebrae, anus, heart, trachea, esophagus, kidneys, and limbs. The disorder carries varying degrees of severity depending on how many systems are affected, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Martell said her babys case was incredibly rare in that it impacted nearly every part of his body. It was the worst possible prognosis: incompatible with life.

This child would have needed open heart surgery before he was a year old, but wouldnt have been able to have the surgery, because he would have been in late stages of kidney failure, having only one undersized kidney, Martell told States Newsroom in an email after the sessions had concluded.

After a second opinion, Martell and her husband, who is Catholic and was at that time against abortion, sought a termination to spare the suffering of the baby they would name Oliver, which she learned was imminent if he continued to develop. They had to leave the state, because Wisconsin restricts abortion after 20 weeks.

I Googled it, and I found studies that said the fetal nervous system develops fully by 24 to 26 weeks, she told the group during their first day introductory discussions. It gave me 14 days to get an abortion, or kill myself.

Martell traveled to a Minnesota clinic, where she faced anti-abortion protesters telling her she had other options and where the type of abortion procedure she wanted  an induced stillbirth  was unavailable. That meant she couldnt hold and bury Oliver, which remains a traumatic memory.

Her pregnancy and life experiences solidified Martells belief that reproductive health decisions should be left to patients and their families.

But its all about the child for Laura Brown, a 61-year-old chief financial officer for a nonprofit in West Allis, whos on the board of an anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center.

A concern I have is that in almost every discussion I dont hear any mention of the child, said Brown on the second day of the session.

When I talk about abortion, I am talking about the child, Martell said. Im talking about my child.

Martells two previous pregnancies, when she was 19 and then 21, were marked first by a life-threatening miscarriage, and then by intimate partner abuse and extreme pressure to have an abortion, which she resisted. She told States Newsroom it was difficult to hear some of the statements from the abortion opponents at the sessions, including the implication that she didnt consider the life of the child in her abortion decision.

We would have had to pay millions of dollars out of pocket for Oliver to suffer and die. And in the meantime, our living child, Jack, would have become a glass child, Martell said. It isnt easy to watch someone die. Its even harder when it is your own child and sibling. I was not going to allow that to happen to my family. To be accused of not taking the child into consideration when I discuss abortion is a slap in the face, because I did.

Browns view on abortion is also shaped by trauma.

At 20, her affair with a married man culminated in an unplanned pregnancy that she said she felt pressured to end. The man didnt offer any support, she said, and though she didnt want to end the pregnancy, she didnt see other options. Brown alleges that a counselor at the Planned Parenthood sensed she was not sure about her decision and tricked her into believing she had an ectopic pregnancy that was not viable.

After the procedure began, Brown said she asked the doctor to stop and recalled him telling her, You should have thought of that before. The experience made her feel violated and eventually suicidal and informed her unbending view that abortion is not health care, she said.

Like Martell, Brown still mourns the baby that would never be born.

Brown said she turned to God and is now a regional coordinator for Silent No More Awareness Campaign, which shares stories of those who say they were harmed by abortion, and is affiliated with the national anti-abortion-rights group Priests for Life. She told States Newsroom that years ago, her daughter went into labor at 26 weeks and the medical care she received allowed her baby to be born very small but healthy. These life experiences have made it difficult for Brown to approve any reason for abortion, including if theres a health risk, fetal anomaly, or the pregnant person is a child or victim of sexual abuse.

Because abortion is traumatic, its also physically traumatic to force a young person to go through that. And then what happens is that the young person is a victim, and then they actually turn into a perpetrator, Brown told States Newsroom in an interview. Giving birth is less traumatic than having an abortion and later realizing what you did.

The majority of those who oppose abortion in this group believe in the concept of personhood for all unborn children, starting at the early stages of fertilization. It is the principle behind banning some forms of contraception that can prevent implantation, as well as in vitro fertilization, which since the Alabama Supreme Courts controversial ruling that frozen embryos are equivalent to human children, has proven to be very politically unpopular.

Martell told States Newsroom that hearing Browns story helped her understand how someone becomes an abortion-rights opponent.

For me it was very interesting to see someone who regretted it, and how easily my life view could have been shaped by that one choice, Martell said. Had I not experienced that [pregnancy] loss in 2006, in 2008, I might have succumbed to that kind of peer pressure [to have an abortion], and who knows, I could have ended up like Laura, living with that shame and that regret. And if Laura had had a situation where she had put her foot down and said  Im having this kid, maybe she would have been pro-choice now.

Brown said she agrees with separation of the embryo or fetus in life-threatening cases such as ectopic pregnancies, but she believes abortion is over-recommended and not always necessary to save maternal life. With our medical advancements, high risk pregnancies can definitely be mitigated and cared for.

Im not trying to present you with solutions. But what I am trying to do is say we need to understand what the broad public is thinking when they think about these things and get a little bit away from the common impression that we have two monolithic, adamantly opposed groups.

 Charles Franklin, a professor of law and public policy at Marquette University in Milwaukee

But in this group, no one understands the medical nuance of pregnancy better than Dr. Kristin Lyerly, a white, 54-year-old OB-GYN and mother of four who has provided abortions throughout her career. When she herself needed a second-trimester abortion procedure after miscarrying years ago, she told the group she couldnt find a doctor in Madison qualified to perform what she described as a complex and politicized procedure. Lyerly now commutes to Minnesota for work; she stopped performing abortions in her home state in 2023 while Wisconsins abortion ban was briefly in effect.

When gestational limits or narrow health exceptions are proposed, Lyerly consistently pointed out that things happen progressively in pregnancy and that each case is different. Were philosophizing. Were not in the middle of it like my patients are, she said. When in the middle of it, you sometimes do things you wouldnt expect.

The only other doctor in the room is Jeff Davis, a white, semi-retired bovine veterinarian from southwest Wisconsin who has been involved with crisis pregnancy centers. He said his earliest defining moment on this issue happened on his familys farm in Illinois.

My whole pro-life view on life began when I was like 12 years old, and my hand was small enough to get inside the vagina of a ewe to pull out some twin baby lambs, Davis told States Newsroom. It was so exhilarating to be able to do that because if not, she might have had dead lambs.

Davis believes that terminating pregnancies at any stage is wrong because it ends life. His belief was solidified by the birth of his children, the viewing of his first grandchild on an ultrasound, and his Catholic faith.

No magic solutions

But when given the hypothetical, the majority of Americans take a middle position, explained Charles Franklin, a professor of law and public policy at Marquette University in Milwaukee, one of three subject-matter experts to address the group that weekend. The Marquette Law School Poll director has been polling Wisconsinites on abortion for years, and he said the overall numbers havent changed much.

Marquettes most recent poll, from June 2023, finds that 32% of those polled believe abortion should be legal in all cases, 34% in most, 25% illegal in most, and 6% illegal in all.

A few in the group take that middle view, like Jacob VandenPlas, a white veteran and farmer who runs a rehabilitation farm for other veterans in Sturgeon Bay and has run for Congress (the same district as Lyerly, but as a Libertarian). The father of two said he thinks abortion should be allowed until approximately 15 weeks gestation and then qualified with exceptions for fetal and maternal health, rape and incest.

I dont believe the government has a place to dictate what someone can and cant do, VandenPlas said. It doesnt mean I have a disregard for life. Im not happy about abortions and want to solve the root cause.

Morality is so personal; I struggle with assigning it, said domestic violence advocate Monique Minkens. The 55-year-old Black mother and executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin told the group that she personally opposes abortion later in pregnancy, but that she doesnt believe in imposing limits. She noted that she has worked with people trying to avoid being tethered to an abuser for life.

Late-term abortion, thats hard, Minkens said. I cant see someone carrying a child, feeling it kicking, and then being given an abortion. And yet I know that there are times when someone says, your child is dead, youre going to have to push out this child, or your child is going to die as soon as theyre born, or whatever it is, and your life is in danger. Im not going to pull out my morality on them.

Abortion polling numbers vary widely, Franklin explained to the group, depending on where people live throughout the state, their politics, their race, their religion, and when presented with real-life circumstances, like Martells husband.

Theres no magic solutions here, Franklin said. Im not trying to present you with solutions. But what I am trying to do is say we need to understand what the broad public is thinking when they think about these things and get a little bit away from the common impression that we have two monolithic, adamantly opposed groups.  Were divided, though a majority in almost every measure say they favor legal abortion in at least some circumstances.

As predicted, the solutions this group ends up with months later are not magical, though they are, the participants will eventually agree, positive steps toward improving reproductive health access and family well being in Wisconsin. They include standardizing and ensuring accuracy in pregnancy options information, and expanding health insurance coverage. The group is almost but ultimately unable to come up with abortion-specific policy agreements.

But while these participants were still in the thick of debating and trying to see past their own trauma-laced biases and experiences, consensus on this issue seemed far away.

I think that well go round and round and round, and I dont know how we reach an understanding, Minkens said at the end of the second day; on the third they would be expected to agree to a list of proposals. Im just thinking about  the history of harm that has happened over the years; its always been the Catholic Church or its always been a Christian state that has done the harm, and that is where Im struggling. Your cold dead hands, my cold dead hands, I dont know where we go from here.

Tomorrow: The group struggles to find common ground.

Sidebar

Wisconsin Citizen Solutions on Abortion and Family Well Being participants

Laura Brown  A 61-year-old white, Protestant nonprofit chief financial officer from West Allis, who opposes abortion rights.

Jeff Davis  A 76-year-old white, Catholic semi-retired bovine veterinarian and widower with three daughters and eight grandchildren from southwest Wisconsin, who opposes abortion rights.

Milly Gonzales  A Hispanic domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking professional in Door County, who supports abortion rights.

Bria Halama  A white, Catholic clinical mental health counselor in Milwaukee, who opposes abortion rights.

Kateri Klingele  A 25-year-old white, Catholic clinical mental health professional and mother in Madison, who opposes abortion rights.

Thomas Lang  A 61-year-old white, Catholic property manager from Janesville, who opposes abortion rights.

Dr. Kristin Lyerly  A 54-year-old white OB-GYN, mother of four, and abortion provider from Green Bay. (She has since stepped away from Starts With Us because her campaign conflicts with their nonprofit status.)

Heather Martell  A 37-year-old white mother, legal assistant, and Chippewa Falls alderman, who supports abortion rights.

Kai Gardner Mishlove  A Black grief doula and the director of Jewish Social Services of Madison, who supports abortion rights.

Patricia McFarland  A 75-year-old white abortion-rights activist, mother, grandmother, and retired college teacher.

Monique Minkens  A 55-year-old Black executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, who believes abortion should be available to everyone.

Ali Muldrow  A 36-year-old Black mother of three daughters and the executive director of the abortion fund WMF Wisconsin in Madison.

Jacob VandenPlas  A 39-year-old white veteran and farmer from Sturgeon Bay, who used to oppose abortion but now believes it should be available with limits later in pregnancy.

Ramona Williams  A Black mother and regional nonprofit coordinator who supports abortion rights.

A June 2023 poll conducted by Marquette University in Milwaukee found that 32% of those polled believe abortion should be legal in all cases, 34% in most, 25% illegal in most, and 6% illegal in all. The participants in the Starts with Us civic experiment came from diverse backgrounds and points of view on abortion access. (Sofia Resnick/States Newsroom)

The post Can 14 strangers from Wisconsin help America find common ground on abortion? appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.
The Wisconsin Social Session on Abortion and Family Well Being has brought together 14 residents from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints to create proposals for state lawmakers on abortion. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner).

Editors note: This is the first in a series about a group of Wisconsin residents trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide.

Can a group of strangers find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America?

MADISON, Wis.  Thomas Lang, 61, is white, deeply Catholic and opposes abortion.

Each one of us has a beginning, and that unique beginning  is conception, Lang said. And I would go back to the lack of personhood in slavery and how that personhood can be manipulated.  And Im saying, no, that child has rights.  And yet we are going to allow for the killing, murder, because of this, this and this.

Anti-abortion activists and legal scholars in the U.S. increasingly argue that denying the personhood of all unborn life is akin to slavery. Its a comment that doesnt sit well with the women of color in this room of people with different beliefs about abortion, including some with their own traumatic pregnancy experiences. The women repeatedly point out that white supremacy and racism are well rooted in every aspect of American life, including reproductive health care.

Ali Muldrow, who is Black, a mother of three girls, and runs an abortion fund in Wisconsin, told the group that the so-called father of gynecology, J. Marion Sims, invented tools like the speculum and surgical techniques after torturing enslaved women in horse stables. As someone who faced painful and medically complex pregnancies, Muldrow, 36, pointed out repeatedly that Black women are more likely to die in childbirth than white women, and more likely to experience criminalization because of their pregnancies. She said she was temporarily jailed while pregnant with one of her daughters after being beaten by an abusive boyfriend.

Muldrows first pregnancy was at 16, and she hired a lawyer to be able to have an abortion as a minor. She said she doesnt regret that abortion or the one she had at 18, or her subsequent decisions to parent despite the varying medical, social, and economic perils she sometimes faced. But shes firm that these were her decisions to make, and rejected Langs personhood argument.

Our personhood is invalidated every day, Muldrow said. My health matters, and its a factor throughout the entirety of a pregnancy. My body as a tool for breeding, like a cattle animal that can be bred and forced to have kids, is something Im really against, because Im against slavery.

Ali Muldrow, who is a mother of three girls and runs an abortion fund in Wisconsin, told the group about how Black women are more likely to die in childbirth than white women and spoke of her own difficult pregnancies. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

In this room at a historic space in Wisconsins capital city, 14 people from around the state have been recruited to find common ground on abortion amid their deeply divergent stances. The Wisconsin Citizen Solutions on Abortion and Family Well Being is an experiment designed by Starts With Us, a nonprofit civic organization whose mission is to try to effect change through citizen solutions and show that people on opposite sides of controversial issues can come to a mutual understanding when they engage in guided mediation.

Founded in 2021, Starts With Us launched its first project last year on gun rights and safety in Tennessee, following a deadly school shooting in Nashville. KIND Snacks founder and Shark Tank entrepreneur Daniel Lubetzky has said that, as the son of a Holocaust survivor, he was motivated to co-found this nonprofit to address toxic polarization and extremist thinking. Other founding partners include renowned chef Jose Andres, civil rights activist Bernice King, and hip-hop artist will.i.am.

For its second session, held for three days in Madison in December 2023 and for a final day this month, Starts With Us invited 14 Wisconsinites to tackle what has become a galvanizing political issue ever since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion rights nearly two years ago.

To us, the opportunity to build and to actually create solutions is the brass ring, Starts With Us CEO Tom Fishman told States Newsroom. But at minimum to have transformative experiences for 14 people in a room and then tell that story is such that it gives people hope and confidence  that at minimum we dont have to  reduce each other as a caricature list of talking points on two sides of an issue thats sold to us by algorithms and cable news.

After months of processing the discussions from the sessions with health, legal and policy experts, Starts With Us today unveiled what the group achieved consensus on. Wisconsin residents can now rank and comment on the proposals online. At the end of a monthlong public feedback period, the Wisconsin 14 will have the opportunity to present a final set of proposals to state lawmakers for consideration. Starts With Us is hopeful these consensus solutions could eventually serve as a policy model for other states, representing what the most polarized minds on abortion can agree on with respect to improving family well-being.

Why Wisconsin

The team chose Wisconsin because of its dynamic politics  a swing state with a Democratic governor, a GOP-controlled legislature, and a liberal-leaning state supreme court  and because its one of more than a dozen states that banned abortion in the wake of the historic Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision. Abortion services resumed in Wisconsin last year, after a Dane County judge ruled that an 1849 feticide law does not apply to abortion, but litigation continues, as do further attempts to restrict abortion. Earlier this year the Wisconsin State Assembly passed a 14-week abortion ban that failed to advance in the Senate. As of now, abortion can be performed until 20 weeks post-fertilization.

The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision attempted to reconcile biological complexities and diverse moral worldviews regarding pregnancy, developing life, and reproductive autonomy. Dobbs changed that by letting states make their own abortion laws. And in many states that has meant conservative lawmakers pursuing hardline restrictions and even resurrecting laws from the 1800s, as in Arizona. These policy changes have broadly impacted maternal health care throughout the U.S.

A majority of voters post-Dobbs are showing they dont want strict abortion bans. Already in six blue, purple, and red states voters have preserved abortion rights directly on the ballot, and about a dozen more are trying to do the same in November. Spurred by the fall of Roe, some have gotten into politics, like Wisconsin participants Heather Martell, now a Chippewa Falls alderman, and Dr. Kristin Lyerly, who this month launched a bid for Congress as a Democrat in Wisconsins 8th Congressional District (she has since stepped away from Starts With Us because her campaign conflicts with its nonprofit status). Lyerly is among several OB-GYNS around the U.S. who have sued their states for criminalizing pregnancy termination, which they believe cannot be divorced from standard medical care.

Starts With Us head of programs Ashley Phillips said they recruited individuals based on their nuanced public views on abortion and their willingness to come to the table with opponents on this issue. She said hundreds of Wisconsinites were contacted but many never responded. The selected participants were each paid travel expenses and a $900 honorarium for four days of their time and effort.

The chosen 14 consist of 11 women and three men. Five (three women, two men) mostly oppose abortion; they are white, range in age from 25 to 76, and identify as Catholic or Protestant. The remaining nine include four Black women, one Hispanic woman, and range in age from mid-30s to mid-70s, and identify as Unitarian, Jewish, and atheist. Theres a lot of overlap in the whole group. Several have experienced domestic violence, sexual abuse, and poverty. Most are parents.

Wisconsin Citizen Solutions on Abortion and Family Well Being participants

Laura Brown  A 61-year-old white, Protestant nonprofit chief financial officer from West Allis, who opposes abortion rights.

Jeff Davis  A 76-year-old white, Catholic semi-retired bovine veterinarian and widower with three daughters and eight grandchildren from southwest Wisconsin, who opposes abortion rights.

Milly Gonzalez  A Hispanic domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking professional in Door County, who supports abortion rights.

Bria Halama  A white, Catholic clinical mental health counselor in Milwaukee, who opposes abortion rights.

Kateri Klingele  A 25-year-old white, Catholic clinical mental health professional and mother in Madison, who opposes abortion rights.

Thomas Lang  A 61-year-old white, Catholic property manager from Janesville, who opposes abortion rights.

Dr. Kristin Lyerly  A 54-year-old white OB-GYN, mother of four, and abortion provider from Green Bay. (She has since stepped away from Starts With Us because her campaign conflicts with their nonprofit status.)

Heather Martell  A 37-year-old white mother, legal assistant, and Chippewa Falls alderman, who supports abortion rights.

Kai Gardner Mishlove  A Black grief doula and the director of Jewish Social Services of Madison, who supports abortion rights.

Patricia McFarland  A 75-year-old white abortion-rights activist, mother, grandmother, and retired college teacher.

Monique Minkens  A 55-year-old Black executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, who believes abortion should be available to everyone.

Ali Muldrow  A 36-year-old Black mother of three daughters and the executive director of the abortion fund WMF Wisconsin in Madison.

Jacob VandenPlas  A 39-year-old white veteran and farmer from Sturgeon Bay, who used to oppose abortion but now believes it should be available with limits later in pregnancy.

Ramona Williams  A Black mother and regional nonprofit coordinator who supports abortion rights.

How abortion views are born

From day one there is resounding agreement around the table that the current health, economic, and legal systems do not work for many families in Wisconsin or the country at large. Roe and Dobbs flipped the overall legality of abortion, but neither federal court decision addressed the underlying economic and social factors that, according to reproductive-health researchers at the University of California San Francisco, lead many to choose abortion  nor did they address the limited reproductive, prenatal and maternal care access around the U.S.

But the larger debate in the room, and outside of it, is who gets to make decisions in a given pregnancy: the person who is pregnant or the state? And at what point should the developing life be protected from termination?

Though life-of-the-mother exceptions exist in most of the current abortion bans, stories about women being denied health care pervade around the country. Patients who have been able to travel and survive their experiences have sued. On Wednesday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about whether doctors should be protected from prosecution under federal law if they provide abortion care to a patient in an emergency, even in a state with an abortion ban.

Also becoming more pervasive are stories about women denied abortions despite a fetuss fatal anomalies. The same weekend the group met in Madison, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a court order that would have allowed Texan Kate Cox to terminate a non-viable pregnancy, forcing Cox to travel out of state. Its a story that 37-year-old alderman and legal assistant Heather Martell is unfortunately familiar with.

As Martell explained to the other participants, in 2021, she went to her 19th week anatomy scan excited to see what would have been her second living child. But the ultrasound and subsequent detailed scans uncovered a rare disorder known as VACTERL association, which can affect multiple body systems and cause abnormalities in the vertebrae, anus, heart, trachea, esophagus, kidneys, and limbs. The disorder carries varying degrees of severity depending on how many systems are affected, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Martell said her babys case was incredibly rare in that it impacted nearly every part of his body. It was the worst possible prognosis: incompatible with life.

This child would have needed open heart surgery before he was a year old, but wouldnt have been able to have the surgery, because he would have been in late stages of kidney failure, having only one undersized kidney, Martell told States Newsroom in an email after the sessions had concluded.

After a second opinion, Martell and her husband, who is Catholic and was at that time against abortion, sought a termination to spare the suffering of the baby they would name Oliver, which she learned was imminent if he continued to develop. They had to leave the state, because Wisconsin restricts abortion after 20 weeks.

I Googled it, and I found studies that said the fetal nervous system develops fully by 24 to 26 weeks, she told the group during their first day introductory discussions. It gave me 14 days to get an abortion, or kill myself.

Martell traveled to a Minnesota clinic, where she faced anti-abortion protesters telling her she had other options and where the type of abortion procedure she wanted  an induced stillbirth  was unavailable. That meant she couldnt hold and bury Oliver, which remains a traumatic memory.

Her pregnancy and life experiences solidified Martells belief that reproductive health decisions should be left to patients and their families.

But its all about the child for Laura Brown, a 61-year-old chief financial officer for a nonprofit in West Allis, whos on the board of an anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center.

A concern I have is that in almost every discussion I dont hear any mention of the child, said Brown on the second day of the session.

When I talk about abortion, I am talking about the child, Martell said. Im talking about my child.

Martells two previous pregnancies, when she was 19 and then 21, were marked first by a life-threatening miscarriage, and then by intimate partner abuse and extreme pressure to have an abortion, which she resisted. She told States Newsroom it was difficult to hear some of the statements from the abortion opponents at the sessions, including the implication that she didnt consider the life of the child in her abortion decision.

We would have had to pay millions of dollars out of pocket for Oliver to suffer and die. And in the meantime, our living child, Jack, would have become a glass child, Martell said. It isnt easy to watch someone die. Its even harder when it is your own child and sibling. I was not going to allow that to happen to my family. To be accused of not taking the child into consideration when I discuss abortion is a slap in the face, because I did.

Browns view on abortion is also shaped by trauma.

At 20, her affair with a married man culminated in an unplanned pregnancy that she said she felt pressured to end. The man didnt offer any support, she said, and though she didnt want to end the pregnancy, she didnt see other options. Brown alleges that a counselor at the Planned Parenthood sensed she was not sure about her decision and tricked her into believing she had an ectopic pregnancy that was not viable.

After the procedure began, Brown said she asked the doctor to stop and recalled him telling her, You should have thought of that before. The experience made her feel violated and eventually suicidal and informed her unbending view that abortion is not health care, she said.

Like Martell, Brown still mourns the baby that would never be born.

Brown said she turned to God and is now a regional coordinator for Silent No More Awareness Campaign, which shares stories of those who say they were harmed by abortion, and is affiliated with the national anti-abortion-rights group Priests for Life. She told States Newsroom that years ago, her daughter went into labor at 26 weeks and the medical care she received allowed her baby to be born very small but healthy. These life experiences have made it difficult for Brown to approve any reason for abortion, including if theres a health risk, fetal anomaly, or the pregnant person is a child or victim of sexual abuse.

Because abortion is traumatic, its also physically traumatic to force a young person to go through that. And then what happens is that the young person is a victim, and then they actually turn into a perpetrator, Brown told States Newsroom in an interview. Giving birth is less traumatic than having an abortion and later realizing what you did.

The majority of those who oppose abortion in this group believe in the concept of personhood for all unborn children, starting at the early stages of fertilization. It is the principle behind banning some forms of contraception that can prevent implantation, as well as in vitro fertilization, which since the Alabama Supreme Courts controversial ruling that frozen embryos are equivalent to human children, has proven to be very politically unpopular.

Martell told States Newsroom that hearing Browns story helped her understand how someone becomes an anti-abortion-rights opponent.

For me it was very interesting to see someone who regretted it, and how easily my life view could have been shaped by that one choice, Martell said. Had I not experienced that [pregnancy] loss in 2006, in 2008, I might have succumbed to that kind of peer pressure [to have an abortion], and who knows, I could have ended up like Laura, living with that shame and that regret. And if Laura had had a situation where she had put her foot down and said  Im having this kid, maybe she would have been pro-choice now.

Brown said she agrees with separation of the embryo or fetus in life-threatening cases such as ectopic pregnancies, but she believes abortion is over-recommended and not always necessary to save maternal life. With our medical advancements, high risk pregnancies can definitely be mitigated and cared for.

But in this group, no one understands the medical nuance of pregnancy better than Dr. Kristin Lyerly, a white, 54-year-old OB-GYN and mother of four who has provided abortions throughout her career. When she herself needed a second-trimester abortion procedure after miscarrying years ago, she told the group she couldnt find a doctor in Madison qualified to perform what she described as a complex and politicized procedure. Lyerly now commutes to Minnesota for work; she stopped performing abortions in her home state in 2023 while Wisconsins abortion ban was briefly in effect.

When gestational limits or narrow health exceptions are proposed, Lyerly consistently pointed out that things happen progressively in pregnancy and that each case is different. Were philosophizing. Were not in the middle of it like my patients are, she said. When in the middle of it, you sometimes do things you wouldnt expect.

The only other doctor in the room is Jeff Davis, a white, semi-retired bovine veterinarian from southwest Wisconsin who has been involved with crisis pregnancy centers. He said his earliest defining moment on this issue happened on his familys farm in Illinois.

My whole pro-life view on life began when I was like 12 years old, and my hand was small enough to get inside the vagina of a ewe to pull out some twin baby lambs, Davis told States Newsroom. It was so exhilarating to be able to do that because if not, she might have had dead lambs.

Davis believes that terminating pregnancies at any stage is wrong because it ends life. His belief was solidified by the birth of his children, the viewing of his first grandchild on an ultrasound, and his Catholic faith.

No magic solutions

But when given the hypothetical, the majority of Americans take a middle position, explained Charles Franklin, a professor of law and public policy at Marquette University in Milwaukee, one of three subject-matter experts to address the group that weekend. The Marquette Law School Poll director has been polling Wisconsinites on abortion for years, and he said the overall numbers havent changed much.

Marquettes most recent poll, from June 2023, finds that 32% of those polled believe abortion should be legal in all cases, 34% in most, 25% illegal in most, and 6% illegal in all.

A few in the group take that middle view, like Jacob VandenPlas, a white veteran and farmer who runs a rehabilitation farm for other veterans in Sturgeon Bay and has run for Congress (the same district as Lyerly, but as a Libertarian). The father of two said he thinks abortion should be allowed until approximately 15 weeks gestation and then qualified with exceptions for fetal and maternal health, rape and incest.

I dont believe the government has a place to dictate what someone can and cant do, VandenPlas said. It doesnt mean I have a disregard for life. Im not happy about abortions and want to solve the root cause.

Morality is so personal; I struggle with assigning it, said domestic violence advocate Monique Minkens. The 55-year-old Black mother and executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin told the group that she personally opposes abortion later in pregnancy, but that she doesnt believe in imposing limits. She noted that she has worked with people trying to avoid being tethered to an abuser for life.

Late-term abortion, thats hard, Minkens said. I cant see someone carrying a child, feeling it kicking, and then being given an abortion. And yet I know that there are times when someone says, your child is dead, youre going to have to push out this child, or your child is going to die as soon as theyre born, or whatever it is, and your life is in danger. Im not going to pull out my morality on them.

Abortion polling numbers vary widely, Franklin explained to the group, depending on where people live throughout the state, their politics, their race, their religion, and when presented with real-life circumstances, like Martells husband.

Theres no magic solutions here, Franklin said. Im not trying to present you with solutions. But what I am trying to do is say we need to understand what the broad public is thinking when they think about these things and get a little bit away from the common impression that we have two monolithic, adamantly opposed groups.  Were divided, though a majority in almost every measure say they favor legal abortion in at least some circumstances.

As predicted, the solutions this group ends up with months later are not magical, though they are, the participants will eventually agree, positive steps toward improving reproductive health access and family well being in Wisconsin. They include standardizing and ensuring accuracy in pregnancy options information, and expanding health insurance coverage. The group is almost but ultimately unable to come up with abortion-specific policy agreements.

But while these participants were still in the thick of debating and trying to see past their own trauma-laced biases and experiences, consensus on this issue seemed far away.

I think that well go round and round and round, and I dont know how we reach an understanding, Minkens said at the end of the second day; on the third they would be expected to agree to a list of proposals. Im just thinking about  the history of harm that has happened over the years; its always been the Catholic Church or its always been a Christian state that has done the harm, and that is where Im struggling. Your cold dead hands, my cold dead hands, I dont know where we go from here.

Tomorrow: The group struggles to find common ground.

The post Can 14 strangers from Wisconsin help America find common ground on abortion? appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Samir Sharifov met with newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine Yuriy Gusev on April 29, 2024, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani foreign ministry.

Following the submission of copies of credentials to Sharifov, the sides discussed the current state and prospects of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Ukraine. They also exchanged views on topical issues of global and regional security.

The Ukrainian Ambassador expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani side for the support of Ukraine and emphasized that he was ready to make every effort to strengthen the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Azerbaijan.

The Deputy Foreign Minister wished the Ambassador success in his diplomatic activity in Azerbaijan.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited a kennel run by Linda, Bethany and Stanley Korver in Orange City with 22 violations in 2023. The issues included dirty and unsafe conditions as well as inadequate veterinary care. (Photo by USDA officials, courtesy of the Humane Society of the United States)

The Humane Society of the United States has released its annual Horrible Hundred report cataloging regulatory issues at 100 puppy mills nationwide, including 15 located in Iowa.

The report is based on the findings of state and government inspectors. For the 12th year in a row, Missouri has the largest number of breeders in the report, followed by Ohio, Iowa and Wisconsin.

This report shows what life is really like for dogs and puppies in this cruel industry, said John Goodwin, senior director of the Humane Society of the United States Stop Puppy Mills campaign. Our report is the tip of the iceberg. As shocking as circumstances are in licensed puppy mills, there are many operations that arent inspected at all due to legal loopholes. Its critical for the public to understand the full picture of where their puppies come from, and they wont get that on a breeders website or in a pet store.

The report also highlights practices at breeding operations endorsed by, or tied to, the American Kennel Club. The HSUS reports that Iowa breeder Patti Kowitz, who has appeared on the AKCs Marketplace website, failed three state inspections in a row, and her kennel was found to have strong odors and dirty, cluttered conditions, with one person caring for about 60 dogs.

The HSUS report includes this analysis of the violations state and federal inspectors found at Iowa breeders in recent years:

Larry Albrecht of Coldwater Kennel, Greene  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited Albrecht for violations in each of the past four years. His 2024 license renewal was delayed due to unsanitary and unsafe conditions. Earlier this month, state inspectors reported finding a Yorkshire terrier in need of veterinary attention due to the loss of hair on its tail, hind end and all four feet. The facility had 280 dogs at the time. Albrecht received an official warning from the USDA in 2021 for leaving a dog in poor dental health, with issues such as loose teeth and bleeding gums. Albrecht was cited for a similar issue in 2017.

Helene Hamrick of Wolf Point Kennel, Ackworth  This facility was cited for veterinary care violations at four different inspections between 2023 and early 2024. Issues found during the late-2023 inspections included a dog with an injured toe pad; a dog with a head tilt and signs of an ear infection; a puppy with an eye condition; and another dog with significant hot spots indicating a skin condition in need of treatment. Inspectors also found unsafe and dirty conditions. In February 2024, a USDA inspector found some dogs that were so badly matted that they had fecal material twisted into the matts.

Freeman P. Helmuth of Sunrise Kennels, Corydon  In 2023, violations were cited during a state inspection and two USDA inspections. In April 2023, the USDA found a pug puppy suffering from poor eye health, with its left eye sealed shut by dry, yellow-colored discharge. In addition, the puppys right eye was completely cloudy. The USDA also noted that the puppy had not been evaluated by a veterinarian and was not receiving any treatment. There were about 90 dogs and puppies on the property at the time. When the USDA returned in November 2023, inspectors found evidence of rodent activity. Sunrise Kennels has sold puppies to at least two Petland stores in recent years, according to the HSUS.

Bruce Hooyer of JKLM Farm, aka Shaggy Hill Farm, Sioux Center  State inspectors who visited JKLM Farm in March 2024 found a variety of violations that indicated ongoing sanitation issues. They noted a strong smell in the whelping building, a buildup of feces underneath the flooring of some kennels and excessive rust. Inspectors also made note of the fact that the business most recent veterinary inspection forms dated back to 2022.

In March 2023, state inspectors noted concerns about the number of dogs at the kennel, stating it was a tremendous amount of work for two people to take care of 125 dogs, and that the number of dogs had been increasing. Inspectors have also noted that several dogs and puppies died at the business in 2017 and 2018.

Connie and Harold Johnson of Fur Babies Forever, formerly CWs Quaint Critters, Melvin  During a September 2023 state inspection, Fur Babies Forever was found to have rust peeling and flaking from some of the kennels. When inspectors returned later that same month, they were denied entry  a repeat violation. Fur Babies Forever and its corporate predecessor have a history of denying inspectors entry, and when inspectors do get in, they typically find violations. The HSUS states that the kennel is still licensed by the state, but still often dodges inspections.

Linda, Bethany and Stanley Korver, Orange City  During USDA inspections in February and May 2023, the inspectors cited this business for a total of 22 violations. Nine of the violations found in May 2023 were repeat violations that had not been corrected from the previous inspection, including dirty and unsafe conditions, poor record-keeping related to puppies, and accumulations of cobwebs, dust, debris and feces. All 27 adult dogs were lacking proof of veterinary examinations and rabies vaccines, according to the inspectors. Past issues at the facility include a lethargic and thin dog found in 2016 that was so malnourished that inspectors could see her ribs and hip bones.

Patti Kowitz of Tannin Border Collies, aka Wapsi River Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, Calamus  After inspectors were twice unable to gain entry Tannin Border Collies, the business failed four consecutive inspections in 2023 and early 2024. Inspectors noted an odor, which they described as strong or excessive, on three occasions. During one of the visits, inspectors found a dog with an untreated paw injury or growth that was later determined to be cancerous.

During a January 2024 visit, the business was cited for dirty, cluttered and smelly conditions, with the inspector writing that the conditions of the facility indicate current number of dogs may be too high for one individual to care for. There were almost 60 dogs and puppies on the property at the time. In November 2023, inspectors found a shivering dog without sufficient shelter from the cold.

Steve Kruse of Stonehenge Kennel, West Point  This breeding operation, one of Iowas largest, was subject to a 21-day USDA license suspension in March 2023. State inspectors also found violations in the second half of 2023, citing the business for strong odors, the lack of solid resting surfaces for dogs and unsanitary conditions. A September 2023 state inspection report made note of a limping dog and the fact that dogs were not being removed from their enclosures when the staff pressure-washed the facilities.

At least 199 dogs were euthanized at the facility in 2021 after Kruse exchanged dogs with another Iowa operator, Daniel Gingerich, whose license was revoked that year. The HSUS says it continues to have grave concerns about the dogs in Stonehenge Kennel.

Heath Rex Meyers of Century Farm Puppies, Grundy Center  This breeder, who has had as many as 240 dogs at any given time, was the subject of numerous citations for violations in 2023 and early 2024. In January 2024, a USDA inspector cited the business for two repeat violations  one for a veterinary care issue and one for unsanitary conditions.

In August 2023, USDA inspectors inquired about the use of a controlled substance that had been provided by veterinarian without its use being properly documented. It appeared the substance may have been used to kill dogs, with USDA inspectors noting that when they asked about the fate of 26 adult dogs whose names were crossed off records, Meyers said they were likely euthanized.

Additionally, inspectors noted that the facility was performing its own dental cleanings and some types of dental extractions. In 2023, the business was cited for dogs in need of veterinary care, wire flooring that could trap the dogs paws, poorly groomed dogs and a lack of space for dogs to exercise.

Joel Paris of Paris Puppies Paradise, Ogden  This business is still in operation, despite the fact that almost 100 dogs were rescued from the property in late 2023. Those dogs were reported to be underweight and living in feces. Paris was fined $2,600 for animal neglect resulting in death and injury, but still appears to be selling dogs online, the HSUS reported. Some of the business more recent violations have been for denying inspectors access to the building, a violation that has been cited at Paris Puppies Paradise 23 times in the past decade.

Wuanita Swedlund of Cantril  This dealer was forced to downsize after multiple puppies died in the cold. One puppy went missing and was presumed to have been eaten by its mother. Another puppy had to be euthanized after his leg was chewed off by fully grown dog. In the winter of 2023-2024, Iowa officials began working with Swedlund to reduce the size of her kennel from 159 dogs to 30 dogs.

According to inspectors, dogs are regularly transported between Swedlunds facility and Steve Kruses Stonehenge Kennels. Swedlund received an official warning from the USDA in January 2024, but incurred several additional violations in February 2024, with inspectors noting she did not have enough employees to properly care for so many dogs.

Ed Van Doorn of Squaw Creek Kennels, Barnes City  In November 2023, the USDA cited this business for performing major do-it-yourself surgical procedures on puppies without veterinary supervision. The operations, inspectors reported, were performed inside a multi-use room used for grooming, surgeries, and other procedures, using the licensees own equipment and instruments.

In December 2023, the USDA gave Van Doorn an official warning for falsifying health certificates, but as of April 2024, it appears no fines or penalties were imposed for the do-it-yourself surgeries. In January 2024, state and USDA inspectors found additional violations at Squaw Creek Kennels, after which Van Doorn canceled his USDA license. As of April 16, however, he was still licensed by the state and appeared to be selling puppies on his website.

Dennis and Donna Van Wyk of Prairie Lane Kennel, New Sharon  In January 2024, inspectors found some of the dogs at this kennel did not have adequate protection from the cold. They also cited the business for the repeat violation of excessive feces, with inspectors reporting there was so much excrement the dogs had trampled it. The Van Wyks admitted the enclosures had not been cleaned in three days, the inspectors reported.

In December 2023, USDA inspectors reported dogs and puppies that were exposed to an excessive buildup of feces, with half the floor of one dog enclosure covered in feces and puppies sitting in the excrement. In addition, three puppies had no access to water.

Charles Vogl of SCW Frenchies, Atlantic  In December 2023, state inspectors found a strong odor of ammonia and waste, along with an excessive among of feces, at SCW Frenchies. During the same visit, inspectors also found unsafe structures, trash and clutter. The inspector noted that it seemed several days were passing without feces being removed from some areas.

Terry Yoder of BRs Dobermans, Riverside  During a January 2024 inspection, state inspectors found several violations at BRs Dobermans, including holes in the wood floor of one building that allowed animals to fall through to the outside, excessive trash and clutter, and mouse feces that were found on all surfaces throughout the facility. Inspectors also reported that all of the indoor enclosures were coated in dirt, hair, feces and grime, noting that they had not been sanitized for an extended period of time. Veterinary records were not complete, with no proof of distemper or parvovirus vaccines for many of the adult dogs.

When state inspectors returned in February 2024, they reported Yoder refused them entry, stating that he still had not repaired the buildings and had not cleaned in at least 36 hours. Inspectors returned in late February and again in March, and they cited the business for numerous violations, including clutter, grime, odors and the lack of a disease control and prevention program.

The post 15 Iowa puppy mills cited in Humane Societys annual report appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
15-year-old boy dies after being stabbed in Broward park, family says. No arrests yet

A 15-year-old boy died a week after he was stabbed in a park in Coconut Creek while police continue looking for leads that can help them track down the killer.

Iury Desenas death was announced over the weekend via GoFundMe, where he was described as sweet, funny and caring.

Everyone he ever met, he made an impact in their life, wrote Jalyn Porth, the fundraisers organizer.

Family members of the boy stabbed at Winston Park and Nature Trail, 5201 NW 49th Ave., in Coconut Creek, Florida, on April 20, 2024, have identified him as 15-year-old Iury Desena. The teen died at the hospital a week later.

Iurys mom, Pamella Fernandes, said in a Facebook post that her son was stabbed six times and that he died Friday at the hospital.

My son is not here to hug me to go to school but I know that God will give me strength and I will count on the communitys help, she said.

Coconut Creeks Lyons Creek Middle PTSA said Iury was a vibrant student who is gone way too soon.

Scotty Leamon, a Coconut Creek police spokesman, declined to confirm the teens name but said the person stabbed around 4:16 p.m. April 20 at Winston Park and Nature Trail, 5201 NW 49th Ave., died over the weekend at Broward Health Medical Center.

No one had been arrested as of Monday afternoon, Leamon told the Miami Herald. Over $10,000 had been raised to pay for the teens medical bills and funeral expenses.

Coconut Creek police are asking residents of Hilton Estates, Cypress Estates, Huntington and Breckenridge West to check their security camera footage for any teen recorded on April 20 between 3:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Videos can be sent to sleamon@coconutcreek.net.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Anyone with information can call Coconut Creek Police Department at 954-973-6700 or reach out to Broward Crime Stoppers online at browardcrimestoppers.org or at 954-493-8477 (TIPS). All Crime Stopper tips are anonymous.

Miami Herald staff writer David Neal contributed to this report.
EMMITSBURG, Md. (WFXR)  The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation announced that 15 firefighters from Virginia will be honored at the 43rd National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.

The national tribute will kick off on May 4 in Emmitsburg to honor 89 firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2023 and 137 firefighters who died in previous years.

National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend is a time for our nation to pause and reflect on the heroic efforts and selfless service of the fallen firefighters we are paying tribute to this year, said NFFF CEO Victor Stagnaro.

There will be a void in many hearts: Moneta Vol. Fire Department mourns loss of president after battle with cancer

Among the list of honorees, 15 firefighters from departments across the Commonwealth will be honored including:

Chief Ernest Cash, age 72, of the Monelison Volunteer Fire Department, died on April 5, 2022, due to complications of esophageal cancer, deemed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to be a line of duty death.

Deputy Chief John Laronda, age 28, of the Altavista Fire Company, died on 6/6/2017 due to complications of a stroke that occurred on 5/7/2017.

Firefighter Eric Newman, age 59, of the Franklin County Public Safety, suffered a stroke while on duty on July 14, 20217. He did not return home after his shift and his wife discovered him collapsed at the station. He was transported to the hospital where he remained until he died on August 4, 2021, due to a stroke.

Recruit Firefighter John Tucker, age 53, of the Altavista Fire Company, died on April 8, 2023, from complications of colon cancer, deemed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to be a line-of-duty death.

Captain Matthew Chevy Chiaverotti, age 44, of the Virginia Beach Fire Department, died on April 17, 2023, due to complications of cancer.

Firefighter Cameron Craig, age 20, of the Abingdon Fire Department, was responding to a call on Oct. 19, 2023, for an automatic fire alarm as a passenger in a fire department engine when the engine was involved in a crash. He was fatally injured in the crash and died at the scene.

Firefighter/EMT Mia Ethridge, age 20, of the Louisa County Department of Fire and EMS, was responding to a residential structure fire on July 9, 2023, when the fire apparatus she was driving ran off the road in the rain and hit a tree. She was transported to the hospital where she remained until she died on Sept. 2, 2023.

Firefighter James Foster, age 46, of the Rice Volunteer Fire Department, died on Jan. 29, 2023, as a result of throat cancer, deemed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to be a line-of-duty death.

Deputy Chief Brian Hricik, age 51, of the Alexandria Fire Department, died on Feb. 23, 2023, due to complications of cancer, deemed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to be a line-of-duty death.

Captain Chester Lauck, age 66, of the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Department, responded to a large wildland fire on April 21, 2023, where he operated the Ultra-Terrain Vehicle (UTV) and performed firefighting operations. He began to feel ill within two hours of returning home. He was transported to the hospital where he was treated and experienced multiple heart attacks. He was placed on life support and died on April 23, 2023.

Deputy Chief Mark McCowan, age 50, of the Clinchco Volunteer Fire Department, died on Oct. 3, 2022, from complications of brain cancer, deemed by the Commonwealth of Virginia to be a line-of-duty death.

Firefighter/Paramedic Ian Strickler, age 35, of the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Department, was part of the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Department Recruit Class #14 that started on July 3, 2023. On July 5, 2023, while attending physical fitness training, he suffered a medical emergency. He was immediately transported to the Winchester Medical Center where he died due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia.

Fire Chief Michael Webb, age 53, of the Callaway Volunteer Fire Department, died on Nov. 13, 2021, due to complications of COVID-19.

Firefighter Stephen Whitson, age 57, of Henrico County Division of Fire, participated in Firefighter Mayday Training during a scheduled duty day on April 4, 2023, and then continued with his shift, which ended at 7:00 a.m. on April 5, 2023. Later that day, he reported not feeling well due to chest pain and fatigue. He died in his sleep due to a heart attack and was pronounced deceased on the morning of April 6, 2023.

Firefighter Rocky Wood, age 53, of the Virginia Department of Forestry, responded to a 15-acre wildfire in Buchanan County, Va. on March 9, 2023. He was scouting the area to determine where to create a containment line around the perimeter of the fire when the ATV he was driving overturned. He died as a result of the injuries he sustained in the accident. He was also the Fire Chief of the Haysi Volunteer Fire Department in Virginia.

Over the weekend, there will be two events open to the public. Each event will be at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park on the grounds of the National Emergency Training Center:

The National Fallen Firefighters Candlelight Service is on May 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be hosted by Fire Captain Garon Mosby of the St. Louis Fire Department.

The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service is on May 5 at 10:00 a.m. ET and will be hosted by actor Jeremy Holm.

On Sunday, fire service and government leaders are scheduled to address attendees at the memorial service.

We will always remember the bravery, commitment, and sacrifices of each of these 226 heroesand their families, said Stagnaro.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
$16 to $28 an hour in Sacramento? These 6 local food and drink spots are hiring

Looking for a job in food service in Sacramento?

Local food and drink spots, from a Michelin-rated restaurant to a truck stop, are hiring across multiple positions.

Heres which jobs were available on job search platforms  Including Google jobs and Indeed  as of Monday afternoon, and what they pay:

Please note job postings are filled and edited frequently through job search platforms. The following list is current as of Monday, April 29 at 2 p.m.

Dive Bar

People watch the mermaids swim at Dive Bar in June 2018.

Looking for? Bartender

Dive Bar at 1016 K St. in Sacramento seeks a part-time bartender with previous experience.

According to Indeed, pay is $16 an hour.

If you have a passion for mixology, enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, and have exceptional interpersonal skills, we would love to hear from you, the business wrote in the job description, posted to the employment website.

Qualifications include a Responsible Beverage Service certification and previous experience as a bartender or in a similar role.

The Kitchen

A Tres Leches cake at The Kitchen on June 5, 2019.

Looking for? Server

Michelin-star restaurant The Kitchen at 915 Broadway, Suite 100, in Sacramento is looking for a full-time server.

Pay ranges from $20 to $28 an hour, according to Googles job search platform.

The role requires a positive and attentive worker willing to learn the ropes.

Benefits include medical, dental and vision perks. Also available are free meals while on shift, mental health services and paid time off.

Candidates must be at least 18 to apply.

Kru

Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine chef and co-owner Billy Ngo prepares sushi Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, at the East Sacramento restaurant.

Looking for? Server assistant/busser

A server assistant/busser is needed at Kru, a Japanese restaurant at 3135 Folsom Blvd. in Sacramento.

The part-time position pays $16 an hour, plus tips. Benefits include an employee discount.

The worker assists with opening the restaurant and resets tables throughout their shift.

The job requires weekend availability.

Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse

Peter Salmond, brewer, and Alli Okumura pack canned beer at Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse on Thursday Jan. 29, 2019 in Sacramento.

Looking for? Front of house worker

Urban Roots at 1322 V St. in Sacramento may be a good fit if youre passionate about craft beer.

The brewery and smokehouse is looking for a part-time employee to work in front of the house, Indeed stated. Pay ranges from $16 to $17 an hour.

Were looking for extraordinary, hardworking humans who exemplify our values, the job description stated.

The worker maintains workstations, including kitchen equipment and floors.

Benefits for full-time employees at Urban Roots include dental, health and vision insurance, financial planning services and 401(k) perks, according to the job post.

The job requires prolonged periods of standing and walking. Interested candidates should be comfortable regularly twisting, kneeling and lifting.

The Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza

Looking for? line cook/prep cook.

Want to work at a truck stop?

The Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza at 2828 El Centro Road in Sacramento is searching for a line cook/prep cook.

Pay ranges from $17 to $22 an hour.

Part-time and full-time schedules are available. The company offers benefits such as dental and health insurance, paid sick time and an employee discount, Indeed stated.

The line cook/prep cook is responsible for preparing guest orders. Other tasks include stocking and washing dishes.

The role requires organizational skills and a ServSafe certificate.

Juhachi Restaurant

Juhachi Restaurant at 1730 S St. in Sacramento is looking for a sushi chef with at least one year of experience, according to Indeed.

The sushi chef is responsible for handling raw fish. Pay ranges from $18 to $22 an hour.

Our ideal candidate is self-driven, motivated, and reliable, the restaurant wrote.

The job requires nighttime, weekend and holiday availability. Interested candidates must be at least 18 with a valid California Food Handlers Card.

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.
16-year-old girl found dead on side of road in 1978, cops say. Man now sentenced

A man will go to prison after being accused of killing a 16-year-old girl in Alaska, officials said.

In January 1978, Shelley Connolly was found dead on the side of the road in Anchorage, according to an April 26 news release from the Alaska Department of Law.

Alaska State Troopers investigated the killing and suspected rape, but the case eventually went cold, officials said.

Detectives gathered evidence from Connollys body and created a DNA profile, officials said.

Even though the profile was uploaded into the nationwide DNA database, no matches were found, officials said.

The case was reopened and then in 2019, Alaska State Troopers connected 67-year-old Donald McQuade of Oregon to the case using genetic genealogy, officials said.

Through DNA testing, investigators were able to match DNA samples collected from two places on Connollys body to McQuades DNA, officials said.

Kyle Barber, a public defender representing McQuade, told Alaska Public Media during McQuades trial that the case against him relies almost entirely on DNA evidence.

For them, science is everything, little else matters, Barber told the outlet. DNA does not answer all questions. In fact, it only answers very specific questions and in this case, it doesnt answer the most important questions: Who was with Shelley Connolly when she actually died, and/or was raped and killed?

McQuade was later convicted, but he and his legal team have maintained his innocence, KTUU reported.

Barber did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment on April 29.

McQuade was sentenced to 50 years in prison, officials said.

My family felt really guilty, Connollys niece Shyla Malone told KTUU in December following McQuades guilty verdict. They just felt guilty, even though it wasnt their fault. You know, the What ifs, the, What could I have done? I just wish that they were here to have seen this as well.

15-year-old found dead in river 45 years ago, MO deputies say. Now shes identified

17-year-old found dead in California vineyard in 1979 is now identified, officials say

Woman found dead in field in 1998, Maryland deputies say. A tip helps identify her
An 18-year-old DeKalb County woman has been booked into jail on charges of homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence, among other charges, in a crash that killed her friend earlier this year.

Sophie Lekiachvili was killed in a crash near Lakeside High School on Feb. 24.

According to a police report, her friend, Hannah Hackemeyer, was driving on Oak Grove Road when she lost control and crashed into a tree. The vehicle flipped over, trapping Lekiachvili.

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Hackemeyer was booked into jail on Tuesday morning on charges of homicide by vehicle in the first degree, driving under the influence for a person under 21, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane.

According to a police report, speed was a contributing factor in the crash, according to the report.

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Hackemeyer was arrested at the scene on charges of DUI but later released.

Hackemeyer was booked at 11:41 a.m. Tuesday.

Channel 2s Berndt Petersen spoke to friends of Lekaichvilis after the crash. They said she was one of the kindest people theyd ever known and that she planned to attend Auburn University in the fall.
Authorities arrested a teen on Monday morning for allegedly stabbing the assistant principal at his school multiple times.

Larnel Jean Eustache, 18, of Chelsea, is charged with assault with intent to murder, mayhem, assault with a dangerous weapons, and other related offenses, according to police.

Officers responding to the KIPP Academy on Wheeler Street around 10:00 a.m. found a staff member suffering from several stab wounds allegedly inflicted by Eustache. The victim, whose name is not being released, was transported to a local hospital with injuries not considered to be life-threatening. Its unclear what sort of weapon was used to injure the victim.

Police say Eustache fled the school before officers arrived but was quickly found after a short foot pursuit.

He will likely be arraigned on Tuesday morning.

In a letter sent home to parents, school officials say they immediately contacted emergency services once they became aware of the incident and placed the school in a Secure and Hold restriction, which is similar to a lockdown. Students tell Boston 25 News it was the assistant principal who was stabbed.

It was scary, especially because there were students who did see what happened, said Adrian Caraballo, a student at KIPP Academy. I cant imagine seeing a teacher stabbed and then bleeding like right in front of you and then the student running away. He could have hurt other students.

The stabbing prompted an early dismissal for students.

The safety of our students and staff is our number one priority, Principal Shauna-Kaye Clarke said. We will continue to partner with the Lynn Police Department and follow their recommendations. Our focus at this time is on supporting our community; we are mobilizing counseling and additional support services for students, faculty, and staff today and will continue to provide information on accessing these supports and ensuring access remains available in the days ahead.

She also added that there is no additional threat or concern of harm to the campus.

In a statement, Mayor Jared C. Nicholson called the incident concerning.

We are deeply saddened and concerned by the incident at KIPP Academy this morning, Mayor Nicholson said. Our thoughts are with the injured person as well as the entire KIPP community, and the City is here to provide any support that we can. We are grateful for the prompt and professional response of the KIPP team, Lynn Police Department and Emergency Medical Services.

KIPP Academy Lynn is a charter school that serves grades 9-12. There are 500 students enrolled at the school, according to their website.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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A coalition of 185 social justice and religious groups published an open letter Monday expressing support for the campus protest encampments sweeping the country in opposition to Israels siege of Gaza, and calling on university administrators to end the brutal crackdowns of the student-led demonstrations.

We commend the students who are exercising their right to protest peacefully despite an overwhelming atmosphere of pressure, intimidation and retaliation, to raise awareness about Israels assault on Gaza  with U.S. weapons and funding, the letter states. These students have come forth with clear demands that their universities divest from corporations profiting from Israeli occupation, and demanding safe environments for Palestinians across their campuses. 

Groups that signed the letter include Gen-Z for Change, Working Families Party, IfNotNow Movement, Young Democrats of America Black Caucus, Movement for Black Lives, Sunrise Movement, MPower Change, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestine Legal, and the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Some 900 students have been arrested during anti-war encampments and demonstrations at American universities in the last 10 days, per a tally from Al Jazeera  a tumultuous period that mirrors volatile demonstrations against the Vietnam War in 1968, when police arrested at least 700 students.

The open letter Monday represents one of the largest shows of support among progressive groups for the burgeoning student protests, and makes clear the divide between establishment Democratic figures and social justice groups when it comes to U.S. support for Israel. President Joe Biden has refused so far to condition the sale of weapons to Israel.

Our communities have been horrified to see the militarized and violent response to students protesting an ongoing genocide funded and supported by our government, and our coalition of organizations join millions of our members across the country in standing in solidarity with the students efforts in support of the people of Gaza, Yasmine Taeb, one of the main organizers of the letter, told HuffPost. Taeb is a human rights lawyer and political director at MPower Change, a Muslim social justice group.

Instead of attacking young people mobilizing for Palestinian human rights, President Biden needs to listen to the majority of Americans who have been calling on him to stop funding and supporting the atrocities committed against the people of Gaza, Taeb said.

People listen to a speaker at a pro-Palestinian encampment advocating for financial disclosure and divestment from all companies tied to Israel and calling for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza at Columbia University on Sunday. via Associated Press

Elise Joshi, executive director at Gen-Z for Change, another signatory to the letter, said that in a time where all universities in Gaza are destroyed, it is our moral obligation to stand with youth in Gaza and all of Palestine. Students are using theory and philosophy from lectures for their intended purpose: collectively dismantling systems of oppression. Free Palestine.

Israel has killed over 33,000 Palestinians since Oct. 7, when the Gaza-based militant group Hamas launched an attack in which nearly 1,200 Israelis were killed and more than 200 taken hostage. In January, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israels siege of Gaza  which has displaced 85% of the population and put the occupied territory on the cusp of famine  left Palestinians at risk of experiencing a genocide. Last week, health officials in Gaza said medics had discovered mass graves at hospitals raided by Israeli troops.

We join [the students] in calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and an end to the U.S. governments and institutions role in the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, Mondays letter states.

As we stand in solidarity with the students protesting in encampments across the country, we reaffirm our commitment to amplifying their voices, condemn the university administration officials violent response to their activism, and demand that universities remove the presence of police and other militarized forces from their campuses, it continues.

In the early hours of April 17, students at Columbia University set up tents on the Ivy League institutions neatly manicured lawn, promising not to leave until the school divested its endowment funds from companies and weapons manufacturers that have business with the Israeli government. The next day, university president Minouche Shafik summoned the New York Police Department to raid the encampment, with officers throwing away tents and arresting over 100 students. Some students were also suspended and evicted from their housing.

But Columbia students defiantly reestablished an encampment not long afterward, inspiring students at dozens of universities across the U.S. to establish their own. These encampments have also faced police crackdowns, including at Emerson College in Boston, where police arrested 108 protesters; at Emory University in Atlanta, where disturbing videos emerged of police using pepper spray and Tasers to arrest students, as well as a few professors; and at University of Texas in Austin, where state troopers in riot gear arrested nearly 60 students.

Meanwhile, Republican Party officials and right-wing media figures have accused the demonstrations of antisemitism, falsely equating criticism of Israel with bigotry towards Jews. Although there have been scattered reports of actual antisemitic incidents at or near the encampments, many were not perpetrated by students but by interlopers. Many of the student protesters across the country are Jewish.

Far-right agitators, including Christian nationalist activists, have also targeted the encampments, with MAGA pastor Sean Feucht leading hundreds of Christian and Jewish Zionists on a march around the Columbia campus on Thursday. The rally ended with pro-Israel demonstrators yelling through the gate at pro-Palestinian Columbia students. Go back to Gaza! they screamed.

On Monday, Shafik, Columbias president, gave student protesters a 2 p.m. deadline to leave the encampment or face mass suspensions and evictions.

Read the full letter here.
2 facing charges in connection to officer hit by truck during traffic stop in Dayton

Two people are facing charges in connection to a police officer being hit by a stolen truck last week in Dayton.

>>RELATED: Officer hit by car during traffic stop in Dayton; driver arrested in Indiana

Daniel Payton, 46, has been charged with receiving stolen property, obstructing official business, and failure to comply with order of a police officer while Diamond Grody, 29, was charged with obstructing business, according to Dayton Municipal Court records.

News Center 7 previously reported that Dayton officers responded around 9:50 p.m. Wednesday night to a traffic stop in the area of West Fairview Avenue and Catalpa Drive for a vehicle that was suspected to be stolen.

When officers stopped it, a woman got out and ran away, according to Sgt. Alex Magill with Dayton Police Department.

A man then got into the drivers seat and took off, hitting a Dayton police officer in the process.

>>Building at Dayton Childrens Hospital to be closed today after crash, ruptured gas line

Police, along with neighbor agencies, chased the truck that took off on I-70 westbound into Indiana where he was taken into custody.

The woman was later located by officers and taken into custody as well.

Online jail records indicate both Payton and Grody are still in Montgomery County Jail.
2 hurt in coyote attack at Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina, officials say

A search is underway for a coyote that attacked two people in Uwharrie National Forest, about a 60-mile drive northeast of Charlotte.

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The isolated incident occurred early in the morning on April 27 on the Uwharrie Trail near Big Island Creek, U.S. Forest Service officials said in a news release.

Two individuals received minor injuries during the incident, and Forest Service and state officials are working together to locate the coyote involved.

Details of how the victims encountered the animal, and their identities, were not released.

Coyotes are a common sight in the forest and the results can be unpredictable, officials said.

They resemble a mangy-looking dog, weighing between 20 and 45 pounds, with long slender snouts, a bushy tail, and pointed ears, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Coyotes rarely contract rabies, which is typically a cause for wildlife attacks on humans, experts say.

Attacks on people, including children, are extremely rare, the commission says.

Normal coyote behavior is to be curious, but wary, when close to humans. Like other wildlife, they will become bold and habituated if people feed them, either purposely or inadvertently, such as with garbage or outdoor pet food.

The U.S. Forest Service is warning Uwharrie National Forest visitors to avoid animals that appear to be in distress and to seek medical attention if injured by one.

Uwharrie National Forest covers 51,850 acres in Montgomery, Randolph and Davidson Counties.

Coyote killed after attacking 3-year-old girl on beach at Cape Cod National Seashore

Grisly photo catches coyote eating mysterious animal in NC mountains. What was it?

Wrestling match involving rabid bobcat and Virginia man has captivated social media
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. European Commission Director General for Neighbourhood & Enlargement Negotiations, Gert Jan Koopman, is expected to visit Azerbaijan on May 3-4, Trend reports.

He plans to discuss EU-Azerbaijan cooperation, including regional connectivity and renewable energy in the run-up to the COP29 climate change conference.

The director general will also launch, together with representatives of EU Member States, a Team Europe initiative on mine action in Azerbaijan to help address issues such as capacity building, mine risk education, and victim support building.

Together with the EIB, the Director General will also launch EU support to improve the financial inclusion of Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

Meanwhile, Gert Jan Koopman will also be traveling to Armenia and Georgia as part of his visit to the South Caucasus.
CHICAGO  An investigation is underway after a shooting on the citys West Side left two men and a teen injured on Monday afternoon.

According to Chicago police, the gunfire erupted around 1 p.m. in the 1200 block of North Keeler Avenue, in Humboldt Park.

Officers say the two men and the teen were near a sidewalk in the area when they were all hit by gunfire.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Police say a 16-year-old boy was shot in the leg and was taken to the hospital in good condition.

Two others, a 28-year-old man and a 30-year-old man were both shot in the stomach and were taken to the hospital where they were initially listed in critical condition.

Currently, it is unclear what led to the gunfire and authorities say no arrests have been made.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact CPD Area Four Detectives at 312-746-8251 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.
A proposed casino in Pasco is being criticized by rivals who say the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation have no right to the Tri-Cities and that its plans will devastate nearby casinos.

Youre going to start an Indian war, Ruth Jim, a member of the council of the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation, said during a four-hour hearing held April 24 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The agency is taking comment on the scope of a environmental impact statement to assess the projects impacts.

The impact statement is required under federal law.

The virtual hearing offered one of the first public forums to comment on the Colville plan for a casino, hotel, event center, restaurants and supporting facilities on property the tribes own north of the King City Truck Stop in Pasco.

The Yakama are on record opposing the casino on territorial and other grounds. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) added its opposition for similar reasons during the hearing.

The Colville want to build a casino and other amenities on 165 acres off Highway 395 and Kartchner Street. If it secures federal and Washington state approval, it will be the tribes fourth casino and the Tri-Cities first tribal casino.

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation recently initiated the process to open a casino in Pasco. If approved, it will be the fourth casino for the Colville, which operate the 12 Tribes casinos in Chelan, Grand Coulee and Omak, above.

The Yakama, based in Toppenish, and CTUIR, based in the Pendleton, Ore. area, both assert the Colville lack the right to build in the Tri-Cities under their respective 1855 treaties with the U.S. government.

Officials argued a Pasco casino would devastate their own casinos.

The Yakama marked the 25th anniversary of the Legends Casino last May.

The Umatilla operate Wildhorse Resort and Casino near Pendleton. The two casinos are roughly 90 minutes in opposite directions from southern Kennewick.

Reservation sighting Pandoras Box

The Yakama Nation and CTUIR both depend on their casinos to fund important tribal government services and employ members.

Both built the complexes within their reservation boundaries. The Colville are taking a different tact in Pasco  a point that rankles its critics.

The tribe paid $2.9 million for a collection of parcels in Pasco site 2019 with the intent of creating a casino there, away from its reservation.

The Yakama Nation is objecting to efforts by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to develop 184 acres in Pasco for a future casino east of Highway 395.

It initiated the federal Fee-to-Trust process in 2023 when it applied to the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place the property into a federal trust. The multi-step process is spelled out in the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The Colvilles other three casinos, which operate under the 12 Tribes name, are on its reservation in the Ritzville about 75 miles north of Pasco. The Colville can open up to six casinos in Washington under its compact with the state.

Letisha Peterson, general manager for Legends Resort and Casino, described the world of tribal casinos as cooperative. The Yakama casino employs 700 and provides income to half the 11,000 enrolled members.

A rival in Pasco could cause a rift, she said., echoing Ruth Jim.

Alan Tovey is Petersons counterpart at Wildhorse.

Tovey is proud of the work CTUIR has done to create economic opportunities on the Umatilla reservation. Inviting non-local tribes to set up shop next door sets a troubling precedent, he said.

Ethan Jones, lead attorney for the Yakama Nation, said the tribes will appeal the BIA process on procedural grounds. BIA has not disclosed the full application or other documents, he said. Allowing off-reservation casinos would open a Pandoras Box, he added.

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation plan to build a casino in Pasco is being opposed by the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation on territorial and other grounds.

The plan and its supporters

The Colville aims to build a 184,200-square-foot casino, eight-story hotel with 200 rooms, restaurants, 1,500-spot parking lot and other amenities along North Capitol Avenue, near the Kartchner exit in north Pasco.

As part of the 12 Tribes casino network, it would support tribal services and provide jobs to members who live off the Colville reservations.

It would support about 2,000 jobs through construction and an employment base of 5,000 in the first five years, Jarred-Michael Erickson, chairman of the tribes.

After the initial land deal, the Colville began building support for their proposal in the Tri-Cities. The tribes have entered agreements with the city of Pasco, Franklin County, the Port of Pasco and other local government entities pledging mutual cooperation.

Pasco Mayor Matt Watkins and Colville Confederated Tribes Chairman Rodney Cawston signed an agreement to collaborate on tourism, education and a plan to offset the cost of emergency services on a future tribal development.

Adam Lincoln, Pascos city manager, Colin Hastings, executive director of the Pasco Chamber, and Stephen McFadden, economic development director for the port, all voiced support for the casino plan, saying the jobs and tourism activity it will generate will be welcome additions.

What happens next?

The BIA hearing will help determine the scope of an environmental impact statement that will scrutinize the casinos impact on the environment and community. Written comments will be accepted through Friday, May 3. Go to colvilleeis.com for information.

Tribal gaming is a lucrative industry in Washington, accounting for a majority of the $3.8 billion in net gambling receipts for the year that ended June 30, 2023, according to the Washington State Gambling Commissions annual gambling activity report.

Tribal casinos accounted for almost $3 billion of the total.

Those figures would include the 35 tribal casinos in Washington but not Wildhorse, which is in Oregon..

Commercial gambling such as pull tabs and house-banked card rooms accounted for $437 million. The Lottery $385 million, nonprofits $32.5 million and horse racing $19.8 million.

Sign Up: Boom Town Tri-Cities

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2 Royal Horses That Bolted Through London Were Dripping with Blood, Say Police Officers Who Helped Save Them

The horses were eventually stopped around 7 miles from where they were spooked by the sound of falling concrete

Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images Two royal horses bolt through the streets of London

Two police officers who helped rescue the royal horses that got loose in London are opening up about the incident.

We began this wild goose chase, City of London police officer Lucy Hawes, 26, told U.K. newspaper The Times about being called to the scene at approximately 8.40 a.m. local time after four horses belonging to the Household Cavalry  named Vida, Trojan, Quaker and Tennyson  ran through the British capital on Wednesday, April 24.

The animals had been exercising with three other horses in the exclusive Belgravia neighborhood of the British capital when they became spooked by the sound of some construction concrete falling to the floor.

We arrived at one location where they had been spotted, but found they had sped off in another direction. We U-turned in our vehicle  and were going as fast as we could... Eventually we caught up, added Hawes, who spoke to The Times alongside constable Daniel McKeown, 46,





Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images Royal horses get loose in London.

Related: King Charles' Guard Breaks Protocol to Allow Elderly Veteran to Pet His Horse

The officers said they began performing first aid on the animals after the Metropolitan Police managed to restrain the horses and tie them to a fence in Limehouse, east London, around 7 miles from where the events began.

"We found the two horses covered with cuts, dripping with blood  one had four gashes. They were both slick with sweat and were shaking, McKeown recalled.



We knew the carnage had happened behind but we didnt know what to expect when we got up there, McKeown continued. We were covered in blood ourselves, and had to use all [of] our packets of bandages as well as the Mets too to stop the bleeding.

It's been reported that the white horse pictured running through the streets of London covered in blood was Vida.

Horse-lover Hawes  who has worked in the roads policing unit for five years and wants to join the mounted police in the future  told the outlet how she "gently" held and spoke to Vida in a bid to keep the animal calm. The British Army had said Vida was "known to kick and bite."

Our concern was keeping the people of the city and the horses safe. To us, this should have been considered a major incident, McKeown told the outlet.

Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images A white royal horse running through London

Related: At Least 4 Injured After Runaway Royal Horses Gallop Through Streets of London

City of London Police Inspector Myles Hilbery praised the courageous officers and added that Police constables Lucy Hawes and Daniel McKeown risked their own safety to provide first aid to the injured and anxious horses," Hilbery told the outlet.

"They kept the horses calm while waiting for a horse box and veterinary team to arrive... Our thoughts are with those people and horses injured in the incident, Hilbery added.

On Friday, April 26, the British Army provided an update on the horses' recovery, confirming in a statement released on X (formerly known as Twitter) that two injured horses had been operated on.

They declined to comment when contacted by PEOPLE regarding an update on the horses' condition but said a statement would be issued when there was further information to share.

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!

Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images Royal horses run through London

The British military previously confirmed in a statement that the three soldiers thrown off the horses were "expected to recover fully and return to duty," adding on April 26: "Two of the injured horses were operated on last night, with one transferred to an equine hospital. All remaining horses are being closely observed."

"Our horses receive the highest standards of care, and those that did not undergo surgery are expected to return to duty in due course," the message continued. "We want to thank everyone who has shown such kindness and concern towards our soldiers and horses. We will provide more updates soon."

Defence minister James Cartlidge previously told Sky News the two injured horses were "unfortunately in a relatively serious condition" following the incident. Per The Times, Vida has now returned to her stable after undergoing surgery.

The Household Cavalry is the senior regiment in the British Army and plays a leading role in state occasions involving King Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton, among others. Its soldiers have also recently served in Afghanistan and Iraq  including Prince Harry in 2007.

The City of London police didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE.

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Read the original article on People.
A pair of celebrated writers scheduled to speak at a University of Southern California graduation ceremony that was shifted online have announced they will not be attending, accusing the school of gravely mishandling student protests against the war in Gaza that have rocked its campus in recent weeks.

The university called off its main stage commencement ceremony on Thursday, citing concerns for the safety of the more than 65,000 people who had been expected to flood campus on May 10. The ceremonys nixing came less than two weeks after the controversial decision to bar Asna Tabassum, its pro-Palestian valedictorian, from speaking at the event.

Instead, the school announced earlier this week, it would break graduation down into satellite ceremonies for its individual colleges.

C Pam Zhang, a prize-winning novelist, and Safiya Noble, a University of California Los Angeles professor, were tapped to give keynote speeches to the graduates of USC Rossier School of Education. But Zhang and Noble formally withdrew on Sunday, publishing a letter they also sent to university officials on Literary Hub.

To speak at USC in this moment would betray not only our own values, but USCs too, they said.

The two said they were appalled that the school administration had refused to meet in good faith with student protesters; calling in the Los Angeles Police Department to arrest 93 pro-Palestinian protesters for failure to disperse this week; and having censored Tabassum with little explanation or transparency.

Zhang and Noble said these actions represent a violent and targeted refusal to allow true diversity of expression to flourish on campus, saying it was deeply regrettable that USC had turned a time for celebrating its entire student body into an opportunity to punish a small group.

By sharing their letter publicly, they said, they hoped to compel school officials to address our concerns, and meet in good faith with student protesters. They called on the other commencement speakers still set to appear at the more than three dozen satellite ceremonies scheduled to take place next month to join them in their boycott.

Should our conditions be met, we would consider delivering our commencement speeches as previously scheduled, in order to celebrate deserving graduates and their families, they said, noting that their withdrawal was in no way a condemnation of USCs graduating class, who deserve to be celebrated, nor of faculty, staff, students, and administrators separate from university leadership.

Zhangs debut novel, 2020s How Much of These Hills Is Gold, earned her a place on the Booker Prize longlist. She was supposed to speak at the May 8 education school doctoral hooding ceremony, according to the Los Angeles Times. Noble, the co-founder and co-director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry, was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2021. She was to speak at the schools May 10 masters ceremony, the Times reported.

Tabassum, a biomedical engineering major who wears a hijab and is of Muslim and South Asian descent, was told she could no longer speak at USCs commencement on April 15. University leaders announced the decision to students and staff in an email after pro-Israel groups accused her of antisemitism over a link on her Instagram page. Provost Andrew T. Guzman said that substantial but unspecified risks relating to security and disruption at commencement had led to the decision, denying that it had had anything to do with restricting freedom of speech.

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, Tabassum said in a statement at the time. I am not surprised by those who attempt to propagate hatred. I am surprised that my own universitymy home for four yearshas abandoned me.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Two Ukrainian men died Saturday after they were fatally stabbed at a shopping center in Murnau am Staffelsee, Germany, local police said in a statement.

A 36-year-old man died from his serious injuries on site, police said, and a 23-year-old man died at a nearby hospital that evening. The identities of the victims was not released, in keeping with German law, but the police said they both lived in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen district.

A Russian national suspected in the case was found and arrested at his nearby home address that same evening, German police officials said.

There is an ongoing murder investigation underway, police said.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident and said the two men were Ukrainian military personnel undergoing medical rehabilitation, according to preliminary data.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A man is dead and theres a search for his killer following a shooting outside of a South Carolina bar, according to the Lexington County Sheriffs Department.

Rodney McKensey James Jr., a 23-year-old Wagener resident, died early Sunday morning, Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher said.

James was shot multiple times outside of Amici Tavern, which is in the 1000 block of Savannah Highway, officials said. Thats in the Swansea area of Lexington County.

At about 3:20 a.m. Sunday, deputies responded to a report of a shooting at the bar, according to the sheriffs department.

Witnesses told investigators that James was one of two men who were arguing in the bar before going outside, the sheriffs department said. Information about why the men were arguing was not available, and there was no word if they knew each other prior to the confrontation.

Based on what weve gathered, one man shot another man in the parking lot, Sheriff Jay Koon said in a news release. The shooter drove away in an unknown car while the victim was driven by friends down the road a short distance where they met EMS.

James was then taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead due to multiple gunshot wounds, according to Fisher.

No other injuries were reported.

No arrests have been reported by the sheriffs department, which is continuing to investigate the death along with the coroners office.

Deputies spent hours on the scene interviewing witnesses and reviewing security camera footage from a nearby business, according to the sheriffs department.

Were on this investigation at the request of the Swansea Police Department and we dont have very much to go on at this point, Koon said. Thats why wed like to hear from anyone who was at the bar last night or anyone who might have heard specifics about the shooting.

Anyone with information about the shooting, or the man suspected of pulling the trigger, is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.

This was not the only time this year that a shooting has been reported at the Amici Tavern.

In January, a 31-year-old Salley man was charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime following a shooting at the bar, Swansea police said.

Arthur James Hodge Jr., was accused of shooting at a bouncer after a verbal dispute turned into a physical confrontation, according to police. Hodge was denied bond on the attempted murder charge and hes being held at the Lexington County Detention Center, jail records show.
For destinations the world over, theres a delicate balance to be struck. Following the pause of tourism during Covid restrictions, many places reliant on visitors were champing at the bit to lure back holidaymakers once travel opened up again. But there are tourists  and then there are too many tourists.

Post-pandemic, the influx of millions of visitors to tourist-strewn towns has, in some cases, risen to levels above those seen in 2019. Too much tourism threatens to disrupt residents and natural ecosystems, and contribute to transport pollution.

Unesco has warned of potential damage to protected areas, and Fodors No Travel List recommended reconsidering a visit to suffering cultural hotspots with overstretched infrastructure, such as Venice, Athens and Mount Fuji, in 2024.

Some destinations themselves have started taking a stand. Italys hardened approach to tackling the issue is leading the charge against overtourism in peak season, and countries looking to maintain tradition and encourage sustainability through a redirection to low-impact tourism have followed suit.

Bans on cruise ships and short-term holiday rentals such as Airbnb, and caps on visitor numbers are among the ways destinations are trying to get a handle on escalating tourism, alongside championing considerate behaviour.

Here are the destinations cracking down on tourism, from Mallorca to the Galapagos Islands.

Read more on overtourism:

Italy

Day trippers to Venice will be charged 5 to enter the historic centre (Getty Images)

Venice

Venice has heeded Unesco warnings of irreversible damage to its historic centre and introduced an entry fee for daytrippers between 8.30am and 4pm in spring and summer. Day-tripping tourists will incur a 5 (4.30) charge and be subject to a ticketing system as part of plans to tackle overtourism in the popular canal city flooded with 30 million visitors annually. The tax follows the Italian citys decision to ban cruise ships from the centre in 2019 after an incident where a cruise liner hit a dock.

The canal city has also introduced new rules banning the use of loudspeakers and limiting tour group sizes to no more than 25 people.

Portofino

In Portofino, tourists lingering in viral Instagram spots to take selfies could be fined 275 (242) for creating a dangerous situation. Implemented red zones or no waiting areas are intended to prevent traffic jams and congested pavements in the picturesque Italian Riviera town during peak season, April to October. Mayor of Portofino Matteo Viacava said tourists pausing to take pictures cause anarchic chaos and added in a statement to The Times: The objective is not to make the place more exclusive but to allow everyone to enjoy our beauty.

Capri

The island of Capri has proposed a barrier of buoys to stop boats from sailing too close to shore and prevent damage to its cove-filled coastline. Plans for a perimeter of 40 buoys 100m offshore for 3.7 miles around the Italian islands western coast were put forward by the local council in July 2024. The mayor of Anacapri, Franco Cerrotta, said that the barrier would also protect children in swimming areas from dangerous encounters with boats.

Rome

Romes rules prevent going topless, eating messy food and leaving love padlocks (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Visitors to Rome may face severe fines or even bans at attractions in a crackdown on out-of-line tourist behaviour in the Italian capital. Since 2019 men are no longer allowed to go shirtless in public, love padlocks are forbidden from being attached to bridges and those caught snacking on messy foods around busy tourist attractions (specifically the Trevi Fountain), could also be fined. The regulations may also incur a warning from police patrolling attractions.

Sardinia

Travellers to Sardinia are warned against wandering on the inviting pink sands of Spiaggia Rosa at risk of a fine ranging from 500 (428) up to 3,500 (2,993). A stricter enforcement of the Budelli Island beach ban, first introduced over 30 years ago, stems from concerns that tourism poses a danger to the pink micro-organisms that live on the shore. In 2022, visitor numbers on five Sardinian beaches were capped at 60 and 3 per person, per day visitor fees were implemented in a bid to protect the islands shores from litter.

Florence

In June, Florence banned the use of Airbnbs and short-term private holiday rentals in its historic city centre. The Unesco World Heritage Site is home to around 11,000 short-term private rental properties and housing stock in the area had depleted the availability of affordable housing for full-time residents.

Trentino Alto Adige

New rules limiting the number of overnight guests in Trentino Alto Adige could make it more difficult for holidaymakers to find accommodation in the Italian regions areas of natural beauty including a famed glacial lake, Lago di Braies. The number of visitors staying in the area will be capped at 2019 levels in an effort to combat overtourism, top attractions including the Alpe di Siusi will require pre-registration and no new guest houses are permitted to open.

Greece

Athens

Athens capped the number of Acropolis tourists to 20,000 a day (Getty Images)

The famed Greek Acropolis capped visitor numbers at 20,000 in September 2023 to reduce footfall at the ancient monument. Visitors will also have to book a time slot in advance with caps changing from hour to hour between 8am and 8pm. The Greek culture minister, Lina Mendoni said: The measure will address the need to protect the monument, which is the main thing for us, as well as [improving] visitors experience of the site.

Santorini & Mykonos

Greece is set to reduce the number of cruise ships that can call at islands, including Santorini and Mykonos in a bid to tackle the impact of overtourism. The new measures would be introduced to cap cruise liners and reduce the footfall of thousands of passengers on the clearly suffering Cycladic Islands. Limiting the availability of berths and anchoring slots could alleviate the growing pressure on Greek ports and a bidding process would reportedly be implemented for vessels to secure the slots.

Hallstatt, Austria

Hallstatts mayor intended to reduce tourist footfall by a third in 2020 (Getty Images)

The Austrian town said to have inspired Frozens Arendelle, Hallstatt, took measures to deter tourists from visiting the fairytale spot by constructing wooden fences that obstruct lakeside views of the area that make for a popular selfie backdrop. Pre-pandemic, foot traffic to the protected Unesco site was averaging 10,000 visitors a day prompting Alexander Scheutz, Hallstatts mayor, to cap the number of tour buses and cars allowed to enter the area with the intention of reduce tourism numbers by at least a third. Locals also took to the streets in October to protest overtourism with signs that read tourism yes  mass tourism no.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tourism in the Galapagos is tightly controlled with strict regulations on land and sea enforced by the Galapagos National Park Service. These include walking only on marked trails, visiting protected areas with a specialized guide only and not visiting the islands main natural beauty spots on privately owned yachts. As of 1 August 2024, all tourists visiting the archipelago must also pay an increased entry tax  $200 (155) for international visitors and $100 (78) for visitors from Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Boracay, Philippines

In 2018, Boracay, a popular tourist island in the Philippines, was closed for six months after the countrys president declared the once-white sand beaches cesspools. Sewage problems from hotels and restaurants accommodating the tourism industry threatened to take the environment of the idyllic island past the point of no return.

Maya Beach, Thailand

A swimming ban remains in place at reopened Maya Beach to protect the coral (Getty Images)

Famous as the setting for the Hollywood blockbuster The Beach, Maya Bay in Ko Phi Phi Leh, Thailand, was closed in the summer of 2018 to restore the natural landscape, ecosystems and coral reefs overwhelmed by 5,000 tourists a day. The beach reopened in January 2022 but swimming in the bay remains banned to protect the restored coral and black-tipped reef shark population. Visitors are also only allowed to visit for an hour and motorboats are banned from the bay itself.

Penang, Malaysia

Penang became the first destination in Southeast Asia to ban short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb holiday homes in June 2023 as a result of the behaviour of international tourists negatively impacting local residents. Under the regulations, only commercial properties are now able to host guests on a short-term basis  this is subject to registration fees and a 75 per cent approval from the other residents in the hosts building.

Bali, Indonesia

Bali introduced a tourist tax to combat unruly behaviour (Getty Images)

In February, Indonesian tourism giant Bali introduced a $10 (7.70) tourist tax to discourage unruly tourists from visiting the low-cost island. Visitors will be forced to pay the 150,000 rupiah levy before they can enter the popular backpacking destination, plus a tourist handbook outlining acceptable behaviour could also be distributed to travellers as part of further measures by the Bali Tourism Board.

Okinawa, Japan

The Galapagos of the East, Okinawa in Japan introduced a cap on visitor numbers to combat overtourism and protected an endangered species of indigenous wild cat, the Iriomote cat. As of April 2023, a maximum of 1,200 tourists a day will be able to travel to the Iriomote island of the Okinawa prefecture in a bid to preserve the ecosystem and the quality of life for permanent residents.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Amsterdam banned cruise ships from docking in the city centre in July 2023 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The latest measures of Amsterdams campaign against overtourism  a limit on the number of river cruises that enter the Dutch capitals waterways and plans to reduce overnight visitors by banning the construction of new hotels. The proposals to restrict the way tourists enter and stay in the city predict 271,000 fewer visitors per year via river cruise and aim to limit overnight stays to just 20 million tourists annually.

Ocean-going cruise ships were banned from docking in the city centre last July and Brits were urged to stay away by authorities in Amsterdam due to complaints of antisocial behaviour during stag parties and pub crawls. The Dutch capitals campaign in March 2023 targeted search engine keywords including stag party Amsterdam and pub crawl Amsterdam when entered by British internet users; a warning video consequently popped up.

Spain

Barcelona

In 2024 Barcelona increased its municipal tourist tax to 6.75 per night (Getty Images)

Barcelona increased its municipal tourist tax from 5.25 to 6.75 per night in April 2024 for guests staying in a five-star hotel, with the sum paid to Barcelonas Generalitat and the City Council. The surcharge is on top of the general nightly tourist tax (now 3.50) paid to the region and, as a result, means that five-star hotel guests will pay 47.25 (41) per seven-night stay on top of their hotel room rate.

Last October, the Spanish city cut the number of cruise ships able to dock at its central port at any one time from 10 to seven and recently the 116 bus route, one of the few to stop outside Parc Guells main gates, was removed from tourist maps to deter holidaymakers from visiting in peak season.

The Catalan capital also pledged to eradicate short-term tourist rentals including Airbnbs by the end of the decade and introduce strict new measures to restrict souvenir shopping and displays in bad taste.

Seville

Holidaymakers visiting Seville will soon be charged to enter the historic Plaza de Espana under new plans to tackle overtourism in the southern Spanish city. Most of the details including the exact charge and ticketing system are currently unclear, but Sevillian citizens will be exempt from the charge.

Mallorca

A string of anti-tourism protests have stormed Mallorca so far this summer. In March and July, more than 10,000 people marched through Palma, chanting, Lets save Mallorca and on 1 June, residents were called to protest by setting up on the Spanish islands beaches by the social media group Mallorca Platja Tour.

Protesters demonstrating on the streets of Palma de Mallorca say that the marches against overtourism will continue until the Balearic government introduces measures to counter the housing emergency on the island.

Menorca

Tourists will only be welcome in Binibeca Vell between 11am and 8pm (Getty Images)

The 195 homeowners in Menorcan village Binibeca Vell have put up ropes and chains with keep-out imagery to stop a parade of tourists from crossing the line into private properties. Tourists were also asked to only stop off in Binibeca between the hours of 11am and 8pm to reduce noise and respect residents.

French Polynesia

The pristine Pacific islands of French Polynesia plan to cap annual tourist numbers in a sustainability push. Local cruise lines with up to 700 passengers will take priority over international cruise ships and the cap will not exceed 300,000 visitors a year  equivalent to one tourist per local.

France

Street art of giant rat traps intended to deter tourists in Nice (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

French tourism minister, Olivia Gregoire presented a roadmap to combat overtourism by regulating tourism flows and supporting local authorities experiencing visitor surges last June. Iconic French attractions such as the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey in Normandy and the Louvre Museum previously risked being overwhelmed by the volume of visitors.

Machu Picchu, Peru

In 2019, the bucket-list Unesco site Machu Picchu introduced a strict ticketing system and time slots to tackle overtourism. Visitors must now arrive within a specific time slot with a four-hour time limit for each visit and a set closing time of 5.30pm. Previous rules already outlined that visitors were only able to enter Machu Picchu with an official tour guide, group sizes were limited to 16 people and defined routes had to be followed around the site.

Cornwall, UK

Cornish holiday lets face a compulsory registration proposal to ease the pressure on the property market (Getty Images)

Cornish holiday lets are facing a compulsory registration proposal to combat overtourism during peak periods. Short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo have created an influx of additional holiday accommodation properties, adding to the already growing housing crisis in Cornwall. Last March, the government also proposed a 160m crackdown on problematic behaviour, including in short-term holiday lets.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

A Respect the City campaign in Dubrovnik introduced new measures for visitors to the Unesco World Heritage city, including bans on walking around in swimwear, driving without special permission, eating and drinking around cultural monuments and climbing on the city walls. All offences are punishable by fines and criminal charges. Visitors to Dubrovnik must also pay 2.65 (2.25) per person, per night from April to September.

Oahu, Hawaii

Oahu aims to bring visitor numbers to a more sustainable level (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Hawaii is cracking down on visitor numbers to take care of its unique natural environment, repair coral reefs and maintain state parks and trails. A $25 (20) green tourist fee is being considered in the state that would require tourists to pay when checking into hotels or short-term rentals. Democratic Gov. Josh Green said: We get between nine and 10 million visitors a year [but] we only have 1.4 million people living here. Those 10 million travellers should be helping us sustain our environment.

Bhutan, The Himalayas

Since the country opened to tourism in 1974, visitors to Bhutan must pay a Sustainable Development Fee, now US$100 (80) per day  the worlds most expensive entrance fee  to restrict footfall on the landlocked Himalayan nation and encourage high value, low impact tourism. The tourism tax was halved from $200 in September 2023 for travellers who opt to visit, a $35 increase from the $65 pre-pandemic charge.

Sintra, Portugal

For years, summer tourism to Sintras Unesco world heritage site has threatened to overwhelm residents, with congested traffic preventing locals from running everyday errands in the town centre. Local association QSintra says that traffic and disrespectful tourists have made Sintra, to the west of Lisbon, a congested amusement park and are calling on the council to take action.

Prague, Czechia

Prague has proposed a ban on silly stag costumes (Getty Images)

A district council in Prague has proposed that outrageous costumes worn by stag and hen party groups be banned to tackle overtourism and reduce the toll of nightlife on locals in the city. The suggested silly costume ban intends to address noise pollution and unruly tourist behaviour in the areas nightlife scene.

Read more: Mallorca is going all out to repel tourists  but I wont stop holidaying there
28 school positions to be cut under draft Kennewick budget. Why so many?

Kennewick School District is expecting to cut 28 teaching and staff positions, according to preliminary budget projections for the 2024-25 school year.

And its likely the district will eliminate more positions next year, too.

Superintendent Traci Pierce said this week they plan to eliminate the positions through attrition, retirements and resignations. The number of cuts is larger than the district normally sees in a usual year.

They are not planning a reduction in force, commonly known as RIF, and no staff members are expected to lose their jobs for the next school year, Pierce emphasized.

For the past three years, (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) funding has been used to maintain staff positions when the levy failed and to keep class sizes low, Pierce told the Tri-City Herald.

Maintaining low class sizes was part of our learning recovery efforts tied to ESSER funding. Now that ESSER funding is expiring, we need to reduce these positions, she said.

They include 17 certificated elementary school positions, eight teaching jobs at middle and high schools, and three positions in alternative programs. Its unclear which schools or facilities will see the cuts.

Eliminating the positions will save the district more than $2.5 million in a year when expenditures are expected to eclipse revenues by about $6.7 million.

The district has anticipated operating on a $5 million to $10 million annual budget shortfall ever since a 2022 double levy failure.

Early projections show nearly $316 million in revenues and $323 million in expenditures in next school years general fund budget. Salaries and benefits alone make up 86% of the districts budget.

Kennewick School District staff are busy drafting the spending budget that funds 3,500 teachers and employees in more than 30 schools, and which supports the education of 19,000 students.

The district is Kennewicks largest employer.

Pandemic stimulus money

ESSER is the pandemic-era financial stimulus passed by Congress in 2020 and 2021. The fund has provided billions for state programs and local school districts ever since classes were disrupted by the historic COVID pandemic.

The third and final installment of these one-time funds must be obligated or spent by Sept. 30.

The Kennewick School District has used about one-third of its ESSER  roughly $20 million of its total $59 million allocation  covering programs, teacher salaries and other expenses that would have been covered by levy dollars.

Pierce said Kennewick was very mindful to not use ESSER to fund ongoing expenses and has been intentional to keep a healthy balance in the general fund.

The district was unable to collect millions in local levy funding last year after voters twice rejected measures in 2022. Levy-related funds make up about 11% of the districts total revenues.

After twice lowering the levy amount, voters in February 2023 finally approved a three-year levy measure to raise $72 million starting this year.

The district also was due to collect up to $14 million in state matching money with the levys passage, but that amount will likely be much lower since property valuations skyrocketed last year, causing the districts levy rates to dip below a threshold needed for the maximum levy match.

Like many school districts, Kennewick is still grappling with a reduction in enrollment it saw during the pandemic.

Enrollment is important because it correlates with how much funding local school districts get from Washington state.

But Kennewick has not seen a substantial reduction in enrollment that would trigger layoffs like districts in Yakima and Vancouver.

The district had 18,835 full-time equivalent students during the 2023-24 school year. Thats about 100 students fewer than in the 2019-20 school year.
3 chilling true crime cases of women who went on vacation and never returned

3 chilling true crime cases of women who went on vacation and never returned

Vacations turned into nightmares for these women after they went on a trip they never returned from.

These true crime cases have become the subject of documentaries and podcasts, diving into the details of the disappearances. The families of these individuals spent many years searching for answers. In the case of Amy Lynn Bradley, answers are still being sought, as the case is unsolved to this day.

These are three stories of women who vanished on vacation and where their cases stand now.

Joran van der Sloot murdered Natalee Holloway while she was on vacation in Aruba.

WHAT DOES A LAWYER COST IN A TRUE CRIME MURDER CASE?

Natalee Holloway disappeared from her vacation in Aruba in 2005.

She was 18 years old at the time of her disappearance and was traveling to the tropical destination to celebrate high school graduation with her friends.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

On the last night of their trip, the friends went to local bars, where Holloway was last spotted with three men.

THE ROLE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE IN SOLVING TRUE CRIME CASES

Holloway's disappearance quickly became international news and was investigated up until recently.

In October 2023, Joran van der Sloot, a primary suspect in the case, confessed to her murder as part of a plea deal on charges of extorting money from her family.

According to the transcript of his confession, van der Sloot gave gruesome details of Holloway's last moments, including that he crushed her head with a cinder block after she refused his sexual advances.

He is also responsible for the death of Stephany Flores, who was killed exactly five years to the day before Holloway in Peru. He pleaded guilty to her murder in Peruvian court in January 2012.

4 SHOCKING TRUE CRIME MYSTERIES THROUGHOUT HISTORY, FROM THE ZODIAC KILLER TO THE BLACK DAHLIA

Van der Sloot is currently in prison in Peru, where he will serve his 20-year U.S. sentence. He was also ordered to pay $25,100 in restitution to the Holloway family.

"After 18 years, Natalees case has been solved," Holloway's mother, Beth Holloway, told reporters following the hearing. "Joran van der Sloot is the killer."

Holloway's story was the topic of a single season documentary called "The Disappearance of: Natalee Holloway," in 2017. There was a documentary released in 2024 about van der Sloot titled "Pathological: The Lies of Joran van der Sloot."

Brittanee Drexel was 17 years old when she took a trip, without her parents' knowledge, to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for spring break from Rochester, New York. She told her mom that she was spending a couple of days with a friend in Rochester, according to ABC News, but was really headed to Myrtle Beach.

On April 25, 2009, Drexel went missing. She was last seen leaving the hotel lobby. Her boyfriend back home became concerned when she stopped answering his text messages.

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

Drexel remained a missing person for many years following her disappearance.

It was not until 13 years after her disappearance that Drexel's remains were found in May 2022. Her remains were discovered 35 miles from where she was last seen.

In October 2022, Raymond Moody, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, raping and murdering Drexel and was sentenced to life in prison.

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Amy Lynn Bradley embarked on a Caribbean cruise with her family in March 1998 when she was 23 years old. The vessel departed for San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 21 and was en route to Aruba, the ship's first port of call, according to FBI.gov.

Following the stop in Aruba, the ship set sail for Curacao. On March 24, Bradley went missing.

After a night out on the boat with her brother Brad, the siblings went back to their room. The computerized door-lock system on the ship showed Brad arriving back to the room at 3:35 in the morning, according to ABC News, while Amy followed shortly behind.

When they returned to the room, Brad said they spent time talking before he went to bed for the night, according to the outlet. He last saw her sitting on the chair out on the balcony.

When the family woke the next morning, Amy was nowhere to be found. A search of the boat, land and the ocean were unsuccessful in finding the missing woman.

What happened to Amy still remains a mystery to this day.





Original article source: 3 chilling true crime cases of women who went on vacation and never returned
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. On April 29, another group of former internally displaced persons, consisting of families temporarily settled in dormitories, sanatoriums, pioneer camps and administrative buildings in various territories of Azerbaijan, was sent to the city of Fuzuli from the Garadagh district of Baku, Trend reports.

At this stage, another 39 families (153 people) moved to the city of Fuzuli.

The resettled families will settle in the houses where they once lived in Fuzuli, which were restored or rebuilt on the basis of instructions from the head of state after the end of the Armenian occupation. Fuzuli residents thanked President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for their comprehensive care, expressed gratitude to the valiant Azerbaijani Army, which liberated the lands from occupation.

Until today, a permanent settlement in the city of Fuzuli has been provided for 822 families - 3,132 people.
3 officers killed in Charlotte, additional 5 were shot and injured, police chief says

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CBS)  At least three law enforcement officers were killed in a shooting in Charlotte, North Carolina, while trying to serve a warrant Monday, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to CBS News.

In a press conference just before 6 p.m. in Charlotte, Police Chief Johnny Jennings confirmed 3 officers with the U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force were killed. A fourth officer on the task force was shot and injured. An additional four Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers were shot and injured, one of which is in critical condition receiving care at an area hospital.

CONTINUING COVERAGE | At least 1 suspect killed at east Charlotte home where gunfire erupted, striking multiple officers

A U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force comprised of officers from multiple agencies was attempting to serve a warrant in east Charlotte in the 5000 block of Galway Drive when the shooting started, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said.

Two of the deceased officers are said to be local task force officers and one was a Marshals Service deputy, the law enforcement sources told CBS News.

People were urged the avoid the area. Police said there was active gunfire at the scene.

The police departments SWAT team responded to the area, police said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
3 women contracted HIV after getting 'vampire facials' at an unlicensed medical spa, federal authorities say

3 women contracted HIV after getting 'vampire facials' at an unlicensed medical spa, federal authorities say

Three women contracted HIV after getting "vampire facial" procedures at an unlicensed medical spa.

The CDC said these were the first known cases of people getting the virus this way.

An investigation found that the spa in New Mexico reused disposable electric desiccator tips.

Three women contracted HIV after getting "vampire facial" procedures at an unlicensed medical spa in New Mexico, according to federal authorities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in its latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, released last week, that the three patients were the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through cosmetic injection services.

The CDC said it started an investigation in 2018 after the New Mexico Department of Health found a positive HIV test from a woman in her 40s.

At the time, the patient reported no injection drug use, recent blood transfusions, or recent sexual contact with anyone other than her current sexual partner, per the National Public Health Agency.

However, she did report exposure to needles during a micro-needling procedure at a spa in Albuquerque, New Mexico, per the CDC.

The procedure, aimed at making the skin look smoother, tighter, and fuller, involves collecting blood from a patient, separating the plasma and platelets, and re-injecting the mixture into the skin.

This involves many small punctures across the forehead and cheeks, or injecting the blood into the skin like filler, a procedure known as a "vampire facelift."

Facials of this kind are popular among celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Bar Refaeli, and cost about $1,000.

The investigation found that four clients of the spa and one sexual partner of a spa client were diagnosed with "highly" similar HIV strains between 2018 and 2023.

VIP Spa was shut down in September 2018 , and the spa's owner, Maria Ramos de Ruiz, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in June 2022, as BI previously reported.

Cosmetic surgery in the US is a $24.3 billion-a-year industry, and demand is growing. Surgical procedures increased by almost 20 percent between 2019 and 2022, with the top five procedures in 2022 including liposuction, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, breast lift, and eyelid surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

But some people look for cheaper routes to get treatment, like going to Brazil for butt lifts, sometimes with disastrous effects.

In their investigation, the CDC and NMDOH found that the establishment in New Mexico engaged in many unsafe practices, including storing unlabeled tubes of blood and medical injectables, keeping unwrapped syringes in drawers and on counters, and reusing disposable electric desiccator tips.

The procedure is considered safe when clean, sterile needles are used, and proper safety precautions are taken.

Read the original article on Business Insider
3rd teen arrested in Idaho after teen found shot to death in Las Vegas apartment

LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said a third teenage suspect in a homicide investigation was arrested in Idaho over the weekend.

Lennix M. Dockery, 18, of Las Vegas was arrested in Idaho on charges related to a deadly Las Vegas shooting that left a 16-year-old dead. (Courtesy of the Kootenai County Sheriffs Office)

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 a 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 that suspect.

A second suspect, DeAjai Guaydacan, 18, was arrested in Utah on April 23. Guaydacan was booked into the local county jail for open murder pending extradition to Las Vegas.

Through the investigation, police identified Lennix Dockery, 18, as another suspect in the case.

Idaho law enforcement took Dockery into custody on Saturday, April 27. He was booked into a local detention facility for open murder pending extradition to Las Vegas.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
Parents charged after 4-year-old hurt in accidental shooting in University City

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are investigating an accidental shooting involving a four-year-old in the University City area.

Police said Sunday night that a 4-year-old boy was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the hand with non-life-threatening injuries.

ALSO READ: Shooting kills 21-year-old in southwest Charlotte

The shooting happened along Wheatside Drive. It was the result of an accidental shooting with an unsecured firearm. The childs father took him to the hospital for treatment.

Police said the victims father, 32-year-old Leeshawn Brooks, and 32-year-old Paris Perry have been charged with felony child abuse, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, and storage of firearms to protect minors.

The child is expected to be okay.

(WATCH BELOW: 2 treated by MEDIC after large apartment fire in south Charlotte)
At least 45 people die in western Kenya as floodwaters sweep away houses and cars

People try to clear the area after a dam burst, in Kamuchiri Village Mai Mahiu, Nakuru County, Kenya, Monday, April 29, 2024. Police in Kenya say at least 40 people have died after a dam collapsed in the country's west. (AP Photo)

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Flash floods and a landslide swept through houses and cut off a major road in Kenya, killing at least 45 people and leaving dozens missing on Monday, the Interior Ministry said.

Police official Stephen Kirui initially told The Associated Press that the Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, had collapsed, carrying with it mud, rocks and uprooted trees.

But in a statement late Monday the Nakuru County said that the water mass that caused the flash floods was a clogged railway tunnel.

Vehicles were entangled in the debris on one of Kenya's busiest highways and paramedics treated the injured as waters submerged large areas.

The Kenya Red Cross said 109 people were hospitalized while 49 others were reported missing.

William Lokai told Citizen TV that he was woken up by a loud bang and shortly after, water filled his house. He escaped through the roof together with his brother and children.

Ongoing rains in Kenya have caused flooding that has killed at least 169 people since mid-March, and the country's Meteorology Department has warned of more rainfall.

Kenyas Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki ordered the inspection of all public and private dams and water reservoirs within 24 hours starting Monday afternoon to avert future incidents. The ministry said recommendations for evacuations and resettlement would be done after the inspection.

The Kenya National Highways Authority issued an alert warning motorists to brace for heavy traffic and debris that blocked the roads around Naivasha and Narok, west of the capital, Nairobi.

The wider East African region is experiencing flooding due to the heavy rains, and 155 people have reportedly died in Tanzania while more than 200,000 people affected in neighboring Burundi.

A boat capsized in Kenya's northern Garissa county on Sunday night, and the Kenyan Red Cross said it had rescued 23 people but more than a dozen people were still missing.

Kenyas main airport was flooded on Saturday, forcing some flights to be diverted, as videos of a flooded runway, terminals and cargo section were shared online.

More than 200,000 people across Kenya have been hit by the floods, with houses in flood-prone areas submerged and people seeking refuge in schools.

President William Ruto had instructed the National Youth Service to provide land for use as a temporary camp for those affected.

____

Follow APs Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
5 former officials are convicted over Greece's deadliest wildfire but are freed after being fined

FILE - People stand amid the charred remains of burned-out cars in Mati east of Athens, Greece, Tuesday, July 24, 2018. A court on Monday, April 29, 2024, has convicted five former Fire Service and disaster response officials over a 2018 wildfire outside Athens that killed more than 100 people. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)

ATHENS, Greece (AP)  A Greek court convicted five former firefighting and disaster response officials on Monday over the deadliest wildfire in the country's history, with more than 100 people killed outside the capital. But some survivors were outraged when they were fined and let go.

The 2018 fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens. Residents and vacationers, many trapped in their cars, were killed as they tried to escape.

The officials, including a former fire chief, received sentences of between 15 and 111 years for multiple counts of criminal negligence resulting in injury and loss of life. But the presiding judge ordered that sentences could be served concurrently, capping jail time at five years.

All five convicted officials were let go and allowed to pay fines in lieu of serving their sentences. Under Greek law, payment can be deferred pending an appeal.

A sixth defendant, the owner of the property where the fire started, received a three-year sentence for negligence and was also let go. Fifteen other firefighting officials, police, civil protection and local government officials were cleared of all charges.

Irini Maroupa, one of the lawyers representing the victims, told reporters outside the courthouse that her clients were bitterly disappointed.

All sense of shame has been lost, she said. The victims of this fire who died in horrific circumstances, and those injured who will suffer for the rest of their lives  and this was clearly illustrated in court  will never have the opportunity to find peace in their soul. During the trial, fire officials described the overwhelming circumstances as the fire swept through Mati and neighboring Nea Voutsa, with high temperatures and gale-force winds, and noted that the blaze blocked many potential evacuation routes.

More than 1,500 homes and structures were destroyed, along with some 300 cars. The panel of three judges ruled that the response, including a large sea evacuation, was poorly coordinated. Theofanis Hatzistamou, whose son and wife suffered severe injuries, said he felt abandoned by the state. Im lucky because I have a child who lived  child now 11 years old, with scars all over his body and soul, who for the last five years hasnt slept properly, he said. Hatzistamou added: I am going to tell him that Greece has abandoned him for a second time." ___ Kantouris reported from Thessaloniki, Greece.
Arizonas 11 fake electors sign a document in Phoenix on Dec. 14 2020, falsely claiming that they were the states electors and that Donald Trump won the presidential election in Arizona. (Screenshot via AZGOP)

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has released the names of five more people who were indicted by a grand jury for the part they played in Arizonas 2020 fake elector scheme to keep former President Donald Trump in the White House.

Mayes announced on April 24 that a grand jury had indicted 18 people, including all 11 fake electors, for their actions related to the fake elector plot. But she did not initially release the names of seven of the 18 since they had not yet been legally served, although it was easy to figure out who some of them were through statements describing them in the indictment.

The five additional indictees are:

Christina Bobb, the Republican National Committees senior counsel for election integrity and a former attorney for the Trump campaign who was accused in the indictment of making false claims of widespread election fraud in Arizona and in six other states.

John Eastman, a former Trump lawyer who is facing possible disbarment in California for his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Boris Epshteyn, a former Trump aide who is still one of the former presidents advisors.

Jenna Ellis, a former attorney for the Trump campaign and a conservative media personality who was censured last year for making false statements about the 2020 election, and who pleaded guilty in October to a felony charge in Georgia for her attempts to overturn the election results.

Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign aide who was also indicted in the Georgia case.

The names of the remaining two indictees have not been released, but its clear from how they are labeled in the indictment that they are Rudy Giuliani, who was described as an attorney for Trump who was often referred to as the mayor, and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

The previously named indictees are Arizonas fake electors:

Kelli Ward, former AZGOP chairman

Arizona Sen. Jake Hoffman, leader of the Arizona Freedom Caucus

Arizona Sen. Anthony Kern, member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus

Tyler Bowyer, Turning Point USA CEO

Michael Ward, husband of Kelli Ward Nancy Cottle, a Republican whos been active in local politics for a decade

James Lamon, a failed 2022 U.S. Senate candidate

Robert Montgomery, former chairman of the Cochise County Republican Committee

Samuel Moorhead, former chairman of Gila County Republican Party

Lorraine Pellegrino, former president of the Ahwatukee Republican Women

Gregory Safsten, former executive director of the AZGOP

All 18 of those indicted are charged with conspiracy, fraudulent schemes and artifices, fraudulent schemes and practices and forgery, all felonies.

The fake electors were indicted by a grand jury on April 23 for signing bogus documents claiming that they were Arizonas certified electors and that Donald Trump won the 2020 election. Like it did in other states, the Trump campaign urged the fake electors to attempt to keep him in office after he lost to Joe Biden.

Trump is identified in the indictment as unindicted co-conspirator 1.

Georgia, Michigan and Nevada have already brought charges against fake electors there, and Wisconsin is still investigating possible charges for its fake electors.

Many of those who were indicted in the Arizona case continued to spread misinformation about the 2020 election, claiming that it was stolen from Trump, long after the election was over.

Sens. Hoffman, of Queen Creek, and Kern, of Glendale, as well as the Arizona Republican Party, all responded to the indictments with outrage and accusations of their own.

Todays indictments by Attorney General Kris Mayes represent a blatant and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power, aimed solely at distracting the public from the critical policy debates our country should be focusing on as we approach the 2024 election, the AZGOP said in a statement on April 24. The timing of these charges-precisely four years after the 2020 election and as President Biden seeks re-election-is suspiciously convenient and politically motivated. This is not justice; it is pure election interference.

Hoffman, in a statement, espoused his innocence and alleged that Mayes timed the handing down of the grand jury indictments to bolster Bidens reelection campaign calling them naked political persecution.

In his own statement, Kern said he was running for the U.S. House of Representative this year to ensure that others arent prosecuted for political reasons.

When President Trump called for my aid, I answered, Kern said in a statement. My reward? A crooked Democrat Attorney General prosecuting me with 9 fabricated felonies.

Arizona Mirror is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arizona Mirror maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jim Small for questions: info@azmirror.com. Follow Arizona Mirror on Facebook and Twitter.

The post 5 more Trump attorneys, aides publicly named in AZ fake elector indictment appeared first on Source New Mexico.
Millions of health care workers around the globe are calling for world governments to put significant limits on the plastics industry.

Representatives of 900 health care civil society groups called for caps on the production of plastics, the restriction of toxic chemicals, and full transparency around what goes into plastics in an open letter Monday.

The letter went out to the national teams concluding the U.N. Environment Programs fourth round of plastics negotiations in Ottawa, Canada, where delegates are divided over the question of whether plastic pollution can be reduced without cutting plastic production.

Plastic poses an ongoing crisis for human and planetary health, which will inevitably worsen with the planned dramatic increase in plastics production, unless global action is taken, according to the open letter from Health Care Without Harm.

Six million health care workers around the world signed the letter, which warns that plastics pose grave threats to human health both through direct poisoning and  because of the industrys dependence on fossil fuels  through their role in heating the climate.

There are health impacts at each stage of the plastics life cycle, the writers note.

Plastics used in health care require thousands of hazardous additives (including carcinogens, neurotoxicants, endocrine disruptors) that can leach from products and waste, and persist in the environment, threatening patients, communities, workers (including waste workers), and ecosystems.

They argue that these impacts are of particular concern to vulnerable patients including children, fetuses and newborns  and that they add significant costs to the global health care system.

They also argue that many of these dangers are made worse because they are hidden, writing that the lack of full product ingredient information impedes efforts to reuse, recycle, and to move to safer alternatives.

The letter is significant because medical plastics are a key domain that industry advocates point to when they argue against caps on production.

An anonymous campaign called These Plastics seeks to fight the idea of such caps by making the case that plastics are vital for preserving human health.

Plastics have made healthcare safer and more accessible, according to the website. By reducing spoilage and preserving nutritional value, plastics also contribute to supporting food security, maintaining human health and well-being.

The industry campaign also argues that despite their reliance on fossil fuels, plastics are in fact friendlier for the climate than alternative materials, because they are lighter and therefore require less fuel for transport.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ST. LOUIS  St. Louis police are investigating six shootings over the past day, five of which happened in less than 12 hours.

The most recent shootingat the time of initial publicationoccurred before 2:50 p.m. Sunday, near the intersection of North Broadway and Doddridge Street in the Baden neighborhood, according to a spokesperson for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. Police were notified that a male victim arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Hes said to be conscious and breathing.

The first shooting took place around 4:50 p.m. Saturday in the 5900 block of Maple Avenue, in the West End neighborhood. The victim told police he was walking near Amherst Park when a black Chrysler 200C drove past and someone in the vehicle started shooting. The victim was struck in his right leg and taken to a local hospital.

The next of these shootings happened around 5:30 p.m. in the 4400 block of North 20th Street, located in the College Hill neighborhood. Police claim three men were inside a residence talking when the assailant entered the room with a handgun and began yelling before opening fire.

A 52-year-old was shot in the leg, a 45-year-old was shot in the arm, and a 30-year-old was shot six times. All three victims were hospitalized. The 30-year-old remains in critical condition. The suspected shooter remains at large.

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Just before 2 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to a shooting call in the 5800 block of Wise Avenue in the Cheltenham neighborhood. Police found the 34-year-old with a gunshot wound to his lower abdomen. A police spokesperson said officers learned the victim observed someone attempting to break into his home through a rear window. The victim confronted the suspect and was shot. The victim was said to be in critical condition.

Police later went to the hospital for another shooting, which happened just after 4:10 a.m. at a gas station at the corner of Chouteau Avenue and 14th Street in Downtown West. The victim suffered gunshot wounds to his upper right chest and left earlobe and was listed in critical condition. Investigators found numerous shell casings at the gas station.

Another shooting happened in Downtown West at 4:20 a.m. in the 700 block of North 21st Street. Police found the victim, a teenager, suffering from gunshot wounds to his back and shoulder. He was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition.

Police said the investigations on all six shootings are still ongoing.

Anyone with information on any of the aforementioned shootings is asked to contact the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, or if you wish to remain anonymous and are interested in a cash reward, call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
60 famous foods to try in your lifetime

60 famous foods to try in your lifetime

Every corner of the world is packed with famous eateries and must-try foods.

Some come from Michelin-star restaurants, while others can be found in open-air markets.

From Maine lobster rolls to New York bagels, these famous foods should be on everyone's bucket list.

From Maine lobster rolls to New York bagels, these iconic eats should be on every foodie's bucket list.

Insider compiled a list of the most famous foods from around the world in order to determine the top 60 foods everyone should try at least once in their lifetime. Some, like Chicago's deep-dish pizza, won't break the bank, but others require traveling a little further afield or may even come from Michelin-star restaurants.

Here are 60 famous foods to try in your lifetime.

Every food lover should experience a classic Spanish tapas meal, a combination of small plates like roasted peppers, anchovies, and other local dishes.

A traditional tapas meal. David Silverman/Getty Images

The Market of San Miguel is one of the most famous food spots in Madrid, Spain, and welcomes more than 7 million visitors every year, according to the market's official website.

You might need more than one person to help you finish paella, another traditional Spanish dish of rice, seafood, and vegetables  all cooked and served in a giant skillet.

Seafood paella. Federico Meneghetti/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Paella is believed to have originated in Valencia, Spain, the Boston Globe reported. Now, the traditional rice and seafood dish has become synonymous with Spanish culture.

Try colorful marzipan sweets from Barcelona's iconic food market, La Boqueria.

La Boqueria in Barcelona. Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

La Boqueria is a food market in Barcelona home to whimsically shaped sweets all made out of marzipan.

For dessert, enjoy a Spanish favorite  crispy churros dipped in warm chocolate sauce.

Churros with chocolate. Natasha Breen/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Chocolateria San Gines is a famous spot for churros in Madrid, but most cafes offer the famous combination of crispy churros with the iconic hot chocolate sauce, and it's hard to go wrong.

When in London, try fish and chips, one of England's most iconic dishes.

Fish and chips, a British tradition. Yudai/Shutterstock

Locals douse their crispy fish and chips with malt vinegar.

And don't miss out on trying a full English breakfast, a traditional take on the first meal of the day.

The full English breakfast. Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star via Getty Images

The full English breakfast has a little sampling of everything from potato hash, baked beans, cooked tomatoes and mushrooms, sausage, and eggs. Terry's Cafe in London serves up a famous take on the classic meal.

Take a bite into a picture-perfect macaron, a meringue dessert commonly found in France.

Macarons are a sweet meringue dessert. Ann Hermes/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images

The meringue cookies originated in Italy, but food scholars believe they made their way to France in the 16th century, The Atlantic reported. The first French macaron shop was Laudree, which opened in 1862, as reported by Food & Wine, and now has locations around the world.

Adventurous eaters should try escargot, the traditional French snail dish.

Escargot is a French delicacy. Shutterstock

You can taste the gourmet dish at L'Escargot Montorgueil in Paris.

Another must-try is Greek spanakopita, a pie made of flaky filo dough, feta, and spinach.

Greek spanakopita. Bartosz Luczak/Shutterstock

Dig into spanakopita and other Greek favorites at Varoulko Seaside, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Athens, Greece.

Everyone should bite into a traditional Italian pizza in their lifetime.

Pizza in Naples, Italy. Shutterstock

Naples, Italy, is home to L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, one of the world's most renowned pizzerias. The Naples pizza shop was featured in "Eat Pray Love," and it has also opened locations in Los Angeles and New York City.

Dine at Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, which has consistently been named one of the top-rated restaurants in the world.

Osteria Francescana. David Silverman/Getty Images

Osteria Francescana was named the best restaurant in the world in 2018 by the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, which is determined by more than 1,000 chefs, food writers, and restaurant experts. Though the list isn't the be-all-end-all of the restaurant world, Osteria Francescana is a once-in-a-lifetime culinary experience.

Eat Italian caprese salad with tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella cheese.

Caprese salad is all about the mozzarella. Max Cavallari/REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Caseificio La Fattoria, a restaurant in Italy's Campania region, makes fresh mozzarella in giant spheres that can weigh up to 88 pounds.

Dig into spaghetti tossed inside a cheese wheel.

Pasta in a cheese wheel. Suzi Pratt/Shutterstock

Have your pasta and cheese and eat them, too, at restaurants including Sapore Di Mare in Miami and Cacio e Pepe in New York City.

The cannolis at Mike's Pastry in Boston are a serious foodie bucket-list item.

Cannolis in Boston. John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

The historic bakeshop, which has been serving sweets in Boston since the 1940s, is known for its picture-perfect cannolis.

Taste a slice of baklava, a Middle-Eastern pastry made with flaky filo dough, chopped nuts, and honey.

Baklava can be messy but delicious. Mehmet Akif Parlak/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Shatila Bakery in Dearborn, Michigan, is renowned for its authentic baklava.

Try chocolate rugelach, a flaky pastry from one of the most popular bakeshops in Jerusalem, Marzipan Bakery.

Chocolate rugelach. Bob Silverman CDN/Shutterstock

The perfectly golden-brown, sticky pastries, which have chocolate or fruit fillings, will not disappoint. Beyond its Jerusalem location, fans can find Marzipan Bakery goods at shops in the US.

Dip a piece of warm, fluffy pita into hummus, the Middle-Eastern dip made of chickpeas, oils, and tahini.

Hummus is a must-eat dip. JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images

The BBC reported that the exact origins of hummus are contested, but communities across the Middle East, from Israel to Lebanon, offer their own take on the chickpea dip.

Shakshuka is a popular tomato-based dish served in the Middle East.

Shakshuka can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. DebashisK/Shuttershock

Shakshuka is a stew of eggs poached in a spicy sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions flavored with cumin that likely originated in North Africa. However, from Israel to Morocco, people from many countries across the Middle East also enjoy shakshuka.

Dr Shakshuka in Tel Aviv is famous for its version of the dish.

Chicken shawarma is a slow-roasted meat popular in the Mediterranean and Middle East.

Chicken shawarma roasts on a turning spit. Shebeko/Shutterstock

Chicken shawarma can be served with hummus and Greek salad, or included in a wrap or gyro. Patatos and Bambi Cafe were named by TripAdvisor as two of the best places to get shawarma in Istanbul, Turkey, the region where the dish originated.

For another comforting dish, try sausage rolls, a popular snack in Australia.

Sausage rolls are similar to pigs in a blanket. Erika Cross/Shutterstock

Think of these Aussie favorites like the larger, heartier, and more sophisticated version of pigs-in-a-blanket. Sydney's Bourke Street Bakery is famous for them, The Sydney Morning Herald reported in July.

"Only a fool would turn down a Bourke Street Bakery sausage roll," celebrity chef Nigella Lawson once said in an Instagram post.

Or try dim sum, a Cantonese-Chinese meal of small dumpling dishes.

Dim sum is just as delicious as it is aesthetically pleasing. Kia Nakriz/Shutterstock

The translation of "dim sum" means "with a touch of heart." Conde Nast Traveler calls Koi Palace in San Francisco's Chinatown some of the best dim sum in California's Bay Area.

Warm up with a steaming bowl of noodles from Ichiran, a Japanese restaurant famous for its ramen.

A steaming bowl of ramen. Jheng Yao/Shutterstock

Ichiran is known for being a ramen destination and has some of the best ramen in the world, Forbes reported in 2016. The restaurant's specialty is ramen with pork-based broth, called tonkatsu ramen, with homemade noodles.

Sushi is enjoyed worldwide but is a must-try when visiting Japan.

Sushi at Uobei Sushi in Tokyo, Japan. INSIDER

Japan is known as the sushi capital of the world, but the dish itself may originate from a Chinese dish called narezushi. Regardless, visiting a city like Tokyo wouldn't be complete without sampling some local sushi.

Michelin-star restaurant Omakase is famous for its sushi, while conveyor-belt sushi restaurants like Uobei Sushi are known as "kaiten-zushi," or "rotating sushi," and offer rolls for as little as $1.

Seafood fanatics can also taste fresh oysters at restaurants along Maine's iconic Oyster Trail.

Oysters in Maine. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Maine's Oyster Trail is home to some of the region's most iconic oyster destinations, including restaurants and farms.

Try a fresh seafood meal at Fisherman's Wharf, a historic waterfront in San Francisco.

A cooked crab over ice. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

From outdoor dining to activities for the whole family, Fisherman's Wharf has something for foodies of all ages.

Cool off with ceviche, a seafood salsa-inspired dish with origins in Latin America.

Ceviche is a must-try summer dish. 1000Photography/Shutterstock

Ceviche is a cold salsa with raw seafood and citrus flavors, and Peru is one country famous for its take on the dish. Other countries in South America and Latin America offer a take on ceviche, Food Network reported. For example, Chilean ceviche often includes salmon, and in Mexico, ceviche may be made with tuna.

Lobster rolls are a classic in Maine and Connecticut.

Lobster rolls with coleslaw and french fries. Nevin Martell/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

From Massachusetts to Maine, lobster rolls are a favorite in the Northeast region.

Don't miss out on crab cakes at Old Ebbitt Grill, one of Washington, DC's oldest restaurants.

Crab cakes at Old Ebbitt Grill. Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post via Getty Images

One of Washington, DC's oldest and most historic restaurants is Old Ebbitt Grill, and its seafood is its claim to fame.

A major New Orleans staple is shrimp gumbo, a flavorful, thick seafood stew served over a bed of fluffy rice.

Shrimp gumbo. Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

A popular New Orleans establishment known for its Creole cuisine is Brennan's Restaurant in the French Quarter.

New Orleans is also known for beignets, a delectable, doughnut-like pastry topped with powdered sugar.

Beignets from Cafe Du Monde. Ryan Theriot/Getty Images

Cafe Du Monde is a famous spot for beignets in New Orleans.

Bite into one of the most famous dishes of America's South, the fried green tomato.

Fried green tomatoes are a Southern staple. MShev/Shutterstock

South City Kitchen in Atlanta is Foursquare's top-rated Georgia spot for fried green tomatoes.

For another deep-fried Southern favorite, try hush puppies.

Hush puppies are a favorite in the South. Scott Suchman/For the Washington Post via Getty Images

These balls of cornmeal are deep-fried and delicious. Southern Living reported that although the exact origins of the classic dish are unclear, hush puppies are a staple in the South.

Chicago's cheesy, doughy deep-dish pizza is another must-eat.

The cheese pulls on a deep-dish pizza are breathtaking. Shutterstock

Eater Chicago calls Lou Malnati's Pizzeria "one of the original inventors of the Chicago deep dish."

Chow down on a burger and fries from In-N-Out Burger, a West Coast classic and celebrity-favorite fast-food joint.

In-N-Out is an iconic fast-food chain in America's West Coast. Melia Robinson/Business Insider

In-N-Out is known for its "animal-style" burger, which is grilled in mustard and topped with an extra dose of the restaurant's special Thousand Island sauce, pickles, and grilled onions.

The "animal-style" fries are topped with melted American cheese and grilled onions, then smothered in the world-renowned In-N-Out sauce.

On the topic of fries, everyone should try poutine, Canada's national dish of french fries doused in gravy and cheese curds.

Canada's poutine dish. DAVID BOILY/AFP/Getty Images

Conde Nast Traveler calls Montreal, Canada, the "undisputed poutine capital of the world" and lists Greenspot in Montreal's St.-Henri neighborhood as a top recommendation.

Cheese-enthusiasts should try the Midwest's take on chili at Skyline, a restaurant chain that originated in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Skyline Chili. LWYang/Yelp

People in the Midwest swear by this cheese-topped chili.

Take a bite into a Cuban sandwich, which typically includes ham, Swiss cheese, pork, mustard, and pickles warmed up between two crispy pieces of bread.

Cuban sandwich. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Miami is a popular city for the Cuban sandwich, and Eater Miami recommends Enriqueta's Sandwich Shop and Havana 1957 Cuban Cuisine Espanola Way, among numerous other local spots.

A pastrami sandwich with a pickle on the side is a combination from Katz's Deli in New York City that everyone should try at least once.

A classic combination at Katz's Deli. Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Eater reported that Katz's Deli was one of renowned food connoisseur Anthony Bourdain's many iconic restaurant recommendations and is also home to New York's most famous sandwich: pastrami on rye bread.

"The sandwich came with a slathering of deli mustard on each piece of bread," Business Insider's Erin McDowell wrote after a visit in 2022. "The pastrami was juicy, unbelievably tender, and fell apart with each bite."

It might go without saying, but trying a New York bagel should also be a bucket-list item.

Decisions, decisions. STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images

Top New York City bagel contenders include Russ & Daughters, Ess-a-bagel, Tompkins Square Bagels, and Absolute Bagels.

For the ultimate indulgence, dive into a milkshake from Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer in New York City, an eatery known for its extravagant, candy-loaded shakes.

These milkshakes are seriously over-the-top. Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer

Foodies looking to try a candy-clad Black Tap milkshake should prepare to wait in a long line, according to Yelp reviews.

For another sweet treat, enjoy a light, fluffy Belgian waffle topped with berries, powdered sugar, or chocolate sauce.

A Belgian waffle. Nataliia Ianchuk/Shutterstock

In Belgium, waffles are served as street food and are typically eaten two ways: without layers of toppings, or with strawberries and whipped cream.

Taste Portugal's iconic dessert, egg-custard tarts.

Portuguese egg custard tarts. Beto Chagas/Shutterstock

According to Trip Advisor, Pasteis de Belem in Lisbon is one of the most well-known spots in Portugal to try these famous tarts.

Enjoy truffles, candies, and other cocoa confections at Teuscher in Zurich, Switzerland, one of the most famous chocolatiers in the world.

A hot chocolate and truffles from Teuscher. SF11/Shutterstock

Teuscher is a famous Swiss chocolatier known for its decadent truffles.

Taste the melty, chocolate-y goodness of a cookie from Levain Bakery in New York City.

Cookies from Levain Bakery. Sarah Schmalbruch / INSIDER

Another fan-favorite dessert establishment is Levain Bakery in New York City, which boasts its version of the "world's greatest chocolate chip cookie."

Bite into a pierogi, the Polish potato dumpling that can hold a savory or sweet filling.

The ultimate comfort food. Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The pierogi is a traditional Polish dish believed to have originated in the 17th century, the BBC reported.

Enjoy chorizo, a flavor-packed dish of ground pork sausage common in Mexican and Spanish cuisine.

Chorizo at La Puerta Verde photographed in Washington, DC. Deb Lindsey For The Washington Post via Getty Images

In Mexican cuisine, chorizo is made of fresh, uncooked pork, and in Spanish cooking, chorizo is made with ground pork sausage.

Taste Atlas named San Telmo in Melbourne, Australia, as one of the best places outside Mexico or Spain to try a chorizo dish, while Sensi in Barcelona also specializes in the dish.

No trip to Mexico would be complete without trying birria tacos, which are crispy tacos usually dipped into consome.

Birria tacos dipped in consome. Justin Gmoser

Birria tacos are traditionally made with goat meat, but can also use chicken or beef. The tacos are then dipped in consome, a type of stew made with beef stock, onions, garlic, and more.

While the dish originates in Mexico, it has also become popular in cities like Los Angeles and New York City, where the Birria-Landia taco truck often has lines down the street, the New York Times reported.

Chilaquiles is a delicious dish from Mexico.

Chilaquiles. La Contenta/Yelp

Chilaquiles  which translates to "in a sauce of chiles" from Nahuatl  is a dish consisting of heaps of crisp tortilla triangles tossed in a pan with salsa, and then piled with crumbled cheese and crema. Even better, chilaquiles are often enjoyed for breakfast.

Bite into a golden-brown, crispy empanada, Chile's national dish and the region's take on a sweet- or savory-filled doughy confection.

Empanadas can be savory or sweet. Jonathan Wong/South China Morning Post via Getty Images

At Tomas Moro, a bakery in Chile's Las Condes suburb, people line up for hours to buy empanadas by the dozens, BBC Travel reported.

Mofongo is a plantain dish served in Puerto Rico.

Mofongo comes with rice and stew. Rachel Moon/Shutterstock

Mofongo, a ball-shaped dish of pickled, fried, and then smashed plantains that are flavored with garlic, salt, and oil in a wooden pilon, is a Puerto Rican staple usually served alongside a hearty stew or broth.

Eater named El Campeon in Old San Juan as one of the best places in Puerto Rico to try mofongo.

Taste Korean bibimbap, a colorful, flavorful rice bowl topped with a fried egg and served in a sizzling-hot stone bowl.

A bowl of bibimbap. Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Try bibimbap at Jungsik, a restaurant with two Michelin stars. There are locations in Seoul and New York City.

Try kimchi, a traditional Korean dish of cabbage and vegetables fermented in a flavorful paste.

Kimchi, a traditional Korean food. Ramin Talaie/Corbis via Getty Images

At Mokbar in New York City, chefs make 200 pounds of kimchi every two weeks, Business Insider reported in 2018.

Dive into a warm bowl of pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup with tons of flavor.

Pho is a must-try. John Patriquin/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Pho can be made vegetarian or with a variety of meats including pork, brisket, or chicken.

Banh mi is a popular type of sandwich in Vietnam.

Banh mi. Shutterstock

The inexpensive staple is usually made with pate, bright, crunchy vegetable slaw, fish sauce, and sliced jalapeno pepper or fresh cilantro. Banh Mi Huynh Hoa is recognized as one of the most famous spots to try the sandwich in Ho Chi Minh City.

Peking Duck is a crispy duck dish with roots in Beijing, China.

Peking Duck. Nora Tam/South China Morning Post via Getty Images

For meat-eaters, the Peking Duck is a must-try. The BBC reported that a restaurant in Beijing, Liqun Roast Duck Restaurant, is so popular that people have to call in advance to order one of the crispy ducks.

Kare-kare is comfort food in the Philippines.

Kare-kare is a type of stew. RAGMA IMAGES/Shutterstock

Kare-kare is a nutty and sweet Philippine stew. Its signature flavor derives from a thick and savory peanut sauce.

Dip naan into butter chicken, a classic Indian meal with spices and a creamy tomato sauce.

Butter chicken. Bartosz Luczak/Shutterstock

Similar to the British-Indian dish chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, or murgh makhani, is a type of curry made with chicken in a creamy tomato and butter sauce.

The Indian Express reported that butter chicken originated in New Delhi and Have More is rated as one of the best spots in the city to try it.

Biryani is a popular dish in Northern India and Iran.

Biryani comes with rice and meat. PI/Shutterstock

Biryani can be made with a variety of meats, from lamb to chicken and beef, and is accompanied by rice and spices.

Kolkata, India, is one city famous for its biryani dishes and Aminia is consistently ranked as one of the best restaurants in the world to try this famous dish.

Chow down on pad thai made fresh from one of Thailand's diverse street or floating markets.

Pad thai is one of Thailand's most well-known foods. KoBoZaa/Shutterstock

Try one of the most popular noodle dishes in Thai cuisine from an authentic floating market or one of Bangkok's vibrant street food stalls.

Peri-peri chicken has roots in Portugal, but the South African restaurant chain Nando's has brought it to foodies worldwide.

Peri-peri chicken. Q77photo/Shutterstock

Texas Monthly reported that peri-peri chicken was originally brought over to South Africa by Portuguese settlers and has since become synonymous with one of the most famous chains from the region.

Nando's has locations all over the world, but you'll need to head to Calisto's in Johannesburg to try a traditional version of the dish.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Vision Art Platform hosts the personal exhibition of Aida Mahmudova titled "A Dream Unfolds". The exhibition, which will debut on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 5.00 p.m., can be visited at Vision Art Platform at Akaretler No: 35 until July 22, 2024.

A Different Way to See the World

Art has played an important role in every aspect of life since the dawn of humanity, and throughout history, artists have used different art forms to express their feelings, thoughts and experiences. Art's expressive ability has had far-reaching influence on individuals across history, society, and culture. Whereas art reflects the lifestyle, beliefs, and cultural values of a period, it also shows the intellectual and aesthetic understanding of the relevant age. This is a practice that brings people together socially, allows us to share our feelings, and creates a common language. Nevertheless, art sometimes is against the existing aesthetic consensus and reveals a rebellious and autonomous new language of expression. Each artist reminds us of a different way of seeing the world. I would like to speak about Aida Mahmudova. She studied art at Central Saint Martins and has held solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions internationally in different cities including Belgium, London, Rome, New York, Moscow, Tbilisi, and Baku. Mahmudova also took part in the 55th and 56th Venice Biennale.

Aida Mahmudova dives into the essence of materials in her search for artistic expression and tries to decipher the language of the world through the figurative, semi-abstract and abstract forms. At the same time, she approaches her work with deep curiosity and a burning desire to solve the mysteries within, like a philosopher pondering the nature of existence.

If we think the material world is like a massive book that we only need to read and observe to gain knowledge, Aida Mahmudova wholeheartedly embraces and implements this idea. Her works are like the chapters in this remarkable book, and each stroke and layer reveal a new side of her exploration.

Aida Mahmudova's works reflect poetry that attempts to capture the beauty of nature. The artist's works evoke a serene contemplation like Wordsworth's memories of calm emotions, and these works invite viewers to lose themselves in the depths of her compositions.

The artist is never satisfied with mere representation, so her searches for realities are beyond the surface. Mahmudova is interested in the expressive potential of materials and tools. Through her experiments with heat, light, color, and matter, she creates a multi-layered narrative that transcends the boundaries of a single work and invites viewers to engage with her work on a visceral level.

From this perspective, Mahmudova's works reflect avant-garde thought by offering innovative materials and content. The artist uses many materials to create deep expressions. She manipulates them in a way that pushes the boundaries of form and function, and this blurs the distinction between art and life.

Continuously investigating materials and their potential, the artist produces visually striking, emotionally and intellectually stimulating paintings. Mahmudova's works make us to re-evaluate our prejudices about art and call us to re-perceive the world through the lens of a true visionary.

*Frat Arapoglu, A Dream Opens exhibition text.

About Aida Mahmudova:

Mahmudova is an Azerbaijani artist and the founder of YARAT Contemporary Art Space, which provides local and international support to young artists. Opened in Baku in 2011, YARAT operates three exhibition spaces across the city with programs and events led by young artists. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Central Saint Martin College of Art and Design. She uses a variety of techniques and media, and her work is exhibited internationally.

For more:

aidamahmudova.com

Exhibition Dates:

Aida Mahmudova A Dream Unfolds

23.04 - 22.07.2024

Work images: (Photos from the exhibition will be shared starting from April 22.)

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tmd90-ae6vjYeLj-riiJJwyPcyjpIzB3?usp=sharing

Aida Mahmudova / instagram @aidasaya

Visit Information:

Tuesday - Friday 11.00 - 18.00

Saturday 12.00 - 18.00

Sunday - Monday CLOSED

Admission is free of charge.

For detailed information and interview requests:

[email protected]

Address:

Suleyman Seba street, Akaretler No:35

Besiktas, Istanbul

Social media:

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FILE - The offices of Feeding Our Future are shown Jan. 27, 2022, in St. Anthony, Minn., a week after an FBI raid. Opening statements are expected Monday, April 29, 2024, in the fraud trial of seven defendants charged what federal prosecutors allege was a massive scheme to exploit lax rules during the COVID-19 pandemic and steal from a program meant to provide meals to low-income children in Minnesota. (Shari L. Gross/Star Tribune via AP, File)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Seven people went on trial Monday for what federal prosecutors have called a massive scheme to exploit lax rules during the COVID-19 pandemic and steal from a program meant to provide meals to children in Minnesota.

The seven will be the first of 70 defendants to go on trial in the alleged scam. Eighteen others have already pleaded guilty.

Prosecutors have said the seven collectively stole over $40 million in a conspiracy that cost taxpayers $250 million  one of the largest pandemic-related fraud cases in the country. Federal authorities say they have recovered about $50 million.

Prosecutors say just a fraction of the money went to feed low-income kids, and that the rest was spent on luxury cars, jewelry, travel and property.

THE ALLEGED PLOT

The food aid came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was administered by the state Department of Education. Nonprofits and other partners under the program were supposed to serve meals to kids.

Two of the groups involved, Feeding Our Future and Partners in Nutrition, were small nonprofits before the pandemic, but in 2021 they disbursed around $200 million each. Prosecutors allege they produced invoices for meals that were never served, ran shell companies, laundered money, indulged in passport fraud, and accepted kickbacks.

THE BIG PICTURE

An Associated Press analysis published last June documented how thieves across the country plundered billions in federal COVID-19 relief dollars in the greatest grift in U.S. history. The money was meant to fight the worst pandemic in a century and stabilize an economy in free fall.

But the AP found that fraudsters potentially stole more than $280 billion, while another $123 billion was wasted or misspent. Combined, the loss represented 10% of the $4.3 trillion the government disbursed in COVID relief by last fall. Nearly 3,200 defendants have been charged, according to the U.S. Justice Department. About $1.4 billion in stolen pandemic aid has been seized.

THIS CASE

The defendants who went on trial Monday before U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel in Minneapolis are Abdiaziz Shafii Farah; Mohamed Jama Ismail; Abdimajid Mohamed Nur; Said Shafii Farah; Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin; Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff; and Hayat Mohamed Nur. They have all pleaded not guilty. Their trial is expected to last around six weeks.

The defendants fraud, like an aggressive cancer, spread and grew, prosecutors wrote in a summary of their case.

Prosecutors say many of the purported feeding sites were nothing more than parking lots and derelict commercial spaces. Others turned out to be city parks, apartment complexes and community centers.

"By the time the defendants scheme was exposed in early 2022, they collectively claimed to have served over 18 million meals from 50 unique locations for which they fraudulently sought reimbursement of $49 million from the Federal Child Nutrition Program, prosecutors wrote.

FUTURE CASES

Among the defendants awaiting trial is Aimee Bock, the founder of Feeding our Future. She's one of 14 defendants expected to face trial together at a later date. Bock has maintained her innocence, saying she never stole and saw no evidence of fraud among her subcontractors.

THE POLITICS

The scandal stirred up the 2022 legislative session and campaign in Minnesota.

Republicans attacked Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, saying he should have stopped the fraud earlier. But Walz pushed back, saying the states hands were tied by a court order to resume payments despite its concerns. He said the FBI asked the state to continue the payments while the investigation continued.

The Minnesota Department of Education now has an independent inspector-general who is better empowered to investigate fraud and waste.
Update at 5:00 p.m.

The Champaign County Sheriffs Office shared that Mondays I-74 closure was a result of a car crash following a police chase.

At 1:40 p.m., authorities found a car traveling on Bloomington Road in Champaign that had fled from police in Kankakee County earlier on Monday. A Sheriffs deputy attempted to pull the vehicle over, but instead it sped away towards eastbound I-74.

The suspects vehicle made it as far as Milepost 185 when it reportedly rammed the deputys squad car and hit a semi-truck. The suspects car was disabled in the crash, ending the chase.

Knox County man drowns in Lake Shelbyville boating accident

The driver was identified as 19-year-old Anthony Adams of Sun River Terrace. One passenger, a female juvenile, was also in the car. Both she and Adams were taken into custody.

Authorities found two handguns, an extended magazine and a rifle upon searching the vehicle. One firearm had a defaced serial number and another was referred to as a ghost gun, which are guns that are personally assembled and lack serial numbers.

The Sheriffs deputy was treated for minor injuries in the incident. No one else was hurt.

While the juvenile was later released to her parent, Adams remains in the Champaign County Jail on charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated fleeing and eluding.

The Illinois State Police and Urbana Police Department assisted the Champaign County Sheriffs Office through the incident.

Update at 3:19 p.m.

Illinois State Police said a crash that shut down a lane of eastbound I-74 on Monday involved three vehicles. Injuries are being reported but there is no word on the severity.

The highway was shut down in the aftermath but has since reopened.

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  Traffic is currently backed up on Interstate 74 in Urbana due to a crash in the eastbound lanes.

The crash happened at Milepost 185 near the exit to University Avenue. Multiple police cars are at the scene.

Champaign intersection placed on all-way stop after crash

Traffic is flowing past the crash site, but in the left lane only. Vehicles are backed up to Cunningham Avenue as a result.

WCIA has reached out to the Illinois State Police for further information. We have not heard back yet.

This is a developing story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
9 people are on trial in Germany over an alleged far-right coup plot

A defendant is led into the courtroom, at the Higher Regional Court at the start of a trial, in Stuttgart, Germany, Monday, April 29, 2024. Nine people charged in connection with an alleged far-right plot to topple the German government are going on trial in one of three cases linked to the plot that came to light in late 2022. (Bernd Wei'brod/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP)  Nine people charged with terrorism in connection with an alleged far-right plot to topple the German government went on trial Monday in one of three linked cases.

The trial opening in Stuttgart is the first to open in relation to the purported conspiracy, which came to light in late 2022. It is focused on those defendants of the Reich Citizens group who allegedly were part of its so-called military arm, German news agency dpa reported.

Federal prosecutors in December filed terrorism charges against a total of 27 people, one of whom has since died.

Nine other suspects, among them a self-styled prince and a former far-right lawmaker, will go on trial on May 21 at a Frankfurt state court in the most prominent of the three cases. The other eight will go on trial in Munich on June 18.

The Frankfurt case includes Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, whom the group allegedly planned to install as Germanys provisional new leader; Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a judge and former lawmaker with the far-right Alternative for Germany party; and a retired paratrooper.

The proceedings of the three cases are expected to last well into 2025.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on ZDF public television that the trial "shows the strength of our rule of law that the largest terrorist network of Reich Citizens to date (...) has to answer for its militant plans to overthrow the government.

Prosecutors have said that the accused believed in a conglomerate of conspiracy myths, including Reich Citizens and QAnon ideology, and were convinced that Germany is ruled by a so-called deep state.

Adherents of the Reich Citizens movement, or Reichsbuergerbewegung in German, reject Germanys postwar constitution and have called for bringing down the government, while QAnon is a global conspiracy theory with roots in the United States.

According to prosecutors, the group planned to storm into the parliament building in Berlin and arrest lawmakers. It allegedly intended to negotiate a post-coup order primarily with Russia, as one of the allied victors of World War II.

The nine defendants at the Stuttgart trial are accused of membership in a terrorist organization and preparation of a high treasonous enterprise. One of the defendants is also on trial for attempted murder, dpa reported.

Most of the nine suspects in the Frankfurt trial are also charged with membership in a terrorist organization and preparation of high treasonous undertaking. The other eight alleged members of the group have been charged in separate indictments at the court in Munich.
The infant's mother is in the hospital, according to police

Getty University of Tampa campus in Florida.

The newborn and her mother have not been publicly identified

It is unclear what condition the newborn was in when she was found in the campus garbage

Florida expanded its Safe Haven Law this year, so that parents may anonymously surrender their infants within 30 days of birth, up from just 7 days. That law goes into effect in July

A newborn was found wrapped in a towel and placed in a garbage bin on the University of Tampas campus.

Police recovered the remains of a baby girl around 7 p.m. the night of April 28 and transported her body to the medical examiners office for an autopsy, the Tampa Police Department said in a press release Monday.

Her mother was subsequently located and transported to a nearby hospital, according to police.

The loss of a child is always a tragedy, Chief Bercaw said in a statement. As our department actively investigates this incident, we want all expectant mothers to know there are resources available.

The case remains under investigation. No charges have yet been made public, and neither the mother nor infant have been publicly identified.

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.

It was not clear how old the baby was, but police referred to her as a newborn, which by state law is defined as an infant in their first week of life.

Floridas Safe Haven Law enables parents to surrender their newborns to hospitals, fire stations and EMS stations. Parents can remain anonymous, so long as their newborn is unharmed.

There will be no questions asked, police said in the press release. And no charges will be filed for surrendering a newborn under the Safe Haven Law unless the infant has signs of abuse or neglect.

Across the county, the National Safe Haven Alliance estimates that the lives of 29 babies have been saved so far this year, and since measurements with early laws began in 1999, 4,783 babies were saved because their parents had a safe place to relinquish custody of them, according to the groups online statistics.

In January, the Florida House of Representatives passed a bill expanding Safe Haven protections in the state, enabling a parent to surrender their infant to a hospital, fire station or emergency medical services agency within the first 30 days after they are born. (Previously, parents had to surrender the newborn within a week of birth.) The laws language has been updated from newborn infant to infant.

This gives parents more time to make a decision, potentially preventing the unsafe abandonment of infants older than 7 days, according to an analysis of the law.

Parents may also call 911 and meet with an emergency medical services provider at a specified location.

The bill goes into effect July 1.



If you are overwhelmed and need help, you may call or text The National Safe Haven Alliance Hotline: 1-888-510-BABY (2229).

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.
ABINGDON, Va. (WJHL)  Every birthday is special. But on Sunday, the congregation of Cleveland Presbyterian Church held a celebration far bigger than the rest, one marking a century.

Don Parker, a resident of Abingdon, celebrated his 100th birthday on Sunday, surrounded by his friends and family.

Hes a special guy and a hundred years of age, said Rick Laney, Pastor of Cleveland Presbyterian. We just wanted to honor him as a church family.

Parker has spent his life serving others. Most notably, Parker served on the front lines during the D-Day invasion.

This young man, Laney said. Landed in June of 1944 on the beach of Normandy. The soldier in front of him in the landing craft was shot and killed, and Don was wounded and awarded the Purple Heart.

Honor Flight trip Mission No. 7 returns home Sunday

During the churchs Sunday service, the congregation celebrated Parker and congratulated him on the milestone. Among the celebrations was a presentation by Virginia State Senator Todd Pillion.

I was fortunate enough to give Mr. Parker a commanding resolution from the Senate of Virginia honoring not only his birthday, but also his service to our country, said Pillion.

As a veteran, Pillion says he has the utmost respect for Parkers life of service.

He is a true hero and famous person walking among us, Pillion said. And we have to make sure that he is recognized throughout our country, and especially here in Southwest Virginia.

Parker was also recognized by Abingdon Mayor Amanda Pillion, who presented Parker with a proclamation and a key to the city. Pillion presented this award alongside the Veterans Advisory Board.

Parkers family said theyre grateful for those who showed up to celebrate.

Its fantastic to have such a big gathering and have everybody out here, said Parkers grandson Samuel Vorhes. Its huge, and Im glad that everybody was able to come down here because theres a lot of folk that came from a lot of faraway places.

Parker attributed his long life to one thing.

I guess I was just too stupid to die, Parker said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Proposals from the 14 Wisconsin residents, brought together to come up with consensus solutions on abortion, arrived at proposals designed to address the economic, health, and education disparities that can lead to people choose abortion. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

Can a group of strangers find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America?

Editors note: This story is the third in a series about a group of people from Wisconsin trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide. Their larger goal is to find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America.

MADISON, Wis.  The Starts With Us civic experiment on abortion began with a hypothesis that was reflected in the sessions first working title: Abortion Access & Limits.

And the experiments results, following heated discussions among 14 Wisconsin residents with divergent abortion beliefs, are reflected in the sessions final title: Abortion & Family Well-Being, whose just-released five proposed consensus solutions are designed to address the economic, health, and education disparities that can lead people to choose abortion. The group ultimately could not come to any consensus about abortion itself.

But they came very close.

Shortly before Starts With Us went live with its public feedback period on Wednesday, participant Dr. Kristin Lyerly experienced what facilitator Mariah Levison had throughout this session described as heartburn.

The OB-GYN and abortion provider told States Newsroom she couldnt sign off on the final language of what would have been a sixth proposal titled, Keep abortion available when a woman is experiencing a life-threatening medical risk. She said she took issue with some of the non-medical terms like unborn child, but her bigger concern was that the proposal used Wisconsins definition of a life-threatening medical risk, which she said is poorly defined and does not explicitly include mental health emergencies.

As a physician  I do this in practice, and everybody else is just talking about the theory of it, said Lyerly, who has since stepped away from the Starts With Us project because her recently launched congressional campaign conflicts with its nonprofit status. When Im taking care of my patients, Im focused on, what does my patient need medically right now? Not, hey, can you Google what current Wisconsin law says about when a mothers life is in danger?

Starts With Us communications manager Tori Larned told States Newsroom that despite high-level consensus on this issue, several participants  both who support and oppose abortion access  disagreed with this proposals final language, so theyve scrapped it for now with the potential to revisit in the near future.

For some, the language is still too permissive and for others its too restrictive, Larned said in an email. Citizen Solutions is about bringing more nuance to what is often a binary, overly simplistic conversation.

Lyerly said she is excited about the proposals the group did achieve consensus on and the connections she made with people who disagree with her. But she remains firm in her view that a medical procedure shouldnt be narrowly regulated.

I think we made some important headway, and I think that the fact that we were not able to address the pressing issue of abortion itself really emphasizes how complicated this problem is, and how it belongs in the realm of medical practice, not politics, Lyerly said. Its really hard to find that middle ground because there isnt necessarily middle ground that applies universally. Its a personal issue for you that affects your personal self and your personal family.

Several of the participants on either side of the abortion access divide told States Newsroom that this civic experiment motivated them to keep engaging in discussions about abortion with people they disagree with. A couple said they were disappointed with the ultimate results. And some expressed improved understanding in the others point of view, but no major shifts in thinking.

Initially, I just felt that, how could you want to kill a baby inside your womb? How could you ever come to that conclusion? said participant Jeff Davis, 76, who has worked with crisis pregnancy centers for women who are contemplating abortion. From just some of the experiences of people who were there who viewed things differently than I do, I could see why a person could come to those conclusions. And so even though I didnt change my view, its like, okay, now how can these concerns be addressed so that a person would want to choose life?

Davis also told States Newsroom that he was among those abortion opponents who initially agreed that pregnancy termination should be allowed to preserve the life of the woman but could not agree to include mental distress as part of that definition. The semi-retired bovine veterinarian said his reasoning revolves around the qualitative nature of mental distress.

It seems to me that those who are pro-abortion want to set the bar very low, Davis said. As a result, almost every woman could claim mental distress as a reason for being able to have an abortion.

Participant Ali Muldrow, the executive director of the abortion fund WMF Wisconsin, said she ultimately thinks theirs is a progressive set of policy proposals in what it doesnt include: abortion-ban exceptions for rape and incest.

The fact that we actually didnt agree on an exception for rape and incest I think is a win, Muldrow said. Were not oversimplifying hugely traumatic experiences as if they can be easily identified, proven, and used to access health care. We didnt take the bait of compassion with a condition of extreme brutality. Thats something youre seeing around the country right now and its really dangerous.

She said that for her the groups dynamics reflect what she sees in the U.S., that there is a majority broadly on the side of abortion access despite their diverse personal views, and a minority (in this case five white Christians) advocating for limits because of deeply held religious beliefs.

When you pair people who represent 80% of the population with people who represent kind of a specific religious perspective and pretend that those sides are equal, while also failing to kind of acknowledge that one of those groups of people has had historically more power than the other group of people, it creates a pretty complex dynamic, Muldrow said.

Abortion opponents also expressed disappointment at what they saw as an imbalance of abortion perspectives. Kateri Klingele said that ahead of the final session held in April she acted as spokesperson for the five abortion opponents, and said they would refuse to consider an abortion exception related to fetal health diagnoses. Lyerly noted that three of the nine abortion-access supporters were absent for the final in-person debate. Heather Martell and Ramona Williams were absent because of personal issues, and Monique Minkens started feeling sick and had to leave.

The proposed consensus solutions on abortion and family well-being

This group of 14 Wisconsinites live all across the state, including Milwaukee, Rock, Chippewa, Door, Brown, Grant, and Dane counties. But now residents from the entire state  and the nation  can vote and comment on the groups proposals for state lawmakers to potentially consider. The proposals were evaluated by 14 health, legal, and policy experts with divergent views on abortion access, three of whom (a Catholic marriage and family expert, pro-life OB/GYN, and professor of educational policy studies) chose to remain anonymous.

In brief, they would:

Require human development education in schools (and ensure that its medically accurate, developmentally appropriate, and state-funded);

Require all options information at pregnancy centers, abortion clinics, and prenatal care providers (and to make sure it is standardized, medically accurate, and required for dissemination at centers that oppose abortion the same way it is at abortion clinics);

Provide a refundable state child tax credit (While Wisconsin recently expanded its state-level child and dependent care tax credit, the state has no state-level child tax credit. Fifteen states do provide these additional state-level child tax credits, many of which come in at or above $1,000 per qualifying child.); and

Enact paid family leave, including foster and adoptive parents.

We envision a world where Wisconsinites have greater support for planning and sustaining their families, the participants write in their joint vision statement. Unintended pregnancies and poor fetal and maternal health outcomes are experienced disproportionately by women of color and lower-income women.  Better community and social supports  including for children and families, as well as during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period  help those who become pregnant feel like they have options for continuing their pregnancy.

Starts With Us head of programs Ashley Phillips said that after the public feedback period concludes on May 31, the participants will find out which proposals got the most support and then evaluate potential next steps, including bringing them to state lawmakers. She noted that for their first session, on gun rights and safety launched last year in Tennessee, more than 30,000 Tennesseans weighed in on eight proposals and five majority-supported proposals were ultimately brought to the state legislature.

Phillips said Starts With Us absorbed a lot of participants feedback (including hiring a mental-health counselor to help guide the final session in April) as they continue to iterate their Citizen Solutions sessions throughout the country. She said the results of this particular experiment, on abortion in Wisconsin, make her optimistic.

If you look at the five [proposals], theyre much more about root causes of abortion, Phillips said. Thats the conversation that this group is trying to have. How can we expand the conversation on abortion, so its not just about weeks, and its not just about exceptions and carve-outs and bans and not bans and morality or not?

Many of the participants said this experience was hard, but for most it was worthwhile.

I think its important to hear where people are, Muldrow said. As important as the areas where we agree, I think the areas where we disagree are deeply important. If you want there to be this kind of happy Kumbaya ending to a conversation about abortion with people with very different beliefs, its a little disappointing that one of the more pronounced elements of that conversation is where people disagree, but people were able to disagree and stay in that space together. I think theres a lot to learn from that.

The post On abortion, advocates and opponents unite on policies to address root causes appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
Proposals from the 14 Wisconsin residents, brought together to come up with consensus solutions on abortion, arrived at proposals designed to address the economic, health, and education disparities that can lead to people choose abortion. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

Editors note: This story is the third in a series about a group of people from Wisconsin trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide. Their larger goal is to find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America.

MADISON, Wis.  The Starts With Us civic experiment on abortion began with a hypothesis that was reflected in the sessions first working title: Abortion Access & Limits.

And the experiments results, following heated discussions among 14 Wisconsin residents with divergent abortion beliefs, are reflected in the sessions final title: Abortion & Family Well-Being, whose just-released five proposed consensus solutions are designed to address the economic, health, and education disparities that can lead people to choose abortion. The group ultimately could not come to any consensus about abortion itself.

Can a group of strangers find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America?

But they came very close.

Shortly before Starts With Us went live with its public feedback period on Wednesday, participant Dr. Kristin Lyerly experienced what facilitator Mariah Levison had throughout this session described as heartburn.

The OB-GYN and abortion provider told States Newsroom she couldnt sign off on the final language of what would have been a sixth proposal titled, Keep abortion available when a woman is experiencing a life-threatening medical risk. She said she took issue with some of the non-medical terms like unborn child, but her bigger concern was that the proposal used Wisconsins definition of a life-threatening medical risk, which she said is poorly defined and does not explicitly include mental health emergencies.

As a physician  I do this in practice, and everybody else is just talking about the theory of it, said Lyerly, who has since stepped away from the Starts With Us project because her recently launched congressional campaign conflicts with its nonprofit status. When Im taking care of my patients, Im focused on, what does my patient need medically right now? Not, hey, can you Google what current Wisconsin law says about when a mothers life is in danger?

Starts With Us communications manager Tori Larned told States Newsroom that despite high-level consensus on this issue, several participants  both who support and oppose abortion access  disagreed with this proposals final language, so theyve scrapped it for now with the potential to revisit in the near future.

For some, the language is still too permissive and for others its too restrictive, Larned said in an email. Citizen Solutions is about bringing more nuance to what is often a binary, overly simplistic conversation.

Lyerly said she is excited about the proposals the group did achieve consensus on and the connections she made with people who disagree with her. But she remains firm in her view that a medical procedure shouldnt be narrowly regulated.

I think we made some important headway, and I think that the fact that we were not able to address the pressing issue of abortion itself really emphasizes how complicated this problem is, and how it belongs in the realm of medical practice, not politics, Lyerly said. Its really hard to find that middle ground because there isnt necessarily middle ground that applies universally. Its a personal issue for you that affects your personal self and your personal family.

Several of the participants on either side of the abortion access divide told States Newsroom that this civic experiment motivated them to keep engaging in discussions about abortion with people they disagree with. A couple said they were disappointed with the ultimate results. And some expressed improved understanding in the others point of view, but no major shifts in thinking.

Initially, I just felt that, how could you want to kill a baby inside your womb? How could you ever come to that conclusion? said participant Jeff Davis, 76, who has worked with crisis pregnancy centers for women who are contemplating abortion. From just some of the experiences of people who were there who viewed things differently than I do, I could see why a person could come to those conclusions. And so even though I didnt change my view, its like, okay, now how can these concerns be addressed so that a person would want to choose life?

Davis also told States Newsroom that he was among those abortion opponents who initially agreed that pregnancy termination should be allowed to preserve the life of the woman but could not agree to include mental distress as part of that definition. The semi-retired bovine veterinarian said his reasoning revolves around the qualitative nature of mental distress.

It seems to me that those who are pro-abortion want to set the bar very low, Davis said. As a result, almost every woman could claim mental distress as a reason for being able to have an abortion.

Participant Ali Muldrow, the executive director of the abortion fund WMF Wisconsin, said she ultimately thinks theirs is a progressive set of policy proposals in what it doesnt include: abortion-ban exceptions for rape and incest.

The fact that we actually didnt agree on an exception for rape and incest I think is a win, Muldrow said. Were not oversimplifying hugely traumatic experiences as if they can be easily identified, proven, and used to access health care. We didnt take the bait of compassion with a condition of extreme brutality. Thats something youre seeing around the country right now and its really dangerous.

She said that for her the groups dynamics reflect what she sees in the U.S., that there is a majority broadly on the side of abortion access despite their diverse personal views, and a minority (in this case five white Christians) advocating for limits because of deeply held religious beliefs.

When you pair people who represent 80% of the population with people who represent kind of a specific religious perspective and pretend that those sides are equal, while also failing to kind of acknowledge that one of those groups of people has had historically more power than the other group of people, it creates a pretty complex dynamic, Muldrow said.

Abortion opponents also expressed disappointment at what they saw as an imbalance of abortion perspectives. Kateri Klingele said that ahead of the final session held in April she acted as spokesperson for the five abortion opponents, and said they would refuse to consider an abortion exception related to fetal health diagnoses. Lyerly noted that three of the nine abortion-access supporters were absent for the final in-person debate. Heather Martell and Ramona Williams were absent because of personal issues, and Monique Minkens started feeling sick and had to leave.

The proposed consensus solutions on abortion and family well-being

This group of 14 Wisconsinites live all across the state, including Milwaukee, Rock, Chippewa, Door, Brown, Grant, and Dane counties. But now residents from the entire state  and the nation  can vote and comment on the groups proposals for state lawmakers to potentially consider. The proposals were evaluated by 14 health, legal, and policy experts with divergent views on abortion access, three of whom (a Catholic marriage and family expert, pro-life OB/GYN, and professor of educational policy studies) chose to remain anonymous.

In brief, they would:

Require human development education in schools (and ensure that its medically accurate, developmentally appropriate, and state-funded);

Require all options information at pregnancy centers, abortion clinics, and prenatal care providers (and to make sure it is standardized, medically accurate, and required for dissemination at centers that oppose abortion the same way it is at abortion clinics);

Provide a refundable state child tax credit (While Wisconsin recently expanded its state-level child and dependent care tax credit, the state has no state-level child tax credit. Fifteen states do provide these additional state-level child tax credits, many of which come in at or above $1,000 per qualifying child.); and

Enact paid family leave, including foster and adoptive parents.

We envision a world where Wisconsinites have greater support for planning and sustaining their families, the participants write in their joint vision statement. Unintended pregnancies and poor fetal and maternal health outcomes are experienced disproportionately by women of color and lower-income women.  Better community and social supports  including for children and families, as well as during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period  help those who become pregnant feel like they have options for continuing their pregnancy.

Starts With Us head of programs Ashley Phillips said that after the public feedback period concludes on May 31, the participants will find out which proposals got the most support and then evaluate potential next steps, including bringing them to state lawmakers. She noted that for their first session, on gun rights and safety launched last year in Tennessee, more than 30,000 Tennesseans weighed in on eight proposals and five majority-supported proposals were ultimately brought to the state legislature.

Phillips said Starts With Us absorbed a lot of participants feedback (including hiring a mental-health counselor to help guide the final session in April) as they continue to iterate their Citizen Solutions sessions throughout the country. She said the results of this particular experiment, on abortion in Wisconsin, make her optimistic.

If you look at the five [proposals], theyre much more about root causes of abortion, Phillips said. Thats the conversation that this group is trying to have. How can we expand the conversation on abortion, so its not just about weeks, and its not just about exceptions and carve-outs and bans and not bans and morality or not?

Many of the participants said this experience was hard, but for most it was worthwhile.

I think its important to hear where people are, Muldrow said. As important as the areas where we agree, I think the areas where we disagree are deeply important. If you want there to be this kind of happy Kumbaya ending to a conversation about abortion with people with very different beliefs, its a little disappointing that one of the more pronounced elements of that conversation is where people disagree, but people were able to disagree and stay in that space together. I think theres a lot to learn from that.

The post On abortion, advocates and opponents unite on policies to address root causes appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Proposals from the 14 Wisconsin residents, brought together to come up with consensus solutions on abortion, arrived at proposals designed to address the economic, health, and education disparities that can lead to people choose abortion. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

Can a group of strangers find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America?

Editors note: This story is the third in a series about a group of people from Wisconsin trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide. Their larger goal is to find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America. Read Part 1 and Part 2.



MADISON, Wis.  The Starts With Us civic experiment on abortion began with a hypothesis that was reflected in the sessions first working title: Abortion Access & Limits.

And the experiments results, following heated discussions among 14 Wisconsin residents with divergent abortion beliefs, are reflected in the sessions final title: Abortion & Family Well-Being, whose just-released five proposed consensus solutions are designed to address the economic, health, and education disparities that can lead people to choose abortion. The group ultimately could not come to any consensus about abortion itself.

But they came very close.

Shortly before Starts With Us went live with its public feedback period on Wednesday, participant Dr. Kristin Lyerly experienced what facilitator Mariah Levison had throughout this session described as heartburn.

The OB-GYN and abortion provider told States Newsroom she couldnt sign off on the final language of what would have been a sixth proposal titled, Keep abortion available when a woman is experiencing a life-threatening medical risk. She said she took issue with some of the non-medical terms like unborn child, but her bigger concern was that the proposal used Wisconsins definition of a life-threatening medical risk, which she said is poorly defined and does not explicitly include mental health emergencies.

As a physician  I do this in practice, and everybody else is just talking about the theory of it, said Lyerly, who has since stepped away from the Starts With Us project because her recently launched congressional campaign conflicts with its nonprofit status. When Im taking care of my patients, Im focused on, what does my patient need medically right now? Not, hey, can you Google what current Wisconsin law says about when a mothers life is in danger?

Starts With Us communications manager Tori Larned told States Newsroom that despite high-level consensus on this issue, several participants  both who support and oppose abortion access  disagreed with this proposals final language, so theyve scrapped it for now with the potential to revisit in the near future.

A group of people gathered on couches in a room with red and whtie wallpaper.

A June 2023 poll conducted by Marquette University in Milwaukee found that 32% of those polled believe abortion should be legal in all cases, 34% in most, 25% illegal in most, and 6% illegal in all. The participants in the Starts with Us civic experiment came from diverse backgrounds and points of view on abortion access. (Sofia Resnick/States Newsroom)

For some, the language is still too permissive and for others its too restrictive, Larned said in an email. Citizen Solutions is about bringing more nuance to what is often a binary, overly simplistic conversation.

Lyerly said she is excited about the proposals the group did achieve consensus on and the connections she made with people who disagree with her. But she remains firm in her view that a medical procedure shouldnt be narrowly regulated.

I think we made some important headway, and I think that the fact that we were not able to address the pressing issue of abortion itself really emphasizes how complicated this problem is, and how it belongs in the realm of medical practice, not politics, Lyerly said. Its really hard to find that middle ground because there isnt necessarily middle ground that applies universally. Its a personal issue for you that affects your personal self and your personal family.

Several of the participants on either side of the abortion access divide told States Newsroom that this civic experiment motivated them to keep engaging in discussions about abortion with people they disagree with. A couple said they were disappointed with the ultimate results. And some expressed improved understanding in the others point of view, but no major shifts in thinking.

Initially, I just felt that, how could you want to kill a baby inside your womb? How could you ever come to that conclusion? said participant Jeff Davis, 76, who has worked with crisis pregnancy centers for women who are contemplating abortion. From just some of the experiences of people who were there who viewed things differently than I do, I could see why a person could come to those conclusions. And so even though I didnt change my view, its like, okay, now how can these concerns be addressed so that a person would want to choose life?

Davis also told States Newsroom that he was among those abortion opponents who initially agreed that pregnancy termination should be allowed to preserve the life of the woman but could not agree to include mental distress as part of that definition. The semi-retired bovine veterinarian said his reasoning revolves around the qualitative nature of mental distress.

It seems to me that those who are pro-abortion want to set the bar very low, Davis said. As a result, almost every woman could claim mental distress as a reason for being able to have an abortion.

Participant Ali Muldrow, the executive director of the abortion fund WMF Wisconsin, said she ultimately thinks theirs is a progressive set of policy proposals in what it doesnt include: abortion-ban exceptions for rape and incest.

The fact that we actually didnt agree on an exception for rape and incest I think is a win, Muldrow said. Were not oversimplifying hugely traumatic experiences as if they can be easily identified, proven, and used to access health care. We didnt take the bait of compassion with a condition of extreme brutality. Thats something youre seeing around the country right now and its really dangerous.

She said that for her the groups dynamics reflect what she sees in the U.S., that there is a majority broadly on the side of abortion access despite their diverse personal views, and a minority (in this case five white Christians) advocating for limits because of deeply held religious beliefs.

When you pair people who represent 80% of the population with people who represent kind of a specific religious perspective and pretend that those sides are equal, while also failing to kind of acknowledge that one of those groups of people has had historically more power than the other group of people, it creates a pretty complex dynamic, Muldrow said.

Abortion opponents also expressed disappointment at what they saw as an imbalance of abortion perspectives. Kateri Klingele said that ahead of the final session held in April she acted as spokesperson for the five abortion opponents, and said they would refuse to consider an abortion exception related to fetal health diagnoses. Lyerly noted that three of the nine abortion-access supporters were absent for the final in-person debate. Heather Martell and Ramona Williams were absent because of personal issues, and Monique Minkens started feeling sick and had to leave.

The proposed consensus solutions on abortion and family well-being

Fourteen people standing on steps outside a building

he Wisconsin 14 gather in front of the Wisconsin Masonic Center in Madison, where they spent multiple days trying to come to consensus on abortion and family well-being. Several of the participants on either side of the abortion access divide said the Starts with Us civic experiment motivated them to keep engaging in discussions about abortion with people they disagree with. (Sofia Resnick/States Newsroom)

This group of 14 Wisconsinites live all across the state, including Milwaukee, Rock, Chippewa, Door, Brown, Grant, and Dane counties. But now residents from the entire state  and the nation  can vote and comment on the groups proposals for state lawmakers to potentially consider. The proposals were evaluated by 14 health, legal, and policy experts with divergent views on abortion access, three of whom (a Catholic marriage and family expert, pro-life OB/GYN, and professor of educational policy studies) chose to remain anonymous.

In brief, they would:

Require human development education in schools (and ensure that its medically accurate, developmentally appropriate, and state-funded);

Require all options information at pregnancy centers, abortion clinics, and prenatal care providers (and to make sure it is standardized, medically accurate, and required for dissemination at centers that oppose abortion the same way it is at abortion clinics);

Provide a refundable state child tax credit (While Wisconsin recently expanded its state-level child and dependent care tax credit, the state has no state-level child tax credit. Fifteen states do provide these additional state-level child tax credits, many of which come in at or above $1,000 per qualifying child.); and

Enact paid family leave, including foster and adoptive parents.

We envision a world where Wisconsinites have greater support for planning and sustaining their families, the participants write in their joint vision statement. Unintended pregnancies and poor fetal and maternal health outcomes are experienced disproportionately by women of color and lower-income women.  Better community and social supports  including for children and families, as well as during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period  help those who become pregnant feel like they have options for continuing their pregnancy.

Starts With Us head of programs Ashley Phillips said that after the public feedback period concludes on May 31, the participants will find out which proposals got the most support and then evaluate potential next steps, including bringing them to state lawmakers. She noted that for their first session, on gun rights and safety launched last year in Tennessee, more than 30,000 Tennesseans weighed in on eight proposals and five majority-supported proposals were ultimately brought to the state legislature.

Phillips said Starts With Us absorbed a lot of participants feedback (including hiring a mental-health counselor to help guide the final session in April) as they continue to iterate their Citizen Solutions sessions throughout the country. She said the results of this particular experiment, on abortion in Wisconsin, make her optimistic.

If you look at the five [proposals], theyre much more about root causes of abortion, Phillips said. Thats the conversation that this group is trying to have. How can we expand the conversation on abortion, so its not just about weeks, and its not just about exceptions and carve-outs and bans and not bans and morality or not?

Many of the participants said this experience was hard, but for most it was worthwhile.

I think its important to hear where people are, Muldrow said. As important as the areas where we agree, I think the areas where we disagree are deeply important. If you want there to be this kind of happy Kumbaya ending to a conversation about abortion with people with very different beliefs, its a little disappointing that one of the more pronounced elements of that conversation is where people disagree, but people were able to disagree and stay in that space together. I think theres a lot to learn from that.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Floridas six-week abortion ban takes effect this week, and both parties are using it to make their cases to voters across the country ahead of Novembers elections.

Democrats argue a Trump presidency would institute a similar ban nationwide, but Republicans insist theyre leaving the issue of reproductive rights to the states.

Its definitely good news for the cause of life, said Melanie Israel with the Heritage Foundation. Its going to have an immediate lifesaving impact for both women and unborn children.

Israel said about 60% of abortions occur after six weeks. When the law takes effect Wednesday, that will largely no longer be an option in Florida.

I think were going to see a significant drop in the number of abortions regardless, Israel said.

Florida had been a destination for women seeking abortions in surrounding states that have similar bans or restrictions.

It really is going to have a huge impact on the region, said Brencia Berry, the national political director for the Democratic National Committee.

Berry said voters should know whos to blame.

Trump has been effective at organizing across Republican states to get these laws in place that are just harmful to women, she said.

Berry stresses a second Biden term would continue to push back against a national abortion ban.

Women should have the right to make these life-changing, potentially life-threatening decisions about their bodies and their families, she said.

But Israel argues the abortion debate will work in the GOPs favor come November.

A lot of people are actually put off by the extremism that were seeing coming from the Left, she said.

Florida joins neighbors Georgia and South Carolina with a six-week abortion ban.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
On May 4-5, 2024, Azerbaijans inaugural National Carpet Festival, co-organized by the Administration of State Historical Architectural Reserve Icherisheher and Azerkhalcha OJSC, and supported by the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan Republic, Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency  AZPROMO, will be held in Icherisheher.

Throughout the two-day festival, numerous events dedicated to the art of carpet weaving will take place in Icherisheher. These include exclusive exhibitions showcasing ancient, modern, and designer carpets, as well as carpet weaving masterclasses for both adults and kids. Educational seminars, interactive theater performances, a fair, a mugham evening, and a concert program are also scheduled. During the festival, the streets of the Old City will be adorned with carpets and special decorations featuring carpet motifs, adding to the colorful and magical atmosphere of the event.

During the event, attendees with an interest in the art of carpet weaving will have the opportunity to explore every stage of carpet making, including dyeing threads, applying dyes and patterns, weaving, processing, burning, and washing the carpets. During the masterclasses, skilled artisans from "Azerkhalcha" OJSC, representing 14 regions of Azerbaijan, will provide hands-on demonstrations on the intricacies of carpet weaving and processing directly on the loom. Furthermore, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Science and Education of Azerbaijan Republic will each host their stands at the National Carpet Festival.

Notably, the National Carpet Festival, to be hosted by Icherisheher, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is dedicated to the professional holiday of "Carpenter's Day," established by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, on November 25, 2016. The mission of the Festival is to promote and safeguard the rich tradition of Azerbaijani carpet weaving, listed as UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage.

We eagerly anticipate the residents and all guests of Baku to join us for the inaugural National Carpet Festival!
Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

SCHIFF MAINTAINS COMFORTABLE LEAD OVER GARVEY

Via David Lightman...

Adam Schiff has a comfortable lead over Steve Garvey in the first Senate race post-primary statewide poll from the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.

Schiff, a Democratic congressman from Burbank, is the choice of 61% of likely voters. Garvey, a Republican and former all-star first baseman, had 37%.

Theyre vying for the Senate seat now held by Sen. Laphonza Butler, a Democrat appointed to the job last year after Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., died.

The poll found Schiff gets a big boost from independents, who preferred him 58% to 38%.

Party loyalists tended to stay with the nominees, as 92% of Democrats backed Schiff and 88% of Republicans preferred Garvey.

But Democrats outnumber Republicans in California, and the GOP hasnt won a statewide race since 2006.

Schiff has another advantage. Though he and Garvey raised roughly the same amount of money from mid-February to late March, the last reporting period, Schiff had $4.8 million on hand. Garvey had $1.6 million.

POLLING SHOWS MAJOR ENTHUSIASM GAP

Elsewhere, the PPIC survey found that President Joe Biden (54%) is maintaining a comfortable lead over former President Donald Trump (31%) in California, though 11% of likely voters say they want someone else (unspecified) to be president. The PPIC said it would include third-party presidential candidates in future surveys.

Slightly more than a third (36%) of California likely voters say that they are satisfied with the current crop of presidential contenders, including 36% of Democrats, 52% of Republicans and 16% of independents.

About four in 10 likely voters say that they are not enthusiastic about voting for president this November. Among Democrats, its 39%, among Republicans, its 34%. More than half (57%) of independents hold this view.

This enthusiasm gap has implications for turnout and outcomes in down-ticket races across California, including the competitive House races that will help determine which party controls Congress, according to the PPIC.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Do what you know is right. Lead and treat others with love, compassion, and integrity. The rest will fall into place.

- Assemblyman Isaac G. Bryan, D-Los Angeles, via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

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Health workers give polio vaccine to a child. Afghanistan launched a new polio vaccination campaign on Monday aimed at protecting around 10.72 million children under the age of 5, the Health Ministry announced. Mohammed Talatene/dpa

Afghanistan launched a new polio vaccination campaign on Monday aimed at protecting around 10.72 million children under the age of 5, the Health Ministry announced.

The four-day campaign will cover 31 of the country's 34 provinces. Vaccinations in Ghor, Daikundi and Bamyan provinces will be implemented later due to recent rains and cold weather, the ministry said in a statement.

Together with our partners, we are committed to eradicating polio from Afghanistan, said Dr Qalandar Ibaad, the Taliban government minister of public health. We will work tirelessly and continue polio vaccination campaigns and complementary health services until we reach the goal of fully eradicating polio.

The ministry urged religious scholars and local elders to cooperate with vaccine providers to fight against polio, a debilitating disease that can lead to paralysis and death.

In December, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that the repatriation of migrants from neighbouring Pakistan has increased the risk of spreading the virus. Since then, Afghanistan has conducted at least three rounds of nationwide vaccinations.

Vaccination campaigns in Afghanistan and Pakistan often face challenges due to conspiracy theories that polio vaccines cause infertility or that vaccinators are spies.

Before seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban had banned door-to-door vaccinations in areas they controlled. However, the United Nations successfully negotiated with them to resume the vaccination programme across the country after their return to power.
Air Force: Poland capable of protecting skies over western Ukraine but political will needed

Poland is technically capable of protecting the skies over Ukraine's western regions with its air defenses, but this requires "political will," Air Force spokesperson Illia Yevlash said on April 29.

Russia's aerial attacks against western Ukraine have posed risks for neighboring Poland on several occasions. On April 27, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that one of the Russian projectiles fired at Lviv Oblast fell 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the Polish border.

"Theoretically and technically, it is possible since Poland has long-range air defense systems, namely Patriots. However, this would require political will, and this is already a topic for our diplomatic services," Yevlash said on television.

According to the spokesperson, such a step would allow Ukraine's military to focus its air defense capabilities to counter Russia's tactical aviation and glide bomb raids at the front lines.

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Ukraine has a limited number of advanced Western air defense systems like Patriots, IRIS-T, or SAMP/T, which are crucial for protecting its population centers and infrastructure against regular Russian aerial strikes.

Kyiv has been leading talks with its partners to secure more of these systems not only to protect civilian targets but also to counter the Russian Air Force at the front. Glide bomb attacks have become a particularly serious problem for Ukrainian front-line troops.

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna said in March that NATO is considering shooting down Russian missiles heading toward the alliance's territory.

On Dec. 29, 2023, a missile entered Polish airspace, putting the country's defenses on high alert. In another incident on Nov. 15, 2022, a missile flew onto Polish territory during a Russian mass strike, killing two civilians. Polish investigators later concluded that it was a stray Ukrainian anti-air projectile launched to intercept the Russian attack.

Read also: Yermak: I can tell you for sure  there will be more Patriots

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An Airbnb guest alleges her attractiveness became too much to bear for her spiteful host, whom she claims essentially pushed her out the door over fears her publishing-exec-cum-alpaca-farmer husband would fall for her during her stay.

In an eye-popping federal lawsuit obtained by The Daily Beast, 23-year-old Keren Sita, an aspiring law student who was crowned 2017s Miss Black Vermont, says Marcia Meinerth, 77, couldnt handle having a young hot Black girl in the house, and made things increasingly miserable for her until she finally packed up and went elsewhere.

The intensifying animosity was solely based on superficial attributes, according to Sitas complaint. Meinerth appeared to project her frustrations and insecurities onto me leading to tensions in our interactions, the complaint states. She treated me like I was going to steal her unattractive and old husband.

Sita, who is representing herself in court, is demanding at least $700,000 for, among other things, discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

From the very beginning, I could tell my beauty was a threat to her, Sita told The Daily Beast on Monday. ... Im a paralegal, but my dream is to be an attorney. My goal is to do bias discrimination. This case is about how the more beautiful you are, the more discriminated against you are. I think she was just surprised at how beautiful I was as a Black woman.

Sita said that another guest staying in the same house at the time was not harassed at all.

My whole life mission is to show that pretty discrimination does existIm trying to coin that term, Sita explained. When you are beautiful, when you are attractive, people treat you differently.

https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=426902337657158&id=365742307106495&paipv=0&eav=AfY7gZUiZlwk8MJqfgVYe4kA0xcHM0Xv2NQyEx2GiG-oe2eBB20FKR08TUgCQsOGHBk&_rdr

In an email, Barry Meinerth declined to comment beyond saying that Sitas lawsuit was previously dismissed in state court, after which Sita later refiled in federal court.

Sita files 12 lawsuits a year, all frivolous, Meinerth said. (Sita has filed numerous past lawsuits for, among other things, defamation over a Facebook post, an employment discrimination claim against the Five Guys burger chain, and a landlord-tenant dispute with a Vermont Econolodge. Most, if not all, have been dismissed.)

Airbnb did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

The surreal situation can be traced back to January 15, 2021, when Sita booked a bedroom for a month-long stay in Marcia and Barry Meinerths Pawlet, Vermont, home, according to the complaint. Marcia was an Airbnb superhost, which Sita says gave her a modicum of comfort.

I rented the space to find solace for drafting my law school personal statement, planning for LSAT exams, and coping with the loss of a dear friend, the complaint states.

Sita rented the Enjoy Life bedroom, which the complaint says was advertised by the Meinerths as ideal for solo travelers, according to her complaint. It says she was sold on the unique rain shower bath, noting that it appealed to her for stress relief. But when Sita arrived, Marcia informed her that she was moving her to a different room, with an en suite shower.

When I inquired about the room change, Defendant MM expressed concerns about me traversing the property in a bathrobe or towel in front of her husband and other guests, the complaint states, adding that it was clear that Marcia was nervous that her husband would become sexually attracted to [me] because I was a young hot Black girl.

Sita says she adheres to a rigorous workout routine, which she begins daily at 5 a.m. So as not to disturb the guest in the room below hers, Sita conducted her exercise sessions in the homes first-floor sitting area, according to the complaint.

However, the complaint goes on, 77-year-old Barry Meinerth, a onetime company commander in the U.S. Army, would frequently appear nearby during her early-morning workouts, observing me for extended periods.

Defendant BMs behavior of closely monitoring my workouts raised concerns regarding boundaries and I began feeling unsafe because I could tell he was become [sic] sexual [sic] aroused while watching me workout [sic], the complaint continues. And as a twenty three year old girl I was not comfortable with a 60 plus old [sic] married man waking up early just to watch me work [sic].

Barrys consistent monitoring appeared to detract from his responsibilities, according to Sita, who claims he spent his time watching her instead of being outside, feeding and tending to his alpacas.

When Marcia saw that her husband was not with the herd, Sita says in the complaint that she would began [sic] running around the [sic] looking for him only to find him in the laundry spying on me working out in my tight workout gear.

She would then begin yelling and bickering at him when she would catch him, the complaint continues. He [sic] actions and reactions during these incidents hinted at underlying tensions within their household dynamic.

She also says her host complained about her hot water usage while showering, while other guests were allowed to use as much as they liked, that she was no longer provided clean bed linens, and that she was barred from using the kitchen to store and cook her own food. Marcia began to publicly humiliate and belittle Sita due to her profound jealousy and animosity, and questioned her intelligence, the complaint alleges.

Sita alleges Marcia entered her room when she was not there, snooped through her belongings, tampered with the organic food she bought, and had a habit of adding water to [her] orange juice. She further claims her room was purposely kept freezing cold during the frigid Vermont winter, as payback.

[I]t is evident that Defendants MM and BM developed arguments due to the Plaintiffs presence and attractiveness, according to the complaint. Defendant MM was taking every measure to force the Plaintiff to leave the property, to the extent that it was impacting the Plaintiffs schooling.

By this point, Sita says in her complaint that she had had enough, writing, Having exhausted all other options, the Plaintiff was left with no choice bu [sic] to find a new place to stay in the interim.

She then discovered Marcia had left her a negative review on the Airbnb website, allegedly writing, It is, and has been, from the start of my Airbnb hosting experience, my absolute pleasure to write a review for the appreciative guests who graced my home, received a personal welcome and found solace here. I cannot say the same for this experience. I am very relieved that the reservation, with the professional assistance of Airbnb, was able to be ended earlier than scheduled. Whew! Its over. Now I look forward to greeting my next guests and continuing with the convivial atmosphere at High View.

According to Sita, the review was a gross misrepresentation of the truth, falsely painting the Plaintiff as the problematic guest. She contends this has subsequently damaged her reputation and livelihood.

For its part, according to Sita, Airbnb failed to take the necessary steps to rectify the situation, despite the Plaintiffs reservation being backed by Airbnb Aircover, the company's comprehensive insurance policy. She said she requested a refund but never got a dime.

When I realized Airbnb wasnt taking this seriously, I decided to file this lawsuit, Sita told The Daily Beast.

Sita claims she was discriminated against, as a young, Black, unmarried, Congolese American woman, for which she is demanding $100,000; that Airbnb and the Meinerths breached their warranty of habitability, for which Sita is demanding $200,000; that she was libeled and defamed by Marcias bad review, for which she believes she deserves $100,000; intentional infliction of emotional distress, for which she wants $200,000; and invasion of privacy, which Sita claims is worth at least $100,000.

I dont know this woman, I never met her in my life [before this], Sita said. There were other Black girls who stayed there, but [being a] hot Black girl is a totally different situation.

The Meinerths have not yet filed a formal response to the allegations.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A pistol that the notorious Prohibition-era gangster Al Capone nicknamed "sweetheart" is once again up for auction. This time, prospective buyers can place bids in South Carolina on the weapon that Capone's family members credit with routinely protecting his life, after a Greenville-based auction house acquired what is now considered by some to be an iconic collectible.

The winning bid for Capone's pistol is expected to come at an exorbitant cost. Richmond Auctions will host a round of bidding on the gun next month, estimated that the final price will land somewhere between $2 and $3 million. Their auction on May 18 will take place less than three years after it sold for just over $1 million at another auction in California. Bidding starts at $500,000.

The .45 Colt semi-automatic pistol was manufactured in 1911 and became one of Capone's most prized possessions when he rose to infamy as a seemingly untouchable Chicago crime boss during the 1920s. According to the FBI, Capone's legacy includes a litany of criminal accusations involving gambling, prostitution, bootlegging, bribery, drug trafficking, robbery, racketeering and murder. It is believed that Capone, who was sometimes known as "Scarface," was behind the brutal St. Valentine's Day massacre in 1929.

In this Aug. 25, 2021 file photo, Brian Witherell displays a Colt .45-caliber pistol that once belonged to mob boss Al Capone, at Witherell's Auction House in Sacramento, California. / Credit: AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File

He evaded law enforcement for years before eventually being convicted of multiple charges related to tax evasion and prohibition violations in 1931. He ultimately servied roughly seven and a half years in federal prison in Atlanta and at the notorious Alcatraz penitentiary off the coast of San Francisco. Capone's health deteriorated during the incarceration, and he died in 1947 at 48 years old.

The mobster's .45 pistol, supposedly his "favorite" gun, was turned over to his wife, Mae Capone, historians say. She handed it down to their son, Sonny Capone, who in turn left it to his daughters Diane and Barbara Capone following his own death in 2004.

Al Capone's granddaughters initially put the pistol up for auction in 2021, alongside about 200 of their grandfather's personal belongings. Witherell's auction house, based in Sacramento, facilitated the bidding on a broad range of items Capone had owned during his life that by then were part of his estate, including jewelry, watches and numerous weapons of varying types. The .45, which sold in the end for hundreds of thousands of dollars more than anticipated, went to a private collector.

Al Capone (left) sits in a train compartment with an unidentified associate during his transport to prison in October 1931. / Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

"This gun was kind of his protection and I think it saved his life on a number of occasions and so he called it his sweetheart," said Diane Capone during an interview with CBS News ahead of that auction. She said that as far as she knew, her grandfather carried the pistol with him everywhere he went.

Critics have denounced the family's decision to auction off items from Capone's estate, and for turning a profit considering the gangster had a hand in many violent and deadly crimes during his reign in Chicago. But others point to the historical significance of Capone's belongings in the present day, and especially that of his treasured "sweetheart" pistol.

"This particular Colt 1911 is more than just a firearm. It's a relic of an era marked by lawlessness and larger-than-life personalities," said Kimmie Williams, a firearms specialist at Richmond Auctions, in a statement. "Its profound connection to Al Capone adds an extra layer of allure, making it a must-have and trump-card for any world-class collector."

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Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, speaks to a colleague on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on April 25, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

A divided House Judiciary Committee Wednesday approved a bill that could subject parents who do not safely secure firearms to criminal penalties.

HB 414, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, passed on a voice vote out of the committee. With only five legislative days left in the 2024 session, its chances of passage appear slim; it needs at least three legislative days to get to Gov. Kay Iveys desk.

It is a bill about responsibility, she said. It doesnt take away anyones Second Amendment rights, but it does make gun owners responsible, especially for those who are going on to school campuses.

Alabama has one of the highest rates of firearm deaths in the nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the states firearm mortality rate was 26.4 per 100,000 people in 2021, trailing only Mississippi, Louisiana and New Mexico. The state recorded 1,315 deaths from firearms that year. New York State, with four times the population of Alabama, recorded 1,078 firearm deaths in 2021.

Drummond introduced similar during the 2023 session. The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill, but it never came to a vote on the House floor.

Under the bill, gun owners would be required to secure their firearms so that children cannot have access to the gun, such as a trigger lock or a gun safe.

A parent or guardian whose child carried an unsecured firearm to school could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and a $6,000 fine.

The bill provides some exceptions to the rule, such as when children are hunting or participating in target shooting competitions.

The legislation also creates an exception for the parent if the child uses the firearm in self-defense.

Drummond preempted members of the committee who were concerned about the potential consequences for parents by informing them that any effort by parents to secure their firearms would likely satisfy the requirement in her bill.

There was little discussion on the measure but some committee members voted against the measure when it came time for a vote.

She said that she was talking to a talk show host who said that he used trigger locks on his firearms and asked Drummond if he could be violating the provisions in the bill.

The answer is no because the child cannot use the weapon, Drummond said.

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Alabama cant build its way out of the prison crisis

The American flag flying at Holman Correctional Facility on Oct. 22, 2019 (FIle)

Theres a concept in transportation called induced demand.

Say you have a four-lane highway running through a city. Its jammed with vehicles.

So officials widen the road to six lanes, to ease congestion and driver stress.

Does that relieve traffic?

Yes. But only for a time.

Within a few days or weeks, the roads will be crowded again.

You can find examples of this going back to at least 1936. When you make a road bigger or build a new one, you incentivize (or induce) people to use the paths laid before them. They just drive more.

I dont know how many of our state legislators have heard of this concept, but we can see this in our criminal justice system.

Alabamas prisons have been strained for decades. In August 2007, our state prisons were over 194% capacity. There were almost two people for every designed bed space.

Thats dropped off in the last 15 years. But barely.

In February, Alabamas correctional facilities operated at nearly 169% of capacity. All that crowding is contributing to the chaos within the our prisons.

Alabama Appleseed estimates that over 300 people died in the correctional system in 2023. The U.S. Department of Justice has documented the physical and sexual violence in the states prisons in brutal detail.

And there are far fewer corrections staff to deal with the chaos. At the height of the overcrowding crisis in 2007, there were about 2,600 correctional staff in the prisons. At the end of 2023, the numbers had fallen to about 1,800.

This is a massive crisis. We need our government to pay attention to it.

But most lawmakers, to the degree they care at all, think we can build our way out of it.

This is how weve ended up spending over $1 billion on a new prison going up in Elmore County. (Alabama Daily News went to the site recently.) Lawmakers thought that money would cover the cost of two new mens prisons. But when Gov. Kay Ivey and the Department of Corrections told them it would just pay for one, they shrugged.

Officials are betting that the new 4,000-bed facility will need fewer staffers than the older prisons; will be more secure, and will contain more space for the training and rehabilitation programs that can keep people out of prison. All of that, the reasoning goes, will help alleviate the crisis.

Im skeptical.

Adding capacity

I earnestly hope it will take fewer people to run this prison. The long-term trends for Corrections employment arent good. Legislators have tried to improve pay and wages to entice people to work in the prisons, with only middling success.

And no one whos serious about improving corrections outcomes can object to offering more training and rehabilitation services to incarcerated people.

Ill even give lawmakers the benefit of the doubt and say theyll really try to fund those programs. Leaning into the correction part of the service will improve post-release outcomes and save the state money on future incarceration.

The problem is that the states Board of Pardons and Paroles isnt serious about improving corrections outcomes.

The parole rate last year fell to just 7% last summer. That may satisfy the board chair, Leigh Gwathney, a former prosecutor. But its rapidly undermining what rehabilitation programming Corrections offers. They appeal to incarcerated people by holding out the prospect of reducing sentences. If the state parole board sullenly looks at the completion of programs and decides that they dont matter, fewer inmates will take advantage of them.

Theres been no serious discussion of diversion programs this year. Few lawmakers show interest in building on a 2015 sentencing reform package, the one legislative effort in 40 years that showed real success in cutting overcrowding. Even modest efforts at reviewing life sentences get shot down or slow-walked.

Its all about building.

And we know that wont work.

Eight of the 14 major correctional facilities currently in operation in Alabama opened between 1981 and 1990. This was part of a building boom that followed a federal court taking over the prisons in 1976 after years of neglect and abuse.

In May 1981, there were about 6,000 inmates in Alabama custody. 1,400 of them were in city and county jails.

Lawmakers took some critical steps to improve training and services in the prisons. But the new construction only made the problem worse. By the time Easterling Correctional Facility opened in 1990, our prisons held 15,000 people. We went up to 25,000 before settling to our current level of about 20,000.

It wasnt just new prisons, obviously. The states Habitual Felony Offender Act, mandating longer sentences for multiple felony offenders, helped drive those numbers up.

But new prisons are to prosecutors what new roads are to drivers: a finite asset to be pushed as far as it can go.

If lawmakers are serious about solving prison overcrowding, they have to focus on safely getting people out of prison and keeping them out.

That new correctional facility in Elmore County could be the most efficient prison ever built. But its still a prison. It confines people. We cant handle the confined population we already have.

And just like a city that tries to reduce traffic by constructing more roads, Alabama is about to learn  once again  that trying to build your way out of a problem just builds up the problem.

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The post Alabama cant build its way out of the prison crisis appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
This article was originally published in Alaska Beacon.

The Alaska House of Representatives voted by a wide margin and with bipartisan support on Friday to ban children younger than 14 from using online social media.

House Bill 254, from Rep. Sarah Vance, R-Homer, also requires companies that provide internet pornography to check whether an Alaskan viewing that pornography is at least 18 years old.

The bill, which passed on a 33-6 vote, advances to the state Senate for further consideration.

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Vance said the age requirement, which also requires parents to sign off on 14- and 15-year-olds using social media, is about protecting children.

It contributes to the well-being of our children, because we know that continued exposure to this kind of content affects their mental health, the way that they view themselves, the way that they view relationships, body images, and it really gives a twisted view of what healthy sexuality is, she said before the vote.

The bill was originally written without the social media component, which was inserted via an amendment offered Wednesday night by Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage.

I believe that with the inclusion of (a) social media (ban) for kids under 14, and only with parental consent for those under 16, we are achieving the goal of the underlying bill, which is to prevent young people from seeing online pornography, Gray said before the vote.

The bills opponents  and even some of its supporters  said they believe it raises privacy and constitutional free-speech concerns. The bill requires pornography websites to verify ages via a commercially reasonable age verification method, which could entail submitting an ID.

Supporters who acknowledged those issues said they hope that the Senate will address potential problems, while detractors said the potential problems are too big to be overcome.

There might be a scenario in the future where it is safe enough to protect people from privacy concerns, but really, I am very concerned about the privacy of all individuals who might have to comply with this type of commercial age verification technology, said Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, who voted against the bill.

Rep. David Eastman, R-Wasilla and another opponent, said that right now, the United States has a very different view of the internet than a place like China, which puts restrictions on its citizens use.

We are so close to going more in a direction with Chinas internet, he said, where anytime you hop onto the Web, you have to upload your picture, you have to upload your template and again, youre going have to do something to verify who you are, and then that will be tracked.

The original version of the bill is similar to legislation backed by the National Decency Coalition, which says that 16 states have passed bills it supported.

Legal challenges in state and federal courts have had mixed results, and last month, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Texas version of the law in a 2-1 decision.

Gray, who added the social media ban to the bill amid bipartisan support, also successfully amended it to include a $100 per-year state voucher for parents who buy content-filtering software.

Under the language of the amendment, parents would submit a reimbursement request to the state.

Eastman, speaking to the voucher plan, criticized it as poorly worded and suggested that Alaskans might be able to receive reimbursements for their Netflix subscriptions because that company offers content-filtering features on its video streaming service.

Vance said legislators should not lose sight of the bills ultimate goal.

In the end, were protecting the most vulnerable among us, she said.

Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and Twitter.
All nine men were charged with high treason, membership of a terrorist group and attempted murder - Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images Europe

Nine men accused of being members of an armed group plotting to overthrow the German state went on trial in Stuttgart on Monday, facing charges related to trying to replace Germanys chancellor with an eccentric pseudo-aristocrat.

All nine were charged with high treason, membership of a terrorist group and attempted murder as part of the bizarre coup attempt that was scuppered by German police in a series of raids in 2022.

A court in Stuttgart heard that the men were members of a military wing supporting coup figurehead Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, 72, a self-proclaimed German aristocrat.

As proceedings began, German police hid the suspects faces from television cameras inside the courtroom and they were seen shaking their heads as the charges were read out.

One of the suspects is also facing an attempted murder charge, having shot several times at police commandos when he was arrested during a raid in March last year. The defendants were all aged between 42 and 60.

A court in Stuttgart heard that the men were members of a "military wing" supporting coup figurehead Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss - THOMAS LOHNES/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The hearing in Stuttgart was held under tight security, with bulletproof glass installed to protect judges and prosecutors.

The trial is the first of three processing the so-called Reichsburger (reich citizens) coup attempt, organised by a group of radical eccentrics and conspiracy theorists who deny the legitimacy of the German state and wish to return to rule under a Kaiser.

Mr Reuss, or Heinrich XIII, would supposedly have been installed as Germanys new leader if the coup had succeeded, at which point top German officials including Olaf Scholz, the countrys chancellor, would have been tried by military courts and executed.

Mr Reuss is a conspiracy theorist, property developer and former sparkling wine producer who claims to descend from the 12th-century Reuss dynasty.

The trial is the first of three processing the so-called Reichsburger ("reich citizens") coup attempt, organised by a group of radical eccentrics and conspiracy theorists - BERND WEISSBROD/AFP

The three trials form one of the biggest and most complex cases in German legal history and are expected to run for at least two years.

Mr Reuss is due to appear in court in Frankfurt in May along with eight other suspects who are considered ringleaders, with a third trial in Munich due to open in June.

Reichsburger members believe that the German empire founded in 1871, and its Kaiser, remain as the legitimate ruling power over Germany.

In total, 26 suspects  who according to prosecutors were ready to die for their cause  are being charged during the three forthcoming trials - BERND WEISSBROD/AFP

Prosecutors have said that the suspects also believe Germanys modern state is run by a conspiratorial sect of paedophile-elites in league with a secretive Illuminati-like society that governs other major powers such as Russia and the United States.

In total, 26 suspects  who according to prosecutors were ready to die for their cause  are being charged during the three forthcoming trials. A 27th suspect has died.

German media reports said that the trials will be enormously complex, with seven judges to preside over the Stuttgart case alone, which will examine 700 folders of evidence and involve more than 20 lawyers.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Another group of former internally displaced persons (IDPs), sent from the Garadagh district of Baku, has arrived in Azerbaijan's Fuzuli city, Trend reports.

At this stage, another 39 families (153 people) returned to Fuzuli.

The group consists of families temporarily settled in dormitories, sanatoriums, former pioneer camps, semi-finished buildings, and administrative buildings in various territories of Azerbaijan, including 27 families (110 people) from Baku, five families (14 people) from Sumgayit city, three families (10 people) from the Fuzuli district, two families (eight people) from the Shamakhi district, one family (seven people) from the Absheron district, and one family (four people) from Yevlakh city.

Families resettled from the cities of Baku, Sumgayit and the Absheron district went to Fuzuli from the Gobu Park-3 town in the Garadagh district, and families who left the city of Yevlakh, Fuzuli and Shamakhi districts joined them in the Fuzuli district's Ahmadbayli village.

The families who arrived in Fuzuli city were warmly greeted, experiencing the joy of returning to their native land.

Thus, until today, a permanent settlement in the city of Fuzuli has been provided for 822 families or 3,132 people.

Following the liberation of its territories from Armenian occupation in 2020, Azerbaijan initiated the long-awaited 'Great Return' program, which envisions the return of IDPs to their native lands.

Overall, along with Fuzuli, the former IDPs have returned to Lachin city, the villages of Talish (Aghdara district), Aghali (Zangilan district), and Zabukh (Lachin district).

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Allendale County Schools beefing up security following incidents in area

ALLENDALE COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF)  The Allendale County School District is beefing up security measures.

Officials say, on Monday, April 29, heightened security measures will be in place at all school buildings.

You can expect increased law enforcement presence, and students will undergo screening upon entry.

Middle and high school students are required to wear ID badges. Also, there will be no early releases Monday; regular schedules apply.

Students are asked to consider leaving cell phones and bookbags at home to avoid confiscation.

ALSO: Allendale PD officer, 2 juveniles shot in Allendale County

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF.
The office of the Utah Attorney General at the Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)

The 1990s-era settlements from big tobacco continue to benefit states, with Utah set to see another $57 million that will go toward public health programs.

Thats according to Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, who announced Thursday that the state will get $30 million for 2023 and $27 million for 2024.

The payments are part of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement, which marked the largest civil litigation settlement in U.S. history and has funneled over $800 million to Utah. Former Utah Attorney General Jan Graham, the states first and only female attorney general who died in February at 76, helped negotiate the settlement.

Nearly three decades ago, the late Attorney General Jan Graham helped lead a landmark settlement with big tobacco companies requiring them to pay damages to each state so long as the states complied with certain enforcement conditions, Reyes said in a statement.

The settlement required 45 tobacco companies to make annual payments to 46 states and the District of Columbia  Florida, Minnesota, Mississippi and Texas have their own settlements that predated the Master Settlement Agreement.

Those funds are intended to reduce rates of smoking in the U.S., particularly among young people. In addition to funding public health programs it also imposed new guidelines for tobacco companies that exist today, like raising the cost of cigarettes, restricting cartoons in cigarette advertising, barring companies from marketing tobacco products to children and prohibiting tobacco companies from selling merchandise with their brand name.

However, the annual funds hinge on the states ability to enforce tobacco laws diligently, according to the settlement. In a statement, Reyes office said he settled enforcement disputes for 2004 through 2022 in 2018, and more recently, for 2023 and 2024, effectively freeing up the funds for Utah.

Thanks to diligent work by lawyers in the AG Office and other state agencies, we have been able to hold tobacco companies to their MSA obligations even when they have made claims of Utah not enforcing tobacco statutes, Reyes statement reads. It has taken a lot of work, negotiation, careful planning, and strategic decision-making to keep settlement dollars coming in every year to Utah now and into the future.

Since the agreement, the funds have helped states cover the cost of treatment for tobacco-related diseases for Medicaid patients and other health care expenses.

Now, those funds go toward the Utah State Endowment Fund, while supporting public health programs like cancer research, Medicaid, the Childrens Health Insurance Program, and alcohol, tobacco and drug prevention, the Attorney Generals Office said.

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The post Almost $60 million from 90s-era tobacco settlement headed to Utah appeared first on Utah News Dispatch.
An Amazon driver doing early morning deliveries was raped in an apartment mailroom and kidnapped, Tennessee authorities said.

The 25-year-old woman was delivering packages at a building in Nashville at around 4 a.m. April 26, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said in a news release.

Then 34-year-old Carl Hamilton pushed her further into the mailroom and closed the door, police said. He told her to take off her clothes and then sexually assaulted her, with the attack caught on surveillance footage, according to police.

Hamilton is accused of forcing the woman to go to an ATM with him and withdraw $100 from her account, police said.

He then drove her around for about an hour before eventually leaving her and her car, police said.

Officers responded to the apartment building and reviewed the surveillance footage of the attack. As they were leaving, they said they saw the man outside and arrested him.

The building manager and police said Hamilton was arrested at the apartment in January and March on criminal trespassing accusations.

Davidson County records show the trespassing charges were dropped the day before the attack on the delivery driver.

Were deeply troubled by this terrible incident, Amazon spokesperson Branden Baribeau said in an emailed statement to McClatchy News. Weve been in touch with the driver to assist her during this difficult time and the Metro Nashville Police Department to lend support as they continue to investigate.

Hamilton is charged with aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping and robbery, according to court records. McClatchy News reached out to his attorney April 29 and did not immediately receive a response.

Hamilton is a convicted felon who has been charged with over 100 offenses in Nashville since 2007, according to police. Authorities said he assaulted a 24-year-old woman in 2020 and was convicted on charges of kidnapping and robbery.

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.

22-year-old reports man raped her, then he kidnaps and kills her next day, TN cops say

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Eight schools in the Fort Worth Independent School District will have to share a librarian with another campus after a round of staffing changes.

The eight elementary schools are the districts lowest-enrollment campuses. Fort Worth ISD officials say the staffing changes are necessary to make sure the district is making the wisest use of its resources at a time when enrollment is declining.

But school library advocates say asking campuses to share a librarian leaves students at both schools under-served. And research indicates that students at schools with a full-time librarian perform better academically.

Were potentially looking at some pretty detrimental long-term effects of the reduction of this critical position, said Shirley Robinson, executive director of the Texas Association of School Librarians.

Eight low-enrollment schools lose full-time librarians

Mary Jane Bowman, Fort Worth ISDs executive director of humanities and academic support initiatives, said all eight schools that will have to share a librarian next year have a projected enrollment of fewer than 300 students. Those eight campuses are:

A.M. Pate Elementary School

Maudrie M. Walton Elementary School

Riverside Applied Learning Center

Kirkpatrick Elementary School

Charles Nash Elementary School

De Zavala Elementary School

Edward Briscoe Elementary School

Washington Heights Elementary School

No current librarians will lose their jobs, Bowman said, and no school libraries will have to reduce their operating hours as a result of the change. Librarians from some affected schools will move into vacant library positions on other campuses.

The district plans to use library clerks to staff libraries at the eight affected schools while librarians arent there, she said. Library clerks are non-certified support staff members who are trained to work in libraries, but havent undergone the same level of training as certified librarians.

Bowman said shes confident that the change wont limit students access to books, since libraries will remain open for the same hours as before. District leaders will work with campus principals to make sure that the change doesnt result in a reduction in library services.

Over the past year, Fort Worth ISDs libraries have been at the center of a controversy over student access to books. All libraries in the district were closed for the first two weeks of school while district staffers reviewed books for age-inappropriate content. District leaders pulled more than 100 titles from library shelves for review for sexual or violent content. District officials confirmed last week that they were in the process of returning those books to libraries, though its unclear how many of the removed titles will be returned.

De Zavala librarian worries about access to services

Teresa Guardiola, the librarian at De Zavala Elementary School, was one of the librarians who was affected by the cuts. When she was notified, she received a list of schools in the district that didnt have full-time librarians and was told to pick the one where shed like to work next year.

Guardiola said she didnt want to leave De Zavala. It takes time to establish a relationship with students at a school, she said. When a school gets a new librarian, students dont know or trust them well enough right away to come to them with questions or to talk about books, she said. She isnt looking forward to building that trust all over again.

As worried as she is about starting over at a new school, Guardiola said shes more concerned about campuses that will have to share a librarian. When a school doesnt have a full-time librarian, students lose out, she said. For most students, librarians are the one person on campus who represents reading, she said. Theyre also experts at connecting students with books theyll like, she said. Students know they can ask their school librarian about a genre, an author, an illustrator or a specific book, and usually get a good answer, she said.

Students at De Zavala routinely ask Guardiola to find them a book based on little more information than a vague description of the plot, she said, and she can usually track it down. School libraries generally dont have a budget to buy books based on student requests, she said, so if a student asks for a specific title that isnt in the librarys collection, she often buys it herself and places it in the library.

Asking librarians to split time between two campuses leaves them with two library collections to manage and two student bodies to serve, Guardiola said. Even if those schools are small, it doesnt necessarily mean the responsibilities are any less than at a larger campus, she said. For example, if a librarian wants to organize a book fair, theyll have to plan one for each campus, she said.

Its double everything, she said.

Fort Worth ISD faces lean budget season

Like many districts across the state, Fort Worth ISD is facing budget constraints due to a combination of declining enrollment, the end of federal COVID relief funding and a lack of new money from the state. At the beginning of last years legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott and lawmakers from both parties emphasized the need to send more money to districts for teacher pay raises and to keep up with rising operating costs. But that proposal became entangled in the debate over school vouchers, and even after four special sessions, lawmakers didnt reach a deal.

In the meantime, many school districts, including Fort Worth ISD, adopted deficit budgets that included raises for teachers and support staff in the hopes that lawmakers would come through with the money they promised. When that didnt happen, those districts were forced to dip into their reserves or make job cuts.

At the same time, districts are facing a looming deadline to spend their remaining COVID relief money. That money was intended to help districts bring students back to school safely after campus closures and help them make up ground they lost during remote learning. Districts are required to spend the remaining relief money by the end of September, or send whatever is remaining back to the U.S. Treasury.

The end of that funding is forcing districts to make difficult decisions about which programs and staff to keep and which to cut. In February, Fort Worth ISD announced 133 employees would be laid off, mainly in the technology division. All but four of those jobs were funded with federal dollars.

Students with full-time librarian perform better academically

Its typical for school districts to cut librarians, along with other non-classroom staff, when theyre in a budget crunch, said Robinson, the school librarians association director. But doing so can have long-term consequences, she said.

Librarians play a key role in students school experience, Robinson said. She pointed to research showing a correlation between certified librarians and higher academic achievement. Since 1992, a series of statewide studies in several states, including Colorado, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, have shown that students in schools with full-time librarians performed better on state tests than those without librarians.

Many districts hire clerks or non-certified paraprofessionals to staff libraries during hours when librarians arent there. But Robinson said doing so leaves those schools under-served.

In Texas, school librarians are required to have at least two years of teaching experience, plus a masters degree. Theyre also required to go through a state-approved training program and pass the state certification exam for school librarians. By the end of that training, Robinson said, librarians are experts in managing their schools library collections, building and curating a collection that includes books that appeal to a diverse student population and connecting young readers with books that theyll enjoy. Clerks and paraprofessionals can check books out, but they arent trained for any of those other responsibilities, she said.

Librarians also do a huge amount of work that students never see, Robinson said. They work with teachers and administrators on things like professional development and school-wide literacy initiatives. They also work with parents and community members who need to use school libraries, she said. When districts cut jobs and ask librarians to split time between two schools, they leave them with less time to handle all those duties, she said.

Librarians do much more than just check out books, Robinson said. They are truly essential to classroom and education success.
(This April 29 story has been corrected to fix the name of the Citi analyst in paragraph 3)

By Valentine Hilaire and Elida Moreno

PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - With Panama's business-friendly reputation bruised by a recent move to close a copper mine accounting for 5% of GDP, the country's next president will face unusually tough choices in trying to get its economy back on an even keel.

But while economists and even some politicians are urging the May 5 election's victor toward unpopular measures to boost depleted coffers - including a troubled state pension system - the five frontrunners are squarely focused on the spending side of the ledger.

"It is increasingly common in campaigns worldwide to see candidates avoid touching on fiscal issues. No one wants to talk about taxes or spending, since the electorate doesn't want to hear those messages," Citi analyst Ernesto Revilla told Reuters.

Investors holding over $33 billion in Panamanian bonds are watching the situation closely as are companies that have flocked to the country in recent years, lured by its relatively low taxes and laissez faire economic policies.

Fitch ratings recently downgraded Panama's debt to speculative grade, citing fiscal and governance pressures aggravated by the move to close First Quantum Minerals' giant copper mine following nationwide protests.

If S&P or Moody's follows suit, Panama would become a so-called fallen angel, potentially sending its borrowing costs soaring as some funds would have to unload its debt. Both agencies told Reuters they will monitor the next government's first steps and investor confidence before acting.

Panama needs to hike revenues since tax intake has only risen on average about 1.5% per year in the past decade, even as GDP growth has averaged 6% in nominal terms, said Todd Martinez, Fitch Ratings Americas sovereigns co-head.

Fitch pegs the country's 2024 fiscal deficit at 4.7% of GDP, up from 2.95% last year when it was bolstered by some one-off gains.

One seemingly easy source of $375 million in annual revenue was lost last year after the copper mine's contract was shuttered following widespread protests.

The Panama Canal's contribution to state coffers, meanwhile, is expected to fall 2.9% this year, mainly due to reduced traffic and capital reserves for future projects, according to a statement by its administration.

S&P's associate director Karla Gonzalez told Reuters the agency recently incorporated the canal's dry spell as a downside risk.

Among the five frontrunners to replace outgoing President Laurentino Cortizo, three have argued that the country can tackle its budget shortfall without hiking taxes. Another two have avoided the topic altogether.

"We are not raising Panamanians' taxes," presidential candidate Romulo Roux, ranked second in most polls, told Reuters.

Roux said he would work to lure private investment for projects that he said would create 500,000 jobs, and vowed to make tax collection more effective and cut spending in areas such as the national assembly's budget.

Ricardo Lombana, a former diplomat mounting his second presidential campaign who has swung between second and fifth in latest polls, told Reuters he would hike revenues by tackling corruption and cutting unnecessary expenses, while ruling out any tax hikes.

Many experts say candidates are failing to come clean on needed deficit-cutting measures, while acknowledging that it would be political suicide to discuss them so close to the vote.

Former economy and finance minister Frank De Lima says Panama has overlooked the sectors that used to shine prior to First Quantum's arrival, making the path to recovery tougher.

Others say the country's problems are mostly surmountable and that investors who have sold off its bonds since Fitch's downgrade may have over reacted.

The Central American country's total debt stands at $49.8 billion, amounting to over 50% of its GDP.

Former president and candidate Martin Torrijos, who holds the third place on the race according to most polls, told Reuters his administration slashed debt to 40% of GPD from 70% by managing state resources with austerity, which he plans to do again, without providing details on which expenses he would cut in his new term if elected.

As for the country's state pension fund, which is running perilously low on reserves, all five front-runners have recognized a need to salvage it. Still, none has publicly suggested raising the retirement age or mandatory contributions.

Roux and Lombana said benefit reductions and raising the retirement age were measures off the table, while Torrijos vowed for a national dialogue to decide how to salvage the system.

WHAT WOULD CANDIDATES DO?

If details are sparse on potential austerity measures, the campaigns are more forthcoming about big spending plans.

Mulino, standing in for convicted former president Ricardo Martinelli, has pledged to roll out "the biggest road rehabilitation plan in history" and build hospitals and a new train line.

He is the favorite to win the upcoming election according to most polls. His campaign did not make him available for comment.

Torrijos aims to spend $19 billion on 40 different projects including a new metro line and water reservoirs for the canal.

Others would target their spending at projects from tourism promotion to port infrastructure and prisons.

"Panama does not need a Milei walking with a chainsaw on the streets, but it does need a firm leader," former deputy economy minister Domingo Latorraca told Reuters, referring to Argentina's austerity-minded President Javier Milei.

But the next government will need to clearly explain its plans to recover from the "terrible" one-off of the mine closure move to rating agencies, bondholders and investors.

So far, there are few signs of that happening.

(Reporting by Valentine Hilaire and Elida Moreno; Editing by Christian Plumb and Alistair Bell)
By Emma Rumney

LONDON (Reuters) - Philip Morris International's goals for heated tobacco in the United States are reachable, analysts and investors say, even though rivals see limited potential in a market where vaping dominates.

The world's biggest tobacco company by market value will launch its flagship heated tobacco device IQOS in the U.S. in the second quarter, developing the brand pretty much from scratch.

IQOS is already the top selling heated tobacco device globally and is central to PMI's efforts to transform its image from a cigarette maker to a company driving the shift to healthier options.

In the U.S., heated tobacco is currently almost non-existent in what is one of the largest markets globally for alternative nicotine products.

PMI wants to get a 10% share of total U.S. cigarette and heated tobacco volumes within around five years of it launching the latest version of its device, not expected until at least 2025.

To do this would mean switching some 2.8 million U.S. smokers to IQOS, based on a Reuters analysis of PMI numbers and Barclays forecasts.

Rival British American Tobacco has said it does not see huge potential for heated tobacco in the U.S. where vaping is dominant.

Two analysts and one investor in PMI told Reuters they see an opportunity for PMI in the U.S.

"We are all going to be watching this test," said Bonnie Herzog, analyst at Goldman Sachs.

PMI has poured most of the more than $12.5 billion it has spent so far on smoking alternatives into IQOS' development.

Heated tobacco devices heat up sticks of ground up tobacco without burning them in an attempt to avoid the harmful chemicals released via combustion.

Its U.S. roll out will be a key test of the device's ability to appeal to smokers across different markets. If successful in the U.S., PMI would get a substantial base of new, profitable users and a hefty income stream. PMI estimates the total U.S. industry profit pool at around $20 billion.

PMI spokesperson Corey Henry told Reuters the company has every reason to believe it can replicate successes seen elsewhere with IQOS in the United States.

"In every market where we have launched IQOS, we've heard the same song from competitors. However it isn't long before those same competitors jump into the category," he said.

TRACK RECORD

Reuters used PMI's most recent annual figures on total IQOS stick sales and total users to estimate that users on average consume around 4,379 sticks per year.

At that rate, PMI would need around 2.8 million IQOS users in the U.S. to sell the number of sticks required to achieve its 10% market share goal by 2030.

Story continues

Barclays forecasts U.S. cigarette and heated tobacco annual sales at around 122.79 billion sticks in 2030.

In Japan, PMI's largest IQOS market by shipment volume, there are 8.5 million users, making the U.S. target look manageable. But vaping is largely absent in Japan due to regulations.

Globally there is little evidence that high vaping rates hurt heated tobacco take-up, research by Bernstein analyst Callum Elliott showed. Maybe the 10% ... target really could be achievable? he wrote in a note.

Brett Cooper, managing partner at equity research firm Consumer Edge, said PMI can use its track record of IQOS success in several countries to help it hit its U.S. goals.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorised PMI to market IQOS as reducing exposure to harmful chemicals versus cigarettes. The FDA has not done the same for vapes.

As a result, IQOS could have lower taxes, which would help to ease its relatively high price tag.

The most recent IQOS device costs 109 pounds ($136) in the United Kingdom, where the packs of tobacco sticks cost around five pounds.

PMI's former parent, Altria, previously sold IQOS on a limited scale in the U.S. until 2021. Under Altria, a pack of 20 tobacco sticks cost roughly equivalent to a packet of Marlboro cigarettes.

Phil Biedron, who worked as an IQOS salesman in Atlanta, Georgia, said price was a key deterrent for those who tried IQOS.

But generally, the device was well received, said Biedron, who worked at a marketing agency hired by Altria.

Stefano Volpetti, PMI's president of smoke-free inhaled products, said the company would not use price as a lever to grow sales early on.

"Price, at the beginning of establishing a category, is not part of the consideration," he said, adding PMI would follow the same approach to pricing in the U.S. as it had elsewhere.

HUGE PROFIT POOL

Altria used sales people, as well as IQOS stores and pop-up kiosks, to promote the product in the U.S. - a strategy PMI is unlikely to deviate from significantly, given it is similar to its approach in other markets.

Cooper from Consumer Edge said raising awareness of IQOS in the U.S. from almost zero while operating within strict advertising laws relative to other consumer products will be no mean feat, and costly.

But there are reasons why PMI, which purchased the U.S. IQOS rights from Altria back in 2022, may have more success.

The company is currently preparing to launch IQOS in Austin, Texas, where it was not sold by Altria.

Sales of products like IQOS can eat into cigarette revenues as smokers switch, meaning companies have to balance the success of heated tobacco with the threat this might pose to their core tobacco business.

Crucially, PMI can be more aggressive in the U.S. because since it was spun off from Altria it has no U.S. cigarette business.

Sean King, equity analyst at top-20 PMI investor Columbia Threadneedle, said: "I believe [its targets] are achievable."

With an estimated $20 billion profit pool up for grabs and no cigarette revenues to worry about, PMI can put its firepower behind IQOS success, he said.

($1 = 0.8022 pounds) (This story has been refiled to fix a typo in the asset manager's name in paragraph 35)

(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Matt Scuffham and Jane Merriman)
An anonymous social media post over the weekend claimed that a group of North Carolina politicians were drunk and disruptive during a tour of a distillery in Kentucky.

The post caused a stir in political circles, but officials questioned about the post Monday didnt have answers about what happened.

In a Reddit post titled Disappointing behavior from NC legislators, a Reddit user identifying themselves as a representative of a Kentucky distillery wrote that the facility recently hosted a group of 33 people from North Carolina, including legislators and government officials.

The posts author wrote that the group arrived an hour late and already inebriated from drinking bourbon on the bus and that it was marked by loud, unruly conduct that disrupted other guests and tarnished the atmosphere we work hard to maintain.

The Reddit post quickly circulated in the North Carolina political world over the weekend, with one lawmaker on Monday saying they had received a call about it. But The News & Observer was unable to reach the Reddit user or immediately confirm their account of what happened, and could not reach the distillery mentioned in the post.

North Carolina Republican Party spokesperson Matt Mercer told The N&O on Monday that, the quick answer is that I have seen the posts and can confirm it was not an NCGOP event or affiliated with the state party.

Mercer referred questions to Greater Carolina, a free-market, conservative group, without giving details about how the group was connected. A call to Greater Carolina from The N&O has not yet been returned.

State House Minority Leader Robert Reives said he understood that some members of the House Alcohol Beverage Control Committee were invited to the event. The N&O has contacted several members of the committee to learn more.

N.C. Rep. Jason Saine, a Lincolnton Republican who serves on the committee, told The N&O in a text on Monday that I dont respond to anonymous posts on the internet.

The Reddit user wrote: What was perhaps most disturbing was their lack of accountability for their actions. Despite being extremely rude, disruptive, not tipping the bartenders and tour guides, and even VOMITING in our bathroom sinks, not a single apology was offereddespite our efforts to provide them with a pleasant experience by preparing cocktails and offering tastings, the post continued.

The event may have been attended by Republicans. Reives, a Chatham County Democrat, said his understanding was that some members of the committee were invited, but the Democrats on the committee were not.

Ive got no evidence that any Democrats  definitely no evidence any went  but even beyond that, I dont know anything about (the event itself), Reives said, adding that he heard about the event the same time as everybody else did.

Reives said its hard to comment on what did or didnt happen since the Reddit poster did not share their name or the name of legislators on the trip.

Lawmakers have questions

Two Republican House lawmakers at the Legislative Building on Monday, Rep. Donna McDowell White and Rep. Howard Penny, said they were not present for the alleged incident and knew no details.

Asked who had been involved, if this trip was for state business and more, White said she didnt know about it, while Penny said he did get a call last night saying that had happened but I do not know who was there.

He said the person who called him was not a lawmaker but somebody asking him if he had heard about the incident.

The only thing I would say is that is not the reflection we would have wanted to have on North Carolina, Penny said.

Senate leader Phil Berger said Monday he saw the post. I dont know any details. Obviously well be asking some questions, but I do not know anything about it.

He also said he did not know whether Senate members had been involved.

North Carolina Republican House Caucus Director Stephen Wiley declined to comment to The N&O on Monday morning.

Avi Bajpai contributed to this report.
Another American Arrested in Turks and Caicos for Allegedly Having Ammunition, Could Face 12 Years

Tyler Wenrich is the third American detained in the country this month, and the second who possibly faces over a decade in prison

Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Tyler Wenrich

Tyler Wenrich was arrested in Turks and Caicos and charged with possession of ammunition

Authorities in the island territory say Wenrich entered Grand Turk on a cruise

Earlier this month, Ryan and Valerie Watson were arrested after he was allegedly found with ammo in his suitcase

For the second time this month an American tourist has been arrested in Turks and Caicos and faces over a decade in prison for allegedly bringing ammunition into the Caribbean territory.

Tyler Wenrich, 31, of Virginia, was charged with possession of ammunition on April 23 by the Criminal Investigations Department of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, the agency said in a release.

Wenrich appeared in court and was remanded into custody prior to a sufficiency hearing in June, according to the release.

Police say that Wenrich traveled to Grand Turk on a cruise ship and allegedly had ammunition while going through a security checkpoint.

A 2022 law passed in Turks and Caicos prohibits people from carrying guns or ammunition and comes with a minimum prison sentence of 12 years.

"I feel like, as a very honest mistake, that 12 years is absurd," Wenrichs wife, Jeriann, told CBS News. My son's only 18 months old, and I just don't want him to grow up without a dad.

Earlier this month, Oklahoma couple Ryan and Valerie Watson were detained for two weeks in the territory after they were found with hunting ammunition found in Ryans carry-on bag before their flight home, PEOPLE previously reported.

NBC 10 Boston reported that the charges against Valerie were dropped and she was allowed to return to the U.S. to be with the couples two children. But Ryan still faces criminal charges. CBS reported he was released on $15,000 bond but must remain on the island as the case moves forward.

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.

Ryan told NBC 10 it was a bonehead mistake.

"They were hunting ammunition rounds that I use for whitetail deer, he told the outlet. I had no idea that those were in there."

CBS reports that two other Americans are facing prison sentences in Turks and Caicos on similar charges.

One of those men, Bryan Hagerich of Pennsylvania, faces a sentencing hearing in May and spoke to NBC 10.

It's incredibly scary, Hagerich told the outlet. You just don't know what the next day may bring  what path this may take. You know, you're in a completely different culture, a different country by yourself  I'm just very anxious, eager to get home to my family. This has been too long. It's just had so much irreparable harm to my family.

Last year, another American, Michael Grim, was sentenced to six months after pleading guilty to possession of ammunition.



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Read the original article on People.
Another suspect from deadly July 4 shooting in Bordeaux arrested after running red light

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A man wanted for murder in connection with a deadly Fourth of July shooting in the Bordeaux neighborhood was taken into custody early Sunday morning after running a red light, authorities said.

According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, 22-year-old Kejuan Jordan-Cole, who has been sought for months, ran the light on 12th Avenue South at Deford Bailey Avenue on Sunday, April 28.

Officers from the Midtown Hills Precinct initiated a traffic stop on the 2020 Nissan Altima Jordan-Cole was driving, but he allegedly stopped, got out of the car, and took off running, sparking a foot chase. After law enforcement apprehended Jordan-Cole, they discovered he had an outstanding criminal homicide warrant.

AUGUST 2023: Police identify fifth of seven suspects wanted for deadly Fourth of July shooting

Authorities said Jordan-Cole is one of several young adults and teens identified as taking part in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Christopher L. Harris at Overlook Apartments on July 4, 2023.

Investigators said Harris was found with multiple gunshot wounds inside his vehicle along Buena Vista Pike. Witnesses told police a group of young men approached Harris and about seven of them opened fire.

Harris was struck by the gunfire while standing next to his vehicle, with officers telling News 2 as many as 100 rounds may have been fired during the incident.

SEPTEMBER 2023: Metro police arrest 4th of 7 suspects from deadly July 4 shooting in Bordeaux

The suspects  one of whom appeared to be shooting a rifle  left the scene in three separate vehicles, officials said.

Since the shooting, authorities have arrested and charged 16-year-old Jaden Wright, 17-year-old Erion Nesbitt, 23-year-old Deandre Jordan, and 16-year-old Kentrell Baugh with criminal homicide. In addition, 27-year-old Robterrius Clack was reportedly taken into custody back in February for accessory after the fact and some possession charges, accused of serving as a getaway driver for the incident.

Police said Jordan-Cole was identified as a suspect in the deadly shooting on Aug. 16, 2023, and he was added to MNPDs Top 10 Most Wanted fugitives list on Dec. 13, 2023.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

According to officials, Jordan-Cole is being held in the Downtown Detention Center on a $910,000 bond for felony criminal homicide; felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; misdemeanor resisting a stop, frisk, halt, arrest, or search; and misdemeanor evading arrest.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. The wounded man, born in 2004, has been delivered this morning to the emergency department of Azerbaijan's Gazakh District Central Hospital with a traumatic amputation of the foot of his left leg, a source in the Azerbaijani Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB) told Trend.

"He's currently placed in the intensive care unit, whose condition is assessed as heavy," the department said.

The Shamkir Military Prosecutor's Office is conducting an investigation into the injury of the serviceman of the State Border Service (SBS) of Azerbaijan Vusal Ismayilov as a result of the mine explosion.

The incident occurred on April 29 in the territory of Gushchu Ayrim village, Gazakh district, which was not cleared of mines and through which the line of contact with Armenia used to pass.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Over the past six months, Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, has stressed repeatedly that he is concerned about rising antisemitism. Unfortunately, he has also made clear that he cares about antisemitism only as he defines it and as it affects people who agree with him on the definition.

The ADL is arguably the most prominent organization in the country dedicated toward countering antisemitism. It is not that the ADL has not faced criticism before (earlier this year, a report from the Intercept charged that the ADL had lobbied for counterterror legislation that singled out Palestinians). Nor is it the case that the ADL has never before chosen to cooperate with law enforcement or authority over forging solidarity with left-wing Jews. (Indeed, it did so during the Red Scare.) Still, the group is the go-to American organization on antisemitism, and it also played a prominent role in championing civil rights historically. It has also been a resource for me personally: I have, over the years, interviewed and been greatly informed by various ADL staffers, and have turned to the organizations research in my own writing and thinking on antisemitism. I believe that a civil rights organization to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all, the founding principle of the ADL, remains necessary in this country.

But the ADL, under the leadership of Greenblatt, is insisting on conflating anti-Zionism and antisemitism, and it has made this conflation central to the ADLs work. This has not only muddied the waters of its own antisemitism research, it has also undermined the safety, security, and pluralism of American Jews.

For example, the ADL reportedly mapped protests for a cease-fire led by the Jewish groups Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow as antisemitic incidents. The ADL also, in its report on antisemitism this year, updated its methodology to include certain anti-Israel incidents in its calculation of how much antisemitism had risen. This not only makes it more difficult to see what the actual year-over-year change in antisemitic incidents wasof course an increase will seem more dramatic if you are now counting incidents that you werent beforebut it also arguably undermines the rest of the ADLs reporting on antisemitism. If the group tracking antisemitism considers pro-Palestinian speech or differences in foreign policy preferences to be motivated by antisemitism, how seriously will those who disagree with the ADL on foreign policy take its calls to tackle antisemitism?

At least as troubling as the new research methods, though, are the statements and posture of Greenblatt himself. Some observers thinking that he privileges support for Israel over civil rights is not new; a Jewish Currents story from 2021 revealed that former ADL employees felt Greenblatt was choosing defense of Israel over protecting civil liberties, one of the groups stated missions. In March of last year, the same publication published a report on internal dissent over Greenblatt comparing pro-Palestinian groups to the extreme right.

But if this had been a running undercurrent, the past six months have thrown it to the surface. In November, mere days after X boss Elon Musk called an antisemitic conspiracy the actual truth, Greenblatt praised Musks suggestion of banning the terms from the river to the sea and decolonization from the platform.

In a speech at Brown University in February, Greenblatt reiterated that he thought anti-Zionism was antisemitism, and said he wanted to define the terms before activists who participate in BrownU Jews for Ceasefire Now start to object. The next month, addressing the Never Is Now Conference, Greenblatt similarly dismissed the editors at left-wing Jewish magazines that very few of us actually read, and said, I must say, I have to share: What amazes me is that when ADL says that anti-Zionism is antisemitism, or when the Hillel director says that the mob chanting from the river to the sea [is],  journalists at major newspapers dont listen to the victim. Instead, they literally go looking for an alternative point of view.  Youve all read these paragraphs: To be sure, Professor So and So says or the head of Jewish Voice for Peace counters  

These students and professors and activists are also Jewish. Again, historically, the ADL has had as its mission not only to protect Jews, but also to protect civil liberties for Jews and all Americans; on its website today, one can still read that the ADL stands up for religious freedom and against discrimination. It is thus theoretically Greenblatts job to defend these ostensibly little-read journalists and Professors So and So, too, even if he disagrees with them on Israel. Instead, he has repeatedly used his platform not to defend their right to expression even as he disagrees with their definition of antisemitism, but to undercut them. That isnt just abandonment of part of the ADLs mandate, but an abandonment of some of the people who are at risk of antisemitism.

In the past week, this dynamic has intensified. Speaking outside Columbia University last week, Greenblatt suggested that the National Guard may need to be called to ensure the safety of Jewish students. In 1970, the National Guard killed four anti-war student protesters at Kent State; as Jamie Beran, head of progressive Jewish group Bend the Arc reminded Greenblatt in an open letter, three of those victims were Jewish. Given that there are indeed Jewish students participating in the protests today, it is possible that Jewish students (in addition to, and no less concerningly, non-Jewish students) would be hurt by force should state authorities suppress the protests. Greenblatt also compared the protests to an explicitly neo-Nazi march in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, where marching demonstrators chanted Jews will not replace us. Then, in a particularly shocking moment, Greenblatt went on television and likened the group Jewish Voice for Peace to Hezbollah, calling it an on-campus proxy for Iran.

I understand Greenblatt disagrees with JVP, which is anti-Zionist. I understand that when he speaks about Jewish students, he is not speaking about the Jewish students sitting as part of the protests. Still, I do wonder how, exactly, likening a Jewish student group to a terrorist organization helps stop the defamation of the Jewish people, or secures justice and fair treatment to all.

What makes this especially baffling is that Greenblatt did not need to do this to make his point about antisemitism on campus. It would be easy enough to say something like, I disagree with these students on everything related to Israel, but I am glad they feel safe on campus. But safety on campus for Jewish students shouldnt hinge on their views on Israel.

But perhaps saying something more along those lines would not have been easy for him. Doing so would have required him to admit that these are Jewish students, albeit ones with whom he has profound disagreements, and to acknowledge that they see the world differently than he does, and are motivated by different principles.

I can understand that Greenblatt is motivated by a desire to defend not only Israel, but also the American Jews who see support for Israel as an important part of their Jewish identities. Is it really so hard for him to imagine that other American Jewsparticularly Jews born in this century, a decade after the Oslo Accords, who have only seen the situation on the ground move farther out of peaces reachare motivated by wanting an end to war? That they see Israel as more culpable for the death in Gaza than he does? That they see Israel as carrying out actions that are at odds withnot extensions oftheir own Jewishness? That they, too, feel they deserve to have a say in what constitutes antisemitism?

If that really is so hard to imagine, Greenblatt, and by extension the ADL, has a problem: Younger American Jews are increasingly critical of and feel disconnected from Israel. Not all younger American Jews, of course. But per the Pew 2020 study on American Jews, 51 percent of those between ages 18 and 29 were not emotionally connected at all to Israel, compared to just 32 percent of those 65 and over who said the same; unsurprisingly, younger American Jews were also less likely than their older counterparts to say that caring about Israel was an essential part of being Jewish. More recently, in November 2023, the Jewish Electorate Institute found that American Jews under the age of 36 were much likelier to disapprove of Bidens handling of Israels war. And earlier this year, a survey by the American Jewish Committee found that younger American Jews were less likely to view antisemitism as a very serious problem. And while the AJC poll found that nearly 90 percent of Jews over 30 believed that the statement Israel has no right to exist was antisemitic, that number dropped to 67 percent for those under 30.

Greenblatt, then, is committing something worse than a failure of imagination. He is failing to stand up for the rights of all American Jewsnot only the ones with whom he agrees. This failure will likely become more pronounced, not less, with time. One cannot simply insult or defame younger Jews into changing their positions or interpreting the news differently.

Still, he can try. And its entirely possible that, in the end, Greenblatt will win the fight over the definition of antisemitism, over who counts as a Jewish student. After all, he is the head of a major Jewish organization, and, in pushing these definitions and boundaries, hell have some powerful allies on his side (including non-Jews who have made common cause with open antisemites). In the process, hell have used his position as leader of the ADL to make clear that some Jews are more worthy of protection and political representation than others.
An anti-Trump Republican group took a swipe at a series of high-profile politicians including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and former Attorney General Bill Barr for their support of former President Trump after repeatedly expressing concerns about him.

In an ad released Sunday, Republican Voters Against Trump warned of several GOP figures suffering from partisan derangement syndrome.

Against the backdrop of dramatic music, the ad starts with footage of Barr, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) and McConnell before a narrator says, Every day, prominent Republicans across the country tell us that Trump was responsible for the attack on the Capitol.

Sound bites then played from Barr, McConnell and Sununu, in which they all argued Trump is responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

But sadly, these same Republicans say they will vote for him again, the narrator continues, before sound bites play of the three politicians indicating they will vote for Trump in November.

These Republicans are suffering from partisan derangement syndrome, the narrator said, adding later, At this point in the ad, I would tell you to call this number so you can help these deranged partisan Republicans, but sadly theyre too far gone.

The ad comes less than two weeks after Barr confirmed he will vote for the Republican ticket, for which Trump is the presumptive presidential nominee, despite having broken with the former president over Jan. 6 and his false claims about the 2020 election.

Barr, who has also criticized President Biden, said earlier this month that given two bad choices, I think its my duty to pick the person I think would do the least harm to the country, and in my mind  I will vote the Republican ticket.

Barr added that Trump may be playing Russian roulette, but a continuation of the Biden administration is national suicide.

Weeks earlier, McConnell endorsed Trump, despite ongoing tensions with the former president. At the time, McConnell said it was clear the former president was shaping up to be the GOPs presidential nominee, whom he previously vowed to support.

The same occurred with Sununu, who said in March he will support Trump as the GOP nominee but stands by his past criticism.

Im going to support the ticket. Im going to support Donald Trump, but my focus is definitely going to be here in the state, he told WMUR in March.

Sununu had endorsed Trump rival and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in the GOP primary before she dropped out.

Republican Voters Against Trump, a political group trying to stop Trump from taking back the Oval Office in November, released a separate six-figure ad last week that suggested Trumps four criminal indictments would prevent him from even getting a job at a local shopping mall.

If Trump is too big of a liability to get a job at your local mall, he is too big of a liability to be president of the United States, the narrator said in the video.

Trump and Biden have both picked up the delegates needed to win their respective parties nominations in this years presidential race, setting up a repeat of their 2020 match-up.

The race is competitive, with polling averages from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ showing Trump up by less than a half a percentage point over Biden.

The Hill reached out to Trumps campaign, Barrs firm and the offices of McConnell and Sununu for comment.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
These are anti-war protests: Sunny Hostin of The View hits police response to college protests over the war in Gaza.

The View co-host Sunny Hostin on Monday criticized the police response to nationwide college protests over the war in Gaza.

I think we need to shift the framing of these college protests, Hostin said. I think it's very distressing that we are framing these as pro-Palestinian protests, or pro-Israeli protests. These are anti-war protests.

Hostin compared current nationwide protests on college campuses over the war in Gaza to historical student protests against the Vietnam War and apartheid in South Africa.

College campuses have been the place for antiwar protests for as far as I can remember, Hostin said. I think recent protests haven't even reached the scale of the major student protests that we saw in the late 1960s against the Vietnam War, or even the 1980s against South Africa's practice of apartheid.

Student protests erupted on college campuses nationwide last week after New York City police arrested protesters at Columbia University during a pro-Palestinian campus occupation that calls for the university to divest from funds they say are helping fund Israel's war in Gaza. Police have at times violently arrested protesters at campus protests, such as at the University of Texas at Austin.
Antony Blinken calls for cease-fire, says Hamas 'only thing' standing in the way

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday as he called for a cease-fire in Gaza. Photo by Al Drago/UPI

April 29 (UPI) -- Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a cease-fire in the war between U.S. ally Israel and Hamas on Monday as President Joe Biden indicated the release of Israeli hostages remained the only stumbling block to a deal.

Blinken, who was meeting with Middle East regional leaders in Saudi Arabia, said a cease-fire was the best way to start relieving suffering in Gaza and move toward healing.

"We strongly support Israel to ensure whatever happened on Oct. 7 never happens again," Blinken said at the World Economic Forum. "At the same time, we are determined to do everything we can to bring an end to the terrible human suffering that we are seeing every single day in Gaza."

In calling for a cease-fire, Blinken added that Hamas has a deal on the table from Israel that he called "extraordinarily generous" and that their agreement is the last piece needed to reach a cease-fire agreement.

"The quickest way to bring this to an end is to get to a cease-fire and the release of hostages," Blinken said, thanking Qatar and Egypt for their help in trying to broker a deal. "In this moment, the only thing standing in the way of the people of Gaza and a cease-fire is Hamas. They have to decide and have to decide quickly."

The White House later said Biden had talked with Qatari leader Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and emphasized that "the release of hostages held by Hamas ... is now the only obstacle to an immediate cease-fire and relief for the people of Gaza."

Should a cease-fire be reached, Biden said the United States together with Egypt and Qatar "would work to ensure the full implementation of its terms."

Blinken added that "measurable progress" had been made in the efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

Last week, the Pentagon said that construction of a pier in Gaza to bring aid to the Palestinian enclave by sea had begun and that humanitarian aid could be delivered there in early May.

Blinken said the United States has quietly worked to normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia, something that had appeared to move forward before Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. He said that "intense work" had been done on normalization over the "past months."

He stressed, though, that having a Palestinian state would play a key role in relieving regional tension. Blinken said it would send a powerful message to Iran and Hamas of those two things happened.

Blinken met with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday where he again stressed the United States opposition to the Israeli military moving into Rafah without a credible plan to move out about a million refugees there.
TAYLOR COUNTY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  An Abilene man was accused of endangering two children by leaving them alone in a home with a lit candle.

According to court documents, Ryan Bierd intentionally left two young children in imminent danger of death, bodily injury, or phyisical or mental impairment by leaving them alone with a lit candle that would soon be the cause of a house fire on March 20, 2023.

Taylor County Jail: Ryan E. Bierd (Apr. 2024)

Suspect accused of firing shots at Abilene Allsups during fight

Bierd was also accused of not voluntarily delivering the children in his care to an emergency infant care provider.

He was booked into the Taylor County Jail this Sunday, April 28 on a $15,000 surety bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
Using LiDAR technology, archaeologists discovered a cluster of five rare Neolithic-era earthwork monuments in Ireland.

The ancient find highlights ritualistic practices, likely associated with solar events and ceremonial pathways for the dead.

Now considered some of the largest archaeological monuments in the country, researchers hope the discovery will help transform our understanding of Irelands prehistoric culture.

A grouping of five major earthwork monuments have rested together in the Irish town of Baltinglass since the Neolithic period. But weve just recently seen them, thanks to LiDAR technology. Considered some of the largest archaeological monuments ever found in Ireland, these rare cursus constructions played a pivotal role in ancient life, offering ritual and ceremonial significance for the early farming communities and potentially even forming routes for the dead headed to an afterlife.

The discovery was chronicled by University of Aberdeens James ODriscoll, who has spent more than a decade studying the Baltinglass landscapean area known for Bronze Age and medieval forts, but not the Neolithic periods cursus. Thanks to the light detection and ranging (LiDAR) laser mapping of the topography, ODriscoll was able to discover the largest cursus cluster in either Ireland or Britain. The findings were published in the journal Antiquity.

A cursusdescribed by ODriscoll in the study as a causewayed enclosure defined by segmented banks, ditches, and palisadesbecame a means of drawing together disparate communities to perform rituals and to create a unified group identity.

These enclosures have been found clustered together in southern England, France, and Scandinavia, but the Baltinglass find highlighted a group of five cursus monuments. This offers a distinct look into Neolithic Ireland, which is why its such an important discovery and was something we didnt think would appear, because groups of cursus monuments just dont exist in Ireland, ODriscoll told Live Science.

The largest structure is 1,312 feet long, while other, similar structures are generally about 500 to 650 feet in length. The discovery of the cursus monuments is particularly significant, ODriscoll told Newsweek, as these are incredibly rare in Ireland.

Researchers believe the new discoverywhen placed in the context of the landscapecould be in alignment with important solar events like the Sun rising at the summer solstice, which would be key for the relatively early farming community. But thats not all.

The function of these types of monuments has always been a thorny topic, ODriscoll told Newsweek, as we simply dont have enough information. But given that some of the Baltinglass sites can also be linked with burial monuments, this suggested to me that they may have been ceremonial monuments used in burial practices, where the cursus marked the physical route in which the dead moved from the living into the afterlife.

Finding such prominent cursus grouped together has lead ODriscoll to believe that they indicate Baltinglass was a key farming community during the Neolithic period (roughly 4000 to 2000 BC). And considering data showing activity in the Early Neolithic and Middle-late Bronze Age, ODriscoll said this new study could challenge the idea that the area was abandoned during the two millennia between eras.

ODriscoll also believes wooden shovels were likely the key implement in the construction. It shows just how much resources, time, and effort went into building them, since this is a sizable settlement, he told Live Science.

Future research, including analyzing the areas soil, will attempt to better understand the farming practices from the Early Neolithic period.

The implications for the study are significant, as it provides an explanation for the function of this monument type in Ireland, ODriscoll said, and allows us to understand the ritual and ceremonial practices of our ancestors who lived over 5,000 years ago.

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Archer-Daniels-Midland has its North America headquarters in Decatur, Ill. (photo from ADM website).

In late 2020, Archer-Daniels-Midland, one of Americas oldest and most profitable food companies, predicted customers preference for foods with bright and exciting colors and familiar, nostalgic flavors would shape the food industry.

ADM seemed poised to capitalize.

Over the next few years, it purchased two companies specializing in crafting tastes. One creates savory dairy flavors for snacks and frozen meals.

But the division spearheading ADMs new flavor forays, Nutrition, was not as healthy as it seemed. It missed revenue expectations  prompting internal, government and shareholder scrutiny.

In January, ADM placed its chief financial officer on administrative leave as company lawyers reviewed accounting practices. In one day, the companys stock dropped from about $68 to $51, or a 24% decrease  its worst trading day since the Great Depression, according to Reuters.

The U.S. Department of Justice is now probing ADMs accounting practices. It has requested documents and subpoenaed current and former employees, according to company filings. A shareholder also sued the company, alleging executives mischaracterized Nutritions financial performance. ADMs accounting practices misrepresented its true financial results and prospects, the lawsuit alleges.

On March 12, ADM said in business filings that certain sales information was not recorded at amounts approximating market value. However, that information had no impact on the companys overall balance sheets, ADM said. The company also said it is cooperating with the Justice Department.

When Investigate Midwest asked about the Justice Department probe, ADM declined to comment.

The situation with its nutrition division is the most recent time ADM has faced accusations of alleged wrongdoing.

Late last year, a judge ruled it must face a lawsuit in which competitors accused ADM of manipulating ethanol prices. Competitors claim ADM sold the commodity at artificially low prices. Simultaneously, according to Bloomberg, ADM bet on low ethanol prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, one of the main arenas for trading agricultural commodities.

The case is reminiscent of the companys infamous price-fixing scandal in the 1990s. The federal government found high-level executives fixed prices in markets around the world. Matt Damon played the whistleblower in the movie about the scandal, called The Informant.

Recently, authorities have also found serious worker safety issues at ADM, according to the newsroom CU-CitizenAccess. Last year, police responded to its facilities in Decatur, Illinois, its North American headquarters, dozens of times, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated a death at the facility. ADM has been fined more than $300,000 stemming from the death.

Founded in 1902, ADM, a publicly traded company, now operates on six continents with about 41,000 employers. It has tens of billions in sales internationally, according to its website. For decades, its headquarters was in the small town of Decatur, Illinois, but now its international headquarters is in Chicago.

One of ADMs primary roles is as a middleman between farmers and consumers. It takes corn, for example, and turns it into different kinds of sweeteners. Some sweeteners may contain less sugar but retain the same level of sweetness. Using ADMs sweeteners, companies sell name-brand beverages to consumers. Coca-Cola, for example, sources high-fructose corn syrup from ADM.

We dont own farms by and large, and we dont have brands on the grocery store shelf, a company executive told FoodNavigator in 2021. Were the bridge between the two.

In the past decade, it has invested heavily in its Nutrition division, which includes its different sweeteners and flavors. In 2014, it purchased WILD Flavors, a Swiss-German company, for $3 billion, which remains the companys largest acquisition, according to the shareholder lawsuit.

At the time, the flavor business was seen as less volatile than the grain business, which was ADMs primary focus, according to a 2014 Reuters story. Weather conditions around the world can affect prices of agricultural commodities. But an analyst Reuters spoke to said ADM might struggle to find value after paying so much.

In January, Raymond Chow, a stockholder of ADM, filed a lawsuit in federal court, accusing the company of misrepresenting the financial performance of its Nutrition division. As of early April, the lawsuit was ongoing.

In early 2020, ADM signaled to investors that its Nutrition division was an area of growth for the company. Traditionally, ADM focused on soybeans and corn, but it was looking to diversify, according to the lawsuit. It now planned to increase its investments in flavor.

Nutrition continued its growth trajectory with record results, an ADM executive said in an April 2020 earnings call, according to the lawsuit.

In an earnings call in July 2020, another ADM executive said Nutrition was poised to become central to ADM. Thats a business that could get easily to 25%, 30% of our profits, and it continues to move into that, he said, according to the lawsuit.

In the dozen years before early 2020, ADMs stock price was consistently trading around $30-$40 per share. But in the summer of 2020, it started to climb, according to stock data.

In January 2021, ADM said Nutritions profits would average 15% increases each year, according to the lawsuit. Later that year, an executive said in an earnings call, We expect Nutrition to continue on its impressive growth path.

In late 2022, ADMs stock price hit a high of about $93 and stayed around $70 for the next year, according to stock price data.

But, according to the lawsuit, there were signs of trouble. In 2022, Nutrition only made a 7% profit  far from the amount predicted by ADM executives.

In January, ADM placed its chief financial officer, Vikram Luther, on administrative leave. Its stock price plunged.

In the lawsuit, Chows lawyers contend ADM executives recklessly disregarded facts as they talked up the Nutrition division. ADM lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements on Nutritions financial health, and the companys accounting practices did not provide an accurate impression of ADMs performance and future prospects, according to the lawsuit.

This article first appeared on Investigate Midwest and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

The post Archer Daniels Midland touted nutrition, flavor business. Now the governments investigating appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Arizonas 1864 abortion law was made in womens rights desert; heres what life was like then

A group of men and women, including two soldiers, on a porch in Fort Verde, Ariz., in 1886. (Buyenlarge | Getty Images)

The Conversation

Dora Juhl, a 15-year-old teenager, walked into Dr. Rosa Goodrich Boidos obstetrical practice in Phoenix in January 1918. Juhl wanted to end her pregnancy.

But abortion was illegal in Arizona.

Boido, the citys sole female physician, asked Juhl for $100  about $2,000 today  to perform the abortion.

Juhl said she could pay $27  her entire savings  but Boido explained the legal risks, including the prison time she could face, and insisted on full payment. Juhl left the office, then tried to give herself an abortion and returned to Boidos practice in physical distress.

Boido then admitted Juhl as a patient. It is unclear whether Boido performed an abortion, removed fetal tissue, or merely gave her pain medication. The next day, police arrived and arrested Boido. Arizona charged Boido under a 54-year-old law banning abortions. She lost her medical license and spent three months in jail with bail set at $15,000  about $300,000 today  before her trial.

Those days may soon return to Arizona.

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on April 9, 2024, that this same 160-year-old territorial law that bans abortion  unless the pregnant persons life is in danger  will go into effect.

Since that ruling, the Arizona Legislature has been grappling with how to handle the near-total ban. After several weeks of attempts, the state House of Representatives passed a repeal of the law on April 24, 2024, that now goes to the state Senate for debate and a vote. But even if the ban is fully repealed, it could still take temporary effect this summer.

Passed during the Civil War in 1864, this law mandated that anyone who used medicine or surgery to procure the miscarriage of any woman then being with child, and shall be thereof duly convicted, shall be punished by imprisonment in the Territorial prison for a term not less than two years nor more than five years.

The sole exception was a physician who deems it necessary to produce the miscarriage of any woman in order to save her life.

In the late 1800s, women in Arizona, as in other places in the U.S., had no direct say in laws governing their bodies. As someone who teaches history in Arizona and researches slavery, I think it is useful to understand what life was like in Arizona when this abortion ban was in force.

A black and white photo shows a woman seen from the head down to the chest. She has dark hair and wears formal clothing.

Rosa Boido was one of the first female doctors in Arizona. She was arrested for performing an abortion in 1918.

In 1864, Arizona  which was an official territory of the United States  was a vast desert.

In the 1870s, Arizona had less than 10,000 residents, excluding Native Americans, whom the Census refused to count and the U.S. refused to grant citizenship.

Most women living in territorial Arizona were Dine, meaning Navajo, or Chiricahua Apache. In 1864, the U.S. Army was fighting Indigenous people in an effort to take Native lands. U.S. forces crowded Apaches onto reservations in Arizona and New Mexico.

All women in Arizona could not vote, serve on juries, or exercise full control over property in a marriage. Demographically, the territory had a pronounced gender imbalance in favor of men  women were just one-quarter of the non-Native population.

Most of the white men in Arizona moved there to work as miners and soldiers. People there also worked on cattle ranches and grew cotton. Mining and ranching interests controlled politics, and many Arizonans supported the Southern Confederacy, though Arizona was a free territory in 1863, meaning slavery was not legal.

Many politicians in Arizona, like House Speaker William Claude Jones, were transplants from the South.

Jones was responsible for shepherding the abortion ban through the Legislature. Around this time, Jones abandoned his first wife. Throughout his life, he would have three more wives, including a 12-year-old, a 15-year-old, and a 14-year-old at the time of their weddings.

Womens rights in territorial Arizona

Women had few basic rights in Arizona before it became a state in 1912. And territorial law did not favor women.

Hispanic and African American women had even fewer rights than white women. Arizona punished anyone who kidnapped a Black person for the purpose of selling them into slavery. But, at the same time, it outlawed all marriages of white persons with negroes or mulattoes.

Until 1871, a wife who divorced a husband for adultery faced the prospect of a court-appointed trustee to oversee the property or alimony she received.

But if a wife was found to have committed adultery, she lost all her property to her husband, forever. The 1871 Married Womans Property Act granted women more autonomy, but marriage remained an unequal partnership.

By around 1870, womens suffragists began advocating for Arizona to follow Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah in giving women the right to vote. This was 50 years before the 19th Amendment gave the right to vote to all women in the U.S.

Led by female attorney Murat Masterson, suffragists introduced a bill to enfranchise women in 1883. It failed. White women were allowed to cast ballots in county school board elections, but it took determined activism by womens rights activists to achieve even this vote.

Suffragists led by Pauline ONeill, Frances Willard Munds, and others continued to push for the right for women to vote through organized clubs and staged rallies  and worked to sway pubic opinion.

Womens health doctor Boido was also active in the womens suffrage fight in Arizona by promoting sex education, as well as anti-death penalty, anti-alcohol, and anti-tobacco efforts.

In 1913, one year after Arizona became a state, women finally got the right to vote.

A black and white photo shows a man and a woman on a carriage with two horses pulling them, overlooking a vast desert landscape.

A man and woman pass through the Badlands of Arizona in the 1800s. (Underwood & Underwood | Archive Photos | Getty Images)

Some women like Juhl did indeed violate Arizonas abortion ban, based on historical evidence of physicians charging a high fee.

After Boidos arrest and arraignment, she remained in jail for three months, including during her trial. The jury found her guilty of performing an illegal operation, according to the Arizona Republican newspaper.

Historian Mary S. Melcher has argued that Boido did not have a jury of her peers since women were not allowed on them.

Juhl returned to her family in Yavapai County and went back to high school.

After her conviction in 1918, Boido became prisoner 5159 at the womens wing of the state penitentiary. She served two months, then was paroled because the womens section of the prison was too hot and unlivable in the Arizona summer. With Boidos medical license gone, she moved to California. She died in Hawaii in 1959 at age 89.

Arizona kept this 1864 abortion ban in place until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, in Roe v. Wade in 1973, that the right to get an abortion was constitutionally guaranteed. The court reversed Roe v. Wade in 2022, sparking a series of events that have led to the resurrection of the 1864 Arizona abortion ban.

The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post Arizonas 1864 abortion law was made in womens rights desert; heres what life was like then appeared first on New Hampshire Bulletin.
An Arizona state senator charged in the election subversion case in the state has been elected as its national committeeman for the Republican National Committee.

State Senator Jake Hoffman was indicted last week, facing allegations that he joined the effort to overturn President Joe Bidens win in the state. Mr Biden became the first Democrat to win Arizona on the presidential level since President Bill Clinton in 1996.

Mr Hoffman was indicted on Wednesday alongside 17 others  including former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former New York Mayor and Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. Mr Hoffman was elected to the national committee alongside former state Rep Liz Harris. She was expelled in connection to questioning Mr Bidens 2020 victory in the state.

Im humbled and honored to have been elected as the next RNC National Committeeman for Arizona! Mr Hoffman wrote on X on Saturday. For the next 4 years I will work tirelessly to ensure that the RNC makes Arizona its #1 priority not only in 2024, but every year.

Each state and territory sends a state chairman, a committeeman, and a committeewoman to the RNC, with each getting one vote at RNC meetings and for who will be the RNC chair.

Jake Hoffman has rejected all allegations of wrongdoing (AP)

RNC chair Ronna McDaniel recently left the post and she was replaced by election denier Michael Whatley, with former President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law Lara Trump being made co-chair.

On 5 January 2021, Mr Hoffman was set to be sworn in as a state representative a few days later. He sent a letter the day before the insurrection at the US Capitol to then-Vice President Mike Pence pushing him to delay the counting of the electors from Arizona.

It is in this late hour, with urgency, that I respectfully ask that you delay the certification of election results for Arizona during the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021, and seek clarification from the Arizona state legislature as to which slate of electors are proper and accurate, Mr Hoffman wrote, according to CNN.

Mr Hoffman, who joined the state senate in January last year, was one of the 11 so-called alternate electors. Democratic Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a statement on Wednesday that they deceived the citizens of Arizona.

The defendants intended that the false votes for Trump and Pence would encourage Vice President Pence to reject the certified Biden-Harris electors votes regardless of the result of any legal challenge, she said.

Former state Rep Liz Harris, the new committeewoman from the state, was expelled from the state legislature in 2023 after she invited an election denier to testify on groundless allegations during a broadcast election hearing at the legislature.

Arizona Republican strategist Barrett Marson told NBC News that These are not just your run-of-the-mill election deniers.

They are leaders in the whole experiment of election denialism, he added. I think it shows that both election denialism and a fealty to election denialism is now the state Republican Party in Arizona.

Mr Hoffman said in a statement this week: Let me be unequivocal, I am innocent of any crime, I will vigorously defend myself, and I look forward to the day when I am vindicated of this disgusting political persecution by the judicial process.

The Independent has reached out to the Arizona GOP for comment.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. In accordance with the joint action plan for 2024 signed between the Defense Ministry and the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the latter's office representatives visited the Main Clinical Hospital of the Defense Ministry, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

Visitors became acquainted with the conditions produced in the hospital's departments, which were equipped with advanced medical equipment, and inquired about the health of the troops undergoing treatment, as well as the organization and provision of medical services.



The delegation received thorough information about the medical staff's regular work activities.



The office personnel were pleased with the quality of medical care offered and the coordination of the treatment process.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A state senator who was charged in Arizonas 2020 election subversion case and a former state representative who was expelled from office have been elected as Republican National committee members for the Grand Canyon State.

State Sen. Jake Hoffman and former state Rep. Liz Harris were elected to their new roles at the Arizona GOP convention over the weekend.

Hoffman was one of 11 individuals recently indicted in Arizona in the so-called fake electors scheme over their efforts to overturn Donald Trumps 2020 election loss.

Harris was removed from the GOP-controlled state House in April 2023 for ethics violations resulting from her inviting an insurance agent, who made unsubstantiated claims against public officials, including Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, to publicly testify before state lawmakers. Harris had also pushed the QAnon conspiracy theory and baseless theories about the 2020 and 2022 elections, according to local reports.

CNN has reached out to the Arizona Republican Party and the RNC for comment.

Im humbled and honored to have been elected as the next RNC National Committeeman for Arizona! Hoffman said on social media Saturday.

Harris said Monday on social media that her focus shall be on winning elections with a strong emphasis on uniting the Republican Party through real, effective election reform!

Hoffmans selection comes just days after a grand jury in Arizona handed up an indictment against the Trump allies over their 2020 election subversion efforts.

As CNN previously reported, Hoffman sent a two-page letter to Vice President Mike Pence on January 5, 2021, asking him to order that Arizonas electors not be decided by the popular vote of the citizens, but instead by the members of the state Legislature.

It is in this late hour, with urgency, that I respectfully ask that you delay the certification of election results for Arizona during the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021, and seek clarification from the Arizona state legislature as to which slate of electors are proper and accurate, Hoffman wrote at the time.

In interviews, Hoffman repeatedly argued that no electors be sent at all because we dont have certainty in the outcome of our election and called to contest Democrat electors if they were sent.

Following news of his indictment last week, Hoffman said in a statement that he was innocent of any crime, adding, I will vigorously defend myself, and I look forward to the day when I am vindicated of this disgusting political persecution by the judicial process.

The Arizona Republican Party also condemned the indictment, calling it a blatant and unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial power.

Boris Epshteyn, a former White House aide who remains one of Trumps closest advisers; former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows; and Rudy Giuliani were among the others indicted, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

While Trump is not among those charged in Arizona, the details in the indictment suggest he is Unindicted Coconspirator 1.

During its weekend convention, the Arizona GOP also passed a resolution to censure Pence and former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley for their dereliction of duty of refusing to support President Donald J. Trump and by default supporting the democrats.

Pence, who dropped out of the Republican presidential primary in the fall, said last month that he cannot in good conscience endorse Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee. Haley exited the Republican presidential race after Super Tuesday in March without throwing her support behind the former president. She instead called on him to earn the support of voters who backed her in the primary.

The resolution passed 917-222, according to results posted on the Arizona GOP website.

This story and headline have been updated with additional information.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  An audit report shows that the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services had financial issues with the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program for 12 straight years.

As part of the audit process, the LLA issued a management letter outlining issues and suggested solutions, which DCFS responded to with any information about the changes being made to fix and avoid future problems.

According to a report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, the department did not have supporting documents for recipients working in the program. Sixty out of 28,212 work activity records were sampled, and four eligible participants hours were inaccurate.

Federal law requires the state to document each participants work through its work verification plan.

DCFS replied, saying they would implement a review process for documentation and verification.

During the 2023 fiscal year, DCFS transferred $16 million of TANF grant funds to the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). The report indicates a process was not implemented to determine what families were given funds through the grant. Federal law states only families whose income is less than 200% of the poverty level. DCFS used the transferred funds to pay for DCFS caseworkers salaries through the Public Assistance Cost Allocation plan, which is not permitted.

Louisiana Department of Health failed to check Healthy Louisiana medical, dental providers

Payroll concerns, potential fraud

DCFS also had issues with proper reporting to the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA), improper employee activity and allocating costs for federal programs.

In the audit, two former DCFS employees were suspected to have received earnings from DCFS and another employer for the same hours. The total suspected amount lost is $16,349.

This signals a potential violation of Louisiana payroll laws and department policy.

One of the employees was fired and the other resigned before being notified of the violation.

DCFS said one is ordered to pay back $875. The other is still under investigation.

According to the audit report, the department did not follow payroll procedures and protocols for leave requests and time statements. Out of 45 statements sampled over 12 months, auditors found:

10 of those times were approved up to 252 days after the required policy date.

Three of those time statements were certified 20-70 days after the required policy date.

Two were not certified or approved before payroll processing.

Auditors also said the system automatically approved 5% of leave requests. This happens when the supervisor does not take timely action on the requests before the payroll period ends.

Story continues

DCFS outlined a plan to avoid these issues in the future.

Audit notes overbilling, underbilling

The audit report stated the department did not have adequate controls in place for a plan that assigns funding to federal programs. In a sample of 60 transactions out of 241,344, totaling $387,232,398, two had errors.

In one of the transactions, incorrect supporting documentation was used, which caused incorrection calculations. The department overbilled the SSBG by more than $10,000 and underbilled the Foster Care Title IV-E by over $35,000.

The cost allocation unit created a review process to ensure the proper documentation is available.

According to DCFSs response, new internal policies and procedures have been created to improve the departments accuracy.

Latest News

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com.
DENVER (KDVR)  The Auraria Campus said 44 people were arrested for trespassing after pro-Palestine demonstrators, including students, community members and external community members, violated a campus no-camping policy.

The Auraria Campus is an education center for students at the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver.

On Friday, demonstrators gathered to protest the United States support of Israel in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and also demanded that the university divest from Israeli companies, refuse to accept grants from corporations that contract with U.S. Armed Forces, and terminate the universitys study abroad programs to Israel, along with a few other demands.

Event coverage: 40 people arrested at pro-Palestine rally in Denver

Demonstrators reported that Denver police officers used a megaphone to tell a group of demonstrators who had set up tents and remained at the site overnight that if they remained at the camp, they would be considered trespassing and would be arrested and prosecuted. In response, demonstrators locked arms in a makeshift human barricade around their tents.

The campus has a no-camping policy, which it says was violated during the demonstration.

The Denver Police Department said it helped the Auraria Campus Police Department with arresting people after numerous requests to remove camping structures that violate campus policy.

Auraria Campus gives statement

Sunday, the Auraria Campus provided a statement regarding Fridays events.

The Auraria Campus and its partner institutions strongly support the right to peacefully demonstrate as long as its done so in accordance with the law and campus policies.

Recent demonstrators have established an encampment, which violates campus policy

prohibiting camping and has the potential to cause numerous safety, accessibility, and

public health concerns. Recent demonstrators include our students, community members, and numerous external community members. Once the encampment was established, it became a violation of campus policy and, therefore, unlawful assembly, the statement said in part.

Auraria Campus said leaders had met with the protesters several times ahead of and during the demonstration to discuss their demands and to tell them about the no-camping policy.

After numerous attempts at communication and diplomacy and warnings to remove the tents, including sharing the policy in writing, the campers continued to refuse to comply. At that point, police asked campers to remove the tents and leave the encampment, and they arrested those not in compliance for trespassing, the statement said.

Pro-Palestine rally held at Auraria Campus amid growing national protests

According to the statement, the campus was open, and the encampment was still in front of the Tivoli Student Union on Sunday.

Auraria institutions and law enforcement agencies continue to closely monitor the event, with the health and safety of our students, employees, and visitors as the top priority, the statement said.

University of Colorado Denver gives new statement

Michelle Marks, chancellor at the University of Colorado Denver, released a statement Sunday.

We all strongly support the rights of our students and community members to free speech and to assemble peacefully, the statement from CU Denver read in part.

According to CU Denver, there have been more than 30 protests on campus during this academic year, most of which were organized by the same student group that led the demonstration that continued into Sunday.

CU Denver said leaders and professional staff have been working with leaders from the Students for a Democratic Society and student government leadership for several months, including during the continuing demonstration.

WATCH: Pro-Palestine protest broken up by police on Auraria Campus

The university said it is committed to principles of free speech and peaceful assembly, and noted that the Auraria Campus has policies to protect and enhance the free exchange of ideas.

However, CU Denver said when protesters did not comply with multiple requests to adhere to the no-camping policy, it became unlawful assembly.

As these events unfold, some community members are asking: Whats wrong with an encampment? Why cant we leave the campers be? The reality is that encampments can grow very quickly and cause public health and safety concerns. This can cause potentially problematic situations that compromise physical safety and impede our ability to create a welcoming and safe educational environment for our Lynx and campus guests, CU Denver said in the statement.

CU Denver said some students were distressed by the situation.

The coming weeks will be busy on campus with finals and dozens of on-campus activities.

As we enter two weeks crucial to student success, we need to reinforce a respectful campus community for teaching and learning, on behalf of all our students, the statement read. We will continue in the days and weeks ahead to engage in respectful dialogue on issues on which we can mutually advance CU Denver values of inclusivity, empathy, and global engagement. The fact that members of our community may disagree on a range of topics is in fact a reflection of a healthy educational environment. We have worked hard to create a university at which individuals of all perspectives can have these dialogues in an atmosphere of civility and respect.

CU Denver said there will be leaders and officials at the Auraria Campus, as well as from the city and the state, to watch over the activity at the Tivoli Quad.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  An Austin photojournalist who was arrested while covering a pro-Palestine protest on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin Wednesday, April 24, is facing a felony charge, according to Travis County court documents.

Local photojournalist among 57 arrested at UT protest

According to an active arrest warrant affidavit, Carlos Sanchez, 43, faces a charge of assault on a peace officer, a second-degree felony.

The affidavit said Sanchez lunged toward a Texas Highway Patrol officer, who was on campus assisting the universitys police department during its response to the protest, striking him with his camera.

KXAN spoke to Sanchez, who identified himself as Carlos, as he was led away in handcuffs Wednesday afternoon.

They said that I hit an officer. I didnt hit an officer. They were pushing me. They were pushing me, he said. This never happened to me, you know what I mean? I was just covering things I told them I was press.

Day 2 of protests at UT more peaceful; 57 arrested day 1

Sanchez was arrested by UTPD and taken into custody on criminal trespass charges. The affidavit noted no charges for assault on a peace officer were filed on scene due to the hectic nature of the protest and unable to identify the Trooper [who] was assaulted by Sanchez.

A total of 57 people were booked into the Travis County Jail related to the protest, according to the Travis County Sheriffs Office on Thursday. The Travis County Attorneys Office said Friday criminal trespass charges have been dropped against all 57 people because all 57 lack sufficient probable cause to proceed.

On Thursday, a special agent followed up on the incident after learning additional witnesses and video footage had been obtained. The agent spoke to the trooper who was hit, and another trooper who witnessed it, according to the affidavit.

Not enough probable cause to charge all 57 arrested protesters with criminal trespass, Travis County Attorney says

The trooper who was hit said he was working to relocate protesters in front of him to where they were ordered to move and that he was suddenly struck on his lower head and neck area from behind by a large object, the affidavit said. He said he saw a man  identified later as Sanchez  arrested by two other troopers and taken from the scene.

The other trooper who witnessed the incident gave a statement saying that Sanchez was behind a law enforcement line that was moving protesters to a designated area and that he saw Sanchez lunge forward toward the back of [the trooper], striking him in the lower head and neck area, the affidavit said. The trooper said he then grabbed Sanchez, causing him to fall to the ground where he was arrested and released to UTPD.

Attorney information for Sanchez wasnt available Monday, but when that information is available KXAN will reach out for comment.

On April 25, Texas DPS provided a statement on the incident.

Multiple videos  many of which are readily available on social media  show the photojournalist among the protesters as law enforcement officers work to disperse the group. He is seen hitting a DPS Trooper in front of him with his camera before fellow Troopers pull him back and take him to the ground to arrest him. As a law enforcement agency, upholding the laws and freedoms of the people of this state is our number one priority. The department believes strongly in a journalists right to cover events of the day in a safe way; however, that does not except a person from following the law or the rules that have been put in place for the safety of others. While the department understands the need to be on-site, it is never acceptable to interfere with official police duties and assaulting an officer of the law  no matter the degree  will never be tolerated. Texas DPS statement

The Society of Professional Journalists President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins called Sanchezs initial arrest a a clear violation of the First Amendment. SPJ stands with all journalists in their efforts to seek truth and report it, a commanding principle in the SPJ Code of Ethics.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
HOUSTON (KXAN)  Students around the world gathered in Houston over the weekend to participate in the Conrad Challenge. The annual STEM competition invites thousands of students to Space Center Houston, where they can pitch innovative ideas to change the world.

This year, Austin teacher Joel Schildwachter with the nonPareil Institute was awarded the Innovative Teacher Award. Schildwachters class also participated in the challenge, submitting their idea for a health app.

When asked about the honor, Schildwachter instead chose to talk about his class.

As adults with autism, many components of traveling to another city to pitch a product they built in front of a panel of judges they have not met before presents many challenges, Schildwachter said. Not only did they overcome those challenges, but they knocked them out of the park! They spoke with confidence, shared their story, and delivered something they believe can make the world a better place for people with disabilities.

Students competed for scholarships and grants. Winning teams pitched ideas that included methods for preventing airplanes from icing over, using laser to recharge satellites and developing new technology for vehicle auto-pilot.

Teams were scored and given feedback before winners were selected. Twenty-six teams of high school students competed to be named a Pete Conrad Scholar the competitions highest honor.

The Conrad Challenge is named for the third person to walk on the moon, Pete Conrad. Founded by Conrads wife after his passing, the challenge aims to foster the next generation of entrepreneurs, according to their website.

The nonPariel Institute, where Schildwachter teaches, provides training for adults with autism. This year four team members, called a crew, from the institute participated in the Conrad Challenge. They received special training from Dell, who also sponsored their participation in the challenge.

Id like to thank the Conrad Foundation, Nancy Conrad, and Space Center Houston for giving our Crew this opportunity, believing in their ideas and contributions, and for supporting them along the way. When all are included, everybody benefits, Schildwachter said.

The competition is hosted by Space Center Houston, the official visitors center for the Johnson Space Center.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Australias problem with male violence is getting worse. So, whats the solution?

It wasnt another news story about the death of a woman at the hands of her partner that convinced Daniel McCormack he had to be part of the solution.

It was Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss, who during a stand-up routine in 2019 revealed he hadnt done enough to prevent a friend from raping a woman and urged men to get involved.

I hate saying that it was a man that opened my eyes on this issue, said McCormack, as he held a sign saying, Protect women. Call out your mates at a protest in Brisbane.

This weekend McCormack was among tens of thousands of people who marched in rallies across Australia to demand action on gendered violence, committed overwhelmingly by men against women.

Late Monday, new figures showed a 28% jump in intimate partner homicide in 2022-23, compared to the previous year  ending what had been a decades-long trend of decline.

It is a sizable increase, and to some extent, one that we werent expecting, said Samantha Bricknell, research manager at the Australian Institute of Criminology.

Across the 30-odd years that weve been collating data on homicide in Australia, there has been an overall decrease in intimate partner homicide.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called it a national crisis, and on Wednesday will convene a cabinet meeting to discuss how the government can best intervene.

Many  including the prime minister  believe its a cultural issue, perpetuated by deeply ingrained attitudes over generations that will take time to fix.

But protesters say much more needs to be done  if Australia waits for intergenerational, societal change, too many women will die.

Around 4,000 people marched through the streets of Brisbane on April 28 to call for action on gendered violence. - Hilary Whiteman/CNN

A mass stabbing raises questions

Australia has long had a problem with male violence against women, and while media reports on alleged murders lament the loss of another life, they dont typically mobilize mass protests.

That changed this month when a man armed with a knife terrorized shoppers at a shopping center in the suburb of Bondi in Sydney, killing six people  mostly women  before he was shot dead by police.

As the country reeled in shock, the New South Wales police commissioner said closed circuit television footage showed it was obvious the attacker had targeted women.

Two days later, when a 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed a Christian Orthodox bishop in the city, the assault was almost immediately labeled a terror incident.

It triggered a conversation about why a deliberate assault on women wasnt considered a terror attack, for promoting misogynist or incel ideology  or more broadly, the hatred of women.

Australian security authorities pointed to the lack of evidence in the Bondi case that the perpetrator was motivated to further a cause, and the conversation appeared to move on.

But in the days that followed, more women were killed  their deaths unrelated but linked by their relationship to their alleged killers.

In the past week alone, they included a 28-year-old mother allegedly killed by her partner, who was already facing charges of raping and stalking her but had been released on bail; a 49-year-old woman allegedly killed in her home by someone she knew; and a 30-year-old women whose body was found in a house fire allegedly lit by a man known to her.

The deaths took the toll to 27 women allegedly killed by a partner or former partner so far this year, according to the Counting Dead Women project.

Thats an average of one every four days.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends a rally in Canberra, on April 28. - Lukas Coch/AAP/AP

An ineffective response

Australias rates of domestic homicide are on par with similar countries  the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand  but Hayley Boxall, a research fellow with the Australian National University, says the difference is that Australians are talking about it.

This isnt an Australian problem unfortunately; its a global problem, she said. We are unique in that were having bigger conversations than I think a lot of other jurisdictions are in terms of how we respond.

That conversation went from the streets on the weekend  where protesters yelled We wont take it anymore!  to breakfast television on Monday, when Albanese made several appearances to tout the governments response and promises of more.

He said the government had committed 2.3 billion Australian dollars ($1.5 billion) across two budgets to the problem, including more social housing for women fleeing abuse. Employees can access 10 days paid leave each year for family and domestic violence and the government is rolling out a 10-year national strategy for gender equity.

Clearly, Albanese conceded, We need to do more.

Boxall says Australias response to domestic violence is being shaped by a very pervasive cultural narrative that people who abuse never stop abusing  a notion contradicted by international research.

I think weve kind of decided that they cant stop, and so were throwing a lot of our efforts into primary prevention, she said, referring to respectful relationship and gender equity programs.

The reality is no matter how much respectful relationship training you do, no matter how much policy investment you make towards addressing gender equity, there will always be men who are violent towards women. And so, we need to have an escalated response where we can actually respond to that risk when we detect it, Boxall said.

She said that would include surveillance, intensive case management [and] intensive safety planning for high-risk cases to prevent more murders  and a different model to stop violence being perpetuated in households, in some cases before the legal system becomes involved.

We dont have good programs for men with mental illness and personality disorders who use these types of violence. We dont have a lot of really accessible drug and alcohol treatment programs for men who use violence. We dont have necessarily very good homicide prevention programs, she said. Unfortunately, there isnt a jurisdiction I can point to and say theyre doing it really, really well.

People march and shout slogans during a protest against gender-based violence, in Melbourne, Australia, on April 28. - AUBC/AP

Rates of intimate partner homicide fell in Australia during the Covid pandemic  similar to falls seen in England and Wales  according to Bricknell, from the Australian Institute of Criminology.

If you look at the intimate partner homicide breakdown, both First Nations women and non-Indigenous women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner versus any other person that they know, or indeed a stranger, Bricknell said. Figures for First Nations women are particularly high.

She said the recent surge could just be a post-Covid bounce, or sign of a deeper problem.

At the Brisbane protest, Emily Garnett led the marchers in cries of 5-6-7-8, no more violence, no more hate. She told CNN afterward she felt a need to speak up for women who are struggling.

Its such a sensitive topic, not just for myself, but for everyone out there, she said. If you keep making noise and you keep showing up, youd hope therell be some sort of change.

McCormack said hes using a quieter voice to call out men who use casual misogynistic language.

Ive found a simple comment such as, Come on mate, you know thats not OK, or just simply saying, Thats not on, or You can do better, make a difference, McCormack said.

You can see on their face and in their demeanor  they understood they could have done better, that what they did isnt OK, he added.

Its important for mates to hold mates accountable.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
More than 112 years after the original Titanic ship sank in the Atlantic Ocean, an Australian billionaire is finalizing plans to recreate the vessel.

Clive Palmer  who is the chairman of the Blue Star Line company  told Australian media that the Titanic IIs maiden voyage is scheduled for June of 2027.

Palmer, who built his fortune through mining, has attempted to rebuild the historic ship for more than a decade. He originally announced plans to begin construction in 2012, and then again in 2018, only to be thwarted by the pandemic.

We are very pleased to announce that after unforeseen global delays, we have reengaged with partners to bring the dream of Titanic ll to life, Palmer said via a press release. Let the journey begin.

When asked why Palmer is pursuing the project, the billionaire said he hopes to bring people together.

Titanic ll is something that can provide peace. It can be a ship of peace between all countries of the world, Palmer said. Millions have dreamt of sailing on her, seeing her in port and experiencing her unique majesty. Titanic ll will be the ship where those dreams come true.

Blue Star Line is seeking proposals and construction plans from shipbuilders, with the aim to begin construction in early 2025. Palmer said the contract will likely be given to a European company.

A replica of the grand staircase from the original Titanic. Australian billionaire Clive Palmer is hoping to build the Titanic II, and will use many concepts from the ship thank sank in 1912. (Blue Star Line)

What the third-class cabin will look like according to a replica of the Titanic II. (Blue Star Line)

What the dining lounge will look like on the Titanic II, according to an animation. (Blue Star Line)

A replica of what the swimming pool area will look like on the Titanic II. The ships maiden voyage is scheduled for June of 2027. (Blue Star Line)

The Titanic II will be a replica of the original. The ship will measure 833 feet long, and 105 feet wide, with a capacity of 2,345 passengers. There will be 835 cabins spread over nine decks.

Similar to the first Titanic, the updated version will have first, second, and third-class cabins.

Those who purchase a third-class ticket will be served stew and mash at communal tables to recreate the experience from the maiden voyage, but Blue Star Line says there will be additional meal options available.

Blue Star Line will also encourage passengers to dress in similar clothing that was worn in the early 1900s.

According to Blue Star Lines website, the ship will begin its voyage in Southampton, England, and make its way to Cherbourg, France. From there, the vessels final stop will be in New York.

Approximately 1,500 people died when the original Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. An estimated 700 passengers survived.

A submersible on its way to the Titanic shipwreck imploded in June of last year, killing all five people on board.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
In this image made from video provided by AUBC, people march and shout slogans during a protest against gender-based violence, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Thousands of people rallied across Australia on Sunday, demanding action to end gender-based violence in the country. (AUBC via AP)

CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described domestic violence as a national crisis after thousands rallied around the country against violence toward women.

Thousands protested in cities around Australia on Sunday to draw attention to the deaths of 27 women so far this year allegedly caused by acts of gender-based violence in a population of 27 million.

Albanese said on Monday the rallies were a call to action for all levels of Australian government to do more to prevent gender-based violence.

"Quite clearly, we need to do more. Its not enough to just have empathy, Albanese told Nine Network television.

"The fact that ... a woman dies every four days on average at the hand of a partner is just a national crisis, he added.

There were 17 rallies held across Australia over the weekend, with an estimated 15,000 people demonstrating in the city of Melbourne.

Albanese said he will host a meeting or Australian state and territory leaders on W

ednesday to discuss a coordinated response.

Albanese, his Womens Minister Katy Gallagher and Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth received a hostile response when they attended a rally in the capital Canberra on Sunday.

Protesters yelled at the government leaders, we want action and do your job.

Albanese said there needed to be more focus on perpetrators and prevention of violence. We need to change the culture, we need to change attitudes  we need to change the legal system, Albanese told the rally.
VIENNA (Reuters) - Austrian prosecutors said on Monday they are investigating far-right leader Herbert Kickl on suspicion of breach of trust for allegedly using public funds to take out media advertising in exchange for favourable party coverage when he was a minister.

Kickl is one of several former far-right ministers - including the Freedom Party's former leader, Heinz-Christian Strache - who prosecutors said were under investigation in a statement describing the alleged scheme that would have taken place in 2018 and 2019 when they were in a coalition government.

An unnamed "media entrepreneur" was also mentioned.

"The media entrepreneur allegedly promised then-Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache favourable coverage and image enhancement for his then-party," the Central Prosecutors' Office for Economic Crimes and Corruption (WKStA) said in a statement.

"In exchange, on the orders of the respective ministers, ministries took out advertisements at the Republic of Austria's expense in media within the media entrepreneur's sphere of influence," it said.

Stache, Kickl and the Freedom Party did not respond to requests for comment.

Kickl, who was interior minister in that coalition government, now leads the party and it has a clear lead in opinion polls with a parliamentary election due by October.

Strache, who was head of the Freedom Party when it was last in government, is no longer a member of the party. He was expelled after the coalition collapsed in scandal in 2019 over a sting video that showed him offering to fix public contracts.

An unnamed Freedom Party spokesman told Der Standard, which first reported the investigation, that advertising was taken out for the proper reasons. The party was "relaxed" about the investigation and "100% convinced" it would not be taken further, the spokesman added.

Strache told Der Standard he declined to comment.

(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Yang Wanming, President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, have discussed the cooperation between the two entities, as well as the contribution of this cooperation to the development of intergovernmental and international relations, Trend reports.

Anar Alakbarov spoke of the meetings between Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and the leadership of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries in recent years, and highlighted the Memorandum signed by the two entities on expanding friendship and cooperation between Azerbaijan and China, and the implemented projects.

It was noted that the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries is a strategic partner of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and also that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, which holds symbolic significance.

Speaking about the visit to Azerbaijan at the invitation of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Yang Wanming noted that the President of Azerbaijan attaches special importance to relations with China, and the upcoming meetings and discussions will serve as an additional impetus for expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and China. During the meeting, a congratulatory letter from the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation was presented, addressed to President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva.

The meeting also delved into plans to enhance cooperation between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. In addition to the robust state-level relations, there was a focus on bolstering connections between the citizens of both nations, emphasizing people-to-people diplomacy. Yang Wanming highlighted the pivotal role the Heydar Aliyev Foundation will play in this endeavor. Suggestions were put forward for hosting Cultural Days in Azerbaijan and China, organizing diverse cultural activities, facilitating reciprocal visits of youth and members of the new media, and broadening cooperation between cities.

One of the topics under discussion was Azerbaijan's hosting of COP29 this year. It was noted that the People's Republic of China, including the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, stands ready to provide the necessary support and cooperation within the COP29 framework.

The Heydar Aliyev Foundation delegation was invited to China to take part in events marking the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

After the meeting, the guests were given a tour of the exhibits showcased at the Heydar Aliyev Center - the collection "Azerbaijani carpet - dance of loops", the exhibitions "Mini Azerbaijan," "Musical Instruments: Unity in Diversity", and "Classic Cars".
DENVER (KDVR)  After Suzanne Morphew went missing in 2020 and her remains were found in September 2023, an autopsy has revealed her cause of death.

The autopsy results, which were released Monday, show that Morphew died by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication, and according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, her death has been ruled a homicide.

Butorphanol can be used as a nasal or an injection and is used to relieve pain severe enough to require opioid treatment, the Mayo Clinic states. Azaperone is a tranquilizer often used in veterinary care. Medetomidine is used in anesthesia.

These drugs are marketed as a compounded injectable chemical immobilizer for wildlife providing pharmacologically reversible analgesia, sedation and immobilization, reads the autopsy report.

The full autopsy report obtained by Nexstars KDVR said that Morphews skeletal remains and part of her clothing were submitted for examination. The coroner found no indication of trauma to her body at the time of death.

Lawyer for Suzanne Morphews husband releases statement after her remains found

However, it is important to note that clinical history found that Morphew was receiving maintenance rituzan chemotherapy after the complete remission of recurrent follicular lymphoma.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case, said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzannes death.

CBI said that the autopsy results were shared with the Morphew family as soon as the coroner received them.

What has happened since Morphews disappearance in 2020

Morphews case captured the nations attention after she went on a bike ride in Chaffee County on Mothers Day in 2020 and never returned home. Five days later, a personal item of Morphews was found, but it would be three more years before her remains were discovered.

Nearly a year after Morphews disappearance, her husband, Barry Morphew, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Timeline of the investigation

In 2020, KDVR spoke by phone to Barry, who denied killing his wife.

Absolutely not, he answered. I love my wife. I would never hurt my wife. She is the light of my and my daughters lives. This whole thing is killing us, and that is why I want our privacy.

In 2022, the district attorney for the 11th Judicial District ultimately dismissed the murder charge against Barry without prejudice. In documents released in 2022, before the case was dismissed, one of the CBI agents who had been working on the case told an internal affairs investigator that Barry Morphew had been arrested prematurely and that it was the worst decision that could be made.

Nearly a year after the charges were dismissed, his attorneys filed a complaint against the district attorney and prosecutors involved in the case.

The allegations of misconduct range from unethical practices and continued pattern of discovery violations to failure to respond to security concerns for court personnel and violations of the Victims Rights Act.

The years-long investigation came to a head on Sept. 27, 2023, when Morphews remains were found and positively identified. Her remains were found in Saguache County during an unrelated search of the area.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Suzanne Morphew, the Colorado mom who went missing during a bike ride in 2020, was killed while under the influence of a powerful animal tranquilizer, a recently released autopsy found.

Morphews death was ruled homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said in a release Monday. Butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidinealso known as BAMis an animal tranquilizer that can be used to sedate bears and deer, according to veterinary pharmaceuticals manufacturer NexGen and a study by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Division.

Authorities are still investigating the circumstances around Morphews death and disappearance. Her husband, Barry Morphew, was charged nearly a year later with her murder, which prosecutors alleged hed done after he discovered she was having an affair. They claimed hed shot her with a tranquilizer gunwhich hed admitted to using to sedate deer and remove their antlersand tampered with evidence to cover up the crime.

But the charges against Barry Morphew were ultimately dropped in April 2022, with prosecutors opting to wait for the discovery of Suzannes remains. No one has been charged since her remains were found in September, and its unclear if the autopsy will lead to a new arrest.

In a statement released by Barry Morphews lawyers, the family implored law enforcement to remove their blinders and locate and arrest the person who murdered Suzanne.

Despite the fact that unknown male DNA was found in Suzannes car, where her bike was parked, on her bike grips, handlebars, and bike seat, the authorities will not tell the Morphew family whether Suzannes bike clothes, collected seven months ago with her remains, have been tested for DNA, their statement reads. DNA left on her clothing by the murderer could bring justice for Suzanne, her family and the community.

Investigators have previously said that that DNA matches partial DNA profiles in unsolved sexual assault cases in Illinois and Arizona.

The family is quite skeptical about the integrity of this investigation as the very same investigators that concealed the unknown male DNA continue to be involved in this investigation and were present at the autopsy of Suzanne Morphew, Morphews lawyers said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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DENVER (KDVR)  After Suzanne Morphew went missing in 2020 and her remains were found in September 2023, an autopsy found Morphew died by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Morphews death has been ruled a homicide.

According to the Mayo Clinic, butorphanol can be used as a nasal or an injection and is used to relieve pain severe enough to require opioid treatment. Science Direct, a peer-reviewed journal said Azaperone is a tranquilizer often used in veterinary care and medetomidine is used in anesthesia.

These drugs are marketed as a compounded injectable chemical immobilizer for wildlife providing pharmacologically reversible analgesia, sedation and immobilization, reads the autopsy report.

Suzanne Morphews autopsy finds animal tranquilizer, other drugs in system

The full autopsy report obtained by FOX31 on Monday said that Morphews skeletal remains and part of her clothing were submitted for examination. The coroner found no indication of trauma to her body at the time of death.

The autopsy also said that a weathered bullet was found along with her remains and is in the custody of CBI.

However, it is important to note that clinical history found that Morphew was receiving maintenance rituzan chemotherapy after the complete remission of recurrent follicular lymphoma.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case, said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzannes death.

CBI said that the autopsy results were shared with the Morphew family as soon as the coroner received them.

What has happened since Morphews disappearance in 2020

Morphews case captured the nations attention after she went on a bike ride in Chaffee County on Mothers Day in 2020 and never returned home. Five days later, a personal item of Morphews was found, but it would be three more years before her remains were discovered.

Nearly a year after Morphews disappearance, her husband Barry Morphew was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Barry Morphew maintains innocence

In a two-page letter issued by his attorneys, Barry Morphew maintained his innocence on Monday.

For the past four years the Morphews have agonized over Suzannes disappearance, the attorneys letter states. This included not only the pain of the loss of their wife and mother but also the false accusations and prosecution of Barry Morphew.

The letter went on to say the family hopes authorities would remove their blinders and find Suzanne and her killer. The letter also gave a statement of facts from Barrys perspective.

According to the letter, Barry left the house at about 5 a.m. and drove 160 miles north. The autopsy report confirmed that Suzanne had drunk some of her coffee and put on her mountain bike riding clothes when she was abducted, allegedly drugged, and buried 50 miles south of their home.

The letter underlined north and south to emphasize the distance. The Morphew family also alleged that they have not been told by authorities if DNA has been found on Suzannes bike clothes, or if the clothes have been tested for DNA. Similarly, the letter alleges authorities will not provide information on the bullet collected with Suzannes remains.

The letter also notes that authorities offered the victims the option to retrieve Suzannes remains, but want to ensure the suspect is apprehended before the family takes what could be important evidence.

The family is quite skeptical about the integrity of this investigation as the very same investigators that concealed the unknown male DNA continue to be involved in this investigation and were present at the autopsy, the letter stated. The family asks for privacy and implores the authorities to look at the case with fresh eyes, follow all leads, conduct all forensic testing and solve Suzannes murder.

Catch up with the case

Nexstars FOX21 spoke to Barry over the phone in 2020 and asked what he would like to tell the people who thought he did it. Barry responded with the following:

Absolutely not, he answered. I love my wife. I would never hurt my wife. She is the light of my and my daughters lives. This whole thing is killing us and that is why I want our privacy.

In 2022, the district attorney for the 11th Judicial District ultimately dismissed the murder charge against Barry without prejudice. In documents released in 2022, before the case was dismissed, one of the CBI agents who had been working on the case told an internal affairs investigator that Barry Morphew had been arrested prematurely and it was the worst decision that could be made.

Nearly a year after the charges were dismissed, his attorneys filed a complaint against the district attorney and prosecutors involved in the case.

The allegations of misconduct range from unethical practices and continued pattern of discovery violations to failure to respond to security concerns for court personnel and violations of the Victims Rights Act.

FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox

The years-long investigation came to a head on September 27, 2023, when Morphews remains were found and positively identified. Her remains were found in Saguache County during an unrelated search of the area.

FOX31 is reaching out to investigators for comments on the results.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Bad for business: Homeless hot spots in Fort Lauderdale not a good look, critics say

Local entrepreneurs have a message for Fort Lauderdale: The citys homeless crisis is bad for business  and getting worse.

The complaints take on a new urgency in light of a new state law that bans homeless people from sleeping in public. The new law, which goes into effect in October, also paves the way for critics to file lawsuits against local governments starting next year if they fail to enforce the ban.

Bernie Bedor, a business owner in northern Fort Lauderdale, says he has sent email after email to City Hall, begging Fort Lauderdale officials to do something about the citys ongoing homeless problem.

We take investors down to the beach and they see homeless people in tents, Bedor told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. No one wants to invest in a mini-California. Theres a tent city next to the new police station theyre building. You have people going to the bathroom on the sidewalk. Its like a free for all. And its very bad for business.

Bedor shared several photos with the Sun Sentinel of homeless people sleeping or relieving themselves outside the stores at Imperial Square, a strip center several blocks north of Commercial Boulevard on Federal Highway. Other photos show people sleeping in tents on the beach just north of Sunrise Boulevard.

Bedor says he sent the same photos to city officials.

Charlie King, a local real estate agent, sent the newspaper photos of a nude homeless man peering into a window of a home in Victoria Park, then sitting on the front stoop. In one photo, Kings For Sale sign hangs out front.

Its embarrassing to have this going on in the city, said King, who has been complaining for years about Fort Lauderdales homeless problem. It hurts business. It makes people not want to live in Fort Lauderdale.

King also sent photos of a nude woman wearing only a towel sitting on a bench. Another shows a man crouching down to defecate on the sidewalk in broad daylight.

I saw a homeless couple having sex at the bus stop at Federal Highway and Commercial Boulevard, King said. No one wants to see this in the middle of our town.

King says he takes photos, then sends them along to the mayor.

Were doing our best

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis has said he wants the county to revisit the idea of housing the homeless at the county stockade located at 5400 Powerline Road, just east of Chase Stadium where Inter Miami plays.

The idea came up seven years ago, but was nixed by the county at the time.

Fort Lauderdale officials hope to work something out with the county in the next six months, before the new state law kicks in.

Were doing our best, Trantalis said. The problem we have is finding a shelter for homeless people. And we rely on the county to provide that. We do not have enough shelter to house homeless people.

Cities throughout the country are anxiously awaiting a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that would have sweeping implications for the nations homeless population and the cities and states struggling to find solutions to a growing crisis.

The case centers on a local law that bans sleeping on public land with a blanket or pillow day and night in Grants Pass, a small town in Oregon.

Lower courts have ruled that local governments cannot fine or jail a person for sleeping on public land if no shelter beds are available.

But several cities, Fort Lauderdale included, say the rulings have tied their hands when it comes to keeping parks and other public spaces safe for residents, tourists and children.

Better than a park bench?

We really wont know if sleeping on the sidewalk is against the law until we get the ruling from the Supreme Court, Commissioner John Herbst said. When they hand down the Grants Pass ruling, then well know whether the state law is legitimate or not. Were waiting for the Supreme Court. But even after that we have to have a place to put them. And Fort Lauderdale cant be the only place.

Herbst, the district commissioner for Fort Lauderdales northern section, fields complaints all the time about homelessness and its impact on residents and business owners.

Herbst likes the idea of opening the stockade to house the homeless as long as it doesnt impact the surrounding neighborhoods.

We cant bury our heads in the sand and say, No, we cant consider it, he said. Personally, I think its better than sleeping on a park bench. In fact, right now Im sitting in front of the stockade and looking at the barbed wire. But Id prefer to be in a safe environment with barbed wire than being out there on the street.

Doing nothing is not an option, he said.

Herbst recently traveled to San Francisco, and says he saw firsthand what the homeless crisis has done to that city.

As I walked down the street, I saw people defecating on the street, he said. They had tents up. There were piles of trash everywhere. It has taken one of the greatest cities in the country and made it uninhabitable. People are fleeing San Francisco.

Its getting worse and worse

An estimated 8,263 people are living on the streets of Broward County, according to a yearlong study that ended in September 2023. Nearly half of them are based in Fort Lauderdale

Bedor, the business owner, says the cost of doing business is getting higher while Fort Lauderdales leaders struggle to manage a growing problem.

Its getting worse and worse and worse here in Fort Lauderdale, Bedor said. Its not that were not empathetic. But its to the point now where were having to pay $30,000 a year for private security to patrol our buildings at night. That cost is being passed on to the business owners.

More homeless people started hanging out at Imperial Square and the nearby county library a few years ago, said Brenda Bertnoli, owner of the strip center.

The library has become a day-care center for the homeless, Bertnoli said.

They leave their stuff around outside, she said. And they sleep there. We found one the other day in the stairwell waiting for the library to open.

Two years ago, she hired a security company to patrol the property at night.

If I want them to stay all day and night its much more expensive, she said. Its not affordable. I cant afford what I want. If I could, Id have them there all day.

Not long ago, Bertnoli got a call from a tenant complaining about the smell outside.

There was excrement outside his door, right in the walkway, she said. My maintenance man had to clean up with bleach.

Bertnoli said she holds out hope that the states new homeless camp law is going to make an impact and turn things around.

I pray that it does, she said. We have tents everywhere, on the beach and downtown. Were becoming a mini-San Francisco.

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock delivers the closing statement at the end of the conference on the Western Balkans at the Federal Foreign Office. Baerbock has called for the rapid admission to the European Union of accession candidates in the Western Balkans as the bloc marks the 20th anniversary of its enlargement by 10 countries in 2004. Christoph Soeder/Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH/dpa

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for the rapid admission to the European Union of accession candidates in the Western Balkans as the bloc marks the 20th anniversary of its enlargement by 10 countries in 2004.

"Political and geographical 'grey areas' in the Balkans or in the east of the EU are extremely dangerous," Baerbock wrote in an opinion piece published to mark the anniversary.

"We cannot afford such grey areas, because for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin they are an invitation to interfere, to destabilize," Baerbock said.

The article, which dpa saw in advance of publication, appears on Monday in media in Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Greece.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Malta and Cyprus were admitted to the EU on May 1, 2004.

"We have known at least since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: The enlargement of our EU today is also a geopolitical necessity," Baerbock wrote.

Just like 20 years ago, millions of Europeans today see an opportunity and promise in becoming EU citizens.

"We cannot afford to have another entire generation languish in the EU waiting room again, as was the case in the Western Balkans," she warned.

"We must not squander the opportunity to make our union bigger and stronger - and therefore more secure."

The generation of the 2004 enlargement round had to summon up the courage "not to be swayed by headwinds and populist slogans," Baerbock said.

"Our generation is now faced with the task of defending and strengthening the European project of peace and freedom, even if it costs an incredible amount of energy." Reforms are necessary for this to succeed, she said. This also includes fewer veto options in the European Council.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock delivers the closing statement at the end of the conference on the Western Balkans at the Federal Foreign Office. Baerbock has called for the rapid admission to the European Union of accession candidates in the Western Balkans as the bloc marks the 20th anniversary of its enlargement by 10 countries in 2004. Christoph Soeder/Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH/dpa

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called for the rapid admission to the European Union of accession candidates in the Western Balkans as the bloc marks the 20th anniversary of its enlargement by 10 countries in 2004.

"Political and geographical 'grey areas' in the Balkans or in the east of the EU are extremely dangerous," Baerbock wrote in an opinion piece published to mark the anniversary.

"We cannot afford such grey areas, because for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin they are an invitation to interfere, to destabilize," Baerbock said.

The article, which dpa saw in advance of publication, appears on Monday in media in Lithuania, Latvia, Romania and Greece.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Malta and Cyprus were admitted to the EU on May 1, 2004.

"We have known at least since Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine: The enlargement of our EU today is also a geopolitical necessity," Baerbock wrote.

Just like 20 years ago, millions of Europeans today see an opportunity and promise in becoming EU citizens.

"We cannot afford to have another entire generation languish in the EU waiting room again, as was the case in the Western Balkans," she warned.

"We must not squander the opportunity to make our union bigger and stronger - and therefore more secure."

The generation of the 2004 enlargement round had to summon up the courage "not to be swayed by headwinds and populist slogans," Baerbock said.

"Our generation is now faced with the task of defending and strengthening the European project of peace and freedom, even if it costs an incredible amount of energy." Reforms are necessary for this to succeed, she said. This also includes fewer veto options in the European Council.

In addition to Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Western Balkan states also include Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo. In Brussels, Montenegro is considered to be the furthest along in the accession process.

EU enlargement is not expected until the end of the decade at the earliest.

The EU has been conducting accession negotiations with Montenegro since 2012. In March, the EU decided to start accession negotiations with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

However, the first accession conference will only be organized once the country has implemented unfulfilled reform requirements, for example in the fight against corruption and organized crime.

This Wednesday, May 1, Baerbock plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Poland's accession to the EU with her Polish counterpart Radosaw Sikorski in Subice and the German border town Frankfurt an der Oder.

A joint visit to the European festival "European Picnic," a joint walk across the Oder Bridge and an exchange with students at the European University Viadrina are planned.
Baidu, Tesla agree on mapping deal for FSD in China, sources say

A truck transports new Tesla cars at its factory in Shanghai

A truck transports new Tesla cars at its factory in Shanghai

BEIJING (Reuters) -Baidu, China's major internet search company, reached an agreement with Tesla to grant the car company access to its mapping license for data collection on China's public roads, two people familiar with the matter said.

The deal clears a final regulatory hurdle for Tesla's driver assistance system, which Tesla calls Full Self Driving (FSD), to be offered in China, the sources said.

As part of the deal, Baidu would also provide its lane-level navigation system to Tesla, they said.

The deal was struck recently and comes as Tesla CEO Elon Musk's visit to China and met with Premier Li Qiang. Musk is seeking approvals for the FSD software rollout in China and the permissions to transfer data overseas during his meetings with Chinese officials.

In China, all intelligent driving systems are required to obtain a mapping qualification before they can operate on public roads. Foreign firms need to partner with domestic companies that have obtained the license. Baidu is among a dozen companies that have secured one.

With the mapping service license, Tesla will be permitted to legally operate its FSD software on Chinese roads and its fleets can gather data about the vehicle's surroundings, such as road layouts, traffic signs, and nearby buildings.

It is not immediately clear whether the collected data will belong to Tesla or Baidu.

Baidu and Tesla's partnership dates back to early 2020, with Tesla already using Baidu's navigation map, similar to what's available on smartphones, in its vehicles in China.

On April 20, Baidu held a news conference announcing collaborations with several companies, including Tesla, although the FSD feature was not specifically mentioned.

(Reporting by Liam Mo in Beijing, Zhang Yan and Brenda Goh in Shanghai; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Baltimore Sheriff Sam Cogen endorsed former Mayor Sheila Dixon in the race for mayor Monday, becoming the latest law enforcement official to endorse in the contest.

Cogen, the citys sheriff since 2022, said Dixon will make the sheriffs office a partner in her administration, something he says current Mayor Brandon Scott has failed to do.

I do not have a partner with this mayor, Cogen said of Scott during a news conference in Dixons campaign headquarters. I need a partner.

Cogens terminology echoed that of Baltimore States Attorney Ivan Bates who endorsed Dixon earlier this month. Bates endorsement came just days after he went public about a growing rift between him and Scott over their approaches to fighting crime. Bates said Scott had not backed him in his efforts to implement a citation docket to prosecute low-level crimes. In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, Bates said he needs a partner in City Hall. He also appeared in a television ad alongside Dixon titled partner.

Dixon, Baltimores mayor from 2007 to 2010, is hoping to oust Scott from the office he has held since 2020. Former prosecutor Thiru Vignarajah and businessman Bob Wallace are also in the field. All are Democrats. The Democratic primary May 14 is likely to determine the outcome of the race in deeply blue Baltimore.

A recent poll for The Sun, University of Baltimore and FOX45 showed Scott and Dixon locked in a close contest with 38% of likely voters saying they supported the incumbent mayor and 35% saying they favored Dixon.

Cogen, who campaigned on a promise to reform the sheriffs office and make it a more active participant in city law enforcement, said Scott and his administration have obstructed the progress of the sheriffs office through incompetence, delay or by deliberate means. Asked for more detail, Cogen said he had reached out to the Scott administration about getting sheriffs office employees more involved, and that outreach has been met with silence.

I dont see any return on that kind of dialogue, Cogen said. Thats lacking. Its very problematic because of that.

Cogen said Scott has been resistant to increasing wages for his deputies who he said make $30,000 less than city police officers. He likened Scott to a bear that wants to eat him.

If a bear is threatened by you, you play dead for that bear, right? Because its just a territorial thing. But theres another bear that just comes to try to eat you. I sort of feel like Im not getting anything from him (Scott)  hes the eating bear, Cogen said.

So when the bear comes to eat you, you dont play dead for that bear, you fight that bear, Cogen added. And thats sort of like where I am right now.

Scotts office confirmed Monday that Cogen made a request to use money within the sheriffs budget to increase salaries for employees. Scotts staff supplied a letter from the mayor to Cogan explaining that the money the sheriff hoped to use was committed to cover wages, including overtime and detail pay, through the end of the current budget year. Additionally, the Maryland Secretary of Budget and Management has the authority to set salaries for employees of the office, the letter states.

Mayor Scott has said repeatedly that public safety is too important to play politics with, Scotts spokesman Bryan Doherty said. Mayor Scott will always do the right thing the right way, in accordance with the law, no matter how frustrating that is for Sheriff Cogen.
Ban on shooting live pigeons as targets advances in Pa. House for first time since 2011

(Getty Images)

Pennsylvania is the only state where live pigeons are regularly used for target shooting, animal rights advocates say, and legislation that passed a state House committee Monday could put an end to the centuries-old practice.

House Bill 2139, sponsored by Rep. Perry Warren (D-Bucks), passed with a 16-8 vote in the House Judiciary Committee to the cheers of dozens of Humane Society of the United States members gathered for the organizations lobbying event.

Although activists were successful more than a quarter century ago in shutting down what had been billed as the worlds largest pigeon shoot each Labor Day in Hegins, Schuylkill County, pigeon shoots still happen in at least one location in Pennsylvania, state Rep. Melissa Schusterman (D-Chester) said.

What we see in public polls is overwhelmingly that Pennsylvanians, like those here in this room, support ending live pigeon shoots, Schusterman, chairperson of the Legislatures bicameral Animal Protection Caucus, said during Mondays Judiciary Committee meeting.

They are a misrepresentation of the long tradition of hunting in this Commonwealth, Schusterman said. True hunters know that pigeon shoots have nothing to do with hunting and damage the reputation of the sport of hunting.

State Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin) said he could not support the bill out of concern that it could be a slippery slope that could affect the rights of sportsmen. Eight Republican members of the committee followed Kauffmans lead in opposing the bill. Reps. Jim Rigby (R-Cambria) and Stephenie Scialabba (R-Butler) voted in favor of the bill while Rep. Tim Bonner (R-Mercer) did not vote.

The Philadelphia Gun Club in Bensalem, Bucks County, holds about a dozen live pigeon shoots each year, Humane Society Senior Vice President Heidi Prescott said. Before the pandemic, several organizations around the state held similar events using live pigeons as targets and the Humane Society hopes to prevent a resurgence, Prescott said.

More and more hunters are willing to speak out against it because of the image it gives hunting, Prescott said.

In a live pigeon shoot, specially bred pigeons are released from boxes or launched by hand for shooters who try to down the birds with shotguns. Those who oppose the practice say the birds that arent killed immediately are often left to succumb to their injuries, to predators or to infection, dehydration or starvation.

Using live pigeons for shoots is legal in Pennsylvania, although it is illegal to kill or trap homing pigeons.

Under the legislation, which now goes to the full House for a vote, it would be a summary offense for a person to organize or permit a premises to be used for a contest in which live pigeons are used as targets for amusement or a test of marksmanship.

The bill would not prevent fair chase hunting or the training of dogs for hunting and does not affect 2nd Amendment rights, an analysis of the bill prepared by judiciary committee staff found.

Lawmakers have tried unsuccessfully to pass legislation to ban live pigeon shoots since 1987, Prescott said. A Senate bill introduced by former Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh) passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2011, but never received a vote in the full Senate.

Fifteen states have laws that specifically prohibit keeping live birds to be used as targets or prohibit killing a bird. Courts or a state attorney general have held that pigeon shooting is illegal under existing anti-cruelty laws and 22 states have anti-cruelty laws that would bar pigeon shooting but have never been tested in court according to the Humane Society.

The post Ban on shooting live pigeons as targets advances in Pa. House for first time since 2011 appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 29. There is a pressing need to accelerate the issuance of a green sukuk, said Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser, Chairman of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, addressing the panel discussions on Accelerating Climate Finance through Green and Sustainability Sukuk, held as part of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) annual meetings in Riyadh, Trend reports.

Sukuk (Islamic bond or Sharia-compliant bond) is an Islamic financial certificate that represents a portion of ownership in a portfolio of eligible existing or future assets.

The world continues to grapple with a substandard funding deficit for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To help bridge this gap innovative financial instruments need to be pursued and mobilized. From the perspective of the Islamic Development Bank, we believe there is a pressing need to accelerate the issuance of sukuk, particularly green and sustainability sukuk to mobilize increased financing for the SDGs, he said.

Al Jasser pointed out that IsDB has ambitiously set a climate finance target of 35 percent by 2025.

The good news is that we have already surpassed this target two years ahead.

Green and sustainable sukuk are fully aligned with the globally accepted principles of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA). This has been reaffirmed by the guidance of sustainable sukuk that we are launching here together with ICMA and the London Stock Exchange. We joined hands at the recent COP28 to develop this guidance. The aim is to demystify the sukuk instruments defined green, social and sustainability sukuk and demonstrate their alignment with ICMA principles, he said.

The Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB) is holding its 2024 Annual Meetings and Golden Jubilee in Riyadh from April 27-30, under the Royal Patronage of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The 2024 Annual Meetings are being held under the theme of Cherishing our Past, Charting our Future: Originality, Solidarity and Prosperity, which marks IsDBs 50 years of fostering socio-economic development in its member countries.

Among other topics, the meetings also featured roundtable on COP29 with participation of Azerbaijani government representatives.

As the premier South-South multilateral development Bank, the 2024 IsDB Group Annual Meetings and Golden Jubilee attracts international and regional attention.

The Annual Meetings feature a series of side events with top-level panelists from government, international and regional organizations, the private sector, academia, and civil society.

Ministers of Economy, Planning, and Finance from IsDB's 57 member countries are participating in the event, along with representatives of international and regional financial institutions, Islamic banks, private sector companies, national and international development finance institutions, international and regional organizations, NGOs, chambers of commerce & Industry, and business councils.
As representatives of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the NAACP, we are deeply committed to safeguarding the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color in our city. It is with this commitment in mind that we address you today regarding the recent Louisiana Supreme Court decision supporting the incorporation of the proposed city of St. George and the Louisiana Legislatures proposal of House Bill 6.

The St. George plan poses significant risks to our education system, threatens the continuity of critical programs, and challenges community representation. The creation of a new municipality introduces considerable uncertainty around funding allocation for our schools, jeopardizing the cornerstone of our communitys future: education. We urge the court to ensure that current funding levels are maintained, if not increased, to support our schools during this transition period. We emphasize the importance of community involvement in decisions that impact our childrens education. The incorporation of St. George should not diminish transparency or reduce community input.

We acknowledge Mayor-President Broomes opposition to the movement, reflecting concerns about potential segregation and unequal resource distribution. In light of these considerations, we call upon organizers, policymakers, and supporters to recognize the broader implications for education, community representation, and social justice. Our children and community deserve a stable, equitable, and inclusive environment, and we implore decision makers to prioritize these fundamental values.

Additionally, we express our concerns about the proposed annexation into the new city of St. George and its implications for education. While we understand the desire for local autonomy, we urge careful consideration of the potential disruptions and increased financial burden on our schools and students. Drawing from the experiences of other Louisiana communities, we stress the importance of a comprehensive plan, community input, and collaboration to mitigate these challenges and safeguard the quality of education for our students.

House Bill 6, by Representative Emily Chenevert, creates additional issues. Key concerns include the displacement of nearly 7,000 children and the unclear fate of those in specialized programs such as magnet, gifted and talented, focus choice, and C Tech. The impact on children with disabilities remains uncertain, as it could affect specialized classrooms and related services. The unknown costs of this legislation could negatively affect surrounding school districts like Baker, Central, and Zachary, as well as EBRPSSs ability to provide contracted services to children with disabilities. Further complicating matters are the potential expenses associated with acquiring or leasing buildings, buses, and other infrastructure, as well as the negative impact on staff employment and benefits. Critics also highlight the lack of a comprehensive plan addressing sustainability, funding, services, programs, staff benefits, and, most critically, the needs of students and families.

In conclusion, we stand ready to collaborate with you to ensure that the interests of our students are protected and that they continue to have access to the excellent education they deserve, regardless of any changes in municipal boundaries. Thank you for your time and consideration of these crucial matters.
Beaufort is spending $3M to fix up this key road near the hospital. Prepare for delays

A $3 million upgrade will improve the look and function of a major residential road in Beaufort.

The streetscape and stormwater work on Allison Road, located off of busy Ribaut Road near Beaufort Memorial Hospital, will result in traffic interruptions at times, according to the city. Work began Monday and will wrap up this fall.

A big part of the job is an 8-foot-wide sidewalk that will be built on the south side of the road to connect Ribaut Road with the Spanish Moss Trail. The sidewalk will provide an easier pedestrian path between the popular trail and the hospital, said Kathleen Williams, a city spokesperson.

Work began this week on a $3 million streetscape and drainage improvement project along Allison Road in Beaufort that will cause occasional traffic delays over the next several months.

To alleviate stormwater drainage issues, pipe will be installed in a ditch on the south side of the street, Williams said. New curbs, gutters and catch basins are planned as well.

New street lights and landscaping are planned and the road will be repaved. Utilities will be placed underground  except for large transmission lines  on the north side of the road.

Dominion Energy was scheduled to begin putting utilities underground this week.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Most of the work will occur during weekday hours. However, the city said, residents should be prepared for traffic delays at times during the course of the project. Project updates will be posted on social media.

The project is being financed with state grants, bond funds, federal COVID-19 relief money awarded through the American Rescue Plan Act and contributions from other agencies that are partnering with the city on the project.

A new sidewalk, the burying of utilities and repaving are all part of a $3 million upgrade to Allison Road in Beaufort. The work began this week.
Tank cars set ablaze at a railway junction in Donetsk during an early incident in the conflict in October

Sometimes the metaphors write themselves. As Putin purportedly seeks to showcase the illusion of Russian strength by parading a captured British Saxon armoured personnel carrier from the 1970s in Red Square  donated to Ukraine in 2015 from mothballed British stocks  Ukrainian saboteurs are deep behind Russian lines actually doing the business.

Whereas Russia is desperate to display destroyed western kit, Ukraine is hard at work eroding Russian capacity and, crucially, hitting Moscow where it hurts  inside its own borders. The news today that two railway lines in Russia have been destroyed is a clear example of an evolving strategy designed to hurt a security-obsessed Putin and degrade Moscows ability to wage war.

One train was set on fire in Orenburg, 1,100 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border, by unknown persons on 28 April. Another was destroyed in a fire in the Russian city of Vladikavkaz, close to the border with Georgia, overnight on 26 April.

As long-awaited US military aid recently passed by Congress begins to make its way to Europe over the coming days and weeks, Russias war of aggression is changing, as Kyiv increases the number of guerrilla operations against Russian forces. This comes at a time of decreasing conventional operations  particularly offensive actions  due to the reduced armaments available during this springs Congressional budget deadlock.

Kyiv is relying on SAS-in-WW2-style operations, therefore, to make the difference on the battlefield  targeting rail networks, infrastructure and energy depots, seeking to cause death by a thousand cuts to Russias increasingly vulnerable and exposed critical supply lines.

This comes only one week after further likely partisan action on the border of Russia and Belarus, as suspected saboteurs set fire to two relay cabinets and burned railway equipment on the Gusino-Krasnoe section in the Smolensk region of western Russia, on the route to Moscow.

The Russian rail network has been critical for Russia throughout the war, with the Kremlin often relying on trains to ferry tens of thousands of troops and enormous amounts of artillery and armoured vehicles to the front.

As Kyiv has had to grapple with the existential uncertainty of continued US funding and assistance, in addition to being denied long-range German-made Taurus cruise missiles perfectly designed to destroy harden Russia war infrastructure, its little wonder Ukraine have stepped up their attacks inside Russias borders  something many western leaders advised caution against, fearful of potential Russian retaliation.

That caution is misplaced though. Whenever the Kremlin mouthpiece Dmitry Peskov, or even Putin himself, has vaguely threatened the West  such as when Britain announced the sending of main battle tanks to Ukraine last January  it has always resulted in a sabre-rattlingthen nothing.

Rather than hamstringing Kyiv from taking action against legitimate military targets inside Russia, the West should be supporting such actions, particularly if it is still unprepared to supply weapons that will make a tangible difference to Ukraines defence, or if choosing to hold Ukraine economically hostage.

As Moscow continues its unrelenting scorched earth policy across Ukraine  bombing population centres and targeting cities  the brave Ukrainian people are steadfast and resolute. They will not falter. Can the same be said about Russians, as Ukraine rightly steps up legitimate attacks within Russias borders?

If Ukraine really wants to hit Russia where it hurts, it must increase attacks against its rail network and other core infrastructure. Oil and gas depots, too, offer ample opportunities, which is why they have made such good targets, albeit at the alleged frustration of Washington, who  absurdly  apparently feared the implications for global energy markets.

Such examples of Western weakness, tying Ukrainian hands, must end. Just imagine where we might be if we had given Kyiv the conventional weapons they asked for on Day One: they would never have had to be launching these strikes inside Russia at all. Western attempts to deescalate the conflict have done the complete opposite.

We should remember that in the weeks and months ahead when Russia threatens retribution for escalatory acts. The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Robert Clark is a senior fellow at the think tank Civitas, where he writes on defence and security. He spent nine years undertaking active service, including tours of Iraq and Afghanistan

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A BND series of ongoing coverage on issues that matter most to metro-east residents. This series takes a look at derelict properties and their effect on neighborhoods and public resources.

Half of a west Belleville duplex thats falling into disrepair has become a headache for city officials, police, neighbors and an alderwoman who is frustrated beyond belief.

The man who owned and lived in the unit died five years ago, apparently with no will. Since that time, its been tied up in bureaucracy with a reverse-mortgage lender and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which essentially inherited the federally-insured loan and its property lien.

To make matters worse, a squatter took possession early last year and refuses to leave, and police cant force entry without a court-ordered eviction, according to city officials.

The woman has removed HUD-ordered locks on doors and replaced them with her own and repeatedly signed up for utilities using fake names, said Scott Tyler, the citys director of health, housing and building.

When I asked HUD what their next step is, they said they were going to sell it, and whoever buys it is going to be responsible for getting the squatter out of there, he said.

I said, Do you let these people know that? Theyre buying a piece of property ... Do they understand that theres a squatter in there and that they have to deal with it? Its crazy.

As of last week, the front window featured dueling messages, including a No Trespassing sign posted by the squatter and a city notice stating that the unit is condemned as unsafe for human occupancy due to the water being turned off. No one answered a knock on the door by a BND reporter.

The other half of the duplex has a different owner whos been renting it out, but the tenant left about a month ago, neighbors say.

Shingles are falling off the roof at 7312 Foley Drive in Belleville, where half of a duplex has been vacant for five years.

Enlisting congressional help

In January, the city and a nonprofit organization called West End Redevelopment Corp. asked for help with the problem unit at 7312 Foley Drive from U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-13th District in Illinois). The organization even offered to buy it.

According to Budzinskis chief of staff, John Lee, her caseworkers reached out to HUD representatives, who told them that squatting is a local law-enforcement issue and the agency is planning to sell the loan this year to an eligible bidder as part of an asset sale.

The new servicer will move forward with foreclosure to get title to the property, and then they can sell it, wrote HUD representative Kimberly Danna in an email to a Budzinski caseworker.

Under Illinois law, it could take several more months for a new owner to evict the squatter.

In the meantime, the unit continues to deteriorate. Shingles are falling from the roof, black mold is growing on exterior siding, paint is peeling off the garage door and trash is strewn in the yard.

Ward 8 Alderwoman Kara Osthoff didnt respond to BND requests for comment. But she expressed concern in a December 2023 email obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

The perception that the west end of Belleville in particular is going downhill is something I know you have all heard from the community, Osthoff wrote to Tyler, Mayor Patty Gregory, Police Chief Matt Eiskant, Sgt. Sam Parsons and city attorneys Garrett Hoerner and Lloyd Cueto.

I know that we have many many issues facing us, but if we dont start addressing these things with more urgency and immediacy, I dont know what is going to become of the aging house stock we have on this side of town.

Assistant Police Chief Mark Heffernan, spokesman for Belleville Police Department, declined to be interviewed this month about the Foley Drive unit or squatting in general.

Trash is stacked next to the front door at 7312 Foley Drive in Belleville, where a squatter installed her own door knob and dead-bolt lock.

Built in the 1980s

Kent Gardner, who owned and lived in the unit at 7312 Foley Drive, died in 2019 at age 87. Before retirement, the former East St. Louis resident had worked as a U.S. government energy consultant in California and elsewhere for decades, according to his obituary.

St. Clair County records show Gardner bought the unit in the 1980s, when it was part of a new complex of four duplexes, also known as villas, at Foley Drive and South 74th Street. Hes still listed as the property owner.

Gardner took out a $183,000 home-equity conversion mortgage in 2011, the records show. It was part of a Federal Housing Administration reverse-mortgage loan program for senior citizens who go through FHA-approved lenders.

(The program) enables you to withdraw a portion of your homes equity to use for home maintenance, repairs, or general living expenses, HUDs website explains.

Today, the Foley Drive unit is assessed at $44,177. Thats one-third of its market value of $132,531, although other units in the same complex have sold for significantly less in recent years.

Kent Gardners wife, Patty, died in 2011, his obituary states. Son Scott Gardner couldnt be reached for comment on this story. Daughter Stacey Gardner declined to comment.

In 2022, Belleville resident Chris Lumpy Landrum took an interest in the vacant unit, thinking it would be a nice place to live and knowing the developer had a reputation for top-quality construction.

The unit has a fireplace, brick facade in front, composite siding, a shake-shingle roof, wooded back yard, privacy fence and vibrant Japanese maple in front.

I was hoping to buy it in in a short sale, Landrum said, adding that he grew up on the west end and would take better care of the property than a real-estate investor just riding a hot market.

But Landrum said he faced hurdle after hurdle getting information from HUD. Then in early 2023, he began seeing the squatter, who moved in despite notices posted on windows by Guardian Asset Management, an agency contractor, that prohibited occupancy.

The woman stayed regularly at first then left for weeks at a time, Landrum said. He described the units interior as going from clean and well-maintained to dirty and full of trash. Its windows are now covered with paper.

St. Clair County records show that the federal government has paid taxes on the property, but a private investor bought its delinquent-tax bill for 2022, so the party that redeems it will have to pay interest.

This drone photo shows four duplexes, also known as villas, with eight units that are part of a complex on Foley Drive in Belleville.

Different kind of squatting

Belleville has had problems in the past with squatters in chronically-derelict buildings, particularly in its historic downtown. City officials have determined that many are living on the street due to drug addiction or mental illness.

However, the situation at 7312 Foley Drive is different. The unit looked to be in good shape when it was first vacated, Landrum said. Reports by police and city officials obtained through the Freedom of Information Act request indicate the squatter has a vehicle and small children.

There are a lot of professional squatters out there, Landrum said. They just move from place to place to place and never have to pay a dime of rent or living expenses. Theyre not stupid.

Tyler, the housing director, told the BND he went to the Foley Drive unit in February 2023, made contact with the squatter and notified her that she couldnt legally live there without an occupancy permit.

The woman reportedly told Tyler she was a relative and caregiver for the deceased owner and promised she would go to the housing office to get a permit the next day, which didnt happen, according to police reports and an email from Tyler to Chief Eiskant.

Tyler then made contact with (the deceased owners) daughter, who said that she did not know this woman and had no idea why she was living in his house, one police report stated.

Officers went to the unit in early March to issue the woman a citation for occupancy violations and reported that she opened the door but then closed it, purportedly to call Tyler, and never came back.

Around the same time, Tyler sent an email to Hoerner and Cueto, the city attorneys, asking what could be done to stop utility companies from turning on power and water for properties without occupancy permits.

This is even happening at vacant houses where the person has no right to even be in the property and is squatting, he wrote. We have an ordinance on the books that says it is required. Is this not enforceable? Because it is sure making it very easy to avoid inspections or even squat in homes.

Osthoff also weighed in on the issue in her December 2023 email, stating that the idea of a squatter getting utilities without an occupancy permit, much less legal tenancy, is ludicrous.

A squatter put up a No Trespassing sign in the front window of a duplex unit at 7312 Foley Drive in Belleville.

Patience wearing thin

By August 2023, it seemed that city patience was wearing thin with the situation at 7312 Foley Drive.

Cliff Cross, director of economic development, planning and zoning, sent emails to two HUD representatives, advising that city officials planned to contact Budzinskis office due to the agencys lax approach to the problem.

(The unit) clearly has not been monitored, addressed or secured by HUD or their affiliated property management agency, Cross wrote to representative John Nguyen on Aug. 30, 2023.

HUD representative Michael Pompa later conducted an inspection of the unit and determined it to be vacant, according to emails between him and Tyler. He sent a contractor to install new locks and post new notices prohibiting occupancy in early December 2023.

However, Tyler stopped by on Dec. 20, 2023, and discovered that the squatter had returned, replaced the locks with her own and removed the notices.

Illinois eviction laws are designed to protect tenants and others from being put out on the street at the whim of property owners, according to Noah Halpern, an attorney who specializes in housing issues with Land of Lincoln Legal Aid in East St. Louis.

Whoever wants them out has to demonstrate that theyre the ones who have the superior right to possession, he said.

The way property owners demonstrate that is to go through an eviction process in court, even when dealing with squatters, who may claim that their histories or relationships give them possession rights.

Ashlee Strong, a HUD spokeswoman in its Chicago regional office, declined to make anyone available for an interview regarding the Foley Drive unit. In an emailed statement, she reiterated the agencys plan for an asset sale and addressed the squatter issue.

Recently, the property was adversely occupied with an unknown occupant, the statement read. The city has issued a notice to the squatter, and HUD is actively engaged in the process of resecuring the property.

Black mold is growing on siding at 7312 Foley Drive in Belleville, where half of a duplex has been vacant for five years.

Nonprofit files lawsuit

Neighbors at the Foley Drive complex have been wondering for months what was going on at 7312.

Some expressed concern about trash around the unit. Others mentioned that the intermittent female occupant has small children who play in the parking lot without adult supervision.

I wish someone would do something, said neighbor Julie Barnett. Its an eyesore. Thats the first thing I see when I pull in.

West End Redevelopment Corp., which buys and renovates derelict buildings in west Belleville, may be the best hope for saving the Foley Drive unit from further deterioration.

The nonprofit organization is trying to take possession under the Illinois Abandoned Housing Rehabilitation Act. The law allows nonprofits to file lawsuits and get circuit courts to force owners of nuisance properties to bring them into compliance with local codes.

If owners decline, theres a path for the organizations to take ownership. If the owners cant be found, organizations can take temporary possession, do the renovations themselves and get reimbursed.

West End Redevelopment Corp. filed its abatement of nuisance case on April 1 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.

Its a dilapidated property, and its within our corridor, said Board President Donna Veile. A lot of people drive by that complex on Foley Drive. Its very visible.

The organization cant participate in HUD asset sales because it isnt a eligible bidder with at least $3 million in equity, according to Veile. Landrum isnt eligible, either.

Landrum praised city officials and West End Redevelopment Corp. for monitoring the Foley Drive situation instead of letting it fall through the cracks. He blames the mess on the federal government.

Theyre going to package a couple hundred of those (loans) and sell them to some company with millions of dollars, and regular people cant even bid on them, he said. Its so unfair.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Sunday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in Gaza  upping his rhetoric against the U.S.-funded military offensive in the enclave that has been underway for nearly seven months.

CNNs State of the Union show was Sanders first time using the term ethnic cleansing to describe the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, where soldiers have killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, wounded more than 75,000, displaced most of the population, destroyed cultural, medical and educational infrastructure, and created a famine by blocking most aid from entering the territory.

I dont think theres any doubt that what Netanyahu is doing now  displacing 80% of the population in Gaza  is ethnic cleansing, Sanders told CNN host Dana Bash. Thats what it is, pushing out huge numbers of people.

He added: I think I, and a majority of the American people, do not want to be complicit in the humanitarian disaster that Netanyahu is causing in Gaza right now.

The decision to use the term to describe the crisis in Gaza is an escalation of Sanders criticism of the U.S. governments role in supporting the deadly military campaign, which began Oct. 7 after Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people and resulted in about 250 people being taken hostage. Half of the hostages were released during a temporary halt in fighting, and about 30 of those remaining are presumed dead.

Both Israel and Hamas appear to be nowhere close to a deal that would allow a permanent cease-fire, the return of hostages and the flow of humanitarian aid.

The Biden administration has continued to send billions in military aid to Israel, despite growing opposition from various Democratic lawmakers and from many everyday Americans  including college students across the country who are protesting Israels military campaign, Israeli soldiers use of U.S. weapons to kill Palestinians, and universities financial ties to Israel.

Heres another video where you can more clearly hear the pro-Israel crowd chanting go to Gaza at Columbia students through the gate https://t.co/3tYRP4XGGUpic.twitter.com/uDcSzcNWiH  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 26, 2024

Lets take a deep look beyond the protests: How do the American people feel about U.S. military aid to the Netanyahu government? Sanders asked, after having to repeatedly redirect Bashs questions about student demonstrations and refocus the conversation on the humanitarian crisis itself.

What Netanyahu is trying to do very clearly is to say, Anybody who criticizes what Israel is doing, you are antisemitic. Well, are there some antisemites? Well, you just saw one, yeah, the senator continued, referring to a clip Bash played of what she said was a protester calling for the death of Zionists.

But what Im saying is, if you look at the polling, the vast majority of the American people are disgusted with Netanyahus war machine in Gaza, Sanders said. And they do not want further U.S. military aid to his government.

Tensions between Sanders and Netanyahu have soared as the senator continues to call out the prime minister for his military campaign. In response to what he called horrific campus protests, Netanyahu described student protesters of all races, ethnicities and religions as antisemitic mobs.

Viral clips have emerged of individuals making antisemitic comments, but protest organizers have condemned such remarks and, in some cases, attributed them to counterprotesters or outside agitators. Most photos and videos of the protests show students peacefully demonstrating before law enforcement arrives.

Mr. Netanyahu, antisemitism is a vile and disgusting form of bigotry that has done unspeakable harm to millions.



Do not insult the intelligence of the American people by attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal war policies of your extremist and racist government. pic.twitter.com/CnM6oOrHKd  Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 25, 2024

Mr. Netanyahu, antisemitism is a vile and disgusting form of bigotry that has done unspeakable harm to many millions of people, Sanders, who is Jewish and whose fathers family was killed in the Holocaust, said last week in a video addressed to the prime minister. Do not insult the intelligence of the American people by attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal war policies of your extremist and racist government.

Despite a growing number of U.S. officials speaking out against Israels military campaign, most are still hesitant to use terms like apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide, language that is particularly freighted when discussing a state that was established for Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. Sanders said he believes the question of whether genocide is an applicable term should be determined by international courts.

South Africa has accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, a charge that Israel vehemently denies. That case is currently sitting before the International Court of Justice. A bombshell United Nations report also concluded that Israels actions in Gaza constitute genocide.

Multiple human rights groups have released reports that say Israel has long been committing apartheid against Palestinians, not just in Gaza but also in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Related...
Bernie Sanders speaks out about US college protests against Israels war in Gaza while drawing attention to the need to condemn, in every form, antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry.

Mr Sanders, the independent Vermont senator, was questioned by CNNs Dana Bash on State of the Union on Sunday over the role of antisemitism in pro-Palestine protests that have erupted across college campuses in the United States.

Reports of antisemitism have cropped up across university campuses since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, leaving 1,200 dead. Mr Sanders said to CNN that antisemitism is a vile and disgusting ideology.

But here is the reality: right now, what Netanyahus right-wing, extremist and racist government is doing is unprecedented in the modern history of warfare, he said.

We are looking at the possibility of mass starvation and famine in Gaza. When you make those charges, that is not antisemitic. That is a reality.

As the war has continued with ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza and more than 34,000 Palestinians being killed, antisemitic, Islamophobic and anti-Arab hate incidents have increased across the country, civil rights advocates have reported.

The continuing attack on Gaza has also seen pro-Palestine protests sweep across college campuses in solidarity with Gaza through demonstrations and encampments on campus lawns.

As tensions have escalated, hundreds of people have been arrested on differing campuses, students and professors alike, and law enforcement has launched violent crackdowns on the protests.

Bernie Sanders issued a scathing statement towards Netanyahu on Thursday over campus protests (Getty Images)

More than 100 people at Columbia alone amid the protest encampments, which are demanding the school to divest their financial ties to Israel over the war in Gaza.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused US college students protesting against the war in Gaza of being antisemitic in a video released on Wednesday, where he referred to protestors as antisemitic mobs and compared them to what happened in German universities in the 1930s.

Mr Sanders responded in a statement on Thursday refuting Netanyahus accusations of antisemitism.

No, Mr Netanyahu. It is not antisemitic or pro-Hamas to point out that in a little over six months your extremist government has killed 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 77,000  70 per cent of whom are women and children. It is not antisemitic to point out that your bombing has completely destroyed more than 221,000 housing units in Gaza, leaving more than one million people homeless  almost half the population, Mr Sanders said.

The senator reiterated his statement on State of the Union on Sunday, adding that we have to pay attention to the disastrous and humanitarian disaster taking place in Gaza right now.

Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University on Saturday (Copyright 2024 the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved)

Im Jewish, all right? My fathers family was wiped out by Hitler. Antisemitism is a disgusting and vile form of bigotry, which has killed millions of people, Mr Sanders said Sunday, according to CNN. I would hope that every American condemns antisemitism. We condemn Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry.

Mr Sanders accused Netanyahu in his Thursday statement of attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal war policies of your extremist and racist government.

It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable for your actions, he said.

Protests have taken place at a number of US universities including Yale, Columbia University, New York University, University of Southern California, and the University of Texas, Austin.

US House speaker Mike Johnson visited Columbia on Wednesday, where he also characterised all the campus pro-Palestine protests across the country as antisemitic and called for the universitys president to resign, yet he was greeted by a chorus of boos and chants from the crowd.
A Los Angeles Times ad featuring Bob Pool when he was a reporter in the San Fernando Valley Edition. (Los Angeles Times)

It's a risky proposition to create a "best of" list for Bob Pool stories in the Los Angeles Times.

Not only are there too many to choose from  more than 4,000  but there are few shortcuts for finding the true gems. That's because Pool hated writing for Page 1. He favored economy over length. And the headlines rarely did justice to tales he could weave way inside the old Times Valley Edition, say, on a page next to GE refrigerator ads.

Readers could chuckle at one story Pool wrote for inside the Metro section in 1984, then notice that was one of three bylines he had on the page and that the real winner was at the bottom, in this case, the tale of a Canoga Park homeowner named Jeanette Kohane, whose discovery of chocolate cake smeared on her home (she assumed it was vandalism) led police to a crime ring that was stealing food from the local school's cafeteria.

Read more: Bob Pool, veteran L.A. Times newsman and observer of the human condition, dies at 79

Pool, who died Sunday, was a legend in The Times newsroom for three decades. Most of that time, he did not have a defined assignment. His beat was "the Bob Pool story," a perfect slice of the Los Angeles human condition that on many days made reading a newspaper chronicling wars, sleazy politicians, economic distress and environment degradation somewhat bearable.

He had an eye for stories you would want to read. He found people you wanted to know. He respected your time. And he knew how to make you smile (during his early days at the Thousand Oaks News-Chronicle, he knew how to get you interested in a municipal government piece: "Although they're already up to their knees in sewage effluent, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District leaders agreed Monday night to consider expanding their sewer system to Topanga Canyon.")

Bob had a desk in the newsroom, but he was most likely out in the field, discovering the unexpected, the surprising and the slightly absurd. In West L.A., he caught up with the head of the Early Typewriter Collectors Assn.  a man in possession of more than 70 machines. But Bob didn't write it as a nostalgia piece. It turned out he produced the group's newsletter on a Mac.

A computer is so much better, said the Typewriter King.

As Times columnist Steve Lopez wrote of Pool on his 2014 retirement: "He's the ultimate reminder to reporters that "good things happen when you blow off news conferences, set fire to press releases, get out of the office and celebrate the daily drama on what might be the worlds greatest stage."

Los Angeles Times reporter Bob Pool (Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times)

Bob, meet Bob. And another Bob

Pool had a knack for orchestrating a story into something more magical. So in 1991, he had an idea when David Rensin and Bill Zehme published the The Bob Book, which Pool described as a paperback that aimed to explore the "name Bob backward and forward."

He arranged to have Times photographer Bob Chamberlin take the pictures, and editor Bob Welkos edited the story.

As for the name, Pool found merit.

There has never been a President named Bob or a King Bob or a Pope Bob, of course. But Rensin and Zehme have decided that men named Bob are men who get things done.

True, Bobs do enjoy a solid sense of sameness. But they are decent, dependable types who instinctively make the most of a bad situation, according to the book. Bobs are sensible, approachable, likable and reliable. Not to mention predictable.

Nobody named Bob could have ever written The Bob Book, said Rensin, 41, of Sherman Oaks. Thats because Bobs are too pragmatic and unpretentious. Bobs dont wear berets or quote Nietzsche or hang out at Renaissance fairs, he said. They dont take themselves seriously.

Pool used to tell colleagues he was grateful for being named "Bob."

What would have happened if his parents named him Seth, he joked.

The bellman from Bell who became a bellwether in Bel-Air

Pool always preferred the little guy over the big name. That is why he was drawn to the story of Tony Marquez:

Once the packages went in the box, Tony Marquezs award was in the bag.

Thats the short version of how a Los Angeles bellhop has won the title of best hotel worker in America.

Marquez is bell captain at the Hotel Bel-Air. Its the sprawling hideaway in Stone Canyon north of Westwood where cottage-like suites can go for $3,000 a night  and celebrity guests can come with a truckload of luggage.

But schlepping heavy suitcases and trunks around the Bel-Airs 12-acre grounds isnt what earned Marquez a national hotel-rating services only individual five-star ranking.

Pool ended the 2004 piece with one of his more beloved kickers: "So says the bellman from Bell who became a bellwether in Bel-Air."

Santa Pool

In 1990, Pool spent weeks undercover as a retail Santa Claus, reporting a series of stories that would become Times Christmas classics:

By last weekend, Id spent three weeks portraying Santa in shopping centers and elsewhere around town. I figured I had the slow-gaited Santa walk down pat. Ditto the Santa talk  the patter about what children want for Christmas, the milk and cookies they plan to leave out for me and the importance of brushing teeth and going to bed on time.

Santas always wonder about it, but I dont think you should have any fears about being recognized, said Jenny Zink, head of the Santa Division for Western Temporary Services, who has hired 3,500 St. Nicks across the country this month. Costumed Santas even go unrecognized by their own children, she said.

But Mrs. Claus was not a believer. Rachel will know who you are, she fretted. Youll destroy her.

I was undeterred. To make the test complete, I arranged for several of my nieces and nephews from Valencia to also visit with Santa. Mrs. Claus threw up her hands when she heard that.

Pool closed another in the series this way: "At the end of my shift, I took my aching back home for a long, steaming shower. My beard went for a soak in a bath of lukewarm water and Woolite."

The guest who never checked out

It's no surprise Pool was drawn to Thelma Becker, who as he reported in 1988, checked into downtown L.A.'s Biltmore Hotel "on Jan. 7, 1940, and never checked out."

These days, hotel staff members look after the 5-foot-tall Becker as if she was each ones mother. She is a guest at the hotels annual employee Christmas party. She has her own mail box at the employee mail center.

She was invited into a heavily guarded ballroom for a peek at the silver table settings before the Duke and Duchess of York arrived for a recent formal dinner.

She knows everything about the hotel, said Evelyne Gibert, manager of the Biltmores pastry shop. If we do the pastry wrong, shes not afraid to let us know. She knows the ingredients I put in the pastry. She even knows my husband.

Becker remembers employees birthdays with gifts or, in the case of Biltmore public relations director Victoria King, with a surprise party on Tuesday night at a Mexican restaurant.

She gives me the funnies from her paper every Sunday, said front desk clerk Teina Tahauri.

The L.A. gas station canon

Over the years, he developed a few favorite topics he returned to over and over, with the L.A. gas station perhaps topping the list.

When mini-malls began replacing service stations in the 1980s, he found many residents had surprisingly emotional bonds to their fill-up spot. He wrote about fake gas stations and competing Chevron stations at the same Fairfax District intersection (They like not having to make a left turn to get in here"), and the 76 station located in the Dodger Stadium parking lot."

One of his most famous was a piece about Paul Moghadan's opulent, chandelier-lighted restroom at his West Covina Chevron station. "In an era when many service stations can barely keep their restrooms open, much less clean, Moghadans is a sight for sore eyes, not to mention bursting bladders," Pool wrote.

"A fancy toilette, he says, is good for the bottom line."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 29. The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, paving the way for greater cooperation in Islamic capital market (ICM) and broadening the reach of Islamic fintech and social finance, particularly waqf, Trend reports.

Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim and IsDB President and Chairman, His Excellency Dr. Muhammad Al Jasserwitnessed the signing of the MOU, the first-of-its-kind between the Malaysian capital market regulator and the premier multilateral development bank of the Global South on the sidelines of the IsDB Annual General Meeting 2024 in Riyadh.

Under the MOU, both the SC and IsDB will collaborate in several key areas. These include facilitating innovation in Islamic fintech, promoting development of Islamic social finance, and encouraging inflow of foreign investment into private markets, among others.

It also aims to increase capacity building, knowledge sharing and joint technical projects in key interest areas related to ICM, which can also be capitalised by both institutions for the benefit of other IsDB member countries.
(Bloomberg) -- US President Joe Biden directed staff to work with Mexico to curb the number of illegal border crossings, as the White House seeks to quell a record migration surge that has become a political liability for the American leader as he seeks reelection.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Biden spoke with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Sunday, according to a White House statement. They agreed to an effort to reduce the number of people who cross the land border between ports of entry, many of whom file asylum claims that have overwhelmed US authorities.

The two leaders ordered their national security teams to work together to immediately implement concrete measures to significantly reduce irregular border crossings while protecting human rights, the White House said in a statement.

AMLO, as the Mexican president is known, told reporters Monday the two leaders talked about keeping the border open for those who follow the legal processes to get to the United States, but that there shouldnt be what they call irregular migration.

Read more: Mexicos AMLO Spoke to Biden by Phone Sunday on Migration

Border crossings are a key line of attack against Biden in this years election, with his rival, presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, calling for fresh restrictions.

US authorities recorded more than 300,000 encounters at the border in December, but the numbers have fallen to just over half that level in the three months since.

Biden has called on Republicans to join Democrats in passing a bill to fund fresh border measures, but a bipartisan Senate effort collapsed earlier this year when Republicans balked under pressure from Trump.

The White House has said they are evaluating whether to pursue executive action in a bid to deter illegal migration, though efforts to deport those making asylum claims are likely to face legal and cost-related challenges.

--With assistance from Maya Averbuch.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
By Andrea Shalal and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden has no plans to abandon giving the commencement address at Morehouse College, a historically Black men's college in Georgia on May 19, White House officials said on Monday, shrugging off criticism from some faculty and students over his Israel policies.

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that Biden would proceed as planned at the historic college founded in 1867, whose alumni also include civil rights leader Martin Luther King.

"He's looking forward to doing that. It is such an important moment in time," Jean-Pierre told a regular briefing at the White House.

Morehouse spokesperson Jasmine Gurley said no changes were planned regarding Biden's speech. "We're moving full speed ahead," she said.

Miles Ross, a senior at the college, told Reuters he felt Biden's visit was "clearly a political move."

"I'm totally against it," he said. "People feel very strongly about what's going on with Palestine, Gaza, Congo, especially here on campus. So if he starts to talk about anything like that ... he's going to open himself up to a lot of scrutiny and criticism."

Biden, a Democrat, is seeking to shore up support among Black voters ahead of the November presidential election, where national polls show he is tied with former President Donald Trump. Vice President Kamala Harris started a nationwide tour Monday to promote the administration's policies to Black voters, especially men.

Pro-Palestinian protests and encampments have spread at universities across the country in recent weeks, after Columbia University summoned New York City police to dismantle tents and arrest over 100 people.

Some Morehouse faculty members and students want the college to withdraw its invitation to Biden over his administration's staunch support for Israel's war in Gaza, where the death toll has mounted over 34,500. Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. aid since World War Two, and the U.S. has blocked several United Nations votes critical of Israel's attacks.

Jared Loggins, a professor of Black studies and political science at Amherst College and alumnus of Morehouse, called the invitation a moral disaster, especially given the fervent anti-military views of Rev. King.

Tom Perez, a senior adviser to Biden and director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, said Biden was looking forward to the visit, in part because of the school's connection with Rev. King.

"Joe Biden came of age in the civil rights movement and his whole world view was formed as being part of the protest movement and in particular, the protest movement about the mistreatment of black people in Delaware and across America," Perez said.

Perez said he and other top administration officials would continue to engage directly with Arab and Muslim communities in Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Heather Timmons)
President Joe Biden vowed last week that he would take another stab at trying to pass border security legislation that had been axed during negotiations over his foreign aid package.

It was news to those involved in the first round of negotiations over the bill.

Talks around resuscitating the bipartisan border compromise that senators struck in February have been nonexistent in Washington. And despite the presidents proclamation, administration officials and immigration policy experts both say its highly unlikely any legislative momentum for border security materializes between now and November.

They pulled a rabbit out of a hat on Ukraine, but theres no chance theyre getting anything out of Mike Johnsons House on border security, said an immigration advocate familiar with the White Houses thinking, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations with administration officials. Theyve known that since December, when they realized they had to count votes in the House. Theres no chance of legislation on this, and they know that. Its rhetorical posturing.



Bidens comments last week underscored the administrations desire to try and turn the politics of the border  long an albatross for Democrats  into something more advantageous. After former President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers tanked the compromise bill, the White House moved to put blame for the crisis at their feet. The president has openly weighed the possibility of taking executive action and, as he did upon signing the foreign aid bill, talked up the need to revisit the legislation.

I proposed and negotiated and agreed to the strongest border security bill this country has ever, ever, ever seen, he said last week, speaking about its exclusion from the foreign aid package. It was bipartisan. It should have been included in this bill, and Im determined to get it done for the American people.

But, in reality, theres been no behind-the-scenes jockeying from the White House to restart talks, in part because the White House believes that the migration crisis has temporarily stabilized, with illegal border crossings dipping again in March to 137,000.

While talks may be currently dormant, that doesnt mean they cant or wont be restarted. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has a number of moderate members of his party up for reelection this year, some of whom are pushing for him to bring the bill to the floor again.

Were not leaving border alone, were going to come back to it, Schumer said in an interview this week, echoing the president.

But another attempt at action in the Senate would run into the same hurdles as last time: Trumps opposition and dim prospects in a Republican-run House.

My colleagues said it wasnt good enough. And then, our nominee for president said: I don't want you to do anything because this is my best issue going into November, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell lamented last week.



That outlook, in turn, has left the White House weighing new executive actions, including restrictions on asylum. Administration officials held a number of meetings on the new policies last week, spurring chatter that the announcements could be coming soon. But five people close to the administration, who were granted anonymity to discuss private conversations with administration officials, say the timeline remains murky. The White House is weighing both the political optics of moving forward unilaterally and questions about whether some of the actions it takes would pass legal muster.

I think everything is in pencil, said a former administration official. Nothing is in Sharpie.

The administration has been crafting an executive action that would include using a section of the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar migrants from seeking asylum in between U.S. ports of entry. Like the border legislation, the directive would likely be tied to a trigger, coming into effect after a certain number of illegal crossings took place, said the five people close to the administration. The order would also make it more difficult for migrants to pass the initial screening for seeking asylum, as well as ways to quickly deport those who dont meet those elevated asylum standards.

Border crossings dropped by 50 percent in January and have since remained stable, creating a belief among administration officials that the president has more space to deal with the issue. Increased enforcement on the Mexican side of the border, which began after Biden administration officials traveled to meet with counterparts in December, has helped alleviate some of the political pressure in the U.S.

While it has been reported that the White House would make the moves by late April, its still expected that the administration will roll out the new policies when border numbers rise again.

Because otherwise, it would be like a tree falling in the forest with no one to hear it, said another advocate familiar with the White Houses thinking. Unless somethings happening at the border, people dont pay as much attention.

In addition to combating political pressure on the right, some Democrats have also expressed concerns that Biden hasnt done enough to draw contrast with Trump on the immigration issue. New polls have shown that voters prefer a balanced approach to the border  a mix of border security measures and actions that protect Dreamers and other immigrants who have been in the United States for an extended period of time. Along those lines, administration officials are discussing potential actions they can take for undocumented people who have long resided in the United States. One idea that has been floated among administration officials is opening access to the cancellation of removal program for people who have lived in the U.S. for over 10 years and have citizen or resident relatives who would suffer if they were deported. But the biggest debate is around whether or not Biden should provide temporary legal status and work permits to undocumented immigrants in the U.S. who are married to American citizens, an estimated 1.1 million people.

Immigration groups have been pushing the White House on this move, suggesting it could energize Democrats ahead of the November election, like former President Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program did in June 2012. But there are also concerns among some administration officials that it could spur more political blowback on an already vexing issue for the president, particularly if border numbers creep up again.

Thats where the conversation is probably being had most thoroughly is, OK, is there a political consequence to this, or should we wait for a second term? said a former administration official. Its not like this idea has an expiration date. He could do this or look at it in the future, where the political space might be greater.

Burgess Everett contributed to this report.
From the The Morning Dispatch on The Dispatch

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Global Democracys Big Event

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann with party leaders during a road show ahead of the Lok Sabha election in Ludhiana, India, on April 28, 2024. (Photo by Gurpreet Singh/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

When Americans go to the polls in November, theyll line up inside elementary school gyms and church fellowship halls to do their civic duty. But with approximately 1.1 million polling stations necessary for Indias election that kicked off earlier this month, some Indian voters will cast their ballots from more interesting environs. In Indias southern state of Kerala, for example, some voters will participate in the democratic process from a wildlife sanctuary. In the western state of Gujarat? A shipping container.

This is a big year for democracy, with elections in more than 50 countries. But nowhere is democracy bigger than in India, where some 970 million voters could go to the polls before June 1. The election is unlikely to be a nail-biterPrime Minister Narendra Modis party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is widely expected to walk away with a decisive win. But in a contest that has centered on Modis Hindu nationalist agenda, the proceedings have already been marred by ethnic violence.

The phased electionthe second stage of which concluded Fridayaims to seat the Lok Sabha, the lower chamber of Indias 543-seat parliament directly elected by the voters. (The legislatures upper chamber, the Rajya Sabha, runs on a different electoral calendar and is elected by state and union territory legislatures, not the populace.) The prime minister is elected by whichever majority partyor coalition of partiescontrols the Lok Sabha, meaning that, when voters directly elect their parliamentary representative, they are indirectly selecting their preferred prime minister.

Modi, the two-term incumbent first elected as prime minister in 2014, is pursuing a rare third term as the nominee of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), a coalition of the BJP and various smaller regional parties. The BJP is known more for a kind of Hindu identity politics, said Dhruva Jaishankar, executive director of the Observer Research Foundation America, the U.S. affiliate of one of Indias top think tanks.

The BJPs main national opposition, the Indian National Congress (INC), tends to attract more votes from religious minorities, including Indias Muslim population. In a country that was once more explicitly secular and pluralist, religious divisions now cut to the heart of Indian identity, animating the two parties agendas. How social laws are applied to minority groups thats a big issue, Jaishankar told TMD. The majority of Indian Hindus consider being Hinduand speaking Hindivery important to being truly Indian.

Indeed those divisions have been on full display in recent days as Modi has doubled down on harsh rhetoric about the countrys Muslims, some 14 percent of the population. [INC] will distribute it among infiltrators, he said at a rally last week, referring to what he considers wealth redistribution to Indian Muslims. Do you think your hard-earned money should be given to infiltrators?

That statement also hints at the parties economic differences. The BJP has recently been saying that the [INC] is too reliant on redistributive policies, like for welfare, Jaishankar said. The [INC] has said the BJP is too pro-businesstoo big-business, as welland made big allegations of crony capitalism.

Rahul Gandhi, a high-profile INC leader and Modi rival, leveled such an accusation last week. Narendra Modi has snatched money from the poor  [and] given it to the billionaires, he said Friday. We will give that money to the poor people of India.

In many cases, races are a head-to-head matchup between the BJP and INCa binary party dynamic the U.S. political system knows well. But there are exceptions: There are a very large number of regional parties that often do very well in one or two states, Jaishankar told TMD. These smaller partiesoften adopting regional strategies as opposed to a nationwide campaigncan contest and even win seats from the major parties. But once elected, representatives of these regional parties often join coalitions with the larger parties in parliament.

Modi, who cut his teeth as a campaigner for a Hindu nationalist organization, has held onto a significant base of Hindu voters81 percent of the Indian populationby delivering key wins for them. In a particularly on-the-nose example, Modi in January inaugurated a Hindu temple built on the ruins of a historic mosque demolished by mobs in 1992. With the temples opening came an uptick in sectarian violence across the country. During his tenure, Modi also introduced an initiative expediting citizenship for members of a number of religious groups that fled Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Notably, Muslims were not on that list, which Modi said was because they were not a religious minority in the three countries. In another controversial move, Modis party changed the legal status of Jammu and Kashmira majority-Muslim territory that both India and Pakistan claim as their ownreducing the regions autonomy and bringing it under tighter control by New Delhi.

Though Indias domestic politics are in the spotlight, one area of foreign policy could spell trouble for Modi and the BJP, per Jaishankar: Being weak on China. Violent skirmishes along Indias Himalayan border with China in recent years have sparked concerns about Chinese encroachment. [Modi] has given 1000 Sq Kms of territory to China without a fight, Rahul Gandhi said in September 2022. Indeed, Modi and U.S. President Joe Biden have worked together in recent years to counter China, though Modi has remained agnostic on some of Bidens other priorities, like countering Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Fraught politics aside, the actual logistics of voting in a country of 1.4 billion are particularly tricky, with the process broken up into seven phases across the various states. The third phase is set to kick off next Tuesday, and everything will wrap up on June 1. Average turnout in the latest phasewhich saw more people eligible to cast a ballot than voted in the 2020 U.S. presidential electionclocked in at around 60 percent, down slightly from 2019s contest.

The Election Commission of India (ECI)the independent agency that runs the processrequires a voting booth within two kilometers, or about one mile, of every voter. For this election, that translates into more than a million polling stations. To fulfill that mandate, Indias last election had the EIC establish a polling station in the remote state of Arunachal Pradesh for just one voter and create the worlds highest polling station for a small village nestled in the Himalayan mountains.

Spreading voting out across weeks eases the logistical and bureaucratic burden, but, part of the reason is for security purposes, Jaishankar told TMD. Election officials have already rerun the contest in 11 polling places in the northeastern state of Manipur, where a yearlong violent clash between the larger, majority-Hindu tribal group and the smaller, mostly Christian tribe prompted vandalism and violence on election day.

Even though the election results wont be tallied until June 4, Modis victory is pretty easy money based on his 75 percent approval ratingmaking him the most popular world leader currently in power and putting U.S. politicians to shame. In this country, perhaps only Dolly Parton is so universally beloved.

With such strong approval ratings within the country, Modi and his allies are not just hoping for an electoral home runanything over the 272 seats needed for a majority in the Lok Sabhabut a grand slam: 370 total seats for the BJP, and 400 seats total seats for Modis parliamentary coalition. The BJP currently holds 294 seats in parliament and the NDA overall holds a 343-seat majority. Overall support for the BJP has increased, Jaishankar said, but measuring BJP gains as a number of seats remains a difficult endeavor.

Even if theres not a clear ceiling, theres a pretty obvious floor after all of the hype: If Modi and the BJP fail to reach 300 seats, Jaishankar told TMD, that would be considered a disappointing show.

Worth Your Time

What do you do with a church when it no longer supports a congregation? The Catholic Church, the largest private real estate owner in the world, faces decisions about what to do with its extensive real estate portfolio, reported John W. Miller for America magazine. Its a shock to see so many abandoned churches in cities across the United States while cathedrals in Europe built in the 11th century are still standing. If they can last 1,000 years in Brussels, Paris and Rome, why cant they last 100 in Pittsburgh? The age and traditions of Catholicism invite us to believe that churches last forever. You are Peter and on this rock, I will build my church, Jesus tells Peter. But Peter is a person, not a building, as a new wave of advocates point out.  For Dr. Christopher Denny, the theologian at St. Johns, the desacralization of a church building is the end point of a gradual process that begins when people stop attending Mass. The process of desacralization begins when people in the community are no longer aware of who is missing, he says. When a church closes, its depressing, but its also a call to witness.

Republicans need to rediscover environmentalism, Benji Backer wrote for the New York Times. The fact of the matter is this: We cannot address climate change or solve any other environmental issue without the buy-in and leadership of conservative America, he argued. And there are clear opportunities for climate action that conservatives can champion without sacrificing core values, from sustainable agriculture to nuclear energy and the onshoring of clean energy production.  As a member of Gen Z, I believe its time for my generation to mobilize around climate solutions that bring both sides to the tableand demand our leaders do the same. Liberals must stop denigrating and abandoning key communities they need to solve the problem, and conservatives must stop denying the problem and take ownership of climate solutions. If the Republican Party wants to expand its coalition, it will need to recruit young voters with a far more pragmatic message.

Presented Without Comment

The Hill: Green Party Presidential Candidate Jill Stein Arrested at Pro-Palestine College Protest

Also Presented Without Comment

President Joe Biden, at the White House Correspondents Dinner: Being here is a reminder that folks think whats going on in Congress is political theater. But thats not true. If Congress were a theater, theyd have thrown out Lauren Boebert a long time ago.

Also Also Presented Without Comment

CNN: South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Defends Book Excerpt Where She Describes Killing Dog and Goat

In the Zeitgeist

Lots of good music is constantly flying under the radar and Charley Crocketts new album, $10 Cowboy shouldnt. We particularly liked America, the second song on the new record that came out last week:

Toeing the Company Line

Let Us Know

What is your typical polling place? A library? An elementary school?

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What is the biggest fire to burn in the US? The answer requires a journey through history.

Evidence found at the heart of centuries-old trees, in the stories of Indigenous peoples and yellowed journals and newspaper clippings bear record of the massive fires that ravaged landscapes across North America in the past.

But comparing those fires to modern day blazes such as the Smokehouse Creek fire in Texas in February isn't as simple as it sounds. Past records, when they're available, can be conflicting, haphazard and they rely on anecdotal observations or measurement techniques that may not be as precise as today.

Cowboys riding the range on horseback in the 1800s to measure a blaze isnt quite the same as measuring by satellite the acres burned.

To develop a comprehensive list of the nation's biggest fires, USA TODAY combed through historical records from state and federal agencies and the Western Fire Chiefs Association and talked with several fire historians and experts. We also compared lists and documentation with Birgitte Messerschmidt, director of research at the National Fire Protection Association.

The documents and conversations produced a list of 35 wildfires larger than 500,000 acres in 19 states, dating back to 1825. Nearly half the fires burned in Alaska, including seven before it became a state. These are the fires that covered the most ground, not the most deadly or the most devastating in terms of structural loss and damage.

Smoke and flames billow into the air from the Dixie Fire in California on Sept. 9, 2021.

What are the biggest wildfires in US history?

The full list is online here. The following are the 20 largest fires in the United States, although several of the fires in Alaska, and one in Oregon, were before statehood. The fires are ranked by estimated acres burned:

What to know about the largest wildfires

Any list of historic fires comes with a few footnotes. Some of the fires on the list were multiple fires that burned together, others were single fires.

The Smokehouse Creek Fire was considered a single fire, until the Reamer fire  roughly 2,000 acres in size  was added to it, according to Texas A&M officials. When only fires in the lower 48 states are considered, it was the biggest single fire in more than a century.

Firefighters battle parts of the reignited Smokehouse Creek fire outside of Miami, Texas in March 2024.

It's certain that fires are missing from the list because they weren't reported at the time, possibly because they didn't really affect towns or many people, said Jennifer Marlon, a senior research scientist at Yale School of the Environment.

Research shows the 1889 fire season in the Rockies and the Northwest exceeded the area of the 1910 fire season, for example, but no agencies reported numbers, said Jed Meunier, a fire historian and research scientist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

In 1891, a large fire burned again in the region where the Thumb fire in Michigan burned 10 years earlier. Based on tree ring evidence it was one of the biggest fires in the region, Meunier said. But only merited one line in a historic timeline and no other records about the fire are readily available.

A map of large fires in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, from a 1912 U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service bulletin by geographer Fred G. Plummer.

Though they don't appear on the Texas state list of large fires in history, historical accounts show grass fires in Texas and New Mexico in 1906 may have exceeded 6 million acres, said Stephen Pyne, an emeritus professor at Arizona State University and author of several books on fire history. A 1967 paper by a Texas Tech professor reported a fire in eastern New Mexico burned a strip 150 miles long and 60 miles wide, the equivalent of nearly 6 million acres, and a fire on the Texas high plains later that year that burned a million acres.

Measuring the biggest wildfires

Each era has had its own method of recording and measuring fires, Pyne said. Fire mapping methods changed over time.

In the Adirondacks in 1903, a map was drawn for an official report and in 1910, a Forest Service cartographer prepared an official map of the fire and smoke.

The first big difference in fire mapping happened "when we started being able to map with aircraft around the late 1950s/early 1960s," said Jim Karels, president of Karels Forestry and Fire LLC, who previously served as the national fire director for the National Association of State Foresters and as director of the Florida Forest Service. "Then came GPS in the 2000s and finally now with satellite imagery, including infrared for seeing through clouds or mapping at night, for large fires."

Today's mapping is much more accurate and can be updated daily or even hourly, Karels said. "We are even able to map burn severity within the fire itself."

Better fire mapping also tends to make the total size of the fires smaller than some of the big fires of the past, he said, because the calculations take out the unburned pockets.

The August Complex burns in California in September 2020.

US fires and smoke See the latest fires in this interactive map

The value in understanding fire history

One thing is certain, large wildfires definitely aren't new, the fire historians said. Many landscapes across the continent evolved to depend on fire for forest health.

Incredibly massive wildfires burned across the North American landscape long before European settlers arrived, said Marlon and Meunier. They know that millions of acres burned by studying tree rings and paleo records, then compiling estimates of fire seasons or the approximate size of acreage burned in a single season. The U.S. Forest Service reported as early as 1912 that tree rings showed fires in California more than 1,600 years earlier.

Though there were large fires during the settlement era, they were not as frequent.

The August Complex burns in California in September 2020.

In the 20th century, modern firefighting efforts kept the larger conflagrations at bay for nearly a century. Today, large wildfires are back, Pyne said. Megafires have returned in a big way."

The chances of large wildfires are increasing with climate change, and conditions are becoming more unpredictable, Marlon said. For example, temperatures are rising, flash droughts occur more often and hurricanes occur more often farther north, leaving downed trees in their wake to provide fuel for fires.

Studying the wildfires of the past has value because it shows any region of the country could experience a massive wildfire, she said. "People think it's just something that happens in the West or the South," she said. "We've had bad fires (in the Northeast). It could happen again."

Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate and the environment for USA TODAY. Reach her at dpulver@gannett.com or @dinahvp.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: List of biggest fires in US: These 20 fires were massive
Former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr revealed that Donald Trump would often remark about executing people during his time in the White House.



I actually dont remember him saying executing, but I wouldnt dispute it, you know, Barr told CNNs Kaitlan Collins on Friday. The president would lose his temper and say things like that. I doubt he wouldve actually carried it out.

He would say things similar to that on occasions to blow off steam. But I wouldnt take them literally every time he did it, Barr added. At the end of the day, it wouldnt be carried out and you could talk sense into him.

Trumps remarks in the White House about killing people have been corroborated by other White House staffers, including former White House communications director Alyssa Farah Griffin on ABCs The View in December.



Trump hasnt held his tongue post-presidency either. In September, Trump said in a Truth Social post that Mark Milley, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, should be executed for treason over two phone calls the general made to the Chinese government. In late March, Trump also posted a video of Joe Biden hog-tied in the back of a pickup truck. Meanwhile, his legal team is arguing before the Supreme Court that a president could be immune from prosecution even if he orders SEAL 6 to assassinate his rival.

Despite all of this, Barr recently endorsed Trump in the 2024 election, even after expressing numerous criticisms and misgivings about the former presidents tenure and temperament. Hes called the former president a consummate narcissist whose second term would be chaos and a horror show. In June, he said, Should we be putting someone like this forward as the leader of the country, leader of the free world?

He will always put his own interests, and gratifying his own ego, ahead of everything else, including the countrys interest, theres no question about it, Barr told CBSs Face the Nation at the time. And even after Barrs endorsement, Trump brutally mocked his former cabinet member in a Truth Social post and blamed him for failing to overturn the 2020 election.
New bill would grant regulatory power over crypto mining to three North Carolina counties

Image: Adobe Stock

A new bill in the North Carolina legislature would allow Henderson, Polk, and Rutherford Counties to prohibit or regulate crypto mining. Republican Sen. Tim Moffit, who represents the three counties, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 774.

If passed, the law would only apply to those three counties and their municipalities.

As NC Newsline reported previously in a series of reports about a proposed facility in Pitt County, crypto mining, the process that verifies bitcoin transactions and creates new coins, relies on a vast network of powerful computers.

The centers high electricity consumption, primarily from fossil fuels, raises major environmental concerns. The noise pollution generated by the fans needed to keep the servers from overheating has also become a significant concern to communities where the centers are located.

In recent years, the proliferation of these data mining centers across the state has sparked backlash from some local communities.

Cherokee County passed a resolution in December 2023 requesting more regulatory power from the state legislature, but those efforts failed, according to Cherokee County Commissioner Ben Adams in an interview with WUNC earlier this year.

We passed a resolution to our state and federal representatives just trying to get them on board to pass some type of legislation that would help with this problem. And of course, it fell upon deaf ears. I was always told as a kid by my grandpa, the two strongest men in the world is the man that controls the water and the man that controls the power. Who knows how much money theyre making off these, so its not going to be very high on the list.

Its unclear what prompted the introduction of the new bill. Newsline reached out to Moffits office for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

In May 2023, Henderson County passed a 60-day ban on new crypto mining saying it was the only way to avoid negative effects of new cryptocurrency mining.

It cited noise and heavy electricity usage as the reasons for the moratorium.

The post New bill would grant regulatory power over crypto mining to three North Carolina counties appeared first on NC Newsline.
On Friday, several House representatives introduced legislation that would permit the Education Department to create third-party antisemitism monitors at any college receiving federal funding. The purpose of the billthe full text of which is not yet availableis to crack down on rising antisemitic speech on college campuses. However, the bill's supporters fail to consider how an "antisemitism monitor" would create a chilling effect, curbing academic freedom and encouraging colleges to punish protected expression.

Following a growing number of pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, universities are facing increasing scrutiny over their handling of student demonstrationsespecially as photos and video footage from these protests have often captured extremely inflammatory, offensive rhetoric from student activists.

In response, Reps. Mike Lawler (RN.Y.) and Ritchie Torres (DN.Y.) introduced the, ahem, carefully named College Oversight and Legal Updates Mandating Bias Investigations and Accountability (COLUMBIA) Act. According to a Friday press release, the bill would allow the Education Department to appoint a third-party antisemitism monitor to any college receiving government funds. The department would have broad power to set the "terms and conditions of the monitorship," and the colleges would be forced to pay the costs of their own antisemitism monitor. Schools that don't comply with the monitoring would risk losing federal funding.

"Rising antisemitism on our college campuses is a major concern and we must act to ensure the safety of students," Rep. Mike Lawler (RN.Y.) said in the press release. "If colleges will not step up to protect their students, Congress must act."

"The monitor would release a publicly available online quarterly report," the press release reads, "evaluating in detail the progress that a college or university has made toward combating antisemitism on campus and issuing policy recommendations to Congress, the Secretary, and state and local regulators as needed."

It's not difficult to see how, if passed, the COLUMBIA Act would chill a wide range of anti-Israel speechnot to mention constitutionally protected, genuinely hateful expression. Facing the loss of federal funding, colleges will be incentivized to suppress any speech critical of Israel. At public colleges in particular, universities facing antisemitism monitoring could end up in an impossible positionbound by the Constitution to allow any protected speech yet facing punishment from the government for not suppressing offensive expression.

It's also easy to see how the use of "monitors" for hateful speech could be expanded to cover just about any controversial topic, suppressing any speech that runs foul of a representative's pet issue.

However, these consequences seem of little concern to the bill's sponsors, who remain focused on the need for the government to intervene to stop offensive campus protests.

"American universities are not capable of handling it when left to their own devices," Torres said. "Jewish students have told my office that they feel completely abandoned by their university administrators and they view Congress as the only avenue for accountability and safety."

The post Bipartisan Legislation Would Let the Government Create Speech-Chilling 'Antisemitism Monitors' appeared first on Reason.com.
Rep. Jason Dockter, R-Bismarck, talks to a colleague Oct. 23, 2023, during the special session of the Legislature. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)

A judge overseeing the upcoming trial of a state lawmaker for an ethics-related misdemeanor charge is weighing how to handle votes made by the lawmaker in 2021.

McLean County States Attorney Ladd Erickson in December charged Rep. Jason Dockter, a Bismarck Republican, with a crime alleging the lawmaker broke a state law for voting on legislation he had a financial interest in.

The case is tied to a Bismarck building partly owned by Dockter and leased to the Attorney Generals Office, as well as the North Dakota Department of Health.

The lease to the AGs office was pursued by former Attorney General Wayne Stenehjems administration. Dockter, a friend and former campaign treasurer for Stenehjem, helped facilitate the lease with the state, a report by the state auditor showed. Stenehjem died in office in 2022.

The representative has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge. His attorney has previously declined interview requests.

Dockter voted twice in support of the Attorney Generals Office budget and twice in support of the Department of Health budget during the 2021 regular session, according to the Legislatures website.

He voted on the Department of Health budget again in 2023, but was absent for votes on the Attorney Generals Office budget that year.

Dockter did not vote on the Attorney Generals Office bill in 2023 because Ethics Commission Executive Director Rebecca Binstock told him not to, Erickson said during a Monday hearing. At the time, Binstock was not aware that Dockter had leased part of the building to the Department of Health, Erickson said.

Dockters attorney, Lloyd Suhr, argued that Dockter cannot be tried for the 2021 votes because they fall outside the states two-year statute of limitations for the prosecution of misdemeanors.

Instead, the judge should analyze the 2021 votes according to rules governing alleged prior bad acts, Suhr said.

Erickson disputed Suhrs interpretation, claiming that the 2021 votes count as part of Dockters alleged crime because by that point he already had a financial interest in the property.

This is all one concerted issue, and the votes in 2021 are relevant to show intent, motive, those types of things, Erickson said.

Judge Bobbi Weiler took the matter under advisement.

The allegations against Dockter were referred to Erickson for prosecution by the North Dakota Ethics Commission.

The case is scheduled for a 12-person jury trial on Friday beginning at 9 a.m. in the Burleigh County Courthouse.

Witnesses expected to appear during the trial include:

Rebecca Binstock, executive director of the North Dakota Ethics Commission

John Bjornson, director of Legislative Council

Josh Gallion, state auditor

John Boyle, director of the Facility Management Division of the Office of Management and Budget

Lonnie Grabowska, director of the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation

Rob Port, a columnist for Forum Communications, who interviewed Dockter for a podcast episode

Suhr asked during Mondays hearing that Binstock not be allowed to divulge specifics about open ethics complaints against Dockter during the trial on the grounds that those investigations are outside the scope of the case.

Complaints against public officials submitted to the Ethics Commission are generally confidential unless the commission finds them substantiated and the accused has an opportunity to appeal.

Erickson indicated Binstock will not go into detail about those complaints.

I just need to have her brief testimony that shes executive director, and based on that, had complaints to follow up on that may have led to a criminal referral, he said.

Suhr also expressed concerns that one day may not be enough to try the case.

Weiler indicated she may limit the length of opening and closing arguments in order to ensure the trial wraps up on time.

Forum Communications objected to the subpoena of Port, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported. Judge Weiler said during the hearing she is not granting a request to quash the subpoena, but will allow Port to testify to establish the foundation of a podcast interview with Dockter.

The post Bismarck lawmaker on trial Friday for ethics-related charge appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
The CEF aims to support the government in achieving its development targets by addressing some of the critical bottlenecks associated with current and emerging economic and financial challenges. The financing envelope for the IsDB Group's CEF (20242026) is tentatively set at US$6.3 billion. It comprises IsDB's public-sector and public-private partnership (PPP) funding of US$2 billion, ITFC (the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation) financing of US$900 million, ICD (the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector) financing of US$300 million, and ICIEC (the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit), IsDB Groups investment insurance arm, coverage of US$3.1 billion.

The IsDB Group-Turkiye CEF is based on two strategic pillars: (i) Resilient and Sustainable Transition; (ii) Productivity Enhancement, Competitiveness, and Inclusive Growth; and has cross-cutting pillars of Digital Transformation; Islamic Finance; Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration; Capacity Development; and South-South Cooperation.
The Associated Press published an article last week on the shadow war that could determine the 2024 election. The report focuses on the legal fights between Republican lawyers, who are generally seeking to restrict ballot access and winnow the voter pool in key swing states, and Democrats, who are seeking to maintain expanded ballot access in those states.

It spoke to a media trend thats been irking me: The media seems preoccupied with the narrative that disaffected liberal voters (particularly Black voters) are the biggest roadblock to President Joe Bidens re-election this fall. Search for "will Black voters stay home?" and you'll see examples of this sort of coverage: breathless stories about voters who may stay home instead of casting ballots for Biden. No matter how questionable the claim, outlets across the political spectrum seem eager to promote it.

The greatest obstacle to Bidens re-election is, I think, not voter disaffection, but voter disenfranchisement. Republicans' voter suppression schemes certainly suggest they are counting on it. And this hugely consequential shadow war described by the AP wouldnt be a shadow war if news outlets gave it more sunlight.

As the AP reports:

This aligns with my previous writing on the RNC ramping up its plans for lawfare  waging its battles in the courts  to target election systems to win elections going forward.

According to the AP, voter ID rules, mail ballots and voter roll maintenance are among the RNCs litigation targets. Voter ID restrictions, mail-in ballot restrictions and purges of voter rolls are all classic voter suppression tactics that have been denounced by activists for their disproportionate impact on nonwhite voters. And Republicans havent been coy about how central these things are to their election strategy  they've been pursuing them for years.

In fact, the only people who do seem to want to downplay this reality is the pundit class in legacy media, who appear wedded to traditional horse race coverage that ignores the obvious ways conservatives are attempting to suppress the vote. Consider also that multiple states are primed to carry out elections using voter maps that have previously been deemed racist by federal courts.

It's imperative that columnists and TV hosts pay attention and give more coverage to these efforts and the overwhelming evidence of bigoted voter suppression tactics. Pretending that these things are inconsequential or mere afterthoughts is a sign that the media is either oblivious or acquiescing to the fascist forces that are permeating our political system as they have and continue to suppress nonwhite voter participation.

By prioritizing the narrative of the disaffected rather than the disenfranchised voter, politics reporters are legitimizing the former while downplaying the latter. Such coverage seems to imply, essentially, that voter suppression is ingrained in our political system and its Democrats own fault if they cant overcome it. That if Dems cant inspire voters to navigate an increasingly tiresome, and in some cases legally treacherous, maze to cast their ballot  well, its their own damn fault.

Watching outlets trot out the disaffected voter narrative, Ive wondered how much more overt Republicans would have to be in their efforts to fence in the franchise for traditional outlets to admit that elections, for many people, are neither free nor fair.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The White House confirms President Joe Biden spoke this weekend to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu re-affirming the U.S.s commitment to Israels security.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in the Middle East now as hostage negotiations continue.

The quickest way to bring this to an end is to get to a ceasefire and the release of hostages, said Blinken.

A ceasefire and releasing the hostages are the top priorities for Blinken as the Israel-Hamas war shows no signs of letting up.

We strongly support Israel in its effort to ensure that what happened on October 7th never happens again. But at the same time, we are determined to do everything we can to bring an end to the terrible human suffering that were seeing every single day in Gaza, said Blinken.

Striking that balance remains elusive for the U.S. and Middle East partners who say they remain committed to negotiations.

In this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly, said Blinken.

Threatening progress is the possibility that Israel could expand its operations into Rafah, against U.S. wishes.

Weve said clearly and for some time now on Rafah that in the absence of a plan to ensure that civilians will not be harmed, we cant support a major military operation in Rafah, and we have not yet seen a plan that gives us confidence that civilians can be effectively protected, said Blinken.

Israel says it will consider U.S. opposition before any operations into Rafah.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Blinken says Israel still must do more to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP)  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel must still do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip and that he would use his Middle East trip  his seventh to the region since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  to press that case with Israeli leaders.

Speaking at events in Saudi Arabia's capital, Blinken said the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude an elusive cease-fire agreement, which also would release Israeli hostages held by Hamas since its Oct. 7 attacks launched the war. Hamas has been presented with an extraordinarily generous offer by Israel that he hoped the group would accept, he said.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, and in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas," he said at a World Economic Forum gathering in Riyadh.

"They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. So, were looking to that, and Im hopeful that they will make the right decision and we can have a fundamental change in the dynamic, Blinken said.

Although talks continue, Hamas has so far balked at a series of offers negotiated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States and agreed to by Israel. Even without a deal, Blinken said it was critical to improve conditions in Gaza now.

Were also not waiting on a cease-fire to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza, Blinken told Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers earlier Monday, when he arrived in Saudi Arabia for the first stop on his Middle East tour, which includes stops in Jordan and Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the U.S. maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks. But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza, he said.

He said safety for humanitarian relief workers must be improved and that there's a focus on ensuring the aid is making a proper impact for Palestinian civilians.

Scores of relief workers have been killed since the conflict began, and an Israeli attack on a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza this month that killed seven aid workers only highlighted the dangers and difficulties of protecting them. Israel has said the strike was a mistake and has disciplined officials involved.

World Central Kitchen said it would resume operations in Gaza on Monday after a four-week suspension.

Blinken, who also is meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, has his work cut out for him.

The war in Gaza has ground on with little end in sight: More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, hundreds of thousands more are displaced and a humanitarian crisis in Gaza is worsening.

The conflict has fueled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses. U.S. support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for U.S. President Joe Biden in an election year.

Blinken's trip comes as there are renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider one of the Saudis' main conditions for normalized relations: the creation of a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration has been warning Israel against a major military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have fled to escape fighting farther north. Israel has not yet launched such an offensive, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said that one will take place, asserting that it is the only way to wipe out Hamas.

Both topics were discussed during a Biden-Netanyahu phone call on Sunday, according to the White House and U.S. officials.

During his trip, Blinken said he would also underscore the absolute importance of not allowing the Israel-Hamas conflict to engulf the region.

The danger of conflagration was underscored this month when a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian consular building in Syria prompted an unprecedented direct missile and drone response by Iran against Israel. An apparent retaliatory Israeli strike on Iran followed.

Although the tit-for-tat cycle appears to have ended for now, deep concerns remain that Iran or its proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria or Yemen could act in such a way as to provoke a greater response from Israel or that Israel might take action that Iran feels it must retaliate for.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Hamas should accept an extraordinarily generous proposal to release Israeli hostages it is holding in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a temporary cease-fire, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday, speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Hamas is expected to respond to the U.S.-led proposal Monday in discussions with Egyptian and Qatari officials in Cairo.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Blinken said during a panel discussion at the WEF.

And in this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a cease-fire is Hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly, he continued. Im hopeful that they will make the right decision.

The administration has not been public with the details of the latest proposal, although a senior administration official told reporters on a call Friday that baked into the proposal is to allow for the structured and phased return of Palestinians to the north of Gaza.

Other reported details of the possible deal include Hamas releasing 33 hostages, specifically those considered most vulnerable, women, the elderly, sick or injured; and that the length of a cease-fire would be contingent on the number of hostages released. Israel is also reportedly expected to release Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Other reports indicate that Israel may withdraw forces from certain areas.

The Biden administration has criticized Hamass leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, for opposing earlier proposals to reach a deal that would require Hamas to release hostages in exchange for a halt in fighting, the scale-up of humanitarian support and allowing displaced Palestinians sheltering in Gazas south to return to the north of the territory.

U.S. officials have said Hamass political officials engaging in talks with Egypt and Qatar had made significant progress, but that Sinwar, who is in hiding in Gaza, rejects the proposals when he receives them.

The answer that comes from Sinwar personally, the answer is no, a senior administration official said last week.

Last week, the U.S. led a joint statement with the leaders of 17 other countries calling on Hamas to accept the latest cease-fire and hostage release proposal.

There are still about 133 hostages who were kidnapped from Israel on Oct. 7 that have not been released by Hamas. But its unclear how may Hamas actually holds after its shocking invasion on the south of the country, killing people in their communities, at a music festival, and taking more than 250 people hostage.

Hamas has told negotiators earlier this month it does not have 40 Israeli hostages that it can release as part of a temporary cease-fire deal, raising questions about how many hostages are alive and who is holding them.

More than 100 were released as part of a week-long cease-fire deal at the end of November, with released hostages describing being held in tunnels and at the homes of civilians. Israel said that Hamas has held hostages in Gazan hospitals and in cells underground. Other testimonies have said that Israeli female captives suffered sexual assault from their captors, while men have been beaten up and tortured.

The U.S. wants to achieve a cease-fire deal, a first phase expected to last for at least a couple of weeks, to push off a likely Israeli offensive on Gazas southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza is described as catastrophic, with tens of thousands killed and injured, starvation leading into famine, spread of disease and little to no adequate shelter.

Blinken will travel to Israel this week following his meetings in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. He is expected to talk with Israeli officials about the hostage deal, and U.S. concerns over Israels plans to launch an offensive in Rafah, believed to be Hamass last stronghold in the strip.

Biden officials have said the administration will not support an Israeli offensive on Rafah without a credible plan for the protection of civilians.

Weve said clearly and for some time now, on Rafah, that in the absence of a plan to ensure that civilians will not be harmed, we cant support a major military operation, Blinken repeated Monday.

We have not yet seen a plan that gives us confidence that civilians can be effectively protected.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
By Humeyra Pamuk

RIYADH (Reuters) - The U.S. has seen measurable progress in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday, but he cautioned that it still wasn't sufficient and vowed to press Israeli officials later this week to do more.

Blinkens remarks during a Middle East trip to check in on humanitarian aid to Gaza come about a month after Biden issued a stark warning to Netanyahu, saying Washingtons policy could shift if Israel fails to take steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers.

Speaking at the opening of a meeting with the six-country Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, Blinken cited the opening of new border crossings and higher amount of humanitarian aid as evidence of progress.

"But, it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza. We need to improve de-confliction with the humanitarian assistance workers," Blinken said, referring to a mechanism that will ensure Israel does not strike aid groups.

"We finally have to make sure that we're not just focusing on inputs but on impact. All of this is going to be focus of the next few days for me, as I travel onto Jordan and Israel," Blinken said.

The top U.S. diplomat is on a tour of the Middle East, his seventh since the region plunged into conflict on Oct. 7 when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 others according to Israeli tallies.

In response, Israel has launched a relentless assault on Gaza, killing more than 34,000 Palestinians, health authorities there say, in a bombardment that has reduced the densely populated enclave to a wasteland. More than one million people risk famine, the United Nations warns, after six months of war.

Following Riyadh, Blinken will head to Jordan and then Israel, where the focus of his trip will shift largely to how to sustain increased humanitarian aid into Gaza and identifying what the remaining obstacles are to doing so.

"Ill have a chance to meet with humanitarian groups, with the Israeli Government, to hear from them where more work is needed, and to continue to press for tangible, immediate, and sustained progress."

A spiraling humanitarian crisis has prompted calls from Israel's Western and Arab partners to do more to facilitate the entry of aid to the enclave, where most people are homeless, many face famine, and where civilian infrastructure is devastated and disease widespread.

The amount of humanitarian aid going into the Gaza Strip will be ramped up in coming days, Israel's military said on Sunday, citing new corridors that use an Israeli seaport and border crossings into the Palestinian enclave.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Editing by William Maclean)
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel needs to do more to increase humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza as he begins his seventh trip to the region since the onset of the war.

Blinken said while speaking to Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that the best way to address the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Gaza is to secure a cease-fire agreement to release the hostages being held by Hamas. He added that until that agreement is reached, humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip must be improved.

The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to alleviate the suffering of children, women and men, and to create space for a more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and the hostages out, Blinken said.

The United States has urged Israel to help increase humanitarian aid to Gaza as Israel fights Hamas. Blinken on Monday noted that while humanitarian aid conditions have improved, more still needs to be done.

We have seen measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the U.S. maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks. But it is not enough. We still need to get more aid in and around Gaza, he said.

Blinkens comments come as he starts another trip to the Middle East this week. He will travel to Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel from Monday through Wednesday to discuss efforts to achieve a temporary cease-fire and humanitarian aid, the State Department said.

President Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday about the expected ground invasion of Rafah, a potential cease-fire agreement and the humanitarian situation in the region. Biden spoke about the expansion of humanitarian aid and stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organizations, according to the White House.

He also reiterated his clear position on a looming ground invasion of Rafah, where many Palestinians had fled to seek refuge from the war. The Biden administration has warned against an invasion of Rafah without a plan and protections for civilians.

The Associated Press contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 29. Turkmenistan is ready to accelerate the implementation of the TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) project through closer cooperation with partners, Trend reports.

Muhammetmyrat Amanov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TAPI Pipeline Company Ltd., made the statement at the International Forum to Attract Foreign Investments in Turkmenistan's Energy Sector, which is being held in Paris.

He stated that the current priority objective is to construct a segment of the gas pipeline from Turkmenistan's border to the Afghan Herat district, which will signal the start of gas shipments to Afghanistan and boost investor trust in the project.

"Turkmengaz State Concern is negotiating with foreign oil and gas companies on their participation in the implementation of TAPI and the development of one of the world's largest Galkynysh gas fields, which is the resource base of the project. The agreement of the host country with Pakistan is in the final stage," he stressed.

It is expected that the TAPI gas pipeline will annually transport 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas along an 1800-kilometer route from Turkmen Galkynysh, the second largest gas field in the world, to the Indian city of Fazilka, located near the border of India with Pakistan.

The TAPI Gas Pipeline, also known as the Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline, is a natural gas pipeline being built by Galkynysh - TAPI Pipeline Company Limited, with Asian Development Bank assistance. The pipeline will deliver natural gas from Turkmenistan's Galkynysh Gas Field through Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Construction on the project began in Turkmenistan on December 13, 2015, with the Afghanistan-Pakistan segment of the pipeline beginning in February 2018. Proponents of the project envision it as a modernized version of the Silk Road.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  As the war in Gaza rages on, U.S. leaders are pushing for an end to the fighting and a hostage release.

It comes as college campuses across the country have been ratcheting up protests.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is working out a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and he says the end of this war is in the hands of Hamas.

In Saudi Arabia, Blinken urged Hamas to accept Israels ceasefire deal.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous, Blinken said.

The deal would require Hamas to release some of the hostages taken during its October terrorist attack against Israel.

The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly, said Blinken.

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said Hamas should accept the agreement.

So, lets get the deal done. Were running out of time, Graham said.

However, Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said its time for Israel to stop its attacks.

A military campaign alone cannot do the job to try to defeat an ideology like Hamas, said Murphy.

So far more than 30,000 Palestinians have died in the war, according to the Gaza health ministry.

The conflict has prompted protests at universities across the country.

Pro-Palestine students set up tents on campuses to demand their colleges cut ties with Israel.

Iowa Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks called out some of their chants for being antisemitic.

My heart goes out to all of the Jewish students who no longer feel safe at American universities, said Miller-Meeks.

Secretary Blinken said he understands why people are speaking out but says these protests have ignored Hamas.

Where is the demand on Hamas? Theres been silence, Blinken said.

Secretary Blinken will be in Israel Tuesday as part of his Middle East trip. He said hell urge Israeli leaders to do more to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The USs top diplomat called on Hamas leadership to accept what he described as an extraordinarily generous temporary peace deal offered by Israel on Monday as he returned to the region and met with regional power players.

Antony Blinken was at the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia as he made the statement and declared that "the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. More than 30,000 people, including several thousand children, have died as a direct result of the Israeli military offensive launched in Gaza following the deadliest terror attack in Israels history on October 7.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Mr Blinken said on Monday, according to media reports. They have to decide and they have to decide quickly. I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision."

The secretarys comments come just two days after Hamas militants released videos of two kidnapped hostages believed to be still held in the Gaza Strip; one was an American citizen, Keith Siegel. The group is believed to be holding around 130 hostages still in Gaza amid the fighting, taken captive during that October 7 attack. Five US nationals are thought to be among them.

His visit to the region and comments also come amid a massive wave of protests against the war  and the USs involvement via arms transfers to Israel  on college campuses around the United States. Disputes between university administrations and protesters who have set up makeshift encampments on their campuses have led to violent crackdowns by police, including at New Yorks Columbia University and Georgias Emory University.

President Joe Biden last week signed into law a national security supplemental legislation package which included more $20.68bn in military assistance for Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza and threatens to begin an assault in Rafah, where millions of refugees have fled to amid the fighting. The Biden administration continues to publicly and privately press the Israeli government against a Rafah offensive, but as of yet there is no sign that the Israeli military is backing down from the planned operation.

On Sunday, the US president and Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, held another phone call. The two men are thought to have a damaged relationship as Mr Bidens criticism of his counterparts handling of the war (not to mention Mr Netanyahus closeness to Donald Trump) have strained ties between them.

US officials also continue to publicly condemn the high rate of civilian casualties resulting from the Israeli assault into Gaza. At press briefings, the White House has insisted that Israel has taken steps, at the US presidents behest, to limit those casualties even as the death toll continues to climb to staggering heights.

Mr Biden was at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner over the weekend, which like many of his recent events was targeted by protesters who argue that Israel is committing a genocide with the US complicit in the brutality.

The presidents national security council (NSC) spokesman, John Kirby, pushed back on that assertion in an interview on Friday, and responded absolutely not when asked on MSNBCs Morning Joe whether the US had seen evidence of a genocide underway in Gaza.

The Israeli soldiers are not getting up, getting out of the rack, putting their boots on for the day and saying, 'Hey I'm going to go commit genocide, I'm going to go wantonly murder innocent Palestinians, the secretary asserted on MSNBC.

He continued: "Now, that said, there has been  and the president has talked about this  too many civilian casualties. The number needs to be zero, and there are too many people starving, too many people in need."
The City of Centerville will be holding a blood drive today to honor a fallen police officer.

>>RELATED: Centerville to hold blood drive to honor fallen police officer

The 27th annual Officer John P. Kalaman Memorial Blood Drive will be held today from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Centerville Police Department at 155 West Spring Valley Pike, according to a Solvita Blood Center spokesperson.

Centerville Police Officer John Kalaman and Washington Township firefighter Robert OToole were struck and killed by a driver on January 12, 1998 while responding to a crash on Interstate 675.

Kalamans parents John and Paula Kalaman sponsored the first memorial blood drive in 1998 on his April 27 birthday.

Since then, more than 4,544 units of blood have been donated in his honor.

The drive will carry on without both this year, the Solvita Blood Center spokesperson said.

John suffered heart and renal failure, and Paul is receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer a period of remission.

We just miss the interaction with the people who come, said Paula in a statement. Its about the people. We had a 25-year run, which I think is phenomenal, with all the support for all those years. Its kind of like our reunion, our old home week. Its hard not to be there.

All we need is prayers. John was so active; it breaks my heart to see him like this. I made a bargain with God, if he would keep me healthy enough and here long enough to get him healthy again. So far, hes keeping the bargain. Were just trying to be ready for whats coming next.

There is always hope for next year. Were not giving up yet.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now)  IAFF Local 3756, the union that represents about 650 officials throughout the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Department, ratified their first-ever Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on Sunday night.

The Loudoun Career Fire Fighters Association (LCFFA) said the members of Local 3756 are the first public sector employees to ratify a CBA in the history of Loudoun County. The association described it as a blowout and historic victory.

Over the course of three days, union members voted in favor of the contract  86% of votes were in favor of ratification, while 14% voted against it.

Car fire breaks out in Kensington auto body shop

The contract was negotiated between county officials and members of the unions leadership for over a year. It addresses many of the concerns that Loudoun County first responders have expressed related to their pay, benefits and working conditions.

Public employees were not able to collectively bargain contracts until 2021, when Virginias State Legislature and the then-Governor Ralph Northam removed the prohibition.

Loudoun County adopted a local ordinance to allow employees to bargain over wages, benefits and working conditions later in 2021, according to the LCFFA.

This is a monumental day for the members of our union, and our department, stated IAFF 3756 President John Myers. But its also a monumental day for all Loudoun County employees and community members. Weve shown that when Loudoun County workers come together, whether theyre first responders, teachers, or general employees, that when we stand together, we have the power to have a say in the decisions that impact our lives and the lives of the people in the communities we serve.

Before the CBA goes into effect, the County Board of Supervisors will have to vote to approve it in an upcoming May meeting.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
down the street

(Photo: Hugh Jackson/Nevada Current)

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

Voters in Nevada will soon need to narrow down which candidates can advance to the general election for the chance to govern Nevadas public system of higher education.

Nevadas System of Higher Education (NSHE)  which spans four community colleges, two universities, a research institute, and a state college  is overseen by an elected panel of 13 members known as the Board of Regents.

Elected as nonpartisans, the regents, who serve six-year terms, are responsible for deciding higher education policy in the state and managing an annual budget of more than $2 billion.

Last year, however, lawmakers passed a bill that will reduce the number of regents to nine and shorten the length of their terms to four years starting in the 2028 general election. That means any regents elected this year will only serve four years before theyll need to run again in 2028.

The Board of Regents is also facing a proposed constitutional amendment in November that would strip the regents of their constitutional authority, which critics say has effectively given the board the ability to act as a fourth branch of government.

This year, three seats on the Board of Regents in Clark County have attracted a slew of first time candidates and veteran office holders across Districts 1, 4 and 12. In Northern Nevadas District 9  covering Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Storey and southern Washoe Counties  two candidates are facing an extremely well financed incumbent.

Candidates can secure their regents seat by winning at least 50% of votes during the June primary. If nobody wins, the top two finishers will advance to the November general election.

District 1  northern Clark County

District 1 is the only open seat on the Board of Regents this cycle, after incumbent Regent Laura Perkins chose to run for a North Las Vegas state Senate seat instead. Seeking to take her place are three candidates: Ida Zeiler, Carlos Fernandez, and Matthew Bowen.

Board of Regents candidate Ida Zeiler. (Campaign photo)

Ida Zeiler, a former high school history teacher, is endorsed by Perkins, the current regent. Shes also endorsed by North Las Vegas Councilman Scott Black. Her campaign raised $600 in campaign contributions during the first quarter reporting period.

Zeiler, who now homeschools her four children, graduated with a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University in 2004. She currently serves on the City of North Las Vegass Planning Commission and the City Charter Committee.

Zeiler said she supports the proposed constitutional amendment this November to remove the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution. In a questionnaire for the Nevada Faculty Alliance (NFA), Zeiler said an appointment system would allow more highly qualified and invested individuals to serve the board.

Reducing student fees is a top priority for Zeiler, according to her campaign page. Last November, the Board of Regents proposed raising student fees to fill a budget hole created by a lack of state funding during the pandemic. Zeiler also listed expanding workforce programs, supporting veterans seeking degrees, and dual enrollment programs as top priorities.

Zeiler said she supports legislation that empowers collective bargaining for NSHE professional employees. She also said she supports the current boards decision to utilize a consulting firm to search for a new chancellor.

In the wake of the December 6th mass shooting at UNLV, Zeiler said she believes campuses can implement technology to add security and reduce access without losing the community feel that having an open campus creates.

Board of Regents candidate Carlos Fernandez. (Campaign photo)

Carlos Fernandez, the executive director of the Nevada chapter of the American Institute of Architects, is endorsed by the Vegas Chamber of Commerce, AFL-CIO, and the Nevada State Education Association. His campaign reported raising $500 in campaign contributions during the first quarter.

Since graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) with a bachelors degree in journalism, Fernandez has worked as a lobbyist with the Vegas Chamber, a program manager at UNLV, and a solutions analyst with Foresee Consulting.

During his work with the Vegas Chamber, Fernandez said he actively advocated for the proposed constitutional amendment to remove the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution in November. He made it clear that although he is campaigning for a position on the NSHE board, he strongly supports the proposed constitutional amendment, adding that its a crucial step towards ensuring that the governance of higher education in Nevada remains transparent, responsive, and fully accountable to the public and the state legislature.

In a questionnaire for the Nevada Faculty Alliance (NFA), Fernandez said he supports collective bargaining rights for NSHE professional employees as a means to ensure fair treatment and equitable compensation for employees.

If elected, Fernandez said his top priorities are to increase accessibility to higher education, improving student success through advising and career services, and emphasizing workforce preparedness in academic programs.

Improving campus safety in the wake of the December 6th mass shooting at UNLV will require a comprehensive approach, said Fernandez. That includes stronger security measures, mental, health support, and community-based strategies, he said.

Matthew Bowen, a candidate for the Board of Regents District 1, did not reply to the Nevada Faculty Alliances questionnaire and reported zero campaign contributions during the first quarter of 2024.

According to Bowens Linkedin, he attended the University of Central Arkansas and currently works as a managing associate at Pacific Advisors. Before joining his current role in 2023, Bowen had been employed as a district manager for Colonial Life, a U.S. Air Force heating and air conditioning technician, and a sales specialist at an Arkansas Toyota dealership.

District 4  northeastern Clark County

Regent incumbent Donald Sylvantee McMichael. (NSHE photo)

Elected to the Board of Regents in 2018, incumbent Donald Sylvantee McMichael is running for a second term.

McMichael did not reply to the Nevada Faculty Alliances questionnaire and reported zero campaign contributions during the first quarter of 2024. McMichael has not received any endorsements.

According to his regents page, McMichael attended Saint Leo College in 1974 and Syracuse University in 1983. McMichael worked as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service for 23 years and as a combat photographer in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. He also worked as a photographer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forestry Service.

Board of Regents candidate Tonia Holmes-Sutton. (campaign photo)

Tonia Holmes-Sutton, an educational consultant, is endorsed by Veterans In Politics International, Nevada Democratic Veterans and Military Families Caucus, the Nevada Veterans Association, and the Armed Forces Chamber. Her campaign reported raising no campaign contributions during the first quarter reporting period.

Holmes-Sutton earned a Masters of Education at UNLV before ultimately earning a UNLV Doctorate of Education.

In 2014, she was appointed to the Nevada State Board of Education by former Gov. Brian Sandoval before resigning in 2019. She is currently serving on numerous education focused boards including, as chair of the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority Board, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Board of Directors, and the WestEd Board of Directors.

If elected as the new regent of District 4, Holmes-Sutton told the Nevada Faculty Alliance she plans to prioritize equitable access to education, mental health services for students and faculty, and improving communication and collaboration from pre-k to college.

Mental health services play a vital role in improving campus safety, said Holmes-Sutton. The mass shooting at UNLV on December 6th showed that campus security is a shared responsibility, said Holmes-Sutton. She proposed improving security systems and adding emergency stations for immediate incident response.

Collective bargaining is a fundamental right, said Holmes-Sutton, adding she supports legislation that would grant collective bargaining rights to NSHE professional employees to improve their ability to negotiate terms and conditions of employment.

In a questionnaire for the Nevada Faculty Alliance, Holmes-Sutton said she deeply values diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education and would not support policy to regulate discussion of or teaching about topics about the relationship between race and gender identity in society.

Holmes-Sutton said she firmly opposes removing the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution as proposed in a November ballot measure. Holmes-Sutton argued the board plays a critical role in overseeing public institutions of higher education.

Removing the Board of Regents constitutional status risks introducing instability and uncertainty at a time when consistent leadership is needed to navigate the challenges facing higher education, Holmes-Sutton told the Nevada Faculty Alliance.

It is essential for the Board to provide strategic direction and ensure accountability, as well as establish a delicate balance between oversight and institutional autonomy.

However, Holmes-Sutton said she believes the board needs to provide much more transparency and communication when choosing a Chancellor.

Board of Regents candidate Aaron Bautisa. (campaign photo)

Aaron Bautista, a special education teacher at charter school Mater Academy, received his Masters degree in special education from Grand Canyon University and has been a teacher for nine years. His campaign reported raising no campaign contributions during the first quarter.

Bautista was appointed to the board of For Our Future East Las Vegas, an economic development initiative, by Councilwoman Olivia Diaz. Diaz also appointed Bautisa to the Neighborhood Partners Fund board for the City of Las Vegas.

Top priorities for Bautisa include increasing access and affordability to higher education, improving the teacher pipeline, mental health, and inclusion.

In a questionnaire for the Nevada Faculty Alliance, Bautisa said he supports legislation for collective bargaining rights for NSHE professional employees. He supports the discussion of and teaching about topics about the relationship between race and gender identity in society, and would be against regulating such topics. Bautista said he opposes the proposed constitutional amendment to remove the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution.

Removing the Board of Regents takes away accountability from the colleges and universities. The Board of Regents along with chancellor, president, and legislature all must work together, Bautista said. Bautisa did however criticize any role the Board of Regents may have in directing internal operations of the eight NSHE institutions.

I think the Board of Regents should provide oversight and accountability, but the school presidents should run the schools, Bautisa said.

Board of Regents candidate Richard Carrillo. (Nevada State Assembly photo)

Richard Carrillo did not reply to the Nevada Faculty Alliances questionnaire, has no endorsements listed, and reported zero campaign contributions during the first quarter of 2024.

Before running for regent of District 4, Carrillo was a member of the Nevada State Assembly where he represented District 18 as a Democrat, until he left office in 2020. During his time in office he faced some controversy after he was found guilty of driving under the influence and possessing a firearm while intoxicated in 2015.

He graduated from Washtenaw Community College in 2011 and currently works as a licensed realtor for Neighborhood Realty. Carrillo has also worked as a business representative for Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 525, according to his personal Linkedin.

Shawn Stamper did not reply to the Nevada Faculty Alliances questionnaire, lists no endorsements, and reported zero campaign contributions during the first quarter of 2024. Stamper does not appear to have a campaign site or any other social media presence.

Stamper previously ran to represent State Assembly District 14 as a Republican in 2022, before being defeated by Democratic opponent Erica Mosca

District 12  southeastern Clark County

Elected to the Board of Regents in 2018, incumbent Amy Carvalho is running for a second term. In 2022, she became the chair of the Board of Regents by unanimous vote of the board.

Regent incumbent Amy Carvalho. (NSHE photo)

Amy Carvalho told the Nevada Faculty Alliance she has not sought endorsements for her campaign, but reported raising $375 in campaign contributions during the first quarter reporting period.

Carvalho, a property manager, earned a bachelors in Anthropology from UNLV before receiving a masters in Business Administration from Western Governors University, an online university based in Utah.

She served on the Boulder City Library District Board of Trustees, and also served two terms on the Nevada Department of Educations Council to Establish Academic Standards.

During her term as chair, the Board of Regents approved a wage increase for NSHE faculty in 2023 to partially fill a budget hole created by a lack of state funding during the pandemic.

In a questionnaire for the Nevada Faculty Alliance, Carvalho said her top priorities were improving workforce education, establishing a system-wide strategic plan, and equitable funding for all Nevada higher education institutions.

For years, the Board of Regents have attracted media attention due to public conflicts between regents, the chancellor, campus presidents, and the legislature. Carvalho acknowledged those difficulties and said she has worked diligently to repair relationships during her time on the Board of Regents and within the system.

Carvalho said she supports collective bargaining to the extent that all professional employees support it.

I look forward to those discussions and working as a board toward consensus in this area so we can all speak with one voice, Carvalho said.

Carvalho said she believes voters in Nevada must retain the ability to choose regents and opposes the proposed constitutional amendment to remove the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution.

The Board of Regents should not be an arena for politics or political favors, which would be probable with appointing regents. Perhaps stronger qualifications for who can file to run might be an improvement, but I am not in favor of changing the Constitution, Carvalho said.

She did, however, criticize any role the Board of Regents may have in administrative work on any of the eight NSHE institutions. The boards role is to set the direction and goals of the system and supervise the work of the chancellor and presidents who are the experts hired to run the system and institutions, said Carvalho.

Jonathan Maxham, a competitor for the District 12 seat, did not reply to the Nevada Faculty Alliances questionnaire and lists no endorsements. He reported $5 campaign contributions during the first quarter of 2024. Maxham, a doctor of osteopathic medicine in Las Vegas, earned a bachelors degree from the University of South Carolina in 2004 and a D.O. from Kansas City University in 2009. Maxham did complete Ballotpedias Candidate Connection survey in 2024, where he listed academic excellence, personal health and wellness safety as his office priorities.

District 9  Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Lander, Lyon, Mineral, Storey and southern Washoe Counties

Regent incumbent Carol Del Carlo. (NSHE photo)

Regent Incumbent Carol Del Carlo, a retired Incline Village resident who has been on the board since 2016, is endorsed by multiple Republican elected officials including U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, Lt. Gov Stavros Anthony, state Sen. Robin Titus, state Sen. Heidi Seevers Gansert, Assemblyman Ken Gray, and Assemblyman Pete Goicoechea.

Her campaign reported raising more than $21,433 during the first quarter reporting period  significantly more than any other candidate running for a post on the Board of Regents. Her highest campaign contribution, a $2,500 donation, comes from Mike Brooks, a licensed attorney and partner in the Hutchison & Steffen Las Vegas office.

In a questionnaire for the Nevada Faculty Alliance, Del Carlo said she was running for her final term.

Del Carlo earned a Bachelor degree in business administration from the University of Maryland, and a Masters in human resources from Chapman College in Orange County.

During her final term, Del Carlo said her top priorities are to secure a new and equitable funding formula at the 2025 legislative session, hire a permanent Chancellor and new presidents for the College of Southern Nevada and the Truckee Meadows Community College, and to ensure NSHE professional employees receive a cost of living adjustment at the same rate of 80% as other state agencies receive.

Del Carlo also told the Nevada Faculty Alliance she plans to vote against the proposed constitutional amendment to remove the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution, so that regents can remain elected and not appointed.

She acknowledged that NSHEs recent search for a Chancellor ended with no hire and an appointment of an Interim Chancellor, but argued that the boards hiring process is not flawed, calling it open and transparent. Del Carlo blamed the failed search on a perfect storm, brought on by an inexperienced chair who had never served on a search committee. Del Carlo supports hiring an outside search firm specialized in higher education.

Del Carlo also told the Nevada Faculty Alliance she believes Nevada could establish more residencies and keep more doctors from Nevadas two medical schools in the state by increasing funding for graduate medical education.

Since Nevada is a right to work state, Del Carlo said she is not opposed to NSHE professional employees receiving collective bargaining rights. As a firm believer in academic freedom, Del Carlo signaled she would not support a policy to regulate discussion or teaching about topics such as Critical Race Theory and gender identity on NSHE campuses.

Bret Edward Delaire, a business owner competing for the District 9 regent seat, earned a bachelors in finance at Georgetown University. Delair declined to participate in the Nevada Faculty Alliances questionnaire and lists no endorsements. His campaign reported raising no campaign contributions during the first quarter. Delair does not appear to have a campaign site or any other social media presence.

Gary Johnson, another candidate competing for the seat, did not reply to the Nevada Faculty Alliances questionnaire, lists no endorsements, and reported zero campaign contributions during the first quarter of 2024. Johnson does not appear to have a campaign site or any other social media presence.

Editor note: an earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Carlos Fernandez has been endorsed by Veterans in Politics and AIA Nevada.

The post Board of Regents primary attracts crowd of candidates, despite new shorter terms appeared first on Nevada Current.
THORNDALE, Texas (KXAN)  A boil water notice was issued for all City of Thorndale Water customers Monday morning.

The city said a loss of pressure in the water distribution system caused by a mechanical issue at the City of Thorndale Water Treatment Plant was the reason behind the boil notice. The pressure loss happened around 5:15 a.m. Monday.

Tips for boiling water with or without power

The city said due to the loss of pressure, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the City of Thorndale, public water supply ID# 1660003, to notify all City of Thorndale water customers to boil their water prior to consumption.

The TCEQ said to ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

When boiling water is no longer necessary, the City of Thorndale public water system officials will issue a notice to customers that rescinds the boil water notice.

The city said it is in the process of getting the proper water samples and taking them to a lab for testing and will provide an update as soon as possible.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Editor's note: The article was updated after Ukraine's Border Guard Service confirmed that the blockade ended along the entire border.

Polish protesters had largely stopped their blockade at the Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska crossing point on April 29, Ukraine's Border Guard Service reported.

This effectively means that the blockade along the entire Polish-Ukrainian border had been lifted, the Border Guard confirmed for Ukrainska Pravda.

Trucks carrying grain to Poland would still not be allowed passage through Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska, except for those transiting to other countries, according to the Border Guard's statement. Regarding other trucks and cargo, the traffic had resumed directions as of 10 a.m. local time.

The farmers began blocking trucks at several border crossings in February in protest of Ukrainian agricultural imports and the EU's Green Deal.

On April 22, Polish protesters ended their blockade at the Yahodyn-Dorohusk crossing, resuming traffic in both directions.

The blockade has led to deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Warsaw. Protestors spilled Ukrainian grain on several occasions, sparking outrage in Ukraine.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal visited Poland on March 28 to meet with his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, and discuss agricultural trade between the two countries. The two officials agreed to search for "mutually satisfactory solutions," such as a verification and control system for trade in agricultural goods.

Tusk also called on Polish farmers to stop blocking the border with Ukraine on April 18.

Earlier, the Polish prime minister said that Warsaw was considering expanding the list of banned Ukrainian goods to "protect the EU's market and the local manufacturers."

Read also: Tusk urges Polish farmers to stop blockade at Ukrainian border as fate of war at stake

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Boston Police say missing 15-year-old girl has been found

Police on Tuesday said a 15-year-old Boston girl who was missing for more than two weeks has been found.

Jayla Santiago, of Dorchester, a student at TechBoston Academy, was reported missing after she was last seen on Friday, April 12, in the area of 206 Norwell St., police said. Jayla did not report to school on that day.

CANCEL-BPD Missing Person Alert: 15-Year-Old, Jayla Santiago, of Dorchester has been Located https://t.co/GBtDvjSZPc  Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) April 30, 2024

Police reposted a missing person alert for Jayla on social media on Monday morning.

Jayla Santiago, 15, of Dorchester is missing, Boston Police said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Cinco de Mayo is around the corner, meaning many people who celebrate could need a safe ride home.

Breakthru Beverage Missouri supports responsible celebrations by partnering with 1800 Tequila to provide Missourians with a limited number of free rides home in Kansas City.

Plants to turn your backyard garden into a tropical paradise

We all know that Cinco de Mayo brings many people out to celebrate together, but the most important part of these celebrations is getting home safely, said Scott Johnson, Executive Vice President, Breakthru Beverage Missouri.

Rides are available from 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4 through 10 p.m. Sunday, May 5, via Lyft.

The rides are offered through Safe Home After Every Occasion, a social responsibility program designed to encourage planning a ride home before heading out.

Since being introduced in 2011, the program has provided nearly 150,000 Missourians with a free and safe ride home on holidays or after special events.

Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android

They are also offering free rides home in St. Louis, Columbia and Springfield.

Missourians can access their free ride home of up to $20 value using the redemption code BBGMOCINCO24 through the Lyft app.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in all directions related to a green economy, Trend reports.

According to the information, this was stated at the meeting of Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov with acting UNDP Resident Representative in Azerbaijan Alessandra Roccasalvo on April 29.

The meeting focused on the development of long-term relations between the countries in the field of green energy technologies and the wide use of energy efficiency.

"During the conversation, the sides discussed measures on forthcoming energy efficiency improvement in municipalities, public buildings, and schools, as well as the activity of the Energy Efficiency Fund, the establishment of centralized heat supply using renewable energy sources, and the and the preparation and implementation of the National Plan of Electromobility," the information noted.

The sides discussed the status of the implementation of projects on the production and export of energy from renewable energy sources and the construction of regional interconnectors for green energy.

Additionally, it was noted at the meeting that the energy supply of the liberated territories will be based on the concept of green energy.

The parties also discussed opportunities for cooperation in connection with Azerbaijan's chairmanship at COP29.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
German Transport Minister Volker Wissing has warned lawmakers he will ban driving on weekends if they cannot agree to a planned amendment to the nation's Climate Protection Act. Wissing said that is the only way to meet the emissions goals called for in the law. Negotiations over the amendment have stalled over whether the government should look at overall carbon dioxide emissions and allow the government to decide what actions to take if they don't meet targets for two years in a row or whether it should set individual standards for each sector of the economy. Julia Verlinden of the Green Party said that rather than ban weekend driving if an agreement can't be reached, Wissing could reduce the speed limit.

The post Brickbat: Baby, You Can't Drive Your Car appeared first on Reason.com.
Britain is not in the business of taking more migrants, a Cabinet minister has warned Ireland after it vowed to send asylum seekers to the UK.

Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said he saw no reason why the UK should take back migrants from Ireland when the EU and France would not accept returns from Britain.

The row broke out after senior Irish ministers said they would draft emergency laws to send back refugees who had arrived from the UK to avoid being deported to Rwanda.

Last week, Micheal Martin, the Irish deputy prime minister, said the UKs Rwanda policy was impacting on Ireland because people were fearful of staying in the UK and were seeking asylum in Ireland instead.

Return of migrants to UK

Simon Harris, the Irish prime minister, has asked for proposals for a new law to be brought to his cabinet this week to pave the way for the return of migrants to the UK.

However, Mr Stride said on Monday morning: We are not in the business of having more Channel migrants in the UK.

We have a situation where people are coming across from France illegally. The French are not prepared to take back the illegal migrants. I dont see why we should have any different situation.

He added: There are going to be discussions between the Irish Government and ours. I very much doubt we are going to end up in a position where we are going to say: We are going to be taking anybody back.

Not least because when it comes to France and other EU countries, they are not in the business of taking people back either.

British-Irish intergovernmental conference

The row is expected to feature in talks on Monday between Mr Martin and UK Northern Ireland ministers Chris Heaton Harris and Steve Baker as part of the British-Irish intergovernmental conference in London.

Helen McEntee, the Irish Justice Minister, has pulled out of the conference in London today in what was seen as a tit-for-tat following Home Secretary James Cleverlys decision to cancel their meeting yesterday. Home Office sources cited a diary clash.

Immigration to Ireland rose by 32 per cent in the year ending last April, with asylum seekers accounting for more than 13,000 of over 140,000 arrivals. Irish ministers suggest that 80 per cent of the asylum seekers are crossing the border from the UK, and have cited the deterrence of Rwanda as a factor.

Mr Harris said on Sunday: Every country is entitled to have its own migration policy, but I certainly dont intend to allow anybody elses migration policy to affect the integrity of our own one.

This country will not, in any way, shape or form, provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges. Thats very clear.

Deterrent effect

However, Mr Stride was unapologetic about the Rwanda policy. Asked if it was designed to force migrants into Ireland, he denied it was the case but said it was designed to act as a deterrent.

He said: The design is to ensure there is a deterrent effect. We passed the Rwanda Bill that means those coming here illegally can expect to be removed to Rwanda. What we are already seeing is a deterrent effect kicking in. Thats why we are seeing people moving from the UK into Ireland.

Before Brexit, the return of migrants to EU countries was governed by the Dublin Agreement, under which migrants could be sent back to a safe third country through which they had passed before arriving at their destination.

This meant that asylum seekers arriving in Ireland from the UK, or migrants reaching the UK from France, could be returned if it could be shown that they had passed through a safe third country  that is, the UK or France.

But the UK left the scheme when it left the EU and no successor agreement was signed during the Brexit talks, meaning there are no formal returns agreements in place between EU countries and the UK.

A post-Brexit provision was, however, made in the case of the UK and Ireland, which meant Ireland could return asylum seekers to Britain. No asylum seeker has been successfully returned to Ireland, or vice-versa, under this post-Brexit arrangement since it was struck.

However, the Irish High Court last month ruled that the Irish governments declaration of the UK as a safe third country to which it could return asylum seekers was unlawful, owing to the Rwanda Bill. The emergency legislation proposal seeks to overturn this judgement.

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British and Irish officials meet as tensions rise over what to do with asylum seekers

From left, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, Tanaiste Micheal Martin, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Lord Caine arrive for the British-Irish intergovernmental Conference presser, at 100 Parliament Street, in London, Monday April 29, 2024. (Yui Mok/Pool via AP)

LONDON (AP)  British and Irish officials met Monday as tensions rise over the movement of asylum seekers from the U.K. to neighboring Ireland and Ireland's proposal to send them back.

Irish premier Simon Harris said Sunday that Ireland will not "provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges after one of his ministers said more than 80% of asylum seekers entering Ireland now come across the land border from Northern Ireland, which is part of the U.K.

Irish officials on Tuesday are expected to discuss emergency legislation for a new policy to return the migrants to the U.K. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said he was not interested in any such deal and that his government will decide who is allowed to enter.

Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France, where illegal migrants are coming from," Sunak said Monday.

Sunak claims that the increase in migrants crossing into Ireland from the U.K. shows that his controversial Rwanda policy, which aims to send some asylum seekers arriving in Britain on a one-way trip to the African country, is working. Parliament passed the legislation last week.

The prime minister says it will deter risky English Channel crossings by people desperate to reach the U.K. Human rights activists and migrants groups call the policy unethical, inhumane and costly.

Sunak suggested over the weekend that the deterrent was already having an impact because people are worried about coming here.

Chris Heaton-Harris, the U.K.'s Northern Ireland secretary, and Irish Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin sought to play down any rift over the migrant issue at a news conference Monday.

The countries are jointly committed to protect the common travel area from abuse, Heaton-Harris said.

The Irish government's proposed legislation to return asylum seekers to the U.K. is a response to an Irish High Court ruling last week which found that Ireland's designation of the U.K. as a safe third country for asylum seekers is contrary to EU law.

Irelands Justice Minister Helen McEntee asserted last week that the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland into Ireland was now higher than 80%. She did not provide exact figures.

___

Full AP coverage of migration: https://apnews.com/hub/migration
Brother shoots and kills sister while aiming for a different woman, Texas cops say

A woman was shot and killed during an argument at a gas station, Texas police said.

Now, authorities are searching for her brother.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting on April 27 around 9:50 p.m. and found 24-year-old Sarah Taplin with a gunshot wound, according to an April 28 Houston Police Department news release.

Investigators said the shooting escalated from a fight between the victim and another woman.

According to police, 35-year-old Richard Taplin, the victims brother who was present during the incident, grabbed a gun from someone nearby and fired at the person his sister was fighting with as the woman ran away.

Richard Taplin shot indiscriminately into a crowded gas station parking lot and struck his sister at least once, before fleeing, police said.

Sarah Taplin was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Richard Taplin is charged with murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful carry of a weapon with a felony conviction, according to police.

As of April 29, Taplin had not been caught. Authorities said Taplin should be considered armed and dangerous.

Officers are asking anyone with information to call the Houston Police Department Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.

Man tries to move Texas teen back to his Indiana home for sexual activities, feds say

27-year-old dad of 2 killed in road rage shooting, Texas cops say. Now, man arrested

Woman dies in fire started by person she helped, family says. Careful who you trust
Brothers say they were lost, asking for directions when shot

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Two brothers who say they were shot while asking for directions in the Nutbush neighborhood were rushed to the hospital in critical condition Monday morning.

The incident took place in the 3700 block of Longfellow Road a little after 3:05 a.m. One brother was hit in the eye, and the other was shot in both legs and the chest.

Police are told the men were only asking for directions when they were shot, but detectives say the vehicle the brothers were in may have been connected to several earlier crimes.

5 injured in multiple overnight shootings

The two brothers told detectives that around 3 a.m., they became lost. They pulled over, asking a group of men for directions.

The brothers went on to say the group became angry, opening fire. Both men were shot.

But, there is more to the story. The car the brothers pulled up in is the same vehicle investigators say was reportedly used during several attempted robberies, leaving some questioning whether this was a case of self-defense.

Eva Butler has lived in the neighborhood for more than half a century.

Weve had lots of stuff going on in this area. I just try to stay in the house and mind my business, she said.

Woman robbed, shot after man steals car with her inside: MPD

She says it is hard seeing nearby homes that were hit by gunfire.

Yeah I say enough is enough, but apparently its not because they just keep doing it, said Butler.

The vehicle the two brothers were in is now in police custody. So far, there have been no reported arrests.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
HENDERSON, Texas (KETK)  A Henderson business owner was shot on Friday in an attempted robbery.

Marshall 13-year-old dead after weekend shooting, police investigating

According to police, officers responded to a call about a possible robbery with shots fired in the 1500 block of West Main Street. When officers arrived, officials said they found the business owner had been shot during a robbery attempt and the suspect ran.

The business owner was treated and released for his injuries, and police said they are currently following up on leads to identify the suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Randolph at 903-657-3512.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Business as usual for mafia in prison as mobile phones rife, says Italian prosecutor

Italian prison officers are being given extra training to combat rise of drone deliveries - Polizia Penitenziaria

Imprisoned mafia bosses are calling each other to conduct drug deals and even ordering punitive expeditions against their rivals because phones are so widespread in Italian jails.

In an alarming situation, there are on average 100 prisoner mobile phones in each Italys prisons, said Nicola Gratteri, a high-profile magistrate who is Italys most-prominent prosecutor and has been under police protection for years.

Mafia dons use the phones, either smuggled into prisons or covertly delivered by drone, to run their illegal activities from behind bars.

Mafiosi are able to direct the committing of crimes and order punitive expeditions, said Mr Gratteri, who spent decades fighting the Ndrangheta mafia in Calabria, in the far south of Italy, but is now chief prosecutor in Naples, where he is up against the formidable Camorra mafia.

There are mafia prisoners who organise telephone calls with each other from one prison to another. Right now, there are on average 100 mobile phones in every Italian prison. This is the bitter reality. The situation is alarming.

Mafia leaders continued ability to take part in criminal enterprises on the outside serves to increase their standing with their lieutenants, he told La Stampa newspaper.

Italian anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri says there are on average 100 mobile phones per prison - ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images

Prison officers recently discovered 140 mobile phones in a jail in Rossano in Calabria, despite the fact that it is supposed to be a high-security facility for mafia dons and terrorists.

The widespread presence of phones represented a chronic failure of the judicial system, Mr Gratteri said.

Mafia bosses are able to maintain their criminal links, giving out orders for crimes to be carried out, as well as enhancing their own prestige. I would absolutely say it is a failure. It is also a heavy blow delivered by the mafia to the state.

There have been frequent cases of mobile phones and other contraband delivered to prisoners by drone.

In May last year, prison officers spotted a drone hovering near the maximum-security wing of Pagliarelli jail in Palermo, Sicily. When they conducted a search, they found phones wrapped in waterproof plastic and concealed in lavatories.

Last month, Italian police arrested 31 people who were allegedly part of a criminal network that was delivering drugs and mobiles to 19 prisons around the country, from Piedmont in the north to Sicily in the south.

One of the suspects, a 52-year-old man, upgraded the drones so that they could carry heavy loads.

Prisoners were charged 1,000 (855) for the delivery of a mobile and up to 7,000 for half a kilogram of drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, according to prosecutors in Naples.

Prison officers are also sometimes complicit. A former prisoner governor in Calabria, in southern Italy, is under investigation for having allegedly allowed mobile phones and drugs into the jail in return for the prisoners not making trouble.

In an attempt to confront the situation, the authorities are experimenting with electronic jamming devices that make mobile phones ineffective and using detectors which can find mobiles that are hidden in cells.

Prison officers are being given extra training in how to intercept drones.

But the head of a union representing prison guards said that criminals tended to be one step ahead of the authorities.

Italys jails now resemble telecom centres, said Donato Capece.

Ministers have been talking about jammers for some time. Meanwhile, organised crime is at least 10 years ahead of us technologically.

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While fur bounces between being trendy or tacky, one thing remains true: around 100 million animals are bred and killed on factory farms each year globally, with around five million additional animals caught and trapped in the wild, per a new report by the Material Innovation Initiative (MII). Not to mention the alternative, synthetic fur, which releases microplastics into the environment.

With that in mind, the Humane Society of the United States has checked out just how effective the California fur ban has been. The animal rights nonprofit went undercover to investigate 25 California-based retailers openly skirting the law by selling new fur products.

More from Sourcing Journal

That law would be Assembly Bill 44, authored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman, which passed in 2019 and makes the selling or manufacturing of new animal fur products in Californiathrough brick-and-mortar and online salesillegal. The bill went into effect at the start of 2023, giving retailers three years to stop selling fur products. If violated, penalties range between $500-$1,000 per violation; each item sold warrants an individual charge.

The organizations investigationwhich took place in 2023found that six out of those 25 retailers (24 percent) were displaying and offering illegal fur for sale.

The fur trade is declining around the globe as corporate and public policy aligns with the values of the public, PJ Smith, fashion policy director at the Humane Society, said. Investigations at fur farms have shown there is simply no way to confine wild animals in small cages for their entire lives and expect anything but cruelty.

Flier Furs, a family-owned and operated business in Beverly Hills, allegedly had at least 25 large fur pieces on display. A store employee told the Humane Society investigator that the shop carries items made from mink, chinchilla, fox and rabbit and has additional inventory available in the back. Per the video footage, the hangtags appear to be new; however, the sales associate never verbally states that the pieces are new. However, he does explain that a particular chinchilla coat is available in a different color, suggesting its a newly made product.

Flier Furs did not respond to Sourcing Journals request for comment.

At Philipp Pleins Beverly Hills location, the investigator identified a blue paisley coat with fur trim and asked a store employee if the fur was real. Although the employee initially indicated that the fur was not realnoting Californias prohibition on fur saleshe later told the investigator that the fur was, in fact, real. The coats tag confirms that the trim is raccoon fur.

When you have real big fur, you cannot sell, but when its a small piece like this, they do, the store employee said in the video footage, referring to fur trims.

A Philipp Plein sales associate holding what appears to be a newly made coat with fur trim.

Philipp Plein did not respond to Sourcing Journals request for comment.

Last October, the investigator called House of Furs and Leather, a Sacramento storefront, and indicated she wanted to buy newnot usedfur. An employee allegedly confirmed this would be possible. When Sourcing Journal called the shop, an automated recording stated it is out of business. Its website is also no longer in service.

Furs by La Fayette, a Los Angeles outpost, allegedly only sells new fur products, per this investigation. However, the store told Sourcing Journal that it stopped importing new fur products two years ago and only has a handful of vintage pieces remaining. The video footage indicates otherwise, showing an array of new fur coats.

Bizakis Furs, a family-run operation in Tustin, told the investigator that its fur garments are authentic and not very old at all.

Bizakis Furs told Sourcing Journal that it is currently in litigation, fighting allegations not made by the Humane Society but by another animal rights organization, and cannot speak on the topic.

The investigator also hit up Bond Furs, a small fur shop in Monrovia, and saw various real fur pieces throughout the store. A store employee allegedly told this investigator that Bond Furs does, in fact, sell new fur garments, despite the law.

When asked about this employee, the store owner confirmed that no such employee exists, as far as he knows. What he does know, however, is that someone has been hitting up various furriers in the Los Angeles area and attempting to buy new fur on behalf of bigger stores.

People come in and try to pull the wool over our eyes and say that they want to buy new or whatever, and we just cant help them in that way, the owner told Sourcing Journal.

Its also worth noting that Bond Fursalong with the majority of these suspectsvery publicly advertise selling vintage or secondhand fur pieces. Plus, there is no discernible way to determine if the new pieces were made within the past three years.

Regardless, it was only the mom-and-pop retailers of the 25 visited who were accused of any wrongdoing. The likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi were also visited, but passed the test.

Innovative alternatives to fur that are animal-free and plastic-free are available, making animal fur obsolete, Smith said. The end of the fur trade is in sight, and for the animals sake, that day cant come soon enough.
A university in California issued a strongly worded statement Sunday after days of unrest on the campus resulted in anti-Israel agitators taking over two academic buildings, saying the cost of these illegal activities would be "in the millions."

California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, or simply Cal Poly Humboldt, condemned the "lawless behavior" of the agitators and said the current rebellion "has nothing to do with free speech or freedom of inquiry."

"It is lawless behavior that has harmed the vast majority of our students whose education has been interrupted, damaged the reputation of our school, and drained resources from the accomplishment of our core educational purpose," said the university located in Arcata. As a result, the school added, it will be forced to shell out "millions" to repair the facilities. But, the true cost could be even worse.

"That includes damage done by theft, vandalism and graffiti, and the supplies and personnel needed to repair that, in addition to the loss of revenue from disruption to university operations," the university said. "But the true cost has been the disruption of the education of our students who came here to learn and get a college degree."

TRUMP SAYS 4 WORDS ABOUT ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AS ARRESTS SKYROCKET

Anti-Israel protesters held similar protests at the University of Southern California's Alumni Park, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, in Los Angeles, April 24, 2024.

The university said its issue was not with the protest itself, but with the "ongoing unlawful occupation of campus buildings by students and non-students" and other "criminal acts" that include "vandalism, theft, destruction of state property and intimidation of University employees."

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These actions have created "safety hazards for those who have barricaded themselves inside, blocking exits to the building," the university said.

The university said students who took over Siemens Hall  one of two that have been branded "Intifada Hall" by the protesters  were repeatedly asked to relocate their demonstration outside but refused.

VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS

It subsequently called the police and said the decision resulted in a "confrontation," according to the statement.

"Individuals inside Siemens Hall were repeatedly asked to move their demonstration outside into the University Quad, which is in the heart of campus directly in front of the building. When they refused, they were warned multiple times to leave the building or face arrest for trespassing. When police attempted to enforce the order to disperse, individuals resisted arrest, which ended in a confrontation. When it was clear the situation was escalating, police withdrew for the safety of those inside the building and law enforcement officers," it said Sunday.

Protest encampments have popped up at elite U.S. colleges and universities since students at Columbia University started one on April 18.

The university added that its goal "has always been to bring a peaceful end to the occupation, and we continue to talk to anyone willing to have productive and respectful dialogue."

"Since the beginning, the university's concern has not been the protest itself," it clarified. "We have a long history of activism and civic engagement on this campus, and we unequivocally support the rights of students and others to assemble peacefully, to protest, and to have their voices heard."

Cal Poly Humboldt announced on Saturday that it would be closing its campus, starting Monday, for the remainder of the semester as anti-Israel protesters continue their occupation of Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS FAIL TO REACH DEAL, PRESIDENT ASKS CAMP TO 'VOLUNTARILY DISPERSE'

In a message posted Saturday, the university said a "hard closure" was being enforced, and that individuals would be prohibited from entering or being on campus without permission.

"Students who live on campus in residence halls are presumed to have permission to remain in the limited area of the hall they live in and dining facilities," the university wrote. "Until further updates, student residents do not have permission to be in other parts of campus."

Anti-Israel students are occupying two academic buildings on the Cal Poly Humboldt campus, Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall East.

The university said on Sunday that those who are occupying the academic buildings or "illegally camping around those facilities" should leave the campus peacefully as soon as possible. "Leaving voluntarily will be considered as a possible mitigating factor in [the] university's conduct processes and may reduce the severity of sanctions imposed. This does not, however, eliminate responsibility for any potential conduct or criminal charges," it said.

Fox News Bradford Betz contributed to this report.





Original article source: California university reveals 'true cost' of anti-Israel mob that took over academic buildings
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Azerbaijan has done tremendous work in the direction of digitalization and diversification of its economic model over the past two years, the President of StrategEast Anatoly Motkin told Trend.

"Azerbaijan, in fact, over the past two years has done tremendous work in the direction of digitalization and general diversification of the economic model from an exclusively resource-oriented to a knowledge economy. The fact that a year ago President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the creation of a special tax regime creates prerequisites for international technology companies to be interested in the country," he said.

According to the StrategEast president, the only difference is that Azerbaijan started this development when the western part of the world, which is the main customer, entered the stage of recession, and therefore the technology companies themselves are struggling to keep their budgets there.

"Azerbaijan has an opportunity to compensate for this by the fact that Azerbaijan can become a customer itself and is, in fact, a customer for many technology companies, because both the telecom, oil and gas and banking sectors need digital solutions. And it has created new jobs by hiring local specialists by international companies attracted to the country," he added.

To note, StrategEast is a leading independent organization working on the development of Eurasia's digital economy in cooperation with international financial institutions, development agencies, global technology companies, and Eurasian governments.

StrategEast is a non-profit organization with offices in the US, Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

California Weighs Mandating Vehicle Speed Limiters

Like other states, California is grappling with a problem of drivers who think theyre on the Autobahn in Europe and can drive whatever speed they please. While some argue that speed really isnt as dangerous as some portray, we do know that excessive speed cuts down a drivers time to react to obstacles ahead and can make crashes far more violent.

Man acquitted of DUI charges after doctors find he has a rare medical condition.

But not everyone, including people who believe the speeding problem needs a resolution, is comfortable with the government mandating vehicle speed limiters in all new cars. But thats exactly what the legislature in California has been weighing doing as Senate Bill 961 sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco recently passed the Senate Transportation Committee 8-4 on April 23.

As its currently written, the bill would require that automakers include a system which automatically alerts drivers with an audio and visual warming when theyre going 10 mph over the speed limit, reports San Francisco Chronicle.

That might sound like a great thing to some people, but we have some issues with that and surely were far from the only ones. After all, in modern vehicles theres always something squawking at you, so this would just add to the noise. Some will find it annoying, but we think a lot of drivers will just plain ignore it, whatever the sound the warning makes.

Also, we know from experience that many maps with GPS guidance dont get the speed limit transitions on roads correct. Sometimes it insists the speed limit hasnt changed even though road signs make it clear it has. We see this all the time.

You could be within the legal posted limit and yet still trigger the government-mandated warning. That renders it useless as well as annoying.

Plus, there are real questions about whether or not so many warnings displayed in modern vehicles, like lane keep assist, blindspot monitoring, etc., actually distract drivers from paying attention to their surroundings.

While some might wonder why we care what California does, we know when something like this is mandated by such a large state its then pushed on consumers everywhere. Thats happened before since so many cars are sold in the Golden State. So the rest of us will have to live with this annoying vehicle feature all because a legislature who doesnt even represent us might pass this into law.

We seem to recall a tea party at a harbor being thrown over taxation without representation. What would those people think about such government nanny devices in private vehicles today?

Thankfully, the bill was changed from how it was previously written. Originally it mandated speed governors which were GPS activated, keeping drivers from exceeding the posted limit on different stretches of road.

A chime or beep or whatever is annoying, but at least if you want to push past the speed limit you still can. And you can get pulled over for it. But we do love freedom, especially when it comes to driving. That doesnt mean we believe everyone should drive 100+ mph but were also not big fans of authoritarian government mandates, either.

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Deborah Robertson says she was discriminated against, with the claims totalling $7,482,000 - ALEXANDRA WYMAN/WIREIMAGE

A California Democrat mayor is suing her own city for more than $7 million alleging race and age discrimination  but still wants to be reelected.

Deborah Robertson, who is black, claims the city of Rialto didnt provide her with a special security door in case of an active shooter, despite giving one to a white colleague.

The 73-year-old also says the authorities gave her the wrong kind of pension and failed to arrange ergonomic furniture following a 2019 car crash, and that the citys police department looked her up on their database without a good crime-fighting reason.

If successful, her three claims, filed last year, would amount to $7,482,000  or 3.3 per cent of the citys annual budget  $6 million of which would be in relation to the alleged police snooping.

Ms Robertson, a Democrat, has been mayor of the city, in San Bernardino county, which is 56 miles east of Los Angeles and has a population of 100,000, since 2012.

Lost sight of direction of city

Rival councilman Rafael Trujillo, who is running against her in Novembers election, claimed the cases have become a distraction.

Its shocking, because if youre not the fiduciarily responsible representative, then who is there for the taxpayer? he told the Daily Mail.

Shes so embroiled in all these lawsuits, shes lost sight of the direction of the city.

Mr Trujillo was the colleague provided with a security door before Ms Robertson but, as fellow Republican councilman Ed Scott pointed out, is Latino and not white, as Ms Robertson suggested.

Mr Scott said the city did provide Ms Robertson with ergonomic furniture and a security door but delays were caused by the pandemic and an office move.

I dont think it was a fair analogy on her part that she was being singled out, he said.

Mr Scott was himself targeted by city police, winning $500,000 after his details were looked up for no good reason on a database.

But he said he was targeted because of his anti-union stance and Ms Robertsons claim did not make sense because she is pro-union.

Rialto will go to the polls on Nov 8, with Ms Robertson, who before being mayor served as a council member from 2000, running for a fourth consecutive term.

Ms Robertson has been approached for comment.

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David Cameron, the Foreign Secretary, called on Hamas to take the deal, adding that 'all the eyes of the world should be on them today' - STEFAN ROUSSEAU/REUTERS

David Cameron has urged Hamas to accept a very generous ceasefire deal with Israel that will allow for the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas had been given a very generous offer of [a] sustained 40 days ceasefire, the release of potentially thousands of Palestinian prisoners, in return for the release of these hostages, Lord Cameron told a World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh.

I hope Hamas do take this deal and, frankly, all the pressure in the world and all the eyes of the world should be on them today, saying take that deal, he said, adding that the proposal would lead to a stop in the fighting that we all want to see so badly.

Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, described the deal as extraordinarily generous.

Mr Blinken, who on Monday embarked on a week of shuttle diplomacy, urged the terrorist group, which holds about 133 Israeli hostages in Gaza, to take the deal.

Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, is in Saudi Arabia to discuss efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages - EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS

Israel has reportedly cut the number of hostages it wants freed in exchange for a new truce, and negotiations could begin as soon as Tuesday.

Israel had for months demanded at least 40 hostages be released, but was now prepared to settle for 33, Israeli officials told The New York Times.

When confronted with the demand for 40 vulnerable hostages, Hamas previously said it simply did not have that many women, children and elderly people to release.

Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel, Mr Blinken told a meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers in Riyadh on Monday at the start of a round of shuttle diplomacy across the Middle East.

Im hopeful that they will make the right decision, he added.

Mr Blinken also said Hamas needed to decide quickly, in an apparent reference to Israels plans to mount an offensive in the densely populated southern city of Rafah in the coming weeks.

He added, however, that Washington still had not seen Israels plan to evacuate civilians ahead of the offensive.

The US secretary of state is expected in Israel for Tuesday for talks with Israeli leaders.

After talks on Monday, Sameh Shoukry, Egypts foreign minister, said he was hopeful about the deal offered to Hamas as he said it has taken into account the positions of both sides and has tried to extract moderation.

Shortly before Mr Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia, an unnamed senior Hamas official told AFP the atmosphere is positive for reaching an agreement unless Israel comes up with unexpected new demands.

Sameh Shoukry, Egypt's foreign minister, said he was "hopeful" about the deal offered to Hamas - FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP VIA GETTY

A few hours later, however, another Hamas official said that the group had not yet made up its mind about the proposal.

A Hamas delegation was expected to arrive in Cairo later on Monday.

Egypt has emerged as the new chief mediator between Israel and the terrorist group after Qatar stepped back in response to Israels criticism of its role in the conflict.

The potential truce talks were given new impetus late last week when reports emerged suggesting Israel was willing to agree to a prolonged ceasefire  a significant shift from its previous position, which favoured maximising military pressure on Hamas.

An unnamed Egyptian official told the Associated Press on Monday that the Israeli officials now appeared to be open to discussing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as part of the second phase of a deal with Hamas.

Israel is preparing to launch an invasion of the southern city Rafah, where more than 1.5 million people are sheltering - JIM HOLLANDER/UPA

Israel has previously insisted that it cannot commit to ending the war until Hamas has been destroyed, necessitating an invasion of Rafah, where it says the terror groups last intact battalions are hiding.

Prominent voices in Israel, however, are beginning to suggest that Israel can finish the war in Gaza without having to go into Rafah.

Over the weekend, Yedioth Ahronoth, one of Israels most prominent and popular newspapers, urged the government to cancel the Rafah offensive as the evacuation of its 1.4 million residents could not be carried out without the cooperation with Washington, leaving Israel in a deadlock and ultimately defeated in the war.

Threat to Israeli coalition

The Israeli leadership has been under increasing pressure from the hostages families to take any deal on the table. But agreeing to a prolonged ceasefire is fraught with political implications for the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

The prime ministers hard-Right coalition partners, including the ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, have threatened to quit the coalition in case of a hostage deal or a possible decision to scrap the operation in the south of Gaza, a move that would trigger a snap election.

In Rafah, several Israeli airstrikes overnight killed at least 22 people including six women and five children, according to local health officials. One of the children killed in the strikes was reportedly just five days old.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  Across the U.S. antiwar protests on college campuses are causing controversy.

Lawmakers are split in their reactions to the demonstrations and their views on how to handle them.

The protests range from marches to encampments with a lot of emotion coming from students as they try to make their viewpoints heard about the global conflict.

On the Hill Sunday Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) raised concerns about the protests.

Its a great American value to protest, but I dont believe living in a pup tent for Hamas is really helpful, said Fetterman.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the situation dangerous.

Theres also antisemitism, which is completely unacceptable, McConnell said.

Many students are demanding their universities cut ties with Israel and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said theyre raising legitimate concerns about the death toll of Palestinians and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

When you make those charges thats not antisemitic that is a reality, Sanders said.

Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said he supports students demonstrating peacefully.

95% of the young people who are on these campuses are there because they believe theres a fundamental Injustice being perpetrated, Murphy said.

Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio.) says while students do have a right to protest, They do not have the right to set up tent cities on our public spaces and turn our cities into garbage dumps that that is what I think we should not allow,

Some college campuses have used law enforcement to break up the protests and hundreds have been arrested but Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) warned against escalating the response.

The National Guard going to college campuses Kent State and elsewhere did not end well, and I think that would be a very very bad idea, said Kaine.

The protests and encampments could disrupt upcoming graduation ceremonies happening at many colleges at least one has already been cancelled.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
One of the largest and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex fossil skeletons is displayed at Christie's in New Yor in September 2020. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press)

In December 2022, Vanderbilt University neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel published a paper that caused an uproar in the dinosaur world.

After analyzing previous research on fossilized dinosaur brain cavities and the neuron counts of birds and other related living animals, Herculano-Houzel extrapolated that the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex may have had more than 3 billion neurons  more than a baboon.

As a result, she argued, the predators could have been smart enough to make and use tools and to form social cultures akin to those seen in present-day primates.

The original Jurassic Park film spooked audiences by imagining velociraptors smart enough to open doors . Herculano-Houzels paper described T. rex as essentially wily enough to sharpen their own shivs. The bold claims made headlines, and almost immediately attracted scrutiny and skepticism from paleontologists.

Read more: You're gonna need a bigger number: Scientists consider a Category 6 for mega-hurricane era

In a paper published Monday in "The Anatomical Record, an international team of paleontologists, neuroscientists and behavioral scientists argue that Herculano-Houzels assumptions about brain cavity size and corresponding neuron counts were off-base.

True T. rex intelligence, the scientists say, was probably much closer to that of modern-day crocodiles than primates  a perfectly respectable amount of smarts for a therapod to have.

What needs to be emphasized is that reptiles are certainly not as dim-witted as is commonly believed, said Kai Caspar, a biologist at Heinrich Heine University Dusseldorf and co-author of the paper. So whereas there is no reason to assume that T. rex had primate-like habits, it was certainly a behaviorally sophisticated animal.

Brain tissue doesnt fossilize, and so researchers examine the shape and size of the brain cavity in fossilized dinosaur skulls to deduce what their brains may have been like.

In their analysis, the authors took issue with Herculano-Houzels assumption that dinosaur brains filled their skull cavities in a proportion similar to bird brains. Herculano-Houzels analysis posited that T. rex brains occupied most of their brain cavity, analogous to that of the modern-day ostrich.

But dinosaur brain cases more closely resemble those of modern-day reptiles like crocodiles, Caspar said. For animals like crocodiles, brain matter occupies only 30% to 50% of the brain cavity. Though brain size isnt a perfect predictor of neuron numbers, a much smaller organ would have far fewer than the 3 billion neurons Herculano-Houzel projected.

T. rex does come out as the biggest-brained big dinosaur we studied, and the biggest one not closely related to modern birds, but we couldn't find the 2 to 3 billion neurons she found, even under our most generous estimates, said co-author Thomas R. Holtz, Jr., a vertebrate paleontologist at University of Maryland, College Park.

Whats more, the research team argued, neuron counts arent an ideal indicator of an animals intelligence.

Giraffes have roughly the same number of neurons that crows and baboons have, Holtz pointed out, but they dont use tools or display complex social behavior in the way those species do.

Obviously in broad strokes you need more neurons to create more thoughts and memories and to solve problems, Holtz said, but the sheer number of neurons an animal has cant tell us how the animal will use them.

Neuronal counts really are comparable to the storage capacity and active memory on your laptop, but cognition and behavior is more like the operating system, he said. Not all animal brains are running the same software.

Read more: An AI app claims it can detect sexually transmitted infections. Doctors say it's a disaster

Based on CT scan reconstructions, the T. rex brain was probably  a long tube that has very little in terms of the cortical expansion that you see in a primate or a modern bird, said paleontologist Luis Chiappe , director of the Dinosaur Institute at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

The argument that a T. Rex would have been as intelligent as a primate  no. That makes no sense to me, said Chiappe, who was not involved in the study.

Like many paleontologists, Chiappe and his colleagues at the Dinosaur Institute were skeptical of Herculano-Houzels original conclusions. The new paper is more consistent with previous understandings of dinosaur anatomy and intelligence, he said.

I am delighted to see that my simple study using solid data published by paleontologists opened the way for new studies, Herculano-Houzel said in an email. Readers should analyze the evidence and draw their own conclusions. That's what science is about!

When thinking about the inner life of T. rex, the most important takeaway is that reptilian intelligence is in fact more sophisticated than our species often assumes, scientists said.

These animals engage in play, are capable of being trained, and even show excitement when they see their owners, Holtz said. What we found doesn't mean that T. rex was a mindless automaton; but neither was it going to organize a Triceratops rodeo or pass down stories of the duckbill that was THAT BIG but got away.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
NEW HARMONY, Utah (ABC4)  Two incidents caused traffic delays in Southern Utah on Sunday afternoon, according to officials with the New Harmony Fire Department.

The first incident involved a vehicle fire. New Harmony Fire Chief Jim Banks said a woman was traveling southbound on I-15 in a white Toyota Camry.

READ NEXT: Man ejected, killed in Utah County crash

Fire officials responded to a vehicle fire on I-15 in southern Utah on April 28, 2024. The fire was extinguished within about 10 minutes, but caused road closures and traffic delays. (Courtesy: New Harmony Fire Department)

Fire officials responded to a vehicle fire on I-15 in southern Utah on April 28, 2024. The fire was extinguished within about 10 minutes, but caused road closures and traffic delays. (Courtesy: New Harmony Fire Department)

Fire officials responded to a vehicle fire on I-15 in southern Utah on April 28, 2024. The fire was extinguished within about 10 minutes, but caused road closures and traffic delays. (Courtesy: New Harmony Fire Department)

Fire officials responded to a vehicle fire on I-15 in southern Utah on April 28, 2024. The fire was extinguished within about 10 minutes, but caused road closures and traffic delays. (Courtesy: New Harmony Fire Department)

Banks said the driver noticed a problem while driving and pulled over to the right shoulder before her car caught fire. Banks said the fire was under control within about 10 minutes after firefighters responded to the scene.

The incident with the vehicle fire caused parts of the freeway to shut down for about 30 minutes, officials said, which caused some congestion. Banks said there was another incident roughly 45 minutes later.

Crews responded to a crash on I-15 in southern Utah on April 28, 2024. The crash happened less than an hour after a vehicle fire, and caused road closures and traffic delays. (Courtesy: New Harmony Fire Department)

Crews responded to a crash on I-15 in southern Utah on April 28, 2024. The crash happened less than an hour after a vehicle fire, and caused road closures and traffic delays. (Courtesy: New Harmony Fire Department)

Around 5:15 p.m. on Sunday, Banks said a woman was driving a blue Subaru Outback when she rear-ended a tractor trailer near milepost 40.

The Subaru driver was taken to the St. George Hospital as a precaution, according to Banks. That crash was cleared around 6:30.

Banks said all traffic was back to normal later in the night.

There is no further information at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Carmichael vs. McCray: Two Democrats vie to face off against Banks in U.S. Senate race

Democrats Marc Carmichael and Dr. Valarie McCray are on the primary ticket in the 2024 race for Indiana's open U.S. Senate seat. (Photo illusrtation by Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle; Photos from campaign websites for Carmichael and McCray)

Third District Congressman Jim Banks has been running for the Senate like he has an opponent, and primary voters on May 7 will give him one.

Two Democrats want the nomination  Marc Carmichael and Dr. Valerie McCray  both of whom said that reinstating abortion rights and tackling ongoing immigration issues are among their top priorities, if elected.

Still, its been more than a decade since Hoosiers sent a Democrat, Joe Donnelly, to the U.S. Senate.

McCray, a clinical psychologist, is championing mental and reproductive healthcare, emphasizing that her work in the field, as well as her personal and up close experiences as a female, make her best suited to tackle policy solutions on those topics.

A former state lawmaker and longtime lobbyist, Carmichael said hes looking to model himself after Indianas senior U.S. Sen. Todd Young and find bipartisan solutions to issues affecting Hoosiers.

My whole political career I spent working with Republicans, making friendships with Republicans that Ive maintained to this day, and I think weve got to get back to that if were ever going to get things done and quit these culture wars that we have now, Carmichael said. I just do not want someone out of that chaos caucus in the U.S. House, like Banks, to be my United States senator. That means Ive got to run.

U.S. Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana speaks at an event Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Banks, a GOP favorite who has already spent nearly eight years in Congress, has a multimillion-dollar campaign war chest and an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. Even so, both Democratic contenders said theyre confident they could win over Banks in this Novembers general election. Hoosiers, they said, are looking for someone more moderate and less extreme.

I think Jim Banks is focused on divisive issues. How do we round people up? How do we make them angry? How do we make them feel that someone else is getting something that they are not, that somehow theyre being shorted? McCray said. There is, I believe, so many more commonalities among people. I can unite all these groups, regardless of whatever their political signage is.

Banks is unopposed in the Republican primary after Seymour egg farmer John Rust was removed due to Indianas two-primary rule. Also confirmed on this falls general election ballot is Libertarian Andrew Horning, who was selected as the partys candidate during its annual convention last month.

The Senate seat is being vacated by Republican Mike Braun, who is currently vying for the GOP nomination in Indianas gubernatorial race.

Uniting Hoosiers and increasing healthcare access

McCray first launched a Senate campaign two years ago. She didnt get enough voter signatures to make it on the ballot, however, calling the signature campaign a horrendous, complicated task.

But this time around, McCray said her grassroots team was relentless, having learned from past runs how not to get distracted and where to go for signatures. She reached the 4,500 signatures needed with time to spare.

Federal campaign finance data shows Carmichael raised nearly $112,000 through mid-April. McCray has raised a little more than $14,000. Banks has raised more than $4.1 million this election cycle so far. There are no federal reports on Hornings Senate fundraising as of mid-April.

Every time I do these campaigns, its a financial sacrifice for me. It leaves me struggling, usually. And then I have to get into gear to make that up, said McCray, who also ran a brief campaign for president in 2020. But Im thankful for that process because it makes me remember what my constituents are going through.

She was working within several Indiana prisons when she initially made the decision to seek federal office.

So many things I was seeing in there were going wrong, McCray said, in part pointing to mistreatment of transgender inmates. We need someone in office that is really sensitive to these issues  that are sensitive to the mental health issues.

Although immigration isnt top of the list for McCray, she said it gets in the way of things that should be  like our schools and our medical care system, and addressing climate change.

Immigration is important for me because it's in the way of reasonable conversations to get the whole society going.

 Valerie McCray

In Indiana, we need migrant workers to help with our farming, to help with some of the infrastructure things  were using these people to get our economy rolling. But yet, still, we have this conversation that is so negative, she said. Immigration is important for me because its in the way of reasonable conversations to get the whole society going. Lets speed up the process to make sure that people are safe coming over  and lets move onto other things.

McCray said the Israeli-Palestine issue is among those other topics.

Whats going on now feels cruel, one-sided. It feels like were not holding the values of both people equally, she said. It would have been so nice to get a two state solution. I dont know if we can go back to that. My goal is to make sure that we can try to heal that situation and find a solution. But in the meantime, were not going to be able to find a solution if we dont stop the killing.

Seeking return to elected office

Although retired from politics, Carmichael said he was compelled to run for the open Senate seat after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

I have four granddaughters  and now, they dont have the same rights that their moms and their grandmothers had for 50 years, he said. Ive got to do something about that.

Carmichael said his Indiana Statehouse resume is a testament to what he can accomplish in Congress. He additionally pointed to his first race for the Indiana House in 1986, when he was up against J. Roberts Dailey, then the Republican House Speaker.

He was sitting in a 60% Republican district, and no one thought that I could beat him. Starting in July with a cheap little brochure, I went door to door because I didnt have any money, but I had the time after work. I would spend a couple of hours each evening in the precincts, handing out that brochure and getting to know people, Carmichael said. His shoe leather campaigning helped him secure an 18-point margin  a huge upset  over Dailey that fall.

I just do not want someone out of that chaos caucus in the U.S. House, like Banks, to be my United States senator. That means Ive got to run.

 Democratic hopeful Marc Carmichael

The perception is that statewide in Indiana, Democrats cant win. And yet Ive been in that situation before, and I know the only thing you can do is just work and go places and meet people and make speeches, Carmichael continued. I know whats ahead of me. I know how to do that.

In the U.S. Senate, he would quickly seek to work on banning the sale of assault weapons, requiring universal background checks for those purchasing firearms and enacting a national red flag law to ensure guns dont end up in the wrong hands.

We need to try and do what we can to affect gun violence and mass shootings that occur and are enabled by the purchase of assault weapons, Carmichael said.

Immediate action on global warming is also high on his to-do list, along with affordable housing, especially in rural regions, and a Medicare for All plan, so everyone has access to medical care  especially our our LGBTQ youth, who are being used as political pawns by rightwing Republican legislatures.

With the Democratic nominees for president and governor already effectively secured, Carmichael said hes hoping that Democrats still show up for the primary and cast their votes in the Senate race.

I want to defend our democracy against Trumpism. Banks is a Trumper, through and through, and I just cant imagine how bad things could get if Trump and Banks were elected at the same time, along with Braun and (Indiana Attorney General) Todd Rokita, Carmichael said.

This is a campaign that is going to be dominated by women and people who support women coming out to vote, he continued. If they come out in the way I think theyre going to come out, and if the people who are upset about gun violence come out, and if the people who are upset about global warming come out, and if the people are concerned about our LGBTQ youth come out, and people who are concerned about democracy or housing  if all those groups come out and vote the way I think theyre going to vote, then I think Ill be just fine.

The post Carmichael vs. McCray: Two Democrats vie to face off against Banks in U.S. Senate race appeared first on Indiana Capital Chronicle.
Catch up on the days news: College protesters suspended, officers killed in Charlotte, climate breakthrough

 Welcome to 5 Things PM! The US government issued millions of dollars in fines after an investigation found AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon illegally shared customers personal data without their consent. The Federal Communications Commission said the nations top wireless carriers shared geolocation histories with third parties, including prisons. The companies plan to appeal.

Heres what else you might have missed during your busy day:

5 things

Students rally on the Columbia University campus today. - Caitlin Ochs/Reuters

1 College protests: Columbia University says it has begun suspending student protesters who refused to vacate the on-campus encampment. Demonstrations continued at other universities across the country.  Students seem prepared to accept the consequences.  Watch: Police tear down barrier in Texas

2 Charlotte shooting: Four law enforcement officers were killed while attempting to serve a warrant at a home in North Carolina, authorities said. The victims included one deputy US marshal and two task force officers. The suspect also is dead.

3 Climate deal: Ministers from the Group of Seven nations agreed to shut down all their coal plants by 2035 at the latest, a UK minister said, in a climate policy breakthrough.  Here are five things you can do to help with the climate crisis.

4 Tornado survivors: Two brothers in Nebraska were sucked out of their home by a powerful twister, but they managed to emerge from the rubble without serious injuries.

5 Changing tastes: As malls reinvent themselves, theyre turning to sushi conveyor belts, craft-beer membership clubs and Korean barbecue to replace burgers and fries.

Watch this

 On the run: Four zebras got loose on a busy road near Seattle after managing to escape from a trailer while they were being transported.

Editors picks

 Here are a few recommended reads for you:

Quotable

Country in chaos: Deadly gangs have plunged Haiti into a bloody crisis. This leader, who is on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list of fugitives, claims the aim is liberation.

Quiz time

Abortion rights supporters outside the US Supreme Court on Wednesday. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Which Supreme Court justice led the debate on abortion and presidential immunity last week?

A. Elena Kagan

B. Sonia Sotomayor

C. Amy Coney Barrett

D. Clarence Thomas

 Scroll down for the answer.

Your health

 Sexsomnia: Its an embarrassing sleep disorder no one wants to talk about. Heres what you need to know.

Good vibes

 We like to wrap things up on a positive note:

A tornado tore through a Nebraska town the day before a couples wedding. They decided to make the best of a bad situation and celebrated in the dark.

Thanks for reading

 Well see you tomorrow.

 Were trying something new and want your thoughts. What would you like to see in 5 Things PM? Email us: 5ThingsPM@cnn.com

 Quiz answer: C. Justice Amy Coney Barrett drove the debate during arguments in two politically charged Supreme Court cases.

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5 Things PM is produced by CNNs Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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Cause of Death Revealed for Suzanne Morphew Years After She Vanished on Mother's Day Bike Ride

Suzanne Morphew went missing while she was on a bike ride in May 2020

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office Suzanne Morphew

The cause and manner of death for Suzanne Morphew, the 49-year-old Colorado mother of two who vanished while on a bike ride on Mothers Day in 2020, have been revealed by authorities.

Suzanne, whose remains were found in September 2023, died by homicide, a Colorado county coroners office said in its report, which was published by KKTV. The report stated she was killed by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication."

The autopsy stated that the cocktail of drugs is "marketed as a compounded immobilizer for wildlife"  or an animal tranquilizer,

Colorado Public Radio reports that several years ago, law enforcement recovered a dart gun and materials used to inject tranquilizer into darts in her husband's Barry Morphew's gun safe, but found no tranquilizer chemicals in his home.

Related: Police Found Tranquilizer Dart Cap in Suzanne Morphew's Home After She Vanished

Suzanne's autopsy further revealed that a "weathered" bullet along with Suzanne's biking clothes were found with her remains, but it wasn't immediately clear if the bullet had been used.

She was receiving maintenance chemotherapy for follicular lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, the autopsy stated.

Suzanne disappeared on May 10, 2020 in Maysville, Colo. when she reportedly went on a bike ride, the Chaffee County Sheriffs Office said at the time.

Authorities soon zeroed in on Barry as a suspect. Barry, who was subsequently charged, has steadfastly denied the allegations, telling FOX 21 News in August 2020 that police had screwed this whole thing up from the beginning and were trying to pin his wife's death on him.

Related: D.A. 'Confident' in Murder Case Against Husband of Suzanne Morphew Despite Her Body Not Being Located

On May 5, 2021, almost a year after Suzanne disappeared, police arrested Barry on first-degree murder charges, as well as tampering with physical evidence and attempting to influence a public servant, according to court documents cited by ABC News.

Barry pleaded not guilty to the charges and in April 2022, authorities dropped the charges against him, the Colorado Judicial Department told PEOPLE at the time. However, a judge granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the charges without prejudice, allowing prosecutors to file the charges against Barry at a later date.

Related: Missing Colo. Mom Suzanne Morphew's Brother Believes 'Things Weren't Hunky Dory' at Home

Since Suzannes body was recovered in September 2023, there has been a possibility that Barry could be charged again, PEOPLE previously reported, although no charges have been filed against him since then.



Chaffee County Sheriff's Office Barry Morphew

Related: Preliminary Hearing for Missing Colo. Mom Suzanne Morphew Unveils Extramarital Affair, Arguments About Money

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On Monday, one of Barry's lawyers reiterated their claims of his innocence, adding that the tranquilizer found in Suzanne's body was "a very common animal tranquilizer," per 9 NEWS.

"Barry Morphew is innocent and he could not have killed his wife," his attorney, Jane Fisher-Byrialsen, told the outlet.



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Read the original article on People.
Cause of massive Sauratown Mountain fire that burned more than 800 acres revealed

STOKES COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP)  North Carolina Forest Service rangers have revealed the cause of the massive fire that burned for weeks on Sauratown Mountain at the end of 2023.

On Friday, rangers revealed that the fire, which ran from Nov. 19, 2023, to Dec. 8, 2023, started with an escaped campfire and described it as accidental in nature. The people or persons responsible for starting the fire remain unknown.

In total, there was $250,792 in total damages as a result of the fire.

VIDEO: Two-alarm fire at south Charlotte apartments; Red Cross sets up shelter

Anyone with information is asked to contact the forest service with information.

The start of the fire

On Nov. 19, 2023, the fire began on the north side of the mountains.

As the fire progressed and reached 55 acres, the flames began to threaten infrastructure.

Tractor plow units were on the scene installing fire lines through the night of Nov. 19, 2023, and rangers used impression tactics.

Temporary flight restrictions were put in place, and as the fire began to approach homes, officials closed Sauratown Mountain Road.

Crews from out of state were also at the scene, and rangers used winged planes and helicopters to make water drops.

Crews initially hoped that rainfall in the upcoming days would help deal with the blaze, and crews conducted burnout operations to the east of the fire to fortify the area and provide structural protection to phone towers and homes that were most vulnerable to the flames.

The terrain, which was too dangerous for direct attacks in the dark, limited officials ability to fight the fire.

The fire begins to spread

On Sunday evening, people who live in the immediate area were evacuated, which included 12 homes and a mountaintop youth camp. 50 campers were evacuated from the camp.

No structures had been damaged as of Nov. 20, 2023, but the flames stretched from miles, growing in all directions. The fire spread to 700 acres at this time. The windy, dry conditions only complicated the battle.

No injuries had been reported as of Nov. 20, 2023, and County Ranger Jimmy Holt said while rainfall the next day could have helped, it was not likely to crush the burn completely.

Firefighting personnel worked diligently throughout the night to create defensible space around homes and infrastructure. Currently, crews are assessing homes and any additional structural needs. Firefighting personnel are in place to provide structure protection, the NC Forestry Service wrote in an update on Nov. 20, 2023.

Winston-Salem Fire Department posted that they were assisting in the fight, sharing the following video.

At its peak, over 830 acres were burning on the north side of the mountains.

Containing the fire

On Nov. 21, 2023, firefighters said they had made significant progress in containing the fire, and the rain moving through the Piedmont Triad helped, but they said that the situation was far from over.

Officials say that they had reached 41% containment of the 750+ acre fire as of 11 p.m. on Nov. 21, 2023.

Roughly 60 personnel assisted with night operations, some of whom were dayshift crews that extended their operational period due to predicted gusty winds ahead of forecast precipitation for the overnight hours. Night operations reported rain over the fire at around 3 a.m. this morning. In total, approximately 150 personnel resources have supported this incident. Resources include N.C. Forest Service personnel, out-of-state resources, structural firefighters and support agencies, the forest service said.

Crews spent the day monitoring key sites with the rain giving them time to slow down into a tactical pause and restock necessary equipment.

Poor visibility was a challenge for those working to fight the fire, which included the Winston-Salem Fire Department, as a combination of smoke and fog from the wet conditions created a super fog, reducing visibility down to near zero.

Its such a challenge on Sauratown Mountain just due to access and due to terrain and just the fact that the weather hasnt helped us, Winston-Salem Battalion Chief Joe Ramsey said.

As of that night, Ramsey said no buildings had been damaged thanks to a collaborative effort from several local departments and crews who came from as far as Oregon.

Its such a brotherhood and a sisterhood.  We lost 300 acres, but we didnt lose structures. We couldve lost all the houses on Sauratown Mountain. We couldve lost Mountain Top Youth Camp, but we didnt, Ramsey said.

Gov. Roy Cooper also stopped by the following morning to thank all the firefighters.

Evacuation orders were lifted for the residents in the area of Sauratown Mountain Road on Nov. 21, 2023, and, by Nov. 23, 2023, the fire was 69% contained.

That same day, FOX8s Chad Tucker and his family came to serve Thanksgiving meals to those battling the fire.

This fire hits close to home for me and my family, said Tucker, who is from the Sauratown Mountain community and had family and property affected by the wildfire. This is my people, my neighbors and family who volunteer to serve, to fight this wildfire and to keep us safe year round. The least we can do is tell them personally they are appreciated and serve them a meal on Thanksgiving.

Chad Tucker, family serve Thanksgiving meals to firefighters at Sauratown Mountain

Chad Tucker, family serve Thanksgiving meals to firefighters at Sauratown Mountain

Chad Tucker, family serve Thanksgiving meals to firefighters at Sauratown Mountain

Chad Tucker, family serve Thanksgiving meals to firefighters at Sauratown Mountain

When rangers performed a drone flight with an infrared camera and failed to find any hot spots or heat near the containment lines, officials declared the fire fully contained on Dec. 8, 2023. At its peak, over 830 acres burned on the north side of the mountains.

There were no injuries as a result of the fire, and officials said a major and minor structure sustained minor fire-related damage.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 29. Kazakhstan's Air Astana will resume flights from Astana to Seoul (South Korea), Trend reports.

The twice-weekly flights will be operated by Airbus A321LR aircraft from June 15, 2024.

Notably, Air Astana launched flights from Astana to Seoul in 2015 but was forced to suspend them in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Flights from Astana to Seoul will complement daily flights from Almaty to Seoul, with both routes operating under a codeshare agreement with Asiana Airlines. The airline launched the Almaty-Seoul flight in 2003, and over the past 22 years, it has carried about 800,000 passengers on this route.

Meanwhile, the number of passengers transported by air in Kazakhstan amounted to 13.3 million from January through December 2023. This is 20.7 percent more than in the same period in 2022.

At the same time, passenger turnover amounted to 25.9 billion p-km (increased by 28.8 percent compared to JanuaryDecember 2022).

Furthermore, Kazakhstan is taking consistent steps to develop air transport in the country.

Thus, in 2023, the aircraft fleet of Kazakh airlines increased from 89 to 98 units, and the seat capacity increased from 12,000 to 15,000 (an increase of 26 percent). All this will improve the regularity of flights and the accessibility of air travel in general.
'Vampire facials' were linked to cases of HIV. Here's what to know about the beauty treatment

FILE - This electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes AIDS. Three women who were diagnosed with HIV after getting vampire facial procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa are the first believed to have contracted the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles, according to federal health officials. (Seth Pincus, Elizabeth Fischer, Austin Athman/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH via AP, File)

Three women were diagnosed with HIV after getting vampire facial procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report last week, marking the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through cosmetic services using needles.

Federal health officials said in a new report that an investigation from 2018 through 2023 into the clinic in Albuquerque, VIP Spa, found it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use, transmitting HIV to clients through its services via contaminated blood.

WHAT IS A VAMPI RE FACIAL? IS IT SAFE?

Vampire facials, formally known as platelet-rich plasma microneedling facials, are cosmetic procedures intended to rejuvenate ones skin, making it more youthful-looking and reducing acne scars and wrinkles, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

After a client's blood is drawn, a machine separates the blood into platelets and cells.

The plasma is then injected into the client's face, either through single-use disposable or multiuse sterile needles.

Vampire facials have gained popularity in recent years as celebrities such as Kim Kardashian have publicized receiving the procedure.

HIV transmission via unsterile injection is a known risk of beauty treatments and other services, officials say.

Despite this, the Academy says vampire facials are generally safe.

Health officials say spa facilities that offer cosmetic injection services should practice proper infection control and maintain client records to help prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens such as HIV.

IS THIS PROCESS USED IN OTHER PROCEDURES?

Platelet-rich plasma injections were initially most used medically for bone grafting and osteoarthritis, and then became popular in cosmetic treatments.

Other services, such as Botox and lip fillers, are also delivered with needles, as are tattoos.

Though this procedure works for hair growth, its use for rejuvenation purposes is not Food and Drug Administration-approved, said Zakia Rahman, a clinical professor of dermatology at Stanford University.

But as such procedures grow in popularity, she said, it is "important for people to know and understand a medical procedure should be done in a medical setting."

HOW WERE THE HIV CASES LINKED TO THE SPA?

The New Mexico Department of Health was notified during summer 2018 that a woman with no known HIV risk factors was diagnosed with an HIV infection after receiving the spa's vampire facial services that spring.

During the investigation, similar HIV strains were found among three women, all former clients of the spa. Evidence suggested that contamination from services at the spa resulted in the positive HIV infection tests for these three patients, according to the CDC report.

Another woman, who also received services at the spa, and her male sexual partner, who did not go to the spa, were both found to have a close HIV strain as well, but the HIV diagnoses for these two patients were likely attributed to exposures before receipt of cosmetic injection services," the CDC said.

Health officials found equipment containing blood on a kitchen counter, unlabeled tubes of blood and injectables in the refrigerator alongside food and unwrapped syringes not properly disposed of. The CDC report said that a steam sterilizer, known as an autoclave  which is necessary for cleaning equipment that is reused  was not found at the spa.

ARE ANY OTHER PATIENTS AT R ISK?

Through the New Mexico Department of Health's investigation, nearly 200 former clients of the spa, and their sexual partners, were tested for HIV, and no additional infections were found.

According to the CDC, free testing remains available for those who previously frequented the spa.

Having a medical procedure in a nonmedical setting, I think is the biggest danger of all, Rahman said. Having that discount or the lower cost is not worth potentially putting your life at risk."

"There are a number of procedures and processes in place to make sure that these treatments are done safely and in medical settings," she said. All of these things are in place to really reduce that risk, and when done safely, the risks are extraordinarily low."

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SPA OWNER?

The former owner of VIP Spa, Maria de Lourdes Ramos de Ruiz, pleaded guilty in 2022 to five felony counts of practicing medicine without a license, including conducting the unlicensed vampire facials.

The New Mexico Attorney General's office said Ramos de Ruiz also did illegal plasma and Botox-injection procedures.

According to prosecutors, inspections by state health and regulation and licensing departments found the code violations, and the spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched.

Ramos de Ruiz was sentenced to 7 1/2 years, with four years being suspended on supervised probation, 3 1/2 years time in prison and parole, according to court documents.

Raul A. Lopez, attorney for Ramos de Ruiz, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

___

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson spoke about our shared vision for the county in her annual State of the County address. Make no mistake, there are challenges ahead.

The look for the upcoming year is belt tightening in Multnomah County. With one-time COVID relief ending, the county faces a $4 million deficit this year  the first of five years of projected shortfalls.

$1.3B Powerball winner is Laos-born immigrant battling cancer

In the budget she released late last week, Vega Pederson plans to spend more for homelessness, a 24% increase for rent assistance, housing placements and homeless services in partnership with the City of Portland. She set the goal for that money to fund 1000 more shelter beds, hoping to place another 2700 people in shelter and housing over two years.

During her speech she said, We must have people moving quickly from our streets and into housing. Later she told KOIN 6 News, Its really about having that coordination between all of our systems, all of our partners. Weve got the plan to do that. And thats why Im really excited about the things that were going to make an impact on in the next year.

Multnomah Countys nearly $4B budget proposal focuses on homelessness, fentanyl

The 90-day fentanyl emergency for the county ended Monday. But the declaration brought different organizations to coordinate with each other as well as an educational campaign and expanded outreach programs.

But still this year, more people have died from overdoses in three of the first four months when compared to years past.

Multnomah County statistics through April 29, 2024 (KOIN)

Multnomah County statistics through April 29, 2024 (KOIN)

Vega Pederson acknowledged the OD stats continued to climb, but said it will take time.

In this short period of time, its going to be really hard to move the dial to some of the larger metrics, she said. But what we have to do is really be creating the partnership and the ways of working together so that we can we can do some initial impactful things.

The first chance for the public to weigh in on the countys budget is Wednesday, May 8.

This Friday, Vega Pederson, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek will hold a press conference and take questions on the fentanyl emergency.

KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this story.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  Two men from Champaign have been identified as the people who were arrested on Friday during a pro-Palestine encampment on the University of Illinois campus.

Julia Rietz, the Champaign County States Attorney, said the men are George Vassilatos, 25, and Christopher Zelle, 37. Both are charged with mob action, a Class 4 felony, and neither are students at the university.

Champaign County States Attorney consulted prior to police action at protest, says she is prepared to prosecute

Rietz said that during the protest that started early Friday morning, as UIPD officers escorted university building services workers to remove demonstrators tents at 8:23 a.m., Vassilatos resisted officers by linking arms with others. When he was pulled away from the group, he went limp and dropped to his knees, causing officers to have to carry him away. Rietz said Vassilatos was arrested on the mob action charge as well as obstructing a peace officer, a Class A misdemeanor.

Vassilatos was released with a notice to appear in court on Wednesday, May 1, where he will be formally charged.

Rietz said a UIPD investigation revealed Zelle was present during the morning confrontation and repeatedly engaged with officers. He was also present during the afternoon demonstration, during which Rietz said he interfered with Assistant Chief Barb Robbins attempt to leave the group of people that had gathered. Zelle is said to have grabbed Robbins wrist and used his body to block her from exiting the group.

UI pro-Palestine encampment continues into Monday

Zelle remained at the protest site until 8:30 p.m., when he started moving toward the Illini Union where officers were staged and yelled at them. Rietz said Zelle was then taken into custody for his earlier interaction with Robbins, having been identified on video surveillance.

Zelle is set to be arraigned on Monday on charges of mob action and aggravated battery to a peace officer, a Class 2 felony.

Rietz added that the investigation into the protest on Friday is ongoing and additional charges may be filed in the future.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen, left, and USD Knudson School of Law Dean Neil Fulton address the Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary Club on April 29, 2024. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)

SIOUX FALLS  Artificial intelligence (AI) could mean more efficient legal offices and lower bills for clients  provided human beings use the technology ethically.

South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen and University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law Dean Neil Fulton offered that tentative conclusion on AI in the legal profession to members of the Sioux Falls Downtown Rotary Club on Monday.

The law school is teaching AI to students and offering its law librarian as a trainer for practicing lawyers, Fulton said. The judicial system is considering ways the technology might improve efficiency, Jensen said, and not yet pondering regulations on its use by attorneys.

But both leaders agreed that human decision-making and judgment ought to be top of mind in the use of AI for legal work.

I gave a speech to the class of 2024 on Friday, and the centrality of the human person to the law was the thrust of it, Fulton said. One of the things I tell them is that a lot of disciplines will just say, Can we? The law has to step back and say, Should we?

Some forms of AI have been a modern part of life for years. It undergirds consumer-facing tools like voice dictation on smartphones, spell checkers on word processors or chatbots that screen customer service queries and hold your place in line.

Public awareness of generative AI exploded mostly because of ChatGPT, a text creation tool released in November 2022. Generative AI involves asking a tool like ChatGPT (for text) or Midjourney (for art) to produce something. That could be a term paper, an image, a screenplay or a legal brief in a matter of seconds, though concerns about hallucinations  wherein an AI tool makes up facts to include in the final product  quickly emerged as a danger of relying too heavily on AI-only material.

In the legal field, AI tools have returned legal briefs citing cases that dont exist. A federal judge in New York sanctioned a lawyer in that state last June for submitting briefs with phony citations.

The running joke is now, Did you write this brief, or did AI write it? said Barry Sackett, a Rotarian and lawyer who led the Monday discussion with Jensen and Fulton.

Sackett wanted to know how the chief justice and law school dean are thinking about the technology, given its prominence across multiple areas of work and play.

The initial stumbles with hallucination and worries of students using AI to cheat factored into some of Fultons first conversations about it with law school faculty in Vermillion.

That was a year ago. Now, Fulton said, the school works with  and teaches students about  the AI tools embedded in LexisNexis, one of two major legal research companies in the U.S.

Right now, he said, it can generate a brief thats about 50% accurate.

The human element is working out that other 50%, Fulton said. But that is a savings to your client. Its a savings of time.

Jensen agreed, saying its possible that AI could make offices efficient enough to shave dollars off legal bills. Lawyers often charge billable hours in 15-minute increments.

Weve not developed the rules, because frankly, if you start developing rules, sometimes you preclude innovation and the ability to improve what youre doing, Jensen said.

The state already has strict ethical standards on the truthfulness of evidence, he said. Those standards apply to any brief signed by any lawyer, regardless of whether someone on their staff or an AI tool helped write it.

Are we getting briefs from AI right now? Maybe, and I dont have a problem with it, as long as the lawyers are doing the homework to make sure that the briefs are accurate, Jensen said.

He said the state has begun looking at ways to streamline certain processes for the sake of efficiency.

But there are lines to be drawn on AI and its use in the justice system, he said.

We cant depend mostly on a machine to decide cases, Jensen said. We cant depend upon a machine to argue our cases. Theres so much of a human aspect in what lawyers do and what judges do that we have to make sure that that human aspect isnt lost.

Both leaders also told the Rotary Club that the law will need to keep up with the technology, wherever it winds up.

Were just like everyone else, in that were trying to figure this out as we go because it is moving so quickly, Fulton said. I think anybody who tells you they have this figured out is fibbing.

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The post Chief justice, law school dean guarded, hopeful about AI in justice system appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)The Texas Equity Tour, hosted by research and advocacy group Children at Risk, held a press conference to discuss maternal mortality and food insecurity in El Paso on Monday, April 29, at the Stanton Auditorium at 100 N. Stanton Street.

Children at Risk tracks data on Texas childrens health, safety, education, and economic security, according to the news release sent by Children at Risk.

According to Children at Risk, out of 138,000 eligible individuals who have applied for SNAP benefits, 63,500 individuals are granted the resource. This means that only 46% of eligible people receive the needed services.

The data also shows that the 2020 through 2022 preterm birth rate in El Paso is 12.4 percent, over the national average of 11 percent.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
China cannot simultaneously seek to improve relations with Europe and help Russia fight against Ukraine, Blinken says

Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, has stated that China cannot simultaneously seek to improve relations with Europe and help Russia fight against Ukraine.

Source: Blinken at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, as reported by European Pravda, citing The Guardian

Details: The US secretary of state acknowledged that China does not directly supply Russia with weapons, missiles or ammunition, as Iran or North Korea do.

"However, what China is doing, is providing invaluable support to Russias defence industrial base thats helping Russia deal with the massive pressure thats been exerted through sanctions, through export controls and other measures," Blinken said.

The official noted that over the past year, Russia has been producing ammunition and equipment at a faster pace than at any time in its modern history, including during the Cold War.

"How has it been able to do that? Because it is getting massive inputs of machine tools, micro electronics, optics, mostly coming from China. Now these are dual-use items, but we know very clearly where so many of them are going. And this poses two problems.

It is enabling Russia to continue the aggression against Ukraine. So its perpetuating a war that China says it would like to see come to an end. As all of us would," Blinken said.

The secretary of state noted that this also allows Russia to rebuild its defence industrial base, which European countries are deeply concerned will be turned against them if Russia succeeds in Ukraine.

"And so at the very time that China is seeking better relations with countries in Europe, it is also fueling the greatest challenge to European security since the end of the cold war. And as I shared with my Chinese colleagues, you cant have it both ways," Blinken stressed.

Background:

Earlier, Blinken also stated that the United States had seen evidence of China's attempts to "influence and possibly interfere" in the upcoming US elections.

During his visit to China, Blinken reportedly echoed the White House's readiness for new sanctions against Beijing if it continues to support Russia in its full-scale war against Ukraine.

The US secretary of state also urged the Chinese authorities to ensure a level playing field for American businesses.

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China is gunning for the chief scientist of its COVID vaccine project, accusing him of 'serious discipline and law violations'

China is gunning for the chief scientist of its COVID vaccine project, accusing him of 'serious discipline and law violations'

The chief scientist of China's COVID vaccine project was kicked from the National People's Congress.

Yang Xiaoming, 62, is accused of "serious discipline and law violations," a phrase alluding to corruption.

Yang led the team that developed the Sinopharm vaccine, and was China's top researcher in its vaccine project.

The chief researcher of China's first general-use COVID vaccine was ousted last week from the country's highest organ of power.

Yang Xiaoming, 62, was booted on April 23 from the National People's Congress "due to serious discipline and law violations," state media reported this weekend.

The phrase typically means a person is under investigation for corruption in China.

That means Yang, the chairman of Sinopharm's vaccine subsidiary China National Biotec Group, is no longer one of the nearly 3,000 congressional deputies who make decisions on major national issues.

A congressional report on his dismissal said he served on the Ethnic Affairs Committee.

Yang is a medical researcher who led the Sinopharm team that developed the BBIBP-CorV vaccine, a COVID-19 shot that was the nation's first approved for general use.

Known colloquially as the Sinopharm vaccine, the shot was one of the most widely administered COVID-19 shots in China, with an efficacy of 79% against hospitalization.

Apart from developing the Sinopharm shot, Yang was also the head of China's vaccine project under the 863 program, or Beijing's push to make the country more independent by developing homegrown advanced technologies.

Yang's dismissal has gone viral on Weibo, China's version of X, with thousands of posts questioning the circumstances behind his removal from deputy status. It received around 180 million views and, for several hours, was the platform's hottest topic on Sunday.

The discussion soon morphed into wild speculation that the reason behind his dismissal may have been related to the Sinopharm vaccine, though there has been no evidence to indicate as such.

"The father of the Sinopharm vaccine violated regulations and laws, but it doesn't mean there are problems with the vaccines he developed and produced," wrote "Dr Chen," a popular medical blogger. "Let's wait before panicking."

The announcement about Yang comes amid China's sweeping crackdown on corruption in its healthcare sector, with investigations launched against hundreds of hospital deans and secretaries.

It's been the heaviest disciplinary campaign ever enforced on China's healthcare industry, plagued for years by thousands of commercial bribery cases between pharmaceutical suppliers and healthcare providers.

In August, the anti-corruption campaign caused pharmaceutical A-share stocks in China to fall so sharply that it wiped out an estimated $27 billion market value within one day.

Read the original article on Business Insider
China on Monday is threatening to take "resolute and forceful steps" to defend itself after President Biden recently signed a bill that provides foreign aid to Taiwan and forces TikToks China-based owner to sell the app or be banned in the U.S.

The legislation approved by Biden last Wednesday offers $95 billion in assistance to Ukraine and Israel, including nearly $2 billion to replenish U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan and other regional allies, according to The Associated Press. It also gives ByteDance nine months to sell TikTok, as well as a possible three-month extension if a sale is in progress.

"China firmly rejects the U.S. passing and signing into law the military aid package containing negative content on China," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said in a briefing Monday. "We have lodged serious representations to the U.S."

"This package gravely infringes upon Chinas sovereignty. It includes large military aid to Taiwan, which seriously violates the one-China principle... and sends a seriously wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces," he continued. "The legislation undermines the principles of market economy and fair competition by wantonly going after other countries companies in the name of national security, which once again reveals the U.S.s hegemonic and bullying nature."

BIDEN CAMPAIGN TO STAY ON TIKTOK EVEN AFTER PRESIDENT SIGNS LAW TO FORCE SALE OR BAN APP IN US

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian attends a press conference in Beijing, China, on March 20.

China has been engaged in a territorial dispute with Taiwan, which has welcomed the legislation by saying it will help security, according to Reuters.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"If the United States clings obstinately to its course, China will take resolute and forceful steps to firmly defend its own security and development interests," Lin reportedly added.

TAIWAN PRESIDENT-ELECT CHOOSES NEW FOREIGN, DEFENSE MINISTERS AS CHINA ANNEXATION THREATS INTENSIFY

U.S. lawmakers have accused TikTok of being a risk to U.S. national security, collecting user data, and spreading propaganda.

Military vehicles equipped with U.S.-made TOW 2A missiles can be seen during a live fire drill in Pingtung, Taiwan in July 2023.

China has previously said it would oppose forcing the sale of TikTok. TikTok has long denied it is a security threat and is preparing a lawsuit to block the legislation.

Fox News Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source: China threatens retaliation for Taiwan, TikTok law signed by Biden
China's Xi to visit Serbia on 25th anniversary of NATO embassy attack

Chinese President Xi Jinping speaks during an event in Berlin. Maurizio Gambarini/Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH/dpa

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to visit Serbia on the 25th anniversary of the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade.

Xi will visit France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5-10, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying announced in Beijing on Monday.

Serbian state press agency Tanjug said Xi will arrive in Belgrade on the invitation of President Aleksandar Vucic on May 7, exactly 25 years after the attack which killed three Chinese journalists and led to fury in Beijing. NATO called the bombing an accident.

Serbia has been involved in formal negotiations for EU membership since 2014, but it maintains close relations with the People's Republic, with Vucic visiting Beijing in October.

The Balkan state is a member of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China's global investment and infrastructure project. Chinese investment helped to finance the construction of a 350-kilometre high-speed rail link between Belgrade and Budapest.

Xi's visit to Serbia will follow a two-day stay in France, which he last visited in March 2019, after an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron.

The French presidential office said discussions would be held on the war in Ukraine, the Middle East conflict, economic cooperation and climate change.

The Chinese head of state's meeting with Macron will take place just a few weeks after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited China in mid-April.

Xi will end his European trip in Hungary, one of the few EU member states to also be part of the BRI.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is considered friendly with China and has recently signed deals with Chinese companies.

BYD, China's largest electric vehicle manufacturer, plans to build a plant in Hungary, while the Central European country is also set to host a factory for Chinese battery giant CATL.
Cicadas 2024: Here's everything you need to know about this historic event

The much anticipated cicada hatch of 2024 is almost here. In fact, in parts of Mississippi it's already begun, albeit in small numbers.

"I've already had some early reports of them," said Blake Layton, Mississippi State University Extension entomology specialist. "A few people spotted just one. It's beginning to begin is the way I'd put that."

Two groups of cicadas, or broods, are emerging simultaneously this year: Brood XIX and Brood XIII. Brood XIX emerges from the ground every 13 years and Brood XIII every 17 years. This co-emergence only happens every 221 years. Brood XIX is the one parts of Mississippi will experience and the numbers are expected to be staggering.

Estimates of the insects have been measured in billions and trillions. Layton said in areas with favorable habitat, an acre of land can hold in excess of a million.

So this is expected to be quite an event and here are some things you may want to know about them.

The historic 2024 cicada emergence has started in Mississippi and here's everything you need to know about them.

When will cicadas emerge?

As Layton said, the beginning of the beginning has already begun in Mississippi, and he said it should be in full swing by mid-May. By early June the sounds should begin to subside as the adults have mated and begin to die.

However, that won't be the end of them. Annual cicadas will then hatch and sing their songs. These are cicadas that have shorter life cycles with smaller numbers emerging each year.

More: Mississippi man finds bone from ice age apex predator, saber-toothed tiger

What time of day are cicadas most active?

According to Layton there are four different species in Brood XIX and you'll hear them all day.

"Some species sing at different times than others," Layton said. "There will be subtle differences in time of day. It will start shortly after sunrise and they'll sing throughout the day."

Are cicadas destructive?

Yes, cicadas are somewhat destructive to trees, but native trees are adapted to withstand it.

"They do cause a little damage to trees in a unique way by their egg-laying," Layton said. "They insert their eggs under the bark of pencil-size twigs."

This can kill or break the ends of small branches, but Layton said there's no long-term damage. The exception being small trees, especially newly-planted ornamentals. Layton said the most practical way to protect those is by covering them with a fine mesh netting to create a physical barrier between them and the insects.

More: Get outside and go hiking at these great Mississippi destinations this spring

What do cicadas look like?

According to the National Wildlife Federation, periodical cicadas are black on top and orange underneath. Their eyes are bright red and wings are clear with black membranes.

They are a little over an inch in length and have a 3-inch wingspan.

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, annual cicadas have black, green or olive-patterned bodies with brown or black eyes.

Why are cicadas so loud?

One reason cicadas are so loud is the sheer numbers of them. Then there are the organs that allow males to make their sounds.

Male cicadas have two tymbals which are hollow chambers with a membrane stretched over them. Layton said air is resonated in the chamber and creates that creates the loud sound. Layton said it's the loudest insect we'll hear in Mississippi.

How loud are cicadas?

In a word, quite.

According to the CDC, noise levels measured 3 feet from a heavily infested tree may reach 100 decibels, but falls to lower levels when heard at longer distances such as 82 decibels at 24 feet.

Are cicadas and locusts the same thing?

According to the University of Florida, they are not the same thing. Locusts are related to grass hoppers and are no longer found in North America.

Cicadas are also not as destructive as locusts.

Can people eat cicadas?

Cicadas are eaten by a variety of wildlife including copperhead snakes. They can also be consumed by humans.

According to Ohio State University, cicadas that have just shed their shells can be pan-fried in butter along with some bacon or bacon fat for extra flavor and served over pasta or rice. They have a mild nutty flavor and can also be battered and deep-fried like shrimp.

However, according to the University, the FDA has warned that people who are allergic to seafood should avoid them.

Mississippi counties where cicada Brood XIX will emerge

According to MSU, these are the counties where Brood XIX is expected to emerge based on 2011 observations.

Chickasaw County

Choctaw County

Clay County

Itawamba County

Jasper County

Kemper County

Leake County

Lee County

Lowndes County

Monroe County

Newton County

Neshoba County

Noxubee County

Oktibeha County

Pontotoc County

Scott County

Winston County

When will the next big cicada hatches happen in Mississippi?

The 2024 cicada hatch may be historic, but for Mississippi, there's a bigger one on the horizon.

According to MSU, there will be a periodical hatch in seven extreme southwest counties in 2027. That's Brood XXII.

However, in 2028 a large portion of Mississippi, including Jackson and Central Mississippi, will experience a major hatch. Brood XXIII is expected to hatch in 2028 in 40 counties from Southwest Mississippi all the way to the northernmost counties of the state.

Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Cicada hatch 2024 Mississippi: Here's everything you need to know
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City Council to consider renaming historic Old Sacramento park in honor of this woman

The Sacramento City Council will Tuesday consider changing the name of a small historic park in Old Sacramento.

The Center for Sacramento History, keeper of the citys historical records, requested the name change from Pioneer Park to Mary Gregory Park, according to a city staff report.

The small park is located along J Street between Front and Second streets. The report states that a white entryway has a sign with the words Pioneer Park and a photo of a horse and carriage. The entryway to the park was covered with a plywood board and the sign was nowhere to be found, when a Sacramento Bee photographer visited the site on Friday morning.

Gregory is an early Sacramento businesswoman who owned the land that is now the park, the report said.

The contributions made by Gregory and other women in establishing the city of Sacramento have generally been overlooked by the historic record of the Gold Rush era in Sacramento, the staff report stated. By renaming the park for Mary Gregory, the city is taking an important step in recognizing the contributions of women in the economic, social, and political development of the area.

In Sacramento in the 1850s, although men outnumbered women by as much as 10-1, women like Gregory werent just homemakers but also started businesses, acquired land and became politically engaged, the report said.

English-born Gregory and her husband ran a business in 1857 at 126 J St. selling produce and local products, the report said.

That building is now the Sacramento Visitors Center.

When her husband died, Gregory took over the business and bought more properties along the block, the report stated. She built a large three-story building along Second Street and rented it to Hall, Luhrs and Co. to ship California products across the country by rail.

Gregory died in 1898 and is buried in Historic City Cemetery.

If the council approves the change, the center plans to add new signage on Gregory, the report stated.

The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in City Halls council chambers.
City Hall said it will address the issue of NYPD officers illegally parking on city crosswalks after the US Department of Justice threatened to sue the cops over the issue, officials said.

Combat parking  the long-standing tradition of leaving officers vehicles perpendicular to the curb around the citys 77 precincts  was flagged as a major civil rights issue affecting those with disabilities, in to a letter sent to the NYPD by Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Meera Joshi, the deputy mayor for operations in New York City, described the issue as extremely unacceptable after officials were questioned about the DOJs threat on Tuesday.

NYPD vehicles parked on a sidewalk outside of the 120th Precinct on State Island on April 12, 2024. Michael McWeeney

Any vehicle that blocks the path of a pedestrian, especially those with mobility limitations, that is unacceptable, and it is extremely unacceptable when it is a public servants vehicle, Joshi told reporters. So it is a matter that we take seriously, and we will address.

The latest action from the city and revelation of the DOJs letter, which was sent out in March, comes after The Post reported about the NYPD suddenly cracking down on the practice earlier this month.

The DOJ, however, wants solid proof that the parking rules are being enforced after citing a recent study that found that 91% of precincts have police and city vehicles blocking sidewalks.

City records also revealed that the NYPD only had 80 instances of disciplinary action or permit revocation over the last two years  despite reports of combat parking being widespread.

Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, flagged combat parking as a civil rights issue for disabled New Yorkers in a letter to the NYPD. Michael McWeeney

City Hall said it will address NYPD combat parking after the DOJ warning. Helayne Seidman

Williams reminded the police department that illegal instances of combat parking are meant to be met with up to a five-day parking penalty, with the law calling on parking permits to be completely revoked upon three instances of misuse.

The DOJ is now calling on the NYPD to provide quarterly reports on police parking complaints for the next three years, which should include the corrective action taken by the department, if any.

To accomplish this, the police department was tasked with creating a new method for the public to submit complaints whenever a police or city vehicle is found blocking a pedestrian crosswalk.

Williams also wants the NYPD to implement new parking policies for city vehicles, as well as for the city to provide training for traffic enforcement officers to crack down on violators.

In the event we determine that we cannot secure compliance voluntarily to correct the deficiencies identified in this letter, the Attorney General may initiate a lawsuit pursuant to the ADA, the letter from Williams warned.

The DOJ declined to expand on its threat when questioned by The Post.

An NYPD spokesperson told The Post that the department was reviewing the DOJs letter.

A NYPD car blocking a fire hydrant ant crosswalk on Third Ave. in Manhattan. Helayne Seidman

The DOJs involvement came as the citys own Department of Investigation found rules sometimes go out the window in the NYPDs Self-Enforcement Zones around police precincts in a scathing 44-page report earlier this month.

The NYPD has no written policies or procedures regarding self-enforcement zones, and the rate of enforcement of parking laws within those zones was significantly lower than outside of those zones, the DOI wrote.
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  Officials with the incorporation of the city of St. George talked about the future and answered questions Monday, April 29 after Fridays Louisiana Supreme Court ruling.

The Supreme Court reversed the lower courts decision on Friday, April 26, and ruled in favor of the incorporation.

Residents have worked to incorporate the city of St. George since 2018. On Oct. 19, 2019, 54% of citizens voted in favor of incorporation.

Baton Rouge mayor-president disappointed in Louisiana Supreme Court OKing St. George incorporation

The St. George Transition District held a news conference at the St. George Fire Department Headquarters, 14100 Airline Highway, at 10:30 a.m. Monday to discuss the ruling and next steps.

So weve celebrated. Today is the end of that celebration. Were going to work, said J. Andrew Murrell.

Whats next for St. George?

The next steps include Gov. Jeff Landry appointing the citys first mayor and city councilmembers. According to the St. George website, residents will vote for a new mayor and councilmembers in the next election cycle.

Murrell said work will then start on ordinances, zoning and planning before moving on to addressing the creation of a new school district. He couldnt give a timeline on when a new school district would be formed.

No. 1, we created a city. We have not created a school district, Murrell said. They are two distinct separate animals. They have separate budgets, separate leadership structures. But I would be dishonest if I didnt tell you whats next on the agenda would be the creation of the St. George school district, which is long overdue in a parish that is near dead last in a state that is near dead last in the country in education.

What you need to know about St. George: New Louisiana city will be in East Baton Rouge Parish

Officials invite the public to participate by attending meetings, sending emails and calling as plans move forward.

Dont stop holding us accountable, Murrell said. For 13 years we have made promises that were going to create a better government for you.

Murrell said meetings have traditionally occurred on the second Monday of each month at 4:30 p.m. at St. George Fire Department Headquarters.

As representatives of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the NAACP, we are deeply committed to safeguarding the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color in our city. It is with this commitment in mind that we address you today regarding the recent Louisiana Supreme Court decision supporting the incorporation of the proposed city of St. George and the Louisiana Legislatures proposal of House Bill 6. The St. George plan poses significant risks to our education system, threatens the continuity of critical programs, and challenges community representation. The creation of a new municipality introduces considerable uncertainty around funding allocation for our schools, jeopardizing the cornerstone of our communitys future: education. We urge the court to ensure that current funding levels are maintained, if not increased, to support our schools during this transition period. We emphasize the importance of community involvement in decisions that impact our childrens education. The incorporation of St. George should not diminish transparency or reduce community input. We acknowledge Mayor-President Broomes opposition to the movement, reflecting concerns about potential segregation and unequal resource distribution. In light of these considerations, we call upon organizers, policymakers, and supporters to recognize the broader implications for education, community representation, and social justice. Our children and community deserve a stable, equitable, and inclusive environment, and we implore decision makers to prioritize these fundamental values. Additionally, we express our concerns about the proposed annexation into the new city of St. George and its implications for education. While we understand the desire for local autonomy, we urge careful consideration of the potential disruptions and increased financial burden on our schools and students. Drawing from the experiences of other Louisiana communities, we stress the importance of a comprehensive plan, community input, and collaboration to mitigate these challenges and safeguard the quality of education for our students. House Bill 6, by Representative Emily Chenevert, creates additional issues. Key concerns include the displacement of nearly 7,000 children and the unclear fate of those in specialized programs such as magnet, gifted and talented, focus choice, and C Tech. The impact on children with disabilities remains uncertain, as it could affect specialized classrooms and related services. The unknown costs of this legislation could negatively affect surrounding school districts like Baker, Central, and Zachary, as well as EBRPSSs ability to provide contracted services to children with disabilities. Further complicating matters are the potential expenses associated with acquiring or leasing buildings, buses, and other infrastructure, as well as the negative impact on staff employment and benefits. Critics also highlight the lack of a comprehensive plan addressing sustainability, funding, services, programs, staff benefits, and, most critically, the needs of students and families. In conclusion, we stand ready to collaborate with you to ensure that the interests of our students are protected and that they continue to have access to the excellent education they deserve, regardless of any changes in municipal boundaries. Thank you for your time and consideration of these crucial matters. Baton Rouge Chapter of NAACP

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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  At the second meeting in 2024 of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission this Monday, April 29, there will be plenty of current issues on the agenda.

The meeting is happening at 10 a.m. on the campus of Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

Buffalo shooting highlights great replacement theory and its role in racist attacks

The MCRC will consider resolutions on the use of artificial intelligence in policing; condemning the so-called great replacement theory; possible legislation to facilitate the declaration of gender identity; and support for a ban on the so-called gay panic defense.

The gay panic defense is a legal strategy that blames a victims sexual orientation or gender identity for a defendants violent action toward the personincluding murder.

Michigan House passes resolution condemning racism, bigotry

The meeting is open to the public, and there will be a public comment period.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

There will be a livestream on the Facebook page for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

The 10 a.m. meeting will be in the John E. Fetzer Center, Room 1035, 2251 Business Court.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief focusing on the supply of weapons and communication with the families of prisoners of war.

Source: Press service of the Presidents Office

Quote: "Today, I also held a meeting of the Staff. The Commander-in-Chief delivered a detailed report. The front line. Our positions. The hottest areas. The supplies we expect. There was also a report by the Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, and representatives of the Coordination Headquarters, on negotiations for the release of prisoners of war.

It is extremely important that our state maintains clear communication with the families of the PoWs. There must be clarity, to the extent possible, regarding each name, each person, regarding the measures being taken to bring our people home."

Details: Zelenskyy also heard reports on the aftermath of the Russian attack on Odesa on the evening of 29 April, and he emphasised the speed and efficiency of the services working at the site of the attack.

In addition, the President stressed that Ukraine must rely on sufficient support from its partners, and that all partner intelligence agencies have been informed of current threats and possibilities.

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People attending a panel organized by groups opposed to Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel project in Traverse City on April 24, 2024. (Izzy Ross/IPR News)

This coverage is made possible through a partnership between IPR and Grist, a nonprofit environmental media organization.

At issue is the commissions permit for Enbridges Line 5 tunnel project beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

The Canadian company Enbridge wants to relocate the existing dual pipelines running some four miles along the lakebed in the Straits of Mackinac into a proposed tunnel that would be built in the bedrock underneath the straits.

In December, the Michigan Public Service Commission approved the project. Since then, it has faced appeals from tribes and environmental groups. Now, the climate action network will join that legal opposition.

Opponents of the tunnel worry about Line 5 continuing to operate at all, risking a spill and billions of dollars of damage to the environment.

The most viable and sensible course of action is to shut down Line 5, and focus on cleaner, better energy alternatives, said Denise Keele, the networks executive director, speaking as part of a panel held on Wednesday in Traverse City.

The event was called Tunnel Vision: A Masterclass in Rejecting the Line 5 Oil Tunnel. It was organized by Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, Sierra Club, Progress Michigan, and Oil & Water Dont Mix.

Keele didnt say what exactly the appeal would argue, although she told the Traverse City Record-Eagle that it would use the states environmental protection law, including protections against methane emissions.

When the public service commission announced the permit, chair Dan Scripps said the tunnel would be the best way to reduce the risk of a catastrophic oil spill in the straits. Opponents of the project hold that the best way to address that risk is to shut down the pipeline. Enbridge maintains that the pipeline is necessary to transport oil and natural gas liquids.

Panelists at a Traverse City-based event on April 24, 2024. From left to right: Holly Bird of the nonprofit Title Track, Denise Keele of MiCAN, engineer Brian OMara, attorney Dan Bock of the Michigan Attorney Generals office, Sean McBrearty of Oil & Water Dont Mix and Ashley Rudzinski of Groundwork.(Izzy Ross/IPR News)

The public service commissions permit for Enbridges pipeline relocation plan was the first time a state agency considered greenhouse gas emissions in an analysis under Michigans environmental policy act.

The climate action network and the Environmental Law & Policy Center pushed for the commission to do so, winning an appeal in 2021.

We decided to have our own day in court, and to challenge Enbridge, challenge the Michigan Public Service Commission and, frankly, challenge the law itself to recognize what we already know  that we are living in this climate crisis, Keele said.

Previously, experts told the Michigan Public Service Commission that continuing to operate Line 5 in a tunnel would release tens of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, compared to shutting down operations in the straits altogether.

But the commission said in its decision that proposed alternatives to the tunnel project, like transporting fuel by rail and truck, could be more harmful to the environment and that there are no feasible and prudent alternatives to the Replacement Project pursuant to MEPA.

MEPA is the Michigan Environmental Protection Act.

In an emailed statement to IPR, Enbridge spokesperson Ryan Duffy said we are building the Great Lakes Tunnel as a sustainable way to ensure energy is delivered reliably and safely, while protecting the waters of Lake Michigan and Huron for Michiganders now, and generations to come.

As for the legal challenges, Duffy said Enbridge officials believe the Michigan Court of Appeals will ultimately uphold the public service commissions decision to green light the project.

Beyond the state Court of Appeals, the project still needs a federal permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A decision is expected in 2026.

Editors note: Enbridge is among Interlochen Public Radios financial supporters. They have no role in decisions about our news coverage, which are made independently by the IPR newsroom.

The post Climate group plans legal pushback on permit for Line 5 tunnel project appeared first on Michigan Advance.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The trial of Anthony Devonte Williams is nearing its end as closing arguments were presented Monday on whether he was insane when he opened fire on a Greyhound bus four years ago.

Williams, 37, pleaded both not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity in the deadly shooting that occurred early Feb. 3, 2020, as the bus traveled north over the Grapevine. Lurbis Elena Vance, 51, was hit multiple times and died at the scene, and another woman was hit and paralyzed from the chest down. Four others were also struck.

Sheriffs office seek help IDing robbery suspect last seen in Rosedale

Deputy Public Defender Nick Roth said Williams was legally insane when he fired, meaning he suffered from a mental disease or defect and didnt understand his actions were legally or morally wrong.

Prosecutor Stephanie Taconi said Williams own words establish he was clearly sane. He told officers he knew what he was doing and if he shot someone they would die, acknowledged his acts were wrong and said his fears and worries didnt lead him to start firing  he made a choice.

She said there are about two dozen examples Williams knew what he was doing was morally wrong.

He was absolutely, 100% sane when he committed these acts, Taconi said.

If the jury decides Williams was insane, he will be sent to a state hospital, possibly for life. If it decides he was sane, hell be sent to prison for a life term.

The jury began deliberating around 3:30 p.m.

Earlier this month, Williams was found guilty of murder and multiple other crimes. He admitted bringing a gun onto the bus headed from Los Angeles to Oakland and said he began shooting after arguing with a man as they traveled north on Interstate 5, south of Fort Tejon Road.

Noting Williams appeared calm and coherent in recorded interviews, Roth in his closing argument said people with psychotic or delusional illnesses can appear relatively normal then experience an episode, the length and seriousness of which can vary.

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Roth went over the findings of doctors who examined Williams. Three found him insane, one sane.

The attorney pointed out unusual statements Williams made to law enforcement indicating he was paranoid, playing portions of his recorded interview. At one point, Williams told officers he could hear people talking about him, joking about him.

Williams said he believed someone had hacked his phone and could see everything he saw.

They know what my kids look like, Williams said during the interview. They know everything about my life thats in my phone.

Williams delusions had him believing his family was in danger and his life was in danger when he started shooting, Roth said.

Taconi argued Williams wasnt afraid of anyone  he brought a fully loaded gun onto the bus. He ejected the first bullet as a warning, she said, then fired until it was empty. He left the bus after someone wrestled the gun away.

His actions and statements  telling people Its about to get real, its gonna pop  dont reflect someone in fear of his life or so impacted by a mental health disorder he doesnt know what hes doing, the prosecutor said.

As for the doctors called by the defense, they didnt review all the evidence, such as recorded interviews, despite having access to it, Taconi said. The tests administered by one doctor two or three years after the shooting were based only on answers given by Williams.

One doctor, she said, relied on hearsay in forming their opinion and ran only one test on Williams.

Plain and simple, the work done by the defense, and the defense doctors in this case, was not good enough, Taconi said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A shooting in Coburg that left one person critically wounded turned into a pursuit along I-5 and an officer-involved shooting that left the suspect dead and another person wounded.

The incident began around 3 p.m. Sunday, the Oregon State Police said. Both the Coburg police and the Lane County Sheriffs Office responded to the initial shooting and began looking for the suspect.

3 crashes in Washington County, woman arrested

About 3 hours later, Linn County and Lane County deputies along with OSP spotted what they believed to be the suspects car and began a pursuit on I-5 near Exit 209. Spike strips disabled the car, which crashed along the shoulder.

It was at that scene that Linn County deputies and troopers from OSP were involved in the shooting that left the suspect driver dead and a passenger injured.

The passenger was taken to the hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries. No one from law enforcement was hurt, officials said.

The initial shooting in Coburg is under investigation by OSP. The officer-involved shooting is being investigated by the Albany Police Department. Those involved in the shooting are on administrative leave, standard protocol in these situations.

No further information is available at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva will pay a visit to Azerbaijan, a diplomatic source told Trend.

According to the source, the head of the Ministry of Culture will take part in the World Forum of Intercultural Dialogue in Baku.

The World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue will be held on May 13 in Baku.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A man who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for a cold case dating back to 1999 will now spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering another man in 2020, the Multnomah County district attorneys office announced Monday.

Christopher Lovrien, 56, was found guilty of killing Kenneth Griffin after detectives searched a shed at Lovriens home and found Griffins dismembered remains in 2021, according to court documents.

Steel Bridge reopens after early Monday train derailment

Griffin was last seen on Feb. 1, 2020, and reported missing the following day.

On April 15, a jury found Lovrien guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree abuse of a corpse. He had already been in prison for another crime before the jury made their decision.

Lovrien was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison for the first-degree manslaughter of Mark Dribin, who disappeared in July of 1999. The location of his body remains unknown.

After a genetic genealogy test solved the cold case, Lovrien was indicted for the murder at the same time as his indictment for Griffins murder in 2021. However, his sentencing for the cold case took place on Jan. 12.

Powerball winner from Portland to be revealed Monday

The second sentencing from Judge Christopher Ramras added several years to Lovriens time in prison.

Judge Ramras ordered that the sentences for the murder and abuse of a corpse of Griffin run consecutively to the manslaughter conviction for killing Dribin, according to the district attorneys office. As a result, Lovrien will not be eligible to apply for parole until he has served 46 years in prison

Investigators dont believe Lovrien knew either of his victims, but previously told KOIN 6 News they think he may have killed more people based on evidence found in his home.

Coburg shooting suspect dies in I-5 gunfire with OSP, deputies

We have evidence there may be additional victims  how many and from when and where are some things we cant get into. But yeah, more than the two we know about, Cold Case Homicide Detective Brendan McGuire said.

Anyone with information about missing persons who may have been living under the I-205 bridge in Southeast Portland between the summer of 2019 and May 2020 should contact Portland police.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
A man at a protest against the war in Gaza at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., carried a sign with an Israeli flag and the slogan FINAL SOLUTION. Echoing Hitlers words is about as vile a call for Jewish genocide as I can imagine. It makes the more typical genocidal chant of From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free seem subtle.

At Princeton, the protesters fly Hezbollah flags. At Columbia, the leader of the demonstrators said on video that Zionists dont deserve to live.

Its sick and says something dire about the moral compass of college students. It is not a surprise though since many of the protesters are drawn from the one-third of Generation Z who believe Israel doesnt have a right to exist. Theyre not just opposed to the tragic deaths of civilians in Gaza  they are on the side of Hamas terrorists who want to destroy Israel.

Sick as they are, even the most evil Nazi-sympathetic sentiments are protected by the First Amendment. As student protesters in Missouri, New York, California and Texas arrested by the score, free speech is in question. As long as they are not blocking other students from attending classes, making threats or attacking police (as they have at Emory), the misguided kids should get a lot of leeway as they vent.

That kids do things I think are stupid isnt new to me. I am a parent, after all, and I have learned the wisdom of the old saying, If youre not a liberal when you are young, you have no heart. If you dont get more conservative as you age, you have no brain. My liberal phase was pretty short, but I was a fan of Marx in seventh and eighth grade. My hippie parents had left his works on our family room bookshelf.

What I do worry about are the adults who are backing these protests as dozens of members of the faculty have done at Columbia University in New York City where the protests  and the arrests  first burst onto the national stage.

In doing some reporting, I found that in addition to supporting the protests and their antisemitic excesses, some of the faculty were donors to antisemites directly. Tenured professors and even a vice dean at the school gave to two members of Congress, Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar from Minnesota and Michigan with a long record of Jew-hating statements. Tlaib Has been censured by the House of Representatives for her disgusting views.

Indeed, across the country, hundreds of professors, administrators and other university staff have given money to the antisemitic duo. This bad judgment too, is protected by the First Amendment, but that doesnt prevent us from asking these university employees what they are thinking.

I reached out to a few at Columbia, but those professors didnt want to talk. They didnt return phone calls and emails over several days. Closer to home, faculty, staff and administrators at the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas have donated to the two members of the far-left Squad to the tune of about $12,000 over the last three election cycles.

The biggest group of donors is at the University of Kansas medical school, where professors and clinical staff from Jordan, Egypt and Qatar have donated thousands of dollars to the antisemitic duo.

I asked professor Eyad Al-Hihi and assistant professor Sammy Tayiem, two of the larger and more recent donors  both gave over $1,000 last year  about their donations and whether they knew that in giving money to Tlaib they were supporting a censured antisemite. I also asked whether they shared her views about Jews. They didnt respond to my emails, either.

As protests rage across the country and even gain the vocal support of Hamas leaders, kids should be given a lot of room for First Amendment follies. Theyll grow out of it.

I have more concerns about the adults who have taught these kids in college and high school. They shouldnt be proud of their students poor judgment and shallow thinking.

David Mastio, a former editor and columnist for USA Today, is a regional editor for The Center Square and a regular Star Opinion correspondent. Follow him on X: @DavidMastio or email him at dmastio1@yahoo.com
"There are absolutely no words that can accurately describe the profound joy that this has brought to my life!" dad Eric Mayeda tells PEOPLE

Provided by Eric Mayeda Triplets Billy, Burt and Kikutaro Leonard-Mayeda were delivered on April 18, 2024, thanks to the intervention of Colorado police officers

What began when Colorado police officers responded to a report about a woman screaming in a front yard ended with them assisting in delivering triplets!

In a news release, the Greeley Police Department said that four officers were sent to the 600 block of 36th Avenue Court during the early morning hours of April 18 after being notified about noise.

There, they found a 24-year-old pregnant woman lying on the front porch in pain. It appeared, according to police, that her water broke and she was in labor.

While waiting for medical assistance, the officers stayed with the woman to make her comfortable. Then, per the police, officers heard a cry and realized that a baby boy was being delivered but was "turning blue" amid the cold temperatures and snowy conditions.

Provided by Eric Mayeda Billy Bob Leonard-Mayeda

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One officer located bread ties to tie off the umbilical cord while another ran to nearby homes and collected towels and blankets to help keep the new family warm, the Greeley Police said, per the release.

The department added, A third officer, who was still with the new mother, then tied off the umbilical cord and cut it. The fourth officer rushed the baby boy back to his patrol where it was much warmer.

The police said the newborn had stopped breathing after he was in the patrol car before CPR and chest compressions were administered. Medical personnel then arrived and took over care of the baby.



But that wasnt the end, according to police. As this was happening, the woman told one of the attending officers that she was expecting triplets, which prompted the authorities to call for more medical backup.

Provided by Eric Mayeda Kikutaro Alan Leonard-Mayeda

Related: Louisiana Couple Welcomes Rare Spontaneous Triplets': 'So Fortunate and Blessed'

A second baby boy was delivered with the assistance of the officers, who tied off the umbilical cord before rushing him to the ambulance where medical personnel were still tending to the first baby.



Greeley police added that the first two infants were sent to a hospital, while a second ambulance arrived to take the mother to the same facility to deliver the third baby.

Authorities later said that the pregnant woman, who was later identified as Tiffany Leonard, was home alone when she went into labor. However, the battery in her phone died so she attempted to go to a nearby neighbors house to call 911.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Leonards boyfriend, Eric Mayeda, says their triplets  Billy, Burt and Kikutaro  were born 14 weeks early. They are currently in a neonatal intensive care unit and will be there for about three to four months.

Provided by Eric Mayeda Burt Isao Leonard-Mayeda

Related: New Jersey Twins Born in Different Years Less Than an Hour Apart: 'We're Excited'

They are doing great! says Mayeda, while thanking Leonard for giving us these three beautiful little miracles! He adds, As far as how I feel, there are absolutely no words that can accurately describe the profound joy, happiness, and excitement that this has brought to my life!



He also expressed gratitude to the Greeley police who showed up and helped bring two of our boys into this world!" He added, "Also, to the medical staff who brought our third child into this world at Northern Colorado Medical Center! As well as everyone on the medical staff taking care of our babies in the NICU down at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, CO!

The proud dad also created a GoFundMe to help pay expenses following the new additions to his family, writing that his sons "are bravely fighting in the NICU in Aurora, CO, under the expert care of our state's finest medical teams."

Related: North Carolina Mom Gives Birth to Her Second Set of Twins in 13 Months: It Was Just a Shock'

Greeley Police Chief Adam Turk, meanwhile, praised the officers involved in the delivery of the triplets.

"We expect our officers to do great work in our community every day, it is engrained in our core values. Even with that lofty expectation, I was amazed at the teamwork, ingenuity, and care our officers provided to this mother and her three new baby boys, he said, per the release.

"The success of this call is a success in our officers, our training, and our partnerships with other public safety agencies in the area, Turk continued.



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The Colorado Bureau of Investigation on Monday said Suzanne Morphew, a mom of two who went missing almost four years ago on Mother's Day in 2020, died by homicide "in the setting of" drug intoxication.

Authorities announced last year that Morphew's remains were located in the area of Moffat, Colorado, in Saguache County  about 45 miles south of her home in Maysville, Colorado, where the 49-year-old mother was reported missing on May 10, 2020.

The Caffee County Medical Examiner determined that Morphew's homicide occurred "by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication"  the same sedatives Barry Morphew previously told investigators he used to shoot deer in his yard with a tranquilizer gun, according to The Denver Gazette.

"The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case," said CBI Director Chris Schaefer. "The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzannes death."

SUZANNE MORPHEW'S REMAINS FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVE,' HUSBAND'S ATTORNEY SAYS

Suzanne Morphew, 49, went missing May 10 after leaving her Colorado home to go on a bike ride, her husband, Barry Morphew told authorities. In a phone interview with local media, Barry Morphew said authorities are trying to blame him for his wifes disappearance after bungling the case.

Iris Eytan, an attorney representing Barry Morphew said in a statement that for "the past four years the Morphews have agonized over Suzannes disappearance."

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"This included not only the pain of the loss of their wife and mother but also the false accusations and prosecution of Barry Morphew. The Morphews have prayed the authorities would remove their blinders and not only find Suzanne, but find the suspect responsible for her disappearance and murder," Eytan said. "However, the Morphews are left with more questions than answers and a lack of justice for Suzanne, the family and the community."

She added that the autopsy results confirm "that she put on her mountain bike clothes and was either getting ready for, or was already on her morning bike ride, when she was abducted, allegedly drugged, and buried 50 miles south of their home."

Morphew's remains were not "found anywhere in the vicinity of her home, the town nearby, or the county she lived in," Eytan previously explained in an October 2023 statement.

Barry Morphew previously said investigators were trying to blame him for the May 10 disappearance of his wife, Suzanne. He was arrested Wednesday and is charged with first-degree murder.

"[H]er remains were found in a shallow grave in a dry desert field of sagebrush and natural grasses. Contrary to prior accusations, her remains were not found in a rocky mountainous region near her home, not in a location that was a difficult spot to get to," Eytan said at the time.

SUZANNE MORPHEW'S HUSBAND, DAUGHTERS STRUGGLING WITH IMMENSE SHOCK AND GRIEF AFTER REMAINS FOUND

Morphew's bicycle was discovered in a ravine along Highway 50 and County Road 225 in Chaffee County, near her family's Maysville home the same day she went missing. Barry said he was working in Broomfield, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, at the time.

Barry was initially accused of killing his wife when he was charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence in 2021 in connection with her disappearance and presumed death.

A year later, prosecutors dropped charges against Barry, saying they wanted more time to find his wife's body. A judge accused 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley of procedural violations just before Barry was set to stand trial.

Authorities announced last week that Morphew's remains were located in the area of Moffat, Colorado, in Saguache County  about 45 miles south of her home in Maysville, Colorado, where she was reported missing on May 10, 2020.

MISSING SUZANNE MORPHEW: NEWLY RELEASED DOCS REVEAL AFFAIRS, TROUBLED MARRIAGE BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE

Barry's legal team filed a $15 million lawsuit against prosecutors and investigators in 2023, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights.

Investigators never found any traces of blood near the Morphew home in Maysville or in their family vehicles. Investigators did, however, find a partial DNA profile on Suzanne Morphews glovebox, which matched profiles developed in sexual assault cases out of Chicago, Phoenix and Tempe, Arizona, CBI agent Joseph Cahill said during a hearing in 2021, as The Denver Post reported. Investigators also found "unknown male DNA  where her bike was parked, on her bike grips, handlebars, and bike seat," Eytan said.

But "the authorities will not tell the Morphew family whether Suzanne's bike clothes, collected seven months ago with her remains, have been tested for DNA," the attorney continued.

"DNA left on her clothing by the murderer could bring justice for Suzanne, her family and the community. The authorities will also not provide the Morphews any information regarding whether they have performed any testing on the bullet that was collected with Suzannes remains," Eytan said. "The authorities offered the victims, Barry, Mallory and Macy, the option to retrieve Suzanne's remains, but they want to ensure the suspect is apprehended before they take what could be an important piece of evidence in the suspects prosecution."

FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X

The Suzanne Morphew murder case has become even more muddied after a Colorado attorney counsel accused 11th Judicial District Attorney Linda Stanley, who filed since-dropped murder charges against Suzanne's husband, Barry Morphew, accused the DA of prosecutorial misconduct in an Oct. 30 complaint.

Text messages from Suzanne and Barry that were unsealed in June 2023 suggest they were both having affairs just before her disappearance.

Four days before her disappearance, Suzanne sent Barry a text saying she was "done." "I could care less what youre up to and have been for years," she wrote, adding that they needed to figure things out "civilly."

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No other arrests have been made in the case. The charges against Barry Morphew were dismissed without prejudice, so prosecutors can still decide to pursue charges against him. CBI continues to investigate Suzanne's homicide.

"The family is quite skeptical about the integrity of this investigation as the very same investigators that concealed the unknown male DNA continue to be involved in this investigation and were present at the autopsy of Suzanne Morphew," Eytan said in her statement. "The family asks for privacy and implores the authorities to look at the case with fresh eyes, follow all leads, conduct all forensic testing, and solve Suzannes murder."

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact (719) 312-7530.





Original article source: Colorado mom Suzanne Morphew's autopsy results reveal cause, manner of death
Colorado neighbor tells dad of triplets: Hey, your kids are being born here on my porch

GREELEY, Colo. (KDVR)  A mother of triplets was recently found in labor outside in the cold on a porch in Greeley, Colorado.

Father Eric Mayeda told Nexstars KDVR that police found his 24-year-old girlfriend in pain as it snowed and rained in the early morning hours of April 18.

Four officers arrived to help deliver two of the babies before she was rushed to the hospital to deliver the third.

Being gifted three  going from none to three  Im just over the moon about that, said Mayeda, who became a first-time dad with the three little arrivals.

Family surprised with triplets following a miscarriage

But getting them here wasnt easy.

This opportunity, or gift, would not have landed in our laps if we couldnt handle it, Mayeda said.

He said his girlfriend had been staying at her mothers house when she began experiencing contractions.

So, she walked to her neighbors house which is one of her friends that lives like a block away, Mayeda said. She made it two houses down from his house and her water broke. At that time, it was starting to rain, and it was cold out.

Mayeda said the neighbor didnt realize who she was at first. She was wrapped in a blanket screaming at three in the morning, Mayeda said. Thats the last thing youre going to expect, is one of your friends to show up at your door screaming bloody murder.

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Her friend called 911. Shortly afterward, four officers arrived and called the paramedics.

Then, they heard the first cry from a baby boy, and he was turning blue in the cold.

Officers tied the umbilical cord with bread ties, cut the cord and rushed the infant into a patrol car. Once the officer was inside the car, the baby stopped breathing. The officer started infant CPR and chest compressions, according to the Greeley Police Department.

The mother told the other officers that she was expecting triplets. Her friend talked with Mayeda via FaceTime during the delivery.

He said, Hey your kids are being born here on my porch, and I can see two GPD jackets, Mayeda said.

The new mom and two babies were taken to the hospital, where the third baby was delivered.

The three boys were born 14 weeks early, yet Burt, Kikutaro and Billy-Bob have strong heartbeats.

Words cant even describe how happy I am to be a father, said Mayeda.

The preemies were put into the neonatal intensive care unit, and Mayeda is anxiously waiting for the day he can hold them.

I have to sit by and watch through a piece of plexiglass. Yes, I can reach in and do hand hugs, but to me, that is only so fulfilling, he said.

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Mayeda is thankful for the first responders who helped bring his babies safely into the world.

With as cold as it was and everything, it was perfect ingredients for a perfect storm, for it not to end well had it not been for those guys, said Mayeda.

He said his babies will remain in the NICU for at least four more months.

Their original due date was July 25, and while the couple knew they would come earlier, they did not expect a spontaneous trifecta. As a result, Mayeda has started a fundraiser to help with medical bills and supplies.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
(Bloomberg) -- Columbia University said it has started to suspend students who defied a 2 p.m. deadline to clear out of its West Lawn, ratcheting up tensions over a pro-Palestinian encampment established more than a week ago.

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On April 18, Columbia had called in the police to clear protesters for trespassing on its grounds, but that move made students dig in and re-establish their encampment. It also inspired similar sit-ins and demonstrations at other schools across the US, including Harvard University, Yale University and the University of Southern California.

The New York school is now seeking to clear the latest encampment ahead of commencement, scheduled for May 15. As of 5:15 p.m. on Monday, tents on the Columbia lawn were still pitched and the demonstrators, who the university says are violating multiple policies, hadnt moved to disperse.

Suspensions have begun while university officials are continuing talks with the protesters, Ben Chang, a spokesman for Columbia, said in a press briefing Monday evening. He didnt provide information about whether the school is taking steps to clear the lawn.

Never miss an episode. Follow the Big Take podcast oniHeart,Apple Podcasts,Spotify or wherever you listen. Read the transcript.

We will not be moved except by force, said Sueda Polat, a graduate student and one of the leaders of the protest.

Read more: Protests at $100,000 Elite Colleges Upend Graduation Rituals

At the University of Texas campus in Austin, state and local police decked out in riot gear moved to disperse protesters on campus after school officials threatened them with arrest for trespassing and disorderly conduct. Televised images on CNN showed police scuffling with protesters and dismantling make-shift barricades fashioned from folding tables.

Universities across the US have seen ongoing protests since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and prompted the nations retaliatory bombardment in Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry in the coastal enclave estimates that more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israels campaign.

The group leading the demonstration at Columbia  known as the Columbia University Apartheid Divest coalition  has been protesting the schools ties to Israel and demanding it cut financial links to the country. Some of the demonstrators have been criticized for antisemitic rhetoric and for intimidating some Jewish students on campus.

I have no problem with protests, said Mikael Rochman, an Israeli student who is a junior and part of a dual degree program with Tel Aviv University. But when it crosses the line into hate speech and calling for the destruction of an entire nation of people on campus, and threats and violence, then it has crossed a line.

Columbia President Minouche Shafik should have put an end to the protests much earlier, Rochman said.

On Monday, an unidentified Jewish student sued Columbia claiming it has failed to provide a safe learning environment while extremists among the demonstrators are openly inciting violence against Jewish students.

The plaintiff, a second-year student identified as C.S., is seeking to represent all current students who were forced to switch to online learning in recent days. She claims Columbia has breached its contract with the students and is seeking an order forcing the school to provide safe access to campus facilities to allow her and other students to complete the semester in person.

We must restore order to the campus so that all students can complete their work for the term, study for exams, and feel welcome in the community, Columbia said earlier on Monday in a letter to the demonstrators.

The university said that students who notify the school of their departure from the encampment and commit to abide by all university policies through June 2025 or the conferral of their degree will be eligible to complete the semester in good standing.

Suspended students will be restricted from school property, will be unable to complete the semester and will be ineligible to graduate, according to the letter.

Of course students are worried about the impact on their academic honors, said Polat, the protest leader. But they also believe that their right to an education is not more of a priority than the right to an education of people in Gaza.

Read more: Why Israel-Hamas War Tests Campus Tolerance of Speech: QuickTake

Earlier, Shafik issued a statement saying the school wouldnt divest from Israel and that administrators failed to reach an agreement with the protesters.

University administrators and lawmakers have for decades rejected the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement against Israel. They view it as antisemitic because it calls into question the legitimacy of Jewish state and singles out the policies of one nation.

Shafik on Monday said the school offered to publish a process for students to gain more insight into Columbias holdings and to make investments in health and education in Gaza.

She has faced demands for her resignation for her handling of the protests  by some for being too hard on the students, and by others for being too soft. But Columbias board of trustees has supported Shafik and her approach to managing the diversity of voices on campus, saying it aligns with the promise she made during her appointment process.

--With assistance from Dayana Mustak, Max Zimmerman, Joe Carroll and Bob Van Voris.

(Recasts with start of suspensions and student lawsuit in the 11th paragraph.)

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Columbia University President Minouche Shafik announced Monday that talks with the pro-Palestinian protesters have stalled on the campus, where the national movement for encampments for Gaza began.

Additionally, the university has given students camped on campus until 2 p.m. Monday to voluntarily pack up their things. If that is done, and involved students sign a pledge to abide by all university policies through June 2025, then those students will be considered in good standing by the university, according to university guidance.

Students who do not leave will be suspended, the university said, unable to complete the semester.

The school said it has identified numerous students who have been protesting and even if they leave the encampment, if they do not sign the form they will not complete the semester in good standing.

In the guidance, the school said they would be offering an alternate venue for protests after final exams and graduation is over.

In the Monday statement, Shafik said the school would not divest from Israel, one of the main demands from the demonstrators to end the encampment.

While the University will not divest from Israel, the University offered to develop an expedited timeline for review of new proposals from the students by the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the body that considers divestment matters, Shafik said. The University also offered to publish a process for students to access a list of Columbias direct investment holdings, and to increase the frequency of updates to that list of holdings.

In addition, the school offered to invest in education and health in Gaza and create a faculty committee focused on academic freedom.

Shafik commented how the school must take into account the rights of all members of our community and that the encampment has made Jewish students feel unsafe, caused a distracting environment for those preparing for finals and is a Title VI violation.

Consistent with our interim demonstration policies, after reading days, exams, and Commencement, protests may continue on campus by application with two-days notice in authorized locations. We have no intention of suppressing speech or the right to peaceful protest, Shafik said.

The president called for the protesters to voluntarily disperse and administrators are working on alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible.

She also reassured students there would be a main commencement ceremony after the University of Southern California cancels its graduation due to unrest on campus.

Updated at 11:42 a.m.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 29. Negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Almaty, Kazakhstan, will be held solely between the parties, there is no question of Astana's mediation, Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov said, Trend reports.

"During his recent visits to Baku and Yerevan, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the critical importance of achieving speedy and long-lasting peace. He also emphasized Kazakhstan's desire to support negotiations, including plans for talks in Almaty. We are currently in communication with our counterparts in Azerbaijan and Armenia. It's vital to note that the next negotiations will be handled directly between the parties involved, emphasizing that Kazakhstan is not serving as a mediator in this process," he said.

According to him, Kazakhstan provides the so-called good offices.

The spokesperson also emphasized that the date of the meeting is currently under discussion.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Columbia University students are defying the universitys order to disperse and dismantle the Gaza solidarity encampment.

In the latest development, protesters occupied a building in the early hours of Tuesday morning, a move that came after the university announced it was suspending students who failed to leave the camp. An anonymous student inside the building told Politico approximately a dozen students were inside Hamilton Hall, though footage published by The New York Times shows a group inside barricading the doors inside as students formed a chain around the building. The Columbia Daily Spectator, the student newspaper, claimed dozens had occupied the building.

Footage posted by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, one of the groups behind the encampment, shows dozens of students outside the building chanting, Free, free Palestine.

On the 13th day of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia and in lockstep with the organizers of the 1968 uprising, both students and our own members have taken Hamilton Hall, the universitys main administrative building, another post announced. This escalation follows yet another sweeping round of threatened suspensions, expulsions, and arrests.

A university staffer who was inside the building at the time told Politico: They swarmed the building. I got into a scuffle with a couple of them. They finally let us out. An NYPD spokesperson declined to comment to the publication.

Columbia President Minouche Shafik had given protesters until 2 p.m. Monday to identify themselves to university officials, sign a commitment to abide by university policies until June 30, 2025, and voluntarily leave the protest, a notice obtained by The Daily Beast revealed. Students who remained past the 2 p.m. deadline would face suspension.

The schools Vice President of Public Affairs Ben Chang said during a 5 p.m. press conference Monday that Columbia had begun suspending protesters; a punishment that means they wont be allowed to graduate, or allowed back into university housing, effectively leaving many students homeless.

It was unclear Monday night just how many students were suspended.

Shafik said in an earlier statement Monday that after weeks of demonstrations, protests, and arrests, talks between student protesters and the administration at Columbia University failed to produce a resolution.

Shafik was firm that the university would not divest from Israelthe main goal of the student protestand told the protesters to pack it up.

Since Wednesday, a small group of academic leaders has been in constructive dialogue with student organizers to find a path that would result in the dismantling of the encampment and adherence to University policies going forward. Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement, Shafik said.

She added the university was offering to develop an expedited process for student proposals to the university committee that handles divestment and to make it easier for students to get access to a list of Columbias direct investments. However, the university did not directly commit to enacting any of these offers, lacking protesters cooperation.

Watch: Jill Stein Shoved by Cops in Chaotic Raid on Campus Protest

The protest could continue on campus, Shafik said, by application with two-days notice in authorized locations after the universitys study period, exams, and commencement activities finished.

Until then, we urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse, she added, citing the universitys plans to hold regular graduation ceremonies without disruption.

We owe it to all of our graduates and their loved ones to honor their achievement. We want to reassure our community who are trying to make plans that we will indeed hold a Commencement, she said. Concerns about graduation were exacerbated last week when the University of Southern California canceled first its valedictorian speech, then all outside speakers, and finally its main commencement ceremony over safety concerns from the protest.

Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, the other organizer of the protest encampment, slammed the universitys stance and vowed to continue its fight until complete divestment is realized.

Protesters Confront Guests at White House Correspondents Dinner: Shame On You!

Our school is asking students to give away their protest rights and to operate within the confines of bureaucracy with no assurances of binding divestment decisions, SJP wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday night, before Shafiks community message was released. Its carousel outlined each of the universitys offers and explained why SJP chose not to agree.

They seek to push us into a bad deal by holding the threat of campus closure or law enforcement over our heads, SJP added. It was unclear whether the university was considering the use of police to break up the encampment, as it did on April 18.

We refuse to accept a deal that trades in the blood of Palestinians. We will not concede our demands for anything less than complete divestment from the genocide of the Palestinian people.

Columbia was the epicenter of the student-led pro-Palestinian movement, which has led to dozens of encampments at college campuses from Los Angeles to Boston and around the world.

Although none of the protests have yielded total divestment from Israel at their respective institutions, protesters at Portland State University secured a significant win over the weekend. The university announced it would pause accepting donations from Boeing, which supplies arms to both Israel and the U.S. military.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Columbia students celebrate as school officials promise no lockdown or evictions over anti-Israeli protests

Anti-Israel protesters are singing and celebrating as Columbia University squashed rumors of looming campus lockdowns and mass evictions over the ongoing tent city demonstration.

The school administration, which has been slammed for repeatedly bowing to protesters, said that negotiations with the students are moving forward despite the Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine group claiming that the university was threatening to lay down the hammer.

We want to be clear: There is no truth to claims of an impending lockdown or evictions on campus, the administration said in a statement Saturday night.

Columbia University denied rumors of lockdowns and mass evictions over its tent city protest. Michael Nagle

The protesters are demanding their school divest from Israel and grant amnesty to the student demonstrators. Michael Nagle

Thee SJP accused the university of changing its tune under pressure after having planned the lockdown and evictions. The group claimed Columbia scheduled a briefing that was meant to allegedly announce the warning on Saturday night.

We will not be deterred by an administration that continues to threaten students & engage in bad faith, the SJP said.

Following the administrations latest promise not to crack down on the demonstrations, protesters could be seen celebrating and carrying on with songs and chants at the encampment in the Manhattan campus on Sunday.

Say it clear, say it loud, Palestine will make us proud, the students rejoiced.

The protest has also spread outside the Manhattan campus. Christopher Sadowski

A counter protester put up images of the Hamas hostages over a sign that read, Free Palestine. DANIEL WILLIAM MCKNIGHT

The protesters appeared to be in it for the long-haul after already more than a week of demonstrations, with students seen handing out bags of chips, fresh pasta, fried chicken, and even offering vegan and Kosher options.

One Jewish student at the protest, who identified himself as Jared, 26, said he stands alongside the demonstrators because he believes Jewish safety requires Palestinian liberation.

Follow The Posts coverage of the anti-Israel protests at Columbia University:

We dont feel safer if there is a government full of violent people that claim to do things on our behalf that commit atrocities, Jared said of the war in Gaza.

Students were digging in for the long haul on Sunday. Michael Nagle

Jared, who said he had to explain to his grandparents that he didnt not support Hamas nor did they fund the protest. He also noted there are many Jewish students who were suspended for taking part in the protest.

Although the protesters received backlash last week following antisemitic chants heard resonating in the camp, Jared suggested the university was also guilty of antisemitism.

For a university that is suppressing and trying to silence dissent, claiming to do it out of the interest of Jewish students, theyre certainly suspending a lot of Jewish students for participating, Jared added.

Protesters made speeches and yelled out chants this weekend. Michael Nagle

The length of the protest is also seeing students share the showers and laundry facilities at their dorms with suspended students who lost access to the buildings.

Everyone is pretty gross, one student told The Post of the protesters hygiene.

Some of the protesters also appeared to tout the fact that they were arrested during the initial police raid on the campus that unsuccessfully sought to clear out the tents.

Bold  Beautiful  Arrested, one sign over a tent read.

One student had a tent with a sign that read, Intifada. James Keivom

The students appeared more organized than in the first days of the chaotic protest, with security made up of students and some faculty stationed around the gate to keep out non-demonstrators, as well as Zionists.

Reporters and photographers were also being kept away from the protesters because they might not feel comfortable.

The students have repeatedly stated that they will not leave the Gaza Solidarity Encampment until the university meets their demands to divest from Israel and grant amnesty to the students who have been arrested, suspended or put on probation over the protests.

Columbia President Minouche Shafik has been repeatedly slammed for failing to quell the protest, with Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan becoming the latest figure to demand action from the college.

Minouche Shafik has taken heat from both sides of the aisle since anti-Israel protests started breaking out on campus more than a week ago. Getty Images

When thousands of Columbia faculty, staff and students call for the elimination of the State of Israel and the abolition of Zionism, you must take a stand, Dayan wrote in a letter published on X.

Dayan likened the protesters to the Ku Klux Klan and urged Shafik to put an end to the demonstration, saying the ongoing protest serves no purpose at the Ivy League college.

A great moral conflict was delivered to your doorstep, Dayan added. Rise to the occasion. Lead with moral principles, not only administrative regulations. Speak up.
Talks between pro-Palestinian student protesters and Columbia University officials have broken down, according to an update on Monday from the universitys president.

Administrators have negotiated with demonstrators for much of the last week as protests roiled the campus as they demanded that the college divest from Israel. Dozens have been arrested and the institution switched to virtual learning amid the turmoil.

A statement on Monday from Columbias embattled president Nemat Minouche Shafik said that regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement.

The university will not divest from Israel, but that it has offered to develop an expedited timeline for reviewing new proposals with the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the letter read.

Ms Shafik urged students who have set up an encampment on the college grounds in upper Manhattan to voluntarily disperse.

She also noted that the university is consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible.

The university warned protesters to clear out by 2pm EST on Monday or they would face suspension.

The schools president also implored the protesters to consider their classmates upcoming commencement ceremonies, noting that many students graduating this year did not get to celebrate their high school graduations due to the pandemic.

We also do not want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration, Ms Shafik wrote. Please recall that many in this graduating class did not get a celebration when graduating from high school because of the pandemic, and many of them are the first in their families to earn a university degree.

The university initially gave protesters a midnight deadline on 22 April to reach an agreement with the administration or be removed.

Students leading the Gaza protest have also asked the school to grant amnesty to students who have been disciplined as a result of the protest. That demand was not addressed in Ms Shafiks letter.

Ms Shafik has been the subject of near-universal criticism. Protesters and faculty have chastised her for calling the police to disperse the encampment on 18 April  when ended with the arrests of more than 100 protesters  as well as for her overall handling of the protest.

Those who oppose the Gaza protesters have also lashed out as Ms Shafik, including House Speaker Mike Johnson. The Republican leader visited Columbias campus last week to berate the protesters and to call for Ms Shafik to resign if she would not immediately quash the demonstrations.

I am here today joining my colleagues and calling on President Shafik to resign if she cannot immediately bring order to this chaos, he said during his address on 24 April.

Ms Shafik ignored the call to resign and the university continued to negotiate with the students. A university spokesperson told Retuers that they would not offer further comment on Ms Shafiks statement.

The Independent has reached out for comment.
Student protesters at Columbia University defied a deadline on Monday to clear their pro-Palestine encampment after officials warned they would be suspended if they continued their occupation.

The University gave students hours to leave the encampment on Columbias West Lawn, where demonstrators have been living in tents for the last two weeks demanding divestment from Israel.

The students were told they would be allowed to leave the protest in good standing with Columbia if they vacated by 2pm local time (7pm BST) on Monday and signed a declaration that they would abide by the universitys rules until the end of term.

However, students instead formed a protective circle around the tents while continuing to chant.

Free, free Palestine, they shouted. Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.

You know what needs to be suspended? Genocide! Rafael Kadaris, of the Revolutionary Communists group, chanted through a megaphone shortly before the deadline fell.

We regret that we need to take these actions

Columbia had warned students that it had identified many of the protesters, and that those who refused to leave would be banned from campus and blocked from graduating.

Three hours after the deadline elapsed, university authorities said they had begun suspending students. They did not clarify how many had been suspended.

We regret that we need to take these actions, but we must restore order to the campus so that all students can complete their work for the term, study for exams, and feel welcome in the community, Columbia said in a statement.

The demand came after almost two weeks of negotiation between the university and the protesters, who have called for Columbia to sell any investments linked to Israel, cancel a new global centre in Tel Aviv, and grant amnesty to demonstrators who have broken rules.

One student protest group called the threatened suspensions a repulsive scare tactic. We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or we are moved by force, it said in a statement.

Nemat Shafik, president of Columbia University, said the encampment has created a hostile environment for Jewish students - Mariam Zuhaib/AP

Baroness Shafik, the universitys president, issued a statement on Monday confirming that the university will not divest from Israel but that officials had offered to have the proposal explored by a committee.

She said Columbia had also offered to donate money to support humanitarian work in Gaza, and to publish a list of its direct investment holdings  meeting a student demand for financial transparency.

Alarming surge of anti-Semitism

Lady Shafik said the protest encampment had created an unwelcoming environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty, and that external actors had contributed to a hostile environment around the campus, in the Upper West Side of New York.

She said the protest must be cleared in time for a graduation ceremony due to take place on the lawn on May 15.

We also do not want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration, she said.

Students at Columbia University protest encampment paint a response to a message written by Palestinians in Rafah thanking them for their support - Caitlin Ochs/REUTERS

Some of the protesters have been accused of anti-Semitic chants and of harassing Jewish students by chanting about Zionism and calling for an end to the state of Israel.

Joe Biden, the US president, said on April 21 that there had been an alarming surge of anti-Semitism after the protests.

An anonymous Jewish student has started legal proceedings against Columbia, CNN reported on Monday, claiming the campus had become too dangerous.

Baroness Shafik admitted in a statement the same day that many Jewish students had been forced to leave the campus, adding: That is a tragedy.

On Monday, a group of 21 Democrats in the House of Representatives joined senior Republicans in calling for Columbia to bring the protest to an end.

The Democrats wrote of their disappointment that, despite promises to do so, Columbia University has not yet disbanded the unauthorised and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus.

The student protesters at Columbia, who claim to be peaceful, have spawned a series of similar demonstrations across the US, Canada, Britain and France.

Their encampment on the lawn, which bears similarity to the Occupy protests that began in 2011, has been copied in more than two dozen states and at other elite universities including Harvard College.

Universities have responded to the protests in different ways, including by sending in police officers to forcibly remove and arrest students.

On Sunday physical altercations broke out at UCLA in Los Angeles, while almost 300 people were arrested at universities across the country at the weekend, including more than 70 at Arizona State University (ASU).

While the university will continue to be an environment that embraces freedom of speech, ASUs first priority is to create a safe and secure environment that supports teaching and learning, the university said in a statement.

Separately on Monday, Paris Right-wing run regional council said it would suspend funding for Sciences Po following pro-Palestinian protests at the university last week.

Students last week occupied the institution, where French President Emmanuel Macron studied, as they called on it to cut ties with companies that were complicit in the genocide in Gaza.

The news came as police evacuated pro-Palestinian activists from Paris Sorbonne university who had set up tents inside its buildings.

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Columbia University has a message for the pro-Palestine student protesters: cut it out or get suspended.

After nearly two weeks of national attention on Columbia Universitys student-led protest encampments calling on the university to divest from weapons manufacturers and other companies associated with Israels war on Gaza, university officials declared Monday they wont wont commit to any real policy changes.

The university told student protesters they must leave the campus by 2 p.m. Monday or else be suspended pending further investigation and prohibited from completing the spring semester.

That threat achieved exactly nothing.

DISCLOSE! DIVEST! WE WILL NOT STOP, WE WILL NOT REST!! 

Hundreds of Columbia University students are gathered for an emergency rally to protect the Gaza Solidarity Encampment.

We will continue until our demands are met. We will not be intimidated. #cu4Palestine pic.twitter.com/QNPeDhuVcq  Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine (@ColumbiaSJP) April 29, 2024

Interestingly, Columbias X account also posted a summary from Columbia President Minouche Shafiks statement, noting that after a dialogue between academic leaders and student organizers, the university would not commit to divesting. Instead, Shafik outlined steps to consider student proposals and allow for more transparency in the universitys investments. The university ended up deleting that post and replacing it with a much shorter summary, presumably after blowback.



Since students set up protest encampments at Columbia over the war in Gaza earlier this month they have been met with a massive police response. Similar protests quickly spread at other campuses across the country, as many politicians missed the point and urged more punitive measures. Some pundits and politicians even tried to compare the peaceful, diverse protests to the white nationalist riots in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017.



As commencement approaches, university officials are desperate to make these protests go away, and avoid a situation like that of University of Southern California, where commencement ceremonies were ultimately canceled, following keynote speakers backing out and the initial cancellation of pro-Palestinian valedictorian Asna Tabassums speech. But as long as the U.S. continues its support for Israels deadly war on Gaza, students will continue to protest against their university connections to the war. And if universities persist in ignoring protest demands, or worse, massively cracking down on protests, they will not surely ignite a firestorm.


Columbia Universityhas begun making good on its promise to suspend students protesting the war in Gaza if they did not leave an encampment on campus.

We have begun suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus, Ben Chang, the universitys vice president for communications, said at a press briefing Monday evening, hours after the university in Manhattan told students they had until 2 p.m. to leave the protest.

Chang and other university spokespeople did not immediately return inquiries about the number of students suspended.

The notice warning of suspensions, which was obtained by HuffPost, said that students would face the penalty if they did not leave the encampment by the set deadline. Once suspended, students are restricted from the campus and its facilities, rendering them ineligible to go to class, complete the semester, participate in extracurricular activities or graduate.

Protesters also must sign a form saying they commit to following university policies in order to finish the semester in good standing. Columbia told HuffPost it has no additional comment.

The deadline came and went without the encampment disbanding. Shortly after 2 p.m. passed, student negotiators spoke at a news conference to reiterate their demands that Columbia divest itself from companies with connections to the war in Gaza and to again denounce university President Minouche Shafiks statements about the negotiations.

Im back at Columbia where the school presidents 2pm deadline to end the encampment has passed. Thousands of students encircling the encampment to protect it in case the police arrive to make arrests pic.twitter.com/mxXRC8ejBB  Christopher Mathias (@letsgomathias) April 29, 2024

Sudea Polat, one of the organizers who spoke, said Shafik has claimed that we had had constructive dialogue regarding the student encampment and made insincere statements regarding the universitys actions. The universitys negotiations evidenced an elementary understanding of the words boycott and divest, which have been at the heart of the student movement and at the heart of our encampment.

The university refused to make any commitments that their divestment proposals would be binding, Polat said.

The suspension warnings are attempts to stifle the student movement, she added.

The suspension warning came just a few hours after Shafik said in a statement that the university wont divest from Israel and that the school has failed to come to an agreement with students protesting Israels offensive in Gaza.

Shafik said that, since Wednesday, academic leaders have been in constructive dialogue with student organizers that she hoped would end with the protesters removing the encampment, but both sides were unable to come to an agreement.

She went on to say that many Jewish students have found the atmosphere intolerable in recent weeks and many have left campus, adding its a tragedy.

Shafik said that while Columbia wont divest from Israel, the university offered to develop an expedited timeline for review of new proposals from the students by the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the body that considers divestment matters, publish a list of Columbias direct investment holdings and make investments in health and education in Gaza.

Previously, Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, one of the main groups involved with the encampment, shared negotiation updates in an Instagram post on Sunday. In the posts caption, the group wrote that the student protesters refuse to accept a deal that trades in the blood of Palestinians and that they will not concede anything less than complete divestment from the genocide of the Palestinian people.

Columbia continues to operate as though it does not know what boycott and divest entails, the caption stated. Our school is asking students to give away their protest rights and to operate within the confines of bureaucracy with no assurances of binding divestment decisions. They seek to push us into a bad deal by holding the threat of campus closure or law enforcement over our heads.

Tensions have grown since protesters who support the Palestinian civilians in Gaza began camping out on April 17. On Thursday, pro-Israel protesters, led by far-right Christian nationalist figures, gathered outside Columbias campus, yelling at a group of pro-Palestinian students to Go home, terrorists! and Go back to Gaza!

Shortly after Columbia students set up the encampment, Shafik ordered New York Police Department officers to sweep it, leading to the arrests of more than 100 protesters.

Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told Columbia student protesters, Go back to class and stop the nonsense, and he threatened to bring in the National Guard to tear down the encampment.

Related...
By Julia Harte and Jonathan Allen

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Columbia University on Monday began suspending pro-Palestinian student activists who refused to dismantle a protest camp on the New York City campus after the Ivy League school declared a stalemate in talks seeking to end the polarizing demonstration.

University President Nemat Minouche Shafik said in a statement that days of negotiations between student organizers and academic leaders had failed to persuade demonstrators to remove the dozens of tents set up to express opposition to Israel's war in Gaza.

The crackdown at Columbia, at the center of Gaza-related protests roiling university campuses across the U.S. in recent weeks, occurred as police at the University of Texas at Austin arrested dozens of students whom they doused with pepper spray at a pro-Palestinian rally.

Columbia sent a letter on Monday morning warning that students who did not vacate the encampment by 2 p.m. ET and sign a form promising to abide by university policies would face suspension and become ineligible to complete the semester in good standing.

"We have begun suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus," said Ben Chang, a university spokesperson, at a briefing on Monday evening.

"The encampment has created an unwelcoming environment for many of our Jewish students and faculty and a noisy distraction that interferes with the teaching, learning and preparing for final exams," Chang said.

Earlier, Shafik said Columbia would not divest from finances in Israel, a key demand of the protesters. Instead, she offered to invest in health and education in Gaza and make Columbia's direct investment holdings more transparent.

Protesters have vowed to keep their encampment on the Manhattan campus until Columbia meets three demands: divestment, transparency in university finances, and amnesty for students and faculty disciplined for their part in the protests.

"These repulsive scare tactics mean nothing compared to the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians. We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or we are moved by force," leaders of the Columbia Student Apartheid Divest coalition said in a statement read at a news conference following the deadline.

Hundreds of demonstrators, many wearing traditional Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, marched around the perimeter of the encampment chanting, "Disclose! Divest! We will not stop, we will not rest."

Shafik faced an outcry from many students, faculty and outside observers for summoning New York City police two weeks ago to clear the protest camp.

After more than 100 arrests were made, students restored the encampment on a hedge-lined lawn of the university grounds within days of the April 18 police action.

Since then, students at dozens of campuses from California to New England have set up similar encampments to demonstrate their anger over the Israeli operation in Gaza and the perceived complicity of their schools in it.

The pro-Palestinian rallies have sparked intense campus debate over where school officials should draw the line between freedom of expression and hate speech

Students protesting Israel's military offensive in Gaza, including some Jewish peace activists, have said they are being censured as antisemitic merely for criticizing the Israeli government or for expressing support for Palestinian rights.

Other Jewish groups counter that anti-Israel rhetoric frequently delves into or feeds overt forms of anti-Jewish hatred and calls for violence, and thus should not be tolerated.

Such reasoning was brought to bear by groups that pressured the University of Southern California two weeks ago to cancel the graduation speech of its class valedictorian, Asna Tabassum, a Muslim student, over her perceived pro-Palestinian views.

The Los Angeles-based university later announced it was canceling the entire main-stage commencement ceremony for its May 10 graduation.

On Monday, the head of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, called on USC President Carol Folt to convene an "emergency campus student-administration dialogue" to diffuse tensions on campus.

STUDENT PROTESTS ABOUND

Across town at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where opposing sides clashed over the weekend, pro-Israeli activists set up a large screen and loudspeakers to play a taped loop of images from the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The video appeared aimed at countering pro-Hamas chants that seeped into campus protests in support of Palestinian civilians besieged in Gaza.

UCLA also stepped up security around the pro-Palestinian encampment there, consisting of more than 50 tents surrounded by metal fencing near the main administration building on campus.

Civil rights groups have criticized law enforcement tactics on some campuses, such as Atlanta's Emory University and the University of Texas at Austin, where police in riot gear and on horseback moved against protesters last week, taking dozens into custody before charges were dropped for lack of probable cause.

Protests, and arrests, flared anew on the Austin campus on Monday.

Campus police backed by Texas state troopers attempted to break up a large student protest using pepper spray and flash-bang charges, arresting at least 43 people, according to defense attorney George Lobb, who said he confirmed the number with court and jail staff processing the detentions.

Video posted on social media showed police pulling individual students from a gathering on a grassy area where demonstrators sat and locked arms, some of them shouting, "Let them go!"

At Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, police and protesters clashed as officers moved in after nightfall to break up an encampment. Local TV aired video of police in riot gear dousing demonstrators, many of whom the university said were not students, with what appeared to be pepper spray, and making arrests.

Some 150 miles to the west, officials at Virginia Tech said on Monday that 91 protesters arrested on Sunday night at a student-led encampment had been charged with trespassing. Video posted on social media showed demonstrators chanting, "Shame on you" as some were taken into custody.

(Reporting by Julia Harte in New York; Additional reporting by Rich McKay, Jonathan Allen, Ismail Shakil, Daniel Trotta, Brad Brooks and David Swanson; Writing by Julia Harte and Steve Gorman; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Bill Berkrot, David Gregorio and Leslie Adler, Miral Fahmy and Christian Schmollinger)
Columbia University's 2 p.m. deadline for students to leave pro-Gaza encampment comes and goes

NEW YORK  Talks have stalled between Columbia University students and officials to clear the campus pro-Gaza encampment on campus, prompting the administration to threaten disciplinary action for any students who did not leave by Monday afternoon.

Columbia President Minouche Shafik announced the breakdown of negotiations Monday morning. Students at the encampment were informed in writing that failure to vacate the quad could result in action that could include suspension or expulsion from Columbia  but as of the universitys 2 p.m. deadline there was no sign anyone was leaving.

Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement, University president Minouche Shafik wrote in an email to students and faculty early Monday, saying the protest has created an unwelcoming environment for many Jewish students and faculty. The University will not divest from Israel.

Monday is the last day of classes for the semester. Organizers and school officials had been in negotiations to remove the tents from the main campus lawns, which will be needed for graduation ceremonies in a couple of weeks. But the parties at the end of last week reached an impasse over divestment from companies and institutions that profit from Israel.

Instead, Shafik said the university offered to speed up a process for students to suggest socially responsible investment proposals and to make Columbias direct investment holdings more transparent. Also on the table was a faculty committee to address academic freedom and investments in health and education in Gaza.

The deal was rejected by student protesters, who have shown no sign they will accept any sort of compromise on divestment.

These repulsive scare tactics mean nothing compared to the deaths of over 34,000 Palestinians, Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of more than 100 student groups that runs the encampment, said in a statement. We will not move until Columbia meets our demands or we are moved by force.

Columbia told students that anyone who voluntarily leave the encampment by 2 p.m., identified themselves to the university, and signed a form promising to follow all school policies through the 2024-25 school year could finish this semester in good standing.

Demonstrators who do not agree to those terms could face discipline from probation and access restrictions, to suspension or expulsion, the notice to students said. Students already involved in a disciplinary process are not eligible for the deal.

We urge those in the encampment to voluntarily disperse, Shafik said. We are consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible.

But Students for Justice in Palestine on social media told protesters: do not sign anything with administration and gather at noon to protect the encampment.

The call to action turned out about 1,000 student protesters, who picketed around the encampment in keffiyehs and with Palestinian flags. Faculty in bright vests lined the entrance to the demonstration, preventing people from entering.

This is not a matter of simply violating university rules, said Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian graduate student and negotiator. This is a movement, an antiwar movement.

Sueda Polat, also a Columbia graduate student and negotiator, said the offer to donate to Gaza amounted to nothing more than bribery.

This is a smokescreen, Polat said of the overall deal. The students refuse to trade in the blood of Palestinians.

The pro-Gaza encampment first emerged on campus on April 17 as Shafik testified before Congress about efforts to curb antisemitism. Thirty hours later, university officials had suspended students involved and called the NYPD, with cops arresting more than 100 students while clearing the lawn.

The protesters quickly returned and set up a second encampment. University administrators vowed over the weekend not to bring the NYPD in again to clear out the encampment, claiming that police intervention would only inflame an already tense situation.

Columbias campus is on private property and the NYPD can only go in if asked by the university.

_____
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 29. Preparations for the informal summit of the Turkic States Organization (OTS) in Azerbaijan will be discussed in Istanbul, an official from Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry Aybek Smadiyarov said during a briefing, Trend reports.

"On April 29-30, 2024, Istanbul will host the 43rd meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials of the OTS. The meeting will review the progress of implementing agreements reached during the 10th OTS Summit held on November 3, 2023, in Astana, as well as preparatory work for the informal OTS Summit planned for this summer in Azerbaijan and the next 11th OTS Summit scheduled for October 2024 in Kyrgyzstan.

Additionally, discussions will focus on further strengthening cooperation within the organization," he explained.

To note, the informal OTS Summit is planned to be held in Azerbaijan's Shusha city in July this year.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
FILE - Mark Rudd, a leader of the student protest at Columbia University in New York City, is interviewed outside Low Memorial Library, background, April 25, 1968, which has been occupied by students since the previous day. Rudd said the purpose of the protest was to "hit at" what he claimed was the university's policy of "racism and support for imperialism." (AP Photo/File)

NEW YORK (AP)  College students taking up space and making demands for change. University administrators facing pressure to get things back under control. Police brought in to make arrests. At other schools: students taking note, and sometimes taking action.

Columbia University, 2024. And Columbia University, 1968.

The pro-Palestinian demonstration and subsequent arrests at Columbia that have set off similar protests at campuses nationwide these days and even internationally aren't new ground for students at the Ivy League school. They're the latest in a Columbia tradition that dates back more than five decades  one that also helped provide inspiration for the anti-apartheid protest of the 1980s, the Iraq war protests, and more.

When youre going to Columbia, you know youre going to an institution which has an honored place in the history of American protest, said Mark Naison, professor of history and African & African American Studies at Fordham University and himself a participant in the 1968 demonstrations. Whenever there is a movement, you know Columbia is going to be right there.

STUDENTS ARE AWARE OF THE HISTORY

It's part of Columbia's lore, students taking part in this month's demonstrations point out  recognized by the school itself in commemorative anniversary programming and taught about in classes.

A lot of students here are aware of what happened in 1968, said Sofia Ongele, 23, among those who joined the encampment in response to this month's arrests.

The end of an academic year was also approaching in April of that year when students took over five campus buildings. There were multiple reasons. Some were protesting the universitys connection to an institute doing weapon research for the Vietnam War; others opposed how the elite school treated Black and brown residents in the community around the school as well as the atmosphere for minority students.

After several days, Columbias president allowed a thousand New York Police Department officers to be brought in to clear most demonstrators out. The arrests, 700 of them, were not gentle. Fists were flying, clubs swinging. Dozens of students and more than a dozen officers were injured.

Its never been forgotten history. That includes now, when pro-Palestinian students calling on the university to divest from any economic ties to Israel over the war in Gaza set up a tent encampment earlier this month and more than 100 were arrested. It helped spark similar demonstrations at campuses around the country and world.

The storied protest past is one of the reasons Ongele chose Columbia for college and came here from her native Santa Clarita, California. I wanted to be in an environment where people were indeed socially conscious, she said.

When it comes to protest, We have not only the privilege but the responsibility to continue in the shoes of those who came before us, Ongele said. The goal, she said: to ensure "that were able to maintain the integrity of this university as one that is indeed socially aware, one that does have students that do care deeply about what goes on in the world, what goes on in our communities, and what goes on in the lives of the students that make up our community.

Columbia University officials did not respond to an email asking about the schools position on the legacy of the 1968 events. Those events, like the current protest, sparked a huge increase in student activism around the country, Mark Rudd, a leader of that protest, said in an email to The Associated Press. Myself and others spent the entire year after April 1968 traveling the country, spreading to campuses the spirit of Columbia.

NOT EVERYONE SUPPORTS THE PROTESTS

But the echoes of the past arent only in inspiration. Then, as now, the protest had its detractors. Naison said the disruption to campus life, and to law and order, angered many at Columbia and outside of it.

Student protesters are not popular people in the United States of America, he said. We werent popular in the 60s. We accomplished a tremendous amount. But we also helped drive the country to the right.

That has a corollary these days with those critical of the protests, who have condemned what they say is a descent into antisemitism. Some Jewish students have said they have felt targeted for their identity and afraid to be on campus and university presidents have come under political pressure to clamp down and use methods like police intervention.

Columbia University President Minouche Shafik had just testified in front of a congressional panel investigating concerns about antisemitism at elite schools when the camp initially went up. Despite her requesting police action the next day for what she called a harassing and intimidating environment, Republicans in Congress have called for her resignation.

Freedom of speech is so important, but not beyond the right to security, said Itai Dreifuss, 25, a third-year student who grew up in the United States and Israel. He was near the encampment this past week, standing in front of posters taped to a wall of the people who were taken hostage by Hamas in the Oct 7 attack that set off the current conflagration.

That feeling among some students that personal animosity is being directed against them is a difference between 1968 and now, Naison said. That conflict between demonstrators and their decriers is far more visceral, Naison asserts, which he says makes this time even more fraught.

Its history repeating itself, but its also uncharted territory, he said. What we have here is a whole group of people who see these protests as a natural extension of fighting for justice, and a whole other group of people who see this as a deadly attack on them and their history and tradition. And that makes it very difficult for university officials to manage.
One Arizona judge who was set to be on the November ballot does not meet performance standards for being on the bench, according to a majority vote of the Arizona Commission on Judicial Performance Review.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jo Lynn Gentry received 25 votes from commissioners saying she had not met standards and two votes saying she did. One commissioner abstained.

Gentry, in a statement to The Arizona Republic, said she is not seeking reelection.

"Instead, after 19 years on the bench, I will retire at the end of the year," Gentry said. "I have been honored to serve on what, in my opinion, is the best trial court in the nation. I served with an amazing group of judicial officers, court staff and administration and look forward to continuing to serve until December."

Though the committee took its vote Friday, Gentry was not publicly identified by the commission until Monday. The committee uses alphanumeric codes to identify judges when reviewing them to ensure an unbiased process, said Alberto Rodriguez, a spokesperson for Arizona's judicial branch.

Commission Chair Mike Hellon called it the toughest vote he ever had to make.

"Every time I voted against a judge, it was because of demeanor  how that person treated people in the courtroom," Hellon said. "That's not an issue with this judge. But in the final analysis, reviewing everything, it's my conclusion that she does not meet the standards."

How are Arizona judges reviewed?

It is rare but not unprecedented for most of the commission to decide that a judge does not meet standards. In 2022, Maricopa County Superior Judge Stephen Hopkins was determined not to have met the standards by a majority of the commission. He lost his seat in the election that year after 63% of voters chose not to retain him.

A majority of the commission voted that Gentry did not meet standards in 2016, but voters retained her.

The commission voted to approve the remaining 71 judges up for retention this year by placing them on a consent agenda and conducting a single voice vote. The process was changed from the past when commission members voted by roll call on every judge.

The commissions voting procedure change will impact the information available to voters on the commission's website and in election publicity materials.

The public will now only be able to see whether a judge meets performance standards, Rodriguez said. Previously, vote tallies were published.

The commission evaluates appointed judges by surveyingwitnesses, jurors, court staff and other people who have observed the judges' work.

In the Arizona judicial review process, a "letter of concern" is mailed to the retention candidate if they score poorly on their judicial performance report.

Two letters of concern were sent to judges in this review cycle, Rodriguez said. In 2022, Hellon said 17 judges received such a letter but would not disclose their identities.

The letter of concern instructs the judge to meet with the commissioners to discuss their low scores and how they can improve their performance.

After this internal process, the commission votes on whether each candidate meets or does not meet its judicial standards.

Those standards are outlined in the Arizona Court Rules, which state that judicial performance should be evaluated based on factors such as a judge's command of the law and procedural rules, impartiality and temperament.

On Friday, several commission members expressed concern that the public might think they were not doing a thorough job if they were seen to have voted against only one judge from the slate of 72 they were charged with reviewing.

Hellon said that some judges retire rather than face the commission.

Which Arizona judges are up for review in 2024?

Reports on the judicial performance of each judge standing for retention, including the commission's findings, will be published in the Secretary of State's voter pamphlet and posted on the commission's website in July, Rodriguez said.

Arizona Supreme Court Justices Clint Bolick and Kathryn H. King.

Two of the state supreme court justices who upheld Arizona's 1864 abortion ban, Clint Bolick and Kathryn H. King, are up for retention in 2024. A progressive political group is launching a campaign to unseat them.

Because of the change to how the commission conducts its votes, roll call votes were not taken for Bolick and King. Instead, they were approved as part of a voice vote for the consent agenda.

In 2022, Justice Bill Montgomery received a worse judicial performance evaluation than any other justice before. Montgomery was retained with 55.5% of the vote.

Three Maricopa County judges lost their seats in the 2022 retention vote.

Have a news tip? Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or 812-243-5582. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JimmyJenkins.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Panel says Maricopa County judge does not meet standards
OAK LAWN, Ill.  Funeral services with full police honors were held Monday for fallen Chicago police Officer Luis Huesca, the third time in less than a year the Chicago Police Department will lay to rest a young officer.

Services took place at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel in Chicago at 10 a.m., followed by an interment at Rosehill Cemetery on the citys North Side.

Luis, in his home neighborhood of Gage Park fought evil for us, Father Matt Foley of St. Gall Parish said. Thats a great gift and a testimony of his servants heart.

Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling offered condolences to the family and shared how Huesca made an impact in his six years on the force.

He was always trying to leave things better than he found them, Snelling said.

Those who knew that to be true shared their thoughts on a man killed just days before his 31st birthday and just over a year since the shooting death of his friend and academy classmate Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso.

I lost two classmates. My two brothers, Officer Lucia Chavez said. The violence in this city took them away from us.

The service was in Spanish and English to honor his heritage and as a nod to his ability to speak many languages.

In a statement released Monday morning, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced he would not be attending the officers funeral. According to Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, Huescas mother asked her and Rep. Angelica Guerrero Cuellar to tell the mayor he was unwelcome at her sons funeral.

Mayor Johnson will not attend funeral of CPD Officer Huesca after family says hes unwelcome

On Sunday, mourners gathered to pay their respects to Huesca in a public visitation at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn, as the search continues for the person who gunned him down near his Gage Park home just over a week ago.

The visitation came a week after Huesca was fatally shot in the 3100 block of West 56th Street while returning home from work.

Huesca, who had been with the department for six years, died while still in uniform.

Authorities have since classified Huescas death as in the line of duty, which will allow his family to receive survivors death benefits.

He was so kind: Sister remembers fallen CPD Officer Luis Huesca

Those who stopped by Sunday to pay their respects to Huesca described his killing as senseless.

Its a tragedy that once again we are standing in this parking lot, across the street from this funeral home, mourning the loss of another fallen hero, said retired CPD Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy, among those who attended.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Woodcrafter Juan Cayetano also attended and brought a special gift that he crafted for Huescas family.

Weve been doing memorials for fallen officers and first responders, and this time were here to donate this memorial for Officer Huesca, Cayetano said.

While the community mourns the loss of the fallen officer, the search for his killer has intensified.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Rewards totaling $100,000 are now being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of 22-year-old Xavier L. Tate, who police say is wanted in connection with Huescas murder. On Friday, a source told WGN Investigates that an arrest warrant had been issued for Tate, but he has not yet been taken into custody.

Crime Stoppers and the ATF are offering a combined $25,000 reward for information leading to Tates arrest. The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, FBI and the Fraternal Order of Police are also offering a combined $75,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

He set a good example: Slain CPD officer Luis Huesca remembered days before being laid to rest

Those with information on Tates whereabouts can reach out to Area One Detectives at 312-747-8380, or anonymous tips can be filed online at cpdtip.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
An oil well adjacent to the Red Bluff Reservoir in Reeves County on Feb. 24, 2020. NGL Water Solutions Permian has proposed discharging treated produced water into the reservoir. Credit: Justin Hamel for Inside Climate News

This story is published in partnership with Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here.

These days the Pecos River barely fills its dry, sandy bed where it crosses West Texas, but the river could be poised to flow again  with treated oilfield wastewater.

Companies are racing to figure out what to do with the tremendous volume of noxious water that comes up from underground during oil and gas drilling in the Permian Basin, but a growing cohort of companies say theyve developed a means to purify that fluid and release it in the Pecos and other watersheds.

This is new ground for all of us and we know it's got to be done the right way, said Robert Crain, executive vice president of Texas Pacific Water Resources, a company seeking to discharge treated water. Were not the only folks that are chasing this.

For decades, oil drillers have injected their wastewater, known as produced water, back underground for disposal. But an intensifying spate of earthquakes tied to produced water injection wells in recent years has prompted the Railroad Commission of Texas, which regulates drilling and injection, to tighten restrictions on injection disposal, spurring a search for alternatives.

After two years of studies, the company is applying for a state permit to discharge up 840,000 gallons per day of treated oilfield wastewater into a tributary of Salt Creek, which feeds into the Pecos River. That volume wont turn the Pecos into a roaring river but it could open doors for larger projects that could transform the river.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a permit for a company to discharge produced water in Atascosa County, southeast of San Antonio in the Eagle Ford Shale basin, earlier this year and is reviewing another application near Eagle Pass. A second company has also applied to discharge into the Pecos River watershed.

But scientists and environmental advocates have raised questions about the impacts of introducing this new waste stream into rivers. Federal regulations for these discharges are limited, delegating individual states to oversee their environmental and health impacts. Now responsibility lies with TCEQ to set requirements for these new discharges and the myriad pollutants found in produced water.

Everything from naturally occurring radioactive material, to dozens of toxic drilling lubricants, to forever chemicals known as PFAS have been detected in produced water. Existing water quality standards do not cover many of these constituents, leaving regulators to evaluate the risk of these discharges with limited toxicity data.

Texas joins states like Pennsylvania and Wyoming that are among the few that have permitted produced water discharges. Pollution problems related to produced water discharges have been documented in both states. In neighboring New Mexico, regulators have decided to wait for more scientific study before issuing permits for discharges.

When it comes to produced water reuse, some companies are putting in serious effort to do it safely, said Ira Yates, founder of Friends of the Pecos and heir to a West Texas oil fortune. But he worries that if the gates are opened on discharges, other startups wont be as thoughtful.

All people are really trying to do is get rid of their water so they can pump more oil, said Yates. Lets make sure that, as they develop their plans, they keep the best interest of the river in mind and not just some nebulous idea that it's a place to dump water anytime you want to.

A TCEQ spokesperson, Richard Richter, said the agencys water quality standards comply with state and federal water quality rules and are protective of surface water quality, human health, and the environment. He said the agency will set limits on specific pollutants in produced water and that these limits could include both pollutants that are currently regulated and those that are not.

Texas ramps up discharge permit program

Produced water is typically injected underground through thousands of disposal wells around the state. But restrictions have been tightened on disposal wells since they have been linked to earthquakes in West Texas. Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said last year that disposal capacity in the Permian Basin is becoming an issue. The company had to reduce deep injection by 75 percent in one of the seismic areas, according to the Permian Basin Petroleum Association magazine.

Oil and gas producers recycle a small portion of produced water. Treating the water, which can be ten times saltier than seawater and is often laced with leftover fracking chemicals, has been uneconomical so far, especially compared with the low cost of injection disposal.

An oil drilling operation on the banks of the Red Bluff Reservoir on May 27, 2020. Credit: Justin Hamel for Inside Climate News

West of the 98th Meridian, a north-south line that roughly divides the arid West from the water-rich East, the Environmental Protection Agency delegates authority to states to permit discharges of produced water into bodies of water. EPA numerical standards for produced water discharges only cover oil and grease, leaving states to determine what other constituents to regulate.

These discharges must be beneficial to wildlife or agriculture, according to EPA regulations. Among Western states, Wyoming has authorized such discharges for over two decades. Colorados Water Quality Control Division has issued 14 permits to discharge produced water into surface water. California does not permit discharges into rivers but has permitted select discharges into waterways that only flow part of the year, according to the State Water Boards Division of Water Quality. New Mexico is yet to approve discharges of produced water.

In the East, Pennsylvania authorized discharges of treated produced water from central wastewater treatment plants into rivers. However, Pennsylvania State University researchers later found elevated levels of salt and radioactive chemicals likely linked to the Marcellus Shale formation in sediments downstream of the discharges.

TCEQs Richter said the agency received four permit applications to discharge produced water during 2023 and 2024. Texas Pacific Water Resources and NGL Water Solutions Permian both applied for permits in the Pecos River watershed of the Permian Basin.

Another two applications are in the Eagle Ford Shale. In Atascosa County, TCEQ granted Dorchester Operating Company a permit to discharge treated oil and gas wastewater into three unnamed tributaries that feed into the Lower Atascosa River. TCEQ is currently reviewing a permit application from CMR Energy to discharge up to 653,000 gallons per day of treated oil and gas wastewater east of Eagle Pass into Comanche Creek and its tributaries, which flow into the Nueces River. The discharge is expected to contain chloride, petroleum hydrocarbons and naturally occurring radioactive materials, according to TCEQ records.

For discharges east of the 98th Meridian, TCEQ first had to obtain authorization from the EPA to create a permit program, as previously reported in Inside Climate News. TCEQ issued the first of these permits to Baywater Operating in Harris County, according to Richter. Baywaters permit was terminated in March 2024 because the company was no longer discharging.

Texas has site-specific water quality standards for segments of different waterways, including the Pecos, Richter said. This means TCEQ permits different levels of pollutants depending on the conditions of that specific river.

Amy Hardberger, a professor of water law and policy at Texas Tech University, said more research and review is needed to determine appropriate uses of produced water. The Clean Water Act never contemplated this water going into rivers and streams, she said.

In a forthcoming paper, Hardberger points out that many of the constituents in produced water are difficult or costly to test for and do not have established EPA toxicity standards. These are numerical values measuring the risk presented by exposure to a chemical or contaminant. She compares the EPAs list of standards for public water supplies, which includes exposure guidelines for approximately 90 contaminants, with the over 1,100 chemicals that have been found in produced water.

And she warned that the science on public safety shouldnt be rushed to find a quick fix for produced water disposal.

What's driving the train on this is not water shortage and the potential of an additional water supply, she said. What is really driving the change is they are running out of disposal opportunities.

The EPA did not respond to questions for this story.

Two permits pending in the Pecos watershed

The Pecos River runs from the mountains of Northern New Mexico into the arid scrubland of West Texas and eventually joins the Rio Grande. The river passes through areas of intensive oil and gas drilling and has also been plagued by salinity problems.

Texas Pacific Water Resources permit application states that discharges will be beneficial for aquatic species downstream of the discharges into Salt Creek. The creek is home to the Pecos pupfish, a threatened species in Texas that only lives in a few locations in the watershed.

Crain said Texas Pacific Water Resources has developed a process to treat the wastewater up to discharge standards cost-effectively. The technology remains undisclosed while patents are pending, he said, but is already used in the nuclear and commercial food products sectors.

He said the company collaborated with research groups in several states to identify contaminants in produced water and develop means to test for their presence. The company ran a greenhouse study growing various grasses with its treated water and has sent them to a lab to check for accumulation of toxins.

Crain said the company has gone beyond what's currently regulated to test samples for compounds that have been identified in produced water. Those results were included in the companys application to TCEQ. The testing found constituents including Radium-226 and Radium-228, types of naturally occurring radioactive material, and benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene, which are elements found in crude oil and gas production. There were also detectable amounts of some PFAS chemicals in the samples.

A methane gas flare burns four miles from Red Bluff Reservoir on Feb. 24, 2020. Credit: Justin Hamel for Inside Climate News

Adrianne Lopez, the companys research and development manager, said that the company will reduce constituents including Radium-226 and Radium-228 to the TCEQ-recommended level. They are also working with researchers at New Mexico State University to conduct human health risk assessments and whole effluent toxicity testing to determine safe levels.

Now it is TCEQs turn, based on this data, to set standards for the quality of the water to be discharged.

NGL Water Solutions Permian applied to discharge up to 16.9 million gallons per day of treated produced water near the Red Bluff Reservoir on the Pecos River in Reeves County. The company is a subsidiary of Tulsa-based NGL Energy Partners.

Discharged water will include trace amounts of organics, ammonia, volatile organic compounds and total dissolved solids, according to a TCEQ public notice. An NGL representative declined to comment for this story, saying that permitting details were still being determined with TCEQ. The agency administratively approved the permit and is now completing technical review.

NGL has an existing discharge program in Wyomings Anticline Basin. According to the company website, NGL discharges nearly 11,000 barrels per day or four million barrels per year in Wyoming.

Produced water discharges in Wyoming have recently come under scrutiny. The state environmental regulator reported that several sections of streams where produced water is discharged are polluted to the point they no longer support aquatic life. Last year regulators issued a violation to Dallas-based Aethon Energy Operating for exceeding permitted levels of sulfide, barium and radium in its discharges, according to the news outlet WyoFile.

Texas Backs Produced Water ReuseOfficials in Texas have identified produced water reuse as a core strategy to address forecasted regional water shortages. A billion-dollar water fund passed last year provides money for projects that bring new water supplies to the state.

According to state Sen. Charles Perry, eligible strategies include seawater desalination, groundwater desalination, inter-state agreements and produced water reuse.

Money from the new water fund should be used solely to finance the development and acquisition of new water supply, Perry wrote in a letter to the Texas Water Development Board. This means water supply that is truly a new input into the state water cycle.

Texas lawmakers also passed a bill in 2021 creating the Texas Produced Water Consortium, which brings together academic, industry and non-profit representatives to research the issue. A 2023 bill provided additional funding for the consortium to start pilot projects for produced water reuse.

The consortium, based at Texas Tech University, is preparing a report for the state legislature in the fall with updates on research into produced water and pilot projects. A representative of the consortium said its Standards Committee is compiling a database of water quality guidelines from multiple states, which includes hundreds of constituents that could be in produced water.

While there is still a long way to go, Ira Yates, of Friends of the Pecos, said hes very optimistic that discharges could be beneficial for the Pecos River in the future.

But Im also very concerned, he said, that the people talking about putting the water back in the Pecos do not understand the hydrology and the river issues.

Disclosure: The Permian Basin Petroleum Association and Texas Tech University 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.

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People hold a banner at a protest demanding the end of the Israel-Hamas War outside the Tel Aviv branch of the U.S. Embassy earlier this month. There have been ongoing calls for Netanyahu to step down. Photo by Debbie Hill/ UPI

April 29 (UPI) -- An Israeli official on Monday said the government is working to stop possible arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials.

The ICC, based in the Hague, Netherlands, told NBC News Monday that there is "an ongoing independent investigation in relation to the Situation in the State of Palestine" but the ICC would "have no further comment to make at this stage."

Israel is now reportedly working diplomatic channels in order to try to stop the warrants from being issued, the official said Monday in discussion on the possible arrest warrants for Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and other senior military officials.

The western Europe-based ICC investigation goes back to 2014.

Later that year, Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Maliki sent a letter to then-United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, Canada, South Africa and five Latin American countries urging them to investigate Israel for war crimes allegedly committed during its 50-day conflict in Gaza -- also during Netanyahu's premiership.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset -- the parliament -- in Jerusalem in March. On Friday, Netanyahu said Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense." Photo by Debbie Hill/ UPI

While both Israel and the United States do not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction and any such warrant does not include any possibility of prison, it could impede foreign travel in Europe for some Israeli officials.

But a warrant would serve mostly as a public rebuke of Netanyahu's leadership and would put him on the same mantle as Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives in the Knesset, Jerusalem, in March. Netanyahu has been under ICC investigation since 2014 and Israel's 50-day conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Photo by Debbie Hill/ UPI

The ICC is different of the International Court of Justice -- also in the midst of its own investigation on possible acts of genocide in Gaza -- and can only charge individuals with war or other-related charges.

Seemingly in response to the ICC rumors, Netanyahu said Friday on social media that Israel "will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense" as Israeli officials reportedly are becoming more worried about the possibility of the warrants.

"The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle East's only democracy and the world's only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it," Netanyahu posted on X.

Palestine is a member of a range of international organizations, such as the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the International Criminal Court.

The International Criminal Court had already prepared war crimes charges against Russia for alleged atrocities committed by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

In early March, the ICC had issued warrants for Russian military officials for attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure.

And in March last year, the ICC had issued arrest warrants for Putin and children's commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for illegally transferring children from Ukraine to Russia.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  An Oklahoma Senate Bill could allow chaplains in public schools, which may include ministers with The Satanic Temple if signed into law.

Senate Bill 36 would allow public schools in the state to hire religious chaplains to counsel and work with their students. Recently updated language to the bill says public schools could employ or accept one or more volunteer chaplains to counsel and support students, as long as they get approval from their districts school board.

OKLAHOMA POLITICS: Oklahoma bill would allow public schools to hire religious chaplains

We heard a lot of talk about a lot of those support staffs, people such as counselors, having shortages, Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, said. I felt like this would be a good way to open that door to possibly get some help.

According to The Satanic Temple (TST), it is a federally recognized religious organization who has expressed its dedication to religious plurality and community service.

While we would prefer states to invest in professional counselors over unlicensed religious support for students, we are prepared to adapt to these legislative conditions, said Rachel Chambliss, TSTs Executive Director of Operations. We are committed to offering compassionate guidance to students who come to us so that we can help make positive changes

in their lives by listening to their needs and providing support.

Chambliss says SB 36 offers an opportunity for TSTs ministers to get involved in the state workforce.

With State Superintendent Walters and 54 House representatives endorsing the bill, we anticipate extensive political support to ensure that TSTs Satanic chaplains are afforded equal opportunities to participate in this program.

OKLAHOMA POLITICS: House of Rep. approve OK adoption of permanent Daylight Saving Time

Rep. West noted that parameters are also being put together for schools to expand on if necessary. SB36 would not restrict school boards from allowing schools to hire multiple chaplains representing multiple faiths, or to not hire any chaplains at all.

Thats basically a bare minimum. And I trust the local school district to, that peopleand I mean as far as whatever your particular religious background is, you could have a Satanist thats a teacher or a Baptist or Catholic or whatever. So I see this kind of as the same.

West added that he plans to add language clarifying students would not be required to interact with their schools chaplain if they do not want to.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON)  Controversy is swirling around an incident recorded by KRON4s news camera when San Jose Mayor Matt Mahans security guard was punched. A reporter was interviewing the mayor on camera downtown on April 23 when Wesley David Pollard walked up the sidewalk, threatened the guard, and punched him.

The guard was an on-duty plainclothes San Jose Police Department officer assigned to protect the mayor. Pollard told the officer, Im talking on the phone, you got a problem? I will smack you right now. I will f***ing smack you. Nine seconds later, he did just that.

Mayor Matt Mahan tells the man that he is in the middle of a news interview on April 23, 2024. (KRON4 photo)

On Monday, the San Jose police union threw barbs at the local leader of the NAACP for criticizing its officers actions. Pollard, 35, is Black.

Steve Slack, president San Jose Police Officers Association, said the officer clearly identified himself as a police officer and followed his de-escalation training.

Slack told KRON4 on Monday, Some, such as Reverend Moore from the NAACP as well as other apologists for career criminals, immediately rushed to defend the violent, aggressive and dangerous suspect, who was wanted on a warrant from Georgia. (The officer) did not reach for a weapon and in fact, when a tire iron was thrown toward the officer and he caught it, he did not use it, he discarded it. As for Rev. Moore, he has played the race card so many times he needs a new deck, and he should be striving to be a truth teller and not a propagandist trying to divide our city with falsehoods. The facts of this incident are easy to see, literally.

The mayor of San Jose, far right, watches his security guard fight a man downtown on April 23, 2024. (KRON4 Photo)

Last week, San Jose Silicon Valley NAACP President Jethroe Moore viewed KRON4s video and had a different opinion. Moores letter to the police chief states, I was troubled by the rapid escalation of the situation into a physical altercation. It was distressing to witness the lack of attempts at de-escalation from the officers involved. It appears that there was no legal basis for instructing the pedestrian to move from his location in a public space.

Moore said reactions from bystanders were also troubling. Instead of intervening or seeking help, many individuals appeared passive, choosing to record the incident on their cell phones instead.

Mayor Matt Mahan speaks on camera while a man approaches in the background on April 23, 2024. (KRON4 Photo)

Police Chief Paul Joseph described Pollards behavior as aggressive. The officer had asked the man to step back so that the mayor could continue his interview, according to the chief. This person refused, advanced on the officer, and violently assaulted the officer by punching him repeatedly in the face, Joseph wrote.

Mayor Mahan praised the officer, stating, Im grateful to my security officer who worked incredibly hard and at risk to himself to ensure everyone was kept safe in what was a very tense situation. He did his job, used his de-escalation training and remained level-headed even while being physically assaulted.

The injured officer was treated in a hospital. Santa Clara County prosecutors charged Pollard with felony resisting or deterring an officer by means of threat or violence, misdemeanor battery, and disturbing the peace.

KRON4s video was used as evidence by Pollards defense attorney during his first court appearance on Friday. A judge viewed the video before he made a ruling on whether Pollard could be released from jail. The judge ruled in favor of the defense, and granted Pollards release on $0 bail.

Judge frees man who punched San Jose mayors guard during KRON4 interview

Conditions of his pre-trial release include: He must stay at least 300 yards away from the mayor and the SJPD officer; he cannot possess any weapons; and he is subject to random searches by police. His home address is listed as a homeless shelter in downtown, court records show.

This week, Slack is urging the city manager and police chief to double the size of Mayor Mahans security detail.

Slack wrote on behalf of the SJPOA, At no time should the Mayor be accompanied by any fewer than two sworn SJPD officers. The immediate doubling of the detail should coincide with an urgent and rigorous threat assessment to determine the appropriate level of security for the Mayor, his family, residence and work site.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
As anti-Israel agitators continue to take over college campuses across the nation, a professor at Cornell University told Fox News Digital that what is happening  at Cornell University in particular  is no surprise and something he says has been building for a long time now.

"This is not a peace movement. This is not let everybody live, you know, let bygones be bygones. This is an uncompromising, rejectionist ideology that rejects the existence of a Jewish state in the Middle East. And that is their goal. Tear it down. Intifada, revolution. That is their only solution in their own words. And I think people need to listen to them when they tell you they want an intifada. Believe them," Cornell professor William Jacobson said.

Jacobson said what is also concerning about these protests is that the administrations, especially at Cornell and Columbia, are doing nothing to ensure student and faculty safety.

"I've spoken out against it before, and I've called on the administration to stop the radicalization and their very aggressive anti-racism program, which demonizes people based on their ethnicity and their race and inevitably leads to Jews being targeted. So, this has been building, and the fact that students are now bold enough in the main quad of campus, large groups of students to chant, There is only one solution. Intifada or revolution. It's really creepy," Jacobson said.

CORNELL PROFESSOR ON LEAVE FOR REMARKS ABOUT 'EXHILARATING' HAMAS ATTACK HAS HISTORY OF INCENDIARY RHETORIC

William A. Jacobson, a clinical professor at Cornell Law School who joined the faculty in 2007, called on the Cornell Board of Trustees to help Jewish students.

He added it's all a reflection of everything that's gone wrong on the campus, how the administration has not been responsive to alumni calls, calls from him and calls from parents to stop the ideology he says is embedded in the campus.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Jacobson said what is happening is no accident, and it's only gotten worse since Oct. 7.

"Their worst instincts, their demands for violence, their genocidal calls have been unleashed, and the administration has been very tepid in the way it has responded, not only at Cornell, but we see it at Columbia. And that tepid response has led to increased, vitriolic chants on campus. People march through buildings with bullhorns," Jacobson said at Cornell.

"The administration tells them not to do it, and they do it anyway. So, there really is a problem on Cornell's campus and other campuses with an emboldened, aggressive anti-Israel movement that seeks to intimidate people."

Jacobson is concerned that, at some point, things could turn more severe.

"The only question is, when are they going to cross the line? When is the rhetoric, the cult-like chanting, going to turn into action? And that's what I think we have to be concerned about," he said.

Jacobson said one of the most chilling and disturbing actions to come out of this unrest at Cornell has been a professor active in these calls for an intifada.

"You had a professor infamously saying in front of a large crowd of people that he felt 'exhilarated' when he heard about Oct. 7. He then tried to walk it back and said, 'Well, he's never in support of killing civilians.' But I think his first reaction and his first instinct was his true belief. I believe him. When he said he felt exhilarated, I believe him. I think he was telling the truth about it," Jacobson said.

SQUAD MEMBERS DESCEND ON COLUMBIA ENCAMPMENT, OFFER 'SUPPORT' FOR ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS

Cornell University students stage a demonstration on campus to raise awareness about kidnapped Israelis and Americans Nov. 1, 2023.

Russell Rickford, a Cornell University professor who taught post-Civil War African American history at the prestigious university, came under fire in October after footage of him celebrating the Hamas surprise terror attack that left 1,400 dead, including women, children and elderly civilians, went viral.

The university reported that he took a leave of absence shortly after, and The Cornell Sun reported he was participating at the latest Cornell protest Friday.

When students are calling for an intifada, Jacobson says listen to them, adding he is happy they have finally taken off their masks and shown their true colors.

PROFESSOR CALLS ON CORNELL TO MAKE CAMPUS SAFER FOR JEWISH STUDENTS: 'FACULTY IS EXTREMELY ANTI-ISRAEL'

Anti-Israel supporters rally outside Columbia University April 23, 2024, in New York City.

"So, I'm in favor of people telling us how they really feel. I don't want to suppress that. I don't want to drive that underground. I want the whole world to see what we are up against, not just the Jewish people. And not just Israel. And not just the Cornell campus. But really the United States. See what we are up against," Jacobson said.

"This is a death cult ideology. It's a destructive ideology. It is a dead end for society, and it is flourishing among a component of the campuses. Again, not the entirety of the campus, not the majority of the campus, but the very, very vocal minority on the campus."

Jacobson said the schools need to be held accountable.

"I think when we look at that video of the chants for an end to intifada as the only solution, I think in many ways that was Cornell's Charlottesville moment. People need to recognize the hatred that is underneath the supposed peace movement. And it's something that we need to talk about, and the school needs to address, and the school needs to come to grips with," Jacobson said.

Cornell University and Rickford did not respond to Fox News Digital for comment.





Original article source: Cornell professor reveals how anti-Israel 'death cult ideology' took root
(Bloomberg) -- Ballot counting in Togos parliamentary vote that may cement the family dynasty of President Faure Gnassingbe in power got underway Monday.

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The ruling Union for the Republic party is widely expected to win a majority of the 113 seats being contested in the National Assembly. The party currently dominates parliament, having almost 65% of the seats. The final results from the polls will be released within a week, according to the National Independent Electoral Commission.

The vote came after lawmakers backed a recent controversial constitutional change that critics say paves the way for Gnassingbe to extend his familys 57-year-rule.

Its a desire of the party in power to hold on to power for a long time, since theyre sure to win legislative elections, said Firmin Teko Agbo, a political analyst at Lome-based Centre for Research and International Geopolitics. Everything is being done to ensure that Faure Gnassingbe stays in power.

That amendment makes the president of the republic a largely ceremonial post and transfers real power to the president of a council of ministers. The role will be filled by the leader of the largest party in the new parliament and will have a renewable six-year mandate without term limits.

Togos main opposition party, the Union of Forces for Change, praised the conduct of the April 29 vote.

The UFC salutes the maturity shown by Togolese citizens throughout this crucial period for the countrys democracy, it said in a statement. The UFC calls on all the parties to maintain a climate of calm and serenity until the proclamation of the results. It also encourages a peaceful settlement of any disputes, in accordance with the laws in force, and with respect for democratic order and the rule of law.

Gnassingbe, 57, has ruled Togo since the 2005 death in office of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who seized power in a coup in 1967.

His ruling UNIR, as the party is known by its French acronym, has 59 of the 91 seats in the current parliament, which will be expanded to 113 after Mondays vote.

Read More: Family Dynasty Hatches Plan to Indefinitely Rule Togo After Vote

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Couple accused of hiding body parts across LI facing new charges: officials

RIVERHEAD, Long Island (PIX11)  A couple accused of hiding body parts across different parks in Suffolk County are now facing more charges in connection to the case, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.

Two of the four suspects, Jeffrey Mackey and Alexis Nieves, will be arraigned Monday on other charges in the deaths of Malcolm Brown and Donna Conneely. Steven Brown and Amanda Wallace were also arrested in connection to the case back in March.

Body parts of Malcolm Brown and Conneely were discovered in three locations, according to prosecutors. Human remains were originally discovered in Southards Pond Park in Babylon on Feb. 29, before more body parts were discovered in a wooded area in West Babylon and Bethpage State Park on March 5.

Police investigate a string of crimes in Central Park

Steven Brown and Malcolm Brown are cousins.

All four suspects are facing charges of concealment of a human corpse by hacking, hindering prosecution and tampering with physical evidence. Less than an hour after being charged, they were all released without bail.

Their release has sparked outrage among officials who blamed New Yorks bail reform laws. Wallace was arrested again after her release for alleged shoplifting from a CVS store, prosecutors said.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 29. Vice President of the International Financial Corporation (IFC) for the Middle East, Central Asia, Turkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Hela Cheikhrouhou will make a working visit to Kazakhstan, Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov said, Trend reports.

"Vice President of the IFC for the Middle East, Central Asia, Turkiye, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Hela Cheikhrouhou will make a working visit to Kazakhstan. As part of his tour of Central Asian countries, Cheikhrouhou will hold meetings with the country's leadership to discuss capacity development in the transport and energy sectors, including through public-private partnerships, as well as in the field of decarbonization of the economy," he said.

As Smadiyarov noted, the trip is aimed at strengthening and expanding cooperation between the IFC and Kazakhstan.

Meanwhile, in Central Asia, IFC has been ramping up its work to expand financial services and market access for women-led firms. Since 2018, IFC has invested $155 million in 15 local financial institutions across the region.

In fiscal 2023, IFC made a record investment in emerging markets, which are expected to improve access to finance for MSMEs through the provision of 2.2 million loans.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  At the Just Divine massage parlor north of Grand Rapids, an all-male clientele were assessed a door fee of either $50 or $80, with tips encouraged for the service providers, court records show.

Metro Grand Rapids massage parlor owner faces prostitution charges

But it wasnt just back rubs being offered at the Plainfield Township firm. Investigators say illegal sex acts took place and business owner Edith Amanda Corbett pandered workers into prostitution, court records show.

On Monday, the 44-year-old woman was arraigned in 63rd District Court on four felony charges, including prostitution/pandering and keeping a house of prostitution. Three of the charges are 20-year felonies.

Corbett pandered workers into prostitution by offering training sessions which provided education on how to perform commercial sex acts on male clients, court records show.

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Judge Sara Smolenski set bond at $100,000. Corbett, who lists a home address in Allegan County, remained in the Kent County Jail as of Monday afternoon. A probable cause conference has been set for next week.

The business operated inside a commercial building on Plainfield Avenue near Coit Avenue. It came under scrutiny last summer based on multiple social media posts on a platform where the commercial sex trade industry was discussed, court records show.

The building in Plainfield Township where Just Divine massage parlor is located. (April 26, 2024)

This includes detailed discussions and reviews pertaining to escorts, massage parlors, strip clubs and street-based sex work, a member of the Kent County Sheriffs Office Human Trafficking Task Force wrote in a probable cause affidavit.

Users of the forum commented multiple times on a provider named Milan, that works at Just Divine. Detectives traced it to the Plainfield Avenue business and began surveillance, records show.

Expert: Chase that killed Samuel Sterling a criminal matter

Probable cause was established that Edith Corbett is maintaining and operating a house of ill-fame by owning and operating a massage parlor that offers illegal sex acts, court records show.

Corbett disclosed she does word-of-mouth marketing and engagement with reviews on the aforementioned forum platform for advertising of her business, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Kent County investigators say the business was one of the highest attended massage parlors in Kent County with mostly male customers traveling from around Michigan seeking out its services.

The business was licensed in the State of Michigan, however no licensed massage therapists were employed, a release from the sheriffs office says.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
The chairman of the Covid Inquiry has been urged to do the right thing and assess the impact the pandemic had on the publics mental health as a priority.

Mind, the leading mental health charity, has accused Baroness Hallett of ignoring reality by deciding to exclude the issue from hearings later this year.

In a ruling published earlier in April, Lady Hallett rejected pleas from Mind and other charities to include adult mental health and wellbeing in an investigation into healthcare systems starting in September.

The inquirys third module will include childrens and young peoples mental health services as well as the wellbeing of those working within the NHS and other parts of the healthcare system  but not the impact on the general public.

Numerous studies have shown the harm the pandemic and lockdowns caused to mental health, with previous research by Mind finding that around a third of adults and young people said theirs had become much worse since March 2020.

The charity found one in five adults did not seek support because they did not believe their problem was serious enough.

Mind had argued at a preliminary hearing earlier this month that Lady Hallett should consider the wider impact on adult mental health and support services during hearings in autumn.

Lady Hallett rejected pleas from Mind to include adult mental health in an investigation into healthcare systems - AFP/Getty

The decision not to include it in hearings later this year means the issue may not be examined properly until 2025. It is unlikely to be included in modules already scheduled for the first half of next year, which focus on vaccines, procurement and Test and Trace.

Dr Sarah Hughes, the chief executive of Mind, said key questions about the impact of mental health during the pandemic were going unanswered.

The millions of people who suffered and who continue to suffer the mental health impacts of the pandemic will not have their voices heard, she added.

Weve come so far in recent years to put mental health on an equal footing with physical health, but that is not reflected in the inquirys approach. Todays decision means key questions will go unanswered, questions like: Why was there no public mental health plan? Why were the psychiatric hospitals emptied at the same time as community care was shut down? There are many more questions and stories to be told.

She added that the decision went against the belief that mental health and physical health should be treated equally and that lessons must be learned from the pandemic.

The scale of mental health problems during and after Covid-19 is profound, she said. The numbers of people seeking but not getting the help they need sadly confirms what we all feared, a crisis that hasnt eased in 2024. The reality of what happened must not be ignored and lessons must be learned. If we really believe mental and physical health should be considered equally then we must see a reversal of this decision. There is still time for the inquiry to do the right thing.

Not possible to examine all areas

In her ruling, Lady Hallett said that it is simply not possible or necessary to examine all areas of non Covid-19 care in detail and she was not able to broaden module 3 while ensuring the timetable was adhered to.

I note that the inquirys terms of reference include the impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the population, she said. This connotes a wider remit than access to and the impact on services for adult mental health. Other modules will assist in exploring this.

She said there were other ways the inquiry can gather evidence such as independent research it had commissioned and its listening exercise, Every Story Matters, adding: I intend to utilise a combination of approaches to address this aspect of the inquirys terms of reference.

Lady Halletts decision comes after almost 30 organisations warned that she risked letting down millions of people if the inquiry did not adequately consider the impact Covid, and its multiple lockdowns, had on the publics mental health.

Those who followed the pandemic restrictions most closely are the most likely to be suffering from stress, anxiety and depression, according to a study by academics at Bangor University published last year.

Post-pandemic surge

Children were also affected, with the number reported to have some form of disability now totalling one in nine following a post-pandemic surge in mental health conditions and behavioural disorders.

Official figures state that the number of under-16s with a recorded disability has risen by more than a third in just two years since the pandemic.

The inquiry goes to Belfast this week where it will examine the Northern Irish response to the pandemic, having already visited Edinburgh and Cardiff for similar investigations.

The inquirys terms of reference mean Lady Hallett must examine the issue.

A spokesman for the inquiry said: The chair, Baroness Hallett, has explained that the inquiry will cover the pandemics impact on the mental health of the population throughout our investigations, including module 3, as well as our UK-wide listening exercise, Every Story Matters.

Public hearings for module 3, investigating the impact of the pandemic on the UKs healthcare systems, will start in September 2024. They will include consideration of in-patient children and adolescent mental health services  now referred to as children and young peoples mental health services. Other module hearings are scheduled to run until 2026.

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.
VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  Why did the cow cross the road? To get to the udder side of Visalia that is.

The Visalia Police Department says they assisted ranchers Sunday afternoon in corraling some cows that escaped a stockyard near Downtown Visalia.

A patrol officer reported they were in downtown when they spotted a group of cows roaming the area.

Police eventually learned eight cows had somehow escaped a stockyard near Ben Maddox Way and Goshen Avenue.

Ranchers were seen attempting to corral the group of cattle and officers called units to assist them.

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Courtesy of VISALIA WATCHDOG

Police say the cows split and were seen roaming throughout the downtown area. After about an hour of chasing, all the cows were corralled and safely led back to the stockyard from which they escaped.

Officers say no one was injured and no damage to city structures or public property was reported.

Police add that while this call was an odd occurrence, it is not the first time something like this has happened. In the past Visalia PD worked on a similar call where livestock escaped their pens and wandered into the city.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
TROY, N.C. (WGHP)  North Carolina Forest Service rangers are urging that people use extra caution after a reported coyote attack at the Uwharrie National Forest.

Rangers say that the coyote attack happened early Saturday morning on the Uwharrie trail near Big Island Creek.

Cause of massive Sauratown Mountain fire that burned more than 800 acres revealed

Two people suffered minor injuries as a result of the attack; rangers and state officials are working to find the coyote involved.

Rangers say that encountering coyotes and other wildlife is a common occurrence when visiting the forest and the results of such encounters can be unpredictable.

They provided the following list of steps to protect both your own personal safety and the safety of wildlife:

Know before you gocontact the District Rangers office (open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) or visit th e National Forests in North Carolinas webpage for the latest alerts and safety information

Never approach any wildlife, when in the forest. If an animal appears to be in distress, contact the District Rangers office or county animal control.

When camping, make sure to secure all food and trash to avoid attracting wildlife. Prepare food at least 100 yards away from sleeping areas.

If you are injured during an unintentional encounter with wildlife, seek immediate medical attention.

You can visit the safety ethics section of the Forest Services website for more information on wildlife safety.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The El Paso Police Department and Crime Stoppers of El Paso want the publics help in finding at least two men who burglarized a smoke shop in Central El Paso earlier this year.

This is this weeks featured Crime of the Week as promoted by Crime Stoppers.

Just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 4, two men broke a window to the front door of the Montana Smoke Shop, 4323 Montana Ave., and went inside. The men caused approximately $1,600 in damage to the business and stole at least one Vape pen valued at under $100, according to Crime Stoppers.

At least 2 men burglarize a Central El Paso smoke shop on Feb. 4. Photos courtesy of Crime Stoppers of El Paso

At least 2 men burglarize a Central El Paso smoke shop on Feb. 4. Photos courtesy of Crime Stoppers of El Paso

At least 2 men burglarize a Central El Paso smoke shop on Feb. 4. Photos courtesy of Crime Stoppers of El Paso

The two men were wearing hooded jackets and face masks. They fled the scene in a 2000 to 2005 model, dark-colored Chevrolet Impala. The vehicle was occupied by two additional individuals, who were seen by witnesses fleeing from the scene westbound on Montana.

Anyone with any information on the identity of these burglars should call Crime Stoppers of El Paso immediately at (915) 566-8477 (TIPS) or visit online at www.cselpaso.org.

You will remain anonymous, and if your tip leads to an arrest, you may qualify for a cash reward.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  A man has been arrested after a series of vehicle fires in the late evening hours of Sunday, April 28 according to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD).

CSPD said on Sunday at around 9:10 p.m. officers were called to help the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) with traffic control while firefighters worked on a vehicle fire in an alleyway that was threatening structures in the 2700 block of West Pikes Peak Avenue in Old Colorado City.

Courtesy: Colorado Springs Fire Department

Courtesy: Colorado Springs Fire Department

Courtesy: Colorado Springs Fire Department

At around 9:15 p.m. CSFD and CSPD were called to a second vehicle fire threatening a structure in the 2400 block of West Kiowa Street, and about an hour later at 10:15 p.m., a third vehicle fire was reported in the 2000 block of W. Kiowa St.

Police began receiving reports from citizens of a suspicious man moving through the area, possibly with a stolen firearm from one of the vehicles. A shelter-in-place notice was sent to those living in the area and multiple officers responded to begin a search.

Courtesy: Colorado Springs Police Department , Photo is of Bernie Hidalgo

According to CSPD, a homeowner reported a possible suspect in their backyard, and officers with the help of a CSFD drone, found the suspect, who was later identified as 28-year-old Bernie Hidalgo. CSPD said the Regional Explosives Unit was later called to investigate the fires as arson.

Police said Hidalgo was taken into custody without incident and the stolen firearm was found. He was later taken to the Criminal Justice Center and is facing multiple charges including Arson.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
The culture war in North Carolina is playing out in the race for governor

In front of a conservative talkshow host two weeks ago, Mark Robinson, North Carolinas Republican candidate for governor, was grousing a bit about being snubbed by the states Democratic governor on a matter of race.

He talks a lot about diversity, equity and inclusion, but apparently the line for diversity, equity and inclusion stops at the Republican party, Robinson told Lockwood Phillips. Roy Cooper has had several chances to congratulate me on the accomplishment of being the first Black lieutenant governor, and he has never taken it.

Related: A physician, a lawyer, a CEO: the 84 fake electors who allegedly tried to steal the 2020 election

Phillips, who is white, chuckled, then re-introduced Robinson to the audience, who by the way is African American, Black, whatever. But, frankly, you dont wear that. You really do not wear that in our entire conversation.

For a conservative speaking to a Black candidate, this is a compliment. For others, it is a jarring illustration of Robinsons comfort with accommodating the racial anxieties of white Republicans and with the problematic  and at times inflammatory  rhetoric of the far right.

But sitting for interviews and being perceived at all as a Black candidate is a different universe compared wth the relative obscurity of Robinsons life six years ago, before a viral video created his fateful star turn into the conservative cosmos. The former factory worker is now a national name, and drawing national attention, for his flame-throwing slurs against the LGBTQ+ community, antisemitic remarks and derision of other Black people.

The same people who support Robinson are the people who support Trump, said Shelly Willingham, a Black state legislator from Rocky Mount. Its a cult. Its not necessarily citizens supporting a candidate but following a cult leader.

***

Robinsons political career began in an inspired four-minute flash in 2018 in front of the Greensboro city council, as he argued against the citys effort to cancel a gun show in the wake of the Stoneman Douglas high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Ive heard a whole lot of people in here talking tonight about this group, that group, domestic violence, Blacks, these minorities, that minority. What I want to know is, when are you going to start standing up for the majority? Heres who the majority is. Im the majority. Im a law-abiding citizen and Ive never shot anybody, he said.

Robinson, now 55, invoked images of gang members terrorizing people who have given up their weapons under gun-control laws. He said he was there to raise hell just like these loonies on the left do.

Im here to raise hell just like these loonies on the left do Mark Robinson

The speech became a social media hit after being shared by Mark Walker, the former North Carolina representative. Robinson drew the attention of the NRA, which was under fire for its callous response to the Parkland shooting and looking for champions.

Born into poverty and working in a furniture factory while attending college, Robinson quit his job and dropped out of school to begin speaking at conservative events. He graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a bachelors degree in history in December 2022.

Robinson beat a host of competitors for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor in 2020, winning about a third of the primary vote. He faced the state representative Yvonne Holley, an African American Democrat from Raleigh. Holleys campaign focused on North Carolinas urban territory while largely ignoring rural areas of the state, while Robinson barnstormed through each of the states 100 counties. He won narrowly but outperformed Trumps margin over Biden by about 100,000 votes.

At a rally in Greensboro in March before the states primary election this year, Trump endorsed Robinson, referring to Robinson as Martin Luther King on steroids. But try to imagine King saying something like: Racism is a tool used by the evil, to build up the ignorant, to try and tear down the strong, as Robinson wrote in 2017.

That sentiment helps explain his initial appeal to white conservatives in a political moment in which rolling back racial justice initiatives has become central to the Republican brand. The right had found the face of a man who could not be easily accused of bigotry, at least not until people began to pay attention to what he said.

He should not be governor of North Carolina or any other place, said Shirl Mason, who was attending a Black fraternity invocation and scholarship ceremony by Omega Psi Phi for her grandson in Rocky Mount. Her nose wrinkled and her posture shifted at the thought, as she fought for composure in a way people conversant in the manners of church folks would recognize.

He really should not be a politician. Anybody who can say that race did not play a part in the political arena, they should not be in politics at all, Mason said.

Like Trump, Robinson has a litany of provocative outrages in speeches and on social media that have been resurfacing, from referring to school shooting survivors advocating for gun control reforms as prosti-tots and spoiled little bastards, to describing gay and transgender people as filth.

Robinson has shared conspiracist comments about the moon landing and 9/11. He has attacked the idea of women in positions of leadership. His swipes at Black culture and public figures are talk-radio fodder, describing Barack Obama as a worthless anti-American atheist and suggesting Michelle Obama is a man.

Half of black Democrats dont realize they are slaves and dont know who their masters are. The other half dont care, he wrote in one Facebook post. He described the movie Black Panther in another as the product of an agnostic Jew and put to film by satanic marxist, and wrote: How can this trash, that was only created to pull the shekels out of your schvartze pockets, invoke any pride?, using a derogatory Yiddish word to refer to Black people.

The antisemitism of that comment is not singular. He has repeated common antisemitic tropes about Jewish banking, posted Hitler quotes on Facebook and suggested the Holocaust was a hoax. There is a REASON the liberal media fills the airwaves with programs about the NAZI and the 6 million Jews they murdered, wrote Robinson, with scare quotes around the figure.

Robinsons campaign has pushed back on accusations of antisemitism, citing his support for Israel and criticism of protests against the war in Gaza. But his past comments are likely to be revisited throughout the campaign in no small part because his opponent, Josh Stein, could be the first Jewish governor of North Carolina.

The two present a sharp contrast in policy, temperament and experience. After graduating from both Harvard Law and the Harvard Kennedy school of government, Stein managed John Edwardss successful Senate campaign. Stein then served in the statehouse before winning the attorney generals race in 2016, becoming the first Jewish person elected to statewide office in North Carolina.

Stein, 57, is running as a conventional center-left Democrat. At a stump speech in pastoral Scotland county near the South Carolina line, Stein focused on fighting the opioid-addiction epidemic, the states backlog of untested rape kits, clean drinking water and early childhood education. But he had some words about Robinsons rhetoric.

The voters of North Carolina have an unbelievably stark choice before them this November, between two competing visions, Stein said in an interview. Mine is forward and its inclusive. Its about tapping the potential of every person so that they have a chance to succeed where we have a thriving economy, safe neighborhoods, strong schools.

My opponents vision is divisive and hateful, and would be job-killing. I mean, he mocks school-shooting survivors. He questions the Holocaust. He wants to defund public education. He wants to completely ban abortion. And he speaks in a way that, frankly, is unfitting of any person, let alone a statewide elected leader.

Is Robinson an antisemite? There are certainly people who are Jewish who feel that he does not like them, Stein replied.

He says vile things. He agreed that Jews were one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Its unfathomable to me that someone would hold those beliefs and then feel comfortable saying them out loud.

***

North Carolina has a relationship with bilious conservatives; this is the state that produced Jesse Helms and Madison Cawthorn. But voters here have a temperamentally moderate streak and a long history of split-ticket voting that also produces the occasional John Edwards or Roy Cooper.

In six of the last eight general elections, voters here chose a Democratic governor and a Republican president. Though every lieutenant governor in the last 60 years has run for governor, only three of 11 have won, each a Democrat. The last two attorneys general of North Carolina also have subsequently been elected governor, also both Democrats.

But the margins are always maddeningly close. Stein won his first race for attorney general in 2016  a Trump year  by about 25,000 votes. He won re-election four years later by about half that margin.

He mocks school-shooting survivors. He questions the Holocaust. He wants to completely ban abortion Josh Stein, on Mark Robinson

Cooper, a Democratic moderate, has been a political fixture in North Carolina politics for a generation, and has been able to fend off some of the more radical impulses of Republicans over the years with a combination of veto power and moral suasion.

But while Democrats hold the North Carolina governors mansion today, Republicans achieved a veto-proof majority in both legislative chambers in 2022 after Tricia Cotham, the newly elected state representative, switched parties shortly after winning an otherwise safely Democratic seat. Since that political shock, Coopers vetoes have been routinely overcome by a Republican supermajority.

North Carolinas political maps are also notoriously gerrymandered  manipulated in favor of Republicans  but winning two-thirds of house seats in the legislature is an open question in a year where abortion rights are emerging as a driving political issue. As of 1 May, North Carolina will be the only southern state remaining where an abortion can be obtained after six weeks of pregnancy.

Given the stakes, Steins campaign hopes to avoid the pratfall of tradecraft that led to Robinsons victory in the lieutenant governors race four years ago. For the moment, the tables have turned on the campaign trail in their favor.

In one of Robinsons three bankruptcy filings, reporters discovered that he had failed to file income taxes between 1998 and 2002. Questions have been raised about personal expenses charged to campaign funds from the 2020 race.

His wife shuttered a nutrition non-profit after a conservative blogger began to raise questions about the Robinson familys financial dependence on government contracts. Reporters later learned that the North Carolina department of health and human services is investigating the firm for questionable accounting.

In the hothouse of abortion politics this year, video also surfaced of Robinson at a rally in February calling for an eventual ban on abortion. We got to do it the same way they rolled it forward, Robinson said. We got to do it the same way with rolling it back. Weve got it down to 12 weeks. The next goal is to get it down to six, and then just keep moving from there.

His campaign spokesperson later re-characterized those remarks as support for a ban beyond the six-week heartbeat stage of a pregnancy.

Robinson acknowledged in 2022 paying for an abortion for his wife 33 years earlier.

The question is whether Robinsons full-throated anti-abortion stance hinders not just his own candidacy but that of Trump. Planned Parenthood plans to double its spending in North Carolina, to $10m, with an eye on defending the governorship and ending a veto-proof Republican legislative majority. Trump, meanwhile, has backed away from publicly endorsing the most extreme abortion bans.

***

Down in the polls, Robinson has until this week apparently kept a light campaign schedule and stayed away from places where a reporter might pick up yet another unscripted comment. With the exception of an appearance at the Carteret County Speedway on 3 April and the radio interview on 9 April, there is scant evidence that Robinson has been campaigning at all since the March primary. A request to his campaign for a list of his recent campaign stops went unanswered, as did requests for an interview or comment for this story.

Mark Robinson should not be governor of North Carolina or any other place Shirl Mason, North Carolina resident

Stein, meanwhile, has been averaging a campaign stop every two days  22 events since the March primary  showing up in small towns and rural counties across the state. Steins father founded North Carolinas first integrated law firm, and he spent many years in consumer protection and racial equity roles as a lawyer, a point he raises in rural Black communities.

I think his coming here alone says that he understands that he needs rural communities in order to be successful, said Darrel BJ Gibson, vice-chair of the board of commissioners in Scotland county. And I say it because so many times we get left out of these gatherings, and state candidates dont understand that.

The question for both Stein and Robinson is whether the bombast of Robinsons life as a self-described social media influencer will overshadow substantive policy discussions.

When Phillips, the conservative talkshow host, asked Robinson in April about how his approach had changed over time, he described Robinson as more Trumpian than Trump.

My message has not changed, Robinson replied. Now, I can tell you clearly that my methods have, because Ive switched buckets. Ive gone from social media influencer to advocate, to now elected official. But my heart is still in the same place.

This story was amended on 28 April 2024 to include that Mark Robinson earned a bachelors degree in history in 2022.
Russian military intelligence operatives were responsible for deadly ammunition depot explosions in Czechia in 2014, the Czech police said on April 29 following a three-year-long investigation.

The Czech authorities announced back in 2021 that they had received evidence of Russian involvement in the explosions that killed two people in the eastern town of Vrbetice in October and December 2014.

Prague subsequently expelled 18 Russian diplomats who were identified as spies.

"The law enforcement agency can confirm that the explosions of both ammunition depots were carried out by members of the Russian military intelligence agency... also known as the GRU," the Czech police said in a press release.

The goal of the Russian operatives was to "prevent arms and ammunition deliveries to areas where the Russian military was active," the statement read.

Media reports emerged in 2021 that the ammunition was supposed to be transferred either to Ukraine or to Syria, reportedly for the Syrian opposition battling the regime of Bashar al-Assad, an ally of Russia. The company that owned the supplies disputed these claims.

The police did not name the suspects but said that they had belonged to the notorious GRU Unit 29155, associated with assassinations and destabilization operations outside of Russia.

The Czech media outlet Seznam Zpravy wrote in 2021 that law enforcement agencies suspected Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga of carrying out the bombings. The two operatives are also believed to be responsible for the attempted assassination of Russian defector Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the U.K. in 2018.

The Czech police said it did not press charges and postponed further steps, as the suspected perpetrators are under Russia's protection.

Moscow has denied involvement in the explosions.

Read also: Bulgaria issues warrants for 6 Russians accused of arms warehouses explosions

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Toot Sweet Express was a premier train service from Cherbourg to Paris that was given priority over other services as it transported materials as well as post for the soldiers

General George Patton was always a man in a hurry. As a cavalryman who wore breeches long after horses were no longer on the front line, he wanted his troops to be constantly on the move  and he made sure they were.

In August 1944 the 58-year-old from Los Angeles was handed responsibility for the Third Army, charged with sweeping through France towards Germany as swiftly as it possibly could.

Allied forces had finally broken out of the lodgement, the small area of Normandy that had been taken and retained in the first two months since D-Day, but progress had been painfully slow in the face of German resistance, notably in Caen, and difficulties with the supply chain, down to the limited capacity of the recently captured port of Cherbourg and the necessity to keep using the beaches.

General Patton reviewing his troops of the Third Army before embarking with them across the Channel

Once German lines were breached by Operation Cobra, launched on July 25, however, there was no stopping Pattons army. He was so anxious to ensure his troops left the Cotentin peninsula on the only narrow road in Allied hands that for a couple of hours he acted as traffic policeman, waving through the armoured cars and trucks of his own army. His troops rapidly reached Le Mans, some 135 miles from Cherbourg, but then encountered a problem.

The Third Army had outrun its supply lines and the railway, which was crucial to keep supplies flowing, had been destroyed by a combination of Allied bombing and sabotage by the Resistance.

The coverage of wars is dominated by big guns and large bangs but most of the action takes place far behind the lines. And the soldiers keeping open the vital supply lines to the front are often left out of the story. They faced many of the same dangers as those further forward and yet few chroniclers of war give them much of a mention. Patton, though, understood their importance. He knew that he could not continue to advance without ammunition and, even more importantly, fuel.

With the rail network yet to be repaired, a trucking system was introduced to support the invading Allied troops but, while successful for a time, showed that railways were essential

On Saturday Aug 12 he issued one of the most remarkable orders of the war: General Patton has broken through and is striking rapidly for Paris. He says his men can get along without food but his tanks and trucks wont run without gas. Therefore the railroad must be constructed to Le Mans by Tuesday midnight.

Patton wanted 30 trains, each carrying 1,000 tons of fuel and ammunition, to reach Le Mans as quickly as possible, and suggested that the urgency was such that, if necessary, one man per foot should be deployed. As a subsequent report into this episode explains, unless railway reconstruction could be pushed more rapidly, the Third Army would be halted for lack of supplies. To Patton that was unthinkable.

Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders resting at Caen Station, July 1944

What the order meant was that 100 miles of wrecked railway had to be brought into use in just 75 hours. The officer in receipt of the instructions was one of those unknown heroes thrown up by war whose modesty and diligence mean they are never in the limelight and are later forgotten.

Colonel Emerson Itschner, the 41-year-old commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers in Northern France, was the perfect man for the job. A lifelong military engineer from Chicago, who had served in Alaska and Mississippi, he had previously been responsible for the crash building programme of military airports in the US as part of the response to Pearl Harbor.

Itschner was able to observe the completed reconstruction of the line just three days after his first reconnaissance flight

As soon as he learnt of the order, Itschner flew over the area in a tiny Piper Cub aircraft, braving pot shots from German troops, and realised that the main line on which two major bridges had been blown could not be brought into use quickly enough.

Instead, helped by reconnaissance photographs taken by Col Eliott Roosevelt, the presidents son, he devised a route through the forests and hedgerows of southern Normandy, using a smaller branch line that would normally have only seen service by a couple of chugging passenger trains a day.

Now, despite extensive damage to the route including fallen bridges, damaged embankments and numerous bomb craters, it had to be brought back into use. Troops were called up from all around the conquered territory and more than 10,000 were deployed for what was later described by the official military historian as the greatest railroad engineering feat of the war.

The role of the railway  once repaired  was surprisingly diverse - Boyer/Roger Viollet via Getty Images

A mere three days after his first reconnaissance flight over the area, Itschner was able to observe the completed reconstruction of the line, including the message laid out by his men in white cement next to the bridge which had proved the most troublesome to rebuild: WILL FINISH AT 2000.

The initial journeys of heavily loaded trains on rickety lines through the forest were perilous, with no signalling other than the odd cigarette lighter held up by a GI emerging from the dark and with drivers who had only ever operated trains in the US.

When the first train arrived in Le Mans, the stationmaster refused to believe they had come from Cherbourg as he knew the bridges on the main line had been blown up and thought the minor diversionary route had been equally impassable. But by Aug 25, Patton was at the Eiffel Tower.

That was not the end of the role of the railways, however. Quite the opposite. The iron road was to play a crucial role in supporting the sweep of the Allied forces through northern France, Belgium, Holland and eventually into Germany. The reliance on trucks in the early part of the invasion demonstrated that road transport on the windy pre-autoroute Routes Nationales network was unsustainable.

A train operated by just three or four men could carry the same load as dozens of trucks, each requiring a couple of men behind the wheel and using far greater amounts of fuel. That simple equation had been well understood by the planners of Operation Overlord, the retaking of Normandy from the Germans, and they had consequently ensured that railway equipment and the men to operate it were given top priority on the Channel crossings.

Within a week of D-Day, railwaymen were at work along the Normandy coast reconnoitring the lines that had been destroyed only a few weeks before in order to hamper German attempts to reinforce their defensive lines.

Most of the locomotives brought over from the US were 'Austerity' class engines which were hastily built, occasionally leading to boiler explosions with tragic consequences

Cherbourgs capacity was greatly expanded and it became the conduit for a rail network that stretched right through to the frontier with Germany 500 miles away until the port of Antwerp was opened in November. That in turn became the entry point for the freight that would be carried towards the front largely by rail.

Around 50,000 British and American troops were carried across the Channel to rebuild and operate the railways, which were entirely under military control. The American-led Military Railway Service briefly became the largest railway service in the world. In broad terms, about two-thirds of the supplies which arrived over the Channel were taken by rail.

The sheer numbers involved in the exercise demonstrate that without the rapid reconstruction of the railways and their intensive use, the war would have been prolonged, quite possibly into 1946.

The repair of the Coutances viaduct in Normandy over the Soulles river was the first time American engineers used the British 'Bailey Bridge' system

The troops worked in astonishingly difficult conditions and faced perils both from the enemy and from the necessarily lax safety standards on hastily cobbled-together lines. Rail workers were targeted by female spies engaged in information-gathering on the nature of goods being carried. Sniper attacks resulted in one case in the gunmans death from the thrust of a bayonet.

The role of the railway was surprisingly diverse, with 50 ambulance trains taking injured back behind the lines and even, long after the end of the war, the remains of dead GIs being transported to the ports for shipment back to America.

There is one fundamental mystery underlying this story. The exploits of these courageous rail workers turned soldiers has never been celebrated. The absolutely fundamental role they played in ensuring the war ended within a year of the D-Day landings has never been told let alone highlighted. As we approach the 80th anniversary of these events, it is time to remember and celebrate these forgotten men.

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ASTANA, Kazakhstan, April 29. Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Aida Balayeva will take part in the meeting of the Council of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation in Baku, Kazakh Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov said, Trend reports.

"The 1st meeting of the Council of the Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation will be held in Baku on April 30, 2024. The Council includes culture ministers of the Fund's member countries. The Kazakh delegation will be headed by Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan Aida Balayev," Smadiyarov said.

According to him, the meeting will discuss issues related to the current activities of the Fund as well as a draft action plan for 20242025.

The Turkic Culture and Heritage Foundation, established on August 23, 2012, operates as an affiliated body of the Organization of Turkic States, aiming to safeguard, explore, and promote Turkic culture and heritage by funding diverse activities, projects, and programs.

The Foundation's members include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkiye, with its Secretariat based in Baku. At the 10th summit of the organization, Aktoty Raimkulova from Kazakhstan was appointed as the Foundation's president.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A 16-year-old is being charged with the murder of a well-known Dinuba middle school teacher who was found shot to death inside his home in the early morning of November 6, 2023, according to the Tulare County District Attorney.

According to the DAs office, the juvenile was 15 years old at the time. The unidentified juvenile is being charged with murder and the special allegations of burglary, personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, and use of a firearm. Additionally, the defendant is charged with misdemeanor receiving stolen property.

Friends remember teacher from Dinuba shot and killed inside his home

Officials say two other adults, 21-year-old Jorge Arrieta and 20-year-old Joseph Garcia were also charged with felony second-degree burglary and felony accessory after the fact. Arrieta is further charged with misdemeanor receiving stolen property. The men are charged for their alleged conduct of entering the victims house after Martins death occurred.

Both were arrested without incident on April 26, 2024, officials say.

Love abounded from Sergio: Family and friends remember Dinuba teacher

According to the DA under California law, the juvenile cannot be tried as an adult because he was 15 years old at the time of the crime. State law also dictates that the juvenile can only remain in custody until the age of 25 if convicted.

The victim, identified as 50-year-old, Sergio Martin, taught Spanish at El Monte Middle School in Orosi. He was remembered as a person who lit up a room and chose kindness every day.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
A man from Davenport has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on drug conspiracy charges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Kpangbala Benyan Blamah, 34, was sentenced on April 17 to 360 months in federal prison for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and/or possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and marijuana; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of firearms.

Kpangbala Blamah (Davenport Police Department)

According to public court documents and trial information, Blamah was identified as a suspect in multiple shooting incidents by law enforcement. During the investigation, officers learned that Blamah was a leader of a drug distribution conspiracy in and around the Quad City Metro area. Evidence revealed that Blamah was coordinating several trips to California for himself and other members of the conspiracy, including, in some cases, minors that Blamah recruited to be a part of the conspiracy. Evidence showed that he mailed packages of controlled substances from California to various residences of members of the conspiracy in Davenport. Blamah was responsible for over 1700 kilograms (over 3,747 pounds) of controlled substances, including marijuana and cocaine.

Blamah must serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement and the case was investigated by the Davenport Police Department.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that unites all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy, strengthening PSN based on the core principles of fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring, setting focused enforcement priorities and measuring results. Click here for more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
Its been a year since the Northern California college town of Davis was paralyzed in fear for a week as authorities searched for a suspect who brutally stabbed three people, killing two of them in seemingly random attacks at night.

The manhunt ended not far from where one of the victims was stabbed to death days earlier. Police arrested a young man, Carlos Reales Dominguez, who once had a promising future as a UC Davis student but was apparently in a downward spiral of mental illness and now is accused of attacking the three victims.

As a trial on murder and attempted murder charges approaches for Reales Dominguez, Davis community members as well as family and friends of the victims are gathering to honor those killed in the attacks  and to reflect on the terrifying violence a year later.

Karim Abou Najm was a 20-year-old UC Davis student just six weeks from his graduation when he was fatally attacked April 29, 2023, as he headed home through Sycamore Park.

The public is invited to a Day of Remembrance Monday at the park. Mondays event will begin at 5:30 p.m. at nearby Willett Elementary School, 1207 Sycamore Lane, with keynote speakers including Abou Najms parents, who will share some of his writings and the initiatives to memorialize their son.

That will be followed at 7 p.m. at Sycamore Park by the unveiling of a memorial bench and naming of a bike path in honor of Abou Najm.

Davis stabbing spree: First victim was Compassion Guy

On Saturday, city officials invited the public to gather in downtown Davis and remember the first victim attacked in last years stabbings, David Henry Breaux. The 50-year-old man, referred to as Compassion Guy, was a well-known community member and had been a regular fixture at Central Park and in downtown for the past decade. The park is just east of the UC Davis campus.

The Davis Police Department has said Breaux had been sleeping at the park, where he was attacked in the early hours of April 27, 2023. Called to the park hours after the fatal attack, police said Breaux was found with multiple stab wounds, the victim of a significantly violent attack. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A memorial set up at the compassion bench in Davis on Monday, May 1, 2023, remembers David Henry Breaux, 50, who was found stabbed to death Thursday in Central Park.

Additional officers, on bikes and on foot, were assigned to patrol around the park to create a visible presence in the downtown corridor.

Breauxs death on its own was alarming to police and officials in a city where homicides are rare, especially since the man had touched many lives in the community and dedicated his time and energy towards selflessness.

They didnt know at the time that the brutal attack would just be the first one that week.

Second victim attacked on his way home

Two nights later, Abou Najm was on his way home after a day on campus for a student research project presentation. He was using a path through Sycamore Park hed often use when he was stabbed multiple times in a fatal attack.

His family was devastated by the traumatic slaying. A computer science major at UC Davis, Abou Najm was an aspiring software engineer with an impressive academic career and two jobs lined up for him after his graduation that June. UC Davis gave him a bachelors degree in computer science posthumously at last years commencement ceremony.

A cyclist rides past a memorial of flowers on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, marking the location that Karim Abou Najm, a graduating senior at UC Davis, was stabbed Saturday in Sycamore Park in Davis. It was the second of three stabbings, two fatal, in the city in less than a week.

Investigators scoured the area as they worked around-the-clock to identify a suspect in the attacks, even inviting a search-and-rescue crew to comb through Sycamore Park in hopes of finding any clues that could help identify a suspect. The Police Department had a description of the suspect who they believed was around Abou Najms age.

The stabbings that killed Breuax and Abou Najm had similarities, including the brutal manner of the attacks and the fact both took place at parks, and the crimes were quickly being investigated as linked.

City and UC Davis police boosted patrols and other safety measures, asking residents to be vigilant, especially at night, and report suspicious activity.

Third victim stabbed at homeless camp

Two nights after Abou Najm was attacked in the park, Kimberlee Guillory, 64, was stabbed as she slept in her tent at a homeless encampment near Second and L streets in Davis. She was stabbed repeatedly through the tent but survived her serious injuries, which required surgery.

The suspect reportedly fled from the homeless encampment on foot.

A manhunt ensued.

Residents in downtown Davis and at the near UC Davis campus were told to shelter in place. But the suspect was not found.

Davis Police investigate on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, the site where a homeless woman was stabbed several times through the side of her tent near Second and L streets before midnight. The city issued issued a shelter in place order that was lifted around 5 a.m.

The following afternoon, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May announced that all classes on campus ending after 6 p.m. would be moved to remote learning indefinitely. Aggie Transfer Day, an informational event for admitted transfer students scheduled that following Friday, was canceled.

Without a suspect in custody, the Davis community was frightened of what violence could follow. Some businesses in Davis shortened their hours or adjusted their schedules. Events like the Wednesday farmers market at Central Park were canceled.

Davis police enlisted the help of homicide detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office and Sacramento Police Department, as biological evidence retrieved from the crime scenes was taken to crime labs for analysis.

Stabbing suspect arrested

Two days after Guillory was stabbed, Carlos Reales Dominguez was spotted in the late afternoon at Sycamore Park, where Abou Najm was killed. Police later said 15 callers reported seeing a man matching the stabbing suspect description: long, dark curly hair and wearing black Adidas pants with a white stripe.

Officers responded and found Reales Dominguez near Colby Drive and Pine Lane, about a block west of the park. He agreed to go with officers, and he was first questioned as a person of interest as part of the investigation into three Davis stabbings.

The following morning, Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel announced they had arrested Reales Dominguez in connection with the stabbings. Pytel said officers found him with a large knife and a backpack, wearing the same clothes the suspect wore in the third stabbing.

Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel and Mayor Will Arnold announce at the Davis Police headquarters on Thursday, May 4, 2023, the arrest of suspect Carlos Dominguez, 21, in the series of three stabbings over the past week that left two men dead and a woman critically injured.

Campus officials confirmed Reales Dominguez, then 21 years old, had been a UC Davis biological science major until April 25, 2023, when he was dismissed for academic reasons. The first stabbing, which killed Breaux, happened two days later.

Before enrolling at UC Davis, Reales Dominguez excelled as a high school athlete in East Oakland, where he was a standout student and a leader among his peers. In court testimony last summer, his friends described him displaying bizarre behavior, becoming further withdrawn from society. A forensic neuropsychologist testified that Reales Dominguez was most likely suffering from schizophrenia.

Murder trial awaits

The defendants mental competency came into question in Yolo Superior Court. Reales Dominguez was deemed mentally unfit and was ordered him to receive treatment at Atascadero State Hospital. He has since been returned to Yolo County, and his criminal case has been reinstated.

Reading from a report on Reales Dominguezs mental health status, Judge Samuel McAdam said in January that the defendants mental competency has been restored that the case could proceed.

After a preliminary hearing that ended in late February, McAdam ruled there was sufficient evidence for Reales Dominguez to stand trial. He remains in custody at the Yolo County Jail.

Reales Dominguez is scheduled to return to court June 18 for the judge to schedule the start of his trial.
These days in Florida, the money-changers are welcome in the Temple

Circa 29 AD, Illustration of the new Testament story when Jesus purged the temple of the money changers and traders. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

The party that calls itself Republican worships a petty, angry, and aggressively white god.

Im not talking about Donald Trump  though they often confuse him with the Son of Man. (Check out the fake courtroom sketch of Jesus sitting next to Trump at the defense table.)

But their god conveniently hates the same people Trump hates: Black people; book-readers; science-believers; women; Latinos; Muslims; LGBTQ  all of whom arent true Americans and clearly headed for hellfire.

Trump-loving right-wingers are making a mockery of religion. Credit: Getty Images

This mean little deity enjoys making threats, at least according to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who recently posted on her Twixxter account, God is sending America strong signs to tell us to repent. Earthquakes and eclipses and many more things to come.

Kids, this is what happens when you dont pay attention in fifth grade science.

Moscow Margarine goes on, insisting Vladimir Putins only killing thousands of Ukrainians to protect Christianity.

Obviously.

Many of her MAGA co-religionists agree: Vlad the Impaler is a fine Christian leader who invaded Ukraine because its full of, you know, Ukrainians, and Jesus doesnt like them.

Donald Trump desperately wants to be Putin when he grows up: wouldnt it be fun to have your political enemies killed instead of having to face them in a free democratic election?

Meanwhile, there he is, a criminal defendant in a grubby courtroom, alternately glowering and nodding off, whining hes being persecuted because  just like Jesus!  hes Gods anointed, leader of a battle between Good and Evil.

He insists he was PRAYING not sleeping!!

Almightys representative

Trump claims the Good role, which shows how far the geniuses in his party have strayed from any grasp of reality, not to mention the faith they claim to espouse.

I seem to recall non-white, non-nasty Jesus favoring the poor, the powerless, the old and the sick over the rich, the authoritarian, and the heavily armed.

So much for the New Testament.

A preacher holds up his Bible while supporters of Donald Trump host a Stop the Steal protest outside of the Georgia State Capital building on November 21, 2020, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Megan Varner/Getty Images)

Trump has convinced his acolytes that hes the Almightys representative on earth, so holy hes now selling bibles.

Seems the tacky-ass $399 gold sneakers didnt rake in enough cash, so for the low, low price of $59.99, you can have a God Bless the USA Bible, the only one officially endorsed by Donald Trump and Lee Greenwood.

That would be Lee Greenwood, the spiritual leader and musical giant who brought you the immortal McDonalds breakfast song: McDonalds and you, McDonalds and you/Fresh scrambled eggs, sausage, hotcakes, juice, and coffee too./Just like sunshine every morning, McDonalds and you!

And, of course, the ubiquitous and bellicose anthem God Bless the USA.

Fun fact: Greenwood once tried to trademark the phrase God Bless the USA for, he said, accent pillows; decorative centerpieces of wood and wall hangings.

Move over, Old School Messiah: The money changers are now welcome in the temple and MAGA Jesus is all about profit and power  forget all that peace, love and understanding crap. Christianity now means white supremacy, misogyny, and xenophobia.

A real scumbag

Take Matt Gaetz, charitably described by one of his Republican colleagues as a real scumbag.

Gaetz, the eminently punchable congressman from Floridas First District, claims hes a faithful Baptist, a Believer with a capital B.

The guy seems a couple of quarts low on the milk of human kindness, however.

Floridas U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Credit: Saul Loeb-Pool/Getty Images

Gaetz has made racist remarks about Florida legislators and says pro-choice women shouldnt worry about abortion because they are fat, ugly spinsters no one wants to have sex with, anyway.

He does favor suffering the little children to come unto him as long as theyre 17, female, and cute.

The House Ethics Committee is still investigating him for this particular religious practice.

Another fine MAGA Christian, Sen. Josh Hawley, famously raised a fist in support of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists, then courageously hid from them as they rampaged through the Capitol.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Hawley has grandly quoted Patrick Henry saying, this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.

Problem is, Patrick Henry never said that. It comes from a 1956 article in an anti-semitic, anti-Black magazine called The Virginian.

Demonstrating his brand of Christian humility, Hawley posted a clarification that was mostly snark aimed at the historians who called him out: Im told the libs are major triggered by the connection between the Bible and the American Founding.

Hawley has a degree in history from Stanford.

Foolishness about the Founders

Ron DeSantis has a history degree from Yale. Yet he, too, has a troubled relationship with actual history.

Hes just signed a new law allowing taxpayer-supported schools to bring in chaplains. All these chaplains have to do is pass a background check  as if background checks catch every lunatic, pedophile, proselytizer, anti-vaxxer, and racist fruitcake likely to apply to counsel students.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signs legislation allowing religious chaplains to counsel students in public schools on April 18, 2024. Source: DeSantis Facebook

DeSantis claims hes restoring the sense of purpose that our Founding Fathers wanted to see in education and says that, back in George Washingtons day, every school was a religious school. Public schools were religious schools.

Perhaps he fell asleep in class: 1. There was no public education system then; 2. The Founding Fathers never put forth rules for public education, though some of them thought religion should be taught in schools while others, such as Thomas Jefferson, were adamantly opposed; and 3. There was indeed prayer in schools until the Supreme Court figured out that was horrendously divisive, but public schools were not expressly religious.

To be fair, Massachusetts passed the Old Deluder Satan Act in 1647 (more than 100 years before the Declaration of Independence) which required towns to teach children to read.

They werent focused so much on Satan except if you couldnt read the Bible and understand the Word of the Lord, you might end up in his clutches.

Ron DeSantis is, however, focused on Satan  or at least the Satanic Temple. He imagines all these chaplains will be Baptist preachers, a few Catholic priests, and a handful of rabbis.

But Florida, with its diverse population, may see Muslims, Hindus, Zoroastrians, and  inevitably!  ministers of the Satanic Temple who want to become chaplains.

Aryan tough-guy Jesus

DeSantis insists he will not allow those pagan monsters to get near your younguns, insisting the Satanic Temple is not a religion and not qualified to be able to participate in this.

Newsflash: Satanism is a religion and the Satanic Temple is, in fact, a church, recognized by the IRS, so excluding its, er, ministers is unconstitutional.

DeSantis has a degree in law from Harvard.

But since when have Christo-white nationalists cared about the law? When have they cared about Americas cherished separation of church and state?

Fear and hatred make people accustomed to unchecked power do strange things.

MAGA adherents to Aryan tough-guy Jesus see America becoming less white and less Christian, so theyre freaking out, flailing around, breaking things  such as your right to control your own body, your right to read what you want, identify however you want, and love who you want.

I liked the old Jesus better.

The post These days in Florida, the money-changers are welcome in the Temple appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida bottlenose dolphin has become the most recent mammal to die from the highly pathogenic bird flu that has been sweeping the country, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Florida made the discovery following a necropsy on a dolphin that was found in distress in a Dixie County canal in March 2022. Despite rescue efforts, the dolphin died shortly after it was found.

Potential serial killer arrested after 2 women found dead in Florida: sheriff

Scientists did not suspect bird flu as the cause of death, however, a necropsy revealed the dolphin had contracted a highly deadly strain of the virus. The dolphin was found with brain inflammation and leptomeninges disease.

Upon further research, UF scientists found symptoms similar to those in other Florida wildlife that had been infected with the bird flu. Additional testing ruled out other potential agents at play in the dolphins disease and confirmed the presence of bird flu in the dolphins lung and brain.

The detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in a bottlenose dolphin recovered by University of Florida marine animal rescuers in 2022 was the first time the virus has been identified in a cetacean in America. (Photo courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

Bird flu was first detected in North America in 2021, and has been spreading among birds and other mammals ever since, leading scientists to believe there was a possibility of spillover into other marine life such as dolphins.

Various tests detected the isolated virus in the bottlenose dolphins brain tissue, but its unclear how the dolphin might have contracted the flu.

We still dont know where the dolphin got the virus and more research needs to be done, Richard Webby, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza in Animals and Birds at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital said.

More cows are being tested and tracked for bird flu. Heres what that means

Bird flu is widespread among wild birds in the U.S. and around the world, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. While the virus isnt very dangerous to humans, its killed millions of birds and other wildlife.

The virus has also caused outbreaks in commercial and backyard poultry flocks.

This investigation was an important step in understanding this virus and is a great example where happenstance joins with curiosity, having to answer the why and then seeing how the multiple groups and expertise took this to a fantastic representation of collaborative excellence, Mike Walsh, D.V.M., an associate professor of aquatic animal health said.

The dolphin is the first cetacean ever recorded with the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in the United States.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Dealer sentenced for $15K worth of drugs seized from home

PINE CREEK TOWNSHIP, CLINTON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  The district attorneys office says a drug dealer has been sentenced after a search warrant revealed $15,000 worth of drugs.

Mary Tina Marie Yost was sentenced to a maximum of 13 years in state prison.

Officials stated Yost was arrested for various drug offenses but her most serious charges were after a combined drug task force operation in June of 2022.

After a long investigation, a search warrant was executed at a home in the 800 block of East Central Avenue in Pine Creek Township.

As stated in the release, as a result of a search warrant inside the home was found:

178 grams of bath salts.

34 grams of crystal methamphetamine.

2 grams of cocaine.

8 packed baggies of heroin stamped Zombieland.

4 Subutex tablets.

3 MDMA pills.

8 pills described as fentanyl tables

Several hypodermic needles.

Shotgun

Police say the street value of the narcotics recovered is worth approximately $15,000.

Yost is eligible for parole after serving 5 years and 3 months.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
Death penalty under question as trial starts in slaying of Sacramento Officer Tara OSullivan

Venerando Jojie Ramos, the brother of Sacramento police Officer Tara OSullivans accused killer, grabbed a fistful of tissues to wipe his teary eyes as he paused while testifying Monday about his fathers bloody death.

He began to describe how his brother, then-5-year-old Adel Sambrano Ramos, began to press on his fathers wounds to stem the blood gushing everywhere in their home in the Philippines.

The testimony came during a bench trial in which Adel Ramos defense attorneys seek to show their client suffered trauma and developed intellectual disabilities. Sacramento Superior Court Judge James Arguelles will then decide if Ramos has the mental capacity to be tried for the death penalty in OSullivans death.

Adel Ramos, now 50, has pleaded not guilty to 13 counts, including the murder of OSullivan and attempted murder of other police officers, in a June 2019 North Sacramento standoff.

OSullivan, a 26-year-old rookie officer who had graduated just six months earlier from the Sacramento Police Department Academy, was shot as she attempted to help Adel Ramos girlfriend, Megan Jansa, move out of her home on Redwood Avenue. OSullivan died from gunshot wounds at a hospital.

Supporters of OSullivan filled three rows in the gallery to watch Mondays proceedings.

Defense attorneys Jan Karowsky and Pete Kmeto will call upon Adel Ramos family, friends and a psychologist during the bench trial scheduled to last until next week. On Monday, they called upon witnesses who testified about Adel Ramos abusive uncle and the defendants inability to follow directions.

Ramos family members said the defendant was stupid while growing up. He mostly kept to himself, testified Gregorio Ramos, a childhood friend.

But prosecutor Jeff Hightower, who will call upon investigators and his own expert psychologist, argued Adel Ramos has no mental issues. Thats proven in part by the highly complex methods Adel is accused of deploying during the eight-hour standoff with law enforcement in 2019, Hightower argued.

The defendant dropped out of ninth grade while attending school in the Philippines by choice, Hightower argued in his opening statements. He began working in his early teen years and eventually brought his brothers to the U.S. to escape an abusive uncle, Hightower said.

Adel Ramos worked at McDonalds before eventually establishing a 17-year career in the construction industry as a skilled carpenter, Hightower said. He was never fired because of his intellectual abilities, he said.

A workplace injury ended Adel Ramos career, after which he supported his family by selling marijuana and assembling firearms, Hightower said.

His intellectual abilities also shined when he established numerous barriers around his home during the standoff with police, Hightower said. Adel Ramos had live surveillance footage of his entire home looped back to him, and guns and hundreds of bullets were stashed around his home before police arrived, authorities said.

He also modified guns to fire faster with more bullets, Hightower said.

He is navigating this world perfectly, Hightower said.
Deli owner annoyed by cat dumps him at shelter, family says  then comes happy reunion

A familys cat that used to hang around a local deli disappeared when the deli owner got fed up and dumped him outside a closed animal shelter, New York officials said.

His family and the Saratoga Springs community rallied to find Kane, but he was missing for more than three months.

Then came a phone call.

Kane has now been reunited with his family, owner Jamie DiGiovanni shared on Facebook on April 26, ending a distressing saga that began in early January.

In this neighborhood, Kane has become known as the Mayor of Spring Street and Court Street, DiGiovanni told WRGB. Hes a very lovable indoor/outdoor cat.

Kane often made his way to a deli down the street, where employees fed him and let him hang out, locals said in a GoFundMe. But the owner grew frustrated by the cats presence and wanted him gone, DiGiovanni told WRGB. He told DiGiovanni so, and she agreed, but then he decided to act, she said.

The evening of Jan. 4, the deli owner picked up Kane and drove him to the Saratoga County Animal Shelter, which was closed at the time, according to the Saratoga County District Attorneys Office.

He was caught on camera leaving Kane outside the shelter and driving away as the temperature dropped to 20 degrees, the district attorneys office said.

The 49-year-old pleaded guilty to animal cruelty March 5. He declined to comment to McClatchy News.

The defendants actions on January 4, 2024 when he abandoned Kane the cat outside the Saratoga County Animal Shelter after their regular business hours without any shelter are inexcusable and that is why we insisted he plead guilty to the charge filed against him, District Attorney Karen Heggen said in a news release.

DiGiovanni testified to how the mans actions impacted her family.

After the plea, DiGiovanni, surrounded by a group of supporters wearing shirts that said Justice for Kane, told media outlets that she would continue searching for her pet.

Later, she shared on Facebook that another couple had begun to encounter Kane without knowing it.

They fed him for over a month but couldnt get close enough to tell if he was the missing cat. Finally, they were able to get him to come inside their home, and they believed they had the missing cat on their hands.

Thats when they gave DiGiovanni a call.

When I first picked him up he started to purr so loudly, DiGiovanni said on Facebook. I went to see if it was in fact Kane and sure enough it was.

She said she was overjoyed and brought him home, where he slept in her sons room all night. She told WRGB that Kane was a gift to her son from his late stepfather.

Thank you to every single person who took time out of their day to help research for Kane, who shared our story and who prayed and (sent) love loving and kind words and support, she wrote on Facebook. I meant it when I said we are not giving up on him and this is why.

Saratoga Springs is about a 40-mile drive north from Albany.

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Democratic Sen. Nicole Mitchell returned to the State Capitol on Monday and began voting for the first time since she was arrested and charged with felony first-degree burglary. Mitchell voted on motions directly related to whether she should be allowed to vote going forward.

The first-term senator from Woodbury who allegedly broke into her stepmother's home last week to retrieve some of her late father's belongings declined to answer reporters' questions when the Senate recessed Monday morning. Some of Mitchell's DFL colleagues embraced her on the floor.

When the Senate returned from recess, Republicans offered a motion to prohibit any member who's been charged with a crime of violence from voting on bills until the chamber's ethics committee has weighed in on their case. They argued that other Minnesotans would be put on leave from their jobs if they faced such a serious criminal charge.

"Her actions have brought the Senate into dishonor. Her actions have brought the Senate into disrepute," Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, said of Mitchell.

Democrats argued the motion should be ruled out of order because it lacked a constitutional precedent. Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, agreed and ruled it out of order.

Republicans then appealed Champion's ruling, but their motion failed. All Democrats, including Mitchell, voted to uphold Champion's decision.

"The Senate doesn't have the authority to remove a vote from a member," said Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park. Latz and other Democrats further argued that barring Mitchell from voting would disenfranchise her constituents.

The burglary charge against Mitchell has cast uncertainty over the final month of Minnesota's legislative session. Democrats hold the state Senate by a one-seat margin and can't pass a long list of bills without Mitchell's vote. Mitchell said last week she doesn't intend to resign.

Senate Republicans have filed an ethics complaint against Mitchell. A hearing on the complaint is scheduled for May 7.

Over the weekend, the Senate DFL Caucus removed Mitchell from legislative committee assignments and caucus meetings.

Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, told reporters Monday that Mitchell is entitled to due process.

"Senator Mitchell is entitled to vote and the people who sent her here from Woodbury, Senate District 47, are entitled to her representation," Murphy said. "I think it is important that she is here. I think that it's important that she's voting in person."

GOP Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson criticized Democrats as siding with Mitchell.

"This is a cloud over the top of the Senate right now," Johnson, of East Grand Forks, said Monday. "[Mitchell] made the deciding vote on whether she should be voting today on the floor. I hope you saw the irony in that."

Officers arrested Mitchell last week just before 5 a.m. in the basement of her stepmother's Detroit Lakes home. Mitchell was dressed in black and admitted to entering her stepmother's house through a sliding basement window, according to the criminal complaint.

Police said they found a flashlight covered with a black sock  dimming its brightness  near Mitchell, and a backpack wedged in the open basement window. That backpack contained several items, including a laptop the criminal complaint suggests belonged to Mitchell's stepmother.

Mitchell allegedly told police, "I know I did something bad," but that she entered the home to take some of her late father's belongings, including his ashes. The senator shared a different version of events in a Facebook post last week, denying stealing and saying she drove from Woodbury to Detroit Lakes in the middle of the night to conduct a welfare check on a family member who has declined "due to Alzheimer's and associated paranoia."

One of Mitchell's attorneys later told the Star Tribune the senator was also trying to "retrieve a couple of items that she felt were being wrongfully withheld from her."

In a statement through her attorneys last week, Mitchell said, "I am confident that a much different picture will emerge when all of the facts are known."
A group of House Democrats is urging Columbia Universitys board of trustees to end the ongoing protest encampment on the campus or step down from their positions.

Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) led the group of 21 colleagues in sending a letter to the board demanding school officials put an end to the encampment, which has garnered national attention for more than a week.

We, the undersigned, write to express our disappointment that, despite promises to do so, Columbia University has not yet disbanded the unauthorized and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus, the Democratic lawmakers wrote.

As a result of this disruption on campus, supported by some faculty members, many students have been prevented from safely attending class, the main library, and from leaving their dorm rooms in an apparent violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, they added.

Axios first reported on the letter.

Columbia was thrust into the national spotlight earlier this month after pro-Palestinian protesters set up an encampment on the campus. School officials later asked the New York Police Department (NYPD) to respond to the demonstration, prompting arrests.

Now, students across the country have set up pro-Palestinian encampments on their college campuses, with many protesters calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war and other demanding that their school divests from Israel.

The protests have mostly been reported as peaceful, but concerns have been raised about antisemitic rhetoric during the demonstrations and students safety on campus. Columbia University President Minouche Shafik has faced calls to resign amid the protests.

The lawmakers said in Mondays letter that while they appreciate Columbia administrations efforts to negotiate an agreement with the protesters, it is now abundantly clear the students involved are unwilling to enter into a reasonable agreement to disband.

Those who violate the law cannot dictate the terms of the Universitys ability to comply with that law. It is past time for the University to act decisively, disband the encampment, and ensure the safety and security of all of its students, the lawmakers wrote.

The time for negotiation is over; the time for action is now. It is ultimately the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to act. If any Trustees are unwilling to do this, they should resign so that they can be replaced by individuals who will uphold the Universitys legal obligations under Title VI, the lawmakers wrote in the conclusion.

Columbia declined to comment on the letter when reached by The Hill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
DeSantis and Trump appear to be making up following reported meeting in Miami

Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speak at midterm election rallies, in Dayton, Ohio, on Nov. 7, 2022, and Tampa on Nov. 8, 2022. (Reuters/Gaelen Morse, Marco Bello)

Quality Journalism for Critical Times

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump appear to be on better terms following a Washington Post report that the two met Sunday morning in Miami  not at the Trump compound at Mar-a-Lago, which is to say that the meeting was held on neutral ground. Allies brokered the meeting, the newspaper reported.

DeSantis held a press conference Monday morning in Jupiter in Palm Beach County on Monday to promote state aid for autistic Floridians but left without taking questions from reporters and didnt bring up the Trump-DeSantis meeting.

Actually, Im late for my next event down in Delray (Beach in Palm Beach County), so Im going to slip out, DeSantis said before leaving. His office hasnt published notice of that event and hasnt yet responded to a question about it.

Rick Wilson, the former Republican political consultant who co-founded the never-Trump Liberty Project, said both Trump and DeSantis benefit by mending fences broken when DeSantis announced he would run against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination.

Earlier, Trumps endorsement helped DeSantis scoot ahead of then-Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam in the 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary. He then narrowly won the general election.

Rhonda Santis wants to preserve his viability for 2028 and Donald Trump wants to tap into the DeSantis email list and DeSantis major donor list, Wilson told the Phoenix by text, using an insulting nickname for the governor.

DeSantis has indeed been adept at raising money, even though some major donors stopped contributing to his presidential campaign. For example, his federal Never Back Down super PAC raised $145.5 million and still has around $7 million left over, according to Federal Election Commission records as of March 31. His Ron DeSantis for President committee raised more than $39 million.

A different DeSantis-aligned committee, Fight Right Inc., formed amid supporters unhappiness with the Never Back Downs strategy, raised nearby $14.7 million since Nov. 16 last year and had $411,250 in cash on hand at the end of March this year. Yet another, Good Fight, raised $3.35 million beginning last December and spent it all, according to FEC records.

Prostrating himself at the feet of Trump

Mac Stipanovich, another former GOP consultant turned critic of both Trump and DeSantis, was dismissive.

Prior to yesterday, it was obvious to all that DeSantis principles are really just passing preferences in the service of his unbounded ambition, but it seemed possible that he retained some modicum of self-respect. No more, Stipanovich said by text.

Prostrating himself at the feet of Trump in Miami is a fitting end to a stunning humiliation on the national stage, Stipanovich added.

DeSantis suspended his presidential campaign in January following a disappointing performance in the Iowa Caucus. Although Trump insulted him throughout his campaign, DeSantis endorsed the former president, citing the will of the voters.

The post DeSantis and Trump appear to be making up following reported meeting in Miami appeared first on Florida Phoenix.
New details, photos of proposed zoo in Elk Grove to be released in May

Editors Note: This story initially included incorrect information on how the Sacramento Zoo would release new details about the proposed new location. The article has been updated to more accurately reflect the upcoming announcement.

(FOX40.COM)  Sacramento Zoo Executive Director Jason Jacobs and Elk Grove Director of Strategic Planning & Innovation Christopher Jordan will release new details about the proposed site for the Sacramento Zoo next month, the zoo said on Monday.

Parts of Interstate 80 to be closed for nearly one week. Heres why

The Sacramento Zoological Society and the City of Elk Grove have worked together for more than two years on a new zoo project that could create a world-class zoological park for the greater Sacramento region and beyond, the zoo said.

The new details will include how the new zoo would be different from the current one and the anticipated benefits the project would generate for the animals, the regional economy, and future generations of zoo visitors.

The zoo said that on May 8, the Elk Grove City Council would vote on whether the project could begin construction.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
Did The Exclusion of Black and Jewish Jurors Impact Dozens of Death Penalty Cases?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 08: Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price speaks during a press conference in Oakland, Calif., in on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2023. - Photo: Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times (Getty Images)

A shocking allegation of racial bias in death penalty cases in Alameda County, California, could have massive implications for dozens of death penalty cases in the northern California county that encompasses Oakland.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria ordered a review of 35 death penalty cases in the county dating back decades after evidence emerged that prosecutors, in prior decades, were excluding Black and Jewish jurors in death penalty cases.

The allegations emerged amid an appeal hearing for Ernest Dykes, a 51-year-old Black man who was sentenced to death in 1995 after being convicted of murdering the 9-year-old grandson of his landlord Bernice Clark, and her attempted murder. Dykes previously won a stay of execution, arguing that he was not given a fair trial. And in 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a moratorium on executions statewide.

According to Judge Chhabria, jury selection notes written by prosecutors and shared with Dykes defense team seemed to show a pattern of automatically excluding Black and Jewish jurors in death penalty cases.

These notesespecially when considered in conjunction with evidence presented in other casesconstitute strong evidence that, in prior decades, prosecutors from the office were engaged in a pattern of serious misconduct, automatically excluding Jewish and African American jurors in death penalty cases, wrote the judge.

The allegations cast further doubt on a system plagued by racial inequality. Black Americans are significantly overrepresented on death row. And Black Americans whose victims are white, are much more likely to receive the death penalty.

The notes from Dykes trial werent the only evidence of misconduct. We have notes made by prosecutors in some of the cases, which indicates that Jewish jurors were being identified as Jewish and that Black people were being identified as Black and that they did not end up on the jury, said Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price during a press conference. And that has occurred in a number of cases.

Price, who is Black, did not mince words when discussing the alleged wrongdoing of her predecessors.

When you intentionally exclude people based on their race, their religion, their gender or any protected category, it violates the Constitution, she said at a press conference last week. The evidence that we have uncovered suggests plainly that many people did not receive a fair trial in Alameda County.

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A Palestinian embraces the body of a child, where nine members of the Abu Radwan family were killed following an Israeli air strike. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

At least 27 Palestinians were killed in fresh Israeli attacks on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, the territory's Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said on Monday, as diplomatic efforts intensified with talks in Cairo and Riyadh.

Authorities said 20 people in residential buildings in the border city were killed in various attacks during the night.

Seven members of a family in Rafah were also reportedly killed in a separate attack on Monday morning, they said.

An Israeli army spokesman said he could not comment without the exact coordinates of the incidents.

Israel has vowed for months to launch an offensive in Rafah to eliminate the remaining strongholds of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Israel's allies have repeatedly urged caution, as hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian civilians are sheltering in the city.

The planned military operation could yet be delayed, as there was some movement on Monday in the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, in which Egypt, Qatar and the United States are acting as mediators.

A three-member Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Monday to hold negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners.

Israeli news website ynet reported that the proposal envisages the release of 33 hostages in return for several hundred Palestinian prisoners. These are to consist of women, including female soldiers, elderly people, the injured and the "mentally impaired."

Citing a senior Israeli government representative, ynet reported that the duration of a simultaneous ceasefire would depend on the number of hostages released. Hamas is demanding the release of 50 prisoners for every soldier and 30 prisoners for every civilian, according to the news outlet.

The last ceasefire was in November, when more than 100 hostages were freed.

Meanwhile, Several Western and Arab foreign ministers were due to meet on the fringes of a World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock among them.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Palestinian civilians living in Gaza were suffering "collective punishment" from Israel's retaliatory military campaign for the attacks launched by Hamas on October 7.

"What has taken place, all Palestinians in Gaza have to pay for it," Madbouly said. "It was collective punishment - not punishment for Hamas, but for all Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip."

Israel's response to the massacre that left some 1,200 people dead and hundreds more taken hostage "was unbelievable," he said at the economic conference in Riyadh.

More than 80% of the health facilities in Gaza had been destroyed, he said, while an "estimated 7,000 [people] remain under the rubble."

The prime minister said it would take "decades" for Gaza to recover.

Blinken pointed the finger squarely at Hamas and said it had to act: "We strongly support Israel and its effort to ensure that what happened on October 7 never happens again, but at the same time we are determined to do everything we can to bring an end to the terrible human suffering that we are seeing every single day in Gaza among children, women, men who've been caught in a terrible crossfire of Hamas' making.

"Right now, Hamas has before it a proposal that is extraordinarily, extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel and in this moment the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas ... They have to decide and to decide quickly," Blinken said.

As of Monday, the Hamas-controlled health authority put the number of people killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war at 34,488. The figures it publishes make no distinction between civilians and militants and are almost impossible to verify independently.
A bottlenose dolphin, like these seen off the coast of Savannah, Ga., in 2019, was found shot on a Louisiana beach last month. | Robert F. Bukaty

Last month, an adolescent bottlenose dolphin was found shot to death on the Louisiana shoreline. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is now offering a $20,000 reward for any information regarding the incident.

On March 13, the NOAA said it received notice of a dead juvenile bottlenose dolphin on West Maes Beach in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

A necropsy conducted by the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans revealed that multiple bullets were discovered in the carcass of the young female dolphin, CNN reported. According to the NOAA report, the bullets were found lodged in critical areas including the brain, spinal cord and heart of the dolphin.

The animal appeared to have died from the trauma, which occurred at or near the time of death, NOAA said.

According to National Geographic for Kids, bottlenose dolphins are known for their playful nature. They enjoy surfing in waves and the wake of boats, as well as swimming through self-made bubble rings. These social mammals are known to form friendships that endure decades.

The NOAA states, Harassing, harming, killing, or feeding wild dolphins is prohibited under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

According to the NOAA report, individuals who harm dolphins may face civil or criminal prosecution. Such violations may result in fines of $100,000 and imprisonment for up to one year.

The NOAA is asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call its hotline at 1-800-853-1964.

You can leave tips anonymously, but to be eligible for the reward you must include your name and contact information, the report said.
Domestic violence victims in parts of South Carolina are going longer without legal protections, particularly in the Pee Dee region, according to University of South Carolina researchers.

COLUMBIA  Domestic violence victims in parts of South Carolina are going weeks without legal protections, particularly in rural counties and the Grand Strand, according to a report by University of South Carolina researchers.

South Carolina is the only state in the country without temporary, emergency protective orders, put in place by judges to safeguard victims who file for them until they can hold a hearing for long-term approval.

The delay allows their abusers to have ready access to a gun while they wait.

With a protective order, a judge can require the abuser to turn in his guns for the length of the order, usually six months to a year. State law allows that only if a hearing determines the person seeking protection has reason to fear imminent peril.

The lack of temporary orders is one of the biggest gaps in law, said University of South Carolina law professor Lisa Martin, who leads student clinics offering legal assistance to domestic violence victims.

Thats especially a problem due to the wide variance across the state in how long it can take a family court judge to hear a victims request, another key finding of the USC study.

It involved a review of a years worth of court documents and protective order filings in 45 out of South Carolinas 46 counties. (Berkeley County opted not to participate.) The research was done by Martins law students, as well as USC students taking psychology and womens and gender studies.

They found a statewide average of 14 days between a court filing and hearing. Across those 3,451 cases, 91% of those seeking protection were women. A quarter of those cases cited the alleged abusers access to guns. Researchers did not analyze reasons for the delays.

The time gap grew to more than a month in the worst cases.

In Chesterfield County, 54% of victims waited more than 15 days to get a hearing.

In Edgefield and Union counties, 57% waited that long. It was 62% in Dillon County and 70% in Marion County. In fast-growing Horry County, where judges heard petitions from 114 people seeking protection, 72% of petitioners waited more than 15 days.

In Lee County, only nine victims sought orders but all of them waited 30 to 45 days for a hearing. Only one was approved.

Timing of these hearings is important because abuse victims are most at risk around the time they leave a relationship, according to Sara Barber, who heads the S.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

There are lives here that we can help or hurt, Barber said of the cases featured in the study.

Barber said those who sought protective orders reported terrifying incidents, to include being pushed down stairs or having their head squeezed so tightly their nose bled.

He said you belong to me until the day you die and youre not dead, yet! one court filing read.

Researchers didnt evaluate why judges denied requests, though they noted that reasons varied from paperwork errors to people not showing up for hearings. They plan to delve into that more in following phases.

Left out

South Carolina has historically rated at or near the worst in the nation in the rate of women murdered by men. The states consistent top-five showing led to a Pulitzer Prize winning series by The Post in Courier, published in 2014, calling state leaders out for lack of action. According to the series, even when victims got orders of protection, enforcement depended on victims calling police to report a violation.

The Legislature responded in 2015 with a law that increased penalties for abusers. It also prohibited those convicted of domestic violence from possessing or buying guns for a period of three years to a lifetime, depending on the severity of the crime.

The state fell out of the top 10 in 2018, before reverting to sixth-worst in 2019. The states ranking improved to 23rd in 2020, according to the most recent report by the Violence Policy Center.

I still wake up in the middle of the night thinking about some of these cases, S.C. Supreme Court Justice John Cannon Few, a former circuit court judge, said earlier this month during a presentation of the findings at the law school.

South Carolina encourages abuse victims to seek court orders as the primary way to protect themselves.

If that is going to our be central focus, then we have an obligation to make sure its working, Martin said.

As a second phase of their study, the researchers will analyze the use of emergency restraining orders, which are an option in cases of an immediate threat. A judge can issue those within 24 hours, but they arent as extensive as protective orders.

The alleged abuser is supposed to stay away but can keep his guns. Protective orders also decide custody of children and living arrangements.

The state also lacks protections for those physically threatened by a dating partner they dont live with.

South Carolina is among just three states where victims must have lived in the same home as the abusive partner to qualify for protective orders.

What I found glaring is how many people are left out all together, Martin said.

Task force findings

Adding dating partners to the protective order law was among recommendations in 2019 from a task force originally formed by then-Gov. Nikki Haley.

But the part that temporarily takes away alleged abusers guns has prevented passage of legislation to do so.

The latest bipartisan attempt has been sitting on the Senate calendar since February 2023. Floor debate on the bill chiefly sponsored by Sen. Katrina Shealy, R-Lexington, has been blocked by Sen. Tom Corbin, R-Travelers Rest. He did not return a message from the SC Daily Gazette. But in the past, hes said a restraining order shouldnt take away someones Second Amendment rights.

A bipartisan House bill that would allow judges to issue emergency protective orders has gone nowhere since its February 2023 filing.

Martin said she cant speak to how well police enforce protective orders once theyre issued. But in her experience, they give peace of mind and a sense of acknowledgment from the legal system to those seeking them.

They really can help people feel supported, Martin said.

Counties with longest delays

These 10 counties saw the largest percentage of domestic abuse victims who waited more than 15 days for an order of protection hearing.

Lee: 100% (9 cases, 1 order granted) Horry: 76% (114 cases, 58 orders granted) Marion: 70% (32 cases, 10 orders granted) Dillon: 62% (43 cases, 16 orders granted) Edgefield: 57.2% (10 cases, 7 orders granted) Union: 57.1% (29 cases, 14 orders granted) Chesterfield: 54% (39 cases, 13 orders granted) Marlboro: 50% (7 cases, 2 orders granted) Jasper: 44.4% (18 cases, 10 orders granted) Georgetown: 43.8% (77 cases, 38 orders granted)

Statewide, 23.4% of victims waited more than 15 days for a hearing. Of 3,451 cases heard, judges granted orders of protection in 1,571.

Source: Orders of Protection in South Carolina

The post Domestic violence victims in SC can wait weeks for legal protections appeared first on SC Daily Gazette.
One of the most terrifying features of the climate crisis is how it jeopardizes our access to water, without which we cannot live. Some two billion people lack safe drinking water, while almost two-thirds of the human population suffers from water scarcity for some part of the year. This in turn imperils food security, since agriculture is impossible without water.

As climate change exacerbates water shortages, water profiteering is making the problem even worse. The barbaric capitalist insistence on treating water as a commodity incentivizes scarcity and hoarding, as well as imposes ever more extreme levels of thirst upon the worlds poor.

Responding to the threat of profiteers exploiting a water shortage in the western United States, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ro Khanna recently introduced a bill that would ban trading water as a commodity. Speaking to the press last week, Warren rejected the premise that the water crisis should be a source of profit for the rich and powerful. Instead, she said, the bill would protect water from Wall Street speculation and ensure our most essential resources isnt auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Thats a good start: Were long overdue for policymakers to question the capitalist premise that water scarcity should be a profit opportunity. But why stop there? Water, especially as our access to it is increasingly imperiled, ought to be a public good.

At present, investors in Californiawhich has been wracked by frequent and severe drought in recent yearscan buy and sell water rights in the water futures trading market. That practice could spread to other states, stretching supplies and driving up prices; corporations are buying up farmland to acquire the water rights that come with it.

There are obvious problems with this: In addition to the ethical case against profiting from a water shortage, water profiteering gives people incentivizes to make the shortage worse.

The same specterthat dangerous profiteering could drive western states into further water scarcityhas also driven efforts in Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska to forbid or limit the export of water. Its easy to imagine how some of these regulations could pose problemswhat if people in a neighboring state need water?but the intention of curbing disaster capitalism is a commendable one.

But trading water futures is only one form of profiteering. This bill would leave another, more widely accepted form completely untouched: namely, private water utility companies. If most people can agree that speculation on water rights in a time of drought is wrong, perhaps we should rethink the morality and legality of buying and selling water at all. Why should private commerce be involved in water, ever? It shouldnt. Water, essential to life, should be a public good.

The United Kingdom can attest to the disaster of for-profit water hucksterism. From the early twentieth century until the Thatcher era, water was nationalized for public health reasons. After a disastrous decades-long experiment in water privatization, which by one estimate has cost consumers 2.3 billion pounds a year more than they would have paid under a public water utilityEngland and Wales became the only countries with fully privatized water and sewage systemsthe government is now preparing for a possible takeover of the Thames Water company, which is wracked with debt and scandal and on the brink of collapse. Even worse, Thames Water operated with zero regard for the public interest, despite being entrusted with one of the most important goods on Earth. Early this year, the Mayor of London released data showing that last year, the amount of sewage released by Thames Water into Londons waterways increased fivefold. Indeed, since 2020, according to reports from late last year, the company pumped at least 72 billion liters of sewage into the famous river that shares its name, a billion of it dumped in on day in 2021. Environmentalists said the company had been neglecting this problem for decades and had failed to invest in modernizing its infrastructure. Disgracefully, in addition to its carelessness with public health and the environment, Thames has proposed a 56 percent rate hike to bail itself outcharging customers more for sewage-y water (yum). Even the respectable Financial Times has called a spell of public ownership  hardly the worst-case scenario.

Like the Khanna-Warren bill, the idea of a public takeover of Thames is exactly right, but needs to go bigger. Water should be permanently nationalized in the U.K. Nationalization of Thames enjoys strong popular support in the U.K., with more than 80 percent in favor of privatizing all water despite the governments currently cautious approach.

Nationalizing water might seem like a long shot in the U.S., where privatization tends to be the default. But even in this enthusiastically capitalist country, wed be pretty upset if some hucksters figured out a way to charge us for the air we breathe, probably the only public good that is as essential to our existence as water.

And all over the world, societies socialize many other public goods that we deem vital. In the United States, wed be outraged if children were charged fees to attend K-12 schools or use public playgrounds. Many countries have rejected the idea of private profit in health care, making it a public responsibility through a single-payer system. Plenty of European countries take a similar approach to childcare.

Water is just as essential as any of those things. Speculation should surely be banned, as Warren and Khanna seek to dobut all private ownership of water should be banned, too. As we face worsening droughts, lets move past half measures and recognize that business has no business at all in our water. Instead, it should be extracted from it like so much toxic sewage in the Thames.
Donald Trump went on a wild rant about the recently held White House Correspondents' Dinner. The former president took shots at Colin Jost and President Joe Biden, who both trolled him during the event.

It comes amid his being embroiled in a trial about hush money payments paid to former adult film star Stormy Daniels, whom he allegedly had a sexual encounter with.

Donald Trump Says The White House Correspondents' Dinner 'Was Really Bad'

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Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump shared his opinion of the White House Correspondents' Dinner - an annual event hosted to honor journalists who cover the President of the United States and his administration.

The former president particularly slammed Biden and Jost, who made jokes about him while giving speeches at the dinner.

Trump wrote, "The White House Correspondents' Dinner was really bad. Colin Jost BOMBED, and Crooked Joe was an absolute disaster! Doesn't get much worse than this!"

During the dinner, Biden subtly referenced Trump as a "6-year-old" while talking about the upcoming presidential elections.

He added, per the New York Post, "The defeated former president [Trump] has made no secret of his attack on our democracy. He said he wants to be a dictator on Day One and so much more. He tells supporters he is the revenge and retribution."

Meanwhile, Jost trolled Trump for falling asleep during court sessions for his ongoing hush money trial. He also praised Biden, saying, "Thank you for your decency."

Donald Trump Is Leading Joe Biden In New Poll

MEGA

As the campaign for the next election continues, a recent report has shown that many people find Biden's current tenure a failure while Trump's was a success.

According to NYP, based on registered voters, the poll found that 61% deemed Biden's tenure a failure, while 39% deemed it a success. The values worsened from the 57% they were back in January.

With regards to political supporters, the poll showed that "Republicans now are more unified around the idea that Trump's presidency was a success than Democrats are that Biden's has been one."

"Overall, 92% of Republicans call Trump's time in office a success, while just 73% of Democrats say Biden's has been a success so far. Among independents, 51% say Trump's presidency was successful while only 37% see Biden's as a success," the report claimed.

The poll also hinted that Trump had the most support for the upcoming elections, with 49% of registered voters siding with him, while Biden only garnered 43%.

Donald Trump Claims Hush Money Trial Is 'Political Persecution'

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The favorable numbers for Trump come in the wake of his being embroiled in a trial in Manhattan over charges of paying hush money to adult entertainer Stormy Daniels to keep their alleged affair from becoming public knowledge.

The former president has not taken the trial in stride and was seen ranting to reporters on the first day.

"Nobody has ever seen anything like it," Trump said, per The Guardian. "This is political persecution ... it's a case that should have never been brought."

The Ex-President Claims His Trial Is An 'Assault On America'

MEGA

Although Trump refrained from naming names while ranting about the trial, he went on to call the proceedings "an assault on America."

He continued, "This is an assault. On our country. And it's a country that's failing. It's a country that's run by an incompetent man who's very much involved in this case. "

"This is really an attack on a political opponent. That's all it is. So I'm very honored to be here," the former president added.

During his court hearing on Friday, which coincided with his wife, Melania Trump's 54th birthday, the billionaire mogul went on another rant, claiming that he couldn't spend the day with his wife because of the trial.

He also wished her a happy birthday outside the courtroom, which caused him to get ridiculed online.

Donald Trump Calls His Gag Order 'Unconstitutional'

MEGA

Prior to the start of the trial, Trump was slammed with a gag order to prohibit him from publicly discussing witnesses or jurors in the criminal hush money case.

However, he was recently accused of violating the order several times, leading to a separate motion to be heard to confirm if he indeed did so.

In typical Trump style, he spoke with the press to voice his dissatisfaction with the restrictions that come with the gag order.

"We have a gag order, which to me is totally unconstitutional," Trump told the press while holding onto articles he claimed called the hush money trial a "sham."

He added, "I'm not allowed to talk, but people are allowed to talk about me, so they can talk about me. They can say whatever they want. They can lie, but I'm not allowed to say anything."

The real estate mogul also claimed that his participation in the campaign trail was being derailed by his being compelled to attend the trial.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 29. Two checkpoints will be temporarily closed on the Kyrgyzstan-China border, Trend reports.

According to the Border Guard Service of Kyrgyzstan, the Torugart and the Irkeshtam checkpoints will be temporarily closed on May 1, 2024, at the initiative of the Chinese side, due to the celebration of Labor Day in China. The crossings will reopen on May 2, 2024.

Currently, there are two border crossings operational on the Kyrgyzstan-China border. Since March 1, 2024, customs inspection and processing procedures at these crossings have been conducted around the clock. This new measure is intended to enhance the country's ties with one of its leading economic partners. Kyrgyzstan and China also plan to open a new crossing point on the Bedel Pass.
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN)  Dothan City Schools has welcomed ten new members to the Wolf Pack.

The ten Dothan City School District elementary schools were rebranded and received new wolf pup mascots. The new characters display each schools characteristics and colors.





















I am extremely proud to accomplish this for our district. This concept was birthed from the minds of our own students. In their words, we want to be Wolves! said Superintendent Dr. Dennis Coe.

According to DCS, the logos were created over several months in collaboration with Rhodes Branding, a marketing firm based in South Carolina.

The process included receiving feedback from teachers and staff through surveys. Students at each school also gave their opinions by casting creative votes via coloring sheets.

To celebrate the rebranding, on Friday, April 26, DCS held a traveling pep rally. A bus branded Wolf Force One, carrying the Dothan High School cheer team and Pride of the Wolfpack Marching Band, went to each school and revealed the logos to the students and staff.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
About 50 people are believed to have died after a dam burst in Kenyas Great Rift Valley on April 29

AP Photo People gathering after a dam burst in Kenya

Dozens of people are dead after a dam in Kenya burst following weeks of heavy rain and flooding.

The Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Great Rift Valley region, broke its banks early in the morning on Monday, April 29, sending water and debris gushing downstream, according to the Associated Press and The Guardian.

About 50 people have been found dead, and the death toll is expected to rise, the BBC reported, adding that many people are still being pulled from the mud.

AP Photo People gathering after a dam burst in Kenya

"This is the worst I've ever come across in my career," Anthony Muchiri, an emergency response manager with the Kenya Red Cross, told the outlet.

Peter Muhoho, who lives in the village of Kianugu, said most of his neighbors were swept away by the floodwaters. I was asleep when I heard a loud bang and screams, he told the BBC. Water had flooded the area.

AP Photo People clean up after a dam burst in Kenya

Related: At Least 5 People, Including a Baby, Dead After Tornadoes Hit Oklahoma and Iowa

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David Kamau, who was born in Mai Mahiu, said floodwaters also washed away many houses and vehicles in the area. We have never seen such devastating floods since we were born here, he told the outlet.

Related: 14 Shocking Photos of Maryland's Destructive Flooding This Weekend

Kithure Kindiki, Kenyas interior minister, said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the government has ordered the inspection of all public and private dams and water reservoirs within 24 hours, effective at 2 p.m. local time.

The minister also asked security and intelligence officials to recommend cases where compulsory evacuation and temporary resettlement orders should be issued.

The Government is deeply concerned by the loss of life and destruction of public and private property resulting from the ongoing floods, Kindiki wrote.

AP Photo/Patrick Ngugi Damage after the dam burst

Nearly 100 people have died in the last month in parts of Kenya devastated by flooding, according to the BBC.

The same areas of the country being impacted by the deadly floods have recently been recovering from the worst drought in 40 years, according to the IFRCs website.

Related: 1 Dead in Mississippi as Storms Sweep Across the South, Bringing Tornadoes and Extreme Rain

The flood crisis in Kenya is worsening due to the combined effects of El Nino and the immense amount of rain that has fallen in the region since March, said Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General and CEO of the International Federation of Red Cross, in a post on X.

El Nino has triggered devastating floods and river overflows since November, causing more than a hundred deaths and widespread damage, Chapagain added.

An Indian Ocean Dipole, which is similar to El Nino, is also helping trigger immense amounts of rainfall, according to the BBC.



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Dr. Steve Barnett, National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)

Theres a very good argument to be made that the United States should guarantee free and universal early childhood education from birth to all American families. Nations that invest in the care of young children when their minds and bodies are still developing see vastly improved outcomes later on. Sadly, the U.S. is not yet one of those nations. Instead, it consigns millions of pre-Kindergartners each year to a patchwork of private providers of widely varying quality  most of which operate on a financial shoestring.

Those looking to understand this system, its flaws, and the ways in which it should be improved would do well to follow the work of Dr. Steven Barnett at the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University. Recently, the Institute released its annual State of Preschool report and Barnett shared with NC Newsline how North Carolina fares when it comes to preschool enrollment, funding, and quality.

Read the latest report for North Carolina here.

The post Dr. Steven Barnett on where NC stands when it comes to preschool enrollment, funding, and quality appeared first on NC Newsline.
Drake University will eliminate three programs in order to help balance its budget. (Photo courtesy of Drake University)

Drake University will eliminate three programs as part of efforts to make up budget deficits, the university announced Monday.

University President Marty Martin said in a message to campus that the religion major, East Asian studies minor and evidence-based health care graduate certificate will be discontinued. The 14 students in the programs will be given a teach-out plan in order to earn their credentials on time.

During a time when colleges and universities are struggling with declining enrollment from lower numbers of students deciding to go to college and aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Martin said Drake is working to position itself to expand and thrive while remaining true to its mission.

As the higher education landscape evolves, we too must evolve, Martin said in his message. This is not the first time Drake has navigated through a period of change. Each time, weve emerged stronger and more prepared to live up to our commitment to transforming lives and strengthening communities for generations to come.

The private university is trying to have its budget balanced by July 2025, Martin said, but he has told the faculty senate the deadline for cuts is June 30, 2026. He said the academic review and identification of programs to be eliminated is one part of that.

According to a draft of meeting minutes for a November Faculty Senate meeting, Provost Sue Mattison told members all units of the university have made cuts in order to lower costs that, alongside putting resources into new programs to drive recruitment, still werent enough to fill budget gaps.

The university would need to cut around $14.3 million of its $132 million operating budget in order to get where is needed, according to minutes from a Jan. 31 Faculty Senate meeting.

After Mattison told faculty senate members in the fall that the university would conduct an academic review, she announced to the university in March that 13 majors, minors and certificates were recommended for discontinuation.

In his message, Martin said, Since November 2023, we have worked collaboratively  faculty governance, administration, deans, and the Drake Board of Trustees  to review our academic offerings and identify areas where we can strengthen programs and better align the academic portfolio with student demand and workforce needs while staying true to our mission.

Once the recommendations were made, faculty had the chance to provide evidence that their programs were worth keeping. The Faculty Senate voted against recommendations to do away with programs including the rhetoric major and minor, physics and astronomy majors, and masters of accountancy and public administration at its April 17 meeting.

The three remaining programs up for elimination that passed through the Faculty Senate went to the Board of Trustees, which approved the recommendations last week. Combined, eliminating the programs could save the university a minimum of almost $130,000, according to a document detailing the programs recommended for discontinuance and the rationale behind them.

One faculty line will be eliminated from the religion major, according to the rationale, and the faculty member who held that position will be moved to the Law, Politics, and Society major.

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Editors note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that one of two faculty lines would be eliminated from the religion major and the remaining faculty member will be moved to a different major. It has been updated to say one faculty line will be eliminated and the faculty member who held that position will move to a different major.

The post Drake University to eliminate three academic programs to aid in balancing budget appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Driver fights with deputies, crashes into pole in Raleigh

UPDATE: Egypt Central is now open for east and west bound traffic, per the Shelby County Sheriffs Office.

******

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man was taken to the hospital after fighting with deputies during a traffic stop and then crashing into a utility pole Monday, according to the Shelby County Sheriffs Office.

Memphis Police investigating multiple overnight shootings

A little before 12:30 a.m., deputies pulled over a car at Bishop Hills Drive and Shadow Bark Cove.

During the traffic stop, the driver fought with deputies and ran away. He made it back to his car and sped off.

Less than a minute later, he crashed into a utility pole on Egypt Central and ended up in a ditch, SCSO says.

He was taken into custody and sent to Regional One in critical condition. No deputies were hurt.

The road is currently closed, and officials urge drivers to take Bolen Huse Road instead.

Man says property raided by SWAT wasnt base for drug trafficking

This remains an ongoing investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Duo sought in string of at least 7 robberies targeting NYC ride-share drivers

The NYPD is on the hunt for two suspects linked to at least seven robberies targeting Uber and Lyft drivers across Brooklyn and Staten Island.

The NYPD is on the hunt for two suspects linked to at least seven robberies targeting Uber and Lyft drivers across Brooklyn and Staten Island.

The duo is accused of hailing ride-shares and getting into the cars before requesting the drivers phone, claiming they want to change the destination  but then using the ruse to try to run off with the cell phone.

Police say the suspects, who hide behind face masks and hoodies, are linked to at least seven incidents that took place between Feb. 26 and March 13, CBS News reports.

Two suspects wearing face masks and hoodies are accused of robbing at least seven Uber and Lyft drivers between February and March. NYPD

During the first crime tied to the pair, the suspects got into a heated argument with the 38-year-old driver before slapping him and fleeing with his cell phone, cops say.

The next day, the suspects targeted another driver and allegedly pressed a sharp object into his back before demanding he hand his phone over, according to police.

Another incident involved the suspects snatching a phone out of a drivers hands, while one involved them ripping the phone off an attachment on a car vent.

All seven victims were identified as male drivers between the ages of 37 and 68, with none of them suffering serious injuries as a result of the robberies.

The latest ride-share crime spree is targeting drivers in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Getty Images

The crime spree comes a month after police put out a wanted notice for at least three other suspects believed to be behind 24 robberies targeting ride-share drivers.

In those cases, the suspects also were accused of snatching their drivers phones after requesting a change in destination.

The thieves then used the phones to transfer money to an unknown bank account, police said.

The scheme netted the suspects more than $30,000 between July 4, 2022 and Jan. 7, 2024.

It remains unclear if the new duo is related to these suspects.

Anyone with information in regard to the latest incidents is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips on Twitter @NYPDTips.
A maintenance employee for Duval County Public Schools was arrested Friday on charges related to solicitation of a minor, according to a message sent to the districts families on Monday.

According to the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office online Inmate Information Search, Kevin Bryan Pearce, 57, is facing charges that include:

Solicitation of a child via computer to engage in sexual conduct

Travel to meet after using a computer to seduce/solicit/lure a child

Transmission of material harmful to minor/s

Unlawful use of two-way communication device

Coerce commercial sexual activity of an adult for human trafficking

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DCPS said Pearce was hired in December 2017 and in addition to the criminal investigation, the district is conducting a professional standards investigation, the district said in the news release.

The district called Pearces arrest very disappointing news.

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DCPS while the presumption of innocence applies, if or when Pearce is released from jail, he will be assigned a role with no student contact pending the outcome of both the criminal and district investigations.

After sending its initial message to families, DCPS shared this information about Pearces work site in the district: To clarify, this employee did not report to a specific school. Rather, this individual served as a carpenter who fulfilled work orders at schools as needed throughout the district. For this reason, we shared this message with all Team Duval families.

Online records show that Pearce is still in jail being held on a more than $400,000 bond. His next court date is set for May 20.

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Georgia voters can start heading to the polls today as early voting gets underway for the May 21 primary and nonpartisan judicial elections.

For the next three weeks, people across the state can vote to choose their nominees for congressional and state legislative seats, as well as for local races including sheriffs, district attorneys and county commissioners.

Runoffs will be held June 18 in races where candidates dont win a majority in May.

Here is a list of races to keep track of:

CONGRESSIONAL SHOWDOWN

Six Republicans are seeking their partys nomination to succeed Ferguson in a district that runs along the Alabama border from Carrollton to Columbus and swings east into the Atlanta suburbs around Peachtree City and Fayetteville.

Former President Donald Trump has endorsed his one-time aide Brian Jack for the seat. Also seeking the nomination are former state Sens. Mike Crane and Mike Dugan, former state Rep. Philip Singleton, Jim Bennett and Ray Blair.

On the Democratic side, Val Almonord and Maura Keller are seeking their partys nomination in the heavily GOP district.

STATE SUPREME COURT

The May 21 vote is the general election for judicial candidates, who run without party labels.

Incumbent Justice Andrew Pinson, who was appointed to the court by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2022, is trying to win a six-year term. He is opposed by John Barrow, a former Democratic congressman. Barrow says he believes Georgians have a right to abortion under the state constitution, while Pinson says its inappropriate for him to talk about issues and important not to make the race partisan.

Justices Michael Boggs, John Ellington and Nels Peterson are unopposed. Six judges on the Georgia Court of Appeals are also unopposed, while Jeff Davis and Tabitha Ponder are contending for an open seat on that intermediate court of appeal.

TRENDING STORIES:

OTHER CONGRESSIONAL RACES

Incumbent U.S. Reps. Lucy McBath and David Scott, both Democrats, face challengers from their own party in redrawn districts.

Scott faces six challengers in the 13th District in Atlantas southern and eastern suburbs. They include former East Point City Council member Karen Rene, former South Fulton City Council member Mark Baker and attorney Brian Johnson. On the Republican side, Jonathan Chavez is running against Johsie Fletcher.

U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath has jumped from the 7th District to run in the 6th District, on the western side of metro Atlanta. Shes being challenged by fellow Democrats Mandisha Thomas, a state representative, and Jerica Richardson, a Cobb County commissioner.

LOCAL RACES

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, in the national spotlight for her prosecution of former President Trump and others, faces attorney Christian Wise Smith in the Democratic primary. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, who is presiding in the same case, is being challenged by lawyer and talk show host Robert Patillo. Lawyer Tiffani Johnson was disqualified from challenging McAfee.

WHAT WILL TURNOUT BE LIKE?

While 5 million or more Georgians could vote in Novembers presidential election, history suggests many fewer people will vote in the primary.

In 2016, the last time the state primaries didnt coincide with the presidential primary, only one-fifth as many people voted in May as in the presidential general election in November. With few hotly contested congressional primaries, races for county offices may be what bring voters to the polls in some parts of Georgia.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

RELATED NEWS:
There was an enormous amount of gunfire Monday when multiple officers were killed as U.S. Marshals tried to serve a warrant at an east Charlotte home, neighbors who witnessed the incident said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said a U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force attempted to serve a warrant in the 5000 block of Galway Drive when they exchanged gunfire with a suspect. Three officers were killed and another five were wounded, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said during a news conference.

Jennings said a suspect shot and killed during the incident was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon. Thats why officers went to the house at 5525 Galway Drive.

Many other details about the incident are unclear, including how it escalated from a warrant service to a shootout with police.

All of a sudden it sounded like Vietnam out there, said Larry Mackey, who lives in the neighborhood and who said he saw the firefight.

When an Observer reporter called him around 3:45 p.m., Mackey estimated that there must be 30 or 40 police cars at the scene.

Whoever was in the house was still there, he said.

Charlotte roads, city transit and schools impacted by CMPD shooting investigation

There was a litany of gunfire, just an enormous amount, said a neighbor, who heard pops from inside her shower. She bought a home three lots down from the scene, which was still active as of 4 p.m. Monday, and requested to remain anonymous, citing safety concerns.

The home had police cars in front of it twice since she moved in in October, she said. Now, it was surrounded by at least 150 officers and snipers perched on neighbors homes. A negotiation tent popped up around 3 p.m.  after officers dragged one of the shot officers into an ambulance, she said.

In a statement posted Monday afternoon, community nonprofit Charlotte East said the senseless actions of a few individuals have upturned the lives of many.

While we do not know how this situation unfolded, we do know that it is yet another in a series of gun-related incidents that have plagued the Milton/Barrington/Plaza area, the nonprofit said in its statement. Since Saturday the 27th, five reports of shots fired have been made within a mile of the site of todays incident.

CMPD said at 4:56 p.m. that the scene was clear and the area was safe. At least one person was found dead inside the Galway Drive house. CMPD was questioning two other people inside the home.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools put a number of schools in the area on lockdown during the incident, including Devonshire Elementary, Briarwood Academy, Cochrane Collegiate and Lawrence Orr Elementary. Those lockdowns were lifted by 3:40 p.m.
Air China resumes Beijing-Madrid-Sao Paulo flight route

Xinhua) 08:56, April 29, 2024

Passengers board flight CA897 of Air China at Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. (Air China/Handout via Xinhua)

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Air China, the country's flag carrier airline, officially resumed its Beijing-Madrid-Sao Paulo passenger air route on Sunday after a hiatus of over four years.

A Boeing 787-9 aircraft, carrying more than 263 passengers, took off from Beijing Capital International Airport at around 3 p.m. (Beijing Time) on Sunday, marking Air China's return to the South American market.

Covering an extensive distance of nearly 17,584 km each way, the flights will require over 25 hours to reach Brazil, making this route one of the world's longest one-stop flights.

According to Air China, flights are scheduled to depart at 3 p.m. every Thursday and Sunday from Beijing, with a stopover in Madrid in Spain, before arriving at Sao Paulo in Brazil at 5:05 a.m. local time. The return flight departs from Sao Paulo at 9:15 a.m. and arrives in Beijing at 7:30 p.m.

Zhou Yeting, who works with Air China, said that the resumption of the flight will promote economic, cultural and personnel exchanges between China and Brazil.

"We will further increase the flight frequencies according to market conditions. In the future, Air China will also actively promote cooperation with local Brazilian airlines, accelerate the restoration of network connectivity, continuously optimize services, enhance passenger travel experiences, and meet diverse travel needs," Zhou said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, April 29. Most of the applications sent to the Kyrgyzstan-Azerbaijan Development Fund relate to small hydropower, the fund's board co-chairman, Almaz Mambetov said, Trend reports.

"Of the applications submitted to the fund, hydropower projects comprise 29 percent, followed by infrastructure projects at 22 percent. Manufacturing constitutes 17 percent, agro-industry 13 percent, and tourism 10 percent," he said.

According to the co-chairman, many applications have been received since the fund was announced. To date, 42 applications have been received from 42 companies. The total number of applications exceeds $160 million. The fund is generating a lot of interest among entrepreneurs and businessmen.

"This marks the establishment of the fourth development fund in Kyrgyzstan. Initially, there were Kyrgyz-Russian, Kyrgyz-Uzbek, and Kyrgyz-Hungarian funds. Following the Azerbaijani fund, the Kyrgyz-Emirati fund emerged," he emphasized.

On October 11, 2022, an agreement was inked to establish the Kyrgyzstan-Azerbaijan Development Fund, initially with an authorized capital of $25 million. By April 2024, this capital had been augmented to $100 million.

The fund aims to foster economic growth in Kyrgyzstan, facilitate economic collaboration between Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan, and efficiently execute bilateral cooperation initiatives.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
FILE - Supporters of former Vice President Jorge Glas cheer after an Ecuadorian court of justice declared that his arrest inside Mexico's embassy was illegal, in Quito, Ecuador, April 12, 2024. Ecuador announced on Monday, April 29, that it is suing Mexico before the International Court of Justice for granting political asylum to Glas who was later imprisoned after a break-in at the country's embassy in Quito, triggering the rupture of diplomatic relations between Ecuador and Mexico. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa, File)

QUITO, Ecuador (AP)  Ecuador filed a complaint Monday at the top U.N. court over what it called Mexicos illegal move to grant political asylum to a former Ecuadorian vice president, which led to Ecuadors highly criticized raid on a Mexican embassy earlier this month.

The Ecuadorian complaint at the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands intensifies a high-profile diplomatic quarrel with Mexico, which has filed its own complaint with the panel alleging that Ecuadors highly unusual April 5 raid to arrest Jorge Glas was illegal.

Ecuadors counterclaim is that Glas was a fugitive wanted on corruption convictions and not for political reasons, and that therefore he was not eligible for Mexicos diplomatic protection. Ecuadorian authorities forcibly entered the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest the former Ecuadorian vice president hours after Mexico granted him asylum.

Mexico failed to comply with its obligations not to grant asylum to people who are being prosecuted or on trial for common crimes or have been convicted by competent ordinary courts, Ecuador's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Glas, who was convicted in two corruption cases, had been living at the diplomatic compound in Ecuadors capital, Quito, since December. He is now being held at a maximum security prison at the port city of Guayaquil.

The court said in a statement that Ecuador accuses Mexico of unlawfully granting Mr Glas political asylum and of interfering in its internal affairs.

Security camera video released by Mexicos government shows that Ecuadorian police scaled the embassy walls and broke into the building. Roberto Canseco, Mexicos head of consular affairs in Ecuador, tried to keep them from entering, even pushing a large cabinet in front of a door. But police restrained him and pushed him to the floor as they carried Glas out.

Authorities are currently investigating Glas over alleged irregularities during his management of reconstruction efforts following a powerful earthquake in 2016 that killed hundreds of people. He previously was convicted on two separate bribery and corruption cases.

Diplomatic premises are considered foreign soil and inviolable under the Vienna treaties and host country law enforcement agencies are not allowed to enter without permission from the ambassador.

Legal experts, Latin American presidents and diplomats swiftly condemned Ecuador's extremely rare show of force. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro even ordered the closure of his countrys embassy and consulates in Ecuador in solidarity with Mexico.

Immediately after the raid, Mexico broke diplomatic relations with Ecuador, recalled its diplomatic staff and closed its embassy and consulates. Days later, it filed a complaint with the court.

In its case filed April 11, Mexico asked the World Court to order Ecuador to take appropriate and immediate steps to provide full protection and security of diplomatic premises and prevent any further intrusions. It also wants Ecuador to let Mexico clear its diplomatic premises and the homes of its diplomats in the country.

Mexico also asked the court to award reparation and suspend Ecuador from the United Nations. Hearings on Mexico's case are set to begin Tuesday.
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly attends the Egypt Partnership Agreements for the Climate Transition session on the sidelines of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP27. Gehad Hamdy/dpa

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Palestinian civilians living in Gaza were suffering "collective punishment" from Israel's retaliatory military campaign for the attacks launched by the Islamist Hamas group on October 7.

"What has taken place, all Palestinians in Gaza have to pay for it," Madbouly said. "It was collective punishment - not punishment for Hamas, but for all Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip."

Israel's response to the massacre that left some 1,200 people dead and hundreds more taken hostage "was unbelievable," he said at a conference organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh on Monday.

More than 80% of the health facilities in Gaza had been destroyed, he said, while an "estimated 7,000 [people] remain under the rubble."

The prime minister said it would take "decades" for Gaza to recover.

On Sunday, the Hamas-controlled health authority put the number of people killed in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war at 34,454. The figures it publishes make no distinction between civilians and militants and are almost impossible to verify independently.

The WEF conference under way in Saudi Arabia's capital is focusing on topics including health, the environment and finance. Several Western and Arab foreign ministers were due to meet on the fringes of the conference to discuss the Gaza war.
An elderly Mafia capo got two years in prison for socking a Manhattan steakhouse owner to collect a gambling debt, and his lawyer said he had no regrets about the fateful punch.

Federal prosecutors were asking Anthony Rom Romanello get a much more serious sentence, nearly six years, to account for the 86-year-old Genovese members long, mostly unpunished life of crime.

But Romanellos lawyer, Gerald McMahon, called the charges a meatball case that prosecutors sat on for years in the hopes Romanello would do something more serious so they could try to flip him against now-deceased Genovese big Anthony Tough Tony Federici.

When the government asks for 71 months, and the judge gave 24, thank God justice was done in Brooklyn, an ebullient McMahon said after the sentencing in Brooklyn Federal Court Monday. His lawyer thinks, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that Rom has no regrets.

Romanello was convicted in December of extortion-related charges after he punched steakhouse owner Shuqeri Bruno Selimaj on May 11, 2017, to collect an $86,000 gambling debt owed by the restaurateurs kin. The punch, inside Selimajs now-closed swanky Lincoln Square Steak, was caught on video

McMahon argued that his elderly client punched Selimaj because the restaurateur called him a washed-up Italian.

What would Jerry McMahon do? I would have knocked him flat out, the defense lawyer told reporters Monday.

The confrontation happened after Selimajs nephew, Toni, and the nephews brother-in-law, Eddie, lost big gambling with a Queens ring run by bookie Michael Regan, according to prosecutors.

Romanello, a regular at Selimajs restaurants, knew all the parties involved, and was brought in to resolve the debt  which he did in three menacing visits over two months, prosecutors allege.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Rehnquist characterized Romanello as a lifelong career criminal who hasnt held legitimate work since the 1960s. In a letter to Judge Eric Komitee, she argued that Romanello was convicted of 23 crimes over his life, but only sentenced to 36 months.

He got no jail time for bribing cops in the 1970s, three years for a $900,000 armed robbery in the 1980s, and probation in 2007 and 2012 for obstruction of justice and racketeering conspiracy.

In a one-sentence response letter, McMahon referred to Rehnquists arguments as unhinged screeching  a description Rehnquist took issue with Monday.

This is about a defendant who lived his whole life as someone who commits crimes, Rehnquist told the judge on Monday. What this defendant did was illegal  and the defendant has never understood that, because hes never been held accountable for his crimes.

She also suggested that a longer sentence would put other aging La Cosa Nostra members on notice. He cant use old age as a shield to not be punished, she said.

Two members of Romanellos family booed the prosecutors as they left the courtroom after the sentencing.

McMahon also blasted the victims family as degenerate gamblers who collected $300,000 from Regan when their bets paid off, but refused to pay $86,000 when they lost.

On the street, street justice would say that those guys deserve a far bigger beating than what was administered to Bruno, he said. They know its a meatball case. Its a nothing case.

He said prosecutors waited on the charges for more than four years, but Romanello never committed any new crimes. Romanello even skipped last years big Genovese crime family Christmas party while he was out on bail, McMahon said.

Hes pretty much been out of the life. He certainly intends to stay out of the life, McMahon said.

Romanellos been in jail since December, which means hell likely be released in 15 months with good time.

Komitee said he hoped Romanello manages to uphold the law for the rest of his golden years. We all know people are living well into their 90s these days, sometimes their hundreds, he said. I have every confidence as I sit here today that the meaning of this sentence, as reduced as it is, has come through clearly.

Romanellos co-defendant, Joseph Celso, had his sentencing adjourned until next month.
Elgin News Digest: West Dundee closes on $7 million deal to purchase of Spring Hill Mall; Elgin resident announced as winner of National Merit Scholarship; volunteers sought for Fox River cleanup being held Saturday in Elgin

West Dundee closes on $7 million deal to purchase of Spring Hill Mall

The village of West Dundee has closed on a deal to buy Spring Hill Mall from Kohan Retail Investment Group of Great Neck, New York, for $7 million.

It was the last of three purchases of mall space finalized by the village in its plan to redevlop the site for multiple uses. Last year, the West Dundee Village Board approved buying the former Sears anchor store from Hoffman Estates-based Transformco for $1.95 million and the former Macys anchor store from Macys for $1.21 million.

While the 44-year-old shopping center closed to the public on March 22, the Kohls anchor store and Cinemark movie theaters remain open.

Later this spring, fencing will be placed around most of the malls parking lot in advance of having the mall demolished later in the year, a process that could take six months, according to a village news release.

The villages aim is to bring simplicity to the (redevelopment) process so that reliable developers with established track records will be interested in partnering to reformat the area, Village President Chris Nelson said in the release. Without municipal intervention, that simply wont happen.

Elgin resident announced as winner of National Merit Scholarship

Claire K. OBrien-Dull, an Elgin resident, is among the winners announced in the first round of scholarships awarded in 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

OBrien-Dull, a student at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, is the recipient of the National Merit Omron Scholarship. She plans to pursue a career in physics.

About 770 high school seniors were named winners of corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 94 corporations, company foundations and other business organizations, a news release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation said.

There are two more rounds of scholarships that will be announced in the next few weeks.

Students selected as winners advanced to the finalist level in the scholarship competition and met the criteria of their scholarship sponsors. They entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program when they took the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

The programs semifinalists, which were the highest-scoring program entrants of each state, represent less than 1% of the nations seniors.

Volunteers sought for Fox River cleanup being held Saturday in Elgin

A Fox River cleanup event sponsored by state Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, and Friends of the Fox River will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 4, starting at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.

While the Friends nonprofit group will provide water and snacks and have some supplies on hand, volunteers are asked to bring gloves, tools and plastic shopping bags or buckets to help collect garbage, a news release said. They also should dress for the weather and protect themselves from sun, poison ivy and insects by wearing long sleeves, pants and closed-toe shoes that can get muddy.

Milkweed seeds donated by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will be available for participants. Milkweed plants provide food for migrating monarch butterflies.

For more information, call 847-841-7130 or go to friendsofthefoxriver.org/event/fox-river-cleanup-with-representative-anna-moeller.
During a Monday morning press conference, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons identified the three men killed during a Sunday morning "ambush" in Myrtle Grove and said it is believed the triple shooting was an act of retaliation.

Simmons said 26-year-old Markeese Turner, 28-year-old Michael Carstarphen and 23-year-old Trashawn Powers were the three men fatally shot in a vehicle parked outside of an invite-only party at the corner of 65th Avenue and Jackson Streets.

"This was not random, this was not a drive-by, this was a shooting that took place at close range, and it was clearly targeted," Simmons said during the press conference.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons speaks at a press conference on Monday, April 29, 2024.

The three men were sitting in their convertible Mustang when Simmons said two shooters parked away from the victims and walked through a yard and a shed before getting to the Mustang. Once there, both fired multiple rounds at the three men.

Two of the men were pronounced dead at the scene, and the other victim was transported to a local hospital where he eventually died as well.

Simmons said investigators believe the shooting was retaliation for a previous event, but the sheriff told the News Journal they're not sure what event the shooting was meant to avenge.

"We're taking a look at a couple different events, and it may have not been yesterday," he said. "Retaliatory shootings sometimes take days, sometimes they can take months."

In case you missed it: Judge declares mistrial for Pensacola woman indicted for murdering cell mate with fentanyl

According to the Sheriff's Office, all available investigators have been called in and the real-time crime center  which, among other functions, allow investigators to compile footage from public security cameras  has been activated. Investigators are asking anyone who attended the party to review any videos or photos and provide any useful information to ECSO investigators.

Simmons also said at least one of the victims was recently released from prison but did not know if his previous charges related to the retaliation.

According to the Florida Department of Corrections, Carstarphen had only been released from prison custody for eight days before he was fatally shot. FDOC records also indicate that Powers was on supervised probation during the shooting.

"This is certainly a tragedy; our thoughts and prayers go out to the family," Simmons said. "You don't want to get a phone call saying that something has happened to your child, so you do not want to get a phone call about something this tragic, something this needless has taken place."

Anyone who has any information regarding this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 850-433-STOP or the ECSO at 850-436-9620.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Myrtle Grove triple homicide is retaliation, ECSO sheriff says
Jesus Castillo, a senior at Roosevelt High, said he found his identity and understood his familys journey when he took a Chicano Studies class last semester.

I started to see my journey from elementary school, middle school and high school after we did the course, he said. I feel empowered by learning the untold history, I feel differently about what I had and my goal.

He recalled his childhood while learning about Redlining. The term references the discriminatory mortgage policies that led to further racial segregation in the 20th century. West Fresno had been marked red on federal maps and labeled undesirable, because of the urban planning from the citys inception in the 1800s located landfills, factories and slaughterhouses on the west side of the railroad tracks. Immigrants and people of color were denied the opportunity to live on the east side of the railway.

For a long time, Castillos family lived in a small shack, he said. His parents and friends homes were often crowded with households, and they felt isolated from the city as they had to cross the highway to reach almost anywhere. His parents were always worried about safety.

The class was considered to be an elective, that makes me sad, because this part of history is to be shared not just as a (high school graduation) requirement, he said, speaking at a board meetings public comment session in March.

As Fresno Unified faces a budget shortfall and re-evaluates priorities, teachers and students spoke to the board about the importance of Ethnic Studies, not only to fulfill a high school graduation requirement but also as an invaluable way to learn about community and the roots of their cultures.

A state law passed in 2021 requires high schoolers to take at least one semester of Ethnic Studies or its topical courses to graduate, effective from the class of 2030. As the third largest school district in California with a diverse student population, Fresno Unified went further, passing a resolution in August 2020 to affirm its support to expand the curriculum. It aimed to implement two semesters of Ethnic Studies as a graduation requirement as early as the class of 2027, and promised a TSA position for Ethnic Studies to help with administrative tasks, such as expanding the courses, mentoring new teachers, and outreach for resources.

However, the proposal of two semesters of Ethnic Studies was never written into Fresno Unifieds high school graduation requirement. Only nine out of 14 middle schools have an introductory course, and the district has just started to train elementary teachers to bring Ethnic Studies elements to primary classes. When The Fresno Bee asked about student enrollment in Ethnic Studies classes every semester, the district didnt provide the numbers, saying in an email from the districts communications office that high school sites have the capacity to serve all students interested in Ethnic Studies.

Teachers said the district isnt moving fast enough to accomplish the state requirement, not to mention providing affluent learning opportunities that align with students ethnic representation. Teachers also told The Bee that they had to fight to keep resources for Ethnic Studies, amid the tightening budget, so the years of efforts to expand the curriculum are not wasted.

They just fought to reinstate the TSA position, as Fresno Unified has been engaged in budget discussions and sent out preventive layoff notices. The district was proposing to reassign 60 teachers who were On special assignments back to classroom teaching. The Ethnic Studies TSA position was among the cuts, but dozens of teachers, students, and community members showed up in board meetings to speak against the removal.

Under pressure, the district said the role will continue for the next school year, though the decision wont be finalized by the human resources department until the board approves the budget in June.

Marisa Rodriguez, an Ethnic Studies teacher at Roosevelt High, said teachers regard reinstating the TSA position as a win, but there is a long list of concerns they would like to address to the board, such as the lack of Ethnic Studies classes and teachers, and the flexibility for using latest materials for the course.

Im moving to Farber Educational Center next year, and Im concerned regarding the fact that Im the only Ethnic Studies teacher between the three sites, said Mercedes Rodriguez, an Ethnic Studies teacher at eLearn Academy, at the public comment session. The eLearn Academy will consolidate with JE Young Academic Center and Cambridge High later this year. The importance of hiring more FTEs and providing the necessary training to those are teaching Ethnic Studies is crucial to ensure that this discipline is not watered down, she said.

Rodriguez said teachers were told the course materials need to be approved by the superintendent or designees, while Ethnic Studies is not textbook-based, it examines reality and is closely knitted with the local community. Fresno Unified Board Policy requires course materials to be either given or approved by the district.

These groups of people are not even required to complete training to familiarize themselves with the content of this discipline, said Rodriguez. In the past two years, Ive come across many instances in which the administration and counselors at my site are unfamiliar with what is taught in my classroom and the importance of Ethnic Studies.

Some students also said that the district inadequately emphasizes the changing dialogue in race and ethnicity, even though over 90% of Fresno students come from ethnic minority backgrounds and more than 59 languages are spoken throughout school sites. Ethnic Studies filled the gap to provide a safe space for students to learn and discuss.

I realized my passion for the history of people of color and the need to learn, share and understand this knowledge, said Izzy Garcia, senior student at Edison High. We created a space where we could learn and help each other grow. Because my school does not provide opportunities to build community with students of color, we must do it ourselves.

She said the opportunity to learn the subject has changed her life. After learning about the Third World Liberation Front at San Francisco State in the AP African American, she was inspired to apply to the San Francisco State and major in Ethnic Studies.

Too often the students of color who make up the majority of your district are neglected in the places theyre supposed to feel safe, and seen. Were so often taught white history in history that doesnt represent us, she told the trustees at a recent board meeting. So the question I have for you is, where does this board stand on the issue of Ethnic Studies?
The worlds largest airlines are urging Brussels to reconsider plans to monitor contrails, as they claim the science of how they contribute to global warming isnt yet fully understood.

Global carriers are concerned that rules requiring the industry to monitor vapour trails will impose a huge burden in terms of data gathering and lead to false conclusions around climate change.

Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) lobby group and the former boss of British Airways, has written to EU politicians warning of growing concern across the airline community about the requirements.

He said: The proposal risks creating a regulatory burden that will require airlines to provide large amounts of data for all flights, with an insufficient potential for positive environmental impact.

Mr Walsh urges Brussels to make the scheme voluntary and applicable to flights within the EU only - Moe Zoyari/Bloomberg

While contrails are one of the most visible elements of an aircrafts emissions, often seen criss-crossing the skies, their contribution to climate change is far less understood than that of carbon dioxide.

According to some scientists, they may be responsible for two thirds of the industrys contribution to global warming by leading to the formation of high altitude clouds that stop heat escaping Earths atmosphere, dwarfing the contribution of burning jet fuel.

However, other research suggests that under certain conditions contrails can reflect the suns heat back into space, helping to keep the planet cooler.

The new EU rules will require airlines to quantify and report non-carbon emissions, including those from contrails, nitrogen oxides and sulphur, for all flights taking off from within the bloc from next January.

Mr Walsh urged Brussels to make the scheme voluntary and to limit its scope to flights only within the EU.

The EU currently requires airlines to disclose the amount of CO they release into the atmosphere and imposes a charge on flights within the bloc.

A mechanism for discouraging non-CO emissions would most likely adopt a similar model.

IATA is concerned that the contrail-monitoring scheme may not result in a reduction of aviations climate impact, a spokesman said.

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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 29. The delegation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), led by the bank President Odile Renaud-Basso, arrived in Tajikistan to discuss and sign green lending projects under the Dushanbe Green City Action Plan and to support womens entrepreneurship and trade, Trend reports.

According to the bank, during her two-day program, the EBRD president is scheduled to meet with President Emomali Rahmon, Mayor of Dushanbe Rustami Emomali, and hold discussions with Minister of Finance Faiziddin Qahhorzoda and Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan Firdavs Tolibzoda.

"Last year, our bank celebrated the 30th anniversary of work in Tajikistan. Over these years, we enjoyed excellent cooperation with the authorities, both central and regional, and the business community, which allowed us to invest 947 million euros in 168 projects across the country. This is my first visit to Tajikistan, and I look forward to meeting the officials and familiarizing myself with the results of our work," she said.

The current project portfolio of the EBRD in Tajikistan amounted to 507 million euros as of February 29, 2024, for the completion of 72 active projects.

In 2020, the EBRD invested 131 million euros in Tajikistan's projects, followed by 56 million euros in 2021 and 21 million euros both in 2022 and 2023.
European Commission suggests prolonging visa free regime for freight transportation with Ukraine for at least one more year

The Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and the European Commission will be able to officially start the negotiations on the prolongation of the Agreement on the Carriage of Freight by Road between Ukraine and the EU.

Source: the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine

Details: The European Council approved the relevant negotiations mandate during its assembly on 29 April.

At the moment, the European Commission proposes to prolong the agreement for at least 12 more months with the possibility of prolonging it for six more months once more. It will allow the parties to conduct permit-free two-way transportations at least until June 2025, the ministry explained.

"We support the EUs decision to start official negotiations on the prolongation of the agreement. It is important for us to preserve the ability to conduct freight transportation without obtaining corresponding permits since it directly affects exports of Ukrainian goods, and therefore helps support our economy and import the goods our state needs.

During the last six months we have been working jointly with the European Commission so that the decision on prolongation of the agreement is made on time by the end of June. It is important that all the changes added to the prolonged version be clear, transparent and do not limit Ukrainian hauliers in their right to transport goods to and from Ukraine," Oleksandr Kubrakov, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, said.

Ukraine will receive the official text for discussion in the nearest time, the ministry added.

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Former President Donald Trumps God Bless the USA Bible has been condemned as disgusting, blasphemous, and a cheap ploy by evangelical Christian pastor Loran Livingston.

Livingston ripped Trumps $59.99 Bible during a sermon at the Central Church of North Carolina in Charlotte on April 14. Footage of his comments recently went viral on social media.

Livingston also made anti-LGBTQ+ comments, described abortion as murder and the premeditated termination of innocent human life and slammed people who get politics mixed up with church in the lead-up to his attack on the Trump-endorsed holy book.

Then he said, When you dont read and pray. You say, Wow, theres a Bible out now that includes the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, isnt that wonderful? No, no. Its disgusting. Its blasphemous. Its a ploy.

Are you kidding me? Some of you are so encouraged by that. Let me tell you something. The gospel is not an American gospel. It is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, Livingston added. He didnt name the Trump Bible explicitly, but his references were apparent.

Watch Livingstons full comments from the 68-minute mark here:

The Trump-promoted Bible combines the text of the King James Bible with the Pledge of Allegiance, the Bill of Rights, the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and handwritten lyrics to Lee Greenwoods God Bless the USA.

Trump, who is the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, began hawking the book back in March, garnering widespread mockery and brutal reminders of his less-than-religious lifestyle.

Evangelicals proved pivotal to Trump for his 2016 election victory over Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Leading figures in the movement have since claimed, however, to have cut ties with the four-times-indicted ex-POTUS.

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"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."



In March of this year, Kensington Palace announced that Kate Middleton is receiving treatment for cancer.

In a personal message released by the Princess of Wales, she said, "This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family."

In June, she shared an update in a letter, writing, "I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well." She added, "My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months." A day later, Kate made her first public appearance of 2024 at Trooping the Colour. Since, she's made two more public appearances: at the Wimbledon men's finals, and attending church at Balmoral in August.

Here, everything we know so far about Kate's cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

What do we know about Kate's cancer diagnosis?

Kate had abdominal surgery in January, and at the time, her condition was thought to be non-cancerous. The surgery was successful, then post-operative tests subsequently found that cancer had been present. It's unclear if the cancer is related to the abdominal surgery.



Here's a full timeline of Kate's health news:

Why aren't they sharing what type of cancer Kate has?

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said in a statement, "We will not be sharing any further private medical information. The Princess has a right to medical privacy, as we all do." This is in line with King Charles, who also has cancer and will not be sharing what type.



Why did it take so long for the Palace to announce that Kate has cancer?

Shop Now Kate: Grace Under Pressure amazon.com $10.91

William and Kate wanted to share the news when they "felt it was right for them as a family." Kate, it is understood, wanted the time and space to come to terms with her diagnosis, as she recovered from her abdominal surgery and began cancer treatment. Specifically the timing of the March 22 announcement was due to George, Charlotte, and Louis's Easter break. The Waleses wanted their children to be in private as the news broke to the world.

There was immense speculation surrounding the Princess of Wales's health for the past month, but the Palace reiterated that "Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the Princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands."

What treatment is she receiving?

According to the Palace, "the Princess is now on a recovery pathway having commenced a course of preventative chemotherapy." (It's likely this is referring to what's more commonly known as adjuvant cancer therapy.)

She began her treatment in late February, and the Palace will not be sharing an expected end date for the chemo. In her video recorded in March, Kate said she is in the "early stages" of her treatment, and in June, she revealed "my treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months."

Also in June, the Palace denied rumors she was receiving cancer treatment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Why didn't the Palace initially say Kate had cancer in January?

In January, the Princess underwent "planned abdominal surgery" at the London clinic. "The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery," the Palace said, emphasizing Kate's condition was non-cancerous. T&C understands that at the time of Kate's surgery, her condition was, indeed, thought to be non-cancerous. On March 22, the Palace shared that Kate learned she had cancer once "post-operative tests had been completed and results reviewed."

What has Kate said about her cancer diagnosis?

The Palace released a video of the Princess in Windsor speaking out about her cancer diagnosis. It was filmed by BBC Studios on March 20. "It has been an incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family, but Ive had a fantastic medical team who have taken great care of me, for which I am so grateful," Kate says near the start, as she sits in a bench outdoors.

You can watch the entire message below, and read a full transcript, here.

A day after the video message was shared, Prince William and Kate were "enormously touched" by the well wishes from around the world. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said, "The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness' message. They are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."

Matt Porteous

In June, the Princess shared a new update in a letter, writing, "I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well."

Has Kate told her children? What do they know?

Yes, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, have been told about their mom's cancer diagnosis. "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," Kate said in her video message. "As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits."

What has the royal family said?

King Charles and Queen Camilla have released a statement about Kate's cancer diagnosis. King Charles, who is also currently fighting cancer, said he is "so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did."A Buckingham Palace spokesperson added that both King Charles and Queen Camilla "will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family throughout this difficult time."

Additionally, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared a statement: "We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace."

What have the Middletons said?



While the Middleton family is pretty private, Kate's brother, James Middleton, posted on Instagram a childhood photo of the two of them, writing, "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too," with a mountain emoji and red heart emoji.

What does the photoshop drama have to do with the Kate news?

Nothing, honestly. The drama surrounding Kate reached a fever pitch in March, after a photo released for UK Mother's Day (and Kate's subsequent apology over editing it) did not do much to quell conspiracy theories around the Princess and her health.

When will Kate return to royal duties?

Jonathan Brady - PA Images - Getty Images

When Kate's abdominal surgery was initially announced, the Palace said "she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter," but now with news of her cancer diagnosis, that timeline completely shifted, and they are not putting a specific date on her return. In May 2024, a senior aide said "she will return to work when she has had the green light from doctors."



When her diagnosis was first announced, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said, "The Princess will return to official duties when she is cleared to do so by her medical team. She is in good spirits and is focused on making a full recovery." In her message, Kate said, "My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery."

Though Kate attended Trooping the Colour 2024, Kensington Palace made it clear that her attendance does not signify a return to work. However, Kate shared she has begun to work from home.

We'll update this as we continue to learn more about Kate's cancer diagnosis and treatment.

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Ex-Aide Reveals What Trump's Birthday Message To Melania Trump Was Really All About

Donald Trump wished his wife, Melania Trump, a happy 54th birthday last week from outside the courthouse where his hush money trial is taking place  but ex-Melania Trump aide Stephanie Grisham said the message wasnt really about the couples relationship.

Melania Trump would have rolled her eyes at her husbands Friday stunt, Grisham told CNNs Erin Burnett.

It was just a performance for voters and a bid to appeal to suburban women and independents, Grisham suggested, noting how during her time working for Melania Trump they had talked about how they actually werent really birthday people, like that wasnt a big deal to either of them.

It had nothing to do with her and it was just typical, selfish Donald Trump, she added.

Grisham earlier called Trumps comments so beyond inappropriate because he made them on the way into a trial where they are talking about alleged affairs, not one but two, that he had.

Trump is accused of falsifying business documents to conceal a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, allegedly made during the final days of the 2016 election, so that she would keep quiet about an alleged affair.

Grisham, who served as Melania Trumps chief of staff before becoming the Trump White House press secretary and communications director, suggested Melania Trump will not be happy about the details emerging in the case.

But make no mistake, she added, shes not sitting at home crying about this. Watch the full interview here:

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Jacksonville had more than 160 shootings last year, many of those involving teens and young people, according to Action News Jax records.

An ex-gang member made it his mission to prevent youth gun violence in the Moncrief and Ken Knights Communities.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Nate Thomas, better known as Uncle Nate, teaches kids about the harsh reality of gun violence. He started doing this when his son was killed due to gun violence.

Founder of Waterfront Outreach, Nate Thomas said, Theres not too many people that get shot in the head and live to talk about it.

Nate Thomas, or Uncle Nate, is a former gang member who knows all too well the impact gun violence and gangs have in the Northwest Jacksonville neighborhoods.

According to Florida Health Charts, 132 Deaths from homicide by firearms were recorded in Duval County in 2022.

He also knows how fortunate it is he didnt become a statistic.

Nate, said, God pulled me away from that because I could have lost my life on several different occasions.

Uncle Nate was shot seven times, with two bullets grazing his head. But he said losing his son made him change his life after he was shot in the back over an argument with another person.

So, Uncle Nate launched his nonprofit, Waterfront Outreach, to expose kids to a better life outside of gun violence.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Nate, said, Teaching them how to swim, partnerships, take care of themselves, hygiene, and different things to help them.Waterfront Outreach has been running for six years, helping over 600 young adults.

Telvontate Palmer was one of them

.Palmer said, Im very grateful for Nate. I tell him every day I see him. I appreciate him for being life.Uncle Nate helped convince Palmer to get away from the crowd.

Palmer said, Friends of mine that I used to hand around before then. They broke into someones house. They later shot me in front of my grandmothers house.Now, Palmer has a degree in culinary arts. He also works with Uncle Nate.

Tyrone Thomas said, I ended up taking someones life. I did 14 and a half years in prison.He also learned from his youths mistakes, with Uncle Nates help.

Now, he owns a business called Mr. Ts Tree Service. Its been up and running for 21 years.

Uncle Nate said we must take guns out of the hands of kids and teach them life lessons.

[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.
Ex-Gov David Paterson says Jewish protesters marched with MLK  and they deserve support now as demonstrations roil campuses

Former Gov. David Paterson  a Columbia University graduate  said he is supporting the Jewish community amid anti-Israel protests at his alma mater  not least because Jewish people supported Martin Luther King Jr.s fight for civil rights.

They deserve some kind of support  Back in the 60s when Martin Luther King was marching on Washington, and he was fighting for civil rights, and he was challenging many of the segregation policies that still exist in this country, you wouldve thought that he was a terrorist the way they referred to him, Paterson said on WABC 770 AM radios The Cats Roundtable Sunday.

Former Gov. David Paterson said the Jewish community needs support. AFP via Getty Images

He added: Sixty five percent of the whites who marched with Dr. King were Jewish  They deserve somebody to stand with them [today]. Im happy to do it, Paterson said.

Paterson acknowledged the humanitarian crisis for Palestinians in Gaza as Israels military tries to root out the Hamas terrorists in response for the October 7th attack.

However, he told WABC host John Catsimatidis that the horrific attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people remains the root of the conflict.

But he added that the Palestinians partly brought the problem on themselves by electing Hamas as their ruling government in Gaza.

Paterson said that protests are getting more hostile because outside agitators are stepping in. James Keivom

The Palestinians voted for Hamas to actually run in a sense the government in that particular area. This a government whose stated purpose is to destroy the State of Israel, Paterson said.

How much clearer can you get that they are the enemy, he said.

He said the protests now are more divisive, hostile and hateful because they pit students against other students, and he claimed that they appear to be organized by off-campus radicals.

Outside agitators are always waiting to get involved in these situations. They did it so quickly this time that I am very suspicious about where all of this is coming from. There is a kind of an anarchist flavor to whats going on these days, the ex-governor, a Democrat, said.

Paterson mentioned that the Jewish community marched with Martin Luther King Jr. when most white people would not. The Washington Post via Getty Images

Paterson also said the Ivy League presidents seemed to be caught-flat footed, and havent helped their cause by appearing wooden during testimony on the strife during congressional hearings.

When you go to these hearings, show some humanity. Show some emotion about what happened [on your campus]  Dont sit there like youre at a house closing  Thats where they got in a lot of trouble, Paterson said.

Disastrous testimony before House members about campus antisemitism  and the resulting backlash  contributed to the ouster of former Harvard president Claudine Gay and University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill.

Columbia president Manouche Shafik is now on the hot seat, with Jewish students saying they feel threatened after anti-Israel protesters set up an encampment on the Morningside Height campus.
Former Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for his latest remarks on Israel and the pro-Palestinian protests taking over college campuses.

Sanders, the son of Jewish immigrants whose family members died in the Holocaust, told CNNs State of the Union on Sunday that Israel is committing ethnic cleansing in Gaza by forcing the relocation of most of its population.

While he did not endorse the use of genocide to describe Israels actions, he said criticism of the civilian death toll and destruction in Gaza was not antisemitic.

When you make those charges, that is not antisemitic. That is a reality. So, our job is to condemn Hamas, a terrorist organization that started this war  condemn in every form antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of bigotry, Sanders said.

Deutch, who is now the CEO of the American Jewish Committee, said Monday on CNN he does not need Sanders to lecture me about the reality of whats happening on college campuses.

With all due respect to Sen. Bernie Sanders, whats happening on college campuses right now from so many of these protesters, who are out advocating on behalf of the Hamas terrorists who slaughtered 1,200, is absolutely dangerous, Deutch told CNNs Wolf Blitzer.

It is inconsistent with the very things that Sen. Sanders says that he actually cares about, which is free speech and the ability for everyones voice to be heard, he added.

Pro-Palestinian protests have engulfed college campuses across the country, prompting arrests, student suspensions and cancellations of in-person classes and graduation ceremonies. Deutch suggested Monday that the protests should be condemned, describing some of them as not peaceful.

Theres not another group that will be the target, the focus of this kind of harassment and intimidation, where people would look for some justification for it. It would rightfully be condemned, Deutch said.

Thats what we all  including Sen. Sanders  thats what we all need to do right now about whats happening on campus, so that the campus can be a place where every student is respected and no students are silenced. Certainly not just because theyre Jews and support Israel, he added.

The Vermont senator has been outspoken about Israels actions in Gaza and has repeatedly opposed more U.S. support for Israels war against Hamas.

Speaking Sunday on CNN, Sanders said antisemitism is a vile and disgusting ideology which has resulted in the deaths of many, many millions of people in the last 100 years and called on it to be opposed in every form.

The Hill has reached out to Sanderss office for comment.

Many of the protests have been reported as peaceful, but many officials and lawmakers have raised concerns about the safety of Jewish students. A group of Democrats sent a letter Monday to the board of trustees at Columbia University, where the demonstrations started earlier this month, demanding officials put an end to the encampments or resign.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Originally appeared on E! Online

Slack cofounder Stewart Butterfield's 16-year-old child Mint Butterfield has been found after being reported missing last week.

The Marin County Sheriff's Office announced in an April 28 statement that the night before, the teen was "located safe in San Francisco," about an hour away from their home in Bolinas, Calif., where they were last seen April 21. The office said that detectives confirmed the teen had "run away from their home voluntarily" and "has returned to the custody of their family."

San Francisco police found Mint in a white van belonging to a 26-year-old man, who was then arrested on suspicion of child abduction.

"Through this investigation, Detectives learned Mint may have been associated with an adult friend, identified as Christopher "Kio" Dizefalo, a 26-year-old male out of San Francisco," the statement said. "A vehicle associated with Dizefalo was identified as a white van. This van was located in San Francisco, and Dizefalo and Mint were believed to be inside. SFPD officers contacted the van and its occupants and located Mint safe inside."

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The statement continued, "After being interviewed by MCSO Detectives, Dizefalo was arrested for multiple criminal violations and was booked in the Marin County Jail, where his bail was set at $50,000."

Marin County Sheriff's Office

Marin County jail records obtained by E! News show Dizefalo was detained early April 28 and faces felony charges of child abduction and unlawful sex with a minor, as well as contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor. He has no lawyer listed.

Mint's mother, Stewart's ex-wife and Flickr cofounder Caterina Fake, had reported the teen's disappearance to police April 22. After the child was located, her dadalso the former CEO of Slack, mom and Caterina's partner Jyri Engestrom released a joint family statement.

"A heartfelt thanks to all the family, friends, volunteers and strangers," they said in an email posted by the San Francisco Standard and more outlets, "who called in tips and made this recovery possible."

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 29. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan has expressed concern about Tajik citizens stuck in Moscow airports, Trend reports.

According to the ministry, as of the end of April 27, 954 Tajik citizens were in temporary holding zones at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport without proper sanitary conditions. Among them are Tajik students studying in Russia under educational quotas.

It has been noted that out of the total number of Tajik citizens stranded at Vnukovo Airport, 322 have been allowed entry into Russia after hours of waiting. However, Russian authorities reportedly intend to include 306 individuals on the so-called "expulsion list," with 27 already deported. Such restrictive measures are reportedly applied exclusively to Tajik citizens.

A similar difficult situation is also observed at Moscow's Zhukovsky, Domodedovo, and Sheremetyevo airports, where dozens of Tajik citizens are reportedly held without adequate conditions.

Due to the lack of sufficient hot meals for stranded Tajik citizens, Tajik diplomats, in cooperation with representatives of the diaspora, are providing food at Vnukovo Airport.

A round-the-clock operational headquarters has been established by the consular service of the Tajikistan diplomatic mission in Moscow to provide necessary assistance to compatriots on the ground.

Earlier, the Tajik side voiced concern over the increasing number of cases where the country's citizens are denied entry into Russia without valid reasons, during a meeting with the Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan, Semyon Grigoriev.

On April 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan advised its citizens to temporarily avoid travel to Russia unless absolutely necessary.
By Stephanie van den Berg

THE HAGUE (Reuters) -Prosecutors from the International Criminal Court have interviewed staff from Gaza's two biggest hospitals, two sources told Reuters, the first confirmation that ICC investigators were speaking to medics about possible crimes in the Gaza Strip.

The sources, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the subject, told Reuters ICC investigators had taken testimony from staff who had worked in the main hospital in Gaza City in the north of the enclave, Al Shifa, and the main hospital in Khan Younis in the south, Nasser.

The sources declined to provide more details, citing concerns about the safety of potential witnesses.

One of the sources said that events surrounding the hospitals could become part of the investigation by the ICC, which hears criminal cases against individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression.

The ICC's office of the prosecutor declined to comment on operational matters in ongoing investigations citing the need to ensure the safety of victims and witnesses.

The ICC has said it is investigating both sides in the conflict, including both the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters on Israel and the subsequent Israeli offensive in Gaza.

The Israeli prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Nasser hospital director in Gaza did not respond to a request for comment and the director of Al Shifa could not be reached. A spokesperson for Gaza's Health Ministry also did not respond to a request for comment about any ICC investigation with staff.

During the conflict, the two main Gaza hospitals have both been high profile Israeli targets - surrounded, besieged and stormed by Israeli forces who accused Hamas militants of using them for military purposes, which Hamas and medical staff deny.

In recent days, Palestinian officials have also demanded investigations after hundreds of bodies were exhumed in mass graves at Nasser. The two sources were not able to say whether such graves formed part of any questioning.

Israel denies carrying out war crimes, including in or around Gaza hospitals, where it says all its military activities have been justified by the presence of Hamas fighters.

Hospitals are protected during wartime by international treaties, which can make attacks on them war crimes under the ICC, although they can lose this protection under some circumstances if they are used by combatants in a way that is harmful to the enemy.

Israel is not a member of the ICC, while the Palestinian territories were admitted as a member state in 2015. The ICC says this gives it jurisdiction over actions by anyone including Israeli soldiers in the Palestinian territories, and by Palestinians anywhere, including on Israeli territory. Israel does not recognise any ICC jurisdiction over its citizens.

Any ICC criminal case would be separate from a case in the International Court of Justice, or World Court, which was brought by South Africa and accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza, which Israel denies. The ICJ, also based in the Hague, hears lawsuits between states, while the ICC hears criminal cases against individuals.

'DANGEROUS PRECEDENT'

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday any ICC move would not affect Israel's actions but would "set a dangerous precedent that threatens soldiers and public figures".

"Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the International Criminal Court in the Hague to undermine its basic right to defend itself," he wrote on Telegram.

Hamas fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing 253 hostages, by Israeli tallies. Israel responded with an assault that Palestinian health authorities say has killed at least 34,000 people, with thousands more bodies believed lost under the rubble.

In a sign the ICC's investigation into the Oct. 7 attacks has been moving forward, Yael Vias Gvirsman, a lawyer representing some Israeli victims, said in February a handful of her clients had given testimony directly to ICC investigators.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch in The HagueAdditional reporting by Ali Sawafta in RamallahEditing by Edmund Blair and Peter Graff)
The family of Ralph Yarl, a Black teenager who was shot and injured last year when he knocked on the wrong door, filed a civil lawsuit in Missouri on Monday against the accused shooter, Andrew Lester.

The complaint, which was filed on behalf of Yarl's mother, Cleo Nagbe, names Lester and the Highland Acres Lakeside Heights Homeowners Association in the Kansas City neighborhood where the shooting took place and argues that their carelessness and negligence led Yarl to suffer and sustain permanent injuries.

[Ralph] is an anomaly to me honestly, because there is no hatred in his heart. There's no anger or bitterness, Yarl family attorney Lee Merritt told ABC News in an interview set to air on Monday. He has a strong sense of justice and he wants us to move forward with pursuing justice for him.

When asked about the lawsuit, Lesters attorney, Steven Salmon, told ABC News he could not comment because he was not aware of the suit and had not seen a copy of the complaint. The civil suit comes ahead of Lesters criminal trial, which is set to begin on Oct. 7.

ABC News reached out to the homeowners association, but requests for comment were not immediately returned.

The 85-year-old was charged with one count of felony assault in the first degree in connection to the April 13, 2023 shooting and one count of armed criminal action, also a felony. Lester pleaded not guilty and was released on $200,000 bond.

Yarl was shot in the head and in the right arm by Lester, according to police, after the teenager mistakenly arrived at the wrong address to pick up his twin brothers from a friends house. Lester maintained he believed someone was trying to break into his house.

Judge rules Andrew Lester case to be partially sealed in the shooting of teenager Ralph Yarl

Ralph is slowly coming to terms with what happened, Yarls mother, Cleo Nagbe, told ABC News in an exclusive interview set to air Monday. In the beginning, his way of dealing with it was minimizing  but trauma catches up with you. So the trauma has fallen away to catch up with him.

Merritt said that while the civil suit is not alleging that it was because of racial animus" that Lester allegedly shot Yarl, but "a young Black boy living in Kansas City, Missouri should be able to knock on the wrong door should be able to move freely about his community without fear that he will be criminalized and that he will be violently assaulted.

PHOTO: Ralph Yarl (ABC News)

The suit accuses Lester of carelessly and negligently failing to communicate or give audible warning to Yarl prior to the shooting, failing to inquire about the reason Yarl was there and failing to render aid to the teen.

Yarl, who is set to turn 18 next month, suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) after the shooting Nagbe said, and his recovery has been really long and is still ongoing."

She added that since his injury, her son has struggled with his school work in a way that he didnt before.

That's why I feel bad for him, she said. But he doesn't see that there has been a shift in his mental capacity. It's not that he's less smarter, its just that when the brain wants to heal, the brain wants to heal. It focuses everything on that healing.

Ralph Yarl, teen shot after mistakenly going to the wrong house, opens up about recovery in 'GMA' exclusive

According to the complaint, Yarl suffered and sustained permanent injuries, endured pain and suffering of a temporary and permanent nature, experienced disability and losses of normal life activities, was obligated to spend large sums of money for medical care and attention and suffered other losses and damages.

The lawsuit alleges that Highland Acres carelessly and negligently failed to communicate regulations or educate its residents about the dangers of discharging firearms on the grounds and that the association failed to render aid to Ralph Yarl after he was shot.

Through the civil suit, the family is seeking financial compensation in excess of this Courts jurisdictional limit, as well as the cost of legal fees, the complaint states.

PHOTO: This booking photo provided by the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff's Office shows Andrew Lester. (Clay County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Ralph Yarl raises money for traumatic brain injuries following wrong house shooting

According to a probable cause statement obtained by ABC News, Lester told police that he "believed someone was attempting to break into the house" and grabbed a gun before going to the door because he was scared.

Lester, who is white, claimed that he saw a "Black male approximately 6 feet tall" pulling on the door handle and "shot twice within a few seconds of opening the door." He said that the Black male ran away and he immediately called 911.

Yarl, who is a senior in high school, is college bound and is planning to study engineering, Nagbe said. He is also passionate about music and plays the bass clarinet, which led him to be selected to the 2024 Missouri All-State Band.

Nagbe said that while people want to make [the shooting] his identity, her son does not want to be identified as the April 13 kid.

He wants to be seen for his accomplishments, for what he accomplishes in music, what he goes to school for and what he designs and what he builds and not what happened to him on April 13.

ABC News' Armando Garcia and Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.

Exclusive: Ralph Yarl, teen shot after mistakenly going to the wrong house, seeks 'justice' in civil lawsuit originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The debris from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Jan. 2 was from a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile, United Nations sanctions monitors told a Security Council committee in a report seen by Reuters on Monday.

In the 32-page report, the U.N. sanctions monitors concluded that "debris recovered from a missile that landed in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on 2 January 2024 derives from a DPRK Hwasong-11 series missile" and is in violation of the arms embargo on North Korea.

Formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions for its ballistic missile and nuclear programs since 2006, and those measures have been strengthened over the years.

Three sanctions monitors traveled to Ukraine earlier this month to inspect the debris and found no evidence that the missile was made by Russia. They "could not independently identify from where the missile was launched, nor by whom."

"Information on the trajectory provided by Ukrainian authorities indicates it was launched within the territory of the Russian Federation," they wrote in an April 25 report to the Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee.

"Such a location, if the missile was under control of Russian forces, would probably indicate procurement by nationals of the Russian Federation," they said, adding that this would be a violation of the arms embargo imposed on North Korea in 2006.

The Russian and North Korean missions to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report by the sanctions monitors.

The U.S. and others have accused North Korea of transferring weapons to Russia for use against Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022. Both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied the accusations, but vowed last year to deepen military relations.

At a U.N. Security Council meeting in February, the U.S. accused Russia of launching DPRK-supplied ballistic missiles against Ukraine on at least nine occasions.

The U.N. monitors said the Hwasong-11 series ballistic missiles were first publicly tested by Pyongyang in 2019.

Russia last month vetoed the annual renewal of the U.N. sanctions monitors - known as a panel of experts - that has for 15 years monitored enforcement of U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The mandate for the current panel of experts will expire on Tuesday.

Within days of the Jan. 2 attack, the Kharkiv region prosecutor's office showcased fragments of the missile to the media, saying it was different from Russian models and "this may be a missile which was supplied by North Korea."

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols at United Nations; Editing by Don Durfee and Matthew Lewis)
By Phil Stewart and Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military's cost estimate to build a pier off Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid has risen to $320 million, a U.S. defense official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The figure, which has not been previously reported, illustrates the massive scale of a construction effort that the Pentagon has said involves about 1,000 U.S. service members, mostly from the Army and Navy.

Still, the cost has roughly doubled from initial estimates earlier this year, according to a person familiar with the matter.

"The cost has not just risen. It has exploded," Senator Roger Wicker, the top Republican on the Democratic-led Senate Armed Services Committee, told Reuters, when asked about the costs.

"This dangerous effort with marginal benefit will now cost the American taxpayers at least $320 million to operate the pier for only 90 days."

Democratic President Joe Biden announced the pier in March as aid officials implored Israel to ease access for relief supplies into Gaza over land routes. By opening a second route for aid, this one by sea, Biden administration officials hope to avert famine in northern Gaza.

Israel's military campaign against Hamas, in response to Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, has devastated the tiny Gaza Strip and plunged its 2.3 million people into a humanitarian catastrophe.

Still, Wicker and some other lawmakers have questioned whether the pier is a worthwhile endeavor, particularly given the risk that U.S. military personnel could become targets of Hamas militants.

"How much will taxpayers be on the hook once  or if  the pier is finally constructed?" Wicker asked.

"For every day this mission continues, the price tag goes up and so does the level of risk for the 1,000 deployed troops within range of Hamas' rockets."

Concerns about the threat to American troops getting caught up in the Israel-Hamas war were underscored on Thursday as news emerged of a mortar attack near the area where the pier will eventually touch ground. No U.S. forces were present, however, and they were miles off shore -- beyond mortar range.

Biden has ordered U.S. forces to not step foot on the Gaza shore.

The pier will initially handle 90 trucks a day, but that number could go up to 150 trucks daily when it is fully operational. The United Nations said last week that the daily average number of trucks entering Gaza during April was 200 and that there had been a peak on Monday of 316.

A senior Biden administration official said last week that humanitarian aid coming off the pier will need to pass through Israeli checkpoints on land.

That is despite the aid having already been inspected by Israel in Cyprus before being shipped to Gaza. Israel wants to prevent any aid getting to Hamas fighters that boosts their war effort.

The prospect of checkpoints raises questions about possible delays even after aid reaches shore. The United Nations has long complained of obstacles to getting aid in and distributing it throughout Gaza.

The United Nations has appealed for $2.5 billion to try and meet the most urgent needs of the people living in the Gaza Strip between April and December.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; additional reporting by Idrees Ali and Michelle Nichols; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
GRAND RAPIDS  Video showing the police chase that ended with the death of Samuel Sterling outside a Kentwood Burger King shows a clear violation of policy, according to two police experts.

Roy G. Taylor and Melvin L. Tucker, both former long-time police chiefs and police training consultants, watched the video separately at Target 8s request.

Its not a use of proper police procedure, Taylor said. We are not training officers to chase people in cars because something tragic like this could happen.

Family calls for video release, justice for man hit by MSP cruiser

The state has not released the name of the state police detective sergeant behind the wheel of the SUV, but his attorney, Marc Curtis, sent Target 8 a statement on Monday.

We would like to express to the family and community that we know you are grieving the death of Mr. Sterling. The Trooper involved is heartbroken at the loss of Mr. Sterlings life and wants the family to know that he had no intention of purposely harming Mr. Sterling.

He wrote the detective sergeant is cooperating with the investigation.

At this time we ask for everyones patience and allow the Michigan State Police and the Attorney Generals Office to conduct a thorough investigation and review of this matter.

The video of the crash, from inside the Burger King and provided by family, is difficult to watch, showing the moment on April 17 that the state police sergeant struck Sterling from behind outside the restaurant with an unmarked SUV.

That followed a short chase after state police had spotted Sterling, who was wanted on warrants, near a gas station in Kentwood. Sterling, 25, was a father of two who was pursuing a career as a rapper.

Hes closing on the person, Taylor said. Hes moving quickly in a 4,000-pound SUV and we see it jump the curb, come to an abrupt halt, whether that was him hitting the brakes hard or crushing the person in between the vehicle and the building, I dont know.

Family and friends of Samuel Sterling gathered in the spot he was fatally hit by an unmarked Michigan State Police vehicle. (April 20, 2024)

Family and friends of Samuel Sterling gathered in the spot he was fatally hit by an unmarked Michigan State Police vehicle. (April 20, 2024)

Family shows News 8 photos of Samuel Sterling. (April 19, 2024)

I would not opine as to whether or not the (sergeants) actions were intentional or not, Tucker wrote in an email.  Only he knows that. I would, however, opine that Sterling was not posing a threat of serious bodily harm or death to anyone at the time of the incident, so there was not an immediate need for his apprehension and the use of a vehicle to chase down a fleeing suspect on foot was not a reasonable action. Even a trip and fall by Sterling would have had serious consequences, and the driver of the vehicle could not respond quick enough to prevent striking him.

Taylor said he believes the pursuit also violated the law and should lead to criminal charges.

No matter what the trooper said he was doing and why his vehicle jumped up over the curb onto the sidewalk and struck the suspect, its still going to be a criminal matter. Its an involuntary homicide at the very least.

At the most, he said, it was murder.

Records show Sterling had absconded from probation in June 2022 after a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a concealed weapon.

The weapons charge came after police said they found a gun in his unoccupied car.

Father: Death of son hit by police car senseless

He violated probation, records show, by possessing marijuana and leaving the state.

It was a situaton where hes fleeing from a warrant, not from a bank robbery or from a murder, something that would warrant using deadly force in the pursuit of the person, Taylor said.

Both experts also criticized the state police for conducting the investigation. The crash involved troopers from the Sixth District, which covers West Michigan, including Grand Rapids. The Fifth District, to the south, is investigating.

The detective sergeant who was driving the unmarked car has been placed on unpaid suspension pending the outcome.

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You dont investigate yourself, even if its from another district, Taylor said. They still probably have common relationships and bonds, maybe they went to training together.

Sterlings family, who is working with civil rights attorney Ben Crump, has demanded state police release body and dash cam video.

I dont think this was necessarily an accident, Taylor said. I dont think it was an intentional homicide; I think it was split-second poor judgment that resulted in the death of a person that was fleeing from the police.

His death certificate indicated he had multiple blunt force injuries and died about five hours after the crash. The manner of death was listed as accident.

Kent County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. David Start, who conducted the autopsy, said he watched video of the death and spoke to investigators before reaching his conclusion. However, he said, deeming it accidental would not preclude a prosecutor from filing criminal charges.

The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten, the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division and the FBI Field Office Detroit released a joint statement on the case, saying they were monitoring the ongoing state investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragic death of Samuel Sterling.

We will continue to coordinate with our state and local law enforcement partners, the statement continued. If in the course of the state investigation, evidence reveals a potential violation of federal criminal statutes, we will take appropriate action.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Brussels is preparing to launch an investigation into Metas handling of Russian disinformation amid fears the social media giant is not doing enough to prevent the spread of Kremlin propaganda.

The Facebook and Instagram parent is facing a probe from the European Commission after policymakers have accused Vladimir Putin of using social media as a weapon of mass manipulation.

EU watchdogs are reportedly concerned that Meta has not done enough to halt Russias disinformation campaign, particularly in the run-up to Europes parliamentary elections in June.

Brussels is investigating Meta over suspected breaches of the blocs Digital Services Act, which can lead to billions of euros in fines.

The European Commission declined to comment on the planned investigation, which was first reported by Politico.

However, it comes after it emerged earlier this month that a Russian disinformation group, dubbed Doppelganger, has sought to target French and German Facebook users with disinformation.

It has done this by creating pages that mimic real news organisations, while also paying for sponsored posts to publish propaganda relating to Russias war in Ukraine.

Meta has previously said it has blocked thousands of pages believed to be linked to the disinformation group.

Details of the investigation have emerged as Europe prepares for elections in early June, during which voters will select members of the European Parliament for the next five years.

Major gains are expected for populist and Right-wing parties in the bloc.

A formal investigation against Meta under the Digital Services Act would add to ongoing EU investigations into Elon Musks X, and TikTok.

A Meta spokesman said: We have a well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms. We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the European Commission and providing them with further details of this work.

Separately, it also emerged on Monday that Metas supreme court had made a series of layoffs in targeted cuts.

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THE HAGUE (Reuters) -The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor's office said on Monday it had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defence chief, and also for three Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Here are some facts about the ICC.

* The court was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression when member states are unwilling or unable to do so themselves. It can prosecute crimes committed by nationals of member states or on the territory of member states by other actors. It has 124 member states. Its budget for 2024 is about 187 million euros.

* The ICC is conducting 17 investigations, ranging from Ukraine and African states such as Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya to Venezuela in Latin America and Asian nations, such as Myanmar and the Philippines, according to its website.

* The website says there have so far been 31 cases before the court, with some cases having more than one suspect. ICC judges have issued more than 40 arrest warrants.

* Twenty-one people have been held in the ICC detention centre and have appeared before the court. At least 17 people remain at large. Charges have been dropped against seven people due to their deaths. The judges have issued 10 convictions and four acquittals.

* Of those 10 convictions only five have been for the court's core crimes of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the others were for crimes like witness tampering. The five convicted men were all African militia leaders from Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Uganda. Terms range from nine to 30 years in prison. The maximum possible term is life imprisonment.

* A prominent fugitive is Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused of the war crime of illegally deporting hundreds of children from Ukraine. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023. The Kremlin said the move was meaningless. Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations that its forces have committed atrocities during its invasion of its neighbour.

* Although the court is supported by many United Nations members and the European Union, other powers like the United States, China and Russia are not members, arguing the ICC could be used for politically motivated prosecutions.

* Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognise its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted as a member state in 2015. In 2021 the ICC opened an official investigation into allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the occupied Palestinian territories. ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in October last year the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes carried out by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israelis in the Gaza Strip.

(Writing by Mark Heinrich and Andrew Heavens; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Hugh Lawson)
Florida law enforcement agencies from across the state gathered at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Monday morning to honor those who have lost their lives while serving in the line of duty.

The service began with officers marching as people playing bagpipes led the way around the building and through the parking lot.

Survivors of the men and women who died were escorted into the service and were seated with fellow officers from their loved one's respective departments.

A proclamation from Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey was read by City Commissioner Diane Williams-Cox, stating that April 29, 2024 as Florida State Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Day in the City of Tallahassee. This was followed by a proclamation made by Gov. Ron DeSantis, read by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass.

Speaker of the House Paul Renner, left, and Tallahassee City Commissioner Diane Williams-Cox stand for the Pledge of Allegiance during a service for Florida law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty held at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Monday, April 29, 2024.

House Speaker Paul Renner gave brief remarks during the service: "While I know the families that are gathered here today feel the enormous pain of the loss of a loved one, you also feel the enormous pride having someone in your family that has given the ultimate sacrifice of someone in your community and to make sure that we continue the land of freedom. Thank you and God bless you for that."

Steve Zona, President of the Florida State Lodge Fraternal Order of the Police, led the service and offered condolences to the families and friends of those that have passed.

"Rest assured, that all though your loss may seem overwhelming and the pain and heartache unbearable, each day will be a little better than the one before it," Zona said. "The deep etching and loss will dull. May looking back at memories help comfort your tomorrow."

Families of those whose names were added to the memorial this year placed a red rose among white roses that were made into the shape of Florida. They were then gifted a frame with a photo, patches and badge. There are now 969 names on the Florida Law Enforcement Memorial located in the Capitol courtyard.

Families and loved ones of Florida law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty were recognized during a service hosted by the Florida Fraternal Order of Police held at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center on Monday, April 29, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Fallen law enforcement honored during memorial service in Tallahassee
Five of the six moms who met with Gov. Eric Holcomb and FSSA Secretary Dan Rusyniak to discuss changes to the state's attendant care program on April 29, 2024. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Six moms of medically complex children pressured Gov. Eric Holcomb to reform his administrations approach to transitioning families from attendant care to another caregiving program in a private Monday meeting at the Statehouse.

The parents, appearing on behalf of Indiana Families United 4 Care, shared their requests for action in a media scrum outside the governors office. They represent the roughly 1,600 families of children with complex medical needs whose monetary benefits will be substantially cut on July 1 as Indiana amends its attendant care program.

But the group said the loss of care is already happening and the state agency in charge is woefully lacking in terms of communication.

Were here to try to make the best decisions we possibly can for our children and theres approximately a nine-step process for us to be able to make that transition from attendant care to structured family care. And right now were stuck on step one, said Jennifer Dewitt, a mom whose son has complex medical needs.  all of that is at a standstill because, quite frankly, theres not effective communication coming out of FSSA. But we hope that sharing this information today will enable them to get us that information quicker.

Dewitt said the administration agreed to update families on their response within the week.

The coalition formed roughly four months ago following an announcement from the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), that parents would no longer be eligible for an hourly stipend and would move to a lower per diem benefit in response to a projected $1 billion shortfall in the states Medicaid budget.

The July 1 date is also when the states Aged and Disabled Waiver, under which the families currently get services, will transition to the Health and Wellness Waiver while Hoosiers over 60 on the waiver will move to PathWays for Aging.

A list of requests

The parents met with Holcomb and FSSA Secretary Dan Rusyniak, and presented nine requests crafted from a survey of providers and care managers along with more than 250 families.

Holcombs office released a statement after the meeting, saying, I listened carefully and appreciated the moms bringing their concerns forward. They obviously only want the best for their children. Dr. Rusyniak was with me during the meeting, and well consider the issues they raised as well as changes we can make to better communicate with impacted families.

Dewitt said afterward that most of the care managers that we are speaking with, honestly, they dont know whats going on and they are frustrated by the lack of information that they are getting and they feel that its very difficult to help and guide our families.

She added that FSSA had already taken action to reduce attendant care hours paid out to parents, such as holding approvals hostage for things such as home modifications, specialized equipment and generators for medical devices. The group asked FSSA to halt that practice.

 some families are having either part or all of their attendant care hours cut. There has been a previously unannounced requirement that you have to have prior authorization hours through the Medicaid state plan before you are allowed to use attendant care hours, Dewitt said.

 theres no reason why a request for a generator should be held up as a way to force a family to lose attendant care hours. If somebody is requesting a generator for their home, it means they have medical equipment that requires power to run. That should not be held up due to (FSSA) wanting to lower hours before July 1.

Other requests include: designating an ombudsman for families, public versions of the waivers submitted to the federal government, written notification within five business days of notifying a case manager following a denial of services and publishing an FAQ (or a frequently asked questions document) of previous questions from parents.

Another request from families is that FSSA reconsider the attendant care program for Legally Responsible Individuals, usually parents, with certain guardrails, such as limits on hours paid out by the state. The state previously shared that costs from the program jumped from $9.3 million two years ago to $172 million.

Dewitt said none of the proposals are more important than the others but all intertwine.

A key difference between the current attendant care program and Structured Family Caregiving  other than payments being hourly rate or per diem  is that benefits are granted based on a three-tier structure following an evaluation by a case manager.

But the moms said none of them and none of the families theyd contacted had been reviewed  and case managers told them they hadnt received the evaluation criteria.

To our understanding, there is not a tool available to adequately evaluate our children from what tiered level theyre supposed to be on, Dewitt said, noting there are just over 60 days before the transition date. Quite frankly, I wouldve expected at this point that we would have that evaluation tool ready and that our care managers would be able to start doing those evaluation processes with the Medicaid members.

Sharing the evaluation tool, or its release date, is another request from the families.

Dewitt said that without action from the Holcomb administration by the end of the week, families around Indiana will continue to struggle.

That is the main point that we came here today with, is that families are suffering. We have families that are going days, weeks and  some families, at this point  a month without any options, without any care because of the ineffective processes and communications that they are experiencing from FSSA, Dewitt said.

However, the moms acknowledged that their advocacy has a long road ahead with the term-limited Holcomb set to leave office. His successor will likely be the winner of the six-way Republican primary next week, one of whom  Holcombs second-in-command, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch  has been vocal about her support for families.

Her office, which previously called for an audit of FSSA in response to the budget shortfall and ensuing attendant care changes, sent a statement Monday sharing her reaction to the meeting and offering her help. Previously, her campaign released an advertisement on the topic.

Careful consideration of these recommendations is the least Gov. Holcomb and FSSA can do at this point. There are 62 days to make necessary adjustments to help give some of these families not only the hope but the help they need. I sincerely hope that these families can get answers by this Friday on the recommendations submitted to FSSA, Crouch said. We in Indiana will be judged by how we care for the most vulnerable among us.

Dewitt said that the lack of supports for families like theirs was hurting not just them but also Indiana as a whole.

Between the six women standing in front of you, we have 10 college degrees and 18 professional licenses and certifications. We are a talented part of the workforce that, unfortunately, is having to work as caregivers because we dont have adequate supports elsewhere, Dewitt said. We love our children. We know that moving forward, were going to have a lot of advocacy efforts ahead to hopefully be able to work with members of the General Assembly and to work with  the incoming administration.

The post Families call on Holcomb administration to pivot on attendant care transition appeared first on Indiana Capital Chronicle.
The house where 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot when he went to the wrong address to pick up his younger brothers in Kansas City, Missouri. via Associated Press

The mother of a Black teenager who was shot after mistakenly ringing the wrong doorbell is suing the homeowners association and gunman involved in the incident.

Ralph Yarl was 16 when he was shot in the head and arm by Andrew Lester, a white man, in Kansas City, Missouri, as he was picking up his twin younger brothers in April 2023. Yarl survived the encounter and continues his recovery after spending several days in the hospital.

His mother, Cleopatra Nagbe, on Monday filed a civil lawsuit in the circuit court of Clay County, Missouri, against Lester and the residential homeowners association where the shooting took place. In the seven-page court filing, Lester and the Highland Acres Homes Association are accused of careless and negligent conduct.

As a result of their actions, the suit claims, the teenager suffered and sustained permanent injuries, endured pain and suffering of a temporary and permanent nature, experienced disability and losses of normal life activities, was obligated to spend large sums of money for medical care and attention and suffered other losses and damages.

The document states Yarl never posed or issued a threat to Lester, and that the association was aware of or should have been aware of Defendant, Andrew Lesters, propensity for violence, access to dangerous weapons and racial animus.

The lawsuit was first reported by CNN.

Lester, 85, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. His trial is set for Oct. 7.

Yarl told police Lester shot at him once through his glass front door and again when the boy was already on the ground. Lester defended his actions by claiming he feared for his life.

Related...
DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, April 29. Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry has handed a note to the Russian ambassador in the country, Trend reports via the ministry.

"On the morning of April 29, the Tajik Foreign Ministry conveyed a note to Russian Ambassador Semyon Grigoriyev expressing serious concern regarding numerous instances of overtly negative treatment toward Tajik citizens in Russia, along with widespread violations of their rights and freedoms," the ministry said.

It is noted that such a behavior against Tajik nationals runs counter to the traditions and values of Tajik-Russian relations.

To note, as of late April 27, Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry reported that 954 Tajik citizens were being held at Moscow's Vnukovo International Airport in unhygienic conditions. Among them are Tajik students enrolled in Russian universities under quotas who don't get enough hot meals. Tajik diplomats, along with diaspora representatives, are providing food assistance to the citizens at Vnukovo airport.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) skipped the countys first Democratic Party debate Sunday, leaving her challenger to debate an empty podium.

The debate, held by the Atlanta Press Club, featured Williss Democratic challenger  attorney and author Christian Wise Smith  standing alone on the stage.

After a brief introduction about Smith, the debate moderator said Willis declined to participate in the debate and is represented by an empty podium.

Willis, who is bringing a sprawling election interference case against former President Trump and his allies, instead co-hosted Atlantas Self Care Fair, which is held every year in honor of Crime Victims Rights Week, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. The Hill reached out to Williss office for further comment.

Her reelection campaign told Atlanta News First earlier this month that Willis is not doing interviews that include discussion of the substance of high-profile cases the office is prosecuting, particularly the election interference prosecution and the ongoing trial of alleged YSL defendants, in reference to the ongoing trial of rapper Young Thug and his associates.

During what would have been the debate round that allowed candidates to ask each other questions, the moderator allowed Smith to pose his own question to Willis and provide a rebuttal of how he believes she would answer it.

My question for you is: Where are you? You know Im here because I care about the citizens and the families of Fulton County, Smith said. But its my understanding that you may have attended the White House correspondents dinner. You might be fundraising across the country, but what about us here in the Fulton County? What are you doing to address the issues in the jail? What are you doing to address the backlog? Where are you, Ms. Willis?

Asked if he had a rebuttal, Smith said he cannot speak for Willis, but her absence is all the response that we need.

He also took aim at the controversy sparked by Williss once-romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, who resigned from the Trump case in March following a judges ruling.

Judge Scott McAfee ruled last month that the relationship between Willis and Wade constituted an appearance of conflict of interest in Williss racketeering case against Trump. Willis was allowed to remain on the case if Wade departed. Trump and eight of his co-defendants have appealed McAfees choice to let her do so.

When asked if he will continue pursuing Williss case against Trump and using the states racketeering law, Smith responded, That issue is important to us here in Fulton County and a lot of people across the country.

We all heard the call, we all saw what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, but you have to do things differently, he continued. When you pay one attorney nearly a million dollars to handle one case, that leaves the rest of us vulnerable. That hurts everyone else in Fulton County.

The motion to disqualify Willis from the case alleged Wades relationship with the DA allowed him to financially benefit from his employment.

Smith ran against Willis four years ago and lost. The two will face off in a primary May 21. Courtney Kramer, who said she interned in the White House counsels office under Trump for three months in 2018, was the only Republican to qualify by the deadline, The Associated Press reported.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Fayette County Detention Center employee has been placed on administrative leave after being arrested in Oklahoma on drug-related charges, jail officials said Monday.

Sgt. Netoria Campbell was arrested April 24 in Canadian County, Oklahoma, on charges relating to the trafficking of narcotics, according to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

Campbell, who has been employed at the jail since 2012, has been placed on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the criminal charges, according to the Fayette County Detention Center staff.
Dr. Leonard A. Mermel, DO, medical director of the Department of Epidemiology & Infection Control for Lifespan, fears what could happen if the bird flu makes the leap to humans and the state is unprepared. 'We want public health authorities to be ready,' he says. (Courtesy of Lifespan)

As the daily news headlines detailing the spread of bird flu grow, so does Dr. Leonard Mermels anxiety.

An infectious disease expert who works as medical director for Lifespans Department of Epidemiology and Infection Control, Mermel fears what the outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza now detected in cows, skunks, and even one confirmed human case, in the United States could mean. Human-to-human transmission, not yet confirmed, would be far worse than what was experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mortality rate of that virus in humans is as high as 30%, Mermel, who also serves as a professor of medicine at Brown University, said in a recent interview. Thats 10 times more deadly than SARS-CoV-2 [the name for virus causing COVID-19]. We want public health authorities to be ready.

Yet the federal relief aid set aside for Rhode Island state agencies to handle public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 response, has barely been touched. And now, Gov. Dan McKee wants to repurpose more than half of that leftover funding to other, non-health-related projects like the Interstate-195 Washington Bridge rebuild and the states unemployment insurance trust fund.

Funds must be obligated by Dec. 31 of this year, and spent by the end of 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury.

The Pandemic Recovery Office, a subset of the Rhode Island Department of Administration (DOA), identified several buckets of COVID-19 federal funds as at risk of significantly underspending, based on lack of use so far. With the December deadline to obligate funds looming, state officials recommended giving back $40 million in unspent State Fiscal Recovery Funds (SFRF) to the state for other projects, according to a January report by the Pandemic Recovery Office

The funds, part of Rhode Islands $1.1 billion share of American Rescue Plan Act aid, were originally earmarked to pay for COVID-19 testing, vaccines, contact tracing and other public health measures.

The state has not experienced a surge in cases great enough to require their use, Derek Gomes, a spokesperson for DOA, said in an email on Friday.

Not so fast, Mermel countered.

Between the prospect of an even deadlier public health crisis of avian flu in humans, and the inevitable surge in COVID-19 cases as the virus continues to mutate, he wants the state to hang on to federal funds for health emergency preparation and response.

We dont know whats next on the horizon, Mermel said. We need to have a robust public health system to identify, manage and stymie transmission.

Indeed, staffing shortages and a scarcity of testing centers and vaccines in the initial COVID-19 outbreak showed the states lack of preparation.

Dr. Michael Fine, former state health director who serves as chief health strategist for the cities of Central Falls and Pawtucket, recalled begging the federal government for money to set up testing centers in hard-hit communities when COVID-19 first hit Rhode Island.

By the time federal aid became available, and state leaders developed a plan to spend it, approved alongside the states fiscal 2023 budget, the sense of urgency surrounding the COVID crisis had subsided.

We dont know what's next on the horizon. We need to have a robust public health system to identify, manage and stymie transmission.

 Dr. Leonard Mermel, medical director for Lifespans Department of Epidemiology and Infection Control

The state health department reported 9,120 COVID-19 total cases in June 2022, when the states long-term spending plan for federal pandemic aid was approved. At that time, there were 30.6 hospital admissions and 8.8 deaths per 100,000 residents. Cases, hospitalizations and deaths reported to the state have continued to decline, with 408 total cases, and five hospitalizations and less than one death per 100,000 residents in April 2024.

(Rhode Island COVID-19 Data Hub)

At its peak in January 2022, state health officials reported more than 101,000 cases with a hospitalization and death rates of 181 and 30.4, respectively, per 100,000 residents.

McKees original pandemic spending plan, approved in fiscal 2023, included $186.9 million for the states COVID-19 response through fiscal 2025. This was separate from money given to hospitals, nursing homes and community health centers.

A year later, as part of the fiscal 2024 budget, $110 million was moved to other projects. The remaining $73 million was split between the Department of Administration ($41.8 million) and the Department of Health ($34.9 million). None of the DOA money has been spent, while the health department has used $13.4 million of its COVID-related funding as of March 2024, according to data with the Pandemic Recovery Office.

McKee in his initial fiscal 2025 budget proposal unveiled in January, proposed shifting $20 million from the DOAs COVID aid to other projects, including plugging budget deficits within the Rhode Island Department of Corrections and Rhode Island Public Transit Agency. On April 22, McKee proposed a budget amendment essentially draining the remaining DOA COVID money, leaving just $1.8 million for fiscal 2025.

Instead, McKee pitched spending the money for housing and homelessness initiatives, state transportation projects including the state share of the cost to rebuild the Washington Bridge and bolstering the unemployment insurance trust fund, among others, according to a separate budget amendment memo submitted the same day,

Sen. Sam Zurier, a Providence Democrat, wasnt sold.

I just question whether this is the right time to take $20 million out of our COVID program and use it for the bridge, Zurier said during a State House hearing April 23 on the health department budget.

His comments came seconds after state health officials shared updated vaccination rates during the same Senate Committee on Finance hearing, showing that 18% of Rhode Islanders have received the latest COVID-19 vaccine.

(Rhode Island COVID-19 Data Hub)

Seema Dixit, the deputy director for RIDOH, blamed the seemingly low participation on vaccine fatigue, noting that Rhode Island is on-par with regional and national averages. As of April 19, 14% of children and 22.8% of adults nationwide had received the latest COVID vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Zurier was not satisfied.

That means five out of six people are not getting this vaccine, he said during the Senate Finance Committee hearing, noting that the health departments own budget presentation acknowledges the risk of potential COVID-19 surges in the future.

In a later interview with Rhode Island Current, Zurier elaborated.

The primary responsibility for that money is to give us resilience against this pandemic and future ones, he said. I just want to make sure were doing everything we can before we give that money up.

Public health funding wish list

Dixit seemed skeptical that more education and outreach could get more Rhode Islanders to roll up their sleeves for the latest COVID-19 shot. But other public health experts offered up a wealth of ways to spend the federal aid on public health preparation and care.

Among the top prescriptions: strengthen the states primary care workforce, which has suffered from shortages even before the COVID-19 pandemic came to town.

We know there is a critical shortage of primary care doctors, and those are one of the most trusted sources for encouraging vaccinations in underserved communities, said Chris Gadbois, CEO of nonprofit Carelink Inc. and past board president of the Rhode Island Public Health Association.

A bevy of bills up for consideration at the Rhode Island State House seek to tackle the primary care shortage. Among them: proposals to start a scholarship program to incentivize medical and nursing students to stay in the state, and increase the number of clinical training sites where primary care professionals can hone their skills. The combined $3.5 million funding required in fiscal 2025 for both initiatives was initially proposed to come from state general revenue.

But perhaps that would be a better use of pandemic aid than a bridge, which while crucial, has little to do with the aftermath of the crisis that spurred the funding, Zurier said.

The D.C.-based the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in a January 2023 report specifically named state transportation projects and unemployment insurance trust funds as examples of spending of federal pandemic aid that dont actually address the health and human impacts of the crisis.

I just question whether this is the right time to take $20 million out of our COVID program and use it for the bridge.

 Sen. Sam Zurier, a Providence Democrat

Federal guidelines allow states to spend their American Rescue Plan Act relief on replacing lost revenue, in addition to programs that address the health, economic and human service gaps created by the pandemic. But just because they can, doesnt mean they should, said Whitney Tucker, director of the centers state fiscal policy research

Some of these initiatives like a bridge or unemployment trust fund fall outside the spirit of what the funding was intended for, Tucker said. I am not saying there arent urgent needs there, but they are not needs that should be funded from this money.

The revised spending plan for Rhode Islands pandemic aid, adopted in the fiscal 2024 budget, allocates $600 million  over half of its total $1.1 billion windfall  to negative economic economics. Revenue recovery accounts for another $371 million of allocated funds as of July 1, 2023, equal to one-third of total aid. Meanwhile, the $120.6 million allocated for public health represents just under 11% of the federal funding.

McKees office deferred questions for comment to the state health department.

Joseph Wendelken, a health department spokesperson, offered an emailed response in which he highlighted the $32.2 million still available in the proposed fiscal 2025 budget for COVID-19 prevention and control.

Combined with other non-SFRF funding sources, we have the resources we need to effectively do work related to COVID-19 prevention and control, Wendelken said.

The health department anticipates spending the entire $32 million on COVID-related surge needs, technical assistance, data and analytics and communications in fiscal 2025, according to Wendelken. A separate allocation in the proposed fiscal 2025 budget, funded through a restricted receipt account from fees to health insurers, would pay for COVID-19 vaccines.

The post What is federal COVID relief money for anyway? appeared first on Rhode Island Current.
A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version.

A Little Housekeeping

I promised to circle back on some of the notable news last week that was drowned out by the major stories of the day. This is an effort to sweep up some of those loose ends.

Judge Puts Trump On Full Blast

With all the other news last week, you may have missed the withering treatment Donald Trump received from the federal judge in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case.

U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected Trumps motion for a new trial and upheld the $83 million damages award in Carrolls favor. In doing so, the judge raked Trump over the coals for his ongoing defamation of Carroll, his repeated instances of defamation, and his demeanor during the trial.

The full opinion is here.

The judge rejected Trumps use of comparable cases to argue that the compensatory damages awarded Carroll were excessive: None of these prior examples involved publication of defamations as widespread and destructive as Mr. Trumps defamation of Ms. Carroll, and none involved a publisher of defamation who was a president of the United States or anyone nearly as high-profile.

But it was Trump conduct in court that drew the most ire from the judge. In finding that the punitive damages awarded Carroll were appropriate, the judge wrote:

But beyond his out-of-court statements disparaging Ms. Carroll during trial  many of which were introduced in evidence  the jury could have found that Mr. Trumps demeanor and conduct in the courtroom itself put his hatred and disdain on full display. Mr. Trump could be heard repeatedly complaining to his counsel about the proceedings, so much so that plaintiffs counsel twice requested that the Court instruct him to stop. In particular, during Ms. Carrolls testimony, the jury could have found, Mr. Trump could be heard making audible comments that Ms. Carrolls testimony was false, that the proceedings were a witch hunt and a con job, and most notably, that his earlier statements disparaging Ms. Carroll were true. And, most dramatically, mere minutes after plaintiffs counsel began her closing argument, Mr. Trump conspicuously stood and walked out of the courtroom for no apparent reason save to evidence his disapproval, though he was present again when Court resumed later that morning and remained for his own counsels entire summation.

This case will be wending its way through appeals for a while, so dont expect Carroll to begin collecting on her judgment any time soon.

No Trump Trial Today

The hush-money trial resumes Tuesday.

Meanwhile, TPMs Josh Kovensky assesses the two days of cross examination of former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker by Trump lawyer Emil Bove.

Arizona Fake Elector Elected To RNC

CNN: Arizona state Sen. Jake Hoffman, one of the so-called fake electors charged in the Arizona 2020 election subversion case, announced Saturday that hes been elected as a Republican National Committee national committeeman for the state.

Trump II Takes Aim At The Fed, Too

WSJ: Donald Trumps allies are quietly drafting proposals that would attempt to erode the Federal Reserves independence if the former president wins a second term, in the midst of a deepening divide among his advisers over how aggressively to challenge the central banks authority.

What Being A Target Of Trump Looks Like

Lisa Page, the former FBI attorney whose affair with Peter Strzok became endless fodder for Donald Trump delegitimization of the Mueller investigation, was in court last week trying to convince a judge to do more to protect her from a stalker about whom the FBI had allegedly failed to warn her:

In mid-December, Mr. Perez showed up at least four times at Ms. Pages house in Washington, making a bizarre claim that she had been witness to his childhood sexual abuse, even though the two had never met, according to a warrant from the Metropolitan Police Department. During one visit, he interacted with Ms. Pages 11-year-old son.

The man pleaded guilty to misdemeanor stalking and was barred from the DC area for six months and ordered to attend six therapy sessions.

ICYMI 

Mother Jones: In a little-noticed court filing earlier this month, federal prosecutors described Steve Bannon as a co-conspirator in a massive criminal fraud and racketeering case against a flamboyant, far-right Chinese fugitive, compounding the legal headaches of the former Donald Trump adviser.

Turning The Oval Office Into The Seat Of Criminal Activity

Still reeling over that insane Supreme Court argument on presidential immunity Thursday. Two moments standout as especially jarring, for totally opposite reasons.

The first is Justice Samuel Alito going to the unthinkable place that without immunity presidents may just never leave the Oval Office:

Alito asks if closely contested elections will lead to a cycle where former presidents fear they will be "prosecuted by a bitter political" that "destabilizes the functioning of our country as a democracy" pic.twitter.com/gmkVvhxkcJ  nikki mccann ramirez (@NikkiMcR) April 25, 2024

The second is Ketanji Brown Jackson fully appreciating the real impact of Alitos ahistorical line of thinking:

Jackson: The most powerful person in the world could go into office knowing that there would be no potential penalty for committing crimes  I'm trying to understanding what the disincentive is from turning the Oval Office into the seat of criminal activity in this country pic.twitter.com/jC2yihYc54  Acyn (@Acyn) April 25, 2024

Others also still sifting through the rubble of that oral argument:

Steve Vladeck: Im worried because there appear to be five or more justices who think that they have an obligation to do more than is required in the instant caseapparently without regard for the very real institutional and political costs such a move could (and, I fear, would) incur.

Politico: Trump immunity fight turns Supreme Court textualists topsy-turvy

Marty Lederman: A few preliminary reactions to the oral argument in Trump v. United States

An Especially Chilling Death Penalty Case

Chris Geidner reports on an unusual case where the Republican attorney general of Oklahoma cant convince a state court to throw out a death row inmates conviction, despite admitted prosecutorial misconduct, so is now seeking relief from the Supreme Court.

2024 Ephemera

WaPo: Former president Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met privately Sunday morning in Miami, according to people familiar with the matter, breaking a years-long chill between the presumptive Republican nominee and his onetime chief primary rival.

MI-Sen : Former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) has dropped out of the GOP primary for U.S. Senate.

NYT: Donald Trump Has Never Sounded Like This

Sign of the times:

Notable moment in todays @atlpressclub debate in the GOP race for Georgias open 3rd District: All five Republican candidates raise their hand when @russfox5 asks if they believe Trump was the rightful winner of Georgias 2020 race, which he lost to President Biden. #gapol pic.twitter.com/mBOg7ynvWv  Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) April 28, 2024

Strange Times

President Bidens message to the press: The defeated former president has made no secret of his attack on our democracy. He said he wants to be a dictator on day one, promised a bloodbath when he loses again, and so much more. Eight years ago, you could have written it off as pic.twitter.com/hcqoYa5ARM  Biden-Harris HQ (@BidenHQ) April 28, 2024

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With four people arrested in the three weeks since a Homestead woman was carjacked and later shot to death in Central Florida, federal prosecutors on Monday warned that anyone associated with the individuals jailed so far could find themselves charged in connection with the murder.

If we can find evidence of a violation of a federal violation in the course of our investigation, we are going to pursue it, Roger Handberg, United Sates Attorney for the Middle District of Florida, told reporters during a briefing about the probe into the April 11 murder of 31-year-old Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas.

The press conference served as not only an update on the case, but also an official transfer of jurisdiction from Seminole County to the federal government. A spectrum of agencies are taking the lead, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

READ MORE: Drugs, money and murder: A look at the probe into Homestead womans deadly carjacking

Thats because the probe involves not only Guerrero De Aguasvivas murder, but also another fatal shooting in Orange County. Theres two other cases under investigation, too: cocaine and fentanyl trafficking that spans from Puerto Rico to multiple counties in Florida.

The arrest of these four individuals does not mark the end of this investigation, Handberg said. Far from it.

Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma had been handling the probe and said Monday that some of his detectives will remain on the case as part of a federal task force.

While Lemma held several press conferences and provided specific details to reporters concerning the complex investigation, Handberg said not to expect the same level of immediate transparency now that the federal government has taken the lead

We speak through what happens in the federal docket, he noted at Mondays briefing.

Armed carjacking in Central Florida

Guerrero De Aguasvivas, a mother of two young children who worked at a Florida City hair salon, was carjacked at gunpoint at a Seminole County intersection.

Cell phone video shot from a witness stopped at the red light at East Lake Drive and Tuskawilla Road reveals a masked man getting out of a green Acura holding a semiautomatic rifle and hopping into the backseat of Gurrero De Aguasvivas white Durango.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

The Durango, with the Acura following, makes a U-turn and drives off.

The torched Durango was found hours later at an Osceola County construction site with the body  who authorities say is Guerrero De Aguasvivas  inside.

She had been shot with multiple 10-mm bullets. The same ammunition was used the day before to kill Orange County tow truck driver Juan Luis Cintron Garcia.

Handberg said agents are investigating possible links to both murders. The Orange County Sheriffs Office hasnt released the incident report for Cintron Garcias slaying. He was shot in the Taft neighborhood of Orange County.

There detectives found more than 100 spent 10-mm casings at the scene, Lemma said earlier this month. Cintron Garcia towed the same 2002 green Acura from an Orange County apartment complex on March 11. Investigators detailed that was the same car used in Guerrero De Aguasvivas armed kidnapping.

A green Acura, AR-15 and $1,500?

One of the men expected to be federally charged with carjacking and killing Guerrero De Aguasvivas is Kevin Omar Ocasio-Justiniano. Investigators say the 28-year-old Puerto Rican man was likely driving the Acura that tailed her Durango. Lemma said last week that his Toyota Corolla was also seen in Taft the night Cintron Garcia was killed.

A photo of Kevin Omar Ocasio-Justiniano.

Ocasio-Justiniano, also known as Kevo, is being held in Puerto Rico on an unrelated automatic weapons possession and drug trafficking warrant. Lemma said he is expected to be charged with the carjacking resulting in death.

READ MORE: Two facing federal charges in connection to Homestead womans carjacking, murder, cops say

Investigators believe that a 28-year-old man named Jordanish Torres-Garcia is the masked gunman wearing a hooded sweatshirt seen on video kidnapping Guerrero De Aguasvivas.

He was arrested April 19 in Orange County on an unrelated federal weapons charge.

Jordanish Torres-Garcia

Torres-Garcia, also from Puerto Rico, admitted to FBI agents that he kidnapped Guerrero De Aguasvivas but said he way paid $1,500 to deliver her to another person, who wasnt named in an April 24 criminal complaint filed in federal court.

READ MORE: Man admits he was paid to kidnap Homestead woman in Central Florida, FBI says

He told agents that he met with someone about a half-hour before the carjacking near the area of Lake Drive in Seminole County, and that person gave him an AR-15 rifle to be used in the carjacking, according to the complaint. He then received a phone call that Guerrero De Aguasvivas was on her way, according to the report.

It remains unclear whether Torres-Garcia named anyone.

Torres-Garcia said he and another man in the Acura located Guerrero De Aguasvivas at a stop sign on Lake Drive and tried to get her to pull over by bumping her Durango, but they were unsuccessful, the complaint states.

Lemma said last week that investigators believe Guerrero De Aguasvivas traveled to Central Florida to meet with Giovany Crespo Hernandez, another person of interest in the case.

A photo of Miguel Angel Aguasvivas, the husband of Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas.

Guerrero De Aguasvivas husband, Miguel Angel Aguasvivas, had initially told detectives that his wife drove to the area to meet with family. But the Homestead womans brother, Luis Fernando Abreu, told detectives his sister was there to deliver money and other stuff.

Lemma said his detectives located some of Guerrero De Aguasvivas relatives in the area, but they said they werent expecting a visit from her.

Aguasvivas initially cooperated with the investigation, but Lemma said hes since reneged. Miami Herald reporters went to Aguasvivas Florida City barber shop last week, but a man sitting outside said he wasnt there.

Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez

Bricks of cocaine and a deputy

Detectives say Crespo-Hernandez, 27, was likely the last person Guerrero De Aguasvivas spoke to on the phone as she was driving on Interstate 4 in the downtown Orlando area before she was kidnapped.

Seminole County detectives served an unrelated search warrant on Crespo-Hernandezs Casselberry home on April 17 and discovered fentanyl, guns, marijuana, digital scales and cash. He turned himself in to police on April 23.

Hes being held on drug trafficking and marijuana with intent to sell charges.

Meanwhile, Crespo-Hernandezs girlfriend, 28-year-old Monicsabel Romero Soto, was arrested by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations agents the same day of the search warrant after they say she picked up three bricks of cocaine that were found in a lamp in a package sent from Puerto Rico to a St. Cloud home in Osceola County.

Monicsabel Romero Soto

Last Thursday, Orlando federal magistrate Judge Robert Norway ordered Romero Soto, who lives with Crespo-Hernandez in Casselberry, released from detention despite evidence of her involvement in a substantial, long-running criminal enterprise.

At left, a firearm and money were found in a pouch in the Casselberry, Florida, home of Monicsabel Romero Soto and Giovany Joel Crespo Hernandez, federal agents say. At right, a trap space was found inside the Toyota found in the homes driveway, agents say. Investigators believe the couple may be connected to the deadly carjacking of 31-year-old Katherine Altagracia Guerrero De Aguasvivas, a Homestead woman.

Romero Sotos two children are in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families. Her defense attorney said the Puerto Rican native is likely to comply with court orders to get the children back into her custody.

READ MORE: Arrest of woman found with cocaine stuffed in lamp linked to carjacking. Shes released

In a twist that played out when the probe commenced, Seminole County detectives arrested Orange County Deputy Francisco Estrella Chicon, who investigators say illegally accessed the personal and professional profile information of the lead Seminole County detective on the case.

Detectives say he then shared that information with Aguasvivas the night of the murder as he drove to Seminole County to speak with investigators in person.

Estrella Chicons wife is his childhood friend. Estrella Chicon was arrested on April 14 and released on a total bond of $15,000 five days later.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office has since relieved him of all law enforcement duties. Hes suspended without pay pending the criminal investigation.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  North Carolina officials say a man convicted of assault with serious bodily injury escaped prison during a family visitation Sunday afternoon until he was caught about five hours later and less than a mile away.

The escape took place just after 1 p.m. at Rutherford Correctional Center near Spindale in Rutherford County, about 70 miles west of Charlotte, according to a news release from the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

The news release said the escape happened during family visitation at the facility, a minimum-security prison for men nearing the end of their sentences.

Roy Steven Buff, 33, is serving about three years for a conviction of felony assault  inflicting serious bodily injury following a case in Rutherford County, officials said and prison records indicate.

Before his escape Sunday, he was scheduled for release in May 2025, the news release said. The assault took place in August 2022 and his sentence began in mid-December of that year.

Roy Steven Buff in a photo from the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

Around 6 p.m. Sunday, Buff was captured by K-9 officers and the Prison Emergency Response Team from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, officials said.

Buff was caught less than a mile from the prison at a business along Old Ballpark Road in Spindale, according to a 6:30 p.m. news release.

He will be returned to a higher security prison facility and will face escape charges, authorities said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Protesters occupying a pro-Palestine encampment and pro-Israel counterprotesters clashed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus on Sunday as college demonstrations continue nationwide.

Fights began between isolated members of the two groups before a counterprotest demonstration by the Israeli American Council, the Daily Bruin reported. Thousands gathered at the center of UCLAs campus on Sunday, backing both sides of the protest.

A small number of counterprotesters attempted to breach barriers erected by the university to separate the two protest groups in the early morning, the Bruin reported. Pro-Palestine protesters later breached the same barriers, resulting in small skirmishes.

Mary Osako, UCLA vice chancellor and spokesperson, denounced the clashes.

This morning, a group of demonstrators breached a barrier that the university had established separating two groups of protestors on our campus, resulting in physical altercations, Osako said in the statement. UCLA has a long history of being a place of peaceful protest, and we are heartbroken about the violence that broke out.

The protests remained largely peaceful on Sunday, on both sides, the Bruin reported. No arrests were reported from the skirmishes.

Sundays protests continued a national movement of college students taking over campus public spaces to protest the Biden administrations response to the Israel-Hamas war and urge their colleges to divest from Israeli interests.

Hundreds of students have been arrested across the country, and the students have taken the political spotlight. Columbia University, where protests first began last week, hosted Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and multiple members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.

The protests have not changed the policy of the Biden administration, which has largely denounced the demonstrations as antisemitic. GOP leaders, including Johnson, have called on Biden to use the National Guard to quell the movements, which he has declined.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
HELSINKI/VILNIUS (Reuters) -Finnair said on Monday it is pausing flights to Tartu in eastern Estonia for one month due to GPS disturbances in the area, which Tallinn blamed on neighbouring Russia.

GPS jamming and spoofing have grown worse in Eastern Europe, the Black Sea and the Middle East, all areas close to conflict zones, according to industry group OpsGroup. GPS is a growing part of aviation replacing radio beams used to guide planes towards landing.

Estonia will raise the issue of GPS interference with its neighbours, and intends to discuss it at the European Union and NATO, the country's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said after the Finnair's move.

"It is a fact that Russia affects GPS devices in our regions airspace," the minister said via a spokesperson.

He did not provide evidence for the claim.

The Estonian authorities, together with Finnair, are working to find solutions to restore air traffic in Tartu, said Tsahkna.

Finnair said two flights last week had to divert back to Helsinki after GPS interference prevented the approach to Tartu.

"Finnair will suspend its daily flights to Tartu, Estonia, from April 29 to May 31, so that an alternative approach solution that does not require a GPS signal can be put in place at Tartu Airport," the Finnish airline said in a statement.

The carrier has reported GPS disruptions in the past. A spokesperson said the company did not now where the interference came from.

"We don't have that information," she said.

Disturbances have increased since 2022, and Finnair pilots have reported interference especially near Russia's Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea coast, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, the company said.

"Typically, GPS interference does not affect flight routes or flight safety, as pilots are well aware of it and aircraft have alternative systems in place that are used when the GPS signal is interfered with," it added.

Neither the Kremlin nor Russia's Defence Ministry immediately replied to requests for comment on Monday.

Earlier this month, Germany said Russia was very likely behind a series of disturbances affecting navigation in the Baltic region. The German Defence Ministry pointed to Kaliningrad as their source, though it declined to give any details citing "reasons of military security."

At the time, Moscow did not comment on such accusations.

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm, Anne Kauranen in Helsinki, Andrius Sytas in Vilnius, additional reporting by Joanna Plucinska, Ron Popeski, editing by Terje Solsvik, David Evans and Tomasz Janowski)
Finnair flights will be suspended from April 29 to May 31 - Tom Little/REUTERS

Finnair will suspend its daily flights to Tartu, Estonia, after Russian GPS jamming forced two airliners to turn back from the eastern Estonian citys airport.

Flights will be suspended from April 29 to May 31, Finnair said, so that an alternative approach solution that does not require a GPS signal can be installed at Tartu Airport.

Russian GPS jamming in the Baltic has caused interference to thousands of civilian airliners over the past two years.

We apologise for the inconvenience the suspension causes to our customers. Flight safety is always our top priority, and as the approach to Tartu currently requires a GPS signal, we cannot fly there in the event of GPS interference, said Jari Paajanen, Finnairs director of operations.

Last week, two Finnair flights had to divert back to Helsinki after GPS interference prevented them safely approaching Tartu.

Pilots well aware of the issue

The same thing happened as the day before. Somewhere halfway along its route, the plane turned back, around 15 minutes before landing, a passenger who was aboard one of the diverted flights told Estonian news outlet ERR last week.

The pilot said that approaching Tartu at night requires an accurate GPS signal, and there was not one because of interference from the eastern neighbours, the passenger continued.

The systems on Finnairs aircraft detect GPS interference, our pilots are well aware of the issue, and the aircraft have other navigation systems that can be used when the GPS system is unserviceable, Mr Paajanen added.

Most airports use alternative approach methods, but some airports, such as Tartu, only use methods that require a GPS signal to support them.

Aviation charts show that although Tartu has an Instrument Landing System (ILS) beacon installed on its single runway, the airports published approach paths all depend on a GPS signal being available.

Tartu has an Instrument Landing System beacon installed on its single runway - Westend61 GmbH / Alamy Stock Photo

Airliners must follow these approach paths to guarantee passengers safety when descending to land.

Finnair passengers who have booked to fly to Tartu over the next month will receive more information from the airline in due course, it said.

GPS jamming by Russia has been an increasingly large problem thanks to the amount of disruption caused to both military and civilian aircraft.

Earlier this year the GPS on Defence Secretary Grant Shappss RAF aircraft was jammed by Russia as the jet flew over the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which lies on the shores of the Baltic.

Reports this month indicated that thousands of British airliners had been affected by Russian GPS jamming around the same area.

GPS jamming causes airliners navigation systems to stop working correctly, forcing pilots to fall back to older, more labour-intensive, ways of flying.

Experts believe, based on reports of jamming from airliners flying near Kaliningrad, that a major Russian GPS jammer is located near the port city.

Agressive rhetoric from Russia

Finnairs flight cancellations come after increasingly aggressive rhetoric from Russia towards the Baltic countries.

Kaja Kallas, Estonias prime minister, was placed on a Russian wanted list in February after her country demolished Soviet-era war memorials following the invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

The Baltic politicians were accused of destroying monuments to Soviet soldiers, the Russian state news agency Tass reported.

Latvia, which neighbours Estonia and also shares a 175-mile land border with Russia, this week urged its citizens to convert basements into air-raid shelters amid fears of an invasion or military attack.

Vilnis Kirsis, the mayor of the capital Riga, said: We call on everyone during the big clean-up, but also afterwards, to ensure that your cellars and your basements can be used as shelters in case of emergencies.

The ambassadors of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania all warned in March that the invasion of Ukraine could pivot quickly into an all-out assault on the Baltic states.

Writing in The Telegraph, they said: Our warnings about the latent and growing threat from the East were too easily dismissed in some allied capitals.

British soldiers are currently stationed in Estonia as part of a Nato-led security force aimed at deterring Russian aggression.

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Firefighters on the South Shore rushed to help fight a roaring blaze at a Randolph apartment complex Sunday night.

Several crews and trucks could be seen dousing water at an apartment complex at Bridle Path Circle around 7:30 p.m.

All of a sudden its like the fire spread so enormously it was like I couldnt believe it. It was like someone poured gasoline on top of the roof, said Margharita, a displaced resident.

Randolphs acting fire chief says a man in his 20s dove off a second-story balcony as firefighters were raising a ladder to rescue him. The young man suffered minor burns.

A video sent to Boston 25 captured yellow and orange flames bursting from the roof of the building as black smoke filled the air. Officials said the building doesnt have any sprinklers causing the flames to spread rapidly.

As flames continued to burn, some black and charred holes had already formed in the roof. Fire officials say the roof and the third-floor ceiling collapsed.

It hurts because I work hard for everything I have and losing everything its painful. I have no clothes. My kids have no clothes, said Margharita.

Fire officials estimate at least 80 people are now without a home and the building has been deemed a complete loss.

The Red Cross is assisting those families.

There is no word on what sparked the fire. Crews remain on scene Sunday night to control any hot spots.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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An argument that erupted among fishermen turned deadly in the Florida Panhandle when one man pulled a gun and shot a fellow angler, according to investigators.

Identities of the suspect and victim have not been released.

It happened just after 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in at Diamond Head Fish Camp in Vernon, about a 100-mile drive northwest of Tallahassee.

A woman called 911 and reported her husband was involved in an altercation with another man, the Washington County Sheriffs Office reported in a news release.

Investigators were informed that all three men had been on the lake fishing and consuming alcohol most of the day, the sheriffs office said.

Once back at the dock, one party became aggressive and threatened to kill one of the other individuals. The altercation became physical between two parties and a firearm was produced, leading to one individual being shot and killed.

A sheriffs office dive team searched the water and recovered the body, officials said.

Investigators have not said what started the argument.

The investigation is still ongoing. ... At this time, no charges have been filed, the sheriffs office reported.

Frenzied sharks surround charter boat and start attacking motor, Florida video shows

Rare metallic yellow bass pulled from lake by Florida biologists. Take a look

Man accused of killing friend on fishing trip is caught at church, Florida cops say
Jack Curtis, founding chairman of the United Kansas Party, says many right- and left-leaning independent voters in Kansas feel the Republican and Democratic parties don't represent their interest. The United Kansas Party would seek to initiate a process of cross-party nominations. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Jack Curtis is testing a theory that if you organize a new kind of party, all sorts of people would show up to be part of it.

Curtis, founding chairman of the United Kansas Party, said escalation in divisive politics within the Republican and Democratic parties and a feeling among people across the political spectrum that they didnt fit within confines of those two partisan options led to the idea of creating an alternative home for independent-minded Kansans.

Its more than a nonprofit advocacy organization created to influence the outcome of elections or development of government policy. It would give United Kansas Party a spot on ballots, assuming the Kansas secretary of state confirmed enough petition signatures were submitted to formally establish the party. The requirement is 2% of registered voters in Kansas, and party organizers submitted to state election officials in March a stack of petitions with a comfortable 35,000 signatures.

It has that ballot line, which right there is going to be a huge opportunity. So, first and foremost, thats what were offering, Curtis said.

Separate from the presence of United Kansas candidates on ballots, Curtis said on the Kansas Reflector podcast the party would open the door to debate  litigation perhaps  about implementing a nomination process in which candidates could be cross-nominated by multiple parties.

Curtis said the centrist political party would work to build support among the states 563,000 registered but unaffiliated voters. That block could be viewed as the states second-largest contingent of voters, given Secretary of State Scott Schwabs report showing in April there were 874,000 registered Republicans and 503,000 registered Democrats. The two other parties on the roster are the Libertarian Party, with 24,000 members, and No Labels Kansas with 39 members.

Republicans hold two-thirds majorities in the Kansas Legislature, with all remaining seats controlled by Democrats. In recent years, two GOP senators changed their registration to independent to campaign statewide office. In 2022, Sen. Dennis Pyle ran as an independent for governor. Sen. John Doll was the lieutenant governor nominee for independent gubernatorial candidate Greg Orman in 2018. After those losses, both reverted their registration to the GOP.

Kansas politics is currently dominated by the Democrats and the Republicans, Curtis said. But when we take a look at the state, theres so much opportunity.

He said the United Kansas Party would begin by concentrating on advancing sensible, responsible governance at the state level and place an emphasis on candidates for the House and Senate.

The issue is that no one side, no one political party, has a monopoly on good ideas, Curtis said. What United Kansas is aiming to do is to be able to slowly, steadily and meaningfully start playing in the middle again.

He said fusion voting could be a game-changer in terms of engaging with Kansas voters, because cross-nomination of candidates would offer them a more personal stake in elections. He said the ballot would be structured so nominees of each party would be listed on ballots. A person nominated by the Republican Party and the United Kansas Party would be listed separately, but votes for that individual would be fused in the final tally.

The Kansas Constitution outlined the idea that voters had the right to be politically associated with any individual, Curtis said. That right should extend to political affiliation of nominees on a ballot, he said.

We have five states right here in the United States that do this. The most prominent is going to be New York. Theyve had a very rich and successful history, Curtis said.

Curtis said this type of ballot construction has potential to appeal to right- and left-leaning independent voter convinced their voices werent been heard in the Republican or Democratic parties. The idea could serve as a moderating influence on extremes of the two major parties, he said.

He said the United Kansas Party would be a big-tent organization, but had no interest in amassing the kind of party power that dominated politics in Kansas.

The way that we win is by getting sensible, responsive individuals elected who are going to do whats best for their constituents, he said. At the end of the day, thats really what the other parties should be looking for as well.

The post Fledgling newcomer to Kansas party politics working to create powerful kind of fusion appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
A stricter abortion law that takes effect in Florida on Wednesday  dropping the states 15-week ban to a six-week ban  will likely affect thousands of people seeking abortion care within the first month alone.

Florida has become a key abortion access point amid widespread restrictions that have taken hold in the region in the two years since the US Supreme Courts Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. Its also one of the countrys most populous states.

Last year, 1 of every 3 abortions in the South  and about 1 in every 12 nationwide  happened in Florida, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research and policy organization focused on sexual and reproductive health that supports abortion rights. In 2023, there were about 7,000 abortions in Florida each month, and more than 9,000 people traveled from other states to get an abortion in Florida throughout the year, the data shows.

Many women dont know that theyre pregnant six weeks after their last menstrual period, and other states that have enacted laws with this early gestation limit saw significant cuts to abortion care. In Texas, the number of abortions provided within the formal health-care system dropped by about half after a six-week abortion ban took effect in 2021, and there were thousands more births than expected in the following year. In South Carolina, there was a 70% decrease in abortions just one month after the state enforced a six-week limit.

But tighter restrictions in Florida could have an even more significant effect than historical trends suggest because Florida has been absorbing patients from other states that already have stricter limits. So far this year, more than 1,300 people from other states have traveled to Florida for an abortion, according to data from the state health agency  nearly a tenth of all abortions in the state so far in 2024.

Of the 16 states in the South, nine have banned abortion. Florida joins Georgia and South Carolina with a six-week ban. This leaves just three states in this US Census region  Delaware, Maryland and Virginia  where abortion remains legal past the first trimester and North Carolina with a 12-week limit.

In terms of the number of people impacted, this certainly has the potential to be one of the most impactful policy changes that has happened in the recent months  and thats not to minimize these other policy changes, which also have caused enormous amounts of harm and real barriers to access, Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist with the Guttmacher Institute who is a lead researcher for an ongoing project tracking abortions in the US, told CNN. Its all so interrelated. As more and more barriers to access happen, and especially in the Southeast, and as options for care become more and more limited, it really exacerbates these obstacles even more than we would otherwise have thought.

A 2022 study found that the average travel time to an abortion facility more than tripled in the first few months after the Dobbs decision. The effects were significantly severe in some southern states such as Texas and Louisiana, where average travel times to the nearest abortion facility were seven hours longer, adding nearly a full workday in travel time to get an abortion.

For that study, researchers considered abortion facilities in states with complete bans and those with six-week limits to be inactive. The newly implemented bans cut the number of active providers by about a tenth. In the year and a half since, the abortion landscape in the US has only become more fractured, and Floridas new six-week ban would affect a significant number of facilities that remain in the South.

Providers and patients had 30 days to prepare since the Florida Supreme Court first posted the decision that paved the way for the new restrictions.

Amber Gavin, vice president of advocacy and operations for A Womans Choice, an independent abortion clinic with locations in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia, said that questions from patients started pouring in right after the April 1 ruling. Any time abortion is in the news, chaos and confusion follow, she said.

The clinic in Florida is committed to staying open and providing care as long as it can  and ensuring thats communicated well, Gavin said. Its also preparing for the possibility of another change come November.

Florida is one of three states, along with Maryland and New York, that has secured abortion measures on the 2024 election ballot. In Florida, the Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion would protect the right to an abortion up to the point of viability or to protect the patients health as determined by their health care provider. Ten other states are considering adding abortion-related measures, some to protect access and others that could restrict access.

(The Florida Supreme Court decision) was a really worst-case scenario decision for us because it did overturn 40 years of precedent, Gavin said. But I think it also hopefully will motivate folks and get folks out in November to make sure that the government isnt interfering in these really personal decisions.

In the meantime, abortion funds across the US are preparing for a surge in need from patients who may be displaced by Floridas more restrictive law.

The Tampa Bay Abortion Fund anticipates that at least 90% of people who call their hotline will be impacted by a six-week abortion ban and will need to seek abortion care outside of Florida. The Chicago Abortion Fund has bolstered programs and capacity in direct anticipation of this decision from Floridas high court, and staffers estimate that theyll need an additional $100,000 each month to absorb the surge of Floridians and other Southerners seeking support for an abortion.

Every caller to TBAFund is already facing one or more barriers to care, such as a lack of funding, transportation, childcare, or a nearby abortion clinic in their community. The six-week ban will only exacerbate those barriers in the cruelest fashion, Kris Lawler, president of the Tampa Bay Abortion Fund Board said in a statement.

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CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  A husband and wife from Florida have been identified as the people who died in an RV vs. train collision last week in Christian County.

Christian County Coroner Amy Winans released their names on Sunday after notifying their family. Joseph and Christina Kessler were both 73 years old and died from multiple blunt force injuries sustained in the crash, an autopsy found.

Urbana Police searching for armed robber

The Kesslers were from Sarasota, Fla. Winans said family told her the couple was on a journey to complete their goal of visiting all 50 U.S. states and nearly all U.S. National Parks.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
The Florida Commission on Ethics has dismissed a complaint that accused former Clearwater City Council member Kathleen Beckman of using her public office for personal gain during her unsuccessful campaign for mayor earlier this year.

The complaint, filed by former Mayor Frank Hibbard in February, became an issue during election season. Beckmans opponent in the two-way race, lawyer Bruce Rector, spoke about it during appearances, and a Republican political committee sent attack mailers highlighting the allegations.

Rector won the March 19 election with 62.44% of the vote.

Hibbards complaint was one of 33 statewide that the commission dismissed this month without conducting investigations because the allegations were not legally sufficient, according to an April 24 news release.

Hibbard alleged Beckman commingled her campaign with city resources by mailing letters on city stationery to targeted voters about how officials were resolving flooding problems on Clearwater Beach. Beckman used city staff to help write the letters, print copies and provide envelopes, according to emails. She paid to mail them to 139 residents, all of whom were women, and used Democratic campaign software to generate the addresses, according to the spreadsheet of recipients.

The commission, in dismissing the complaint, noted that the letters had a legitimate public purpose of educating residents about the citys response to flooding in the area.

The letters identified Beckman as a council member and did not mention she was a mayoral candidate or ask residents to vote in any manner, the dismissal order states.

Beckman said on Monday that the commissions decision shows that the attacks against her were clearly a political ploy to tarnish my name.

What it shows is people can use nasty, mean-spirited, untruthful tactics to besmirch their opponents, Beckman added.

Hibbard said he believes the commission got it wrong and that Beckman mailing the letters only to women and not all residents affected by beach flooding does not pass the smell test. He downplayed the complaints impact on the election, saying it alone could not explain Rectors 25-point victory.

I believe in the institution of Clearwater government and frankly I think what she did is disingenuous and undermined everything she talked about for her four years about being transparent and intentional, Hibbard said.

In January, then-Mayor Brian Aungst Sr. raised concerns about Beckmans letters during a City Council work session. Aungst, who was not a candidate and endorsed Rector during the campaign, accused Beckman of electioneering on city time by sending the letters to targeted voters.

Rector said Monday that although the complaint was dismissed, it was valid to call attention to Beckman only sending her letter to female voters and using campaign software in the process.

Whether or not they dismissed it, it doesnt mean people like what she did, Rector said.

Beckman said Monday the letter recipients were female because women are more receptive to such a gesture. But she said she tried not to dignify the allegations during her campaign by getting into debates explaining her actions.

She said she often communicated with residents through letters, emails, meet-and-greets and in-person visits during her four-year term as a council member.

She said she composed the letters after surveying floodwaters with north Clearwater Beach residents following a December storm.

Although she used campaign software in compiling the letters, she said the recipients were all people she met or attempted to meet by knocking on doors over the course of her time in office. Two recipients previously told the Tampa Bay Times they never had contact from Beckman.

Since the election, Beckman has stayed active in city affairs by attending council meetings and being involved with various community groups. She said she does not see politics in her future.

I dont see myself running again but Im going to stay busy in other ways, Beckman said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. The Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) aims to develop trade with Turkmenistan, Head for Exchange's Foreign Relations Alexander Bashliy told Trend in an exclusive interview.

"The Belarus-Turkmen trade exchange will be established using the same ideas and technologies that have proven successful in other areas. In particular, we discuss conducting exchange seminars and webinars, round tables, and conferences with the participation of representatives of Belarusian and Turkish businesses," he noted.

According to him, collaborative events planned with the cooperation of industrial groups or business circles typically deliver the maximum efficiency.

"Therefore, an agreement has already been reached on cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, which expressed its readiness to assist in informing Turkmen business entities about the possibilities and advantages of the exchange mechanism," Bashliy said.

Furthermore, the representative of the exchange stressed that the issue of accreditation of a stockbroker in Turkmenistan is also being worked out, which will become a link between the Belarusian exchange and local enterprises, helping them to participate in auctions, settle transactions, and provide logistics.

"There are prospects in agriculture, industry, and woodworking, but, in my opinion, it is advisable to start with lumber. Along with dairy products, this is a distinctive indicator of Belarus," he said.

Furthermore, he mentioned that Belarusian timber products are supplied through the exchange to more than 20 countries in the world, including Turkmenistan, where demand for wood products is consistently high, and therefore it is necessary to increase the volume of Belarusian exports by increasing the pool of Turkmen buyers and ensuring the rhythm of supplies.

"The first steps in this direction have already been taken: negotiations have been held with residents of Turkmenistan already accredited at the exchange, who for one reason or another have not participated in exchange trading sessions over the past year. As a result, most of BUCE's inactive clients from Turkmenistan plan to intensify their activities on the exchange platform in the near future," Bashliy said.

The representative of the exchange added that, in parallel, a search is underway for potential buyers of Belarusian dairy products and sugar, where there is certainly interest.

"Belarus has an export-oriented economy; therefore, companies from a variety of industries sell their products overseas, particularly through exchange trading. At the same time, the exchange is frequently utilized as a tool for expanding the geography of sales because, through our trading system, it is possible to acquire access to potential buyers from more than 70 countries at minimal expense," he said.

The representative of the exchange noted that Turkmenistan is also represented on the exchange, and for many Belarusian enterprises, it is a promising sales market with great potential.

"However, import choices are rather diverse. Polymer products, detergents, textile raw materials, and workwear are among the most popular items on the Belarus stock exchange. All of these products are produced in Turkmenistan and can be distributed to the Belarusian market through an exchange platform. In other words, aggressively employing the exchange mechanism in mutual trade will benefit both the Turkmen and Belarusian sides," Bashliy stressed.

He also stated that the exchange system is as transparent as possible because trading is conducted anonymously and any chance of pricing collusion is eliminated, despite the fact that uniform rules apply to all bids, which are overseen by the stockbroker.

Meanwhile, the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange is the only commodity exchange in the country and the largest spot exchange in Eastern Europe, with all transactions requiring payment and physical delivery of products.



A delegation from the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange's Department of Foreign Relations visited Ashgabat in late March, and plans were announced to increase trade with Turkmenistan this year by realizing the exchange's export potential, which is primarily represented by the supply of timber, dairy products, and sugar.



Several discussions with potential timber importers and Turkmen food sector firms took place during the tour, which was organized by the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Minsk branch in collaboration with the Embassy of Belarus in Turkmenistan.
A Florida woman went on a wild rampage at a Wawa location and allegedly stabbed a man with a large knife before committing other crimes, police said.

Christina Marie Crane, 37, was charged with attempted felony murder, criminal mischief and aggravated assault, according to FOX 13 Tampa. She was also charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

The Pinellas Park Police Department told FOX 13 that the incident took place at a Wawa on Gandy Boulevard at around 10 p.m. Friday night.

Authorities believe that the suspect was under the influence at the time and in a state of "excited delirium" when she entered the store.

FLORIDA TEEN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY POINTING LASER AT SHERIFF'S HELICOPTER: HES BLINDING OUR PILOT'

Christina Marie Crane, 37, was charged with attempted felony murder and criminal mischief, among other charges.

Crane allegedly took a fixed blade knife from the deli and stabbed a man with it, causing him to bleed. He suffered a minor abrasion in his left hand.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

After leaving the Wawa, authorities said the suspect went inside an office and raised the knife over a female employee's head. She reportedly told the office worker, "I will kill you."

FORMER GOP CONGRESSMAN CRASHES INTO FLORIDA HIGHWAY PATROL VEHICLE IN ALLEGED ROAD RAGE INCIDENT: REPORT

Crane is also accused of swinging the knife that nearly struck another female office worker. She also reportedly smashed computer monitors in the office, causing what amounted to over $1,000 worth of property damage.

Fox News Digital reached out to Pinellas Park Police Department for more information about the case, but no new details were available.





Original article source: Florida woman stabs man in wild Wawa rampage, before threatening employees and smashing computers: police
Former Arizona state Dem lawmaker gets a year in prison for sexual misconduct with a minor

Former Arizona state Dem lawmaker gets a year in prison for sexual misconduct with a minor

A former Arizona state lawmaker was sentenced to a year in prison on Friday after being found guilty in February of sexual misconduct with a minor, according to reports.

KTVK in Phoenix reported that Otoniel "Tony" Navarrete was sentenced by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to one year in prison and 10 years of supervised release for his crime.

Navarrete is also required to register as a sex offender.

The publication also reported that Navarretes attorney plans to file an appeal.

ARIZONA STATE DEM ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED SEXUAL CONDUCT WITH A MINOR IN 2019: REPORTS

Tony Navarrete booking photo

On February 29, a Maricopa County jury delivered a split verdict for the ex-Arizona state senator who had previously stepped down from his role over allegations of sexual misconduct.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

FOX 10 in Phoenix reported that the jury delivered the split verdict in a video provided by officials with the courts, finding Navarrete guilty of one count of sexual misconduct with a child.

Navarrete also faced a single charge of child molestation, as well as having sexual conduct with a minor, both of which he was found not guilty.

ARIZONA HOUSE LAWMAKERS PASS BILL TO REPEAL 1864 ABORTION BAN

Arizona state Sen. Tony Navarrete

There was a fourth charge of attempting to commit molestation of a child, which was dismissed by a motion filed by prosecutors on Feb. 22.

The first-term Democrat from Phoenix was arrested in August 2021 after allegations surfaced that he had sexual misconduct with a minor in 2019.

ARIZONA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS NEAR-TOTAL ABORTION BAN

Inside a courtroom with gavel in view.

The station reported that the allegations involved a boy he was living with over a period of several years, who accused Navarrete of touching him inappropriately when he was 12 or 13.

The sexual misconduct reportedly continued until the boy was 15.

Navarrete resigned from his post because of the allegations and was replaced by then-State Rep. Raquel Teran.

Navarrete, 35, was elected as the state representative for Arizona's 30th District in 2016. He served one term before being elected to the state Senate in 2018.





Original article source: Former Arizona state Dem lawmaker gets a year in prison for sexual misconduct with a minor
EMPORIA, Kan. (KSNW)  The former underground utilities supervisor for the City of Emporia has been accused of stealing from the city he worked for.

Captain Lisa Hayes with the Emporia Police Department says they were notified of suspicious activity on city property on April 16. Cpt. Hayes says the investigation led deputies to other locations in Kansas as well as Iowa, eventually culminating in the arrest of the 51-year-old former supervisor on suspicion of felony theft. Hayes says following his arrest, the city notified investigators that he had been fired.

Oklahoma towns hard hit by tornadoes begin long cleanup after 4 killed in weekend storms

Cpt. Hayes says the investigation is still underway. Anyone who may have information related to the case is asked to contact the Emporia Police Department Investigations Division at 620-343-4219, Lyon County Crime Stoppers at 620 342-2273, or submit a tip online at P3Tips.

It is KSN policy not to identify suspects until formal felony charges have been filed against them.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
Former head of Ukrainian election commission injured in Russian attack on Odesa  video

Serhii Kivalov, the former head of the Central Election Commission (CEC), has been injured in a Russian attack on Odesa.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources close to Serhii Kivalov and in law enforcement

Details: The source reports that the former CEC chairman is currently undergoing surgery. Kivalov sustained an injury to his thigh and an artery was damaged. He is suffering from venous bleeding.

Kivalov is also the president of the National University Odesa Law Academy. One of the university buildings was also damaged in the Russian attack. The police said a vice rector of the Academy was also injured.

This information was confirmed to Suspilne by Valentyn Fedorov, one of the vice rectors of the National University Odesa Law Academy.

It is reported that the house where Kivalov and his family live, known in Odesa as Kivalov's Castle, is on fire. The roof has been almost completely destroyed by the flames.

For reference: Kivalov was also a member of the Ukrainian parliament in the third to eighth convocations. He was a member of the Party of Regions, a banned pro-Russian political party.

Background:

On Monday evening, the Russian army launched a missile attack on the city of Odesa. At this point, 4 people are known to have been killed and 17 injured in the attack, and a fire has broken out at Kivalovs Castle.

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For a second time, the Supreme Court has rejected former Trump White House advisor Peter Navarros request to get out of prison while he appeals a conviction for contempt of Congress, CNN reported Monday. The former director of the White House National Trade Council reported to federal prison after Chief Justice John G. Roberts denied Navarros first attempt to avoid incarceration.

Navarro, 74, has been serving a four-month sentence in an 80-person facility for older inmates at the Federal Correctional Institute in Miami. He had defied a congressional subpoena to testify about the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters, and was subsequently found guilty of two counts of criminal contempt of Congress. The prison sentence and a $9,500 fine were passed down by a federal judge in Washington, D.C.

Members of the House January 6 Committee had sought documents and testimony from Navarro, who was involved in Trumps bid to delay the official certification of Joe Bidens victory. Navarro argued that he was entitled to executive privilege, but Roberts ruled that even if true, the federal appeals courts decided that it was not enough to shield him from a congressional subpoena.

Navarro reported to prison in mid-March. Earlier this month filed another emergency request with Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, who referred the case before the full court. Though his lawyers argued that a hold on Navarro's prison term was warranted because their client wasnt a flight risk and was raising substantial legal questions, the second attempt also met with failure. Two lower courts turned down similar appeals.

Navarro is the first former White House official to go to prison on charges of contempt, but he may soon find company. Steve Bannon, the right-wing activist who helped lift Trump to the White House, was also found guilty of two charges of contempt of Congress and given a four-month sentence. But he has so far avoided prison, as the judge put his term on hold while Bannon appeals his conviction.
Former UK Armed Forces minister: 'Ukraine defeat will cost trillions to West in new Cold War'

Ukraine needs more aid packages to avoid defeat, which "would cost the West trillions in a new Cold War," the former British Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said in an April 28 interview with The Telegraph.

After months of political infighting and a deteriorating situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, the U.S. House of Representatives finally passed the crucial foreign aid package on April 20, which includes $60.84 billion for Ukraine.

On April 24, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the foreign aid bill, marking the final step of the long and often stalled legislative process.

Read also: When and how will US aid impact the front lines in Ukraine?

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced on April 23 a 500-million-pound ($617 million) uplift in military support for Ukraine, largest military aid package from the country to date.

Sunak also pledged to supply Ukraine with hundreds of armored vehicles, 60 boats, and four million rounds of small-arms ammunition.

Heappey said that Kyiv will need more aid packages like those unveiled last week to win the battle for "security across the whole European-Atlantic region."

"A stalemate or, heaven forbid, a Ukrainian defeat promises a new Cold War that will last for decades and cost trillions of dollars more," Heappey added.

The former British Armed Forces minister believes that the latest military aid supplies will not "immediately balance the situation" on the front line but will allow Ukrainians to start "a final offensive that brings a quick and complete victory."

Heappey said that Ukrainian forces will not be ready to defeat Russia until 2025 or even 2026.

While aid stalled amid months of political infighting, Russia took advantage of Ukraine's growing battlefield ammunition shortages, capturing the city of Avdiivka in February.

The lack of air defense systems has also become urgent for Kyiv as Russian troops continue to intensify attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. In April, Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, said it needed at least $350 million to recover the lost capacity caused by Russia's attacks on thermal power plants.

Kyiv repeatedly urged its allies to send more air defense systems to defend itself from Russian attacks.

Read also: Zelensky on US aid: We will do everything to compensate for the 6 months that have passed in debate and doubt

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
FORT SCOTT, Kan.  Storms over the last several days have caused flooding to roadways in northern sections of Fort Scott.

City Manager Brad Matkin says just over 10 inches of rain has fallen in town since early Friday morning. That has caused many roads near the Marmaton River to become impassable.

City workers have been working countless hours to close those roads to traffic.

They say its very crucial to your well-being that you obey those road closure barricades, and simply turn around, dont drown.

We cant tell you enough how important it is to not drive through water. If there are cones or barricades put up  please do not go around them  because theres a reason for that and you dont know whats underneath the water  because the infrastructure could go out and could cause a lot more damage or injury to you, said Brad Matkin, Fort Scott City Manager

Matkin says the Marmaton River  which flows through northern Fort Scott  is currently experiencing historic and dangerous levels.

Photos show aftermath of severe weather in southeastern Kansas

Right now, the river is up to about 47 feet  which is 3rd highest in the history. Back in 1986  when we had the massive flood, it was at 52 feet. So, hopefully, we can stay below that  but right now, you know, its just a matter of stay away, just stay home, said Matkin.

Matkin says water levels in the Marmaton River have officially crested  and should begin to lower in the next several hours.

Meanwhile  a flood warning remains in effect until Wednesday morning.

One traffic closure that should be heavily noted is access to both west and east Highway 54  via Highway 69.

Right now  access roads to 54  via 69, are closed to traffic due to flood waters on roadways.

City leaders say those access points could re-open to traffic as early as tomorrow afternoon, depending on how fast the water level goes down, along with cleanup time.





















For a more detailed list of road closures in Fort Scott  visit the citys Facebook page, here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
French actor Gerard Depardieu will face trial in October over allegations of sexual assault, the Paris prosecutors office told CNN Monday.

The assaults were allegedly committed against two people in September 2021 during the shooting of the film Les Volets Verts, the prosecutors office added without identifying them.

The actor is also being formally investigated on suspicion of rape and sexual assault allegedly committed in August 2018 against actress Charlotte Arnould, the prosecutors office said.

Depardieu has previously been placed under formal investigation for alleged rape and sexual assault after a number of women filed complaints against him. The French actor has denied all accusations against him.

Depardieu's lawyer Christian Saint-Palais pictured on April 29. - Michel Euler/AP

CNN has reached out to his lawyer for comment regarding the trial. Earlier on Monday, his lawyer told CNN the actor had been taken into police custody in Paris to face questioning.

Depardieu presented himself at a police station in Paris on Monday morning, according to BFMTV, and was questioned over accusations of sexual assault alleged to have taken place on film sets.

Depardieu is known for his roles in films like Green Card, The Man in the Iron Mask and Life of Pi.

The police station in Paris where Depardieu went for questioning. - Antonin/AFP/Getty Images

He was also nominated for an Oscar in 1991 for his leading role in Cyrano de Bergerac.

In 2013, Depardieu was granted Russian citizenship by Vladimir Putin after saying he was going to give up his French passport in protest at government plans for a tax hike on the richest.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 29. The international exhibition of food products, food industry, packaging, agriculture, and modern food production technologies "Agro Pack Turkmenistan-2024" and "Turkmen Food-2024", will open in the capital of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat city, on May 1517 this year, Trend reports.

According to an official source, the exhibition, organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan together with the So Fuar international exhibition company, will become a platform for demonstrating achievements in the fields of the agro-industrial complex, agriculture, and food industry.

At the exhibition, producers of agricultural products and food products will be able to establish contacts with existing and potential partners interested in investing in business development.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to get acquainted with a wide range of demanded products and product innovations, where special attention will be paid to packaging equipment, products, and designs in accordance with the environmental requirements of accepted international standards.

Furthermore, foreign companies from Turkiye, Belarus, Russia, Uzbekistan, and other countries will take part in the event.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan's desire to develop its agro-industrial and food sectors penetrates into the depths of its economic strategy, based on natural resources and cultural traditions.

The country is actively investing in modern technologies and infrastructure in order to increase agricultural production, ensure food security, and stimulate export opportunities.

This development direction not only strengthens the economy but also contributes to social stability and the improvement of the quality of life of the local population, deepening the role of Turkmenistan as an important participant in the global agricultural arena.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
French actor Gerard Depardieu to be tried in October over alleged sexual assaults

PARIS (Reuters) - French actor Gerard Depardieu will be tried next October for alleged sexual assaults against two women during a 2021 film shoot, the Paris public prosecutor said on Monday.

Depardieu, one of France's top movie stars, has been at the centre of a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years that have tarnished his legacy and exposed broader divisions about sexual conduct in France.

Depardieu, who has been questioned by the police during most of the day, has consistently denied any wrongdoing. One of his lawyers, Christian Saint-Palais, told BFM TV that the actor had been released without charge.

The public prosecutor said the actor was also indicted for another case, dating back to August 2018, of alleged sexual assault and rape. The judge closed investigations on that case and has handed it over to the Paris public prosecutor.

A source told Reuters Depardieu was also accused of alleged groping on a 2014 film set.

Depardieu's case has divided the French society, with some women viewing it as a symbol of the country's inability to tackle sexual abuse by powerful men in the wake of the #Metoo movement.

Others, including French President Emmanuel Macron and several well-known actors, have rallied to Depardieu's defence.

"He's an immense actor, a genius of his art," Macron said late last year. "He makes France proud."

(Reporting by Paris newsroom; Additional reporting by Tassilo Hummel, Juliette Jabkhiro; Writing by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Nick Macfie and Tomasz Janowski)
Reality Check is a Fresno Bee series holding those in power to account and shining a light on their decisions. Have a tip? Email tips@fresnobee.com.

A hearing on a proposed increase in residential trash collection rates in Fresno is being delayed by seven weeks because not everyone affected received a notice legally required under state law.

The Fresno City Council was originally scheduled to field protests on May 2 by residents over the plan by the citys Public Utilities Department for a five-year series of rate hikes that will represent an increase of more than 78% for most customers. The increases would affect owners or renters of single-family homes within the city.

Apartment complexes would not be affected because they are served by private companies that contract with the city to provide commercial trash collection services to businesses throughout Fresno.

The new hearing date is June 20, just days before the July 1 start of the 2024-25 fiscal year when the city had hoped to start charging the higher rates.

Unless a majority of homeowners in the city lodge a protest against the increase, the rate sequence put forth by Mayor Jerry Dyer, City Manager Georgeanne White and Public Utilities Director Brock Buche for homeowners that now have three 96-gallon containers  one for trash, one for recyclable materials and one for green waste  would be up for approval by the City Council.

Those rates would be:

July 1, 2024: Bills would increase from the current rate of $25.37 per month to $30.87 per month, an increase of 21.7%.

July 1, 2025: Bills would increase to $35.50 per month, a 15% increase.

July 1, 2026: Bills would increase to $38.70 per month, a 9% increase.

July 1, 2027: Bills would increase to $41.99 per month, an 8.5% increase.

July 1, 2028: Bills would increase to $45.24 per month, a 7.7% increase.

The cumulative increase over five years would amount to $19.87 over current rates  an increase of 78.3%.

The monthly bills for homes that have a smaller 64-gallon cart for their trash would be a few dollars lower.

Earlier this year, the city sent out notices by mail for a May 2 protest hearing; people could either fill out and return the included protest card, or appear in person at the hearing.

But city officials reported Friday that, following the mailing of the notice, the city became aware of a technical error in the mailing list that inadvertently omitted some owners and/or customers of record.

Proposition 218, a state law governing how cities and counties may enact rate increases, requires that affected residents or property owners receive at least 45 days notice.. To comply with the law, the city put together an updated mailing list and is sending a new notice.

Some residents or property owners will receive two notices, but only one protest per residential household will be counted.

Buche said earlier this year that the increased rates are necessary because the departments costs to provide trash services to homes have grown, including labor, fuel, landfill fees and processing of organic, green and recyclable materials.

The last time the city raised its trash rates was 2009. But in recent years, the solid-waste division has relied on accumulated reserves to fill the gap between revenues and expenses. This year, that gap will be about $9.5 million.

If customers reject the rate increases, Buche said, the result would likely be cutbacks in services to keep costs in line with the existing revenues. Among the possibilities would be potentially moving from the current once-a-week trash collection schedule to every other week.
Former Fulton County prosecutor Christian Wise Smith vowed to bring fresh energy and new ideas to the Fulton district attorneys office as he challenges Fani Willis for the DA post.

Smith, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for Georgia attorney general two years ago, was the only candidate on the stage Sunday for a candidate debate sponsored by the Atlanta Press Club ahead of the May 21 Democratic primary. Willis declined to participate in the debate and was represented by an empty podium.

Willis is in the national limelight after gaining an indictment last summer charging former President Donald Trump and 18 allies with trying to overturn Democrat Joe Bidens victory over Trump in Georgia four years ago.

Wise Smith said Sunday he would continue to pursue the case if hes elected district attorney, but he questioned Willis approach. He said Willis decision to hire an outside lawyer to lead the prosecution took resources away from pursuing other crimes.

When you pay one attorney $1 million to handle a case, it hurts everyone else in Fulton County, Wise Smith said. We have to see (the Trump case) through while addressing everything else affecting Fulton.

The lawyer Willis hired, Nathan Wade, ended up resigning from the case last month at the urging of Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee after Wade and Willis acknowledged they had been involved in a romantic relationship.

Wise Smith also questioned the use Willis has made of Georgias broad RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) statute to go after criminal conspiracies, not only in the Trump case but in the prosecution of rapper Young Thug and a group of associates on gang-related charges and in the Atlanta Public Schools test-cheating scandal a few years back.

RICO was designed for organized crime, Wise Smith said. Using it against teachers is an overreach.

Wise Smith said he wants to use the powers of the district attorney to address overcrowding at the Fulton County Jail by promoting a diversion program.

We can bring people through the system a lot faster, he said.

In the other debate

In another judicial candidate debate on Sunday, former U.S. Rep. John Barrow declared hes running for a seat on the Georgia Supreme Court because incumbent Justice Andrew Pinson has a track record of defending a ban on abortion.

Barrow, a Democrat who represented Georgias 12th Congressional District for a decade, said legislation the General Assembly passed in 2019 essentially banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy violates the states Constitution.

Barrow said Georgias highest court needs more people like him with real-world experience outside the courtroom.

Ive had 25 years of practice ... representing families all over Georgia, working with real people with real problems, he said. My opponent brings virtually no experience from the real world.

Pinson, who was appointed to the state Supreme Court by Gov. Brian Kemp in 2022 after a year on the Georgia Court of Appeals, declined to participate in Sundays debate.
Funding for crisis pregnancy centers could soon double or triple in some states

Mandisa Thomas, founder of Atlanta-based organization Black Nonbelievers and a supporter of abortion rights, said she has often heard the abolitionist language from anti-abortion protesters, and she finds it insulting. | Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

Abortion-related bills continue to be introduced and debated in legislatures across the country, especially in states where the procedure is already banned. It can be hard to monitor them all, so States Newsrooms Reproductive Rights Today team tracks certain bills that could become law in their respective states in a biweekly legislative roundup. Depending on the partisan makeup of a states legislature and other state government officials, some bills have a higher chance of passing and becoming law than others.

Arizona

House Bill 2677: House members narrowly voted in favor of repealing an 1864 ban on abortion that contained no exceptions except to save a pregnant patients life. The ban was set to take effect June 8 after a ruling from the Arizona Supreme Court earlier this month. Arizona Mirror reported Republican Reps. Matt Gress and Tim Dunn worked to force a vote on the bill on the House floor, where it passed 32-28. If it is approved by the Senate and fully repealed, the state will revert to a policy of a 15-week ban on abortion, which contains exceptions for situations where a pregnancy could cause permanent health effects. But it does not include exceptions for rape or incest.

Status: Passed the House, awaiting consideration in the Senate

Sponsor: Democratic Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton

Arkansas

Abortion is banned in nearly all cases in Arkansas.

Senate Bill 64: This bill doubling taxpayer funding for crisis pregnancy centers is now awaiting action by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Advocate reported. The centers are anti-abortion and often religiously affiliated. The increase would bring the total funding to $2 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, and does not contain provisions for reporting how the funds are spent, although they cant be used for religious services. There are more than 50 crisis pregnancy centers in Arkansas, the Advocate reported.

Status: Awaiting action by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Sponsor: Republican Sen. John Payton

Kansas

Despite Kansas voters overwhelming rejection of abortion bans in a referendum shortly after the Dobbs decision in 2022, lawmakers passed several bills related to abortion. Abortion is legal in Kansas, and six clinics provide in-clinic services.

Senate Bill 28: Kansas lawmakers approved $2 million for the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program as part of a state budget bill, but Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the allocation on Thursday, Kansas Reflector reported. The funds are meant to enhance and increase resources that promote childbirth instead of abortion for people handling unplanned pregnancies. Kelly said when Kansans widely rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed abortion bans, they told politicians they should stop inserting themselves in private medical decisions between women and their doctors.

Status: Vetoed. Action could be overridden if two-thirds of the legislature votes to do so

Sponsor: Kansas Insurance Department

House Bill 2436: Kelly also vetoed this bill, which addresses abortion coercion, making it a felony to pressure someone into an abortion, including doctors, family members and partners, according to the Reflector. The crime carried felony penalties including prison time and fines. Kelly said no one should be forced to undergo a medical procedure against their will, but she was concerned about the vague, overly broad language of the bill and said threatening someone with violence is already a crime in Kansas.

Status: Vetoed. Action could be overridden if two-thirds of the legislature votes to do so

Sponsor: Republican Rep. Rebecca Schmoe

Louisiana

Abortion is banned at any stage of pregnancy in Louisiana with exceptions to save a pregnant patients life, preserve their health or for fatal fetal anomalies.

Senate Bill 278: Louisiana Illuminator reports lawmakers want to increase taxpayer support for crisis pregnancy centers from $1 million this fiscal year to between $3 million and $5 million next year, and a new bill would require all of that money to go through a single nonprofit organization before its allocated to those centers. That nonprofit has not yet been chosen, according to the Illuminator. The program, currently called Alternatives to Abortion, would be renamed the Louisiana Pregnancy and Baby Initiative and provide funds for parenting classes, baby supplies and other items.

Status: Passed the Senate, awaiting consideration in the House

Sponsors: Republican Rep. Jack McFarland and Democratic Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews

Maine

Abortion is broadly legal in Maine, without limits on gestational age.

Legislative Document 227: Lawmakers passed a shield law to protect the state health professionals who provide reproductive and gender-affirming care, Maine Morning Star reported. It joins 22 states and Washington, D.C., in passing such a law protecting health care providers from lawsuits for providing abortion care. It also prevents law enforcement from sharing information about legal procedures with other states.

Status: Law  signed by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills

Sponsor: Democratic Rep. Anne Perry

Missouri

Nearly all abortions are banned in Missouri.

House Bill 2634: This legislation prohibits the spending of any public funds on an abortion facility or its affiliates or associates, including Medicaid through the MO HealthNet program. Missouri Independent reports the bill is targeting Planned Parenthood clinics, which do not provide abortions in Missouri but may provide referrals to clinics in other states for abortion care. The clinics do provide contraceptives, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer, and general wellness visits. Representatives for the local Planned Parenthood affiliates said they will continue trying to serve all patients, no matter what.

Status: Awaiting action by Republican Gov. Mike Parson

Sponsor: Republican Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman

Ohio

Abortion is legal in Ohio before viability.

House Bill 502: Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced legislation to protect access to in vitro fertilization procedures, including a shield law preventing civil, criminal or professional actions against anyone for injury or death of any human reproductive material when it has yet to be born, Ohio Capital Journal reported.

Status: Introduced, not yet assigned to committee

Sponsor: Democratic Reps. Anita Somani and Beryl Brown Piccolantonio

House Bill 475: A Republican representative introduced a new bill to prohibit any entity that supports, promotes or provides abortions from receiving state funds, according to the Capital Journal, despite the fact that similar laws already exist. It would require counties and municipal corporations to report any abortion-related spending and to withhold the money and reallocate it to pregnancy resource centers which is generally understood to mean anti-abortion facilities also known as crisis pregnancy centers.

Status: Under consideration in House Government Oversight Committee

Sponsor: Republican Rep. Josh Williams

The post Funding for crisis pregnancy centers could soon double or triple in some states appeared first on Michigan Advance.
Funding for crisis pregnancy centers could soon double or triple in some states

Ali Muldrow, a mother of three girls and runs an abortion fund in Wisconsin, told speaks to a crowd outside the U.S. Supreme Court

Ali Muldrow, a mother of three girls and runs an abortion fund in Wisconsin, told a crowd outside the U.S. Supreme Court that Black women are more likely to die in childbirth than white women and spoke of her own difficult pregnancies. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

Abortion-related bills continue to be introduced and debated in legislatures across the country, especially in states where the procedure is already banned. It can be hard to monitor them all, so States Newsrooms Reproductive Rights Today team tracks certain bills that could become law in their respective states in a biweekly legislative roundup. Depending on the partisan makeup of a states legislature and other state government officials, some bills have a higher chance of passing and becoming law than others.

Arizona

House Bill 2677: House members narrowly voted in favor of repealing an 1864 ban on abortion that contained no exceptions except to save a pregnant patients life. The ban was set to take effect June 8 after a ruling from the Arizona Supreme Court earlier this month. Arizona Mirror reported Republican Reps. Matt Gress and Tim Dunn worked to force a vote on the bill on the House floor, where it passed 32-28. If it is approved by the Senate and fully repealed, the state will revert to a policy of a 15-week ban on abortion, which contains exceptions for situations where a pregnancy could cause permanent health effects. But it does not include exceptions for rape or incest.

Status: Passed the House, awaiting consideration in the Senate

Sponsor: Democratic Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton

Arkansas

Abortion is banned in nearly all cases in Arkansas.

Senate Bill 64: This bill doubling taxpayer funding for crisis pregnancy centers is now awaiting action by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Arkansas Advocate reported. The centers are anti-abortion and often religiously affiliated. The increase would bring the total funding to $2 million for the fiscal year starting July 1, and does not contain provisions for reporting how the funds are spent, although they cant be used for religious services. There are more than 50 crisis pregnancy centers in Arkansas, the Arkansas Advocate reported.

Status: Awaiting action by Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Sponsor: Republican Sen. John Payton

Kansas

Despite Kansas voters overwhelming rejection of abortion bans in a referendum shortly after the Dobbs decision in 2022, lawmakers passed several bills related to abortion. Abortion is legal in Kansas, and six clinics provide in-clinic services.

Senate Bill 28: Kansas lawmakers approved $2 million for the Pregnancy Compassion Awareness Program as part of a state budget bill, but Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the allocation on Thursday, Kansas Reflector reported. The funds are meant to enhance and increase resources that promote childbirth instead of abortion for people handling unplanned pregnancies. Kelly said when Kansans widely rejected a constitutional amendment that would have allowed abortion bans, they told politicians they should stop inserting themselves in private medical decisions between women and their doctors.

Status: Vetoed. Action could be overridden if two-thirds of the legislature votes to do so

Sponsor: Kansas Insurance Department

House Bill 2436: Kelly also vetoed this bill, which addresses abortion coercion, making it a felony to pressure someone into an abortion, including doctors, family members and partners, according to the Reflector. The crime carried felony penalties including prison time and fines. Kelly said no one should be forced to undergo a medical procedure against their will, but she was concerned about the vague, overly broad language of the bill and said threatening someone with violence is already a crime in Kansas.

Status: Vetoed. Action could be overridden if two-thirds of the legislature votes to do so

Sponsor: Republican Rep. Rebecca Schmoe

Louisiana

Abortion is banned at any stage of pregnancy in Louisiana with exceptions to save a pregnant patients life, preserve their health or for fatal fetal anomalies.

Jack McFarland

Rep. Jack McFarland is the head of the Louisiana House Appropriations Committee. (Greg LaRose/Louisiana Illuminator)

Senate Bill 278: Louisiana Illuminator reports lawmakers want to increase taxpayer support for crisis pregnancy centers from $1 million this fiscal year to between $3 million and $5 million next year, and a new bill would require all of that money to go through a single nonprofit organization before its allocated to those centers. That nonprofit has not yet been chosen, according to the Illuminator. The program, currently called Alternatives to Abortion, would be renamed the Louisiana Pregnancy and Baby Initiative and provide funds for parenting classes, baby supplies and other items.

Status: Passed the Senate, awaiting consideration in the House

Sponsors: Republican Rep. Jack McFarland and Democratic Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews

Maine

Abortion is broadly legal in Maine, without limits on gestational age.

Legislative Document 227: Lawmakers passed a shield law to protect the state health professionals who provide reproductive and gender-affirming care, Maine Morning Star reported. It joins 22 states and Washington, D.C., in passing such a law protecting health care providers from lawsuits for providing abortion care. It also prevents law enforcement from sharing information about legal procedures with other states.

Status: Law  signed by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills

Sponsor: Democratic Rep. Anne Perry

Missouri

Nearly all abortions are banned in Missouri.

House Bill 2634: This legislation prohibits the spending of any public funds on an abortion facility or its affiliates or associates, including Medicaid through the MO HealthNet program. Missouri Independent reports the bill is targeting Planned Parenthood clinics, which do not provide abortions in Missouri but may provide referrals to clinics in other states for abortion care. The clinics do provide contraceptives, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer, and general wellness visits. Representatives for the local Planned Parenthood affiliates said they will continue trying to serve all patients, no matter what.

Status: Awaiting action by Republican Gov. Mike Parson

Sponsor: Republican Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman

Ohio

Abortion is legal in Ohio before viability.

House Bill 502: Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced legislation to protect access to in vitro fertilization procedures, including a shield law preventing civil, criminal or professional actions against anyone for injury or death of any human reproductive material when it has yet to be born, Ohio Capital Journal reported.

Status: Introduced, not yet assigned to committee

Sponsor: Democratic Reps. Anita Somani and Beryl Brown Piccolantonio

House Bill 475: A Republican representative introduced a new bill to prohibit any entity that supports, promotes or provides abortions from receiving state funds, according to the Capital Journal, despite the fact that similar laws already exist. It would require counties and municipal corporations to report any abortion-related spending and to withhold the money and reallocate it to pregnancy resource centers which is generally understood to mean anti-abortion facilities also known as crisis pregnancy centers.

Status: Under consideration in House Government Oversight Committee

Sponsor: Republican Rep. Josh Williams

The post Funding for crisis pregnancy centers could soon double or triple in some states appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Just as it was an uphill battle to fight the frightening AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 90s, people in the Quad Cities LGBTQ community face a formidable challenge to document their story.

Dozens of gay and lesbian residents, activists and leaders of the QC Pride in Memory project gathered Sunday night for a fundraiser at the Last Picture House in Davenport to support Our Story: Pride in Memory, a documentary currently in production by Emmy-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Moline-based Fourth Wall Films.

The planned Quad Cities LGBTQ documentary is in production by Moline-based Fourth Wall Films.

Our Story: Pride in Memory (working title) shines a light on the untold history of the Quad Cities LGBTQ+ community. From the guarded 1950s, AIDS, and gay marriage to current attempts to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, the film reveals the story of a personal and local civil rights movement.

The new documentary features the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ residents through illuminating on-camera interviews and combines them with compelling archival images and film footage to tell an inspiring story of struggle, achievement, and pride.

Rev. Rich Hendricks of Metropolitan Community Church, of the QC Pride in Memory steering committee, welcomed attendees to the movie theater where the Rundles showed a six-and-a-half minute segment of whats been filmed so far, to give attendees a taste of what the full documentary could be.

Rev. Rich Hendricks of Davenports Metropolitan Community Church as seen in a sneak preview of the proposed Pride in Memory documentary Sunday, April 28 at Last Picture House (photo by Jonathan Turner).

Hendricks quoted Coretta Scott King, who said: Freedom is never really won. You earn it in every generation.

Thats what this is about. We fought for and earned some freedoms, he said. Were still struggling to hang on to those.

Stories need to be told, Hendricks said. If we miss out, then we miss a piece of history.

He thanked two people who are no longer with us, yet very much are part of this project  Joyce Wiley, with her husband founded Quad Citians Affirming Diversity, and Clayton Peterson, who wanted to preserve local gay and lesbian history.

Its about a lot more than just the documentary, that will happen with your help, Hendricks said. Theres a lot of stuff online and we need your help to continue  we need people to help do more interviews.

We are all here because of those who have gone before and blazed many trails, he said. Thanks to all those who are working to preserve our stories. We will continue to tell our stories.

As always, Tammy and I are humbled and honored when people trust us with their stories, film director Kelly Rundle said Sunday introducing the short film clips. This project has been no different in that sense than any other weve worked on. Its a good fit for us because almost all our films are history stories that were telling.

Tammy and Kelly Rundle have won four regional Emmy Awards.

Fourth Wall focuses on Midwestern history, and this is a Quad Cities-specific story.

Also, it has a civil rights and social justice theme. That is also consistent with our other work and our own interests and values, Kelly said. Each of our projects has a family or community, around each of those film projects. In a way, were inviting you to become part of that community in one way or another.

Also, we hope that it will cause you to part with some cash, Kelly said. Were excited to share it with you  a little scared, a little terrified, thats the way it always is.

Reflecting local history

Our Story: Pride in Memory reflects several QC stories, including interviews with Jane Duax, owner of Womens Works bookstore; Jack Wiley, husband of Joyce Wiley, counselor Larry Best, and Pride in Memory committee member Sara Meyer.

Im amazed that we evolved the systems over time that allowed us to take care of people, Louis Katz, M.D., infectious disease specialist, says in the film. At the time, we were trying to keep our head above water.

Infectious disease specialist Louis Katz was interviewed for the film.

Pride in Memory talks about being gay growing up in the QC, discrimination and fights for rights, including people who were fired from the Arsenal in the mid-60s for being gay. That led to the formation of the Society Advocating Mutual Equality, which sent representatives to marches in Washington, D.C.

People were afraid their children would be taken away if they found out they were gay, and didnt have protections in the workplace. There are still issues affecting the LGBTQ community ongoing today, especially in Republican-led states like Iowa.

She left a major legacy, not only for the gay and lesbian community, but for her children, for me, for her church, Jack Wiley says of Joyce in the film. They founded Quad Citians Affirming Diversity in 1990, after their son Jason came out as homosexual.

Joyce Wiley co-founded Quad Citians Affirming Diversity in 1990, and she passed away in 2020.

Queer history is history, but we dont know the histories that dont get told, Kiki Kosnick, Augustana College associate professor of French, who offers a queer theory course for the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program, says in the film.

When we feel tensions and things are hard in the world, I think its important to remember that isnt because of us or from us. We are not the problem; the system and the culture is the problem, she said.

Kiki Kosnick, Augustana College associate professor, interviewed in the film (photo by Jonathan Turner).

The documentary will discuss how LGBTQ protections have been hard won, but they are still vulnerable.

The more I learn and study science, about creation, this incredibly interwoven world we live in, everything is connected, Hendricks says in the film. We are a lot more connected than we realize. When we put our stories out there, when we put ourselves out there, it makes the world a better place, because it does lead to more connections  it leads to more love.

After seeing the Rundles film, he said: I was so impressed. They are so good. Oh my God, its going to be fantastic. Weve gotta get it funded. Im hoping we lit a fire in some folks. It was awesome.

A gay pride march shown in the Our Story: Pride in Memory film teaser.

QC Pride in Memory has about a $100,000 goal for the film. An application for a Iowa Humanities grant was turned down for the documentary.

You know exactly why, Hendricks said of the states hard-right stance, against LGBTQ rights.

Fourth Wall Films Rundles have produced over 20 award-winning documentary films. The Our Story documentary project has received a production grant from Illinois Humanities.

Hendricks is disgusted by major steps backward that Iowa has taken in trying to strip those rights. The film shows when Iowa legalized same-sex marriage, and how that was a big deal.

The newspaper headline announcing the Iowa Supreme Court decision in April 2009 that made Iowa just the third U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage.

In April 2009, Iowa became just the third U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, after Massachusetts and Connecticut. Gay marriage was legalized nationwide in 2015 in a landmark Supreme Court ruling.

On Sunday night, the event featured a full screening of the 2012 documentary How to Survive a Plague, which shows grassroots AIDS activists (like ACT UP) and their fight for government funding and FDA approvals for AIDS treatments, as well as personal stories of those in the movement.

It pisses me off, and Im really glad that we chose that movie, Hendricks said of Iowa on the state level.

We have got to fight back, he said, noting that the inspiring, moving Plague film lays out the model for how to take action and inspire people to get things done, like the planned QC documentary. Weve got a lot of work to do.

Worldwide, AIDS killed 8.7 million people by 1995, and between 1981 and 2021, claimed over 700,000 U.S. lives. Today, over 1.2 million Americans live with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

A scene from a downtown Davenport gay pride parade shown in Our Story: Pride in Memory.

Established in 2021, QC Pride in Memorys mission is to document, protect and preserve LGBTQ+ history in the greater QC area, and to educate the public regarding that history and its significance. To date, the nonprofit has conducted over 40 oral history video or audio interviews with key historical figures in the QC LGBTQ+ community, and collected printed materials and artifacts for a permanent archive at the Putnam Museum & Science Center.

QCPIM has collaborated with Augustana College students (in Queer Theory, Theater Arts, Filmmaking studies) along with Gender Studies and Geography faculty members. A portable historical panel display focused on LGBTQ+ history in the QC has been created.

To learn more and donate to the Pride in Memory film, click HERE.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
The typically busy stretch of South Western Avenue outside St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel was quiet Monday morning.

Instead of tractor-trailers hauling freight, the thoroughfare was lined with scores of police vehicles from cities and towns across northern Illinois.

Hundreds of Chicago cops and their counterparts from nearby municipalities gathered at St. Rita for the funeral mass of Luis Huesca, the 30-year-old Chicago Police Department officer who was fatally shot earlier this month as he returned to his home in Gage Park.

Bagpipers played hymns and television news helicopters circled overhead as those in attendance stood on St. Ritas north lawn and silently saluted while the hearse carrying Huescas remains arrived at the church.

The chapel at St. Rita  a regular setting for first responder funerals  soon filled to capacity after Huescas casket, draped with a Chicago flag, was carried inside.

Emiliano Huesca Jr., Luis Huescas older brother, remembered the slain officer as wise beyond his years, a well-rounded world traveler who took pride in caring for his mother and who always put others first.

Luis, your nickname should be Lionheart, Emiliano Huesca Jr. told mourners in attendance, reading from a letter he wrote to his brother. You were an exceptional person with courage, bravery, humility and pride in your work. And you had dedication for those you touched. Rest in peace, my brother, and I love you.

The 30-year-old Luis Huesca was shot and killed April 21 near his home in the Gage Park neighborhood on the Southwest Side, just two days before his 31st birthday. Huesca had just finished his patrol shift in the CPDs Calumet District (5th) before he was shot. His car was also stolen.

This is a day to celebrate the great contributions that this officer has provided this city. The protection of others is what he wanted every single day, CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling told mourners. Lets remember the greatness of this young man, lets remember the kindness of this young man, and lets take something from that. Lets take something from this family. Lets continue to do the work that we do, and lets continue to remember Officer Huesca.

Those who worked closely with Huesca recalled his sense of humor and his ability to make others feel welcome.

Huescas sergeant, Curtisine Gilmore, said Huesca could be counted on to show up to work ready to serve and protect, but also ready to listen. Gilmore recalled a time when Huesca asked her for advice in his dating life.

He said, I dont know why Im telling you this, and Im thinking to myself, I dont know why hes telling me this, either, Gilmore said. Maybe its because Im around the same age as his mom, or he just needed a female perspective.

Either way, I obliged and continued to listen, and there were some things he could have left out of that story that I didnt need to know, Gilmore continued, eliciting a brief moment of levity. But when he was done, I did give him my opinion, and we laughed about it. I share this experience with you all because it meant a lot to me, that he valued my opinion and my input in what was going on in his life. I will forever cherish his memory and will always remember the impact he had on me, his team, this department and the city of Chicago.

The investigation into Huescas killing remains active. On Friday, a Cook County judge signed an arrest warrant for a man wanted in connection with the shooting, though he was not in custody as of Monday.

Snelling announced last week that the department determined Huesca died in the line of duty.

The designation was announced last Tuesday, on what would have been Huescas 31st birthday, and it entitles his family to survivors death benefits. In a message to all CPD members last week, Snelling said hes recently spent time with those closest to Huesca.

Huesca is the third Chicago police officer to be shot  and the first fatally  this year. On Jan. 8, a veteran police officer was shot in the leg during an exchange of gunfire with a burglary suspect in the Gold Coast neighborhood. On March 21, an officer was shot by Dexter Reed, who was killed by police gunfire during the traffic stop in Humboldt Park.

Last year, CPD Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso  a friend of Huescas  was fatally shot in the line of duty about a half mile north of where Huesca was fatally wounded.

In a remembrance video for Vasquez Lasso, Huesca described him as one of those guys that actually deserved this star.

Huescas wake was held Sunday. During the service, the slain officers family told Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza  whose brother is a CPD officer  that they did not want Mayor Brandon Johnson to attend Mondays funeral service.

Mendoza said she relayed that message to Johnsons office Sunday night before the release of Johnsons Monday schedule. Johnsons press office said late Sunday that the mayor would attend the funeral, but reversed course Monday morning. Johnsons current and former chiefs of staff could be seen in attendance, though.

We continue to send our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Officer Luis Huesca as they heal from the loss of their beloved son, nephew, brother and friend, Johnson said in an emailed statement Monday. As mayor, I vow to continue supporting our police and first responders, uniting our city and remaining committed to working with everyone towards building a better, stronger, safer Chicago. My heart is with the Huesca family today. God bless them and God bless the City of Chicago.

Huescas mother, Edith Huesca, spoke Saturday in a video conversation with Chicagos Fraternal Order of Police.

April 23 was his birthday, and it was so hard for me, she said. For me as a mother, Im asking for justice. It wont give us a lot, but itll just give us a little relief in our pain.
The funeral program for Chicago police Officer Luis M. Huesca on April 29, 2024 at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel. Hundreds of mourners lined the streets to say farewell to the police officer who was shot to death while off-duty and heading home from work. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool) (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool)

CHICAGO (AP)  Hundreds of mourners lined the streets Monday to say farewell to a Chicago police officer who was shot to death while off-duty and heading home from work.

Police officers, firefighters and others gathered along the funeral procession route to St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel in Chicago to remember 30-year-old officer Luis M. Huesca. The six-year veteran of the police department was just two days shy of his 31st birthday when he was slain.

Huesca was shot multiple times shortly before 3 a.m. on April 21 on the citys Southwest Side. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Huesca was in uniform but wearing something on top of the uniform to cover it as is customary for off-duty officers, Superintendent Larry Snelling said.

Police have said that officers responded to a gunshot detection alert and found the officer outside with gunshot wounds. His vehicle was taken, but police have not confirmed whether the shooting was part of a carjacking.

An arrest warrant was issued last week for a 22-year-old man suspected in the shooting. The Associated Press is not naming the suspect because he has yet to be captured and arraigned.

Police have said the man should be considered armed and dangerous.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnsons schedule released Sunday night said he would attend Huesca's funeral but an update sent to reporters Monday morning said he would not be present.

The change came after Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, a Democrat, said in an early Monday morning post on the social platform X that the officers mother asked Mendoza to tell Johnson he was unwelcome at the funeral. Mendoza said she and state Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar, also a Democrat, called Johnson on Sunday night to pass on the message.

We continue to send our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Officer Luis Huesca as they heal from the loss of their beloved son, nephew, brother and friend, Johnson said in a written statement Monday morning. As mayor, I vow to continue supporting our police and first responders, uniting our city and remaining committed to working with everyone towards building a better, stronger, safer Chicago."

Huesca was friends with Chicago police officer Andres Vasquez Lasso who was slain in March 2023 during a shootout after responding to a domestic violence call. Huesca had honored Vasquez Lasso in a video.

Fellow officer Lucia Chavez said during Monday's service that she was friends with Vasquez Lasso and Huesca.

When we were at the academy, I remember ... that during our training the instructor said this uniform makes us family. If one fell, we all fell," Chavez said. I didn't understand that. Now, I do. I lost Andres first. And now, Luis. I lost my two classmates, my best friends, my brothers. The violence in this city took them away from me, from us."

Snelling, the superintendent, said Huesca left an impression.

He was always trying to leave things better than he found them, Snelling said. "The protection of others is what he wanted every single day.

Huesca was born in Chicago's Avondale community. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago, according to his obituary.

He is survived by his parents, Emiliano and Edith Huesca; a sister, Liliana O'Brien; and a brother, Emiliano Huesca Jr.

-

Williams reported from West Bloomfield, Michigan.

___

This story was updated to correct that the Illinois comptroller's first name is Susana, not Susan.
ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, April 29. President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Head of the Republic of Tatarstan of the Russian Federation Rustam Minnikhanov discussed strengthening multidisciplinary cooperation, Trend reports.

During the meeting held in Ashgabat, the parties discussed the current state and prospects for further deepening mutually beneficial cooperation, taking into account the interests of national economies and their extensive experience working together in the implementation of major projects.

They stressed the role of the Turkmen-Tatarstan working group as an effective mechanism for maintaining a productive dialogue and strengthening trade and economic partnership.

Minnikhanov expressed the interest of Tatarstan's business circles in expanding their presence in the promising Turkmen market, highly appreciating the favorable investment climate created in the country and the authority of Turkmenistan as a reliable partner.

Furthermore, fruitful cultural and humanitarian cooperation, including in the scientific and educational spheres, was particularly noted.

Meanwhile, as part of the desire to strengthen economic ties and expand trade partnerships between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Tatarstan, the focus is on multilateral and mutually beneficial initiatives, including the exchange of expertise in the oil and gas industry, the development of infrastructure and transport routes, as well as the promotion of investments and business partnerships.

Within the framework of this strategic cooperation, special attention is also paid to creating favorable conditions for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, as well as the exchange of experience in the fields of education and culture, contributing to deep mutual understanding and further strengthening friendly relations between both sides.

Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
A federal court jury in Macon ruled Monday in favor of the defendant in a lawsuit filed by a state prison inmate who claimed a corrections officer beat him.

The complaint was filed by inmate Garrett Davis, who said the attack occurred on Oct. 7, 2019, in Wilcox State Prison in Abbeville in Wilcox County, Georgia.

After an argument between Davis and Capt. Tavares King, the defendant in the case, King allegedly lunged at Davis and choked him, according to the lawsuit.

While he choked Davis, he grabbed his handcuffs, held them in his hands like brass knuckles and punched the prisoner in the face, knocking him out. Davis sustained injuries on his hands, which he raised in an attempt to block the punch, and his eyebrow, according to the suit.

Davis filed a grievance with the Georgia Department of Corrections in 2020 but didnt receive a response, the suit states. So Davis filed his suit against King. The case was remanded to federal court.

According to Davis, the attack was a violation of his constitutional rights and gave him severe mental distress. He sought $300,000 in damages.

King denied the allegations and claimed that as a state official, he was protected under the 11th Amendment and cannot be sued in federal court.

King further argued that he didnt violate Davis rights, but acted within his duties as a corrections officer to maintain discipline and the results were minor, thus, Davis is not eligible to receive monetary damages from him.

Additionally, King warned against using evidence, lawsuits, or complaints involving Wilcox State Prison, as they are irrelevant to the main issue and could prejudice the jurys decision during the trial.

While King was represented by an attorney, Charlie Cox, Davis chose to defend himself.

Previous wardens, counseling officers and nurses who worked at Wilcox State Prison during the incident took the stand Monday. They all corroborated Kings argument, saying they were unaware the incident happened.

King also took the stand and was questioned by Davis. He remained firm in his argument.

A counselor who investigated the incident at Wilcox State Prison, Kathy Hill, then took the stand. She declared in her testimony that, after checking the inmates medical history to confirm the events, she found that the injury sustained by Davis wasnt related to the alleged fight with King.

The nurse who attended to his wounds, Randy Chastain, told the jury that the wounds observed on the inmate were 2 centimeters.

Being in prison is a whole other world, said Davis during his closing statement. Standing on your own is a difficult process.

Cox, on behalf of King, told the jury that while the inmate testified that he had lost a lot of blood, the warden, Lashandra Lofton, had testified that nothing stood outof the ordinary during the time of the incident.

The jury agreed and ruled in favor of the defendant, according to an email by Kim Tavalero, courtroom deputy for Chief Judge Marc Treadwell, who oversaw the case.

Davis is currently in Dooly State Prison, serving a life sentence after a jury found him guilty of the shooting death of Eugene Stinchcomb in 2012.
A Georgia youth pastor was arrested after the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said he sent inappropriate text messages to members of his youth group.

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The GBI arrested and charged Benjamin Dalton Houser, 24, of Glennville with child sexual exploitation on Friday.

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On March 29, the Candler County Sheriffs Office asked the GBI to investigate allegations that Houser sent texts to two minors under his supervision. According to the GBI, the messages were consistent with grooming operations.

Houser was arrested and booked into the Candler County jail.

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The GBI did not say what church Houser worked for.

This investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Candler County Sheriffs Office at 912-685-2568 or the GBI regional investigative office in Statesboro at 912-871-1121. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.




Vitelhomme Innocents picture on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted list of fugitives suggests a crazed man  eyes wide and wild, teeth bared. Its the photo you might expect for a gang leader accused of destabilizing a nation, who claims to be under divine protection and who has a $2 million bounty on his head for alleged kidnappings.

In person, he projects a different image, at least to guests. Powerful, yes, surrounded by armed acolytes who jump at his glance  but also carefully solicitous, with a cooler full of sandwiches for his visitors, and a tendency to wax philosophical in conversation.

After weeks of negotiations, CNN entered Haitis gangland earlier this month to speak with Innocent, whose armed group Kraze Barye is among the allied armed groups that have plunged Haiti into a crisis of lawlessness. He is an influential voice among the countrys gang leadership, and one who believes that peace must be restored. But under what conditions?

On the edge of the Tabarre district of Haitis capital Port-au-Prince last week, a truck led us through a warren of twisting dirt roads, passing checkpoints manned by armed guards in balaclavas and Halloween masks. We bumped through what was once a well-heeled neighborhood; pink bougainvillea still spilled over high walls and a green soccer field opened onto glorious views of the city below.

Now, it is almost a ghost town. Cars and motorbikes began to follow our car, their drivers masked, long guns poking out the windows. Some vehicles bore the fluttering red and blue Haitian flags of a ragtag diplomatic convoy.

A Kraze Barye member in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 18, 2024. - Evelio Contreras/CNN

After about 45 minutes, a gold car pulled in front and stopped. Innocent himself stepped out. He was slight and apparently unarmed, dressed in a bright striped batik suit and soft loafers, with a tangle of gold chains and a cross draped round his neck. He led the way into a rococo mansion, where elaborate gold velvet chairs and settees, crystal in display cases and arrangements of plastic flowers hinted at previous owners.

We sat, removing stuffed teddy bears from the seats to make room, and talked about the future.

The Haiti we had, Haiti, the pearl of the Antilles that we grew up in, could still return to being the most beautiful, Innocent said, speaking mildly in Haitian Creole. One day, someone could sit in Champ de Mars and have an ice cream.

Today, the capitals iconic Champ de Mars park is a war zone between gangs and police. After years of political turmoil, institutional neglect and a series of brutal natural disasters, Haitis ill-fortune was pushed to its nadir last month with an unprecedented wave of gang violence that has effectively shut down Port-au-Prince.

The citys main seaport and airport are dark. Government ministries have been taken over by refugees fleeing gang attacks. Bodies lie among uncollected trash in the streets and the neighborhoods still free of gang control have seen the rise of fear-filled vigilantes, who kill and burn suspicious outsiders.

Signs of the citys dysfunction were evident within the Kraze Barye stronghold. Inside Innocents sprawling house, the air was still and hot; his foot soldiers labored to get a generator running to power air-conditioning or a fan. No one had bothered to remove the wrecked sedan that still sat next to the pool, with its blown-out windows and four flat tires.

But the man on the gold sofa preferred to talk about a brighter future  one that he claims Haitis gangs are prepared to usher in.

Vitel'homme Innocent speaking to CNN in Tabarre, Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 18, 2024. - Evelio Contreras/CNN

To sit down with one of Haitis gang leaders is controversial in the country, given the suffering and terror that armed groups have long sown. Arson and collective rape are preferred gang tactics to subjugate civilians, experts say, and the United Nations has recorded the gang-linked killings of least 1,660 people and kidnappings of at least 438 people  including 21 children  in the first 90 days of the year alone.

Innocent himself is under sanction by the United Nations for extensive human rights abuses committed by Kraze Barye under his leadership, and is wanted by the Haitian National Police for kidnapping for ransom, murder, rape, armed rape, vehicle theft, theft and destruction of property. His group is known to target the Haitian National Police directly, and has sought to seize some of the wealthiest neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince.

In his first interview with foreign press, Innocent did not deny the deaths, the arson, the rape or the kidnappings committed by the citys allied gangs, and told CNN that he has made some mistakes. But he framed the recent months of deadly street violence as collateral damage. Deaths, both accidental and extrajudicial, have also been caused by the police, he points outs, claiming they refuse to engage in dialogue.

His only regret, he said, is getting involved with politics.

The gangs and the oligarchs

Innocent, 37, portrays the broad alliance of gangs attacking Haitis institutions as a progressive venture. Our dream is to get rid of the oligarchs who prevent the country from progressing, he said of the gang coalition that calls itself Viv Ansanm or Live Together.

In February, Viv Ansanm launched an unprecedented assault on the Haitian state, attacking police stations, prisons, government buildings, hospitals, the national palace, the national library, cargo ships, and the public electricity company. Their attacks coincided with a visit by then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry to Nairobi for talks about Kenya leading a multinational security force to bolster Haitis National Police.

Henry eventually resigned, as Viv Ansanm demanded  but Innocent says the gangs now oppose the transitional governing council created to replace him.

Innocents solution: Sit and listen to Viv Ansanm.

Then, he suggested, there will be a resolution as soon as possible.

He criticizes the governing council as more of the same, and says its time for the old political elites to go  a view held by many in Haiti. But the gangs have long had a symbiotic relationship with the nations rulers, who used armed groups to exert pressure on rivals through kidnapping and other attacks.

The relationship continues today  though Haitis gangs are increasingly acting independently to amass money and power, according to experts,

Yes, I have an armed group. I direct them, Innocent said, when asked about Kraze Baryes involvement in kidnapping. But when you really think about it, would these guys really have any clue who to kidnap and who not to kidnap? Not at all.

Its really the same people sitting with (regional organization) CARICOM to represent the country. If you choose to block them, theyll call us and say: I have such and such a job Fix it for us. And then you hear so-and-so has been kidnapped. Or so-and-so has been taken hostage, he says.

Abandoned cars on the road between the US Embassy and the Kraze Barye stronghold in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 28, 2024. - Evelio Contreras/CNN

Its the corrupt officials who funnel arms and ammunition to gangs today, he said.

Lets take a clear example. We arent able to travel. We arent able to import. We arent able to export. Yet there are always weapons coming in. There are always bullets. And we dont have any representatives at the border. We dont have any representatives at customs. Yet all these materials go through exactly these channels. How do they get to us? he says.

The corruption he describes is no secret. Haiti currently ranks 172 out of 180 countries on the World Corruption Perceptions Index. Over the past year, sanctions by Canada and United States have accused former prime ministers and presidents in Haiti  among dozens of other influential Haitians  of corruption and financing the countrys gangs, among other crimes.

Leading CNN through his territory, Innocent said he remembers local elders farming in Tabarre during his youth in the 1980s and 90s. Of course, we were able to harvest then, he recalls. Today, he blames Haitis dependence on imported food as yet another sign of how the country has been mismanaged by upper class, robbing ordinary people of every economic opportunity.

Before he took up arms, he claims, his own legitimate businesses, including a construction business, a hotel and rental car enterprise, were destroyed by powerful business interests in the area.

Why attack ordinary people if youre trying to stand up for the people?

Marie-Lucie Bonhomme Opont, 55, a well-known radio and television journalist who once lived in Tabarre, has a different view of what transformed the neighborhood to the desolate place it is today.

She was robbed by Kraze Barye members in June last year, she says, then kidnapped and brought to meet Innocent himself. It was the middle of the night, and I was sleeping, when suddenly I heard a tremendous commotion downstairs, she recalls. Around 30 armed people broke into my house and began to pillage it, taking things, even food from the kitchen.

The burglars demanded money, and then, apparently unsatisfied, took her away with them. They drove for about 45 minutes, according to Opont.

I was so scared, bandits coming into my house. Shocked that this could happen in my own home. I know they are rapists, they have committed atrocious rapes and other crimes, she says.

Eventually they came to a stop in the dark. Opont tells CNN that Innocent himself then came to her car and asked her if she recognized his voice. Of course I did, she says. He used to give press conferences and was very active on social media.

He seemed to recognize her too, addressing Opont by name. Of course he knew who I was, she says. Everyone in the neighborhood knows thats our house. But why they took me, I dont know. I still ask myself. She was released early the next morning without explanation.

Her husband, kidnapped a week later, was not treated as well. Held by force for several days without his medication, Pierre-Louis Opont was released by Kraze Barye only after they extracted a heavy ransom payment from his family, she says.

They moved out of Tabarre immediately. Its what we call in Haiti a territoire perdue, she says of her old neighborhood  a lost territory.

Its a red zone, Opont elaborates. A few days after my husbands kidnapping, gang members installed themselves in a house near the main road and were firing at passing vehicles.

She has no patience for gang leaders claim to be fighting to liberate Haiti.

Why attack ordinary people if youre trying to stand up for the people? she asks. The whole neighborhood is being constantly terrorized by armed bandits. How can the gangs say they work for the good of the country when they also commit kidnappings, when so many women have been the victims of brutal rape?

Inside Kraze Barye territory in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 18, 2024. - Evelio Contreras/CNN

Predator and protector

Several of Innocents peers have established public personas through the press and social media. Ex-police officer Jimmy Cherizier, known as Barbeque, styles himself as a Robin Hood-type figure. Izo, of the Five Second gang which operates near the countrys main port, is also a musician, who shares music videos online. And Lanmo Sanjou, leader of the 400 Mawozo (400 Idiots), was recently pictured smoking cigars with a social media influencer.

While they are allies, sometimes meeting by video conference, the Viv Ansanm alliance doesnt necessarily mean friendship. Escorting CNN to the edge of his territory, Innocent showed us a broad riverbed and lush tree-lined landscape beyond. But he repeatedly warned that we should not linger long, as his troops fanned out in sneakers and flip-flops, a motley assortment of guns at the ready.

We would learn later that on the other side of the riverbed was the territory of 400 Mawozo, which has allegedly cooperated with Kraze Barye on kidnappings and also tried to kill Innocent over a land dispute, according to two security experts in the country.

Overlooking a riverbed in the direction of the territory of Haitian gang 400 Mawozo on April 18, 2024. - Evelio Contreras/CNN

Elsewhere in his neighborhood, Innocent was keen to show his leadership in the local population  a posture that matches the predator and protector role that UN experts describe of Haitian gangsters, who function as local authorities while also extorting money from local businesses to make payroll.

Kraze Barye employs around 100 men and women, according to Innocents lieutenant and cousin, the bleach-blond Dezod Augustin, 34. On the day that CNN visited, several gang members wore custom t-shirts with teddy bears on the front and lettering on the back that read Tabarre Area Security Unit.

Walking slowly down an unpaved street full of vendors, Innocent could have been any politician at a local meet and greet, stopping to massage the injured foot of an elderly market woman, and introducing CNN to two blind men that he had taken under his protection, blaming the Haitian state for failing to care for them.

But as a nighttime curfew approached, bottles of beer and liquor began to appear in the hands of our entourage. Innocent stopped our procession at a food stall on the side of the road, and ordered piles of stewed pork and fried plantains to share. The vendor, a middle-aged man, complied silently, showing no reaction to Innocents armed aides or the foreign visitors.

Rights experts in Haiti warn against taking displays of community leadership at face value.

Gang leaders talk about liberation and representing the people in order to attract popular support, cautions Gedeon Jean, a human rights analyst in Port-au-Prince who has tracked the rise in gang kidnappings for years.

But all they want is more power and a state that accommodates their crime.

A street vendor who lives in Kraze Barye territory in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on April 18, 2024. - Evelio Contreras/CNN

An American island in gangland

Less than a mile from all this is the US Embassy, soldiers positioned on its roof to constantly scan the scrubland surrounding it. Just last week, Kraze Barye members attacked a nearby civilian neighborhood, driving about 150 people from their homes in the dark and shooting one man in the heart, according to an eyewitness.

As an island inside Innocents territory, the diplomatic complex is an inversion of Haitis relationship to the US itself; here, Kraze Barye is the fearsome regional power, dominating neighborhoods Torcell, Tabarre and Delmas through which Americans must cross to reach their embassy.

This uneasy geography also means Innocent stands between the rest of Haitis gangs and Washington, whose capacity and appetite for military intervention in the countrys blood-soaked chaos are the subject of constant speculation in the country.

So far, the US has sought to sidestep any military entanglement in Haiti. Rather, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced in March that the US would contribute $300 million to a multinational security support mission to the country. But so far, just $18 million has deposited into a UN-managed Trust Fund for the mission, with $8.7 million provided by Canada, 3.2 million provided by France and $6 million provided by the United States.

The Kenya-led mission, which would also include personnel from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad and Jamaica, is currently on hold due to concerns over Haitis political instability.

And despite  or perhaps because of  his Most Wanted status, Innocent seems interested in keeping Kraze Baryes relationship with the embassy neighborly. Its an honor when a country has its embassy in our vicinity, its because it wants to collaborate with us, Innocent said.

Last month, dozens of helicopters conducted a series of emergency evacuation flights for US citizens, landing and lifting off next to the embassy building  a high-risk operation that would have been easy for any Kraze Barye member to upend with a few rounds. But the flights came and went without incident.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Innocent deflects when asked about allegations by US authorities that he was involved in the 2021 kidnapping of more than a dozen US and Canadian missionaries, including young children, who were held captive for weeks; and in a 2022 attack on the home of an elderly American couple which left a woman dead and saw her husband taken hostage for ransom before his eventual release.

Innocent says simply that the justice system has not given him the chance to answer the US allegations, but that he would be willing to defend himself in court.

We believe in the law. We want to make the best choice, consult with legal counsel and do due process, he says.

In Haiti, he says, he would be willing to face the justice system as long the corrupt elite do too. We have to get rid of the oligarchs system, and we are ready too to answer the justice system of our country, so that we can see where the worst evil was hidden.

The State Department did not respond to CNNs requests for comment or to speak with US Ambassador to Haiti Dennis Hankins.

What it would take to lay down arms

For all their shows of force, the grip that Haitis gangs have is tenuous and their soldiers generally poorly disciplined and trained, experts say. Many longtime observers, including former US Ambassador Rick Barton, believe it would only take a small specialized fighting force  say, a few hundred Marines  to halt the entire crisis, and to create the right conditions for a larger multinational security mission to arrive and begin assisting Haitis police.

Haiti does now have a transitional government, sworn in on Thursday. Still to come are the tasks of appointing a new head of government and a cabinet; coordinating the arrival of a multinational security force to reclaim the capital; and eventually to hold long-overdue elections.

But Haitis gangs maintain they deserve a seat at the negotiating table. If they do not get it, Viv Ansanm will exercise its say by other means, Innocent warns.

You will understand that when you realize that planes cannot fly. When you see that investors cannot come in. When you analyze that there are a bunch of foreigners who were already in the country with projects who were forced to flee to their countries to wait for stability, he says.

Jean, the rights expert, says ex-Prime Minister Henrys resignation in March at the urging of the international community was a huge mistake that set Innocent and others down an impossible path.

Henrys resignation seemed to validate gangs claims that they are legitimate political actors; today, they feel they have not been given due credit, Jean says.

They think: We made Henry resign, so we should be involved in the political transition, he says. But to give them that would only further validate them.

Among their demands, the gangs want amnesty under any future government, Innocent says, and a plan for the future of the many young people currently following his orders  both issues that have also been raised by members of the governing council.

When we drop our weapons, we must know that we have a state that will bring a framework for the future. Can I tell someone to drop his weapon and take a rock to eat? Not at all, Innocent says.

Edited by CNNs Rachel Clarke in Atlanta.

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Site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip

Site of an Israeli strike on a house, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip

By Maayan Lubell

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Far-right allies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are raising pressure on the embattled leader to reject a new Gaza ceasefire, jeopardising his government's stability if he backs away from an assault on Hamas in Rafah.

Hamas representatives were due in Cairo on Monday as mediators step up efforts toward a ceasefire deal ahead of a threatened Israeli storming of Rafah, an area by the Egyptian border, where around a million Palestinians displaced by Israel's military campaign elsewhere in Gaza are sheltering.

But Israel says four remaining battalions of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas are entrenched there - after over six months of war triggered by Hamas' cross-border strike on Oct. 7 - and that it will attack them after evacuating civilians.

However, if a ceasefire is agreed, the attack plans will be shelved in favour of a "period of sustained calm", according to a source briefed on the talks, during which a few dozen hostages of Hamas will be released in return for Palestinian prisoners.

On Sunday, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Netanyahu not to back away from a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah, even as the premier is grappling with pressure from international allies to scrap assault plans due to the risk of high civilian casualties and a humanitarian disaster.

But a ceasefire would be a humiliating defeat, Smotrich said in a video he released to the press and addressed to Netanyahu. If it fails to stamp out Hamas, "a government headed by you will have no right to exist," he said.

Smotrich was swiftly followed by police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who reposted on X a Jan. 30 remark made during a previous round of ceasefire talks: "Reminder: An irresponsible deal = the government's dissolution."

Netanyahu's office and his conservative Likud party have not issued a response to the ministers' statements. His spokespeople were not immediately available for comment on Monday, which marked the Jewish holiday of Passover.

But Benny Gantz, a centrist former defence minister who joined Netanyahu's emergency war cabinet in October, offered his own rebuke, saying that freeing hostages took precedence over an assault on Rafah.

The rejection of a responsible deal that would secure a hostage release, Gantz said in a statement, would strip the government of any legitimacy - given its Oct. 7 security failure and the clamour in Israel for the return of hostages.

Though his popularity has soared in the polls since joining the war cabinet, Gantz lacks the power to bring down the government because together with Smotrich and Ben-Gvir's parties, Netanyahu controls 64 of parliament's 120 seats.

PROTESTS OVER CONDUCT OF WAR

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich have drawn U.S. ire over anti-Palestinian remarks and policies supporting settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, even before the Gaza war. With their combined 13 Knesset seats, either could dissolve the government.

If that happened, Netanyahu would have to obtain backing from more centrist parties or face an election.

But a vote would pose serious risk for Netanyahu.

Successive polls have attested to his steep loss in popularity over Hamas' Oct. 7 attack - the worst on Jews since the Holocaust and Israel's single deadliest day. His present coalition faces a resounding election defeat, polls suggest.

At the same time, Israel's longest serving premier is on trial on charges of corruption, in which he denies any wrongdoing, and facing mounting protests over his conduct of the war.

Israel's air and ground war has devastated much of the Gaza Strip and uprooted most of its 2.3 million people. But Hamas has not been defeated and tens of thousands of Israelis are still displaced from homes in the south, due to Hamas' October rampage, and in the north due to daily rocket fire from Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim militant group Hezbollah.

And around 130 hostages remain in Gaza. A video released by Hamas on Wednesday, which showed U.S.-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, stirred spontaneous protests around Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem.

Protesters lit bonfires and raised their hands, painted red, while chanting "Bring them all back home!" Police scuffled with some demonstrators and escorted Ben-Gvir, who had been attending a nearby event, through a crowd chanting, "For shame."

Families of some hostages have become increasingly outspoken against Netanyahu, accusing him of putting his own political survival ahead of the fate of their loved ones. Netanyahu strongly denies this and says he is doing all he can to secure a hostage release, which he says has mostly been held up by Hamas.

Einav Zangauker, the mother of Matan Zangauker, 24, who was abducted from his kibbutz home on Oct. 7, said that there will be no forgiveness if the government misses the present opportunity to strike a deal.

Addressing Netanyahu at a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, she said: "You have left 133 hostages to rot in Hamas tunnels just to keep your seat."

(Writing by Maayan Lubell; editing by James Mackenzie and Mark Heinrich)
Gender transition surgeries must be covered in state health plans, federal court says

A pedestrian passes by the US 4th Circuit Court of Appeals Courthouse on Main Street in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, June 16, 2021. | Steve Helber

A federal appeals court on Monday said that state-funded health plans in West Virginia and North Carolina must cover gender transition surgeries for members of the transgender community.

The first-of-its-kind ruling said that excluding such surgeries from the plans amounts to sex- and gender-based discrimination.

State leaders had pointed to cost concerns to justify their coverage limits, arguing that transgender patients were treated the same as others.

There is no service that is covered for a cisgendered person that is not covered for a transgender person meeting the same criteria, Caleb David, an attorney for West Virginia, said during oral arguments, according to The Washington Post.

But the majority of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected those cost-based arguments and issued its second major ruling in favor of transgender individuals in as many weeks.

Earlier this month, the court said a federally funded middle school could not ban a trans 13-year-old from playing on the girls track and field team, The Washington Post reported.

Transgender health care

The consolidated cases out of West Virginia and North Carolina were brought by a group of transgender patients, who challenged both state-run Medicaid programs and the health plans offered to state employees, including professors at public universities.

One of the key questions in the cases was whether the lack of coverage for gender transition surgeries violated the 14th Amendments equal protection clause.

Attorneys from Lambda Legal, the law firm that represents the transgender patients, argued that it did, while state officials said that decisions made due to budgetary concerns dont violate the Constitution.

West Virginia is entitled to deference where theyre going to take their limited resources, David, the West Virginia attorney, said during oral arguments, according to The Associated Press. They believe that they need to provide more resources towards heart disease, diabetes, drug addiction, cancer, which are all rampant in the West Virginia population.

Lower courts in the two states sided with the transgender patients, ruling that state-funded plans must cover gender transition surgeries.

Now, the 4th Circuit has said the same in a ruling that applies to minor patients as well as adults.

The coverage exclusions facially discriminate on the basis of sex and gender identity, and are not substantially related to an important government interest, the majority opinion said.

Debates over minors

Mondays ruling comes as leaders across the country  and around the world  debate transgender health care and related issues, like whether transgender women should compete in womens sports.

In recent years, multiple states have banned hormone therapy and gender transition surgeries for young people, and some have put restrictions on gender-related health care for adults, The Washington Post reported.

Then, earlier this month, the National Health Service in the United Kingdom released whats called the Cass Review, which investigated the current state of gender identity-related health services.

It urges caution when treating young people experiencing gender dysphoria and has led health officials in the U.K. to stop prescribing puberty blockers, as the Deseret News previously reported.

In the U.S., the debate over transgender health care remains highly politicized.

Twenty-one Republican-led states filed a brief with the 4th Circuit calling for a ruling for state leaders, while 17 Democratic-led states filed a brief calling for the opposite ruling, per The Washington Post.

In his dissenting opinion that was also released Monday, Judge Jay Richardson argued that the majority was pulling health care policy into the culture war.

In the majoritys haste to champion plaintiffs cause, todays result oversteps the bounds of the law, he wrote.
GENEVA COUNTY, Ala (WDHN)  A Geneva County man is behind bars after a drug raid in rural Geneva County resulted in authorities finding a multitude of guns and drugs, a press release from the Geneva County Sheriffs Office says.

On Friday, April 26, agents with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agencys Drug Enforcement Task Force (ADETF) and deputies with the Geneva County Sheriffs Office executed a search warrant at a home on North State Highway 27 in Chancellor.

According to the Geneva County Sheriffs Office, during the raid, authorities found approximately 1.5 pounds of meth, marijuana, a small amount of an unidentifiable substance, drug paraphernalia, U.S. Currency, and 27 guns.

The only occupant of the home, Tony Wayne Rodgers, was arrested and booked into the Geneva County Jail. A list of Rodgers exact charges has not been released at this time.

Sheriff Tony Helms says this operation resulted from a narcotics investigation between his department, the ADTEF, and the Macon County Sheriffs Office in North Carolina.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
Disgraced former Representative George Santos is still trying to hold on to his 15 minutes of fameeven if it means blowing up his purported beliefs.

The ousted lawmaker announced Monday he was gunning for another Cameo grabbag, this time offering up $350 videos featuring his long-denied drag alter ego Kitara Ravache.

Yall werent ready for this drop? Santos wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, alongside a Cameo booking link. Ive decided to bring Kitara out of the closet after 18 years!

In a video posted on the personalized messaging platform, Santos claimed that the campaign would only last a couple of days, with 10 percent of the proceeds going to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which donates to first responders and military veterans, and another 10 percent going to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. His last run on the platform in December ushered in thousands of video requests, raking in more than six figuresa sum significantly more than his $174,000 congressional salary.

The campaign is a complete reversal of where Santos stood little more than a year ago, after news first emerged that the Queens resident had actually been a queen. At the time, Santos claimed that the anecdotes and photographs of his alternate persona were simply outrageous claims peddled by the media.

The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag Queen or performed as a drag Queen is categorically false, Santos said in January 2023. I will not be distracted nor fazed by this.

But just a couple of days later, Santos fessed up, claiming the photographs were from a time when he was young and [having] fun at a festival. Still, the admission didnt sway Santos, who is gay, from his war on the rest of theLGBTQ community, which included full blown support for Floridas 2022 Dont Say Gay law, speaking out against Drag Story Hour, and even suggesting that LGBTQ Americans were grooming children.

And with the way the rest of the year is shaping up for the known fabulist, hell definitely need the extra cash on hand. Last week, Santos announced that he was dropping his bid for New Yorks 1st Congressional District against his apparent Long Island nemesis, Representative Nick LaLota. But he still has a huge hurdle on the horizon.

The reputed hustlerwho was caught fabricating his entire resume and lying about his relation to Holocaust survivors, his connection to the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, and the kidnapping of his niece, among many other thingsis currently facing 23 counts related to illegally receiving unemployment benefits, aggravated identity theft, and credit card fraud. Santoss next court proceeding is scheduled for August 13, with a trial expected in September.
Georgia congressional hopefuls squared off in an Atlanta Press Club debate Sunday ahead of the state's May 21 primary election. John McCosh/Georgia Recorder

The five Republicans hoping to replace Congressman Drew Ferguson in Georgias District 3 after Novembers election sought to set themselves apart Sunday when they took the stage in the Atlanta Press Club Loudermilk-Young Debate Series.

Sundays debates also featured Democrats from District 6 and District 13 as well as Republicans from District 3. All of the debates are available to stream for free on Georgia Public Broadcastings website.

The District 3 candidates are Jim Bennett, a businessman, former police officer and state GOP committeeman; Mike Crane, a businessman and former state senator; Mike Dugan, an Army veteran and former state senator; Brian Jack, an advisor to former President Donald Trump and Philip Singleton, an Army veteran and former state representative.

Ferguson is not seeking reelection, and the winner of the May 21 Republican primary will have a clear path to victory in the conservative district, but they will still have to best the winner of the Democratic primary, retired physician Val Almonord or nuclear medicine technologist Maura Keller, in November.

The men all tried to cast themselves as the most conservative candidate in the race. All said they are pro-life, pro-military and pro-border security. By a show of hands, each of the candidates said Trump won Georgia in the 2020 election despite a lack of evidence that President Joe Biden benefited from widespread fraud. They all said they would support sending more money to Israel, and they all opposed sending money to Ukraine.

Bennett said he was the only one to announce his candidacy before Ferguson announced his retirement because he wants to bring a change.

I entered this race on July 4, 2023, because specifically of Dr. Fergusons voting record, he said. In 2018, he voted against the Border Reform and Immigration Reform Bill. In 2021, he voted for Nancy Pelosis omnibus spending bill, which increased the size and scope of government by 40%. I wont do either of those things, but I also wont vote for every single debt ceiling increase as Dr. Ferguson did for the entirety of his tenure.

Trump-endorsed Jack sought to play up his connection to the former president.

I would put my head down and do the job that you hired me to do, as voters of our congressional district, he said. Thats what I did working for President Trump for the last eight years. You never saw my name in headlines, despite working for him in the White House and the Oval Office those four years, because I put my head down and did the job in front of us. And I think thats the most important thing we can do, as members of Congress, is try to move the ball forward and push ahead to enact that America First agenda that unleashed our economy, secured our border, and enabled us to have the prosperity that we experienced.

Dugan, who served as state Senate majority leader, said his accomplishments, including passing the states six-week abortion ban and campus carry, show that he knows how to get things done.

Everybody up here is a strong conservative, he said. The difference is Im the only one thats actually worked and delivered results. Im not just going someplace to vote no all the time. Im running for Congress because Ive always been driven by a sense of duty and a focus on results. During my time as an Army ranger, I learned a lot about leadership. I learned that leadership means making tough decisions. It means working for others. It means admitting when youre wrong and not making the same mistake twice. I carried those leadership lessons with me as majority leader in the Georgia Senate.

Singleton, a founding member of the state Legislatures Georgia Freedom Caucus who often butted heads with GOP leadership before being drawn out of his district, said he has legislative experience but isnt afraid to shake things up.

Its important to be able to send people that know how to get things done and dont buy into the rhetoric that you have to be go along get along all the time to get things done. Statesmanship matters, Reagan Republicanism matters. So, I always will fight for issues and not fight against people. I always focus on whats good for the district and I will always represent the people of Georgias 3rd.

Crane said he is the outsider in the race.

As this is being aired, starting tomorrow, you get to decide who the next congressman from the third district is going to be, certainly on the Republican side. And so my question to you is, do you want to take responsibility for that vote? Or do you want to let Washington and the D.C. insiders do what theyve done for the last several cycles? And that is choose the next representative from the 3rd District.

Absent Incumbents

Sundays debates also featured Republicans opposing Congressman Sanford Bishop in District 2 as well as Democrats hoping to challenge Congressman David Scott in District 13 and Congresswoman Lucy McBath in District 6.

Neither incumbent showed up to the debate, and the challengers took several opportunities to point that out.

I think it does a disservice to our communities, said former East Point City Council Member Karen Rene, who is challenging Scott. It is important as elected officials to be engaged, to be where the residents are and to make sure that we are listening and being involved. This is a process where residents, our constituents, have an opportunity to not just hear our voice but understand where we are going and our, perhaps, ideas of helping our communities grow.

Another Scott challenger, attorney Brian Johnson, was more blunt.

Congressman Scott, why are you a Democrat? What is it that you believe, what is it that youve done that makes you a Democrat? You call yourself a conservative Democrat or a moderate Democrat, but what is it that you believe about our district? What are you doing for our district and how long do you plan to hold on in office? Do you plan on dying in office or do you plan on retiring in office?

Marcus Flowers, an Army veteran with eyes on Scotts seat, also had harsh words for the 20-plus year incumbent.

The first thing you have to do to win a fight is to show up, he said. My opponent, Mr. Scott, couldnt even do that today. You know, according to his colleagues, he isnt even showing up in Congress for you, for me. Thats the biggest thing that needs to change.

Cobb County Commissioner Jerica Richardson, who is running against McBath, was more diplomatic in her criticism of her opponent.

I have a significant amount of respect for the congresswoman and appreciate all that she has done to serve us in the House, but I really do believe that if were going to look at this new majority Black district, the newest one in the state of Georgia, weve got to be able to be there for people, to be there to listen to what those needs are, because the communities that comprise this district are incredibly diverse with all kinds of needs, she said.

McBath chose to run in the 6th District after state lawmakers redrew her 7th District to be friendlier to a Republican. She switched from the 6th to the 7th in 2022 after a similar redraw.

Foreign policy

Most of the candidates across the debates were questioned about Congress recent $96 billion foreign aid bill which provides money for Ukraine and Israel, and their responses illustrated divides in both parties.

The District 6 hopefuls both said that they support the right to protest, a reference to increasing tensions at universities including in Georgia over Israels killing of Palestinian civilians, but would have voted yes on the bill.

I believe in protests, said state Rep. Mandisha Thomas. Im originally from Oakland, California, the land of protesting. We did so many protests, and I dont think that its out of bounds for this social time. I am in favor of the foreign aid package of $96 billion dollars. And part of my leadership is to actually continue with our constituents and having them come in and voice their concerns about how this actually works.

Rashid Malik, an entrepreneur challenging Scott, advocates for an independent Palestine.

As we move forward with the present situation in the world, I came to the conclusion we have got two major issues now, he said. One is to have 100% peace in the Middle East and the world, and second is preventing World War III. Once we have World War III, there will be no issues to talk about.

Rene and Brian Johnson called for a cease fire, while Flowers said the U.S. should ensure we support democracies like Ukraine and Israel all over the world.

Over in District 2, Chuck Hand, a construction superintendent, said he opposes foreign aid because the U.S. cant afford current spending levels.

You cant spend what you dont have, he said. Its as simple as that. And by all means, they have my prayers. They dont have my dollar because I dont have a dollar to give.

Wayne Johnson, a businessman and former official in the Trump administration, said foreign aid is nuanced.

There is a role for foreign aid, he said. Foreign aid is a form of international diplomacy. You know, I spent a lot of time in South America, and I know that if we do not provide elements of aid to South America, China will. And so, consequentially, were in a little bit of an international race to see who can win the most favor, but weve got to put limits on just whats the price tag for that favor.

Other District 2 Republican hopefuls said they want to cut spending and put America first, but Israel is a special case.

I believe that we should take care of the issues here at home before we start looking at Ukraine and all the frivolous spending that were given to them, said Michael Nixon, a Navy and Air Force veteran and director at a rural hospital.

Israel was our ally for many, many years, and we should never walk back on Israel, he added. When it comes to Israel, you have to pick a side. But I will tell you, the God of Israel will win, and I stand with Israel and America should stand with Israel, and this administration shouldnt walk back from Israel.

Regina Reggie Liparoto, a substitute teacher with her eyes on Bishops job, agreed.

We have to be careful whos involved with that and who wants the new world order, she said. If you dont know what that means, I suggest you look up and read a little bit more about it. But we have to look at America first. And we do need to support Israel, its very important. Israel is the chosen people, we have to do that.

Early voting starts Monday for the May 21 primary election and runs through May 17. During early voting, you can cast your ballot at any location within your county, though if you vote on Election Day, you can only do so at your assigned precinct. For more information, visit the Georgia secretary of states My Voter Page.

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By Felix Light

TBILISI (Reuters) - Georgia faces more protests this week as lawmakers resume debate on a "foreign agents" law that opponents denounce as a Russian-inspired tool to crack down on freedom of speech.

The bill would force organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents, a term that carries connotations of spying.

It has ignited a political crisis in the polarised South Caucasus country, which has hopes of joining the European Union and was awarded EU candidate status in December.

The EU has repeatedly said the bill - which returns to parliament for its second reading on Tuesday - is a threat to those ambitions. Britain and the United States have also opposed the bill, while Hungary and Russia have defended it.

Thousands of people protested against the bill for days when it passed its first hurdle in parliament in mid-April. Since then, students have been shutting down Tbilisi's main avenue on a nightly basis, facing off against riot police.

A pro-government rally in support of the bill was set to take place outside parliament on Monday night.

Local media have cited a senior ruling party official as saying the party was helping with costs and laying on transport so its supporters could attend the demonstration in the capital, while insisting they would only be there of their own volition.

The government said on April 4 it was reintroducing the foreign agents bill to parliament, after abandoning it last year following protests then.

"Georgia is at a crossroads now, and the outcome of these rallies and these parliamentary elections will decide where Georgia will be heading for the next few years," said Kornely Kakachia, head of the Georgian Institute of Politics think tank.

"It seems like Georgia is now between authoritarianism and the potential to become part of Europe."

'THE RUSSIAN LAW'

Georgias opposition has dubbed the bill "the Russian law", comparing it to similar legislation that the Kremlin has used to suppress dissent.

The country, once part of the Soviet Union, has struggled to define its place between Russia and Europe in the turbulent three decades since the collapse of the former superpower. It lost a short war against Russia in 2008.

Kakachia said the coming weeks could be crucial to its future.

He said there was a growing sense among the Georgian public, who polls show overwhelmingly support EU integration, that the ruling Georgian Dream party no longer represented their interests but those of its influential founder, billionaire ex-prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Georgian Dream and its allies say that the foreign agent bill is necessary to promote transparency among NGOs and combat what they call "pseudo-liberal values" imposed by foreigners.

Rati Ionatamishvili, a Georgian Dream lawmaker and head of parliaments human rights committee said the draft law would protect democracy by providing for "high standards of transparency".

Despite the negative reaction from the EU and other Western countries, Ionatamishvili said the law would bring Georgias EU accession closer. He did not specify how, but said western countries had failed to substantiate their criticisms.

Tensions on the street have occasionally boiled over into brawling in Georgias often-rowdy parliament. During committee hearings on the bill on April 15, opposition MP Aleko Elisashvili tore across the floor of the chamber and punched Georgian Dream faction leader Mamuka Mdinaradze in the face.

In an interview with Reuters, Elisashvili compared ruling party MPs to Georgians who joined Lenin's Bolsheviks after Soviet forces took control of their country in 1921 following a brief spell of independence.

"I looked at those traitors standing at the parliamentary despatch box and couldnt hold myself back any more," he said.

Now joining the protesters outside parliament nightly, Elisashvili believes that the situation is ripe for the governments ouster, along the lines of Georgias 2003 Rose Revolution.

"If the government had even an ounce of brains and wisdom they would drop this bill, the situation would calm down, and they could make it to the elections," he said.

"But whatever happens, these people will not stay in power."

(Reporting by Felix Light, editing by Mark Trevelyan and Barbara Lewis)
A former German army captain has admitted spying for Russia, saying he was motivated over fears of a global nuclear escalation amid Russia's war in Ukraine.

Identified only as Thomas H., the 54-year-old went on trial in Dusseldorf on April 29 charged with conducting espionage on behalf of Moscow and leaking state secrets.

"It was wrong. I stand by that," he said on the opening day of the trial, adding the accusations against him are "broadly accurate."

He was a serving officer when he was arrested in August of last year. The charges against him were made public on March 19.

The accused said he had become concerned about his family's safety after viewing pro-Russian content that played up the risk of the war in Ukraine escalating into a nuclear conflict.

Disturbed by what he saw, he claims he decided to contact Russian authorities in order to find out "when it was going to go off."

He is alleged to have approached, both Russia's consulate in Bonn and its embassy in Berlin in May 2023 with offers to cooperate as well as providing sensitive information.

Thomas H. worked at a German army facility in Koblenz responsible for equipping Berlin's Armed Forces and testing new military technology.

Read also: Taurus missiles: Why Ukraine wants them  and Germany hesitates

Prosecutors say he photographed military documents and dropped them into the letterbox of the Russian consulate in Bonn. He was not paid for the information, they added.

"He passed on information he had obtained in the course of his professional activities for it to be passed on to a Russian intelligence service," prosecutors said.

Around the same time he also successfully applied to join the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The case is one of several security and intelligence scandals Berlin has found itself grappling with since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this month, German authorities arrested two German-Russian nationals suspected of planning a military sabotage plot on behalf of Russian intelligence, Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office said on April 18.

And in March, Russian-state media obtained a recording of senior German military officials discussing weapons for Ukraine and other sensitive information in an incident that caused a significant international diplomatic incident.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock delivers the closing statement at the end of the conference on the Western Balkans at the Federal Foreign Office. Baerbock has called for the rapid admission to the European Union of accession candidates in the Western Balkans as the bloc marks the 20th anniversary of its enlargement by 10 countries in 2004. Christoph Soeder/Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH/dpa

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will set off on Wednesday for a trip to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, her ministry announced in Berlin on Monday.

Baerbock will first fly to Adelaide in Australia before a series of engagements in the New Zealand capital Auckland on Friday and Saturday. She will conclude the trip with a visit to the island state of Fiji in the South Pacific.

The trip will focus on security policy and climate protection. Fiji is one of the countries most affected by climate change, with settlements on some islands already being evacuated because they will soon be flooded by rising sea levels.

Baerbock will be the first German foreign minister to visit Fiji, and the first to visit Australia and New Zealand for 13 years.

She was due to visit the three countries last August but had to cancel the trip because her official plane developed the same fault twice within 24 hours during take-off for Australia after a stopover in Abu Dhabi. She had to return to Germany on a commercial flight.
German military officer charged with spying for Russia goes on trial

An intelligence officer sits in a training room at the headquarters of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND). A German military officer charged with espionage for allegedly providing information to a Russian intelligence service goes on trial on Monday. Wolfgang Kumm/dpa

A German military officer charged with espionage for allegedly providing information to a Russian intelligence service goes on trial on Monday.

The defendant, who holds the rank of captain, had worked at the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).

The Koblenz-based institution is responsible for equipping the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, with equipment and weapons as well as developing, testing and procuring defence technology.

From May 2023, the man is said to have offered to cooperate with the Russian consulate general in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin on several occasions and on his own initiative.

Prosecutors say the defendant, who is identified only as Thomas H due to Germany's strict privacy laws, handed over information with the intent it be used by Russian intelligence. There are no indications that he received money in return.

Details about what information he may have passed along has not been revealed.

Germany has been one of Ukraine's biggest military supporters in the face of Russia's ongoing invasion. The country's security authorities say they have stepped up their efforts to combat espionage by Russian services.

Federal police officers took the captain into custody in Koblenz last August. Prosecutors pressed charges in March.

His trial is due to begin at the Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court at 11 am (0900 GMT).
The defendant (R) sits next to his lawyer in the courtroom. A German professional soldier is on trial as a suspected Russian spy before the Duesseldorf Higher Regional Court. Oliver Berg/dpa

A German military officer with ties to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has confessed to providing information to a Russian intelligence service.

He was driven by fear of a nuclear escalation of the Ukraine war, the 54-year-old testified at the first day of his trial before the Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court on Monday.

The defendant, who holds the rank of captain, had worked at the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).

The Koblenz-based institution is responsible for equipping the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, with equipment and weapons as well as developing, testing and procuring defence technology.

From May 2023, the man is said to have offered to cooperate with the Russian consulate general in Bonn and the Russian embassy in Berlin on several occasions and on his own initiative.

Prosecutors say the defendant, who is identified only as Thomas H due to Germany's strict privacy laws, handed over information with the intent it be used by Russian intelligence. There are no indications that he received money in return.

Around the same time, he had contacted the AfD and applied for membership. According to the court, his application for membership was authorized in July 2023.

A message "presumably on TikTok" had prompted him to contact the Russian consulate, he said.

The officer admitted that he had followed a pro-Russian, AfD-affiliated influencer on TikTok at the time. However, he could not remember exactly which message it was.

He said he was concerned with being able to get his family to safety in the event of a nuclear attack. He had sought contact with the Russian side to find out in good time "when it was going to go off."

"I only saw this way," the officer told the court.

He said he regrets his action and, looking back, sees it as a mistake, adding that he was in a bad mental state at the time.

As a captain in the Bundeswehr, the 54-year-old was responsible for electronic warfare systems, said a representative of the federal prosecutor's office during the reading of the indictment. His aim had been to "give the Russian armed forces an advantage against the background of the current political situation."

Germany has been one of Ukraine's biggest military supporters in the face of Russia's ongoing invasion. The country's security authorities say they have stepped up their efforts to combat espionage by Russian services.

Federal police officers took the captain into custody in Koblenz last August. Prosecutors pressed charges in March.

The defendant (L) stands next to his lawyer Marvin Schroth (R) in the courtroom. A German professional soldier is on trial as a suspected Russian spy before the Duesseldorf Higher Regional Court. Oliver Berg/dpa
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 29. Uzbekistan Airways will launch flights between its Samarkand and Nizhny Novgorod (Russia) on May 9, Trend reports.

According to the airline, the flights between two cities will be operated on Thursdays.

Meanwhile, Russian Utair Airlines increases the number of flights from St. Petersburg to Uzbekistan's Samarkand.

According to the airline, Utair started operating flights from St. Petersburg to Samarkand three times a week.

The flights are operated on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Furthermore, Utair conducts flights to Samarkand from Moscow, Samara, and St. Petersburg.
A makeshift memorial was set up for the two Ukrainian soldiers with a placard that reads: "No to terrorism, no to war, no to murder, no to death!" - CHRISTINE UYANIK/REUTERS

A Russian man has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of murdering two wounded Ukrainian soldiers on medical leave in the state of Bavaria.

The two soldiers, aged 36 and 23, had been in Murnau receiving medical rehabilitation treatment when they were stabbed in the neck area by their Russian attacker, police said.

Aged 57, the Russian suspect attacked the men on Saturday evening near a shopping centre in Murnau and fled the scene.

The older soldier died at the scene while the younger of the pair succumbed to his injuries in hospital, German media reported.

The soldiers came to Germany in August and December last year for medical rehabilitation treatment at a clinic in Murnau - CHRISTINE UYANIK/REUTERS

German police launched a manhunt and followed a blood trail leading to a blood-stained keyhole on the front door of the suspects apartment.

In a statement, Bavaria police said they could provide no details as to the motive of the attack.

It was not immediately clear if the attacker was acting alone or had been part of a more organised plot to attack Ukrainians as part of Vladimir Putins war on Kyiv.

However, German media said the suspect was visibly drunk when arrested and said he had recently had an argument with the two Ukrainians.

Early on Saturday evening, April 27 2024, two men were found with stab wounds on the premises of a shopping centre in Murnau. A 36-year-old died from serious injuries on site, the second victim (23 years old) died in a nearby hospital that evening, the police statement said.

Deep state of grief

In Murnau, mourners gathered at the scene of the attack to place floral tributes to the two Ukrainian soldiers. No to terrorism, no to war, no to murder, no to death! stated one placard, placed next to a blue and yellow Ukrainian flag.

The Ukrainians of the district are in a deep state of grief, stated another placard.

According to Spiegel magazine, the slain soldiers came to Germany in August and December last year and were receiving treatment at a special clinic in Murnau. They had been living in accommodation provided by the districts refugee agency.

A witness found the two victims with stab wounds in their necks near the shopping centre and called emergency services. Both were carrying Ukrainian military ID cards.

Suspected Russian agents

Germany is grappling with a string of recent security and espionage incidents involving Russia.

Earlier in April, two Russian-German citizens were also arrested in Bavaria for allegedly plotting to attack US military sites involved in delivering German military support to Ukraine.

In a separate case, a German intelligence officer in the BND, the German equivalent of MI6, is facing treason charges for allegedly passing sensitive information to Moscow.

The suspect has argued in court that he was actually a double agent who was trying to glean secrets from Russian intelligence services on behalf of the BND.

In another awkward case for Berlin, in March, Russia intercepted and leaked a sensitive discussion between German air force officers discussing a potential delivery of Taurus missiles to Kyiv.

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Killing of two Ukrainian soldiers may be political, German prosecutors say

Residents mourn death of two Ukrainian soldiers allegedly killed by a Russian in German town

Residents mourn death of two Ukrainian soldiers allegedly killed by a Russian in German town

BERLIN (Reuters) - German prosecutors on Monday said they were not ruling out a political motive as they investigated a Russian citizen arrested on suspicion of stabbing to death two convalescing Ukrainian soldiers over the weekend.

The soldiers - who had been recuperating in southern Germany - were found with serious stab wounds outside a shopping centre in the Bavarian town of Murnau am See on Saturday evening, according to police. One of them, aged 36, died at the scene, while the other, 23, succumbed to his wounds in hospital.

A 57-year-old Russian citizen was arrested in his home shortly after the act on suspicion of murder, police said.

Early indications suggest the three men had known each other.

"The motive for the crime is currently unclear, although a political motivation cannot be ruled out and is being investigated in all directions," the prosecutor general's office in Munich said as it took over the case.

Ukrainian consuls are clarifying information about the units in which the victims served and establishing contact with their families, the Ukrainian government said in a statement.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba instructed the consulate general in Munich to monitor the case and remain in contact with German law enforcement, it said.

A spokesperson for the German government declined to comment on the case earlier on Monday, saying that a police investigation was ongoing. The Russian embassy did not respond to a request for comment.

Residents in Murnau mourned the deaths, with flowers and Ukrainian flags adorning a makeshift memorial.

"This is horrible, this is horrible. To have this happen in Murnau, I've been living here for such a long time and have never experienced something like this," said Murnau resident Tivahna Kapanovic.

In a separate case, two German-Russian nationals were arrested in Germany in April on suspicion of plotting sabotage attacks, including on military facilities, in what officials called an effort to undermine military support for Ukraine.

(Reporting by Alexander Ratz, Andrey Sychev and Anastasiia Malenko, Writing by Friederike Heine and Matthias Williams, Editing by Miranda Murray and Tomasz Janowski)
Germany supplies Ukraine with ammunition for IRIS-T and 10 Marder vehicles

The German government has supplied Ukraine with another batch of military aid, which includes air defence means, ammunition and armoured vehicles.

Source: European Pravda with reference to the list of military support on the website of the German government

Details: Lately Germany has supplied Ukraine with 10 Marder infantry combat vehicles with ammunition and spare parts, ammunition for Leopard 2 tanks and 7,500 rounds of 155-mm ammunition.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine also received a SKYNEX anti-aircraft rocket system with ammunition, almost 30,000 projectiles for Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft systems, an unspecified quantity of missiles for the IRIS-T SLM air defence system, and a TRML-4D aerial surveillance radar station.

The list also includes a Beaver bridge-laying tank, a DACHS armoured engineering vehicle, nine minesweepers, self-protection systems for the AMPS helicopters, 60 outboard motors, 600 LED lamps and 6 tows for the transportation of M1070 tanks.

Germany also provided 18,000 rounds of 40-mm ammunition, 3,000 portable anti-tank manual grenade launchers RGW 90, 120-mm mortar ammunition, almost 2,000 camouflage nets, 2,000 raincoats and 100,000 first-aid kits for the troops.

Background:

On 10 April Germany reported that it had supplied Ukraine with one Warthog terrain tracked carrier and 6,000 rounds of 155-mm artillery ammunition.

Berlin also promised to provide a Patriot air defence system for Ukraine as soon as possible.

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German courts will try the first nine members of an extremist group suspected of plotting a coup to overthrow the country's democratic government, Reuters reported on April 29.

This will be only the first in a series of three proceedings with 27 members of the Reichsbuerger (Citizens of the Reich) group, whose alleged plans were thwarted by German authorities in late 2022.

The far-right organization allegedly sought to return to the system reminiscent of the pre-World War I imperial Germany and install aristocrat and businessman Prince Heinrich XIII Reuss as the head of state. Its ranks also included former members of the country's Armed Forces.

Following the coup, the group planned to establish an interim government and begin negotiating with countries that won in World War II, namely Russia, according to the investigation.

The suspected plotters even allegedly contacted Russian consulates in the German cities of Leipzig, Frankfurt, and Baden-Baden.

"It has not yet been possible to clarify how the Russian Federation reacted to the request," German prosecutors said.

The group's ideology has been described as similar to QAnon, a far-right U.S. conspiratorial movement. Its members were supposedly convinced that Germany was ruled by members of the so-called "deep state."

The organization collected around 500,000 euros (roughly $536,000) and purchased weapons and ammunition, investigators said.

Read also: Russian stabbed to death two Ukrainian soldiers in Germany

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (R) takes part in a press statement at the Federal Chancellery alongside Milojko Spajic, Prime Minister of Montenegro. Scholz and Spajic are meeting for bilateral talks. Michael Kappeler/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has praised Montenegro's reform efforts on its way to joining the European Union during a meeting with the prime minister of the Balkan state, Milojko Spajic.

Scholz spoke of "great progress" in fulfilling the requirements for accession during the meeting in Berlin on Monday.

"I am impressed by the ambition, by the speed and I consider this to be a realistic ambition," Scholz said.

The reform efforts are the basis for accession to be completed quickly, he added. "Because it is exclusively orientated towards its own merits."

Montenegro applied to join the EU 16 years ago and negotiations began at the end of 2012.

In addition to the country with just over 600,000 inhabitants, five other Western Balkan states are also applying to join: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia.
Getir is hightailing it out of everywhere but Turkey. On Monday, the instant delivery startup said it would exit the US, UK, Germany and the Netherlands to serve its Turkish home market exclusively. TechCrunch notes the closures are likely to wipe out 6,000 jobs at the company.

Getir's business model, distinct from traditional shopping services like Instacart (which has problems of its own), involves establishing micro-fulfillment centers in urban areas that carry groceries and household essentials. This often lets them fulfill orders within minutes  hence the instant delivery moniker. Once valued at $12 billion, the startup experienced a surge in growth during the pandemic as investors bet on COVID-era consumer shopping habits enduring after lockdowns. So much for that.

This decision will allow Getir to focus its financial resources on Turkey, the company told TechCrunch in a statement. The startup said the markets its exiting made up about seven percent of its revenues.

Even as it slashes jobs and hits the undo button on its global expansion, Getir has secured funding to focus on Turkey. Mubadala (Abu Dhabis state-owned investment firm) and G Squared are reportedly among those financing the Turkish-only pivot.

Getir says its US subsidiary, FreshDirect, which it bought late last year, will continue to operate. But the company suggested to Reuters it was open to offers for its existing assets in the markets its leaving.

The startup was founded in 2015 and exploded in popularity in Turkey. From 2017 to 2023, it raised over $2.3 billion from investors as it sought global corporate conquest, scooping up smaller competitors along the way. TechCrunch says that, in early 2023, Getir had 32,000 employees.
A GoFundMe campaign launched for former President Donald Trump to pay his $355 million fine from his New York civil fraud lawsuit has slowed significantly since reaching the $2 million milestone.

The funds will reportedly be used for "Trump's defense in the New York civil fraud case, its appeal, and any associated expenses." Trump recently posted a $175 million bond to halt the enforcement of the judgment while he appeals the verdict.

The Donald Trump GoFundMe Has Only Raised $2 Million Out Of $355 Million Fine

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Earlier in the year, Trump was fined $355,000,000 as part of a civil fraud case ruling. Around that time, a die-hard MAGA supporter launched a GoFundMe to help the former president raise the funds to pay the fine.

After the GoFundMe page was opened, donations quickly poured in, reaching a million dollars within a week. While this rapid progression seemed to have suggested that a significant amount of money would be raised in no time, that now seems unlikely.

As of now, the fundraiser has stalled just after hitting the $2,000,000 mark thanks to nearly 40,000 MAGA donors, with only a few donations coming in recent days.

It is unclear for how long the page will remain open to continue raising funds. However, a recent update from the organizer, Elena Cardone, emphasized that the funds would be used for "Trump's defense in the New York civil fraud case, its appeal, and any associated expenses."

MAGA Supporter Says Money Raised Will Go To The Patriot Defense Fund To Support The Billionaire

MEGA

In a recent update, Elena, the wife of multi-millionaire real-estate mogul Grant Cardone, revealed that she will be transferring any cash raised to the Patriot Defense Fund to be used for "Trump's defense."

She wrote, "We're thrilled to share the incredible milestone of raising $2 million. The funds we have raised together will be delivered to the Patriot Legal Defense Fund and will solely be used for President Trump's defense in the New York civil fraud case, its appeal, and any associated expenses."

Although Trump never publicly acknowledged the existence of the GoFundMe, Elena claimed in a previous update that she was in contact with Trump's team to ensure the ex-president accepted the cash raised.

The Former President Was Fined For Inflating His Assets

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Judge Arthur Engoron, the presiding judge over the civil fraud case, fined the former president a jaw-dropping amount for inflating his assets while building his real estate empire.

As part of his 92-page ruling, he also barred Trump from taking on any director or officer role in corporations within New York or seeking loans from financial institutions within the state. He stated that the ban would last for three years.

Trump's sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, were also fined $4 million for helping their father commit the fraud. Like him, they were barred from taking up positions in New York-based organizations. However, the time limit was restricted to two years.

His Lawyers Appealed The Fraud Ruling

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Trump's lawyers, who vowed to appeal the verdict, filed notice in late February to begin the process.

In the filing, they wrote to the appellate court to review whether Engoron "committed errors of law and/or fact" and if he misused his discretion or "acted in excess" of his jurisdiction.

"We trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious fine and take the necessary steps to restore the public faith in New York's legal system," Trump attorney Alina Habba told the press, per NBC.

Meanwhile, after the verdict, Trump slammed it as an "unAmerican judgment" and said it was a case of "election interference" and "witching hunting." At the time, he had also claimed that Engoron was "crooked" and described the attorney general, Leticia James, who brought the case, as "corrupt."

Donald Trump Posted Bond To Halt Enforcement Of The Judgment

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Trump required a legal mechanism known as a stay to pause the enforcement of the judgment while he appealed. In this regard, the Republican presidential front-runner posted a $175 million bond after an appeals court determined that the entire fine didn't need to be furnished as the bond.

Posting the bond helped Trump block NY AG Letitia James from making the move to seize his assets, which she had previously promised to do as a means of enforcing the verdict from Engoron.

The bond was provided by Knight Specialty Insurance Co. after the former president initially found it difficult to find a firm willing to partner with him.

After the bond was posted, James asked for it to be voided, citing that the insurance company lacked authorization to issue bonds in New York. However, Trump's lawyer argued that the funds would remain untouched in the account unless approved by the insurance company.

In the end, Engoron approved a deal to ensure that the insurance company had exclusive control of the money's account.
More than a century on, the RMS Titanic remains not only a source of intrigue but a source of treasure.

A gold Waltham pocket watch belonging to the richest person aboard the ill-fated 883-foot steamship sold for roughly $1.5 million at a Henry Aldridge & Son auction in the U.K. over the weekend, setting a new record price for Titanic artifacts.

More from Robb Report

The timepiece was recovered from the body of John Jacob Astor, after he died in the sinking of the ship in the early hours of April 15, 1912. A prominent American businessman, real estate developer, and investor, Astor was the wealthiest passenger aboard the Titanic, the auction house says. With a net worth of roughly $87 millionequivalent to several billion dollars todaythe 47-year-old was also one of the richest people in the world at that time. Astor was on the ship honeymooning with his new wife Madeleine when it struck that fateful iceberg. He was able to help Madeleine onto a lifeboat but was told by the officer in charge to stay on the ship as women and children were the priority.

The watch is engraved with the initials JJA.

Astors body was found not far from the sunken ship by CS MacKay-Bennett on April 22. His personal effects included gold cufflinks, a diamond ring, 225, $2,440, and, of course, the Waltham. Crafted from 14-karat gold, the pocket watch features 17 jewels and the initials JJA on the case. After it was recovered from the ocean, the piece was returned to Astors family and fully restored. The watch was sold with a signed affidavit from the family confirming the provenance. Henry Aldridge & Son has deemed it one of the most important pieces of horological history relating to the most famous ship in the world.

The watch was snapped up by an American collector for 1.175 million at the sale on Saturday, becoming the most expensive piece of Titanic memorabilia to be sold at auction. The previous record was set by a violin that hammered down for 1.1 million (roughly $1.4 million) at Henry Aldridge & Son in 2013. The case for that violin sold for 360,000 (approximately $450,000) at Saturdays auction.

Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge told the PA news agency that the sums the lots achieved were incredible. They reflect not only the importance of the artifacts themselves and their rarity but they also show the enduring appeal and fascination with the Titanic story, he said. 112 years later, we are still talking about the ship and the passengers and the crew.

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If you use nicotine vapes, the product options available to you in Florida may soon be reduced.

Its because of a new law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis thats aimed at getting vape products off the shelves that could be appealing to children.

Vaping has been the most popular form of nicotine among high school students for ten years straight, according to the FDA.

State Senator Keith Perry (R-Gainesville) said not only are some of the products colorful and flavored like candy, but in some cases, theyre specifically designed to resemble normal items kids might have in school.

We have highlighters. A yellow highlighter. It looks just like any other highlighter, but its a vaping tool, Perry said.

Perry sponsored the bill this year that seeks to prohibit vape products marketed towards children.

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The new law gives the Florida Attorney General the ability to craft a do-not-sell list targeting non-refillable, disposable vape products that appeal to children.

Despite early concerns from the vape industry, Nick Orlando with the Florida Smoke Free Association told Action News Jax the industry supports the final product.

He noted that he hopes the vape industry is allowed to have a seat at the table while the Attorney General develops the do-not-sell list.

We have to be real about this. Thats what were looking for is real, reasonable regulation to these products as we do with everything else and just be honest and keep it available for adults to choose it, Orlando said.

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The list will be published on Jan. 1, 2025.

After that, vape retailers will have 60 days to remove any banned products from their shelves, or else face $1,000-a-day fines per violation.

If you make your living off selling stuff thats designed to market towards kids, good riddance to you, Perry said.

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Hontiveros to DFA: Cancel Quiboloy's passport

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to cancel fugitive Apollo Quiboloy's passport.

The senator made the statement after the Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader's continued failure to appear before the Senate or before Philippine courts.

"Imbes na magpakita sa Senado o sa mga korte, panay record ng audio message na tila nang-iinsulto pa sa kakayanan ng gubyerno na matuntun siya. This is appalling. This should not be allowed to pass, but only challenge government more to exhaust all means to restrict his movements," Hontiveros said.

In previous interviews, DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said that when a passport is cancelled, it is a "red flag for any application in all DFA consular offices within and outside the Philippines."

Daza further explained that a cancelled passport is reported to both the Bureau of Immigration and the Interpol office in the Philippines. Interpol PH then informs Interpol HQ, which then includes the cancelled passport in the alert system of international border controls.

"The world is closing in on him. He is accused of crimes that transcend continents and nationalities. Tiwala ako na maraming bansa ang handang makipagtulungan sa Pilipinas para papanagutin siya," the senator said, emphasizing that three of the victim-survivors who gave their testimonies against Quiboloy in the Senate Committee on Women hearings were foreign nationals.

"Kung ang puganteng Kongresista ay nahuli, sana naman maaresto din ang puganteng religious leader. Maliit ang mundo. Hindi niya matatakasan ang batas habambuhay," Hontiveros concluded.
Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, brings HF 3454, the Omnibus Veterans policy provisions bill to the Senate floor on April 18, 2024. Photo by Senate Media Services.

Senate Republicans on Monday launched two unsuccessful attempts to disqualify Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, from voting on bills during the remaining three weeks of the legislative session, one week after the first-term senator was charged with first-degree burglary.

Mitchell was arrested in Detroit Lakes on April 22 after allegedly breaking into her stepmothers home to take several items belonging to her late father, including his ashes.

Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, on Sunday stripped Mitchell of her committee assignments and said she will no longer participate in caucus meetings the rest of session. Republicans last week filed a complaint against her, which the Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct will take up on May 7.

Mitchell appeared at the Capitol and cast votes on Monday  her first time back at the Legislature since her arrest.

Capitol observers have been eagerly awaiting Mitchells return to see if she will vote on bills the remainder of the session. Democratic-Farmer-Labor legislators are looking to pass influential legislation implementing new policy affecting everything from workers rights to health care, as well as some new spending and an infrastructure package  most of which will require Mitchells vote in the 34-33 DFL-controlled Senate.

Reporters approached Mitchell on the Senate floor on Monday, but she declined to comment on her arrest and expulsion from caucus meetings.

Republicans tried to prohibit Mitchell from voting, but Mitchell cast the deciding vote in her own favor to allow herself to keep voting.

Sen. Carla Nelson, R-Rochester, offered a motion to prohibit any senator who has been charged with a crime of violence from voting on all matters until the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct completes its investigation and submits a report.

If we were to pass legislation with the full participation of a member charged like this and only with that members support  (it) would put all of our work under a cloud, Nelson said on the floor. We should uphold the integrity of the body and ensure that we are not passing critical legislation with the deciding vote being under such scrutiny.

Senators debated the motion for about an hour, with DFL senators coming to Mitchells defense, arguing that she needs to continue to vote so she can represent her 80,000 constituents.

Sen. Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, said the Senate doesnt have the authority to disenfranchise voters and prohibit Mitchell from voting, and he criticized Nelsons motion to strip Mitchells voting capabilities.

The attempt to do so is an attack on all the voters in the Senate district that elected the senator and sent that person here to vote on their behalf, Latz said.

Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis, ruled Nelsons motion out of order.

Republicans again attempted to submit a motion restricting Mitchells ability to vote, this time offering a motion to prohibit the secretary of the Senate from registering and recording the vote of a member who has been charged with a crime of violence until the ethics subcommittee completes its investigation.

Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, said by allowing Mitchell to vote, Democrats appeared to be protecting Mitchell.

If we continue to see  what appears to be  the protection of this behavior at the expense of the integrity and the reputation of the Minnesota Senate, were going to continue to see this dysfunction, Drazkowski said.

Champion also ruled his motion out of order.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, closed the floor session by reading out a symbolic letter of protest, which was signed by all 33 Republican senators, stating Mitchell is clearly unfit for office.

After the floor vote, Murphy told reporters that Mitchells constituents need representation in the Senate, so she needs to continue voting on bills.

The people of Woodbury have a vote in this chamber on the laws that are being considered and passed. Her vote here is important, Murphy said.

Law enforcement last week found Mitchell in her stepmothers basement, dressed in black clothes and a black hat, with a flashlight with a black sock covering it next to her. Mitchell told law enforcement that her stepmother stopped talking to her and her family members, according to the criminal complaint.

After her release from jail, Mitchell released a statement saying she was conducting a welfare check on a family member who had Alzheimers and paranoia. Mitchell, through her attorney, said shes confident that a much different picture will emerge when all of the facts are known. She said she doesnt intend to resign.

The post GOP attempts to prohibit DFL Sen. Nicole Mitchell from voting after felony charge appeared first on Minnesota Reformer.
When Congress left for a week-long recess on April 20, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) had a message for her colleagues: Go home and listen to your constituents.

It would be a harmless ask most of the time. But at that fraught moment, with the future of the House GOP on the line, Greenes proposal landed more like an ultimatum.

That same day, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had enraged conservatives by successfully pushing a $95 billion foreign aid packagewith a huge tranche of support for Ukrainethrough the House. Over half the House GOP conference voted against Ukraine aid.

MTG Literally Curses Mike Johnsons Speakership After Ukraine Vote

Greene had been struggling to get enough support for her motion to oust Johnson, filed last month. After Ukraine aid passed, what Greene was essentially telling colleagues was: If you didnt support removing Johnson before, go home, feel constituents anger, and come back ready to fire him.

Im 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 to actually understand how angry Americans are, Greene said.

As lawmakers return to Washington this weekwith Greene poised to make good on her threat to force a vote on ousting Johnson eventuallyRepublicans certainly heard from constituents over the recess, as Greene had hoped.

But theyre not all convinced that Johnson needs to goat least not right now. Some are more resolved than ever to defend the speaker.

She needs to stop it, Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY) told The Daily Beast of Greene. The theatrics, the drama, the crisis-creating doesnt help my constituents. It doesnt improve the lives of those we serve nor this country. Its tiring, unhelpful and wrong.

When asked what kind of comments he is getting from constituents, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC)who has not expressed whether or not he would support the push to oust Johnsonsaid the bulk are puzzled, saying they thought Speaker Johnson was conservative or asking: Why is he siding with Democrats on spending issues?

Speaker Johnson visits Columbia University in New York on April 24, 2024. Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images

But while some members and their constituents dont agree with how Johnson has run the Republican conference and would like to see him gone, there remains skepticism about ousting a sitting speaker for the second time in six months and so close to a critical election.

My folks in Tennessee are incredibly informed and although they are upset over some of the funding votes and not securing the border, they are afraid that by removing Johnson it would hand the gavel over to the Democrats, and thats pretty much the consensus, Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), who was one of eight Republicans who voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, told The Daily Beast.

In some cases, GOP members used the recess to actually marshal support for Johnson.

I poll all my folks. Once people understand what could actually take place they dont want this at all, said Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), who is a staunch defender of Speaker Johnson.

To others, Greenes conviction that members would get besieged with backlash to Johnson over the recess reflects a misreading of what core GOP voters truly care about.

Mike Johnson Came to Ukraines Aid. Will Democrats Come to His?

Another GOP member, granted anonymity to speak freely, said this tactic shows how disconnected from reality Marjorie is, claiming they havent run into [motion to vacate] trolls back home at church soup suppers, town hall meetings, or car shows.

I assume they are busy in their moms basement, raging as keyboard warriors, this member said. The voters I talk to in person know things need to change, but they are blaming Joe Biden, not Mike Johnson.

Even former President Donald Trump, who vehemently opposes Ukraine aid, has not condemned Johnson in recent days, saying instead that the speaker is doing his best. Publicly, the speaker himself has insisted he's not worried about the brewing revolt.

Still, even if some members are not as fired up in lockstep as Greene may have hoped, there is very real energy behind her push to remove him.

The coming weeks on Capitol Hill may be a test of whether the hardcore MAGA cohort Greene represents can overcome the ambivalence or even opposition in many corners to removing Johnson, despite the feelings of betrayal over his support for Ukraine aid.

What seems certain is that the fight will push an already bruised and divided House GOP further past the brink.

Last month, Greene unveiled her motion to oust Johnson, citing a litany of grievances over how the new GOP leader has handled the job. As of Monday, just two other lawmakers have signed onto the motion: Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY). (All three, notably, opposed removing McCarthy last year.)

Before leaving for the recess, Johnson put three bills directing billions in support for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan on the floor. While all three passed by wide bipartisan margins, hardliners on the right were furious with his decision to hold a vote at all on the measures.

Can Donald Trump Save Speaker Mike Johnson?

Most troubling for Johnson was the Ukraine aid measure that passed 311 to 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 that has been subject to a brutal Russian invasion for two years.

The anti-Johnson crowd is still fuming.

Speaker Johnson enlisted a majority of Democrats to override a majority of Republicans so he could: 1) pass an omnibus that spends more than [Nancy] Pelosi did, including a new FBI building. 2) reauthorize warrantless spying on Americans 3) send $60 billion to Ukraine. Unforgivable, Massie said in a post on X on Sunday.

There is some doubt among members that Greene will actually begin the process of forcing a vote on the motion to vacate. Some believe it is merely a tactic to force Johnson to step down, similar to what happened to former Speaker John Boehner back in 2015.

But those who truly know Greene believe there is little doubt that she will follow through.

The Georgia Republican has been adamant that she is not bluffing and still believes Johnson is a lame duck speaker who will not be speaker or the leader of the Republican Conference next Congress.

If we had the vote today in our conference, he would not be speaker, Greene told reporters last Saturday.

The math is also not in Johnsons favor. If a motion to vacate were to come up, Johnson could only afford to lose two Republican votes if no Democrats help him out. Since three Republicans have already signed onto the motion, Johnsons future as speaker would be put in the hands of Democrats, some of whom seem poised to save Johnson if they must.

The institution really needs to be respected, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) 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.

Many GOP members are indeed furious with Johnson and may truly want him gone. But at this point in a tortured session of Congress, the pain of starting over again may simply be too high.

But one thing is clear, animosity towards Johnson is growing at an alarming rate for the speaker and there is an increased openness to supporting a potential motion to vacate, even if some are weary of the timing or potential consequences.

After spending some time at home, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ)who was one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthysaid he is open to removing Johnson and that it would be really hard for me to save Speaker Johnson with my vote if the motion to vacate was triggered.

But Crane tempered his stance by saying he does not believe the timing of a potential motion to vacate is right.

His sentiment is shared by others in the Republican conference.

Everyone in grassroots wants him gone for abandoning the border, another GOP member told The Daily Beast. But most are suspicious of doing it heading into [the] election so hes basically sitting on razor-thin ice.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Gov. Pillen issues post-storm declaration that allows use of state emergency fund

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen tours damage from Fridays storms in eastern Nebraska. (Courtesy of the Governors Office)

OMAHA  Gov. Jim Pillen on Sunday issued a post-tornado emergency declaration, which allows the use of an emergency fund established under the Nebraska Emergency Management Act, to respond to storm damage in three counties.

Gov. Pillen issues post-storm proclamation, which allows the use of a state emergency fund. (Courtesy of Governors Office)

In a statement, Pillen noted that state law requires him to sign a State of Emergency Proclamation before the Governors Emergency Fund can be tapped.

The proclamation comes in the aftermath of severe weather that hit Nebraska on Thursday through Saturday. Douglas, Washington and Lancaster Counties are covered in the declaration.

Pillen said there was significant damage in those counties to private and public property and infrastructure from thunderstorms, high winds, rain and multiple tornadoes.

The actions necessary to assist in meeting the emergency conditions and subsequent impacts of these events present a burden on the storm impacted areas and required state resources, the proclamation said.

The governor directed the Nebraska adjutant general, who also serves as State Disaster Coordinator, to activate appropriate state emergency plans and to take steps necessary until threat to life and property created by the situation has been alleviated.

He called upon the state and appropriate federal agencies to cooperate in the effort.

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The post Gov. Pillen issues post-storm declaration that allows use of state emergency fund appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.
Gov. Tim Walz appointed Tikki Brown to be the first commissioner of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families when it is established in July 2024. Courtesy photo.

Gov. Tim Walz appointed Tikki Brown to be the first commissioner of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families when it is established in July.

Brown is currently assistant commissioner of children and family services with the Minnesota Department of Human Services and has been leading the effort to stand up the new agency from the get-go. Before that, she was in charge of the nutrition assistance and economic opportunity at DHS, where shes worked since graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2001, including various management roles.

Tikkis work exemplifies our mission of making Minnesota the best state for children, Walz said in a statement. Tikki brings decades of experience and knowledge that will help ensure state government works for all children and families, and that support is available for those who need it most

The Legislature created the new department last year to oversee a number of children-focused state programs that have resided in other agencies, including DHS, Education, Health and Public Safety.

The goal, Brown told the Reformer last year, is to deepen the alignment and coordination to better improve our services.

Those services  including child support, child care, juvenile justice initiatives and licensing for foster care and child care centers  are some of the most important and most challenging for state government.

But the payoff can be great: Research shows that adverse childhood experiences  like violence in the home, neglect, abuse, addiction, an imprisoned parent  are at the root of many of the social ills the government must confront when those people become adults.

Minnesota ranked fifth in a 2023 study among the 50 states and D.C. for child well-being, and the child poverty rate here is one of the best in the nation, just shy of 11%. (The highest child poverty rate in the nation is Mississippi, at nearly 28%.)

I am deeply honored to be appointed as commissioner for an agency that has such a deep impact on the lives of so many Minnesotans, Brown said in the statement from Walzs office. As commissioner, I look forward to bringing together a new leadership team and staff from multiple agencies, working with community partners and individuals impacted by our programs, to envision an improved future for our children, youth and families.

The post Gov. Tim Walz appoints Tikki Brown to head new child-focused agency appeared first on Minnesota Reformer.
A U.S Space Force mission, carrying the first Weather System Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) satellite, launches aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., April 11, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma)

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administrations move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force.

The letter from the National Governors Association, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is written in opposition to a legislative proposal submitted by the Department of Defense to the Senate Armed Services Committee that would transfer some Air National Guard personnel and equipment currently being used on space missions to the Space Force.

The Defense Department proposal would require Congress to override existing law requiring that governors approve changes to National Guard units, through Title 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code, that outlines gubernatorial authority over their states National Guard.

The bipartisan group of governors signing the letter said the proposed measure would hurt governors abilities to use the National Guard in response to crises. Governors must retain full authority over these units to protect operational readiness and Americas communities, the letter states.

Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces Governors authority within their states and territories undermines longstanding partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy, the letter states. This action also negatively affects the important relationships between Governors and DOD at a time when we need to have full trust and confidence between the two to meet the growing threats posed by the era of strategic competition as well as natural disasters.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told federal lawmakers earlier in April that the proposal would shift roughly 700 National Guard members to Space Force as part of a one-time transfer. There are currently 14 units, with about 1,000 personnel, working on space-related missions in seven states  Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Ohio  that could be impacted by the move, according to the National Guard Association of the United States.

The National Guard advocacy group also released a statement opposing the draft legislation. Kendall told reporters in April that he doesnt see a reason why a state needs a Space Force militia. But Retired Maj. Gen. Frank M. McGinn, the organizations president, said keeping space missions within the National Guard keeps the personnel current serving on space missions in work, as many are not able to move or take on full-time responsibilities. It allows states to retain the same defense and military capabilities as other parts of the country, he said  comparing the issue to states having artillery and cyber units in the National Guard, separate from the U.S. military.

Here is what Secretary Kendall is asking to do: Skirt federal law to transfer nearly empty units to the Space Force, thereby reducing the nations military space capabilities at a time when our nation is seeing growing competition in space, McGinn said. I dont see why he wants to take this action. And a growing number in Congress wonder the same.

Only two state governors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, did not sign on to the letter. Both states have a vested interest in Space Force operations and development, with Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County, Florida being one of the five current bases of the military branch. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also has operations in both states.

The post Governors oppose National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
A U.S Space Force mission, carrying the first Weather System Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) satellite, launches aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., April 11, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma)

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administrations move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force.

The letter from the National Governors Association, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is written in opposition to a legislative proposal submitted by the Department of Defense to the Senate Armed Services Committee that would transfer some Air National Guard personnel and equipment currently being used on space missions to the Space Force.

The Defense Department proposal would require Congress to override existing law requiring that governors approve changes to National Guard units, through Title 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code, that outlines gubernatorial authority over their states National Guard.

The bipartisan group of governors signing the letter said the proposed measure would hurt governors abilities to use the National Guard in response to crises. Governors must retain full authority over these units to protect operational readiness and Americas communities, the letter states.

Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces Governors authority within their states and territories undermines longstanding partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy, the letter states. This action also negatively affects the important relationships between Governors and DOD at a time when we need to have full trust and confidence between the two to meet the growing threats posed by the era of strategic competition as well as natural disasters.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told federal lawmakers earlier in April that the proposal would shift roughly 700 National Guard members to Space Force as part of a one-time transfer. There are currently 14 units, with about 1,000 personnel, working on space-related missions in seven states  Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Ohio  that could be impacted by the move, according to the National Guard Association of the United States.

The National Guard advocacy group also released a statement opposing the draft legislation. Kendall told reporters in April that he doesnt see a reason why a state needs a Space Force militia. But Retired Maj. Gen. Frank M. McGinn, the organizations president, said keeping space missions within the National Guard keeps the personnel current serving on space missions in work, as many are not able to move or take on full-time responsibilities. It allows states to retain the same defense and military capabilities as other parts of the country, he said  comparing the issue to states having artillery and cyber units in the National Guard, separate from the U.S. military.

Here is what Secretary Kendall is asking to do: Skirt federal law to transfer nearly empty units to the Space Force, thereby reducing the nations military space capabilities at a time when our nation is seeing growing competition in space, McGinn said. I dont see why he wants to take this action. And a growing number in Congress wonder the same.

Only two state governors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, did not sign on to the letter. Both states have a vested interest in Space Force operations and development, with Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County, Florida being one of the five current bases of the military branch. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also has operations in both states.

The post Governors oppose National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
A U.S Space Force mission, carrying the first Weather System Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) satellite, launches aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., April 11, 2024. (Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma/U.S. Space Force)

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administrations move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force.

The letter from the National Governors Association, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is written in opposition to a legislative proposal submitted by the Department of Defense to the Senate Armed Services Committee that would transfer some Air National Guard personnel and equipment currently being used on space missions to the Space Force.

U.S. Air Force Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Army Gen. James Dickinson, commander of U.S. Space Command, welcome Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III as he arrives at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, on May 24, 2022. Austin visited the U.S. Air Force Academy to deliver the keynote address at the graduation ceremony on May 25, 2022. (Paul Honnick/U.S. Space Force)

The Defense Department proposal would require Congress to override existing law requiring that governors approve changes to National Guard units, through Title 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code, that outlines gubernatorial authority over their states National Guard.

The bipartisan group of governors signing the letter said the proposed measure would hurt governors abilities to use the National Guard in response to crises. Governors must retain full authority over these units to protect operational readiness and Americas communities, the letter states.

Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces governors authority within their states and territories undermines longstanding partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy, the letter states. This action also negatively affects the important relationships between governors and DOD at a time when we need to have full trust and confidence between the two to meet the growing threats posed by the era of strategic competition as well as natural disasters.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told federal lawmakers earlier in April that the proposal would shift roughly 700 National Guard members to Space Force as part of a one-time transfer. There are currently 14 units, with about 1,000 personnel, working on space-related missions in seven states  Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Ohio  that could be impacted by the move, according to the National Guard Association of the United States.

The National Guard advocacy group also released a statement opposing the draft legislation. Kendall told reporters in April that he doesnt see a reason why a state needs a Space Force militia. But Retired Maj. Gen. Frank M. McGinn, the organizations president, said keeping space missions within the National Guard keeps the personnel current serving on space missions in work, as many are not able to move or take on full-time responsibilities. It allows states to retain the same defense and military capabilities as other parts of the country, he said  comparing the issue to states having artillery and cyber units in the National Guard, separate from the U.S. military.

Here is what Secretary Kendall is asking to do: Skirt federal law to transfer nearly empty units to the Space Force, thereby reducing the nations military space capabilities at a time when our nation is seeing growing competition in space, McGinn said. I dont see why he wants to take this action. And a growing number in Congress wonder the same.

Only two state governors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, did not sign on to the letter. Both states have a vested interest in Space Force operations and development, with Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County, Florida, being one of the five current bases of the military branch. NASA also has operations in both states.

National Governors Association LP480 4.29.24

The Iowa Capital Dispatch, like the Idaho Capital Sun, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Governors oppose National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Falcon from the South Dakota Air National Guards 114th Fighter Wing based in Sioux Falls receives fuel while in flight from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 assigned to the Iowa Air National Guards 185th Air Refueling Wing based in Sioux City while flying over South Dakota on March 19, 2019. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot)

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Falcon from the South Dakota Air National Guards 114th Fighter Wing, based in Sioux Falls, receives fuel while in flight from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 assigned to the Iowa Air National Guards 185th Air Refueling Wing, based in Sioux City, while flying over South Dakota on March 19, 2019. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot)

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administrations move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force.

The letter from the National Governors Association, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is written in opposition to a legislative proposal submitted by the Department of Defense to the Senate Armed Services Committee that would transfer some Air National Guard personnel and equipment currently being used on space missions to the Space Force.

The Defense Department proposal would require Congress to override existing law requiring that governors approve changes to National Guard units, through Title 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code, that outlines gubernatorial authority over their states National Guard.

The bipartisan group of governors signing the letter said the proposed measure would hurt governors abilities to use the National Guard in response to crises. Governors must retain full authority over these units to protect operational readiness and Americas communities, the letter states.

Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces Governors authority within their states and territories undermines longstanding partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy, the letter states. This action also negatively affects the important relationships between Governors and DOD at a time when we need to have full trust and confidence between the two to meet the growing threats posed by the era of strategic competition as well as natural disasters.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told federal lawmakers earlier in April that the proposal would shift roughly 700 National Guard members to Space Force as part of a one-time transfer. There are currently 14 units, with about 1,000 personnel, working on space-related missions in seven states  Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Ohio  that could be impacted by the move, according to the National Guard Association of the United States.

The National Guard advocacy group also released a statement opposing the draft legislation. Kendall told reporters in April that he doesnt see a reason why a state needs a Space Force militia. But Retired Maj. Gen. Frank M. McGinn, the organizations president, said keeping space missions within the National Guard keeps the personnel current serving on space missions in work, as many are not able to move or take on full-time responsibilities. It allows states to retain the same defense and military capabilities as other parts of the country, he said  comparing the issue to states having artillery and cyber units in the National Guard, separate from the U.S. military.

Here is what Secretary Kendall is asking to do: Skirt federal law to transfer nearly empty units to the Space Force, thereby reducing the nations military space capabilities at a time when our nation is seeing growing competition in space, McGinn said. I dont see why he wants to take this action. And a growing number in Congress wonder the same.

Only two state governors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, did not sign on to the letter. Both states have a vested interest in Space Force operations and development, with Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County, Florida being one of the five current bases of the military branch. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also has operations in both states.

A version of this story was originally published by Iowa Capital Dispatch. Like South Dakota Searchlight, its part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Governors, including Noem, oppose Air National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
A U.S Space Force mission, carrying the first Weather System Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) satellite, launches aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., April 11, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma)

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders added her signature to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administrations move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force.

The letter from the National Governors Association, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is written in opposition to a legislative proposal submitted by the Department of Defense to the Senate Armed Services Committee that would transfer some Air National Guard personnel and equipment currently being used on space missions to the Space Force.

The Defense Department proposal would require Congress to override existing law requiring that governors approve changes to National Guard units, through Title 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code, which outline gubernatorial authority over their states National Guard.

The bipartisan group of governors signing the letter said the proposed measure would hurt governors abilities to use the National Guard in response to crises. Governors must retain full authority over these units to protect operational readiness and Americas communities, the letter states.

Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces Governors authority within their states and territories undermines longstanding partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy, the letter states. This action also negatively affects the important relationships between Governors and DOD at a time when we need to have full trust and confidence between the two to meet the growing threats posed by the era of strategic competition as well as natural disasters.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told federal lawmakers earlier in April that the proposal would shift roughly 700 National Guard members to Space Force as part of a one-time transfer. There are currently 14 units, with about 1,000 personnel, working on space-related missions in seven states  Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Ohio  that could be affected by the move, according to the National Guard Association of the United States.

The National Guard advocacy group also released a statement opposing the draft legislation. Kendall told reporters in April that he doesnt see a reason why a state needs a Space Force militia.

But Retired Maj. Gen. Frank M. McGinn, the organizations president, said keeping space missions within the National Guard keeps the personnel currently serving on space missions in work, as many are not able to move or take on full-time responsibilities. It allows states to retain the same defense and military capabilities as other parts of the country, he said  comparing the issue to states having artillery and cyber units in the National Guard, separate from the U.S. military.

Here is what Secretary Kendall is asking to do: Skirt federal law to transfer nearly empty units to the Space Force, thereby reducing the nations military space capabilities at a time when our nation is seeing growing competition in space, McGinn said. I dont see why he wants to take this action. And a growing number in Congress wonder the same.

Only two state governors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, did not sign on to the letter. Both states have a vested interest in Space Force operations and development, with Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County, Florida, being one of the five current bases of the newest military branch. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also has operations in both states.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Governors oppose National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on Arkansas Advocate.
Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, has stated that the jamming of GPS in Estonias air space is a deliberate hybrid attack carried out by Russia.

Source: European Pravda with reference to ERR

Details: Tsahkna intends to initiate the discussion of this issue both on the EU and NATO levels.

Quote: "This is a hybrid attack. If we look at the very different spheres of life in which Russia interferes in our lives on our territory. Whether it is deliberate attacks through the special services on our public assets, on our monuments.

Whether it is cyberattacks, or whether it is completely deliberate action in terms of jamming the GPS signal. Russia knows very well that the interference they are causing is very dangerous for our air traffic and, specifically, is also in breach of international conventions to which Russia is a party. So, this is a deliberate action that is disrupting our lives, putting people's lives at risk."

Tsakhna added that Estonia had to show that it was dealing with it, that it was aware of the situation, and the responsibility for it falls on Russia.

"It would be worse if, on behalf of tourists, we were to conceal the fact that our air traffic is being disrupted by Russia. This is a responsibility that I, as foreign minister, certainly do not want to take on," Tsahkna said.

Raimond Kaljulaid, a member of the Riigikogu (Estonian Parliament) Commission for State Defence, told ERR that the Commission had no information that the jamming of the GPS-signal was a purposeful hybrid attack against Estonia.

Last week, planes of the Finnair air company headed from Helsinki to Tartu had to return to Helsinki twice due to GPS failure in Estonias air space.

Background:

On 29 April Finnair announced the suspension of all flights to the Estonian city of Tartu for one month due to issues with the GPS signal.

The Baltic countries noted that the GPS jamming that Russia is accused of may cause an air catastrophe.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. The drilling of six development wells has started in the Yadavaran oil field (Sindbad in Iraq), a joint oil field of Iran and Iraq, deputy general director of the National Mining Company of Iran Abdolkarim Ali Mohammadi said, Trend reports.

According to him, the mentioned wells are being drilled within the framework of the agreement signed between the National Mining Company of Iran, Petroleum Development and Engineering Company (Pedec).

Ali Mohammadi noted that these wells will be drilled within 24 months and handed over to the oil company. The national mining company intends to modernize the wells faster. A total of 4,800 meters will be drilled in six wells.

To note, the Yadavaran oil field, located 60 kilometers southwest of the city of Ahvaz in Khuzestan Province on the Iran-Iraq border, contains 6.3 billion barrels of oil. It is reported that its production could reach 6.2 billion barrels. The first phase of the field produces more than 110,000 barrels of oil daily through 49 wells.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Grandson accused of beating his grandma to death is arrested in NC, Georgia police say

A Georgia man is accused of beating his grandmother to death and fleeing to North Carolina, where he was arrested, according to Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen.

Authorities caught Takeem Moore, 33, in Buncombe County, North Carolina, more than 200 miles from where deputies said he killed his grandmother at her home in Riverdale, Georgia, Allen said.

Deputies were called to do a wellness check on April 25 and found a dead woman lying on the living room floor, according to the sheriffs office. Authorities said she had blunt force trauma to her face, neck and body.

Deputies identified the womans grandson, Moore, as a suspect in her heinous killing, Allen said. Moore was placed on the sheriffs Top Ten Most Wanted List, and fugitive investigators tracked him across state lines.

He is charged with malice murder, aggravated assault and aggravated battery, according to authorities.

Moore remained jailed at the Buncombe County Jail without bond as of April 29, pending his extradition back to Georgia, the sheriffs office said. No attorney information was listed for Moore.

Riverdale is about a 10-mile drive south from downtown Atlanta.

Brother shoots and kills sister while aiming for a different woman, Texas cops say

Man sets wife and himself on fire in Texas murder-suicide with sons inside, cops say

Lawyer sought hitman to kill his kids mom, feds say. Cheaper way to get rid of her
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.
GREENBELT, Md. (DC News Now)  Two juveniles are now in custody and charged in a shooting that injured five high school students during a senio skip day gathering at Schrom Hills Park.

According to the Greenbelt Police Department a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old are facing multiple charges including attemped murder. Both are students at Bowie High School and both are being charged as adults, said officials.

Greenbelt police searching for senior skip day shooting suspect that injured 5

The shooting happened around 3 p.m. on April 19. At the time, city officials said hundreds of students were gathering at the park. Video obtained by DC News Now showed students dancing and walking around the park pavilion.

As police officers were trying to control the group multiple gunshots were heard. Video captured on police body camera show teens running from the scene and hopping in cars.

All five victims have now been released from the hospital and are recovering at home.

Police said they are still investigating a motive in the shooting.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
GREENBRIER COUNTY, WV (WVNS)  Two officers that graduated from the West Virginia State Police Academy were welcomed back recently by the Greenbrier County Sheriffs Office.

It was really cool to be back: McAfee, White react to returning to Milan Puskar Stadium

Deputy Aaron Davis and Deputy Bradley Walls were proudly welcomed back on Friday, April 26, 2024. They were part of the 195th Basic Police Training Class, which was made up of 44 police officers that came from across the state.

The Greenbrier County Sheriffs Office is proud of these officers and how successful they have become and all the achievements they have reached.

The Greenbrier County Sheriffs Office is excited to seeing the service they will continue to provide and their service to the communities and residents of Greenbrier County.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Grizzly bears to be reintroduced to Washington state after years of bitter argument

Grizzly bears are set to be reintroduced in the North Cascades, Washington (AP)

Grizzly bears are set to be reintroduced into Washington states North Cascades after being absent from the region for almost three decades  with the decision being made after years of bitter debate.

The announced the decision on Thursday to restore the grizzly bear population in the North Cascades, where the animals had roamed for thousands of years until their population depleted primarily due to direct killing by humans, they said in a news release.

Although grizzly bears have not been seen in the US portion of the North Cascades since 1996, wildlife agencies say they used to be an essential part of the regions ecosystem, distributing native plant seeds and balancing other wildlife populations. However, opponents  including local farmers  have argued the bears present a safety risk to people and will stray into lowland areas with farms and livestock.

The National Park Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service reached a decision after years of discussions, including a culmination of an Environmental Impact Statement process that began in 2022, where they evaluated a range of options on how to restore and recover grizzly bears into the region.

The agencies said that they would relocate grizzly bears from other ecosystems where the bears have healthy populations already, such as the Rocky Mountains or interior British Columbia, and transport them to the North Cascades where they will be fitted with radio collars to monitor the animals.

Grizzly bears are considered a threatened species in the contiguous United States, with the species currently being managed in recovery zones in parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and northeast Washington.

The last time a grizzly bear was seen in the region was in 1996 (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This will not be a quick process, however, as the bears will slowly be introduced into the area, moving three to seven grizzly bears per year for a period of five to 10 years in the hopes of establishing an initial population of 25 bears.

Eventually, the agencies aim to populate the region with 200 bears within 60 to 100 years.

The US portion of the North Cascades spans a huge area of roughly 9,800 square miles - larger than the state of New Jersey - with around 85 per cent of the mountainous regions under federal management.

The North Cascades expands into Canada, but the relocation will focus on the US side.

The agencies hope that restoring the bear species will increase biodiversity and restore them as key animals in the environment.

The species is also culturally significant to some Tribes and First Nations.

We are going to once again see grizzly bears on the landscape, restoring an important thread in the fabric of the North Cascades, Don Striker, superintendent of North Cascades National Park Service Complex said.

The re-established grizzly bear population will be known as a nonessential experimental population under section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act. This designation will allow authorities and land managers to be more flexible in the bears management. Under authorisation, people will be allowed to kill grizzly bears if they present a demonstrable and ongoing threat, with federal agencies will be allowed to relocate the bears if they pose a conflict.

In certain conditions, with authorisation from the agencies, private landowners will be allowed to kill grizzlies if their livestock is under threat.

The final 10(j) rule is based on extensive community engagement and conversations about how the return of a grizzly bear population in the North Cascades will be actively managed to address concerns about human safety, property and livestock, and grizzly bear recovery. Brad Thompson, State Supervisor for the US Fish & Wildlife Service said in the release.

It provides an expanded set of management tools in recognition that grizzly bear recovery in the North Cascades is dependent on community tolerance of grizzly bears.

While the project hopes to return the bears to where they once thrived, the agencies said that they currently do not have a set for when the grizzly bears will be set to start a new life in the North Cascades.
A federal agency in Nigeria has taken action against a supermarket in the countrys capital of Abuja by closing it down.

According to Atlanta Black Star, the agency shut down a Chinese-owned grocery store for allegedly discriminating against Nigerian customers. The outlet noted that the supermarket, which was not named in the article, had put up a sign barring Nigerians from shopping at their store.

Atlanta Black Star also reported that a Nigerian news outlet called The PunchNG confirmed the stores policy through a security guard who worked there. The guard noted that management put the rule in place earlier this year.

The guard said that non-Chinese shoppers were not allowed to shop at the store and were stopped at a gate near its entrance.

Social Media Experiences

Nigeria has long been an ideal choice for Chinese expats because of the close trading relationship between the two countries, the business opportunities, and the infrastructure projects happening in the country.

The unnamed grocery store is one of several immigrant-operated businesses in Abuja.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) in Nigeria made the store close its doors on Monday after speaking with some of the stores Nigerian workers, Atlanta Black Star reported.

Since the closing, several residents in the area have voiced their opinions on the topic through social media, bringing more attention to instances of mistreatment against Nigerians in their own country.

Some people put the responsibility onto the local government and authorities, asking them to take stronger action against discrimination.

An X user, @dammiedammie35, shared his experience at the store. He said he attempted to visit but wasnt allowed inside. In the video, he noted the security at the gate told him that only Chinese people were allowed inside.

So I wanted to go [to the store] and check it outat the gate, the security told me, the supermarket is strictly for Chinese people. If you are Nigerian, you cannot go inside, the user said in an 80-second video.

The incident sparked outrage among Nigerians who saw this move as a clear case of discrimination and racism. The video has been shared thousands of times since he posted it, with many responses noting similar experiences.

The Impact

The grocery stores forced closure and pending investigation is a wake-up call for businesses operating in Nigeria to adhere to the countrys laws and respect the rights of all citizens, regardless of their nationalities.

The governments swift response to the incident sends a strong message that such behavior will not be tolerated and has no place in Nigeria.
Intense clashes between anti-war protesters and police on college campuses is spreading alarm among Senate Democrats who worry that anger over President Bidens handling of the war in Gaza could engulf their partys presidential nominating convention in late August.

Images of police arresting more than 100 protesters on Columbia Universitys campus, including Rep. Ilhan Omars (D-Minn.) daughter, have Democratic lawmakers bracing for chaos in Chicago.

Its just one of several campuses around the country where there have been arrests.

I think if the situation doesnt change dramatically in Gaza, yeah, I think it could be bad, warned one Democratic senator, who requested anonymity to comment on the growing concern within the party.

Are you going to the convention? Wear your body armor, the lawmaker said.

A number of Democratic senators are old enough to remember the violent clashes between police and anti-Vietnam War protesters at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, where the nomination of Vice President Hubert Humphrey as the partys presidential candidate was marred by images of police tear-gassing protesters and beating them with clubs.

Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who attended that convention as a protester against the Vietnam War, said hes worried protests at this years event might overshadow the official proceedings, as they did more than 50 years ago.

I was there among those who were against the Vietnam War. The demonstrations hurt more than helped, but on the other hand, its hard to stop folks who have passionate views about a war. So yes, I do worry, he said.

Asked if the protests could become violent as they did in 1968, Welch said, I certainly hope not, that would be terrible.

Anybody that gets engaged in violence is going to destroy what they claim is their objective, he said.

Welch was one of three members of the Senate Democratic caucus to vote against a $95 billion emergency foreign aid package because of military aid to Israel, which progressive critics say will fund the military offensive in Gaza.

Protest organizers expect as many as 30,000 people to show up in Chicago to demonstrate against Israels military action in Gaza, almost triple the number of protesters who gathered in Grant Park in August 1968.

Some Democratic officials, however, are questioning if that many people will show up in Chicago, considering other protests have drawn smaller numbers.

The national atmosphere was much more tense at the convention in 1968, which was held a few months after the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy.

American troop deployment peaked in Vietnam that year at 549,000.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said Chicago will be prepared for the protests, but thats not much comfort to Democrats who remember Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley vowing to keep the peace by deploying 12,000 police, 5,000 National Guardsmen and 7,500 regular army troops.

The clashes in 1968 left hundreds of demonstrators and dozens of police officers injured.

Of course there will be protests, said Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), who acknowledged his concern ahead of this years convention.

Theyve been pretty significant up to this point, he said of the protests at college campuses and cities around the country. I hope we can manage it. We want to protect our Constitution and also protect all the conventioneers and people in the city.

Asked if hes worried about a flashback to 1968, Durbin replied, Of course.

Were thinking ahead how to handle the security, he said. Theres bigger investment by the federal government in these conventions than before.

The Department of Homeland Security has designated the convention a national special security event, which it also does for Super Bowls, inaugurations and other large-scale events.

Secret Service personnel travel to convention host cities more than a year in advance to plan security. Federal, state and local officials are working together to keep members of Congress and other Democratic delegates safe.

Matt Hill, a spokesperson for the Democratic Convention, said the freedom to make your voice heard is fundamental to American democracy and has been a fixture of political conventions for decades.

The safety of our delegates, guests and visitors is our top priority and we support the ongoing coordination between federal, state and local officials and partners to keep the city secure while respecting rights to peacefully protest, Hill said.

Anti-war protesters have stepped up their efforts to pressure Democratic lawmakers at political dinners and town hall events and even at their homes.

About 200 protesters were arrested for blocking traffic during a protest near Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers (D-N.Y.) home in the Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Hours before the Senate voted to send $15 billion in new military aid to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, protesters gathered in Grand Army Plaza around a banner resembling a Seder plate on the second night of Passover inscribed with the slogan: Jews say stop arming Israel.

Asked about the protests so close to his apartment, Schumer reiterated his commitment to getting humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and minimizing civilian casualties.

Some Senate Republicans, including Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.), have called on Biden to send soldiers to college campuses to keep Jewish students safe.

About 50 pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted the annual Wayne Morse Gala, Oregon Democrats biggest fundraising event of the year, at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Portland earlier this month.

Some of them banged on the hotels locked doors and windows, and a few slipped past hotel security to get into the event where they were confronted and escorted out of the building by Portland police.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said the protests in Portland and at universities such as Columbia and Yale in recent weeks are a taste of what to expect at the Chicago convention.

I expect that there will be robust protesting, he said.

Ross K. Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University  another school where there have been protests  said Democrats have good reason to be worried about the convention.

Im deeply concerned about the outbreak of violence at the convention. We have not a seen a movement that is capable of disruption like the campaigns on campus currently that are protesting connections to Israel, he said. Theres been a really extensive mobilization across the country.

He warned the divisions among Democrats over the war could hurt Bidens reelection bid, just like the anti-war movement divided the party in the 1968 presidential campaign, when Humphrey lost to President Nixon in the general election.

Baker said it could have an impact very similar to the impact it had in 1968, which is to reduce support for the Democratic candidate, in this case President Biden.

Baker predicted huge crowds of protesters in Chicago, which could pose a very significant threat to the conduct of the convention itself.

For a nominees party to have to basically confront people who are ordinarily supporters of the party is both an embarrassment and a serious political problem, he said.

Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling said the police will be prepared to keep the city orderly, noting that command staff who worked on the 2012 NATO Summit, which was hosted in the city and also drew protests, are leading convention planning.

Our officers are receiving training in anticipation of large demonstrations. This training is rooted in constitutional policing with public safety as our priority, he said.

The loud and disruptive demonstrations around the country have put Senate Democrats in a tough position because they recognize that many younger voters, whose turnout will be critical to the party keeping control of the White House and Senate, are disillusioned over Bidens handling of the war.

A New York Times/Siena College poll of 1,059 registered voters nationwide taken April 7-11 found that 45 percent of voters under 30 sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis in the conflict. Only 15 percent said they sided more with Israel.

A Times/Siena poll conducted in December found that 72 percent of registered voters under 30 somewhat or strongly disapproved of Bidens handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

Months of pressure from the administration on the Netanyahu regime has had a limited effect on the Israeli militarys tactics or the ability of humanitarian groups to get food and other critical supplies into Gaza.

The World Health Organization reported earlier that only 10 of Gazas largest hospitals are somewhat functional because of military strikes on hospitals and ambulances and the trickle of medical supplies that have been able to get into the enclave.

The package Biden signed into law last week included $9.15 billion for humanitarian assistance to Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and other vulnerable populations around the world.

I know the president is working very hard to ensure there is a humanitarian response from the Netanyahu government that reflects the concern that the Biden administration and people all around our country are increasingly expressing, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said.

The goal is to ensure the Netanyahu government is abiding by American international law, he said.

Asked about the protests at college campuses and town hall events, Markey said, I hear their voices on an ongoing basis.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Guerrilla journalist says he was beaten by anti-Israel protesters at CUNY for waving American flag on campus: video

Ami Horowitz 'carrying U.S. flag kicked and punched by pro-Palestinian protestors' at CUNY

One New Yorker learned the hard way that waving an American flag on a college campus is the fastest way to make enemies these days.

Ami Horowitz, a self-described guerrilla journalist, said he was beaten, headbutted and punched by an angry mob of anti-Israel protesters on the uptown campus of CUNYs City College of New York on Friday.

The aggressive reception came after Horowitz claimed to have shown up to the pro-Palestinian encampment armed only with an American flag.

A New York filmmaker claims to have been beaten by an aggressive pro-Palestinian mob at CUNYs City College on Friday after bearing the US flag saying it was obvious they hate America. Ami Horowitz

His cameraman caught the wild four-minute melee on video, but the footage does not show what led up to the brawl.

I was violently attacked by more than a dozen people for carrying a flag, he exclusively told The Post.

There was no commentary, no questions. I didnt say a word and they just descended on me.

The filmmakers videos exposing indoctrination in higher education often go viral, including his shocking December video from San Francisco State University reportedly revealing college kids pledging money to kill Jews.

Horowitz said his goal at CUNY was to expose the level of hate festering within the encampments but he got more than he bargained for after he was allegedly assaulted by competing sets of mobs.

I had no idea it would get so violent so quickly, he said.

Though he never said a word about Israel or identified himself as Jewish, Horowitz, who was repeatedly told to Get the fk out of here, admitted he was scared, adding that the adrenaline was super kicked in.

Hes heard on video saying, Im an American, I want to go to campus, as hes told, You can go to hell.

Ami Horowitz said his goal at CUNY was to expose the level of hate festering within the encampments, but got more than he bargained for after he was assaulted by competing sets of mobs. Ami Horowitz

Many who surrounded him were fresh-faced students although Horowitz noted older participants, including an apparent imam draped in white. Ami Horowitz

Chalking up the protests to anti-Israel ideology alone is naive, he said, noting that the connection between anti-Israel and anti-American sentiment has never been clearer.

If you Venn diagram those who hate America and Israel, its the same exact circle. Its the same side of the same coin  thats how clear the connection is, he said.

While many who surrounded him were fresh-faced students, Horowitz noted older participants, including an apparent imam draped in white whos shown in the video punching him in the throat.

Others included Arab nationals who didnt speak English, he said.

While the video showed Horowitz being aggressively removed from the scene by campus police and NYPD in a tight armlock, he decried that they were simply following orders from higher officials.

These violent people are being protected by the city officials. The bigger problem is that theyre being tolerated, he said.

Blasting the recent Michigan rally that invoked chants Death to Israel, death to America and President Bidens recent sick moral equivalence remarks that seemingly excused the aggressive campus agitators, Horowitz said an immediate crackdown is needed to restore order.

These guys are anti-Israel, anti-American, and theyre being tolerated and coddled by this administration and president, he said.

They not only support violence and Hamas in word, they are perpetrating violence in deed, as we saw with me in real time. They all need to be removed now.

Concern about antisemitism at protests sweeping campuses around the nation has grown  with many demanding for university officials to act more decisively to dismantle demonstrations. AFP via Getty Images

After seeking immediate medical care, Horowitz said he was dealing with a bruised torso.

These guys knew exactly where to punch, he said, noting that he took punches to his spleen and kidney, the two most dangerous places you can punch someone.

The danger in the protestors mirroring Karl Marx to a tee and relitigating capitalism from the last century, is the canary in the coal mine, he added.

Protests at Columbia University and New York University have led to the arrests of more than 200  and tents littered the CUNY campus lawns. REUTERS

These people are looking for the destruction of our way of life  not Israel, which is just the MacGuffin, said Horowitz, invoking the Hitchkockian device that uses something as a pretext for the real motivation.

America and the West is the real issue, he added.

After leaving the police station without incident, Horowitz ended the video by taking his own swing at the system that allows this hate to fester.

I went to this protest with an American flag on a city college that I and all American taxpayers pay for. And I got my ass kicked  I was punched, I was choked, I was thrown down a flight of stairs, he said on camera, calling the mob thugs, animals, outside agitators who will attack somebody who just walks up with an American flag. Nothing about Israel, nothing about Jews.

They hate America. They hate this country. Thats what were dealing with in this country.

The Post reached out to the protest organizers and CUNY for comment.
(Bloomberg) -- Lawmakers in Guineas transition administration approved an agreement signed last year between the government and West Africa LNG Group, paving the way for a potential $3 billion investment in liquefied natural gas import infrastructure.

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West Africa LNG, or WA-LNG, is proposing to build an LNG terminal at the port of Kamsar as part of efforts to spur the development of Guineas mining industry. Plans also include construction of a 1,800-megawatt gas-fired plant to power proposed alumina refineries, Energy and Hydrocarbons Minister Aboubacar Camara said in a speech in parliament.

The approval by lawmakers gives WA-LNG the green light to launch the project as soon as the countrys transition president, General Mamadi Doumbouya, endorses parliaments decision, parliamentary spokeswoman Saran Traore said. The terms provide for work to start not later than three years after securing approval, she said.

Guinea is among the worlds top producers of bauxite, a raw material used to produce aluminum. The country also produces gold and has the worlds largest untapped deposit of iron ore. Mining companies generate most of their own energy using fossil fuel-fired thermal plants.

The project is expected to transform the countrys mining, agriculture and residential sectors through the provision of commercial quantities of affordable LNG. Theres more than 2,000 megawatts of energy demand from the bauxite industry alone within a 100-mile radius of the terminals location, according to a feasibility study funded by the US Trade and Development Agency.

Read More: Guinea Lawmakers Approve JV for Simandou Iron Ore Development

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Two Florida sheriffs deputies were seriously hurt when they confronted a gunman linked to an anti-government faction known as the Moorish Sovereign Citizens, investigators say.

The 26-year-old suspect died in the resulting firefight, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. He was identified as Kmac El Bey of California, officials said.

Polk County Deputy Craig Smith is listed in stable condition with two gunshot wounds to his right arm, and Lt. Chad Anderson is in critical but stable condition with a bullet lodged between his heart and his spinal column, officials said.

The gunfight occurred around 12:20 a.m. Saturday, April 27, in the 63-acre Hunt Fountain Park near Lakeland, about a 35-mile drive northwest of Tampa.

A deputy spotted a suspicious Mercedes-Benz in the parking lot more than two hours after the park closed and tried to question a man dressed all in white in the drivers seat, officials said.

He rolled the window down a small amount and she was trying to talk to him and ask him why he was in the park and he wouldnt cooperate. She asked him to get out of the car and he wouldnt get out of the car, Judd said at the press conference.

Lt. Chad Anderson arrives and Deputy Sheriff Craig Smith. ... So they started trying to take our suspect out of the vehicle when he produced a gun and started shooting. Lt. Chad Anderson was shot once in the (left) arm and it went through and into his chest. Our deputy Craig Smith has (two) gunshot wounds. They went down immediately.

The suspects vehicle was moving at the time, and he fired at least five times, Judd said.

Anderson got two shots off and more than 35 hots were fired by backup deputies. The suspect was hit eight times, officials said.

We killed the suspect. We killed him graveyard dead, Judd said.

Investigators have learned the suspect was a Moorish sovereign citizen, a movement that maintains individual citizens hold sovereignty over, and are independent of, the authority of federal and state governments, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Three firearms were found in the suspects vehicle, officials said.

The suspect was believed to be living out of his car and had a suspended drivers license, officials said.

Lt. Anderson has been through two surgeries, while Deputy Smith had been treated for four wounds, two of which are believed to be bullet exit wounds, officials said.

Three bodies discovered in parked car after targeted ambush, Florida sheriff says

Dad grabs pistol and joins deputys gunfight with suspect in yard, Florida cops say

Two teens, 14 and 17, die in murder-suicide at drug-fueled party, Florida cops say
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. The international North-South corridor and transit are two of the priority areas of cooperation between Iran and Russia, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanani said during the press conference, Trend reports.

According to him, collaboration between the two countries in the transit domain increases international economic turnover.



The spokeswoman noted that Iran and Russia are committed to fulfilling their preliminary and new economic cooperation agreements.

The drafting of a comprehensive strategic document between the two countries is in its final stage. This document can give a strong impetus to cooperation between the two countries. The two countries have a joint stance on regional and international issues and the fight against terrorism, he noted.

To note, the intergovernmental agreement signed on September 12, 2000, between Russia, Iran, and India laid the foundation for the North-South Transport Corridor. In general, several countries have ratified the agreement. (Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Belarus, Republic of Bulgaria, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Sultanate of Oman, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, Republic of Turkiye, Ukraine). The purpose of the corridor is to reduce the time of cargo delivery from India to Russia, as well as to Northern and Western Europe (the delivery time along the current route is more than 6 weeks, and through North-South is expected to be 3 weeks).

Meanwhile, the North-South Corridor has three directions in Iran. East direction: Turkmenistan and Central Asian countries; Middle direction: other countries across the Caspian Sea; West direction: Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Eastern European countries.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Five people were shot and injured, including three police officers, at a suburban New Orleans home Sunday, local police said.

Police responded to reports of a shooting in Kenner, La., at about 9:45 a.m., arriving to find two gunshot victims outside a home, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said.

A standoff began between police and the gunman, 31-year-old Matthew Lathers, who already had an outstanding warrant for attempted murder and armed robbery. The home belonged to one of Lathers family members, police said.

When police obtained a search warrant and a SWAT team approached the home, they immediately began receiving fire, police said in a statement.

At least one SWAT member returned fire. Three officers were shot, and it is unknown at this time if Lathers was struck during that initial contact.

After multiple attempts to negotiate Lathers surrender, a sheriffs department sniper shot and killed Lathers, police said.

Two of the officers shot have already been released from the hospital, and the three other victims have been described as in stable condition.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Three police officers were shot and injured by a gunman after responding to a shooting outside a home in Kenner, Louisiana, on Sunday, authorities said.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Matthew Lathers, was eventually fatally shot by a Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office sniper, Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said at a joint news conference.

Around 9:45 a.m., Kenner police were called after two people were shot outside a home. Kenner Police Capt. Michael Cunningham told reporters the victims had been sitting in a vehicle.

We believed they were either going to or coming from church, they just happened to stop there in front of that residence and thats when they were shot, Cunningham said.

The two victims showed responding officers the home where the gunfire came from, according to a joint statement from Lopinto and Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley.

Detectives recognized the address as belonging to a family member of Lathers; Lathers had an outstanding warrant for an attempted murder and armed robbery earlier in the week, the statement said.

Police obtained a search warrant and a SWAT team arrived on scene to execute the warrant. When the team entered the home, they immediately began receiving fire, the statement said.

At least one SWAT member returned fire. Three officers were shot, and it is unknown at this time if Lathers was struck during that initial contact.

Kenner police then requested assistance from the sherriffs office. When deputies arrived, the suspect began shooting at the armored vehicle the deputies were in, the statement said. Multiple attempts were made to contact Lathers to open negotiations, but all efforts were unsuccessful, it added.

A sniper was then able to shoot Lathers, who was fatally wounded, according to Lopinto. Lathers was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two of the Kenner police officers who were wounded have been released from the hospital, and the other is in stable condition, Cunningham said.

The two innocent bystanders who were shot earlier in the day are also both in stable condition at the hospital, according to the police captain.

The sheriff said his office would be in charge of the investigation into the shooting.

Kenner is around 13 miles west of New Orleans.

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Guns and mental health are taboos. They are focus of a Journal Sentinel event May 16.

On a drive from Milwaukee to Wausau last spring, I had lots of time to think about a project I was working on about gun deaths in Wisconsin and the interviews that lie head.

I had found that 71 out of every 100 gun deaths in Wisconsin each year are suicides and a record number of people had taken their lives with firearms in 2022. The states rural counties are getting hit hardest, places near Wausau and north. More importantly, I also learned that gun owners were working on solutions.

So I thought, wouldnt it be cool if we could have an event with gun owners talking to gun owners about these issues? Fast-forward a year and that event is happening.

On May 16, At the Intersection of Firearms and Mental Health will be held at the UW Center for Civic Engagement in Wausau. Doors open at 6 and the program begins at 6:30 p.m. Its free. There will be refreshments, firearms accessory giveaways, and informational tables. The event will also be livestreamed on the Journal Sentinel's website.

The event is sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the OBrien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University. I did this project as an OBrien fellow, which sought to frame the issues differently than is typically portrayed in the media.

Chuck Lovelace, owner of Essential Shooting Supplies, uses an unloaded shotgun to demonstrate the sound it makes when its racked at his gun shop in Park Falls. Lovelace explained situations where customers purchase shotguns hoping the sound of the racking is enough to fend off intruders.

People interviewed in series, experts to speak at Wausau event

The event will bring together several of the people I spoke to for the Behind the Gun project, including two I interviewed on that April 2023 trip.

Photographer Mike De Sisti and I started with Chuck Lovelace, owner of Essential Shooting Supplies in Park Falls. He spearheaded a program to educate himself and others on the signs of suicide and to take in guns for people who wanted them out of the house for any reason.

Over several hours, Chuck spoke of his love of firearms and his own mental health challenges after serving as a soldier in Afghanistan. He was passionate to be available to other gun owners and to get other gun stores to join the effort, which now has spread to nearly 44 gun stores across Wisconsin.

Back in Wausau, we sat down with Debi Traeder, a longtime educator and a pioneer in suicide prevention in Wisconsin who has been around guns her whole life.

Debi Traeder an advocate for mental health awareness

Here is Debi, in her own words in italics, explaining how she got into the work that has become a lifes passion.

It was almost by accident. I took a job as an outreach person for a mental health unit in our hospital. As I learned more about the needs of people who deal with mental health diagnoses and those who deal with the loss of someone to suicide, the more I thought I had to be involved and be able to help build awareness and reduce stigma that surrounded mental illnesses and getting help!

I first heard Debis and Chucks names from Jean Papalia, a retired Madison police officer who has dedicated her retirement to this issue. She was the one who pitched the gun shop project, which was going in other states, to Chuck.

Debi Traeder, chairperson of Prevent Suicide Marathon County is seen at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Wausau on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

I was looking for someone who could speak to suicide prevention, from the central part of Wisconsin. Jean mentioned Debi's name and as soon as I got off, I was dialing her. Debi recalls it well:

I remember when I got the call from you, I was nervous and excited, that a voice of those of us in northern Wisconsin was going to be heard, especially when it comes to firearms and suicide. I didn't want to mess up the chance...lol!

During that interview, my conversation with Debi flowed naturally and I casually mentioned the idea of an event. She jumped at it. It was as if she was mentally creating checklists, who she could invite, the venue, the snacks, even as we sat there.

Debi has been integral to the planning of the event, and she will be speaking that night and so will Chuck.

I want people to come away with the idea that keeping firearms out of reach and safe is no different than keeping poisons and matches away from kids. Make it a common sense thing all around. It's not just for suicide prevention but for family safety. No one on this panel wants guns taken away or outlawed, we just want them stored safely.

Debi and I have talked at length about the focus and tone of the event. We have tried to be thoughtful about who the audience will hear from that night. Following the project, I heard from several gun owners who have responded in a positive way. We thought of that as we formed this event. Debi has reminded me several times, The messenger is important.

Gun owners will listen to other gun owners, vets will listen to vets, law enforcement will listen to other officers, and so on. There is camaraderie and trust.

Our goals for the night are simply to start conversations, to make a space for people concerned about this issue and provide the the chance for some people to connect.

For Debi, she said she thinks about the one person who might be changed:

If we can change one mind, storage habit, prevent one suicide, that will make the whole evening worth it.

About this project

The Marquette Diedrich College of Communication O'Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter John Diedrich examined the full extent of gun deaths in Wisconsin during a nine-month OBrien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism at Marquette University.

The project reveals the full picture of gun deaths in the state and tells the stories of people affected by gun deaths and those trying to find solutions.

Diedrich was assisted in the project by Marquette student researchers Alex Rivera Grant and Ben Schultz.

Marquette University and administrators of the program played no role in the reporting, editing or presentation of this project.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Frank conversations about firearms and mental health focus of event
Gwinnett teen shot after traveling to Gainesville for criminal activity, police say

Gainesville Police are investigating the shooting of a Gwinnett teen who traveled to the area for criminal activity, officials say.

Police say they responded to shooting Saturday afternoon at the Ridgecrest Apartments located in the 1600 block of Roper Hill Road.

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Officials say during the course of the investigation, they believe the 16-year-old allegedly traveled to apartments for criminal purposes.

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While at the apartments, the teen was shot in the head by an unknown suspect. He was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center where he remains in critical condition.

Officials are asking anyone with information in this case to contact the Gainesville Police Department.

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As a united front of powerful armed gangs in Haiti continue to hold millions hostage and threaten the collapse of society, the ongoing attacks have claimed a new victim: the downtown Port-au-Prince premises of Haitis oldest newspaper, the regions oldest French-language daily.

Unknown assailants vandalized and looted the offices of Le Nouvelliste in Haitis capital, disrupting the newspapers printing, its publisher, Max Chauvet said.

They went building by building and pillaged every one, Chauvet said of the bandits. Frankly, I do not understand the desire to destroy.

The attack is the latest example of how Haitis armed violence is leading to the devastation of the historic center of Port-au-Prince, and the wider threat the countrys unraveling poses.

In the last two months universities, training schools and the National Library of Haiti, where rare historic books and manuscripts are stored, have all been vandalized or destroyed. Even the downtown premises of the National Press, home of the the governments official newspaper, Le Moniteur, hasnt been spared. Its looting coincided with that of Le Nouvelliste, which was already struggling to keep the Haitian population informed as the expansion of gangs throughout the capital cut off circulation routes, and the wave of violence hurt the papers balance sheets.

I would like for the international press, which is presenting the bandits as revolutionaries, I would like for them to come and see what has happened to Le Nouvelliste, Chauvet said, jotting off a list of structures that have been attacked or forced to abandon downtown due to the increase in violence. Tell me who is the revolutionary when you destroy an institution like the National Press, like Le Nouvelliste.

In an interview with the Miami Herald, Chauvet said he hasnt been able to get a full accounting of all that was seized and destroyed. He was informed about the attack, which occurred earlier this month, by one of the few residents still living near his newspapers presses. The caller reported people leaving the newspaper with reams of printing paper.

No one can go downtown, Chauvet, a fourth generation newspaper owner, said. I cant even send someone to go take a photograph for me to see the damage.

Speaking early Monday morning on the airwaves of Radio Magik9, which he owns, Chauvet said there are several victims as a result of the vandalism. There are the readers who wont have a newspaper for some time to read; I dont know for how long. ...There are the employees... who have lost their jobs.

Like other local media housed downtown, Le Nouvelliste, located on Rue de Centre, had started shifting its operations away from the citys center over a year ago due to kidnappings and the wave of gang violence. But the presses were too heavy to move, so it continued to print the paper out of the building at night. The raid on the countrys two largest prisons in early March, however, changed everything. After suppliers couldnt get through the gang-controlled streets, publication of the printed paper was soon halted. The security personnel, however, remained until the stray bullets and threats became unbearable.

They had made two to three attempts to try and break in and didnt succeed, Chauvet said of the bandits. Then I told my security, Your lives are more important than what is inside. 

Not long after, the break-in happened. The newspaper building was the latest in a series that had been targeted and pillaged since Feb. 29 when armed groups began attacking government buildings and poor and rich neighborhoods alike. In their attempt to take over the international airport and main seaport, they orchestrated the escape of more than 4,000 prisoners, and have blanketed the capital with heavy gunfire, trapping millions of Haitians.

The ongoing violence has left police scrambling and created an opening for looters who, along with armed gang members, have set fire to buildings and stolen whatever they can carry.

You have a lot of bandits with guns, sometimes children 15 and 16 years old who are killing, destroying everything people have spent 20, 30 years building, said Chauvet, who this year also canceled the papers popular Livres en folie, a writers showcase and book fair. I dont know how we are going to get from under this economic disaster.

Once vibrant and teeming with vendors and pedestrians, downtown Port-au-Prince is today a no-go zone, its streets resembling a post-apocalyptic scene as cars lay abandoned, garbage piles up and weeds and overgrown trees take over roadways. Hospitals are empty, pharmacies burned and government agencies are mere shells.

The Central Bank, National Palace and National Port Authority, for now, remain under police protection. Other buildings have not been so lucky.

They have broken into all of the businesses and all of the private homes of the people in the area, Chauvet said.

As gangs have expanded and tightened their grip on Port-au-Prince, the effect has been felt in all parts of life in both the formal and informal economies. The newspaper was already forced to stop deliveries in certain communities that had come under gang control.

There are resources we no longer have, Chauvet said, explaining that businesses stopped advertising a while ago and many of the ads being run by media houses are old and do not bring in any new revenue. We practically do not have any more advertising.

In a note, the National Association of Haitian Media, of which the newspaper is a founding member, said it was shocked by what has happened. It described the paper as a pillar of freedom of expression in the Haitian media landscape and the last vestige of free print media in our country. The group called on Haitian authorities to do their job and protect media outlets and journalists in Haiti.

Journalists themselvers have also increasingly become targets. Theyve been kidnapped and killed. To protect themselves and their families, some have fled the country while others practice self-censorship for fear of reprisals.

Le Nouvelliste, founded more than a century ago will turn 126 years old on Wednesday. During its existence, it has survived presidential coups and assassination, despots and natural disasters. But this latest disaster may prove to be one of the papers most difficult. Millions of people are hungry, tens of thousands across the capital have been displaced by the violence and the economy is in shambles.

There is a danger for democracy and a danger for quality journalism and an independent press, Chauvet said. When an independent press no longer has resources, the only people who will be able to finance the media are drug traffickers.... dirty money.

Like many newspapers in the United States, Le Nouvelliste has been working on making the transition from print to online. Now, that will need to be accelerated, said Chauvet, who plans to launch a paywall in hopes of keeping the paper afloat.

If they refuse to pay, he said of the public, then that will mean the disappearance of the newspaper.
Hamas to consider ceasefire-hostage release proposal that Israeli sources say could avert Rafah invasion

Hamas is considering a new framework proposed by Egypt that calls for the group to release as many as 33 hostages kidnapped from Israel in exchange for a pause in hostilities in Gaza, an Israeli source familiar with the negotiations and a foreign diplomatic source told CNN.

The latest proposal, which Israel helped craft but has not fully agreed to, is laid out in two phases, the first of which calls for 20 to 33 hostages to be released over several weeks in exchange for the pause and the release of Palestinian prisoners. The second phase is what sources described as the restoration of sustainable calm, during which the remaining hostages, captive Israeli soldiers and the bodies of hostages would be exchanged for more Palestinian prisoners.

The diplomatic source familiar with the talks said the reference to sustainable calm was a way to agree to a permanent ceasefire without calling it that.

At the same time, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he believes a deal is achievable because the Israelis put a strong proposal on the table. The top diplomat, speaking to the press at a humanitarian aid site in Jordan, said Washington wants to see the agreement come together in the coming days.

After months of deadlock, agreement from both sides would be a major step toward ending the war. But a failure to agree could deepen Israels presence in Gaza  if no deal is made, Israel is likely to launch a large-scale ground invasion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians are sheltering. Israels allies, including the United States, have warned against the operation due to the potential for large-scale civilian casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday, however, that Israel would launch an operation in Rafah with or without a deal.

Israel is awaiting a response from Hamas, whose delegation met Egyptian and Qatari mediators in Cairo on Monday. An Israeli official told CNN early on Tuesday that a mid-level Israeli delegation of security officials could travel to Cairo Tuesday, but it wasnt clear if it did.

A response from Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, is expected within days.

The length of the first phase of the pause in hostilities would be linked to the number of hostages released, with the latest framework calling for a one-day pause for each hostage, the Israeli source said, although this number is expected to shift during more in-depth negotiations.

The release of 40 hostages for a six-week ceasefire had been the basis of negotiations for months, but Israel has agreed to accept fewer hostages in the first phase after Hamas dropped its offer to fewer than 20 people earlier this month.

Extraordinarily generous proposal

Blinken said on Monday that Hamas has been presented with a ceasefire proposal that is extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel.

In this moment the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas, he told World Economic Forum (WEF) President Brge Brende in the Saudi capital Riyadh. They (Hamas) have to decide and they have to decide quickly, he said. Im hopeful that they will make the right decision.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends the US-Arab Quint Meeting with representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 29. - Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, also speaking in Riyadh, said he was hopeful that Israel and Hamas will accept the proposal.

There is a proposal on the table, up to the two sides to consider and accept but certainly the objective is a ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire and dealing with the humanitarian conditions, Shoukry told a panel at the WEF in Riyadh on Monday.

He said he is hopeful that the proposal has been taken into account and that we are waiting to have a final decision.

Israeli officials have expressed an openness to negotiating the restoration of sustainable calm as part of a comprehensive deal that would effectively end the war.

An Israeli source familiar with the negotiations said Egypt has proposed the parties agree to a one-year ceasefire as part of a comprehensive deal that would see Israeli forces withdraw from Gaza and the release of all remaining hostages and the bodies of those who have died.

CNN has reached out to the Egyptian government for comment.

Hamas has insisted that a permanent ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza should be part of the agreement. Israel has thus far maintained that its operation in Gaza will continue until Hamas is eradicated.

Israel has also now agreed to the unrestricted movement of Palestinians to northern Gaza, the sources said, a key demand by Hamas which has held back negotiations in the past.

Rafah operation

Hanging over the negotiations is the prospect of an Israeli military offensive in Rafah, which Israeli officials have signposted for months but are now holding back, saying they want to give space to the negotiations.

Israeli sources have characterized the latest Egyptian effort to broker a deal as the last chance to avert that offensive.

Netanyahu complicated the situation on Tuesday, telling hostage families that Israeli troops will enter Rafah and eliminate the Hamas battalions there  with or without a deal, according to the prime ministers office.

On Tuesday, the Israeli military said commanders had approved upcoming missions for a possible offensive into Rafah, although US officials told CNN there were no signs of an imminent offensive.

The US and other allies of Israel warned such an operation would not have their support unless adequate measures were taken to ensure the safety of civilians.

Blinken said in Riyadh the US had not yet seen a plan that civilians can be effectively protected.

US officials do not view Israels recent public threats of a potential Rafah incursion as empty rhetoric, one senior administration official said, adding that some signs of preparations related to the possible displacement of civilians had been seen. The threat is also seen by US officials as part of the ongoing efforts to pressure Hamas to accept a ceasefire and hostages release deal.

Our position on Rafah is absolutely the same, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.

We dont want to see a major ground operation in Rafah, Kirby said. Certainly, we dont want to see operations that hadnt factored in safety and security of those 1.5 million folks trying to seek refuge down there.

In a call Sunday with Netanyahu, US President Joe Biden addressed the need for increased humanitarian assistance and reiterated his clear position on a potential Israeli invasion of Rafah, according to a White House readout of the conversation.

Philippe Lazzarini, chief of the UNs Palestinian agency UNRWA, said there is an extraordinary deep anxiety prevailing in Gaza, as human rights organizations warned of cruel and catastrophic consequences ahead of Israels looming assault in Rafah.

People have not yet been asked to evacuate from Rafah, but there is a sense that if there is no deal this week that this can happen at any time, he said in a press conference from Geneva on Tuesday.

Rising death toll

The death toll from Israels bombardment in Gaza continued to climb over the weekend.

Twenty two people, including at least one infant and a toddler, were killed following an Israeli airstrike over Rafah, Gaza, overnight into Monday, according to hospital officials.

And in Gaza City, seven Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in two separate Israeli airstrikes overnight, Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmmoud Basal told CNN. An Israeli airstrike struck a two-story house belonging to the Tartouri family in the port area west of Gaza City, killing 5 Palestinians and wounding several others, Basal said.

In a separate attack, two people were killed and several others injured when an Israeli airstrike targeted a house belonging to the Hijazi family in the Sabra neighborhood in the center of Gaza City, according to Basal.

Israeli attacks in Gaza have killed 34,535 Palestinians and injured another 77,704 people, the Ministry of Health there reported on April 30. At least 72% of those killed are women and children, according to the ministry.

CNNs Amy Cassidy, Abeer Salman, Kareem Khadder, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Mostafa Salem, Kevin Liptak, MJ Lee, Ibrahim Dahman, Tamar Michaelis and Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

On June 10, 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped near her home in South Lake Tahoe, California. The incident happened in broad daylight, and authorities soon found that a convicted sex offender, Phillip Garrido, was responsible for the abduction. Subsequently, they discovered that his wife, Nancy, assisted him in the kidnapping of Dugard.

People Magazine reported that Jaycees stepfather witnessed the kidnapping and tried to follow the car on his motorcycle. However, he couldnt save her and called 911. The abductors reportedly took Jaycee Dugard to their home in Antioch, California. Citing Dugards memoir A Stolen Life, People Magazine revealed that Phillip sexually assaulted her on several occasions. Moreover, he would tell her to dress up in a certain way to fulfill his personal fantasies.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the frequency of sexual abuse lowered when Jaycee Dugard gave birth to her first daughter in 1994. She was in captivity for 18 years, along with his daughters, and was eventually rescued in 2009 when authorities arrested Phillip and Nancy Garrido. CBS News reported that the duo pleaded guilty to abducting Jaycee Gudard. They pleaded guilty to other charges as well, except child pornography. The court sentenced Phillip Garrido to 431 years in prison, while Nancy was sentenced to 36 years, per CNN.

Where are Dugard and her daughters now?

Following her rescue, Jaycee Dugard and her daughters started living with her biological mother in northern California. She retained custody of her daughters. Moreover, ABC News reported that Dugard learned to drive and traveled to Belize for a vacation. In 2011, she wrote her first book, A Stolen Life: A Memoir, which described her years in captivity. The book went on to become a New York Times bestseller. Then, in 2016, she wrote another book titled Freedom: My Book of Firsts, where she learned what freedom meant to her.

Although Jaycee Dugard and her daughters returned to living a normal life, authorities had to work hard to rescue them. In August 2009, Phillip Garrido took Dugard and her daughters to the Berkeley campus of the University of California. People Magazine reported that a campus officer found Phillip suspicious and requested him to return the next day. However, before returning, the campus officer did thorough research on Phillip and learned about his criminal history.

Phillip returned to the campus with his daughters, and after seeing the conditions of the girls, a campus police officer contacted the convicted sex offenders parole officer to find the truth. On August 26, 2009, Phillip, Nancy, Jaycee, and her two daughters visited the parole officer. After some rounds of questioning, Phillip eventually confessed to the crimes and revealed that he had abducted Jaycee Dugard. He also admitted to having sexually abused the victim, per People Magazine.

Dugard denied having Stockholm Syndrome

After her rescue, many people alleged that Jaycee Dugard had positive feelings toward Phillip Garrido because she never tried to escape. However, Dugard denied those claims and noted that the well-being of her daughters stopped her from escaping the captivity. In her testimony, she said, I couldnt leave. I had the girls.

During a 2016 interview with ABC News, Dugard reiterated that she always wanted to be free. She said, Its degrading having my family believe that I was in love with this captor and wanted to stay with him.

Following her rescue, Jaycee Dugard also founded The JAYC Foundation, which helps families in dealing with traumatic events.

The post What Happened to Jaycee Dugard? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a violation of civil rights/hate crime following an incident at the Porchfest event in Fresnos Tower District over the weekend, police say.

According to the Fresno Police Department, the incident began following an argument over support of Palestine.

Police say on Saturday at around 4 p.m., officers responded to a call of a physical disturbance occurring at Echo and Hedges avenue. Officers say when they arrived they contacted several women who had set up a booth for the Porchfest event in the Tower District.

According to police, the women said that an intoxicated man, later identified as 49-year-old Francisco Samaniego, approached them and allegedly began an argument over their support of Palestine.

Police say the argument escalated to a physical confrontation. Samaniego fled on foot after the altercation but was found by assisting officers.

Samaniego was arrested on suspicion of the following charges and booked into the Fresno County Jail.

PC 211  Robbery (felony)

PC 242  Battery on a person (misdemeanor)

PC 422.6(a)  Violation of civil rights/hate crime (misdemeanor)

PC 594(a)(s)  Vandalism (misdemeanor)

In a statement, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama wrote that the equal protection of all members of the Fresno community regardless of their political affiliation, social status, race, creed, or sexual preference is a top priority for the Fresno Police Department.

The assault which occurred last Saturday at Porchfest is being investigated as a hate crime, and we are happy to say the perpetrator was arrested. The Fresno community does not stand for hate or lawlessness, and we will continue to work with all members of our city to make sure everyone can express their beliefs without fear of violence. Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama

Jail records show that Samaniego is no longer inside Fresno County Jail.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Hawaii is known for its macadamia nuts. Lawmakers want to keep it that way

Packages of macadamia nuts are displayed on store shelves on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Honolulu. For decades, tourists to Hawaii have brought home gift boxes of the islands' famous chocolate-covered macadamia nuts for friends and family. (AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)

HONOLULU (AP)  For decades, tourists to Hawaii have brought home gift boxes of the islands famous chocolate-covered macadamia nuts for friends and family, but these days many of the kernels in the package might not be Hawaii-grown.

This little-known fact is surfacing at the state Legislature as lawmakers wrestle over legislation that would force macadamia-nut processors of iconic brands like Mauna Loa to disclose whether their products contain nuts from outside the islands.

Growers want the measure to protect their crops and farms, while commercial nut brands say what Hawaii needs is more capacity to process mac nuts locally.

It's the latest tussle over labels for agricultural products from a specific geographic area, a topic familiar to Hawaii due to long-running disputes over Kona coffee. It echoes similar challenges faced by maple syrup producers in Vermont and distilleries in Champagne, which have had to fend off sparkling wine producers from other places trying to appropriate the French region's name.

Foreign nuts are being marketed cleverly as Hawaiian, said Jeffrey Clark, chief operating officer of a trust that owns Hamakua Macadamia Nut Company.

Its not clear to consumers what is Hawaii grown and what is foreign grown," Clark told state lawmakers during a recent committee hearing. "It creates a problem for the farmers here in Hawaii.

The stakes are high for Hawaiis 600-plus macadamia nut farmers, many of whom have small operations. Combined, they produced $62.7 million in nuts in 2021, just ahead of coffee in value and second only to seed farms that research genetically engineered corn.

Growers say they cant find buyers for their kernel and unharvested nuts are falling from their trees. Some farmers are giving up and trying to sell their equipment.

In response, state lawmakers are due to vote on legislation Wednesday that would require consumer packages to disclose when they contain macadamia nuts grown outside of Hawaii. The measure would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, if it becomes law. The governor has not indicated whether he will sign it.

Macadamia nut trees are native to Australia and were introduced to Hawaii in 1881 by a Scotsman who managed a Big Island sugar mill. The first major attempt at commercial planting dates to 1948. Chocolate-covered macadamia nuts took off the following decade. In the 1970s and '80s, Hawaii harvested more than 10 times the amount of the next four major producers combined.

But today, Australia, South Africa, China and Kenya all grow more than Hawaii. In 2022, the state's production plummeted 29% from the year before, according to industry data.

Hawaiian Host Group sells macadamia nuts under some of the state's most venerable brands. Their rectangular boxes of Hawaiian Host chocolate-covered macadamia nuts are favorites of tourists and locals alike. Their blue-colored Mauna Loa cans and bags are among the most recognizable macadamia products on store shelves.

The company's chief administrative officer told lawmakers in a Senate committee hearing that the amount of foreign macadamia nuts the company buys varies depending on the Hawaii crop.

We try to purchase as much local macadamias as the growers will sell to us, Michelle Leon-Guerrero said.

CEO Ed Schultz told lawmakers his company buys one-third of the mac nuts grown in Hawaii. It's been doing so at a 35% premium to Australian prices in 2023 and that Hawaii's nuts need to be competitive with those from Down Under, he said.

He said what the industry needs is more processing capacity. Toward this end, Hawaiian Host wants the industry to form a co-op to run a new processing facility on the Big Island. Many growers are reluctant to join such a project without a labeling requirement that will differentiate their nuts from others around the world.

Nathan Trump, the president of the Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association, said Hawaii macadamia nuts have strong brand recognition. But he said the status quo turns the nuts into a commodity.

When you look at things like Vermont maple syrup, New Zealand beef  different country of origin matters because quality matters to consumers, he said. If they understand the country of origin, I think theyll be able to make the decision if they want to pay a higher price."

Vermont law says no maple product may be labeled as being from Vermont, or labeled in a way that implies it was, unless it was 100% produced in Vermont in compliance with state standards.

In Europe, Champagne makers came together in the 19th century to prevent sparkling wine makers operating elsewhere from using the French regions name for their beverage. Today, European Union rules allow products to obtain a geographical designation if they have a specific link to where the product is made.

State Rep. Kristin Kahaloa's Big Island district sits on the western slopes of Mauna Loa, the volcano that is the namesake of the popular nut brand. She said smaller farmers and producers want both labeling requirements and more processing capacity, and she agrees.

Mauna Loa is the name of our mountain, Kahaloa said. Its about keeping a special agricultural product that is part of the fabric of our community on our island."
CARROLL COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  The Carroll County Public Service Authorities have issued a boil water notice for parts of the county, effective immediately.

Authorities are advising all customers in the Expansion Drive and Industrial Park Drive areas to boil their water before drinking. At this time, it is not clear why the notice was issued. However, officials said drinking the water could result in stomach or intestinal illnesses.

Carroll County PSA says to use bottled water for drinking, cooking, and making ice until further notice.

Boiling water kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Health officials are encouraging residents to bring the water to a roiling boil for about one minute and let it cool before using.

If you cant boil your tap water:

Use liquid household bleach to disinfect water. The bleach product should be recently purchased, free of additives and scents, and should contain a hypochlorite solution of at least 5.25%. Health officials encourage using 8 drops of bleach for each gallon of water. Stir the water and allow it to sit for 30 minutes before using.

Use purification tablets by following the manufacturers instructions.

The Carroll County Public Service Authorities says officials will advise customers when it is safe to drink the tap water.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Dialogue, contacts, and mutual exchange of information on Iran's nuclear program continue within the necessary framework, the spokesperson for Iran's Foreign Ministry, Nasser Kanani said during the press conference, Trend reports.

According to him, Iran usually declares its position at international meetings. Also, the lifting of sanctions against Iran within the framework initiated by other countries remains at the center of attention.

To note, the Comprehensive Plan of Joint Action on Iran's nuclear program was implemented between Iran and the P5+1 group (the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany) in January 2016. The US announced in May 2018 that it was withdrawing from the plan and imposed sanctions on Iran in November of the same year. Iran has announced that there will be no restrictions on the Iran nuclear deal in 2020.

In late 2020, the Iranian parliament adopted a strategic plan to counter the sanctions, citing the non-fulfillment of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran.

According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran had stopped the implementation of additional measures and an additional protocol included in the nuclear deal. As a consequence, the monitoring mechanism of the IAEA was reduced by 2030 percent.

Besides, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, told the media in recent days that Iran has come close enough to drawing attention to building an atomic bomb after the failure of nuclear talks. No country without an atomic bomb enriches uranium by 60 percent. Iran has enriched the atomic bomb more than the uranium needed to make it. It takes 90 percent enriched uranium to make an atomic bomb. But technically, 60 percent enriched uranium is about the same as 90 percent enriched uranium.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Here's how you can help Iowa communities recover after last week's tornadoes

At least 20 tornadoes occurred in Iowa on April 26, causing damage in several counties and significant destruction, including one death, in the small Pottawattamie County town of Minden.

That is the latest count from the National Weather Service offices in Des Moines and Omaha based on preliminary reports and completed storm surveys as teams continue to evaluate damage and determine ratings for additional tornadoes in the coming days.

If you want to help support the communities and people impacted by the severe weather, heres how.

How can I help, Minden, Iowa recover from the tornado?

Residents work to clear the debris left by a strong tornado Saturday, April 27, 2024, in Tingley, IA.

Minden remained closed off to the general public as of Monday afternoon due to debris and the use of heavy equipment in the town. As a result, officials are asking that volunteers and organizations dont self-deploy to the area, according to a Pottawattamie County news release.

Cleanup efforts and securing infrastructure began during the weekend, and as needs arise and safety conditions improve, officials will announce volunteer opportunities.

Monetary donations are encouraged for those who wish to donate to help people affected by the Minden tornado, who can then purchase what they need, according to the news release.

How to make Minden-specific donations will be announced in the coming days. Currently, people can make donations to the Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund at givewesterniowa.org to support areas impacted in the region, according to the news release.

Readers' Watchdog: Home damaged by weekend storms? Here's what you need to know

How can I help Pleasant Hill, Iowa recover from the tornado?

The Pleasant Hill tornado, classified as an EF2, lasted roughly 12 minutes and caused one injury and damage to nearly 20 homes.

The city is not asking for physical donations, according to a news release on April 27. Financial donations can be made through the Disaster Recovery Fund, which the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines has activated following the severe storms and tornado that affected Pleasant Hill.

Grants are awarded to community-based organizations and service providers responding to a disaster and grants are made to meet the needs not already being addressed by existing resources and programs, according to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.

Pleasant Hills Facebook page encourages people needing assistance or wanting to offer assistance to call 211.

More: Parking is not allowed on some Pleasant Hill streets as crews clean up tornado debris

Looking for another way to help? Round up your purchase at Caseys

Shoppers can round up their purchases at Caseys stores in Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma as part of a campaign supporting the American Red Cross through May 10, said Katie Petru, a spokesperson for the convenience store chain.

Searching to help on GoFundMe? Use this page to find verified fundraisers

Visit the Midwest Tornado Relief Hub on GoFundMe, the crowdfunding platform, to search for fundraisers you can donate to by state. This centralized hub will be updated with fundraisers as they're verified by GoFundMes Trust & Safety team, according to Alex White, a spokesperson with the company. There are several fundraisers for Iowans impacted by the April 26 tornadoes posted on the website.

Here are tips to avoid scams after disasters

People impacted by natural disasters such as a tornado should be aware of fraudulent contractors that take advantage of people in need of repairs.

The Iowa Attorney Generals Office has some tips if you hire a contractor. Here are several:

Work with an established, reputable local contractor.

Legitimate contractors rarely solicit through door-to-door, so be skeptical about who shows up at your home.

Avoid paying large sums of money to a contractor in advance. If you have to make a partial advance payment for materials, make your payment out to the supplier and the contractor and insist on a mechanics lien waiver in case the contractor fails to pay others.

People should also watch for scammers posing as officials with government disaster assistance agencies, according to the Federal Trade Commission. You can spot an imposter because they'll demand money.

But scams aren't limited to those impacted by a natural disaster.

People wanting to help those impacted by a natural disaster should be aware of scammers seeking donations for disaster relief. Donate to trusted, well-known charities and verify its legitimacy through its official website as scammers may create fake charities during natural disasters, according to the FTC.

Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Where to donate in Iowa after tornadoes in Minden, Pleasant Hill
Indiana is in the process of revamping its high school curricula. This could be a superb opportunity to rethink some fundamentals about schooling, its role in society and the needs of the future economy. It is also a good time to recenter the long-term wellbeing of students into the discussion.

However, the last time Indiana made significant changes to school curriculum, we failed badly. That cannot happen again.

In December 2013, then-Gov. Mike Pence announced an ambitious plan to offer more career-focused education to Hoosier high school kids who werent going to college. It was a smart, thoughtful and much-needed addition to our educational landscape. I was an enthusiastic supporter and wrote in support of it.

Almost from the beginning, the execution of that plan was botched. It is worth recounting how a very good idea became very bad public policy, and how the accumulated mistakes of a decade continue to haunt Indianas economic performance even now and into the distant future.

Indiana inflated demand for high school diplomas

The Daniels-era education reforms were successful on almost every important measure. The push for higher standards revealed itself in test scores, graduation rates and college attendance and success. They strengthened good local public schools and forced bad ones to change. But not everyone wishes to go to college and, for three generations, wed cut programs for those students.

Pences plan was met with strong support by business, which offered free curriculum in STEM, and support for students wishing a career route. My school corporation, led by Jennifer McCormick, developed an award-winning program with a local manufacturing firm. Things started off well. Then the Department of Workforce Development began to push the states board of education.

A worker inspects auto parts for defects at the Toyota Motor manufacturing plant in Princeton.

The DWD had an occupational forecast claiming that, between 2014 and 2024, thered be a huge demand for high school-only graduates  that is, students who graduated high school and did not go to college. The DWD forecast claimed that the state would need 400,000 more high school-only graduates by 2024.

I did everything I knew how to do in order to explain why this was mistaken. I used labor demand forecasts from a half dozen economists that said wed need fewer high school graduates by 2024. I showed them the studies from the 1970s through the 2000s explaining how these forecasts were too flawed to be used as a labor market policy tool.

Nothing I said or wrote had any effect. The DWD had already run off their economists for saying roughly the same thing. They werent at all interested in hearing analysis from anyone who actually knew anything about labor markets. The newer versions of that forecast are still guiding both labor market and education policy in Indiana.

All of this presents the question: How wrong were they? A lot.

In 2015, the forecast overstated the demand for high school only graduates in 2014  that is, the previous year  by 190,000 workers. Yes, you read that correctly. They actually got history wrong. Ive never seen a forecast that wrong, that quickly. Still, that did not deter their enthusiasm for the forecast.

As of last fall, Indiana has 20,000 more high school graduates working than in 2014. So that forecast of demand for 400,000 more high school graduates is going to be wrong by about 2,000%.

Our workforce is getting worse

I write this because it is my biggest professional failure. Had I been more persuasive, I shouldve been able to avoid the train wreck that ensued. I was not, and the state has been trapped by bad human capital policy ever since. It has significantly weakened Indianas long-term economic prospects.

The recovery from the Great Recession was the worst economic expansion in state history. We slipped on every important measure of economic success, with some of the worst performances coming in the last five years of the expansion.

The COVID and post-pandemic economy shouldve been very kind to Indiana. Because of our manufacturing intensity, our growth shouldve outpaced the nation. It did not. The reason for 15 years of relative decline is that we have a poorly educated workforce that is getting worse.

That bad labor forecast from 2014 was very influential in the legislature. And how could it not be? It was a false promise of economic growth without actually investing more in education.

It didnt matter that the nation had gone more than two decades without creating a single net new job for someone who hadnt been to college. The bad forecast drove policy.

Indiana's anti-college agenda

Funding for K-12 stalled on a per-student basis and dropped as a share of GDP. Pences vision morphed into an anti-college agenda. The states workforce development director and the president of our community college system downplayed the benefits of post-secondary education.

By 2017, Indiana introduced career indoctrination down to sixth grade. Among the largest of these were manufacturing occupations and truck drivers. The demand for both is lower today than in 2014.

Then-Gov. Mike Pence delivers his state of the state address in January 2015.

Pences program to offer career-focused opportunities to older students became a platform for pushing students away from post-secondary education. To their credit, in 2020, the legislature increased the age that career pathways would start. So, today, we wait until children are 13 to provide them bad labor market advice.

The most damaging effect was on college attendance. Indiana peaked in 2015, sending 65% of our high school graduates to college, at a time when the national average was 72% of students. In the race for a talented workforce, Indiana was well behind and running slower than the pack. Over the past two years, fewer than 53% of our high school graduates have gone to college. Until this changes, we will not be contenders in a 21st century economy.

We are now near the very bottom in human capital development, making it an opportune time to compare what Indiana does and aspires to do with that of the nation as a whole. Over the past three decades, more than 100 percent of new jobs in the U.S. have gone to people who attended college, with eight in 10 going to 4-year degree holders.

Over the same time, the college wage premium has grown. We are now 50 years into an economy that places a premium on human capital. That wont change, no matter how badly some states prepare.

Indiana is moving in the wrong direction at record speed. The period since 2015 is the start of the first decline in educational attainment in Indiana history. The educational reforms we now consider must reverse this decline. We must consider what students need to know for the next 50 years of work  not what low-wage employers say they need after graduation. We simply cannot fail at this again.

Michael J. Hicks is the director of the Center for Business and Economic Research and the George and Frances Ball distinguished professor of economics in the Miller College of Business at Ball State University.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana's high school curriculum reform failed. We can't repeat it.
Diana Teran, masked at right, is a top advisor to Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascon, foreground. Teran was charged with illegal use of confidential law enforcement records. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

A Los Angeles prosecutor accused last week of improperly using confidential records about sheriffs deputies turned herself in to local police Saturday morning and was released on $50,000 bond.

Diana Teran, one of L.A. County Dist. Atty. George Gascons top advisors, was booked on 11 felony charges days after Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta alleged that she downloaded the records of 11 unnamed deputies in 2018 while working at the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Three years later, Bonta alleged, Teran impermissibly used those records after joining Gascons office.

The attorney generals office has not said whose records Teran allegedly took or how she used them and has released little information about the underlying facts of the case.

When the charges became public Wednesday, Teran's attorney James Spertus told The Times the case was dead on arrival, saying he believed the deputies records were public documents and that he was stunned to see the state charging her for doing something within the scope of her employment.

Following his clients release on bond, Spertus reiterated that sentiment, adding that the states handling of the case  including the decision to ask for an arrest warrant  had taken him by surprise.

This is a high-ranking D.A.s office official; shes not a flight risk, he said. There should never have been an arrest warrant, because normally she would receive a summons in the mail. In many cases, people who are charged with nonviolent offenses like this are summonsed into court.

The county's 2024 felony bail schedule shows that the class of computer-related crimes with which Teran was charged typically does not require defendants to pay a bond. Spertus said it was not immediately clear why bond was set at $50,000 for his client.

Read more: Top advisor to D.A. Gascon charged with illegal use of deputies' confidential records

As of last week, Teran was supervising high-profile and sensitive cases involving police misconduct, fraud and public corruption. The district attorney's office on Thursday told The Times it did not comment on personnel matters, but Teran was no longer overseeing Ethics and Integrity Operations. The office said she was not working on cases involving the Sheriffs Department, and there was no indication that any cases involving prosecutions of law enforcement were compromised.

Still, last week, the union representing rank-and-file deputies publicly called for a broader investigation into everything Teran has handled during her entire tenure. Two days later, the union representing supervisors and higher-ranking officials, the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Assn., sent an email notifying members that its attorneys planned to ask Sheriff Robert Luna to launch an investigation.

If the allegations are true, PPOA is extremely concerned about the breaches of confidential information of its members by someone whose job it was to protect the interests of the men and women of the Sheriffs Department, the groups president, Steve Johnson, wrote, according to a copy of the email reviewed by The Times.

Before becoming a prosecutor, Teran  who has been a lawyer for more than three decades  served as a constitutional policing advisor to the Sheriffs Department, then as a consultant to the Office of Inspector General, which provides oversight to the department. In 2019, she became a law enforcement accountability advisor with the L.A. County public defenders office.

Teran joined Gascons administration in early 2021 as a special advisor and later began running the Justice System Integrity Division, which handles prosecutions of law enforcement officers.

According to Spertus, the investigation into his client was sparked by a complaint from former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. In a livestream Wednesday evening, Villanueva seemingly confirmed this, saying that in 2019, he alerted the FBI and the attorney general to concerns about Teran downloading information he described as a massive data breach.

Though the complaint does not spell out what data Teran may have illegally misused, Spertus said he believed state prosecutors were erroneously trying to charge her for uploading public documents to the district attorneys list of officers and deputies accused or convicted of on-duty misconduct.

Under a 1963 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brady vs. Maryland, prosecutors are required to turn over that information to defense lawyers, and many prosecutors offices keep databases or lists to track officer wrongdoing.

Read more: George Gascon survived the primary. Can Nathan Hochman unseat him as D.A.?

While many law enforcement personnel records are legally considered confidential in California, Spertus said he believed the documents in question were made public when they were attached to court filings by deputies who sued to get disciplinary decisions against them overturned.

I believe every document will be located in an L.A. Superior Court case file, he said.

For the foreseeable future, specifics about the allegations against Teran  including whose records may be involved  may remain a mystery, as Spertus said the more detailed affidavit filed last week alongside the criminal complaint has been kept secret.

It was filed under seal, he told The Times. So there are charges pending, but the [attorney general's] office is being shockingly secret about what the allegedly used documents are.

Because her first court date is months away, according to her lawyer, it may be some time before the state is forced to make details public.

We want to get into court as soon as possible, and we cant, he said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A major interstate between Arizona and New Mexico has reopened after a train derailment prompted community evacuations and a 50-mile closure of the highway.

A BNSF Railway freight train left its tracks, catching fire near the state line on Friday afternoon. Responding agencies found 35 derailed train cars carrying mixed freight, including six cars that contained propane, railway spokesperson Kendall Sloan said Monday.

Evacuation orders were issued within a 2-mile radius of the derailment site to mitigate for the safety of the surrounding community, Sloan said.

There was also a continued shutdown of eastbound traffic on Interstate 40 on the New Mexico side, which caused major headaches for travelers, according to reporting by The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network.

All restrictions were in place up until Sunday, with McKinley County Fire reporting that all evacuations have been lifted, I-40 was back open in both directions and that the trains were active, back to transporting freight.

Along with all local public safety agencies, BNSF remains committed to working within Unified Command while ensuring the community is safe and taken care of throughout the duration of the incident, according to a statement obtained by USA TODAY on Monday.

There have been no injuries reported in connection with the derailment.

Heres what we know.

Investigation underway, no injuries reported

The Federal Railroad Administration is looking into the cause of the derailment, telling USA TODAY that safety personnel, along with other National Transportation Safety Board representatives, are on-site in Gallup to conduct the investigation.

We continue to work with state, Tribal, and local agencies  as we lead an investigation into the cause of the incident, according to administration spokesperson Daniel Griffin.

McKinley County Fire Chief Lawrence Montoya Jr. said that personnel remained on scene until Sunday night.

"The damaged section of railroad track has been reconstructed and inspected for use," Montoya said. "The railroad tracks at the site are fully operational."

BNSF Railway freight train is back and running Sunday afternoon, days after it was derailed near the Arizona/New Mexico state line.

Lodging provided for the displaced, hotline established

Displaced residents were provided all necessary lodging and accommodations after the derailment, according to BNSF.

An in-place shelter was set up at Lupton Chapter House on the Navajo Nation for families in the area, The Arizona Republic reported.

BNSF Railway began and continues to monitor the air quality at the derailment site, which a company spokesperson said did not pose an air quality concern.

The company has also established a hotline for those affected as a result of the derailment. You can reach the hotline by calling (866)-243-4784.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arizona-New Mexico interstate back open after fiery train derailment
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (ABC4)  Northern Utah residents can expect to hear more sounds of freedom late into the night as fighter wings stationed at Hill Air Force Base plan night flying exercises throughout May.

Officials said the active duty 388th Fighter Wing and the reserve 419th Fighter Wing will be performing night flying exercises in order to fulfill continued training requirements.

Hills fighter wings must train at night for pilots and maintainers to retain and hone their 24/7 combat readiness and flying capabilities, said 388th Fighter Wing spokesperson Micah Garbarino via a press release. Night flying is limited to what is required for the wings to remain proficient in those skills for deployments.

Colleague of man killed by concrete slab speaks after his death

Garbarino said night flying is scheduled to be completed by 11 p.m. most days. The exact days and times for when the two fighter wings will conduct night-time exercises is dependent on weather, airspace availability and other factors.

The two fighter wings will be training with the F-35A Lightning II, which Hill Air Force Base said is the nations most advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Hill Air Force Base is home to 78 Lightning IIs and both the 388th and 419th are the Air Forces first combat-capable F-35A units, according to Base officials.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Hochul refers upstate NY DA to commission that investigates prosecutor conduct following caught-on-camera outburst at cop

Governor Kathy Hochul speaking at a podium during an announcement to enforce closing of illegal cannabis stores in New York, showing Google maps on a cell phone indicating locations of illegal stores

The upstate New York district attorney who berated a cop after she was caught speeding was referred by Gov. Kathy Hochul to a state commission tasked with investigating prosecutors conduct on Sunday.

Hochul said she requested the Commission for Prosecutorial Conduct review the incident after bodycam footage on Friday showed Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley ignoring a Webster, New York, cop who tried to pull her over and instead continuing to drive until she reached her house.

Doorley called the officer, who had pursued her to her home, an ahole and dialed the local police chief to complain after they stepped out of their respective vehicles at her address, the footage shows.

The interaction with the local cop happened last Monday. Paul Giovine/WHAM

The interaction occurred on Monday and ended with Doorley getting a speeding ticket. She pleaded guilty to the traffic infraction a day later before the damning footage came to light.

Hochul called Doorleys behavior unprofessional and accused her of trying to claim she was above the law.

District Attorneys are responsible for prosecuting criminal and traffic offenses, and must perform their duties with the highest ethical standards, the governor said in a statement to The Post.

Earlier today, I referred the Monroe County District Attorney to the Commission on Prosecutorial Conduct following the release of police bodycam footage showing her claiming she is above the law, attempting to use her public office to evade responsibility, and acting unprofessionally towards a police officer simply trying to do his job.

We are deeply grateful to the men and women of law enforcement who put on a uniform each day to protect the safety of all New Yorkers.

The commission, made up of 10 members, was created in 2021 to act as an independent entity that probes conduct in district attorneys offices and strengthens oversight for prosecutors to ensure they are held to high ethical standards.

Gov. Kathy Hochul made the referral on Sunday after the shocking actions of the Monroe DA came to light. Lev Radin/Pacific Press/Shutterstock

The commission has the authority to review and investigate prosecutors conduct to determine if their actions violate state laws or court rules, according to its website.

Doorley, ironically, lobbied against the legislation that established the commission when she served as president of the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York in 2021, according to NY1.

The bodycam video, obtained by location outlets, shows the district attorney admitting she was driving 55 miles per hour in a 35-mph zone on her way home. She also dropped the fact she was the district attorney in Monroe multiple times.

Why are you so upset at me? the cop asked her in the clip. Im doing my job.

DA Sandra Doorley is facing heat following the bodycam footage. monroecounty.gov

Seconds later, she can be heard on the phone with Webster Chief of Police Dennis Kohlmeier and asks him, Can you please tell them to leave me alone?

The district attorney also ignored and rudely dismissed the officers repeated commands, the footage shows.

You know what Ive been dealing with all day? Three murders in the city, she said at one point. And do you think I really care if I was going 20 miles over the speed limit?

Doorley also encouraged the officer to write the ticket because she said her office would be prosecuting it.

Since Fridays fallout over the video, the Rochester City Council has sent a letter to Attorney General Letitia James asking her to investigate the incident.

Doorley also wiped her social media accounts clean over the weekend as fury grew over her conduct.

After the footage surfaced, the prosecutor said in a statement, Nobody, including your District Attorney, is above the rule of law, even traffic laws.
Activist Henry Tse, who won an appeal to change the gender on his ID card, speaks to media members after receiving the new document in Hong Kong, Monday, April. 29, 2024. The Hong Kong transgender activist who fought a years-long legal battle to change the gender on his official identity card finally received the new document on Monday, vowing to continue working hard on the unfinished path of fighting for equality for his community. (AP Photo/Vernon Yuen)

HONG KONG (AP)  A Hong Kong transgender activist on Monday received a new ID card reflecting his gender change, after a yearslong legal battle to change the document, and he vowed to continue working for equality for the LGBTQ+ community.

Henry Tse won his appeal over the governments refusal to change the gender on his ID card in February 2023. Previously, Tse was not able to make the change because he did not undergo full gender-affirmation surgery.

Last year, the city's top court said the government's policy was unconstitutional in a landmark ruling, arguing it imposed an unacceptably harsh burden. The judgment prompted an easing of rules earlier this month.

Tse's victory is seen as an important step forward for the city's LGBTQ+ community, many of whose transgender members consider the operation unnecessary and risky.

After obtaining his new ID card, Tse told reporters that life has not been easy since he lodged a judicial review in 2017. In addition to the legal challenges, he has also faced obstacles from the government and attacks from others.

What is normal for many people has finally become normal for us, Tse said.

Public sentiment in Hong Kong has become increasingly welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community, but many still face challenges in daily life.

Tse said bank staff told him he did not match his ID card and asked him to resubmit documents. He also could not change the gender on his travel permit to mainland China, which caused him a delay when crossing the border. Immigration officials searched their computer for 15 minutes, he said, before finally letting him enter.

In April, the Hong Kong government revised its policy to allow people who have not completed full gender-affirmation surgery to change their genders on ID cards as long as they fulfill certain conditions. The conditions include the removal of breasts for transgender men, the removal of the penis and testes for transgender women, and having undergone continuous hormonal treatment for at least two years before applying.

Applicants also have to continue their hormonal treatment and submit blood test reports for random checks upon the government's request.

Tse, after receiving his new ID card, said he would start changing his other documents, including his passport and bank details. The activist, who was previously active in sports, said he might sign up for a gym membership too.

It's a return to normal life, he said.
JONESBOROUGH, Tenn. (WJHL)Local veterans who participated in an Honor Flight trip returned home on Sunday, marking the completion of Mission No. 7 for the Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands.

Michelle Stewart, President of Honor Flight of the Appalachia, spoke with News Channel 11 about new additions to the trip.

We have started a program where we are doing an in-memory honor flight trip, Stewart said. We will take a couple of veterans photos each honor flight trip, and they are veterans that were either killed in action or have passed away before they were given their honor flight trip. So we still take the opportunity to honor them and to say thank you to their family and just to take them along to show them that their service mattered and that even though they may have passed, theyre not forgotten.

Photo: WJHL

Photo: WJHL

Photo: WJHL

Photo: WJHL

Local veterans depart on Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C.

Local Korean and Vietnam War veterans traveled to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials and socialize with cadets at the Virginia Military Institute. The trip included visits to Bedford and Arlington, among other places in Virginia.

Marvin Shelton, Honor Flight participant, said he cant say enough good things about [the trip].

Well, it was it was awesome to see the wall and to see a Korean wall of Vietnam wall and just the military stuff. And itll bring you down, and along with you, Ill tell you that right now. But it was great. It was a great experience. And I would do it again.

Local veterans describe the Honors Flight trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Tel Aviv  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was under rising pressure Monday from all sides over his country's ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Far-right members of Netanyahu's own cabinet have threatened to drop their support for his coalition government if he accepts a cease-fire deal with Hamas, but the U.S. and many Israelis are pushing him to strike an agreement to bring the remaining hostages home from Gaza and wind down the devastating war in the Palestinian territory.

Those calls for a cease-fire got renewed impetus by the release over the weekend of another Hamas propaganda video showing two hostages, including Israeli-American national Keith Seigel, still alive.

The new week has brought a flurry of diplomatic activity in the region, including a visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a last-ditch attempt to secure a cease-fire agreement ahead of a possible Israeli ground operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where some 1.4 million Palestinians have sought shelter in desperate conditions.

A Hamas delegation was expected to deliver the group's response on Monday to the latest proposal for a long-sought truce and hostage release deal.

In Saudi Arabia for a meeting with Gulf region counterparts, meanwhile, Blinken said Monday that a cease-fire would be the most effective way to ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. But he stressed that civilians caught in the middle of the war can't afford to wait for that to happen, and he urged Israel "to take the necessary steps to meet the needs of civilians."

Blinken acknowledged "measurable progress in the last few weeks, including the opening of new [border] crossings and increased volume of aid delivery to Gaza and within Gaza, and the building of the U.S. maritime corridor, which will open in the coming weeks. But it is not enough," he said.



He said President Biden was adamant that Israel should take more specific, concrete, measurable steps to better address humanitarian suffering, civilian harm and the safety of aid workers in Gaza  including in his most recent call with Netanyahu on Sunday.

In a statement provided after Blinken's Monday meetings with Qatari leaders, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller made it clear that the onus, as far as the Biden administration is concerned, was on Hamas to accept the latest deal.

Blinken and Qatar's prime minister "emphasized the need for Hamas to accept the significant proposal that is on the table," Miller said, adding that the top American diplomat had "also underscored our shared commitment to continuing to increase and sustain the provision of life-saving humanitarian assistance into Gaza."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday that Israel has shared "concepts" with the U.S. but has not provided a detailed plan for an invasion of Rafah. He said Israel must do what's necessary to move civilians from Rafah and make sure they're taken care of with housing and medical care before any operation can begin.

"I have seen [Israel] put some things in place, but you and I know that there's a lot more that needs to be done before we can say that they've accounted for these civilians and taken care of them," Austin told Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey. "I've also asked them to do things sequentially, so that must be the first thing that must be done before they consider any other military operations."

According to Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry, more than 34,000 people  mostly women and children  have been killed in the enclave since the war began. It was sparked by Hamas' unprecedented Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel, which saw the group kill some 1,200 people and take about 240 others hostage.

People gather for a demonstration to demand the resignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, early elections and the return of hostages from Gaza, April 27, 2024, in Jerusalem. / Credit: Saeed Qaq/Anadolu/Getty

United Nations humanitarian agencies have also acknowledged an increase in aid flowing into Gaza, but they continue to warn that tens of thousands of people face possible famine conditions in the territory, and the uptick in aid hasn't been enough to avert that.

The challenge for Netanyahu has been weighing the fate of about 130 remaining hostages  including five U.S. nationals still believed to be alive  and the rising pressure over the war's impact on Palestinian civilians, against his stated mission to destroy Hamas. He's said a Rafah incursion is the only way to meet that goal, as Hamas still has combat units hiding out in the city.

Calls from the families of the remaining captives to strike a deal have grown louder and angrier, however. They've led regular, massive rallies on the streets of Israel, accusing Netanyahu of failing the hostages. More than once the protests have ended in scuffles with police.

There's pressure for a cease-fire, too, from college campuses across the U.S.  Israel's most important ally and benefactor  and from parallel protests taking shape on European university campuses. The anti-war demonstrations have not gone unnoticed by displaced Palestinian students in Rafah, whose education came to an abrupt halt on Oct. 7.

"What gives us a glimpse of hope is that we weren't left alone," student Renad Anaan told CBS News at a camp for displaced people, "and that goes for efforts made by the students at universities in America."

"I salute them, the American university students who are protesting against Netanyahu's government and the American government. That's kind of them and I admire them for that," said Fida Afifi, whose university course in Gaza City was disrupted by the war. She told CBS News she was "calling on the world's students to rise against the government."

Israel has made a concerted effort in recent days to show it's stepping up aid distribution in Gaza, and the IDF released video over the weekend showing the floating pier being built by the U.S. military just off envlave's Mediterranean coast. Officials have said it will be completed in early May, creating another new route for help to reach people who desperately need it.

There's hope that a cease-fire deal, or even progress toward one, could delay or even scuttle the plans for Netanyahu's promised invasion of Rafah. But in the meantime, the threat of ground warfare in the crowded city continues to hang over the students and the tens of thousands of other civilians sheltering in Rafah.

Much of the rest of Gaza lies in ruin  destruction on a scale that has left entire towns and cities uninhabitable.

Nowhere is really safe. Even in Rafah, the Israel Defense Forces carry out daily air and missile strikes. Monday morning, amid the renewed talk of a possible cease-fire, there were three new strikes on the city. At least five more children were among the dead, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory.

Both humanitarian air drops and Israel's bombardment continued over the weekend, and Palestinians eking out survival in the tent city that's grown in and around Rafah never know whether planes flying above carry the threat of death, or the promise of life saving aid.

CBS News' Tucker Reals contributed to this report.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Georgian Foreign Minister Ilya Darchiashvili will visit Brussels, Trend reports.

According to the information, from April 29 to April 30, the minister will take part in events held within the framework of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the largest wave of EU enlargement.

It is reported that the visit program includes meetings with the heads of the Foreign Ministries of Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as representatives of the European Union. Negotiations are also planned with Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs Janos Bakas.
Hotel in trendy NYC neighborhood quietly converted into shelter for migrant families

A hotel in one of New York City's trendiest neighborhoods has been quietly converted into emergency housing for migrants for the past several months.

A hotel in one of New York Citys trendiest neighborhoods has been quietly serving as emergency housing for migrants for the past several months.

Mayor Eric Adams administration recently awarded a $12.3 million emergency contract to a not-for-profit social service provider to run a city sanctuary facility for families with children at 235 Meeker Ave. in Williamsburg, Brooklyn  the address of the Hotel Le Jolie.

The Department of Homeless Services issued the contract to the Brooklyn-based St. P.A.U.L.S. Inc. to manage the facility.

Hotel Le Jolie, located at 235 Meeker Ave. in Williamsburg, is now a shelter for migrants. Hotel Le Jolie/Facebook

Hotel Le Jolie was converted into a shelter for migrant families sometime last year, on a temporary basis.

They are having St. P.A.U.L.S. take over the operation. Nothing functionally changes, a source familiar with the shelter operation said over the weekend.

The source said DHS was using temporary staff at the site and hoped the not-for-profit group would provide better services for migrant families.

A person answering the phone at the location claimed the hotel was closed for renovations when asked if it had rooms available for tourists.

On the hotels Facebook page, a visitor asked last November, Is the Hotel Le Jolie closed or still open for business?

There was no reply.

The hotel staffs last replies to reviews on Tripadvisor for the 55-room boutique accommodations were posted in April last year.

Mayor Eric Adams administration has recently awarded a $12.3 million emergency contract to a not-for-profit social service provider to run a city sanctuary facility for families with children.

With the shelter system bursting at the seams, the city has gotten creative in finding housing for the influx of migrants.

Last August, the Adams administration even opened a shelter at the popular McCarren Park located on the Williamsburg-Greenpoint border.

When asked about the new contract for migrants staying at the Hotel Le Jolie, a Department of Homeless Services spokesperson said, This is not a new site  has been open for quite some time.

The Post reached out to Hotel Le Jolie management and St. P.A.U.L.S. for comment.

The migrant crisis has been a boon for Big Apple hotels still hurting from the loss of tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 100 hotels have agreed to convert into emergency shelters for migrant families and individuals who have flooded the city from the southern border  with the government footing the bill for the rooms.

The Adams administration also opened a shelter at the popular McCarren Park on the Williamsburg-Greenpoint border last year. Helayne Seidman

In January, the Adams administration inked a new emergency $76.69 million contract with the Hotel Association of New York City to provide last resort shelter to migrant families.

Under the contract, 15 hotels in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx will make blocks of rooms available to asylum-seeking families for up to 28 days under the vouchering program running through July.

The Post reported last September that the city extended contracts with the hotel association for three years at a staggering price tag of $1.3 billion  nearly five times the original $275 million deal  just to pay rental fees to the vast network of hotels converted into emergency shelters.

Adams has moved to curb mushrooming migrant costs by setting 30- and 60-day shelter stay limits for individuals and families, respectively.

Migrants line up to collect free food at Tompkins Square Park. Helayne Seidman

Nearly 200,000 migrants have arrived in the Big Apple since spring 2022, overwhelming the citys shelter population and forcing DHS to rely on hotels and to set up massive tent cities in Floyd Bennett Field, Creedmoor Psychiatric Center and on the grounds of Kennedy Airport.

New York City is forking over an average of $387 per day to put up a single migrant household in taxpayer-funded shelters, recent data from City Hall shows.

City Hall claimed the costs to combat the migrant crisis could hit $10 billion through the next fiscal year.

The recently approved state budget provides the city $2.4 billion to help cover migrant costs while the federal government has provided little financial support.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said back in 2018 when he was elected to office that he would not be following detainer requests from ICE because state law says once a person in the US illegally makes bond, law enforcement has to let that person out of jail.

House Bill 10 would change that and require all sheriffs to hold people when ICE issues a detainer request.

Under current legislation, eight local sheriffs including McFadden see the detainer request as part of a voluntary program and say if the federal government wanted to hold a person, a federal complaint would be issued.

McFadden notes the proposed law will have local law enforcement playing a larger role in the immigration debate, and victims of crimes may never see justice.

What do we say to them, adds McFadden. Because we are going to drop the charges and were going to deport them back. And what happens, there is nothing to stop them from coming back to the United States, and when they come back to the United States, they have not been convicted of anything. So we are creating a lot of problems that we dont clearly understand and those problems are going to rest on the shoulders of local law enforcement and our local sheriffs offices.

Queen City News reached out to lawmakers in Raleigh for comment on House Bill 10, but have not heard back.

A public hearing on the legislation is scheduled for Tuesday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Columbia University leadership was urged by 21 House Democrats on Monday that the "time for negotiation is over," as an anti-Israel encampment broiling with antisemitism has persisted on campus for weeks.

Led by Reps. Josh Gottheimer, of New Jersey, and Dan Goldman, of New York, 21 House Democrats signed a letter urging Columbia Universitys Board of Trustees to disband "the unauthorized and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus."

Later Monday, the university gave agitators until 2 p.m. to clear the encampment or be suspended.

As a result of the disruption on campus, supported by some faculty members, "many students have been prevented from safely attending class, the main library, and from leaving their dorm rooms in an apparent violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act," they wrote. The 21 signatories acknowledged how the Columbia administration earlier had "tacitly acknowledged that the encampment had created an impermissibly hostile and unsafe environment for Jewish students by resorting to hybrid learning, appearing to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act."

"In other words, instead of solving the root cause of discrimination and harassment that students faced on campus, the administration decided to segregate some students from campus altogether, which naturally created an unsafe environment on campus for all students," the House Democrats wrote.



While saying they appreciate the Columbia administrations efforts "to negotiate in good faith to reach an agreement that allows those in the encampment to voluntarily disburse without police intervention," the House Democrats wrote that, after nearly a week of negotiations, "it is now abundantly clear that the students and activists entrenched on campus are unwilling to enter into a reasonable agreement to disband, which is necessary to bring the University into compliance with Title VI."

STEFANIK ACCUSES COLUMBIA PRESIDENT OF 'PRO-TERRORIST' PROFESSOR 'COVER-UP,' WARNS OF POTENTIAL FELONY

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Anti-Israel encampment at Columbia University on April 28, 2024.

"Those who violate the law cannot dictate the terms of the Universitys ability to comply with that law. It is past time for the University to act decisively, disband the encampment, and ensure the safety and security of all of its students," the letter says. "The time for negotiation is over; the time for action is now. It is ultimately the responsibility of the Board of Trustees to act. If any Trustees are unwilling to do this, they should resign so that they can be replaced by individuals who will uphold the Universitys legal obligations under Title VI."

All members of the House Republican delegation from New York, led by House GOP Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, had already demanded Columbia University President Minouche Shafik's resignation after antisemitic protests continued on campus in the days following her testimony before the House Education and the Workforce Committee. Shafik, on the day after her testimony, allowed police onto campus to arrest more than 100 demonstrators, but later that weekend, the encampment boldly reorganized and remained as Shafik opted to keep police away, outside the university gates.

READ THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS' LETTER - APP USERS, CLICK HERE:

Shafik "lied to Congress multiple times about radical pro-terror professor Mohamed Abdou's employment status," Stefanik said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. "Despite her testimony otherwise, Abdou has been rallying at Columbia's antisemitic encampment promoting Jewish hate. This directly contradicts Shafik's testimony which is yet another reason why Shafik must immediately resign."

Monday's letter from Democrats assesses that over the past week, the Columbia encampment "has been the breeding ground for antisemitic attacks on Jewish students, including hate speech, harassment, intimidation, and even threats of violence," citing how a student held up a sign pointing to pro-Israel students that said "Al-Qa[ss]ams next targets," "referring to the military arm of Hamas, the foreign terrorist organization responsible for the atrocities of October 7, and for holding hostage innocent civilians  including Americans  in brutal captivity for nearly seven months."

Anti-Israel demonstrators continue to organize a protest encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 26, 2024, in New York City.

ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS: SIGNS OF 'FOREIGN ASSISTANCE' EMERGE IN COLUMBIA, NYU UNREST

The House Democrats also called out how one of the protest leaders previously declared, "Zionists  they are Nazis. Theyre Nazis. Theyre fascists. Theyre supporters of genocide. Why would we want people who are supporters of genocide to live?" and students routinely chanted "from the river to the sea," a cry "to eliminate Israel and all Jews within its borders."

In response, the Democrats noted the White House stated, "While every American has the right to peaceful protest, calls for violence and physical intimidation targeting Jewish students and the Jewish community are blatantly antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous  they have absolutely no place on any college campus, or anywhere in the United States of America."

In a new letter Monday morning, Shafik said a small group of academic leaders that had been engaging in a dialogue with student organizers "to find a path that would result in the dismantling of the encampment" have not been able to reach an agreement, lamenting the "tragedy" of Jewish students leaving campus amid the "intolerable" atmosphere.

"While the University will not divest from Israel, the University offered to develop an expedited timeline for review of new proposals from the students by the Advisory Committee for Socially Responsible Investing, the body that considers divestment matters," Shafik said, referencing the protesters demands. "The University also offered to publish a process for students to access a list of Columbias direct investment holdings, and to increase the frequency of updates to that list of holdings."

Anti-Israel encampment at Columbia University on April 28, 2024.

She said the university "also offered to make investments in health and education in Gaza, including supporting early childhood development and support for displaced scholars."

Without referencing the possibility of further police action, Shafik again said the university urges those in the encampment "to voluntarily disperse" and is "consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible."

In a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital, Stefanik again torched Shafik for not making a "single condemnation of the vile antisemitism that is rampant in the illegal encampment" and said "there is not a single mention of protecting Jewish students from raging antisemitism at Columbia."

"As these so-called elite universities fail on the global stage, it is more important than ever that Congress hold them accountable," Stefanik said.





Original article source: House Democrats tell Columbia University admin, 'time for negotiation is over'
House Democrats once again find themselves divided over how to confront antisemitism on college campuses as anti-Israel protests continue at top universities across the country.

In a memo sent to lawmakers, the House Democratic leadership highlighted a key senior Democrat's opposition to the Antisemitism Awareness Act  which is expected to get a vote this week. The bill would force the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when enforcing anti-discrimination rules.

It puts Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., a Jewish progressive who is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, at odds with the 13 House Democrats who are co-sponsoring the bill, which includes Reps. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y.; Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.; Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.; and Pat Ryan, D-N.Y.

Nadler was named because his committee holds jurisdiction over the bill.

VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS

House Democratic leaders noted to members that Rep. Jerry Nadler, right, is opposed to a measure addressing the federal enforcement definition of antisemitism, but it is supported by over a dozen Democrats, including Rep. Josh Gottheimer.

House Minority Whip Katherine Clark's office clarified to Fox News Digital that Democratic leaders are not urging the caucus to vote against the measure, but Nadler's opposition will likely provide cover to a significant number of left-wing lawmakers who are also uneasy about the bill.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who introduced the bill, told Fox News Digital, "Jerry Nadler had no problem supporting a very similar bill in 2018. It is unfortunate that he is letting politics get in the way of doing the right thing by cowering to the far-left."

Multiple votes having to do with antisemitism on college campuses have already splintered Democrats.

A resolution to condemn antisemitism on college campuses, as well as calling for the presidents of Harvard and MIT to step down, split the Democratic Party in December. The measure narrowly passed, with 84 Democrats voting for it and 125 against.

In November, a bill to condemn support for Hamas and Hezbollah on college campuses overwhelmingly passed with just 22 Democrats and one Republican voting against it.

HOCHUL SILENT AS PRESSURE GROWS FOR NATIONAL GUARD TO BREAK UP COLUMBIA'S ANTI-ISRAEL THRONG

A pro-Gaza ceasefire tent encampment at Columbia University on April 28, 2024.

The new Democratic leadership notice highlighted two specific IHRA-provided definitions of antisemitism  "[d]enying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor," and "[d]rawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis."

The notice was first reported by Axios.

IHRA's critics  which include progressives and pro-Palestinian groups  have accused the organization of conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

Fox News Digital reached out to Nadler's office to ask why he was against the bill.

Nadler was one of three Democrats who released a forceful joint statement last week calling out "dangerous antisemitic rhetoric, attacks and intimidation on Columbia Universitys campus."

'DEATH TO AMERICA' RAPIDLY EMERGING AS KEY SLOGAN OF ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS IN US

Democratic Whip Rep. Katherine Clark's office clarified to Fox News Digital that House Democrat leaders are not urging lawmakers to vote against the bill.

The Manhattan Ivy League school is one of several where students have staged tent encampments, with many protesting universities' financial ties to companies linked to Israel.

Other Democrats, like members of the progressive "Squad," heaped praise on those demonstrations last week. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., posted photos of herself on Instagram with students camping on the University of Michigan campus.

"Their bravery and courage to stand up for what they believe is right is inspiring," Tlaib wrote.

Meanwhile, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., visited the Columbia encampment last week, from which her daughter and over a hundred other protesters were arrested earlier this month.





Original article source: House Dems divided over planned vote on college antisemitism bill
While its expected to pass, the resolution will likely expose a bitter divide between moderate and progressive Democrats.

A protester is detained by police during a pro-Palestinian demonstration on the campus of Emory in Atlanta on April 25. (Mike Stewart/AP)

The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote this week on a bipartisan bill aimed at cracking down on antisemitism on college campuses amid a wave of pro-Palestinian protests. While its expected to pass, the resolution will likely expose the split between moderate and progressive Democrats over the war in Gaza.

 Whats in it?

The Antisemitism Awareness Act would require the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism when determining if an act of discrimination against students violates federal statutes.

According to the organization, examples that fit the definition of antisemitism include:

Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination.



Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.



And drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.

 Who supports it?

A view of the U.S. Capitol dome. (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

The resolution, H.R. 6090, was introduced by Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican from New York, weeks after the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas militants. It was co-sponsored by 33 Republicans and 14 Democrats, including Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Jared Moskowitz of Florida and Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas.

 Who doesnt?

Progressive Democrats led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, who visited the controversial pro-Palestinian encampment at Columbia University on Friday. Rep. Jerry Nadler, a progressive Jewish Democrat and ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to his Democratic colleagues over the weekend saying he "opposes this bill as written."

The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to Congress pointing out that federal law already prohibits antisemitic discrimination and harassment, and that the passage of this resolution would likely chill free speech of students on college campuses by incorrectly equating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism.

 The backdrop

Demonstrators against the war in Gaza rally in support of Palestinians on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin on April 25. (AFP via Getty Images)

The expected vote comes amid an explosion of protests and arrests on college campuses across the country over the war in Gaza. More than 100 students were arrested at Columbia University on April 18, a day after administrators appeared before Congress and promised a crackdown.

Similar protests at more than a dozen schools, including NYU, Yale, USC, UCLA and the University of Texas at Austin, have led to hundreds of arrests.

On Monday, 21 House Democrats wrote a letter to Columbias Board of Trustees expressing "disappointment that, despite promises to do so, Columbia University has not yet disbanded the unauthorized and impermissible encampment of anti-Israel, anti-Jewish activists on campus."

Whats next?

The House Rules Committee is scheduled to take up a number of bills, including this one, when it meets on Monday afternoon. A full floor vote is expected sometime this week.
A black military horse who was seriously injured after charging through central London is expected to make a full recovery, the British Army has said.

Quaker, who was one of five Household Cavalry horses who bolted during an exercise on Wednesday, is recovering after surgery.

Vida, a grey who was covered in blood, remains under veterinary observation as his wounds heal, the army has added.

Of the four soldiers injured in the incident, two are still in hospital but will make a full recovery.

Two horses underwent surgery

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, the British Army said: Of the soldiers injured, two are still undergoing treatment in hospital but will make a full recovery. The remainder have returned to work. (2/5)

Two horses underwent surgery. One, Quaker, a Cavalry black, has shown significant improvement and progresses towards what is expected to be a full recovery.

The other horse, Vida, a grey, continues to make progress. He remains under close and careful professional veterinary observation as his wounds heal.

We are so thankful for everyones concern and expressions of support, and for all those involved in their care.

Healing takes time - please be patient as we support that process. The soldiers and horses are all receiving the very best of care.

During preparations for rehearsals for the Kings birthday parade in June, the horses were spooked by builders moving concrete and threw their riders, Lifeguards and Blues and Royals servicemen, while they were leaving Hyde Park Barracks.

The animals charged through the streets, smashing into a double-decker tour bus and a Mercedes-Benz people carrier.

They bolted into Wilton Crescent and then into Belgrave Square, leaving hoof marks in the tarmac, before entering Buckingham Palace Road.

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In the end, Humza Yousaf surprised us all. This time last week, no one could have predicted he had only a week of his tenure as First Minister left. Even fewer could have guessed that his decision to end his partys parliamentary agreement with the Scottish Greens would be the spark that led to the shortest term in Bute House since Labours Henry McLeish.

In some ways this is less about Yousaf than it is about Nicola Sturgeon. She surprised everyone by announcing her resignation in February 2023, stepping down two months later after Yousaf had been (narrowly) elected as her successor. He fashioned himself as the continuity candidate because it was unthinkable that his party would opt for any kind of major break with the recent past. The vast majority of SNP members wanted Sturgeon to go on as party leader; if they couldnt have that, they would insist on an alternative who at least had her imprimatur.

But what would Nicola do? was a philosophy that took Yousaf only so far. He lacked the political and communication skills of his predecessor, and even though their respective records on actual policy delivery were virtually identical  in both cases the cupboard was bare  the narrative that set in from the earliest days of his tenure was that Yousaf simply wasnt fit to tie Sturgeons bootlaces.

Had his unilateral decision to end the Bute House Agreement been his first major mistake, its unlikely that he would be scanning the Situations Vacant column in the newspaper today. But he has failed to impress even his own party in the year he has done the job of First Minister. No one seriously believed that he was going to emerge as a Moses-like figure to lead his people to the promised land of independence. Neither was Sturgeon, although many believed she was, right up until the end, and thats the difference.

Nationalism has reached an existential crunch point, and Humza Yousaf has helped it arrive there while offering no particular solution to its problems. He has presided over his partys first opinion poll deficit since 2014 and faced the prospect of leading his party into a devastating general election victory later this year, with Scottish Labour looking well on the way in reasserting its dominance of the Scottish political scene. He had no new answers on how to improve the SNPs reputation for good governance (governing well looks to have been ruled out fairly early on) or to achieve independence itself.

And those problems await any successor who might emerge in the next few days and weeks. Sturgeons greatest  or at least, most significant  legacy was the Supreme Court ruling that Holyrood could not initiate a second independence referendum without the authority of Westminster. No successor to Yousaf can get around that, and will face exactly the same discontent and impatience from the Yes movement unless they can come up with a radically different solution as to how to subvert and overturn the democratic will of Scottish voters as expressed in the 2014 referendum.

Perhaps a small, corrective to the record might be inserted here: it is widely acknowledged that Yousaf, although out of his depth and flailing for much of his time at Bute House, is nevertheless a charming and likeable chap. At least some Labour veterans who knew him of old would disagree with this assessment, describing him, before his party spin doctors and image specialists got hold of him, as one of the most partisan and ruthlessly nasty nationalist activists they ever came across.

It matters little now. Scottish politics was always that little bit nastier, a little more spiteful, than politics across the UK as a whole. And politics in Glasgow, where both Sturgeon and Yousaf cut their political teeth, was the worst of the lot.

This pair of nationalists have consecutively bequeathed to their party and their country the toxic legacy of a dead end strategy on independence, a legislative agenda that includes self-ID for trans people (including children) and a Hate Crimes Act that has generated more hatred towards it than ever existed in Scotland before, and a wider record of delivery on key services that is among the worst in the developed world.

Welcome to Scotland in 2024. Will the next candidate who wants to go down to defeat and disaster please step up?

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WAYLAND, Mich. (WOOD)  The Wayland community is rallying around its fire chief as he remains in the hospital after a cardiac emergency.

Many in the community continue to send thoughts and prayers to their fire chief, Jim Stoddard. Theyre turning out for a man whos turned out for them for decades.

Wayland Fire Department Chief Jim Stoddard. (Courtesy City of Wayland Fire Department)

Stoddard and his family are well known in the close-knit community of Wayland.

I think it goes way back to the family ties to the community and stuff, said Dan Miller, the deputy chief for the Yankee Springs Township Fire Department. The whole family grew up around Wayland and stuck there.

Stoddard has served in the fire department for at least two decades. Hes been Waylands fire chief for about three years now, Miller said. As a firefighter, he was someone crews could always rely on.

He was real good as an interior person, Miller said. We could count on him as being a leader.

Wayland fire chief hospitalized after cardiac emergency

Before his role with the Yankee Springs Township Fire Department, Miller served as the Wayland Police Chief for 2.5 decades until 2012. He has known Stoddard for decades and grew up with his parents. He now works under Stoddard as the Yankee Springs Township Fire Department, which merged with Wayland back in 2016.

Miller said he and Stoddard share a passion for antique automobiles and trucks and talk about them often. They chat every other day about fire department business.

Millers niece is Stoddards girlfriend. Miller said on Friday night, Stoddard and his girlfriend were driving to a wedding in Ottawa County when he suddenly had a cardiac emergency.

Stoddards girlfriend was able to stop the car and performed CPR on him, Miller said.

Stoddard was taken to Zeeland Hospital before Aero Med flew him to Butterworth Hospital. Miller said Stoddard has been there ever since.

We met Friday night once we found out about it, Miller said. Its gotta be really rough for his family too.

The fire department posted on Facebook Sunday afternoon that Chief Stoddard has always selflessly cared for the community and now needs the communitys prayers in return. Hundreds of people across West Michigan showed their support and gave their best wishes and prayers.

We understand that our community is incredibly generous and supportive, so the question: what can do we do to help? will inevitably arise, the fire department wrote. At this time, we request all to uplift Chief Stoddard, his family and his medical team in your prayers.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Dubai authorities will allocate 128 billion dirhams ($34.8 billion) to build a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport in the southern part of the city, said the Emir of Dubai, Prime Minister of the UAE Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Trend reports.

"Today we approved the design of a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport. We ordered the construction of a passenger terminal as part of the strategy developed by the Dubai Aviation Corporation," the Prime Minister said.

He noted that Al Maktoum Airport will be five times larger than the current Dubai International Airport.
Hunter Biden plans to level a lawsuit against the right-wing network Fox News imminently, according to a letter obtained by multiple outlets on Monday.

The letter, issued by Biden attorney Mark Geragos, warns Fox News Corp. and Fox News Digital that they are preparing to sue over conspiracy and subsequent actions to defame Mr. Biden and paint him in a false light, as well as the unlicensed commercial exploitation of his image, name and likeness, and the unlawful publication of hacked intimate images of him.

The letter specifically mentions The Trial of Hunter Biden, a six-part mock trial imagining what criminal proceedings against Biden might look like if he were charged with acting as a foreign agent and bribery. Bidens legal team is demanding the series be taken down from Foxs streaming services.

Biden has long been the target of harassment by right-wing politicians and public figures, who have attempted to weaponize the presidents sons struggle with addiction, and his own personal legal issues as attacks against President Biden.

Fox News released a statement responding to the threat on Tuesday. Hunter Bidens lawyers have belatedly chosen to publicly attack Fox News constitutionally protected coverage regarding their client, the statement read. Mr. Biden is a public figure who has been the subject of investigations by both the Department of Justice and Congress, has been indicted by two different U.S. Attorneys Offices in California and Delaware, and has admitted to multiple incidents of wrongdoing. Consistent with the First Amendment, Fox News has accurately covered these highly publicized events as well as the subsequent indictment of an FBI informant who was the source of certain claims made about Mr. Biden.

Hunter Bidens finances have been under investigation for nearly five years. Three separate congressional committees are currently investigating him in the hopes of proving allegations of corruption against the president. In December, the House of Representatives voted along party lines to authorize an official impeachment inquiry into President Biden. The inquiry is largely based on unproven allegations that the presidents son aided his father in conducting corrupt business arrangements with foreign entities.

The probe has turned up very little in the way of anything resembling high crimes and misdemeanors, with Republicans themselves admitting that at this point, theres not a specific crime that has been committed by Biden.

The GOPs corruption goose chase received a major blow in February when the Department of Justice charged Alexander Smirnov, a former FBI informant and a key figure in the GOPs conspiracies about the Biden family, with lying to investigators.

The lawmakers targeting Biden have been heavily aided by members of the right-wing media. Fox News has been at the forefront of the charge. A February study by the progressive watchdog group Media Matters found that host Sean Hannity aired 325 segments related to Hunter Biden in 2023. A separate study published earlier this month found that the network as a whole mentioned Hunter Biden at least 13,440 times since Jan. 3, 2023.

The head of the impeachment probe against President Biden, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) appearedon Fox weekday programs at least 137 times since the start of the 118th Congress.

For years, the younger Biden had kept a low profile amid the many investigations, conspiracies, and outright lies leveled against him, often under the advice of lawyers. In a rare interview given in December, Hunter Biden said that  in his view  fading into the background did virtually nothing to stem the tide of conservative ire. Recently, Biden has begun taking a more offensive role in his public defense, suing various individuals, including former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, and the IRS over alleged criminal violations of his privacy.

Hes now reportedly poised to take that fight to Fox News. For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain, Bidens attorney said in a statement to NBC News. The recent indictment of FBI informant Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents and monetized by the Fox enterprise. We plan on holding them accountable.

More from Rolling Stone

Best of Rolling Stone
Lawyers for Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, are calling out Fox News Channel and Fox News Digital for an alleged conspiracy and subsequent actions to defame [Hunter] and paint him in a false light.

The news conglomerates actions in question involve the unlicensed commercial exploitation of [Hunter Bidens] image, name, and likeness, and the unlawful publication of hacked intimate images of him, according to NBC News, which obtained a copy of the April 23 letter sent by Bidens legal team.

More from TVLine

At issue, among other things, is a mock trial of Hunter Biden that Fox Nation (FNCs digital platform) streamed in 2022. In addition to focusing on unproven bribery allegations, Fox Nation published intimate images of Mr. Biden depicting him in the nude as well as engaged in sex acts, CNN reports.

Fox knows that these private and confidential images were hacked, stolen, and/or manipulated digital material, the letter from Bidens lawyers argue; further, they violate the majority of states laws against the nonconsensual disclosure of sexually explicit images and videos, sometimes referred to as revenge porn laws.

Another recurring theme in the letter from Bidens lawyers is Fox News aforementioned bribery narrative, which leaned heavily on the word of Alexander Smirnov, an FBI informant. In February, Smirnov was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly telling federal agents that back in 2017, the Ukrainian industrial conglomerate Burisma Holdings had hired Hunter Biden  to the alleged tune of $5 million  to protect us, through his dad, from all kinds of problems.

Though that indictment found that Smirnovs narrative was full of fabrications, Bidens lawyers write that Fox News at first remained silent. Then, in a brazen show of no remorse Fox double-downed on the debunked bribery allegation and used Smirnovs indictment to claim this is an intimidation tactic aimed at silencing whistleblowers, to blame the FBI for its credulity, and to suggest an even deeper conspiracy, per CNN.

Earlier this year, the White House similarly demanded that Fox News retract its coverage of bribery allegations against Hunter Biden, in the wake of Smirnovs arrest.

In addition to demanding the removal of the sexually explicit images of Hunter Biden, the letter calls on Fox News to inform its readers of Smirnovs indictment and have Fox News hosts including Sean Hannity, Maria Bartiromo and Jesse Watters inform their viewers on air that they have been sharing a debunked allegation from a source who has been federally indicted.

According to NBC News, Hunter Bidens lawyers plan to sue Fox News imminently.

UPDATE: On Tuesday morning, Fox News Media issued a statement that reads, Hunter Bidens lawyers have belatedly chosen to publicly attack Fox News constitutionally protected coverage regarding their client. Mr. Biden is a public figure who has been the subject of investigations by both the Department of Justice and Congress, has been indicted by two different U.S. Attorneys Offices in California and Delaware, and has admitted to multiple incidents of wrongdoing. Consistent with the First Amendment, Fox News has accurately covered these highly publicized events as well as the subsequent indictment of an FBI informant who was the source of certain claims made about Mr. Biden.

Best of TVLine

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Hunter Biden has told Fox News that he plans to sue for defamation, according to a demand letter obtained by The Daily Beast.

According to the letter, a detailed 14-page missive that Bidens counsel sent to Fox Corporation on April 23, the right-wing network has engaged in a years-long conspiracy to defame the presidents son in the name of profit.

The notice demands that Fox Newswhose obsessive coverage has mentioned Hunter Biden more than 13,000 times in the last four months alonetake immediate steps to remedy scads of coverage over the last five years that Bidens attorneys say has falsely maligned him.

GOP Reps Have a Familiar Strategy for Trump Trial: What About Hunter Biden?

They specifically mention hundreds of articles and broadcast segments based on now-debunked bribery allegations from an indicted FBI informant, a fictional mock-trial series, and the promulgation and exploitation of racy images of Biden which, according to the letter, violate laws against revenge porn.

While routinely defaming and disparaging Mr. Biden, FOX has simultaneously sought to profit by the unlawful exploitation of Mr. Bidens image, name, and likeness for commercial purposes and reprehensible dissemination of salacious photographs depicting Mr. Biden, the letter states.

It further warns that FOXs failure to expeditiously comply with the foregoing removal demands will subject FOX to significant liability for its continued and blatant copyright infringement, as well as potential damages for defamation.

Attorneys for Biden told The Daily Beast on Monday that they have not heard from the network since the letter was delivered last week and are prepared to file a lawsuit shortly.

For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain. The recent indictment of FBI informant [Alexander] Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents and monetized by the Fox enterprise, Bidens counsel told The Daily Beast in a statement. We plan on holding them accountable.

Fox News didnt immediately return The Daily Beasts request for comment.

Hunter Biden (center) leaves with his attorney Abbe Lowell (left) for a closed-door deposition on Capitol Hill on February 28, 2024. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)" Samuel Corum/Getty Images

The letter comes as Hunter Bidens lengthy legal and political battles enter new stages. While Justice Department prosecutors move forward with tax evasion and firearms charges, the House GOPs political case for impeachment has fallen apart, the most spectacular implosive force coming with Smirnovs February indictment.

Still, the years of salacious and highly complicated allegations made by various figures against Hunter Bidenmany of them unfounded, misleading, or outright lieshave generated their own micro-economy in right-wing media circles.

That farrago of information and misinformation has become nearly impossible to sort out, but the impeachment and prosecutorial efforts seem all but certain to play a factor as the 2024 presidential campaign ramps up.

The suit could also land one year after Fox News paid $787 million to settle defamation claims from Dominion Voting Systems related to the networks role in promoting false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. The discovery process in that suit revealed reams of damaging internal information that fueled a months-long parade of embarrassing headlines. Fox is still fending off a similar lawsuit from another voting systems firm, Smartmatic.

Trump Alludes to Bombshell Dominion Settlement at Fox News Town Hall

Hunter Biden has previously taken legal action against other parties involved in the promulgation of claims about him, most specifically in connection to what he claims was the theft and unlawful dissemination of material about him ahead of the 2020 election. Those lawsuits have targeted a Delaware computer repairman, a former Trump White House staffer and conspiracy theorist, and Rudy Guiliani.

Bidens legal team has also made its own criminal referrals, including for key witnesses against him, as DOJ prosecutors tighten the screws in court. This month, a federal judge in California rejected Bidens motion to dismiss the tax charges. That blow came one month after a federal judge in Delaware ruled that the governments case on federal firearm law violations can move forward, with trials in both matters possibly coming as early as June.

The new demand letter lays the blame for widespread misinformation about Hunter Biden squarely at Foxs feet. Bidens attorneys paint a portrait of a network eager to pounce on any damaging claim, no matter how tenuous, with star broadcasters breathing life into anything scandalous or salacious while backseating traditional journalistic concerns for the reliability and veracity of those claims.

Bidens counsel highlights three core areas of concern: hundreds of reports promoting since-debunked allegations of bribery; the 2022 mock trial series, entitled The Trial of Hunter Biden; and the unauthorized dissemination and exploitation of Bidens image.

Since May 2023, the letter states, Fox pushed Smirnovs bribery allegations as part of its politically-motivated attacks against the President and his family.

But those allegationswhich also underpinned much of the House GOPs rapidly collapsing impeachment inquiryunraveled two months ago, following Smirnovs arrest on charges that included lying to the FBI in a recorded interview about that specific scheme.

However, as Bidens lawyers point out, the Justice Department had issued a warning about those claims soon after Republican officials first released Smirnovs interview last May, cautioning that the existence of the interview does not have any bearing on the veracity of the claims.

Despite that fact, the letter points out, Fox News repeatedly reported that the source of the bribery allegation was highly credible. While the highly credible description was seemingly not Fox News own claim, the network attributed the endorsement to an anonymous source on deep background, then pointed back to it in subsequent coverage.

Bidens lawyers reference prior research from the Democratic-aligned shop Media Matters that revealed a staggering breadth of coverage given to Smirnovs allegations, most specifically from two network stars, Maria Bartiromo and Sean Hannity.

Judge Shuts Down Request to Toss Hunter Biden Gun Case

On Bartiromos showsMornings with Maria on Fox Business, and Fox News Sunday Morning FuturesSmirnovs discredited claims were invoked at least 219 times last year, with Bartiromo personally highlighting Smirnovs allegations at least 126 times and treating them as credible.

Hannitys nightly program aired 325 segments about Hunter Biden in 2023, the letter notes, with eighty-five of themincluding 28 Hannity monologuesmentioning the allegation that Joe and Hunter Biden had received $5 million bribes, a Smirnov claim that Hunter Bidens own prosecutor now says was false.

Further, Bidens lawyers state that Fox News didnt make immediate efforts to correct or reframe its reporting after Smirnovs arrest in February, or even cover it in earnest. FOXs silence on this issue did not go unnoticed, the letter says.

Instead, the attorneys say, the network displayed a brazen show of no remorse. The letter cites New York Times reporting that Fox doubled down on the false claim, casting Smirnovs arrest as an intimidation tactic designed to quell other potential whistleblowers and implying that the indictment belied an even deeper conspiracy.

We hereby demand that FOX take immediate steps to update its readers and viewers that the source of these allegations has been federally indicted for fabricating the allegations, Bidens lawyers state. Those steps would include updates with editorial notes for all online articles mentioning the bribery allegations, and instructing all hostsincluding Hannity and Bartiromoto inform audiences on-air that they have been sharing a debunked allegation from a source who has been federally indicted.

Bidens lawyers also cite claims from Lev Parnas, the former Rudy Giuliani associate who since his arrest and subsequent convictions on campaign finance and fraud charges has come forward to share his knowledge of the machinations that drove the Hunter Biden narrative.

In a televised congressional interview last month, Parnas described how he and Giuliani had endeavored to work the refs at Fox News, with the network using their narrative to manipulate the public ahead of the 2020 and now the 2024 election.

The letter then turns to The Trial of Hunter Biden, a six-part mock trial miniseries that Fox first released in October 2022. Bidens lawyers argue that the miniserieswhich contemplates theoretical bribery and foreign agent charges that have never been broughtis fictionalized and bereft of news value, thereby unlawfully exploiting Bidens image for the purpose of trade and advertising.

While using certain true information, the series intentionally manipulates the facts, distorts the truth, narrates happenings out of context, and invents dialogue intended to entertain, the letter states. For evidence, Bidens lawyers point to mock testimony from figures that the miniseries cast as potential central witnesses, but which ultimately promoted all-pervasive distortions, inaccuracies, invented dialogue, and the narration of happenings out of context.

Thus, the viewer of the series cannot decipher what is fact and what is fiction, which is highly damaging to Mr. Biden, the letter states. The lawyers cite prior New York case law where accounts revolving around a true occurrence were so riddled with fictitious or dramatized elements that they forfeited their newsworthiness exemption.

Judge Denies Bail to Ex-FBI Informant Accused of Lying About Biden Family

Lastly, the letter alleges that Fox may have violated copyright laws by using Bidens name, image, and likeness without authorization, with some of those instances potentially tripping statutes against revenge porn. These claims also center in part on the mock trial, which published intimate photos of Hunter Biden as part of the evidence presented in the case.

FOX knows that these private and confidential images were hacked, stolen, and/or manipulated digital material which were intended to remain private and confidential and which were unlawfully procured and published without Mr. Bidens consent, the letter says, noting that when some of these images first appeared on Twitter ahead of the 2020 election, the social platform quickly removed them as violative of its revenge porn policies and other terms of service.

The letter demands that Fox preserve a number of records in anticipation of a lawsuit, including documents and communications related to star hosts like Hannity, Bartiromo, Jesse Watters, Jeanine Pirro, Miranda Devine, and Laura Ingraham, dating to January 2019.

The letter also asks the network to preserve records related to the early stages of the Hunter Biden narrative, including strategy meetings involving Giuliani and Parnas efforts to promote allegations, Skype interviews between Ukrainian officials and a Congressman Devin Nunes senior staff member, a planned interview of former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin by Sean Hannity in Vienna, Austria, last year, and an alleged Oct. 2019 meeting in a Fox News conference room featuring Parnas, Giuliani, right-wing journalist John Solomon, and two Republican lawyers tied to Giulianis Ukraine efforts.

The retention demands also extend to communications and documents involving a wide cast of characters, from computer repairman John Paul Mac Isaac to indicted Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui, Trump-whisperer Steve Bannon, former Trump campaign communications chief Tim Murtaugh, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), and even former Attorney General William Barr.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove a potential timeline for the lawsuit.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Attorneys representing President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden are threatening to sue Fox News for violating "revenge porn" laws and publishing since-discredited bribery allegations as part of a scheme to "paint him in a false light," according to a letter obtained by ABC News.

The letter, which Hunter Biden's counsel transmitted to attorneys at Fox News last week, includes a request for the conservative news outlet to "preserve all documents potentially relevant to the allegations in this letter" -- a common precursor to litigation.

"We anticipate that litigation against FOX ... is imminent," the letter says.

MORE: Hunter Biden sues Rudy Giuliani in latest 'laptop' salvo

To pen the letter to Fox, Hunter Biden enlisted the law firm Geragos & Geragos, whose principal, Mark Geragos, has represented A-listers like Michael Jackson, singer Chris Brown, and actress Winona Ryder.

Geragos also has experience representing family members of presidents: He negotiated a plea deal in 2001 for Roger Clinton Jr., the brother of former President Bill Clinton, for driving under the influence.

After years of quietly weathering a federal criminal investigation and deluge of negative press, Hunter Biden embarked on an aggressive legal counteroffensive last year against several individuals who played some role in obtaining and disseminating the contents of a laptop purportedly belonging to him.

Among those are John Paul Mac Isaac, the computer repairman who initially obtained the laptop; Rudy Giuliani, who denied Hunter Biden's claim that he manipulated and disseminated data from the laptop; and Garrett Ziegler, a onetime Trump White House aide who published the contents of the laptop -- including several graphic images -- to the internet.

PHOTO: Hunter Biden following a closed-door deposition before the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and House Judiciary Committee in the O'Neill House Office Building on February 28, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

According to accounts given by Mac Isaac and his attorney, on April 12, 2019, Hunter Biden arrived at Mac Isaac's computer repair shop with three damaged devices and asked if the data could be recovered. Days later, Mac Isaac said, he asked Hunter Biden to return to the shop to retrieve the devices and pay an $85 service fee. Mac Isaac has said he never heard back from Hunter Biden, and the invoice was never paid.

After 90 days, according to Mac Isaac and his attorney, the abandoned laptop became Mac Isaac's property, pursuant to the work order agreement Hunter Biden allegedly signed when he first visited Mac Isaac's shop.

Mac Isaac subsequently turned the laptop and external hard drive over to the FBI in December 2019, and later sought to share information from the devices with then-President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, who made the contents of the devices available to other Trump allies and some news outlets in the weeks prior to the 2020 presidential election.

In a statement to ABC News, Hunter Biden's legal team said, "For the last five years, Fox News has relentlessly attacked Hunter Biden and made him a caricature in order to boost ratings and for its financial gain. The recent indictment of FBI informant Smirnov has exposed the conspiracy of disinformation that has been fueled by Fox, enabled by their paid agents and monetized by the Fox enterprise. We plan on holding them accountable."

Attorneys for Hunter Biden demanded that Fox News "expeditiously remove and disable access" to the images. They sent the letter on April 23 and requested that Fox's legal team "have taken steps outlined in this letter" by Friday, April 26.

A Fox News spokesperson said in a statement, "Hunter Biden's lawyers have belatedly chosen to publicly attack Fox News' constitutionally protected coverage regarding their client. Mr. Biden is a public figure who has been the subject of investigations by both the Department of Justice and Congress, has been indicted by two different US Attorney's Offices in California and Delaware, and has admitted to multiple incidents of wrongdoing. Consistent with the First Amendment, Fox News has accurately covered these highly publicized events as well as the subsequent indictment of an FBI informant who was the source of certain claims made about Mr. Biden."

If Hunter Biden moves forward with a lawsuit against Fox News, it would constitute his first action against a major media firm.

In their letter to Fox News, attorneys for Hunter Biden cited statistics that they say demonstrate how ubiquitous the outlet's coverage of the president's son had become in recent years.

Some of Fox News' star anchors, including Maria Bartiromo and Sean Hannity, ran hundreds of segments about a now-discredited claim that Joe and Hunter Biden accepted millions of dollars in bribes from a Ukrainian oligarch, according to statistics gathered by media watchdog Media Matters.

Alexander Smirnov, the source of the allegation, has since pleaded not guilty to charges that he fabricated the story to harm the president politically.

MORE: FBI source charged for allegedly providing false info on Bidens, which was cited by Republicans

But according their letter, attorneys for Hunter Biden charge that "rather than walk back the story and correct the record, FOX double-downed on the debunked bribery allegation and used Smirnov's indictment to suggest an even deeper conspiracy."

Attorneys for Hunter Biden also demanded that Fox News remove a miniseries called "The Trial of Hunter Biden" from its streaming services.

The miniseries, described by Fox Nation as a mock trial that seeks to show "how a possible Hunter Biden trial might look," includes several sexually graphic images of Hunter Biden, which are reproduced in the letter.

The miniseries "unlawfully published and continues to publish intimate images of Mr. Biden depicting him in the nude as well as engaged in sex acts in violation of the majority of states' laws against the nonconsensual disclosure of sexually explicit images and videos, sometimes referred to as 'revenge porn' laws," Hunter Biden's attorneys wrote.

The images cited in the letter date back to a time when Hunter Biden was in the throes of drug and alcohol addiction. In his 2021 memoir, "Beautiful Things," Hunter Biden described frequent drug-infused binges that often involved sexual interactions with women.

When special counsel David Weiss brought tax-related charges against Biden last year, his indictment included an accounting of how Hunter Biden spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on women instead of paying his taxes. Hunter Biden has pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Hunter Biden threatens to sue Fox News for airing 'revenge porn' originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Who could possibly have imagined that the Irish public would turn out to be no more keen on illegal migration than people in Britain? This is, after all, the country of Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who still travels the world lecturing us all about how the rich world is oppressing the poor and weak through climate change.

The lectures dont end there. Ireland has prided itself on standing up for the Palestinians, to the point it tried to persuade the EU to issue a statement demanding that Israel refrain from any kind of military response to the October 7 terrorist attack. And just last month, its High Court ruled in March that it would be illegal under Irelands constitution to designate Britain as a safe third country for refugees on account of the evil Rwanda policy.

Ireland was supposed to be the shining human rights citadel on the hill, rising above nasty, racist and xenophobic Brexit Britain  or so the countrys liberal elite loved telling the world.

And yet. The Irish public is suddenly marching the streets waving banners with slogans such as Ireland is Full, Ireland for the Irish and Irish Lives Matter  the latter of which could well earn you a trip to court if transposed to English Lives Matter in an English street.

Whats more, its not just the Irish public bleating about migration. Suddenly, the government is fed up with migrants spilling over the border from Northern Ireland into the republic. It wants to change the law so that migrants can be returned to the United Kingdom whence they came  the United Kingdom which a few weeks ago was deemed to be unsafe.

Isnt that what welcoming Ireland is supposed to be doing: offering sanctuary to anyone who fears for their safety in a brutal country like Britain? Yet it seems that Dublins enthusiasm has begun to pale a little now the numbers are rising. Rather than an exceptional paragon of woke virtue, it is, in other words, just like Britain  and indeed every other country.

If you needed further proof, just look at Germany. Nine years ago Angela Merkel was chirping her countrys moral virtue through her willkommenskultur policy  which said to refugees: if you can make your way to Germany, dont worry, we will put you up, feed you and clothe you. What is Germany doing now? Er, considering deporting asylum-seekers to Rwanda.

No western country can sustain a policy of complete openness to migrants for long. There are just too many people in the world whose living standards could theoretically be raised by migrating to the West. Any Western country which opened its doors wide to migrants would quickly have its public services, housing stock and welfare system overwhelmed, making everyone poorer. The fact that Ireland is suddenly moaning about migrants spilling over the border from the United Kingdom just goes to show that virtue signalling only goes so far.

It also suggests that the Rwanda scheme is beginning to work. It might be expensive, and few migrants may ever be deported there, but that misses the point: the scheme is a powerful deterrent which tells economic migrants that if they are thinking of posing as refugees to come to Britain, dont bother. We will protect you if you are in danger  but your safe berth will be in Rwanda, not here.

Perhaps goody-goody Ireland will soon start threatening to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda, too.

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Idaho Gives starts today. Heres how to support more than 650 organizations.

Idaho Gives is a annual program put on by the Idaho Nonprofit Center to raise money for hundreds of Idaho nonprofit organizations. This year's event runs through May 4. (Courtesy of Idaho Gives)

Today marks the start of Idaho Gives, Idahos largest online fundraising event for nonprofit organizations.

The event will raise funds for over 650 nonprofits across Idaho focusing on different areas, ranging from animal rescue, education, housing, arts and more. Idaho Gives will last from April 29 to May 2.

Last year, the event raised $3.8 million from nearly 13,000 donors, Kevin Bailey, CEO of the Idaho Nonprofit Center that organizes Idaho Gives, told the Idaho Capital Sun in an interview. The event, in its 12th year, has raised nearly $24 million in previous years.

Bailey hopes Idaho Gives can reach $4 million donations this year.

Nonprofits are at the heart of every major thing that our cities and towns and rural areas are involved with, Bailey said.

Many nonprofits say they need more funds to meet a higher demand on a range of services, Bailey said, like addressing wait lists for child care and housing, or even filling up seats in arts facilities, as demand grows amid Idahos population growth.

When you walk down the main street of nearly any Idaho city, Bailey says youll walk by a theater hosting art performances, a housing nonprofit, a homeless shelter or see trails maintained by nonprofits.

Its really on the backs of nonprofits to solve our states toughest challenges, Bailey said. Not that it should be necessarily. But theres a lot of pressure and burden and opportunity, frankly, on the backs of nonprofits to kind of create communities where everyone can thrive where people have access to food, to housing, to culture and arts opportunities, Bailey said.

How to give to Idaho nonprofits during Idaho Gives

Information about all of the nonprofits participating in Idaho Gives this year are available on the Idaho Gives website, idahogives.org. Nonprofit organizations are searchable based on their location and based on the cause they are involved with.

A variety of nonprofit organizations from around Idaho participate in Idaho Gives to support causes such as poverty and homelessness, health and wellness, the environment, arts and culture, education, disaster relief, substance abuse prevention, immigrant services and more.

Some organizations can leverage Idaho Gives donations for other fund sources.

That includes a housing nonprofit NeighborWorks Pocatello, which Bailey said can leverage funds to match federal grants or foundation funds. A donor to the Boise Bicycle Project has also promised a $50,000 matching donation.

The average Idaho Gives donation last year was $168, said Kim Ellsworth, marketing and communications director for the Idaho Nonprofit Center.

Donations to Basque Museum in Boise to fund Ellis Island immigration exhibit

One organization that is participating in Idaho Gives this year is the Boises Basque Museum & Cultural Center, located on Basque Block on Grove Street in downtown Boise. Boises history of Basque immigration history ties back to the late 1800s, when Basque immigrants came to the area to work as sheepherders.

Idaho Gives donations for the museum would go toward developing a Basque immigration exhibit in the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, said Annie Gavica, executive director of the Basque Museum & Cultural Center. That New York immigration station is how many Basque immigrants came to the U.S. in the late 1800s and early 1900s, she said.

Idaho Gives donations for the Basque Museum & Cultural Center would go toward developing a Basque immigration exhibit in the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. (Courtesy of the Basque Museum & Cultural Center)

The exhibit would likely have a feature on the Basque Block in Boise, and Boises basque community and museum, Gavica said.

But the hope is that it tells kind of the overarching Basque immigration story because theres Basques beyond just Idaho, she said. Theres Basques in Washington and California and Nevada and Oregon.  Itll tell kind of a larger story through oral histories of Basque immigrants and their families. But then tell very specific stories about things like the Basque museum or the Boise Baskin community.

The Boise Basque Museum previously organized an exhibit on Ellis Island in 2010, Gavica said.

But for the Basque Museum in Boise, Idaho Gives is more about raising awareness of Basque culture than raising funds, Gavica said. The nonprofit just wrapped up a major fundraising event, she said.

Few Idaho Gives donors to the Basque Museum were already among the almost 1,000 museum members, Gavica said.

Sometimes, when the nonprofit thanks the new Idaho Gives donors, some have become members, she said.

Its an opportunity for us to reach an audience that we dont typically reach, and receive donations that we dont typically get from them, she said.

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The post Idaho Gives starts today. Heres how to support more than 650 organizations. appeared first on Idaho Capital Sun.
A 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of several felonies, including rape, after the alleged sexual assault of a 19-year-old woman in Caldwell.

Marcus Jackson was arrested Sunday on suspicion of rape, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a news release from the Caldwell Police Department. Officers responded to a report of a disturbance near the intersection of Laster Lane and Cleveland Boulevard, where the victim said Jackson sexually assaulted and attempted to strangle her, the news release said.

He was arrested at his home without incident and was booked into the Canyon County Jail, according to police and online jail records.

Mr. Jackson has no place in our community. His actions underscore the definition of pure evil and we will not allow him to continue preying on innocent people any longer, Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram said in the release. My heart hurts for the survivor of this horrific attack and I commend her for being brave.

Jackson was previously charged with seven felonies in December 2020, including domestic violence with a traumatic injury, attempted strangulation and two counts of aggravated assault, online court records showed. He pleaded guilty to two of the felonies and was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 2 years.

Its unclear when he was released from prison, though online prison records show hes on parole until 2030.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)  As pro-Palestinian protests take place on the University of Illinois campus, Jewish leaders are assuring that resources for support are available to people who need them.

The Illini Chabads Student Board posted on Facebook that they are rendering unwavering support for Jews on campus and upholding security for not just them, but non-Jews as well.

SJP UIUC shares statement on protest negotiations, lists demands

The student boards full statement can be read below:

In the face of the challenging times on our campus and across the country, we, the student board members of Illini Chabad at the University of Illinois, would like to render our unwavering support for all of our fellow Jewish brothers and sisters. We stand firmly behind Israels right to exist and hope for a peaceful solution. As tensions remain high, the board and our fellow students remain steadfast in our commitment to upholding the safety and security of Jews and non-Jews alike who call the University of Illinois home. We would like to thank Rabbi Dovid and Goldie Tiechtel along with the rest of the Illini Chabad team, the UIPD, Campus Administration, Illini Hillel, as well as those who are helping us maintain a campus where we can be unequivocally safe and feel proud to be Jewish. You are not alone! Chabad is here for you around the clock, seven days a week. Together, we will get through this. Illini Chabad Student Board

Rabbi Tiechtel also issued a brief statement on Facebook in response to Saturdays protest on the Quad, saying the university is on this, working to keep our campus a safe place and no interference to students studies. Goldie and I are here for you 24/7, come by Illini Chabad at any hour.

WCIA 3 coverage of Sundays pro-Palestine protests at U of I

Meanwhile, Illini Hillels Executive Director, Erez Cohen, released a statement Sunday night that said university administration has discouraged counter-protests in an effort to deescalate the ongoing situation. He also said that both administrators and police have assured Hillel that they are prioritizing student safety, and have even added additional patrols in the area.

Cohen added that Hillel is currently looking to add their own additional security through the Jewish United Fund.

We are grateful for the overflow of support that we have received in recent days, he said. The kind words, care packages and financial support are all greatly appreciated and being put to good use in these challenging times.

All Hillel activities and events will still go on as planned, Cohen said. Any questions can be shared via email at erez@illinihillel.org or by calling 217-344-1328.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Illinois legislators have advanced two measures pushed by proponents of reform in the states behavioral health system that are intended to expand the insurance coverage available for those seeking care.

The bills, both of which were passed by the House on April 19 and are now before the Senate, aim to combat what supporters say are inequities in access to support systems for people suffering mental health and substance abuse issues, which have remained at stubbornly high rates following the COVID-19 pandemic.

A bill introduced by state Rep. Lindsey LaPointe, a former social worker who represents a chunk of Chicagos Northwest Side and chairs the Houses Mental Health and Addiction Committee, is designed to encourage more behavioral health providers to enroll in commercial insurance networks and, in turn, reduce costs for some seeking their services.

The bills language was crafted with help from Illinois-based mental health organizations, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago chapter and the nonprofit social service agency Thresholds, which treats severe mental health and substance use disorders.

While the majority of Thresholds clients do not use the types of insurance this bill would regulate, Heather ODonnell, the agencys senior vice president of public policy and advocacy, said that the work still matters, as it can prevent people from reaching a point of crisis.

It takes somebody with a serious mental illness about 10 years, 10 solid years, before theyre able to find the right kind of treatment and support to stabilize their condition, ODonnell said in an interview. Imagine a day when it doesnt take 10 years, it takes a month or two. Thats what we should be focused on. And people who are able to access a provider that can help them see the signs of serious mental illness, thats what we are striving for.

Another bill, introduced by state Rep. Mary Gill of Chicago, would require municipalities across the state to cover couples and family therapies under insurance plans for police officers and firefighters and their spouses.

LaPointes bill aims to assure that mental health or substance use disorder benefits are as favorable as medical or surgical benefits under group health plans and insurance.

According to a report by the nonprofit Research Triangle Institute based on data collected between 2019 and 2021, in-network reimbursement levels nationwide were about 22% lower for behavioral health providers, such as psychiatrists and psychologists, than medical providers such as physician assistants.

As a result, fewer clinicians choose to accept insurance, leaving patients with fewer options for services if they cannot afford to pay out of pocket, LaPointe said.

Basically, theyre like  Im not going to join an insurance network. If people want to come see me, they can just pay out of pocket, LaPointe said.

The RTI report said patients seeking behavioral health care in the U.S. went out of network 3.5 times more often than those seeking medical and surgical care.

LaPointe said state intervention is necessary to correct discriminatory insurance practices and make behavioral health care more widely accessible. Her bill would set a minimum percentage for behavioral health professionals to be reimbursed for care covered by state-regulated commercial insurance plans, which represent about 40% of all commercial insurance plans in Illinois.

Reimbursement rates would need to be at least 141% of the Medicare rate for the mental health or substance use disorder service delivered, under the bill. That figure is comparable to the reimbursement rate for physical health services, LaPointe said.

Were talking about a 40% to 50% increase in reimbursement rates, which is a pretty big incentive for providers to actually join networks, she said.

While the minimum reimbursement rate requirement is the provision that figures to have the most impact, other aspects of the bill would also address other issues that affect accessibility of behavioral health services, LaPointe said.

The bill would require insurance companies to cover work by behavioral health providers who are still in the process of earning their licenses and are in training under direct supervision of a licensed professional. That would quickly expand options for those seeking support covered by their insurance.

After consulting practitioners and insurance companies, LaPointe also added to the bill requirements for coverage of 60-minute therapy sessions and of multiple behavioral health services received on the same day.

This happens a lot  people will go to their provider, and they might have a therapy session, and then also see their psychiatrist for 15 minutes, LaPointe said. And what insurance companies do is they think, Oh, no, were only paying for one of those things  because theres no law saying that they cant.

She said therapists accepting insurance are currently encouraged to cap their sessions at 45 minutes, as networks often require additional documentation for those who try to bill by the hour. They were being driven to give people less, LaPointe said.

While insurance industry lobbyists continue to speak out against the reimbursement floor, they havent taken issue with the other proposed updates in statute.

In an interview, Kathryn Morthland, director of policy and advocacy for the Illinois Life and Health Insurance Council, commended the bills sponsors for taking insurance company concerns into consideration.

But she argued that the mandated minimum reimbursement rate could remove incentives for behavioral health practitioners who are already being paid at a rate higher than that level. Morthland said the rate requirement could create a ceiling, rather than a floor, and that negotiations over that provision will continue as the bill comes before the Senate.

While insurance companies would bear most of the burden of implementing the requirements, LaPointe said the state would need about $11 million for state employee health plans. She said cost shouldnt be a major barrier in the grand scheme of things, but will likely be debated further.

Were just so far behind behavioral health and like, weve been focusing on some other things to keep our heads above water and this is the next natural step, LaPointe said.

The more narrowly tailored bill sponsored by Gill aims to close what some mental health practitioners say is a gap in insurance coverage for first responders in some Illinois municipalities, including the city of Chicago.

Kathleen McShane, who owns and practices at Begin Within Therapy Inc. in Chicago, said many clients with insurance plans through their work as police officers or firefighters lack coverage for couples or family therapy.

We rarely see it as a denied service for other insurance plans, McShane said in an interview. So then to have it be specific to this population especially was concerning.

Behavioral health conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder affect first responders at a rate 10% higher than the general population, according to a report from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Firefighters and police officers also are at a higher risk of suicide compared with the general population.

These issues often affect first responders home lives and spouses, McShane said.

There is more stress due to the nature of their job; there is stress from the burdens of shift work, she said. You do see higher rates of substance abuse. There can be higher rates of domestic violence. Its important to have supports in place when we have these facts.

The bill introduced by Gill, a Democrat representing portions of the Southwest Side and southwest suburbs, would mandate state, county and municipal government insurance plans cover couples and family therapy for police officers and firefighters as well as their spouses or partners. Without coverage, a single appointment can cost upward of $200, a significant barrier to many, McShane said.

The bill passed the House without a no vote, and has support from groups including the Illinois Counseling Association, the Illinois Sheriffs Association and the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois.

Chicago Fire Fighters Union Vice President Erik Steinmetz said he has been pushing for coverage of family and couples therapies for city employees, and that he believes cost is a major reason more first responders dont seek therapy.

This is one of those things where its savings in the long run  if you can get people treatment ahead of time, Steinmetz said in an interview. It saves some people from missing work and having catastrophes happen in their life because of it.
India is trying to modernize its military of 1.5 million people with lessons from Ukraine.

Until recent years, Russia supplied India with many weapons such as tanks and jets.

India is upgrading its artillery and switching to 155mm howitzers, the NATO standard.

As India boosts defense spending amid tensions with China and Pakistan, it is closely studying the Ukraine conflict for clues to the future of warfare and how to thwart its neighbors.

Some lessons that Indian experts have already drawn: India needs lots of artillery, drones and cyberwarfare capabilities.

Comparing Ukraine to India is tricky. Ukraine faces one major enemy  Russia  while India must contend with its old enemy Pakistan to the west, and an increasingly powerful China on its northwest frontier. The Russo-Ukraine war is mostly being fought over an Eastern European landscape of plains and forest, with a moderately good road network suitable for mechanized warfare. India must prepare for combat in a variety of terrain and climate conditions, including desert, jungle and some of the tallest mountains on Earth.

India is also trying to modernize and standardize equipment for its armed forces, which comprise about 1.5 million personnel armed with a potpourri of equipment from several nations, as well as indigenous Indian gear. Until recent years, Russia supplied many weapons such as tanks and jets, but India is increasingly acquiring arms from Western nations, including American howitzers, French jet fighters, and Israeli drones.

The Indian Army's artillery, for example, includes more than 3,000 weapons and multiple rocket launchers, including Russian, American, Swedish and South Korean designs. Indian observers believe Ukraine shows the importance of having plentiful and modern artillery. Artillery has arguably become the decisive combat arm in that war, with Russian firing 10,000 shells per day and advancing , while a munitions shortage has limited Ukraine to around 2,000 shells per day. This deluge of firepower has forced both armies to dig in, and turned the conflict into trench warfare.

"Looking at the demonstration of artillery fire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, two lessons are available to the Indian Army," wrote Amrita Jash, an assistant professor at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education, in a report for the Observer Research Foundation, an Indian think tank. "First, that firepower can be a 'battle-winning factor,' and second, that the time between acquiring the target to shooting has drastically reduced: where it once took five to 10 minutes, it now takes only a minute or two."

Indeed, India already planning to modernize its artillery arsenal, including switching to 155-mm howitzers  the standard NATO caliber  and developing longer-range shells and rockets.

Ukrainian servicemen fire an artillery in the direction of Siversk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on April 01, 2024. Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images

The air war over Ukraine has proven to be a surprise, especially given Russian superiority in numbers of aircraft and technology. Anti-aircraft missiles have deterred the air forces of both sides from venturing into enemy airspace, with Russian aircraft limited to firing stand-off missiles at Ukrainian cities rather than providing air support for its ground troops. Drones have become the stars and workhorses of the air war, with both sides deploying  and losing  drones in the hundreds of thousands.

There are lessons here for Indian airpower, according to Arjun Subramaniam, a retired Indian Air Force air vice marshal who helped write the ORF report. India must prepare for "gaining control of the air in limited time and space conditions in a short, high-intensity limited conflict as well as in a longer, protracted conflict." The Air Force must also ensure that its plans are synchronized with ground and naval forces. India should also continue to focus on suppressing enemy air defenses, "particularly against an adversary that is more interested in denying rather than controlling the airspace."

Not surprisingly, Subramaniam wants the Indian military to increase drone development and production. But he is also concerned about the possibility of a mass drone attack on India. "Of greater importance is the need to rapidly develop counter-drone capabilities that would be essential in responding to large-scale surprise attacks and retain effective second-strike capabilities," he wrote.

Cyberwarfare has also emerged in Ukraine as a crucial tool in everything from hacking into military computers and critical infrastructure to purveying propaganda and deepfakes in global media. ORF researcher Shimona Mohan noted "the increasing role of largely civilian organizations like big tech in conflict situations and the deepening interplay of civil-military partnerships around dual-use technologies like AI."

Mohan recommends that India invest in cyberwarfare, as other nations are doing. "However, if this is not feasible for socio-political or economic reasons, it should be a priority for countries to ensure that their strategic geopolitical allies are formidable tech powersfor instance in this war, Ukraine received much support from its more tech-savvy partners like the US and private tech companies."

Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Read the original article on Business Insider
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Egypt invited an Israeli delegation to visit Cairo on Monday as part of ongoing efforts to reach a truce agreement in Gaza and the return of hostages held by Hamas, the sources say, Trend reports.

According to the information, a Hamas delegation is also expected to be in Cairo.

It is reported that the plan is for the invited Israeli delegation to be authorized to respond to requests made by Hamas, but will not be authorized to make decisions or state an official position
New Delhi  Prajwal Revanna, a member of India's parliament from the southern state of Karnataka, has left the country amid allegations that he sexually assaulted multiple women over the last few years and recorded the acts on his phone. Another politician, from an allied party, said he received a USB drive containing the videos, some of which have leaked online, and he's accused Revanna of using them to blackmail women into continuing sexual relationships with him.

Revanna is the grandson of former Indian Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. He's currently a Member of Parliament for the Janata Dal Secular Party (JDS), which is allied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP).

Revanna is seeking reelection to his seat in the general elections that kicked off last week. India's national election is taking place over about seven weeks, in phases, and is set to be the largest election ever held globally, with almost 1 billion eligible voters.

Some of the video clips of the alleged sexual assaults involving the 33-year-old politician first leaked online just days before the polls opened in Revanna's constituency.

Revanna has denied the allegations and filed a police complaint alleging that the videos are manipulated. Soon after the videos leaked, two women appeared on local news outlet Power TV accusing Prajwal of sexual assault.

Separately, another woman, a 47-year-old who's worked at the politician's home, filed a police case alleging that she too had been sexually abused by Revanna multiple times between 2019 and 2022  and once by his father HD Revanna.

The woman has also accused the younger politician of behaving inappropriately on a video call with her daughter, according to reports in Indian media.

Janata Dal (Secular) Member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna is seen after attending a budgetary session of the India's legislature, in a June 26, 2019 file photo, in New Delhi, India. / Credit: Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times/Getty

Karnataka police have registered a case against Revanna on charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging the dignity of a woman, and the state government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the allegations.

Revanna has not been questioned or detained, however, as he reportedly left India soon after the leaked videos surfaced.

Prajwal's father, who's the leader of the JDS party and is also named in the police complaint, told journalists Monday that his son was traveling but would come back to India if and when required for the investigation.

The leadership of JDS announced Tuesday that Revanna's membership in the party had been suspended, but that move did not affect his role as the member of parliament for his district, pending the results of the ongoing election or any legal action against him.

The prime minister's party has sought to distance itself from the controversy swirling around its political allies, but a local BJP leader, Devaraje Gowda, has reportedly issued the stunning claim that he warned BJP's leaders in Karnataka state against aligning with JDS a year ago, after receiving a "pen drive" he said contained 2,976 explicit videos of women.

"We will be tainted as a party that aligned with the family of a rapist," Gowda warned in a letter to BJP's leader in the state, according to the report by India's NDTV.

Indian Member of Parliament Mahua Moitra speaks to journalists as her fellow parliamentarian, Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, looks on after attending a budgetary session at Parliament House, June 26, 2019, in New Delhi, India. / Credit: Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times/Getty

India's main opposition party, called the Congress Party, held a protest in Bengaluru on Sunday and pointedly questioned the ruling BJP party's decision to ally with JDS despite the apparent knowledge of the videos.

"Why did the PM campaign for and shared the stage with Prajwal Revanna despite knowing that Prajwal is the kingpin of the world's biggest and murkiest sex abuse?" Congress leader Pawan Khera wrote in a social media post.

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Indonesian and Singaporean leaders hold annual talks, joined this year by their successors

Indonesian Defense Minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto, right, and Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong walk during their meeting at Bogor Presidential Palace in Bogor, Indonesia, Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

BOGOR, Indonesia (AP)  Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday celebrated the countries' continued cooperation at their seventh and final Leaders' Retreat in Jakarta, an annual meeting between the two Southeast Asian leaders that was also attended this year by their successors.

Lees visit to Indonesia is one of his last working trips before he hands over the reins of his administration to a new leader. The eldest son of Singaporean founding father Lee Kuan Yew announced his resignation earlier this month after two decades at the helm. His deputy prime minister and finance minister, Lawrence Wong, will succeed him in May.

Widodo, Indonesia's first president from outside the traditional Jakarta elite who is widely known by the nickname Jokowi, will be succeeded by Prabowo Subianto, who takes office in October.

All four top officials met Monday at the colonial-style Presidential Palace in Bogor, just outside Jakarta, as the retreat became a passing of the guard for both countries.

Im glad that President Jokowi and I are handing over the bilateral relationship in good state to our successors, Lee said at a joint news conference with Widodo after the meeting. "I have every confidence that Mr. Prabowo and DPM Lawrence will continue to bring the relationship to greater heights."

Singapore's Prime Minister's Office said in a statement ahead of Lee's visit that the two leaders would take stock of the significant progress made in bilateral cooperation during their tenures.

Previously, the two countries ratified three milestone agreements, including a defense cooperation agreement and separate treaties on extradition and airspace.

The agreements were signed during the 2022 leaders retreat and came into effect this year.

At this year's retreat, the leaders oversaw the signing of several agreements, including an update on defense cooperation which Lee said reflects the two countries' robust defense ties.

A similar defense agreement was first signed by the two countries in April 2007, but didnt to go into effect after opposition in Indonesias Parliament.

The defense cooperation agreement will significantly boost Singapores ability to carry out naval and military exercises amid regional tensions over Chinas growing military strength.

The island city-state lacks maritime, land and airspace to effectively train its military. Indonesia, which holds huge land and maritime areas, has agreed to let Singapore carry out naval exercises with other nations in the Bravo area of the South China Sea four times a year  terms that previously faced criticism from Indonesian lawmakers.

We completed these agreements, and they went into force last month, Lee said. This shows that when we work together in a spirit of friendship and openness, we can address even the most complicated issues in a pragmatic and mutually beneficial manner.

Widodo said they also discussed regional and global issues.

We agreed to continue to encourage peace in the Middle East region and vowed to strengthen ASEAN centrality, Widodo said, referring to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

He added that Indonesia and Singapore agreed to cooperate on food security, energy transition, digital economy and healthcare.

The development of Nusantara, Indonesia's new capital on Borneo, was also discussed. About 29 Singaporean companies have signed letters of intent to invest.

Indonesia's Investment Ministry says Singapore was the largest foreign investor last year. Lee said investment from Singapore in Indonesia has increased steadily and cumulatively has exceeded 74 billion Singapore dollars ($54 billion).

Lee praised Widodo's vision and leadership, saying he raised ASEAN's standing in international affairs and brought stability and progress to Indonesia and the entire region.

He said Indonesia, as Southeast Asias largest economy and one of Singapores closest neighbors, is on track to be one of the world's largest economies.

When Indonesia prospers, the region prosters," Lee said.

___

Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
Inmate sought after walking away from reentry program in Stockton

(FOX40.COM)  California prison officials said they are searching for an inmate who walked away from a reentry program in Stockton on Sunday.

The California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Estefani Saldana-Lemus, 27, was reported missing after a security check just before 10 p.m.

Davis police officer fired over mans 2019 death at Golden 1 Center Sacramento

Staff did an emergency count and began their search for Saldana-Lemus, as well as contacted local law enforcement to aid in the search.

Saldana-Lemus is described as being 51 tall and weighing around 222 lbs., with brown eyes and brown hair.

Man fatally shot in the Pocket, Sacramento police say

Pictures shared by the CDCR show that she has several face tattoos, including a large A with a circle around it on her left cheek and a large cross on her right cheek and temple.

Anyone who sees her or has information on where she can be found is asked to call 911.

The CDCR said she was received from Fresno County in March 2023 to serve a sentence of five years for driving under the influence causing bodily injury or death.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
Two Russian-born Czech citizens ran a hotel in northern Greece that doubled as a safe house for an infamous unit of Russia's military intelligence agency (GRU) as it carried out bombings and poisonings across Europe, an investigation by The Insider has found.

Husband and wife Nikolay and Elena Saposnikov ran the Villa Elena, a three-story hotel in Frama, Halkidiki, which, according to the report, hosted members of the Kremlin's "most grimly accomplished assassination and sabotage squad," Unit 29155, on a regular basis for the last 15 years.

"(The couple) are Russian 'illegals,' or spies operating outside of diplomatic cover, who spent decades living under false pretenses as naturalized citizens of Czechia," The Insider wrote.

Unit 29155 has been behind some of Russia's most notorious recent hostile acts on foreign soil including the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the U.K. in 2018, and the deadly ammunition depot explosions in Czechia in 2014.

Read also: Czech police conclude Russian agents behind deadly 2014 ammunition depot blasts

"While both Saposnikov spouses engaged in espionage, the wife, Saposnikova, 62, appears to have been directly integrated with Unit 29155," The Insider wrote.

Referencing a report from Czech police also published on April 29 that concluded Russian military intelligence operatives were responsible for the 2014 Czechia bombings, it added: "As such, Czech investigators have concluded, she likely directed and supervised her husbands  and possibly their sons  activities in support of Russian state interests."

"The familys clandestine duties ranged from intelligence-gathering to logistical facilitation, providing safe havens, recruitment efforts, and even aiding in securing physical access for GRU operatives conducting sabotage missions."

These operatives included Alexander Mishkin and Anatoliy Chepiga, the two main suspects in both the Skripal poisonings and the Czechia bombings.

Earlier this month another report from The Insider uncovered evidence linking the mysterious health condition known as the Havana Syndrome to Unit 29155, which reportedly used directed energy weapons to target overseas U.S. government personnel.

Read also: Russian GRU unit linked to mysterious attacks on US officials abroad

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Public school enrollment rose steadily throughout the first two decades of the 2000s.

The National Center for Education Statistics was projecting public school enrollments to continue to grow, although its future projections were becoming less optimistic, thanks to falling immigration and birth rates.

When COVID-19 hit, enrollments took an immediate dive, and the center lowered its forecast. It now projected a short-term bounceback followed by a longer-term decline.

The immediate, sharp rebound didnt happen. The center is now projecting much lower enrollments for the rest of the decade.

According to the centers most recent data, public schools served 1.2 million fewer students in 2022-23 than they did in the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The losses were widespread, with 37 states and two-thirds of school districts suffering a decline. California was the biggest loser in numeric terms, with 420,000 fewer public school students (a 6.7% decline), while Oregon suffered the biggest decline in percentage terms (9.4%).

What caused these trends? As Stanford University researcher Thomas Dee has documented, the COVID-era enrollment declines were due to a combination of factors  a rise in homeschooling, a shift to private schools, fewer school-age children and some students who simply went missing from the data.

But thats the past. A separate division of the center is in charge of making forward-looking projections, and it has more grim news: It projects that public schools, including public charter schools, will lose an additional 2.4 million students (4.9%) by 2031.

Related

With More Teachers & Fewer Students, Districts Are Set up for Financial Trouble

Those projections are based on a mix of historical enrollment patterns and demographic assumptions, and its possible they will be too pessimistic, especially given the uncertainty of the last few years. For example, homeschooling numbers surged in the early years of COVID but have started to come back down in most places. Similarly, immigration took a dramatic nosedive in 2020 but has rebounded since then.

Birth rates, however, are a major driver of student enrollment trends, and they have been in a multi-decade decline. Birth rates also bounced around during COVID, but in a piece for Brookings, Melissa Kearney and Phillip Levine found that the trajectory is once again downward. To put it in concrete terms, they point to data showing that there were almost 600,000 fewer births in 2019 than in 2007. That means 600,000 fewer kindergartners showing up to schoolhouse doors next fall.

The enrollment changes are not spread evenly across the country. Thirteen states  including Florida, North Dakota and Idaho  are projected to gain students by the end of the decade. But that means the rest of the country should brace for fewer students. Seven states  Hawaii, California, New Mexico, New York, West Virginia, Mississippi and Oregon  are all projected to suffer double-digit declines in addition to any losses theyve already seen. California alone is projected to lose nearly 1 million public school students by 2031.

View interactive map at:

In general, districts receive money based on how many students they serve, so shrinking communities should expect smaller school budgets going forward. Its not a 1:1 relationship because most districts will still be able to count on local funds, which are typically not tied to student enrollment, as most state funds are. That protects about 45% of school district revenues for the average district. Similarly, states have a variety of hold-harmless provisions that offer at least temporary financial protection for districts with declining enrollment.

Still, those districts will eventually have to get by with lower revenues. Thats a hard transition to make, especially as they shoulder growing pension costs plus fixed expenses like bond or facilities payments.

The one-time federal relief funds gave a temporary lifeline to districts that were operating beyond their means, and it allowed schools across the country to reduce their student:teacher ratios. But when the money expires later this year, districts will have to consider options for downsizing their budgets, whether that means closing underenrolled schools, laying off staff to get back to their pre-pandemic levels or scaling back promising programs that are only just beginning to show results.

In other words, districts with the steepest enrollment declines wont be able to escape the mathematical pressures that will come with serving fewer students. Further enrollment declines are coming in most parts of the country, and districts must be prepared to navigate those headwinds.
Rock Island City Manager Todd Thompson has named Deputy Chief of Police Tim McCloud as interim police chief, effective immediately. McCloud takes over for Police Chief Richard Landi, who retired Friday, April 26.

McCloud began his law enforcement career with the Rock Island Police Department in April of 1994. He rose through the ranks of the police department, serving as detective from 2002 to 2006, sergeant from 2006 to 2009, and lieutenant from 2009 until 2021 when he was appointed as deputy chief of police, according to a city release Monday.

Rock Island Deputy Police Chief Tim McCloud has been named interim chief.

I am pleased to appoint Tim McCloud as interim chief of police, Thompson said. He brings a wealth of experience and skill to the position and has the leadership qualities necessary to lead the police department.

Over his 30-year tenure with the Rock Island Police Department, McCloud has served in a variety of roles, including narcotics and vice officer; field training officer; range officer; emergency response team member; methamphetamine response team member; detective; Rock Island High School liaison; commander of the Juvenile Investigations Unit; commander of the Honor Guard; agent in the Office of Professional Standards; accreditation manager; commander of the Technical Services Division; commander of the Criminal Investigations Division; and watch commander for the Patrol Division.

Interim Chief McCloud obtained a masters degree in law enforcement and justice administration from Western Illinois University in 2010. He is a 2013 graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy and obtained certification through the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police in 2020.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
ICC seeks arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Yahya Sinwar and other Israeli and Hamas leaders  but this is unlikely to bring quick justice

The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court has requested that the courts judges issue arrest warrants for Israeli and Hamas leaders, stemming from Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israeli civilians and Israels subsequent siege of Gaza.

Karim A.A. Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, often known as the ICC, said in a statement that he was seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant  as well as Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Muhammad Deif and Ismail Haniyeh. Khan said that both the Israeli and Hamas leaders bear criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity, which he detailed in the statement.

The ICCs allegations against Hamas include extermination, murder, taking hostages, and committing rape and other acts of sexual violence. And the ICC allegations against the two Israeli leaders include starving Palestinians in Gaza, intentionally directing attacks against a civilian population, as well as persecution and willful killing.

The ICC, an independent tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands, prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes  the latter being a legal term that includes attacking civilians and committing other wartime violations, such as blocking humanitarian aid.

Khan had announced an investigation in November 2023 to scrutinize Hamas and Israeli suspects in the aftermath of Hamas attack in Israel that killed 1,200 people and kidnapped hundreds more, and Israels subsequent war in Gaza, which has so far killed more than 34,000 Palestinians.

The ICCs criminal investigation comes on the heels of the high-profile genocide case that South Africa brought against Israel in December 2023 in another international tribunal called the International Court of Justice.

But these investigations and courts are distinct. While the ICC can hold trials of individuals allegedly responsible for criminal violations of international humanitarian law, the International Court of Justice is a part of the United Nations that rules on civil litigation and cannot charge individuals with crimes.

As a scholar of human rights and international courts, I think it is important to emphasize that the ICC and other contemporary international criminal tribunals lack any enforcement powers of their own. That means in the Israel-Hamas situation, the ICC may never be able to arrest suspects or bring them to trial.

These international courts therefore have a mixed record of holding senior political and military leaders accountable for their crimes. Its only if and when political leaders fall from power that there is any chance that their governments will arrest and hand them over to international courts for prosecution.

Palestinians walk amid the rubble of destroyed buildings in Nuseirat, Gaza, on April 29, 2024. AFP via Getty Images

The challenge for international courts

Take the example of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, since March 2023, has defied an ICC arrest warrant for allegedly committing war crimes during the Ukraine war. As long as Putin remains in power, there is practically no prospect of his arrest.

International criminal tribunals such as the ICC have a twofold problem. First, these tribunals do not have an actual international police force to carry out arrests.

Second, governments implicated in their leaders alleged crimes often try to obstruct international tribunals by not turning over suspects and by seeking to attack the tribunals as biased.

The enforcement problem, as my scholarship has shown, can allow the leaders of a powerful country such as Israel or an entity like Hamas to evade arrest warrants from international courts  as long as the suspects remain within their country or territory.

In this situation, Israel is not a party to the ICC, meaning it never agreed to abide by its rulings or arrest warrants and does not otherwise accept the courts jurisdiction. The U.S. and other countries, including Qatar, where at least one of the Hamas leaders named in Khans arrest warrant request lives, are also not ICC members and do not face a legal obligation to make arrests.

If the ICC pre-trial chamber approves Khans request for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, they could travel to meet with U.S. leaders in Washington, D.C., without fear of arrest. But they will now likely avoid travel to European Union countries, all of which are part of the ICC and would be obliged to arrest Netanyahu.

All of this may also contribute to Israels further international isolation and pressure over its wartime conduct.

Issuing arrest warrants for the Hamas leaders also threatens to stigmatize Hamas internationally.

The U.S., which at times has strongly opposed the ICC but has also supported the court on an ad hoc basis, as has happened in the ICCs Ukraine war case, has warned that issuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders could compromise a potential cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Milosevics fall from power

Not all arrest warrants fail.

The trial of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic in the mid-2000s illustrates how international tribunals might be able to prosecute alleged war criminals once they fall from power.

In 1993, as the war in Bosnia was still being fought, the United Nations Security Council set up a special court, called the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, to address crimes committed during the regional wars.

This court indicted Serbian nationalist leader Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes and crimes against humanity in 1999 during the ongoing Kosovo war. Milosevics alleged crimes in Kosovo included a massive ethnic-cleansing campaign waged against Kosovar Albanians, the largest ethnic group there. Milosevic later faced additional charges for alleged crimes in Bosnia and Croatia.

But Milosevic was still in power when the indictment was issued, and his government shielded him from arrest. Milosevic lost a presidential election in late September 2000 and, after widespread protests, stepped down.

The U.S. promised the new democratic government in place in Serbia substantial economic assistance to speed its postwar recovery. This helped prompt the Serbian government to arrest Milosevic and then transfer him to the the international tribunal in June 2001.

Relatives and supporters of hostages held by Palestinian militants in Gaza chant during a demonstration calling for their release on April 27, 2024. Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images

A potential playbook for Israeli and Hamas leaders

Milosevics trial was launched in February 2002, but he died in prison in 2006, shortly before the end of his trial.

His trial still shows that under specific circumstances, international courts can overcome their lack of enforcement powers and bring high-level suspects to trial. International political pressure and incentives often serve an essential role in this process.

As long as any political and military leaders facing potential arrest remain in power, it is likely that no amount of political pressure or promises will persuade Israel, Qatar or other countries to cooperate with an international court and turn over any leaders, if they are indicted.

And history also shows that even if Hamas leaders are overthrown or Israeli leaders lose elections, theres no guarantee that potential suspects will ever stand trial at the ICC.

There is broad public opposition to the ICC in Israel, with politicians across the political spectrum condemning Khans request for arrest warrants.

Despite the fact that Khan is also seeking to prosecute Hamas leaders, Israeli politicians have reacted to the ICCs arrest requests with outrage.** Moreover, at least in the short term, it is highly unlikely that the U.S. will apply the type of pressure against its close ally, Israel, that it successfully applied on Serbia for Milosevics arrest after his fall from power.

This story was updated from an article originally published on June 22, 2022.

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: Victor Peskin, Arizona State University

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Victor Peskin has received funding from the United States Department of State Office of Global Criminal Justice for a grant related to advancing transitional justice in South Sudan.
Two intruders broke into, stole from Belmont Abbey monastery last week

BELMONT, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Two intruders broke into and stole items from the Belmont Abbey monastic community on Friday night.

Belmont Abbey College confirmed the break-in and theft Monday morning. Officials released photos of the pair later Monday.

Man accused of sexually assaulting student at Belmont Abbey College back in jail, bond increased

Queen City News is actively seeking the descriptions of the suspect and working to find out more about the incident.

A screengrab from Belmont Abbey College president William Thierfelders weekly address to students and the community from last week.

Last week, Belmont Abbey College president William K. Thierfelder told students in a weekly video that campus gates would be closed between 10 p.m. and 6 p.m. in a video that came out Friday. Thierfelder informed students that they would have to use their student IDs to open the gates during those times.

Private college and Gaston County receive $9 million for proposed performing arts center

Queen City News asked the college if the gates were working last week, and school officials confirmed their operation on Monday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Flowers and a small Ukrainian flag are laid at a shopping center in Murnau, Germany, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Police say two Ukrainian men have been stabbed to death in southern Germany and a Russian man was arrested by authorities as a possible suspect in the killings. German news agency dpa reported Sunday that the two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed on the premises of a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria. (Constanze Wilz/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP)  The public prosecutor general's office in Munich on Monday took over the investigation into the stabbing deaths of two Ukrainian men in southern Germany because of a possible political motivation for the crime, German news agency dpa reported.

The two Ukrainians, who were 23 and 36 years old and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, were killed at a shopping center in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria on Saturday evening. A short time later, police arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder, dpa reported.

The motive for the crime is currently still unclear. However, a political motivation cannot be ruled out and investigations are being carried out in all directions, the Munich public prosecutor generals office said Monday afternoon, dpa reported.

The public prosecutor general's office usually takes over investigations from regular prosecutors if there is a possible political motive for a crime. The Bavarian Central Office for Combating Extremism and Terrorism is also involved in the investigation, dpa reported.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement Sunday that it appeared the two men were military servicemen undergoing medical rehabilitation in Germany.

The names of the victims and the suspect werent released in line with German privacy rules. The motive for the killings isn't yet known, authorities said.

According to an initial investigation, the three men knew each other, but further details need to be verified, local police spokesperson Stefan Sonntag told dpa. There were also indications that all three men had consumed alcohol.

We have clear evidence that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol, Sonntag was quoted as saying.

A spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday expressed concern about the killings.

This is a worrying incident, no question about it. The circumstances must now be investigated more closely," Steffen Hebestreit told reporters in Berlin.

We can only speculate about the motives at the moment," he added. "But it is clear that we cannot tolerate such a thing on German soil anyway and that the Ukrainians, Ukrainians who have fled to us from the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, must now be safe.

More than 1 million Ukrainian refugees have come to Germany since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry who mostly moved to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

___

Associated Press journalist Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, contributed to this report.
Demonstrators around the globe, including here in Los Angeles, came out over the weekend to protest the Iranian Revolutionary Courts death sentence against rapper Toomaj Salehi, according to multiple reports.

The 33-year-old metal shop worker gained prominence for his lyrics criticizing the Islamic Republic after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died while in custody of police in Iran. She was allegedly arrested for wearing her hijab too loosely.

Aminis death, which UN investigators say Iran was responsible for, ignited massive protests and a violent, monthslong crackdown by Iranian security forces that killed 500 people and detained more than 20,000, the Associated Press reported.

In one video about the 22-year-old woman, Salehi rapped, Someones crime was dancing with her hair in the wind. In other lyrics, the metal shop worker predicted the downfall of the Islamic Republic, rapping, Your whole past is dark, the government that took the light out of the eyesWe go from the bottom of the pyramid and knock to the topForty-four years of your government, this is the year of failure, according to the AP.

Salehi, who has been arrested several times, was initially sentenced to six years in prison, but was later released when Irans Supreme Court ordered the case back to the lower courts over a flaw in the sentencing.

While out on bail, he was arrested again in November for reportedly saying he had been tortured after his October 2022 arrest.

In a post to X, formerly Twitter, earlier this week, the rappers lawyer, Amier Raesian, said the first branch of Isfahan Revolutionary Court issued a death sentence for his client and that they would appeal the decision.

Protesters in front of the Federal Building in L.A. on April 28, 2024, demanding the release of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who has been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republics government. (KTLA)

Protesters in front of the Federal Building in L.A. on April 28, 2024, demanding the release of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who has been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republics government. (KTLA)

Protesters in front of the Federal Building in L.A. on April 28, 2024, demanding the release of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who has been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republics government. (KTLA)

Protesters in front of the Federal Building in L.A. on April 28, 2024, demanding the release of Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who has been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republics government. (KTLA)

Protesters attend a rally against a death sentence given to a popular rapper in Iran and to support to the women of Iran, in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Toomaj Salehi a 33-year-old was sentenced to death by an Iranian court earlier this week for his support of the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, which developed after protests in Iran in 2022. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Several high-profile advocates and organizations, including the U.S. Government, have spoken out against Iran on behalf of Salehi and others.

We strongly condemn Toomaj Salehis death sentence and the five-year sentence for Kurdish-Iranian rapper Sama Yasin, the United States Office of the Special Envoy for Iran said in a post to X. These are the latest examples of the regimes brutal abuse of its own citizens, disregard for human rights, and fear of the democratic change the Iranian people seek.

At the UN, a panel of independent Iran experts said, Art must be allowed to criticize, to provoke, to push the boundaries in any society.

On Friday, the Recording Academy also released a statement that reads in part:

The Recording Academy is deeply troubled by the recent news regarding Toomaj Salehi. No artist anywhere should have to fear for their life or livelihood when expressing themselves through their art.

Dozens of demonstrators in L.A. gathered in front of the Federal Building Sunday afternoon to raise awareness of Salehis case and to call for his release.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 29. Turkish police and gendarmerie conducted operations in 40 provinces of the country, as a result of which almost 200 suspects were detained in connection with the activities of Islamic State and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) extremist groups, the Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on his X page, Trend reports.

The minister said that operations against IS took place in six provinces of the country as a result of joint efforts by the intelligence department and the counter-terrorism department of the General Directorate of Security. Yerlikaya noted that 38 suspects were detained in the provinces of Adana, Aydin, Corum, Gaziantep, Kayseri and Mersin, and a large amount of digital materials and significant amounts of foreign currency and Turkish lira were seized.

The minister added that raids against the PKK were carried out in 34 provinces, including Ankara, Antalya, Izmir, Istanbul and regions in the east and southeast of the country. He said that these operations were carried out in cooperation between the Prosecutor General's Office, the General Directorate of the Gendarmerie and the General Directorate of Security, and led to the detention of 147 suspects of aiding or participating in the terrorist organization PKK.
The utter confusion over how to deal with asylum seeking in Europe has been exposed by the attempts of Ireland to send back immigrants arriving from the UK. The Irish government blames the impact of the Rwanda policy for a huge increase in numbers crossing the open border on the island.

Not only is this a tacit acceptance that the prospect of deportation to the African republic is acting as a deterrent, it also raises an obvious question. If Ireland can return asylum seekers to the UK on the grounds that it is safe then why can we not send them back to France?

The Irish courts have ruled any relocation to the UK to be unlawful because of the risk of an asylum seeker being sent to Rwanda. But the Dublin government is now proposing emergency legislation to overrule the courts, just as the Conservative government has done here.

On what basis would the UK be required to accept immigrants deported from Ireland? Moreover, as it is an open border under the common travel area agreement that continued after Brexit, what would prevent someone simply going back again?

The Irish say 80 per cent of illegal arrivals are from the UK yet the same might be said of the cross-Channel traffic from France to Britain. Since Ireland is an EU member state, is it the policy of the bloc to remove asylum seekers to safe countries whence they came and, if so, why cannot France take them back?

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The Devils Hole pupfish is among the rarest fish in the world.

The Devils Hole pupfish reached a 25-year high spring count of 191 fish.

For years, the fishs population dwindled, hitting an all-time low of 35 in 2013, the National Park Service said in an April 29 news release.

In recent years, however, that number has been growing, with this springs count hitting 191, a 25-year high, NPS said.

This is good news for the critically endangered fish living in Death Valley National Park, NPS said.

Unique dwelling

The pupfish, which earned their name due to the playful way in which they frolic about like puppies, can only be found in Devils Hole, an oasis within Death Valley unlike any other in the world, the National Park Foundation said.

With a temperature of 92 degrees, the foundation said it is an unlikely climate for any fish to survive, let alone thrive.

The species live in the smallest habitat of any vertebrate species on the planet, according to NPS.

The fish occupy a compact area of shallow water, just before the cavern drops to a 500-foot pit which has yet to be explored, the foundation said.

The inch-long, iridescent blue fish, is only found in a single cavern on the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nye County, Nevada, near Californias Death Valley, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Though there have been efforts to create similar conditions for pupfish in captivity, the foundation said this small ledge remains the sole spawning and feeding shelf for the fish.

Not only is Devils Hole unique for its rare fish but also in that it is an unexpected indicator of seismic activity around the world, the foundation said.

Large earthquakes as far away as Japan, Indonesia and Chile have caused the water to slosh in Devils Hole like water in a bathtub, according to NPS.

With waves reaching as high as two meters, NPS said such events can sweep clean the shallow shelf so important to the pupfish.

Population increasing

After a 1952 presidential proclamation declared Devils Hole a part of Death Valley National Monument, renamed Death Valley National Park in 1994, the pupfish was listed as an endangered species in 1967, the foundation said.

Since the 1970s, researchers and divers have made it their mission to count the population twice a year, a two-day process with numerous dives, the foundation said.

The fish are counted each spring and fall, according to NPS.

Up until the mid-1990s, NPS said experts counted about 200-250 Devils Hole pupfish each spring.

For about two decades, however, their population averaged about 90 fish, hitting 35 fish in 2013, NPS said.

In recent years, NPS said the rare fishs population has been growing.

So much so that 263 fish were observed during the fall 2022 count, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This springs count was done over a two-day period in early April, according to NPS.

Using scuba gear, NPS said scientists dove as deep as 100 feet to count fish.

Youre in complete darkness and cant see your hands in front of you, Jeffrey Goldstein, a biologist with NPS, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Then you have these fish that are popping out of little hiding spots between the rocks.

Though this springs count of 191 is down from fall 2022s count of 263, the newspaper reported that it may fall within a margin of error.

The higher number of pupfish this time of year could signal important changes in the ecosystem, NPS said.

While there isnt an exact source as to why the springs count is higher than in years past, NPS said Hurricane Hilary in August 2023 may have helped.

Flooding can have negative effects on the fish in the short-term, NPS said. However, Hilary mostly benefited the fishes ecosystem by adding nutrients that washed off the surrounding land surface in a fine layer of clay and silt.

Biologists counting the fish this spring noted they were in remarkable condition and were very active, NPS said. Experts also observed many courting and spawning pairs.

It was really encouraging to see such a large number of young fish during these spring dives, Brandon Senger, a supervising fisheries biologist with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, said in the release. Conditions within Devils Hole looked healthy, so we have hopes of high recruitment over the coming months that will lead to a large population in the fall.

Despite desert tsunami, one of the worlds rarest fish are thriving in Death Valley

Video shows desert tsunami in Death Valley triggered by earthquake 1,500 miles away

Stunning satellite images show just how big Death Valleys lake really was. See them
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Western powers launched a renewed diplomatic push for a ceasefire in Gaza amid growing concerns that the Israel Defense Forces will soon invade the crowded Gazan city of Rafah.

Top US and British diplomats met Arab officials in Riyadh on Monday while US President Joe Biden reportedly spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday evening about closing a hostage-release deal with Hamas.

Representatives from Israel and Hamas are expected to meet in Cairo for talks Monday. The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles, an official from Hamas told AFP on Sunday, adding that the group had no major issues with the latest draft of a hostage-release proposal.

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Roughly 1.5% of Gazas population killed in the war

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Sources: The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press

The Israel-Hamas war has inflicted a massive humanitarian toll on Gaza, with Palestinian health officials noting that more than 34,000 people have been killed in the enclave during the conflict so far. As many as 70% of them are women and children. Authorities are facing difficulties estimating the scale of the wars civilian toll because the health system has collapsed, and teams are struggling to reach people trapped underneath rubble. I wouldnt be surprised if in the end [the death toll] is an underestimate, Rik Peeperkorn, a World Health Organization representative, told The Wall Street Journal. If the IDF launches an invasion of Rafah, a crowded city where more than 1 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, the death toll could rise substantially.

Israeli, Hamas top brass may face war crimes charges

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Source: Haaretz

The International Criminal Court may be preparing charges for Hamas leaders over the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, as well as top Israeli officials for war crimes committed in Gaza, Haaretz reported. Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and IDF chief of staff Herzl Halevi are all facing possible ICC arrest warrants. Israeli officials have triggered global outrage for the sometimes inflammatory rhetoric they have used to describe Palestinians in Gaza: Foreign Minister Israel Katz once suggested cutting off Gazas water supply, and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli mused about using nuclear weapons on the enclave. Their statements back the argument that Israel intentionally harms, starves and expels civilians from Gaza, and is even trying to annihilate the Palestinians as a group, Eliav Lieblich, of Tel Aviv University, told Haaretz.

Netanyahu seeing slight polling bump

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Source: Al-Monitor

Israels leadership saw its support tumble in the months since the war began, but recent polling shows Netanyahu has seen a slight bump in support, Al-Monitor reported. Netanyahu has not only stemmed the bleeding, but has actually grown stronger, columnist Mazal Mualem noted. The prime minister has a long history of political savvy, she added, and is often able to turn the public mood back to his favor after periods of mistrust. Among supporters of his Likud party, that support is often stronger: The more Netanyahu angers his opponents, the greater the support he engenders, Mualem wrote.

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Israeli officials are growing concerned that the International Criminal Court could soon issue arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials over charges related to the war in Gaza, reports say.

The court may accuse the senior government figures of pursuing an excessively harsh military response to Hamas Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, the New York Times is reporting, citing Israeli and foreign officials.

The newspaper reports that any warrants issued by the ICC would "probably be seen in much of the world as a humbling moral rebuke" and cited an official as saying that the possibility of them has factored into Israeli decision-making in recent weeks.

Such warrants could pose travel obstacles for the Israeli officials and they may be issued against Hamas leaders as well, according to the New York Times.

KIRBY: US REMAINS HOPEFUL FOR 6 WEEKS OF PEACE WITH HOSTAGE DEAL THAT HAMAS HAS NOT FULLY REJECTED

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attending a meeting of wartime cabinet at Israeli Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, on April 14.

The developments come after Israel Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that "We expect the court to refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials," Reuters reports.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"We will not bow our heads or be deterred and will continue to fight," Katz reportedly added, warning Israeli embassies to step up security over the risk of a "wave of severe antisemitism."

On Friday, Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X that "While the ICC will not affect Israels actions, it would set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies fighting savage terrorism and wanton aggression."

HAMAS SEXUAL VIOLENCE ON OCT. 7 REVEALED IN NEW DOCUMENTARY

"Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense," he added. "The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle Easts only democracy and the worlds only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it."

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said in October that the court has jurisdiction over potential war crimes that are committed in the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters.

The news agency reports Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognize its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted with member status in 2015.

The ICC says on its website that it "investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression."





Original article source: Israel is concerned ICC could issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu, senior officials: report
FILE PHOTO: An exterior view of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

(This April 29 story has been refiled to correct academics surname to Gillett instead of Gillet, in paragraph 14)

By Andrew MacAskill

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel is voicing concern that the International Criminal Court could be preparing to issue arrest warrants for government officials on charges related to the conduct of its war against Hamas.

The ICC - which can charge individuals with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide - is investigating Hamas' Oct. 7 cross-border attack and Israel's devastating military assault on Hamas-ruled Gaza, now in its seventh month.

In response to Israeli media reports that the ICC might soon issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli government and military officials, Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Sunday warned Israeli embassies to bolster their security because of the risk of a "wave of severe antisemitism".

"We expect the court (ICC) to refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials," Katz said. "We will not bow our heads or be deterred and will continue to fight."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that any ICC decisions would not affect Israel's actions but would set a dangerous precedent.

Israeli officials are worried that the court could issue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and other top officials for alleged violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza, Israeli media have reported.

They said the ICC is also considering arrest warrants for leaders from Hamas.

The ICC, based in The Hague, and Hamas, Gaza's ruling group, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognise its jurisdiction, but the Palestinian territories were admitted with the status of a member state in 2015.

In October, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes committed by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

Khan has said his team is actively investigating any crimes allegedly committed in Gaza and that those who are in breach of the law will be held accountable.

"The ICC is an independent organization and their efforts are being undertaken without any contact or interference by the U.S.," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters on Monday.

The U.S. - Israel's ally - is also not a member of the court. A White House spokesperson said later on Monday: "The ICC has no jurisdiction in this situation, and we do not support its investigation."

INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION

Matthew Gillett, a lecturer in international law at the University of Essex in England, said anyone issued with an arrest warrant would be unable to travel to the more than 120 countries that are members of the ICC, including most European countries, Japan and Australia, or they could be detained.

Gillet said if arrest warrants were issued against Israeli officials, some allied countries could take action such as reducing weapons transfers or scaling back diplomatic visits, increasing Israel's international isolation.

It would make "it more difficult for Western liberal democracies to engage with Israel," he said.

On Oct. 7, Hamas led an attack on Israeli military bases and communities in which 1,200 people were killed, mostly civilians, and 253 were taken as hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel has since launched a ground, air and sea offensive that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza authorities, and has laid much of the small, densely populated coastal territory to waste.

The Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants in its casualty reports but most of the fatalities have been civilians, health officials say.

Israel says that it takes precautions to minimise civilian deaths and that at least a third of the Gaza fatalities are combatants, figures that Hamas has dismissed.

Israel's military campaign has displaced most of the blockaded Palestinian enclave's 2.3 million people and created a humanitarian crisis.

The case at the ICC is separate from a genocide case launched against Israel at the International Court of Justice, also based in The Hague.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is a United Nations court that deals with disputes between states, while the ICC is a treaty-based criminal court focusing on individual criminal responsibility for war crimes.

(Additional reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi, Stephanie van den Berg, Michelle Nichols and Steve Holland; editing by Mark Heinrich, Hugh Lawson and Jonathan Oatis)
A Palestinian embraces the body of a child, where nine members of the Abu Radwan family were killed following an Israeli air strike. Abed Rahim Khatib/dpa

At least 27 Palestinians have been killed in fresh Israeli attacks on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, the territory's Hamas-controlled Health Ministry said on Monday.

Authorities said 20 people in residential buildings in the border town were killed in various attacks during the night.

Seven members of a family in Rafah were also reportedly killed in shelling on Monday morning.

The information could not be independently verified.

An Israeli army spokesman said he could not comment without the exact coordinates of the incidents.

Israel has said it will launch an offensive in Rafah to eliminate the remaining strongholds of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Israel's allies have repeatedly urged caution, as hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinian civilians are sheltering in the city.

The planned military operation could yet be avoided, with a Hamas delegation arriving in Egypt on Monday to hold negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a joint press conference with the German Chancellor after their meeting in Jerusalem on March 17, 2024. Netanyahu said on March 17 that any Gaza peace deal that weakens Israel and leaves it unable to defend itself against hostile neighbours would be unacceptable. Credit - Leo CorreaPOOL/AFP/Getty Images

Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, appear increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court (ICC) may issue arrest warrants against the countrys officials for actions taken in the war between Israel and Hamas.

On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X that Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense While the ICC will not affect Israels actions, it would set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and officials of all democracies fighting savage terrorism and wanton aggression.

Under my leadership, Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.



The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle Easts only democracy and the worlds only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it.

Israel  Benjamin Netanyahu -   (@netanyahu) April 26, 2024

Israel Katz, the Foreign Minister of Israel, said that the potential warrants could provide a morale boost to Hamas but would be unlikely to impact the most senior members of Israeli leadership, according to the Associated Press. "We expect the court (ICC) to refrain from issuing arrest warrants against senior Israeli political and security officials," Katz said. "We will not bow our heads or be deterred and will continue to fight."

The ICCs prosecutor Karim Khan has not confirmed the possibility of imminent arrest warrants for Israeli leaders. In October after the war broke out, Khan promised his office would scrutinize the actions of all military parties engaged in the war. The message is that any person with their finger on the trigger of a gun or controls a missile, has certain responsibilities. My Office will look closely to see whether those responsibilities are being adhered to or not, he said in a statement.

Any arrest warrants would need to be approved first by a panel of judges. Approximately 60% of the worlds countries accept the ICCs jurisdiction, but the U.S. and Israel are not among them. While Israel has not accepted the jurisdiction of the ICC, the state of Palestine has, which means the court still claims jurisdiction over the West Bank and Gaza. Arrest warrants could complicate Israeli officials abilities to travel to countries like the U.K., Canada, France, and Germany that accept ICC jurisdiction.

Read More: What International Law Cant Achieve in Gaza and Ukraine

More than 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died since the Israel Hamas war began, the majority of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health. 1,200 Israelis died in the Oct. 7 attack, and another 200 were taken hostage by Hamas.

The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 in the aftermath of the genocides in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. It differs from the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICJ), which this year oversaw a case about whether or Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, because it holds specific individuals to account. The ICJ, on the other hand, deals with disputes between state actors.

Read More: What to Know About South Africas Genocide Case Against Israel

In March 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the unlawful deportation of children during the Russia-Ukraine war, though it has yet to be enforced. Other notable figures that the ICC has issued arrest warrants for include Omar Al Bashir, the former president of Sudan, for his role in the Darfur genocide, and former Libyan head of state Muammar Gaddafi for crimes against humanity committed during the Libyan civil war.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
WASHINGTON  Israeli officials are growing concerned the International Criminal Court could issue criminal warrants against their top officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, opening up the possibility they could be arrested if they travel abroad.

Israel's foreign minister, Israel Katz, singled out "rumors" that the ICC will issue arrest warrants against high-ranking government and Israel Defense Forces officials in a statement late Sunday.

Katz said he instructed all Israel embassies across the world to "immediately prepare for the outbreak of a severe anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli antisemitic wave in the world."

The ICC is investigating Hamas' Oct. 7 attack as well as Israel's brutal seven-month war in Gaza aimed at defeating Hamas. The ICC, based in The Hague, can prosecute people for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression.

Warrants for Netanyahu or other Israeli officials would not result in their immediate arrests. Neither the U.S. nor Israel are members of the court and do not recognize its jurisdiction. But warrants could prevent Israeli officials from traveling to the 124 countries that are ICC members, where they would be subject to arrest.

"We've been really clear about the ICC investigation. We do not support it. We don't believe that they have the jurisdiction," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

More: Israel agrees not to invade Rafah until consulting with US, Biden admin official says

TOPSHOT - A Palestinian looks at the damage to buildings after Israeli bombardment in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on April 29, 2024 amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images) ORIG FILE ID: 2150161328

Which Israeli officials could the ICC charge?

Although it is not clear what charges the ICC might bring, targets of criminal warrants also could include Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

"There is nothing more twisted than trying to prevent Israel from defending itself against a murderous enemy that openly calls for the destruction of the state of Israel," Katz said. "If the orders are issued, they will harm the commanders and soldiers of the IDF and give a boost to the terrorist organization Hamas and the radical Islamic axis led by Iran against which we are fighting.

"We will not bow our heads and we will not be deterred," he added.

President Joe Biden and Netanyahu spoke by phone Sunday. The two leaders discussed efforts to deliver humanitarian aid into Gaza, according to the White House, and Biden stressed "the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced."

Netanyahu, in a statement Friday on X, formerly Twitter, said Israel will "never accept any attempt by the Hague Criminal Court to undermine its fundamental right to defend itself." He called the threat against IDF soldiers and Israeli public officials "scandalous."

"Israel will continue until victory in our just war against the abominable terrorists who seek to destroy us. We will never stop defending ourselves," Netanyahu said. "While the Hague Tribunal's decisions will not affect Israel's actions, they will set a dangerous precedent that threatens the soldiers and public figures of any democracy fighting criminal terrorism and dangerous aggression."

More: Antony Blinken urges Hamas to accept Israel's 'extraordinarily generous' Gaza truce plan

Separately, the ICC is investigating actions by Israeli and Palestinian militants in Palestinian territories that date back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war. The Palestinian territories were admitted to the court with the status of a member state in 2015.

Would ICC warrants affect a cease-fire deal?

Warrants would be a hurdle in the Biden administration's ongoing efforts to secure a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas to allow the release of some of the more than 130 hostages still held by Hamas, according to a report by Bloomberg. The U.S. fears Israel could back out of a deal if warrants are issued, Bloomberg reported.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while attending a special meeting of the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia, urged Hamas on Monday to swiftly accept Israel's latest proposal, which he called "extraordinarily generous."

"The only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a cease-fire is Hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly," Blinken said.

Jean-Pierre did not say when asked whether the U.S. has concerns that warrants by the ICC could jeopardize a cease-fire agreement.

Biden is set to speak Monday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar, to push cease-fire negotiations, Jean-Pierre said.

"There has been new progress in talks, and currently the onus is indeed on Hamas. There is a deal on the table and they need to take it," Jean-Pierre said.

Contributing: Reuters

Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel concerned ICC will issue warrants for Netanyahu, others
Spectacular and historic vintage yacht race with a highly exclusive fleet

Richard Mille is excited to announce the second edition of the Richard Mille Cup. Following the successful inaugural event last year, the 2024 Cup will run from 2nd to 15th June, with a fleet of around 12 historic yachts racing in stages down the English Channel.

The spectacular regatta will once again be a showcase for the finest vintage yachts afloat, competing for the prestigious Richard Mille Cup. Richard Mille says, This is the ideal environment to admire the magnificence and beauty of these classic yachts from the pre-war era and the involvement of the Yacht Clubs allows owners and admirers alike to come together in the true spirit of the event.

As in the previous year, the Cup is sure to attract classic boat aficionados, collectors and hundreds of onlookers, as exciting inshore races are staged at the four host ports - Falmouth, Dartmouth, Cowes and Le Havre. The vintage sailing yachts will also undertake testing passage races between the four ports, including two overnight races from Dartmouth to Cowes and Cowes to Le Havre.

Richard Mille Cup  Richard Mille

Organiser and classic yacht expert William Collier comments: The combination of day and passage races with the opportunity to sail and visit iconic locations is unique to the Richard Mille Cup and has proven very popular with owners of some of the finest yachts in the world. We are looking forward to welcoming them back and hosting this unique sporting event.

The Richard Mille Cup celebrates the glory of yacht design and construction from a bygone era. Those who witness the regatta will be able to feast their eyes on some of the most stunning sailing yachts ever created, all of them maintained and crewed in an authentic classic style.

The Richard Mille Cup sets up a true racing environment in which the yachts can thrive and perform as they were meant to. The fleet will stop at four historic yacht clubs in England and France - the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club in Falmouth, the Royal Dart Yacht Club in Dartmouth, the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes and finally the Societe des Regates du Havre in Le Havre, France.

Richard Mille Cup  Richard Mille

The yachts, dating from the end of the 19th century to the late 1930s, will compete in Schooner and Cutter categories, and will include some of the great designs including Mariquita (1911), Moonbeam III (1903) and Moonbeam IV (1920).

Specially commissioned for the inaugural regatta, the meter-high Richard Mille Cup itself was designed by Garrard, jewelers to the British Royal Family for the last 300 years and the designer of the Americas Cup some 170 years ago.

The ongoing Richard Mille Cup is testament to the brands commitment to excellence and its dedication to supporting the marine world. The inaugural Richard Mille Cup marked a new era in classic competitive sailing and this years event will build on these foundations with another thrilling and captivating spectacle for all sailing enthusiasts.
Israel's strike showed Iran's air defenses were 'woefully unprepared.' Here's what Tehran may do next.

Israel showed it can take out a key part of Iran's air defenses with a single missile.

The S-300 damaged is the most advanced air defense system Iran has acquired from Russia.

Iran must field better air defenses like Russia's S-400 to stand a chance against a barrage.

In the early hours of April 19, Israel sent a message to Iran with an air-launched ballistic missile that took out a critical part of its air defense network: a radar belonging to one of its advanced Russian S-300 missiles.

The Israeli missile scored a direct hit, and the next day Iran tried to cover up the damage with an inferior replacement radar, according to images obtained by the Economist. The incident in the city of Isfahan may force Tehran to upgrade its air defenses, possibly from more advanced Russian systems, to defend itself from the possibility of larger Israeli missile attacks.

"I think it's quite clear that Iran is woefully unprepared for such attacks unless it receives significant help from Russia, which it has failed to do so far," Arash Azizi, senior lecturer in history and political science at Clemson University and author of "The Shadow Commander: Soleimani, the US, and Iran's Global Ambitions," told Business Insider.

"The attacks will also have given valuable operational information to the Iranians in charge of missile defense in that they'll have a better sense of their limits," Azizi said.

Israel is known to possess ballistic missiles it can launch from fighter jets. One example is its 15-foot-long Rampage missile. Weighing 1,200 pounds, the supersonic missile can hit targets up to 186 miles away. Britain has shown interest in buying it.

Freddy Khoueiry, a global security analyst for the Middle East and North Africa at the risk intelligence company RANE, believes it's possible Israel used the Rampage on April 19. However, he noted that missile debris uncovered in neighboring Iraq suggests it was more likely Israel used Blue Sparrow missiles, which have a purported 1,250-mile range.

"Either way, the debris in Iraq and local reports of fighter jet activities over Iraqi airspace that same night suggest Israeli fighter jets possibly fired the missiles from a distance closer to the Iranian borders," Khoueiry told BI.

While Iranian air defenses failed to stop Israel's strike they have hugely improved in recent years. In the early 2000s, Iranian radars couldn't detect American and Israeli drones operating inside Iranian airspace. Even bulky US tankers supporting missions in Afghanistan and Iraq flew over parts of Iranian airspace undetected.

An Israeli F-16I fighter flew over the border area with south Lebanon on March 12, 2024. Jalaa Marey/Getty Images

That's all changed. Iran shot down a sophisticated American RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone flying at high altitude in 2019, claiming it used its indigenous 3rd Khordad system.

"For the past few years, Iran has heavily invested in its air defense capabilities but simultaneously knows that it might not be enough against the technologically advanced Israeli or US weapons in a potential conflict," Khoueiry said.

That's one reason Iran has placed its most sensitive installations in mountainous regions.

"I believe the April 19 Isfahan strike will likely make the Iranians think more in terms of countering Israel's radar-evading systems by improving their radar capabilities while continuing to improve their air defenses, especially because we did not see Iran's best air defense equipment on display," Khoueiry said.

The S-300PMU-2 is the most advanced air defense system Iran has acquired from Russia. Following the Isfahan strike, it's likely Tehran will conclude it needs more advanced Russian systems, such as the S-400 they've by some accounts been asking for.

Khoueiry doesn't rule out the prospect of Iran seeking the S-400, given its "more advanced stealth capabilities" and ability to track aircraft at lower altitudes. These capabilities are "crucial" for defending vital Iranian installations, especially given the S-300's failure to intercept Israeli weapons on April 19.

Clemson University's Azizi believes an S-400 acquisition remains "crucial" for Iran and one of its "best bets." Therefore, he anticipates Tehran will continue pushing for it.

"I think the April episode will certainly have convinced Iranians that they need to be more serious about getting help from Russia," Azizi said. "But I think they ultimately have very little leverage unless Moscow wants to play Israel and the West by giving help to Iran."

Iran has a strong card to play. It's become a major supplier of Russia's war against Ukraine via thousands of Shahed loitering munitions and hundreds of short-range ballistic missiles. But this may not be enough.

"Moscow will be the key decision-maker here, not Tehran," Azizi said. "The drone help is important for Moscow but not indispensable."

Iran could have a local solution in the form of indigenous systems, such as the 3rd Khordad that felled a Global Hawk and the Bavar 373.

"Theoretically these Iranian systems should do better than the S-300 given that the Iranians upgraded the Bavar 373 in 2022, claiming that it's now a competitor of the S-400," Khoueiry said. "In practice, this could go either way, depending on the amount of Israeli missiles that would be hypothetically launched and from where."

Khoueiry anticipates that early detection by Iranian air defenses could give these Iranian-made systems "more chances" against Israeli missiles.

Conversely, Azizi believes these systems are "quite unlikely" to fare any better than their Russian counterparts.

"These are impressive systems for Iran to have devised on its own but they are ultimately no match for Israel's significant offensive capabilities," Azizi said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
ISW: Russia unlikely to achieve significant near-term gains near Avdiivka, despite limited Ukrainian retreat

Russian forces are unlikely to achieve "operationally significant penetration" in the area west of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, despite limited Ukrainian troop withdrawals in surrounding villages, the U.S.-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed on April 28.

Amid intense fighting, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi announced on April 28 that Ukrainian troops retreated west from the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka, west of occupied Avdiivka.

Earlier in the day, Syrskyi said that Ukraine will conduct unit rotations targeting the area, in an effort to "restore combat capability" and combat fatigue of soldiers along the front.

Despite the Ukrainian retreats, the ISW notes that without additional Russian troop to combat Ukraine's anticipated rotations, Russias ability to make additional rapid tactical advances in the area would likely be constrained.

"The arrival of Ukrainian reinforcements and additional materiel will force the Russian command to either accept that a near-term wider or deeper penetration is unlikely, or commit additional reserves to the area to continue pursuing tactical gains," the ISW report notes.

The ISW currently observes that the Ukrainian withdrawals from Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka "have yet to facilitate rapid Russian tactical gains."

The observations echos a statement from Syrskyi that claims that while Russia has succeeded with marginal advances in forcing the Ukrainians to retreat, Russia "has failed to achieve an operational advantage."

Russia continues to intensify its attacks along the front as Ukraine faces ammunition and air defense shortages, prioritizing operation to seize Chasiv Yar, with as many as 20,000 to 25,000 Russian troops are attempting to storm Chasiv Yar and surrounding settlements. Chasiv Yar is located approximately 50 kilometers north of Avdiivka.

Read also: Syrskyi: Ukrainian forces retreat from 3 villages in Donetsk Oblast

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ROME  Britains defense minister has stated that Italy has sent Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine, lifting the lid on months of secrecy surrounding Italys supply of weaponry to Kyiv.

Grant Shapps made the announcement while touring the factory in the UK where missile maker MBDA manufactures the Storm Shadow, which has been used by Ukrainian forces against Russian targets in Crimea and elsewhere.

I do think the Storm Shadow has been an extraordinary weapon, Shapps told The Times of London.

Its the UK, France and Italy positioning those weapons for use, particularly in Crimea. These weapons are making a very significant difference, he said.

Britain has previously announced sending Storm Shadows to Ukraine, while France has announced sending its version of the missile, known as the SCALP-EG. But Italy has mostly declined to give any details on arms it sends to Ukraine and has never reported dispatching the MBDA missile.

On Monday a spokesperson with the Italian defense ministry declined to comment on Shapps remarks when asked by a Defense News reporter.

Italy first purchased the Storm Shadow from European missile house MBDA in 1999 and has received around 200, using them during NATOs operation in Libya in 2011.

In January, Italys parliament voted to extend the supply of weaponry to Ukraine through 2024, despite disquiet amongst voters and opposition from some parties within parliament.

Hitherto, the countrys right-wing government has kept its list of arms packages for Ukraine secret, although it has reportedly planned to send Stinger surface-to-air missiles, mortars, Milan or Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons, Browning heavy machine guns, MG-type light machine guns, systems for countering improvised explosive devices, multiple-launch rocket systems, PzH 2000 howitzers and vehicles.

Last year the government announced it would send one Samp-T air defense system in conjunction with France.

Entering into service with the Italian Army in 2013, Samp-T is a truck-based tactical antimissile system designed to tackle cruise missiles, manned and unmanned aircraft and tactical ballistic missiles.

Italy has five systems.

Asked this month if Italy would respond to Ukrainian requests for another system given the uptick in Russian missile attacks in Ukraine, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani was noncommittal, stating, We are doing everything we can to help Ukraine and give answers through the instruments we have.

Speaking to The Times in the UK, Shapps also criticized Germany for holding back on sending Ukraine its Taurus cruise missile.

France, Britain, and Italy have all shown that the Taurus, Storm Shadow, or Scalp are highly effective. While theyre in limited supply, Germany has many available. Therefore, yes, they should absolutely be provided. It would clearly make a significant impact, he said.
Protesters hold hands as the Indiana State Police stand in a line in the background April 27, 2024, at Dunn Meadow in Bloomington. 23 protesters were arrested Saturday during the protest in Dunn Meadow. (Jacob Spudich /The Indiana Daily Student)

Tension between police and student protesters enveloped Indiana Universitys Bloomington campus in recent days as arrests mounted along with distrust in IU leadership after a change to long-standing policy the day before the initial protest.

Gov. Eric Holcomb defended police action, in which Indiana State Police have taken a lead role, while Democrats in the legislature called out the administration for trampling on free speech rights.

We are concerned for the safety of students, faculty and staff and for their ongoing rights to free speech. Students should be able to voice their views on campus in non-violent ways without fear of retribution. The First Amendment is one of the founding blocks to a successful democracy and this infringement on demonstration, in our opinion, is a violation of both state and federal constitutional rights, said a statement from the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus.

What we are seeing on the news and hearing from firsthand accounts gives us great concern that First Amendment Rights and even personal safety could be at risk on the Indiana University Campus. While we understand this is a fluid situation we still worry about the sheer amount of police in riot gear, including snipers, called in to manage what has been reported as a peaceful protest.

Police snipers were spotted on top of IU buildings at various times over the last four days.

The protesters disagree with continued bombing of Palestinian people across the Gaza strip and called for IU to sever financial ties with Israel. Counter-protesters supporting Israel have also been present.

IUs actions have been highlighted in several national publications, including the New York Times and Washington Post.

Play by the rules

But Holcomb told reporters Friday that the state police will of course continue to do their job. And that is to serve and protect all and make sure that protests can occur and the freedom to speak out for and against issues that may be emotional in nature. But there will be law and order.

Gov. Eric Holcomb listens during a tree planting celebration on Friday, April 26, 2024 on the Statehouse Lawn in Indianapolis. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

We can peacefully protest and you can express your emotionally charged opinion but youre not going to infringe on other peoples rights. And youre not going to deter people from getting a good education, he said.

When asked where to draw the line on police involvement during a peaceful protest he said, The locals establish those local rules  So I would say play by the rules like everybody else has to or they will be administered and enforced.

It is those local rules that have drawn criticism. The day before the IU Divestment Coalition began their planned protest on April 25, IU updated a longstanding policy to forbid the use of structures like tents in Dunn Meadow without prior approval. They posted the new policy to their website the morning of April 25, writing that the original policy allowed them to create an ad hoc committee to make changes to policy.

The original policy, which was created in 1969 and allowed temporary structures in Dunn Meadow during the day without approval, recommended the provost create a committee with a member of the IU Student Association, the Bloomington Faculty Council and a member appointed by the provost to advise policy changes and review denials of permission for overnight structures. However, IU Student Government, previously called IUSA, said the provost did not ask faculty or students to join the committee.

In an email to faculty Thursday, IU President Pamela Whitten said the last-minute policy change was made to balance safety and free speech.

Our university must create a space for meaningful dialogue, while ensuring that our campus is safe and welcoming to all, and that peaceful protest, as many experienced today, symbolizes our steadfastness to the free expression of ideas, Whitten wrote.

After several warnings from police to remove tents on Thursday, Indiana State Police arrived to disperse the crowd. As ISP troopers pushed against the protesters, dragging people out of tents and detaining them, a large crowd of nonparticipating students and faculty looked on from the surrounding sides of the meadow. Some looked shocked and horrified, while others cheered and clapped for the arrests.

Police ultimately arrested 33 people, most of them IU students or faculty, for charges ranging from criminal trespass to resisting arrest and battery, and loaded them onto IU campus buses to the Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse. After processing the protesters, they took them to the county jail, though almost all were released that day with future court dates. Many received notices from the IU Police Department banning them from IU property for a year for allegedly trespassing in Dunn Meadow.

On Friday, faculty led a protest in front of Bryan Hall, IUs administration building. Protesters stayed overnight in tents with no police intervention, but an additional 23 people were arrested Saturday afternoon. More bans were handed out, including a student who was banned from campus for five years. Nearly all students can appeal their bans, an IU spokesman said.

Protests continued on Sunday.

Faculty disapproves

Throughout the protests, several faculty and administrators condemned the universitys actions. Executive dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Rick Van Kooten wrote he had expressed deep concern to IU leadership while some leadership at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering offered support to students who had received a ban from campus. Faculty at the ONeill School of Public and Environmental Affairs overwhelmingly voted to recommend the immediate withdrawal of the new IU policy.

The overwhelming temperature on campus remains high and distrust in IU leadership seems to have sunk to an all-time low. Earlier this month, over 800 faculty voted they had no confidence in IUs president, provost and vice provost for faculty and academic affairs, citing a more than a semester of turmoil. Concerns about First Amendment violations given the last-minute policy change have been echoed by lawyers, including Josh Bleisch, an attorney for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.

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To us that really raises the specter of viewpoint discrimination in this case, he said.

He said banning students from campus raise concerns that the university may be engaging in prior restraint by creating fear that students protests wont be considered protected speech. He said the last-minute change made it nearly impossible for students to ensure their protest abided by policy.

Practically speaking, it seems like there was no way even if the students did want to comply with policy theres no way for them to get permission before their plan was set to go off, he said.

While the events of the past few days have rattled the campus, students have continued pre-graduation festivities, popping champagne, taking photos and crowding downtown bars. As of publication, the protesters and their tents remain in Dunn Meadow.

The post IU protests and police action draw criticism, defense appeared first on Indiana Capital Chronicle.
A U.S Space Force mission, carrying the first Weather System Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M) satellite, launches aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4-East at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., April 11, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Airman 1st Class Olga Houtsma)

This story originally appeared on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administrations move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force.

The letter from the National Governors Association, addressed to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is written in opposition to a legislative proposal submitted by the Department of Defense to the Senate Armed Services Committee that would transfer some Air National Guard personnel and equipment currently being used on space missions to the Space Force.

The Defense Department proposal would require Congress to override existing law requiring that governors approve changes to National Guard units, through Title 10 and 32 of the U.S. Code, that outlines gubernatorial authority over their states National Guard.

The bipartisan group of governors signing the letter said the proposed measure would hurt governors abilities to use the National Guard in response to crises. Governors must retain full authority over these units to protect operational readiness and Americas communities, the letter states.

Legislation that sidesteps, eliminates or otherwise reduces Governors authority within their states and territories undermines longstanding partnerships, precedence, military readiness and operational efficacy, the letter states. This action also negatively affects the important relationships between Governors and DOD at a time when we need to have full trust and confidence between the two to meet the growing threats posed by the era of strategic competition as well as natural disasters.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told federal lawmakers earlier in April that the proposal would shift roughly 700 National Guard members to Space Force as part of a one-time transfer. There are currently 14 units, with about 1,000 personnel, working on space-related missions in seven states  Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New York and Ohio  that could be impacted by the move, according to the National Guard Association of the United States.

The National Guard advocacy group also released a statement opposing the draft legislation. Kendall told reporters in April that he doesnt see a reason why a state needs a Space Force militia. But Retired Maj. Gen. Frank M. McGinn, the organizations president, said keeping space missions within the National Guard keeps the personnel current serving on space missions in work, as many are not able to move or take on full-time responsibilities. It allows states to retain the same defense and military capabilities as other parts of the country, he said  comparing the issue to states having artillery and cyber units in the National Guard, separate from the U.S. military.

Here is what Secretary Kendall is asking to do: Skirt federal law to transfer nearly empty units to the Space Force, thereby reducing the nations military space capabilities at a time when our nation is seeing growing competition in space, McGinn said. I dont see why he wants to take this action. And a growing number in Congress wonder the same.

Only two state governors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, did not sign on to the letter. Both states have a vested interest in Space Force operations and development, with Patrick Space Force Base in Brevard County, Florida being one of the five current bases of the military branch. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) also has operations in both states.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

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The post Ivey, 47 other governors oppose National Guard move to Space Force appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Jarrell police searching for 17-year-old girl last seen Saturday

JARRELL, Texas (KXAN)  The Jarrell Police Department is searching for a missing teenager who was last seen Saturday night.

Jarrell Police posted on social media Sunday night asking for the publics help locating 17-year-old Brooke Lee Fancher.

She is described as white, 57 in height and 110 lbs, and has black hair with bleached streaks throughout.

Fancher was last seen wearing black wind pants, a black hoodie, white fuzzy slip-on house shoes and was carrying a shower bag with a towel and a change of clothes.

Her last known location was the Jarrell Town Center around 9 p.m. Saturday, April 27.

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Fancher, call Jarrell Police at (512) 746-5333 referencing case number 24-0428-0002.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of abuse and assault. Reader discretion is advised.

Jaycee Dugards kidnappers, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, kept her captive for 18 years before authorities could rescue her in 2009. According to People Magazine, Dugard was only 11 years old when Phillip and his wife, Nancy, kidnapped her. The incident occurred near her home in South Lake Tahoe, California, while she was walking to the school bus stop. Phillip was a convicted sex offender out on parole at the time.

While an extensive search for Dugard captivated the nation, the kidnappers, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, held her on their Antioch, California, property. Phillip reportedly stripped the girl naked, handcuffed her, and raped her shortly after the kidnapping. The couple kept her confined in their backyard in tents, sheds, and shacks. There, Phillip continued to rape Dugard over the years and even fathered two daughters with her.

Jaycee Dugard was rescued from the Garridos captivity in August 2009 based on the intuitions of a University of California, Berkeley campus officer. Phillip Garrido took the two daughters to the university campus when an officer got suspicious. He ran a background check on Phillip and reported the same to the sex offenders parole officer. The truth surfaced after Phillip confessed to his parole officer about the kidnapping.

Both Phillip and Nancy Garrido faced kidnapping and false imprisonment charges following Jaycee Dugards release. Other charges included lewd conduct with a minor and child pornography. They both pleaded guilty in April 2011, per The New York Times. Then, in June, Phillip Garrido received a prison sentence of 431 years, and his wife, Nancy, got 36 years to life in prison.

South Tahoe Now reported in 2022 that Phillip Garrido was serving time in the Corcoran State Prison in the Protective Housing Unit. The California Department of Corrections does not disclose his current location. Nancy is incarcerated in the California Institution for Women.

When was Jaycee Dugards kidnapped?

Jaycee Dugards kidnappers, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, took her on June 10, 1991. She was walking to a school bus stop not far from her home that morning. The kidnappers were in a gray car, and they attacked her with a stun gun before they grabbed her and drove away from the scene. Dugards stepfather, Carl, who was at the bus stop, saw the incident and followed the Garridos car but failed to keep up and eventually called 911.

Carl, while describing the kidnapping to People Magazine, said, I heard Jaycee scream, and she was gone. Phillip and Nancy Garrido hid the 11-year-old under a blanket in the backseat of their car. Per The New York Times, in later interviews, Dugard revealed, I heard voices in the front. The kidnapping victim claimed she heard Phillip Garrido laughing and added that he said, I cant believe we got away with it.'

Phillip and Nancy Garrido then took Jaycee Dugard to Antioch, California, where they held her captive for years. The New York Times stated that Dugard recalled while giving testimony in 2010 how the kidnappers ignored her pleas to let her go. Instead, they confined her in tents, shacks, and sheds in the backyard of their property.

Dugard wrote in her memoir, A Stolen Life, which is based on the events Phillip Garrido handcuffed her naked and raped her shortly after the kidnapping. The sexual assault continued for several years. Additionally, to fulfill his personal fantasies, he forced the girl to dress up and put on makeup. In the book, she wrote how the sex offender explained that he has a sex problem. The man told Dugard that he took me so I could help him with his problem so he wouldnt have to bother anyone else with his problem.

In August 1994, Jaycee Dugard gave birth to her first daughter, per The Los Angeles Times. She was 14 years old at the time. Thats when the rapes stopped for a while and eventually became less frequent. Then, in November 1997, Dugard gave birth to her second daughter at the age of 17 after Phillip Garridos final assault on her. The mother-of-two also revealed that her daughters believed Phillip and Nancy Garrido were their parents. They considered Dugard an elder sister.

How were Jaycee Dugards kidnappers, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, caught?

According to The New York Times, authorities caught Jaycee Dugards kidnappers, Phillip and Nancy Garrido, in 2009. Per People Magazine, this happened in late August of that year when Phillip Garrido took Dugards two daughters to the University of California, Berkeley. He was there on August 24 for an event permit to distribute religious flyers.

A campus police officer, Ally Jacobs, became suspicious and briefly looked into Phillips background, learning he was a sex offender. The New York Times reported that Phillip was previously in prison for 11 years in a 1976 rape case. He has sexually assaulted a Nevada casino worker.

People Magazine stated that Officer Jacobs and UC Berkeley special events manager Lisa Campbell noticed the girls unusual appearance and behavior the following day. Jacobs and Campbell, concerned about the two girls well-being, contacted Phillips parole officer, who told them the sex offender had no children.

On August 26, 2009, the parole officer met Phillip and Nancy Garrido, Jaycee Dugard, and her two daughters. Dugard initially did not reveal her identity and only told the truth after Phillip confessed to the kidnapping and rape. Authorities arrested Dugards kidnappers that day, rescuing the mother-of-two after 18 years.

The outlet stated that Phillip and Nancy Garrido faced multiple charges stemming from the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard. Per CBS News, these included kidnapping, false imprisonment, multiple counts of rape, lewd conduct with a minor, and child pornography. They initially pleaded not guilty, but in April 2011, changed their pleas to guilty. The duo also waived their right to appeal. In June of that year, Judge Douglas C. Phimister sentenced Phillip to 431 years in prison, according to The New York Times report. Nancy received 36 years to life in prison.

In 2022, Phillip Garrido was serving his sentence in Corcoran State Prisons Protective Housing Unit. Elsewhere, the California Department of Corrections states that Nancy is in the California Institution for Women. She will become eligible for parole in August 2029. However, the prison records do not disclose Phillips current whereabouts.

As for Dugard, People Magazine reported she received custody of her two daughters, and they moved in with her mother. In the years after her release, she wrote two books and rebuilt her life.

Kidnapped for 18 Years: The Jaycee Dugard Story chronicles the case. Among other true crime shows and documentaries, ABC 20/20 has also revisited the case in one such episode. Additionally, another movie, The Abduction of Jaycee Dugard, also looks into Dugards kidnapping.

The post Jaycee Dugards Kidnappers: Where Are Phillip and Nancy Garrido Now? appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Former Alabama Secretary of Early Childhood Education Jeana Ross (left) and Arab City Councilman Alan Miller will face off in an April 30 GOP runoff for House District 27 in Marshall County. (Courtesy of Jeana Ross and Alan Miller)

Republican voters in House District 27 will go to the polls Tuesday to select a nominee.

Arab City Councilman Alan Miller will face Jeana Ross, former secretary of Early Childhood Education, for the GOP nomination in the district, which includes most of Marshall County. They advanced to the runoff after a primary earlier this month.

The seat is solidly Republican. Former Rep. and current Sen. Wes Kitchens, R-Arab, got 84% of the vote in the 2018 election and 89% of the vote in 2022. With no Democratic candidate, the candidate with the most votes Tuesday will become the representative for House District 27.

The seat became vacant after Kitchens won an election in January to represent Senate District 9, which had previously been represented by former Senate Majority Leader Clay Scofield, R-Arab. Scofield left the Senate in November to join the Business Council of Alabama after about 13 years in the Alabama Legislature.

In separate interviews, both Ross and Miller said they would bring a conservative vision to the Alabama House, though they each had slightly different approaches.

Miller said he wants to improve local quality of life by bringing money for infrastructure projects, such as water and sewage upgrades and community beautification projects.

As a councilman in Arab, he said he was the swing vote for making costly upgrades to the Arab City Park about two years ago. Miller, who describes himself as a fiscal conservative, said it was a tough decision because of the overall cost. But he said he has no regrets now.

We just had our grand reopening of that and it is so nice, and weve had such crowds over there. Its kind of remarkable, Miller said.

He said the council recently voted to allocate some more funding for a new, smaller park.

When you have a nice town  of course, our schools are great too  then you attract people that want to live here and grow, and grow in the right way, he said.

Ross said many voters expressed concern about the direction of the country. She said that while it may feel like a national issue, constituents tell her they are concerned about their values and way of life overall.

She said there are ways to make that change on a state level and pass creative conservative policies to actually impact change on a local level, and that she has the experience to make that happen.

There are ways that we can make changes, even when they are coming from the national level, Ross said. Its just having the determination to get it done, and Ive got a proven record of doing that.

Both candidates said they personally opposed gambling. They hold similar views on the impacts of gambling in the district.

Miller said that he would likely vote against the comprehensive gambling package in a constitutional amendment as a voter because of his belief that gambling operations can bring in corruption and crime. He said he hears similar concerns from constituents.

Thats what people are telling me, is that they dont want that. Nor do I. Thats what Ive got to represent, Miller said.

He did say he would not be opposed to a lottery-only statewide referendum, if thats what the district wanted.

Im just one person in the constituency, so even if I dont want it, but 10 to one people do, then thats what Ive got to represent, Miller said.

Ross said that shes not a fan of gambling and hesitated to take a stance on either gambling packages stalled in the Legislature. She said that because of potential negative impact it can have on people, especially disadvantaged groups, she would have to do more research on the current bills.

Ive not read the bills, but Im personally not a fan of gambling, she said.

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Meet the Candidates

Alan Miller

Political candidate poses for professional portrait

House District 27 candidate Alan Miller. (Courtesy of Alan Miller)

Age: 62

Residence: Arab

Occupation: Retired, banking management

Education: B.A., Psychology, Auburn University, 1985; M.B.A., Finance, Florida State University, 1992.

Party: Republican

Previous political experience: Arab City Council, 2014-2016; 2020  present

Fundraising: Miller has raised $28,878, including $10,000 he loaned the campaign, and spent $18,041. He had $10,837 on hand as of April 19.

Jeana Ross

Political candidate poses for professional portrait

House District 27 candidate Jeana Ross. (Courtesy of Jeana Ross)

Age: 69

Residence: Guntersville

Occupation: Education consultant, former secretary of Early Childhood Education

Education: B.S., Early Childhood Education, University of Alabama in Birmingham, 1975; M.A., Educational Leadership, University of Alabama, 2000.

Party: Republican

Previous political experience: First time candidate

Fundraising: Ross has raised $172,668, including $11,234 she loaned the campaign and $109,000 in PAC donations. She spent $159,044 and had $12,584 on hand as of April 23.

The post Jeana Ross, Alan Miller competing in GOP runoff for House District 27 appeared first on Alabama Reflector.
Jefferson Fire District says it will have to cut water rescue patrols if levy fails again

Jefferson Fire District has a levy on the May election ballot and will have to make some big cuts in service if it doesnt pass, district officials say.

In November 2023, voters in the Jefferson Fire District rejected a proposed operations levy increase. The district is again asking voters to pass the annual levy of 81 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in the May 21 election.

If the levy fails this time, the result will be cuts in staffing and the water rescue program, district officials say.

The district covers 86 square miles in Marion and Linn counties, including the city of Jefferson west to the Willamette River and seven miles of Interstate 5. District leaders say the stretch of I-5 accounts for nearly 5% of the accidents on the freeway in Oregon and about 5% of the emergency responses it makes.

What will the Jefferson Fire District levy cost property owners?

Voters last November shot down the operations levy of 81 cents per $1,000, by 55% to 45%.

A homeowner with an assessed property value of $250,000, would pay an additional $107.50 a year.

The current levy, which expires June 30, is 38 cents per $1,000.

Paul McCallum is a paramedic and firefighter for the Jefferson Fire District.

Instead of scaling back, the district decided to ask for the same amount.

The reason we went for 81 cents is its what we need to operate, its not what we want, Scio Fire Chief Levi Eckhardt said.

If the Jefferson Fire District levy passes, how will the money be used?

If the levy passes, the district would receive $3.67 million over the next five years, including $693,135 in the 2024-2025 budget year that begins July 1.

Eckhardt said the districts call volume has increased from 1,260 in 2020 to 1,535 calls in 2023, necessitating the need for increased staffing.

We want to hire three additional firefighter medics and that helps us staff our second out ambulance and advance life support, he said.

Jefferson Fire District has a levy on the May election ballot and will have to make some big cuts in service if it doesnt pass, district officials say.

Eckhardt said the district currently has three full-time firefighter/paramedics, three full-time administrative staff, 21 part-time firefighter/paramedics and about 25 volunteers.

Some of the money also would be used to purchase a new ambulance.

Were not trying to do something grand, Eckhardt said.

What will happen if the Jefferson Fire District levy fails again?

If the levy fails, Eckhardt said the district will have to cut about $300,000 per year from its annual budget of $8.5 million by reducing the number of part-time firefighter/paramedics.

And the hours for the remaining part-time employees will have to be reduced, he said.

Jefferson Fire District has a levy on the May election ballot and will have to make some cuts in service if it doesn't pass, district officials say.

The fire district also will eliminate its water rescue team on the North Santiam River.

The Linn County Sheriffs Office has water rescue units. If Jefferson cuts its water rescue, Linn County would have to answer all the calls on that section of the North Santiam River.

Jefferson is a frequent spot to put boats in the river. According to fire district data, there were 23 calls for help on the river in 2020 and 2021, 15 in 2022, and 13 in 2023.

Theres been times when weve had to bring in 20 some people off the water at a time, Eckhardt said.

Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Jefferson District Fire levy would allow more call responses
QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11)  If youre looking for a job, Queens is the place to be.

New York City will host a hiring event Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CUNY York College, 94-20 Guy R Brewer Blvd., to help locals land government and private jobs.

How to use new NYC jobs website to start career, get paid training and more

At the monthly event, job seekers can learn more about available city jobs, meet private employers from across the five boroughs, find training programs, and connect to public resources.

Attendees are encouraged to wear professional attire and bring multiple copies of their resume, as interviews for some jobs could be offered on the spot.

Mayor Eric Adams will join the job fair at 12:30 p.m. to make a jobs-related announcement, according to his office.

More Local News

Over 3,200 city jobs are currently available, ranging from a recreational programming specialist to a managing attorney for the NYPD. Nearly 300 of the available jobs are categorized as entry-level, while the bulk of jobs open fall in the experienced but non-manager category.

Check out some jobs available in NYC:

Junior Project Manager, Department of Design & Construction

Location: Queens

Salary: $56,313-$64,760

Will manage Land Surveying for capital construction projects. Will review work scopes, assign tasks, review field surveys, review payments and more.

Caretaker, NYC Housing Authority

Location: Brooklyn, Queens

Salary: $36,006-$50,569

Drive vehicles and pick up debris, materials and supplies. Prepare apartments for move outs and assist emergency snow removal.

City Attendant, Department of Transportation

Location: Staten Island

Salary: $35,503-$47,080

Conduct routine work on vessels and terminals of the Staten Island Ferry.

Youth Development Specialist, Administration of Childrens Services

Location: Crossroads Juvenile Center

Salary: $51,787

Facilitate youth in activities and court appearances. Mentor and guide youth, address conflicts. Help with admission and orientation, drive transport vehicles.

The majority of city jobs will require a civil service exam, but applicants with physical or mental disabilities can bypass the test.

Year-round, you can apply for a city job online and access support and programming.

Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered local news for years. She has been with PIX11 since 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
The Swiss luxury watch manufacture is delighted to announce that German three Michelin stars chef Jan Hartwig has joined the Hublot family. Like Hublot, the chef has developed his own signature style in record time and is gaining international recognition for it

Jan Hartwig is a guarantee for absolute top quality and is considered one of Germanys greatest culinary talents. In October 2022, he opened his restaurant "JAN" in the culinary metropolis of Munich, with which he immediately achieved three Michelin stars after just a few months thanks to his undeniable, unique style. His culinary creations are precise and carefully considered down to the last detail; each has its own identity and features wonderful and surprising combinations.

With his own restaurant, which bears the name "JAN" and offers space for a total of 40 guests, he fulfilled his dream of self-employment. His aim is to present top-class cuisine in a contemporary setting. To achieve this, he broke with the conventions of gourmet cuisine, as the sleek interior design of the restaurant: "JAN" appears in a friendly, upscale style.

Hublot Friend of the Brand Jan Hartwig  Hublot

The "JAN" is supposed to stand out from other Michelin-starred restaurants without compromising on exclusivity and sophistication. Jan Hartwig reinterprets the DNA of German cuisine and translates it into new worlds of flavour. His cooking style is characterised by precision, creativity and passion, and with his own identity he sometimes surprises with unexpected combinations in his kitchen.

The highest level of craftsmanship, sustainability and outstanding products, predominantly from the region, play an equally important role in providing his guests with an unforgettable experience.

Like Hublot, true to the brand philosophy "First, unique and different", Jan Hartwig is constantly working to be better today than he was yesterday and consciously uses precise components in his dishes, similar to the precision of a watch movement.

The development of his dishes also resembles the composition of a clockwork movement: the dishes are designed to the point so that it is impossible to remove any of the components. The pioneering spirit that unites the Swiss luxury watch manufacture with the German three Michelin stars chef emphasises how obvious the step towards this partnership is.

Jan joins Hublots growing family of culinary partners, with three Michel stars chefs Yannick Alleno, Eneko Atxa, Andreas Caminada, Paul Pairet, Anne-Sophie Pic and Clare Smyth.

Hublot Friend of the Brand Jan Hartwig  Hublot

Jan Hartwig shares the same values as we do at Hublot. The passion, excellence and creativity that he combines in his craft is also united in our manufacture's creations. His vision of breaking the conventions of gourmet cuisine is similar to the spirit of our Maison, because we are constantly trying to push the boundaries of classic watchmaking and break new ground. We are therefore delighted to welcome a new three Michelin stars chef in the Hublot Family. 

Ricardo Guadalupe - Hublot CEO

"Hublot and I share the conviction that innovation, excellence and creativity are essential in the culinary and watchmaking arts. My approach to breaking new ground in the world of haute gastronomy is in line with the Manufacture's multifaceted approach. I am very proud to be part of the Hublot family, next to other amazing international chefs."

Jan Hartwig - Three Michelin Stars Chef

Hublot Friend of the Brand Jan Hartwig  Hublot

Jan Hartwig

Jan Hartwig started his career in 2000 with his cookery training at the Restaurant Dannenfeld (1 Michelin star) in Braunschweig. In 2003 he worked at "Pomp Duck and Circumstance" in Berlin. 2005 Jan Hartwig worked in the 2 star restaurant Kastell in Wernberg-Koblitz under the management of Christian Jurgens. In 2006, he moved to Klaus Erfort to work in the Saarbrucken 2-star restaurant Gastehaus Klaus Erfort in Saarbrucken.

In 2007 he started working at the 2 star restaurant Aqua in Wolfsburg, under the management of Sven Elverfeld, where he was sous chef from 2009 until his departure in 2014. The restaurant was awarded 3 Michelin stars in 2009. In May 2014, Jan Hartwig took up his first position as head chef at the Restaurant ATELIER at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof in Munich.

The restaurant was already awarded 2 Michelin stars in 2015 and from 2017 until Hartwig's departure in late summer 2021 with 3 Michelin stars. No German chef was faster than him. Jan Hartwig is also the first chef in Munich to receive 3 Michelin stars 23 years after Eckart Witzigmann.
After Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki said he would not seek reelection, Delaware Gov. John Carney said he was "seriously considering" running for the office.

On Monday, the governor of Delaware made it official, announcing he is running for mayor of the state's largest city.

Gov. Carney is finishing his second term in the state's highest political office. Before his election in 2016, he represented Delaware for three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Formerly Delawares secretary of finance, Carney held office for two terms as Delawares lieutenant governor. Carney and his wife, Tracey, have lived in Wilmington for almost 40 years and raised two sons.

In a statement declaring his official candidacy, Carney emphasized that Wilmington's success is crucial for Delaware's prosperity.

"I will work with state officials, school districts, and community leaders to improve public education in city schools. I will prioritize expanding affordable housing in Wilmington. I will invest in small and minority-owned businesses across the city," he said in the statement.

The announcement sets up a two-way race for mayor in September's Democratic primary.

Gov. John Carney delivers his State of the State Address at Legislative Hall in Dover, Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The event was rescheduled from January after Carney fell ill.

Opponent Velda Jones-Potter

Former city Treasurer Velda Jones-Potter launched the first mayoral campaign for the 2024 election when she announced her run for Wilmington mayor in March 2023.

Jones-Potter made Delaware history as the first African American to hold statewide office when she was appointed to state treasurer in 2009 by newly elected Gov. Jack Markell. As state treasurer, Jones-Potter steered Delaware through its worst fiscal crisis since the great depression and is nationally recognized for financial education and empowerment initiatives launched during her tenure, according to her campaign.

Jones-Potter is the founder of a financial services and consulting company. An engineer, she formerly held executive positions with DuPont and MBNA

Her mayoral campaign focuses on making neighborhoods safer, empowering Wilmington residents and using city resources efficiently.

Velda Jones-Potter is running for Wilmington mayor in the 2024 election.

In a previous run for mayor, Jones-Potter lost to Mayor Mike Purzycki in a three-way race in 2020.

You can contact reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware Gov. John Carney announces run for Wilmington mayor
Attorneys for Stephan Sterns are set to appear in court Monday in Osceola County.

A grand jury indicted Sterns last week in the murder of Madeline Soto.

Madeline disappeared in late February, and days later, her body was found in a wooded area of Saint Cloud.

Mondays court hearing is for an arraignment for the first-degree murder charge that was handed down to Sterns last week.

Read: I miss her so much: Madeline Sotos biological father speaks out about death, disappearance

Hes been sitting in jail for about two months now after his arrest for dozens of child sex abuse charges.

Sterns could spend the rest of his life in prison without parole or the death penalty, depending on the prosecution.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office said Friday evening that Madeline Sotos body has been found. Investigators said Osceola County deputies found the missing 13-year-old girls body at about 4:30 p.m. in a wooded area along Hickory Tree Road.

Detectives believe Stephan Sterns killed 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Monday morning at a Kissimmee apartment complex.

Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon.

Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon.

Investigators discovered the body of 13-year-old Madeline Soto on Friday afternoon.

Sources say that Maddies body was found in rural St. Cloud near Hickory Tree Road.

Police and deputies canvassed the area of Osceola County for 13-year-old Madeline Soto.

The Kissimmee Police Department will handle the search for Madeline Soto, said Chief Betty Holland.

The sheriff said the efforts will now shift to recovering her body.

Sheriff John Mina said he is confident that she is dead, and recovery efforts will continue.

Members of the community will gather to pray for 13-year-old Madeline Soto.

Deputies in Orange County said 13-year-old Madeline Soto has been missing since Monday morning. And now, her mothers boyfriend is in jail on charges of sexual battery and possession of child sex abuse material. Stephan Sterns was supposed to go before an Orange County judge Thursday morning but refused to be in court.

More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation.

More than 50 members of the Orange County Emergency Response Team looked for the 13-year-old in various areas as our detectives continued their investigation.

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

Madeline Soto

The Orange County Sheriffs Office on Friday confirmed that the body of Madeline Soto, 13, has been located.

He was the boyfriend of Madeline Sotos mother at the time the 13-year-old disappeared.

Sterns had initially been arrested at the end of February and was charged with 60 counts of child pornography and sexual battery.

Read: Stephan Sterns charged with 1st-degree murder in Madeline Sotos death

His arraignment for the murder charge is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Channel 9 will have a crew inside of the courtroom and provide updates on Eyewitness News.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
State Reps. Brandon Prichard, left, and Bill Tveit were subpoenaed to testify in a lawsuit challenging the state's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. (Photos provided by the North Dakota Legislative Assembly)

Two state lawmakers are expected to testify in a lawsuit challenging North Dakotas ban on gender-affirming care for minors after a judge last week resolved a dispute over whether the legislators could be ordered to speak about the law.

Attorneys for Gender Justice, the advocacy group representing the plaintiffs, last month sought to subpoena Rep. Bill Tveit, R-Hazen, and Rep. Brandon Prichard, R-Bismarck, for depositions related to social media posts the lawmakers made discussing the ban and LGBTQ issues in North Dakota.

Tveit was the primary sponsor of the 2023 legislation, while Prichard was a co-sponsor.

The representatives through Deputy Solicitor General Katie Carpenter responded with a motion to quash the subpoenas, arguing that lawmakers would be required to divulge privileged information about their work on the ban and that the orders would be too burdensome to comply with.

South Central District Court Judge Jackson Lofgren in a Friday order upheld the subpoenas, but said the plaintiffs attorneys could only question Prichard and Tveit about public statements the lawmakers have made.

The Court finds the Representatives, through their actions, have elected to waive legislative privilege in a limited capacity, Lofgren wrote in the order. By posting their thoughts on social media, pertaining to the current litigation, they have opened themselves up to questioning about their social media posts.

In previous court documents, the plaintiffs stated they wanted Prichard and Tveit to testify on their posts in part because they express bias against transgender and LGBTQ people, which the plaintiffs argued could be relevant to the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs referenced multiple comments by Prichard containing anti-LGBTQ views, including a January post on X, previously Twitter, where he stated The LGBTQ agenda is evil and bad for North Dakota and asked, What even is a queer?

Court records indicate that Prichard was served with the subpoena on March 26, but that attempts to serve Tveit were unsuccessful as of April 18.

Prichard told the North Dakota Monitor previously he believes the plaintiffs want him to testify because he spoke in favor of the legislation on the House floor and was an avid backer of the ban in committee meetings.

He also said he believes the Gender Justice attorneys only want a gotcha moment that would bolster their case.

The ban on gender affirming care for minors was signed into law by Gov. Doug Burgum in April 2023.

In September, a group of families and doctors filed suit against the state, arguing the law discriminates against transgender adolescents by denying them treatments that are still legal for other kids to receive for other medical reasons. They also claim the ban infringes on parents constitutional right to make medical decisions for their kid.

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.

Under the ban, its a class A misdemeanor to administer medications  including puberty blockers and hormone therapy  to children for the purpose of providing gender-affirming care.

Providers found to have violated this part of the law could face up to 360 days in jail, fines of up to $3,000 or both.

The law also makes it a class B felony to perform transition-related surgery on a minor  which means 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 law does carve out an exception for those who were receiving gender-affirming care before the legislation was adopted, though the plaintiffs have said the provision is worded too vaguely for doctors to know when it applies. As a result, North Dakota doctors are not providing gender-affirming care to any minors, even those who were receiving treatment before the ban, the plaintiffs argue.

Both parties are waiting for Lofgren to rule on a motion to suspend enforcement of the law while the case plays out in court.

The plaintiffs asked for a preliminary injunction on the legislation in 2023, claiming the law will cause irreparable harm to children who need gender-affirming care if left in place.

Witnesses testified for and against suspending the ban at a January hearing in Bismarck.

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The post Judge rules lawmakers can be called to testify in gender-affirming care case appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
MONTOURSVILLE, LYCOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  A 12 year-old-boy from Montoursville is making quite an impact in his community.

Nolan Wurster has raised thousands of dollars for his local fire department.

28/22 News Reporter Iyee Jagne takes us to Lycoming County to meet the junior fire chief in this weeks Heres to You Kid segment.

Nolan has a love for fire trucks. It started at a young age after a visit to a firehouse with his dad.

My dad took me down to the firehouse one day when I was about four and I just started liking the fire company, Nolan said.

How warm will it be in NEPA this week?

From there, his passion turned to compassion for his local fire department, the Montoursville Fire Department.

I donate all my, like, birthday money and money I raise from fundraisers to Montoursville Fire Department and Im here almost every day, Nolan explained.

Nolan has organized chili cook-offs and basket raffles to help raise money for the fire department. He usually hosts the fundraisers around his birthday in October.

Last year, he received an unexpected gift for his dedication.

I was here and it was my birthday month so I came in for their meeting and gave them some stuff, gave them like money and they presented me with the title and a shirt, Nolan continued.

That title is Junior Chief, and it comes with some pretty nice perks.

I get to go on parades with them and I get to ride in the trucks, and I get to go to like training and stuff, Nolan added.

The Montoursville Fire Department tells 28/22 News they are very grateful for all that he does for them.

Nolans parents have also been very supportive of his fundraising work.

Him giving at this age I cant imagine as a grown adult what hes going to be doing. Its really neat and makes me really proud to see, said Nolans dad, Travis Wurster of Montoursville.

Nolan hopes to serve as a role model to people in his community.

I hope that they like I try to inspire them to donate to a cause or a fire department or police department I want I just wanna inspire them to donate to someone, Nolan stated.

When Nolan grows up, its no surprise he says he wants to be a firefighter.

Nolan started this in 2020 and has raised almost $4,000. Hes also a student at the CE McCall Middle School where he maintains good grades.

Heres to you Nolan!

If you have a kid you think should be featured on Heres To You Kid!, send in a nomination online.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
A judge ordered jurors Friday to keep deliberating after they said they were deadlocked in a lawsuit alleging a Virginia-based military contractor is liable for abuses suffered by inmates at the Abu Ghraib prion in Iraq two decades ago.

The eight-person civil jury has deliberated the equivalent of three full days in the civil suit in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

The trial, which began April 15, is the first time a U.S. jury has heard claims of mistreatment brought by survivors of Abu Ghraib.

Three former detainees sued Reston, Virginia-based contractor CACI. They allege the company is liable for the mistreatment they suffered when they were imprisoned at Abu Ghraib in 2003 and 2004 after the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

CACI supplied civilian contractors to work at Abu Ghraib as interrogators, in support of shorthanded U.S. Army soldiers. Abuse of detainees at Abu Ghraib became a worldwide scandal 20 years ago when photos became public showing U.S. soldiers smiling and laughing as they inflicted physical and sexual abuse on detainees in shockingly graphic ways.

The plaintiffs have argued at trial that CACI interrogators contributed to their mistreatment, even if they didnt commit the abuses themselves, by conspiring with soldiers to mistreat inmates as a way to soften them up for questioning.

On Friday, the jury sent out a note saying that they have extensively discussed the evidence but we are still not unanimous on anything.

As is typical when a jury sends out such a note, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema told the jurors they must continue their deliberations. She sent them home early Friday afternoon to resume deliberating Monday morning.

During deliberations last week, the jury asked multiple questions about how to apply a legal principle known as the borrowed servants doctrine.

CACI, as one of its defenses, has argued it shouldnt be liable for any misdeeds by its employees if they were under the control and direction of the Army.

The plaintiffs lawyers tried to bar CACI from making that argument at trial, but Brinkema allowed the jury to consider it.

Both sides have argued about scope of the doctrine. Fundamentally, though, if CACI has proven that its interrogators were under the command and control of the Army at the time any misconduct occurred, then the jury has been instructed to find in favor of CACI.

The issue of who controlled CACI interrogators occupied a significant portion of the trial. CACI officials testified that they basically turned over supervision of the interrogators to the Army.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued otherwise, and introduced evidence including CACIs contract with the Army, which required CACI to supervise its own employees. Jurors also saw a section of the Army Field Manual that pertains to contractors and states that only contractors may supervise and give direction to their employees.

The trial and the jurys deliberations come after legal wrangling and questions over whether CACI could be sued resulted in more than 15 years of legal wrangling.
'There just aren't many places left': Why late-night options have dwindled in Minneapolis

The small crowd eating wings and omelets at 3 a.m. inside the Nicollet Diner used to have a lot more choices if they wanted a casual overnight bite in Minneapolis. Now, this Loring Park spot is one of the only options in the city for a post-midnight meal.

"There just aren't many places left to get something to eat this late," said 25-year-old Myles Lamar on a Thursday after dark earlier this spring, seated with friends.

A growing number of Minneapolis businesses have pulled back on their late-night hours in the past couple of years, a trend that applies to grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants that were once known for staying open all night, or at least close to it.

In interviews, managers, workers and a retail association president listed a few reasons for this drop in late-night offerings, including a decline in business, concerns over public safety and changes in consumer expectations in a post-pandemic world.

Sam Turner, the owner of the Nicollet Diner, said he also thinks it's a troubling trend, and that it indicates Minneapolis isn't offering the number of late-night amenities that should be expected in a major metropolitan city.

"If your flight lands in Minneapolis and you're starving after checking into your hotel downtown at 3 a.m., you have zero options," Turner said. "We're an option, but that's about the only one, and that's just very rare for a city of our size."

The change is also a blow to some who work nighttime shifts and hope to find something to eat other than fast food.

Sierra Jones, who had just finished her shift at a warehouse, was sitting with her husband at a booth at the diner around 2 a.m. They used to have a few go-to restaurants for a late-night meal, but their choices have narrowed to just the Nicollet.

"We could've gone to McDonald's," Sierra said, wincing at the thought, "but this is a good place to talk and we know the food is good."

In Uptown, both the Walgreens on Hennepin Avenue and the Cub Foods on Lagoon Avenue switched in recent months from staying open overnight to closing at midnight. The Holiday gas station store, just north of Walgreens on Hennepin Avenue, recently backed up its closing time from 11 p.m. to 10 p.m.

At the Walgreens, overnight hours were removed in order to "accommodate customer and patient needs while optimizing staffing levels in the area," a corporate spokesperson said in an email.

Walgreens employee Kendall Olivares said he isn't sure what led to the reduction in hours, but he noted that staffing has been a challenge. There have also been instances where employees have felt unsafe approaching someone who is shoplifting, which Olivares said happens frequently. Since the reduction of hours in February, "a lot" of customers have told employees they miss the convenience of having a 24/7 Walgreens in the area.

The Uptown Diner, another late-night staple, curtailed its dine-in hours following the pandemic, and for the past several years only offered to-go food after 10 p.m. The diner resumed full 24/7 dine-in service this past summer when Taylor Swift performed in Minneapolis and created additional foot traffic, but that lasted only a few months, general manager Pablo Forero said. Earlier this month, the diner removed its overnight takeout option for Sunday through Thursday, and now goes dark after 11 p.m. on those days.

Forero said it didn't make sense financially to continue offering late-night dine-in services due to a significant decrease in business.

"Ten years ago, I was seeing another ten- to fifteen-thousand dollars in a week," Forero said.

With changes to the Uptown Cub Foods' hours, all six locations in Minneapolis now close at midnight or 10 p.m. Some suburban Cub Foods stores, including in St. Louis Park and Bloomington, still stay open all night. Cub Foods' owner, UNFI, said in a statement that the company reduced some stores' hours as an "experiment to understand what would best serve customers." The company did not answer additional questions.

The number of all-hours restaurants has also decreased nationwide by about 18% since just before the pandemic, according to data from Yelp. Los Angeles saw a much bigger drop, at 35%, while New York and Chicago saw more modest decreases. A quick Google search shows those cities still have significantly more round-the-clock restaurants than the Twin Cities.

Bruce Nustad, president of the Minnesota Retailers Association, said he thinks one factor is that consumers have become more accepting of a store changing hours since the COVID-19 pandemic forced most places to do so.

"Retailers just don't always see as much pushback on hour changes that we used to, because consumers are more understanding and more flexible in their expectations," Nustad said.

Some stores have also struggled to maintain enough staff, Nustad said, leading them to reduce hours to operate with a smaller workforce.

Concern about late-night crime is another factor.

"I've seen retailers say, 'You know what? Instead of closing at 10, we're going to close at 8 because we tend to see more problems in that later evening,'" Nustad said.

At the Uptown Diner, Forero said he thinks customers are becoming more concerned about crime in the area and are going to other parts of the metro to eat instead.

"It's not like people ever steal from here or anything, but it does affect where people want to go out and eat," Forero said.

Overall, violent crime decreased in Minneapolis in 2023. But in Uptown Diner's neighborhood  Lowry Hill East  several crime categories spiked.

The neighborhood had 20 shooting victims last year, more than in any of the past five years. It has also seen a significant rise in gunfire reports, from 29 in 2019 to 109 in 2023. The number of aggravated assaults reached a five-year high, with 83 assaults in 2023.

Forero said it became necessary to pay for a security guard during the overnight hours, which made staying open late more costly. About a month ago, the diner did widen its hours, and now allows sit-down dining until midnight on Friday and Saturday and until 11 p.m. the rest of the week.

Turner offered a different opinion. He said it's a false perception that Minneapolis has become especially dangerous, adding that he thinks a majority of city residents don't have the same sentiment.

Instead, Turner said he thinks it's important to have more foot traffic in the city and keep food establishments open late at night to combat that perception.

"If there were more activated spaces in downtown, I think that there would be a higher sense of safety when people come to visit," he said.

Star Tribune staff writer Jeff Hargarten contributed to this story.
PANAMA CITY BEACH  In an effort to better protect residents and visitors during severe weather, local officials are considering tornado sirens on the Beach.

Officials discussed the topic in a Panama City Beach City Council meeting on Thursday.

According to Chief Ray Morgan of Panama City Beach Fire Rescue, the idea of adding tornado sirens was introduced to the council about three years ago. At that time, the cost of just the sirens was slated to be about $150,000. That price now, however, would likely be in the range of $250,000, he noted.

In a Panama City Beach City Council meeting on Thursday, officials discussed the possibility of incorporating emergency tornado sirens on the Beach.

"It's quite a large investment," Morgan said. "No system is perfect. It's just one tool in the toolbox. Typically these are systems that are used in more rural communities."

Though members of the public who attended the meeting were in favor of the sirens, Councilman Paul Casto said he thinks there could be better uses for the money. He suggested the city instead put those funds toward improving PCB Fire Rescue's beach safety division.

Nine people drowned last year while swimming in the Gulf of Mexico in Bay County. Of those, six were in Panama City Beach, and three were off unincorporated beaches of the county.

One beachgoer has drowned in PCB this year.

"We lost nine people last year in the Gulf of Mexico," Casto said. "If we've got that kind of money to spend on sirens ... then I think we should be doing a better job on our lifeguard program."

He also worries tornado sirens might be an outdated technology because practically everyone now has cell phones, giving the majority of the public the ability to register for Alert Bay, an notification system that sends out text alerts during emergencies, disasters and severe storms.

Mayor Stuart Tettemer said he has spoken with residents who have concerns about relying on cell phones, especially when it comes to protecting seniors, visitors who do not know about Alert Bay or people whose phones happen to be dead when disaster strikes.

"I agree that the proposed siren systems ... are old technology," Tettemer said. "I'd be interested to see if there's any other technology that we can look at that's cheaper and more cost effective."

Beach safety: One tourist drowns off the coast of Panama City Beach, first local beach drowning of 2024

He also said that even if the city does not move forward with tornado sirens, there might be other ways to protect the public during storms, such as providing weather radios.

Officials ultimately directed staff to get an up-to-date cost estimate for the sirens and see if there are grant opportunities to fund either the sirens or weather radios.

For more information on Alert Bay, or to sign up for text alerts, visit alertbay.org.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Beach Council discusses adding tornado sirens
From expanding school vouchers to allowing teachers to carry guns, Tennessee's legislative session was packed with controversial bills that dealt with K-12 schools and education. Some passed, others did not.

In the final days of the nearly four-month session, Gov. Bill Lee's push to expand statewide taxpayer-funded vouchers that families could use toward private schooling failed after lawmakers could not agree on how to enact it. It was one of Lee's most ambitious education initiatives to date and spurred protests and scrutiny throughout the session. If passed, the plan would have eventually expanded on the state's existing program and provided vouchers regardless of income.

State Republicans drove the passage of a hotly debated bill that allows some K-12 teachers and staff to carry concealed guns in schools. Those who wish to carry must meet several requirements including training and background checks. Districts also have the power to say no to arming teachers and staff. In fact, several have already said they won't allow anyone but trained law enforcement officers, including school resource officers, to carry weapons at schools.

Here's a (by no means exhaustive) look at other measures affecting schools and children that passed or failed this session.

'Extremely disappointed': TN school voucher bill dead for the year

Arming teachers: Tennessee lawmakers pass bill allowing teachers, school staff to carry concealed handguns

What passed

Who decides on holding back fourth graders

SB2183/HB2326 leaves decisions on holding back thousands of fourth graders affected by Tennessee's controversial reading law up to schools and parents. The bill passed the state legislature on Thursday.

A lesser-known part of the reading law could have held back up to 6,000 fourth graders this year, according to a projection from the Tennessee Department of Education. The newly passed bill removes that mandate. The Senate voted to pass the bill 27-3. The House voted 82-3. It was still awaiting transmission to Lee's desk as of Friday.

Myleigh Eason, 11, reads a book while at the kitchen table at her home in Spring Hill, Tenn., Monday, April 15, 2024.

Read more: Lawmakers OK bill to put decision on holding back 4th graders in hands of schools, parents

Fire alarm procedures in schools

SB1979/HB1644 requires all Tennessee schools  private, public, religious and charter  to develop a procedure to determine the cause of a fire alarm, establish procedures for how students, teachers, staff and volunteers respond depending on the reason for the alarm, and hold annual training for those procedures. The intent is to prepare schools in case a fire alarm is activated due to the presence of an active shooter or threat other than a fire. Schools will have to implement the new policy by Jan. 1, 2025. After it passed both the House and Senate unanimously, Lee signed it into law on March 12.

Fire alarm bill: Covenant families recount Nashville school shooting in emotional special session testimony

Carrying handguns in private schools

SB1708/HB1631 clarifies an existing Tennessee law to say that private schools serving students from pre-K through 12th grade can adopt a handgun carry policy on school property. The bill passed the full House in a 74-23 vote and the Senate in a 26-5 vote. Lee signed it into law on April 22.

Age-appropriate firearm instruction

SB2923/HB2882 requires districts to provide students with firearm safety instruction that is both age- and grade-appropriate, starting in the 2025-26 school year. The bill passed the House in a 79-12 vote and the Senate in a 24-3 vote. Lee signed it into law on April 23.

Threats of mass violence at schools become felonies

SB2263/HB2198 makes it a Class E felony to threaten to commit an act of mass violence at a school or a school-related activity. Both acts currently carry a Class A misdemeanor penalty. The bill passed the House in a 90-5 vote, with five abstaining, and the Senate in a 30-0 vote, with one abstaining. It was still awaiting Lee's signature as of Friday.

Therapy dogs in schools

SB1867/HB1908 establishes a one-year pilot program to place therapy dogs in five public schools in the 2024-25 school year. It passed the House in a 95-1 vote, with one abstaining, and the Senate in a 28-0 vote, with one abstaining. It was still awaiting transmission to Lee's desk as of Friday.

Cadence Thomas hugs Officer Faye Okert and greets Sgt. Bo in the morning before heading to class at Goodlettsville Elementary School in Goodlettsville, Tenn., Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.

Family leave for public charter school employees

SB2655/HB2697 requires public charter schools to provide employees six work weeks of paid leave after the birth or stillbirth of a child, or the adoption of a newly placed child. The bill passed both the House and Senate unanimously. It was still awaiting Lee's signature as of Friday.

School nurse to student ratio reduction

SB2703/HB2158 reduces the school-nurse-to-student ratio from one nurse per 3,000 students to one nurse per 750 students. It unanimously passed the House and passed the Senate 28-1. It was still awaiting Lee's signature as of Friday.

What failed or stalled out

Ban on pride and trans flags in schools

SB1722/HB1605 would have banned public schools and public charter schools from displaying any flag other than the official U.S. and Tennessee state flags. This would prohibit schools from displaying any other flags, including rainbow pride flags, pride progress flags and transgender rights flags. As written, it would have even banned flags such as the POW/MIA flag remembering those who were prisoners of war or missing in action.

While it passed the House, it narrowly failed the Senate.

A young protester holds up a pride flag during a Tennessee House session on Feb. 26.

Bipartisan blockage: Tennessee bill to ban pride flags from public schools fails in Senate

Free school lunches

A slew of Democrat-sponsored bills to provide universal free school breakfasts and lunches in public schools either failed or timed out during this session. The measures included SB1790/HB1844, SB1896/HB1860, SB2389/HB2498 SB2455/HB2335 and SB2465/HB2652.

Expanding who can carry handguns on school property

SB2788/HB2883 would have allowed the following people to carry handguns, concealed or open, onto school property and school buses: on- and off-duty law enforcement officers, active duty and retired U.S. military members, and (except in "certain circumstances") enhanced handgun carry permit holders.

The House version of bill was taken off notice and was never heard by the Senate.

Retired officers, veterans as school resource officers

SB2025/HB1899 would have allowed retired law enforcement officers from federal, state or local agencies and honorably discharged U.S. veterans to serve as school resource officers.

The measure passed the House but was never heard by the Senate.

Expanding who can challenge books in schools

SB1858/HB1632 would have allowed parents to sue a local public school or public charter school to challenge books that violate the Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022. Parents of children who attend or are eligible to attend those schools could file suit over books and other materials deemed "harmful to minors" under the existing law. Currently, the law allows employees, students and parents of students enrolled in a public school district to challenge materials used in the classroom  but it does not mention lawsuits.

The bill passed the Senate but was taken off notice in the House.

Repealing the Education Savings Account program

HB0741/SB1024 would have repealed the states Education Savings Account pilot program. The program provides taxpayer-funded vouchers that can be applied toward K-12 private school costs. Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, first introduced the Senate version of the bill during the 2023 regular legislative session before it was deferred to the current session.

The bill failed in the House K-12 Subcommittee after it was not seconded and was never heard by the Senate.

Sen. Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville, speaks to Nashville area high school students before their protest against SB1325 and march to the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Monday, April 15, 2024.

Districts given money equal to school vouchers

SB1924/HB2049 would require the state to give money back to districts if one of their students was given a state-funded scholarship to attend a private K-12 school. The amount given to the district would be equivalent to that of the scholarship if the student were enrolled at the district before leaving to attend the private school.

Neither chamber took up the bill.

Metal detectors in schools

SB2765/HB2344 would have established funding for walk-through metal detectors for school districts.

The bill was taken off notice in the House on April 17 and never taken back up by lawmakers.

Testing, payback plan for private schools that accept vouchers

SB2273/HB2450 would have required private schools that accept publicly funded vouchers toward student tuition to administer the same state-required testing as public schools. It also would require those schools to pay back a prorated amount of the scholarship if the student left the private school before the end of the school year.

The Senate version of the bill stalled out in a subcommittee while the House version was sent to summer study.

Removing sexually explicit material from school libraries

SB2107/HB2457 would have required the removal of sexually explicit material from libraries in public schools and also established a process to evaluate library materials for such content.

The Senate deferred the bill to summer study, and it was never heard by the House.

Complaints on 'prohibited concepts'

SB1141/HB1377 would have established a process for people to file complaints against a public school district or public charter school for teaching or promoting "prohibited concepts" detailed under a controversial state law first passed in 2021. The state's prohibited concepts law bans instruction of a number of concepts, including that the United States is inherently racist or that "an individual, by virtue of the individuals race or sex, is inherently privileged, racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or subconsciously."

The bill was first filed during last year's session, where it failed in a Senate committee. It was brought back in the House this session before being taken off notice there. The Senate never took the measure back up.

Tennessee House members gather in their chamber for a floor session on April 23.

Expanding a Common Core materials ban

SB1696/HB1724 would ban any textbooks and instructional materials aligned to, associated with or derived from Common Core State Standards. Currently, materials that were created exclusively to align with Common Core are prohibited in Tennessee public schools. The bill would expand that list.

Neither chamber took up the bill.

Scholarships for children with a parent in Tennessee

SB2473/HB2756 would have extended the Tennessee HOPE academic scholarship program to out-of-state high schoolers who have at least one parent who has resided in Tennessee for at least 10 years. It would also require those students to be considered for admission to state schools.

Neither chamber took up the bill.

Protecting student pedestrians

SB1996/HB2175 would have established a grant for local governments to design, construct and repair sidewalk infrastructure around public schools.

The bill was taken off notice in the House and did not advance past the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee.

Grants for wearable emergency alert systems

SB1589/HB1627 would have created a school safety grant for all schools  public, charter, private and religious  to purchase a wearable emergency alert system for all teachers and substitute teachers. The Tennessee Department of Education would award the grants, be required to study and collect data on them and report findings annually to the state House and Senate.

The bill was withdrawn in the House and never heard by the Senate.

Voluntary Pre-K programs

SB2754/HB2769 would have established up to 1,200 voluntary pre-K programs for the 2024-25 school year, subject to appropriation.

The bill failed in the House K-12 Subcommittee of Education Administration and was never heard by the Senate.

Sen. Raumesh Akbari D- Memphis, speaks during a press conference at the end of session at Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, April 25, 2024.

Reimbursing teachers for child care costs

SB1718/HB1709 proposed reimbursing full-time public school teachers for 66% of their monthly child care expenses. The child care would need to come from a program that is certified by the state Department of Education or licensed by the Department of Human Services. The state would have partially reimbursed districts and public charter schools for the costs.

The bill was withdrawn in the House and never heard by the Senate.

Tuition discounts for full-time teachers

SB2930/HB2488 would have given a 25% tuition discount to full-time, certified public school teachers who wished to take courses relevant to their job at a public college or university.

The House version of the bill was taken off notice. It was never heard by the Senate.

Student loan repayment for school nurses

SB2294/HB2596 would have created a grant program to repay student loans for advanced practice registered nurses to incentivize them to work in areas with health resource shortages.

The bill was taken off notice in the House and never heard by the Senate.

Tuition discounts for children of public school employees

SB2856/HB2705 would have given a 25% tuition discount to children of full-time public school employees who have worked in a position, other than teaching, for at least seven consecutive years.

The bill failed in the Senate Education Committee and was taken off notice in the House.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, presides over a Senate session on March 18.

Tuition discounts for children of Tennessee Air, Army National Guard members

SB 1647/HB1929 would have given a 25% tuition discount at state institutions of higher learning to children of active or retired Tennessee Army National Guard or Tennessee Air National Guard members.

The bill was taken off notice in the House. It did not advance past the Senate Education Committee.

State scholarships for cosmetology, barber, other trade schools

SB1752/HB1809 would have made it so full-time students in private, for-profit schools for cosmetology, esthiology and barbering qualified for state-funded Tennessee Promise scholarships.

The bill was taken off notice in the House. It was never heard by the Senate.

A lower Tennessee Reconnect Grant age requirement

SB1672/HB213 would have lowered the age requirement for the Tennessee Reconnect Grant to 21. The current minimum age requirement for the grant, which provides adults opportunities to earn an associate degree or technical certificate tuition-free, is 23.

The House version of the bill was taken off notice. The bill did not advance past the Senate Education Committee.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee K-12 bills: What passed, failed in 2024 session
Kamala Harris has focused on abortion access, gun control and voting rights in recent speeches on the campaign trail - FREDERIC J BROWN/AFP

Kamala Harris has been dispatched on the campaign trail to convince black men that they are better off under Joe Biden amid fears they are abandoning the Democrats.

The vice-presidents multi-state economic opportunity tour kicks off in the critical battleground of Georgia on Monday and heads to Michigan next week.

Her office said Ms Harris will highlight the administrations commitment to underserved entrepreneurs, and how the White Houses economic policies have created a small business boom.

A White House official privately indicated a major focus of the tour will be engaging black men, with polls suggesting they have become disillusioned with Mr Biden amid a surge in the cost of living and illegal immigration.

Ms Harris arrives in Georgia on Monday afternoon for a moderated conversation with Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, a podcasting duo who focus on increasing financial literacy in black communities.

Influential podcasters Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings will meet with Kamala Harris when she visits Georgia - SHAREIF ZIYADAT/GETTY IMAGES

She will also highlight a $158 million (125 million) federal grant that will reconnect black communities that have been cut off by Atlantas major highways to the citys centre.

Mr Biden pulled off a surprise victory in Georgia in 2020, with high turnout among African American voters helping him turn the southern state blue for the first time since Bill Clinton in 1992.

But four years later, polls suggest Mr Bidens nationwide support among black voters  a significant bloc in the key battleground states  appears to be waning.

This month, a poll of seven swing states in The Wall Street Journal showed more black men planned to support Mr Trump than Mr Biden than in 2020.

The figures have prompted panic in the White House, which recently announced that Mr Biden would deliver the commencement address at Morehouse College, the alma mater of Martin Luther King Jnr.

But the announcement triggered a backlash among the schools faculty and students who have criticised Mr Bidens handling of the Israel-Hamas war.

Meanwhile, Mr Trump views Georgia as a key target for his White House comeback and has been working to win over black voters, who represent 30 per cent of the states electorate.

The Republican candidate recently appeared at a branch of fast food outlet Chick-fil-A in Atlanta, where he received an enthusiastic welcome from black Republican activists, including students from Morehouse College.

Mr Trumps aides believe focusing on the economy and immigration, two key areas of concern among the voting bloc, and where he leads Mr Biden in polling, will be critical to his success.

The vice-president, who is taking on greater campaign responsibilities for the 81-year-old Mr Biden with more than 35 trips to 16 states this year, has focused on abortion access, gun control and voting rights, issues which disproportionately impact minority voters.

Robust support

Sources within Ms Harriss inner circle have argued that a number of the administrations actions have directly benefited black Americans, such as expanding access to healthcare coverage and expanding child tax credits.

But they believe more must be done to make voters aware of those achievements, as well as highlighting record low unemployment levels among black Americans.

One source said that Ms Harris, as a historic vice-president, has a uniquely ability to deliver that message.

Prof Alan Abramowitz, from Atlantas Emory University, said Mr Trump had demonstrated surprisingly robust support among black voters in some recent polls.

However, he told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that recent exit polling and turnout trends made him sceptical of surveys suggesting Republicans were on the verge of a big breakthrough with black voters.

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Aniko Glogowski-Merten, a member of the Bundestag, has criticized the Foreign Agents law proposed by Georgian Dream, labeling it as an attack on democracy. She stated that the law contradicts European Union values and warned that its adoption could lead to a reassessment of relations between Georgia and its partners. According to Glogowski-Merten, Foreign Agents law is designed to undermine independent civil society and the media."Similar laws do not exist in the European Union-and for good reason. The reintroduction of the foreign agent law to discredit civil society and the media threatens Georgia's cooperation with its European allies. Therefore, we call on Georgian MPs and government officials to abandon plans to adopt such a law once and for all. If this law is adopted, we will be forced to completely review our cooperation in the field of development, including joint projects with the Georgian government," Glogowski-Merten said.Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda stated that Georgia is moving away from European ideals.According to local media reports, President Nauseda's assessment suggests that the 'foreign influence' bill is hindering Georgia on its path to European integration."In the past few days, I had a telephone conversation with the President of Georgia, Mrs. Zourabichvili. Unfortunately, the planned legislative changes clearly indicate that Georgia is not only failing to draw closer to, but also moving away from European ideals. This indeed creates obstacles for Georgia to continue on the path of European integration; therefore, we must react to this," Nauseda said.
The French actor Gerard Depardieu, known for the films Life of Pi and Disco, was taken into custody after his colleagues complained about sexual harassment and violence by him. The man was detained by the Paris police.

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The actor had previously been under investigation for his actions, but he was taken into custody only in April this year. According to the Daily Mail, the man will be questioned only on the basis of his two sexual assaults that took place in 2014 and 2021. However, there were more than 13 similar situations, as this is the number of women who worked with him who testified about it.

"Mr. Depardieu was summoned today to a police station in Paris and is now in custody. He is being questioned in relation to two alleged sexual assaults that took place in 2014 and 2021," law enforcement officials said.

Depardieu continues to deny all charges. Earlier, a Paris law firm representing the actor called some of the allegations based on "subjective assessments and moral judgments." He himself justified himself under the sauce of "a specific manner of behavior that not everyone understands."

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A total of three women in the film industry have previously reported harassment to the police, but law enforcement officers have only taken two cases into consideration: those that occurred in 2014 and 2021.

The events described in the first harassment complaint, which Depardieu will be questioned about, took place during the filming of The Magician and the Siamese in 2014. He harassed a 24-year-old assistant producer and used obscene language towards her. The second complaint was filed by a woman who was harassed by Depardieu in September 2021 and again uttered obscene words.

It is worth noting that after the horrors committed, which even forced the actress Emmanuelle Debevere to commit suicide, Gerard Depardieu continued to act in films, and the police dragged their feet for years to open a case against him.

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It was Emanuelle Debevere who became the first actress to accuse Depardieu of violence and not hide her name, as Charlotte Arnoux had previously filed an anonymous complaint against Gerard in 2018, and only publicly disclosed her identity in 2021.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that one of the victims was Helene Darras, with whom he starred in the movie Disco. The actress equated Gerard's attitude to her as a piece of meat during filming.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Kamala Harris at the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington DC on Saturday.

Kamala Harris at the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington DC on Saturday. Photograph: Bonnie Cash/EPA

Kamala Harris once again visited Atlanta to tout investments made by the Biden administration in minority and underserved communities, highlighting $158m in infrastructure spending on a project to build a cap over Atlantas most traveled highway, the Downtown Connector.

The vice-presidents appearance is the continuation of a full court press in Georgia to solidify support among Democrats  and specifically Black Democrats  for the administration.

Harris has visited Atlanta repeatedly since winning office, acting as one of the administrations primary surrogates to the Black community, keenly aware that Georgia remains in play and that perceptions of flagging support among African American voters could be the difference between a win and a loss.

Related: How did Kamala Harris go from being a rising star to a damp squib?

Harris kicked off a nationwide tour discussing economic opportunities for minority voters with this visit, she said.

The Atlanta project, which local planners call the Stitch, would build parkland and mixed-use buildings including affordable housing and is meant to address the intentional destruction of Black communities by highway construction in the 60s, Harris said.

There was this whole policy push called urban renewal, Harris said. It was supposed to be about making life easier for people  but essentially it was about making it easier for folks who had wealth and means to move to the suburbs and still have access to downtown. It ended up decimating these communities for years. Harris said the Stitch project would create an estimated 13,000 jobs and help reconnect a community bifurcated by the highway.

Harris spoke on Monday at the Georgia International convention center near Atlantas airport in a conversation moderated by Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, hosts of the financial podcast Earn Your Leisure. She emphasized the work the Biden administration has been doing to expand access to capital for communities of color.

Black entrepreneurs do not have access to the capital needed to launch capital-intensive companies, Bilal said. Especially when we look at the next generation of unicorn companies  billion-dollar companies  theyre tech companies, Bilal said.

That access is often about relationships that Black business owners often do not have. But federal spending can provide a base from which a business can grow and ultimately build those relationships, Harris said. Home ownership is also critical for building intergenerational wealth and entrepreneurial opportunities, as a source of equity for startups.

To achieve true equality, we must have an economic agenda, Harris said. That agenda must mean speaking to peoples economic ambitions.

Harriss message sharply contrasts with increasing rhetoric from Republicans decrying diversity, equity and inclusion programs. In spite of those who want to attack DEI, you cant truly invest in the strength of our nation if you dont pay attention to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Among other programs and spending made by the federal government since 2021, Harris presented the Stitch as an example of what the Biden administration has accomplished.

After federal courts struck down zoning laws that segregated housing, federal legislators responded with the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Massive highway projects like Atlantas Downtown Connector were deliberately driven through Black neighborhoods in the name of urban renewal. In Atlantas case, the connector  which brings I-75 and I-85 together  displaced residents and businesses around Auburn Avenue, which was the heart of Atlantas Black middle class.

Martin Luther King Jr grew up a five-minute walk from where the connector splits the city today, a massive highway with more than 300,000 cars passing through every day. Similarly, the construction of I-20 decimated the Summerhill neighborhood, once home to many of Atlantas Black doctors. Summerhill has only recently recovered its economic vibrancy. But even as much of the rest of Atlanta experiences gentrification, the area around Auburn Avenue is poor.

The representative Nikema Williams and the senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff addressed attendees briefly before the main event, each extolling the virtues of infrastructure investments in Georgia from the infrastructure bill. The Stitch received outsized attention by all three in their remarks.

Williams is in her sophomore term as a congresswoman representing much of Atlanta, and sits on the House transportation committee. She and Warnock worked closely together to draw funding on the Stitch project, which eight years ago was little more than a twinkle in the eye of AJ Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress, a non-profit civic group for downtown businesses which is leading the design process on the Stitch.

We are truly a model for the world, Williams said, describing the investments by the Biden administration in the Black community as unprecedented.

Warnock has a particularly high political stake in the Stitch. The cap stands to transform the area around Auburn Avenue, famed home of Martin Luther King Jr and Ebenezer Baptist church, where Warnock is now senior pastor. The church is two blocks east of the Connector, which decimated the once-vibrant street after its construction about 60 years ago.

Lets be very clear, today is a day of celebration, Warnock said. Because at last, we start repairing and revitalizing and reconnecting neighborhoods in the heart of the Black neighborhoods that have been historically torn apart by highway construction  This happens in every community in America.
A Kansas City woman accused of killing her 6-year-old son in 2022 pleaded not guilty to a pair of charges Monday after she was found to be mentally fit to move forward with criminal proceedings.

A grand jury indicted Tasha Haefs, 37, last week on first-degree murder and armed criminal action charges in Jackson County Circuit Court, the same charges prosecutors filed against Haefs in 2022 for the alleged killing of her son, Karvel Stevens.

Proceedings had been paused as Haefs underwent a period of treatment under the supervision of Missouris Department of Mental Health, but the criminal case began moving forward again as Judge Jerri Zhang ruled April 19 that Haefs was competent to stand trial and ordered the case to proceed.

Haefs, who remained in custody of the Department of Mental Health at Fulton State Hospital on Monday, made a brief appearance by video conference as she entered her plea. Her next hearing was set for May 7.

Kansas City police were called to Haefs residence on Indiana Avenue on a disturbance call in February 2022 and during their response found the decapitated body of Haefs child, as well as Haefs, who had blood on her, and a pair of knives that also had blood on them. During an interview with investigators, Haefs identified the victim as her child and admitted to killing the boy in a bathtub, a detective wrote in a report.

At the time of the killing, relatives of Haefs told The Star she spent years working through drug addiction, depression and severe trauma.
Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly prevailed on Monday in a showdown with the Legislature over tax cuts, as supporters failed by a single vote to enact a vetoed plan she warned was too expensive.

The plans failure threw into doubt the chances for tax cuts this year. The Legislature was expected to end its annual session later this week, but Kelly has promised to call lawmakers into special session if they dont approve tax relief she is willing to sign.

The Senate voted 26-14 on the override  one vote short of the 27 needed. The vote came after the House easily passed the override 104-15 on Friday.

Support for the measure cut across partisan lines, with many Democrats in the House joining with Republicans to advance the override. But the measure ran into trouble in the Senate, with Sen. Dennis Pyle, a Hiawatha Republican who previously supported the plan, voting against overturning the veto.

Im just telling the people of Kansas, this isnt over. Dont let anyone tell you that if this fails, thats it over. Its not over, Pyle said.

Republican leaders were uncertain what the next steps on taxes would be after the vote. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said no time was left to pull together a bill this week because lawmakers plan to adjourn Tuesday.

Really, at this point, nothings off the table, Masterson said. Im incredibly disappointed that, you know, you can have one person make a decision like that.

The plan would have set the top state income tax bracket at 5.55% and 5.15% for the bottom bracket, with $23,000 taxable annual income serving as the dividing line between the two rates. For married couples, that dividing line would be $46,000.

The personal exemption allowance amount would have increased so that each dependent would qualify for an additional $2,320 while raising the allowance from $2,250 for all taxpayers to $18,320 for married couples and $9,160 for all other taxpayers.

The measure would have also eliminated taxes on Social Security income, lowered the statewide mill levy for schools from 20 mills to 19.5 mills, and accelerated the elimination of the state sales tax on food to July 1, six months ahead of current law.

Lawmakers and Kelly have been united in promising to deliver tax relief in an election year that will decide whether Republicans continue to hold veto-proof majorities in the House and Senate. But supporters of the tax package clashed with Kelly over the cost of the measure as Kelly warned it risked the states financial security.

The annual cost to state revenues under the plan is estimated at $635 million the first year and roughly $460 million each year after. Kelly had generally held that the annual ongoing cost of tax cuts shouldnt exceed $425 million.

It is time to return money to the taxpayers, the hardworking men and women who earned it, said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the Senate Tax Committee.

The proposed tax cuts prompted memories of former Republican Gov. Sam Brownbacks signature income tax cuts  and the budget crisis that followed  remain in the mind of lawmakers and Kelly. The Legislature largely rolled back the tax cuts in 2017 and Kelly first won the election as governor in 2018 on promises to strengthen the states fiscal health.

I appreciate that the Kansas Senate has prioritized our states future fiscal stability by upholding my veto. As Ive said before, Kansans need meaningful sales, property, and income tax relief, but we must ensure any tax relief is responsible and sustainable, Kelly said in a statement.

Now, I urge the legislature to consider the alternative tax cuts package I proposed last week to ensure that Kansans get the relief they desperately need.

Before the vote, Kelly told reporters that overriding the veto would have threatened the states ability to sustain its current level of services over the long term.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly enters the House chamber for the State of the State address at the Kansas State Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024, in Topeka, Kansas. Emily Curiel/ecuriel@kcstar.com

Some Republicans had discounted the significance of the roughly $35 million annual difference between Kellys plan and the Legislatures plan, but critics of the measure noted that the amount quickly adds up to upwards of $100 million in just three years. Kelly on Monday also emphasized that other, smaller tax measures passed by lawmakers also contribute to a larger annual total.

In vetoing the measure, Kelly had urged lawmakers to instead adopt an alternative plan.

It would sure be nice if Gov. Kelly was the same fiscal hawk when it came to the budget that she tries to be when it comes to tax relief, said Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the House Tax Committee.

State officials recently released revenue projections that show Kansas is expected to collect $146 million  or 1.4%  more than previously anticipated during the next fiscal year, which begins in July. While officials now expect the state to collect about $100 million less during the current fiscal year than previously projected, collections are still expected to surpass the previous year by nearly 10%.

Legislative researchers estimated that with the tax package, Kansas would have ended the next fiscal year with a $1.9 billion ending balance and an additional $1.7 billion in a rainy day fund. Still, the state would run a $705 million deficit for the year, according to estimates.

Democrats opposed to the measure warned their fellow lawmakers that the Legislature is plunging ahead with tax cuts without a long-term plan. As the states cash reserves are spent down, lawmakers would have lacked the will to control spending, they warned.

There is just no willingness in this body to cut spending, Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, said.

Not every Republican supported the measure. Sen. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican who isnt running for reelection, slammed the plan in a floor speech that suggested a plan put forward by Senate Democrats was better. He also chided Republican leaders for bundling several tax items together instead of passing popular items piecemeal.

Im tired of the trickle-down economics. It doesnt work, Olson said.

While several components in the package enjoy wide support, such as ending taxes on Social Security income, lawmakers were sharply divided this year over income taxes. Republican leaders had entered the 2024 session in January determined to enact a flat tax  setting a single state income tax for all taxpayers  that Kelly and Democrats opposed.

When the Legislature passed a flat tax, Kelly vetoed it. Bill supporters were unable to override the veto, setting the stage for negotiations on a compromise that had Kellys support.

Kelly and Republican leaders then struck a deal that would have cut taxes for those making more than $30,000 a year in taxable income. But the House rejected the measure, in part because of concerns it did not provide a rate cut for lower-income earners.

The plan that eventually passed initially had unanimous support in the House, but Democrats split after Kelly vetoed the plan with some supporting the veto and others voting to override it.
Gov. Laura Kelly talks with Calebh Shedd, owner of the Axe Shedd, during an April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia

Gov. Laura Kelly tours the Axe Shedd during an April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

I lived and worked for a decade in New Hampshire, watching aspiring presidential candidates make their pitches to everyday folks. I listened to Barack Obama give a speech the day before the 2008 primary, sat across a table from Jeb Bush as he enthused about tech companies, tried to follow Hillary Clinton explaining foreign policy, laughed at John McCains grandpa jokes and wondered what on earth Rhode Islands Lincoln Chafee was doing running for president.

But in all that time of watching politicians strut their stuff, I never saw a reaction like that received by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday in Emporia.

The 74-year-old Democrat has star power. Unlike Obama, who seemed more comfortable when proclaiming his words to an auditorium full of people rather than chatting in the confines of an editorial board meeting, Kelly connected with people one on one. While no grand orator, she spoke to an auditorium audience later that afternoon and sounded perfectly comfortable.

The Kelly files

I have written about Kellys political talents before. Shes the best politician working in Kansas today, of either party. Watching her interact with people in Emporia  and draw an enthusiastic crowd simply by stopping by a handful of Commercial Street businesses  brought it home for me in a visceral way. People wanted to see her, shake her hand, say how much she means to them. They thronged, despite a gravel gray sky threatening rain and a stern breeze.

The woman is a rock star.

That being said, its difficult to know what Kellys political talents will mean for Kansans in the long run. She stopped in Emporia to tout Medicaid expansion, which flopped the next day on the Senate floor. Obama threw the considerable political capital of his 2008 win into passing the Affordable Care Act. That was  and remains  a monumental achievement. George W. Bush prosecuted a war on terror, for better or worse. Even former Gov. Sam Brownback had his signature tax experiment.

Kellys key achievement thus far has been steering Kansas back onto a sustainable fiscal path.

That was good enough to win her reelection, but the sputtering embers of this legislative season reveal how limited the options can be for a Democratic governor facing Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate. Medicaid expansion? Legalized marijuana? Sensible tax policy? Nope, nope and nope. Good policy and honest arguments were no match for the flood of toxic sludge pumped into the legislative chambers by GOP leaders.

At Emporias Granada Theatre, Kelly summarized her goal: My North Star for my second term as governor is to make Kansas the best place in the country to live, to work and to raise a family.

Fat chance with our current partisan powerbrokers.

Kaila Mock, owner of Trox Gallery, shows Gov. Laura Kelly around the store during the governor's April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia

Kaila Mock, owner of Trox Gallery, shows Gov. Laura Kelly around the store during the governors April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

If Kelly were 10 years younger or 10 times as ambitious, I would suggest that she run for senator. Heck, she could be an outstanding Democratic nominee for president. I watched how she artfully dismantled the bombastic Kris Kobach in 2018 and disingenuous Derek Schmidt in 2022. Can you imagine how she would eviscerate Donald Trump in a debate?

However, part of Kellys appeal is that she clearly doesnt want to run for Senate or the U.S. presidency. Shes not using the governorship as a steppingstone to something else. She has her hands full with Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins.

You might say she should have tried harder to pass Medicaid expansion before this session. However, the harsh math of the COVID-19 pandemic and a reelection campaign meant her options were limited. She steered the state sagely through uncharted waters but couldnt enact enduring policy changes at the same time.

Kellys reluctance to engage in political theater for its own sake has endeared her to Kansans, but that reticence leaves me with a slightly hollow feeling. A shrewd politician with talent, ideas and a devoted constituency should be able to accomplish more than blocking bad policy.

The governor has two more years in office, and it well may be that the best is yet to come.

Ive also written about multiple groups attempting to shift the Legislatures balance of power. On the more partisan side, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee has been making noise  at least in my email inbox  about breaking Republican supermajorities in Topeka.

Its difficult to understate how transformative that would be. Masterson and Hawkins would be forced to negotiate seriously with Democrats rather than pushing and punishing their own members. Groups working on these goals have good intentions and big plans. But a lot can change in seven months. Activists have a shot at picking up seats for Democrats and sensible Republicans, but I wouldnt want to bet my life savings on the prospect.

As Kelly said when discussing expansion Thursday, Im not a bookie.

If past is prologue, however, and Kelly finds herself blocked by intransigent Republicans for another two sessions, it will be difficult to feel as though her political gifts werent squandered on a state that did not deserve her.

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

The post Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly radiates rock star charisma. Our sluggish Legislature cant keep up. appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The Kansas House of Representatives is overriding several bills Monday morning that were previously vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly.

Past bills which Kelly vetoed this Legislative session are back in action thanks to successful veto override votes held in the House on April 29. These bills will now move on to the Kansas State Senate for another round of voting to see if they will become law despite the governors veto.

House Bill 2648

This bill requires the director of the budget to independently determine the costs of compliance and implementation for all proposed rules and regulations and authorizes the director of the budget to disapprove proposed rules and regulations. Passed 87-38.

Kansas is highly regulated when it comes to rules and regulations. Many of those rules and regulations, that are put in place by unelected agency bureaucrats, end up costing taxpayers big money. By overriding the governors misguided veto today, were putting an extra set of guardrails on the big government spending of the rules and regulations process and standing up for Kansas taxpayers House Majority Leader Chris Croft, Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins and Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter joint statement

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2436

Creates the crime of coercion to obtain an abortion and provides enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed with the intent to coerce a woman to obtain an abortion. Passed 85-40.

The governors veto message falsely equates concerned conversations to the strict requirements of what defines coercion in the bill. Because coercing a woman to have an abortion when that is not her choice is always wrong, my colleagues and I are proud to stand together against abuses such as sex trafficking and sexual abuse that accompany abortion coercion and override Laura Kellys negligent veto. House Majority Leader Chris Croft, Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins and Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter joint statement

Kansas House overrides governors veto on tax plan

House Bill 2465

Enacts the adoption savings account act which allows people to set up adoption savings accounts with certain financial institutions. It also allows people to establish eligible expenses, requirements and restrictions for these accounts and more. Passed 85-40.

By overriding Governor Kellys veto, Kansas women and families will now have access to tax credits for adoption services and the creation of adoption savings accounts- resources that will go a long way toward opening the possibility of adoption for many. Additionally, the tax credits in this bill for pregnancy resource centers will enable these facilities to stretch their limited funds further to help even more vulnerable women with much-needed resources such as formula, diapers, and clothing. House Majority Leader Chris Croft, Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins and Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter joint statement

House Bill 2749

Requires medical care facilities and providers to report the reasons for each abortion performed at facilities or by providers to the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Passed 84-41.

By overriding the Governors veto of this bill, voluntary and anonymous abortion data will now be made available to KDHE so they can have up-to-date and relevant information. The Governors unreasonable fear of this data collection is nothing but a roadblock to helping serve these vulnerable women better. House Majority Leader Chris Croft, Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins and Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter joint statement

Report: Kansas gov. is one of the top 10 most popular in the nation

House Bill 2583

Increases the criminal penalties for harming or killing certain dogs and horses and requires restitution for such offense to include certain expenses. Passed 105-20.

Regarding the Governors veto message, a mandatory minimum for sentencing for the crime of killing a police dog already existed in current statute and during that time, the convicted must complete a psychological evaluation and anger management course. While those provisions remained in HB 2583, the Governors veto message is confusing because she seems to think she can veto current statute. Penalties for harming or killing a police dog were very minimal in Kansas. Many other states and even the federal government have harsher penalties for killing law enforcement animals. Kansas must do more to protect these heroic animals who are partners with their officer/handler, are a valued part of their communities, and serve Kansas every day. With this override of the Governors erroneous veto, we will do just that. House Majority Leader Chris Croft, Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins and Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter joint statement

House Bill 2618

Criminalizes false representation of an election official engaging in conduct by phone, mail, email, website or other online activity. This would make representation of an election official a level 7 nonperson felony. The bill also prohibits using funds provided by the U.S. government for the conduct of elections and election-related activities unless approved by the Legislature. Passed 84-41.

Preventing someone from impersonating an election official and prohibiting misappropriated federal funds from influencing state-run elections does not discourage anyone from voting. On the contrary, with this successful override of the Governors misleading veto, were instilling voter confidence by shoring up current election law and ensuring federal funds that have not been approved by Congress or the Kansas legislature cannot be used to unfairly influence Kansas elections. House Majority Leader Chris Croft, Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins and Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter joint statement

President Biden approves disaster aid for Kansas after winter storm

Many of the above bills were vetoed by Kelly on April 12. To find out her reasoning for the veto decisions, click here.

For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
Kansas school finance bill, passed without poison pill, on its way to governor

Rep. Kristey Williams explained the newest version of a school finance bill to House colleagues Friday. The legislation was passed out of both chambers and now awaits final approval from the governor. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Kansas lawmakers have sent a bipartisan school finance bill that will shape state education funding for the next three years to the governors desk, packaging a $75 million increase in special education funding into the bill.

Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 387 out of the House by a 115-2 vote and out of the Senate by 35-2 on Friday. Rep. Kristey Williams, R-Augusta, one of the chief lawmakers tasked with crafting education policy, stressed the importance of funding public schools in a Friday discussion of the bill.

Outcomes really do matter, Williams said. Making sure we support our public schools really does matter.

The bill marked a welcome turnaround for Kansas public school advocates, who warned that previous versions of the bill could have left special education in the state permanently underfunded due to changes in the special education funding formula that would have counted local option budget funds, which use local taxpayer revenue to bolster district budgets, as part of the states mandated funding for special education.

An earlier iteration of the bill containing this change, which was criticized by public education advocacy groups Kansas Association of School Boards and the Kansas National Educators Association, passed the House on a 65-58 vote but failed in the Senate in a 12-26 late night vote April 5, with lawmakers citing the special education provision in their opposition.

The Legislature adjourned for its scheduled three-week break without voting on the newest compromise piece.

That bill passed out Friday, after the Legislature returned, still contains several LOB provisions. It mandates districts transfer LOB funds allocated for special education into the districts special education funds and use the money specifically for that purpose, but it will not count the support as part of the states mandated special education aid.

I want to thank you for rejecting the other versions because this version, as the chairperson described, addresses the funding that is fair and impacts all school districts, said Kansas City Democrat Rep. Valdenia Winn Friday. She added: What was removed was the poison pill.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, emphasized oversight of the $75 million special education increase. Baumgardner said legislators will put a provision in the omnibus budget directing explicitly how that money will be distributed.

The last thing we want to serve our kids, to serve our teachers and those families with special ed children, is to have $75 million sitting there and not being used, Baumgardner said.

Among other budget provisions, in fiscal year 2025 the bill sets aside $65.5 million for special education services aid, $2.5 million for school food assistance, $29.6 million for state foundation aid and $2 million for a virtual math education program.

In fiscal year 2026, $3 billion is set aside for state foundation aid, along with $601.8 million for supplemental state aid and $601 million for special education state aid.

The bill would also establish a task force to review the current school finance system, academic reporting and achievement goals. The task force would provide recommendations to the governor and the Legislature by January 2027 to establish a new school finance formula, after the current funding formula expires July 1, 2027.

The post Kansas school finance bill, passed without poison pill, on its way to governor appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman accused of fatally hitting her police officer boyfriend with an SUV after a night of drinking, is being framed for his 2022 death, defense attorneys argued at the start of her murder trial on Monday.

Read, 44, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a crime after her boyfriend, Boston Police Office John OKeefe, was found dead in a snowbank on January 29, 2022. She faces a life sentence if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.

The case has garnered national mediaand sharply divided the Boston suburb of Canton, where OKeefe was raising his niece and nephew. Prosecutors allege that Read backed her SUV into OKeefe, a 16-year police veteran, while dropping him off at a friends home for an after party in the midst of a blizzard and then cruelly left him to die in the cold. Defense lawyers insist that Read is actually the victim of an elaborate police cover-up.

Karen Read was framed, defense attorney David Yannetti told Norfolk Superior Court jurors on Monday during his opening statements. You will learn, in short, that the police did no real investigation of the case, and you will question whyYou will question why they focused solely on Karen Read.

Karen Read was a convenient outsider, he added.

Judge Deals Slain Boston Cops GF a Blow in Her Murder Conspiracy Case

Yannetti has previously argued in court documents that OKeefe was fatally beaten and left on a fellow police officers front lawn. On Monday, he pointed the finger at the lead detective on the case, Michael Proctor, who he claims focused exclusively on his client throughout the investigation and even texted his friends the day of the murder saying he hoped Read would kill herself. (Proctor is currently the subject of an internal Massachusetts State Police investigation into his handling of the Read case.)

Proctor told his high school buddies that he was searching for nude photos of Karen Read, Yannetti said, His fingerprints are all over the Commonwealths evidence.

Michael Proctor predetermined the outcome of this case, he later added.

Meanwhile, prosecutors allege that about six hours after Read hit OKeefe, she returned to the scene with two other women. When first responders showed up, Read confessed, prosecutor Adam Lally said during his opening statement.

The defendant stated repeatedly, I hit him, I hit him, I hit him, Lally told jurors.

OKeefe was ultimately pronounced dead at a local hospital. An autopsy later concluded that he died from hypothermia and head trauma. Lally told jurors that OKeefes DNA was found on Reads taillight, and one of his hairs was found on her bumper.

You are the sole arbiters of the facts of this case, you are the ones who find the factsI will reiterate that: factsof what the evidence demonstrates in this case, Lally told the jury. The defendant struck John OKeefe with her car, knocking him back on the ground, striking his head on the ground, causing bleeding in the brain and then leaving him there for several hours in a blizzard with temperatures in the teens, wind swirling around, snow piling up on his body.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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KCK official tied to discrimination lawsuit, controversial podcast resigns for new job

A controversial high-level staff member is resigning from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.

Jeff Fisher, director of public works, gave notice to fellow employees this week. He will continue to lead the department until May 10.

Reached by phone, Fisher said he is leaving of his own accord to pursue a job in the private sector. He added that the decision to resign from public service did not come lightly.

In a written statement, County Administrator David Johnston said leadership had received Fishers resignation letter.

We wish him the best in his endeavors, Johnston added.

Fisher came to the Unified Government in 2016 after working for other metro area public works departments in Belton and Grain Valley. He oversees more than 200 employees who handle city and county critical infrastructure, including street maintenance.

His time as the departments leader has not been without criticism.

Last month, the Unified Government paid $650,000 to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit brought by a former manager in the public works department. The lawsuit accused Fisher of a pattern of mistreating Black employees by passing employees over for advancement opportunities and fostering a toxic work environment.

Meanwhile, some Kansas City, Kanans, have taken offense to a conservative podcast that Fisher launched and co-hosted with his sons. Called Free Rein, the show includes controversial commentary on social issues such as immigration, gun rights and international affairs.

Last month FOX4 reported a tip received from an unnamed concerned citizen who took issue with an episode titled America Is Breaking! where Fisher discussed the potential of a civil war and appealed to his listeners by saying, We are the ones with all the weapons.

In another episode, Fisher referenced the prison sentences of a Michigan school shooters parents, who, according to the Associated Press, became the first in U.S. history to be convicted in a mass school shooting.

But they cant put an illegal immigrant in prison? What the hell? Fisher said during the episode.

Louise Lynch, a KCK activist, has sought to have the public works director fired. She condemned racist remarks on the podcast along with other statements that should have never been acceptable by the UG.

Turnover of Unified Government department leaders rose sharply following the election of Mayor Tyrone Garner, who has openly clashed with top staff during his time in office. Employees whove resigned include former County Administrator Doug Bach and three department heads who left within the span of one month in 2022.

Fisher told The Star his departure is strictly related to his new career opportunity in the private sector. He declined to say where his next job will be.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The Kent County Sheriffs Office is accepting feedback this week from the community on its policies, procedures and more.

Its part of an assessment by the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Program, whose team will be examining the Kent County Sheriffs Offices policies, procedures, management, operations and support services. A team of assessors from MLEAP will arrive Monday to determine whether the sheriffs office is meeting the organizations best practice standards. That team is made up of employees from other Michigan law enforcement agencies.

Between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Tuesday, the public is invited to provide comments to the assessors over the phone at 616.632.6102 or by email at KentSheriff@KentCountyMI.gov. Telephone comments are limited to five minutes each, the sheriffs office said. They also must be directly addressing the agencys ability to comply with the Commissions standards, wrote the Kent County Sheriffs Office.

If you choose to provide your comment through mail, you may write to the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission at 3474 Alaiedon Pkwy, Suite 600, Okemos, MI 48864.

To be accredited by MLEAP, the Kent County Sheriffs Office must comply with 108 standards. A copy of these can be found at the sheriffs office at 701 Ball Avenue NE in Grand Rapids.

Accreditation is valid for three years, as long as the agency submits annual reports proving it is continuing to comply with the standards, the Kent County Sheriffs Office said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
A group of astronomers believes that the near-Earth asteroid Camoalev, with a diameter of 40 to 100 meters, was once part of the Moon. The space rock could have broken off from a crater named after the 16th-century Italian cosmologist and theorist Giordano Bruno.

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This assumption was made by a research team led by Tsinghua University astronomer Yifei Jiao. Scientists write in Nature Astronomy that they have found evidence of the possible origin of Camoalev from a crater formed several million years ago.

"We have investigated the migration of lunar fragments caused by the collision into Earth's orbital space. This directly links this asteroid to the source crater on the Moon. It also suggests the existence of more small asteroids composed of lunar material that have not yet been detected in near-Earth space," the researchers write in their article.

This space rock has been attracting the attention of astronomers for many years. First, it orbits the Sun in an orbit similar to Earth's and is expected to remain stable for millions of years.

Spectral analysis also showed that the stone matches the composition of the Moon almost perfectly.

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"We noticed the spectrum of Kamoalev only because it was in an unusual orbit," said Renu Malhotra, a professor of planetary science at the University of Arizona, who also suggests that Kamoalev is a piece of the Moon.

The scientist adds that no one would have thought to study the asteroid's spectrum if it were not for its atypical properties. Then no one would have had any idea that it was a fragment of the moon.

Jiao and his colleagues built on this finding by using computer models to simulate what would happen if Kamooaele collided with the moon's surface. They found that it would leave behind a crater larger than 19 km.

The crater Giordano, which is a whopping 21 km across, seems to be the perfect candidate.

The lack of debris also suggests that the space rock is between 10 and 100 million years old. This is a relatively young age considering that the Moon itself is billions of years old.

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"It is clear that the largest, youngest craters are more likely sources because they produce more debris that still remains in space or Earth orbit," Jiao and his team write.

The scientists conclude that Giordano Bruno "is the only possible source crater that meets this criterion."

More work needs to be done to definitively establish the connection between the space rocks and the crater. But it's certainly an interesting theory that paints a fascinating, if brutal, picture of the Moon's recent history. The study also allows us to better understand near-Earth asteroids like Camoalev and their origins, possibly leading to future discoveries of similar rocks.

Most interestingly, China plans to visit Camoalev as part of a mission to return samples from the Tianwen-2 asteroid, which is tentatively scheduled for next year.

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"The possibility of a lunar origin adds unexpected intrigue to the mission and poses additional technical challenges to returning the samples," Bin Cheng, a co-author of the study and a planetary scientist at Tsinghua University, told Science.

"We can learn a lot about the history of craters on the Moon and their contribution to the Earth's environment," he added.

Subscribe to OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events.
Robbie Fletcher, the next Kentucky education commissioner, speaks to media at the Kentucky Department of Education on Monday. (Kentucky Lantern photo by McKenna Horsley)

FRANKFORT  As he begins his transition from county superintendent to Kentucky education commissioner, Robbie Fletcher says implementing his goals for the states public schools will rely on relationships and being present on campuses.

Fletcher, who became the first commissioner to be confirmed by the Kentucky Senate earlier this month, will start at the Kentucky Department of Education on July 1. Now, he is the superintendent of Lawrence County Schools in Eastern Kentucky.

Lawrence County has almost 2,270 students in six schools, according to 2023 school data from KDE. Later this year, Fletcher will oversee the education for more than 630,000 Kentucky students across 171 school districts, the Kentucky School for the Deaf, Kentucky School for the Blind and the 50 state operated area technology centers.

Fletcher told reporters at a Monday press conference that meeting face-to-face with people in their communities is important to him.

One of the things that Ive learned in my career is regardless of the size of the district, there is one thing that matters most, and thats relationships, he said.

Things will look different in Kentuckys largest public school district  Jefferson County Public Schools with 164 schools in the Louisville Metro area  when compared to small, rural districts, such as Lyon County Schools in West Kentucky, which has three schools.

Earlier Monday morning, Jefferson County Teachers Association President Brent McKim said he looked forward to working with Fletcher whom he had heard praised by other educators. JCTA has previously had quarterly meetings with education commissioners, and McKim said he hopes that continues.

I think if he engages with the leadership of our school district, with our teachers association, and listens to the community stakeholders in our urban setting, hell be able to identify our needs and our opportunities, and find ways that the state department of (education) can be a good partner, McKim said.

JCPS became a hot topic for lawmakers in Frankfort during the legislative session that ended earlier this month. Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a House resolution to create a task force that would look at the governance of the school district, calling it the General Assemblys latest attempt to set the framework for the legislature to divide the Jefferson County Public Schools district. The Republican-controlled General Assembly easily overrode the veto.

Fletcher said he plans to work with Marty Pollio, the superintendent of JCPS and ask how KDE can assist the school district in the future.

Of superintendents in general, Fletcher said he has a positive relationship with almost 150 of them across Kentucky, and has yet to meet the remaining few. When asked to name some of the statewide education groups hes been in touch with so far, he highlighted his contact with the Kentucky Association of School Administrators and its Coalition to Sustain the Education Profession.

As for getting support from current teachers, Fletcher plans to get information and data from them about Kentuckys current education system and make decisions based on that feedback because we want their input on how it makes our education system better.

Robbie Fletcher, who will become eduction commissioner in July, speaks to Sen. Steve West on the Senate floor. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Isabella Sepahban)

Eddie Campbell, the president of the Kentucky Education Association, said in a statement to the Kentucky Lantern that he had offered his congratulations to Fletcher and added that the union is committed to working with Commissioner Fletcher to improve the quality and effectiveness of public education for Kentuckys students, educators, and communities.

Campbell added that he has worked with Fletcher previously on various committees and has seen his commitment to students, educators, and public education in the Commonwealth.

As commissioner, it is especially important to have a direct link and communication with the educators in our schools every day who are the beating heart of public education, Campbell said. To continue improving public education in Kentucky means understanding the issues and challenges that educators confront in our classrooms and provide them the ingredients they need to succeed.

Fletcher was the first education commissioner to be confirmed by the Senate after a new state law passed in 2023. He will succeed former Education Commissioner Jason Glass, who left the role in September amid tensions with Republicans in the General Assembly.

At the time, Glass did not want to be part of implementing a law that limited how schools can teach about human sexuality and gender identity and freed adult staff to misgender students.

When asked if he thought teachers should respect trans students pronouns, Fletcher said he respected a teacher working with a parent and student on that topic.

Whether I agree with it or not, thats irrelevant, but I try to make sure the student feels comfortable in my classroom, he said. Now, Im going to love them, regardless of what pronoun that they use. So to me, the pronoun is not nearly as important as am I showing that student respect and love?

McKim said the biggest challenge facing Fletcher will be finding common ground between the Kentucky Board of Education, which is made up of Beshear appointments, and the General Assembly.

Fletcher said Beshear has been very kind to me, and added that the governor had appointed him to serve on the Appalachia Regional Advisory Committee. Fletcher also praised his Senate confirmation process. Appearing before Senators gave him a chance to speak with them before stepping into the commissioner role.

Having those open conversations, those open relationships, makes it a lot better to be able to have those conversations, Fletcher said.

The post Kentuckys next education commissioner says building relationships across the state is a priority appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.
NAIROBI (Reuters) -Kenya Airways said it would suspend flights to the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa from Tuesday, after military authorities there failed to release its employees from detention despite a court order.

Congo's military intelligence detained two of the airline's staff on April 19, allegedly because of missing customs documentation on some valuable cargo. The company said it did not accept the cargo because the shipper's paperwork was incomplete.

Kenya Airways said on Monday that its staff were still in detention, in spite of a military court saying they should be released to allow due process.

"The continued detention of our employees has made it difficult for us to supervise our operations in Kinshasa," Kenya's national carrier said in a statement.

As a result, it said, it had decided to suspend flights from Tuesday "until we can effectively support these flights".

Spokespeople for Congo's government and foreign affairs ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

Kenya Airways said it was cooperating with investigating agencies and government entities in Congo and Kenya to ensure the matter was resolved.

The airline has said previously that its detained staff are innocent and that it considers the episode harassment targeting its business.

Congolese authorities have not responded to those comments.

(Reporting by Humphrey Malalo and Hereward Holland;Additional reporting by Ange Kasongo and Sonia Rolley;Editing by Alexander Winning and Barbara Lewis)
A man swims from a submerged church compound, after the River Tana broke its banks following heavy rains at Mororo, border of Tana River and Garissa counties, North Eastern Kenya, Sunday, April. 28, 2024. Heavy rains pounding different parts of Kenya have led to dozens of deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands of people, according to the U.N. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  Kenya has postponed the reopening of its schools by one week due to ongoing flooding caused by heavy rains, as flood-related deaths since mid-March in the East African country neared 100.

Some schools remained adversely affected by the flooding, the Education Ministry said Sunday night. Local media reported that more than 100 schools were flooded, some with collapsed walls and roofs blown away.

All schools were set to reopen on Monday but will now open on May 6.

Ninety-three people have died in the flooding in Kenya and that number is expected to rise after a boat capsized in the northern Garissa county on Sunday night. The Kenyan Red Cross said it had rescued 23 people from the boat, but more than a dozen people were still missing.

Heavy rains have been pounding the country since mid-March and the Meteorology Department has warned of more rainfall.

The East African region is experiencing flooding due to the heavy rains, and 155 people have reportedly died in Tanzania while more than 200,000 people are affected in neighboring Burundi.

The highest number of deaths in Kenya have been reported in the capital, Nairobi, according to police records.

Kenya's main airport was flooded on Saturday, forcing some flights to be diverted, as videos of a flooded runway, terminals and cargo section were shared online.

The airport's manager, Henry Kegoye, said the flooding was from ongoing refurbishment work that was due to be completed in June. Heavy rains had overwhelmed a temporary drainage system set up by the contractor.

More than 200,000 people across the country have been affected by the floods, with houses in flood-prone areas submerged and people seeking refuge in schools.

President William Ruto had instructed the National Youth Service to provide land for use as a temporary camp for those affected.
(PUEBLO, Colo.)  A high school student walked into the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) on Friday night, Apr. 26 looking for helpbut it wasnt to report a crime. He needed help tying his necktie for the prom at Pueblo County High School.

Detention Deputy Janssen was quick to come to the aid of the student. He tied a perfect knot in the necktie, which he then handed off to the younger man.

PCSO posted photos on their Facebook page late Friday evening.

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

Courtesy: Pueblo County Sheriffs Office

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
The number of kidney disease patients on dialysis is expected to rise to 143,000 in the next decade - Getty

The UK is facing an unprecedented kidney disease crisis, one which could cost the NHS up to 11 billion per year by 2033 if left unchecked. This is due to the number of patients with chronic kidney disease ending up on dialysis machines, due to one or both kidneys failing, a growing demand which threatens to overwhelm the health service.

According to a report from the charity Kidney Research UK, there are currently 30,000 people in the UK who require dialysis, a number which is predicted to rise to 143,000 in the next decade.

Crucially, the charitys findings indicated that one of the problems is that patients are typically being diagnosed too late, with the signs of kidney disease only spotted once the disease is at a more advanced stage.

This is concerning because if chronic kidney disease is caught earlier, there may be a better chance to stop progression to kidney failure, says Dr Tom Oates, a consultant nephrologist at Barts Health NHS Trust. In some cases, stopping progression may not be possible, but we know that even in these cases, early detection is associated with better outcomes when patients start dialysis.

So why are these cases being missed, and what is driving the UKs rising rates of kidney disease?

Soaring diabetes and high blood pressure

The kidneys are among the hardest working organs in the body, filtering problematic waste products and excess water from the blood and using that to produce urine.

About 20 per cent of the blood that your heart pumps out with every heartbeat is to drive your kidneys to do their job, says Dr Adnan Sharif, a consultant nephrologist and transplant physician at University Hospitals Birmingham. So theyre working very hard and they are quite susceptible to injury.

To perform this filtration, the kidneys contain millions of miniature sieves, each constructed from tiny blood vessels which are among the first to be damaged by elevated blood sugar and blood pressure. The rising rates of chronic kidney problems are thought to reflect the soaring numbers of people with Type 2 diabetes and hypertension, while chronic kidney damage can also be induced by genetic conditions along with some autoimmune conditions like lupus and use of long-term painkillers like ibuprofen.

The fragility of the internal structures within the kidneys mean that people can also incur acute kidney injuries through becoming excessively dehydrated and through infections, particularly those that require hospitalisation. During the pandemic, Royal United Hospitals Bath found that out of 4,000 hospitalised Covid patients, 46 per cent developed acute kidney injuries.

Few warning signs

But the great paradox of the kidneys is that despite being inherently fragile, they are also remarkably resilient, and able to keep plugging away despite significant levels of damage. Sharif points out how there are cases of people born with a single kidney, who had no idea until they received a scan.

As a result, repeated studies have indicated that chronic kidney disease is underdiagnosed. Last year, a study from data analysts at Kings College London identified that far fewer people in London were being diagnosed with the condition than would be expected from population estimates, suggesting that many cases are being missed until a much later stage.

Sharif says: 10 to 15 per cent of the British population probably has an element of kidney disease, which is quite a frightening statistic. But you will not know that your kidney function is working at a bit less than 100 per cent. People dont develop any symptoms until things are quite advanced. Weve even had patients whose kidneys had failed, and they presented with very few symptoms  they just felt very non-specifically unwell, a bit tired and lethargic and they happened to get a blood test. So thats the reason why theres so much kidney disease out there and people may be unaware.

Specialists refer to the five stages of kidney disease in terms of severity with red-flag signs, such as the appearance of blood in the urine, typically not occurring until patients are approaching stage five, at which point their kidneys may be operating at less than 30 per cent of their normal capacity.

So, what can you do to find out how yours are functioning? Anyone between 40 and 75 is entitled to a free NHS health check from their GP, and Sharif advises asking your practitioner for a kidney function check, particularly if you have smoked or are overweight or have family risk factors for diabetes or high blood pressure. This typically involves a simple urine test which can be checked for elevated levels of proteins such as albumin, a tell-tale sign of kidney damage.

Its very straightforward, he says. Any practice nurse can quickly do a dipstick check and make sure theres no blood and protein in there. The earlier you can pick up kidney disease, the more you can do to stop the development of kidney failure.

The hope of AI

In the coming years, specialists are optimistic that artifical intelligence (AI) will be able to help with the identification of at-risk patients. Initially, tools based on generative AI could help alert GPs that a particular patient is likely to require a kidney check, and then remind them to be appropriately coded if chronic kidney disease is identified, so they are properly monitored.

For example, if they have been hypertensive or diabetic for a long time, they should have a blood and urine test, says Dr Ellie Asgari, a consultant nephrologist at Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust.

AI-based software is already starting to be used in some specialist kidney clinics for patients with ADPKD, a common inherited kidney condition caused by the growth of fluid-filled sacs in the kidneys, which affects between 30,000 and 70,000 people in the UK. It is the third most common cause of kidney failure in the country.

At the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, scientists and consultants are using one particular tool as a way of accelerating the time-consuming process of analysing scans. Capable of quantifying a patients total kidney volume from a scan six times faster than a human doctor, this measurement is used to predict whether the patients kidneys are at risk of failure.

The use of AI tools is really in its infancy, says Albert Ong, professor of renal medicine at the University of Sheffield, and one of the consultants who has been utilising the new technology. The benefit is that its enabling us to scan and analyse more patients with early disease in order to obtain information that could predict their future kidney function. It helps identify those in the highest risk group that would benefit from early disease-modifying drugs to delay the onset of kidney failure.

Ong predicts that in future, such tools could even be used in primary care, feeding back the results from scans to GPs.

Overall, specialists are hoping that more can be done to accelerate the early identification of kidney problems, as the sooner they are detected, the more that can be done to reverse the damage. For example, if someone has glomerulonephritis, an inflammatory condition which damages the tiny filters inside the kidneys and can be caused by lupus or other autoimmune problems, immunosuppressants can be given. Sometimes blood-pressure-lowering medications, such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, can be prescribed to patients with signs of kidney problems to help protect the organs.

What helps, Sharif explains, is minimisation of potential risk factors. It often depends on the underlying cause. So we will often talk to people about their use of painkillers. If diabetes is the cause of your kidney disease, then very good control of your diabetes will slow the progression and minimise your risk of kidney failure.

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Kiev says two Ukrainians killed in southern Germany were army members

Traces of blood and police markings pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa

Two Ukrainian men who were stabbed to death in the southern German state of Bavaria, allegedly by a Russian citizen, were members of the armed forces, according to information from Kiev.

The two men had been in Germany for medical rehabilitation after sustaining injuries during the war, Ukrainian media reported.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had instructed his diplomats to keep a special eye on the case and maintain constant contact with Germany's security agencies so that the suspect would be punished according to the full severity of the law, the reports said on Sunday evening.

Two men from Ukraine were stabbed to death on the premises of a shopping centre in Murnau in Upper Bavaria on Saturday evening.

Shortly afterwards, police arrested a 57-year-old Russian.

Kuleba thanked the German authorities for the arrest, the online portal Ukrainska Pravda reported.

According to police reports on Monday, there are no indications so far that the crime is connected to the Russian war against Ukraine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin launched on February 24, 2022.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians live in Germany.

The Ukrainian nationals, aged 23 and 36, both lived in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They died from stab wounds: the older of the two directly at the scene of the crime, the younger a short time later in hospital.

The investigating judge issued an arrest warrant for murder on Sunday.

According to the investigations so far, it appears that the three men knew each other, a police spokesman said. Details still need to be clarified.

Police markings and a first aid glove pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa
Kiev says two Ukrainians killed in southern Germany were army members

Police markings and a first aid glove pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa

Two Ukrainian men who were stabbed to death in the southern German state of Bavaria, allegedly by a Russian citizen, were members of the armed forces, according to information from Kiev.

The two men had been in Germany for medical rehabilitation after sustaining injuries during the war, Ukrainian media reported.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba instructed his diplomats to keep a special eye on the case and maintain constant contact with Germany's security agencies so that the suspect would be punished according to the full severity of the law, the reports said on Sunday evening.

The wwo men were stabbed on the premises of a shopping centre in the town of Murnau on Saturday evening. Shortly afterwards, police arrested a 57-year-old Russian.

According to police, there are no indications so far that the crime is connected to the Russian war against Ukraine, which Russian President Vladimir Putin launched on February 24, 2022.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians live in Germany.

The Ukrainian nationals, aged 23 and 36, both lived in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They died from stab wounds: the older of the two directly at the scene of the crime, the younger a short time later in hospital.

The investigating judge issued an arrest warrant for murder on Sunday.

According to the investigations so far, it appears that the three men knew each other.

"We have clear evidence that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol," said police spokesman Stefan Sonntag.

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk on Sunday: "There are witness statements that the three people involved had been seen together before. There are indications that a lot of alcohol was involved with all those involved. This all needs to be clarified."

"At the moment, we have no compelling evidence that this is a reflection of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine," he said.

At the scene of the crime at a shopping centre on Monday there were flowers and banners that read: "No war! No murders! No death!"

Next to them were pictures of the two people killed, the Ukrainian flag and candles.

Traces of blood and police markings pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa
A Russian National Guard officer involved in war crimes will be tried in Ukraine. The offender participated in the shooting of civilian cars in Gostomel, Kyiv region.

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This was reported by the press service of the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office. The occupier faces up to 15 years in prison or life imprisonment.

"The investigation established that on February 25, 2022, in occupied Hostomel, the accused and his colleagues received an order from their commander to kill civilians. While in combat positions in the area of Shevchenko and Sviato-Pokrovska streets, he opened fire from small arms without warning at a civilian car moving along Shevchenko Street in the direction of Bucha. The driver of the vehicle received numerous gunshot wounds. The victim later managed to escape," the prosecutor's office said.

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In total, the occupiers from the said detachment of the Russian aggressor country were involved in the shooting of 12 vehicles while at their positions in Hostomel. As a result of these war crimes, 11 citizens were killed and 15 were wounded.

Kyiv regional prosecutor's office has sent to court an indictment against a deputy platoon commander of a special unit of the Russian National Guard troops in Krasnoyarsk region on the fact of violation of the laws and customs of war.

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Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, Gaza Strip. Monday, April 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Mohammad Jahjouh)

Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have killed at least 22 people, including six women and five children, Palestinian health officials said. One of the children killed in the strikes overnight into Monday was just 5 days old.

Israel has regularly carried out airstrikes on Rafah since the start of the war and has threatened to send in ground troops, saying Rafah is the last major Hamas stronghold in the coastal enclave. Over a million Palestinians have sought refuge in the city on the Egyptian border. The United States and others have urged Israel not to invade, fearing a humanitarian catastrophe.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to visit Israel on his latest trip to the region, which began in Saudi Arabia on Monday. He said Israel needs to do more to allow aid to enter Gaza, but that the best way to alleviate the humanitarian crisis is for the two sides to agree to a cease-fire.

The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the unprecedented Oct. 7 raid into southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 hostages. Israel says the militants are still holding around 100 hostages and the remains of more than 30 others.

Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, around two-thirds of them children and women. The war has driven around 80% of Gazas population of 2.3 million from their homes, caused vast destruction in several towns and cities, and pushed northern Gaza to the brink of famine.

Currently:

 Israeli officials are concerned the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants.

 Blinken is back in the Middle East this week. He has his work cut out for him.

 Student protests over the war in Gaza roil U.S. campuses ahead of graduations.

 Likely missile attack by Yemens Houthi rebels targets a ship in the Red Sea.

 Hamas is reviewing an Israeli proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza as Rafah offensive looms.

 AP's full coverage of Israel-Hamas war.

Here's the latest:

BIDEN TALKS WITH LEADERS OF EGYPT, QATAR AS WHITE HOUSE STEPS UP PRESSURE ON HAMAS

President Joe Biden spoke on Monday separately with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani as the White House is stepping up pressure on Hamas to come to terms with Israel on a hostage for cease-fire deal in Gaza. The White House said that in the calls Biden urged both leaders to exert all efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas as this is now the only obstacle to an immediate ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza. The call came as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Saudi Arabia on Monday and is set to visit Israel this week. Blinken earlier on Monday called the latest offer to Hamas extraordinarily generous on the part of Israel. Hamas has demanded that the release of all hostages bring a complete end to Israels nearly seven-month assault in Gaza and a withdrawal of its troops from the devastated territory. Israel has offered only an extended pause, vowing to resume its offensive to destroy Hamas once the pause is over. Ahead of the leaders call, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that there has been new progress in talks, without offering further detail.

U.N. SAYS MORE AID TRUCKS ENTERING GAZA, BUT OBSTACLES REMAIN

UNITED NATIONS  The U.N. says theres been an increase in the number of trucks entering Gaza, but all the stumbling blocks in getting aid to the hundreds of thousands in need remain  first and foremost the ongoing fighting but also checkpoints.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Monday that 206 trucks entered Gaza on Friday and 262 on Saturday, but he reiterated last weeks statement from the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, that counting trucks is not the best measure to assess whether those in need are getting help.

Thats because once trucks cross into Gaza the challenges that we face remain, Dujarric said. The issue for us is that the fighting is ongoing.

He said the U.N. humanitarian office reports that the situation in the southern city of Rafah, where about half of Gazas more than two million people have sought shelter, remains dire following intensive airstrikes with dozens of casualties.

Dujarric said Palestinians in Rafah are facing challenges getting access to clean water, health care and sanitation amid the surge in killings and heightened anxiety about a large-scale Israeli ground offensive.

He said the Coastal Municipal Water Utility warned Sunday that the entire water and sanitation system is nearing collapse.

The U.N. childrens agency UNICEF and a dozen humanitarian partners have expanded outpatient treatment for severely malnourished children to more than 100 sites across Gaza, Dujarric said, including more than 50 in Rafah and three dozen in the north, which is facing the worst hunger crisis.

Meanwhile, he said, the U.N. Mine Action Service is warning that making Gaza safe from unexploded ordnance could take 14 years.

TWO ISRAELI HOSTAGE FAMILIES CALL FOR AN ISRAEL-HAMAS TRUCE THAT RELEASES CAPTIVES

TEL AVIV  The families of two Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas appealed Monday to both the militant groups leader in Gaza and Israels government to agree to a truce that would see the captives released.

The public plea from the families of Keith Siegel and Omri Miran comes as international pressure mounts on Israel and Hamas to accept a drafted cease-fire agreement after months of failed negotiations. Israel has also vowed to launch a ground offensive into Gazas densely packed southern city of Rafah, where Israel says leading Hamas militants are holed up along with the remaining hostages.

I appeal to Sinwar, please approve this deal. And to the members of the (Israeli) Cabinet, please approve any deal, said Dany Miran, father of Omri Miran, in central Tel Aviv.

Both men were captured by Hamas, along with some 250 others, during the militant groups assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7.

In recent days, Israeli politicians have indicated they would be open to a hostage deal in exchange for suspending a planned ground invasion of Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. Washington, Israels chief ally, has accused Israel of lacking a plan that will keep displaced Palestinians safe in the event of a ground invasion.

Hamas has continually said it will not release the remaining hostages without an agreement to end the war. Netanyahu has rejected that demand, saying Israel will continue its offensive until Hamas is destroyed and all the hostages are returned.

Hamas is still believed to be holding around 100 hostages and the remains of some 30 others. Most of the rest were freed in November in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TELLS ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR PROTESTERS TO CLEAR ENCAMPMENT OR FACE SUSPENSION

NEW YORK  Columbia University delivered an ultimatum for pro-Palestinian student protesters to sign a form and leave their ten encampment by Monday afternoon or face suspension.

Colleges around the country are imploring protesters to clear out encampments with rising levels of urgency as classes are wrapping up for the semester and campuses are preparing for graduation ceremonies.

The notice sent by Columbia to protesters in the encampment Monday said that if they leave by the designated time and sign a form committing to abide by university policies through June 2025 or an earlier graduation, they can finish the semester in good standing. If not, the letter said, they will be suspended, pending further investigation.

A spokesperson for the Ivy League university in New York City confirmed the letter had gone out to students but declined to comment further.

Mahmoud Khalil, the lead negotiator on behalf of protesters, said university representatives began passing out the notices at the encampment shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. He said discussions were ongoing about how to proceed.

Early protests at Columbia, where demonstrators set up tents in the center of the campus, sparked pro-Palestinian demonstrations across the country. Students and others have been sparring over the Israel-Hamas war and its mounting death toll. Many students are demanding their universities cut financial ties with Israel.

IN PARIS, STUDENTS INSPIRED BY PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS IN U.S. GATHER NEAR SORBONNE UNIVERSITY

PARIS  Dozens of students gathered near the Sorbonne university in Paris on Monday to protest in support of the Palestinians, echoing similar demonstrations on campuses in the United States.

About 100 demonstrators took part in the protest near the prestigious university, waving a giant Palestinian flag and chanting slogans in support of Palestinians in Gaza amid Israels ongoing war.

The Sorbonne occupies a unique place at the heart of French public and intellectual life. Last week, President Emmanuel Macron chose it as the venue to deliver a speech on his vison of Europe ahead of elections for the European Parliament in June.

Last week protests broke out at another elite university in the French capital region, the Paris Institute of Political Studies, known as Sciences Po. Tensions had broken out on campus as pro-Palestinian students sought to occupy an amphitheater.

On Friday, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators faced each other in a tense standoff in the street outside the school. Riot police stepped in to separate the opposing groups.

The protest ended peacefully, when students agreed to evacuate the building late Friday. The head of Sciences Po said an agreement with students had been reached.

SATELLITE PHOTOS SHOW U.S. NAVY SHIP BUILDING FLOATING PIER FOR GAZA AID

JERUSALEM  A U.S. Navy ship involved in an American-led effort to bring more aid into the besieged Gaza Strip is offshore from the enclave and building out a floating platform for the operation, according to satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press.

The U.S. military and Israeli authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the position of the USNS Roy P. Benavidez. Both Israel and the U.S. have said they hope to have the mobile pier in place and operations underway by early May.

Israeli inspections have caused long backups of aid trucks entering Gaza by land.

Under the plan by the U.S. military, aid will be loaded onto commercial ships in Cyprus to sail to the floating platform now under construction off Gaza. The pallets will be loaded onto trucks, which will be loaded onto smaller ships that travel to a metal, floating two-lane causeway. The 550-meter (1,800-foot) causeway will lead to shore.

A POSSIBLE MISSILE ATTACK BY YEMEN'S HOUTHI REBELS TARGETS A SHIP IN THE RED SEA

JERUSALEM  A suspected missile attack by Yemens Houthi rebels targeted a ship in the Red Sea, the latest assault in their campaign against international shipping in the crucial maritime route.

The attack Monday happened off the coast of Mokha, Yemen, according to the British militarys United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. The private security firm Ambrey said a salvo of three missiles targeted a Malta-flagged container ship traveling from Djibouti onward to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge any attack there, though it typically takes the rebels several hours before claiming their assaults.

The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza. The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

ISRAELI OFFICIALS APPEAR INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ICC MAY ISSUE ARREST WARRANTS

JERUSALEM  Israeli officials appear to be increasingly concerned that the International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the countrys leaders.

The ICC launched a probe three years ago into possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants going back to the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, but it has given no indication such warrants are imminent. There was no comment from the court on Monday.

Israels Foreign Ministry said late Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of rumors that warrants might be issued against senior political and military officials.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said we expect the court to prevent the issuance of arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials, saying such warrants would provide a morale boost to Hamas and other groups that Israel is fighting.

A series of Israeli announcements in recent days about allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza appears to be aimed in part at heading off possible ICC action.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Israel will never accept any attempt by the ICC to undermine its inherent right of self-defense.

The threat to seize the soldiers and officials of the Middle Easts only democracy and the worlds only Jewish state is outrageous. We will not bow to it, he posted on the social platform X. It was not clear what prompted the post.

The ICC investigation covers allegations going back to the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas, as well as Israels construction of Jewish settlements in occupied territory that the Palestinians want for a future state.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said during a visit to the region in December that the investigation is moving forward at pace, with rigor, with determination and with an insistence that we act not on emotion but on solid evidence.

Neither Israel nor its close ally the United States accept the ICCs jurisdiction, but any warrants could put Israeli officials at risk of arrest in other countries. They would also serve as a major rebuke of Israels actions toward the Palestinians.

The International Court of Justice, a separate body, is investigating whether Israel has committed acts of genocide in the ongoing war in Gaza, with any ruling expected to take years. Israel has rejected allegations of wrongdoing and accused both international courts of bias.

HAMAS' MILITARY WING SAYS IT ATTACKED AN ISRAELI ARMY POST FROM SOUTHERN LEBANON

BEIRUT  Hamas' military wing says it hit an Israeli army post from southern Lebanon.

The Qassam Brigades said in a statement that the Monday morning shelling of the army command in northern Israel was in retaliation for the massacres committed by the Zionist enemy in Gaza.

Hamas has fired rockets from Lebanon on several occasions since the Israel-Hamas war started in October.

The militant Hezbollah group, an ally of Hamas, has also attacked Israeli army posts from Lebanon. Hezbollah has exchanged near-daily strikes with Israeli forces in the border region  and sometimes beyond  for almost seven months.

More than 350 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 273 Hezbollah fighters and more than 50 civilians. On the Israeli side, 12 soldiers and 10 civilians have been killed.

ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES KILL AT LEAST 22 PEOPLE IN RAFAH, PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS SAY

RAFAH, Gaza Strip  Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah have killed at least 22 people, including six women and five children, Palestinian health officials say. One of the children killed in the strikes overnight into Monday was just 5 days old.

Israel has regularly carried out airstrikes on Rafah since the start of the war and has threatened to send in ground troops, saying Rafah is the last major Hamas stronghold in the coastal enclave. Over a million Palestinians have sought refuge in the city on the Egyptian border. The United States and others have urged Israel not to invade, fearing a humanitarian catastrophe.

The overnight strikes hit three family homes. The first killed 11 people, including four siblings aged 9 to 27, according to records at the Abu Yousef al-Najjar Hospital, where the bodies were taken. The second strike killed eight people, including a 33-year-old father and his 5-day-old boy, according to hospital records. The third strike killed three siblings, aged 23, 19 and 12. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies at the hospital.

Israel blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because the militants fight in densely populated areas. But the military rarely accounts for individual strikes, which often kill women and children.

BLINKEN BEGINS HIS SEVENTH DIPLOMATIC MISSION TO THE MIDDLE EAST SINCE WAR BEGAN

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia  U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday begins his seventh diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war began more than six months ago.

Just ahead of Blinkens visit  which includes a little more than a day in Saudi Arabia before stops in Jordan and Israel on Tuesday and Wednesday  President Joe Biden spoke by phone Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Blinkens trip comes amid renewed concerns about the conflict spreading in the Middle East and with once-promising prospects for Israeli-Saudi rapprochement effectively on hold as Israel refuses to consider one of the Saudis main conditions for normalized relations: the creation of a Palestinian state.

The conflict has fueled mass protests around the world that have spread to American college campuses. U.S. support for Israel, particularly arms transfers, has come under particular criticism, something the administration is keenly aware poses potential problems for Biden in an election year.

BIDEN SPEAKS WITH NETANYAHU AGAIN AS PRESSURE BUILDS FOR CEASE-FIRE

TEL AVIV, Israel  U.S. President Joe Biden has again spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said Sunday, as pressure builds on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.

The White House said that Biden reiterated his clear position as Israel plans to invade Gazas southernmost city of Rafah despite global concern for more than 1 million Palestinians sheltering there. The U.S. opposes the invasion on humanitarian grounds, straining relations between the allies. Israel is among the countries U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit as he returns to the Middle East on Monday.

Biden also stressed that progress in delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza be sustained and enhanced, according to the statement. The call lasted just under an hour, and they agreed the onus remains on Hamas to accept the latest offer in negotiations, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the official wasnt authorized to comment publicly.

There was no comment from Netanyahus office.
The Latvian state-owned company Latvenergo provided Ukraine with equipment to restore the energy system after Russian attacks, the Delfi media outlet reported on April 28.

Moscow has recently intensified its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's critical infrastructure, launching large-scale attacks on energy facilities across the country on March 22, March 29, April 11, and April 27.

Russia struck the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant on April 11 in Kyiv Oblast, the main electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts.

Centrenergo, Ukraine's state energy company, later announced that the Russian attack against this plant led to the destruction of 100% of the company's generation capacity, as on March 22, Russia also destroyed the Zmiiv Thermal Power Plant in Kharkiv Oblast.

Next to a high-voltage transformer previously used at the Riga Hydroelectric Power Plant, Ukraine also reportedly received 60 metric tons of transformer oil and an air compressor.

"With the delivery of high-voltage transformer, oil, and compressor, the Ukrainians will receive help at the household level, as well as for water and heat supply to hospitals, schools, and other facilities," said Arnis Kurgs, the chief administrative officer of Latvenergo.

The European Union covered the costs of transportation of aid that the Latvian State Fire and Rescue Service helped to deliver, Delfi wrote.

Latvia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters since the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war. The country's prime minister, Evika Silina, said that Riga's military aid for Kyiv amounted to 392 million euros (around $420 million).

Read also: DTEK: Russia has attacked Ukraines thermal power plants nearly 180 times

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Destruction as a result of the attacks in 2023. Stock photo: DTEK

Latvenergo, Latvias national energy company, has provided Ukraine with a package of equipment to rebuild the energy infrastructure.

Source: Delfi, a Latvian news outlet

Details: The aid package included a TS-250000/330 transformer with a capacity of 250 MVA, previously used at the Riga Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), a GR110 compressed air compressor and 60 tonnes of transformer oil.

The Latvian State Fire and Rescue Service assisted in delivering the oversized cargo to the destination. The European Union covered transportation costs.

Quote from Chief Administrative Officer of Latvenergo: "By supplying a high-voltage transformer, oil and compressor, we provide assistance to the residents of Ukraine at the household level, as well as for the water supply and heating of hospitals, schools and other facilities. Let's stand together until Ukraine wins."

High-voltage transformer was delivered to Ukraine

Photo: Delfi

Background: Russia attacked four thermal power plants (TPPs) owned by the company DTEK on the night of 26-27 April, injuring civilians.

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Vilnis Kirsis, the mayor of Riga, asked citizens to 'ensure your cellars can be used as shelters in case of emergencies' - Toms Kalnins/EPA

Latvia has urged its citizens to convert their basements into air raid shelters amid fears that the Baltics could be Vladimir Putins next target.

Vilnis Kirsis, the mayor of Riga, the capital, said: We call on everyone during the big clean-up, but also afterwards, to ensure that your cellars and your basements can be used as shelters in case of emergencies.

In a private communique to city officials, Mr Kirsis said government buildings in the city would also have their underground spaces turned into shelters.

Latvia, a member of both Nato and the European Union, shares a 132-mile border with Russia, and has warned of an increasing threat of attack from Moscow since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Hiding places in event of attack

The head of Rigas civil defence commission has told local broadcasters that 100 shelters would be prepared every month until the end of the year.

Speaking to TV24, Gints Reinsons said: The basements of public buildings, schools, retirement homes, hospitals and town halls will be inspected by the authorities, who will prepare them to serve as hiding places in the event of an attack.

Nato generals believe any Russian attack on Nato, the Western military alliance, could start with air strikes on the former Soviet republics in the Baltics. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are considered among the most likely targets.

Earlier this year, Margus Tsahkna, Estonias foreign minister, said the Baltics had three to four years to strengthen their defences for a Russian test of Nato.

In January, the three Baltic defence ministries agreed to construct a special defence zone on their borders with Russia and Belarus.

Estonia will construct at least 600 bunkers in early 2025, as well as double the size of its volunteer territorial defence force. Latvia reintroduced conscription last year as part of plans to swell its armed forces to 61,000 troops in the next eight years.

Germany has promised to have a combat-ready brigade of 4,800 troops stationed permanently in Lithuania to guard against a potential Russian strike.

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Men fish at the pier in Redondo Beach, one of five cities fighting California to restore single-family zoning in its neighborhoods. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ruled that a landmark law ending single-family-home-only zoning in California is unconstitutional, a decision that could lead to the law being invalidated in the states largest cities.

Judge Curtis Kin determined that Senate Bill 9 does not provide housing restricted for low-income residents and therefore cannot override state constitutional protections afforded to local zoning practices.

Because the provisions of SB 9 are not reasonably related and sufficiently narrowly tailored to the explicit stated purpose of that legislation  namely, to ensure access to affordable housing  SB 9 cannot stand, Kin wrote in a April 22 ruling .

Kins decision now applies to the five Southern California cities  Redondo Beach, Carson, Torrance, Whittier and Del Mar  that challenged SB 9, which passed in 2021 . If his ruling is appealed and upheld, it would affect 121 communities known as charter cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, that have greater autonomy under state law.

Redondo Beach City Atty. Michael Webb hailed the ruling as a victory for communities fighting against state overreach on housing laws. State lawmakers have passed SB 9 and other one-size-fits-all measures in recent years without regard for how they would affect the ability to provide water, policing, fire and other municipal services, and without guaranteeing new development would help those most in need, he said.

SB 9 had all the bad impacts on disrupting the community with none of the positive features of ensuring affordable housing actually be built, Webb said.

A spokesperson for Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, whose office defended the law, said the attorney general is reviewing the decision "and will consider all options in defense of SB 9."

Read more: The big change coming to California neighborhoods

SB 9 is one of the highest-profile laws approved in response to Californias housing affordability problems as Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers have aimed to spur new homebuilding.

The law affects vast swaths of the state. Between half and three-quarters of the developable land in much of the state would be reserved only for single-family homes if not for SB 9, according to UC Berkeleys Terner Center for Housing Innovation . Under the law in most cases, property owners statewide can build up to four units on those lots.

So far, SB 9's effects have been muted, especially compared to a series of state laws first passed in 2016 that aimed to increase the construction of smaller, secondary units, known as ADUs or casitas, on single-family home parcels.

Bay Area NPR affiliate KQED recently surveyed 16 cities of varying sizes across California and found that between 2022 and 2023, the cities approved 75 lot split applications and 112 applications for new units under SB 9. Over the same period, those cities permitted 8,800 ADUs, the news organization found.

Read more: How lawmakers are upending the California lifestyle to fight a housing shortage

But SB 9 is as much about symbolism as new housing. The lifestyle afforded by owning a suburban single-family home with a backyard and barbecue has long been mythologized as part of the California Dream. Allowing multiple units to be built on parcels previously reserved only for single-family homes departs from that vision. In defense of SB 9, lawmakers argued that all areas of the state needed to accept growth and often cited the origins of single-family-home-only zoning as a means of excluding Black and other nonwhite residents from neighborhoods.

Legislators reasoned that individual units in duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes would be more affordable than just one house on the land, and that more housing in general would ease affordability pressures. But, citing the costs to build, they did not mandate any units constructed under SB 9 specifically to be set aside for low-income residents.

The five cities, which have been some of the most aggressive in pushing back against state attempts to promote more housing, argued that distinction mattered.

Kin agreed. The laws stated intent calls for increasing access to affordable housing, a term that Kin said elsewhere in the text refers explicitly to housing restricted for low-income residents. Because SB 9 doesnt require those kinds of developments, it fails to meet the state Constitutions high standards to override local control over zoning in charter cities, Kin said.

In order to justify SB 9s interference with the municipal concerns of land use and zoning regulations, the Legislature cannot rely on a potential, eventual decrease in prices resulting from increased housing supply to demonstrate that SB 9 would increase the supply of affordable (i.e. below market-rate) housing, Kin wrote.

Read more: How California lawmakers have tried and failed to fix the state's housing crisis

But Chris Elmendorf, a law professor at UC Davis who closely follows state housing legislation and litigation, criticized Kins reading of the law.

Kins analysis of the affordable housing language in SB 9 means that the judge believes that lawmakers intended to create housing restricted to low-income residents without actually mandating it in the law, he said.

The only way that interpretation is right is if the Legislature is a house full of idiots, Elmendorf said. If that was their purpose, they would have required some of the units to be sold or rented at below-market rates.

Elmendorf said he expected Bonta, who has made enforcing state housing laws a priority while in office, to appeal the decision. State lawmakers also easily could change SB 9 to address Kins decision, he said.

State Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), who authored the law while she was leader of that chamber, said in a statement that she was considering doing so.

The goal of SB 9 has always been to increase equity and accessibility in our neighborhoods while growing our housing supply and production across the state, Atkins said, adding that she believed Kins decision was very disappointing and sadly misguided.

In the judge's defense, Webb, the Redondo Beach city attorney, said state lawmakers have written numerous other housing laws where their stated intent matched the language in the bill. Lawmakers could amend SB 9, he said, to mandate it produce low-income housing.

"The Legislature can address [the ruling] by putting the words in the initiative to match the intent, which is if youre tearing down a single-family home, it would be replaced with affordable housing," Webb said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Social media apps are seen on a mobile phone. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Ohio senators have passed a bill to limit cell phone use in schools, but it allows local districts to decide on the best practices for their students.

Being a parent in the age of smartphones is  my mom would say is harder than she had it, Natalie Hastings, mom-of-two, said.

Hastings believes boundaries with technology are important, but there are struggles when it comes to school.

There was some bullying in the restrooms and people were taking videos, she said. There is now a policy in place at the building level where kids can bring their phones to school and power them off, put them in their backpacks.

Starting in the fall of 2023, a new policy at Akron Public Schools requires all secondary students to keep their cell phones in magnetically locking Yondr bags. Students are allowed to use their phones in the lunchroom and between classes but must silence and stow them away.

Schools around the state have started cracking down on phone usage, and state lawmakers are joining in.

I thought the idea of eliminating use of smartphones during the school day is a great idea, Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said.

Huffman and his members just passed House Bill 250, legislation that added a provision to require each public school district to create a cell phone policy, emphasizing that phone use should be as limited as possible during the school day.

The legislation would also require the Department of Education and Workforce to adopt a model policy on student phone use that public schools could utilize. These policies come at a request of Gov. Mike DeWine, who said in his State of the State Address that phones are detrimental to our kids mental health and they need to be removed from the classroom.

Hastings is mainly supportive of the Senates bill.

I would advocate that every building principal is the one who can make the best decision for their specific kids, Hastings said.

She is worried about a competing version of policy  H.B. 485, which would ban personal devices like cell phones, computers, headphones and smartwatches unless a teacher specifically allows it, there is an emergency, it is needed for healthcare or if a student has a learning disability and it is part of their accommodations.

The bill would require public schools to create an internet safety policy. The legislation also mandates grades 6-12 to have courses on the negative side of social media.

But it isnt clear if House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) is on board with the Senate.

There were some questions in our caucus on what the details were on the cell phone language and we had several members who wanted to read those languages, Stephens said.

State Rep. Tom Young (R-Washington Township), the sponsor of H.B. 485, wasnt thrilled with the Senates actions.

They have every right to do that, of course, however, we will have hearings on my bill because its important that we get feedback from the districts and those interested parties so that we can have best practices and thats really important. Young said. Citizens should have a right to speak about a piece of legislation  period  especially one thats important. If were going to do this then were going to do it right.

Hastings said Ohio should start small before major mandates.

Its a level of distraction that we are still figuring out in real time, she said.

The Senates version goes back to the House for a concurrence vote.

This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland.

Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook.

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The post Lawmakers to Ohio students: Screen times over, kids appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, believes that the war in Ukraine will last for a long time. Therefore, Europe should intensify its efforts to support Ukrainians until the Russian army withdraws from all the occupied Ukrainian territories.

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The European diplomat expressed his belief that this war could last at least until the presidential election in the United States. He said this at the World Economic Forum conference on Sunday, April 28.

"If we pledged to support Ukraine at the beginning of the conflict, we must continue to support them until they cannot resist and until Putin decides to stop the war," the head of European diplomacy said.

He added that this is likely to happen, but not soon. Therefore, the EU states should help Ukraine.

"At the same time, we must continue to support the people of Ukraine. Europeans will not die for Donbas, but we can help Ukrainians not to die for it," Borrell said.

Earlier, Borrell called on EU states to quickly transfer air defense systems to Ukraine to protect it from Russian shelling, which are "in the barracks just in case." He warned that Europe cannot rely on the United States to help Kyiv.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, according to the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, the US involvement in Europe is "becoming less certain," so a full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine poses a threat to the existence of the EU. Europe, as he emphasized, "has delegated its security for too long" America must now take responsibility for its own defense.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
A sign noting the acceptance of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that are used by state welfare departments to issue benefits is displayed at a grocery store on Dec. 4, 2019 in Oakland, California.

Louisiana lawmakers are trying to push Gov. Jeff Landry's administration to join a federal summer food program for low-income children. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Republican leaders in the Louisiana Legislature started to push last week for Louisiana to join a new federal summer food program for needy children, even after GOP Gov. Jeff Landrys administration and K-12 schools chief Cade Brumley declined to participate months ago.

Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, and state Rep. Jack McFarland, R-Jonesboro, said they will meet with state officials this week to insist the food assistance comes to Louisiana this summer, when children are home from school.



Henry said he expects state agencies to make progress toward launching the program in the next two weeks, before the Louisiana Senate Finance Committee convenes to review the state budget proposal.

We will do whatever weve got to do to get the childrens food program in place for the summer, McFarland told the Louisiana House of Representatives during a budget debate Thursday.

Last week marks the first time Republican state officials have taken a firm, public stance in favor of Louisiana joining the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children, or Summer EBT. The GOP-controlled Louisiana House voted unanimously for a budget plan Thursday that included $3.6 million to take part in the initiative.



In exchange for those few million dollars of state money, Louisiana could receive as much as $71 million in federal assistance to help feed 594,000 children through Summer EBT, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.



The federal government would provide an extra $40 per month per qualifying child in electronic food-buying benefits to low-income households while children are on summer break. President Joe Bidens administration created the program to help families deal with higher grocery store costs when their children dont have access to free and reduced-price meals at school.

The money would not only benefit low-income families but also Louisiana grocery stores because people would have more money to spend on food.

It feeds kids and it brings money to local businesses, said Henry, when asked why Louisiana should join the initiative.

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Program delays

For months, the Landry administration and state education department, which is under the control of a partially-elected state school board, have resisted calls to participate in Summer EBT.



Louisiana is one of 14 states that chose not to join the program. Texas and Mississippi are not participating in Summer EBT, though Louisianas other neighboring state, Arkansas, is part of the initiative.

Brumley, who has served as Louisianas education superintendent for the past four years, decided not to sign the state up for Summer EBT last year before the initial Jan. 1 deadline. He said he declined to do so because he thought Landry, who became governor a few days later on Jan. 8, might not want to take part in the program.

In February, Landrys top appointed child welfare official, David Matlock, confirmed the administration did not want to join, saying the food program for children might stand in the way of Louisiana residents finding a pathway to self-sufficiency.



In recent months, Matlock, Brumley and Landrys staff have also emphasized Louisiana participates in another federal feeding program for low-income children, the Summer Food Service Program. That initiative makes pre-made meals and snacks available throughout the summer break at designated sites, though children advocates say it isnt meeting everyones needs. Not all parishes in the state have a Summer Food Service Program location, and there are very few access points in rural areas.

The federal government also designed Summer EBT to work in conjunction with the Summer Food Service Program, not as an alternative to the existing initiative.

Too late to participate?

At a budget hearing last week, Brumley and Matlock angered lawmakers by saying it was too late to get Summer EBT going for this summer, even if lawmakers commit money to the initiative.

The two state agency heads also pointed fingers at each other for holding up the process.



Matlock told lawmakers the Department of Children and Family Services, which he runs, could disperse Summer EBT benefits by the end of June but was waiting on information it needed from the Department of Education, which Brumley oversees. If the information was stalled, Matlock would have to wait until the end of the calendar year to give out the Summer EBT benefits to qualifying households in a lump sum.

Our component  cant be implemented until some of our partners complete their portion, Matlock said.



Speaking soon after Matlock, Brumley told lawmakers the education department was only a support agency on Summer EBT and that the Department of Children and Family Services was responsible for the program.



Brumley said his department could not provide the information Matlock wants because Matlocks agency and the state technology office havent built the online portal needed for the program yet.



Setting up Summer EBT is especially complicated in Louisiana because of a state privacy law that prevents the education department from collecting and sharing personal data, Brumley added.

My agency does not have access to personal identifiable information for students, the superintendent told lawmakers Thursday.

At least one advocate said the existing privacy law should not be a barrier to the summer food initiative.

Susan East Nelson, who runs the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families, said lawmakers passed an exception to the privacy law in 2021 specifically allowing K-12 schools to share student information for a summer electronic benefits program.

Nelson also said the federal government doesnt require Louisiana to have a portal to operate the program until 2025. In 2024, states have been given more flexibility to get Summer EBT up and running as easily as possible.

This should not be this complicated. We have the tools and capability in our reach, Nelson said in an interview Friday. We just need cooperation.

McFarland and Henry said they will insist on cooperation from Matlock, Brumley and others in state government.



We have the ability to tell the agencies where they are going to spend that money, how they are going to spend that money and when they are going to spend that money, McFarland told the Louisiana House last week.

For an agency to come up here and tell me they cant work together  hogwash, he said.



The post Lawmakers push Landry administration to join childrens summer food program appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Heres a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.

HOUSE

BORDER ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES: The House has rejected the Transnational Criminal Organization Illicit Spotter Prevention and Elimination Act (H.R. 3602), sponsored by Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz. The bill would have established criminal penalties for intentionally hindering efforts by government workers to enforce immigration, customs, and drug laws at the U.S. border. Ciscomani said: This bill does not just address a major national security weakness, it solves a crisis that millions of Americans already live with. An opponent, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called it an empty messaging bill that does absolutely nothing to reform our outdated immigration system. The vote, on April 20, was 215 yeas to 199 nays, with a two-thirds majority required for approval.

YEAS: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick R-Bucks; Mike Kelly, R-Butler; Lloyd Smucker, R-Lancaster; John Joyce, R-Blair; Guy Reschenthaler, R-Washington; Glenn Thompson, R-Howard; Dan Meuser, R-Luzerne

NAYS: Reps. Dwight Evans, D-Philadelphia; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Chester; Madeleine Dean, D-Montgomery; Brendan Boyle, D-Philadelphia; Susan Wild, D-Lehigh; Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Delaware; Summer Lee, D-Allegheny; Chris Deluzio, D-Allegheny

NOT VOTING: Reps. Scott Perry, R-York; Matt Cartwright, D-Lackawanna;

REVIEWING SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN: The House has passed an amendment sponsored by Rep. Zachary Nunn, R-Iowa, to the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act (H.R. 8038), to require the Treasury Department to send Congress reports on exemptions to sanctions levied against Iran. Nunn said the disclosures would give Congress knowledge required to effectively ensure oversight and draft targeted legislation to ensure the Iranian regime doesnt have access to the funds necessary for it to finance terror. An amendment opponent, Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-N.Y., said it could put an onerous burden on Treasury, and Meeks also cited concerns about business confidentiality. The vote, on April 20, was 249 yeas to 167 nays.

YEAS: Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Houlahan, Smucker, Joyce, Reschenthaler, Thompson, Meuser, Wild

NAYS: Evans, Dean, Boyle, Cartwright, Scanlon, Lee, Deluzio

NOT VOTING: Perry

SANCTIONS AND TIKTOK DIVESTITURE: The House has passed the 21st Century Peace through Strength Act (H.R. 8038), sponsored by Rep. Michael T. McCaul, R-Texas, to authorize sanctions against Russia and Iran, as well as restrictions against TikTok, unless the company is sold. McCaul said that along with discouraging U.S. adversaries, this bill also protects Americans, especially our children, from the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party-controlled TikTok. This app is a spy balloon in Americans phones. An opponent, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, said the sanctions would reward Israels government for using American weapons to kill indiscriminately and to force famine, with over 25,000 women and children dead and tens of thousands of missiles and bombs levied on innocent civilians. The vote, on April 20, was 360 yeas to 58 nays.

YEAS: Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Evans, Houlahan, Dean, Boyle, Cartwright, Smucker, Joyce, Reschenthaler, Thompson, Meuser, Wild, Scanlon, Deluzio

NOT VOTING: Perry

NAYS: Lee

AID TO TAIWAN: The House has passed the Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8036), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., to provide $8.12 billion of emergency supplemental spending on support for Taiwan and other U.S. allies in East Asia. Cole said the aid for countries facing threats from China is not only about safeguarding the ideals of democracy and peace, but it is also central to our own national security. The vote, on April 20, was 385 yeas to 34 nays.

YEAS: Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Evans, Houlahan, Dean, Boyle, Cartwright, Smucker, Joyce, Reschenthaler, Thompson, Meuser, Wild, Scanlon, Lee, Deluzio

NOT VOTING: Perry

RESTRICTING AID TO UKRAINE: The House has rejected an amendment sponsored by Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., to the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8035) that would have eliminated non-military funding for Ukraine from the bill. Cammack cited pressing needs to reduce the deficit and respond to domestic U.S. problems in saying that narrowing the bills spending would look out for American national security and American economic security. An opponent, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said we cannot afford to shortchange our oversight funding, our diplomatic security funding, and other strategic priorities by adopting the funding elimination. The vote, on April 20, was 154 yeas to 272 nays.

NAYS: Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Evans, Houlahan, Dean, Boyle, Cartwright, Smucker, Thompson, Wild, Scanlon, Lee, Deluzio

NOT VOTING: Perry

YEAS: Joyce, Reschenthaler, Meuser

AID TO UKRAINE: The House has passed the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8035), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., to provide about $60 billion of support to Ukraine in its war with Russia, including munitions supplies and loans to Ukraines government. A supporter, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., said it directly supports the national security interests of the United States by projecting peace through strength against Russias anti-democratic invasion of Ukraine. An opponent, Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, R-Ga., said Congress should be demanding peace in Ukraine, between these countries [Russia and Ukraine], peace for these people so that no more of them have to die. The vote, on April 20, was 311 yeas to 112 nays, with 1 voting present.

YEAS: Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Evans, Houlahan, Dean, Boyle, Cartwright, Smucker, Reschenthaler, Thompson, Wild, Scanlon, Lee, Deluzio

NAYS: Perry, Joyce

PRESENT: Meuser

ISRAEL AID: The House has passed the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 8034), sponsored by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., to provide $26.4 billion of aid to Israel in its conflicts with Hamas and Iran, including bolstering its missile defense systems and other forms of military aid. A supporter, Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Conn., said the spending would ensure Israel has the resources it needs to defend itself and that much-needed humanitarian aid can flow to millions of vulnerable people around the world. An opponent, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, said the funds would allow Israel to purchase the lethality to kill more innocent civilian Palestinian men, women, and especially children. The vote, on April 20, was 366 yeas to 58 nays.

YEAS: Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Evans, Houlahan, Dean, Boyle, Cartwright, Smucker, Joyce, Reschenthaler, Thompson, Meuser, Wild, Scanlon, Deluzio

NAYS: Perry, Lee

SENATE

FOURTH AMENDMENT SURVEILLANCE PROTECTIONS: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), that would have added the text of the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act to the bill. Paul said the measure was needed to provide protections for the privacy of Americans electronic records. An opponent, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., cited widespread opposition from law enforcement agencies, as well as various Jewish groups. The vote, on April 19, was 31 yeas to 61 nays.

NAYS: Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa.; John Fetterman, D-Pa.

DEFINING COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE PROVIDERS: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), that would have eliminated section 25, regarding the definition of an electronic communication service provider, from the bill. Wyden said section 25 dramatically expands warrantless surveillance by authorizing the government, for countless typical Americans and American companies, to secretly assist in their surveillance. If there is one thing we know, expansive surveillance authorities will always be used and abused. An amendment opponent, Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., cited claims by the attorney general that section 25 could never be used to target any entity inside the United States, including, for example, business, home, or place of worship. The vote, on April 19, was 34 yeas to 58 nays.

NAYS: Casey, Fetterman

SURVEILLANCE OF U.S. RESIDENTS: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888). The amendment would have required government officials to obtain a warrant in order to surveil the communications of lawful U.S. residents. Durbin said: We can protect the Constitutional Bill of Rights and keep our country safe. We have got to be mindful that this requires vigilance against abuse of rights. An amendment opponent, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said: If we pass this requirement, it will simply benefit our foreign adversaries--Russia, China, Iran, Hamas--just to name a few. The vote, on April 19, was 42 yeas to 50 nays.

NAYS: Casey, Fetterman

FISA COURT PROCEEDINGS: The Senate has rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), that would have changed legal procedures in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) court, including increased disclosure requirements. Lee said it would help defend the rights of individual Americans. An opponent, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said it would give suspected spies advantages in the courtroom, including possible access to sensitive intelligence information. The vote, on April 19, was 40 yeas to 53 nays.

NAYS: Casey, Fetterman

FISA COMMUNICATIONS SURVEILLANCE: The Senate has passed the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (H.R. 7888), sponsored by Rep. Laurel M. Lee, R-Fla., to make changes to surveillance practices under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), including new approval requirements for database searches of U.S. legal residents and audit and notification requirements for such searches. A supporter, Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., cited reforms to FISA surveillances processes, including the elimination of batch database queries and protections for figures such as politicians, journalists, and religious officials. An opponent, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said it would allow a huge range of ordinary U.S. businesses and individuals and other organizations to be forced to submit communications by American citizens to the federal government. The vote, on April 19, was 60 yeas to 34 nays.

YEAS: Casey, Fetterman

SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS: The Senate has concurred in the House amendment to the National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act (H.R. 815), sponsored by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. The amendment would provide about $95 billion of supplemental military aid to Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel, require the sale of TikTok, and adopt several measures aimed at reducing fentanyl consumption. A supporter, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said: Even as our allies take on a greater share of the burden of collective security, our obligation to invest in our own defense is as serious as ever. An opponent, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said the amendment advanced policies that will, in many ways, prolong the suffering that Bidens weaknesses and appeasement have caused for Americans and our friends and allies around the world each and every day. The vote, on April 23, was 79 yeas to 18 nays.

YEAS: Casey, Fetterman
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed that a woman was killed in Lawson, Missouri on Saturday night.

Patty Neary, 47, was found dead by the Lawson Police Department and MSHP at the 200 block of South Raum Road, court records said.

Saturday storms cause flooding around Kansas City metro

According to MSHP, around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, the Lawson PD reached out to MSHPs Division of Drug and Crime Control for assistance on a homicide.

A probable cause statement was released on Monday morning that said Lawrence Patrick Neary IV was found and taken into custody at an associates residence around 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning. He is currently being charged with first-degree murder.

The statement says that a person found the woman, Patty Neary, dead in a bedroom closet. According to the witness, she was initially believed to have been stabbed in the neck. The witness also said they received a call claiming that Patty and Lawrence Neary had been fighting all day.

1 person confirmed dead in Quality Hill shooting Monday morning: KCPD

According to a statement by Lawrence Neary, the two had been fighting, and he alleges it escalated to the point where Patty Neary grabbed a handgun from under a pillow on the couch and pointed it at him. He said this resulted in a physical fight that led into a bedroom where Patty had fallen backward into a closet.

Lawrence Neary claims he shot around the victims head about three times in an attempt to scare her. After the third shot, Patty Neary stopped talking, according to the suspect, and he left through a window, court documents said.

The suspect then realized he had forgotten his phone and re-entered the home. Upon entering, Lawrence Neary claimed he heard moaning and gurgling noises from the victim and in an attempt to wake her up, shot above her head.

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Investigators say there is no evidence to support Lawrence Nearys account of the shooting around the victims head since no bullets were found in the wall. However, evidence suggests Patty Neary was shot several times in the closet and that five shell casings were found near the body, according to the probable cause statement.

According to police, Lawrence Neary is still in custody. As more details come out about the investigation, FOX4 will continue to update this story.

Online court records indicate that Lawrence Neary will have his first court appearance on Tuesday morning in Ray County Circuit Court.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
A lawsuit brought by an activist against Los Angeles City Councilmember Kevin de Leon over a scuffle at a holiday toy giveaway in 2022 could be dismissed as early as next month.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lynne Hobbs ruled during a hearing last week that the activist, Jason Reedy, had waited too long to file the lawsuit against the councilman. The complaint was filed past the six-month statute of limitations for suing a government entity, Hobbs wrote in her decision.

The judge gave Reedy 20 days to file an amended complaint to clarify that he's suing De Leon as an individual, not as a city councilman, since the statute of limitations for suing an individual alleging battery is longer. If he does not, the case will be dismissed.

Earlier this year, Hobbs dismissed the claim against the city of Los Angeles also because of the lapsed statute of limitations.

Read more: Activist sues L.A. over fight with Kevin de Leon, saying toy giveaway needed more security

The lawsuit centers on a tussle at a holiday event on Dec. 9, 2022, at a Lincoln Heights recreation center between Reedy, an advocate for defunding the Los Angeles Police Department, and De Leon, who was handing out holiday gifts. The event came just a few weeks after the councilman was heard on a leaked recording engaged in a conversation with other officials that included racist and derogatory comments, triggering calls for De Leon's resignation or recall.

Reedy and other activists interrupted the holiday event, calling De Leon a racist and demanding that he resign. The councilman tried to exit, but Reedy followed and stood face to face with him. That's when the situation escalated.

A video taken at the time shows De Leon shoving Reedy into a table. Reedy responded by punching De Leon, according to a witness. Both men filed police reports alleging they had been attacked, but neither was criminally charged.

Read more: Kevin de Leon and activist won't be charged over their fight. Here's why neither is happy

Reedy accused the councilman of grabbing him, pushing him and hitting him during the confrontation. He also alleged the city did not have adequate security at the event, according to court records.

Reedy's attorney, Dermot Givens, told Courthouse News Service that his client plans to file an amended complaint to allow the lawsuit to continue. Givens could not immediately be reached Monday for further comment.

Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Lawyer sought hitman to kill his kids mom, feds say. Cheaper way to get rid of her

A custody battle between two parents escalated when the father, a licensed lawyer, tried hiring a hitman to kill his childrens mother, federal prosecutors said.

The murder-for-hire plot has now landed Allen Gessen in prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California announced in an April 26 news release.

Gessen, an attorney licensed in New York, first schemed to have his former partner illegally deported from the U.S., but then decided itd cost him less if she were killed, according to prosecutors.

He discussed this plan with an undercover FBI agent, whom he was introduced to in connection with an international money laundering investigation, prosecutors said.

In recorded conversations with the agent, who Gessen believed was a hitman with government connections, Gessen discussed bribing an immigration official to remove the mother of his two young children from the U.S., according to court documents.

When he realized this would cost him $100,000, he told the agent during a June 2022 meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, that if there was a cheaper way to get rid of her that would be good too, court documents state.

Gessen ultimately decided on the more permanent option involving killing his childrens mother following contentious child custody proceedings, according to prosecutors.

He wired $23,000 to a San Francisco bank account secretly owned by the FBI and sent the undercover agent a written agreement for consulting services for the murder-for-hire plot, prosecutors said. Then, in July 2022, he was indicted on one count of murder for hire.

Now Gessen, 49, of Massachusetts, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after he was convicted of the charge, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California said.

Ahead of sentencing, prosecutors wrote that Gessen, according to his own words, was dismissive of the fact that his two young children, aged three and eight at that time, would be motherless as they grew up.

He wanted her out of his life because she also loved her children and fought him for custody, prosecutors said.

Federal public defenders Candis Lea Mitchell and Karthik Raju, who represented Gessen in the case, declined a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 29.

The first attempt to have the mother killed

Gessen told the undercover FBI agent his decision to have his former partner killed was not a spur of the moment, emotional reaction, according to the sentencing memo.

He said he previously looked into hiring hitmen to kill her and nearly paid $220,000 to a group of Israeli operatives, for the job, prosecutors said.

Gessen said he paid the group $10,000 to conduct surveillance, then decided against paying $210,000 more for the killing to be carried out, according to the sentencing memo.

In sentencing papers submitted on his behalf, Gessens federal defenders argued that the government misinterpreted his intentions.

Under the strain of a dissolving relationship, defendant Allen Gessen, made the misguided choice to seek an unlawful permanent deportation of his former partner from the United States to gain sole custody of their two children, his sentencing memo says.

His legal counsel contended he never had plans to kill the mother of his children.

Though Mr. Gessen disputes the governments interpretation of his intentions, he accepts responsibility for his actions, his legal counsel wrote.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, argued that Gessen showed a cool, cruel, calculated approach to the taking of an innocent womans life.

In their sentencing memo, they wrote that he agreed in describing himself as a very intelligent and an accomplished attorney.

He was not a bumbling idiot who happened to stumble into some unexpected situation.

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Gov. Jim Pillen, at right, leads a news conference celebrating Nebraska's Interstate 80 expansion project and other Interstate and rest area improvements Monday, April 29, 2024, in Lincoln. He is joined, from left, by Director Vicki Kramer of the Nebraska Department of Transportation, State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln and Chris Hawkins of Hawkins Construction. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and other state leaders Monday celebrated the ongoing Interstate 80 expansion between Lincoln and Pleasant Dale as an economic boon.

From left, Capt. Greg Miller of the Nebraska State Patrol, Director Vicki Kramer of the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Gov. Jim Pillen, State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln and Chris Hawkins of Hawkins Construction. April 29, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Vicki Kramer, director of the Nebraska Department of Transportation, said the three-year I-80 project, which began earlier this month, includes expanding from two lanes in each direction to three. The project has been in the works for decades and is designed to increase mobility. It is the largest planned transportation project for the 2024 construction season.

If anybodys coming in from Grand Island, they know how difficult it gets the closer you get to Lincoln  the congestion, the truck traffic  it gets dangerous, Kramer said. Safety is of the utmost importance to us, and it will be the main component of this project.

In addition to lane expansion, the project will include other Interstate and rest area improvements at the US-6 and 192nd Street interchange and the West Dodge Road interchange in Omaha as well as a new roundabout at Highway 77 near Wahoo.

Kramer said work on the first 17 or so miles of the project is already underway.

Pillen said Nebraskans all agree on former President Dwight D. Eisenhowers vision of interstate commerce, which was extraordinary and transformed our country of economic vitality.

In 1974, after 17 years of construction, Nebraska became the first state to complete its portion of I-80 from east to west, Pillen noted: a 455-mile stretch of road at a cost of $435 million.

State Sen. Beau Ballard of Lincoln, whose district includes NW 56th Street where the project kicks off in west Lincoln, said one of the top issues he hears from constituents is infrastructure. He said the expansion will grow Nebraska, propel its future and enhance market capabilities.

This project is going to be a game changer for my community, Ballard told the Nebraska Examiner. This will not only benefit safety and convenience but also be beneficial for quality of life.

Chris Hawkins, CEO and president of Hawkins Construction. April 29, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

Chris Hawkins, CEO and president of Hawkins Construction, said that after years of programming and design, the state can celebrate as his crews get to work.

For Hawkins, were just starting, Hawkins said. Ill save the celebration until this project is successfully completed, which it will be.

Traffic is not expected to be significantly impacted, though Kramer noted it is a heavily congested area, so night work and other approaches will be used to prioritize safety.

Pillen encouraged Nebraskans to really slow down, tap the brakes and use common sense as construction season progresses.

Take a breath. Slow down when you see construction. And abide by all the signs, Pillen said. Well get there, just slow it down and be extra, extra safe.

The post Leaders celebrate Nebraskas ongoing Interstate 80 expansion as economic boon appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.
The driver of a school van died after a crash in Pittsburgh Tuesday morning.

Crews were called around 7:20 a.m. to the area of W. North Avenue and Arch Street in the citys Allegheny Center neighborhood for a report of a vehicle into a pole.

First responders found the 67-year-old driver unresponsive and trapped in the van. No students were on board at the time.

The driver is suspected of having a heart attack. He was extricated from the van and EMS gave him aid.

As he was being taken to a local hospital in critical condition, the driver went into cardiac arrest.

He was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.

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At least five people were killed and roughly 30 injured in a Russian missile strike on Odesa on April 29, local officials said on April 30.

According to Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper, a missile struck residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.

"Unfortunately, two people and a dog died as a result of the Russian missile attack," he said initially, adding: "Another eight people were injured of varying severity, including a 12-year-old boy."

In a post on Telegram on April 29, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine said the death toll had risen to four and the number of injured to 32, two of whom were children.

An injured man in his 60s later died in the hospital, raising the death toll to five, Kiper reported on April 30.

By April 30, 23 people remain in the hospital. This includes eight people in serious condition, four of whom are in critical state, including a four-year-old girl, Kiper said.

Media reports said one of the injured could have been Serhiy Kivalov, a discredited ally of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych ousted following the 2014 EuroMaidan Revolution.

Kivalov, the former lawmaker and head of the Central Election Commission, used to live in the house, shown by Suspilne media outlet to be on the receiving end of the missile strike.

In a post on social media, President Volodymyr Zelensky said more support was needed from Ukraine's allies to stop "Russia's regular missile attacks, as well as the occupier's efforts to destroy as many Ukrainian positions as possible."

"And Russia's offensive plans can be thwarted," he said, adding: "For this, Ukrainian strength must be backed up by sufficient support from partners  'Patriots' that need to be in Ukraine now, the 155-mm caliber (artillery ammunition)... and weapons with sufficient range to destroy Russian logistics."

Read also: Russia partially destroys Kharkiv TV tower

In Kharkiv, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said a KAB guided bomb had struck the northeastern Kyiv district of the city.

"A 42-year-old man was injured as a result of enemy fire. He was hospitalized with an explosive injury and shrapnel wounds... Doctors assess his condition as moderate." he said.

Russia recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, using missiles, glide bombs, and drones to destroy energy infrastructure and kill civilians. At the end of March, Russia destroyed all the electrical substations in Kharkiv, leaving Ukraine's second-largest city without a stable power supply.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Leesburg Police and Boys & Girls Clubs partner in LEAD-ership against drugs and violence

Leesburg Police Sgt. Shannon Walsh guides the Leesburg branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida at the L.E.A.D. graduation ceremony held for them on April 19.

The Leesburg Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida took part in the Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence (L.E.A.D.) program last month, and the young members in their program graduated on April 19.

Leesburg Police Department and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida have been working together to direct a pilot program to teach a curriculum implemented by L.E.A.D. (Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence).

L.E.A.D., which organizers assure is evidence-based, is a nationwide nonprofit that works with communities to help students understand the dangers of drugs and violence.

The program involves more than 5,000 trained instructors across 45 states, and its curriculum is taught over the course of a 10-week program to educate youth on how they can make smart decisions without the involvement of drugs or violence.

Taking the L.E.A.D. as instructor this round, Leesburg Police Sgt. Shannon Walsh instructed kids in the sixth grade through high school, and she said she plans on teaching children in lower grades at the club at a later date.

"Sgt. Walsh began her professional career advocating for the safety of children, and shes continued that mission in her current role as community services sergeant at Leesburg Police Department, Police Chief Robert Hicks said in a press statement.

Along with Walsh, officials from the police department, the Lake County School Board, Lake County commissioners, L.E.A.D.'s vice president of program development, Beth Jones and, of course, parents attended the graduation ceremony.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Leesburg Boys & Girls Clubbers graduate from L.E.A.D. program
Training of the Ukrainian military on the Taurus system could have been started long ago to put it into operation without the need to send Bundeswehr soldiers. Therefore, the position of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on the inadmissibility of supplying Ukraine with these cruise missiles is becoming increasingly unclear.

ADVERTISIMENT

The chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Goisgen, said this in an interview with the German Editorial Network (RND). He urged Scholz to reconsider his refusal after the US delivered ATACMS missiles to Ukraine.

"After this, the chancellor's decision not to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine becomes more and more incomprehensible. And now we see how similar American weapons, namely ATACMS missiles, have a great impact," the diplomat said.

In his opinion, the Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin will agree to negotiations only when he is convinced that Russia cannot win the war against Ukraine.

"In recent weeks, we Europeans have had to painfully realize that our arms supplies to Ukraine are not enough to stop Russia's brutal aggression," Goisgen emphasized.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that after the United States announced the supply of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, Germany should transfer Taurus cruise missiles. According to him, the final decision now depends on Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

ADVERTISIMENT

As a reminder, the US announcement that it will provide Ukraine with long-range ATACMS missiles has revived discussions in the German Bundestag about the transfer of its long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv. The German opposition called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to finally make this decision.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, at a press conference on April 24, Scholz said that he was not going to change his decision to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles. At the same time, he emphasized that Berlin would continue to support Ukraine so that it could resist Russian aggression.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A redacted copy of a Leland Police Department incident report reveals new details regarding a weapon in 17-year-old Kadarius Smith's fatal encounter with an unnamed Leland police officer.

City Attorney Josh Bogen sent the redacted indecent report to the Clarion Ledger on Monday, April 29.

According to the incident report, an unidentified officer was dispatched at approximately 1:45 a.m. on March 21 to 105 Davis Lane in Leland.

The call was in reference to "two suspects outside of the residence with handguns," the report states.

IncidentReportREDACTED.pdf

The report says that upon police arrival, Smith "jumped from the porch" of the residence, "cuffed the right side of his pants," and "took off running."

At that time, the unidentified officer began to pursue Smith on-foot, the report says.

Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump, right, points to a photo of Kadarius Smith held by his mother Kaychia Calvert, center, during a news conference calling for the release of the dashcam video of the death of her son during a news conference in Leland, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Kadarius Smith, 17, was allegedly run down by a Leland Police cruiser on March 21.

A glimpse into Kadarius Smith: Family of MS teen allegedly 'run over,' 'killed' by Leland police demands release of video

According to the incident report, Smith then led the officer to the "rear of a dark residence" that "appeared to be abandoned."

The report states the officer stopped the on-foot pursuit "being unaware" of Smith's location around the residence.

The report says Smith kept running onto Huddleston Street, which is roughly on-foot 0.3 miles away from Davis Lane.

According to police, that is when Smith "ran out in front of" the officer who was driving the police unit in pursuit of Smith. The report provides the description of the unnamed driver as being a Black male.

According to the report, the officer "could not stop the patrol unit immediately," which led to the officer hitting Smith with the patrol unit. The report does not state what part of Smith's body the officer struck.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Smiths mother Kaychia Calvert, previously told the Clarion Ledger that Smith was run over from behind, leaving "police cruiser tire marks on his back." Smith later died at a hospital.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, calls for the release of the dashcam video of the death of 17-year-old Kadarius Smith during a news conference in Leland, Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Smith was allegedly run down by a Leland Police cruiser on March 21.

More on Crump in MS: Attorney Ben Crump representing families of 3 men buried in a pauper's grave. What they said

The Clarion Ledger reached out to Crump's office for a response to the new details but did not receive an immediate response.

On April 16, Crump and the family of the deceased 17-year-old demanded for police to release camera footage of the teen's death, but Bogen told the Clarion Ledger on April 16, there is no footage of the late March incident.

Bogen said there is no dashcam footage, and the officer involved was not wearing a body cam.

The Clarion Ledger filed a public records request April 22 seeking documents for the most recent copy of Leland Police Department's handbook or guidelines that includes the police department's policies on the use of body worn cameras and dashcams.

Bogen issued a statement April 24 via email writing there are "no written policies" in the police handbook related to dash or body cams. Bogen also wrote he was advised that the Leland Police Department "did not have any 'policies' or 'procedures' in place" for dash or body cams in 2024 or in previous years.

"The Leland PD officers aren't required to wear body cams nor have our patrol cars been required to do so to my knowledge. However, the PD is in the process of acquiring the equipment to do so," Bogan said via email to the Clarion Ledger.

Bogen wrote in the email to the Clarion Ledger that he could not answer whether the police department is planning to adopt any written policies about body and dash cameras.

Mississippi has no state policy regarding the use of body-worn cameras, including no requirement that departments use cameras.

According to Bogen, the unnamed officer involved is still on the force but has been on administrative leave since the March 21 incident occurred pending the investigation.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Leland Mississippi police incident report in Kadarius Smith's death
SIR  After many years in power the SNP has missed a huge opportunity by focusing so much time and attention on independence (Yousaf resigns, telegraph.co.uk, April 29).



Had it improved the efficiency of the Scottish government, and the well-being of the Scottish people through better healthcare, education and infrastructure, it would have been well placed to make the case for its ultimate goal. Instead, however, it has done the exact opposite, increasing taxes and allowing services to get worse, while blaming it all on Westminster. The message: an independent Scotland would be a fiasco.



Mike Metcalfe

Butleigh, Somerset

SIR  There are many reasons why Humza Yousaf had to resign as first minister, not least his startling lack of political nous.



But the key reason dates back to Nicola Sturgeons time in office, when, supported by the other-worldly Greens, she set ludicrously unrealistic climate-change targets, simply for the sake of being more virtue-signalling than Westminster.



Under the SNP, targets havent been met. Ms Sturgeon was determined to appear righteous, yet was setting up her successors to fail. Mr Yousaf was forced to face reality, reset climate targets  and the rest is history. The SNPs obsession with puerile political games lies at the heart of his downfall.



Martin Redfern

Melrose, Roxburghshire

SIR  It was interesting to hear the order of Mr Yousafs priorities in his resignation speech. He said he spent the weekend reflecting on what was best for his party, his government, then his country. Surely the third of these should have come first.



Michael McMenemy

Seaton, Devon

SIR  The Scottish Greens obviously do not want Kate Forbes to become the new SNP leader. In essence, they are still running the show, albeit behind the scenes, so we can expect the wrecking ball to keep swinging. The situation in Scotland is fast becoming untenable.



Dr Gerald Edwards

Glasgow

SIR  Enough is enough. With the latest SNP resignation, the abject performance of the Welsh Senedd and the divisive politics being pursued by Sadiq Khan in London, it is time for a national referendum on devolution.



The option of returning powers to Westminster from Scotland, Wales and London should be a matter for the United Kingdom as a whole. The savings made by such a move would be huge, and there would be a chance to end some of the tinpot laws generated by devolved governments.



Devolution has been a disaster, and the time has come to end it.



Gareth Edwards

Chester



Irelands migrant crisis

SIR  Since Micheal Martin, the deputy prime minister of Ireland, finds it difficult to accommodate migrants fleeing the UK (report, April 26), perhaps he could contact Emmanuel Macron to enable their return to the first safe country they entered before crossing the Channel.



The Border Force and RNLI could also assist in a direct transfer of migrants between the less oppressive regimes of France and Ireland, facilitated by the Schengen Agreements provision for free movement within the EU.



Colin T Graham

Northleach, Gloucestershire

SIR  I visited Dublin last Saturday and it is clear to me that the Irish policy for welcoming illegal immigrants is significantly more effective than ours.



There, illegal migrants are not housed in hotels; they are given a tent. Perhaps our Government could follow this example and save the money being spent on the Rwanda debacle and hotel accommodation.



Dr Michael A Fopp

Soulbury, Buckinghamshire



Disability benefits

SIR  I agree that access to disability benefits should be rigorously checked and the public purse protected (Disability benefits may be vouchers not cash, report, April 29).



However, while I would prefer not to have a degenerative neurological disease that means I can claim a disability benefit, I am grateful for my Personal Independence Payment (PIP). It funds the taxis I need to get to multiple medical appointments, physiotherapy and personal assistance.



It would be challenging to get the various taxi companies, the physiotherapy clinic and domestic assistance companies to accept being sent vouchers and the concomitant administrative burden. If they did, government oversight would probably end up costing taxpayers even more than the current system.



Anne Jappie

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire



Baby boozers

SIR  In the 1950s, from around the age of nine, I was allowed to drink a Babycham before Sunday lunch with my grandparents (Letters, April 29).



Whats more, I had to go to the off-licence to buy it, together with a Guinness and a Mackeson Stout for the grandparents.



Beryl Franks

Guildford, Surrey

SIR  Jacqueline Daviess letter (April 26) brought back memories of my first voyage as a deck cadet on board the Bibby Lines MV Staffordshire in 1966.



The first question was: Who are you? The second: Would you like a beer?



I didnt dare refuse.



Richard Stewart

Bridlington, East Yorkshire

SIR  Like John Hopkinss great-grandmother (Letters, April 27), my father kept a bottle of poitin.



It became a tradition that all first-time visitors had a small shot to be welcomed in. This was until the year I left school.

My parents hosted a barbecue for my friends, as we were soon to go our separate ways. One had a summer job in a local blacksmiths. He arrived from work with black Hammerite on his hands. There being no turps available, he rubbed some poitin on them.



Needless to say, we never drank it again.



George Adams

Brading, Isle of Wight



Righteous Tory rebels

SIR  I read with astonishment the letter from Ian MacGregor (April 29) in which he accused Tory backbenchers of being disloyal if they replaced yet another party leader. MPs first loyalty should be to the people of this country.



As Britain falls apart, Rishi Sunak, instead of doing his job, is teaching us how to load a dishwasher and going running with the Hardest Geezer.



Mark Macauley

Warminster, Wiltshire



Curbs on faith schools

SIR  Paving the way for new faith schools to select all pupils based on religion (report, April 28) would be a big mistake.



The 50 per cent admissions cap was introduced to promote inclusivity by ensuring that all new religious academy schools kept at least half their places open to any local child, irrespective of religion. The cap is the only meaningful way in which the Government has sought to mitigate the segregation that results from faith-based education.



If our increasingly religiously diverse society is to succeed, pupils are going to need to learn to live respectfully and harmoniously alongside one another from an early age. You do not achieve cohesion by allowing schools to divide children along religious lines.



There are good reasons, in the name of community and integration, for limiting the extent of faith-based admissions. It would be entirely wrongheaded to make faith schools  and by extension society  even more divided and discriminatory now, at the behest of Catholic bishops.



Stephen Evans

CEO, National Secular Society

London WC1



A Glastonbury classic

SIR  Cynthia Harrod-Eagles (Letters, April 27) is probably correct that Beethoven and Mozart have not figured at Glastonbury, but there has been classical music: The Valkyrie from Richard Wagners Ring cycle in 2004.



The Ride of the Valkyries was memorable for the Valkyries riding horses played by men.



Roger Marlow

Chester

SIR  The introduction to classical music proposed by Ros Groves (Letters, April 29) already exists: The Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra by Benjamin Britten. A glorious piece.



Richard Statham

Basingstoke, Hampshire



The making of a much-loved modern statue

A statue of Emmeline Pankhurst by Hazel Reeves, which stands in St Peter's Square, Manchester - Howard Walker / Alamy Stock Photo

SIR  Ben Lawrence says he cant think of a decent statue erected this century (This horrific creation proves the age of the statue is dead, Arts, April 25). I beg to differ.



Hazel Reevess statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in central Manchester is an outstanding example of modern sculpture. One of the reasons for this is that the selection processes for the sculptor and design were extremely rigorous. Six years on from its unveiling in front of a crowd of 6,000, it has been voted the most popular statue in the city and won the 2019 PSSA Marsh Award for sculpture. Most significantly, it is the recognised meeting place for events such as International Womens Day.



Id be delighted to show Mr Lawrence the statue in person and present him with a signed copy of First in the Fight, which tells the story of its creation.



Andrew Simcock

Chairman, Emmeline Pankhurst Statue Campaign

Manchester

SIR  Ive seen the statue of Queen Elizabeth II in person  and, unlike Ben Lawrence, found it really rather good. It sits comfortably in its leafy location next to the town library, and has proved an instant success. The corgis at the base are especially popular, and irresistible to touch. In a few years their noses will be more brightly polished than the bronze toe of a cathedral saint. The stone plinth, skilfully built by Palmers of Oakham, bears the names of generous Rutlanders who contributed to the cost.



In an era when statues depicting our countrys colourful history are being pulled down, all credit must go to Rutland for being brave enough to uphold two of the most fundamental features of the traditional English character: a love of animals and an acknowledgement of the significance of the Crown.



Oakham is easily reached from London (and elsewhere) by train, and Mr Lawrence would be very welcome to visit this beautiful and peaceful part of the country.



Jeremy Heygate

Burrough on the Hill, Leicestershire



The cost of police and crime commissioners

SIR  If Id not received a postal voting form, I would have been unaware that an election for a police and crime commissioner (Letters, April 26) is taking place on Thursday. Ive looked online to see if theres any clear difference between the candidates, but I know so little about their proposals or future roles that it would be pointless to favour any one of them over another.



As there is no local election in this area, polling stations will have to be kept open all day on the off chance that a few people will vote. How many extra police officers could be paid for instead of this pointless exercise?



Nicholas Lockhart

Dover, Kent



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A 52-year-old climber and park ranger died in Denali National Park this weekend, federal officials said.

Robbi Mecus and her partner were climbing Mount Johnson on Thursday. Both climbers took a 1,000-foot fall, according to the National Park Service. Mecus died, and her partner sustained serious injuries.

The climbers were ascending a route on the 8,400-foot Mt. Johnson in Denali National Park known as The Escalator. With steep and technical alpine climbing on the peaks southeast face, the 5,000-foot route requires navigating a mix of steep rock, ice, and snow.

Another climbing party on the route witnessed the fall. They alerted Alaskan first responders at about 10:45 p.m. on Thursday. The onlookers descended on the accident victims and confirmed that one climber had died in the fall. They then dug a snow cave and cared for the surviving climber through the night.

Officials said the 30-year-old Californian was flown to an Anchorage hospital for treatment Friday morning. As for Mecus, it quickly became clear that this park ranger from New York State had made a big impact on her community.

Devastated by this news. Robbi was such an incredible person. A pillar of strength. Always there for the most difficult @NYSDEC rescues and crises, and a tremendous leader for LGBTQIA+ rights. I feel fortunate to have known her. Rest in peace, Ranger. https://t.co/4MfX7DGjvl  Basil Seggos (@BasilSeggos) April 27, 2024

Robbi Mecus: Unparalleled Passion for Protecting the Environment

Mecus had spent 25 years as a park ranger working for New Yorks Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Just a few weeks ago, Mecus appeared in a New York Times story for rescuing a lost hiker in the Adirondacks.

A year earlier, she appeared in a DEC video explaining the difficult rescue of a 60-year-old Canadian woman with a leg injury.

I call myself a rescue junkie, Mecus said in the video. I dont wish harm on anybody, but there is a certain amount of pride we take in coming together as a team.

On Monday, the DEC said that Mecus had shown an unparalleled passion for protecting the environment and New Yorkers during her long career.

She exemplified the Forest Rangers high standard of professional excellence while successfully leading dangerous rescues and complex searches, educating the public about trail safety, deploying out of state for wildfire response missions, and advancing diversity, inclusion, and LGBTQ belonging throughout the agency, the agency said in a statement.

An LBGTQ Advocate

Mecus was more than a committed ranger and rescuer, however. She was also a tremendous leader for LGBTQIA+ rights, former DEC commissioner Basil Seggos wrote on X.

She came out as transgender at the age of 44, she said in a 2019 interview with the New York City Trans Oral History Project. From then on, Mecus advocated for greater inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer climbers. She helped organize the first-ever Adirondack Queer Ice Fest to improve access to climbing among the LGBTQ community.

The idea was born out of getting an LGBTQ beginners clinic into an existing ice festival, Mecus said in a 2022 interview with GoEast. At one point, I said that I wished we could just do this ourselves, and somebody said, Why cant we? I woke up the next day and decided that was the way to do it.

In the same interview, Mecus mentioned an upcoming climbing trip to Alaska and how it felt to go with another queer climber.

I want people to see that trans people can do amazing things, Mecus said. I think it helps when young trans people see other trans people accomplishing things; I think it lets them know that their life doesnt have to be full of negativity and it can actually be really rad.

A GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Mecus family  including her 11-year-old daughter  had received nearly $10,000 as of this writing. There is a separate GoFundMe page for Melissa Orzechowski, 30, Mecus climbing partner, who was seriously injured in the fall.

The post LGBTQ+ Forest Ranger Who Rescued Others Dies in Denali National Park appeared first on GearJunkie.
The regaining of control over the island of Nestryha in Kherson Oblast by Ukraine will significantly enhance the quality of counter-sabotage measures by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Defence Forces of Ukraine's South, in an interview with Hromadske Radio

Quote from Pletenchuk: "(Speaking about the island of Nestryha  ed.) we are not talking about strategy, but about positional battles, it has more tactical significance. Any locations that prevent the enemy from approaching our positions are important. Considering that the enemy usually uses similar locations  there are actually many such islands on the Dnipro River  to approach closer and to install mortar, then this is primarily important for the quality of counter-sabotage measures. So yes, this location was liberated from the potential presence of the enemy."

Details: He added that Nestryha is the last in a group of small islands, followed by the mouth of the river.

Quote from Pletenchuk: "Actually, it's our shore... In reality, such islands are mostly marshy; it will take a long time to find it on the map, but it's larger than the inhabited spots across from which it is located... For a while, it was considered a grey zone."

Background: On 28 April, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, reported that the Defence Forces had established control over the island of Nestryha, located in the Dnipro delta, in the territory of the Bilozerskyi district in Kherson Oblast.

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"I Had 10 Minutes Until My Flight, Only To Discover..." 19 Unfortunate And Avoidable Travel Mishaps That Actually Happened To People

"I Had 10 Minutes Until My Flight, Only To Discover..." 19 Unfortunate And Avoidable Travel Mishaps That Actually Happened To People

1.Travel is many things  eye-opening, magical, exhilarating, and, at times, stressful. For example, there's nothing quite like the anxiety-inducing feeling of racing through security just as your flight gate is about to close. Well, Redditor u/yankeevandal asked, "Everyone has a travel blunder; what's yours?" Here are the stories people shared.

2."Put my keys back through the AirBnB letterbox, as requested. A few minutes later I realized I needed the keys to access the garage where my rental car was parked. It took an hour and a half for someone to come and let me in. I got to the airport just in time to see my plane take off."

u/RedundantSwine Grace Cary / Getty Images

3."My dad once made reservations for a very nice hotel in Spain in a central location. He couldn't believe how cheap the rooms were and what a good deal it was. He and my mother went to check in, and the hotel said they didn't have any record of the booking. My dad pulled up the confirmation email to show them and realized he had somehow booked a hotel with the exact same name...but in Chile."

u/gentlybeepingheart

4."When I was in my early 20s, I went to a nightclub in Istanbul with my girlfriend. Throughout the night, I stupidly ordered several of these half-bottles of champagne that were on the menu with no price listed. Of course, when the bill came, it turned out they had brought me the most expensive bottles, and I could not afford to pay for them. After a long standoff, the club eventually believed I couldn't afford my tab or just gave up and settled the bill for some reasonable amount that I had on me. Obviously, they were trying to take advantage of me, but it was also very stupid that I didn't ask for the price upfront."

u/Orange_Kid Jackyenjoyphotography / Getty Images

5."The plane I was on hit turbulence, and I dislocated both hip replacements. I had to lay in the center aisle for 45 minutes while passing out in pain until we could make an emergency landing."

u/JonnyP3283

6."I needed to take a train to the airport in Rome to catch my flight home. So I got on the track where the train to Roma Fiumicino was announced. The train was fast, but it took way longer than I thought it should, and I started to worry a bit about being late for my flight. Then we arrived at the next train station....which was Florence! Somehow I had taken the wrong train (for which I did not have a ticket), and I also missed my flight. I explained the situation to the conductor, who kindly let me stay on until the next stop, Milan, without paying for a new ticket. By the time we reached Milan I had already booked a hotel room and a new flight home the next day. I had never been to Milan, and I had a good time there, so in the end, it worked out."

u/sumpuran Francesco Riccardo Iacomino / Getty Images

7."I made hotel reservations for the wrong weekend. I had to find a new hotel 30 minutes away. The original reservation was for a hotel where I could walk out of my room and directly onto the beach."

u/mook1178

8."Booked a train ticket from Rome to Venice and drank way too much the night before. I rolled into the train station with about 10 minutes to spare  only to find out that it was daylight savings time, and I was actually 50 minutes late."

u/Snazzypants11 Grant Faint / Getty Images

9."I missed my flight home from Ghana to California on a layover in Rome. I told everyone I fell asleep and missed the flight, but in reality, I was sitting at the wrong gate reading a book and didnt hear my name being called (apparently, the airline was calling my name forever and then left me behind). In my defense, it was a really good book, and I was exhausted from a long travel day."

u/zeebette

10."I booked a holiday to Ibiza from the UK while out at a rave. The next day, I discovered that instead of flying from Southampton to Ibiza, I was actually flying Southampton to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Madrid, and Madrid to Ibiza. What should have been a two-hour flight took most of the day. Whoops."

u/Ok-Topic-6971 Disobeyart / Getty Images

11."I once read the flight arrival time as the departure time. My girlfriend had to be home for a class by the next morning, so the only option was to make the six-hour drive. She wasnt stoked with me."

u/twankyfive

12."I booked a flight to Manchester, NH, when I was supposed to go to Manchester, UK. I was proud of myself at first for finding a great deal. In my defense, this was years ago, in the early days of the internet. It was one of the first purchases I made on Priceline when youd buy the airfare online, and theyd send paper tickets in the mail."

u/HeatherAnne1975 Backyardproduction / Getty Images/iStockphoto

13."In Portuguese, gasolina means gas, and gasoleo means diesel. Despite the confusingly similar names, these two things are still not interchangeable. I learned this the hard way."

u/c322617

14."I missed a flight because I was eating a Big Mac. And my buddy just got on the plane without me."

u/Gigahurt77 Joe Raedle / Getty Images

15."I mixed up AM and PM for my flight time and showed up at the airport 12 hours late. Had to book a new one."

u/dude341387

16."I booked a flight to Santiago, Spain. Months later, when checking into my flight, I realized I had booked for Santiago, Chile. I repacked my bag and went to Chile six hours later with zero itinerary or reservations. I ended up in Patagonia and had an awesome trip."

u/AccidentalTourista AA Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images

17."My husband passed a kidney stone on the first night of our honeymoon."

u/TinyBunny88

18."Turns out SJC is NOT the airport code for San Jose, Costa Rica. Rather, it's San Jose, California. I figured this one out too late."

u/Frodosear Daniel Garrido / Getty Images

19."A hotel I was staying at gave me the key to someone else's room. When I opened the door, there was some random guy lying on the bed without a shirt on. We both sort of jumped. I slammed the door shut and walked away. I got a free (and vacant) room after that incident."

u/DJAlaskaAndrew

20."I traveled for over ten hours for a sold-out festival in Vegas. All major hotels were sold out because of it, and I realized I booked the hotel for 2024 instead of 2023."

u/smolperson Matteo Colombo / Getty Images

So, what's a travel mishap you'll never forget and never live down? Tell us your story in the comments or drop it into the Google form.
JERUSALEM (AP)  A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels damaged a ship in the Red Sea on Monday, authorities said, the latest assault in their campaign against shipping in the crucial maritime route.

The attack happened off the coast of Mokha, Yemen, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The ship was damaged in the attack, the UKMTO said, though its crew was safe and heading to its next port of call. The agency urged vessels to exercise caution in the area.

There was an explosion in close proximity to a merchant vessel, the UKMTO said. Vessel and crew are reported safe.

The U.S. military's Central Command identified the ship damaged as the Cyclades, a Malta-flagged, Greece-owned bulk carrier. The military separately shot down a drone on a flight path toward the USS Philippine Sea and USS Laboon, the military said Tuesday.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack on the Cyclades and targeting the U.S. warships in a statement early Tuesday.

Meanwhile Monday, the Italian Defense Ministry said its frigate Virgino Fasan shot down a Houthi drone that morning near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

A missile exploded in the water in the vicinity of the escorted vessel, causing only minor superficial damage, the Italian Defense Ministry said, not identifying the commercial vessel being escorted. The frigate Fasan and the protected merchant vessel are continuing their southward route as planned to exit the Red Sea.

Saree did not acknowledge that attack, though he claimed the Houthis also targeted a ship in the Indian Ocean. There was no immediate report or evidence to support that claim.

The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war against Hamas in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.

American officials have speculated the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and after firing drones and missiles steadily for months. However, the rebels have renewed their attacks in the past week. Early Sunday morning, the U.S. military shot down five drones in the air over the Red Sea, its Central Command said.

The drones presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels in the region, Central Command said in a statement.

The Houthis on Saturday claimed they shot down another of the U.S. militarys MQ-9 Reaper drones, airing footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Bryon J. McGarry, a Defense Department spokesperson, acknowledged to The Associated Press on Saturday that a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 drone crashed in Yemen. He said an investigation was underway, without elaborating.
Suspected Russian jamming of GPS systems aboard commercial flights is "too dangerous to ignore," Baltic foreign ministers have warned, after it was revealed two Finnish aircraft were forced to turn around mid-journey in recent days.

Russia has been accused of jamming GPS signals in nearby countries such as Finland as far back as the 2010s, but incidents have sky-rocketed in recent months, particularly over the Baltic Sea.

According to a report by The Sun based on data from the website GPSJAM.org, some 46,000 aircraft have reported problems over the Baltic Sea since last August, with most of them occurring in Eastern Europe near borders with Russia.

Speaking to the Financial Times (FT) over the weekend, Lithuanias Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, sounded the alarm over the escalating problem.

"If someone turns off your headlights while youre driving at night, it gets dangerous," he said, adding: "Things in the Baltic region near Russian borders are now getting too dangerous to ignore."

On April 25 and 26, two Finnair flights from Helsinki to the Estonian city of Tartu experienced GPS jamming and turned around mid-flight.

Estonias Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, laid the blame firmly on Russia.

"We consider what is happening with GPS as part of Russias hostile activities, and we will definitely discuss it with our allies," she said.

"Such actions are a hybrid attack and are a threat to our people and security, and we will not tolerate them."

Latvia's Foreign Minister, Baiba Braze, said his country was taking the incidents "seriously" and was in touch with international partners over the issue.

The NATO and Lithuanian flags fly over the summit venue on July 09, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Several recent incidents of jamming have highlighted the issue. Most notably, Russia is believed to have jammed the satellite signal of a Royal Air Force aircraft used to transport U.K. Defence Minister Grant Shapps.

The aircraft, which was traveling back to Britain from Poland on March 13, was jammed for about 30 minutes as it flew by Russia's Kaliningrad region.

GPS signal and internet on board the aircraft were inaccessible for the duration of the aircraft's flight near Kaliningrad where the jamming signals are thought to originate.

A spokesperson for U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed the incident at the time, noting it was "not unusual."

Aircraft rely on GPS for navigation but the U.K.s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) played down the risk to passenger safety.

"Aviation is one of the safest forms of air travel, and there are several safety protocols in place to protect navigation systems on commercial aircraft," Glenn Bradley, the head of flight operations at the CAA, told the Guardian.

"GPS jamming does not directly impact the navigation of an aircraft, and while it is a known issue, this does not mean an aircraft has been jammed deliberately."

Read also: Thousands of European flights reportedly affected by suspected Russian jamming

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Local Elections 2024: Everything you need to know

This spring everyone in England and Wales will have the opportunity to vote in some kind of local election, whether that be for a local councillor, mayor, or police and crime commissioner.

While issues such as potholes and bin collection tend to decide these votes, it still offers the biggest test of political opinion ahead of the next general election, which will take place at some point before January 2025.

Heres everything you need to know ahead of the ballot:

When are the 2024 local elections?

Most of England will be heading to the polls on May 2 for local elections, and also mayoral elections in many of Englands biggest cities.

Voters will go to the ballot box to elect their local councillors, police and crime commissioners (PCCs) and, for those in the capital, all 25 members of the London Assembly.

Is there a local election in my area?

You can enter your postcode into The Telegraphs local elections lookup tool to see the votes taking place in your area.

Who are the local election candidates?

Roughly 2,600 seats across 107 of Englands 317 councils are being contested in the local elections, with the Conservatives and Labour both defending just under 1,000 each.

Either a third, half or all councillors in a particular authority holding a ballot will be up for election.

Councillors are elected for a four-year term to represent their ward, shape policy and oversee the provision of a wide range of services in the community.

Mayoral elections 2024

Directly elected mayors have devolved powers over the local economy, transport infrastructure, the environment and planning.

Labours Sadiq Khan is seeking re-election as Mayor of London, as are the mayors of six combined authority regions  including Labours Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester and Andy Street, the Tory mayor for the West Midlands  and Salford.

Mr Khans main challenger is Conservative candidate Susan Hall but the polls suggest that the incumbent is on track to win a historic third term despite anger over his handling of crime, green transport schemes and months of pro-Palestinian protests.

Three regional mayors will also be sworn in for the first time in the East Midlands, North East, and York and North Yorkshire.

Police and crime commissioners

England and Wales are divided into 39 police force areas, each of which is headed by a unique police and crime commissioner (PCC).

PCCs are elected every four years and 37 will be up for re-election on May 2. They are the public face of the force they oversee, and bear ultimate responsibility for setting budgets, cutting crime and holding officers to account.

The mayor is in charge of policing in London, Manchester and the three combined authorities across Yorkshire.

Greater London Authority

While none of the capitals 32 boroughs are holding local elections, Londoners will be asked to cast ballots for two of the 25 members of the London Assembly  one representing their area, and another from a city-wide list.

Their main role is to scrutinise the mayor and their executive teams work.

Am I registered to vote?

Voter registration ended on 16 April, however, you normally only need to register to vote once - only requiring to register again if you have changed your name, address or nationality.

You can check if you are on the register by contacting your local electoral registration office.

How to vote in person

Since May 2023, voters in England and Wales have needed to provide a form of photographic ID at the ballot box.

This means that at the upcoming local elections voters will need to show a form of identification such as a driving licence, passport or blue badge in order to be able to cast their vote.

Certain travel passes can be used as valid photographic ID. The name on the ID must match the name provided on the electoral register, otherwise a voter can bring a document with them to the polling station that proves they have changed their name.

Voters are also able to apply for a free voter authority certificate (VAC), either online or by post, if they do not have accepted photo ID available.

Local electoral registration offices can provide information about where the nearest polling station is - but voters are also sent a poll card that says when the vote is and which station to attend.

Why is voter ID so controversial?

The Government has said the change is necessary to curb the inexcusable potential for stealing someones vote by simply quoting their name and address at the ballot box.

But critics say actual claims of electoral fraud are very rare in the UK. The Electoral Reform Society says that in 2019, the last general election year, there were only 33 allegations of impersonation at the polling station out of more than 58 million votes cast.

Opponents of the rule have also warned it will make it more difficult for certain people to vote, including the disabled, transgender and non-binary people, and black and ethnic minority groups.

How to vote by proxy

You are able to get someone else to vote on your behalf if you cannot attend a polling station in person for the upcoming local elections.

Voters can apply for a proxy to go to the ballot box on their behalf in a limited set of circumstances, including if you are away on polling day, are a registered overseas voter or have a medical issue or disability.

You can also do so if you cannot vote in person because of work or military service.

Applications for proxy voting ended at 5pm on 24 April, though you may be able to put in an application for an emergency proxy vote in certain cases. These include a lost photographic ID or a medical emergency.

Your chosen proxy must be someone you trust to vote on your behalf. They must be registered to vote, and can do so at the polling station on your poll card.

Can I still apply for a postal vote?

No. Applications for postal votes ended on 17 April.

How will the Tories do in the local elections?

The scale of Conservative Party losses may also prove significant, with some analysts predicting that the Tories could lose half of the approximately 1,000 councillors they have up for election.

Analysis by election experts Michael Thrasher and Colin Rallings suggests that the Conservatives could lose as many as 500 seats if they repeat their poor showing at last years local elections.

However, Lewis Baston, who has written about elections for more than three decades, noted one-third of the seats were last fought in 2019, 2022 or 2023 because of boundary changes.

This suggests that Tory support in those seats is more resilient, having already withstood multiple changes of leadership.

However, just as a better-than-expected showing could bolster Mr Sunak and shift the tone of the discourse surrounding the next general election, the Conservatives underperforming could add to fresh speculation about whether the Prime Minister could be replaced before the next national poll.

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Four battalions of Chechens, brought in from the Russian Federation, have appeared at a distance of 150-200 kilometers from the border with Sumy region. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to repel them.

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Volodymyr Bitsak, commander of the 3rd company of the 8th DFTG and deputy chairman of the Sumy District Council, told Kyiv24 live. Recently, Russian occupation forces have been constantly shelling the border of Sumy region.

"I will reassure the residents of Sumy that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are on the spot, volunteer formations are on the spot, trained, waiting for these "shitheads". There is also preliminary information that four battalions of Chechens have arrived at a distance of 150-200 kilometers," he said.

Bitsak noted that this is probably just a demonstration of "force," possibly to conduct reconnaissance operations near the border.

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"We know from the previous two years of war that they only know how to fight with phones. I believe that this will be "for show off". Drive up to the border somewhere, take a photo. At the most, they will be conducting reconnaissance operations," he explained.

As a reminder, military expert Ihor Romanenko said that the capture of Kharkiv has been a sacred goal of the occupying country Russia for ten years. The aggressor will not be able to realize it because it lacks the forces and means, although it will continue to put pressure on the city with strikes and with the help of the PSYOP, so it needs additional protection.

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Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, said that there is currently no threat of a Russian offensive against Kyiv. According to him, there are no changes in the situation in the north.

In the same interview, Budanov warned that Ukraine would face a rather difficult situation in May-June, and not only on the contact line. According to him, Russia will use a comprehensive approach in an attempt to achieve its goals.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
**Editors note: The name of the victim who passed away has been corrected. An original press release from police included an incorrect name.

CUYAHOGA HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW)  A 29-year-old man from Newburgh Heights is in police custody after a deadly shooting on Interstate 77.

According to Cuyahoga Heights police, the shooting took place on I-77 South, near Grant Avenue, at about 9:25 p.m. on Sunday.

NE Ohio man arrested after guns, ammo wrapped in foil found in briefcase at airport

Police reported that a pick-up truck was fired upon multiple times by another motorist.

One man was killed and his female passenger was injured.

At about 9:30 p.m., a caller told 911 dispatchers, There is a truck that is kind of weaving back and forth. Hes got their emergency lights on. We just passed it. Its got a bunch of bullet holes in the side window.

FOX 8 Photo

FOX 8 Photo

FOX 8 Photo

FOX 8 Photo

FOX 8 Photo

Police identified the victims as David E. Perez Jr., 57, and Jacquline Perez, 59, both of Garfield Heights. According to police, the female passenger was taken to Metro Hospital where she was treated and released.

At about 11 p.m., police said a suspect was taken into custody.

Police had been searching for the driver of an Audi who they said was armed and dangerous. Newburgh Police released the pictures below and the public was advised to call 911 if they saw the suspect.

Residents react to new I-71 interchange proposal

According to Bratenahl Village police, the suspect was spotted by officers on Interstate 90. He was pulled over and detained without incident.

According to the Cuyahoga Heights Police Department, the suspect has been identified as Ian Rich, 29, of Newburgh Heights. Police said Rich is being held in the Strongsville jail pending further investigation. Its not clear yet if he has been charged.

The stretch of I-77 South was closed due to the investigation. The area has since reopened.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
EAST HARLEM, N.Y. (PIX11)  A vigil will be held Monday for a woman whose boyfriend allegedly stabbed her to death in the bathtub of her Manhattan apartment last week.

The candlelight ceremony for Melanie Woods will be at 2272 Second Ave. near 117th Street in East Harlem at 5 p.m., according to organizers.

More Crime News

Authorities found Woods, 33, unconscious with multiple stab wounds to the neck and body in the bathtub of her Second Avenue apartment at around 7:15 pm. on April 23, according to the criminal complaint. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors said the victim had more than 20 stab wounds.

Woods went to UCLA and earned a masters degree in Public Health from Columbia University. She worked at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the CDC Foundations COVID-19 Emergency Response Corps Workforce, organizers said.

When she left to pursue a degree at Columbia University, I made her promise me that wed have the chance to work together again, a friend wrote on Facebook. To know that her death was an act of violence likely committed by an ex is beyond comprehensible.

The victims boyfriend, Candido Rodriguez, 51, of Manhattan, was arrested Thursday and charged with murder, prosecutors said. Rodriguez allegedly killed Woods at around 8 a.m. on April 23 before he was caught on surveillance video leaving the apartment, prosecutors said.

Rodriguez pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Friday and was held without bail, according to court records.

Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Luther College President Jenifer Ward will retire in summer 2025. (Photo courtesy of Luther College)

Luther College President Jenifer Ward will retire next year after more than 40 years in academia, the college announced Monday.

Ward, who has served as president of the Decorah university since 2019, will remain in the role until the end of June next year, according to a news release. Ward said in the release she looks forward to working with the community over the next year at the university that enriched, challenged and transformed her.

My love for Luther is deep and genuine, and I so appreciate the challenging and collaborative work this campus community has undertaken together over the past several years to address the rapid changes in higher education and move Luther College forward as a place of faith and learning for current and future generations of students, Ward said in a message to campus.

The colleges board of regents will begin identifying next steps for the search to find a new president, Board Chair Bob Paulson said in the release. The board will update the campus community after its May meeting.

Luther College President Jenifer Ward (Photo courtesy of Luther College)

On behalf of the Board of Regents, I want to express our gratitude to President Ward for her exemplary service and for putting the best interests of Luther College front and center through careful succession planning, Paulson said in the release.

Ward will leave Luther College at the end of its 2023-2025 strategic plan, and she said in the release she shares the boards goal of reaching the universitys strategic goals like finishing the initial phases of the campus master plan.

According to the release, during her tenure, Ward focused on making student success more holistic through a new student services department under the purview of the provost reorganizing curriculum.

I look forward to continuing to engage with the broader Luther community over the next year as we advance this great college, Ward said in the release. Luthers fabric is strong, and I know my successor will be equally blessed by how our people care for the Luther blue thread that pulls through it.

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Xi Jinping took Emmanuel Macron to the residence of the governor of Guangdong province - where his father, Xi Zhongxun, once lived - during the French president's visit to China last year - JACQUES WITT/AFP

Emmanuel Macron will take Xi Jinping to the Pyrenean region where the French president spent time with his beloved grandmother as a child in bid to forge closer ties with the Chinese leader when he makes a state visit to France next week.

The trip on May 6 and 7, which the Elysee Palace announced on Monday, will kick off Xis first European tour since the Covid pandemic.

This visit takes place on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and follows on from the presidents visit to Beijing and Guangzhou in April 2023, Mr Macrons office said in a statement.

Xi is expected to visit Paris and then travel to the department of Hautes-Pyrenees in south-western France.

Mr Macron often travelled there as a child to visit his maternal grandmother, Germaine Nogues, who died in 2013 and lived in Bagneres-de-Bigorre.

The Pyrenean trip was designed to create an almost intimate moment that should seal the relationship between the two men, according to La Depeche, a French newspaper.

The Pic du Midi observatory is one of the places in the Pyrenees that could be visited during Xi Jinping's state visit - DANIELE SCHNEIDER/PHOTONONSTOP RF

It said an 80-strong Chinese delegation recently travelled to the area on a reconnaissance mission and visited La Mongie, a ski resort Mr Macron is known to like. The paper said the French president wants to take his Chinese counterpart to the Pic du Midi, a Pyrenean mountain that is the site of an observatory that has partnerships with various countries.

Last year, Xi received Mr Macron in Guangzhou for a tea ceremony at the residence of the governor of Guangdong province, where his father, Xi Zhongxun, lived when he held this post from 1978 to 1981.

Exchanges will focus on international crises, first and foremost the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, trade issues, scientific, cultural and sporting co-operation, the Elysee office said.

According to the statement, Xi and Mr Macron will also discuss joint actions to tackle global challenges, in particular the climate emergency, the protection of biodiversity and the financial situation of the most vulnerable countries.

Beijing says it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, but has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow for its offensive.

The United States has accused China of helping Russia carry out its biggest militarisation since Soviet times.

Next stop Hungary

After visiting France, Xi is due to visit Hungary, which has attracted a flood of major Chinese projects in recent years, mostly related to battery and electric vehicle manufacturing.

Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, has been championing an Eastern opening foreign policy since his return to power in 2010, seeking closer economic ties to China, Russia and other Asian countries.

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(Bloomberg) -- French President Emmanuel Macron raised the stakes in his call for a credible European defense by adding nuclear weapons to the discussion.

Most Read from Bloomberg

After setting out the need for Europe to come up with a plan to defend itself in a more hostile world during a speech last week, Macron went a step further in an effort to push ahead on talks with other European countries.

Im in favor of opening this debate, which needs to include missile defense, long-range missiles and nuclear weapons for those who have them or who have American nuclear weapons on their soil, Macron said in a question-and-answer session with European students, organized by a group of French regional newspapers and published in their Sunday editions.

Macron said that Frances doctrine is that nuclear weapons can be used when the nations vital interests are threatened. He added that hed already said that those interests include a European dimension, without offering further detail.

Macron also pressed his point via Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne ahead of a meeting of the Weimar Triangle of French, German and Polish ministers near Paris on Monday.

We need to take out a second life insurance policy alongside NATO, Sejourne said in an interview published Sunday in Germanys Welt newspaper. The US should remain a close ally, but Europe must be able to develop its own sovereignty and strategic autonomy, he added, according to the paper.

Macron has regularly used strong language to try to drive forward the debate on international issues and institutions. He called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization brain dead in 2019 before saying last year that Russian President Vladimir Putin had shocked it back to life with his invasion of Ukraine. In his speech on Thursday, Macron warned that Europe is mortal and could die if its members dont make the right choices now.

Nuclear Debate

This also isnt the first time that Macron has called for a discussion with other European countries on nuclear defense.

In a February 2020 speech at Frances War College, the French leader called for Europe to create a credible, autonomous defense and raised the idea of a European nuclear deterrent.

I would like to see the development of a strategic dialogue with our European partners, who are ready and willing, on the role of Frances nuclear deterrent in our collective security, he said. Frances vital interests now have a European dimension.

Read more: Macron Seeks to Allay Concerns Over Nuclear Arms Policy

His comment now, that hes still trying to open the debate, shows the lack of progress from that prior effort.

Still, the context is sharply different, most dramatically because of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Thats already changed the equation for some European countries - for example, leading Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

According to Macron, Europe needs to go further than just relying on NATO, in particular because Europe wont be a geopolitical priority for the US for years to come.

We have one form of protection, NATO, Macron said in the interview on Sunday. As I said at the Sorbonne, we now need to go further and build a credible European defense.

--With assistance from Iain Rogers.

(Updates with foreign minister comments from fifth paragraph.)

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One of the great things about Laurie Roberts columns in The Arizona Republic is that she has a knack for summarizing multifaceted political stories in a straightforward ways. Consider the lede, for example, in Roberts latest piece.

For those outside of Arizona, Hoffman and Harris are probably unfamiliar figures, though there are plenty of reasons the Arizona GOP sent a we be crazy message with its latest selections for the Republican National Committee.

Harris, for example, is a former state legislator who, as NBC News reported, was expelled from the Legislature a year ago after she invited an election denier to provide testimony laced with unsubstantiated allegations at a televised legislative hearing on elections.

Its likely that Republican officials in Arizona chose Harris for the RNC role, not despite this record, but because of it.

Hoffman, meanwhile, is an even more amazing case. In fact, regular Rachel Maddow Show viewers might remember his face, even if they dont remember his name.

In January 2022, about a year after Hoffman served as a fake elector in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, an Arizona Republic reporter caught up with the GOP state senator and asked him how we came to participate in the allegedly illegal partisan scheme. The brief interview did not go well for the lawmaker.

NEW: January 5 letter from Arizona fake elector to Mike Pence asks Pence to delay certifying the election and consult Arizona legislature on considering fake Trump electors instead. pic.twitter.com/kKr1WEOBXc  Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) February 16, 2022

This, of course, was the same Hoffman who, on Jan. 5, 2021, sent a letter urging then-Vice President Mike Pence to delay the counting of Arizonas electors and to seek clarification from the Arizona legislature as to which slate of electors were proper and accurate. (Earlier, Hoffman was also allegedly involved in a scheme to pay teenagers to create bogus social-media accounts pushing messages intended to undermine public confidence in the elections.)

More than two years later, Hoffman was among the 18 Republicans indicted by the state attorney generals office as part of the fake-elector scheme, which included allegations of conspiracy, fraud, and forgery.

Two days after Hoffman was charged, the Arizona GOP thought itd be a good idea to elevate Hoffman to the Republican National Committee.

These are not just your run-of-the-mill election deniers, Barrett Marson, a Republican strategist in Arizona, told NBC News in reference to Hoffman and Harris. They are leaders in the whole experiment of election denialism.

Or as Roberts column concluded, So this then, is really who the Arizona Republican Party is now: An all-out conspiracy kook and a troll farmer-turned-indicted fake elector.

President Joe Biden narrowly carried Arizona four years ago, and Democrats fared even better in the state in the 2022 elections, which shouldve been a wake-up call to the state GOP that it needed to be less radical and less eager to alienate mainstream voters. The party appears to have missed the message.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
As Donald Trumps criminal cases have advanced, the former president and his defense attorneys havent just professed his innocence; theyve also claimed that the former president enjoys near-complete immunity from crimes he mightve committed during his White House tenure.

This has led multiple jurists to inquire as to whether Team Trump believes the Republican could get away with ordering the murder of Americans he disapproves of. (It would depend, the Republicans lawyer told the Supreme Court last week, though he added, We can see that could well be an official act.)

Of course, for many of the former presidents partisan allies, the question itself is absurd to the point of being useless, since the scenario is so far-fetched. That said, late last year, Alyssa Farah Griffin, who served as Trumps White House communications director, reflected on Trumps rhetoric after someone on his team leaked the fact that he went to a White House bunker during social-justice protests in the summer of 2020.

Right before I resigned, I was in an Oval Office meeting with a dozen other staffers, and somebody had, he thinks, leaked a story about him going to the bunker during the George Floyd protests, Farah Griffin said in December. And he said, Whoever did that should be executed.

On Friday night  two days after Trump took fresh steps to humiliate William Barr  the former attorney general appeared on CNN and anchor Kaitlan Collins asked about this. He replied:

Oh. So according to Trumps former attorney general, the former president  the one Barr has characterized as an incorrigible and erratic narcissist  would sometimes say things. This would include, evidently, Trump making comments about killing Americans who upset him.

This dovetails, of course, with the recollections of former Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who wrote in his book that Trump asked about whether the military could shoot American civilians protesting on American streets.

But dont worry: Bill Barr doubts that Trump wouldve actually followed through on this.

How comforting.

In the same interview, the CNN host asked, So just to be clear, youre voting for someone, who you believe tried to subvert the peaceful transfer of power, that cant even achieve his own policies, that lied about the election, even after his attorney general told him that the election wasnt stolen? And as the former chief law enforcement in this country, youre going to vote for someone who is facing 88 criminal counts?

Barr initially responded that he takes issue with a lot of the pending felony counts pending against the former president.

Collins quickly added, Even if 10 of them are accurate? to which Barr again reiterated his support for the Republican Partys 2024 ticket. Asked how he could justify such a position, the former attorney general, who took a great many steps to unravel the rule of law, said, The rule of law is unraveling.

It was, to be sure, an ironic complaint given Barr's background.

The former attorney general went on to complain that the Biden administration is telling people what kind of stoves they can use, and what kinds of cars they have to drive, and eliminating cars and so forth. Yes, those are the threats to democracy.

If Barrs goal was to set fire to whatever shreds of credibility he mightve still had, while appearing like a low-information crank, the on-air appearance was a great success.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
It wasnt long after Donald Trumps classified documents scandal broke when the former president and his allies concocted a series of flawed defenses. Among the worst was the everybody does it line, rooted in the idea that many former presidents did effectively the same thing that Trump did.

The principal problem with the defense was that it was ridiculous: The circumstances surrounding the Republicans alleged felonies made his controversy unique.

Nearly two years later, it was odd to see Sen. Lindsey Graham roll out a similar argument in response to Trumps ongoing criminal trial in New York. Rolling Stone reported on the South Carolina Republicans latest interview with CNNs Dana Bash:

By all appearances, the senator wasnt kidding.

DANA BASH: David Pecker testified that he paid to catch and kill stories about Trump specifically to help his presidential campaign. You don't have any concerns about that?



LINDSEY GRAHAM: You know, apparently a lot of people do this. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tiger Woods, I think pic.twitter.com/cdCyF7WKLp  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 28, 2024

To be sure, this line of defense isnt entirely new. About a year ago, before Tucker Carlson parted ways with Fox News, the anchor told his audience, In this case, you can believe whatever side you want to believe. But paying people not to talk about things, hush money, is ordinary in modern America.

Just to quickly recap, based on the evidence already filed by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Braggs office, a relatively straightforward picture has emerged. As Election Day 2016 approached, Trump and his political operation were concerned about the public learning about his alleged extramarital sexual encounter with a porn star who goes by the name Stormy Daniels. With those fears in mind, the then-candidate and his team created a shell company, which Trumps fixer, Michael Cohen, used to pay off Daniels, effectively buying her silence.

Soon after, Trump, according to prosecutors, falsified business records while incrementally making payments to Cohen, reimbursing the lawyer for the scheme, even from the White House. These are the same payments that ultimately helped send Cohen to prison.

To think such schemes are ordinary in modern American life is obviously bonkers, but what about Grahams argument? Havent other celebrities been caught up in similar messes?

Perhaps, but  and this is the important part  those other celebrities didnt seek the nations highest office.

And yet, there was Graham  on the heels of Trumps latest anti-Graham harangue  peddling the line on national television as if it were credible. It was not.

In the same interview, the South Carolinian added that he would absolutely support the presumptive nominee in the fall, even if Trump is a convicted felon by Election Day.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Donald Trumps immunity claims reached the U.S. Supreme Court last week, and during oral arguments, Justice Brett Kavanaugh  a Trump nominee  thought itd be a good idea to bring up Gerald Fords decision to pardon Richard Nixon in 1974.

The then-presidents decision, the conservative jurist said, was very controversial in the moment. Former Deputy Solicitor General Michael Dreeben, a member of special counsel Jack Smiths team agreed.

It was hugely unpopular and probably why Ford lost in 1976, Kavanaugh said, and again, Dreeben agreed.

The justice then added, however, that Fords decision is now looked upon as one of the better decisions in presidential history, I think, by most people. Kavanaugh, kicking around the idea that presidents might need to be shielded, imagined whether Ford mightve been concerned about facing an obstruction investigation for having interfered with prosecutors case against Nixon.

In context, the justices point seemed to be that Ford did something courageous, and the Republican has been vindicated by history, but the then-president might not have taken this commendable step if he were concerned about possibly being held criminally liable  all of which, Kavanaugh suggested, speaks to the need for some kind of presidential immunity.

But there are a handful of important problems with this.

First, Ford made no claims to presidential immunity and faced no prosecutorial scrutiny in the wake of his Nixon pardon.

Second, Kavanaughs claim that most people see Fords pardon as one of the better decisions in presidential history is unsupported by evidence. A Washington Post analysis last week noted that scholars and Americans in general do not necessarily hold Fords decision in such a high regard.

And third, Im curious about whether Kavanaugh has ever actually read Fords pardon.

Perhaps the justice shouldve watched Rachel Maddow talk to Chris Hayes about this in February, when she explained why Fords pardon discredits the idea that the immunity argument somehow constitutes an open question.

"This is B.S.you were doing this as a dilatory tactic to help your political friend," says @Maddow on SCOTUS. "And for you to say that this is something that the Court needs to decide because it's something that's unclear in the law is just flagrant, flagrant bullpucky." pic.twitter.com/v1NKDorzb0  All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) February 29, 2024

From Fords pardon:

So lets take stock. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in a case in which a corrupt and indicted former president, fearing legal consequences, is claiming absolute immunity. At least some of the justices treated the underlying question as legitimate and unresolved.

It was against this backdrop that one of the justices chosen for the high court by the corrupt and indicted former president pointed to Fords pardon of Nixon  which largely answered the question that the jurist and his colleagues are pondering, by explaining in plain test that a former president was subject to prosecution for alleged crimes he committed while in office.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays installment of campaign-related news items from across the country.

* Though some national polling last week showed the presidential race effectively tied, the latest CNN poll found Donald Trump leading President Joe Biden, 49% to 43%.

* On a related note, the latest CBS News polling found Biden ahead in Michigan by two points (51% to 49%), while the former president had one-point advantages in Pennsylvania (50% to 49%) and Wisconsin (50% to 49%).

* In a bit of a surprise, Rep. Bill Posey announced his retirement on Friday afternoon. The Florida Republican ended his re-election bid shortly before the filing deadline and quickly threw his support behind former state Senate President Mike Haridopolos.

* At the Utah Republican Partys state convention over the weekend, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs won the backing of a majority of convention delegates in the U.S. Senate race, though hell still face a primary race against several other candidates who qualified for the ballot. A day earlier, Staggs received Trumps endorsement.

* The five Republicans running in Georgias 3rd congressional district met yesterday for a debate, and the candidates were asked to raise their hands if they thought Trump won the state, despite the official election results. All five raised their hands.

Notable moment in todays @atlpressclub debate in the GOP race for Georgias open 3rd District: All five Republican candidates raise their hand when @russfox5 asks if they believe Trump was the rightful winner of Georgias 2020 race, which he lost to President Biden. #gapol pic.twitter.com/mBOg7ynvWv  Greg Bluestein (@bluestein) April 28, 2024

* As recent polls found presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. taking votes from Trump, the former president is going after the independent conspiracy theorist in increasingly aggressive ways.

* Speaking of third-party candidates, the right-wing Constitution Party has chosen anti-abortion activist Randall Terry as its 2024 nominee. The Constitution Party claims to have ballot slots in 12 states, though its trying to add to that total.

* And in Vermont, a local CBS affiliate, relying on multiple sources, reported that former Gov. Howard Dean is eyeing another gubernatorial race this year. Dean, the longest-serving governor in state history, left office in early 2003, and hasnt sought elected office since his presidential campaign in 2004.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The number of desertions in the Russian occupation army is increasing. In particular, this problem is gaining momentum in the armed forces of the Southern Military District of the Russian Federation.

ADVERTISIMENT

In total, more than 18 thousand Russian soldiers have arbitrarily left their service in the combat units of this district. This was reported by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine.

"Desertion is rampant in the armed formations of the southern military district of the occupying Russian army. In total, more than 18 thousand Russian servicemen have left the district's combat units without permission," the statement said.

A significant part, namely about 12 thousand deserters, falls on the 8th Combined Arms Army of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which the enemy regularly uses in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Approximately 10,000 of them were called up for service through mobilization from Moscow, and the remaining 2,000 are contract soldiers.

In addition, in the 58th Combined Arms Army, which is also part of the southern district of the aggressor state's army, the level of desertion is about 2500 people.

ADVERTISIMENT

As a reminder, in March 2024, the military courts of the aggressor country Russia considered a record number of cases of desertion. At the same time, there is a record number of Russians applying for asylum in foreign countries.

As OBOZ.UA wrote, on the temporarily occupied left bank of the Kherson region, cases of Russian invaders arbitrarily leaving their places of temporary deployment are recorded. The relevant reports were submitted by the leadership of the Dnipro group of the Russian Armed Forces, agents of the Atesh guerrilla movement said earlier.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and in Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Todays edition of quick hits.

* Difficult diplomacy: U.S. and Arab leaders are expressing concerns that newly revived talks could be the last chance for a cease-fire and hostage release before the war could explode with a threatened Israeli attack on Gazas southernmost city of Rafah. As Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabias capital Riyadh on Monday, there were urgent calls for a deal between Israel and Hamas that would head off an assault on Rafah where more than 1 million people are sheltering.

* In related news: More than six months into the war in Gaza and with dimming hopes for a cease-fire deal, Palestinians there are growing more critical of Hamas, which some of them blame for the months-long conflict that has destroyed the territory  and their lives.

* Shooting in North Carolina: Multiple law enforcement officers were shot in Charlotte, N.C., on Monday as members of a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force were trying to serve a warrant and were met by gunfire, the police said.

* Shooting in Florida: A teenage gunman wounded 10 people when he opened fire early Sunday after fighting broke out during a private event at a Florida party venue, authorities said. A security guard tackled and disarmed the shooter almost immediately, and a second guard handcuffed him until sheriffs deputies arrived, according to an arrest report from the Seminole County Sheriffs Office.

* Reversing a Trump-era policy: The Biden administration announced expansive new protections on Friday for gay and transgender medical patients, prohibiting federally funded health providers and insurers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

* In related news: A federal appellate court in Richmond became the first in the country to rule that state health-care plans must pay for gender-affirming surgeries, a major win for transgender rights amid a nationwide wave of anti-trans activism and legislation. The decision came from a set of cases out of North Carolina and West Virginia, where state officials argued that their policies were based on cost concerns rather than bias. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit rejected that argument, saying the plans were discriminating against trans people in need of treatment.

* Elon and Beijing: Elon Musk wrapped up a trip to China in less than 24 hours and came away with a crucial victory as he pushes to reignite Teslas green up pointing triangle sagging growth. After his flurry of meetings with top officials in Beijing, Chinas government signaled its blessing for Tesla to roll out its advanced driver-assistance service in the carmakers second-biggest market. The Tesla chief executive is seeking to expand use of the controversial software feature globally as the company confronts the prospect of lower sales growth this year.

See you tomorrow.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
As recently as 2020, Peter Meijers appeared to have a bright future in Republican politics. The West Point graduate and Iraq war veteran won a congressional race in one of Michigans most competitive districts, and looked like a safe bet for re-election in 2022.

That didnt quite work out. In early 2021, Meijer was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump in the aftermath of Jan. 6, and a year later, the congressman faced a far-right challenge from a former Trump administration official with a history of promoting inflammatory conspiracy theories and taking ridiculous positions on a wide range of issues.

Meijer narrowly lost his primary, and Democrats soon after flipped his seat from red to blue.

A year later, the Michigan Republican, apparently hoping his party had learned a lesson from his primary defeat, launched a comeback bid and kicked off a U.S. Senate campaign. As NBC News reported, that didnt work out, either.

It was a rather abrupt shift: On April 23, Meijer turned in his petition signatures, celebrated their delivery to state election officials, and appeared to have qualified for the ballot. On April 26, the former congressman exited the race.

Trump, not surprisingly, was delighted.

Congratulations to all Good Republicans! the former president wrote to his social media platform just hours after the news broke in Michigan. Peter Meijer, one of the 10 Impeachers of your Favorite President, ME, and someone thought of to have a very good political future, has just withdrawn from the Senate Race in the Great State of Michigan. Once he raised his very little and delicate hand to Impeach President Trump, his Political Career was OVER! ... Happily, the 10 Impeachers are just about gone.

For now, lets not dwell on the fact that its deeply weird to see Trump talk about others having very little hands given his own difficulties on the issue.

Rather, lets focus on the former presidents preoccupation with the fate of the Impeachment 10.

Circling back to our recent coverage, when Trump was impeached for his role in the Jan. 6 attack, it resulted in the most bipartisan impeachment vote in American history. Against a backdrop in which Republicans seemed eager to move on from their failed, defeated president, 10 GOP House members voted with the Democratic majority in favor of the impeachment resolution, and they had every reason to believe theyd be vindicated by history.

History, however, doesnt elect members of Congress. Voters do.

As the defeated, scandal-plagued, failed former president reclaimed control over the party, and leaders  Im using the word loosely  such as Kevin McCarthy scurried to Mar-a-Lago to bend the knee, members of the Impeachment 10 came to realize that it didnt matter that they were right. What mattered was that much of their radicalized political party wouldnt tolerate their heresy, which would overshadow other parts of their careers in public service.

Some saw the direction in the prevailing winds and decided to avoid the indignity of defeat. Its why four members of the contingent  Ohios Anthony Gonzalez, New Yorks John Katko, Illinois Adam Kinzinger, and Michigans Fred Upton  announced their retirements before the 2022 primary season even began in earnest.

Four more thought they could maintain the trust of the voters whod elected them in the first place:

In South Carolina, Rep. Tom Rice was crushed in a primary, losing by more than 26 points to a Republican primary rival who insisted that the 2020 election was rigged. (It was not rigged.)

In Michigan, Meijer suffered a relatively narrow loss in a GOP primary to John Gibbs.

In the state of Washington, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler lost her primary race to Joe Kent, who, according to an Associated Press report, has connections to right-wing extremists, including a campaign consultant who was a member of the Proud Boys.

In Wyoming, Rep. Liz Cheney suffered a lopsided defeat to a Trump-backed lawyer who embraced the Big Lie.

Two of these four  Gibbs and Kent  ended up losing in the 2022 general elections, allowing Democrats to flip the seats.

As for the other two members of the Impeachment 10, Californias David Valadao narrowly won his re-election bid in 2022, while Washingtons Dan Newhouse cruised to a landslide victory two years ago. Trump has largely left Valadao alone, but the former president apparently believes Washingtons 4th congressional district is conservative enough that he can help oust Newhouse without hurting the party.

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
How the mafia operates in France's Corsica, out of tourists' sight

Josette Dall'Ava-Santucci, an anti-mafia campaigner in Corsica, here sitting in a cafe. Corsica, a popular holiday spot, also struggles with organized crime. Rachel Bomeyer/dpa

With its rugged coastline and pristine natural beauty, Corsica is a jewel in the Mediterranean Sea.

The French island, just a stone's throw north of Italy's Sardinia, attracts millions of tourists each year, but only very few of them ever become aware that the mafia is holding Corsica in its ironclad grip.

For the locals, threats, hush money payments and fudged construction work are part of daily reality. It's also not rare for people to be killed by the mafia.

Often dubbed "the island of beauty," Corsica is the region in France, excluding its overseas territories, with the highest murder rate in relation to the number of inhabitants.

Last year, the island recorded 3.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, with many of the killings perpetrated by the mafia, according to the Interior Ministry.

"The worst thing is that these cases are not solved because there are no witness statements," says anti-mafia activist Josette Dall'Ava-Santucci. She attributes this phenomenon to the "omerta," a code of silence also imposed by mafia gangs in southern Italy that requires non-cooperation with the authorities.

It was long disputed whether there even is a mafia operating on the Mediterranean island. According to prosecutor Nicolas Bessone, who is responsible for organized crime in Corsica, that question is no longer relevant. "I think we need to be clear," he recently told the France Bleu channel: mafia organizations exist in Corsica.

According to an internal report by an anti-mafia unit of the police and gendarmerie, quoted by French media, 25 criminal gangs are active on the island.

The mafia first became active in Corsica in the 1980s, Dall'Ava-Santucci says, when investment plans were being drawn up for the mountainous island.

Today, criminal gangs have infiltrated the lucrative construction industry and the real estate business and control drugs trafficking, says Dall'Ava-Santucci, a 82-year-old doctor who founded the anti-mafia organization Maffia No with fellow campaigners in 2019.

It is hard to say how big Corsica's mafia gangs are, as many of their activities take place out of sight, she says.

Dall'Ava-Santucci estimates that each of the 20 or so gangs may have a dozen members. While that doesn't sound much, it adds up to a significant number considering that Corsica only has 350,000 inhabitants.

On top of that are those in the judiciary and tax authorities, the prison system and occasionally even in the police who have been bribed by the mafia, she says.

Prosecutor Bessone suspects that the mafia also has links to politics.

According to Jean-Jacques Fagni, a lawyer at the court of appeal in the northern town of Bastia, the gangs don't operate in distinct territories. Both he and Bessone say that different criminal organizations sometimes even cooperate across the island.

Dall'Ava-Santucci has spoken to many of the Corsican mafia's victims. In some cases, the criminals took people's doors when they hadn't paid rent on time. In other cases, they attempted to take their entire homes. Warehouses and work equipment owned by rival companies were blown up and building permits extorted. The gangs also manage to push down property prices.

"A whole generation knows the mafia as employees or as company managers," she says.

The gangs drive up the costs of public works, carry them out sloppily and sometimes manage companies though they lack the ability to do so, she adds.

Meanwhile, the roughly 3 million tourists visiting Corsica every year don't notice a thing, according to Dall'Ava-Santucci.

On the contrary, the island is very safe and there are rarely any robberies or other reasons to be afraid to walk alone at night, she says.

A tourist would not notice whether their holiday rental or a bar is owned by the mafia. The only visible sign of the clandestine criminal structures tormenting the island is graffiti calling for "Mafia out" on some of Bastia's streets.

In the fight against the gangs, Dall'Ava-Santucci is looking to mobilize residents, lawmakers and the authorities alike. Specifically, she is calling for more police, a separate criminal offence to be introduced for mafia-related crime and lay judges at the jury court to be replaced by trained professionals. She also says goods suspected of being controlled by gangs should be confiscated immediately and any bans on people who should not be allowed to manage businesses to be extended.

Tougher prison sentences, on the other hand, won't help to improve the situation, she says. "Prison is where the mafia organizes itself. They do what they want in prison."

A view of the promenade of the Corsican coastal town. The French island's natural beauty draws many tourists from around the world who know little of its problems with criminal structures. Rachel Bomeyer/dpa

"Mafia out!" scrawled in Corsican on the wall of a house in the popular holiday destination that is also plagued by the mafia and organized crime. Rachel Bomeyer/dpa

A cafe at Place Saint Nicolas in Corsica, famed for its beauty and also as the region in France, excluding its overseas territories, with the highest murder rate in relation to the number of inhabitants. Rachel Bomeyer/dpa
Conspiracy theorist Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) could be facing a humiliating fall from grace within her own party, according to MSNBC host Ayman Mohyeldin.

Theres always been a certain level of tolerance for MTG among her congressional colleagues, he said Saturday. But now, they are making it known that they are getting sick of her antics.

Mohyeldin played clips of Republican lawmakers slamming Greene, including Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who accused her of dragging our brand down.

Even conservative media is now turning on her, he pointed out.

Greene has been coming under fire from within her own party since threatening to lead an ouster against House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). If her push makes it to the floor, however, there are reports Democrats could step in to help save Johnson.

Mohyeldin said that would be a humiliating defeat for Greene and her party.

So in just a short timespan, Marjorie Taylor Greene has gone from MAGA hero to zero, he said. But she didnt flame out because of her bigotry or extremism and wild conspiracy theories.

Her fellow GOP lawmakers and right-wing media had no problem with any of that, he said.

Its only when she turned on her own party and threatened their agenda that they decided to put their foot down and actually stand up to her, he said. They made their deal with the devil in coddling her. And now, they have to live with it.

See his full segment below:

It wasn't that long ago when Marjorie Taylor Greene was hailed as a Republican superstar. Now, congressional Republicans and right-wing media are fed up with her antics. @AymanM breaks down how Greene went from a MAGA hero to zero. pic.twitter.com/zsxOsmD9JN  AYMAN (@AymanMSNBC) April 28, 2024
Supporters of abortion rights packed the halls of the Maine State House on Jan. 22, which also marked the the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling. (Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)

The U.S. Supreme Court has taken up another closely-watched abortion case, this one about whether a federal law protects emergency abortion care even in states with strict bans on the procedure. While abortion is legal in Maine, advocates say the case highlights the importance of having strong safeguards for reproductive health care services.

Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case, which hinges on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, a law that requires hospitals that receive federal funding to treat patients who come to an emergency room regardless of their ability to pay.

In July 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued an advisory on EMTALA stating that if a doctor believes a pregnant patient is experiencing a medical emergency and abortion is the treatment needed to stabilize them, the physician must provide that treatment.

When a state law prohibits abortion and does not include an exception for the life of the pregnant person  or draws the exception more narrowly than EMTALAs emergency medical condition definition  that state law is preempted, the guidance continued. However, due to a court ruling, that advisory is not enforceable in Texas.

The case the Supreme Court took up last week, though, centers around a near-total abortion ban passed by Idaho after the fall of Roe v. Wade. The Biden administration sued Idaho over its law, arguing it is too restrictive because the statute allows abortion only to prevent a pregnant persons death whereas EMTALA mandates that doctors give patients necessary stabilizing treatment in emergency settings when a persons well-being is at risk.

The justices  who nearly two years ago overturned federal abortion rights  appeared split on this most recent abortion case during arguments last week.

State advocates, such as Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund, are watching the case closely and say that the threats to emergency abortion treatment posed by Idahos law make the reproductive health protections Maine has passed all the more important.

What this EMTALA case highlights for Maine is that the laws we do have, including LD 1619, which passed last session and decriminalized abortion care in our state, are critical measures to safeguarding access to care by ensuring providers can offer the right care for their patients without fear of criminal prosecution, said Lisa Margulies, vice president of public affairs at Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund.

However, Margulies said state lawmakers could take additional action to safeguard abortion rights in Maine.

Specifically, she referenced a bill considered this past legislative session, LD 780, which would have put a referendum on the ballot in November asking voters if they favor amending the Constitution of Maine to declare that every person has a right to personal reproductive autonomy.

If passed, the amendment would have barred Maine from interfering with that right unless justified by a compelling state interest and done in the least restrictive way possible.

Although the bill received support from a majority of lawmakers, with blanket opposition from Republicans, it failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed to put the question to voters.

The threat to reproductive health care at the national level  and the opposition to abortion from some local politicians  shows why the constitutional amendment is needed, Margulies said.

Mainers are paying attention to how their lawmakers in Augusta voted on LD 780 this session, and  we will continue to fight to protect our rights and elect true reproductive rights champions to represent Maine values in the Legislature, she said.

In Idaho, Margulies noted that there has been a reported increase in air transfers of patients to other states because of the lack of protections for emergency abortion care.

Lawmakers unqualified to make emergency medical decisions want the court to ignore nearly 40 years of federal law and protections for people in life threatening situations simply because they believe its their role to second guess providers judgment of who needs that care, Margulies said. Theyre willing to endanger patients well-being and safety.

Another possible impact of the case is how religiously-affiliated hospitals would respond if the Supreme Court decides EMTALA doesnt protect abortion care in emergency settings.

In Maine, the answer is murky. The Attorney Generals Office said in an email that it cannot speculate on how a future Supreme Court ruling might impact EMTALAs application in Maine and Planned Parenthood Action Fund stated that the immediate impact of the courts decision on religious medical institutions is difficult to know.

Maine Morning Star reached out to the states Catholic medical centers  St. Joseph Healthcare in Bangor, St. Marys Regional Medical Center in Lewiston and Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland  with questions about their current abortion services and whether the EMTALA decision will impact the reproductive health care offered at those institutions.

Only Northern Light responded, with a spokesperson saying that the hospitals focus is ensuring that all women have access to the care they need to live long, healthy lives. Maine law has not changed and the services we offer will remain the same.

However, the spokesperson declined multiple requests to specify what sort of abortion care is provided by the hospital.

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(Getty Images)

OMAHA  If red-led Nebraska holds a special session this summer and decides to award its five Electoral College votes to the statewide winner of the presidential vote, then blue-led Maine will match it, canceling any advantage for former President Donald Trump.

Maine House Majority Leader Maureen Terry (D-Gorham) issued a statement Friday saying that local voters value their independence, but they also value fairness and playing by the rules. She said Maine would not let others game the system.

If Nebraskas Republican governor and Republican-controlled Legislature were to change their electoral system this late in the cycle in order to unfairly award Donald Trump an additional electoral vote, I think the Maine Legislature would be compelled to act, she said in a statement she confirmed to the Examiner.

Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that split some of their electoral votes for president. They award a single electoral vote to the winner in each congressional district and send the remaining votes to the statewide winner.

Special session update

Cornhusker State Gov. Jim Pillen said he would call a special session if state lawmakers could find the 33 votes needed to overcome a filibuster or the 30 votes needed to suspend legislative rules and pass the change with fewer votes.

National populist pundit Charlie Kirk tells a Nebraska crowd that Gov. Jim Pillens office has told him the governor will call a special session to pass winner-take-all for presidential races if they can help him get the votes. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

Pillen and other Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Unicameral Legislature have faced outside pressure from Trump supporters to make the change, including from populist conservative talk show host Charlie Kirk, known for his political group Turning Point USA.

Kirk argued during a recent rally in Omaha that allowing the 2nd District a chance to vote Democratic could tilt the election from Trump to Biden. He urged his supporters to call and write to their state senators and call for the change.

Trump himself lobbied at least one Nebraska lawmaker for winner-take-all, State Sen. Tom Brewer, who represents north-central Nebraska, although Trumps campaign denied it.

Senators office phones and emails lit up, overwhelming staff.

Dont have the votes

One Republican senator, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the measure does not have anywhere close to 33 votes to pass and said the outside pressure was costing the measure votes. Speaker John Arch had no immediate comment.

State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City, the sponsor of this years winner-take-all proposal, Legislative Bill 764, said he does not yet know if a special session on that issue will happen. He said he hopes to hear something next week.

We have to wait and see if Governor Pillen wants to address Winner Take All in a special session, he said.

Pillens office had no update on a possible special session.

Lippincott said supporters of winner-take-all in Nebraska want to make the change regardless of what Maine does. Republican supporters of switching have argued that it dilutes Nebraskas influence nationally and should be standardized.

Some argue current system more fair

Others, including Democrats in the Legislature, have argued that the unusual way Nebraska and Maine award electoral votes ensures that at least one part of Nebraska gets more attention from presidential candidates and campaigns than it otherwise would.

Statewide, Nebraska has voted Republican in every presidential election since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. But the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District has swung to Democrats twice, in 2008 for President Barack Obama and in 2020 for President Joe Biden.

Maine has similarly voted Democratic since 1988, when part-time Kennebunkport resident George H.W. Bush won the state and its four electoral votes. But Maines rural 2nd District sent an electoral vote to Republicans in 2016 and 2020.

The Nebraska Republican Party has supported moving back to winner-take-all since the idea passed in 1991. The new populist party leadership had no immediate comment, but it has been vocal in its support of Trump and hopeful of helping his campaign.

President Joe Biden in the East Room of the White House on Feb. 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb said Nebraska remains proud of our split electoral vote system that brings fairness and competition to the state.

Trump and his online bullies failed to change our system this year, and even if they got their way Maine would make that move null and void, she said in response to a reporters question. So how about we all compete at the doors to win over voters rather than change the rules this close to an election?

This story was originally published by Nebraska Examiner, which like Maine Morning Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

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The post Maine draws a line in the Sandhills: Will match Nebraska on winner-take-all appeared first on Maine Morning Star.
Major clothing brands under fire after investigation alleges use of 'tainted' materials: 'It has become very clear'

The popular fast-fashion clothing brands H&M and Zara have come under fire for using cotton reportedly linked to illegal deforestation, land grabbing, and violence.

What happened?

The UK-based environmental nonprofit Earthsight accused the two retail giants of committing "fashion crimes" based on a damning new report. Its investigation found that H&M and Zara used tainted cotton grown in one of Brazil's most overexploited, endangered regions, the Cerrado savanna.

The forest savannah covers nearly a quarter of Brazil and provides habitat for 5% of the world's species, per Edie.

Earthsight determined that the fashion companies sourced the cotton from two of Brazil's largest agricultural producers, SLC Agricola and the Horita Group.

With the help of satellite imagery, shipment records, court rulings, and undercover operations at trade shows, the nonprofit discovered that nearly one million tonnes (over 1.1 million tons) of cotton from Brazilian farms were shipped to Asian manufacturers that produced clothing for H&M and Zara, as Edie reported.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of corruption on the cotton farms, the tainted cotton was deemed sustainable by the world's leading cotton certification initiative, Better Cotton.

Earthsight's director, Sam Lawson, told Edie: "It has become very clear that crimes related to the commodities we consume have to be addressed through regulation, not consumer choices. That means lawmakers in consumer countries should put in place strong laws with tough enforcement."

Why is using tainted cotton concerning?

Indigenous communities that have called the Cerrado home for centuries have suffered greatly at the hands of Brazil's mighty agribusinesses. Many have had their peace and connection to the land severed because of environmental devastation and land grabbing.

The glaring oversight by sustainability programs such as Better Cotton also affects consumers who count on organizations to protect them from unethical products. Many corporations deceive consumers with greenwashing, and unfortunately, not all of them get caught.

Even when they do, they don't always stop environmentally destructive practices.

For instance, Edie reported that Better Cotton updated its standards last month. However, the agency can still label cotton as ethical if it came from land illegally deforested or stolen from local communities before 2020, according to Earthsight.

Global Witness explained that the Cerrado experienced record levels of deforestation last year, increasing by 43% from 2022 levels. This threatens the region's incredible biodiversity and reduces the amount of carbon the savannah can store, worsening the overheating of our planet.

What's being done about it?

According to Edie, Better Cotton confirmed it conducted an independent audit of three licensed farms in Bahia, Brazil. The agency said it would share the findings and cancel licenses if the farms don't meet the new sustainability standards.

However, Earthsight is skeptical that the rules will stop illegal cotton farming.

In addition, Inditex, Zara's parent company, sent a letter to Better Cotton demanding more transparency about the certification process and said it would take action if necessary to safeguard its supply chain, per Edie.

While the dark realities of fast fashion have started coming to the surface in recent years, the industry still rakes in billions of dollars per year. We can protect our wallets and the planet by avoiding fast-fashion brands and opting for sustainable, long-lasting clothing.

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SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG)  A man released from the Florida Department of Corrections two months ago was arrested Saturday for committing the same crime on the same victim, according to the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office.

Okaloosa County deputies deal with multiple DUI incidents over the weekend

53-year-old Jeffrey Leon Holley is accused of kidnapping a woman for the second time, according to Santa Rosa County Sheriff Bob Johnson.

Deputies were called Saturday around 9:30 p.m. by a person in the Pace area, according to the sheriff. The person reported that they had attempted to call one of their neighbors, but they didnt answer.

That person was also concerned because they allegedly witnessed a man walk from the neighbors house to their truck, grab zip ties, and go back into the home.

Sheriff Johnson said deputies arrived at the home and heard a woman yelling for help before they kicked in the door.

WATCH: Video of the Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office press conference on Jeffrey Leon Holleys arrest

They found the woman with her hands and feet duct taped so tight that they were purple, and her face was bruised, according to the sheriff.

Deputies reportedly found the suspect, now identified as Holley, running from the home.

He allegedly jumped a fence onto Naval property and refused to listen to deputy commands, which led to him being bitten by a K9, according to authorities.

Sheriff Johnson said Holley was previously arrested for the same crime and spent two years in prison.

Holley is charged with third-degree felony domestic violence  strangulation, first-degree felony kidnapping  inflicting bodily harm, first-degree felony hindering communication to law enforcement, third-degree felony burglary to unoccupied convenience, third-degree felony domestic violence  battery and first-degree misdemeanor resist arrest without violence.

Birthday party shooting victims identified: Escambia County Sheriffs Office

Holley is being held without bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
Petro Nedzelsky, a reserve colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a military expert, believes that receiving weapons, aircraft, artillery and ammunition from the United States will significantly strengthen the Defense Forces . It can also significantly change the situation at the front in our favor in the short term.

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Nedzelski emphasized that Ukrainian defenders have enough heroism and experience to cope with any challenges. He expressed this opinion in an exclusive interview with OBOZ.UA.

"Making predictions is a very ungrateful business, because 90% of military forecasts do not come true. But if we are provided with weapons from the United States, if we get aviation, artillery, ammunition, it will significantly strengthen the power of our troops and we will definitely succeed. I am convinced that the situation at the front will change radically in the near future, in our favor. Our soldiers have more than enough heroism and experience," the expert said.

He predicted that in the future Europe may become our main partner in terms of military aid.

"But I must say that the assistance that Europe has started to provide us today is also too late. When Russia's large-scale aggression against us began, we had nothing," Nedzelsky said.

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He added that at the beginning, the Ukrainian Armed Forces faced an army that was ten times larger in numbers, weapons, armored vehicles, and more. We had only one big advantage - the heroism of our soldiers.

"And now Europe has finally realized the danger of Putin and his imperial ambitions. After all, if Ukraine falls, Europe will be next. Putin and his politicians have said this more than once, saying that we will reach the English Channel. So, Europe has started to help us seriously, and we should be honored and praised. But I have experienced firsthand what it is like to fight when there are no weapons. If we had the appropriate weapons earlier, the situation at the front would be completely different today," the military expert emphasized.

Earlier, the UK announced that Ukraine will receive the largest military aid package in the amount of 500 million pounds ($617 million). Among other things, it will include additional long-range Storm Shadow missiles.

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As reported by OBOZ.UA, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that after the United States announced the supply of ATACMS missiles to Ukraine, Germany should transfer Taurus cruise missiles. According to him, the final decision now depends on Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Man accused of killing his grandmother arrested in North Carolina, Clayton County sheriff says

A Clayton County man has been arrested in North Carolina after allegedly murdering his grandmother, Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen says.

Deputies performed a wellness check at a residence on Clearview Circle in Riverdale on Thursday. When they arrived, they found an elderly woman who had injuries to her face, neck and body, officials said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Takeem Rashad Moore, 33, the grandson of the victim was identified as the suspect in her death, CCSO officials say.

After enlisting the help of the U.S. Marshals and the Buncombe County Sheriffs Office, Moore was arrested in Buncombe County, North Carolina.

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Moore, deputies say is being held at the Buncombe County Jail, on no bond, pending his extradition back to Clayton County.

He is being charged with malice murder, aggravated battery and aggravated assault family violence charges.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
EAST STROUDSBURG, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Police are searching for a man after he allegedly stole $6,000 from a gambling machine.

On February 5, the Stroud Area Regional Police Department was called to a theft report at Sunoco Uni-Mart on Prospect Street in East Stroudsburg.

Luzerne County hit and run, police chase ends in arrest

Officers say the man pictured removed $6,115 from a Pennsylvania Skills Machine inside the business. The suspect fled the area in the car caught on camera.

Stroud Area Regional Police

Anyone with information is asked to submit a tip on the Stroud Area Regional Police website. Tipsters can remain anonymous or leave contact information for Detective Knowles.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com.
ST. LOUIS  More than three years after a 14-year-old boy was gunned down in the citys West End neighborhood, a second suspect in the killing has been arrested and charged.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the shooting happened around 5:25 p.m. on March 8, 2021, in the 1100 block of Hodiamont Avenue.

Police claim to have obtained surveillance video showing two people, identified as Omarion Mays and James J. Blake, attack Kathon Moore by throwing him off his bicycle. Mays is seen taking out a gun and shooting the victim in the head while hes on the ground. Mays and Blake then stole marijuana from Moores body and fled.

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Witnesses identified Mays as one of the suspects. When officers questioned Mays, he admitted participating in the robbery but denied shooting the teenager, opting to put the blame on Blake.

Mays was charged in March 2024 with second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and two counts of armed criminal action. Mays is already jailed in a separate case. A judge ruled Mays would remain jailed without bond for Moores killing.

Blake was taken into custody on April 25. The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Blake with first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, and first-degree robbery. He remains in jail pending trial. Blake is due to appear in court on May 6 for a detention hearing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Man arrested in connection with Valentines Day bomb threat at Dillon school

DILLON, S.C. (WBTW)  A 23-year-old man was arrested by Hemingway police on Thursday and charged in connection with a Valentines Day bomb threat at Dillon High School.

Elijah Bleu McDonald faces charges of making a bomb threat. He was transported to the Dillon County Detention Center and given a $10,000 bond.

On Feb. 14, Dillon police and city firefighters were dispatched to the high school after a bomb threat was reported.

Dillon County teen charged with terrorism after alleged school threat

Officers on scene spoke with school officials and office staff who took the call. After crews divided up to sweep the grounds and classrooms, no suspicious devices were found.

A bomb detention dog from Florence Regional Airport Public Safety also responded and completed a secondary search.

Authorities contacted the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and identified McDonald as a suspect through phone number tracking and other resources.

* * *

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.
Runaway

After a nearly weeklong search, the missing teenage child of a pair of tech founders has been found  and the adult man they were with has been arrested.

In a press release, the Marin County Sherriff's Office announced that the 16-year-old Mint Butterfield  the offspring of Flickr cofounders Caterina Fake and Stewart Butterfield, and who goes by they/them pronouns  had been located safely in San Francisco.

The teen was found, and we're not making this up, inside a creepy white van with a man 10 years their senior. According to the sheriff's office, Butterfield had "voluntarily" run away with the man, who authorities described as an "adult friend" that has since been arrested.

Along with cofounding Flickr, the elder Butterfield also started Slack in 2013 and was the company's CEO until the end of 2022. While it appears that neither he nor Mint's mother gave public statements while the child was missing, the news of the tech heir's shocking disappearance garnered headlines due to their parents' status.

At-Risk Youth

As prior reports indicated, Butterfield went missing from the house they shared with their mother in the Napa Valley area, about 30 miles north of San Francisco, on or after the night of Sunday, April 21. The next morning, Fake reported them missing and told police they were concerned because the teen left a note.

Those previous reports also noted that the 16-year-old was considered "at risk" due to a history of mental illness and substance abuse, and may have been headed for San Francisco's notorious Tenderloin district, which is known to be an open-air drug market.

The 26-year-old man that Butterfield allegedly ran away with was, as the Marin County sheriff's press release notes, arrested and booked on "multiple criminal violations," specifics about which have not been revealed, after the teen was found with him in his van. In an interview with the San Francisco Standard, a spokesperson said detectives don't suspect abduction or foul play because it appears that Butterfield left with the man of their own will.

"I dont think there was foul play related to kidnapping or anything else," Schermerhorn told the newspaper, "which is what some people were saying is what happened."

As terrifying as this tale is, it's undeniably a good thing that Butterfield was found alive and relatively well  especially considering the other big van disappearance story that made headlines in recent years.

More on tech tragedy: Tech CEO Plunges to Death Trying to Make Grand Entrance at Company Party
LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) A driver in a deadly Lebanon County crash that State Police said killed a pregnant woman last year is facing charges.

Christian Hennessey, 45, of Pine Grove, faces homicide by vehicle while DUI and other charges after State Police said he was on drugs during the fatal collision that killed Jamie Stump, who was pregnant in her first trimester, according to the charges filed.

According to the criminal complaint, toxicology results showed there was fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs in Hennesseys system during the crash.

Corvette, Camaro swiped from Adams County car dealer showroom

State Police said they were called for a crash with injuries and entrapment on SR 72 in the area of Moonshine Road at the entrance of the Trout Run Trail Head park in Union Township on April 25, 2023. The caller was reporting two people were trapped with possible critical injuries.

The involved vehicles were a black 1986 Chevrolet C10, which State Police said Hennessey was driving and Stump was a passenger in, and a pickup truck and a white 2017 Ford F350 that had multiple occupants.

Stump was pronounced dead at the scene while Hennessey was transported to the hospital after being freed from the wreck by fire personnel, the criminal complaint states. Her cause of death was from multiple blunt force trauma with severe injuries.

The other vehicles occupants, two children, and another pregnant woman, were also transported to the hospital for treatment, State Police said.

Troopers said that from the initial crash investigation, Hennessey failed to take a turn in the roadway and traveled into the path of the other vehicle.

According to the complaint, the Ford driver told State Police when they were coming up on the curve the other vehicle appeared to be facing her  lane diagonal. State Police said they tried to talk to Hennessy multiple times regarding the crash but they could not reach him.

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ICYMI: Top 5 Stories of the Week

It was noted by State Police that speed was not a factor in the fatal crash and there was no issues found in the state safety inspection for either vehicle. Furthermore, State Police said it was clear outside and the roadway was dry.

Hennessy also faces felony charges of aggravated assault of an unborn child and homicide by vehicle along with multiple misdemeanor charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and DUI. He also faces summary charges for traffic violations.

Currently, court documents show that Hennessy is locked up in Lebanon County Prison on bail set at $100,000.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 9.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Torsten Schwarz (C), presiding judge at the regional court, stands in the courtroom in the criminal justice building at the start of the trial for hostage-taking, kidnapping of minors, intentional bodily harm and weapons offenses. Almost six months after the 18-hour hostage-taking at Hamburg Airport, the trial of the alleged perpetrator begins. Marcus Brandt/dpa

A man who smashed his car through the gates of Hamburg Airport and parked it on the tarmac with his 4-year-old daughter inside has confessed to the kidnapping of his child and other crimes.

"I just wanted to leave Germany. I wanted the police to find ways to send us to Turkey," the 35-year-old Turkish man said on Monday in a statement read out by his defence lawyer.

The trial is taking place nearly six months after the bizarre incident in November that lasted 18 hours and disrupted air traffic for nearly a day.

He had wanted to fly to Istanbul with his daughter, he said when asked by the presiding judge at the regional court, Torsten Schwarz.

The defendant apologized to the passengers at the airport and the police. "I know that I caused panic," the statement said.

He is charged with hostage-taking, kidnapping of a minor, intentional bodily harm and weapons offences.

The man allegedly kidnapped his daughter from her mother's flat in the nearby town of Stade and then drove to the airport. He broke through three security barriers with the car and then parked on the tarmac. From there, he called the police and ordered that a plane be made available to take him and his daughter to Turkey.

To emphasize his demand, he fired a semi-automatic pistol into the air several times and threw two burning Molotov cocktails out of the vehicle. He also allegedly wore a dummy explosive belt and threatened to detonate the explosives if the police intervened.

A custody dispute with the child's mother is said to have triggered the situation.

The man surrendered to officers after 18 hours. The crisis halted flights to and from Hamburg for about 20 hours.
Driver dies after rear-ending a stopped trash truck in Houston County, officials say

An elderly driver was killed Friday when his car collided into the back of a trash truck in Houston County.

Upon arriving at the scene, deputies found Walter Wells, 76, of Pineview, Georgia, had died when the Toyota Camry he was driving on Highway 341 struck a Waste Management truck that was stopped conducting a trash pickup.

Wells was pronounced dead on scene by Houston Emergency Medical Services personnel.

The collision is under investigation.

Anyone with information regarding this traffic collision is being asked to contact the Houston County Sheriffs Office Traffic Division at 478-542-2080.
Man dies almost three months after being shot in Northwest DC

WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said a man who was injured in a shooting in January died from his injuries on April 29.

Police said that on January 30 at about 4:00 p.m., they responded to the intersection of Q Street and Connecticut Avenue for the report of a shooting.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man inside a car who had been shot.

Police investigating stabbing in Woodbridge

The man was transported to the hospital where he died almost three months later. He was identified as 28-year-old Rasheek Abdullah, of Northeast.

Police said a 56-year-old man was arrested and charged with Assault with Intent Kill on April 15, 2024.

Officers said they are working with the United States Attorneys Office to update the charges.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that after a positive vote in the U.S. Congress, military aid has already begun to arrive in Ukraine. At the same time, the head of state emphasized that our defenders have not yet received all the necessary tools to fight the invaders.

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Zelenskyy emphasized that not all brigades are equipped with weapons yet. The President said this at a press conference following a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

"Something has started to arrive, I will not say in detail what exactly. Unfortunately, not everything is yet available to fill our army and staff the appropriate number of brigades," Zelenskyy said.

At the same time, the Head of State noted that the security guarantee agreements have significantly helped Ukraine over the past six months. According to him, it was thanks to these agreements that our country received the means to protect itself from Russian terrorist attacks.

"As for our security assurance documents, they have helped us a lot, especially at a time when we were expecting support from the United States, these packages helped us. I think you understand the cost of air defense. I will tell you honestly that at this time, the systems or parts of systems that have been coming in the last six months, they have been coming in thanks to the funding that was specified in the nine security assurance agreements. It really helped us," the president said.

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As a reminder, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived on a visit to Ukraine on Monday, April 29. In Kyiv, he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss military support for the Ukrainian state.

As OBOZ.UA previously reported, after Biden signed the law on assistance to Ukraine, the Pentagon announced the content of a new arms package for the Ukrainian army. It includes air defense systems, artillery shells, armored vehicles, anti-tank weapons, and ATACMS missiles.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis man is accused of using a stolen car and working with others to commit three business burglaries in January 2023.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the burglaries took place in the early hours of January 5.

Police claim Andre J. King III, 18, and three others broke into the Midwest Petroleum in the 2100 block of Chouteau Avenue just before 4 a.m. and stole various items.

Around 4:40 a.m., King and the others broke into Evangelines and Cocina Latina in the 500 block of North Euclid Avenue and ransacked both businesses.

Police claim surveillance video at each location ties the four suspects to the crimes. They were also seen driving a silver Hyundai Sonata.

Man charged in fatal DWI crash on I-55 near Meramec Bottom

About 15 minutes after the last two burglaries, officers spotted the Sonata near the intersection of St. Louis Avenue and Kingshighway Boulevard and attempted to make a traffic stop. The Sonata fled but was eventually abandoned in the 3900 block of Sherman Place.

Police arrested King in the 3900 block of Kossuth Avenue. Investigators claim to have recovered three firearms near the scene and found stolen merchandise inside the Sonata, which itself had been reported stolen prior to the burglaries.

Police and prosecutors claim an Instagram Live video posted hours before the burglaries shows King driving the stolen Sonata with the other suspects in the vehicle. The suspects can be seen brandishing firearms that were identical to those recovered at the scene of the arrest.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged King with three counts of first-degree burglary, three counts of armed criminal action, first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, second-degree tampering with motor vehicle, and resisting arrest.

King was released on bond on April 25. Hes due back in court on May 20.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
MARLBORO COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A 23-year-old man on Monday was charged with murder in connection with a deadly 2022 shooting at a Bennettsville-area nightclub, the Marlboro County Sheriffs Office said.

Cody Wayne Erwin of Bennettsville was charged with murder in the shooting death of Lancetausha Pouncy.

The shooting happened at about 2:40 a.m. July 24, 2022, at the Spot Night Club, the sheriffs office said. Deputies responded for multiple people being shot, and when they arrived, they learned all gunshot victims had been taken to area hospitals by personal vehicles.

Pouncy, one of four people wounded in the shooting, died of her injuries shortly after it, deputies said. The sheriffs office contacted the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to process the scene at the club.

Deputies also obtained security footage which captured the shooting and the suspects, one of which was later identified as Erwin, the sheriffs office said. Three days later, Erwin was found at a gas station sitting in a vehicle and was placed under arrest. Deputies also found a handgun where he was sitting, which was seized for comparison with evidence SLED had previously collected.

Over the next few months, investigators made more arrests and interviewed witnesses and surviving victims, according to the sheriffs office, which said it received SLEDs analysis report this month from the items recovered from the scene, including the gun seized from Erwin during his arrest, which resulted in him being charged with murder.

Erwins initial appearance on the murder charge was at 3 p.m. Monday afternoon, the sheriffs office said. During the court hearing, there was a disturbance involving a family member of the decedent, who allegedly became disorderly and aggressive. They were arrested shortly after the hearing.

* * *

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.
Man got $271,000 in disability while repairing and flipping homes in Florida, feds say

A man collected thousands in disability checks without mentioning he held five real estate brokers licenses in Florida and made money repairing and flipping houses, according to federal prosecutors.

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board started paying the man, a former railroad worker, after he claimed he couldnt work since 1995 due to a physical disability, according to court documents.

The Sarasota resident qualified for a total and permanent disability annuity in December 1995, then went on to work in multiple capacities, prosecutors said.

Hes accused of stealing $271,124 in disability payments he wasnt entitled to over the span of several years, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Now, the 68-year-old real estate broker has pleaded guilty in Tampa federal court to theft of government funds, the U.S. attorneys office announced in an April 29 news release.

The mans defense attorney, Mark P. Rankin, didnt immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News on April 29.

Despite receiving yearly notices that reminded the man to report any work, he didnt do so, according to prosecutors.

While receiving disability checks, the man was the registered agent or officer of at least 22 businesses, worked as a community association manager for several condo associations and did business in real estate, according to his plea agreement.

Prosecutors said he had five real estate brokers licenses at the same time  all of which are active as of April 29, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation records show.

He was also buying and renovating properties for profit, which he did not report, prosecutors said.

On the mans LinkedIn account, he lists himself as a broker for White Sands Realty Group since 2009.

According to his plea agreement, he earned $344,000 from White Sands Realty Group from 2012 to 2019, and also earned $300,000 from his other businesses during the same time.

When the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board directly asked him about whether he was working, he provided false, incomplete, and misleading answers, prosecutors said.

The man is facing up to 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. attorneys office. His sentencing hearing hasnt been scheduled.

On April 29, the government filed a motion for an order of forfeiture that seeks to recover the total amount of stolen disability benefits.

The man agreed that the government is entitled to forfeit his property since he no longer has the $271,124 he wrongly collected from the Railroad Retirement Board, the motion shows.

McClatchy News contacted the Railroad Retirement Board for comment on April 29 and didnt receive an immediate response.

USPS worker got $500K in disability for injuries  but vacationed and exercised, feds say

Postal worker got $156K in disability for injury  but was caught at Disney, feds say

Men use dead womans Social Security benefits to pay Florida vacation home bills, feds say

Supervisor stole $110,000 and splurged on trips to Disney and SeaWorld, feds say
BALTIMORE  A Baltimore County jury has found a man guilty of manslaughter in a 2020 fatal shooting, after the man, who was a minor at the time, successfully appealed a murder conviction in the case.

Gary Melvin, 30, was killed by a single gunshot during the Aug. 16, 2020, shooting at an Exxon gas station in Reisterstown.

Baltimore County Police charged Xavier Damon Byrd, 16 at the time, and an 18-year-old with murder in connection to Melvins shooting death.

A county jury convicted Byrd, who is 20 now, of manslaughter, use of a firearm in a felony or crime of violence, and possession of a firearm as a minor at the end of his second trial on those charges on Thursday, according to online court records. He faces more than 30 years in prison  and at least a decade behind bars without the chance for parole  at sentencing in July.

A spokesperson for the Office of the Public Defender, which represented Byrd, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Byrd and the other man previously went to trial in September 2021. The case of Byrds co-defendant no longer appears in online court records, suggesting he was acquitted of the charges. Byrd, however, was convicted of second-degree murder and firearms offenses. A judge later sentenced him to 35 years in prison.

But Byrd appealed his conviction, arguing to the Maryland Appellate Court that Baltimore County Circuit Judge John J. Nagle should have instructed the jury about imperfect self defense and allowed jurors to consider the charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Imperfect self defense postulates that someones actions were somewhat justified, but that they used more force than was reasonable during the encounter. If a jury finds a homicide was partially justified by self defense, it is required to return a verdict of manslaughter rather than first- or second-degree murder.

In Byrds case, a three-judge panel on the appellate court agreed with his argument. In a split, 2-1 ruling, they ordered Byrd receive a new trial.

The trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on imperfect self-defense, appellate Judge Andrea M. Leahy wrote for the majority. Mr. Byrd met the low threshold required to generate an instruction on this issue and we must conclude that the trial courts failure to instruct the jury constituted reversible error.

At his first trial, prosecutors argued Byrd shot Melvin in a robbery. Defense attorneys countered it was botched drug deal.

Byrds attorneys relied on security camera footage to argue the jury could find the shooting to be partially justified.

According to the appellate court opinion, the footage showed Byrd and Melvin get out of the same SUV. The older and heavier Melvin approached Byrd, who weighed 140 pounds then, and appeared ready to throw a punch, Byrds attorney argued. Thats when Byrd fired once, striking Melvin in the abdomen.

At trial, Nagle said he wouldnt give an instruction on imperfect self defense because there was no evidence that Byrd was afraid  part of the legal standard.

Two of the appeals court judges determined that a jury could have found that Byrd believed he was at imminent risk of severe bodily injury or death. They relied on more than the security footage to reach that conclusion, citing testimony about the weight disparity, evidence that Melvin was under the influence of drugs and a witnesss testimony that there was commotion.

Although we in no way mean to denigrate Mr. Melvin, we must observe that in context a lanky sixteen-year-old such as Mr. Byrd could very well have been in actual fear of the older narcotics dealer advancing towards him and shouting at him while under the influence of numerous substances, Leahy wrote.

Appellate Judge Donald E. Beachley disagreed, authoring a dissenting opinion.

I acknowledge that Mr. Byrd could very well have been in actual fear, but that would be pure speculation because there was no evidence that he actually was in fear of serious bodily injury or death at the time he fired his gun, Beachley wrote.

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Man killed in overnight shooting in northwest Atlanta, police say

The Atlanta Police Department is investigating an overnight shooting that left a 61-year-old man dead.

Police say just after 10 p.m., they responded to 2195 Ajax Drive in northwest Atlanta for a person shot call. When they arrived, police say they found a 61-year-old man with a gunshot wound.

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The man, according to police was not alert, conscious, or breathing and was pronounced dead on scene.

Police say their investigation is ongoing.

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Man sets wife and himself on fire in Texas murder-suicide with sons inside, cops say

Authorities in Texas are investigating after they say a man killed his wife and then himself.

Harris County Sheriffs deputies were called to a home just before 2 a.m. April 29, according to KPRC. Authorities found the home on fire, and firefighters found the bodies of the couple.

According to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez on X, formerly Twitter, a man at the home set his wife on fire before setting himself on fire. Gonzalez said the fatal fire stemmed from a domestic violence incident.

The 63-year-old man turned off the power in the house, leading to an argument between him and his 59-year-old wife, KHOU reported. The argument escalated, and the couples 21- and 28-year-old sons woke up to the sound of their mother screaming in the garage.

The sons found her on fire and tried to put out the flames, but the fire began to spread in the garage, so they ran outside, officials told KPRC. Then they heard their father screaming.

Gonzalez said the couple was pronounced dead at the scene, and the sons were not harmed.

If you are experiencing domestic violence and need someone to talk to, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

Ex-boyfriend killed woman sitting next to police car, SC cops say. Hes prison-bound

Mom of 2 killed by husband one day before divorce is finalized, Colorado officials say

Husband shoots wife, then chases ambulance taking her to a hospital, Florida cops say
Mans body pulled from Folsom Lake after going missing on Sunday

(FOX40.COM)  A mans body was pulled from Folsom Lake on Monday afternoon after he had gone missing while paddle boarding on Sunday, according to California State Parks.

CSP officers resumed their search on Monday morning with the aid of the Placer County Sheriffs Office and the California Highway Patrol Valley Division Air Operations.

Hammer-wielding suspects try to rob Rocklin Walmart, police say

The body of the 53-year-old man was found around 1 p.m. by searchers and the Placer County Sheriffs Office is now in charge of the death investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
An Orange County Registrar of Voters election services worker stands by as the media gets a view of a new voting site ahead of the 2020 election. ( Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Alex Lopez doesn't contest that Joe Biden was elected president in 2020.

His concern lies with how those results came to be.

"By the numbers? He absolutely won it. Ethically? Probably not," said the 38-year-old Anaheim resident, who works as a logistics coordinator.

Questions about the integrity of the election process have been stoked nationally for years, in large part because of former President Trump's claims that victory was stolen from him.

The same goes for Orange County, where 26% of adults surveyed in a UC Irvine poll released this month said they did not believe Biden legitimately won the presidency in 2020, with another 17% unsure about the question.

In a purple county with several key races that could help determine the balance of power in Congress, these doubts could cause voters to stay home in November  particularly conservative voters.

A majority of the O.C. Republicans surveyed for the poll  55%  thought Biden had not won fairly, while most Democrats  88%  believed the election results.

A majority of people surveyed who aren't members of either party said Biden won legitimately. However, 23% said he didn't, and the same percentage didn't know.

"Distrust in the election system may very well convince some people not to participate, and what we're seeing is that people who distrust it more tend to skew to the right, and so that would hurt Republicans," said Jon Gould, dean of the UCI School of Social Ecology, who spearheaded the poll.

Read more: Shasta County ditched its Dominion voting machines. Now, residents are braced for turmoil on Nov. 7

The issue has played out locally in Huntington Beach, a longtime GOP stronghold that in recent years  along with the rest of the county  has grown more politically and demographically diverse. This has led to friction among residents and politicians with opposing political views.

In March, voters approved a measure allowing the city to require that voters show government-issued photo identification, beginning in 2026.

Huntington Beach Councilman Tony Strickland and Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark wrote in support of the ballot measure that voters "deserve the right to know that our elections are secure."

"It is crucial for our democracy that voters have faith in our election results. That trust in the outcome of elections comes into question when we cant always be certain who is voting," they wrote.

California law requires residents to verify their identities when they register to vote and imposes criminal penalties for fraudulent registration. The state does not ask for photo identification at the polls, but voters are required to provide their names and addresses.

This month, California sued Huntington Beach over its new law. Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said during a news conference that the photo identification requirement "is not only misguided  it is blatantly and flatly illegal."

Election skepticism in O.C. may be lower than in some other parts of the country. In a national poll conducted by the Washington Post and the University of Maryland last December, 36% of respondents said Biden's victory was not legitimate.

But in the highly competitive Orange County congressional races, particularly the 47th and 45th districts, where a few votes could sway the outcome, the repercussions could be far-reaching.

In the 45th District, Democrat Derek Tran is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Michelle Steel. In the 47th District, which runs largely along the coast, Democrat state Sen. Dave Min and Republican Scott Baugh are facing off to replace Democratic Rep. Katie Porter.

As for the presidential rematch between Biden and Trump, there is little suspense in California because of its deep blue population in urban areas.

Still, Trump asserted in a speech at the GOP California Convention in Anaheim last year that "we would win California in a general election if they didn't have a rigged voting system." He alleged that people are getting five or six ballots mailed to them.

"Nobody knows where they're going, who they're going to, who signs them, who delivers them and who the hell counts them? Nobody knows," he said.

Read more: Lawsuits over voting in multiple states create shadow war for the 2024 election

The widespread use of vote-by-mail ballots, which began during the pandemic and has remained popular, has altered the pattern of vote counting as results trickle in, fueling beliefs that something nefarious is afoot.

"Trump was winning on election night, and then as more and more votes were counted, he began to lose, and that looks to some people like someone's been tweaking the election results, as opposed to people for the first time being exposed to vote by mail," Gould, of UCI, said.

Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page started conducting open tours of the ballot counting operation in Santa Ana during the 2022 midterms in an effort to show people the process and alleviate concerns.

But election skepticism and allegations of a "rigged" voting system have persisted.

Read more: California sues Huntington Beach over 'blatantly and flatly illegal' voter ID law

The economy, abortion, foreign policy and immigration remain top issues for Orange County voters this cycle, according to the UC Irvine poll. The economy is among the top issues for both Democrat and Republican voters.

Democrats rank abortion as the third most important issue, behind checking a Trump presidency from "going too far" and the economy. Republicans rank the economy and situation at the border as their first and second most important issues.

Lopez, who is a nonaffiliated voter, said he worries about issues like ballot harvesting  particularly affecting people who might be susceptible to outside pressure  that he fears could skew election results.

He also has concerns about the "motor voter" system, in which Californians applying for or updating a driver's license are automatically registered to vote, unless they opt out. In 2018  the year the system rolled out in California  roughly 1,500 people, including noncitizens, were wrongly registered to vote.

"I would love to hear the government and states come out and say, 'Hey, you know what, these are the concerns from a lot of people, and we're going to put some stopgaps in there,'" Lopez said.

Lopez, who ranks the economy as a top issue, still plans to vote. He is still researching candidates in all the races but said he's leaning toward Trump for president.

Others disillusioned with the voting process might choose to sit this one out.

"By selling doubts in the election, there is an interesting question as to whether Republicans and Trump in particular are sowing the seeds for their own defeat," Gould said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Metal shavings in contaminated fuel, incorrectly assembled parts, and a plastic scraper protruding from a wing fold were among the faults discovered in five new F-35C Joint Strike Fighters delivered to a U.S. Marine Corps fighter squadron in California in 2023, according to a memo obtained by Defense News.

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311, or VMFA-311, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego discovered an array of problems with its Lockheed Martin-made F-35s that ultimately required more than 700 hours of work to fix and wasted more than 169,000 pounds of fuel, the Jan. 7 memo said.

On Dec. 7, for instance, a plastic scraper was discovered protruding from the wing fold of one of the squadrons jets, after the jet had flown, the memo noted. The 5.5-inch scraper was discovered during a post-flight inspection on the jet and fell to the ground.

The F-35C is the Joint Strike Fighter variant flown by the Navy and Marine Corps, and each plane costs $94.4 million. It can take off from and land on aircraft carriers, and its wingtips are able to fold up to allow more compact storage on aircraft carriers.

The memo was written by VMFA-311 commander Lt. Col. Michael Fisher, who described a pattern of persistent aircraft delivery discrepancies and premature component failures occurring at Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311. Fishers memo was approved by Col. William Mitchell, commander of Marine Aircraft Group 11.

F-35 readiness continues to plague the Marine Corps and degrade our ability to be the nations stand-in force, Fisher wrote. The number of failed components, expended man-hours and lost sorties is unacceptable to maintain a baseline level of proficiency and consistency at the operational level. An F-35 ready room and maintenance department needs to believe in the quality and production of each F-35 aircraft.

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Michael Fisher, the commanding officer Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311, delivers remarks during a reactivation ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California on April 14, 2023. In a January memo obtained by Defense News, Fisher raised alarms about the quality of F-35C Joint Strike Fighters the revamped squadron had received from Lockheed Martin's factory. (Chief Warrant Officer 2 Trent Randolph/U.S. Marine Corps)

The severity and scope of the problems the memo described are very surprising and frankly disturbing, said Dan Grazier, a former analyst for the watchdog group Project on Government Oversight who specializes in defense programs.

Multiple flaws tallied

The quality problems and foreign object debris discovered in these five F-35s snarled the Marine Corps effort to stand up VMFA-311, nicknamed the Tomcats, as its second F-35C squadron. The jets had total flight hours ranging between 14 and 157, according to the memo, which was sent to the commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Maj. Gen. Michael Borgschulte.

The Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 was previously known as Marine Attack Squadron 311, which flew AV-8 Harriers, and the Corps redesignated it as an F-35C unit in April 2023. Then in September, the service declared the squadron safe for flight, meaning it had the necessary maintenance programs, processes and trained Marines on hand to be able to conduct flight operations.

But as the revamped squadron began to receive its new F-35Cs, it became apparent each had something wrong with them, according to the memo.

Marine Aircraft Group 11 received the F-35s directly from Lockheed Martins factory, and VMFA-311 then conducted acceptance inspections.

All five jets had fuel contaminated with Krytox, a high-temperature lubricating grease, the memo said, and three jets also had metal shavings in their fuel. The jets had to be defueled and refueled two or three times to get the fuel quality up to an acceptable level, with the jets that had metal shavings requiring an extra defueling cycle, the memo added.

Fisher, the VMFA-311 commander, wrote that this meant the squadron had to dispose of more than 169,000 pounds of contaminated fuel.

The seals and segments on multiple jets were not installed correctly, the memo said, and needed to be removed and reorganized.

And multiple parts in the jets  including power and thermal management system controllers, electronic units, and an electric-hydrostatic actuator on a jets trailing edge flap  failed, forcing the squadron to remove and replace them, the memo added.

One jets left main gear brake assembly also failed, another fighters panoramic cockpit display failed and yet another jets backup oxygen system bottle was leaking, the memo stated. All components also needed to be removed and replaced.

This is not an all-inclusive list and other component failures have occurred since this report, Fisher wrote.

In a statement to Defense News, Lockheed Martin said it is working closely with the Marine Corps, the governments F-35 Joint Program Office and the Defense Contract Management Agency to address concerns raised in the memo.

We take pride in the quality of the aircraft we deliver to customers around the world and assess all reported customer feedback on production quality and parts reliability, the companys statement said.

Lockheed Martin said it averages fewer than one missed production quality problem per F-35. The company said it closely monitors the reliability of F-35 parts and works with the joint program office to fix parts that fail early. Lockheed Martin also said parts on the F-35 typically last twice as long as those on fourth-generation jets.

The F-35 Joint Program Office declined to comment about the memo and VMFA-311s F-35s, but said it takes steps to fix problems with new jets delivered to units.

The JPO and DCMA have various means and teams that are engaged on a recurring basis with industry to evaluate and work corrective actions for quality issues that are reported from the field, the office said.

Asked whether Lockheed Martin covers the costs of repairs or maintenance stemming from issues found in factory-delivered jets, the office said: Costs of repairs or maintenance depend on the specific issue.

The Marine Corps declined to speak to Defense News, saying it would not comment on documents that havent been officially released.

The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing declined to comment on the maintenance issues described in the memo, citing operational security.

Fisher said that to make sure such problems are promptly fixed in the future, a direct communication line should be set up between the F-35 Joint Program Office and Lockheed Martin to those units accepting new F-35s, with responses coming no more than 24 hours after a unit reports a problem.

This needs to be in addition to and outside of the standard action request and occurrence reporting process already in place, he wrote, which seldomly provides timely feedback or external assistance to repair gripes recorded by the accepting unit.

Fisher also noted Lockheed Martin should be accountable and responsible for aircraft discrepancies found during the units acceptance process and functional flight check. Furthermore, he explained, problems discovered with newly accepted aircraft, including premature component failures, need to be relayed across the entire F-35 fleet, including to other services and units.

Bloomberg in October reported another Marine Corps unit  Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 542 at Cherry Point, North Carolina  had to repair four F-35Bs shortly after arriving.

Grazier said its hard to tell whether the reported problems with new F-35s at VMFA-311 are simply a bad batch of problematic jets or a sign of a deeper problem.

But the fact that all five of this squadrons aircraft have shown up from the factory with problems like this  that certainly indicates a pattern, Grazier said. It should be addressed immediately.

The problems  particularly the massive amounts of contaminated fuel that had to be disposed of  also represent a waste of taxpayer money and Marines time and effort, he added. Grazier said a program such as the F-35, which has been in the works since 2001, should have been able to work out such quality issues a long time ago.

Were still dealing with problems like this, he added. Thats not the way this process is supposed to work.
FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW)  A Marion County man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to multiple drug charges, the U.S. Department of Justice said Monday.

Tyquan Raheem Bellamy, 30, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and marijuana.

Court evidence showed that on Jan. 15, 2022, Latta police officers made a traffic stop on Bellamys vehicle, the DOJ said. As they approached it, they smelled marijuana and saw a trash bag between Bellamys feet.

A search of the trash bag found about 25 grams of marijuana divided amongst several baggies, according to the DOJ. Officers also found a loaded 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and two additional magazines as well as pills that contained methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Bellamy was sentenced to 180 months in prison to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision.

The case was investigated by Latta police, the Florence County Sheriffs Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the ATF.

* * *

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.
A 57-year-old Russian citizen suspected of murdering two Ukrainian soldiers in Germany is a fan of Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin. It turned out that the attacker was also a well-known person in pro-Putin circles.

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This was reported by Serhii Sumlennyi, director of the Center for European Resilience Initiative in Berlin, on the Kyiv24 TV channel. He noted that even despite the law banning anti-Ukrainian sentiment in Germany, pro-Putin Russians continue to promote Kremlin narratives.

"The police in Germany are not very active in disseminating information. This is a normal practice for investigations. What we know now is already more than the police usually disseminate. We know who this man is who was detained for the murder of Ukrainian soldiers. We know that he is 57 years old," he said.

Sumlennyi emphasized that there are a significant number of anti-Ukrainian Russians in Germany, who even unite in certain groups. And the suspect in the murder of Ukrainians is a well-known figure in pro-Putin circles.

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"There are many of them in Germany. He was a member of many of these communities and even openly wore chevrons with the letter "Z". They are proud of this. In Germany, the display of these symbols is prohibited. But in fact, this law does not work," he added.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on Saturday, April 27, in the Bavarian city of Murnau am Staffelsee, Ukrainian army servicemen were killed. Both victims, born in 1987 and 2001, were undergoing medical rehabilitation in Germany.

On Sunday, April 28, the Russian was notified of being suspected of murder. The court chose arrest as a measure of restraint. As of the evening of April 28, the Russian citizen was in custody.

The information was confirmed by the sources of Ukrainian journalist Andrii Tsapliienko.

Ukrainians in Murnau, who saw the victims just a few hours before the tragedy, claim that they knew these guys and that they were never drunk. But the Russian Z-fan has repeatedly provoked other Ukrainian refugees and even threatened them with physical violence because of his beliefs.

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted to the murder of two Ukrainian soldiers in Germany.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
MARSHALL, Texas (KETK)  Authorities in Marshall said they are investigating a homicide after a 13-year-old died from gunshot wounds on Sunday.

According to police, multiple gunshots were reported in the 1100 block of Sanford Street around 2:22 a.m. on Sunday with callers stating about 20 to 30 shots were fired.

Officials say Tyler Dairy Queen caught on fire after lightning strike

A 13-year-old boy was found at the scene critically injured, and authorities said CPR was immediately given. The teen was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries later that afternoon.

It is believed that this incident stemmed from an earlier confrontation on Olive Street, officials with police said. We urge the community to come together during this challenging time. If you have any information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, please come forward so that those responsible can be held accountable for their actions.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575 or an anonymous tip can be sent to Crime Stoppers at 903-935-9969.

The loss of a young life is a tragedy that deeply affects our community, officials said. We are committed to thoroughly investigating this incident and ensuring that justice is served.

Photo courtesy of Marshall ISD.

Marshall ISD in a release said they are deeply saddened by the loss of junior high student Tristan Phelps, and a counseling team will be available at both Marshall Junior High and Price T. Young Fine Arts Academy to talk with and support those who knew him.

Those who want their child to speak with a crisis counselor is asked by the district to contact their childs campus principal or counselor.

Tristian will be greatly missed by his peers and teachers, officials said. Please keep Tristians family and friends in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Maryland State Police (MSP) said a man from Prince Georges County was arrested and charged with having and distributing child pornography.

Man sentenced for raping 70-year-old woman in Rockville hotel

Timothy Walton, 57, of Capitol Heights, was charged with four counts of possession and one count of distribution of child pornography, according to MSP.

MSP arrested Walton a little after 5:45 a.m. Monday and he was taken to the MSP Forestville Barrack to be processed. He was served a search warrant and multiple images of child pornography were found on his electronic devices, according to MSP.

The case was still being investigated.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
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, national political reporter Bridget Bowman notes how four House Republicans who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker are now facing primary challenges. Plus, senior political editor Mark Murray breaks down how voters have a rosier view of Donald Trump's presidency than Joe Biden's.

Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here.

Gaetz becomes latest McCarthy defector to draw a primary challenger

By Bridget Bowman

The decision nearly seven months ago to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker has already had lasting implications on Capitol Hill. Now that move is making its way to the campaign trail, looming over several primaries that could help shape the GOPs future in the House.

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz became the latest House Republican who voted to remove McCarthy to draw a primary challenger. Aaron Dimmock, a former Navy aviator, according to the Pensacola News Journal, filed to run against Gaetz on Friday, just ahead of the deadline to enter the race.

Do you have a news tip? Let us know

Gaetz, McCarthys chief agitator, wasted little time attempting to tie Dimmock to the California Republican, posting on X that McCarthy would be getting a puppet of his to run.

Gaetz also said in a statement to NBC News: Im excited to welcome Missouri-based DEI instructor Aaron Dimmock to the campaign. Aaron is not in Kansas City anymore. This is Trump Country. Our pronouns are USA and MAGA.

Dimmock did not respond to a request for comment. Although he put a Florida address on his campaign filing, the form of identification was listed as a Missouri drivers license.

Of the eight House Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy last year, six are seeking re-election. And four of them are now facing primary challengers: Reps. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia, Eli Crane of Arizona, and Gaetz. All four seats are in Republican territory, so the winner of the primary will be favored in the general election.

Earlier this month, an outside group tied to a McCarthy ally went up on the airwaves with ads targeting Mace, Good and Crane. Gaetz and Crane wont face their primaries until late summer, while Mace and Good have their primaries in mid-June.

They arent the only incumbents facing primaries this year. Gaetz himself has backed challengers looking to take down his own GOP colleagues, endorsing Republicans running against Reps. Tony Gonzales of Texas and William Timmons of South Carolina. He also endorsed former state Sen. Darren Bailey, who lost a primary race against Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois last month.

Its not unusual for more centrist lawmakers, like Gonzales, to face primary challengers from the right. But the fact that some of the hard-right Republicans are also facing intraparty opposition shows that the Republican establishment is gearing up for a fight over the direction of the party.

And neither side is backing down.

These are the poll numbers that should worry Biden the most

By Mark Murray

The recent 2024 polls have been all over the place. But taken together, they still confirm just how competitive  and relatively stable  the contest between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump remains with nearly six months to go until Election Day.

CNNs latest national poll found Trump up by 6 points (though still within the margin of error). NBC News survey had Trump ahead by 2 points, while Marist had Biden leading by 3 points (both within the margin of error). And polls from Quinnipiac University and the Pew Research Center showed essentially a tied race.

And the battleground state polling  especially in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin  is just as close.

No matter the survey you pick, the new polls underscore that voters continue to have fonder memories of Trumps presidency than they do of Bidens  and that maybe should concern Bidens re-election campaign more than any horse-race result out there.

Take the CNN poll, for example, which finds 55% of Americans saying that Trumps presidency was a success, versus 39% who said the same of Bidens presidency.

More strikingly, 61% in the CNN poll believe Bidens presidency has been a failure, compared with 44% who say that about Trumps presidency.

Or look at last weeks national NBC News poll, which showed Trump holding a 7-point lead over which candidate had the stronger record of accomplishment (46% of voters chose Trump, while 39% chose Biden).

Or consider the Pew poll, which found 42% of voters saying Trump was a good or great president, versus 28% who said the same about Biden.

Or even take the CBS News battleground poll of Michigan, which had Biden ahead by 2 points among likely voters in the state, but also showed 62% saying the condition of Michigans economy under Trump was very or fairly good, compared with 38% who say the same of Michigans economy today.

The glass-half-full-news for Biden is that he has a strong story to tell voters  with the unemployment rate at a historically low level and hundreds of thousands of jobs being created each month.

Team Biden can also remind voters about the millions of jobs lost during Trumps final year as president, when Covid wrecked the labor market. The Biden campaign has aired TV ads attacking Trumps handling of the economy.

Still, voters consistently say they have sunny perceptions of Trumps presidency and cloudy views of Bidens. Thats more revealing than any horse-race poll.

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
Deputy Agricultural Minister Markiian Dmytrasevych, who is one of the suspects in an illegal land acquisition case involving Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi, returned to Ukraine from abroad, Ukrainian media outlet Hromadske reported on April 29, citing a statement from the Agriculture Ministry.

Dmytrasevych was revealed as one of the suspects on April 24 when Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court postponed the hearing due to Solskyi allegedly being called to Ukraine's parliament.

Law enforcement services did not hand Dmytrasevych a suspicion notice as he was abroad on a business trip. Dmytrasevych left Ukraine on April 12.

The Agriculture Ministry said that Dmytrasevych had stayed in Skopje in North Makedonia from April 12 to 21 and then traveled to Brussels as part of an official delegation. He was meant to stay in Belgium until April 28 but returned earlier, according to the ministry.

The ministry claimed that Dmytrasevych notified Ukraine's Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) about his trip and said he would return to Ukraine afterward.

SAPO did not provide further details to Hromadske and said that the investigation is ongoing.

Solskyi is suspected of illegally appropriating Ukrainian state-owned land worth Hr 291 million ($7.3 million) and attempting to seize another plot worth an additional Hr 190 million ($4.8 million), according to Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU).

Ukraine's High Anti-Corruption Court ordered the arrest of the minister on April 26. Solskyi was ordered to be held in custody until June 24, but he posted a Hr 75.7 million ($1.9 million) bail on the same day and was released.

The ministry later reported that Solskyi returned to perform his work duties despite the news of his announced resignation.

Read also: Ex-defense ministry officials formally accused of embezzlement

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The wife of Russian politician Sergey Mironov forcibly took a Ukrainian girl and boy from occupied Kherson to adopt them, but abandoned the boy after it became clear he had ill health, Ukrainian news outlet TSN reported on April 28.

News emerged in November 2023 that Mironov, a leader of a Russian political party and a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, together with his wife, Inna Varlamova, had adopted a girl who had been removed from a children's home in Kherson while the city was under Russian occupation.

Mironov and Varlamova named the girl Marina Mironova, but her real name is Marharyta Prokopenko. Marharyta's sister, Anya, is being raised by her godmother, who is the legal guardian of the children, TSN said.

Ukraine demands that Russia ensure "the urgent return of Marharyta to her sister and, thus, the reunification of a Ukrainian family," Ukraine's Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets told TSN.

According to TSN, Mironov and his wife also planned to illegally adopt a Ukrainian boy named Illia Vashchenko.

Ten-month-old Marharyta and two-year-old Illia were among around 50 children who went missing from Kherson Regional Children's Home when Russian forces took control of the city at the start of the full-scale invasion.

Both children were taken to Moscow in September 2022, but Varlamova abandoned the boy in October 2022 when it became clear he had health issues, TSN reported.

The Ukrainian authorities have no information about where the boy is now, TSN said.

The Ukrainian government has identified over 19,500 children who have been deported or forcibly displaced by Russia, less than 400 of whom have been returned to Ukraine.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova in March 2023 for their role in overseeing the forced deportations of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Read also: Abducting the future: How Ukrainian parents fight to rescue their children from Russia

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The wife of Russian politician Sergey Mironov forcibly took a Ukrainian girl and boy from occupied Kherson to adopt them, but abandoned the boy after it became clear he had ill health, Ukrainian news outlet TSN reported on April 28.

News emerged in November 2023 that Mironov, a leader of a Russian political party and a staunch ally of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, together with his wife, Inna Varlamova, had adopted a two-year-old girl who had been removed from a children's home in Kherson while the city was under Russian occupation.

Mironov and Varlamova named the girl Marina Mironova, but her real name is Marharyta Prokopenko. Marharyta's sister, Anya, is being raised by her godmother, who would like to raise the sisters together, TSN said.

Ukraine demands that Russia ensure "the urgent return of Marharyta to her sister and, thus, the reunification of a Ukrainian family," Ukraine's Chief Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets told TSN.

According to TSN, Mironov and his wife also planned to illegally adopt a Ukrainian boy named Illia Vashchenko.

Ten-month-old Marharyta and two-year-old Illia were among around 50 children who went missing from Kherson Regional Children's Home when Russian forces took control of the city at the start of the full-scale invasion.

Both children were taken to Moscow in September 2022, but Varlamova abandoned the boy in October 2022 when it became clear he had health issues, TSN reported.

According to TSN, Varlamova complained that the Kherson orphanage gave her a "low-quality child."

The Ukrainian authorities have no information about where the boy is now, TSN said.

The Ukrainian government has identified over 19,500 children who have been deported or forcibly displaced by Russia, less than 400 of whom have been returned to Ukraine.

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russian official Maria Lvova-Belova in March 2023 for their role in overseeing the forced deportations of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Read also: Abducting the future: How Ukrainian parents fight to rescue their children from Russia

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Through open-source research, Mediazona, a Russian independent media outlet, together with BBC Russia, confirmed the names of 51,679 Russian soldiers who had been killed since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Since Mediazona's last update in mid-April, the names of 1,208 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.

The journalists specify that the actual figures are likely considerably higher since the information they have verified so far comes from public sources, including obituaries, posts by relatives, regional media news, and local authorities' reports.

Since Russia began its all-out war against Ukraine, over 3,400 officers, with 395 holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or higher have been killed in combat in Ukraine.

To date, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsokov, Russia's deputy commander of the Southern Military District, is the highest-ranking Russian military official to have been killed during the war.

The analysts note that at least 10,500 Russian inmates have been killed on the frontline.

On Feb. 24, in a joint study with independent Russian media outlet Meduza, Mediazona reported that at least 83,000 Russian soldiers had been killed in Russia's war, although total estimates of Russia's casualties since the full-scale invasion vary widely.

President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed in February 2024 that 180,000 Russians had been killed in the war. He added that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have also been killed. Zelensky said that the exact number is unknown, and it would only be possible to find out once the territories occupied by Russia were liberated.

As of April 28, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces says that Russia has lost 466,150 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022 - a number referring to the total number of killed and wounded.

The number is seemingly in line with estimates from the U.K.'s Minister of State for the Armed Forces Leo Docherty who said on April 27 that the killed and wounded total approximately 450,000 Russian soldiers.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian forces retreat from 3 villages as Russia gains foothold on eastern front





Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Meet the 3 Republican candidates in the May 21 primary for Oregon Secretary of State

Republicans Tim McCloud, Brent Barker and Dennis Linthicum are running in the May 21 primary election for Oregon Secretary of State.

Three Republicans are running in the May 21 primary election to for Oregon Secretary of State.

They are Brent Barker, a small business owner; Dennis Linthicum, a state senator representing Klamath County and portions of Deschutes and Jackson, and a former Klamath County Commissioner; and Tim McCloud, elections chair for the Oregon Republican Party and an analyst in business development and information systems.

The winner of the primary will advance to the November general election against the winner of the Democratic primary for Secretary of State, who is responsible for overseeing elections, performing state audits, and managing various records. The Secretary of State also serves on the three-member State Land Board with the governor and treasurer, and as chair of the Oregon Board of Sustainability and Environment.

The candidates state varying reasons for running for Secretary of State.

Barker said he decided to run after observing what he called the decay, litter and disregard for private and public property in Oregon the last 20 years.

Linthicum, who is barred from running in the legislature after missing more than 10 floor sessions during the 2023 session, says on his website that his candidacy represents a need for the state to push "beyond the status-quo mentality."

McCloud said he identified with the hardships of people across the state and wanted to lead the office to improve it and advocate for constituents.

LaVonne Griffin-Valade has been the Secretary of State since June 2023 when Shemia Fagan resigned after it was revealed she had accepted a $10,000-a-month consulting contract with cannabis company La Mota at the same time her office was auditing the marijuana industry. Ethical and criminal investigations are ongoing.

The Statesman Journal asked the candidates the same questions. These are their responses.

Brent Barker is a candidate in the Republican primary for Oregon Secretary of State.

Why theyre the best candidate for Secretary of State?

Barker said the "why" starts with why he is running and said his education and experience "are commensurate" with the position.

He referred to his volunteer work with Homes of Hope, World Vision and in soup kitchens and to his time in the White House Executive Office of the President in the Office of Advance during Donald Trump's administration.

I believe high integrity, honesty, empathy, following the rules, acknowledging conflicts of interest where they are  are just part of the larger responsibilities at the Oregon Secretary of States Office," he said. "I will be a voice for all voters and bring transparency to the Oregon government. Our campaign does not sing to the choir.

Linthicum said he has the best "outside-the-box" thinking skills. Those skills, he said, were acquired from his background as a trained economist and a former senior vice president of management information systems, a former Oregon Construction Contractor Board license holder, and a current rancher "deeply engaged in land management and sustainability issues."

I will bring a wealth of technical and managerial expertise to the table to address issues at the Secretary of States office.

Dennis Linthicum is running in the Republican primary for Oregon Secretary of State.

McCloud said he is the best candidate because he has no ties to foreign or special interests meaning he can operate without bias and conflicts of interest.

I am prepared to lead the Secretary of States office while advocating for, and listening to the needs of local constituencies before foreign and special interests, he said.

McCloud said he has career experience in the governmental, nonprofit and business sectors and an education background in Small City Management and Public Administration. Hes also chaired and been a member of several government commissions and committees. McCloud also listed work with managing staff and facilities for Oregons most vulnerable populations such as foster youth, youth and adults experiencing homelessness, and youth in court systems.

Tim McCloud is running in the Republican primary for Oregon Secretary of State.

What, if anything, do you believe needs to be done to ensure integrity in the office of the Secretary of State?

Linthicum said he would resolve "information censorship issues" with his "leadership style."

"In turn, when election office employees feel their honest efforts are truly valued then they work with increased diligence, pride, and dedication while nobly fulfilling their obligations to the public, he said.

Linthicum said he would terminate an AI contract and form an open coalition of non-partisan policies.

McCloud said he would restore public trust in the elections system that works for everyone, not just the traditional beneficiaries of major party politics.

He said functional improvements that need to be made to the office include updates to the complaints process, enhancing the functionality of important web features, and changing a culture of perceived antagonism by the office into a collaborative one with the public.

I can and will ensure that the Oregon public is a central stakeholder and partner in our election systems, McCloud said.

Barker said the Secretary of State is essentially "Oregons ambassador of goodwill."

This is a position that demands neutrality, honesty, diplomacy, dispute resolution, he said.

Barker said the Secretary of State should set a standard of following the rules. When your values are clear, decision-making is simplified, he said.

What would be your first, second and third priorities after becoming Secretary of State and why?

McCloud said he would stop election fraud in its tracks and make the elections process stronger than they have ever been.

He said he would implement enhanced security measures in every county, including live-streaming election counts, a full audit of the Oregon voter rolls, and secondary hand counts before certification. McCloud said county sheriff's offices also might be used in coordination to ensure the safety of voting infrastructure, ballots and personnel.

McCloud said he also would also conclude the use of AI surveillance programs.

Barker said he would promote and build fair access to elections.

Our goal is to provide transparency and bring the voters' voice back to Oregon Government, he said.

Barker said his Oregons Organic Voting Measure plan includes implementing a statewide holiday for all elections, a tax credit to employers that provide half and full-day paid holidays to employees for elections, in-person voting that would require valid government-issued ID, resetting voter registration rolls to zero in lieu of costly audits, and requiring equal observers of major parties at all voting stations.

Linthicum said his first goal would be creating transparency around election data.

Republican and non-affiliated voters feel disenfranchised because of the office's unwillingness to share data or investigate allegations of fraudulent behavior, Linthicum said.

He referenced the use of an AI vendor to track and trace misinformation, disinformation and mal-information as evidence of the offices disenfranchisement of some voters.

The Secretary of State will be tasked with rulemaking and implementation of new campaign finance limits. What steps will you take to ensure effective roll out and transparency?

Barker said the current ORESTAR reporting system provides significant support and that unreported cash contributions would require penalties and enforcement with adequate warnings before any disciplinary action.

"Campaign finance reform cant happen soon enough," Barker said.

Linthicum said it will take a team of "like-minded" and "dedicated" employees to execute the extensive requirements on the data collection and management side of the new system.

"These deliverables align perfectly with my skill set as a team builder and motivator and I look forward to implementing this project," he said.

McCloud said challenges to new campaign limits may arise and that it would be important to address any potential existing legal challenges with the framework and potential impacts of such legislation.

"This aside, I will conduct the necessary legislative analysis and review," McCloud said.

He said implementation may include establishing required orders for any expected software changes as well as working with department and division leaders to establish new rules for affected departments and also communicating these updates to the public.

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Three Repubicans in primary for Oregon Secretary of State
Meet the 5 Democrats running in the May 21 primary for Oregon Secretary of State

Five candidates are vying in the primary election for the Democratic nomination for Oregon Secretary of State.

Five Democrats are running in the May 21 primary for Oregon Secretary of State.

The candidates are James Crary, a retired attorney and director of the Pinehurst School Board; James Manning Jr., a state senator from Eugene who served 24 years in active duty for the U.S. Army and in the office of the Assistant Inspector General; Tobias Read, state treasurer since 2017 and former state lawmaker for 10 years; Dave Stauffer, a retired attorney and former securities analyst for the state; and Paul Damian Wells, a retired electrical engineer who describes himself as a "voting rights activist."

The winner of the primary will advance to the November general election against the winner of the Republican primary for Secretary of State, who is responsible for overseeing elections, state audits, and maintaining government records. The Secretary of State also serves on the three-member State Land Board, with the governor and treasurer, and as chair of the Oregon Board of Sustainability and Environment.

The candidates have varying ideas on what they would do as Secretary of State.

Crary said he would add an "electronic candidate forum" to the Secretary of State's website for voters to ask questions of anyone running for office in the state.

In an election, voters are hiring someone to represent them. So, an election should be like a job interview, conducted by the voters, and the ECF ( will be the mechanism through which voters will conduct the interview, he said.

Stauffer told the Statesman Journal as secretary and chair of the Oregon Board of Sustainability and Environment he would use the office to request aid to implement his personal inventions across the state.

Adopting his inventions, he said, would greatly decrease the carbon dioxide pollution in the air and decrease the heat and drought that has plagued our climate.

Many of the candidates said they are concerned about and would work to restore integrity to the office.

LaVonne Griffin-Valade has been the Secretary of State since June 2023 when Shemia Fagan resigned after it was revealed she had accepted a $10,000-a-month consulting contract with cannabis company La Mota at the same time her office was auditing the marijuana industry. Ethical and criminal investigations are ongoing.

The Statesman Journal asked the candidates the same questions. Wells declined to respond. These are the responses from the other four candidates.

Jim Crary is one of five Democrats runnning in the May 21 primary for Oregon Secretary of State.

Why theyre the best candidate for Secretary of State

Crary wrote of his previous experiences and willingness to communicate directly to voters in response to the question.

He said his business undergraduate degree and a law degree, 14 years as a government attorney, 17 years of writing, negotiating, and administering contracts, and seven years as a supervisor give him experience to be an innovative and highly effective Secretary of State.

Crary said he was sharing his phone number  (541-531-2912)  for voters to call or text him if they have a question.

Manning Jr. said he is the best candidate because he is "a public servant, not a politician."

He said he is running to restore trust and integrity in the Secretary of State office.

"As I have demonstrated in the Oregon Senate, I work across the aisle to achieve common sense solutions that benefit Oregonians in all corners of our state," he said.

Manning Jr. also said he is the only candidate with experience conducting "thorough audits," in his role in the Office of Assistant Inspector General.

"The power of the audit is vital to restoring trust, transparency, and accountability to the Office of Secretary of State," he said.

Reed said he is the only candidate with the experience and background necessary to protect Oregons elections from threats and to restore trust and accountability in the office.

He said he believes his experience from 2007 to 2017 in the Oregon House of Representatives and as a statewide leader distinguishes him in the race.

I know how to lead a state agency and set the culture from the top," Reed said. "I will set a culture of accountability, transparency, and diligence in the Secretary of States office.

Stauffer said hes the best candidate because he has invented and received U.S. Patents on five scientific, practical, workable, affordable, profit-making, nearly no-fossil-fuel-using inventions.

Sen. James I. Manning Jr., D-Eugene, is running in the Democratic primary for Oregon Secretary of State.

What, if anything, do you believe needs to be done to ensure integrity in the office of the Secretary of State?

Manning Jr. said he would "listen, learn and use a data-informed approach" and aim to be "upfront, transparent and forthright."

He said he received "unanimous support from both Republicans and Democrats" at the legislature to be Senate President Pro Tempore "because my colleagues on either side of the aisle know that I keep my word and I am accountable first and foremost to myself."

"It has been my commitment to Oregonians that I make decisions not just for my district, but for all Oregonians in the interest of the public good," he said.

Read said he would make it abundantly clear to Oregonians that he only has one job: serving the state as a public official.

He said he would protect election workers and improve "the security of our elections, continuing to find new ways to make voting accessible, and basing our audit priorities on data-driven risk-assessments rather than political agendas.

Stability and performance have been hallmarks of my time as treasurer and they will be a focus of my time as Secretary of State as well, Read said.

Stauffer said he would not enter into any consulting contracts with any business that is regulated by the Office of the Secretary of State.

I will be present in Salem to faithfully conduct the business of the Office of the Secretary of State just as I was when I was the Securities Analyst for the Oregon State Department of Business and Consumer Affairs, Division of Finance and Corporate Securities, he said.

Crary referred back to his desire to implement an electronic candidate forum that he would promote to young voters. He said he also would meet with all 36 county clerks at one of the two Oregon Association of County Clerks annual meetings and personally answer at least one phone call a day made to the Secretary of States office.

Imagine what a caller is going to think when instead of an interactive voice response system that uses prerecorded voice prompts and touch-tone keypad selections to interact with callers, the caller instead going to hear, Hi, this is Secretary of State, Jim Crary, how may I help you, he said.

State Treasurer Tobias Read is running in the Democratic primary for Secretary of State

What would be your first, second and third priorities after becoming Secretary of State and why?

Read said his first priority would be restoring public trust in the office and assuring all Oregonians that elections are transparent, safe, and legitimate.

If Oregonians do not have confidence in the agency in charge of overseeing our elections, our democracy is in serious trouble, especially as we see misinformation and election interference mounting across the country, he said.

Read said he also wants to improve ballot access for all Oregonians by addressing things like deadlines to change parties that arent clearly communicated to voters, services like BallotTrax that send text updates to voters on the status of their ballot, and restructuring websites like ORESTAR, the Oregon Elections System for Tracking and Reporting where campaign finance information, election filings and committee information is accessed.

He said another top priority would be ensuring audits are free of political influence and focused on making government work more efficiently.

Stauffer said his first priority would be to arrange to divert millions of gallons of water from the Columbia River to areas where clean water is needed. (The Secretary of State has no authority to do so.) Stauffer also again referred to implementing the use of his inventions.

Crary said his top priority would be to get the electronic candidate forum up and running, reaching out to all 36 county clerks and going to high schools throughout Oregon to encourage the use of the system he hopes to implement.

If someone asks a question, they are engaged in the political process; they will feel empowered; they will vote and their vote will be an educated vote, he said.

Manning Jr. said his top three priorities would be elections, audits and climate action.

He said he would preserve Oregon's vote by mail and expand it with automatic voter registration of eligible college and university students.

Manning Jr. said he also would invest in data security measures "to defend our democracy, protecting personal information and ensuring the safety of Elections workers, staff, volunteers and voters."

He said he also is committed to ensuring public lands, waterways and state forests are not for sale and preserving Oregon's natural resources as a member of the State Land Board.

Dave Stauffer is running in the Democratic primary for Secretary of State.

The Secretary of State will be tasked with new rulemaking and implementation of new campaign finance limits. What steps will you take to ensure effective roll out and transparency?

Stauffer said he believed it would be simple to install a dollar limit on those reports already found on ORESTAR and to monitor them to make sure that the contribution limits are not exceeded.

Crary said he would develop an online portal dedicated to campaign finance rules and regulations in Oregon to serve as the hub for accessing relevant documents, forms, guidelines, and other resources related to campaign finance laws.

He said he also would hold public hearings and use the online portal for feedback and to foster open communication during the rollout of the new campaign finance limits.

Third, he'd offer training sessions and resources to help candidates, political committees, and others navigate the new campaign finance rules, he said, alongside establishing mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the new campaign finance limits.

"This could include conducting audits, reviewing financial reports, and investigating complaints of potential violations. Any enforcement actions must be both transparent and conducted impartially," Crary said.

Manning Jr. said he would look to the more than 30 states that have implemented CFR and "adopt best practices in administration and proper oversight guardrails to ensure bad actors are reigned in."

He said he has some concerns around implementation, specifically the potential rise in "dark money" and super PACs operating with impunity and "a lack of parity," pointing out the bill failed to address "the unfortunate reality that money" is free speech, according to the Supreme Court, and that dark money and super PACs mean "the sky's the limit" when it comes to contributions.

"This reform seemingly revolves around statewide and local candidates, but not my colleagues in the legislature," Manning Jr. said.

Read said his office would first assess what it would take to put reforms in place and the need for any additional resources. He said he went through a similar process at the Treasury and was able to secure support from the legislature for the resources the office needed.

"People want to see the influence of money in our politics reduced and it will be up to the Secretary of State to make those changes in a transparent and effective way," Read said. "We will work closely with candidates and political parties to help them understand the new rules and be a resource to offer guidance so that the spirit and the letter of the law is followed."

He said he would also work with county clerks to ensure the new voter information system currently under construction is an effective and straightforward way for Oregonians to view public campaign records, and election information, and register to vote.

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on Twitter @DianneLugo

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: 5 Democrats running in May 21 primary for Oregon Secretary of State
Meet the gentle pandas on their way from China to a California zoo

Two giant pandas will soon make their way from China to San Diego, California.

Imminent new additions Yun Chuan and Xin Bao can be seen in an adorable video and photos released by San Diego Zoo. The two are munching on bamboo, basking in the greenery and being their roly-poly panda selves.

Yun Chuan, a male giant panda, enjoys a snack in his current home in China. Yun Chuan will soon move to San Diego Zoo.

Zoo staff recently visited the pandas and conservationists at China Wildlife Conservation Association in preparation for the pandas big move to the Golden State. The exact date of their arrival hasnt been announced.

It was an honor to see Yun Chuan and Xin Bao in person and meet our conservation partners caring for them at the Wolong and Bifengxia Panda Bases, said Megan Owen, vice president of conservation science at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in an April 29 news release.

Xin Bao, a female giant panda and a gentle and witty introvert will join Yun Chuan as a new member of the San Diego Zoo family.

Yun Chuan, an almost 5-year-old male panda, is described as mild-mannered, gentle and lovable, according to the zoo. Xin Bao is a female who is almost 4 years old. She is described as a gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears.

Yun Chuan is somewhat of a panda legacy at the San Diego Zoo, soon making his return to his familys old home. His grandparents lived there in the early 2000s, with his mother being born at the zoo in 2007.

Yun Chuan is described by zoo staff as mild-mannered, gentle and lovable.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and leading conservation institutions in China have been working together for nearly 30 years to protect and help recover the worlds giant panda population. These efforts led the way for the giant pandas downgrade from Endangered to Vulnerable status in 2021.

But, there is still plenty of work to be done. San Diego Zoos ongoing relationship with the China Wildlife Conservation Association is an essential piece of that, according to the zoo.

Our partnership over the decades has served as a powerful example of how, when we work together, we can achieve what was once thought to be impossible, said Owen. We have a shared goal of creating a sustainable future for giant pandas.

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Ulviyya Shahin

In the first quarter of this year, Georgia exported 2,601 cars worth $48.457 million to Azerbaijan, Azernews reports.

This was reported by the Georgian National Statistics Office. It was reported that the value of cars exported to Azerbaijan in the first quarter of the current year decreased by 51.3% annually, amounting to $51.226 million, or 4,747 units, which is 64.6% less.

Thus, during the first three months of 2023, Georgia exported 7,348 cars worth $99.683 million to Azerbaijan.

During the first three months of this year, Georgia's volume of car exports decreased by 31.3% annually to $486.5 million. Last year, this figure amounted to $708 million.




North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has decided to develop ties with the aggressor country Russia in order to revive his country's economy. Factories began to operate at higher capacity, and the Minister of Defense admitted that the economic situation in the DPRK has "significantly improved" thanks to Russian supplies of food, raw materials, and petroleum products.

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This is stated in the article of the Financial Times. The journalists write that relations between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the DPRK leader have significantly strengthened since the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine. Kim Jong-un can use this war to "achieve his own success."

As noted, some North Korean factories have started operating at increased capacity. According to experts, this is unlikely to bring great benefits to the country, but they suggest that the ambitions of the DPRK leader are determined by "specific indicators of success."

"The war in Ukraine has become a real success for North Korea. After several years of hardship for ordinary North Koreans during the coronavirus pandemic, Kim Jong-un seems intent on using some of the profits to raise living standards and expand his industrial base," said Peter Ward, a researcher at the Sejong Institute think tank in Seoul.

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Today, the country's economy is largely dependent on coal mining, concrete production, and industrial plastics. It is kept afloat by food, fuel, and fertilizers from China.

Kim Jong-un wants to strengthen economic partnership with Russia and reduce dependence on China, said Benjamin Kaceff Silberstein, an expert on North Korea's economy at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, North Korea will receive at least a billion dollars from a new arms deal with Russia. This could revive the DPRK's economy, which has been undermined by sanctions, as the budget of this small country last year amounted to only $24.5 billion.

Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Meijer has donated $3 million to the Joan Secchia Childrens Rehabilitation Hospital.

The $70 million Joan Secchia Childrens Rehabilitation Hospital will be the first childrens rehabilitation hospital in Michigan and the ninth facility of its kind in the nation. It will have 24 private inpatient rooms, sophisticated technology fit for children and spaces for specialized services, a release said.

The freestanding hospital is a joint venture between Mary Free Bed and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital.

Mary Free Bed, Spectrum to open kids rehab hospital

As a family-owned company, we are humbled to give to organizations that provide hope and healing to so many families, Meijer President & CEO Rick Keyes said in a release. Were thrilled to be able to help Mary Free Bed and Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital create the first childrens rehabilitation hospital in Michigan and provide support to families in times of need.

New kids rehab hospital named after Secchias wife

Construction of the freestanding hospital is planned to begin this year and is expected to be completed in 2026.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Member of British royal family visits Ukraine for first time since start of full-scale war  photos

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has paid a one-day visit to Ukraine, becoming the first member of the British royal family to do so since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Source: UK media outlets, including the BBC and Sky News, on the evening of 29 April, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Buckingham Palace said Sophie's visit, made at the request of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, was to "demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war".

The Duchess of Edinburgh met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska in Kyiv. She gave them a private message from King Charles III.

Photo: Buckingham Palace

Sophie also met with internally displaced people and visited the mass grave in Bucha where the victims of the Russian occupation are buried.

Photo: Buckingham Palace

The Duchess of Edinburgh has previously visited other countries where conflicts have occurred or are ongoing, including Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia, and campaigns to help victims of war-related sexual violence.

Last year, Sophie became the first member of the Royal Family to visit Iraq, where she addressed the issues of violence against women and access to education for girls.

While other members of the Royal Family have not visited in person, they have expressed their support for Ukraine amid Russia's aggression.

For example, King Charles III, together with First Lady Olena Zelenska, opened a reception centre for Ukrainian refugees in London in 2022. While still a prince, Charles also met with Ukrainian refugees in Romania.

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SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE)  The legislature is looking for full-time interns to work from July through December. Applications are now open for undergraduate students and those who have recently graduated from college.

Were the nonpartisan, confidential drafting and research agency for the legislature, says Jeret Fleetwood, project coordinator for Legislative Council Services. So, one of the first things were looking for is nonpartisan folks.

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Interns help with day-to-day staff work and are paid $17 per hour. Interns can get experience working for the Legislative Council Service or with committees. Interns will help with scheduling meetings, analyzing political issues, speechwriting, and tracking bills, the legislature says.

For the most part, its 40 hours a week in the office or traveling with interim committees, Fleetwood explains. Weve got 20-something interim committees on everything from taxes, to health, to criminal justice, to military and veterans affairs.

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To apply, students and recently graduated individuals should send a resume, letter of interest, and unofficial transcript to internship@nmlegis.gov. The deadline to apply is 5:00 p.m. on May 17.

The internship also offers a potential pathway to full employment at the legislature. If an intern likes working here, and we like the work theyre doing, we tend to bring them on to work for us during the legislative session, Fleetwood says. And if we really like the work theyre doing after that, its been the pathway to permanent employment here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A man who served nearly a decade in prison for his role in the murder of a 7-Eleven employee about 12 years ago is back in jail after he violated his probation.

Julian Deherrera was part of an armed robbery at the 7-Eleven on Central and University that turned deadly when one of his accomplices, Eloy Aguilar, shot and killed 36-year-old Chad Mercer, who was working there at the time.

Deherrera pleaded guilty to armed robbery and conspiracy a decade ago and was sentenced to 14 years behind bars. After serving nine years, Deherrera got out in January of last year, but his freedom wouldnt last long. Deherrera was in hot water with the law again just over a year later when he violated his probation.

Albuquerque grandmother speaks out about shooting intruder in her home

According to his parole officer, Deherrera was doing well at first by finding work in construction and living with his family. However, things eventually changed; he left his job and didnt find another one. The report said he bounced from home to home and even tested positive for cocaine in April of 2023.

This month, he was arrested after a home visit conducted on Isaiah Vasquez, who is on probation for voluntary manslaughter, turned up 10,000 fentanyl pills, four empty bottles of Patron, a game of beer pong, and a semi-automatic pistol with bullets.

Deherrera was not supposed to stay at an unapproved residence, associate with another probationer/parolee, possess or consume drugs or alcohol, or have a firearm in his possession under the terms of his probation. He was also expected to hold down a job.

Deherrera is quoted in the report as saying he didnt know the people at Vasquezs home, but the report said GPS tracking shows Deherrera was there for two days before he was arrested.

Bison moved from Yellowstone to Taos Pueblo

According to court documents, Deherreras probation officer has recommended he serve out the remaining balance of his 14-year sentence behind barsthat would put him away for roughly five more years.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
TAOS COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE)  A Georgia man is facing five felony charges and one misdemeanor after he stole a Taos County Sheriffs Office (TCSO) vehicle. Shay Anthony Hawes, 39, was arrested and booked into the Taos County Adult Detention Center after New Mexico State Police (NMSP) officers conducted a PIT maneuver and crashed into the stolen TCSO vehicle to stop Hawes from fleeing.

According to the criminal complaint, at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 28, a Taos County Sheriffs vehicle was reported as stolen from the Taos County Sheriffs Office. A deputy from the sheriffs office spotted the stolen vehicle heading southbound on Paseo Del Pueblo Sur near Albright Street.

Using lights and sirens, deputies from TCSO tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver fled in the vehicle. Eventually, the suspect turned right on Paseo Del Canon, and NMSP intervened, conducting a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver that disabled both the NMSP unit and the stolen TCSO vehicle. According to the complaint, both vehicles were totaled in the crash.

Story continues below

Deputies identified Hawes as the driver of the vehicle and noted in the criminal complaint that Hawes has repeatedly been told to stay out of the Taos County Sheriffs Office property over the last week.

Hawes was arrested and was taken to Holy Cross Hospital for a head injury from the crash. Hawes was medically cleared at the hospital and was then booked into the Taos County Adult Detention Center.

Officials learned that Hawes is a felon based on a search using the suspects Georgia drivers license. Because the stolen vehicle had a department-issued firearm in it, Hawes is accused of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Hawes is facing the following charges as well: assault with intent to commit a violent felony, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, out-of-state fugitive, and criminal trespass.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  On Monday, the New Mexico Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a discrimination lawsuit against Albuquerque Public Schools (APS). In the case, Johnson V. Board of Education, a student sued the public school system after a teacher called a Navajo student with fake blood on her cheek a bloody Indian during a Halloween class.

The incident occurred in 2018. The case has now made its way to the state supreme court, and the court is using it as a chance to teach students about the justice system by letting students attend the oral arguments in the case.

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It is important to us, my colleagues and myself, that New Mexico students understand the importance of the rule of law in our society, their government, and our court system, Chief Justice David K. Thomson said before arguments began. And hopefully, we may inspire a new generation of leaders.

Roxie De Santiago stood before the Supreme Court justices to argue on behalf of APS.

This case is not about whether the actions of the teacher was wrong. They were, in fact, wrong. Theres no question about that, and APS took immediate action to address that, Roxie De Santiago said. Before the court today is a question of whether or not the New Mexico Human Rights Act applies.

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Roxie De Santiago tried to raise doubt over whether or not the New Mexico Human Rights Act applies to the events at Cibola High School. She argued that within the context of the incident, there may be an exception to the law. Roxie De Santiago pointed to a 1981 case, Human Rights Comn of NM v. Bd. of Regents, that decided that a universitys method of administering an academic program does not count as public administrations for the New Mexico Human Rights Act.

In response to that, the Supreme Court justices questioned whether the latest case is actually similar to that 1981 case. They pointed out that universities operate differently than public high schools and that the 1981 case was not intended to be expanded beyond universities.

Leon Howard, the lawyer for student McKenzie Johnson, argued that the New Mexico Human Rights Act encompasses all public educational establishments.

Its inconceivable that while desegregation was happening in our country, that our legislature intended to exclude students. Instead, it used a phrase like, any establishment [in the Human Rights Act], Howard argued.

The Supreme Court justices asked Howard if that interpretation means the 1981 case noted before needs to be reconsidered. Howard argued that they dont need to completely redo the 1981 case but that the court should first clarify that public schools count as public accommodations and then go on to clarify the distinction between free speech and discrimination.

The Supreme Court justices asked where the line is between teaching and discrimination when it comes to class lessons about racially charged history.

Its really when you go from the lesson, and you start zeroing out particular students, Howard said. Its one thing to be able to teach the fraught history of this nation and to be able to say controversial things while youre teaching lessons. And then it becomes harassment, it becomes discrimination when you look at a student and you lob a racial epithet directly at them.

Now that the justices have heard arguments, they will consider the points made before they issue a ruling. There is no set timeline for them to do so.

Albuquerque Public Schools trusts that our legal system will fully and fairly consider the legal arguments and the appropriate role for the judiciary in this matter. APS eagerly awaits the courts decision, and we thank them for the opportunity to present the Districts case in oral argument, APS said in a statement.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
FILE - This combination of two file photos shows Xochitl Galvez, left, arriving to register her name as a presidential candidate on July 4, 2023, in Mexico City, and Claudia Sheinbaum, right, at an event that presented her as her party's presidential nominee on Sept. 6, 2023, in Mexico City. The two women, considered the frontrunners in Mexico's presidential election, discussed social spending and climate change in the race's second debate Sunday, April 28, 2024, which also included Jorge Alvarez Maynez. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexicos leading presidential candidate repeatedly touted the social programs of outgoing President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and walked a fine line between supporting the national oil company and promising a clean energy transition in the second debate Sunday night ahead of the June 2 election.

Former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum of the presidents Morena party continues to hold a healthy lead over Xochitl Galvez of a coalition of opposition of parties and Jorge Alvarez Maynez of the small Citizen Movement party.

Lopez Obrador significantly raised Mexicos minimum wage and increased spending on social programs, most of which are popular direct cash transfer programs. Sheinbaum has benefitted from her mentors popularity throughout the campaign and promised to continue his programs.

She called the model of government that he started and she has committed to continuing humanist, an honest model, protector of our patrimony, with better salaries, with better pensions, without raising taxes.

Even Galvez, Sheinbaums most serious competitor, stressed that she, too, would maintain the popular, but costly programs if elected. The former senator and tech entrepreneur reminded voters that she knew poverty growing up and was able advance in part because of a scholarship.

I am a woman who comes from below, who knows poverty and knows how poverty hurts and the time that it steals from you, Galvez said.

Alvarez Maynez, a former congressman, promoted his own initiatives to reduce Mexicans work week from six to five days, provide paternity leave and increase vacation. He said that despite the social spending of the current administration, young children receive a fraction of what they should because they dont vote.

On the environment and climate change, Sheinbaum, a climate scientist, pointed to her efforts as mayor, such as putting solar panels on the rooftops of Mexico Citys sprawling wholesale market and adding more electric buses and bike lanes.

As president, she said, she would work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help Mexico adapt to climate change. But she also defended Lopez Obradors construction of a huge new oil refinery that she said would help Mexico reduce its gasoline imports. She warned that Galvez would try to privatize the deeply indebted state oil company, known as Pemex.

Galvez said the private sector would be critical in Mexicos clean energy transition. She added that Mexico was losing foreign investment opportunities because foreign companies require access to clean electricity produced with renewables. She promised to make Pemex an efficient company, something successive administrations from various parties have failed to do.

Alvarez Maynez said that Mexico remains overly dependent on fossil fuels and that the countrys future is in wind and solar power. He promised to put solar panels on all schools and health centers.

Galvez once again was the aggressor in the debate, trying repeatedly to paint Sheinbaum as untrustworthy. This time she took to holding up a variety of placards while Sheinbaum spoke calling her a liar. Sheinbaum, in turn, took to calling Galvez the corrupt one.

All three candidates said major changes are needed to address Mexicos fresh water supply, hit hard in much of the country by a prolonged drought. Their plans combined the need for reusing water, the majority of which goes to irrigation, and improving water system infrastructure.
Google and X, formerly Twitter, recently provided hundreds of files to Michigan prosecutors for their 2020 election subversion probe, complying with search warrants that investigators obtained after CNN revealed secret social media accounts belonging to pro-Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro, who played a major role in the fake electors plot.

The previously unreported warrants gave prosecutors access to new Chesebro emails and his private direct messages on Twitter. The warrants make clear that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is still gathering new information in her probe, nine months after she charged the states fake electors with forgery and other crimes for signing certificates falsely claiming Donald Trump won the state in 2020.

A top member of her team testified last week that the investigation is ongoing and that Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator in the case, which is not expected to go to trial before the November election.

Michigan is among a number of states to investigate fake electors schemes. Just last week, Arizona prosecutors filed criminal charges against the pro-Trump electors there and allies of the former president who were involved in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

According to the new documents provided to Michigan prosecutors, which were obtained by CNN, Chesebro fruitlessly tried to bring several controversial pro-Trump figures to Washington, DC, to watch his fake electors strategy unfold on January 6, 2021.

He offered to pay for airfare and lodging at Trumps upscale DC hotel for former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, as well as for the founder of the Gateway Pundit conspiracy website, among others. It doesnt appear that anyone accepted his offers.

These messages also show how Chesebro aggressively reached out to conservative pundits and right-wing figures after Trump lost the 2020 election, prodding them to publicly promote his long-shot theories for how to subvert the Electoral College process.

The search warrants to Google and X were executed in March, shortly after CNN reported that Chesebro had concealed some of his social media accounts from prosecutors during his cooperation session last year. Chesebro has not been charged in Michigan, and he has pleaded guilty in Georgias election interference probe.

Chesebros attorneys did not respond to CNNs request for comment.

After this story was published, Chesebro attorney Manny Arora said on MSNBC that he didnt try to challenge the search warrants because he had already voluntarily turned over much, if not all, of the materials to investigators.

There is no legal jeopardy  we have been cooperating the whole time, Arora said.  In order to be a good prosecutor, you want to make sure you get the search warrants, to just double check us, to make sure weve given them everything  I dont think it amounts to a whole lot.

Gining up support

The direct messages obtained by CNN chronicle how Chesebro, while advising the Trump campaign on the fake electors plot, was also trying to garner friendly news coverage by relentlessly pitching to conservative radio hosts and pro-Trump pundits.

He shared what appeared to be unsolicited guidance to Gateway Pundit founder Jim Hoft, advising him on how to frame his sites coverage of the January 6 certification proceeding in Congress.

It would help to publicize that if (then-Vice President Mike) Pence claims the power to resolve disputes about the electoral votes on Jan. 6, hed simply be doing what (Thomas) Jefferson did, Chesebro told Hoft in a message on December 27, 2020.

Excellent!! Thanks, Hoft responded, using the @GatewayPundit account.

Two days later, Chesebro told Hoft that he had reserved a block of rooms at the Trump International Hotel, and that Hoft could stay there gratis if he wanted.

Not long after that, Chesebro made similar offers to Clarke and his wife, as well as to Wisconsin-based radio host Vicki McKenna and her husband, according to emails obtained by CNN.

Happy to pay for flights if that would help, Chesebro told McKenna, according to the documents. Its really no big deal; Ive done very, very well financially the last few years. And I would feel great having you able to be at the center of the Trump universe!

Hoft informed Chesebro that he had his own lodging in DC. An attorney for Hoft declined to comment for this story. McKenna didnt respond to requests for comment.

Interview with investigators

When Chesebro met with Nessels investigators in December, they asked about his social media accounts. In addition to concealing his secret Twitter account, Chesebro told investigators that he didnt use social media applications to send and receive private messages.

That denial is undercut by the materials X gave to investigators, which contain more than 160 sent messages and more than 25 received messages between 2014 and 2021, with most of them amid the 2020 election fallout.

During the closed-door interview, an investigator asked Chesebro which social media apps he used where people can direct-message you, private-message you, according to a recording obtained by CNN.

Chesebro responded, The only messaging apps Ive used  like for messages, right? I understand that theres that capability  are iMessage. He further said, I know theres direct message Twitter, but he did not say that he used Twitter for direct messaging.

Chesebros lawyer didnt immediately respond to a request for comment about the discrepancy.

Instant pushback

In the wake of the 2020 election, Chesebro also sent some direct messages on Twitter to James Wigderson, a longtime writer on Wisconsin politics who ran a conservative news site. Chesebro was trying to gin up coverage of claims that there were irregularities in the Wisconsin results, according to documents obtained by CNN.

You can spare me this stuff. Thanks. Trump lost, Wigderson told Chesebro, later adding, I really dont have time for conspiracy theories. Thanks for understanding.

Parts of this exchange were previously reported by The New York Times.

Chesebro also privately pinged several other Wisconsin political pundits and legal scholars, including some whom he sparred with in public Twitter posts. Most were ignored.

One of the attorneys Chesebro privately targeted was Daniel Rodriguez, who attended Harvard Law School with Chesebro and is now a law professor at Northwestern University. On December 29, 2020, Chesebro sent a link to Rodriguez about a new lawsuit from the Trump campaign trying to overturn the Wisconsin results. Rodriguez replied with LOL.

I dont remember this exchange exactly, Rodriguez told CNN in an email, but my best guess is that the LOL was because this whole false electors lawsuit business was, and is, insane.

The Wisconsin litigation  like dozens of other Trump election suits  failed in court.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CORRECTION: This story has been updated to accurately reflect the educational background of Chesebro and Rodriguez.

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HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)  Schools across the Midstate are receiving a financial boost to help improve safety, security, and mental health.

The School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC) of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced their 2023-24 grant awards Monday.

In total, $155 Million in state and federal school safety funding was awarded statewide through the Noncompetitive School Mental Health Grants program, the Formula-Based School Safety and Security Meritorious Grants program, Competitive School Safety and Security Grants program, and Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools funding program.

Updating facilities to ensure students, teachers, administrators and school employees are safe in their classrooms is critical, State Rep. Thomas Kutz (R-Cumberland) said. These awards will not only be used to accomplish that goal, but they will also support the mental health of our local students. This funding will make a difference in our schools, and I am glad to see these state dollars invested in the local community.

Safe schools are a top priority, State Reps. Seth Grove (R-Dover) and Kate Klunk (R-Hanover) said in a joint statement. By investing in physical improvements and supporting the needs of our students we are advancing this goal. All children should feel safe when they attend school.

Grant awards are as follows:

Adams County

Adams County Technical Institute: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Bermudian Springs : $158,540 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $123,540);

Conewago Valley: $193,942 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $148,942);

Fairfield Area: $142,544 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $112,544);

Gettysburg Area: $178,325 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $138,425);

Gettysburg Montessori Charter: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Littlestown Area: $160,476 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $125,476);

Upper Adams: $156,425 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $121,425);

Vida Charter: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Cumberland County

Big Spring: $171,307 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $131,307);

Camp Hill: $149,949 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $114,949);

Carlisle Area: $208,933 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $163,933);

Cumberland Perry Career and Technical Center: $461,573 (Mental Health $70,000; Competitive $391,573);

Cumberland Valley: $265,768 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $220,768);

East Pennsboro: $173,065 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $113,065);

Mechanicsburg Area : $200,615 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $155,615);

Shippensburg Area: $634,642 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $144,642; Competitive $450,000);

South Middleton: $166,868 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $126,868);

Dauphin County

Capital Area School For The Arts: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Central Dauphin: $307,321 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $262,321);

Commonwealth Charter Academy: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Dauphin County Technical Center: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Derry Township: $181,624 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $141,624);

Halifax: $141,960 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $111,960);

Harrisburg: $693,983 (Meritorious: $45,000; Mental Health $199,048; Competitive $449,935);

Infinity Charter School: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Lower Dauphin: $186,046 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $146,046);

Middletown: $171,280 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $131,280);

Millersburg: $139,861 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $109,861);

Pennsylvania STEAM Academy Charter: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Premier Arts and Science Charter: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Reach Cyber Charter: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Steelton-Highspire: $154,805 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $119,804);

Susquehanna Township: $631,469 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $141,469; Competitive $450,000);

Sylvan Heights Science Charter: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Upper Dauphin: $228,624 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $113,624; Competitive $85,000);

Franklin County

Chambersburg: $262,792 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $217,792);

Fannett-Metal: $135,361 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $105,361);

Franklin County Career and Technical Center: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Greencastle-Antrim: $625,477 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $137,747; Competitive $447,730);

Tuscarora: $168,860 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $128,860);

Waynesboro: $201,102 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $156,102);

Fulton County

Central Fulton: $141,599 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $111,599);

Forbes Road: $134,437 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $104,437);

Fulton County Center for Career and Technology: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Southern Fulton: $138,814 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $108,814);

Juniata County

Juniata County: $170,981 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $130,981);

Lancaster County

Cocalico: $176,268 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $136,268);

Columbia Borough: $150,974 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $115,974);

Conestoga Valley: $196,043 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $151,043);

Donegal: $175,751 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $135,751);

East Hempfield Township: $100,420 (all Competitive);

Eastern Lancaster County: $175,152 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $135,152);

Elizabethtown: $185,207 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $145,207);

Ephrata: $193,299 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $148,299);

Hempfield: $230,729 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $185,729);

La Academia Partnership Charter: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Lampeter Strasburg: $174,189 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $134,189);

Lancaster County Career and Technical Center: $520,000 (Mental Health $70,000; Competitive $450,000);

Lancaster SD: $269,655 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $224,655);

Manheim Central SD: $175,968 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $135,968);

Manheim Township SD: $219,244 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $174,244);

Penn Manor SD: $211,105 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $166,105);

Pequea Valley SD: $153,032 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $118,032);

Solanco SD: $178,588 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $138,588);

Warwick SD: $187,640 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $147,620);

Lebanon County

Annville-Cleona SD: $152,679 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $117,679);

Cornwall-Lebanon SD: $205,176 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $160,176);

Eastern Lebanon County SD: $526,461 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $129,791; Competitive $356,670);

Lebanon County Career and Technical Center: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Lebanon SD: $208,877 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $163,877);

Northern Lebanon SD: $167,702 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $127,702);

Palmyra SD: $184,201 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $144,201);

Mifflin County

Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Mifflin County SD: $205,283 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $160,283);

Perry County

Greenwood SD: $139,793 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $109,793);

Newport SD: $143,076 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $113,076);

Susquenita SD: $158,435 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $123,435);

West Perry SD: $562,391 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $128,982; Competitive $393,409);

Schuylkill County

Pine Grove Area SD: $154,026 (Meritorious $35,000; Mental Health $119,026);

Tri-Valley SD: $141,468 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $111,468);

Williams Valley SD: $143,115 (Meritorious $30,000; Mental Health $111,468);

York County

Central York SD: $216,608 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $171,608);

Crispus Attucks Charter School: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Dallastown Area SD: $226,979 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $181,979);

Dover Area SD: $182,292 (Meritorious $40,000 ; Mental Health $142,292);

Eastern York SD: $170,963 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $130,963);

Hanover Public SD: $166,196 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $126,196);

Lincoln Charter School: $70,000 (all Mental Health);

Northeastern York SD: $197,277 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $152,277);

Northern York County SD: $183,512 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Heath $143,512);

Red Lion Area SD: $210,641 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $165,641);

South Eastern SD: $172,219 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $132,219);

South Western SD: $201,927 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $156,927);

Southern York County SD: $176,922 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $136,922);

Spring Grove Area SD: $195,932 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $150,932);

West Shore SD: $237,614 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $192,614);

West York Area SD: $178,489 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $138,489);

York Academy Regional Charter $340,859 (Mental Health $70,000; Competitive $270,859);

York City SD: $243,788 (Meritorious $45,000; Mental Health $198,788);

York County School of Technology: $116,354 (Mental Health $70,000; Competitive $46,354);

York Suburban SD: $180,373 (Meritorious $40,000; Mental Health $140,373);

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski assessed the possibility of an attack on his country by the aggressor state of Russia. He believes that, given the history, such an option cannot be ruled out and it would not be surprising, but it is better to stop Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in Ukraine.

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In an interview with Bild, the Polish foreign minister said that Moscow must be stopped, otherwise it will come to war with NATO countries. If Russia attacks Poland, it will definitely lose, he said.

"Over the 500 years of our history, Russia has attacked Poland many times. We would not be surprised at all. Russia would lose because we, as the West, are much stronger than it," Sikorski emphasized.

The minister believes that by seizing Ukraine, the Russian occupiers will only strengthen their capabilities for further conquests. Putin will become a stronger and bigger challenge for Poland than it is now, so it is better to stop him "500-700 kilometers to the east of us," the Polish Foreign Minister said.

"We have a choice: either a defeated Russian army outside Ukraine or a victorious Russian army on the border with Poland. And then Putin will do what Hitler did with Czechoslovakia: he will take the industry and people of Ukraine and mobilize them to go further," the head of Polish diplomacy emphasized.

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Sikorsky also spoke about the possibility of Russia using nuclear weapons. According to him, Putin will not be able to decide on a nuclear strike on his own. The use of nuclear weapons must be agreed upon by the Russian Defense Ministry and the General Staff, and it is not certain that the generals of the aggressor country will go along with it.

However, at this stage, there are no signs of a nuclear threat from Russia.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Poland noted that Ukraine should take the initiative in the issue of returning Ukrainians liable for military service. In general, Warsaw perceives this issue as "ethically ambiguous."

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber . Do not fall for fakes!
Midtown Jane Doe finally IDd  thanks partly to eerie twist  20 years after remains found in cement at former NYC hot spot

NYPD detectives have finally IDd the remains of a woman found mysteriously entombed in cement at a former famed Hells Kitchen hot spot 20 years ago  and they were eerily helped along by a 9/11 victim.

Cops believe that the woman  who had only been known as Midtown Jane Doe after her skeleton was found by construction workers at 301 W. 46th St. in Manhattan in February 2003  is Patricia Kathleen McGlone, a teen girl from Sunset Park, Brooklyn, who was last seen in the late 1960s.

Detective Ryan Glas of the NYPDs Cold Case Squad finally got a positive ID on McGlone after years of exhaustive, old-school gumshoe detective work coupled with the high-tech forensic and genealogical investigative toiling of the Police Departments Crime Lab, including some involving the DNA of a woman killed on Sept. 11, 2001  and whose first name also was Patricia.

Construction workers discovered Midtown Jane Does body when her skull rolled out onto the floor during building work in Midtown in 2003. NYPD

Now we can start the next phase of the investigation  finding the killer, Glas recently told The Post of the case, which had once shaken the city, frustrated stymied investigators and grabbed tabloid headlines across the Big Apple.

The work is incredibly rewarding, added the cop, who spent seven years as a detective in the Sixth Precinct before being transferred to the Cold Case Squad, where he said he always wanted to be.

Everyone is someones child. We have to bring closure, he said.

McGlone was between 17 and 19 years old when investigators believe she was strangled, bound with electrical wire, wrapped in a carpet and cemented into the buildings basement, which was once home to the mob-tied rock n roll club The Scene, a joint that hosted the likes of Jimi Hendrix and the Velvet Underground before closing in 1969.

McGlones body was discovered when construction workers broke up a slab of cement in the buildings basement and her skull rolled out onto the floor.

Inside the makeshift tomb was a wristwatch, some childrens toys and a signet ring bearing the initials PMcG.

But the departments investigation into the macabre find  which was splashed across the pages of The Post in 2003  soon ran aground given the limited forensic technology of the day, an ongoing soaring city homicide rate and a myriad of dead ends in the case.

Detective Ryan Glas of the NYPDs Cold Case Squad led the multi-agency identification effort into the case. Handout

Then eventually, as technology related to DNA sampling advanced  along with the increased popularity of familial and genealogical tracking that came with it  cops were able to use a bit of genetic material pulled from the womans skeleton to get a possible hit on her family tree.

We used forensic investigative genealogy to produce that family tree under the Forensics Investigations Divisions at the NYPD Crime Lab, Glas said. That hit came back in early 2023.

Glas and his team then set to work interviewing people in the family tree. All leads on the paternal side came up dry, but after turning to the maternal side, investigators found a 90-year-old woman in Florida who turned out to be a distant cousin of Midtown Jane Doe.

The woman recalled her sister babysitting some young cousins back when she lived in Brooklyn  and DNA testing suggested that one of them was Midtown Jane.

The victims body had been bound with wire and wrapped in a carpet before being entombed in cement in the late 60s, investigators say. NYPD

Glas said he was able to help confirm the identification using DNA samples from a woman who died on 9/11.

DNA submitted by family members hoping to find the female 9/11 victims remains in the Manhattan rubble turned out to be related to Midtown Jane Doe.

The investigative genetic genealogy used [from her skeleton] is only a lead  Jane Doe was identified through her distant genetic relatives, Glas said.

DNA and skeletal structure was used for this facial composite of the victim. NYPD

Another DNA-driven lead turned up who investigators believed were Midtown Jane Does parents, and armed with that information, they identified the body as McGlone.

Glas set to work combing through public and Brooklyn church records to piece together the short life of McGlone, who grew up in a house on Third Avenue in Sunset Park, attended Catholic school and then public high school for a mere eight days before marrying a man in his early 30s around 1968 or 69 and disappearing.

Now that detectives have a name, theyve gotten to work trying to identify McGlones killer.

A signet ring bearing victim Patricia Kathleen McGlones initials was found encased in the cement alongside her body. NYPD

Glas said the teens mystery husband was linked to the Hells Kitchen building where her body was found.

Were still working on getting information on him, trying to verify what his situation was with her, Glas said. At this point in the investigation, what I can say is, he does have a connection to where she was found.

Glas said investigators instrumental to the tragic womans identification included Lt. Michael Saccone, commanding officer of the Cold Case Squad; retired Detectives Gerard Gardiner and Robert Hahn; the NYPD Police Laboratorys Forensic Investigations Division genealogist, Linda Doyle; Detective Joey Rodriguez and criminalist Sarah Sciortino, as well as city Office of the Chief Medical Examiners Dr. Angela Soler and the assistant director of the Anthropology Unit Dr. Bradley Adams.

The investigation continues under the Manhattan District Attorneys Offices Siobahn Berry of its Investigations Bureau and Forensic Sciences Cold Case Unit chief Coleen Balbert.
Military intelligence: Over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have deserted

Soldiers of Russia's Southern Military District, whose units are deployed in Ukraine, are deserting their posts in increasing numbers, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on April 29.

According to many observers, low morale has been a recurring problem for the Russian Armed Forces fighting in Ukraine.

Military intelligence said that in total, over 18,000 soldiers of the Southern Military District have abandoned their posts, with around 12,000 of them belonging to the 8th Combined Arms Army  a unit often deployed in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Of this number, around 10,000 are mobilized conscripts and 2,000 contract soldiers, the military intelligence agency said.

In the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army, the desertion rate is at around 2,500 troops, according to the agency's statement.

The military intelligence agency did not specify the circumstances of the purported desertions.

The U.K. Defense Ministry said earlier in April that Russian troops in Ukraine are mainly staffed with contract soldiers and reservists mobilized in late 2022, but conscripts are often pressured to sign contracts.

President Volodymyr Zelensky previously said that Moscow is preparing to mobilize 300,000 soldiers by June.

Kyiv has been actively encouraging troops of the Russian invading army to desert or even defect to the Ukrainian side. The Ukrainian military intelligence service launched a hotline in September 2022 to help Russian soldiers willing to surrender.

Read also: Media: Russian soldier charged for voluntary surrender for first time since mobilization introduced

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine's control over Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast is tactically important and will make it more difficult for Russian forces to approach Ukrainian positions, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, told Hromadske Radio on April 29.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 28 that Ukrainian troops had taken control of Nestryha Island in the Dnipro River delta in Kherson Oblast and advanced near the village of Veletenske.

Nestryha Island was considered a "gray zone" and is the last in a group of small islands followed by the river mouth, Pletenchuk said, saying that the re-established control holds "tactical importance."

Russian troops use locations such as the islands in Kherson Oblast to get closer to Ukraine's positions, the spokesperson added.

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"This (control over Nestryha Island) is primarily important for the quality of counter-sabotage measures. This location has been cleared of possible enemy presence," Pletenchuk said.

Syrskyi said that Russian forces are trying to push Ukrainian troops out of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, but they are failing to do so. For months of heavy battles, Ukraine has reportedly repelled Russian attacks around the small village.

Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the Dnipro River's west bank in November 2022. Russian forces were pushed to the east bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories.

Read also: Ukrainian soldiers storming eastern bank of Dnipro fear their mission is hopeless

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Minister: Italy has no reason to oppose new EU sanctions against Russian gas

Italy has overcome its dependence on Russian gas and will not oppose the proposed package of EU sanctions on liquified natural gas (LNG), Italian Energy Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said, as reported by Politico on April 28.

The European bloc has already adopted 13 packages in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aiming to undermine Moscow's economic output and the ability to sustain the war.

In early April, EU Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis announced that the 14th package is in the works. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom later said the new package could include an import ban on Russian LNG, among other sanctions.

"Italy is right now in a condition to even do without Russian gas altogether," Fratin told Politico on April 26.

Fratin announced in April 2023 that Italy had emancipated from Russian gas as an energy source, regarding the increase of its pipeline gas imports from the east via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. Italy also signed agreements with Algeria and Libya to diversify its supplies.

The official figures show that Russian shipments comprised less than 5% of Italy's overall gas imports last year, down from 43% in 2020.

"We have diversified; we have various sources, and we have the regasification terminals, so we have sufficient supply to be relaxed," Fratin said, adding that Italy "has no reason to oppose a process of new sanctions" on Russian LNG.

Italy, which participates in the G7 climate talks, is currently focusing on strategies for reducing emissions to meet net-zero goals and plans to collaborate with African countries, according to the minister.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government previously designed an investment plan for Africa to create an energy transit hub between Africa and Europe. The plan also includes boosting local economies to fight poverty, climate change, and other root causes of immigration from Africa to Europe.

Read also: Italy loans 100 million euros to bolster Ukraines energy sector

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
'Today has been a long time coming,' said nursing home worker Nessa Higgins at a news conference after Minnesota's first labor standards board voted on April 29, 2024, to raise the minimum wage for nursing home workers to $20.50 per hour by 2027. Photo by Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer.

Minnesotas new workforce standards board took its first significant vote on Monday, agreeing to raise the pay floor to $23.49 per hour on average in 2027 for nursing home workers, while guaranteeing 11 paid holidays.

The worker and government representatives on the board approved the minimum wages without the support of the boards nursing home industry representatives, who abstained.

We know there is a crisis facing the nursing home industry  there simply arent enough people willing to do this work for the wages that are being paid, said Jamie Gulley, chair of the standards board and president of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, a union representing thousands of nursing home workers.

The Democratic-controlled Minnesota Legislature voted last year to create the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board, one of the first like it in the country empowered to set minimum pay and benefits for workers across an entire industry.

The nine-member panel  comprising three worker representatives, three state government officials and three industry leaders  approved four minimum wages for nursing home staff. By Jan. 1, 2027, certified nursing assistants in nursing homes will earn at least $24 per hour, trained medication aides will earn at least $25 per hour and licensed practical nurses will earn at least $28.50. All other workers, including subcontractors, will earn at least $20.50 per hour in 2027.

All told, nearly half of nursing home workers will see their wages rise with the first pay bump scheduled for Jan. 1, 2026, when the average minimum wage will rise to $22 per hour, according to an analysis by the state Department of Labor and Industry. Under the law, the board must adopt standards that match or raise wages for a majority of workers within various geographic regions and occupations.

The minimum wage rule must still be drafted into its final form, submitted for public comment and then reapproved by the board.

Workers and labor advocates say the raises will improve care for the states elderly and disabled by helping attract and retain more quality workers, but nursing home leaders say the wage mandates could tip their balance sheets into financial insolvency.

The higher labor costs come as the Biden administration plans to phase in minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes, mandating a registered nurse be on site 24 hours a day and for residents to each receive around three-and-a-half hours of nursing care per day.

Thats going to be a perfect storm, said Paula Rocheleau, a member of the state workforce board and CEO of Partners Senior Living Options. We dont have enough nurses in the state of Minnesota to meet that mandate right now  I think it could close nursing homes.

The higher wages will mostly be covered by the government, since about 80% of nursing homes revenue comes from Minnesotas Medicaid program called Medical Assistance. The price the government pays is based on nursing facilities past costs, so as nursing facilities labor costs rise, so does their revenue.

The challenge for nursing homes is that government payment rates take at least 15 months to catch up with nursing home costs. And in Minnesota, nursing homes are not allowed to charge private patients more than what the government pays.

In essence, that means nursing homes will have to raise wages months before theyre able to raise their prices.

A state cost analysis forecasts the state will need to pay an additional $6.9 million in fiscal year 2029, the first full budget year when the higher wages are factored into reimbursement rates. The federal government will also need to pay up a similar amount per year. The wage increases will lead to a 0.8% price increase, according to an analysis by SEIU.

Last year, the Minnesota Legislature directed $300 million in grants to nursing homes to shore up their finances and increase worker retention. More may be needed when the Legislature takes up its two-year budget next year in order to compensate nursing homes for higher labor costs until reimbursement rates catch up.

[My job] brings me great joy, but it doesnt feel great being overworked and underpaid, said Nessa Higgins, a nursing assistant at the Estates of Chateau, at a news conference on Monday. It is hard every day going to work and knowing that the higher ups are getting these big bonuses and it dont ever trickle down to us  But thanks to the Minnesota standards board  all that is going to change.

The post Minnesotas new labor board votes for nearly $23.50 an hour minimum wage for nursing home workers appeared first on Minnesota Reformer.
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

Missing Person Case Tied To Submerged Ford Pinto Might Never Be Solved

A driver in Alabama called police in January 2021 to report the open hatch of a car protruding from a river. That turned out to be a 1974 Ford Pinto which had been submerged in the water since 1976. And that Ford was owned by Kyle Clinkscales, an Auburn University student who went missing without a trace.

California is weighing limiting vehicle speeds on public roads.

Since the Pinto was discovered, authorities have been able to establish its in fact Clinkscales car. Bones were found inside, as well as a wallet. But the case has grown cold again as answers about why the vehicle was in the river and what happened to Kyle in the moments before remain unanswered.

Image via Fox 5 Atlanta/YouTube

Last week, Troup County Sheriffs Office officially closed the case, stating that tests ran on the human remains found inside, which reportedly included an incomplete skeleton, were inconclusive, says Fox 5 Atlanta.

Sadly, one of the reasons criminals like to dump cars in bodies of water is they can, over time, destroy evidence. Its possible part of the remains were washed downstream, along with who knows what else. This is why whenever a vehicle is found underwater, its always an interesting situation.

Even though the Georgia Bureau of Investigation joined in the case, authorities could never pinpoint any suspects or establish definitely that Clinkscales disappearance had anything to do with foul play.

Its possible that the college student fell asleep at the wheel and drove his Ford Pinto into the river while returning to school from his parents house in Troup County. Its possible he was suicidal and decided to end it all. But its also possible he was murdered after being the victim of a robbery.

We may never know the truth.

Images via Fox 5 Atlanta/YouTube

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TechCrunch

For the last several years, the Delivering the Future event has showcased the latest technologies powering Amazon operations. Seattle's 2023 event showcased updates to the companys pharmacy offerings and drone deliveries. This year in Nashville, Amazon discussed AI updates to its shopping experiences and how the company is using computer vision to further trim package delivery time.
Mississippi Coast murder suspect captured after manhunt through the woods

A Moss Point man is charged with murder after a manhunt to capture him on Sunday.

Moss Point Police received a 911 call at 9:20 a.m. Sunday with a report that a man had been shot.

They found Lorenzo Walley Jr., 46, of Moss Point dead of a gunshot wound outside of a residence at the 4800 block on Diamond Street.

Witnesses at the scene identified the victim and also provided information about the suspect and his possible location.

Suspect Douglas Bowens, 31, of Moss Point was seen entering his residence across the street. Other witnesses saw him leave and go into the woods behind his home.

With the assistance of other agencies, officers established a perimeter and began searching the area.

The suspect later appeared at a neighbors front door and was taken into custody without incident, police said.

He was taken to the Jackson County jail and charged with murder.

Moss Point Police were assisted by Pascagoula Police, Jackson County Sheriffs Department, the local FBI office and Jackson County District Attorneys office.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Kimberlee Snowden or the Moss Point Police Department at 228-475-1711, or Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898 or mscoastcrimestoppers.com.
The Missouri House chamber during debate on March 12, 2023 (Tim Bommel/Missouri House Communications).

A push to eliminate Missouris requirement for children under 16 to obtain official work permits before they can begin a job could be debated by the House this week.

In order to work in Missouri, 14 and 15 year olds must obtain a certificate issued by their school, with information from their prospective employer about the details of the job as well as parental consent and age verification.

The childs school, or if they are homeschooled, a parent, must review that information to ensure its in line with state laws that restrict the kind of work children can do and their hours. Once the school issues the certificate, a copy is filed with the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Children under 14 are generally not permitted to work and those 16 and older arent subject to the same restrictions.

The bill, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Dave Hinman of OFallon and a similar one sponsored by state Sen. Nick Schroer of Defiance, would eliminate the formal work permit process. Instead of being overseen by schools and the state labor agency, the only requirement would be that a parent sign a permission slip for the childs employer.

Proponents have characterized schools role in the process as unnecessary and outdated, and said parents should have the largest role.

With discussions with our superintendent and other folks around here, Hinman said in an interview with The Independent this week, we felt it was better that the parents make that decision instead of schools being the ones that sign off on it.

Hinmans bill was voted out of committee in March, and he hopes the full House will debate it before session ends  perhaps as early as this week. The Senate version of the bill was heard in committee earlier this month and hasnt been voted out yet.

Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

The bill is about empowering employers and youth, Schroer said in a committee hearing earlier this month.

While easing the regulations, this legislation also prioritizes parental involvement by mandating signed permission slipsensuring that parents are informed and involved in their childs work activities Schroer said.

Arkansas passed a similar law last year eliminating youth employment permits, though it didnt include the parental permission slip piece. It faced opposition from child advocacy groups and others, who worried it would remove a layer of oversight protecting child workers in a time when child labor violations have gained attention nationally for being on the rise.

Proponents have insisted that the bill wont affect child labor violations because businesses will still be required to comply with state and federal law.

In Missouri, the legislation has flown largely under the radar: No one testified in opposition during hearings on the bill the last two years. A handful of individuals submitted written opposition.

John Fliter, an associate professor of political science at Kansas State University, who studies child labor, said in an interview with The Independent that certificates are an important safeguard for children.

We need to be careful because at the same time that [some states are] doing this, weakening restrictions, were seeing an increase in child labor violations and some really bad cases over the last few years, he said.

The certificates, Fliter added, produce a record of employers acknowledging they will follow the law, and allow schools to play a supervisory role and ensure children are not working to the detriment of their education.

State Sen. Doug Beck, a Democrat from Affton, asked during a committee hearing earlier this month how the state could be sure employers were still doing things like age verification if the government wouldnt be allowed to require permits to oversee the process.

Wheres the enforcement on this bill exactly? Beck asked. Wheres the accountability?

I think the accountability is with the parents and the business owners, Schroer replied.

Schools role

(Streeter Lecka/Getty Images).

Earlier versions of the House bill included language to extend the hours in the day children are allowed to work, but thats since been removed because the sponsor found out it conflicts with federal law.

Children under 16 are legally required to be off work by 7 p.m. during the school year.

The reason Hinman initially filed the bill was because he wanted to push that time back, after he was approached by a restaurant owner in his district who was struggling with staffing those later hours.

Id like to see that time adjusted hopefully, up till eight oclock, nine oclock. Just to give a little bit more time for those businesses, he said.

Now, the bill includes a provision that those restrictions apply unless a later time is allowed by federal law, which Hinman said is intended so Missouri can automatically change its law if the federal government does.

When he started looking into these laws, Hinman found it an odd thing that the school district did that, referring to the certification requirements, which led him to look at a bill filed last year and incorporate some of its language.

Youth work permits arent federally mandated but the majority of states require them.

Thirty-four states require youth work permits. The details vary, including whether theyre issued by a state agency or schools and what ages are included.

State Rep. Holly Jones, a Republican from Eureka, said in the committee hearing that she hates that schools are the ones who sign off on certificates.

I really dont love the schools having so much power over families and students, she said.

A similar bill last year, sponsored by Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican, didnt gain momentum, clearing a Senate committee but never being debated by the full chamber.

A Washington Post investigation last year found the Florida-based conservative think tank, Foundation for Government Accountability, and its lobbying arm, the Opportunity Solutions Project, has been behind the push to roll back certain child labor protections in state legislatures.

States should be allowing their teenagers to decide, with their parents, to get a job  not the government, an issue paper published by Foundation for Government Accountability last year said. The paper characterized the issue as pitting parents vs. educators and regulators.

That group played an important role in Arkansas elimination of work certificates, the Post reported, and in Missouri, a lobbyist for Opportunity Solutions Project, James Harris, sent Koenigs staff draft legislation last year before he filed it. Hinman said Harris didnt approach him with the language.

Harris was the first one to testify in the committee hearings this year. In the House hearing, he said his first job as a teen helped him when he was a law breaker youth.

I look back at that job and I learned so much, Harris said.

Part of this is to help businesses be able to have more of a workforce for people to work, Harris said during a later discussion about how pushing back the 7 p.m. restriction could cause businesses to worry about breaking federal law and not bolster their workforce.

Neither Harris nor the Foundation for Government Accountability responded to interview requests.

Other support has come from business groups including the Missouri Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Retailers and Missouri Grocers Association.

The legislation was voted out of committee on party lines. Democrats opposed it.

Hinson said in an interview with The Independent that while hes not optimistic it will pass this year  with just three weeks left in session  he is hopeful it will come to the floor and that discussion will help improve the bill for next year.

I would love to have the opportunity to have a full discussion with everybody on the floor, both sides of the aisle and see what the thoughts are so next year if we need to make corrections to the bill, that we can make it an even better bill, Hinman said. [The legislation] is one of my priorities.

One more set of eyes

Maura Browning, spokesperson for Missouris Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said the agency cant comment on pending legislation.

But speaking broadly about how the state oversees child work requirements, labor department officials said they rely on the current licensing practice and see it as a tool to help ensure kids dont enter hazardous work or take on excessive hours.

The required form is just one page. In it, the childs prospective employer must provide the specific job duties, hours and an acknowledgment they will abide by state law. Schools verify a childs age and can review their grades.

Todd Smith, who directs the Division of Labor Standards within the state labor department, said schools help identify when the descriptions employers submit should be flagged as hazardous.

Kids under 16 arent allowed to do certain jobs, like operating a meat slicer or handling any hot oil or grease.

We will enforce whatever the legislature passes, obviously, but in a perfect world, I think its important to have that education piece to share with employers, Smith said in an interview with The Independent.

Missouri issued over 10,000 youth employment licenses last year.

Patrick Watkins, who works as the wage and hour section manager in the state labor department, said going through the school gives us one more set of eyes to look at those hazardous job descriptions.

Watkins added that in the current process the employer agrees that they understand our restrictions, but more importantly, they have to fill in exactly what job duties the child will be performing and we catch a lot of hazardous titles just in that reveal alone.

Child advocacy and social justice organizations reached by The Independent said they are not taking a position on the bill because they are deciding to stay out of the issue or are simply not up to speed on the legislation.

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The post Missouri bill would loosen child labor law by removing work permit requirements appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Asked whether he supports a federal abortion ban, the US Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell, said on Sunday that he is not advocating anything at this level.

The Republican, during remarks in a new interview published by NBCs Meet the Press, stopped short of saying whether or not he supported a 15-week federal ban on abortion with exceptions, but he instead portrayed the issue as a practical matter that was too divisive among federal lawmakers to result in a consensus among them.

Related: Republicans divided over Arizona near-total abortion ban, poll shows

Alluding to comments from 2022 in which he said a national ban was possible, McConnell said, I said it was possible. I didnt say that was my view. I just said it was possible.

The Meet the Press host, Kristen Welker, pressed McConnell to explain if he supported a federal ban, prompting the Kentucky senator to reply: The reason I said it was possible is because the supreme court has put this back into the legislative arena. And were seeing it play out all across the country. And I think in the end, itll reflect the views of these individual states. But I said: Possible. I didnt say that was my view.

I dont think well get 60 votes in the Senate for any kind of national legislation, he continued, referring to the number of votes needed to end the debate on bills in the Senate and get a vote on them. I think its a practical matter. Its gonna be sorted out at the state level.

McConnell went on to reaffirm that he believes the issue of abortion access is one that should be decided by individual states after the US supreme courts decision in 2022 to eliminate the federal abortion rights once established by the Roe v Wade case.

Im not advocating anything at this level, he said. It seems to me views about this issue at the state level vary depending where you are. And we get elected by states. And my members are smart enough to figure out how they want to deal with this very divisive issue based upon the people who actually send them here.

McConnell said he also does not think legislation seeking to federalize abortion rights would get the 60 votes it would need to be voted on in the Senate either.

In 2022, the South Carolina Republican senator Lindsey Graham proposed a federal ban that would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks. Following Grahams proposal at the time, McConnell told reporters: With regard to his bill, youll have to ask him about it. In terms of scheduling, I think most of the members of my conference prefer that this be dealt with at the state level.

McConnells latest interview comes after the supreme court recently heard an abortion rights case centering on how states can decide when to permit emergency abortions. The case involves Idaho, which has one of the countrys strictest abortion bans and only permits doctors to perform an abortion to save the patients life. However, under federal law, doctors are required to stabilize patients health if either their life or limb is threatened.

The conservative-majority US supreme court, which appeared divided as of Wednesday, is expected to rule on the case in June.
The aggressor country Russia mixes fighters from the Wagner PMC with other mercenaries and sends them on special missions around the world, including to Africa and Ukraine. The Russian government uses the same militants who once opposed Moscow.

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This was reported by Politico, citing sources in the US presidential administration. Thousands of former Wagner fighters have been divided into at least four groups.

By mixing them with other mercenaries loyal to the Kremlin, Russia hopes to prevent a repeat of the events of last year, when Wagner, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose death in a plane crash was reported by the Kremlin, staged a rebellion against Russian dictator Putin.

"Part of the purpose of the restructuring is to provide more control over operations in general," said one of the American officials.

According to the journalists' interlocutors, the new private armies are already being deployed around the world for special missions, where they are expected to play the same destabilizing role on the world stage as they did under Prigozhin's command.

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"The reconstituted paramilitary groups have already forced the Biden administration to withdraw troops from Niger and Chad, which has become a serious obstacle to the fight against terrorism, while simultaneously challenging US policy in the Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso, Libya and other African countries," the article says.

One of the four groups, according to American journalists, is associated with the Russian National Guard. It was deployed to the front in Ukraine and lost a significant number of fighters. Two other groups operate under the control of the aggressor country's Defense Ministry and Moscow's special services. The fourth group, known as the African Corps, is affiliated with the Redoubt PMC. It is still working to take control of Wagner's former forces in some African capitals.

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Politico writes that Moscow's recent approval of the command of these private mercenaries has huge implications for geopolitics. Particularly in Africa, it could undermine the Biden administration's efforts to fight terrorism, promote democracy, and establish diplomatic ties with newly formed regimes.

"The element of time is key here. Russia can give these countries what the U.S. cannot, and immediately," said one U.S. official, referring to Moscow's ability to use private militias to covertly supply arms and ammunition to newly formed military governments in Africa. "And many leaders of these countries are tired of the US lecturing them about democracy," the source added.

By law, the United States cannot provide assistance to governments that have seized power through military coups, which effectively puts it one step behind Russia in such situations.

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Moscow's direct control over the paramilitary groups may also persuade some African countries that have previously shunned Wagner, which is under global sanctions as a criminal organization, to reconsider their resistance, officials said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Russia is preparing a provocation against Ukraine, allegedly related to the illegal trafficking of Western weapons in Africa. The Kremlin plans to accuse Ukrainian special forces of allegedly using US weapons during the fighting in Sudan, and intends to use fabricated photos of "trophies" captured by Wagner's men as evidence.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Mobile, Ala. (WKRG)  Mobile native and Marine Corps Veteran Major General Gary Cooper passed away on Saturday.

Cooper who is recognized as the first African-American Marine Corps officer to lead an infantry company into combat in Vietnam, earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star among other distinctions.

Black History Month Trailblazer: General Gary Cooper

He graduated from McGill-Toolen High School and the University of Notre Dame. After graduating from college, Cooper joined the Marine Corps. Along with serving in Vietnam, Cooper rose through the ranks, eventually being promoted to Major General.

The Mobile native also served as Assistant Secretary for the Air Force under President George H.W. Bush. He also served as ambassador to Jamaica. Cooper was also co-founder and CEO of Commonwealth Bank.

General Gary Cooper was 87 years old.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Officials with the Mobile Police Department said they are investigating a threat made at W.C. Griggs Elementary School.

A Mobile County Public School System spokesperson said the threat was made online.

MPD officials said the school remains on soft lockdown.

Prichard Police investigate weekend homicides

Police are out at the school out of an abundance of caution, said MCPSS officials.

This is a developing story. We will update this article when more information is available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
(Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the India Edition newsletter by Menaka Doshi  an insider's guide to the emerging economic powerhouse, and the billionaires and businesses behind its rise, delivered weekly.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his pledge to replace Indias religion-based marriage and inheritance laws with a uniform civil code if he returns to office for a third term, a move that some minority groups have opposed.

In an interview with the Times of India listing his agenda, Modi said his government would push for making the code a reality.

It is clear that separate laws for communities are detrimental to the health of society, he said. We cannot be a nation where one community is progressing with the support of the Constitution while the other community is stuck in a time warp due to appeasement.

Previous governments have stayed away from amending the religious and customary laws that govern India largely for fear of angering voters  the majority Hindu as well as minority Christian and Muslim groups  as it could potentially clash with their right to practice their faith.

Modis government hasnt released any proposals on how it plans to change the current laws, but some minority groups have raised concerns that it may target Muslims. Creating a new civil code has featured prominently in Modis Bharatiya Janata Party election manifestos in the last two national elections and remains a key but unfulfilled part of its Hindu nationalist agenda.

Modi is seeking to extend his decade in power by another five years in elections that began April 19 and will run until June 1. Results are expected on June 4.

The prime minister also reiterated in the interview a pledge to have simultaneous local and national polls, under the slogan one nation-one election. The BJP has long pushed to have concurrent elections as a way to cut down costs, although opposition groups have said it goes against Indias current federal system.

Modi also responded to allegations from the opposition that recent comments he made on the campaign trail were religiously divisive. He said he was calling out the policies of the Indian National Congress, the main opposition, which favor affirmative action for some groups.

To show that Congress violated the Constitution by enacting laws to provide reservations on the basis of religion is not polarization, Modi argued.

Read more: Indias Six-Week Election Is a Test of Modis Power: QuickTake

The prime minister also responded to a debate last week sparked by a Congress officials comments about using an inheritance tax to redistribute wealth.

I do not think they are solutions by any stretch of imagination. These are actually dangerous problems disguised as solutions, Modi said. Would you work day and night if the government would take away your money at the end in the name of redistribution?

To boost growth, the government needs to remove barriers and empower people, the prime minister said. This unleashes their entrepreneurial potential as we have seen in our country, he said.

--With assistance from Swati Gupta.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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During a press conference following his induction into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, July 13, 2011, Medal of Honor recipient Army Sgt. 1st. Class Leroy Petry describes in detail the combat action of May 26, 2008, near Paktya, Afghanistan, during which he distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry in saving the lives of two fellow Rangers. Petry's right hand was traumatically amputated during the fight and he now uses a state-of-the-art prosthesis, which allows him amazing dexterity. DoD photo by R. D. Ward (Released)

Leroy Arthur Petry is a retired member of the United States Army and a recipient of the prestigious Medal of Honor. He earned the award through acts of courage undertaken during a conflict in eastern Afghanistan in 2008.

Background

Leroy Petry. Public Domain.

Petry was inspired to follow his cousin's footsteps into the military after he saw him enlist in the United States Army as a Ranger. Upon graduation from high school in 1999, he joined the service and attended basic combat training at Fort Benning, Georgia . After completing advanced individual training, Sergeant Petry deployed multiple times, serving in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. A versatile service member, he held numerous positions during his deployments, including grenadier, squad rifleman, and fireteam leader.

Medal of Honor Action

In 2008, Sergeant Petry deployed to Paktya Province, Afghanistan, with the 75th Ranger Regiment . On May 26, Sergeant Petry and his fellow service members set out with a significant task - take out an Al-Qaeda official hiding in a compound. Upon entering the courtyard, they encountered heavy gunfire that left Petry wounded with shots to both of his legs before help could arrive.

Despite his wounds, he was able to lead his two fellow service members to cover. After retreating and securing their position, Sergeant Petry launched a counterattack by tossing hand grenades at the enemy snipers. Then, he attempted to contact headquarters for assistance.

However, before Sergeant Petry could transmit the signal, a member of Al-Qaeda hurled a grenade at him and his fellow Rangers. The blast knocked the soldiers down and sprayed them with shrapnel. Soon after, another attacker ran forward, throwing a second grenade. Recognizing the danger, Sergeant Petry grabbed the device from the ground and began to toss it away. Unfortunately, it detonated in his grasp and severed his hand at the wrist. Undeterred, Sergeant Petry radioed headquarters to request an evacuation. Backup arrived shortly after, and the conflict ended.

Sergeant Petry was flown to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center in Texas, where he completed his recovery. Thanks to his tremendous courage, his two fellow service members survived the attack in Paktya Province.

Award and Subsequent Service

Sergeant Petry continued to serve in the United States Army for several years after his action in Afghanistan. On July 12th, 2011, President Barack Obama presented him with a Medal of Honor during a special ceremony at the White House . In his award presentation, President Obama said, "The service of Leroy Petry speaks to the very essence of America - that spirit that says, no matter how hard the journey, no matter how steep the climb, we don't quit. We don't give up. Leroy lost a hand and those wounds in his legs sometimes make it hard for him to stand. But he pushes on...this is the stuff of which heroes are made. This is the strength, the devotion that makes our troops the pride of every American. And this is the reason that - like a soldier named Leroy Petry - America doesn't simply endure, we emerge from our trials stronger, more confident, with our eyes fixed on the future."

https://youtu.be/TtCjAre65H8?list=PLitjSv4SbrkyEmTv13SXPmFF69dKN-Af1

Petry retired from the military in 2014 as a Master Sergeant.
Mom Who Compared Her Malnourished Toddler to a Serial Killer Is Sentenced Following Girl's Death

Cheyenne Hill was convicted of child neglect causing death in the case of her 18-month-old daughter, Elliaunna Plummer

Lawrence County Sheriff's Department Cheyenne Hill

An Indiana woman who claimed her 18-month-old daughter would become the next Jeffrey Dahmer was sentenced by a judge to decades in prison in connection with the girl's death, according to multiple reports.

Cheyenne Hill, 33, was convicted in February of child neglect causing death following the November 2022 death of Elliaunna Plummer, FOX 59 and WBIW previously reported.

On Tuesday, Hill was sentenced to 30 years in prison, WBIW and the Tampa Free Press reported, citing a superior court judge and the Lawrence County Prosecutors Office.

Hill was arrested in September 2023, nearly a year after Elliaunna's death. The child was malnourished and had multiple impacts throughout the whole head, according to pathologist Dr. Amanda Paul, who testified in court during Hill's trial, WBIW reported.

Prosecutors did not show that Hill inflicted the girl's injuries, but they proved that her neglect put Elliaunna's life in danger, WBIW reported.

Police responded to an Indianapolis, Ind., hospital on Nov. 23 2022 after a child services personnel reported the nature of Elliaunnas injuries, WBIW reported.

Elliaunna had a brain bleed, a broken collar bone, bruises on her face and a swollen and deformed head, Dr. Paul testified, per the outlet.

Following Elliaunnas death, testimonies and witness accounts led authorities to suspect Hill, per FOX 59 and Tampa Free Press.

According to court documents reviewed by FOX 59, when Elliaunna was still hospitalized, Hill reportedly said she would become the next Dahmer, the infamous serial killer who murdered and dismembered at least 17 men and boys over a span of 13 years starting 1978.

Hill told a representative from the Donor Network Family Service that she believed her child was not a nice kid and that something wasnt right with her, according to court documents cited by FOX 59.

Investigators who spoke with the mother while the child was hospitalized said she left for work after the child was abused, leaving Elliaunna in critical condition, according to court documents, FOX 59 reported. When officers asked her why she compared Elliaunna to Dahmer, she laughed and called the dying child an a--hole, per authorities.

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.

Multiple family members of Hill spoke in support of her at her sentencing. But Elliaunna's father, Aron Plummer, had harsh words for Hill, underscoring how devastating her actions had been.

"I am angry and sad and even attempted suicide," Aron said. "I will never have the chance to be her father. It sickens me to the point of hate."

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.



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Read the original article on People.
New moms will no longer have to report for jury duty in Florida

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Jury duty is often a major annoyance for those who get summoned to the courthouse.

The early call time, the missed work, and the hours of mostly sitting around can be an inconvenience, but thanks to a new bill, new moms will no longer have to report for jury duty.

Coast Guard pulls Carnival cruise crew member from ship off Florida coast

Friday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 461, a bill that created a new excusal for moms who recently gave birth.

To qualify for the excuse, a woman must have given birth within six months before the reporting date on a jury summons. The new mother can then request to be exempt from jury service.

Now that it is signed, the law will take effect on July 1.

Jury Duty: Who else qualifies, and who doesnt?

Under Florida state law, jurors are selected at random from the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles records, using those who have a drivers license or ID card as a talent pool.

To qualify, a person must be 18 years old, U.S. citizen or legal resident of Florida, and a resident of the county where you are being summoned. You must also have a Florida driver license or ID card issued by the DHSMV.

If for some reason you want to be a juror and dont hold a license, you can fill out an affidavit that will place you in the jury pool. However, you must fulfill the other three requirements.

Some people are automatically disqualified from being jurors. These include the governor and his cabinet, the clerks of court, judges, those who are under prosecution, felons, and anyone who has an interest in the issue that is on trial.

However, you can request to be excused from jury service if you match the following criteria:

You are a full-time federal, state or local law enforcement or investigator

You are pregnant

You are a parent who does not have a full-time job and are caring for a child of a child under 6 years old

You are 70 years old and above. In these situations, you can request to be permanently excused from jury duty.

You are a caretaker for someone who cannot care for themselves because of mental illness, intellectual disability, senility, or other physical or mental incapacity.

You can request to be excused if you can demonstrate hardship, extreme inconvenience or public necessity.

A judge can also dismiss someone who is a practicing attorney, doctor, or has a physical disability. However, in the case of the hearing impaired, a judge cannot excuse a willing juror solely because of a hearing disability unless the judge finds that auditory discrimination is required to due to evidence or timeline concerns.

Jurors typically serve for the duration of the trial. Those who are employed with regular wages are not entitled to payment for the first three days of service, but those who are not regularly paid can get a compensation of $15 per day for the first three days of service.

After the first three days, each juror is entitled to be paid $30 per day afterward.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Editors note: The above video is from an August 2023 feature on Captain Sundae.

HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  A Captain Sundae location was broken into early Monday morning, the Ottawa County Sherriffs Office said.

It happened at the Captain Sundae near the Holland State Park, located at 365 Douglas Avenue near Van Dyke Street in Holland Township.

West Michigan Scoops Tour: Pirates at Captain Sundae

A burglar alarm went off around 12:35 a.m., the sheriffs office told News 8. When deputies arrived, they found a break-in at the ice cream spot, with a smashed window that was used to get into the business.

Money was stolen, deputies say.

The sheriffs office is investigating and is working to identify suspects.

News 8 has reached out to Captain Sundae but has not yet heard back.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

It is not the first theft Captain Sundae has experienced. The Douglas Avenue location  the original Captain Sundae that opened in 1980  is on its second iconic wooden captain after the first one was stolen many years ago, Captain Sundae President Karen Vandam previously told News 8.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
(Screenshot of profile posted on Sharyl Allen's campaign website.)

Sharyl Allen, who is running as a Republican candidate for Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction, is facing a charge that she obstructed a peace officer conducting a criminal investigation at a school in Madison County.

Allen is principal-superintendent for Harrison Public School.

A special board meeting scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday said trustees would consider possible action regarding contract of employment of superintendent. That portion of the meeting may be closed.

Allen could not be reached for comment Monday. She had not yet filed a plea or been given bail conditions as of early afternoon Monday, according to Madison County Justice Court.

Court records said Allens bond amount was $1,000, and she is scheduled to appear before a justice of the peace on May 7.

During the investigation, Allen invoked her relationship with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, according to the complaint. The Attorney Generals Office said doing so was inappropriate.

The Missoulian first reported the charge against Allen, who is running against Susie Hedalen, Townsend superintendent, in the Republican primary to head the Office of Public Instruction.

Harrison Public School declined to comment on the status of Allen prior to the special meeting. The chairperson of the local board could not be reached Monday through a message relayed by a person who answered the school phone.

The complaint filed against Allen said a peace officer observed her obstruct a criminal investigation on April 22 by unlawfully preventing Montana Department of Criminal Investigations Agent Tyler Brant and Madison County Sheriffs Office Capt. Wes Heavrin from interviewing students who are potential crime victims.

(Allen) prevented law enforcement from completing these interviews, citing a need for parental consent, said the complaint filed April 23. Allen also instructed staff of the Harrison School to contact parents prior to any interviews being conducted.

Miss Allen referenced to Brant and Heavrin she had a working relationship with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and his Chief of Staff Will Selph, as well as other attorneys affiliated with Knudsen.

In a statement, the Attorney Generals Office said DCI and other law enforcement officers were doing their jobs during the investigation.

The alleged comments made by Sharyl Allen regarding her relationship with the Attorney General and his staff were inappropriate, said a statement to which a spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office directed the Daily Montanan. The Attorney General does not condone this type of behavior.

The investigators were at the school to look into allegations a teacher committed criminal acts involving students, according to a notice from the Madison County Sheriffs Office.

Posted to social media April 26, the notice said the teacher under investigation was terminated on April 16. It stressed that the students are possible crime victims.

Due to the seriousness of the allegations and need for additional law enforcement resources, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation was requested to assist in the investigation and are now the lead agency, said the notice.

The Sheriffs Office did not have additional information Monday and could not comment on the nature of the allegations. DCI could not be reached for comment.

Harrison Public School is advertising on its website for a dynamic, student-centered superintendent-principal for the 2024-2025 school year. The special meeting Monday afternoon also had superintendent-principal interviews on the agenda.

The Missoulian reported the school board had been contemplating whether to renew Allens contract, and she told them she would not return; she told the newspaper she needed to focus on caring for a family member.

Harrison had a population of 105 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census. Prior to taking on the superintendent role at Harrison Public School, Allen served as deputy superintendent for the Office of Public Instruction.

Allen did not previously respond to questions from the Daily Montana about her departure from OPI.

She earlier left education jobs in Montana and Arizona under controversial circumstances, including after multiple petitions were filed from parents calling for her termination, as the Daily Montana earlier reported.

The post Montana superintendent candidate Sharyl Allen charged with obstruction appeared first on Daily Montanan.
More than 1 million student-loan borrowers could soon be transferred to a new company after their servicer requested a lighter load, the Education Department says

More than 1 million student-loan borrowers could soon be transferred to a new company after their servicer requested a lighter load, the Education Department says

Over 1 million student-loan borrowers are being transferred from MOHELA to new servicers in the coming months.

MOHELA requested the transition, and Federal Student Aid agreed to allow for "the best service."

The Education Department withheld pay from MOHELA last year for not fulfilling some of its obligations.

A major student-loan company has requested that it no longer manage some of the borrowers in its servicing portfolio.

On Monday, Federal Student Aid released a blog post  first reviewed by Business Insider  announcing that beginning this week, it will begin transitioning some student-loan borrowers' accounts from MOHELA to other federal servicers.

An Education Department spokesperson told BI that it expects this transition will impact over one million borrowers, but that number is subject to change as the transition progresses.

"MOHELA requested these transfers and FSA, as part of its work to ensure borrowers receive the best service and support, agreed to this path," the blog post said.

According to FSA, it has already started to work with MOHELA and the other servicers to manage these transitions effectively. Impacted borrowers will receive a notice from both MOHELA and their new servicer notifying them of actions that they need to take to complete the transition. Those include creating an account with their new servicer, ensuring their new servicer has their contact information, and making sure any payment settings  like banking information  are up to date.

The transition is expected to be completed "over the next several months," per FSA, and impacted borrowers will still be able to benefit from reforms set to be implemented over the summer, including some new provisions in the SAVE income-driven repayment plan to allow for lower monthly payments.

With regards to the borrowers in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, the Education Department already announced that beginning May 1, the program will be paused as PSLF borrowers switch from being managed by MOHELA to being managed through Federal Student Aid. Monday's announcement will work in accordance with that shift.

"MOHELA continues to serve as one of the Department's federal student loan servicers and will continue their support for millions of student loan borrowers," the blog post said. "FSA will work closely with MOHELA and our other federal student loan servicers throughout the transition period to create a smooth process for borrowers."

This announcement comes as the Education Department is working to overhaul the student-loan servicing industry to make it easier to use for borrowers. Since student-loan payments resumed in October after an over three-year pandemic pause, many borrowers have reported hourslong hold times with their servicers, along with inaccurate and delayed billing statements, among a list of other errors.

MOHELA was the first servicer to receive punishment from the Education Department in October for failing to send on-time billing statements to 2.5 million borrowers, resulting in over $7 million of its pay withheld. The department has since released an accountability framework to enforce oversight over servicers, vowing to take additional action if it finds any federal servicer is failing to fulfill its contractual obligations.

Some Democratic lawmakers have also been pushing for greater oversight over MOHELA. Sen. Elizabeth Warren held a hearing earlier in April to examine MOHELA's performance, and while the company's CEO declined to attend, MOHELA said in a statement that it is instead offering private briefings with lawmakers to answer their questions.

Warren told BI in a statement that less than three weeks after she held the hearing, "the Education Department is taking critical action to protect student loan borrowers."

"There is more that the Education Department can do to hold MOHELA accountable, but today's action is an important first step," Warren said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
More than 12 pounds of drugs seized, Palestine man arrested

PALESTINE, Texas (KETK)  A 35-year-old man was arrested on Saturday after the Palestine Police Department found eight pounds of suspected meth, more than four pounds of marijuana and roughly 14 grams of suspected Xanax.

Texas Game Wardens seize more than $100,000 of equipment at Sam Rayburn lake bass tournament

According to a release, Daniel Cummings III, of Palestine, was found to be violating a protective order and was put under arrest at around 11 a.m. at Woodside Village Apartments.

Mugshot of Daniel Cummings III, courtesy of the Palestine Police Department.

Reportedly, officers had received a complaint that Cummings was dealing drugs and detectives were called to the scene.

A narcotics search warrant was executed by detectives and suspected methamphetamine, marijuana and Xanax were found along with $1,300 in cash, a release said.

Because of the great work by these Officers, a large amount of dope is off our streets, PPD

Chief Mark Harcrow said. I commend these Officers for their thorough investigation and a job

well done.

Marshall 13-year-old dead after weekend shooting, police investigating

Cummings is currently at the Anderson County Jail and charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, abandoning or endangering a child and violation of a protective order.

The Palestine Police Department said the investigation is still ongoing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
In October 2023, Kazakhstan put up 117 Soviet combat aircraft for sale. Of these, 81 were purchased by the United States through offshore intermediaries.

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The MiG-27, MiG-29, and Su-24 were among the aircraft transferred under the offshore scheme. This was reported by the Kyiv Post.

Kazakhstan has put up for sale combat aircraft manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s. The auction proposal stated that the aircraft were in an unusable condition, their modernization was economically inexpedient, and their usefulness as a source of spare parts was limited.

Nevertheless, information appeared on the Internet that the United States had purchased 81 aircraft through offshore structures. Among the aircraft transferred under the scheme were MiG-27, MiG-29, and Su-24. However, no one announced the reasons for the purchase.

At the same time, there have been speculations that the planes will eventually be transferred to the Ukrainian army. It is assumed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will disassemble them for spare parts or even use the outdated aircraft as decoys at airfields.

ADVERTISIMENT

In addition, another reason for this deal could be that Kazakhstan is trying to expand its ties with Western countries and wants to reduce its strategic and military relations with Moscow.

As a reminder, in 2024, Ukraine will receive more than a squadron of American F-16 fighters. They will arrive along with pilots and maintenance personnel.

Earlier, the Belgian government once again confirmed that it would provide the Ukrainian Defense Forces with modern F-16 fighters. The first aircraft may arrive in Ukraine this year.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
More than 40 grams of fentanyl, meth, heroin found at drug bust in Citrus Heights, police say

A drug bust in Citrus Heights resulted in authorities finding more than 40 grams of fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin.

Officers on the overnight shift saw suspected criminal activity Friday morning between two people at a gas stationby Lichen Drive, the Citrus Heights Police Department said in a Facebook post.

Both subjects attempted to walk away, and 38-year-old Jason Slater of Sacramento was stopped by officers after crossing Antelope Road and found to be on Post Release Community Supervision, according to the post. Slater had several warrants for his arrest, including a felony warrant for theft of a motor vehicle.

While searching Slater and his car, officers discovered $3,500 in cash, fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin, as well as evidence of drug sales. Police described the volume of narcotics in Slaters possession as over 40 grams.

Slater was arrested and transported to jail and the illegal contraband and drug sale proceeds were seized, officials said.

Slater was being held without bail in Sacramento County Main Jail on six felony charges ranging from possession of a controlled substance to possession with intent to sell, as well as a misdemeanor charge of possessing drug paraphernalia. He was also wanted in connection with two warrants tied to drug charges from 2021 and 2023.

Hes expected to be arraigned on the new charges Tuesday afternoon.
More than half of voters think former President Trump has committed crimes for which he should be convicted, according to a new Harvard CAPS-Harris poll shared with The Hill.

Fifty-five percent of surveyed voters think Trump has committed crimes, a finding that comes as the first of four criminal indictments against the former president goes before a jury in New York.

A 53-percent majority also said Trumps legal cases make it impossible for him to be a viable candidate for the Oval Office, even as he campaigns for another four years.

At the same time, 57 percent of respondents said they think the legal prosecutions against Trump constitute lawfare, or a way for Democrats to use the legal system to take out political opponents, while 43 percent said the prosecutions are fair and unpolitical.

Just 49 percent of respondents said Trump has committed crimes for which he will  rather than should  be convicted, while 51 percent said he will not be convicted.

Trump is on trial in Manhattan for falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment made by his ex-fixer, Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election cycle.

Fifty-one percent in the poll said the hush money case is happening because he committed crimes deserving of these punishments  while 49 percent said its happening because officials are trying to force him out of the race for president.

Trump also faces charges related to his handling of classified materials and his actions surrounding the transfer of power after President Biden won the 2020 election.

Voters think that former President Trump may be guilty of crimes but that does not seem to be stopping them from supporting him. Even convictions only take the race to dead even, said Mark Penn, the co-director of the Harvard CAPS-Harris poll.

In the event that Trump is convicted of crimes related to his document handling or in his Georgia election interference case, the Biden-Trump rematch set for this fall would be roughly tied at 50 percent support each, according to the poll.

If Trump is convicted for inciting the Capitol riots of Jan. 6, 2021, Trump has a 4-point edge on Biden, with 52 percent support to 48 percent.

The survey was conducted April 24-25 among 1,961 registered voters by the Harris Poll and Harris X. It is a collaboration of the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University and the Harris Poll.

Results were weighted for age within gender, region, race/ethnicity, marital status, household size, income, employment, education, political party, and political ideology where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents propensity to be online. The margin of error for the total sample is plus or minus 2 percentage points.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Dozens more arrested at UT-Austin as police use pepper spray, flash bangs to break up protests

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers surround a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Texas at Austin campus on Monday, April 29, 2024. Credit: Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribune

It was a familiar scene outside Travis County Jail Monday evening as friends and family of protesters arrested earlier in the day waited to hear news of their loved ones. Last Wednesday, a nearly identical scene unfolded after campus police clashed with pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of Texas at Austin.

Law enforcement responded with more force on Monday, dragging dozens of protesters from an encampment on the universitys South Lawn before deploying pepper spray and flash bang explosives to disperse crowds of hundreds of people.

Medics treat protesters suffering from heat exhaustion at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Texas at Austin campus on Monday, April 29, 2024. Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune

Amidst the chaos, volunteer medics rushed in with wet towels and water to aid protesters in the unshaded area as temperatures reached nearly 90 degrees. Police told the medics to stay away.

I saw a lot of terrified faces today, said Carrie Mullins, a masters student at UT-Austin who said she wanted to help protesters by providing them water. She instead found herself helping people who had been pepper-sprayed by police get to safety.

I felt the spray, and then I saw everyone running back, Mullins said. A lot of people were afraid, then I heard the bang from the flash bang.

On Wednesday, a pro-Palestinian rally broke out after students had walked out of class with demands that UT-Austin divest from manufacturers supplying Israel weapons in the ongoing war in Gaza.

Israel launched its war on Gaza after Hamas fighters attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7. Protests  mostly peaceful  have expanded at universities across the county over the last couple of weeks as students have established encampments on campus to draw attention to ongoing violence in Gaza.

By 3:30 p.m. Monday at least 40 people were arrested and many others were given medical attention because of the sweltering heat.

James Clark, an attorney with the Travis County Public Defender's office, told The Texas Tribune that over 90 people were arrested Monday. Jail officials would not comment. George Lobb, a member of the Austin Lawyers Guild, told the Tribune that probable cause affidavits would not be released until 10 a.m. Tuesday.

On Monday, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers formed a ring around the encampment that had grown to about 60 protesters. As UT police officers began making arrests, more protesters gathered to rally in support of the encampment and against the heavy presence of law enforcement.

University of Texas at Austin students begin to form an encampment on the South Lawn of the Universitys campus on Monday, April 29, 2024. Credit: Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribune

The UT police department issued a dispersal order Monday afternoon, telling protesters that their conduct on the South Mall violated multiple sections of Texas Penal Code and that they would be arrested if they did not leave.

Your conduct is in violation of Penal Code Sections 42.01 Disorderly Conduct, 42.02 Riot, 42.03 Obstructing a Highway or other passageway, 30.05 Criminal Trespass, the order from assistant chief Shane Streepy reads.

Elias Baez, a senior at UT, said Monday the students were peaceful and the police response was unjustified. Baez said the focus of the protests is to urge the university to divest from companies supplying the Israeli government with weapons.

We dont want our tuition money going to bomb innocent people, Baez said.

Health authorities in Gaza have reported that over the past seven months more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed.

The Tribune observed as several demonstrators sitting inside the encampment were dragged away by their arms and legs by law enforcement officers, while observers and protesters recorded videos and yelled.

Many protesters who were pulled away and arrested seemed visibly unwell, stumbling away while handcuffed. Austin police officers were also on the scene, passing out plastic zip ties in apparent preparation to restrain more demonstrators.

A University of Texas Police Department officer arrests a pro-Palestinian protester from an encampment set up on the campus South Lawn. Credit: Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribune

Law enforcement disperses a crowd at a pro-Palestinian demonstration with flash bangs at the University of Texas Austin on April 29, 2024. Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune

We wanted to provide water and first aid in case people get exhausted in this sun, said Matthew Blanley, a volunteer with Austin Street Medic. The volunteer organization ended up treating more than 100 people with injuries that included at least one pepper spray-induced asthma attack.

The crowd of onlookers swelled into the hundreds as even more law enforcement officers arrived on the scene and violence further escalated between protesters and the police.

Meanwhile, protesters shouted We are being peaceful, you are being violent.

Around 5 p.m., as law enforcement attempted to leave campus with a bus full of people who had been arrested, protesters swarmed the vehicle, writing "pigs on the side, throwing water at the bus and shouting "shame."

Students linked arms, forming a barricade in front of about five state troopers on motorcycles who were escorting the bus out. The troopers rolled forward, pressing their bikes into the backs of protesters as UT police officers ripped into the group, pulling and pushing away protesters.

One person fell to the ground after they were hit by an officers bike. Volunteer medics quickly responded, though with the crowd cleared, officers quickly escorted the bus toward the county jail, about two miles away.

Some protesters arrested on Monday are students, the Tribune confirmed, but it is not clear how many. In Texas, it is legal for non-students to protest on a public campus in all common outdoor areas as long as their activities are lawful and dont disrupt the normal functions of the campus.

In a late Friday statement, the university said that many of the protesters who erected the encampment were believed to not be affiliated with UT. The statement said that protesters were physically and verbally combative with the Dean of Students staff, and in response the university called for assistance from DPS.

In an email to students, UT administrators said disruption of this type will not be tolerated on campus. Safety and security are a top priority of the University, it read.

Texas department of Public Safety troopers surround a pro-Palestinian encampment on the University of Texas at Austin campus on Monday, April 29, 2024. Credit: Julius Shieh for The Texas Tribune

A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stands between a pro-Palestinian encampment and other onlookers on the UT-Austin campus. Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott, who deployed DPS to UT-Austin last week, chimed in on Monday to applaud the resumption of arrests. On X, he reposted a video of officers wearing face shields spreading across campus.

Last week, at least 57 people were arrested for criminal trespassing. All of those charges were dropped. Among those arrested was a photojournalist for FOX 7 in Austin, who spent Wednesday night in jail. The photographer, Carlos Sanchez, was issued a warrant for his arrest on a felony charge of assaulting a peace officer. DPS claims Sanchez hit a trooper with his camera while he was livestreaming the protest.

In a Monday statement, the Society of Professional Journalists condemned the arrest and asked that the charges be dropped.

"This is such a dangerous escalation by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and it feels like the agency is trying to send a message to journalists across the state who are covering this highly publicized and developing story," SPJ National President Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins said.

Late in the afternoon, protestors re-establish a pro-Palestine encampment on the University of Texas-Austin main lawn, utilizing barricades used by police earlier that day. Credit: Leila Saidane for The Texas Tribune

Disclosure: University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter 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.

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Authorities found a mountain lion that was trapped inside a homeowners shed on the mesa in Hesperia.

City of Hesperia officials said the wild animal was found on Saturday at a home in the 17000 block of Danbury Avenue, north of Ranchero Road.

Authorities found a mountain lion that was trapped inside a homeowners shed on the mesa in Hesperia.

Agencies that responded to the incident included the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Hesperia Sheriffs Station and Hesperia Animal Control personnel. Upon arrival, state officials observed the mountain lion, and determined that it was not a threat.

State officials made the determination to contain the animal in the shed overnight. On Sunday morning, Hesperia Animal Control and state officials arrived at the home.

State officials tranquilized the mountain lion shortly after 10 a.m. and immediately removed it from the private property.

State Department of Fish and Wildlife officials planned to collar the 112-pound adult male mountain lion and release it in the hills near Silverwood Lake.

The Silverwood Lake area is located nearly 10 miles south from where the mountain lion was found.

Previous mountain lion reports

City staff suspect the mountain lion was the same cat reported earlier this week.

At least two mountain lion sightings were reported in the southwest portion of Hesperia, city officials announced on April 22, the Daily Press reported.

The sightings were reported in the area of 9th Avenue and Sultana Street, as well as near Farmington Street and Wilson Way, city officials stated.

"While there is no cause for alarm, we urge everyone to exercise caution when outdoors, especially during dawn and dusk, when mountain lions are most active," according to the statement.

Residents are encouraged to bring small pets and animals indoors and to remove open water and food sources from yards. If you see a mountain lion, do not make contact and report it by calling 911, city leaders stated.

State Department of Fish and Wildlife officials shared the following advice when seeing a mountain lion:

Stay calm. Hold your ground or back away slowly. Face the lion and stand upright.

Do not approach a lion. Never approach a mountain lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.

Do not run from a lion. Running may stimulate a mountain lion's instinct to chase. Instead, stand and face the animal. Make eye contact. If you have small children with you, pick them up, if possible, so they don't panic and run. Although it may be awkward, pick them up without bending over or turning away from the mountain lion.

Do not crouch down or bend over. Biologists surmise mountain lions don't recognize standing humans as prey. On the other hand, a person squatting or bending over looks a lot like a four-legged prey animal. If you're in a mountain lion habitat, avoid squatting, crouching, or bending over, even when picking up children.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on X @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Mountain lion trapped in homeowner's shed in Hesperia
Three law enforcement officers were killed, and five others were wounded Monday afternoon while trying to serve an arrest warrant un-Charlotte, N.C., according to local police.

The officers, with the U.S. Marshals Task Force were trying to serve a warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon when the shootout occurred, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said Monday.

Jennings said the task force, which includes officers from different agencies, tried to approach the individual and were met with gunfire. Officers returned fire, shooting and killing the suspect in the front yard of the home.

One of the five officers struck is in critical condition, Jennings added.

Another person fired at officers from inside of the home, where officers later found a high-powered rifle, police said.

Numerous victims were being transported to the hospital and the departments SWAT Team responded to the scene, according to police.

The residence was cleared shortly before 5 p.m. and residents were told they no longer needed to shelter in place.

Two additional people were found inside of the home and brought to the police station as persons of interest, Jennings said.

The department on Monday night also warned that there will be major roads shut down to expedite victim transport.

Please remain patient and cooperate with officers, police wrote on X.

Today we lost some heroes who were out simply trying to keep our community safe, Jennings said.

A lot of the questions that need to be answered, we dont even know what those questions are now, he added later. We have to get a full understanding of why this occurred and also uphold the integrity of the investigation.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) said he has been in touch with law enforcement about the shooting.

I am in contact with law enforcement concerning the tragic shooting in the Charlotte area, and we have offered state resources to help, he wrote on X.

Miranda Nazzaro contributed.

Updated at 7:31 pm.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
CHARLOTTE (WJZY)  Four law enforcement officers were killed in a shootout that erupted when a U.S. Marshals Task Force tried to serve a warrant at a North Carolina home on Monday. Four other officers were wounded, and a suspect is also dead.

A wanted man shot at officers Monday afternoon as they approached a suburban home in Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CPMD).

Members of the task force returned fire, striking the suspect in front of the home. His name was not released, but police said he was wanted as a felon illegally possessing a weapon.

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A second shooter then began firing at officers after they killed the wanted man, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said.

A woman and a 17-year-old male were found in the home after a three-hour standoff that included armored vehicles crashing into the residence in a tree-lined neighborhood and tearing off doorways and windows. The two are being questioned, Jennings said.

Multiple law enforcement officers were shot Monday, April 29, 2024, in east Charlotte, N.C., the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department said. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Task Force were conducting an investigation in a suburban neighborhood when they were fired upon, the CMPD said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. (Khadejeh Nikouyeh/The Charlotte Observer via AP)

Police work at the scene of a shooting Monday, April 29, 2024, in east Charlotte, N.C. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Task Force were conducting an investigation in a suburban neighborhood when they were fired upon, the CMPD said in a post on X. (Khadejeh Nikouyeh/The Charlotte Observer via AP)

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is responding to shots fired on Galway Drive in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, April 29, 2024. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Task Force were conducting an investigation in a suburban neighborhood when they were fired upon, the CMPD said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. (Melissa Rodriguez/The Charlotte Observer via AP)

A Charlotte Mecklenburg police officer carries a gun as he walks in the neighborhood where an officer-involved shooting took place in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, April 29, 2024. Police in North Carolina say numerous law enforcement officers conducting a task force operation have been struck by gunfire in Charlotte. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

The Marshals Service confirmed one of its agents was killed. Two officers from the state Department of Adult Correction were also killed, said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper. The governor was in Charlotte and was speaking to the families of the slain and injured officers.

Today we lost some heroes who were out simply trying to keep our community safe, Jennings said during Mondays press briefing.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Joshua Eyer died a few hours later at the hospital, Jennings said. Eyer was named the officer of the month for the force for April just a few weeks ago.

He certainty gave his life and dedicated his life to protecting our citizens, Jennings said.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Joshua Eyer was one of four officers killed after trying to serve a warrant at a home in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department)

One other member of the task force, which is made up of federal agents and other officers from across the region, was injured. Three other CPMD officers who responded to the scene were also shot while trying to rescue the wounded officers.

5 shot in Maryland park during senior skip day gathering: Its maddening

An original police call made over the radio on Monday indicated that multiple officers were shot and wounded during a barricade situation.

Heavy gunfire could be heard for several minutes.

Police issued a severe alert after the shooting broke out, asking people to stay inside their homes and avoid the neighborhood, Nexstars WJZY reported.

Multiple law enforcement vehicles were spotted speeding toward the crime scene. Police said many roads in the area, including Interstate 77, were closed for faster ambulance transport.

Please keep CMPD in your thoughts and prayers as they deal with an active incident, the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Four Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were also placed on lockdown around afternoon dismissal, but that was lifted in the late afternoon, the district said.

Rissa Reign, who lives nearby, said was cleaning her house when she heard the first shots ring out. There was a pause, then a second set of shots and then a third. She stepped outside.

When we came outside, there were no cops at all, then cops started rushing, rushing, rushing, rushing in, she told the Associated Press, adding armored SWAT trucks quickly followed and they were going over the grass, everything, and they started shooting again.

NFL wide receiver injured in Florida shooting, team says

By Monday evening, community members had placed several flowers outside the US Marshals headquarters in Charlotte. An American flag outside the building was also lowered to half-staff.

I am deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred that involved Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and US Marshals today, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyes said in a statement. I ask that all Charlotteans keep them, the other injured officers, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.

The Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force is headquartered in Charlotte with 70 federal, state and local agencies. Fugitive task forces are collaborations between agencies to find and arrest suspects in crimes. The regional task force has apprehend more than 8,900 fugitives within six years, the U.S. Marshals Service said on its website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Pennsylvania Education Secretary Khalid Mumin speaks during a state House Appropriations Committee hearing on education funding. (Pennsylvania House video)

Pennsylvania Education Secretary Khalid Mumin said Monday that the commonwealth has to keep up with the changes in education and how its students learn.

For those of us who were educated in the 1900s, like I was, education looks a lot different, he said during remarks at the Pennsylvania Press Clubs monthly luncheon. The careers and pathways are a lot different now.

As hearings are taking place for Gov. Josh Shapiros education plans in Harrisburg this week, Mumin said that the DOE is taking all viewpoints into consideration, from Pennsylvanias 1.7 million learners to its educators; from preschool all the way up through post-secondary programs.

He highlighted a number of proposals from Shapiros budget request, including a $30 million increase to help the Pre-K Counts program, a $5 million increase to the student teacher stipend program, and the $1.1 billion investment in basic education funding for Pennsylvania school districts.

Education has to take a spin off of tradition and into innovation, Mumin said.

Mumin said that of the 500 school districts in Pennsylvania, 367 of them have an adequacy gap that the administration is aiming to address and said the goal is to find the bridge between policy and practice to provide meaningful experiences for learners across the state.

During the Q&A portion of the program Mumin addressed several hot button topics, starting with the status of the Pennsylvania Achievement Student Scholarship (PASS) lifeline scholarship program.

The governor has been very clear that he supports a PASS scholarship program, but not at the detriment of traditional public schools, Mumin said. My understanding is that those conversations are still happening. The door is not closed on it.

During Shapiros campaign for governor, he touted his support for Lifeline Scholarships and reached a deal with Republicans for a $100 million program on it during budget negotiations in 2023, which ultimately failed after Shapiro delivered a line-item veto following opposition from House Democrats.

Earlier this month, applications opened for the Pennsylvania Student Teacher Support Program. The program was inundated by thousands of applications, far exceeding the demand for the program.

Mumin said he believed discussions about increasing funding for the program would be fruitful, and that legislators have open ears and open minds to this.

Mumin also emphasized the need for Pennsylvania to address a current teacher shortage. We need teachers, Mumin said. That didnt exist when I was around. We had so many teachers and certifications granted by the state, now we have a true shortage. He noted that the Pennsylvania House Education Committee would be holding a public hearing on Friday on teacher certification and teacher pipeline initiatives.

Also on Monday, the state Senate Education committee held a hearing to detail Senate Republicans own education program called Grow PA which focuses on many of the same issues. Mumin declined to comment directly on the Grow PA plan but said the education department is open for discussion on it.

The post Mumin talks proposed education funding and changing landscape at Pa. Press Club luncheon appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A man allegedly murdered another man at a bus stop near the Las Vegas Strip, eating his victims face in the process, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.

Colin Czech, 29, faces a charge of open murder.

Just before 5 a.m. Sunday, a person called police about a man who reportedly tackled another man to the ground on Las Vegas Boulevard near Charleston Boulevard, documents said. About 45 minutes later, another person called police, saying a man was on top of another man at a bus stop eating the other mans face.

Officers responded, finding Czech kneeling next to the victim with biological matter in his hair, mouth and on his clothing, documents said. Czech reportedly told officers the victim had attacked him.

Paramedics transported the victim, identified as Kenneth Brown to the hospital where a doctor pronounced him deceased. Brown had a large cut to part of his head and he was missing an eye and ear, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.

While in police custody, Czech was going in and out of consciousness, documents said. He later told officers he is unhoused and was awake for five days straight because something was possessing him, according to the documents.

Czech also told detectives he used his teeth to hurt the victim, adding he used his teeth to eat [the mans] eyeballs and ears, documents said.

Czech did not appear for his initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court on Monday afternoon because he was in the hospital, the judge said. His next court appearance was scheduled for Wednesday, May 1 at 8:30 a.m.

A booking photo for Czech was not immediately available.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT)  The murder trial for a Huntsville man accused of driving a car into Flint Creek in March 2023 after a reported robbery and police chase has been set.

Court documents show Ismael Tariq Smith, 21, is scheduled to stand trial for a murder and robbery charge on October 21, 2024.

Three Morgan County men charged with child sex crimes

Smith waived his right to an arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty on April 16, 2024.

According to the Decatur Police Department (DPD), officers were called to a robbery near Casa Santiago on Spring Avenue on March 27, after two people said a trade for a Playstation console and an AK-47 rifle went sideways.

Police were given a vehicle and suspect description.

The driver of a vehicle matching that description, later identified as Smith, tried to run from police, leading them on a high-speed chase with speeds reaching nearly 100 miles per hour when he lost control and crashed into Flint Creek near Bowles Bridge, authorities said.

Two people jumped from the vehicle into the creek, which police said resulted in the Rescue Squad being notified.

Smith was quickly pulled from Flint Creek and taken into custody, while the second person, later identified as Michael Forde-Clark, was seen struggling to stay afloat as he went downstream.

Muscle Shoals man charged with attempted murder after police say he stabbed woman during family dispute

Two more days went by before the vehicle was found and drawn out of the water, while ALEAs Marine Police continued their search for Forde-Clark. On April 1, a resident called police to report a dead body in Flint Creek, later identified by the DPD as Forde-Clark.

Smith was initially charged with capital murder before the 18-year-olds body was found or he was declared dead.

Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson told News 19 that Smiths capital murder charge was lowered to felony murder as a result of the events that transpired.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
As of the next school year, Russian students will be taught how to manufacture and fly the lethal drones currently targeting Ukraine. The government has announced a new program that will further militarize schools and universities to prepare new generations for war. The Ministry of Education will buy more than 17,000 drones this year, with the question of whether teachers will have sufficient knowledge of their functioning to impart to their students unanswered. Another possibility is for soldiers and Ukraine veterans and who currently tour Russias schools to deliver a Kremlin-friendly view of the war  sometimes wearing balaclavas  to teach students how to handle the unmanned aircraft.

Teachers in over 500 schools will start to receive training in July. It is necessary to ensure that the program is fully ready as of September 1, Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov told a Cabinet meeting.

The program will be rolled out this year in hundreds of schools, although the ultimate goal is to have 4,872 specialized drone-piloting classrooms in schools and 380 separate practical training centers across the country by 2030. All these facilities will include an area for training with the devices and another reserved for 3D printers and other tools to manufacture and repair drones.

Although unmanned civilian drones have broken into many sectors from agriculture to industrial infrastructure overhaul, the Kremlin has turned its attention to their military applications as they have proven to be a differential factor in modern warfare. Russian President Vladimir Putin himself acknowledged on February 2 that a lack of drones is a serious problem for his troops. Unfortunately, there is still work to be done here. It is one of our Achilles heels, he said at an event dubbed All for Victory!

The Russian government acknowledges that the lack of drone training among schoolteachers is a challenge. Gradually, however, the military is starting to become a regular feature in Russian schools. Visits by Ukrainian war veterans to classrooms have become a constant over the last year, sometimes causing controversy. The latest furor occurred when the newspaper Vazhnie Istorii reported that a Wagner mercenary who was sentenced to six years in prison and received a pardon after agreeing to fight in Ukraine spoke at a school. The serviceman, Alexander Glazov, induced a 15-year-old teenager to suicide in the Blue Whale challenge game, although his sentence was commuted by the Kremlin when he agreed to go to the front, where he lost an eye and several fingers. Now he lectures other teenagers on the subject Where does patriotism begin?

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visits a military drone range outside Moscow last Wednesday. Russian Defence Ministry (via REUTERS)

Kremlin rewrites the history books

The Kremlin has also revived a Soviet tradition in educational establishments: the provision of basic training to minors before they are called up for compulsory military service between the ages of 18 and 30. In theory, this would help the Ministry of Defense recruit troops with a somewhat broader background. Although it is forbidden by law for young conscripts to be deployed in combat, commanders are trying to convince new recruits to sign a professional contract with the army so that they can be sent to fight in Ukraine.

The new subject is called Fundamentals of Security and Homeland Defense and will be taught starting next September 1. Occupying 36 hours per year, it will include basic military training during the last two years of high school, including the use of firearms. Students will also learn about the army structure and will be taught how to perform first aid.

The war of attrition in Ukraine has brought about changes in Russian society. In early 2022, the Kremlin tried to keep the population oblivious to what it still calls a special military operation, but the stalemate at the front has brought with it a gradual militarization of all layers of society, including schools. In the 2022 school year a compulsory subject was introduced, Important conversations, where every Monday students learn the slogans dictated by the Kremlin. Among them is a course on patriotism where 10-year-olds are required to recite phrases such as: Do not spare your strength nor your life for the motherland, The motherlands happiness is worth more than life itself, and There is nothing to fear in dying for the motherland.

A year later, for the 2023 schoolyear, Putins advisor and head of his negotiating team in Ukraine, Vladimir Medinsky, rewrote the history books for high school courses. Medinsky himself claimed that a drastic rewriting was necessary from the last decades of the Soviet Union to the present, including the war unleashed against Ukraine. Among other distortions of history, the Kremlin conveys to students that the protests of Ukrainians against the government of Viktor Yanukovych in 2013 and 2014 were a military coup promoted by the U.S. and NATO as a result of which arose, according to their version of events, Ukrainian neo-Nazism. The textbook underpins the Kremlins view with omissions and manipulations. As proof of the alleged threat from the Atlantic Alliance the textbook cites the accession of neutral Finland, although it fails to mention that this took place in 2023, a year after Helsinki witnessed Russia invading another of its neighboring countries.

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Nail salon staff tried to burn down competing salon with incendiary device, feds say

A nail salon owner will serve jail time for her role in a plot to set her competitors business on fire, Ohio officials announced.

Kim Lien Vu, 46, of Liberty Township, and her employee, Cierra Marie Bishop, 30, of Hamilton, devised a plan to set a competing nail salon on fire after Vu developed animosity toward them, according to an April 25 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office announcing Vus sentencing.







McClatchy News was unable to locate attorney information for Vu.

To carry out the plan, which the women referred to as Job 1 in text messages, Bishop built a remote-controlled incendiary device that they planned to plant at Bora Bora Nail Salon in Monroe, officials said.

Vu and Bishop enlisted the help of a 19-year-old friend who made an appointment for a pedicure at on Feb. 5 2023 at the competitors salon under an alias, federal prosecutors said.

Surveillance footage shows Bishop entering the salon while her friends appointment was underway and placing the device in the box under a desk in the back of the building, according to officials.

Prosecutors said an employee later discovered the device, which reportedly smelled like gasoline, and brought it outside. When she later went to check on the device, the box was on fire.

Although Vu was traveling to Virginia on the day the plan was being executed, she was in constant contact with Bishop, officials said.

All three women were indicted in February 2023, according to officials.

Vu pleaded guilty in September 2023 to charges of conspiring to commit malicious destruction via fire, and on April 24, she was sentenced to four years in prison, prosecutors said.

Bishop has also pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing, officials said.

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A Texas man died after police say they responded to an exposure call and ultimately tased him.

Just after 7 a.m. April 28, police responded to a southeast Houston neighborhood after they were called about a naked man running around in the street, Houston Police Assistant Chief Wyatt Martin said at a news conference streamed on Facebook.

People in the area reported they could hear the man screaming. When officers arrived, they found the man inside a back enclosed porch of a home in the neighborhood.

Martin said police confronted the man and ordered him to come out, but he was uncooperative. The officers backed off and called for backup because the man was in an agitated state, Martin said.

When fire crews and backup units arrived, police tried to take the man into custody, Martin said.

He fought with the officers and was eventually tased, Martin said.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was placed into handcuffs, and about a minute later he became unresponsive, police said.

Paramedics were already on the scene and treated the man but were not able to revive him, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

We use tasers as a less lethal weapon quite often, most of the time people have no adverse effects. This gentleman, we do know for certain was on a narcotic, and that very likely, given what he was on, could have contributed, Martin said.

Martin said the man was tased at least one time after wrestling with officers. He said a full investigation into the mans death will be done.

A cause of death has not yet been determined.

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NASA releases 'unprecedented' Horsehead Nebula image captured by James Webb Space Telescope. What to know about the stellar nursery.

This image of the Horsehead Nebula from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope focuses on a portion of the horse's "mane" that is about 0.8 light-years in width. It was taken with Webb's NIRCam (Near-infrared Camera). (NASA via AP)

The worlds most powerful space telescope, NASAs James Webb Space Telescope, has just released the sharpest infrared images to date of the Horsehead Nebula, a small dark nebula in the constellation Orion that acts as a nursery for newborn stars.

Captured in unprecedented detail, the image of the nebula focuses on a portion of the horses mane that is about 0.8 light-years in width and roughly 1,300 light-years away from Earth.

The observations show a part of the iconic nebula in a whole new light, capturing its complexity with unprecedented spatial resolution, reports the European Space Agency (ESA).

Webbs image of the Horsehead Nebula is the newest, but its not the first. Discovered in 1888 by Scottish astronomer Williamina Fleming, the nebula is a favorite subject for amateur and professional astronomers and has graced the cover of astronomy books for over a century.

For the first time ever, thanks to Webbs MIRI (mid-infrared instrument) and NIRCam (near-infrared camera) instruments, small-scale structures  such as blue-colored clouds and red-colored wisps  of the illuminated edge of the Horsehead Nebula can now be seen.

The ethereal clouds that appear blue at the bottom of the image are filled with a variety of materials including hydrogen, methane, and water ice, states Webbs news release. Red-colored wisps extending above the main nebula represent both atomic and molecular hydrogen.  Ultraviolet light from nearby young, massive stars creates a mostly neutral, warm area of gas and dust between the fully ionized gas above and the nebula below. As with many Webb images, distant galaxies are sprinkled in the background.

Horsehead Nebula: Yeigh or Neigh? 



The Horsehead Nebula is famously known forlooking like a horses head. Webb captured the top of the "horse's mane," giving us the sharpest infrared images of the region to date: https://t.co/2SDdbAOkYM pic.twitter.com/0zWxukU4EA  NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) April 29, 2024

In 2023, ESAs Euclid telescope released an image of the nebula that it captured in just one hour with a single observation, revealing previously unseen Jupiter-mass planets in their celestial infancy.

This image shows three views of the Horsehead Nebula. The image on the left, released in November 2023, features the nebula as seen in visible light by the European Space Agencys Euclid telescope, which has contributions from NASA. The middle image shows a view of the Horsehead Nebula in near-infrared light from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope in 2013. The image on the right features a new view of the Horsehead Nebula from NASAs James Webb Space Telescopes NIRCam (near-infrared camera). (NASA via AP)

Prior to that, in 2013, in honor of the telescopes 23rd anniversary, the Hubble Space Telescope released an image that captures plumes of gas in infrared and reveals a delicate structure that is normally obscured by dust.

This image, made by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope in 2013, shows Barnard 33, the Horsehead Nebula, in the constellation of Orion (the Hunter), in infrared light. Infrared has longer wavelengths than visible light and can pierce through the dusty material that usually obscures the nebula's inner regions in visible light. (NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI) via AP)

Located to the south of the star Alnitak, the easternmost of Orions famous three-star belt and part of the vast Orion molecular cloud, the Horsehead Nebula is the closest giant star-forming region to Earth.

While Webbs image of the nebula is the latest, it likely will not be the last, as the stellar nursery is the birthplace of planets, young brown dwarfs and baby stars.

We are particularly interested in this region because star formation is taking place in very special conditions, explained Euclid legacy scientist Eduardo Martin Guerrero de Escalante of the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias in Tenerife, Spain.
KYIV (Reuters) - NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg told Ukrainians on Monday that his alliances members had failed to live up to their promises of military aid in recent months, but said the flow of arms and ammunition would now increase.

In an unannounced visit to Ukraine, the secretary general of the transatlantic military alliance held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and was due to address Ukraines parliament, the Rada.

His visit  the third since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 - comes at a difficult time on the battlefield for Ukraine. After a failed Ukrainian counter-offensive last year, Russian forces have gained the initiative  at least in part due to a dearth of arms and ammunition from Kyivs Western partners.

I will also be very honest with President Zelenskiy and also with the Rada that NATO allies have not delivered what we have promised over the last months, Stoltenberg said on the train taking him into Kyiv on Monday.

The United States spent six months to agree a package and European allies have not delivered the ammunition we promised. But now Im confident that things will change, he said.

Stoltenberg pointed to the U.S. Congress now having approved a Ukraine aid package worth more than $60 billion, swiftly signed into law by President Joe Biden, and an announcement last week by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of a record high commitment to Kyiv.

He also noted Germany had agreed to provide a new Patriot air defence system to Ukraine and the Netherlands had boosted its aid to Kyiv. He said he expected other "new commitments to come".

"This will make a difference  as the lack of support made a difference, he said, alluding to Ukrainian setbacks on the battlefield.

He said the Russians had paid "a high price for marginal territorial gains" and Ukraine could still turn things around.

"It's not too late for Ukraine to prevail. But thats why it's so urgent that NATO allies now actually do what we had promised and that we turn those commitments into real deliveries of weapons and ammunition and Im now confident that will now happen.

(Reporting by Andrew Gray; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine attend a meeting. "The lack of ammunition has enabled the Russians to push forward along the front line," Stoltenberg said, singling out the United States for Washington's protracted process to send more military aid. -/NATO/dpa

When NATO allies fail to deliver weapons and ammunition to Ukraine on time, "Ukrainians are paying the price," Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday in Kiev.

"The lack of ammunition has enabled the Russians to push forward along the front line," Stoltenberg said, singling out the United States for Washington's protracted process to send more military aid.

"European allies have not delivered the amount of ammunition they promised," Stoltenberg added, referring to the European Union's failure to deliver 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine in a year.

The secretary general was speaking in a press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on an unannounced visit when he voiced his criticism.

"Lack of air defence has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets," Stoltenberg said.

"And the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces, and we see the consequences of that now," he said.

Ukraine has been fending off a full-scale Russian invasion of the country for more than two years. Russian airstrikes have targeted areas throughout the country, with particularly intense attacks recently aimed at Ukraine's energy supplies.

Zelensky thanked the top NATO official for his support and stressed that he expected no further delays in the delivery of recently announced military aid.

Stoltenberg highlighted Spain's decision to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles. He said he expected further announcements of support for Ukraine to follow soon.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg received by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. "The lack of ammunition has enabled the Russians to push forward along the front line," Stoltenberg said, singling out the United States for Washington's protracted process to send more military aid. -/NATO/dpa

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg received by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. "The lack of ammunition has enabled the Russians to push forward along the front line," Stoltenberg said, singling out the United States for Washington's protracted process to send more military aid. -/NATO/dpa

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine attend a joint press conference. "The lack of ammunition has enabled the Russians to push forward along the front line," Stoltenberg said, singling out the United States for Washington's protracted process to send more military aid. -/NATO/dpa
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is visiting Kyiv.

Source: Farah Dakhlallah, spokesperson of NATO, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Around 15:00 Kyiv time, the spokeswoman announced Stoltenberg's news conference via Twitter (X), emphasising that it will be a joint briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv.

Photo: Farah Dakhlallah on X

In his remarks, Zelenskyy noted that this is Stoltenberg's third visit to Ukraine since the start of Russias full-scale war.

Quote: "Today, we can say that Ukraine and the Alliance have reached their highest level of cooperation since our independence. But not the greatest conceivable, and this is what we discussed today and will continue to talk about after the press conference," the president said.

Stoltenberg stated last week that the fresh revelations of Russian espionage in Alliance member states will not jeopardise the deployment of military support to Ukraine.

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  NATO countries havent delivered what they promised to Ukraine in time, the alliances chief said Monday, allowing Russia to press its advantage while Kyivs depleted forces wait for military supplies to arrive from the U.S. and Europe.

"Serious delays in support have meant serious consequences on the battlefield for Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Outgunned, Ukraines troops have struggled to fend off Russian advances on the battlefield. They were recently compelled to make a tactical retreat from three villages in the east, where the Kremlin's forces have been making incremental gains, Ukraine's army chief said Sunday. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Monday its forces had also taken the village of Semenivka.

The lack of ammunition has allowed the Russians to push forward along the front line. Lack of air defense has made it possible for more Russian missiles to hit their targets, and the lack of deep strike capabilities has made it possible for the Russians to concentrate more forces, Stoltenberg said.

Kyivs Western partners have repeatedly vowed to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. But vital U.S. military help was held up for six months by political differences in Washington, and Europes military hardware production has not kept up with demand. Ukraines own manufacturing of heavy weapons is only now starting to gain traction.

Now, Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid that can help check the slow and costly but steady Russian advance across eastern areas, as well as thwart drone and missile attacks.

Zelenskyy said new Western supplies have started arriving, but slowly. "This process must be speeded up, he said at the news conference with Stoltenberg.

Though the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line has shifted little since early in the war, the Kremlins forces in recent weeks have edged forward, especially in the Donetsk region, with sheer numbers and massive firepower used to bludgeon defensive positions.

Russia also continues to launch missiles, drones and bombs at cities across Ukraine. At least four people were killed and 27 injured in a Russian missile strike on residential buildings and civil infrastructure in the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Monday, regional governor Oleh Kiper said on the Telegram messaging site.

A turreted Gothic-style building known locally as the Harry Potter Castle, was seen in flames after the strike.

Russia is a far bigger country than Ukraine, with greater resources. It has also received weapons support from Iran and North Korea, the U.S. government says.

Drawn-out Ukrainian efforts to mobilize more troops, and the belated building of battlefield fortifications, are other factors undermining Ukraines war effort, military analysts say.

Nick Reynolds, a research fellow for land warfare at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said the war is still largely an artillery duel.

He said he did not expect to see major movement of the front lines in the near term, but that the conditions are being set for which side has military advantage at the front line. The Russian military is in a better position at the moment.

When we see one side or the other being in a position to move the front line, at some stage, maneuver will be restored to the battlefield. Not in the next few weeks, maybe not even in the next few months. But it will happen, he told The Associated Press.

Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, at a briefing with reporters Monday, also acknowledged Russias recent battlefield gains, noting that a delay in congressional approval for additional spending set the Ukrainians back.

NATO chief Stoltenberg, however, said more weapons and ammunition for Ukraine are on the way, including Patriot missile systems to defend against heavy Russian barrages that smash into the power grid and urban areas.

Ukrainian officials say Russia is assembling forces for a major summer offensive, even if its troops are making only incremental gains at the moment.

Russian forces remain unlikely to achieve a deeper operationally significant penetration in the area in the near term, the Institute for the Study of War said in an assessment Sunday.

Even so, the Kremlins forces are closing in on the strategically important hilltop town of Chasiv Yar, whose capture would be an important step forward into the Donetsk region.

Donetsk and Luhansk form much of the industrial Donbas region, which has been gripped by separatist fighting since 2014, and which Putin has set as a primary objective of the Russian invasion. Russia illegally annexed areas of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions in September 2022.

In other developments, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh made an unannounced visit to Ukraine  the first British royal to travel to the country since Russias 2022 invasion.

Buckingham Palace said Monday that Sophie, wife of Prince Edward, met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska in Kyiv and delivered a message on behalf of King Charles III. It did not disclose the timing or details of the visit.

The palace said Sophie, 59, made the trip to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

___

Associated Press writer Tara Copp in Washington contributed reporting.

___

Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Editors note: The writer is an attorney who has represented NC families following fatal police pursuits.

Earlier this month, The News & Observer reported that the number of deadly police pursuits has increased in North Carolina and nationwide.

According to the article, from 2017 to 2021, there were 92 deaths in police pursuits in North Carolina. In the past 40 years, at least 4,200 innocent people have died nationwide because of police pursuits, and the number is likely under-reported.

Victims of police pursuits deserve justice  and police need a deterrent to ensure they consider the safety of the innocent victims they are sworn to protect. But under N.C. law, its nearly impossible to hold officers responsible for their negligent acts. You must prove that the officer acted with gross negligence. Even when police admit they violated their own policies, that is not enough. The standard is so difficult that it effectively makes police in North Carolina immune from civil liability for the injuries and deaths of innocent victims they cause.

Paul Dickinson

In September 2023, a mother and her child lost their lives after a Hickory police officer collided with their minivan in pursuit of a suspect on a motorcycle. It is a bitter irony that the officer was pursuing the suspect for driving recklessly.

In January 2022, a single mother of two was killed in Charlotte when police pursued a vehicle over a purported illegal license plate cover  as police read out the license plate number over the radio. The purported license plate violator was never charged for a foggy plate cover. I represent one of the victims families in a wrongful death lawsuit.

The N.C. legislature must immediately pass a law lowering the standard from gross to ordinary negligence to hold officers accountable when they violate their own pursuit policies. In addition, N.C. police departments must be required to record and publicly report comprehensive pursuit data, including crashes, injuries and deaths.

To be clear, we dont have to make a choice between police accountability or an increase in crime. Data shows that restricting police pursuits to the most serious situations saves lives without increasing crime.

A 2023 report from the U.S. Department of Justice, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Police Executive Research Forum recommends that police should only pursue fleeing suspects when (1) a violent crime has been committed and (2) the suspect poses an imminent threat to commit another violent crime. The victims in Hickory and Charlotte would be alive today if those two criteria had been met.

Data from the Wake County Sheriffs Office over the past six years shows that about two-thirds of their pursuits started with a simple traffic violation. And only about 20% of their chases even resulted in an arrest. The conclusion is clear  crime will not skyrocket if police chase fewer people committing traffic violations.

Overwhelming evidence proves that more restrictive pursuit policies save lives by reducing the number of bystander injuries and deaths. For example, a 2021 study of restrictive pursuit policies at two police departments in Roanoke, Virginia found that they made police chases shorter, safer, less costly and drastically less frequent without an increase in criminal activity, allowing police to focus on more serious crimes.

Its important to note that its not just innocent bystanders that pay the price for deadly police pursuits. According to the Centers for Disease Control, motor-vehicle crashes  including those resulting from police pursuits  are one of the main causes of death for police officers.

In North Carolina, pursuit policies are generally set by local police departments, sheriffs offices, and the N.C. Highway Patrol. Police departments in our state should be required by law to develop safe and restrictive pursuit policies with consequences for departments that fail to develop or maintain acceptable policies.

Is it worth risking human lives to pursue someone over a license plate cover? North Carolina must act now to reduce police chase deaths and injuries. North Carolina police departments must be required by law to adopt more restrictive pursuit policies and follow formal, comprehensive reporting procedures for pursuit crashes and the injuries and deaths they cause. Accountability and transparency are how we protect people from these needless tragedies.

Paul Dickinson is a personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin.
The Tongo Tongo ambush in Niger on October 4, 2017, in which four U.S. soldiers were killed, sparked a fierce debate in the Donald Trump administration about the presence and size of its contingent in Africa. It was the largest loss of U.S. military personnel on the continent since the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia. Nearly seven years after the slaughter in Niger, perpetrated by Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, it is not Washington that is weighing up whether to maintain or withdraw its soldiers; rather, it is the countries in the region themselves that have asked foreign military detachments to pack up and leave. After the military juntas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger expelled French forces from their territory last year following their rapprochement with Russia, it is now the turn of the U.S.

This week, the authorities in Niger and Joe Bidens government met to discuss the model and timetable for the withdrawal of the 1,000 U.S. military personnel deployed there. Almost in parallel, the Chadian army has demanded the cessation of U.S. activities at the Adji Kossei air base, next to the airport of NDjamena, the countrys capital, just two weeks before the holding of general elections.

Washingtons diplomatic efforts to keep its soldiers in the Sahel do not seem to be bearing fruit. Last Thursday, the countrys ambassador to Niger, Kathleen Fitzgibbon, and General Kenneth Ekman, head of strategy, engagement, and programs at the U.S. Africa Command (Africom), held a meeting in Niamey, Nigers capital, with members of the military junta in which they discussed the departure of U.S. troops. Pentagon spokesman General Patrick Ryder confirmed the contacts.

The tug of war between the Nigerien and U.S. authorities has been going on for months. After the coup detat of July 2023, Washington froze its military mission in support of the anti-jihadist fight, but tried to maintain at all costs its presence in Niger, key to its security strategy in Africa. However, as was the case in Mali and Burkina Faso, the signing of agreements with Russia was a red line for Washington. As such, the Niger authorities decided to break the pact that kept them united and to start the process of expelling U.S. troops.

Russias Africa Corps arrives in Niger

Amid discussion underway since July 2023, we have been unable to reach an understanding with the CNSP [National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland, the name under which the military junta in Niger governs] to continue that security cooperation in a manner that addresses the needs and concerns of each side, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Niamey said in a statement issued last Thursday. On April 11, with the departure of the U.S. military already on the table, Nigerien state television reported the arrival of the first Russian instructors together with equipment sent by Moscow, including anti-aircraft defense systems. The Africa Corps, the Russian Defense Ministrys successor unit to the Wagner mercenary group, confirmed the arrival of its men in the country.

The West considers that Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, after years of military assistance in combating jihadist groups and insurgents with very questionable results, have fallen under Russian influence. Thus, the next diplomatic battle is being fought in Chad. With gold and crude oil under its soil, Chad is considered key because it hosts the last major French military base in the region  France has 1,000 soldiers deployed in at least three sites  and is emerging as the alternative to Niger for U.S. troops in Washingtons strategy to fight jihadist terrorism in the Sahel and the Lake Chad region. Moscow is also pulling strings to win the favor of the Chadian regime. The country is going through a turbulent period following the 2021 coup detat led by General Mahamat Idriss Deby, who seized power after the death of his father, Idriss Deby, in a skirmish with a rebel group.

On May 6, Chad holds presidential elections in which the frontrunner is precisely Mahamat Idriss Deby. The transitional regime has intensified its contacts in recent months not only with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso  the three members of the recently created Association of Sahel States (AES)  but also directly with the Kremlin. Deby himself held a friendly meeting with Vladimir Putin on January 24 in Moscow. In a recent interview with Radio France International, he admitted that the two had discussed military cooperation and said that Chad is sovereign in choosing allies. We intend to work with all the nations of the world that respect us and want to work with us by respecting each other, he said.

Last Friday, Moscow-friendly media, including the African Initiative news agency, which has been accused by the U.S. of being a disinformation tool at the service of the Kremlin, aired a letter from Chadian Air Force General Idriss Amine Ahmed informing his countrys Defense Ministry that he had asked the U.S. Defense attache in Niamey for the immediate suspension of activities at the Adji Kossei base. We ask you, the military commander said in his missive, to intercede with whoever is appropriate to warn the Americans that we have taken the decision to stop their activity. Amine Ahmed argued that, after requesting documents from Washington, Chad had found no justification for the U.S. military presence at the base located in the center of NDjamena. Washington has around 100 uniformed personnel in the country.

A continent-wide belt of Russian influence

Asked by EL PAIS, the U.S. State Department said that its military deployments abroad operate by invitation and with the support and partnership of the host nation. It acknowledged that it is in talks with the Chadian authorities regarding the security agreement between the two countries  which not only includes anti-terrorism work, but also military training  as Chad concentrates on preparing for its elections, the department said in a message. We anticipate consultations on the parameters of our security cooperation after the elections.

With or without agreement between the parties, General Ryder said last Thursday, according to Reuters, that the U.S. high command has given the green light, at least temporarily, for the transfer of several dozen special forces personnel currently stationed in Chad to the Stuttgart-Mohringen base in Germany where Africom is headquartered. The fear that Chad might also fall into Putins orbit is also due to a clear geopolitical issue: it would allow a land connection between the Central African Republic and Sudan, where Wagners mercenaries have been operating for years, and Moscows new allies in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, creating a continent-wide belt of Russian influence.

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a norovirus outbreak on two cruise ships, including one that sailed out of Tampa.

The CDC reported a norovirus outbreak on Royal Caribbeans Radiance of the Seas, which sailed from Tampa to Los Angeles from April 8 to April 22, CruiseMapper showed. According to the CDC, 67 of 1,993 passengers and two crew members reported being ill during the voyage.

On Princess Cruises Sapphire Princess, the CDC said 94 of 2,532 passengers and 29 crew members reported being ill during an April 5 cruise. According to CruiseMapper, the ship left Los Angeles with stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific and is set to end on May 7.

Coast Guard pulls Carnival cruise crew member from ship off Florida coast

At the first sign of an increase in the numbers of passengers reporting to the medical center with gastrointestinal illness, we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitization procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus, A spokesperson from Princess Cruises told WFLA.com. Our sanitization program, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard.

WFLA reached out to Royal Caribbean but has not heard back.

The CDC said diarrhea and vomiting were the main symptoms in both outbreaks. Norovirus is very contagious and can infect anyone.

The CDC said you can follow the following tips to protect yourself and others from norovirus:

Wash your hands often

Rinse fruits and vegetables

Cook shellfish thoroughly

Stay home when sick and for two days after symptoms stop

Avoid preparing food for others when sick and for two days after symptoms stop

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
A group of teenagers in Australia discussed buying weapons and attacking Jewish people in the days after a bishop was stabbed in a church in Sydney, according to reports.

Five adolescents were charged last week on multiple charges including conspiring to engage in or planning a terrorist act. The defendantsall between the ages of 14 and 17belonged to a network that, according to police, also included the 16-year-old accused of stabbing the Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel during a livestreamed service in his church.

Cops Say Livestreamed Attack on Controversial TikTok Star Was Terrorism

According to a police fact sheet tendered to a local court, four of the teenagers charged last used the encrypted messaging app Signal to plan their attack, The Daily Telegraph reports. I wanna die and I wanna kill  Im just excited, one 17-year-old allegedly wrote on April 20, five days after the church stabbing, later asking: Is your plan to get caught or die or escape?

A 15-year-old allegedly messaged a group chat titled Plans a day earlier to say: I really want to target the yahood, referring to Jewish people. Two of the group also discussed buying guns on the same day that the boy allegedly responsible for the bishops stabbing was charged.

One of the group even allegedly wrote of the church stabbing I know the bloke who done it hes my mate.

Allah is the best of planners and we are the soldiers of Allah, the 16-year-old allegedly wrote.

New South Wales Police Force told the Associated Press it could not confirm the accuracy of media reports about the fact sheet.

On Sunday, Emmanuel gave a sermon at the Christ the Good Shepherd Church in the Sydney suburb of Wakeleyhis first sermon there since the attack. The 53-year-old wore an eyepatch during the service and said hed lost the use of his right eye.

This young man who did this act almost two weeks ago, I say to you, my dear, you are my son and you will always be my son, he said of his attacker. I will always pray for you. I will always wish you nothing but the best.

Emmanuel also spoke about the importance of free speech as the Australian government has become embroiled in a bitter row with Elon Musk over the billionaires opposition to orders compelling social media companies to remove graphic posts of the stabbing from their platforms. For us to say that free speech is dangerous, that free speech cannot be possible in a democratic country, Im yet to fathom this, Emmanuel said, according to The Guardian.

The boy accused of being responsible for the attack has been charged with committing a terrorist act. He could face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

In an interview with Australias ABC, the boys parents said he was not a terrorist but said hed previously shown violent behavior and had a suspected autism spectrum disorder. ABC said the teen had liked violent extremist content online in the months leading up to the attack, and claimed he used a smiling portrait of Osama Bin Laden as his WhatsApp profile picture.

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Newsmax Wants to Force a Trump Pal to Testify in Its Dominion Mess

MAGA cable network Newsmax is attempting to force longtime Trump friend and billionaire grocery store magnate John Catsimatidis to testify in Dominion Voting Systems defamation lawsuit alleging the right-wing channel knowingly peddled election lies.

The cable outlet also names Catsimatidis media companies, Red Apple Media and WABC Radio, in its petition to enforce a subpoena.

According to the petition, obtained by The Daily Beast and filed Monday in the Supreme Court of New York County, Newsmax is seeking to depose Catsimatidis to ascertain why he and his radio station have not been named in Dominions defamation lawsuits about the 2020 presidential election.

Dominion has sued neither Mr. Catsimatidis nor any of his media companies notwithstanding that they broadcast essentially the same news stories, statements and content at issue in Dominions lawsuits against Newsmax, One America News Network, and Fox News, the petition states.

Notably, Mr. Catsimatidis and his media company, WABC radio, broadcast essentially the same news stories at issue in the Newsmax and Fox News litigations. For example, WABC broadcast numerous statements by Rudy Giuliani concerning Dominion and allegations of voter fraud, the cable networks petition continues.

Newsmax Is Trying to Drag a Famous Priest Into Its Dominion Mess

Newsmax also notes that Dominion has sued former Trump campaign attorney Sidney Powell for baselessly accusing the voting software firm of flipping millions of votes from Donald Trump to President Joe Biden. According to the petition, Dominion cites statements Powell made on Catismatidis syndicated radio show, The CATS Roundtable, in its lawsuit against Powell.

The network further alleges that Dominion purportedly requested in February 2021 that social media companies preserve posts made by Catsimatidis prior to the firm filing any of its threatened defamation complaints.

Additionally, Newsmax appears to suggest that Dominions chief executive John Poulos may have taken mercy on Catsimatidis because of his close relationship with famed Greek Orthodox priest Father Alexander Karloutsos. After Dominion settled its defamation lawsuit against Fox News, a National Herald article... reported that Dominion CEO John Poulos had stated that, in late 2020, he had conferred with Mr. Catsimatidis mentor, Father Alexander Karloutsos, concerning allegations of voter fraud and Dominion.

The document adds that public statements indicate connections and/or communications among Dominion CEO Mr. Poulos, Mr. Catsimatidis mentor, Father Karloutsos, and Mr. Catsimatidis.

Late last year, The Daily Beast reported that Karloutsos was fighting a subpoena from the MAGA network, which demanded to see any texts of his related to Dominion. Lawyers for the priest accused Newsmax of harassing their client and engaging in an improper fishing expedition.

Lawyers for Catsimatidis, who has been warmly greeted on Newsmax airwaves in the past, objected to Newsmaxs initial subpoenas in November of last year. Mr. Catsimatidis objects to the Subpoena to the extent it is vague, indefinite, uncertain, imprecise, ambiguous, and susceptible to multiple interpretations, the objection noted.

Reps for Newsmax and Catsimatidis did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis, who presided over Dominions defamation case against Fox News that resulted in a whopping $787.5 million settlement, initially scheduled the trial in the Newsmax case for September of this year.

However, the case was delayed, leading to the trial being pushed out. In its place, Davis has instead scheduled the trial for a separate defamation lawsuit filed against Newsmax by Smartmatic. Smartmatic is also accusing the network of promoting Trump-fueled lies after the 2020 election to boost its ratings.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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NH troops from the border: We have to adapt every night to every scenario

New Hampshire National Guard Lt. Ryan Camp uses Google Translate to communicate with a woman who spent two nights at the border fence in Eagle Pass, Texas seeking asylum. (Annmarie Timmins | New Hampshire Bulletin)

Bulletin writer Annmarie Timmins is reporting from Eagle Pass, Texas, in collaboration with New Hampshire Public Radio, while shadowing the 15 National Guard soldiers sent by Gov. Chris Sununu to assist with border patrol. You can find her reporting at New Hampshire Bulletin and NHPR, both on air and online.

New Hampshire National Guard Lt. Ryan Camp looked through the border fence separating Texas and Mexico, and made a mental note of the pickup truck crawling back and forth along the bank of the Rio Grande. He logged the man fishing and the person he could hear but not see walking through the brush below the fence.

Camps list of events can grow long by the end of a 10-hour shift.

New Hampshire National Guard Lt. Ryan Camp and his unit work the night shift along the Eagle Pass, Texas border. (Annmarie Timmins | New Hampshire Bulletin)

Thats the kind of vigilance, he said, that left his unit prepared to spot a group of migrants crossing the river in darkness Wednesday night. Soldiers intercepted the foursome after they cut the fence and slipped under.

You have to pay attention and be observant of whats happening not only in front of you at the anti-climb barrier, but whats happening in the river, and whats happening on the opposite bank, Camp said during a patrol last week. Every encounter we have on the border is different, and we have to adapt every night to every scenario.

Gov. Chris Sununu deployed 15 National Guard soldiers to Eagle Pass, Texas, in early April to help that state stop undocumented migrants and drugs from coming into the country illegally. The New Hampshire soldiers pair with Guard members from Texas and Louisiana, patrolling 1 miles of Texass 1,250-mile border overnight. Camp said they encounter about 50 migrants a night on average, a huge drop from the 5,000 who were arriving in December.

Their orders allow them to do three things: report suspicious or illegal activity to Texas authorities; direct migrants to a legal port of entry; and aid migrants only amid danger to their life, limb, or eyes.

They cannot arrest or detain migrants. They cannot even give them water.

Pfc. Dennis Harris, 42, of Freedom, was keeping watch from atop a Humvee last week.

Its more of a safety aspect both for the people that are trying to cross and for the people that are here in the States, he said. Because, yes, some people that are crossing are obviously family members but theres also other individuals who are crossing that we probably dont want living next door.

Logistically and emotionally challenging

The soldiers mission, which will keep them in Texas until early June, is likely more logistically and emotionally complicated than it looks from afar. It can be frustrating, they said, to watch a situation unfold and be so limited in responding.

That includes waiting for a person to cut or climb over a fence before calling in Texas authorities and saying no to someone asking for water.

Some migrants ask the soldiers to admit them because they fear for their safety at home. Some appear with young children. They risk drowning in the Rio Grande to get that far. Some spend hours looking for a spot out of the soldiers sight to cut the fence and slip under. Last week a woman and two men slept two nights against the fence, asking the soldiers to let them in. Camp, who like the other New Hampshire soldiers does not speak Spanish, used Google Translate to communicate with them.

She was saying that she would rather be imprisoned here than in Mexico and that Mexico was dangerous, Camp, 26, of Brookfield, said.

Camp recounted a man approaching the fence carrying a toddler in his backpack, through coils of wire with sharp barbs that can quickly shred a pack.

Last week, a group of migrants found an opportunity to climb over the fence unnoticed and cleared a second fence about 200 yards away. To protect themselves against the sharp wire, they drape it with clothes or blankets. Sometimes they light the material on fire to melt the wire.

When troops noticed the migrants fleeing, Sgt. Timothy King, 26, of Fremont, said they responded the only way their orders allow them to: call authorities who have the power to take migrants into custody  if they find them.

Ive seen instances where (migrants) will sit in the brush for probably up to nine or 10 hours, King said. They are determined. They will just go out there and just take a nap and  wait until the search gets called off and they can get through.

Soldiers from other states have seen individuals leave infants at the fence and return to Mexico, waiting to see if the authorities take the child into the United States. If they dont, they swim across the river again and collect the child.

Guard members from another state saw a woman give birth at the fence. In that case, soldiers responded because the life of the mother and child were at risk.

You do everything you can to make sure that if something goes wrong, you can save them, Camp said. But until then you have to do your job.

He said those experiences take a toll on soldiers. The unit was given resources for mental health treatment when they arrived. Camp and another troop leader, Sgt. 1st Class Cameron Holt-Corti of North Berwick, Maine, watch their soldiers for signs they are struggling and help them seek treatment.

Our job is simple to describe, but there is nothing simple about it, Camp said.

According to media reports last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said 14 of its agents had died by suicide in 2022, the highest count in a single year since it began tracking suicides in 2007.

The 15 New Hampshire National Guard troops in Eagle Pass, Texas, are responsible for 1.5 miles of the border. Sgt. 1st Class Cameron Holt-Corti and Lt. Ryan Camp look across the Rio Grande, into Mexico. (Annmarie Timmins | New Hampshire Bulletin)

There are no days off

At the start of his 7 p.m. shift, Holt-Corti, 34, stepped aside, his cell phone to his ear. He was wishing his three children goodnight.

You miss them, and its rough on them, he said. Ive talked to them every day.

Each of the 15 Guard members, whose ages range from 19 to 42, left something behind when they volunteered for this mission.

Harris, who also has children, works in construction. Holt-Corti is the director of safety at a welding company. Camp works at Sig Sauers testing range and looks after his parents. One soldier is trying to keep up with college courses.

You have to make sure that youre talking with your work, youre talking to your professors, Camp said. One of the things that can be hard for people is the world doesnt stop while youre gone. So youll come back and things are different. And you end up playing catch up.

They are staying an hour from Eagle Pass, in Base Camp Alpha, in Del Rio, a commute that stretches their 10-hour shift to 12 hours. Theyve got a gym and a chow hall that serves a lot of shrimp. They cannot have alcohol on or off duty. Some have to get around in a minivan because the car rental agency had nothing else.

Soldiers work three nights, followed by three days off. But off is a misnomer because they use those days to keep their service pistol in working order and keep up with training.

Thats the Army as a whole, Camp said. When you have a day off, in reality, you dont really have a day off. You have a calmer day.

The post NH troops from the border: We have to adapt every night to every scenario appeared first on New Hampshire Bulletin.
Nine accused of far-right plot to overthrow German government go on trial

Nine suspected members of a German far-right group accused of plotting to overthrow the government and install a minor royal as leader went on trial at a high-security courtroom in Stuttgart on Monday.

Prosecutors opened their case against individuals tied to the Reichsburger (Citizens of the Reich) movement. In all, 27 people face charges, including high treason and belonging to a terror organization, but they will be tried in three separate courtrooms in different cities.

The plot to overthrow the government and install martial law was exposed in 2022. The nine defendants in court on Monday  including former soldiers and judges, as well as a member of parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)  are accused of participating in the military arm of the Reichsburger, which espouses conspiracy-based theories regarding sovereignty and rejects the concept of the post-war German state.

The men put on a defiant air on the first day of the trial, smiling and talking amongst themselves, according to CNN affiliate NTV. Adding drama, the Stuttgart trial is being held in the Stammheim prison, notorious for the imprisonment of far-left Red Army Faction terrorists in the 1970s.

The three trials together, across Stuttgart, Frankfurt and Munich, account for one of the biggest anti-terror cases in Germanys modern history.

Conglomerate of conspiracy myths

Businessman Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, 72, allegedly led the plot. The defendants were believed to have planned the resurrection of the German Reich through violence, storming the German Bundestag  the national parliament  and kidnapping the countrys president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss is a descendant of the House of Reuss, the former ruling family of parts of eastern Germany. He allegedly wanted to raid the German parliament and become the head of state.

The aim of the organization was to violently eliminate the existing state order in Germany and replace it with its own form of government, the main features of which had already been worked out, the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court said in a statement before the trial.

The members of the group were united by a deep rejection of state institutions and the free democratic basic order, the court said, adding that the defendants had followed a conglomerate of conspiracy myths.

Those accused knew the violent takeover would have involved killing people, the statement said.

In December, Germanys Federal Public Prosecutor General issued an indictment against the defendants, saying they are accused of belonging to a terrorist organization founded at the end of July 2021.

All of the defendants are charged with participating in a terrorist organization and preparing a highly treasonous enterprise, according to the court.

Two of the defendants are accused of violating the Weapons and War Weapons Control Act. One of these two defendants is also accused of attempted murder, dangerous bodily harm, resisting and assaulting law enforcement officers, according to the court.

CNNs Nadine Schmidt and Sophie Tanno contributed reporting.

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NM to meet with Pueblos in May on Rio Grande governance

The Rio Grande flows near Albuquerque as the sun rises over the Sandia Mountains.

The Rio Grande flows near Albuquerque as the sun rises over the Sandia Mountains. (Photo by Diana Cervantes for Source NM)

The Rio Grande Compact Commission meeting on Friday had a small portion dedicated to describing future meetings with six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos to get tribal perspective on governing the states largest river.

The three-member commission met for its annual meeting Friday, hearing from legal advisors and New Mexico State Engineer Mike Hamman on the proposal. The commission is made up of appointees from Colorado, Texas and New Mexico and a non-voting chair from the federal government.

A coalition of six Pueblos  Cochiti, Santo Domingo, San Felipe, Santa Ana, Sandia and Isleta  have approached the commission for the past two years. Through spokespeople, the coalition said they sought a seat at the table to address the exclusion of tribal governments from the commission itself and to have more representation beyond the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, who makes presentations at the meeting.

Legal and engineer advisors described multiple multi-hour discussions over a series of months but had not developed a protocol for Pueblos to make a presentation to the commission.

Hamman, during commissioner comments, expanded on that report, saying that other commission business, such as the lawsuit before the Supreme Court over Rio Grande water, caused competing priorities.

The Rio Grande Compact Commission has been engaged on a number of really important issues that included Texas v. New Mexico Original No. 141 case, and a number of other matters that did not allow us to fully formalize any kind of proposal in that regard.

Hamman said he met with coalition leaders on April 4, securing an agreement to consult with all tribal governments on the Rio Grande governance in May, as part of his duties in the Office of the State Engineer. He said this was modeled after tribal consultation efforts on the Colorado River.

He said the goal would be a half-day meeting used to develop the process for regular meetings between tribal governments and the Rio Grande Compact Commission.

We also acknowledge that six Middle Rio Grande Pueblos have probably the most direct impact on operational issues associated with the Rio Grande compact. But with that said, we have a responsibility to consult with all of the tribes and basin, Hamman said.

U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs Engineer Sarah Delavan ceded some of her presentation time to the coalition, inviting Glenn Tenorio, the former governor of Santa Ana Pueblo and vice chair of the coalition, to address the commission.

Tenorio acknowledged that other Pueblo leadership was in attendance and read from a prepared statement.

He said the coalition was looking to learn more about tribal consultation in the Colorado River negotiations and determine if a similar model can be used for the Rio Grande.

The coalition looks forward to working with the Commission in the coming months to find the most appropriate means of future engagement, he said.

The post NM to meet with Pueblos in May on Rio Grande governance appeared first on Source New Mexico.
No jail for Miami mom who posted articles about cop who shot her son. At least for now

Gamaly Hollis has been given a reprieve from prosecutors request to send her back to jail for posting news articles about the police officer who shot and killed her mentally ill son feet from where she stood in her Kendale Lakes apartment.

But the measure of Hollis freedom remains to be decided by a Miami-Dade judge.

The Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office on Monday withdrew its request that Hollis be returned to jail just a week after she was freed on bond while awaiting trial on charges of stalking and resisting arrest  charges that carry a possible penalty of two years imprisonment.

Prosecutors had asked Circuit Judge Cristina Rivera Correa to order 51-year-old Hollis to stay off the Internet while she remains on bond  a restriction with which Hollis has found it difficult to comply in the past. Prosecutors late last week asked to revoke her bond after she posted news articles, without any commentary, about her plight on Facebook.

Her attorneys at the Public Defenders Office say such restrictions violate Hollis First Amendment right to speak openly about the officer who, she says, killed her son unnecessarily. Richard Hollis, who suffered from severe mental illness, was shot by a Miami-Dade officer six times on June 15, 2022, after a neighbor called to complain about shouting in the Hollis apartment.

Gamaly Hollis, left, stands and listens as her team from public defenders office makes a freedom of speech argument during her bond hearing.

Hollis gained national attention after she was prosecuted for, among other things, calling Officer Jaime Pino a killer for shooting her son. In a confrontation that is now eerily prophetic  and was caught on body-worn camera video  Pino had warned Hollis less than a year earlier about what would happen if her son brandished a weapon in front of police.

Im telling you. If your son takes a BB gun or a real gun out on me, Im gonna kill your son. So if you have a problem with that, dont call us, Pino was recorded saying to Hollis on body-worn camera footage.

If you have a problem with the way the police deal with your son, Pino also said, dont call us,

In the weeks after Richard Hollis died, his mother visited the substation where Pino worked  without ever actually seeing him  and then confronted him at the scene of an unrelated arrest of another man with mental illness. There, Hollis called Pino a murderer in Spanish. She was later forcibly removed from her car and arrested.

The Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office, in a review standard after fatal police shootings, later cleared Pino of any wrong-doing.

Above the objections of Pino and the union that represents him, the Police Benevolent Association, Rivera Correa released Hollis on $1,000 bond on April 19. Prosecutors and defense attorneys disagree about whether the judge ordered Hollis to stay off her computer keyboard, or intended to, when she set bail.

Once out, Hollis posted news stories to Facebook following her release, prompting prosecutors to seek her return to jail.

On Monday, rather than requesting to put Hollis behind bars, prosecutors asked another judge, Jennifer Azar, to clarify the terms of her pretrial release. For her part, Azar left that to Rivera Correa.

The dispute over Hollis social media activity rests on what, precisely, Rivera Correa intended when she offered Hollis two alternatives to getting out of jail: She could have been released on house arrest, where she would have been supervised by an ankle monitor. Rivera Correas house arrest order prohibited Hollis from posting about the officer on social media.

Gamaly Hollis reacts as she hears she will not be returned to jail, at least for the time being, for posting news articles about her case on social media. She was charged last year with stalking a Miami-Dade police officer who shot her mentally ill, who was armed with two knives, in the family apartment.

But that option was unfeasible because Hollis earlier incarceration  for violating a judges order to halt posting about Pino on social media  left her homeless. Rivera Correa also ordered that Hollis could be released on a $1,000 bond  $500 for each of two criminal charges. Hollis made bail, but then posted news stories about her case, first reported by the Miami Herald, on Facebook.

Assistant State Attorney Alecsander Kohn said such social media postings violated the judges order.

Assistant Public Defender Chandra Sim suggested that restricting Hollis from reposting news articles is a prior restraint of speech. She also argued that Rivera Correas social media restrictions were a condition of house arrest, the release option Hollis could not choose, not bail, which she did.

Kohn disagreed. It would serve no purpose that if she would be released to house arrest she would have the condition of not using the internet but if she were to post a monetary bond then she would have free use of the internet, he said.

Unitil Rivera Correa provides further clarification on these restrictions, Azar did order Hollis to stay off social media.
BECKLEY, WV (WVNS)  A North Carolina man was sentenced to prison for a role in a counterfeit currency conspiracy in southern West Virginia.

24-year-old Xavier Sanders, of Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced to five months in jail, followed by three years of parole for conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States.

North Carolina man pleads guilty to role in counterfeit money conspiracy in West Virginia

Sanders revealed his part in a conspiracy to make and pass counterfeit United States currency in the Southern District of West Virginia.

According to statements made in court, Sanders and his co-defendants, Crystal Wilks and Jamarcus Harris traveled with another person from North Carolina to West Virginia on October 12, 2022 where they used counterfeit $100 bills at Beckley, Summersville, and Fayetteville businesses.

Sanders and the others spent a night at a hotel in Summersville and tried to make new counterfeit United States money. He also admitted that they tried making the counterfeit bills by bleaching $1 bills, scanning a real $100 bill, and printing the scanned image on the bleached bills.

Man sentenced to prison for role in Counterfeit Currency Conspiracy

On October 13, 2023, 24-year-old Crystal Wilks, and 33-year-old Jamarcus Harris, both of Lenoir, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. While Harris was sentenced on February 2, 2024 to two years and nine months in prison, followed by three years of parole, and being required to pay $800 in restitution, Wilks still awaits sentencing.

The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who thanked the United States Secret Service for their work on the investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
A decade ago, Jean-Michel Claverie, 73, thawed a gram of permafrost  permanently frozen soil in the Arctic  and managed to get a 30,000-year-old virus to revive and infect an amoeba. It was a milestone in a career in which he has recently found five new families of viruses, also called zombie viruses, in samples up to 48,500 years old taken from seven different places in Siberia. With climate change and temperatures rising in the Arctic faster than in the rest of the planet, the professor emeritus of genomics at Aix-Marseille University in France thinks that the time has come to stop considering these types of findings a scientific curiosity, and instead treat them as the threat to public health that they pose. This past Saturday Claverie shared his knowledge with 18,000 specialists who are gathered until Tuesday in Barcelona at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID Global) Congress, the largest in the world of its kind.

Question. A pandemic caused by a virus that emerged from the ice. Its scary, but its hard to believe, right?

Answer. Better to investigate, to know the risks and to take measures to minimize them. There are three key factors. One, there are viruses we dont know about frozen in the permafrost. Two, rising temperatures are thawing more and more soil. And three, the number of people who move through these areas is growing.

Q. That means more chances of something happening, right?

A. Yes. And think about what happened to the populations of America when the Europeans arrived with their diseases. If humanity came into contact with an unknown pathogen it could be a demographic catastrophe.

Q. A pandemic like the coronavirus.

A. Much worse than that. The SARS-CoV-2 crisis was serious, but we already knew many things about coronaviruses. We have been researching them for decades and were able to respond very quickly with a vaccine. This shows us that even different forms of viruses that we already know can cause very serious pandemics. And these forms could have existed in the past and now be frozen. But if the virus were completely unknown, we would have to start from scratch. It would take several years to produce vaccines...

Q. Are you sure there are unknown viruses?

A. Yes, we have already found some.

Q. How?

A. We thawed a piece of permafrost and looked through the microscope. We looked at amoebas, which are single-celled beings that we can see well. Many times nothing happened, so there were no viruses in those samples. But other times we saw that the amoebas died, so there were surely some types of viruses in the samples that specialize in attacking them to replicate. We let them multiply and investigated them. We did it this way for safety.

Q. For safety?

A. Yes, because viruses are very specialized and if they infect amoebas, they do not attack other living beings. Its not dangerous for us. Things would be different if we were handling frozen remains of human beings or species that were our ancestors.

Q. Okay, there are unknown viruses in the permafrost. But is it really a risk for them to thaw? Permafrost occupies one-fifth of the northern hemisphere. They are vast lands that are practically uninhabited. Every year their surface layer thaws and freezes again. And viruses probably wont survive exposed to sun and heat.

A. In 2016 there was an anthrax outbreak in Siberia that affected a community of reindeer herders. Anthrax is caused by bacteria, but they produce spores that make you sick. And these spores, in essence, are not so different from viruses. They are inert particles that were reactivated after being frozen for hundreds or thousands of years. Viruses can also reactivate, they just have to find their host. And it doesnt have to be human. The next pandemic may come from a virus that emerged from this frozen Arctic soil, permafrost.

Jean-Michel Claverie has researched viruses that are reviving due to thawing permafrost. Gianluca Battista

Q. What do you mean the host doesn't have to be human?

A. Imagine that the permafrost virus reaches a river and infects a salmon. It has found its host. And it multiplies and extinguishes the salmon. The same can happen with cows. Or plants that are essential crops for humanity. A virus can cause a catastrophe without making humans sick.

Q. There are unknown viruses in the permafrost that can affect us. But they are still in uninhabited places.

A. Less and less so. Rising temperatures will make more and more land habitable in the north. And [mining] operations are constantly being opened there because they are territories very rich in hydrocarbons, metals, rare earths... We are drilling deeper and deeper, raising dust, removing large volumes of soil...

Q. What can be done to reduce risks?

A. If someone at these operations became seriously ill in Siberia, they would most likely be flown to Moscow. This is just what you should not do. It must be treated on site, and this means providing these facilities with competent medical equipment, spaces to isolate patients, means for quarantining, training workers... The most important thing is to make people aware that there is a risk, no matter how small. And to work with local populations.

Q. Why is that?

A. They will be the ones who in many cases notice that something odd is going on because they are the ones who move through the territory. They will be the ones who see changes in nature or different diseases. They must be trained and helped to raise the alert.

Q. I thought that the threat of climate change was the other way around, of diseases from the south going north.

A. That is the paradox. Specialists in these areas look to the south and study the mosquitoes that transmit malaria or dengue and whether they are colonizing new latitudes. That is a problem, but one that we already know. What we are not prepared for is the threat that can come from the north to the south. And this requires rethinking many things and organizations.

Q. Permafrost is in a small number of countries: Russia, the United States, Canada, nations in Scandinavia... Is it the same everywhere?

A. No. In northern America and Greenland the permafrost is rockier and has very little life. The interesting one for these investigations is the Yedoma type, rich in organic matter and which is in Siberia.

Q. You have a long international career. You have done research in Quebec, at the National Institutes of Health of the United States, at the Pasteur Institute... You are now in Marseille. How did you start this work?

A. By chance. I was researching the giant viruses that infect amoebas. Then I saw that a Russian team had managed to grow a plant from a seed that had been under the ice for 30,000 years. And I said to myself, why not do the same with these viruses?

Q. Has the political situation affected your research?

A. Yes, it has been a disaster. We cannot carry out joint research with Russian scientists or settle there. Fortunately, we have found a way to do this thanks to the Alfred Wagner Institute in Potsdam, Germany.

Q. How?

A. They collected samples from the so-called Batagaika crater in 2019, which date back to 650,000 years ago, which is more than 10 times what we had now. This surpasses carbon dating, which reaches 50,000 years, and forces us to use new techniques. We are preparing to work with these samples, but we have to be very careful to avoid contamination from current microorganisms. It is a scientific challenge.

Q. What was your latest discovery?

A. It is not yet published, but we have been able to find viruses at the bottom of the sea in Ross Sea, in Antarctica, right at the other end of the world. In this case it was thanks to a collaboration with Italian scientists who managed to remove some sediments from the seabed in Antarctica. They are, again, amoeba viruses, which attack these organisms to replicate, so we are finding out that this type of virus is absolutely everywhere.
The North Penn School District anticipates finalizing a contract this week with an independent investigator who will conduct a comprehensive examination of an attack in a school cafeteria that left a student seriously injured.

The measure is one of a list of pending actions the district has proposed following an April 17 assault at Pennbrook Middle School in North Wales where a 13-year-old student beat another with a steel Stanley-brand mug.

The 12-year-old victim was struck repeatedly with the Stanley cup in the back of the head and was taken to a hospital and received staples to close a head wound. Employees contained the attacker and the school was briefly placed in lockdown.

Parents angrily confronted school officials the day after the assault at a school board meeting demanding answers and alleging the district failed to take action after parent warnings of an impending confrontation.

In a community update Friday, Superintendent Todd M. Bauer announced the priority commitments the district has immediately undertaken in response to the attack. More details will be provided at the April 29 Safe Schools Committee meeting.

I have spent much of the past week listening to concerns and addressing issues, rumors, and questions, Bauer wrote in the update. I have had phone conversations and meetings with parents, staff, students, board members, local law enforcement, security experts, and local and national legislators in an effort to gain a deeper understanding of the incident and to make sure that we take every step to prevent something like this from ever happening again in a North Penn School District building.

Here is what we know about what actions the district has taken so far.

Pennbrook Middle School in Upper Gwynedd is located in the North Penn School District

More on NP student Stanley-mug attack Cafeteria attack on Pennbrook middle schooler alarms district, families

What steps has North Penn School District immediately taken since Pennbrook Middle School assault

In addition to moving forward with hiring a third-party investigator to examine the incident and provide analysis and recommendation:

Additional counselors and emotional support will be available at Pennbrook Middle School for students. Student listening sessions are also being planned to take place district wide in May. The sessions are to give administration a better understanding of additional resources that are needed to make schools safe spaces.

A Safe Schools Forum is scheduled for May 14 starting at 6 p.m. at the North Penn High School, 1340 Valley Forge Road, Lansdale and live streamed. The event will provide an opportunity to in-person and virtual questions to a panel of district employees and safety experts.

Finalizing plans for the creation of student safety committees at each district school building before the end of the school year. The committees will meet monthly with building leaders to share concerns, questions and recommendations to improve school safety and climate.

The district is working with Montgomery County School Safety Coordinator Beth Sanborn to provide consultation services on the districts current school safety measures.

What other steps is North Penn planning to take to create safer schools?

Professional development for administrators regarding consistent and industry-leading investigative procedures. This training will be conducted by a nationally certified trainer and a former secret service investigator.

Requested that local police departments provide more regular visits to school buildings.

All schools will provide refresher training on Safe2Say, the anonymous tip line that sends leads directly to the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office, administration, security, and the superintendent.

The district is partnering with the Center for Effective Schools for trauma-informed professional development for staff and community members.

A solution-oriented group of parents, students, and local leaders will be brought together to further identify areas for improvement.

How can parents and the community follow North Penns progress with implementing promised changes?

An update on progress will be provided by Bauer and the districts coordinator of emergency management and safe schools at the monthly public Safe School Committee meetings.

North Penn School District's superintendent is promising changes after a student was assaulted April 17 in a middle school cafeteria with a steel Stanley mug.

Bucks County school news What PA law says about administrator severance and what it could mean to Central Bucks

What is the North Penn School District Safe Schools Committee?

The panel includes North Penn school board members and administrators. The meetings are held monthly and they are similar to regular school board meetings in that community members can make public comments.

Has North Penn addressed parent reports that school officials were warned about pending middle school assault ?

Not yet. But the district will be answering questions at the April 29 School Safety Committee meeting about whether parents and students warned about a potential attack hours before it happened, reports the alleged attacker had a hit list, and the student status of the alleged attacker, according to district spokeswoman Christine Liberaski.

Can I watch the North Penn School District Safe Schools meetings online?

Yes. The April 29 meeting starts at 5:45 p.m in-person at the North Penn High School 1340 Valley Forge Road, Lansdale. To watch online and/or register for the Safe Schools Committee meeting, click here.

What is going to happen to the alleged attacker?

The student has been charged as a juvenile with aggravated and simple assault and reckless endangering, according to Upper Gwynedd police. Since the student is charged as a juvenile, the name is not public.

The Montgomery County District Attorneys Office did not release any additional information about the suspect because the matter is proceeding in juvenile court.

Upper Gwynedd Police Chief David Duffy confirmed a juvenile petition has been filed, but the case has not yet been adjudicated. When juveniles are adjudicated delinquent, it is the equivalent of being found guilty in adult court.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: North Penn investigates, makes changes after Stanley cup attack
(FOX40.COM)  The Shasta County Sheriffs Office said it recently arrested a 33-year-old man who is accused of assaulting a 16-year-old and his girlfriend while she was holding their child.

The sheriffs office said that one of its K9s, named Duke, was used to take the suspect into custody after he covered himself with a blanket, locked himself in a vehicle, and refused to comply with their commands.

Redding man found with pound of fentanyl, 14 guns during police search

On Friday, just before midnight, Shasta County deputies were sent to the 7500 block of Deschutes Road in Palo Cedro for reports of a domestic violence dispute.

Upon their arrival, deputies said they learned of the suspects assaults on his girlfriend and the 16-year-old and subsequently arrested him.

The Shasta County Sheriffs Office said it arrested the man and booked him into jail for felony domestic violence, felony child abuse, and resisting arrest.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
A Northern California man was arrested after he allegedly shot at two of his friends as they arrived at a bonfire he was hosting in a case of mistaken identity, according to the Sutter County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies said Monday that the 18-year-old was arrested at his home on the 10500 block of Schroeder Road, west of the city of Live Oak, following a dispatch before midnight Saturday about a possible car-to-car shooting.

When deputies and officers from the California Highway Patrol arrived, they came upon two people who had been fired upon as they pulled into the driveway of a friends house. The Sheriffs Office said the duo was not injured but their vehicles back window had been shot out. They told deputies they had been invited to a bonfire and were friends with one of the propertys residents.

Both victims, who we will not identify at this time, advised they were friends ... and had no idea why he would shoot at them, deputies said in the release.

Deputies later contacted the bonfire host who told them he had fired on a car that arrived at his property. The Sheriffs Office said that the 19-year-old admitted to shooting at the vehicle, thinking it was two people who had gotten into a fight with the man at Marysville Speedway. He told deputies that the combatants had threatened him during the altercation.

When he heard a vehicle drive up into his driveway, he assumed it was those who threatened him, so he shot at them, the Sheriffs Office said.

The teen was arrested and booked into Sutter County Jail in Yuba City on suspicion of attempted homicide. He also faces a charge of destroying or concealing evidence.

He was being held in lieu of $500,000 bail and was expected to be arraigned Tuesday.
CHICAGO  Northwestern University officials announced Monday that they have reached an agreement with students and faculty protesting against Israels war in Gaza, outlining a plan intended to allow demonstrations to continue while preventing the chaos and occasional violence that has engulfed other campuses across the country.

The deal comes five days after demonstrators established an encampment in Deering Meadow, a popular common area on the Evanston campus. Administrators responded to the protest by banning tents and temporary structures, but they did nothing to enact the new policy as they negotiated with protesters throughout the weekend.

The agreement, which Northwestern President Michael Schill announced in a campus-wide email, requires the immediate removal of tents and sound systems, as well as a commitment that all protesters will adhere to university policies. In return, demonstrations can continue on the meadow through June 1.

This agreement was forged by the hard work of students and faculty working closely with members of the administration to help ensure that the violence and escalation we have seen elsewhere does not happen here at Northwestern, Schill wrote.

Schills email also took aim at reports of anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim in the community. Most of them, he said, were fueled by demonstrators who are not affiliated with Northwestern and cannot continue.

Acts of antisemitism, anti-Muslim/Arab racism, and hate will not be tolerated, and community members who can be identified participating in such acts will face disciplinary action, he wrote.

____
Four members of law enforcement were shot and killed and four were wounded while they attempted to serve two warrants in Charlotte, North Carolina, police said Monday.

Around 1:30 p.m. local time, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was serving active felony warrants for possession of a firearm by a felon and felony flee to elude on a male suspect at a residence on the 5000 block of Galway Drive in the city's North Tryon Division.

The man, later identified by authorities as Terry Clark Hughes, Jr, 39, allegedly began firing, striking multiple officers, police said.

The officers on the scene requested immediate backup. The suspect allegedly continued to fire as more officers arrived.

PHOTO: Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department officers walk in the neighborhood where an officer-involved shooting took place in Charlotte, N.C., April 29, 2024. (Nell Redmond/AP)

MORE: Suzanne Morphew, mother who went missing on bike ride, died by homicide: Autopsy

Hughes allegedly exited the residence with a firearm. Seeing Hughes as an imminent deadly threat officers fired on the suspect, who was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to officials.

Eight officers were hit with gunfire and transported to local hospitals.

Two females who were at the residence were taken to the Law Enforcement Center for interviews with detectives.

Three members of the task force were pronounced deceased at the hospital, officials said Monday night. Todd Ishee, North Carolinas Secretary of Adult Corrections, confirmed in a statement that two of the task force members were 14-year Department of Adult Corrections veterans Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott. The third was not immediately identified.

They loved their work, and were passionate about their roles in protecting our communities, Ishee said in a statement.

Poloche is survived by a wife and two children, and Alden is survived by his wife and one child.

Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police Officer Joshua Eyer was critically injured and later succumbed to his injuries, authorities said. He was a six-year veteran of the force and is survived by a wife and 3-year-old child.

Four other law enforcement officials were injured in the shooting. Their names have not been released.

PHOTO: Numerous law enforcement officers struck by gunfire in active situation in the 5000 block of Galway Drive, Charlotte, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. (WSOC)

"The bravery of our officers that responded to the scene, knowing that they're going into gunfire is what I've been saying for many years, is in the face of danger. our people step up," Jennings said.

In a statement on social media, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said he was in touch with police about the shooting and has offered up state resources to help.

An emotional Mayor of Charlotte, Vi Lyles, said she heard from the White House, members of Congress and state officials offering their support.

"Your father, your husband, your friend, your neighbor ... and today they're not going home," she said. "You know three people lost their lives today."

Jennings said that in his 30-plus years in the department, he couldn't remember a day like this.

"To me, it's the most tragic one that I've been involved in," he said.

MORE: Suzanne Morphew, mother who went missing on bike ride, died by homicide: Autopsy

President Joe Biden said in a statement Monday night that the four officers who died "are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harms way to protect us. We mourn for them and their loved ones. And we pray for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded."

Earlier, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement, "The Justice Department is heartbroken by the deaths of three of our own law enforcement colleagues, and we extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones as they grieve this unfathomable loss."

In a statement Monday night, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said: "The tragic events in Charlotte today are a reminder of the dangers facing law enforcement across the country. Our thoughts are with the loved ones of all the federal, state and local officers who lost their lives or were injured."

An investigation is ongoing.

-- ABC News' Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.

4 law enforcement officials killed, 4 injured in Charlotte, North Carolina, while serving warrants originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Monday marked a dark day for Charlotte, as four officers died and four more were shot while they were working to keep the city safe.

The chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department confirmed an officer with the department and three members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force were killed in a shootout Monday while serving a warrant in east Charlotte.

CMPD Officer Joshua Eyer was critically wounded earlier before he died at the hospital, the chief said. He leaves behind a wife and a 3-year-old son.

Officer Joshua Eyer has passed away tonight from his injuries after being shot in the line of duty this afternoon while assisting other officers with the apprehension of a suspect. Officer Eyer faithfully served the CMPDs North Tryon Division for six years and was a member of pic.twitter.com/TwrINLkJUT  CMPD News (@CMPD) April 30, 2024

Two of the task force officers were identified as Sam Poloche and William Alden Elliott with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections.

COVERAGE OF THE VICTIMS:

Four other law enforcement officers, including two with CMPD, one with the Statesville Police Department, and another agent with the task force were also wounded in the shooting. A fifth CMPD officer was not shot but has a related injury.

Suspect Terry Clark Hughes, Jr. 39, was found dead at the scene, police confirmed.

I have confirmed this is the mugshot of the deceased suspect: Terry Clark Hughes, Jr. He had a lengthy criminal history and was wanted for Possession of a Firearm by Felon and Felony Flee to Elude (2 counts) out of Lincoln County, North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/Ov1kYWnY1D  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 30, 2024

Chief Johnny Jennings said Hughes was wanted for possession of a firearm by a felon and felony fleeing to elude out of Lincoln County, and that he used a high-powered rifle in the attack.

Back the Blue set up a GoFundMe page to provide support for those affected. >>Click here to help.

READ MORE: US Marshals set up sniper inside neighbors home during SWAT situation

CMPD shared news of the shooting just before 2 p.m. They said it happened while the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was trying to serve a warrant in a neighborhood along Galway Drive.

Just before 5 p.m., authorities said the home where the shooting happened was clear and the area was safe.

Sources tell Channel 9 a deputy U.S. Marshal was killed Monday in what police are calling an active situation in east Charlotte.

An active investigation is underway in east Charlotte on Monday, police said.

Read the latest updates below:

5:30 p.m. Tuesday

Channel 9 learned late Tuesday that Statesville Police Department Officer Cpl. Casey Hoover, an eight-year veteran, was shot in his upper torso, an area that was unprotected by his bulletproof vest. He was serving as part of the U.S. Marshals task force, the department said.

Hoover underwent surgery and is in stable condition, and Statesville police said hes expected to make a full recovery.

We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who were lost, and we stand in unwavering solidarity with our law enforcement brethren during this difficult time, the department said in a news release.

Hoover has been with the marshals task force for two years.

Cpl. Hoover exemplifies the bravery and resilience of our law enforcement community, the news release reads. During this challenging time, we kindly request privacy for Cpl. Hoover and his family as he continues his journey to recovery.

10:45 p.m.

Two of the officers were with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

Sam Poloche and Alden Elliott were both 14-year Department of Adult Correction veterans. They were task force officers assigned to the U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Poloche joined the NCDAC Special Operations and Intelligence Unit in 2013 and Alden Elliott followed in 2016, each after serving several years as probation/parole officers.

Poloche leaves behind a wife and two children.

Elliot and his wife were parents to one child.

These officers died as heroes and made the ultimate sacrifice in their service to our state, the department said in a news release. We remember them, we honor their service, we send our deepest condolences to their families and friends, and we pray for healing for all affected by this tragic incident.

President Joe Biden also issued a statement following the shooting, saying: Earlier today, four brave law enforcement officers - including a Deputy U.S. Marshal - were killed in the line of duty. They are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harms way to protect us. We mourn for them and their loved ones. And we pray for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded. When a law enforcement officer puts on that shield in the morning and heads out the door, their family members dread the phone call  the very call that came today. Its like losing a piece of your soul. To the families of those we lost: Jill and I, and all Americans, are here for you. And we will always be here for you.

Yesterday, four brave law enforcement officers  including a Deputy U.S. Marshal  were killed in Charlotte, North Carolina in the line of duty. They are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harms way to protect us.



We mourn for them and their loved ones. And  President Biden (@POTUS) April 30, 2024

10:40 p.m.

The suspect who died was Terry Clark Hughes, Jr, 39.

Hughes was wanted for two counts of possession of a firearm by felon and felony flee to elude out of Lincoln County.

9:40 p.m.

CMPD Officer Joshua Eyer has died from his injuries, Jennings said.

CMPD Officer Joshua Eyer was fatally shot on April 29, 2024, during a standoff at an east Charlotte home.

7:30 p.m.

The White House: The President was briefed on the shooting in North Carolina, in which multiple law enforcement officers were killed. He spoke to Gov. Cooper, and expressed his condolences and support for the community. In addition, senior White House officials are in touch with federal, state, and local officials.

6:30 p.m.

Gov. Roy Cooper is in Charlotte and is being briefed on the situation. He plans to meet with officials and families of the victims.

Governor Roy Cooper is in Charlotte and is being briefed on the situation. He will be meeting with officials and families of the victims  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 29, 2024

In a statement, Gov. Cooper said two of the officers killed were with North Carolinas Department of Adult Correction and were working with the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force when they were shot.

Our hearts are with the families and co-workers of officers in todays brutal attack, including two state Department of Adult Correction officers working with the US Marshals Task Force who were shot and killed. - RC  Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) April 29, 2024

Today, we lost some heroes

5:55 p.m.

Today, we lost some heroes that are out trying to simply keep our community safe, said CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings.

Jennings said around 1:30 p.m., a U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force went to serve a warrant for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. They were met with gunfire when they approached the person, Jennings said, so the officers returned fire, hitting the suspect.

The suspect died in the front yard of the home on Galway Drive, Jennings said.

Afterward, the officers were shot at from inside the home, triggering a standoff, Jennings said.

Eight officers were hurt in the shootout, Jennings said, and three of the officers with the task force died from their injuries. One of the three killed was a sworn U.S. Marshal, the agency confirmed to Channel 9.

CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings: 8 officers shot. 3 US Marshals are dead. US Marshals were serving a warrant for possession of a firearm as a felon. Multiple shooters. One is dead. One is being questioned. pic.twitter.com/cwRCRGno1W  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 29, 2024

Of the remaining five officers who were shot, one is a task force member and four are CMPD officers. One of the CMPD officers is in critical condition fighting for his life and the others are stable and expected to be OK, Jennings said.

CMPD is not yet releasing the agency of the surviving officer who is part of the task force.

We dont have any guarantees that well return home, Jennings said. But yet we have a lot of great men and women across this entire country that do it every single day to make sure that youre safe in your communities.

Officers said only two people came out from the home, a 17-year-old and a woman. Both were brought to a police station as persons of interest, he said.

Today, we tragically lost 3 U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force members in the line of duty. Five additional officers were struck by gunfire. This includes four CMPD officers and an additional officer from an assisting agency. One of our CMPD officers is still in critical  CMPD News (@CMPD) April 29, 2024

Ive been with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg 32 years ... its the most tragic [incident] that Ive been involved in, Jennings said. I dont know historically -- I cant imagine that theres one thats any worse than what were seeing today.

Jennings confirmed a high-powered rifle was involved in the shooting.

5:44 p.m.

Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew over a procession through Charlotte that ended at the county Medical Examiners Office.

Top CMPD brass arrived at the scene of the shooting for a press conference, along with Mayor Vi Lyles, City Manager Marcus Jones, Fire Chief Reggie Johnson, County Commissioner Mark Jerrell, Homeland Security, FBI, ATF, and District Attorney Spencer Merriweather.

Novant Health confirms in a statement they are supporting the community in the aftermath of the shooting.

This is a devastating day for our Charlotte community. While our hope is that we never have to encounter these tragic events, we stand ready to provide the highest quality care to our patients, the statement reads. We have mobilized our care teams and resources in response to this developing situation. As a designated trauma center, our teams engage in comprehensive training drills and exercises to ensure our teams are ready to respond to scenarios like this one. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department will provide you with more information as it is available.

The emergency department at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center remains open to receive patients in need of emergency medical treatment.

5:20 p.m.

Sources confirm to Channel 9 three law enforcement officers were shot and killed Monday afternoon. At least one of those officers was a U.S. Marshal, sources said.

The agencies the other officers belonged to have not yet been made public.

Sources tell us 3 officers have died.



CMPD says the suspected shooter was found dead inside the house on Galway Drive. Two other people inside the house are being questioned. https://t.co/k28ErajKEP  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 29, 2024

CMPD: House cleared, 1 suspect dead

4:48 p.m.

At least one of the shooting suspects was found dead at the scene, a home on Galway Drive, CMPD said.

The home is now clear and the area is safe, CMPD said. Neighbors no longer need to shelter in place.

The residence on Galway Drive is now clear, and the area is safe. Residents no longer need to shelter in place.



At least one shooting suspect was located deceased at the residence after clearing the scene.



CMPD is questioning two other occupants of the home.



CMPD and other  CMPD News (@CMPD) April 29, 2024

CMPD said officers are questioning two other people inside the home.

Police said they will remain at the scene, along with other law enforcement agencies. Some roads in the neighborhood are still closed, and CMPD asked for patience as they work the scene.

Police said they will share more in an update to reporters around 5:40 p.m. Channel 9 will carry that news conference live.

CMPD is planning a news conference at 5:40  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 29, 2024

4:47 p.m.

CMPD said its SWAT Team is still working to clear the home. They cautioned neighbors to expect police in the area.

Neighbors who work nearby spoke with Channel 9s Tina Terry about what happened.

It makes me feel sad, you know, because every single day theres something going on in Charlotte. Either chasing or shooting, said Carlos Figueroa.

I hope theyll be alright, I really do, said Jackie Byrd. Im praying for them and their families and that everybody will be alright. Not only them, but whoever is barricaded in the house. I hope theyll be just fine.

3:47 p.m.

CMPD said the threat is isolated to the area near the 5000 block of Galway Drive.

This is still an active scene.



Please continue to avoid the area.



All confirmed information will be released by CMPD Public Affairs as it becomes available.  CMPD News (@CMPD) April 29, 2024

Police asked neighbors to continue sheltering in place and asked everyone else to continue avoiding the area.

CMPD: Marshals were serving a warrant

3:41 p.m.

CMPD said the shooting happened while the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force was trying to serve a warrant in the 5000 block of Galway Drive.

Police again said the scene was still active and will release more information shortly.

I am deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred that involved Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and US Marshals today. I ask that all Charlotteans keep them, the other injured officers, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.  Mayor Vi Lyles (@CLTMayor) April 29, 2024

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools said the lockdowns at their schools have been lifted.

We have received the all clear. The lockdown has been lifted at Devonshire ES, Briarwood Academy, Cochrane Collegiate and Lawrence Orr ES. Transportation will be impacted for all schools during dismissal. pic.twitter.com/0OsdWR4HJS  Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (@CharMeckSchools) April 29, 2024

Sources: At least 3 officers shot

3:31 p.m.

Sources told Channel 9 two officers were shot in their legs and one was shot in the chest. Its not clear if one of the victims was the deputy U.S. Marshal who was killed, but Channel 9 is working to learn more.

According to our sources, there were two suspects involved and at least one is wounded.

Officers are treating the investigation as a barricaded suspect situation.

CMPD has not shared which agencies the officers who were shot belong to.

3:20 p.m.

Gov. Roy Cooper said he has offered any state resources that local agencies might need.

I am in contact with law enforcement concerning the tragic shooting in the Charlotte area, and we have offered state resources to help. - RC  Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) April 29, 2024

Sources tell Channel 9s Joe Bruno that Mayor Vi Lyles and City Manager Marcus Jones are on their way to local hospitals. The mayor is monitoring the situation, the source said.

Source tells me City Manager Marcus Jones is on his way to the hospital as well  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 29, 2024

The roads outside Atrium Healths main hospital and Novant Health have since reopened after being closed, as have Interstate 77 and Interstate 277.

Sources: Deputy US Marshal killed

3:03 p.m.

A deputy U.S. Marshal was killed in the shooting, sources confirmed to Channel 9.

We have confirmed with 2 sources that a deputy U.S. marshal has been killed in this incident.



Terrible news from Charlotte this afternoon.



Were live on @wsoctv please join us for the latest  Evan Donovan (@EvanDonovan) April 29, 2024

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, the last marshal killed in North Carolina was on Aug. 2, 1939. The last U.S. Marshal killed in the line of duty was in February 2022 in Nevada.

A parent of a student at Cochrane Collegiate Academy told our partners at Telemundo Charlotte that the school was put into a modified lockdown.

CMS confirmed that information, saying Devonshire Elementary School, Lawrence Orr Elementary School, and Briarwood Elementary School were all on modified lockdowns.

UPDATE | @CharMeckSchools says four schools are on modified lockdown due to police situation: Devonshire ES, Briarwood ES, Lawrence Orr ES, and Cochrane Collegiate Academy. Parents can expect transportation to be impacted during dismissal. @wsoctv  Jonathan Lowe (@JonathanUpdates) April 29, 2024

The district is trying to figure out which buses to release, based on where they are headed. They are working on getting car riders and walkers dismissed safely as well.

2:44 p.m.

CMPD said the shooting stemmed from a U.S. Marshals Task Force investigation. Law enforcement officers were on Galway Drive Monday when they were met with gunfire, police said.

Learn more about the U.S. Marshals Task Force HERE

The task force is made of officers from multiple agencies.

The US Marshals Task Force, which is comprised of officers from multiple agencies, was conducting an investigation in the area of the 5000 block of Galway Dr when they were engaged by active gunfire from a subject.



Multiple law enforcement officers have been struck by the  CMPD News (@CMPD) April 29, 2024

2:33 p.m.

According to a source at the Atrium Health hospital in Dilworth, a mass casualty response has been called. Atrium Main is the Level 1 trauma center and every trauma surgeon is being called in.

Sources tell Channel 9 a deputy U.S. Marshal was killed Monday in what police are calling an active situation in east Charlotte.

Outside Novant Presbyterian Med Center - lots of police traffic, sirens, and directing of traffic @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/eXQieM1WfG  Elsa Gillis (@ElsaWSOC9) April 29, 2024

2:23 p.m.

CMPDs SWAT team arrived at the scene and was working the scene of the incident.

Police said the scene was still active.

Channel 9 learned several highways and roads were closed, including Interstate 77 at Interstate 277/John Belk Freeway.

ALSO READ: One seriously hurt in north Charlotte shooting, MEDIC says

2:16 p.m.

Numerous law enforcement officers struck by gunfire in active situation in the 5000 block of Galway Drive. The scene is still active. Avoid the area. Many roads are closed for faster ambulance transport. Please cooperate with authorities. Media staging at 6212 The Plaza at the  CMPD News (@CMPD) April 29, 2024

Police asked drivers to avoid the area. They asked anyone who lives nearby to stay inside their homes.

Still an active scene in the 5000 block of Galway Drive. Steer clear of the area. Residents stay inside of your homes. Multiple victims transported to nearby hospitals. Gunfiire continues on scene. More information to come from CMPD's Public Affairs Office.  CMPD News (@CMPD) April 29, 2024

Police said many roads were closed in order for ambulances to move more quickly to the hospital.

Its not clear yet who was hit or what agencies they are part of.

CMPD did not initially share the severity of the officers injuries.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

(WATCH: CMPD investigation underway in east Charlotte)




Update 2:31 p.m.

The National Weather Service has upgraded the Marietta tornado to an EF4. We have updated the list below. The total number of tornadoes could change too because damage surveys are ongoing.

OKLAHOMA (KFOR)  The National Weather Service (NWS) has been keeping track of how many tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma Saturday and Sunday.

According to NWS, there were at least 22 tornadoes in our region which covers most of Oklahoma and a part of north Texas. These are the preliminary results of the damage survey.

EF4 1 Tornado

EF3 2 Tornadoes

EF2 2 Tornadoes

EF1 9 Tornadoes

EF0 3 Tornadoes

5+ other tornadoes are confirmed, but the damage is still under investigation

The Enhanced Fujita Scale assigns a tornados rating based on estimated wind speeds and related damage.

NWS reports on social that the Marietta EF4 tornado is the first storm in the state to leave that type of destruction since May 9, 2016.

This is a map of the current known tornado paths.

map of tornado tracks

SEVERE WEATHER: Its too good of a town not to rebuild: Sulphur family searches for hope

The tornadoes tore through the state, leaving a trail of damage and destruction. Towns including Sulphur, Marietta and Holdenville received extensive damage during the storms.

There are currently four confirmed fatalities:

Two in Holdenville

One in Sulphur

One near Marietta

Due to the storms, Governor Kevin Stitt declared a State of Emergency for 12 counties impacted by the storm, Carter, Cotton, Garfield, Hughes, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Murray, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Payne, and Pontotoc counties.

My prayers are with those who lost loved ones as tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma last night, Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement.

SEVERE WEATHER: Business owners, residents begin going through rubble after tornadoes leave major damage

Stitt toured some of the damage area along with other state leaders.

Its incredibly painful to be able to see how much destruction has happened in all those buildings. But really painful when you get in a residential area and see how many families are both uninsured or underinsured or theyre trying to be able to just clear out debris, said Senator Lankford.

The Red Cross is offering at its shelters a place to sleep, meals, snacks and water and health services (for disaster-related conditions), such as first aid.

They are also refilling lost prescriptions, replacing lost eye glasses, offering emotional support, mental health services, spiritual care and helping with reconnecting loved ones while the recovery process begins.

USCellular announced on Monday that local stores in Sulphur and Ardmore will be providing free phone chargers, internet access, bottled water and snacks to residents in need while supplies last.

Participating stores include 1807 W. Broadway Ave. in Sulphur (call 580-226-2337 to confirm store hours) and 111 N. Commerce St. in Ardmore.

USCellular says it also plans to donate $5,000 to the Red Cross for recovery efforts.

SEVERE WEATHER: Extensive storm damage in Holdenville, two deaths and at least 4 injured

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is also looking out for those impacted by the storms by enacting a price gouging law for the 12 counties affected.

In the aftermath of these devastating storms, unscrupulous actors should know that my office will absolutely not tolerate exorbitant prices on goods and services desperately needed by Oklahomans during this difficult time, said Drummond.

According to the A.G.s Office, the law, also referred to as the price gouging statute, prohibits an increase of more than 10 percent for the price of goods and services. It also helps protect citizens from price hikes. Drummond says he has warned that anyone who violates the Act is subject to legal consequences.

To learn more about donations and volunteer opportunities, visit redcross.org.

Oklahoma has seen 33 tornadoes in Oklahoma in 2024.

2 tornadoes on March 14 in SE Oklahoma

5 tornadoes on April 1 in NE Oklahoma

3 tornadoes on April 26 in NE Oklahoma

*22 tornadoes on April 27 (The damage survey and investigation is ongoing this number could change)

1 tornado on April 28 in E Oklahoma

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
NYC firefighter, 36, dies of heart attack after being fired to pay for migrants  leaving his family with nothing

An FDNY firefighter has died of a heart attack just months after he was fired as part of the citys effort to free up funds for its migrant crisis  leaving his grieving widow and kids struggling to keep a roof over their heads.

Derek Floyd, 36, suffered cardiac arrest and passed away April 15, four months after the city gave him the boot as part of a larger effort to pare staff and pay for housing and services for the tens of thousands of migrants flooding the Big Apple.

Floyd was one of about 10 fire department employees who had been on long-term duty  either injured on the job and given office work or out sick for an extended period  and fired weeks before Christmas, FDNY sources told The Post.

Derek Floyd, 36, left behind a wife, 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter. FDNY/Instagram

Floyd, a veteran who served three tours in the Middle East with the Marines, had been among those working a desk job  toiling in the fire department chaplains office  because he had suffered another heart attack in 2019 while he was in the Fire Academy.

In the chaplains office, the firefighter, who was on modified duty, helped arrange the funerals of fallen FDNY members.

The married dad of two young children was trying to become medically cleared to re-enter the firefighting force before he was fired.

Floyd had been just shy of vesting additional medical benefits for his family and more than $600,000 worth of death benefits when he was booted, leaving his family with nothing despite his years of service.

I wouldnt wish it on anyone, Floyds 34-year-old widow, Christine, told The Post of the familys experience.

I think it definitely took a toll once they let him go, she said of her husbands firing. He always tried to, like, stay positive about it, and he wasnt really angry.

But you see a person, and the wheels are turning in their brain where theyre just constantly thinking, so I definitely think it did affect us.

After Floyd was fired, he found a job with a nonprofit that helps veterans, but the pay was a fraction of what he made with the FDNY, the benefits were limited, and the hours prevented him from spending time with their kids, a 6-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl.

He used to be so present for, like, our kids and stuff, Christine said. Being a firefighter was something he was really passionate about. He was really a big-time, like, family person, he was all about his kids.

Floyd died of a heart attack April 15 after serving with the FDNY since 2019. Joann Ariola of NYC Council District 32/Facebook

If Derek would have stayed on, he would have had a life insurance policy with the FDNY, the widow said. That would have helped out financially because right now, its really bad. Im honestly swimming in a lot of debt.

Floyds firing was part of City Halls plan to slash the FDNY budget by $74 million by the end of 2025 to make way for migrant spending.

It is unclear how many long-term duty staff will ultimately be let go as part of the effort, but there are typically between 800 and 1,000 individuals so designated at any given time.

The NYPD was also facing budget cuts  of $132 million through the axing of five upcoming Police Academy classes  though three of those classes have been restored.

The city Department of Education was expected to lose about $547 million, but those funds were restored in the mayors executive budget unveiled last week.

The firefighter did three tours of duty in the Middle East while he was with the Marines before joining the FDNY. Obtained by the NY Post

Floyds firing  and the problems that have befallen his family since his death because of it  have left some outraged.

What disturbs me the most is that the FDNY is understaffed by hundreds of firefighters. Terminating [Floyd] was absolutely unnecessary, Uniformed Firefighter Association president Andrew Ansbro told The Post.

He had an important job, and the FDNY actually needed him in that unit. He was terminated so the department could prove that they were making cuts. He deserved better, Ansbro added.

Christine said that watching her husband struggle to make ends meet while being present with his family after the firing was the worst part of everything theyve experienced.

I really, really loved him, and so it was hard, she said.

We are heartbroken over the passing of former Probationary Firefighter Derek Floyd, and will explore all financial, legal and legislative options to help his family and ensure they have the support they need during this time, said Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.

City Hall did not respond to The Post for comment

Donations to help the Floyds can be made to the New York Firefighters Foundation and sent by mail addressed to FF Derek Floyd C/O UFA  NYFFinc 204 E. 23rd St., New York, NY 10010.
NYC illegal pot shop worker boldly defiant as officials question lack of enforcement: Its not going to do anything

A brazen worker at one of the citys thousands of unlicensed pot shops delivered a message to the New York cannabis cops promising to padlock stores like his  bring it on!

The defiant clerk thumbing his nose at authorities works at Gelato on 86th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn  but the store does not serve the popular Italian ice cream at all.

Thats nothing new. Thats always been a possibility of getting raided here. But Im not going to be put out of a job! said the worker, who refused to give his name and puffed weed during a Post visit Sunday.

The set up and counter in an illegal pot shop called Gelato in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn on April 28, 2024. Aristide Economopoulos

Ill put a table outside and sell in the street. I dont give a fk! You cant mess with a persons money!

He added: Theyre housing illegal immigrants and paying their way to get the vote for Biden, and this is what theyre going to do? Come raid pot shops?

The worker, who offered a Post photographer a puff of his product said, Its not going to do anything. Everybody will adjust.

But this shop has been the subject of neighborhood complaints.

A clerk at Gelato told The Post he wont be out of a job even if the shop gets raided by police. Aristide Economopoulos

And its one of more than 100 suspected illegal weed stores that The Post was able to identify in short order by reaching out to a few elected officials, community boards and business groups.

Josephine Beckmann, district manager, Community Board 10, alerted The Post to the Gelato pot store when providing a list of suspected unlicensed marijuana shops on her Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Fort Hamilton turf in southern Brooklyn.

The most complained-about location is Gelato.. (It is not an ice cream shop) unlicensed dispensary near several schools, she said.

Josephine Beckmann, district manager, Community Board 10, told The Post that Gelato is the most complained-about pot shop in the area. Aristide Economopoulos

The shop has become infamous among neighbors for the trouble its customers bring to the area.

If the cops came in and locked that place up today and it never reopened that would make my life better immediately, said one fed-up mom, who didnt want to give her name because she was afraid of blow-back from Gelatos clientele.

Theyve come a few times and we were all happy thinking oh wow theyre getting rid of that place thank God! And then nothing happened. They never got rid of it.

So we just got used to the idea that this is the way its going to be and lets just all deal with it.

Cannabis products for sale inside Gelato. Aristide Economopoulos

The smoke-in-your face response from Gelato comes as some New Yorkers wonder wheres the weed enforcement promised by Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul.

After holding a recent victory lap press conference heralding approval of a tougher state law to padlock unlicensed cannabis shops, the mayor and governor have yet to unleash the promised crackdown to shut down the illegal pot peddlers.

The crackdown should have started last week, said Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella, who estimated there are more than 100 illegal smoke shops across even tidy Richmond County.

There are only four licensed pot shops in the borough.

Were pushing for more enforcement. This is a serious quality of life issue, he said.

Councilwoman Gale Brewer  whose Upper West Side District is inundated with illegal pot shops  told The Post shell hold an oversight hearing as investigations committee chairwoman on cannabis enforcement and is expected to send a letter to the mayor to ask to declare war against them.

I want to know whats the plan  The city got everything the mayor wanted, I believe in the law, Brewer said in a Sunday interview.

Padlock these stores  They need to be padlocked, thats what thats the only way to stop [them].

The city sheriffs office says there are about 2,000 illegal smoke shops, compared to 50 licensed cannabis shops in the Big Apple.

Asked about enforcement, a Hochul spokesman said, The new cannabis enforcement laws grant localities the power to shut down illicit shops, including NYC. For more details about recent enforcement activities, we would refer you to the NYC Sheriff.

A cannabis strain for sale in Gelato in Bay Ridge. Aristide Economopoulos

The state Office of Cannabis Management will update their rules to enforce the new padlock law, expected to take place during a Cannabis Control Board meeting on May 10.

But New York City officials were given the new enforcement powers immediately after the law was approved, according to Hochuls office  tools that Adams asked Albany for.

While Gelato was defiant, other unlicensed cannabis operators are wary.

A Post reporter and photographer could not gain access to 86 Exotic Shop on 86th Street in Bay Ridge because the workers feared the journos were cops.There was heavy video surveillance and a sign on the window said, Please Remove All Masks & Hoodies.

A woman and child walking by the 86 Exotic Shop illegal dispensary in Bay Ridge. Aristide Economopoulos

A sign in the window of 86 Exotic Shop. Aristide Economopoulos

The owner of an unlicensed cannabis shop a 105-12 Coss Bay Blvd. in Ozone Park seemed resigned that the high times may be over.

This is over anyway, the owner, a middle-aged man, said, shaking his head. We already decided we will become a phone store. This will be over soon.

The Post reached out to City Hall for comment, but officials referred a reporter to previous remarks the mayor made during his press conference last week.

Customer buying cannabis from ross Bay Snacks in Ozone Park, Queens on April 28, 2024. Aristide Economopoulos

I think we have 2,800. The team is going to be ready to go hit those 2,800, Adams said of illegal shops.

Adams said the battle plan was still being finalized when asked when the crackdown would begin.

The goal is, they are already building out the operationalizing of this. So as soon as the ink dries, were going to execute, the mayor said.

Cannabis products for sale in Cross Bay Snack. Aristide Economopoulos

Were going to use our manpower more effectively. I am about mobilization of manpower.

City Sheriff Anthony Miranda said Sunday, Well be doing inspections of stores near schools, houses of worship and parks.

Nobody is sleeping on this, the sheriff said. Were putting the pieces together. People will know when were out there. We will be very visible and people will know the tide has turned.

Cannabis industry insiders are also awaiting the promised closing of illegal weed shops  and more openings of licensed stores.

The crackdown is only part of the solution. We need to license more cannabis stores to suffocate the illegal shops, said Joe Rossi, a cannabis industry lobbyist.
Irregular immigration has become one of the main headaches for U.S. President Joe Biden as he seeks re-election in the November presidential election. Due to pressure from his Republican rival, Donald Trump, Biden has not been able to push through a law to strengthen the border with Mexico. Aware that the mass crossing of immigrants could punish him at the polls, the U.S. president is looking for alternative ways to stem the flow. Biden spoke Sunday with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and agreed to take steps to curb irregular crossings, the White House said in a statement Monday.

The two leaders discussed how to effectively manage hemispheric migration, strengthen operational efficiency on our shared border, and thereby improve the security and prosperity of citizens of both countries, according to the joint statement released by the White House.

In the short term, the two leaders ordered their national security teams to work together to immediately implement concrete measures to significantly reduce irregular border crossings while protecting human rights, adds the communique, which does not detail what types of measures are being discussed.

Aside from those short-term measures, Biden and Lopez Obrador also pledged to advance initiatives to address the root causes of migration, noting that increasing shared prosperity and security will be of critical importance in effectively addressing the migration challenge over the longer term.

For his part, Lopez Obrador said in his morning press conference that the White House had requested the communication. The leaders agreed to keep the border open so that those who carry out their legal procedures can reach the United States, the Mexican president told reporters at the National Palace, adding that there will be no, lets say, irregular, migration. Migration was basically the topic very good relationship with President Biden, he added.

The bill negotiated by Republicans and Democrats and subsequently torpedoed by Trump would have allocated more than $20 billion to staff and equip immigration and border services. The bill included funding for border patrols, asylum officers, immigration judges, and reception services. It also included a legal amendment that would have allowed Biden to allow hot returns  direct deportations at the border without individual examination  by suspending asylum rules when certain thresholds in inflows are exceeded.

The legislation allows immigrants to apply for asylum regardless of how they enter, and they are arriving in such numbers as to overwhelm the capacity of an underfunded immigration system. This effectively allows immigrants to settle while their cases are delayed for years. The law would have triggered immediate repatriation of migrants upon exceeding 5,000 illegal crossings per day on average over a five-day period.

Biden has been analyzing the possibility of passing a decree including measures to make it more difficult for migrants to cross, or to facilitate their expulsion. Among the moves under consideration is invoking powers under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which gives the president broad leeway to block the entry of certain immigrants if it is deemed detrimental to the national interest.

Trump repeatedly resorted to that clause during his tenure, including in his controversial ban on the entry of travelers from Muslim-majority countries, which Biden repealed after taking office. The Biden administration has discussed whether that provision could be enforced upon exceeding a certain number of illegal crossings, in line with the provision that was included in the proposed law, but without a legal amendment any decree against border crossings will likely be challenged in court.

Lopez Obrador recalled that the U.S. Supreme Court declared the Texas state governments placement of barbed wire and buoys on the border unconstitutional. In addition, he stated that of the 12,000 migrants that had been arriving at the border daily on average, now half that number are doing so. The Mexican president attributed this drop to the aid programs that Mexico is financing in countries such as Venezuela.

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NEW YORK  Administrators at NYU said they will proceed with disciplinary action against pro-Palestinian protesters who refused to disband a student encampment urging the university to divest from Israel over the war in Gaza.

Even though the protesters took down tents housing demonstrators, campus officials said protesters remain in violation of several other rules, and have not heeded warnings about the consequences of their defiance.

NYU representatives engaged in many hours of discussion over Saturday, with support from several members of the faculty, in exchange for a commitment from the students that they would leave, NYU spokesman John Beckman said in a statement.

The students failed to honor that promise. Ultimately, no agreement was reached that day because at the 11th hour, others, including, we believe, outsiders, insisted that all demands must be met as well.

Students established a new pro-Gaza encampment Friday evening after the NYPD cleared a similar occupation days earlier, arresting 120 protesters including NYU staffers.

The students, calling for divestment in Israel by their university, quickly set up tents behind the John A. Paulson Center near Bleecker St. and Mercer St. just after 5:30 p.m., chanting Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest!

They folded their tents a short time later, reportedly after an agreement with NYU officials, but vowed to spend the night.

As cops took down tents, some demonstrators were seen throwing objects at the officers. Police used pepper spray as some protesters attempted to block buses taking away those arrested.

Similar protests over the war between Israel and Hamas have popped up across the city and nationwide in recent days following the Columbia University encampment that launched on April 17.

Meanwhile, students not at the encampment walked out of classes in support of the demonstrators. Despite the university deadline, campus officials had not yet taken action to disperse the protesters.

We are not afraid of suspension, protest organizers wrote on Instagram.We are here for Gaza. We will not be moved until our demands are met.

_____
Barack Obama may have been surprised that Donald Trump was elected in 2016, but he wasnt shocked by his behavior as president. Obama revealed as much during the most recent episode of the SmartLess podcast.

Trump didnt surprise me. He comes from New York. Theres not anybody in New York who will do business with him or lend money to him. Hes not considered a serious guy, Obama said in an episode that dropped Monday.

Whether intentional or not, the assessment is an echo of one of the most memorable lines from HBOs corporate dramedy hit, Succession. In Season 4, Logan Roy (Brian Cox) declared his children to be not serious people after a heated conversation about potentially selling the family company.

Both Obama and former President Bill Clintons opinions about Trump came out later in the podcast when they discussed their favorite parts of the job. While Obama pointed to the concerts he was known for hosting, Clinton joked that he missed being introduced by music and praised the job itself.

What I learned was, on the worst day, when nothing was going right  problems were everywhere  there was still something you can do to make somebodys life better. There is no job like that on Earth, Clinton said, using his answer to praise Biden.

I want somebody that I can trust to make the most of that every day. Because there will be bad days, no matter who gets elected, Clinton said. [Biden] will get up, and hell start thinking about that. But his opponent will be thinking about

Himself, Obama interjected.

And who he can get even with, Clinton continued. Joe Biden will make the best of the bad days.

The 44th president also revealed that he was more surprised about the lack of guardrails around the Republican Party than Trumps actual behavior. Obama said he noticed this trend starting during Clintons presidency, but that it accelerated while he was in office.

I did expect  and I expect that Bill and Joe, you would agree with this  that there would be some folks in the Republican Party who would say, No, you cant go that far. You cant start praising Putin and saying that his intelligence is better than the U.S. intelligence agencies,' Obama said.

SmartLess broke its no repeat guests rule on Monday to interview Joe Biden once again alongside new guests Clinton and Obama. The SmartLess podcast, which debuted in 2020, is hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett.

The post Obama Says Trumps Behavior as President Didnt Surprise Him: Hes Not Considered a Serious Guy appeared first on TheWrap.
Oceana man sentenced to up to 10 years for failing to register as a sex offender

CLEAR FORK, WV (WVNS)  On April 25, 2024, James R. Lewis, of Oceana, WV, was sentenced on two counts of failing to register as a sex offender, receiving two to ten years in prison that must be served consecutively.

Man convicted for failure to register as a sex offender

According to a press release, Trooper P.M. Browning was on stationary patrol in Clear Fork, WV on January 29, 2024, when he received a report from a woman who said she had to swerve her vehicle in order to avoid hitting a man walking northbound on the highway. The man was located by Trooper Browning and identified as James R. Lewis, Jr.

While under investigation for the incident, it was revealed that Lewis had violated sex offender registration requirements by not reporting the activation of a cell phone screen name.

Wyoming County woman sentenced for burglary and grand larceny

Proactive police work by the State Police, coupled with aggressive prosecution of this repeat offender and a fair and just court, resulted in a sentence with which we are very pleased. Gregory Bishop, Wyoming County Prosecutor.

Bishop expressed gratitude to the Assistant Wyoming County Prosecutor, Derek Laxton, the prosecutor staff, and Trooper P.M. Browning for their hard work in this case.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  The Wake County Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission agent who helped apprehend the gunman on Shaw Universitys campus Tuesday is sharing how he saw the situation unfold.

I wouldnt normally be on that campus doing regular, my day-to-day job. It just happened to put me in the right place, said Michael Velez.

PREVIOUS: Shooter could face 37 years in jail for incident at Shaw University; was upset at victim for walking a dog, court says

Velez is an agent with Wake County ABC. His work brought him to Shaws campus Tuesday for an alcohol charge unrelated to the shooting.

He says he was in a meeting with the schools police chief when they heard gunfire.

Where we were, it sounded like they were really close, he said.

A heavy police presence at Shaw University after a report of an active shooter. (Maggie Newland/CBS 17)

They immediately rushed towards the International Studies Center on Shaws campus.

You know youre on a college campus. Youve dealt with it and heard enough about it and you know you just got to go and react, he explained.

Velez credits bystanders for helping pinpoint the location of the gunman.

Man in his 70s fired shots near mosque on Shaw University campus, Raleigh police say

When we go into a situation like that, youre always trained to go towards the gunshots, but when the gunshots are over, youve got to kind of figure it out and make your way. If they wouldnt have let us know where he was as quickly as it was, we wouldve had to search the entire building.

Kamal Rasool Abdal-Rafi (Raleigh Police Department)

With that help, he located the alleged shooter, 74-year-old Kamal Rasool Abdal-Rafi upstairs.

He was less than compliant, Velez said.

Velez held him at gunpoint, waiting for additional officers to arrive to help take Abdal-Rafi into custody.

It seemed like forever, but it probably wasnt a minute or so, the agent said.

No one was injured during the shooting.

Velez is now being heralded for his actions.

Its been a little overwhelming, he said. Lot of people calling, but all positive.

Abdal-Rafi made his first court appearance on Wednesday, the day after the shooting. Hes charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors, including assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. His next appearance is scheduled for May 15.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Community members come together after the owner of a South Annville Township farm was killed after a silo collapsed Saturday morning.

Bryan Kendall, the 31-year-old owner of the Villa Dale Farm, has been identified by officials as the individual found dead after a silo collapse at a barn located in the 900 block of Mount Pleasant Road. The Villa Dale Farm is a third generation dairy farm owned and operated by the Kendall Family.

South Annville Township Police Chief Ben Sutcliffe told the Lebanon Daily News Monday that the incident was ruled an accidental death. Police are still investigating the cause of the collapse.

Bryan Kendall, the 31-year-old owner of the Villa Dale Farm, killed after a silo collapsed at his South Annville Township barn Saturday morning, according to officials.

Members of the South Annville Township community have established a GoFundMe page to support Kendall's family. Organizers collected more than 34,000 as of Monday morning, exceeding their $10,000 goal when the fundraising post was established.

"Words simply can't do justice in honoring someone like Bryan," organizers said on the page. "He was a wonderful husband, dad, son, brother, and friend. His life was a reflection of God's grace as he selflessly served those around him at home, his church, and in his community. He was an incredibly hard worker who loved every aspect of farm life."

Silo collapse: Police: One person dead after a silo collapse at a South Annville Township farm

At 11:33 a.m. Saturday, Lebanon County emergency crews and hazmat teams responded to a silo rescue at a barn located in the 900 block of Mount Pleasant Road. Officials said the silo and part of the barn had collapsed.

"The initial 911 caller reported that a silo collapsed while a man was inside, working to level the silage," the Annville Cleona Fire Department said in a statement on their Facebook page. "Additional resources, including the Citizens Fire Company of Palmyra, Campbelltown Fire Company, Lebanon County Hazmat, and Lancaster County Rescue Taskforce were requested prior to the arrival of emergency responders."

The silo was 70 feet tall, with officials saying it was able to hold around 600 tons of material. Officials said the silo was completely full at the time of the collapse.

At 1:10 p.m. Saturday, Special Unit 66 Search & Rescue's K9 team discovered Kendall's body within the silo. Emergency crews spent seven hours to ensure Kendall's recovery.

"In light of the emotional toll this incident has taken on both emergency responders and the loved ones of the victim, ACFD command staff extends gratitude to all who provided assistance," department officers said. "The collaborative response drew upon the expertise of some of the region's finest rescuers, spanning Lebanon, Lancaster, Dauphin, and York Counties."

Bryan Kendall, the 31-year-old owner of the Villa Dale Farm, killed after a silo collapsed at his South Annville Township barn Saturday morning, according to officials.

Last year 33 people died of injuries suffered in farm-related incidents in the state, according to the Penn State Extension's 2023 Pennsylvania Farm Fatal Injury Summary. Transportation incidents, including tractor overturns and roadway crashes, caused 13 deaths, and 3 fatalities were caused by compression and contact by equipment or object.

Sutcliffe has said that this is the first silo collapse that he is aware of to happen in South Annville Township in 30 years.

"Unfortunately, farming is one of those occupations where you're out there by yourself in an uncontrolled situation, and you have unfortunate incidents that occur," he said Monday. "It's an ongoing thing that farmers are very much aware of the danger."

Residents who wish to contribute to collections for the Kendall Family can visit gofundme.com/f/eakv7h-support-the-kendall-family.

This is a developing story. Please check back with the Lebanon Daily News for updates.

Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth.

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Officials identify victim of a silo collapse at S. Annville Twp farm
Ohio engineer Epa Bizinama was shocked last month when his aunt called him at work to say that her husband  the beloved uncle and mentor whod inspired Bizinamas own career  had been taken.

I said, Taken by who? the 40-year-old, tells The Independent. She told me: The FBI.

So began a veritable nightmare for the Rwandan immigrant family. Bizinamas uncle Eric Nshimiye  a long-time Goodyear engineer, Uniontown resident and proud father of four  had been arrested by federal authorities. The allegations were shocking: he was accused of perpetrating genocide during the very civil war and violence that drove the family from their home country.

The family patriarch was indicted days later on charges that included falsifying information, obstruction of justice and perjury  with witness accounts in court documents describing Nshimiye striking victims with a machete and nail-studded club.

He is due in court on Tuesday for an arraignment and possible detention hearing, during which he will plead not guilty, according to his lawyer.

A former member of genocidal youth militia Interahamwe points out a location where Eric Nshimiye, the Ohio engineer arrested this month, allegedly killed a 14-year-old boy during the Rwandan genocide (Department of Homeland Security)

We just look forward to presenting the issue of detention to the court, so hopefully well be able to get him released on bond, if not tomorrow, soon, criminal defence lawyer Kurt Kerns tells The Independent.

Bizinama and throngs of other friends and family will be travelling by car, plane and train from Ohio, Texas, North Carolina and beyond to attend the Boston hearing and show their support. To say they were blindsided by the news would be an understatement; that disbelief spread throughout Nshimiyes workplace and neighborhood where, by all accounts, hed been a pillar of both communities for decades.

Everybody was shocked, says Bizinama, who adds he followed his uncle into engineering partly to make him proud.

As they were reading the charges, and then even reading the newspaper, the articles, I kind of laughed a little bit  I said, you know, Do these people know the person that theyre talking about? Its actually laughable I just wish it wasnt so sad.

Calling Nshimiye his role model for as long as I can remember being alive, Bizinama says: Everyone who knows Eric does look up to him. He is a man of great character and its very hard for us to be in this situation, because we know he is innocent.

The past month or so has been hell, he tells The Independent.

Their world fell apart after a Homeland Security investigator arrived on 11 March to Goodyear Tire & Rubber, where Nshimiye had worked for 23 years and was currently employed as the companys principal engineer. Hed joined Goodyear five years after arriving in the US as a refugee from war-torn Rwanda.

The federal agent asked how Nshimiye had come to the United States and what his political affiliation had been prior to the Rwandan genocide, during which the ethnic minority Tutsis were systematically hunted down and killed by Hutu extremists. He asked if Nshimiye had been involved in raping or killing anyone during the bloodshed which left 800,000 dead.

Ohio engineer Eric Nshimiye, who has been charged by federal authorities in connection with alleged genocidal activities in his native Rwanda dating back decades, poses with his wife (Nshimiye Family)

Nshimiye first responded by shaking his head, laughing nervously, and asking for a drink of water, the investigator later wrote in court documents. When I persisted by asking again, he falsely denied any involvement in raping or killing anyone during the genocide.

Investigators, however, had already compiled an avalanche of evidence indicating otherwise  and federal prosecutors charge that Nshimiye is instead a genocide perpetrator whos been living a double life for decades. They believe he actively tracked down and pointed out Tutsis, identifying them for death, in addition to brutally murdering victims himself. In one horrifying instance, they allege he murdered a 14-year-old child using a machete and spiked club directly after killing the boys mother; court documents include drawn witness recreations of the weapons.

An ethnic Hutu, which constituted an 85 per cent majority in Rwanda in the early 1990s, Nshimiye enrolled as a medical student around 1991. He studied at the University of Rwanda in Butare, the intellectual and multi-cultural epicentre of the country at the time and also home of the university-affiliated hospital. He was still a student when the genocide began in 1994, according to documents.

The documents allege Nshimiye was participating in rallies and even undergoing weapons training as an active member of the Movement Revolutionaire National pour le Developpement, the ruling party of Hutus inciting the genocide, as well as its youth militia known as the Interahamwe. The student leader of the MRND in Butare during this time was a young man named Jean Leonard Teganya  who later moved to the US.

In 2017, Teganya was charged by the US government with fraudulently seeking immigration benefits by concealing his membership in the MRND party and his involvement in the genocide. During the 2019 trial, his old friend Nshimiye testified that neither he nor Teganya participated in the genocide, though the latter was convicted of two counts of immigration fraud and three counts of perjury.

Eric Nshimiye poses with his four children, who are now teenagers and older; the family have issued a statement insisting upon his innocence and claiming allegations are fabricated (Nshimiye Family)

Federal authorities now allege that Nshimiye falsely testified during Teganyas trial and perjured himself when he denied his own membership in the MRND and Interahamwe.

According to the charging documents, Nshimiye fled Rwanda in the summer of 1994, after an attacking Tutsi rebel group drove genocidaires into the Democratic Republic of Congo, Homeland Security Investigations said in a release following his arrest last month.

In 1995, Nshimiye made his way to Kenya where he allegedly lied to U.S. immigration officials to gain admission to the United States. Nshimiye emigrated to Ohio and, in subsequent years, allegedly continued to provide false information about his involvement in the Rwandan genocide to obtain lawful permanent residence and ultimately US citizenship. By allegedly concealing his crimes, Nshimiye has lived and worked in Ohio since 1995.

After his initial disbelief upon receiving his aunts phone call, Bizinama says that, as he drove the hour or so from work to meet her, the 2019 testimony was the only thing he could think of that might involve the FBI in his uncles life.

There is a fear of this type of prosecution happening amongst many Rwandans living abroad, Nshimiyes nephew says, and an aversion to involvement in trials or speaking up lest they be targeted by opposing power players. But Nshimiyes testimony for his old classmate was mustered from the courage to speak for a person who he believed should be spoken for.

One of the things that Eric does  hes been running a mentoring programme, Bizinama tells The Independent. And one of the things that he actually appreciates the most is courage and fortitude and things like that.

So when this came .. he probably looked at [the testimony] as something that he needs to do, something that he should do.

While he and his relatives do not wish to discuss specifics in advance of court proceedings, he insists: All of us are definitely fighting for him. We do believe that the truth is going to come out; the truth is going to prevail.

A witness drawing depicts a nail-spiked club allegedly used by Nshimiye during the genocide (Department of Homeland Security)

Bizinama emphasizes they are a family of faith; devout Catholics, Nshimiye and his wife pray the rosary every night, and their oldest of their four children  a son who attended Harvard  felt a calling for the priesthood, Bizinama says.

He and the wider family issued a defiant statement regarding baseless accusations and assassination of character.

The United Nations International Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) was established in Arusha, Tanzania to account for all principal orchestrators of the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda, and Eric Nshimiyes name never appeared, continued the statement, posted to a family website dedicated to clearing Nshimiye. The Human Rights Watch drafted intensive investigative reports at the time as to those responsible. Erics name never appeared.

The local Gacaca courts - a system of transitional justice in Rwanda following the genocide - were established and for decades after the genocide, Erics good name went unassailed. Only after he agreed to act as a defense witness did these false accusations arise  Our family vehemently denies all allegations brought against Eric and asserts his complete innocence.

He is a beloved active figure in the community, a devoted husband and father, and a man of deep faith as evident in every aspect of his life. We attest to his moral integrity and dismiss the charges against him as incompatible with his character and beliefs, as those who know him would agree.

Teganya, for his part, was sentenced in 2019 to 97 months in prison, after which he will face removal proceedings. The charge against Nshimiye of falsifying, concealing and covering up a material fact by trick, scheme or device provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence up to 10 years in prison and perjury provides for a sentence of up to five years.

The Independent has reached out to the Department of Justice for comment.

As Nshimiyes family continue to protest his innocence, the family are hoping this week that, obviously, we want to come back home with Eric with us, Bizinama says.

We want to make sure that hes well, he is healthy, obviously, he says. At the same time, we want to continue this fight for truth  not just for Eric, but we really want to make sure that Eric is the last person that this happens to  we just all put our heads together, pray and figure out what we can do.
Ohio Gov. DeWine said he didnt know of millions in FirstEnergy support. Is it plausible?

COLUMBUS, OH  MAY 03: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine joined on stage by First Lady Fran DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Second Lady Tina Husted to celebrate DeWine winning the Republican Party nomination for governor in the Ohio primary election, May 3, 2022, at the DeWine-Husted campaign headquarters, Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal.)

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWines claim to not know about the millions an Akron utility spent supporting his 2018 campaign for governor simply isnt credible, an Ohio political scientist said in a recent interview. A spokesperson for DeWine pushed back.

FirstEnergy provided that support, then spent more than $60 million to pass and protect a $1.3 billion ratepayer-financed bailout that mostly benefited the utility. In 2019, DeWine signed the law within hours of its passage.

But now that two GOP officials are in federal prison as part of the scandal and two others involved in the scheme have died by suicide, DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted are downplaying what they knew about FirstEnergys support for their campaigns. Theyre also downplaying connections between their administration and the utility.

They say they supported the unpopular bailout because they thought it was good public policy to protect nuclear generation in Ohio.

However, a batch of records turned over in response to a records request by a group of news organizations  including Floodlight, the Energy News Network, the USA Today Network and the Capital Journal  are showing that the support theyve gotten from FirstEnergy is greater than previously known.

Big, dark money

The company made donations totaling $1 million to 501(c)(4) dark money groups supporting Husted in 2018 before he dropped his gubernatorial bid and joined the DeWine ticket. The records also reveal that the company gave as much as $2.5 million to dark money groups supporting DeWine the same year.

Husteds office wouldnt say whether the lieutenant governor knew about the contributions at the time they were made. DeWine Press Secretary Dan Tierney last week denied that DeWine knew about the trove of newly revealed FirstEnergy contributions.

University of Cincinnati political scientist David Niven said theres a zero-percent chance that DeWines claim is true. He explained that in 2018, there was a nationwide backlash against the presidency of Donald Trump and support for Democrats was surging. That meant a razor-wire thin election for DeWine, a Republican running in a state Trump carried by eight points two years earlier, Niven said.

DeWine was running in an election cycle when the tide was going against his party, Niven said. The notion that he was just this fumbling, naive grandpa who has no idea about seven-figure flows (supporting) his campaign is perhaps the single most far-fetched thing hes ever said.

Theres also the fact that its questionable for a company to make such a huge expenditure and not make sure the public official benefiting from it knew about it That seems especially true of FirstEnergy, which later admitted to paying an outright bribe of $4.3 million to Sam Randazzo just before DeWine nominated him to regulate the company and other Ohio utilities.

A state indictment of Randazzo and two former FirstEnergy executives says that on Dec. 18, 2018, the executives had dinner with Gov.-elect DeWine and Lt. Gov.-elect Husted and went from there to Randazzos condo to arrange the bribe. Randazzo, who was accused of helping to draft and lobby for the corrupt bailout, died by suicide earlier this month.

Return on investment

Tierney, DeWines press secretary, was asked last week why FirstEnergy would spend millions supporting his boss and not make sure DeWine knew about it. Tierney cited rules prohibiting dark-money groups from coordinating their activities with campaigns.

Regarding your question regarding why donors to independent expenditures might not engage candidates directly on the independent expenditures, my guess is that this goes back to the fact that it is illegal for candidates to coordinate with 501 (c)(4) independent expenditure groups, Tierney said in an email. I would guess that entities that frequently make such donations are aware of those legal restrictions. I dont believe you were trying to accuse the Governor of illegal conduct, as he follows the law, but I would vociferously push back on any such innuendo as there is no basis for it.

However, merely informing a candidate of a contribution to an independent group doesnt seem sufficient to meet the states definition of coordination. That applies to communications made pursuant to any arrangement, coordination, or direction by the candidate, the candidates campaign committee, or the candidates agent  the Ohio Revised Code says.

Some special interests have made pious claims that they spend millions supporting candidates not to buy influence, but because they wish to support good governance. Niven, the political scientist, said such a claim would be laughable in the context of FirstEnergy and Ohios 2018 gubernatorial election.

This is all about return on investment, said. This isnt even primarily about affecting the outcome of the election, its about affecting the behavior of the elected.

And, Niven said, given that FirstEnergys expenditures in 2018 and 2019 won it a billion-dollar bailout, The return on investment on this thing is spectacular.

Who benefits?

In an email, Tierney questioned press coverage implying that groups supporting DeWine received all of the $2.5 million in dark money FirstEnergy put up in 2018. The donations were made to a dark money group affiliated with the Republican Governors Association, but only $500,000 was specifically labeled DeWine.

 I am sure Ohio political reporters are laser-focused on Ohio matters, I would point out that FirstEnergy operates in seven states, Tierney said. Some of those states have Republican governors, others have had recent Republican governors, and even more have had competitive gubernatorial elections recently as well.

However, of those states, only four  Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland  had gubernatorial elections in 2018. And of those, Ohios was by far the closest and thus the most likely to be affected by big expenditures. Its also the the state that had two nuclear plants that FirstEnergy was desperate to bail out.

DeWine beat Democrat Richard Corday by 3.7 percentage points. The next-closest race was in Maryland, where Republican Larry Hogan beat Democrat Ben Jealous by 12 points  or more than triple the margin in the Ohio race.

In addition, among the documents obtained by the news organizations are messages that demonstrate FirstEnergys interest in plowing dark money into Ohios 2018 gubernatorial election. One, from FirstEnergy Vice President Michael Dowling, attempted to ease worries over the companys massive expenditures through the Republican Governors Association to help DeWine and Husted.

Theoretically, DeWine/Husted could have a balance of $10M in their campaign account and the RGA could spend $40M in support of DeWine in Ohio, Dowling said in an email first reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer. My point is that comparing the size of a contribution to the RGA to what the DeWine campaign has raised or what the DeWine Campaigns current balance is can be done, but Im not sure is logical.

Other claims

In addition to pleading ignorance of FirstEnergys dark money, the governor and his staff havent explained what senior members of his administration who had close connections to the company knew about about a vital part of the scandal  the relationship between FirstEnergy and the man DeWine picked to regulate it.

The governor and his staff have claimed that connections between Randazzo and FirstEnergy were common knowledge when DeWine took office in 2019. However, theres little evidence to support the claim.

Meanwhile, Randazzos state indictment says Randazzo and FirstEnergy had a long, secret partnership that paid Randazzo millions even before his $4.3 million payoff in 2019. It also lays out evidence that both parties were anxious to keep it hidden.

Throughout the scandal, DeWine and his staff have staunchly maintained that the governor supported the FirstEnergy bailout not out of any ulterior motive, but because he thought it was good public policy. To support that, Tierney last week pointed to the fact that Cordray, DeWines Democratic challenger, also supported keeping FirstEnergys nuclear plants open.

But theres some important context. FirstEnergy gave dark money to support DeWine and oppose Cordray. In addition, DeWines chief of staff, legislative-affairs director and his choice to regulate the industry all had lucrative financial connections to the company either contemporaneously or in the recent past.

Its just laughable, Niven said. They find themselves in the literal center of the biggest corporate-political swindle in the states history and their answer is, Well anybody would have done this.'

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The post Ohio Gov. DeWine said he didnt know of millions in FirstEnergy support. Is it plausible? appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  On Monday, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready issued a release offering help to Oklahomans impacted by the storms over the weekend.

Our hearts go out to the communities impacted by tornadoes and severe weather this past weekend, said Mulready. As second responders, we at the Oklahoma Insurance Department are ready to help with post-disaster recovery. If you have questions about your insurance policies and coverage or need assistance with filing a claim, please reach out to our Consumer Assistance Division.

Watch: Dramatic, scary video from the Marietta tornado

Those impacted by storm damaged are encouraged to report their losses at damage.ok.gov, even if they arent submitting an insurance claim. According to the Insurance Department, submitting damage reports plays a crucial role in accessing disaster relief funds.

Residents needing assistance after the storms are asked to call the Oklahoma Insurance Department Consumer Assistance Division at 800-522-0071.

For information on preparing for storms and reviewing insurance coverage, visit oid.ok.gov/get-ready.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
UPDATE 4.30.2024  The Oklahoma Pork Council says, additional community partners have stepped up in support of relief efforts today in Sulphur.

According to Oklahoma Pork the behind the scene actions to make all the effort take place with a smooth transition, Ben E. Keith, and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, along with Operation BBQ, have arranged for an additional fresh pork product delivery to Sulphur on Tuesday. The Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahomas CEO, Jeff Marlow, arranged for a refrigerated truck loaded with vegetables to be driven to Sulphur, arriving this later this morning and staying on site at the Walmart in Sulphur through the week. Ben E. Keiths Emily Melton arranged for a special delivery of pork purchased by Oklahoma pig farmers via Oklahoma Pork to fill the reefer truck.

Oklahoma Pork says, it purchased 10 cases of pork loins and 10 cases of pork butts, meaning thousands of more meals for Sulphur residents to be prepared by Operation BBQ dinner and through the end of this week.

If you would like to learn more about Oklahoma Pork Council support efforts to serve those in need click here.

Additionally, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are committing $250,000 in product donations and grants to organizations providing relief to communities in Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa, which were recently impacted by severe weather.

The Information Technology Resource Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC) will also be on site to provide WiFi hotspots and charging stations to the community.

The Walmart Foundation officials say, their commitment is supporting local communities in times of crisis.

ORIGINAL STORY

SULPHUR, Okla. (KFOR)  The Oklahoma Pork Council and its partners are gearing up to show support in the Sulphur community, providing free food on Tuesday, April 30.

Following last weekends devastating storms, the group partnered with Operation BBQ Relief and Newmans Firehouse BBQ, is set to distribute 800 free pork meals to the local Sulphur community.

Update: 25 tornadoes recorded during severe weather outbreak, NWS

Where: Walmart Parking Lot

2705 W Broadway Ave

Sulphur, OK 73086

When: April 30, 2024, starting at 11:00 a.m.

This location will also facilitate coordination with local utilities and emergency services.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
The United States has sent a message to TikTok: either sell the company or shut down. The threat is now official. ByteDance, TikToks Chinese parent company, has nine months to decide what to do. Here are the main questions about what could happen.

1. Is it a complete ban?

Not necessarily. ByteDance could sell the app to a U.S. company and everything would remain more or less the same; although its somewhat unlikely because its not the preferred choice of TikTok, which says the new law is in fact a ban and wants to take the matter before a judge: This unconstitutional law is a ban on TikTok, and we will challenge it in court, the company said in a statement. If that happens, the Supreme Court will have to decide whether the law violates the freedom of expression of the platform and its users, a very sensitive issue in the U.S.

A court process could also lengthen the initial nine-month deadline. As such, not much more is likely to happen this year. In November there is a presidential election and Donald Trump, who attempted to ban TikTok in 2020, is now more benevolent. There may yet be changes.

2. I am European or Latin American, does this apply to me?

If you dont live in the United States, you will not be affected directly. But a TikTok without the 170 million users the platform claims to have in the U.S. would be just another network. Not only because of the videos they create, but also due to the trends or challenges that emerge from the networks core market. It is possible some large content generators will move to Canada or Mexico, but they are unlikely to go to too much trouble if their primary market, TikTok users in the U.S., has vanished.

3. Surely there will be some trick to keep using TikTok in the U.S.?

No. Apple and Google will be obliged to remove the app from their stores. There will be no more updates. Internet providers will also limit access. Although using a VPN is a common trick to access the internet as if you were in another country, with app stores it requires a major effort and is unaffordable for most users.

4. Who stands to gain from the potential ban?

In a word: Zuckerberg. If any network resembles TikTok today, its Instagram and its Reels. They are, in fact, a copy. For many TikTok influencers, replicating their success will not be easy on Reels, but there are few alternatives. Reels is growing steadily and already accounts for 50% of the time Instagram users spend on the app. Thats an impressive increase for a platform that used to be all about photos. There is also YouTube Shorts - short videos - but the type of content there is even more different from TikTok than Reels, even if the same vertical video format is the basis of the three options.

5. The threat alone is already making us rethink our relationship with the app.

The lack of a clear alternative  and the fact that the threat is not immediate  will keep TikTok users on the platform as usual. But there will be one party  the content creators who stand to lose the most  who will have to divide their efforts between other platforms in case the ban comes into force.

6. Why is all this happening?

National security is the main reason cited. Supporters of the law say that on TikTok it is easier to find videos showing U.S. citizens hooked on fentanyl or Chinese cities gleaming at dusk than content concerning Chinese repression of Uyghurs or depicting the American dream. This kind of propaganda would not be grounds for shutting a platform down, but TikTok is a growing source of information for citizens in the West. Joe Bidens presidential reelection campaign has a prominent account on TikTok.

If China were to resort to war over its claims on Taiwan, would Beijing pressure TikTok to promote or hide one type of video? Or to interfere in a hotly contested U.S. presidential election, such as Novembers? There was a controversy earlier this year, which many members of the U.S. Congress took into account when voting for the law, over a rumor  it is not clear that it is supported by data  that more pro-Palestinian than pro-Israeli information was available on the platform after the beginning of the Gaza war. The New York Times even published a chart, which has been widely circulated, comparing thorny issues for China on Reels and TikTok.

The U.S. government has provided no evidence that TikTok manipulates its platform, although some members of Congress have implied that they have had access to interesting confidential material. China has been blocking U.S. companies in its own territory for years. Neither Google, Facebook or Instagram are available there. Just this week, without making a song and dance, Apple removed WhatsApp and Threads, two Meta apps, from its Chinese store. The reason? Based on their national security concerns, said the U.S. multinational.

7. Is there no other solution?

There are always other solutions. The Chinese government has vetoed TikToks secret sauce, the famous algorithm that recognizes users tastes so well. Last Thursday, The Information reported that TikTok is considering selling the app, but without its algorithm: it would sell only the brand and the audience, which is the equivalent to buying Coca Cola without its formula.

TikTok launched the so-called Project Texas, together with Oracle, to ensure that U.S. users data stayed on servers in the country. But that hasnt convinced anyone. If China wanted Americans data, there is an unregulated advertising market where they can pay to find what they want.

8. Is it as big a deal as it seems?

Yes and no. India had 200 million users on TikTok and shut down the app overnight. The reason was, in a more concrete case, also national security: the two countries were engaged in military skirmishes on their shared border. Since then, there are more Indians on Reels and many others who simply arent on any platform. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, TikTok is also banned. Many other countries prevent its download on the cell phones of civil servants.

9. Does it have anything to do with TikTok Lite in Europe?

Nothing. The European Commission has its own battle with the Chinese giant over TikTok Lite, which was launched in trials in Spain and France. The app rewards users who watch a lot of videos, or invite other users, with points. Brussels believes it may be addictive and dangerous for minors. They have asked TikTok to certify that they know what they are doing. So far, the company has not responded and negotiations are still ongoing. In the meantime, the platform has suspended the activity of the new app.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition
Oklahomans rebuild after tornado outbreak: 'It'll never be the same, but it will be OK.'

Emergency officials, business owners and residents in small communities across Oklahoma began the grim chore Monday of cleaning up and sorting through what remains after a string of deadly tornadoes over the weekend leveled buildings, flipped vehicles and killed four people, including a 4-month-old infant.

In Marietta, tractor-trailer driver Danny McBride got an alert Saturday night that a tornado was on its way. He and his two dogs, Rosie and Posie, had enough time to climb into his truck's bunk area and cover up with blankets.

"Something hit the side of it and busted in the door, knocked the windows all out, and it's just been chaos ever since," said McBride as he looked out over wrecked trucks and trailers at a Valero gas station along the interstate. "I'm not a super religious person, but I was having a talk with God, thanking him for everything I've been through and hoping he'd get us through it again."

Police officers in Marietta closed access to the small citys hardest-hit area near Interstate 35 so crews could clear debris. The towns hospital was damaged and grocery store destroyed.

The tornado ripped through a massive Dollar Tree distribution center, and pieces of the building were blown across the interstate into nearby fields. Video showed part of the roof was ripped off, exposing hundreds of shelves and boxes inside.

Most of the destructive tornadoes formed after dark, with significant damage in Marietta, Sulphur and Holdenville.

The Sulphur community was still reeling from Saturday night's tornadoes, with numerous residents displaced and struggling with a sudden lack of housing, electricity and other resources.

Danny McBride shows off the damage to his truck on Monday after a storm ripped through Marietta.

One man, who had been living in an apartment directly in the tornado's path Saturday night, said he and his wife narrowly avoided being swept up in the tornado by ducking into the nearby Artesian Hotel. Hardly anything remains of the second-floor home in which they once lived.

Several residents spoke with The Oklahoman about their losses but did not want to be identified. A common thread united them all: A realization that they had lost everything in the storm, but a gratitude for being alive and for the community's immediate willingness to rally around them and offer support.

Several killed in storms, including infant

A young family in Holdenville experienced an unimaginable loss Saturday evening when a tornado destroyed their home, causing the death of their 4-month-old child.

The infant child was one of four who died as a result of the tornado outbreak. State authorities reported one death in Sulphur, one near Marietta on Interstate 35, and two in Holdenville. Identities of the victims were not yet available on Monday.

In Marietta, a tractor-trailer passenger died when the truck he was in overturned on the interstate. The man's name has not yet been released by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 100 injuries have been reported by area hospitals.

The child's aunt is accepting donations on behalf of parents Tyler and Selina Skeen. Cash donations can be sent to https://venmo.com/u/Sonia-Faulkner. An account for The Skeen Family also will be set up at Security State Bank. The family also is accepting donations of clothing and shoes at two locations: Boomarang Diner in Holdenville and The Healthy Hive in Shawnee.

GoFundMe has verified the authenticity of several pages set up for victims of the tornado outbreak. To view these verified fundraisers, go to the platform's Midwest Tornado Relief Hub and select Oklahoma or a specific city.

More: Oklahoma weather: How to help victims of Saturday tornadoes

'It's going to be all right'

Dozens of Sulphur residents sought out temporary shelter at Crossway First Baptist Church, where the American Red Cross had coordinated with the local church and other organizations to offer food, water, clothing and other types of relief on Monday.

Gene and Jenna Smith volunteer with Mercy Chefs prepare meals in Sulphur after a devastating tornado destroyed several buildings and homes.

Gene Smith, an artist and member of the Choctaw Nation, grew up in Sulphur. He and his wife, Jenna, were volunteering with Mercy Chefs at the church Monday.

The Smiths said one of their sons was out storm-chasing Saturday night when they called him as he was heading back into Sulphur from Davis. The tornado was just touching down, and they demanded he turn back around and go back the other direction.

"I'm just thankful something told me to call him right then because he could have been driving right into town when it came through," Jenna Smith said.

More: Photos, videos show tornadoes in Oklahoma leave behind trail of destruction

Gary LeBlanc, CEO of Mercy Chefs, is familiar with the devastating impact of natural disasters on communities. He founded the nonprofit in the wake of Hurricane Katrina's destruction of New Orleans, and has shown up often with his teams in similarly hard-hit areas ever since.

"I know Oklahoma, I know rural Oklahoma, and a lot of people here are going to cope with their loss by helping others," LeBlanc said. "It'll never be the same, but it will be OK."

"I know places from 20 years ago that still have scars on the town and on the people from the storm," LeBlanc added. "But I would just encourage everybody: Don't look for the 'old normal.' Look for the 'new normal.' It's going to be all right."

This map shows where National Weather Service investigators are surveying storm damage after severe weather April 27, 2024. More than 30 possible storm tracks were observed and these surveys will help meteorologists confirm whether a tornado was present, and if so, how strong it was.

Surveying tornado damage across Oklahoma

Survey teams with the National Weather Service were traveling across Oklahoma and north Texas conducting damage assessments at more than 30 locations. Surveys will continue through at least Tuesday. So far, at least 25 tornadoes have been confirmed.

Preliminary results of a damage survey indicated the tornadoes that hit Sulphur and Holdenville were at least an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which is a measure of a tornado's destructive power. The Marietta tornado was upgraded on Monday to an EF4, the first tornado in Oklahoma to produce that level of damage since 2016.

The strongest and most damaging tornadoes are classified as EF5.

Preliminary Damage Survey Results:



Sulphur: Confirm at least EF3. Further investigation necessary to determine if rating will go higher or not.



Marietta: Confirm at least EF3. Further investigation necessary to determine if rating will go higher or not. #okwx #texomawx  NWS Norman (@NWSNorman) April 28, 2024

"We are grateful to report that no one was injured," said Kate Kirkpatrick, Dollar Tree's vice president of communications. "Our immediate focus is on the needs of our associates and the communities this distribution center serves. We are working as swiftly as possible to assess the facilitys damage and pivot our operations to ensure our nearby stores receive the supplies they need to serve our customers."

More: Gov. Kevin Stitt: Sulphur tornado damage the worst he's seen as governor

City offices and Main Street businesses were closed because most of Marietta remained without power Monday. Volunteers were serving meals at the school cafeteria and distributing donated supplies from a makeshift command center at the fairgrounds.

Debris covers a Welcome to Marietta sign on Monday after a storm ripped through Marietta on Sunday.

How Oklahomans are responding to tornado outbreak

Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency in 12 counties. The designation helps ease the recovery effort and is a step toward receiving federal disaster funds.

Military veterans have the opportunity to apply for a grant to aid in their recovery efforts. For more information, reach out to the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs at 405-523-4000.

Two American Red Cross shelters remain open:

Sulphur: Crossway First Baptist Church, 2108 W Broadway

Ardmore: Christ Community Church Ardmore, 2620 Mount Washington Road

For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please dial 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day. Please only call 911 for emergencies.

Oklahoma Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has chainsaw teams in Sulphur and Morris and a mass-feeding kitchen in Sulphur to provide meals. Critical Incident Stress Management-trained chaplains are also available for affected residents and first responders.

Volunteers who wish to help with cleanup in Sulphur can check in at the Murray County Expo Center at 730 Cambridge Drive in Sulphur. The Salvation Army is providing first responders in Love and Murray counties. Each service will run until no longer needed. Emotional and spiritual care workers are also available.

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is asking residents impacted by the storms to report damage to property at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps local and state emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts.

Oklahoma State Department of Education spokesman Dan Isett said the agency has been in contact with about 15 school districts that have various levels of damage and issues theyre dealing with from Saturday nights storms. The most severe issues with schools appear to be in Sulphur, Marietta and Ardmore, Isett said.

Isett said the agency is working with districts affected by the storms to provide waivers or extensions for testing, expedite claims, provide exemptions for any requirements and extend any deadlines necessary. He said agency crisis response teams are available to any district needing additional support or resources.

The agency is working on getting buses to Sulphur and is looking into the possibility of providing wireless hotspots for affected districts, he said.

More: Did this weekend break Oklahoma's record for most tornadoes in one day? NWS tracking dozens

Contributing: Oklahoman reporters Murray Evans, Molly Young, Jordan Gerard and photographer Nathan J. Fish

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Tornado recovery: Oklahomans begin cleanup after tornado outbreak
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma City Police Department says one person has been arrested after a deadly apartment shooting.

OKCPD says officers were dispatched to a shooting at the Quail Ridge Apartments on the afternoon of Saturday, April 27.

Business owners, residents begin going through rubble after tornadoes leave major damage

According to responding officers, Tre Hill-Womack was located with a gunshot wound and in critical condition. He was transported to an area hospital where he later died.

Willman Tejeda.

The suspect has been identified by authorities as Willman Tejeda. He was taken into custody the following evening and booked into jail on a murder complaint.

Police say its unclear what led up to the shooting. Anyone with information should call the Homicide Tip-Line at 405/297-1200.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
One shot in face in Federal Way parking lot after road rage incident

Federal Police detectives are investigating a shooting stemming from a road rage incident.

The shooting happened late Friday night in a parking lot near the Red Robin in the 31900 block of Gateway Center Boulevard.

The victim was shot in the cheek and was taken to Harborview Medical Center.

Police said the shooting was related to a road rage altercation on Interstate 5.

The victim is expected to survive.

No suspects are in custody.
One taken to hospital after fire breaks out at senior apartments in downtown Raleigh

One person was injured after a fire broke out at an apartment building housing seniors in downtown Raleigh Monday morning.

Firefighters were called to Sir Walter Apartments on Fayetteville Street at about 1:45 a.m., according to ABC11, The News & Observers newsgathering partner.

The Raleigh fire chief said the fire started on the seventh floor, and it was under control in about 20 minutes.

About 14 fire crews and 55 firefighters were involved in putting out the fire.

One person was taken to the hospital with burns on their body, the fire chief said.

Many of the residents who evacuated have returned inside the building.

This story will be updated as we get more information.
Opening statements in the murder trial of Karen Read, the Mansfield woman accused in the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, were delivered Monday before prosecution witness testimony got underway at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham.

WATCH LIVE: First witness is called in Karen Read murder trial after jurors hear opening statements

WATCH LIVE: Opening statements underway in Karen Read murder trial. WATCH LIVE: First witness is called in Karen Read murder trial after jurors hear opening statements. boston25.com/3UCmwRX Posted by Boston 25 News on Monday, April 29, 2024

Read is charged with running down John OKeefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend, and leaving him to die in a blizzard in the town of Canton on Jan. 29, 2022.

Statements by the prosecution and defense wrapped up by noon, with each side staying within a 45-minute time limit imposed by Judge Beverly Cannone.

Norfolk County Prosecutor Adam Lally outlined circumstantial evidence that he says points to Reads guilt, while defense attorney David Yannetti told jurors that she is being framed and that OKeefe was beaten and attacked by a dog inside the home of another Boston police officer.

After opening statements, the prosecution called their first witnesses, Paul OKeefe, the brother of John OKeefe, as well as Erin OKeefe, Pauls wife. Canton Police Officers Steve Saraf then took the stand.

Prosecutors interview Officer Saraf and play the dashcam video from his cruiser as he was first to arrive at 34 Fairview. You can hear screaming at the scene.

Once the prosecution wrapped up court was adjourned for the day. The defense will cross-examine Officer Saraf on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Karen Read murder trial: A guide to the key players you need to know

LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY FROM COURT BY BOSTON 25S TED DANIEL:

Officer Saraf said he did not see footprints in snow around 34 Fairview  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Saraf tells Jury Read repeatedly said is he dead? at scene  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Offc Saraf says KR was giving JO CPR when he arrived and she had blood on her face.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Defense has no questions for Erin OKeefe. Canton police officer Steve Saraf is next  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Erin OKeefe says Read told her I dont think Ill ever see you guys again after JOs death.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Erin called KR on the morning of the 29th and she says KR said Johns dead while JO was at the hospital.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Erin OKeefe said JO was concerned about KR spoiling his niece and nephew with food and gifts  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Erin OKeefe talking about texts from Read about argument she had with JO because Erin said JO kissed a woman in Aruba  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Erin OKeefe talking about texts from Read about argument she had with JO because Erin said JO kissed a woman in Aruba  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

This picture of JO was shown to the jury during Paul OKeefes testimony. pic.twitter.com/FzikPjDNFs  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally calls Paul OKeefes wife Erin to the stand.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Defense has no questions for Paul OKeefe  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Prosecutor Lally showing videos from a camera at JOs Canton home after he was declared dead. Read went there with her dad and brother sometime after leaving hospital. Paul OKeefe was there and other OKeefe family members  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

We are back in the Karen Read trial with Paul OKeefe, JOs brother returning to the stand.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says KR called him and asked to come see the kids at JO's house after she left hospital. He says Read's car was at the house for 30 mins and she took some of her belongings before she left  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says it was almost like there were ping pong balls under JO's eyes because they were so swollen after JO had been declared dead at Good Sam in Brockton. He also says he noticed "markings" on his right arm  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says he had previously told KR's parents he was grateful to Read for taking care of his sisters kids  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says he blew KR a kiss at the hospital in attempt to show her support. This was before KR had been charged  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says it was almost like there were ping pong balls under JO's eyes because they were so swollen after JO had been declared dead at Good Sam in Brockton. He also says he noticed "markings" on his right arm  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says KR was screaming at the hospital asking if JO was alive  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

The jury appears to be listening intently to the testimony of Paul O'Keefe. Many are taking notes.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says his mother called him at 6:40am on 1/29/22 and said "something happened to your brother ...and they took him to the hospital" He says they didn't have a lot of info at that time  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe says KR would stay at JO's house 3-4 times a week. Karen's house is in Mansfield. John's in Canton  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe talking about his 2 siblings. He lost both his brother JO in 2022 and sister Kristen in 2013. Kristen's husband also passed (in 2014) and JO took their 2 kids  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Paul O'Keefe talking about his 2 siblings. He lost both his brother JO in 2022 and sister Kristen in 2013. Kristen's husband also passed (in 2014) and JO took their 2 kids  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

We're back Judge Cannone reminds jurors that openings are "not evidence" JO's brother Paul first one called to stand by prosecution  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti is done with opening. Prosecution immediately asks for sidebar. 15 minute break for jury  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti tells jury they "didn't mean to kill him" but probably went "too far" speaking about the people defense has identified as 3rd party culprits  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti says KR "exploring her options" after Aruba trip and had get together with ATF agent Brian Higgins. The prosecution plans to use that information to allege KR and JO were not getting along  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti: When John O'Keefe was found "he looked to be attacked and beaten up" Says his legs were not injured after being hit by a 6k pound vehicle. Yannetti says arm injuries appear to show "animal attacked" JO's arm  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti: Brian Albert testified to grand jury about family dog Chloe and then after testimony "rehomed" the dog.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti: When John O'Keefe was found "he looked to be attacked and beaten up" Says his legs were not injured after being hit by a 6k pound vehicle. Yannetti says arm injuries appear to show "animal attacked" JO's arm  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti says plow driver saw a "ford edge" parked in the area where the body was found. Yannetti tells jury police ignored that  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Plow driver told defense investigator he's always on the look out when plowing and passed by 34 Fairview at 2:30 and he says JO's body was not there.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti tells jury 6 people walked out 34 Fairview and not one says they saw JO's body. He says snow plow driver also says he never saw JO's body. The driver passed the home several times when police say JO's body would have been there  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti says his expert Rick Green will confirm Jennifer McCabe made the search at 2:27. Prosecutors have their own experts who say it happened after JO's body was found  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti says at 2:27 Jennifer McCabe typed "Hos long to die in cold" hours before she called 911 to report JO's body had just been found  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

The video of Karen leaving JO's driveway where Yannetti says the damage to her taillight occurred is in this story we did in August:https://t.co/gwQbMedZBj  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti says taillight damage occurred when Read struck JO's car at 5am. "Many hours after the prosecution needs that taillight to be broken"  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti says taillight damage occurred when Read struck JO's car at 5am. "Many hours after the prosecution needs that taillight to be broken"  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

In March, 25Investigates reported Proctor was facing an IA investigation. MSP nor Proctors attorney never explained why. There was speculation it was related to his texts  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti says Proctor went through KR's phone "for nude photos of Karen Read"  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

"Karen Read was a convenient outsider" Yannetti tells jury. Says Proctor was texting "high school buddies" about the case. Yannetti says Proctor told friends he hoped that KR would kill herself in texts  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Yannetti: "Michael Proctor is one of many people in Canton with deep ties to Albert family". Proctor was lead MSP investigator  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Tells jury Brian Albert was made aware there was a dead body on his front lawn and Yannetti says he "never come out of his house". Says lead investigators never went inside Albert home.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Tells jury "they will question the shoddy and bias investigation" of KR and says they will question "why they (police) focused solely on Karen Read"  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Describes Alberts as well known and connected with close ties to investigators. "Karen Read was framed for a murder she did not committ" he says  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Prosecutor Lally is done. I had a hard time hearing him in the back of the courtroom because he's facing the jury.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Read attorney David Yannetti is up. "Karen Read was framed" is the first thing he tells jury  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally says there will be testimony that KO's vehicle traveled 60 feet in reverse at time he says JO was killed and he says a hair found on Read's bumper "is consistent" with being JO's  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally: Defendant made a b-line" to JO's body outside 34 Fairview Rd. Lally says McCabe made 1st "hos long to die in cold" google search after that. He tells the jury they will hear debate about the time of the search  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally says KR showed Jen McCabe and another woman her cracked taillight in the hours before JO's body was found.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally: Defendant made a b-line" to JO's body outside 34 Fairview Rd. Lally says McCabe made 1st "hos long to die in cold" google search after that. He tells the jury they will hear debate about the time of the search  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally tells jury JO's niece called Jennifer McCabe around 4:50 in the morning, about 20 minutes before Read went to JO's house  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally: None of the people inside the house at 34 Fairview observed John O'Keefe going inside.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally: People in and out 34 Fairview Rd reported seeing Read's Lexus parked near O'Keefe's body was found  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally talking about ATF agent Brian Higgins and former BPD officer Brian Albert going to a LEO's funeral in New York earlier in the day on the 28th  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally tells jury they will hear testimony from Christopher and Julie Albert, Brian Albert's brother. Lally says Chris texted John to come over  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally tells jury cruiser cam video shows damage to Read's taillight at 8:22 in the morning  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally tells jury: "Defendant stated repeatedly, 'I hit him, I hit him, I hit him" to 1st responders  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally: Karen Read, Jennifer McCabe, and Kerry Roberts were outside waiting for first responders to arrive.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally is establishing who some of the witnesses will be and what they will talk about including first responders  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

"In the months leading up to Mr. O'Keefe's death the relationship soured" with KR, Prosecutor Lally says  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally says O'Keefe and 2 friends later went to C.F. McCarthy's a bar/restaurant in Canton and arrive around 7:30pm. "Eventually, the defendant Karen Read joins them" Lally says  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Lally now talking about day before O'Keefe's death and the predicted snowstorm. He says most activities had been cancelled in Canton. Also says JO learned his niece got into a private catholic school Bishop Feehan that day  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Openings have begun. Prosecutor Lally begins by speaking about John O'Keefe and the loss of his sister and her husband and his decision to raise his sister's kids.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

10 women and 7 men in the jury box. They all appear dialed in. Judge will give them notebooks to take notes and those will stay at the courthouse  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Judge just said they have 17 jurors. 12 will decide the verdict.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Judge explaining murder 2 and manslaughter OUI to the jury. She says defendant starts trial presumed to be innocent until jury makes a determination at the end of trial from the evidence they hear in court.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Jury is being sworn in and the charges from the indictments are being read to them  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

It appears to be an issue with a 3rd party (possibly a juror). A woman was called up to the stand to speak with the Judge privately.

19 jurors have been selected which allows for extras in case people drop out. It's a big commitment with the trial expected to take as long as 7  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Court is in session. The jury has not yet entered. Judge Cannone immediately calls both sides for a private sidebar. There are 2 rows on either side of the small courtroom. One is filled with John O'Keefe's family and friends. The other side has all of Karen Read's family  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Supporters of Karen Read speaking ahead of the start of the trial and opening statements today. They were inside of the buffer zone and State Police asked them to go back to the 200 foot mark. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/qiGEmX41VM  Ryan Breslin (@ryanjbreslin) April 29, 2024

Karen Read has arrived at Norfolk Superior Court. Her trial begins today at 10AM. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/8aze8qG7EN  Ryan Breslin (@ryanjbreslin) April 29, 2024

Norfolk County Prosecutor Adam Lally and defendant Karen Read entering the courthouse a short time ago. pic.twitter.com/QYYZZmGfo9  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Good morning from the line to get into the Karen Read trial where the jury swearing and openings are expected today. I plan to cover the trial most days and will have reports at 5, 6, and 10 for the mothership #Boston25.

I will also live tweet and will be joining the pic.twitter.com/mehXioGFHR  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 29, 2024

Opening statements begin today in the #KarenRead murder trial. Shes accused of killing Boston Police officer John OKeefe in January 2022. Supporters who say Read is being framed are outside of the court buffer zone as they have been throughout prior hearings. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/VGxDIrk5au  Ryan Breslin (@ryanjbreslin) April 29, 2024

Karen Read, facing a murder charge in the death of an off-duty Boston police officer, was ordered held on $100,000 bail.

Karen Read, 41, of Mansfield, Mass., is charged with manslaughter in the Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, death of Boston police Officer John OKeefe. O'Keefe, 46, was off duty at the time of his death.

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe

Karen Read is arraigned in Stoughton District court accused of manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston Police officer John O'Keefe

PREVIOUS STORY:

Read, 44, is charged with running down John OKeefe and leaving him to die in a blizzard in the town of Canton on Jan. 29, 2022. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision in connection with OKeefes death.

Reads defense has argued that she is being framed and that OKeefe was beaten and attacked by a dog inside the home of another Boston police officer. Prosecutors claim a piece of hair found on the back of Reads Lexus SUV implicates her in OKeefes death.

The trial will now be held in a smaller courtroom so all jurors can see the witnesses testifying. However, this means less space for families and supporters.

According to Judge Beverly Cannone, when opening statements begin, the defense and prosecution will each get 45 minutes to present their cases. Neither side will be allowed to use exhibits during opening statements.

Karen Read

Boston 25 News legal expert Peter Elikann said its important to keep opening statements brief to make an early impression on the jury of what they will see in the trial.

Reads attorneys, David Yannetti and Alan Jackson, are permitted to use a third-party culprit defense during the trial, not opening statements, as long as its developed through witness statements and evidence, meaning Cannone is allowing an argument from the defense that someone else killed OKeefe.

This almost is what we refer to as a best of. Theyre going to really give the broad strokes of their strongest case in the opening. Opening. The defense is a little hamstring here because they were told that they could bring in evidence that other people committed to crime, but they werent allowed to do it in the opening. They were allowed to bring it out during the course of evidence, Elikann explained.

What will be most important to see in this case, Elikann said, is how all the evidence comes out.

As the trial goes on, well get to the bottom of it and see whats really the truth. Because every step of the way, we seem to have competing contradictory claims. And once they lay it out in the trial, were going to really see it, Elikann added.

Cannone is also allowing testimony from OKeefes nephew and niece about alleged relationship issues Read and OKeefe had been dealing with, as well as text messages from OKeefe about plans to break up with Read.

Cannone has not decided if Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrisey will take the stand.

Cannone questioned hundreds of prospective jurors over five days before the hearing of these motions. The jurors have not yet been sworn in, but there is a plan for 12 regulars and four alternates when the trial begins.

A buffer zone outside the Dedham court is also being challenged by demonstrators and an appeal is being heard by the Massachusetts Supreme Court.

For nearly a year leading up to the trial, Read supporters had gathered on the sidewalk in front of the courthouse with Free Karen Read signs and clothing, and her pretrial hearings were packed with spectators.

Before jury selection started, Cannone ordered a 200-foot buffer zone around the courthouse and restrictions on megaphones and clothing to shield jurors from outside influences.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court recently ruled that that buffer zone can remain, but demonstrators claim the buffer zone is a violation of their First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

The prosecution plans to call as many as 87 witnesses when testimony begins, including 23 members of law enforcement. The defense has submitted 77 potential witnesses including John OKeefes father and Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey.

Reads trial is expected to last up to six weeks.

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A job fair hosted by CareerSource Northeast Florida, Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), and Operation New Hope will focus on helping people with background issues during their employment search.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

The in-person job fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tue., April 30 at the Florida State College at Jacksonvilles Advanced Technology Center located at 401 W. State St. in downtown Jacksonville.

Every year, more than 30,000 people are released from Florida prisons and face challenges when they attempt to reenter the workforce, among 650,000 Americans in similar situations nationwide, CareerSource NEFL Access Point Manager Dwaine Sweet said. Second chance workshops and job fairs help these men and women overcome barriers to employment, such as incarceration, by opening the door to gainful employment in Northeast Florida.

READ: Clay County Schools hiring teachers

The job fair is also open to the general public.

Job seekers are asked to create a profile on www.employflorida.com before the job fair. For this event, click here to register.

Operation New Hope was founded in March 1999 to provide support and training designed to reduce recidivism. For more information, visit www.operationnewhope.org.

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Editors Note: Jim Walden and Deanna Paul are former prosecutors in private practice at the New York law firm of Walden Macht & Haran. The views expressed in this commentary are their own. Read more opinion at CNN.

The presiding judge in Donald Trumps Manhattan trial told prosecutors last week that they could grill the former president on myriad acts unrelated to the charges he faces in his election interference case, should he decide to take the witness stand.

Jim Walden - Courtesy of Jim Walden

A few days later, New Yorks highest court overturned the sex crimes conviction of Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

The connection between these two unrelated prosecutions might not seem obvious, but its there. And the recent dramatic developments in the Weinstein case demonstrate why the presiding judge in the Trump trial, Judge Juan Merchan, needs to reverse his ruling allowing Trump to be questioned about proven misconduct from other cases. If he doesnt, Trump could have an easy path to having a conviction in the case tossed out.

Deanna Paul - Meredith Eves Flynn

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to cover up his alleged efforts to interfere with the 2016 election. The theory of the case is fairly straightforward: In October 2016, the then-Republican presidential candidates campaign was on the ropes because leaked video from the Access Hollywood program had gone viral, showing him bragging that his celebrity gave him license to grab women by their genitals.

Around that same time, two women  former Playboy bunny Karen McDougal and an adult film actress Stormy Daniels  came forward with lurid stories about their affairs with Trump. Prosecutors allege that he didnt want revelations about the tawdry liaisons to derail his White House ambitions: Trump, they contend, agreed to buy the womens silence, and he and his associates falsified business records to cover up the payments. He went on to narrowly win election to the US presidency.

The trial of the now-former President got underway in earnest last Monday and after the first week of testimony, its clear that prosecutors have the goods on Trump. David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer and a close Trump associate, painted a textured picture of a catch-and-kill scheme entered into by the former president and his long-time attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen. And the prosecution is just getting started. Cohen, who played a crucial role in the Daniels payment and reimbursement, is expected to take the stand as a star witness. Trump for his part, denies any wrongdoing.

Trumps public behavior, including his continuing attempts to attack Michael Cohen and other expected witnesses, as well as his recently more animated, courtroom demeanor (as New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman described it to CNN) suggests that he may be worried about a possible conviction  as well he should be, considering the strength of the case. Instead of relying on the strong case they have however, prosecutors have indicated that they may be planning to cross-examine Trump on things that dont, and shouldnt, matter for this trial.

Merchan agreed to let prosecutors question Trump about his recent gag order violations and courtroom loss to New York Attorney General Letitia James, who proved the former president had engaged in a multiyear financial fraud, including inflating the value of property assets when seeking loans and lowballing those estimates on tax declarations. They also plan to ask him about a case he lost last year after writer E. Jean Carroll successfully sued the former president for defamation and sexual assault.

Prosecutors are making a grievous mistake, as is Justice Merchan. None of the above-mentioned acts has anything to do with the Manhattan hush money payments. Trump is not on trial for being a morally bankrupt person. He is on trial for using false records to conceal election interference. Other bad acts, even those he was found liable for, are beside the point.

The prosecutors and the judge have put the former president in an untenable position. The Constitution gives him the right to testify in his own defense  or not to take the witness stand if he chooses. He has said he wants to testify.

But Trump must now weigh his right to defend himself against the certainty that prosecutors will be permitted to engage in a sideshow by including in their cross examination of him questions about misconduct that are not part of the current trial. Trump could argue that his right to testify has been chilled  that he has been given a strong disincentive to exercising this constitutional right.

Even if he never really intended to take the stand, Trump could use Justice Merchans decision as a basis for a new trial. This is essentially what happened in the Weinstein case. In 2020, Weinstein faced trial for felony sex crimes involving three women. The judge in that case, Justice James Burke, took the same bait, ruling that prosecutors could cross examine Weinstein, had he testified, about more than two dozen uncharged acts in the case, including bullying and fits of anger towards employees, restaurant workers, and business associates  most of which did not bear on his in-court credibility. Weinstein chose not to testify in the case.

He appealed his conviction on several grounds, including that Justice Burkes ruling allowing these lines of questioning undercut his right to testify in his own defense. The New York State Court of Appeals found in a 4-3 decision on Thursday that the producer had not received a fair trial.

Justice Merchan must not make the same mistake. He can reverse his own ruling  and he should. If he does not, Trump could get a conviction overturned while the ink hasnt yet dried on the jurys verdict.

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Editors Note: K. Denise Rucker Krepp, a career Navy civilian employee, is a former Maritime Administration chief counsel who started her federal career as a Coast Guard officer. She subsequently served as a Transportation Security Administration lawyer and House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee senior counsel. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. Read more opinion at CNN.

K. Denise Rucker Krepp - Rucker Krepp Photo

My familys Rucker surname is familiar in some military circles and among many who consider themselves aficionados of Confederate history. The Ruckers have a history of military service going back generations. Theyve also had deep roots in Americas shameful Confederate past. That includes my distant cousin, Col. Edmund Rucker.

The United Daughters of the Confederacy named a chapter in Alabama after Col. Rucker about 37 years ago. But an even bigger honor came back in 1942, when the US military named an Army base in Alabama after him. The base bore the name Fort Rucker until one year ago this month, when the military stripped it away.

To be clear, Im not proud of my familys legacy or its history in one of the darkest chapters of Americas past. Im also not blind to the fact that I share the Rucker name with many Black Americans. Ruckers and their relatives owned plantations throughout the South, including in Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama.

There are even communities bearing the family name  Ruckersville  in Virginia and Georgia. Its never far from my mind, when I meet a Black American bearing the Rucker name, that theres a good chance we are connected, although not by marriage. We are, quite possibly, related by slavery.

A step toward justice and healing

Having a military base or other military asset named after an ancestor is a big deal. It turns out that getting that name removed is no small thing. But in the case of Confederates like Edmund Rucker having their names removed from bases it was a necessary step toward justice and healing.

The process of changing the name of Fort Rucker began in 2020 amid the protests that erupted as a result of the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent discussions about racism. Congress included a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 creating a commission tasked with recommending new names for, or removal of, military assets named after Confederates. Former President Donald Trump vetoed the legislation, but there was overwhelming bipartisan and bicameral support for the change, and Congress voted to override him.

Edmund Winchester Rucker, former officer in the Confederate States Army in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1920 - George M. Cruikshank/Wikimedia Commons

The military services assigned liaisons to help the commission identify assets named for Confederates and I was asked to be the Navy liaison. I was thrilled to be able to take part in the process of removing my familys name from the Army base in Alabama. And there are other Confederate descendants who supported renaming federal assets bearing the names of relatives who, instead of fighting to preserve the United States, fought to dissolve it.

Until then, I hadnt spoken about my family lineage to my bosses at the US Navy. I hadnt shared that Im part of the same family for whom Fort Rucker was named. I hadnt shared that my great, great, great grandfather Howell Cobb was president of the Provisional Confederate Congress and had sworn in Jefferson Davis as president of the Confederate States of America. Nor had I shared that Cobb had authorized construction of the ship that fired the first naval shot in the Civil War. I quickly told Navy leaders who I was, and they told me that I had a job to do. My next phone call was to the Army. They were providing administrative support to the Naming Commission. A Rucker was going to help them.

Prior to joining the Navy as a civilian, Id served on active duty in the Coast Guard. My parents were both Army officers so my military service wasnt unexpected, but the choice of service was. From time to time, my parents asked me why I hadnt joined the Army, as they had. My answer was always the same  because I didnt want to have to answer questions about my last name. Growing up as an Army brat, I was repeatedly asked if I had any connection to Fort Rucker. I didnt want to have to answer the same questions as a military officer.

Once the renaming process was underway, however, that anonymity was over. The creation of the Naming Commission led me to examine anew how my familys history, including the very Rucker name, had hurt others over centuries. I was especially mindful about the experience of Black American military personnel.

How, I wondered, did Black Army personnel feel about serving on a base named for a Confederate? How did it feel to be required to wear shirts emblazoned with the name of a man who supported slavery? And Ive often asked myself how Black Americans felt about reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at a military base named for someone who fought against the Union and who was committed to their subjugation and enslavement.

Shortly before the forts name was changed, I published an essay expressing support for the change. I received a barrage of negative responses on social media accusing me of being woke  of turning my back, in their view, on my family. Turning my back on my family? The family that owned hundreds of slaves and committed treason? Others have said they were baffled by my failure to recognize the rare honor bestowed on my family in having a military base named after a relative. Not many families have federal installations named after them so, surely, I must be proud of the designation. Honor is more than a word, however. There was nothing honorable about taking up arms against this country.

Honor is more than a word

The renaming process went on for months. Every now and again during the commissions tenure, my father Army Col. T.W. Rucker would ask about how things were going with the renaming. We talked about Col. Edmund Rucker and about General Henry Lewis Benning, another relation for whom an Army base, Fort Benning, was named in Georgia. Dad expressed pride and support for my participation in the process. My cousins and sisters shared the same message  keep going, Denise.

More than once, my father shared that in other countries men who commit treason were shot. That didnt happen to my family members, however. Grandpa Cobbs portrait was hung in the US Capitol until 2020, when it was taken down. My great, great grandfather Tinsley White Rucker served as a Confederate soldier and then later in life served as a member of the US Congress. Another relative, Lucius Q.C. Lamar, became the first former Confederate to join the US Senate in 1877. Then-President Grover Cleveland named Lamar to be Secretary of the Interior in 1885 and then Lamar became a justice on the Supreme Court in 1888. My family lost the war, but they never lost power.

UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1864: The Battle of Nashville, was a two-day battle in iin which the author's relative Col. E. W. Rucker took part. It was fought at Nashville, Tennessee on December 15 and December 16, 1864, and was one of the largest victories achieved by the Union Army in the war. - Buyenlarge/Getty Images

Of course, in my familys many generations of military service, there were some who served honorably. My father and his brother served in Vietnam. My uncle was badly shot up, but came home alive. Over 58,200 Americans reportedly did not, and their names are forever etched on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. I associate the memorial with my dads West Point reunions.

Each Washington, DC gathering included a wreath-laying ceremony honoring the classmates who were killed. Some of the family and loved ones of those who did not come home also attended the reunions. Each time was a poignant reminder to me how lucky I was to have my dad in my life  he was there for my college graduation and for my wedding.

Fort Novosel

I thought of those reunions when I learned about the selection of Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Joseph Novosel Sr., whose name came to replace that of my forebear at Fort Rucker. Novosel served in three wars  World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions taken in Vietnam. He risked his life to save others.

Novosel flew 2,543 missions in Vietnam and helped evacuate more than 5,500 wounded personnel. Because of him, fathers, brothers, uncles, and sons came home. They lived to see major milestones in the lives of their family members. I cant think of a better hero to replace the name of my cousin who betrayed this country.

The new Fort Novosel signage in April 2023. - Kelly Morris/US Army

Millions of American men and women are serving in our military or have already served. Many more will serve in the future. Each service member raises their hand to pledge allegiance to the United States. It is right and just that the federal bases and ships on which they serve are named not for traitors to our country, but instead honor American heroes like Novosel.

I still get pushback sometimes over my decision to take part in the process to correct a historic wrong that honored the military service of a man who deserved to be reviled. I recently attended a history conference where I was chastised for supporting the Naming Commission. One attendee criticized the decision to remove honorable, historic Southern names from our monuments. I countered that the names werent honorable, and he disagreed. I then volunteered that Im a Rucker and that I supported the change. Thats when he stopped talking.

I didnt attend last years renaming ceremony of Fort Rucker to Fort Novosel in April of last year. I was thousands of miles away at the time, visiting family in Wales. I found a dry spot at Caernarfon Castle to watch the ceremony on my phone. Most folks associate the Welsh destination as the investiture site of the then-Prince of Wales. For me, it has come to symbolize something else  a new page in American history and the end of a chapter in my own familys dark story.

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Even as the 38th anniversary of the Chornobyl nuclear disaster has come and gone, the nuclear threat posed by Moscow continues to grow. Rosatom, the Russian state nuclear energy company, has a hand in this  namely, by financing Russias war against Ukraine, fostering global energy dependencies that threaten to undermine support for Kyiv, and facilitating the occupation of Ukrainian nuclear facilities.

Rosatom controls over 40% and 17% of the global markets for uranium enrichment and reactor fuel, respectively. Close to 90 nuclear power units around the world are Russian-designed. Rosatoms foreign order book is standing at $200 billion, with 23 nuclear power units in the world across several countries, including India, Turkey, and Egypt.

Rosatom also ranks second in terms of global uranium reserves, especially after it acquired a 49% share of a major Kazakh mining operation in 2023. Major Russian propaganda and subversion efforts in the Global South  like in Niger, whose mines account for 25% of uranium imports to the European Union  threaten to derail global energy security and increase reliance on Russia.

One of the secrets of Rosatoms success is that it provides its clients with Russian government loans and assistance from design and construction to staff training. For example, the following were financed by Russian government loans: the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Belarus ($10 billion), the Rooppur NPP in Bangladesh ($11.38 billion), the El-Dabaa NPP in Egypt ($25 billion), and the Paks II NPP in Hungary ($10.72 billion).

Read also: Opinion: Trump is Putins only hope now

All contracts for the construction of nuclear power plants create direct economic and, therefore, geopolitical dependence on Russia for at least 50-60 years after construction. A striking example is Hungary, whose Paks II NPP is completely dependent on Russian fuel. A $12.8 billion effort to expand the Hungarian plant is already underway. In Turkey, Rosatom is also testing a build-own-operate (BOO) model of nuclear power plant construction, meaning that the final product belongs to Russia.

Advanced Western economies are also dependent on Rosatom. The American nuclear industry sourced around 12% of its uranium from Russia last year. This dependence has enabled Rosatom to successfully avoid Western sanctions.

Even Rosatoms involvement in Russias annexation of Ukraines Zaporizhzhia NPP has not changed the situation with respect to sanctions. This and the International Atomic Energy Agencys (IAEA) oversight remain causes for concern.

In the absence of tangible sanctions pressure, Rosatom is working to increase its presence in Africa and Asia. In 2023 alone, Rosatom signed nearly 20 cooperation agreements and memorandums.

Rosatom has also played a significant role in bolstering Russias weapons arsenal, expanding its activities beyond the scope of nuclear energy.

(Courtesy: DiXi Group)

Cooperation between the Russian military and the countrys nuclear industry has actively expanded in recent years: Rosatom is developing standardized ammunition for the T-14 Armata tank; the Troitskii Institute of Innovative and Thermonuclear Research helped develop technology to increase the service life of artillery barrels; Rosatoms Institute of Scientific Instruments showcased a system for detecting drones at the Russian Defense Ministrys ARMY forum in 2023; the Novator Design Bureau and the All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics jointly developed the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.

Rosatom has taken advantage of the absence of Western sanctions, expanding its structure and bolstering Russias access to the technologies necessary to fuel its war against Ukraine.

Rosatom has actively acquired tech companies, both domestic and foreign, to acquire the technologies needed by Russias military sector. For example, it now owns 98% of the shares of the South Korean battery manufacturer Enertech, which will help Russia establish a steady supply of high-quality batteries

Read also: The Counteroffensive: Behind the scenes with a Ukrainian drone-hunting unit

Rosatom has acquired one of Russias largest producers of titanium and zirconium, the Ilmenite Tougan Mining and Processing Plant, and one of Russias biggest software developers, Security Code LLC. It has also acquired the shipping company Fesco, which accepts payment in Chinese Yuan to avoid sanctions.

Recent steps taken by the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russias nuclear industry are encouraging. However, there are just under 15 Rosatom companies included on American sanctions lists, while Rosatom is comprised of over 360.

The U.S. and Europe should focus on replacing Rosatoms influence within their own nuclear industries and beyond. Sanctions should automatically include companies newly acquired by Rosatom, especially after the start of Russias full-scale war against Ukraine.

For a deeper assessment of the threat posed by Rosatoms influence, check out DiXi Groups related infographic and analysis here.

Editors Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.

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The news this past week was undoubtedly met with relief in Kyiv and with grief in the Kremlin. The U.S. Congress finally broke its six-month logjam and approved a new package of military aid for Ukraine (as well as for Israel and Taiwan). And the breakthrough came only days after EU leaders also committed to providing even more support, in addition to the large aid packages they recently approved.

What this will look like is still being determined, but Germany has already pledged yet another Patriot air defense system  one of the key technologies that has prevented Russia from gaining a decisive advantage  and pressed other EU member states to help bolster Ukraines air defenses.

The support is desperately needed. Ukraine has endured a difficult few months. After its highly anticipated military counteroffensive last year produced hardly any results at all, Americas failure to agree on another aid package struck a sharp blow to morale. Ukrainian ammunition dwindled as the Kremlin stepped up its missile attacks against the countrys industrial and energy infrastructure.

Read also: The Counteroffensive: Behind the scenes with a Ukrainian drone-hunting unit

As the situation grew increasingly bleak for Ukraine, the Kremlin could claim a propaganda win. Though many Russians want to end the war, President Vladimir Putin could reassure them that the Wests will was starting to crumble. Not only are Russias ammunition factories humming along, but Donald Trump stands a good chance of winning the U.S. presidential election and returning to the White House early next year. A Russian victory, of sorts, seemed within reach.

But lest we forget, Putin has had to pare back his goals substantially since launching his war of aggression in February 2022. He initially suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys government would be removed within days, and that all the territory known as Ukraine would be returned to the Russian fold. Russias armies were supposed to have marched into Kyiv, where they would be greeted as liberators.

It was a strategic blunder with few historical precedents. The Russian offensive soon ground to a halt, and Russian forces had to retreat outright from key areas, such as those around Kyiv. In the following months, they were also driven out of Kherson and Kharkiv.

Ukraines unbending determination wasnt the only thing that the Kremlin underestimated. It also apparently failed to anticipate that a broad coalition of Western countries would respond with comprehensive financial and military aid. By 2023, Russian forces had settled into a defensive posture, and there were growing expectations that the Ukrainians  armed with Western equipment  would repel the invaders.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 2, 2024. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

When that didnt happen, the conflict became a war of attrition. As Western resolve appeared to wane, Putin grew more confident, having concluded that time was on his side.

While Putin doubtless will have prepared for new offensive operations, I suspect he has been banking more on Trump riding to the rescue than on his own forces.

But now the calculus has changed once again. Defying Trumpian isolationists and Putin appeasers on their own side of the aisle, congressional Republicans, along with the Democrats, have approved the support that Ukrainians have desperately been awaiting.

Although it will take some time for the new shipments of ammunition and equipment to reach the front lines  where Russian forces have been making incremental, if minor, advances  the immediate political and psychological effect is significant. The odds of Ukraine holding the line and surviving any new Russian onslaught this year have dramatically improved.

Suddenly, it is no longer so clear that Putin has time on his side. If this war has taught us anything so far, it is that defense is easier than offense. In the middle to longer-term, the production of artillery shells in Europe and the United States will most likely rival, if not surpass, that of Russia, which has had to rely on ammunition from North Korea.

Read also: Illia Ponomarenko: The story of wartime Kyiv

Moreover, the continued development of Ukraines long-range strike technologies will have started to yield significant results; and Ukraines latest mobilization of personnel will have replenished some of its frontline fighting forces and reserves. In short, Putins hope of marching to victory this year will evaporate. His war effort will resume its downward trajectory.

But one hope will remain. The Kremlin will desperately await its savior from Mar-a-Lago  who one Republican reportedly called Orange Jesus. Whether Trumps return to the Oval Office really would end the ordeal that Putin created for himself is another story. For now, Russia is once again heading for failure in Ukraine.

Editors Note: Copyright, Project Syndicate. This article was published by Project Syndicate on April 25, 2024, and has been republished by the Kyiv Independent with permission.The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.

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On April 28 in Tbilisi, Georgia, an opposition rally opposing the foreign agents law occurred, starting from Republic Square and culminating at the Parliament.

The legislation mandates that organizations receiving foreign funding be designated as 'foreign agents,' subjecting them to heightened scrutiny. Additionally, the bill grants authorities greater powers to monitor communications, including internal discussions, of these organizations.

Participants chanted slogans denouncing the legislation and projecting messages onto the Parliament building, including 'No to the Russian law.'

The Georgian opposition alleges that the ruling party, Georgian Dream, is enacting the law under Russian influence.

Georgian Dream plans to mobilize supporters in favor of the bill on April 29, with the second reading scheduled for April 30. Georgia's parliament passed the bill in its first reading on April 17, but it must be passed on two more readings before it becomes law.

In 2023, a similar bill was retracted following mass protests. EU officials have previously indicated that the enactment of the law would negatively impact Georgia's prospects for EU membership.

Read also: European Parliament adopts resolution condemning Georgias foreign agents law

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(Bloomberg) -- German companies have long treated Hungary like their backyard. Carmakers Mercedes Benz AG and BMW AG and Volkswagen AGs Audi continue to expand their footprint, driving the countrys exports, while weapons producer Rheinmetall AG is building a handful of new factories.

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Yet an increasing number of others are less enamored with Prime Minister Viktor Orbans government. Companies in retail, financial services, the media industry, telecommunications, and an airport operator are finding themselves in the cross-hairs of his nationalist drive to put assets in Hungarian hands, particularly people close to his leadership, according to executives.

Punishing taxes, a rapidly changing legislative environment and regulatory pressure mixed with overt political campaigns are all part of the ways to push foreign investors out of areas of the economy, according to Philipp Haussmann, deputy chairman of the Berlin-based German Eastern Business Association, whose members include some of Eastern Europes biggest investors.

The situation in Hungary is frightening, said Haussmann whos also the chief executive officer of Klett Group, a German educational company with business in Hungary. Theres a pattern of intimidation against foreign investors.

Orbans government makes no secret of its drive to boost local ownership in the economy as part of its Make Hungary Great Again nationalist agenda, though rejects allegations that its treated investors poorly. Yet the criticism catches the European Unions longest serving leader at a delicate moment.

The EU is withholding 20 billion of funds over rule of law and graft concerns, his governing party is losing support ahead of EU and local elections and a budget crunch is complicating an already faltering recovery from a recession.

Since returning to power in 2010, Orban tightened his grip over all facets of Hungary, from media to the courts, and blurred the line between politics and business. Orbans childhood friend, a former gas-fitter, came from nowhere to become a billionaire and Hungarys richest person after a deluge of state contracts. Orbans son-in-law is now an owner of luxury hotels.

Hungarys reputation among investors is excellent, the Economy Ministry said in a statement. It pointed to a report by the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce that said four out of five German businesses would choose Hungary again for their investments. The Hungarian government strives for cooperation based on mutual respect and partnership, the ministry said.

Executives at some foreign companies say the growing appetite for choice assets is pushing the government to label a larger swath of the economy as strategic to make way for locals.

Take Budapest Airport. Its partly owned and operated by Germany-based AviAlliance GmbH, a company thats being pushed to sell the hub for a second time after a government pressure campaign criticizing it for underinvestment, a claim the operator has denied. An earlier buyout attempt  coordinated by a frequent business partner of Orbans son-in-law in 2021  fell through because of a budget squeeze.

The CEO of the Austrian company that owns the Spar grocery chain in Hungary, Hans Reisch, last month accused authorities of using special taxes to force a transfer of its business to people close to the Orban administration. The government plans to take Spar to court for defamation, Cabinet Minister Gergely Gulyas told reporters on April 25.

Spar this year expects to pay 92 million ($98 million) after a special sales-based levy in Hungary was raised to 4.5% this year from 2.7% in 2021, pushing the company to a loss. The firm has since overhauled its corporate structure to protect its business while the Austrian government has asked the EU executive to intervene.

A law being drafted that would give the Competition Authority powers to break up some companies created further anxiety. The regulator has since urged a delay to the bills adoption.

Its hard to tell which firms are subject to the legislation, when and where the red line is for them, said Zoltan Nagy, who was president of Hungarys competition watchdog from 1998 to 2010. Its dangerous for investments because its unpredictable. How do you build a business strategy to deal with such risk?

Hungary has traditionally burnished its image as a magnet for foreign investments  and German ones in particular  since the end of communism more than 30 years ago.

The value of German investments in Hungary amounted to roughly 22 billion ($23.5 billion) in 2019, more than quarter of the total foreign investment. But its dropped since Orban ramped up market interventions and saddled companies with extra levies, declining by a third in three years, according to central bank data to 2022.

German carmakers continue to be the backbone of the investments, spurred by lavish state subsidies and tax breaks under Orban. Most recently, BMW and Mercedes teamed up with Chinese battery makers to make Hungary a launchpad of their transition to the electronic-vehicle era.

But elsewhere its a very different picture. Critics allege that taxpayer money ultimately ends up enriching Orbans closest political and business allies. In January 2023, state lenders extended more than $1 billion in loans to 4iG Nyrt., a local firm Orban is grooming to be a national telecommunications champion, to purchase a majority stake in Vodafone Plcs Hungarian business.

Meanwhile, the governments cash crunch increases its reliance on taxes targeting specific industries. One international company in the construction sector now pays 69% of its revenue as taxes, according to an executive who declined to be identified on concern the company might be exposed to further punitive measures.

For that industry, the most important principle is that foreign companies and foreign construction material are persona non grata, Construction Minister Janos Lazar told reporters in November. They have no place in Hungary.

Growing pressure has pushed other companies to partner with the government. Erste Group Bank AG, Eastern Europes largest lender, agreed to sell a 15% stake in its Hungarian unit to the state in 2015.

Ostensibly, it was part of an industry-wide deal to lower Hungarys bank tax, the highest in the EU at the time. The broader aim, according to a person involved in the talks at the time, was to make the bank a partner rather than the target of the Orban administration.

Vienna Insurance Group AG, another Austrian firm, was forced to delay its acquisition of Aegon NVs Hungarian units for more than a year due to regulatory hurdles. Those obstacles were removed once the Austrian insurer agreed to sell a minority stake in its Hungarian operations to a state holding company. Steps blocking the deal were later deemed illegal by the European Commission.

Hungary sold its stake in Erste and most of its holding in VIG back to the companies as the government seeks to purchase Budapest Airport, a deal that people familiar with the situation said is being finalized. The aborted takeover attempt three years ago reportedly valued the hub at more than 4 billion.

Its not just about nationalization, but about putting companies in the hands of politically well-connected people, said Haussmann, who hosted Orban in Berlin for a meeting with business leaders two years ago. It is not a German-Hungarian issue, but a European one.

--With assistance from Marton Kasnyik and Jorge Valero.

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Organization hopes 1B clams will help purify the Indian River Lagoons waters

On Friday, the Indian River Lagoon Clam Restoration Project, the Coastal Conservation Association Florida, FWC, and the University of Florida Whitney Lab released 6 million baby clams into the lagoon.

 WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

They were delivered to their Melbourne Beach home with a specialized drone.

The clams were spawned from a handful of the hardiest specimens researchers could find in the lagoon.

Read: See where Jeffs Bagel Run opened its 4th location

Like oysters, clams help filter out excess nutrients improving water clarity which supports the growth of vital seagrasses.

Captain Blair Wiggins with the IRL Clam Restoration Project told us, decades ago the clam industry removed approximately 9.2 billion clams from the lagoon devastating the population.

Read: Norovirus on Princess, Royal Caribbean cruises sickens nearly 200 people

Over the next year, the Billion Clam Initiative aims to return one billon clams to the lagoon.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
A senior with memory loss and no family members to help gave control of her finances to a younger woman. In short order, the younger woman sold the elderly womans home and depleted her life savings while neglecting her medical care.

In broad strokes, this tale from Miami-Dade County resembles the elder abuse case now ensnarling suspended Orlando City Commissioner Regina Hill. And there is one additional, critical element, common to the two cases and dozens more elder-abuse actions across Florida: The alleged misuse of a powerful but little-regulated legal mechanism called power of attorney.

Power-of-attorney agreements are intended to help vulnerable people who can no longer manage their own finances hand control to someone who can. But experts in elder affairs say seniors frequently end up exploited by the very people they appoint to care for them.

The United States has an epidemic of people abusing power-of-attorney agreements, said Roberta Flowers, a professor of law at Stetson University and director of the colleges Center for Elder Justice.

They are an amazing tool, Flowers said. They are also the easiest way for people with nefarious reasons to take power away from an elderly person.

Last month, a grand jury indicted Hill for her alleged activities after gaining power of attorney over an elderly constituent. Prosecutors say Hill drained the womans bank accounts as she treated herself to a face-lift, expensive perfumes and IV vitamin injections. Hill maintains she loves the woman like her own family and committed no crime.

In the Miami case, investigators say the younger woman withdrew $400 in cash on the same day her newly established power of attorney gave her authority over the elderly womans bank account. She eventually took another $200,000, using the older womans credit card to order dozens of items from Amazon, including jewelry and shoes, investigators say.

Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle recounted that story in December as she was discussing her offices Elder and Vulnerable Adult Exploitation Task Force, drawing comparisons between the countys large population of seniors and victims of human trafficking.

They share these vulnerabilities and theyre just targets for all of the criminals that are out in our community, Fernandez Rundle told reporters.

Orphaned adults

Like the Miami woman, the elderly woman that Hill is accused of stealing from was especially vulnerable: She suffered from memory loss, had no living relatives and had become increasingly isolated as she aged.

When code enforcement officers visited the womans home in early 2021, she was living in deplorable conditions. The roof on her Lake Mann Estates home was collapsing and floors were drenched with cat urine and feces.

Shortly after being told of the situation, Hill led efforts to fix up the womans home on Mahalia Drive, enlisting the help of volunteers to replace her roof and soiled carpet and clean the inside of the home.

But Hill also swiftly established power of attorney  completing the process within just 45 days of meeting the woman, investigators say. Recent court filings suggest the woman did not understand how much authority she was handing to Hill.

In Florida, people do not need to enlist help from a lawyer to take control over someone elses finances  they only need to obtain signatures from the account holder, plus two witnesses and a notary. They can copy and paste sample language that is widely available online.

In Hills case, the document used generic language. But one of the witnesses who signed the form is a local attorney.

Some states do not even require these documents to be signed by witnesses or notaries.

Once the document is signed, the person granted power of attorney can present a copy of the record to banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions to gain access to the persons accounts.

And unlike court-appointed guardians, who face a raft of reporting requirements, people with power of attorney do not typically have to justify their spending to anyone else.

Thats what makes these agreements such low-hanging fruit for thieves, experts say.

This happens way more often than I think people want to believe, said Jeff Harvey, the CEO of Community Legal Services, the nonprofit that represented Hills elderly constituent. You can effectively just print out a form and as long as you have a notary stamp and witnesses  youre good.

But power-of-attorney agreements can also be quite worthwhile when used appropriately, financial planning experts say, urging people to assign power of attorney to someone they trust while they are mentally sharp. Common in estate planning, the agreements are intended to allow a reliable third party to pay bills and manage savings and retirement funds if and when the account holder is no longer able to do so because of their age, an accident or an illness.

Ive told clients before that your power-of-attorney document can be more important than a will, said Andrew Boyer, a board-certified elder law attorney based in Sarasota.

Darby Jones, whose St. Petersburg-based firm Professional Fiduciary Services provides those services for people who dont have a family member or friend to fill the role, agreed.

One of the most important documents that everyone should have is a power of attorney, she said. The challenge is finding someone to serve in that capacity.

Jones said Florida has a large population of what she calls orphaned adults who dont have living family members or close friends. Those people, she said, are especially vulnerable to exploitation.

While its not unusual for people to grant power of attorney to a friend, clergy member or someone else who isnt related to them, it should be someone they know well, she said.

There are no indications that the elderly woman in Orlando had assigned that responsibility to anyone else before Hill took over her finances three years ago. Adriane Alexander, the family friend who has since wrested power of attorney away from Hill, has acknowledged she lost touch with the woman during the pandemic.

Sometimes, even choosing a family member doesnt protect seniors from abuse. The Orlando Sentinel reviewed more than a dozen recent Florida cases and many involved a person accused of stealing from their parent or grandparent.

Last summer, a Winter Haven teacher pleaded no contest to charges she used her grandmothers money to pay her car loan and gym membership and opened several credit cards in her name. Over the course of a year, she stole $66,000 from the 83-year-old woman, investigators say.

In 2022, a Pinellas County attorney was disbarred after an Iowa court found he looted more than $380,000 from his mothers estate, spending roughly $300,000 to purchase and furnish a waterfront home for himself.

And earlier this month, an Escambia County man was arrested on accusations he stole $17,000 from his 82-year-old grandfather, using the money to pay for personal bills and purchases from Netflix, DoorDash and Amazon.

A wrong turn

At least initially, Hill seemed to act in the elderly womans interests.

A short time after meeting her, Hill appeared prominently in an episode of the TV series, Dirty Rotten Cleaners, which documented efforts to make the home livable again.

I am a city commissioner here in Orlando. My main focus here is making sure the constituent here in this home has quality of life, public health and public safety, Hill said at the start of the show.

The woman, who does not appear in the episode, was not living in the home at the time.

Aside from cleaning up the home on Mahalia Drive, Hill completed an extensive renovation on a second property owned by the woman a short distance away, according to an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which also said Hill lived there at one point.

But at some point that has not yet been detailed in court filings, Hill allegedly started to use the womans finances for personal gain  spending her money on expensive bottles of perfume, a car rental, a face-lift, dental surgery and a stay in a Miami Hotel room on New Years Eve.

She also used another legal document that investigators say was forged to purchase a third home together with the elderly woman, which Hill listed as her home address on records she submitted to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections. Again, the document required just a notary and two witnesses, with no other oversight.

Jones said its not uncommon for people who abuse power-of-attorney agreements to start out trying to help the person who signed it.

I think people who may have started out with good intentions maybe take a wrong turn at some point and start to take advantage, she said.

But experts say theres no easy way to prevent people from exploiting vulnerable people after theyve gained control of their finances.

A responsible attorney will make sure the elderly person understands what they are signing and that their memory is sound, said Sherrille Akin, a DeLand-based attorney whose practice includes estate planning and elder law.

I insist on at least two meetings with the senior, sometimes three, Akin said.

Still, meeting with an attorney isnt necessary to complete the needed documents, and some experts say it wouldnt be practical to require that.

I think that it would be difficult to justify having an attorney as a gatekeeper, said Larry Frolik, a professor emeritus in the University of Pittsburghs School of Law and nationally recognized expert on elder law issues.

Requiring a court to review how the elderly persons money is disbursed may not be practical either, given the time and expense required and the large number of power-of-attorney agreements in place.

And some seniors might chafe at the notion that their trusted person needs someone looking over their shoulder.

Folks in one group might say thats far too much oversight; I dont want to pay for that extra oversight, elder attorney Boyer said. I dont have any issue with appointing my son or daughter  why do we need big brother looking over us?

_____
Oshkosh has its first all-white, all-male council in more than 50 years. Here's how community leaders are responding.

OSHKOSH  Common councils current lack of diversity isnt going unnoticed.

Prominent community figures are concerned about the interests of certain groups after Oshkosh recently elected an all-white male council for the first time in more than 50 years.

Ive always said representation matters because you get different people speaking from different cultures and experiences, but we will not have that same level of input with only white men on council, explained former council member LaKeisha Haase, a woman of color.

LaKeisha Haase

For me, its especially concerning because we also have committees recommending to a council with the same makeup and no diversity there, either, Haase added.

Its the first time since 1969, when Valeria Sitter became Oshkoshs first female council member, that common council wont feature a single woman.

Council currently has no female members after Lynnsey Erickson and LaKeisha Haase opted not to seek reelection.

The seven-member council had two female voices less than a month ago, but both Haase and onetime deputy mayor Lynnsey Erickson opted not to seek reelection.

Lynnsey Erickson

And the five candidates who contested the three open seats were all male, which ultimately eliminated what little diversity the council had experienced for the last 55 years.

Thats an important thing were now lacking; the female perspective or point of view, so its now on all of us to make sure we represent this entire community, acknowledged Mayor Matt Mugerauer.

Matt Mugerauer

Black, white, male, female, young and old  were here to represent this entire community and do it well, and I expect if we dont do something well, we should hear about it, he added.

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, 48.8% of Oshkoshs population is female, which equates to more than 32,000 people.

But the truly concerning figure for former mayor Lori Palmeri is the number zero  or the number of female candidates who ran for council in these elections.

Lori Palmeri

Im very disappointed and frustrated that we made gains to go from where we were to having none now, said Palmeri, who was Oshkoshs third female mayor and currently sits on the League of Women Voters.

Certainly, the league membership is aware of this, and I imagine there will be recruiting efforts throughout the community to encourage women to run for office, Palmeri added.

The Oshkosh situation is even more stark when compared with neighboring Neenah, which has three women occupying aldermanic seats  and that doesnt include Mayor Jane Lang.

At one stage, Neenah had six female council members in 2018.

Yet, Oshkosh appeared to be heading toward a similar trajectory when Bernice Teichmiller joined Sitter on council in 1972.

Since then, Oshkosh has typically had multiple female council members in office, with 10 exceptions between 1994 and 2004.

Teacher placed on leave: Oshkosh school teacher accused of using racial slur placed on leave

Oshkosh had as many as four women on council in 1991 after Kathy Propp became the first female mayor in 1983.

As many as four women were on council in 1991 and three were on council on multiple occasions in the 1980s, including Oshkoshs first female mayor, Kathy Propp.

Palmeri also had two other women on her council as recently as 2022, making the absence of female candidates in this election even more puzzling.

Im hoping this was just an aberration and the next election well have two or three women running, said Propp, who is also a member of the LWV after becoming the citys first female mayor/council president in 1983.

But I think this council can still serve the interests of everyone once they think about all demographics represented in Oshkosh  female, male, racial, religious and the entire spectrum, Propp added.

Yet, the lack of diversity on council goes well past the absence of female members.

Haase and Aaron Wojciechowski are the only known council members who identify as another race other than white while Palmeri has Hispanic heritage.

Student headed to journalism conference: Oshkosh student one of 300 nationwide to earn spot at Washington Journalism and Media Conference

LaKeisha Haase is the only Black person to have held a seat on council.

To date, Haase is the first  and only  Black person to ever hold a seat on council, and she wasnt appointed until last year.

And while Oshkosh is still predominantly white (85.7% identify as white alone), the population has started to see significant increases in other minority groups, particularly the Black community.

According to the census done in 2020, Black residents increased by 73% in Winnebago County over the last decade, resulting in 4.4% of Oshkoshs population identifying as Black or African-American alone.

The Asian community accounts for 4.2% and Hispanic/Latino represent 4.1% while another 4.3% identify as two or more races.

And zero percent of them are represented on council.

I am fearful that this council wont represent our interests and thats why I have been one of the people whove advocated so strongly for the last 10 years for the city to have a DEI director, said Mashebe Mushe Subulwa, director of nonprofit organization SEPO.

Seven white men on a city council leads to a lack of perspective, and when you dont have a different perspective, that is a means for the easy dismissal of outside points of view, he said.

Our community needs a DEI director now more than ever, and that position doesnt need to be held by a Black person, but that position will be able to see the blind spots where council was not able to see before, he added.

Age isn't a concern for the current council, though, as Paul Esslinger is the only sitting member older than 50 while newly elected council member DJ Nichols is a member of the LGBTQ community.

DJ Nichols

But Nichols also acknowledges it's council's responsibility not to overlook any one group's interests.

"I think representation always matters and I think that in a perfect world you would have physical representation of the different groups," Nichols said.

"Do I think everyone can be represented? Yes, but it is incumbent on the seven of us to make sure were going out in the community to talk to people that we might not talk to every day and that might not look like us."

Have a story tip or public interest concern? Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh has first all-white, all-male council in more than 50 years
DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The DeKalb County Sheriffs Office (DCSO), says that two people were arrested after a large amount of drugs were seized on Friday, April 26.

According to DCSO, agents with the DeKalb County Narcotics Unit, as well as the DeKalb County SRT and a DeKalb County Aviation Unit, conducted a vehicle takedown on Glenn Blvd in Fort Payne which ended with 1,014 grams (1 Kilogram) of methamphetamine seized.

Arab High football coach charged with sending obscene photos to student resigns

DCSO says that agents noticed two people who were identified as 51-year-old Thomas Dewayne Bailey, of Flat Rock, and 45-year-old Edwin Adam Hamilton, of Section in a vehicle.

Agents then boxed Baileys vehicle in and conducted a controlled takedown to avoid a vehicle pursuit which resulted in the arrests of Bailey and Hamilton.

DCSO says that Bailey had also cut off an ankle monitor that was issued to him earlier in the day by Alabama Pardons and Paroles.

DeKalb County substitute charged with engaging in sex act with student

Bailey was charged with the following:

Trafficking In any Illegal Drug,

Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia,

Resisting Arrest

Attempt to Elude

Hamilton was charged with the following:

Trafficking in any Illegal Drug

Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Resisting Arrest

DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden released the following statement regarding the incident:

I am so proud of our law enforcement officers in the way this situation was handled. Our officers go through intensive training and numerous scenarios, so that they will know the best way to keep everyone safe, and Friday night, they showed up and showed out. The amount of methamphetamine that was seized would have ruined hundreds, if not thousands, of lives in this small community. We will never stop fighting to take this poison off the streets and to keep this out of the hands of our children. God Bless! DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
This story was originally published by St. Louis Public Radio, a BND content partner.

Updated at 4:05 p.m. April 28 with new information on arrests

Hundreds of Washington University campus community members and local activists demanded the private university stop investing in Boeing during a Saturday protest because it supplies weapons to Israel.

They also called for an end to the yearslong war in Gaza where in recent months, thousands have died in Israeli bombardments following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas fighters.

End the siege on Gaza now, the group chanted while marching around the campus before setting up an encampment at the schools Tisch Park. Stop the killing. Stop the slaughter. Gaza must have food and water.

Police from across the region responded to the demonstration and about five hours later declared it an unlawful gathering. After protesters set up camp in violation of university policy, campus police told them they had to leave. Law enforcement officers arrested more than 100 people who refused orders to leave campus, including 23 Wash U students and four school employees, according to university officials.

All will be charged with trespassing. Some will be charged with resisting arrest and assault, Wash U officials said in a statement.

We are firmly committed to free expression and allow ample opportunity for voices to be heard on our campus, university officials said in the statement. However, we expect everyone to respect our policies and we will take swift action to enforce them to their fullest extent.

Jill Stein, a Green Party presidential hopeful in town for a campaign event, was briefly detained and released.

Students at St. Louis-area universities have called on their administrations to cut ties with Boeing for months because of the companys ties to Israel. We are calling on the university to divest from genocide, said Penelope Thaman, a sophomore who was part of the protest.

The demonstration at Washington University is part of a wave of demonstrations on college campuses across the United States, some of which have been met with forceful police responses to control crowds.

In St. Louis, students and activists expressed outrage at the schools response to an April 13 pro-Palestinian gathering on campus where police arrested 12 protesters and gave them summonses to appear in court. Wash U officials suspended three students on the grounds they disrupted an on-campus event.







Freedom of expression

More than 130 students, faculty and staff signed a letter to Washington University leaders last this week criticizing the university for allegedly infringing on students freedom of speech.

No matter where one stands on the ongoing violence against Gaza or whether Boeing is a good associate for the university, one should be concerned that the attacks on freedom of speech and academic freedom have increased significantly in our country and on this campus, the letters authors wrote.

Michael Allen, a senior lecturer of architecture at the school, echoed the letters sentiment, while emphasizing Wash U students are attempting to share their beliefs and that they should be allowed to do so  despite what their viewpoint may be.

As faculty, I feel obligated to stand for freedom of expression on campus, he said. We love our students, and we want to see them enjoy their right to free speech on this campus.

At Saturdays protest, students said they were frustrated with administrators who dont appear to be interested in what students are trying to tell people about the attacks in Gaza and the plight of Palestinians. The arrests and suspensions after the earlier protests made that clear, students said.

The fact that it has happened before proves that the administration is not really interested in listening to student voices about any of these concerns, said Max Franks, a Wash U junior, during the protest. The administration is interested in protecting its image and its bottom line. So if we hope to achieve anything, those are the things that we need to interfere with.
(FOX40.COM)  Over 100 guns were turned in at a gun buyback event, according to the Stockton Police Department.

It was a successful turn out with 113 firearms turned in, SPD said in a post on social media. The majority of the firearms were legally owned, however, they were no longer wanted and had since been unsafely stored.

Stockton police said they hosted the event to collect guns that were no longer wanted, to prevent them from landing in the wrong hands and turning into crime guns if they are stolen during burglaries.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
More than 100 immigrant, refugee, human rights and humanitarian organizations sent a letter Monday demanding Congress and President Joe Biden reinstate funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

The letter, first seen by HuffPost, was addressed to Biden, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) a week after Congress passed a foreign aid package that finalized the Biden administrations suspension of U.S. funding for the UNRWA, which was providing critical support in Gaza.

For more than 75 years, the relief agency has offered direct relief to nearly 6 million Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and neighboring Arab states. In Gaza, nearly the entire population relies on the aid group for basic necessities, including food, water and hygiene supplies, as other aid organizations suspended services after being targeted and killed by Israeli bombs that have rained on Gaza since October.

In February, Israeli officials made an explosive allegation: that a number of UNRWA employees in Gaza took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed roughly 1,200 people and saw 250 taken hostage.

But last week, an independent United Nations report concluded that Israeli forces did not provide evidence to support that accusation. Despite this, the backlash against UNRWA was swift. More than a dozen international donors, including the U.S., suspended about $450 million in aid. U.S. financial support for the relief agency is suspended until at least March 2025.

Germany, UNRWAs second-biggest donor after the U.S., however, recently announced that it would resume funding for the aid group.

A National Security spokesperson told HuffPost that the White House initially restored UNRWA funding that former President Donald Trump had cut during his time in office and suspended it once more after the February allegation with the intention of resuming it.

But Congress has stepped in the way, the spokesperson said. Regardless, we are focused on surging aid to Palestinian people, and we are now able to get more than a billion in aid to Gaza soon thanks to the supplemental request we pushed for and have passed.

Cutting off funding to UNRWA completely erodes the international communitys ability to respond to one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time, the letter said. International NGOs and other UN organizations have repeatedly stated that they do not have the personnel, resources, or infrastructure to respond to the humanitarian needs in Gaza appropriately.

The Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve the foreign aid package last Tuesday night in a 79-18 vote after a monthslong delay. It includes billions of dollars slotted for Ukraine and Israel, as well as humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza and the Indo-Pacific region.

Nearly 5,000 trucks have entered Gaza since early April, according to the White House, carrying over 1 million meals and over 140,000 bottles of water as of last Sunday.

But human rights groups said that it is barely enough.

Prohibiting aid for an organization that could provide life-saving food, medicine and shelter for more than 2 million people is horrific, and its part of a pattern of policymaking thats often rooted in racism and Islamophobia, said Sunil Varghese, the policy director at the International Refugee Assistance Project, one of the letters signatories.

Its a matter of fact that no one can provide the kind of necessary assistance that UNRWA can, Varghese added.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said last week that the aid group currently has enough funding to pay for operations until June. But it is likely not enough, with reports of famine and starvation spreading across Gaza. At least 32 people, including 28 children, have died of starvation in Gaza since the Israeli government began using starvation as a war tactic.

Yumna Rizvi, the senior policy analyst at the Center for Victims of Torture, a nonprofit organization, told HuffPost that UNRWAs services are critical for short-term needs and treating the long-term mental health impact of the war on Palestinians.

What people are experiencing is not post-traumatic, in any sense of the term. This is an ongoing and continuous traumatic threat because it is not ending, and the survival skills that theyre using to stay alive, the longer they use them, the longer the detrimental impact it will have on their bodies, Rizvi said.

Were going to see the impact of this for a lifetime, and its going to be incredibly detrimental to see how we just chose to turn our backs against this population, she added.

The letters signatories, which include the National Immigrant Justice Center, Human Rights Watch and Palestine Legal, warned of grave consequences if the administration does not reverse course immediately.

The United States should uphold its commitment to the human rights of the Palestinian people and resume its role as a strong supporter of UNRWA by passing legislation to reinstate funding to the humanitarian agency immediately, the letter stated. Failing to do so would be a moral stain on this Administration and Congresss legacy.

Related...
Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra will give a concert in Baku on May 5, Azernews reports.

One of the most anticipated events of this concert season will take place at Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall with the participation of violinist and contemporary musical figure Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica Chamber Orchestra, founded by him.

The organiser of the evening, founder of Premier LTD, musicologist Nazakat Kasimova, spoke about the preparation of the concert and its programme in an interview with Trend Life.

"In recent years, Baku residents have had the opportunity to attend more than once the performances of these world-famous musicians in concerts organised by us. Two of them were dedicated to the significant dates of Maestro Kremer's 70th and 75th anniversaries of the musician. Founded by Gidon Kremer, the unique orchestra Kremerata Baltica also performed in Baku with various projects. To this we can add several of their concerts, which we held in Istanbul over the years, but a joint performance by Gidon Kremer and his brainchild will take place in Baku for the first time," said Nazakat Kasimova.

The Baku concert will be held as part of the musicians' tour of the cities of Austria, Italy, Portugal, and Sweden.

"The inclusion of Baku in this list speaks of Gidon Kremer's special attitude towards our city, its culture and musicians. For its Baku concert, the orchestra, consisting of musicians from the three Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, chose works by famous Baltic composers - V. Bartulis , R. Serksnyte, G. Pelecis, and D. Janchevskis. Along with them, Astor Piazzola's well-known music pieces The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires and Evening Serenade by the Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov will also be performed by Maestro," she added.

At the end of the program, as always, there is a surprise for the Baku audience.

"Gidon Kremer, an outstanding musical figure of our time, considers his concert programmes as mediation in creative exchange between countries, contributing to their cultural enrichment. Such concerts are necessary for the younger generation's spiritual development. The guests of honour this evening will be pupils of a boarding school with integrated education, who attend our concerts with great interest. The embassies of Latvia and Lithuania in Baku and the Ambassador of Finland to Azerbaijan, who warmly supported the Baku concert of the Baltic musicians, deserve special gratitude," Nazakat Kasimova concluded.

Tickets can be purchased at all ticket offices in Baku and online on iTicket.az

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, and Milli.Az.












KYODO NEWS - Apr 29, 2024 - 21:10 | All, Japan

The Japanese government is planning to trial an artificial intelligence system for spotting wild bears to better deal with an increasing number of attacks by the animals on humans, a government source said Monday.

Under the system, AI will use security camera footage to instantly detect bears and share the information with the relevant authorities. The pilot scheme is planned to begin by summer in Toyama Prefecture, central Japan.

If found to be effective, the AI system could be rolled out to prefectures where frequent bear sightings near residential areas have been reported, the source said.

The plan comes in response to the 198 bear attacks on humans across 19 prefectures in the previous fiscal year, which ended in March. The incidents resulted in 219 casualties including six deaths, record highs since fiscal 2006 when comparable data became available.

Scarce food sources for the bears due to poor crops are believed to be behind the increased instances of bears entering human spaces.

The government has stepped up efforts to address bear attacks under a policy compiled in February, and the swift detection of the animals when they show up in urban areas as well as speedy information-sharing among police, municipalities and local hunters have been seen as key.

The new system is expected to be helpful as it connects AI with governmental, municipal and private camera networks.

In the trial in Toyama Prefecture, the system is expected to use cameras installed for surveillance and disaster management by the central and prefectural government facilities, as well as those used by utility companies.

Cooperation from private entities would allow for wider coverage around urban areas, riversides and mountainous areas.

A separate experiment to monitor bear appearances is also planned for Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan. It will involve using automatic cameras that can detect animals' movements.

Related coverage:

Gov't panel urges start of subsidized bear culls as attacks rise

Japan mulls designating bear populations for capture amid attacks
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A victim is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries following an overnight shooting in north Charlotte, Medic said.

Emergency personnel and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police responded to calls regarding the incident before 1 a.m. on Monday at the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel on W WT Harris Boulevard. A 46-year-old man was found suffering from life-threatening injuries following a shooting and was transported to an area medical center to be treated.

There is no mention of a suspect at this time.

An initial investigation stated that the suspect was unknown to the victim and fired his handgun resulting in serious injury and damaging the listed victims property.

This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
(CBS DETROIT)  The Oxford High School shooter has been moved to another prison after he turned 18 over the weekend.

The shooter, who turned 18 on April 28, was transported to the Oaks Correctional Facility in Manistee, Michigan, an all-male prison, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.

He was previously housed in a special unit for inmates under 18 at the Thumb Correctional Facility, where MDOC officials say he was involved in a fight with another inmate. Both prisoners were issued misconduct citations for engaging in the fight.

In December 2023, he was sentenced to life in prison in connection with the death of four students at the school on Nov. 30, 2021. Six others and a teacher were injured in the shooting. At that time, he was in the Oakland County Jail before being moved to the Thumb.

His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were each sentenced to 10 to 15 years after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter related to the students' deaths. The Crumbleys were sent to separate prisons despite James Crumbley requesting to be sentenced to time served and Jennifer Crumbley seeking to complete her sentence at her attorney's guest home.

In the weeks following their convictions, the parents were appointed appellant attorneys, an initial step to filing an appeal.

Jensen Huang: from Denny's dishwasher to CEO of Nvidia | 60 Minutes

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A zoo for rescued animals, beneath a Key West jail
The ceiling of the main Rotunda inside Pennsylvanias Capitol building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

The ceiling of the main Rotunda inside Pennsylvanias Capitol building. (Photo by Amanda Berg for the Capital-Star).

The Senate Education committee met Monday to discuss proposals put forward by Senate Republicans to address issues in the states higher education system like declining affordability and enrollment.

The package of bills is largely a response to Gov. Josh Shapiros proposal, addressing similar root issues by different means. As it stands, Pennsylvania ranks near last among U.S. states when it comes to higher education affordability and higher education funding per student.

The premise of these bills are simple. We want to compete to help our young people stay here in Pennsylvania, said Sen. Scott Martin (R-Lancaster). This package sends a powerful message to young people: If youre willing to work hard and earn your education for a career in high demand industries right here in PA, then were willing to invest to keep you here.

The Republican package of bills would increase grant and scholarship funding to students both by expanding existing grant programs and creating new ones. It would also target funding towards students from both in-state and out-of-state entering high-demand professions in Pennsylvania like teaching, health care, agriculture and law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Shapiros proposal includes a 15% funding increase to state universities and community colleges and would limit tuition to $1,000 per semester for in-state students from families making roughly $70,000 in income or less. It would also combine the administration of community colleges and schools operating within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, a move that Republicans have generally opposed.

Speaking to the difference between the two approaches, Jason Thompson, a spokesperson for Senate Appropriations chair Martin said, our package is a little more targeted to the industries that are in demand. For instance, the new scholarship, grant program and merit grant program are focused to students that are pursuing careers that Pennsylvania desperately needs.

The minority chair of the Senate Education committee, Sen. Lindsey Williams (D-Allegheny) appeared to express some skepticism of grants tied to specific areas of study.

Im worried about the prescriptiveness of [tying grants to] certain types of majors, Williams said. Students change majors, and they might still enter that in-demand field but from a non-traditional route.

Speaking to that concern, Nathan Hench, the senior vice president of public affairs at the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency(PHEAA), noted that different states have different work and study requirements for similar programs.

Hench also advised lawmakers to take student experiences into account when it comes to legislating who gets funding for entering high-demand fields.

In developing such programs, it is important to allow for flexibilities, Hench added. Those flexibilities would include ensuring that requirements for receiving the grant are not too strict. An example given would be allowing graduating students in specified fields to work in broad areas of the state instead of in hyper-specific regions.

Hench also advised allowing program administrators leeway to award grants to students who may have minor errors in their paperwork or documentation of time spent working in their fields.

Ultimately, the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate will have to find common ground in order to pass any legislation addressing issues with the states higher education system.

But there are key similarities. Beyond the basic goal of the two plans, both the Senate Republicans and the governors want to create a performance-based funding system for state colleges and universities.

Both the governors office and Senate Republican leadership have expressed optimism in the fact that both parties appear motivated to address the same issues.

Were encouraged to hear Senate Republican leadership agree we need to take action to make our higher education system more competitive, create more opportunity for students and families, and address Pennsylvanias workforce needs, said Manuel Bonder, a spokesperson for Shapiros office.

The Grow PA bill package is expected to be voted on by the Senate Education committee Tuesday.

The post Pa. Senate Republicans push forward with alternative to Shapiros higher ed funding proposals appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
Pair of giant pandas set to travel from China to San Diego Zoo under conservation partnership

This photo released by the San Diego Zoo shows giant panda Yun Chuan on Thursday, April 25, 2024, in the Sichuan province of China. A pair of giant pandas will soon make the journey from China to the U.S., where they will be cared for at the San Diego Zoo as part of an ongoing conservation partnership between the two nations, officials said Monday, April 29. (Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo via AP)

SAN DIEGO (AP)  A pair of giant pandas will soon make the journey from China to the U.S., where they will be cared for at the San Diego Zoo as part of an ongoing conservation partnership between the two nations, officials said Monday.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said its caretakers recently visited China to meet the giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, ahead of their planned trip to Southern California. An exact date for the handoff hasn't been set.

Yun Chuan, a mild-mannered male who's nearly 5 years old, has deep connections to California, the wildlife alliance said. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao.

Xin Bao is a nearly 4-year-old female described as a gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears.

Our conservation partners in China shared photographs and personality traits of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, but meeting them in person was so special," said Dr. Megan Owen, the alliance's vice president of conservation science. Its inspiring as people from around the world come together to conserve, protect, and care for these special bears, and we cant wait to welcome them to San Diego.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has a nearly 30-year partnership with leading conservation institutions in China focused on protecting and recovering giant pandas and the bamboo forests they depend on.
The presidential candidate of Achieving Goals, Jose Raul Mulino, addresses supporters during a campaign rally in Panama City, Sunday, April 28, 2024. Panama will hold general elections on May 5. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

PANAMA CITY (AP)  The leading candidate to be Panamas next president is a last-minute stand-in who promises to return the Central American country to a boom time that experts say will be difficult to recapture.

Jose Raul Mulino, a maritime lawyer and former security minister, was thrust to the top of the presidential ticket after Panamas electoral authorities ruled former President Ricardo Martinelli ineligible following his money laundering conviction and sentencing.

Lacking Martinellis charisma and popular appeal, but benefitting from the supermarket magnates vociferous support, Mulino has maintained a healthy lead in the field crowded with eight candidates ahead of the May 5 election.

The remaining field features a couple of also-rans from previous elections  Ricardo Lombana and Romulo Roux  as well as former President Martin Torrijos. Those three are in a virtual tie for second behind Mulino, according to recent polls. Mulino skipped all three presidential debates.

Mulino has campaigned with promises to create jobs and stop migration through Panamas Darien jungle, where more than a half million people trekked last year. The message has resonated with an electorate tired of the countrys political establishment, but nostalgic for the days of a humming economy.

Panama, however, is not growing like it was during Martinellis 2009-2014 presidency, and experts expect the economy to slow next year.

A factor in the economic deceleration is the Supreme Courts decision to declare as unconstitutional legislation that granted a 20-year concession to a huge copper mine. The decision came after weeks of street protests by a wide slice of Panamanian society roiled by concerns over water access  amid a troubling drought  and nationalist fervor about the deal with a Canadian mining company.

The extended drought has also reduced traffic through the Panama Canal, a critical economic engine for the country.

There is a constitutional challenge to Mulino's candidacy because he was not selected through a party primary and does not have a running mate. The Supreme Court has not made clear when it will rule on that challenge.

The rise of Mulino's candidacy has unfolded as Martinellis own legal saga plays out.

Already banned by the U.S. government, Martinelli was convicted of money laundering in Panama last July and this March electoral authorities disqualified him from the election, launching Mulino into the top spot on the Achieving Goals party ticket.

By then Martinelli was already holed up the Nicaraguan embassy, where he fled as Panamanian authorities planned to take him into custody to serve out his 10-year sentence.

Martinelli has campaigned for Mulino via social media platforms from behind the embassys walls, infuriating the Panamanian government, which has refused Nicaraguas requests to let him leave the country.

At his final campaign event on Sunday, Mulino played a video that Martinelli had made from inside the Nicaraguan Embassy. In it, Martinelli said he was politically persecuted and urged his supporters to vote for Mulino.

Martinelli can't be here with us because of the unjust political persecution against him, Mulino told the crowd.

Most Panamanians are angry and mad at the countrys political class, said Michael Shifter, adjunct professor for Latin American Studies at Georgetown University. Mulino benefits from Martinellis image and the perception that the country was much better off during the former presidents term.

That fact is not lost on Mulino, who is seldom seen without his blue Martinelli Mulino 2024 cap and who has promised to help Martinelli if elected.

At a recent campaign rally on the outskirts of Panama City, Mulino emphasized his message of bringing Panama an administration of hope, of employment  because were going to work, work and work bring back the faith and confidence in our system and reinforce our democracy.

Mulino is someone who can pull the country out of the scourge of crime and this downturn we have, which is the lack of jobs, said Adriano Cueto Valencia, a 61-year-old worker walking with Mulino through a working class neighborhood of the capital.

Fidedigna Perez, a 73-year-old retiree living with her son, agreed. This man is serious. People think hes arrogant, but I know that he can help us bring down food prices, help the poor. Thats why Martinelli made him the candidate.

Mulino says that when he was Martinellis security minister he managed to expel the now extinct Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia guerrilla group from Panamas territory along the dense Darien jungle shared with Colombia. But experts say thats the same time that immigration through that shared border began picking up, in addition to a busy illicit trade in drugs and weapons.

Nonetheless, Mulino promises without providing details that he will stop the migration, which last year hit the historic high of more than half a million people.

We are going to close the Darien and we are going to repatriate all of these people, respecting human rights, Mulino said at one recent campaign event. Panamanian authorities with the support of the U.S. government made similar claims more than a year ago before crossings doubled again.

While he was security minister, Mulino was also strongly criticized for violently putting down protests by Indigenous banana plantation workers in two provinces in 2010. Two people were killed and more than 100 were injured.

There are too many unknowns with Mulino, said Rodrigo Noriega, a political analyst and columnist with the La Prensa newspaper. The anti-corruption issue, the (repression of) social protest issues  and the soft handling of the issue of Ricardo Martinellis corruption.
Yun Chuan, one of the pandas moving to the zoo, is the son of Zhen Zhen, a panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007

San Diego Zoo Yun Chuan (left) and Xin Bao, the two pandas moving from China to the San Diego Zoo

After saying goodbye to the last of its pandas in 2019, the San Diego Zoo is preparing for the species to return.

The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) is working with its conservation partners in China to move two adult panda bears to the Calif. zoo.

In an April 19 release, the SDZWA shared that San Diego Zoo's panada care team members recently flew to China to meet the pandas set to join the zoo. The chosen bears are Yun Chuan, a nearly five-year-old male panda, and Xin Bao, an almost four-year-old female giant panda.

"It was an honor to see Yun Chuan and Xin Bao in person and meet our conservation partners caring for them at the Wolong and Bifengxia Panda Bases," Dr. Megan Owen, vice president of conservation science at SDZWA, said in a statement. "Yun Chuan's lineage has deep connections to the San Diego Zoo, and we're excited by the prospect of caring for them."

San Diego Zoo Yun Chuan the panda

Yun Chuan's mother, Zhen Zhen, is responsible for the panda's connection to the San Diego Zoo. Zhen Zhen was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to pandas Bai Yun and Gao Gao and charmed zoo visitors for several years before moving to China.

Related: World's Only All-White Panda Captured on Video in Rare Sighting

Yun Chuan is "mild-mannered, gentle, and lovable," according to SDZWA, which added that Xin Bao is a "gentle and witty introvert."

"Our conservation partners in China shared photographs and personality traits of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, but meeting them in person was so special. It's inspiring as people from around the world come together to conserve, protect, and care for these special bears, and we can't wait to welcome them to San Diego," Owen said.

San Diego Zoo Xin Bao the panda

The San Diego Zoo does not have an exact date set for the pandas' arrival, "as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is working through the necessary steps with its U.S. and Chinese conservation partners, looking forward to a prospective arrival this summer," SDZWA explained.

Related: National Zoo Pandas Officially Depart for China, Leaving D.C. Zoo With No Pandas for First Time Since 2000

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.

San Diego Zoo Yun Chuan the panda

SDZWA shared photos of Xin Bao and Yun Chuan to tide animal lovers over until the bears make their big move. Zoo officials also used their trip to China as an opportunity to collaborate with China's panda care specialists on care and nutrition programs for pandas in captivity and on research programs to protect wild pandas.

"Our partnership over the decades has served as a powerful example of how, when we work together, we can achieve what was once thought to be impossible," Owen said. "We have a shared goal of creating a sustainable future for giant pandas."

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Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, known for his anti-LGBTQ+ and specifically anti-transgender stances, faced critics at a Thursday morning meeting at which one attendee was arrested.

Audra Beasley, who has children in the Oklahoma public schools, denounced Walters during the public comment session at the meeting of the State Board of Education, saying he was bullying LGBTQ+ kids and those with disabilities.

You are an obnoxious bigot and bully! she said, pointing at Walters, according to the Tulsa World.

You have intentionally denied my child restroom access in this building, she said. Her son Max uses a wheelchair because he has spina bifida. She wants state buildings to provide adult-size diaper-changing tables in restrooms; she was told to change Max on the floor of the restroom in the Oliver Hodge Building, where the meeting was held, she said.

She said another of her children is part of a sex and gender minority group and that Walters and the board have discriminated against these kids.

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Walters this week directed Oklahoma public schools to ignore the Biden administrations new rule on enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the federal law against sex discrimination in education. The rule makes clear that the law bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and that, among other things, it requires schools to allow students to use their chosen pronouns and the restrooms that comport with their gender identity. Walters called the new rule illegal and unconstitutional.

After Beasleys allotted three-minute speaking time was up, another of her sons, Wesley, addressed the meeting. Why are you bullying kids? he asked. The disabled  my brother  the gay, the trans. Why?

As he awaited an answer from Walters, Beasley continued to direct comments at Walters and demand accommodations for her disabled son, the World reports. Soon, a state trooper approached Beasley and handcuffed her.

Yall are arresting me in front of my children because this man over here is a bigot and a bully, picking on trans kids, picking on disabled kids, picking on my kids, she said, according to TV station KOCO. My kids are crying, Ryan Walters. She was led away and charged with willfully disrupting a meeting.

Walters has come in for extensive criticism for his response to the death of Nex Benedict, a bullied trans student who died the day after a fight with other students in a school restroom (Oklahomas chief medical examiner has ruled Benedicts death a suicide). Walters had complained about woke mobs reacting to the death and contended that trans and nonbinary people dont exist. Theres not multiple genders. Theres two. Thats how God created us, Walters told The New York TimesThe New York Times shortly after Benedict died.

Walters also appointed anti-LGBTQ+ activist Chaya Raichik, who does not live in Oklahoma, to a state committee that advises on library materials.

Beasley wasnt alone in denouncing Walters at the meeting; nearly every public speaker did, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Their message was clear: Ryan Walters must be removed from office, says an HRC press release.

One speaker read comments from current and former teachers and librarians, anonymous because of fear of repercussions, condemning attacks on inclusive education from Walters and the state Department of Education and offensive rhetoric from him, HRC reports.

Cathryn Oakley, HRCs senior director of legal policy, spoke at the meeting as well. She warned Walters that the state will face legal action and lose federal funding if it does not comply with Title IX. Understand this: If Oklahoma schools do not comply with federal civil rights laws, it is choosing to invest not in the future of Oklahoma students, but in Ryan Walterss political career at their expense, she added. Ryan Walters, you are failing Oklahoma students. Members of the board  it is time to act. Doing the right thing by LGBTQ+ students is doing the right thing for all Oklahoma students. Nex Benedict deserved better. Oklahomans deserve better.

Todays Oklahoma Board of Education meeting was emblematic of the chaos that has overtaken Oklahomas schools under Ryan Walterss so-called leadership, HRC spokesperson Laurel Powell said in the release. To watch a parent removed in handcuffs, in front of her children, for demanding answers from their superintendent was heartbreaking and, I hope, a call to action for the majority of Oklahomans who have had enough of his divisive and harmful rhetoric and actions.

The U.S. Department of Education is conducting an investigation into Benedict's death in response to a complaint filed by HRC.
Students demonstrate outside La Sorbonne university, Monday, April 29, 2024 in Paris. About 100 Pro-Palestinian students demonstrate near the Sorbonne university in Paris. The demonstration came on the heels of protests last week at another Paris-region school, Sciences Po. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PARIS (AP)  French police removed dozens of students from the Sorbonne university after pro-Palestinian protesters occupied the main courtyard of the elite institution in Paris on Monday.

About 50 protesters set up tents at midday Monday at the Sorbonne university courtyard in support of Palestinians, echoing similar encampments and solidarity demonstrations across the United States.

Protesters unveiled a giant Palestinian flag and chanted slogans in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as Israel continues its offensive following the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas attack that triggered the Israeli-Hamas war. Police entered the university grounds in the early afternoon and removed them.

About 100 demonstrators took part in the protest near the prestigious university amid heavy police presence that were also guarding the university entrance to prevent students from setting up camp inside again.

Lorelia Frejo, a graduate student at the Sorbonne who joined a protest outside the university, said police used force to remove her peers from the courtyard. They were peaceful and police took them out with no explanation, Frejo said. Students in Paris were inspired by the protests at New York's Columbia University who remain steadfast despite police pressure, she added.

They (Columbia protesters) are very strong and want to fight for justice and for peace in Palestine," Frejo said.

The Sorbonne occupies a unique place at the heart of French public and intellectual life. Last week, President Emmanuel Macron chose it as the venue to deliver a speech on his vision of Europe ahead of elections for the European Parliament in June.

Last week protests broke out at another elite university in the French capital region, the Paris Institute of Political Studies, known as Sciences Po, which counts Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal among its many famous alumni.

Tensions had broken out on campus as pro-Palestinian students inspired by Gaza solidarity encampments at campuses in the United States sought to occupy an amphitheater.

On Friday, pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli demonstrators faced each other in a tense standoff in the street outside the school. Riot police stepped in to separate the opposing groups.

The protest ended peacefully, when students agreed to evacuate the building late on Friday. The head of Sciences Po said an agreement with students had been reached.

___

AP writer Barbara Surk contributed from Nice, France.
A group of lawmakers from the two chambers of the Polish parliament  Sejm and Senate  arrived in Ukraine on April 29, said Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine's parliament.

Stefanchuk met with Polish members of the Ukraine-Poland Parliamentary Friendship Group to discuss military aid for Kyiv and sanctions against Russia, among other topics.

"Ukraine urgently needs additional air defense systems to protect cities from missile attacks by the Russian Federation," Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook.

Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure.

Warsaw ruled out providing Ukraine with Patriot systems, which are highly effective at intercepting Russia's ballistic and cruise missiles, as Warsaw lacks reserves of its own but pledged to provide other air defense assistance.

Stefanchuk said he and the Polish delegation also discussed NATO's July summit in Washington and Kyiv's 10-point peace formula.

"This plan remains the only realistic and comprehensive plan to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity and guarantee security and justice for the international community," he added.

While Poland has been a staunch ally to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, prolonged border blockades led by Polish farmers have led to deteriorating relations between Kyiv and Warsaw.

The blockade along the entire Polish-Ukrainian border was lifted on April 29 after Polish protesters had stopped their blockade at the Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska crossing point, according to Ukraine's Border Guard Service.

Read also: Air Force: Poland capable of protecting skies over western Ukraine but political will needed

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
KYODO NEWS - Apr 29, 2024 - 10:44 | Feature

Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is among the 101 foreigners recognized in this year's spring decorations for their notable contributions to Japan, the government said Monday.

Sherman, 74, who served as the first female No. 2 official at the U.S. State Department from 2021 to 2023, will be bestowed with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.

The other seven recipients of the same honor include former Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, 67, who was in the post from 2013 to 2018, the government said.

Among those receiving the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, are Daniel Martinez, 74, former chief historian at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii, and Tiger Jeet Singh, 80, former professional wrestler from India, whose real name is Jagjit Singh Hans.

The foreign recipients, including 30 women, hail from 49 countries and regions.

A total of 4,108 individuals will be recognized this spring, including 435 women and 1,888 from the private sector.

Among the Japanese recipients, Naoto Otani, 71, former chief justice of the Supreme Court, will be bestowed with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, the highest honor to be conferred at this spring's commendations.

Former Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, 79, who was at the helm of the central bank for 10 years through 2023, will be decorated with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure.

Some of the decorations will be conferred by Emperor Naruhito and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on May 9 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
A female sheriff's officer in Passaic County says in a new court filing that her bosses pulled her promotion over fears that false rumors about her would taint a supervisor's campaign for county sheriff. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

A Passaic County sheriffs officer claims in a new court filing that years of workplace sexual harassment culminated in supervisors withdrawing her promotion to avoid harming Passaic Democrats pick for county sheriff.

Passaic Sheriffs Officer Nicole Staso accused officials of rescinding her promotion to detective mere hours after entering it into a personnel management system. An undersheriff told her the office brass were concerned that false rumors of her romantic entanglements could hurt Thomas Adamos campaign for county sheriff, Staso wrote in the filing.

Bad news: I have to rescind your order. [Undersheriff] Nart [Hapatsha] came in with his hair on fire. The officers in the courthouse are already pushing rumors that Im banging you and thats me hooking you up, Undersheriff Kevin Dickson said in a text message cited in Stasos tort. Nart doesnt want it to blow back on Tommy [Adamo].

Adamo, whos chief of the county sheriffs office, said in a statement Monday that he wasnt responsible and the claim did not directly involve him. He suggested the torts filing was timed to harm his campaign for county sheriff.

It is disheartening and frankly disgusting to see these serious issues being exploited for political gain, he said.

In her court filing, Staso said bogus rumors about interoffice romance have dogged her since 2019, when a colleague asked who is Staso giving a lap dance to, sharing a still image from a jail camera showing her head and a male officer with his mouth agape.

She claims she was denied commendations over the rumors, suspended when she tried to report them, and punitively reassigned to overnight shifts that required her and her husband to sell their home to move closer to the Passaic County Jail.

Stasos filing is a notice of tort claim, which is required in certain legal actions targeting public entities. She has not yet lodged a formal suit, and the filing included an invitation from Stasos attorney for other parties to begin settlement talks before the litigation began in earnest.

Officials kept changing their explanations for yanking her promotion, Staso said in the filing.

First, she was told the office selected a candidate because they could speak Spanish, her tort says. Staso speaks Spanish. Next, she was told her unit was too short-staffed to let her go, but the selected candidate came from the same unit.

Dickson blamed the rumors.

There must be 100 orders with my name on it moving male officers. Ive never been accused of banging any of them, he said in a text message cited in the tort.

Days later, acting Sheriff Gary Giardina offered her the promotion. Staso didnt accept it because she was concerned about returning to work and was fearful of further retaliation for complaining of harassment and discrimination, the tort states.

The tort could have implications in the race to succeed the late Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik following his apparent suicide in January.

Passaic County Democrats have endorsed Adamo for the seat, but the power of that endorsement has waned in the aftermath of a federal judges March order barring the use of organizational lines in Junes Democratic primary.

As the campaign grows increasingly acrimonious, Adamo will face off in the primary against Jerry Speziale, a former Passaic County sheriff who now is public safety director in Paterson, where the attorney general ordered a state takeover of the police department just over a year ago.

Protecting Officer Staso was less important to these defendants than protecting Adamos political career, said Sofia Quintanar, a spokeswoman for Speziales campaign. Nothing like this ever happened during former Sheriff Speziales three terms in office and its clear that the department needs his leadership again right now.

But Adamos campaign fired back, pointing to a 2013 jury verdict that awarded then-Capt. Lori Mambelli $76,000 in punitive and compensatory damages as part of a retaliation claim.

Mambelli, who is retired, had charged she was retaliated against after she objected to issuing civilians and supporters of Speziale police-style IDs that would have allowed them to carry firearms.

We have already seen what happens when Jerry Speziale is in charge, and we cant go backward, Adamo said.

The post Passaic officer accuses bosses of nixing promotion for politics appeared first on New Jersey Monitor.
The Oregon Health Authority oversees the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. (Oregon Health Authority)

Federal inspectors found disorganized emergency medical supplies at Oregon State Hospitals admissions area when they visited the state-run psychiatric residential facility in Salem after a patients unexpected death this spring, public records show.

The failure to keep the supplies all in one place could cause staff to lose valuable time in cases of medical emergencies, they said, placing the Oregon State Hospital in immediate jeopardy status. That means the hospital could become ineligible to receive federal Medicaid and Medicare funding through the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The state hospital has about 680 patients and most of them are patients who needed treatment in order to face pending criminal charges and aid in their defense. Relatively few are on Medicaid, making the federal reimbursements only a fraction of the hospitals funding.

Oregon State Hospital officials on Monday said in a press release they are working on a plan to correct the problems and have already started to make changes in how emergency medical equipment is stored. They also said the shortcomings did not contribute to the patients death.

Amber Shoebridge, a spokesperson for the state hospital, declined to answer questions about the circumstances of the patients death, including the day the patient died, whether it was natural causes and why the death was reported to the federal agency, citing state and federal privacy laws.

The notice and federal report, obtained by the Capital Chronicle through a public records request, said the hospital put out a directive on April 19 requiring that when patients are not responsive in admissions, staff are to immediately assess the patient for a medical emergency. That means the patient died either on or before April 19.

Report: Emergency supplies scattered in four spots

Inspectors flagged shortcomings about how the hospital stored emergency medical equipment used to resuscitate patients in life-threatening situations.

Emergency supplies and equipment were disorganized and not maintained together in one easily retrievable place to ensure a timely and efficient response, the report. Various emergency items were found in at least four different locations on and off the admissions unit.

In one instance, the contents in a duffel bag of supplies did not match the accompanying list, the report said. Federal inspectors did not blame the hospital for the patients death in the notice, but warned that the lack of organization could lead to delays and the loss of valuable time during resuscitation attempts.

There is likely (a) serious adverse outcome to patients who enter the hospital through the admissions unit should their conditions require a medical emergency response, the report said. It is likely that chaotic delays in appropriate emergency care would occur as (a) result of staff, lacking policy or specific roles in emergency, would simultaneously attempt to gather all necessary equipment and supplies located in multiple areas.

The report notes hospital staff gathered the emergency medical equipment together on a push cart and stored it in one room when federal inspectors were at the facility. But the storage room with all the equipment still had a misleading sign with multiple handwritten entries that directed staff to other locations to obtain supplies and equipment, the report said.

The primary concern was that all code blue equipment for the admissions area was not in the same room. We have already rectified this, Dr. Sara Walker, interim superintendent and chief medical officer, said in a statement. I am confident that together we will make the necessary changes to provide a safer environment for patients.

The state hospital is also creating a plan that will describe how and when the hospital will correct other outstanding issues, including updating the signage, state officials said. That plan will go to federal officials and, if accepted, CMS officials will make another on-site visit.

Oregon State Hospital operates on a two-year budget of about $800 million, or about $400 million annually. Federal funding from Medicare and Medicaid is a relatively small part of the hospitals budget  slightly more than 4%. Thats about $19 million annually.

Last year, Oregon State Hospital officials also needed to fix problems with patient transports and security after a patient jumped into a state van and led police on a high-speed chase southbound on Interstate 5. Federal inspectors who followed up after the escape found instances of lax security that allowed patients to wander to unauthorized parts of the hospital. Since then, the state hospital has upgraded its transport and security practices.

The post After a patient dies, federal inspectors put Oregon State Hospital on notice over reimbursements appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  Nearly a week after Columbus police and animal control workers removed over 20 animals from a 17th Avenue residence where they had been left for more than a week, two of the dogs and 18 of the cats went up for adoption on Columbus Animal Care and Controls website on April 25.

By April 26, one of the dogs up for adoption  Riley, a senior pet  had been euthanized. Jasper, the other adoptable dog was in the process of adoption. WRBL spoke to Paws Humane Society, a local no-kill shelter which works to move some CACC animals into its space to avoid euthanasia when possible.

A Paws representative confirmed the shelter had been working to move the two dogs into their facility when they found out Riley had been euthanized and Jasper was being adopted.





Cats 15 through 20

Cat 14

Cats 5 and 6

Cats 2 and 3

Paws said it is still continuing to try to work with CACC to move some of the cats removed from the property to its facility.

Last week, a neighbor told WRBL the pets were left by the owner for more than a week after the owner was seen packing up in a U-HAUL and driving away. On Monday, CACC placed a 72-hour notice on the door of the 17th Street property.

After community outcry on social media and visits to the property by concerned citizens, the animals were removed from the property by Monday evening.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

Most animals rescued from abandoned Columbus home available for adoption

24 Animals recovered from abandoned Columbus home

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.
Pee Wee caught exposing himself at Florida stores three times in a month, deputies say

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A man who goes by the nickname Pee Wee was caught exposing himself at southwest Florida businesses three times in one month, according to Charlotte County deputies.

Xavier Pee Wee Hearns, 35, was first arrested after being accused of exposing his genitals in a Port Charlotte Target store on April 2.

Deputies wouldnt hear from Hearns again until April 19, when he was accused of touching himself at a Neighborhood Walmart, also located in Port Charlotte. Less than a week later, Hearns was arrested in a Burlington Coat Factory after being accused of a similar crime.

A woman accused Hearns of following her through the store while exposing himself.

I want to commend my deputies for being able to quickly identify and take this individual into custody, Sheriff Bill Prummel said in a statement. Due to his prior history, I can only hope that this time he stays behind bars and away from the public.

Hearns was booked into the Charlotte County Jail on April 26. He is being held without bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
This story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our north-central Pa. newsletter, Talk of the Town, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown.

STATE COLLEGE  Penn State Health has stopped performing liver transplants at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center while a national oversight body conducts a performance review, a major setback for the hospital as it tries to rebuild a program that was sanctioned in 2022.

The liver transplant program could remain inactive for as long as a year, according to an internal document obtained by Spotlight PA. The suspension does not affect the hospitals other transplant programs.

Penn State voluntarily inactivated its liver transplant program to address concerns about documentation and clinical processes, Barbara Schindo, a Penn State Health spokesperson, told Spotlight PA in an email. The health system has not received any notice of noncompliance, Schindo said.

The health system did not specify who reported the problems.

Schindo said Penn State Health notified 63 patients affected by the shutdown and is working to transfer their care to other liver transplant centers.

Representatives from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the private nonprofit that runs the U.S. transplant system as a federal contractor, will conduct a program review, Schindo said.

Anne Paschke, a spokesperson for the transplant system, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), said that under the organizations bylaws, it cannot comment on any potential or ongoing review of a member organization.

Of 798 transplant programs nationwide, 17, including Hershey Medical Center, are currently in a long-term inactive status, Paschke said, which means a transplant program is paused for 15 or more consecutive days.

This is the second time in just over two years that Hershey Medical Center has agreed to halt liver transplants. The move comes just months after OPTN, the oversight body, restored the program to good standing.

In April 2022, the hospital agreed to suspend its liver and kidney transplant programs while a third-party conducted an extensive review, Schindo told PennLive. In May 2022, an inspection by the state health department found a range of problems, PennLive reported in August 2022.

Inspectors found that staff failed to analyze post-transplant problems for trends, did not notify the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that key staff, including surgeons, had changed, and failed to properly inform some patients of potential surgery complications or that some organs were considered high-risk.

Later that year, OPTN declared the hospital a member not in good standing, citing reports of surgical complications, concerns over the kidney and liver transplant programs adherence to national requirements, and a culture of retaliation for reporting potential problems, among other issues. The designation is intended to provide public notice that a hospital has committed a serious violation of the organizations policies or bylaws, or demonstrated a serious lapse in patient safety or quality of care, the organizations board said.

It was the first time since 2006 that OPTN had declared a hospital not in good standing.

In the wake of the inactivation, Penn State Health promised to rebuild.

Last March, the health system announced it had overhauled administrative procedures, updated its surgical equipment, and recruited three top surgeons to join the kidney and liver transplant programs.

We voluntarily inactivated our program in April 2022 to improve it, and weve since built the abdominal transplant program the people of central Pennsylvania deserve, Deborah Addo, the health systems chief operating officer, said in a news release at the time.

OPTN restored the hospitals member privileges in December 2023, saying the program had addressed the earlier concerns.

Since restarting kidney and liver transplants, the health system has been regularly submitting data and other information to UNOS, Schindo said. Penn States heart, bone marrow, and kidney transplant programs are operating as usual, Schindo told Spotlight PA.

Our health system will continue working with UNOS to ensure that our liver transplant program meets the patients needs as effectively and safely as possible, Schindo said.

SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at spotlightpa.org/donate/statecollege. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results.
Pennsylvania pastor charged with using parish funds for inappropriate personal expenses

CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A Pennsylvania pastor is facing charges for allegedly using parish funds for inappropriate personal expenses.

Pennsylvania State Police say in July 2022 they were notified of parish funds stolen from St. Thomas More Parish in South Coventry Township.

An investigation has led to charges against the pastor Lawrence Frances Kozak Jr. of Clifton Heights.

According to a criminal complaint, more than $40,000 was allegedly spent on mobile games including Wizard of Oz slots, Candy Crush Sada, Cash Frenzy, Mario Kart Tour, and Pokemon Go.

In an interview with investigators, Kozak Jr. was reported saying he wasnt aware the charges were going over to the parishs card and that he was making bill payments without looking at the expenses.

In March 2023 investigators were notified that Kozak Jr. wrote a personal check to the parish for a reimbursement for the credit card charges.

State Police say Kozak Jr. was charged on April 25 with Theft by Unlawful Taking or Disposition, Access Device Fraud, and Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition of Funds Received.

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All charges were graded as a felony of the 3rd degree.

According to court records Kozak Jr. posted bond and was released. A preliminary hearing is set for May 9.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Pennsylvania police are searching for the three suspects caught stealing American flags from a suburban neighborhood.

The Macungie Police Department made a Facebook post about the incident on Saturday. The department posted surveillance video of three suspects holding stolen flags and walking down a road.

"Macungie PD is seeking information and the identity of the 2 males and female in the video," the post read. "They were last seen in the Lea St area stealing American Flags from several residential homes."

The video shows the three suspects walking in the street early Saturday morning. The video elicited angry reactions in the post's comments section.

AMERICAN FLAG TORCHED DURING NYC PRO-PALESTINIAN DEMONSTRATIONS

The Macungie Police Department is searching for the suspects who stole American flags from Pennsylvania homes.

"When they catch them they should be required to go to each home and replace the flags and apologize to the home owners," one person wrote. "Not have Mom and Dad buy the flag either, if they do the crime they can do the time working to repair or replace what they damage."

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

"Probably stealing flags because they were taught to hate America," another Facebook user chimed in.

GOP BILL SAYS ONLY THE AMERICAN FLAG CAN FLY OVER US EMBASSIES: NO MORE PRIDE, BLM FLAGS

Video released by police shows the three suspects walking in the street early Saturday morning.

"Seriously?! Wth is wrong with these kids??" a third commentator said.

Authorities are actively investigating the incident. Anyone with information pertaining to the case is urged to email mmiklich@macungiepd.org.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Macungie Police Department for more information, but did not immediately receive a response.





Original article source: Pennsylvania police searching for thieves caught on camera swiping American flags
No civilians were killed as a result of U.S. military operations in 2022, the Pentagon said in an April 25 report. But a federal watchdog cautions the military has more work to do to ensure that pattern continues.

The Defense Department in 2022 also developed a plan to ensure it prevents further civilian casualties after critics highlighted flaws in how the department considers potential harm to the communities surrounding its daily missions.

Still, the Government Accountability Office argues that strategy is missing key components to ensure the military effectively avoids civilian deaths  and responds to those that do occur  going forward.

A March GAO report found that DOD officials  many of whom were part of the team that developed the civilian-protection action plan  did not know what constitutes improvement under the strategy, or how it applies to cyber operations that may cause harm without the use of force.

The watchdog recommended the Pentagon establish benchmarks to track how effectively it is carrying out the plan, and that the department clarify how the strategy relates to non-kinetic activities.

But the Pentagon agreed with only some of the reports findings.

Maren Brooks, deputy assistant secretary of defense for irregular warfare and counterterrorism, told the GAO that the action plan already contains several comprehensive objectives, plus the steps required to achieve them. Brooks also highlighted a new rule, announced in December, that established measures to address civilian casualties.

Brooks argued it would be infeasible to set the type of goals for reducing civilian harm the GAO outlined because there have been few cases of those incidents in recent years. She noted the militarys regional combatant commands around the globe are already exploring how to better mitigate and respond to civilian harm, whether it be from physical or digital activities.

While reports of possible civilian casualties surface around the world each year, U.S.-led investigations dont always find American troops at fault.

The U.S. militarys operations across the world in 2022  the year after it withdrew from Afghanistan, leaving one of its longest-running wars  raised 14 reports of potential incidents that may have resulted in civilian deaths, according to the Pentagons latest casualty report. But the department concluded it was unlikely that those deaths were caused by American missions.

In some cases, DOD has not been able to assess a report due to insufficient information provided or because reports are still pending review, the casualty report noted. However, DOD continues its assessments, and existing assessments are reconsidered if new relevant information becomes available.

The Pentagon also offered updated numbers from years prior, based on new and revised assessments. The U.S. military now believes it was responsible for killing 18 civilians and injuring about 11 others in airstrikes in Syria between 2018 and 2021.

Investigation launched into Syria strike that may have killed civilian

Though DOD may offer money or medical care to those affected by an American military operation that caused damage or death in a civilian community, the department did not provide any financial compensation for civilian-casualty cases in 2022, according to the report.

The U.S. military is steadfastly committed to limiting harm to civilians, the Pentagon report said. We are committed to continuing to improve our approach to civilian harm mitigation and response.
KYODO NEWS - Apr 29, 2024 - 21:59 | All, Japan, World

The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.

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Yen sharply rebounds vs dollar amid suspected intervention

SINGAPORE - The yen rallied sharply after dropping to a new 34-year low in the 160 level against the U.S. dollar in Asian trading on Monday amid speculation of intervention by Japanese authorities.

The dollar topped the 160 yen line for the first time since April 1990, rising from the 158 yen level in thin trading with financial markets in Tokyo closed for a national holiday.

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China's Xi to visit France, Serbia and Hungary from Sun.

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping will make a six-day visit to France, Serbia and Hungary from Sunday to hold summit talks with the leaders of the three European countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.

It will be Xi's first trip to Europe in about five years and comes as China marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties with France and the 75th anniversary with Hungary, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference Monday.

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Another man arrested in case of 2 burnt bodies found outside Tokyo

TOKYO - Police on Monday arrested another man in a case involving two burnt bodies found at a riverside north of Tokyo, with investigators suspecting he may have issued instructions to a man already apprehended in connection with the incident.

Hikaru Sasaki, 28, was tracked down in the southern island prefecture of Okinawa, where he appears to have been hiding for several days. He had an airline ticket bound for a different location.

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Japan to trial AI scheme for spotting bears as attacks on humans rise

The Japanese government is planning to trial an artificial intelligence system for spotting wild bears to better deal with an increasing number of attacks by the animals on humans, a government source said Monday.

Under the system, AI will use security camera footage to instantly detect bears and share the information with the relevant authorities. The pilot scheme is planned to begin by summer in Toyama Prefecture, central Japan.

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Ex-U.S. No. 2 diplomat Wendy Sherman among foreigners decorated in Japan

TOKYO - Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman is among the 101 foreigners recognized in this year's spring decorations for their notable contributions to Japan, the government said Monday.

Sherman, 74, who served as the first female No. 2 official at the U.S. State Department from 2021 to 2023, will be bestowed with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.

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Japanese firm aims to spread new baseball game for everyone

NEW YORK - A new baseball game based on a popular, decades-old toy version of the sport is allowing people with and without disabilities to experience the joys of the diamond.

Universal Baseball, developed by Tokyo-based railcar maintenance firm Horie Sharyo Denso Corp., was played in New York on April 21, for the first time outside Japan, with former Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui appearing as a special guest.

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Baseball: Yanagita homer wraps up Hawks' 3rd straight walk-off win

FUKUOKA - Yuki Yanagita hit a walk-off three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give the SoftBank Hawks a 5-4 victory over the Seibu Lions on Monday.

With runners on first and second, Yanagita drove a 1-0 pitch from Albert Abreu over the fence in right-center at Mizuho PayPay Dome in Fukuoka.

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Kin of Japanese abducted by N. Korea departs for U.S. to seek support

TOKYO - The families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago departed for Washington on Monday to seek support from U.S legislators and government officials for their return.

The members of the families include Takuya Yokota, the head of a group representing the families of Japanese kidnapped in the 1970s and 1980s, and Koichiro Iizuka, secretary general of the group.

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Tokyo-Hakata shinkansen trains to offer private rooms from FY 2026

TOKYO - Shinkansen bullet trains linking Tokyo, Osaka and Hakata will start to offer special seats in dedicated rooms from fiscal 2026 as its operator seeks to satisfy growing demand for luxury and privacy on rail journeys.

Central Japan Railway Co. plans to install two private rooms per bullet train, equipped with reclining seats with foot rests. Passengers can have access to Wi-Fi, and adjust settings such as lighting, air-conditioning and audio based on their preference.

Video: Swans gather at Onuma swamp in Hokkaido
LIMA (Reuters) - The Peruvian government is looking to avoid an international arbitration process which could be filed by Chinese port operator Cosco Shipping over a legal dispute regarding exclusivity rights to a massive facility being built by the firm, an official said on Monday.

Cosco sent a letter to Peru's economy ministry in mid-April to start a six-month negotiation process in order to reach an amicable resolution without having to resort to international arbitration, local media first reported on Monday.

Economy Minister Jose Arista said in an interview with local radio station RPP that he had received the letter but not yet replied.

In March, Peru's port authority said an "administrative error" had given Cosco Shipping exclusivity over operations at the Chancay megaport and asked a judge to annul the decision. Cosco is expected to spend $1.3 billion on the first stage of the site.

Since then, the government has pushed measures to allow private port operators to exclusively provide services.

Arista said he was "sure" that Peru and Cosco would not have to go through arbitration proceedings.

"We will reach an agreement before," he said.

Cosco's office in Peru did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A free-trade agreement between Peru and China, which has been in effect since 2009, protects investments and has allowed increased trade between the countries.

"Our thinking is that (the proposition) will soon be up for a second vote in Congress, which will calm the mood," Arista said.

In Peru, measures must be voted on twice to become binding. Lawmakers passed the motion in a first vote earlier this month, though the second vote is still pending.

This month, Cosco Shipping confirmed that its investment in the Chancay port was ongoing and that it still expected to inaugurate the first part of the port in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Kylie Madry; Editing by Sandra Maler)
The Supreme Court on Monday for a second time shot down a request from former Trump adviser Peter Navarro to avoid further prison time over his contempt of Congress conviction.

In an emergency request last month, Navarro asked the Supreme Court to let him remain free while he challenged his conviction at the federal appeals court in Washington, DC. Chief Justice John Roberts denied that request on March 18, and Navarro reported to prison the following day.

Attempting a procedural maneuver that has not worked in decades, Navarro then resubmitted the request to Justice Neil Gorsuch, Trumps first high-court nominee. Supreme Court rules allow parties whose emergency applications are denied by a single justice to resubmit to another justice.

Gorsuch referred the request to the full court, which considered it during its closed door conference on Friday. The court denied the request on Monday without comment.

Navarros attorneys initially argued that pausing a lower courts ruling rejecting his bid to stay out of prison was warranted because he wasnt a flight risk and was raising substantial legal questions. Navarro argued his appealed would raise a number of issues on appeal that he contends are likely to result in the reversal of his conviction, or a new trial.

Two lower courts turned down similar appeals.

Roberts rejected the request with a brief opinion last month. The chief justice said that the federal appeals courts concluded Navarro had forfeited any challenge to the idea that, even if he was entitled to executive privilege, he could avoid appearing before Congress. And Roberts said he saw no basis to disagree with the determination that Navarro forfeited those arguments.

Navarro was sentenced to four months in prison after a jury found him guilty of failing to respond to congressional subpoenas for documents and testimony in the Houses investigation of the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack.

Navarros underlying case is still pending before the appeals court.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The Pflugerville school board on Monday approved the hiring of Quintin Shepherd as the district's new superintendent.

Shepherd, who has led the Victoria school district since July 2018, was named the lone finalist for the Pflugerville position on April 4. State law requires districts to wait 21 days between naming a finalist and offering a job contract.

District officials said he has spent three decades in public education as a high school and elementary principal, and as a music teacher, with previous leadership positions in Iowa and Illinois.

Quintin Shepherd

Dr. Shepherd brings with him a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to education, said board President Renae Mitchell. His leadership will undoubtedly enrich our school district and positively impact the lives of our students.

When he was named the lone finalist, school board officials said Shepherd has a plan for a 100-day listening and learning tour that will include meeting with community members, parents, administration, campus leadership, teachers, staff and students.

More: Pflugerville selects Victoria Superintendent Quintin Shepherd as its lone finalist

I'm deeply honored to lead such a dynamic and diverse community, and I approach this journey with an open heart and a dedicated mindset, Shepherd said in a statement Monday. My 100-day plan, 'Discovering Pflugerville,' is more than just a roadmap; it's a commitment to transparency, inclusivity, and forward momentum. Through this plan, I aim to immerse myself in the warmth and richness of the Pflugerville ISD Pfamily."

The district had been looking for a new leader since November, when Doug Killian announced he was leaving for the 118,000-student Cypress-Fairbanks district outside Houston. Killian, who started in Cypress-Fairbanks in January, had led the Pflugerville school district since 2017.

In December, the school board appointed former Round Rock Superintendent Steve Flores to lead the Pflugerville district while it searched for a permanent leader.

Shepherd received his Ph.D. in educational administration and foundations from Illinois State University. He serves on the School Superintendents Association governing board, representing Texas as one of three superintendents. He has written two books that explore the transformational power of compassionate and innovative leadership in schools.

By embracing the diverse perspectives within our community, we'll craft practices and programs that truly resonate with everyone involved, Shepherd said. This inclusive approach is vital as it cultivates a sense of belonging and ownership in our district's future together.

Mitchell said the school board encourages teachers, staff, parents and students to introduce themselves, to offer support and to share their insights and the district's rich history with Shepherd to help the district move forward.

We have every confidence that Dr. Shepherd will lead our school district with integrity, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to excellence, Mitchell said. Together, we will continue to make a positive difference in the lives of our students, parents, staff and the community.

Officials said Shepherd signed his employment contract immediately after the meeting Monday, with a start date of May 28. His salary was not immediately announced.

According to the Texas Education Agency, Killian made $313,566 during the 2022-23 school year. Shepherd made $281,667 at Victoria during the 2022-23 school year.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Pflugerville school board hires Quintin Shepherd as superintendent
A vendor prepares his umbrella as hot days continue in Manila, Philippines on Monday, April 29, 2024. Millions of students in all public schools across the Philippines were ordered to stay home Monday after authorities cancelled in-person classes for two days as an emergency step due to the scorching heat and a public transport strike. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Southeast Asia was coping with a weekslong heat wave on Monday as record-high temperatures led to school closings in several countries and urgent health warnings throughout the region.

Millions of students in all public schools across the Philippines were ordered to stay home Monday after authorities canceled in-person classes for two days. The main advice for everyone, everywhere has been to avoid outdoor activities and drink plenty of water, but the young and the elderly were told to be especially careful.

Cambodia this year is facing the highest temperatures in 170 years, Chan Yutha, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, told The Associated Press on Monday. His agency has forecast that temperatures in most parts of the country could reach up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 degrees Fahrenheit) this week.

Myanmars meteorological department said Monday that seven townships in the central Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing and Bago regions experienced record-high temperatures. Several towns in Myanmar last week were on lists of the hottest spots worldwide.

Chauk township in Magway, historically the country's hottest region, saw Myanmars highest temperature at 48.2 degrees Celsius (118.8 degrees Fahrenheit), breaking the previous record of 47.4 degrees Celsius (117.3 degrees Fahrenheit) set in 1968.

The Philippines is among the nations worst affected by the sweltering weather in Southeast Asia, where the intense tropical summer heat worsened by humidity forced class cancellations in recent weeks and sparked fears of water shortages, power outages and damage to agricultural crops.

The Department of Education ordered students in more than 47,000 public schools to switch to home-based and online learning due to health risks from record-high temperatures and a three-day strike starting Monday by drivers who oppose a government program they fear would remove dilapidated passenger jeepneys from streets.

Large crowds have sought relief in air-conditioned shopping malls in Metropolitan Manila, the congested capital region of more than 14 million people where the temperature soared to 38.8 degrees Celsius (101.84 Fahrenheit) Saturday, surpassing the record set decades ago, according to weather officials.

In Thailand, temperatures have topped 44 C (111 F) in some areas in the northern parts of the country, while the capital Bangkok and metropolitan areas have seen temperatures go above 40 C (104 F). The forecast from the Meteorological Department said this years summer, which usually lasts from late February to late May, is expected to be 1-2 degrees hotter than last year, and rainfall will be lower than average.

Thailands Department of Disease Control said last week that at least 30 people have died from heatstroke so far this year, compared to 37 for all of last year.

Scientists have said the number of heat-related deaths around the world has been rising significantly in recent years along with temperatures, but the trend in Asia this year so far is unclear, partly because of the question of how to classify deaths that appear to be heat related.

At least 34 people have fallen ill due to the extreme heat in the Philippines so far this year, including six who died. The Department of Health said it was verifying what exactly caused the deaths.

Media in Bangladesh reported that in a five-day period earlier this month, at least 20 people died from heatstroke.

In Cambodia, however, officials indicated there were few if any heat-related fatalities. The Khmer Times, an online news platform, quoted the head of the Health Department of Phnom Penh, the capital, saying there had been no heat-related deaths or collapses.

-

Associated Press writers Sopheng Cheang in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok contributed to this report.
A pro-Palestinian protest encampment on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles grew to approximately 50 tents Monday morning. Activists are calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas and demanding UCLA divest interest in the state of Israel.

On Sunday, minor skirmishes broke out between protesters and pro-Israel demonstrators who held a large rally next to the encampment on Royce Quad.

Westwood, CA, Sunday, April 28, 2024  Thousands rally for Israel as pro Palestine counter demonstrators surround them at UCLA. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

KTLA 5 News reporter Eric Spillman talks to a protest guard who is denying public access to the encampment at UCLA. April 29, 2024. (KTLA)

UCLA firefighters are seen attempting to enter the protest encampment on April 29, 2024. (KTLA)

Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrators square off on the campus of UCLA on April 28, 2024. (KTLA)

Pro-Israel demonstrators at a counter protest on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles on April 28, 2024. (KTLA)

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are seen inside their encampment on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles on April 28, 2024. (KTLA)

An aerial view of the pro-Palestinian protest encampment at UCLA on April 29, 2024. (KTLA)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  APRIL 28: Tension rises between Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  APRIL 28: Tension rises between Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  APRIL 28: Tension rises between Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA  APRIL 28: Pro-Palestinian students and activists holding Palestinian flags and banners participate in a demonstration at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Protests against Israels military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel. (Photo by Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA, Sunday, April 28, 2024  Thousands rally for Israel as pro Palestine counter demonstrators surround them at UCLA. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

WESTWOOD, CA  APRIL 28: Ppro-Palestinian protestors march on campus at UCLA on Sunday, April 28, 2024 in Westwood, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

WESTWOOD, CA  APRIL 28: Thousands demonstrate in support of Israel as pro-Palestinian counter-protesters surround them at UCLA on Sunday, April 28, 2024 in Westwood, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

WESTWOOD, CA  APRIL 28: Thousands demonstrate in support of Israel as pro-Palestinian counter-protesters surround them at UCLA on Sunday, April 28, 2024 in Westwood, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA  APRIL 28: Pro-Palestinian students and activists set up an encampment on campus as they demonstrate at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Protests against Israels military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel. (Photo by Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  APRIL 28: Tension rises between Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  APRIL 28: Tension rises between Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  APRIL 28: Tension rises between Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protestors on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Grace Hie Yoon/Anadolu via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA  APRIL 28: Pro-Palestinian students and activists holding placards participate in a demonstration at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Protests against Israels military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel. (Photo by Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA  APRIL 28: Pro-Palestinian students and activists holding Palestinian flags and placards participate in a demonstration at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Protests against Israels military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel. (Photo by Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA, Sunday, April 28, 2024  Thousands rally for Israel as pro Palestine counter demonstrators surround them at UCLA. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA, Sunday, April 28, 2024  Thousands rally for Israel as pro Palestine counter demonstrators surround them at UCLA. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles, CA  April 28: Pro-Israeli and Palestinian demonstrators clash in a demonstration, nearby where pro-Palestinian students have maintained a tent encampment for days at UCLA on Sunday, April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Los Angeles, CA  April 28: Pro-Israeli and Palestinian demonstrators clash in a demonstration, nearby where pro-Palestinian students have maintained a tent encampment for days at UCLA on Sunday, April 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

UCLA campus police cycle around the perimeter of a pro-Palestinian encampment on the UCLA campus Friday, April 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. As the death toll mounts in the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis worsens, protesters at universities across the country are demanding schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies they say are enabling the conflict. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A group of pro-Israel supporters hold arms as they sing and dance outside a pro-Palestinian encampment on the UCLA campus Friday, April 26, 2024, in Los Angeles. As the death toll mounts in the war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis worsens, protesters at universities across the country are demanding schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies they say are enabling the conflict. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Westwood, CA  April 29:Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA  April 29:Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA  April 29:Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA  April 29:Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA  April 29:Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A local woman has been found guilty of crimes related to her involvement in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot, according to a spokesperson from the U.S. Attorneys Office.

On Friday, Therese Borgerding, 61, of Piqua, was convicted by a federal jury for the following offenses:

Civil disorder, a felony offense

Entering and remaining in a restricted building or ground, a misdemeanor offense

Disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, a misdemeanor offense

Disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor offense

Parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building, a misdemeanor offense

Her 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, a spokesperson from the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 2 Miami Valley residents arrested, facing charges in connection to Capitol riots

Evidence presented during the trial indicates Borgerding and her husband and codefendant, Walter Messer, traveled from their Ohio home to Washington D.C., and made their way to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

The spokesperson said the pair arrived at the East Plaza at 7 a.m. Borgerding was carrying a long pole with a circular sign with a big red Q on the top and a small American flag sticking out of it.

Borgerding and her husband reached the barricades on the East Front and remained outside the restricted perimeter for several hours.

Evidence shows a large crowd gathered and overran the barricades at the East Front at about 1:59 p.m. Borgerding then went to the nearest barricades, unhooked them, and pushed them apart.

Borgerding then stood on the East steps near the Rotunda Doors for several minutes, joining chants and waving her sign in the air, the spokesperson said.

>>RELATED: Huber Heights man faces charges in connection to Capitol riots

Police officers inside the Rotunda Doors tried to shut the doors but were confronted by rioters outside who forced the doors back open and pushed into the building at approximately 2:41 p.m.

Evidence presented at trial shows Borgerding was near this confrontation.

Borderding entered the building and remained in the Rotunda for approximately two minutes.

She then joined the large crowd near the Senate Wing Doors and later exited through one of the smashed windows onto the Northwest Courtyard of the Capitol Building around 2:49 p.m., the spokesperson said.

Borgerding then stayed in the Northwest Courtyard for an undisclosed amount of time, chanting and waving her sign.

On Aug. 6, 2021, the FBI arrested Borgerding in Dayton. She will be sentenced by a U.S. District Judge on Aug. 15, 2024.

>>RELATED: Man who attacked police after storming US Capitol with Confederate flag gets over 2 years in prison

Her codefendant, Walter Messer, was sentenced in September 2023, to 24 months of probation for his involvement.

According to the spokesperson, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

The FBIs Cincinnati and Washington Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the United States Capitol Police and Metropolitan Police Department.

Almost 1,400 individuals have been charged for crimes related to the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. Nearly 500 of those people have been charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, the spokesperson said.

This investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  A plane made an emergency landing in a Fresno neighborhood Sunday afternoon, according to the Fresno Fire Department.

Firefighters say around 2:20 p.m. they responded to the area of Emerson and Lead Avenues for reports of an aircraft emergency.

Upon arrival, fire crews learned a fixed-wing single-engine CESSNA aircraft had experienced some type of malfunction that forced the pilot to make an emergency landing.

According to FlightAware, the plane had initially departed around 10:30 a.m. from Sierra Sky Park Airport in Fresno, airborne for about three hours and 45 minutes before its emergency landing.

Luckily, Fresno Fire reports the pilot was successfully able to land the aircraft while avoiding power lines, a park, and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Right along that same place is a bunch of high voltage power lines and the plane managed to land without striking those powerlines on the street that was nearly directly below them, so that was a bit miraculous that was able to happen and a good testament to that pilots skill, said Batallion Chief Kirk Wanless.

Wanless adds how impressive the situation turned out despite the real dangers that could have occurred.

It was remarkable. You know, this plane lost power, managed to land itself on the city street avoiding these high voltage powerlines, didnt damage anything from everything I saw the plane was completely intact, there were no vehicles struck, nobody seemed to be put in any danger. The pilot and I think there might have been a passenger, they were unharmed, he said.

Firefighters say no one was injured and the plane was towed to a nearby airport to undergo inspection.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Gregory Fitzgerald Gibert was only out of jail for six days when police say he beat a transgender woman to death with a pipe as she slept next to a ballet auditorium on Miami Beach.

The murder suspect had spent most of the past year behind bars awaiting trial on aggravated assault and attempted robbery charges for a failed early morning attempt to steal a Moped in Miamis nightclub district. No one was injured in that April 2023 incident but Gibert had been charged in a string of previous crimes, some of them violent, and after the arrest the Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office tagged him a habitual violent offender.

During the botched Moped theft, according to police and eye witnesses, Gibert was holding a metal object when he went up to a man outside Club E11EVEN and told him to get off his scooter. When Gibert was unable to start the vehicle, police say, he got off, yelled at the guy, threw some rocks at him and walked away. Police found him a few minutes later. He remained in jail until two weeks ago.

Despite the habitual violent offender tag, Gibert was released on April 15 after the prosecutions main witness failed to show up for a deposition three different times.

Before a deal was worked between the sides in front of Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Andrea Wolfson, the state argued that Gibert should spend more than a year in prison, followed by four years of probation. His public defender, attempting to keep Gibert out of prison, asked for less than a year, with one years probation.

In a rare move, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer upped the charge against Gregory Fitzgerald Gibert, 53, to first-degree murder, saying there was probable cause to believe the crime he is accused of committing is overly heinous. Gibert is accused of killing a transgender woman while she was asleep on Miami Beach.

Wolfson sided with the state, but knocked off additional prison time  ruling Giberts year in jail should count as time served.

Less than a week later, Andrea Doria Dos Passos, 37, was dead, her body allegedly bludgeoned by Gibert, 53. The murder was so gruesome, according to Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Mindy Glazer, that she took the rare move of upping the charge against Gibert during his first appearance in court, from second-degree, to first-degree murder.

Ultimately, a grand jury will determine if there is enough probable cause to indict him on that charge.

After the scooter arrest, the state attorneys career criminal unit decided to tag him a habitual violent offender, citing Giberts lengthy criminal history that included violent crimes in Florida dating back decades. The unit determined that Gibert met enough requirements in a state statute for the courts to ignore most maximum minimum sentence requirements and increase penalties on some of his charges. But its still a judges final decision to increase any penalties for convictions.

State records also show that Gibert received a three-year prison sentence on a gun charge back in 2000 in Duval County. Online records of that case show that he accepted the prison term after being charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. It wasnt immediately clear what crimes he was convicted of previous to the sentence.

Other charges against Gibert over the years were mostly for possession of drugs and paraphernalia. There were also grand theft and battery charges in Miami-Dade in 2012 and 2013.

He was also charged by Miami-Dade state prosecutors in January 2022 with aggravated assault on police and fire rescue officers. Court records from that case indicate that Gibert started a ruckus at Mt. Sinai Medical Center after being told he was being released.

At first, his arrest form says, Gibert refused to leave his room. After a while he got up, went outside the room, grabbed two sandwiches and sat down on a chair near the door. When a nurse approached, the report says, he reached into his bag and pulled out a box cutter, which he put under his left armpit.

Three security guards showed up, but backed off after Gibert allegedly said, Im not leaving. If you try to make me leave, I got something for you. He was taken into custody a few minutes later by police. The case was closed less than a month later due to insufficient evidence, court records show.
By Rino Yoshida, KYODO NEWS - Apr 29, 2024 - 08:31 | Feature, All

A Japanese Buddhist nun has stepped forward to allege that she was brainwashed and sexually violated by the chief priest of a major sect's temple for over a decade, shocking the country's religious establishment.

The news made big headlines and was all the more shocking as the alleged abuser had been mentored by a top-ranking priest of the traditional Tendai sect, which has roots in China with a history dating back 1,200 years in Japan and a significant following with close to 3 million believers nationwide.

Details of the allegations by Eicho (the woman's Buddhist name) emerged in an exclusive interview with Kyodo News. She spoke of her feeling of betrayal and the way her faith had been abused to sexually exploit her and the complex post-traumatic stress disorder she is now dealing with.

What happened in this cloistered world in the name of faith?

The woman and her legal counsel have petitioned the Tendai sect to have the accused abbot in his 60s stripped of his priesthood and for the same step to be taken against the man's mentor, another abbot in his 80s who holds the top priestly rank in Japanese Buddhism of "daisojo," whom the woman alleges facilitated his disciple's unlawful behavior. Eicho has taken the action as a last resort after making an unsuccessful criminal complaint against the abbot.

Despite struggling with painful flashbacks, Eicho, who unveiled the allegations at a Jan. 31 Tokyo press conference, told Kyodo she came forward to "restore my dignity, which has been stamped from existence for 14 years. I spent my days like a caged bird. My identity had been stolen and erased."

Eicho hopes to raise awareness about sexual violence against women, especially in the context of religion where victims might find it all but impossible to speak out against their assailants for fear of religious retribution.

The following is based on Eicho's account, as the Tendai sect and its priests would not respond to requests for interviews regarding the facts of the case.

Brought up in faith

Eicho's maternal grandfather was a high-ranking Tendai priest in Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan, and she grew up praying to "the Buddha" from an early age, becoming very fond of the teachings as she began cleaning the temple halls with her grandmother as a girl.

Her temple visits were a source of strength, and "the Buddha," she recalls, was "a great presence that gently enveloped" her.

When Eicho was in grade school, the daisojo, who is her mother's cousin, was bestowed the title "Great Acharya" for becoming one of the few to successfully complete the "1,000-day kaihogyo," an arduous ascetic practice performed over seven years that involves repeated walking of a route on Mt. Hiei, which straddles Shiga and Kyoto prefectures and is the location of Enryakuji Temple, the headquarters of the Tendai sect.

Eicho says she was told by her relatives at the time that with the achievement, the high-ranking priest had become "the closest thing to the Buddha", and that she herself came to revere him as a "living Buddha."

Eicho married at age 26. She began living with her husband, but when she needed to care for her ailing parents, she quit her job and devoted herself to their care for nearly a decade.

In July 2009, Eicho's mother passed away (her father had died earlier), and as requested before their deaths, a memorial service was held the following month at a temple in Otsu headed by the high-ranking priest.

At that time, she was instructed by the daisojo to visit his disciple, the abbot at another temple in the Shikoku region. Eicho had not become a nun at this stage but was simply a follower of the Tendai faith.

According to Eicho, shortly after their first meeting, the abbot began making advances to her with persistent phone calls and also stalked her. She consulted the daisojo but was told, "You should assume that whatever the abbot says are words that come from me."

Out of respect for the daisojo, Eicho says, she felt unable even to consult her husband or any other relatives about what was occurring.

Mind control using faith

Eicho says the first time she was forced to have sex with the abbot was in October 2009. Claiming he was unwell, he called her to the temple. But once she arrived, she says, he proceeded to rape her.

After this, Eicho says, the abbot frequently took her to hotels unwillingly where he repeatedly sexually assaulted her. While she was being sexually abused, the abbot instructed her to chant Buddhist mantras, such as namu-kanzeon-bosatsu, an invocation of the Kannon bodhisattva.

Eicho says the abbot would tell her "the Buddha said you need this (sex), so I'm doing it for you instead of him."

Eventually, Eicho was forced to live at the temple with the abbot and forbidden to go outside the compound without permission. She was sexually and verbally abused on a daily basis, she says.

Eicho says the abbot repeatedly intimidated her with threats such as "The Buddha will abandon you" and "You will fall into hell if you disobey me." She says she could never defy the abbot as he told her to "Consider my words to be the words of Kannon himself." Kannon, a popular and frequently depicted deity in Japanese Buddhism, is known as the bodhisattva of compassion.

As the situation grew progressively worse, Eicho says, the abbot often began referring to her as a "dog" or "tick" or "walking genitalia." She says he called her another nickname -- "vagi-chan" -- a portmanteau using the English word for the female genitalia and the suffix "chan," a term of endearment in Japanese.

In March 2010, the abbot cut off the long hair that Eicho had "cherished as a symbol of myself." She says from that day onward for almost four years, she was not able to look at herself in the mirror.

"It was mind control and psychological imprisonment done by taking advantage of my religious beliefs. My existence had been wiped out," she recalled.

Forced to live in the cloistered confines of the temple, she was completely unaware of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster that had devastated the Tohoku region. She says her husband and other family members believed she was undergoing ascetic practices at the temple, explaining why there had been no family interventions.

Eicho tried writing letters to consult with the daisojo but says he did not believe her and never reached out to help her. Since that was the response of the "living Buddha," she says, she had no option but to "continue to be ruled" by the abbot.

Charges are dropped

But gradually realizing that what was happening to her was not right, Eicho took action. She called a women's hotline for advice in 2015. Then in May 2017, she saw a TV press conference held by Japanese journalist Shiori Ito, who had come forward to accuse former TV reporter Noriyuki Yamaguchi of sexual assault.

Eicho said she was "stunned" to see Ito make the accusations. "I was empowered to know that being a victim of sexual violence is nothing to be ashamed of," she said. Because of her willingness to expose Yamaguchi, Ito became a symbol of the #MeToo movement in Japan where people rarely report sexual assault.

Later, with the help of someone she met through social media, Eicho fled the temple in October 2017 and began living in a shelter run by a private support group. After leaving the temple, doctors diagnosed her with complex PTSD and depression.

In 2019, Eicho filed a complaint with police on charges of rape. Although she was hesitant and afraid, she decided to file the complaint on her own. But the charges were not pressed for lack of evidence.

"This was my answer from the Buddha. Dying is my only choice," she thought. But before taking steps to end her life, Eicho says, she visited the daisojo to ask him the "meaning" of the outcome of her complaint. She says he yelled at her saying, "What are you doing trying to bring charges against your relative!" and convinced her to return to the abbot's temple. Under his spell once again, she returned.

Eicho was ordained and became a nun. Life began again for her at the temple. Thinking that she might avoid sexual violence and threats, Eicho drew up a pledge for the abbot to sign in which he promised "not to engage in sexual acts or any act of violence" against her.

Nonetheless, she says the abbot's behavior continued as he would touch her breasts and force her to sleep next to him. Eicho wrote about her harrowing experience in a diary she kept:

"I feel I am being destroyed by my assailant day after day and I can't think of anything else to do but die" (May 20, 2021). "I want to die. I have to do what he says, like a slave, all the time. No one will help me." (May 27, 2021).

One last escape, the press conference

In January 2023, with the news being dominated by the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church), which had come under scrutiny following the assassination of former premier Shinzo Abe by a man who said the controversial religious group had ruined his family financially, Eicho's husband and other family members came to realize that Eicho was being brainwashed.

They successfully convinced her to flee the temple for a second time, but Eicho felt panicked, thinking she would be "abandoned by the Buddha" and even contemplated suicide.

But through an acquaintance, she later met Michiko Sato, the attorney who would come to represent her and sit beside her at the Tokyo press conference in January. It would take her time, she says, to unlearn what she was taught, and to realize that the top-ranking priest was "not a Buddha, but a human being."

One option was to file a civil suit, but she says she thought that the damage done to her was "never something that could be resolved with money."

Instead, she and her attorney decided to demand that both the accused abbot and the daisojo be stripped of their priestly titles to prevent similar damage and ensure that the sexual violence perpetrated against her was recognized.

"Restoring my dignity"

"I'm betting my life on these accusations," Eicho told Kyodo, adding that she is at times plagued by fear, wondering if she can really bring a case against the daisojo, who is revered in the community as a "living Buddha" and is also her relative.

Even now, Eicho says, she can hear the verbal tirades she suffered from the accused abbot repeating in her head. She also continues to shave her head everyday despite her doctor identifying it as a form of "self-mutilation."

"I am covered in scars, both physically and emotionally, from the suffering." Still, she made the accusation because "it was the greatest thing I could do for myself after being erased from existence for 14 years."

"Only when the right punishment is given to both of them will I get justice," she said. "I can't change the fact that it happened and the suffering I feel, but I want to assure myself that 'I am still here.'"

Furthermore, Eicho hopes her tell-all "will change society's view" about sexual abuse.

"There are many women who have been sexually victimized and abused everywhere. Victims whose faith has been used against them find it particularly difficult to speak out because of their faith."

For Eicho, remaining quiet is no longer a choice she can live with. "I feel for the lives, souls, and human rights of so many women fighting with me. I am scar-ridden, but I have no choice but to speak out so that the same thing will not happen again. It is a reality of society that victims have no choice but to do this."

No comment

In late January, the Tendai Religious Office in Otsu received a petition for a disciplinary hearing sent by Eicho, and in March, the Tendai sect commenced an investigation and began questioning her. Speaking at a press conference following her meeting with Tendai officials, she said, "I am finally able to stand in the ring. I am asking again that they be punished properly."

However, there is considerable skepticism about whether there will be a proper internal investigation into the alleged sexual assaults that occurred in the secluded temple located in the small town in the Shikoku region.

Eicho and her legal representative are requesting the establishment of a third-party committee, but are also considering filing for human rights relief outside the Tendai sect to provide aid to remedy Eicho's situation.

Her attorney Sato said, "Just because no one has been convicted in a criminal case does not mean they are forgiven. We hope that the Tendai sect takes this issue very seriously and delivers the appropriate punishments."

After the same press conference, the Tendai Religious Office said, "We consider this a serious matter, but we cannot comment as we are in the middle of an investigation. We will proceed with the investigation solemnly and confirm the facts."

When Kyodo interviewed the accused abbot, he revealed that in mid-March he had been interviewed for three hours by two senior counselors at the Tendai Religious Office.

"I spoke the truth," he told Kyodo. But as for the facts, he added, "I have been instructed by the Tendai sect not to give interviews (about the case). I cannot comment," he said.

The temple where he is the resident priest and believers come to worship has been in existence for more than 70 years, since his grandfather's time, the abbot explained.

"I have been involved with the temple since I was 15 years old. I sometimes consult with believers on a one-on-one basis. I believe that the temple is adored by its believers," he said.

Speaking about the daisojo, the high-ranking priest whom he solemnly respects, the abbot said, "We have had a master-disciple relationship for 40 years." The daisojo said, "I have been asked by the Tendai sect to refrain from commenting. There are many things I want to say, but I cannot say anything."

However, a temple official in Otsu close to the daisojo said, "I know the Great Acharya very well, and he is not the type of person who would knowingly do nothing (about sexual violence)."

The Tendai sect

Tendai is a Mahayana Buddhist sect that originated in China. In Japan, a monk named Saicho, currently known as Dengyo Daishi, who had traveled to Tang China, founded the Enryakuji Temple in 788 on Mt. Hiei and spread its teachings.

Enryakuji's chief priest, known as Tendai-zashu, who oversees all the sect's sub-temples, has become a symbol of the faith. Kokei Oki, born in June 1924, is the current Tendai-zashu, the 258th abbot of the head monastery.

In 1987, the Tendai sect organized the "Mount Hiei World Religion Summit," which brought together religious leaders of different faiths from around the world to pray for world peace. Every year, the Tendai sect holds a "world peace prayer gathering." Enraykuji was registered as a World Heritage site in 1994 and Japan Heritage site in 2015.

Grasping the reality

Miyako Shirakawa, a psychiatrist who treats trauma victims of sexual violence, points out that in sexual violence in religion, it is often hard to recognize the perpetrator's actions, and the victim's complaints are easily ignored.

Moreover, victims themselves are less likely to come forward because they view the accusations themselves as "blasphemy or a betrayal of God," she said.

"Sexual violence within religion is easily concealed, and if it is sexual violence done by someone in a position of authority, victims are often not believed by those around them."

It is more likely to occur in religious communities where there is a power disparity, such as in master-disciple relationships, where the perpetrator uses doctrine and religious beliefs to brainwash the victim to justify their sexual violence, she said.

Shirakawa added victims' worldview of their own faith is often shattered by the sexual violence they experience within their religion.

Sexual abuse of minors by clergy in the Catholic Church has become a worldwide problem, she says. There have also been recent cases of sexual abuse allegations in Japan of so-called second-generation followers of the Jehovah's Witnesses, who say they were abused by senior followers of the group.

"If the accusations are true, Tendai must acknowledge the assault, apologize, and take measures based on human rights. Religion is no deterrent against human desire," Shirakawa said.

Related coverage:

Agency admits 2 Johnny's staffers also involved in sexual abuse

Johnny's sex abuse victim dies in possible suicide in Japan

Podcast [English World] Episode 16: The Johnnys controversy
WARSAW (Reuters) -Poland's prime minister said on Monday he had called the country's chief prosecutor and secret services coordinator to discuss potential links between the former CEO of oil refiner Orlen, Daniel Obajtek, and Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah.

Obajtek responded on social media platform X that Prime Minister Donald Tusk was "looking for scandals where there are none".

State-controlled Orlen said last week it had cancelled contracts signed by its Swiss trading unit OTS to buy Venezuelan oil and refined products after losing around 1.6 billion zloty ($397 million) on prepayments for deliveries it never received.

"Today I asked ... for a visit regarding a key issue for state security: the billion-dollar loss and possible links with Hezbollah of the former head of Orlen. Poles must know the truth," Tusk wrote on X, referring to his requests to the chief prosecutor and the secret services coordinator.

The cabinet member responsible for coordinating Poland's special services, Tomasz Siemoniak, told broadcaster TVN24 that the meeting with Tusk would take place on Monday evening.

"This will be an opportunity to show the prime minister what the state of the six investigations into Orlen is and how the prosecutor general and I see these matters," Siemoniak said.

Orlen set up the Switzerland-based trading business despite a warning by its internal security unit that it would pose risks of fraud and could expose the refiner to a breach of oil sanctions, news website Onet reported on Monday.

Onet also said the former CEO of OTS, referred to as Samer A. due to Polish privacy laws, was suspected by Orlen's internal security unit of contacts with Hezbollah.

Orlen declined in an emailed statement to comment on media reports, but said it confirms that the company "operates appropriate units whose task is to verify potential investments and contractors".

Onet quoted a statement by Obajtek that said the decision to establish OTS was made by Orlen's whole 11-person management board and was in line with its corporate governance procedures.

Orlen's shares closed 1.2% higher on Monday, extending year-to-date gains to 4%.

Samer A. has been charged in a separate probe with VAT frauds between 2008-2013, a regional prosecutor in Bydgoszcz said on Monday. He was detained by police and questioned by a prosecutor in February, and released on bail, the prosecutor added.

Obajtek said in his post on X that Tusk's party was concerned that Obajtek would run in upcoming elections to the European Parliament with the support of the opposition Law & Justice party.

(Editing by Jan Harvey and Ros Russell)
Poles unblock all checkpoints on the border with Ukraine

The lorry traffic has resumed at the Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne checkpoint.

Source: State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

Details: The Border Guard of the Republic of Poland reported that Polish farmers stopped blocking the lorry traffic before the Hrebenne-Rava-Ruska checkpoint after 10:00 Kyiv time on 29 April.

The clearance and passage of lorries through the border in both directions are carried out in the usual mode.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine clarified to Ukrainska Pravda that all checkpoints on the border with Poland are currently unblocked.

However, information indicates that lorries carrying grain crops will not be allowed entry into Poland. This cargo type can follow Poland's territory exclusively in transit mode.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine notes that there is currently no accumulation of lorries from the neighbouring state and that lorries leaving Ukraine are moving via the YeCherha (E-Queue) system.

As usual, drivers and hauliers are asked to consider this information when planning international transportation.

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  Topeka police say a man is under arrest following a stabbing last week.

The Topeka Police Department announced in a press release that just after 4 a.m. on Friday, April 26 officers traveled to a local hospital on a report of a stabbing. In the hospital, officers found a man with life-threatening injuries.

Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka says allegations were made that a 27-year-old Topeka man had attacked someone. The investigation into the stabbing resulted in the 27-year-olds arrest on Sunday, April 28 on one charge of domestic battery.

The victim and suspect are known to one another. The stabbing victim is expected to recover from his injuries.

Wrong-way driver on I-70 arrested on drug charges

If you have any information regarding this incident youd like to share with police, send an email to telltpd@topeka.org or call 785-268-9400. You can make anonymous tips to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or click 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 ask for help in Fresno shooting that left father of 2 dead

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE)  The Fresno Police Department is asking for help from anyone who has information on a shooting earlier this month that left a man dead in Fresno.

Police say on April 17 shortly before 11 p.m. officers from the Northwest Policing District responded to the area of Fairmount Avenue and Holt Avenue regarding a 15-round Shot Spotter activation. As officers were responding to the scene, dispatch received information that the victim was still there.

Man in critical condition after shooting in Fresno

According to police, when they arrived they located 44-year-old David Holliman seated in the drivers seat of a vehicle. He was suffering from multiple gunshots to his upper body.

Holliman was transported to Community Medical Regional Center, where he was listed in critical condition. Police say on April 27, Holliman succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

Detectives say during the investigation they learned that Holliman was driving eastbound on Fairmount with his girlfriend and his two children. As he pulled over to the north side of Fairmount Avenue the two armed suspects approached him and began shooting into the vehicle.

According to detectives, the gunfire was directed at Holliman. None of the other passengers were struck.

Police say that based on video surveillance that captured the shooting, two suspects can be seen shooting into the vehicle and subsequently fleeing on foot.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on this case to contact Fresno Police Department Homicide Detective Vic Miranda at 559-621-2452.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com | KSEE24 and CBS47.
Police asking for help in identifying suspect in fatal SF hit-and-run

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  The San Francisco Police Department is seeking the publics assistance in locating the suspect in a fatal hit-and-run collision in the Ingleside District earlier this year. On Feb. 25 at around 6:49 p.m., SFPD officers responded to the area of Alemany Boulevard and Rousseau Street on a report of a hit-and-run vehicle crash with injuries.

Officers arrived on the scene and found an injured male pedestrian. After being transported with life-threatening injuries, the victim was pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Kaiser Permanente notifies millions of members about data breach

Photo: SFPD

Photo: SFPD

Photo: SFPD

Photos: SFPD

The vehicle and driver involved in the crash fled the scene and have not been located, police said.

The suspect vehicle has been described as a dark-colored Toyota Camry, possibly 1997-2001 model. The suspect vehicle, police said, should have significant front-end damage, damaged headlights, and a missing Toyota emblem from its hood.

The vehicle was last seen fleeing east on Alemany Boulevard. No arrest has been made at this time. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact SFPD.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Police Are Concerned About Well-Being of Massachusetts Teen Who Was Last Seen Walking Near Her Home

A black Honda CRV was seen parked near Jaylanna Curtin-Green's Pembroke home shortly after she was last seen on Saturday, April 27, according to police

Pembroke Police Department/Facebook Jaylanna Curtin-Green, who disappeared on Saturday, April 27 in Pembroke, Mass.

Police in Massachusetts are "concerned" about the well-being of Jaylanna Curtin-Green, who has been missing since Saturday, April 27

Pembroke police said the 16-year-old girl was last seen on Country Club Circle around 4 p.m. local time

A black Honda CRV, which may have been hailed through a ridesharing service, was seen near her home "shortly after she was seen"

Police in a southern Massachusetts town are "concerned" about the well-being of a teenager who has been missing for two days.

Jaylanna Curtin-Green, 16, was last seen walking on Country Club Circle in Pembroke around 4 p.m. local time on Saturday, April 27, according to a bulletin from the towns police department.

A black Honda CRV was seen parked near her residence shortly after she was seen. The vehicle may have been obtained via a ride sharing app secured through a 3rd party."

Related: 16-Year-Old Child of Billionaire Slack Co-Founder Found Alive in San Francisco Days After Going Missing

The Pembroke Police Department is concerned for her well-being, according to the bulletin.



Curtin-Green was last seen wearing a fluorescent orange top, a black shirt, and black pants. She is about 5-foot-2 and weighs 156 lbs.



Police said the teen has lived across the South Shore, and has ties to the Metro-Boston area.

Related: A Complete Timeline of Missing Student Riley Strain's Disappearance

Police did not say if Curtin-Green was specifically seen entering the vehicle seen near her home.

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.

The Town of Pembroke is about a 40-minute drive from Boston.

Related: Remains of Man Who Vanished After Asking Brother to Pick Him Up from Work in 2018 Have Been Found

The street, which is near the Hanson town line, is also located near the Pembroke Country Club and multiple ponds.

Anyone with information about Curtin-Greens disappearance is asked to contact the Pembroke Police at 781-293-6363.



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Read the original article on People.
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11)  People walking in Central Park are on high alert as police have been investigating five separate crimes in the area, including robberies and sexual assault.

The latest incident happened on Monday around 10 a.m. when a man snatched a phone from a woman who was taking pictures and threw it into a pond.

Before the incident on Monday, a tourist sitting on a bench with his camera equipment had it snatched by a suspect who fled eastbound on 5th Avenue on Saturday around 1 p.m.

Its alarming; I dont know what the crime rate is here in New York City, said the tourist, who didnt want to be identified.

On Friday, two incidents took place. The first one happened at 6 a.m., when three suspects attacked a 41-year-old man while he was taking pictures in the park. One of the attackers took a gun out and pointed it at his head.

The victim was punched in the face and taken to the hospital. The three suspects fled by moped.

Then, at 10 p.m. that evening, two people pulled a gun on a 25-year-old male and tried to grab his phone.

Makes me want to grip my phone a little tighter, I dont know it doesnt feel very safe all the time, said Mehr Kaur, a Long Island resident visiting the park.



On Thursday evening, a woman was attacked and sexually assaulted by a suspect, who also took her phone and wallet. Although increased police activity was seen in Central Park, some people believe it may not be the solution.

I guess its hard for a police officer to spot it, no one is going to rob in front of the police, said Michael Tabz, a New York City resident.

Robbery reports are rising in Central Park, according to NYPD crime statistics. Police have responded to at least 15 incidents so far in 2024, compared to three incidents during the same time last year.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
DENVER (KDVR)  Several law enforcement agencies responded to the intersection of Santa Fe Drive (Highway 85) and West Mineral Avenue on Monday for a three-vehicle crash that started when Englewood police fired at a suspect allegedly driving directly toward the officers.

At about 1:15 p.m., Englewood police reported that the department was involved in a shooting at about 11:12 a.m. near 3325 S. Santa Fe Drive. The department said this prompted a chase that went south on Santa Fe before the suspect crashed at West Mineral Avenue.

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Englewood police provided further details at about 3:15 p.m. The agency said it was at the location to investigate a suspicious incident involving a man and a woman. The location has been an area of focus due to recent ongoing investigations, according to the agency.

While trying to contact the suspects, the driver of an unidentified vehicle allegedly did not comply with officer orders and instead drove at the officers, who fired their weapons in self-defense, according to Englewood police. The department reported that officers did not know if the driver was struck or not at that point, but the driver fled south on Santa Fe Drive as officers pursued.

At the end of the pursuit, the driver was traveling south, against the flow of traffic in the northbound lanes of Santa Fe Drive, and crashed into two vehicles at Mineral Avenue, hospitalizing two people with minor injuries, police said.

Police identified the driver of the suspect vehicle as David Sonsalla. He was transported to a hospital with a single gunshot wound and has since been released. He will remain in custody at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility. Charges will be finalized when the investigation is completed.

A woman was taken into custody at the original scene and was also to be held at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility on unrelated warrants.

All eastbound lanes of West Mineral Avenue were closed as of noon, and police told FOX31 that the agency anticipated that those lanes were going to be closed for a while. Police were directing traffic at the intersection. At 5:41 p.m., authorities reported the roadway was completely reopened.

The crash location is near Cooley Lake and McLellen Reservoir.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Police looking for suspect who allegedly broke into a dental office in Silver Spring

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) said its seeking the publics help in identifying a person who allegedly broke into a dental care in downtown Silver Spring.

Police said that on April 5 at about 2:00 p.m., they responded to the dental office in the 900 block of Bonifant Street for the report of a burglary.

Officers said the man broke into the office and stole items before leaving.

The man also tried to open the door of other nearby businesses, but was not able to get in.

Here are some surveillance pictures of the man:

Credit: Montgomery County Police Department

Credit: Montgomery County Police Department

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
KYODO NEWS - Apr 29, 2024 - 12:42 | Japan, All, World

The families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago departed for Washington on Monday to seek support from U.S legislators and government officials for their return.

The members of the families include Takuya Yokota, the head of a group representing the families of Japanese kidnapped in the 1970s and 1980s, and Koichiro Iizuka, secretary general of the group.

Yokota's elder sister Megumi was abducted on her way home from school in 1977 at age 13 while Iizuka is the eldest son of Yaeko Iizuka who went missing in 1978 at age 22. Neither of the two women has been returned.

The trip to the U.S. capital is being joined by Japanese legislators and a supporting entity for the families of Japanese abductees. They will fly back to Japan on Saturday.

Yokota told reporters prior to the departure that he hopes the U.S. side will better understand his group's thinking that it will not oppose the Japanese government providing humanitarian support to North Korea if Pyongyang returns all Japanese abductees at once.

"I want to tell them we have still been through a difficult time," he said.

Among 17 nationals Japan officially lists as having been abducted by North Korea, five have been returned. Tokyo also suspects Pyongyang's involvement in many other disappearances.

Related coverage:

Kin of Japanese abducted by North Korea ask U.S. envoy for assistance

North Korea rejects talks with Japan, nixes floated summit: KCNA

FEATURE: Abductee's mom pins hopes on fresh Japan-North Korea dialogue
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings (C) said during a press conference Monday three U.S. Marshals were slain and five city police officers were injured in a shooting in the city. A fourth officer, listed in critical condition after the shooting, died Monday evening. Photo provided by City of Charlotte

April 29 (UPI) -- Four law enforcement officers -- including three U.S. Marshals -- were killed Monday in a shootout that injured four other officers in a residential area of Charlotte, N.C., authorities said.

One of the injured Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers, who was in critical condition after the shooting, died Monday evening.

"Officer Joshua Eyer has passed away tonight from his injuries after being shot in the line of duty this afternoon, while assisting other officers with the apprehension of a suspect," CMPD wrote Monday night in a post on X.

"Officer Eyer faithfully served the CMPD's North Tryon Division for six years and was a member of the 178th Recruit Class. We are forever indebted to Officer Eyer for his bravery and ultimate sacrifice. His life and service will never be forgotten."

Officer Joshua Eyer has passed away tonight from his injuries after being shot in the line of duty this afternoon while assisting other officers with the apprehension of a suspect. Officer Eyer faithfully served the CMPD's North Tryon Division for six years and was a member of... pic.twitter.com/TwrINLkJUT CMPD News (@CMPD) April 30, 2024

Out of the eight officers shot, four were from the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force with only one surviving the gunfire. Four CMPD officers were also shot, with Eyer his injuries Monday night. The conditions of the injured U.S. Marshals officer and the three CMPD officers remains unknown.

In addition to the officers, one suspect is dead and two "persons of interest" were arrested in connection with the shootings, Chief Johnny Jennings told reporters.

The incident began Monday when a task force headed by U.S. Marshals went to a home in the East Charlotte neighborhood, located about 6 miles east of downtown, to serve an arrest warrant on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon.

When they arrived, they were met by gunfire, including rounds coming from a high-powered rifle inside the home, which killed the three Marshals, Jennings said.

A suspect was shot dead on the front lawn of the home, he said, adding that police took two people from the residence into custody, including a woman and a 17-year-old.

Jennings said he could not immediately confirm if the woman and 17-year-old were being considered murder suspects.

"We are very early in the investigation," he said. "CMPD will lead this investigation, we still have a lot to uncover, a lot of questions that are not answered right now."

The chief praised the "bravery of our officers that responded to the scene, knowing that they're going into gunfire is what I've been saying for many years, is in the face of danger. Our people step up."

A tearful Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said she had spoken to the White House, the city's congressional delegation and state legislative leaders in the wake of the tragedy that killed four people.

"They gave us the opportunity to be in a safe place and they lost their lives," Lyles said.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued condolences to "the families and co-workers of officers in today's brutal attack, including two state Department of Adult Correction officers working with the US Marshal's Task Force who were shot and killed."

Nearby residents described heavy gunfire and the feeling they had been in a war zone.

"There was a litany of gunfire, just an enormous amount," an unnamed neighbor told The Charlotte Observer, while another told the newspaper, "All of a sudden it sounded like Vietnam out there."

The first indication of trouble came at 1 p.m. EDT when the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department urged people to stay away from an "active investigation" scene in the North Tryon Division.

Later, they indicated that "numerous" law enforcement personnel were struck by gunfire in the 5000 block of Galway Drive, a residential area located in the eastern part of the city.

Roads in that part of Charlotte were blocked to allow ambulance traffic to quickly access the area, police said.

"Today is a tragic day in Charlotte. Anytime a member of law enforcement is killed or injured in the line of duty, the whole profession hurts," Chief Jennings said in a statement, hours after the shooting.

"The bravery of these officers and all other officers who responded to the scene is unmatched. In the face of danger our people stepped up, committed to their oath to protect and serve," Jennings added.

"The days, months and years that follow this senseless tragedy will undoubtedly be difficult."
Police release identity of woman who died in head-on crash in KC

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  On Monday morning, the Kansas City Police Department released the identity of a woman who died in a two-vehicle crash Friday that also left another person in critical condition.

KCPD said 50-year-old Lori Broderick died on Friday after a gray Tesla 3 was speeding southbound on North Platte Purchase Drive in Kansas City, Missouri, and failed to navigate a curve in the road. The Tesla driver crossed the double yellow line and struck Brodericks Buick Encore head-on.

New Chiefs stadium on the list of options after failed tax vote

Broderick was taken to a hospital and later died from her injuries, and the driver of the Tesla is currently in the hospital with critical injuries, according to police.

KCPD said this is the 37th fatality of 2024 compared to last years 23 by this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Police searching for suspect who shot a man in a northwest Atlanta park

Police are investigating a shooting that left a 22-year-old injured.

Atlanta police said on Sunday at approximately 1:55 a.m., officers responded to Rodney Cook Senior Park on Joseph E. Boone Boulevard Northwest about a person shot.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Officers arrived at the scene and found a 22-year-old man who had been shot multiple times.

Police said the victim was not alert but he was conscious and breathing.

He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

APD said the suspect left the scene immediately after the shooting.

TRENDING STORIES:

Details on what led up to the shooting are unclear.

The investigation is ongoing.

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IN OTHER NEWS:
More arrests are underway at the University of Texas at Austin, where state troopers, city police, and university officers seized several nonviolent protesters from the schools Gaza solidarity encampment on Monday.

One video from the scene showed state troopers in riot gear closing in on the protesters, who had locked arms and sat close together on the grass.

UPDATE: dozens of state troopers have just arrived to @UTAustin. pic.twitter.com/er2uq1rcLy  Lily Kepner (@lilykepner) April 29, 2024

You failed Uvalde! protesters shouted at the officers, a criticism meant to highlight the difference between the Texas Department of Public Safetys inaction at the 2022 elementary school shooting and the use of force on unarmed protesters.

There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear! they chanted.

In another video from the scene, university police officers could be seen dragging a protester by the feet in an attempt to break up the circle, with several officers seen tackling and restraining other protesters in the background.

In a statement, the university said protesters had ignored dispersal orders from the administration and law enforcement and resisted authorities attempts to remove their tents. In response, a combined force of campus police, Austin police, and state troopers dismantled an encampment and arrested several protesters, the majority of whom the university believed to be unaffiliated with the school.

Things are quickly escalating at @UTAustin as police dismantle an encampment at the South Mall and arrest pro-Palestinian protesters.

Video by @lilykepner pic.twitter.com/BfwfiwXQFo  Andy Sevilla (@MrAndySevilla) April 29, 2024

Even as the arrests continued, hundreds of faculty signed onto an open letter expressing no confidence in the universitys president, Jay Hartzell.

The President has shown himself to be unresponsive to urgent faculty, staff, and student concerns. He has violated our trust. The University is no longer a safe and welcoming place for the diverse community of students and scholars who until now have called this campus home, the faculty open letter reads.

Hartzell first facilitated the violent arrests of protesters on April 24. A total of 57 people were arrested and charged with criminal trespassing last week, but all of the charges were eventually dropped by the Travis County Attorney, Delia Garza, who cited inadequate probable cause affidavits.

It was not immediately clear how many protesters had been arrested on Monday.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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DENVER (KDVR)  An investigation is underway after a traffic stop led to a shooting involving an officer with the Greeley Police Department Sunday afternoon.

According to a release from the Weld County 19th Judicial District, an officer conducted a traffic stop at 1:51 p.m. near the 2300 block of Alpine Avenue.

During the traffic stop, the officer contacted an adult male and a struggle ensued. During the struggle shots were fired, the release said.

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The man, identified as 23-year-old Giovanni Pacheco, was taken to the hospital for minor injuries he sustained during the incident before he was released into police custody.

When asked, the Greeley Police Department did not say who fired the shots and if Pacheco was taken to the hospital due to a gunshot wound, or if the injuries were sustained another way.

Pacheco will be booked into the Weld County Jail on felony charges, according to the release.

The 19th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team is leading an investigation into the incident. Meanwhile, anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Detective Mike Stuvel at 970-373-9239 or mstuvel@weldgov.com.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Getty Images

Every year, more than 26,000 Louisianans are diagnosed with cancer. Our state has the sixth-highest rate of new cancer diagnoses, and more than 9,000 Louisianans die from cancer each year.

As the chief executive officer of Pontchartrain Cancer Center, I am frustratingly familiar with the cost of cancer care. In the U.S., the initial cost of cancer care is more than $40,000, and the continuing cost of cancer care is more than $5,000. In a cancer patients last year of life, the cost of care is more than $100,000.

And this astonishing cost comes nowhere near the impact on the family as they navigate a cancer diagnosis, or the loss that families bear when they lose a loved one to the fight against cancer. When cancer treatment is unaffordable, care is delayed, which leads to greater treatment problems, higher costs of long-term care, and a lower chance of survival.

The need for more affordable access to treatment and care is not only real for cancer patients, but also for all Louisianans, with U.S. News and World Report ranking Louisiana in the bottom five states for health care in the country.

Louisiana has made significant strides to regulate the business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurance companies, but we must address the significant rebates and discounts that PBMs and health insurers negotiate when they purchase medicine from drug manufacturers  and ensure these are a patient benefit.

Rather than using these savings to lower patients out-of-pocket prescription costs, PBMs and insurance companies pocket the savings as profit, often overcharging patients for life-saving and life-sustaining treatments. As a result of this practice, many insured patients in Louisiana are paying nearly double what their insurers are paying for the same medicines.

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While PBMs may sound like obscure healthcare entities that are far removed from patients, the three largest PBMs  Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and Optum Rx  dominate more than 85% of the market. And all three of these PBMs are owned by large health insurance companies that dictate the patient experience: Express Scripts is owned by Cigna, Optum Rx is owned by UnitedHealthcare, and CVS Caremark is owned by CVS Health, which owns both Aetna and CVS Pharmacy.

These companies control what medicine patients can access, how much patients pay for it and where they can pick it up. When Louisianas policymakers neglect regulating the practices of PBMs and health insurers, they are putting the profits of large corporations over the needs of Louisiana patients and their healthcare.

Senate Bill 347 would require PBMs and insurance companies to share the savings they receive from negotiated rebates and discounts directly with patients at the point-of-sale, lowering out-of-pocket costs.

These rebates and discounts are significant, totaling over $230 billion in 2021 alone. Given these significant profits, its no surprise large health insurers and PBMs oppose this legislation and are threatening an increase to health insurance premiums if Louisiana passes this legislation. But we know that wont happen based on the evidence from three other states that have already implemented share-the-savings bills  none of which have seen any increase to premiums.

This is also a policy voters nationwide support. In a nationwide poll by Morning Consult, 88% of adults agree that policymakers should prioritize lowering out-of-pocket costs, and when presented with two choices, over half of the respondents preferred lower out-of-pocket costs to lower monthly premiums. With Senate Bill 347, Louisiana joins 18 states that have similar proposed legislation  legislation that would save consumers in Louisiana up to $1,000 a year in out-of-pocket costs.

Its time for Louisiana to prioritize patients, not large corporations, and lower out-of-pocket health care costs in Louisiana.

The post Policymakers should support patients over profits in Louisiana appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
Trucks line up in a long queue to cross the Polish-Ukrainian border at the Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska crossing in Potoki

Trucks line up in a long queue to cross the Polish-Ukrainian border at the Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska crossing in Potoki

By Yuliia Dysa and Anastasiia Malenko

KYIV (Reuters) -Polish farmers called off their protest at the last border crossing with Ukraine on Monday, lifting a blockade that has dragged on for months, soured bilateral relations and buffeted Ukraine's trade.

Polish truckers began blocking the border late last autumn, angered by what they said was Ukraine's use of a wartime easing of border restrictions to win market share. Farmers later joined their ranks, complaining about cheap Ukrainian food imports.

Polish farmers ended their blockade of the Rava-Ruska crossing on Monday morning, Ukraine's border guard spokesman said, following months of diplomacy by Kyiv.

"Fortunately, we have all directions on the border with Poland unblocked," said Andriy Demchenko, the border official, adding that trucks were crossing in both directions. Poland's border guard spokesman confirmed that comment.

Ukrainian farm minister Mykola Solsky praised what he said was "constructive work" by Poland.

Ukraine's daily average food exports by truck were up almost 20% on Monday compared with mid-April, said Taras Vysotsky, his first deputy.

Trucks carrying grain, the issue at the heart of the Polish-Ukrainian dispute, will still face checks on the Polish side, Kyiv officials said.

WILL SUSPENSION HOLD?

Ukraine's ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Zvarych, said he believed the blockades were "a thing of the past".

But Roman Kondrow, the leader of a local farmers' organisation in the region bordering Ukraine, said protests could resume if needed, Polish news agency PAP reported.

Adrian Wawrzyniak, a spokesperson for the Solidarity farmers' union, told Reuters the farmers were continuing talks with the government and planned a protest in Warsaw on May 10.

In an attempt to address the protesters' demands, Poland decided this month to pay 2.1 billion zlotys ($520.45 million) in subsidies to farmers to compensate them for low grain prices.

The protests drew sharp criticism from Ukraine during the winter when protesters spilled grain from trucks and train carriages.

Warsaw and Kyiv have been engaged for months in talks at different levels to try to find a solution, with Ukraine calling on the European Union to intervene.

Kyiv says its agricultural exports via eastern Europe have not damaged EU markets, but that its trade has suffered from the protests. Ukraine has not published full data for its economic losses.

Ukraine is a major European grain producer. Talks on its agricultural sector are expected to be a central issue during its negotiations to join the EU.

($1 = 4.0350 zlotys)

(Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko, Yuliia Dysa, Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Tom Balmforth, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton and Gareth Jones)
Tim Royers of the NSEA answers questions from reporters on Aug. 30, 2023, about the petition drive for Support Our Schools. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

Even though speech, religion, press and assembly usually claim top billing on the First Amendment marquee, the right to petition, to ask for a redress of grievances, must remain undiminished.

All of which gives me pause when Secretary of State Bob Evnen  as of this writing  is considering whether to pull a referendum from the ballot after 117,000 Nebraska voters signed a petition that landed it there in the first place.

Thats a lot of redressing to let slide.

I write of the alphanumeric salad of legislative laws concerning something called opportunity scholarships, a subset of programs under the umbrella term school vouchers, which essentially funnel public money into private schools.

While no one wants schoolchildren to be deprived of a quality education, surely we can find a better way to help struggling schools than taking money from the pot that funds them.

Legislative Bill 1402 passed at the end of the recent session of the Legislature and will replace LB 753, which passed during last years session. While LB 753 allowed for scholarship donors to receive tax credits, the new version, LB 1402, calls for the State Treasurers Office to disburse up to $10 million to distribute to qualified students.

Tax credits vs. direct disbursement, while different, seem beside the point of the successful petition drive for voters to decide in an exercise in direct democracy the real issue: Can the state use public funds for private schools?

The political gymnastics of all this, aside from the possibility that petitioners may get shut out completely, is that even if the referendum remains on the ballot, its success there would undo LB 753, not LB 1402. Make no mistake, LB 1402 is a clear political dodge, an intended consequence to stymie the petition process.

Add to those complications the reality that some legal opinions believe that the state simply cant be giving money to private schools, wherever our hearts and minds are when it comes to helping children.

Wait, theres more: To these hiccups we must consider the results of research into the efficacy of voucher programs across the country. At best, the results are mixed, with meta analyses of the research about evenly split between positive and negative results.

I found most troubling a study from the Harvard Kennedy Schools Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy, whose analysis indicated that while academic gains were made early in the history of voucher programs, scores have flattened since and in some cases decreased, even while in some areas graduation rates at private schools were higher among choice students.

None of the available research seemed to make a strong case one way or the other. Certainly not strong enough to derail a petition process or channel tax money to schools that do not accept all students.

The history of petitions goes back to the Magna Carta, which gave barons a mechanism to present grievances to the king. Thats eight centuries of some process that allows the aforementioned redressing.

Although it has become somewhat of a political punching bag, lobbying, at its core, is petitioning. Into that stew we could add political action committees, SuperPacs, even that letter you write regularly to your representatives in Lincoln and Washington. Sometimes distinguishing speech from petitioning on the freedom spectrum is a difficult exercise, but, generally, we should never detract from whats most important: the message.

Petitioning has also given many marginalized groups including women, Blacks, gay and lesbian communities a positive means through which they could add power to their voices and a seat at the table in the political process.

Obviously, any direct democracy that results from the petition process differs from representative democracy because the power of one person, one vote is offset by a slower and more methodical pace of governing. Still, even though representative democracy is designed to quicken the making of public policy in comparison with direct democracy, we should never dismiss the petitioning of government as inferior to other processes or freedoms.

Keep the referendum on the ballot, even though it addresses a now-defunct piece of legislation. A vote will reflect how Nebraskans feel about spending public money in private schools  despite the calculus LB 1402 used to avoid the vote in the first place.

Meanwhile, instead of the Legislature wasting time in the trenches of culture wars over book titles, bathrooms and pronouns, it should use whatever clout or power or bully pulpit or wisdom it has to transform any public school from which parents might pull their children into places where students can thrive.

The post Political calculus aside, listen to petitioners appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.
Political motive not ruled out in deaths of two Ukrainians in Germany

Traces of blood and police markings pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa

German investigators have not abandoned the possibility of a political motive in the killing of two Ukrainian soldiers in Bavaria at the weekend, allegedly at the hands of a Russian citizen who is in police custody.

"The motive for the crime is currently still unclear, although a political motivation cannot be ruled out and is being investigated in all directions," the public prosecutor general's office in Munich said on Monday after it took over the case.

The two men, aged 23 and 36, were stabbed on the premises of a shopping centre in the town of Murnau on Saturday evening. Shortly afterwards, police arrested a 57-year-old Russian.

Police said in the immediate aftermath there were no indications that the crime is connected to the Russian war against Ukraine.

Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians and Russians live in Germany.

The two Ukrainians had been in Germany for medical rehabilitation after sustaining injuries during the war, Ukrainian media reported.

According to the investigations so far, it appears that the three men knew each other.

"We have clear evidence that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol," said police spokesman Stefan Sonntag earlier on Monday.

Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk on Sunday: "There are witness statements that the three people involved had been seen together before. There are indications that a lot of alcohol was involved with all those involved. This all needs to be clarified."

"At the moment, we have no compelling evidence that this is a reflection of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine," he said.

At the scene of the crime at a shopping centre on Monday there were flowers and banners that read: "No war! No murders! No death!"

Next to them were pictures of the two people killed, the Ukrainian flag and candles.

Police markings and a first aid glove pictured on the ground on the site of a shopping center where two men from Ukraine were killed on 27 April. Shortly afterwards, the police were able to arrest a man who is considered an urgent suspect. He is a 57-year-old Russian. Angelika Warmuth/dpa
POLK COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  A mandatory evacuation order was issued and put into effect immediately for areas of Polk County on Monday as a disaster declaration was issued.

PHOTOS: Severe storms bring flooding, downed power lines to East Texas

According to the order, the county is facing significant threats to life and property due to heavy overnight rainfall that caused flooding in low-lying areas.

The mandatory evacuation order affects the unincorporated areas of Polk County below the Lake Livingston Dam and along the Trinity River.

The Trinity River Authority has significantly increased discharge from the dam and the discharge is expected to increase which could exacerbate flooding in the low-lying areas along the Trinity River and below the dam, the order stated.

Texas Game Wardens seize more than $100,000 of equipment at Sam Rayburn lake bass tournament

The Polk County Emergency Management said on Monday that people with pets and animals are asked to take precautions especially in low-lying areas and along the Trinity River as water releases are expected.

The emergency management department said while most roads are open, people are encouraged to proceed with caution. The Holiday Lakes Volunteer Fire Department said damage has been reported at River Road Bridge in Drews Landing. All residents are encouraged to evacuate the area.

Those who evacuate are asked to seek shelter first with relatives, friends or a hotel. For people without that option, shelter will be available at the Dunbar Gym located at 1103 Dunbar Avenue in Livingston. The American Red Cross and County Personnel are caring for people at the shelter.

PHOTOS: Severe storms bring flooding, downed power lines to East Texas

Additional rainfall has been forecasted throughout the week, risking further damage, and the order states that first responders may not be able to reach people in these areas should conditions worsen.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com.
Iraqi officials visit an agricultural industrial park in Minning Township of Yongning County, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, April 22, 2024. (Xinhua)

YINCHUAN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- During her first visit to China, Noor Mahdi Naqee, senior chief physicist of the Ministry of Water Resources of Iraq, was excited to find a smart system solution that can be implemented in Iraq.

At an agricultural industrial park in Minning Township, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Naqee had her attention fully absorbed in a smart system which intelligently controls the growth as well as the use of water and fertilizers.

Iraq is also afflicted by problems such as water shortages and desertification, she noted. "Here in Ningxia, we see the best management of lands and the best way to save water. We are really in need of smart irrigation," Naqee said, adding that China's experience in poverty reduction and rural revitalization, which she learned in Minning, also offers very valuable lessons worth learning from.

Naqee was among a delegation of 34 officials from Iraq's 16 departments, coming to attend a seminar on climate change and sustainable agricultural development for Iraq.

The seminar, which concluded on Sunday in Yinchuan, the regional capital, provided an opportunity for Iraqi officials to gain an in-depth understanding of the policies, measures, models and technologies of China's agricultural development through lectures, visits, discussions and exchanges.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of China and spanning two weeks, the seminar consisted of two parts, with the first week in Beijing focusing on lectures and discussions, along with several field trips in Ningxia.

"Through the combination of theory and practice, the event aims to help the participants have a more comprehensive understanding of China's measures and attempts to tackle climate change, achieve sustainable agricultural development, and develop appropriate ways accustomed to their own conditions," said Peng Bowen, an official with China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

In Ningxia, the officials visited 12 sites, pooling wisdom from China's saline-alkali treatment, anti-desertification, water-saving irrigation, smart agriculture and poverty alleviation.

Ahmed Oleiwi Gatea, chief agricultural engineer from Iraq's Ministry of Agriculture, was "very surprised" at how Chinese technicians turned saline-alkali land into high-yield fields through technological innovation after paying a visit to Tongfu Township, Pingluo County.

"I've seen very good techniques that they have been using here on this land. So I believe such techniques can be transferred to Iraq," said Gatea.

Hailing China for doing a "remarkable" job in technological innovation in the agriculture sector, he hopes more such practices can be applied in Iraq in the future. 
From pot-bellied pigs to crematoriums: All RI's land-use cases end up in front of this judge

PROVIDENCE  In a little more than three months, a single Rhode Island judge  and a rather famous one at that  became the arbiter of more than 135 land-use disputes, including some high-pitched battles by frustrated homeowners, developers and the owner of the 19-million-gallon propane storage tank at the Port of Providence.

With Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Lanphear at the helm, the new "Land Use Calendar" ordered into existence by the state legislature last year has already made quick work of dozens of such cases since Jan. 1.

By early April, at least 126 pending appeals  and nine newly filed cases  had been placed on the expedited Land Use Calendar, according to state Court Administrator Julie Hamil. More have come in since.

Many of these proposals had previously run into stiff opposition locally from residents concerned about traffic, "light pollution and trash," "out-of-character" additions to their neighborhoods and, in the port's case, carbon emissions in city neighborhoods "already overburdened" with pollution, in the words of the attorney general.

The local decisions in these cases were not the end of the story. They landed on Lanphear's docket.

Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Lanphear, who oversees the expedited cases on the state's new Land Use Calendar.

Here's what we know:

At least 50 cases have already been dismissed or closed out with a decision, according to the court's latest numbers.

"Sometimes agreements were worked out with the towns. Sometimes the building proposals were withdrawn. Sometimes the appeals were just dropped," court spokeswoman Lexi Kriss told The Journal.

Some of Lanphear's decisions have already been posted, including his decision to uphold the Central Falls Zoning Board's refusal to allow the owner of Broadway Transmission & Auto Repair to use part of his property to make and sell guns.

At least 68 of the 135 original cases were still pending as of April 8. (There are more now.)

They include:

Attempts to revive rejected proposals for a new hotel in Newport, a crematorium in Tiverton, and a combined Cumberland Farms gas station and convenience store alongside an Arbys in Lincoln, according to a summary the judiciary provided to The Journal.

One pending case involves a pot-bellied pig, which residents of one Warwick neighborhood see as prohibited "livestock," while the owner contends it is "not livestock, but a family pet" and a source of pet therapy for her son's autism.

Another appeal challenges a fine related to Narragansett's attempt to limit the number of unrelated people who could live in an absentee landlord's house. The case: East Side LLC vs. Narragansett.

An even higher-profile case  Sea 3 Providence v. City of Providence  stems from the City Council's 2022 ordinance banning the bulk storage of liquid propane gas in all zones in the city.

Councilman Pedro Espinal's push for the ban surfaced while the owner of the marine propane terminal, Sea 3 Providence, was pursuing a planned expansion in the Port of Providence, involving rail deliveries.

The owner is no longer pursuing the expansion, but the ordinance lives on, with the owner contending it is not only unlawful, "it is [also] internally illogical because it bans propane storage for political reasons yet continues to allow the storage [at the port] of far more volatile and dangerous chemicals."

The current use of the property is allowed under a "grandfather" provision, but the company's lawyer, Nick Hemond, says the ordinance, if left to stand, could inhibit the owners from any sort of expansion or upgrade in the future.

Lanphear has given the parties until June 1 to file memorandums in the case.

Lanphear's name may ring bells

Appointed to the bench in 2003 by then-Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri, Lanphear is perhaps best known for a single decision.

He ruled in favor of the developers of a proposed expansion to Champlins Marina in the Great Salt Pond on Block Island that a coalition of opponents fought against for nearly 20 years.

Lanphear ruled that the mediated settlement of the 18-year battle was created with propriety and [is] sufficiently conclusive."

But marina opponents denounced the "secret backroom deal" made in a South County hotel room, and it was struck down by the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

Further back, Lanphear was a lawyer fighting alleged pollution of the Pawtuxet River by chemical plant Ciba-Geigy, and he defended residents of a shoddily built condominium complex off Hartford Avenue in Providence.

Lanphear was also the State House lawyer for legislative Republicans for 21 years.

He was first hired to this long-running State House gig by then-House Minority Leader Lila Sapinsley and kept on by her successor, Robert Goldberg who, in more recent years, was the lawyer for Champlin's Marina.

In August 2021, The Hummel Report asked Superior Court Presiding Justice Alice Gibney whether she had any concerns about an appearance of impropriety in the Champlin's case, given Lanphears longtime connection to Champlin's lawyer, Goldberg.

Then-court spokesman Craig Berke responded: Presiding Justice Gibney was not aware of any connection Judge Lanphear may have had 40 years ago with Robert Goldberg. She would rely on Judge Lanphears judgment in taking the case  under the Code of Judicial Conduct, which requires judges to examine their ability to be impartial in a case. Connections do not always require disqualification, under the Code."

Some pending land-use appeals may also ring bells

Sakonnet Partners, LLC v. Tiverton Zoning Board of Review: The company is fighting to open a 2,960-square-foot crematorium in Tiverton that elicited a heap of opposition and was rejected by the Planning Board. The Planning Board kind of went out of its way and tied itself into a pretzel to come up with a theory as to why it could reject the application," said Sakonnet Partners lawyer Jay Lynch.

Harbour Realty, LLC et al. v. the City of Newport Zoning Board of Review et al.: Thomas Abruzese and his family have been trying to get their Waites Wharf hotel project through Newports development and permitting processes since 2019. They want a special-use permit for the hotel and a zoning variance to be able to have 118 rooms in the hotel rather than the 90 allowed on the property. In December, the Newport Zoning Board of Review rejected the application. The developer has hired former Rep. Russell Jackson. No hearings scheduled yet.

Green Development, LLC a/k/a Wind Energy Development, LLC v. Town of Exeter Zoning Board of Review, Revity Energy and Exeter Real Estate Holdings: A spat between two renewable energy developers, with Green Development contending it had "exclusive property rights to any solar project proposed or constructed on the property" that should have barred Revity's approved application. The local Planning Board disagreed.

Recent decision

In the last 10 days, Lanphear reversed a local planning board's approval of a proposed 81-acre Stone Ridge solar farm in Hopkinton.

The abutting landowners who filed the appeal  Thomas and Cynthia Sculco  also challenged the impartiality of the Planning Board vice chairman who, in response to a Facebook post calling the Sculcos mean-spirited, Johnny-come-lately, yuppy, NIMBYs," wrote: Remember, the Sculcos have an agenda, they are land developers."

Lanphear did not rule on the alleged bias. But in his decision, he called then-Vice Chairman Ronald Prellwitz' "conduct highly questionable," noting that he cast the deciding vote in a 3-2 tally "and, as a result, this case continued through the zoning board, to this court, and three years of litigation."

Why have a Land-Use Court calendar?

The legislation, sponsored by House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and his top lieutenants, stated they hoped to solve the significant delays in Rhode Island's development permitting process that results in "lost opportunity" to other states to build housing and commercial developments. All cases on the calendar are expedited.

Asked recently why Gibney chose Lanphear to run the new Land-Use Calendar, Kriss conveyed this response from the chief justice:

It is a difficult decision," Gibney said. "The Superior Court is comprised of seasoned colleagues who manage substantial calendars and caseloads. Ultimately, I must identify a judge who is suited to take on the added responsibility to his/her existing caseload."

And then, if the time commitment for a special assignment exceeds early estimates, other judges are often called upon to assist.

Which lawyers are frequently on Land-Use cases?

Some lawyers have more cases than others on the new Land-Use Calendar.

They include: William Landry, Andrew Teitz, Mike Kelly and Joelle Rocha, who takes credit on her law firm's website for helping Speaker Shekarchi draft his housing package.

"In January of 2023, Joelle was hired by House Speaker Joe Shekarchi to work with him and the House Policy team to write his housing package in 2023," according to her Duffy & Sweeney bio page. "The results were the passage of 13 bills signed into law in July of 2023, which represented the first major changes to land use law in three decades."

According to her site, she has been retained by Shekarchi for 2024 in that same role.

In a December 2023 article for the Rhode Island Bar Journal, Rocha said the 2023 amendments to the state's Zoning Enabling Act "represent a lowering of the bar for zoning relief."

House Spokesman Larry Berman confirms: "Joelle Rocha is a consultant to two House Commissions  Housing Affordability and Land Use. She has helped both Commissions draft legislation in the housing packages that have resulted from discussions at the meetings in 2023 and 2024."

She was paid $84,328 in 2023 and $32,646 so far this year.

Berman notes the Housing Affordability and Land Use Commissions that she works with meet year-round. She also works with the House Policy Office "on all the legislation in the housing packages. Including drafting the bills, testifying on them, and assisting the Representatives when the bills come to the floor."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI's new land-use court and the judge overseeing its contentious cases
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Florida deputies said they arrested a potential serial killer on Friday after two women were found strangled to death in Orange County.

Carlos Yadiel Baez-Nieves, 25, was arrested for the deaths of Fatia Flowers, 41, and Nichole Daniels, 44, whose bodies were found in March and April, the Orange County Sheriffs Office announced Monday.

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell among 10 injured in shooting at Florida bar

Im confident that through their vigilance in these cases, our detectives have prevented Baez-Nieves from becoming a prolific serial killer, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said. Baez-Nieves clearly targeted women he thought wouldnt be missed.

Mina said Flowers and Daniels were transients, and the 25-year-old allegedly offered them money for sex before strangling them and pushing their bodies out of his truck, leaving them near an intersection.

He murdered them, and dumped them on the side of the road like trash. But our detectives knew that Fatia and Nicholes lives were meaningfuland that they are worthy of justice, Mina said.

Mother of dead baby found in University of Tampa garbage bin located, police say

Orange County deputies tracked down Baez-Nieves after he tried to sell a white Ford F-150 pickup truck  the same vehicle Daniels was seen getting into at a gas station shortly before she was found dead.

Officials said Baez-Nieves confessed to the murders during an interview with deputies. He is currently being held in the Orange County Jail on two counts of first-degree murder.

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.
A potential serial killer strangled and dumped the bodies of women he thought wouldnt be missed, a Florida sheriff said.

Now, 25-year-old Carlos Baez-Nieves faces two charges of first-degree murder.

In separate incidents in the span of a little over a month, the bodies of 41-year-old Fatia Flowers and 44-year-old Nichole Daniels were found at the same intersection in central Florida, Orange County Sheriff John Mina said during an April 29 news conference.

Mina said Baez-Nieves targeted the women because they were sex workers.

Baez-Nieves picked up Flowers around March 14 and Daniels on April 16 and engaged in sex acts with them, Mina said.

Then Baez-Nieves strangled the women to death and dumped their bodies from his truck, deputies said.

He murdered them and dumped them on the side of the road like trash, Mina said. But our detectives knew that Fatia and Nicholes lives were meaningful  and that they are worthy of justice.

The night before Daniels was found dead, she was seen getting into a white pickup truck that detectives traced to Baez-Nieves, Mina said.

Authorities found him trying to sell his truck and arrested him on driving with a suspended license, deputies said. Thats when he told them about the killings of the two women, according to Mina.

The sheriff added his detectives stopped the man from becoming a prolific serial killer.

The fact that he targeted women that he thought would not be missed leads you to believe as well that he is a killer and probably would have killed again, Mina said.

Baez-Nieves has not been assigned a public defender, according to Orange County court records.

Orange County contains the Orlando metropolitan area.

Identity sought of Happy Face Killer victim found 31 years ago, California officials say

NASA engineer believed to be serial rapist gains trust with credentials, officials say

Accused serial peeper caught sneaking onto roof of Monterey hotel, California cops say

DNA identifies last known remains of victims of notorious Green River Killer, cops say
POTUS to visit North Carolina this week

President Joe Biden is planning to visit North Carolina this week.

Biden has announced a visit to Wilmington to talk about his Investing in America agenda.

President Joe Biden is visiting Wilmington on Thursday to discuss infrastructure  Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) April 29, 2024

The plan addresses the nations infrastructure and aims to create jobs in Wilmington and across the country.

No further details have been made available about the visit but we expect to learn more in the coming days.

(WATCH BELOW: Biden campaign invests heavily in North Carolina)
Pratt Institute red-hands painting on tree used to terrorize Jewish students, critics say

Red hands painted on a tree at Pratt Institutes Brooklyn campus are being used to terrorize Jewish students in a bloody reminder of a lynching of two Israelis, critics claim.

What better way to terrorize your Jewish students and faculty into submission than maintaining a display in the middle of your campus representing Jews getting lynched? said Rory Lancman, senior counsel to the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, who forwarded The Post a snap of the tree with the symbol removed.

Israeli Jews said the red hands were painful reminder of of the Ramallah Lynching of 2000, during the Secnd Intifada, when Israeli military reservists Yossi Avrahami and Vadim Nurzhitz were lynched by a massive Palestinian mob in Ramallah, West Bank, after they made a wrong turn in the Palestinian-run-region.

A tree on Pratt Institutess campus in Brooklyn with red handprints painted on it to protest Israels war in Gaza. urizvi/Instagram

One particular gruesome image from the murder became infamous when one of the killers, Aziz Salha, waved his bloodied hands from the lynching and dismemberment of the two Jews to the crowd.

Historians said the infamous use of the red hands to kill Jews goes back much further.

During the Jewish holiday of Shavuot in 1941, a pogrom was carried out against the Jewish community of Baghdad, Iraq. This pogrom is known as Farhud or forced dispossession.

Red hands were painted on Jewish houses for identification for the pogrom, where homes were later burned and Jews slaughtered.

According to Rory Lancman, senior counsel to the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, the red handprints are an attempt to terrorize Jews with a reference to the Ramallah Lynching of 2000 in the West Bank. Photo by CHRIS GERALD/AFP via Getty Images

A Palestinian showing his red hands after two Israeli reservists were lynched by a mob in Ramallah on Oct. 12, 2000. Photo by CHRIS GERALD/AFP via Getty Images

Anti-Israel protesters have been seen at rallies painting red hands on buildings or painting their hands red.

Lancman criticized Pratt professor Uzma Rizvi, who noted the Red Hands tree on the campus in an Instagram post.

Back to campus and Im reminded of our students protest, Rizvi said in the post.

Red handprints left on the New York Public Library in Manhattan by anti-Israel protestors on November 23, 2023. Robert Miller

NYT says theyre pulling some of the tanks out of the North. Why were tanks set up against civilians in the first place? #Cease Fire Now, she said, while posting an image of the Palestinian flag.

Pratt, in a statement to The Post, said the paint was removed from the tree on campus.

Any defacement to our campus property is addressed as quickly as possible, and we have removed the paint on the tree, a Pratt spokesperson said.

Pratt Institute is an educational environment in which all students and faculty feel safe to learn, thrive, and know that their academic freedom and freedom of expression are protected, the spokesperson sadded. We do not tolerate speech or actions that are harassing, discriminatory, biased, or hateful against anyone. Our Community Standards foster a spirit of concern and respect for others, as do our safety and support resources for our students and faculty.

Pratt told The Post in a statement that the paint has been removed from the tree. Paul Martinka

Professor Rizvi also heads the venerable colleges Academic Senate, which scheduled and then postponed a vote during Passover on a controversial resolution calling for an academic and cultural boycott of Israel  after The Brandeis Center sent a letter to Pratt officials claiming the exclusion of Jews from participating in the discussion smacked of discrimination.

But a vote on the BDS resolution at the school knows for its art, design and architecture programs  which the Brandeis Center said itself is antisemitic  could take place as early as Wednesday.

The Post reached out to Rizvi for comment but did not receive a response.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KSNT)  President Joe Biden is signing off on federal disaster assistance for the Sunflower State Monday morning.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced in a press release on April 29 that Biden is approving federal dollars to go towards helping Kansas counties impacted by winter storm damage Jan. 8-16 in 2024. This comes after Governor Laura Kelly sent a request for help to the Biden Administration on April 11.

Federal funds are now available to help state, tribal and eligible local governments and some private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work. This assistance can also go towards repairs or replacements of facilities damaged by severe winter storm weather for the following counties:

Butler

Chase

Cloud

Edwards

Ford

Geary

Gray

Hodgeman

Morris

Osage

Ottawa

Pawnee

Shawnee

Stafford

Trego

Wabaunsee

FEMA also says federal funds are available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. More designations may be made at a later date if requests are made by the state of Kansas and warranted by the results of future assessments.

For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News.
President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone Sunday to discuss a potential hostage and cease-fire deal along with other demands as the assault in Gaza continues.

On Sunday, the White House said Biden inquired about the likelihood of a deal with Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, talks which have slowed in recent weeks. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is heading to Israel this week to assist with reigniting the discussions.

Officials said Biden also used the call to reaffirm his stance against a ground invasion of Rafah, the southern Gaza city where the majority of the population is now located after the Israeli offensive. Biden has said he is against the invasion given the likelihood of increasing civilian casualties during a conflict that has already killed more than 33,000 people, though Netanyahu appears to be in favor of proceeding with it.

The two also discussed humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza, who face dangerous conditions amid the Israeli blockade.

The President and the Prime Minister also discussed increases in the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza including through preparations to open new northern crossings starting this week, the White House said in a statement.

Despite the tough tenor of the call, the White House said Biden remains ironclad in his support of Israel, especially in the aftermath of the drone and missile strike by Iran earlier this month.

The conversation between Biden and Netanyahu comes amid increasing domestic pressure to toughen his stance with Israel. Colleges across America are erecting Gaza solidarity encampments, leading to clashes with administrators, and elected officials are turning up their rhetoric against Israels tactics in Gaza. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) is among the latest to do so, describing Israels actions as ethnic cleansing during an appearance on CNN on Sunday.

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President Joe Biden waves as he walks out of the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 25, 2024, before departing on a trip to New York. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden spoke with his Mexican counterpart, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, about cooperating on migration policy as the U.S. leader continues to deliberate whether to take executive action that would crack down on the number of migrants arriving at the southern U.S. border.

The call occurred on Sunday at Biden's request, Lopez Obrador said during his daily news conference Monday in Mexico City. In a joint statement, Biden and Lopez Obrador said the call centered on their joint efforts to effectively manage migration and strengthen operational efficiency on the U.S.-Mexico border.

We talk periodically, Lopez Obrador said. I seek him out, he seeks me out, we chat.

The joint statement said Biden and Lopez Obrador have directed their national security aides to immediately put in place concrete measures to reduce the number of unauthorized border crossings. The policies would also protect human rights, according to the statement. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not elaborate what those new measures were, nor would officials from the National Security Council.

The Mexican leader said the two countries have made progress in controlling unauthorized migration by persuading many migrants not to use illegal methods to move from country to country. Lopez Obrador also applauded a January decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allowed Border Patrol agents to resume cutting razor wire that the state of Texas had installed along the border to try and deter migration.

Since the collapse of border legislation in Congress earlier this year, the White House has not ruled out Biden issuing an executive order on asylum rules to try and reduce the number of migrants arriving at the U.S. southern border. Any unilateral action would likely lean on a president's authority under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which offers broad powers to block entry of certain immigrants if doing so is deemed detrimental to the national interest.

Administration officials have been poring over various options for months, but Biden has made no decision on how to proceed with any executive actions. White House aides have also seen little immediate urgency for the president to take any action, considering the number of illegal border crossings have declined since a record high of 250,000 in December as Mexican officials stepped up their enforcement efforts.



Verza reported from Mexico City.
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  President Joe Biden will be returning to North Carolina this week to discuss infrastructure.

On Thursday, May 2, the Biden will travel to Wilmington to discuss how the Investing in America agenda is rebuilding infrastructure and creating good-paying jobs in the city and across the country.

This comes after the President, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, visited Raleigh on March 26 to give remarks about the state of healthcare in North Carolina.

PREVIOUS | President Biden, Vice President Harris give remarks in Raleigh about healthcare

Former President Donald Trump was scheduled to have a rally in Wilmington on April 20, one of his first amid the start of his criminal hush money trial, but had to cancel due to the weather.

PREVIOUS | Trump cancels North Carolina rally in Wilmington because of severe weather

Additional details about President Bidens upcoming visit to Wilmington will be released soon.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Are Heading to Nigeria in MayHeres What We Know

It's official: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are traveling to Nigeria to discuss the Invictus Gamesan international sporting event for wounded and injured veteransin a matter of weeks.

Meghan Markle, 42, and Prince Harry, 39, were invited by the country's Chief of Defense Staff, the highest-ranking military official. And on social media, Brigadier General Tukur Gusaua spokesperson for Nigeria's militaryreleased an official statement to confirm that the royal couple will meet with service members and participate in several cultural activities.

The statement reads, "The visit is to consolidate Nigeria's stronghold at the games and the possibility of hosting the event in later years. The Honorable Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, who was at Germany at last year's event, has accepted to host the games when granted to Nigeria."

This upcoming visit to the West African nation likely hits closer to home, since Markle revealed in 2022 that she is partially Nigerian. On an episode of her Archetypes podcast, she said, "I just had my genealogy done a couple years ago. [I'm] 43 percent Nigerian. I'm going to start to dig deeper into all this because anybody that I've told, especially Nigerian women, are like 'What!'"

Additionally, Prince Harry referenced his wife's heritage at the opening ceremony of last years Invictus Games, which included Nigeria as a new participating nation. During his speech, he said, Now, Im not saying we play favorites in our home, but since my wife discovered she is of Nigerian descent, its likely to get a little bit more competitive this year.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

Naturally, Markle and Prince Harry were seen rooting for Nigeria while they attended the Ukraine/Nigeria Mixed Team Preliminary Round of a Volleyball match at the Invictus Games in Germany in September 2023.

Their upcoming trip will mark the royal couple's first visit to Nigeria, and it's set to take place after the prince visits the U.K. to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. Per usual, I'll be on the lookout for all the photos.

Stay up-to-date on every breaking royal family story by subscribing here.

Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Show PDA During Polo Match Outing
This combo photo shows Liu Xinzhi, a builder of a canal on the cliffs, talking about the construction of a canal in the past on April 24, 2024 (L, photo by Xinhua photographer Yang Wenbin), and Liu Xinzhi (1st R) building a canal on the cliffs with other villagers in 1960 (R, photo by Wang Zhenxiang), in Shengji Township of Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province.

On the precipitous cliffs, there are several canals that provide water for nearby farmlands in Shengji Township. One of the daily work for canals' maintenance team members is to clear withered branches and fallen rocks out of the canals.

In Shengji Township, it is a typical karst landform. Rainwater swiftly permeates the hills and grounds after falling from the sky, little of which can be left for local people's livelihood.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, with support of water conservancy departments, local villagers tirelessly carved out ten canals spanning over 130 kilometers amid the rugged mountains and constructed eight reservoirs.

With the completion of these canals and reservoirs, previously barren lands were transformed into fertile ones wherever the water flowed.

Today, these canals remain vital for agricultural irrigation, with their maintenance carried out by successors inspired by the spirit of the original builders. (Xinhua)

This combo photo shows members of a canal maintenance team cleaning up a canal on the cliffs on April 24, 2024 (above, photo by Xinhua photographer Yang Wenbin), and members of a canal construction team building a canal on the cliffs in 1960 (below, photo by Wang Zhenxiang), in Shengji Township of Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province.

This combo photo taken from April 24 to 25, 2024 shows part of the original builders of the canals on the cliffs in Shengji Township of Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province.

This combo photo shows members of a canal maintenance team posing for a group photo near a canal on the cliffs on April 24, 2024 (above, photo by Xinhua photographer Yang Wenbin), and members of a canal construction team posing for a group photo on the cliffs in 1960 (below, photo by Wang Zhenxiang), in Shengji Township of Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province.

This combo photo shows members of a canal maintenance team patrolling a canal on the cliffs on April 24, 2024 (L, photo by Xinhua photographer Yang Wenbin), and members of a canal construction team building a canal on the cliffs in 1960 (R, photo by Wang Zhenxiang), in Shengji Township of Bijie City, southwest China's Guizhou Province.
UCLA is stepping up security around a pro-Palestinian protest encampment that has taken over a large campus plaza for four days, university officials announced after minor scuffles broke out involving demonstrators and pro-Israel demonstrators on Sunday.

By Monday morning, the encampment at Royce Quad had grown to approximately 50 tents surrounded by wood and metal fencing. Protesters have appointed guards to block access to the public, including members of the media.

KTLA 5 News witnessed those guards attempting to deny entry to UCLA firefighters who wanted to inspect the encampment Monday morning, although they were eventually allowed inside.

Protesters are calling for a halt to the 200-day conflict between Israel and Hamas, along with demanding UCLA divest all interests in Israel, a move the university has consistently opposed.

Westwood, CA  April 29:Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Westwood, CA, Sunday, April 28, 2024  Thousands rally for Israel as pro Palestine counter demonstrators surround them at UCLA. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

An aerial view of the pro-Palestinian protest encampment at UCLA on April 29, 2024. (KTLA)

Westwood, CA  April 29:Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

On Sunday, isolated skirmishes broke out when pro-Israel demonstrators held a large rally adjacent to the encampment that involved hundreds, if not thousands, of Israeli and U.S. flag-waving participants, speakers and videos projected on a large screen.

No significant injuries or arrests were reported, and a security buffer between the two sides largely held.

In a statement, university officials said they were heartbroken by the violence.

As an institution of higher education, we stand firmly for the idea that even when we disagree, we must still engage respectfully and recognize one anothers humanity, said UCLA spokesperson Mary Osako. We are dismayed that certain individuals instead chose to jeopardize the physical safety of the community.

It remains to be seen how long the university will allow the encampment, which first emerged on Thursday after pro-Palestinian protesters were physically removed from the campus of the University of Southern California near downtown Los Angeles.

There, demonstrators were protesting the war and USCs decision to cancel the commencement speech by valedictorian Asna Tabassum, a Muslim student who supported anti-Israel views on social media, over unspecified security concerns.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Professor charged with battery after she was violently arrested in pro-Palestine protests on viral video

An Emory University economics professor has been charged with battery after it appeared she was forcefully arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest on campus.

A CNN video caught the moment that a woman, believed to be Caroline Fohlin, was detained by Georgia police last Thursday. She was wrestled on the ground after trying to question law enforcement who were arresting protestors.

CNN reported that at least two professors were detained by Atlanta police - Emory University economics professor Caroline Fohlin and Noelle McAfee, chair of the philosophy department, but the outlet did not confirm if it was Ms Fohlin in the video.

DeKalb County jail records show that a person named Caroline Fohlin was arrested on Thursday by the Emory University Police Department and released the following day.

She has been booked on charges including simple battery against a police officer.

A woman, believed to be Caroline Fohlin, was restrained by police officers during pro-Palestine protests at Emory University last Thursday (CNN)

Emory University is one of many US campuses where pro-Palestinian protests and encampments have taken place in recent weeks.

At the Georgia college, protestors had set up multiple tents on the campus lawns, leading to 28 people being arrested. Some 20 are Emory community members, the universitys vice president for public safety Cheryl Elliot said in a statement.

The university also said that several dozen protestors, who trespassed onto campus and set up tents, were not members of our community and were activists attempting to disrupt our university as our students finish classes and prepare for finals.

Some members of the Emory community later joined the initial group, spokesperson Laura Diamond said, adding that multiple police warnings for the crowd to disperse were ignored.

In the CNN footage, a woman approaches police officers as they were taking one protester to the ground and restraining the individuals head on the floor.

What are you doing? the woman appears to ask.

Georgia State Patrol officers detain a protester at Emory University during the pro-Palestinian protest Thursday (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

She leaned down to the person being restrained, but one officer ran up to her and grabbed her wrists.

Get on the f****** ground now, he yelled, pulling her away from the person. Get on the ground, I said.

The officer then forcefully brings the woman to the ground, while she can be heard shouting Oh my god.

Ow, my head, you just hit my head on the concrete, the woman appears to say while another officer comes over to help restrain her.

The officers bring her hands behind her back and secures them with zip ties.

I am a professor! I am a professor of economics, the woman shouts.

I reacted impulsively, I apologise. Please remove the handcuffs, she continues.

Other videos have emerged from the protest at Emory including one video showing police using a Taser on a Black man who was being restrained by three officers on the ground. Witnesses also reported police firing a type of non-lethal projectile into the crowd.

The Atlanta Police Department said in a statement that its officers were met with violence when they were securing the campus.

Gregory L. Fenves, the president of Emory University, said he was saddened by what took place at the campus.

I also know that some of the videos are shocking, and I am horrified that members of our community had to experience and witness such interactions, he wrote in a statement.

The fact that members of our community were arrested upsets me even more and is something that I take very seriously. To the best of our ability, we are working with law enforcement agencies to assist detained community members and expedite their release.

Caroline Fohlin could not be reached on Monday. The Independent has contacted Emory University and the Emory Police Department for identification of the woman, and for comment.
The prosecution has rested its case in the federal trial for John Chapman, the man accused of killing Bethel Park woman Jaime Feden in Las Vegas.

Channel 11s Amy Hudak was the only Pittsburgh reporter there as the prosecution presented key evidence at the start of the trial.

Monday afternoon, the defense called their first witness.

>> Timeline of Bethel Park womans disappearance, mans alleged confession of her murder

The defense is expected to call a behavioral health specialist who will testify about Chapmans sexual compulsions.

One of the key arguments in Chapmans defense is that he did not intentionally kill Feden.

>> What you need to know about Bethel Park womans death, man charged in her disappearance

The defense argues it was an accident during an intimate photoshoot in the Nevada desert where Feden was found bound and duct taped.

>> Ex-wife of man suspected of murdering Bethel Park woman in 2019 speaks out

An Allegheny County investigator discovered deleted photos on Chapmans cellphone showing Feden at the scene of the murder.

Afterward, the prosecution said Chapman came back to Pittsburgh and was living in Fedens townhouse, stealing her money.

The defense is expected to call Chapmans adoptive mother to the stand.

Channel 11 will continue to follow the trial until a verdict is reached.

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A defendant is led into the courtroom in Stuttgart-Stammheim at the start of a trial for "Reich Citizens" who are alleged to have planned a coup in Germany. The Higher Regional Court is trying nine defendants from the alleged "Reichsbuerger" group around Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, who himself will only be tried later in Frankfurt. Bernd Weibrod/dpa-Pool/dpa

Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office is convinced that the establishment of militarily organized units of a far-right group headed by German aristocrat Prince Heinrich XIII of Reu was in part far advanced.

In two cases, the so-called homeland security companies could have become active independently, a representative of the authority said at the reading of the indictment.

Nine members of the group face charges of terrorism and high treason in a trial that started on Monday.

The suspected members of the Reich Citizens movement, known in German as Reichsburger, a group that rejects the legitimacy of the modern German state, are accused of membership of a terrorist organization and "preparation of a treasonous undertaking."

One faces an additional charge of attempted murder.

Within one military company, those responsible for recruiting further personnel had already been named, the indictment read.

The prosecutor said that a variety of actions had also been registered to set up further homeland security companies. According to the indictment, the companies were supposed to carry out political "purges" in their area of responsibility after a potential takeover by the group.
Prosecutors say they will not retry an Arizona rancher accused of murder near the US-Mexico border

George Alan Kelly listens as county prosecutors call to dismiss his criminal case during a hearing Monday, April 29, 2024, in Nogales, Ariz. Kelly's trial in the fatal shooting of a Mexican man on his property ended last week with a deadlocked jury. (Angela Gervasi/Nogales International via AP)

PHOENIX (AP)  Prosecutors said Monday they will not retry an Arizona rancher whose trial in the fatal shooting of a Mexican man on his property ended last week with a deadlocked jury.

The jurors in the trial of George Alan Kelly were unable to reach a unanimous decision on a verdict after more than two days of deliberation. Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Thomas Fink declared a mistrial on April 22.

After the mistrial, the Santa Cruz County Attorneys Office had the option to retry Kelly  or to drop the case.

Because of the unique circumstances and challenges surrounding this case, the Santa Cruz County Attorneys Office has decided not to seek a retrial, Deputy County Attorney Kimberly Hunley told Fink Monday.

Fink agreed to dismiss the case. He said a hearing would be scheduled later to determine if it would be dismissed with prejudice, which would mean it couldn't be brought back to court.

Kelly's defense attorney Brenna Larkin told the judge that she would file a request for the case to be dismissed with prejudice.

Larkin did not immediately return a request for comment sent by email after the ruling.

When a reporter from the Tucson TV station KGUN asked for Kelly's reaction outside the courthouse, he said he felt relief.

The nightmare's over, Kelly added, saying that the victim's family has my sincere sympathy.

Kelly was trailed by protesters demonstrating on behalf of 48-year-old Gabriel Cuen-Buitimea, who was fatally shot on Jan. 30, 2023.

Gabriel was a human being, said one sign carried by protesters.

Someone walking 100 yards (91.44 meters) away is not a threat, read another, which called for a retrial.

The 75-year-old Kelly had been on trial for nearly a month in Nogales, a city on the border with Mexico. The rancher had been charged with second-degree murder in the killing outside Nogales, Arizona.

Cuen-Buitimea had lived just south of the border in Nogales, Mexico. He was in a group of men that Kelly encountered that day on his cattle ranch. His two adult daughters, along with Mexican consular officials, met with prosecutors last week to learn about the implications of a mistrial.

The Mexican Consulate in Nogales, Arizona, said it would release a statement later.

Prosecutors had said Kelly recklessly fired nine shots from an AK-47 rifle toward a group of men on his cattle ranch, including Cuen-Buitimea, about 100 yards (90 meters) away. Kelly has said he fired warning shots in the air, but argued he didnt shoot directly at anyone.

The trial coincided with a presidential election year that has drawn widespread interest in border security. During it, court officials took jurors to Kellys ranch as well as a section of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Earlier, Kelly had rejected an agreement with prosecutors that would have reduced the charge to one count of negligent homicide if he pleaded guilty.

Kelly was also accused of aggravated assault of another person in the group of about eight people.
Protection of election rights and freedom of speech under Council of Europe mechanisms halted in Ukraine back in 2022, Justice Ministry says

In March 2022, Ukraine declared its right to exemption from obligations outlined in the Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), covering areas such as elections and property rights.

Source: statement from Ukraine's Justice Ministry, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Ministry of Justice explained that it exercised its right to temporarily derogate from its obligations under emergency conditions in early March 2022 after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

"A notification on the possibility of applying restrictions on certain rights in connection with the introduction of martial law in 2022 was sent to the secretary general of the Council of Europe almost immediately after its introduction, which is part of Ukraine's international obligations," the statement said.

In particular, the Ministry of Justice stressed that three articles had been derogated since March 2022: No. 1 (protection of private property), No. 2 (right to education), and No. 3 (right to freedom of elections). Earlier, European Pravda mistakenly reported that these articles had been added to the updated list in 2024.

In addition, the Ministry of Justice confirmed the information released by European Pravda that in a communique dated 4 April 2024, Ukraine announced that it was renewing its commitments to respect certain human rights. In particular, the derogations will not apply to the prohibition of discrimination, restrictions on the political activity of foreigners, the right to reparation, freedom of thought, and certain aspects of forced labour. These commitments were also suspended in 2022.

"We once again revised the list of existing restrictions and reduced it in April 2024," Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said.

The procedure of notifying citizens of possible restrictions on certain rights due to military operations has been in place before. Back in 2015, Ukraine suspended its obligations to comply with certain articles of the ECHR due to the anti-terrorist operation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts (The ATO, or Anti-Terrorist Operation, is a term used from 2014 to 2018 by the media, the government of Ukraine and the OSCE to identify combat actions in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts against Russian military forces and pro-Russian separatists  ed.).

As a member state of the Council of Europe, Ukraine is obliged to comply with the human rights standards set out in the ECHR; in case of violation, individuals or organisations may file a lawsuit against Ukraine with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. However, the Convention gives member states the right to declare a reasoned derogation from certain obligations due to special circumstances, including military aggression.

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A group of demonstrators, many of whom have lost loved ones to violence, met in San Pedro Sunday alongside the candidate running to unseat Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, to protest what they believe has been a lack of focus by the current administration to bring justice to parents and families of victims who have been murdered.

Uloma Anyanwu, a nurse, was among dozens of people who turned out for the event, some of them carrying photographs and posters of their loved ones who were killed as they spoke out against the DA.

Anyanwu told KTLA that she lost her son in March 2022.

He went to pick up his girlfriend from an establishment where she worked and, unfortunately, a predator just came to his car and shot him dead, she said.

According to Anyanwu, the suspect had three priors and was on probation when the violence occurred and has yet to be arrested.

Every day I get up and live my pain, she said.

Nathan Hochman, former United States Assistant Attorney General and Mr. Gascons competitor for L.A. County District Attorney, was present at the event. Flanked by many of those in attendance, Hochman took the photo opportunity and a swipe at the DA.

Protestors in SoCal rally against DA George Gascon

Our current DA, Gascon, has basically sent a message to these victims that they are not his focus. He is not here today, Hochman told KTLA. I am here today to send the clear and unmistakable message that these victims, who have suffered the tragedy of having their children murdered, will be the focus of my administration.

Asked whether the district attorney had a response to Hochmans statement, Gascons campaign manager told KTLA that they had no comment.

The DA last week made several high-profile announcements, including charges against a convicted felon accused of breaking into the official home of L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, as well as charges against a man that allegedly shot a uniformed L.A. County deputy in the back and murder charges against a 45-year-old homeless man believed to have fatally stabbed a 67-year-old woman in the throat on a Metro train.

With a little more than six months until the Nov. 5 election, the DAs office was also hit last week with news that one of its top advisors to Gascon, Ethics and Integrity Assistant DA Diana Teran, has been charged by the state attorney generals office with 11 felony violations.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Dozens of protesters demonstrated in the northern Italian city of Turin on Sunday, blocking a highway and setting fire to images of world leaders.

The demonstrators claimed that the G7 leaders were failing to meet their climate demands, as well as failing future generations over climate change.

Rome, which is currently holding the G7 rotating presidency, has said that the meeting in Turin is to be the strategic link between last year's COP28 in Dubai and the next conference, which will be held in Azerbaijan in November.

Environment ministers from the G7, which includes countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US, will meet for four sessions over two days at the 17th century Palace of Venaria.

Italy's Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said that the aim of the meeting is to "make the course set out by COP28 practical, real, concrete".

He also said that Italy, which is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and wildfires, Italy is putting "biodiversity, ecosystems, warming seas" high on the agenda.

Currently not a single member of the G7 is on track to meet its emission reduction targets for 2030, according to a report from the Climate Analytics Policy Institute.

The talks will also include delegations from Dubai and Azerbaijan, as well as Brazil which is hosting the G20 this year.
Wind turbines are pictured east of Wilton in central North Dakota. (Kyle Martin/For the North Dakota Monitor)

The North Dakota Public Service Commission on Monday approved a wind farm and transmission line in Oliver County.

The approval comes despite PSC Chair Randy Christmanns concerns about the wind farm being a greenwashing project during the public hearing on the project in January.

Monday, Christmann said he still had mixed feelings about the project but voted with the two other commissioners on the PSC to approve the NextEra project.

The project is for up to 70 wind turbines to provide up to 200 megawatts of energy and includes an 18-mile transmission line.

A NextEra representative said at the meeting that the project would cost about $345 million and the transmission line would cost about $45 million.

NextEra lists Verizon as a customer for the power. Verizon does not have any large facilities in the area that need the power, Christmann said during the hearing.

Christmann on Monday noted support from Oliver County and landowners, but resistance from some residents.

I definitely believe that most people who are going to live within this area do not want it, he said.

The post PSC approves Oliver County wind farm appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Potters work at a workshop in Twante Township of Yangon Region, Myanmar, April 29, 2024.

The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

YANGON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. Thus, the presence of clay pot making businesses today is essential for safeguarding Myanmar's traditional pottery heritage, the owner of the U Tun Yi and Daw Toe clay pot business, Daw Toe, 84, who lives in Twante Township of Yangon Region, told Xinhua.

In earlier times, knowledge and skills were passed down from the elderly to the younger generations, ensuring continuity. However, with the youth migrating to urban areas or abroad for work opportunities, the transmission of this art is hindered, she said.

Consequently, only the elderly remain to uphold this tradition, Daw Toe, highlighted the urgent need for efforts to revive and sustain this invaluable cultural practice.

"With three decades of experience, I've operated clay pot business, serving both retail and wholesale customers with our clay pots," U Soe Naing Oo, owner of SMO clay pot shop in Sagaing Region told Xinhua.

"At our shop, we offer a variety of clay pots, with vases being the most popular choice among customers. Big clay pots are mainly bought in the Ayeyarwady region for storing water, while vases are popular in Yangon. This demand indicates that the clay pot market is still thriving," he said.

At present, the rising prices of raw materials and transportation challenges have caused clay pot prices to increase. Despite the price increases, this year's sales rate has remained consistent compared to previous years, he added.

"Since my youth, I've always relied on clay water pots and vases at home. I've found that using clay vessels for flowers extends the longevity of the flowers," Cho Cho Lwin, 53, shared her reason for choosing clay pots.

Thein Thein Aye, 40, who lives in Ayeyarwady region's Bogale Township said "at our home, we prefer using clay water pot over plastic to ensure naturally cold and healthier water. Additionally, using clay pots for cooking, especially for soups and herbs, enhances their nutritional value."

Embracing this tradition not only preserves Myanmar's heritage but also promotes a healthier lifestyle, she added.

Daw Myint, the daughter of the owner of the U Tun Yi and Daw Toe clay pot business, said this clay pot business has been around for almost a century. At present, the clay pot market has experienced a slight decline in recent years, partly due to the emergence of plastic alternatives.

In Myanmar, Twante Township has long been renowned for its pottery businesses. In the past, around 20 people were running pottery businesses, but now only about 10 remain, she said.

"Today, we're dealing with problems like not having enough materials and fewer skilled workers. For me, this business is not just about profit, it's a tribute to my grandparents and a vital endeavor in preserving Myanmar's pottery heritage for future generations," she added. 

A potter works at a workshop in Twante Township of Yangon Region, Myanmar, April 29, 2024.

The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

A potter works at a workshop in Twante Township of Yangon Region, Myanmar, April 29, 2024.

The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

A potter shapes a clay pot in Twante Township of Yangon Region, Myanmar, April 29, 2024.

The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

A potter works at a workshop in Twante Township of Yangon Region, Myanmar, April 29, 2024.

The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

A potter works at a workshop in Twante Township of Yangon Region, Myanmar, April 29, 2024.

The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)

Two potters shape a clay pot at a workshop in Twante Township of Yangon Region, Myanmar, April 29, 2024.

The traditional art of clay pot making in Myanmar is facing a decline as the number of skilled potters dwindles. (Photo by Myo Kyaw Soe/Xinhua)
PSP: 2024 first quarter firearm denials down from first quarter 2023

(WHTM)  The number of people who were denied firearm purchases in Pennsylvania was down last quarter compared to the first quarter of 2023.

Police and licensed firearms dealers use the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) to determine an individuals legal ability to carry or obtain a firearm.

Of 287,645 PICS checks that were conducted in the first quarter of 2024, 3,776 people were denied.

According to Pennsylvania law, it is a third-degree felony to make a false oral or written statement on any federal or state agency form or willfully present false identification that is likely to deceive the seller, licensed dealer, or licensed manufacturer.

When someone provides false information on a state or federal form, an investigation is initiated, and an investigation is referred.

During the first quarter, 2,456 people were referred to law enforcement agencies, 971 were referred to Pennsylvania State Police, 1,358 were referred to municipal law enforcement, and 127 were referred to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), according to state police.

State police said 22 people were also arrested for having an active warrant at the point of purchase.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
When Public Schools Keep Certain Students Out  or Make Them Pay to Attend

Imagine a situation where its easier for families to enroll their children in some private schools than in some public schools. This is true for Ohio students, especially those from low-income families.

As of this school year, most of the states families became eligible for EdChoice Scholarships. This means that any Ohio student can access public funds to pay for tuition at one of 462 participating private schools in the state.

However, the scholarship cant be used at public schools, and because of loopholes in Ohios open enrollment laws  which are supposed to allow students to transfer to public schools outside their residential zone  many of the states highest-ranked public schools remain out of reach for most children.

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For instance, 35 of Ohios 97 five-star-rated school districts have chosen not to participate in open enrollment, making them inaccessible to students who dont live within their boundaries.

Often, the only way for students to access these highly ranked public schools is to move. This is easier said than done, since the cost of public schooling is often hidden in expensive mortgages or rents.

In Ohio, the median home sale price in January 2024 was $215,300, requiring an annual household income of about $64,000 to obtain a typical mortgage. Yet home sale prices in non-participating five-star districts averaged nearly $351,000, according to data collected by Niche, a platform that gathers information on school districts.

For instance, in the five-star Indian Hill Exempted Village School District, the median home sales price is more than $1.1 million. Numbers like these make districts like Indian Hill, and their top-quality schools, effectively off limits to middle- and low-income families.

Currently, 107 of Ohios 658 public school districts dont participate in open enrollment. The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce awarded 52% of them four or five stars in student achievement on the states Performance Index for the 2022-23 school year, based on statewide exam scores. Notably, these non-participating districts include 22 of the top 50 in the state.

Some of them could likely accommodate transfer students, since K-12 enrollment statewide declined by 5.3%  a loss of nearly 81,000 students  between the 2018-19 and 2023-24 school years. For instance, the highly rated and non-participating Beachwood City and Tipp City school districts saw their enrollment decrease by 8% and 7%, respectively.

Without strong open enrollment laws, these districts can continue to shut out students who could fill those empty seats. However, there is one way for families to get their kids into some of these districts without moving: They can buy their way in.

Related: New Poll Finds Majority of Parents & Voters Favor Open School Enrollment, Elimination of Attendance Boundaries

Under Ohio law, school districts that opt out of the states open enrollment program can charge tuition to transfer students at a rate equal to or less than an amount established annually by the state Department of Education. Of the 107 districts, a Reason Foundation investigation found that 22, or 21%, charge public school tuition to non-resident students. Another 46 allow district employees who live outside the zone to enroll their kids for a fee.

Ohio Public School Districts Annual Tuition Rates Charged to Transfer Students:

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In some cases, these districts operate more like private schools than public schools, because admission is often at the superintendents discretion. For instance, Northmont requires that applicants have at least a 3.0 grade-point average. Other districts, such as Centerville City, permit tuition-based transfers, but only for children of their teachers.

Of the districts charging tuition, the average fee is about $11,000 per student per school year, the Reason Foundation investigation found. Thats $11,000 annually to attend a supposedly public school. At least 12 districts charge $10,000 per transfer annually, while nine districts charge less.

By contrast, private schools in Ohio charge about $7,900 in tuition, on average. Most families can use EdChoice Scholarships to cover $6,000 participating private schools, these scholarships cannot be used to pay tuition at public schools. This means private school tuition can be more affordable than some public schools.

When school districts can sell their seats they lose their democratic qualities and become de facto private schools. Public schools should be free to all students, not just those whose families can afford to live there  or pay.
Putin likely didnt order Navalnys death, says US intelligence official: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin likely did not order the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a senior U.S. intelligence official told The Wall Street Journal on Sunday.

Navalny died in a Russian prison in February, and foreign leaders quickly pinned blame on Putin for what was believed to be a political assassination. The official told the Journal that Putin is still ultimately responsibly for Navalnys death, but likely was not aware of the timing or nature of it, or directly ordered it.

The viewpoint, reportedly commonly held between U.S. intelligence agencies, states that investigations have not found a smoking gun of Putins involvement.

President Biden sharply denounced Putin after Navalnys death, holding him responsible but not claiming that he directly ordered a killing, instead saying the details were unknown.

Reports of his death, if theyre true, and I have no reasons to believe theyre not  Russian authorities are going to tell their own story, Biden said in remarks from the White House at the time.

But make no mistake: Putin is responsible for Navalnys death. Putin is responsible. What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putins brutality. No one should be fooled, he continued.

Russian officials have said only that Navalny died of natural causes and have vehemently denied involvement in his death.

Just weeks after Navalnys death, Putin won a fifth term in nationwide elections.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stressed it is crucial that the allies do not delay the delivery of aid to Ukraine and that if Russia were to succeed in Ukraine, the West would have to spend much more on its own defence.

Source: Stoltenberg at a press conference with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Stoltenberg noted that during the last meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, it was discussed that Ukraine urgently needs more assistance, and the allies have heard this call, as can be seen from the new aid packages announced over the past week.

"We have to realise that when we dont deliver when we delay supplies, its about life and death. It has real consequences. This war is not a kind of theoretical thing, its something thats going on 24/7. When we are not delivering as we should, Ukrainians are paying the price," said Stoltenberg.

"Of course, it has a cost to ensure that Ukraine prevails. And theres always a risk when you are engaged in conflicts like Ukraine is now. But the biggest risk is if President [Russias leader  ed.] Putin prevails... Because then we speak about enormously, much bigger amounts of money that NATO Allies have to invest in our security. So supporting Ukraine is the best way to ensure our own security," the NATO Secretary General said.

Background:

At the press conference, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that "positive results are expected" in the issue of interceptor missiles for the air defence systems currently at Ukraine's disposal, and that Ukraine continues to work with its allies to obtain additional Patriot systems.

In addition, Zelenskyy and Stoltenberg also discussed the secretary general's idea of a 100 billion NATO special fund to support Ukraine.

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The 3rd Congressional District spans parts of Multnomah County, Clackamas County and all of Hood River County.(U.S. House of Representatives)

The 3rd Congressional District spans parts of Multnomah County and Clackamas County and all of Hood River County.(U.S. House of Representatives)

The retirement of longtime Oregon congressman, Rep. Earl Blumenauer, has opened up Oregons 3rd Congressional District seat and drawn 10 candidates: seven Democrats and three Republicans.

The district stretches from Portland to the east and includes most of Multnomah County, parts of Clackamas County along with Hood River County. Democrats represent 44% of registered voters in the district, and Republicans represent 14%, according to the latest voter registration numbers published by the Secretary of States Office. Unaffiliated voters account for 36% and many of them vote for Democrats. That means that whoever wins the Democratic primary is likely to represent the district in Congress for the next two years.

The Capital Chronicle profiled the top three Democratic candidates for the district  Maxine Dexter, Susheela Jayapal and Eddy Morales  and is publishing two sets of answers from all the candidates in the race who responded, based on their party.

The seven Democrats competing in the primary are: Ricardo Barajas, Nolan Bylenga, Maxine Dexter, Susheela Jayapal, Michael Jonas, Eddy Morales and Rachel Lydia Rand. All responded except Barajas, who is not included.

Here are the answers from the Democratic candidates:

Q. Why are you running to represent Congressional District 3?

Bylenga:

Im running for Congress because Im concerned about the state our country is in. America has become the epicenter of division and corruption, and because of it, Americans have become demoralized. We have watched our political system become captured by money and special interests, while the rest of us have gotten screwed by bad policies that often make our broken system worse. Whats even worse is that our politicians have become slaves to dogmatic ideologies. Because of this, we no longer have an effective government, and our freedoms are slowly whittling away.

The truth is, the more that time goes on, the more I fear for the future of America. We are now on the verge of another war, and Americans are terrified at what the future holds. I believe that if done right, the future holds incredible potential. It however will take a new generation that stands up and demands that we create a great future. Im running to make that demand.

Dexter:

Im running for Congress to bring my unique blend of personal experience and professional expertise to Washington, D.C. where I will continue to do what I do best  listening, leading and getting things done for the people of Oregon.

Maxine Dexter (Campaign photo)

Maxine Dexter (Campaign photo)

I have cared for the people of CD3 as a pulmonary and critical care physician for over 15 years, through some of the most challenging times in our history. Our children were in PPS schools in CD3 through middle school and during that time I was a core leader and organizer for our schools and community. As a state lawmaker since 2020 I have proven that I will care for my district with compassion, courage and commitment and am known for getting hard things done. I know the impact I can have as a lawmaker and I will go to Congress to do all I can to be sure every American can live a healthy life, in a healthy community, in a healthy environment.

Jayapal:

Susheela Jayapal (Campaign photo)

Susheela Jayapal (Campaign photo)

Were at a pivotal moment  in this district and in the country. Weve emerged from the pandemic with extremists attacking our democracy in ways weve never seen before; with rights weve taken for granted for decades being rolled back; and with progress we have made in recent years  like rebuilding our infrastructure and health care access  threatened by MAGA ideologues. And were also facing immense challenges on the ground locally, particularly with homelessness and behavioral health.

Ive been honored to serve Multnomah County for the last five years, during one of the most difficult times in recent memory. And its clear that in order for Oregonians to thrive, we need strong leadership at the federal level. I want to go to Congress to carry on the work Ive been doing at the county and before that: tackling our homelessness crisis; fighting for living wages and good, safe jobs; ensuring that all our communities, particularly those that historically have been marginalized, have the resources and policies that allow them to thrive; and working with community members to create safe neighborhoods.

And I also want to fight for our democracy, for reproductive rights, for common sense gun safety, for humane, effective, and comprehensive immigration reform, and for a planet that will sustain and support our children and their children.

I believe that while we face great challenges, we also have great opportunities; and that we can find common ground without compromising our values.

Jonas:

Michael Jonas (campaign photo)

Michael Jonas (campaign photo)

Im running for Congress in District 3 because Im a creative and collaborative problem-solver. Im also running, because probably similar to you, Im fed up with the long list of issues America has but doesnt seem to solve.

My campaign slogan is Love, Science, Plans. And Action. Thoughts and prayers are meaningful, but theyre not enough. Wishful thinking is great, but its not forward moving by itself. Our country needs plans based on research, evidence, and data that lead to intentionally implemented actions.

Morales:

My story starts with my mom who came to this country from Mexico, crossing the border hidden in the trunk of a car because she wanted better opportunities for her children. She brought us to Oregon to escape domestic violence, and I started to learn English in school. Although mom was never able to learn the language or earn her citizenship because of our broken immigration system, she never stopped helping people.

Eddy Morales (campaign photo)

Eddy Morales (campaign photo)

This is the spirit that led me to start organizing when I helped farmworker women orchestrate a boycott of PicSweet mushrooms to fight for better working conditions. This success taught me how working people can come together with a goal, work for change and build power.

I continued organizing as a student at the University of Oregon and established a housing code in the city of Eugene. My first job out of college was with the U.S. Student Association, where we fought for public education, abortion rights, for living wages and for the rights of DREAMers.

During my six years on the Gresham City Council, we created multi-generational affordable housing so families can live under the same roof. We also worked to pass new funding and strict accountability standards for our police to ensure that our communities were safe.

This is a moment that calls for acts of solidarity from each of us  to tackle our toughest challenges. I have been organizing around these issues for my whole life and want to take that fight to Congress.

Rachel Rand (Campaign photo)

Rachel Rand (Campaign photo)

Rand:

Ive been developing ideas for addressing climate change for several decades. My politics are on the national and even world level, so Im running for the U.S. House to introduce my ideas to our federal politicians. My platform is based upon living locally.

Q. What in your background makes you the best candidate for this job?

Jayapal:

I bring a unique combination of personal, professional and civic experience, deep district ties and passionate commitment to the districts progressive values, all of which make me the best choice for Congress.

As an immigrant, a woman of color, a mom  I bring perspectives from communities that are underrepresented in Congress. My roots in the district run deep: Ive lived here for 30 years and raised two kids who graduated from Grant High School. Ive built relationships and trust with community leaders, families and fellow advocates who represent the diversity of this district. These relationships are reflected in my 100-plus endorsements from local leaders and organizations who form the coalition essential to the most effective representation in Congress.

Ive been a lawyer, a community leader and volunteer, and most recently, a Multnomah County commissioner. In some of the most challenging years weve faced, I leveraged the position to deliver concrete services and resources to my constituents: Ive been recognized for my leadership in supporting survivors of domestic violence; strengthened support for immigrant and refugee communities; secured federal funding for innovative community-led crime prevention initiatives; and much more. This wide scope of experience and skills position me to be effective across the wide range of issues Congress tackles, and to navigate the complicated dynamics of the position.

I am an unabashed advocate for the progressive policies this district supports: Medicare for all, a just transition to a green economy, a humane foreign policy, federal investment in public housing and much more.

Jonas:

Im a community business attorney with an MBA and a nonprofit board volunteer. I get in and change structures and encourage businesses to profit while considering social enterprise models. In 2023, I was one of Portland Business Journals 40 under 40 honorees. I was also chosen by the (Small Business Administration) as Oregons Small Business Champion of the Year. Im old enough to have critical lived experiences that will make me excellent at the job, but Im young enough to build seniority in Congress and make lasting impacts for Oregonians.

Dexter:

Im the only lawmaker in this race and have proven Im effective at getting hard things done. Colleagues refer to me as the hardest working lawmaker in Salem. Throughout my life I have accomplished every major achievement I have set my mind to whether it was being the first in my family to graduate from college, becoming a physician, being selected as a chief resident, being the first woman to be chair of the board of the largest physician group in the Northwest, winning a competitive four-way primary in 2020 or being the state lawmaker who led our chamber to pass back to back historic housing packages. I am good at doing hard things because I am focused, resilient, indefatigable and as my son says, annoyingly optimistic.

As a pulmonary and critical care physician, caring for patients in CD3 for more than 15 years, I know what our community members are facing at every socioeconomic level. I see what people are struggling with, and that informs the way I make policy. We need someone in Congress who has proven they will listen to different perspectives, evaluate the information and data and then effectively work with others to get things done. I am committed to keeping my constituents at the center of my decisions  the same way I do when caring for my patients. Now, I am ready to care for my community knowing I will be able to make a much greater impact as a lawmaker in Congress.

Rand:

Ive been writing about politics daily for over a decade. Ive been honing these ideas of working from home, what to do about our energy problems, what to do about transportation and agriculture. Ive had several brushes with fame as a jazz musician. I played a concert with Ray Charles, I played trombone in the U.S. Navy for both of the Clintons. Ive played music on aircraft carriers and Ive played improvised jazz regularly for admirals on the largest Navy base in the world. And so much more has happened in the last 24 years of my life. Ive written over 500 pages just about my life. I can speak confidently about my platform to just about anyone and Im a seasoned improviser.

Morales:

I first learned about organizing by watching my mom. Raised by a hardworking and community-minded immigrant woman in Oregon, I saw her share meals and offer basic necessities to neighbors in need. It was through moments like these I learned how her choices were strengthening the entire community.

I started my organizing career as a student helping coordinate a boycott in support of farmworkers being paid unfair wages. After seeing the impact of solidarity, it quickly became my lifes work. Since then, Ive organized to help pass the (Affordable Care Act) and establish (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) DACA, restore voting rights in Florida, support immigrants under attack in Arizona, and (I) worked with Stacey Abrams to flip Georgia blue. I brought these lessons home, where I founded East County Rising and joined the board of Planned Parenthood. As a six-year city councilor in Gresham, I helped create multi-generational affordable housing, increased public safety solutions and advocated for underrepresented constituents. Through this work, Ive learned what it takes to bring people together to reach a common goal.

With the chaos, dysfunction, and far-right extremism in DC  theres never been a more important time to send an experienced organizer to Congress. What worked in Gresham is good for Oregon. What is good for Oregon is good for the country.

Bylenga:

Our federal elected officials have become nothing more than paid actors. They have staff members write their platforms, their questionnaires, their speeches, literature, etc. For many of them, their staff members are provided to them by special interest groups that determine the platforms themselves, fund the campaigns themselves and dominate the election front. These special interest groups have become the puppeteers of the politicians, starting from the point that they are candidates.

I have none of these backers. While other candidates answers are written by Super PAC employees and staff members, my answers are written by myself, with no hidden agenda behind it, and no money forcing me to say something I dont believe in.

I also believe in building bridges. America is becoming more and more divided, and if we are to sustain, we must reunite the country. In the past, I managed to help lessen tensions between divided communities in eastern Oregon. Ultimately these efforts led to conservative Umatilla County Commissioners issuing a proclamation that dedicated the county to solving racial injustice. Many people were in awe from this outcome.

Im once again looking to unite Americans and bridge the divide.

I also want to see Americans become dreamers again. America is a nation of true believers who truly do believe in the impossible. I wish to spread that sentiment to all Americans, and inspire them to go after their dreams.

Q. What are the top three issues you plan to focus on and why?

Jonas:

Houselessness and livability: Without stable housing, individuals face numerous challenges that affect their well-being and ability to thrive. Therefore, I am committed to implementing comprehensive solutions that address the root causes of houselessness and provide stable housing, wrap-around support services, workforce training and pathways to long-term stability. For those who can afford housing, there is not only a shortage; housing often labeled as affordable housing doesnt match the economics of the region. If housing requires two jobs and/or an unexpected medical bill causes someone to lose access, it shouldnt be deemed affordable or stable.

Womens health and reproductive rights: Womens health and reproductive rights are fundamental human rights that must be protected and upheld. Access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including contraception and abortion care, is essential for ensuring womens autonomy, health and well-being. I am a steadfast advocate for these rights and will fight tirelessly to federally codify them.

Climate action and stewardship: The climate crisis poses significant threats to our planets stability and the well-being of future generations, with far-reaching implications for our environment, economy and society. Urgent action is needed to mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect our planet for future generations. Therefore, I am committed to advocating for bold climate policies that prioritize renewable energy, environmental conservation, workforce training program development and lift marginalized communities. By investing in sustainable practices and transitioning to a low-carbon economy, we can mitigate the worst effects of climate change and safeguard our natural resources.

Rand:

At the root of all our problems is the simple math that oil will run out. We pave our roads and shingle our houses with it. It is unlikely that we are going to sustain a population of 8-10 billion people with this emerging lithium economy. Im suggesting that Generation Z have just one child per two women. If we can sustain that rate for 40 years, then we should be able to shrink our population to 2 billion by 2100. My platform is based on giving Generation Z what they need to accomplish this goal. I want to protect them from having to cater to a larger, aging population.

Morales:

Affordable Housing: Growing up my family was housing insecure, and my mother would exchange child care for a place for us to live. Most affordable housing being built does not meet families needs. In Gresham, I built multigenerational housing with four bedrooms so aunties, uncles and grandparents can live with each other. Weve also created workforce housing for people with disabilities, designed by people with disabilities, that is run on solar so their energy is cheaper and greener.

Public Safety: Ive lost two brothers to gun violence. Thats why I worked to create a first-of-its-kind Youth Violence Prevention Program partnering with community groups to address the root causes of crime in our communities. And on (the) Gresham City Council, I worked to bring funding for police training and retention, while supporting strict accountability and transparency for officers to improve community relations. In Congress, I will fight for the resources we need to keep our communities safe.

Defend and expand our rights: LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, immigrant rights and countless others are under attack. In Congress, Ill continue organizing and fighting to protect and expand access to birth control, abortions and reproductive health care, and to ensure families like mine are protected and everyone in America can live their lives with respect and dignity.

Bylenga:

Three big issues I plan to focus on are: criminal justice reform, our broken election system, and the forever wars.

The United States incarcerates more people than any nation in the world. Its no secret that mass incarceration has a stronghold on American politics. How can we call ourselves the land of the free if we imprison more people than any other nation? Its time we invest in services such as mental health, and build a safe, effective, and fair justice system.

Our election system is another big issue. Why is it that the population supports policy for health care, the environment, education and more, but it never gets passed? Its because our elections are purchased by special interest groups that have their own agenda. Big money controls our elections and ensures that only the policies wanted by the special interest groups get passed. It is very unlikely that voters get the legislation they want until big money is taken out of elections, and elections are made fair.

Lastly, the forever wars. The U.S. has been at war Gen Zs entire lives. We are constantly funding, supporting and profiting off of wars. I believe that its time we end the forever wars and support international diplomacy rather than mass killing. I would like to see America become the city on a hill and a moral authority to the world. We cannot be that unless we start pushing for peace. I believe that peace is possible.

Jayapal:

Shared prosperity: Everyone should be able to afford a roof over their head, food on the table and health care. Everyone should be able to take care of their children and their elders. Ill focus on pathways to living wage jobs, ensuring a thriving labor movement, affordable child care, behavioral health infrastructure and investments in public and affordable housing.

Climate change: I will push for the U.S. to transition away from fossil fuel production and to invest in clean energy infrastructure and good, living wage jobs to create that infrastructure. We also must create resilience for frontline communities: this means investments in wildfire management and relief as well as strategies such as tree planting, heat pumps and resilience hubs. Finally, our climate change agenda should be woven into all our other priorities, including housing. Ill advocate for Sen. (Bernie) Sanders Green New Deal for Public Housing, which proposes transformational investments in new, energy-efficient public housing and the workforce required to create it.

Democracy and civil rights: The health of our democracy is the most important thing we have. Without it, nothing else works. I am committed to fighting for equal rights for each and every Oregonian as well as structural change to ensure a healthy democracy. This includes fighting for reproductive freedom: I was able to get an abortion when I needed one, and every woman should have that right.

Dexter:

In the state Legislature, I found common ground to successfully secure historic housing investments, improve public safety, expand abortion rights, protect the environment, improve health care access, increase addiction treatment, and close firearm law loopholes. When I help patients struggling to afford care they need or to make ends meet, I see these victories arent enough. We need an effective progressive who will get results in Congress. I will use my experience as a physician and lawmaker to:

Address our homelessness and addiction crises: Our homelessness issues are related to a lack of affordable housing as well as too little investment in our public safety net that includes mental health, addiction and shelter services. In Congress, I will champion investments in housing as public infrastructure while spearheading the development of affordable, climate-resilient housing projects and supportive housing. We must increase federal investments in addiction and mental health services including the workforce we need to deliver the care our community needs.

Ensure healthy communities: Our health care focus must be on providing accessible, universal health care that includes full abortion care and tackling provider shortages. The climate crisis demands a dual approach: adaptation and mitigation. Ill champion a swift transition to 100% renewable energy while expanding high voltage transmission capacity, and holding corporations accountable for environmental pollution.

Rebuild a fair economy with opportunity for all: Fight for high-quality schools, universal pre-K, affordable child care, good-paying union jobs and a lower cost of living. My legislative record lays the groundwork for my continued advocacy in Congress.

Q. You are likely to serve in a divided House. How do you plan to approach that?

Jonas:

In a divided House, I will prioritize collaboration, action-oriented initiatives, and firm stances on key priorities:

Collaboration: I will seek bipartisan cooperation to advance legislation benefiting our constituents and addressing issues like houselessness, health care, climate change and education.

Action-oriented: I will focus on tangible actions, introducing legislation with clear objectives, mobilizing support, and taking bold steps to address urgent needs.

Firm stances: I will stand firm on core principles, including protecting reproductive health care, combating climate change and ensuring education access for all.

My approach aims for real results by bridging divides, taking decisive action, and staying true to my constituents values.

Morales:

I have dedicated the last 25 years of my life organizing with working families to make concrete improvements in their lives. Ive worked in Oregon, across the country and in Washington, D.C. on the Affordable Care Act, comprehensive immigration reform, electing progressives to office and supporting organizers in their local fights. The only way to cut through the chaos and dysfunction in Washington, D.C. is through engaging and organizing communities directly impacted by the policies we hope to change.

I know how to mobilize a community and have them present their concerns to policymakers, and my career has been staked on building broad coalitions to win. In Congress, I will bring the voices of those most impacted by an issue to advocate for solutions and tackle it head on. Its what I did to help pass the ACA and establish DACA. Its how we were able to build affordable housing and tackle gun violence here in Gresham. And its how I will work every day to deliver for Oregonians.

Dexter:

Just as I have in the Oregon Legislature, by being ready to learn from my colleagues, constituents and staff, being intentional about defining the problems we can all agree need to be solved and then focusing on where we are aligned and can work together to minimize conflict and maximize efficiency. Portland and the entirety of CD3 are struggling with many issues that need to be addressed effectively and from all levels of government. Our next member of Congress from CD3 must be prepared to be effective on day one. As the only lawmaker in this race, I am. My experience serving as a lawmaker in a contentious Legislature and still achieving significant success in passing historic and impactful legislation with strong bipartisan support, I am uniquely qualified to represent our community. In the Legislature, I have been effective by being committed to building relationships broadly, listening attentively to as many sides of the issues as possible, and then leading clearly and courageously to a successful outcome. I also understand that the work of a lawmaker isnt just about passing laws  it importantly includes excellent constituent services and leading in partnership with local and state leaders to maximize investments and effective action on the issues at hand. I have proven an ability to listen, lead and get things done and will hit the ground running on day one in D.C.

Jayapal:

I know how to bring people together to work across their differences and tackle hard issues.

Earlier this year, I spent several days visiting a conservative commissioner in Union County. I wanted to learn first-hand the struggles of the rural communities he represents, to better understand whether, where and how we might work together. And he came to Multnomah County so he could learn more about us. Through those experiences, we agreed that while our counties have differences, they also have shared challenges and opportunities. And we forged a relationship that I believe will allow us to find common ground, even on difficult policy issues.

Working across differences starts with being absolutely resolute and grounded in our values, while also being open to learning, and leading with curiosity  seeking to understand others priorities and experiences. Ive used that approach to bring groups together to tackle hard problems  from chairing a legislative task force on transitioning away from diesel, which included opposing interests; to convening community groups on public safety; to working with the Gresham Police Department on creating a diversion program for low level crime.

Ill take the same approach in Congress  staying firmly rooted in my values, while building the relationships necessary to find common ground.

Bylenga:

I plan to unite Americans. It is important that we move past dogmatic ideologies and return to an America where we can simply come up with good ideas and debate them. Today, if one party owns a good idea, then the other party will almost certainly reject it. Its time we put an end to this hyper partisanship and support ideas that are good. There are certainly things Id like to see, such as a clean planet, affordable housing, affordable education, affordable health care and more, and there may be a time when voting requires some sort of partisanship.

That is simply the reality.

What I will do, however, is look for new solutions that arent yet claimed by either party, and I will work on them specifically with folks from the opposite party, bypassing partisanship. Both parties can get credit for good policy. This can get us to start solving the issues.

Rand:

No law can be made to reduce population, so Im attempting to be highly visible in the national media by being elected to Congress. Im a transwoman, jazz musician, software engineer, curry chef proposing a radical shift from this lithium economy meme. If Im elected, I will be visible. If Generation Z can take action, then we have a real world movement. My website is full of proposals and bills that I will put into the hopper to get us on track quickly.

Q. What are three goals you would like to accomplish by the end of your term?

Rand:

Id like to see enough traction in the national media to see the birth rate significantly declining. I will introduce a bill Im humbly (LOL) calling Rands Law which is an expansion of the SNAP program. It would allow everyone living in households earning less than $60,000/year to be on food stamps with no work requirement. Policing food stamp policies and having someone harping on you to get a job when you are hungry is inhumane. Not fun for anyone and people driving to work and to meetings causes climate change. Weve been hearing the political rhetoric all our lives of a growing economy and full employment. Human activity causes climate change. Im crafting a better path.

Bylenga:

Three goals I would like to see accomplished include ending mass incarceration, taking money out of politics, and ensuring that Gods green earth is preserved.

There are many, many other things, like evening out inequality and lifting Americans out of poverty.

I would also like to have a legacy of uniting Americans and bridging the divide. I am fond of a quote by St. Francis of Assisi, where he says Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. I hope to do the same. It will not be easy, but Americans have always managed to do great and amazing things when pursuing our morals and ethics. I believe we can do it again.

Morales:

I would like to make measurable progress on affordable housing, public safety and protecting and expanding our fundamental rights.

But I am also reminded that as a young boy, I never saw an elected official that looked like me or even dreamed of representing my community. Over the past 25 years of my organizing work, I have really come to understand the great importance of representation. As a first generation American and a Queer Latino, I have taken space at the table, brought others to the table, and advocated for myself and other people that have similar experiences as me.

One of my proudest moments was when I was elected to represent my community in Gresham on the City Council. I have lived everyday in the past six years working hard to be deserving of that support and to increase the power of our community.

I am running to represent Oregons 3rd Congressional District so that young boy from all those years ago can finally be represented. In two years, as the first LGBTQ+ and person of color to serve in Congress from Oregon, I hope that my impact is measured by tangible improvements in Oregonians lives.

Jonas:

With my mediation, legal and business negotiation skills and experience, I aim to do hard work passing legislation tied to moral imperatives, ultimately leaving a legacy of effective governance and positive change for the people I represent including passing these three items of legislation:

Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act: Enhancing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to stimulate affordable housing development.

Womens Health Protection Act: Safeguarding access to abortion care and preventing restrictive state laws.

Clean Future Act: Setting ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy.

These legislative initiatives represent tangible steps toward addressing the most pressing issues facing Oregonians.

Dexter:

I understand that as a freshman, much of my first term will be focused on continuing Rep. Earl Blumenauers legacy of providing strong constituent services that lift up our community and show how government can work for them; and building relationships with my Democratic and Republican colleagues that will yield dividends down the line.

On the legislative side, my top priority will be tackling the housing and homelessness crisis on our streets. I look to partner with Sens. Ron Wyden (of Oregon) and Maria Cantwell (of Washington state) on expanding the low-income housing tax credit and securing federal funds to assist state and local government plan for and build more housing. I will also fight to bring my bipartisan opioid harm reduction package from the 2023 legislative session to D.C. We are seeing the impacts of fentanyl across the country from the streets of Portland to Louisville  it is imperative that states have the tools they need to fight this crisis from test strips to bulk purchased opioid reversal medication and medication-assisted therapy including to those incarcerated who continue to be denied access to constitutionally required care. Finally, I want to make sure I effectively assist in getting the I-5 bridge replacement investments maximized and effectively used to make sure our region safely maintains this Columbia crossing for decades to come.

Jayapal:

By the end of my time in Congress, Id like to:

Bring substantial federal resources to the district, particularly for physical infrastructure, climate resilience, housing and homelessness, and behavioral health.

Take legislative and policy action to support access to affordable housing, universal single payer health care, the transition away from fossil fuels, strengthening labor protections and the right to organize, supporting care infrastructure and reproductive rights.

Provide strong, responsive constituent services that meet the day to day needs of residents of the district in obtaining federal services and resources.

Use the platform of congressional office to be a strong, clear voice for the values of this district on broad issues such as democracy and civil rights.

The post Q&A: Democratic candidates for 3rd Congressional District answer our questions appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Alligators may be some of the oldest creatures on this planet, but theyre struggling right now as climate change and human factors dramatically impact their habitats, food sources and general way of living. Now, one appears to have taken matters into its own hands, launching a peaceful protest by napping under the landing gear of a plane parked up at a U.S. Air Force Base.



The anarchist gator was spotted at Floridas MacDill Air Force Base by USA Today, which spied the animal sleeping under the landing gear of a parked up plane. As long as the gator was sleeping there, the plane couldnt take off and spew more planet-warming emissions into the atmosphere. As USA Today reports:

An alligator parked itself on the tarmac of MacDill Air Force Base in the Sunshine State this week and blocked traffic until Florida wildlife law enforcement arrived, wrangled and removed it. Not without a fight from the scaly beast though. Photos posted on MacDill AFBs Facebook page Monday morning show the big alligator resting underneath a large plane in between its tires.

To try and bring the sleep-in to an end, the Air Force had to call for backup from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, which sent over a team of officers to try and bring the gators peaceful protest to an end.

Officers soon wrangled the animal out from underneath the planes wheels, revealing the true size of the monster gator that was causing all the kerfuffle. Officers then draped a blanket over its eyes, tied it up and loaded it into the back of a truck, As USA Today adds:

At one point, one officer is seen using her entire body weight to drag the reptile in an effort to continue to put more rope around the alligators snout.

Once free of the Air Force base, the animal was reportedly released into the Hillsborough River, where it will no doubt begin plotting its next protest efforts.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
BURNET, Texas (KXAN)  A Burnet ranchs latest bundle of joy comes with an added twist, after welcoming a rare white bison calf last week.

Wagon Springs Ranchs owner Carl Chambers told KXAN his ranch crossed two blonde-haired bison last year. This marked the mamas first calf, and its made for a memorable experience, Chambers said.

When me and my brother went into the brush, I saw her laying down and then I saw this big white thing next to her. And I was like what is that?' Chambers recalled. And then I said, oh my goodness! Its just the whitest calf I ever saw. I couldnt believe it. I was just amazed, I couldnt believe it.

Wagon Springs Ranch welcomed Unatsi last week, a rare white bison calf. (Courtesy: Carl Chambers)

Wagon Springs Ranch welcomed Unatsi last week, a rare white bison calf. (Courtesy: Carl Chambers)

Wagon Springs Ranch welcomed Unatsi last week, a rare white bison calf. (Courtesy: Carl Chambers)

Wagon Springs Ranch welcomed Unatsi last week, a rare white bison calf. (Courtesy: Carl Chambers)

Wagon Springs Ranch welcomed Unatsi last week, a rare white bison calf. (Courtesy: Carl Chambers)

Chambers named the calf Unatsi, the Cherokee word for snow.

The number of white bison existing today is unknown, officials with the National Bison Association shared last year.

Overall, theres been a steady resurgence in the number of American bison alive today, after they nearly went extinct in the 19th century due to overhunting and slaughtering practices. An estimated 192,000 bison in the United States live in private herds and on ranches, per 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture census figures.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature gave the American bison a near threatened classification in 2016, meaning its not a critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable species but it is near those thresholds.

The reverence many have toward the white bison traces back to Native American prophesies.

What is the significance of a white bison?

Archived reporting from AAA Native Arts detailed the story of the White Buffalo Woman, a messiah figure at the root of the Lakota religious system as well as white buffalo prophesies.

Under that belief system, its said the woman taught the Lakota people how the buffalo could help them sustain and endure. The oral belief said the woman gave them seven sacred rites to follow, akin to the Ten Commandments in Christian theology.

When she left, its said she was seen walking into the sunset before stopping and rolling over four times.

The first time, she turned into a black buffalo; the second into a brown one; the third into a red one; and finally, the fourth time she rolled over, she turned into a white female buffalo calf before disappearing, archived reporting from AAA Native Arts said.

The white buffalo came to represent peace and harmony  a belief Chambers said he wanted to honor.

It can be an omen to some people, like peaceful times, good fortune, good luck, he said. Its very important to Native people. And so were going to make sure that we do what we can to protect her, and hopefully she can live the rest of her life here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  As many Oklahomans face the latest storm disaster and emergency, the Red Cross has set up locations to continue to give citizens a safe place.

The Red Cross is offering at its shelters a place to sleep, eat meals, grab snacks and water, health services (for disaster-related conditions), such as first aid, alongside refilling lost prescriptions, replacing lost eye glasses, emotional support, mental health services, spiritual care and help reconnecting with loved ones while the recovery process begins.

McIntyre Law Chopper 4 over Sulphur

McIntyre Law Chopper 4 over Sulphur

McIntyre Law Chopper 4 over Sulphur

Damage at the Norman Westheimer Airport

The Red Cross released the following statement stating, At the Red Cross, our hearts go out to all those affected by and the first responders on the scene after multiple tornadoes hit Oklahoma overnight.

All disaster assistance is free.

The Red Cross says shelter are currently opened at Crossway Church, 2108 W Broadway Ave., Sulphur. Murray County Sheriffs Office has also designated this site as a reunification center, according to Red Cross in meeting the immediate needs of those impacted by severe storms.

An additional shelter has been opened at Christ Community Church in Ardmore. The address is 2620 Mt. Washington Road, Ardmore, OK.

Damage in Sulphur, Oklahoma (KFOR)

Storm damage in Holdenville (KFOR)

Red Cross confirmed, updates will be provided on shelters and available resources as they come.

For information about open shelters, visit redcross.org/shelter. Contact the Disaster Distress Helpline for free if you need to talk to someone. Call or text 1-800-985-5990. Visit redcross.org/donate to make a donation, but be advised before collecting or dropping off donations of clothing or household items, please call the Red Cross to see if these items are needed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The free trade agreement (FTA) between China and Ecuador will go into effect on May 1 as both countries have completed respective domestic approval processes, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Monday.

The implementation of the FTA will unleash the potential of trade and investment between the two countries, promote comprehensive upgrading of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, and bring benefits to enterprises and people in both countries, the MOC said.

According to the deal signed in May 2023, approximately 90 percent of the products traded between China and Ecuador will be exempted from tariffs, while about 60 percent of them will enjoy zero tariffs immediately. 
Red Cross opens shelter in Everman as heavy rain leads to flood damage in homes

The American Red Cross is offering shelter for people in Everman after heavy flooding in the area whose homes were damaged, Star-Telegram media partner WFAA reported.

Heavy rain pounded Dallas-Fort Worth late Saturday and early Sunday, with a record 2.34 inches by the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.

The shelter, located at the Everman Civic Center at 213 North Race Street, is offering snacks, water, disaster assistance, a dinner meal and other resources, WFAA reported. The shelter is free and open to the public and only requires residents to provide their name and the place they were living before the flooding.

If your home was damaged due to rain or flooding, call 800-733-2767 to see if the Red Cross can provide assistance for people who cant make it to the shelter in person.

The Red Cross set up a shelter in Everman after flooding in 2022, as well. Red Cross teams went out in emergency response vehicles while responding to that flooding.
A woman displays a city-provided debit card she receives monthly through a trial program in Stockton, Calif., in 2019. That year, Stockton launched a basic income experiment that has set off a major expansion of such programs across the country. Research has shown basic income programs can boost employment and health, but GOP lawmakers in some states are pushing back on the concept of free cash (Rich Pedroncelli/The Associated Press).

South Dakota state Sen. John Wiik likes to think of himself as a lookout of sorts  keeping an eye on new laws, programs and ideas brewing across the states.

I dont bring a ton of legislation, said Wiik, a Republican. The main thing I like to do is try and stay ahead of trends and try and prevent bad things from coming into our state.

This session, that meant sponsoring successful legislation banning cities or counties from creating basic income programs, which provide direct, regular cash payments to low-income residents to help alleviate poverty.

While Wiik isnt aware of any local governments publicly floating the idea in South Dakota, he describes such programs as bureaucrats trying to hand out checks to make sure that your party registration matches whoever signed the checks for the rest of your life.

The economic gut punch of the pandemic and related assistance efforts such as the expanded child tax credit popularized the idea of directly handing cash to people in need. Advocates say the programs can be administered more efficiently than traditional government assistance programs, and research suggests they increase not only financial stability but also mental and physical health.

Still, Wiik and other Republicans argue handing out no-strings-attached cash disincentivizes work  and having fewer workers available is especially worrisome in a state with the nations second-lowest unemployment rate.

South Dakota is among at least six states where GOP officials have looked to ban basic income programs.

The basic income concept has been around for decades, but a 2019 experiment in Stockton, California, set off a major expansion. There, 125 individuals received $500 per month with no strings attached for two years. Independent researchers found the program improved financial stability and health, but concluded that the pandemic dampened those effects.

GOP lawmakers like Wiik fear that even experimental programs could set a dangerous precedent.

What did Ronald Reagan say, The closest thing to eternal life on this planet is a government program? Wiik said. So, if you get people addicted to just getting a check from the government, its going to be really hard to take that away.

The debate over basic income programs is likely to intensify as blue state lawmakers seek to expand pilot programs. Minnesota, for example, could become the nations first to fund a statewide program. But elected officials in red states are working to thwart such efforts  not only by fighting statewide efforts but also by preventing local communities from starting their own basic income programs.

Democratic governors in Arizona and Wisconsin recently vetoed Republican legislation banning basic income programs.

Last week, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Harris County to block a pilot program that would provide $500 per month to 1,900 low-income people in the states largest county, home to Houston.

Paxton, a Republican, argued the program is illegal because it violates a state constitutional provision that says local governments cannot grant public money to individuals.

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee, a Democrat, called Paxtons move nothing more than an attack on local government and an attempt to make headlines.

Meanwhile, several blue states are pushing to expand these programs.

Washington state lawmakers debated a statewide basic income bill during this years short session. And Minnesota lawmakers are debating whether to spend $100 million to roll out one of the nations first statewide pilot programs.

Were definitely seeing that shift from pilot to policy, said Sukhi Samra, the director of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, which formed after the Stockton experiment.

So far, that organization has helped launch about 60 pilot programs across the country that will provide $250 million in unconditional aid, she said.

Despite pushback in some states, Samra said recent polling commissioned by the group shows broad support of basic income programs. And the programs have shown success in supplementing  not replacing  social safety net programs, she said.

The extra cash gives recipients freedom of choice. People can fix a flat tire, cover school supplies or celebrate a childs birthday for the first time.

Theres no social safety net program that allows you to do that. she said.   This is an effective policy that helps our families, and this can radically change the way that we address poverty in this country.

Basic income experiments

The proliferation of basic income projects has been closely studied by researchers.

Though many feared that free cash would dissuade people from working, that hasnt been the case, said Sara Kimberlin, the executive director and senior research scholar at Stanford Universitys Center on Poverty and Inequality.

Stanfords Basic Income Lab has tracked more than 150 basic income pilots across the country. Generally, those offer $500 or $1,000 per month over a short period.

There isnt anywhere in the United States where you can live off of $500 a month, she said. At the same time, $500 a month really makes a tremendous difference for someone who is living really close to the edge.

Kimberlin said the research on basic income programs has so far been promising, though its unclear how long the benefits may persist once programs conclude. Still, she said, plenty of research shows how critical economic stability in childhood is to stability in adulthood  something both the basic income programs and the pandemic-era child tax credit can address.

Over the past five years, basic income experiments have varied across the country.

Last year, California launched the nations first state-funded pilot programs targeting former foster youth.

In Colorado, the Denver Basic Income Project aimed to help homeless individuals. After early successes, the Denver City Council awarded funding late last year to extend that program, which provides up to $1,000 per month to hundreds of participants.

A 2021 pilot launched in Cambridge, Massachusetts, provided $500 a month over 18 months to 130 single caregivers. Research from the University of Pennsylvania found the Cambridge program increased employment, the ability to cover a $400 emergency expense, and food and housing security among participants.

Children in participating families were more likely to enroll in Advanced Placement courses, earned higher grades and had reduced absenteeism.

It was really reaffirming to hear that when families are not stressed out, they are able to actually do much better, said Geeta Pradhan, president of the Cambridge Community Foundation, which worked on the project.

Pradhan said basic income programs are part of a national trend in trust-based philanthropy, which empowers individuals rather than imposing top-down solutions to fight poverty.

There is something that I think it does to peoples sense of empowerment, a sense of agency, the freedom that you feel, she said. I think that theres some very important aspects of humanity that are built into these programs.

While the pilot concluded, the Cambridge City Council committed $22 million in federal pandemic aid toward a second round of funding. Now, nearly 2,000 families earning at or below 250% of the federal poverty level are receiving $500 monthly payments, said Sumbul Siddiqui, a city council member.

Siddiqui, a Democrat, pushed for the original pilot when she was mayor during the pandemic. While she said the program has proven successful, its unclear whether the city can find a sustainable source of funding to keep it going long term.

States look to expand pilots

Tomas Vargas Jr. was among the 125 people who benefited from the Stockton, California, basic income program that launched in 2019.

At the time, he heard plenty of criticism from people who said beneficiaries would blow their funds on drugs and alcohol or quit their jobs.

Off of $500 a month, which amazed me, said Vargas, who worked part time at UPS.

But he said the cash gave him breathing room. He had felt stuck at his job, but the extra money gave him the freedom to take time off to interview for better jobs.

Unlike other social service programs like food stamps, he didnt have to worry about losing out if his income went up incrementally. The cash allowed him to be a better father, he said, as well as improved his confidence and mental health.

The experience prompted him to get into the nonprofit sector. Financially stable, he now works at Mayors for a Guaranteed Income.

The person I was five years ago is not the person that I am now, he said.

Washington state Sen. Claire Wilson, a Democrat, said basic income is a proactive way to disrupt the status quo maintained by other anti-poverty efforts.

I have a belief that our systems in our country have never been put in place to get people out of them, she said. They kept people right where they are.

Wilson chairs the Human Services Committee, which considered a basic income bill this session that would have created a pilot program to offer 7,500 people a monthly amount equivalent to the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in their area.

The basic income bill didnt progress during Washingtons short legislative session this year, but Wilson said lawmakers would reconsider the idea next year. While she champions the concept, she said theres a lot of work to be done convincing skeptics.

In Minnesota, where lawmakers are considering a $100 million statewide basic income pilot program, some Republicans balked at the concept of free cash and its cost to taxpayers.

Just the cost alone should be a concern, Republican state Rep. Jon Koznick said during a committee meeting this month.

State Rep. Athena Hollins, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation, acknowledged the hefty request, but said backers would support a scaled-down version and thought it was really important to get this conversation started.

Much of the conversation in committee centered on local programs in cities such as Minneapolis and St. Paul. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, a Democrat, told lawmakers the citys 2020 pilot saw groundbreaking results.

After scraping by for years, some families were able to put money into savings for the first time, he said. Families experienced less anxiety and depression. And the pilot disproved the disparaging tropes from critics about people living in poverty, the mayor said.

Carter told lawmakers that the complex issue of economic insecurity demands statewide solutions.

I am well aware that the policy were proposing today is a departure from what were all used to, he said. In fact, thats one of my favorite things about it.

Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. Follow Stateline on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Red states fight growing efforts to give basic income cash to residents appeared first on Missouri Independent.
Over the next two years, the East Canfield Art Park will be transformed into an inner-city forest, equipped with air quality monitors all encapsulated by two architecturally constructed crowns honoring the founders of Canfield Consortium.

The sculpture installation, brought together through a collaboration of community groups, will be unveiled at a weekend kickoff event planned for May 18. Over the next two years, phase two will include the addition of a dedicated community gathering space and an elevated walkway to immerse patrons in the lush trees.

An air-quality focused art installation is coming to Detroit's East Canfield Art Park, which will monitor the levels of volatile organic compounds resulting from the nearby Stellantis Mack Assembly Plant.

Executive Director of Sidewalk Detroit Ryan Myers Johnson said she was first introduced to grassroots community group Canfield Consortium at a land use conference focused on grassroots solutions to vacant land and green space in Detroit.

Myers Johnson said they conducted five community meetings to discuss the area's vision for a project focus and learned they wanted to work with a Black artist who could address the issues of air quality and environmental racism happening in the city.

"Some of the things that came up really early on were not without controversy," she said, "because when you're looking at a neighborhood that has quite a lot of needs and people who need wraparound services, what role does art play here?"

"(Our) meetings (have) definitely started to unpack trauma and get emotional ... but I think that's what it takes in order to get to something that actually is addressing a community need."

Myers Johnson said they collaborated with local nonprofit groups Ecology Center, Just Air, Detroit Tree Equity and Greening of Detroit to learn more about the issues of environmental racism the area is experiencing. The community unanimously agreed on New York-based sculptor and environmental racism activist Jordan Weber to construct the final piece at the Canfield Art Park located at 4405 Lemay Street.

Rewind: New art park opens on Detroit's east side in East Canfield Village neighborhood

The park is less than five blocks from Stellantis' Mack Assembly Plant, which has been fined eight times for air quality violations since November 2021. In March, the plant agreed to pay an $84,000 fine issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy for exceeding the limit for volatile organic compounds at its Jefferson North Assembly Plant - also located in the East Canfield neighborhood.

Exposure to VOC vapors can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches and other side effects.

Phase one of the project will feature air-purifying trees like pines and cypresses, air monitoring systems, and space for educational and community gatherings; encapsulated by Weber's sculpture titled New Forest, Ancient Thrones.

"The (sculpture) is a really great way to literally get closer to the heart and not think about a sculpture that's just built on top of the Earth, but it's really integrated into the fabric of what it means to live in this neighborhood," Myers Johnson said. "And because it's an active installation it's always telling you something (as) it's really focusing on the air quality monitoring."

The Hudson-Webber Foundation Art Fund, VIA Art Fund, Kresge Foundation and Erb Foundation, among other donations, fund the final project.

A rendering of the Detroit Remediation Forest planned for East Canfield Art Park in summer 2024 commissioned by Sidewalk Detroit.

The entryway to the Detroit Remediation Forest will take the shape of crowns honoring African queens Queen Idia of Benin and Queen Ranavalona III of Madagascar, drawing comparisons to the dual-female leadership of Canfield Consortium co-founders Kim and Rhonda Theus.

A kickoff event on May 18 will showcase the final sculpture and include performances by local artists and the students from Barack Obama Leadership Academy, which directly faces the school. Over the past year, the students have learned how to read the air quality monitors installed at Canfield Art Park and understand how the data affects them.

Behind Canfield Consortium

Rhonda Theus, left, the Vice President of Canfield Consortium, and her sister Kim Theus, president of the consortium, near the pavilion at the new neighborhood art park called East Canfield Pavilion in Detroit on Sept. 10, 2021. Canfield Consortium, a nonprofit community development corporation is helping redevelop the East Canfield Village neighborhood. The art park will feature various works of art of African-American artists from Detroit.

Sisters Kim and Rhonda Theus are native Detroiters, who were drawn back to the city after their parents died in 2006 and they noticed a drastic change had taken place in their neighborhood.

"After our parents passed away we both were really saddened by the condition of the community," Rhonda Theus said. "So we talked to some people in city government to find out what the city plan for the neighborhood and much to surprise, there was no plan."

The sisters established Canfield Consortium in 2015 with a mission to return the neighborhood to the thriving area they remember from their childhood.

"We started to perform community development at the grassroots level, just talking, doing a lot of community engagement, talking to our friends and neighbors and what they want to see, and then going from there," Kim Theus said.

It wasn't long before community members started taking notice of higher asthma rates in the neighborhood's children and the Theuses began to take note of industrial trucks using residential roads.

"We have a neighbor that used to care for her grandchildren ... and two of her grandchildren have asthma," Rhonda Theus said. "Any time that they would come here and stay with her for  a few hours or more, they would have severe asthma attacks."

"We have community members who are having nosebleeds and different health issues that all started right after that plant went operational. So when people are telling us the emissions from the plant don't have anything to do with it, it's insulting."

Adults living in Detroit have a 46% higher prevalence of current asthma compared to the rest of the state.

More: Kids struggle to get effective asthma treatments in hotspots of Detroit, Wayne County

When they first learned Weber would take inspiration from their story in the final project, it left the pair speechless.

"It is such an honor to be viewed that way and see the impact of our work," Rhonda Theus said. "It's fulfilling to see that when people look at our work and look at what we do and how we move that it would equate us to these incredible African queens."

Kim Theus said art helps people digest complicated topics and looks forward to using the Remediation Forest to tell the story of East Canfield's environmental concerns.

"We are proud to be able to use art to open up dialogues and conversations about what's going on, not only here in Detroit, but in other communities in the United States that may not have political power," she said.

The final phase of the project, the addition of the elevated walkway and community meeting space, is expected to be completed by the spring of 2026.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Remediation Forest coming to East Canfield Art Park in Detroit
Living space in the former bunker is tight but interest is growing in bunkers as conflict spreads and the government sold off many of its holdings. Stefan Sauer/dpa

It's not a lakeside villa or a downtown condominium - it's an unassuming property nestled in a forest near Pasewalk, a German town west of the Polish border, that Heinz Fuhrmann wants to sell for 1 million ($1.07 million).

Behind this seemingly inconspicuous property - or rather underneath it - lies a bunker from the former East Germany era, which was reportedly built in the 1980s.

It's also been called a nuclear bunker as it's allegedly capable of withstanding a nuclear blast.

"I had a specialist explain this to me once. The wall and ceiling thicknesses are not that huge, and they don't have to be, because the blast wave goes over it, since we're underground here," says Fuhrmann.

However, even this bunker would not withstand a "direct hit," Fuhrmann says, opening a blue shed door on the site. He then descends a staircase into an underground passageway where there is an airlock consisting of several doors.

"This door is supposedly eight tons because it definitely contains lead," he says. "You'll be surprised how extensive it all is here," he says as he swings one of the lead doors open with a hefty blow.

Fuhrmann bought the property about four years ago, initially planning to rent the property to the prepper scene - people who prepare for disasters.

Fear of war has been growing in Europe ever since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and that has driven a surge in interest in bunkers like these.

But many European governments sold off state-owned facilities or allowed them to fall into disrepair after the end of the Cold War. And Germany, among other countries, had never had enough bunkers for the whole population.

The history of the Pasewalk site is unclear, with one rumour suggesting the office building was once a post office.

The Stasi, communist East Germany's notorious Ministry of State Security, is also rumoured to have been here once, says Fuhrmann.

The building was crammed full of tape recorders. "So all conversations from the former East Germany that went to the East were tapped here. As a Westerner, I can't quite understand why conversations with friends were tapped, but that's probably how it was," says Fuhrmann, who moved to the region in north-east Germany from Bavaria a few years ago.

The East German state security organs recorded vast amounts of data about citizens, with all institutions involved in mass surveillance.

Fuhrmann was told that the bunker was built for the former East Germany army general Heinz Hoffmann so that he could be brought to safety quickly in the event of a disaster, says Fuhrmann.

According to him, some 35 people could survive in the area for about 60 days. He says that a telecommunications company acquired the property after the reunification of Germany.

Subsequently, it was bought by a firm that planned to produce wood chippings.

Paul Bergner, a German author of a book on Cold War bunkers in which he mentions the one in Pasewalk, describes the facility as one of many buildings.

According to Bergner, the bunker was intended to secure national communication links in the event of a disaster or the outbreak of war. There were several such structures in the former East Germany.

Fuhrmann says he's emotionally attached to the property. Yet he and his wife, Gertraud Tilscher, want to get rid of it. "Neither of us is the youngest anymore," he says.

He admits that he bought the property for considerably less than the current 1 million asking price. However, the 63-year-old does not want to reveal the exact amount of the purchase price.

Real estate agent Cornell Pahlow is to broker the property to a new owner. He has already put other special properties on the market, such as a granary and railway stations.

But the bunker, located in the middle of a wooded area, is a "special property," says Pahlow, who grew up in the region. He is therefore keen to put the bunker to good use and, ideally, create jobs for the region.

Throughout Germany, other bunkers have also been sold, or repurposed as cellars for wine, cheese or storage.

This site would be very suitable as a data centre, says Fuhrmann.

Five thick steel doors form the lock at the entrance to a former East German bunker - interest is growing in bunkers, amid growing fears of war. Stefan Sauer/dpa

Heinz Fuhrmann (r), owner of a bunker in Pasewalk, a German town near the Polish border, and Dieter Schult (l), real estate agent, stand in an underground bunker. According Fuhrmann, there are several interested parties for the bunker for sale. Stefan Sauer/dpa

Site of a former East Germany bunker in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. According to its owner, there are several interested parties for the bunker, which is up for sale. The former East Germany bunker in Pasewalk near the Polish border is to be sold. Stefan Sauer/dpa
Report: Abilene child shows up to school smelling like meth, mother arrested after he tests positive

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  An Abilene mother was arrested after a child showed up to school smelling like methamphetamine and testing positive for the drug.

Vecy Carpenter was taken into custody on one count of Endangering a Child in connection to the allegations.

Court documents state a child under the age of 15 showed up to school in February smelling like methamphetamine, prompting school officials to call Child Protective Services.

These officials also said Carpenter smelled like meth.

Both the child and Carpenter were tested for meth in March, and the documents state both tests returned positive.

During an interview with police, the documents state Carpenter, admitted to exposing [the child] in her vehicle when she was transporting him and admitted that she used the methamphetamine in the home he resided.

Carpenter was released from jail after posting a $10,000 bond.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
Newest Restaurant Report Card | If you want the latest Shelby County restaurant scores sent directly to your inbox, sign up for it today on WREGs Newsletter here.

Each week WREG is rounding up the highest and lowest scores from Shelby County restaurant inspections. Find more restaurant scores from Shelby County and other Tennessee counties here.

Lowest Scores:

Sen Trang Restaurant

1615 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104

Score: 70

Violations include: Employee ate and drank in the kitchen while on break and returned without washing their hands; employee used bare hands to grab peanuts and make peanut sauce; raw eggs stored over vegetables; cutting boards are extremely stained and deeply grooved; unlabeled sauces and containers in prep station; food stored in buckets on floor in walk-in cooler; ceiling tiles damaged and stained throughout prep kitchen; food held at improper temperature. Full report.

Sabor Caribe Restaurant

662 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38103

Score: 71

Violations include: Employee picked trash off the floor and proceeded to make a sandwich; cutting boards in terrible shape; sauces and squeeze bottles unlabeled; uncovered food in freezers; employees not wearing hair restraints; walls have excessive food splatter; major leak at sink; dumpster lid open. Full report.

Margaritas

97 S. Second St Memphis, TN 38103

Score: 75

Violations include: Employee observed washing hands without soap; hand washing sink is not draining properly; eggs are stored next to ready-to-eat food cooked foods stored next to fruit; date marking system is inconsistent; thermometers are not present in walk-in cooler; food containers not labeled properly; foods are uncovered in coolers; food on the floor in walk-in cooler; dishes stored improperly; cooler temperature incorrect; floor boards outside of pantry are cracked and weak; paint is peeling on ceiling and wall throughout kitchen and dry storage areas; ceiling tiles stained. Full report.

Darricks Kitchen

4018 Lamar Ave Memphis, TN 38118

Score: 76

Violations include: Foods not held at proper temperature; no thermometer in freezer; ice built up inside freezer; inside of microwave not clean; faucet leaking at sink; establishment does not have a dumpster available; no date marking system for food. Full report.

Inkwell (Bar)

631 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38103

Score: 79

Violations include: Dishwasher not dispensing chlorine; ice not covered in ice bin; freezers have deep ice buildup; interior of cooler is not clean; two sinks are without hot water. Full report.

JEM

644 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38103

Score: 81

Violations include: Employee cutting bread with bare hands; raw hamburger meat stored over cooked food. Full report.

McDonalds

3149 Thomas Street Memphis, TN 38127

Score: 84

Violations include: Ice machine has black slime; drink and ice dispensers have black slime and residue; several cooling units dont work; cheese held at improper temperature; ice is built up in walk-in freezer; fry cooler/dispenser doesnt work; no hot or cold water in the womens restroom right sink; right faucet is loose in the womens restroom; two Coke tanks are clogged causing water to pool with food debris mens urinal is slow to flush. Full report.

100s

JJs Tropical Mexican Bar and Grill (Bar), 3750 Hacks Cross Rd STE #105 Memphis, TN 38125

Mulan Asian Bistro (Bar), 4698 Spottswood Avenue Memphis, TN 38117

Pete & Sams Bar, 3886 Park Avenue Memphis, TN 38111

Guthries, 8075 Dexter Cordova, TN 38018

JEM (Bar), 644 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38103

Starbucks, 920 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38163

Magnolia & May, 718 Mt. Moriah Memphis, TN 38117

Clout (Bar), 306 N Cleveland St Memphis, TN 38104

The Butcher Shop (Bar), 107 S. Germantown Parkway Memphis, TN 38018

Hueys (Bar), 1771 N. Germantown Pkwy Cordova, TN 38018

Happy Greek Cafe, 547 S. Highland Street Memphis, TN 38111

Margarita of Cordova (Bar), 1805 N Germantown Parkway Cordova, TN 38016

Rockn Dough Pizza & Brewery (Bar), 1769 N. Germantown Parkway Ste 102 Cordova, TN 38016

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
Telegram chatbots of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the Digital Transformation Ministry were "temporarily disabled due to a false positive," Reuters quoted a Telegram spokesperson on April 29.

The Telegram spokesperson provided no further details, Reuters said.

Ukrainian journalist Konstantyn Ryzhenko first reported on the disappearance of the chatbots on April 28. They were restored earlier in the day on April 29.

The Telegram chatbot of Ukraine's military intelligence agency was used to communicate with those living in Russian-held areas and those who wished to join the struggle against Russian forces.

The channel allowed people to post information about Russian military positions, equipment, air defenses, movement of troops, and more.

The chatbots of the SBU and the Digital Transformation Ministry served a similar purpose.

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, said last week that Telegram users in Ukraine can expect "certain changes" regarding access to some channels he called "general news/propaganda channels."

Durov also suggested at the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion, restricting "Telegram channels in Russia and Ukraine because they were being used for military propaganda," but Russian and Ukrainian users "vehemently opposed restrictions."

According to Durov, Telegram blocks accounts and chatbots that collect data aiding strikes or call for violence.

Read also: Czech police conclude Russian agents behind deadly 2014 ammunition depot blasts

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Rhode Island had fully recovered from its pandemic-era job losses in December 2023, about six years sooner than originally predicted, according to revised Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training estimates. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

In November, economic forecasters warned that Rhode Island could be waiting till the end of the decade to fully recover its pandemic-era job losses.

Turns out the Ocean State hit its pre-pandemic job count one month later, in December 2023. And the 559,900 employed Rhode Islanders as of March 2024 is the highest in state history, with a corresponding record in the state labor force achieved that same month, according to Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training estimates.

Rhode Island recovered from pandemic-era job losses in December 2023. (Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training)

Why the sudden turnaround? The simplest explanation is bad data.

Being a small state and small sample size definitely can make it more subject to revision, Michael Lynch, associate director for U.S. Regional Economics for S&P Global Market Intelligence, told state budget crunchers during a State House presentation Monday morning.

The initial, monthly jobs estimates were based on surveys of 1,300 state businesses. The after-the-fact revisions reflect reported actual payroll and tax information, which are more accurate, said Donna Murray, assistant director of labor market information for Rhode Island DLT.

Their comments came as part of the biannual Revenue and Caseload Estimating Conference, which continues through May 10. The updated economic forecast and revenue projections will be used to shape the final fiscal 2025 state budget.

In November, at the last revenue estimating conference, fiscal analysts expected to bring in $136 million more in revenue than the prior fiscal year. The $5.5 billion income forecast for the fiscal year that starts July 1 was the foundation used for Gov. Dan McKees initial $13.7 billion fiscal 2025 budget proposal, released in January.

Better-than-expected labor conditions as of Monday could give state lawmakers even more cushion to work with when finalizing the next years spending plan, which must be approved by lawmakers by June 30.

The biggest upward revision to the fiscal 2024 economic forecast was in the state employment level, up 12.7% compared with the forecast approved in November. However, wage gains and personal income have also improved compared with the prior expectations for the year, up 2.8% and 1.1%, respectively.

It appears we have moved out of the recovery phase and into a period of job growth, Murray said Monday.

The comeback includes the hard-hit lodging and food services industry, though just shy of its pre-pandemic job total, has revived 95% of the 32,900 jobs lost when the COVID-19 shutdown occurred, according to DLT data.

It appears we have moved out of the recovery phase and into a period of job growth.

 Donna Murray, assistant director of labor market information, Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training

However, the sunny economic picture has a few clouds come fiscal 2025, with a modest contraction in wage growth predicted to stabilizes around 4% average annual wage growth through the end of the decade, Lynch said.

The magnitude of this sharp deceleration can be attributed to correction or the reversion of volatility on quarterly wage data following the surge in the first quarter of 2024, Lynch said.

After strong wage gains in fiscal 2024, economic forecasters expect a modest contraction in the year ahead. (S&P Global Market Intelligence)

Neither Lynch nor Murray could fully explain why Rhode Islands labor force data has changed so dramatically between initial estimates and prior revisions over the last year.

One potential factor at play: the rise in remote work, which has upended the parallel relationship between employment and jobs numbers and made it harder to make accurate projections since companies self-report their out-of-state workers, Murray said previously.

A few short-term curveballs aside, the states long-term economic forecast remains one of slow growth that skirts recession. Annual growth in gross state product is expected to hover around 1.5% through fiscal 2027, while real personal consumer expenditures, which measure consumer spending, are projected to grow by 2% a year over the next three fiscal years, according to S&Ps forecast.

Good news on housing

Amid a declining local and national economy, one sign of improvement: the housing market. Rhode Island, like much of the country, has seen average housing prices skyrocket amid supply-side shortages and strong consumer demand.

Expect a douse of cold water on the red-hot housing market soon, with the recent bust in pricing appreciation slowing from 11% annual growth in fiscal 2024 to 5.5% in fiscal 2025, according to S&P. Meanwhile, some much-needed new inventory is on the way to satisfy pent up-demand, with 1,300 new housing starts by fiscal 2027 or 2028.

Relief is on the way for Rhode Islands residential real estate market, with a slowdown in price growth and more inventory. (S&P Global Market Intelligence)

Theres good news as well for leaders looking to jump-start Rhode Islands nascent life science industry and perhaps to meet Gov. Dan McKees ambitious goal to raise average personal incomes by $20,000 by the end of the decade. Professional, scientific and technical services jobs, already 18.6% or 5,600 jobs above pre-pandemic levels as of March, will continue to lead job growth over the next year and half, according to S&P.

McKees office did not immediately respond to questions about the updated economic forecast.

The post Revised 2023 labor estimates show R.I. recovered pandemic job losses ahead of schedule appeared first on Rhode Island Current.
"The Wuhan Cover-Up" blares the subject line of a recent presidential campaign email. Inside, it's all impenetrable conspiracy theory language that reads more like a QAnon post than a normal political fundraiser:

Why wasnt Dr. Anthony Fauci charged with a crime, when he lied under oath about his relationships with Peter Daszak and Ralph Baric in order to cover-up Wuhan Coronavirus research? Apparently, lying under oath is only a crime when it contradicts established narratives.

Zombie COVID-19 conspiracy theories? False and defamatory accusations? QAnon-style rhetoric designed to overwhelm and bamboozle the reader? These abusive tactics are all the red flags of MAGA communication. To be certain, fundraising emails across the partisan spectrum can be alarmist and hyperbolic, but accusing innocent people of crimes and spreading lies about deadly diseases are lines most candidates don't cross. The exception, of course, is Donald Trump and his imitators, like Arizona Republican Kari Lake, who's now running for Senate after losing the gubernatorial race in 2022. But outside of the MAGA universe, such tactics are frowned upon for two reasons. One, it's downright evil. Two, it wouldn't work on voters who are outside of the MAGA bubble, as normal people tend to be turned off by slander and overt disinformation.

But curiously this email did not come from Trump or Lake or any other figures associated with the ethics-free world of MAGA campaigning. It came, readers may not be surprised to learn, from the campaign of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate. The conventional wisdom in Washington has long been that Kennedy is running a spoiler campaign against President Joe Biden, trying to siphon off enough Democratic votes that Donald Trump wins the election. After all, Kennedy used to be a Democrat and his name is so famous his family had to hold a presser disavowing his candidacy.

The Kennedy family are doing a live press conference today to endorse Biden. They have big concerns about RFK Jr using their name and the threat he causes to our Democracy. pic.twitter.com/VGQgzbq7P1  Dobie lover. Say goodbye Trump 4 good in 2024 (@GallihughDeb) April 18, 2024

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This email, however, seems squarely aimed at would-be Trump voters, the only people so soaked in pandemic paranoia and conspiracy theories that any of this would even make sense to them. It's a weird choice for someone trying to undermine Biden's chances! It makes sense, however, if we assume that Kennedy's main priority with his fake run for president is not to spoil the race, but to draw attention and recruit new marks for his longstanding anti-vaccination grift. If you're looking for gullible people who will give you money to lie to them, you will be far more successful appealing to Trump voters than Biden voters.

For months, polls have shown that Kennedy is taking away more voters from Biden than Trump, based mostly on Democrats who are dissatisfied with Biden and who knew little about Kennedy besides his name. That's shifted recently. A new NBC News poll shows Biden is two points behind Trump in a two-way race, but two points ahead of Trump if Kennedy is an option. In a Marist poll, Biden's three-point lead widens to five points if Kennedy is on the ballot. It appears the more voters learn about Kennedy  that he's anti-vaccine, a conspiracy theorist, and an all-around weirdo  the more Democrats are turned off and the more MAGA voters are intrigued.

Hoping he would be a spoiler to benefit Trump, wealthy Republicans have been donating heavily to Kennedy, making them his main source of funding. It's not unreasonable to believe, therefore, that he's in this race to hurt Biden. But the likelier possibility is that Kennedy is in this as an old-fashioned grift, and cares less about the outcome of the race than in getting attention and making money.

Some crucial context is that Kennedy is the head of an anti-vaccine group that notoriously peddled medical disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic to great profit. As the Washington Post reported, Kennedy's group "received $23.5 million in contributions, grants and other revenue in 2022 alone  eight times what it collected the year before the pandemic began." Kennedy's salary from running the organization doubled due to this windfall, from $255,000 before the pandemic to over half a million in 2022. With the pandemic functionally over, so are the vast majority of vaccine mandates. That is bad news for anti-vaccination organizations, who depended on the hysteria over mandatory vaccines to raise money.

It's not a leap, therefore, to see that Kennedy is likely running for president to find a new source of suckers who will give him money. (And attention, which also seems a big motivating factor.) The first set of rubes were those rich GOP donors. But those people are fairweather funders, who will abandon him the moment he's no longer useful. The real money, in the longer term, is in becoming a cult-like leader for QAnon adhernts and other credulous people who may not be rich but are numerous. By targeting MAGA in his search for dummies, Kennedy is simply following that adage: Go hunting where the ducks are.

The QAnon angle is one that is often overlooked when discussing Kennedy, but shouldn't be. One of the most popular QAnon prophecies is that Kennedy's deceased first cousin, John F. Kennedy Jr., is secretly alive and will make his triumphant return to the public eye in 2024 when he is announced as Trump's running mate. It's likely not a coincidence, then, that earlier this month, Kennedy tweeted, "President Trump calls me an ultra-left radical. Im soooo liberal that his emissaries asked me to be his VP. I respectfully declined the offer."

For many QAnon believers, it's not much of a leap to get them to wonder if the Kennedy of their prophecy is actually RFK, and not his dead cousin. If so, they are going to be angry with Trump for screwing up the plan.

Kennedy was responding to Trump claiming that he's a "leftist radical," which shows Trump is worried about his own people abandoning him for Kennedy. Reporting from Politico confirms that it's not just Trump, either, but the larger GOP that is starting to fret. Kennedy is starting to pull small-dollar donors away from Trump. In turn, Trump's campaign and allies are starting to badmouth Kennedy more.

To be certain, the Biden campaign still has much to worry about when it comes to Kennedy. Low-information Democratic voters who just see the name and throw their vote away are a very real threat. But Sarah Longwell, the never-Trump data specialist who publishes The Bulwark, argued on a recent podcast that there's "a real opportunity" for the Biden campaign to push some Trump voters towards Kennedy. She notes that, in her focus groups, what Trump voters say they like about Kennedy is that "he is defying his family."

"What do Republicans like more than anything else?" she said. "Somebody of the libs who's hitting the libs." She reminded listeners that Trump used to be coded this way, as a former Democrat who has turned on his party. Now Kennedy can be this liberal-triggering agent they can use to taunt people they hate, which has long mattered more to MAGA than policy concerns. Already, Kennedy has higher favorability ratings with Republican voters than Democrats.

There are signs that the Biden campaign is aware of this and is trying to find ways to sell Kennedy to MAGA voters. The Kennedy family press conference, for instance. Most media took it at face value, as the Kennedys trying to discourage Democratic voters from backing their black sheep of a relative. But there may have been another, more important audience: MAGA voters. The message to those voters is that the best way to make the Kennedys cry, perhaps even better than voting for Trump, is to vote for RFK Jr. Similarly, billboards that put Kennedy in a MAGA hat and call him a "spoiler for Trump" aren't just about making Democrats dislike Kennedy. They will also make Trump voters more interested in switching to Kennedy.

This @DNC billboard will be greeting @RobertKennedyJr in Scottsdale. Reminder:



 RFK Jr. was recruited to run by Trump allies



 His candidacy is being propped up by Trumps largest donor



 His own campaign staffer said the campaign's top goal is stopping President Biden pic.twitter.com/d0fIK79FmJ  Matt Corridoni (@mattcorridoni) April 22, 2024

None of this is an argument for complacency. Kennedy is still a major threat to Biden, due to those low-information voters who may not know he's an anti-vaccination conspiracy theorist. This race promises to be chaotic as it is, and introducing third-party spoilers makes it all the more unpredictable. Kennedy, whose main goals are money and attention, might discover he can start getting more wealthy Republican donors if he shifts tactics again. All sorts of terrible things could happen.

For now, the state of play appears to be this: Kennedy's main goal appears to be pulling in marks for his anti-vaccination grift. That means he's got a lot more reason to make a play for MAGA voters than Biden voters. Especially if Trump continues down his path of total self-absorption, Kennedy has a real opportunity to chip off some of his voters by speaking to their esoteric concerns about vaccine mind control and other imaginary threats. The polls suggest this is already happening, and there could be many more chances down the line for MAGA voters to consider giving Kennedy a chance.
After multiple law enforcement officers were shot Monday in east Charlotte, road closures and transit delays have impacted the area while authorities continue to conduct an investigation.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say people should stay clear of the 5000 block of Galway Drive, where officers are on the scene.

The Charlotte Area Transit System also announced route delays due to the incident. City buses traveling through Interstate 77 and Interstate 277 will be delayed, CATS said in a statement.

Eastbound Gold Line services, which were stopped due to emergency vehicles blocking the tracks from Elizabeth & Hawthorne Station to Sunnyside Station, resumed around 5 p.m., according to a post from CATS on X.

Devonshire Elementary School, Briarwood Academy, Cochrane Collegiate, and Lawrence Orr Elementary Schools were placed in modified lockdown while the scene remained active Monday afternoon, said Susan Vernon-Devlin, CMS spokesperson. The lockdown was lifted just before 4 p.m., CMS said in a statement.

We have just received the all-clear from CMPD for the CMS schools that were placed in lockdown, said CMS. Those schools are Devonshire ES, Briarwood Academy, Cochrane Collegiate and Lawrence Orr ES. The lockdown has been lifted. The schools will begin or continue dismissal. Transportation will be impacted for all schools during dismissal.
MANILA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Philippine troops killed five alleged members of Dawlah Islamiya (DI), an Islamic militant group, during clashes in the southern Philippines before dawn on Monday, the military said.

The military said five government soldiers were also wounded in the fighting that broke out before 4 a.m. local time in Munai town in Lanao del Norte province.

The government troops were conducting combat operations in Munai town when they ran into 12 militants, triggering a 45-minute firefight, resulting in the death of the three militants.

The troops clashed with another group of militants around 6:30 a.m. while they were pursuing the fleeing armed groups, killing two more militants.

The government troops recovered two high-powered firearms, two bandoliers, a rifle grenade, and a handheld radio, the military added.

The DI is behind several atrocities in Mindanao, including the bombing at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City in Lanao del Sur province in December last year, which left four people dead and 50 others injured. 
Ron DeSantis Reportedly Ready To Do What He Mocked Others For After Trump Meeting

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who once mocked Republicans who kiss the ring to stay in Donald Trumps good graces, is reportedly ready to do that himself after meeting with the former president on Sunday.

The Washington Post said it was friendly, lasted several hours and ended with DeSantis agreeing to help Trump. The former presidents team is looking for DeSantis to get his donors to open their wallets for the Trump campaign, which has been struggling to raise money.

Florida real estate investor Steve Witkoff arranged the meeting and attended, according to the Post.

NBC News said DeSantis reached out to Trumps team several weeks ago to arrange the meeting and discuss fundraising.

Once close allies, the two became bitter rivals when DeSantis challenged Trump for the Republican nomination.

Trump claimed DeSantis came to him crying as he begged for his endorsement for governor in 2018. After he got that endorsement, DeSantis released a weird campaign ad about how obsessed with Trump he was.

DeSantis, for his part, slammed Trumps demands for loyalty and those in the party who were too quick to give it.

You can be the most worthless Republican in America. But if you kiss the ring, hell say youre wonderful, DeSantis said in January ahead of the Iowa caucuses. You can be the strongest, most dynamic, successful Republican and conservative in America  but if you dont kiss that ring, then hell try to trash you.

DeSantis dropped out shortly afterward and endorsed Trump, but has done little to help the campaign. In February, he called out conservative media for its fealty to the former president with a reference to Trumps infamous claim he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and wouldnt lose any support.

Well, I think he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, and the conservative media wouldnt even report on it, DeSantis reportedly said on a call with his supporters. I think they have made the decision that their business model just doesnt work if they offer any criticism of Trump.

The Washington Post noted that DeSantis remains widely loathed among those in Trumps inner circle, and The New York Times said DeSantis was not believed to be a contender for the vice presidential slot.

Still, DeSantis could be an effective fundraiser: He and his main super PAC blew through an estimated $160 million in his doomed presidential effort, the Times reported earlier this year.
Ron DeSantis is apparently considering helping the man who once called him Ron DeSancitmonius, Meatball Ron, and Pudding Fingers.



DeSantis privately met with Donald Trump in Miami Sunday morning, according to The Washington Post. Trumps hope is that DeSantis will help him raise a lot of money for his presidential campaign, as the former president grows increasingly desperate for cash.



Trump and DeSantis clashed very early on in the 2024 presidential race, with DeSantis becoming an early favorite of Republican donors eager to shed Trump and his baggage, in spite (or possibly because) of the Florida governors disturbing authoritarian streak. A story that DeSantis once ate pudding with his fingers became fodder for an entire campaign ad from a Trump-aligned political action committee. Trump had quite a few nicknames for the Florida governor, calling him Meatball Ron, Rob, Ron DeSanctimonious, and Ron DeSanctus and even went as far as to call him a groomer.

In the end, DeSantis failed to gain ground on Trump in the polls, quickly alienating voters with his weird people skills and mannerisms. Nikki Haley ended up overtaking him among Republican voters desperate for an alternative to Trump, and DeSantis dropped out of the race in January.

Now, DeSantis is probably looking at the future and seeing that he doesnt have one without at least tolerance from Trump. The two reportedly havent spoken since the primaries, even though DeSantis endorsed Trump the day he dropped out. The fact that DeSantis scoffed at a proposal for Florida to pay Trumps legal bills probably didnt help, and who can blame him? The former presidents bills keep piling up, and he reportedly cant even pay his legal counsel.
Rudy Giuliani issued some bold advice to leaders of the Republican party on Monday: pull the same stunt that Donald Trump was impeached over.

They should bring over from Ukraine about 20 Ukrainian witnessesI can get emthat are still being held there, Giuliani said on Newsmax, addressing House Speaker Mike Johnson and Representative Jim Jordan. Somebody should lean on Zelenskiy. You want another penny, give us your Biden file.

Holy shit! Rudy is now telling Mike Johnson & Jim Jordan to do exactly what Trump was impeached for: Somebody should lean on Zelensky. You want another penny, give us your Biden file.



And we are supposed to believe that Trump & Rudy didnt do this? pic.twitter.com/IFH4uDzsyH  Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 29, 2024

But that scheme has already been triedby Giuliani himself. Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Giuliani took to Ukraine to connect with officials in his effort to find dirt on the Bidens that could potentially hurt then-presidential candidate Joe Bidens chances at taking the White House.



That plan blew up in his face when it resulted in Trumps first formal impeachment by the House of Representatives, which adopted two articles of impeachment in December 2019 after they determined Trump had solicited the aid of foreign governments in the 2020 election.

But the bombshell would have lingering ramifications when Giulianis conspiracy was utilized as fodder for a House probe into Hunter Bidens business dealings, with Republicans accusing Joe Biden of orchestrating a political cover-up in the Eastern European nation while serving as vice president in order to protect his sons seat on the board of Ukrainian oil company Burisma. In February, the singular witness supporting that astounding allegation reportedly admitted that the whole narrative was actually hand-crafted by top Russian intelligence officials.

And despite it being generally bad practice to lean on foreign governments, Giuliani is, arguably, the worst political operative to take advice from when it comes to involving other countries in campaigns against domestic political opponents. None of his previous efforts have seemed to work out for him. The man once affectionately known as Americas mayor is currently named as one of more than a dozen co-conspirators in the Georgia election interference case, and just last week was named in an Arizona indictment charging another slew of Republican officials and Trump allies for their alleged involvement in a scheme to overturn the states 2020 presidential election results.
Russian occupation forces launched a missile attack on Poltava Oblast on the afternoon of 29 April, fortunately without any strikes or casualties.

Source: Filip Pronin, the Head of Poltava Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "The enemy attacked Poltava Oblast. The sounds of explosions were heard in Myrhorod district. Fortunately, there were no casualties. There were no strikes to either civilian or critical infrastructure.

We thank our Defence Forces for their protection. Glory to Ukraine!"

Background: An air-raid warning was declared in Ukraines northeastern oblasts on 29 April, as the Air Force reported that the Russians had fired missiles at Myrhorod.

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Russia will showcase captured British armoured vehicles alongside a haul of seized Nato equipment in Moscow to coincide with its Victory Day celebrations commemorating the end of the Second World War.

The month-long exhibition will feature 30 different vehicles from 12 countries, including German Leopard 2 tanks and American Bradley infantry fighting vehicles seized on the battlefields of Ukraine, the Russian defence ministry said.

Footage of the line-up of Western hardware shared on social media appeared to show a British-donated Mastiff and Husky armoured vehicles, the latter adorned with the British and Nato flags.

A Russian soldier looks at a British Mastiff armoured vehicle, which was captured in Ukraine - Getty Images

Unverified video shared by Russian sources also purports to show the wreckage of an American-made Abrams main battle tank that was recently captured in fighting near the Ukrainian city of Avdiivka being transported to be displayed in Moscows Victory Park.

Victory Park is an open-air museum in the Russian capital opened to commemorate the defeat of Nazi Germany during the Second World War.

But in recent years it has become a homage to Russias invasion of Ukraine, celebrating claimed successes against Ukrainian militants and their Western supporters.

The Russian defence ministry said the new display would contain vehicles and small arms from foreign armies, combat documents, maps, ideological literature and equipment.

Other vehicles to be showcased include the Swedish CV90 fighting vehicle, the French AMX-10 mini tank and a British Saxon armoured personnel carrier, which was donated to Kyiv in 2015.

A correspondent from the Zvezda Russian military channel praised the condition of a captured German-made Marder fighting vehicle, claiming: It is in almost perfect condition, but you can see slight dents from impacts, probably from FPV [first person-view] drones.

A similar event was held last year at Patriot Park near Moscow, where Russia also showcased a series of captured Western military equipment, likely lost by Ukraine during its summer counter-offensive.

M113 carriers on display

On display were American-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, which will also be featured in this years exhibition, and an intact, cruise missile.

Kyivs forces lost a number of vehicles that became bogged down in vast Russian minefields and were eventually abandoned by Ukrainian troops retreating under heavy Russian artillery and drone bombardments.

The Telegraph cannot confirm whether the equipment on display this year was newly captured.

Ukrainian forces recently withdrew their fleet of Abrams tanks from the frontline after five confirmed losses, US officials said.

Ukraines 47th Brigade, the only unit to operate the American tanks, disputed this claim.

Russian state media has filmed the wreckage of what appears to be an Abrams, its tracks blown off and its hull charred from a likely drone hit, being towed behind a Soviet-era tank.

Pro-Kremlin sources suggested that it was being taken to Moscow as part of the celebrations.

The tank was said to have been captured following the recent battle of Berdychi, a village to the West of Avdiivka, which Ukrainian forces withdrew from over the weekend.

Ukraine has also put destroyed Russian tanks on display in central Kyiv, but its forces normally repurpose captured vehicles for use on the battlefield.

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned Western countries against seizing its assets in a statement Sunday.

In a post on Telegram, Zakharova quoted reporting from The Wall Street Journal that said Germany was arguing in favor of leaving Russias frozen assets intact, so they could be used later as leverage to encourage Russia to cede some of the Ukrainian territory it invaded.

Zakharova said Russia would not cede territory and threatened a harsh response if Western countries seized its assets.

I dont know who is saying what, but assets do not change on the territory. We dont trade our homeland, Zakharova wrote on Telegram, according to an English version via Google Translate.

And Russian assets must remain inviolable, otherwise there will be a harsh response to Western theft. And many in the West have already understood this. Its a pity that not all, the translation continued.

Under the new U.S. foreign aid package signed into law this past week, U.S. officials have new authority to seize Russian state assets located in the U.S. and use them to benefit Kyiv. At the start of the war, U.S. and its allies froze about $300 billion in Russian foreign holdings, about $5 billion of which is located in the U.S.

While that could mean another $5 billion in assistance for Ukraine, its not likely the U.S. will seize the assets without agreement from other members of the Group of Seven nations and the European Union.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Russian forces attacked the village of Kizomys in Kherson Oblast on April 29, killing a 60-year-old man, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said.

Residential areas were targeted in the Russian attack on the village, according to Prokudin. The man reportedly died from severe injuries en route to the hospital.

Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the western bank of the Dnipro River in November 2022.

Russian troops were pushed to the east of the river, from where they have been regularly targeting the liberated areas, often inflicting civilian casualties.

Russian forces launched attacks against 18 settlements of Kherson Oblast over the past day, damaging five houses, a kindergarten, critical and transport infrastructure facilities, and an agricultural enterprise, the local authorities said.

Read also: Russian attacks against Ukraine injure 7 over past day

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Russian attacks against Ukraine injured seven over the past day, regional authorities said early on April 29.

Russia targeted a total of nine Ukrainian oblasts  Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Luhansk, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk. Casualties were reported in the latter three regions.

Russian attacks on the town of Krasnohorivka and the villages of Ptyche and Zhelanne in Donetsk Oblast injured three people, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

In Kharkiv Oblast, Russian troops attacked a house in the town of Kupiansk, injuring a 35-year-old woman and 52-year-old man, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Another 59-year-old man was reportedly wounded in an attack on the village of Strilecha.

In the village of Bairak, a 48-year-old man was hospitalized after being injured by a mine, the governor said. The incident is not included in the tally of injuries that occured due to attacks over the past day.

Russian shelling and guided aerial bomb also damaged two houses and an enterprise in the town of Vovchansk, according to Syniehubov.

A Russian attack against the Zaporizhzhia district injured a man, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Russian troops launched over 340 strikes against 10 settlements in the region over the past day, according to Fedorov. A total of 12 residential buildings were damaged, he added.

Read also: Russia attacks Ukraine with 9 drones overnight, damaging hotel in Mykolaiv

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Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, received Yang Wanming, President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Azernews reports.

The head of state hailed the high level of Azerbaijan-China political relations and noted the significant revitalization in bilateral relations recently. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the very active joint work in the transportation sector, highlighting the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor as part of the Middle Corridor. The head of state praised the progress in terms of investment. Thus, Chinese companies are investing larger amounts of capital in Azerbaijan. The head of state also mentioned ongoing consultations between Azerbaijan and China regarding the hosting of COP29 in the country. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized the broad humanitarian agenda and expressed confidence that Yang Wanming's visit to Azerbaijan would contribute to the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Expressing gratitude for the reception, Yang Wanming first conveyed the greetings and best wishes of Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, to President Ilham Aliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev expressed gratitude for the greetings and asked Yang Wanming to communicate his greetings to President Xi Jinping.

Yang Wanming highlighted that under the leadership of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and today under President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has made significant developmental strides, achieved political stability, attained economic growth, improved the welfare of its population, and rightfully secured its place in the international arena. He noted that all these achievements have been possible as a result of the successful policies of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev.

Fondly recalling that he had previously sent a congratulatory letter on President Ilham Aliyev's victory in the presidential election, he described Ilham Aliyev's re-election as a manifestation of the Azerbaijani people confidence in him and their optimism for the future.

Yang Wanming commended the steady development of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties, emphasizing the role of President Ilham Aliyevs visits to China, his meetings with President Xi Jinping, and the excellent personal relationship between the leaders of the two countries in strengthening bilateral bonds.

Describing Azerbaijan as a very important partner for China, Yang Wanming noted that his country attaches great importance to cooperation with Azerbaijan. He noted that Azerbaijan was one of the first countries to support the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, expressing confidence that the Trans-Caspian Corridor would contribute to the realization of this initiative, including the development of the entire transportation hub of Azerbaijan.

Yang Wanming underlined that his country would always support the respect shown to Azerbaijan's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, expressing confidence in enduring mutual trust between the two countries.

He acknowledged China's support for Azerbaijan in organizing COP29 and expressed confidence that this event would be successful under President Ilham Aliyevs leadership.

Yang Wanming, highlighting the National Leader's role in developing the relationship between China and Azerbaijan, stated: "When we talk about China-Azerbaijan relations, we must acknowledge the contributions of your father, Heydar Aliyev. The Chinese people remember well: Shortly after his election as President, in 1994, Heydar Aliyev visited China and, along with the Chinese leadership of the time, laid a strong foundation for the relations between our nations. Heydar Aliyev also visited a Chinese village and interacted with ordinary people, an event that has remained in the memories of the Chinese people. Today, by continuing your father's policy, you have visited China six times. The Chinese people hold you in high respect."

He highlighted the successful cooperation with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, noting that in 2023, the 100th anniversary of the National Leader was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Beijing. Yang Wanming, mentioning that his visit to Azerbaijan was at the invitation of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, underscored that the Foundation is a trusted institution with which China has a strong partnership. He pointed out that many joint projects, particularly, related to expansion of ties among youth, have been implemented in collaboration with the Heydar Aliyev Foundation over the years. Wanming expressed his confidence that the partnership with the Foundation would grow stronger and that the scope of cooperation would expand. He also indicated their readiness to contribute to the development of humanitarian, tourism, youth fields, and interregional cooperation.

Wanming touched upon the connections within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), highlighting the importance of Azerbaijan's status as a dialogue partner in the organization.

Expressing gratitude for the kind words, the head of state emphasized that his meetings with the President of the People's Republic of China have given a strong impetus to development of bilateral relations. President Ilham Aliyev fondly recalled his most recent meeting with Xi Jinping, noting that during this meeting, they discussed many important issues and reaffirmed the prospects for cooperation.

The head of state highlighted that the National Leader, Heydar Aliyev, had a strong belief in the potential for growth and a bright future for Azerbaijan-China relations, and invested great efforts to achieve it. The President of Azerbaijan noted that the National Leader's first official visit to China in 1994 laid the groundwork for the relationship.

As someone who continues the National Leader's policy across all sectors, the head of state emphasized his commitment to furthering Azerbaijan-China relations. He noted that through combined efforts, relations in political, economic and other fields will continue to successfully develop within the framework of solid cooperation.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that the close cooperation between the association led by Yang Wanming and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation has significantly contributed to the development of Azerbaijan-China relations.

The head of state noted that Azerbaijan fully supports the One Belt, One Road initiative introduced by Xi Jinping. By establishing comprehensive transportation infrastructure within its territory, Azerbaijan spares no effort in realizing this project through its contacts with neighboring countries.
NAIROBI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and some injured when an improvised explosive device went off at a town in Mandera County near the border between Kenya and Somalia on Monday, witnesses said.

The police said the blast occurred near a police camp. The victims, according to witnesses, are four non-locals and a local one. But the police had not confirmed the numbers.

The police said they believe the incident was set up by al-Shabab terrorists or their remnants operating in the area that borders Somalia.

The explosion may also have been set up by locals who are extremists and hiding behind al-Shabab terrorists, local officials said. 
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov meets with his counterparts of the GCC member states

(Reuters) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov visited Sudan on Monday in a signal of support for the Sudanese army which is locked in a year-long war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Bogdanov, also a special representative for the Middle East and Africa, met Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in the Red Sea City of Port Sudan, a base for the army and government officials since the RSF took over large parts of the capital Khartoum early in the conflict.

Bogdanov said his visit could lead to increased cooperation and expressed support for "the existing legitimacy in the country represented by the Sovereign Council", according to a statement from the council, which is headed by Burhan.

There has been uncertainty around Russia's allegiances in Sudan due to its ties with RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, who visited Moscow on the eve of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The same year, Western diplomats in Khartoum said Russian private military group Wagner was involved in illicit gold mining in Sudan and was spreading disinformation. Wagner said last year that it was no longer operating in Sudan.

Russia, which has previously shown interest in a naval base on Sudan's Red Sea coast, began deliveries of diesel to Sudan earlier this month, according to LSEG data.

(Reporting by Jaidaa Ahmad; writing by Aidan Lewis; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian forces advanced at points along the front line in Ukraine on Monday, taking a village in the Donetsk region, gaining better positions in the Kharkiv region and repelling a number of Ukrainian attacks, Russia's defence ministry said.

Russia controls about 18% of Ukraine - in the east and south - and has been gaining ground since the failure of Kyiv's 2023 counter-offensive to make any serious inroads against well dug-in Russian troops.

President Vladimir Putin in February ordered Russian troops to push further into Ukraine after the fall of the town of Avdiivka where he said Ukrainian troops had been forced to flee in chaos. Ukraine said it withdrew from Avdiivka.

Russia's defence ministry said its troops had taken the village of Semenivka, northwest of Avdiivka. Russia said it had defeated Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries in a number of other villages in the area.

Russia also reported defeating Ukrainian troops in the areas of Synkivka in the Kharkiv region and at a number of other points along the front line. It also said it had struck Ukrainian drone workshops.

Ukraine's general staff said that its troops had repelled enemy attacks near Semenivka, and reported that its soldiers had repelled a number of other Russian attacks.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify battlefield accounts from either side. Both sides have restrictions on journalists covering the conflict.

Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people and triggered the biggest crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

The West and Ukraine say they will not rest until Russian forces are defeated, and cast the war as an imperial-style land grab aimed at forcing the country back into Moscow's orbit.

But Russia has been rearming faster than the West, has a larger army than before the invasion and has a population several times larger than Ukraine which is trying to draft more men into its army.

Russia says it will achieve all its aims in what it calls the "special military operation" in Ukraine, parts of which Moscow now says it considers to be Russian territory.

Russia casts the war as a battle with the West, which Putin says ignored Moscow's attempt at friendship after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union and sought to grab control of Ukraine while enlarging the NATO military alliance eastwards.

On Sunday, the Russian defence ministry announced the capture of Novobakhmutivka, another village close to Ocheretyne, which has become a focal point of fighting in recent days.

"Russian forces will likely continue to make tactical gains in the Avdiivka direction in the coming weeks," said the Institute for the Study of War, a research organization which says it is committed to helping achieve U.S. strategic objectives.

"The next line of defensible settlements in the area is some distance from the Ukrainian defensive line that Russian forces have been attacking since the seizure of Avdiivka in mid-February 2024," it said.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Andrew Heavens)
Russian forces attacked seven communities along the Sumy Oblast border on April 29, destroying a school building, the regional military administration reported. At least 73 explosions were recorded.

The communities of Myropillia, Yampil, Yunakivka, Krasnopillia, Seredyna-Buda, Znob-Novhorodske, and Mykolaiv were targeted.

A school building was destroyed in Yampil as a result of Russian aerial attacks. No civilian casualties were reported.

Throughout the day, Russia assailed the border communities with mortar, artillery, missiles, mines, and drone attacks.

The town of Seredyna-Buda experienced the most attacks, with 28 explosions recorded in the area. Located just a few kilometers from the Russia-Ukraine border, this town has become a frequent target of attack for Russian forces.

Sumy Oblast borders Russia's Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts. Russian attacks against the region have become increasingly destructive in recent weeks, killing and injuring civilians.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Attack on Odesa kills 4, injures 29

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German news magazine Spiegel has reported that a Russian citizen, 57, suspected of murdering two Ukrainian soldiers in the German city of Murnau on 27 April may have been drunk. The motive for the murder has not yet been established.

Source: European Pravda, citing Spiegel

Details: The crime took place in a shopping centre in Murnau, in an area "where people meet and drink beer", German police explained.

Police detained the suspect, a 57-year-old Russian citizen, in his flat. He surrendered without resistance. The Russian was drunk and confessed to the crime, saying he had quarrelled with the Ukrainian men.

There is no information yet on whether alcohol was found in the blood of the Ukrainians.

The police believe that the men may have known each other. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk that some witnesses had seen the men together before.

Herrmann noted that "there are no convincing signs" that "this was, so to speak, a reflection of the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine". Rather, Herrmann said, there are indications that "all the parties (to the dispute) had drunk a lot of alcohol".

Background:

The report that two men had been critically injured in Murnau was received at around 17:20 on Saturday (27 April). By the time the paramedics arrived, one of the men was dead. The second man, who also had serious injuries, passed away in hospital shortly afterwards.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported that the two Ukrainians murdered in Germany were soldiers who had been undergoing treatment in Bavaria after being injured in the combat zone.

A 57-year-old Russian man suspected of the murder was remanded in custody in the city of Murnau in Germany.

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Over March and April, Russian airpower launched a new wave of mass attacks on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.

Energy generating facilities, in particular coal-fired and hydroelectric power plants, have come under the heaviest attacks. For the first time, Russia destroyed or damaged several of Ukraine's biggest power stations, including the Trypilska power station just outside Kyiv.

This new wave of Russian attacks, exploiting the growing shortage of key air defense systems and ammunition, is forcing Ukraine to once again call for help.

The situation brings up memories of the winter and early spring of 2022-2023 when Russia was also targeting energy infrastructure, forcing nearly the entire country to live with rolling blackouts, as the shortage of air defense assets was sorely felt.

However, circumstances have changed  in 2023, Russia began to produce thousands of Iranian-designed Shahed-type kamikaze drones and fitted Soviet-era aerial bombs with cheap gliding kits.

Despite Western sanctions, Russia also continues to produce cruise and ballistic missiles using Western microelectronics.

Over the past year, Ukraine has received a diverse portfolio of Western air defense assets, including a handful of long-awaited Patriot and SAMP/T systems, capable of hitting hypersonic and ballistic missiles.

Now, the stocks of these Western systems have been themselves depleted. Although the U.S. Congress finally passed funding for the renewal of military aid deliveries to Ukraine, Kyiv's long-term ability to protect its airspace remains uncertain.

Window of opportunity for Russia

The mix of attacks on strategic facilities and systematic strikes with guided bombs on the front-line areas indicates that Moscow sees a window of opportunity when Ukrainian air defense forces may be most vulnerable, said director of Defense Express Center Serhii Zgurets to the Kyiv Independent.

Though energy facilities were hit across Ukraine, the hardest hit were those in regions close to the front line  in Zaporizhzhia, the country's largest hydroelectric power plant was put out of operation, while much of the energy infrastructure of the country's second-largest city, Kharkiv, was practically destroyed.

The aftermath of a Russian strike on the Dnipro Dam in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, on March 22, 2024. (Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal/Telegram)

In Kharkiv, Russian forces began firing modernized gliding bombs for the first time  these can overcome air defense systems and glide more than 70 kilometers inland.

One of the best-defended regions of Ukraine, Kyiv and its outskirts, also came under attack.

On April 11, the Kremlin used the newest Kh-69 cruise missiles to destroy the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant, overwhelming air defense near the Ukrainian capital.

As described by President Volodymyr Zelensky after the attack, seven out of the 11 missiles that flew in the direction of the station were shot down, while the rest got through due to a shortage of surface-to-air missiles (SAM).

According to Mykhailo Liuksikov, editor-in-chief of Ukrainian defense media outlet Militarnyi, the March-April attacks indicate Russias ability to adapt its long-range strike strategy.

KTRV Kh-69 cruise missile presented at military-technical forum Army-2022, Park Patriot, Moscow region, Russian Federation. (Wikimedia)

The expert specifies that the location and concentration of Ukrainian air defense systems have been adjusted taking into account previous Russian attacks when they tried to hit targets deep inside the country.

They have changed tactics, if they used to be able to hit Lviv, western Ukraine with Shaheds, now the same drones are used to hit Kharkiv, which is close to the contact line. The concentration of air defense and missile defense assets that we have was adjusted to the past attacks in the rear," Liuksikov said.

Ukraines air defense today

In early 2023, the worsening shortage of ammunition for Ukraines Soviet-era air defense systems, in particular the S-300 and Buk, was being sorely felt.

It soon became clear that to protect its airspace, Ukraine would have to transition to an air defense architecture based primarily around Western-built systems.



According to Defense Express, Ukraine employs eight primary types of Western-built surface-to-air missile systems. For longer ranges, Ukraine uses the U.S.-built Patriot, French-Italian SAMP-T, and German IRIS-T systems.

For more localized defense of cities and strategic facilities, Ukraine boasts the U.S.-built Hawk, NASAMS, and Avenger, as well as the Italian-built Skyguard-Aspide and French Crotale.

The exact number of all systems in Ukraine is unknown, but experts note that the proportion of Western systems in the air defense forces has increased since 2023.

Now most of the work is done by the American, German, Italian complexes, according to Zgurets. They carry the main load, as it was in previous weeks.

Over the past year, the total number of Western-built systems such as NASAMS and Iris-T in service increased by 23 times, a source in the Air Force said to the Kyiv Independent.

The percentage of Western-style systems in the air defense system will continue to increase because there is nothing to replace the old Soviet systems. It breaks, the enemy destroys them. But the main problem is missiles for them, the source said.

A NASAMS surface-to-air missile launcher is seen in production at the assembly line of the Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace weapons factory in Kongsberg, Norway on Jan. 30, 2023. (Petter Berntsen/AFP via Getty Images)

Whether Western or Soviet-era, Ukraine is completely dependent on the West for air defense missiles, the source added.

There has always been a shortage of missiles, and there will always be, he said.

We cannot produce either Soviet missiles or Western missiles, and we are completely dependent on the West.

With only Russia producing spare parts and missiles for Soviet systems, it became a challenge for Ukraine and Western partners to find ways to keep these systems operational.

Kyiv is working on two ways to solve this problem, according to Colonel Hennadii Kovalenko, director of the Defense Ministrys Department of International Defense Cooperation.

Kovalenkos team continues to look for missiles for the older systems around the world, with the help of third-party countries like the U.S. and U.K., he said to the Kyiv Independent.

Ukraine, in partnership with the U.S., has also launched the FrankenSAM project, which aims to integrate Western missiles into Soviet systems.

Under FrankenSAM, three programs are in the works: the modernization of the S-300 to use Patriots PAC-3 modification missiles, the modernization of the Buk to use the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles, as well as the development of a new complex for the use of AIM-9 missiles.

I don't want to say numbers, but the first two directions are being successfully implemented, and we can already use Western missiles for Soviet-era SAMs, Kovalenko said.

In January 2024, Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin said that Ukraine shot down a Shahed-type drone for the first time with the FrankenSAM hybrid system, though he didnt disclose which exact modification of the SAM carried out the strike.

Read also: Russia throws thousands of troops to capture Chasiv Yar. Why is it so important?

Reinforcement coming

On the back of the new wave of strikes, Ukraine has gone on a diplomatic offensive to meet the urgent need for more air defense.

On March 19, the 20th meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine's Defense took place at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Col. Kovalenko, who was present at the negotiations, notes that the discussion of air defense was the most topical and blatant.

Our critical needs are Patriot, we need more than 10 of them. NASAMS and IRIS-T  also a lot, the number is approximately the same, the Ukrainian representative said, noting that Ukraine can likely expect additional Patriot systems from new partner countries.

According to Kovalenko, Ukraine needs 30 Patriot systems, as well as 70 NASAMS and IRIS-T systems each as part of its overall requirements.

Early signs show that to an extent, Western partners are taking the issue seriously.

Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the unit of the mobile air defense group shoot down enemy drones using the ZU-23-2 Soviet 23-mm twin anti-aircraft gun in an undisclosed location in Ukraine on April 16, 2024. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)

Over April, Germany, the U.S., and France have announced aid packages for Ukraine. In addition, Berlin initiated a search for air defense systems required by Ukraine from its allies  on April 18, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that six additional Patriot systems could be delivered to Ukraine.

After the U.S. Congress finally passed $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, the first new package of military assistance was announced, including RIM-7 and AIM-9M missiles for air defense, though no new Patriot systems or missiles were listed.



Ukraine is also eagerly awaiting the transfer of the first F-16 fighters, with the hope that the jets, boasting more advanced weapons and technology systems than Soviet-era aircraft, will also help fight off Russias air attacks.

If we have F-16s with more modern upgrades that have better radars on board, then cruise missiles and Shahed drones that will fly deep into the territory will be easier to shoot down with aircraft, Liuksikov said.

Potentially able to engage Russian fighter-bomber aircraft at a safe distance, F-16s could also protect Ukraine against Russian glide bombs, to which Kyiv currently has few answers.

These aircraft can cover not only the border areas with Russia but primarily the front line, Liuksikov added.

Kovalenko also noted that new countries were expected to join the Fighter Aircraft Coalition soon, adding that in the future Ukraine will possess not only F-16s.

In March, Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson said in an interview with The Kyiv Independent that Stockholm did not exclude the possibility of transferring Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine.

Until they arrive though, the question of whether Western jets can significantly change the situation with the security of Ukrainian skies remains plagued with unknowns.

Factors include whether Ukraine will be able to protect air bases and airfields for F-16s, which could require additional air defense assets.

It also remains to be seen what modifications of the jets will be provided. This directly affects what tasks these airplanes can be used for, and what armament will be on them.

These factors, along with questions about when training will be concluded and when the planes will finally arrive, depend on Ukraines partners.

The main issue, experts believe, remains the number of aircraft actually delivered.

They are unlikely to change the situation on the battlefield dramatically this year, as their number is small, but they can improve the situation with air defense, Liuksikov said.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Today, we discuss the latest news from across Ukraine as Russias grinding advance continues in the east, we delve deeper into the tanks arms race following the news that Ukraine withdraws the American Abrams from frontline service and Francis Dearnley interviews Serhii Kuzan from the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center.

Listen to Ukraine: the Latest, The Telegraphs daily podcast, using the audio player at the top of this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast app.

Davids Defence in Depth:

War in Ukraine is reshaping our world. Every weekday The Telegraphs top journalists analyse the invasion from all angles - military, humanitarian, political, economic, historical - and tell you what you need to know to stay updated.

With over 70 million listens, our Ukraine: The Latest podcast is your go-to source for all the latest analysis, live reaction and correspondents reporting on the ground. We have been broadcasting ever since the full-scale invasion began.

Ukraine: The Latests regular contributors are:

David Knowles

David is Head of Audio Development at The Telegraph, where he has worked for over three years. He has reported from across Ukraine during the full-scale invasion.

Dominic Nicholls

Dom is Associate Editor (Defence) at The Telegraph, having joined in 2018. He previously served for 23 years in the British Army, in tank and helicopter units. He had operational deployments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland.

Francis Dearnley

Francis is Assistant Comment Editor at The Telegraph. Prior to working as a journalist, he was chief of staff to the Chair of the Prime Ministers Policy Board at the Houses of Parliament in London. He studied History at Cambridge University and on the podcast explores how the past shines a light on the latest diplomatic, political, and strategic developments.

They are also regularly joined by Telegraph reporters and correspondents around the world, including Joe Barnes (Brussels Correspondent), James Kilner, (Foreign Correspondent and Editor of the Central Asia & the South Caucasus Bulletin), Sophia Yan (Senior Foreign Correspondent), Nataliya Vasilyeva (Middle East Correspondent), Roland Oliphant (Senior Foreign Correspondent), Colin Freeman (Foreign Correspondent), Danielle Sheridan (Defence Editor), and Tony Diver (US Editor).

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 troops attacked the village of Kizomys in Bilozerka hromada, Kherson Oblast, on the afternoon of 29 April. As a result of the attack, a 60-year-old local resident succumbed to his injuries. (A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories)

Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, the Head of the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "The occupiers attacked Kizomys. They struck people's houses. A 60-year-old local resident was seriously injured."

Details: Prokudin said that the injuries were fatal. The man's heart stopped on the way to the hospital.

Prokudin expressed his condolences to the relatives of the deceased.

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Ukraines National Resistance Center has reported that a youth forum on the development of UAVs has begun in Belarus, where Russians are attempting to "maximise the involvement of young Belarusians in developing and producing" UAVs for the Russian Armed Forces.

Source: Ukraines National Resistance Center (NRC)

Details: The NRC noted that the International Youth Forum on UAV development has started at the Belarusian State Technological University, overseen by Russians.

Quote: "Thus, representatives of the Wagner PMC (Private Military Company) terrorist organisation were spotted at the forum. The forum aims to 'maximise the involvement of young Belarusians in developing and producing UAVs for the Russian Armed Forces'.

The forum is curated by the Secretary of State of the 'union state' Dmitry Mezentsev and Russian Ambassador Boris Gryzlov."

Details: The NRC also added that representatives from the Kazan National Research Technical University, which is engaged in the development of combat UAVs in Russia, have also arrived in Minsk.

Quote: "The university in Kazan is expected to supply scientific personnel to work for the Russian defence industry."

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HONIARA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced on Monday his withdrawal from running for a new term and Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele has been nominated as his coalition's prime minister candidate, national broadcaster SIBC reported on Monday.

The newly founded Coalition for National Unity and Transformation (CNUT), which consists of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party (or OUR Party), the Peoples First Party and Kandere Party, has 19 new members of parliament following the recent national election.

Sogavare said in a press conference that the coalition has now grown to include a formidable force of 28 members of parliament, which would form a majority in the 50-seat parliament.

But he did not say how the coalition could come up with the majority. If it is true, they could have been joined by independent members of parliament or those from other parties.

The OUR Party, now led by Manele, won most seats in the Pacific island country's parliamentary election with 15 members of parliament.

Members of parliament will meet to elect the country's new prime minister on Thursday, Governor General of Solomon Islands David Vunagi said in a written notice.

On Saturday, the opposition Coalition for Accountability Reform and Empowerment (CARE), which consists of the Solomon Islands Democratic Party, the Democratic Alliance Party and the UMI for Change Party, signed a coalition agreement with the Solomon Islands United Party.

These four parties have 20 members of parliament, according to the results of the election held on April 17.

Meanwhile, 10 independent candidates have been elected as members of parliament. The Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement, whose allegiance is not known yet, has one member in the new parliament. 
Russians want to sell appropriated Ukrainians houses in temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast

The Kremlin-appointed leaders of the temporarily occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast have decided to sell the houses and apartments of local residents who have left at preferential loan rates.

Source: Ivan Fedorov, Head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Details: Fedorov noted that the Russians had created a register of "ownerless" housing.

Quote: "If earlier the appropriated real estate was distributed to touring artists, now the occupation authorities have decided to make money on it. Houses and apartments will be sold at preferential loan rates.

The occupiers are coming up with new schemes to make money, ignoring international legal norms and humanitarian principles."

Background: Ukraines National Resistance Center noted that the Russians were introducing a new scheme for the so-called nationalisation of Ukrainian land plots in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

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By Gabriela Baczynska

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine has given a fresh impetus to the European Union's drive to admit more countries, the bloc's chairman said on Monday, adding he hoped the 27-nation club and prospective new members would be ready by 2030.

European Council President Charles Michel spoke ahead of the 20th anniversary on Wednesday of the EU's "Big Bang" enlargement that added 10 mostly ex-communist nations such as Poland and Hungary but also the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus to a bloc that had then comprised just 15 members.

"It was a call of history to unite European countries," Michel told reporters of the 2004 enlargement.

"Twenty years later we face a similar challenge because there is this geo-political chaos, including because of this war by Russia against Ukraine. And facing this chaos is the geo-political strategy to reunify once again."

Michel, a former Belgian prime minister, said the 2004 accession countries had seen their shared gross domestic product (GDP) per capita rise from about half of the EU's average back then to 80% now.

Current applicants to join today's EU of 450 million people include six Balkan countries, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. Ukraine is by far the largest prospective member, with some 40 million and a large farming sector.

"Because of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, there is a new impetus, a reinvigoration of the (EU) enlargement strategy," said Michel.

"It is challenging. But what is the alternative? The alternative would be a terrible, irresponsible mistake from the EU," he said, calling for the EU and candidate countries to carry out by 2030 the reforms necessary for a new enlargement.

The EU sees itself as an economic peace project born from the ashes of World War Two. Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia have also joined since 2004, while Britain is the only country ever to leave, following a 2016 referendum.

Some in the West have grown critical of the EU's eastern expansion following years of feuds over the bloc's liberal democratic values with nationalist governments in Poland and Hungary in recent years.

Wealthy members are also wary about admitting a large, relatively poor nation such as Ukraine, which could suck up too many resources from EU coffers. But Michel said the payoff would be boosting the EU's international clout.

"The EU is one of the three major regional forces across the world together with China and the United States. And with this new enlargement the idea is not only to get bigger. It is also be more influential."

He said Kyiv would need special transition arrangements as it will need to rebuild following the war, while the EU would also have to tread carefully in fully opening up to Ukraine's large population and food exports.

(Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Gareth Jones)
Rutgers students pitched tents near Scott Hall on the university's College Avenue campus on April 29, 2024. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

Hundreds of students pitched tents Monday on Rutgers Universitys campus in New Brunswick, joining a nationwide movement of pro-Palestine solidarity camps that have sprung up at colleges in recent weeks amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Dozens of neon green and white tents popped up on the College Avenue campus after a pro-Palestine rally that drew more than 1,000 students. They called for Rutgers to divest financial holdings linked to Israel, including its partnership with Tel Aviv University. The protests are organized by Students for Justice in Palestine Rutgers and the Endowment Justice Collective.

Its a very peaceful movement. Its meant to educate and organize, but its also meant to disrupt, and we plan on disrupting this campus until we get a response from the administration and meet our demands, said a student organizer, who declined to give his name out of fear of retaliation from university officials, pointing to arrests and discipline students have faced elsewhere.

More than 40 pro-Palestinian encampments have cropped up on college campuses across America where student activists are urging universities to divest from Israel, showing their support for the Palestinian people, and demanding a cease-fire. Some have turned chaotic as police arrested hundreds of protestors at colleges clamping down on the encampments.

Few police were on scene at Rutgers Liberated Zone Monday afternoon. Students were playing music, carrying food and water bottles from cars, studying for finals, and making signs for the encampment zone. People were still arriving as of 6 p.m. Monday to pitch tents.

Student organizers said Rutgers administrators hadnt approached them by late Monday afternoon, and emphasized they expect the encampment to remain peaceful. They said they would remain on the lawns of Voorhees Mall until Rutgers divests  even if it means staying after the semester ends in three weeks.

Rutgers officials said University President Jonathan Holloway has no direct role in any Israel investments but has clearly stated his personal opposition to the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement and reiterated his support for the partnership with Tel Aviv University.

Our students want to make a difference in a struggle that has cost far too many innocent lives and that threatens so many more. I respect their right to protest in ways that do not interfere with university operations or with the ability of their fellow students to learn, Holloway said in a message to students Monday.

Rutgers University students set up a "liberated zone" on April 29, 2024, near the university's Scott Hall on the New Brunswick campus. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

Students launched an encampment at Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus Monday, April 29, 2024, calling on the university to cut all ties to Israel and divest from companies tied to the war. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

Signs held by students during the rally held Monday, April 29, 2024, at Rutgers University against the war in Gaza. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

Students launched an encampment at Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus Monday, April 29, 2024, calling on the university to cut all ties to Israel and divest from companies tied to the war. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

Students launched an encampment at Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus Monday, April 29, 2024, calling on the university to cut all ties to Israel and divest from companies tied to the war. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

Signs at Princeton University's sit-in to demand the school divest from Israel. (Amalie Hindash for New Jersey Monitor)

Signs at Princeton University's sit-in to demand the school divest from Israel. (Amalie Hindash for New Jersey Monitor)

This is at least the second encampment at New Jersey college campuses. Princeton University students erected tents early Thursday in McCosh Courtyard in the heart of the Ivy League schools sprawling campus, but the encampment morphed into a teach-in and sit-in after two graduate students got arrested within minutes of its start. Students face being barred from campus if they disobey police orders after a warning, the Daily Princetonian reported.

Earlier this month, Rutgers students overwhelmingly voted in favor of Rutgers divesting from companies that do business with Israel and cutting ties to Tel Aviv University in a referendum conducted by the Rutgers University Student Assembly, the student governing body. Students also previously staged die-ins to call attention to the casualties in Gaza, where over 34,000 have died since the war started Oct. 7.

Todd Wolfson is the president of the Rutgers AAUP-AFT faculty union. He stressed the unions support for students to exercise their rights to free speech and assembly. The union has not co-signed the list of demands and is not officially part of the encampment, but called for a cease-fire and urged university officials to refrain from suppressing students speech, Wolfson said.

New Jersey and Rutgers can lead this country and show how we do this  allow our students to speak, allow our students to make demands to the university and be a model. It does not have to follow  the model of beating up students who are trying to speak their mind, Wolfson said.

The post Rutgers students launch pro-Palestinian solidarity encampment to protest Gaza war appeared first on New Jersey Monitor.
After making an emotional plea for mercy in a Sacramento courtroom, a Russian-born man guilty of attempting to provide financial support to an anti-government group in Syria was sentenced Monday to 12 years in federal prison.

Murat Kurashev, a 37-year-old father of four, had been facing up to 20 years in prison for what prosecutors say was an effort to support a foreign terrorist organization trying to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by sending $13,000 overseas to couriers for the group.

Kurashev pleaded guilty in January without a plea agreement to a single felony count, and on Monday told Chief U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller that he thought he was helping to support media activists working to expose atrocities by the Assad regime.

I promise I will never make such a mistake again, Kurashev said in a statement interrupted as he broke down recounting violence against Syrian children.

I have four little kids and I love them more than my own life, Kurashev said. Until now, I was never apart from my kids lives for more than one day.

I do not believe in violence. I dont ever want to be part of something that hurts someone.

Prosecutors portrayed him in a different light, writing in court papers that Kurashev sent the money to couriers for Farrukh Fayzimatov, a fundraiser for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a foreign terror group known as HTS.

From review of social media and encrypted mobile messaging discussions between Kurashev and Fayzimatov, it is clear they equate providing money in support of the foreign terrorist organizations fighters as tantamount to being engaged in violent jihad, prosecutors Heiko Coppola and Dmitriy Slavin wrote in arguing for a 20-year term. During these conversations with Fayzimatov, Kurashev mentioned that he wished he could join the fight in Syria as a Mujahideen and regretted that he could only provide financial support.

The conversations between Fayzimatov and Kurashev make clear that Kurashev was fully aware of Fayzimatovs support of HTS and his violent extremist ideology.

Assistant Federal Defender Christina Sinha argued that the government was asking for far too much prison time for her client, who she said was remorseful and had spent the last three years since his arrest taking hundreds of hours of classes in jail and teaching himself English.

He admits that what he did was wrong, Sinha said, noting that Kurashev has no history of criminal activity. He admitted that what he did was illegal.

Hes embarrassed that he ever got into this situation in the first place.

Sinha argued for an eight-year sentence, telling the judge that Kurashev would not re-offend and that he continues to take responsibility for his actions and does so every day.

She wrote in court documents that Kurashev had suffered severe beatings and torture at the hands of Russian security services before he fled his homeland, eventually making his way to Mexico with his family and applying for asylum.

They were put on a bus by the border authorities and arrived in Sacramento on December 19, 2018, Sinha wrote. Mr. Kurashev, who had prior experience working in construction, got a job with a construction company working as a general laborer.

He was in high demand with his employers because he has experience and expertise working in a wide variety of construction tasks, which meant his employer could utilize him for many different roles instead of having to search out people with individual expertise in areas such as cabinetry, tile-laying, or other specialized tasks.

This work allowed him to support himself, his wife, and their four young children. He was working full-time with this construction company at the time of his arrest.

Sinha said that after his February 2021 indictment, he endured sitting in the Sacramento County Main Jail as it was ravaged by COVID-19. She noted that after he serves his prison sentence he will face deportation.

At one point, as Kurashev was reading his pre-sentencing statement to Mueller, he became so emotional that Sinha had to step in and finish reading it.

Mueller said she believed a 240-month sentence was more than necessary, but rejected the plea for eight years.

It is not possible to overstate the seriousness of the offense, the judge said.

U.S. Attorney Phil Talberts office said that from July 2020 to February 2021 Kurashev wired $13,000 overseas using multiple transactions from Kurashev to the couriers in Turkey, usually in increments of $1,000.

This sentence holds Kurashev accountable for attempting to provide material support to a designated terrorist organization, Talbert said in a statement. Kurashevs attempts to provide that material support were not isolated. They took place over a substantial period of time and his intent with those financial transfers was clear.
(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento Police Department is seeking the communitys help in finding 14-year-old Mariana Belarmino, who is considered at-risk due to her age.

Police said around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday that Belarmino was last seen near Modell Way near the West Del Paso Heights area in a dark gray Honda Civic.

In images posted to social media by police, she is described as a white female with brown hair and pink and blue highlights.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
Sacramento police investigating two crime scenes after man gunned down in Greenhaven

Sacramento police are searching for a gunman after a man was shot and killed early Monday at an apartment complex in the citys Greenhaven neighborhood.

Officers were called about 2:45 a.m. to 6200 block of Riverside Boulevard for reports that a man had been shot multiple times. The man was pronounced dead at a hospital, said Officer Anthony Gamble, a spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department.

Investigators later determined the gunfire broke out four blocks away at the Colony House Apartments on the 900 block of Johnfer Way, Gamble said. Police set up two crime scenes: One where the victims vehicle had wound up and one where officers believe the shooting occurred.

A caller living on Johnfer Way reported to police that he saw a truck reversing out of the apartments moments after hearing a gunshot.

No suspects are in custody and police havent announced any description of the assailant.
Sacramento wants to expand its famous tree canopy to more neighborhoods. It needs your help

Sacramento wants to expand the urban canopy that gave the City of Trees its nickname  and it needs residents help.

The city is seeking public comment on its draft Sacramento Urban Forest Plan, which aims to maintain and expand the citys urban forest.

Its asking locals to share your thoughts on why trees are important and how we can make the (plan) stronger to support the vision of Sacramento as a healthy, vibrant, City of Trees in every neighborhood.

Public comments on the draft plan will be accepted until June 21 via a community website.

The site details the current conditions of the citys tree canopy, the framework of the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan and its proposed implementation.

What is the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan?

Sacramentos Urban Forest Plan is the citys planning tool for protection, expansion, maintenance, sustainability and enhancement of the urban forest, the plans website said.

The plans primary goal is to increase the citywide urban tree canopy from its current size of 19% to 25% by 2030 and 35% by 2045, according to its website.

In 2017, Sacramento was ranked the nations greenest city, according to Treepedia, a project conducted by MITs Senseable City Lab.

However, the City of Trees isnt equally green in every neighborhood.

Currently, Sacramentos residential tree canopy varies from 43% to 12% depending on the area, according to the plan.

What are the benefits of urban forests?

Urban forests not only add to the property value of homes in a city, but also can lower electricity bills by 20 to 40% during the hotter months, according to the Sacramento Urban Forest Plan.

Additionally, urban forests can improve air quality and lower temperatures in areas during warm weather.

Which Sacramento areas have the most trees?

There are currently about 1 million trees in Sacramento, according to the city.

Roughly 900,000 of those trees are on private properties, and the remaining 100,000 are on city property.

According to the draft Sacramento Urban Forest Plan, the 10 neighborhoods within Sacramento city limits that currently meet or exceed 35% canopy are:

 Boulevard Park

 Campus Commons

 Elmhurst

 Land Park

 Marshall School

 Natomas Corporate Center

 New Era Park

 Richmond Grove

 River Park

 Southside Park

Which areas in Sacramento have the least trees?

Residential neighborhoods with the lowest tree canopy are in South Sacramento, North Sacramento and North Natomas, according to the plan.

Many of the areas are industrial, with canopy levels of less than 5%, the city said.

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.
Sacramento State students set up encampment on campus in support of Palestine

(FOX40.COM)  Students at California State University, Sacramento set up an encampment on campus in support of Palestine on Monday, similar to what has occurred at other university campuses nationwide.

The students in Californias capital join a nationwide movement of student activists protesting their universitys ties to Israel as the countrys invasion of Gaza enters its 7th month.

Cal Poly Humboldt closes after pro-Palestinian protesters barricade themselves inside building

The students of CSU Sacramento will not remain silent on the critical need for divestment, reads a letter from Students for Justice in Palestine, CSU Sacramento. As more people become educated about the atrocities committed by the Israel government against Palestinians, the era of silencing Palestinian voices is ending.

The group is calling on the university to disclose all investments publicly, divest from companies with ties to Israel, end partnerships with academic institutions in Israel, protect student activism, and denounce the occupation, colonization and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.

The university acknowledged the encampment in a statement Monday afternoon.

This morning, a group of students and community members created an encampment in the Library Quad as part of a free speech demonstration, the university said. As a public university, we are committed to creating and fostering safer conditions to support student engagement in constitutionally protected activities. Campus remains open and fully operational.

Last week, Cal Poly Humbolt closed its campus for the remainder of the semester after pro-Palestinian barricaded themselves inside a building.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
The debris of an intercepted Iranian missile is seen near the city of Arad, in southern Israel, on April 28, 2024. A combined attack of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones from Iran triggered air raid alerts across Israel early on April 14. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed during a press briefing that Israel was under attack by ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from Iran, noting that aerial defense systems have intercepted some of the missiles. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

People inspect the debris of an intercepted Iranian missile near the city of Arad, in southern Israel, on April 28, 2024. A combined attack of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones from Iran triggered air raid alerts across Israel early on April 14. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed during a press briefing that Israel was under attack by ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from Iran, noting that aerial defense systems have intercepted some of the missiles. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

The debris of an intercepted Iranian missile is seen near the city of Arad, in southern Israel, on April 28, 2024. A combined attack of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones from Iran triggered air raid alerts across Israel early on April 14. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed during a press briefing that Israel was under attack by ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from Iran, noting that aerial defense systems have intercepted some of the missiles. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

People inspect the debris of an intercepted Iranian missile near the city of Arad, in southern Israel, on April 28, 2024. A combined attack of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones from Iran triggered air raid alerts across Israel early on April 14. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed during a press briefing that Israel was under attack by ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from Iran, noting that aerial defense systems have intercepted some of the missiles. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)

The debris of an intercepted Iranian missile is seen near the city of Arad, in southern Israel, on April 28, 2024. A combined attack of dozens of ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones from Iran triggered air raid alerts across Israel early on April 14. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed during a press briefing that Israel was under attack by ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles from Iran, noting that aerial defense systems have intercepted some of the missiles. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua)
San Antonio police have arrested the man accused of causing a drunken crash that killed popular Lubbock radio DJ Amy O.

The San Antonio Express-News reports 48-year-old Steve Nerio was arrested Sunday, charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with Amy Lee Garza's death.

Garza, 44, was known as Amy O on Lubbock hip-hop station KBTE, 104.9 The Beat, where she hosted afternoons. She died April 20 in San Antonio when the motorcycle she was riding on crashed into a truck, throwing her and the bike's driver to the pavement. Garza, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered severe head trauma and died at the scene.

More: Lubbock radio DJ Amy O dies in San Antonio motorcycle crash

Police said the driver of the motorcycle, later identified as Nerio, made an "illegal maneuver" while entering U.S. Highway 90 from South General McMullen Drive and crashed into a red tow truck.

Nerio initially told police the truck sideswiped the motorcycle, but police do not believe that narrative is consistent with evidence from the scene, the Express-News reported.

An arrest affidavit shows Nerio admitted to drinking alcohol the night of the crash, which happened as Nerio and Garza were returning from Fiesta, an annual festival celebrating San Antonio's culture and heritage, the Express-News reported. A blood test showed an alcohol concentration above the legal limit and the presence of cannabis, cocaine and fentanyl, according to the affidavit.

Nerio was apparently released Monday after posting a $150,000 bond.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Police say driver in Amy O crash was high, made illegal maneuver
Chatbots of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), or the Digital Transformation Ministry, which were used, for example, to gather information on Russian troops in occupied territories, have disappeared from Telegram and are unavailable as of April 29.

Telegram, the most popular messaging application in Ukraine, has played a key role in maintaining communication channels with citizens living in Russian-occupied territories.

The Telegram chatbot of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, t.me/gur_official_bot, was used to communicate with those living in Russian-held areas and those who wished to join the struggle against Russian forces.

The channel allowed people to post information about Russian military positions, equipment, air defenses, movement of troops, and more.

The chatbots of the SBU and the Digital Transformation Ministry  t.me/stop_russian_war_bot and t.me/evorog_bot  served a similar purpose.

KI Insights

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Ukrainian journalist Konstantyn Ryzhenko first reported on the disappearance of the chatbots on April 28, and they remain unavailable on Telegram as of 8:20 a.m. local time on April 29.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency confirmed that its bot had been blocked.

"Today, the management of the Telegram platform unreasonably blocked a number of official bots that opposed Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, including the 'Main Intelligence Bot,'" the agency wrote on its official Telegram channel.

The agency stressed that the situation does not impact the security of users' personal data but warned against Russia creating fake bots with similar names. Military intelligence said that it is moving the bot to other platforms and reminded that the users can still use Signal, WhatsApp, or Proton email instead.

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, said last week that Telegram users in Ukraine can expect "certain changes" regarding access to some channels he called "general news/propaganda channels."

The entrepreneur said that in February 2022, he suggested restricting "Telegram channels in Russia and Ukraine because they were being used for military propaganda," but Russian and Ukrainian users "vehemently opposed restrictions."

Telegram also bans accounts and bots that collect coordinates to target strikes or post personal information with calls to violence, Durov noted.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in March that Telegram poses risks because "any person can create a channel and start writing whatever he wants on it," but it also presents certain benefits, namely, in communicating with people from occupied regions.

Read also: How Ukrainian social media influencer raised over $50 million for military thanks to typing

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
(Bloomberg) -- Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf is preparing to step down on Monday after concluding he wouldnt survive a confidence vote triggered when he pulled the plug on a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens last week, a person familiar with the matter said.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Yousaf is due to hold a press conference in Edinburgh at noon on Monday to discuss his future, the first ministers office said.

Senior members of his Scottish National Party were informed of Yousafs decision over the weekend, the Times reported, without saying where it obtained the information. John Swinney has been approached to become interim first minister in the event of Yousafs departure, though the former SNP leader is reluctant to step up because of personal reasons, the newspaper said.

Read more: Why Scotlands Political Crisis Could Shape Future of the UK

Yousafs position had become increasingly tenuous after he decided to end his partys deal with the Greens  agreed after the SNP fell one seat short of a majority in the 2021 Scottish parliament election  saying it had run its course.

That left the 39-year-old facing a confidence vote in his leadership called by the Conservatives and backed by other opposition parties, as well as another in his government called by Labour. If he does step down, it would trigger a 28-day deadline for the Scottish parliament to agree on a new first minister.

The question is whether the SNP itself can agree on a candidate and, given its minority in parliament, persuade another opposition party to support a new leader. If that proved impossible, a parliamentary election would be necessary.

Labours deputy national campaign coordinator Ellie Reeves told Sky News on Monday that Scottish voters should get a say in what happens next. No one voted for Humza Yousaf and given all of the chaos, I think there should be an election up in Scotland.

But the Greens indicated theyd be willing to support a minority SNP administration, though not one with Yousaf as its leader.

It depends on trust, and he personally has broken trust, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said on BBC Radio 4. I dont think theres anything that Humza Yousaf will be able to say that can restore the trust that hes broken.

Ahead of a UK-wide election expected in the autumn, Yousaf had been trying to rebuild the SNPs image around stable government following a year of turmoil after long-time leader Nicola Sturgeon stepped down.

Styling himself as a continuity candidate helped him beat off rivals. but it also meant he inherited some unpopular policies forged by Sturgeon in conjunction with the Greens that alienated parts of the SNP and the wider electorate.

Tensions with the Greens came to a head when the government scrapped a plan to cut carbon emissions by 75% by 2030 after concluding it was unachievable.

--With assistance from Michael Sin, Virginia Van Natta and Alex Morales.

(Updates with press conference in second paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf resigned on Monday ahead of a vote of no confidence on Wednesday that appeared he would lose.

His resignation comes little more than a year after he took up the post, becoming the first non-white and first Muslim leader of Scotland.

Read More: Meet the New Face of Scotland

I cannot tell you what an honour it is being the first minister of the country I love, the country I'm raising my family in and the only country I will ever call home, Yousaf said from Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister.

The 39-year-old leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) was facing votes of no confidence after ending the SNPs power sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens last Thursday.

Scotlands coalition government collapsed following a bitter row over the Scottish governments decision to abandon a major carbon emissions target. The Bute House Agreement saw the Scottish Greens brought into government for the first time in 2021.

Yousaf attracted growing criticism in Scotland and from politicians across the U.K. over his decision. I think he showed very poor judgment to suddenly collapse a pro-independence majority government when we'd worked together really well for two and a half years, we'd achieved some great things, Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater told Sky News.

Yousaf replaced Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister last March in a historic win. People that looked like me were not in positions of political influence, Yousaf said.

The Scottish parliament will now have 28 days to find Yousafs successor through a majority vote among members of the Scottish Parliament. In the event that a majority is not reached, an election will be called.

Write to Armani Syed at armani.syed@time.com.
(KRON)  Seafood City is opening up in Daly City. The American grocery chain that specializes in Filipino products opens in a city with one of the largest Filipino communities in the Bay Area and nation.

The Daly City store is soon to open, according to Seafood Citys website. The website says the new location will be at 79 St. Francis Blvd. However, KRON4 visited the address, and only a series of houses were seen on that block.

It turns out the Seafood City will open at St. Francis Square Shopping Center, which is next to Supreme Pot restaurant, according to the Daly City City Managers Office. The new grocery store will be where the old Pacific Supermarket was, which closed back in 2021.

Proposed Chick-fil-A in East Bay gets pushback from residents

Seafood City did not purchase any residential land to make space for the supermarket, the city managers office said in an email to KRON4. This is a private development project and Daly City has no connection to the build. It seems the address listed on Seafood Citys website is incorrect.

It may not come as a surprise that Seafood City decided to open a location in a city with one of the countrys largest Filipino populations.

Roughly 34% of the citys population is of Filipino descent, according to a letter written by Daly City officials in 2020. That is much higher than the national average. The nations Filipino population was recorded at about 1.2%, according to 2019 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Pew Research Center.

Daly City Mayor Juslyn Manalo calls the opening of this Seafood City a necessity.

As council, we approved Seafood City as the area needed redevelopment. As Mayor, I know having a grocery store close to the St. Francis / Serramonte area is a necessity, Manalo said in a Facebook post on Monday.

Manalo added that the Seafood City is anticipated to open before the end of the year.

There are six other Seafood City locations in the Bay Area.

Concord

Hayward

Milpitas

Union City

South San Francisco

Vallejo

Two San Francisco spots among North Americas 50 Best Bars

Seafood City first opened back in 1980 in National City (San Diego County). It has since opened in five different U.S. states, with the majority of its stores in California.

Seafood City has not responded to any of KRON4s multiple inquiries for comment about the opening of the Daly City location.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
A chase for a stolen truck ended in a Columbia subdivision Sunday evening when one teenager was shot by a Richland County sheriffs deputy and two others were bitten by police dogs.

A 16-year-old, whose name was not released by law enforcement as he is a juvenile, pointed a gun taken from the stolen truck at a Richland County sheriffs deputy who then shot the teen, striking him several times, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said.

The gun was loaded, and the teen racked a round into the gun and raised it up towards the deputy, K9 Specialist Cody Sox, Lott said at a news conference Monday. Still images from a body camera presented by the sheriffs department at the news conference showed a black handgun lying at the teens feet.

The State Media Co. has requested body camera and dash camera footage from the shooting.

The 16-year-old was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover, but he will be in the hospital for a while, Lott said. The 15-year-old accused of stealing the truck and 19-year-old Javonte Sutton, who was also in the vehicle, were treated for bite wounds at a hospital and have been released, the sheriff said.

Defending his deputys actions as appropriate, Lott blamed two familiar culprits: a gun culture he says has taken root among some teens, and legal gun owners who leave their weapons in unlocked cars.

This is twice now in about a seven-week period Im standing here talking about irresponsible gun owners and kids with guns who end up getting bit by police dogs and end up getting shot because they want to point guns at us or shoot at us or shoot our police dogs, Lott said.

In March, a 17-year-old was shot by Richland County deputies in Columbias Rosewood area after deputies say he stole a pickup truck. When deputies tried to stop the truck, a shootout left a teen and a police dog shot. Neither suffered life-threatening injuries.

Sundays shooting in Carriage Oaks was set in motion around 11 p.m. Saturday, when the 15-year-old teen stole the white 2008 Ford F-250 pickup truck from a convenience store in the town of Lexington. The trucks owner had left his keys in the truck along with a handgun when he ran inside in the convenience store.

All events that Im going to talk about from this point on could have been avoided... if somebody had not left their vehicle with their gun it, Lott said. Thats the common denominator for all these events.

At some point, the 15-year-old picked up two friends. One of the teens had removed an ankle monitor prior to Sundays chase and shooting, Lott said. However, The sheriff declined to provide specific information about other charges against any of the teens because they were juveniles.

On Sunday evening around 5 p.m., Richland County sheriffs deputies spotted the stolen truck at Penn Ridge Court and attempted a traffic stop. The teens fled, according the sheriffs department, but the chase ended when they crashed into stop sign on Oak Manor Drive in the Carriage Oaks subdivision.

The teens ran through the neighborhood, pursued by sheriffs deputies. Sutton was detained by K9 specialist Corey Mayo and his K9, Jax, while the 15-year-old driver was caught by Sox and his K9, Nevada.

In a statement, the sheriffs department said that the 16-year-old jumped over a fence and when confronted by deputies, pulled out a firearm and raised it towards Sox.

The 16-year-old was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, pointing and presenting a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm under the age of 18. Sutton was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The 15-year-old driver was charged with failure to stop for blue lights and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Deputies also recovered a black BB gun from the scene, believed to have been in the 15-year-old drivers possession. It was proof that the teens likely intended to commit robberies, Lott said. The sheriff said his department was still investigating the teens movements and actions earlier in the day.

This is a dangerous job, Lott said. Im not standing here talking about our deputies being killed, Im talking about kids with no conscience who just do not care.

At the news conference, Lott also defended his departments practice of investigating its own officer-involved shootings. While most law enforcement agencies in South Carolina request that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigate officer-involved shootings, Lott said his department has the credibility and experience to gather the facts, which are then turned over to the 5th Circuit Solicitors Office and the sheriffs departments civilian oversight board for review.

Weve been doing this for over 10 years, we have teams that are trained to investigate this, Lott said, referring to his departments critical incident team. We dont make a determination if the shooting is good or not; the solicitor does that... we have plenty of safeguards in place.

Sox is not being suspended while the investigation was taking place, Lott said, adding that the deputy will be going through mental health counseling.
State Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) in Southfield on Nov. 6, 2023. | Ken Coleman

Michigans only Jewish state senator is calling out antisemitism, especially on college campuses, that he says is becoming normalized by both the political right and left.

Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) took to the floor of the Senate last week to condemn bigotry against Jews that he says is being wielded hypocritically.

The overwhelming majority of Jews believe in a place of refuge in a Jewish homeland. But if you even mention how woven the Jewish religion is with Jewish sovereignty in Israel, today you get called a colonizer, a racist, he said. Zionist is now being weaponized as a slur, and it is infuriating that the same people who will say that also post Happy Passover to all who are observing without acknowledging what were actually observing.

Zionism has traditionally been defined as self-determination and statehood for the Jewish people in the land of Israel, but some have used it as a pejorative term linked explicitly to racism against the Palestinian people.

Among them is Palestinian-American journalist Ali Abunimah, who says Zionism is the belief that Palestinians can and must be expelled from their homeland so that settlers can take their place.

However, the American Jewish Committee says that while criticizing specific Israeli government policies as discriminatory or racist is not antisemitic, explicitly equating one with the other can be.

However, saying, Zionism is racism, a phrase which itself is a racist and religious distortion, conveys that the Jewish people  unlike all other people in the world  do not have a right to self-determination, states the group.

Moss said he has been sickened by those with no knowledge of Judaism as a religion trying to define what it is and isnt for Jews.

And maybe even more so sickened by those who want to define what antisemitism is and it isnt, Moss said. American Jews, especially on our college campuses are facing harassment, intimidation, incitement, praise for Oct. 7 [when Hamas attacked Israeli civilians and] threats of a repeat, just because they are identifiable as being Jewish.

Protesters hold up placards featuring the faces of some of those believed to be being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas, as they hold a rally outside the London offices of the Red Cross, on Nov. 09, 2023, in London, England. The protesters, in collaboration with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel, are calling on the Red Cross to try and visit the 241 hostages kidnapped from Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

In Michigan, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) gave the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor a D on a recently released report card of antisemitism on college campuses. The ADL noted a variety of incidents it says were antisemitic or anti-Zionist, including flyers that appeared on campus that read Zionists f-k off and a Star of David on a campus rock was crossed out in red paint. Additionally, the ADL said a U of M student and leader with Students Allied for Freedom and Equality (SAFE), the University of Michigans Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter, posted on Instagram, Until my last breath I will utter death to every single individual who supports the Zionist state. Death and more. Death and worse.

That incident, and the disruption last month of an Honors Convocation ceremony by anti-Israel protesters, prompted U of M President Santa Ono to propose a draft policy governing disruption of university operations, including academic and social activities, events, gatherings and celebrations.

Michigan State University, meanwhile, received an F from the ADL, which detailed incidents including an Israeli flag being torn down and stolen from the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house and a university employee reportedly encouraging students last Hanukkah season to come forward if they felt trauma at seeing a menorah.

Both universities had student encampments spring up last week by protestors seeking the institutions to divest their financial holdings from Israeli companies in response to ongoing military activities in Gaza following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and resulted in the taking of more than 250 hostages. The resulting Israeli retaliation has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry.

Moss said Jewish students across the country have faced persistent calls of violence against them, including chants of, Go back to Poland aimed at them.

Ive said it after Charlottesville, Tree of Life, Poway, and specifically, I have said it from this floor a few years ago, antisemitism thrives when it is failed to be called antisemitism, he said. And I dont care if it comes from the right or the left. Instead, some of the very same far left figures, activists, and organizations who were quick to condemn Charlottesville are cheerleading the chaos on our campuses and gaslighting those of us who call it out for what it is. Using the same tired trope thats existed for centuries. The Jews have brought this upon themselves.

Moss said he was equally disappointed by those who have remained silent in what he called a harrowing moment for American Jews.

The Passover story reminds us in the song, Vehi Sheamda: In every generation our enemies rise up against us to destroy us. This antisemitism is systemic and will take all of us together to dismantle it, Moss said.

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The post Sen. Moss condemns antisemitism from both left and right appeared first on Michigan Advance.
HB 1115 was presented as a way to strengthen contract rights, provide flexibility, and allow landlords to take a chance on tenants with the knowledge that they could evict them at the end of the renting period if they did not want to continue. (Getty Images)

The Senate is poised to reject a bill to allow New Hampshire landlords to evict a tenant after the end of a lease without additional cause.

The chamber will vote at its session Thursday on whether to send House Bill 1115 to interim study, a move that would effectively end its hopes of passage this year. The Commerce Committee voted unanimously to recommend interim study earlier this month.

The bill would allow landlords to remove a tenant when a lease period ends with 30 days notice, as long as the lease period were at least six months.

Currently, landlords may not stop renting to a tenant at the end of a lease unless there are other good cause reasons, including nonpayment of rent, violation of the lease, substantial damage to the property, behavior affecting the health and safety of others, and other situations.

Sponsored by Rep. Bob Lynn, a Windham Republican, HB 1115 was presented as a way to strengthen contract rights, provide flexibility, and allow landlords to take a chance on tenants with the knowledge that they could evict them at the end of the renting period if they did not want to continue.

But housing advocates had argued that the bill would eliminate key rights for renters and make it harder for tenants to prove they were evicted for discriminatory reasons. And they said it would lead to more marginalized people being evicted at the end of their lease, including people with disabilities, because landlords would not have to point to a specific reason.

In a joint statement Monday ahead of the Senate floor vote, Lynn and House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, an Auburn Republican, expressed frustration at the committees decision.

This is fundamentally short-sighted, wrong, refuses to address the extreme housing crisis we have in this state, and protects squatters, Lynn and Osborne said.

But in its report to the full Senate, the Commerce Committee argued the bill is unnecessary, especially against the backdrop of low rental vacancy rates in the state.

Good cause provisions already exist to evict a tenant, including a violation of a lease provision, nonpayment, a threat to the health or safety of neighbors or the landlord, lead paint abatement, or for any legitimate business or economic reason, the committee wrote. These provisions are instrumental in balancing the landlord-tenant dynamic.

The post Senate poised to reject bill to make evictions easier for landlords appeared first on New Hampshire Bulletin.
ULAN BATOR, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia temporarily suspended the transfer of citizens from one administrative unit to another nationwide due to the upcoming parliamentary elections, local media reported on Monday, citing the country's General Election Commission.

According to the law of election of Mongolia's State Great Khural, or the unicameral parliament, the temporary suspension will last for 60 days.

The Asian country with a population of 3.5 million has set June 28 as the date for its next parliamentary elections.

In May, the unicameral parliament passed amendments to increase the number of legislators from 76 to 126 to the country's constitution.

Additionally, parliament members will be elected using a mixed electoral system, in which 78 members will be elected by majority representation and 48 by proportional representation. 
Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, during the Ohio Senate session, February 28, 2024, at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.)

Ohios Senate leader is taking his fight to avoid answering questions about the states private school voucher program to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Senate President Matt Huffman filed an appeal on April 23 with the states highest court related to a lawsuit seeking to eliminate the EdChoice private school voucher program from the state.

Public schools and advocates have signed on to the suit in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas saying the funding of the program violates the states constitutional duty to properly fund the public schools.

In the lawsuit, parties have asked Huffman and others they consider connected to the private school voucher program and its funding to answer questions in depositions. In March 2023, Huffman was served with a subpoena to attend an April deposition on his knowledge of school funding in Ohio and his involvement in the enactment and expansion of the EdChoice program through the budget bill passed in 2021.

But the Senate leader argued that he was protected from the questioning by the Speech and Debate Clause of the Ohio Constitution, which creates a testimonial privilege protecting legislators from judicially-compelled questioning, according to court documents.

Huffman also argued that his individual beliefs and opinions on the EdChoice program are not relevant. Lower court documents note that he was allegedly a major proponent of the EdChoice legislation.

Last December, Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Jaiza Page ruled that Huffman could get out of the in-person deposition, but said legislative privilege does not extend to all conduct related to the legislative process, but attaches only to meetings, processes, conversations and documents which are an integral part of the deliberative and communicative processes by which legislators participate in legislative or committee proceedings.

Though Huffman was not ordered to submit to an in-person deposition, Page allowed the plaintiffs in the case to submit a maximum of 20 written questions to the Senate president, limited to matters that do not implicate legislative privilege.

The judge allowed private voucher challengers to request identities of entities and individuals, and other information, related to off-the-record communications about the passing of H.B. 110 (the 2021 budget bill) between those entities and individuals, and Huffman.

If the plaintiffs believe that Huffmans answers to written deposition questions demonstrate that an in-person oral deposition of Huffman is likely to provide additional information  the plaintiffs may request reconsideration of this order, Page wrote.

The court did say Huffman could make another motion to get out of answering the questions once hes been given the written deposition.

Huffman appealed the decision to the Tenth District Court of Appeals, who dismissed it last month, leading to the new filing with the Ohio Supreme Court.

He appeals because the Ohio Constitution by its plain language, protects him from being questioned elsewhere for his legislative activities, attorneys for Huffman wrote in the April 24 court filing. The Tenth Districts decision fails to protect this privilege.

The appeal, and previous arguments against Huffman being questioned, cite the clause of the state constitution that states senators and representatives shall be privileged from arrest in all cases, except treason, felony or breach of the peace and when it comes to speech or debate occurring in either chamber during a session of the General Assembly, they shall not be questioned elsewhere.

Huffman argues the intent of the framers of the constitution in establishing the Speech and Debate clause should be controlling in the lawsuit, and allowing the questioning could have a far-reaching chilling effect on Ohios legislators.

Of course, compelling legislators to testify about their legislative communications would allow them to be questioned  about their confidential discussions, negotiations and deliberations with other legislators and constituents that necessarily contribute to legislators decision-making processes, the appeal states. One can easily imagine the future mischief this precedent would invite.

Going further in his appeal to the state supreme court, Huffman said the constitutional challenges in the overall lawsuit do not hinge on questions about the legislative process.

The appeal asks the Ohio Supreme Court, should it agree to take up the case, to reverse the decision of the appellate court.

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The post Senate President brings plea to avoid private school voucher questioning to Ohio Supreme Court appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican who recently toured a militarized Texas border area, urged the Kansas Legislature to override Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a $15.7 million appropriation to be used for deploying Kansas National Guard troops to Texas. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  The House and Senate provided supermajority votes Monday to override Gov. Laura Kellys veto of $15.7 million earmarked for deployment of Kansas National Guard troops in support of the Texas Republican governors campaign to deter undocumented immigrants from crossing the Rio Grande.

The vote in the Senate was 28-12, and the House echoed that sentiment 84-41.

Kelly line-item vetoed the provision in a budget bill that was originally approved based on assertions the states investment in national security could help prevent unauthorized entry, including movement north of people intent on harming the United States. Other southern-border threats raised by override supporters were human trafficking, gang violence, foreign acquisition of farmland and importation of fentanyl, a drug linked to the spike in U.S. overdose deaths.

In Kansas, the governor serves as commander in chief of the Air and Army National Guard forces. Kelly, not the Legislature, has authority to deploy men and women in the Kansas Guard.

When a governor deploys soldiers as part of a federal mission, it is done intentionally and in a manner that ensures we are able to protect our communities and that we do not threaten Guard readiness or limit our ability to respond to natural disasters at home, Kelly said.

Senate President Ty Masterson, the Andover Republican who made the override motion in the Senate, said he recently visited the city of Eagle Pass where Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas National Guard to oust the U.S. Border Patrol from a migrant processing center in Shelby Park. The state converted into a military installation the 47-acre city park on the Rio Grande named for a Confederal general.

Masterson said he accepted the invitation of a Texas state senator to go to the border to better assess whether the $15.7 million was a reasonable expenditure and not kind of a political game. Critics of the budget provision, including Democratic Rep. Henry Helgerson of Wichita, had accused Republicans of delving into this border security issue to undermine Kelly or embarrass President Joe Biden.

Every state in the nation is a border state at this point, Masterson said. Let Kansas be a part of it. Its not much short of an invasion. Were a little isolated up here, but its coming.

House Majority Leader Chris Croft, R-Overland Park, said reversal of the governors veto left open the possibility of deploying Kansas Guard men and women to the border.

We are authorizing the funding needed to deploy the Kansas National Guard if and when Governor Kelly chooses to send troops to assist Governor Abbott with the humanitarian crisis taking place on the Texas southern border, Croft said.

A political stunt

Democrats questioned whether the $15.7 million would make a difference in Texas and reminded their Republican brethren passage of the budget measure was a pointless exercise because constitutional authority to deploy the Kansas Guard rested with the Kansas governor.

I hope that folks get whatever messaging points they want to get out of it, said Sen. Ethan Corson, a Johnson County Democrat. No matter what we do, its really going to have little effect. This is, to me, all about just a political stunt. It does not change the fact that, as much as the Senate president, as much as the speaker of the House, might want to be commander in chief of the National Guard, the fact is, they are not.

Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, said funding to support Texas effort to turn away immigrants was an indication the quality of work done by the Legislature on the state budget during his 22 years as a legislator had gotten more and more suspect.

I do not understand the reality in which certain people in this chamber reside, the senator said. Given the untold needs that our citizens have in this state, the mere idea that we would take millions of dollars and send it to another state  for what gain?

Sen. Usha Reddi, a Manhattan Democrat, said the expenditure by Kansas wouldnt resolve border problems that had simmered for decades. She warned that next year the Legislature could end of throwing $15 million, $30 million or more at the federal immigration stalemate.

Cant be squandered

Sen. Mark Steffen, a Reno County Republican who supported the override and blasted Biden for undermining former President Donald Trumps executive orders on immigration, asked the Senate president for an assurance there would accountability for expenditure of Kansas tax dollars.

Help me understand how we can take Kansas money and use it effectively in Texas  just to make sure we feel good  that money is not being squandered like so much of it is by our federal government in foreign countries? Steffen said.

Masterson said the funding cant be squandered because it would be tied directly to deployed Kansas Guard troops. If theres no boot on the ground, theres no money spent, he said.

While GOP lawmakers pointed a finger at Biden, none mentioned Trumps role in scuttling in February a bipartisan congressional deal for tougher immigration laws. It was argued Republicans could leverage inaction on immigration to their advantage in the 2024 election cycle.

Goodland Sen. Rick Billinger, the Republican chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, said skeptics of the states contribution to Texas anti-immigration action should open your eyes. He said an estimated 300 people on terrorist watch lists had slipped across the southern border before their identity could be determined. People pouring into the United States werent parents with children keen to start a new life, he said.

I seen the videos, Billinger said. These werent men, women and children. These were young men.

What took so long?

Sen. Jeff Longbine, a Republican from Emporia, said immigration was the policy and financial domain of the federal government and Congress had repeatedly failed to deliver. It wasnt clear the governor would send Kansas Guard troops to the border or whether that would make a difference in Texas, he said.

I do know that our immigration laws are a mess, Longbine said. Our federal delegation, or Congress, has failed to act.

He said more than half the students in K-12 public schools in Emporia were Hispanic. He voted for the override on behalf of immigrants who took the time and effort to gain legal status in the United States. These people are friends. They are neighbors. They are relatives, he said.

Sen. Alicia Straub, R-Ellinwood, said a letter drafted in September by GOP Rep. Trevor Jacobs of Fort Scott called on the governor to send military forces to Texas. It was signed by about 20 of the states 165 legislators. Straub asked Masterson whether it took a trip to the border for him to realize there was a problem.

I got tired of writing letters, Masterson said. It was time to do something real.

The post Kansas Legislature votes to affirm $15.7 million contribution to Texas border security appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
Senator Natasha Marcus (Photo: NCGA)

North Carolinas General Assembly returned to Raleigh this past week for the 2024 short session  a session that figures to feature debates on a number of familiar topics  including public and higher education, an impending childcare cliff, and funding for several state agencies that are struggling with staff attrition and vacancies.

One lawmaker likely to be an especially knowledgeable and outspoken participant in these discussions is Mecklenburg County state Senator Natasha Marcus. During her three terms in Raleigh, Marcus has developed into one of the Senates leading voices on an array of core issues and recently she sat down with NC Newslines Rob Schofield for an extended conversation. In Part One of our chat, we discussed some of the issues at the top of the short session agenda  including K-12 education, childcare, and the struggles of state election officials to cope with staff attrition fueled by inadequate resources and harassment.

In Part Two of our chat, we discussed some other important policy debates impacting state government right now, including the big problems that have arisen with the states new eCourts system and some massive increases in premium rates that the insurance industry is seeking approval to impose on owners of manufactured homes.

The post Senator Natasha Marcus discusses some of the priorities and challenges this legislative session appeared first on NC Newsline.
(File/Getty Images)

COLUMBIA  County libraries would have to restrict childrens access to sexual books under a budget directive approved by the South Carolina Senate and opposed by librarians as overstepping local control.

The proposal aims to prevent children and teens from picking up sexually explicit books in their local library without their parents consent.

The directive is tied to state funding. In order to get their share, county libraries would need to certify that books appealing to childrens prurient interest dont appear on the shelves in children and teen sections in any of their branches.

Sen. Josh Kimbrell talks during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting in Columbia, S.C. on March 15, 2022. (File/Travis Bell/STATEHOUSE CAROLINA/Special to the SC Daily Gazette)

Sen. Josh Kimbrell argued parents should know what their children are checking out. His proposal would allow minors under 17 to access such books if their parents approve.

It doesnt ban a book, doesnt say books cant be present, doesnt say you cant have a book there. It just says you cant allow these materials to be readily available to a minor whenever theres not parental consent, Kimbrell, R-Boiling Springs, told his fellow senators last Tuesday before they adopted his amendment.

He used the term prurient interest to match up with whats already in state law. As defined in the section that makes child pornography and exploitation illegal, prurient interest is nudity or sex that arouses lewd and lascivious desires and thoughts.

Defining prurient

State law provides this definition in the section that criminalizes giving or promoting obscenity harmful to minors:

 Prurient interest means a shameful or morbid interest in nudity, sex, or excretion and is reflective of an arousal of lewd and lascivious desires and thoughts.

The directive is almost identical to Kimbrells proposal two years ago, with one major difference: Teenagers are included too. His unsuccessful attempt in 2022 required parental consent for children under 13.

That proposal was also adopted by the Senate but didnt make the final version of the budget.

The House removed it after an email blast from the Richland County library director  who was also then-president of the national Public Library Association  urged readers statewide to contact their local House member and ask them to protect the freedom to read for all South Carolinians.

Whether Kimbrells proposal becomes law through the state budget is again up to the House.

Sen. Tameika Isaac Devine, D-Columbia, tried unsuccessfully to keep it out of the Senate version, first by lowering the age of consent to youth under 16, then by rejecting it altogether.

South Carolinas newest state senator, Tameika Isaac Devine, introduced Vice President Kamala Harris, who gave the keynote address at King Day at the Dome on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. (File/Mary Ann Chastain/Special to the SC Daily Gazette)

I dont disagree with parental consent, she said. I have young children myself, but Im trying to think logistically, and I dont want our county libraries to be penalized.

Her motion failed 32-9. Four Democrats joined Republicans in voting to keep Kimbrells directive.

Part of librarians opposition then was that children and teen sections in libraries, particularly in small branches, can be the same area, making a ban for childrens shelves impractical.

Devin argued children and teens could still get a book from the adult sections.

Kimbrell countered his proposal does not penalize libraries if a child manages to get a restricted book. But libraries need to try to keep sexually explicit books from children, he said.

However they want to do it, they want to put it behind the counter, if they want to put it in the parent section, whatever they choose to do to make sure theres parental consent involved, Kimbrell said. The idea would be it should not be sitting out in the open.

Devine, the states newest senator, also repeated arguments from two years ago that the directive is too broad. It doesnt specify what counts as explicit parental consent or whether a guardian whos not a parent can give it.

Theres just too much ambiguity in this, she said.

Angela Craig, director of the Charleston County Public Library, called the proposal an unnecessary attempt to take local control away from county library boards that set policies for their branches.

Many librarians are parents and caregivers. I mean, Im a parent and caregiver, said Craig, whos also president of the South Carolina Library Association. We completely understand that parents want to have the right to control what their kids have access to.

But our collection is calibrated and very thoughtful to the community and guided by these local policies, by local representation from the community, she said.

Craig also repeated that the language is too vague and open to interpretation, which could cause trouble for employees if someone finds a book objectionable for whatever reason. Local policies already address what are appropriate books, she said.

We do not have books of prurient nature in our collection, she said.

Craig said many librarians are reaching out to their representatives to again explain their concerns.

Kimbrell thinks his proposal stands a better chance this year of making it to Gov. Henry McMasters desk as part of the final budget.

Two years ago, his colleagues dismissed his proposal as addressing a nonexistent issue in South Carolina. But he said more legislators are getting complaints from constituents about books in their local libraries.

The House has also changed, as the chambers ultraconservative Freedom Caucus has pushed the chamber further to the right on social issues since the 2022 elections.

The post SC senators agree to restrict childrens access to prurient books appeared first on SC Daily Gazette.
(BCN)  San Francisco Mayor London Breed, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, and the Japantown community gathered over the weekend to break ground on the Peace Plaza Renovation Project.

The project is meant to transform the plaza into a vibrant community space, while still maintaining its historic legacy.

The groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday included Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Assemblymember Phil Ting, the Japanese Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco, members of the Japantown community, and a performance by Taiko drummers.

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The project is funded by $25 million, allocated from the 2020 San Francisco Health and Recovery Bond, in addition to another $9 million in grants. It will waterproof the plaza, preventing leakage to the Japan Center Garage underneath; the plaza will need to be completely deconstructed and reconstructed for the project.

Of the $9 million secured through grants, $3 million came through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments Economic Development Initiative, Community Project Funding Grant, secured by Pelosi, and the remaining $6 million came through the California Natural Resources Agency, secured by Ting.

The Japantown Peace Plaza project is more than a renovation; this is about investing in our community today and for future generations., Breed said. This space is a cherished landmark for our Japanese American community, residents across the City and visitors from around the world. Like San Francisco, the Japantown Peace Plaza will be reimagined into a space that celebrates a rich cultural history and welcomes people from around the world.

The 32,000-square-foot plaza hosts annual events like Nihonmachi Street Fair and the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival. It features a Peace Pagoda, which was gifted to San Francisco by its sister city, Osaka, Japan, in 1968.

The Peace Plaza is the heart and soul of Japantown and through this community-driven vision, we have the opportunity to reimagine the space to make it work well for large communal festivals and celebrations and also comfortable and welcoming for everyday use, Public Works Director Carla Short said. This project has been a true partnership involving community members, nonprofits, the private sector and government agencies that will bring long-lasting benefits.

San Franciscos Japantown is the oldest Japantown in the U.S., and one of only three surviving Japantowns in the country, according to the city.

San Franciscos Japantown holds profound historical significance for people of Japanese descent worldwide, said San Francisco Recreation and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. Beyond being a renowned destination for shopping and amazing food, its also a place for celebration and reflection on the immense contributions this community has made to the U.S.

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The Japantown communitys input on the project was gathered through about 60 meetings and several surveys, according to the press release, guided by the Japantown Task Force Peace Plaza Committee. Community members prioritized making the Post Street entrance more inviting, enlarging the plaza performance stage, making the Geary Boulevard entrance more vibrant, incorporating cultural elements and making the plaza livelier overall.

As we break ground on the revitalization of our historic Japantown Peace Plaza, we begin to bring this important community space into the future, Pelosi said. The Plaza is the beating heart of Japantown: attracting visitors, supporting businesses and sharing Japanese heritage, history and culture.

In addition to the waterproofing and reconstruction of the plaza, the renovation project intends to add new seating, lighting and plantings to the area, while also structurally upgrading the pagoda. The project intends to carefully follow historic preservation protocols and requirements, according to the press release.

I am excited we are breaking ground on the communitys only open space which is the focal point of all of our festivals and events, said Rich Hashimoto, co-chair of the Peace Plaza Committee The new plaza is a culmination of countless meetings and unlike the past renovations, this project has been a community-driven project from the very beginning.

Copyright  2024 Bay City News, Inc.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Sixty people were arrested and roughly half a pound of narcotics were seized during a one-day enforcement operation in the Tenderloin last week, the San Francisco Police Department said. During the operations, which were carried out last Wednesday around the Tenderloin, police seized 258.2 grams of narcotics.

The operation, police said was planned by the citys Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMACC). Of the 60 people arrested, police said five were suspected of possession for sales of narcotics.

Kaiser Permanente notifies millions of members about data breach

Others were arrested for possession of controlled substances, arrest warrants and stay away orders. Two loaded firearms were also located and seized from two of the suspects, police said.

The one-day enforcement operation included officers from SFPDs Fugitive Recovery Enforcement Team, Narcotics Unit, Narcotics Drug Recognition Expert Team, Tenderloin Station Patrol/Violence Reduction Team and the Tenderloin Plainclothes Team.

SFPD has made more than 3,000 arrests and seized more than 194 kilos of narcotics in the Tenderloin and South of Market areas since the launch of the DMACC in May of 2023, officials said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Singapore Airlines must pay a couple $2,400 for 'mental agony' after their business-class seats wouldn't automatically recline  even though they worked manually

Singapore Airlines was ordered to compensate a couple for their malfunctioning business-class seats.

Ravi and Anjali Gupta paid $1,600 to fly from India to Singapore las year.

A consumer-disputes commission found they suffered "mental agony and physical suffering."

Singapore Airlines has been ordered to compensate a couple who said their business-class seats malfunctioned, according to local media reports.

Ravi and Anjali Gupta flew from Hyderabad, India, to Singapore in May last year  a roughly four-hour flight. They paid 66,750 rupees (about $800) for each business-class seat, India Today, India's most widely read weekly magazine, reported.

They filed a legal complaint because the seats' automatic recline feature wasn't working, India Today reported.

As a result, the couple complained that they felt like they were treated as economy-class passengers  except for the extra legroom, according to the Deccan Chronicle. They also said they were forced to stay awake throughout the journey as a result.

A Singapore Airlines spokesperson confirmed to Business Insider that while the automatic recline wasn't working, the seats could still be reclined manually.

"Our crew proactively checked in on these customers regularly and offered to manually recline the seat when needed," they said.

They added that the Guptas couldn't be reseated elsewhere in the business-class cabin because the flight was full. "We apologize to Mr and Mrs Gupta for the inconvenience caused by this mechanical issue."

India Today reported that the airline offered the couple 10,000 frequent-flyer miles each, but they turned this down.

On Friday, April 26, local outlets reported that a consumer-disputes commission in Hyderabad ordered Singapore Airlines to compensate the Guptas.

According to a local government website, Ravi Gupta is the director general of police in the Indian state of Telangana, of which Hyderabad is the capital.

The compensation reportedly totaled 200,000 Indian rupees ($2,400.) Around half of that was for the cost of the seats, and the rest was to compensate for "mental agony and physical suffering," per India Today.

Singapore Airlines is one of the world's few five-star airlines, according to the Skytrax ranking. It was named the world's second-best business class last year, behind Qatar Airways.

But a malfunctioning recline feature is not unheard of even among the top airlines. Emirates, which ranked third last year, faced a $3,300 lawsuit last year from a 20-year-old passenger who complained his business class seat didn't recline and was stained.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Singapore Airlines has been ordered to pay an Indian couple more than 2,040 (INR 213,585) for mental agony after their business class seats failed to recline on a flight from India to Singapore.

Anjali and Ravi Guptas seats malfunctioned and did not recline, causing them to stay awake through their 4 hours and 50 minutes-long journey from Hyderabad to Singapore, India Today reported.

The couple had paid about 638 (INR 66,750) for each ticket from India to Australia, with a stopover in Singapore. This was about 460 (INR 48,750) more than the equivalent economy class ticket of 172 [INR 18,000].

The Guptas were reportedly offered 10,000 Kris Flyer miles per person for the inconvenience caused to them but they declined. Kris Flyer miles are the frequent flyer miles or loyalty points earned by members of the Singapore Airlines frequent flyer programme.

Mr Gupta is the director general of police in the southern Indian state of Telangana.

Singapore Airlines (Singapore Airlines)

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Hyderabad city in Telangana ruled in favour of the Guptas and ordered the airline to refund 460 (INR 48,750) to each complainant, totalling 931 (INR 97,500) along with 12 per cent interest from 23 May 2023 until realisation.

The airline was also instructed to pay 955 (INR 100,000) for causing the Guptas mental agony and physical suffering as well as 94 (INR 10,000) to cover the expenses related to the complaint.

Mr Gupta alleged in his complaint that he and his wife were treated as economy class passengers except for the extra legroom, according to Deccan Chronicle.

Singapore Airlines said it acknowledges the decision of Hyderabads District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

SIA can confirm that while the automatic recline function on Mr and Mrs Guptas seats was faulty, the manual recline function was working on their flight from Hyderabad to Singapore, a spokesperson told The Independent. There were no issues on their connecting flight from Singapore to Perth.

The flight duration from Hyderabad to Singapore is typically around four hours. As it was a full flight, SIA staff unfortunately could not reseat the customers elsewhere in the Business Class cabin. Our crew proactively checked in on these customers regularly and offered to manually recline the seat when needed. We apologise to Mr and Mrs Gupta for the inconvenience caused by this mechanical issue.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina Diana Mondino in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina Diana Mondino in Beijing on Monday.

Han said this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, noting that the development of bilateral ties serves the long-term interests of the two countries and meets the expectations of the two peoples.

He said China is ready to continue working with Argentina, understand and support each other, be fellow partners in development, continuously enhance political mutual trust, push for steady and long-term practical cooperation, and deliver benefits to the two peoples.

Mondino said Argentina firmly adheres to the one-China policy, hopes to continuously consolidate and expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation with China, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and develop in Argentina. 

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina Diana Mondino in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
CHICAGO  More than 200 police officers, relatives and members of the public stood in line Sunday outside Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn waiting for Chicago police Officer Luis Huescas visitation services to begin.

Huesca, 30, was shot and fatally wounded driving home from work April 21 in Gage Park while in uniform. Late Friday night, the Chicago Police Department announced a suspect in the case, and a judge signed off on a warrant for the arrest of Xavier Tate Jr.

Huescas family spoke Saturday in a video conversation with Chicagos Fraternal Order of Police.

April 23 was his birthday, and it was so hard for me, Edith Huesca said in the video. For me as a mother, Im asking for justice. It wont give us a lot, but itll just give us a little relief in our pain.

As people streamed into the building around early Sunday afternoon, two police officers sat outside the doors on police horses.

Bernice Granado said she was a police officer in Chicago for 10 years and came to Huescas visitation Sunday to support his family. It hurts right here, Granado said, gesturing to her heart. I never knew him, but he still feels like family. It hurts.

Gene Roy, a former police chief of detectives who was with the department for 35 years, said hes tired of going to funerals and visitations and hopes this is the last visitation hell have to attend.

Our hearts go out today to the family, the friends, the coworkers, and ultimately, the entire city, Roy said. Because when an officer falls in the line of duty, is murdered senselessly, its not just an attack on the officer, but an attack on the entire community we live in.

Maria Okninski, a medical professional and a Chicago-area resident, also attended Sundays services. She said she came because she thinks support for police officers has fallen.

According to Chicago Tribune reports, Huesca is the third Chicago police officer to be shot  and the first fatally  this year, a figure Okninski said is unacceptable and tragic.

Both Huesca and Officer Areanah Preston, who was shot and killed as she returned from a late-night shift last May, served in the Calumet (5th) District. Just over a year ago, Huesca eulogized his friend Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso in a video after Vasquez Lasso was killed in the line of duty.

This is becoming too frequent, and its upsetting, Okninski said. The lack of respect nowadays for police officers is just horrible. I just feel so sorry for all the officers for what theyre going through.

Dan Beazley, a Detroit native, walked up and down the line outside the visitation holding a 10-foot cross. Beazley said he was there hoping to help the family start the healing process.

These officers put their life on the line every day. I would travel across the country to just about anywhere to support them, Beazley said. I hope seeing this cross helps them heal.

The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation provides support to the families of officers killed or gravely injured while on duty.

Sandra Wortham, the president of the foundations executive board, lost her brother, Thomas Wortham, in 2010. She said showing up for events like these can be painful, but she wants people to remember that officers are part of the community, too.

The way weve lost officers in the past couple of years to me shows us that despite what some people try to say, our officers are part of our community, Wortham said. They are falling victim to the same violence that our communities are.

Thomas Wortham died in front of his home after three people tried to steal his motorcycle. Huesca died close to his home, and his car was missing when police arrived.

Funeral services for Huesca are set to take place at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel in Chicagos Ashburn neighborhood.

_____
Slain Chicago police Officer Luis Huesca remembered as Lionheart by family as his funeral is held

CHICAGO  The typically busy stretch of south Western Avenue outside St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel was quiet Monday morning.

Instead of tractor trailers hauling freight, the thoroughfare was lined with scores of police vehicles from cities and towns across northern Illinois.

Hundreds of Chicago cops and their counterparts from other nearby municipalities gathered at St. Rita for the funeral mass of Luis Huesca, the 30-year-old CPD officer who was fatally shot earlier this month as he returned to his home in Gage Park.

Bagpipers played hymns and television news helicopters circled overhead as those in attendance stood on St. Ritas north lawn and silently saluted while the hearse carrying Huescas remains arrived at the church.

The chapel at St. Rita  a regular setting for first responder funerals  soon filled to capacity after Huescas casket, draped with a Chicago flag, was carried inside.

Emiliano Huesca Jr., Luis Huescas older brother, remembered the slain officer as wise beyond his years, a well-rounded world traveler who took pride in caring for his mother and who always put others first.

Luis, your nickname should be, Lionheart, Emiliano Huesca Jr. told mourners in attendance, reading from a letter he wrote to his brother. You were an exceptional person with courage, bravery, humility and pride in your work. And you had dedication for those you touched. Rest in peace, my brother, and I love you.

The 30-year-old Luis Huesca was shot and killed April 21 near his home in the Gage Park neighborhood on the Southwest Side, just two days before his 31st birthday. Huesca had just finished his patrol shift in the CPDs Calumet District (5th) before he was shot. His car was also stolen.

This is a day to celebrate the great contributions that this officer has provided this city. The protection of others is what he wanted every single day, CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling told mourners. Lets remember the greatness of this young man, lets remember the kindness of this young man, and lets take something from that. Lets take something from this family. Lets continue to do the work that we do, and lets continue to remember Officer Huesca.

Meanwhile, the investigation into Huescas killing remains active. On Friday, a Cook County judge signed an arrest warrant for a man wanted in connection with the shooting, though he was not in custody as of Monday.

Snelling announced last week that the department determined Huesca died in the line of duty.

The designation was announced last Tuesday, on what would have been Huescas birthday, and it entitles his family to survivors death benefits. In a message to all CPD members last week, Snelling said hes recently spent time with those closest to Huesca.

Huesca is the third Chicago police officer to be shot  and the first fatally  this year. On Jan. 8, a veteran police officer was shot in the leg during an exchange of gunfire with a burglary suspect in the Gold Coast neighborhood. On March 21, an officer was shot by Dexter Reed, who was killed during a traffic stop in Humboldt Park.

Last year, CPD Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso  a friend of Huescas  was fatally shot in the line of duty about a half mile north of where Huesca was fatally wounded.

In a remembrance video for Vasquez Lasso, Huesca described him as one of those guys that actually deserved this star.

Huescas wake was held Sunday. During the service, the slain officers family told Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza  whose brother is a CPD officer  that they did not want Mayor Brandon Johnson to attend Mondays funeral service.

Mendoza said she relayed that message to Johnsons office Sunday night before the release of Johnsons Monday schedule. Johnsons press office said late Sunday that the mayor would attend the funeral, but reversed course Monday morning. Johnsons current and former chiefs of staff could be seen in attendance, though.

We continue to send our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Officer Luis Huesca as they heal from the loss of their beloved son, nephew, brother and friend, Johnson said in an emailed statement Monday. As mayor, I vow to continue supporting our police and first responders, uniting our city and remaining committed to working with everyone towards building a better, stronger, safer Chicago. My heart is with the Huesca family today. God bless them and God bless the City of Chicago.

Huescas mother, Edith Huesca, spoke Saturday in a video conversation with Chicagos Fraternal Order of Police.

April 23 was his birthday, and it was so hard for me, she said. For me as a mother, Im asking for justice. It wont give us a lot, but itll just give us a little relief in our pain.

____
By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Solomon Islands incumbent Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said he would not be a candidate when lawmakers vote this week for a new prime minister, and his political party would instead back former Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele.

The two major opposition parties in the Solomon Islands struck a coalition deal on Saturday as they vie with Sogavare's party to form a government after an election delivered no clear winner.

Last week's election was the first since Sogavare struck a security pact with China in 2022, inviting Chinese police into the Pacific Islands archipelago and drawing the nation closer to Beijing.

The election is being watched by China, the U.S. and neighbouring Australia because of the potential impact on regional security.

Sogavare, who narrowly held his on seat in last Wednesday's national election, announced he would not be a candidate for prime minister at a televised press conference on Monday evening.

Sogavare said his government had been "under pressure from the United States and western allies" and he had been "accused of many things".

"Geopolitics is at play, after we made a very important decision in 2019," he said, referring to his government's decision to switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to Beijing.

Manele said that if he was elected as prime minister he would have the "same foreign policy basis - friends to all and enemies to none".

VOTES OF INDEPENDENTS KEY TO FORMING GOVERNMENT

Election results showed Sogavare's OUR party won 15 of the 50 seats in parliament, while the opposition CARE coalition has 20. Independents and micro parties won 15 seats, and courting the independents will be the key to reaching the 26 seats needed to form a government. Sogavare said on Monday his party had support for 28 seats.

Nominations for candidates for prime minister opened on Monday, and lawmakers are expected to vote on Thursday. The nomination vote had previously been expected to take place next week, on May 8.

Sogavare said he had been vilified as prime minister and his family home "razed to the ground, but that did not waver my resolve to continue to serve our people -it has not been easy".

Sogavare's house was burnt during anti-government riots in 2021, that also damaged the capital Honiara and prompted him to invite Australian police to restore order. Six months later he struck a security pact with China.

He said his government, which took construction aid from China to build seven sporting stadiums and a loan to build a Huawei mobile telecommunications network, was transformative and focused on big infrastructure projects.

Opposition parties were critical of the Chinese security deal and said hospitals struggled without medicine, and pledged greater support for education.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Editing by Alex Richardson)
In this image taken from video, outgoing Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare speaks during a news conference, Monday, April 29, 2024, in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Sogavare on Monday withdrew from the contest to remain head of the strategically important South Pacific island nations government following general elections two weeks ago that are central to the U.S.-China rivalry in the region. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation via AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  Solomon Islands pro-Beijing Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare on Monday withdrew from the contest to remain head of the strategically important South Pacific island nations government following general elections two weeks ago that are central to the U.S.-China rivalry in the region.

Sogavare has been reelected to the parliament. But he told a news conference in the capital Honiara on Monday he would not be nominated as a candidate when the 50 newly elected lawmakers vote on Thursday for the prime minister, Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

Sogavare had hoped to become the first Solomons prime minister to maintain power in consecutive four-year terms following the April 17 election. During his previous term, Chinas influence increased more in the Solomons than anywhere else in the South Pacific.

Sogavare switched diplomatic allegiances from Taiwan to Beijing and struck a secret security pact that has raised fears of the Chinese navy gaining a foothold in the region.

Sogavare said in his press conference he had been vilified by media and his family had been subjected to unprecedented abuse, the ABC reported.

Sogavares Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, known as the Our Party, won 15 seats in the election, more than any other party. The partys candidate to become prime minister will be Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele.

A prime minister needs the support of at least 26 lawmakers in the 50-seat chamber.

Observers expect China to have secretly backed more candidates than Sogavare at the election in a bid to ensure the government change does not diminish Beijings influence.

Sogavare could again return to power during the current four-year term. He was elected prime minister after the last election in 2019. But he has served as prime minister three times before 2019 because his predecessors had quit or were ousted by fellow lawmakers in a precarious political system.
(Bloomberg) -- Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has withdrawn from consideration for another term as leader after his ruling party failed to win a majority in elections, in a potential blow to Chinas growing ties with the Pacific nation.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Sogavare will be replaced by Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele as the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Partys candidate for prime minister, the two men announced at a press conference. However, it is unclear if Manele will have enough support among lawmakers when they gather to select a new leader.

Sogavare said his time as prime minister had been personally difficult, including attacks on his character and family. It has not been easy, he told reporters.

Read more: Pro-China Solomons Leader Fails to Win a Majority at Election

Lawmakers are due to meet in the capital Honiara on Thursday for the first vote on who should be the next prime minister. Sogavares party only won 15 out of a potential 50 seats in parliamentary elections held in April, while opposition parties have formed a coalition of 20 lawmakers. That leaves a group of about 10 independents as potential kingmakers in deciding the next government.

Sogavares departure is likely to be a relief for officials in the US and Australia who were concerned at the Pacific nations shift closer to Beijing.

The Solomon Islands switched its diplomatic recognition to China from Taiwan in 2019. But the biggest development came in 2022 when it was announced that Sogavare had signed a controversial security pact with China, provoking alarm in Washington and Canberra.

Some opposition candidates for prime minister have raised the possibility of renewing closer ties with Taiwan and re-examining the security pact with China.

--With assistance from Michael Sin.

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Today, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh became the first member of the British royal family to visit Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022. The royals have been vocal in their support for Ukraine since the conflict beganPrince William traveled to Poland to thank troops supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and Kate Middleton met with displaced Ukrainian familiesbut the Duchess of Edinburgh is the first to actually visit the country.

ANATOLII STEPANOV - Getty Images

Per Buckingham Palace, the Duchess of Edinburgh "is visiting Ukraine at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence."

According to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCO), the Duchess "met with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and survivors of torture who bravely shared their stories, and with children who have now been safely returned to Ukraine, after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia as part of a sustained campaign to erase Ukrainian culture."



ANATOLII STEPANOV - Getty Images

Sophie also met President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska, and delivered a message to them on behalf of King Charles. The Ukrainian first lady was in the UK earlier this year, and during her visit, she met with Queen Camilla at Clarence House.

This is not the Duchess of Edinburgh's first time traveling to support survivors of sexual violence in conflict zones; in recent years, she has been to Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Colombia, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

During a speech she gave at the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence conference last month, Sophie said, "Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences. They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime, we must never forget survivors. Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isn't an accepted part of conflict. Their rights and their voices must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books."

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The royal is visiting Ukraine to demonstrate solidarity with those impacted by the war and in continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence

ANATOLII STEPANOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh visits Ukraine on April 29, 2024

Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh is in Ukraine, becoming the first member of the British royal family to visit the country since Russia invaded in 2022.

The Duchess of Edinburgh, 59, made the trip at the request of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war and in a continuation of her work to champion survivors of conflict-related sexual violence.

Sophie met with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and survivors of torture as well as children who were safely returned to Ukraine after being forcibly separated from their families and deported by Russia. She also met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska to discuss the best ways to support survivors and women peacebuilders.

The Duchess of Edinburgh announced her commitment to champion the U.K.'s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative and the U.N.'s Women, Peace and Security Agenda on International Women's Day 2019. She has visited many countries over the years to highlight the impact of historical and ongoing conflict, including Kosovo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Colombia.

ANATOLII STEPANOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh visits Ukraine on April 29, 2024

Related: Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh Visits African Victims of Gender-Based Violence

Along with the rest of the royal family, Sophie and her husband, Prince Edward, have also been highly supportive of Ukraine's plight over the past two years. When they were announced as the new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in 2023, titles last held by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, the couple met with members of the Ukrainian community, including families who have made the city their home since the start of the conflict.

Last month, Sophie also appeared in a video message at the Restoration of the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Survivors Rights Conference in Ukraine. Addressing the meeting virtually, Sophie quoted the message her brother-in-law King Charles issued on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"His Majesty The King recently said, 'Ukrainians continue to show the heroism with which the world associates them so closely,' " Sophie said in a video shared on X by the royal family's official account. Your Excellency The First Lady, all survivors, and the women and men helping to end conflict and build peace here in Ukraine, I am full of admiration for you all."

Survivors here and around the world have spoken out so bravely about their experiences. They are the most powerful advocates who remind us all that we must not turn our backs on the horrors of this crime. We must never forget the survivors, she added. Rather, we must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress, and ensure that this crime isnt an accepted part of conflict. Their rights, and their voices, must be at the heart of all our efforts to consign conflict-related sexual violence to the history books.

"We must stand shoulder to shoulder with all survivors to secure justice and holistic redress."



The Duchess of Edinburgh has addressed, via video message, the Restoration of the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Survivors Rights Conference in Ukraine.  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 4, 2024

Kate Middleton and Prince William as well as King Charles and Queen Camilla expressed their support for Ukraine soon after the conflict began and visited volunteer efforts and communities for displaced Ukrainian families in recent years. They have also hosted the nation's president and first lady in the U.K.

King Charles, 75, hosted President Zelenskyy at Buckingham Palace during the Ukrainian leader's surprise visit to the U.K. in Feb. 2023

The monarch told him, "We've all been worried about you and thinking about your country for so long, I can't tell you."

Related: Kate Middleton Pens Handwritten Note in Support of Ukrainian Refugees  See What She Said

Kirsty O'Connor / POOL / AFP via Getty Kate Middleton (left) and Olena Zelenska (right) meet at Buckingham Palace on Sept. 18, 2022

The Princess of Wales, 42, and the Queen, 76, have both sat down with Zelenska, most recently with Queen Camilla hosting Ukraine's first lady in March.

On Feb. 24, the second anniversary of Russia's invasion, King Charles sent words of support to Ukraine.

The determination and strength of the Ukrainian people continues to inspire, as the unprovoked attack on their land, their lives and livelihoods enters a third, tragic, year, the message began. "Despite the tremendous hardship and pain inflicted upon them, Ukrainians continue to show the heroism with which the world associates them so closely. Theirs is true valor, in the face of indescribable aggression. I have felt this personally in the many meetings I have had with Ukrainians since the start of the war, from President Zelenskyy and Mrs. Zelenska, to new army recruits training here in the United Kingdom."

Aaron Chown - Pool/Getty King Charles (left) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet at Buckingham Palace on Feb. 8, 2023

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I continue to be greatly encouraged that the United Kingdom and our allies remain at the forefront of international efforts to support Ukraine at this time of such great suffering and need. My heart goes out to all those affected, as I remember them in my thoughts and prayers, King Charles concluded.



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A Southern California woman has pleaded guilty in a $150-million counterfeit postage scheme. Pictured are Postal Service trucks parked outside a post office in January. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)

A San Gabriel Valley woman who was accused of using counterfeit postage on tens of millions of packages pleaded guilty Friday to defrauding the United States Postal Service out of more than $150 million.

Lijuan Angela Chen, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and one count of using counterfeit postage, according to a statement from the U.S. Justice Department.

Chen, a resident of Walnut, has been in federal custody since she was arrested in May 2023. A co-defendant, 51-year-old Chuanhua Hugh Hu  who authorities say is considered a fugitive hiding in China  has been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the U.S., three counts of passing and possessing counterfeit obligations of the U.S. and one count of forging and counterfeiting postage stamps.

In all, authorities allege that the duo mailed more than 34 million parcels containing counterfeit postage labels from January 2020 through last May.

Read more: They falsely said USPS packages were lost or damaged, collecting $2.3 million. Now brothers face prison

According to Chens plea agreement, she and Hu owned and operated a City of Industry-based package shipping company that offered shipping by U.S. Mail for China-based logistics businesses.

Hu then began to print duplicate and counterfeit NetStamps in an effort to cut the cost of postage, authorities allege.

In November 2019, officials say, Hu became aware that federal authorities were investigating, so he fled to China, where he continued to create counterfeit postage and avoid detection. Federal authorities believe he used a computer program to fabricate shipping labels.

Meanwhile, Chen remained in the San Gabriel Valley, managing the warehouses the two used to ship packages for their business. The pair then began using counterfeit postage to ship items by U.S. Mail in 2020. Authorities say they would receive packages from China-based companies and apply the fake postage to ship them through the Postal Service.

Read more: 56 arrested in alleged $5-million stolen check scheme targeting hundreds of Californians

According to court documents, the red flags raised by fake postage included the reuse of intelligent barcode data already applied to other mailed packages. Those data are used to prove the labels have been paid for prior to shipping.

Multiple packages shipped by Chen and Hu included counterfeit Priority Mail postage, authorities said.

Under the terms of Chens plea agreement, she will forfeit funds in her bank accounts, insurance policies and real estate in Chino, Chino Hills, Diamond Bar, South El Monte, Walnut and West Covina. She is scheduled to be sentenced in August, and faces up to five years in prison for each count.

This defendant participated in a fraud scheme that caused massive losses to our nations postal service, U.S. Atty. Martin Estrada said in a statement. My office will continue to focus on holding fraudsters accountable and bringing justice to victims everywhere.

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At least 15 Palestinians were killed Sunday night in Israeli airstrikes on three residential buildings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Palestinian official news agency Wafa reported on Monday. #XinhuaNews




SpaceX employees are sustaining an outrageous amount of injuries, once again exceeding the industry average in 2023, according to safety data reported to U.S. regulators by the aerospace company helmed by CEO Elon Musk.

The 2023 records from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, reviewed by Reuters, show that injury rates at some SpaceX facilities got worse in 2023 than in 2022. The outlet points out that in 2022, the Brownsville, Texas facility reported 4.8 injuries per 100 workers. That number jumped to 5.9 in 2023. For reference, the aerospace industry average is 0.8 injuries per 100 workers.

However, those numbers may not be telling the whole story. Last year, Reuters investigated these injury numbers and found at least 600 previously unreported worker injuries at SpaceX. Some of those injuries led to crushed limbs, amputations, and serious head injuries as well as a death.



The 2023 data is the most complete report provided by SpaceX to date, and it highlights injuries from eight major facilities, two more than in 2022. In previous years, Musks company hadnt reported any data for most of its sites, including manufacturing and launching facilities.

Graphic: Reuters

These astronomical (Im so sorry) injury rates should be a great cause for concern for SpaceX clients like NASA, according to safety experts. From Reuters:

The federal space program has increasingly relied on SpaceX in recent years and as of 2022 had paid the company at least $11.8 billion for various contracts. NASA should be concerned about the quality of the work, said David Michaels, a former OSHA administrator who is now a professor at The George Washington University. High injury rates, he added, can be an indicator of poor production quality. A NASA spokesperson didnt respond to a request for comment.

The further you delve into these numbers from SpaceX, the more alarming it gets. A unit that retrieves rocket boosters in the Pacific Ocean has reported 7.6 injuries per 100 workers. That is nine times higher than the industry average. In other words, SpaceX is a menace to safety.

Of the eight facilities reported by SpaceX, not a single one is at or below the industry average. If you want to work at the aerospace company and mitigate the risk of being injured as much as possible, youll need to work at its Redmond facility which still had a 1.5 injuries per 100 workers rate in 2023.

Shockingly, neither Musk or SpaceX as a whole have ever commented on the companys disastrous safety record.

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A feverish five-day political drama in Spain finally came to an end Monday with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchezs decision to remain in his role despite saying he was contemplating resigning over the launch of a corruption investigation into his wife.

Socialist Sanchez last week said he was considering standing down after a court decided to permit a judicial probe into his spouse, Begona Gomez. Sanchez, who has led Spain since 2018, slammed his opponents for launching a harassment and bullying operation and canceled his public duties while he considered his future.

Alleged Affair Detonates Wild Spanish Royal Family Conspiracy Theory

He also theatrically promised to make a statement announcing his final decision one way or the other on Monday. After a weekend of frenzied speculation about what would happen and a series of demonstrations around the country calling for him to stay, Sanchez announced in a speech that he would, in fact, be going nowhere.

Speaking from his official residence in Madrid in a televised address, Sanchez said the expressions of solidarity from all sections of society had informed his decision to stay, according to the BBCs translation of his remarks. He also said he would continue with more strength if possible.

This isnt about the destiny of one leader, he said. Its about deciding what kind of society we want to be. Our country needs this self-reflection. We have let the mud soil our public life for too long.

The allegations of wrongdoing against Gomez that sparked the talk of resignation came from a group called Clean Hands. The groupwhose leader has links with the extreme righthad relied on online news reports in its complaint and acknowledged the publications claims could be incorrect.

Prosecutors in Spain said the complaint should be dismissed, and one of the news stories has already been shown to be false. In a public letter Wednesday, Sanchez said the allegationsin which Gomez was accused of exploiting her position for influence peddling and business corruptionwere baseless and said he was deeply in love with his wife.

I am aware that I have shown a degree of personal intimacy that is not normally permitted in politics, Sanchez said while announcing his decision to remain as prime minister. He also said that his talk of resigning and the axing of his public duties was not done out of a political calculus.

His opponents disagree.

The conservative Popular Party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo on Monday accused Sanchez of having pulled the leg of a nation of 48 million people, according to the Associated Press. He neglected his duties for five days as part of a campaign ploy.

Santiago Abascal, the president of the hard-right Vox party, similarly claimed that Sanchezs histrionics had pushed Spain into international embarrassment of incalculable dimensions.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Monday he will not resign, five days after canceling his public duties to reflect on whether to continue in the job, on the heels of a Spanish court opening a probe against his wife, Begona Gomez.

Sanchez, a socialist, made the announcement in a TV address from his official compound in Madrid, following a corruption complaint against Gomez brought by Manos Limpias (Clean Hands), an organization with links to the far-right.

I have decided to continue, with more force if possible, as the head of the Spanish government, the 52-year-old prime minister said.

Sanchez said he would step up his fight against unfounded attacks, such as the one against his wife, which he has previously blamed on conservative and far-right forces.

I act on clear conviction. Or we say enough of this degradation or it will condemn us as a nation, he said Monday. This is not an ideological question. Its a question of dignity and defines us as a society.

My wife and I know this campaign (against us) will not stop, and he said its been ongoing for 10 years.

Sanchez thanked his Spanish Socialist Party members for their support.

The prime ministers decision on Monday came after the Madrid regional Superior Court of Justice launched a probe against Gomez for alleged influence peddling and business corruption after receiving the complaint from Manos Limpias.

News of the probe surfaced on April 24, and Sanchez announced that he had suspended his public duties until Monday in order to stop and reflect on if I should continue leading the government.

The prime minister said in a post on X that the Clean Hands complaint appeared to be based on alleged information published by what he termed some right and far-right digital media.

On April 25, prosecutors presented an appeal to the judge against the probe and asked him to shelve the case, according to the Spanish Attorney Generals press office.

Manos Limpias acknowledged on the same day that it had relied on press reports for its court complaint. It will be up to the judge to determine if that journalistic information is true or not, the group said in a statement.

Then a Spanish prosecution service source told CNN that prosecutors did not find indications of a crime that would justify opening a probe against Gomez.

On Friday, another group linked to conservative causes, Hazte Oir (Make Yourself Heard) made public its own complaint to the same court against Gomez, listing only alleged influence peddling against her.

Sanchez, pictured here with his wife at the ballot box last year, secured a fresh mandate for another four-year term after securing parliamentary backing in November. - Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

Sanchez Socialist party performed strongly in recent regional elections in Spains northern Basque region. Polling also predicts that the party will do well in regional elections in Catalonia in next month.

Salvador Illa, who was health minister under Sanchez during the Covid pandemic and now is the Socialist Party candidate running for president of the Catalan region, said on X that the prime ministers decision to remain is a brave decision to recover the dignity of politics and a commitment to stop those who try to undermine our democracy.

Meanwhile, the main conservative opposition Popular Party leader, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, said: This crisis didnt start last Wednesday nor does it end today. This is part of various years of embarrassment. Above all, the months of this current legislature, which has been backsliding in stability.

Sanchez became prime minister in 2018 after winning a no-confidence vote against the conservative Mariano Rajoy.

He won a general election in November 2019, but fell short of a majority. He formed a coalition government with the leftist Podemos party but called snap elections in May 2023 after his party suffered major setbacks in regional and local elections.

Sanchez managed to form a new coalition with a narrow parliamentary majority and was sworn in for a four-year term in November 2023.

Sanchezs government has been a staunch ally of Ukraine, sending tanks, air defense systems and other aid to Kyiv.

At home, his government has implemented a progressive agenda, including policies on womens rights and a euthanasia law. These reforms won votes in urban areas, but the pace of change has also led to a backlash in other parts of Spain, as has his openness to working with separatist parties as worries over the breakup of the country.

According to government estimates, some 12,500 people filled the narrow streets around the Socialist Party headquarters in Madrid on Saturday to call on Sanchez to stay. Another 5,000 supporters rallied at the Spanish parliament on Sunday, the government said.

Despite a rainy start to Saturdays proceedings, huge crowds turned out and chants of Pedro, stay in office and Pedro, we do support you could be heard amid enthusiastic cheering from the huge crowds.

If he quits, democracy loses. If he resigns, everything we have fought for goes away  not just the social advances weve achieved in this country and the advances for the LGBTI community and for all groups with needs that have problems. No, democracy in general loses, one demonstrator told CNN en Espanol.

CNN en Espanols Pau Mosquera contributed reporting.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
(Bloomberg) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez plans to say on Monday whether hell quit, raising the threat of worsening uncertainty and political gridlock in Madrid.

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Sanchez, whose Socialist-led minority coalition is Spains weakest government in some 90 years, brought Spain to the brink last week by publicly wondering whether its worth it to stay on and dropping from sight to reflect on his future. That followed the opening of a judicial investigation into his wifes business dealings.

Sanchez said on April 22 hed announce his decision on Monday. He will make the announcement at 11 a.m. from the Moncloa government palace.

Resigning would take Spain into uncharted territory with no obvious successor, separatist parties on the rise in parts of the country and no guarantee that the conservative opposition could muster a government. No Spanish prime minister has stepped down in mid-term since 1981.

Thousands of supporters rallied outside the Socialist partys headquarters in Madrid on Saturday urging Sanchez to stay as premier, a post he has held since 2018. Sanchez, 52, has called the probe of his wife part of a far-right smear campaign. Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero, seen as a possible Sanchez successor, stepped outside to encourage the crowd.

Officials and colleagues close to Sanchez argue that his resignation would push Spain and his party into chaos. Possible fallout includes Catalonia, the second-largest region, which holds local legislative elections May 12 with Sanchezs Socialists on track to take power from the incumbent separatists.

If he stays, Sanchez could try to strengthen his standing by seeking a confidence vote in parliament. He could also call a national election, something he cant formally do until the end of May.

If Sanchez decided to stay, that is where the question comes in: is it enough for him to say that he is staying? said Pablo Simon, a political science lecturer at the Carlos III University in Madrid. Not in my opinion, because the political gamble has been very big, very intense.

Any decision involving a confidence vote or anointing a successor would require the Socialists to strike deals with at least six other parties, including two Catalan separatist groups and two pro-independence Basque groups, PNV and Bildu. The heads of PNV and Bildu both indicated theyd support Sanchez if he calls a confidence vote.

Carles Puigdemont, of the Catalan group Junts, recently said his party has lost confidence in Sanchez, opening the door to voting against him or demanding he name a successor.

The conservative Peoples Party, which holds the most lower-house seats in Madrid, faces its own challenges. To cobble together a government, it would need the support of at least one separatist party, all of which have ruled out cooperation with the PP.

Sanchez has presided over growth that has regularly ranked among the highest in the euro area, even though Spains tourism-heavy economy took a bigger hit than many others during the Covid-19 pandemic. Yet he has faced criticism for expanding debt and failing to get his fractious coalition to back major policy projects, which hampered Spains ability to tap European Union recovery funds.

Sanchezs wife, Begona Gomez, came under scrutiny after being targeted in a complaint by an organization with far-right links, Clean Hands, thats known for trying to take left-leaning politicians and policies to court.

--With assistance from Thomas Gualtieri and Clara Hernanz Lizarraga.

(Updates with revised time of announcement in third paragraph.)

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FILE - Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez next to his wife Begona Gomez, gives a thumb up during a campaign closing meeting in Madrid, Spain, Friday, July 21, 2023. Spain is in nail-biting suspense Monday as it waits for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez to announce whether he will continue in office or not. Sanchez, 52, shocked the country on Thursday, announcing he was taking five days off to think about his future after a court opened preliminary proceedings against his wife on corruption allegations. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti, File)

MADRID (AP)  Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez vowed to stay in office and govern with even more strength Monday, ending days of speculation he might resign to stop what he called a smear campaign against his wife after she was accused of corruption.

Sanchez shocked the country last Wednesday when he announced he would take five days off to consider his future following a court's decision to open preliminary proceedings against his wife on the allegations.

A platform linked to far-right causes, Manos Limpias, or Clean Hands, accused Begona Gomez of using her position to influence business deals. Spanish prosecutors say it should be thrown out. Gomez has not been indicted.

Sanchez's resignation would have ended the leadership of a prominent Socialist prime minister at a time when the center right increasingly holds sway in Europe and ahead of European elections in June.

But the politician who has forged a reputation as a steely survivor announced Monday that he would once again push on.

I have decided to continue on with even more strength at the helm of the government of Spain, he said in a televised speech after informing King Felipe VI of the decision. It is a decision that does not mean a return to the status quo, this will mark a before and after, I promise you that.

He did not say, however, what steps he would take. The leading opposition conservative Popular Party has said Sanchezs behavior was unbecoming of a leader.

The eurozones fourth-largest economy had been riveted by the unusual episode that began when Sanchez, prime minister since 2018, canceled his public agenda and holed up in his residence, the Moncloa Palace.

In an emotional letter he posted on social media platform X, he declared himself deeply in love with Gomez and said that he could no longer stand aside and watch her being targeted. He said the moves against her constituted a personal attack on his family and he needed time to decide on his priorities.

The suspense ahead of Monday's announcement was such that Spains state broadcaster put a 10-minute countdown clock on the screen.

Speaking from the steps of the presidential palace Monday, Sanchez said that he and his wife know that this campaign to discredit them wont stop but that he has decided that he couldnt give his adversaries the satisfaction of giving up.

Rallies by his supporters over the past few days played a part in his decision, he said.

Sanchez, who has more than three years left in his term, had four options: resign, seek a parliamentary vote of confidence, call a new election or remain in office.

While pundits made their bets on whether his career, marked by escaping tight squeezes, was indeed over, Sanchez ended up taking the least dramatic route and decided to get back to work.

He acknowledged that the past days were unusual for a leader in his position.

I am aware that I have shown a degree of personal intimacy that is not normally permitted in politics, he added.

The unprecedented pause by Sanchez came at a delicate moment in Spain and in Europe.

Sanchezs concessions to Catalan separatist parties in order to hold onto power after elections in July have dominated the political debate in Spain. The prime minster hopes to move past that now and put the focus on the what he says are the unfair tactics of his opponents.

While Sanchez denied his moves last week were political ones, analyst Montserrat Nebrera said they resulted in a free campaign rally for five full days.

"Those who were with him will now be with him to the death, said Nebrera, a professor of constitutional law at the International University of Catalonia.

It looks like a campaign move to boost the polarization of the electorate between those who are with him and those who are against him, she said. It is designed to have an impact in the Catalan elections and even more so in the European elections, which were not looking great for the Socialists.

While popular internationally, the 52-year-old politician is loved or despised in Spain.

Sanchez blamed the investigation against his wife on online news sites politically aligned with the Popular Party and the far right Vox party that spread what he called spurious allegations.

Earlier this year, Spains government watchdog for conflict of interests tossed out a complaint made by the Popular Party against Sanchez in which the party claimed that Gomez had allegedly influenced her husband in a decision related to an airline.

The Popular Party criticized Sanchez's behavior on Monday.

(Sanchez) has pulled the leg of a nation of 48 million people, party leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo said. He neglected his duties for five days as part of a campaign ploy.

Sanchez justified his hiatus as necessary for him to think in peace.

We live in a society that teaches us and demands us to to keep going at full throttle no matter what, Sanchez said during his short speech. But sometimes in life the only way to move forward is to stop and reflect and decide with clarity which path we want to take.

___

Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain.

___

Find more of AP's Europe coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/europe
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday he will carry on in his post after threatening to resign over an inquiry into alleged corruption by his wife, Begona Gomez.

"I have decided to carry on as the head of the government with even more strength, if possible," the Socialist politician said in his speech in Madrid.

The huge solidarity rallies organized by his supporters in Madrid and other cities over the weekend had influenced his decision, which he said he had made together with his wife.

Sanchez, 52, unexpectedly announced on Wednesday that he was considering stepping down after nearly six years, owing to what he said were baseless claims made against his wife.

The allegations against Gomez, who does not hold public office, were laid by the right-wing Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) organization. It accused her of influence peddling and business corruption. Manos Limpias later acknowledged that the allegations were based on media reports that could be false.

The public prosecutor's office in Madrid last week also requested that a preliminary investigation into Gomez, 49, be dropped.

Sanchez startled the country when he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, last Wednesday that he was tired of the political "mud pit" that had been created by the right and far-right.

The leader of the European Union's fourth-largest economy wrote he needed to decide "whether it is worth it" to stay in office and would announce his choice on Monday. He cancelled all public duties in the interim.

More than 10,000 people demonstrated in Madrid on Saturday, calling for him to remain in office. About 5,000 turned out in the Spanish capital on Sunday evening. They held posters saying "Don't give up" and accused the right-wing of resorting to "blackmail" and "fake news."

The Spanish parliament narrowly voted last November to confirm Sanchez in office for a renewed four-year term, nearly four months after snap elections were held. Sanchez controversially promised an amnesty deal for Catalan separatists in return for the votes of two Catalan parties.
Mr Sanchez called the accusations against his wife 'an operation of harassment' - PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images

Spains prime minister has announced he will not resign, admitting he was led by his emotions when he suspended his duties after a corruption investigation was launched into his wife.

Pedro Sanchez told Spaniards in a letter to citizens last Wednesday that he had to decide whether remaining at the head of government was worth it in light of corruption accusations made against Begona Gomez, his wife.

I have decided to carry on, maybe with even more strength, as prime minister of Spain, Mr Sanchez said in a televised address from his Moncloa official residence.

On Monday Mr Sanchez admitted that his decision to put his political activity on pause had been unusual, and claimed it had been a purely emotional reaction and not a political calculation.

A preliminary judicial investigation was opened into Ms Gomez last week over accusations of influence peddling and business corruption, based on reports published by what Mr Sanchez called a constellation of ultra-conservative news outlets.

In short, it is an operation of harassment and demolition by land, sea and air, to try to weaken me politically and personally by attacking my wife, Mr Sanchez said in his letter last week.

Smear campaign

At a press conference on Monday, he said he and his wife were aware that what he considers a smear campaign would continue, but said the fight for political decency had to be won.

We either say enough is enough or we run the risk that the degradation of public life will determine the future of the country.

Mr Sanchez said he would be opening a new chapter in Spanish political life in order to bring an end to political mud-slinging, but gave no details of what this would entail.

Opposition parties have also asked for explanations from Mr Sanchez about reports that a private university study centre run by Ms Gomez received sponsorship from a conglomerate whose airline subsidiary received emergency funds during the pandemic.

She also signed documents in support of a consortium seeking to win government contracts for work training schemes.

Neither Ms Gomez nor Mr Sanchez have made specific denials of the claims, although the prime minister has stressed that Spains conflict of interest office exonerated him of any wrongdoing over the decision to grant funds to the airline Air Europa.

Mr Sanchez also said that Ms Gomez was taking legal action against newspapers that have reported spurious information.

Ministers call on Sanchez not to resign

Over the weekend, ministers and government supporters called on Mr Sanchez not to resign, with Mr Sanchezs Socialist Party organising a rally in support of the prime minister outside the organisations Madrid headquarters.

Yolanda Diaz, labour minister and leader of Sumar, the junior partner in Spains Left-wing coalition, said it was not just a case of supporting Mr Sanchez but defending the democratic system and respect for electoral results and the parliament system.

Spain is not mobilising to save a party or a government, but rather in order to defend rights.

The conservative opposition Peoples Party (PP), which won last Julys election but could not muster a parliamentary majority, said it is ready to bring an end to what it sees as a crisis of governance under Mr Sanchez.

Spain deserves a calm and mature prime minister, and it will have one, said Alberto Nunez Feijoo, the PP leader, accusing Mr Sanchez of navel-gazing and narcissism for keeping the country guessing for five days.

Since 2018, governments ruled by Mr Sanchez have pursued progressive policies, increasing the national minimum wage by more than half, lengthening parental leave, and reducing temporary work contracts.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  A 32-year-old Springfield man has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for several sex crimes against children.

Prosecutors said James Simons, a registered sex offender, persuaded children to produce and send him sexual images of themselves. Evidence presented in court showed that over the course of 15 days in August 2020, Simons communicated online with someone he believed was 15 years old. Despite this, he discussed engaging in sexual activity with them, asked for their address, and sent them child pornography.

On Aug. 28, 2020, he confirmed the 15-year-old was alone in their home and drove to their address expecting to engage in sexual activities. Instead, he was arrested and has been in custody ever since.

Springfield Police warn of computer scam

Simons pleaded guilty in December to sexual exploitation of a child, distribution and receipt of child pornography, attempted enticement of a minor, use of interstate facilities to attempt to transmit information about a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. He also faced penalties for committing these crimes as a registered sex offender.

Now, he will spend the next 35 years behind bars. After his prison time is served, the will have a lifetime of supervised release.

This sentence sends a strong message to every perpetrator that the U. S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of Illinois and its law enforcement partners prioritize the protection of children and will use every resource at our disposal to ensure that the internet is not used by predators as their hunting ground, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs.

Sherman daycare worker arrested on child pornography charges

The FBI Springfield Field Office, Sangamon County Sheriffs Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Springfield Police Department, and the Illinois State Police worked together on the investigation.

The case was brought forward as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The FBI prioritizes investigations that protect children, said David Nanz, FBI Springfields Special Agent in Charge. This substantial sentence resulted from the dedicated efforts of our agents and law enforcement partners who work around the clock to stop perpetrators who harm our children.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Springville man pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge in connection to a road rage incident in East Concord last year, the Erie County District Attorneys Office said Monday.

On Nov. 29, 39-year-old Mario Garcia was involved in a road rage encounter with another driver, 64-year-old Andrew Mikula, of Lancaster, while driving on Route 240. Mikula pulled over and Garcia followed behind the victims truck.

Mikula exited his vehicle and walked toward Garcias truck when Garcia recklessly hit Mikula with his vehicle. He died at the scene and Garcia drove home after the incident before calling 911.

Garcia faces a maximum prison sentence of 15 years when he is sentenced on June 5. He was held without bail pending the sentence.

Latest in crime news

Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024 as a digital producer. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
(Bloomberg) -- Surveying the fallout triggered by the resignation of Scotlands First Minister Humza Yousaf, one man appears set to be the biggest beneficiary: the leader of the UKs main opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer.

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Yousafs decision to quit  following days of chaos since he terminated his Scottish National Partys power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens  prolongs a period of turmoil in Scotland that has coincided with a turnaround in Labours fortunes at the perfect time, months away from a UK general election.

Historically, Labours path to Downing Street has run through Scotland, which is part of the reason the SNPs struggles are so closely watched in Westminster. As recently as 2010, Labour won 41 of Scotlands 59 seats in Westminster. But its vote share collapsed amid burgeoning support for the SNPs pro-independence message, leaving it with a single constituency in both 2015 and 2019.

The SNPs dominance of Scottish politics also contributed to the Conservative Party holding onto UK power since 2010. So the upheaval at the top of the SNP, which also includes long-time leader Nicola Sturgeon stepping down and her husband being charged for embezzlement as part of a probe into the partys finances, boosts Starmers chances of ousting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

It definitely helps Labour, said Coree Brown Swan, a lecturer in British politics at the University of Stirling. The average person doesnt want to vote for the party that seems to be in turmoil and divided, while Labour is offering a positive and unified message.

The dynamics of Scottish politics are changing rapidly. Labour narrowly overtook the SNP in polling in Scotland for the first time since the regions independence referendum a decade ago, according to YouGov.

Yousafs departure symbolizes a remarkable turnaround for the SNP, which had depicted itself as a beacon of stable leadership within the UK during the chaos of Brexit and the pandemic. Now, the party is likely months away from a UK election campaign without a leader and mired in a scandal over its finances.

Labour are the main beneficiaries of political instability in the SNP, said Joe Armitag

e, lead UK politics analyst at Global Counsel.

The next electoral test could come sooner than the UK vote. Labour is pushing for a confidence vote in the SNP-led government that could trigger snap elections for the first time since the parliament was re-established in 1999.

That would also happen if the SNP fails to win majority support for a new first minister within 28 days. Much will depend on how other opposition parties, especially the Greens who are the mostly likely to back the SNP, see their electoral prospects. For now, the focus is on who the SNP puts forward, with ex-deputy first minister John Swinney the current bookmakers favorite.

But Anas Sarwar, leader of Labours Scottish arm, is pressing for an election. The SNP cannot impose another unelected first minister on Scotland in a back-room deal, he said.

Labours calculation appears to be that its time to capitalize on its poll standing and show voters it has the momentum in Scotland. The risk is if the election for Scotlands parliament does not follow the trend set out in national surveys and the SNP does better than predicted.

Labour, though, looks determined to try to press home its advantage.

The longer the SNP languish in this position, in difficulty, the more likely that Labour position is to be successful at the next election, James Matthewson, a former Labour spokesman, told Sky News. But its not a done deal for Labour in Scotland, theyll need to fight hard.

--With assistance from Isabella Ward and Alex Wickham.

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ANKARA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye will support the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the post of NATO Secretary General, the state-run TRT broadcaster quoted anonymous Turkish officials as saying.

Turkiye has informed the other NATO members of its decision, according to the report.

The outgoing Dutch premier Rutte met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday for talks on his candidacy.

At the joint press conference with Erdogan, Rutte said that NATO's southern flank needs Turkiye and its leadership to leverage geopolitical influence in the region, including the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the Gaza crisis.

The incumbent NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, who assumed office in 2014, will end his term on Oct. 1 this year after NATO allies unanimously extended his term four times. 
Startup to test unusual method of restoring Arctic sea ice: 'We have to start somewhere'

A Dutch company called Arctic Reflections is one of many looking for a way to restore rapidly melting polar ice caps  and it all started with the Netherlands' traditional winter pastimes, the Guardian reports.

When the weather gets cold enough, the "IJmeesters" (ice masters) in Dutch villages work to create outdoor skating rinks. They pump out water across a meadow, creating layers thin enough to freeze rapidly. This helps build up ice more quickly than when a deep pool freezes from the top down.

Fonger Ypma, chief executive of Arctic Reflections, wondered if he could do the same in the Arctic.

Arctic ice is melting away, decreasing by about 13% every 10 years, according to data from the World Wildlife Fund cited by the Guardian. This year was especially bad, as ice that melted in the summer in polar regions didn't re-form in the winter as usual.

Not only is that a problem for arctic animals and sea life, but it also is a huge issue for humanity. First of all, the arctic permafrost has trapped a lot of chemicals like mercury that will be released if that ice melts. Second of all, melting glaciers and ice caps could raise the sea level and cause unimaginable damage to communities all along the coast.

Third, ice is vital to the Earth's "albedo," or the amount of light it reflects instead of absorbing as heat. The more ice melts, the more absorbent the Earth gets, and the faster we reach a tipping point where we can't cool the Earth down again.

Arctic Reflections doesn't have a perfect solution for all those issues, but it does have an idea that may help, the Guardian reports. The company is looking to pump water up from below the arctic ice and spread it thinly over the surface so that it will freeze, thickening the ice and creating a clean, bright layer with a high albedo.

Not only that, but Arctic Reflections hopes to identify key points in the region where ocean currents will carry new ice away and distribute it over a wide area, the Guardian added.

Hayo Hendrikse, assistant professor at Delft University of Technology, has worked with Arctic Reflections on trials of its technology.

"I see a potential for this on a smaller scale," he told the Guardian. But he added, "It's not a solution  it's a [Band-aid]."

"The speed at which things are going wrong is such that we have to resort to these kinds of [measures] to at least buy some time," added Dutch Wubbo Ockels innovation prize jury member Maurits Groen. "It's a proven technology and cost-effective compared with alternatives  we have to start somewhere."

The only real long-term solution is to bring down the temperature of the planet, and phasing out dirty energy is the most important part of doing just that.

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More than 30 men have died while attempting to cross Ukraine's mountainous western border to evade mobilization, State Border Guard Service Head Andriy Demchenko said in an interview with Ukrinform published on April 29.

Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60, with some exceptions, are not allowed to leave the country as they may be called up for military service.

As Ukraine faces the challenge of mobilizing more men for its army, a November 2023 report by the BBC indicates that around 20,000 Ukrainian men have illegally crossed the border and escaped mobilization.

Many men end up crossing the border illegally with the help of smugglers, who demand vast sums only to leave the men to cross a river or mountain alone, Demchenko said.

"Every day we refuse border crossings to about 120 people," Demchenko said.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the State Border Guard Service has uncovered about 450 criminal networks that smuggle people across the border.

The majority of these attempts occur on Ukraine's border with Moldova and Romania, while the border with Poland sees the largest number of attempts to leave Ukraine through checkpoints with forged documents, Demchenko said.

The State Border Guard Service reported on April 29 that a total of 24 people have drowned after trying to cross the Tysa River, which forms the border in Zakarpattia Oblast, after two men drowned on the evening of April 27.

"It is extremely dangerous to swim across (the river), especially at night," the State Border Guard Service said in a statement.

"Sharp stones, roots, tree debris, and the swift and cold stream can pose a danger to life and health."

Read also: Polish FM: Returning draft-aged men to Ukraine is ethically ambiguous

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Some in State Department dont believe Israel is using US weapons in accordance with international law, source says

The State Department is divided over whether Israel is using American-provided weapons in accordance with international law ahead of a fast-approaching deadline next week for Secretary of State Antony Blinken to make a determination to Congress.

There is not unanimity about whether to accept Israels assurances about this as credible and reliable, a department official said. Israel was required to make those assurances to the US under a national security memorandum issued by President Joe Biden in February.

The memorandum requires all countries receiving US weapons to make assurances that they are using them in a manner consistent with all applicable international and domestic law and policy, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

Under that memorandum, Blinken must tell Congress by May 8 whether he has certified the assurances to be credible and reliable.

Human rights groups have accused Israel of committing war crimes and abuses during the war in Gaza. Several hundred officials from Western countries, including some from the US, have previously raised concerns that their governments may be complicit in war crimes in their support of Israels fight against Hamas.

The State Department official Sunday did not give further details about which parts of the department are in favor of accepting Israels assurances, which are in favor of rejecting them, and which took no position.

Reuters reported Sunday that four bureaus  Democracy, Human Rights and Labor; Population, Refugees and Migration; Global Criminal Justice; and International Organization Affairs  raised serious concern over non-compliance with international humanitarian law during the war.

We dont comment on leaked documents, especially those purporting to contain classified information, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

On complex issues, the Secretary often hears a diverse range of views from within the Department, and he takes all of those views into consideration, he said. In this instance, the Department received the assurances that were required by the National Security Memorandum, and we are now preparing a report to Congress.

The concerns come after Biden signed into law an aid package that includes $26 billion for Israel. That funding includes $4.4 billion to replenish defense items and services provided to Israel and $3.5 billion for the procurement of advanced weapons systems and other items through the Foreign Military Financing Program.

Since Hamas attack on Israel in October, which killed over 1,200 Israelis, the US has made more than 100 foreign military sales to Israel. More than 34,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, according to Gazas Ministry of Health.

Progressives are growing increasingly frustrated with Bidens support for Israel, as protests over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza spread across the US, most notably on college campuses, where protesters have decried the stance of Genocide Joe. But the president on Sunday again reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The White House could slow military provisions, curtail monetary assistance, or drastically ratchet up the public pressure on Netanyahu if the US concludes Israel is impeding aid to Gaza and not adhering to human rights laws.

Bidens unconditional support for Israels war, though, has at times flagged. Following the Israeli strike that killed seven World Central Kitchen workers this month, the president for the first time threatened Netanyahu, telling him in a call that the US could be forced to make changes to free-flowing support if Israel did not make immediate moves to allow more humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

Last week, the State Departments annual report on human rights raised sharp concerns about war crimes reported in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. The report referred to actions taken by Hamas on October 7 and also included reports of systemic torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment of Palestinian detainees in prison facilities after October 7 and the forced disappearance of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza.

While the report does not represent the US governments own conclusions, Blinken said last week that the State Department was looking at the incidents.

Its important that we take the time to do our best to get the facts, to get the information, to do the analysis, he said. Its very challenging to do this in real time.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this month, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that to his knowledge, we dont have any evidence of genocide being created by Israel during its war in Gaza.

Blinken has previously called charges of genocide against Israel meritless.

CNNs Michael Conte, Kayla Tausche and MJ Lee contributed to this report.

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Coastal wetlands off the Eastern Shore of Virginia. (Sarah Vogelsong / Virginia Mercury)

Those puddles of water along highways and property that seem like swamps are wetlands, a natural resource with numerous environmental benefits ranging from wildlife habitat and protection from flooding.

How those wetlands are sited and how they are protected is determined by wetland delineators, who are professionally certified after rigorous training and years of experience.

But Virginia legislators this year rolled back one requirement for the job and are attempting further changes through a less public regulatory process. Current professional wetland delineators say those efforts could undermine the integrity of the states certification and efforts to preserve a natural resource that is already under threat.

The existing education, training, and supervision/references requirements were put in place to ensure high quality delineations with proper application of criteria in determining wetland jurisdictional boundaries, wrote Eli Wright, a scientist at Dramby Environmental Consulting and past president of the Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals, in public comments on changes already made.

Prior to the PWD certification, there were occurrences of delineations being performed in Virginia by unqualified individuals, resulting in permitting issues and lawsuits against both the regulatory authorities and the individuals performing substandard work.

The regulatory change is being carried out under Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkins Executive Order 19, which calls for a 25% reduction in regulations across the state. The regulatory effort has resulted in similar concerns for cosmetology licenses and the Board of Housing and Community Development standards.

Youngkin spokesman Christian Martinez said the executive order is based on a regulatory reduction pilot program from 2018 that had received nearly unanimous support in the House and Senate, and he pointed out that the executive order requires agencies to conduct a thorough regulatory economic analysis prior to implementing any regulatory change, ensuring that the benefits outweigh the costs while upholding crucial protections for public health, safety, and welfare.

In this instance, there could be more harm than good, said Mary-Carson Stiff, executive director of the environmental non-profit Wetlands Watch.

There is a deep concern that certification will be weakened to such a degree that this will harm Virginias delineation, she said. This isnt childs play. This is potentially jeopardizing successful wetlands delineation for the commonwealth.

Wetland bill

The bill, as introduced by Del. Baxter Ennis, R-Chesapeake, would have reduced the course requirements, years of work experience and number of references an applicant for a professional wetland delineator needs.

The final version only cut the amount of years needed in research  from four years to three.

Ennis, in a Feb. 8 committee meeting, said the bill would better align with the universal licensing recognition statute, a law that passed last year allowing people who have certifications in other states to be able to work in Virginia.

But Thaddeus J. Kraska, the director of environmental services at Townes Site Engineering, said experience is necessary for determining where a wetland is as well as navigating the state and federal permitting process.

Based on my experience training professionals in the art/science of wetland delineation, accurate delineations are not something that can be learned and applied in only one to two years time, Kraska wrote in an email.

Any reduction to the educational requirements would also be harmful, particularly considering Virginia has three different regions of wetlands across the eastern tidewater region, central piedmont area and western mountainous terrain.

Across Virginia there are a variety of complex systems from the Coastal Plain pocosins to mineral soil flats to areas bordering between physiographic provinces that pose challenges, Kraska continued.

According to statistics from a January meeting by the Board of Professional Soil, Wetland Delineators and Geologists, the board charged with overseeing the PWD certification process, about 40% of 12 applicants passed last years exam, speaking to the credibility of the certification, Kraska said.

Educational requirements and experience are keys to ensuring that qualified people become certified as PWDs, Kraska said.

Regulation cuts

Although some of the changes didnt make it into state law, the board proposes making others through a regulatory process that comes on the heels of a periodic review that happened last year.

Among the changes the board most recently considered is removing a requirement that a reference for an applicant be a certified professional wetland delineator.

A flooded ditch in the area of Haven Beach. (Charlie Paullin/The Mercury)

Having a [certified PWD] as a reference helps to ensure that applicants have been trained/mentored by someone with demonstrated experience in the nuances of Virginia wetlands, wrote Wright in his comments.

On Monday, the board deleted a sentence of the regulation and counted it toward the 25% reduction requirement, and also OKd expanding the time frame from when applicants need to take the test for professional certification from within a one year period to three.

The change of making this regulation less stringent, youll get credit [from the governor] for that, said Joseph Haughwout, regulatory affairs manager at the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), the agency taking direction from the board. It may not be getting rid of the full requirement, but there is partial credit.

Kate R. Nosbisch, executive director of the board at DPOR, said, We like credit.

Some previously made changes were welcomed, such as clarifying references to tidal and non-tidal wetlands, the different forms of the natural resource that are overseen in Virginia. The board also considered removing a 32-hour delineation method instruction requirement that exists in federal law but ultimately left it.

Exceptions to achieving a 25% in reductions can be made, but they must be explained in the final decisions. The changes are expected to be discussed again at the boards meeting in May before going to the governor for final review and another public comment period.

DPORs Wetland Delineator regulatory review process pertains solely to eliminating administratively unnecessary and burdensome rules related to attaining professional certification as a Wetland Delineator while maintaining the professions standards and ensuring sufficient competency for the protection of the public, wrote John Robertson IV, DPOR spokesperson.

Importance of PWD

In addition to providing comfort to developers that delineations are being done properly, the PWD certification is now a requirement to receive a fast-tracked review from the Department of Environmental Quality.

In June of 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a surface water connection to navigable waters, or those used by boats, was needed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to have oversight over any disturbance to them.

Developers and farmers lauded the outcome because it meant they needed to only get a permit from the state, but environmental groups raised concern because wetlands are connected through intricate water systems underground and vulnerable to impacts made in a potentially distant area even though a visible connection isnt there.

After the court ruling, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality released guidance saying that permit applications that receive delineations from State Surface Water Delineator (SSWD) professionals, prior to being submitted, will receive an expedited review.

A requirement of that surface water delineation termination is the PWD certification, putting more pressure on maintaining the integrity of the PWD certification process.

The integrity of ones profession is vitally important, said Kraska. The quality of wetland delineations that pair with wetland permits is essential to ensure that these valuable resources are accurately identified and protected where possible.

DEQ relies on the board and its regulations to ensure that PWDs are qualified, DEQ spokeswoman Irina Calos, said in an email, which contributes to the accuracy and completeness of applications DEQ reviews.

With accurate and complete information, DEQ can approve SSWDs faster, which will also increase the efficiency of Virginia Water Protection (VWP) permit issuances, Calos wrote.

According to DPOR, the state had 11 PWD certifications in 2022, 29 in 2023 and 10 so far with 11 pending to date this year. Three have been issued through the Universal Licensing Regulation, two in 2023 and one this year. As of Feb. 1 there were about 120 certified PWDs.

While the [Virginia Association of Wetland Professionals] welcomes seeing the numbers of PWDs grow, we do not want to see inflated numbers at the expense of poor-quality delineations that ultimately affect wetland permits, said Kraska.

Wetlands changing landscape

To preserve wetlands in Virginia, there is a no net loss policy, meaning developers must avoid, minimize or mitigate impact, potentially leading to paying into a fund to restore the natural resource.

The first step in determining what areas are protected and how much may need to be paid into the fund is having a delineation done.

As climate change continues to cause sea levels to rise and stormwater is flooding areas, the location of wetlands are evolving, with 89% of tidal wetlands and 51% of non-tidal wetlands projected to be lost by 2080, according to the states Coastal Resilience Master Plan.

Wetlands can be smelly, muddy, whatever, theyre not popular with our manicured lifestyle, Stiff said, but they are more productive ecosystems than coral reefs and the rainforest.

We wont have them forever, Stiff said. This delineator certification is a critical component of this protection.

Without a professional able to accurately account for where the wetlands are, not only is the ecosystem susceptible to a loss, but a developer could be held liable for a lawsuit.

Costs and burdens associated with litigations resulting from wetland delineation work performed by unqualified individuals can result in harm to these small businesses, wrote Wright. Possibly worse, an inaccurate delineation or poor understanding of Virginia regulations can not only be costly to the permittee, it increases the onus of regulators with limited staff and time increasing permit issuance backlogs. Therefore, maintaining the integrity of the CPWD regulations is essential.

This article was updated to correct that Kate R. Nosbisch serves as executive director for the Board for Professional Soil Scientists, Wetland Professionals, and Geologists at the Department of Professional and Occupation Regulation, and clarify that one change to the professional wetland delineator certification regulations has happened so far under Gov. Glenn Youngkins Executive Order 19.

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The post State rolling back regulations for wetland delineators under Youngkin directive appeared first on Virginia Mercury.
Local labor organizers celebrate at a United Auto Workers vote watch party on April 19, 2024 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

In a death-defying feat of commentary acrobatics, I am here to propose an analogy that connects a car factory with Taylor Swift.

The overwhelming vote earlier this month by workers at the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant to join the United Automobile Workers union was a first for a nonunion automobile facility in a Southern state. It came after two failed attempts over the last decade to organize that VW plant (the most recent a narrow loss in 2019), as well as several other unsuccessful organizing bids at car factories in several Southern and Midwestern states.

The decisive VW outcome  over 70% in favor, with over 80% turnout  elicited a triumphant union reaction: a historic moment in our nations and our unions history, gushed UAW president Shawn Fain. The lopsided vote does qualify as a significant moment in U.S. labor history given the challenges of organizing in a country where union membership has been steadily declining for decades and trails most other advanced economies. But a historic moment in the nations history? Thats more than a little over the top.

Its unwise to put your future in somebody elses hands. But those workers make that decision based on the individual circumstances at the plant. I think it was a mistake, but thats their choice

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE  APRIL 19: United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain, right, speaks as local organizers raise their fists at a UAW 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. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

Skeptics of organized labor did their own predictable dance of doom: Good luck to the workers who made the choice. They will need it if UAW history is a guide, sourpussed the editors of the Wall Street Journal. The evidence is still lacking for the proposition that a win for the UAW is a win for workers, sneered the National Reviews Dominic Pino.

Everything is politicized these days (Taylor Swift includedwell come to that), so its old hat to notice Democrats cheering on unions while Republicans are shouting them down. Color me naive, but Ive long found it perplexing that organized labor is so enveloped in political polarization. After all, there really is no ideology inherent in workplace organizing, which at its core reflects a simple and universal concept: humans with common concerns come together to share them with each other, and band together to leverage change in their circumstances.

Its a concept so universal (as I periodically have to remind my union-queasy business school students) that it is enshrined as a fundamental human right in Article 23 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Everyone has the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Unfortunately, labor organizing as a fundamental right eludes too many Republicans who over time have swallowed conservative hostility to unionism as gospel. Thats how we ended up with the insultingly vapid statement of opposition put out by Gov. Bill Lee and five of his fellow Southern GOP governors in advance of the VW union vote.

The statement frames unions as sinister outsiders: special interests looking to come into our state and threaten our jobs and the values we live by. One gathers the values he references here are low pay, weak job security, and lousy health insurance. They proudly call themselves democratic socialists, the statement said, because 1950s-era redbaiting never goes out of style. A successful unionization drive will stop this growth in its tracks, to the detriment of American workers, just as it has nowhere else that Lee and his gubernatorial compatriots can name.

Not one to let a passel of halfwit governors out-chucklehead a senator, Tennessees Bill Hagerty weighed in with a caution that VW workers should take a very, very careful look at this and what it means for their liberty and freedoms at the end of the day. Hagerty must have been absent the day they covered freedoms to organize and collective bargain in capitalism school.

Cleaning up on aisle two humiliated after VW workers resoundingly spurned his sage counsel, Lee said I would not make that decision if I was a worker there. Its unwise to put your future in somebody elses hands. Again, missing the point of collective bargaining entirely: workers who band together under the ambit of a union are quite affirmatively taking matters into their own hands. Thats the entire point.

Color me naive, but Ive long found it perplexing that organized labor is so enveloped in political polarization. Workplace organizing reflects a simple and universal concept: humans with common concerns come together to share them with each other, and band together to leverage change in their circumstances.

The VW-Chattanooga outcome is a big win, but for those inclined to celebrate it as an optimistic signal about labor organizings future, theres a challenging paradox standing in the way. On the one hand, American attitudes about unions are definitely on the upswing. Gallup polling shows Americans approval of labor unions at its highest level in over half a century, and a recent Pew survey found almost six in ten see union decline as bad for working people. Other data shows large majorities grasping the positive impact of unions on pay fairness, workplace safety, access to healthcare, and retirement security.

But on the other hand, despite these positive attitudes and notwithstanding high-profile wins like the one at VW and successful organizing drives at hundreds of Starbucks stores, the long run decline in union participation continues. That same Gallup poll shows most Americans believe that unions harm the economy in general and have no interest in joining one themselves.

So to summarize the state of play in a nutshell: people generally like the idea of unions, get what they do for the workers involved, but arent persuaded that they benefit the larger economy, and dont really want to be part of one themselves. Where all of this should leave us is in an agnostic position of tolerance and indifference. Unions are a good workplace option for many, they typically benefit those who choose to participate, and workers have a basic human right to consider forming or joining one.

Thats where Taylor Swift comes in. As with organized labor, Swift is pointlessly politicized. An NBC News poll late last year showed Swift with ratings of positive approval among Democrats that almost double Republicans (who are five times more likely to view her negatively). In a Monmouth poll this year, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to identify themselves as Swift fans, and by a wide margin are more inclined to approve of Swift encouraging fans to vote.

But as with organized labor, most Americans arent really all that invested. Both of those polls find close to half of the country has no opinion one way or the other about Swift, and the Monmouth survey has her adult fan base at scarcely more than a quarter of the population. As with unions, people generally like the idea of Swift as an artist, get what she does for her fans, but dont really want to be part of the flock. The right move for most of us then, as with organized labor, is an agnostic position of tolerance and indifference.

The UAW hopes to build momentum with an upcoming union vote in mid-May at two Mercedes-Benz plants in Alabama. The glidepath there may be more turbulent: where VW management stayed largely neutral in the Chattanooga vote, Mercedes is said to be assuming a more aggressively resistant management posture. In light of how it went at VW, southern governors and other GOP politicians would do well to read the room and back off this time.

One Republican who did get it right with VW is Tennessee Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, whose district includes the newly unionized plant. Ive stayed out of it this time, Fleischmann told HuffPost ahead of the vote, adding that this is something that Im going to let the workers decide. Exactly as it should be.

The post State of the unions appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
(Getty Images/Lourdes Balduque)

Originally published by The 19th

More than a decade ago, Celia Sims sat in a room with parents whose precious children had died while at day care. Most had been neglected by their caregivers. Some died from injuries, others in their sleep.

Most of the children attended licensed facilities, and at the time, their parents believed that licensing meant providers were safe, that unqualified workers were screened out. But they werent.

In the early 2010s, there was no federal requirement that child care providers undergo background checks. Fewer than a dozen states required a comprehensive check of criminal, child abuse and sex offender registries  most of the others only checked one, if that. Once these children died, police investigations revealed that providers at their care centers had past convictions for crimes like manslaughter and sexual abuse, Sims said. These people, the parents said, should not have been working in child care, period.

The parents were outraged  and rightly so, Sims remembers thinking. It seemed so unnecessary. So preventable.

After that, you cant just close your eyes and walk away, said Sims, who was then a senior staffer for former Sen. Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican. She got to work.

Burr and then-Sen. Barbara Mikulski, a Democrat from Maryland, worked with members of the child care advocacy community to draft bipartisan legislation that would, for the first time, establish national safety standards for child care. It would ultimately make its way into the 2014 reauthorization of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the national funding mechanism. States use the money they receive from the grant to reduce the cost of care for low-income children and improve that care by implementing safety and licensing requirements. But to get the money  at least in theory  states must abide by CCDBG rules.

And those rules would be stricter than ever. The reauthorization introduced eight background check requirements that state agencies must run on child care job applicants: two federal checks, of the FBI fingerprint and sex offender registries. Three state ones, of the criminal history, sex offender and child abuse registries. And three more interstate checks of the same state registries in any state where a provider lived during the previous five years. All of these checks were meant to screen out people with a history of crimes like child abuse, assault or endangerment. As part of the new CCDBG rules, states would also be required to post inspection reports online and collect data on serious incidents. It was a statement of values: The government was saying that this was the nations standard for child care, no matter where a program was located.

States had until 2018 to come into compliance.

But 10 years after the law took effect, many states are still failing to uphold at least one of its components.

According to a 2022 report to Congress analyzing the issue, at that time 27 states failed to conduct at least some, if not all, of the checks and hiring practices required by the law. Nineteen allowed staff to start working with children before background checks were completed. Nearly all of the states had been hampered by old technology systems, state bureaucracy and databases that range from incomplete to downright inaccurate.

Its unclear where states stand today. The federal Office of Child Care, the regulatory agency that is meant to oversee states progress on fixing these problems, told The 19th that only three states had updated some of their policies since the report was published (New Hampshire, for example, no longer allows staff to start work before checks clear), but all 27 remain out of compliance because they do not yet conduct every required check. Yet several states disputed the agencys determination and provided detailed documentation on their background check procedures, opening the possibility that even the regulatory agency cant say for certain where states are falling short.

The winding, chaotic path towards fixing these issues has baffled child care advocates. I have not been able to understand why, in some states, this hasnt been a big deal, said Sims, who went on to found The Abecedarian Group, a child care and education consulting agency.

But it is a big deal.

Background checks are a critical safety requirement in most jobs, but especially when it comes to safeguarding small children who may not be able to express when something has gone wrong. Yet the haphazard enforcement of these rules means that, in some states, barriers to child care jobs are too high, while in others they are not high enough. States with the most stringent requirements have made it more difficult for day care providers to hire workers, and for people to join a workforce of much-needed caregivers. Thats creating additional barriers for in-home care providers, who are disproportionately women of color and are often the most accessible caregivers in low-income communities.

In states where the systems to run the checks are still not meeting federal standards, difficult questions remain about whether the screening mechanism meant to shield kids from injury, abuse and even death is functioning as it should.

A decade later, no one can yet quite say what the right balance is between protecting children and protecting the child care sector.

You never want a child to be hurt on your dime  it is a terrible, terrible thing. If we didnt do everything possible to protect every child, we have fallen down on our job, said child care expert Danielle Ewen. If you dont have the systems in place to keep kids safe, who are you actually protecting and who are you hurting?

At the root of this snarl is the reality that while the federal government made the rule, 50 different states have to carry it out. Each does it in their own way, with procedures that are often incompatible.

For example, in 2014, interstate checks were added as a commonsense safeguard. Policymakers wanted to ensure caregivers didnt hop from job to job in different states, evading screening along the way, particularly in areas like Washington D.C. and Virginia, where workers may live in one state but work in another. But over time, those checks have come to illustrate why the system itself is broken.

Eleven states didnt run interstate checks at all, the 2022 report found. Nine didnt respond to other states requests. Some checks cant be run because of simple  and mystifying  bureaucratic reasons: One state accepts credit card payments and the other doesnt, for example.

States also have differing laws about what information they can share across state lines, and with what agencies. After a request is submitted, states can decide whether to provide all the records they hold on a person, only conviction information, or simply to give a yes or no determination as to whether that person is eligible to work in child care based on their local laws.

That matters because states have different thresholds for what constitutes an offense that would prohibit someone from working with children. For example, a teenager who gets arrested for urinating in public might be considered a sex offender in one state, but not another. When that teenager applies for a job in a new state, their background check might indicate that yes, they have been arrested for a sex offense  but not give any context about what it was.

Tribes are also subject to the requirements of CCDBG, but none of them were given legal authority through the 2014 law  or any other, for that matter  to independently run federal background checks. To get around that, some tribes have had to ask states to submit requests on their behalf, creating the same problem: Child care workers may be disqualified based on state rules instead of tribe rules.

Much of the information in the abuse registries is also incomplete or unreliable. The 2022 report to Congress, which was put together by an interagency task force, found that some states include unsubstantiated abuse cases as well as substantiated ones. That means people could be disqualified from working even if the allegations against them were found to have had no merit.

Domestic violence survivors have particularly suffered as a result. In some states, they show up in registries not because they caused the abuse, but because an investigator determined that they failed to protect a child from the perpetrator or from witnessing the violence. Consequently, victims of domestic violence can remain on [abuse] registries for years, regardless of whether the individual themselves would be unsafe to provide care in a child care program, the report found.

Experts have also questioned the racial and economic biases of the registry system, especially when it comes to flagging child neglect. About 75 percent of all child welfare cases are the result of neglect, not violence, and about half of states define neglect as a failure to provide basic needs. Caregivers living in poverty, the majority of whom are people of color, may get flagged simply because theyre unable to find affordable housing, for example.

How much do we trust the gatekeeping mechanism to be fair and equitable? asks Gina Adams, a child care expert at the Urban Institute who has studied the racial disparities inherent in background checks for child care. The challenge is that, to the extent that it finds true situations of child abuse or child risk, it is an important mechanism to protect children  so I strongly support that.

However, Adams continued. I worry that because of inequitable policing, it may be also keeping out a whole bunch of people who should not be kept out.

These inefficiencies have put a heavy burden on child care providers, who have seen how time consuming and burdensome it can be to run background checks, and how the wait can mean they lose staff to other employers. And theyve also wondered: How much are the background checks keeping out people who want to  and should  work in care? How often are they letting the wrong people through?

Just last year in New York City, a 1-year-old died of a fentanyl overdose at a day care that was a front for a drug operation. The providers had passed background checks. Reports also revealed the city had a backlog of 140 child care background checks at the time.

In Washington state, provider Susan Brown has been wrestling with this question after 35 years in the child care business. As part of the federal law, prospective staff who pass a fingerprint check  either of the federal FBI registry or the state criminal history registry  are allowed to start working while their other checks are being completed. But Washington is more restrictive: Nobody can work until they pass the five federal and state checks. For Browns employees, the drive to just get their fingerprints taken can take hours roundtrip. The entire background check process can take up to a month, she said. Why would a worker wait that long when they can get a job tomorrow at a fast food restaurant and get paid about the same wages?

2024 Washington state legislation

A new Washington law, which the Legislature approved this year, calls for the Department of Children, Youth and Families to provide fingerprinting services for child care providers in at least seven of their offices. The proposal aims to make background check services more accessible and speed up hiring.

This bill wont solve all of the problems with child care, but it will be a meaningful step forward to help people get through the background check faster, so they can get into the classroom faster, bill sponsor Sen. Andy Billig, D-Spokane, said when the legislation passed the Senate.

Child care providers cant afford to pay them until theyre in the classroom, said Brown, the president and CEO of Kids Co., a chain that provides child care services across Seattle. And she pointed to another problem: Day cares have been short-staffed since the pandemic, and thats limiting how many classrooms can be open and how many students can be enrolled. Now with the crisis being what it is, because no one has any extra staff, you cant even enroll kids to cover the wages of the person.

Brown also questions why so many requirements have been imposed on child care providers, and not people in similar professions, like teachers. Weve had, over the years, the situation where we tried to hire public school teachers and they didnt pass the background check, Brown said. (In Washington, teachers need to only pass two checks  an FBI check and a state patrol check.)

The racial disparity is undeniable, Brown said. Women of color are overrepresented in the child care workforce and also face more scrutiny to enter jobs that are among the lowest paid in the country. Meanwhile, the majority of the teaching workforce is white women.

In a January letter to the state, signed by more than 300 child care providers, Brown wrote: This disparity is not only unjust, but perpetuates systemic racism within our regulatory framework. Washington States current background check process magnifies the inequity by removing the possibility of beginning supervised work after completing a fingerprint background check, as outlined in federal requirements.

In Washington, the state performs the five federal and in-state background checks together. Changing the process to do just the fingerprint checks first, so workers can start sooner, would take a lot of resources and time to develop, because all the results are currently submitted as one package, said a spokesperson for the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families. We made the decision to comply with federal regulations by requiring the completion of all background check components for this reason. It takes about eight days on average to complete the checks once fingerprints are submitted, according to Washington states most recent 2024 data.

Home-based providers feel the inequity of these checks most directly, because not only do these workers need to be background checked, but so does every adult who lives in the home.

In-home child care is for many low-income families the only viable option, and its often run by women of color  women whose families are more likely to live intergenerationally and to come into contact with the criminal justice system or the immigration system.

It deters folks from becoming licensed, said Natalie Renew, the executive director of Home Grown, which works to improve home-based child care. They perceive risk.

But what happens when states are also too accommodating? The risk is that children could be put in the care of harmful or negligent people  the exact situations the federal requirements were designed to eradicate.

That was the problem the Congressional task force was meant to help solve. Previous reports from 2022 and 2021 had concluded that numerous states fell short of requirements. But the task forces version, published by the Department of Health and Human Services, was the first to try to quantify which states were out of compliance, and why. The Office of Child Care then took on studying each states individual challenges and creating a plan to fix them.

Some states do seem to be lagging. Mississippi, for example, doesnt check the national sex offender registry, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health told The 19th. Still, the state refutes the 2022 report, which noted that Mississippi did not have policies in place to conduct any of the checks as required by the 2014 law. The Mississippi spokesperson said that the information was dated.

When The 19th asked the Office of Child Care whether any of the information in the 2022 report was outdated, it listed only three states as having made improvements since the report was published, though it considers all 27 to still be out of compliance. Mississippi was not on the list. (The states were New Hampshire, Alabama and Washington.)

In fact, several states disputed the Office of Child Cares determinations. The 19th reached out to officials in five states that had significant issues flagged in the 2022 report, and which the federal agency still considers to be out of compliance. Many said those issues had either been partially or completely rectified.

For example, according to the report, West Virginia only runs one of eight required checks. But Whitney Wetzel, a spokesperson for the West Virginia Department of Human Services, told The 19th that determination should not be considered current.

Wetzel said the department is confident that it is compliant with all statutory and regulatory background check requirements, and provided a list of the checks performed, including the FBI fingerprint check and national sex offender check, as well as the in-state criminal, sex offender and abuse registries.

New Jersey was flagged in the report for failing to run checks on a sub-group of providers, those who are license-exempt, but a spokesperson for the state Department of Human Services confirmed to The 19th that it has been running checks on those providers since mid-2021.

Other states are in more of a gray area. According to the agency, Alabama only recently created policies to run in-state, federal and interstate checks, and remains out of compliance with other aspects of the background check law. However, a spokesperson for the Alabama Department of Human Services told The 19th: All checks required under the Child Care and Development Fund rules are performed, and the discrepancy is only in how the federal office would like the state to structure the process. Alabama is in the process of updating its background check procedures, but the current system still covers all the required checks, the spokesperson wrote.

Vermont was the only state flagged in the 2022 report for allowing staff to start working with children unsupervised before fingerprint background checks were cleared. But the deputy commissioner for the states child development division, Janet McLaughlin, told The 19th that while the state does allow new staff to start working before those checks are finalized, that work is supervised. That is, however, still out of compliance with the federal rule.

The Office of Child Care did not respond to The 19ths requests to clarify the discrepancies between its records and the states assertions. But an official from the Administration for Children and Families, which oversees the agency, told The 19th that the agency worked with state child care agencies and their partners to create plans to identify what staffing, technology and infrastructure investments theyd need to come into compliance.

The agency went through an intensive process to document each states background check policies, the official said, and that study revealed gaps.

But now, because of the disagreements between states and the agency, it is hard to say how close each has come to filling them.

All of this begs the question: If the regulatory agency that oversees the states could be wrong, how will the problem ever get fixed?

The more time that goes by, and the longer states have been out of compliance, the more states have also started to question whether what is being asked of them is even doable, Ewen said. She was the director of the Child Care and Early Education team at the Center for Law and Social Policy when the CCDBG rules were being crafted.

If you have a system where people start to believe that you cant achieve the end goals, they are not incentivized to try. Theyre more incentivized to try and go to Congress and say, This doesnt work instead of going to their state leaders and saying, Were gonna get dinged for this in an audit, Ewen said.

Linda Smith, the former executive director of Child Care Aware, the advocacy organization whose research was critical to the creation of the safety standards, said the federal government has long been too lenient with the states. In her view, its past time that the issue be resolved.

These are some of these things that if you want to do it  you do it, Smith said. I dont think there was ever any excuse for not doing them. We are talking about the basic safety of children who cant talk.

Yet the 2022 report  and the fact that the Office of Child Care has not credited any state with coming into full compliance since it was issued  pointed out some uncomfortable truths. Yes, some states have delayed compliance. And yes, some tried but faced truly significant challenges. Its also clear by now, a decade later, Sims said, that we got some things wrong in the statute.

The abuse registries were a mess, she said. And some of the things that seemed commonsense, like interstate background checks, turned out to be much more complicated than anyone had realized.

Grace Reef, then the chief of policy at Child Care Aware who conducted the initial research on the issues with background checks, said the intention behind the law was sound: to help protect kids and give parents some peace of mind, she said.

But they were operating with limited information about the quality of the data in the registries and the state laws that would make it difficult, in practice, to conduct all the checks they felt were important. We had trouble trying to figure out how to structure language, she recalled. You do the best you can.

Advocates insist there has to be a middle ground. And changes are coming.

This year, for the first time, states will be required to answer detailed questions in their state child care plans regarding the remaining obstacles they face with background checks. Each state needs to submit their plan, a roughly 300-page document that outlines how its system works, by July 1.

At the state level, advocates like Lorena Garcia, the CEO of the Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, are working to ensure that her state narrows the list of offenses that would disqualify someone from working. Garcia works with what are known as family, friend and neighbor providers: registered but unlicensed in-home providers who also need to undergo checks, but might be hesitant to do so because they live with people who have some kind of criminal record or because they are in mixed immigration status households. She wants to make sure only offenses that would affect the safety of children are counted.

To address the interstate checks, Cindy Mall, the senior program director of the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network, sees the National Fingerprint File (NFF) as the most obvious solution. Twenty-four states participate in the FBI-maintained fingerprint database, which makes performing interstate checks a relatively simple experience. If all states were a part of it, more could come into compliance, Mall said  including California, which the report currently lists as out of compliance on performing the national sex offender registry check and the three interstate checks.

For her, the issue comes down to a question of resources. Its not enough to say something is a priority without the support to make it happen. In 2022, President Joe Biden tried to pass a $400 billion child care plan that would have given states funding they could have used to improve their systems and increase staffing. But that effort ultimately failed after Sen. Joe Manchin, the Democrat from West Virginia, withdrew support from the package saying it was too costly and expansive.

The task force that studied the background checks came to a similar conclusion. Even if the states followed every recommendation the group laid out, they wrote, full implementation of the current array of checks is unlikely without major additional fiscal investment and changes to state laws not addressed in this report.

It comes down to money, Mall said. Money is staffing, money is resources, money is databases.

It also comes down to political will. Burr and Mikulski have since left the Senate and few champions remain. But the problems linger. Since the pandemic, child care as an industry has been on life support, kept alive through a one-time federal investment that allowed states and programs to get the resources they needed to improve their systems.

But that money was temporary  the needs arent. Safety remains as important as ever.

Ten years into this, Reef said, we ought to have sufficient information in a bipartisan way, not to make it a partisan issue, but to make sure the law works as intended by commonsense approaches. I think thats whats needed.

The post States are required to background check child care workers. Many are falling short. appeared first on Washington State Standard.
Stoltenberg invites Zelenskyy to NATO summit and explains what to expect from it

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Alliance's summit in Washington but noted that the consent of all its members is required to invite Ukraine to NATO.

Source: Stoltenberg at a press conference with Zelenskyy in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Stoltenberg said he and Zelenskyy discussed preparations for the NATO anniversary summit in Washington.

"Mr President [Zelenskyy], I look forward to welcoming you to Washington for that meeting [NATO summit]," he said.

Stoltenberg stressed that Ukraine's place is in NATO, and it will become a member one day.

However, he noted that Ukraine should not expect to receive an invitation to join the Alliance in Washington.

"Allies really believe that Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO To have that decision [to invite Ukraine to join NATO], we need all allies to agree, we need consensus, we need not a majority, but actually 32 Allies to agree.

And I do not expect that we will have that agreement by the summit in July. But I really hope that we can demonstrate that we are moving Ukraine closer to membership, and that day will arrive as soon as possible for us to have Ukraine as a full member," Stoltenberg said.

The secretary-general noted that the work is underway to ensure that Ukraine is interoperable with NATO and meets the Alliance's standards so that one day, when "the time is right, Ukraine can become a NATO member straightaway".

Background:

Earlier, it was reported that the United States and Germany are key NATO allies that are not ready for a format of inviting Ukraine to join the Alliance that would be legally binding and create certainty about Ukraine's future accession to NATO.

The North Atlantic Alliance has seen "concrete steps" by the Ukrainian authorities in implementing the adapted Annual National Programme (ANP), a reform plan for 2024 designed to bring Kyiv closer to NATO membership.

The adapted Annual National Programme became a tool for NATO to assess Ukraine's progress towards membership following the Vilnius Summit in July 2023. At that time, the Alliance decided to cancel one of the intermediate steps on this path, namely the submission of a Membership Action Plan (MAP).

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that he could not estimate when Ukraine would become a member of NATO, but that day will come, and it is critical that Ukraine be ready for the membership at a time when the partners' political preparedness is high.

Source: Stoltenberg in a speech in Ukraines Verkhovna Rada during his visit to Kyiv on 29 April, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Stoltenberg reiterated that Ukraine has every right to become a member of NATO. "Ukraines future is in NATO. And Ukraine will become a member of NATO," he said.

On this phrase, the Ukrainian MPs interrupted him with thunderous applause.

Quote: "I cannot tell you when Ukraine will join. But the work we are doing together now, including on reforms and on the fight against corruption, puts you on an irreversible path to the Alliance. Unlike the EU, an invitation to join NATO comes at the end of the process. My ambition is that together we will make Ukraine so strong, so interoperable and so well prepared that when the time is right Ukraine will become a NATO member straight away. I very much look forward to that day," Stoltenberg added.

In his speech, Stoltenberg also expressed respect for the Ukrainian soldiers deterring Russian aggression, and also stressed that Ukraine's struggle is very important for the whole West, because Ukraine is fighting for common values of the democratic world, while Russia's partners are such global players as the DPRK, Iran and China.

Earlier, Stoltenberg met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Among other things, they discussed the secretary general's idea of a 100 billion NATO special fund to support Ukraine.

Stoltenberg also stressed it is crucial that the allies do not delay the delivery of aid to Ukraine and that if Russia were to succeed in Ukraine, the West would have to spend much more on its own defence.

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Employers must hold Stonewall to account so that it can earn back its hard-earned credibility - SOPA Images/LightRocket

Its not often that an experienced executive admits to hiding in their own office, but thats exactly what someone confessed she was doing last week when we spoke on the phone.

Being out of earshot was the only way she felt able to discuss her thoughts on the charity Stonewall and its more recent hold on UK plc. Weve got a section of HR thats gone completely off the rails, with views you must follow, she said.

Her hushed tone is hardly a surprise. In recent years women have found themselves attacked or even sacked for debating transgender identity politics.

Barrister Allison Bailey lost her job when she told colleagues that Stonewall was involved in harassment, intimidation and threats against those who opposed its view on transgender issues.

Kathleen Stock, the Sussex University professor forced to quit over her gender identity views, has previously argued that the once great Stonewall was now a threat to freedom of speech and doesnt belong in UK universities, government departments, schools or local authorities.

The big corporations which pay Stonewell to vet their internal policies and rank them in exchange for a fee have largely stayed out of all of this. But the tables could be about to turn.

After a major review into gender identity was published by paediatrician Dr Hilary Cass earlier this month, Stonewall faces a corporate reckoning. HR teams which had already lost confidence in the group are starting to panic about some of the advice theyve chosen to follow without question.

Dr Hilary Cass' review warns that children who think they are transgender should not be rushed into treatment they may later regret - PA

Whispering concerns from quiet corners of the office will likely become a thing of the past after the Cass Review, which warns that children who think they are transgender should not be rushed into treatment they may later regret.

Vindicating some of those who have been silenced, it has shone an unflattering spotlight on Stonewall and served as an important reminder about the importance of free speech.

Since the review was published, over 10,000 people have signed a petition calling for the charitys former chief executive, Baroness Hunt of Bethnal Green, to lose her peerage after she advised schools to shred a research pack highlighting the dangers of puberty blockers.

Explaining how Stonewall branded the research pack dangerous, the petition adds: We now know beyond doubt that the opposite was true: the packs contained sound advice, and removing them was dangerous.

A Labour MP admitted last week that she may have misled Parliament by citing an incorrect Stonewall briefing on the Cass Review, wrongly claiming that over 100 studies were excluded from it.

None of the many companies which have worked with Stonewall would have wanted it to lose its way like this. It would have been unthinkable 10 years ago to cast the charity as any sort of villain when it came to free speech or the spread of misinformation.

Set up in 1989 to fight a ban preventing the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities, it has been pivotal at lobbying parliament and businesses on important LGBT matters and improving equal rights.

Named after the Stonewall Inn in New York, the site of a gay bar which was constantly raided by police and led to the Stonewall riots of 1969, it has played a vital role holding employers to account.

Now the charity has lost its way, employers need to hold it to account so that it can earn back its hard-earned credibility. Any decent business will want to make sure that their workplace is inclusive and free from discrimination and prejudice.

Stonewall still champions for equal rights but its important efforts are being overshadowed as it takes itself on a tangent, campaigning for children to be allowed to change gender and ostracising anyone who holds a different view.

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In recent years it has come under fire over some of the advice it has given to organisations eager for a spot on its equality leaderboard, such as to replace the word mother with parent who has given birth to help boost their ranking.

The Welsh government, which appeared high on the list in 2020, deleted the term mother from its maternity policy in 2019. Lawyers also warned during the pandemic that the charity could be misrepresenting equality laws in advice to government departments, NHS trusts and councils  Stonewall said at the time that it was confident in its advice on the Equality Act.

With the Cass report raising further questions about Stonewall, some organisations have had enough. Sport England and NHS England have distanced themselves from the charity while Historic England is said to be reviewing its membership.

A source close to the charity argued to the The Times last week that Stonewall demands its members agree with it which doesnt enable that bigger principle which is what support should we be giving to some young people and vulnerable young adults so that they can make the best decisions for their life?

A corporate reckoning will emerge in the coming months as businesses which have felt uncomfortable are emboldened to take action in light of the Cass review findings.

Tanya de Grunwald, who advises companies on HR issues, tells me she expects to see numerous big brands dropping off of Stonewalls annual top 100 employers list, which is usually out by this time of year but is still yet to be published.

They [companies] will do this as quietly as possible  saying they have reviewed value for money and have found other ways to support their LGBTQ+ employees.

A lot can be learnt from the Cass review, including for Stonewall. It has been a major force for good for most of its existence but in recent years has been viewed by many critics as an intolerant and intimidating organisation.

Its time for the businesses which use it to finally ask some questions.

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COLOMBO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Ever since 2020, there has been a significant drop in the annual birth rate in Sri Lanka while annual deaths have increased, a senior official from the Registrar General's Department told journalists.

Appearing on local TV, Senior Deputy Registrar General, Attorney-at-Law Lakshika Ganepola said annual births were around 325,000 before 2020, but they have now decreased to around 280,000 in 2023.

Ganepola added that annual deaths have increased to around 180,000, while the number was around 140,000 before 2020.

The official said this trend will adversely affect Sri Lanka's population growth. 
Stop the purge: UT Austin DEI rally, outcry as employees laid off look for work

AUSTIN (KXAN)  After the firing of dozens of University of Texas at Austin employees, groups are speaking out about the closing of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion offices on university campuses statewide.

Sources: At least 20 UT employees linked to DEI to lose their jobs

Senate Bill 17 went into effect in January, banning DEI efforts on public university and college campuses across Texas.

On Monday, students, staff and community leaders will hold an event called Rally for Our UT: Stop the Purge to shed light on what they believe is unjust.

On April 2, 2024, UT Austin abruptly fired more than 60 staff because they had been formerly associated with the DEI office and programs. This leaves the staff unemployed as of July and deeply impacts a wide range of programs that serve our campus community. UT had gone through these programs and roles with a fine-tooth comb to comply with SB 17 when it went into effect on January 1. These terminations appear to be in retaliation against staff for their prior roles DEI programs and trainings. The vast majority of the fired workers were people of color and women. The Texas State Employees Union

The rally is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. on UT Austins Campus in the West Mall in front of the tower.

A variety of speakers are expected to share remarks:

Gary Bledsoe, President of Texas NAACP

Rick Levy, President of Texas AFL-CIO

Karma Chavez, Member of TSEU and AAUP, UT Austin Professor

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Tonight features increasing clouds as a cold front approaches from our west. With a south wind continuing, well be very mild overnight, with lows only dropping into the upper 50s.

Tuesday brings our cold front into the area toward lunchtime, with scattered showers and a few rumbles of thunder likely. There wont be a lot of juice for storms to work with, and that will keep our severe weather threat pretty low, but a few rumbles can be expected, along with brief heavy rainfall, as there will be a bit of stickiness to the air with an increase in dew points.

We have been pretty dry recently overall, so even under heavy thunderstorms Tuesday, most of us will be okay for our flooding threat, however the Weather Prediction Center has placed our region in a level one out of four marginal risk for flooding, primarily in case of training storms. High temperatures will take place during the early afternoon in the mid 70s before temperatures begin to drop behind our front as we head into the late afternoon. Shower chances will continue into the evening hours, with only an isolated shower or two expected by midnight, with lows in the mid 50s. Expect some patchy dense fog by the morning commute Wednesday.

Wednesday begins with a few clouds and patchy dense fog and we keep the risk for an isolated mountain sprinkle or two possible over the mountains early but everyone will see plenty of sunshine as we head into the afternoon with high pressure taking control in our region. By the late afternoon, well have hardly a cloud in the sky with high temperatures in the mid 70s. With mostly clear skies expected Wednesday night, temperatures will dip back into the low 50s and upper 40s with an instance or two of fog still possible.

Thursday continues with great weather, as high pressure heads off to our northeast. This will enable our wind flow to switch to coming out of the southwest, which will warm us up into the low 80s  a few western towns will push into the mid 80s, as yet another summer-like day arrives. With the southwest breeze, we will once again have a mild night on the way, with lows dropping down into the upper 50s.

Friday sees an increase in our chances for thunderstorms as a cold front approaches from the west. With a few peaks of sunshine out ahead of our front, there is enough juice for a few embedded thunderstorms among showers pushing through. However, aside from the threat for brief locally heavy rainfall, severe weather is not expected. High temperatures will still reach summer-like levels with low 80s expected.

Saturday continues our threat for scattered showers and thunderstorms as our cold front slows down and takes its sweet time crossing through the area. Again, much like Friday, though severe weather is not expected, the threat for locally heavy rainfall will once again be something to watch within scattered showers and thunderstorms that push through the area. With numerous showers and a few storms expected, high temperature will be a little cooler in the mid to upper 70s.

Sunday keeps our chances for a few scattered showers around, as a southern area of low pressure scoots up the Mid-Atlantic. Showers wont be quite as prevalent as Friday and Saturday and the best chance for these showers will be east over the WV mountains. Well see high temperatures once again in the mid 70s.

Monday continues the risk for at least a few showers with a secondary cold front approaching and then stalling. As a result, with clouds and occasional showers around, we will see high temperatures in the low 70s.

Looking ahead, its an unsettled weather pattern that continues Tuesday through Thursday as two more cold fronts look to the push through the region, which will eventually introduce some slightly cooler air in the area. Tuesday will feature highs in the low 70s, with Wednesday in the mid 70s before dropping into the 60s for Thursday. Planters and farmers do not need to worry about the threat for frost over the next ten days  our biggest threat over this timeframe will be threat for locally heavy rainfall.

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 tomorrow, but practice common sense and follow all laws when burning.

TONIGHT

Increasing clouds, mild! Lows in the upper 50s.

TUESDAY

Scattered showers and storms, especially in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s.

WEDNESDAY

AM patchy fog and mountain sprinkles. Plenty of afternoon. Highs in the mid 70s.

THURSDAY

Mostly sunny. Nice day! Highs in the low 80s.

FRIDAY

Few showers and storms. Plenty of dry time. Highs in the low 80s.

SATURDAY

Scattered showers and storms likely. Highs in the mid to upper 70s.

SUNDAY

A few scattered showers still expected. Highs in the mid 70s.

MONDAY

More showers and perhaps a rumble or two. Highs int he low 70s.

TUESDAY

Showers and storms likely. Highs in the 70s.

WEDNESDAY

Isolated showers. Highs in the 70s.

THURSDAY

Rain and storms. Highs in the 60s.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Bizarre sea creatures that resemble jellyfish have returned to Southern California waters, a year after millions were spotted between Ventura and San Diego counties and beyond.

Velella velella, more commonly known as by-the-wind sailors, are oval-shaped blobs that live on the oceans surface, propelled by small, stiff sails that catch wind and take them across the globe. Ocean currents and winds move the creatures from place to place, allowing them to catch their prey with their stinging tentacles.

Always lurking, but not always in the area, the Vellela vellela are often pushed toward the California coast by powerful spring storms.

Velella velella captured off the coast near Newport Beach, Calif. (Delaney Trowbridge/Daveys Locker)

Velella velella captured off the coast near Newport Beach, Calif. (Delaney Trowbridge/Daveys Locker)

Velella velella captured off the coast near Newport Beach, Calif. (Delaney Trowbridge/Daveys Locker)

Velella velella captured off the coast near Newport Beach on April 26, 2024. (Jenna Mckune /Daveys Locker)

Last year, Californians visited local beaches in droves to catch a glimpse of the creatures both on the beach and atop the waves. In 2014 and 2015, trillions of them washed up along the eastern Pacific coast, according to Cassandra Davis at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach.

By-the-wind sailors are a type of hydrozoa that feed primarily on plankton and closely resemble the Portuguese man o war, a venomous sea creature thats a known nuisance for surfers throughout the Pacific Ocean. Unlike the man o war, Vellela vellela stings are considered to be mild to humans.

While their stings might not bring you to your knees, swimmers, surfers and other water recreationists are urged to avoid going into a crowd of by-the-wind sailors.

Meanwhile, another sea creature is more than happy to have the floating blobs in the area. Mola mola, commonly known as the ocean sunfish, are big fans of Velella and have been spotted in recent days engorging on the ocean current transients.

They also occasionally get eaten by sea birds and sea turtles, but their venom and lack of meat make them an unappetizing meal for more predators, experts say.

Jessica Rodriguez of Daveys Locker Whale Watching in Newport Beach said theyve seen hundreds of the by-the-wind sailors in recent days and shared images of an ocean sunfish feasting on them.

The thousands of by-the-wind sailors that have appeared in California in recent days will either be eaten by predators, pulled back into the ocean by the tide, or die and rot away on the surface.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Joining large-scale protests on college campuses across the country, students at the University of Chicago set up an encampment Monday that they say they plan to occupy until administrators heed their concerns and divest from companies with ties to Israel, including weapons manufacturers supplying arms to Israels military.

After setting up more than a dozen tents in the Main Quadrangle on the Hyde Park campus, U. of C. protesters led an hourlong rally dissenting Israels bombardment of Gaza as the death toll in the besieged area climbs to more than 34,000 people since Oct. 7.

The rally, which also called on U. of C. to end partnerships with Israeli universities and commit to transparency, drew nearly 500 people erupting in chants.

U. of C. senior Youssef Hasweh, who is Palestinian, led the crowd in a run of Paul, Paul what do you know? Where does all our money go?

Students said the chant references university President Paul Alivisatos refusal to meet with students on the schools investments, which theyve been demanding since last fall.

In a statement late Monday afternoon, Alivisatos said the university will only intervene when and if the protests block the learning or expression of others or if the demonstrations substantially disrupts the functioning or safety of the University.

I believe the protesters should also consider that an encampment, with all the etymological connections of the word to military origins, is a way of using force of a kind rather than reason to persuade others, Alivisatos said. For a short period of time, however, the impact of a modest encampment does not differ so much from a conventional rally or march. Given the importance of the expressive rights of our students, we may allow an encampment to remain for a short time despite the obvious violations of policybut those violating university policy should expect to face disciplinary consequences.

In a follow-up statement, Michele Rasmussen, dean of students at U. of C., said setting up tents on the Quad or erecting other structures and obstructions without prior approval is a violation of university policy and will result in disciplinary action.

We are monitoring the situation closely. The individuals involved are on notice that the university is prepared to take further action in the event of continued violations of our time, place, and manner policies governing protests, threats to public safety, disruption of operations or academic activities, or destruction of property, Rasmussen said.

Hasweh said the encampment was designed to be a university within a university complete with a welcome tent, a library consisting of a shelf filled with books and tables with food and water. Inside the camp, several students worked in groups on laptops.

Student organizers chose to begin the demonstration two days early, Hasweh said, after a right-leaning media outlet on campus leaked their plans to occupy buildings for a peaceful sit-in.

Protest encampments have popped up in the past week at nearly two dozen college campuses across the country, including Harvard, Brown, the University of Michigan and University of Texas at Austin. New Yorks Columbia University became the epicenter of the large, and at times violent, movement in recent days, as demonstrators clashed with police and administrators announced classes on the main campus would be held remotely for the rest of the semester.

Last week, the Palestinian-led movement sparked protests at several Chicago-area universities and colleges, including at Northwestern University where an agreement between students and administration was reached Monday afternoon.

Activists hug after Northwestern officials announced Monday that they have reached an agreement with students and faculty protesting against Israel-Hamas war, April 29, 2024, in Evanston. The deal comes five days after demonstrators established an encampment in Deering Meadow, a popular common area on the Evanston campus. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Northwestern University officials said in an email that the move allows demonstrations to continue on campus through June 1 but requires the immediate removal of tents and sound systems, as well as a commitment that all protesters will adhere to university policies.

Students at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Columbia College Chicago and Roosevelt University also marched Friday in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

At an unrelated event Monday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said his team has been in touch with universities across Illinois as campus protests evolve.

It is obviously very important to me that we keep order  it is also important to me that we protect peoples right to protest and their First Amendment rights, Pritzker said. So were monitoring it very closely. Again, it shouldnt interfere with peoples ability to go to class, to take their exams, which theyre in now in many places  but if people are going to protest, they should protest in a peaceable and peaceful fashion, allowing the university to operate as it should as an academic institution for those who are paying tuition and attending.

School administrators nationwide are also cracking down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators with arrests and canceled classes. In an email, members of UChicago United for Palestine (UCUP), said the scale of the repression of students freedom of speech across the country is incomparable to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and across the occupied Palestinian territories.

The relationship between student activists at U. of C. and the university has been tense since November, when 26 students were arrested by campus police for refusing to leave the admissions building on campus during a sit-in. Charges for criminal trespassing were later dropped but the students still face disciplinary hearings, less than two months from graduation.

Further sparking the pro-Palestinian movement on campus was a meeting between Alivisatos and Yinam Cohen, consul general of Israel to the Midwest, in February. In a post on X, Cohen said the purpose of the meeting was to further enhance the partnership between (the University of Chicago) and Israeli research institutions and to make sure that every Jewish or Israeli student feels safe on campus.

Hasweh, who was among the students arrested in the fall, said he simply wants to be noticed by university administrators through the encampment.

Its insane to feel youre invisible but know that youre not, he said, adding that U. of C. is choosing not to engage with pro-Palestinian students. What power can you do with that? And thats what were trying to figure out.

In attendance at the encampment Monday was longtime Chicago revolutionary organizer Frank Chapman, who serves as the educational director and field secretary at the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Chapman, who began organizing in 1961, sat in a red chair at the center of the rally. He leaned in, focusing on the speeches made by student organizers, before one of them handed him the microphone.

Im tired but I aint tired of fighting, Chapman said. When it comes to the course of liberation in Palestine, I am representing the entire oppressed Black community.

Mike Miccioli, a second-year physics doctoral candidate and member of UChicago STEM for Palestine, said amid student protests on college campuses, he wants to recenter the conversation on Gaza.

The reason we are here is to end the genocide, he said. And I think its energized a lot of people.

As the encampment grew into the afternoon, a few counterprotesters walked through the crowd to agitate people, organizers said. The overarching policy is to not engage, said third-year student Anuj who declined to give his last name out of privacy concerns.

If they want to make a scene we cant stop them, he said. We know why were here.
Theres something about ocean spray that enchants us all, not least of those of us who fancy being slung out of a resplendent, spuming cylinder of H2O. But a recent Stockholm University study suggests this quintessence of our pursuit and of immaculate freedom might, in a sense, be anything but. In a day and age when we have to mull about knowing everything from sex to the sun can kill us, sea foam may be one more thing.

PFAS, or Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, are synthetic chemicals conceived in the 1930s and found in everything from non-stick teflon to cleaners, textiles, leather, paint, paper, and so on. Theyre colloquially known as forever chemicals because as far as scientists know, theyre so good at what they do that they dont ever decompose. Granted, those now-obsolete nonstick pans comprising PFAS flaked into your food and down your gullet in a New York minute.

Indeed, most of us are familiar withand perhaps appreciative ofthem due to their forgiving qualities atop the stove, but theyre found in an array of outdoor apparel and equipment, most critically employed to repel water and douse fires.

The National Institute of Health refers to PFAS as one of the strongest compounds in organic chemistry; one that has proved to be resistant to heat, water, oil, and time. Linked to various cancers, liver and kidney complications, and birth defects, among other things, PFAS are a running list of 15,000-plus organic chemicals that are uniquely resilient travelers by land, sea, and atmosphere.

California lineup McDonnell via Getty Images

And while it was previously thought that PFAS diluted and/or sank out of sight and much out of mind in the worlds oceans, Stockholm Us research along the shorelines of the UK and Chile uncovered something far more pernicious to humankind, particularly to those of us that tend to frequent the shore in its frothier states: Levels of PFAS in sea spray are some hundreds of thousands times higher than within the water column.

Doomy and gloomy as this all may sound, we had to reach out to Surfrider to ask how serious this really is for wave-gliding folk, and whether we shouldnt all just call it, trade our wetsuits for snow bibs, and take up snowboarding a la Gerry Lopez.

We thought PFAS were going to go into the ocean and would disappear, the studys lead author, Ian Cousins, told the Guardian, but they cycle around and come back to land. That theyd appear back at the feet of we who wrought them is a poetic justice and a karmic fate not to be lost on anyone, and certainly not anyone reading this publication. After all, these very chemicals are found in everything from surf waxes to flip flops, sunscreens, and swimwear and each and most every surfer is, in some small way, contributing to this grievous sin and killing the very thing we love.

Related: What Are the Dirtiest (and Cleanest) Beaches in California?

Manufacturers, however, bear the brunt of the weight, and some US states have taken action; California passed multiple bills that will ban PFAS in most textiles and food service items (with a threshold of 100 parts per million), and Maine banned PFAS outright in 2023. Dozens of other states have similar bills on their dockets, and other academic studies similar to Stockholm Us abound.

This research is an important reminder about the need to stop pollution at the source, Katie Day, Surfrider Foundations Senior Manager of Science and Policy told SURFER. Be it sewage, chemicals or plastics, once these harmful substances enter our environment, the effects are far-reaching. Its not just a water quality issue  these pollutants become airborne and some can travel far distances.

Far distances and then some. PFAS have been detected in everything from penguin eggs in Antarctica to Arctic polar bears and everywhere in between, but whats more? It is also in at least 99% of the blood of all Americans tested.

Oxnard: toxic or not? Kyle Sparks via Getty Images

Last fall, a seminar was held by Stockholm University, in which Cousins et al. shared their findings vis-a-vis surfers and coastal dwellers. Concern has been expressed for the effect of the high PFAS levels on for example surfers and near-shore grazing animals, said Stockholm Universitys Matt Salter, a Marine Biogeochemist who worked on the study. However, for transportation, the sea spray aerosols are more important, as the foam itself is quite heavy and wont travel very far.

But those smaller aerosol molecules that do travel far make land as far as thousands of kilometers inland, then pass through the ground and waterways and back to the sea, creating what Stockholm University dubs an almost never-ending transportation cycle.

The health impacts [of PFAS] are still unknown, Day conceded, but the cause and solutions are clear  we must stop allowing industry to treat our ocean and waterways as dumping grounds.

Withholding any bleak pretensions of what PFAS may or may not do to us humans, our fellow creatures, and our little blue planet writ large is essential to keeping discourse open. All the same, Day and Surfrider are right: the onus, as ever and always, is on the makers. But some brands are doing away with manufacturing apparel containing PFAS altogether, and we can vote with our dollars. In the meantime, theres no need to make haste and head for the high country just yet, briny brethren. PFAS may already be swimming within all our vascular systems, so too is the sea, forever and always. The good with the bad; the yin with the yang.

Related: NOAA Scientists Say La Nina is (Likely) Coming Back
(Bloomberg) -- UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he is not interested in a deal with Ireland for asylum seekers to be returned to the UK.

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Sunak was speaking after British and Irish ministers held talks in London Monday amid an emerging dispute over migration triggered by claims of an up-tick in the number of asylum-seekers crossing into Ireland from Northern Ireland.

Were not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesnt accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from, Sunak told ITV news.

Sunaks remarks underscore the hard line the prime minister is seeking to take on immigration issues as he seeks to rebuild support for his poll-trailing Conservative Party among voters. The premier must hold a general election by the end of January, and this month passed flagship legislation designed to enable the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda.

In a potential sign of growing tensions between Britain and Ireland on the migration issue, Home Secretary James Cleverly pulled out of a meeting with Helen McEntee, Irelands justice minister, at short notice.

However, Sunaks spokesman, Dave Pares, put the cancellation down to diary issues. Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin and the UKs Northern Ireland secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris, meanwhile, played down the idea of friction over the issue at a joint press conference in Westminster on Monday following a regular summit between the two countries.

Heaton-Harris said there was no way that we would want to upset our relationship with Ireland, the Press Association reported. Martin, for his part, said that any agreements on returns would need to be mutual and reciprocal, PA reported. The two governments issued a joint commitment to protect the common travel area from abuse, he said.

Read More: UKs Sunak Says Rwanda Flights Plan Is Having a Deterrent Effect

The fallout began when the Irish government said more migrants are crossing into the Republic from Northern Ireland, potentially to avoid being caught up in Sunaks Rwanda deportation plan. Though the numbers involved are unclear, the row has the potential to evolve into a wider diplomatic argument dragging in the European Union as well.

Thats because immigration touches pressure points at the heart of recent tensions between the UK, EU and Ireland. The open border on the island of Ireland, which asylum-seekers are now apparently crossing, was the key sticking point during years of Brexit negotiations following the UKs vote to split from its biggest trading partner in 2016.

Meanwhile, Sunak has pursued the Rwanda policy as a way of deterring record number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats from France. His government complains that France will not allow the UK  given it is no longer an EU member  to return migrants, while joint efforts to tackle the people-smuggling gangs organizing the crossings are having limited results.

Its why when the Irish government said it is considering how it could return the asylum-seekers to the UK, British officials responded that the UK wont accept any unless France also agreed to reciprocate.

The dispute may have some way to run, given the politics on both sides. McEntee said shes planning to bring emergency legislation to allow Ireland to return people, while on Sunday, Irish premier Simon Harris said his country would not provide a loophole for anybody elses migration challenges.

The timing is fortuitous for Sunak, given the questions about how effective his Rwanda plan will be. He said over the weekend the arrivals in Ireland are proof that the threat of deportation is already working as a deterrent.

Why the UKs Plan to Stop Migrants Depends on Rwanda: QuickTake

Yet a diplomatic spat also carries risk for the British pleader, who regards the repairing of relations with the EU as a major achievement of his 18-month tenure. It led to an agreement on how to treat Northern Ireland after Brexit, keeping the border with the Republic open and minimizing disruption to internal UK trade.

As polls show Britons becoming more skeptical about Brexit, Sunak could find that allowing a dispute to develop that prods at so many of the pressure points he has tried to move past could backfire with voters  even if it keeps his critics on the right of his Conservative Party happy.

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Marylands new state superintendent of schools, Carey Wright, positioned her tenure as one built on honesty and transparency in an introductory news conference Monday. Among her first actions is creating a task force to examine the Maryland Report Card, the states accountability system that measures schools performance.

The report card takes multiple factors into account to rate individual schools on a scale of five stars. Measures include graduate rates, performance on statewide exams, attendance and surveys from students and teachers about school life.

Wright was appointed last week on a four-year contract to lead the Maryland State Department of Education and its 24 local school districts, a role shed held in an interim capacity since October.

She is skeptical of a disconnect between 76% of Maryland schools having a rating of three or more stars out of five on the Maryland Report Cart compared to only 23% of students scoring proficient in math and 47% scoring proficient in English language arts on a statewide standardized test.

That doesnt ring true, Wright said of the Maryland Report Card grades. You cant have three-quarters of your schools being rated as excellent, if you will, and then not seeing student achievement almost commensurate with that.

The Center for Assessment, a national education nonprofit that helps design accountability models, is chairing the task force, which consists of superintendents, principals, local assessment officials and representatives of higher education institutions. The task force starts on a fast track Thursday and will meet twice monthly, Wright said. It will provide recommendations to improve or change the states accountability model before the next Maryland General Assembly legislative session.

Wright is credited for turning around Mississippis education system from a consistent last-place national ranking. Mississippis students living in poverty outperformed their demographically similar peers under Wrights nine-year leadership. She said assessment and accountability were important factors in her work in Mississippi.

In Maryland, a state with massive riches in resources, Wright said she plans to scrutinize how state math and literacy test scores have continuously declined over the decade with seemingly little attention.

The only way were going to get better is to be honest about where we are and then were honest about the strategies we need to put in place, she said.

Wright and Josh Michaels, vice president of the Maryland State Board of Education, said the department plans to update the Maryland Report Cards complicated website to make it easier for the public to digest.

State education officials have updated the assessment system three times in the past three years, Wright said, a legitimate concern that her office is looking into. The task force will drill down on whats being done in classrooms and by school district leaders to improve proficiency and growth.

I dont honestly think our accountability system is holding anyone accountable, Wright said.

Last year, eight Republican lawmakers accused former Maryland Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury of hiding scores of failing schools. Marylands inspector general for education said there was no evidence that the department acted improperly in altering data on its website toproperly comply with federal privacy laws.

Wrights task force is looking at how to present more specific data from the statewide exam, called the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, while also protecting student privacy.

A spokesperson for the Maryland State Education Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Protesters of the war in Gaza go into 5th day of encampments at George Washington University

WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  Students and other activists protesting the Israeli war in Gaza camped out for a fifth day at George Washington University with declarations that they will not stop until officials divest from all investments in Israel.

These GW students have said that the suspension of several of their peers by the university for protesting on campus will not deter them.

Were doing this all for Gaza: George Washington University demonstrations continue into day 4

We have faith in our community that we will be able to stay here until we achieve our demands, said Reem Lababdi, a sophomore at GW who is one of the leading organizers of the protest.

Student protesters defied the university by removing the metal barriers that were put up last week to limit the amount of students that could gather in the so-called U-yard. And those demonstrators have expanded their encampments that have shut down H street between 20th and 21st Streets Northwest.

We took down the borders. We want to keep our students safe, Lababdi said. Inside the encampment, they were being denied adequate hygiene showers. People  didnt have what they needed.

(Leonard N. Fleming/DC News Now)

(Leonard N. Fleming/DC News Now)

(Leonard N. Fleming/DC News Now)

(Leonard N. Fleming/DC News Now)

Lababdi said that the student protesters are ready to talk to the GW brass about their demands but that they have not yet had one meeting going back months before the encampment began last week.

The suspended students, Lababdi said, are no longer on campus because there were ordered to leave last Saturday by 9 a.m.

Theres a genocide happening right now in Palestine: University of Maryland students show support for protestors at Columbia University

Corinne Hockman is not happy with the protests. She received an undergraduate and law degree from GW and said that the protests have made Jewish students feeling unsafe given the rhetoric used in speeches.

Hockman said shes been lobbying the presidents office to limit the demonstrations that have brought concern to some Jewish students.

There is a need to protect students, Hockman said. The heart of these protests are not necessarily about protecting or advocating for Palestinians as much as they are about denigrating Jewish students and Israeli.

Hockman, who is Jewish, said that the protesters neglect to mention that Hamas members took hostages last fall and many are still being held several months later.

But Lababdi said that she and other protesters ignore critics who say their protests promote hate.

I think slanders against our movement are a distraction from our righteous goal of ending the genocide in Gaza, she said.

Never felt more proud to be Jewish and stand with my people: Student protest at George Washington University enters second night

Supporters of the demonstrators have donated items such as food, sunscreen and water to help the encampment, which has been operating without water or electricity.

Theres a blue tent where fresh food is brought from other restaurants and things like that, families who will buy or home make all the food, said demonstrator Jason Nix. So, theres been this huge outpouring of support from the community. Despite any of the mild agitations weve gotten from other students or things like.

University officials said last week that students who protested would be removed from the campus but after initially locking down the U-yard, no other action has been taken. And the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has declined to remove the protesters at the best of GW officials.

The encampment on University Yard violates its clearly defined rules of conduct and behavior.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
ISLAMABAD, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police announced on Monday the arrest of four terrorists involved in an attack on Chinese nationals in March this year in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

A statement released by the CTD of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said the arrested terrorists belonged to the banned organization Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and they were identified as Adil Shehbaz, Muhammad Shafiq Qureshi, Zahid Qureshi and Nazeer Hussain.

The statement added that all the arrested militants hail from the northwest Mansehra district, while the "terrorist Shehbaz has admitted to playing a pivotal role in the execution of the attack."

On March 26, a suicide bomber riding on an explosive-laden vehicle attacked a convoy of Chinese nationals heading towards a hydropower project, killing five Chinese and their Pakistani driver in the Besham area of Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Later on, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan confirmed the attack, saying that the Chinese company's staff members were hit by the terrorist attack when they were en route to the Dasu Hydropower Project in the province. 
Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan's attorney Chris Madel is drowned out by protesters after a hearing for his client at the Hennepin County Government Center on Monday, April 29, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minn. Longdregan is charged with killing Ricky Cobb II during a during a traffic stop in the summer of 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleace)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Supporters and critics of a white Minnesota state trooper who's charged with murder for killing a Black motorist confronted each other at a courthouse Monday in an exchange that was heated but peaceful, reflecting the strong emotions that the politically charged case has generated.

More than 300 people, including law enforcement officers from several agencies, gathered in the Hennepin County Government Center in solidarity with Trooper Ryan Londregan ahead of a pretrial hearing in his case. He's charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and assault for fatally shooting Ricky Cobb II as Cobb tried to drive away from a traffic stop last summer. A similarly large crowd aligned with the Black Lives Matter movement shouted down an attempt by Londregan's defense team to hold a news conference afterward.

Trooper Londregan followed his training, defense attorney Chris Madel was able to tell reporters. He noted that the defense team filed sworn declarations from four current and former troopers who say Londregan's use of deadly force was justified. Madel also called for a prosecutor who cares about the facts more than they do about yelling," before the shouts of Whose streets? Our streets grew too loud.

No good cops in a racist system, the protesters also chanted. No justice, no peace. Prosecute the police.

Four former federal prosecutors from the Washington, D.C.-based law firm Steptoe LLC will be deputized to take over the case from the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty after the original leader of the prosecution team stepped away from the case, said Chris Freeman, managing attorney for the offices adult prosecution division.

Freeman did not address news reports that Assistant County Attorney Joshua Larson had removed himself as lead prosecutor, but confirmed to Judge Tamara Garcia that Larson is no longer on the case.

Moriarty later said in a statement that she would retain full authority over the case and pay the attorneys out of her existing budget. She named Karima Maloney, Michael Bromwich, Ryan Poscablo and Steven Levin as the new team.

Law enforcement and Republican leaders have been calling on Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to take the case away from Moriarty, a former public defender who was elected on a platform of police accountability following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis officer in 2020, and turn it over to Democratic Attorney General Keith Ellison. Walz has expressed concern about the direction of the case but has not acted.

In a jab at the incoming prosecution team, Madel told reporters theyd rather the case went to somebody who cares about justice more than hourly fees.

The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association organized a show of support for Londregan before the hearing. The crowd, including many people wearing T-shirts proclaiming his innocence, greeted him with loud cheers and sustained applause as he and his defense team entered the courthouse.

Troopers pulled the 33-year-old Cobb over on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis on July 31 because the lights were out on his car. They found that the Spring Lake Park man was wanted for violating a protection order in neighboring Ramsey County. Londregan arrived to assist. They were telling Cobb to get out when he shifted into drive and took his foot off the brake. Cobbs car began to slowly move forward. Londregan reached for his gun. Cobb stopped. Londregan pointed his gun at Cobb and yelled at him to get out. Cobb took his foot off the brake again while another trooper's torso was at least partially in the car. Londregan then fired twice at Cobb, striking him both times in the chest, the criminal complaint says.

Cobb's family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit two weeks ago, alleging that the stop and shooting were unjustified.

The judge set two dates for future hearings. The new prosecution team will introduce itself to the court at 1:30 p.m. on May 15, and there will be a fuller hearing June 10 at 9 a.m. to set a trial date and discuss motions by the defense to dismiss the charges for lack of probable cause and alleged prosecution misconduct.

Arguing that the charges lack sufficient grounds, Madel noted during the hearing that the prosecution has yet to name an expert witness who could testify that Londregan's actions weren't justified. Garcia said they can discuss a deadline for disclosure of prosecution expert witnesses at the May 15 hearing.

The misconduct allegation includes the defense claim that the criminal complaint filed by prosecutors misrepresented statements by the Minnesota State Patrol's lead use-of-force trainer, by omitting that expert's conclusion that Londregan did nothing wrong.
One might have thought that after the political upheaval caused by the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade, the conservative justices would feel that it was the better part of valor to play it cool for a while and let the smoke clear before they launch into another radical assault on American jurisprudence. But apparently, taking away established rights for half the population was just a warm-up act. Last week, they signaled pretty clearly that they're prepared to enshrine an imperial presidency into the U.S. Constitution.

First, we were all treated to the sickening spectacle of the five conservative men on the court batting around ideas about how many organs need to be failing before an emergency physician can step in to save a pregnant woman's life. You see, they value the rights of states, a government entity, far more than they value the rights of individuals. Well, individual women anyway. It was obvious that at least four of the justices are fully prepared to say that any yahoo in a state can override the federal law against allowing people to bleed to death in an ER. We'll have to see if they can get one of the others to join them in this grotesque display of callous indifference to the suffering of pregnant patients and their families in their worst moments of distress.

The hotly anticipated immunity case argued the next day really brought home just how far gone the high court is. As you know, Donald Trump has severe psychological problems that make it impossible for him to admit that he has ever lost or done anything wrong. To preserve the fragile hold he had on his psyche in the wake of his loss in 2020, he concocted a fantasy in which he won and cast himself as a big hero exposing the rigged election by the other side. He went so far as to plot a coup and incite an insurrection in a vain attempt to wrest back power and in the process broke a bunch of laws for which he is now being held to account. Naturally, he cannot accept that so he and his lawyers have come up with a novel legal defense in which they claim that a president is immune from the rule of law.

Trump's argument is quite explicit:

Coming from the man who routinely accused former President Obama of committing crimes and demanded that his Justice Department investigate, that's pretty rich. (And you have to love the way he slides his belief that police officers should be immune as well in there. It's an authoritarian smorgasbord.)

Everyone has always understood that presidents are subject to the rule of law once they're out of office. In fact, it wasn't until 1973 that the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel found it necessary to write a department policy against indicting a sitting president under the assumption that it would interfere with his or her duties while in office. We've mercifully not had to deal with that except in the cases of Richard Nixon, who was pardoned, and Bill Clinton who took a plea deal and gave up his law license for five years, which clearly indicates that their understanding was they had legal liability for the crimes of which they were accused.

That's all in the past. Today we have a former president accused of very serious crimes who contends that he must be given total immunity. And if he doesn't get it? Well, we'd better hope that he doesn't win the presidency again because unless the court gives presidents total immunity, Joe Biden is going to jail:

That can't be read as anything but a threat. (Nice little country you have here ... ) Yet I had no expectations that the right-wing Supreme Court majority would act with restraint on this issue. Bush v. Gore cured me of faith that they have any integrity when a presidential election is on the line. But going into the Supreme Court arguments last week, I think most legal scholars expected the court to be at least somewhat disdainful of the idea that a president must be allowed to be a criminal or he can't do the job. But it turns out that at least four of them, and possibly even six, are quite open to the idea. Justice Samuel Alito went so far as to turn the whole case inside out and upside down by stating:

If an incumbent who loses a very close, hotly contested election knows that a real possibility after leaving office is not that the president is going to be able to go off into a peaceful retirement but that the president may be criminally prosecuted by a bitter political opponent, will that not lead us into a cycle that destabilizes the functioning of our country as a democracy?

I'm pretty sure that ship sailed on January 6, 2021. But what that comment, and others made by the right-wingers on the court, shows is that they've bought into Trump's Big Lie that the prosecutions of Donald Trump are partisan exercises brought by his "bitter political opponent." And they are clearly prepared to use their own vast, unaccountable power to even out the score.

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If they had any concern about their institution's credibility they wouldn't have even heard the case. Obviously, they don't care about that so it appears that the best we can hope for is that they don't decide to grant this immunity outright but rather come up with some vague distinction between "official" and "private" acts and send it back to the trial court, delaying the case until after the election. If Trump wins, I think we can be quite sure there will be no immunity for Joe Biden.

It's disconcerting to realize that the right-wing legal intelligentsia is infected with Fox News Brain Rot all the way to the top. You see it from the legal commentators in partisan media, of course. That's to be expected. But it's permeated the entire GOP legal establishment from state attorneys general to judges and to people like Trump's former Attorney General Bill Barr who recently said that despite the fact that he believes Trump committed illegal acts and is unfit for the presidency he plans to vote for him because Democrats want to regulate kitchen appliances and are therefore a greater threat to democracy. And now we see this extremist majority on the Supreme Court acting as rank partisan operators to ensure that a blatant criminal gets every chance to seize power so that he can pacify his broken psyche by wreaking revenge on his enemies. And they seem to be open to taking down our democracy in the process.

As former FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissman said on MSNBC over the weekend, "We are one vote away from the end of democracy as we know it."
Supreme Court rejects another bid by Trump adviser Peter Navarro's request to get out of jail

WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Monday rejected former Trump adviser Peter Navarros request that he be released from prison while he appeals his conviction for contempt of Congress.

It was the second time the court declined to keep Navarro from serving his four-month sentence.

Navarro was locked up on March 19 after Chief Justice John Roberts said he saw no reason to disagree with a lower courts decision denying Navarro's request to remain free on appeal.

Fifteen days later, Navarros lawyers asked the court to reconsider Roberts decision. Lawyers pointed out that Navarros appeal would be not heard until after he has completed his sentence.

Hes serving his time at a federal Bureau of Prisons satellite camp for elderly male inmates in Miami.

Former Donald Trump adviser Peter Navarro turned himself in to a federal prison on March 19, 2024, following a conviction for contempt of Congress. Navarro was sentenced to four months after refusing to provide testimony to the House panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Two other close Trump associates, former chief of staff Mark Meadows and White House aide Daniel Scavino, did not face similar criminal charges despite a House vote recommending them.

Navarro was convicted in September for refusing to testify or provide documents to the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Navarro, a former trade adviser, has maintained that he couldn't cooperate with the House inquiry because former President Donald Trump had asserted executive privilege to keep their communications confidential. But U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta found no evidence Trump did that.

Even if Trump had, Mehta ruled Navarro was obligated to appear before the committee to refuse to answer specific questions.

Navarro had argued he should remain free while appealing because he's not likely to flee the country and poses no danger to public safety. He also said he is raising issues in his appeal that could overturn his conviction, including what constitutes a "proper" invocation of executive privilege.

The Jan. 6 committee wanted to question Navarro because he wrote, in his 2021 book "In Trump Time," about the scheme to delay certification of President Joe Biden's election. Navarro described the scheme as the "Green Bay Sweep" and said it was the "last, best chance to snatch a stolen election from the Democrats jaws of deceit."

Navarro said in an interview later that Trump was on board with the strategy, according to the committee.

Another former Trump aide, political strategist Steve Bannon, also refused to cooperate with the committee. He was convicted of contempt of Congress and sentenced to four months in jail, but he remains free on appeal.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court says Trump aide Navarro must stay in jail during appeal
Peter Navarro is staying locked up, after the Supreme Court rejected his bid to stay out while he appeals his contempt conviction. Its the former Trump White House advisers second such rejection in as many months.

How is that even possible, you might wonder?

Recall that Navarro was sentenced in January to four months imprisonment for contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee. Trying to stay free pending appeal, he filed an application to Chief Justice John Roberts, who handles emergency requests from Washington courts. In a March 18 opinion, Roberts wrote that he saw no basis to side with Navarro, who then reported to prison. Though he could have done so, the chief justice apparently didnt feel the need to involve his colleagues, which prolonged the matter in retrospect.

Thats because Navarro subsequently asked for a redo at the beginning of this month  from a different justice, Neil Gorsuch. He was allowed to try, but the odds of success were low, to put it generously.

Those long odds were confirmed Monday morning, when his bid was rejected again. This time, unlike Roberts, Gorsuch referred the matter to the full court, setting up for a definitive resolution. And this time, there was no explanation accompanying Navarros loss. Roberts colleagues likely felt that the chief justice already said all that needed to be said, or perhaps that nothing needed to be said in the first place.

To be sure, this doesnt mean that the Supreme Court is done with Navarro. His underlying appeal attacking his conviction is still pending in the Washington federal appeals court. If he loses there, he may press on to the justices. By then, of course, hell have long been released. The Federal Bureau of Prisons lists his release date as July 17. Navarro said in his bid to Gorsuch that the briefing alone in his D.C. Circuit appeal wont be done until July 19.

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This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Keeping up with Donald Trumps court schedule is a dizzying task, since he faces two federal trials, a criminal trial in Georgia, and two separate civil and criminal trials in New York. (Oh, and hes running for president.) To make it easier to follow along, each Monday well be looking back at all the Trump trialrelated developments you might have missed the previous week.

Last week, the Supreme Court considered the question of whether Donald Trump should be shielded from federal prosecution by presidential immunity, and a majority of the conservative justices seemed ready to side with the former president. Meanwhile, in New York, Trumps hush money trial continued, with prosecutors for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg introducing their first witness. And in Arizona, the state attorney general announced a new criminal indictment over the Trump teams fake electors scheme.

Last week, the Department of Justice and Trumps lawyers argued over presidential immunity at the Supreme Court in a case that could make or break special counsel Jack Smiths federal election interference indictment. And after nearly three hours of oral arguments, a majority of justices seemed poised to give the former president a hugely consequential win.

John Sauer, Trumps attorney, argued the presidency as we know it would be over if presidents were not granted immunity from criminal charges, claiming that vindictive prosecutors would target them for any controversial decisions made in office as soon as they leave it. He also reiterated an argument that Trumps legal team has used to push back against all of his criminal indictments: Congress must impeach and convict Trump before he can be criminally prosecuted. Meanwhile, Michael Dreeben, a lawyer representing Smiths office, emphasized that the Supreme Court has never recognized absolute presidential immunity and that the Constitution already has multiple checks to prevent vindictive prosecution of a former chief executive.

The justices ultimately focused on whether a presidents official acts could be criminally prosecutedand if so, what distinguishes official acts from private ones. Justice Brett Kavanaugh (a Trump appointee) suggested that prosecutors could only charge a former president under criminal statutes that explicitly state they can be applied to presidents, which justice Sonia Sotomayor quickly pushed back on. If we say a president cant be included in a criminal law unless explicitly named, then that would bar the Senate from convicting him for high crimes or misdemeanors, she argued. Because that means that [Trump] is not subject to the law at all. (As Sotomayor also pointed out, there are only a tiny handful of criminal statutes today that explicitly name the president.)

In an analysis of the days oral arguments, Slates Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern explained that the courts conservative justices made it clear they disapproved of Smiths indictment of the former president. To at least five of the conservatives, the real threat to democracy wasnt Trumps attempt to overturn the electionbut the Justice Departments efforts to prosecute him for the act, they wrote.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a final decision in June and could end up kicking part of Trumps appeal back to the U.S. Court of Appeals to reconsider. The procedural back-and-forth means Smiths already slim chances of putting Trump on trial before the November election are looking even slimmer.

Its been nearly one year since Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes launched a criminal investigation into the fake electors schemein which Trump supporters plotted to overthrow their states 2020 election results for Joe Bidenand it has finally produced a criminal indictment.

Mayes has indicted 18 people, including former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, attorneys Rudy Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, and John Easton, adviser Boris Epshteyn, and aide Mike Roman. The former president himself is not named in the indictment, but is most likely Unindicted Co-conspirator 1.

Arizona is now the fourth state to announce a criminal indictment stemming from the fake electors scheme, joining Georgia, Michigan, and Nevada. Meadows, Giuliani, Ellis, and others allegedly pressured Arizona GOP officials to keep Trump in power, leading to 11 Trump supporters organizing in the days after the 2020 election to send a false certificate to Congress certifying Trump had won the state of Arizona. (He didnt; Biden won by 10,457 votes.)

Arizona was an especially sensitive loss for Trump; Fox News was the first network to call the state for Biden, with about 73 percent of the vote counted. Trump then declared the election was a fraud and said states should just stop counting any votes and leave it up to the Supreme Court to decide.

David Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc. and was a key ally to former president Trumpuntil now. During last weeks hush money trial, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg introduced Pecker to the jury, and the former executive offered pretty damning testimony.

Pecker outlined a strategic effort by then-candidate Trump to influence the 2016 election by controlling what stories would get published in tabloids owned by Pecker, like the National Enquirer. The two men held meetings where Trump checked in on the status of hush money payments to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who claimed she had an affair with Trump. Once elected, Trump even held a thank-you dinner for Pecker at the White House. (Heres a refresher on who is who in Trumps hush money trial.)

Slates Jeremy Stahl, who is in court covering the trial, explained that Peckers testimony enabled prosecutors to tie Trump directly to the conspiracy to influence the electiona crucial element of the case that elevated the record-keeping offense to a felony.

The prosecution also brought in Rhona Graff, Trumps personal assistant who worked for the Trump Organization for 34 years. She testified that she had a vague recollection of seeing Stormy Daniels at Trump Tower and confirmed Trump had both Daniels and McDougals contact information.

It has now been two weeks since Trumps hush money trial began and Braggs strategy is becoming clear: Hes making the case that Trump and his allies deliberately organized a scheme to keep damaging stories about him out of the press in order to protect his political image leading up to the 2016 election. And it wouldnt be a true Trump trial without a battle over a gag order, which started after Trump publicly criticized witnesses across 10 separate posts on his Truth Social account. Meanwhile, the former president is continuing to complain that the courthouse is freezing.
Pursuing her passion for a career in medicine, California high schooler Ella Mayor found fulfillment working as a part-time pharmacy technician  tapping into skills she could never practice in school.

California high schooler Ella Mayor

Mayor, a 12th grade student at Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley, said she is often just going through the motions in her classes where she feels disconnected from her schoolwork.

Its the work after school that excites her.

If youre not engaged with school and involved in clubs and have a group of friends that help you stay around, I understand why you wouldnt feel that sense of comfort and purpose going to school, Mayor, 18, told The 74.

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Mayor is one of many Gen Z students who feel disenchanted and disconnected from school.

A new report from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation surveyed more than 1,000 Gen Z students between the ages of 12 to 18, finding that less than half enrolled in middle or high school felt motivated to go to school. About half said they do something interesting in school every day.

The report found the most influential driver of Gen Z students happiness is their sense of purpose at work and school, with more than 60 percent considering themselves happy.

The sentiment among Gen Zers has forced educators nationwide to shift their strategies and way of thinking to find new ways to engage students  from offering a range of elective classes, such as graphic design and culinary arts, to internships that sync up with careers theyre interested in.

This shift also comes as a growing number of high school students value on-the-job training over other postsecondary options, including a four-year degree.

Walton Family Foundation Voices of Gen Z Study

Mayor said the survey results were honestly not that surprising.

She said many of her classmates have grown disconnected from school because teachers often position students future success with how well they perform in traditional academic courses.

Ive seen a lot of students strugglebut theyre good at other things like art or sports, and I feel like thats something teachers should recognize and hone in because not every student is going to be good at academics, Mayor said.

Related: Survey: These High Schools Report Declining Confidence in Properly Preparing Teens for the Future

Tackling Student Disengagement

Courtney Walker, an assistant principal at Carrolltown High School in Georgia, addresses student disengagement by offering elective classes including graphic design and culinary arts. She also has students take career aptitude tests to gauge their skills.

Courtney Walker (Carrolltown High School)

Anytime we add new elective courses, we use the [career aptitude test] data to help us plan courses that align with students interest that they could be very talented and successful in, Walker told The 74.

Walker said high school students who have already completed graduation requirements are plugged into internships.

We had a student a couple of years ago that really knew he wanted to become a pilot so we were able to set up an internship at the West Georgia Regional Airport, Walker said.

We really want to make sure were providing students with opportunities to dig into fields that they really are passionate about, she added, so that they dont just graduate from high school but also have a plan and support in place to be successful in that plan.

Kimberly Winterbottom (Marley Middle School)

Kimberly Winterbottom, a principal at Marley Middle School in Maryland, said students need to feel connected with both their peers and adults, such as teachers or mentors they trust.

We spend a lot of time trying to connect kids to what theyre interested in, whether its joining a club, or if theyre struggling connecting them with an adult they really respond to, Winterbottom told The 74.

Winterbottom added how having direct conversations with students on the importance of engaging in school has proven helpful.

Adults dont spend a lot of time explaining to students the reasons why but I feel like when we do some light bulbs go off and students start to understand and become more invested, Winterbottom said.

Related: On-The-Job Training Prevails as Students Disinterest in College Grows

Disclosure: Walton Family Foundation provides financial support to The 74.
According to a survey, a clear majority of German citizens are in favour of Germany and its European NATO allies significantly increasing their defence spending in the changed security situation.

In a survey conducted by the opinion research institute Forsa on behalf of the magazine Internationale Politik, 68% were in favour of this. 29% were against it. The survey was made available to the German Press Agency on Monday.

According to the survey, a majority of all population and voter groups surveyed believe that Germany and NATO members in Europe should significantly increase defence spending in the future, although approval was higher in western Germany and among men overall.

The clearest support for an increase was found among supporters of the conservative Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) at 90%, and the lowest among those of the far-right AfD at only 61%.

Among Social Democratic Party (SPD) supporters, 72% were in favour, among the Greens 75% and among the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), 88%.
Suspect accused of firing shots at Abilene Allsups during fight

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A suspect accused of firing shots at an Abilene Allsups during a fight has been arrested.

JaMichael Williams has been charged with Aggravated Assault with Deadly Weapon, Unlawful Carrying of Weapon, and Deadly Conduct in connection to the allegations.

Police say Williams fired multiple shots out of his vehicle at an Allsups on S 1st Street during a fight in progress.

There have been no reports of anyone struck by the gunfire and no further information has been released.

Williams remains held in jail on bonds totaling $55,000.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA)  Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd gave an update Monday on a deputy-involved shooting that left a suspect dead and two deputies injured.

Judd identified the suspect as a Moorish sovereign citizen who went by the name Kmac El Bey. His birth name on his California drivers license is Kyran Caples.

Recently, Moorish sovereign citizens have engaged in violent confrontations with law enforcement, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. The movement began in the early 1990s.

Deputies found El Bey in a car at a park and tried to approach him, Judd said. The man wouldnt cooperate with deputies.

Deputies grabbed the window when the car started rolling and El Bey fired five shots, Judd said. Lt. Chad Anderson was shot in the arm. The bullet became lodged near his heart. The sheriff said Anderson was fractions of an inch away from being paralyzed or killed.

Anderson is in critical but stable condition, Judd said.

Deputy Craig Smith was shot twice in the arm, according to Judd. He was in critical condition but has since been upgraded to a different floor.

Deputies found three guns in the car, including the one used to shoot at the deputies, and another that was a Ruger 10/22 converted into an AR-15. Judd said that modification is legal.

Officials are unsure where the guns came from, because Florida law doesnt require guns to be registered. But Judd noted that the guns were not listed as stolen and El Bey was not a convicted felon and had a right to own the guns.

El Bey was hit eight times when the deputies returned fire. The deputies fired 38 shots, Judd said.

He shot my deputies and then we killed him graveyard dead, Judd said. He had to know that was coming.

El Bey had a suspended drivers license but had no criminal history.

Judd said law enforcement occasionally runs into Moorish sovereign citizens, frequently at traffic stops. He said that had El Bey cooperated, he likely wouldve just been given a ride home and probably not even cited.

He was not a problem until he made himself a problem, Judd said.

The deputies who were shot are expected to be recovering for several months. The suspects mother wants to fly out and visit the deputies so she can apologize for her son shooting them, Judd said.

Judd said the suspects mother is a wonderful lady and totally in shock. The sheriff said El Bey had become more radicalized over the last three years.

The deputies are expected to be recovering for several months. Anyone who would like to donate can visit the Polk County Sheriffs Office website and the money will be split between the two deputies.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
A 27-year-old Davenport man faces charges after police allege he was involved with other defendants in multiple thefts from vehicles, according to court records.

Steven Culberson Jr. faces felony charges of second-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony, aggravated misdemeanor charges of third-degree burglary  motor vehicle and possession of burglary tools, and a serious misdemeanor charge of attempted burglary  third degree  vehicle/vessel, court records say.

Steven Culberson Jr. (Scott County Jail)

Deputies allege in affidavits that, about 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Scott County Deputies were dispatched to the 300 block of Cherokee Drive in Park View for a report of a suspicious vehicle that was heard pulling into the neighborhood. Three people were seen getting out of the vehicle and walking in the neighborhood, attempting to enter several unoccupied parked vehicles in the neighborhood.

The suspicious vehicle was later located and stopped and the defendants were inside, affidavits say. The defendants were found to have gloves and flashlights in their possession with large amounts of loose change. Also located in the vehicle were two two-way walkie-talkie radios that were reported stolen from a vehicle burglary reported on July 16, 2014.

A canvass of the area was performed and 15 unoccupied vehicles were identified as being entered. Items including back packs, computers, tools, and change were taken from them. The items such as the back packs, computers and tools were located in neighbors back yards, according to affidavits.

Affidavits show that one of the vehicles that was entered was parked inside an attached garage on Black Hawk Drive while the residents were inside the house asleep.

Culberson, who was arrested on a warrant, was released on his own recognizance and is set for a preliminary hearing May 17 in Scott County Court.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.
TOKYO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese yen briefly dropped to a new 34-year low in the 160 level against the U.S. dollar on foreign exchange markets on Monday morning.

It marked the first time since April 1990 that the U.S. dollar has topped the 160 yen line. Monday is a national holiday in Japan, but trading remained very volatile as the Japanese currency began reversing its trajectory in the afternoon, strengthening to the 155 level.

Some market participants suspected that Japanese authorities may have stepped into the currency market to stem the yen's dive.

A senior Finance Ministry official declined to comment on the yen's sharp rise, Kyodo News reported on Monday.

The Japanese currency also fell to around 171 against the euro at one stage, its lowest level since euro was introduced in 1999. 
Read the full story on The Auto Wire

Suspect In Stolen Car Rams Police Six Times Trying To Escape

While we understand why people want to get vengeance on car thieves after their ride is stolen, weve been warning about the dangers of going after them. Another great example of how even the police, who are trained, armed, and have backup, can become victims of car thieves violent tendencies has emerged from Vallejo, California.

Couple caught riding around in a Dodge Charger wearing stolen parts.

According to the citys police department, officers spotted an Infiniti Q50 with a shattered sunroof as it pulled into a parking lot back on April 22. If you dont know, many times thieves will use the sunroof to access the interior of a car since its not as obvious as busting out one of the side windows.

Suspicious it might be stolen, officers ran the plates and they returned as stolen off a Subaru. Thats when police moved to corner the stolen Infiniti, turned on their emergency lights, and tried to take the suspect driver into custody.

But the suspect panicked and rammed the officers patrol car six times as he tried getting away. When that didnt work, he rammed the car into a wall. Did he think he was driving Killdozer? Some people just dont get when theyre caught and its over.

After arresting the guy for more than just being in a stolen car, police searched the Infiniti. Sure enough, they found more damning evidence including a handgun missing its serial number.

The Infinitis VIN returned with a stolen vehicle report out of Richmond. A records check on the suspect revealed hes been in a lot of trouble, including having several arrest warrants. No wonder he wanted to get away so badly.

This guy was obviously armed and dangerous, which is why we counsel people if they have a tracker and know where their stolen vehicle is, they need to proceed with caution. We wouldnt confront any thieves, just take the car if its unoccupied and get out of there because these guys are often unafraid to use violence against you.

Image via Vallejo Police Department/Facebook

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Suzanne Morphew's death has been determined to be a homicide. The autopsy report was released by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on Monday.

According to the CBI, the agencies investigating the Morphew case have determined her death to be "Homicide by undetermined means in the setting of butorphanol, azaperone, and medetomidine intoxication."

"The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners understand and appreciate the public interest surrounding this case," said CBI Director Chris Schaefer in a statement. "The investigative team assembled to work this case continues to follow the evidence and only the evidence as we seek justice for Suzanne's death."

Suzanne Morphew / Credit: Suzanne Morphew/Facebook

According to the National Institutes of Health, "Butorphanol is a synthetic opioid which is used as a nasal spray for treatment of migraine headaches and parenterally as a narcotic analgesic for moderate-to-severe pain or as an adjunct to general anesthesia."

The NIH also cites the butorphanol-azaperone-medetomidine combination as being "effective, safe, and easy-to-use protocols in bears" when conducting "immobilization."

The remains of the missing Colorado mom were found last fall, more than three years after she was first reported missing. Morphew's remains were located last fall during a search on Sept. 22 in the area of Moffat in Saguache County.

Morphew was last seen on Mother's Day nearly four years ago -- May 10, 2020. Her disappearance made national headlines and the investigation was featured on the CBS News show "48 Hours."

Suzanne Morphew left behind two teenage daughters and a husband, Barry Morphew, who was not only the prime suspect in her disappearance, he was also charged with her murder.

The site where Suzanne Morphew's remains were found in September 2023. / Credit: CBI

Investigators were searching in the area of Moffat in Saguache County on an investigation not related to the Morphew disappearance when her remains were discovered.

Suzanne disappeared after leaving her home for a bike ride on Mother's Day 2020 and what happened next remains a mystery. Her bicycle was found down a steep ravine off Chaffee County Road 225 from Highway 50. Deputies said that the bicycle did not look like it was involved in a crash and there was not any blood at the scene. After she went missing, Barry Morphew told CBS News Colorado that he believed she was abducted before he was subsequently arrested for her murder in 2021.

A judge dismissed the case against Barry Morphew in April 2022. At the time, the 11th Judicial District Attorney, Linda Stanley, filed the motion to "dismiss without prejudice" which means that prosecutors could file charges against Barry Morphew at a later date.

The CBI said that the autopsy results were shared with the Morphew family as soon as the coroner received it.

Barry Morphew released this statement through his attorneys after the autopsy results were released:

For the past four years the Morphews have agonized over Suzanne's disappearance. This included not only the pain of the loss of their wife and mother but also the false accusations and prosecution of Barry Morphew. The Morphews have prayed the authorities would remove their blinders and not only find Suzanne, but find the suspect responsible for her disappearance and murder. However, the Morphews are left with more questions than answers and a lack of justice for Suzanne, the family

and the community.

On May 10, 2020, around 5:00 a.m. Barry Morphew went to work, driving approximately 160 miles north of the Morphew home for a job that had been planned for months. In 2020, investigators confirmed that Suzanne was a regular morning coffee drinker and DNA testing done in 2020 confirmed that the half finished cup of coffee left on the kitchen counter on May 10, 2020 was covered in her DNA only. The autopsy now also confirms that on the day she disappeared, Suzanne had her morning cup of coffee as shown by the caffeine in the toxicology report. The autopsy also confirms that she put on her mountain bike clothes and was either getting ready for, or was already on her morning bike ride, when she was abducted, allegedly drugged, and buried 50 miles south of their home.

Despite the fact that unknown male DNA was found in Suzanne's car, where her bike was parked, on her bike grips, handlebars, and bike seat, the authorities will not tell the Morphew family whether Suzanne's bike clothes, collected seven months ago with her remains, have been tested for DNA. DNA left on her clothing by the murderer could bring justice for Suzanne, her family and the community. The authorities will also not provide the Morphew's [sic] any information regarding whether they have performed any testing on the bullet that was collected with Suzanne's remains.

The authorities offered the victims, Barry, Mallory and Macy, the option to retrieve Suzanne's remains, but they want to ensure the suspect is apprehended before they take what could be an important piece of evidence in the suspect's prosecution. The

family is quite skeptical about the integrity of this investigation as the very same investigators that concealed the unknown male DNA continue to be involved in this investigation and were present at the autopsy of Suzanne Morphew.

The family asks for privacy and implores the authorities to look at the case with fresh eyes, follow all leads, conduct all forensic testing, and solve Suzanne's murder.

No arrests have been made since her remains have been located. The public is asked to continue to report any information about this case by calling (719) 312-7530 or emailing cdps_suzannemorphew_tipline@state.co.us.

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Tourism congestion on SR 28 on Nevada's side of Lake Tahoe. SR 28 is one of the main roads needed for evacuation. The posted speed limit is 45 mph - but tourists jump out of their cars routinely and walk along the road. (Photo: Pamela Tsigdinos)

Policy, politics and progressive commentary

Overtourism, conflicts of interest, developer-initiated blight, vast pollution combined with microplastic contamination, and the lack of a comprehensive Tahoe basin evacuation plan are just some of the public safety and environmental problems raised by Tahoe residents during public comment at this years first two interim Nevada legislative oversight committee hearings.

Unfortunately, members of the Legislative Committee for the Review and Oversight of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Marlette Lake Water System have so far failed to pose any probing questions about these critical issues or move to have these topics explored in more detail on a future agenda. Furthermore, emails obtained in April by a resident through a public records request demonstrate an alarming chumminess between the oversight committee chair staff and the TRPA government affairs manager.

Correspondence leading up to the first two meetings reveals that the oversight committee leadership has little interest in TRPA accountability or supervisionin other words the actual job of oversight. There was, however, an extended email discussion ahead of the March 8 legislative meeting held offsite at TRPA headquarters in Stateline, NV, about snacks and lunch as part of a pre-meeting bus tour of recent tourism and development projects arranged for committee members, TRPA staff and their tourism partners

During that meeting, legislators and staff barely glanced up or engaged in any way with resident-initiated topics about serious issues, including the lakes health and the Tahoe basins increasing degradation and environmental threats. Some checked their email; others kibbitzed with one another and sometimes shared a private laugh. It was as if public comment was merely something to be endured.

The legislative committees response to agenda presenters was an entirely different story. Committee members exhibited an unusually friendly rapport and served up softball questions. After multiple references to a gathering earlier in the day it became apparent to Tahoe residents (post-tour) that Tahoe tourism presenters benefited immensely from their previous interactions.

The agenda omitted tour details so I queried the committee chair, Democratic Sen. Skip Daly, asking if the tour was an open meeting law violation. The chair never responded. The public records request provided evidence that there was email discussion about how the public might be involved, but the pre-meeting tour was never publicly noticed.

Mind you, Nevada taxpayers provide several million dollars to TRPAs operating budget. (TRPA also derives hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government and California.) However, legislative oversight agendas to date have been shaped to accommodate and highlight economic interests, tourism revenue and attractions, and whatever TRPA prioritizes as part of its expansive development and public relations plan.

In the late 1960s, Nevada and California governors (Paul Laxalt and Ronald Reagan) worked together to protect Lake Tahoe. But it was the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, ratified in 1969 by Congress, that paved the way for what was supposed to be Lake Tahoes guardian angel: a one-of-a-kind environmental super-agency. Challenges ensued. It took a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2002 to keep it functioning as a check on development.

More than 20 years ago in a piece headlined Fighting for Tahoes Life, The Los Angeles Times wrote: the ruling is monumental in a broad sense because it upholds the power of state, federal and local government to restrict land uses to protect the environment.

(Photo: Pamela Tsigdonis)

Today, TRPAs original mission now seems flipped on its head. In 2010, environmentalists and residents first raised the alarm about a disturbing shift taking place at the agency. Scientists employed by TRPA specializing in air, soil and vegetation got laid off. Developers are now considered TRPAs customers, and the agency acts to accommodate and facilitate big-money interests that buy Tahoe land promising trophy luxury projects in Nevada and California. Two particularly egregious examples sit astride the state line in North Lake Tahoe: the former Tahoe Biltmore and Tahoe Inn. Both are now owned and controlled by private equity investor developers. Today, the properties are boarded up, blighted eyesores with none of the much touted community enhancement and environmental promises delivered.

By definition, a governmental oversight committee should flag important issues, act as a fiscal watchdog and ensure the public interest is served  particularly when key issues regarding public safety, the environment, and water quality are at stake. Some friction between an oversight committee and the agency it oversees is natural and expected. This dynamic should provide necessary checks and balances  not act as a rubber stamp or an enabler.

Furthermore, Nevadas legislative committee is the only body with the power to exercise any sort of accountability for TRPA. Californias assembly does not have an equivalent counterpart, although nearly two-thirds of the lake sits inside our western neighboring state. There is no such federal oversight committee despite the U.S. Congress sanctioning and funding the agency. The March legislative oversight committee meeting took place before TRPA and its partners headed to Washington D.C. to lobby for the more federal funding tied to the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act now up for reauthorization.

There are four Nevada legislative meetings left in this calendar year. The next one is May 3. Tahoe residents urge the oversight committee to refocus TRPA on what should be its core functions: protecting and restoring the now polluted lake and shorelines and enforcing codes against environmental malfeasance and overdevelopment. It should not be a tool for gluttonous developers eager to amass and hold property.

The singular natural beauty of Lake Tahoe and its surrounding basin environment  unique in its designated federal, state and local recognition and funding  should be a model for environmental protection, sustainability, water quality, and ensuring the safety of residents and visitors in the event of another catastrophic wildfire or extreme weather event.

Nevada legislators: please listen to the Tahoe residents who know the lakes challenges and arent paid to give you dog and pony shows about Disney-fying Lake Tahoe.

The post Tahoe planning group exerts outsized influence on legislative oversight committee appeared first on Nevada Current.
'Taken too soon': Family of Glendale man fatally stabbed in 2019 demand justice

For those who knew him, Carlos Chavez of Glendale was always there for those who needed him, said his older brother, Nick Chavez.

Remembered for his sense of humor, his generosity and the love he had for his family, Carlos was known to be "full of life," never hesitating to "give the shirt off his back" to his loved ones.

"He was a good brother and a good person," said Nick. "My brother loved everybody. He had a big heart."

Now, Carlos' family is left to look for answers after his murder five years ago.

Around 11:30 p.m. on December 8, 2019, Glendale police responded to a 911 call of a stabbing inside an apartment complex near 58th Avenue and Camelback Road. When officers arrived on the scene, they found 36-year-old Carlos with multiple stab wounds.

After administering emergency medical treatment, Carlos was rushed to the hospital, where doctors informed Carlos's family that he "likely wasn't going to make it" after several attempts of life-saving procedures, according to Nick.

"I grabbed (Carlos') hand and wept," said Nick as he recounted the night in the hospital, praying for the recovery of his brother. "My little bro was fighting for his life."

Carlos succumbed to his injuries several days later.

Carlos Chavez, a 36-year-old man from Glendale, was known for his big heart and the love he had for his family. Chavez was fatally stabbed on the night of December 8, 2019, by an unknown attacker. Police continue to investigate the incident.

According to authorities, Carlos had been walking back home to his apartment complex on the night of the incident when a car, later identified as an older model of a white four-door Toyota Corolla, pulled up next to him. An unknown suspect emerged from the passenger side of the vehicle and violently attacked Carlos, fatally stabbing him before fleeing the scene.

With no new leads and the Chavez family still grieving from their loss, Carlos' family now turns to the community for help unravel the circumstances behind Carlos' untimely death.

"It's not ok to kill somebody and just walk free without any consequences," said Nick in a press conference. "Help us bring to light what happened to my brother that night."

On the night Carlos was murdered, Nick recalled the time he spent with his brother earlier that day, having been invited by Carlos to a tailgate party at State Farm Stadium after a game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers that Sunday afternoon.

"When we left, we all said our 'goodbyes' and 'I love yous,'" said Nick. "Who would've known that later that night, our lives would have been changed forever?"

Carlos, who was living with his cousin Eric Cruz at the time of the incident, was walking back home from a Circle K on 59th Avenue and Camelback Road later that night when he was killed by the unknown assailant in the apartment complex, according to Nick.

"That night really devastated me. It still haunts me to this day," said Cruz. "It affected me in ways I still can't comprehend. I haven't been the same since."

Nick went on to explain that he believes the attack was committed at random, saying that his brother "never had a problem with anybody."

"He was taken from this world way too soon," said Nick. "He's going to be really missed. He didn't deserve to go this way."

After the passing of their mother six months prior to Carlos' death, the Chavez family took to prayer and spiritual guidance, relying on their faith to help heal their grief, said Nick.

"I remember saying that this going to either break us, or make us draw closer to God," said Nick. "I'm learning to walk with the Lord and allowing him to heal my broken heart."

"We miss him dearly," added Andy Chavez, older brother to Carlos and Nick. "It really took a toll on our family. Somebody out there knows what happened to my brother."

Cruz, who was nearby during the night of the incident in 2019, recalls the memory of his cousin Carlos, whom he regarded as more of a brother, Cruz said.

"My cousin was a great man," said Cruz. He was just one of those one-of-a-kind people who come into your life that you can never replace."

The Chavez family continues to seek justice for Carlos, pleading that any new information leading to the cause of Carlos' death be reported through Silent Witness.

"They don't know what they took from us," said Cruz. "We deserve justice. We can't rest at night until we know what really happened."

"It won't bring him back, but to have closure... we really want that," Nick added. "We really want to know who did this to my brother. Help us solve this case and bring justice to my family."

Detectives continue to investigate the incident.

A $5,000 reward has been offered for any information leading to an arrest. Anyone who may have information on the crime is asked to call Silent Witness at 480-948-6377. Tips can also be received anonymously on the program's website.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Family of Glendale man fatally stabbed in 2019 demand justice
By Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban face criticism over their human rights record at a U.N. meeting on Monday, with Washington accusing them of systematically depriving women and girls of their human rights.

However, in an awkward first for the U.N. Human Rights Council, the concerned country's current rulers will not be present because they are not recognised by the global body.

Afghanistan will instead be represented by an ambassador appointed by the previous U.S.-backed government, which the Taliban ousted in 2021.

In a series of questions compiled in a U.N. document ahead of the review, the United States asked how authorities would hold perpetrators to account for abuses against civilians, "particularly women and girls who are being systematically deprived of their human rights"?

It also called for the promotion of the rights of LGBTQ persons, noting an "escalation of threats and abuse" since the Taliban takeover.

Britain and Belgium also raised questions about the Taliban's treatment of women. In total, 76 countries have asked to take the floor at the meeting.

The Taliban say they respect rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.

Since they swept back into power, most girls have been barred from high school and women from universities. The Taliban have also stopped most Afghan female staff from working at aid agencies, closed beauty salons, barred women from parks and curtailed travel for women in the absence of a male guardian.

Under the U.N. system, states' human rights records are subject to peer review in public meetings of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, resulting in a series of recommendations.

While non-binding, these can draw scrutiny of policies and add to pressure for reform. The U.N. Human Rights Council, the only intergovernmental global body designed to protect human rights worldwide, can also mandate investigations whose evidence is sometimes used before national and international courts.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio (WJW)  A 19-year-old woman is being held in jail, accused of shooting and killing her mother on Friday in South Euclid.

Nia Patterson appeared in South Euclid Municipal Court on Monday to face the murder charge. She is accused of shooting her mother, Angela Bates, at a house on Grosvenor Road.

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Judge Timothy Strekel set bond at $750,000. The judge also stated if Patterson posts bond, she must be placed on a GPS monitoring device.

Patterson waived her right to a preliminary hearing. The case has now been sent to a Cuyahoga County grand jury to determine if Patterson should be indicted.

This situation is certainly a tragedy all around, said Attorney Morgan Caruso. At this time, I cannot provide further comment on behalf of my client, as I have not yet had the ability to see and thoroughly review all of the evidence.

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Police said they found the 47-year-old victim inside her home with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

Police are not releasing a motive for the shooting.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
A thousand years ago, native fish and birds rested in a fertile floodplain at the intersection of the Sacramento and Feather rivers and Butte creek along their migratory routes. Since the turn of the 20th century, the area has been engulfed in rice fields.

But in the next decade, the bygone natural floodplain is coming back. Thats after California conservation nonprofit River Partners secured millions for restoration work on 750 acres from state wildlife agencies and Apple Inc., the multinational tech company.

Its all part of the states effort to conserve important wild lands for their myriad climate benefits and Apples support for clean energy and conservation projects to counterbalance pollution and water consumption from its operations.

This one piece of property does so much for the state of California, said River Partners spokesperson Alex Karolyi, referencing the states sweeping climate goals. If we have essentially six more years to offset the heaviest impacts of a changing climate, we need to be doing more projects just like this.

Conservationists say taking these fields out of production and restoring the natural floodplain, which will start in 2027, will significantly benefit the states imperiled native salmon and create water savings of approximately 7,000 acre-feet a year.

They hope that someday, this Sutter County property just north of the Sacramento International Airport could become a new state park akin to Dos Rios on the San Joaquin River, recently inaugurated by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

A lot of us are seeing this as the next Dos Rios, which means were going to apply all the lessons weve learned down there, Karolyi said. This project is temporarily being called Dos Rios Norte, marking the confluence of two of Californias major rivers.

Alex Karolyi of River Partners points on Tuesday to positive changes that will take place after more than 700 acres of farmland at the confluence of the Sacramento and Feather rivers near Knights Landing that his nonprofit environmental restoration group plans to restore to wildlife habitat, and maybe a public park, with help from Apple Inc.

A special confluence of waterways

The land is home to a uniquely mature riparian forest of valley oaks and abundant native sedge grasses. These plants have remained in tact along the riverbanks that were left as a buffer between the water and rice fields, narrowing to a point at the rivers confluence.

Restoration of the property will happen in stages, include carving channels into the soil to promote the propertys return into a natural floodplain. River Partners will also plant native vegetation and fauna, and temporarily irrigate them until the landscape is self-sufficient.

Leaders of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, whose tribe traces historical connections to the property and wider region, said they look forward to working with project managers on restoration efforts and help give the land a permanent name.

The land holds cultural and spiritual significance for my Tribe. Two of our ancestral matriarchs and their families once lived here, fished here and gathered here, wrote tribal vice chair and traditional ecological knowledge director Malissa Tayaba.

Having access to cultural landscapes we were once removed from gives us the opportunity to help heal the land, preserve our plant and animal ancestors and restore our salmon to these waterways.

Letting the land flood will not only create more hospitable habitat for migrating fish, but also better conditions for zooplankton to flourish. Its a crucial food source for salmon and will also support threatened birds such as the yellow billed cuckoo.

Virtually every species of native salmon are in peril. Fewer than 80,000 Central Valley fall-run Chinook salmon returned to California rivers to spawn in 2022, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. That marked a nearly 40% decline from the previous year, and the lowest since 2009.

I would never have thought I could work on a project like this that will make so much of a difference, said Mike Davis, restoration science ecologist and project manager at River Partners. Three major waterways intersect here, so it unlocks a valleywide ecosystem.

An aerial photograph shows the confluence of the Sacramento and Feather rivers near Knights Landing. With help from Apple, a plan is being hatched to restore the natural floodplain, which will start in 2027, and will significantly benefit the states imperiled native salmon, conservationists say.

What will it cost?

River Partners is still looking for funding from public grants and corporate contributions to restore the majority of the 1,600-acre property, which they expect to someday make accessible to the public. It also needs to secure permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by proving the project wont increase flood risk.

Representatives of Apple did not disclose its contribution to River Partners, who estimates the costs of restoration at $25,000 an acre. But a spokesperson for the company did say it committed over $8 million across four water projects including this one.

Apple is proud to accelerate progress toward our 2030 goal to replenish all of the freshwater withdrawals from our corporate operations in high-stress locations like here in Northern California, said Apples vice president of global real estate Kristina Raspe.

A tractor turns over soil on Tuesday on the more than 700 acres of farmland at the confluence of the Sacramento and Feather rivers near Knights Landing that River Partners, a nonprofit environmental restoration group, plans to restore to wildlife habitat with help from Apple Inc.

The restoration of Dos Rios Norte is also slated for funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Wildlife Conservation Board, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

It contributes to Gov. Gavin Newsoms goal of preserving 30% of Californias coastal waters and lands by 2030 to expand nature access, address climate change and protect biodiversity. In another recent initiative, the Newsom set targets for nature-based carbon sequestration.

Those goals dont explicitly mention converting land used for agriculture, a relatively small but important California industry, to wildlands. Lundberg Farms, which currently leases the River Partners property to grow rice, considers Dos Rios Norte a unique opportunity.

Mike Denny, vice president of operations at Lundberg Farms, said much of the property is, as a natural floodplain, a challenging place to grow rice anyway.

Its essentially the bottom of the bathtub, and so drain water from the north valley just sits there. So some of that acreage cannot be farmed effectively, said Mike Denny, vice president of operations at Lundberg Farms.

I think the bottom line is this project is a great opportunity for agriculture, and environmentalists kind of work together. And that doesnt always happen.
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While there are scant details as to the mission profile, I can't help but feel ultra-intrigued by this news from space station developer Gravitics, which was selected to develop orbital platforms to enable rapid response space missions.

Gravitics co-founder and CMO Mike DeRosa did clarify in an email that the company is not putting a module on a rocket for a tactically responsive launch. Instead, the mission is related to developing platforms to enable a new kind of tactically responsive space mission, he said.

Gravitics station render

Image Credits: Gravitics

Defense and space startup True Anomaly has laid off around 25% of staff, and canceled its summer internship program, TechCrunch learned.

While TechCrunch could not confirm the total headcount prior to these layoffs, True Anomaly had over 100 employees as of December 2023, it told the Denver Business Journal. Nearly 30 people were cut from the workforce, according to a post on LinkedIn from one of the people let go.

I learned a lot from this deep dive by SpaceNews' Sandra Erwin and Debra Werner, who explored how the Space Force's push for a proliferated constellation of satellites is exposing weaknesses in the U.S. industrial base.

Image of Uncle Sam floating in space with the Space Force logo above his left shoulder.

Image Credits: TechCrunch

On May 1, 1961, the great Alan Shepard became the first American to enter space when he piloted his capsule on a 15-minute suborbital flight. (If his name sounds familiar, it's because Blue Origin's suborbital rocket is named after him!)

Alan Shepard

Image Credits: NASA (opens in a new window)
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks during a Senate Judiciary Committee at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. His proposal to give extra security to lawmakers at airports was rejected by House Homeland Security ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson on Monday. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

April 29 (UPI) -- A proposal by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz to provide airport security escorts for lawmakers was blocked Monday.

A provision to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization championed by Cruz would have provided special security escorts at airports for legislators and judges facing credible threats.

The plan's failure comes after objections from House Homeland Security ranking member Rep. Bennie Thompson, according to The Hill.

The bill would have given special escorts and screenings to members of Congress, judges and Cabinet members who faced "credible threats," according to federal authorities.

These individuals currently go through regular TSA screenings just like practically everyone else.

The provision would have given them equal protection as senior administration officials, Congressional leaders and mayors of large cities.

Critics suggested, though, that the legislation would help lawmakers from being seen among the public while traveling. Cruz faced major embarrassment when travelers spotted him boarding a plane to Cancun in 2021 in the middle of a historic winter storm in Texas that shut down large sections of the state's electric grid.

Cruz ended up making a public apology for the trip after photos of him boarding the plane appeared on social media, leading to ridicule in the news media and among the public.

Thompson said the provision was unnecessary and would create a hardship for already over-extended TSA staff by taking them away from their primary duties.

"I'm glad that sanity prevailed and this provision -- which almost no one really wanted -- wasn't included in the final FAA bill text," Thompson told The Hill. "Hopefully, this issue is now put to rest. Congress should be focusing on improving TSA and keeping our skies more secure, not burdening its workforce and potentially diminishing security."
On April 28, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports.

Antony Blinken first conveyed his congratulations on the agreement reached regarding the border delimitation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and emphasized that the United States commends it. The Secretary of State expressed the United States' readiness to continue supporting the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the advancement of the peace agenda.

The head of state noted that the agreement reached by the delimitation commission of the two countries was the result of the discussions held on a bilateral basis in the spirit of dialogue and mutual understanding. President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that the commencement of demarcation works on the border of the two countries following the delimitation process was a positive step.

The head of state mentioned that the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia would soon meet in Almaty, as per the suggestion of the Kazakh side, to continue negotiations on the peace treaty. Recalling that it was the Republic of Azerbaijan, who was the initiator of the peace treaty and its underlying five principles, and stressed that Azerbaijan would continue to spare no efforts to advance the peace agenda and that Azerbaijan had a strong political will in this regard. President Ilham Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan supports the establishment of an integrated South Caucasus regional cooperation model without any dividing lines.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed his countrys intention to strengthen bilateral relations between the U.S. and Azerbaijan, noting cooperation in the fields of energy, climate, transport, and COP29. President Ilham Aliyev also emphasized Azerbaijans interest in developing bilateral relations with the U.S.

During the telephone conversation, the sides hailed the cooperation between the Azerbaijani and U.S. delegations within COP29.

Antony Blinken positively assessed the recent steps taken in Azerbaijan in the field of human rights, expressing his desire for their continuity.

President Ilham Aliyev highlighted Azerbaijans commitment to its human rights obligations and the continuation of democratic reforms in the country.
JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian National Army (TNI) has planned to deploy 12,000 military personnel to beef up the security at the 10th World Water Forum to be held in Indonesia's resort island of Bali from May 18 to 25.

"They are tasked with providing security and managing the health sector there," according to Head of the TNI Information Center, Major General Nugraha Gumilar, on Monday.

Personnel that secure the straits of Bali and Lombok, which divide Bali from other Indonesian islands, will be put into place a week before the event.

Additionally, certain aircraft will be equipped for evacuation in case of a natural disaster.

This largest water sector event in the world, which has been held every three years since 1997, will bring together delegates from various countries and regions to discuss worldwide water challenges. 
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A teenager was arrested in Idaho after a deadly Las Vegas shooting that left a 16-year-old dead earlier in the month, according to the Kootenai County Sheriffs Office.

On April 26, Las Vegas police notified the Kootenai County Sheriffs Office and Coeur dAlene Police Department in Idaho that a suspect in a deadly shooting may be in Kootenai County.

Police said that a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed in Las Vegas earlier in the month and three suspects had been identified, two of whom were arrested and the third was identified as 18-year-old Lennix M. Dockery, who police say fled Las Vegas after the shooting.

Lennix M. Dockery, 18, of Las Vegas was arrested in Idaho on charges related to a deadly Las Vegas shooting that left a 16-year-old dead. (Courtesy of the Kootenai County Sheriffs Office)

Coeur dAlene police were able to confirm a location in Rathdrum where Dockery was most likely located. In the early morning hours of April 27, the Kootenai County Joint Agency SWAT Team responded to a residence, surrounded it, and began making announcements.

Dockery came out of the house and was arrested without incident on the Las Vegas homicide warrant, according to the Kootenai County Sheriffs Office.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
New tenants in Hialeahs affordable housing will see rent hikes, despite mayors promise

Facing a financial burden stemming from rising maintenance costs, Hialeah voted to turn over 625 affordable housing units that it had managed to a state housing agency, a move that likely will mean higher rents for new tenants.

In an unanimous vote at the April 23 council meeting, the council members agreed to retain ownership of the units, housed in 14 properties throughout the city, but they will be managed and maintained by the Hialeah Housing Authority. The authority is a state agency that receives funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It operates 1,117 public housing units and manages 5,128 Section 8 vouchers within the state, according to HUD.

Ruth Rubi, the citys finance management director, said at the meeting the rent increases will affect new tenants, not existing ones.

The legacy tenant will remain the same...The increase comes in the form of a voucher, Section 8, on basically empty units, she said.

Thats different from what Mayor Esteban Bovo Jr. said in a Jan. 9 council meeting, when he first presented the proposal to have the state agency take over the units. Bovo emphasized three times, We will not raise rents on the citys housing.

The council did not vote on the matter at that time.

Higher rents

Currently, 40 of the 625 units have been vacant for months due to ongoing repairs, according to Rubi. The vacant units will now be leased for $1,239 a month with Section 8 vouchers or other rental subsidies.

The rent charged on the units now ranges from $300 to $1,070, depending on the length of time the tenant has lived there, according to documents reviewed by el Nuevo Herald. In many cases, a building can have up to four different rents.

This will be the first time Hialeahs affordable housing will take federal Section 8 vouchers, said HHA Director Julio Ponce. HHA will also make the units available to renters who dont need vouchers or additional subsidies.

If someone on another waiting list or not on any list comes looking to rent a unit in these city properties, we will rent it to them for $1,239, said Ponce.

The mayors chief of staff, Ismare Monreal, told el Nuevo Herald that Hialeah will receive more money through federal funds, so tenants will pay less out of pocket.

The agreement between the city and HHA for managing these properties would be a minimum of five years, with potential renewal, through a 6 percent fee. This will cost the city approximately $150,000 in the first year.

Although the increase in rents is now official, the city has been raising rents on these properties as they became vacant for some time.

Jesus Tundidor, council president, told el Nuevo Herald that in the citys largest property, Daisy & Rosa, rent has been honored until the end, but when someone dies and the unit becomes available, rent is charged at market price.

Councilman Bryan Calvo, the main opponent to Mayor Esteban Bovo Jr., says HHAs management should benefit residents because there have been maintenance issues for a long time.

No one wants to raise rent, but the most important thing is that no apartment remains vacant, said Calvo. The most concerning issue is that there are 40 vacant units. Its disheartening when theres so much need.

The revelation of 40 vacant units in Hialeahs affordable housing comes after thousands of people lined up at the John F. Kennedy Library to register for the Section 8 voucher lottery for 1,000 slots just opened by HHA.

Financial challenges of Hialeahs affordable housing

According to a letter sent by the finance director, Rubi, to council members, the affordable housing program faces financial challenges because the city has been subsidizing part of the property expenses, mainly because the rental income does not cover annual maintenance costs.

Rubi projected an affordable housing shortfall of $1.061 million to be subsidized by the citys general fund for 2024.

El Nuevo Herald requested the budget for these affordable housing units, and the city sent documents from the past five years showing revenues, excluding the expenses incurred by the properties.

The records show a significant increase in funds being transferred to cover the rising deficit stemming from operating these units. Over five years, a total of $2.87 million was transferred out of the citys general fund to cover these costs.

The records do not detail the expenses incurred by each property.

This subsidy has led to a significant financial burden that the city must address, Rubi said.

The chief of staff estimates that with this new agreement, Hialeah will be up to date by 2027.

READ MORE: Struggling to stay in Hialeah: Evictions surge in new luxury enclaves

HUD and local code violations

Much of Hialeahs affordable housing is currently funded through the HOME Investment Partnerships federal program , which is the largest federal grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. According to HUD housing standards, properties must be decent, safe, sanitary, and in good repair.

However, public records provided by Hialeah reveal that at least 7 of the 14 affordable properties have incurred city code and HUD violations, presenting conditions that pose risks to the safety of residents. These violations include:

 Fire exit signage damaged

 Expired elevator inspections

 Expired elevator inspection certificate

 Shopping cart obstructions in hallways, leading to multiple incidents

 Shopping cart obstructions in stairwells

 Illegal dumping

In one building, Villa Esperanza, which is part of HOME program, tenants reported to city inspectors that a person was living in the laundry room.

Inspections by Hialeah code inspectors have determined that at least seven of the 14 properties that make up the citys affordable housing program, funded by federal grants, have been found to be in violation of Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) codes.

These violations are part of the reason Mayor Bovos administration wants to transfer control of the citys properties to HHA.

With HHA, a robust service that the city cannot provide through subsidies will come; we will have a much more robust city administration, explained Rubi before the council.

READ MORE: Hialeah turns to developers, attorneys to help tackle its affordable housing crisis
Legal tensions continue to mount as parties clash over whether the writings of a former student, who killed three Tennessee children and three adults at Nashvilles Covenant School, should be made public. The contentious issue continues to unfold nearly a year after the devastating incident.

In an April 16 court hearing, Metro Nashville Police advocated for keeping the records private under an exemption from the Tennessee Public Records Act until their investigation concludes. However, they suggested that a portion of the writings, specifically those found in the shooters car, could be released without compromising the ongoing inquiry, the Associated Press reports.

The shooter, identified by police as Audrey Hale, a 28-year-old former student, had meticulously planned the attack, according to law enforcement officials. Hale, who was assigned female at birth but, according to police, identified as a transgender man, left behind a manifesto and multiple journals, which have become central to the legal debate over their release. Neither Hale nor their attorney have commented on the shooters gender identity.

The issue of Hales gender identity has been leveraged by some right-wing extremists to fuel transphobic narratives, overshadowing broader discussions about gun control and safety in schools.

Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri has suggested, without evidence, that the shooting could be classified as a hate crime against Christians .

Attorney Peter Klett, representing Covenant School, argued against the release, citing a statute that restricts the dissemination of information pertaining to school security. Klett emphasized the potential risk of the writings inspiring similar violent acts, posing a security threat to schools nationwide.

The parents of children killed in last years shooting made a plea to the judge not to release the shooters manifesto.

Various groups, including media organizations and advocacy groups, support the push for transparency, arguing the publics right to understand the context and motives behind such a horrific act. However, this has been met with opposition from those who caution that releasing sensitive information could potentially lead to misinterpretations or misuse that could harm communities, especially marginalized ones like transgender individuals.


State lawmakers have passed a bill that could improve Tennessees gun background check process through a universal court filing system.

The push comes as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation faces a mass backlog of hundreds of thousands of case dispositions not yet linked to peoples criminal records.

That means some prospective gun buyers could potentially have disqualifying charges, but those cases might not show up in the background check system.

TBI oversees the system but it depends on local law enforcement and court clerks to submit timely criminal information, and not everyone uses the same technology. A handful of small agencies were still submitting criminal records via fax or mail.

Lawmakers who backed the bill said a unified court system will help speed up the process of submitting criminal information and improve accuracy.

The bill, which now awaits the governors signature, directs the Administrative Office of the Courts to develop a centralized system of case management and filing for all court clerks.

A unified court system will ensure our judicial system is equipped with the most accurate data available and is the first step toward an instantaneous background check system in Tennessee which will help keep guns out of the hands of felons, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, who co-sponsored the bill, said in a statement. The data will also empower our judges with the tools to make more informed decisions and keep more criminals off our streets.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton greets Sen. Bo Watson R- Hixson at the end of the press conference following session at Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, April 25, 2024.

Why does TBI have a backlog of case dispositions?

While most states solely use the federal background check system, Tennessee is one of 13 states that conduct their own background checks using state and federal records.

In many instances, a criminal case disposition in the states system might not be linked to a persons record due to reporting errors.

If a court or clerk submits an incomplete disposition that is unable to be linked to a criminal record, the record system will place that disposition in an error file.

The TBI has contracted with a vendor to help clear the error file cases, but the agency in a report last year said the problem will likely continue without better and more thorough submissions.

How big is the backlog?

Last year, the state said it had a backlog of 761,000 cases not linked to criminal histories.

TBI spokesperson Susan Niland said in an email last month the list was down to more than 530,000 cases that still need to be reviewed to determine if the disposition can be linked to a persons criminal history.

The agency last year was awarded a $3 million federal grant to help with the effort.

What is TBI doing to help improve the background check system?

Last year, in the wake of the Covenant School mass shooting, the governor issued an executive order mandating a 72-hour timeframe for agencies reporting criminal cases to the background check system.

Niland said the executive order has allowed TBI to evaluate areas that impact timely and accurate submissions. The agency has requested additional funding and staffing, including five new positions for its Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

TBI has also requested grant funding for a fingerprint card scanner that allows batches of cards to be scanned at one time, and has worked to educate judges and court clerks across the state on the importance of timely electronic submissions.

We have seen great success in this transition which is allowing quicker disposition reporting, she said.

Gov. Bill Lee and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, walk out after a news conference at the end of session at the Tennessee Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, April 25, 2024.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, in a statement said the creation of a unified court reporting system is critical to ensuring public safety. The state in last years budget included $75 million to replace the old system.

Far too often we have seen reports of serious criminals getting released or receiving lighter sentences because prosecutors and judges did not have a full picture of the criminals history, he said. This will not only ensure prosecutors and judges have the information they need to make informed decisions but also will allow better management of caseloads across the state.

Vivian Jones contributed to this report

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee has mass backlog affecting gun buyers. Law may change that
Tents back up as UNC students continue 3rd day of protests against war in Gaza

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN)  Tents went back up at UNC-Chapel Hill Sunday as students and others continued to gather for the third day of protests against the ongoing war in Gaza.

Students from across the Triangle have been occupying Polk Place since Friday. The university asked them Friday to take the tents down because they violated university policy. Protesters did, but now the encampment is back.

Organizers said UNC has told them it will take it down by force, but UNC has not confirmed or denied that to CBS17.

We are here because [the war] needs to end and it needs to end today, UNC graduate student Hashem said.

Students are calling on the university to end any involvement with Israel, a process known as divestment.

So transparency, we want to know what UNC invested in and then we want to see UNC take steps to divest from Israeli companies, Hashem said.

Hashem is half-Palestinian. He said he grew up in Jordan after his mother had to leave her home.

So there is a personal aspect to this, but thats not really primarily why Im here. Im here because this is an issue of justice, he said.

Students from Duke and N.C. State also joined the UNC encampment in solidarity

There are a lot of grad students very invested in this cause, but organizing on Duke property can be very difficult because it is a private institution, Duke graduate student Abi said.

Abi is Jewish, and she said that is part of why she is passionate about the cause.

Its really, really important to me that a Jewish voice always be present in pro-Palestinian spaces, because I think its so important to say we stand with you, Abi said.

Similar protests at college campuses across the country have sometimes ended with arrests. CBS17 asked UNC students whether this is a concern on their campus.

Our personal needs, sometimes they need to stop to actually stand up for others. And thats what were here for because were standing up for the oppressed, Hashem said.

Organizers have said talks with the university about divesting from Israeli companies have not made much headway, but they plan to continue their protests.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Texans receiver Tank Dell was among 10 people wounded in shootout at Florida party, sheriff says

During a press conference in Sanford, Fla., Monday, April 29, 2024, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma shows a surveillance video taken early Sunday of patrons fleeing the Cabana Live nightclub in Sanford, during shots fired by gunmen. Multiple patrons in the club, including NFL Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell, were wounded by the gunfire. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

SANFORD, Fla. (AP)  None of the 10 people who were wounded in a shootout at a Florida restaurant over the weekend, including Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell, suffered life-threatening injuries, authorities said Monday.

The shootout happened early Sunday during a party at the Cabana Live restaurant in Sanford, north of Orlando. More than 200 people were at the restaurant when a 16-year-old opened fire after an altercation, followed by an unidentified male also opening fire, Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said Monday.

The shootout could have been much worse if not for an unnamed security guard who tackled the 16-year-old shooter, Lemma said at a news conference.

The heroic actions of this security officer took a very dangerous situation and made it less significant than it potentially could have been. He tackled this guy from behind and brought him to the ground, Lemma said. We are incredibly lucky that nobody is dead and there aren't more injuries.

Dell, who is from the nearby Daytona Beach area, was caught in the middle, Lemma said. He was treated for a minor wound and released from a hospital later Sunday, according to the Texans. The sheriff didnt provided any details on Dells injury.

Authorities are hoping to speak to the unidentified gunman, whose actions might have been justified under Florida's self-defense laws, authorities said.

This was a shootout that was going back and forth, Lemma said.

An arrest report said there was probable cause to charge the teen with attempted homicide, firing a weapon on public property, possession of a firearm by a minor and using a firearm during a felony, but final charging decisions will be up to local prosecutors, Lemma said.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration Monday after it extended Title IX to LGBTQ students. Credit: Austin Price for The Texas Tribune

Gov. Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Education Agency on Monday to ignore a Biden administration rule that expanded federal sex discrimination protections to include LGBTQ+ students.

The Biden administration recently revised the rules for Title IX, the sweeping civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination at federally funded colleges and K-12 schools. The new rules, which are set to go into effect in August, redefined sex discrimination and sex-based harassment to prevent misconduct based on sex stereotypes, pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation. It codifies initial guidance documents that prompted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to sue the Biden administration last year.

"Congress wrote Title IX to protect women. Biden, with no authority to do so, rewrote Title IX to protect men who identify as women," Abbott wrote Monday on social media platform X.

Abbott's order came the same day Paxton announced he had sued the Biden administration Monday to block the Title IX changes. Texas joins a growing number of Republican-led states that have berated the new rules, setting the stage for a legal fight over LGBTQ+ student protections. They say the Biden administration misinterpreted the intent of Title IX.

In its final interpretation of Title IX, the Biden administration sought to extend a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case decision related to workplace discrimination to students. The high court ruled in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII, a civil rights law that bars employment discrimination on the basis of sex, applied to gay and transgender workers.

The Title IX changes also walk back rules set during the Trump administration that required live hearings in which students accused of sexual misconduct could question accusers in a courtroom-like setting. The Biden administration kept Trump-era provisions that allow informal resolutions and prohibit penalties against students until an investigation is complete.

The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.

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!
Text messages suggested tensions between Karen Read and her police officer boyfriend, prosecutor says at her murder trial

Opening statements in the high-profile murder trial surrounding the 2022 death of a Boston police officer drilled Monday into two key questions that have long dominated the case: Is the officers girlfriend a killer? Or is she a victim of a sprawling coverup involving law enforcement?

Karen Read is accused of backing her black Lexus SUV into her boyfriend, Officer John OKeefe, after a night of barhopping that January and leaving him to die in the snow. The 46-year-old was found dead hours later outside the home of another police officer in the Boston suburb of Canton.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally laid out the prosecutions theory of the case, saying Read is guilty of striking OKeefe with her car, knocking him back to the ground  causing the bleeding in his brain, the swelling  and then leaving him there for several hours, in a blizzard, with temperatures in the teens  (and) snow piling up on his body.

The relationship between Read and OKeefe had soured in the weeks before his death, Lally told jurors, saying that Read had accused him of flirting with another woman during a New Years vacation in Aruba. The couple engaged in a screaming match for about 20 minutes during the trip, and their troubled relationship was reflected in text messages that will be revealed during the trial, Lally added.

But the defense said Read was framed as part of a cover-up to protect the homeowner and other people inside the house that night. They allege OKeefe was badly injured during a fight inside the home  including being mauled by the homeowners German Shepherd  before being tossed outside in the yard to die.

It was no accident that John OKeefe was found dead on the front lawn of the home on Fairview Road, defense attorney David Yannetti told jurors.

At that address lived a well-known and well-connected law enforcement family in Canton, he added. Because the others were involved and because they had close connections to the investigators in this case, Karen Read was framed for a murder she did not commit.

Someone  not Karen Read  ambushed John OKeefe, Yannetti said. Somebody probably did not mean to kill him. But somebody went too far.

Read, 44, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a collision.

The trial started in earnest Monday after two weeks of jury selection and caps the latest chapter in a tumultuous case that has sharply divided the town 20 miles south of Boston. Residents have spent months debating potential scenarios of what happened that fateful night.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally gives his opening statement as the murder trial for Karen Read begins in Norfolk County Superior Court on April 29, 2024. - Pat Greenhouse/Pool/The Boston Globe/AP

Reads supporters showed up Monday outside the courthouse in Dedham  as they have for most of her court appearances  wearing pink and carrying placards reading, Free Karen Read. They shouted, we love you Karen! and stand tall as she walked into the courthouse flanked by her attorneys.

For months, her supporters have accused local authorities of framing her and have stormed city council meetings to demand answers. Some have formed private Facebook pages and frequented blogs to discuss intricacies of that fateful night, turning what began as a local homicide case into a national sensation.

With the trial now underway, some of Reads supporters have added a pink background to their Facebook profile photos, a color they chose as a show of solidarity.

Attorneys gave opening statements for about two hours

Both sides agree that Read and OKeefe had met up with some friends and acquaintances while barhopping and had followed them back to the Fairview Road house about midnight for a small after-party.

But they strongly disagree on what happened next.

OKeefe never set foot inside the house, Lally told jurors.

From all of those people within that house that evening, none of them at any point in time observed John OKeefe come into that house, Lally said. They saw the vehicle pull away and they just assumed that they (OKeefe and Read) left and that no one was coming.

But Yannetti argued that if OKeefe was killed outside the home after Read dropped him off shortly after midnight, why didnt the other people at the house notice his body lying in the yard when they left?

Each of them walked out facing the front lawn, where the Commonwealth will tell you that a 6-foot-2, nearly 220 pounds, big man in dark clothing was sprawled on the front lawn and there was only a dusting of white snow on the ground, he told jurors. And not one of these people saw John OKeefe laying there. Not one.

Defense attorney David Yannetti speaks during the trial of Karen Read on April 29, 2024. "Karen Read was framed," he told jurors. - Pool/Court TV

Yannetti added, The police did no real investigation of this case. And you will question why.

The case revolves around the six hours before OKeefes body was discovered that winter night. Read has said she dropped off OKeefe at the Fairview Road house, then drove to his home to sleep because she wasnt feeling well. She said she later woke up in the predawn hours and panicked when she realized he wasnt home.

She told investigators she then called two female acquaintances, and the three women drove through the streets of Canton in near white-out conditions, looking for OKeefe and calling his name, court documents show.

Read spotted her boyfriends body in the front yard of the house, covered in snow, and rushed to perform CPR on him, court documents show. Firefighters who responded to the scene that morning asked about his injuries, and Read told them, I hit him, I hit him, Lally said. The defense countered that Read was confused and trying to figure out what had happened to her boyfriend.

Like many of us, (she) was worried about the worst. Did I hit him? Could I have hit him? Thats what she was saying, both to herself and to other people. She couldnt think of anything else that made sense, Yannetti said.

The defense also said a computer forensic expert will testify that the homeowners sister-in-law  who was inside the house that night and was one of the women who accompanied Read to look for her boyfriend  searched the phrase Ho(w) long to die in cold around 2:27 a.m., hours before Read called her looking for OKeefe.

But Lally disputed the timing and reason for the internet search and said that Read asked the woman to search that phrase shortly before 6:30 a.m. after they found OKeefe in the snowy yard.

A taillight on Reads SUV was found broken the next morning, a detail prosecutors seized upon after investigators found pieces of Reads broken taillight outside the Fairview Road home.

But the defense noted that the taillight pieces werent found until hours after the initial search  a delay Reads supporters have used to claim a botched investigation.

During that thorough search of (the) front lawn, the number of pieces of taillights that was found by a minimum of four officers looking for evidence was zero. It was only later in the day, when the snow was really starting to accumulate, and the police miraculously started to find pieces of light on the property, Yannetti said in his opening statement.

Read broke her taillight when she struck OKeefes car as she was pulling out of their driveway at 5 a.m. that morning in a panic to look for him, Yannetti said.

The US Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts has launched a federal probe into Reads arrest and prosecution. And last month, the Massachusetts State Police announced an investigation into a state trooper who is involved in the case.

The defense has claimed the trooper, Michael Proctor, did not disclose his relationship with key witnesses in the case. But Proctors attorney, Michael DiStefano, said his client has done nothing wrong and is cooperating with the investigation.



Trooper Proctor remains steadfast in the integrity of the work he performed investigating the death of Mr. John OKeefe, DiStefano told CNN last month.

Reads trial continued Monday afternoon with the prosecutions first witness  the victims younger brother, Paul OKeefe. He testified about the loss of his two siblings  John and their sister, who died in 2013. John OKeefe was taking care of their sisters two children, the brother said.

The trial is supposed to last at least six weeks.

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DAR ES SALAAM, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 50 houses were submerged and more than 300 people displaced on Ukerewe Island in the Mwanza Region of northwestern Tanzania due to rising water levels in Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, an official said Monday.

Christopher Ndubiagai, the Ukerewe District commissioner, said that the houses were submerged last week as the lake's water level rose following ongoing torrential rains.

"The lake has been overwhelmed by the heavy rains and several over-flooded tributaries flowing into the lake," he said, noting that according to the 2022 national population census, Ukerewe Island is home to 384,000 people.

Ndubiagai said that Ukerewe Island is experiencing erosion caused by the rising water level in the lake, which is shared by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

District authorities are assessing the extent of the damage caused by the rising water levels and simultaneously relocating the displaced people to safer areas, including public schools, he said. 
FILE - Thailand's Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara arrives at the government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. Thailands Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nugara, who is also a deputy prime minister, abruptly resigned Monday, April 29, 2024, after the cabinet reshuffle removed him from the latter position. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, File)

BANGKOK (AP)  Thailands foreign minister abruptly resigned in dissatisfaction over a Cabinet reshuffle that removed him as one of the country's deputy prime ministers.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Monday confirmed the report of the resignation of Parnpree Bahiddha-Nugara, saying that he respected the decision, and that he has already started looking for a replacement.

Srettha said it was normal that some people would be upset by the reshuffle, adding that he already sent a message to Parnpree, apologizing and thanking him for his work.

For his work that has been in the good interest of the country, I believe that the new minister will continue these good efforts, he said, but did not say when the next appointee would take up the post.

On Sunday, Sretthas government, which took office less than a year ago, announced its first Cabinet shuffle. Shortly afterwards, the media circulated a document said to be a letter of resignation from Parnpree, dated Sunday, indicating his dissatisfaction that he was removed from the position of deputy prime minister and only remained foreign minister.

Ministers in Thailand are allowed to hold multiple Cabinet positions, and it is common for senior ministers to also be appointed as deputy prime ministers.

Srettha said that the intention behind Parnpree being dropped as deputy prime minister was to allow him to concentrate on his role as foreign minister.

In an interview with the public broadcaster Thai PBS on Sunday, Parnpree said the letter was authentic but denied that he was unhappy. He said the prime minister had the authority to make this decision, but said it was a little unusual and argued that it would become harder for him to work as foreign minister if he did not also hold the title of deputy prime minister.

Parnpree, who was first appointed in August, engaged in several diplomatic efforts, including a visit to the Middle East to negotiate the release of Thai workers in Israel held hostage by Hamas, and the first humanitarian aid initiative to Thailand's war-torn neighbor, Myanmar, where millions have been displaced by violence that followed the military coup in 2021.

As part of the Cabinet shuffle, Prime Minister Srettha, a former CEO of Thailands leading property developer, lost his seat as finance minister. He is replaced by Pichai Chunhavajira, who until recently was a chairman of energy conglomerate Bangchak and chairman of the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Pichai has also been appointed as a deputy prime minister.
Authorities are investigating an alleged threat made toward the Marblehead police station on Monday afternoon.

According to police, a threat was called into the department and out of an abundance of caution, Marblehead High School was placed on a hold.

School officials say the call came in around 1 p.m. and the caller stated they had a gun inside the high school. Officers quickly responded to the campus and swept the building. There were no reports of any weapons found.

The public was asked to avoid the area while officers investigated. Students were safely dismissed at 2:45 p.m. and parents were notified of the incident.

The safety of our students, staff members, and visitors remains our top priority each and every day, Interim Superintendent Theresa McGuinness and Chief Dennis King said in a joint statement. We greatly appreciate the students, educators, administrators, and MPD who cooperated most expeditiously and effectively today.

There will be an increased police presence at the school on Tuesday morning.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Three bodies discovered in parked car after targeted ambush, Florida sheriff says

A suspicious vehicle found in a parking lot at 1:15 a.m. was hiding three bodies, and investigators in Florida suspect they were killed during a targeted ambush.

All three victims had been shot, according to the Escambia County Sheriffs Office in the Florida Panhandle.

Their identities have not been released as of Monday, April 29.

Deputies made the grisly discovery April 28 in a residential area west of Pensacola, officials said.

The Escambia County Sheriffs Office received a shots fired call at an adult birthday party in the area of 65th (Avenue) and Jackson (Street), officials said.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered that three males had been shot while inside a vehicle parked in a lot alongside 65th Avenue.

Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons said the triple homicide is being investigated as a targeted ambush.

Details of a motive have not been released and no arrests have been made as of April 29.

Investigators are seeking to speak with anyone who attended the birthday party, in hopes of reviewing videos or photos from the event, officials said.

Husband shoots wife, then chases ambulance taking her to a hospital, Florida cops say

Blood coming from under the front door leads to 2 dead brothers, Florida cops say

Fishing trip turns deadly when man pulls gun, shoots fishing buddy, Florida cops say
(STACKER)  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  the federal agency that monitors diseases and establishes guidelines to protect human health  published a paper in February that shows cases of Lyme disease jumped nearly 70 percent nationwide in 2022. But what looked like an alarming spike in disease was actually the result of smarter disease surveillance that better reflects whats happening on the ground.

The CDC revised its Lyme reporting requirements in 2022, making it easier for states with high infection rates to report those cases. The report, the first published analysis of the new data collection guidelines, demonstrates the crucial role efficient surveillance plays in better understanding the scope of infectious disease in the U.S.  and what more must be done to safeguard public health as climate change fosters the proliferation of ticks.

Disease surveillance that is interpretable and is standardized is integral to being able to understand how disease frequency is changing, and if its changing, said Kiersten Kugeler, a CDC epidemiologist and lead author of the paper. She noted that climate change will complicate the already difficult task of monitoring and controlling diseases such as Lyme. Cases in some areas will continue rising, and theyll decline in others, as parts of the U.S. become more amenable, or hostile, to ticks. Its not going to be straightforward, Kugeler said. Its going to be incredibly important to have good surveillance to be able to understand how climate is affecting risk of disease.

Studies have documented significant shifts in Lyme trends across the country. The illness is caused by the bite of a black-legged tick and causes symptoms that range from flu-like and mild to neurological and debilitating, depending on how quickly the disease is diagnosed. Cases doubled in the three decades between 1990 and 2020. Many researchers, including CDC employees, say climate change is one factor behind that precipitous rise. Environmental changes such as urban sprawl and swelling populations of white-tailed deer, among other drivers, also play a role.

Warmer winter temperatures have coaxed black-legged ticks into regions that have historically been too harsh for the blood-sucking arachnids. Meanwhile, milder spring and fall seasons have given the pests more time to breed. Lyme is a portent of climate-driven diseases to come. But, as it has spread into new areas and infected more people, the CDC has struggled to capture the full impact.

In 2022, the agency redoubled its disease surveillance efforts, with a special emphasis on vector-borne disease. As part of that push, the CDC loosened its Lyme disease reporting requirements in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and upper-Midwest, where cases are high. Public health departments in those areas no longer have to track down the clinical details of each positive Lyme test, such as a patients symptoms and when they began, and doctors can skip the labor-intensive process of recording and reporting them. Now, a positive laboratory test is sufficient. Eliminating these steps takes the onus off doctors and local public health authorities and puts it on state health departments, which are typically better equipped to handle it.

We have a lot of behind-the-scenes data management thats new with this Lyme disease surveillance system, said Rebecca Osborn, a vector-borne disease epidemiologist at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. But overall, she said, It has gotten quite a bit less burdensome.

The new system runs the risk of including information on people who no longer show symptoms but are still testing positive for the bacteria, which can linger in the blood for years after the infection has gone. But those cases likely comprise a small fraction of the overall data, the CDC said. In areas where Lyme remains rare, providers must continue reporting clinical information for each case.

These relatively modest changes to the case definition requirements unearthed 62,551 cases of Lyme nationwide. Thats 1.7 times the annual average reported from 2017 to 2019.

Still, most cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. go unreported. Studies based on health insurance records estimate that roughly 500,000 cases are diagnosed every year. Those reported by states to the CDC in 2022 comprise less than one-fifth of that. Elizabeth Schiffman, an epidemiologist with the Vector-Borne Diseases Unit at the Minnesota Department of Health, said figuring out how to capture every case is nearly impossible and perhaps beside the point.

No system is ever perfect, she said. Were always going to miss something, were always going to count something that probably shouldnt be counted. If the CDC could use the data it collects every year under its new system to measure the overall impact of Lyme, Schiffman said, then the number of cases it already knows about may be enough.

If what we are able to capture is able to give us an idea of where things are happening, how things are changing, and inform good public health actions, then it could be argued that we dont need to count every case.

The data deficit and lack of standardization among states becomes more of a problem when researchers try to tease out the impacts of climate change on the disease. The CDC argues that in regions where Lyme incidence is still relatively rare, the updated surveillance system doesnt make sense. Doctors and local health departments in those areas still need to collect clinical information on every potential Lyme patient, because each case is a revealing datapoint rather than a statistic in a larger trend. But the burdensome requirements in low-incidence areas muddy efforts to detect the role of climate change in how black-legged ticks may be migrating, said Richard Ostfeld, a senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies who researches tick-borne illnesses.

The prevalence of Lyme disease typically falls along geographic lines. Counties in the upper Midwest and Northeast report tens of thousands of cases each year, while those in the Southeast and South report hundreds. Although the CDCs revised reporting guidelines more accurately revealed the extent of Lyme disease in areas with a high prevalence, the implementation of the system over time may obscure growth of the disease elsewhere. The new guidelines would tend to bias your estimate of geographic trends toward more growth in incidence in northern parts of the country as opposed to southern parts of the country where youre still being very conservative, Ostfeld said. It complicates matters for those trying to understand the role of climate change.

North Carolina, for example, a state long classified as low-incidence, was among five states with the highest number of Lyme disease-related insurance claims in 2016, according to one analysis. But the disease reporting there, said Noah Johnston, director of the Lyme awareness group Project Lyme, still isnt where it needs to be. Theres an expectation that tick populations in North Carolina are not as high as they are in the Northeast, he said.

The benefits and drawbacks of the CDCs updated surveillance highlight the difficulties of tracking and controlling infectious diseases under climatic conditions that are rapidly shifting the distribution of disease carriers. Incremental adjustments to the status quo might not be enough to keep up with the growing scale of disease risk. Were likely going to see more and more cases of these diseases and more and more diseases that are going to affect not just our population in the U.S., but globally, said Osborn. Public health in general needs to become a little more proactive in our responses. Were still working on that as a field.

This story was produced by Grist and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.

This article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
In this handout photo issued by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Office, U.S. President Joe Biden signs the guest book during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Ukrainian presidential palace on Feb. 20, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo by Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via Getty Images)

These are perilous times, not dissimilar to the 1930s when Adolf Hitler was on the rise in Germany.

He was rebuilding their armed forces in violation of the peace treaty after World War I. Britain, France and the United States had the authority to prevent Hitlers actions. Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, infamously thought appeasement was the path to follow. Great Britain was the dominant world power at the time and the U.S. was in the middle of the Great Depression and couldnt be bothered with issues across the Atlantic, and we failed to act.

Winston Churchill, was in the minority party and stridently called for action to confront Hitler, but he lost the argument at the time. When Hitler took over much of Europe, Churchill was proven right. He replaced Chamberlain as Prime Minister and helped lead the Allies in defending freedom and democracy by confronting Hitler.

Last Saturday on the House floor, as the bills to fund aide to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan were being debated, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said, Our adversaries are watching us here today and history will judge us on our actions here today, so as we deliberate on this vote, you have to ask yourself: Am I Chamberlain or am I Churchill?

President Biden has been calling for the passage of this legislation since last October, saying funding for Ukraine is essential to our national security.

We have an election in November. Voting is a tremendous right and responsibility granted to us by our constitution. We get to select our representatives in the House, Senate and presidency. Our vote should be based on how they represent us and the decisions they make to help protect our country. Our national security should not be a partisan issue. Decisions should be based on our national interests, not partisan interests. Representative McCaul and President Biden are from opposite parties, but they both have the national interest at the forefront of their thinking and thus are in alignment on this most important issue.

How did Montanas representatives vote? Zinke and Rosendale voted against aid to Ukraine in the House. In the Senate in February, Tester voted for aid and Daines voted against it.

I am politically Independent. I do not support a party. I support the person that I think has the best interests of the country and Montanans. I write to our members of congress periodically about what I think are important issues. I wrote in January about support for Ukraine to Tester, Daines and Zinke. Tester and Daines wrote back in support of Ukraine. Daines proudly stated he was the first Senator to visit Ukraine after Russia invaded and stated how important their battle against Putin was. But he voted against the aid! Why?

Donald Trump tried to get the aid killed by coming out in opposition to Ukraine. Sadly, Daines and Zinke let political loyalty to Trump get in the way of doing the right thing for Montana, the country, and the world.

The U.S. helped form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after WWII to counteract the Soviet Union. The alliance has been an effective deterrent to dictators like Putin until 2014 when he invaded Ukraine and stole Crimea. He is trying to take the rest of Ukraine, testing NATOs resolve. This is our moment in time to stop Putin, a Hitler wannabe. Daines, Zinke and Rosendale sided with Chamberlain. Tester sided with Churchill! I will remember their votes when I am in the polling booth.

Dont let Putin divide us.

Dave Atkins is a politically independent patriot supporting democracy.

The post Will this time be compared to Neville Chamberlain or Winston Churchill? appeared first on Daily Montanan.


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In January, Kensington Palace announced that Kate Middleton had undergone abdominal surgery, and would not be returning to public duties until after Easter at the earliest. They added that they would only be providing updates when "there is significant new information to share," and have stuck to that plan. Even following immense speculation on the Princess of Wales's health in late February, the Palace reiterated that "Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the Princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands."

But in March, they shared a significant update: Kate is being treated for cancer.

Here, T&C takes a look back on all the statements Kensington Palace has made about the Princess of Wales, in a complete timeline of her health news:

December 25, 2023: Kate attends Christmas services at Sandringham with the royal family.

Samir Hussein - Getty Images

As is annual tradition for the royal family, Kate appeared with her family on Christmas day, as they walked to church at Sandringham. This appearance became notable only later, as it marks the last time the Princess made a public appearance before her surgery.

January 16: Kate undergoes planned abdominal surgery at the London Clinic.

In mid-January, the Princess of Wales underwent planned abdominal surgery at the London Clinic. News of the surgery was not made public until the following day.

January 17: Kensington Palace releases their first statement on Kate's health.

SOPA Images - Getty Images

"Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales was admitted to The London Clinic yesterday for planned abdominal surgery," Kensington Palace said in a shocking statement. "The surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hospital for ten to fourteen days, before returning home to continue her recovery. Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter."

The Palace continued, "The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private. Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highness progress when there is significant new information to share. The Princess of Wales wishes to apologise to all those concerned for the fact that she has to postpone her upcoming engagements. She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible."

It is understood her surgery was not cancerous, but no other details were provided on the Princess's health conditions.

January 18: William visits Kate at the hospital.

Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images

Prince William was photographed driving from the London Clinic, where he visited his wife as she recuperated from surgery; it was the only time the Prince of Wales was pictured at the hospital during her entire two-week stay. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of her surgery, William postponed his public engagements to be by his wife's side.

January 26: King Charles visits Kate at the hospital.

On January 26, King Charles was admitted to the London Clinic for treatment for a benign enlarged prostate. Before his admittance, he visited the Princess of Wales, who was still recuperating from her surgery in the London Clinic.

A week later, Buckingham Palace announced the King has cancer, saying, "During The Kings recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer."

January 29: Kate is discharged from hospital.

Karwai Tang - Getty Images

On the same day King Charles was discharged from the hospital, the Princess of Wales was also discharged. While Charles was pictured smiling and waving as he left (above), Kate was not seen as she left the London Clinic.

"The Princess of Wales has returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress," Kensington Palace said in a statement. "The Prince and Princess wish to say a huge thank you to the entire team at The London Clinic, especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they have provided. The Wales family continues to be grateful for the well wishes they have received from around the world."

As of January 29, Kate is said to be recuperating at home at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor.

February 7: Prince William returns to public duties, and carries out a day of engagements.

Chris Jackson - Getty Images

A bit over a week following Kate's discharge from the hospital, Prince William returned to public engagements, carrying out an investiture and attending a gala dinner for London's air ambulance charity.

At the investiture, William revealed that Kate has two "amazing and kind" nurses caring for her, and at the gala dinner, he said, "I'd like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all."

February 27: Kensington Palace gives a brief update on Kate's health.

When Kensington Palace shared that Prince William had to miss King Constantine's memorial service due to a "personal matter," they gave a brief health update on Kate, saying she "continues to be doing well."

February 29: Kensington Palace emphasizes that there will be no regular updates on Kate's health.

In response to rampant online speculation about the Princess, a spokesperson said, "Kensington Palace made it clear in January the timelines of the Princess' recovery and we'd only be providing significant updates. That guidance stands." The spokesperson reiterated that Kate is "doing well."

March 4: Kate is spotted in public for the first time.

In the first photographs of the Princess of Wales since December, she was pictured in the passenger seat of an car driven by her mom, Carole Middleton, near Windsor Castle. The unauthorized paparazzi photos were obtained by TMZ. (Read more here.)

March 10: Kensington Palace shares first official photo of Kate following her surgery.

In honor of Mother's Day in the UK, Kensington Palace released a new photo of Kate, which was taken by Prince William and shows the Princess surrounded by her three children. The image was accompanied by a brief message from Kate, thanking the public for their continued support.

Prince William / Kensington Palace

Soon after the image was released, the photograph was recalled by photo agencies, following speculation it had been photoshopped. Photo agencies citied their reason for recall as an "editorial issue" and "post-publication review."

March 11: The Palace shares an apology from Kate over the edited photo.

In response to the photo editing drama, Kensington Palace shared a personal apology from Kate Middleton, who wrote, "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother's Day." The Palace has not shared the original photograph.

A few hours later, Kate was pictured in a car with Prince William leaving Windsor Castle. She was heading to a private appointment, while William appeared at Commonwealth Day Service at Windsor Castle.

March 16: Kate is spotted out and about in Windsor.

Locals spotted the Princess of Wales at what is reportedly her favorite farm shop, according to the Sun. Onlookers said she looked "happy, relaxed and healthy." A witness told the tabloid, "After all the rumours that had been going round I was stunned to see them there. Kate was out shopping with William and she looked happy and she looked well. The kids werent with them but it's such a good sign she was healthy enough to pop down to the shops." Two days later, on March 18, the outlet published photos and videos of the outing.

March 20: An inquiry is opened into London Clinic staff who reportedly tried to access Kate's medical records.

An inquiry has been opened into hospital staff who reportedly attempted to access the medical records of the Princess of Wales. The London Clinic said in a statement, "We have systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in the case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken. There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues."

March 22: Kate has cancer, Kensington Palace announces.

Over two months after her surgery, the Palace announced the Princess has been diagnosed with cancer and is receiving chemotherapy.

Kate also released a personal video message, saying it has been an "incredibly tough few months" and asking for privacy. "We hope that you will understand that, as a family, we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment. My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able, but for now I must focus on making a full recovery."

March 23: The Prince and Princess of Wales are "enormously touched" by well wishes.

Shop Now Kate: Grace Under Pressure amazon.com $14.99

In Prince William and Kate's first joint message since revealing Kate's cancer diagnosis, a Kensington Palace spokesperson said, "The Prince and Princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness' message. They are extremely moved by the public's warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time."

April 29: William and Kate celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary.

Instead of releasing a new portrait of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Kensington Palace shared a never-before-seen picture of the couple from their wedding day.

We'll update this as more news becomes available about Kate Middleton's health and recovery.

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(WHTM) On April 29th, 1854, Lincoln University, located near Oxford, Pennsylvania, received its charter as an institution of learning for the scientific, classical and theological education of colored youth of the male sex, becoming the first degree-granting Black college in the country.

The university was the brainchild of Presbyterian minister John Miller Dickey and his wife Sarah Emlen Cresson, both of whom were active in the anti-slavery movement.

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Originally named Ashmun Institute, it was renamed Lincoln University in honor of Abraham Lincoln in 1866. In its first hundred years, it graduated about 20% of the African American physicians in the country and more than 10% of its African American attorneys.

A humble grandeur-restoring Gettysburgs Warfield House

In 1953, the university celebrated its 100th anniversary by amending its charter to allow granting of degrees to women.

In 1972, Lincoln University formally associated with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a state-related co-educational institution.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Toddler shot himself in Homestead, cops say. His mother  a police officer  was arrested

A Miami-Dade Schools police officer was arrested after her 3-year-old son shot himself in Homestead on Sunday.

Stephanie Alondra Jerez, 25, is facing a child neglect with great bodily harm charge after her toddler shot himself in the foot at around 1:55 p.m. at a home in the 2600 block of Southeast 10th Street, police say.

Shes relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation, said Elmo Lugo, a spokesperson for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

READ MORE: 3-year-old shot in Homestead, police say. The toddler is in the hospital

Jerez told investigators that she was making breakfast when she heard a shot and saw her sons foot was injured, according to an arrest report. She also said she always stores her gun away from the child.

But when police arrived at the home, they located the Glock 9mm handgun on the kitchen counter, where it couldve been within the childs reach, the report says.

The gun wasnt secured in a case or a holster.

Bullet fragments and blood were also found inside the house, according to the report. Jerezs service radio, also on the countertop, was near the gun  and a pool of blood.

Jerez, whos being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Monday afternoon, had her bond set at $5,000, court records show. She was also ordered not to possess firearms or ammunition unless theyre work related.
NAKURU, Kenya, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 40 people have been confirmed dead, with several others still missing, after a dam burst in a town north of the Kenyan capital Nairobi, following heavy rains across the country, local police said Monday.

Naivasha Police Commander Stephen Kirui said that they had recovered 40 bodies from the debris on Monday, with a major search and rescue operation ongoing in the Mai Mahiu area, about 60 kilometers north of Nairobi, after a nearby river overflowed due to flash floods.

"We have 40 bodies collected so far, and many more are covered by the mud. Many cars are also submerged," Kirui said from the site.

The Kenya Red Cross Society, a charitable organization, said that the floodwaters originated from a nearby river that burst its banks on Sunday night.

"Several people have been taken to a health facility in Mai Mahiu due to flash floods affecting Kamuchiri Village," the charity said. 
(Bloomberg) -- Togo President Faure Gnassingbe is set to secure power for life if his party retains a majority in parliamentary elections, cementing a West African dynasty as the region tilts away from democracy.

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Mondays vote comes after lawmakers backed a recent controversial constitutional change that opponents say paves the way for Gnassingbe to extend his familys 57-year-rule.

That amendment makes the president of the republic a largely ceremonial post and transfers real power to the president of a council of ministers. The role will be filled by the leader of the largest party in a new National Assembly. It will have a six-year mandate and wont be subjected to term limits.

Read More: Togo Limits Presidential Power But Could Extend Incumbents Rule

Gnassingbes ruling Union for the Republic party currently controls the 91-seat chamber, which will be expanded to 113 seats after Mondays vote. The UNIR, as the party is known by its French acronym, is widely expected to retain its majority, which would enable him to be appointed to the new council president role. Ballots are expected to take a week to tally.

The amendment follows democratic backsliding elsewhere in the region, which has seen six coups in four years and a shift away from the West toward Russia. Togo has also deepened ties with the Kremlin.

The US State Departments Bureau of African Affairs said via X it was deeply concerned the parliament approved changes to the constitution without making the draft law public, and urged the government to respect the right to peaceful assembly.

The amendment looks like a deliberate move by the ruling camp to sidestep the next presidential election and give Gnassingbe a new lease of life as president, said Vincent Rouget, a director at consultancy Control Risks. The president of the council appears to have been given the most significant executive powers and is also not constrained by term limits.

Read more: Another Coup in Francophone Africa Shatters Macrons Strategy

Gnassingbe, 57, has ruled Togo since the 2005 death in office of his father Gnassingbe Eyadema, who seized power in a coup in 1967.

His focus on building the country as a logistics hub is yielding results, with its landlocked neighbors finding it cheaper to ship cargo through Togos port instead of next-door Ghana.

The country won a $390 million, 42-month program from the International Monetary Fund in March to help ease risks of debt distress. Gross domestic product is forecast to grow 5.3% this year, up from 5.4% in 2023. Despite healthy economic growth, most of Togos 9.3 million people live in poverty, according to the World Bank.

More than four million people were registered to vote on Monday, with 19 political parties and dozens of independent candidates vying for power, according to the National Independent Electoral Commission.

The main opposition party, which boycotted the vote in 2018 but is participating now, has called for a massive turnout in an attempt to turn the ballot into a referendum against the amendment. Opposition groups protests in the lead up to changing the law were poorly attended due to fears of a crackdown by security forces.

The new parliamentary system will hamper any opposition effort to rally behind a single candidate to challenge Gnassingbe in future elections, said Alioune Tine, director of Dakar-based think tank Afrikajom Center. The regime maintains its grip on power through electoral fraud, manipulation of the constitution and through repression of dissent, Tine said by phone.

(Adds more details.)

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Togo votes in parliamentary election testing support for proposal that could keep dynasty in power

A voter casts her ballot in Togo's regional elections in the capital Lome, Monday April 29, 2024. Togolese voters headed to the polls on Monday to vote in the country's parliamentary elections, which will test support for a proposed new constitution that would scrap future presidential elections and give lawmakers the power to choose the president instead. (AP Photo/Erick Kaglan}

LOME, Togo (AP)  People in Togo voted in parliamentary elections Monday that tested support for a proposed new constitution that would scrap presidential elections and give lawmakers the power to choose the president.

The opposition and religious leaders say the legislation is an effort by President Faure Gnassingbe, in office since 2005, to prolong his rule. Lawmakers passed the legislation in March after their mandate expired, and it is close to being enacted.

The West African nation has been ruled by the same family for 57 years, initially by Eyadema Gnassingbe and then his son. Faure Gnassingbe took office after elections that the opposition described as a sham. The opposition says the proposed new constitution makes it likely that Gnassingbe will stay on when his mandate expires in 2025.

Authorities cracked down on civic and media freedoms ahead of Monday's vote. Early this month, the government banned protests against the proposed new constitution and the arrest of opposition figures. The electoral commission has banned the Catholic Church from deploying election observers.

In mid-April, a French journalist who arrived to cover the elections was arrested, assaulted and expelled. Togo's media regulator later suspended the accreditation process for foreign journalists.

We are participating in these elections because we have no alternative, Jean-Pierre Fabre, an opposition party candidate, told The Associated Press. He added that he was worried about the apparent low voter turnout and fairness of the electoral process.

Some 4.2 million Togolese were registered to vote in the country of about 8 million people. Voters were electing candidates for 113 parliamentary seats  22 more than in the previous assembly  and for the first time filling 179 senatorial positions. Preliminary results were expected within six days.

Togos authorities sealed the borders on Monday for security reasons and dispatched some 12,000 gendarmes and police officers to safeguard the voting process.

Amid a rise in the spread of disinformation during elections in West Africa, authorities warned against disseminating false results or other misleading news.

One voter, Kpedji Kossi Nicabou Sena, said he was voting out of concern for the proposed change to the constitution. This years vote is a crucial vote, its a vote that can make a difference for my country, he said.

Yao Alexandre Adabrah, a citizen living abroad who returned to vote, echoed the concerns: We dont the know the consequences of the new constitution thats coming.
Its too good of a town not to rebuild: Sulphur family searches for hope

SULPHUR, Okla. (KFOR)  Several families in Sulphur began to clean up what was left of their downtown businesses after Saturdays deadly storms.

Tracy Jones was one of the few trying to pick up the pieces of her husbands law firm downtown.

I just dont see a future and Im worried about the future for the town, the future for my daughter, said Jones.

| READ MORE > Update: 4 dead after tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma, State of Emergency declared >

She walked KFOR around destroyed businesses surrounding the entire downtown area. During the walk to what was left of her husbands firm, it seemed to hit her the seriousness of what had happened.

Tracy Jones walks KFOR reporter through Downtown Sulphur.

Tracy Jones walks KFOR reporter through Downtown Sulphur.

Tracy Jones walks KFOR reporter through Downtown Sulphur.

I just didnt know it was this bad out here, its bad down here. Its just horrible, said Jones. We all know each other around here, its a small town. The future of this place is just so hard to imagine right now.

Jones said she knew just about everyone who had a business downtown, her cousin had a shop around the corner from the law firm.

Here take one, said Jones. She handed over a small purse from her now-destroyed cousins shop. Giving out things for free after she and her family had lost everything.

Around the corner where her husbands firm once stood was a group of people helping clean up what they could.

Sulphur tornado damage (KFOR

One of the women in the group was her daughter who had driven from Stillwater to help out. Of all three cleaning up there was Riley, Kinley, and Meredith.

| READ MORE > Senator Lankford tours the devastation in Sulphur >

We grew up here, said Riley. We spent our life coming to parades here, we grew up here. Theres a whole life here. We got hit by a tornado northeast of town once awhile ago but nothing like this. It was horrible last night because we were watching it and then the power went out so we couldnt see the news anymore.

One of the many downtown Sulphur busineses destroyed after Saturday's deadly tornado.

One of the many downtown Sulphur busineses destroyed after Saturday's deadly tornado.

While being interviewed, officials called out a warning that buildings around them were on the verge of collapsing so they moved to a safe spot.

The tag office next to me was destroyed, said Jones.

Her husband is Fob Jones, a Choctaw Appellate judge who in February was sworn in as the Choctaw Nations new judge. She said he was trying to find the fastest flight out of Washington D.C. so he could get back home.

We have to rebuild, were not leaving, said Tracy. My husbands livelihood is here along with all of these other people.

Jones was one of many business owners who spent Sunday picking up the pieces of their shops, garages, and antique stores.

But when asked by others what she needed for help, money or resources, she pushed the offer to the others that worked and lived near her.

Vicki gets her first look at her family's Sulphur antique store now gone.

One of the many downtown Sulphur busineses destroyed after Saturday's deadly tornado.

One of the many downtown Sulphur busineses destroyed after Saturday's deadly tornado.

Were not the ones looking for charity, there are so many others who need help, said Jones.

What would you say to those who live and work in Sulphur who are looking for help, asking what to do now?

I get it, the future is hard to imagine now. But guys Im so, so sorry but this is real. It is as bad as they say it is down here, its like a war zone but you know we can rebuild. We all know each other around here, its a small town. And I know the future of this place is just so hard to imagine right now but we need to rebuild. That has to happen, it has to happen. This is too good of a town not to rebuild.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Supporters of President Donald Trump demonstrate at a Stop the Steal rally in front of the Maricopa County Elections Department office on Nov. 7, 2020. Arizonas attorney general announced the indictments on April 24 against 18 people, seven of whose names are redacted. Multiple news organizations have used details in the indictment to identify RNC senior counsel for election integrity Christina Bobb, as well as the other six. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Less than a week after the Republican National Committee unveiled a historic new program to monitor the polls for fraud, a top lawyer with the committee was among those indicted for an alleged scheme to use false fraud claims to overturn the results of Arizonas presidential election.

Indeed, the lawyer, RNC senior counsel for election integrity Christina Bobb, was scheduled to appear April 25 at an online meeting to recruit activists for the GOPs vote-watching effort, though she didnt show up. The meeting was organized by fringe conspiracy theorists who, like Bobb, have helped spread lies about illegal voting.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the indictments on April 24 against 18 people, seven of whose names are redacted. Multiple news organizations have used details in the indictment to identify Bobb and the other six. Mayes on Friday confirmed Bobbs indictment.

The confluence of events involving Bobb, the RNC and a loose network of anti-fraud activists underscores how the Trump-controlled GOP appears to be laying the groundwork to contest this years election using the same false claims about illegal voting  and even some of the same key figures  as it did in 2020.

Asked for comment on Bobbs reported indictment and whether she remained employed by the RNC, an RNC spokesperson declined to answer on the record.

Bobb did not respond to an inquiry about her failure to appear at the April 25 event.

GOPs historic vote-monitoring program

The Arizona indictments came less than a week after the Trump campaign and the RNC announced a historic, 100,000 person strong effort to closely monitor the voting process, calling it, the most extensive and monumental election integrity program in the nations history.

Whenever a ballot is being cast or counted, Republican poll watchers will be observing the process and reporting any irregularity, the RNC declared in a press release.

The committee called the initiative an historic collaboration between the RNC, the Trump Campaign, and passionate grassroots coalitions who are deeply invested in fighting voter fraud. That appeared to be a reference to the partys outreach to anti-fraud activists like those at Thursdays meeting  many of whom have bought in to lies about the 2020 election.

Multiple lawsuits found no evidence of systematic or widespread fraud in 2020.

The RNCs vote-monitoring effort has been championed by Lara Trump, former President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, who took over as RNC co-chair in late February. Bobb was announced as an election integrity lawyer at the RNC soon afterward.

Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2024.

Lara Trump warned in an April 23 interview that the vote-monitoring program will include people who can physically handle ballots at polling places on Election Day. The rules for partisan poll watchers differ from state to state.

17 charged in fake electors plot

Bobbs failure to attend Thursdays online meeting, after organizers had promoted her appearance in advance, may have been because she has more urgent matters on her mind.

The indictments filed in Arizona allege a plot to use fake electors to overturn the states 2020 presidential vote.

The 11 people named in the indictment are the Arizona fake electors themselves, all Trump allies. The other seven people, whose names are redacted, have been identified by news outlets, including CNN and the New York Times, as Bobb, as well as Trump allies Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Mike Roman and Boris Epshteyn.

One of the seven, the indictment says, was an attorney for the Trump Campaign and made false claims of widespread election fraud in Arizona and in six other states. That person also encouraged the Arizona Legislature to change the outcome of the election, and encouraged (Vice President Mike) Pence to accept the false Arizona Republican electors votes on January 6, 2021, according to the indictment.

Bobb joined the Trump campaign as a lawyer in the aftermath of the 2020 vote, and was among the campaign officials, led by Giuliani, who organized a scheme to use false fraud claims as justification for submitting fake electors in seven states Trump lost, including Arizona, CNN has reported.

Bobb also tweeted on January 6, 2021: @VP @Mike_Pence can solve this now by sending it back to the legislators.

The indictment lists Trump  unnamed but described as a former president of the United States who spread false claims of election fraud following the 2020 election  as an unindicted co-conspirator.

The indictment alleges that as part of the scheme, the fake electors voted for Trump to receive Arizonas electoral votes, falsely claiming to be the duly elected and qualified Electors for President and Vice President of the United States from the State of Arizona.

Defendants deceived the citizens of Arizona by falsely claiming that those votes were contingent only on a legal challenge that would change the outcome of the election, the indictment continues. In reality, Defendants intended that their false votes for Trump-Pence would encourage Pence to reject the Biden-Harris votes on January 6, 2021, regardless of the outcome of the legal challenge.

RNC courts conspiracy theorists, election deniers

The meeting at which Bobb was scheduled to appear Thursday was organized by two Florida activists with ties to leading election deniers, including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, and included hundreds of grassroots anti-fraud activists from across the country.

It follows a similar April 4 event, at which the director of the RNCs election integrity program, Christina Norton, told activists how to get involved with the partys vote-monitoring program. States Newsroom attended both virtual meetings.

The April 25 meeting featured a parade of speakers, including the former Democratic consultant Naomi Wolf, making claims about illegal voting in 2020 and 2022, predicting that this years vote will be similarly rigged, and rallying supporters to take action.

The current situation is that President Trump will once again win the presidential election just as he did in 2020, said one speaker, Greg Stenstrom, a Pennsylvania-based conspiracy theorist who co-authored the book The Parallel Election: A Blueprint for Deception, which alleged massive fraud in that states 2020 vote.

But it will be taken from him, and all of us, again, unless we restore fair and honest elections in the short time we have remaining before November. He cannot hold onto the presidency unless we act.

In place of a live appearance by Bobb, Steve Stern, an organizer of the call, played an interview hed conducted recently with her for his podcast.

In the interview, Stern asked Bobb what could be done about President Joe Bidens plan to add a million illegal aliens to the voter rolls. (There is no evidence that Biden has such a plan, despite frequent similar claims by the far right.)

Bobb agreed there is a concerted effort to empower the illegals to cast ballots, adding: Its a very, very, serious issue this time around, and its something that were looking into  Is it something that law enforcement needs to handle, because there could potentially be a criminal component to it?

As far as illegals voting, Bobb continued, once they have registered, its very hard to undo that process. Because the registration is presumed valid.

Studies have consistently shown that the amount of voting by non-citizens is minuscule. A 2017 Brennan Center analysis found that suspected  not proven  votes by non-citizens accounted for just 0.0001 percent of all votes cast in the 2016 election.

Other connections

In addition to these two meetings, there have been other recent instances of RNC staff courting right-wing activists who have spread election disinformation.

Bobb spoke last month with the far-right podcaster Breanna Morello. And she joined a recent conference call with several Trump-allied groups that have promoted lies about 2020, the Guardian reported.

Both the April 25 and April 4 meetings were organized by Stern and Raj Doraisamy, two far-right Florida activists and Lindell allies who have helped spread false claims about illegal voting.

Last month, Stern spoke with Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser, to promote the April 4 meeting. We have so many illegal aliens in this country, Stern said. They want to vote. We gotta stop them.

Doraisamy was reportedly outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and went on to found a group, Defend Florida, that went door to door to gather thousands of affidavits from Floridians in an effort to show that the states 2020 election was corrupted by massive fraud.

At a 2022 event organized by the group, Doraisamy thanked Lindell for his help with the door-to-door effort.

Also speaking at the April 25 meeting call was Joe Hoft, whose Gateway Pundit website, co-founded with Hofts brother Jim, has been a key vector for the spread of false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, the covid vaccine, and more.

Joe Hofts self-published book, The Steal, is described this way on its Google Books page: Its early in the morning of November 4th, President Trump was way ahead in the swing states, but he warned of 4am ballot drops. He was right again. When Americans woke up later that morning, the election had been stolen.

Another speaker at the meeting, Jay Valentine, used initial funding from Lindell to create voter data monitoring software.

According to documents obtained by the progressive group American Oversight, Valentine has worked closely with Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, a key figure in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, to convince lawmakers in Wisconsin and other states to use his fractal programming technology to uncover mass fraud.

Voter fraud is a nationwide crime perpetrated locally, mostly by Democrats, Valentine has written separately, promoting the idea of a national election fraud database. We cannot fight industrial, sovereign, large-scale, election fraud with reports, press releases, and webinars.

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The post Top GOP election integrity lawyer charged in Arizona fake elector scheme appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Supporters of President Donald Trump demonstrate at a Stop the Steal rally in front of the Maricopa County Elections Department office on Nov. 7, 2020. Arizonas attorney general announced the indictments on April 24 against 18 people, seven of whose names are redacted. Multiple news organizations have used details in the indictment to identify RNC senior counsel for election integrity Christina Bobb, as well as the other six. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Less than a week after the Republican National Committee unveiled a historic new program to monitor the polls for fraud, a top lawyer with the committee was among those indicted for an alleged scheme to use false fraud claims to overturn the results of Arizonas presidential election.

Indeed, the lawyer, RNC senior counsel for election integrity Christina Bobb, was scheduled to appear April 25 at an online meeting to recruit activists for the GOPs vote-watching effort, though she didnt show up. The meeting was organized by fringe conspiracy theorists who, like Bobb, have helped spread lies about illegal voting.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the indictments on April 24 against 18 people, seven of whose names are redacted. Multiple news organizations have used details in the indictment to identify Bobb and the other six. Mayes on Friday confirmed Bobbs indictment.

The confluence of events involving Bobb, the RNC and a loose network of anti-fraud activists underscores how the Trump-controlled GOP appears to be laying the groundwork to contest this years election using the same false claims about illegal voting  and even some of the same key figures  as it did in 2020.

Asked for comment on Bobbs reported indictment and whether she remained employed by the RNC, an RNC spokesperson declined to answer on the record.

Bobb did not respond to an inquiry about her failure to appear at the April 25 event.

GOPs historic vote-monitoring program

The Arizona indictments came less than a week after the Trump campaign and the RNC announced a historic, 100,000 person strong effort to closely monitor the voting process, calling it, the most extensive and monumental election integrity program in the nations history.

Whenever a ballot is being cast or counted, Republican poll watchers will be observing the process and reporting any irregularity, the RNC declared in a press release.

The committee called the initiative an historic collaboration between the RNC, the Trump Campaign, and passionate grassroots coalitions who are deeply invested in fighting voter fraud. That appeared to be a reference to the partys outreach to anti-fraud activists like those at Thursdays meeting  many of whom have bought in to lies about the 2020 election.

Multiple lawsuits found no evidence of systematic or widespread fraud in 2020.

The RNCs vote-monitoring effort has been championed by Lara Trump, former President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, who took over as RNC co-chair in late February. Bobb was announced as an election integrity lawyer at the RNC soon afterward.

Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2024.

Lara Trump warned in an April 23 interview that the vote-monitoring program will include people who can physically handle ballots at polling places on Election Day. The rules for partisan poll watchers differ from state to state.

17 charged in fake electors plot

Bobbs failure to attend Thursdays online meeting, after organizers had promoted her appearance in advance, may have been because she has more urgent matters on her mind.

The indictments filed in Arizona allege a plot to use fake electors to overturn the states 2020 presidential vote.

The 11 people named in the indictment are the Arizona fake electors themselves, all Trump allies. The other seven people, whose names are redacted, have been identified by news outlets, including CNN and the New York Times, as Bobb, as well as Trump allies Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Mike Roman and Boris Epshteyn.

One of the seven, the indictment says, was an attorney for the Trump Campaign and made false claims of widespread election fraud in Arizona and in six other states. That person also encouraged the Arizona Legislature to change the outcome of the election, and encouraged (Vice President Mike) Pence to accept the false Arizona Republican electors votes on January 6, 2021, according to the indictment.

Bobb joined the Trump campaign as a lawyer in the aftermath of the 2020 vote, and was among the campaign officials, led by Giuliani, who organized a scheme to use false fraud claims as justification for submitting fake electors in seven states Trump lost, including Arizona, CNN has reported.

Bobb also tweeted on January 6, 2021: @VP @Mike_Pence can solve this now by sending it back to the legislators.

The indictment lists Trump  unnamed but described as a former president of the United States who spread false claims of election fraud following the 2020 election  as an unindicted co-conspirator.

The indictment alleges that as part of the scheme, the fake electors voted for Trump to receive Arizonas electoral votes, falsely claiming to be the duly elected and qualified Electors for President and Vice President of the United States from the State of Arizona.

Defendants deceived the citizens of Arizona by falsely claiming that those votes were contingent only on a legal challenge that would change the outcome of the election, the indictment continues. In reality, Defendants intended that their false votes for Trump-Pence would encourage Pence to reject the Biden-Harris votes on January 6, 2021, regardless of the outcome of the legal challenge.

After the fake elector plot failed, Christina Bobb was integral in the AZ Senates audit of Bidens win

By Jerod MacDonald-Evoy of the Arizona Mirror

The Republican National Committees senior counsel for election integrity, Christina Bobb, was confirmed by the Arizona Attorney Generals Office to be included in a recent indictment Friday, but the former newscasters role in trying to overturn the 2020 election goes beyond her work for the Trump campaign in the immediate weeks following the vote.

The indictment describes Bobb as a former attorney for the Trump campaign who made false

Christina Bobb interviews Kari Lake at a 2022 Arizona rally for Donald Trump.

Christina Bobb interviews Kari Lake at a 2022 Arizona rally for Donald Trump. Photo by Gage Skidmore (modified) | Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

claims of widespread election fraud in Arizona and in six other states. It goes on to say that the person encouraged the Arizona Legislature to change the outcome of the election and encouraged (Vice President Mike) Pence to accept the false Arizona Republican electors votes on January 6.

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Bobb joined the Trump campaign as a lawyer and worked alongside former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. It was in that role that Bobb first interacted with Arizona lawmakers.

Bobb built a relationship with then-Arizona Senate President Karen Fann and encouraged her to spearhead an effort to do a partisan audit of Maricopa Countys election. She also helped provide documents with false election claims to Fann that were spread at an unofficial hearing led by election conspiracy theorist and former lawmaker Mark Finchem, who is an unindicted co-conspirator in the case.

During the partisan audit of the Maricopa County presidential election results, Bobb was omnipresent as a correspondent for the conservative news outlet One America News. During her tenure covering the audit, she changed her title from political correspondent to Host of Weekly Briefing.

While reporting on the audit for OAN, Bobb regularly solicited donations to a 501(c)(4) organization created by her and another OAN anchor that aimed to help fund the audit. She never disclosed her connections to the Trump campaign during these solicitations, nor did she mention the role she played in either trying to get lawmakers to overturn the election or launch the ballot review.

That organization raised over $600,000 for the Senates partisan audit, and Bobb was also given exclusive access to the audit site. The organization also claimed to be raising funds for other audit efforts in other states, including Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Bobbs nonprofit helped find volunteers for the audit and aided Doug Logan, the CEO of the Florida-based company hired by the Arizona Senate to do the audit, with finding ways to curtail media coverage.

Public records revealed that Logan had mastermind an idea that would have required reporters to agree to work 30 hours as volunteer observers in order to cover the audit, but Bobb had another plan in place that she had emailed Logan about just days before.

Ive attached a draft of the NDA youll need to have the media sign, Bob said in an email dated April 20, three days before a heated press conference that stands as the only time Logan appeared before reporters and answered questions.

Ive also attached the NDA that I signed and used as a template when I visited a government facility. The governments NDA is a lot more complex, but I dont think all of those terms are needed, Bobb said, including a non-disclosure agreement from Customs and Border Protection.

During her time covering the partisan ballot review, she spread falsehoods about how the election was conducted and was given special access along with other far-right media.

Bobb also has been part of the legal team directly involved with the efforts to overturn the election results and made baseless claims on air during the audit effort not just about the election, but about the Jan. 6 insurrection, as well. Bobb was present in the war room of other Trump campaign members during the events of Jan. 6.

RNC courts conspiracy theorists, election deniers

The meeting at which Bobb was scheduled to appear Thursday was organized by two Florida activists with ties to leading election deniers, including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, and included hundreds of grassroots anti-fraud activists from across the country.

It follows a similar April 4 event, at which the director of the RNCs election integrity program, Christina Norton, told activists how to get involved with the partys vote-monitoring program. States Newsroom attended both virtual meetings.

The April 25 meeting featured a parade of speakers, including the former Democratic consultant Naomi Wolf, making claims about illegal voting in 2020 and 2022, predicting that this years vote will be similarly rigged, and rallying supporters to take action.

The current situation is that President Trump will once again win the presidential election just as he did in 2020, said one speaker, Greg Stenstrom, a Pennsylvania-based conspiracy theorist who co-authored the book The Parallel Election: A Blueprint for Deception, which alleged massive fraud in that states 2020 vote.

But it will be taken from him, and all of us, again, unless we restore fair and honest elections in the short time we have remaining before November. He cannot hold onto the presidency unless we act.

In place of a live appearance by Bobb, Steve Stern, an organizer of the call, played an interview hed conducted recently with her for his podcast.

In the interview, Stern asked Bobb what could be done about President Joe Bidens plan to add a million illegal aliens to the voter rolls. (There is no evidence that Biden has such a plan, despite frequent similar claims by the far right.)

Bobb agreed there is a concerted effort to empower the illegals to cast ballots, adding: Its a very, very, serious issue this time around, and its something that were looking into  Is it something that law enforcement needs to handle, because there could potentially be a criminal component to it?

As far as illegals voting, Bobb continued, once they have registered, its very hard to undo that process. Because the registration is presumed valid.

Studies have consistently shown that the amount of voting by non-citizens is minuscule. A 2017 Brennan Center analysis found that suspected  not proven  votes by non-citizens accounted for just 0.0001 percent of all votes cast in the 2016 election.

Other connections

In addition to these two meetings, there have been other recent instances of RNC staff courting right-wing activists who have spread election disinformation.

Bobb spoke last month with the far-right podcaster Breanna Morello. And she joined a recent conference call with several Trump-allied groups that have promoted lies about 2020, the Guardian reported.

Both the April 25 and April 4 meetings were organized by Stern and Raj Doraisamy, two far-right Florida activists and Lindell allies who have helped spread false claims about illegal voting.

Last month, Stern spoke with Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser, to promote the April 4 meeting. We have so many illegal aliens in this country, Stern said. They want to vote. We gotta stop them.

Doraisamy was reportedly outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and went on to found a group, Defend Florida, that went door to door to gather thousands of affidavits from Floridians in an effort to show that the states 2020 election was corrupted by massive fraud.

At a 2022 event organized by the group, Doraisamy thanked Lindell for his help with the door-to-door effort.

Also speaking at the April 25 meeting call was Joe Hoft, whose Gateway Pundit website, co-founded with Hofts brother Jim, has been a key vector for the spread of false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, the covid vaccine, and more.

Joe Hofts self-published book, The Steal, is described this way on its Google Books page: Its early in the morning of November 4th, President Trump was way ahead in the swing states, but he warned of 4am ballot drops. He was right again. When Americans woke up later that morning, the election had been stolen.

Another speaker at the meeting, Jay Valentine, used initial funding from Lindell to create voter data monitoring software.

According to documents obtained by the progressive group American Oversight, Valentine has worked closely with Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, a key figure in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, to convince lawmakers in Wisconsin and other states to use his fractal programming technology to uncover mass fraud.

Voter fraud is a nationwide crime perpetrated locally, mostly by Democrats, Valentine has written separately, promoting the idea of a national election fraud database. We cannot fight industrial, sovereign, large-scale, election fraud with reports, press releases, and webinars.

The post Top GOP election integrity lawyer charged in Arizona fake elector scheme appeared first on NC Newsline.
Supporters of President Donald Trump demonstrate at a Stop the Steal rally in front of the Maricopa County Elections Department office on Nov. 7, 2020. Arizonas attorney general announced the indictments on April 24 against 18 people, seven of whose names are redacted. Multiple news organizations have used details in the indictment to identify RNC senior counsel for election integrity Christina Bobb, as well as the other six. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Less than a week after the Republican National Committee unveiled a historic new program to monitor the polls for fraud, a top lawyer with the committee was among those indicted for an alleged scheme to use false fraud claims to overturn the results of Arizonas presidential election.

Indeed, the lawyer, RNC senior counsel for election integrity Christina Bobb, was scheduled to appear April 25 at an online meeting to recruit activists for the GOPs vote-watching effort, though she didnt show up. The meeting was organized by fringe conspiracy theorists who, like Bobb, have helped spread lies about illegal voting.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the indictments on April 24 against 18 people, seven of whose names are redacted. Multiple news organizations have used details in the indictment to identify Bobb and the other six. Mayes on Friday confirmed Bobbs indictment.

The confluence of events involving Bobb, the RNC and a loose network of anti-fraud activists underscores how the Trump-controlled GOP appears to be laying the groundwork to contest this years election using the same false claims about illegal voting  and even some of the same key figures  as it did in 2020.

Asked for comment on Bobbs reported indictment and whether she remained employed by the RNC, an RNC spokesperson declined to answer on the record.

Bobb did not respond to an inquiry about her failure to appear at the April 25 event.

GOPs historic vote-monitoring program

The Arizona indictments came less than a week after the Trump campaign and the RNC announced a historic, 100,000 person strong effort to closely monitor the voting process, calling it, the most extensive and monumental election integrity program in the nations history.

Whenever a ballot is being cast or counted, Republican poll watchers will be observing the process and reporting any irregularity, the RNC declared in a press release.

The committee called the initiative an historic collaboration between the RNC, the Trump Campaign, and passionate grassroots coalitions who are deeply invested in fighting voter fraud. That appeared to be a reference to the partys outreach to anti-fraud activists like those at Thursdays meeting  many of whom have bought in to lies about the 2020 election.

Multiple lawsuits found no evidence of systematic or widespread fraud in 2020.

The RNCs vote-monitoring effort has been championed by Lara Trump, former President Donald Trumps daughter-in-law, who took over as RNC co-chair in late February. Bobb was announced as an election integrity lawyer at the RNC soon afterward.

Trump is the presumptive Republican nominee for president in 2024.

Lara Trump warned in an April 23 interview that the vote-monitoring program will include people who can physically handle ballots at polling places on Election Day. The rules for partisan poll watchers differ from state to state.

17 charged in fake electors plot

Bobbs failure to attend Thursdays online meeting, after organizers had promoted her appearance in advance, may have been because she has more urgent matters on her mind.

The indictments filed in Arizona allege a plot to use fake electors to overturn the states 2020 presidential vote.

The 11 people named in the indictment are the Arizona fake electors themselves, all Trump allies. The other seven people, whose names are redacted, have been identified by news outlets, including CNN and the New York Times, as Bobb, as well as Trump allies Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Mike Roman and Boris Epshteyn.

One of the seven, the indictment says, was an attorney for the Trump Campaign and made false claims of widespread election fraud in Arizona and in six other states. That person also encouraged the Arizona Legislature to change the outcome of the election, and encouraged (Vice President Mike) Pence to accept the false Arizona Republican electors votes on January 6, 2021, according to the indictment.

Bobb joined the Trump campaign as a lawyer in the aftermath of the 2020 vote, and was among the campaign officials, led by Giuliani, who organized a scheme to use false fraud claims as justification for submitting fake electors in seven states Trump lost, including Arizona, CNN has reported.

Bobb also tweeted on January 6, 2021: @VP @Mike_Pence can solve this now by sending it back to the legislators.

The indictment lists Trump  unnamed but described as a former president of the United States who spread false claims of election fraud following the 2020 election  as an unindicted co-conspirator.

The indictment alleges that as part of the scheme, the fake electors voted for Trump to receive Arizonas electoral votes, falsely claiming to be the duly elected and qualified Electors for President and Vice President of the United States from the State of Arizona.

Defendants deceived the citizens of Arizona by falsely claiming that those votes were contingent only on a legal challenge that would change the outcome of the election, the indictment continues. In reality, Defendants intended that their false votes for Trump-Pence would encourage Pence to reject the Biden-Harris votes on January 6, 2021, regardless of the outcome of the legal challenge.

RNC courts conspiracy theorists, election deniers

The meeting at which Bobb was scheduled to appear Thursday was organized by two Florida activists with ties to leading election deniers, including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, and included hundreds of grassroots anti-fraud activists from across the country.

It follows a similar April 4 event, at which the director of the RNCs election integrity program, Christina Norton, told activists how to get involved with the partys vote-monitoring program. States Newsroom attended both virtual meetings.

The April 25 meeting featured a parade of speakers, including the former Democratic consultant Naomi Wolf, making claims about illegal voting in 2020 and 2022, predicting that this years vote will be similarly rigged, and rallying supporters to take action.

The current situation is that President Trump will once again win the presidential election just as he did in 2020, said one speaker, Greg Stenstrom, a Pennsylvania-based conspiracy theorist who co-authored the book The Parallel Election: A Blueprint for Deception, which alleged massive fraud in that states 2020 vote.

But it will be taken from him, and all of us, again, unless we restore fair and honest elections in the short time we have remaining before November. He cannot hold onto the presidency unless we act.

In place of a live appearance by Bobb, Steve Stern, an organizer of the call, played an interview hed conducted recently with her for his podcast.

In the interview, Stern asked Bobb what could be done about President Joe Bidens plan to add a million illegal aliens to the voter rolls. (There is no evidence that Biden has such a plan, despite frequent similar claims by the far right.)

Bobb agreed there is a concerted effort to empower the illegals to cast ballots, adding: Its a very, very, serious issue this time around, and its something that were looking into  Is it something that law enforcement needs to handle, because there could potentially be a criminal component to it?

As far as illegals voting, Bobb continued, once they have registered, its very hard to undo that process. Because the registration is presumed valid.

Studies have consistently shown that the amount of voting by non-citizens is minuscule. A 2017 Brennan Center analysis found that suspected  not proven  votes by non-citizens accounted for just 0.0001 percent of all votes cast in the 2016 election.

Other connections

In addition to these two meetings, there have been other recent instances of RNC staff courting right-wing activists who have spread election disinformation.

Bobb spoke last month with the far-right podcaster Breanna Morello. And she joined a recent conference call with several Trump-allied groups that have promoted lies about 2020, the Guardian reported.

Both the April 25 and April 4 meetings were organized by Stern and Raj Doraisamy, two far-right Florida activists and Lindell allies who have helped spread false claims about illegal voting.

Last month, Stern spoke with Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser, to promote the April 4 meeting. We have so many illegal aliens in this country, Stern said. They want to vote. We gotta stop them.

Doraisamy was reportedly outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and went on to found a group, Defend Florida, that went door to door to gather thousands of affidavits from Floridians in an effort to show that the states 2020 election was corrupted by massive fraud.

At a 2022 event organized by the group, Doraisamy thanked Lindell for his help with the door-to-door effort.

Also speaking at the April 25 meeting call was Joe Hoft, whose Gateway Pundit website, co-founded with Hofts brother Jim, has been a key vector for the spread of false conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, the covid vaccine, and more.

Joe Hofts self-published book, The Steal, is described this way on its Google Books page: Its early in the morning of November 4th, President Trump was way ahead in the swing states, but he warned of 4am ballot drops. He was right again. When Americans woke up later that morning, the election had been stolen.

Another speaker at the meeting, Jay Valentine, used initial funding from Lindell to create voter data monitoring software.

According to documents obtained by the progressive group American Oversight, Valentine has worked closely with Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, a key figure in the effort to overturn the 2020 election, to convince lawmakers in Wisconsin and other states to use his fractal programming technology to uncover mass fraud.

Voter fraud is a nationwide crime perpetrated locally, mostly by Democrats, Valentine has written separately, promoting the idea of a national election fraud database. We cannot fight industrial, sovereign, large-scale, election fraud with reports, press releases, and webinars.

The post Top GOP election integrity lawyer charged in Arizona fake elector scheme appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
EMPORIA (KSNT)  Emporia police say a Topeka man is under arrest following a shooting on Saturday night.

The Emporia Police Department (EPD) announced in a press release that officers were called around 11 p.m. on April 27 to the 700 block of State Street on a reported shooting. Officers arriving at the scene found the alleged shooter was barricaded in a building with several people inside.

Captain Lisa Hayes with the EPD says officers with the special response team issued a search warrant on the property and found one person with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. This individual was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The EPD arrested a 39-year-old Topeka man in the aftermath of the shooting. The department intends to propose the following charges in connection to this incident:

Shooting into an occupied dwelling

Aggravated robbery

Aggravated kidnapping

Aggravated battery

Aggravated assault

Police arrest Topeka man allegedly connected to stabbing attack

If you have any information to share with law enforcement regarding this incident, you can call 620-343-4219 for the EPD. You can also send anonymous tips to Lyon County Crime Stoppers at 620-342-2273 or click 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.
Tornado kills at least 5, injures 33, in Chinese metropolis as region battles deadly floods

At least five people were killed and 33 injured in a tornado Saturday that struck Guangzhou, a city of 19 million people in southern China, according to Chinese state media.

Authorities say 141 factory buildings were damaged but no residential houses collapsed, according to the Xinhua news agency. It said a preliminary assessment put the tornado at level-three intensity, two below the highest level of five.

Guangzhou, about 80 miles (130 kilometers) from Hong Kong, is the capital city of Guangdong province.

A weather station in Liangtian Village, Baiyun District, about 1.7 miles from where the tornado hit, registered a maximum wind gust of 20.6 meters per second, Xinhua reported.

As of 10 p.m. local time, search and rescue operations had ended.

People drive past a damaged building on Sunday after the tornado hit southern China's Guangdong province. - STR/AFP/Getty Images

The tornado follows multiple days of heavy rains that have lashed southern China, unleashing deadly floods and threatening to upend the lives of tens of millions of people as rescuers rush to evacuate residents trapped by rising waters.

Guangdong province, an economic powerhouse home to 127 million people, has seen widespread flooding that has forced more than 110,000 people to be relocated, state media reported, citing the local government.

Earlier this week state media reported that floods had killed at least four people in Guangdong.

Since April 16, sustained torrential rains have pounded the Pearl River Delta, Chinas manufacturing heartland and one of the countrys most populated regions, with four weather stations in Guangdong registering record rainfall for April.

The Pearl River basin is subject to annual flooding from April to September, but the region has faced more intense rainstorms and severe floods in recent years as scientists warn that the climate crisis will amplify extreme weather, making it deadlier and more frequent.

While tornadoes do not occur as frequently in China as they do in the US, they do happen. A peer-reviewed scientific article from 2015 found that China averages fewer than 100 tornadoes per year, and that at least 1,772 people had died from tornadoes in the country in the 50 years since 1961.

The China Meteorological Agency is warning heavy rain and strong storms are likely to continue until the end of the month.

Storm clouds over the Baiyun district of the city of Guangzhou on April 27. - Li Jiayi/AP

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BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese shipbuilding firm will construct 18 ultra-large liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport ships each with a payload capacity of 271,000 cubic meters for Qatar.

The deal for the world's largest single shipbuilding order between China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and QatarEnergy was signed Monday.

The LNG transport ships are dubbed "sea-going super refrigerated trucks" that carry LNG at temperatures as low as minus 163 degrees Celsius. Such ships are among the most challenging ship types to construct in the world.

The 271,000-cubic-meter LNG transport ship has a total length of 344 meters, a breadth of 53.6 meters, and a depth of 27.2 meters, making it the world's largest LNG transport ship. Compared to conventional 174,000-cubic-meter LNG transport ships, it boasts a 57 percent increase in carrying capacity.

The ships will be independently designed and constructed by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of the CSSC. 
A bill headed to the governor's desk will sentence teens as young as 14 who commit serious crimes in Tennessee to up to five years in adult prison. (Photo: Morry Gash/The Associated Press)

A bill headed to the governor's desk will sentence teens as young as 14 who commit serious crimes in Tennessee to up to five years in adult prison. (Photo: Morry Gash/The Associated Press)

Teens as young as 14 years old who commit serious crimes in Tennessee will face up to five years of adult incarceration or probation once their juvenile sentence ends under a bill now awaiting Gov. Bill Lees likely signature.

The measure also requires juvenile court judges to automatically transfer 16- and 17- year olds facing first and second degree murder, or attempted murder, to adult court.

The so-called blended sentencing measure by Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton was part of a package of get-tough-on-juvenile-crime measures resurrected this year after a disastrous special session on public safety last summer ended with few concrete policy changes.

Im concerned about how were going to house these (youth) and Im concerned with how were going to pay for it....My local people say youthful offenders are likely to be in solitary confinement (in county jail) for that period of time/

 Sen. Kerry Roberts, R-Springfield

The measure found new life in this legislative session. Its supporters said it is intended to introduce greater flexibility in supervising serious youthful offenders beyond their 19th birthdays, when juvenile courts jurisdiction legally ends.

If you truly want to try to rehabilitate young people whove made a mistake, blended sentencing is a great tool our judges can use to help rehabilitate those juveniles. Memphis Republican Sen. Brent Taylor said Thursday on the Senate floor.

But the measure, which was hastily and substantially revised just before the General Assembly adjourned for the year in an effort to withstand legal challenges, has also raised bipartisan concerns about possible unintended consequences.

Rewrites to the original bill now require teens who commit a second serious offense to be sentenced to adult incarceration but held separately from adult inmates until they turn 24. The new version also includes the right to a jury trial for youth facing a dual juvenile-adult sentence  a process that could take a year or more until the trial takes place.

So where will all these individuals be housed?, Springfield Republican Sen. Kerry Roberts asked last week ahead of the Senate vote. These individuals  would not be housed in the general population of the Tennessee Department of Correction. They would have to be housed separately.

Roberts said his concern extended to pre-trial waits. While juvenile detention hearings must take place within 30 days, a jury trial could require local officials to detain a teen for over a year. Most Tennessee counties lack a juvenile detention facility. In some counties, jail may be the only option.

Im concerned about some unintended consequences, Roberts said. Im concerned about how were going to house these (youth) and Im concerned with how were going to pay for it.My local people say youthful offenders are likely to be in solitary confinement (in county jail) for that period of time.

Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, right, with Rep. Harold Love, Jr., D-Nashville, has concerns about criteria for a new juvenile sentencing measure. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, right, with Rep. Harold Love, Jr., D-Nashville, has concerns about criteria for a new juvenile sentencing measure. (Photo: John Partipilo)

More than 440 youth have been charged with serious crimes that could warrant a blended sentence or an automatic transfer to adult court in each of the past two years, according to data from the Administrative Office of the Courts. Thus far this year, 296 youth have been charged with such crimes.

Meanwhile, most Tennessee juvenile facilities already near capacity. In total, the state has detention space for 669.

Sen. Raumesh Akbari, a Memphis Democrat, said she has long supported blended sentencing as a way to rehabilitate young people, but remains concerned about a three-strikes provision that imposes an automatic adult sentence even if a teen doesnt commit another crime.

Juvenile judges can opt to hold a hearing to consider suspending the adult sentence once the youth reaches 19 years old. But the measure binds judges to strict criteria: if a youth has violated three or more of the rules outlined in the bill, a judge cant waive the adult portion of the sentence and must transfer him or her to the custody of the Department of Correction for a minimum of three years  and up to five.

The criteria includes failing to attend or graduate from high school, attend the Tennessee College of Applied Technology or get a job. No other schools are recognized by the measure.

So lets say the juvenile decided instead of attending a TCAT they wanted to attend a community college or a four-year institution they would be penalized because it wasnt a TCAT, Akbari said. That to me makes no sense because it penalizes that individual for choosing a different educational option.

The measure also requires trials to be held before criminal court judges. Juvenile judges would then impose the sentence.

This legislationhas massive repercussions. . . And we're not just supposed to say 'good luck.' We're actually supposed to vet this legislation. And we have not.

 Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville

Even in criminal court settings, youth cannot be placed within sight or sound of adult prisoners in holding areas, raising questions about how court personnel can accommodate trials, Nashville Democrat Sen. Jeff Yarbro said.

Theres an increased number of people who are going to be subject to these partial transfers who just during lunch breaks at court or waiting for a docket cant be kept with other individuals awaiting trial, Yarbro said.

Do our adult criminal courthouses have the capacity to address the influx or increase of these juveniles? That is really the concern.

Yarbro noted the measure had gone through months of vetting in which lawmakers heard testimony from judges, district attorneys and juvenile advocates before it was rewritten during in the waning days of the session.

This legislationhas massive repercussions, Yarbro said. Were creating complicated jurisdiction and legal questions that  even if we dont want to deal with now  the judges, DAs, and lawyers and legal systems in all 95 of our counties are dealing with later. And were not just supposed to say good luck. Were actually supposed to vet this legislation. And we have not.

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The post Tough-on-crime bill imposing adult sentences on juveniles heads to Gov. Bill Lees desk appeared first on Tennessee Lookout.
A train derailment shuts down a historic bridge that carries cars and trains in Portland, Oregon

A historic bridge was shut down Monday morning after a train car derailed and leaned against one of the bridges support columns.

Around 6:15 a.m. local time, approximately five Union Pacific train cars derailed near the east end of the Union Pacific Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon, Union Pacific spokesperson Meg Siffring said in a statement to CNN.

The train cars are empty. Clean up is underway, and the cause of the derailment is under investigation, the rail company said.

One train car is leaning against a structural support column, Portland Fire and Rescue posted on X. Bridge has been shut down and is now completely closed to all train, vehicle, pedestrian traffic.

There were no reported injuries from the wreck and no reported concerns about hazardous materials, the fire department said.

The 111-year-old bridge is famous for its movable, double-decker style. While trains cross the bridge on the lower level, cars pass on the upper level, with additional space for bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

Either the lower deck or both decks of the bridge can be raised, depending on the size of the ship passing through on the Willamette River.

The Steel Bridge will remain closed until it can be assessed for structural stability, Portland Fire and Rescue said.

This will be a protracted incident that will be addressed in coordination with Union Pacific as a plan is developed for mitigation of this derailment.

Union Pacific engineers were headed to the scene Monday morning to start assessing the structural stability of the bridge, the Portland fire department said.

The derailment happened after 35 train cars derailed in New Mexico on Friday, prompting evacuations that lasted until Sunday.

Six of the derailed train cars in New Mexico were carrying propane, according to BNSF Railway. No injuries were reported, and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

Mondays closure of Portlands Steel Bridge also comes amid heightened scrutiny over bridge stability after a cargo ship plowed into a pillar of Baltimores Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, destroying the major thoroughfare and killing six people.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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Incarcerated learners take part in a Mt. Tamalpais College educational program at San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Calif., in July 2023. Currently, California stands as the sole state with a fully approved Pell-eligible prison education program, at Pelican Bay State Prison through California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. Eric Risberg/The Associated Press

When the U.S. Department of Education announced last summer that federal Pell Grants would become available to incarcerated college students, lawmakers and state corrections agencies scrambled to adjust statutes and step up potential partnerships with universities.

But nearly a year later, colleges and agencies are recognizing the steep administrative challenge to winning approval from the U.S. Department of Education. So far, just one new program eligible for the federal financial aid grant  in California  has gotten off the ground.

Were going to see an impact  its coming. Its been a bit slow to arrive because of this quality focus within the regulations, said Ruth Delaney, who leads a program at the Vera Institute of Justice to help scale up college programs in correctional institutions. Whats great is that theres a lot of energy in colleges and corrections to start new prison education programs.

Pell Grants were officially restored for incarcerated students in July 2023, following a nearly 30-year federal ban that prohibited most incarcerated students from receiving the aid. The ban was one of the provisions in the sweeping 1994 federal crime bill signed by President Bill Clinton.

More than 750,000 incarcerated students could potentially become eligible for Pell Grants. But to qualify, they must be below the family income limits and be at a prison that offers a college program approved by the federal Department of Education.

To date, only one program has been fully approved, at Pelican Bay State Prison in northern California. Students there will be eligible to receive Pell Grants starting next fall to study for a degree in communications from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

Still, officials from state corrections agencies in Maryland, Michigan and Wisconsin told Stateline that since Pell dollars became available, more colleges and universities have become interested in establishing prison education programs. Since last summer, 44 state corrections agencies and the federal Bureau of Prisons have developed applications or other systems to approve prison education programs, according to the Vera Institute of Justice.

There are people in prison who have been waiting 30 years for this opportunity to come back, and they are just so eager to enroll, Delaney said in an interview. Anything we can do to move quickly to get high-quality programs in place  thats what wed like to see.

State action

The Pell Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, is provided to low-income students across the country to help cover college expenses. Most students apply online using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Incarcerated students are usually required to submit paper applications because internet access is restricted. The current maximum grant is $7,395 for a full academic year.

College saved my life. It was a place where I could be free. I could read, I could learn, and I could grow. It was very transformative for me to realize that my life wasn't over.

 Alexa Garza, an analyst for The Education Trust who was formerly incarcerated

While states pay to house incarcerated people in their prison systems, many dont pay for higher education; prison college programs often rely on alternative funding, such as donations and state grants. Some are a part of a federal pilot program called the Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative, which has included about 40,000 incarcerated learners. Otherwise, students have to pay out of their own pockets or use scholarships and donations from nonprofits and colleges.

No matter how its paid for, the goal of providing college-level instruction in prisons is to make it easier for incarcerated people to reenter society once they are released and to connect them to meaningful, good-paying jobs.

College saved my life. It was a place where I could be free. I could read, I could learn, and I could grow. It was very transformative for me, and I realized that my life wasnt over, said Alexa Garza, who obtained two associate degrees and a bachelors degree while incarcerated in Texas. Garza now works as a Texas policy analyst and higher education justice initiatives analyst for The Education Trust, an education access advocacy group.

Prison education advocates say its important for schools to expand the college experience in prison beyond just offering classes. That means fostering meaningful relationships between professors and students.

I didnt have family in the courtroom. I had professors in the courtroom, said William Freeman, who served time in Maryland and now leads the Justice Policy Fellowship at The Education Trust. Now, Im a first-gen everything  college graduate, homeowner. I dont think my parents ever made the kind of money Im making now.

Many state lawmakers have worked, with varying outcomes, to boost prison college programs in anticipation that Pell Grants could help more incarcerated students earn degrees.

In Washington state, for example, a law set to take effect in June will allow more incarcerated learners to seek both federal and state financial aid grants to cover the costs of postsecondary education programs.

Marylands legislature has sent Democratic Gov. Wes Moore a bill that would require that the state corrections department help incarcerated students in accessing Pell Grants and set goals for participation. Moores office said the legislation is under consideration.

A Florida bill that would have allowed students to be eligible for in-state tuition even if they had been incarcerated in the state in the past year made it out of House and Senate committees but was tabled before the legislature adjourned.

And in Montana, lawmakers grilled state corrections officials after a legislative audit found that prison education and workforce programs are limited, featuring long waitlists and inequitable access between private and public facilities.

New programs and partnerships

Corrections agencies and colleges in several states have recently announced new partnerships, with some soon to become Pell-eligible.

Marylands corrections department recently announced a memorandum of understanding with the University System of Maryland to provide incarcerated students with the opportunity to obtain bachelors degrees or credit-based certificates from any of the 12 system universities. The university system will also be able to accept Pell Grants.

Danielle Cox, the state corrections departments education director, said she aims to have a college or university program at every state facility by 2027.

In Utah, female incarcerated students at the Utah State Correctional Facility can apply to a new bachelors program at the University of Utah through the schools Prison Education Project. At least 11 of 15 prospective students already have received their admissions decisions, according to Erin Castro, an associate professor of higher education at the University of Utah and co-founder of the Prison Education Project.

This is the first time that the flagship public institution is admitting a currently incarcerated cohort, Castro said.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and Southeast Community College are expanding their partnership to offer more higher education opportunities to students in five state facilities. The college enrolled 229 students this spring semester, and also is working on gaining the federal approval to offer Pell Grants as an official prison education program.

The college now offers an associate of arts degree in academic transfer, and in the fall will offer an associate of applied science in business and more career and technical education programs.

Bureaucratic barriers

But navigating the new application process from the U.S. Department of Education has required significantly more administrative labor, some advocates say.

At least one university so far has decided to pull the plug on its prison education program. Georgia State University cited the feds new rules for Pell Grants and a $24 million budget cut as reasons to close its program this summer, according to Open Campus, a nonprofit news outlet that reports on higher ed. The program has been in operation since 2016.

The shape and tenor of this new system is causing significant damage to the framework of college-in-prison, Jessica Neptune, the director of national engagement for the Bard Prison Initiative at Bard College in New York, wrote in an email to Stateline.

Much of the recent policy work related to Pell, especially, is moving in a direction that makes it harder and harder for colleges to just be colleges and not criminal justice interventions, she said.

The Department of Education did not directly respond to advocates concerns about the new application requirements, but said it held a negotiated rulemaking process that enlisted significant stakeholder input to put forward the best regulations possible.

Some prison education advocates also argue that the new bureaucratic process isolates the mission of educating incarcerated students from that of other students and encourages the othering of current or formerly incarcerated individuals.

Whenever we are creating separate systems for individuals  particularly when theyre incarcerated  that reinforce processes, isolation and marginalization, it is not going to go well, said Dyjuan Tatro, a senior government affairs officer with the Bard Prison Initiative and a Bard College alum.

Incarcerated students should have the same access to Pell Grants, full stop, as any other students in this country, Tatro said.

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Incarcerated men take part in a Mt. Tamalpais College educational program during a media tour at San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Calif., Wednesday, July 26, 2023. In March of 2023 Gov. Gavin Newsom announced California intends to transform the prison into the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

This story originally appeared on Stateline.

When the U.S. Department of Education announced last summer that federal Pell Grants would become available to incarcerated college students, lawmakers and state corrections agencies scrambled to adjust statutes and step up potential partnerships with universities.

But nearly a year later, colleges and agencies are recognizing the steep administrative challenge to winning approval from the U.S. Department of Education. So far, just one new program eligible for the federal financial aid grant  in California  has gotten off the ground.

Were going to see an impact  its coming. Its been a bit slow to arrive because of this quality focus within the regulations, said Ruth Delaney, who leads a program at the Vera Institute of Justice to help scale up college programs in correctional institutions. Whats great is that theres a lot of energy in colleges and corrections to start new prison education programs.

Pell Grants were officially restored for incarcerated students in July 2023, following a nearly 30-year federal ban that prohibited most incarcerated students from receiving the aid. The ban was one of the provisions in the sweeping 1994 federal crime bill signed by President Bill Clinton.

More than 750,000 incarcerated students could potentially become eligible for Pell Grants. But to qualify, they must be below the family income limits and be at a prison that offers a college program approved by the federal Department of Education.

To date, only one program has been fully approved, at Pelican Bay State Prison in northern California. Students there will be eligible to receive Pell Grants starting next fall to study for a degree in communications from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

Still, officials from state corrections agencies in Maryland, Michigan and Wisconsin told Stateline that since Pell dollars became available, more colleges and universities have become interested in establishing prison education programs. Since last summer, 44 state corrections agencies and the federal Bureau of Prisons have developed applications or other systems to approve prison education programs, according to the Vera Institute of Justice.

There are people in prison who have been waiting 30 years for this opportunity to come back, and they are just so eager to enroll, Delaney said in an interview. Anything we can do to move quickly to get high-quality programs in place  thats what wed like to see.

State action

The Pell Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, is provided to low-income students across the country to help cover college expenses. Most students apply online using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Incarcerated students are usually required to submit paper applications because internet access is restricted. The current maximum grant is $7,395 for a full academic year.

College saved my life. It was a place where I could be free. I could read, I could learn, and I could grow. It was very transformative for me to realize that my life wasn't over.

 Alexa Garza, an analyst for The Education Trust who was formerly incarcerated

While states pay to house incarcerated people in their prison systems, many dont pay for higher education; prison college programs often rely on alternative funding, such as donations and state grants. Some are a part of a federal pilot program called the Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative, which has included about 40,000 incarcerated learners. Otherwise, students have to pay out of their own pockets or use scholarships and donations from nonprofits and colleges.

No matter how its paid for, the goal of providing college-level instruction in prisons is to make it easier for incarcerated people to reenter society once they are released and to connect them to meaningful, good-paying jobs.

College saved my life. It was a place where I could be free. I could read, I could learn, and I could grow. It was very transformative for me, and I realized that my life wasnt over, said Alexa Garza, who obtained two associate degrees and a bachelors degree while incarcerated in Texas. Garza now works as a Texas policy analyst and higher education justice initiatives analyst for The Education Trust, an education access advocacy group.

Prison education advocates say its important for schools to expand the college experience in prison beyond just offering classes. That means fostering meaningful relationships between professors and students.

I didnt have family in the courtroom. I had professors in the courtroom, said William Freeman, who served time in Maryland and now leads the Justice Policy Fellowship at The Education Trust. Now, Im a first-gen everything  college graduate, homeowner. I dont think my parents ever made the kind of money Im making now.

Many state lawmakers have worked, with varying outcomes, to boost prison college programs in anticipation that Pell Grants could help more incarcerated students earn degrees.

In Washington state, for example, a law set to take effect in June will allow more incarcerated learners to seek both federal and state financial aid grants to cover the costs of postsecondary education programs.

Marylands legislature has sent Democratic Gov. Wes Moore a bill that would require that the state corrections department help incarcerated students in accessing Pell Grants and set goals for participation. Moores office said the legislation is under consideration.

A Florida bill that would have allowed students to be eligible for in-state tuition even if they had been incarcerated in the state in the past year made it out of House and Senate committees but was tabled before the legislature adjourned.

And in Montana, lawmakers grilled state corrections officials after a legislative audit found that prison education and workforce programs are limited, featuring long waitlists and inequitable access between private and public facilities.

New programs and partnerships

Corrections agencies and colleges in several states have recently announced new partnerships, with some soon to become Pell-eligible.

Marylands corrections department recently announced a memorandum of understanding with the University System of Maryland to provide incarcerated students with the opportunity to obtain bachelors degrees or credit-based certificates from any of the 12 system universities. The university system will also be able to accept Pell Grants.

Danielle Cox, the state corrections departments education director, said she aims to have a college or university program at every state facility by 2027.

In Utah, female incarcerated students at the Utah State Correctional Facility can apply to a new bachelors program at the University of Utah through the schools Prison Education Project. At least 11 of 15 prospective students already have received their admissions decisions, according to Erin Castro, an associate professor of higher education at the University of Utah and co-founder of the Prison Education Project.

This is the first time that the flagship public institution is admitting a currently incarcerated cohort, Castro said.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and Southeast Community College are expanding their partnership to offer more higher education opportunities to students in five state facilities. The college enrolled 229 students this spring semester, and also is working on gaining the federal approval to offer Pell Grants as an official prison education program.

The college now offers an associate of arts degree in academic transfer, and in the fall will offer an associate of applied science in business and more career and technical education programs.

Bureaucratic barriers

But navigating the new application process from the U.S. Department of Education has required significantly more administrative labor, some advocates say.

At least one university so far has decided to pull the plug on its prison education program. Georgia State University cited the feds new rules for Pell Grants and a $24 million budget cut as reasons to close its program this summer, according to Open Campus, a nonprofit news outlet that reports on higher ed. The program has been in operation since 2016.

The shape and tenor of this new system is causing significant damage to the framework of college-in-prison, Jessica Neptune, the director of national engagement for the Bard Prison Initiative at Bard College in New York, wrote in an email to Stateline.

Much of the recent policy work related to Pell, especially, is moving in a direction that makes it harder and harder for colleges to just be colleges and not criminal justice interventions, she said.

The Department of Education did not directly respond to advocates concerns about the new application requirements, but said it held a negotiated rulemaking process that enlisted significant stakeholder input to put forward the best regulations possible.

Some prison education advocates also argue that the new bureaucratic process isolates the mission of educating incarcerated students from that of other students and encourages the othering of current or formerly incarcerated individuals.

Whenever we are creating separate systems for individuals  particularly when theyre incarcerated  that reinforce processes, isolation and marginalization, it is not going to go well, said Dyjuan Tatro, a senior government affairs officer with the Bard Prison Initiative and a Bard College alum.

Incarcerated students should have the same access to Pell Grants, full stop, as any other students in this country, Tatro said.

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.

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Incarcerated learners take part in a Mt. Tamalpais College educational program at San Quentin State Prison in San Quentin, Calif., in July 2023. Currently, California stands as the sole state with a fully approved Pell-eligible prison education program, at Pelican Bay State Prison through California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. (Photo by Eric Risberg/The Associated Press) (This image cannot be republished unless you have an AP subscription.)

When the U.S. Department of Education announced last summer that federal Pell Grants would become available to incarcerated college students, lawmakers and state corrections agencies scrambled to adjust statutes and step up potential partnerships with universities.

But nearly a year later, colleges and agencies are recognizing the steep administrative challenge to winning approval from the U.S. Department of Education. So far, just one new program eligible for the federal financial aid grant  in California  has gotten off the ground.

Were going to see an impact  its coming. Its been a bit slow to arrive because of this quality focus within the regulations, said Ruth Delaney, who leads a program at the Vera Institute of Justice to help scale up college programs in correctional institutions. Whats great is that theres a lot of energy in colleges and corrections to start new prison education programs.

Pell Grants were officially restored for incarcerated students in July 2023, following a nearly 30-year federal ban that prohibited most incarcerated students from receiving the aid. The ban was one of the provisions in the sweeping 1994 federal crime bill signed by President Bill Clinton.

More than 750,000 incarcerated students could potentially become eligible for Pell Grants. But to qualify, they must be below the family income limits and be at a prison that offers a college program approved by the federal Department of Education.

To date, only one program has been fully approved, at Pelican Bay State Prison in northern California. Students there will be eligible to receive Pell Grants starting next fall to study for a degree in communications from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt.

Still, officials from state corrections agencies in Maryland, Michigan and Wisconsin told Stateline that since Pell dollars became available, more colleges and universities have become interested in establishing prison education programs. Since last summer, 44 state corrections agencies and the federal Bureau of Prisons have developed applications or other systems to approve prison education programs, according to the Vera Institute of Justice.

There are people in prison who have been waiting 30 years for this opportunity to come back, and they are just so eager to enroll, Delaney said in an interview. Anything we can do to move quickly to get high-quality programs in place  thats what wed like to see.

State action

The Pell Grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, is provided to low-income students across the country to help cover college expenses. Most students apply online using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Incarcerated students are usually required to submit paper applications because internet access is restricted. The current maximum grant is $7,395 for a full academic year.

While states pay to house incarcerated people in their prison systems, many dont pay for higher education; prison college programs often rely on alternative funding, such as donations and state grants. Some are a part of a federal pilot program called the Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative, which has included about 40,000 incarcerated learners. Otherwise, students have to pay out of their own pockets or use scholarships and donations from nonprofits and colleges.

No matter how its paid for, the goal of providing college-level instruction in prisons is to make it easier for incarcerated people to reenter society once they are released and to connect them to meaningful, good-paying jobs.

College saved my life. It was a place where I could be free. I could read, I could learn, and I could grow. It was very transformative for me, and I realized that my life wasnt over, said Alexa Garza, who obtained two associate degrees and a bachelors degree while incarcerated in Texas. Garza now works as a Texas policy analyst and higher education justice initiatives analyst for The Education Trust, an education access advocacy group.

Prison education advocates say its important for schools to expand the college experience in prison beyond just offering classes. That means fostering meaningful relationships between professors and students.

I didnt have family in the courtroom. I had professors in the courtroom, said William Freeman, who served time in Maryland and now leads the Justice Policy Fellowship at The Education Trust. Now, Im a first-gen everything  college graduate, homeowner. I dont think my parents ever made the kind of money Im making now.

Many state lawmakers have worked, with varying outcomes, to boost prison college programs in anticipation that Pell Grants could help more incarcerated students earn degrees.

In Washington state, for example, a law set to take effect in June will allow more incarcerated learners to seek both federal and state financial aid grants to cover the costs of postsecondary education programs.

Marylands legislature has sent Democratic Gov. Wes Moore a bill that would require that the state corrections department help incarcerated students in accessing Pell Grants and set goals for participation. Moores office said the legislation is under consideration.

A Florida bill that would have allowed students to be eligible for in-state tuition even if they had been incarcerated in the state in the past year made it out of House and Senate committees but was tabled before the legislature adjourned.

And in Montana, lawmakers grilled state corrections officials after a legislative audit found that prison education and workforce programs are limited, featuring long waitlists and inequitable access between private and public facilities.

New programs and partnerships

Corrections agencies and colleges in several states have recently announced new partnerships, with some soon to become Pell-eligible.

Marylands corrections department recently announced a memorandum of understanding with the University System of Maryland to provide incarcerated students with the opportunity to obtain bachelors degrees or credit-based certificates from any of the 12 system universities. The university system will also be able to accept Pell Grants.

Danielle Cox, the state corrections departments education director, said she aims to have a college or university program at every state facility by 2027.

In Utah, female incarcerated students at the Utah State Correctional Facility can apply to a new bachelors program at the University of Utah through the schools Prison Education Project. At least 11 of 15 prospective students already have received their admissions decisions, according to Erin Castro, an associate professor of higher education at the University of Utah and co-founder of the Prison Education Project.

This is the first time that the flagship public institution is admitting a currently incarcerated cohort, Castro said.

The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services and Southeast Community College are expanding their partnership to offer more higher education opportunities to students in five state facilities. The college enrolled 229 students this spring semester, and also is working on gaining the federal approval to offer Pell Grants as an official prison education program.

The college now offers an associate of arts degree in academic transfer, and in the fall will offer an associate of applied science in business and more career and technical education programs.

Bureaucratic barriers

But navigating the new application process from the U.S. Department of Education has required significantly more administrative labor, some advocates say.

At least one university so far has decided to pull the plug on its prison education program. Georgia State University cited the feds new rules for Pell Grants and a $24 million budget cut as reasons to close its program this summer, according to Open Campus, a nonprofit news outlet that reports on higher ed. The program has been in operation since 2016.

The shape and tenor of this new system is causing significant damage to the framework of college-in-prison, Jessica Neptune, the director of national engagement for the Bard Prison Initiative at Bard College in New York, wrote in an email to Stateline.

Much of the recent policy work related to Pell, especially, is moving in a direction that makes it harder and harder for colleges to just be colleges and not criminal justice interventions, she said.

The Department of Education did not directly respond to advocates concerns about the new application requirements, but said it held a negotiated rulemaking process that enlisted significant stakeholder input to put forward the best regulations possible.

Some prison education advocates also argue that the new bureaucratic process isolates the mission of educating incarcerated students from that of other students and encourages the othering of current or formerly incarcerated individuals.

Whenever we are creating separate systems for individuals  particularly when theyre incarcerated  that reinforce processes, isolation and marginalization, it is not going to go well, said Dyjuan Tatro, a senior government affairs officer with the Bard Prison Initiative and a Bard College alum.

Incarcerated students should have the same access to Pell Grants, full stop, as any other students in this country, Tatro said.

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State health care plans and government-funded insurance programs cannot exclude coverage for gender-affirming medical care, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 8-6 to affirm two lower court rulings ordering North Carolina and West Virginia to roll back policies that exclude coverage for gender-affirming care. North Carolinas state health plan does not cover treatment in connection with sex changes or modifications and related care, and West Virginias Medicaid program covers only some gender-affirming treatments.

Attorneys for both states argued in court that the policies were based only on cost concerns, not animus toward transgender people. Judge Roger Gregory, writing for the majority Monday, said the states restrictions are obviously discriminatory.

Because we hold that the coverage exclusions facially discriminate on the basis of sex and gender identity, and are not substantially related to an important government interest, we affirm the district courts, Gregory wrote in the majority opinion. We further hold that the West Virginia exclusion violates the Medicaid Act and the Affordable Care Act.

A federal judge in 2022 ruled that North Carolinas health plan discriminates against transgender people by excluding coverage for gender-affirming medical care. The same year, another court ruled that West Virginias Medicaid program must provide coverage for care.

In a statement Monday, Tara Borelli, senior legal counsel at Lambda Legal and the lead attorney on both cases, said the 4th Circuits ruling will save lives.

It confirms that discriminating against transgender people by denying critical medical care is not only wrong but unconstitutional, she said. No one should be denied essential health care, but our clients in both cases were denied coverage for medically necessary care prescribed by their doctors just because theyre transgender.

West Virginias denial of medically necessary care just because of who I am was deeply dehumanizing, said Shauntae Anderson, one of the plaintiffs in the case against the states Medicaid program. I am so relieved that this court ruling puts us one step closer to the day when Medicaid can no longer deny transgender West Virginians access to the essential healthcare that our doctors say is necessary for us.

Gender-affirming health care for transgender minors and adults is considered medically necessary by major medical organizations, though not every trans person chooses to medically transition or has access to care. Twenty-four states since 2021 have banned treatments for transgender youths, according to the Movement Advancement Project, a nonprofit that tracks LGBTQ laws, and legislation in some states also restricts access to care for adults.

In more than a dozen states, gender-affirming care is explicitly excluded from state employee benefit plans, and Medicaid policies in 10 states exclude coverage for transition-related care for individuals of all ages. In three states, Medicaid can be used to cover the cost of gender-affirming care for transgender adults but not minors.

West Virginias Republican attorney general, Patrick Morrisey, responding to the 4th Circuit ruling with a vow to take the case to the Supreme Court.

Decisions like this one, from a court dominated by Obama- and Biden-appointees, cannot stand: well take this up to the Supreme Court and win, he said in a statement. Morrisey, who is currently campaigning for governor of West Virginia, last week said he also plans to appeal a separate 4th Circuit ruling blocking the state from enforcing its restrictions on transgender student-athletes to the Supreme Court.

North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell (R), whose office oversees the states health plan, said Mondays 4th Circuit decision was untethered to the reality of the fiscal situation of the plan, which is facing the real risk of looming insolvency.

Accordingly, the Plan cannot be everything for everyone  our priority is to provide coverage that does the most good for the highest number of people with the finite resources we have available, Folwell said in a statement.

As I have said consistently, I respect the rule of law and, therefore, will continue to follow every legal avenue available to protect the Plan and its members, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A Tri-Cities judges decision to resign doesnt stop a disciplinary hearing scheduled for next month.

While its not clear what discipline Judge Sam Swanberg could possibly face, the Commission on Judicial Conduct hearing is still set for May 20.

Its pretty momentous for the commission to take action and to leave that without resolution is pretty problematic, Reiko Callner, the commissions executive director, told the Tri-City Herald.

But now Swanberg does not plan to be there, said his attorney Scott Johnson.

Swanberg announced late Thursday that he will resign May 17 from his position as one of seven Benton-Franklin Superior Court judges and returned to practicing law.

He will leave the position just days before eight members of the commission are expected to hear testimony on whether he violated three of the codes that guide judicial behavior in Washington state.

Swanberg is accused of breaking the law, acting in a way that hurt the publics trust in judges and using his office to advance his personal interests, according to a statement of charges filed by the commission late last year.

But Callner told the Herald Swanbergs decision to step away from the bench doesnt stop the process.

There would need to be an agreement between the commission and judge that would impose any terms and conditions deemed appropriate by the commission.

Without an agreement in place, the commissions hearing proceeds as planned.

Callner said its important for the process to continue to address the actions of judges by either fixing their behavior or giving them some public accountability.

It also has the effect of showing other judges what behavior is unacceptable, she said.

Superior Court judge Samuel Swanberg presides over a mid-February, 2024 hearing recently in Benton County at the Benton County Justice Center in Kennewick.

Johnson said the judge has tried to work with the commission to reach an agreement that included him resigning from the position. Swanberg was willing to stipulate to the conduct he actually did, said Johnson.

But Johnson said he was not willing to admit to acts of domestic violence, which he was acquitted of.

From the moment Judge Swanberg was acquitted in Franklin County, the commission has been hell-bent on trying to undo what a fair, impartial, and independent jury concluded, Johnson told the Herald in an email.

The commission is now willing to go so far as to have a show trial that is not fair, that is not impartial, and that is not independent, in order to get their desired result.

Judge Sam Swanberg gestures with his hands to help describe the layout of his house while answering questions by his defense attorney Scott Johnson while giving testimony in a Franklin County courtroom during his trial in 2022.

Judge accusations

The judges troubles started in late 2021 when a former girlfriend asked for an anti-harassment order in Benton County to keep him from bothering her. The two started dating that spring when she worked for the Franklin County Clerks Office in Pasco.

As part of that case, his ex-wife Stephanie Barnard, now a state legislator, said she suffered years of mental and physical abuse at his hands. Theyd been married 33 years and have six children.

While Swanberg did not fight the ex-girlfriends anti-harassment order, he denied abusing Barnard.

Her accusations led to a Franklin County sheriffs investigation and two charges of domestic violence assault. He was acquitted of the charges in 2022.

Judge Sam Swanberg, right, confers with his defense attorney Scott Johnson before the jury enters a Franklin County courtroom.

After the judicial conduct commission conducted its own investigation, it started disciplinary proceedings.

Nearly a year later, the commission believes it has enough proof to level charges against Swanberg for violating the code of judicial conduct. Johnson previously pointed out that the charges are only allegations because Swanberg was acquitted.

Commission hearing

While Johnson claims the result of the hearing is a foregone conclusion, Callner said its far from that and its quite possible that commission members will determine something else.

She said there have been hearings where the commission found the judge didnt violate the rules.

Johnson called the hearing political grandstanding by the Olympia-based commission as part of Swanbergs announcement.

Callner responded that she doesnt know what politics are being served in pursuing the accusations against Swanberg. The position of judge is apolitical and the commissions goal is to evenhandedly apply the rules.

The commissions charge is to maintain the public trust and confidence in the independent, impartiality and integrity of the judiciary.

You should be able to come before any judge in any court and expect to have your conflict resolved fairly and consistently no matter who you are, she told the Herald. Judges have to protect public trust and confidence in those things.

While Johnson has accused the commission of using the hearing to sidestep the Franklin County verdict, Callner said the goals of the hearing are different than the criminal trial. They are only concerned with how Swanberg may or may not have violated ethics rules.

What will happen

At the hearing, the commission will need to convince a majority of the members that Swanberg took the actions he is accused of and that they violated the rules judges must follow, Callner previously told the Herald.

They have to meet the standard of clear, cogent and convincing evidence, which is a lower standard than the criminal standard of beyond a reasonable doubt, she said.

After the May hearing, the members will deliberate and come to decision. Commission rules require the decision to be presented publicly during a regular or special commission meeting.

The members dont all need to agree on the ruling, and any member can file a dissent.

They can decide to either dismiss the charges or admonish, reprimand or censure a judge. An admonishment is a written warning, while a reprimand requires some remedial measures.

The highest level of punishment  censure  can involve suspension or removal from the bench. Any decision involving suspension or removal must be approved by the Washington State Supreme Court.

Swanberg also can appeal the commissions decision to the state Supreme Court.

Its unclear if the commissions decision will affect his ability to practice law in Washington. Callner said there have been cases where the Washington State Bar Association has done its own review of cases first taken up by the judicial commission.

The Herald was unable to reach the bar association about the issue.
The trial for a man accused of causing a deadly school bus crash in Clark County last year started Monday.

>> RELATED: Judge denies motion to dismiss charges for driver accused in deadly school bus crash

Hermanio Joseph, 36, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide for the crash involving a Northwestern Local Schools on the districts first day of school August 22. The crash killed an 11-year-old student, Aiden Clark, and injured over two dozen others.

>>RELATED: Driver accused in deadly Clark Co. bus crash indicted on charges

As reported on News Center 7 at 5:00, jury selection was completed around midday Monday. Opening statements from both the prosecution and defense will start Tuesday morning.

Joseph is accused of not having a valid drivers license at the time of the crash. His lawyers filed a motion to have his charges thrown out earlier this year saying he in fact had a valid license issued in Mexico where he lived before arriving in the United States. However, the motion was later declined weeks later by Judge Douglas Rastatter.

>> Family of boy killed in bus crash urge community to remove hate from city council meetings

Over the last eight months, there has been a lot of emotion around the crash Joseph is accused of causing.

Dozens of speakers had expressed their concerns inside Springfields City Commission chambers about Haitian drivers since Clarks death.

The comments at city meetings prompted Clarks parents to send a letter to the then-assistant mayor, Rob Rue, the familys funeral director, to read publicly at a meeting in October.

Please do not mix up the values of our family with the uninformed majority that vocalize their hate. Aiden embraced other cultures and would insist you do the same, Rue read from a letter from the Clark family.

Well continue to provide updates from the courtroom through the week and this story will be updated with developments as they happen.
Trial of Bundeswehr officer suspected of spying for Russia begins in Germany

An officer of Germany's Bundeswehr, suspected of supplying information to Russian intelligence agencies, will stand trial on 29 April.

Source: European Pravda, citing Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa or German Press Agency)

Details: Prosecutors allege that the defendant, who is identified only as Thomas H. due to strict German privacy laws, passed information to Russian intelligence agencies on his own initiative.

The investigation has no evidence that he received any money for this. No details of what kind of intelligence he may have passed have been disclosed.

The defendant, who holds the rank of captain, served in the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).

This institution, based in the German city of Koblenz, is responsible for supplying the German Armed Forces with equipment and weapons, as well as for the development, testing and procurement of defence technologies.

The suspect was arrested in Koblenz in 2023, and his home and workplace were searched. Prosecutors filed charges in March this year.

Background:

In December 2022, the Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany arrested Karsten L., an employee of the country's Federal Intelligence Service, on suspicion of treason. The man is suspected of spying for Russia.

His accomplice, Arthur E., was arrested in January. He was facilitating communication between the intelligence officer and Russian secret services.

Information later emerged that Russia may have received classified information about the situation in Ukraine through the intelligence officer in question.

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An exterior view of the Higher Regional Court before the trial of Reichsbuerger, or Citizens of the Reich movement members who are alleged to have planned a coup in Germany. Bernd Weibrod/dpa

The high-profile trial of nine suspected members of a far-right group headed by German aristocrat Prince Heinrich XIII of Reu on charges of terrorism and high treason started in Stuttgart on Monday.

The case, which focuses on a plan to violently overthrow the German government, is one of the largest terror trials in the country's history.

The nine suspected members of the Reichsburger (Reich Citizens) movement, a group that rejects the legitimacy of the modern German state, are accused of membership of a terrorist organization and "preparation of a treasonous undertaking."

One faces an additional charge of attempted murder in relation to shots fired at police officers as they searched his home in Reutlingen to the south of Stuttgart in March last year. Officers were injured.

Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office said that the establishment of militarily organized units was in, some instances, far advanced.

In two cases, the so-called "homeland security" companies could have become active independently, a representative of the authority said on Monday at the reading of the indictment.

Within one military company, those responsible for recruiting further personnel had already been named, the indictment read.

According to the indictment, these companies were supposed to carry out political "purges" in their area of responsibility after a takeover of the government by the group.

The prosecutor also spoke of lists of enemies, with the names of district administrators, medical officers and bailiffs.

Two of the nine men, aged between 40 and 60, said they intended to comment on the allegations at trial. It is unclear when they will testify.

The accused are alleged to have joined the Reichsburger movement during 2022 and been active in various roles for the military wing. They are currently in custody.

Reu himself, who came to public attention following raids across Germany and abroad in December 2022, is to be tried later this year.

A total of 27 defendants are accused of plotting the violent overthrow of the German government, while accepting the likelihood that people would die. The plan was to install Reu at the head of a new form of government.

The accused include former soldiers, a former Berlin judge and member of parliament for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

The Stuttgart trial is to focus on the group's military wing which is charged with attempting to overthrow the state by force of arms. According to the charges, they had started forming 280 armed units.

The case involving Prince Reu has been split into three trials - for practical reasons and due to the sheer number of suspects.

In Frankfurt, the alleged ringleaders, including Reu, are on trial from May 21. In Munich, the other alleged members will stand trial from June 18.

Some of the 22 defence lawyers in the Stuttgart trial criticized the splitting of the case between the three higher regional courts. They requested that the Stuttgart proceedings be discontinued or suspended and that the three trials be combined.

They said sn effective criminal defence was not possible because the findings in one trial could only be incorporated into the others with difficulty. The Federal Public Prosecutor's Office was always present in all three trials, but this was not logistically possible for the defence lawyers, it was argued.

Presiding judge Joachim Holzhausen rejected the application for a stay of proceedings. The request for the three trials to be combined was postponed.

An exterior view of the Higher Regional Court before the trial of Reichsbuerger, or Citizens of the Reich movement members who are alleged to have planned a coup in Germany. Bernd Weibrod/dpa
Syrian citizens attend the third international exhibition for medical equipment and biomedical engineering technologies in Damascus, Syria, April 28, 2024. The event showcases a variety of medical equipment, including bio-mechanics, medical radiology, and applications of artificial intelligence in treatment. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)

Syrian citizens attend the third international exhibition for medical equipment and biomedical engineering technologies in Damascus, Syria, April 28, 2024. The event showcases a variety of medical equipment, including bio-mechanics, medical radiology, and applications of artificial intelligence in treatment. (Photo by Ammar Safarjalani/Xinhua)
Trial for largest COVID-19 fraud scheme begins. How $250M was stolen from hungry kids

Seven people accused in the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme faced a judge Monday after pleading not guilty to stealing $40 million from a federal program designed to feed hungry children in Minnesota during the pandemic, federal officials said.

Prosecutors say $250 million was stolen in total as the Minnesota defendants exploited the Federal Child Nutrition Program, claiming they were feeding thousands of children each day by falsifying documents.

These defendants exploited a program designed to provide nutritious food to needy children during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, they prioritized their own greed, stealing more than a quarter of a billion dollars in federal funds to purchase luxury cars, houses, jewelry, and coastal resort property abroad, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger said in a September 2022 news release.

Since September 2022, 70 people have been indicted, according to the U.S. Attorneys office. At least 18 have pleaded guilty.

Seven stand trial

Opening statements began at 9 am. April 29 in Minnesota, court records show.

Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, Mohamed Jama Ismail, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, Said Shafii Farah, Abdiwahab Maalim Aftin, Mukhtar Mohamed Shariff and Hayat Mohamed Nur were indicted in September 2022 on charges including wire fraud and money laundering, according to a news release.

In April 2020, Empire Cuisine and Market LLC signed up for the Federal Child Nutrition Program, which was sponsored by Feeding Our Future, the Minnesota-based nonprofit at the center of the multi-million dollar scheme, prosecutors said.

The federally-funded program was designed to provide free meals to children in need nationwide, according to the indictment.

The defendants lied, saying they served millions of meals to hungry children in Minnesota and subsequently received over $40 million from the Federal Child Nutrition Program. Prosecutors say those funds were used for real estate, travel and vehicles.

The trial is expected to last six weeks, according to an attorney representing one of the defendants.

Shariffs attorney declined to comment on the case. Attorneys for the remaining defendants did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment.

The $250 million scheme

At the center of this case is Feeding Our Future, which was responsible for overseeing the sites distributing meals to children and managing federal reimbursements delegated by the Minnesota Department of Education, according to prosecutors.

Aimee Bock, founder and executive director of this nonprofit, is accused of overseeing the scheme that defrauded millions from the Federal Child Nutrition Program.

Bocks attorney did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for comment.

Guidelines surrounding the program were less strict during the pandemic, allowing for-profit businesses to participate, prosecutors said.

Many of the 70 people accused operated some of the sites across the state and fraudulently claimed to be serving meals to thousands of children a day, according to prosecutors. Federal dollars were often laundered to shell companies created by the defendants, prosecutors said.

They submitted fraudulent meal count sheets purporting to document the number of children and meals served at each site, prosecutors previously said.

Feeding Our Future employees would also take bribes from companies the nonprofit sponsored, according to prosecutors, and about $18 million was paid to the shell companies as administrative fees.

Exploiting a government program intended to feed children at the time of a national crisis is the epitome of greed, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell said in 2022.

Scammers convince Michigan casino employee to give them $700,000, feds say

Hospital executive created fake company to steal $620,000 in Illinois, feds say

Man got married, fathered child and was arrested  all with stolen identity, feds say
Wisconsin was transformed from one of the more transparent and least big money influenced judicial campaign systems in the nation to one of the states with the least transparent disclosure requirements, corrupted by outside big dollar special interest groups | Getty Images

The April 12 announcement by Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, our states longest serving and most respected and distinguished court member, that she will not run for re-election in 2025, sent shockwaves through the political biosphere.

Next years spring election was already expected to be hugely expensive and fiercely contested. But now, with the three-term justice bowing out, the stakes for ideological control of Wisconsins highest court are even greater. The price tag of the April 2025 election to succeed Justice Bradley is universally predicted to exceed the astronomical $57 million spent in 2023 in Wisconsin between current Justice Janet Protaciewicz and her opponent, former Justice Daniel Kelly  by far the largest amount of money ever spent in any state supreme court election in American history.

The unprecedented and obscenely high amount of political money being raised and spent in Wisconsin Supreme Court elections is a fairly new and horrific development in our state. It wasnt always this way here and it cannot and should not continue.

When I started with Common Cause in Wisconsin in 1996, the Badger State was still considered to be the national beacon for democracy, competitive but civil political discourse and clean elections and  most notably  was said to have the best, most impartial and least corruptible system of courts, at all levels, in the nation.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, was looked upon as the gold standard for how a states highest court should be elected and how it should conduct itself in the dispensation of justice to its citizens. It was widely respected, admired and even revered.

The Supreme Court in turn set the tenor, tone and standard for Wisconsins Court of Appeals, circuit courts and municipal courts  all also widely praised and heralded.

Among the foremost champions in the nation for democracy and of free and fair elections, Wisconsinites decided long ago that our judges at all levels should be elected by the citizenry  not appointed or selected by a singular, select public official or by some elite entity. And so, since achieving statehood in 1848 Wisconsin has held nonpartisan elections for judges, almost invariably in the spring when voter turnout is never as robust as it is in partisan, November elections.

For many years the system worked well in Wisconsin. Elections for the Wisconsin Supreme Court were relatively tame and civil affairs where candidates were judged on their impartiality and on their judicial qualifications and temperament. Political affiliation and partisan leanings were not only downplayed, they were discouraged and much frowned upon. The central focus of Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates was on their impartiality and ability to uphold that long-held legal principle that justice is or should be blind, that courts should not make judgments based on appearance or on pre-ordained political disposition. What was prized above all by voters was the behavior any citizen would want and expect from a justice: that she or he be fair and impartial.

But beginning in 2007 Wisconsin Supreme Court elections experienced a seismic shift. Partisan conservative special interest groups led by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) cynically calculated that buying influence with the Wisconsin Supreme Court was at least as important and far more cost effective than trying to buy a friendly legislative majority. And so they began pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars, most of it secret or dark money into judicial races to support candidates for the high court they deemed sufficiently business friendly.

In 2009, the conservative majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court also adopted a new recusal rule for justices and judges who were the recipients of campaign contributions. In many other states in the nation, justices and judges must step away from and not participate in cases where one or more of the parties has contributed to that judge beyond a determined threshold, for the very rational and evident reason that a larger campaign contribution likely had an influence on the recipient and that transaction thereby created a conflict of interest for the justice or judge.

But the Wisconsin Supreme Court majority adopted verbatim a recusal rule written by WMC which was essentially that no recusal at all is required if a campaign contribution is received. It is up to each justice or judge to decide whether or not to step aside. As a result, according to a 2014 study of judicial recusal rules across the nation, Wisconsin had the 47th weakest such rules of the 50 states. That self-recusal standard remains in place today.

The Wisconsin Legislature and former Gov. Jim Doyle reacted to the shocking special interest spending frenzy by deep-pocketed special interest groups in the 2007 and 2008 Wisconsin Supreme Court elections by enacting into law sweeping and effective bipartisan campaign finance reform legislation  the Impartial Justice Act of 2009  which imposed voluntary spending limits of $400,000 on candidates for the high court in return for full public financing of their campaigns  and no solicitation of private contributions. With no private money flowing into their campaigns, justices could be truly impartial and beholden to no campaign donor other than to the public.

The new law was the most advanced and sweeping of any judicial campaign finance system in the nation and a model for clean elections and in reducing the influence of money on the judiciary.

But less than 18 months later in 2011, incoming Gov. Scott Walker and the new Republican legislative majority repealed the Impartial Justice Act and went even further by ending the 30-year-old partial public financing system and spending limits for all other state elective offices.

And then in 2015, Walker and the GOP-controlled Legislature took an axe to the remaining safeguards and limitations in Wisconsins campaign finance law, including lifting virtually all limits on special interest money that could be raised and spent, weakening disclosure requirements and, most alarmingly, legalizing campaign coordination between special interest groups running phony issue advocacy communications with candidates  including Supreme Court candidates.

This insidious coordination had long been prohibited in Wisconsin and still is in almost every other state in the nation and in federal elections.

In less than a decade, between 2007 and 2015, Wisconsin was transformed from one of the more transparent and least big money influenced political campaign systems in the nation to one of the states with the least transparent disclosure requirements, corrupted by outside big dollar special interest groups and big donors.

We went from being the progressive good government promised land to the political wasteland of the country.

While there likely is not a lot that can or will be done to improve and reform Wisconsins judicial elections before the next state Supreme Court contest in April 2025, political leaders of all ideological stripes ought to begin to think about how to change the corrupt status quo. Here are a few suggestions for inclusion in the necessary clean-up:

Re-establish an impartial justice law for the public financing of state Supreme Court elections modeled after the 2009 law which was in place for only one election before it was repealed. Update and revise it to better fit current times and circumstances including more realistic spending limits and higher public financing grants.

Establish clear recusal rules for judges at all levels in Wisconsin that clearly decree that if a certain campaign contribution is reached or surpassed beyond a certain threshold amount, then the beneficiary of that contribution (or of the expenditure against her/his opponent) must recuse from any case in which the contributor is a party before the court.

Restore sensible limitations on the transfer of and acceptance of campaign funds and make illegal again campaign coordination between outside special interest groups engaged in issue advocacy with all candidates for public office  particularly judges.

Petition the U.S. Supreme Court to reverse the disastrous 2010 Citizens United vs F.E.C. decision which ended over 100 years of sensible regulation of unlimited corporate, union and other outside special interest money in federal and by extension state elections, unleashing the torrential flood of campaign cash drowning democracy today.

Wisconsin needs to begin to figure out a better way to elect state Supreme Court justices and judges at all levels and those discussions need to begin in earnest now. The upcoming 2025 state Supreme Court election to replace Justice Ann Walsh Bradley has already begun. But there will be no rest for the weary as more equally critical state Supreme Court elections follow in April 2026, 2027, and 2028.

We cannot continue down the current path. If there is no change a $100 million election is in our immediate future. We can and must do better. Wisconsin enacted bipartisan legislation to fix our state Supreme Court elections in 2009 and we can and should again.

The post To be truly fair Wisconsin courts must be free from big political money appeared first on Wisconsin Examiner.
One of Trumps election fraud lawyers, Kenneth Chesebro, just had his Twitter DMs and emails turned over to Michigan prosecutors as part of search warrants in their ongoing investigation into plots to overturn the 2020 presidential election in their state. And its not looking good for him.



According to CNN, who got ahold of some of the documents, Chesebros emails show that he tried to bring some far-right celebrities to Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021, so they could witnessTrump winning the election thanks to Chesbros fake electors strategy. The MAGA stars he tried to entice with free airfare and stays at Trumps D.C. hotel included former Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and the founder of the Gateway Pundit website, Jim Hoft. But none of them took him up on the offer.

It would help to publicize that if [Mike Pence] claims the power to resolve disputes about the electoral votes on Jan. 6, hed simply be doing what (Thomas) Jefferson did, Chesebro told Hoft in a Twitter direct message on December 27, 2020.

Excellent!! Thanks, came the reply from the @GatewayPundit account. Chesebro told Hoft two days later that he had reserved a block of rooms at the Trump International Hotel, and that Hoft could stay there gratis if he wanted.

Chesebro was trying to get right-wing pundits and influencers to promote his theories on subverting the election, while advising the Trump campaign on the very same thing. He also specifically targeted people from the swing-state of Wisconsin, including James Wigderson, who ran a conservative news site in the state, and local radio host Vicki McKenna.



You can spare me this stuff. Thanks. Trump lost, Wigderson replied to Chesebro, later adding, I really dont have time for conspiracy theories. Thanks for understanding.

Its not the first time Chesebro has been embarrassed by his private communications. In February, he was found to have been hiding and lying about a secret Twitter account, prompting the search warrants. The release of his text messages from a legal settlement in March also yielded embarrassing evidence of Chesebros deep involvement in Trumps plot to overthrow the election, which included blaming Pence for the January 6 riots.



Chesebro was indicted in the Georgia election fraud case, but made a last-minute deal to cooperate with prosecutors. These new revelations will probably not help him avoid further charges and prosecution, though, as he and other members of Trumps team were directly involved in Michigans fake electors plot.
Trump and DeSantis met in Miami to bury the hatchet and talk fundraising: Report

Former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) held a private meeting in Miami on Sunday to bury the hatchet in their political conflict, The Washington Post reported.

The hours-long meeting, brokered by political allies hoping to chill what was once a red-hot rivalry, resulted in DeSantis agreeing to help the former president, the Post reported.

DeSantiss network of donors and influence among notable conservatives wary of Trump could prove a major boon to the presumptive nominees campaign. Trump has consistently fallen behind President Biden in fundraising as the 2024 election nears.

The men had reportedly not spoken since DeSantis dropped out of the GOP presidential race in January. DeSantis failed to capitalize on high expectations for his first national campaign, leaving the race after the Iowa caucuses. He endorsed Trump, who went on to defeat former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in the primary.

Despite the endorsement, DeSantis did not assist the Trump campaign and made some negative comments about the former president. A month after he left the race, top Trump aide Chris LaCivita dubbed the governor a sad little man.

The detente could also be a signal of DeSantiss future intentions. The term-limited governor is viewed as a top choice for Republicans in 2028, alongside Haley.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Trump says 4 words about anti-Israel protests on college campuses as arrests skyrocket

Trump says 4 words about anti-Israel protests on college campuses as arrests skyrocket

Former President Trump weighed in on Monday about the anti-Israel demonstrations that are roiling U.S. college and university campuses.

While the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee is not due in the courtroom on Monday, he spent his morning on Truth Social weighing in on his trial. His posts also included a post about the students who are protesting Israels war with Hamas, the terror group that governs Gaza.

"Stop the protests now!!!" Trump said in an all-caps post.

The post comes as the number of students and antisemitic agitators arrested at the nationwide demonstrations approached 900 since New York police removed an anti-Israel protest encampment at Columbia University on April 18.

VIRGINIA TECH POLICE PHYSICALLY CARRY AWAY ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS AMID EFFORT TO RESTORE PEACE ON CAMPUS

Former President Trump weighed in on Monday about the anti-Israel demonstrations that continue at Columbia University and other U.S. colleges and universities.

The students are protesting the rising death toll in Gaza amid Israels effort to eradicate Hamas, which carried out the deadliest attack in the countrys history on Oct. 7, 2023. The subsequent war has resulted in over 34,000 deaths, mostly civilian women and children, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, though that data could not be verified.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

The anti-Israel groups are calling on their respective colleges and universities to end any investments in companies that support Israel's military and their actions in Gaza. Students have remained on campus despite several schools demanding they cease their encampments.

Campus police at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, arrested several students during an anti-Israeli demonstration on Sunday night and into Monday morning.

Trumps comment on Monday morning came amid other posts about "Crooked Joe Biden," who he called the "worst president in the history of the United States." Trump also addressed the various lawsuits he is facing, which the Republican candidate described as "election interference."

TRUMP, DESANTIS MEET PRIVATELY FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN MIAMI

Hundreds of protesters were arrested at various college campuses across the U.S. on Saturday, Sunday and into Monday morning as the disruptive demonstrations continued over the weekend.

About 275 people were arrested on Saturday at Indiana University at Bloomington, Arizona State University and others.

Police in riot gear arrested approximately 102 students at an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, police removed masked protesters and arrested more than 100 people at Washington University in St. Louis, including students and university employees.

Anti-Israel student protesters continue demonstrations during the second week of the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University in New York, on April 27, 2024.

Late Sunday and into Monday morning, campus police at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, physically carried some protesters from an encampment and arrested them.

The nationwide campus protests have surged since students at Columbia University, widely seen as the epicenter of the current protests, formed an encampment by pitching tents at the heart of campus. They have vowed to stay put until the university divests from Israel.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.





Original article source: Trump says 4 words about anti-Israel protests on college campuses as arrests skyrocket
The Washington Post published a new story Monday revealing that Donald Trump has all but ruled out choosing Arizona Senate candidate and election denier Kari Lake as his running mate, despite months of speculation that she may be one of his top choices for VP. And his reason for souring on the loyal MAGA extremist is about as Trumpian as it gets.

I initially clicked on the story because I was curious about whether Trumps shifting perspective on Lake might have something to do with her recent flip-flopping on Arizonas draconian, Civil War-era abortion ban. Both Lake and Trump came out against the old law when the state Supreme Court upheld it earlier this month, putting into force one of, if not the most, extreme bans in the nation. This was just days after Trump issued a wishy-washy statement on his own abortion position. At the time, Lake also seemed to be moderating her abortion stance heading into the general election. But in recent weeks, Lake has been saying things that make it sound a whole heck of a lot like she actually does support the state Supreme Courts decision reinstituting the old, draconian ban.

The WaPo article, however, doesnt touch on any potential rift between Trump and Lake that may have grown out of that messaging, or any actual political issue. Instead, it reports, Trump is concerned that Lake cant win the Senate race in Arizona  primarily because she is spending too much time hanging out at his Mar-a-Lago resort and not enough time in Arizona campaigning.

Per WaPo:

But since Lake jumped into the race, Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about her political prospects in a state he sees as key to his bid to return to the White House, and has shown annoyance with her frequent presence at his Florida resort, according to five people close to him, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe his comments. At one point last year, after grumbling for months that she was at his Mar-a-Lago Club too often, Trump gently suggested to Lake that she should leave the club and hit the campaign trail in Arizona, according to a person with direct knowledge of his comments. Trump has also asked others if she can really win in Arizona and if she might drag down his own poll numbers as he seeks the presidency again in 2024, advisers said.

The piece is largely focused on Republican irritation with Lake spending so much time outside of her state while running in a very tight race. Her opponent, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), has, embarrassingly for Lake, visited the border more times than Lake since she announced her campaign, suggesting Lake might be insufficiently preoccupied with immigration  one of the seven deadly sins for a MAGA Republican.

But the real motivation for Trumps distancing might be a detail tucked into a section of the WaPo piece recounting the drama that ensued last January, when a Lake associate released a recording of the states former Republican Party Chairman Jeff DeWit urging Lake to stay out of the Senate race.

For a former and potential future president who tends to do coups when hes not getting his way and who, allegedly, breaks the law simply out of habit, it wouldnt be a stretch to assume this is the dealbreaker for him as hes considering who he wants as a friend:

Trump was more surprised than angry when told about the January incident, according to three people familiar with his reaction. She tapes everything? he asked, sitting in a New Hampshire hotel suite before taking the stage on the night he won that states primary. Thats good to know.

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With no other Republican presidential candidates left in the race to regularly rib and ridicule, Donald Trump is apparently channeling his energy into taking down independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Amid GOP fears that Kennedy could end up siphoning crucial votes from Trumps base in November, the former president issued a clarion call to his followers Sunday: Dont waste your Vote on Kennedy!

Bill Maher Batters His Buddy RFK Jr. Over Anti-Vax Claims

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump continued to push his favorite attack line that his vaccine-bashing rival is, in fact, a liberal extremist. Why did Juniors family go so bonkers at the thought of him running against Crooked Joe Biden? Trump asked in a post Sunday. Because they are Radical Left Lunatics, and they cant conceive of their even more Liberal brother running as anything else?

Several members of Kennedys family have been publicly critical of his campaign and have endorsed Biden instead. For his own part, RFK Jr. has sought to play down the apparent rift, saying many of his relatives are supportive of his campaign and that all of the family are united in our love for each other.

Earlier Sunday, Trump had made other attacks on Kennedy while offering his take on Bill Mahers really boring interview with RFK Jr. that aired Friday. Trump said hed concluded that Junior is far more LIBERAL than Maher and, in fact, far more LIBERAL than anyone running as a Democrat.

He added that the reason Kennedy has no hope as a Democrat is because they were able to use their typically Fascist tactics of repression and throw him out of the Party, like a dog, because he was taking primary votes away from the the worst President in the history of our Country, Crooked Joe Biden. So now, Juniors a so-called Independent, but hes not, hes a Radical Left Lunatic, but trying to have it all ways, he added.

The attacks followed a similar tirade Friday night, in which Trump branded Kennedy a Democrat Plant and a Radical Left Liberal whos been put in place in order to help Crooked Joe Biden [...] get Re-Elected. A Vote for Junior would essentially be a WASTED PROTEST VOTE, that could swing either way, but would only swing against the Democrats if Republicans knew the true story about him, Trump wrote.

He later added: Id even take Biden over Junior, because our Country would last a year or two longer prior to collapse - But it would be dead either way.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Credit - Getty Images (2)

When Michael Cohen takes the stand in Donald Trumps criminal trial, as hes expected to, it will mark a climax in the real-life tale of ambition and betrayal that has unfolded between the two men over nearly two decades.

In the New York City courtroom, Cohen will be a few yards away from the man he once looked up to as a paragon of raw power and heady glamor. Trump will have to sit quietly and hear directly from his former company lawyers mouth how Cohenweeks before the 2016 electionpaid adult film actress Stormy Daniels to stay silent about an alleged tryst with Trump, and how those reimbursements were allegedly masked in company records as legal fees. Trump denies he had an encounter with Daniels and has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of financial fraud related to how the payments were logged.

The saga between Michael Cohen and Donald Trump sheds light on how Trump has operated for decades, bringing people into his thrall and abruptly cutting them loose when theyve lost their utility. Few former Trump allies have turned on him as publicly as Cohen, who served time in jail for crimes related to work he did for Trump, including those payments to Daniels. Its that tortured history that makes Cohen such a challenging witness for prosecutors. Hes a central player in the case against Trump and yet hes a convicted felon.

I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired, Cohen told a federal judge in 2018 as he was sentenced to three years in prison for campaign-finance violations and other crimes. In fact I now know there is little to be admired.

When Cohen first started working for Donald Trump in 2006, Cohen, by his own account, was a little-known Manhattan attorney taking the money he made from personal injury and medical malpractice cases and investing it into taxi medallionsand apartments in Trump-branded buildings. But when Trump brought him in to use strong arm tactics with a building board, Cohen found he relished the rush of working in Trumps orbit. (Trump gave Cohen a copy of an impassioned speech hed made while trying to stack a board in Trumps favorin a gilt frame, of course.)

Within a few years, Cohen had his own office in Trump Tower and, according to Cohens memoir, Disloyal, Trump was at the bar mitzvah of Cohens son, telling both of them, Youre family.

By the time Trump was the Republican candidate for President in 2016, Cohen had become a point of contact for dozens of Trumps acquaintances and business associates. Most relevant for Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney, those associates included David Pecker, who was publisher of The National Inquirer at the time, and testified on April 26 that he helped suppress stories that could have damaged Trumps 2016 presidential campaign.

In his memoir, Cohen described himself as a one-time acolyte of Trump, one who, to the frustration of his own wife and family, was completely taken by the intoxication of the real estate moguls presence and approval.

Trump fed him a fantasy like a confidence artist and was showing me that he inhabited a different type of reality, one that he would share with me alone, a world that was filled with wonder and excitement and power and intrigue and adulation, Cohen wrote. All I had to do was what I was told, without question or a second thought.

But that gossamer bubble began to lose its sheen when Trump won the White House, cut Cohen out of a role in Washington, gave him an annual bonus that was a third of the year before, and, according to Cohens account, slow-walked reimbursing Cohen for his payout to Daniels. Those reimbursements caught the eye of Special Counsel Robert Mueller who was investigating links between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia, and when Cohens office was raided by FBI agents in April 2018, Cohen says Trump spoke to him on the phone and told him Stay strong, I have your back. Youre going to be fine.

It was the last time Cohen talked to Trump, Cohen wrote in his memoir. Over the next several months, Cohen initially agreed to enter into a joint defense agreement with Trump and others in his orbit. He also admits he lied to Congress when he testified about conversations he had with Trump over a Russian real estate deal. I lied and lied and lied, he wrote in his memoir. When the Department of Justice charged him with crimes related to his taxi medallion business, tax filings and his payments to Daniels, he decided to plead guilty for a reduced sentence. That was the moment he turned on Trump.

Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for financial crimes and lying to congress. During the pandemic lockdowns, he was released from the Otisville Correctional Facility in New York after a year of confinement. He was briefly sent back for allegedly violating the terms of his release by continuing to work on his memoir and moving forward with plans to publish it.

In recent years, Cohens been a prime target of Trumps ire, with the former President calling his former fixer a fraudster, a proven liar, and a disgraced felon." Trump has continued to launch attacks against Cohen as the criminal trial ramped up, part of the reason Judge Juan Merchan imposed a gag order on Trump saying he cant publicly criticize jurors, lawyers and potential witnesses.

Despite the animosity between them, Trumps and Cohens lives remain intertwined in multiple ways. Cohen still lives in Trump Park Avenue, a Trump-branded building in Manhattan. And last year, Cohen was a player in Trumps civil fraud trial, testifying that he had helped manipulate the value of Trumps assets on financial statements used to help Trump secure loans and other deals. Trump reportedly stayed out of the courtroom as his former fixer delivered the damaging testimony.

Trump doesnt have that option in his criminal trial. Should Cohen testify, the two will be face to face once again, after all these years.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Pro-Palestinian protestors demonstrate at Columbia University in New York on April 22, 2024. Several universities, including Columbia and Tufts University in Massachusetts, have been confronted by pro-Palestinian encampments erected on school campus. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

April 29 (UPI) -- A pro-Palestinian encampment erected on the campus of Tufts University "must end," the school said, calling on protesters to remove it "peacefully and voluntarily."

The Massachusetts school made the announcement Sunday, as universities throughout the country are confronted by pro-Palestinian protests sparked by Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza.

Tufts said in a statement that Student Life staff will be reaching out to the protesters Monday morning to plan the dismantling of the encampment over the next few days, stating its presence has already delayed preparations for commencement and that it must be removed for those activities to begin.

"The class of 2024 deserves to be celebrated," it said. "Commencement is the moment to celebrate their accomplishments with their family and friends and for us to honor their achievements as a community."

Their has been a pro-Palestinian protest presence at the university since the war began in early October, and the university said is has "balanced" the students' right to protest with conduct policies, and those who have been sanctioned either violated those policies or interfered with the university's operations.

It added that protesters, including some not affiliated with Tufts, have created conditions that have attracted complaints and that while much of a demonstration held on Friday was peaceful, "there were many actions that violated university policies."

"Demonstrators entered a classroom, blocked paths and defaced, stickered and scrawled obscene language on buildings throughout the campus," it said.

Complaints of harassment, intimidation and disruption as well as for aggressive tactics were also received by the school over the weekend, it added.

Tufts continued that it has tried to maintain lines of communications with the protesters. It said they had a meeting held following Friday's protest, the contents of which will not be made available until after the quad is cleared.

"Their request, which includes a threat to continue disruption, only comes after they have escalated their actions, caused intentional and malicious harm to our community and campus, broken multiple university policies and, most importantly, violated the values and norms of the institution," it said.

"The protesters' actions increasingly come at the expense of their fellow students' rights and a meeting cannot be a reward for such behavior."

Tufts is one of several universities confronting pro-Palestinian protests, some of which have been marked by arrests.

So-called Gaza Solidarity Encampments have been erected on the campuses of New York University, Emerson College, Columbia and others.
by Gretinah Machingura

HARARE, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The allegation of overcapacity in China's green industries by the United States is misplaced, a senior official from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has said.

"The fact that buyers still desire Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) suggests that the global market is not saturated yet and the assertion of overcapacity in China may be misplaced," Eunice Kamwendo, director of the UNECA Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

She made the remarks in response to assertions of "overcapacity" in China's flourishing green industries made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during her recent visit to China.

Instead of blaming China for "industrial overcapacity," the United States must play to global trade rules, Kamwendo said in her e-mailed response to Xinhua from Zambia where the UNECA Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa is located.

Chinese manufacturers "appear to have gotten a headstart, not least because of the aggressive investments made in their domestic market starting in 2009 and 2010, when many other countries were slow to develop their EV industries," she said.

China's competitiveness in its green industries' productive capacities had resulted in its EVs priced relative to their production costs, taking advantage of the increasing appetite for EVs globally, Kamwendo said.

Noting that European Union countries, in particular, are accelerating the transition to EVs at a cheaper price, Kamwendo said China has been able to meet this demand and fill the gap.

"Undoubtedly, the United States would like a share of the lucrative EU EV market. It needs to compete," Kamwendo said.

The UN official added that the rising global demand for Chinese EVs suggests that global supply is still insufficient, and instead of complaining, the United States should beef up its game to effectively compete.

Kamwendo said industrial capacity of any goods, including green energy products, fluctuates throughout the production cycle over time.

"If productive capacity is between zero and 100, and a firm stands at 80 percent in April but the domestic economy can only absorb 50 percent, companies will seek to export the remainder capacity into the global market. This is trade," she noted.

"Does that make the practice overcapacity? In economic terms, no," Kamwendo said.

She said China is a powerhouse with quick, cheap industrial capacity, which is very competitive, with a cost-effective supply chain which allows it to lead in global EV sales.

"Indeed, China's experimentation in adjacent industries, innovative technological solutions and proximity to green mineral supplies, has enabled it to leapfrog competition," Kamwendo said. 
When the Marine Corps turns 250, Marines may get to raise a pint to the Corps in the place where it supposedly all began.

The nonprofit Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation announced in a news release Monday it has acquired land to rebuild an authentic reproduction of the tavern where, as legend has it, the few and the proud got their start.

The plan is to establish the reconstructed Tun Tavern in time for the Marine Corps 250th birthday in November 2025, according to Sue Hamilton, a spokeswoman for the foundation.

Retired Lt. Gen. Charles Chiarotti, president and CEO of the Marine Corps Association, said in the release, With the Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation leading the way, Marines of past, present and future will have their rightful gathering spot in the very city where the Marine Corps was formed.

In November 1775, when Samuel Nicholas was tasked with raising two battalions of Continental Marines, he headed to Philadelphias Tun Tavern, according to traditional Marine Corps lore. Though Tun Tavern was destroyed in 1781, it has enjoyed a long afterlife as a symbol of the Marine Corps birth.

Tun Tavern has retained its title as the traditional birthplace of the Marine Corps despite doubts raised by one prominent Marine historian about in which bar, exactly, Nicholas launched his recruiting efforts. In his 1974 book The United States Marines: A History, Brig. Gen. Edwin Howard Simmons, then the director of Marine Corps history and museums, asserted that the Conestoga Waggon  a tavern owned by the Nicholas family  was more likely where Nicholas snagged his first recruits.

The Marine Corps is not the only organization that regards Tun Tavern as a hallowed site in its history.

Tun Tavern also is the birthplace of Freemasonry in Pennsylvania. The St. George, St. Andrew and Friendly Sons of St. Patrick societies were founded or held meetings in the tavern, according to the foundation.

And Tun Tavern purportedly is where John Adams and the Naval Committee met in 1775 to write the documents structuring what is now the Navy, the foundation said in the release.

The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation plans to create a functioning tavern and restaurant, with historical exhibits and special events geared toward educating visitors about the establishments history. Profits will go to the causes of the organizations founded at the tavern, according to the news release.

The land sits at 19 South 2nd Street in Philadelphias Old City neighborhood, within 250 yards of the original Tun Tavern site.

Acquiring the land was the first step, Rob Brink, the foundations board chair and deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Free and Accepted Masons, said in the release. The next step is fundraising.

Funds are coming from private donations, corporate partnerships, foundation support, and federal and state grants, according to the release.

The foundation plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony in November 2024, according to the release.
Turkey backs Rutte as next NATO chief, Ankara official says

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey has told allies that it will back the candidacy of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to be NATO's next secretary-general, a Turkish official said on Monday, an important step towards securing him the top job.

NATO's next chief will face the challenge of sustaining allies' support for Ukraine's fight against Russia's invasion, while guarding against any escalation that could draw the military alliance directly into a war with Moscow.

NATO takes decisions by consensus, so any candidate needs the support of all 32 allies.

Turkey, along with fellow NATO member states Hungary, Slovakia and Romania - whose President Klaud Iohannis is standing against Rutte - has not publicly voiced its support for Rutte to succeed Jens Stoltenberg, who will be stepping down as the head of the military alliance in October.

Ankara's backing may increase pressure on Iohannis to withdraw from the contest, though Hungary has expressed opposition to Rutte's candidacy.

Budapest has raised critical comments made by Rutte about its government, but some diplomats say it could change its stance if Rutte pays a visit to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as he did to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan last week.

They expect Slovakia would also fall into line.

The United States, France, Germany, Britain and other alliance members have already voiced support for Rutte's candidacy.

Depending on the outcome of November's U.S. presidential election, Stoltenberg's successor may have to work with Donald Trump, who has faced fierce criticism for calling into question his commitment to defending NATO allies if re-elected.

Rutte - The Netherlands' longest-serving leader - announced his departure from Dutch politics last July, but remains in post. He has good relationships with British, European Union and U.S. leaders, including Trump.

Many NATO members are keen to wrap up the selection process soon, so it does not become part of bargaining over top European Union jobs after elections to the European Parliament in June.

Citing NATO diplomats, Dutch news agency ANP said earlier on Monday that Turkey had decided to back Rutte's candidacy, but it did not provide further details. Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency also confirmed Ankara's backing.

(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara, Sabine Siebold and Andrew Gray in Brussels, and Bart Meijer in Amsterdam; Editing by Huseyin Hayatsever, Jonathan Spicer and Andrew Heavens)
Turkey is home to over 4 million refugees, who are often maligned, scapegoated or caught in the middle of political debates, both domestically and in negotiations with the EU.

Turkey has not always been so hostile to displaced people, nor have they always been mere political bargaining chips. In the early 2010s, I personally experienced how the country allowed in hundreds of thousands of Syrians fleeing Bashar al-Assads killing machine.

From 2011 to 2015, cities like Gaziantep, Istanbul, and Antakya served as safe logistical hubs for hundreds of Syrian activists and organisations, whose work remains central today in seeking justice for human rights violations and war crimes worldwide.

Yet by the end of 2015 this situation had dramatically deteriorated, partially due the concurrence of three major events: Russian involvement in the Syrian war (meaning more refugees); the signing of the EU-Turkey deal in March 2016 (producing a wall and visa restrictions); and the July 2016 coup attempt (meaning more authoritarian and securitised government in Turkey).

Turkeys local elections on 31 March saw opposition party CHP make unprecedented gains. This shock result has raised the question of whether electoral politics can restore some dignity to one of the worlds largest refugee populations, whose fate is invariably tied to wider democratisation efforts within Turkey.

Refugees and Turkish politics

Most mainstream Turkish political parties agree that the solution to the presence of refugees in Turkey is returning them to their countries of origin, differing only in terms of when and how this return should happen. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of the ruling AK Party, has long vowed to send back up to one million Syrian refugees to what he calls safe zones within Syria. Likewise, in 2023, the CHP candidate Kemal Klcdaroglu said that if elected, he would send all Syrian refugees back within two years.

The vilification of refugees dominated both the CHPs and, to a lesser extent, the AKPs national campaigns in 2023. This was mainly thanks to the anti-immigration far-right ATA Alliance  the kingmaker with a decisive vote share of 5%  which turned refugees into the number one issue in the presidential runoff.

Though only a year later, refugees were remarkably absent from the 2024 local elections.

This may be due to the national governments harsh ongoing immigration practices, which include forced returns, arbitrary detentions and violent border enforcement. These practices had already led to a fall in the number of Syrian refugees (by far the largest cohort) arriving in Turkey, leaving little room for anti-immigration narratives to be leveraged by the opposition.

In addition, a deteriorating economy caused by the governments recent U-turn from its unorthodox policy to one of tight austerity, as well as unfulfilled promises to build homes in earthquake affected areas, have taken precedence over the issue of refugees for many voters.

Syrian refugees living in Eyyubiye District in Urfa, Turkey. 2022. Alfa Net/Shutterstock

Elections in Turkey

Elections in Turkey are neither free nor fair: the balance is tipped firmly in favour of Erdogan and the AK Party, which has ruled for 22 years at present. Elections are, however, competitive, in that both incumbent and opposition parties are theoretically able to win, and genuinely campaign and strive to do so.

While Erdogan was narrowly re-elected in the 2023 national polls, the opposition victory in the March 2024 local elections has revived hopes that political change can still be achieved through electoral means.

Election campaign posters of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu before the local elections in the streets of Mecidiyekoy in Istanbul. February 2024. tolga ildun/Shutterstock

Despite its autocratic government, research suggests that municipalities in Turkey can act as enclaves for democratic change. In particular, local elections in the city of Istanbul often have symbolic, demographic and economic gravity that can shape the politics of the whole country.

Much of the oppositions victory in March was due to the strong performance of the CHPs charismatic incumbent mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu. Imamoglu, who centred his campaign primarily on democratisation, has even claimed that Istanbul under his rule is now a beacon of hope and democracy for Turkey, and the world at large.

Could the CHP renew Turkeys democracy?

The CHP is a broad-spectrum political party that includes both openly anti-immigrant figures like Tanju Ozcan, the mayor of Bolu, and more refugee-friendly mayors like Tunc Soyer, the mayor of Izmir.

The party entered the 2024 local elections with a large number of female candidates and a union between the newly elected CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel and Ekrem Imamoglu (both presenting themselves as proponents of democracy), which was instrumental in the oppositions victory. In a speech at a Socialist International event in February, Ozel talked up his partys solidarity and democratic policies, and called for a fight against the rise of the far right across the world.

Both Ozel and Imamoglu have taken opportunities to show public solidarity with marginalised people: when Turkish authorities tried to disallow Kurdish DEM candidate Abdullah Zeydans electoral victory as mayor of Van, both politicians came out in clear support of him. Such actions have caused the CHPs centre of gravity to shift, if only a little, away from the right.

Provided there is no call for early elections, the CHP will have until 2028 to build on its current promises and launch democratisation efforts that can incorporate left-leaning parties like the DEM Party, which holds 10% of the national vote share.

However, it is not yet clear how far the CHPs democratic narrative can reach. Could it stop at a merely exclusive democracy that excludes non-citizen groups like refugees? Until refugees voluntarily return to their countries of origin (which is currently not foreseeable), how will the CHP handle their prolonged presence? Could the refugee-friendly stance of its potential allies and other small parties influence the CHPs position on migration? These are difficult questions that the CHP needs to answer, both internally and nationally.

Year of Elections

2024 will see an unprecedented number of important elections worldwide. The EU elections next June are probably the most relevant for forced migration in Turkey, and by outsourcing border control, the EU has arguably contributed to xenophobia against refugees in Turkey.

The predicted right-wing surge in EU elections will likely impact Turkey, not only affecting its government but also its opposition: the CHP and DEM are associated members of the Party of European Socialists. Time will tell whether the current democratic shift in Turkey will be immune to another episode of underhanded migration bargaining by the EU.

Despite its authoritarian leadership, a key aspect of Turkeys politics remains true: they are dynamic. The prospect of an inclusive democratisation process that can restore some dignity to refugees is far from impossible.

Este articulo fue publicado originalmente en The Conversation, un sitio de noticias sin fines de lucro dedicado a compartir ideas de expertos academicos.

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Dilshad Muhammad does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. His research was previously supported by a scholarship from Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.
Sami Al-Abdrabbuh and Sarah Finger McDonald, Democratic candidates in the state House District 16 primary. (Provided)

Two Corvallis School Board members are running for the Democratic nomination in House District 16, and the winner will replace a legislator who rose through the ranks to become House speaker.

The Corvallis-area districts race is open because outgoing Democratic Rep. Dan Rayfield is running for attorney general after nearly 10 years in the seat, the last two as House speaker.

With no Republicans in the race, the winner of the Democratic primary  either Sami Al-Abdrabbuh or Sarah Finger McDonald  will represent the district in Salem. It encompasses Corvallis, where Oregon State University is located, and includes surrounding areas, primarily to the north and east to the edge of Albany.

Rayfield, who isnt endorsing anyone in the race, won in 2022 with 75% of the vote against Republican Keith Lembke. The district has about three times as many registered Democratic voters than registered Republicans: Forty-six percent of the districts registered voters are Democrats, while 15% are Republicans. The remaining voters are unaffiliated or registered to third parties.

Both candidates seeking to replace Rayfield have doctoral degrees and experience with education policy. But they differ in their backgrounds and experiences in advocacy on issues like gun violence prevention and school finance.

Heres a look at the candidates:

Sami Al-Abdrabbuh

Sami Al-Abdrabbuh, who was born in the U.S., comes from an international family. His mother, whos from Syria, lives in Canada and his father, who is half Syrian and half Arabian, lives in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Abdrabbuh said his background is a reminder that all Oregonians have different experiences and stories that can guide lawmakers.

Oregon thrives when we understand where everybody is coming from, what they stand for, and how we can share ideas, he said. One of the things that I learned from a very young age is that we thrive when we listen to each other.

Name: Sami Al-Abdrabbuh

Party: Democratic

Age: 37

Residence: Corvallis

Education: Doctoral degree in industrial engineering, Oregon State University, 2020; masters degree in industrial engineering, Oregon State University, 2015; bachelors degree in engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals in Saudi Arabia, 2010.

Current occupation: Industrial engineer/project manager; instructor at Oregon State University

Prior elected experience: Member of Corvallis School Board since 2017; current president of Oregon School Boards Association

Fundraising: $55,652 as of April 25.

Cash on hand: $12,782 as of April 25.

Al-Abdrabbuh said he had a deep interest in education and that his work on the school board and as president of the Oregon School Boards Association has given him a firsthand experience in the budget process and how it affects issues like education, health and affordable housing.

He said he would prioritize the states lack of affordable housing and work on solutions to address homelessness.

No matter where your circumstances are, you deserve a roof over your head, Al-Abdrabbuh said.

Hes also concerned about workforce shortages, especially in health care, behavioral health and education. Al-Abdrabbuh said he wants to see the state develop a program to provide mortgage assistance or help with rent to workers who enter high-demand fields. Al-Abdrabbuh said details would have to be worked out but that the state could establish partnerships with businesses and create tax incentives to help companies hire needed professionals.

Al-Abdrabbuh said he has experience helping to secure funds. As a Corvallis School Board member, he advocated for passing a $200 million bond initiative to help schools make improvements to buildings to guard against earthquake damages.

As president of the Oregon School Boards Association, he said hes worked with other school districts to help them pass bonds for facilities.

He said the state should reconsider the education funding formula for public schools to increase funding to help student achievement in areas in which many students are weak, like literacy.

Its time for our Legislature to re-examine how we fund our schools, he said. That will be a laser focus of attention for myself.

He said his mix of public service and private sector engineering experience is good preparation for service as a legislator. For example, he has worked for General Electric as an engineer for safety monitoring systems in the water and energy industries.

Engineers need to prepare for the worst and consider the long-term impacts of their projects for years and decades ahead, he said. Similarly, lawmakers need to consider how their work will impact constituents in the long-term, he said.

Hes also overseen contracts with large companies like Hewlett Packard, which has a campus in Corvallis, that install manufacturing equipment and managed multi-million dollar projects as well as worked on budgets for the school board and served as the school board representative when the district bargained with the teachers union during contract negotiations.

When youre a legislator, youve got to have a balance and understanding of the private sector, public sector, education, supervising employees, working with multifunctional teams, all of these things are really important attributes, he said. I feel privileged to have them.

Al-Abdrabbuhs supporters include the Oregon Sierra Club, Corvallis Professional Firefighters, Ironworkers Local 29 and other labor groups for steelworkers and farm workers.

Sarah Finger McDonald

McDonald said she got her start in Oregon politics and activism after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut and Oregons Clackamas Town Center shooting in which three people, including the shooter, died. Both unfolded three days apart in December 2012.

Her sons persistent questions about the shootings spurred her to get involved, McDonald said.

He kept asking me Why, why? McDonald said. I realized that all I could really tell him was that I would work hard to make things better.

Name: Sarah Finger McDonald

Party: Democratic

Age: 52

Residence: Corvallis

Education: Doctoral degree in horticulture, Oregon State University, 2007, masters degree in horticulture, Virginia Tech, 2000, , Bachelors degree in biology, University of Notre Dame, 1994.

Current occupation: Academic advisor, Oregon State University

Prior elected experience: Member of the Corvallis School Board since 2017

Family status: Married with two children

Fundraising: $42,929 as of April 25.

Cash on hand: $22,180 as of April 25.

McDonald and other mothers founded an Oregon chapter of Moms Demand Action, a national organization that launched to prevent gun violence after Sandy Hook. But at a certain point, McDonald said, she realized activism alone isnt enough: Good people need to run for office to get results, she said.

Im not a traditional candidate whos run for office a lot, she said. Im an activist whos worked for 11 years to keep our communities safe and to support education.

To prevent gun violence, McDonald said municipalities need to have funding and support to implement Measure 114, a measure passed by voters in 2022 that would require permits and a safety training to purchase firearms. The measure is tied up in the courts, but McDonald hopes its implemented.

I want to make sure that municipalities have the support and the capability to carry out this expanded background checks and make sure that the training and permitting thats required in that measure actually happens, she said.

Other issues are on her radar, too.

McDonald, a Corvallis school board member, considers education a priority. She is an adviser at Oregon State University for non-traditional students, such as older adults returning to school and sees their struggles to balance jobs, families and tuition bills.

We need to make sure our students are supported pre-K through whatever educational path they take after high school, whether that be training for a trade and apprenticeship or community college or a four year college, McDonald said.

McDonald said shes a firm believer in reproductive rights and expanding them rather than taking them away, as other states have done after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Im a mom with a daughter who has fewer rights than I had when I was her age, McDonald said.

McDonald considers health care a priority. She has navigated the health care system during a crisis, battling colon cancer during the pandemic and said the state needs to bolster access to care. She supports a single payer system, like Medicare, that would prevent people from facing a financial crisis to get treatment.

Were paying for a lot in our health care system that doesnt directly take care of people, McDonald said.

She was diagnosed the first time in February 2021. The cancer returned in November 2022  caught early with a blood test  and McDonald had a second round of treatments in January. McDonald said she waited to make her decision to run until tests showed she was cancer free and healthy. During both bouts of cancer, McDonald had 20 rounds of chemotherapy and continued to attend most school board meetings except for when she was in the hospital for surgery.

I am tough as nails, McDonald said. I do not back down in the face of adversity, and I will work hard to make sure that were protecting our progressive values.

McDonalds supporters include the Oregon Nurses Association, the American Federation of Teachers-Oregon and Oregon Sierra Club.

The post Two Corvallis School Board members running for Democratic nod in House District 16 appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
Two dead and one injured after 350,000-pound load detaches from trailer in Texas

Two people are dead and one person is in critical condition after an oversized load detached from a trailer in Temple (Temple Fire and Resucue)

Two people are dead and one person is in critical condition after an oversized load detached from a trailer in Texas.

Emergency crews responded to the incident about 90 minutes north of Austin at 11:20 am and found the load  which weighed 350,000 pounds  on top of a vehicle carrying three people at the intersection of Highway 36 and 317, according to Temple Fire & Rescue.

The Temple Police Department was also called to the scene.

Officials said the extrication process took over four hours to remove the driver from the vehicle - who was then transported to hospital by helicopter with life-threatening injuries. Two other people were pronounced dead at the scene.

Temple Fire and Rescue added that ten units and 25 personnel responded to the collision to assist.

The load weighed 350,000 pounds (Temple Fire and Rescue)

The cause of the collision is still under investigation, officials said.

The road was closed on Saturday to allow a cleanup and recovery process to take place, Temple Fire & Rescue said.

Police ask that anyone with information regarding the incident call the Temple Police Department.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene and one was critically injured (Temple Fire and Rescue)

The identities of the victims have not been released.
Two men plead guilty to charges related to large counterfeit drug-trafficking ring on North Shore

Two men have pleaded guilty to charges in connection with a large drug trafficking ring on the North Shore that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Nelson Mora, 31, of Lynn, and Christopher Nagle, 30, of Revere, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to one count each of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Nagle also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor scheduled sentencings for Aug. 5 and Aug. 13, respectively.

According to court documents, Christopher Nagle and his brother, Lawrence Michael Nagle, were identified as alleged leaders of a drug trafficking ring on the North Shore.

Prosecutors alleged that the ring distributed significant quantities of various controlled substances including Adderall, both pharmaceutical-grade pills and counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine; Oxycodone, both pharmaceutical-grade and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl; methamphetamine, Xanax, cocaine and marijuana, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Christopher Nagles brother, Lawrence Michael Nagle, allegedly distributed the drugs to a small network of people who would then redistribute the drugs to other traffickers, including Mora, who also had access to a pill press machine which he used to create counterfeit pills, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

A search of Christopher Nagles apartment recovered more than 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms.

Mora and Nagle are the tenth and eleventh persons to plead guilty in this case.

The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and fine of up to $1 million.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Two Native nations based in San Diego County are slated to receive money from a new, first-of-its-kind state program aimed at supporting efforts to return land across California to its original caretakers.

Called the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions grant program, the $100 million initiative will help more than 30 projects spearheaded by Indigenous groups across California, as well as fund the return of more than 38,000 acres of land to the states Tribal nations.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the recipients for the grant, which includes North Countys Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel and Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians, on Friday.

Some benches and picnic tables removed along San Diego River

These awards are an acknowledgment of past sins, a promise of accountability, and a commitment to a better future  for the land and all its people, especially its original stewards, Newsom said in a statement.

According to the California Natural Resources Agency, the grants for the Iipay Nation and the Rincon Band of Luiseno Indians will both be used to purchase property that falls within the boundaries of their ancestral lands for conservation and community education.

This award is not merely a financial contribution; it is a symbol of solidarity, a recognition of our inherent rights, and a commitment to stewarding our ancestral lands, Kevin Osuna, chairman of the Iipay Nation, said in a statement.

With these funds, we will not only secure the physical boundaries of our land but also lay the foundation for a future where our children, grandchildren and local communities can thrive, rooted in the strength of our heritage, he continued.

The Rincon Band, in particular, plans to acquire 600 acres of land contiguous to the Tribes reservation near the northeastern San Diego community of Valley Center, the nation said in a summary of its project submitted to the state.

A map of all the Indigenous nations who received grants through the new program can be found to the right.

Photos: A glimpse into the past as Oceanside reels from pier fire

The Tribal Nature-Based Solutions program began development about four years ago after Newsom instructed the California Natural Resources Agency to advance restoration and preservation efforts through a 2020 executive order.

The order also created a goal for the agency to conserve at least 30 percent of the states land and coastal waters by 2030.

In December 2023, the Natural Resources Agency dispersed the first sum of money through the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions grant program to the Hoopa Valley Tribe, located in northwestern California, to support their purchase of 10,395 acres of forested land on Hupa Mountain.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (PIX11)  Two suspects accused of hiding human remains across Long Island earlier this year were charged with murder on Monday, according to officials.

Jeffrey Mackey and Alexis Nieves both pleaded not guilty to the charges in the deaths of Malcolm Brown and Donna Conneely, officials said. Mackey was charged in connection to Malcolm Brown and Conneelys death, while Nieves was charged in Conneelys death.

More Local News

Two additional suspects, Steven Brown and Amanda Wallace, were also arrested in March. They were not charged with murder. Steven Brown and Malcolm Brown are cousins.

Mackey, Nieves and Steven Brown allegedly planned to kill the two victims, prosecutors said. The home where the killings allegedly took place, 25 Railroad Ave. in Amityville, was searched by Suffolk police in March.

Mackey is accused of repeatedly stabbing Malcolm Brown to death before attacking Conneely, who was trying to intervene, prosecutors said. Conneely was then stabbed in the neck and strangled by Mackey before Nieves allegedly beat and stabbed her, according to prosecutors.

Malcolm Brown and Conneely were then dismembered in a bathtub in the Amityville home, prosecutors alleged. Blood was found throughout the home during the investigation, according to the indictment.

The victims body parts were later discovered in three locations. Human remains were originally discovered in Southards Pond Park in Babylon on Feb. 29, and more body parts were discovered in a wooded area in West Babylon and Bethpage State Park on March 5.

Bronx mom allegedly beat, hung daughter, 6, in closet: DA

The knife used to kill Malcolm Brown and Conneely was also used to rob a gas station prior to the killings, according to prosecutors.

Mackey, Nieves, Steven Brown, and Wallace were also charged with concealment of a human corpse by hacking, hindering prosecution, and tampering with physical evidence. Less than an hour after being charged, they were all released without bail.

Their release has sparked outrage among officials who blamed New Yorks bail reform laws. After her release, Wallace was arrested again for allegedly shoplifting from a CVS store.

If convicted of the murder charges, Mackey could face up to two terms of 25 years to life in prison, while Nieves could face one term of 25 years to life in prison.

Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Chey Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and chairman of SK Group, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met with Chey Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and chairman of SK Group, on Monday in Beijing.

He, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China is applying its new development philosophy in full, accelerating its construction of a new development paradigm, cultivating new quality productive forces, firmly promoting high-quality development, creating a market-oriented and law-based international business environment, and stepping up efforts to attract foreign investment.

"We welcome companies from the Republic of Korea to expand investment in China," He said.

Chey Tae-won said that SK Group is full of confidence in the Chinese economy and will continue to promote investment and cooperation in China. 
Dave Henslee and Diane Linthicum are competing in the Republican primary for state Senate District 28 in central and southern Oregon. No Democrats are running so the primary winner will have the job. (Campaign photos)

Dave Henslee and Diane Linthicum are competing in the Republican primary for state Senate District 28 in central and southern Oregon. No Democrats are running so the primary winner will have the job. (Campaign photos)

Two Republicans are competing for the Klamath County Senate district currently held by Republican Sen. Dennis Linthicum: Linthicums wife and a Klamath County commissioner.

No Democrats are seeking the seat in the heavily Republican 28th District, which stretches from the California border to central Oregon just south of Bend and includes all of Klamath County and parts of Deschutes and Jackson counties. That means the primary winner will replace Linthicum, who is disqualified from rerunning because of his participation in the 2023 GOP-led Senate walkout. Hes running for secretary of state instead.

His wife, Diane Linthicum, has obvious name recognition but so does her opponent, Dave Henslee, whos a former police chief in Klamath Falls and currently serves on the county commission.

Heres a look at the two candidates:

Dave Henslee

In an interview, Henslee said he would bring a long record of public service and a willingness to work with others to find solutions.

He had a nearly 28-year career in law enforcement, most of it at the Corvallis Police Department, where he was a police officer for 22 years, rising to the rank of captain. In 2015, he became the chief of police in Klamath Falls before his retirement from law enforcement in 2021. The next year, he was elected to a two-year term as a Klamath County commissioner.

Name: Dave Henslee

Party: Republican

Age: 53

Residence: Merrill

Current occupation: Klamath County commissioner, rancher, former police chief

Education: Bachelors degree in political science, Oregon State University, 1993.

Prior elected experience: Klamath County commissioner, elected in 2022

Family status: Married, three adult children

Fundraising: $34,857 raised as of April 23.

Cash on hand: $28,271 as of April 23.

Henslee said public safety would be a priority if he were elected, including addressing the states drug addiction crisis. As a senator, Henslee said he would want to build upon House Bill 4002, which will create a new misdemeanor in September for low-level drug possession while trying to steer drug users toward addiction treatment instead of jail. Lawmakers passed the bill this session in response to the fentanyl epidemic.

That bill made funding available for counties that opt to start programs for drug users, all without court charges or jail time. So far, 23 of Oregons 36 counties have agreed to set up the programs, including Henslees Klamath County. If elected, Henslee said he would look for long-term funding for the programs so they dont turn into an unfunded mandate for counties.

Im on board, its going to be great, and its going to provide access to recovery or treatment for recovery of citizens, Henslee said. But whats the long term sustainable funding plan for that?

He said lawmakers should respond to any improvements in fatal overdoses with funding that treatment providers can rely upon.

If we see a decrease in deaths of Oregonians from drug use, and we see an increase in availability and access to treatment, then Im going to want to push really hard to continue that momentum to provide that resource to Oregonians, Henslee said.

Henslee was among a group of law enforcement officials, district attorneys and others in the National Association of Counties and the Association of Oregon Counties public safety committee, which he co-chairs, who lobbied lawmakers in recent months to unwind Measure 110 and recriminalize possession of small amounts of drugs .

Henslee said he is proud of that effort.

We need to do a little more work to make sure that people not only have access to treatment, but people are going to treatment and have opportunities to be successful through treatment in their recovery, he said.

Henslee said its important for communities to have flexibility as they build out programs to treat people and keep them out of jail. What works in one community may not work in another, he said.

Other issues are on Henslees radar too, like the economy and natural resources.

For example, Henslee said, the state needs policies with more flexibility to allow more but responsible logging to thin out forests and reduce the devastation from wildfires that are expected to become increasingly frequent with climate change.

I really think that we need to be focusing on policy that allows us to use our natural resources in a way that protects them for future generations, but also benefits the current generation, and I think sometimes were failing to do that, he said.

Henslee, as one of three commissioners, played a key role in helping to craft the countys five-year strategic plan by working with residents and county employees. The plan sets the counties priorities through 2028, calling for a focus on the economy, public safety, housing, recreation and government.

Henslee said when he took office in 2022, he found out that the county didnt have one.

I walked into my office, and I said to staff, Hey, where can I find the county strategic plan? he said. And they said, We dont have one.

In response, Henslee led an effort to develop one, saying its good for officials to have so they know what direction the county is headed and the communitys expectations when they make decisions.

The county hired a consulting firm, setting up a committee and getting input from nearly 1,300 community members, Henslee said. He served as the liaison between the committee and the county commissioners.

I prioritized developing that strategic plan based heavily on the needs and expectations of our community, Henslee said.

Henslee said hes not an expert in every topic that comes up in the Legislature but said hes humble enough to ask questions and educate himself before making decisions.

Henslee said he would work in a collaborative way in a Democrat-dominated Legislature, even when others have different opinions. Regardless of what ones opinion is, Henslee said, everyone deserves to be heard and respected with open and transparent debate.

All of us come to any topic with a different opinion, he said. I like to hear what those different opinions are because I think it opens our minds and broadens our horizons when we listen to each other and we have differences. And Im going to approach Salem with an open mind. Im going to listen to the differences.

Name: Diane Linthicum

Party: Republican

Age: Unavailable

Residence: Beatty

Education: Studied business at Orange Coast College and Rio Hondo College, both in California

Current occupation: rancher and legislative chief of staff for Sen. Dennis Linthicum

Prior elected experience: None.

Family status: Married, two grown children

Fundraising: $35,119 raised as of April 23.

Cash on hand: $11,761 as of April 23

Diane Linthicum

Linthicum, whose husband has endorsed her, didnt respond to multiple emails and phone calls seeking an interview.

She has served as chief of staff in her husbands Senate office and also worked as a rancher. In her statement in the states voters guide, Linthicum said shes committed to rural values and liberty without government interference.

Special interests and heavy-handed bureaucracies are creating social turmoil for families and businesses while destroying our natural resource economy, her statement said. Farmers, ranchers, water-right holders, (agriculture) producers, foresters and main street businesses are quickly losing their ability to manage their interests.

Lithicum also said she will oppose needless intrusion and regulation by Salem Democrats.

Her priorities listed in the voters guide include advocating for age-appropriate education materials and school choice, which means using public money for education beyond the local public option.

She supports in-person voting and overturning Oregons sanctuary law that prevents state and local law enforcement from helping federal authorities crack down on undocumented immigrants.

She also opposes abortion and has garnered support from Oregon Right to Life PAC.

The post Two-way race for Linthicums Klamath Falls Senate seat pits his wife against county commissioner appeared first on Oregon Capital Chronicle.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia  U.S. and Arab leaders are expressing concerns that newly revived talks could be the last chance for a cease-fire and hostage release before the war could explode with a threatened Israeli attack on Gazas southernmost city of Rafah.

As Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Arab leaders in Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, on Monday, there were urgent calls for a deal between Israel and Hamas that would head off an assault on Rafah, where more than 1 million people are sheltering.

President Joe Biden reiterated U.S. opposition to a Rafah operation in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

U.S. officials do not believe Israel is ready to launch a full-scale ground incursion of Rafah, providing a crucial window to secure a deal for a truce and the release of hostages still held by Hamas, two people familiar with the American position said.

Protests against Israels actions have rocked college campuses across the U.S., and Israel fears its leaders could soon face arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court.

UC Berkeley Students Hold Rally In Support Of Gaza (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)

Blinken said in Riyadh that the cease-fire proposal mediators from Qatar and Egypt handed to Hamas was extraordinarily generous. He added that Hamas had to decide quickly about the offer and that he was hopeful that they will make the right decision.

An Israeli official and an Arab diplomat with knowledge of the negotiations told NBC News that 33 hostages would be freed in the first stage under the deal on the table in exchange for a temporary cease-fire and the release of Palestinian prisoners.

The freed captives would be made up of women, children, the elderly and those with serious medical conditions, the official said, adding that earlier talks had focused on a deal for 40 hostages but that Hamas has indicated it may not have 40 living hostages who fit those criteria.

Israeli officials have said 133 hostages remain in Gaza, although 34 were thought to be dead.

In a significant softening of Israels position, senior administration officials and Arab diplomats said Israel has for the first time indicated it would accept a sustained cease-fire lasting more than six weeks, as the U.S. has been proposing.

And two senior officials, as well as an Arab diplomat, said everything rests on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who all sides believe to be underground in the terrorist organizations network of tunnels.

A Hamas political leader told NBC News The new proposal is a positive development, but it is too early to be optimistic.

The Hamas leader said that because of the groups long experience with the Israeli government, it cannot be sure until the final moment.

The leader added that some issues need careful negotiations and clear confirmation.

Talks had been at an impasse for weeks, but U.S. officials said they had been encouraged that Hamas released two videos showing proof of life of three captives, which might indicate its interest in making a deal.

If the hostages are not released soon, there is no way to hold back the Israelis on Rafah, an Arab diplomat involved in the talks told NBC News Monday. An attack on Rafah would give Sinwar the support he needs to hold out for the destruction of Israel.

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza protest in front of the Israeli parliament (Menahem Kahana / AFP - Getty Images file)

U.S. officials believe that were a cease-fire to take effect and a deal to be struck to release the remaining hostages, Netanyahu, who is coming under increasing pressure at home to secure their freedom, would find it harder to resume major military operations in Gaza, the two sources said.

Widespread protests in Israel have called for Netanyahu and his government to do more to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

But the government has appeared divided over the proposal in recent days.

Right-wing members of Netanyahu's Cabinet have signaled their opposition, saying Israel should focus on attacking Rafah, and they have threatened to leave the government if the deal goes ahead. More moderate members, including war Cabinet minister Benny Gantz, have said a hostage deal is more urgent than an offensive in Rafah.

Netanyahu has repeatedly signaled his intention to launch a full-scale ground invasion on the city, where it says many remaining Hamas militants are holed up.

Blinken  on his seventh trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war started in October  told Arab officials Monday that the best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to conclude a cease-fire agreement to release hostages.

The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to alleviate the suffering of children, women and men and to create space for a more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and the hostages out, he said at the Gulf Cooperation Council of foreign ministers in Riyadh.

Moving toward a hostage deal and a temporary cease-fire that could be extended is the chief goal of Blinken's trip, U.S. officials said.

They added that Blinken would meet with Egyptian and Qatari officials at the forum. Both countries have been pushing for a truce in Gaza, and a high-level delegation from Egypt visited Israel last week to discuss a prolonged cease-fire.

Blinken will then travel to Jordan and Israel.

The U.S. also continues to pursue a broader deal that would involve a normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a path toward an independent Palestinian state and a plan to rebuild Gaza, the American officials said.

A Palestinian mourns relatives killed in Israeli bombardment (AFP - Getty Images)

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who is also attending the forum, said Monday that the most important thing now is to avoid an attack on Rafah, because it would be catastrophic.

Rafah is the chief entry point for desperately needed aid from Egypt, which is especially concerned about the wars spreading across its borders. Madbouly added that progress had been made but that there are still fundamental issues on both sides that needed to be ironed out. There must be compromises on both sides, he said.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan also said at the forum that cool-headed countries and leaders and people need to prevail. He added that the region needs stability.

Meanwhile, Israels military continued to bombard Rafah from the air over the weekend. Palestinian health officials said at least 22 people, including six women and five children, were killed.

Andrea Mitchell and Keir Simmons reported from Riyadh and Raf Sanchez from Tel Aviv.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
An American tourist who's facing over a decade behind bars in the Turks and Caicos islands after ammunition was found in his luggage said Monday he's trying to FaceTime with his children back home as much as possible in case he ultimately goes to prison.

"I've been told that there's, you know, quite a bit of restricted communication while you're in prison, and so I'm just trying to soak up as much of that as I can," Ryan Watson, a 40-year-old father of two from Oklahoma, told CBS News.

Watson is out on bail, but he said he can't leave the country and has to check in at a local police station twice a week. He's facing a potential mandatory minimum sentence of 12 years behind bars.

Tourists aren't allowed to possess guns or ammunition in Turks and Caicos. They've been allowed to pay a fine in the past, but a court order in February mandated that tourists be subjected to prison time.

"It's something that I'm deeply, deeply sorry for," Watson said Monday. "I completely respect their laws and, you know, stand behind what they're trying to accomplish with their gun laws, but I just still pray that there's some consideration that there was zero intent behind this and this was 100% a mistake and an accident."

Watson said he didn't intend to break any laws while visiting the country with his wife earlier this month.

"I don't see how imprisoning me is going to help them in any way, you know, but, yeah, that's not my decision to make unfortunately," he told CBS News.

Watson was arrested April 12 when four rounds of hunting ammunition were found in his carry-on luggage as he and his wife Valerie Watson were trying to head home after a vacation in the British territory. Valerie Watson isn't facing charges and returned to the couple's 9-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter in Oklahoma last week.

Ryan Watson is seen during an interview with CBS News on April 29, 2024. / Credit: CBS News

Watson earlier told CBS News the ammunition may have been left in his bag after he went to Texas on a hunting trip. The Transportation Security Administration acknowledged its officers missed it when the Watsons went through security in Oklahoma City at the start of their trip to Turks and Caicos.

Watson is one of several Americans who have been detained in the territory in recent months under similar circumstances. Michael Grim from Indiana served almost six months in prison after pleading guilty to having ammunition in his checked bag.

"No clean running water. You're kind of exposed to the environment 24/7," he told CBS News. "Mosquitoes and tropical illnesses are a real concern."

Watson hopes the U.S. State Department will help find a resolution for all the Americans whose cases are pending in Turks and Caicos.

"It's tearing families apart right now," he said, "and I've got two kids at home that- their little hearts don't understand what's going on."

Kris Van Cleave contributed reporting.

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UDPATED: Ukraine appeals to CoE regarding derogation from parts of Convention on Human Rights and Freedoms due to martial law

Editor's note: The article was updated with additional comments by Justice Minister Denys Maliuska.

Ukraine sent an application to the Council of Europe regarding the suspension of the terms of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms due to martial law, according to a statement published on April 28.

Ukraine made the appeal on April 4, but it was published by the end of the month.

Justice Minister Denys Maliuska said that this application was part of Ukraine's regular updates on what restrictions it might impose and is one of Kyiv's international obligations, adding that some suspensions were actually removed in April. The first such application was submitted in 2015, one year after the start of Russian aggression in Crimea and Donbas.

The European Court of Human Rights gives Council of Europe member states the right to derogate from some articles under special circumstances, such as armed aggression.

According to Kyiv's application, the military could temporarily implement limitations on certain rights.

These measures would include seizing property for the needs of the state, following the curfew, prohibiting peaceful mass events, and prohibiting residence changes for those who registered with the military or special registry, among other limitations.

The military command is also allowed to inspect the belongings, vehicles, baggage, cargo, office premises, and citizens' homes by the established procedure and implement the special regime for citizens, foreigners, and stateless persons, as well as vehicles' movement.

The military housing duty for individuals and legal entities is also established, complying with martial law.

Martial law was introduced on Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since then, the Ukrainian government has prolonged it several times.

Under martial law, Ukrainian men aged between 18 and 60, with some exceptions, are not allowed to leave the country as they may be called up for military service.

The Ukrainian government is seeking to ramp up its mobilization efforts in 2024 due to the lack of personnel in the Armed Forces.

In April, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the updated bill on mobilization, which will be put into force the following month. It will introduce new restrictions to those who violate it, including sanctions on personal property.

Read also: Government bans sending passports to military-age Ukrainian men abroad

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Around 17 protesters were arrested on the University of Georgia campus after some students and some Athens community members held a pro-Palestine demonstration Monday.

According to a UGA spokesperson Greg Trevor, the Monday mornings encampment on the North Campus Quad crossed a line and violated the schools policies.

Students say the university has chosen profit over the lives of the Palestinian people and the overwhelming force of student opinion.

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Trevor said that the students and staff did not make a required reservation under UGAs Freedom of Expression Policy. This led to five protesters erecting tents and a barricade, blocking sidewalks and building entrances, and using amplified sound.

Officials stated that protesters were told repeatedly for over an hour that the tents and barricades they had put in place had to be removed and that they must comply with school policies. They were then told they could make a reservation and relocate to one of the designated forums, but they refused. UGA warned protesters they would be arrested for trespassing if they did not comply with policies. UGA police arrested those who refused to comply.

Channel 2s Audrey Washington was in Athens Monday, where she saw a few of the protesters walk out of the jail after making bond. They did not want to speak on camera.

A protester and UGA alum who only wanted to be identified as John waited for others to be released.

(Im) trying to show solidarity and support for them, John said. A lot of them are students and definitely scared right now. Theres a lot of concern among the community.

Police moved in quickly Monday morning.

There were police and people protesting, and people were in handcuffs, student William Willis said. It was pretty crazy.

Another protester said the police did not negotiate with the protesters.

They just showed up and were like, Yall need to leave, and they had guns, one said.

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We remain grateful for the dedicated service of our Student Affairs team and University Police officers, who have worked tirelessly throughout the year to facilitate the safety of those who choose to exercise their right to peacefully protest on our campus. Anyone who feels threatened or who has experienced threats, harassment or discrimination is encouraged to contact the Universitys Police Department and/or Equal Opportunity Office immediately. Let us make it abundantly clear that while the University of Georgia staunchly supports freedom of expression, we will not cede control of our campus to groups that refuse to abide by University policy and threaten the safety of those who live, work and study here. The University of Georgia remains an institution where ideas, viewpoints, and scholarship can be openly expressed and debated, Trevor said.

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It was a busy Sunday on Emorys campus as protestors gathered to resume peaceful demonstrations of pro-Palestinian protests.

But hours earlier, the peaceful demonstrations took a turn.

Several people were issued warnings for trespassing from Saturday nights criminal activity on campus.

Emory police were called out late at night after some demonstrators vandalized campus property, painting hateful messages on several buildings and structures.

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(Bloomberg) -- British taxpayers are paying more and more for a planning system buckling under the strain of years of underfunding and increasingly strident NIMBYism.

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Freedom of Information requests by Bloomberg show taxpayers are paying the most on record to cover the costs of developers successfully appealing planning applications turned down by local authorities. The share of rejected applications ultimately overturned rose to more than 30% last year, the highest proportion in at least 10 years, the data show.

Standing for not-in-my-back-yard, NIMBYs are increasingly taking advantage of the UK process for approving new homes, making it more bureaucratic, producing avoidable costs and slowing construction amid an acute housing shortage. With an increasing amount of residents taking up their right to share their views before local governments vote on applications, more viable plans are being rejected, only to be then channeled to a central government body to be re-reviewed.

Planning is a political process, said Richard Blyth, head of policy practice and research at the Royal Town Planning Institute. There are cases where planning staff recommend an application for approval and local councils override the decision  leading to more appeals and slower building.

Bloomberg based the findings on FOI responses from local authorities for seven boroughs of London, plus 20 major UK towns and cities.

The cost of handling appeals rose to more than 30 million ($37.6 million) in the last published financial reports for the Planning Inspectorate, the government agency charged with handling them. Of those costs, roughly 10 million was spent reversing local government decisions, the most on record, according to Bloomberg calculations.

The costs, which are covered by collected taxes, dont include others incurred from increased professional fees paid by applicants to planning advisers, architects and lawyers to handle their applications nor any additional financing costs as homebuilding is delayed. Local authorities also face additional charges for missing statutory deadlines in the planning process, an occurrence thats becoming more frequent.

The snarl-ups have thrust the planning process into the crosshairs of politicians. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised to overhaul the rules in a speech during 2020, while opposition leader, Keir Starmer, and Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove both made pledges for reform last year.

Read more:

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Around 27,000 new homes were granted planning permission on appeal in the last financial year, bringing the total up to more than 100,000 since 2019 when the Conservatives pledged to build 300,000 new homes annually, a target theyve missed in every subsequent year.

For appeal applicants, who can prove the local authority acted unreasonably and cost them money, they can apply for refunds for their costs. Unreasonable behavior includes missing deadlines, failing to cooperate, giving wrong information or failing to turn up for site visits.

For Reading Borough Council, a town just west of London, appeals have cost their budget more than 250,000 in legal fees since 2021, money they can ill afford as they attempt to balance the books amid rising costs. The council raised taxes on residents by 4.99% for the latest tax year, the maximum increase allowed.

In the north-east city of Hull, over half of appeals handled since 2010 have resulted in the local authority refunding the applicant the costs incurred in the process, Bloomberg-compiled FOI requests show. The council also raised local taxes by 4.99%.

Before applications even reach the appeals process, local authorities are missing more deadlines and facing penalties as a result. Some 80% of major planning applications were not resolved within the statutory time period of 13 weeks between October and December last year, according to government statistics.

A Bloomberg investigation in May found that a decade of budget cuts have left local governments with too few people to keep up with approving new homes.

The average time from the validation of an initial planning application to the delivery of a first home ranges from about five years to almost seven years for projects of 500 dwellings or more, according to a report put together by planning consultancy Lichfields.

In February, the UKs Competition and Markets Authority released a report documenting a year-long investigation into the countrys chronic housing shortage. The watchdog said the planning system had become complex and unpredictable and was a major cause of the countrys persistent under delivery of new houses.

In relation to length, costs, and complexity, we found that the planning process typically takes a long time to navigate, and the time required to make planning decisions is increasing, the CMA said in the report. The regulator recommended the government streamline the process.

Fast-tracking applications that have already appeared in a councils local development plan would ease the number of requests going to appeal, according to the Royal Town Planning Institutes Blyth. Those types of applications often get rejected despite having previously been scrutinized, but almost always win on appeal, he said.

If a project has already been approved in principle, local authorities should not be refusing developments, Blyth said. Thats what applicants get so cross about  the homework has already been done and theyre still getting rejected.

In the Scottish city of Aberdeen, local authorities ultimately approved two thirds of planning appeals in 2022-23, the FOIs showed.

At Europes biggest real estate conference in Cannes last month, UK Housing Minister Lee Rowley told a room of delegates that he had come to bang the drum for UK housing, insisting the nation was ready to ramp up development after years of hurdles. Rowley  the sixteenth housing minister since 2010  said in an interview that the need for more housing was critical.

In the meantime, the costs of not building are rising.

Almost 110,000 households were in temporary accommodation in England at the end of September, an increase of more than 10% in a year and a 37% rise compared with the same date in 2017.

In Cardiff, a surge in private landlords leaving the market and a shortage of construction has left some families in the city without a place to live. The Welsh capital declared a housing emergency in December, just one month after councils in Edinburgh and Glasgow issued similar warnings.

I have been in Cardiff for over 22 years and family homelessness is the highest I have ever seen it, said David Jaques, assistant director of development and regeneration at Cardiff Council. We have families staying in hotels.

Those costs are also borne by the taxpayer.

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Ukraine confirms identity of one of soldiers killed by Russian man in Germany

Photo: The Command of the Air Assaults Forces of Ukraine

One of the Ukrainian soldiers killed in a Russian nationals attack last week in Germany served in the 81st Separate Slobozhanska Airmobile Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces.

Source: 81st brigade on Facebook on 29 April, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The brigade reported that one of the killed soldiers was a member of the 122nd Airmobile Battalion of the 81st Separate Slobozhanska Airmobile Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces. His name was not disclosed for ethical reasons.

"He was injured in the battle for the settlement of Bilohorivka in 2023 and has been undergoing treatment and rehabilitation in Germany," the press service added.

The command of the Air Assault Forces expressed their condolences to the family and friends of the soldier.

Background:

Two men had been critically injured in Murnau, as reported at around 17:20 on Saturday (27 April). By the time the paramedics arrived, one of the men had died. The second man, who also had serious injuries, passed away in hospital shortly afterwards.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry reported that the two Ukrainians murdered in Germany were soldiers who had been undergoing treatment in Bavaria after being injured in the combat zone.

A 57-year-old Russian man suspected of the murder was remanded in custody in the city of Murnau in Germany.

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ANKARA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish intelligence has killed 15 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the past week in a cross-border operations in northern Iraq, Turkiye's semi-official Anadolu Agency reported Monday.

The National Intelligence Organization has "neutralized" 15 militants, including senior members of the group, in the Hakhurk region of the neighboring country in a week, the agency quoted anonymous security officials as saying, without specifying the time of the operations.

The operations came after the intelligence organization identified a group of PKK militants that were planning attacks against Turkish Armed Forces troops and border outposts, Anadolu reported.

Turkish authorities often use the term "neutralize" in their statements to imply the alleged "terrorists" have either surrendered, been killed, or been captured.

The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union, is based in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, an area where Turkiye frequently conducts airstrikes and maintains military outposts.

On March 14, Turkiye and Iraq said they had reached a landmark deal to tackle the security threat posed by the PKK, and Baghdad labeled the group a "banned organization." 
Ukrainian troops have made a tactical retreat from three more villages as Russian forces press forward across the eastern front line and take advantage of Kyivs exhausted military, which is desperately awaiting the arrival of new U.S. assistance.

Ukraines commander in chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a Telegram post Sunday that the situation at the front has worsened and described some of the toughest fighting west of Avdiivka, the city that fell to Russian forces in February. In that direction, Ukrainian troops withdrew from the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka.

Trying to seize the strategic initiative and break through the front line, the enemy concentrated the main efforts in several directions, creating a significant advantage in forces and means, Syrskyi said.

The top Ukrainian commander said Russia has deployed four brigades, each of which consists of a few thousand troops, to push toward the towns of Kurakhovo and Pokrovsk, which lie west of Avdiivka in the eastern Donetsk region.

The call to retreat from Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka was made to save the lives and health of our defenders Syrskyi said.

In general, the enemy achieved certain tactical successes in these directions, but could not gain operational advantages, he wrote. Ukrainian troops inflict maximum losses on the enemy, both in terms of personnel and military equipment. In order to strengthen the defense in these directions, to replace the units that have suffered losses, the brigades that have regained combat capability are being moved.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also reported that Ukrainian troops withdrew west of Avdiivka but said the retreat did not facilitate rapid Russian tactical gains.

Russian forces remain unlikely to achieve a deeper operationally significant penetration in the area in the near term, the ISW said, although Russian forces will likely continue to make tactical gains in the Avdiivka direction in the coming weeks, and Ukrainian commanders may decide to conduct additional withdrawals if Russian forces threaten other Ukrainian tactical positions in the area.

Russian military blogger Rybar reported Moscow was making key advances west of Avdiivka, claiming troops have been systematically building on their success past the fallen city and toward several cities and towns.

Russian forces are moving in multiple directions to take the rest of the eastern Luhansk region, which they mostly control, and toward the city of Kupiansk in the neighboring Kharkiv region.

Syrskyi said Russia is also trying to advance toward the larger cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two long-held goals for Moscow that if taken would provide Russia much wider control over the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian troops have blocked Russian advances toward the city of Siversk on the way to Sloviansk and are fighting a heated battle in the city of Chasiv Yar toward Kramatorsk, Syrskyi said.

Kyiv has been on its back foot for months while awaiting more aid from Washington. While that package was finally approved last week and the Pentagon has announced more assistance is on the way, it will still likely take days for badly needed weapons to arrive on the battlefield.

Russia has been pushing ahead more aggressively this spring, in part to seize the initiative after the delay of U.S. aid to Ukrainian defenders but also ahead of Victory Day on May 9, a major holiday for Russians that celebrates the triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ukraine retreats in the east as Russia pushes forward while U.S. ally waits for aid

Ukraines outnumbered troops have been forced to retreat from three villages on the eastern front lines, the countrys top commander said Sunday, as Russian forces push to break through its beleaguered defenses while Kyiv waits for newly committed U.S. military aid to arrive.

It was a rare admission from Ukraines new commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, that his troops were not only struggling, but also that Russia was gaining the upper hand.

In a lengthy post on his Telegram channel Sunday, he said the situation on the front lines had worsened.

Trying to seize the strategic initiative and break through the front line, the enemy has concentrated main efforts in several directions, creating a significant advantage in forces and means, Syrskyi said. Its actively attacking along the entire frontline, in some areas  it has tactical successes.

He said his forces had moved to new frontiers west of three villages in the partially-occupied Donetsk region in Ukraines east, including Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have taken Novomykhailivka twice in the last week, on April 22 and again Saturday. It also claimed to have taken Semenivka on Monday morning.

Syrskyi said the move further west was an attempt to preserve the life and health of our defenders.

Russia has engaged up to four brigades in the area, he said, and is trying to develop an offensive west of Avdiivka, a key city from which Ukrainian forces had to withdraw in February after months of grueling fighting, and nearby Maryinka.

In general, the enemy achieved certain tactical successes in these areas, but could not gain an operational advantage, Syrskyi said, adding that Kyiv was working with its partners to obtain weapons and military equipment as soon as possible.

The rush to get the long-awaited weapons is increasingly becoming an urgent necessity for Ukraine to hold on to its territory as the Kremlins forces appear to have stepped up their assault.

It comes just over a week after Congress passed a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine after months of resistance from hard-line Republicans.

The political wrangling left Ukraine with severe ammunition shortages, leaving its defensive lines dangerously exposed across the 600-mile front line. The consequences of the months of ammunition shortages, compounded by dwindling personnel reserves, are now becoming apparent as Moscow appears intent on seizing as much new territory as possible before the U.S. aid starts trickling in.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed Sunday to have taken Novobakhmutivka, another village in the Donetsk region, thats near Berdychi. Its the fourth village, including Novomykhailivka, that it has claimed in a week. Syrskyi did not address the fate of Novobakhmutivka in his update Sunday.

Since the beginning of the war, Russian President Vladimir Putin had made taking the entire Donetsk region, and with it complete control of the wider industrial Donbas region, one of his top military goals.

Syrskyi also made a brief mention of an increase in the number of Russian troops and their regrouping in the northeastern Kharkiv direction. Some military observers have said that Ukraines second-largest city, Kharkiv, could become the next target for Russian forces after increased bombardment of its civilian infrastructure in recent weeks, although Syrskyi indicated that there were no signs that Russia was imminently preparing an offensive in Ukraines north.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated the need for Ukraines partners to provide air defense systems after another massive missile attack Saturday, mostly targeting the countrys power grid, saying that no time should be wasted in shielding Ukraines skies.

On Sunday, he said he emphasized the need for the Patriot air defense systems to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Ukraine has informed the Council of Europe secretariat of a change in the list of exceptions to its obligations under the Council of Europe's documents, including the European Convention on Human Rights.

Source: Ukraine's request on this matter on the Council of Europe website, as well as in documents from the Ukrainian government, reported by European Pravda

Details: As is well known, Ukraine, as a member state of the Council of Europe, is obliged to comply with the human rights standards set out in the Convention; in case of violation, individuals or organisations may file a lawsuit against Ukraine with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg (ECHR). However, the ECHR gives member states the right to declare a reasoned derogation from certain obligations due to special circumstances, including military aggression.

In a letter dated 4 April 2024, which was not reported until recently, Ukraine informed the ECHR that the Ukrainian government's obligations to comply with Articles 8 (right to respect for private and family life), 10 (freedom of expression) and 11 (freedom of assembly and association), Article 2 of Protocol 4 (right to free movement of persons), as well as three articles from the first protocol  Article 1 (protection of private property), 2 (right to education) and 3 (right to freedom of elections), were no longer adhered to within Ukraine.

It is worth noting that this is not the first notification of a possible restriction of certain rights of citizens by Ukraine due to Russian aggression. Back in 2015, Ukraine suspended its obligations to comply with certain articles of the ECHR due to the anti-terrorist operation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts [The ATO, or Anti-Terrorist Operation, is a term used from 2014 to 2018 by the media, the government of Ukraine and the OSCE to identify combat actions in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts against Russian military forces and pro-Russian separatists  ed.]. In February 2022, with the start of Russias full-scale invasion, Kyiv submitted a significant list of such deviations to Strasbourg.

Moreover, in a communication dated 4 April 2024, Ukraine announced that it was renewing its commitments to respect certain human rights. In particular, the derogations will not apply to the prohibition of discrimination, restrictions on the political activity of foreigners, the right to reparation, freedom of thought, and certain aspects of forced labour. According to the official announcement, these commitments were also suspended earlier.

Background:

Last year, 43 states approved an agreement at the Council of Europe Summit in Reykjavik on a register of damages from the Russian aggression, paving the way for compensation.

In April 2024, the Register of Damages Caused by the Russian Federations Aggression against Ukraine (RD4U) announced the opening of applications for compensation for damages caused by Russia's war in Ukraine.

It was reported that Ukrainians would be able to apply for compensation for damages caused by Russian aggression through Diia, a state-owned web portal for government services.

Earlier, in an interview with European Pravda, Markiian Kliuchkovskyi, executive director of the Register of Damages, explained how they would seek funds from Russia to compensate Ukrainians.

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Ukraine and US hold third round of talks on security agreement

The head of the Office of the President, Andrii Yermak. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Representatives of Ukraine and the United States held the third round of talks on the "preparation for the conclusion of a bilateral security agreement" on 29 April.

Source: Office of the Ukrainian President, European Pravda reports

Details: "The parties discussed the text of the draft agreement in detail and adjusted the algorithm of further actions", the Office of the President said in a statement.

The head of the Office of the President, Andrii Yermak, who led the Ukrainian delegation, expressed hope that after the US Congress approves additional funding for Ukraine, progress in concluding the agreement will accelerate.

The last report of talks on a security agreement between Kyiv and Washington was in January.

At present, Ukraine has signed bilateral security agreements with nine countries, the latest being Latvia. An agreement with Norway is also expected to be signed.

The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians believe that the conclusion of bilateral security agreements helps Kyiv resist the full-scale Russian aggression.

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Firefighters try to extinguish a fire after a chemical warehouse was hit by Russian shelling on the eastern frontline near Kalynivka village on March 8, 2022, in Kyiv, Ukraine. Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Kentuckys congressional Republicans were deeply divided on aid to Ukraine, setting the stage for their expected primary to succeed U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who led the fight for it and seems likely to retire in 2026.

The loudest on each side were U.S. Reps. Thomas Massie of the Fourth District and Andy Barr of the Sixth District. Massie voted against the aid bill and criticized Barr for supporting it, after Barr threw shade at Massie on a related issue without naming him.

Both men have been in the House since 2013 and are logical candidates for the Senate. Barr is based in the only major media market limited to Kentucky, and is a senior member of two major House committees; Massie is the outspoken libertarian ally of U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, and they have access to major right-wing funders.

Before the House acted on Ukraine aid, it took up a border-security bill that failed because it needed a two-thirds vote to pass, under a rule supported by all Democrats and a handful of self-destroying Republicans, Barr posted on X. What he didnt say was that those Republicans acted on behalf of former President Donald Trump, who opposes action on the border crisis so he can keep maximum advantage over President Joe Biden on the issue.

One of those Republicans to which Barr referred was Massie. In a reply to Barr, he noted that House Speaker Mike Johnson couldnt pass Ukraine aid without votes from Democrats, who wanted [a] separate show-vote on border [issues] to give guys like Andy (who voted for $100B foreign aid) political cover. We refused to go along with charade in Rules Committee! Massie, a Rules Committee member by virtue of a deal that elected previous speaker Kevin McCarthy, had voted against the rules for the border and Ukraine bills. That was a clear break with most House leaders, which he soon made clearer by endorsing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes motion to vacate the speakership.

Barr made his own stance clearer, and put a label on Massie, by replying: Another truth the isolationists dont want to admit: Every border security bill will die in [Majority Leader Chuck] Schumers Senate (In reality, the Senate has passed a bipartisan border-security bill, which Trump scuttled.)

Massie replied with a broadside aimed directly at Barr: You voted for the omnibus. You voted for warrantless spying. You voted to send $60 billion to Ukraine today in exchange for nothing from the Senate. Speaker Johnson never tried to attach border security to this bill. Maybe its time to quit blaming conservatives for your votes.

The omnibus was the recent spending bill to keep the government open. Warrantless spying is authorized in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which Massie and Paul tried to amend by requiring federal agencies to obtain a court order to buy Americans online data, David Catanese of the Lexington Herald-Leader reported. Massie got the measure through the House, but it failed in the Senate.

Sen. Rand Pauls political punch has increased lately, thanks to his alliance with billionaire Jeff Yass. In March, Yass gave $8 million to a political committee affiliated with Paul, Tom Loftus reported for the Kentucky Lantern. Yass owns 15% of the parent firm of Tik Tok; the firm would have to sell the social-media platform, under a bill the House passed as part of the package of aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and other nations. Massie voted no.

Besides Massie and Barr, another likely Senate candidate appears to be former attorney general Daniel Cameron. He recently formed his own PAC, which he said will give only to Kentucky Republicans. Cameron was the GOP nominee for governor last year, but seems to have made the Senate his new target.

The likeliest Republican candidate for governor in 2027 is Rep. James Comer of the First District, who lost the 2015 nomination by 83 votes. He told me Monday that hed still rather be governor than anything else.

Comer voted against Ukraine aid, and said he didnt look at the latest intelligence on the war, as Johnson had pleaded with members to do. I have had nothing but bad experiences with the intelligence community, Comer said, adding We have to stop spending money we dont have. He said his district is overwhelmingly against the aid; that opinion has surely been solidified by Trump.

The rest of Kentuckys delegation supported Ukraine aid. Rep. Hal Rogers of the Fifth District, who in some ways has the states Trumpiest district but is loyal to House leaders, heavily downplayed his vote for the aid in a press release that emphasized what Massie called his show-vote for border security. It said the Ukraine bill includes a loan repayment agreement, but thats only for $9 billion, and the loan is forgivable. Rogerss office said he saw the latest intelligence.

This column is republished from the Northern Kentucky Tribune, a nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism.

The post Ukraine vote draws lines for Senate race between Massie, Barr appeared first on Kentucky Lantern.
Key developments on April 29:

Attack on Odesa kills 4, injures 29

Military intelligence: Over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have deserted

Military: Ukraine regaining control over Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast complicates Russian advances

NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg in Kyiv in surprise visit

Air Force: Poland capable of protecting skies over western Ukraine but political will needed

At least four people were killed and 29 were injured in a Russian missile strike on Odesa that damaged civilian infrastructure, the State Emergency Service reported on April 29.

Three women and one man were among the dead, Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper said.

Two children were among the injured and a dog was also killed, according to the local authorities.

Psychologists from the State Emergency Service and National Police provided help to 63 people at the site of the attack.

Media reports said one of those injured was Serhiy Kivalov, a discredited ally of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych ousted following the 2014 EuroMaidan Revolution.

Kivalov, the former lawmaker and head of the Central Election Commission, lives in the mansion that caught fire as a result of the strike, according to images shared by Suspilne.

The mansion is known to locals as "Kivalov's Castle" or the "Harry Potter Castle."

The State Emergency Service reported that firefighters had eliminated a blaze in the building's roof.

Read also: FT: Western banks paid 4 times more taxes to Russia in 2023 than before all-out war

Military intelligence: Over 18,000 Russian troops of Southern Military District have deserted

Soldiers of Russia's Southern Military District, whose units are deployed in Ukraine, are deserting their posts in increasing numbers, Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on April 29.

According to many observers, low morale has been a recurring problem for the Russian Armed Forces fighting in Ukraine.

Over 18,000 soldiers of the Southern Military District have allegedly deserted, with around 12,000 of them belonging to the 8th Combined Arms Army  a unit often deployed in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.

Of this number, around 10,000 are mobilized conscripts and 2,000 contract soldiers, the military intelligence agency said.

The U.K. Defense Ministry said earlier in April that Russian troops in Ukraine are mainly staffed with contract soldiers and reservists mobilized in late 2022, but conscripts are often pressured to sign contracts.

In the Russian 58th Combined Arms Army, the desertion rate is at around 2,500 troops, according to the agency's statement.

Kyiv has been actively encouraging troops of the Russian invading army to desert or even defect to the Ukrainian side. The Ukrainian military intelligence service launched a hotline in September 2022 to help Russian soldiers willing to surrender.

Read also: The Insider: 2 Russians running GRU safe house in Greece outed as spies

Military: Ukraine regaining control over Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast complicates Russian advances

Ukraine's control over Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast is tactically important and will make it more difficult for Russian forces to approach Ukrainian positions, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, told Hromadske Radio on April 29.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 28 that Ukrainian troops had taken control of Nestryha Island in the Dnipro River delta in Kherson Oblast and advanced near the village of Veletenske.

Nestryha Island was considered a "gray zone" and is the last in a group of small islands followed by the river mouth, Pletenchuk said, saying that the re-established control holds "tactical importance."

Russian troops use locations such as the islands in Kherson Oblast to get closer to Ukraine's positions, the spokesperson added.

"This (control over Nestryha Island) is primarily important for the quality of counter-sabotage measures. This location has been cleared of possible enemy presence," Pletenchuk said.

Syrskyi said that Russian forces are trying to push Ukrainian troops out of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, but they are failing to do so. For months of heavy battles, Ukraine has reportedly repelled Russian attacks around the small village.

Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the Dnipro River's west bank in November 2022. Russian forces were pushed to the east bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories.

Read also: Czech police conclude Russian agents behind deadly 2014 ammunition depot blasts

NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg arrives in Kyiv in surprise visit



NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Kyiv on April 29 for a previously unannounced visit.

Stoltenberg's third visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion took place amid a deteriorating situation on the battlefield.

The NATO secretary-general said earlier that the almost seven-month delay in U.S. assistance for Kyiv "has had real consequences."

Due to the lack of artillery shells and air defenses, Ukraine lost a key front-line city of Avdiivka in February and retreated west from the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast in late April.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he and Stoltenberg discussed further cooperation between Ukraine and NATO and "the real unification of our forces."

"Ukraine and the alliance have reached the highest level of relations since our independence, but not the highest possible," the president said.

During a press conference in Kyiv, Zelensky said that the two also discussed an initiative to set up a special fund for financial support for Ukrainian defense worth 100 billion euros ($107.1 billion) for a period of five years.

"Allies do have the opportunity to put in place such an initiative. The details are very important to us, it is important that this is not at the expense of bilateral volumes, which are marked by our agreements on security guarantees," the president added.

Kyiv did not receive the much-desired invitation nor a firm deadline to join the alliance during the 2023 NATO summit in Vilnius, even though NATO took steps to tighten cooperation.

Stoltenberg invited Zelensky to join NATO's July summit in Washington, although U.S. Ambassador to NATO Julianne Smith said in February she did not expect the alliance to offer Ukraine a membership invitation.

"Ukraines rightful place is in NATO. Ukraine will become a member of NATO. The work we are undertaking now puts you on an irreversible path towards NATO membership, so that when the time is right, Ukraine can become a NATO member straightaway," Stoltenberg said.

Read also: Former UK Armed Forces minister: Ukraine defeat will cost trillions to West in new Cold War

Air Force: Poland capable of protecting skies over western Ukraine but political will needed

Poland is technically capable of protecting the skies over Ukraine's western regions with its air defenses, but this requires "political will," Air Force spokesperson Illia Yevlash said on April 29.

Russia's aerial attacks against western Ukraine have posed risks for neighboring Poland on several occasions. On April 27, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that one of the Russian projectiles fired at Lviv Oblast fell 15 kilometers (nine miles) from the Polish border.

"Theoretically and technically, it is possible since Poland has long-range air defense systems, namely Patriots. However, this would require political will, and this is already a topic for our diplomatic services," Yevlash said on television.

According to the spokesperson, such a step would allow Ukraine's military to focus its air defense capabilities to counter Russia's tactical aviation and glide bomb raids at the front lines.

Ukraine has a limited number of advanced Western air defense systems like Patriots, IRIS-T, or SAMP/T, which are crucial for protecting its population centers and infrastructure against regular Russian aerial strikes.

Kyiv has been leading talks with its partners to secure more of these systems not only to protect civilian targets but also to counter the Russian Air Force at the front. Glide bomb attacks have become a particularly serious problem for Ukrainian front-line troops.

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Andrzej Szejna said in March that NATO is considering shooting down Russian missiles heading toward the alliance's territory.

Read also: Lithuanias FM: Russian GPS jamming of commercial flights too dangerous to ignore

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Former UK Defence Minister James Heappey warned that Ukraine's defeat by Russia would cost the West $3 trillion in a new Cold War.

Source: European Pravda, citing The Telegraph

In his article for The House Magazine, Heappey noted that Ukraine needs more aid packages, similar to those announced last week, to win the battle for "security across the whole European-Atlantic region."

"A stalemate or, heaven forbid, a Ukrainian defeat promises a new cold war that will last for decades and cost trillions of dollars more," he emphasised.

The former Defence Minister pointed out that recent aid packages from the US and the UK will not immediately tip the scales in favour of allowing Ukraine to launch an offensive that will bring "a quick and complete victory."

"My expectation is that with this huge inflow of Western support, well see the frontlines stabilise and, while the fighting will be fierce, I dont expect to see significant amounts of territory traded this year," Heappey believes.

He said that Ukrainian brigades need to be trained so that their actions are coordinated with artillery, air support, and "everything else that can be thrown at the Russians."

At the same time, he expressed doubt that Ukrainian forces would be ready to defeat the Russians by 2025 or even by 2026.

Background:

Earlier, Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the UK, informed Ukrainian President Zelenskyy that the new UK aid package for Ukraine will include millions of ammunition shells, hundreds of vehicles and long-range Storm Shadow missiles.

Following the 21st meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed that the US would allocate US$6 billion for military aid for Ukraine within the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) mechanism.

Under the USAI programme, the US government will sign contracts with American defence companies for the production of new armament for Ukraine instead of supplying it with weapons from its storages.

This was made possible after the US President Joe Biden signed legislation enacted by Congress that will provide about US$61 billion in additional military and economic aid to Ukraine, as well as help to other US allies, on 24 April.

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Ukraine's State Border Guard Service says there will be new border defence model with increase in manpower

The increase in the number of servicemen of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) by 15,000 is due to the formation of new units within the SBGS and a change in the border protection strategy.

Source: Colonel Andrii Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service, in an interview with Ukrinform news agency

Details: Demchenko said that an increase in the number of border guards is a current requirement. The State Border Guard Service is currently forming and continuing to strengthen its capabilities by creating new brigade-type units. These units can actually carry out combat operations, armed with artillery and other means to destroy enemy equipment.

This is the reason for the increase in the number of SBGS staff, as these units will be responsible for defending the border in the future.

As Demchenko explained, this would no longer be the same security model that existed before, but one with a military component.

Two brigades  Stalevyi Kordon (Steel Border) and Pomsta (Revenge)  have now been formed and are actively performing tasks on the front line. Border guards continue to increase the number of such units in the SBGS structure.

Quote: "Therefore, the increase in the staff of the State Border Guard Service is due to the formation of new units. There are already developments here. These units will take control of the state border when we reach the entire length of our internationally recognised border.

In any case, there will be a new model of border protection: not protection, but defence. Border guards will remain the first on the border, so they must have powerful assets to repel an enemy attack in case of danger.

Border guards remain an integral part of our country's Defence Forces. The range of their tasks is quite wide: from checkpoint operations on the western border or on the border with Moldova to the security of the areas where full-scale combat operations are taking place on the front line. The only wish on Border Guards Day, as on any other day, is to defeat the enemy so that peace can come to our land and border guards can return to their usual work."

Background:

On 24 April 2024, Ukraine's parliament passed the government's draft law No. 11091, which provides for an increase in the number of employees of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine by 15,000.

The Cabinet of Ministers submitted bill to parliament on 18 March.

For reference: According to the decree of previous Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the Day of the Border Guard of Ukraine is celebrated on 30 April.

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By Pavel Polityuk and Andrew Gray

KYIV (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that vital U.S. weapons were starting to arrive in Ukraine in small amounts but deliveries needed to be faster as advancing Russian invasion forces were trying to take advantage.

Zelenskiy told a joint press conference in Kyiv alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that the situation on the battlefield directly depended on the speed of ammunition supplies to Ukraine.

"Timely support for our army. Today I don't see anything positive on this point yet. There are supplies, they have slightly begun, this process needs to be sped up," he said.

The United States approved a $61 billion aid package last week, ending six months of congressional deadlock and raising Kyiv's hopes that its critically low stocks of artillery shells will soon be replenished.

Stoltenberg, who held talks with Zelenskiy during his third wartime visit to Kyiv, told Ukrainians that NATO members had failed to live up to their promises of military aid in recent months, but that the flow of arms and ammunition would increase.

"I will ... be very honest with President Zelenskiy and also with the Rada (Ukrainian parliament) that NATO allies have not delivered what we have promised over the last months," Stoltenberg said on the train taking him into Kyiv on Monday.

The NATO chief pointed to the U.S. aid bill and an announcement last week by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of a "record high" commitment to Kyiv.

He also noted Germany had agreed to provide another Patriot air defence system to Ukraine while the Netherlands had boosted its military aid to Kyiv. He said he expected other "new commitments to come".

"This will make a difference  as the lack of support made a difference," he said, alluding to Ukrainian setbacks on the battlefield over the past few months.

Russia has said a renewed influx of American weapons will not change the situation on front lines and that it will target storage sites holding Western weaponry in Ukraine.

'NOT TOO LATE TO PREVAIL'

Ukraine's top military commander said on Sunday his troops had pulled back from three villages in the east where Russian forces are on the offensive and gradually taking ground.

"The Russian army is now trying to take advantage of a situation when we are waiting for supplies from our partners... and that is exactly why the speed of deliveries means stabilising the front," Zelenskiy said.

"Russia is preparing for offensive actions."

The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly warned Russia might be planning a big offensive push in late May or in June.

Stoltenberg told reporters that it was "not too late for Ukraine to prevail.

"But thats why it's so urgent that NATO allies now actually do what we had promised and that we turn those commitments into real deliveries of weapons and ammunition, and Im now confident that will now happen," he said.

The Ukrainian leader singled out the need for supplies of sophisticated Patriot air defence launch systems that Kyiv wants to obtain from its allies to counter Russia's long-range missile and drone strikes.

Russia renewed its long-range aerial assault on the Ukrainian energy sector in March, inflicting heavy damage as Kyiv has lobbied its partners to rush in air defences to better protect its cities and critical infrastructure.

Zelenskiy said Kyiv had made some headway toward obtaining supplies of missiles for the Patriot system, but that it was still working on the question of obtaining new launchers that fire the missiles.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Andrew Gray; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Ed Osmond and Mark Heinrich)
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Ukrainian troops were forced to retreat from three towns on the eastern front, where Russias military is carrying out an assault on the entire 620-mile frontline. Russian troops are encroaching on the town of Pokrovsk, a Ukrainian military hub.

Kyiv is awaiting aid from the US, which recently voted in favor of a massive package that could resolve some of the Ukrainian militarys shortcomings.





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Ukraine says supply shortages caused retreat

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Source: Politico

Ukraines new military commander-in-chief wrote on Telegram that a shortage of military supplies prompted his troops withdrawal from the eastern front, adding that Russian forces are better equipped. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has echoed the concerns, saying that a lack of supplies coming from Western allies has hampered Ukraines ability to fend off Russia. About $60 billion in US aid will soon arrive in Kyiv  but some Biden administration officials and lawmakers have questioned whether more weapons from Washington will be enough to help Ukraine win the war or temporarily ward Russia off. One US official told Politico that the immediate goal is to stem losses and give Ukraine back some momentum, after which the goal is to help regain territory. Will they have what they need to win? Ultimately, yes. But its not a guarantee that they will, the official said.

Despite withdrawals, Russian troops unlikely to get strong foothold

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Source: Institute for the Study of War

Despite the Russian forces advancements along the eastern front, it is unlikely that troops will immediately make significant inroads in the area, the Institute for the Study of War noted in an assessment Sunday. Ukraines withdrawals have yet to facilitate rapid Russian tactical gains, and owing to Ukrainian reinforcements, Russian forces remain unlikely to achieve a deeper operationally significant penetration in the area in the near term, the ISW wrote. Meanwhile, the Russian military may try to make a push towards Pokrovsk, because there may be greater opportunities for tactical gains in the area west of Avdiivka than towards the north, the report said.

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CANBERRA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Australians lost billions of dollars to a record number of reported scams in 2023, government data has revealed.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Monday published its annual Targeting Scams report, revealing Australians reported over 601,000 scams in 2023, a new record and 18.5 percent increase from 2022.

Despite an increase in the number of reported scams, reported losses to scams fell from 3.15 billion Australian dollars (2.06 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022 to 2.74 billion AUD (1.79 billion dollars) in 2023, a decline of 13 percent.

It marks the first time since 2016 that scam losses have fallen from the previous year.

"It is encouraging to see signs that our coordinated scam prevention, detection and disruption initiatives can stem the flow of funds to criminals and protect consumers," Catriona Lowe, deputy chair of the ACCC, said in a statement.

Australians aged 65 and over were the only age group that lost more money to scams in 2023 than in 2022.

Investment scams were the most prominent in 2023, accounting for 1.3 billion AUD (850.4 million dollars) in losses, 47 percent of the total, followed by remote access scams at 256 million AUD (167.4 million dollars) and romance scams at 201.1 million AUD (131.5 million dollars).

In July 2023, the federal government established the National Anti-Scam Centre to prevent scams and online fraud.

Lowe credited the center with making a positive impact but said there is much more work to do.

In a separate statement, Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones said that the government's plan to tackle scammers is working but that losses are still too high.

"We want Australia to be a world leader in combatting scammers and our mandatory codes will put us well ahead," he said.

Losses to job scams increased by 151.2 percent between 2022 and 2023 to 24.3 million AUD (15.8 million dollars), with people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities disproportionately affected.

Losses to scams conducted via text message or phone calls were lower in 2023 than 2022 but the amount of money lost to those initiated over email and social media grew. 
Ukrainian forces' withdrawal from their positions does not help Russia's rapid tactical success  ISW

Experts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that the withdrawal of Ukraine's Defence Forces from their positions in the settlements of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka is not helping the Russians achieve rapid tactical success, and Russian troops are unlikely to be able to reach deeper operationally significant penetration in the area anytime soon.

Source: ISW

Details: Recent Russian advances have forced Ukrainian forces to retreat from other limited tactical positions along the battlefield west of the war-torn town of Avdiivka, although these withdrawals have so far not facilitated rapid Russian tactical gains.

Analysts believe that Russian troops are unlikely to achieve deeper, operationally significant penetration in the area in the short term.

On 28 April, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from Berdychi (northwest of Avdiivka) and Semenivka (west of Avdiivka) to positions further west in order to preserve the lives and health of Ukrainian defenders.

"Russian forces will likely continue to make tactical gains in the Avdiivka direction in the coming weeks, and Ukrainian commanders may decide to conduct additional withdrawals if Russian forces threaten other Ukrainian tactical positions in the area," the institute noted.

The next line of settlements in the area lies some distance from the Ukrainian defence line, which has been under attack by Russian forces since the capture of the war-torn town of Avdiivka in mid-February 2024. On the other hand, Ukrainian forces may use fortifications in fields to the west of the current front line to slow down future Russian attacks.

A complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces to fortified positions west of Avdiivka would likely allow Russian troops to make a relatively rapid advance through these fields. However, experts said this advance will likely only be rapid if Ukrainian units do not attempt to hold positions in these fields.

Syrskyi added that Ukrainian forces are redeploying units of brigades that have rested and recovered to stabilise the situation on the Avdiivka front.

The arrival of the restored Ukrainian reinforcements will likely allow the Ukrainian Defence Forces to slow down Russia's tactical advances and potentially stabilise the front.

Ukrainian forces face resource constraints, with a reported one to three personnel shortfall northwest of Avdiivka, but they have nonetheless prevented Russian troops, which are over a division in size, from making the gains that the Russians could have made with such superior numbers.

The deployment of Ukrainian reinforcements and additional equipment will force the Russian command to either accept that wider and deeper penetration of the front line is unlikely anytime soon or send additional reserves to the area to pursue tactical advantages.

At present, Russian forces are able to achieve operationally important successes near the town of Chasiv Yar and are preparing reserves to support a large-scale offensive expected this summer.

The further stabilisation of Russian positions northwest of Avdiivka presents the Russian command with a choice: continue to push west towards its operational objective at the town of Pokrovsk or attempt to push north to mount potential additional offensives around Chasiv Yar.

Ukrainian officials had previously identified Pokrovsk as a Russian operational objective on the Avdiivka front, and Syrskyi confirmed this assessment on 28 April.

Russian forces may also decide to move north from their tactical penetration near the settlement of Ocheretyne along the H-20 (DonetskKostiantynivka) road to put pressure on Ukrainian forces defending in the area of Toretsk and possibly on the operational rear of the Ukrainian defence in the area of Chasiv Yar and west of it.

The Russian military has long aimed to capture the four major cities that form the fortress belt in Donetsk Oblast (Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka), with Chasiv Yar being of great operational importance as it would provide a springboard for Russian forces to launch offensive operations on Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka.

In addition, Syrskyi noted that the threat of a possible future Russian offensive against Kharkiv is forcing Ukraine to allocate additional forces and equipment to defend the city, although ISW continues to assess that the Russian military lacks the forces necessary to capture the city.

To quote ISW's Key Takeaways on 28 April:

Recent Russian gains northwest of Avdiivka have prompted Ukrainian forces to withdraw from other limited tactical positions along the frontline west of Avdiivka, although these withdrawals have yet to facilitate rapid Russian tactical gains. Russian forces remain unlikely to achieve a deeper operationally significant penetration in the area in the near term.

The continued Russian stabilisation of their salient northwest of Avdiivka presents the Russian command with a choice of continuing to push west towards its reported operational objective in Pokrovsk or trying to drive northwards to conduct possible complementary offensive operations with the Russian effort around Chasiv Yar.

Syrskyi also noted that the threat of a possible future Russian offensive operation against Kharkiv City is causing Ukraine to allocate additional forces and equipment to defending the city, although ISW continues to assess that the Russian military lacks the forces necessary to seize the city.

The Ukrainian 47th Mechanised Brigade denied a recent report that Ukrainian forces had pulled US-provided M1A1 Abrams tanks from the frontline.

Recent Russian efforts to increase control over migrants in and entering Russia following the 22 March Crocus City Hall terrorist attack appear to be straining relations between Russia and Tajikistan.

Russian authorities arrested several Russian journalists working for Western publications in Russia within the past several days, likely as part of an ongoing effort to limit Western and independent Russian medias ability to reliably report on Russia.

Russian forces recently marginally advanced near Svatove.

The United Kingdoms (UK) Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Leo Docherty, stated on 27 April that the UK assesses that Russian forces have suffered 450,000 killed and wounded personnel since the start of the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022.

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Telegram chatbots of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), and the Digital Transformation Ministry were restored on April 29 after being previously blocked.

The chatbots, which are primarily used to gather information on Russian troops in occupied territories, disappeared from Telegram on April 28.

Ukraine's Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security reported on their restoration at around 10 a.m. local time the following day.

In total, three of Ukraine's government Telegram chatbots were blocked. This included the chatbot of Ukraine's military intelligence agency, t.me/gur_official_bot, whose purpose is to cooperate with people on the Russian-occupied territories to oppose Russian forces.

This chatbot allows people to pass on information about the Russian military positions, equipment, air defenses, movement of troops, and more.

The chatbots of the SBU and the Digital Transformation Ministry, t.me/stop_russian_war_bot and t.me/evorog_bot, which perform similar functions, were also temporarily unavailable.

Ukraine's military intelligence agency reacted to the blocking of its channel, calling the decision by Telegram's management "unreasonable."

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The agency also added that Russia could create chatbots with similar names for disinformation purposes.

Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the head of the Ukrainian parliament's Committee on Freedom of Speech, claimed that the Russian Federal Security Service's (FSB) pressure was behind the block.

According to Yurchyshyn, Ukraine previously "found a solution" to blocking Russian propaganda on Telegram in collaboration with Apple, and it could lead to the introduction of the restrictions.

Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, said last week that Ukrainian users of iPhone would face "inevitable changes" in Telegram operations allegedly due to updated Apple policies.

Durov also suggested at the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion, restricting "Telegram channels in Russia and Ukraine because they were being used for military propaganda," but Russian and Ukrainian users "vehemently opposed restrictions."

According to Durov, Telegram blocks accounts and chatbots that collect data aiding strikes or call for violence.

Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said in March that Telegram poses risks because "any person can create a channel and start writing whatever he wants on it," but it also presents certain benefits, namely, in communicating with people from occupied regions.

Read also: How Ukrainian social media influencer raised over $50 million for military thanks to typing

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About 100 people gathered Monday on the campus of the University of Missouri - Kansas City and established a Liberation Zone as part of a wave of national protests bringing attention to the war in Gaza and U.S. support of the Israeli military.

Students set up tents and information tables and strung large banners around an outdoor amphitheater at the center of campus.

Dozens help up signs reading Stop US Funded Genocide, Let Gaza live and Dissent is Jewish.

The UMKC students joined several other schools where anti-war protests have sprung up this month, including Columbia University in New York City and the University of Texas at Austin.

Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested across the country, the Associated Press reported.

Sofia Yiman, a junior at UMKC, said she was protesting because innocent people, including children, were being killed in Gaza.

More than 34,000 Palestinians have died since the war began in October, when Hamas took hostages and attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 people, according to the Associated Press. The death toll includes thousands of children, in addition to aid workers and journalists.

In a news release, the local chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine outlined several demands for UMKC, including the disclosure of financial investments and divesting from Israeli weapons, technology and construction companies.

Yara Salamed, an organizer with Students for Justice in Palestine, said, We just want our academic institution to be transparent. She said the groups presence was important to show support for the people of Gaza and the West Bank.

The group also wants the university to cease ties with Israeli academic institutions and to support free speech. It called upon elected leaders to support a ceasefire. Other groups, including Veterans for Peace, also were present Monday.

Speakers talked before the crowd and led chants including, Cease fire now, and, Resistance is justified when people are occupied.

An administrator was seen negotiating with a small group of students about the use of a bullhorn, which they continued to use. Workers removed tables and chairs from the area as a couple of police officers looked on from the perimeter.

Organizers said they planned to remain at the site for the rest of the day and could return in the future.

Stacy Downs, a UMKC spokeswoman, said students will be allowed to continue to be on the premises as long as they follow campus policies.

Our university policies encourage freedom of expression for all members of our campus, as long as they model safe, respectful interaction, dont present any safety concerns and dont disrupt normal operations of our campus, she said.

She also said the university, cannot and will not respond to demands.
Under the influence and under arrest  what happens if youre drunk in the interrogation room?

A man is given a field sobriety test after he was stopped by San Bruno Police officers at a DUI checkpoint in 2006 in San Bruno, Ca. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Imagine its Friday night. Youre enjoying happy hour with friends after a long week. Youre relaxed, having indulged in several of your preferred adult beverages. Now imagine that as you leave the bar, a police officer approaches. Youre under arrest.

Flash forward to the police station. The officer takes you to a cramped room and reads you your Miranda rights: You have the right to remain silent, to an attorney, and all the rest. Lets say you waive those rights  most people do  and the officer questions you for several hours.

While under the influence, would you understand your Miranda rights and appreciate the consequences of choosing to invoke or waive them? Would the statements you made during questioning be more or less reliable than how youd respond sober? Would a jury take what the drunken you said seriously? These are the questions that legal psychologists like me and my colleagues seek to address in our research.

Suspects get similar treatment, drunk or not

When weve surveyed police, they revealed its common to question intoxicated suspects and that they tend to use the same interrogation techniques with drunken suspects that they normally use. Surveys of community members about their experience with interrogation confirm that questioning drunken suspects is common. In fact, sometimes police even interrogate drunken juveniles.

Of course, police in the U.S. cannot legally question anyone in custody unless that person has waived their Miranda rights and chosen to talk to the investigator. Its a common misperception that drunken people cannot legally waive their Miranda rights and that statements given while intoxicated cannot be used against them in court. But the reality is that from a legal perspective the police can Mirandize you while youre under the influence, interrogate you, and use your statements against you.

arrow upwards with text describing expected impairments at increasing BAC levels

Level of impairment rises along with how much youve had to drink. NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, CC BY

Consider the case of Travis Jewell. When he was arrested for fleeing a police officer in his truck, his blood alcohol level was .29, more than three times the legal limit of .08 in the U.S. The interrogator reported Jewell was slurring words and struggling to stand. Nonetheless, the court accepted his Miranda waiver, making Jewells statements admissible during trial.

While Miranda waivers from intoxicated people may be legally valid, research from my lab suggests that when compared with sober individuals, someone under the influence of drugs or alcohol  even at low levels of intoxication  may be less able to comprehend their rights.

Testing how drunken suspects behave

Critically, researchers know almost nothing about how intoxicated people behave during interrogation.

To address this need, my colleagues and I brought university student volunteers into the lab, where we have safeguards in place to minimize health risks. We had some of our participants drink enough vodka to reach a breath alcohol level of .08%, a level consistent with the legal driving limit in the U.S.

Then we set the participants up to be guilty or innocent of cheating, and interrogated each of them about potential academic misconduct. We were interested in whether, impaired or sober, they said anything incriminating or suspicious during questioning.

About two-thirds of sober participants said something suggestive of guilt, while even more intoxicated participants did. The difference in suspicious statements between the groups was not statistically significant, but our findings do indicate that intoxicated people  just like the rest of the public  are at a high risk of self-incrimination. And remember, in our study, half of the participants were innocent of the infraction they were being questioned about.

man in striped clothes sits across table from woman in suit jacket

Standard legal advice is to keep your mouth shut until you are able to meet with a lawyer. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Suspicious remarks can have immediate consequences during interrogation. When a suspect says something suggestive of guilt, it tends to increase an interrogators belief that theyre guilty. When interrogators have a stronger belief in guilt, they then tend to be more accusatory, an approach associated with false confessions.

Intoxicated suspects  guilty or innocent  are very likely to make a guilt-suggestive statement, which in turn is likely to invite more coercive interrogation approaches. This could potentially explain our recent real-world findings in Sweden that police interrogators used more confrontational techniques with intoxicated suspects than with sober suspects.

On a positive note, our work has also shown that potential jurors seem to recognize that intoxication may lead to less reliable statements during interrogation. They tend to give less weight to a confession from an intoxicated suspect than from a sober suspect. While that may sound reassuring, should you find yourself in that cramped interrogation room, sober or intoxicated, exercise your rights and ask for an attorney.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The post Under the influence and under arrest  what happens if youre drunk in the interrogation room? appeared first on Rhode Island Current.
Work is under way at the old Sweet Tomatoes in Fresno. Whats going into the building?

With yellow tape and work trucks outside, something is clearly happening at the former Sweet Tomatoes buffet in northeast Fresno.

Several readers have written to The Bee asking if a restaurant is taking over the space on Fresno Street, north of Herndon Avenue.

Others have been wondering, since Sweet Tomatoes is still alive and just reopened its first restaurant in Arizona, could it ever return to Fresno in a fantasy scenario?

Sorry to burst your tomato, but we dont have good news.

The building at 7114 N. Fresno St. at Woodward Centre is being turned into offices.

The Jenny Martin Family Trust recently sold the building to a new owner who is converting it to offices, confirmed Jon Cox of retail real estate company Commercial Retail Associates. The property sold in early January for $1.9 million, according to public records.

Neither the buyer nor seller could be reached for comment.

The building will be separated into at least three offices, permit applications filed with the City of Fresno show. Indeed, a peek inside the building shows metal framing already separating what used to be the dining room into office space.

Fresno loved Sweet Tomatoes

Just inside the front door of the former Sweet Tomatoes on Fresno Street where the double-sided salad bar buffet once stood, new metal framing can be seen as the building is being converted to offices.

Sweet Tomatoes was a popular all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant with a healthy emphasis. It had a large salad bar, soups, pasta and a bakery that served all kinds of bread and desserts. It was a favorite of vegans, vegetarians and others.

It once had two locations in Fresno.

The one on West Shaw Avenue was knocked down to make way for Texas Roadhouse over a decade ago.

The Sweet Tomatoes on Fresno Street near Kaiser Permanente Medical Center remained until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. In 2020, its parent company filed for bankruptcy and closed all 97 locations of Sweet Tomatoes and sister restaurant Souplantation nationwide.

Fresnans were devastated. Many took to the forum Reddit.com to mourn.

I will never forgive covid for taking Sweet Tomatoes from us, said user GingerLikesPizza. I get my hopes up every time I drive past it because all the signage is up still and the inside looks intact, like they could just move back in there any day now.

Sweet Tomatoes even landed at No. 10 on The Bees list of businesses readers want to come to Fresno (right behind Golden Corral, which is planning to open in the former HomeTown Buffet on West Shaw Avenue late this summer).

Isnt it coming back?

Technically, Sweet Tomatoes is still alive.

Some raving fans of the restaurant bought the rights to the brand and reopened their first location April 1 in Tucson, Arizona.

What happens next is up in the air. The company is thinking about opening more locations, the chief executive officer told food website Eat This, Not That! But there does not appear to be any definite plans to reopen in Fresno or anywhere else.

In the meantime, some former large restaurant spaces in Fresno are sitting empty.

Restaurants are shrinking their overall size lately, especially as the trend of getting takeout or food delivered skyrocketed during the pandemic.

And its getting harder to make money in the restaurant world, especially in California, noted Lewis Smith, senior vice president of real estate company Retail California. The costs of labor, food, energy, fuel and insurance are all rising. A bigger space is more costly to maintain.

Its really difficult on the restaurant owner to actually turn a profit, a profit that would make sense to go through all the headaches and drama of owning your own business, he said.

Fresno may see some larger spaces converted to other uses, such as retail or offices  like what happened with Sweet Tomatoes.

The former Sweet Tomatoes on Fresno Street just north of Herndon Avenue is being converted to offices.

The back patio with its propane heaters at the former Sweet Tomatoes on Fresno Street just north of Herndon Avenue. The formerly popular restaurant site is being converted to offices.

Painted swatches are left along the front door at the former Sweet Tomatoes which is being converted to offices.
A United passenger fought with his girlfriend, threatened to 'mess up the plane,' and forced a diversion. Now he must pay $20,000.

A United passenger fought with his girlfriend, threatened to 'mess up the plane,' and forced a diversion. Now he must pay $20,000.

Alexander MacDonald was asked to calm down after arguing with his girlfriend on a United flight.

He then threatened a flight attendant and the plane diverted to Bangor, Maine.

A judge has ordered him to pay the carrier $20,638, and he's set to be deported to the UK.

A United Airlines passenger has been ordered to pay the carrier more than $20,000 after forcing a flight to divert.

Alexander MacDonald, a 30-year-old from England, pleaded guilty to one count of flight interference related to the March 1 incident.

He was flying from London to Newark when he started arguing with his girlfriend, according to an affidavit seen by Business Insider.

It adds that the flight purser asked MacDonald to lower his voice and he initially did calm down. But then they found him "yelling" at another crew member in the plane's back galley, per the court document.

The affidavit says MacDonald asked the purser if they would like to "have a problem," threatened to "mess up the plane," and backed them into the corner by putting his hands on their shoulders.

The flight crew and two passengers eventually managed to restrain MacDonald with flex cuffs, but he continued to be verbally and physically aggressive, the affidavit says.

The captain then decided to divert the plane, which had 160 passengers on board, to Bangor International Airport in Maine.

Last Thursday, a judge in the US District Court of Maine remanded MacDonald to custody to be deported back to the UK.

He was also ordered to pay $20,738, of which $20,638 is restitution to United Airlines.

United declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.

In January, a British university student avoided paying the Spanish Defense Ministry $120,000 after he joked about blowing up a plane and fighter jets were scrambled. He was found not guilty of a charge of public disorder.

The number of unruly passenger incidents rose sharply as aviation returned from COVID disruption in 2021 and has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels.

Incidents have been steadily declining, but last year saw around double the number of incidents that occurred in 2020. With 598 reports as of April 21, this year looks set to be around 80% higher than pre-pandemic levels.

Read the original article on Business Insider
UnitedHealth hackers used stolen login credentials to break in, CEO says

FILE PHOTO: The corporate logo of the UnitedHealth Group appears on the side of one of their office buildings in Santa Ana, California

(This April 29 story has been corrected to fix the headline and paragraph 1, and updated to clarify the breach occurred due to stolen credentials, not a Citrix vulnerability, in paragraphs 5 and 6)

By Zeba Siddiqui

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hackers breached UnitedHealth's tech unit on Feb. 12 by using stolen login credentials that gave them remote access to its network, the largest U.S. health insurer will testify before a House panel this week.

UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty's testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee will follow weeks of disruption to American healthcare since the insurer's Change Healthcare unit was hacked.

On the morning of Feb. 21, the cybercriminal gang AlphV, aka BlackCat, locked up Change Healthcare's systems and demanded a ransom to unlock them, Witty will tell the House panel, according to a copy of his written testimony posted to the panel's website on Monday.

"Not knowing the entry point of the attack at the time, we immediately severed connectivity with Changes data centers to eliminate the potential for further infection," the testimony says.

The criminals used compromised login credentials to remotely access a Change Healthcare Citrix portal that did not have multi-factor authentication, according to the testimony. That portal, offered by the private tech company Citrix Systems, allows for remote access to an organisation's desktops.

Multi-factor authentication is a widely prescribed layer of security that prevents hackers from using stolen passwords to break into systems. It's unclear why the Change Healthcare portal did not have this security measure, and a UnitedHealth spokesperson did not respond to questions about it.

A Citrix spokesman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. officials issued multiple warnings about security loopholes in Citrix tools late last year, some of which were being used to breach healthcare groups.

The hearing before the panel's subcommittee on oversight and investigations will focus on the cyberattack's impact on patients and providers.

UnitedHealth has been working with the FBI and prominent cybersecurity firms to investigate the hack. Security experts from Google, Microsoft, Cisco and Amazon worked with teams from Mandiant and Palo Alto Networks to secure Change Healthcare's systems after the breach, according to the testimony.

Last week, Witty said the company had paid the hackers a ransom to ensure the decryption of Change Healthcare's systems, although the size of the payment is not known.

The company has been scrambling to contain the hit to healthcare payment processing across the country. Change processes 50% of all medical claims in the United States.

As of April 26, UnitedHealth Group had provided more than $6.5 billion in accelerated payments and no-interest, no-fee loans to thousands of healthcare providers, according to Witty's testimony.

(Reporting by Zeba Siddiqui in San Francisco; Editing by Michael Erman)
The mention of mass graves is so deeply disturbing that its preferable to think of such wartime horrors as dark remnants of another era, chapters of history we'll never repeat. The Armenian genocide, the Bolshevik revolution, Nazi Germany, El Salvador, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The fairy tale that the human race has evolved beyond such barbarism was shattered (again) last week when reports surfaced that three mass burial sites had been unearthed in Gaza. The shocking development should have made headlines, but it barely made it onto most people's radars.

The media are instead hyper-focused on how we protest atrocities rather than the atrocities themselves.

Read more: At USC, arrests. At UCLA, hands off. Why pro-Palestinian protests have not blown up on UC campuses

Anti-war demonstrations on college campuses dominate conversations and coverage about the Israel-Hamas war. Every imaginable news source  legacy print outlets, user-generated posts, broadcast and cable news  has its sight set on the encampments and rallies breaking out on campuses across the nation.

The protests are worthy in their own right for drawing attention to critical issues. They've raised awareness (and hackles) around the staggering Palestinian death toll, antisemitism, occupation, the oft-forgotten hostages and free speech. The largely peaceful demonstrations, dealt with ineptly at best by university heads and law enforcement, are rightfully the leading national story, and its stars are a generation that many older folks had written off as apathetic.

Read more: Photos: Tensions grow as pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses continue

In SEO terms, the protests present the perfect setting for a media blitz. They're taking place at colleges and they come with powerful images and ample social media content. As an example, protests at USC unfolded live on television across various local stations, with choppers capturing the action from every imaginable angle. They're also an easier way into the war, bringing the Mideast conflict home to America without the horror of witnessing a real battle.

Read more: 13 days that rocked USC: How a derailed commencement brought 'complete disaster'

But blanket coverage of the uprising by students is so omnipresent, it's overshadowed news from the very war they're protesting.

There's been a stunning lack of coverage and outrage following an announcement Friday by Palestinian authorities that they'd uncovered 390 bodies from mass grave sites around Gazas Nassar and Shifa hospitals, facilities that were raided and destroyed in Israeli strikes. The bodies were reportedly found in the pits, buried by bulldozed debris, after the Israeli Defense Forces ended operations in the region.

Exterior of Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on Nov. 10. (AFP via Getty Images)

Women and children are among the deceased; the majority are still unidentified. Some of the dead were allegedly found stripped naked with their hands bound behind their backs. It indicates serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and these need to be subjected to further investigations," said Ravina Shamdasani, a chief spokesperson for the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Volker Turk.

The sheer barbarity of these scenes may explain why they haven't garnered more attention. It's simply too awful to process, so we turn away.

And if the discovery of mass graves is a hard story to watch, it's an even harder one to cover. Israel continues to restrict international journalists' access to Gaza, so there are fewer reporters there to bear witness. For those who are there, it's one of the deadliest wars on record for media workers, and civilian casualties are more than 34,000. If reporters do survive, they're faced with intense investigative digging to get to the truth. And when their stories are finally reported, they'll be lambasted, trolled and harassed by one side  or both  for their perceived bias.

But we need answers, and short of an independent investigation (the Biden administration has left it up to Israel to investigate itself), were left to guess whether war crimes have or have not been committed.

The dearth of information is partly due to the contraction of American newsrooms. Journalism outlets big and small have lost the resources, access and the expertise to cover wars like they once did. It's also up to elected officials to draw attention to potential war crimes, especially when the U.S. plays such a central role in the conflict.

Politicians like Mike Johnson have instead been busy raising their profiles by inserting themselves into the Palestinian-Israeli mire. Painting himself as a defender of student safety, the Republican House speaker instead put hundreds if not thousands of anti-war protesters in danger  Jewish students included  by conflating their pro-Palestinian stances with sympathy for Hamas. "The things that have happened at the hands of Hamas are horrific, and yet these protesters are out there waving flags for the very people who committed those crimes. This is not who we are in America," Johnson posted Thursday on X, formerly Twitter.

Read more: After Hamas killed his mother, an Israeli man chooses peace over vengeance

It was refreshing to see that ABC News didnt just quote him and move on, as many other news outlets did. The network reported that there had been no documented cases of demonstrators waving Hamas flags. Such details matter when the safety of students is at stake.

But critical questions remain around Gaza's mass graves, and there's the matter of accountability.

The grave in question was dug  by Gazans  a few months ago, tweeted Nadav Shoshani, a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Force. This fact is corroborated by social media documentation uploaded by Gazans at the time of the burial. Any attempt to blame Israel for burying civilians in mass graves is categorically false and a mere example of a disinformation campaign aimed at delegitimizing Israel.

Israeli officials said the corpses buried near Nasser Hospital had been exhumed to check whether they were those of Israeli hostages. An Israeli military official said that all remains were then respectfully returned to their place."

Gaza authorities affirm that graves were dug before the Israeli militarys arrival, but allege that the IDF added bodies to the site. Gaza Civil Defense said that only about 100 people were buried in graves before the IDF raid, and that 390 to 392 bodies (accounts vary) had since been recovered.

The widely reported slaughter of innocent Israelis and Palestinians, and the taking of hostages, prompted the protests in the first place. Now, the cries of demonstrators are the story. But we can certainly pay attention on both fronts, even if one of them requires a lot more work and emotional girding. It's our moral imperative to pay attention or risk becoming bystanders as another dark chapter on wartime atrocities writes itself.

Sign up for Screen Gab, a free newsletter about the TV and movies everyones talking about from the L.A. Times.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
By Lucinda Elliott

MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) - Jose Mujica, Uruguay's former president and one of Latin America's best-known leaders, announced a cancer diagnosis on Monday that doctors say will be challenging to treat.

Mujica, who turns 89 in May, said that a tumor was discovered in his esophagus during a routine medical exam on Friday.

"This is obviously very complicated and doubly so in my case," Mujica, who led the small South American country's leftist government from 2010 to 2015, told reporters on Monday.

Doctors were assessing the best course of treatment, he said, but had cautioned that chemotherapy and surgery posed challenges due to an autoimmune disease he suffers from.

Mujica - a former guerrilla known to many Uruguayans simply by his nickname "Pepe" - was 74 when he became president and has remained politically active during his retirement.

He drew widespread international attention during his presidency for allowing abortions in early pregnancy - a regional first in predominantly Catholic South America - and backing a proposal to legalize marijuana sales.

Mujica promised on Monday that his diagnosis would not keep him from fighting for the causes he holds dear.

"I want to convey to all the young people that life is beautiful, but it wears out and you fall," he said. "The point is to start over every time you fall, and if there is anger, transform it into hope."

Uruguay holds presidential elections in October and the left-wing Frente Amplio or Broad Front coalition that Mujica once led is slightly ahead in most opinion polls. They will face the center-right coalition that has been power since 2020.

Yamandu Orsi, one of the candidates vying for the presidency for the Broad Front, said the news of Mujica's diagnosis had given the political campaign a fresh "boost" because it showed the need to continue fighting. "Pepe reinforces how we must value life," Orsi told reporters.

(Reporting by Lucinda Elliott in Montevideo Editing by Adam Jourdan and Rosalba O'Brien)
BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of the Republic of France, President Aleksandar Vucic of the Republic of Serbia, and President Tamas Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday.

This is the first visit to Europe by China's head of state in nearly five years, which is of great significance to the overall development of China's relations with France, Serbia, Hungary and Europe, and will inject new impetus into world peace and development, another foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a regular press briefing on Monday.

Noting that France was the first major Western country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China at the ambassadorial level, Lin said China-France relations have long been at the forefront of the relations between China and the West.

In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Macron, China-France relations have maintained a sound development momentum, with fruitful strategic communication, practical cooperation, deeper people-to-people exchanges and sound communication and coordination in international and regional affairs, Lin said.

During the visit, Xi will hold talks with Macron and exchange in-depth views on China-France and China-Europe relations as well as international and regional hotspot issues of common concern. The two heads of state will also travel to another place to hold activities.

Xi's visit marks the second state visit by China's head of state to France in five years. It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France and is of great significance to building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for bilateral relations, Lin noted.

China looks forward to working with France to take this visit as an opportunity to further consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen solidarity and cooperation, take the China-France comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, inject new impetus into the sound and steady development of China-Europe relations, and make new contributions to world peace, stability, development and progress, Lin said.

Serbia is China's first comprehensive strategic partner in Central and Eastern Europe, and the two countries enjoy iron-clad friendship, Lin said.

He said that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Vucic, China-Serbia relations have maintained a high level of performance. He said that the two sides have supported each other's core interests and major concerns firmly, shared solid political mutual trust, achieved fruitful outcomes in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and maintained close coordination in multilateral fields.

Lin said that during the visit, Xi will hold talks with Vucic to exchange in-depth views on China-Serbia relations, and international and regional issues of common concern. The two sides will hold discussions on elevating the positioning of bilateral ties and charting the course for future development.

This is Xi's second visit to Serbia in eight years, which is a milestone to upgrade and improve bilateral relations, said Lin, adding that taking this visit as an opportunity, China looks forward to working with Serbia to consolidate the iron-clad friendship between the two countries, deepen political mutual trust, and expand practical cooperation, to open a new chapter in the history of China-Serbia relations and contribute more to building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Hungary is an important country in Central and Eastern Europe, noted Lin, saying that the country is also an important partner for China in advancing joint Belt and Road cooperation and China-Central and Eastern European cooperation.

Lin said that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Hungary relations have maintained high-level development, where exchanges at the top level are close, political mutual trust are continuously deepened, and fruitful results are yielded in cooperation in various fields, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

China and Hungary are comprehensive strategic partners who are committed to their respective development in line with their national conditions, Lin said, noting that deepening traditional friendship and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation serve the common interests of both sides and are conducive to regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity.

The joint invitation extended by Hungarian President Sulyok and Prime Minister Orban to President Xi to visit Hungary fully demonstrates Hungary's high regard and earnest expectations for this visit, Lin added.

Lin said that during the visit, Xi will meet and hold talks with Sulyok and Orban respectively to have in-depth exchanges of views on China-Hungary relations and issues of common concern.

As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, this milestone visit will elevate bilateral relations to a new level, open a new chapter for China-Hungary friendly cooperation, inject new impetus into the development of China-Europe relations, and bring more stability and positive energy to the turbulent world, Lin said. 
US is best choice for Africa over Russia or China, US Commerce Secretary says

The United States is the best partner for African nations without strings attached but it will not force African nations to choose its partnership over Russia or China, US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told CNN.

We think were the best, we think we offer opportunities consistent with your [Africas] values of freedom and democracy, and so we want to be the partner that you choose to work with, Secretary Raimondo told CNNs Larry Madowo in an exclusive interview in Nairobi.

She spoke on the sidelines of the AmCham Business Summit after meeting Kenyan President William Ruto during her first official trip to Africa.

Anti-Western sentiment

Like many other African nations, Kenya has deep ties with China, which has funding projects and major infrastructure projects across the continent.

Russia is also making fresh inroads into the continent, capitalizing on anti-Western sentiment in some nations to profit from arms sales and natural resources.

Secretary Raimondo addressed the criticism that African nations dislike lectures from the US and its European allies about democracy and human rights, and many prefer dealing with China or Russia that dont make similar demands.

Raimondo said the US is coming to Africa without strings attached, saying she had brought more than a dozen businesses to the Nairobi summit.

I just met with President Ruto, and we had a fantastic meeting. I said to him: were not here to lecture, were here to partner, were here to learn from you, were here to invest, in your people and in your country, she said.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
US Lawmakers press Biden administration on use of crypto to evade sanctions

By Hannah Lang

(Reuters) -Two lawmakers are pressing the Biden administration on the use of cryptocurrency to evade sanctions in Russia, Iran and North Korea, asking officials what additional authorities might be needed to prevent digital assets, such as stablecoin Tether from being used by sanctioned entities in Russia and elsewhere.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

The letter sent on Sunday by U.S. Senators, Democrat Elizabeth Warren and Republican Roger Marshall, to officials including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin show increasing scrutiny on how cryptocurrencies could be used to circumvent sanctions.

CONTEXT

Warren and Marshall raised particular concern about the use of Tether, whose value is pegged to the U.S. dollar and designed to maintain a stable value.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Russian middlemen used Tether to evade Western sanctions in order to source weapons parts for drones and other military equipment.

Reuters also reported this month that Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA plans to use Tether in its crude and fuel exports as the U.S. is set to reimpose oil sanctions on the country.

KEY QUOTE

"The national security threat posed by cryptocurrency requires a commensurate response by our country's defense community," Warren and Marshall said. They noted that even though Tether's preferred crypto trading platform Garantex has been sanctioned, "it is not clear if these actions have stopped the flow of funds through the platform."

THE RESPONSE

A Tether spokesperson said in a statement that every action with the cryptocurrency is online and traceable, and "every asset can be seized and every criminal can be caught."

"We work with law enforcement to do exactly that. Tether respects the (Office of Foreign Assets Control and Specially Designated Nationals) list and collaborates with more than 120 law enforcement agencies from 40 different countries, including FBI, DOJ and the (U.S. Secret Service)," the spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Hannah Lang in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
A community was told to shelter in place while a massive amount of law enforcement personnel were called to the scene of a deadly shootout at an east Charlotte home. The order has been lifted.

3 marshals killed, 5 officers hurt in east Charlotte shootout, CMPD says

Early Monday afternoon, the scene started to unfold at Galway Drive in a neighborhood near the intersection of Milton Road and The Plaza.

The U.S. Marshals went to the home to serve a warrant on a felony charge of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon, said Chief Johnny Jennings, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

GoFundMe: Help those affected by Monday's shooting

A suspect met them with gunfire. U.S. Marshals returned fire and killed the suspect. More shooting came from inside the home, police said.

An hourslong standoff began, which ended with the loss of several lives.

Three members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, including a deputy marshal, and CMPD Officer Joshua Eyer, were killed, said Jennings.

CMPD mourns recent Officer of the Month killed during deadly shootout

Three more responding CMPD officers were shot, and another agent with the U.S. Marshals Task Force was also struck by gunfire.

The area was secured by late afternoon and neighbors were no longer asked to shelter in place. Authorities are questioning the people inside the home. The persons of interest are a woman and a juvenile.

Sources tell Channel 9 a deputy U.S. Marshal was killed Monday in what police are calling an active situation in east Charlotte.

An active investigation is underway in east Charlotte on Monday, police said.

Today we lost some heroes that are out trying to simply keep our community safe, said Jennings.

>>This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates.

Kept going and escalating

Tyler Wilson and his roommates were sitting at home when they heard a loudspeaker outside.

They then heard gunshots at about 1:30 p.m.

Then shots ringing left and right for 30 minutes, Wilson said.

Officers needed access to his home and property.

It just kept going and escalating, every window, cops kept coming in, he said. They were jumping over our fence, so I let them come through the house. They set up a U.S. marshal sniper in my room.

The roommates described the scene that seemed like it was out of a Hollywood movie.

It felt like a movie, and we had front-row seats, Wilson said. There were at least 100 gunshots. It was a lot.

VIDEO BELOW: The situation impacted dismissals at three nearby Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools.

Reactions from local and state officials have been pouring in

CMPD officers reopened the entrances and roads to Atrium Health Main late Monday afternoon.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and City Manager Marcus Jones went to the hospital.

Lyles tweeted, I am deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred that involved Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and US Marshals today. I ask that all Charlotteans keep them, the other injured officers, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.

Statement from President Joe Biden:

Earlier today, four brave law enforcement officers - including a Deputy U.S. Marshal - were killed in the line of duty. They are heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice, rushing into harms way to protect us. We mourn for them and their loved ones.

And we pray for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded. When a law enforcement officer puts on that shield in the morning and heads out the door, their family members dread the phone call  the very call that came today.

Its like losing a piece of your soul. To the families of those we lost: Jill and I, and all Americans, are here for you. And we will always be here for you. We must do more to protect our law enforcement officers. That means funding them - so they have the resources they need to do their jobs and keep us safe. And it means taking additional action to combat the scourge of gun violence. Now. Leaders in Congress need to step up so that we ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, require safe storage of guns, and pass universal background checks and a national red flag law. Enough is enough. May God Bless these fallen heroes.

Mecklenburg County officials released the following statement:

Leaders and staff from Mecklenburg County government, including the Board of County Commissioners and County Managers office, offer their condolences and support to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) and our law enforcement community following the shooting deaths of three officers.

The Board of County Commissioners joins the grieving families and community-at-large as we deal with this devastating loss, said George Dunlap, chairman of the Board and a retired veteran of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. When such senseless and preventable tragedies occur in our community, everyone hurts.

County Manager Dena R. Diorio also expressed her sympathy and offered condolences to the officers families, colleagues, friends, and neighbors.

Our entire Mecklenburg County community feels the shock and the pain when such a tragedy occurs, and our prayers are with all affected, said Diorio. Mecklenburg County government stands ready to support our law enforcement colleagues and their families in any way we can as we all work through this heartbreaking situation.

Today is a tragic day in Charlotte. Anytime a member of law enforcement is killed or injured in the line of duty, the whole profession hurts. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the fallen officers as well as the other officers who were shot, including 4 of our own https://t.co/rosRMHSUqB  Chief Jennings (@cmpdchief) April 29, 2024

I am deeply saddened by the shooting that occurred that involved Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers and US Marshals today. I ask that all Charlotteans keep them, the other injured officers, and their families in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.  Mayor Vi Lyles (@CLTMayor) April 29, 2024

We stand ready to assist our law enforcement partners and support all of the law enforcement involved in any way we can, including @CMPD. Our thoughts and prayers are with our law enforcement partners. We are monitoring the situation. https://t.co/xuF19TCMZa  U.S. Attorney Dena King (@USAttyKing) April 29, 2024

My heart is full for all of the law enforcement officers, Clt Fire & their families who put their lives on the line everyday to serve our community.  Dante Anderson (@DanteAnderson) April 29, 2024
Utah family reunited with cat mailed hundreds of miles away in Amazon return box

Utah family reunited with cat mailed hundreds of miles away in Amazon return box

A cat that was accidentally shipped almost 600 miles in an Amazon return box from Utah to California has been reunited with her family.

Galena survived almost a week without food or water after she was shipped to an Amazon warehouse with a box of work boots earlier this month.

Her owners, Matt and Carrie Stevens Clark, said that they first noticed their pet's disappearance on 10 April, prompting a frantic search in the neighbourhood.

Galena was found by an Amazon worker a week after she went missing (Screengrab/ KSL News)

The family also put up posters pleading for information about their cat.

That was the worst part, we just had no idea what happened, Ms Clark told KSL News. She just mysteriously disappeared. We had absolutely no idea what happened to her.

Galena was rescued a week later by an Amazon worker named Brandy, who found the cat inside a box with work boots.

Brandy took the cat to a vet, where its microchip was scanned for the family's contact details.

When contacted by the vet in California, the family assumed they were being "pranked".

Galena is a huge emotional support to me and has helped me get through many health challenges over the past six years, Ms Clark told the news network. The anxiety and stress of not knowing what happened to her was excruciating.

Ms Clark said she ran to inform her husband about the rescue and the couple "broke down upon realising that she must have jumped into an oversized box that we shipped out".

After talking to the vet, I got to talk to Brandy on the phone, Ms Clark said. She was so relieved to find out that we love Galena and were desperately looking for her.

The couple flew to California to bring their cat home the next day and were delighted to meet Ms Brandy, identified only by her first name.

It was an amazing reunion! Galena instantly stopped shaking and relaxed in my arms when I got to hold her again, Ms Clark said.

The cat was unharmed despite some mild dehydration and weight loss.

It was able to breathe due to a tear in the box. "Galena survived because of her microchip, Brandys kindness and generosity, and gods grace! Ms Clark said.
FILE PHOTO: General view from above of a dam owned by Vale SA and BHP Billiton Ltd that burst, in Mariana

FILE PHOTO: General view from above of a dam owned by Vale SA and BHP Billiton Ltd that burst, in Mariana

By Peter Frontini and Marta Nogueira

SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Vale, BHP and their joint venture Samarco have presented Brazilian authorities with a settlement proposal related to reparations for the 2015 Mariana tailings dam burst, but local prosecutors still want them to bump up their offer.

The proposal, the Brazilian mining giant said in a securities filing on Monday, foresees a total payment of 127 billion reais ($24.88 billion), including 37 billion reais already disbursed.

The dam collapse at the Samarco iron ore mine near the town of Mariana in Brazil's southeastern state of Minas Gerais caused a vast flow of mud and mining waste that buried a nearby village, killing 19 people and leaving hundreds homeless.

The November 2015 disaster also polluted a major river.

Of the remaining amount the companies proposed to disburse, 72 billion reais would be paid to the federal and local governments over a period, Vale said. Some 18 billion reais would be used to settle future obligations.

But the top prosecutor of Minas Gerais state still hopes for a bigger deal, he told Reuters in an interview.

"I'm not satisfied with the final amount," Jarbas Soares Junior said. "But with the companies' stance of seeking something more compatible, yes."

Soares Junior said prosecutors will try to push the firms to raise their offer to 137 billion reais.

"They're asking for a 20-year term for everything, so adding another 500 million reais per year would be no sacrifice for them," he said, referring to the amount still to be paid by the firms.

Vale had previously said it expected to reach a final agreement regarding the collapse of the dam by the end of the first half of 2024. Soares Junior reaffirmed that expectation.

"The companies and authorities remain committed to advancing negotiations and approving a definitive agreement," Vale said. "The proposal is intended to provide a mutually beneficial resolution for all parties."

Vale and BHP struck an initial deal over the disaster in 2016 which created a foundation to implement reparations but had a complicated chronology for payments and left space for a final definitive agreement.

Vale said that as of March 2024, 17 billion reais had been paid to more than 430,000 people and about 85% of the resettlement cases for the communities affected had been completed.

($1 = 5.1037 reais)

(Reporting by Peter Frontini in Sao Paulo and Marta Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Gabriel Araujo, Louise Heavens and Jonathan Oatis)
Metro Nashville Public Schools and Vanderbilt University are teaming up to establish a laboratory school at John Early Museum Magnet Middle School.

John Early, situated in North Nashville, will get a new focus on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, or STEAM, through the partnership, according to a Wednesday news release from MNPS. It will also make efforts to prepare students for high-performing high schools. The school will be run in partnership with Vanderbilt University's Peabody College of education and human development.

Training and implementation for the new school model will unfold over the next three school years.

John Early Museum Magnet Middle School students and parents admire artwork on display in the school museum during a Black History Month celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn.

"The establishment of a lab school at John Early Museum Magnet marks a significant step forward in our commitment to providing high-quality, research-driven education to our students," MNPS Director Adrienne Battle said in the release. "This collaboration with Vanderbilt Peabody College will not only transform the educational landscape at John Early but also set a new standard for public school collaboration with higher education."

Laboratory schools, or lab schools for short, are public schools that can be planted by private universities in Tennessee, made possible by a change to state law passed last year. Also known as training schools, they can range from pre-K through 12th grade and must be run in partnership a public school district. Lab schools are typically high-performing, with smaller student bodies and a focus on innovative teaching and learning practices. They can also serve as a training ground for pre-service teachers, similar to the clinical model used by medical schools.

"This innovative lab school model is designed to be a leading example of how public education and higher education can work together to produce outstanding educational outcomes," the release said.

Learn more about lab schools: Private Tennessee universities can now plant public K-12 schools after bipartisan effort

What's planned for the John Early lab school

John Early will continue operating as an MNPS school, according to the release. Vanderbilt will add to its existing programs and governance, with a focus on boosting the quality of education and support for students.

John Early will continue serving as a pathway school to Hume-Fogg Academic High School. That means John Early students who meet the academic requirements to enroll at Hume-Fogg are guaranteed a spot at the highly sought-after high school. John Early is also a pathway school to Pearl-Cohn High School, which is also a magnet but does not carry academic requirements for enrollment.

Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier stands outside at Vanderbilt Univeristy in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, Nov. 10, 2023.

"Vanderbilt has long been committed to leveraging our expertise to benefit our community, and this deepening of our relationship with MNPS is an outstanding opportunity to do just that," Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said in the release. "As an institution that believes deeply in the power of education to transform lives and unlock potential, we are excited about the insights and impact this partnership will make possible for the practitioners at John Early, for our faculty at Peabody, and especially for the students and families touched by the lab schools work."

The collaboration with Vanderbilt will include the following things:

High-dosage, intensive tutoring in math

Professional development for teachers

Opportunities for students to learn on the Vanderbilt campus

Support for designing and implementing innovative curriculum aimed at enhancing academic and instructional opportunities for students

MNPS said it is also hopeful the school will add courses and support for community members who wish to further their education and careers.

Are there already lab schools in Tennessee?

A University High School student uses an inverted microscope provided by a local hospital partner to conduct science research in a biology class. The school functions as a lab school through the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tenn.

Lab schools have been around in the U.S. since the 1820s. Previous Tennessee law allowed public universities to plant lab schools. A bipartisan measure passed last year expanded that to include private universities.

At least three universities already run lab schools for a variety of grade levels in the state: the University of Memphis, Middle Tennessee State University and East Tennessee State University. All three lab schools have been around for more than 100 years, and some are among the highest-performing schools statewide.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: MNPS, Vanderbilt partner to launch North Nashville lab school
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY)  Two adults and a child were displaced by a house fire in Virginia Beach.

Courtesy of the Virginia Beach Fire Department

Courtesy of the Virginia Beach Fire Department

Around 12:30 p.m. Monday, fire crews were called to the 2200 block of Arrowstone Court. When crews arrived on the scene, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof of a two-story home.

Officials said a next door neighbor told the residents that the roof was on fire.

The Virginia Beach Fire Department said the fire was sparked by an electrical issue with a solar panel.

No one was hurt by the fire.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
A radiology technician looks at a chest X-ray of a child suffering from flu symptoms at a medical center in Georgia. Hospitals increasingly are tacking on facility fees for routine services at the smaller clinics and outpatient centers that they own, even when those facilities arent anywhere near the hospitals campus. (David Goldman | The Associated Press)

Even if you have health insurance, you might expect to be charged a copayment for some routine care, like office-based exams and consultations. But you probably dont expect to receive a bill a few weeks later charging you an extra $100 or more.

Thats the situation an increasing number of state lawmakers are looking to change. In most states, a hospital facility fee can legally appear on your bill if your doctor is affiliated with a large hospital system  even if you never set foot on the hospitals campus.

Traditionally, hospitals and health systems add facility fees to help cover the higher costs of operating a full-service, 24/7 hospital  which include expenses such as equipment, support staff, utilities, maintenance and security. They argue the fees help them provide critical services to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

But increasingly, hospitals are tacking on facility fees for routine services at the smaller clinics and outpatient centers they own, even when those facilities arent anywhere near the hospitals campus. The fees can add anywhere from $15 to $100 or more to a medical bill. Patients have reported being charged out-of-hospital facility fees of $503 for a pediatric visit, $488 for an appointment to get ADHD medication, and $355 for steroid injections for arthritis.

Patients arent the only ones upset. Employers, aghast at the soaring costs of their employees health insurance, have banded together in states such as Indiana and Texas to push lawmakers to do something.

Everything else at the providers office looks and feels the same, said Maureen Hensley-Quinn, senior director of the coverage, cost and value team at the nonprofit National Academy for State Health Policy.

But [patients] end up with a larger bill for a service they had previously gotten for a lesser amount because the hospital is now treating the provider office as a hospital outpatient department, she said.

Hensley-Quinn said state lawmakers began relaying their constituents complaints to her organization about five years ago, and since then at least 15 states have taken action to address facility fees. Some, including Colorado, Connecticut and New York, have banned facility fees for certain outpatient services at non-hospital locations or for telehealth visits. Those states, as well as others, including Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas, now require hospitals to notify patients about facility fees ahead of time.

In the most recent legislative sessions, at least 16 bills were introduced in 10 states to address the fees, said Hensley-Quinn.

Its big states, small states, its very red states, very blue states, she said. Legislators across the country are raising these issues and asking questions about what increased consolidation means.

More chains, fewer independents

A rise in fees and other patient costs springs from the growing consolidation of the American health care system, researchers and lawmakers say. Large hospital systems are gobbling up clinics, physician groups, and urgent care and imaging centers. Those facilities can then become outpatient departments of the hospitals.

A study published last year illustrates why hospital systems are motivated to make those moves: In the early 2000s, the federal government began cutting Medicare payments to doctors for noninvasive cardiac tests performed in a cardiologists office, but kept its payments flat or increased them for the same tests if they were performed in a hospital-based outpatient facility.

That dollar gap incentivized hospitals to acquire cardiology practices so that they could move cardiac tests to the outpatient facilities that could charge higher fees, researchers found.

More than a dozen states have passed facility fee laws just in the past few years, according to a recent report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, an advocacy nonprofit focused on consumer protection issues.

The efforts have been largely bipartisan. Indianas 2023 package of health care bills, which increased reporting requirements for hospitals charging facility fees, was authored by Republicans but passed with bipartisan support. That same year, Democratic lawmakers in Colorado passed a measure, with some Republican support, that prevents larger hospital systems from charging facility fees for preventive outpatient services.

Fees on the rise

Connecticut has the nations most robust facility fee laws. Last year, lawmakers expanded existing law to ban the fees for some routine outpatient services even if theyre performed on a hospital campus. The new law also beefed up state enforcement and created new reporting requirements for hospital systems.

These fees are part of the increased cost of health care, said Connecticut state Sen. Saud Anwar, a Democrat and a practicing physician who supported the new requirements. Facility fees, depending on location, are a very fast-growing segment of that health care cost. We are looking for ways to control that.

Hospital leaders say the fees help them cover overhead costs. That makes it possible for them to maintain all the essential services they provide to their patients and communities, especially as Medicare and Medicaid continue to chronically underpay hospitals for the costs of delivering that care, the American Hospital Association, a trade group, wrote in a statement to Stateline.

But prices for common outpatient services are significantly higher when theyre delivered in a hospital-owned outpatient department versus in a physicians office or ambulatory surgery center, according to a 2023 analysis by Blue Health Intelligence, a division of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. For example, a mammogram performed in an office setting might bill insurance for $232, but in a hospital-owned outpatient department, facility fees bring the total to $357.50, according to the report.

These fees are part of the increased cost of health care. Facility fees  are a very fast-growing segment of that health care cost. We are looking for ways to control that.

 Connecticut state Sen. Saud Anwar, a Democrat and a practicing physician

And facility fees appear to be rising.

Last year, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission found that the greatest increase in medical spending in Massachusetts commercial health care market was for hospital outpatient departments. Facility fees grew more than four times faster from 2019-2021 than physician/professional fees. The commission recommended lawmakers prohibit facility fees for common services such as lab tests, basic imaging and diagnostic services, as well as physician office visits.

In a 2020 study published in the journal Annals of Surgery, researchers found that facility fees for common outpatient procedures in the United States rose by 53% from 2011-2017, while physicians professional fees remained steady. The increases were primarily driven by facility fees and out-of-pocket expenses.

Back and forth

Not everyones convinced that banning or restricting facility fees will curb rising health care costs.

Last year, Maine lawmakers considered a bill that would have outlawed facility fees for services not located on hospital campuses. They ultimately chose instead to create a task force to study facility fees.

The hospital association and other hospitals in the state came out pretty strongly against the bill, essentially saying facility fees are a billing mechanism to cover their costs  that all of their costs are essentially rolled up into their facility fees and theyd go bankrupt if they couldnt bill for them, said Lisa Nolan, director of legislative affairs at the Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine, one of the stakeholder organizations involved with the task force.

Many rural hospitals and those that serve low-income communities are struggling financially, in part because of inadequate payments from insurers, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, a national policy organization.

More than 100 rural hospitals have closed nationwide in the past decade, and nearly 700 rural hospitals are at risk of closing in the near future. Some hospital leaders argue that removing the ability to charge facility fees could tip struggling hospitals into bankruptcy.

Maines task force recommended the legislature consider restricting facility fees for certain services, including telehealth. Yet many state lawmakers on the committee considering a new bill this year remained unconvinced. After some political wrangling, they passed a bill last month  now awaiting the governors signature  that requires health systems to notify patients about facility fees.

Nolan is skeptical that the laws banning facility fees would meaningfully reduce costs for consumers or insurance companies.

Providers would find other ways to incorporate them into their bills, she said. There needs to be discussions about what are appropriate rates, how can providers be more efficient, and how can we reduce administrative costs for carriers and providers.

Are some of those costs higher than they should be? Thats a different discussion than just wiping away facility fees.

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 Youve covered your copayment; now brace yourself for the facility fee appeared first on West Virginia Watch.
By Azernews

By Faiq Feyziyev

Since its inception, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has played a paramount role in creating various disruptive policies and subversive movements in the Middle East and within Azerbaijan, the only Islamic country in the South Caucasus. The IRGC, also known as SEPAH, leads a number of other organisations and, due to its financial support, carries out anti-state provocations in the target countries, harmful propaganda, and propaganda that affects the public and national consciousness under the guise of religion.

One of them is the Islamic Resistance Movement in Azerbaijan. This illegal organisation, mostly referred to as Husayniyun, or Huseynchilar, is known as an Azerbaijani Shia Islamist armed group and socio-political movement. Backed by Iran, this was founded by Tovhid Ibrahimbeyli, who is wanted internationally for criminal acts.

An assault weapon in a clenched fist depicted on an ordinary piece of cloth is a symbol of various revolutionary, social, and political movements around the world. Although this organisation targets Azerbaijan in particular, it is no secret that it has connections with Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other organisations.

The main goal of this organisation, which is generally formed against Azerbaijan, is to promote and spread Iran's dangerous policy under the guise of religion in the South Caucasus as well as in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq. After 2021, the organisation and its affiliated members were arrested in Azerbaijan, and the main management team fled to Iran and hid.

On the eve of the Second Karabakh War in 2020, Iran's dangerous policy towards Azerbaijan began to manifest itself precisely with the activation of those organisations. Iran had already started to worry about the progress in de-occupied Garabagh. In order to disrupt political stability and public order in the country, it was necessary to activate additional forces from within the country. Although Iran launched Plan B, it did not produce any serious results. Because the sprouts of such organisations, which have attempted coups in the country for a long time, did not escape the attention of the state.

Generally, the members of such organisations arrested in Azerbaijan are interpreted in different ways in Iran and other countries, but this has only one name: terrorist crime. Azerbaijan, which is an example of a sensitive approach to human rights, has not remained indifferent to the violation of the rights of any person due to either religious or political opinions in the country. Today, ethnic minorities and nationalities of all religions practice their religious beliefs freely in Azerbaijan. However, despite this, the independent Republic of Azerbaijan pays special attention to the activity of religious and political trends affecting public order within the country and takes necessary measures against them.

Unfortunately, some religious trends and organisations created in Iran go the extra mile to create sectarianism, Sunni, and Shia conflicts in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan creates ample conditions for those who believe in Islam, even Christianity, and many other beliefs. With such false slanders, the Hosseiniun organisation of Iran has decided to hold an action in the city of Gom against the Shia Muslims who are allegedly arrested in the country. However, such shows are not able to smear the reputation of Azerbaijan and its independent nation.

As for those arrested, they will have to answer to the state and the people of Azerbaijan for a lifetime.
People holding placards are pictured during a protest rally against the Philippines-U.S. joint military drills in front of the gate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Quezon City, the Philippines, April 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

The United States is rushing to interfere in the policy of the ASEAN and its principle of non-interference, said a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

PHNOM PENH, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. deployment of medium-range ballistic missiles in the Philippines has posed a grave threat and danger to regional peace and stability, Cambodian scholars have cautioned.

The U.S. Army Pacific announced earlier this month that the United States has deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system, also known as Typhon, to Luzon, the Philippines, as part of their joint military exercise, which marks the first time that the country deployed a land-based, ground-launched system following its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019.





Joseph Matthews receives an interview in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 20, 2014. (Xinhua/Sovannara)

UNDERMINING PEACE, STABILITY

Allowing the U.S. army to deploy missiles in the Philippines posed a serious threat and danger to the peace and stability in the region, warned Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, adding that it would not help resolve any regional dispute, but exacerbate the lingering tensions in the South China Sea.

Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that the United States is rushing to interfere in the policy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its principle of non-interference.

"ASEAN Charter states that ASEAN countries will not allow the foreign military to base in each member state, but in this case, the United States and the Philippines are very wrong since they breach the ASEAN Charter for their own benefits," he told Xinhua.

He said that the United States only cares about its own geopolitical benefits regardless of the benefits of other countries. "ASEAN will continue to stay in fragile peace because the United States will use their military (power) to create problems in the region despite saying that they are in ASEAN to protect peace and stability."

Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, said that the Philippines has a "very short-sighted vision" as it closely engages with external countries like the United States and Japan.

If any military conflict happens, the Philippines will be in danger because the United States and Japan are far away from the South China Sea, he noted, adding that those countries and other Western nations are trying to muddy the waters in the region.

Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy, said joint exercises like "Balikatan 2024" serve as a means for the United States to mold the Philippines into a potential proxy in the event of conflicts with China.





People holding placards are pictured during a protest rally against the Philippines-U.S. joint military drills in front of the gate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Quezon City, the Philippines, April 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

DESTABILIZING ASIA-PACIFIC

Matthews said that the United States and Japan have been destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region by inciting the Philippines to continue provocations in the South China Sea.

"This tripartite defense cooperation and military exercise in the disputed waters have put the whole region in a war-like situation," he noted, adding that it will be counterproductive to the Philippines' economy and regional stability.

Mengdavid said the United States is attempting to influence countries bordering China, including the Philippines, to allow the establishment of U.S. military bases within their borders and to enhance their military capabilities against China.

"This strategy not only enables the United States to position its military assets close to the Chinese territory, but also aims to exacerbate maritime disputes in the region," he said.





People holding placards are pictured during a protest rally against the Philippines-U.S. joint military drills in front of the gate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Quezon City, the Philippines, April 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

OUTSIDERS SHOULD BE OUTSIDE

To maintain peace and stability in the region, ASEAN countries must follow their charter and never allow extraterritorial countries to have a bigger say than any member country, Sam said, adding that when member countries have problems with each other, they should hold friendly discussions and never allow extraterritorial countries to interfere in their dialogues and communications.

"Face-to-face discussions and friendly talks with China are the best way to solve the problems in the South China Sea. All regional countries should ensure that they never use major-power countries to interfere in the region because actions of that kind will create more problems," Sam said.
A radiology technician looks at a chest X-ray of a child suffering from flu symptoms at a medical center in Georgia. Hospitals increasingly are tacking on facility fees for routine services at the smaller clinics and outpatient centers that they own, even when those facilities arent anywhere near the hospitals campus. Photo by David Goldman/The Associated Press.

Even if you have health insurance, you might expect to be charged a copayment for some routine care, like office-based exams and consultations. But you probably dont expect to receive a bill a few weeks later charging you an extra $100 or more.

Thats the situation an increasing number of state lawmakers are looking to change. In most states, a hospital facility fee can legally appear on your bill if your doctor is affiliated with a large hospital system  even if you never set foot on the hospitals campus.

Traditionally, hospitals and health systems add facility fees to help cover the higher costs of operating a full-service, 24/7 hospital  which include expenses such as equipment, support staff, utilities, maintenance and security. They argue the fees help them provide critical services to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

But increasingly, hospitals are tacking on facility fees for routine services at the smaller clinics and outpatient centers they own, even when those facilities arent anywhere near the hospitals campus. The fees can add anywhere from $15 to $100 or more to a medical bill. Patients have reported being charged out-of-hospital facility fees of $503 for a pediatric visit, $488 for an appointment to get ADHD medication, and $355 for steroid injections for arthritis.

Patients arent the only ones upset. Employers, aghast at the soaring costs of their employees health insurance, have banded together in states such as Indiana and Texas to push lawmakers to do something.

Everything else at the providers office looks and feels the same, said Maureen Hensley-Quinn, senior director of the coverage, cost and value team at the nonprofit National Academy for State Health Policy.

But [patients] end up with a larger bill for a service they had previously gotten for a lesser amount because the hospital is now treating the provider office as a hospital outpatient department, she said.

Hensley-Quinn said state lawmakers began relaying their constituents complaints to her organization about five years ago, and since then at least 15 states have taken action to address facility fees. Some, including Colorado, Connecticut and New York, have banned facility fees for certain outpatient services at non-hospital locations or for telehealth visits. Those states, as well as others, including Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas, now require hospitals to notify patients about facility fees ahead of time.

In the most recent legislative sessions, at least 16 bills were introduced in 10 states to address the fees, said Hensley-Quinn.

Its big states, small states, its very red states, very blue states, she said. Legislators across the country are raising these issues and asking questions about what increased consolidation means.

More chains, fewer independents

A rise in fees and other patient costs springs from the growing consolidation of the American health care system, researchers and lawmakers say. Large hospital systems are gobbling up clinics, physician groups, and urgent care and imaging centers. Those facilities can then become outpatient departments of the hospitals.

A study published last year illustrates why hospital systems are motivated to make those moves: In the early 2000s, the federal government began cutting Medicare payments to doctors for noninvasive cardiac tests performed in a cardiologists office, but kept its payments flat or increased them for the same tests if they were performed in a hospital-based outpatient facility.

That dollar gap incentivized hospitals to acquire cardiology practices so that they could move cardiac tests to the outpatient facilities that could charge higher fees, researchers found.

More than a dozen states have passed facility fee laws just in the past few years, according to a recent report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, an advocacy nonprofit focused on consumer protection issues.

The efforts have been largely bipartisan. Indianas 2023 package of health care bills, which increased reporting requirements for hospitals charging facility fees, was authored by Republicans but passed with bipartisan support. That same year, Democratic lawmakers in Colorado passed a measure, with some Republican support, that prevents larger hospital systems from charging facility fees for preventive outpatient services.

Fees on the rise

Connecticut has the nations most robust facility fee laws. Last year, lawmakers expanded existing law to ban the fees for some routine outpatient services even if theyre performed on a hospital campus. The new law also beefed up state enforcement and created new reporting requirements for hospital systems.

These fees are part of the increased cost of health care, said Connecticut state Sen. Saud Anwar, a Democrat and a practicing physician who supported the new requirements. Facility fees, depending on location, are a very fast-growing segment of that health care cost. We are looking for ways to control that.

Hospital leaders say the fees help them cover overhead costs. That makes it possible for them to maintain all the essential services they provide to their patients and communities, especially as Medicare and Medicaid continue to chronically underpay hospitals for the costs of delivering that care, the American Hospital Association, a trade group, wrote in a statement to Stateline.

But prices for common outpatient services are significantly higher when theyre delivered in a hospital-owned outpatient department versus in a physicians office or ambulatory surgery center, according to a 2023 analysis by Blue Health Intelligence, a division of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. For example, a mammogram performed in an office setting might bill insurance for $232, but in a hospital-owned outpatient department, facility fees bring the total to $357.50, according to the report.

These fees are part of the increased cost of health care. Facility fees  are a very fast-growing segment of that health care cost. We are looking for ways to control that.

 Connecticut state Sen. Saud Anwar, a Democrat and a practicing physician

And facility fees appear to be rising.

Last year, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission found that the greatest increase in medical spending in Massachusetts commercial health care market was for hospital outpatient departments. Facility fees grew more than four times faster from 2019-2021 than physician/professional fees. The commission recommended lawmakers prohibit facility fees for common services such as lab tests, basic imaging and diagnostic services, as well as physician office visits.

In a 2020 study published in the journal Annals of Surgery, researchers found that facility fees for common outpatient procedures in the United States rose by 53% from 2011-2017, while physicians professional fees remained steady. The increases were primarily driven by facility fees and out-of-pocket expenses.

Back and forth

Not everyones convinced that banning or restricting facility fees will curb rising health care costs.

Last year, Maine lawmakers considered a bill that would have outlawed facility fees for services not located on hospital campuses. They ultimately chose instead to create a task force to study facility fees.

The hospital association and other hospitals in the state came out pretty strongly against the bill, essentially saying facility fees are a billing mechanism to cover their costs  that all of their costs are essentially rolled up into their facility fees and theyd go bankrupt if they couldnt bill for them, said Lisa Nolan, director of legislative affairs at the Healthcare Purchaser Alliance of Maine, one of the stakeholder organizations involved with the task force.

Many rural hospitals and those that serve low-income communities are struggling financially, in part because of inadequate payments from insurers, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, a national policy organization.

More than 100 rural hospitals have closed nationwide in the past decade, and nearly 700 rural hospitals are at risk of closing in the near future. Some hospital leaders argue that removing the ability to charge facility fees could tip struggling hospitals into bankruptcy.

Maines task force recommended the legislature consider restricting facility fees for certain services, including telehealth. Yet many state lawmakers on the committee considering a new bill this year remained unconvinced. After some political wrangling, they passed a bill last month  now awaiting the governors signature  that requires health systems to notify patients about facility fees.

Nolan is skeptical that the laws banning facility fees would meaningfully reduce costs for consumers or insurance companies.

Providers would find other ways to incorporate them into their bills, she said. There needs to be discussions about what are appropriate rates, how can providers be more efficient, and how can we reduce administrative costs for carriers and providers.

Are some of those costs higher than they should be? Thats a different discussion than just wiping away facility fees.

Like Minnesota Reformer, 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 Youve covered your copayment; now brace yourself for the facility fee appeared first on Minnesota Reformer.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT)  The DeKalb County Sheriffs Office (DCSO), says that a Georgia man was arrested and charged with trafficking fentanyl on Monday.

According to DCSO, deputies tried to make a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet truck near AL Highway 75 and County Road 140 (Sulpher Springs Road) in Ider around 10 a.m.

Over 1,000 grams of meth seized, two arrested on trafficking charges

After the Chevrolet truck tried to drive off, multiple deputies responded to assist and were able to get the vehicle stopped in the Sulpher Springs area on County Road 512.

DCSO says that the driver was identified as 47-year-old Charles Kevin Wooten, of Trenton, Georgia, who was arrested and charged with the following:

Resisting Arrest

Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Attempt to Elude

Trafficking in any Illegal Drug

Reckless Endangerment

According to deputies, Wooten was also on Parole in Georgia which has now been revoked.

Jackson County Schools announces long weekend in May

The passenger in the vehicle, 33-year-old Shiann Sorrells, of Valley Head, was also arrested and charged with the following:

Using False ID to Obstruct Justice

4 warrants for Failure to Appear

Both Wooten and Sorrells were transported and booked into the DeKalb County Detention Center.

DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden released the following statement regarding the incident:

Im glad this pursuit ended without someone getting hurt and a drug dealer has been put behind bars. When someone is being reckless and showing no regard to others safety, there is no other place for them other than behind bars. A huge thanks to all that assisted in the apprehension of this fleeing drug dealer, DCSO Deputies, Investigators and Mentone PD. Working together goes a long way and puts the criminals away! God Bless! DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
Venice's plan to charge tourists descended into chaos, showing how much of a headache overtourism has become

Last week, Venice introduced a 5 euro, or $5.40, fee for day-trippers to mitigate overtourism.

The fee is part of a trial that's running until July 14 and will apply on 29 "peak" days.

The move sparked protests, highlighting the problems city officials face when tackling overtourism.

Venice is one of many cities grappling with the effects of overtourism as its number of visitors has bounced back from pandemic-era lows.

When cities become overrun with tourists, officials are often tasked with finding ways to make them more livable for residents.

Officials in the Italian city took action last week by implementing a trial fee of 5 euros  about $5.40  for day-trippers on certain days. But the residents it aims to help aren't all happy about it.

While the hoards of tourists that descend on Venice's narrow streets can be a headache for people who live there year-round, many locals don't believe that charging people is the answer.

About 500 people protested the fee after it came into effect on Thursday. Some of them clashed with riot police; others held up signs and banners saying, "No to ticket, yes to houses and services for all," The Guardian reported.

Opponents claim that the fee, which kicks in on 29 "peak" days from April 25 to July 14, is against the principle of freedom of movement and is too low to deter tourists.

The fee's introduction immediately caused frustration  and not just among locals.

The Guardian reported that some visitors were confused about how to prove they'd registered. Though overnight visitors were not required to pay the day fee, some didn't realize they still had to register their exemption.

The office of Simone Venturini, the city's tourism councilor, did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Venturini previously said the plan wasn't designed for the purpose of raising cash, and that the money raised would only cover operating costs.

Tourists visiting Venice on peak days need to buy a ticket online or at booths to enter the city. Those who fail to register risk being stopped by a ticket inspector and charged between 50 and 300 euros. On Thursday, the city's municipal council said that 113,000 people registered, of which 15,700 were paying guests.

Locals don't need to pay the fee to enter the ticketed area, but they do still need to book online, which has become a point of contention.

Some local residents oppose their city resembling a theme park. Luca Bruno/AP

One opponent to the measure said on Thursday that Venice was "becoming a museum, a theme park," Reuters reported. Photos show some protesters holding up signs saying, "Welcome to Veniceland."

Protesters lined the streets of Venice. Manuel Silvestri/Reuters

Other examples of overtourism crackdowns include Amsterdam's city council voting to ban cruise ships from docking in the city center. The move aims to reduce big crowds and limit environmental damage from the ships.

Amsterdam also launched a campaign to reduce the number of "messy" young, male British tourists traveling to the city to party and take illicit drugs.

In other cases, officials in Fujikawaguchiko, Japan, opted to erect an 8-foot-tall mesh fence to discourage tourists from flocking to take photographs of Mount Fuji. The officials said it was a last resort after tourists crowded the area, left trash, and ignored traffic laws.

Elsewhere, a town in Austria that inspired the film "Frozen" also installed a fence to deter tourists from taking selfies. The temporary wooden fence was one of several tourist-curbing measures trialed in the 800-person town of Hallstatt, where the number of visitors can reach up to 10,000 a day, the BBC reported.

Other tourist hot spots have implemented caps on the number of daily visitors. In September, Greek officials introduced a 20,000-person daily cap on visitors to the Acropolis in Athens. Several US national parks also have daily caps.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Annie Stevens and fellow reproductive rights advocates hold up signs during a Monday, April 29, 2024 rally in the Statehouse. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Sen. Minority leader Dinah Sykes, a Lenexa Democrat, vowed to vote out the Statehouses Republican supermajority in an emotion-filled speech hours before the Legislature made inroads into passing more anti-abortion laws.

Were going to knock on every damn door, Sykes said, speaking to a crowd gathered around the rotunda Monday afternoon to rally for reproductive rights. Lets show the nation again that everything good that happens starts in Kansas, and were going to break this supermajority.

Sykes referenced the states support of reproductive rights in 2022, when voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed lawmakers to ban abortion.

Since the end of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Kansas has become one of the few states left in the region that protects abortion rights, but as more travelers have come into the state to seek abortions, Republican lawmakers on the state level have attempted to chip away at these protections.

Sykes speech came a few hours after the House overrode Gov. Laura Kellys veto of an abortions reasons bill 84-41. House Bill 2749 requires medical care facilities and providers to report womens reasons for their abortions. The Senate completed the veto override Monday night with a 27-10 vote.

Under HB2749, abortion seekers will have to answer a series of questions before undergoing the procedure, including questions asking them if they have been raped, if they have an abusive partner, and if the pregnancy is the result of incest. Reproductive rights advocates say the survey is overly intrusive and potentially traumatizing.

Kansas House leadership characterized the move as one that would help serve vulnerable women, in a joint statement released Monday.

By overriding the governors veto of this bill, voluntary and anonymous abortion data will now be made available to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment so they can have up-to-date and relevant information, the statement read. The governors unreasonable fear of this data collection is nothing but a roadblock to helping serve these vulnerable women better.

Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said the organization would be weighing options for litigation.

From the provider perspective, there is no reason to ask invasive questions that have nothing to do with the quality of care, Wales said. This is about shame and stigma, its not about improving care, or tracking critical vital statistics. Were thinking very closely about whether we should challenge the bill.

The Legislature also successfully overrode Kellys veto of an abortion coercion bill known as House Bill 2436 by an 85-40 vote in the House and a 28-10 vote in the Senate.

The bill will create a new felony crime. People who try to force a woman to end a pregnancy despite her expressed desire to give birth could face jail time and thousands of dollars in fines. During initial discussion of the bill, lawmakers attempted to amend the bill to make any interference with reproductive autonomy, such as pressuring women into pregnancy, a crime as well, but lawmakers adopted a version of the bill without these provisions.

I would hope that they really listen to the people, Kelly said Monday of these override attempts, before final action on the legislation. They made it pretty clear August of 2022 what they wanted. They want womens reproductive rights to be protected and preserved. Im hoping that they did that.

Annie Stevens, a Lawrence resident who participated in the rally, called the legislation ridiculous.

There was a bipartisan vote in 2022, and the fact that these legislators are d***ing around with this, they all need to go get vasectomies, ejaculate responsibly, Stevens said. Keep your hands out of our business, this is absurd. Were not putting up with it in Kansas.

The post Kansas Legislature overrides governor on abortion survey bill, abortion coercion legislation appeared first on Kansas Reflector.
When Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Washington, D.C., last month, he didnt stop at the White House or the Capitol. Instead, he spoke at a panel discussion at the Heritage Foundation before continuing on to Mar-a-Lago to meet with former President Donald Trump.

Theres nobody thats better, smarter, or a better leader than Viktor Orban, Trump said later. Hes fantastic. Many among the New Right regard Orban a hero of the West or a model for conservative governance. In fact, the Conservative Political Action Committee last week held its third conference in Hungary, and Orban was the keynote speaker.

But othersincluding President Joe Biden, who says Orban is looking for dictatorshipcriticize Orban and consider him a friend of autocrats. And European leaders have been frustrated by his handling of the war in Ukraine.

Why has Orban become so polarizing? Its not just a left-right issue. Orban is darling of the New Right for his pro-family stance and restrictionist views on immigration. While hes faced criticism for creeping authoritarianismhes methodically consolidated power over courts, media, and educational institutionsHungarians enjoy basic civil rights. But his ties with Iran, China, and Russia concern many across the political spectrum.

Every year, Freedom House, a U.S.-based nonprofit focused on democracy promotion, rates the status of freedom and democracy around the world. The spectrum of political freedom spans from perfect democracy to consolidated autocracy. Freedom House scores the U.S. at 83 (out of 100)the United Kingdom scores 91, and France sits at 89. Freedom House currently gives Hungary a 65 on its Global Freedom Scale. That is comparable to India (66) and slightly ahead of Mexico (60). But in 2005, it scored a 92.

Hungarys democratic standing is quite unique in the region due to the dramatic and unprecedented democratic decline it has undergone over the last decade and more, Mike Smeltzer, senior research analyst at Freedom House, told The Dispatch. Whereas other hybrid regimes in the region like Ukraine, Moldova, or Kosovo have continued to do the difficult work to establish liberal democratic institutions and norms while facing foreign threats to their domestic security and state sovereignty, Hungarys government has moved in a uniformly illiberal and antidemocratic direction.

How Orban came to power.

When Orban first entered the political arena in 1989, Hungary looked like a consolidated democracya state that had reached the end of its democratization process and in which democratic institutions and civil society stood strongwhich rarely backslide. Orban, then just 25, gave a speech in Budapest to commemorate the 1956 Hungarian uprising in which he decried the Soviet Red Army, demanding it withdraw and leave Hungary to enjoy free and open elections.

In 1998, the Fidesz Party, mostly anti-communist university students, won enough parliamentary seats to oust the socialist government. Orban became the youngest prime minister in Europe. With Orban at the helm, Hungary joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2003.

Conservatives in the U.S. heralded Orban as a harbinger of freedom and democracy. In a 2001 speech hosted by the American Enterprise Institute, Orban lauded American freedom and pushed for NATO expansion. In Hungary we have not grown so accustomed to the enjoyment of our freedom that we yet take it for granted; nor have we grown blase about its charms, Orban told the crowd. Its systematic and often brutal suppression is too fresh in our recollections for that to occur.

Taking institutional control.

Orban lost power in 2002, when Hungarys socialist party narrowly won that years elections, ushering in a more polarized period. But in 2010, after an economic downturn, Orban and Fidesz won two-thirds of the seats in Parliament, and entrenched an incumbent advantage through new electoral law, Dalibor Rohac, senior fellow at AEI, told The Dispatch.

Since regaining power, Orban and Fidesz have passed a series of electoral reforms and introduced a new state constitution, reducing the number of parliamentary seats. Critics of district maps allege they were drawn to benefit the incumbent party. Fidesz has maintained a majority in parliament since these changes, though local elections are increasingly competitive.

Orban also developed a new court system with hand-picked judges responsible for hearing cases on local government and electoral issues. In December 2022, the European Commission froze funds earmarked for Hungary pending reforms. In December 2023, the commission ruled that Hungary had taken adequate steps toward judicial independence and unlocked nearly 10.2 billion euros in available reimbursements. About 6 billion euros remain frozen by the commission for other pending concerns, such as academic freedom and asylum policy.

Orban and his allies purged the civil service of dissenting voices at the same time he progressively took over the media market, revoking operating licenses from radio and newspapers operations critical of the party. Today, more than 80 percent of the media is owned by businessmen with ties to Orban and the Fidesz Party.

In 2021 journalists and advocacy groups discovered that the Hungarian government was using Pegasusan Israeli-developed spywareto spy on citizens, including journalists and lawyers. The government justified it as necessary for national security purposes, and lawfully utilized.

Through Orbans consolidation of power, Rohac explained, it would be hard to imagine a successful challenge against Orban in the ballot box.

A restrictionist immigration policy.

During the 2015 immigration crisis in the EU, Orban intuitively understood the problem of uncontrolled migration, Rohac told The Dispatch.While the EU scrambled to accommodate droves of migrants, mostly from Syria, Hungary scrambled to close its borders.

At the height of the crisis in September and October 2015, as many as 7,000 people a day crossed illegally into Hungary, the country reported. Hungary had 1,770 applicants for asylum per 100,000 Hungariansthe highest rate in Europe. By comparison, Germany had 540 applicants per 100,000 citizens, and the U.K. had 60. This wave of migration was also unique in that the majority of those seeking asylum were young and male, atypical for asylum cases.

In response, Hungary shut down its borders and restricted the movement of migrants already inside Hungary. It also built a fence along its border with Serbiawhere most migrants were crossingand began a controversial practice of refoulement, in which migrants who had entered Hungary illegally and were apprehended within 8 kilometers of the border were moved back outside the border fence.

I am the only politician in the EU who stands for an openly anti-immigration policy, Orban told reporters in 2022. This is not a race issue for us, this is a cultural issue.

Hungary passed a series of immigration reforms that took effect this year. The reforms delineate between highly skilled and low-skilled visas for their residence permits and bar family members from joining third-country migrant workers in Hungary. The reforms also require immigrants in Hungary on a work-related visa who are fired from their jobs to leave the country within six days.

Family and social policy

The New Right in the United States also lauds Orban as a protector of Christian values in Europe. In his speech at the 2022 CPAC conference in Dallas he focused on immigration, crackdowns on leftist institutions, and crime. He also touted his countrys protection of marriage and family, calling family policy the heart of our politics.

The constitution Orbans Fidesz Party enacted in 2012 asserts that Hungary shall protect the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. Same-sex marriage is banned in Hungary, but registered partnerships are legal. Registered partners enjoy similar rights to those in a legal marriage, but they can not adopt children as partners or take a new surname. Transgender individuals in Hungary do not have an avenue to change their legal gender.

A 2021 child protection law pushed by Fidesz restricts underage access to books, movies, or other media that promote or portray deviation from identity aligning with sex at birth, gender reassignment, or homosexuality.

Hungary has had some success with pro-natalist policies. Orban aims for Hungary to reach 2.1 births per womanthe replacement rate necessary to maintain the population without relying on immigrationby 2030. Since 2010, the birth rate in Hungary has risen from 1.33 to 1.55 births per woman. Earlier this year, Hungary eliminated its income tax for women who have children during their 20swomen who have four or more children are already exempt from income taxes for life.

The government also closely regulates abortion. Article II of the constitutions Inalienable Rights section states, Human dignity shall be inviolable  the life of the foetus shall be protected from the moment of conception. In response, the government banned abortion via drugs. However, surgical abortions are permitted in Hungary until the 12th week of pregnancy for any reason, and in subsequent weeks in special circumstances (in the case of an unviable pregnancy, or if the life and health of the mother are at risk). Women seeking an abortion are required to attend two separate meetings with state services to inform them of their alternative optionssuch as adoptionand the risks of the abortion procedures. In 2022, a new law required those seeking an abortion to listen to the fetal heartbeat prior to the procedure.

Friendly relations with autocrats.

Despite being a member of the EU and NATO, Hungary maintains close ties not only with Russia, but also Iran and China.

Orban continues to meet with Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Hungary is the biggest customer for Russian energy, and Russia is in the process of building a new nuclear power plant in Hungary. Though Orban will not allow weapons transfers to Ukraine through Hungary, he has supported EU sanctions against Russia.

Hungarys foreign minister visited Tehran in February, where Iran and Hungary signed a trade deal that centers on agriculture and the food industry, two sectors that are not affected by international sanctions.

China, meanwhile, is the largest foreign investor in Hungary. Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a 10-year-old project in which China invests massive amounts of money in infrastructure loans in growing economies. Poland, Ukraine, and Italy, as well as other former Soviet states, are also participants. But Orban was the only European leader to attend the BRI forum last year. And Budapest is even playing host to Huaweis largest logistics and manufacturing base outside of China. Huawei is banned in the U.S. and other countries over concerns of spying by the Chinese government.

Hungary today.

While NatCons in the U.S. hold up Orban as a model for conservative governance, hes facing criticism at home. Protesters organized in Budapest last month demanding Orban resign over allegations he attempted to interfere with a corruption case involving an ally of his who served in the government.

While protests are indicative of dissent, they have not been met with violent suppression as one would expect in a consolidated autocracy. For all that Orban has chipped away at institutions, democratic backsliding in Hungary is concerning but incomplete.

Dissent still exists within Hungary, Smeltzer, the Freedom House analyst, told The Dispatch. We saw mass protests surrounding a child abuse scandal that came to light. And those protests did lead to the resignation of the president and other high-ranking figures in the ruling party. In that sense, Hungarians still maintain some of their civic rights, unlike in closed authoritarian regimes like Russia or China.

Read more at The Dispatch

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Read the full story on Backfire News

Vintage Ferrari Mechanic Allegedly Exposed As A Fraud

Before he occupied a jail cell in glamorous Lower Buckeye, Arizona, once-renowned and now-infamous mechanic Donnie Callaway was living the high life. Or at least he was doing so through social media posts portraying him enjoying some of the finer things in life. All that, like much of the work he was doing on classic Ferraris and other Italian cars, turned out to be a giant fabrication.

Tom Bradys ex-wife, Gisele Bundchen, has a meltdown during a traffic stop.

Callaways web of lies started to unravel all thanks to a single transaction involving a collector in Arizona. That unnamed person was suspicious for untold reasons that Callaway didnt actually own the two Ferraris he was trying to sell to his intended victim, as reported by Bloomberg.

Its incredibly common for people to sell stolen classic cars, thanks in part to spotty records and other details which make the act so much easier. For a serious collector this is a thing to always be cautious about, either from firsthand experience or hearing the stories of others suffering.

Likely upset and wanting justice done, the unnamed collector arranged for what some are calling a sting operation to prove Callaway was engaging in criminal fraud. But nobody is spilling the beans on how it was done, which might be for the best.

Now Callaway is facing charges for theft, trafficking stolen property, forgery, and fraud with a $400,000 cash bond. While hes considered innocent until proven guilty, and a trial is scheduled for mid-August, many are distancing themselves from the man.

Those claiming they were taken advantage of by Callaway, alleging he charged multiple times more for a job than was initially agreed, among other practices, are now pouring out to tell their stories. We have no way of authenticating anything they say but suspect at least some will be the focus of the upcoming trial.

Others have taken to chat forums and social media to express their support for Callaway and their belief hes innocent.

As pointed out by Bloomberg, Callaway was lauded by industry bigwigs like Jay Leno and Matt Farah, including some who arent household names but have incredible influence. And while many still think the man was a brilliant mechanic, this just exposes how even experts can be duped by an especially adept conman.

If people who know so much about cars can be tricked by someone, what chance do you have? The answer is you just have to know the signs of fraud, and that can be tricky. We could list them out, but fraudsters read articles like this and adapt their methods accordingly.

The best advice we can give is to trust your gut. We know that might sound foolish to some, but you often know deep down inside when something doesnt seem right.

Images via ferrari_1966/Instagram
Black men being beaten by police over minuscule things is not a new thing: In January, a Florida Black man was beaten by police over a Banana after he was wrongly accused of stealing it. In July 2023, a New York Black man was fatally shot by police after he was accused of eating fruit from a supermarket without paying for it.

So it would come as no surprise that Corriyon Bray, a 30-year-Black man, was allegedly beaten by police after he didnt return a pen to a Georgia police officer during a traffic stop, according to WSB-TV.

Though the incident occurred in December 2023, the footage was just released over the weekend and it shows Brays entire encounter with authorities that led to him being tased and having one of his legs broken.

More from WSB-TV:

The body camera video shows the officer hand a pen to Bray, who signed the ticket and then drove away with the officers pen. Thats when things escalated. In the video, you can hear the officer demand Bray return his pen. Instead, Bray held the pen out of the window as he pulled away.

As Bray drove away, you can hear one of the officers yelling, That motherf****r. He stole my f***ing pen!

The officers followed Bray to his home where they asked for the pen again. One of the officers says, Give it to me, or Im going to tase you.

Bray claimed that he did not have the pen. This resulted in one of the officers tasing Bray while the other attempted to take him into custody, allegedly breaking his leg in the process.

In response to the footage, Greenville Police Chief Wayne Frazier claims that his officers handled the incident perfectly, telling WSB-TV, If he had complied, none of this would have happened. Our SOP [standard operating procedures] says verbal, hands-on, less lethal, and lethal, and he followed protocol.

Bray has plans to file a lawsuit against the officers and says that a normal traffic stop should not have ended in his leg being broken over a pen.

For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The morning of April 30, 2023, in Virginia Beach was quiet.

Thousands of people were staying at the Oceanfront for Pharrell Williams Something in the Water music festival. Rainy weather had dominated the first day of the festivities, but the event was in full swing by Saturday, the second day. Pharrell and his friends dazzled the crowd at the beach, and many were ready for day three.

But, miles and miles away, things were already starting to go wrong. Low pressure was strengthening over South Carolina. According to the official report on the storm from the National Weather Service, the environment changed rapidly between 2 and 5 p.m. The conditions was sufficient for supercells, or rotating thunderstorms, throughout the day. However, instability in the weather increased significantly during the late afternoon before the arrival of the final round of thunderstorms.

By 6 p.m., festival organizers had canceled performances for the night. Emergency Management Coordinator Dave Topczynski said the decision was not taken lightly. Meteorologists were already on site for the festival, and many of the citys resources were activated for the Oceanfront. Last years storm was his third tornado, but for many at the city, it would be their first.

We had a really new team at the time, and a lot of new staff across the city, so we had talked a lot and trained a lot and exercised a lot, Topczynski said. (The tornado) was really the first big test of everybody and the new teams across the city. It went as well as any disaster can go. It really drove home a lot of the points for our new staff, but it really put the staff to the test and had everybody come together.

The tornado formed over the eastern branch of Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach. The twister progressed up River Road as an EF-1, passing by the Great Neck Recreation Center. It strengthened to an EF-2 as it moved into the Chelsea neighborhood, then became an EF-3 as it continued onto Haversham Close.

Peak winds reached 145 mph, according to the report. Cherise Newsome, senior communications specialist for Dominion Energy, said location played an important part in power recovery for residents in nearby neighborhoods.

There were about 2,900 customers who were without power for about two hours when the tornado hit on the evening of April 30. About 200 of them remained without power until the next morning. Power was completely restored by that afternoon, excluding homes that were deemed unsafe by the city because of extensive damage.

Because many of the lines in the neighborhood were underground, recovery of power was relatively simple, Newsome said.

(With) the underground lines, we have technology now where we can redirect the flow of power and electricity, and having underground lines gives us that capability to do that with much more ease. You cant with overhead lines. Even if there is an outage, theres a looping system where you can reroute power, so that it flows a different way, and you can also reduce the number of customers who lose power.

According to a February report from ConsumerAffairs, a customer review and consumer news platform, Virginia had six tornadoes in 2023. During those storms, more than $20 million in damage was reported, putting the state in the top 10 for expensive tornadoes. Using FEMA guidelines, the city of Virginia Beach estimated that the April 30 storm caused about $15.7 million in damage. Seven homes were destroyed, 24 received major damage, and 30 had minor damage.

Despite the damage, the storm skipped over large community resources, such as school buildings and recreation centers. Topczynski said the recovery efforts were textbook examples of a successful emergency response, and going forward, the city aims to improve beyond that for residents.

At some point during the recovery, you look back and take a breath, he said. Ive been on about a dozen disaster deployments across the country. It kind of strikes when you look back and you take a second to pause and reflect. Its really easy to look at the job ahead of you, what you still have to do to recover, because its not easy. These homeowners still have to rebuild. Theres a lot there, but you take a minute and look back and just jot down some accomplishments to keep you grounded and not lose focus.

Eliza Noe, eliza.noe@virginiamedia.com
VIRGINIA BEACH  Allowing city employees to negotiate over their wages and benefits will be up for a vote by the City Council Tuesday.

The council will be presented with two options, at the request of the mayor: To allow collective bargaining or to allow a meet and confer process whereby employee committees will be able to regularly share concerns with the city manager.

If the council approves collective bargaining, city staff will negotiate with city workers unions to draft a new law, which could take months, according to City Attorney Mark Stiles.

The city received certification from a majority of public employees in a unit requesting collective bargaining in February, requiring a formal vote on the matter.

The council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The vote was moved up from May at Mayor Bobby Dyers request because he didnt want it to interfere with the upcoming budget adoption, Dyer has said.

Virginia Beach is the latest city in the region to vote on collective bargaining rights of city employees. Norfolk denied city workers from collective bargaining, and instead supported a meet and confer process. Portsmouth approved collective bargaining last November.

Virginia was one of a few states with a blanket ban on collective bargaining for public sector employees until 2020, when the Democrat-controlled General Assembly enacted a new law, effective 2021, punting the final say to localities. To engage in the process, Virginia cities must approve a law or resolution.

If its done the right way  It gives the employee an intrinsic value to come to work, former Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera said at a public comment session on the matter held earlier this month. Collective bargaining would be good for our city.

Not all residents support the idea.

Our employees and the services that they provide are what we pay taxes for, said Diana Howard, chair of the Virginia Beach Tea Party, during the same meeting. What problem is collective bargaining going to solve that the City Council and the city manager cant solve without it?

Collective bargaining cant restrict the governing bodys authority to establish a budget or appropriate funds, and strikes by public employees are prohibited, under Virginia law. The General Assembly and the governor could amend laws relating to collective bargaining in the future.

In Virginia Beach, implementing a collective bargaining process will cost nearly $1 million. Staff estimated it will cost about $400,000 to modify the payroll system and, at the minimum, an additional $500,000 to hire new employees, including two in Human Resources and two new city attorneys as well as outside counsel, depending on the number of bargaining units.

Also, many of the items subject to collective bargaining negotiations would require funding including potential raises and additional health benefits.

Earlier this year a task force made recommendations on the scope of the bargaining and the number of units. The 11-member task force recommended no more than five bargaining units with the following makeup: fire/EMS, police, service, labor and trades, administrative and technical, and professional.

Bargaining power over wages, salaries and other forms of monetary compensation as well as health insurance premiums were also among the taskforces recommendations.

After hearing from the public, the City Council held an informal discussion on collective bargaining April 16.

On the same day, city workers and their allies held an informational picket in front of City Hall. Around 15 people carried signs while one person shouted: What do we want? The group answered in unison: Collective bargaining.

When do we want it?, said the leader. Now, said the demonstrators.

At the council discussion, Councilman Joash Schulman, an attorney, said he had some unanswered questions.

What protections would we have in the event of changed economic conditions? said Schulman. Are there mechanisms available for us to come back to the table and renegotiate terms?

The city attorney provided responses to the council members questions last week. A collective bargaining ordinance and agreement could address unusual circumstances, Stiles said.

Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com
Dominion is moving forward with plans to build new methane gas generating units in Chesterfield.(Photo courtesy of Dominion Energy)

Following the General Assemblys failure either to rein in the explosive growth of power-hungry data centers or to remove obstacles to increasing the supply of renewable energy in Virginia, a lot of people are wondering where we go from here.

Dominion Energy Virginias answer, as described in its 2023 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), is build more fossil fuels. The utility is pushing forward plans to build new methane gas generating units in Chesterfield. Dominion argues that although its IRP calls for dramatically increased carbon emissions, it sort of complies with the Virginia Clean Economy Act anyway because the VCEA has an escape clause when reliability is at risk.

Dominion does not acknowledge that its own actions contribute to the problem. To be fair, though, its a huge problem, and even if our utilities were on board with the VCEAs carbon-cutting agenda, we would need stronger legislative policy than we have now. Rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is an important priority that Democrats are rightly pursuing, but the need for action goes much further.

Sen. Dave Marsden, D-Fairfax, convened meetings the week before last to hear from utilities, industry members, environmental groups and others to get suggestions on ways to reform the VCEA. The interest groups met separately, and members of one group were not allowed to attend other group sessions to hear what those stakeholders had to say. The meetings were closed-door and confidential, with the express purpose of preventing a nosy public from learning anything through Freedom of Information Act requests.

That secrecy makes me queasy, so I declined the invitation to attend the environmentalists session. Id have cheerfully jettisoned my scruples, though, if I could have been in the utility session to hear what Dominions lobbyists were whispering in the senators ear. Alas, that was not on offer.

But Marsden is asking the right questions, and of course, I always have answers, even when no one is asking. In my view, Virginia can stay on track to carbon neutrality by adopting four basic principles: data centers must pay their own way, both literally and carbon-wise; solar must be easy to build and interconnect; utilities must not build new fossil generation for reliability before exhausting non-carbon solutions; and efficient buildings must be added to the strategy.

Lets start with the elephant outgrowing the room.

Data centers are sucking up all the energy

Without action, data centers will soon overtake residential customers to become Dominions largest category of customer. Already, they are driving the utilitys decision-making, as we saw from Dominions IRP. This year, the General Assembly deferred action to address the energy crisis until it sees the results of a study being undertaken by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC).

In the 2025 session, though, the General Assembly will have to choose from three options if it still cares about the energy transition: stop the growth of the data center industry in Virginia, put the onus on data centers to source their own clean energy from the grid, or dramatically increase renewable energy generation and power line construction.

Lawmakers show no desire to stop all data center growth, but as Ive urged before, they should establish a joint state-local task force to choose appropriate sites for growth based on energy and transmission availability, water resource adequacy and good-neighbor factors, like distance from residential communities and parkland.

Legislators should also require data centers to meet industry-best standards for energy efficiency, use alternatives to diesel generators for backup power and source carbon-free energy from facilities located on the grid that serves Virginia. They could buy this power either on their own or through a specially-designed utility tariff, as long as it meets all of their needs on a 24/7, hourly basis. In no case should other customers see higher electricity bills for infrastructure thats only needed because of data centers.

Unfortunately, these measures will take time to put in place, yet data center development is proceeding apace while the General Assembly takes its nap this year. There is no avoiding Virginias need for a lot more carbon-free generation, pretty much right away. A couple of small modular nuclear reactors ten years from now arent a solution.

Dont expect climate leadership from Dominion

Dominions fossil-heavy IRP marked a sharp break away from the climate report that the company released just months before, which projected solar dominating the grid by 2040. Whether the IRP should be dismissed as political pandering to a conservative governor, or taken in earnest to mean the utility has thrown in the towel on renewable energy, is something of a Rorschach test for Virginia leaders.

When Dominion releases its 2024 IRP this fall, we may get more clarity about what the company really thinks. More likely, we will still be left guessing. Dominion has a long history of playing to both sides to get what it wants, and what it wants is profit.

Theres nothing wrong with a company making a profit, of course, as long as the company isnt also allowed to make the rules it plays by. Asking Dominions lobbyists to help make energy policy is like recruiting burglars for a task force on crime prevention.

Make it easier to build solar

While Virginia counties vie with each other to attract data centers, some are notably less keen on solar farms. Sprawling developments of windowless warehouses that suck power? Yes, they say. Grassy fields lined with rows of solar panels that produce power? No. Such is the horror with which some people view solar that localities have adopted moratoriums, acreage caps and other limits designed to keep projects at bay. The result is that an already-slow process for siting solar projects is getting even slower, more unpredictable and more expensive.

Lawmakers rejected legislation this year that would have allowed the State Corporation Commission to overrule local permit denials. Yet it seems doubtful whether, in a Dillon Rule state like ours, local governments actually have the authority to enact blanket prohibitions and caps on specific kinds of land use. Legislators may want to ask the attorney general to clarify this point rather than waiting for landowners to challenge in court a localitys refusal to let them put solar panels on their property.

If the AG (or a court) rules these barriers illegal, localities would have to go back to evaluating the merits of project applications on a case-by-case basis  hardly a bad result. But it would be wiser and more orderly to pass legislation spelling out under what circumstances a local government may reject a solar project, and what the landowners recourse should be.

New gas plants are the wrong solution for reliability

Though Dominions 2023 IRP didnt win approval from the SCC, Dominion is going ahead with plans to build new methane gas combustion turbines in Chesterfield. Given that these peaker plants generate dirty power at a high price, Dominion should not be permitted to build gas combustion turbines if other alternatives are available.

Which they are. Demand-response programs, advanced grid technologies and batteries charged by renewable energy are superior to gas peakers for reasons of cost, air quality and climate impact.

Dominion is building some large batteries and testing long-duration battery storage technologies (and of course, Virginia already has the largest pumped storage facility in the world), but our utilities have not even begun to tap the potential of batteries in homes and businesses. Subsidizing the purchase of batteries by homeowners and businesses in exchange for the ability to draw on the batteries for peaking power, as some utilities do, would also build resilience into the grid and address power outages more cheaply than burying lines.

Imagine: If data centers had installed batteries instead of the 11 gigawatts of diesel generators at Loudoun and Fairfax County data centers, Virginia would already have more battery storage capacity than any country in the world.

Let everyone build solar

The VCEA calls for 35% of its solar target to be satisfied by third-party developers. The purpose of this set-aside is two-fold: to attract more private capital, and to use competition to keep a lid on prices. Unfortunately, the SCC accepted Dominions argument that 35% should be read as a ceiling as well as a floor, to the detriment of ratepayers and solar developers. With Dominion now reneging on its solar commitments, its more important than ever that private developers be allowed to step in. One bill in the 2024 session would have corrected this problem by explicitly making 35% the minimum. The General Assembly should adopt that measure.

Fix interconnection

Possibly the most inexplicable failure of the General Assembly this year was failing to pass legislation to resolve the dispute between Dominion and commercial customers over interconnection requirements. The onerous requirements that Dominion adopted in December of 2022  imposed even in the face of a contrary SCC ruling  have wreaked havoc on plans by local governments to put solar on public buildings and schools. That is fine with Dominion; though the goal of the new requirements was to acquire upgraded distribution infrastructure at no cost to itself, its monopolistic lizard brain is equally satisfied with the result of shutting down competition from small solar companies.

Legislators should not accept this result, though. The General Assembly adopted net metering years ago because encouraging residents and businesses to go solar is good for the economy and makes communities more resilient. Support for distributed renewable energy is even written into the Virginia Code as official policy.

And distributed solar is hugely popular. Indeed, the very people who oppose utility-scale solar projects almost inevitably argue that society should maximize rooftop solar instead. In this they are at least half right: If we are really going to meet the energy challenge ahead of us, the very least we can do is milk every kilowatt-hour from sunshine falling on rooftops.

Customers have always paid to interconnect their solar to the utilitys grid. The dispute between Dominion and its customers is about whether Dominion can insist they pay the entire cost of expensive new fiber-optic wire and other cool technology that could make the distribution grid better for everyone, but which any one customer cant afford. These upgrades could enable not just more solar but also electric vehicle charging in our communities, vehicle-to-grid technology and programs allowing utilities to make use of customers battery storage. But if the technology really is that valuable (a determination that should be made by the SCC, not Dominion), then getting it shouldnt depend on how deep a customers pocket is  especially when that customer is a local government and, therefore, effectively, the Virginia taxpayer.

This years interconnection bill would have allowed a utility to recover the costs of these grid upgrades from ratepayers, with SCC oversight. Even Dominion would have been better off with the bill, something it would have recognized if its lizard brain werent in charge at the time. The General Assembly should pass the bill.

An untapped three gigawatts of energy are waiting off our coast

Dominions 2,600 megawatt Virginia offshore wind project is due to begin construction this year, but it is not the only game in town. The Kitty Hawk offshore wind area situated off North Carolina can deliver up to 3,500 megawatts of energy through a cable that will come ashore at Virginia Beach. All that is holding up the project is the lack of a customer. Offshore wind is more expensive than solar, but we have a lot of power-hungry data centers who could pay a clean energy tariff that would include Kitty Hawk wind.

Maximize efficiency in buildings

Possibly the best piece of energy legislation to pass this year was the bill that directs local governments and schools to build to higher efficiency standards and incorporate renewable energy, as appropriate. The language could have been even stronger, but as it is, it will deliver significant cost savings for taxpayers.

In fact, local governments will now build to better standards than most homeowners get for themselves when they buy a house. Thats because Virginias residential building code is pathetically behind the times when it comes to energy efficiency. Home buyers and renters would save more than enough money on utility bills to cover the upfront cost of better housing construction, but builders wont voluntarily meet higher standards because it reduces profits. That should not be acceptable.

Legislation passed in 2021 directed the Board of Housing and Community Development to consider amendments that would strengthen the building code. BHCD, which is dominated by builder and real estate interests, simply ignored the law. The matter is now in litigation (and the governor is trying to weaken the code even further), but the General Assembly could resolve the matter by directing BHCD to adopt efficiency measures at least as strong as the national standards set by the International Building Code Council (itself under fire for allowing builder interests to weaken efficiency standards), and to allow local governments to adopt stronger stretch codes to help residents save even more money and energy.

Going further, new and renovated buildings should be required to use electricity in place of methane gas, oil or propane for heating, cooling and appliances wherever practicable. Though building electrification increases electricity consumption, electricity is a more efficient technology than burning fossil fuels in the home, so it contributes to lower energy costs for residents and a smaller carbon footprint for the state overall.

Its a shame the General Assembly settled for simply not going backwards this year, but it is a good sign that Marsden and others are not waiting for next year to consider ways to get us back on the carbon-cutting wagon. With the climate clock ticking, we have no more time to lose.

The post Virginia can still meet clean energy goals appeared first on Virginia Mercury.
MADRID, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday morning that he would retain his role despite what he considers to be unjustified attacks on his wife Begona Gomez from right and the far-right opponents.

Sanchez visited King Felipe VI of Spain earlier in the morning, before confirming his decision in a declaration made from his official residence at the Palacio de la Moncloa on the outskirts of Madrid.

Sanchez announced last Wednesday that he was cancelling his public duties until this week to "reflect" on whether to remain in his position, after a Spanish court said it had opened a probe against his wife for reported influence trafficking.

On Saturday and Sunday, around 80,000 supporters of Sanchez gathered outside the headquarters of his Spanish Socialist Party and the Congress building to show support for the prime minister.

"Thanks to the social mobilization, which has influenced my decision ... I have informed the head of state that if possible, I will continue with more strength as prime minister," Sanchez said. 
(Bloomberg) -- Each day, Bloomberg journalists take you across a selection of towns and cities as they gear up for the big vote.

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Hi, Im Shruti Mahajan and I write about courts and legal matters. Growing up in Pune, I often visited the pristine beaches in Konkans Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg on Indias western coast in the state of Maharashtra. The region, dependent mostly on agriculture and fishery for livelihood, is seeing its youth migrating to bigger cities in search of better jobs and lifestyle as the region lags development and basic infrastructure. A massive refinery and a nuclear project planned in the region have faced significant opposition as residents fear they may destroy the regions fragile ecology. Apprehensions of an adverse impact on the coveted Alphonso mango crop is the biggest concern. The region has traditionally voted for the Hindutva-based regional party, the Shiv Sena, which was split last year with one faction siding with Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a bold pledge in an August 2022 speech: India will be a developed country by 2047. The phrase Viksit Bharator developed Indiahas dominated Modis speeches since March. Attaining the high-income status would require boosting gross domestic product more than sixfold, to about $23 trillion.

After nixing plans to tour India, Tesla Inc.s Elon Musk made an unannounced trip to China on Sunday, seeking approval for driver-assistance software that could help arrest the carmakers revenue decline.

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Narendra Modi reaffirmed his pledge to replace Indias religion-based marriage and inheritance laws with a uniform civil code if he returns to office for a third term, a move that some minority groups have opposed. In an interview to the Times of India newspaper, he also reiterated his intention to implement the one nation-one poll plan.

Opposition leader Aaditya Thackeray, of the Shiv Sena (UBT), alleged that the BJPs politics is serving only Gujarat, and has ruined Maharashtra as well as its capital Mumbai.

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Nikkei reported that Indian political parties are making a scramble for young voters in the ongoing national elections. Political parties are leveraging social media, music videos and grassroots organizations as well as Bollywood stars to woo the countrys sizable youth population.

Who Votes This Week?

Indias mammoth election runs through June 1, with counting scheduled for June 4. This map from the Election Commission of India shows which constituencies vote when.

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Indians have started voting in the worlds biggest election. Understand how money and business intersect with politics and power by following Bloomberg Indias channel on WhatsApp, and sign up for the weekly India Edition newsletter by Menaka Doshi.

This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.

--With assistance from Supriya Batra.

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Judie Messier wanted to talk to people with different political views.

The liberal Seattle retiree felt the desire especially urgently in the wake of Donald Trumps rise to the presidency  a phenomenon she found utterly scary.

But it wasnt easy to find people who lean red and were game for the kind of probing, one-on-one conversations she envisioned using a format developed by the national nonprofit StoryCorps. Sometimes she would send email after email, only to be totally ghosted, she said.

Persistence eventually paid off. Shes had at least a half-dozen conversations with people coming from a different political and often geographic place. One was with Sue Lani Madsen, a conservative writer and rancher from Eastern Washington.

It turned out both women had trained as EMTs and served on disaster medical assistance teams deployed to Olympic Games. Messier was astonished. An almost infinitesimal number of people share that experience, she said.

Their ongoing rapport illustrates the kind of breakthrough dreamed of by a proliferating number of groups trying to bridge partisan divides. Its a goal that seems all the more pressing as Novembers presidential election approaches, ratcheting up the political toxicity that makes the new movie Civil War, about an uprising against the U.S. government in a dystopian future, a not-so-veiled allegory.

But Messiers trouble finding discussion partners shows a challenge facing such efforts: To build a bridge with people on the other side, you have to get them in the room. And some are finding Democrats more eager to participate than Republicans.

The question is why. Republicans who do take part in such efforts, like Madsen, Washington co-chair of the prominent national bridge-building group Braver Angels, say its not because conservatives dont hunger for civic unity.

Discerning other reasons can be a bridge-building exercise in itself.

Sue Lani Madsen, left, Washington co-chair of the bridge-building group Braver Angels, talks to Elizabeth Doll, co-chair of the groups Western Washington chapter. Braver Angels is a national, grassroots group that works to bridge partisan divides. Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times

An embryonic movement

The impetus for depolarization is all around us.

Red and blue America havent seemed this far apart in a long time, illustrated in some cases by diametrically opposing laws. After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, some states enacted prison sentences for abortion providers. Others, like Washington, adopted measures to protect providers and patients.

As November approaches, former President Trump and President Joe Biden, along with their supporters, frequently say a win by the other side would result in catastrophe.

Madsen said people may turn to groups like hers out of frustration. If they dont check out completely, theyll be looking for a place to do something positive, she said.

To some extent, thats already been happening.

This really is an embryonic movement, said Washington Lt. Gov. Denny Heck.

The Democratic former member of Congress started the Project for Civic Health last year, along with partners at the University of Washington, Washington State University and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation. The project intends to tackle public incivility, like shouting matches, insults and threats, and in doing so remind people of what they have in common and upend government dysfunction.

The project held a daylong summit in October, and it hopes to have another event in the fall bringing together local groups with the same aim, Heck said.

He lists a few, including Braver Angels and a nonprofit started this year by two Snohomish County Council members who, despite belonging to different political parties, have developed a strong working relationship: Republican Nate Nehring and Democrat Jared Mead.

Their nonprofit, The Building Bridges Project, focuses on young people and is developing a future leaders academy to work with high school students from different backgrounds, Nehring said.

The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol forged the council members resolve to do something about polarization, Nehring said, starting with a series of town halls and a summit last year that led to forming the nonprofit.

Mainstream Republicans of Washington also started a building bridges project last year that has held a series of small luncheons for people looking to tone down the loudness in political rhetoric so people can find solutions, said Deanna Martinez, the organizations chair.

She said she wasnt sure about the political balance at the luncheons, but they indicate a desire among some Republicans to chip away at polarization.

Heck and Nehring say conservatives also turned out for their events. Nehring said he drew upon his personal network, just as his Democratic colleague did. Heck said his approach amounted to: Ask, ask, ask.

The resources of the lieutenant governors office undoubtedly helped, too. For Braver Angels, a grassroots group powered mostly by volunteers, achieving balance has been more of a struggle.

The organization ensures its leadership and annual conferences are evenly balanced between reds and blues, as it categorizes people. But overall, 70% of its more than 12,500 members nationally identify as blue and only 15% to 18% red, according to spokesperson Gabriella Timmis. The rest identify as other.

The percentage of reds among the groups 647 members in Washington is even lower: roughly 12%. And it is only 9% among the 4,200 subscribers in the state who receive Braver Angels announcements and may come to events. Many members and subscribers decline to identify a party affiliation, however, and local leaders suspect a large proportion are Republicans wary of saying so.

Still, in a state that saw 39% of its voters support Trump in 2020, the groups leaders acknowledge an imbalance. It may rest in part on subtle reasons  even coded vocabulary we may not realize as such.

Be different people

It was March 2021. Claims of widespread voter fraud were at their peak among Republicans. Braver Angels staged an online debate about the topic. Even talking about it was highly controversial; some of the groups members believed it gave credence to unsubstantiated claims that Trump won the election.

Madsen, 68, watched it.

I was quite impressed with how it was run, said the onetime co-founder of an architecture firm who now operates a goat ranch with her husband near Spokane and writes a weekly Spokesman Review column. It wasnt about winning. People sincerely explained their beliefs and the experiences that had formed them, while others really listened.

In addition to the debate, Braver Angels held cross-partisan workshops on the subject and found agreement on many points, including that voters be required to show identification. The approval of participating Democrats surprised some Republicans, Madsen said.

Still, after joining Braver Angels, she has often found reluctance among fellow conservatives when trying to recruit them.

It might, in part, be a stylistic problem. This sort of thing sounds touchy-feely, like a bunch of people sitting around talking about how they communicate, Madsen said. For reasons she cant entirely explain, she said Republicans dont seem to be as drawn to that.

More essentially, Madsen said: It comes down to lack of trust.

Conservatives, she and others say, fear being labeled racist, homophobic and misogynist, for example, and suffering repercussions at work or in social circles if they share their views publicly

Democrats sometimes have reservations about hanging out with Republicans, too  name-calling goes both ways: libtard socialists, for instance, being a choice term hurled at liberals.

And progressives may also worry about being disrespected because of their race or gender identity, said Elizabeth Doll, co-chair of Braver Angels Western Washington branch and national director of an effort by the group that works with elected officials.

But progressives may feel more comfortable joining bridge-building initiatives because of framing that unwittingly speaks more to Democrats.

Doll, a 29-year-old Bainbridge Island Republican, said before finding Braver Angels  founded by a conservative and two others who dont publicly identify their political affiliation  she came across bridge-building groups started by liberals alone. In the wake of Trumps 2016 election, she said, they wondered what they missed, why this guy got elected. And they didnt know a single person, sometimes, who had ever voted for a Republican before.

Come on, just be more moderate Republicans, was the implicit message Doll heard. Be different people.

Monica Guzman, a liberal Seattle author who launched a national Braver Angels podcast in October, noted something similar. When Trump was elected, who was more scared? she asked. Us!

The agony of not understanding has been heavier, of late, among blues, Guzman continued.

Some liberals thought they were creating a neutral space but in reality, Guzman said she has come to believe, there is no neutral space. She cited blue rituals, like opening a meeting with a Native American land acknowledgment and asking everyone to state their pronouns. Conservatives may feel they dont belong in that environment, she said, just as some liberals feel turned off by religious language prevalent in many conservative circles.

In a quest to understand alienating language, Braver Angels created a spreadsheet analyzing an array of terms, conveying abundant minefields. Blue terms conservatives might find off-putting include cisgender, microaggression and BIPOC, the acronym referring to Black, Indigenous and people of color. Among red terms that do the reverse: illegal immigrant, cancel culture and thoughts and prayers.

Amazing conversations

Guzman traces a personal path to bridge-building.

I come from a politically divided family of Mexican immigrants, said the 41-year-old, who was about 5 when her father, a computer programmer, was transferred to the U.S. and brought his family along.

My parents went the Trump way, and I went the Clinton/Biden way, Guzman explained. And the conversations have been what you can imagine them to be  very strange, very heated. And yet, boy, there have been so many amazing conversations weve had.

One insight revolved around immigration policy. Guzmans father recounted watching his own father in Mexico being mocked by friends for promptly paying taxes. They took a more lax view of rules.

Guzmans father, though, admired his dads principled approach. And when her dad looked north of the border, he saw a similar respect for rules.

Guzman said that helped her understand that her father wasnt against different immigration policies. We should work on it, no problem. But as long as it is illegal to enter the country in a certain way, she said, summarizing his position, people shouldnt do it.

Messier, the Seattle retiree, said that in conversations shes had with the StoryCorps program One Small Step, shes learned not only about other peoples beliefs but about her own.

Before then, the 79-year-old said, she was a card-carrying knee-jerk progressive.

Forced to articulate her beliefs, she thought about them more carefully. And while she still believes in the same core values  like diversity, equity and inclusion  she has become more pragmatic.

However we move forward, it has to be incrementally, she said. It cant be Im going to smash my ideas, my wonderful ideas, down your throat,  because it doesnt work.

Madsen, for her part, said shes always lived in what she calls a porous bubble. She chaired the Lincoln County Republican Party for a time and also worked in a profession, architecture, populated with many liberals. Still, she said she found something unexpected in bridge-building conversations: a willingness to listen.

She said she had a lovely chat with Messier after discovering what they had in common. Afterward, they did a presentation together about One Small Step and Braver Angels at the February Ag Show in Spokane. Messier, who got sick at the last minute, attended in a Zoom video call.

In May, Messier plans to go with four others involved with One Small Step to Spokane to meet with people they have talked to over Zoom. Madsen has invited them to visit her ranch.

Talking on a fraught issue

In a meeting room of a Whidbey Island library on a Sunday in April, about 20 people gathered to take on one of the most fraught issues of our time. A Facebook invitation described the workshop this way: Building Empathy  Palestine and Israel.

Its not a traditional partisan issue in the U.S., but Joe Greenheron, a 43-year-old tech consultant, worries it is becoming so, seeing more support for the Palestinian cause among Democrats and more for Israels among Republicans.

An island school board member, he calls himself a political moderate who votes Democrat more often than not. Greenheron, who is Jewish, considers himself pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli but not pro-the current Israeli government.

On Christmas Eve last year, he saw two rallies on the politically purple island, one with people waving Palestinian flags and another with people waving Israeli ones.

Working with a woman he met at a Palestinian solidarity group rally, Greenheron asked Braver Angels to moderate a conversation that would bring both sides together. Following a model the organization has honed, the plan was to go through a series of exercises in which a small number of people from each side speak to their beliefs, with everyone else observing, and then for the crowd to identify things they could all agree on.

But people on Israels side were in short supply, a moderator made clear, asking people who said they could go either way to speak for Israel. Only two proved willing, and they were far from defenders of its aggression in Gaza or its treatment of Palestinians.

One was Greenheron, who hadnt planned to participate but did so for balance. The other, a woman who had family in Israel, was reluctant to be publicly identified as pro-Israel. She said her hands were shaking and her heart pounding as, for this gathering, she took that side.

The exercises went ahead, with two people picked to speak on the Palestinian side.

Even though the sides didnt have dramatically different views, the discussion was emotional and at some points tense. When the Israel side listed the existence of a Jewish homeland as a value, someone asked why just a Jewish homeland and not a Palestinian one?

A moderator crossed that out as a potential point of agreement.

At times, participants expressed frustration with the Braver Angels discussion framework, which emphasizes people sharing what they believe and why but not prolonged wrangling over whether a certain fact or view is correct.

Still, the group came up with a list of values, concerns and solutions representing common ground. On the list: a cease-fire.

Left unclear was whether that aim would hold up in a more divided room.

Nina Shapiro: 206-464-3303 or nshapiro@seattletimes.com
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  Wake County Schools are moving closer to a plan to place Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, in schools across the county.

The medication can reverse the effect of opioids, and the school boards policy committee recommends training several people in each school on how to use it.

Barb Walsh knows Naloxone can save lives.

My daughter Sophia died from fentanyl poisoning from a water bottle, explained the founder of Fentanyl Victims Network of North Carolina. Her life couldve been saved if Naloxone had been administered. It was not.

Walsh said her daughter had no idea the bottle of water she picked up had fentanyl in it. She isnt the only one who has accidentally come in contact with the deadly drug.

Walsh noted that pills can be laced with fentanyl and people who take them are unaware.

A student will think they need to self-medicate with something for anxiety or ADHD, and take this pill. In that pill is deadly fentanyl, he said.

At Tuesdays Wake County Public School System Policy Committee meeting, board member Toshiba Rice said her 25-year-old son died under similar circumstances.

He didnt know he was taking a fake pill, she said.

While neither of those incidents took place in schools, both Walsh and Rice worry a similar situation could happen at school.

The fact of the matter is sometimes students will take a pill they think is OK from someone else and its really not, noted Rice.

Right now, school resource officers in Wake County carry Naloxone, but the policy committee is recommending training staff members at every school to recognize signs and symptoms of an opioid-related emergency and to administer the medication if they believe its needed.

In a previous meeting, school board staff presented statewide data showing that Narcan or Naloxone was used 21 times on school grounds across North Carolina during the 2022-2023 school year. There were no incidents in Wake County public schools.

Maybe it hasnt hit in our schools yet, but better to be safe than sorry, said board member, Cheryl Caulfield.

Barb Walsh added that she sees the medication much like an EpiPen or an AED. During Tuesdays policy committee meeting, school staffers told board members the policy they wrote is based on the districts EpiPen policy.

Walsh, who urged the board to put a Naloxone policy in place during a previous school board meeting, compared the drug to a fire extinguisher.

We dont plan on having a fire in our kitchen, she said. But we have a fire extinguisher  same thing.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  The Michigan War Dog Memorial Cemetery is expanding its offerings, not only honoring service dogs but also horses that served.

The non-profit organization announced the change in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon.

They deserve to have a place to be honored for their service and the MWDM will provide that for them, the post read.

The Michigan War Dog Memorial in South Lyon was launched by Phil Weitlauf in 2012. He told the Detroit Free Press that the project became his passion when he realized that government officials werent honoring these service animals.

MSP Marshall Post mourns death of police dog

One of the reasons we set up the memorial is because the government wont take care of the military dogs when they pass away, Weitlauf said. We found the state and county wont take care of their mounted horses when they die either. We should honor them the same way we honor the canines.

The cemetery now holds the ashes of 90 service dogs from across the country, ranging from military dogs and police K-9s to service dogs. In all, it costs approximately $1,000 to inter an animal, but the organization covers those costs through donations.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the first ceremony for service horses will be held later this fall, honoring three service horses from Wayne County.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Tugs wrangle an oil tanker in Burrard Inlet near Vancouver, B.C. (Courtesy of Trans Mountain, 2023)

A significant increase in oil tanker traffic is in store for the Salish Sea with the completion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion in British Columbia.

The project triples the volume of Alberta crude the pipeline can carry to an export terminal in Burnaby near Vancouver, British Columbia. The facility now sends out an average of five loaded tankers per month. The expansion aims to raise the pace to one vessel per day. The oil-filled ships pass by the San Juan Islands and Olympic Peninsula as they head out to sea.

Increased oil spill risks in shared waters, disturbances to endangered orcas and other whales and climate change impacts are among the worries the pipeline expansion has stoked across the border in Washington. The Canadian project inspired repeated protests from Puget Sound tribes, Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson. But they were all powerless to stop it.

Anytime you move oil from one place to another, that presents a risk of an oil spill, said Lovel Pratt, marine protection and policy director for Friends of the San Juans in Friday Harbor. Oil knows no boundaries. The oil goes wherever the water takes it regardless of the border. Were all at risk when an oil spill occurs.

The operator of the Canadian government-owned pipeline, Trans Mountain Corporation, contends expanded oil exports can be done responsibly. Canadian energy regulators conditioned project approval on a raft of added safety measures. Trans Mountain has also paid to enhance oil spill prevention and response capabilities at multiple new bases on Vancouver Island near the international shipping lanes.

Trans Mountain said it expects the enhancements to raise the level of care and safety during tanker transits to well above globally-accepted shipping standards.

Trans Mountain has loaded marine vessels with oil at the Westridge Marine Terminal since 1956 without a single spill from tanker operations, the company said on its website.

Map of the Trans Mountain Pipeline and its terminus on Burrard Inlet. A spur off of the original pipeline also supplies crude to four northwest Washington oil refineries. (U.S. Energy Information Agency)

Lets do the numbers

The contentious Trans Mountain expansion project involved twinning an existing crude oil pipeline that stretches from the outskirts of Edmonton, Alberta, to the Pacific Coast by Vancouver. The objective was to nearly triple the pipeline capacity from 300,000 to 890,000 barrels per day. Simultaneously, Trans Mountain rebuilt its marine terminal in Burnaby to expand from one tanker loading berth to three.

Earlier this month, Trans Mountain announced the completed project would enter commercial service on May 1. However, oil is not yet flowing all the way down the new pipes because a few segments have yet to receive final operational permits from federal inspectors. A corporate spokesperson said via email Thursday that the first ship to export crude from the expanded pipeline was expected to load oil during the second half of May.

Previously, Trans Mountains Westridge Marine Terminal sent out an average of five oil tankers per month. The newly expanded terminal has a maximum capacity to load 34 tankers and three barges per month. The company spokesperson said the pace of the ramp-up in tanker frequency depends on oil markets.

On average, we anticipate one empty tanker in, one partially laden tanker out every day with variability throughout the year, an emailed statement said.

Laden tankers traverse the Strait of Georgia upon departure from the Port of Vancouver. They next must thread between Washingtons San Juan Islands and the Canadian Gulf Islands before descending Haro Strait. The shipping lane bends west at Victoria to exit the Salish Sea through the Strait of Juan de Fuca, passing Port Angeles and Neah Bay, Washington, on the way out to the Pacific Ocean.

The addition of more than 300 laden tanker transits per year is a meaningful increase in overall Salish Sea tanker traffic, according to the Washington State Department of Ecology, which tracks large commercial vessel entries.

In 2023, the Ecology Department counted 173 oil tankers entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca bound for British Columbia terminals. That compares to 384 oil tankers inbound to Puget Sound, chiefly carrying crude to Washington refineries. This means British Columbia tanker traffic will rise to become roughly on par with Washingtons share once the Trans Mountain exports ramp up and American articulated tug barges shuttling oil are also taken into account.

For the tankers it loads, Trans Mountain agreed to employ tug escorts all the way to the western entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Before, the tugs peeled off near Victoria. In addition, Trans Mountain paid on behalf of its shippers for dozens of additional oil skimmers, landing craft, response barges and to hire more spill response staff at multiple bases between Vancouver Harbour and Ucluelet.

The state Ecology Department manages spill prevention and response on the Washington side of the Salish Sea. The agencys head of spill prevention, Brian Kirk, said his team is aware that the risk of a big spill could go up after May 1. But he said Ecology is not making any extra spill prevention investments like the Canadians did because he feels the state is well prepared today and into the future.

We believe we have the resources and authorities to do our jobs, Kirk said in an interview. We wont be doing anything differently after May first.

In separate interviews, Pratt, with Friends of the San Juans, and Samish Indian Nation Chairman Tom Wooten both said the states spill response system could use improvement. Pratt said she was especially concerned about the narrow waterways of Haro Strait, Turn Point and Boundary Pass.

The federal and state/provincial agencies and oil spill response organizations are not prepared to effectively contain and collect a Canadian tar sands diluted bitumen spill, Pratt said, referring to the type of crude shipped from northern Alberta.

Aerial view of the expanded Trans Mountain oil export terminal in Burnaby, British Columbia. The Westridge Marine Terminal now has three berths, up from one. (Courtesy of Trans Mountain, 2023)

Western Canada anticipates benefits, Washington not so much

Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland celebrated the completion of the Trans Mountain expansion project during a speech to Parliament earlier this month.

The Bank of Canada estimated this project alone will add one-quarter of a percentage point to Canadas GDP, crowed Freeland to applause and cries of bravo from her Liberal partisans and hoots from the opposition Conservatives.

The leader of the Conservatives, Pierre Poilievre, soon stood up to decry the extraordinary cost overruns on the state-funded project, calling it an example of massive waste.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government rescued the troubled Trans Mountain expansion by buying it for 4.5 billion Canadian dollars in 2018 when it looked like private developer Kinder Morgan might throw in the towel.

But delays and challenges only mounted and construction costs soared to an estimated CA$34 billion ($24.9 billion U.S.) today. Canadian broadcaster CBC reported the federal government intends to sell the pipeline back to the private sector sometime in the next few years while having little prospect of earning back its sunk costs.

The Trans Mountain pipeline and marine terminal expansion opens up landlocked Alberta crude to Asian customers and gives California refineries an additional crude sourcing option as well. The thinking in Ottawa and Calgary was that if more Canadian oil could get to tidewater, Canadian producers would be less dependent on the Midwest U.S. market and would be able to charge a higher price.

A sore point south of the border is that Canada appears to get all the benefits while Washington state receives only the increased risk of an accident.

This complaint echoes with a separate project to expand the Port of Vancouvers Roberts Bank container terminal. That planned project on the Strait of Georgia (barely one nautical mile from the U.S.-Canada border) would also increase shipping traffic and irks environmentalists because it would be built on top of critical habitat for endangered orcas and salmon.

Complaints go beyond oil spill risk

Pratt said it is not just the risks of accidents and spills that bother her.

Just the presence of tankers is very concerning because of the risk of ship strikes [on whales] and the impacts of the noise they make, Pratt said in an interview. Its not only the increase of the tanker traffic itself, but also the tug escort traffic.

Tankers calling on the Trans Mountain export terminal observe the summer-fall voluntary slowdown zone in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass. The Port of Vancouvers ECHO Program for large commercial vessels aims to reduce underwater noise and physical threats in the prime orca feeding area.

Vancouver Harbour prohibits supertankers, so the expanded oil export terminal near the head of the harbor in Burnaby does not have the option of consolidating cargoes to make fewer trips. It has to stick with the current size of oil tankers serving Pacific Northwest ports. In marine lingo, this means more of the same Panamax and Aframax class vessels, which top out at around 245 meters in length.

Gov. Jay Inslee registered strong opposition to the pipeline expansion during the Canadian approval process in 2018-19, leaning into his well-known advocacy for clean energy to replace fossil fuels.

This project runs counter to everything Washington state is doing to fight climate change, protect our endangered southern resident killer whales, and protect communities on both sides of the border, Inslee said in a 2018 statement.

Now that the Trans Mountain project is a fait accompli, Inslees press office said Thursday that the governor shares the Ecology Departments confidence that the states laws and preparedness will help guard against the catastrophic impacts of an oil spill. Inslee urged continued vigilance and collaboration with tribes.

U.S. tribal opposition dates back to the beginnings of the Canadian pipeline and export terminal expansion, more than a decade ago. Tribes that voiced objections included the Swinomish, Samish, Suquamish, Tulalip and Lummi nations. Leaders from many of those tribes even traveled to Victoria in 2018 to testify in person and demand that U.S. Coast Salish tribal interests be considered too.

Reached in Anacortes, Wooten of the Samish Indian Nation said the concerns raised then about Trans Mountain  increased vessel traffic, noise pollution, the plight of the endangered orcas, along with unique issues of corralling spilled tar sands crude  are still relevant.

Like it or not were stuck with it, Wooten said. My hope is that they operate it as safely as possible.

The post Washingtons border waters are on the cusp of a major rise in oil tanker traffic appeared first on Washington State Standard.
TechCrunch

The European Union has dialed up scrutiny of Chinese ecommerce marketplace Temu, asking for more information about its compliance with multiple provisions of the bloc's online governance framework, the Digital Services Act (DSA), including in relation to how it prevents the sale of illegal goods on its platform. Back in May scores of consumer protection groups filed coordinated complaints against Temu, putting pressure on the European Commission to probe a raft of concerns, including in areas like trader traceability and manipulative design. The DSA puts a legal requirement on larger platforms to assess a variety of systemic risks their services might pose to EU users, in areas such as minor protection and public health, and to take proactive steps to mitigate potential harms.
WAYLAND, Mich. (WOOD)  The Wayland Fire Department is asking the community for prayers for its chief, who was recently hospitalized.

On Friday, Fire Chief Jim Stoddard suffered a cardiac emergency and went to the hospital, according to a social media post from the City of Wayland Fire Department. He is being treated in the critical care unit.

Chief Stoddard has always selflessly cared for our community and now needs our prayers in return, the department wrote.

It requested only prayers from community members, saying it would post on its Facebook page should a physical need arise.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) has released its latest situation update concerning severe weather that has impacted the state.

According to OEM, the State Emergency Operations Center remains activated after recent severe weather.

The latest release is as follows:

A State of Emergency is in effect for Carter, Cotton, Garfield, Hughes, Kay, Lincoln, Love, Murray, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Payne, and Pontotoc counties this morning due to severe storms, tornadoes, straight line winds, hail, and flooding that began on April 27. The Executive Order also extends the temporary suspension of size and weight limits for oversized vehicles and equipment responding from out of state to assist with power restoration efforts.

FATALITIES

The Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed four storm-related fatalities:

2 fatalities in Holdenville

1 fatality on Interstate 35 near Marietta

1 fatality in Sulphur

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, 100 injuries have been reported by area hospitals:

25 Cut/Pierce

30 Falls

16 Struck by or Against

17 Transportation Related

12 Other

STATE SUPPORT

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security has coordinated numerous resource requests for search and rescue teams, operations support teams, and mass care.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol assisted with search and rescue, traffic control in numerous locations. Oklahoma Department of Transportation assisted with road closures and debris removal off roadways. Oklahoma Corporation Commission provided support for utility outages.

Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) is available to help residents with issues they may have with their insurance claims. Contact OID at 800-522-0071 or visit their website at http://www.oid.ok.gov/after.

Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality staff members in the field checking on water/wastewater systems.

MASS CARE

Two American Red Cross shelters remain open:

Crossway First Baptist Church, 2108 W. Broadway Ave., Sulphur

Christ Community Church Ardmore, 2620 Mount Washington Road, Ardmore

Oklahoma Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has chainsaw teams in Sulphur and Morris and a mass feeding kitchen in Sulphur to provide meals. Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM)-trained chaplains are also available for affected residents and first responders.

Mercy Chefs is providing hot meals for impacted residents at Crossway First Baptist Church, 2108 W. Broadway Ave in Sulphur.

The Salvation Army is providing first responders in Love and Murray counties. Each service will run until no longer needed. Emotional and spiritual care workers are also available.

Volunteers who wish to help with cleanup in Sulphur can check in at the Murray County Expo Center at 730 Cambridge Drive in Sulphur.

STORM REPORTS

Additional storms occurred Sunday night resulting in the following reported damages:

Okmulgee County Emergency Management reports Morris Public Schools facilities were damaged in storms Sunday night. The roof on the gym was peeled back and the interior has major water damages. There are damages to multiple buses and other school properties. School is canceled Monday for cleanup.

LeFlore County Emergency Management reports downed trees with trees across roadways and vehicles west of Hodgen. An awning was pulled off of a building downtown.

Pittsburg County Emergency Management reports tree limbs down south of Crowder.

Damage assessments are ongoing.

POWER OUTAGES

Approximately 6,800 outages are reported statewide. Areas with the highest number of damages are Carter, Love, Johnston, Murray, and Hughes counties.

ROAD CLOSURES

Oklahoma Department of Transportation report the following highways, interstates, or turnpikes are impacted by recent storms or flooding.

Cherokee County

All lanes of east and westbound SH-80 are closed west of Hulbert due to high water

Hughes County

All lanes of north and southbound SH-48 are closed between SH-9E and US-270, near Holdenville, due to severe weather clean-up.

Murray County

All lanes of east and westbound SH-7 are closed between Woodruff Rd. and US-177 in Sulphur due to severe weather clean-up.

All lanes of north and southbound US-177 are closed between Lawton Ave. and Denney Rd. in Sulphur due to severe weather clean-up

Pittsburg County

All lanes of east and westbound SH-31 are closed between Friendship Rd. and Haywood Rd. due to high water

All lanes of east and westbound SH-63 are closed between Crawley Rd. and Hopper Rd. due to high water

Pittsburg County Emergency Management reports the following roads are closed or should be avoided due to high water or flooding conditions:

U.S. 69 Business between Oklahoma 113 and McAlester city limits

U.S. 270 (Indian Nation Turnpike)

Johnston County Emergency Management reports the following additional roads are closed:

Egypt Road and Sandy Creek Road are closed at their respective bridges.

Greasy Bend and Rock Road from the Highway to Bellwood are closed.

Tishomingo: Flooded streets near or around Pennington Park are closed: Ray Branum Rd; W 12th St at S Kemp St; W Hamilton St; S Mickle St; and Parkway Rd.

PRICE GOUGING STATUTE IN EFFECT

The states price gouging statute is now in effect. The Emergency Price Stabilization Act prohibits an increase of more than 10% for the price of goods and services after a declared emergency. The statute triggers automatically after the governor issues a state of emergency. The law allows the attorney general to pursue charges against individuals or businesses that engage in price gouging. For more information or to report a complaint, individuals can contact the Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Unit toll free at 833-681-1895.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond told residents to beware contractors who go door-to-door, demand upfront payment and use aggressive sales tactics. Agents from the OAGs office will be visiting communities with storm damage to help prevent contractor fraud, and residents may report fraud to 1-833-681-1895 or consumerprotection@oag.ok.gov.

RESIDENTS ASKED TO REPORT DAMAGE

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is asking residents impacted by the storms to report damages to their property at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps local and state emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts. Residents can report damage to homes, businesses or agriculture through the online survey.

DIAL 211

For Oklahoma residents seeking non-emergency disaster or health and human service information, please contact your local 2-1-1. Services are available 24 hours a day by dialing 2-1-1 from your home or cellular telephone. Please only call 911 for emergencies.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
KHARTOUM, April 29 (Xinhua) -- An entire year of war has reduced Omdurman, the second largest city in Sudan to ruins and rubble. Still, some residents who fled elsewhere have set off for home return despite the danger and uncertainty ahead.

Recently, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Omdurman took back control of most of the areas from the rivaling paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (SAF), convincing many of the city's residents to return to their homes.

Though there are no official statistics for the number of returnees or those wishing to return to the city, unofficial estimates indicate that more than two thousand families have returned to Omdurman within about two months.

The Chamber of Travel Buses, a union body organizing the work of buses traveling through Sudan states, announced in a statement on Sunday that on April 25, it began land trips for the voluntary return of Omdurman residents who fled the war to Port Sudan city in eastern Sudan.

"At the beginning of the war in April 2023, I moved with my family to the Northern State in northern Sudan. We have suffered a lot due to lack of basic services," Osman Abdul-Rahim, a resident of the Wad Nubawi neighborhood in central Omdurman, told Xinhua.

He said he returned due to "the significant security improvement in Omdurman after the army controlled most of the city's areas."

Meanwhile, the official authorities said they were still facing major challenges to ensure the safe return of the citizens to Omdurman, including remnants of war and unexploded ordinance, damaged water and electricity networks, and the spread of decomposing bodies on most of the city's streets.

The Khartoum State government said in a statement on Sunday that it had completed the training of 90 specialists to remove war remnants and foreign objects in the old Omdurman area.

Khartoum state's governor, Ahmed Osman Hamza, ordered the removal of the corpses and explosive objects, followed by the restoration of the water and electricity services.

A tour by a Xinhua correspondent in Omdurman showed signs of massive destruction to most of the buildings in the old Omdurman area (locally known as the Greater Omdurman locality), with decomposing bodies scattering on the main streets.

Volunteers in some neighborhoods of Omdurman are collecting decomposing bodies, repairing electricity cables, and removing rubble from the fronts of houses and entrances to main markets.

According to the Xinhua correspondent, major markets in Omdurman have also resumed work.

Omdurman is considered the second-largest Sudanese city in terms of area and population after the capital Khartoum. The Sudanese capital, Khartoum, often called the triangular capital, is formed with three cities, namely Omdurman, Khartoum, and Khartoum Bahri.

Since the conflict between the SAF and the RSF broke out on April 15, 2023, 14,790 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, according to recent estimates by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 
I went to the White House Correspondents Dinner for the first time. Heres what it was like

I was a guest last week with the Young Writers luncheon group, and when I told them about my weekend plans, they immediately asked if I planned to write about it. It hadnt occurred to me, but Im glad they made the suggestion, because it helped me take more mental notes and photos during what was truly an incredible experience.

Affectionately known as nerd prom, the White House Correspondents Dinner was held Saturday evening at the Washington Hilton, and I was honored to be invited, along with several other editors of McClatchy papers.

McClatchy, like other news organizations across the country, has tables at the annual dinner that raises money for the White House Correspondents Associations scholarships. The paper ticket I was handed on Friday  one of 2,600 distributed for this years event  had me at table No. 52.

A ticket for the 2024 White House Correspondents Dinner.

But first, the preparation. Nerd affiliation or not, its still a glitzy affair, with black tie clearly stated on the ticket. I found my dress at Formalities in Bellefonte during actual prom season.

Like all big events, the anticipation started early. We stayed right in the Washington Hilton, and there was a buzz in the air on Saturday that hadnt been there when we checked in on Friday. The McClatchy crew met in the lobby before going out to lunch, and while there I saw Jax and Brittany of Vanderpump Rules fame. I was hoping the celeb sightings would get more exciting.

When we got back from lunch, the hotel was mid-transformation.

The red carpet gets set up on Saturday, April 27, 2024, for the White House Correspondents Dinner.

I had to show both my room card and ID to security and answer some questions before being let back in, and I decided I wouldnt leave again. The pro-Palestine protesters were not there at that point, but I could hear them later from my ninth-floor room.

The rest of the afternoon was nails, hair, makeup, and I went back to the lobby at 6 p.m., transformed myself. Many photos were taken, including those in front of a WHCA backdrop that made it look like we were on the red carpet. Instead of flashing lightbulbs, it was someone holding your phone to take the photos. If you wanted more or group photos, you had to get back in line. The real red carpet was downstairs.

Then we all started to migrate toward the ballroom, a herd of people dressed to the nines. That took quite a while, and we were all told to have our tickets out.

The ballroom of the Washington Hilton is pictured before the White House Correspondents Dinner program.

Finally we arrived  a massive ballroom with a map of the table setup. People started to file in  a true whos who of national media. Lester Holt, Wolf Blitzer, Al Roker, Kaitlan Collins, etc. There were lots of politicians  Sen. John Fetterman was at a nearby table  and a very random mix of celebrities. Some I saw up close, like Fran Drescher, and others from afar, like Jon Hamm. There were others who I looked for but did not see, like Chris Pine.

At one point I attempted a lap through the ballroom for this exact purpose, but I kept getting stuck because the tables were so close together and most people were still standing up.

The dinner program started at 8 p.m., and the food was OK and probably what youd expect from an event tasked with feeding thousands of people at once.

The entree at the 2024 White House Correspondents Dinner is pictured.

After dessert was served, the awards were presented and scholarship recipients were recognized. The room came to its feet when journalists from Frontline, The Texas Tribune and ProPublica were awarded the Collier Prize for their collaborative reporting on the chaotic response to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022.

Then the headliners: President Joe Biden gave his speech, which included many digs at former President Donald Trump, and Colin Jost of Saturday Night Live was the featured entertainer. I see his stand-up comedy has been getting mixed reviews, and there were definitely parts that fell flat. CNN caught me laughing at at least one of his jokes, though.

Jessica McAllister, seated next to McClatchy editor Blake Kaplan, is pictured during the CNN broadcast of the White House Correspondents Dinner.

The WHCD is a celebration of the First Amendment, and that was still clear through the glitz and glamour. The award winners were inspiring and the calls to bring home detained journalists were moving.

During Bidens remarks, he invited us to raise our glasses in a toast: To a free press, to an informed citizenry, to an America where freedom and democracy endure.

It was an overwhelming moment as I looked around a room of those who fight for a free press everyday, who have risked their lives for it and inspire and teach the next generation of journalists (plus Jax and Brittany).
Milly Gonzales, 31, who works with domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors, supports abortion rights. She said the repeal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 was devastating. (Baylor Spears / Wisconsin Examiner)

Editors note: This story is the second in a series about a group of people from Wisconsin trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide. Their larger goal is to find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America.

MADISON, Wis.  For the 14 abortion-rights opponents and supporters recently recruited to find consensus solutions on abortion and family well-being, their first major agreement was that Wisconsin has some of the best cheese in the nation.

Their second was that even where abortion is outlawed (currently in Wisconsin thats after 20 weeks gestation), life-saving treatment for the pregnant person should not be.

If the mothers having to make a choice between do I live or does my child live, she gets to make that choice, said Bria Halama, a 31-year-old white, Catholic clinical mental health counselor in Milwaukee. In the past, she said she struggled with her stance on bodily autonomy and faith, but now opposes abortion and seeks to honor both the mother and child.

Five of the participants in the Wisconsin Citizen Solutions on Abortion & Family Well-Being defend the concept of consistent life ethic, which opposes the intentional ending of human life from conception until natural death. One exception they account for is called the doctrine of double effect, a principle that says that sometimes doing something morally good (for example, saving a pregnant womans life) will have a morally bad side effect (ending the unborns life, for example), and that this is morally permissible as long as the bad effect was not intended.

All 14 Wisconsinites agreed that situations like ectopic pregnancies are medical emergencies that need to be treated regardless of any abortion ban. But theres an ultimately unresolvable dispute over how to determine life-threatening, something that OB-GYN Dr. Kristin Lyerly told the group is rarely black and white and always unique to a particular pregnancy. (Lyerly has since stepped away from the Starts With Us project because her recently launched congressional campaign conflicts with its nonprofit status.)

However, there is a slight shift in some of the abortion opponents thinking on medical interventions to save the fetus when a pregnancy is terminated to preserve maternal life. When Halama suggested that within the exception for maternal health emergencies they include a caveat that all efforts should be made to save the baby, Lyerly pushed back.

I really struggle with that, because there are babies that are born as a result of an abortion that are alive but are not likely to live, Lyerly said. And the parents  will wrap their babies and hold them until they die instead of taking them away and poking them with needles and putting a breathing tube down their throats and making them suffer and experience pain until they die. And I think that some people would choose one and other people would choose the other, and I cant make that decision for my patients.

Halama agreed with Lyerly that efforts to save fetal life may not always be the best option in all circumstances. And so did Thomas Lang, a Catholic from Janesville who opposes abortion.

I really appreciate that, Lang said. Because we can bring that to end-of-life-care, too, where you know, the breaking of the ribcage, enough already. Youre prolonging death, youre not prolonging life here.

Another place of early agreement in the same realm involved miscarriage management. Stories of women being turned away from hospitals with non-viable pregnancies persist around the country and are the subject of the second major U.S. Supreme Court case since Roe v. Wade was overturned, which justices heard Wednesday. But theres also a story around this table.

Participant Heather Martell shared with the group that her first pregnancy, at 19, ended in a miscarriage. She alleged that her doctor would not evacuate the pregnancy because of the doctors anti-abortion beliefs and that she bled for months before seeking treatment at a Planned Parenthood clinic.

I almost died because of a pro-life agenda, Martell told the group.

The participants initially agree on a proposal that says that receiving medical care for miscarriages should not be subject to a states abortion laws.

Dispute resolution on steroids

Facilitating these sessions were Mariah Levison and Kelly Wilder from Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that for about a decade and a half has helped opposing groups in the public and private sectors find consensus on a range of policy issues like education, poverty, and health care. But what typically takes Convergence at least a year for each project, Starts With Us has asked them to do in three days (they will eventually add a fourth day in early April).

This is the same methodology like on steroids, Levison, Convergences CEO and president, told States Newsroom. The Minnesotan said she has worked in dispute resolution her whole career, but abortion is a new topic for both her and Convergence, which facilitated Starts With Uss inaugural session, about gun rights and safety in Tennessee; a third session on immigration is being planned for later this year.

Beyond agreements on policy proposals, Levison said the larger goal is to help people build trust and understand each other.

And its the role of Starts With Us as a civic engagement nonprofit to elevate these examples of understanding and agreement and try to change the narrative that issues like abortion and guns and immigration are intractable. For the first three days of the session last December, camera operators filmed the participants, while the rest of the team watched in a makeshift video village in a drafty hallway space. In the months since, theyve used the footage to help tell the groups story and to give Wisconsin residents (and those in other states) a different option on abortion policy that isnt just relegated to ban vs. no ban. They invited States Newsroom to observe the December sessions, though everything said was initially off the record unless participants gave permission to be quoted.

Levison told the participants they must find OPTIONS: Only proposals that include others needs succeed. She had them consider the example of a neighbor complaining about the others constantly barking dog. A real consensus solution, she explained, goes beyond keeping vs. getting rid of the dog. And she instructed them not to compromise; if a proposal would cause anyone heartburn, it didnt go on the final list. As in a jury, even one dissenting vote can tank a proposal.

In the group, the biggest sticking points are: fetal health; maternal health that might not be immediately life-threatening; and sexual and domestic violence and whether someone should be forced to procreate with an abuser.

The teams are broken into two groups to facilitate better discussion. By the end, participants will raise their voices, burst into tears, slam a folder. Kai Gardner Mishlove, the executive director at Jewish Social Services, quickly becomes the groups emotional stabilizer, guiding them through deep breathing during tense moments. But they keep showing up, and listening.

Walls coming down

Heading into the cold December night after the second day of heavy discussions, Thomas Lang told States Newsroom that his wife knows the very night their eldest of three was conceived. The 61-year-old property manager grinned as he remembered her reciting a prayer before being intimate on their honeymoon.

There is a purpose and meaning of sexual intimacy, said Lang, who supports the teaching of natural family planning as opposed to artificial birth control. Hes very much in love with Amy, whos 11 years younger and whom he met on the dating site Ave Maria Singles 15 years after a divorce and annulment from a relationship with which he shares three adult children. One of the basic principles behind the proper use of NFP is that married couples should always have an openness to life.

Of the 14, Lang is among those on the most restrictive end of the spectrum, a stance informed by his deep Catholic faith, his mothers abortion regret, his six living children, as well as two miscarriages and a stillbirth. To support his position, he repeatedly cites the 1968 papal encyclical Humanae Vitae and the legislative director of Pro-Life Wisconsin.

And unlike some of the other abortion opponents in the group, Lang is comfortable using the word murder to describe what Lyerly does for a living. He doesnt expect to connect with her.

Throughout the initial three-day session, the OB-GYN from Green Bay patiently answered medical questions, described abortion procedures, and explained how she views abortion morally.

My obligation to my patients is to make sure that Im helping them with the right thing for them, Lyerly said. If Im taking care of a woman from the Jewish faith, they have a very different perspective than my Catholic patients than my agnostic or atheist patients. So my job is to understand where theyre coming from and to make sure that they feel fulfilled and well taken care of and have what they need to be able to live their lives according to their morals.

At one point Lyerly obliged Lang when he asked her to switch from clinical language (fertilization, products of conception) to his preferred terms (conception, baby), a move that frustrated several of the abortion-access participants but endeared her to him.

I would have been repulsed to have met an abortionist before this meeting, Lang told Lyerly on the second day of the session, but I cant tell you how much you enamor me with regards to the way you put yourself in your patients shoes. I would love you to be my wifes doctor. (He later acknowledged to States Newsroom that this could never happen because Lyerlys compassion is incoherent without principled procreative and life ethics.)

With Lang and Lyerly at opposite ends of the spectrum, the 14 were able to come to only small agreements about when abortion should be legal and accessible, but found more common ground on how to mitigate some of abortions root causes, which many of the participants have experienced.

Kateri Klingele, 25, a white mental health professional and co-founder of Wisconsin Student Parents Organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has two children. Not only was Klingele navigating poverty and school during her two unplanned pregnancies, but she was also incredibly sick. She was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, which resulted in her being fed intravenously during both pregnancies and delivering both her children early due to malnutrition. She said she also experienced partner abuse and was on every social support available, living in constant terror of falling off the so-called benefits cliff.

But shes firm that abortion should rarely ever be an option because she believes that ending the life of a child is wrong and does not end other issues, like abuse and poverty.

I am deeply troubled by this idea that providing an abortion and ending the life of a child is a way to stop domestic violence, Klingele told the group. As someone whos experienced that, whats harmful is the treatment of being abused. Whats harmful is that theres insane wait lists for domestic abuse survivors housing. But my sons were not the problem here.

Her life experience has brought her to the opposite conclusion to other participants who work with domestic and sexual violence survivors, like Monique Minkens and Milly Gonzales.

In 2022 I could see both perspectives, especially as a person of faith, Gonzales told the group. But it scared me when Roe v. Wade was repealed. It was devastating, especially in my work, seeing how it affected women and all persons that are able to have children. Sometimes we dont think through decisions that people have to make and how those decisions impact the babies that are being born.

Meanwhile, Halama, who said she has counseled patients facing crisis pregnancies, began to grapple with the idea that maybe the hardline anti-abortion stance doesnt reduce the most amount of harm.

Am I coming from a place of pride? Am I coming from a place of rigidity and not loving compassion? Halama told the group on the third day. This is just like to challenge maybe us pro-lifers, but I dont know, are we working so hard to eliminate this harm, and harming women who are in these positions of domestic violence, and in these positions of discrimination, when we know that we have a merciful God?  I dont know what to do with that because its so hard for me to concede on something that in my mind is harming, [but] I dont know if having this harsh black-and-white stance on [abortion] is the right way to do it.

Back in video village, the sometimes chatty or snacking Starts With Us staff are rapt looking at the screens. Someone whispers: Wow.

Theres also an understanding reached between Klingele and Ali Muldrow, a Black abortion fund director, where Muldrow agrees with Klingele about treating people with disabilities with compassion and not suggesting that they should not be born. I want you to know with my whole heart and soul that I dont think we should be universally killing people with Down syndrome, Muldrow told Klingele.

A variety of health factors inform why people terminate pregnancies, and to suggest that people simply dont want children with disabilities is insensitive to the complexity of information people obtain about the health and quality of life that factor into peoples decisions around pregnancy, Muldrow later clarified to States Newsroom. I think folks who are anti-abortion access take disability into consideration when youre talking about the fetus, but they dont seem as willing to acknowledge disability as a factor for the pregnant person.

Unlikely partnership

On the second day, during breakouts, Klingele smiles kindly at Lyerly and explains that the intentional ending of a pregnancy should not be legal.

I think there should be no criminal charges on women for seeking that, Klingele said. But with regard to providers, I think there should be penalties. So, I want to look at you when I say this because I value you and I care about you and I know you care about your patients and about their children. But poisoning them and pulling them out of the womb and vacuuming, whatever terms you want to use, destroys their dignity.

I appreciate your perspective, Lyerly replied. The next day she addressed some of the participants notions of her work. I sit here with people who might be shouting at me as a doctor entering an abortion clinic. Someone who yesterday essentially said I should be in jail. Im a murderer, right? But every time that I trust women and understand that they know whats best for them, every time I perform an abortion for someone, we acknowledge that theres a life there. And we honor that life. And I know that that sounds crazy. But we do the best that we can under every circumstance. And these are hard, hard decisions and everybody is different. But I would offer to you that we do love them both.

And thats the next point of common ground: Klingele clarifies that she doesnt believe abortion providers should be incarcerated, which as Lyerly points out, they could have been under Wisconsins temporary abortion ban that went into effect after the Dobbs decision. Klingele ultimately cant answer what it means for abortion providers if termination is illegal; she said shes more concerned about making it easier for people to give birth and parent safely.

I dont have all the laws or regulations, she told Lyerly. But I see ending a life as wrong and there are consequences for doing something thats wrong.

But the two found that they agree on a lot more outside of abortion. Lyerly told States Newsroom that the two have agreed to work together in some capacity.

Starts With Us head of programs Ashley Phillips told States Newsroom she was heartened but not surprised to see participants agree and connect.

Its hard to hate up close, Phillips said. And when you have the opportunity to sit for three days across the table from one another and have nuanced discussions about both your lived experience and the issue at hand, its not surprising that youre able to humanize and learn and grow. And its still beautiful to see.

The post Where is the common ground for abortion-rights opponents and supporters? appeared first on Source New Mexico.
Milly Gonzales, 31, who works with domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors, supports abortion rights. She said the repeal of Roe v. Wade in 2022 was devastating. (Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)

Can a group of strangers find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America?

Editors note: This story is the second in a series about a group of people from Wisconsin trying to come up with policies to address abortion and its root causes that could be applied nationwide. Their larger goal is to find common ground on one of the most divisive issues in America.

MADISON, Wis.  For the 14 abortion-rights opponents and supporters recently recruited to find consensus solutions on abortion and family well-being, their first major agreement was that Wisconsin has some of the best cheese in the nation.

Their second was that even where abortion is outlawed (currently in Wisconsin thats after 20 weeks gestation), life-saving treatment for the pregnant person should not be.

If the mothers having to make a choice between do I live or does my child live, she gets to make that choice, said Bria Halama, a 31-year-old white, Catholic clinical mental health counselor in Milwaukee. In the past, she said she struggled with her stance on bodily autonomy and faith, but now opposes abortion and seeks to honor both the mother and child.

Five of the participants in the Wisconsin Citizen Solutions on Abortion & Family Well-Being defend the concept of consistent life ethic, which opposes the intentional ending of human life from conception until natural death. One exception they account for is called the doctrine of double effect, a principle that says that sometimes doing something morally good (for example, saving a pregnant womans life) will have a morally bad side effect (ending the unborns life, for example), and that this is morally permissible as long as the bad effect was not intended.

All 14 Wisconsinites agreed that situations like ectopic pregnancies are medical emergencies that need to be treated regardless of any abortion ban. But theres an ultimately unresolvable dispute over how to determine life-threatening, something that OB-GYN Dr. Kristin Lyerly told the group is rarely black and white and always unique to a particular pregnancy. (Lyerly has since stepped away from the Starts With Us project because her recently launched congressional campaign conflicts with its nonprofit status.)

However, there is a slight shift in some of the abortion opponents thinking on medical interventions to save the fetus when a pregnancy is terminated to preserve maternal life. When Halama suggested that within the exception for maternal health emergencies they include a caveat that all efforts should be made to save the baby, Lyerly pushed back.

I really struggle with that, because there are babies that are born as a result of an abortion that are alive but are not likely to live, Lyerly said. And the parents  will wrap their babies and hold them until they die instead of taking them away and poking them with needles and putting a breathing tube down their throats and making them suffer and experience pain until they die. And I think that some people would choose one and other people would choose the other, and I cant make that decision for my patients.

Halama agreed with Lyerly that efforts to save fetal life may not always be the best option in all circumstances. And so did Thomas Lang, a Catholic from Janesville who opposes abortion.

I really appreciate that, Lang said. Because we can bring that to end-of-life-care, too, where you know, the breaking of the ribcage, enough already. Youre prolonging death, youre not prolonging life here.

Another place of early agreement in the same realm involved miscarriage management. Stories of women being turned away from hospitals with non-viable pregnancies persist around the country and are the subject of the second major U.S. Supreme Court case since Roe v. Wade was overturned, which justices heard Wednesday. But theres also a story around this table.

Participant Heather Martell shared with the group that her first pregnancy, at 19, ended in a miscarriage. She alleged that her doctor would not evacuate the pregnancy because of the doctors anti-abortion beliefs and that she bled for months before seeking treatment at a Planned Parenthood clinic.

I almost died because of a pro-life agenda, Martell told the group.

The participants initially agree on a proposal that says that receiving medical care for miscarriages should not be subject to a states abortion laws.

Dispute resolution on steroids

Facilitating these sessions were Mariah Levison and Kelly Wilder from Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that for about a decade and a half has helped opposing groups in the public and private sectors find consensus on a range of policy issues like education, poverty, and health care. But what typically takes Convergence at least a year for each project, Starts With Us has asked them to do in three days (they will eventually add a fourth day in early April).

This is the same methodology like on steroids, Levison, Convergences CEO and president, told States Newsroom. The Minnesotan said she has worked in dispute resolution her whole career, but abortion is a new topic for both her and Convergence, which facilitated Starts With Uss inaugural session, about gun rights and safety in Tennessee; a third session on immigration is being planned for later this year.

Beyond agreements on policy proposals, Levison said the larger goal is to help people build trust and understand each other.

And its the role of Starts With Us as a civic engagement nonprofit to elevate these examples of understanding and agreement and try to change the narrative that issues like abortion and guns and immigration are intractable. For the first three days of the session last December, camera operators filmed the participants, while the rest of the team watched in a makeshift video village in a drafty hallway space. In the months since, theyve used the footage to help tell the groups story and to give Wisconsin residents (and those in other states) a different option on abortion policy that isnt just relegated to ban vs. no ban. They invited States Newsroom to observe the December sessions, though everything said was initially off the record unless participants gave permission to be quoted.

Levison told the participants they must find OPTIONS: Only proposals that include others needs succeed. She had them consider the example of a neighbor complaining about the others constantly barking dog. A real consensus solution, she explained, goes beyond keeping vs. getting rid of the dog. And she instructed them not to compromise; if a proposal would cause anyone heartburn, it didnt go on the final list. As in a jury, even one dissenting vote can tank a proposal.

In the group, the biggest sticking points are: fetal health; maternal health that might not be immediately life-threatening; and sexual and domestic violence and whether someone should be forced to procreate with an abuser.

The teams are broken into two groups to facilitate better discussion. By the end, participants will raise their voices, burst into tears, slam a folder. Kai Gardner Mishlove, the executive director at Jewish Social Services, quickly becomes the groups emotional stabilizer, guiding them through deep breathing during tense moments. But they keep showing up, and listening.

Walls coming down

Heading into the cold December night after the second day of heavy discussions, Thomas Lang told States Newsroom that his wife knows the very night their eldest of three was conceived. The 61-year-old property manager grinned as he remembered her reciting a prayer before being intimate on their honeymoon.

There is a purpose and meaning of sexual intimacy, said Lang, who supports the teaching of natural family planning as opposed to artificial birth control. Hes very much in love with Amy, whos 11 years younger and whom he met on the dating site Ave Maria Singles 15 years after a divorce and annulment from a relationship with which he shares three adult children. One of the basic principles behind the proper use of NFP is that married couples should always have an openness to life.

Of the 14, Lang is among those on the most restrictive end of the spectrum, a stance informed by his deep Catholic faith, his mothers abortion regret, his six living children, as well as two miscarriages and a stillbirth. To support his position, he repeatedly cites the 1968 papal encyclical Humanae Vitae and the legislative director of Pro-Life Wisconsin.

And unlike some of the other abortion opponents in the group, Lang is comfortable using the word murder to describe what Lyerly does for a living. He doesnt expect to connect with her.

Throughout the initial three-day session, the OB-GYN from Green Bay patiently answered medical questions, described abortion procedures, and explained how she views abortion morally.

My obligation to my patients is to make sure that Im helping them with the right thing for them, Lyerly said. If Im taking care of a woman from the Jewish faith, they have a very different perspective than my Catholic patients than my agnostic or atheist patients. So my job is to understand where theyre coming from and to make sure that they feel fulfilled and well taken care of and have what they need to be able to live their lives according to their morals.

At one point Lyerly obliged Lang when he asked her to switch from clinical language (fertilization, products of conception) to his preferred terms (conception, baby), a move that frustrated several of the abortion-access participants but endeared her to him.

I would have been repulsed to have met an abortionist before this meeting, Lang told Lyerly on the second day of the session, but I cant tell you how much you enamor me with regards to the way you put yourself in your patients shoes. I would love you to be my wifes doctor. (He later acknowledged to States Newsroom that this could never happen because Lyerlys compassion is incoherent without principled procreative and life ethics.)

With Lang and Lyerly at opposite ends of the spectrum, the 14 were able to come to only small agreements about when abortion should be legal and accessible, but found more common ground on how to mitigate some of abortions root causes, which many of the participants have experienced.

Kateri Klingele, 25, a white mental health professional and co-founder of Wisconsin Student Parents Organization at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has two children. Not only was Klingele navigating poverty and school during her two unplanned pregnancies, but she was also incredibly sick. She was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, which resulted in her being fed intravenously during both pregnancies and delivering both her children early due to malnutrition. She said she also experienced partner abuse and was on every social support available, living in constant terror of falling off the so-called benefits cliff.

But shes firm that abortion should rarely ever be an option because she believes that ending the life of a child is wrong and does not end other issues, like abuse and poverty.

I am deeply troubled by this idea that providing an abortion and ending the life of a child is a way to stop domestic violence, Klingele told the group. As someone whos experienced that, whats harmful is the treatment of being abused. Whats harmful is that theres insane wait lists for domestic abuse survivors housing. But my sons were not the problem here.

Her life experience has brought her to the opposite conclusion to other participants who work with domestic and sexual violence survivors, like Monique Minkens and Milly Gonzales.

In 2022 I could see both perspectives, especially as a person of faith, Gonzales told the group. But it scared me when Roe v. Wade was repealed. It was devastating, especially in my work, seeing how it affected women and all persons that are able to have children. Sometimes we dont think through decisions that people have to make and how those decisions impact the babies that are being born.

Meanwhile, Halama, who said she has counseled patients facing crisis pregnancies, began to grapple with the idea that maybe the hardline anti-abortion stance doesnt reduce the most amount of harm.

Am I coming from a place of pride? Am I coming from a place of rigidity and not loving compassion? Halama told the group on the third day. This is just like to challenge maybe us pro-lifers, but I dont know, are we working so hard to eliminate this harm, and harming women who are in these positions of domestic violence, and in these positions of discrimination, when we know that we have a merciful God?  I dont know what to do with that because its so hard for me to concede on something that in my mind is harming, [but] I dont know if having this harsh black-and-white stance on [abortion] is the right way to do it.

Back in video village, the sometimes chatty or snacking Starts With Us staff are rapt looking at the screens. Someone whispers: Wow.

Theres also an understanding reached between Klingele and Ali Muldrow, a Black abortion fund director, where Muldrow agrees with Klingele about treating people with disabilities with compassion and not suggesting that they should not be born. I want you to know with my whole heart and soul that I dont think we should be universally killing people with Down syndrome, Muldrow told Klingele.

A variety of health factors inform why people terminate pregnancies, and to suggest that people simply dont want children with disabilities is insensitive to the complexity of information people obtain about the health and quality of life that factor into peoples decisions around pregnancy, Muldrow later clarified to States Newsroom. I think folks who are anti-abortion access take disability into consideration when youre talking about the fetus, but they dont seem as willing to acknowledge disability as a factor for the pregnant person.

Unlikely partnership

On the second day, during breakouts, Klingele smiles kindly at Lyerly and explains that the intentional ending of a pregnancy should not be legal.

I think there should be no criminal charges on women for seeking that, Klingele said. But with regard to providers, I think there should be penalties. So, I want to look at you when I say this because I value you and I care about you and I know you care about your patients and about their children. But poisoning them and pulling them out of the womb and vacuuming, whatever terms you want to use, destroys their dignity.

I appreciate your perspective, Lyerly replied. The next day she addressed some of the participants notions of her work. I sit here with people who might be shouting at me as a doctor entering an abortion clinic. Someone who yesterday essentially said I should be in jail. Im a murderer, right? But every time that I trust women and understand that they know whats best for them, every time I perform an abortion for someone, we acknowledge that theres a life there. And we honor that life. And I know that that sounds crazy. But we do the best that we can under every circumstance. And these are hard, hard decisions and everybody is different. But I would offer to you that we do love them both.

And thats the next point of common ground: Klingele clarifies that she doesnt believe abortion providers should be incarcerated, which as Lyerly points out, they could have been under Wisconsins temporary abortion ban that went into effect after the Dobbs decision. Klingele ultimately cant answer what it means for abortion providers if termination is illegal; she said shes more concerned about making it easier for people to give birth and parent safely.

I dont have all the laws or regulations, she told Lyerly. But I see ending a life as wrong and there are consequences for doing something thats wrong.

But the two found that they agree on a lot more outside of abortion. Lyerly told States Newsroom that the two have agreed to work together in some capacity.

Starts With Us head of programs Ashley Phillips told States Newsroom she was heartened but not surprised to see participants agree and connect.

Its hard to hate up close, Phillips said. And when you have the opportunity to sit for three days across the table from one another and have nuanced discussions about both your lived experience and the issue at hand, its not surprising that youre able to humanize and learn and grow. And its still beautiful to see.

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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is scheduled to deliver a briefing Monday afternoon.

It comes after President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend. The administration has continued to call for a cease-fire in Israels war against Hamas that could open wider channels for humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting countries in the region, advocating both for the release of hostages by Hamas and respect for civilian lives by Israel.

Israels war on Hamas is having an increasingly visible effect in the United States, with pro-Israel and pro-Palestine groups holding competing mass demonstrations at the University of California, Los Angeles, over the weekend as an example.

The Monday White House news briefing is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. EDT.

Watch the live video above.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The Biden administration is silent on whether students carrying out anti-Israel protests spiraling on college campuses nationwide will be barred from student loan forgiveness programs that have canceled billions of dollars in debt under the 46th president.

"We say justice, you say how. Burn Tel Aviv to the ground," protesters have chanted on Columbia Universitys campus in recent days. "Hamas we love you. We support your rockets, too," other chants have included.

Colleges from coast to coast, including some of the nations most elite schools - including Harvard, Yale, Penn, Berkeley and others  have seen dayslong protests on campuses, where students demand their schools completely divest from Israel as the death toll in Gaza increases.

The protests come following terrorist organization Hamas launching war in Israel on Oct. 7, which initially fanned the flames of antisemitism on campuses in the form of protests, menacing graffiti and students reporting that they felt as if it was "open season for Jews on our campuses ." The protests have now heightened to the point where Jewish students are warned to leave campus for their own safety.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House on Sunday asking if the administration plans to bar student protesters from eligibility for student loan forgiveness programs but did not receive a response. Biden, in part, campaigned in 2020 on forgiving student loan debt, including pledging to cancel at least $10,000 per borrower back in 2020.

BIDEN ONCE RIPPED 'ANTISEMITIC BILE' BUT NOW FACES OWN 'CHARLOTTESVILLE MOMENT'

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

IVY LEAGUE ANTI-ISRAEL AGITATORS' PROTESTS SPIRAL INTO 'ACTUAL TERROR ORGANIZATION,' PROFESSOR WARNS

Last year, the Supreme Court struck down the Biden administrations plan to give up to $20,000 in debt relief per person, though the administration has remained committed to canceling debt through other avenues, including through established relief programs. As of this month, the administration has forgiven roughly $153 billion in debt among about 4.3 million Americans, the Department of Education detailed in a press release on April 12 after the administration announced $7.4 billion in additional student loan debt relief for more than 200,000 borrowers.

Fox News Digital asked the administration if they are weighing whether to bar anti-Israel protesters on campuses from such relief programs, but did not receive a response. Fox Digital also asked if the administration is weighing such an option, if students would be barred based on arrests or through college and law enforcement investigations.

UT AUSTIN SUSPENDS PRO-PALESTINIAN STUDENT GROUP AFTER ANTI-ISRAEL PROTEST

The anti-Israel protests intensified this month, including when the NYPD arrested more than 100 protesters on Columbias campus, and a school rabbi warned students last week to leave campus "as soon as possible," noting that "what we are witnessing in and around campus is terrible and tragic."

Anti-Israel activists stage a demonstration in front of Sather Gate on the UC Berkeley campus on April 22, 2024, in Berkeley, California. Hundreds of protesters set up a tent encampment in solidarity with demonstrators at Columbia University who are demanding a permanent cease-fire in the war between Israel and Gaza.

"The events of the last few days, especially last night, have made it clear that Columbia Universitys Public Safety and the NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students safety in the face of extreme antisemitism and anarchy," Rabbi Elie Buechler wrote to students last weekend. "It deeply pains me to say that I would strongly recommend you return home as soon as possible and remain home until the reality in and around campus has dramatically improved."

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MOVES TO HYBRID LEARNING ON MAIN CAMPUS AMID ANTISEMITIC PROTESTS

A Columbia professor argued in comments to Fox Digital last week that student groups supporting anti-Israel protests had "crossed the line" and morphed into becoming "actual terror" organizations. He specifically pointed to an incident on Columbias campus earlier this month when a protester was seen holding a sign reading, "Al-Qasams (sic)next targets," while pointing at a group of Jewish students who were singing and waving Israels flag. Al-Qassam is the military wing of Hamas.

Protesters across many of the campuses have established encampments on campus, dubbed titles like the "Gaza Solidarity encampment" or the "liberated zone," which hearken back to 2020s "cop free zones" in cities such as Portland, Oregon, and Seattle during the raging defund the police and BLM riots that year.

GREEN PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JILL STEIN AMONG 100 ARRESTED PROTESTING AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Arrests for the protests are mounting, with more than 100 protesters arrested at Bostons Northeastern University on Saturday. The school said protesters were heard using antisemitic slurs, including "Kill the Jews." Dozens more were arrested on Emorys campus in Atlanta last week, including an economics professor, with police allegedly using tear gas and Tasers on the crowds.

All in, more than 200 protesters were arrested on Saturday alone on campuses stretching from Arizona State University to Northeastern, the New York Post reported.

Anti-Israel protests at NYU.

As the protests intensify and video footage of the scenes spread on social media, critics have slammed debt bailouts under the Biden administration.

"Your tax dollars at work," State Auditor of Mississippi Shad White posted on X last week . "No more DEI (which is feeding this antisemitism). No more student debt bailouts. Fix our universities."

Whites comment came in response to the popular conservative X account "End Wokeness" posting footage of protests on Columbias campus last week, captioning the video, "This is the scene at Columbia University right now. A literal cult is occupying the campus. Remember: We all paid their student debt."

Students move a tent inside Columbia University on April 24, 2024, in New York City.

"IDEA: If a student is arrested in an illegal protest or at least arrested for attacking police he is no longer eligible for student loan relief - hes got to pay back his loans in full - no forgiveness," conservative X account Amuse posted while tagging Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.

ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS NATIONWIDE FUELED BY LEFT-WING GROUPS BACKED BY SOROS, DARK MONEY

"Supposedly 'peaceful' pro-Palestinian protesters outside Columbia University calling for the end of Israel. Remember, your tax dollars are going to forgive the student debt for these people," the publication Conservative Brief posted on X Friday .

Former President Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee for the presidential election, has repeatedly slammed Biden as being responsible for the protests, calling the demonstrations and antisemtism a "disgrace."

Former President Trump speaks to the media as he leaves Manhattan Criminal Court on April 22, 2024, in New York City.

"What's going on at the college level Columbia, NYU and others is a disgrace. And it's really on Biden," Trump said on Tuesday morning outside the Manhattan courtroom where he is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records in a case hes calling a "witch hunt."

ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTERS IN SEATTLE DELAY CAMPUS ENCAMPMENT AFTER BEING CALLED OUT FOR LACK OF DIVERSITY: REPORT

"He's got the wrong words. He doesn't know who he's backing. And it's a mess. And if this were me, they'd be after me, they'd be after me so much, but they're trying to get him a pass. And what's going on is a disgrace to our country. And it's all Biden's fault, and everybody knows it. He's got no message, he's got no compassion and doesn't know what he's doing," Trump continued, adding Biden is the "worst president in the history of our country."

Biden has denounced the protests, but came under criticism last week for also condemning those "who don't understand what's going on with the Palestinians."

"I condemn the antisemitic protests. Thats why I have set up a program to deal with that. I also condemn those who don't understand what's going on with the Palestinians," Biden told reporters this month.

Critics have compared it to Trumps remarks in 2017, following a two-day riot in Charlottesville, Virginia, when White nationalists descended on the city. Trump said at the time that the violence had "no place in America," while adding there was "blame on both sides" and "very fine people, on both sides."





Original article source: White House silent if anti-Israel protesters will be barred from student loan forgiveness programs
My whole family has perished: 22 killed in Israeli airstrike on Rafah, hospital staff say

Editors Note: Warning: This story has graphic content.

Twenty-two people, including at least one infant and a toddler, have been killed in an Israeli airstrike over Rafah, Gaza, overnight into Monday, according to hospital officials.

The deceased were brought into Abu Youssef Al Najjar hospital in Rafah following the attack, as their loved ones gathered for their final farewells.

A video filmed for CNN in the hospital courtyard shows several body bags laid on the ground with dozens of anguished people including men, women and children crowded around their late loved ones.

People are seen crouching over the body bags, with some caressing their loved ones lifeless bodies. At least one babys head can be seen sticking out of a bag, as the woman beside it shouts: My whole family has perished.

The babys uncle, Mahmoud Abu Taha, was carrying the 1-year-olds lifeless body while talking to the camera, saying his parents had tried having children for 10 years before he was born.

We were sitting in our homes, not doing anything. It was unexpected when they struck the house. Everyone was asleep in their beds most of the people that were killed were displaced they were women and children, he said.

Lifting the baby boys body to the camera, Mahmoud Abu Taha cries out, this is who they are targeting. This is their objective. This is the generation theyre looking for. This is the safe Rafah they talk about.

In response to a CNN request for comment regarding the Rafah strike on Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that its fighter jets struck terror targets where terrorists were operating within a civilian area in southern Gaza.

The IDF will continue to foil terrorist activity and protect Israeli civilians, in accordance with international law, it added.

CNN cannot independently verify those claims.

A scene from Rafah's Al-Najar Hospital on Monday. - Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu/Getty Images

Another member of the Abu Taha family says in the video that 10 of his relatives were killed in the airstrike. Some of his relatives were originally displaced from Khan Younis, where several of them were killed in a previous Israeli airstrike. The remaining few who had fled Khan Younis for the safety of Rafah have now been killed overnight in Rafah, he says.

They were sleeping in their homes when the airstrike hit at around 12:20 amnowhere is safe. The entire Gaza Strip is a target, he told CNN.

He called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the war, saying we want to live. We want peace. Enough Arab bloodshed.

Another eyewitness says a five-day-old boy named Ghaith Abu Rayya was killed in the airstrike. The footage shows him opening a small body bag to reveal the infants head, saying his body has been dismembered.

We are all alone. Nobody cares about us, he cries.

He is seen opening another body bag next to Ghaiths, sobbing, and saying, my beloved Ramy, who he says is Ghaiths 33-year-old father.

Several men are seen bringing in another body bag with the name Ahmad Saleem Abu Taha written across it, and the crowded people start wailing in distress.

One woman caresses the lifeless face, which has been left exposed, saying: Oh his smell. Oh God. Goodbye my beloved.

The death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to at least 34,454 following 205 days of war between Israel and Hamas, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported on Sunday. The ministry does not distinguish between casualties among civilians and Hamas fighters.

CNN cannot independently verify the ministrys casualty figures due to the lack of international media access to Gaza.

Tareq Elhelou reported for CNN from Rafah, CNNs Kareem Khadder, Zeena Saifi and Abeer Salman reported from Jerusalem.

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Last week, Dan Poulter, a Conservative Party member of Great Britains Parliament, abandoned the Tories to become a member of the Labour Party. In 2022, Christian Wakeford similarly left the Tories to join Labour, the equivalent of an American Republican member of Congress being welcomed into the Democratic Party.



The last Republican member of Congress who became a Democrat was New Yorks Michael Forbes, who made the switch more than two decades ago in 1999. Democrats in his district overwhelmingly rejected him in the 2000 election: Although he raised and spent $1.4 million to hold his seat, he was defeated by a 71-year-old librarian whod raised and spent a mere $40,000.

Why would it be that in Great Britain, Conservative members of Parliament are welcomed into the Labour Party, but here in the U.S. its almost impossible for a Republican to successfully become a Democrat?

Turns out, theres a reason. British Conservatives and American Republicans are qualitatively different: The British equivalent of our Supreme Court never legalized political bribery.

Because corrupt Republicans on the court legalized political bribery, most recently with Citizens United, we have:



 Republicans who take money from the NRA and gun manufacturers blocking an assault weapon ban and pushing for more guns in our communities and schools.

 Republicans who take money from the fossil fuel industry denying climate change and sabotaging efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 Republicans who take money from the pharma industry fighting Joe Bidens efforts to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices while fighting to protect the industrys obscene profits.

 Republicans who take money from the for-profit health insurance industry obstructing all efforts to create a national single-payer system that would save Americans as much as half of what we spend on health care.

 Republicans who take money from billionaires fighting to protect Ronald Reagans, George W. Bushs, and Donald Trumps multitrillion-dollar tax cuts and now arguing for more gifts to the morbidly rich.

 Republicans who take money from the banking industry preventing even one single banker from going to prison when it crashed the U.S. economy during the last year of George W. Bushs administration, despite massive evidence of fraud.

 Republicans who take money from the tobacco and alcohol industries fighting decriminalization of marijuana at the federal level.

 Republicans who take money from the lending industry preventing students from declaring bankruptcy on student debt.



In the United Kingdom, the Conservative Partywhile still hewing to neoliberalism and austerity politicshasnt been completely corrupted because there are still enforceable limits on campaign spending in the U.K. A political party cant spend more than 54,010 pounds ($67,623) for each individual constituency (like a congressional district here), and an individual candidate cant spend more than 49,000 pounds in the 55 months leading up to the next election.

The result is that British members of Parliament are more generally forced to respond to constituents and voters instead of billionaires and Britains largest corporations. A Cabinet member in the Conservative government of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, for example, just came out this weekend bragging about how theyd increased spending for the National Health Service.

When a Conservative member of Parliament in the U.K. defects to Labour, while there is usually a policy clash on a couple of issues, few people would consider that former Tory to be so corrupt that hed be considered a bribe-taking criminal. By contrast, Democratic voters looking at a Republican whos taken millions in cash from the industries mentioned above are unlikely to forgive the obvious corruption.



This is not to say there arent any corrupt Democrats: The so-called Problem Solvers are probably the best example of on-the-take Democrats who think they have to use the loopholes the Supreme Court has created in our campaign laws to win elections. But theyre increasingly the outliers in the Democratic Party, and theres no equivalent in the GOP to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, with almost a hundred Democratic members who pledge not to take corporate PAC money.

Democratic voters wont accept Republican defectors, in other words, because they dont want career criminals in their midst.



After all, who goes along with children being torn from the arms of their nursing mothers and then trafficked into the red state kids-for-sale marketplace like Trump did (almost a thousand are still missing)?

What patriotic American would want a politician representing them who supported Trumps traitorous burning of a spy by giving him to the Russian ambassador during his first weeks in office? Or dissing our intelligence services in front of Putin in Helsinki?

Whod want to vote for a former Republican who kept silent while Trumps incompetence and malice caused over a half-million Americans to unnecessarily die in the pandemic and then tried to overthrow the American government to stay in power when he lost the 2020 election?

This corruption of the Republican Party wasnt an overnight affair: Ive written two books about its history. Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became People tells the story of how the origins of the corporate personhood scam found their roots in the headnote of an 1886 Supreme Court case; The Hidden History of the Supreme Court and the Betrayal of America covers, among other things, how Republicans on the court legalized political bribery for Congress and themselves in a series of corrupt decisions from the 1970s to today.

Republicans on the court have been pushing their bizarre idea that bribes by the morbidly rich and giant corporations are actually First Amendmentprotected free speech for five decades now, and the result has been that Dwight Eisenhowers GOP has degenerated into a corrupt neofascist movement animated by billionaire money. No other developed democracy in the world tolerates anything like this.



Thanks to brilliant reporting from ProPublica, we now know that Republican members of the court themselves have been on the take at least since the 1990s, when Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas first reached out to and hooked up with their and Ginni Thomass sugar daddies. The Thomases have since taken millions in gifts, trips, and bribes from wealthy men with interests before the court.

Thomas then became the deciding vote to hand the 2000 election to George W. Bush (even though Al Gore got 40,000 more votes in Florida) and the deciding vote to legalize political bribery (even by foreigners) in Citizens United. The billionaires then got their moneys worth, what with Bushs and Trumps massive tax cuts, climate change denial, and deregulation efforts.

While political hyperbole may argue otherwise, there are no members of the U.K.s Conservative Party who are openly arguing for an end to the British democracy; here in America about half of the GOP voted to overturn the 2020 election and, just this month, openly voted with Vladimir Putin to deny Ukraine defensive weaponry.



While there are members of the British Tories whove worked for years to try to privatize parts of that nations National Health Service, none will openly call for a complete end to the socialist government-owned hospitals and doctors offices. Here in America, the Republican legislatures and governors of 11 states are still preventing Medicaid expansion that would give health care to the working poor.

There are no Tories in the U.K. who want their nation flooded with guns, who want to deny their constituents health care, or who want to surrender Europe to Putin. But America is now infested with Republicans pushing those same positions on behalf of billionaires and industries who profit from the death of our children.

Republicans on the Supreme Courtparticularly Lewis Powell, who authored the 1978 Bellotti decision that said corporations are persons who are entitled to bribe politicianslaid the foundation for the corruption of American politics, and Republicans eagerly jumped at the opportunity.



Now theyre working to end our form of government altogether, installing a billionaire-friendly strongman oligarchy in its place. Spread the word.
Why letters to Delaware inmates will now be routed through Las Vegas, delaying delivery

At any point in Delaware, you will find yourself no further than 30 miles or so from the state's nearest prison.

However, when a person in Delaware mails a letter addressed to a person held in one of the state's four prison facilities, that correspondence must travel more than 4,000 miles, to Las Vegas, before eventually returning to Delaware and its intended recipient.

The long detour for about 3,000 pieces of mail sent each month to Delaware's prisons is part of Delaware Department of Correction's new mail screening processes that this month was implemented at each of the state's prisons and jail lockups after a recent, yearlong test period at the state's largest prison.

It's part of a controversial trend in which correctional facilities nationwide are routing inmate mail to central processing facilities where it is scanned, reproduced and then routed to its recipient. Prison leaders say the detour and expenses paid to a third-party scanning service plug a hard-to-detect hole through which contraband passes into facilities.

James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna

Prisoners have said the service can add weeks onto the snail-mail process, removes the personal touch of a handwritten letter and is another way for private industry to exploit the carceral system while drugs continue to get in through employees at prisons.

How it works

As of last week, letters, greeting cards, photographs, children's drawings and unbound newsletters intended to be sent to a person in a Delaware prison facility must be addressed to a P.O. Box in Las Vegas.

In Vegas, the mail is taken to a facility operated by Pigeonly Communications, a tech company once lauded in popular media for offering cut-rate phone service to connect prisoners and their families. Pigeonly takes the mail, searches it for contraband and scans the document.

The scanned mail is shared with corrections officials back in Delaware so they can use digital tools to search it for violations of DOC policy. DOC policy bars contraband as well as letters with content that includes, among other things, maps, gang symbols, tax forms, "items written in code" and "unauthorized" contact between people locked up.

Eventually, the scanned copy is printed in color and makes its way to Delaware and the prison where its recipient is held. The originals are destroyed after a period.

There are also prohibitions on certain types of mail that will be accepted by Pigeonly for scanning. That includes mail that has magazine cutouts or clippings, newspaper clippings and greeting cards with glitter or other glued on aspects.

Recent: Officer indicted after alleged overdose at Delaware's Ferris School juvenile lockup

Legal mail, official documents like ID cards, medical cards, diplomas and checks as well as printed material sent directly from the publisher do not have to go through the scanning detour. Additionally, mail sent out from Delaware's prisons takes the normal postal routes.

What's the purpose

Delaware will pay about $200,000 per year for the scanning detour.

The primary purpose is to head off contraband that is difficult to detect in-house, according to a statement by Jason Miller, Delaware Department of Correction spokesperson.

Specifically, officials are concerned about substances like synthetic marijuana and fentanyl that may be sprayed onto paper, incorporated into ink or otherwise hidden within correspondence, Miller wrote. Such contraband is dangerous for both officer and inmate workers who handle the mail, he added.

Corrections officials state that mail makes up about two-thirds of contraband sent to James T. Vaughn Correctional Center, the state's largest prison that has been testing the new mail scanning system for a year.

However, people held in prison say that other forms of smuggling, specifically through opportunistic officers, is the primary road for contraband. Critics of the new system argue the scanning system unfairly imposes upon everyone receiving mail in order to address abuses by a relatively small few.

Complaints of long delays

When Vaughn prison began to trial the mail scanning system last year, the primary complaint communicated through social media and messages to DelawareOnline.com/The News Journal dealt with time.

People in prison and those who send mail to them complained that the new process adds weeks onto the normal, local turnaround time for such correspondence.

In a written statement, correction officials said their contract with Pigeonly requires the mail be opened and scanned for DOC digital inspection within one day of receipt.

Miller, the correction spokesperson, said the department has tracked delivery during the trial of the system at Vaughn. He said the "latest tracking" shows a "delivery timeframe" of "approximately 23 days." Most of that is spent with the U.S. Postal Service in transit to or from the Las Vegas processing center.

He added that the department will conduct quarterly audits as part of its two-year contract with Pigeonly.

Are prisoners becoming more isolated with mail changes?

Others have also complained that photo reproductions are often inferior and replacing a handwritten letter with a scan is impersonal. Holding a child's drawing is not the same as holding a scanned reproduction of a child's drawing, for example. Some also don't want their letters or artwork scanned into and held in a digital DOC database.

The Prison Policy Project, a national nonprofit that advocates for the rights of prisoners, has pointed to the mail scanning trend as another way private profiteers are able to exploit the desperation of those locked away from friends and family.

A Delaware prisoner uses a wall-mounted video visit tablet at a Delaware prison. Tablets anchored in prison common areas are used for video visits.

Pigeonly offers subscription services to send mail to create and send letters, photos and cards digitally. There is a free version that caps the number of messages sent and the number of recipients to one. A monthly, paid subscription version is also available without those limits.

In 2023, people in Delaware's prisons participated in 399,000 video visits, sent or received 7.7 million electronic messages, including 150,000 photos electronically, Miller said. That compares to about 35,000 pieces of hard copy mail sent in the same period.

Miller said this shows Delaware prisoners are better connected to their outside supports than ever before.

But those electronic communications are also underpinned by private technology companies that charge prisoners per-video-visit or per-text-message fees at higher rates than the private market allows outside the prison walls.

Related: What happened when a Delaware prisoner tried to boycott the internet behind bars

Additionally, the system of tablets inside prison that allow for those communications sometimes fail. It is not uncommon for prisoners to type a statement piece-by-piece, across multiple paid messages because the tablets lag out while they are composing the message.

Miller's written statement said prison officials are currently working to expand the tablet system because of high demand. This will support further electronic communication as well as education, he said.

Contact Xerxes Wilson at (302) 324-2787 or xwilson@delawareonline.com. Delaware prisoners may also contact Xerxes Wilson on the GettingOut app.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Why Delaware's prison mail now goes to Las Vegas and back
Reinforced concrete girders will form the skeleton of the wildlife crossing over Highway 101 near Liberty Canyon.

Overnight closures on Highway 101 near Agoura Hills are expected to switch to northbound lanes later this week.

All lanes will be closed in one direction at a time as crews lift dozens of heavy concrete beams in place to form the skeleton of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. The southbound closures started April 15 and are expected to continue Monday and Tuesday nights.

Starting Wednesday, the work will move to the northbound side, according to the California Department of Transportation. The closures are expected to start shortly before midnight, or earlier depending on traffic conditions, Monday through Friday.

The highway will reopen by 5 a.m. weekday mornings and roughly 6 a.m. Saturdays.

Overnight closures on the 101 freeway in Agoura Hills started earlier this month.

Where can vehicles detour around Highway 101 closures?

Some lanes begin closing as early as 7 p.m. During the closure, drivers can get from Los Angeles to Ventura County via Highways 405, 118, 23 and the 101, Caltrans said.

Those who can't use other highways can detour from the 101 onto Agoura Road, the agency said. The detour runs between Chesebro and Liberty Canyon exits. The northbound 101 onramp at Liberty Canyon also may be closed during the northbound lane closures.

Plans call for installing 82 reinforced concrete girders stretching from the walls on either side of the freeway to middle support columns. The overnight closures are expected to take roughly two to three weeks in each direction.

*101 Wildlife Overcrossing - Agoura Hills*

All lanes of southbound US-101 are closed from Cheseboro Road to Liberty Canyon Road from 11 p.m.-4 a.m. Monday-Friday for several weeks to set girders. Video: As of Tuesday, Apr. 23, 14 girders are placed over southbound lanes. pic.twitter.com/iSCjyRLc3Y  Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) April 23, 2024

How much will it cost to build the 101 crossing?

During construction, officials also have lowered the speed limit and narrowed lanes to accommodate work on a short stretch of the 101 near Liberty Canyon.

Construction started two years ago on the bridge over the 10-lane freeway, a barrier for mountain lions, mule deer and other wildlife in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. The 210-foot-long crossing may help save an isolated mountain lion population from extinction.

C. A. Rasmussen Inc., of Valencia, received a $23 million contract to complete the first phase of construction, which includes the bridge over the freeway. More than $100 million in a mix of public funds, private grants and donations have been raised to pay for costs, including designs, studies and construction. Caltrans officials say they hope to complete the crossing, expected to look like natural habitat, as early as late 2025.

Workers guide a girder into place over US-101 at the Wildlife Overcrossing in Agoura Hills. All lanes of southbound US-101 are closed from Cheseboro Road to Liberty Canyon Road from 11 p.m.-4 a.m. Monday-Friday for several weeks to set the first 41 girders. #101WildlifeCrossing pic.twitter.com/BFrUsxs90I  Caltrans District 7 (@CaltransDist7) April 18, 2024

Why build the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing?

The area near Liberty Canyon is one of few places left that has natural habitat on both sides of the 101. The land is also publicly owned and protected from development.

The National Park Service has found that mountain lions and other animals approach both sides of the freeway but few attempt to cross it. The agency has studied mountain lions in the area since 2002 to see how they're surviving in an increasingly urban area.

The small cougar population in the Santa Monicas Mountains is boxed in by development and highways, obstacles that have led to inbreeding, low genetic diversity and lions killing each other. Crossings can reduce collisions with wildlife but also add connections to other areas and reduce isolation, experts say.

Cheri Carlson covers the environment and county government for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at cheri.carlson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0260.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Wildlife crossing work to close Highway 101 northbound lanes
Williamson County Schools will not allow teachers to carry guns, despite new Tennessee law

Williamson County Schools will not allow teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on campus, despite a newly signed Tennessee law that would permit them to do so.

Gov. Bill Lee signed the measure into law Friday evening after it passed at the end of a tumultuous legislative session. The move was met with wide opposition from parents, students, teachers, school leaders and bipartisan gun reform advocates.

In an email to district staff and families, WCS Director Jason Golden said he talked the law over with Williamson County Sheriff Jeff Hughes.

"We have concluded that teachers and staff carrying handguns will not improve school safety on WCS campuses, so I will not authorize teachers or staff being armed at WCS schools," Golden wrote. "The sheriffs school resource officers who are assigned to every WCS school are trained professionals and are a vital part of our comprehensive school safety plans. We appreciate our ongoing partnership with the Williamson County Sheriffs Office."

Read more: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signs into law bill allowing armed teachers

Protesters hold up signs in the rotunda after Tennessee House members voted to pass a bill that would allow public K-12 teachers and staff to carry guns if they meet certain requirements.

WCS joins Metro Nashville Public Schools and a handful of other districts around Middle Tennessee that said they will not allow teachers or staff to carry guns. Most others said they were awaiting Lee's signature on the bill to further discuss what they would do.

Teachers and staff who wish to carry concealed handguns on campus must:

Maintain a valid Tennessee handgun carry permit

Undergo a background check and submit two sets of fingerprints to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The TBI is directed to determine the person's eligibility to carry a firearm and conduct a criminal history check within 30 days, in addition to forwarding the second set of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a federal background check.

Receive psychological or psychiatric certification from a licensed health care provider

Complete 40 hours of basic training in school policing

Get a sign-off from the school district's director of schools, the school principal and the chief of the "appropriate" law enforcement agency

The bill does not require districts or schools to disclose which people have concealed guns.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Williamson Schools will not allow armed teachers despite Tennessee law
BEIRUT, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, on Monday claimed responsibility for launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward the headquarters of the Eastern Brigade in northern occupied Palestine.

The Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that they "bombed from southern Lebanon the headquarters of the 769th Eastern Brigade (Jibour Camp) in northern occupied Palestine, in response to the Zionist enemy's massacres in Gaza and the rebellious West Bank."

Meanwhile, a Lebanese military source told Xinhua that about 35 surface-to-surface missiles were monitored on Monday from southern Lebanon towards northern Israel, some of which were intercepted by Israeli Iron Dome missiles, with several exploding above the Marjayoun Plain area in the eastern sector of southern Lebanon.

According to the source, Israeli warplanes carried out on Monday morning four raids on three villages and towns in the western and central sectors, while Israeli artillery bombed ten border towns and villages in southern Lebanon with about 40 shells, and no casualties were reported.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas' attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon. 
Wind gusts up to 50 mph to hit Idaho on Monday afternoon. Then  thunderstorms and snow

Treasure Valley residents may want to hold onto their hats and bring inside any loose items Monday afternoon, as strong winds are expected to blow through the Boise area.

The National Weather Service in Boise issued a wind advisory for the upper Treasure Valley (including Ada County) and Magic Valley on Monday. The advisory is in effect from noon to 7 p.m. and warns of sustained winds between 20 and 35 mph and wind gusts up to 50 mph.

Weather Service meteorologist Korri Anderson told the Idaho Statesman that the strongest winds will likely be in the Magic Valley, but Boise residents can still expect gusts up to 35 mph.

Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects, the wind advisory warns. A few power outages are possible.

The strongest winds will likely arrive in Boise around 2 p.m., according to modeling from the Weather Service, and last until the advisory expires at 7 p.m.

It's going to be another breezy spring day out there, especially in the Magic Valley! Check out the wind gusts and the particle flow view which shows the path of the air. #idwx #orwx pic.twitter.com/qkr174c3HD  NWS Boise (@NWSBoise) April 29, 2024

The strong winds result from a cold front moving from the northwest into Idaho. The temperature in Boise is expected to drop from a high of 59 degrees during the day to 34 degrees overnight. The temperature drop wont arrive as soon as the wind because strong winds typically blow ahead of a cold front. Expect the drop to begin at around 5 p.m., once the cold front arrives.

The cold front also brings the chance for severe thunderstorms in the valleys and snow at higher elevations.

Theres about a 10% to 15% chance (of thunderstorms), and thatll be mainly north of Boise, Anderson said. It will mostly come from north of Ontario across the west-central mountains and then up toward Baker City, Oregon.

Any storms that form over the mountains may fall as snow. Anderson said the snow level will lower to about 3,500 feet Monday afternoon. Boise sits at about 2,700 feet in altitude, but the base of Bogus Basin sits at 5,800 feet, meaning any storms north of Boise could drop snow approaching the Boise Foothills.

The Weather Service forecasts that the highest peaks in the Boise Mountains could pick up about 2 inches of snow.

A cold front will bring windy conditions to the area on Monday afternoon. Snow showers possible in the mountains with snow accumulations up to 2" on the highest peaks. pic.twitter.com/r67InqvphT  NWS Boise (@NWSBoise) April 28, 2024

Anderson said any snowstorms would likely include graupel, or soft hail, which is small frozen pellets akin to hail that melt on impact with the ground.
MADISON  The Republican National Committee and Trump campaign plan to deploy tens of thousands of volunteers and attorneys to monitor and challenge voting processes in battleground states, including Wisconsin  an effort rooted in the former president's false election claims, characterized as safeguarding from "Democrat tricks from 2020."

GOP officials say they plan to recruit 100,000 people nationwide to observe election processes and voting, an expansion of typical activities for political parties in election years. The party's rhetoric surrounding the plans, however, describes the program as a solution to former President Donald Trump's 2020 election loss that has been confirmed in Wisconsin by judges, recounts, studies and audits.

"The Democrat tricks from 2020 wont work this time. In 2024 were going to beat the Democrats at their own game and the RNC legal team will be working tirelessly to ensure that elections officials follow the rules in administering elections. We will aggressively take them to court if they dont follow rules or try to change them at the last minute, Charlie Spies, RNC chief counsel, said in a statement.

The political team will be working to ensure a huge victory for Republicans at all levels, and RNC legal is committed to making sure that victory cant be rigged.

More: Donald Trump traveling to Wisconsin for first off-day rally from New York hush money trial

The party plans to conduct training sessions each month to teach volunteers how to observe polling sites and ballot tabulation centers. In May alone, the party has seven "election integrity" workshops on the calendar.

"These trainings will equip volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively oversee potential problems in the electoral process, guaranteeing that every vote is counted accurately and fairly," GOP officials said in a news release.

The volunteers are tasked with focusing on early voting, Election Day voting, absentee ballot processing, post-election processes and "logic & accuracy machine testing." A spokeswoman for the RNC did not respond to a request for details of what the testing would entail. "There are five areas of observation where we will guarantee coverage and aggressive attorneys will be engaged at all these stages to stop Democrat attempts to circumvent rules," the officials said.

Trump faces President Joe Biden in a rematch of the 2020 election, during which Biden defeated Trump by 4 percentage points. In Wisconsin, Biden prevailed by about 21,000 votes. The outcome of Wisconsin's election was confirmed by lawsuits, Trump-financed recounts, state audits, a partisan legislative review and a conservative study.

But Trump has continued to claim he actually won in 2020, claims that fueled an attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021 and have festered in Wisconsin among the Republican base.

More: 'He's anointed': Donald Trump's Wisconsin faithful cloak the 2024 race in messianic zeal

In a recent training session conducted by state GOP officials, the party's election integrity director Mike Hoffman said a focus would be placed on Democratic population centers like Eau Claire, Madison and Milwaukee, and recounted telling one clerk the party would be "keeping a close eye on you," according to the New York Times.

A spokesman for the Republican Party of Wisconsin did not answer questions about whether the party's monitoring efforts would extend to non-Democratic-leaning areas.

Clerks in Madison and Dane County, where Trump sought to throw out tens of thousands of ballots in 2020, said they have not been contacted about the party's effort to monitor election processes.

Claire Woodall, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, said she hosted Hoffman and GOP attorneys for a 90-minute tour of the city's absentee ballot tabulation center, known as Central Count, on the night before the April presidential primary election.

Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg finalizes the ballot counting process by exporting results from tabulators, as election observers challenge the seal process of the USB drive on Nov. 8, 2022, at Central Count at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee.

Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed Milwaukee's process to count absentee ballots amounts to voter fraud because all of them are counted in one facility with totals reported all at once, often late on Election Day.

"We are always happy to answer questions about process, procedure, and ensure open lines of communication between our office and both major political parties," Woodall said. "As you know, we strictly follow state statute and there were no sudden changes or deviations from the rules in 2020. We were taken to court in 2020 multiple times, including by President Trump, and have always prevailed. I am confident our administration will continue to withstand scrutiny.

A spokesman for the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission did not respond to questions about whether the RNC has reached out to the commission regarding their election efforts.

Ann Jacobs, a Democratic member of the commission who was chairwoman during the 2020 election, said the rhetoric surrounding the GOP effort is likely intended to appease Trump's base.

"It strikes me that what this is, is trying to appease a base that wrongly believes that there were improprieties in the election that can be discovered and prevented through this sort of oversight by lay people," Jacobs said. "And here in Wisconsin, what we know is we had an election and the votes were properly counted."

"Observers are welcome to observe," she said. "But the idea that this is going to be some sort of groundbreaking situation where they're able to find improprieties that are going to affect the election, just isn't going to happen. But they're welcome to come watch."

The Democratic National Committee and state Democratic party also monitor election issues, including at polling places and at the state level, according to Democratic officials. The state party operates a voter hotline and helps voters who lack photo identification to meet legal requirements to vote.

"Donald Trump and his Republican allies are running a large-scale voter suppression campaign to make voting harder and undermine faith in fair elections just like they did in 2020," Addy Toevs, spokeswoman for the DNC, said.

"Democrats will continue to invest in protecting free elections and empower Wisconsinites to make their voices heard in this critical November election. We wont let Trump and MAGA Republicans get away with their dirty tricks.

Alison Dirr of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin GOP launches training for challenges to voting processes
Without national joint 24/7 newscast, there would be media chaos in Ukraine  adviser to head of President's Office

Serhii Leshchenko, an adviser to the head of the President's Office, has said there would be media chaos in Ukraine without the national joint 24/7 newscast, and attempts to discredit it are part of Russian propaganda.

Source: Leshchenko on the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote: "The national joint 24/7 newscast is designed to be a source of verified information, not fake news. One of the methods Russia uses to fight against Ukraine is to discredit sources of information. That is why part of Russia's information war against Ukraine is being waged by discrediting the newscast. If there is no newscast, there will be media chaos."

Details: Leshchenko said that in these circumstances, it is much easier to provoke, split and weaken society internally in the face of the ongoing Russian aggression.

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An Arizona woman who was allegedly kidnapped by her husband and shot by police says she was wrongly identified as a murder suspect and had her hands up, according to a new lawsuit filed against two deputies and their departments in southwest Kansas.

The January 2023 shooting, the lawsuit said, left her permanently paralyzed.

The woman  Amethyst Malone, of Phoenix  was shot by sheriffs deputies Jan. 23, 2023, just outside Dodge City following a police chase set off by a pair of murders allegedly committed by her husband, Leroy Dotson Malone, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court for Kansas on Friday.

She was an innocent victim who was taken hostage and was ultimately shot by police, said Amethyst Malones attorney, Tom Porto. I just hope that there can be some sort of justice for her. She did not deserve what she ultimately received.

He added: These officers should have taken more time in arresting the suspect and realized that this was a hostage situation in which just shooting the bad guy perhaps wasnt the best thing to do immediately because an innocent victim was in the car.

Leroy Malone was killed during an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement after the truck Amethyst Malone was driving ran over spike strips and a deputy forced the vehicle into a ditch, according to the lawsuit and information released by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation after the incident. Three deputies, two from Ford County and one from Clark County, were also shot during the exchange.

Amethyst Malone, who the lawsuit said had been kidnapped by her husband two days prior, remained in the drivers seat with her hands up, clearly presenting herself as non-threatening as deputies approached. Jared Mindrup and Heath Heston, with the Ford County Sheriffs Office and Clark County Sheriffs Office, respectively, fired into the truck, striking her multiple times, the lawsuit said. She collapsed to the ground, unable to move her body from the waist down, and was left with permanent injuries.

The lawsuit names Mindrup and Heston, as well as their departments, as defendants. Messages seeking comment for this story from sheriffs for both departments were not returned Friday.

Phoenix homicides

The Dodge City incident followed a shooting two days prior, on Jan. 21, 2023, in Phoenix. There, Leroy Malone allegedly shot and killed Amethyst Malones sister, Aysa Ribble, and Ribbles boyfriend, Cameron Brown, before he kidnapped Amethyst Malone and fled the state, according to the lawsuit. Phoenix police issued a Be on the Lookout notice identifying Leroy Malone as being wanted for the homicides and saying that it was believed that he had kidnapped his wife and that they were traveling together, according to court documents.

On the day of the Dodge City shooting, Heston, a Clark County deputy, was notified during a call with an Oklahoma police chief about the Phoenix homicides and was told the suspect and a female hostage might be driving through Kansas. Heston memorialized the information in a handwritten note, according to the lawsuit.

A few minutes after the phone call with the Oklahoma police chief, Heston spotted a truck that matched the description of the one involved in the kidnapping and he and another law enforcement officer attempted to make contact. A male passenger got out of the vehicle, got back in, and the vehicle drove off. As others joined the pursuit, Heston radioed to law enforcement that the trucks occupants were suspects in a homicide out of Arizona, the lawsuit said.

At no time during the pursuit or subsequent stop did defendant Heston request that hostage negotiators assist or communicate to others in pursuit or on the scene that the Toyotas female occupant had been kidnapped by the male suspect and identified as a victim of the male suspect, nor did defendant Heston communicate to others on the scene that the Toyotas female occupant, who was herself a victim, posed no immediate threat to the safety of others, Porto wrote in court documents.

After the truck came to a stop, Leroy Malone exchanged gunfire with law enforcement, and Heston and Mindrup fired into the truck, striking Amethyst Malone, the lawsuit said.

Defendant Hestons actions before, during, and after the confrontation implied to those on the scene, including those who returned gunfire upon the Toyota, that plaintiff was a dangerous homicide suspect rather than an innocent kidnapping victim, Porto wrote. And despite his having been told that plaintiff had been kidnapped, defendant Heston made no attempt to rescue plaintiff and/or cause others to consider plaintiff a kidnapping victim.

The Stars Katie Moore contributed reporting to this story.
CHICAGO  Police are searching for answers after a woman was carjacked at gunpoint while unloading supplies from her car on the Northwest Side on Saturday afternoon.

Chicago police say it all unfolded just after 6 p.m. in the 3400 block of North Albany Avenue in the citys Avondale neighborhood.

Man accused of slicing victims stomach open during argument in Gages Lake

According to officers, the victim, a 36-year-old woman, was unloading supplies from the back of her black Volkswagen SUV when she was approached by two men who held her at gunpoint and demanded the keys to her car.

Authorities say the two men then fled the scene in the victims car.

The woman was not injured during the incident and police said an investigation is now underway.

Officers did not provide a description of the individuals responsible.

Man accused in road rage shooting along Eisenhower Expressway charged with attempted murder

Anyone with information on the armed carjacking is asked to contact CPD Area Five Detectives at 312-746-6554 or dial 911.

Tips for police can also be filed at CPDtip.com. Tips can be left anonymously.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
A woman died following a shooting Monday morning in Kansas Citys Quality Hill neighborhood.

Officers responded just after 8 a.m. to the area of West 11th and Washington streets, where they found an unresponsive woman who had been shot lying in the street near a vehicle, according to Capt. Jake Becchina, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department.

Police rendered aid and called emergency medical services, who pronounced the woman dead at the scene, Becchina said. She was later identified as 32-year-old Shamra Whitney.

Crossroads Academy - Quality Hill, a nearby charter elementary school, was placed on lockdown. Police dont believe there is an active threat to the school or surrounding community.

Investigators believe the victim and a subject of interest had an interaction near 11th and Washington that escalated when shots were fired, Becchina said.

Detectives are talking with people at the scene when officers arrived and searching the area for witnesses, while crime scene investigators process the scene for evidence.

The killing was the 47th homicide in Kansas City this year, according to data tracked by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings. There had been 58 killings at this time last year.
World Central Kitchen is resuming its operations in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war, the charitys chief executive announced Sunday, nearly a month after seven of its aid workers were killed by Israeli airstrikes while they were on a mission to deliver food to desperate Palestinian civilians in the besieged territory.

Erin Gore said that, in recognition of how dire humanitarian conditions remain in Gaza, the organization is restarting its work there with the same energy, dignity, and focus on feeding as many people as possible.

To date we have distributed more than 43 million meals and we are eager to deliver millions more, Gore wrote. Food is a universal right and our work in Gaza has been the most life-saving mission in our 14-year organizational history.

Gore added that WCK has built a team of locals to carry the torch forward as she reiterated the organizations demand for an independent probe into their aid workers killings.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have apologized for the attack, calling it a grave mistake and says they have changed their rules of operation, Gore said. While we have no concrete assurances, we continue to seek answers and advocate for change with the goal of better protecting WCK and all NGO workers serving selflessly in the worst humanitarian conditions. Our demand for an impartial and international investigation remains.

In a statement announcing the killings of its workers, WCK said the convoy was attacked while traveling in a deconflicted zone after the team had unloaded over 100 tons of food aid to the Deir al-Balah warehouse on April 1. The news sparked fury within the U.S. with President Joe Biden saying he was outraged and heartbroken. WCK was founded by chef Jose Andres, who also condemned the attack at the time.

Following an internal investigation, Israels military, four days after the incident, said the attack stemmed from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decision-making, and an attack contrary to the Standard Operating Procedures.

In Sundays announcement, Gore said the charity faced a tough decision between indefinitely ceasing its operations in Gaza despite the lifesaving impact it could have on starving Palestinians or continuing to push forward despite the grave risk involved for its workers and civilians.

These are the hardest conversations and we have considered all perspectives when deliberating, Gore wrote. Ultimately, we decided that we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest of times.

The charity said it is prepared to serve up to 8 million meals with 276 trucks ready to enter the territory through the Rafah crossing as they also explore doing more food deliveries through the Ashdod Port. WCK is also building a third high-production kitchen in southern Gaza, which will be named after one of the workers killed in Israels attack, in addition to the 68 community kitchens it operates in the area.

The war, which has entered its seventh month, has so far killed over 34,488 Palestinians, according to local officials.

An internal State Department memo, obtained by Reuters, found Israel has been breaching a U.S. directive by blocking U.S. aid from entering Gaza as Israeli officials are reportedly concerned that the International Criminal Court could be issuing arrest warrants for some of its leaders.

Meanwhile, a temporary cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas remains far off. According to The Associated Press, Hamas is refusing to enter into a deal to hand back hostages still in its custody following the Oct. 7 attack, in which the militant group killed 1,200 Israelis and took over 250 hostages, unless Israel agrees to put an end to the ongoing conflict.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  World Central Kitchen said it will resume operations in Gaza four weeks after seven of its volunteers were killed by an Israeli airstrike on April 1.

The organization said that while they continue to mourn, remember and honor those who died in the airstrike, they must continue providing humanitarian aid in Gaza as the situation remains critical.

Humanitarian crisis grows in Gaza

World Central Kitchen said they have 276 trucks, equivalent to almost 8 million meals, ready to go to Gaza.

The organization says the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) apologized for the attack and called it a grave mistake. Claiming they have changed their rules of operation.

The organization says they continue to seek answers and advocate to better protect organizations working to help people in crisis.

World Central Kitchen says they continue to demand an impartial and international investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Palestinians spend the day on the beach along the Mediterranean Sea during a heatwave in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Over 80% of Gaza's population has been displaced by the ongoing war with Israel, and many have relocated to the area. Temperatures hovered near 37 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana) | Abdel Kareem Hana

On April 1, Israeli drone strikes hit a convoy in Gaza with World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers, killing all seven people inside three vehicles. WCK and other aid organizations ceased their food aid work after the attacks. On Sunday, WCK announced that they would be resuming food aid in Gaza on Monday.

Before the deaths last month, WCK had been providing 62 percent of all international nongovernmental organization aid, distributing more than 43 million meals in Gaza, World Central Kitchen founder and celebrity chef Jose Andres told Barbara Raddatz on ABCs This Week in early April.

On Thursday, Andres led an emotional memorial service in Washington National Cathedral. Andres  exhibiting a grief so different from his usual ebullient persona  spoke against a backdrop of the flags representing the home countries of the victims, reading the names of the dead and recalling each of their stories, reported the Washington Post. They were the best of humanity, he said. Their example should inspire us to do better, to be better.

The seven aid workers were Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, John Chapman of Britain, Jacob Flickinger of the United States and Canada, Lalzawmi Zomi Frankcom of Australia, James Henderson of Britain, James Kirby of Britain, and Damian Sobol of Poland. Andres also acknowledged the two hundred other aid workers from other organizations who have also been killed.

Within four days after the attacks, the Israeli military apologized, said it had mishandled critical information and violated the armys rules of engagement. Two officers were dismissed and three others were reprimanded.

In their statement, the Israeli Defense Forces expressed their deep sorrow for the deaths of the seven aid workers and sent condolences to their families and the World Central Kitchen organization. We consider the vital humanitarian activity of international aid organizations to be of utmost importance, and we will continue to work to coordinate and assist their activities, while ensuring their safety and safeguarding their lives.

Some 200 aid workers, most of them Palestinians, were killed in Gaza between Oct. 7 and the attack on the World Central Kitchen convoy, according to the United Nations. A New York Times visual investigation showed that, well before the World Central Kitchen attack, six aid groups in Gaza had come under Israeli fire despite sharing their locations with the Israeli military.

During the memorial service last week (which you can watch here), Andres alluded to Sundays announcement that food aid might be resuming. We take risk because we want to change the world, he said. Food is a universal human right  feeding each other, cooking and eating together is what makes us human. A plate of food is a plate of hope, a message that someone, somewhere cares for you.

In Sundays press announcement, Erin Gore, WCKs chief executive, said: The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. We are restarting our operation with the same energy, dignity, and focus on feeding as many people as possible.

The situation in Gaza is dire, with more than a million people facing hunger and even famine. Gore called it the most life-saving mission in our 14-year organizational history. WCK has 276 trucks ready to enter through the Rafah Crossing, trucks ready to come via Jordan, and they are exploring options to deliver aid by sea and by air. WCK is also building a third high production kitchen, in addition to the current 68 community kitchens already in Gaza.

WCKs CEO ended her press announcement with these words:

We have been forced to make a decision: Stop feeding altogether during one of the worst hunger crises ever... Or keep feeding knowing that aid, aid workers and civilians are being intimidated and killed.

These are the hardest conversations, and we have considered all perspectives when deliberating, Gore added. Ultimately, we decided we must keep feeding, continuing our mission of showing up to provide food to people during the toughest of times. Wherever theres a fight so that hungry people may eat, we will be there.
JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The United States is the destabilizing factor that is undermining peace and stability in Southeast Asia, said Indonesian experts following the deployment of U.S. medium-range ballistic missiles in the Philippines and the two countries' joint military exercise.

The Philippines has recently taken frequent actions in the South China Sea, "all of which are inseparable from the instruction and support of the U.S.," said Bambang Suryono, president of the Jakarta-based think tank Nanyang ASEAN Foundation.

Washington aims to hinder China's development and strength by actively trying to get involved in the South China Sea affairs, he said.

"Most ASEAN countries are against the military interference by the U.S. in the South China Sea. Just take a look at the locations of the U.S. military bases, anybody will realize that the U.S. is the destabilizing force for peace in the South China Sea," he added.

The territorial disputes in the South China Sea should only be resolved through mutual consultation among the countries involved in Southeast Asia and China, said Veronika Saraswati, senior researcher at Indonesia's leading think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"Intervention by countries outside the region, like the U.S., will only aggravate the situation in the South China Sea," she said.

She emphasized that the Philippines should play a more active and responsible role in maintaining regional peace, rather than aligning with Western powers and pushing the situation into conflict.

"It's a dangerous and reckless move that the Philippines allowed the U.S. to deploy missiles in its territory. It sabotaged peace and stability in Southeast Asia, violated ASEAN centrality, and made ASEAN people constantly live in fear of war," said Saraswati.

Johanes Herlijanto, a lecturer at Pelita Harapan University, said that Southeast Asia rejects any behavior that may increase tensions in the South China Sea.

His view is shared by many experts, including Djauhari Oratmangun, Indonesia's ambassador to China.

"I believe that we must create a peaceful and enabling environment for our region so that cooperation in various areas can continue to improve," said Oratmangun. 
HANOVER, WV (WVNS)  A Wyoming County man was sentenced to prison for committing multiple felonies.

According to Wyoming County Prosecutor Gregory Bishop, on April 25, 2024, Brett Michael Atnip, 31, of Hanover was sentenced to six months for Driving with a Revoked License and one to five years for Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. On March 11, 2024, he pleaded guilty to both these charges.

Former doctor from West Virginia arrested in Armenia and extradited to United States

On February 6, 2024, while on patrol, Sgt. L.M. Cook and Deputy H. Walker with the Wyoming County Sheriffs Office saw a car that had a broken brake light. When they stopped the car, they noticed Atnip, and also noticed that he had drug paraphernalia in his car.

At that point, Atnip did admit that his drivers license was not valid. Sgt. L.M. Cook and Deputy H. Walker decided to look into Atnips car and found drugs amongst other paraphernalia. They also suspected that Atnip was going to sell these drugs that were found in his car.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
WYOMING COUNTY, WV (WVNS)  A Wyoming County woman was sentenced to prison for burglary and grand larceny.

On April 25, 2024, 44-year-old Leanna Carol Mills, of Bud, was sentenced to one to fifteen years for burglary and one to ten years for grand larceny. The sentences will be served consecutively for two to twenty-five years in prison.

Wyoming County woman pleads guilty to burglary and grand larceny

Corporal M.C. Shifflette with the West Virginia State Police responded to a report of a copper theft in Basin, West Virginia on August 2, 2023. In the investigation, it was discovered that around 400 feet of copper that provided power to a water pump was cut and stolen by Mills and her co-defendant.

We are very pleased with the sentence in this case. Our hope is that it sends a strong message that crime, in general, and violent crime, in particular, will not be tolerated in Wyoming County. Gregory Bishop | Wyoming County Prosecutor

One man arrested after possible robbery in Oak Hill

In Herndon, West Virginia on February 7, 2024, Sergeant Matt Lane with the Wyoming County Sheriffs Office responded to a report of a burglary. The following investigation revealed that Mills broke into a house and demanded money. When the person did not give her money, Mills attacked and choked the person.

Bishop thanked Sergeant Matt Lane of the Wyoming County Sheriffs Office, the entire prosecutors staff, Corporal M.C. Shifflette from the West Virginia State Police, and Assistant Prosecutor Derek Laxton for their work on the investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
During the 2023 Xavier University College of | Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony & Reception held at the Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana on Friday, January 13, 2023. (Photo by J.R. Thomason)

Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine will be the only HBCU medical school on the Gulf Coast and will train doctors in cultural competencies, said Xavier President Reynold Verret.

NEW ORLEANS  Xavier University of Louisiana and Ochsner Health leaders signed a legal agreement today to create the nations fifth HBCU allopathic medical school, a move that physicians assert can mitigate disparities that kill Black people with some diseases two times more often than others.

The students at Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine, the only HBCU medical school on the Gulf Coast, will receive cultural competency training, said Xavier President Reynold Verret. And in addition to a curriculum that examines and promotes health equity, the doctors of color who graduate from the school will be role models in underserved communities, said Leo Seoane, executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Ochsner.

(Photo courtesy of Ochsner Health)

Those distinct aspects of the medical school are significant because most doctors in the U.S. might not understand customs, challenges, fears and sources of pride within the Black community. And its highly unlikely that they look like the people of color they treat. Less than 6% of doctors in the United States are Black. And the health outcomes for Black patients are deadly and dismal.

The CDC reports that Black people are less likely than white people to be current on screenings for breast, cervical and colon cancer. And while white women are more likely to get breast cancer, Black women are 40% more likely to die from it. Even when adjusted for tumor stage when diagnosed with colon cancer, Black people are 20% more likely to die from colon cancer within five years of diagnosis. And Black men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than other men.

Thats one of the many reasons that Dr. Yolanda Lawson, president of the National Medical Association, which amplifies the interests of Black doctors and patients, said she is excited and optimistic about the Xavier Oschner medical school. This is a pathway to reduce and hopefully, ultimately eliminate health care disparities, she said, referencing an article last year about the effect of having access to a Black doctor. Just having a Black physician in the county prolonged the lives of not just Black folks, but white folks, too.

Xavier, the nations only historically Black Catholic university, has long been among the top 10 schools that send African-American graduates to medical school. And Xaviers College of Pharmacy is among the top producers of Black pharmacists.

Seoane cites that success as a driver in partnering with the school. Xaviers excellence in undergrad and in STEM and being able to put more diverse people into medical school, Ochsners excellence in residencies and fellowships and an academic medical center, the two coming together with a shared mission to train more Black and brown physicians for the United States just makes sense, he said.

The opening date of the school is not set, as the accreditation process takes about three years. When the school opens, the first class will include about 50 students.

Along with cultural competency, Verret said the new medical school will equip new doctors to understand patients circumstances, have compassion for their struggles and speak to patients in the right tone. That could alleviate concerns among Black patients, who report feeling the need to change how they dress and speak to reduce medical bias.

Education in medicine is seeing medicine as not just a technological, scientific field, Verret said. It is a field that theres a humanistic dimension of medicine, which we must use as well.

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The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine will be a subsidiary of Xavier, and will be governed by a joint 50/50 board of Ochsner and Xavier representatives, said Seoane, who will be the founding dean. Ochsner group physicians will become faculty members of the Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine as assistant professors, associate professors and professors.

Ochsner is the largest health care provider in Louisiana. The nonprofit health system serves more than a million people in the Gulf Coast area and has trained medical students with its accredited resident and fellowship programs for more than 50 years.

(Photo courtesy of Ochsner Health)

Thats the type of support doctors in training need, said Lawson. For a medical school, you need that hospital relationship, said the Dallas-based OB-GYN. Thats been one of the struggles, making sure you have that clinical site.

There are 189 predominantly white medical schools in the U.S. and only four at HBCUs  Meharry Medical College in Tennessee, Howard University College of Medicine in Washington D.C., Morehouse School of Medicine in Georgia and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in California.

That dearth of predominantly Black medical colleges led Lawson to note another benefit of Xavier Ochsner. Being a person who matriculated through medical school in a PWII clocked 18 hours of study a day. That can be isolating, she said. You need morale boosts. You need study groups. You want to be able to relax around comrades where you dont have to code switch. These are cultural things that are important.

Correction, 4/30/24, 12:31 p.m. ET: An earlier version of this story misstated how often Black people get screenings for breast, cervical and colon cancer versus white people. The story has been updated.

The post Xavier University, Ochsner sign deal to create fifth HBCU medical school in the U.S. appeared first on TheGrio.
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Chinese leader Xi Jinping will visit France, Serbia, and Hungary starting May 5, the countrys foreign ministry announced Monday. The tour  Xis first to Europe since the COVID-19 pandemic  could deepen divisions between the continents leaders over Chinas role in Europes clean energy transition and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Xis visit comes just weeks after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited China. While there, he warned Xi about Chinese overcapacity  or excessive trade  of green tech like solar panels and electric vehicles, which some EU leaders believe are undercutting rival European firms.

Xis visit also comes as Western leaders worry China could take a more active role in supporting Russias war in Ukraine. Observers are keen to see whether Xi will have influence over Europes security policy going forward.

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Macron pushes for strategic autonomy from Washington

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Sources: L'Independant, TLDR News

French President Emmanuel Macron called for European strategic autonomy last week, in what many saw as a rebuff of Washingtons control over European security via NATO. Europe must show that it is never a vassal of the United States, Macron said. Europe could die if it loses influence amid the power struggle between Washington and Beijing, the French leader added, according to TLDR news. Instead, he proposed the bloc can stay geopolitically relevant if it balances power between the US and Asia. Macrons words are a contrast to the shared belief of many EU officials that the US is vital to the blocs security. Some officials said Macron is promoting French industrial interests  specifically, military hardware manufacturing  according to LIndependant.

Cash-strapped Hungary uses China as bargaining chip with EU

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Sources: Semafor, BBC, VSquare

While most EU leaders decry Chinas flooding of the green tech market, Hungarys right-wing government has embraced Beijing and become a hub for Chinese investment in electric vehicle parts and batteries, as Semafor previously reported. But Budapests coziness with Beijing might be a strategic ploy to get more EU financial support, according to VSquare, a European investigative news site. China has promised to finance the modernization of Hungarian railways and a new oil pipeline to Serbia as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Hungary is unable to pay its own way because the EU froze infrastructure funding, known as cohesion funds, to Hungary over the countrys backsliding of democracy. Hungary repeatedly threatens the EU Commission with increasing reliance on Chinese financing if the cohesion funds are not released, VSquare reported.

Belgrade visit signals Chinas support of Russia

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Source: Bloomberg

Xi is expected to visit Serbia close to the 25th anniversary of the 1999 US bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade. The incident killed three Chinese journalists and fueled Beijings historic anti-NATO stance and alignment with Russia. Former US President Bill Clinton apologized for the bombing and said it was an error caused by outdated maps. But most Chinese still consider the bombing intentional, as one China scholar told Bloomberg; Chinese authorities have brought up the bombing in defending Russias position of NATO aggression along its borders. By visiting a European country that has so far refused to support Western sanctions on Russia, Beijing may be signaling to Washington that it is going to stand by Russia and deepen their partnership, one China watcher told Bloomberg.

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Xi Is on a Mission to Drive a Wedge Between Europe and the US

(Bloomberg) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping is heading to the European Union for the first time in five years with a clear message: Beijing offers much more of an economic opportunity for the bloc than the US wants to admit.

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The Chinese leader will begin his five-day trip to France, Serbia and Hungary on May 5, according to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing. Those nations are seeking investment from China, despite a litany of EU probes into Beijings industrial policy and the warnings from officials in Washington about the risks.

President Emmanuel Macron aims to deepen his personal connection with Xi during the two-day visit to France, as he appeals to the Chinese leader to urge Vladimir Putin to end Russias war in Ukraine, according to people familiar with the plans who asked not to be identified discussing the approach from Paris. Macron also aims to entice Chinese spending into Frances EV battery sector, they said.

That charm offensive will include hosting Xi for dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris, where the menu may feature French cognac, according to the people  a liquor subject to a Beijing anti-dumping probe. Macron will then invite his Chinese counterpart to a corner of the Pyrenees mountains where the French president used to visit his grandmother as a child, the people added.

Frances Emmanuel Macron offers Xi the opportunity to negotiate with a leading EU power thats proved willing to carve a more independent path, said Chong Ja Ian, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore. This trip is an effort to try to pull at parts of Europe that Xi feels might be more sympathetic to his position.

Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Macrons diplomatic adviser on Saturday that he hopes Paris can push the EU to pursue a pragmatic policy toward Beijing. Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will also hold a trilateral meeting with Xi during his visit, her chief spokesman wrote on social media platform X.

Xis trip comes as the EU is steadily forging a more unified voice with Washington in opposing Chinas capacity for cheap exports and perceived national security risks. After years serving as a buffer between the worlds superpowers, distrust in Brussels is growing: Germany last week arrested four alleged Chinese spies, the latest in a spate of such cases, while EU diplomats are reportedly mulling more curbs on Chinese companies for their support of Russias war machine.

I think its part of an attempt to persuade the Europeans that there are better options, that better relations are possible, Duncan Freeman, a lecturer on China-Europe relations at the Brussels Management School in Belgium, said ahead of Xis trip. Were not yet in the last chance saloon, but I think even the Chinese would agree the relationship is far from ideal.

Xis visit to Europe comes weeks after US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Communist Party leaders in Beijing that Chinese overcapacity was a problem for the world  a message echoed days later by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Exemplifying how both blocs are coalescing around a joined-up China policy, they are both pursuing a strategy of derisking from the worlds second-largest economy.

Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin have united in challenging the US-led world order, which Beijing says is trying to contain its development. The Chinese leaders stop in Belgrade, which is not an EU member state, will come in the week of the 25th anniversary of the US bombing of Chinas embassy in the Serbian capital, an event that brought Russia and China closer over shared anti-American sentiment.

During the Europe trip, Putin will also be inaugurated into a fifth term that Xi has congratulated him over, spotlighting a pro-Russia policy thats increased tensions between Beijing and Brussels.

Xi is visiting nations where selling the dislike for the US-led global security architecture is easier, said Una Aleksandra Berzina-Cerenkova, director of the China Studies Centre at Riga Stradins University. Scooping up endorsements in friendly nations will help Beijing send the message that Europe is on Chinas side, no matter what Brussels says, she added.

When Xi last visited Western Europe in 2019, the economies of China and the euro area  measured in dollars  were roughly the same size. Today, Chinas is almost 15% bigger, with that gap forecast to double before the end of this decade. While the blocs trade deficit with China has been narrowing, it still remains bigger than it was back then.

That trade imbalance has triggered alarm in Brussels, which has launched a probe into Beijings subsidies for its booming EV brands. Investigations have also targeted medical devices and clean-tech industries such as bids on a Romanian solar park. Such action is creating friction before official probe findings are announced, with one Chinese company abandoning a 610 million ($650 million) Bulgarian railway tender.

Hungary is potentially a major strategic asset for Beijing in slowing that momentum as it has the power to dilute or even block EU policy. In December, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was the sole holdout on an EU aid package for Ukraine, delaying critical supplies for about six weeks.

Orbans ability to stymie trade restrictions is more limited, as measures only require a qualified majority of nations to be put into force. Still, Hungary was among a group of countries that initially opposed an EU plan to blacklist some Chinese firms for supplying technology used in Russian weapons.

Hungary also shows the rewards possible for loyalty to Beijing. Xi and Orban are set to announce during his visit that Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor Ltd. will open a plant in Hungary, Radio Free Europe reported.

Chinas Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. has already committed to building a $7.6 billion facility there in partnership with Mercedes-Benz AG, heralded as Hungarys biggest ever foreign direct investment that will create about 9,000 jobs.

Firms from the worlds No. 2 economy are investing abroad at their fastest pace in eight years as they open more factories overseas, which could soften trade tensions. Automaker BYD Co. last year announced plans to build a factory in Hungary, while Chery Automobile Co. signed a deal in April to take over an old Nissan Motor Co factory in Spain to produce EVs.

China needs to give a clearer message to the European public that it is still a reliable partner, said Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University and a former diplomat. That boils down to one thing, he added: Providing more favorable policies to European countries and companies.

--With assistance from Siuming Ho, Alberto Nardelli, Ben Sills and James Mayger.

(Updates with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen trilateral meeting with Xi and Macron.)

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Yellowstone tourist kicks bison in its leg before it turns and injures him, rangers say

A Yellowstone National Park visitor was left injured while harassing a bison herd, park rangers said.

The 40-year-old park tourist from Idaho Falls, Idaho, was injured by a bison on April 21, according to an April 29 news release by the National Park Service.

The man had harassed a herd of bison and kicked a bison in the leg, officials said.

Park rangers found the mans car near the parks west entrance and stopped it in West Yellowstone, Montana, officials said.

The man was arrested and charged with being under the influence to a degree that may endanger oneself, disorderly conduct, approaching wildlife and disturbing wildlife, officials said.

The man suffered minor injuries from the bison encounter and was treated at a hospital before being sent to the Gallatin County Detention Center, rangers said.

The 37-year-old driver of the car was also arrested and charged with driving under the influence and disturbing wildlife, officials said.

Both individuals were scheduled to appear in court on April 22, officials said. Each of the violations may result in fines up to $5,000 and six months in jail.

This marks the first reported injury of a visitor by a bison in 2024, rangers said.

The investigation remains ongoing, rangers said.

In 2023, a bison gored a 47-year-old woman visiting Yellowstone from Arizona, leaving her with severe injuries to her chest and stomach, McClatchy News reported.

Bison have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal, park rangers said. They are unpredictable and can run three times faster than humans.

Bison are huge animals that can weigh 2,000 pounds and run 30 mph, according to the park. Stay at least 75 feet away from bison at all times.

Elk found devoured on football field near Yellowstone in rare attack, school says

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Bison side-eyes worker as they leave dorm, video shows. See the moment in Yellowstone
A Rochester-area district attorney issued a public apology Monday after a video of her heated traffic stop argument went viral.

Sandra Doorley, elected as Monroe County District Attorney in 2011, was clocked on April 22 going 55 mph in a 35 mph zone. She did not pull over immediately and instead addressed the police officer when she arrived at home. Initially, she acknowledged there was friction during the encounter, as she told the Democrat & Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network.

But the officer's body worn camera footage showed more than friction. Doorley called the officer a bad name, said she did not care about going 20 mph over the speed limit and repeatedly mentioned that she was the DA.

Doorley has pleaded guilty to the speeding ticket, is cooperating with investigations into the matter and said she would discipline herself as she would if it were someone else in her office.

A video shows Sandra Doorley refusing to follow Officer Cameron Crisafullis commands and cursing at him while wandering in and out of the garage of her home and at one point entering her home on Fallen Leaf Terrace in Webster, where the stop ended.

Who is Kristi Noem? What we know about the Trump VP contender and why she killed a dog

'I understand the law better than you': Body camera video shows tense exchange

Body camera footage captured Doorley's exchange with officer Cameron Crisafulli at her home in Webster, New York, outside of Rochester.

She explained to the D&C that she had called Webster Police Chief Dennis Kohlmeier from her car while an officer tailed her with his lights on. She said she wanted the chief to tell the officer who she was so he would know there was no possible danger to him after the stop since she did not stop immediately.

Doorley had pulled into her garage when officer Crisafulli steps out of his car and approaches her at the top of the video.

She calls Kohlmeier again before handing the phone to Crisafulli and storming off into the garage, saying "go away!"

Crisafulli gets frustrated, asking Doorley to stay outside for the traffic stop.

"I understand the law better than you," she tells him as he calls for a supervisor.

Watch the full video of the exchange. Warning: Video contains explicit language.

As the argument continues, he asks, What is the reason youre, you're so against what Im doing? Im doing my job. You say youre a DA?

She replies, Im the DA  Im the DA of Monroe County.

"I just don't understand the hostility towards me. I'm doing my job," Crisafulli says.

Doorley went on to call the officer a bad name.

Then Doorley asks Crisafulli if he knows what she has been dealing with all day and then tells him: three homicides in the city of Rochester.

She asks, Do you think I really care if I was going 20 miles over the speed limit?"

At the end of the 26-minute video from Crisafulli's body-cam, Doorley, visibly more calm, accepts the traffic ticket.

New York DA Sandra Doorley issues apology video

As the D&C reported, the video garnered international attention, resulting in calls for her resignation and a request from New York Governor Kathy Hochul that Doorley's actions be investigated by a prosecutorial misconduct commission.

Monday morning, a week after the traffic stop, Doorley issued an apology video.

"Last Monday I failed you and the standards that I hold myself to," Doorley says at the outset of the 30-second video. "For that I am sorry. What I did was wrong and I take full responsibility."

She said she is taking steps to hold herself accountable, including referring the incident to a district attorney from another county for review.

Doorley explained she had a particularly difficult day with work and received concerning medical news from her husband.

Still, Doorley said, all people have stresses and what precipitated the incident with the officer does not stand as an excuse. "I've been humbled by my own stupidity and I am fully to blame," she said.

Contributing: Robert Bell; Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New York DA Sandra Doorley apologizes after tense traffic stop: Video
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The Scoop

After a nine-month span in 2020, in which social media furors forced the resignations of editors at Conde Nast titles like Bon Appetit and Teen Vogue, as well as a top video executive, Conde Nast CEO Roger Lynch and human resources chief Stan Duncan decided theyd better be ready in case an editor gets hit by a bus or another cancellation.

The new regime is simple: Each year, each top executive at Conde Nasts One World Trade Center headquarters submits a shortlist of four to six people who could replace them.

The lists remain secret. But none draws more internal speculation than the one assembled by New Yorker editor David Remnick. Remnick, 65, embodies a brand that sits atop American intellectual culture across literary fiction and liberal politics, and a magazine that has largely been held harmless from Condes slow, painful decline. But in recent months, the longtime New Yorker editor has increasingly mused to peers about his inevitable departure  and who might take his place.

Remnick, per three sources, will stay at least through next years celebration of the New Yorkers centennial, which is expected to be threaded through the magazines coverage. The devoted community of New Yorker aficionados and insiders believe he might leave then, or when his tenure touches three decades in July 2028. He has told colleagues he doesnt want to overstay his welcome.

No institution worth its salt fails to think about the future, including succession, but I did sign a new contract recently and very happily, Remnick told Semafor in an email. Also, Ive gotten extremely practiced at picking talking-dog cartoons over the years. We are training a new generation at this rarefied art, and well see the results in due time.

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A New Yorker without David Remnick is difficult to imagine. This year, hell become the second-longest-tenured editor in the magazines history, and one of only five to ever hold the job. (When Remnick accepted the job, the magazine did not even have a website; it wouldnt for another three years.) Over the last quarter-century, he has been the public face of the magazine and its voice on

But now his list of potential successors is growing increasingly relevant, as the company begins to imagine a future without him at the helm.

The New Yorkers hiring processes are legendary moments of intellectual drama. In 1987, New Yorker writers protested the hiring of a high-profile publishing executive, Robert Gottlieb, to replace longtime leader William Shawn. Gottlieb made some modest changes  more four-letter words, the Times reported  though he stayed for only five years. Then, owner S.I. Newhouse hired Vanity Fairs Tina Brown to bring shorter, buzzier articles to the magazine, producing a wave of horror on the Upper West Side equaled only by the day The New York Times introduced color photography.

In 1998, Newhouse offered the job to Slates founding editor, Michael Kinsley. The two men went out to a celebratory dinner at which they discussed how to keep the runner-up, star New Yorker correspondent David Remnick, from leaving. Fifteen minutes after the dinner, Newhouse withdrew the offer to Kinsley and offered the job to Remnick. (It was not pleasant at all, a drained and angry Kinsley told the Washington Post. Im glad I found out what this guy is like to work for before I took the job.)

The hiring challenge comes in part because of the long list of qualifications leadership, staff, and readers expect from the magazines top editor  and in part because of the magazines singular role in American liberal intellectual culture, one that is currently being challenged most strenuously by The Atlantic.

In addition to serving as its head of state, the next editor will need to be an intellectual force who can synthesize both the weeks events and literature, arts, and culture. Theyll have to possess an astute editorial mind that can provide a last line of defense on some of the most famously dense and detailed (and occasionally dangerous) journalism now published in a weekly magazine.

And theyll have to navigate a political landscape stubbornly dominated by Donald Trump and an intellectual left deeply riven by a decade of culture wars and the current conflict in Gaza.

In conversations with dozens of New Yorker insiders and people close to the publication, a long list of obvious and less-obvious names emerged, which fell generally into three categories.

The competitors: Atlantic CEO and former Wired and New Yorker digital editor Nick Thompson has frequently been mentioned as a strong candidate for the role. Vanity Fair editor Radhika Jones, who has led the magazine through a deep cycle of budget cuts, was once viewed as an obvious candidate to follow in Browns footsteps, and she remains a serious contender. Remnick has spoken highly of New York Review of Books editor Emily Greenhouse, and New Yorker staffers mentioned Paris Review editor Emily Stokes, Yale Review editor Meghan ORourke, and New York Times opinion editor Vanessa Mobley as plausible candidates.

The star journalists: Before he was hired, Remnick hadnt been editor of a publication since editing his high school newspaper. In that spirit, the company could hire one of its star reporters, such as Columbia Journalism School Dean Jelani Cobb, the narrative whiz Patrick Radden Keefe or the wide-ranging music critic Kelefa Sanneh. Masha Gessen has been its clarion voice on Trump and on the rise of authoritarianism, and in 2010 even founded a sort of Russian New Yorker called Snob. Conde Nast could also look to The New York Times, where the investigative journalist Jodi Kantor, columnist Lydia Polgreen, and opinion writer and podcaster Ezra Klein each have the reach across culture and politics the job seems to require. Another wild card: the cerebral MSNBC host Chris Hayes, who has written for the magazine.

The insiders: Conde Nast could also select from the pool of editors who currently get the magazine to print each week and ensure that new, quality articles appear on the website. They lack the high profiles of the last three hires, but would ensure continuity. New Yorker staffers generally see Daniel Zalewski, the features editor, and deputy editor Deirdre Foley-Mendelssohn as the most likely in-house replacements for Remnick, and digital editor Michael Luos name is also in the mix.

Ultimately, the decision wont be Remnicks, but instead will be in the hands of the Newhouse family, which still controls Conde Nast parent Advance Publications. But whoever Conde Nast selects will have their hands full.

The next leader will have to navigate the same difficult political environment of Conde Nast that Gottlieb once described as like sticking your head in a pencil sharpener. The New Yorker is a profitable part of a fashion magazine company otherwise beset by questions about its future direction and ability to maintain relevance (and revenue) in an age where it no longer serves as the most important tastemaker. Condes gossiping masses (and there are a lot of them) were taken aback when it imposed layoffs on The New Yorker, which has often been shielded from cuts to other parts of the company. The financial uncertainty has also created a deep rift between Conde Nasts upper management and unionized staff, who have been unafraid to embarrass executives and threaten revenue when angry.

And the New Yorker faces its own financial hurdles. In the years before Remnick arrived, the magazine reportedly lost $175 million; one of his achievements is turning around its finances. The New Yorker has grown its digital footprint and subscriptions in recent years, and according to the Alliance for Audited Media, the magazine has about 1.2 million paying subscribers, one of the highest numbers in American magazine journalism. Yet the magazines subscriptions have plateaued and even dipped slightly in recent years, while those of competitors like The Atlantic have grown.

Looming over the decision is another specter that has haunted The New Yorker for more than half a century: The allegation that, unchecked, it can drift into dullness.

The charge came most bitingly in the pages of the Saturday Review in 1965 from Tom Wolfe, in an essay titled, Tiny Mummies! The True Story of the Ruler of 43rd Streets Land of the Walking Dead! (The essay is now available only in an out-of-print essay collection with the unfortunate title, Hooking Up, but Remnick himself recalled it in a 1995 New York Review essay, summarizing its critiques as claiming the magazine had become a humorless, genteel museum piece of middlebrow culture living off the literary capital accumulated in the days of [co-founder] Harold Ross.

The worry now is whether Remnicks New Yorker, too, is becoming a museum of itself. Alarm bells rang this year when The New Yorker was shut out of the National Magazine Awards, though some staff are quick to note that it won two Polk Awards in March.

The difficult qualifications for the job and the uncertainty of the media landscape require conceding that whoever inherits Remnicks title will inevitably struggle to have all of his skills.

In conversations with staff, I joked that former President Barack Obama might have enough qualifications to get the job if he decided to throw his hat in the ring. (An Obama spokesperson told Semafor that they respected Remnick, but that I knew the answer to whether Obama would be up for being the New Yorkers next editor.)

Asked in an email whether he thought Obama would be a good editor, Remnick told Semafor, He would need to know that the Portuguese Water Dog, while hypoallergenic, is not funny.

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LONDON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf announced his resignation on Monday.

Yousaf, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has been under immense pressure since he ended a power-sharing deal with the Scottish Green Party last week.

Opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament have tabled two no-confidence votes, one against the first minister and another against the SNP government.

"I have concluded that repairing the relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm," Yousaf told a press conference in Edinburgh.

Yousaf acknowledged that he underestimated "the level of hurt and upset" caused by his decision to sever ties with the Greens.

He called for a leadership contest to find his replacement immediately. Yousaf will continue to serve as first minister until a new leader is appointed. Under Scottish law, the members of the Scottish Parliament have 28 days to choose a replacement.

The United Kingdom (UK) PM Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said the government will work with the new administration on essential matters like the economy and energy, focusing on collaborating towards common goals rather than the political intricacies.

Yousaf resigned little more than a year after becoming Scotland's first minister.

He succeeded Nicola Sturgeon, who announced her resignation as first minister in 2023.

As the child of immigrants from Pakistan and Kenya, Yousaf was the first ethnic minority leader of a devolved government in Britain. 
An image from Virginia Tech during a protest over the Gaza War. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Del. Sam Rasoul)

Amid the unrest over actions in the Gaza War, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Sunday that the commonwealth will permit peaceful protests, but will not tolerate intimidation and encampments on college campuses.

Since Saturday, protestors have been arrested at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg and in Blacksburg at Virginia Tech.

During CNNs State of the Union television show on Sunday, Youngkin said that the First Amendment encompasses freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration. Still, he added it does not allow for intimidating Jewish students, preventing them from attending class and using annihilation speech to express deeply antisemitic views.

The war between Palestine and Israel has lasted for over six months following the assault by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel near the Gaza Strip.

According to media reports, about 1,200 people died and more than 250 were taken as hostages to Gaza. In response, more than 33,000 Palestinians died from strikes by the Israeli military.

I have been working with our Attorney General Jason Miyares, our university presidents, [and] law enforcement at the state, local, and campus level to make sure that if there are protests, they are peaceful, said Youngkin.

He added We will protect the ability to peacefully express yourself, but were not going to have the kinds of hate speech and intimidation that were seeing across the country in Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said encampments like this one at Columbia University in New York will not be allowed on Virginia campuses. On a growing number of college campuses throughout the country, student protesters are setting up tent encampments on school grounds to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for their schools to divest from Israeli companies. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

In addition to asking for a cease-fire and rejecting forms of hate, students across the country including those from Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, the University of Mary Washington, Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia have joined efforts demanding schools to divest from companies with ties to Israel, which they see makes them complicit in the war.

Public interest in the movement grew after arrests in other states as students and others were being arrested during protests at Columbia University in New York.

Students began gathering last week in Massachusetts, California and around the nations capitol in Washington D.C. The protests derive from the decades-old campaign against Israels policies toward Palestinians: The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

A coalition of student groups at the University of Virginia successfully passed a referendum in March calling for the UVA to provide enhanced support to Palestinian students and divest any and all monies in its $13.6 billion endowment to any companies engaged in or profiting from Israels apartheid regime and acute violence against Palestinians.

The student groups that sponsored the referenda included the Asian Students Union, Dissenters at UVA, DivestUVA, Minority Rights Coalition, Muslim Students Association, Muslims United and Students for Justice in Palestine.

Morgan Meyer, a global studies major at UVA, wrote on Feb. 27 that the student group is advocating for UVA to stop any role we may have in this massacre. They should be heard in our Universitys tradition of civil discourse and debate, not maligned for daring to bring this initiative to the ballot.

However, Miyares wrote to the UVA Board of Visitors condemning the referendum and urging the board to reject it.

Miyares wrote that it was stunning that while Hamas continues to hold hostages, the students at the University of Virginia decided to hold a referendum directly attacking the nation of Israel.

With rampant anti-Jewish bigotry being displayed on college campuses throughout our nation, it is disappointing to see UVA students put forth and then push a referendum that attacks the worlds only Jewish state, Miyares wrote.

The Daily Progress reported that the referendum is nonbinding and has no power over the board or the UVA Investment Management Company, which is responsible for the endowment fund.

Last month, Youngkin signed legislation protecting Virginians from unlawful discrimination, hate crimes and antisemitism.

The legislation codified a recommendation by the Commission to Combat Antisemitism that Virginia revise its laws to better protect Jewish citizens from hate crimes, along with Muslims, Sikhs and other ethnic-religious groups.

Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, chair of the Virginia House Education committee, posted Saturday on social media Virginia Tech is making a statement during a visit to Virginia Tech.

He added Thank you to the students, staff and faculty calling for an end to the genocide and the liberation of occupied people.

The post Youngkin says no encampments on Virginia campuses; supports peaceful protests appeared first on Virginia Mercury.
What Nicole Mitchell did is bizarre, tragic and unlawful, if the police narrative of her breaking into her stepmother's home prevails. The state senator's apparent failed heist of her father's ashes and other belongings likely spells the end of her political career.

But the emotions behind it? I understand them.

Trauma after losing a loved one can make a person act out of character, if not out of their mind. An Air National Guard officer, former meteorologist, lawyer, single mom and staunch defender of children's rights, this promising first-term DFL legislator had everything to lose.

What possibly started with a fraught family relationship has now become Minnesota's hottest political story. If you recall, Mitchell, a 49-year-old from Woodbury, seemingly threw it all away last week when she dressed like a cat burglar and allegedly crept through the basement window of a Detroit Lakes home after 4 in the morning while her stepmom, Carol Mitchell, was still in her jammies.

Officers responded to Carol's 911 call and found a sock-encased flashlight in the home near Nicole Mitchell. A backpack got stuck in the window she clambered through. The bag contained her stepmom's laptop, something Carol said Mitchell didn't permission to have. Mitchell was arrested at the scene and charged the next day with first-degree burglary.

Mitchell admitted to the responding officer, "Clearly I'm not good at this." No, Nicole, you are not.

According to the criminal complaint, Mitchell claimed her stepmother cut off communication with her. She said she was there to gather items of sentimental value: photos, her dad's ashes, his flannel shirt. He died last year.

That list may be a gut punch to anyone who's ever desperately believed like they could feel maybe whole again  if only they could touch and smell the things their parent left behind.

"I get the pain and the grief and the frustration," says Gina Smith of Montrose, Minn., whose father also passed away last year. "When you're already heartbroken and devastated, you just want closure."

Smith and her sister are in a similar situation now, though to be clear, they haven't broken into anyone's home and have no desire to do so. They're in the midst of trying to retrieve some of their late father's things from a stepmom who is having a hard time parting with them.

There's their dad's old Army jacket. One of his two Purple Hearts. A cloisonne vase and Japanese plates from his journeys throughout Asia. He traveled overseas to military bases for his work with the Department of Veterans Affairs during much of his daughters' childhood. Smith and her sister are asking for a written assurance that one day they'll get back those mementos from his travels.

"He sent these things back to the family, trying to make up for lost time," she said. "These aren't just things. They're memories. This is our dad's apology for not being there."

Smith said she wishes every parent would prepare a thorough will to spare their children from the agony of fighting for their parent's things.

"I still don't think it's right to break into that person's home to get it back," she said. "By all means, explore whatever avenues you have to get things back legally, but at a certain point, you have to be able to walk away."

It's never about the stuff. The stuff stands for something more. A father's regrets. A mother's devotion.

When Gayle Sherman Crandell's mom passed away about eight years ago, she wanted one item more than anything in her possession: a 1940s-era, spring-loaded egg chopper that her mom used to make her signature egg salad. The egg chopper stood for her youth and her relationship with her mom.

Sherman Crandell remembered sitting on the counter as a little girl, watching her mom slice and dice the eggs with that chopper, while she poured the mayo into the bowl. "It brought up all of these symbols of childhood, a simpler time when we felt very connected," she said.

When her mother died, "the first thing I wanted was to take and possess as many things of hers as I could. I wanted the bathrobe she used to wear, the shirt that reminded me of her," said Sherman Crandell, a Minneapolis-based grief therapist. "They made me feel closer to her. The loss is so big that we're sort of desperate to do anything to minimize that devastation."

Her stepfather graciously invited Sherman Crandell and her brothers to his home and take any of their mother's belongings that were meaningful to them. His kindness was no surprise to Sherman Crandell, since they always enjoyed a solid, positive relationship.

But blended families can sometimes carry extra complications when a parent dies. When did things go wrong between Mitchell and her stepmom? We don't know. Mitchell's father married Carol in 1983, and the legislator said in a statement that she's known her stepmom since she was 4 and deeply cares for her.

On Facebook two days after the alleged burglary, she posted an update about the incident saying she was conducting a welfare check on a family member who has been struggling with Alzheimer's and paranoia. Mitchell contends "a much different picture will emerge when all of the facts are known."

Her attorney, Bruce Ringstrom Jr., told me that "to render an opinion about the Senator while she is presumed innocent and without access to evidence that has actually been tested in court is hasty."

But her story has changed significantly from the night she climbed through the window of her stepmom's house, clad in all black, and allegedly told police, "I know I did something bad." It's hard to imagine anything she could say that could diminish her poor judgment and the impact her actions will have on a populace that already can't bring themselves to trust politicians.

Until this point, Mitchell has always struck me as a superhuman, measured in both achievements and decency. (We both worked at MPR News, and I wrote a column about her and fellow meteorologist Rob Kupec after they were sworn into the Senate.) Mitchell might deserve a second chance in politics, but it would be easier to make that case if she apologized for the actions that led up to her arrest.

She could start by saying she's in grief. That she's embarrassed by what she's done. That she's going to step aside while she receives professional help to heal.

And as a culture, we need to allow for people to talk openly about debilitating grief, the kind that makes a hard-working, respected legislator risk it all when she acted on the worst decision of her life.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, 28 April that he has invited the US House Democratic minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, to visit Ukraine.

Source: Zelenskyy on Twitter (), as reported by European Pravda

Details: Jeffries played a crucial role in assisting the Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson in passing the foreign aid bill, which includes US$61 billion in assistance to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said he had thanked Jeffries for his personal role in Congress's adoption of the law on aid to Ukraine.

Quote: "I appreciate the bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress, as well as President Biden's leadership. I invited Congressman Jeffries to visit Ukraine."

More details: In addition, Zelenskyy discussed the urgent need to strengthen Ukrainian air defence with Patriot systems to protect Ukrainian cities and hromadas [an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories], the economy and critical infrastructure from Russian air terror.

The invitation came a few days after Zelenskyy announced that he had invited Speaker Johnson to visit Ukraine.

Jeffries played a central role in the fight for approval of foreign aid, pressuring Johnson to bring the Ukraine aid bill to the floor and providing Democratic votes.

Jeffries even allowed Democrats on the House Rules Committee to vote for the package, an extremely rare move.

Background:

Earlier, the Democratic Party said they would not support the resignation of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson if far-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene brings the issue to a vote.

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Zelenskyy on timeliness of NATO's support for Ukraine: I don't see anything positive

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has no good news regarding timely support of the Ukrainian army from NATO member countries.

Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Interfax-Ukraine reports

Quote: "Timely support of the Armed Forces. I am yet to see significant positive developments."

Details: The President believes that "this process needs to be sped up".

At the same time, Zelenskyy noted that another difficult point was fulfilled  the allocation of funding to Ukraine. "So we can count on this money," he said.

Quote: "And number three. One thing is to have funds. While thats important  and once again we sincerely appreciate that decision  but it is as important to see what we can get with these funds."

Background:

On April 29, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived on a visit to Ukraine. He invited Zelenskyy to the Alliance summit in Washington but, at the same time, expressed doubts that Ukraine would receive an invitation to join the organisation there.

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the press confrence with Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv on 29 April, 2024. Photo: Ukraine's President's Office

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the issue of obtaining additional missiles for existing air defence systems would have "positive developments", and Ukraine continues to work with its allies to receive additional Patriot systems.

Source: Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy stated that there would be "positive developments" regarding the subject of adding interceptor missiles to current air defence systems and that guarantees were given at the most recent meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Council that there would be no interruptions in this process.

Quote: "In regards to additional Patriot batteries, it is hard to say that we have heard anything specific, but some initial steps have already been made," the president said.

"We know what other partners can offer. We are working on those additional Patriot batteries. As soon as they are in Ukraine, well all feel that, well know that. Its important to see that they work to defend our skies," Zelenskyy added.

Zelenskyy also emphasised that Ukraine supports the NATO Secretary General's proposal to establish a special Alliance fund in the amount of 100 billion to bolster the Ukrainian military, but is interested in the specifics of how such a fund would function.

At a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein group), Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles confirmed Madrids decision to send missiles for Patriot anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine.

Following the same meeting, Belgian Defence Minister Ludivine Dedonder announced additional aid to strengthen Ukraine's air defence.

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(Bloomberg) -- A party backed by former South African President Jacob Zuma said it expects to be in government after May 29 elections, and that it plans to raise additional state revenue by increasing capital gains and inheritance taxes once in office.

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The uMkhonto weSizwe Party, or MKP, has emerged as the wildcard in the election since Zuma threw his weight behind it in December last year. With opinion polls showing it is set to win between 8% and 13% of the vote, it is unlikely to realize its ambitions of taking power nationally, but it could still be a key power broker in parliament and in Zumas home province of KwaZulu-Natal.

With us the emphasis is taxation, maybe more on capital income than on labor income, Thanti Mthanti, the MKPs economic policy expert, said in an interview at Bloombergs Johannesburg office on Monday. The party also plans to review some property tax deductions, he said.

The MKPs other previously announced policy priorities include the nationalization of the central bank and commercial lenders, and the expropriation of land without compensation. Its election platform is similar to that of the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters, which MKP sees as a potential coalition partner.

Mthanti dismissed allegations and widespread reports that Zumas almost nine-year tenure was marred by mismanagement and stagnation, saying the economy has slowed and power cuts had worsened since he left office. He also rejected a judicial commissions findings that Zuma had aided and abetted the looting of taxpayer funds, saying he hadnt been convicted of anything.

Bloomberg Terminal clients can click on ELEC ZA for more on South Africas elections

Nhlamulo Ndhlela, the MKPs spokesman, re-iterated that the 82-year-old Zuma remains fit enough to hold office and described reports that his health is failing as false.

On May 10, the Constitutional Court will hear an appeal filed by the nations electoral commission disputing Zumas eligibility to stand as a lawmaker in the election on the grounds that he has a criminal conviction for refusing to testify before the judicial graft inquiry.

The MKP has recently been dogged by internal divisions. Over the weekend, it expelled several senior members, including co-founder Jabulani Khumalo who registered the party in September 2023. There is no risk of Khumalo deregistering the party, as it was subsequently re-registered under Zumas name, Ndhlela said.

Another former member, Lennox Ntsodo, has accused the party of falsifying signatures required to register for the election, a charge it denies. The Independent Electoral Commission has called on the police to expedite investigations into accusation, Business day reported on Tuesday.

(Updates with false signatures accusation in final paragraph.)

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By Martin Coulter

LONDON (Reuters) - Last year, a whos who of world leaders, corporate executives and academic experts gathered at Britains Bletchley Park for the worlds first global AI Safety Summit, hoping to reach consensus on the regulation of a technology some warned posed a threat to humanity.

Tesla mogul Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rubbed shoulders with some of their fiercest critics, while China co-signed the Bletchley Declaration alongside the United States and others, signalling a willingness to cooperate despite mounting tensions with the West.

Six months later, the second AI Safety Summit, a primarily virtual event co-hosted by Britain and South Korea, will take place as hype around artificial intelligences potential gives way to questions over its limitations.

"There are some radically different approaches...it will be difficult to move beyond what was agreed at Bletchley Park," said Martha Bennett, a senior analyst at research and advisory firm Forrester, referring to the historic but necessarily broad agreement on AI safety.

Thornier questions around the use of copyright material, data scarcity and environmental impact also look unlikely to attract such a star-studded congregation.

While organisers have trailered an event comparable to Bletchley, a number of its key attendees have turned down invitations to Seoul.

HYPE

As the first summit closed in November, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised subsequent events would be held every six months so governments could keep tabs on the rapidly-developing technology.

Since then, attention has turned from existential risk to the resources needed to fuel AIs development, such as the vast amount of data required to train large language models, and the electricity powering a growing number of data centres.

The policy discourse around AI has expanded to include other important concerns, such as market concentration and environmental impacts," said Francine Bennett, interim director of the data and AI-focused Ada Lovelace Institute.

OpenAI CEO Altman has suggested the future of AI depends on an energy breakthrough. In February, the Wall Street Journal reported he was also seeking to raise as much as $7 trillion to boost the production of computer chips, a component currently in short supply.

But pinning the future of AI on scientific breakthroughs and lucrative financing efforts may not be the best move, experts warn.

The failure of the technology to live up to the hype is inevitable, said Professor Jack Stilgoe, an expert in technology policy at University College London.

People will find surprising and creative uses for this technology, but that doesnt mean the future is going to look how Elon Musk or Sam Altman imagine it.

Shares in tech giant Meta sank 13% last week after it announced it would double down on AI, although the pay-offs from big investments by Google and Microsoft were cheered by markets.

NO-SHOWS

The May 21-22 South Korea summit was always billed as a mini summit in anticipation of the next in-person gathering in Paris.

A virtual "leaders session" on day one, followed by an in-person meeting of technology ministers on day two, were explicitly designed to build on the legacy of Bletchley Park.

But far fewer leaders and ministers are set to attend, according to sources familiar with the matter, even with the French government postponing the next gathering to 2025.

A spokesperson for the European Union did not rule out the bloc's presence, but confirmed its chief tech regulators  Margrethe Vestager, Thierry Breton and Vera Jourova  would not be attending.

The U.S. Department of State confirmed it would send representatives to Seoul, but did not say who. The Canadian and Dutch governments said they would not be attending.

Brazil's government said it was still considering its invitation, citing a clash with a G20 event the country is hosting the same week.

The Swiss government said Ambassador Benedikt Weschsler, head of digitalisation at the department of foreign affairs, would attend in-person.

"Nothing will ever live up to a first gathering of its kind," said Linda Griffin, public policy lead at Mozilla, the organisation behind the Firefox web browser.

"Getting international agreements is really hard, so it might take a few iterations of these events to find a rhythm."

Griffin said there was no specific reason why Mozilla was not attending the Seoul summit but that it was focused on the Paris event.

Similarly, pioneering AI research unit Google DeepMind said it welcomed the summit, but declined to confirm its attendance.

Geoffrey Hinton, a former Google researcher and AI "godfather", told Reuters he had declined an invitation to the event, citing an injury that made it difficult to fly.

A British government spokesperson said: The AI Seoul Summit will build on the momentum of Bletchley Park to deliver further progress on AI safety, innovation and inclusivity, moving us all closer to a world where AI is improving our lives across the board.

(Reporting by Martin Coulter; Editing by Matt Scuffham, Kirsten Donovan)
Discovering a machine that could somehow produce thrust without releasing propellant would be a game-changer for human space travel. Theres just one problemsuch a device would defy the laws of physics.

This limitation has not stopped people from investigating the possibility, and the latest addition to the propellant-less club is an electrostatic design developed by a former NASA engineer.

While the company behind the drive, Exodus Propulsion Technologies, says that the drive can achieve a thrust to counteract Earths gravity, such a claim still needs independent verification and a healthy dose of skepticism.

In 2001, British Electrical Engineer Roger Shawyer first introduced the impossible drive, known as the EmDrive. It was called impossible because its creator purported that the drive was reactionless, meaning no propellant requiredin other words, it defied the known laws of physics (specifically, the conservation of momentum).

As with anything that appears to thumb its nose at Newton and Einstein, scientists raised more than a few eyebrows, and two decades of testing eventually boiled down to an inevitable (and somewhat predictable) conclusion in 2021: the EmDrive was bunk . But thats the nature of the scientific methodtake a seemingly impossible idea, put it through rigorous testing, and hopefully get to an unassailable conclusion (or new discoveries that lead in other directions). But the not-based-in-physics dream of a propellant-less machine didnt die with the EmDrive. Now, a new challenger approaches, and this one has a former NASA scientist backing it up.

While at NASA, Charles Buhler helped establish the Electrostatics and Surface Physics Laboratory at Kennedy Space Center in Floridaa very important lab that basically ensures rockets dont explode. Now, as co-founder of the space company Exodus Propulsion Technologies, Buhler told the website The Debrief that theyve created a drive powered by a New Force outside our current known laws of physics, giving the propellant-less drive enough boost to overcome gravity.

The most important message to convey to the public is that a major discovery occurred, Buhler told The Debrief. This discovery of a New Force is fundamental in that electric fields alone can generate a sustainable force onto an object and allow center-of-mass translation of said object without expelling mass.

Buhler stressed that this work is unaffiliated with NASA, and that he recently presented his findings at the Alternative Propulsion Energy Conference (APEC), which is a club of engineers and enthusiasts eager to find ways to overcome the limitations of gravity and physicsand not always with the most scientifically sound methods.

In an interview with APECs co-founder Tim Ventura, Buhler explained how his background in electrostatics led to the discovery. He says his teammade up of people from NASA, Blue Origin, and the Air Forceinvestigated propellant-less drives for decades before arriving at electrostatics. For years, their devices produced negligible thrust, but saw increases with each new iteration. This culminated in 2023, when this New Force-powered drive generated enough thrust to overcome Earths gravity.

Essentially, what weve discovered is that systems that contain an asymmetry in either electrostatic pressure or some kind of electrostatic divergent field can give a system of a center of mass a non-zero force component, Buhler told The Debrief. So, what that basically means is that theres some underlying physics that can essentially place force on an object should those two constraints be met.

Obviously Buhlers claims are pretty woah, if true, but the history of propellant-less drives is filled with seemingly positive results that are eventually dashed upon the rocks of scientific reality. For the EmDrive, hopes for the device skyrocketed after NASAs Eagleworks team, which is dedicated to investigating new forms of propulsion (i.e. warp drives), claimed to measure thrust from the impossible drive in 2016. However, subsequent studiesincluding an exhaustive (no pun intended) one at the Dresden University of Technologyfound zero thrust.

Before any alternative propulsion enthusiasts should start popping corks, rigorous, third-party research will have to verify the results again and again. While its not impossible that Buhler et. al stumbled across some unknown quirk of physics, its an extremely unlikely outcome.

For now, lets call it an improbable engine.

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Wireless carriers AT&T, Sprint/T-Mobile and Verizon face a total of nearly $200 million in fines Monday after the Federal Communications Commission ruled they had illegally shared customers' location information with third parties. File Photo by niekverlaan/Pixabay

April 29 (UPI) -- Four of the nation's largest wireless carriers have each been fined tens of millions of dollars for illegally sharing information about their customers' locations, the Biden administration announced Monday.

The fines against AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon, in total amounting to nearly $200 million, were levied after an investigation found they had sold access to their customers' location information to third-party aggregators and location-based service providers, the Federal Communications Commission said in a statement.

Under the penalties, Sprint and T-Mobile -- which have merged since the investigation began -- face fines of more than $12 million and $80 million, respectively, while AT&T was penalized more than $57 million and Verizon slapped with a fine of nearly $47 million.

"Our communications providers have access to some of the most sensitive information about us. These carriers failed to protect the information entrusted to them," said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel.

"Here, we are talking about some of the most sensitive data in their possession: customers' real-time location information, revealing where they go and who they are. As we resolve these cases -- which were first proposed by the last administration -- the Commission remains committed to holding all carriers accountable and making sure they fulfill their obligations to their customers as stewards of this most private data," she said.

The agency asserted the carriers sold access to their customers' location information to "aggregators," who in turn re-sold that access to third-party, location-based service providers, thus allegedly attempting to "offload" their legal obligations requiring consent onto "downstream recipients."

The FCC said the probe began when members of the public reported that their location information was being disclosed without consent to a Missouri sheriff through a location-finding service operated by Securus, a provider of communications services to correctional facilities.

Despite warnings that the practice was illegal under Section 222 of the Communications Act requiring carriers to take "reasonable measures" to protect customers' location information, "all four carriers continued to operate their programs without putting in place reasonable safeguards to ensure that the dozens of location-based service providers with access to their customers' location information were actually obtaining customer consent," the FCC said.

The wireless providers disputed the fines in statements issued Monday.

The decision "is wrong and the fine is excessive. We intend to challenge it," T-Mobile said in a statement issued to media outlets, adding that the "industry-wide, third-party aggregator, location-based services program was discontinued more than five years ago."

"The FCC order lacks both legal and factual merit," an AT&T spokesperson said in a statement to CNN, saying it "unfairly holds us responsible for another company's violation of our contractual requirements to obtain consent and ignores the immediate steps we took to address that company's failures."

"When one bad actor gained unauthorized access to information relating to a very small number of customers, we quickly and proactively cut off the fraudster, shut down the program, and worked to ensure this couldn't happen again," Verizon spokesman Rich Young told USA Today. "Unfortunately, the FCC's order gets it wrong on both the facts and the law."

The two Republican members of the five-member commission also disagreed with the decision to institute the fines.

"There is no valid basis for the arbitrary and capricious finding," FCC member Nathan Simington wrote in a dissenting opinion, contending the methodology used to arrive at the hefty fines was flawed and against FCC precedent.
HONIARA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has withdrawn from running for a new term and Foreign Minister Jeremiah Manele has been nominated as his coalition's prime minister candidate, national broadcaster SIBC reported on Monday.

Manele has accepted his candidature for prime minister nominated by the newly founded Coalition for National Unity and Transformation (CNUT), which consists of the Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party, the Peoples First Party and Kandere Party, SIBC reported.

Members of parliament will meet to elect the country's new prime minister on Thursday, Governor General of Solomon Islands David Vunagi said in a written notice. 
Second Glance

NASA made a huge splash in September when it announced that its James Webb Space Telescope had spotted potential sign of life on an exoplanet dubbed K2-18b in the form of "dimethyl sulfide," (DMS) a gas that's produced exclusively by lifeforms on Earth.

Now, the telescope has turned its full attention towards the distant ocean-covered world. On Friday, it took another eight-hours-long peek to further investigate the tantalizing findings, as The Times reports, an exciting step in our efforts to probe what has been described as one of the most promising known locations to look for extraterrestrial life.

Plank Call

The ramifications of the discovery of DMS on the exoplanet are considerable. The gas is, per NASA, "only produced by life" here on Earth, with the majority being accounted for by "phytoplankton in marine environments."

Whether that holds true on K2-18b is anything but certain  which is particularly frustrating because the exoplanet is located a whopping 124 lightyears away, making it practically impossible to visit and investigate firsthand.

Nonetheless, excitement has been steadily growing. The JWST's spectrometer readings found that methane and carbon dioxide were abundant, which led to scientists concluding that the "sub-Neptune" planet was likely covered in a massive ocean hundreds of miles deep and a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.

"That right away said you need to have an ocean," Cambridge astrophysicist Nikku Madhusudhan, lead of the ongoing research, told The Times. "This is the first time weve detected methane in a small planet ever. It solved a more than decade-long mystery, literally called the 'missing methane problem.'"

Meanwhile, confirming the presence of DMS could "revolutionize scientific history," he argued.

But before we can do that, Madhusudhan and his colleagues have much work to do. The team is planning to spend the next ten months poring over the results of the James Webb's latest observations. Early results could be revealed as soon as four to six months from now, according to the report.

"If we do detect DMS [on K2-18b] it does put it basically at the top for potential signs of habitability," Madhusudhan told the newspaper.

More on the discovery: James Webb Spots Possible Signs of Life on Distant Planet
Shaping an ambitious and steady space agenda for Europe requires not only diplomatic aplomb but also a firm grounding in science and engineering. Indeed, those attributes are must-haves in working with the 22 member states of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Josef Aschbacher is ESA's director general, taking on that role in March 2021. He is responsible for evolving Europe's space infrastructure, from rockets and spacecraft performing Earth observation, navigation, and telecommunication duties to robotic planetary exploration, as well as the ESA astronauts serving aboard the International Space Station .

"It's magic to get it all together, and it's a lot of work," Aschbacher said. The challenges are many, he added. For example, he's working to ensure that Europe has independent access to space  a critical need for the member states.

Space.com caught up with Aschbacher this month at the Space Foundation's 39th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado to discuss what's ahead for ESA. The following interview has been edited for length.

Related: European Space Agency: Facts & information

a man in a blue suit and red tie sits at a table

Space.com: In July 2023, the venerable Ariane 5 roared skyward and attained retirement status . But that launch also signaled what you saw as Europe entering a launch crisis. How are you dealing with that predicament?

Josef Aschbacher: We had quite a few challenges. Industry took the lead on Ariane 6 with ESA as the system architect, the customer. When I became ESA director general, my first act was to identify, Where do we stand? The news was not good. I had to reestablish teams to work the technical aspects and reconfigure the team spirit among the partners, between CNES, the French space agency, ArianeGroup, Arianespace and ESA. Hundreds of people were involved in various technical teams and sub-groups. We are systematically going through the milestones.

Space.com: And the result?

Aschbacher: We had to get together and work as a team. Credit to the task force and tiger teams that are testing and resolving problems. I was spending, literally, 60-70% of my time on launchers  so a huge amount of time getting this right. We are on a good path now, with Ariane 6 now scheduled between mid-June to end of July.

Space.com: In the big ESA picture, what is of concern to you?

Aschbacher: I think what we need to do  and it's a huge challenge  is to ensure that our governance is working well. That is, the role of ESA, the European Union, our member states, that we are not too fragmented, that we are aligned and putting our assets well together. On paper, it should be easy. In practice, it sometimes is a bit more complicated. But I am very committed to make it work.

Space.com: Next year, you're headed for the ESA Council Ministerial Meeting, setting the policy guidelines for the European space program. How's it looking at the moment?

Aschbacher: There are lots of budget issues everywhere. In Europe we're doing OK, but it will be tough. For the ministerial next November, we are already starting to prepare the first elements. With our 22 member states, some states can, or perhaps they do not want to, subscribe to projects. It's quite diverse, and we do not know how much the ministers will commit to.

My job is to negotiate and prepare for a portfolio of, say, 30 programs. So it's a year and a half of preparation. It's always high tension. Very intensive activity. At the beginning of the day and a half of a ministerial, I do not know how the day will end. I have not seen any other organization worldwide which has such a funding scheme.

Related: NASA gets $25.4 billion in White House's 2025 budget request

Space.com: One area that haunts all is the continuing growth, spread and daunting problem of orbital debris . ESA has moved forward on a "Zero Debris Charter." Why, and what is behind that initiative?

Aschbacher: We have been working on the debris issue for numbers of years. We have an active space safety office in the European Space Operations Center [ESOC] in Germany. We are active and have established a Zero Debris Charter initiative. Those that sign up have to commit themselves that, at the end of life of their satellite , they will take that spacecraft out of orbit.

It is like going into a national park. You bring in your lunch box, and after you have eaten, take the lunch box and rubbish out of the national park to make sure that the park is kept clean. And this is what we want do with orbits around the Earth .

A satellite doing its business for 10 years, at the end of its life should be taken out of orbit. The ones who sign up should commit that they are doing that.

Space.com: And for ESA, what do you do?

Aschbacher: I've done this for ESA, instructing my engineers that our satellites that are being built now have to adhere to this principle. Use an active de-orbiting mechanism, have the fuel to get out of orbit. They need to make sure that when the satellite breaks up, it breaks up in small enough pieces that they burn up in the atmosphere. Nothing falls down on the Earth's surface. So this is now in place in ESA.

But of course, I would like others to join as well. We've put it up for signature and have two signature events planned this year, one in May and one in June. One for European partners, one for international partners.

So far we have about 100 intentions for signatures already registered  a mix of private companies and organizations, space agencies, public entities.

Space.com: Ink is cheap. Who keeps an eye on them?

Aschbacher: The charter is a declaration of intent, but it's not legally binding. I'm not a regulatory body; I am a space agency. I want to create the awareness, raise the point to the politicians. I want to be a champion of sustainability in space and hope that others follow by recognizing the importance of this issue.

Space.com: Has NASA signed the charter?

Aschbacher: I've got a meeting here, and I'll ask the question.

Space.com: There has been a recent event of an International Space Station battery-carrying pallet that was purposely tossed off to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. Subsequently, it appears that a piece of that object hit a home in Florida. Who is responsible in that incident?

Aschbacher: There are some rules based on international law, the launching state responsibility, the operator responsibility. I would say there's a bit of a weak legal regime that exists. I think it would be difficult to enforce in court. But there is some pre-understanding of who would be in charge, or a first point to go to in case something happens. It's not for me to comment. I'm not a lawyer. This is really for lawyers to look into. There will be a discussion.

Related: Kessler Syndrome and the space debris problem

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 The European Space Agency wants to be able to launch its own astronauts

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Space.com: Branching out into deep space exploration: How's ESA's ExoMars endeavor moving forward?

Aschbacher: ExoMars started around 2010-2011, with NASA originally a partner. But budget issues had NASA drop out. So then, in working with Russia, it moved forward for about 10 years. With war in Ukraine and the sanctions that our member states imposed on Russia, I could not finish the program. And this is something quite drastic. The ExoMars rover was finished and ready for launch in September 2022. The war started in February 2022, so I stopped and terminated the cooperation with Russia .

We had to completely reconfigure the mostly European mission, now with a very significant but smaller contribution of NASA. They provide three elements: the radio isotope heater unit which Europe does not have, the braking engines needed for landing, and the launcher. NASA has been supporting ExoMars, and we appreciate that strong cooperation. We plan to launch in 2028.

Space.com: How important is ExoMars in our study of the Red Planet?

Aschbacher: It will drill into the surface, which is quite unique. There's no chance to find life on the surface. You have to go down, and exobiologists are saying at least 1.5 meters [4.9 feet], and we go down 2 meters [6.6 feet]. Can you imagine how exciting this will be? Just imagine finding some microbes of life and to analyze whether there is DNA or no DNA. Would the DNA be similar to ours or not? Unimaginable  and we just don't know.
A massive solar farm could be coming to eastern Fayette County.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC) filed paperwork late last week to build solar panels on a 384-acre site at the far eastern edge of Fayette County, on the border of Clark County.

The farm is projected to generate 40 megawatts of power, or enough to power about 4,558 homes, according to estimates from cooperative officials.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative is an organization owned by 16 smaller nonprofit utility co-ops around the commonwealth. It provides power to more than 1.1 million people and has access to the PJM Interconnection, one of the largest energy markets in the world.

The group also plans to build a 96-megawatt solar farm on 635 acres in Marion County, just north of Lebanon. It filed applications to the states Public Service Commission for both projects April 26.

Utility officials estimate the cost of developing both solar farms is $335.4 million.

The proposed Fayette County site consists of two parcels sandwiched between I-64 and U.S. 60, adjacent to an existing power cooperative substation.

Both parcels are zoned for agricultural use.

A spokesperson for East Kentucky Power Cooperative Regulated electric utilities serving Kentucky customers are not subject to local planning and zoning for these types of generation projects.

The land for the site is owned by Fayette Partners LLC, a company controlled by members of the Gay family  that includes Anne Gay Donworth, one of three Democratic candidates running to replace retiring Rep. Ruthann Palumbo, D-Lexington.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative plans to purchase the property from Fayette Partners, spokesperson Nick Comer told the Herald-Leader. Comer also said that electric utilities like the cooperative are not subject to local planning and zoning for these types of generation projects.

The project would, however, need approval from the Public Service Commission after a review process. All members on the commission were appointed by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and confirmed by the Republican-controlled state Senate.

In its filing to the Public Service Commission, the power cooperative refers to the project as the Bluegrass Plains Solar Site.

According to the filing, just over half of the acreage adjoining the proposed site is zoned Agricultural/Residential. About 32% is zoned residential.

This is a big step forward in providing renewable energy options for homes and businesses in Kentucky, said Tony Campbell, CEO of the non-profit electric cooperative based in Winchester, Ky.

These solar farms will help to diversify (our) electric-generating fleet, providing carbon-free electricity and helping to meet the growing demand for sustainable energy, especially among businesses and industries.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative owns and operates Cooperative Solar Farm One, a 60-acre, 10-megawatt facility located at the cooperatives main campus on U.S. 60 between Lexington and Winchester.

The project filing comes on the heels of utility officials advocating for Senate Bill 349, a bill passed into law that will make it harder for utilities to retire power plants fired by fossil fuels like coal.
Is it bad to be boring? Apples Im a PC TV ads of the Noughties wanted you to think so.

We saw two friends bantering: one, a cool, casual and assured Mac computer, the other a socially awkward and dysfunctional PC in a bad suit, played in the UK by David Mitchell. Mr PC insisted timesheets and pie charts were fun.

But as Mitchells Peep Show character Mark Corrigan liked to explain at parties, being boring is good. Particularly when other businesses need to be able to trust you and rely on you. Microsofts problem today is that its trying too hard to be cool again.

In May 2023, the Chinese hacking group Storm-0558 gained access to Microsoft systems running the email accounts at 22 organisations in the United States and the UK; including 63 high profile individuals in the UK. Many were government bodies.

The US Department of Homeland Security has just released its findings into the breach. It makes for grim reading.

The breach should never have happened, the Departments cyber safety review board concluded  and only happened because of a cascade of avoidable errors by Microsoft. The company had failed to match the basic security practices of other CSPs (cloud service providers) to keep account sign-in keys safe.

This particular key should have been retired two years earlier. The company also made inaccurate statements and failed to correct them for six months. The report blamed leadership  the chief executive and the Board  for not having a security culture.

Investigators described a corporate culture that deprioritised enterprise security investments and rigorous risk management, at odds with the companys centrality in the technology ecosystem and the level of trust customers place in the company to protect their data and operations. Ouch.

We very much disagree with this characterisation, an executive said in a statement.

A Microsoft spokesman said its engineering teams are working on identifying any security issues within its legacy infrastructure: Our security engineers continue to harden all our systems against attack and implement even more robust sensors and logs to help us detect and repel the cyber-armies of our adversaries.

We will also review the final report for additional recommendations.

But this wasnt the first attack. A supply chain attack three years ago saw 18,000 Microsoft enterprise customers download a poisoned component by suspected Russian hackers, although the company that unwittingly distributed it insists it affected fewer than 100.

Then this January, the Russians called again. Hackers accessed highly-sensitive Microsoft corporate email accounts, source code repositories, and internal systems.

Given its ubiquity in business, Andrew Grotto, a Stanford fellow and a former White House cybersecurity adviser said last week that its fair to describe systemic risks in Microsofts products as a national security threat.

Microsoft has a ton of leverage. It has the Government locked in. Its able to transfer a lot of its costs from these security breaches over to its customers, including the Federal Government, he added.

Microsoft is doing well financially, reporting profits of $21.9bn for the most recent quarter. With both revenue and profit up handsomely from a year ago: $8.4bn was handed back to shareholders. But Microsoft wants to be cool, too, and one wonders if thats a distraction.

The coolest technology of all today  at least amongst the tech bros, is artificial intelligence. Microsofts drive to put it wherever it can has become all-consuming. Dubious assistance is being added to every application.

AI-powered adverts have even begun to appear in the Windows start menu  something surely no one ever asked for. But this desire to prove that it really isnt Mark Corrigan is a gamble.

Microsoft has set a price for the business for its chatty artificial intelligence pop-ups  it calls them co-pilots  of $30 per user per month. If its as successful as Microsoft hopes, it will require vast amounts of capital expenditure, given the energy required to power them.

Data centres will require 50pc more power in the EU in 2026 than they did in 2022. Microsoft wants someone to lead project initiatives for all aspects of nuclear energy infrastructure for global growth. It has small modular reactors in mind.

And the question of whether business thinks its worth paying for is also open to question. If fewer staff are needed, $30 per month sounds like a bargain.

According to Parkinsons law, work expands to fill the time available for its completion, and studies have suggested that the employees keenest on AI are the least productive.

They can spend more of the day pretending to look busy. Microsoft has benefited from this social dynamic before from its PowerPoint program, which has been banned by some companies including Amazon and replaced with more efficient information-sharing.

ChatGPT-powered Bing hasnt seen any jump in market share. Businesses dont have the luxury of hallucinations when some 20pc of answers are wrong or irrelevant.

The worry is that in its determination to convince business that it needs something it may not want, and dreaming of nuclear reactors, the basic software plumbing is not being maintained. Last week, chief executive Satya Nadella assured analysts that Microsoft was now putting security above all else  before all other features and investments.

Perhaps that isnt enough.

In 2002, Microsoft Windows had become the Achilles heel of the internet, notorious for its poor security. The company responded by halting work, shutting down its Windows division, and sending 85,000 employees on a week-long training course. The chances of that happening now, in the race to AI seem remote.

And in any case, wouldnt that be boring?

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Nihad Aweidah drives a Tesla. Hes wondering what took him so long to buy an electric vehicle.

On Sunday, Pacific Power hosted a free test drive and information expo on Swan Island for people who are interested in EVs, but may have lingering questions. Pacific Power invited EV experts and owners to talk about their experiences and answer any questions from potential buyers.

Hillsboro crash leaves 1 in critical condition: officials

Aweidah told KOIN 6 News he bought his Tesla because its environmentally correct. I love it. I was wondering what took me so long to buy one. I should have bought one in 2014 when it first came out, but better late than never.

He said his three favorite features are the quiet, how comfortable it is and passing the gas stations. I dont want to give my money to big oil companies.

Oregon, Washington and the federal government all have varying incentives for prospective EV buyers. But talking with Aweidah is another one.

Dont wait. Its worth it, he said, adding he was spending about $500 a month on gas before he got his Tesla. Now, charging it at home, he spends about $100 month. Im saving $400 a month on gas bills.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
SpaceX completes weekend launch doubleheader with Sunday Starlink liftoff from Cape Canaveral

Brevard County space buffs enjoyed a SpaceX Saturday-Sunday launch doubleheader weekend, with back-to-back Falcon 9 rockets sending satellites arcing up into orbit.

First up, SpaceX launched two Galileo satellites on Saturday night from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, boosting Europe's global navigation satellite system to 30 satellites.

Less than 24 hours later on Sunday, the second Falcon 9 lifted off at 6:08 p.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on the Starlink 6-54 mission, giving Cocoa Beach spectators sunny daytime views of the ascending rocket.

That mission deployed another payload of 23 Starlink broadband satellites into the company's low-Earth orbit constellation.

Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming rocket launch schedule for SpaceX, ULA, NASA in Florida

Sunday's mission marked the Falcon 9 first-stage booster's 13th flight, SpaceX reported. The booster previously launched CRS-26, OneWeb Launch 16, Intelsat IS-40e, O3b mPOWER, Ovzon-3, EUTELSAT 36D and six Starlink missions.

Following stage separation, the booster landed aboard the drone ship Just Read the Instructions out on the Atlantic Ocean 8 minutes.

Earlier Sunday, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme praised the Galileo mission.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket breaks through the sound barrier after launch Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Galileo underscores the power of collaboration. With the European Commission, EUSPA and ESA working hand in hand. Galileo isnt just about satellites; its a testament to our shared commitment to innovation, security, and progress," EUSPA Executive Director R. da Costa said in a press release.

"Together, were empowering billions worldwide, enabling precise navigation and enhancing transportation," da Costa said.

SpaceX crews also had a busy weekend in orbit. Sunday afternoon, SpaceX's Dragon capsule undocked from the International Space Station about 1:10 p.m. The spacecraft had launched to the ISS aboard a Falcon 9 on March 21 on NASA's CRS-30 resupply mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Splashdown is expected about 1 a.m. Tuesday off the Florida coastline.

Crowds on the beach in Cocoa Beach watch Sunday's launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink satellites.

Looking ahead on the range calendar  though SpaceX has not yet made a public announcement  Federal Aviation Administration and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency navigational warnings indicate the company is targeting Thursday night for its next Starlink mission.

Mission: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a batch of 23 Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Launch window: 9:17 p.m. Thursday to 1:48 a.m. Friday.

Location: Launch Complex 40.

Trajectory: Southeast.

Local sonic boom: No.

Booster landing: Drone ship out on the Atlantic Ocean.

Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space.

Sunday's SpaceX Starlink 6-54 mission lifted off at 6:08 p.m. from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

For the latest news and launch schedule from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Weekend doubleheader: SpaceX launches Starlinks after Galileo mission
Nuclear fusion may be a step closer after a radical new reactor design shaped like a twisted doughnut was unveiled by a task force set up by the King.

The reactor, known as a stellarator, offers new ways of controlling the white hot plasmas generated by nuclear fusion.

Fusion plasmas are so hot that they would melt any known material and so have to be contained in powerful magnetic fields. But maintaining such a magnetic cage for more than a few seconds has defied science for 70 years  perhaps until now.

Chris Mowry, chief executive of Type One Energy, says the company expects its first stellarator, Infinity One, to be installed in a disused power station in Tennessee from 2025.

Speaking at an event held by the fusion task force set up by the Kings Sustainable Markets Initiative, of which Mowry is also chairman, he said: The machine will be experimental but is expected to produce more power than it consumes  opening the way to commercial development.

Type One Energy CEO Chris Mowbry (R) is also chair of King Charles' fusion taskforce

The announcement, along with separate fusion reactor plans from the UK and China, signals a potential breakthrough in fusion design. It also shows how fusion is moving from a mainly scientific venture into a race to build the first commercially viable reactors.

That progress caught the eye of the Sustainable Markets Initiative, set up in 2020 by the King when he was the Prince of Wales, prompting the recent creation of the task force.

A gram of fusion fuel could release as much energy as burning 10,000 kg of coal, says Mowry. So you could generate the power for a 250,000 person-city for a year with only a few hundred kilograms of deuterium and lithium. I expect to see a commercial reactor within two decades.

Such promises have been made before, and the target remains highly ambitious. Scientists first harnessed fusion power nearly 70 years ago with the development of the hydrogen bomb.

Controlling such reactions to produce energy has, however, proved impossible, despite the billions of pounds spent on research.

This is because the temperatures needed to create fusion plasmas  10 to 15 times hotter than the sun  would melt all known materials.

It means they have to be contained by magnetic fields, but designing the magnets and modelling their fields into a cage capable of containing white-hot plasmas for long periods has proved an impossible problem.

Mowry and his UK colleagues on the fusion taskforce believe they can now solve this and the other technical barriers that have left fusion power always 40 years in the future for the last seven decades.

In fusion the aim is to use extremely high temperatures and pressures to force hydrogen atoms to fuse, creating helium. This process, which also fuels the sun and other stars, destroys a tiny fraction of their mass, converting it into massive amounts of heat energy. If controlled this can be used to generate low carbon electricity.

Mowry says: The idea is simple but modelling the physics of that process, especially the magnetic fields is extremely complex. And to do it in three dimensions has really been beyond the power of computing until the last five or 10 years.

Whats happened is that modern supercomputing, which was developed in the last 20 years, allows scientists to calculate the shape of one of these machines and then build it.

Mowrys comments reflect a wider excitement across the fusion science community around hopes for a commercially viable technology. Fusion research in the US has coincided with a resurgence of interest in the UK too, partly linked to a burst of enthusiasm from Boris Johnson in 2019 when he was prime minister.

He announced 330m for fusion research, and told the Conservative party conference that research at the Joint European Torus (JET) project at Culham, near Oxford, would soon lead to virtually unlimited zero-carbon power.

His claim was overstated but the money has helped the UK remain a world leader with plans for its own new fusion reactor, a replacement for JET. The Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (Step) will be built in a disused power station in West Burton, Nottinghamshire.

Tokamaks are an older approach to fusion with a simple doughnut-shaped reactor. Around 200 have been built over the last seven decades, generating invaluable data, but none has proved capable of maintaining sustained fusion reactions.

Paul Methven, chief executive of UK Industrial Fusion Solutions, which is building Step says: Step will pave the way for commercially viable fusion and help develop the UK supply chain. Its a vital and exciting opportunity to lead and deliver a new solution for the climate, to help keep Britain at the forefront of the commercial delivery of fusion.

The UK and US are friendly rivals, collaborating as well as competing to develop the technology. But there are other players too.

China announced five years ago that it also planned to build a nuclear fusion power station and has been training 3,000 engineers for the project.

Delong Luo, director-general of Chinas fusion research agency, has said he plans an experimental fusion reactor by 2035. A prototype power station envisaged for 2060 would be followed by commercial plants.

China and the US are also lead partners in the ITER project in southern France where a consortium of 10 nations are building the worlds largest fusion reactor. It too is a tokamak, designed only to generate experimental data. Britain was part of the ITER consortium through its membership of the EU but was thrown out after Brexit.

Mowry believes fusion research needs to get over the tokamak design. He suggests it belongs in the 1970s and will never be able to produce the stable magnetic fields needed for sustained fusion.

The tokamak doughnut design is a simple geometry, which is why in the 1960s and 70s, before the advent of high performance computing, it was much easier to develop and produce these shapes of reactor, he says. But the plasma is inherently not stable so it cannot reach a continuous steady-state needed for energy production.

Mowry and his colleagues used access to the US Department of Defences Exascale computing project to try to solve those problems. Exascale computing refers to the capability to perform a billion-billion calculations operations per second  a speed comparable to the interactions within a fusion reactor.

The design that emerged looked like a tokamak run over by a tank  a twisted doughnut. But the real power of the computing lay not just in the shape but in working out how to build and maintain the magnetic fields inside the reactor.

The 'stellerator' offers new ways of controlling the white hot plasmas generated by nuclear fusion

The idea of a stellarator is that if you can figure out exactly how it twists and how to control the magnetic fields it brings a lot of goodness with it, says Mowry. Above all it makes the machine inherently stable to produce energy that we can use.

If he is right then fusion may indeed be just one or two decades away, and Britain will share the benefits. Last December the US and UK signed an agreement to work together on such projects, and whichever design proves successful, the science will be largely shared.

Perhaps the most crucial question, however, is how much it will all cost. The UKs latest venture into atomic energy, the Hinkley Point C power station in Somerset, has seen costs surge from 18bn to 46bn. And that relies on nuclear fission, where Britain has decades of experience.

Sir Ian Chapman, chief executive of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, points out that one of the biggest costs of nuclear power stations comes from having to deal with the radioactive materials and wastes.

Fusion, by contrast, generates no long-lived nuclear waste, so any power station based on it could be relatively tiny, perhaps the size of a supermarket.

Jet, our last machine, would have cost 2bn in todays money, says Sir Ian. The next generation will have more technology so it will definitely cost more. But it will be a lot less than the tens of billions we are seeing at Hinkley. And it will be clean.

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The Mabton City Council will have a future discussion about livestreaming meetings after questions about public access to recordings last week.

Residents and representatives from local nonprofits questioned a lack of livestreaming and meeting recordings during last week's meeting.

Community interest remains strong in the council's activity. Residents started showing up in force to meetings last year to voice concerns about the city's tap water.

Questions about meetings

Council meetings have not been published on the citys YouTube channel, where they were livestreamed and saved, since Jan. 9.

On Tuesday, Council member Sophia Sotelo asked where meetings could be found online and asked that the council discuss bringing the livestreams back.

Council meeting agendas and minutes have not been updated on the citys website in the public documents section, where all previous meeting information was published, since Jan. 9.

Mayor Rachel Ruelas said a poor internet connection prevented city staff from livestreaming the meeting. She added that city staff were recording the meeting.

Some Mabton residents are recording meetings on their phones and posting them online.

Ruelas added that meetings were available on Zoom.

They have it on Zoom, they can go back and watch it on Zoom, she said.

No further details were provided by Ruelas at the meeting. She did not take interviews after the meeting.

When a Yakima Herald-Republic reporter contacted City Hall for more details, a staff member said No, thank you, and ended the phone call.

Ruelas said livestreaming the meetings would be on the City Council agenda at its next meeting on May 14.

Other concerns were raised at the recent meeting. Maria Fernandez, executive director of nonprofit Empowering Latina Leadership and Action, requested that the city publicize trainings for new council members to comply with the Open Public Meetings Act.

The council had executive session on Tuesday but did not give a reason why.

State law requires that a purpose for an executive session be announced before the session and entered into the meetings minutes.

Questions in public comments

Several concerns were brought up during public comment.

One Mabton resident and local landlord brought up concerns about a $900 water bill. A former tenant had not paid rent, said Darren Middleton, who said he spoke on behalf of his mother, the landlord.

Middleton said the property had continued to be charged for minimum consumption, even after water had been shut off due to nonpayment. Ruelas said that was due to city policy, but urged Middleton to come to City Hall and work with staff.

Im having a staff meeting in the morning. Well look at this, she said.

Fernandez and Ruben Olivarez, a Mabton resident, both asked about the status of federal Department of Agriculture loans. The loans are being used to fund work on Mabtons water infrastructure. For months, residents have raised issues about the taste and odor of the town's tap water.

Responding to a question from the Herald-Republic, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said Mabton was in good standing and had two active loans and one loan that will be used to fund equipment for a new well.

The city of Mabton is good partner with USDA Rural Development. We are a proud partner in their efforts to meet the water needs for their community," Helen Price Johnson, the USDAs Washington state director, said in an email. The city has this assistance through RCAC (Rural Community Assistance Corporation) and is up to date on all reporting. City of Mabton continues to be a borrower in good standing.
HANOI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam saw nearly 6.2 million international visitor arrivals in the first four months of this year, up 68.3 percent year on year and 3.9 percent higher than the pre-pandemic level of the same period in 2019, according to the General Statistics Office on Monday.

The Southeast Asian country welcomed over 1.6 million foreign tourists in April alone, an increase of 58.2 percent compared to the same period last year.

The results were attributed to favorable visa policies and effective tourism stimulus programs, Vietnam News Agency reported Monday.

During the Jan.-April period, foreign visitor arrivals to Vietnam by air stood at nearly 5.2 million, accounting for 83.7 percent of the total.

Most of the visitors were from Asia, at over 4.7 million, surging 77.2 percent year on year, the data showed.

Vietnam has set the target of foreign tourists at about 18 million for 2024, according to the tourism ministry. 
DAR ES SALAAM, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) on Monday donated 425 sewing machines and 250 hatching machines to Tanzanian women entrepreneurs to empower them economically.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian handed over the donation on behalf of the ACWF to Minister of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups Dorothy Gwajima at the Institute of Social Work in the port city of Dar es Salaam.

Gwajima expressed her gratitude to the ACWF, saying the donation will motivate more women to invest in small- and medium-sized sewing and embroidery industries, help women establish more garment industries, and enable households to increase their income and contribute to the national economy.

For her part, Chen said the donation is a vivid manifestation of China-Tanzania friendship and close people-to-people bonds, stressing that China has always attached great importance to cooperation with Tanzania for improving the livelihood of women, children, and special groups. 
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Celebrated annually as a tribute to all mothers and motherhood, it is worth remembering this day falls on various dates in different parts of the world, in Hungary it's Sunday 5 May in 2024.

The origins of the holiday dates back to the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The modern form of the celebration of Mother's Day began in the early 20th century.



More:

www.timeanddate.com Mother's Day around the World



Related links Father's Day Celebrated In Hungary, 16 June in 2024
UBSE Board 2024: The Uttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE) is set to release the Uttarakhand Board Results 2024 tomorrow April 30. At 11:30 am, following a press conference, the official link for the UK Board results will become active. During the press conference, Uttarakhand board officials will also announce the state toppers, pass percentage, and other pertinent details.

The exams for UK Board's 10th and 12th grades were held from February 27, 2024, to March 16, 2024. With over 2 lakh students eagerly awaiting the UK Results, the official website - ubse.uk.gov.in will be the primary platform for result checking. Students will need to log in using their roll number to access their results. Additionally, alternative methods for result inquiry will also be provided on the website.

UBSE Board Result 2024: Steps To Check Scores

Step 1: Go to the official Uttarakhand board website.

Step 2: Find and click on the link for Uttarakhand 10th and 12th results.

Step 3: Log in using your roll number and other required credentials.

Step 4: The result mark sheet will be displayed on the screen.

Step 5: Download the mark sheet for future reference.

Uttarakhand Board 2024: Result Date And Time

Class 10 Result Date: April 30

Class 12 Result Date: April 30

Result Time: 11:30 am

Uttarakhand Board 2024: Exam Date

The Class 10 and Class 12 board exams for 2024 took place from February 27 to March 16. Last year, the UK Board released the results for both classes on May 26. According to official records, the passing percentage for Class 10 was 85.17%, and for Class 12, it stood at 80.98%.
New Delhi: With Lok Sabha Elections scheduled on May 7 for the Agra constituency, the election fervour and political debates have engulfed the streets of the city. The seat is reserved for Dalit candidates, about 30% of the 20.57 lakh voters are Dalits, with most of them being Jatav Dalits. Even though many are unhappy with the Bahujan Samaj Partys (BSP) recent performance, most Jatav Dalits still seem to support it.

Despite the large number of Dalit voters supporting the BSP, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has won the Agra Lok Sabha seat in the last three elections. This time, the BJP has re-nominated S P Singh Baghel, who is already a Union Minister, as their candidate. However, both the Samajwadi Party-Congress and the BSP have nominated Jatav Dalits for the seat - Suresh Chand Kardam and Pooja Amrohi, respectively.

BSPs Changing Winds In Agra

Marking a shift in the approach, the SP has selected a candidate from the Jatav community. Following the dissolution of its alliance with the BSP in 2019, the SP initiated efforts to connect with the significant Dalit demographic, estimated to comprise approximately 20% of Uttar Pradesh's population.

Stronghold Of BJP Since 2009

However, it is not easy for any party to shake the BJP's ground. The party has continuously won the Agra Lok Sabha seat for the past 15 years since it became a reserved seat. Ram Shankar Katheria won for the BJP in 2009 and 2014, but in 2019, Prof SP Singh Baghel took over and secured another victory for the BJP, making it three in a row. Baghel, who belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, is once again the BJP's candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Contemporary Sentiments

There are around 3,50,000 Jatavs, who are the second largest group after the dominant 4,50,000 Vaishya voters who support the BJP. The battle here is mainly for the Jatav voters in Agra, who typically support the BSP, but the BJP also has the support of around 1,50,000 Valmikis, who are also from the Scheduled Caste.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) is counting on around 2,50,000 Muslim voters. There are also about 1,70,000 Brahmin voters and 1,50,000 Thakur voters.

The BJP candidate, Prof SP Singh Baghel, has previously won from the nearby Jalesar parliamentary seat as an SP candidate and is confident about the support of around 3,00,000 backward voters in Agra.
Arvind Kejriwal Arrest Live News Updates: Sunita Kejriwal and Delhi Minister Atishi reach Tihar Jail to meet Delhi CM. Meanwhile, The Supreme Court and Delhi High Court are set to hear cases against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi government, and the AAP-led Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), making Monday the most significant day for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In the excise policy case, CM Kejriwal, who is currently incarcerated, filed a petition with the Supreme Court contesting his arrest and subsequent remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The AAP chief has denounced his arrest as politically motivated in a new affidavit submitted to the top court. He claims that it unfairly benefits the ruling party in the current elections, undermining the idea of "free and fair elections."

He reiterated his belief that the ED's actions were a part of a coordinated attempt to weaken the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leaders, portraying the case as a prime example of how the central government misuses agencies like the ED to suppress political opponents. However, the Deputy Director of the Enforcement Department counter-affidavit claimed that Kejriwal's arrest was necessary because of his "total non-co-operative attitude" and that his petition had no merit.

According to the affidavit, Kejriwal avoided questioning by not showing up in person for the investigation officer's visit even after being called nine times, and he avoided answering questions by being completely uncooperative and evasive when giving his statement under section 17 of the PMLA.

Moreover, a PIL regarding the appalling quality of education in MCD schools is scheduled to be heard by the Delhi High Court. It was previously reported to the court that administrative obstacles left nearly two lakh students without access to basic amenities. On April 26, the Delhi government, CM Kejriwal, and the MCD faced harsh criticism from the high court for neglecting to supply textbooks to more than 2 lakh students enrolled in MCD schools in Delhi.

The AAP-led Delhi government and Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj were accused by the Lieutenant Governor's office of postponing the approval of a proposal to temporarily increase the MCD Commissioner's financial authority from Rs 5 Cr to Rs 50 Cr after the high court's rebuke.

This delay, officials argued, has hampered some critical projects in education, health, and sanitation, as the Corporation's Standing Committee has not been constituted in over a year. Meanwhile, Sunita Kejriwal and Delhi Minister Atishi will meet jailed Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday.

According to the jail manual, only two visitors are allowed per week. Because Atishi and Bhagwant Maan had already applied through the visitors portal, Sunita's request was denied earlier but Tihar Jail will reconsider her request following two meetings.

Atishi is expected to meet with CM Kejriwal around 12:30 p.m. on Monday.
New Delhi: A court has sentenced a life imprisonment to a 44-year-old man convicted of raping his minor daughter. The court deemed the crime to be 'diabolical, surpassing any mitigating factors, reported PTI. The court also observed that such a severe sentence would uphold justice, benefit society, and act as a deterrent without completely ruining the perpetrator. The court also ordered compensation of Rs 13 lakh for the victim's relief and rehabilitation.

Judge Babita Puniya, presiding over the proceedings, a case involving a man previously found guilty by the court for rape and under section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

"The diabolical nature of the crime and the fact that the victim was the daughter of the convict and was in his care and protection outweigh the personal circumstances of the convict," reported PTI quoting the hearing.

The court highlighted the mitigating factors in the case as the convict was the sole earner of the family with elderly parents, grandmother, wife and four children.

Further noting the aggravating factors, the court said, that the victim was innocent and helpless and was repeatedly raped, following which she gave birth at the age of 17 years.

The victim's rejection of an interim compensation granted in 2022 was seen as indicative of the trauma she was going through. The judge stated that considering the severity of the crime, the societal interest, and the victim's well-being, the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating ones.
New Delhi: The Directorate of Education (DoE) in Delhi has recently announced the commencement of registrations for the EWS Admission 2024-25 in private schools. As per the released notification, the registration window opens on April 30, facilitating students and their parents to apply through the official website edudel.nic.in.

Per the stipulated guidelines, private institutions are mandated to earmark 25 percent of their seats for students hailing from economically weaker sections (EWS), disadvantaged groups, and children with special needs (CWSN). The allotment of these reserved seats is conducted via a computerized lottery system, with the draw scheduled for May 20.

Elaborating on the eligibility criteria for Delhi EWS Admission 2024-25:

- For admission to pre-school or nursery class:

- EWS and DG category applicants should fall within the age bracket of 3 to 5 years.

- CWD or CWSN category candidates must be aged between 3 and 7 years.

- For enrollment in pre-primary or KG class:

- EWS and DG Category: Children should be aged between 4 to 6 years.

- CWS and CWSN Category: Children should be aged between 4 and 8 years.

- For admission to Class 1:

- EWS and DG Category: Children should be aged between 5 to 7 years.

- CWS and CWSN Category: Children should be aged between 5 to 9 years.

Moreover, applicants are required to be permanent residents of Delhi. To qualify under the EWS category, the annual family income of the students should not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh.

The application process for Delhi EWS Admission 2024-25 involves several steps:

1. Visit the official website of Delhi EWS Admission 2024-25: https://edudel.nic.in.

2. Navigate to the designated link for "Delhi EWS Admission 2024-25" and proceed.

3. Fill out the application form meticulously, providing essential details such as the child's name, age, and parents' particulars.

4. Upon completing the form, click on the 'Submit' button.

5. Proceed to pay the registration fee via the chosen payment gateway.

6. Review all entered information for accuracy, ensuring there are no errors.

7. Once verified, submit the form. A deposit receipt will be generated for safekeeping, serving as a valuable reference in the future.

Furthermore, applicants are required to furnish the following documents for Delhi EWS Admission:

- Student's birth certificate

- Residence certificate

- Ration Card

- Parent's identity card

- Certificate of disability (if applicable)

- Family income certificate
Public safety aides are seen on campus at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in California, the United States, April 28, 2024.

From East Coast to West, U.S. student protesters showing solidarity with Palestinians showed no sign of slacking off, with more than 270 people arrested over the weekend, despite warnings of disciplinary actions and even criminal charges.

Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States, as nearly 900 arrests have been reportedly made nationwide since New York police arrested more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University on April 18. (Xinhua)

SACRAMENTO, the United States, April 29 (Xinhua) -- From East Coast to West, U.S. student protesters showing solidarity with Palestinians showed no sign of slacking off, with more than 270 people arrested over the weekend, despite warnings of disciplinary actions and even criminal charges.

Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States, as nearly 900 arrests have been reportedly made nationwide since New York police arrested more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University on April 18.

Over this weekend, demonstrators stayed in tent encampments set up on campuses, in parks and on streets. They share a similar demand, calling for universities to cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies that they say are enabling the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Early Saturday, police in riot gear cleared an encampment on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston. About 100 protesters were arrested and would be charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct, according to Massachusetts State Police.

At Washington University in St. Louis, more than 80 people were arrested on Saturday amid ongoing pro-Palestinian demonstrations, the university said in a statement.

On the same day, about 70 people were arrested while attending a protest at Arizona State University's Tempe campus, and another 23 people were arrested at Indiana University Bloomington, facing "charges ranging from criminal trespass to resisting law enforcement," according to both schools.

Sunday even witnessed a brief skirmish between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian demonstrators at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where a tent encampment was set up last week. Both sides remained peaceful until Sunday as the size of the encampment expanded in recent days and counter-protesters have become increasingly vocal and visible on the campus.

Dueling demonstrations on the UCLA campus Sunday resulted in "physical altercations" between groups showing support for a growing encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters and counter-protesters rallying around the university's Jewish students, local KABC television station reported.

The clash led to a larger police presence on the campus, and no arrests had been made, said the UCLA police department.

Also in Los Angeles, police responded to another protest at the University of Southern California (USC) Saturday night. A total of 93 people were arrested Wednesday night after the university ordered protesters at the campus's Alumni Park to disperse.

The university saw increased police strength Saturday night as the University Park campus was temporarily closed due to a "disturbance." The Los Angeles Police Department issued a "tactical alert" on Saturday amid the pro-Palestinian protest at the USC. No arrests have been reported as of Sunday.

Some school officials have blamed the intensifying protests for "professional organizers," saying these people had joined the ranks of student protesters on the campus.

In a statement on Saturday, Renata Nyul, Northeastern University's vice president for communications, said: "What began as a student demonstration two days ago was infiltrated by professional organizers with no affiliation to Northeastern."

The official said those who produced a valid student ID had been released and would face disciplinary proceedings within the university.

U.S. universities have been cracking down on student protests over Israel's military actions in Gaza for months.

The latest run of protests was sparked by the April 18 arrests at Columbia University in New York City. The New York police's move backfired, inspiring students across the country. Since then, universities across more than 30 states have been swept by waves of protests.

Out of safety concerns, the USC leaders have decided to cancel the commencement ceremony for 2024 graduating students in May. Other schools have closed their campuses for the rest of the semester, turning to remote mode.

Under pressure, Portland State University in the State of Oregon has announced that it will pause receiving gifts and grants from the Boeing Company amid protests at the university.

The company says on its website that the Israel Defense Forces currently operates nine different Boeing products, and the company contributes 3.5 billion U.S. dollars to the Israeli economy. 

In this photo taken on April 28, 2024, the pro-Palestine encampment on school campus is closed and all entrances to that area are blocked at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in California, the United States.

From East Coast to West, U.S. student protesters showing solidarity with Palestinians showed no sign of slacking off, with more than 270 people arrested over the weekend, despite warnings of disciplinary actions and even criminal charges.

Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States, as nearly 900 arrests have been reportedly made nationwide since New York police arrested more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University on April 18. (Xinhua)

People gather at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

People gather at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

People gather at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

People gather at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

People gather at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

People pray at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

People pray at a pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 29, 2024. Pro-Palestinian protests continue roiling university campuses across the United States. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)
New Delhi: The Ministery of External Affairs (MEA) informed on Monday that the Canadian Deputy High Commissioner was summoned and lodged a strong protest against the rising voice of pro-Khalistani slogans in the presence of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the public event in Toronto.

The external affairs showed their deep concern and said that the raising of pro-Khalistani slogans at the event was "disturbing" and again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence.

The ministry also added that such expression is not only impacting the Canada-India relationship but is also encouraging a climate of violence and criminality in Canada which is not good for the citizens.

"The Canadian deputy high commissioner was today summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to the raising of separatist slogans on 'Khalistan' at an event which was being personally addressed by the prime minister of Canada," the MEA said.

"The Government of India's deep concern and strong protest was conveyed at such disturbing actions being allowed to continue unchecked at the event," it added.

"This illustrates once again the political space that has been given in Canada to separatism, extremism and violence. Their continued expressions not only impact India-Canada relations but also encourage a climate of violence and criminality in Canada to the detriment of its own citizens," " the statement read.
New Delhi: The Allahabad High Court has recently issued a notification regarding the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service Exam on its official website. In this recruitment endeavor, the Allahabad High Court aims to fill 83 Advocate Posts through direct recruitment. Eligible candidates who are interested can submit their applications online before the deadline of 30 April 2024.

The selection process for these positions will be based on the candidates' performance in the preliminary examination. The date of the preliminary examination will be communicated by the authorities in due time. For detailed information regarding eligibility criteria, age limits, application procedures, selection criteria, salary structure, and other pertinent details concerning the Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service Recruitment Drive, interested individuals are encouraged to refer to the official notification.

The official notification, along with comprehensive instructions regarding the application process, application form, syllabus, fee submission methods, and other relevant details, can be accessed and downloaded from the official website.

Candidates are advised to review the eligibility criteria and age limits specified in the official notification before applying. Educational qualifications required for the posts are detailed in the notification.

Regarding age limits, candidates must be at least 35 years old and not more than 45 years old as of 01st January 2024. Any relaxation in the age limit is subject to the conditions mentioned in the notification.

Successful candidates appointed to these positions will receive a salary within the range of Rs 144,840 to Rs 194,660.

To apply for the Uttar Pradesh HJS 2024, interested candidates can follow these steps:

1. Visit the official website: allahabadhighcourt.in.

2. Navigate to the "Uttar Pradesh Higher Judicial Service Recruitment 2024" link on the homepage.

3. Fill in the required details on the new page that opens.

4. After completing the form, submit it.

5. Additionally, take a printout of the filled form.

6. Submit the hard copy of the application form to the address specified in the notification on or before 07 May 2024.
New Delhi: The police arrested one accused on Monday in connection with the death of the young man who was allegedly beaten after a dispute over the parking of a vehicle in the Latur district of Maharashtra, officials said.

The victim was identified as Ankush Pawar, 30 years old, who had come to attend his brother-in-law's marriage near Ekambi-Tanda village in Ausa tehsil on Sunday, police said.

Assistant Police Inspector Rahul Kumar Bhol said, "An argument broke out between Pawar and the neighbour of his father-in-law over parking of a vehicle."

"He was beaten up with a stick and an iron rod on his head. He died on the way to a hospital in Latur," Bhol added, PTI reported.

For now, the Police have registered a case of murder and further investigation is underway.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and Hyderabad Lok Sabha candidate Asaduddin Owaisi is known for his vocal statements on critical issues. Sometimes, his statements create controversies as well. Nowadays, Owaisi is campaigning not only in his constituency but in different parts of the country as well where AIMIM candidates are contesting the polls. During a recent campaign rally, Owaisi touched upon the most debated issue of Muslim population growth to counter statements made in this regard.

Addressing a gathering, Owaisi accused the BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of building a wall of hatred. "Why are you creating a fear that Muslims produce more children? According to data by the Modi government, the population growth of Muslims has declined. Muslims use condoms the most," said Owaisi adding that he has no shame in saying this.

The Hyderabad MP, who is facing stiff competition this time from BJP's Madhavi Latha, alleged that Modi is instilling fear among Hindus that Muslims will become the majority community in India. "How long will you create fear about the Muslims? Our religion is different but we belong to this country, he said.

He accused Modi of misleading the majority community by claiming that Muslims have a maximum reproduction rate. Reacting to the recent report of a UP student getting 50% marks in the pharma examination despite writing 'Virat Kohli' and 'Jai Shri Ram' in answer copy, Owaisi said, "If someone writes Jai Shri Ram slogan in the exam paper, then they are getting 50% marks but our daughters are not being allowed to take exams if they are wearing Hijab."

He urged the electors to vote for AIMIM accusing the BJP-run central government of carrying out atrocities against Muslims.

Owaisi's recent remarks came after Narendra Modi created a political storm with his statement in Rajasthan where he claimed that Congress is planning to take gold and property of people and distribute it to Muslims. Modi claimed that former PM Manmohan Singh had said that Muslims have the first right to the country's resources. Modi said that Congress if voted to power, will distribute common people's property among those who have more children.
New Delhi: Since 1984, the Hyderabad constituency has been a fortress of AlMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisis family. From the crown being held by his father Salahuddin Owaisi for nearly two decades and succeeded by his son Barrister Saheb, the seat has turned into a high-profile constituency with the BJP eyeing it. Owaisis maiden election victory in 2004 established his dominance in the seat, but since his first victory, he has not only retained his position but also expanded his electoral dominance progressively.

However, this time, the BJP fired a shot in the dark by fielding Madhavi Latha against Owaisi. But after getting the ticket from Indias largest political party, Latha has invested every trick in the book to make her presence felt and turn a no competition into a showdown of a kind. She's well-known for her skill in reciting Hindu scriptures, which the BJP sees as a great opportunity to appeal to the Hindu voter base.

Not only the Hindutva ideology, but she is also confident about her work among Muslim women during the triple talaq bill. Her anti-patriarchal attitude banks on the hope of Muslim women voting for the BJP. During her campaign, she ventured on the streets of the Old City, talking to Muslim residents and asking for a chance to make a positive difference in their lives. She wants them to consider voting based on what's best for them rather than just their religious beliefs.

Madhavi Latha is a trustee of the Viswanadha Foundation, the Lopamudra Charitable Trust, and the Lathama Foundation. She has established a fund to support impoverished Muslim women, while she also manages a cow shelter (gaushala).

Taking down the AIMIM party will be tough because the majority of the voters there are Muslims and have traditionally supported the Owaisi family. On the other side, Owaisi says he's fighting against the ideology of the BJP, not any specific person. His speeches are all about criticizing Modi, Amit Shah, and the BJP's beliefs overall. The population of Hyderabad consists mainly of urban population, with a varied mix of people. Muslims make up the largest portion, accounting for 60% of the population, while Hindus make up 35%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes constitute 3.89% and 1.24%, respectively.

Out of the seven assembly constituencies in Hyderabad, AIMIM has six lawmakers, and the BJP's T Raja Singh, who's known for stirring controversy, is MLA from the Goshamahal. This means, the Congress and the BRS don't have much of a say in this race. Since Owaisi supports K Chandrashekar Rao's Bharat Rashtra Samithi, the BRS puts up a weak candidate against him just for a formality.
A businessman from Anand Vihar in Sector 32 was arrested on Friday in connection with a cybercrime case where Rs 6.1 crore was siphoned off from a software development company's account. According to police, the defrauded amount was transferred to 141 bank accounts and e-wallets using a VPN service to evade IP detection. Harmeet Singh Malik, the alleged mastermind behind the crime, was detained by immigration officials at Mumbai airport when he was about to fly out to Dubai. Six accused have so far been arrested.

In Dec, Kushal Singh, director of Witzeal Technologies Pvt Ltd, had filed a complaint alleging that Rs 6.14 crore had been fraudulently transferred from the company's account between Dec 6 and 19, 2023. "Ours is a software development company which also operates in online gaming. We make transactions via online platform Razorpay. No SMS alert or email was received when the amount was debited from the company's bank account," the complainant alleged.

An FIR was then registered under sections 419 (cheating by personation) and 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the IPC on January 17. "The five arrested accused revealed that Harmeet Singh was the key player in the fraud. He operates from India as well as Dubai. We had issued a lookout circular (LOC) against him, and he was arrested at Mumbai airport on April 19 while leaving for Dubai. He is currently in police remand until Tuesday," Siddhant Jain, DCP cybercrime, said.

During the preliminary probe, it was found that Rs 10 lakh from the defrauded amount was deposited in the ICICI bank account of UdaanpeInfoserve, a telecommunication company in Sector 65. The firm's CEO, Shantanu Anand, was then nabbed on Jan 25, and based on his statement, four others were arrested.

According to reports, UdaanpeInfoserve's then-chief technology officer (CTO), Tarun Kumar Dudeja, Karthik Sharma and his brother Yash Sharma of Hari Nagar in Delhi, and Rakesh Sharma, an alleged hawala operator from Rajasthan's Bikaner, were subsequently arrested.

"From Udaanpe Infoserve's account, the defrauded amount was transferred to other bank accounts. From there, it was converted to USDT cryptocurrency and transferred to crypto wallets in Dubai," a cybercrime official said. Karthik, a furniture shop owner, used to operate Udaanpe's bank account, and a debit card linked to the account has been recovered from his possession. Yash has been accused of converting the amount to cryptocurrency and sending it to Dubai-based fraudsters.

Cops said Rakesh is a hawala operator and was providing bank accounts to the Dubai-based suspect. They are looking for two more accused, Mohit Malik and Ketan, who are currently on the run.
New Delhi: In between the speculation of Congress Candidate from Amithi, Union Minister and BJP candidate, Smriti Irani said that I don't have any candidate against me to contest the election. Irani also said that nobody is buzzing for Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 already began on April 16, and the grand old party is still vacillating the candidate's name from the Amithi Lok Sabha seat. While the BJP has already fielded Union Minister Smriti Irani from the Amithi Parliamentary Constituency.

While speaking to the media agency, BJP candidate Smriti reacted to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's candidature from Amethi and Raebareli and said that nobody is buzzing against me.

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: On being asked about Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's candidature from Amethi and Raebareli, Union Minister and BJP candidate from Amethi, Smriti Irani says "There is no buzz around the nation. Nobody is buzzing for them. If people were buzzing for pic.twitter.com/i4Z5uy4819  ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2024

"There is no buzz around the nation. Nobody is buzzing for them. If people were buzzing for Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, we would not be......I don't have a candidate against me, I can only contest if there is a candidate against me...," she said.

Irani expressed her honour to BJP senior leaders for providing candidature from Amethi, "It is an absolute honour that BJP and the senior leaders of the party have given me the support for my candidature from Amethi," she said.

"Because of the positive contribution of PM Modi towards Amethi, in the last 5 years in Amethi, 1.14 lakh homes, 4 lakh toilets, 3.5 lakh water connections were provided and 1.5 lakh families received electricity connections...There are many works that PM Modi has helped deliver to the people of Amethi..," She further added.
New Delhi: Whenever one thinks about 90s TV serials vamps, Kamolika sure comes to mind. Urvashi Dholakia played the role and was one of the most popular stars of her time. The actress had a tough life personally but that never showed up professionally.

Urvashi got married when she was just 16 as she wanted her fairytale to start early. She has been working since the age of 6 and tied the knot at 16. She was born to a Gujarati father and a Punjabi mother on July 9, 1978. The actress welcomed her twin sons at the age of 17 but unfortunately, had to raise them on her own. She raised both her boys as a single parent and how, she was and is truly an inspiration for all single parents as she worked really hard just to raise her kids.

She made her acting debut at the age of 6 as a child artist in a commercial for lux soap with the actress Revathi. As an adult, her first television show was Dekh Bhai Dekh in which she played the role of Shilpa. In the 2000s, Urvashi was recognised as one of the top television actresses in India. She gained fame with shows like Kabhii Sautan Kabhii Sahelii, Ghar Ek Mandir, Kasautii Zindagi Kay and Kahiin To Hoga, all under Ekta Kapoor. Her most popular role was of Komolika, which made her nearly immortal as a vamp in the Indian television industry. Infact, the show was also one of the longest-running Indian television serials of all time.

Urvashi entered the Bigg Boss house in season 6 and came out as a winner. She was also seen playing another negative role in Naagin 6 that fans loved.

Recently, she participated in 'Jhalak Dikhla Jaa 11' and was one of the most loved contestants on the show.
New Delhi: Bank branches will remain closed during certain days in the month of May in several cities of the country as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Holiday list. Though branches will be closed for physical operations, online banking activities will continue to work.

Hence, if you want to visit your bank branch for any bank related important work next month, you must note down the number of days when branches will be closed in various cities in the month of May 2024.

While some bank holidays will be observed nation-wide, some others will be local holidays. Several bank branches will remain closed in various states owing to these festivities. Before visiting your bank branch in the month of May, you must note down the list of important days during which banks will remain closed.

Banks will remain closed for total 15 days in the month of May 9 as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday calendar list and the remaining days are that of weekends and state declared holiday.

However, you must note that the banks will NOT be closed for 15 days in all states or regions. This is the total number of days when banks in different parts of the country will remain closed for state-observed holidays.

For example bank branches might be closed for Birthday of Rabindranath Tagore in West Bengal but NOT CLOSED for the same in Goa, Bihar or other states.

Here is an elaborate list of bank holidays falling in the month of May 2024. Check out the list.

Maharashtra Din/May Day (Labour Day): May 1

Lok Sabha General Elections 2024: May 7

Birthday of Rabindranath Tagore: May 8

Basava Jayanti/Akshaya Tritiya: May 10

Lok Sabha General Elections 2024: May 13

State Day: May 16

Lok Sabha General Elections 2024: May 20

Buddha Pournima: May 23

Nazrul Jayanti/Lok Sabha General Elections 2024: May 25

Weekends and Second Saturdays

May 4: Sunday

May 11: Second Saturday

May 12: Sunday

May 18: Sunday

May 25: Fourth Saturday

May 26: Sunday

Reserve Bank of India places its Holidays under three brackets --Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act; Holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday; and Banks Closing of Accounts. However, it must be noted that the bank holidays vary in various states as well not observed by all the banking companies. Banking holidays also depend on the festivals being observed in specific states or notification of specific occasions in those states.

Holidays of the mentioned days will be observed in various regions according to the state declared holidays, however for the gazetted holidays, banks will be closed all over the country.
New Delhi: EPFO members are eagerly waiting for interest money on employees' provident fund (EPF) for 20232024 to be credited into their account. The retirement fund body had recently responded to a PF member on the query regarding the same.

@PMOIndia Sir my question is when EPFO interest of subscribers FY-2023-24 will be credited? This will improve the image of EPFO & subscribers will bless the Central Govt. April 22, 2024

EPFO responded saying

Dear member, The process is in pipeline and may be shown there very shortly. Whenever the interest will be credited, it will be accumulated and paid in full. There would be no loss of interest.  EPFO (@socialepfo) April 23, 2024

Meanwhile, if you are keen to check your EPF interest credit status, there are 4 ways to do it. Here are 4 ways to check PF Balance --Online, SMS, Missed Calls, Umang App



Know how to check EPF account balance ONLINE

Log on to epfindia.gov.in

Feed in your UAN number, password and captcha code

Click on the e-Passbook

Once you file all the details, you will land up on a new page

Now open member id

Now you can see the total EPF balance in your account

How to check EPF balance through UMANG App

Open the UMANG App

Click on EPFO.

Click on Employee Centric Services

Click on the View Passbook option

Feed in your UAN number and password

You will get OTP on your registered mobile number

Now you can now check your EPF balance

How to check EPF balance through SMS

Apart from the mobile number, the members registered on the UAN portal may get their PF details by sending an SMS from their registered mobile numbers. For this, you are required to SMS EPFOHO UAN to 7738299899.

How to check EPF balance through MISSED Call

EPFO subscribers, registered on the UAN portal, may get their PF details available with the Employees Provident Fund Organisation by giving a missed call at 011-22901406 from their mobile number registered with UAN.
Displeasure in the Armenian community increased following the departure of the Russian peacekeepers from the Garabagh region and an agreement that was reached on the return of 4 villages in the Gazakh district to Azerbaijan. Although severing relations with Russia is convenient for pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, it is difficult for the Armenian opposition to give up Moscow, which has been under its patronage for a long time.

It is no coincidence that these forces are also worried about the strengthening of Azerbaijan-Russia relations. That is why, after the business trip of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, to Russia in recent weeks, the Armenian media started a "smearing" campaign and claimed that there is a cooperation between Baku and Moscow that hosts "crimes".

In fact, the very actions of the forces bringing the criminal charges make the allegations laughable. It should not be forgotten that Armenia plundered the historical lands of Azerbaijan for 30 years and committed environmental, moral, physical, and psychological crimes. The genocides committed in Garabagh at the end of the 1990s, the merciless torture of Armenians against Azerbaijani women, children, and the elderly make it absurd for this country to raise criminal allegations against Azerbaijan.

Human bones and looted historical, cultural, and religious monuments found in the area since 2020, when the glorious Azerbaijani army liberated Garabagh, prove the murders and inhumane behaviour of the Armenian military in Garabagh.

On the other hand, Azerbaijan's relations with Russia should be evaluated as an obligation brought on by being a neighbouring state in the region. Obviously, Azerbaijan and Russia have been neighbours for centuries. Between these two countries, periodically, relations have been changeable.

For example, at the beginning of the 19th century, the placement of Armenians in the lands of Azerbaijan, especially in Erivan, Garabagh, and Nakhchivan, and the genocide of ethnic Azerbaijanis were carried out directly on the instructions of the tsarist Russia of that time.

In the 20th century, more specifically, in the 1930s, mass repression of Azerbaijani intellectuals was carried out by Soviet Russia. For 30 years, Russia created the conditions for Armenians to permeate in Garabagh, and for the destruction of the historical lands of Azerbaijan. The positive development of Azerbaijan's relations with Russia at the present time is not an indication that the official Baku has forgotten history.

Thus, politics is a constantly changing and developing field of activity that guides future steps. The relations between Azerbaijan and its northern neighbour Russia continue in a different direction as a result of the events in the South Caucasus and the choices of the regional states. As a result of the soft and gentle policy of the Azerbaijani authorities, Russia has accepted that Armenia, which it has patronised for many years, is an ungrateful "friend".

It is no coincidence that as soon as Russian-Azerbaijani relations fell in a different direction, the official Erivan could not hold Garabagh, which it once occupied, and the Azerbaijani state returned its lands after 30 years and a 44-day war. The Armenian ruling class, which could not digest the humiliating defeat, began to look for a solution in the West, and as a result, its relations with Russia came to a dead end, which made them a tool for the West.

It seems that even now those ruling classes want to find flaws in the policy of official Baku, and because they have not been able to make any progress in relations with Russia, they are trying to draw the attention of the world community to the South Caucasus with false information and accusations.

It should not be forgotten that Azerbaijan was founded not at the expense of the finances and instructions of other states like Armenia but at the expense of centuries-old history and culture, at the cost of the lives of prominent intellectuals.

Currently, the main goal of Baku is to ensure the economic and political development of the country and the region in the future, as well as to strengthen its relations with countries both in the East and the West.
NEW DELHI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and 22 others injured, some of them critically, after a pickup van collided with a stationary goods truck in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said Monday.

The accident took place Sunday night near Kathia village of Bemetara district, about 53 km north of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.

The deceased were identified as six women and three children. Seven of the injured were said to be in critical condition, police said, adding that the victims were returning home after attending a family function in nearby Tiraiyya village.

Preliminary investigations carried out by the police suggest the fast-driven pickup van rammed into the goods truck that was parked along the roadside.

Around 150,000 people are killed every year in about half a million road accidents across India, officials said. 
Om Fahad, an Iraqi TikTok star, was shot dead in a late-night attack outside her home in eastern Baghdad's Zoyouna district, Al Jazeera reported on Saturday. According to surveillance camera footage from the incident site, the viral creator of the short video-making platform Tiktok was shot down by an unidentified assailant who arrived on a motorbike dressed in dark clothing and a helmet, got off the motorbike, walked towards a black SUV, and shot Om Fahad, who was sitting inside.



According to Al Jazeera, the Ministry of Interior announced the formation of a team to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing.

Iraqi social media star Influencer Om Fahad has been assassinated by Iranian militias of the Hashd Al Shaabi (PMF) today in Baghdad (Iraq)



She didnt engage in politics or similar but was often attacked by these factions for her liberal lifestyle



Enraging: her social pic.twitter.com/6nOGV5twZL April 26, 2024

Who Was Iraqi Social Media Influencer Om Fahad?

With almost half a million followers on TikTok, Om Fahadreal name: Ghufran Sawadibecame well-known for posting videos of herself dancing to pop music.

A court found in February 2023 that she had posted videos that included "indecent speech that undermines modesty and public morality" and sentenced her to six months in prison. Over a million people have watched some of her videos.



Investigations against other online content creators were initiated, and five more were sentenced to prison terms of up to two years at the time. This came after the Iraqi Interior Ministry formed a committee in January 2023 to investigate "obscene and degrading content" posted online by influencers such as Om Fahad, with the stated goal of protecting "morals and family traditions" in society.

Additionally, an online platform was established, according to Al Jazeera, where Iraqi users were urged to report any such content for removal. At the time, officials asserted that tens of thousands of reports had been registered by the public, and that the public had embraced the platform.



Following the ministry's crackdown, some online content creators were compelled to issue an apology and remove portions of their work.



In a report released last year, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor stated that it could not find any reason to indict Om Fahad and that her writing did not go beyond the bounds of her freedom of expression, opinion, and publication.


BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Giant panda couple Jin Xi and Zhu Yu left the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province for Spain at 11:25 am on Monday, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said.

To ensure the health and safety of the giant pandas during the flight, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding prepared bespoke transport cages loaded with fresh bamboo and bamboo shoots. Breeders and vets will be on hand to regularly monitor the giant pandas.

After arriving at Madrid Zoo Aquarium in Spain, the Chinese team will stay for about three months to help the pandas during their quarantine period, and to complete stress adaptation and behavioral training, and help them adjust to their new environment. Meanwhile, they will offer technical guidance and training to the zoo staff.

China and Spain signed an agreement in 2007 to improve giant panda protection and promote cooperation in endangered species and biodiversity. To date, six panda cubs have been successfully born and bred thanks to the joint efforts. 
Robots weld bodyshells of cars at a workshop of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto Inc. in Changzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng)

"The fact that buyers still desire Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) suggests that the global market is not saturated yet and the assertion of overcapacity in China may be misplaced," said a UN senior official.

HARARE, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The allegation of overcapacity in China's green industries by the United States is misplaced, a senior official from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has said.

"The fact that buyers still desire Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) suggests that the global market is not saturated yet and the assertion of overcapacity in China may be misplaced," Eunice Kamwendo, director of the UNECA Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

She made the remarks in response to assertions of "overcapacity" in China's flourishing green industries made by U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen during her recent visit to China.

Instead of blaming China for "industrial overcapacity," the United States must play to global trade rules, Kamwendo said in her e-mailed response to Xinhua from Zambia where the UNECA Sub-Regional Office for Southern Africa is located.

Chinese manufacturers "appear to have gotten a headstart, not least because of the aggressive investments made in their domestic market starting in 2009 and 2010, when many other countries were slow to develop their EV industries," she said.

China's competitiveness in its green industries' productive capacities had resulted in its EVs priced relative to their production costs, taking advantage of the increasing appetite for EVs globally, Kamwendo said.

Noting that European Union countries, in particular, are accelerating the transition to EVs at a cheaper price, Kamwendo said China has been able to meet this demand and fill the gap.

"Undoubtedly, the United States would like a share of the lucrative EU EV market. It needs to compete," Kamwendo said.

The UN official added that the rising global demand for Chinese EVs suggests that global supply is still insufficient, and instead of complaining, the United States should beef up its game to effectively compete.

Kamwendo said industrial capacity of any goods, including green energy products, fluctuates throughout the production cycle over time.

"If productive capacity is between zero and 100, and a firm stands at 80 percent in April but the domestic economy can only absorb 50 percent, companies will seek to export the remainder capacity into the global market. This is trade," she noted.

"Does that make the practice overcapacity? In economic terms, no," Kamwendo said.

She said China is a powerhouse with quick, cheap industrial capacity, which is very competitive, with a cost-effective supply chain which allows it to lead in global EV sales.

"Indeed, China's experimentation in adjacent industries, innovative technological solutions and proximity to green mineral supplies, has enabled it to leapfrog competition," Kamwendo said. 
A helicopter of China General Aviation Co., Ltd. gets ready for an aerial tour in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, March 21, 2024.(Xinhua/Zhou Huimin)

HAIKOU, April 29 (Xinhua) -- As a strategic industry, the low-altitude economy is emerging as a forerunner in developing new quality productive forces across China, including the southern island province of Hainan.

On April 24, a remarkable show unfolded as a drone departed from an airport in the provincial capital Haikou and embarked on a three-hour flight to transport a batch of shrimp seedlings from the province's Wenchang City to an airport in Zhuhai, located in the neighboring Guangdong Province, marking the first cross-sea public cargo transport through drone from Hainan to Zhuhai.

"This drone transport will greatly reduce transportation time and enhance the survival rate of aquatic seedlings, thereby playing a crucial role in cost reduction and efficiency improvement," said Yun Yongchao, general manager of a local marine biotechnology company in Wenchang.

He added that aquatic products were previously transported by land and ferry to Guangdong, taking about 13 hours, leading to high losses. "This cross-sea drone flight is a new model that provides us with a new transportation choice."

This cross-sea drone transportation exemplifies the advancement of new quality productive forces in Hainan, greatly improving the transportation efficiency of agricultural products between Hainan and Guangdong. It also contributes to the reduction of logistics costs and injects fresh vitality into the development of the low-altitude economy in both provinces.

As the only tropical island province in China, Hainan has over 300 days available for flights annually, which offers unique environmental advantages for developing the low-altitude economy.

In 2010, Hainan became one of the first pilot regions for low-altitude airspace management reform in the country. The province released a map for unmanned aircraft in 2023, demonstrating early and ongoing efforts to open up low-altitude airspace in the country.

According to Hu Qingqun, deputy general manager of China General Aviation Co., Ltd., as one of the first regions in the country to carry out low-altitude airspace management reform, Hainan has continuously strengthened the foundation for the development of the low-altitude economy by constructing general aviation airports throughout the province.

He noted that Hainan has established a relatively complete low-altitude management system and an efficient infrastructure service system.

In recent years, Hainan has developed its low-altitude economy according to local conditions, leading the country in low-altitude tourism, aviation sports, emergency rescue and other fields.

In 2023, Hainan ranked first in the country in terms of aerial tours and skydiving flights, with about 13,700 hours of flight time, 152,000 takeoffs and landings, and 364,800 passengers, accounting for approximately 45.9 percent, 63.2 percent and 61.1 percent of the national total, respectively, making Hainan the leading province in China's low-altitude tourism, according to official data.

"As a free trade port, Hainan enjoys more preferential policies. Key technologies such as drones and electric aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing are developing rapidly. At the same time, people's demand for convenient travel and leisure tourism is increasing, and so is the market," said Li Yan, general manager of Sanya Base of China Southern Airlines General Aviation Co., Ltd.

At present, Hainan has more than 160 locally registered general aviation companies and nearly 50 non-local general aviation companies.

Guo Yao, an official of the Hainan Provincial Development and Reform Commission, said that in the future, Hainan will harness its natural resource advantages to focus on commercial short-haul transportation, low-altitude tourism consumption, and marine economic development. This strategic focus aims to establish the province as a pilot demonstration area for the low-altitude economy and to inject new momentum into the high-quality development of the Hainan Free Trade Port. 

This photo taken during a helicopter aerial tour on March 21, 2024 shows Wuzhizhou Island in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province.(Xinhua/Zhou Huimin)
RIYADH, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia announced Monday cooperation with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to establish a space center.

The WEF and Saudi Space Agency signed the cooperation agreement on the sideline of the WEF Special Meeting in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

It is the first center in the WEF Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution to focus exclusively on space, the forum said on its website.

The center aims to facilitate public-private discussions on space collaboration to incorporate best practices from the forum and its communities into the global space sector.

"The center is committed to fostering a vibrant, prosperous, and sustainable space economy globally. By developing principles, expanding knowledge, refining models, and cultivating partnerships, we aim to responsibly harness the vast opportunities of space," said Saudi Space Agency CEO Mohammed Altamimi.

At a WEF session, Saudi natural conservation authorities announced an environmental violation monitor project in the Rafha region of northern Saudi Arabia.

Using 40 drones, the project aims to improve the detection of violations like firewood collection and overgrazing, according to its initiator, Saudi Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority.

The WEF special meeting focused on boosting international collaboration, economic growth, and sustainable energy solutions. 
NEW DELHI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Two people have died of sunstroke in India's the southern state of Kerala because of severe heat conditions, local media reported Sunday.

The country's meteorological department has issued a maximum temperature warning for 12 districts for the upcoming five days, according to India Today. 
KIEV, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg discussed aid for Ukraine during their meeting in Kiev, the government-run Ukrinform news agency reported Monday.

"Today we discussed Jens' initiative to create a special fund for the financial support of Ukrainian defense worth 100 billion euros (about 107 billion U.S. dollars) for five years," Zelensky told reporters during a media briefing.

The NATO allies have all the instruments to implement such an initiative, Zelensky said, noting that Ukraine expects the new aid to go on top of the assistance under the bilateral agreements on security guarantees.

For his part, Stoltenberg said that some NATO members have agreed to increase their support for Kiev.

Zelensky and Stoltenberg also discussed bilateral ties between Ukraine and NATO and the preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Washington. D.C., the United States.

Stoltenberg invited Zelensky to participate in the summit that will take place on July 9-11.

According to media reports, Stoltenberg arrived here earlier in the day on an unannounced visit. 
TEHRAN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani on Monday strongly condemned recent bids by the European Parliament to designate Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) a "terrorist organization."

He made the remarks at a weekly press conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, denouncing a resolution passed in European Parliament on Thursday to urge the European Union to impose more sanctions on Tehran and blacklist the IRGC in response to Iran's massive retaliatory military operation on April 14 against Israel.

Kanaani slammed as "baseless and irresponsible" the issues raised by the European Parliament.

He said the IRGC was an official military force of Iran that played an indispensable role in ensuring national security, protecting national borders, and encountering external aggressions and threats.

He hailed IRGC's "unique, undeniable and determining" role in fighting terrorist groups in the region, with many of its fighters sacrificing their lives against "Takfiri" and Islamic State "terrorists."

Kanaani advised the Europeans to think correctly about the IRGC before making any decision.

Iran launched large-scale missile and drone strikes on Israel in response to an Israeli attack on April 1 on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital Damascus, in which seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders, were killed. 
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea Franco in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea Franco in Beijing on Monday.

China is willing to work with Peru to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, strengthen the synergy of development strategies, fully tap cooperation potential, pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and push for new progress in China-Peru relations, Han said.

China supports Peru in its hosting of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, Han said.

Noting that bilateral cooperation has a solid foundation and broad prospects, Gonzalez-Olaechea said that Peru abides by the one-China principle, and is willing to maintain close, high-level exchanges with China and deepen practical cooperation in various fields to push bilateral ties to a new high. 

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea Franco in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)
BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese science fiction, led by titles of Hugo Award winner Liu Cixin, has seen growing global interest and media exposure in recent years, according to two newly released reports.

The global search trend and media reports about Chinese sci-fi works had been on a steady rise between 2018 and 2023, according to a report on the overseas footprint of Chinese sci-fi.

The report, compiled by the China Science Fiction Research Center and the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies, was released at the eighth China Science Fiction Convention, which concluded on Monday.

"The Three Body Problem" by Liu Cixin has led Chinese sci-fi novels in terms of overseas influence, while films adapted from Liu's "The Wandering Earth" are the top influencer in the movie category, the report said.

"Big IPs (like Liu's works) can become a trailblazer. They have piqued interest in Chinese sci-fi and prompted the translation of other Chinese works into various languages," said Ji Shaoting, a member of the science fiction committee of the China Writers Association.

She noted that a similar trend has emerged in Japan, with numerous Chinese science fiction titles being published in Japanese, fueled by the immense popularity of "The Three Body Problem."

Another report on the global impact of "The Three Body Problem" intellectual properties indicates that elements drawn from Chinese history and culture are particularly embraced by international fans of Chinese science fiction, surpassing other aspects such as human emotions and advanced technology.

Nearly 80 percent of overseas interviewees have expressed a wish to understand China after watching the Chinese TV adaptation of "The Three Body Problem," according to the report jointly released by China Science Fiction Research Center and Tencent Horizon.

"Many sinologists I met in Europe are excited about 'The Three Body Problem.' They told me that the work has sparked an enthusiasm for studying the Chinese language," said Wu Yan, a renowned researcher on Chinese sci-fi. 
The global Islamic finance industry will continue see high-single-digit growth in 2024-2025, with sukuk issuances to hover between $160 billion and $170 billion in 2024, furthering the industry's asset growth.

According to a report titled Islamic Finance 2024-2025: Resilient Growth Anticipated Despite Missed Opportunities" published by S&P Global Ratings, headwinds for the sukuk market are on the horizon, though, with the expected adoption of a new standard that could subdue issuance growth in 2025 and beyond.

The global Islamic finance industry continues to rapidly grow its assets but only in a few core markets, and S&P expects positive contributions from all the Islamic finance industry' components to sustain this growth throughout the remainder of 2024.

Pick-up relatively slow

Although sustainability and digitalisation represent emerging sources of growth, the pick-up has been relatively slow.

Total assets of the global Islamic finance industry continue on its growth path. S&P Global Ratings expects high-single-digit growth in 2024-2025 after a growth of 8% in 2023 (excluding Iran). Although Islamic banks in Saudi Arabia grew at a slightly slower pace than peers in other countries, there was a significant drop in Kuwait as 2022 numbers were inflated by a large acquisition.

In the UAE, Islamic finance growth quickened in 2023 thanks to the robust performance of the non-oil economy. Other Islamic finance countries contributed only 15% of the industry's incremental growth in 2023.

Sukuk market

The sukuk market also saw good but softening growth in issuance volumes. The sukuk market has started 2024 strong, with total issuance reaching $46.8 billion at March 31, 2024, compared with $38.2 billion at the same date a year prior. Moreover, the Islamic funds and takaful sectors are likely to expand further. We continue to exclude Iran from our calculations due to Iranian banks' lack of disclosure.

Familiar challenges for the industry have spilled into 2024, namely concentration in a small number of countries and complexity of transactions and standards. Islamic finance struggles to attract interest beyond its core markets--countries across Central Asia and Africa, and parts of Europe.

This has kept the Islamic banking industry embryonic in these markets and sukuk activity sporadic. The way standards are evolving could also compound the limited geographic diversification. In its exposure draft on sukuk (Standard 62) published in late 2023, the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) proposed fundamental Islamic Finance 2024-2025: Resilient changes in many of the foundations of the market. In our view, if the standard is adopted as proposed, headwinds may emerge from 2025 and beyond.

Digitalisation and sustainability

The drive for digitalisation and sustainability initiatives have yielded mixed results. While opportunities related to sustainable finance are significant as the industry is concentrated in oil exporting countries, progress has been relatively slow and limited in the global context.

Similarly, digitalisation has helped the banking side of the industry, but we have yet to see strides in the capital market activities through tokenisation and digital sukuk. The prerequisite of having global and supportive standards is a major hurdle.

Future of Islamic finance

In S&Ps view, the future of Islamic finance is sustainable, collaborative, and digital. It is sustainable thanks to the alignment between Sharia principles, overarching pillars of sustainability, and the value proposition of Islamic finance that capture more than just financial objectives.

The future is collaborative because it is not in the interest of stakeholders to disrupt the industry equilibrium and erase the development that was achieved over the past half century.

Finally, digitalisation will come into play because leveraging emerging technologies could help the industry enhance its efficiency and ultimately its value proposition for investors and issuers.--TradeArabia News Service
PHNOM PENH, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's anti-drug police have arrested a gang of six local people for allegedly trafficking and possessing illicit drugs, seizing more than 188 kg of narcotics, the Anti-Drug Department (ADP) said in a news release on Monday.

The suspects, two men and four women, aged between 23 and 60, were apprehended on April 24 during raids on five locations in the capital Phnom Penh after a thorough probe for more than three months.

"A total of 188.1 kg of crystal methamphetamine, ketamine and heroin was seized from the suspects' possession during the crackdowns," the ADP said.

More than 300,000 U.S. dollars in cash and millions of dollars in their bank accounts, as well as their properties and cars, were also confiscated during the raids, the ADP added.

The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for a drug trafficker. Under its law, someone found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be jailed for life.

According to the ADP, Cambodia nabbed 5,489 drug-related suspects, including more than 100 foreigners, during the January-March period this year, confiscating a total of 3.65 tons of narcotics.

Most of the seized drugs were ketamine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine tablets, heroin, ecstasy and cocaine. 
UNITED NATIONS, April 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for a peaceful and credible presidential election in Chad, said his spokesman on Monday.

"Ahead of the first round of the presidential election in Chad on May 6, the secretary-general calls on all Chadian stakeholders to ensure a peaceful, inclusive, transparent and credible electoral process," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement.

Guterres encourages all political leaders to refrain from any acts or discourse that could undermine a peaceful process, to overcome any disagreements through dialogue and to address complaints that may arise through established legal channels, said the statement.

The secretary-general reiterates the commitment of the United Nations to continue to support Chad in its effort to build a peaceful and prosperous future, it said. 
KHARTOUM, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Clashes renewed on Monday between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the outskirts of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state in western Sudan, raising fears of a large-scale attack on the city.

"There was bombing west of El Fasher. Plumes of smoke are rising from the outskirts of the city, and we are afraid that this will be the beginning of a large-scale attack on the city," Saleh Adam, a local resident, told Xinhua.

Adam said that most of El Fasher's markets and shops are closed, and a growing number of citizens are fleeing the city.

The recent clashes in El Fasher between the two warring parties have displaced over 70,000 people, the independent Sudan Tribune on Sunday cited an unnamed North Darfur state government official as saying.

The RSF has recently escalated threats to storm the strategic city of El Fasher, which constitutes a major center for delivering humanitarian aid to the Darfur region.

Ali Rizkalla, an RSF commander in El Fasher, criticized the international calls for restraint by the RSF, accusing the United Nations and the international community of turning a blind eye to the SAF's aerial bombardments of El Fasher and other cities, according to the Sudan Tribune.

In a statement posted Monday on the social media platform, the RSF Commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said he discussed during a phone call with the UN Secretary-General's Envoy to Sudan Ramtane Lamamra "the situation in North Darfur state, including the deliberate and systematic SAF barrel bombardments that have targeted not only innocent civilians, but also livestock."

"I assured Mr. Lamamra that we are exercising our legitimate right to self-defense in response to the aggression that we have been faced since this war began," Dagalo noted.

For weeks, the RSF has been mobilizing thousands of fighters on the outskirts of El Fasher in preparation for an attack.

In return, the SAF and allied Darfuri armed groups strengthened their military presence at the entrances to El Fasher and around most of the city's neighborhoods.

The UN warned last week against an escalation, saying the rising tensions are "in an area already on the brink of famine," and "an attack on the city would have devastating consequences for civilians."

According to the UN, some 800,000 people in El Fasher were in "extreme and immediate danger" as worsening violence advances and threatens to "unleash bloody intercommunal strife throughout Darfur."

Since the conflict between the SAF and the RSF broke out on April 15, 2023, 14,790 fatalities have been recorded, while the number of people displaced inside and outside of Sudan has reached 8.2 million, according to recent estimates by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 
HOUSTON, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Police and pro-Palestinian protesters clashed on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, U.S. state of Texas, on Monday afternoon.

More than 40 people were arrested during the chaos, a witness estimated, who also saw at least three people passing out from dehydration and being transported to the hospital during the protest.

"I have seen two people violently arrested," a protester told Xinhua, asking for anonymity.

The rally started as an event on recent Diversity, Equity and Inclusion layoffs at the university, and anti-war protesters joined at noon time, local media outlet KNUE reported.

Shortly afterwards, the University of Texas Police Department posted a dispersal order on social media, demanding everyone leave the rally area immediately.

Around 1:30 p.m. local time, police moved in to clear people out of the area by force.

Protesters could be heard chanting, "There is no riot here, why are you in riot gear?"

"What brought me out today was seeing the response against students here who are peacefully protesting. I find it absurd that the state and local police departments have come down upon UT Austin and arrested students and protesters for peacefully protesting," Elliott Benavides, a student with UT Austin, told Xinhua.

"I'm a faculty at UT Austin. We are here on behalf of our students who are no longer safe on this campus because the university administration insists on calling in the police every time the students gather to voice their opinions," said Pavithra Vasudevan, a university faculty member.

The university has said the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the group that organized last week's protest in which 57 people were arrested, has been placed on interim suspension.

"UT Austin does not tolerate disruptions of campus activities or operations like we have seen at other campuses," the UT Division of Student Affairs said in a statement before last week's protest.

However, all charges against the 57 protesters arrested last week have been dropped, the Travis County attorney's office confirmed on Friday.

From Texas to California, pro-Palestinian demonstrations are spreading on campuses across the United States as the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza continues. Hundreds have been arrested by police amid student protests.

According to media reports, students from Yale University, New York University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina, Brown University, the University of Southern California, and other universities also staged encampments in solidarity with their peers at Columbia University. 
Trainees practice rebar tying operations under a Chinese engineer's instructions in Kampala, Uganda, on April 27, 2024. The continuous participation of Chinese enterprises in Uganda's economic development has equipped local employees with professional skills and knowledge, helping them to build their dreams. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)

WAKISO, Uganda, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The continuous participation of Chinese enterprises in Uganda's economic development has equipped local employees with professional skills and knowledge, helping them to build their dreams.

Musitwa Abel is among the 32 local employees of the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Uganda who have just completed a two-week training course offered by the company in partnership with Wuhan City Polytechnic (WCP) in central China's Hubei Province.

The training, which is part of the company's flagship local talent project dubbed "Seagull Project," covers a series of theoretical and practical courses, including engineering drawing, construction machinery, and practical Chinese language.

Over the past decade, Abel has risen from a driver transporting construction materials to a lab technician. Now, he is even studying for a degree in software engineering at an open university, thanks to the CCCC, the Chinese construction company that has undertaken major infrastructure projects in the country.

"Since I joined the CCCC, my financial status has improved little by little," Abel told Xinhua in a recent interview. "The knowledge and skills in various fields that the CCCC has given me are very useful."

Faith Kironde, 24, is another beneficiary of the Seagull Project. Kironde joined the CCCC as a graduate trainee about seven months ago, and has since risen to the rank of assistant site engineer.

"They taught us a lot of things. In the beginning, when I was at the site, I was doing more theoretical things, paperwork, and inspections, but during the training, I really learned a lot of practical things. I learned how to fix steel (rebar tying), how to lay stone, how to do earthworks, and how to do it from scratch until the road is ready to be paved," said Kironde.

Zhou Chuan, one of the Chinese language teachers, said she was impressed by the enthusiasm of the Ugandan technicians and industrial workers for the training. "They actively interacted with the teachers in the classroom, and all the trainees were engaged in learning Chinese and construction courses throughout the process."

Zhou added that in addition to the language and construction courses and many material demonstrations related to the CCCC's construction projects, the learners were also exposed to Chinese culture and the philosophy of the Chinese people to enhance a sense of belonging.

"Through this training, I wanted to share my theoretical knowledge and practical skills with our African brothers and sisters, so that they can perform better in their future work and realize their dreams with what they have learned and mastered," said Lin Xianguang, another teacher for construction theoretical courses from WCP.

Zhao Wei, representative of the CCCC Uganda, said given the company's operations in the country over the past two decades and its future, such training is crucial as the company considers how to develop locally and sustainably.

"After the first step of training, employees are integrated into our management system. Then, they are put through a cultivation process to help them grow with our system and eventually become qualified members and even outstanding core members," said Zhao.

Since entering the Ugandan market, the Chinese company has successfully delivered dozens of projects, including the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway, which connects Entebbe International Airport, the country's main gateway to the world, with Kampala, the country's capital.

Thousands of local workers, including human resources specialists, environmental assessment engineers, safety engineers, site supervisors, and machine operators, have been involved in the construction of these projects, Zhao said. "This local talent is a valuable asset for the company." 

(240429) -- WAKISO (UGANDA), April 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Trainees of the Seagull Project attend a construction theory course in Wakiso, Uganda, on April 27, 2024 The continuous participation of Chinese enterprises in Uganda's economic development has equipped local employees with professional skills and knowledge, helping them to build their dreams. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)

(240429) -- WAKISO (UGANDA), April 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Faith Kironde, a 24-year-old trainee of the Seagull Project, speaks during an interview in Wakiso, Uganda, on April 27, 2024. The continuous participation of Chinese enterprises in Uganda's economic development has equipped local employees with professional skills and knowledge, helping them to build their dreams. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)

(240429) -- WAKISO (UGANDA), April 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Zhou Chuan (C), a Chinese language teacher, interacts with trainees in a Chinese language class of the Seagull Project in Wakiso, Uganda, on April 27, 2024. The continuous participation of Chinese enterprises in Uganda's economic development has equipped local employees with professional skills and knowledge, helping them to build their dreams. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)

(240429) -- WAKISO (UGANDA), April 29, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Wei, representative of the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Uganda, speaks during an interview in Wakiso, Uganda, on April 27, 2024. The continuous participation of Chinese enterprises in Uganda's economic development has equipped local employees with professional skills and knowledge, helping them to build their dreams. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)

Musitwa Abel, a local employee of the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Uganda who has just completed a two-week training course of the Seagull Project, speaks during an interview in Kampala, Uganda, on April 27, 2024. The continuous participation of Chinese enterprises in Uganda's economic development has equipped local employees with professional skills and knowledge, helping them to build their dreams. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua)
TEHRAN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday the future of relations between his country and Saudi Arabia was "bright and promising."

He made the remarks at a weekly press conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, while commenting on the latest progress in promoting political and economic relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

Kanaani said the bilateral relations were moving forward on a "right and natural" track, while talks and consultations were ongoing at different levels.

He stressed that economic issues were on both countries' agenda ever since the beginning of their talks on the resumption of the bilateral relations, which culminated in March 2023 in the achievement of a groundbreaking China-brokered agreement in Beijing to restore diplomatic ties and reopen embassies and missions.

Kanaani added the two countries were still holding talks on this path, saying fresh visits headed by senior delegations to each other's countries prepared the ground for expanding bilateral economic relations.

He mentioned the presence of a Saudi economic delegation at Iran's 6th Export Potential Exhibition, which runs in Tehran from Saturday to Wednesday, as well as two Iranian delegations respectively headed by Finance Minister Ehsan Khandouzi, and Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

Khandouzi was scheduled to take part in a meeting of the Islamic Development Bank, while Safari was in Riyadh to attend the special meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Iran and Saudi Arabia formally declared in April of last year the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. The attacks followed Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shiite cleric. 
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea Franco in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea Franco in Beijing on Monday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted that China and Peru are good friends and partners who trust each other sincerely.

China stands ready to work with Peru to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, carry forward the traditional friendship, promote high-quality and mutually beneficial cooperation with a high level of political mutual trust, and push the China-Peru comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, Wang said.

China is willing to strengthen development-strategy synergy with Peru, complete negotiations on upgrading the China-Peru free trade agreement as soon as possible, expand practical cooperation in various fields, and aid Peru's industrialization process, he said.

China supports Peru in its hosting of this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, Wang added.

Gonzalez-Olaechea said Peru appreciates that China has always stood on the side of peace and upheld fairness and justice.

Peru supports the China-proposed concept of a community with a shared future for humanity, and welcomes the three global initiatives that China advocates, as well as an equal and orderly multi-polar world and inclusive economic globalization that benefits all, Gonzalez-Olaechea said.

He noted that Peru adheres firmly to the one-China principle. It is willing to enhance solidarity and mutual trust with China, expand practical cooperation and work for more results in bilateral relations, he added.

The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in fields such as infrastructure construction, digital economy, health, and green development.

They also exchanged views on international and regional issues of common concern. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, holds talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea Franco in Beijing, capital of China, April 29, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)
NEW YORK, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Three members of a U.S. Marshals fugitive task force were killed and five others were wounded in a gunfire on Monday afternoon as they were conducting an investigation in a suburban area of Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina, local police said.

A suspect was killed in the gunfire in the front yard of a home and two other people were found in the home, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said in a press briefing.

The law enforcement officers were serving a warrant for a felon wanted for possessing a firearm when the gunfire broke out, according to media reports. 
KHARTOUM, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council and General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, on Monday voiced Sudan's willingness to enhance ties with Russia in a way that serves the common interests of the two countries.

Al-Burhan made the remarks during his meeting with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister and Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov in Port Sudan, the capital city of the Red Sea State in eastern Sudan, the sovereign council said in a statement.

The Russian envoy said in a statement that his country was looking forward to more cooperation with Sudan in various fields, stressing that the leadership of the two countries have the political will to advance cooperation to broader horizons.

Russia's relationship with Sudan is based on "basic principles of preserving the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Sudan," he added. 
JOHANNESBURG, April 29 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is urging Israel to allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need in Gaza, presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said on Monday.

"South Africa calls on the government of Israel to allow the Freedom Flotilla to provide humanitarian assistance where Israel has an occupying power that does not provide this aid while imposing its siege on Gaza," Magwenya made the remarks at a press briefing in Pretoria, the administrative capital of the country.

The "naval blockade" that Israel would seek to enforce by impeding the Freedom Flotilla is a violation of international law, he said.

Any action taken to impede the passage of the Freedom Flotilla would constitute a further and egregious breach of the two binding orders the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued to prevent irreparable harm to the rights of Palestinians, said Magwenya, adding that Israel's ongoing blockade preventing the flow of humanitarian aid to starving populations is unlawful.

South Africa will have "parallel initiatives" to put pressure on Israel and its allies to ensure peace in the Middle East, said the spokesperson, who also urged the international community to talk to Israel to comply with the ICJ provisional order.

South Africa filed an application to the ICJ for proceedings against Israel on Dec. 29, 2023, and the ICJ ordered Israel to take all possible measures to prevent genocide acts in the Gaza Strip on Jan. 26, 2024. 
Pro-Palestine protests heat up in U.S. despite crackdowns

Xinhua) 09:10, April 29, 2024

This photo shows tents of the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University in New York City, the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza have intensified in American universities, fueling anti-war sentiments within the United States, but they have been met with tough measures from the universities and local authorities, with over 700 people having been arrested so far.

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel.

The growing protests underscore latest escalations in the Israel-Palestine conflict, which, coupled with the Biden administration's doubles down on Israel support, have fueled anti-war sentiments within the United States, with public dissatisfaction with the government mounting rapidly.

However, what faces the almost peaceful protests are tough measures from the universities and local authorities, with over 700 individuals having been arrested so far.

PROTESTS BOILING

On April 17, student protesters opposed to Israel's war in Gaza have camped out on the Columbia University campus, calling for the university to financially divest from companies and institutions that "profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."

In just 10 days, universities across more than 30 states in the United States have been swept by waves of protests. As reported by Bloomberg, as of Friday, there are at least 50 sit-ins at colleges across the country, spanning from Ivy League institutions to state schools nationwide.

On Thursday, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the top public universities in the United States, hundreds of protesters gathered and built a protest encampment in support of Palestinians.

Protesters displayed signs on campus with slogans such as "Let Gaza live," "This is not war, this is genocide," and "Stop the massacres," calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for the universities to disclose and divest financial holdings tied to Israel and U.S. weapons makers.

The UCLA rally came one day after another pro-Palestinian protest against the Israeli war in Gaza at the University of Southern California's (USC) Los Angeles campus, where over 90 protesters were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department in hours of clashing.

"Shame on you! Shame on you!" demonstrators chanted as the police took away students and off-campus activists.

People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

CRUEL CRACKDOWN

The USC is not the only place where local authorities have taken tough measures against protesters. According to the New York Times, since the nationwide protest erupted on April 17, hundreds of students from nearly 20 U.S. universities have been arrested.

In Texas, police bulldozed into student protesters at the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday. More than 50 people were arrested, reported local media outlet Austin American-Statesman.

Meanwhile, many university administrations have been actively working to shut down the demonstration and, in some cases, punish participants.

Amid widespread protests on campuses, the USC on Thursday canceled its main stage graduation ceremony for students that had been planned for May 10. This decision came after Muslim student Asna Tabassum was barred from delivering her valedictorian speech due to her public advocacy for supporting Palestine.

Such crackdowns and punishment have sparked a backlash from professors. With hundreds of pro-Palestine students arrested and more and more campus protests disbanded, educators are increasingly showing support for students.

"Rather than respond to faculty and student concerns about the canceling of Asna Tabassum's valedictorian speech and the arrest of peaceful protesters, the USC has unfortunately doubled down on its authoritarian approach and simply canceled an aspect of graduation that students earned and looked forward to," USC assistant sociology professor Brittany Friedman was quoted by the Guardian as saying.

"It is disheartening to see the current state of higher education in our country, the mass exposure of students to police violence, and the complete disregard for what the USC claims to stand for," said the professor.

In New York, some New York University educators were arrested shortly after shielding Muslim students as they prayed, while professors at the City University of New York physically united to create a barrier separating their students from the police.

"To get to our students, you have to get through us," they chanted in unison.

In fact, the protests are not limited to the United States. Following the Columbia encampments, the protests have further spread to universities from France to Australia. In Australia, for example, students from the University of Sydney set up pro-Palestine encampments and unfurled banners reading "Columbia First, USYD next," while University of Melbourne students pitched tents on the south lawn of their main campus.

People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

ISRAEL WELL SHELTERED

The Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip has so far left more than 34,000 dead and about 77,000 wounded, most of whom were women and children.

While the anti-war protesters continue to demonstrate their sympathies over the civilian casualties as they refuse to yield in the face of crackdowns, the response from the U.S. administration and certain politicians seems indifferent to public sentiment.

On Wednesday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Columbia University's president to resign. "We just can't allow this kind of hatred and antisemitism to flourish on our campuses, and it must be stopped in its tracks. Those who are perpetrating this violence should be arrested," he said.

While responding with excessive and vehement condemnation of domestic peaceful protests, the U.S. administration turns a deaf ear to the cries from Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden signed a 95-billion-USD foreign aid bill recently, in which 26 billion U.S. dollars go to Israel despite international criticism over the civilian casualties the Israeli army caused in Gaza.

Weapons to Israel remain "sacrosanct" in Washington, and the aid package highlights a "huge gap" between Democrats in Congress and rank-and-file voters, including those currently protesting at colleges nationwide, Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, was quoted by The Hills as saying.

They're calling on all the other parties in the region to be restrained, whereas they "encourage Israelis to act with total impunity," Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy think tank, told Al Jazeera TV.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI) is constantly adapting to the evolving global landscape, tailoring its product portfolio and focusing on emerging sectors like renewable energy and sustainability.

This is according to Raja Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of ECI, who told the Berne Union Spring Meeting held in Oslo, Norway, that export credit agencies (ECAs) in Mena are supporting export growth through innovative tools and solutions and driving economic diversification in the region.

ECI, the UAEs Federal export credit company, highlighted the crucial role of strategic partnerships in mitigating risks and bolstering national economies.

Short-term trade credit

In a panel discussion focused on the Mena region at the event, Al Mazrouei said: The region has witnessed a surge in short-term trade credit, particularly beneficial for manufacturing, and a significant rise in medium and long-term project finance.

The discussions also addressed the challenges facing ECAs in the Mena region and how geopolitical and economic volatility necessitates vigilant risk monitoring and innovative mitigation strategies.

Commenting on the topic, Al Mazrouei said: The impact of geopolitical tensions on trade cannot be understated as economic protectionism grows in different regions. Addressing these challenges to enable UAE businesses to navigate them requires continuous monitoring of emerging risks and tailored risk mitigation solutions in order to provide protection to exporters.

For example, robust risk assessment tools, partnerships with other countries and ECAs, and a strong reinsurance panel with A or higher ratings have allowed ECI to underwrite risks of up to AED500 million ($136.13 million) per single transaction.

Big data nd AI

We are also leveraging big data and AI to provide real-time analytics and more responsive solutions for our clients, she added, expressing confidence in the Mena regions potential for growth, citing the UAEs non-oil foreign trade reaching a record high in 2023 valued at AED3.5 trillion. Furthermore, ECI emphasised the importance of supporting SMEs, the backbone of the Mena economies.

Finally, highlighting the potential of collaboration in areas such as capacity building, risk sharing, knowledge exchange and business matchmaking, Al Mazrouei said: We actively participate in reinsurance agreements, sharing risks with regional partners and fostering a more robust trade ecosystem. These strategic partnerships enable us to pool resources, expertise and strengths to increase trade confidence and enable UAE companies to succeed internationally. This collaborative approach is also fundamental to the UAEs trade policies, driving economic prosperity.

Climate finance in focus

ECI also emphasised its commitment towards UAEs sustainable development goals through renewable energy and sustainability financing initiatives, signified by the recently launched multi-sectoral partnership unlocking $500 million in credit insurance to catalyse private capital for Africas clean energy sector.

In a panel discussion focused on Climate Finance, Haitham Al Khazaleh, Director of Risk Management at ECI, said: Building on the momentum of COP28, the most successful COP to date, ECI strives to efficiently contribute to and embrace sustainability. COP28 witnessed significant milestones, including establishing the largest private fund for mobilising $85 billion, entirely focused on sustainable projects.

Furthermore, ECI is committed to driving sustainability through offering tailored products and expertise. Incentivising exports of sustainable goods and services and actively developing a pipeline of insurable sustainable development projects aligned with UN SDGs can be pivotal in driving green projects. For example, ECI works with lenders to secure financing for green projects that contribute to promoting responsible business practices.

He added: To ensure strong risk management, ECI incorporates a multi-faceted approach that considers environmental, social, and economic factors. This includes classifying portfolios based on the UN SDGs, conducting comprehensive climate risk assessments, and integrating sustainability metrics like carbon footprint. ECI also actively engages with a wide range of stakeholders, including internal and external parties, to gain insights and perspectives on sustainability.--TradeArabia News Service
GAZA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Monday that achieving a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip is crucial for reaching an agreement with Israel.

Abdul Latif al-Qanou, a spokesman for Hamas, said in a statement that "ensuring a permanent ceasefire is a fundamental cornerstone for moving towards the details of negotiations and the success of the agreement with the Israeli occupation."

He stressed the necessity of fulfilling the demands of the Palestinian people, including a "permanent ceasefire, withdrawal of forces from the Gaza Strip, and the return of refugees."

These demands "are not unrealistic conditions but legitimate demands understood by mediators and supported by our people, and agreed upon nationally and factionally," said the spokesperson.

Accusing Israel of "using the weapon of chaos and destabilization," he said what the Israeli army had failed to achieve "over the past seven months of destruction, devastation, and genocide" will not be achieved "in the wasted time of war."

A Hamas delegation is scheduled to visit Cairo on Monday, to deliver the movement's response regarding a ceasefire in Gaza and to negotiate a hostage-for-prisoner swap deal with Israel, according to a source from the movement.

The source, who preferred not to mention his name, added that the delegation is headed by Khalil Al-Hayya, the Hamas deputy chief in Gaza.

On Sunday, as reported by Israeli public radio, a senior Israeli official said Israel was facing "decisive moments in the efforts to reach a new hostage deal."

The official added, "We are awaiting the response of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar," expecting it to be made "within the next 48 hours." He noted that Israel has expressed readiness to make "very significant concessions" regarding the return of displaced persons to northern Gaza.

Israel launched 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.

Israel estimated that there were still about 134 Israelis held hostage in Gaza, whereas Hamas announced that 70 of them had been killed in Israeli airstrikes.

According to Palestinian organizations concerned with prisoners, Israel detained over 9,000 Palestinians in its jails, with reports of deteriorating conditions and instances of fatalities among them. 
JERUSALEM, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Two Israeli reserve soldiers were killed in a clash with Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday.

Kalkidan Mehar, 37, and Ido Aviv, 28, were killed "in a battle" in the central Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said.

The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, said in a statement via Telegram that the soldiers were killed in two separate ambushes, one in the Al-Mughraqa area in the central Gaza Strip and the other in the "Netzarim axis," a zone that separates the northern and southern Palestinian enclave.

The Al-Qassam Brigades said that several other soldiers were wounded in the attack, whereas Israel said that one other soldier sustained serious injuries.

A total of 608 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict on Oct. 7, 2023. 
MOGADISHU, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least seven children were killed and thousands rendered homeless after flash floods hit Somalia in the past 10 days, the United Nations humanitarian agency said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said more than 124,150 people have been affected by the Gu (April to June) rains, with 5,100 people displaced. Jubaland, Hirshabelle and South West states are the worst impacted.

"As Somalia braces for the likely adverse impact of the current rains, funding for the humanitarian response remains low. Partners require urgent additional funding to scale up response as heavy rains and floods start to spread," the OCHA said in its latest flash update released on Sunday evening.

It said heavy rains are projected during this week in central Somalia after flash floods inundated roads connecting some districts in Jubaland State, temporarily making the roads impassable, thereby affecting about 60,000 people in the two districts.

According to the OCHA, UN partners have pre-positioned supplies in the 22 hotspot districts to meet the needs of 770,000 people who are expected to be affected, including food and nutrition supplies, sandbags, cholera kits and shelter kits, water, sanitation and hygiene, and education supplies.

The Somalia Disaster Management Agency has warned communities living in flood-prone areas in Hirshabelle and Jubaland states of the impact of potential floods.

The agency noted that rising water levels in the Shabelle and Juba rivers could threaten livelihoods in several regions.

In late 2023, heavy Deyr (October to December) rains and flooding killed around 118 people and displaced 1.6 million others from their homes, according to the UN. 
NAIROBI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- African leaders on Monday began a two-day summit in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, by calling for increased concessional funding from the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA).

The leaders called for a tripling of the financing capacity of the IDA, which supports low-income countries with grants and long-term low-interest loans for development, to 279 billion U.S. dollars by 2030.

"Our proposal and request entail a vision for Africa-driven socio-economic development, executed with transparency and inclusiveness, and our case is straightforward: Significant capital injection into IDA is crucial," Kenyan President William Ruto said during the IDA21 Africa Heads of State Summit.

The event brought together presidents of Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Comoros, Mauritania, Central African Republic, Madagascar and Somalia. Also present were the prime ministers of Ethiopia, Guinea, and Algeria as well as President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga.

Ruto noted that additional funding for the IDA, which currently supports 75 nations, 39 of them in Africa, would not only be a relief for many African and other developing nations facing severe debt crises but also make available the much-needed resources to unlock Africa's vast resources.

The Kenyan leader acknowledged the impactful demand-driven programs of the IDA, coupled with concessional loans lasting 40 to 50 years, empowering borrowing nations to pursue sustainable, long-term development strategies.

Ghanian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said mobilizing finance and investment is central to Africa's development needs and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Akufo-Addo noted that Africa's challenge is not a scarcity of financing, but rather overcoming a global economic system that has failed to allocate sufficient long-term resources to support Africa's economic transformation. "That is why boosting the resources of the IDA whose ability to generate concessional financing represents an effective way to respond to the obstacles African countries encounter in the present global system," he said.

The summit, hosted by Kenya and the World Bank Group, will identify key priorities for financing in Africa and champion an ambitious financing replenishment of IDA resources as the current replenishment cycle is known -- that would support transformational development objectives for the African region.

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu said the IDA should concentrate on giving concessional loans to enhance Africa's development financing.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali said increasing the IDA's financial capacity will significantly enhance Africa's ability to address its complex challenges. "While the IDA's existing support must be commended, the sheer scale of challenges many African countries face necessitates a renewed approach," he said.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni noted that affordable financing for the development of infrastructure such as railways, electricity, and investment in irrigation will go a long way in spurring rapid economic growth in Africa.

Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera added that Malawi welcomes the replenishment of the IDA as a vehicle for economic transformation.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said a larger replenishment of the IDA will help his government achieve its national objectives of reducing poverty and creating opportunities in Somalia and Africa. "The IDA is a major lifeline that the country is relying on to enable its ambitious national transformation agenda in this hopeful post-debt relief period," he said. 
CANBERRA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Prime Minister has called an emergency meeting of the country's leaders to address a crisis of violence against women.

Anthony Albanese will on Wednesday hold a meeting of the national cabinet, which is composed of federal, state and territory leaders, to discuss plans to prevent male violence against women.

"We need to look at the full suite of policy measures that can make a practical difference here," he told state media Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) television on Monday.

On Sunday, the prime minister was one of thousands of Australians who joined protests across the country demanding an end to gender-based violence following a wave of incidents.

According to the advocacy group Destroy the Joint, 27 women have died violently in Australia so far in 2024, more than double the 12 in the first four months of 2023.

Addressing protesters in Canberra, Albanese dismissed organizers' calls for the government to declare family violence a national emergency, instead making the case for long-term action to address the national crisis.

He told the ABC on Monday that an emergency declaration would trigger immediate one-off government actions, such as emergency payments during natural disasters.

"What we need here is not one-off actions. What we need here is a concerted plan," he said.

Earlier on Monday, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said that misogyny online was working against government policies aimed at reducing violence against women.

She told Seven Network television that adolescent boys in particular are being fed violent content online that is supporting misogynistic attitudes. 
JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Investment realization in Indonesia reached 401.5 trillion rupiah (around 24.7 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter this year, growing 9.8 percent quarterly and 22.1 percent annually, Investment Minister/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board Bahlil Lahadalia announced on Monday.

"From our target of 1,650 trillion rupiah (around 101.45 billion U.S. dollars) this year, now it has reached 24.3 percent," Lahadalia stated at a press conference.

Collaboration between regional governments and the Board, which is proactive in approaching potential investors, has contributed significantly to this achievement, amidst global uncertainty and domestic political challenges, added Lahadalia.

Lahadalia also highlighted that both foreign and domestic investment showed strong growth in the cited period, with increases of 15.5 percent and 29.7 percent respectively.

The year 2024 is a period full of dynamics for Indonesia, where the general election took place in February, affecting the investment climate. 
PHNOM PENH, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. deployment of medium-range ballistic missiles in the Philippines has posed a grave threat and danger to regional peace and stability, Cambodian scholars have cautioned.

The U.S. Army Pacific announced earlier this month that the United States has deployed the Mid-Range Capability missile system, also known as Typhon, to Luzon, the Philippines, as part of their joint military exercise, which marks the first time that the country deployed a land-based, ground-launched system following its withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019.

UNDERMINING PEACE, STABILITY

Allowing the U.S. army to deploy missiles in the Philippines posed a serious threat and danger to the peace and stability in the region, warned Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, adding that it would not help resolve any regional dispute, but exacerbate the lingering tensions in the South China Sea.

Seun Sam, a policy analyst at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that the United States is rushing to interfere in the policy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its principle of non-interference.

"ASEAN Charter states that ASEAN countries will not allow the foreign military to base in each member state, but in this case, the United States and the Philippines are very wrong since they breach the ASEAN Charter for their own benefits," he told Xinhua.

He said that the United States only cares about its own geopolitical benefits regardless of the benefits of other countries. "ASEAN will continue to stay in fragile peace because the United States will use their military (power) to create problems in the region despite saying that they are in ASEAN to protect peace and stability."

Kin Phea, director general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, said that the Philippines has a "very short-sighted vision" as it closely engages with external countries like the United States and Japan.

If any military conflict happens, the Philippines will be in danger because the United States and Japan are far away from the South China Sea, he noted, adding that those countries and other Western nations are trying to muddy the waters in the region.

Thong Mengdavid, a lecturer at the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy, said joint exercises like "Balikatan 2024" serve as a means for the United States to mold the Philippines into a potential proxy in the event of conflicts with China.

DESTABILIZING ASIA-PACIFIC

Matthews said that the United States and Japan have been destabilizing the Asia-Pacific region by inciting the Philippines to continue provocations in the South China Sea.

"This tripartite defense cooperation and military exercise in the disputed waters have put the whole region in a war-like situation," he noted, adding that it will be counterproductive to the Philippines' economy and regional stability.

Mengdavid said the United States is attempting to influence countries bordering China, including the Philippines, to allow the establishment of U.S. military bases within their borders and to enhance their military capabilities against China.

"This strategy not only enables the United States to position its military assets close to the Chinese territory, but also aims to exacerbate maritime disputes in the region," he said.

OUTSIDERS SHOULD BE OUTSIDE

To maintain peace and stability in the region, ASEAN countries must follow their charter and never allow extraterritorial countries to have a bigger say than any member country, Sam said, adding that when member countries have problems with each other, they should hold friendly discussions and never allow extraterritorial countries to interfere in their dialogues and communications.

"Face-to-face discussions and friendly talks with China are the best way to solve the problems in the South China Sea. All regional countries should ensure that they never use major-power countries to interfere in the region because actions of that kind will create more problems," Sam said. 
NEW DELHI, April 29 (Xinhua) -- A Naxal was killed Monday in a fierce gunfight with Indian government forces in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, officials said.

The gunfight broke out inside a forest area of Kistaram in Sukma district, about 450 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.

"Today a gunfight between Naxals and joint contingents of the police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was triggered inside a forest area here. During the standoff a Naxalite was killed," a police official said.

According to the police, the government forces were out in the area on an anti-Naxal operation.

During a press conference on Monday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said they were fighting Naxals with full might.

Currently, Naxals are active across the central and eastern parts of India.

The insurgency reportedly has claimed hundreds of lives besides rendering thousands of poor inhabitants homeless. 
ISLAMABAD, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Four terrorists were killed in an operation by security forces in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the country's military said in a statement on Monday.

The operation, which started on Sunday night and lasted till the wee hours of Monday morning, was conducted in the Tank district on the reported presence of the terrorists, the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in the statement.

The slain terrorists remained actively involved in numerous incidents of militancy in the area, the statement added.

Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the custody of the terrorists, the ISPR said. 
ST. PETERSBURG, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Russian government has decided to eliminate tariffs on thermal coal and anthracite exports from May 1 to August 31, the administration announced on Sunday via its Telegram channel.

The government states that the move is aimed at supporting domestic coal industry enterprises.

Russia reintroduced the flexible tariff system for coal exports on March 1, which links the tariff rate to the rouble-dollar exchange rate. Tariff rates range from 4 percent to 7 percent depending on the exchange rate, but will not apply if the exchange rate is less than 80 rubles per dollar.

Similar measures on coal exports were taken by Russia from October 1 to December 27, 2023, for the purpose of striking a balance between coal exports and domestic consumption demand. 
DP World has published a Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure (SDID), making it the first company globally to adopt and disclose on its development impact in countries of focus, in accordance with the recently released impact disclosure guidance from the Impact Disclosure Taskforce.

DP World invites industry participants and practitioners to share their feedback during a four-month public consultation period, from April 18 to September 1, to shape and refine the guidance, a statement said.

The disclosure serves as a framework for private sector companies and sovereigns, to demonstrate how they drive transformation through large-scale infrastructure development into emerging markets and developing economies.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO, said: "I am immensely proud to announce the publication of our new Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure, which embodies our commitment to changing whats possible through infrastructure development. This disclosure not only demonstrates our commitment to sustainable development but also sets a path for industry-wide accountability. It's a call to action, to catalyse positive change and drive sustainable infrastructure development on a global scale.

The SDID, which was developed in line with recent disclosure guidance from the Impact Disclosure Taskforce  led by JP Morgan Development Finance Institution and Natixis - uses impact measurement and monitoring to assess the impact of investments in advancing the UNs Sustainable Development Goals and closing existing development gaps. It fosters transparency and accountability and genuine commitment to sustainable development, while empowering global capital markets to make informed financing decisions based on reliable, publicly disclosed information.

By leveraging existing best practices and resources, a five-step process has been defined to measure and disclose the impacts of business strategies or national development plans.

The SDID is characterised by being entity-level, impact-oriented, forward-looking and context- specific.

DP World and the Taskforce welcomes feedback on the SDID and invites the industry to contribute their insights to further enhance the effectiveness of the guidance. Experts and relevant stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback by visiting www.orrick.com/IDTfeedback by September 1.

Arsalan Mahtafar, Co-Chair of the Impact Disclosure Taskforce and Head of J P Morgans Development Finance Institution, said: By publishing its Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure, DP World demonstrates that it intends to manage its business to achieve both financial returns and development impact. I commend DP World for its commitment to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth in places where its needed most to meet our global goals.

Cedric Merle, Co-Chair of the Impact Disclosure Taskforce and Head of the Center of Expertise and Innovation within Natixis Corporate & Investment Bankings Green and Sustainable Hub, said: Natixis is pleased to have worked with DP World and JP Morgan in the first Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure. Testing the Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure Guidance will be instrumental to ensure it is delivering the information needed to meet specific SDG-related needs and expectations of investors and lenders. We hope that others will follow DP Worlds example in disclosing not only their commitments, but action to foster sustainable development in emerging markets. -TradeArabia News Service
This photo shows tents of the "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" at Columbia University in New York City, the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza have intensified in American universities, fueling anti-war sentiments within the United States, but they have been met with tough measures from the universities and local authorities, with over 700 people having been arrested so far.

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Protests against Israel's military actions in Gaza have intensified across multiple American universities for over a week, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Gaza Strip as well as the cessation of U.S. military aid to Israel.

The growing protests underscore latest escalations in the Israel-Palestine conflict, which, coupled with the Biden administration's doubles down on Israel support, have fueled anti-war sentiments within the United States, with public dissatisfaction with the government mounting rapidly.

However, what faces the almost peaceful protests are tough measures from the universities and local authorities, with over 700 individuals having been arrested so far.

PROTESTS BOILING

On April 17, student protesters opposed to Israel's war in Gaza have camped out on the Columbia University campus, calling for the university to financially divest from companies and institutions that "profit from Israeli apartheid, genocide and occupation in Palestine."

In just 10 days, universities across more than 30 states in the United States have been swept by waves of protests. As reported by Bloomberg, as of Friday, there are at least 50 sit-ins at colleges across the country, spanning from Ivy League institutions to state schools nationwide.

On Thursday, at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the top public universities in the United States, hundreds of protesters gathered and built a protest encampment in support of Palestinians.

Protesters displayed signs on campus with slogans such as "Let Gaza live," "This is not war, this is genocide," and "Stop the massacres," calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for the universities to disclose and divest financial holdings tied to Israel and U.S. weapons makers.

The UCLA rally came one day after another pro-Palestinian protest against the Israeli war in Gaza at the University of Southern California's (USC) Los Angeles campus, where over 90 protesters were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department in hours of clashing.

"Shame on you! Shame on you!" demonstrators chanted as the police took away students and off-campus activists.

People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

CRUEL CRACKDOWN

The USC is not the only place where local authorities have taken tough measures against protesters. According to the New York Times, since the nationwide protest erupted on April 17, hundreds of students from nearly 20 U.S. universities have been arrested.

In Texas, police bulldozed into student protesters at the University of Texas at Austin on Wednesday. More than 50 people were arrested, reported local media outlet Austin American-Statesman.

Meanwhile, many university administrations have been actively working to shut down the demonstration and, in some cases, punish participants.

Amid widespread protests on campuses, the USC on Thursday canceled its main stage graduation ceremony for students that had been planned for May 10. This decision came after Muslim student Asna Tabassum was barred from delivering her valedictorian speech due to her public advocacy for supporting Palestine.

Such crackdowns and punishment have sparked a backlash from professors. With hundreds of pro-Palestine students arrested and more and more campus protests disbanded, educators are increasingly showing support for students.

"Rather than respond to faculty and student concerns about the canceling of Asna Tabassum's valedictorian speech and the arrest of peaceful protesters, the USC has unfortunately doubled down on its authoritarian approach and simply canceled an aspect of graduation that students earned and looked forward to," USC assistant sociology professor Brittany Friedman was quoted by the Guardian as saying.

"It is disheartening to see the current state of higher education in our country, the mass exposure of students to police violence, and the complete disregard for what the USC claims to stand for," said the professor.

In New York, some New York University educators were arrested shortly after shielding Muslim students as they prayed, while professors at the City University of New York physically united to create a barrier separating their students from the police.

"To get to our students, you have to get through us," they chanted in unison.

In fact, the protests are not limited to the United States. Following the Columbia encampments, the protests have further spread to universities from France to Australia. In Australia, for example, students from the University of Sydney set up pro-Palestine encampments and unfurled banners reading "Columbia First, USYD next," while University of Melbourne students pitched tents on the south lawn of their main campus.

People participate in a pro-Palestinian demonstration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the United States, April 26, 2024. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

ISRAEL WELL SHELTERED

The Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip has so far left more than 34,000 dead and about 77,000 wounded, most of whom were women and children.

While the anti-war protesters continue to demonstrate their sympathies over the civilian casualties as they refuse to yield in the face of crackdowns, the response from the U.S. administration and certain politicians seems indifferent to public sentiment.

On Wednesday, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson called on Columbia University's president to resign. "We just can't allow this kind of hatred and antisemitism to flourish on our campuses, and it must be stopped in its tracks. Those who are perpetrating this violence should be arrested," he said.

While responding with excessive and vehement condemnation of domestic peaceful protests, the U.S. administration turns a deaf ear to the cries from Gaza.

U.S. President Joe Biden signed a 95-billion-USD foreign aid bill recently, in which 26 billion U.S. dollars go to Israel despite international criticism over the civilian casualties the Israeli army caused in Gaza.

Weapons to Israel remain "sacrosanct" in Washington, and the aid package highlights a "huge gap" between Democrats in Congress and rank-and-file voters, including those currently protesting at colleges nationwide, Khaled Elgindy, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, was quoted by The Hills as saying.

They're calling on all the other parties in the region to be restrained, whereas they "encourage Israelis to act with total impunity," Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy think tank, told Al Jazeera TV. 
An oversize load broke loose from a trailer on a Texas highway and killed two people, officials said. (Photo: Temple Fire & Rescue).

Authorities are investigating the cause of an accident that killed two people and critically injured a third Saturday when an oversize load from a passing flatbed truck came loose and fell onto their vehicle on a Texas highway.

The accident happened shortly after 11 a.m., and firefighters in Temple, Texas, responded to the reported collision along State Highway 36.

Upon arrival crews found an oversized load had come off of its trailer, pinning a vehicle beneath, Temple Fire & Rescue said in a Facebook post. The load being hauled by the transport fleet was approximately 350,000 pounds. It is not known what the piece of equipment is.

Two people died and a third was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries after a piece of equipment came loose from a truck and collided with their vehicle on a Texas Highway. (Photo: Temple Fire & Rescue)



The pinned vehicle had three occupants. Two passengers died, and a third was extricated and flown to an emergency room with life-threatening injuries.

Extrication took just over four hours to safely remove the driver from the vehicle, Temple Fire & Rescue said.

Temple is about 100 miles north of Austin along Interstate 35.

Authorities did not release the names of the victims, the truck driver or the trucking company involved in the accident.

Temple Fire & Rescue responded with 10 units and 25 personnel, according to a release. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

The road where the accident occurred has been closed since Saturday.

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In this article, we discuss the 20 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World. If you want to skip our discussion of the gold industry, go directly to 5 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World.

Gold has been extremely valuable for ages. According to experts, about 209,000 tons of gold has been mined through out the human history. Gold is virtually indestructible which has led to a vast majority of the gold ever mined, still be in existence today.

The total above-ground stock of gold produced globally till date has been valued at approximately $12 trillion. This stock is distributed across various sectors. Jewelry comprises 46% of the total, amounting to around 95,547 tons valued at $6 trillion. Central banks hold 17%, equivalent to 35,715 tons valued at $2 trillion. Bars and coins represent 21%, totaling about 43,044 tons valued at $3 trillion. Physically backed gold ETFs account for 2%, approximately 3,473 tons valued at $0.2 trillion, and the remaining 15% is primarily allocated to industrial applications and holdings by financial institutions.

About three-quarters of the gold we get comes from mining, while the other quarter is recycled. In terms of mining, it is spread out quite evenly across the globe. No single country accounts for more than a quarter of the total haul. This setup helps keep things steady and lowers the chances of any major supply problems. That's why gold tends to be less jumpy in price compared to other commodities.

Gold demand is widespread across the globe. Emerging markets, particularly China and India, account for approximately 75% of the annual global demand for gold. Rest of the demand comes from developing countries. Major companies like Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM), Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD), and Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM) have been contributing immensely to these high levels of gold production.

Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM)

Newmont (NYSE:NEM) operates largely across North and South America, as well as in Asia, Australia, and Africa. The companys production stood at a whopping 185.3 metric tons of gold in the year 2022.

With its plan of selling the Akyem golf mine in Ghana in March 2024, many buyers have shown interest given the rising gold prices. Chinese producers, however, have particularly presented keen interest in this sale initiation. Through Citigroup Inc. as its sale facilitator, Newmont has already gotten into talks with potential buyers.

Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD)

When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD) has been at the forefront for almost last five years. A few of the recent mergers and acquisitions under their belt are the merger of their Nevada Assets with Newmont in 2019 and the acquisition of Randgold Resources in 2018.

Story continues

Barrick Gold has quite a few top gold producing mines under its name. The Nevada Gold Mines being the most prominent one. Along with Nevada, they also own the Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic and the Loulo-Gounkoto mine in Mali. These mines had an output of 22.2 metric tons and 21.3 metric tons of gold, respectively, in 2022.

Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM)

In 2022, Agnico Eagle Mines (NYSE:AEM) extracted 97.5 metric tons of gold. They operate 11 mines in Canada, Australia, Finland, and Mexico. Among these, they fully own two of the world's top gold-producing mines, namely, the Canadian Malartic mine in Quebec and the Detour Lake mine in Ontario. These mines were acquired from Yamana Gold in early 2023.

Furthermore, Agnico Eagle Mines has expanded its gold mineral reserves by 9%, now totaling 48.7 million ounces of gold, with a grade of 1.28 grams per metric ton of gold.

20 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World

A closeup image of a miner holding a pile of gold nuggets, a representation of the company's royalty.

Methodology

To identify the Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World, we referred to data compiled by the World Gold Council, on annual gold production volumes by country in 2022. These 20 nations collectively contribute most of the world's gold output. Interestingly, many of these countries face economic challenges despite their significant role in gold production, which is one of the most valuable metals globally. Now, let's delve into the 20 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World.

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20. Tanzania

Gold Mining Production Volume: 50.9 Tons

Tanzania ranks as Africa's fourth-largest producer of gold, following South Africa, Ghana, and Mali. Additionally, it stands as the world's exclusive source of the unique gemstone, Tanzanite. From 2016 to 2021, Tanzania experienced a consistent decline in gold production, averaging a yearly decrease of 3.6%. However, projections suggest a modest growth is on the horizon, with an anticipated annual increase of 0.5% from 2022 to 2026.

19. Bolivia

Gold Mining Production Volume: 53.4 Tons

In December 2022, Bolivia's gold production reached 53,386 kg, marking a notable rise from the 42,816 kg reported in December 2021. On average, from December 1990 to 2022, the country produced around 12,001 kg of gold, based on 33 recorded observations.

18. Colombia

Gold Mining Production Volume: 60.4 Tons

Colombia stands out as a major gold producer in South America. Over the years, its gold production has grown due to large-scale mining and artisanal miners. In 2022, Colombia ranked as the eighteenth largest gold producer globally, marking a 2% increase from 2021.

17. Guinea

Gold Mining Production Volume: 63.5 Tons

The Republic of Guinea ranked as the seventeenth largest gold producer, showing a 1% rise from 2021. From 2017 to 2021, Guinea's gold production grew annually by 2%, but it's projected to decline by 3.54% from 2022 to 2026. Guinea contributes 0.71% to global gold production.

16. Sudan

Gold Mining Production Volume: 80.1 Tons

In 2022, Sudan's state mining services company, the Sudanese Mineral Resources Company, reported a record-breaking year with over 18 tons of gold produced. The majority of this gold came from the Hassai Gold Mine, located about 50 km northeast of Khartoum.

15. Kazakhstan

Gold Mining Production Volume: 81.9 Tons

As a prominent gold-producing nation, Kazakhstan boasts substantial reserves and ranks fifteenth on our list of 20 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World. The country's central bank holds about $34.5 billion worth of gold domestically, accounting for roughly 56% of its total reserves. With a goal to diversify, the bank aims to reduce this to between 50% and 55%.

14. Brazil

Gold Mining Production Volume: 86.7 Tons

Brazil has a rich history when it comes to gold mining and production. The country has significant reserves and has been a major player in the global gold market. The country is responsible for almost 3% of the global gold production. The Amazon region is a major attraction for all scale operators. For large scale mining to artful mining by small scale miners, the area is popular for its gold deposits.

13. South Africa

Gold Mining Production Volume: 92.6 Tons

South Africa has historically been one of the largest producers of gold, producing 1 million kg in December 2023 alone! Harmony Gold Mining, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Sibanye Stillwater and Northam Platinum are the most prominent producers of gold in the country. South Africa is a mineral rich country, with minerals like platinum, diamonds and coal mined throughout the country. Yet, gold remains one of the most important commodities when it comes to exports, which were whopping $22.7 billion in 2022.

12. Burkina Faso

Gold Mining Production Volume: 96.2 Tons

In 2020, gold made up 37% of Burkina Fasos total exports and also its top export for the year. Mining of minerals is one of the most significant occupations in the country. An approximate of 10-30 tons of gold is mined through small scale mining which employees over one million people.

11. Mali

Gold Mining Production Volume: 101.7 Tons

Mali is one of Africas largest gold producers. According to mine minister, Lamine Seydou Traore, 25% of the national budget is accounted for, by gold. While it contributes to 10% of GDP and 75% of export earnings. However, it is also noteworthy that Malis mining industry is majorly dominated by foreign companies like Barrick Gold, B2Gold, Australia's Resolute Mining and the British Hummingbird Resources.

10. Uzbekistan

Gold Mining Production Volume: 110.8 Tons

Uzbekistan ranks among the top ten gold-producing countries globally by volume. According to the latest data from the Uzbek State Committee for Geology, the country boasts 63 large-scale gold mining sites. These sites hold total reserves of over 2,500 tons of gold, with probable reserves (classified as C1 and C2) reaching 5,990 tons. Currently, at least nine of these sites are in the development stage, and there's a likelihood that this number will increase soon.

9. Mexico

Gold Mining Production Volume: 124 Tons

Mexico has a prominent position in the global gold mining industry, alongside its renowned silver production. The country's gold mining history dates back centuries, and it continues to be a significant player in the global gold market. In addition to large-scale mining operations, Mexico also has an artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector. In the year 2022, Newmont with its mining unit Penasquito, stood as the leading gold producer, with a production of almost 566 thousand ounces.

8. Indonesia

Gold Mining Production Volume: 124.9 Tons

At present, Indonesia contributes approximately four percent to the global gold production. Half of this output comes from the massive Grasberg mine situated in the western part of Papua, which happens to be the largest gold mine worldwide. Majority ownership of the Grasberg mine lies with the American company Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.

7. Peru

Gold Mining Production Volume: 125.7 Tons

Peru is abundant in mineral resources, including gold, copper, silver, lead, zinc, and oil. Out of the total 1322 gold mines operational in the world, 127 of them are located in Peru. Apart from gold, on the global scale, Peru owns 12% of copper reserves, 3.9% of gold reserves, and 15.3% of silver reserves!

The mining sector plays a crucial role in Peru's economy, generating significant foreign exchange and tax revenue that supports the country's economic stability and growth. Peru ranks as the seventh largest producer of gold on our list of 20 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World.

6. Ghana

Gold Mining Production Volume: 127 Tons

Ghana, often referred to as the "Gold Coast," holds the title as Africa's largest gold producer. With a history dating back to the 15th century, gold mining remains a cornerstone of Ghana's economy, accounting for over 40% of its total export earnings. Recent reports from the Ghanaian Times indicate that Ghana has reclaimed its top position in African gold production, overtaking South Africa following a notable decline in South Africa's output the previous year.

Click to continue reading and find out about 5 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World.

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Disclosure: None. 20 Countries That Produce the Most Gold in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.
4 things nobody tells you about the first 6 months of retirement

In looking ahead to your retirement, youve probably considered all the possible financial hiccups you could possibly run into  from common money mistakes to exciting, albeit costly, travel adventures.

However, retirement is also full of hidden life lessons that have little to do with money  and they often dont become an issue until youve actually left the workforce.

Some retirees are planners and know exactly what they want to do with their newfound freedom, but for those who are winging it after leaving the workforce, its often a different story.

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According to a study from the National Library of Medicine, retirees are more likely to experience depression compared to older Americans still in the workforce. An additional study from the same source also noted theres a direct correlation between a lack of retirement preparedness and increased depression symptoms.

And, one aspect of retirement preparedness is understanding that  money and travel aside  its the little day-to-day things that can catch up with you.

Here are a few surprising things you may encounter during the first six months of your new adventure that have little-to-nothing to do with finances.

You may feel disoriented

You knew the abrupt lifestyle change was coming, but you didnt know how you would feel about it. Just as switching office locations or commuter rituals may have thrown you off during your career, going from your regular job routine to none at all can result in feelings of disorientation.

Even good change can lead to stress levels that can impact a persons overall mental health. After all, leaving a decades-long comfort zone makes it harder to deal with your new normal.

What to do: Put new routines in place. Start small by considering habits and rituals you can easily create around the home. It may help to visualize what the average week might look like for you, including daily morning walks or weekend hikes. Consider some routines that will get you out of the house: signing up for weekly yoga classes or joining a book club.

Its critically important for seniors to develop routines that provide the structure to set daily expectations, form good habits, and dedicate time to self-care, wrote Chris Orestis, host of the Retirement Genius podcast.

Story continues

Your relationships may have changed

Retired people are often startled to find how much time they can now spend with their partners  which can be a good or bad thing. Newfound annoyances or old grievances can resurface, along with other issues  such as relationship neglect.

It may begin to feel like you hardly know what to say to this veritable stranger youve lived with most of your life. Addressing any potential problems head-on during those early months of retirement are pivotal to the health of your relationships status.

What to do: Put time into your relationships. Now that you have more free time on your hands, you may need to reinvest in your relationship with your partner  but start slowly.

Spend some time rediscovering shared interests or hobbies, plan regular date nights and make sure you divide household labor. However, some experts may advise couples maintain a couple separate interests to keep a healthy balance of personal space and couples activities.

Read more: Barbara Corcoran predicted mortgage rates will hit a 'a magic number' and send housing prices 'through the roof'  here's how to set yourself up today

You may feel anxious and stressed

Lets face it, a career can be a healthy distraction from your life outside the 9-to-5. Although workplace stress can certainly wreck havoc on your health, too, now you suddenly have more time to sit with your thoughts.

Perhaps youre wondering how youll manage financially on a fixed income or youre coping with declining health or mobility.

According to a Nationwide Peak Retirement report, almost a third (32%) of respondents admitted they didnt feel financially comfortable.

What to do: Revisit your budget. It might be time to rework your monthly spending and shore up those savings in light of your retirement. Look for ways to curb your spending (dining out less or downgrading your vehicle) and tighten your budget (canceling subscriptions).

According to Fidelitys 2024 State of Retirement Planning survey, 57% of Americans said their retirement will include working  at least part-time.

Whether you choose to continue working in some capacity for the social aspect  like this 101-year-old woman in Ohio  or because you need another source of income, you might want to consider a side hustle to bring in that additional cash.

Not sure where to start? Some of the best side hustles for seniors that allow for plenty of flexibility and possible social connections include freelance writing (or editing), dog walking, being a tour guide or selling handcrafted items on Etsy.

You may experience boredom

Lets say you fall into an enviable category: the healthy, active and financially-secure retiree. Even then, you may find yourself bored out of your skull once youre officially out of the workforce.

If youre looking down Retirement Road and arent exactly thrilled to see an endless trail of crossword puzzles, daily errands and scrolling through Facebook ahead of you, theres a light at the end of the tunnel.

What to do: Find (or rediscover) a passion project. Retirement is a time to take on fun and engaging challenges youve always put to the side. You also have an opportunity to revisit parts of your life that you retired long before you left your career.

If you find you miss workplace camaraderie, connecting with old and new friends can provide comfort and even restore a sense of purpose.

Physical exercise or spending time in nature can also go a long way toward easing your anxiety or depression. Regardless of age or possible mobility limits, even 30 minutes of gentle activity can go a long way.

What to read next

Car insurance rates have spiked in the US to a stunning $2,150/year  but you can be smarter than that. Here's how you can save yourself as much as $820 annually in minutes (it's 100% free)

Jeff Bezos told his siblings to invest $10K in his startup called Amazon, and now their stake is worth over $1B  3 ways to get rich without having to gamble on risky public stocks

Suze Orman says Americans are poorer than they think  but having a dream retirement is so much easier when you know these 3 simple money moves

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Key Insights

Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Hyatt Hotels' stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions

50% of the business is held by the top 20 shareholders

Recent sales by insiders

A look at the shareholders of Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 49% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

And as as result, institutional investors reaped the most rewards after the company's stock price gained 3.2% last week. The gains from last week would have further boosted the one-year return to shareholders which currently stand at 32%.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Hyatt Hotels.

Check out our latest analysis for Hyatt Hotels

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Hyatt Hotels?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

Hyatt Hotels already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Hyatt Hotels' historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Hyatt Hotels is not owned by hedge funds. The company's largest shareholder is Penny Pritzker, with ownership of 6.5%. Baron Capital Group, Inc. is the second largest shareholder owning 5.3% of common stock, and The Vanguard Group, Inc. holds about 4.2% of the company stock. Additionally, the company's CEO Mark Hoplamazian directly holds 0.6% of the total shares outstanding.

Looking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 50% of the ownership is controlled by the top 20 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.

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Insider Ownership Of Hyatt Hotels

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.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

It seems insiders own a significant proportion of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. It is very interesting to see that insiders have a meaningful US$1.8b stake in this US$15b business. It is good to see this level of investment. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 31% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. 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

It seems that Private Companies own 7.8%, of the Hyatt Hotels stock. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For example, we've discovered 4 warning signs for Hyatt Hotels that you should be aware of before investing here.

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.
Key Insights

Significantly high institutional ownership implies Bermaz Auto Berhad's stock price is sensitive to their trading actions

The top 6 shareholders own 55% of the company

Analyst forecasts along with ownership data serve to give a strong idea about prospects for a business

A look at the shareholders of Bermaz Auto Berhad (KLSE:BAUTO) can tell us which group is most powerful. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are institutions with 56% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).

Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors. Hence, having a considerable amount of institutional money invested in a company is often regarded as a desirable trait.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Bermaz Auto Berhad.

Check out our latest analysis for Bermaz Auto Berhad

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Bermaz Auto Berhad?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

Bermaz Auto Berhad already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Bermaz Auto Berhad's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Since institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Hedge funds don't have many shares in Bermaz Auto Berhad. Dynamic Milestone Sdn Bhd is currently the company's largest shareholder with 15% of shares outstanding. Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia is the second largest shareholder owning 14% of common stock, and Permodalan Nasional Berhad holds about 11% of the company stock.

We also observed that the top 6 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.

Story continues

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of Bermaz Auto Berhad

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. 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 Bermaz Auto Berhad. As individuals, the insiders collectively own RM30m worth of the RM2.7b company. This shows at least some alignment. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

With a 16% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Bermaz Auto Berhad. 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:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with Bermaz Auto Berhad (at least 2 which can't be ignored) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

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.
Anheuser-Busch InBev is building new de-alcoholisation technology in the UK as the worlds largest brewer eyes the growth of the non-alcoholic market.

Speaking to Just Drinks at the company's headquarters in the Belgian town of Leuven, Jason Warner, the CEO of AB InBevs Europe arm, said: We have the de-alcoholisation plant here, we have one in Germany and were building one into the UK right now. Were getting the necessary scale that were going to need.

AB InBev declined to provide further details on the UK facility at the time of writing.

Warner did not comment on how much the Jupiler brewer had invested in its alcohol-free range to date, but said: Its a significant investment that were making to try to help lead and grow this space.

In 2023, the Leffe maker announced plans to invest 31m ($33.2m) into alcohol-free brewing technology at its breweries in Leuven, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and Hoegaarden.

Adult refreshment

Speaking to reporters, Warner said the brewing giant saw "a unique opportunity" in building its 0.0% portfolio in the area of adult refreshment.

He added: That's where the incrementality comes from. A lot of these occasions that we're starting to see growth in don't come from traditional beer consumption moments because, of course, it's operating as an adult beverage.

Providing context on the most common occasions for non-alc beer consumption, Cosentino said: We know that 40% of the consumption is a substitution of the alcoholic version and 60% is incremental in those occasions of meals and [relaxation].

AB InBev intends to build its presence in adult refreshment with its flagship 0.0% brand Corona Cero.

Commenting on the product, Warner said: People are looking for simple, natural ingredients and you get all of that benefit of the refreshment and the taste without the alcohol.

This is a brand thats really starting to get to scale. Its growing fast and, since weve introduced this brand into non-alcohol, we are the fastest-growing lager brand in Europe.

When asked by Just Drinks whether the group had plans to expand Corona Cero to new regions, Warner said: Absolutely if you take the current case of Corona Cero, we launched in 11 markets in 2022 and then we scale and we scale.

Its a testament to the size of the category, the opportunity, the fact that we can use our scale and be able to launch multiple markets simultaneously.

He added AB InBev will have 23 markets selling Corona Zero by the end of 2024, including a new entry into Italy.

Earlier this year, the company struck a deal for Corona Cero to be the global beer sponsor of the Olympic Games through to 2028.

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Brand extensions

The majority of AB InBevs portfolio is made up of 0.0% extensions of its alcoholic beer brands, such as Budweiser, Franziskaner, Stella Artois, Hoegaarden and Corona, among others.

Reflecting on the rationale behind alcohol-free extensions of its beer brands, group global vice president of corporate affairs Andres Penate said: Its actually easier to amplify and speed up the introduction of these new products it has less of a stigma it signals to the consumer the type of liquid [they] are going to get, so it has one less friction point for the adoption.

Ab-InBev has increased the number of no-and-low alcohol beer products in its portfolio by 60% and volumes by more than 23% since 2019.

"AB InBev building 0.0% tech in UK, sees opportunity in adult refreshment" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand.







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Net Sales: Reported $1.37 billion, surpassing the estimated $1.356 billion.

Net Income: Achieved $59 million, significantly exceeding the estimate of $26.56 million.

Earnings Per Share (EPS): Recorded at $0.24, more than double the estimated $0.11.

Gross Margin: Reached 14.8%, showing improvement from 13.2% in the same quarter the previous year.

Operating Income: Posted $73 million with a margin of 5.4%, compared to $69 million and a 4.7% margin in Q1 2023.

Dividends: Paid a quarterly dividend of $0.07875 per share on April 1, 2024.

Future Outlook: Expects Q2 2024 net sales between $1.40 billion and $1.50 billion, with net income projected at $35 million to $75 million.

Amkor Technology Inc (NASDAQ:AMKR), a leader in semiconductor packaging and test services, announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. The company reported a robust net sales of $1.37 billion, exceeding the analyst estimates of $1.356 billion. Amkor's earnings per share (EPS) of $0.24 also notably surpassed the expected $0.11, reflecting a strong performance against market expectations. This financial update was detailed in the company's recent 8-K filing released on April 29, 2024.

Amkor Technology Inc. (AMKR) Q1 2024 Earnings: Surpasses Revenue Forecasts with Strategic Expansions on the Horizon

Amkor Technology operates as the world's largest US headquartered OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) service provider, specializing in advanced and mainstream semiconductor packaging and test services. The company's strategic focus on advanced products, which include technologies like flip chip and wafer-level processing, continues to be the main revenue driver, contributing significantly to the quarterly sales.

Financial Performance Insights

During Q1 2024, Amkor reported a gross profit of $202 million and an operating income of $73 million. The company achieved a gross margin of 14.8% and an operating income margin of 5.4%. These figures represent an improvement in operational efficiency compared to the same quarter in the previous year. Net income attributable to Amkor stood at $59 million, with a diluted EPS of $0.24, reflecting an increase from $0.18 in Q1 2023.

Strategic Developments and Operational Highlights

Giel Rutten, President and CEO of Amkor, highlighted the company's ongoing initiatives, including the expansion of 2.5D capacity to boost AI device output and the strengthening of partnerships to enhance the European semiconductor supply chain. Notably, the company is progressing with its plans for an advanced packaging and test facility in Arizona and is focusing on ramping up production in its Vietnam factory in the latter half of the year.

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Looking Ahead: Q2 2024 Guidance

For the second quarter of 2024, Amkor anticipates net sales to be between $1.40 billion and $1.50 billion, with a gross margin forecast of 13.0% to 15.0%. The projected net income ranges from $35 million to $75 million, translating to an EPS of $0.14 to $0.30. The company also plans to continue its investment in technology and capacity expansion, with capital expenditures expected to be around $750 million for the full year.

Financial Position and Liquidity

As of March 31, 2024, Amkor's total cash and short-term investments were reported at $1.6 billion, with total debt standing at $1.2 billion. The company maintains a strong liquidity position, supporting its ongoing and future operational needs.

Conclusion

Amkor Technology Inc's Q1 2024 results not only surpassed analyst expectations in terms of revenue and EPS but also demonstrated the company's resilience and strategic foresight in navigating the semiconductor industry's challenges. With significant investments in capacity and technology, alongside strategic global expansions, Amkor is well-positioned to sustain its growth trajectory and strengthen its market position in the upcoming quarters.

For detailed insights and further information, investors and stakeholders are encouraged to refer to the full earnings report and supplementary materials available on Amkor's investor relations website.

Explore the complete 8-K earnings release (here) from Amkor Technology Inc for further details.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


The Apache Software Foundation

Flagship event for ASF covers breadth of topics impacting the open source community from big data and search to Internet of Things

Wilmington, DE, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Apache Software Foundation (ASF), the all-volunteer developers, stewards, and incubators of more than 320 open source projects and initiatives, today announced the keynotes and schedule for Community Over Code Europe, taking place June 3-5, 2024 in Bratislava, Slovakia. The full event schedule including keynote talks can be viewed at https://communityovercode.org/schedule/.



Formerly ApacheCon, Community Over Code is the flagship event of the ASF, uniting hundreds of open source contributors who convene to collaborate on future innovations. This years Community Over Code Europe will span three days and include keynotes and sessions that cover key topics of interest for ASF projects and the greater open source ecosystem including: data engineering, performance engineering, search, Internet of Things (IoT), as well as sessions with tips and lessons learned on building a healthy open source community.

Keynote speaker highlights for Community Over Code Europe include:

Registration

Standard pricing for Community Over Code is 600. Committers of ASF projects can register for 350. To view all registration rates or purchase a ticket, visit the Community Over Code registration page.

Event Sponsorship

Community Over Code would not be possible without the support of event sponsors including: Gradle, RedHat, Apache Airflow, Clowder Space, GitHub, Fiter, Packt, and Apache Superset. For organizations interested in joining the sponsor lineup for Community Over Code, visit the Community Over Code sponsorship page.

Social Media

Join the conversation on social media with #CommunityOverCode

Media Inquiries

For media inquiries, please email press@apache.org.

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About The Apache Software Foundation (ASF)

Founded in 1999, the Apache Software Foundation exists to provide software for the public good with support from more than 75 sponsors. ASFs open source software is used ubiquitously around the world with more than 8,400 committers contributing to 320+ active projects including Apache Superset, Apache Camel, Apache Flink, Apache HTTP Server, Apache Kafka, and Apache Airflow. The Foundations open source projects and community practices are considered industry standards, including the widely adopted Apache License 2.0, the podling incubation process, and a consensus-driven decision model that enables projects to build strong communities and thrive. https://apache.org

ASFs annual Community Over Code event is where open source technologists convene to share best practices and use cases, forge critical relationships, and learn about advancements in their field. https://communityovercode.org/

 The Apache Software Foundation. Apache is a registered trademark or trademark of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

# # #

CONTACT: Brian Proffitt press@apache.org Vice President, Marketing & Publicity The Apache Software Foundation




body shop

The private equity buyer of The Body Shop paid just 3.5m upfront for the retail chain before its collapse, The Telegraph can reveal.

Despite agreeing to a 207m deal for The Body Shop in November last year, it is understood Aurelius has only handed over a small sum of cash to the companys former owners, Natura.

Naturas shortfall stems largely from a 90m performance-based payment that Aurelius was expected to pay over five years. That sum is now unlikely to be paid to Natura given Aurelius put The Body Shop into administration in February.

This has fuelled questions over how much Natura will receive from Aurelius beyond the 3.5m it paid upfront.

The prospect of steep losses for Natura will inflame tensions further between the parties, as the seller previously criticised Aurelius for failing to pay millions of pounds to former employees.

Natura said last month that it was surprised and concerned by Aurelius rowing back on a pledge to make payments to around 30 former employees.

The 207m sale price was the enterprise value of the business, which included things such as debts taken on by Aurelius through the takeover. As such, the private equity buyer was not obliged to pay that sum in full to Natura.

However, the revelation that just 3.5m changed hands is likely to reignite questions about the circumstances surrounding the deal.

The takeover is the subject of controversy given The Body Shop was tipped into administration just three months after its ownership changed. It led to hundreds of job losses after administrators at FRP closed swathes of stores. Taxpayers are covering the redundancy bill.

Concerns over the impact on public finances have led to MPs calling for a deeper review into what went wrong at The Body Shop, which has been a feature of Britains high streets since it was founded by Dame Anita Roddick in 1976.

Brazilian cosmetics giant Natura bought The Body Shop for 880m in 2017.

It has emerged that Natura is one of The Body Shops largest creditors as its subsidiary is owed 12.8m by the business. Aurelius has previously indicated that The Body Shops finances were allegedly in a worse state than expected after completing the takeover.



Aurelius and Natura declined to comment.

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Nakilat, Qatars premier LNG shipping company, has seen its first-quarter (Q1) 2024 net profit rise 6.1% to QR420 million ($115.4 million) compared to QR396 million during the corresponding period in 2023.

For the period, the company achieved total revenues of QR1.133 billion, reflecting an increase of 1.2%. Total operating expenses were QR192 million, reflecting a decrease of 1.4%.

The results can be credited to the company's ongoing emphasis on operational effectiveness, efficient cost management, and strong market demand for its LNG shipping services. This solid financial achievement demonstrates the companys ability in navigating tough unknown economic conditions and upholding its status as a leading player in the international LNG shipping sector.

Reliable and safe

Eng Abdullah Al-Sulaiti, CEO of Nakilat, said: Despite uncertain economic outlook and high interest environment, we have remained committed to reliable and safe global operations, continuing to deliver clean energy to +40 countries and about 100 terminals across continents. Throughout two decades of operations, we have been meeting the worlds demand for LNG, as a dependable partner. Our latest financial results, reflected by an increase in net profit by 6.1%, is testament to the resilience of the company, its innovative solutions, and its operational efficiency.

As per the companys latest announcement in February 2024, Nakilat was awarded long-term contracts and selected as the full owner and operator of up to 25 LNG carriers by QatarEnergy, marking a significant milestone in its fleet expansion project aimed at meeting future LNG production demands.

Furthermore, earlier in January 2024, Nakilat has also announced a shipping expansion through vessel acquisition. The company placed orders for the construction of six gas vessels: two cutting-edge LNG carriers and four modern very large LPG/ammonia carriers. Upon the delivery of the new vessels, the addition to Nakilats ever-expanding fleet not only signifies an increase in capacity and flexibility for its esteemed customers, but also reinforces the companys pioneering role in the energy transportation sector.--TradeArabia News Service
By Daniel Leussink and Liam Mo

BEIJING (Reuters) -Elon Musk made progress towards rolling out Tesla's advanced driver-assistance package in China on a whirlwind weekend trip to Beijing, sending the company's shares soaring more than 16% on Monday.

The leap in Tesla's stock added $90 billion to the company's market value, a major vote of confidence from Wall Street for the electric-vehicle maker as it struggles with soft demand and increased competition.

Key questions remain, however, on whether Tesla can secure government approvals to transfer data overseas that could prove pivotal in its development of autonomous vehicles.

Musk arrived in the Chinese capital on an unannounced visit on Sunday, intending to discuss the rollout of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software and the data-transfer permissions, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Among the wins during Musk's trip, which was first reported by Reuters, was a key endorsement from a top Chinese auto association that said Tesla's Model 3 and Y cars were compliant with data-security regulations. That would enable local governments to allow Tesla cars into parts of China they were previously barred from, Chinese media reported, citing a statement from Tesla.

Tesla has also reached an agreement with Baidu to use the Chinese giant's mapping license for data collection on China's public roads, according to two people, who described that as a step toward FSD rollout in China.

Musk's meetings included one with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who praised Tesla's development in China.

Tesla did not comment for this report. Musk said this month on his social media site X that Tesla may make FSD available to customers in China "very soon".

The question of whether Tesla can win Beijing's approvals for overseas data transfer remains critical to its plans for FSD in China and for autonomous vehicles globally. Reuters could not determine what progress, if any, Musk made in securing such approvals during his Beijing trip.

Getting approvals in China to sell a so-called "level 2" driver-assistance system such as FSD isn't the hard part. But Tesla has considered the ability to transfer data out of China pivotal to its development of autonomous vehicles.

Tesla and other automakers use the data provided by their cars to train autonomous driving systems to perform increasingly complicated tasks without supervision from a human driver. Without Beijing's approval for data transfer, Tesla could not use data collected by its cars in China to develop autonomous cars for a global customer base.

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Despite its name, Tesla's Full Self-Driving vehicle is not fully autonomous and requires drivers to stay ready to take over.

Musk's China trip marked the next step in a major pivot to Tesla's strategy that has accelerated over a chaotic last few weeks for Tesla. The automaker rushed to prioritize its efforts to develop self-driving cars while putting its ambitions to become a mass-market seller of affordable electric vehicles on the back burner.

Reuters exclusively reported on April 5 that the automaker had scrapped plans for a next-general affordable car, widely called the Model 2, while continuing plans for robotaxis on the same new small-car platform.

Just a week before the Beijing trip, Musk abandoned a planned trip to India and a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he had been expected to discuss an investment including a new factory to build affordable Teslas.

The Indian government did not have an immediate comment on Musk's China visit.

If Tesla shares close at their current price of $196.40, it would mark the stock's largest one-day percentage gain since March 2021, according to LSEG data.

Prior to Monday's share price jump, Tesla shares had lost about a third of their value this year as concerns have grown about its growth trajectory. Last week, Tesla reported its first decline in quarterly revenue since 2020.

SELF-DRIVING COMPETITION

Equity analysts at Wedbush called the surprise visit "a major moment for Tesla" if Musk is able to obtain approval to transfer the China data overseas.

Chinese regulators have required Tesla to store all data collected by its Chinese fleet in Shanghai since 2021, leaving the company unable to transfer any back to the United States.

China's complicated traffic conditions with more pedestrians and cyclists than in many other markets provide more scenarios that are key for training autonomous driving algorithms at a faster pace, according to industry experts.

Tesla cars have been banned from entering Chinese military complexes over security concerns relating to cameras installed on its vehicles. Its cars have also been turned away from sites holding important political events, such as an annual summer leadership conclave the ruling Communist Party held in 2022.

The endorsement from the Chinese auto group, which said Tesla complies with China's data regulations, could allow Tesla cars to access such sites.

Rival Chinese automakers and suppliers such as XPeng and Huawei Technologies have been seeking to gain an advantage over Tesla by rolling out self-driving software of their own.

He Xiaopeng, the CEO of XPeng whose XNGP Advanced Driver Assistance System is similar to FSD, said on his Weibo account he welcomed the entry of the Tesla technology into China.

(Reporting by Florence Lo and Daniel Leussink and Liam Mo in Beijing, Zhang Yan in Shanghai; Additional reporting by Sarah Wu and Aditi Shah; Writing by Brenda Goh and by Noel Randewich in Oakland, Calif.; Editing by Sonali Paul, Mark Potter, Brian Thevenot and Sharon Singleton)
PHILADELPHIA  Long-struggling Philly-based Republic Bank failed Friday, closed by a regulator who then arranged its takeover by another firm.

After shutting Republic, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. as the defunct firm's receiver.

The FDIC then reached an agreement with Lancaster-based Fulton Bank NA to buy substantially all of Republic's assets and to assume its deposits.

Republic's collapse marked the first U.S. bank failure this year, the FDIC said in a statement.

It followed more than two years of money woes and management turmoil at Republic, which has 32 branches in South Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, including Bensalem, Lower Southampton, Bristol Township and Abington.

Takeover attempt went on for years

A shareholder group led by South Jersey businessman George Norcross III launched an effort to win control of Republic in February 2022.

The fight came after a push to add offices by Moorestown, N.J., banker Vernon W. Hill II, who at that point was Republic's chairman and CEO.

The battle continued even as the bank's finances worsened and top executives came and went.

The Norcross group eventually purchased almost 10 percent of Republic's stock, according to a Feb. 29 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

More: Does Bucks County owe you any money? Here's how you can check for unclaimed funds

Stock in the parent firm, Republic First Bancorp, Inc., was trading at about $4.30 per share when the Norcross assault began.

It had a final value of $0.01 per share shortly before 2 p.m. Friday.

A bank regulator pulled the plug on Republic Bank on Friday, April 26, 2024.

Republic last announced financial results in May 2023, when it reported a first-quarter loss of $9.7 million. That was more than its earnings for all of 2022.

Republic, founded in 1988, had assets of about $6 billion and deposits of $4 billion at Jan. 31, the FDIC said.

It estimated the failure would drain $667 million from a federal fund that insures bank deposits.

Republics branches opened as Fulton offices on its next business day, the FDIC said.

Republic's customers should continue to use their existing branches until Fulton announces its offices can handle their accounts, too, it continued.

Fulton gets quick expansion

The acquisition doubles Fultons presence in the Philadelphia market, giving it combined deposits of about $8.6 billion.

Fulton said Republic depositors "will continue to have uninterrupted access to their accounts through online banking or by writing checks, using existing ATMs or debit cards."

Republic depositors will become Fulton depositors "and do not need to change their banking relationship to retain their federally insured deposit insurance coverage," the company said.

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As part of the transaction, Fulton is donating $5 million to provide grants to nonprofits that promote economic empowerment, particularly in underserved communities.

Fulton Bank, which dates to 1882, is part of a $27 billion holding company, Fulton Financial Corp.

It has more than 200 "financial centers" in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and Pennsylvania, including Lower Makefield, Doylestown, Bensalem, Upper Southampton and Warminster.

Customers with questions about Republic's acquisition may call the FDIC toll-free at 1-877-467-0178.

The line will be staffed Monday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and thereafter from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Interested parties may also visit the FDICs website.

Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@cpsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Fulton Bank takes over Republic Bank after banks failure
BEIJING (Reuters)  Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD posted its weakest quarterly profit growth since 2022 on Monday while its revenue growth slowed to the lowest level in nearly four years, hit by slowing EV demand and a bruising price war in the world's largest auto market.

First-quarter net profit was up 10.6% at 4.57 billion yuan ($631.08 million) while revenue grew by 4% to 124.94 billion yuan, BYD said in a stock market filing.

The quarterly results suggest BYD still pulled ahead of Tesla which reported its first quarterly revenue fall since 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hampered production and deliveries.

The biggest Chinese rival to Tesla handed back the world's top EV seller title to the U.S. giant in the first quarter after winning it last year.

With a brand portfolio at different price points, BYD has ramped up efforts to move upmarket while doubling down on discounts to vie for cautious consumers amid a sputtering economic recovery.

BYD unveiled the U7, its third ultra-luxury model under the Yangwang brand at the Beijing auto show from Thursday where BYD's premium brand Denza also showcased its first sedan.

The push to sell to higher-end segments came alongside a protracted and intensified price war in China that has pulled in more than 40 brands and seen BYD slashing prices since February on the latest versions of its lineup by 5%-20% from earlier iterations.

Visitors look at cars at the BYD booth during the China Auto Show in Beijing, China, Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In a recent research note, Goldman Sachs forecast lower new energy vehicle unit profit in China this year compared with 2023 and said it was possible the industry's profitability could turn negative if there are further price cuts.

Targeting a 20% jump in annual sales in 2024 from its record-breaking sales last year, BYD is under pressure from local EV upstarts betting big on an all-electric future.

In a much-talked-about interaction, BYD founder Wang Chuanfu and Xiaomi founder Lei Jun visited each other's booths at the Beijing auto show. Lei, having created an online sensation with the launch of the smartphone maker's first car SU7, vowed to step up cooperation with BYD.

(Reporting by Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan and Brenda GohEditing by David Goodman and David Evans)
Net Sales: Reported at $496 million, a decrease of 6% year-over-year, falling short of estimates of $508 million.

Net Income: Reported at $17 million, down from $24 million in the previous year, falling short of estimates of $19 million.

Earnings Per Share (EPS): Reported at $1.02 per diluted share, below estimates of $1.11 per share.

Adjusted EBITDA: Reported at $62 million, a decrease from $66 million in the previous year.

Consumer Products Segment: Net sales increased by 2% to $253 million, with operating income significantly rising to $32 million from $4 million the previous year.

Pulp and Paperboard Segment: Net sales decreased by 12% to $245 million, with a substantial drop in operating income to $25 million from $57 million.

Debt Management: Reduced net debt by $33 million during the quarter, enhancing financial stability.

On April 29, 2024, Clearwater Paper Corp (NYSE:CLW) released its 8-K filing, detailing the financial outcomes for the first quarter ended March 31, 2024. The company, a leading manufacturer of private label tissue and bleached paperboard, reported net sales of $496 million, a decrease of 6% from the previous year, and a net income of $17 million, or $1.02 per diluted share. These figures fell short of analyst expectations, which estimated earnings of $1.11 per share on revenue of $508 million.

Clearwater Paper Corp is engaged in the manufacturing and selling of private label tissue, paperboard, and pulp-based products. The company operates through two segments: Consumer Products and Pulp and Paperboard. The majority of its revenue is generated from the Pulp and Paperboard segment, with the United States being its primary market.

Clearwater Paper Corp (CLW) Q1 2024 Earnings: Misses Analyst Estimates Amidst Production Challenges

Operational Highlights and Financial Performance

The first quarter saw a significant disruption due to a severe weather event at the Lewiston site, impacting production. Despite these challenges, the company managed to achieve solid results, driven by strong operational execution and lower input costs, particularly in wood, energy, and freight. The Consumer Products segment showed a notable improvement, with operating income rising to $32 million from $4 million in the previous year, supported by higher sales volumes and reduced input costs.

Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2024 stood at $62 million, a slight decrease from $66 million in the same quarter last year. The company successfully reduced its net debt by $33 million and repurchased $1 million of outstanding shares.

Strategic Developments and Future Outlook

Clearwater Paper is on the verge of acquiring a bleached paperboard manufacturing facility in Augusta, Georgia, from Graphic Packaging International, LLC for $700 million. This acquisition is expected to close shortly and is anticipated to enhance the company's production capabilities and market reach.

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President and CEO Arsen Kitch expressed optimism about the future, citing expected continued strength in tissue performance and a recovery in paperboard demand. The company aims to integrate the new facility smoothly and leverage its capabilities to bolster overall performance.

Analysis of Financial Statements

The detailed financial statements reveal a decrease in net sales across both primary segments, with the Pulp and Paperboard segment experiencing a 12% drop in sales. This decline was primarily due to lower sales prices and the adverse effects of the weather event. However, the decrease in operating expenses and prudent financial management helped mitigate broader financial impacts.

The balance sheet remains robust with an increase in total assets from $1,671.8 million at the end of December 2023 to $1,679.7 million by March 2024. The company's efforts to streamline operations and reduce debt are evident from the financials, positioning it well for future investment and growth.

Conclusion

Clearwater Paper's first quarter of 2024 reflects a resilient performance amidst challenging conditions. The company's strategic acquisitions and focus on operational efficiency are expected to drive future growth. However, the missed earnings estimates highlight the ongoing challenges in the market and the impact of external disruptions on production. Investors and stakeholders will likely watch closely how the company navigates these challenges and capitalizes on its strategic initiatives in the upcoming quarters.

Explore the complete 8-K earnings release (here) from Clearwater Paper Corp for further details.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


A full-time Cleveland Uber driver took home $17,000 in profits last year. The driver in the story is not pictured. Universal Images Group/Getty Images

A Cleveland Uber driver made over $109,000 in gross earnings last year but took home only $17,000.

He said Uber driving had become less profitable but that he wasn't sure he could find a better job.

The driver said his lack of a college degree and physical limitations left him with few options.

George, a full-time Uber driver in Cleveland, wants to quit his ride-hailing gig. But for now, he feels like he has no choice but to keep driving.

The 40-year-old, who has been driving for Uber since 2017, was once quite satisfied with his ride-hailing income, he told Business Insider via email. But his feelings have changed considerably in recent years.

"I used to sing the praises of Uber and recommend doing Uber to people looking for a business opportunity and one where a decent income can be made  but no longer," George said. His identity is known to BI, but he asked to use a pseudonym for his fear of professional repercussions.

Last year, George made more than $109,000 in gross earnings as an Uber driver, according to documents viewed by BI. But after Uber's commissions, car maintenance, gas, and miscellaneous driving expenses were accounted for, he took home roughly $17,000, about 16% of his gross earnings. In 2021, he took home about 19% of his gross earnings.

George said he drove between 45 and 55 hours in a typical week and estimated that, after expenses like gas and maintenance, he earned about $17 an hour in 2023  excluding depreciation and insurance costs.

"Now I'd have to drive around 10 to 12 hours per day, six days a week, if I wanted to make a large sum like I was able to years ago, by working maybe 30 to 40 hours a week," George said. He recalled one particularly profitable week in 2022, when he estimated he'd earned roughly $40 an hour after expenses.

George is one of several Uber and Lyft drivers who have told BI their ride-hailing gigs are less profitable than they used to be. They've accused ride-hailing giants of taking a large cut of rider fares and said increased driver competition and high vehicle expenses haven't helped matters. These frustrations have led to driver protests and calls for higher guaranteed pay, with a showdown in Minneapolis among the most recent escalation of tensions.

The average Uber driver's earnings before expenses declined from $29 an hour in 2022 to $25 in 2023, a study from Gridwise, a data-analytics company and app that helps drivers track their earnings, found. A study commissioned by the state of Minnesota and released in March found that in 2022, drivers in the Twin Cities metro area earned less than $14 an hour after expenses.

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In February, an Uber representative told BI that "the vast majority of drivers are satisfied" and that "as of last quarter, drivers in the US were making about $33 per utilized hour" before expenses.

Many ride-hailing drivers, like George, are actively tracking their income and expenses to make sure driving is worth their time. But deciphering one's true profitability  or lack thereof  often isn't straightforward.

And even when a full-time driver gets a decent sense of their profits, they may not like what they see, and quitting driving for another job isn't always so easy either.

'I continue to run into a brick wall'

While George wants to trade in Uber driving for a more traditional job, he said there were three reasons he couldn't.

First, between his rent and other bills, he said, he can't afford to take a job that will pay him less than ride-hailing does. And he's not confident he'd be able to find one that checked this box.

"I would only be able to earn, say, up to $20 an hour at a brick-and-mortar job, which would leave me in pretty much the same boat, so that's not a solution," he said. "I don't have a degree, so my vocation pool is limited."

In recent years, some companies have become more open to hiring candidates who don't have a college degree. There's also been job growth in industries that historically haven't required degrees, such as manufacturing and food services.

But finding a job without a degree  and one that pays well  can still be a challenge for some people. Among Americans ages 25 and older, the unemployment rate of people with only a high-school diploma is 3.9%, compared with 2.2% for those whose highest educational level is a bachelor's degree, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Second, George said, he has a bad hip that will likely eventually require hip-replacement surgery. Given that a 10-minute shower can leave him in "excruciating pain," he said any job that required standing for long periods wouldn't work.

Physical limitations can make it much harder for people to land a suitable job. In 2023, about 44% of men and women between the ages of 25 and 54 with a disability had a job, compared with roughly 83% of people without a disability, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In recent years, the rise of remote work has helped more people with disabilities find employment.

Third, George said, his roommate has health issues that make them unable to drive. George said ride-hailing provided him with the flexibility to transport his roommate to doctor appointments and to and from their workplace.

"There are a number of frustrations because I only want to better my life," George said. "But because of the situation as it is, I continue to run into a brick wall."

George said he saw one way out: becoming a truck driver, an occupation in high demand in some areas of the US. The job could pay more than ride-hailing  the median driver makes about $54,000 a year, per the BLS  and would be manageable for his hip. If George pursues this job path, he said, his roommate is open to figuring out alternative transportation.

But this solution could come with some challenges of its own. For one, George said the training cost several thousand dollars and that he'd have to undergo several weeks of unpaid training to get the commercial driver's license necessary for the job. He's not sure he can afford to forego income for that long.

"I'd have to save money to be able to help my roommate afford things while I was away from home and not earning income," he said. "As all things in life are, it's complicated and not just as simple as making the change."

Are you a gig worker willing to share your story about pay, schedule, and tipping? Are you struggling to find a better job? If so, reach out to this reporter at jzinkula@businessinsider.com.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Net Income: Reported at $82 million, surpassing the estimated $13.68 million.

Earnings Per Share (EPS): Achieved $0.81 per diluted share, significantly exceeding the estimated $0.23.

Revenue: Reached $1.9 billion, slightly below the estimated $1.962 billion.

Dividend Announcement: Declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share.

EBITDA: Reported at $203 million for Q1 2024, showing a decrease from $401 million in Q1 2023.

Adjusted EBITDA: Posted $99 million, a decline from $334 million in the prior year's first quarter.

Refining Margin: Recorded at $290 million, or $16.29 per total throughput barrel, down from $411 million, or $23.24 per total throughput barrel in Q1 2023.

CVR Energy Inc. (NYSE:CVI) disclosed its financial results for the first quarter of 2024 on April 29, 2024, revealing a net income of $82 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, significantly below the previous year's $195 million, or $1.94 per diluted share. This performance was accompanied by net sales of $1.9 billion, a decrease from $2.3 billion in the same quarter last year. The company also announced a regular cash dividend of 50 cents per share. For a detailed view, refer to CVR Energy's 8-K filing.

CVR Energy Inc. (CVI) Q1 2024 Earnings: Performance Amidst Challenges

Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, CVR Energy operates as a diversified holding company, primarily engaged in petroleum refining and nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing. The company's subsidiaries manage a complex network of full-coking crude oil refineries and a crude oil gathering system. CVR Energy's products are distributed directly to customers within close proximity and through throughput terminals.

Quarterly Performance Highlights

The first quarter of 2024 saw CVR Energy grappling with several challenges, including lower refining margins and decreased throughput due to planned maintenance at the Wynnewood refinery. Despite these hurdles, the company benefited from lower expenses related to Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and higher crude oil and refined product prices. The petroleum segment, however, experienced a significant drop in operating income to $118 million from $237 million in the prior year, with total throughput remaining stable at approximately 196,000 barrels per day (bpd).

The nitrogen fertilizer segment also faced difficulties, with operating income plummeting to $20 million from $109 million in the previous year, impacted by a 14-day planned downtime at the Coffeyville facility. This segment's challenges were compounded by a sharp decline in average realized gate prices for urea ammonia nitrate (UAN) and ammonia, which fell by 42% and 41%, respectively.

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Financial Health and Strategic Initiatives

CVR Energy's balance sheet remains robust with an increase in cash and cash equivalents to $644 million as of March 31, 2024. The company's total debt stood at $1.6 billion. The announced dividend and a cash distribution of $1.92 per common unit by CVR Partners underline the company's commitment to returning value to shareholders.

The company's management highlighted the impact of favorable weather conditions and steady demand for nitrogen fertilizer in the spring planting season, which helped mitigate some operational challenges. Additionally, the renewable diesel unit at the Wynnewood refinery saw a decrease in vegetable oil throughput due to a catalyst change, reflecting ongoing adjustments in operations to enhance efficiency.

Outlook and Forward-Looking Statements

Looking ahead, CVR Energy remains cautious, particularly with the petroleum and renewables segments, as the full impact of a recent fire at the Wynnewood Refinery is still being assessed. The company plans to provide an updated outlook for these segments once more information becomes available.

In conclusion, while CVR Energy navigated significant challenges in the first quarter of 2024, its strategic adjustments and focus on operational efficiency are expected to stabilize its performance in the upcoming quarters. Investors and stakeholders will likely keep a close watch on how the company manages the evolving dynamics of the refining and fertilizer markets.

Explore the complete 8-K earnings release (here) from CVR Energy Inc for further details.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


Abandoned homes, sometimes called zombies, are infecting local neighborhoods. During the housing recession of 2008, many homes got stuck in foreclosure limbo. In Florida the process can take years and impact surrounding property value if the houses sit abandoned for long. Early forecasts show zombies could come back to life in Jacksonville.

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North of downtown Jacksonville, Jeanette Williams has seen the problem firsthand. Shes not worried about her house, but the one a few doors down.

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Its been sitting there a long time. Its been sitting there since I moved in, Williams said. She was outside with her grandkids on an April afternoon. Thats what I worry about  them.

The zombie a few doors down has been empty ever since she moved in eight years ago. The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office responded to the address 18 different times since Williams has lived down the street. JSOs calls for service show everything from drug investigations, to trespassing, and even a call about a dead person.

An abandoned home on a street causes a statistically significant increase in violent crime for the rest of that neighborhood, Jim Kowalski, the president of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, said. Its not just a cost to the city  its a cost to the neighbors.

READ: Squashing squatter scams in Florida

He said there is a variety of costs to the city with these types of homes, including upkeep. A zombie home is when the owners are told their house is going into foreclosure, so they move out. The home slowly goes through Floridas judicial foreclosure process and the banks often slow roll it hoping the value will increase, and they can sell the property for more money. When the property is less than whats owed, the bank sometimes reverses the years-long process and gives it back to the original owner who is long gone.

The home has risen from the dead. And is back preying upon the homeowner who has long since moved on from the property, Kowalski explained.

While many considered the problem to be behind us, he said early forecasts show a possible resurgence because people owe more on their homes than they are worth.

Where some percentage of the property is underwater, you will see this process restart, Kowalski said.

WATCH: Action News Jax Investigates: Families facing foreclosure

Action News Jax Investigates found foreclosures are again on the rise. Data from the Duval County Clerk of Courts shows 693 foreclosures have been filed so far this year. In 2020, there were 1,447. Besides a dip during COVID, that number has climbed year over year to 2,146 last year. Data from Redfin shows these homes stretch across the entire county and still dont account for all the abandoned properties in Jacksonville.

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In April, JEA said there were 1,175 homes that havent had electricity for more than a year. While they are not necessarily abandoned, its likely no one is living in them a representative for the utility said.

Adam Bernstein is a student at the University of Florida and part of the Florida Student Policy Forum. He saw the problem while growing up in Jacksonville during the housing market crash and is now working with state legislators to help prevent future zombies.

It creates this endless cycle of community decline, Bernstein said. It felt like everything was in decline. Like the place where I was living no longer had a future.

House Bill 997 and Senate Bill 1370 would have helped expedite the foreclosure process in Florida. You dont have to go through the whole rigmarole of a really long judicial foreclosure process, he said. But the bills died in committee.

Kowalski said the problem also needs to be addressed on the federal level by holding servicing banks accountable. Jacksonville Area Legal Aid helped the city create a foreclosure registry after 2008 that forces the banks to pay an annual fee on all foreclosed properties to help offset the citys cost to maintain the homes like mowing or boarding up windows. Jacksonville is the only city in Northeast Florida with that type of registry.

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DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung (ETR:DFV) Full Year 2023 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: 120.0m (flat on FY 2022).

Net income: 4.16m (up 314% from FY 2022).

Profit margin: 3.5% (up from 0.8% in FY 2022).

EPS: 0.28 (up from 0.069 in FY 2022).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung EPS Beats Expectations, Revenues Fall Short

Revenue missed analyst estimates by 36%. Earnings per share (EPS) exceeded analyst estimates by 33%.

The company's share price is broadly unchanged from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

Before we wrap up, we've discovered 1 warning sign for DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung that you should be aware of.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The World Economic Forum has signed an agreement with the Saudi Space Agency to establish a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) focused on space.

The Centre for Space Futures, set to open in autumn 2024, will be hosted by the Saudi Space Agency. It aims to facilitate public-private discussions on space collaboration, incorporating best practices from the Forum and its communities into the global space sector and generating contributions to accelerate space technologies.

From monitoring the effects of climate change to increasing human connectivity via satellites, the impact of the global space sector on Earth cannot be overstated, said Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. The addition of the Centre for Space Futures into the C4IR network recognises the importance of addressing various topics such as space technological innovation, policies and regulatory, as well as sustainability.

Focusing exclusively on space

The Centre for Space Futures is the first centre in the C4IR network to focus exclusively on space. It will work alongside the existing national centre, C4IR Saudi Arabia, to advance Saudi Vision 2030, the countrys roadmap for economic diversification, global engagement and enhanced quality of life.

The centre is committed to fostering a vibrant, prosperous and sustainable space economy globally. By developing principles, expanding knowledge, refining models and cultivating partnerships, we aim to responsibly harness the vast opportunities of space, said Mohammed Al Tamimi, CEO of the Saudi Space Agency.--TradeArabia News Service
While some investors are already well versed in financial metrics (hat tip), this article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE) and why it is important. To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand Sonic Automotive, Inc. (NYSE:SAH).

ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. Put another way, it reveals the company's success at turning shareholder investments into profits.

See our latest analysis for Sonic Automotive

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for ROE is:

Return on Equity = Net Profit (from continuing operations)  Shareholders' Equity

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Sonic Automotive is:

19% = US$173m  US$904m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

The 'return' refers to a company's earnings over the last year. One way to conceptualize this is that for each $1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made $0.19 in profit.

Does Sonic Automotive Have A Good Return On Equity?

One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. The limitation of this approach is that some companies are quite different from others, even within the same industry classification. You can see in the graphic below that Sonic Automotive has an ROE that is fairly close to the average for the Specialty Retail industry (19%).

roe

That isn't amazing, but it is respectable. Although the ROE is similar to the industry, we should still perform further checks to see if the company's ROE is being boosted by high debt levels. If so, this increases its exposure to financial risk. Our risks dashboardshould have the 2 risks we have identified for Sonic Automotive.

How Does Debt Impact ROE?

Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the first and second cases, the ROE will reflect this use of cash for investment in the business. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. In this manner the use of debt will boost ROE, even though the core economics of the business stay the same.

Sonic Automotive's Debt And Its 19% ROE

It seems that Sonic Automotive uses a huge volume of debt to fund the business, since it has an extremely high debt to equity ratio of 3.66. Its ROE is decent, but once I consider all the debt, I'm not really impressed.

Story continues

Summary

Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt.

Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

If you would prefer 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Key Insights

Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Martin Marietta Materials fair value estimate is US$610

Martin Marietta Materials' US$605 share price indicates it is trading at similar levels as its fair value estimate

Analyst price target for MLM is US$623, which is 2.2% above our fair value estimate

Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. (NYSE:MLM) as an investment opportunity by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example!

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.

View our latest analysis for Martin Marietta Materials

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.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$957.7m US$1.22b US$1.51b US$1.69b US$1.85b US$1.98b US$2.09b US$2.19b US$2.28b US$2.36b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x8 Analyst x7 Analyst x4 Est @ 12.27% Est @ 9.28% Est @ 7.18% Est @ 5.71% Est @ 4.69% Est @ 3.97% Est @ 3.46% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 7.1% US$895 US$1.1k US$1.2k US$1.3k US$1.3k US$1.3k US$1.3k US$1.3k US$1.2k US$1.2k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$12b

After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (2.3%) 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 7.1%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$2.4b (1 + 2.3%)  (7.1% 2.3%) = US$51b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$51b ( 1 + 7.1%)10= US$26b

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$38b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of US$605, the company appears about fair value at a 0.8% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

dcf

The Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Martin Marietta Materials 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 7.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.037. 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 Martin Marietta Materials

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded its 5-year average.

Debt is not viewed as a risk.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year underperformed the Basic Materials industry.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Basic Materials market.

Opportunity

Annual earnings are forecast to grow for the next 3 years.

Current share price is below our estimate of fair value.

Threat

Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the American market.

Moving On:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn't be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" 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 Martin Marietta Materials, we've compiled three fundamental factors you should further examine:

Risks: To that end, you should be aware of the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Martin Marietta Materials . Future Earnings: How does MLM's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every 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.
PARIS  The French government offered to buy the defense-strategic assets from struggling information-technology company Atos to keep them from falling under foreign control.

Atos received a non-binding letter of intent from the French state on April 27 to buy all of its business in advanced computing, mission-critical systems and cybersecurity, representing about 1 billion (US $1.1 billion) in sales last year, the company said in an April 29 statement.

Atos builds the supercomputers used in Frances nuclear-deterrent program, designed the Scorpion combat-information system being rolled out to equip the countrys land forces, and was picked in 2019 to lead development of a big-data platform for the French Armed Forces Ministry. The company posted a record loss in 2023, and has been in talks with its banks to restructure an unsustainable level of debt.

The aim is to keep Atos strategic activities under the exclusive control of France, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told broadcaster LCI in an interview on Sunday. Were taking the initiative, because its the role of the state to defend Atos strategic interests, and to avoid that sensitive technologies that are crucial in terms of supercomputers or defense, could depend on foreign interests at any time.

France and Germany sign off on future battle tank system

Airbus in March ended talks to buy Atos Big Data & Security unit, prompting the French finance ministry to say it would find a national solution to protect the companys strategic activities. France is targeting assets accounting for about two-thirds of the BDS unit, representing an enterprise value of between 700 million and 1 billion, Atos said.

The group welcomes this letter of intent, which would protect the sovereign strategic imperatives of the French state, Atos said.

Due diligence will start shortly, in view of a confirmatory non-binding offer by early June, the company said. The letter of intent provides for limited exclusivity regarding the targeted assets until either July 31 or the conclusion of a global restructuring agreement, whichever comes first, Atos said.

Le Maire said state-shareholding agency APE will buy the strategic Atos assets, though other French sovereign players could participate, along the models of French warship builder Naval Group and nuclear-reactor supplier TechnicAtome.

The French state owns 62.3% of Naval Group, with Thales holding a 35% stake. APE owns 50.3% of TechnicAtome, whose reactor power Frances aircraft carrier and submarines, with other shareholders including Naval Group and state-owned electricity company EDF.

Story continues

Well have to wait and see what other shareholders might participate, Le Maire said. And I mean only French shareholders working in strategic fields, for example in defense or aeronautics.

France has extensive shareholdings in its defense companies, including a 26.1% stake and 35.4% voting share in publicly-traded Thales, and half of French-German weapons maker KNDS. French law requires foreign investors to seek approval from the Ministry of the Economy before investing in sensitive sectors or strategic assets, so-called covered activities.

Were going to take control of all Atos strategic activities, and thats a big decision, Le Maire said. When we see a threat to a private group involved in strategic activities, I take my responsibilities, and I guarantee that these strategic activities will remain French.
An employer has sparked fierce debate after being so shocked a Gen Z job seeker refused to spend 90 minutes on a hiring test because it looked like a lot of work that he vented about the situation on X, formerly known as Twitter.

People who've job-hunted recently have probably quickly found out that getting hired is no longer as simple as submitting a resume followed by an in-person interview or two.

Job seekers today are often expected to prove theyre the perfect fit for the role through seemingly endless rounds of interviews, aptitude tests, and presentations.

It amounts to hours of prep and work without the guarantee of a job at the end of itand for those unemployed and interviewing with multiple companies, it can feel like a full-time job.

But, as this Gen Z applicant will have learned the hard way, pushing back on such tasks could cost you the job.

Me: really enjoyed the call. Please see attached financial modeling test Gen Z applicant: this looks like a lot of work. Without knowing where I stand in the process, Im not comfortable spending 90 minutes in Excel Me:wellI can tell you where you stand now  m. stanfield (@mu2myoc) April 23, 2024

The CEO, who goes by M. Stanfield on the Elon Muskowned social media platform, admitted he was immediately put off the potential employee after they refused to complete a financial modeling test.

The tweet read:

Me: really enjoyed the call. Please see attached financial modeling test

Gen Z applicant: this looks like a lot of work. Without knowing where I stand in the process, Im not comfortable spending 90 minutes in Excel

Me:wellI can tell you where you stand now

In a follow-up tweet, he posted that if an analyst cant hammer that out in 90 min, theyre not the right person for the investment analyst gig going.

Speaking to Fortune, Stanfieldwho declined to confirm the name of his companysaid such tests are fairly common in his industry as they're used to identify the skill level of potential employees.

During an initial screening call the steps in the interview process were laid out in full, he added, and candidates were also told that the test in question shouldnt take more than an hour.

If you want to get hired as an investment analyst, at least at my fund, you need to demonstrate your ability to analyze an investment, he said, adding the task wasn't on a live project but an example situation.

Story continues

I think its pretty customary in the investment business to perform modeling tests, the Boston-based employer concluded. Otherwise, how is an employer supposed to know if you have the skills to do the job?

The candidate's application didn't go any further than the test.

Boomer mindset

Perhaps unsurprisingly, declaring that youre rejecting a young job seeker because they dont want to do unpaid labor didnt wash down well.

If you can't pay the person for their work, you're not the right employer, one person wrote.

Applicant is right, another added. Unless you offered to compensate for that 90 minutes. He has no idea how many applicants remain in the process. He probably has interviews with other businesses. Effort vs reward definitely not there for this. Good for him.

From the applicants perspective, they're applying to dozens of jobs. They don't have time to do hours of multi round interviews plus tests for every potential employer, most of whom don't have the decency to send a rejection letter. Employers poisoned the well.  Ambar Keluskar, PharmD (@ambarkeluskar) April 23, 2024

Some accused the hiring manager of having a boomer mindset, while others shared their own experiences of spending hours outside of work on post-interview tests only to be ghosted by the employer.

In Stanfields defense, he insisted that he would have gladly paid and probably hired the unnamed Gen Zer if they said: Give me $1,000 and Ill break this deal down in amazing detail.

However, he also proposed that the entire generation would benefit from being in more fistfights at a young age. A few bumps and bruises does a lot of good.

Gen Z is shaking up the world of workand recruiters expectations

Gen Z job seekers have been blasted by recruiters on social media lately for being always late and having long lists of demands despite their lack of experience.

Meanwhile, even young workers who have made it past the recruitment process are catching employers off guard with their unusual requests, like asking to skip a mandatory meeting to hit the gym.

However, employers and hiring managers alike may not moan about their young recruits for long.

As Gen Z becomes increasingly influentialtheyre set to surpass boomers in the workforce this yearthe youngest generation of workers is expected to shake up traditional business practices because hiring managers looking to attract the hot commodity will need to reevaluate their expectations.

As Glassdoors chief economist Aaron Terrazas previously told Fortune: With fewer boomers and more zoomers in the workplace, companies are being forced to adjust the benefits they offer and their employee engagement strategies.

Have you ever pushed back against an employers tasks or tests during an interview application process? Get in touch Orianna.royle@fortune.com

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
General Mills is reportedly looking into the potential sale of its yogurt business in North America.

According to Reuters, the US group has appointed investment banking group JPMorgan Chase to help it find new buyers for the segment.

The Nature Valley snack bars producer is hoping to get the portfolio valued at nearly ten times the asset's annual EBITDA of around $250m, unnamed sources told the news agency.

General Mills' yogurt range includes brands such as Yoplait, Liberte, and Ratio Food.

The company did not respond to a request for comment from Just Food at the time of writing.

In 2021, the Minneapolis-headquartered business sold 51% of its controlling interest in its European yogurts operations to co-shareholder Sodiaal, a French dairy co-operative.

As part of the deal, General Mills fully acquired Yoplait in Canada. It was also granted a reduced royalty rate to use the Yoplait and Liberte brands across North America.

The Old El Paso meal kits maker bought its stake in Yoplait in 2011. It had owned 51% of Yoplait SAS and 50% of Yoplait Marques SNC, a second entity that owns Yoplait and its related trademarks.

Sodiaal, the other shareholder in both entities, supplies milk to the Yoplait brand.

In the nine months ended 25 February, General Mills' total net sales increased 1% to $15.1bn, while operating profits also went up by the same percentage to, to $2.6bn.

In its third quarter, the group recorded a 1% dip in total net sales, at $5.1bn. Total operating profits were up 25% to $911m.

Net sales in its North American retail unit were flat year-on-year, at $9.6m, while the foodservice segment in the region saw 3% growth.

Operating profits for the North American retail market were also flat in the nine-month period, but grew 9% in foodservice. In the third quarter they dropped 4% in retail and 1% in foodservice.

"General Mills mulling sale of North America yogurts business" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Great Pacific Gold Corp.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great Pacific Gold Corp. (Great Pacific Gold, GPAC, or the Company) (TSXV: GPAC) (OTCQX: FSXLF) (Germany: 4TU) is pleased to announce that it has received notification from the Papua New Guinea Mineral Resources Authority (the MRA) of the grant of the advanced stage and past producing Wild Dog Exploration License (EL) 2516.

Highlights:

1424 sq. km advanced stage project ( EL 2761 and 2516) with historic gold production.

Multiple high-grade drill hole intercepts near surface historically reported, while the project remains underexplored at depth and along strike, with multiple structures within a 15km x 4km corridor largely untested by drilling, including several epithermal targets and at least three copper-gold porphyry targets.

Recent samples collected from a historic stockpile near the Wild Dog Zone include Sample 30104 which assayed 242 g/t Au, 601 g/t Ag, 9.52% Cu and Sample 68001 which assayed 122.5 g/t Au, 350 g/t Ag and 11% Cu.

1260 holes have been drilled on the property, most of which were focussed near surface in support of past mining activities such as grade control drilling covering the historic mined oxide epithermal deposit.

Bryan Slusarchuk, CEO of GPAC, states, EL 2516 covers a well known and highly coveted project, with a history of high grade epithermal near surface drill intercepts reported within a limited strike length of 1km. There is significant potential along strike, with more than 90% of the projected strike of the main structure untested due to a thin layer of volcanic ash masking the prospective target area. Our management and technical team have already been preparing a detailed work program to advance this significant advanced stage asset along strike and at depth. With this EL grant, GPAC now has a multiple high priority gold and copper drill ready targets across the Wild Dog, Arau, Kesar Creek and Tinga Valley Projects.

With this grant of EL 2516, all of the Exploration License Applications (ELA) acquired via the transaction through which GPAC purchased Wild Dog Resources have now been converted into Exploration Licenses. 100% of the ground in PNG within GPAC now have EL, with no additional WDR applications pending. Combined, these various EL total approximately 2500 sq. km.

Chris Muller, GPAC Director, adds, The focus of past drilling at Wild Dog has been on the near surface high grade system, and this has obviously yielded some exceptional results. What attracted me to the project originally, however, is the size potential which quickly became evident during the due diligence process and through both field visits and an examination of a substantial amount of historic data.

Story continues

The Wild Dog Project

The Wild Dog Project consists of two ELs (EL 2516 and 2761) totalling 1424 sq. km, which are located on the island of New Britain and are approximately 50 km southwest of Rabaul and Kokopo, PNG.

The Wild Dog Project occurs within a major NNE trending structure of at least 26 km in length which transect apparent volcanic caldera structures and intrusions. During the Mio-Pliocene at least three volcanic centres, known as the Nengmutka, Keravat and Sikut calderas, were localised along this horst and graben zone. This structural corridor constitutes an epithermal and porphyry hydrothermal-magmatic mineralized field.

The Nengmutka Caldera, which hosts the Wild Dog deposit, is characterised by a suite of calc-alkaline andesite breccia and ash flow tuff known as the Nengmutka Volcanics (Lindley, 1988). This formation has been mapped over an area of 600 sq. km. Tonalite of the Arabam Diorite intrudes the volcanic sequence and appears to be partly coeval with the caldera related volcanism.

The precious metal prospects are associated with epithermal type veining that contain gold-silver-telluride (Au-Ag-Te) mineralisation. Gold and silver occur as native metals and as telluride minerals. Porphyry copper-gold type mineralization also occurs associated with these intrusion centres that usually underly the epithermal systems. The whole of the recognised belt is held within the Wild Dog tenements.

Within the central part of the Wild Dog project, a significant structural corridor called the Wild Dog  Gunsap Corridor occurs. The corridor is at least 15 km long and up to 4 km wide and hosts at least three porphyry copper-gold prospects and several epithermal gold deposits and prospects.

The original Wild Dog epithermal gold deposit occurs within the Wild Dog  Gunsap Corridor in the central part of the tenements. It was discovered in 1983, with exploration including extensive mapping, trenching, rock sampling and drilling between 1983 and 2005 by various explorers. New Guinea Gold Limited operated a small open pit mining operation from 2007 and 2011. No exploration has occurred since the closure of the mine.

Great Pacific Gold Corp.

Figure 1  Wild Dog Project Location and Tenements Maps

Historical work completed by a previous operator returned significant gold assays. Channel sampling at the Kavursuki Prospect yields 4m at 9.41 g/t Au and at the Kargalio Vein 6m at 11.5 g/t Au.

Drilling of the Kavursuki Prospect by previous explorers, located within the Wild Dog Zone and north of the former Wild Dog mine, also yielded positive high-grade results.

Table 1  Kavursuki Prospect Significant Drill Intercepts

Hole ID N E RL Depth Azim Dip From (m) Length

(m) Au g/t Cu ppm 90KVD005 9490500 395008 787 85.60 101.50 -45.00 5.35 1.25 12.80 1200 90KVD009 9490834 395227 758 93.85 101.50 -45.00 44.65 3.75 11.21 639 10KVD016 9490464 394971 798 51.00 101.50 -50.00 35.44 8.06 6.49 194 10KVD017 9490464 394970 798 50.00 101.50 -65.00 29.08 1.12 33.70 120 11KVD019 9490496 395039 807 45.10 101.50 -60.00 11.10 5.25 9.45 167 11KVD020 9490537 395045 805 50.90 101.50 -50.00 32.45 11.05 3.18 377 11KVD025 9490809 395241 752 45.20 101.50 -50.00 14.75 8.15 18.77 2801 11KVD026 9490810 395272 776 51.70 281.50 -60.00 33.80 5.10 14.70 101 11KVD027 9490870 395252 767 56.10 101.50 -50.00 30.70 1.90 10.35 46



Apart from the drilling conducted at the former Wild Dog gold mine there remain several drill intercepts that require further exploration outside of the mine environment as tabulated below, apart from the various trenching and channel sampling targets.

Table 2  Wild Dog Prospect Area Significant Drill Intercepts

Hole ID N E RL Depth Azim Dip From Length Au g/t Cu

ppm 86WDD020 9489141 394278 983 259.35 103.50 -60.00 129.35 7.70 5.28 902 87WDD024 9489117 394316 965 152.55 98.50 -60.00 138.25 5.10 8.32 8556 87WDD027 9489115 394325 965 200.40 98.50 -60.00 117.95 6.20 19.13 786 87WDD040A 9489219 394320 994 280.99 103.50 -60.00 148.60 4.20 12.50 4066 87WDD045 9489235 394287 988 300.20 103.50 -60.00 201.30 2.85 16.94 32123 87WDD051 9489249 394257 985 309.10 103.50 -60.00 253.95 6.05 7.29 2054 87WDD058 9489285 394359 977 285.90 101.50 -60.00 147.00 12.45 4.96 6694 87WDD064 9489179 394289 1001 290.60 101.50 -60.00 158.00 14.95 2.73 650 87WDD065 9489160 394330 996 250.10 101.50 -60.00 142.70 4.65 5.49 3246 87WDD069 9489139 394375 991 123.50 101.50 -60.00 88.55 7.75 7.12 7151 08WDD111 9489393 394513 906 100.00 281.50 -60.00 48.40 7.10 5.47 931 85WDD014 9488708 394260 954 86.20 113.50 -51.00 48.25 5.25 9.79 10863 86WDP010 9488839 394302 909 60.00 83.50 -60.00 34.00 6.00 6.71 5047 87WDD040A 9489219 394320 994 280.99 103.50 -60.00 164.55 13.50 8.56 3056 90WDD086 9488948 394337 890 79.00 78.50 -50.00 18.45 11.25 16.22 3473 97WD098 9489389 394487 905 39.00 98.50 -45.00 12.00 8.00 9.73 NA*

NA* - not assayed or not available.

Table 3  Mengmut Prospect Significant Drilling Intercepts

Hole ID North East RL Depth Azim Dip From Length Au g/t Cu

ppm MRC01 9487963 393871 968 20.00 0.00 -90.00 2.00 18.00 3.05 3084 MRC02 9487978 393874 971 30.00 0.00 -90.00 0.00 18.00 3.07 1053 90WDD087 9488091 394082 1021 61.95 101.50 -50.00 7.30 1.35 5.02 1650 90WDD088 9488104 394070 1023 40.30 101.50 -50.00 21.30 1.55 3.95 25 MMD003 9486870 393532 924 104.00 133.00 -50.00 2.35 4.42 NA* MMD006 9486770 393479 945 122.05 133.00 -50.00 2.55 4.16 NA*



Additionally, multiple samples collected from a historic stockpile near the Wild Dog Zone returned bonanza grades of gold and copper including Sample 30104 which assayed 242 g/t Au, 601 g/t Ag, 9.52% Cu and Sample 68001 which assayed 122.5 g/t Au, 350 g/t Ag and 11% Cu.

Great Pacific Gold Corp.

Figure 2  Previous IP exploration survey at Wild Dog Project.

The exploration program at the Wild Dog Project will initially focus on drilling extensions to known gold mineralization within the Wild Dog  Kavursuki mineralized corridor (Figure 3, Tables 1 & 2) as well as other targets within the Wild Dog Structure such as Mengmut prospect (Table 3). Other targets to be explored include the copper-gold Magiabe porphyry target as well as regional geochemical targets established by previous explorers. Extension of the IP coverage in the Magiabe area could better define the target. Orientation soil geochemistry and auger drilling through the shallow cover sequence in prospective areas will be undertaken (Figure 2).

Great Pacific Gold Corp.

Figure 3  Wild Dog Deposit long section with proposed drill target.

As a result of the grant of EL 2516, the Company issued to certain property vendors and/or stakeholders a total of 982,143 common shares at a deemed price of $1.12 for a deemed value of $1,100,000. The Company will also be making cash payments to certain vendors and stakeholders (see news release dated July 5, 2023). The shares issued are subject to restrictions on resale for a period of four months from the date of issue.

About GPAC

Great Pacific Gold has a portfolio of high-grade gold projects in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Australia.

In PNG, Great Pacific Gold recently assembled a 2500 sq. km mineral exploration land package. The land package comprises of exploration licenses (EL). It includes both early-stage and advanced-stage exploration targets with high-grade epithermal vein and porphyry-style mineralization present.

The Arau Project consists of two exploration licenses, located in the Kainantu region, and includes the Mt. Victor Prospect, where previous drilling found a multiple phase intrusion complex hosting copper and gold mineralization.

The Wild Dog Project consists of two granted exploration licenses, EL 2761 and 2516, located on the island of New Britain and about 50 km southwest of Rabaul and Kokopo, PNG.

The Kesar Creek Project consists of one exploration license, EL 2711, and is contiguous with the K92 Mining Inc. tenements.

The Tinga Valley Project consists of one exploration license, EL 2720. The OK Tedi Copper Gold Mine is 140km to the northwest along the same belt is a superb geological comparison to the Tinga Valley Property.

In Australia, Great Pacific Gold began with two, 100% owned, high-grade gold projects called the Lauriston and Golden Mountain Projects, and has since acquired a large area of granted and application tenements containing further epizonal (low-temperature) high-grade gold mineralization and associated intrusion-related gold mineralization all in the state of Victoria, Australia. The Great Pacific Gold land package, assembled over a multi-year period, notably includes the Lauriston Project which is a 535 sq. km property immediately to the south of and within the same geological framework that hosts Agnico Eagle Mines Ltds Fosterville Gold Mine and associated exploration tenements. The Golden Mountain Project is an intrusion-related gold project on the edge of the Strathbogie granite and occurs at the northern end of the Walhalla Gold Belt. The acquired projects include the epizonal gold Providence Project containing the Reedy Creek goldfield which adjoins the Southern Cross Golds Sunday Creek exploration project and a large group of recently consolidated granted tenements called the Walhalla Gold Belt Project, which contain a variety of epizonal and intrusion related style gold mineralization. Additionally, Great Pacific Gold has another gold-focused project called the Moormbool project which has epizonal style gold mineralization and associated potential intrusion-related gold mineralization, as well as the Beechworth Project occurs in the northeast of the state and contains intrusion related and mesozonal gold mineralization.

All GPACs properties in Australia are 100% owned and have had historical gold production from hard rock sources despite limited modern exploration and drilling.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Rex Motton, AusIMM (CP), COO of GPAC, a Qualified Person under the meaning of National Instrument 43-101  Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Motton is responsible for the technical content of this news release.

On behalf of GPAC

Bryan Slusarchuk

Chief Executive Officer and Director

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Great Pacific Gold cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by many material factors, many of which are beyond their respective control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Great Pacific Gold's limited operating history, its exploration and development activities on its mineral properties and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Great Pacific Gold does not undertake to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information: Adam Ross, Investor Relations, Direct: (604) 229-9445, Toll Free: 1 (833) 923-3334, Email: info@greatpacificgoldcorp.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1b3919c7-8f33-45c3-a728-28ad8312060c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f773fb7d-cccb-482b-afe6-5e3020a68221

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/874a49e1-13a8-4f26-be95-b0fe2846f74a




Construction is set to begin this fall in Venice on a variety of development projects  including a grocery store and health care clinic  to help revitalize the community.

The goal of the effort is simple: bring essential services and business to the town of about 1,500, said Ed Hightower, a former Edwardsville school superintendent and Big Ten basketball referee whos leading the endeavor and financing the grocery store.

These are the essential things that you would say that people need in order to survive, Hightower said. These are things that low-income communities are struggling with every day.

Hightower said he became involved in the project after longtime Mayor Tyrone Echols, who was first elected to lead the historically Black town in 1979, asked him to help. Echols describes the projects as a dream come true for Venice.

It puts a lifeblood into a community that was relatively stagnant, Echols said.

After a second set of projects is complete, Hightower and Echols believe the economic development at the center of Venice will spur growth there and in the surrounding communities of Brooklyn and Madison, which have also fallen on hard times.

They believe Venices location  along Illinois Route 3 and just a few minutes from downtown St. Louis, thanks to the McKinley Bridge  will make growth possible.

Like many towns along the Mississippi River, Venice has slowly lost population over the years. At its peak in 1960, the town had a population north of 6,000, according to the U.S. census.

Brooklyn, to the south, and Madison, to the north, have similar trends.

The median household income in Venice stands at roughly $34,000, and 38.1% of the towns residents live under the poverty line, according to the 2022 American Community Survey of the Census Bureau.

An old gas station that will be torn down is seen during a tour by Ed Hightower of a planned development on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Venice. The city of Venice plans to add a new grocery store, healthcare facility, affordable homes, and a new elementary school.

First project already underway

Venices school building was condemned in 2020. Demolition and other site work has already begun on a $26 million pre-K-8 school building, which district leaders said will provide a needed learning environment for the community.

At future development sites, demolition is scheduled for later this year. That will be funded by a $3.1 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

The grocery store, which will be built adjacent to city hall and the towns library, is needed in the community, Hightower and Echols said.

The closest grocery stores in Illinois are at least four miles away in Granite City, making the community a food desert. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, urban communities with a grocery store or supermarket more than one mile away are considered deserts.

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When you have a town that probably has quite a few seniors with transportation problems, this can really give it a shot in the arm, Echols said.

Currently, community leaders are awaiting word from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity regarding their $3.5 million grant application to the Illinois Grocery Initiative program. The budget priority for Gov. J.B. Pritzker allocated $20 million to help seed grocery stores in food deserts in urban or rural parts of the state.

While the city will own the grocery stores building, Venice will lease it for free to Hightower, who will be the primary investor.

The health care facility, which will be operated by the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation based in Sauget, will be built just south of the grocery store.

The new clinic will be built on property formerly owned by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Last December, Pritzker signed a bill from the General Assembly that allowed Venice to buy the property from the state agency for $1.

This is something thats just really much needed in that community, said state Sen. Chris Belt, D-Swansea, who sponsored the legislation.

Ed Hightower poses for a portrait on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Venice. Hightower is helping plan the city of Venices goal of adding a new grocery store, healthcare facility, affordable homes, and a new elementary school.

A dollar store is the final project in the first phase slated to start construction by the fall.

The next phase of the revitalization project will include the construction of 40 affordable homes just southwest of downtown Venice, a child care center, a career and vocational training center and a new bike trail. A funeral home, owned by a private investor, is also part of the plan.

Hightower said hes waiting to hear from the Illinois Housing Development Authority on tax credits to help build the homes. Hightower and officials are also looking into funding opportunities for the vocational center and the child care center.

If all goes as planned, the second phase will be completed by the end of 2026. Hightower said he hopes projects in the first phase will be finished by the end of 2025.

Its an aggressive plan, he said. But if you dont set milestones and say, Were going to adhere to them, then you dont get it done. You continue to procrastinate.
Just a few short years after coming to market, the latest GLP-1 drugs are showing versatility in battling diseases related to diabetes and obesity, lifting the fortunes and expectations for market leaders Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY).

Both companies will report first quarter earnings this week  Lilly on April 30 and Novo on May 2  and all eyes will be on their GLP-1 portfolios.

Wall Street estimates Eli Lilly will bring in revenue of $8.9 billion, up from nearly $7 billion in the first quarter of 2023; Novo Nordisk, meanwhile, is expected to report at least $9 billion, compared to $7.2 billion last year, according to Bloomberg.

Novo's blockbuster drugs  Ozempic to treat diabetes and Wegovy for weight loss  are also known by their formula name, semaglutide. Lilly's key drugs  Mounjaro for diabetes and Zepbound for weight loss  are known by their formula name, tirzepatide.

The diabetes drugs have been on the market for a few years but rose in prominence after celebrities began to tout their weight loss properties.

Analysts expect Ozempic and Wegovy combined to bring in sales of $26 billion for Novo for the full year 2024, and Mounjaro and Zepbound could net Lilly about $13.5 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Over the last year, both companies' stocks have outperformed the broader market. Lilly's 85% rally gave it a market value of nearly $700 billion, making it one of the 10 biggest companies in the S&P 500.

Wegovy and Zepbound were only recently approved by the FDA for weight loss; Zepbound was approved last year, while Wegovy was approved in 2021.

Still, the demand for all four has skyrocketed in the past year, leading to ongoing shortages and both manufacturers admitting they would not be able to keep up with demand in the near-term.

In a note to investors earlier this month, Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger said that the GLP-1 franchise is "constrained by supply limitations."

Citing data from pharmaceutical research firm IQVIA, Risinger found weekly prescriptions slowed between the week ending on April 12 and the week ending on April 19. Mounjaro dropped from 90,468 prescriptions in the earlier week to 87,179 in the latest. Similarly, Zepbound dropped from 75,453 in the week of April 12 to 51,092 in the week of April 19.

Lilly CEO David Ricks told Yahoo Finance earlier this year that the company expects to continue to see shortages as it focuses on ramping up to meet demand.

On a call with investors in February, Ricks said, "While we're continuing to expand supply every quarter, we expect the most significant production increases to come in the second half of the year."

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The injectable weight-loss medication Wegovy. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) (Scott Olson via Getty Images)

Other factors will also increase demand and exacerbate the shortages, further limiting access to the drugs. In March, Novo's Wegovy was approved by the FDA for those with cardiovascular disease and risk of heart attack and death. Novo Nordisk is also conducting a trial for kidney disease.

Eli Lilly, meanwhile, recently shared positive results for using Zepbound to help patients with sleep apnea. While exact numbers for potential new prescriptions are unknown, more than 45% of obese adults suffer from sleep apnea.

There are hundreds of other trials, either sponsored by the drugmakers or by academic or government research agencies, looking at other potential benefits of these drugs.

That includes liver disease, kidney disease, other diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, as well as infertility or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). There are also clinical trials underway to help assess the safety of these drugs in people who have just given birth.

Increasing coverage

The drugs being approved and prescribed for conditions other than weight loss will likely open them up to being covered by insurance companies, employers, and government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.

Currently only 40% of large employers cover the drugs for weight loss alone. Medicare, the largest government payer, doesn't cover weight-loss drugs.

With more opportunity down the pike, that could fulfill analyst predictions of a $100 billion-plus market for the GLP-1 category.

In the case of Wegovy, for example, research and analytics firm Global Data said in a recent report, "Semaglutide will continue to be the market-leading GLP-1RA and will experience significant growth in market sales, particularly towards the end of the decade."

Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist and professor at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine, said the current trend is likely to make GLP-1s as ubiquitous as Viagra.

It will all add up to a very expensive future, he said: one that the federal government is trying to fight.

Sen. Bernie Sanders ( D-Vt.), announced last week he is launching an investigation into the pricing of GLP-1s by Novo Nordisk. He noted the stark difference in US pricing  $969 per month for Ozempic, versus $155 per month in Canada.

Reports suggest there could be a reduction in pricing once more competition enters the market, of which there is no shortage. There are currently at least 114 drugs in various phases of clinical trials, according to health news outlet STAT.

Caplan balked at the idea, saying the theory that competition will drive down the cost is "ridiculous."

"I can't of anything where there's just been a couple of under-patent drugs competing where that drove the price down," he said.

Anjalee Khemlani is the senior health reporter at Yahoo Finance, covering all things pharma, insurance, care services, digital health, PBMs, and health policy and politics. Follow Anjalee on all social media platforms @AnjKhem.

Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest health industry news and events impacting stock prices

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) said in a key milestone the first container shipment was recently transported by rail from Jubail Commercial Port to Riyadh Dry Port, a major step that will help improve transportation and logistics efficiency.

The shipment of 78 TEUs was transported on the railway connecting Jubail Commercial Port with the East Train Network, which has a maximum capacity of 140 TEUs per trip.

It was possible due to the collaboration between Mawani, the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (ZATCA), Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR), and the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), said the statement from Mawani.

This cooperation between Mawani and other relevant authorities, notably SAR, contributes to achieving an integrated transport of containers, bulk materials, and general cargo, it added.

SAR networks connect Riyadh Dry Port with King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam, King Fahd Industrial Port in Jubail, Jubail Commercial Port, and Ras Al-Khair Port. This adds a "competitive advantage" to those ports and contributes to better and faster loading and unloading services.

Mawani had entered into a partnership agreement with SAR in early April to establish a unified framework and adopt a general organizational and legislative model for cargo transportation to and from its ports via railways.

This aligns with the goals of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030.

According to Mawani, the railway increases connectivity, and the efficiency of logistics operations, and consolidates the kingdom's position as a global logistics hub bridging three continents.

It also improves the quality of services provided at the ports, offering innovative logistics services that enhance the efficiency of exports and imports.

This initiative will provide logistical support to industrial and commercial ports in the Kingdom, enhancing their competitiveness and supporting trade by offering safe and sustainable solutions that reduce harmful emissions and help preserve the environment, it added.-TradeArabia News Service
Over the last year, a good number of insiders have significantly increased their holdings in KGL Resources Limited (ASX:KGL). This is encouraging because it indicates that insiders are more optimistic about the company's prospects.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

View our latest analysis for KGL Resources

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At KGL Resources

The insider Denis Wood made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for AU$1.6m worth of shares at a price of AU$0.12 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.11). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is generally more encouraging if they paid above the current price, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels.

While KGL Resources insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

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.

Does KGL Resources Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data indicates that KGL Resources insiders own about AU$6.2m worth of shares (which is 9.9% of the company). However, it's possible that insiders might have an indirect interest through a more complex structure. Whilst better than nothing, we're not overly impressed by these holdings.

So What Do The KGL Resources Insider Transactions Indicate?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. While we have no worries about the insider transactions, we'd be more comfortable if they owned more KGL Resources stock. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 6 warning signs for KGL Resources (of which 3 are significant!) you should know about.

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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.
A Russian flag on the pin of a microchip.

In 2023, Intels operations in Russia were drastically pared back, leaving just one employee as the director of both Intel AO and Intel Technologies. Alina Klushina is listed as the director of both Intels Russian entities, reports Abachy. The mothballed businesses incurred losses of $2.31 million over the last year.

This rapid transformation of Intels Russia business began shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. In April 2022, Intel said it suspended all operations in Russia, following up an earlier decision to suspend tech shipments into the country (the Ukraine War began in Feb 2022).

A bullet-point timeline charting the decline of Intels Russia operations is as follows:

2021: Intels Russian businesses brought in a combined revenue of around $80 million.

2022: Intel suspends operations. It had 1,200 employees in Russia when operations ceased.

2023: Intel AO and Intel Technologies revenues were down to zero, and losses of $2.31 million were recorded. Intel had 788 employees in Russia at the start of the year.

2024: Alina Klushina is the sole employee, acting as the director of both Intel AO and Intel Technologies.

Intel opened its Nizhny Novgorod research and development center in 2000, nine years after setting up in Russia. It earned a good reputation for software, AI, machine vision, 5G, and IoT development. This R&D center was revamped in 2020 and employed over 1,000 individuals at the time. Meanwhile, the Intel AO business unit is said to have covered information processing and software development. Intel Technologies was responsible for marketing, tech support, and consultancy.

After the initial cessation of Intels product and service flow in Russia, the firm restored user access to driver downloads  honoring its service and warranty obligations. However, we have since seen reports with evidence that the applied sanctions have failed in practical terms. In January, for example, we reported on Russian entities buying up to $1.7 billion worth of Intel (and AMD) chips in 2023. Many of the chips arrived in Russia as re-exports via places like China, Turkey, or the UAE.

Intel seems to be continuing to maintain its Russian properties, watched over by Klushina, in the hope of favorable political developments. Hopefully, an end to the war. It seems reasonable to expect losses of a similar scale to 2023 (USD 2 to 3 million) in the coming year, probably the minimum required to maintain its mothballed operations.
The activist investors trying to take control of Norfolk Southern's board are picking up key support, but the railroad's CEO promised Monday to fight the takeover attempt until a May 9 shareholder vote because he believes his strategy is the best in the long run for investors, customers and workers.

Ancora Holdings' bid to elect seven new directors and replace management at the Atlanta-based railroad has gained the backing of one of the major proxy advisory firms, one of the railroad's biggest customers and two of its largest labor unions in recent days.

But CEO Alan Shaw said he believes he still has the support of most of the railroad's workers, investors and customers.

The choice really couldnt be any more clear for our shareholders, Shaw said an interview with The Associated Press. We make promises and weve continued to keep our promises, and we will continue to deliver. And weve got a long-term vision for Norfolk Southern where shareholders win, as opposed to the activists whove got a short-term and erratic approach where shareholders lose.

The main issue is whether Shaw's strategy of keeping additional resources on hand during a downturn and his investments in safety are the best course for the railroad that has been in the spotlight ever since a fiery derailment in eastern Ohio in February 2023. Ancora  and the former UPS and CSX railroad executives the investors nominated to lead Norfolk Southern  argue that a dramatic overhaul of the railroad's operations is needed to streamline the way its trains move and bring Norfolk Southern's profits in line with its peers.

Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis said in a report Monday that shareholders should vote for six of Ancora's seven nominees, including proposed CEO Jim Barber, the former chief operating officer at UPS, because Ancora has presented a compelling case for supporting a substantial overhaul of the company's current leadership" after the railroad delivered results that have been consistently worse than its peers for an extended period.

Norfolk Southern's profits in the first three months of the year fell short of Wall Street expectations again, even excluding the $600 million settlement it recently announced for people who live near the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment. Shaw said he believes the railroad is on track to improve its bottom line over the next couple years, particularly after last month's hiring of new Chief Operating Officer John Orr.

Barber has said he doesn't think the changes Orr is making to streamline Norfolk Southern's railyards will be enough, and he questions the $25 million Shaw agreed to pay a competing railroad to get the right to hire Orr.

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Steel producer Cleveland-Cliffs, which is one of the railroad's biggest customers, also endorsed Ancora's plan in a letter CEO Lourenco Goncalves wrote to the investors.

We believe in shareholder activism when the activist has a plan and knows how to execute the plan. That seems to be the case of your current effort, and therefore you have my support, Goncalves wrote.

Both the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division unions broke with the rest of rail labor last week to endorse Ancora after meeting with Barber and his proposed operations chief Jamie Boychuk. The 11 other rail unions reiterated their support for Shaw in a statement Friday, saying they believe Ancora's cost-cutting plan will jeopardize the safety and service improvements Norfolk Southern has made since the 2023 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

Those union endorsements became controversial over the weekend after documents surfaced online detailing an agreement the BLET made with Ancora where the investors promised to make a number of changes in work rules that would benefit the engineers if they prevail in the vote.

This is a backroom deal where Ancora signed an agreement illegally binding Norfolk Southern to an agreement with BMWED and with BLET, and theyre just giving away shareholder value to win votes. And thats not the right thing for our shareholders, Shaw said.

Both sides accuse each other of getting desperate in the final stages of this campaign. Shaw said Norfolk Southern remains open to a possible settlement with Ancora, but not on the terms the investors are demanding to replace management and overhaul the railroad's strategy.

Ancora said in a statement that it's disingenuous for Mr. Shaw and his board to chastise us for not having stakeholder support on one hand  and then lash out at us for appropriately obtaining support on the other hand.
Will Iowa homeowners see higher insurance rates because of the April 26 tornadoes?

Iowa insurance professionals don't think so. But, they concede, the storm's damage comes at a bad time.

Claims on Iowa homes have piled up since 2019, leading some insurance companies to raise rates in recent years. Others have exited the state altogether.

Industry leaders say companies need a loss ratio  paid-out claims as a fraction of revenue  of at least 60%. But, according to Iowa Insurance Division annual reports, homeowners' policies in the state missed that mark in 2020-2022. The state has not released figures for 2023.

Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa CEO Tom OMeara said Monday that industry leaders will need months to tally up the cost of the storms. Customers are still without power, O'Meara said, and some haven't even been able to contact their insurers yet.

More: NWS: There were at least 17 tornadoes in Iowa last week. Here's what we know so far.

He expects the largest companies, like State Farm Insurance and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co., to park mobile offices in Minden, Iowa's hardest-hit town.

For the Iowa market as a whole, though, OMeara doesn't think the tornadoes will impact customers future premiums and deductibles. Most of the tornadoes hit small towns, which dont hurt companies balance sheets as deeply as storms rushing through a metropolitan areas.

Aerial shots of Minden, Iowa after a large tornado devastated the town April 26.

More: Farm insurer joins others in pulling back from Iowa after increased storms

By comparison, the 2020 derecho  the most expensive storm in state history  hit customers in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids metros. Loss ratios around Iowa hit 209% that year.

The companies do plan on some of these storms, right? OMeara said Monday. Its not that theyre totally unexpected. They are in the budget.

Storm may not have negative effect, 'but it sure isn't going to have a positive impact'

Brent Scheve, owner of The Agency Insurance in Harlan, about 25 miles northeast of Minden, said tornadoes struck a couple of customers' properties. One of his company's employees saw the storm destroy her machine shed and rip away half her home, uprooting it from its foundation.

After a couple of years of significant losses in Iowa, many insurers had increased premiums. Scheve said the most recent bout of storms may not lead to higher rates.

At the same time, companies want to see several calm years before they start decreasing premiums. Homeowners' polices in Iowa have exceeded the 60% loss ratio in six of the last 10 years.

More: Readers' Watchdog: Home damaged by weekend storms? Here's what you need to know

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"You never want a storm like this," Scheve said. "It may not have a negative impact (on premiums). But it sure isn't going to have a positive impact."

Jeff Brehmer, president of the Smith Davis Insurance agency in Council Bluffs, worries that building material costs will increase in the wake of the tornadoes. With so many homeowners rebuilding, he said suppliers of goods like lumber might struggle to find enough material.

The price will rise. Insurers will pay a higher cost on behalf of customers. The companies will then increase future premiums.

Hans Boehm, of Boehm Insurance Agency in Ogden, said representatives from Cincinnati Insurance Co. and Safeco Insurance predicted a year of intense thunderstorms in the area during sales meetings this winter.

Boy," Boehm said, "so far they were right. They were right on the money.

Tyler Jett is an investigative reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at tjett@registermedia.com, 515-284-8215, or on Twitter at @LetsJett. He also accepts encrypted messages at tjett@proton.me.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How likely are Iowa tornadoes to drive insurance rates higher?
Tarrant Countys public hospital agreed to pay its former chief financial officer $900,000 in severance after it fired her in October, according to records obtained by the Star-Telegram.

Sharon Clark, previously the senior executive vice president chief financial officer at JPS Health Network, was fired from her position effective Oct. 9, according to records released to the Star-Telegram. In December, Clark signed an agreement in which the health network agreed to pay her the equivalent of her regular salary for 18 months, or $911,882. Clark agreed to not file any petition or lawsuit against JPS or any other parties specified under the agreement. The severance pay will be paid to Clark in biweekly installments until April 9, 2025, and will be reduced should Clark start a new job before then. Clark will also receive a $645,000 payout through the JPS annual and long-term incentive plans.

In January, the Star-Telegram requested documents related to Clarks departure from JPS. The health network initially did not release any records, and instead asked for a ruling from the Texas Attorney Generals Office, which public entities can do if they believe the requested records are exempt from the Texas Public Information Act.

JPS argued documents related to Clarks departure contained sensitive information and were exempt from the open records law. In a March 28 letter, an assistant attorney general wrote that JPS may not withhold any portion of the requested records. JPS released the records to the Star-Telegram on Monday.

Daphne Walker, JPS chief legal officer, said in a phone interview Monday that she could not comment on the reason Clarks employment was terminated. Walker said the separation agreement was a typical salary continuation.

Walker said JPS had not yet hired a new chief financial officer and that a search was ongoing.

Clark could not be reached for comment. The agreement Clark signed stipulates that she would not speak publicly to the media or anyone else about the terms of the agreement.

JPS Health Network is the public hospital for Tarrant County and is partially funded by local property taxes. The hospital operates one of the busiest emergency rooms in the U.S., and cares for a large share of the countys residents without health insurance. The hospital district is considered a component unit of Tarrant County government, meaning that Tarrant County commissioners have the final say on its tax rate and that they can provide advice to JPS. County commissioners also appoint members of the hospital board, who oversee the health networks operations. JPS and county leaders approved a $1.54 billion operating budget for the health network for 2024.
Revenue: Reported at $140.8 million for Q1 2024, slightly above the estimated $140.14 million.

Net Income: GAAP net income stood at $14.8 million, significantly below the estimated $39.43 million.

Earnings Per Share (EPS): GAAP EPS was $0.11, falling short of the estimated $0.28; non-GAAP EPS was $0.29, slightly surpassing the estimate.

Gross Margin: GAAP gross margin was 68.3%, with non-GAAP gross margin slightly higher at 69%.

Year-over-Year Comparisons: Revenue decreased by 23.6% from Q1 2023, and GAAP net income dropped by 73.5%.

Quarterly Expense Trends: Research and Development expenses as a percentage of revenue increased significantly year-over-year, from 19.5% to 28.8%.

Future Outlook: Expects Q2 2024 revenue to be between $120 million and $140 million with a non-GAAP gross margin around 69%.

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:LSCC), a leader in low power programmable solutions, disclosed its financial outcomes for the first quarter ended March 30, 2024, as per its recent 8-K filing. The company reported a revenue of $140.8 million and a GAAP net income of $0.11 per diluted share. On a non-GAAP basis, the net income per diluted share stood at $0.29, aligning closely with analyst expectations of $0.28.

Lattice Semiconductor Corp (LSCC) Q1 2024 Earnings: Aligns with EPS Projections Amid Industry Headwinds

Lattice Semiconductor, headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon, serves a global client base with its innovative semiconductor technology, focusing on consumer, communications, and industrial markets. The company's core business includes silicon-based products, intellectual property licensing, and associated services.

Financial Performance Overview

The reported revenue of $140.8 million for Q1 2024 reflects a significant decline from the previous year's $184.3 million, indicating a 23.6% year-over-year decrease. This reduction mirrors the cyclical downturns the industry is currently facing. Despite these challenges, Lattice maintains a strong gross margin of 69% on a non-GAAP basis, slightly down from the previous year's 70.3%.

Operating expenses have risen, with R&D and SG&A expenses marking increases both quarterly and annually, signaling ongoing investments in innovation and market expansion despite the revenue dip. Net income has notably decreased to $14.8 million from $55.9 million in the prior year, a stark reflection of the current industry headwinds impacting the sector.

Strategic Initiatives and Industry Recognition

Amidst financial pressures, Lattice Semiconductor continues to innovate, highlighted by new AI-PC integrations with Dell Latitude models and enhancements in its FPGA design tools. The company's commitment to innovation and quality has earned it multiple industry accolades, including the 2024 Top Workplace USA and BIG AI Excellence Awards.

CEO Jim Anderson emphasized the strategic long-term positioning despite short-term industry challenges, stating,

First quarter 2024 results came in as expected and reflect the near-term impact of cyclic industry headwinds. Despite near-term headwinds, the Company is well-positioned for the long-term as we execute on the largest product portfolio expansion in our history."

Looking Ahead

For the second quarter of 2024, Lattice anticipates revenues to be between $120 million and $140 million, with a non-GAAP gross margin percentage around 69%. The forecast reflects cautious optimism, balancing the ongoing industry challenges with effective cost management and strategic growth initiatives.

Lattice's disciplined approach to capital management is also evident in its consistent shareholder returns, with the company marking its fourteenth consecutive quarter of share repurchases, as highlighted by CFO Sherri Luther.

In conclusion, while Lattice Semiconductor navigates through turbulent industry conditions, its focus on long-term growth strategies and maintaining robust operational disciplines underlines its resilience and commitment to delivering shareholder value. Investors and stakeholders will likely watch closely how the company's strategic initiatives unfold in the coming quarters.

For detailed financial figures and further information, please refer to the full earnings release on Lattice Semiconductor's website.

Explore the complete 8-K earnings release (here) from Lattice Semiconductor Corp for further details.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.


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Many Americans target $1 million as their dream nest egg for retirement, but the truth is that in many states, even $750,000 can be more than enough. Although your longevity and your lifestyle can greatly impact how much youll need for a successful retirement, the state in which you live can also play a big role.

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To determine how long $750,000 will last across the country for those 65 or older, GOBankingRates culled data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 Consumer Expenditure Survey and the 2023 Missouri Economic Research and Information Center about annual costs in various states. The total cost of living in each state was used to determine how long $750,000 would last for retirees, while specific information about the cost of groceries, utilities, transportation, housing and healthcare for people 65 and older in each state was also analyzed for comparative purposes. States were then ranked in reverse order, with $750,000 lasting the longest in state #1 and #51 being the state where it will run out most quickly (this study also includes Washington D.C.).

The bottom line is that $750,000 can last more than twice as long if you live in a low-cost state in the South rather than higher-cost locations on the coasts or in Hawaii. However, youll have to balance the cost of living with the type of retirement youd enjoy. Heres the complete list of how long $750,000 will last in each state in order from the shortest amount of time to the longest.

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Hawaii

Annual groceries cost: $5,598.10

Annual housing cost: $36,607.65

Annual utilities cost: $6,409.07

Annual transportation cost: $6,673.05

Annual healthcare cost: $9,281.74

Total annual expenditures: $104,245.85

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 7 years 2 months 8 days

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f11photo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

District of Columbia

Annual groceries cost: $5,056.04

Annual housing cost: $27,791.88

Annual utilities cost: $4,685.02

Annual transportation cost: $5,214.87

Annual healthcare cost: $8,294.00

Total annual expenditures: $84,876.82

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 8 years 10 months 2 days

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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Massachusetts

Annual groceries cost: $5,051.24

Annual housing cost: $25,547.02

Annual utilities cost: $5,672.00

Annual transportation cost: $5,808.03

Annual healthcare cost: $8,512.66

Total annual expenditures: $84,703.37

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 8 years 10 months 6 days

Alex Potemkin / Getty Images

California

Annual groceries cost: $5,372.64

Annual housing cost: $23,243.70

Annual utilities cost: $5,371.25

Annual transportation cost: $6,208.41

Annual healthcare cost: $8,180.90

Total annual expenditures: $80,077.93

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 9 years 4 months 14 days

OlegAlbinsky / iStock.com

New York

Annual groceries cost: $4,950.50

Annual housing cost: $20,577.92

Annual utilities cost: $4,367.32

Annual transportation cost: $5,239.58

Annual healthcare cost: $8,022.56

Total annual expenditures: $72,792.86

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 10 years 3 months 20 days

Rocky Grimes / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Alaska

Annual groceries cost: $5,924.30

Annual housing cost: $14,322.70

Annual utilities cost: $6,688.64

Annual transportation cost: $5,699.28

Annual healthcare cost: $11,166.74

Total annual expenditures: $72,388.14

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 10 years 4 months 10 days

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Maryland

Annual groceries cost: $5,104.01

Annual housing cost: $17,117.09

Annual utilities cost: $4,689.25

Annual transportation cost: $4,858.97

Annual healthcare cost: $7,343.96

Total annual expenditures: $67,357.97

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 1 months 17 days

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Washington

Annual groceries cost: $5,267.11

Annual housing cost: $15,047.60

Annual utilities cost: $3,901.36

Annual transportation cost: $6,094.72

Annual healthcare cost: $9,078.16

Total annual expenditures: $67,068.88

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 2 months 4 days

marchello74 / iStock.com

Vermont

Annual groceries cost: $5,027.26

Annual housing cost: $15,562.05

Annual utilities cost: $5,117.09

Annual transportation cost: $5,284.07

Annual healthcare cost: $7,992.40

Total annual expenditures: $66,664.15

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 3 months 2 days

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Oregon

Annual groceries cost: $5,219.14

Annual housing cost: $15,936.20

Annual utilities cost: $4,062.32

Annual transportation cost: $5,763.54

Annual healthcare cost: $7,939.62

Total annual expenditures: $66,317.25

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 3 months 23 days

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New Hampshire

Annual groceries cost: $4,892.94

Annual housing cost: $12,802.74

Annual utilities cost: $5,549.16

Annual transportation cost: $5,432.36

Annual healthcare cost: $8,535.28

Total annual expenditures: $65,970.34

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 4 months 14 days

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Jersey

Annual groceries cost: $4,921.72

Annual housing cost: $15,877.74

Annual utilities cost: $4,587.59

Annual transportation cost: $5,175.32

Annual healthcare cost: $7,487.22

Total annual expenditures: $65,854.70

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 4 months 22 days

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Connecticut

Annual groceries cost: $4,878.55

Annual housing cost: $14,334.39

Annual utilities cost: $5,523.74

Annual transportation cost: $4,962.77

Annual healthcare cost: $8,195.98

Total annual expenditures: $65,218.70

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 6 months 1 days

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Rhode Island

Annual groceries cost: $4,878.55

Annual housing cost: $13,656.26

Annual utilities cost: $4,761.26

Annual transportation cost: $4,572.28

Annual healthcare cost: $8,120.58

Total annual expenditures: $64,004.53

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 8 months 20 days

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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maine

Annual groceries cost: $4,883.35

Annual housing cost: $13,726.41

Annual utilities cost: $4,519.81

Annual transportation cost: $5,387.87

Annual healthcare cost: $7,758.66

Total annual expenditures: $63,541.98

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 9 months 18 days

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Arizona

Annual groceries cost: $4,902.53

Annual housing cost: $14,509.77

Annual utilities cost: $4,036.91

Annual transportation cost: $5,244.52

Annual healthcare cost: $7,072.52

Total annual expenditures: $62,674.71

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 11 years 11 months 20 days

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Colorado

Annual groceries cost: $4,864.16

Annual housing cost: $13,282.11

Annual utilities cost: $3,867.47

Annual transportation cost: $5,200.04

Annual healthcare cost: $7,570.16

Total annual expenditures: $60,766.72

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 12 years 4 months 3 days

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Utah

Annual groceries cost: $4,763.42

Annual housing cost: $12,943.04

Annual utilities cost: $4,019.96

Annual transportation cost: $5,195.09

Annual healthcare cost: $6,861.40

Total annual expenditures: $59,668.18

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 12 years 6 months 26 days

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Montana

Annual groceries cost: $4,916.93

Annual housing cost: $12,136.30

Annual utilities cost: $3,931.01

Annual transportation cost: $5,387.87

Annual healthcare cost: $7,366.58

Total annual expenditures: $59,494.72

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 12 years 7 months 10 days

Andyd / Getty Images

Virginia

Annual groceries cost: $4,825.78

Annual housing cost: $12,358.44

Annual utilities cost: $4,418.15

Annual transportation cost: $4,685.96

Annual healthcare cost: $7,705.88

Total annual expenditures: $58,916.54

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 12 years 8 months 23 days

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

Delaware

Annual groceries cost: $4,892.94

Annual housing cost: $11,341.24

Annual utilities cost: $4,147.04

Annual transportation cost: $5,046.80

Annual healthcare cost: $7,781.28

Total annual expenditures: $58,454.00

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 12 years 9 months 29 days

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Nevada

Annual groceries cost: $4,936.11

Annual housing cost: $12,557.21

Annual utilities cost: $4,197.88

Annual transportation cost: $5,763.54

Annual healthcare cost: $6,914.18

Total annual expenditures: $58,396.18

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 12 years 10 months 2 days

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Florida

Annual groceries cost: $4,773.02

Annual housing cost: $12,428.60

Annual utilities cost: $4,121.63

Annual transportation cost: $4,908.40

Annual healthcare cost: $7,276.10

Total annual expenditures: $58,222.73

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 12 years 10 months 17 days

vkbhat / iStock.com

Idaho

Annual groceries cost: $4,844.97

Annual housing cost: $11,224.32

Annual utilities cost: $3,630.25

Annual transportation cost: $5,200.04

Annual healthcare cost: $7,457.06

Total annual expenditures: $57,008.55

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 1 months 27 days

Alex Potemkin / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Pennsylvania

Annual groceries cost: $4,773.02

Annual housing cost: $9,575.75

Annual utilities cost: $4,545.23

Annual transportation cost: $5,219.81

Annual healthcare cost: $7,110.22

Total annual expenditures: $55,274.01

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 6 months 26 days

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North Carolina

Annual groceries cost: $4,705.86

Annual housing cost: $10,546.18

Annual utilities cost: $4,003.02

Annual transportation cost: $4,537.67

Annual healthcare cost: $8,150.74

Total annual expenditures: $55,100.55

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 7 months 11 days

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South Carolina

Annual groceries cost: $4,758.62

Annual housing cost: $10,113.58

Annual utilities cost: $4,511.34

Annual transportation cost: $4,488.24

Annual healthcare cost: $7,125.30

Total annual expenditures: $55,100.55

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 7 months 11 days

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Wisconsin

Annual groceries cost: $4,758.62

Annual housing cost: $9,903.12

Annual utilities cost: $4,329.19

Annual transportation cost: $4,839.20

Annual healthcare cost: $8,467.42

Total annual expenditures: $54,984.92

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 7 months 22 days

ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Ohio

Annual groceries cost: $4,864.16

Annual housing cost: $9,493.90

Annual utilities cost: $4,202.11

Annual transportation cost: $4,962.77

Annual healthcare cost: $7,381.66

Total annual expenditures: $54,753.65

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 8 months 12 days

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

North Dakota

Annual groceries cost: $4,518.77

Annual housing cost: $9,751.13

Annual utilities cost: $4,202.11

Annual transportation cost: $4,908.40

Annual healthcare cost: $8,384.48

Total annual expenditures: $54,695.83

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 8 months 16 days

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Minnesota

Annual groceries cost: $4,710.65

Annual housing cost: $9,599.13

Annual utilities cost: $3,956.42

Annual transportation cost: $4,804.60

Annual healthcare cost: $8,233.68

Total annual expenditures: $54,406.74

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 9 months 14 days

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Mexico

Annual groceries cost: $4,624.31

Annual housing cost: $10,207.12

Annual utilities cost: $3,943.72

Annual transportation cost: $4,681.02

Annual healthcare cost: $7,487.22

Total annual expenditures: $54,348.92

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 9 months 18 days

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Texas

Annual groceries cost: $4,590.73

Annual housing cost: $9,716.05

Annual utilities cost: $4,405.44

Annual transportation cost: $4,537.67

Annual healthcare cost: $7,080.06

Total annual expenditures: $53,597.29

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 13 years 11 months 26 days

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

South Dakota

Annual groceries cost: $4,653.09

Annual housing cost: $10,183.73

Annual utilities cost: $3,706.50

Annual transportation cost: $4,814.48

Annual healthcare cost: $7,381.66

Total annual expenditures: $53,423.83

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 0 months 15 days

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Wyoming

Annual groceries cost: $4,907.33

Annual housing cost: $9,353.60

Annual utilities cost: $3,710.74

Annual transportation cost: $4,666.19

Annual healthcare cost: $7,547.54

Total annual expenditures: $53,423.83

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 0 months 15 days

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Illinois

Annual groceries cost: $4,701.06

Annual housing cost: $9,330.22

Annual utilities cost: $3,753.10

Annual transportation cost: $5,091.29

Annual healthcare cost: $7,163.00

Total annual expenditures: $53,250.38

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 0 months 29 days

hstiver / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Kentucky

Annual groceries cost: $4,859.36

Annual housing cost: $8,617.00

Annual utilities cost: $4,422.38

Annual transportation cost: $4,547.56

Annual healthcare cost: $6,310.98

Total annual expenditures: $53,192.56

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 1 months 6 days

graphiknation / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Louisiana

Annual groceries cost: $4,557.15

Annual housing cost: $9,540.67

Annual utilities cost: $3,558.24

Annual transportation cost: $4,735.39

Annual healthcare cost: $7,441.98

Total annual expenditures: $52,614.38

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 3 months 1 days

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ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Indiana

Annual groceries cost: $4,725.05

Annual housing cost: $8,862.54

Annual utilities cost: $4,519.81

Annual transportation cost: $4,715.62

Annual healthcare cost: $7,268.56

Total annual expenditures: $52,614.38

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 3 months 1 days

Matt Bills / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Nebraska

Annual groceries cost: $4,595.53

Annual housing cost: $9,189.91

Annual utilities cost: $3,630.25

Annual transportation cost: $4,943.00

Annual healthcare cost: $7,381.66

Total annual expenditures: $52,556.56

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 3 months 9 days

Nate Hovee / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Georgia

Annual groceries cost: $4,705.86

Annual housing cost: $9,143.14

Annual utilities cost: $3,621.78

Annual transportation cost: $4,621.71

Annual healthcare cost: $7,562.62

Total annual expenditures: $52,498.74

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 3 months 16 days

CT757fan / Getty Images

Michigan

Annual groceries cost: $4,739.44

Annual housing cost: $9,014.53

Annual utilities cost: $4,282.60

Annual transportation cost: $4,779.88

Annual healthcare cost: $7,034.82

Total annual expenditures: $52,383.11

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 3 months 27 days

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Tennessee

Annual groceries cost: $4,686.67

Annual housing cost: $9,634.21

Annual utilities cost: $3,922.54

Annual transportation cost: $4,384.44

Annual healthcare cost: $6,642.74

Total annual expenditures: $52,209.65

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 4 months 14 days

benkrut / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Iowa

Annual groceries cost: $4,633.90

Annual housing cost: $8,663.77

Annual utilities cost: $4,045.38

Annual transportation cost: $4,873.80

Annual healthcare cost: $7,494.76

Total annual expenditures: $52,209.65

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 4 months 14 days

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Arkansas

Annual groceries cost: $4,571.54

Annual housing cost: $8,722.23

Annual utilities cost: $3,880.18

Annual transportation cost: $4,428.93

Annual healthcare cost: $6,597.50

Total annual expenditures: $51,458.02

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 6 months 26 days

f11photo / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Missouri

Annual groceries cost: $4,571.54

Annual housing cost: $9,002.84

Annual utilities cost: $4,176.70

Annual transportation cost: $4,493.19

Annual healthcare cost: $6,778.46

Total annual expenditures: $51,168.93

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 7 months 29 days

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Alabama

Annual groceries cost: $4,609.92

Annual housing cost: $8,184.40

Annual utilities cost: $4,337.66

Annual transportation cost: $4,488.24

Annual healthcare cost: $6,559.80

Total annual expenditures: $51,053.29

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 8 months 9 days

BackyardProduction / Getty Images/iStockphoto

West Virginia

Annual groceries cost: $4,720.25

Annual housing cost: $7,821.95

Annual utilities cost: $4,053.85

Annual transportation cost: $4,646.42

Annual healthcare cost: $7,283.64

Total annual expenditures: $50,706.39

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 9 months 15 days

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Kansas

Annual groceries cost: $4,662.68

Annual housing cost: $7,880.41

Annual utilities cost: $4,515.58

Annual transportation cost: $4,453.64

Annual healthcare cost: $7,306.26

Total annual expenditures: $50,359.48

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 14 years 10 months 21 days

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Mississippi

Annual groceries cost: $4,662.68

Annual housing cost: $8,289.63

Annual utilities cost: $3,642.96

Annual transportation cost: $4,335.01

Annual healthcare cost: $7,419.36

Total annual expenditures: $49,896.93

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 15 years 0 months 11 days

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Oklahoma

Annual groceries cost: $4,528.37

Annual housing cost: $8,009.02

Annual utilities cost: $4,159.75

Annual transportation cost: $4,577.22

Annual healthcare cost: $6,982.04

Total annual expenditures: $49,839.12

How long $750,000 will last in savings: 15 years 0 months 19 days

John Csiszar contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: In order to find how long $750,000 will last across the country, GOBankingRates first found (1) the national average annual expenditures for people 65 and older, sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2022 Consumer Expenditure Survey data. Then, GOBankingRates created (2) state-level annual expenditure estimates by multiplying the national figure by each states overall cost of living index score for 2023 from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center. Finally, GOBankingRates found (3) how many years $750,000 will last in each state by dividing $750,000 by each states average annual expenditures estimate. All 50 states and the District of Columbia were then ranked with No. 1 being the state where $750,000 will last the longest and No. 51 being the state where it will run out most quickly. GOBankingRates provided supplemental information on the average annual cost of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, and healthcare for people 65 and older in each state by again using MERICs cost of living indices for each category to factor out national estimates from the CEX. All data was collected on and up to date as of February 20, 2024.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Long $750K in Retirement Will Last in Every State
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Manufacturing in Mexico is attractive for companies that experienced pandemic-era supply chain snarls or want to decrease reliance on trade between the US and China amid geopolitical uncertainty.

Thats called nearshoring, which is when companies bring production facilities closer to home markets.

As nearshoring continues and global supply chains are reorganized, Mexicos manufacturing sector has an opportunity for long-term success, according to Alberto Ramos, head of Latin American economics research at Goldman Sachs, who spoke with CNN.

Ramos said Mexico and China have been competing for the US manufacturing market for years, but amid a shifting US-China relationship, Mexico looks poised to pull ahead.

Mexico surpassed China as the top exporter to the US in 2023. Those exports were driven by manufacturing, which comprises 40% of Mexicos economy, according to Morgan Stanley.

US imports from Mexico continued to increase in February, according to April 4 trade data released by the Commerce Department. Meanwhile, Chinese exports to the US were down 20% in 2023, compared to 2022.

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai told CNNs Julia Chatterley that supply chains have made the US economy over-reliant on the Chinese economy in the past.

The challenge for us is how do you create more resilience in your economy and in trade? Because right now, the way trade has been operating, our supply chains have been so entangled and they have created so much concentration in the Chinese economy, that we all feel extremely vulnerable because the supply chains are fragile, Tai said.

Amid shifting geopolitics and competition, US and Chinese companies both see potential in Mexican manufacturing: Low labor costs, geographic proximity to American markets and the US-Mexico-Canada (USMCA) agreement  a free trade accord established in 2020 that makes trade in North America more cost-effective and efficient  are all factors contributing to a potential boom.

Made in where?

While US policy intends to decrease reliance on China and create more resilience in US trade, moving supply chains can be tricky.

In fact, the US drive to disengage from the Chinese economy might be enabling China to access new markets and avoid US tariffs.

Cars are a major export for Mexico, and they illustrate much of whats happening.

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Mexico is a global hub for car factories, hosting plants from major companies operating in the US, including General Motors, Ford, Stellantis and nearly a dozen more.

Virtually every American auto manufacturer depends on parts from Mexico to build its cars or trucks, because those parts can be substantially cheaper than those made in the US.

Free trade agreements like the USMCA mean companies in the US, Mexico and Canada face fewer barriers moving, selling and buying parts across North America.

A diversion from free trade is tariff policy: In 2018, the US hiked tariffs on imports from China, which makes it more expensive for Chinese goods to enter US markets and dissuades companies from relying on Chinese supply chains.

An employee working at a Ciudad Juarez factory that exports its automotive products to the United States - Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters

Cars require tens of thousands of parts, which can be made in any number of places. And while Mexicos manufacturing sector is increasing exports to the US, Chinese companies might be using Mexico as a route to avoid US tariffs on Chinese goods, according to Xeneta, an ocean freight rate benchmarking and market intelligence platform.

Shipping container exports from China to Mexico were up nearly 60% in January compared to a year ago, according to Container Trade Statistics analyzed by Xeneta.

The surge in exports from China to Mexico suggests the possibility that the increase in trade we are witnessing is due to importers trying to circumvent US tariffs, Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, wrote in a March 15 research note.

An April report by Moodys Analytics said that while Mexico has increased its manufacturing output, production may be boosted by goods manufactured outside of the country.

The increase in Mexican exports to the US has been roughly matched by simultaneous and closely correlated growth in Mexican imports from China, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence country risk analysts Jose Enrique Sevilla-Macip and John Raines.

Goldmans Ramos said there is an economic incentive to move production to Mexico to avoid tariffs. Its a way to circumvent the policy objectives that were behind the enactment of tariffs, he told CNN.

On Capitol Hill, the possibility that Chinese steel is ducking US tariffs has garnered attention from lawmakers. The Biden administration announced that it is working with the Mexican government to prevent China and other countries from evading US tariffs on steel and aluminum via US imports from Mexico.

As early as February, Tai inquired about the lack of transparency around Mexicos steel and aluminum imports from third countries during a meeting with Raquel Buenrostro, Mexicos secretary of economy.

Concerns of tariff evasion are drawing a response from the US president  and will continue to beyond Novembers election. The USMCA is set to be reviewed in 2026.

Both US President Joe Biden and his challenger, former President Donald Trump, espouse goals to grow domestic manufacturing, but they diverge on how to go about doing so.

Biden told steelworkers in Pittsburgh recently that the US government should consider tripling tariffs on Chinese steel. And Trump has proposed a potential 60% tariff on Chinese goods if he returns to the presidency.

With both US presidential candidates vying to win important Midwestern swing states that have significant auto industries, the issue of US-Mexico-China trade will only increase as the 2024 presidential campaign unfolds, S&P Globals Sevilla-Macip and Raines said.

A gradual shift

While supply chains are shifting, moving factories isnt always that simple. It can take significant investment, from time to money to people. The companies that are moving forward, though, are creating long-term opportunities for the Mexican manufacturing industry.

It certainly feels like things are booming in Monterrey, a city in northern Mexico, said Christoffer Enemaerke, a portfolio manager at RBC. On a recent trip there, he told CNN, we met with companies and experts in the real estate industry and the feedback was that nearshoring is likely to be a multi-year driver of growth for Mexico, particularly in the northern part of the country.

Tesla (TSLA), for example, said last year that it would build a new plant in Monterrey. Were super excited about it, CEO Elon Musk said during an investor day for the company, adding that the plant would add capacity, rather than replace capacity elsewhere.

A billboard announcing the arrival of Tesla seen in Monterrey, state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, on March 12, 2023 - Julio Cesar Aguilar/AFP/Getty Images

Sentiment on the ground is exciting, but most investment flows are yet to be seen, Ramos told CNN.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley see the value of Mexicos exports to the United States growing from $455 billion to about $609 billion in the next five years.

That also makes Mexico an attractive base for many Chinese companies. EV maker BYD, a global competitor to Musks Tesla, announced in February plans for a major expansion in Mexico.

While BYD doesnt currently sell cars in the US market, a move to Mexico would provide better access to the Mexican market while preparing the company for a potential move into the US.

Chinese investment and exports to Mexico are highly likely to become a headline issue ahead of the 2026 scheduled review of the USMCA, Sevilla-Macip and Raines said.

Until then, though, places like Monterrey continue to reap the rewards.

Monterrey, said RBCs Enemaerke, feels booming, new and vibrant, more so than other industrial cities Ive been to, which have mainly been in Asia.

CNNs Michael Nam contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
For nearly six full decades, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B) CEO Warren Buffett has been putting on a show for Wall Street. Whereas the benchmark S&P 500 has gained a healthy 33,000%, including dividends, since the affably named "Oracle of Omaha" became Berkshire's CEO, Buffett has overseen just shy of a 5,000,000% aggregate return in his company's Class A shares (BRK.A), as of the closing bell on April 25.

As you can see, there's a very good reason why investors pay close attention when Warren Buffett has anything to say about investing, the stock market in general, or the U.S. economy.

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Image source: The Motley Fool.

Although Berkshire's $373 billion portfolio contains stakes in 45 stocks and two index funds, not all of the Oracle of Omaha's holdings are considered equal.

In Warren Buffett's latest annual letter to shareholders -- Buffett has written a letter to his shareholders on an annual basis for nearly a half-century -- he spoke of eight businesses that he and his team plan to hold stakes in "indefinitely." Let's take a closer look at these eight phenomenal companies.

No. 1: Coca-Cola

The first stock Buffett and his top investing aides, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, have no intention of ever selling is beverage company Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO). Coca-Cola is Berkshire's longest continuous holding (since 1988), and thanks to a minuscule cost basis of $3.2475 per share is generating a jaw-dropping annual yield on cost of nearly 60%!

One reason Coca-Cola has been a rock-solid investment for decades is because it's a consumer staples stock. Regardless of how well or poorly the U.S. and global economy are performing, people are still going to buy basic need goods, such as beverages. This leads to predictable cash flow for Coca-Cola in virtually any economic climate.

Coca-Cola also enjoys virtually unsurpassed geographic diversity, with operations ongoing in all but three countries (Cuba, North Korea, and Russia). This means it's bringing in predictable operating cash flow from developed countries, and moving its organic growth needle in emerging markets. All told, Coke's product portfolio contains over two dozen brands that are generating in excess of $1 billion in annual sales.

The other advantage Coca-Cola brings to the table is its top-tier marketing. Recently, it's been devoting more than half of its marketing budget to online channels and utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to tailor ads to reach a younger audience. However, Coca-Cola has a storied history that stretches back more than a century. It can lean on this history, as well as its well-known brand ambassadors, to connect with mature audiences.

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No. 2: American Express

The second stock the Oracle of Omaha intimated Berkshire will hold forever in his annual letter to shareholders is credit-services provider American Express (NYSE: AXP). Buffett's company has continuously held shares of AmEx since 1991.

The reason Warren Buffett and his team have gravitated to financial stocks for so long is because they're able to take advantage of long-winded periods of expansion for the U.S. economy. Even though recessions are a normal and inevitable part of the economic cycle, none of the 12 U.S. recessions since the end of World War II surpassed 18 months in length. Meanwhile, most expansions have endured multiple years, with two sticking around for longer than a decade.

The reason lengthy periods of growth are so important is because American Express is a double dipper. It's the nation's No. 3 payment processor by credit card network purchase volume, which allows it to generate fees from merchants. However, it's also a lender, which means it's collecting possible fees and interest income from its cardholders. Disproportionately long economic expansions allow American Express to clean up from both sides of the transaction aisle.

Furthermore, AmEx has historically attracted high earners as cardholders. People with above-average incomes are less likely adjust their spending habits when minor economic disruptions arise. In theory, this should help American Express navigate downturns in the U.S. economy better than other lending institutions.

Image source: Getty Images.

No. 3-No. 7: Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Sumitomo, and Marubeni

Five additional companies that Warren Buffett has no plans to ever sell are the Japanese trading houses that Berkshire has been building positions in since July 2019. These five companies are Mitsubishi (OTC: MSBHF), Mitsui (OTC: MITSF), Itochu (OTC: ITOCF), Sumitomo (OTC: SSUM.Y), and Marubeni (OTC: MARUY).

Aside from believing the Japanese economy will grow over the long run, Buffett's faith in these five businesses boils down to their operations, management teams, and shareholder-friendly practices.

Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Sumitomo, and Marubeni have their proverbial hands in more cookie jars than can be counted. These are companies that trade or import/export all types of foods, energy commodities (including oil and natural gas), chemicals, apparel, healthcare products, and so on. They're perfectly positioned to take advantage of disproportionately long periods of growth and can easily navigate short-lived downturns.

In his latest annual letter to shareholders, Buffett was clear to note that the CEOs of Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Sumitomo, and Marubeni were taking far less in compensation than what's typically seen from American CEOs of prominent corporations. These companies are also reinvesting a significant portion of their earnings back into various aspects of their operations.

Lastly, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Itochu, Sumitomo, and Marubeni have all been actively buying back their common stock. Buffett has always been a huge fan of buybacks because they increase the ownership stakes of existing shareholders. Further, share repurchases can increase earnings per share (EPS) for companies with steady or growing net income.

No. 8: Occidental Petroleum

The eighth phenomenal stock that Warren Buffett plans to hold forever in Berkshire Hathaway's $373 billion investment portfolio is energy company Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY). Buffett and his investment aides have purchased over 248 million shares of Occidental common stock since the start of 2022.

Having nearly $17 billion currently invested in Occidental -- not counting the $8.49 billion in Occidental preferred stock Berkshire also holds -- is a pretty clear indication that Berkshire's brightest minds expect the spot price for crude oil to remain high for years to come.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for energy commodities fell off a cliff because of lockdowns and historic demand uncertainty. Even with oil and gas companies now increasing their capital expenditures, the global supply of crude oil remains tight. When coupled with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a recipe exists for worldwide supply constraints on crude oil to push spot prices notably higher.

Although Occidental Petroleum is an integrated energy company, it generates the bulk of its revenue and operating income from drilling. If the spot price of crude heads higher, few oil stocks are going to benefit more than Occidental.

The one concern with this company is its debt-laden balance sheet. But if the spot price of crude remains elevated, paying down its outstanding debt shouldn't be a problem.

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American Express is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Sean Williams has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool recommends Occidental Petroleum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Meet the 8 Phenomenal Stocks Warren Buffett Plans to Hold Forever was originally published by The Motley Fool
SINGAPORE, April 29, 2024 /CNW/ -- MetaComp Pte Ltd, a leading Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) licensed Singapore fintech company that specializes in blockchain technology and digital assets, and its affiliates (collectively referred as MetaComp), is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Harvest Global Investments Limited (HGI), a leading asset management company licensed with the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. HGI is among the pioneering Chinese asset management firms to establish subsidiaries abroad. The Memorandum of Understanding executed between MetaComp and HGI marks a significant step towards potentially broadening the accessibility of innovative financial products globally with special emphasis on the recently announced cryptocurrency spot ETFs which will be expected to start trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange from 30 April 2024 onwards. This follows the announcement by HGI that they have received authorization from Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission to launch the highly anticipated cryptocurrency ETFs.

MetaComp Logo (PRNewsfoto/MetaComp Pte. Ltd.)

The core of the partnership revolves around MetaComp and its affiliates' commitment to make HGI's cryptocurrency spot ETFs available, through MetaComp's proprietary Client Assets Management Platform, also known as CAMP by MetaComp, utilizing its technological and market expertise to introduce these products under the appropriate regulatory framework to Singapore investors and beyond. This initiative not only aims to expand the global footprint of HGI's ETFs but also allows MetaComp and its affiliate to enrich its wealth solution portfolio with highly sought-after financial products.

In addition to the crypto-ETF distribution, the collaboration will also explore opportunities for the integration of HGI's various asset management solutions into MetaComp's service offerings. MetaComp will also provide HGI access to its Digital Payment Token suite of services. Through the strategic collaborative efforts by both companies, they are hoping to forge a symbiotic relationship that will allow both companies to leverage on their strengths.

The alignment with HGI allows MetaComp to tap into the scale and expertise of a leading global financial player, significantly enhancing its service capabilities and market reach. This partnership is designed to serve not just the existing clientele of both entities but also to capture new segments eager for advanced financial solutions across traditional finance and crypto finance.

Dr Bo Bai, Chairman and Co-Founder of MetaComp shared: "This strategic alliance with Harvest Global Investments Limited reaffirms MetaComp's commitment to being the bridge that links traditional finance with crypto finance. We are confident that our partnership with Harvest Global Investments Limited will prove to be mutually beneficial. With Harvest's expertise in asset management and MetaComp's robust capabilities in providing a comprehensive suite of digital payment solutions, we are poised to deliver unparalleled value to our clients and the market."

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For more detailed information on this partnership and to stay updated on future developments, please visit www.mce.sg.

About MetaComp Pte Ltd (www.mce.sg)

MetaComp is a leading Singapore-based digital asset platform that is licensed and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) under the Payment Services Act 2019. Operating under a P2B2C (platform-to-business, partners-to-clients) model, MetaComp provides an integrated end-to-end suite of services to its clients, empowering them to confidently enter the digital asset market with the much-needed safety, security, and compliance. Together with its parent company, Metaverse Green Exchange Pte. Ltd. (a MAS-licensed CMS holder permitted to carry out, inter alia, brokerage and custody services), MetaComp introduces its suite of services through CAMP by MetaComp, a regulated Client Assets Management Platform, allowing businesses to develop and scale their digital asset offerings through OTC and exchange trading services, fiat payment, digital asset custody and prime brokerage.

Cision

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SOURCE MetaComp Pte Ltd

Cision

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2024/29/c8157.html
Flying taxis, autonomous cars, and sea gliders will be popular modes of transport in the UAE and globally, much sooner than expected. That was the consensus at the recently concluded inaugural DRIFTx in Abu Dhabi.

DRIFTx, an international platform and exhibition for smart, autonomous, and sustainable urban mobility applications across air, land, and sea, convened industry titans, startups, and mobility leaders from across the world, firmly reinforcing Abu Dhabis emergence as a global hub for smart and autonomous mobility.

Attended by over 8,000 visitors from more than 25 countries, DRIFTx convened global leaders from around the world in Abu Dhabi, enabling engaging discussions, fostering meaningful collaborations, and providing a perfect platform to showcase and unlock innovative technologies across air, land, and sea applications. Through showcasing the latest solutions, DRIFTx promoted partnerships and unlocked commercial and investment opportunities in the mobility space, supporting Abu Dhabis vision to provide a global platform that can be used as a test bed for technologies that are shaping the future of transportation and mobility across the world.

DRIFTx concluded with 12 MoUs and agreements signed between key local and global players in urban mobility. These strategic agreements advance future mobility solutions bringing them closer to operational launch in civil use-cases.

Amongst the key collaborations announced at DRIFTx was an agreement between FEST Auto Global Holding Ltd (FEST), a global mobility solutions company with a mission to redefine urban transportation, with Abu Dhabi University (ADU), aimed at fostering innovation in sustainable urban mobility.

FEST and ADU will work together to enhance FEST's proprietary Fleet Management System (FMS) and Vehicle Management System (VMS). These systems are designed to increase operational efficiency through advanced system customisation and to showcase the practical viability of FEST's customized electric vans in real-world applications.

Bayanat announced a series of exciting initiatives, including the launch of the Daleel App, in beta testing. Unveiled during DRIFTx, Daleel is a cutting-edge navigation application developed in-house by Bayanat specifically for the GCC region, and optimised for the UAE, for smart phone users.

Bayanat is also partnering with South Korean autonomous technology firm, Autonomous a2z to combine their expertise in pioneering cutting-edge autonomous fleet operations. It also signed an agreement with AUTOCRYPT, an industry-leading V2X security provider and system integrator, to combine its expertise in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) infrastructure deployment with Bayanats AI Smart Roads, enabling and advancing Level 4+ autonomous driving.

Manta Aircraft announced strategic support by Altair for Manta Aircraft's innovative programme, which offers unlimited simulation and data analytics software. Altair will provide software tools and computational intelligence solutions in the areas of digital engineering, AI, and data analytics technologies.

The Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), represented by Abu Dhabi Mobility (AD Mobility), signed a memorandum of understanding with Regent Craft to provide low-hovering maritime transport for both passenger and freight transport, accelerating the establishment of an integrated transport system and supporting goals aiming to reduce carbon emissions.

Namir Hourani, Managing Director of GMOLx, organisers of DRIFTx said: This week, some of the worlds most forward-thinking leaders and brightest minds convened at DRIFTx in Abu Dhabi, unlocking extremely important and high-level discussions that are sure to shape the way people and goods are transported, with advanced solutions that will be operational much sooner than anyone expected. Across the two days, we had an impressive speaker lineup, unique exhibitions, and very exciting live demonstrations, truly displaying what the future for urban air, land, and sea mobility is going to be like. Were already looking forward to building on the energy and amazing vibe we witnessed this week to inspire another round of real-world breakthroughs at DRIFTx 2025.

DRIFTx also featured a number of firsts, including product unveilings, new showcases, and attracting international mobility entities to the UAE for the first time. This included the UAEs first operational vertiport for vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) which was unveiled by ADIO, in collaboration with the UAEs General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and The Department of Municipalities and Transport - Abu Dhabi (DMT), represented by Abu Dhabi Mobility (AD Mobility), an affiliate of the Department of Municipalities and Transport  Abu Dhabi (DMT).

GMC, one of General Motors most popular vehicle brands, and Bin Hamooda Auto  GMC dealership for Abu Dhabi, displayed the brand's first all-electric supertruck, the GMC HUMMER EV Pickup and SUV. The GMC HUMMER EV is the first electric addition to GMCs lineup of bold, capable and precisely crafted premium trucks and SUVs and provides remarkable on- and off-road capability with a quiet, all-electric propulsion system. Furthermore, Sienna by May Mobility made their debut in the region by presenting autonomous solutions for various car models.

Bayanat collaborated with FlyNow Aviation providing visitors with the chance to virtually take to the skies of Abu Dhabi with the revolutionary eVTOL eCopter, in addition to showing its full-scale HAPS in Abu Dhabi for the first time. Attendees also got the chance to experience innovations that have come to the UAE for the first time, including A2zs MS MiniBus, Carnival Robo taxi, and remote control driving from Abu Dhabi to Korea.

Furthermore, Multi-Level Group showcased Wings Logistics Hubs intra-city passenger taxi, and a short-range light cargo drone which performed flying demonstrations within the event space. Visitors also got to view Big Drone by DCL, which provided an aerobatic drone for human flight, Ocean Drone 30 by Ocean Drone, and Fugro demonstrated the Blue Shadow.

The events second day featured engaging talks on AI Leading us to Net Zero, A Look at Air Mobility 20 Years from Now, Traffic Safety Research Priorities towards Vision Zero, Exploring Innovation Across Start-ups, Robotics & Web 3, and Charting the Tech-Led Future of Mobility in MENA.

In collaboration with the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT), the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), Abu Dhabis Smart and Autonomous Vehicle Industry (SAVI) cluster, Bayanat, and key local and international strategic partners, including Abu Dhabi Chamber, Joby Aviation, Emirates Driving Company, 7X, Multi-level Group, Archer Aviation, Abu Dhabi Ports Group, and International Road Transport Union (IRU), DRIFTx has emerged as the worlds premier gathering for global thought leaders and innovators to explore, showcase, and demonstrate the latest in smart, autonomous, and sustainable mobility solutions from across the world.

Building on its success, the second edition of DRIFTx is set to take place once again in Abu Dhabi during the first quarter of 2025. - TradeArabia News Service
(Bloomberg) -- Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella is scheduled to meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday, becoming the latest US corporate chieftain to tour Southeast Asia as the region embarks on a tech investment spree.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Information and Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi confirmed the meeting in a text message on Monday. Indonesia needs to develop its technology sector and the meeting is set to be good for the country, he said.

The worlds biggest technology companies view Southeast Asia as a growth market and potential location for more of their operations, especially as tensions between Beijing and Washington remain elevated. Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook visited Indonesia this month and touted the possibility of making some of its gadgets in the country.

Microsoft, the worlds most valuable company, is banking on new technologies such as generative artificial intelligence to expand its products and services. Lower-cost regions such as Southeast Asia could provide it with the manpower and talent pool needed to develop such offerings.

After Indonesia, Nadella is slated to visit Thailand and Malaysia to attend company events on AI technologies.

--With assistance from Faris Mokhtar and Chandra Asmara.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.
Antonio_Diaz / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Thanks to leaked Microsoft pay guidelines, you can now see how much professionals make working for the tech giant.

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The leaked pay guidelines, first viewed by Business Insider, show how much Microsoft pays new hires by level  complete with ranges for base pay, hiring bonuses, and annual stock rewards. According to a person with direct knowledge of the process, hiring managers use these guidelines to decide how much to offer new hires, Insider reported.

Several Microsoft employees told Insider that the guideline ranges were skewed low based on their personal experience. The companys pay varies by field and location, so theres no company-wide standard for pay per level across all units. For example, Insider noted that workers in New York City and Los Angeles typically earn more because of the higher cost of living in these areas, and some fields, like roles in engineering, will also pay more than others.

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Microsoft Pay Guidelines, Explained

In the pay guidelines, levels go from 52 to 70, with higher levels earning a larger base pay, on-hire stock rewards and annual stock reward range. Insider noted that not all roles go up to 70, but some go as high as level 80 for a technical fellow, which is one of the highest-ranking executives at the company.

The guidelines also dont include cash bonuses, which can be 90% of base pay at the partner level, according to Insider.

Microsoft isnt one of the best-paying tech companies, based on data from Blind. According to the data, Google and Meta are the best-paying tech companies for engineers. Microsofts average pay for entry-level engineers is $141,000, while at Google, the average entry-level pay is $184,000. However, the report noted that Microsofts various job levels give the company more flexibility to hand out promotions.

Here are Microsofts pay tiers for tech professionals.

Level 70:

Base pay: $231,700 to $361,500

On-hire stock awards: $310,000 default to $1.2 million with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $945,000

Level 69:

Base pay: $202,400 to $316,000

On-hire stock awards: $235,000 default to $1.1 million with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $750,000

Level 68:

Base pay: $186,200 to $291,000

On-hire stock awards: $177,000 default to $1 million with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $490,600

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Level 67:

Base pay: $171,600 to $258,200

On-hire stock awards: $168,000 default to $700,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $336,000

Level 66:

Base pay: $157,300 to $236,300

On-hire stock awards: $75,000 default to $600,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $160,000

Level 65:

Base pay: $144,600 to $216,600

On-hire stock awards: $36,000 default to $300,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $90,000

Level 64:

Base pay: $125,000 to $187,700

On-hire stock awards: $24,000 default to $250,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $60,000

Level 63:

Base pay: $113,900 to $171,500

On-hire stock awards: $17,000 default to $200,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $44,000

Level 62:

Base pay: $103,700 to $156,400

On-hire stock awards: $11,000 default to $125,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $32,000

Level 61:

Base pay: $92,600 to $138,100

On-hire stock awards: $6,500 default to $75,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $24,000

Level 60:

Base pay: $83,500 to $125,000

On-hire stock awards: $4,500 default to $50,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $16,000

Level 59:

Base pay: $74,400 to $110,800

On-hire stock awards: $3,000 default to $30,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: $0 to $12,000

Level 58:

Base pay: $70,300 to $92,600

On-hire stock awards: $2,500 default to $20,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: By career stage

Level 57:

Base pay: $63,800 to $83,000

On-hire stock awards: $1,500 default to $10,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: By career stage

Level 56:

Base pay: $60,700 to $77,900

On-hire stock awards: $1,500 default to $10,000 with approval

Annual stock award range: By career stage

Level 55:

Base pay: $55,200 to $71,300

On-hire stock awards: N/A

Annual stock award range: By career stage

Level 54:

Base pay: $51,600 to $67,000

On-hire stock awards: N/A

Annual stock award range: By career stage

Level 53:

Base pay: $46,600 to $59,700

On-hire stock awards: N/A

Annual stock award range: By career stage

Level 52:

Base pay: $42,500 to $54,600

On-hire stock awards: N/A

Annual stock award range: By career stage

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Microsofts Salary Secrets: Here Are the Pay Tiers for Tech Pros
President Biden delivers remarks on student loan debt at Madison College in Madison, Wis., on April 8. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

Californians who obtained federally backed student loans from private banks can have some or all of their remaining debt forgiven by the Biden administration, but they need to act fast: The deadline for qualifying is Tuesday.

The relief is available for students enrolled in income-driven repayment plans or the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. It's also available for some parents who borrowed through the Federal Family Education Loan program.

This is not a new initiative, however  instead, it's the last chance to participate in one of the administration's first and most successful efforts to reduce the mountain of student debt.

The Education Department launched the Income Driven Repayment One-Time Adjustment initiative in 2022 to address complaints about loan servicing companies losing track of payments, not giving borrowers proper credit for their work in public-service jobs, and steering struggling borrowers into costly forbearance or deferment programs instead of payment plans based on their income.

After completing its review of payment records last year, the department granted all or partial forgiveness automatically to the borrowers who qualified  no application was required. The Education Department estimated that 3.6 million borrowers would receive credit for at least three additional years of payments, moving them that much closer to having their remaining debt wiped out.

Read more: Biden administration announces another round of loan cancellation under new repayment plan

Under income-driven repayment plans, borrowers pay a monthly amount that's a percentage of their income, regardless of the size of their debt. Those who stay current on their payments have all the remaining debt canceled after 10 years if they're in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program; otherwise, those in income-based plans would have their debt canceled after 20 to 25 years of payments.

The recalculation applied only to loans issued directly by the federal government, however. That left out borrowers with federally backed loans issued by banks through the Perkins Loan, Federal Family Education Loan and Health Education Assistance Loan programs.

Those borrowers have one last chance to qualify. for a one-time adjustment. If they combine their federally backed loans into a federal direct consolidation loan before Wednesday, their previous payments on those loans will automatically be eligible for review.

Borrowers can apply online to consolidate their loans at the studentaid.gov website. To meet the deadline, the application just has to be submitted by the end of the day Tuesday  the approval can come later, said Celina Damian, the student loan servicing ombudsperson for the California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation.

Story continues

As part of the one-time adjustment, the Education Department gives borrowers credit for the entire period when repayments were paused because of the pandemic. That's a little more than three years' worth of credits.

Read more: Biden proposes new student-debt relief. Here's who would benefit

In addition, the department is giving credits for payments made under any other type of repayment plan that the borrower was in before opting for an income-based plan. And it credits borrowers for months they spent in deferment or in lengthy periods of forbearance.

Borrowers whose adjusted payment counts push them over the 20-year (for most undergraduate loans) or 25-year (for graduate loans) thresholds will automatically have their remaining debt forgiven.

Although the Supreme Court rejected President Biden's bid to provide debt relief to roughly 40 million borrowers in 2023, the administration has two other major efforts available or in the works. It has proposed a set of rules that would shrink the debt owed by about 30 million borrowers, and it has rolled out a new income-based repayment plan that has lower monthly payments and accrues less interest.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
(Bloomberg) -- Tesla Inc.s Elon Musk made an unannounced trip to China on Sunday, seeking approval for driver-assistance software that could help arrest the carmakers revenue decline.

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The Tesla chief executive officer met with Premier Li Qiang, who as the Chinese Communist Party secretary for Shanghai helped the company set up what is now its top plant globally.

Musk was expected to meet officials about rolling out the system Tesla markets as Full Self-Driving, or FSD, a person with knowledge of the matter said. While the suite of features require constant supervision and dont make Teslas autonomous, the company generates incremental sales in the US by charging $8,000 to buy FSD outright, or $99 a month for a subscription.

Getting the green light from China for FSD could be complicated by sensitivities around the cameras that Teslas driver-assistance system relies on, as well as concerns about the safety of the companys technology.

Teslas vehicles have been banned from Chinas military compounds and some other government venues in the past over data-collection concerns. The USs top auto-safety regulator also just opened a probe into the companys less-capable Autopilot system, citing 20 crashes that have occurred since December involving vehicles that received an over-the-air software update.

Read More: US Finds Critical Safety Gap in Teslas Autopilot

Tesla is coming off its first year-over-year decline in quarterly revenue since 2020, having sold fewer cars even after slashing prices. The company is cutting headcount by at least 10% and looking to accelerate new models, including less-expensive vehicles, that could be ready by early 2025, if not before year-end, Musk said last week.

Chinas No. 2 official met Musk in Beijing hours after the billionaire touched down in the city. Li said the nation is always open to foreign companies, adding that Tesla is a successful example of China-US cooperation, according to China Central Television.

Musk is paying a visit to China shortly after postponing a trip to India that was going to include a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The CEO called off his journey on short notice, citing very heavy Tesla obligations.

Read More: Tesla Is Consumed by Chaos in Shift to Musks Robotaxi Dream

Story continues

Musk told Li that Tesla is willing to deepen cooperation with China, CCTV said. The CEO earlier met the head of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Ren Hongbin, according to the broadcaster.

Advanced driver-assistance systems are becoming increasingly common in China, where Tesla is losing share of the EV market. Many local players including Xpeng Inc., Xiaomi Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co., use such features as a selling point for vehicles.

Musk also has put more emphasis on FSD, instituting a requirement when the first quarter was ending that Tesla staff needed to demonstrate the features to every customer in North America before handing over cars.

The CEO said during Teslas earnings call last week that FSD actually works pretty well without modification in almost any market, so the company planned to release the system wherever it can get regulatory approval, including China.

Its just like a human  you can go rent a car in a foreign country and you can drive pretty well, Musk said. Obviously, if you live in that country, youll drive better. And so, well make the car drive better in these other countries with country-specific training. But it can drive quite well almost everywhere.

Li visited the Beijing Auto Show on Sunday and said China has a leading position in the new-energy vehicle industry, China National Radio reported. He urged industry players to maintain their competitive advantages and vowed to ensure a level playing field for foreign companies in the market.

A Gulfstream registered to SpaceX landed in Beijing at about 2 p.m. local time. Reuters reported Musks plans to discuss Teslas software during the visit earlier Sunday.

Teslas Shanghai factory, established in 2019, is the companys most productive plant globally, a point Musk made to Li as he praised the hard work and wisdom of the Chinese team, CCTV said.

China media reported that Tesla axed all Chinese graduate offers as part of its latest round of job cuts.

--With assistance from Dana Hull, John Liu, Foster Wong and Tian Ying.

(Updates with context on companys financials starting in the first paragraph.)

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2024 Bloomberg L.P.
NASA administrator Bill Nelson warned Chinas rapid advancement in space capabilities threatens to ignite a territorial land grab on the lunar surface, much like the tensions that have played out in the South China Sea.

Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Nelson raised concerns about the risk of the US falling behind in the global space race as Beijing pushes ahead with its ambitions to land astronauts on the moon.

I think it's not beyond the pale that China would suddenly say, 'We are here. You stay out,' Nelson said. That would be very unfortunate  to take what has gone on on planet Earth for years, grabbing territory, and saying it's mine and people fighting over it.

Nelsons repeated warnings come as NASAs Artemis moon program faces delays in the agencys efforts to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time in decades.

Artemis II, carrying four crew members, was scheduled to conduct a lunar flyby later this year, and Artemis III was expected to send the first woman and first person of color to the moon in 2025. Both missions have been delayed by a year following concerns about key hardware onboard the launch vehicle.

China has stated its own ambition to land a crewed mission on the moons south pole by 2030. That goal signals a rapid advancement in the countrys space program just 20 years after it launched its first astronaut into orbit.

The country now aims to complete a record 100 orbital missions in 2024, a 40% jump from the previous year, according to state media. That would put its space program on pace to become the worlds second-most-active launcher behind Elon Musks SpaceX.

Visitors touch a model of the moon during a China Aerospace Science and Cultural Innovation art exhibition on Oct. 2, 2022, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. (Getty Images (Getty Images via Getty Images)

Nelsons concerns largely center around the lunar south pole. The moon's southernmost point is thought to contain water ice, a critical resource for future exploration and prolonged missions. Nelson said the possibility of rocket fuel made from converting water to hydrogen and oxygen could turn the south pole into a type of gas station.

When you combine [Chinas] history of their politics on Planet Earth, we just need to be careful that a celestial body such as the moon, such as Mars, is open for all, and it doesnt become a territorial grabbing, Nelson said. Thats what we want to avoid.

NASA has pushed to set the ground rules through the Artemis Accords as more countries push deeper into space. Founded in partnership with seven other countries, the statement lays out principles and guidelines for peaceful exploration of the moon and beyond.

While 38 countries have voluntarily signed onto the accords, China has not.

Story continues

NASA administrator Bill Nelson speaks during the media briefing at the NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C., on Sept. 14, 2023. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) (Anadolu via Getty Images)

I invite China to sign the Artemis Accords, Nelson said. It is a declaration of peaceful intent to always respect another's position in space. A declaration of coming to the assistance of another in times of trouble.

The lack of agreement and growing competition between the two countries threatens to elevate already simmering tensions on Earth into orbit.

Earlier this month, General Stephen Whiting, commander of the US Space Command, accused China of building a kill web over the Pacific Ocean with its growing network of satellites. The country has more than tripled its on-orbit intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites in just five years, he said, speaking at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo.

That fragmentation is only expected to accelerate as the International Space Station retires, the Chinese Space Station continues to expand, and commercial companies pursue their own ventures.

Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market.

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Tennessee's influence on the global stage has surged in recent years, bringing increased traffic on roads and at its airports.

But facilitating international connections to the Volunteer State isn't as straightforward as holding a virtual meeting or tuning into the latest country music hit.

Nashville International Airport is at the forefront of this challenge. As Tennessee gains global attention, airport leaders are working with state and local officials to upgrade infrastructure, broaden roadways and expand flight routes to welcome the world.

One of the most pressing and confounding issues: connecting Music City with destinations more than 7,000 miles away in Asia.

To achieve this, the Metro Nashville Airport Authority, in charge of airport operations, has devised a strategic plan. Its goal: construct the necessary infrastructure for direct flights to major Asian hubs like Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea.

A Southwest Airlines flight lands at Nashville International Airport. The airport will handle almost 24 million passengers this year, officials say.

However, the work can't begin until the Federal Aviation Administration is convinced of the necessity for a longer runway at the airport. The cost, which is unknown, is likely hundreds of millions of dollars.

The MNAA is racing against the clock, said Doug Kreulen, the Nashville International Airport's president and CEO.

"In 2024, we will hit almost 24 million passengers, but in 2034, we'll be at 35 million," Kreulen told MNAA board members earlier this month.

The crux of the authority's case lies in engineering studies it completed in recent years, showing the need for a longer runway capable of safely accommodating the heavy airplanes used for international flights. While the airport's current runways suffice for flights to Europe, they fall short  either in length or positioning  for the demands of extended routes to Asian metropolises.

A United Airlines flight taxis in front of a Southwest Airlines flight at Nashville International Airport. State and local officials are hoping to convince the FAA to approve a longer runway that can handle flights to Asia.

Last year, a new and expanded International Arrivals Facility opened inside BNA's new terminal lobby. The MNAA is courting European destinations with incentives for desirable routes to France, Germany, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Reykjavik, Iceland, among others.

But, for Asian connections, the airport authority believes it first needs to extend runway 2L/20R  one of four BNA runways  by about 4,000 feet. It is currently about 7,700 feet long.

"Getting to these other hubs in Europe is not a problem and is all doable," Kreulen told board members in December, according to the meeting minutes. "Everyone keeps saying we want to get to Asia, which is 9,000 miles away. We do not want to go from Nashville to Chicago to get to Seoul or Tokyo. The vision for the city and state and for the future is nonstop service."

Story continues

Demand for these flights is evidenced in the 26% growth in foreign-direct investment in Tennessee from 2016 to 2021, according to the Global Business Alliance, which lobbies for international companies in America. Japan is the largest international investor in the state, led by automakers and suppliers Nissan North America, Yorozu Automotive, M-Tek, Bridgestone Americas and Denso Manufacturing.

Germany, the U.K., France and Canada also have major presences in the Tennessee business community.

Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. President and CEO Deana Ivey said a direct flight would also bolster Tennessee's tourism industry.

"Music has global appeal, and over the years we have worked with tour operators in Asia to promote Nashville," Ivey said. "A nonstop Asian flight would make Nashville even more desirable and give us the opportunity to attract visitors from new markets."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and other state lawmakers have sought direct Asian service for years on behalf of businesses and international tourism.

"Attracting increased tourism from Asia is seen as a substantial area for growth," Lee wrote to airport authority members in 2021.

In 2022, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development secured 18 foreign-owned projects in Tennessee, totaling $5 billion in capital investment.

Extending Runway 2L/20R

Behind the scenes, the FAA is actively collaborating with the airport to evaluate the proposed runway 2L/20R extension project. This includes a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement assessment involving a thorough Runway Extension Justification Study coupled with an evaluation of potential impacts on natural resources and the surrounding environment. Once these studies are finalized, the FAA will "determine if a project is justified, the length of the extension and the appropriate National Environmental Policy Act evaluation," an agency spokesperson said.

That process could take up to two years. Airport leaders, who want to move as fast as possible, have developed a tentative timeline to build the runway so they are prepared if and when the FAA signs off on their plan.

In the MNAA's proposed budget slated for approval in May, more than $60 million is estimated to be needed to enable the runway extension and prepare design plans in 2026 and 2027.

Runway construction could begin as soon as 2028 if the FAA agrees. The proposed budget includes plans for $30 million in site preparation in 2028.

Enabling projects include demolition of existing buildings and new aircraft rescue and firefighting facilities.

The runway justification study began this month and will continue through September, airport officials said. That will be followed by community outreach about the construction impacts.

Before construction can start, buildings located between the airport's southern campus and Murfreesboro Pike must be cleared. Those include the historic mansion housing Monell's at the Manor restaurant, which recently closed in anticipation of demolition  despite community protests over the beloved eatery. Nineteen homes in a mostly vacant subdivision must also be razed, while the airport must relocate the former Central State Hospital graveyard, where at least 137 former patients were buried in the early 1900s.

"If we keep growing to get to 396,000 annual operations, FAA recommends being in development of the next runway or you will start seeing degradation in service, long lines of jets waiting to take off and all that," Kreulen told the board in December. "We are tracking our runway use so that we can make good business decisions on a runway extension or a fifth runway, or both. Runways are what we need for nonstop service to different places."

Sandy Mazza can be reached via email at smazza@tennessean.com, by calling 615-726-5962, or on Twitter @SandyMazza.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: FAA collaboration key to Nashville airport runway expansion plans
The Netherlands' government has laid out five scenarios for revising its taxation of sugar in non-alcoholic beverages, which could include soy-based drinks, water and dairy.

Since 1993, a flat rate of 26.13 ($27.96) per 100 litres has applied to all non-alcoholic drinks, regardless of sugar content.

The Dutch government is now looking to introduce an additional tax on sugar content. Five possible scenarios on how this could be introduced have been drafted, with the stated goal of promoting health via healthier soft-drink options.

The first and simplest scenario is to tax all non-alcoholic drinks on sugar content levels, including dairy, soy-based drinks and mineral waters.

Scenario two excludes mineral waters, as they are seen as the healthier choice. Three would exclude water, dairy and soy drinks that have a low sugar content.

Scenario four proposes that water, dairy and soy drinks are excluded, while pure fruit and vegetable juices are taxed at the lowest rate. A variant of four exists  bringing total choices to five  where pure fruit and vegetable juices are also excluded.

The proposed government policy has flagged 2026 as the first possible year for introducing the sugar tax regime in the Netherlands. The proposals is now in pre-consultation and open to public comment.

Each scenario influences what tax levels the government would apply per litter.

If no drinks are exempted, then anything over 10 grams of sugar per 100 millilitres (the highest band) will have a 40 per 100 litre tax. If scenario fours variant is picked, which sees the most categories excluded, a tax of 52.75 per 100 litre would be applied to the remaining beverages, such as Red Bull.

The Dutch Association for Soft Drinks, Waters and Juices (FWS) welcomed the governments proposed smart sugar tax but said the increasing scale of tax in-line with category exemptions shows that revenue is an important motive for the government on this policy.

If certain drinks are excluded, the rate for other drinks will automatically increase. This could amount to more than 50 cents per litre, or almost double the current amount, which was already drastically increased on 1 January, a spokesperson for FWS said.

This is not a wise choice, especially when you consider that the maximum rate in the United Kingdom, for example, is 0.28 per litre - and that this has proven to be very effective as an incentive for manufacturers to bring healthier drinks to the market.

The decline in revenue for the government should be seen as an incentive to introduce a broad sugar tax and also tax other sugar-rich products. Then your income will be maintained and you will realise real profits when it comes to calorie reduction and the fight against obesity.

Story continues

"Netherlands government proposes sugar tax on drinks" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand.







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Nexus Industrial REIT

TORONTO, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nexus Industrial REIT (Nexus or the "REIT") (TSX: NXR.UN) announced today that it intends to release its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, before the opening of the TSX on Wednesday May 15, 2024.



Management of the REIT will host a conference call at 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday May 15, 2024, to review the financial results and operations.

To participate in the conference call, please dial 647-484-8814 or 1-844-763-8274 (toll free in Canada and the US) at least five minutes prior to the start time and ask to join the Nexus Industrial REIT conference call.

A recording of the conference call will be available until June 15, 2024. To access the recording, please dial 604-674-8052 or 1-855-669-9658 (toll free in Canada and the US) and enter access code 0833.

About Nexus Industrial REIT

Nexus is a growth-oriented real estate investment trust focused on increasing unitholder value through the acquisition of industrial properties located in primary and secondary markets in Canada and the ownership and management of its portfolio of properties. The REIT currently owns a portfolio of 117 properties (including two properties held for development in which the REIT has an 80% interest) comprising approximately 12.5 million square feet of gross leasable area. The REIT has approximately 93,506,000 voting units issued and outstanding, including approximately 68,895,000 REIT Units and approximately 24,611,000 Class B LP Units of subsidiary limited partnerships of Nexus, which are convertible to REIT Units on a one-to-one basis.

For further information please contact:

Kelly C. Hanczyk, CEO at (416) 906-2379; or

Mike Rawle, CFO at (289) 837-2650.




Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk has agreed to invest $600m in Nigerias port expansion and improvement project.

The companys chair, Robert Maersk Uggla, agreed to the investment in a meeting with Nigerias President Bola Tinubu at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, according to the Presidents office.

Tinubu said the investment will aid the government's $1bn input to reconstruct Nigerias seaports.

We appreciate your business and the contribution you have made and continue to make to our countrys economy over time. We do not take our partners for granted. A bet on Nigeria is a winning bet, the president said.

The redevelopment and expansion of several ports will allow docking for larger ships, meaning firms such as Maersk do not need to undertake risky trans-shipments to deliver to Nigeria.

More investment opportunities are available, and my government has worked on various reforms to encourage investments. We need to encourage more opportunities for revenue expansion and minimize trans-shipments from larger ships to smaller ships, Tinubu added.

This is not the first investment by Maersk in Nigeria. It followed the development of a container terminal in Ogun. The new agreement will take Maersk's investment in the West African nation to $2bn.

We have seen a significant opportunity for Nigeria to cater for larger container ships. Historically, most of the West African coasts are already served by smaller ships. Currently, we see an opportunity to deploy larger ships to Nigeria. To achieve this, we need to expand the port infrastructure, especially in Lagos, where we need a bigger hub for logistics services, Uggla explained.

In my humble view, given that Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria should have the best and biggest port and we are very eager to invest, and we will continue that dialogue with the relevant Nigerian authorities to explore further investment opportunities, the Maersk Chairman said.

Nigerias population is more than 228 million according to United Nations statistics, and it is clear to see why Maersk thinks the nation has potential, as it also has one of the youngest populations around the world. The median age is just 17-years-old.

"Nigeria secures $600m from Maersk for port development" was originally created and published by Ship Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.







The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.






NOTICE OF CALLING THE

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF

AS PRO KAPITAL GRUPP

SHAREHOLDERS







Dear shareholder of AS Pro Kapital Grupp,







We announce that the Management Board is calling for the annual general meeting of the shareholder of AS Pro Kapital Grupp (registration code 10278802, located at Sojakooli 11, Tallinn, Republic of Estonia; hereinafter the Company), which shall take place on Tuesday, 28th of May, 2024 at 11.00 at the premises of the Company at Sojakooli 11 in Tallinn. Registration of shareholders shall take place from 10.45 - 11.00 on the 28th of May 2024 at the location of the meeting.







The reason for calling the annual general meeting is to decide on the approval of the annual report for the financial year of 2023 and deciding on covering the net loss. The proposal to call the annual general meeting of shareholders was made by the Management Board of the Company.







The agenda of the meeting is as follows:







Election of the Chairman and Secretary of the annual general meeting of shareholders The Management Boards proposal:

Elect Ilona Nurmela as the Chairman of the annual general meeting of the shareholder. Elect the Secretary of the annual general meeting as per suggestions made at the meeting.







Approval of the audited annual report of the Company for the financial year of 2023



The Company has prepared the annual report for the financial year of 2023. The report has been audited and the audited report has been made available to the shareholders. It is the competency of the shareholders to approve the annual report.







The Councils and Management Boards proposal and draft of the resolution:

Approve the audited annual report of the Company for the financial year of 2023.







Resolution of covering the loss The Companys net loss for the financial year which ended on 31 December 2023 was in the

amount of 900 000 Euros. As per the commercial code it is the shareholders competency

to decide to cover the loss.







The Councils and Management Boards proposal and draft of the resolution:

Cover the net loss for the financial year which ended 31 December 2023 in the amount of 900 000 Euros with retained earnings of previous periods.

Administrative issues:

According to the Commercial Code  297 section 5 the set of shareholders entitled to take part in the annual general meeting of shareholders shall be determined 7 calendar days prior to the general meeting as at the end of the working day of the settlement system of the registrar of the Estonian register of securities or another depository where the shares of a public limited company are entered, i.e. at the close of business on 21st of May, 2024.







A shareholder has the right to receive information on the activities of the public limited company from the management board at the general meeting. The management board may refuse to give information if there is a basis to presume that this may cause significant damage to the interests of the public limited company. If the management board refuses to give information, the shareholder may demand that the general meeting decide on the legality of the shareholder's request, or to file a petition to a court in order to obligate the management board to give information within two weeks after the general meeting.







Shareholders whose shares represent at least 1/20 of the share capital may request adding items to the agenda of the general meeting, if the respective request has been made 15 days before the meeting, i.e. on 13th of May, 2024 at the latest. Any draft resolutions for each item on the agenda must be submitted in writing at the address of the Company (see above) at least 3 days before the meeting, i.e. on 25th of May, 2024 at the latest.







Items previously not on the agenda may be added to the agenda, if at least 9/10 of participating shareholders approve and their shares represent at least 2/3 of the share capital (proxy votes will be discounted). Regardless of prior requests or the lack thereof, a general meeting may decide on calling the next meeting and settle submissions concerning administrative issues related to the agenda or to the procedure for holding the meeting (such matters do not have to be included on the agenda beforehand), and may discuss other matters without making resolutions.







The shareholder can, until 27th of May, 2024 at 16:00, inform the Company of appointing a representative or of renouncing the power of attorney previously given to a representative, by sending a relevant digitally signed notice to prokapital@prokapital.ee, or by sending a relevant written notice to the office of the Company at Sojakooli 11, Tallinn.







The shareholders of the Company can acquaint themselves with the drafts of the resolutions and proposals, the audited annual report for the 2023 financial year, the auditors opinion on the webpage of the Company www.prokapital.com under the sub-section Company, Investor, Shareholders or upon prior request at the location of the Company at Sojakooli 11, Tallinn at an agreed time during business days from 09:00 until 17:00. If you have any questions in regards to the annual general meeting of shareholders, please contact us by phone + 372 6 144 920 or by email at prokapital@prokapital.ee. Questions and answers related to the agenda of the shareholders meeting shall be published on the website of the Company www.prokapital.com under the section Company, Investor.







Documents needed to participate at the meeting:

Shareholder who are natural persons are kindly asked to bring along a valid identification document. Shareholders who are legal entities, are requested to bring an extract from the relevant register, where that legal person has been registered, and a valid identification document of the representative. In addition to the above, representatives are kindly asked to bring along a valid written power-of-attorney. Documents issued by a foreign countrys official must be either legalized or authenticated with a document certificate apostille and translated into English.



















Proxy voting prior to the meeting:

It is possible to vote by proxy in advance of the meeting by submitting the relevant form to the Company before the meeting. The form with instructions is available on the webpage of the Company www.prokapital.com under the sub-section Company, Investor, Shareholders.







Best regards, Management Board of AS Pro Kapital Grupp
Tim Steiner, chief executive of Ocado, at the Company's distribution centre in Hatfield in 2013 - Julian Simmonds

The chairman of Ocado has insisted that plans to pay its founder Tim Steiner a bonus worth up to 14.8m are fair, despite a shareholder backlash against the proposals.

More than 19pc of votes at Mondays annual shareholder meeting went against the pay scheme, which allows Mr Steiner to receive a bonus worth up to 1,800pc of his base salary if certain targets are met.

His base salary stands at 824,570. Ocado has said the bonus scheme was important to reinforce Mr Steiners longer-term focus and strategic vision.

Rick Haythornthwaite, Ocados chairman, launched a defence of Mr Steiners pay package at the investor meeting, following weeks of criticism by influential shareholder advisers Glass Lewis and campaign group ShareAction.

Glass Lewis had questioned whether there was a need for an enhanced incentivisation tool at Ocado, while ShareAction criticised the gulf between Mr Steiners pay and what frontline staff received.

Mr Haythornthwaite argued that Ocados staff owed their jobs to Mr Steiner, who co-founded the business in 2000. He was therefore somewhat different when it came to chief executive pay, as none of the people employed by Ocado would have a job without the performance of this individual.

Ocado, which is worth 2.9bn, employs over 20,000 people. The company operates an online grocery store as a joint venture with Marks & Spencer, but now focuses mostly on providing logistics and warehouse technology to other retailers.

Responding to the concerns over worker pay, Mr Haythornthwaite said Ocado had decided not to seek accreditation by the Real Living Wage to ensure that were able to continue to make the right pay decisions in the right locations to attract and retain talent.

Questions over Mr Steiners remuneration are part of a broader argument in the City about how much to pay executives. Bosses have been warning that a reluctance to pay executives US-style packages is holding back the London stock market.

Other major London-listed companies have been hit by backlashes, with around 35pc of voting shareholders at AstraZeneca rejecting boss Pascal Soriots 19m pay package earlier this month.

Mr Soriot last week claimed his deal would help save Britains life sciences industry, saying it was designed to make the company competitive and attractive for my successor..

Ocado on Monday also faced criticism over its attempts to build a delivery hub next to a primary school in north London. Several shareholders spoke out at the meeting, claiming the scheme was frankly crazy and posed a threat to children at the school.

Story continues

The depot plans have previously been rejected by Islington council and the High Court. They have now progressed to the planning inspectorate. Mr Haythornthwaite vowed to meet with the campaigners to discuss their concerns.

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(Bloomberg) -- Paramount Globals board is considering removing Chief Executive Officer Bob Bakish and putting the film and TV company under a committee of top executives while it evaluates a possible sale, according to a person familiar with the matter.

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Three of the companys senior most executives, film chief Brian Robbins, Showtime/MTV head Chris McCarthy and George Cheeks, who leads CBS, would sit on the committee, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Charles Phillips, a board member and former Oracle Corp. president, would be the lead independent director.

Bakish may record a message for the companys earnings call on April 29, but not take questions, the person said.

The committee would operate on an interim basis, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reported on the deliberations earlier Friday. No decision has been made about Bakishs future, and it is possible the board could keep him in place.

The company declined to comment.

Paramount, the parent of CBS, MTV and other media properties, is controlled by its chair, Shari Redstone, meaning Bakishs ouster would require her assent. Redstone and the company are in talks to sell a controlling stake in Paramount to David Ellisons Skydance Media. An exclusive period of discussions with him is expected to end on May 3.

Some board members have been disappointed with Bakishs decisions, according to people with knowledge of the matter. They include rejecting offers for the companys Showtime and BET cable channels, which could have reduced Paramounts exposure to the traditional TV industry and reduced debt.

Paramounts independent directors are weighing a deal under which Skydance would pay over $2 billion for Redstones 77% voting stake in the company. Paramount would then merge with Skydance in a deal that gives Ellison and his backers control over the combined business. Some investors have complained the deal favors Redstone while diluting the ownership stake of other Paramount stockholders.

On a conference call with investors in February, Bakish said, Were always looking for ways to create shareholder value. And to be clear, thats for all shareholders.

Paramount shares have lost about 19% of their value this year as investors have voiced their displeasure with the possible terms of a deal with Ellison. On Friday, Matrix Asset Advisors sent a letter to the board urging members not do a deal with Ellison and consider other options. It was the second letter the investor has written the company this month.

Story continues

Shares of Paramount fell 2.2% to $11.91 at the close Friday in New York.

Paramount has other potential suitors. Apollo Global Management Inc. and Sony Group Corp. are considering a joint bid for the company.

In a letter to investors in their funds, Ariel Investments co-CEOs John Rogers and Mellody Hobson said they were troubled by the looming departures of four Paramount board members and the companys lack of explanation for their exits. The pair also expressed concern about reports that Ellison would buy the Redstones stake at a premium and then merge his company into Paramount in a way that dilutes other investors.

In our view, it is unacceptable for one controlling shareholder to benefit at the expense of all others, they wrote.

--With assistance from Michelle F. Davis.

(Updates with share trading four paragraphs from the end. The spelling of an Ariel executives first name was corrected in an earlier version of this story.)

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In a memo to employees Monday, Chris McCarthy, George Cheeks and Brian Robbins  who are together running Paramount after the ouster of CEO Bob Bakish  thanked Bakish for his tenure at the company, while signaling a new strategy ahead.

Paramount announced Bakish was out at the company Monday, just ahead of releasing first-quarter earnings, with McCarthy, Cheeks and Robbins making up the Office of the CEO upon his ouster. The three executives will work with the Paramount board and CFO Naveen Chopra.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Wed like to thank Shari and the Board for putting their trust in us. This new structure will allow us to continue leveraging the power of the entire company. Ours is a partnership built on respect, camaraderie and, most importantly, a shared love of Paramount Global, its employees and our world-class content, the memo reads.

The company did not take any questions during the earnings call Monday, but McCarthy, Cheeks and Robbins briefly spoke, touching on the idea of long-term plan, but not yet specifying what that plan will entail. That idea was also mentioned in the memo.

Going forward, we are finalizing a new long-term plan to best position this storied company to reach new and greater heights in our rapidly changing world. Alongside our many accomplished leaders and incredible teams, were excited to take these next steps together, the memo reads.

The memo also details a town hall that will take place in the coming days.

Bakish will officially step down on Tuesday, and has agreed to remain employed by the company through Oct. 31 as a senior advisor. His removal comes as Paramount is negotiating with a potential buyer group consisting of David Ellisons Skydance, RedBird Capital and KKR. That plan would keep Paramount public, but with Skydance and RedBird executives effectively running things and executing a new strategy.

Private equity firm Apollo has also held discussions with Sony Pictures about a possible joint bid in a deal that would take Paramount private in a merger with Sony and Apollo.

Full memo:

Paramount Team,

Following up on Sharis note, we want to reach out to briefly address todays announcement.

Wed like to thank Shari and the Board for putting their trust in us. This new structure will allow us to continue leveraging the power of the entire company. Ours is a partnership built on respect, camaraderie and, most importantly, a shared love of Paramount Global, its employees and our world-class content.

Story continues

We also want to thank Bob for his leadership, many contributions and his support of our brands and businesses. We wish him well and much success in the days ahead.

Going forward, we are finalizing a new long-term plan to best position this storied company to reach new and greater heights in our rapidly changing world. Alongside our many accomplished leaders and incredible teams, were excited to take these next steps together. Todays strong Q1 earnings is a direct reflection of your incredible hard work, and we ask that you continue to stay focused as we move into this next chapter.

We know this has been a challenging time, and the days ahead may be equally challenging as we adapt and collaborate in new ways together. The work we will need to do together is important and will set us up best for long term success. Please know we will move forward with purpose, focus and passion on behalf of all our important stakeholders  all of you, our teams, our shareholders, creative partners, advertisers, and distribution partners.

Its a lot of news to digest and you probably have a lot of questions. We will be in touch over the days ahead with more updates including a town hall. Thank you for everything you do and for what we will do together in the future.

With much appreciation,

George, Chris and Brian

Best of The Hollywood Reporter
Medical device company Philips reached a settlement Monday to shell out $1.1 billion to cover hundreds of personal injury lawsuits linked to its respiration and sleep apnea machines.

The manufacturer has recalled more than 15 million breathing devices since 2021, primarily due to health hazards caused by the breakdown of foam materials that users could inhale, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The issues have largely surrounded the brand's popular DreamStation CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, machines used to treat sleep apnea and other nighttime breathing difficulties at home and in healthcare settings.

Philips did not admit any fault as part of the settlement and did not admit any liability for any of the reported injuries. However, the company said in a statement that the settlement was made to "end the uncertainty associated with litigation in the US."

Under an settlement agreement with the FDA and Justice Department, Philips will not be able to sell its breathing devices and ventilators used to treat sleep apnea until it meets a number of safety regulations.

This personal injury settlement comes after several other hits to Philips Respironics' pockets in recent years. In September of last year, Philips agreed to a $445 million tentative economic loss settlement to compensate users who had to replace their devices. In April, the company also agreed to a consent decree that halted production in the U.S.

"Patient safety and quality is our highest priority, and we have taken important steps in further resolving the consequences of the Respironics recall," said Roy Jakobs, CEO of Royal Philips, in a statement. "The approved consent decree and economic loss settlement, and now the resolution of the personal injury and medical monitoring litigation in the US, are significant milestones and provide further clarity on the way forward for Philips.

Who receives money?

Cash from the settlement will be sent to those used the now-recalled CPAP and "other respiratory devices who suffer from significant physical injuries," plaintiff attorneys Sandra Duggan, Kelly Iverson, Christopher Seeger and Steven Schwartz told NPR.

The related payments are expected in 2025 and will be funded from Philips cash flow generation.

USA TODAY has reached out to the attorneys for comment.

Philips stops U.S. manufactering: CPAP maker Phillips enters consent decree that stops company from selling machines

Philips' yearslong legal back and forth

Philips announced a recall for millions of their Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (Bi-Level PAP), Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), and mechanical ventilator devices in 2021.

The recall was attributed to a potential defect in the devices in which foam used in them could degrade and cause inhalation of particles and fumes.

Story continues

The FDA warned that ingesting sound-dampening foam comes with the risks of headache, asthma and allergic reactions among more serious problems, like cancer. In February, the agency also released a report saying officials have received 116,000 complaints about the devices, with more than 500 of those resulting in death, from people or lawyers who attributed the incidents to Philips' machines. The agency has since clarified that further investigation needs to be done on these claims.

In a statement to USA TODAY at the time, Philips denied any link between the deaths and injuries and its machines. The company previously said there were no reports of deaths due to product defects but acknowledged that the risks of particulate exposure could cause "headache, irritation, inflammation, respiratory issues and possible toxic and carcinogenic effects."

Earlier this year, Philips agreed to a consent decree that stopped the company from selling sleep apnea machines in the United States and was ordered to offer a payment option as a part of a remediation plan.

A 2023 investigation into the recall by Pro Publica and the Pittsburg Post Gazette found that Phillips had withheld complaints about the foam for over a decade before warning customers.

Recalled devices

Existing devices manufactured between 2009 and April 2021 are subject to recall, as they may pose a serious injury risk due to the breakdown of the PE-PUR foam used in them.

Devices included in the recall include:

A-Series BiPAP A30

A-Series BiPAP A40 (ventilator)

A-Series BiPAP Hybrid A30

A-Series BiPAP V30 Auto (ventilator)

C-Series ASV (ventilator)

C-Series S/T and AVAPS

DreamStation

DreamStation ASV

DreamStation Go

DreamStation ST, AVAPS

Dorma 400

Dorma 500

E30

Garbin Plus, Aeris, LifeVent (ventilator)

OmniLab Advanced+

REMstar SE Auto

SystemOne ASV4

SystemOne (Q-Series)

Trilogy 100 (ventilator)

Trilogy 200 (ventilator)

Certain Trilogy Evo ventilators with specific serial numbers.

Some products that were modified in an attempt to resolve the issue have been recalled as well. Specifically, certain reworked Philips Respironics Trilogy 100/200 Ventilators, as the FDA has asked for additional safety testing on the silicone foam material used to replace the PE-PUR foam.

These products include:

Trilogy Evo ventilator model numbers with certain serial numbers as listed in the recall database: DS2110X11B KR2110X15B (not distributed in the U.S.)

Repair kits for Trilogy Evo muffler assembly model and lot numbers as listed in the recall database: Part number 1135257 Lot numbers between 210414 and 210524



Contributing: James Powel, Anthony Robledo and Adrianna Rodriguez.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Philips CPAP machine settlement: Company to pay $1.1B after recall
champpixs / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Alphabet, Googles parent company, released strong first-quarter earnings on April 25  beating analysts expectations and buoyed by the artificial intelligence (AI) wave. The company also announced its first-ever dividend program of 20 cents per share that will be paid on June 17, 2024, to stockholders, according to the earnings release.

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In turn, Alphabets shares skyrocketed and were up 10% in pre-market trading on April 29. The company  with a $2.15 trillion market cap as of April 29  saw its stock shot up 25% year-to-date and 61% in the past year.

Our results in the first quarter reflect strong performance from Search, YouTube and Cloud, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in the release. We are well under way with our Gemini era and theres great momentum across the company. Our leadership in AI research and infrastructure and our global product footprint, position us well for the next wave of AI innovation.

Also see how much $1,000 invested in Alphabet 10 years ago would earn you today.

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Why Should You Buy It?

Several analysts believe the stock still has room to grow. For instance, CFRA Research said it maintained its Buy opinion on the stock and lifted its 12-month target to $190 from $175, according to an April 25 research note.

We are impressed by execution on costs, with operating margin of 40% within services businesses, where nearly all its profits are derived, widening from 35% in Q4 and year ago, Angelo Zino, chartered financial analyst (CFA) and CFRA analyst said.

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Meanwhile, analysts at Wedbush Securities also raised their target prices to $205 from $175 and have an Outperform rating on the stock.

Alphabet remains on our Best Ideas List and we reiterate our Outperform rating, Dan Ives, Wedbush analyst, wrote in the April 25 note. We think 1Q results further validate Googles position as a leading AI beneficiary as management commentary directly addressed the structural risks of generative AI on the Search business.

More broadly, Ives also said in an earlier April note that Wedbush believes 1Q earnings will be a major positive catalyst for the tech sector and expect tech stocks to be up another 15% for the year adding to the strong start to 2024 as now the broader tech growth story takes center stage led by software, cyber security, digital advertising and semis.

Story continues

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: This Popular Stock Is on the Rise But Still Affordable: Why You Should Buy It Now
To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Shaver Shop Group's (ASX:SSG) look very promising so lets take a look.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Shaver Shop Group, this is the formula:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.23 = AU$23m  (AU$147m - AU$47m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, Shaver Shop Group has an ROCE of 23%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 18% earned by companies in a similar industry.

Check out our latest analysis for Shaver Shop Group

roce

In the above chart we have measured Shaver Shop Group's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Shaver Shop Group .

So How Is Shaver Shop Group's ROCE Trending?

The trends we've noticed at Shaver Shop Group are quite reassuring. The numbers show that in the last five years, the returns generated on capital employed have grown considerably to 23%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 33%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Shaver Shop Group thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.

In Conclusion...

To sum it up, Shaver Shop Group has proven it can reinvest in the business and generate higher returns on that capital employed, which is terrific. And a remarkable 310% total return over the last five years tells us that investors are expecting more good things to come in the future. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if Shaver Shop Group can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.

One more thing, we've spotted 3 warning signs facing Shaver Shop Group that you might find interesting.

Shaver Shop Group is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.

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.
If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? Typically, we'll want to notice a trend of growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and alongside that, an expanding base of capital employed. Basically this means that a company has profitable initiatives that it can continue to reinvest in, which is a trait of a compounding machine. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Elsoft Research Berhad (KLSE:ELSOFT) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?

Just to clarify if you're unsure, ROCE is a metric for evaluating how much pre-tax income (in percentage terms) a company earns on the capital invested in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Elsoft Research Berhad:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.01 = RM1.4m  (RM141m - RM4.4m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, Elsoft Research Berhad has an ROCE of 1.0%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Semiconductor industry average of 6.2%.

View our latest analysis for Elsoft Research Berhad

roce

In the above chart we have measured Elsoft Research Berhad's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Elsoft Research Berhad .

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

When we looked at the ROCE trend at Elsoft Research Berhad, we didn't gain much confidence. Around five years ago the returns on capital were 35%, but since then they've fallen to 1.0%. And considering revenue has dropped while employing more capital, we'd be cautious. If this were to continue, you might be looking at a company that is trying to reinvest for growth but is actually losing market share since sales haven't increased.

In Conclusion...

We're a bit apprehensive about Elsoft Research Berhad because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. Investors haven't taken kindly to these developments, since the stock has declined 30% from where it was five years ago. That being the case, unless the underlying trends revert to a more positive trajectory, we'd consider looking elsewhere.

If you'd like to know more about Elsoft Research Berhad, we've spotted 5 warning signs, and 1 of them doesn't sit too well with us.

Story continues

While Elsoft Research Berhad isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under current chair Gary Gensler has been investigating Ethereums status as a security since at least 2018, Fox Business reported.

A lawsuit, initiated by the blockchain software company Consensys, has brought to public attention the SECs Division of Enforcements formal investigation into Ethereum 2.0 that began on March 28, 2023.

The agencys approval of the investigation on April 13, 2023, granted the authority to issue subpoenas to individuals and entities involved with Ethereum transactions.

The SECs probe is centered on the possibility of unregistered offerings and sales of Ethereum dating back to at least 2018, marking a departure from the agencys previous guidance under former Chairman Jay Clayton, which did not categorize Ethereum as a security.

The SECs alleged stance on Ether contrasts with the Commodity Futures Trading Commissions (CFTC) previous classification of Ethereum as a commodity.

The preemptive legal challenge by Consensys contests the SECs right to determine Ethereums classification.

SEC Chair Gary Gensler has refrained from publicly confirming the agencys position on Ethereum, even when faced with inquiries from the House Financial Services Committee.

The SECs scrutiny of Ethereum questions Ethereums legal standing and casts doubt on the future of Ethereum-based financial products, including the possibility of a spot Ether exchange-traded fund (ETF).

According to a report from Reuters last week, the SEC is expected to decline spot Ethereum ETF applications next month.

Total crypto market capitalization is down 3.1% to US$2.44 trillion at 3 p.m. ET, according to CoinGecko.

Ether fell nearly 5% to US$3,171 in the past 24 hours.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 29, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Serko Limited today announced it has signed a five-year contract with Booking.com to continue their successful partnership.

A part of Booking Holdings Inc., Booking.com for Business is a leading travel platform used by hundreds of thousands of small and mid-sized companies.

Both Booking.com and Serko remain committed to scaling Booking.com for Business, providing an easy-to-use business travel platform for businesses and business travellers globally.

Serko Chief Executive and Co-Founder, Darrin Grafton, said: "This renewal is a significant milestone for Serko. It reflects the successful execution of the partnership to date and the strength of the opportunities ahead.

Together we have completed a substantial migration of existing users, seen registered companies exceed 600,000 and completed room nights increase 65% in the past financial year. The renewal allows us to work with Booking.com to help even more business travellers have better travel experiences."

Booking.com Director of Business Travel, Joshua Wood, said: "Booking.com for Business reflects the quality of innovation and focus of the teams at Serko and Booking.com over many years. We are delighted that our partnership with Serko has renewed and are looking forward to the opportunities ahead."

About Serko

Serko is a leader in online travel booking and expense management for the business travel market. Booking.com for Business runs on Zeno, Serkos next generation travel management application, using intelligent technology, predictive workflows and a global travel marketplace to transform business travel across the entire journey. Listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange Main Board (NZX:SKO) and Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:SKO), Serko is headquartered in New Zealand, with offices across Australia, China and the United States. For more information, visit serko.com.

About Booking.com for Business

Launched in 2015, Booking.com for Business has grown to become one of the worlds largest online booking tools for small to midsize companies, with the mission to help companies thrive in a world of changing business travel needs. Booking.com for Business offers enterprise-grade travel management software at no cost, and one of the widest selections of travel options in the world, including flights, accommodation, and rental cars, all at highly competitive rates. Booking.com for Business is available in 8 languages (English, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish and Dutch), and hundreds of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses trust the platform for their business travel needs globally.

Story continues

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240429140804/en/

Contacts

Nick Whitehead

Chief Marketing Officer

+64 21892996

nick.whitehead@serko.com
By Arathy Somasekhar and Ron Bousso

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Financial details of Shell's vast oil and gas trading business are some of the company's closest-held secrets. Documents in a lawsuit filed by a former employee, however, revealed its U.S. crude trading regularly earns around $1 billion every year.

Testimony by a former head of Shell's U.S. crude trading division filed in a Texas state court has offered a rare look at the huge profits of its trading operations and the multi-million dollar bonuses bestowed on traders.

John Dimech, who was a manager in Shell's crude oil trading group in Houston for 11 years, said in a deposition last year that the crude trading unit typically made between $950 million to $1 billion a year.

That is between 13% and 15% of Shell's overall U.S. pre-tax profits in recent years, according to calculations based on company filings.

Shell's 2022 tax contribution report detailed a pre-tax profit of just over $7 billion total in the U.S. that year, while its 2021 pretax profit stood at about $6.36 billion.

A Shell spokesperson declined to comment.

The British oil major does not disclose the financial performance of its oil and gas trading desk, the world's largest, although the lack of information worries some investors. The business can generate bumper profits, but can be volatile and even post losses.

Traders make money by buying and selling oil and gas using gaps in supply and demand around the world to lock in profits. Their pay often includes promises of large bonuses based on their performance, that can be more than CEO Wael Sawan's annual bonus, which was 2.7 million pounds ($3.4 million) last year, according to the latest annual report.

In the Houston court filing, Shell denied a breach of contract claim by former trading manager Eva-Maria Frohn, who sought $15 million, including $6 million for 2021's bonus. She received a more than $5 million bonus in 2020 for her work the previous year.

Frohn claimed that a job transfer she was offered would not be as lucrative as the job she held, making her redundant, while Shell maintained that her job rejection amounted to a resignation.

A jury last Tuesday rendered a verdict favorable to Shell, nullifying Frohn's entire claim against Shell, according to the law firm that represented the company.

Frohn's attorney did not reply to a request for comment.

($1 = 0.8005 pounds)

(Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar in Houston and Ron Bousso in London; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
South Korea Plans To Establish Permanent Crypto Investigative Unit Amid Rising Crimes

South Korea is combating the increasing incidents of cryptocurrency-related crimes and fraud cases by transitioning its temporary crypto investigative unit into a permanent one, according to a local report. The nation's Justice Ministry and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety are scheduled to commence discussions in early May to upgrade the Joint Virtual Asset Crime Investigation Unit into an official department.

The proposed promotion aims to solidify the unit's status, as it currently operates as a temporary body under the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor's Office, making it susceptible to potential disbandment. Launched in July 2023, the unit comprises approximately 30 experts from seven financial and tax regulatory authorities, making it South Korea's first dedicated investigative body focused on digital asset crimes.

The country has witnessed a significant surge in cryptocurrency-related criminal activities. According to a February report from South Korea's Financial Intelligence Unit, local crypto companies reported 16,076 suspicious transactions in 2023, representing a 49% increase compared to 2022.

Furthermore, South Korea is set to implement its first comprehensive crypto regulation on July 19, aimed at safeguarding investors. The new regulation will impose stricter criminal penalties for market manipulation in the crypto industry, including the possibility of life sentences in certain cases.
Space junk smashed into a Florida mans home and caused over $15K in damages  who should pay for it?

Space junk is the new frontier in insurance claims.

In March, a mysterious object crashed through the roof of Alejandro Oteros home in Naples, Florida.

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Upon recovering it, NASA said it was a piece of hardware from a pallet packed with old batteries that was jettisoned from the International Space Station three years ago by its ground controllers.

A little smaller than a soda can and made of superalloy Inconel, the hunk of metal weighed just 1.6 pounds. However, Otero told NPR it caused the whole house to shake when it landed in his floorboards.

His homeowners insurance set the adjusted cost of the damage at more than $15,000, and Otero is evaluating other damages not covered by insurance.

We are in the process of sending NASA our claim which will include the insurance and non-insurance damages, Otero told NPR.

'This is kind of unprecedented'

There are approximately 45,000 objects in orbit, including some 18,800 pieces of space debris, being tracked by the U.S., according to Space-Track.org, the public website of the U.S. Space Command.

Its possible that some of that debris or those objects could crash into your home. But its not very likely, Mark Sundahl, space law expert, told NPR.

Read more: Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey invest in this asset to keep their wealth safe  you may want to do the same in 2024

You may not realize it, but large space objects reenter the atmosphere once a week, according to the European Space Agency. The objects and their fragments usually burn up before reaching Earth, posing little to no threat to humans and their homes.

NASA said the hardware that hit Oteros home was also expected to fully burn up during entry through Earths atmosphere on March 8 this year.

Sundahl recalls a similar incident to Oteros happening back in 1978. A Soviet satellite, Kosmos 954, disintegrated over Canada and scattered radioactive fuel across the country.

Luckily, an international convention on liability for damage caused by space objects had been created in 1972. The convention states that the launching state would be the liable party to pay for damages. So the Soviets cleaned up the mess in Canada and paid for the expenses.

Story continues

The stanchion that hit Oteros house was from NASA flight support equipment, making it America's responsibility. But that makes things slightly more complicated.

"This is kind of unprecedented," Sundahl told NPR. According to him the international law no longer applies. It becomes a domestic legal issue, and a homeowner would have to bring a tort action against the federal government.

Otero says his lawyers have been in touch with NASAs legal counsel. The matter is yet to be determined.

Disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and now space junk crashes, could damage your home in the future. Heres how to prepare.

How to prepare for natural disasters

Otero luckily had homeowners insurance and his insurer quickly helped in repair work, according to NPR.

Space junk may have a low likelihood of landing on your home, but acts of God or natural disasters do happen. There were 28 billion-dollar natural disasters in the U.S. last year alone, according to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). The Insurance Information Institute lists wind and hail, fire and lightning, and water damage and freezing as the top causes of home insurance losses.

Make sure that you have your home insured. Experts recommend also making an inventory of the posessions in your home.

If you already have home insurance but you havent reviewed your policy in the last six months, it might be time to give it a glance  and ensure youre covered for all types of unexpected damage. For instance, flood and earthquake damage is typically not covered by home insurance.

With more and more extreme weather events affecting the U.S., having a solid home insurance policy can save you a lot of money if anything strikes your home. There are also ways to prepare you home, like installing reinforced doors and windows.

It's also important to bulk up your emergency fund. Experts advise maintaining a financial cushion worth three to six months of expenses, but you may benefit from bulking it up. If you live in a disaster zone, where youre more likely to have hurricanes, tornadoes or expected events, you should have larger cash reserves, said Jaime Eckels, a certified financial planner at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, to CNBC.

What to read next

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

Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jamie Dimon are selling out of US stocks in a big way  here's how to diversify into private real estate within minutes

'It's not taxed at all': Warren Buffett shares the 'best investment' you can make when battling rising costs  take advantage today

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Elias Mathes has been named the new CEO of the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority.

Elias Mathes steps into his new role as CEO of the Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority as a familiar face.

This week marks his arrival at the DIA after his predecessor, Elizabeth Emmanuel, resigned effective April 2 after being the agency's top executive for five years. Mathes, 36, has been working off and on at the DIA in some capacity for the last decade.

We are thrilled that Elias Mathes is joining us on the DIA, said Gus Corbella, vice chair of the Authority's Board of Directors, in a statement.

"His skillset and understanding of the potential that exists in Tallahassee are reflective of the vision the board shares for our community. I am excited about the work we will be able to undertake together to showcase our citys downtown core.

Mathes is a native of Thomasville, Georgia. He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Valdosta State University. In 2010, Mathes moved to the capital to pursue graduate studies and earned two master's degrees in urban planning and business administration from Florida State University.

By then, he'd served as project manager on several developments and was a partner in some businesses, including Fermentation Lounge and All Saints Hop Yard in the All Saints District.

Under former DIA director Jay Revell, Mathes was instrumental in helping the DIA launch the Sundown Concert Series, which has since been renamed the Downtown Concert Series at Cascades Park.

"I think I was not officially an intern when it started but Jay was getting it up and running," Mathes said. "He reached out to me to come in and manage it and actually help with the programming of it. He knew about my background managing events at the Hop Yard and other places."

After earning his graduate degree, Mathes served as a division manager with the City of Asheville, N.C., where he was helped overhaul the city's transit system and develop a 10-year transit master plan. He later worked as the economic development manager with Baker Tilly, a Chicago-based consulting firm, and as manager of a Washington D.C.-based national nonprofit called the Rural Community Assistance Partnership.

Mathes said he's spent the last five or six years as a consultant working with cities nationwide on community and economic development issues, adding he's "always been really passionate about the Downtown Improvement Authority."

"I see it as having tremendous potential as an organization. It's really kind of unique in the fact that it is an independent organization," Mathes said. "That offers us some flexibility to be a little bit quicker and more nimble than other public agencies. I think it really puts us in a position to be kind of the visionary leaders for what downtown should be."

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He describes downtown Tallahassee undergoing "a special moment in time."

"There's more businesses downtown now than at least I remember ... as far back as my memory goes," Mathes said. "I haven't seen this level of activity that we have right now. There are some great old standards that are still in business but also all these new businesses that are popping up."

Just before he arrived, the DIA was forced to table its efforts to bring a lit public art sculpture to be placed in Cascades Park in honor of Tallahassee's bicentennial milestone this year when Emmanuel would no longer be at the DIA to lead the effort.

Mathes said he hopes to continue the project but could not yet offer details on what's next.

"That project is on hold right now ... It's something we still need to look into further and explore more options about how it can happen," Mathes said.

"I know that may involve looking at alternate locations. That may involve some design changes. We really don't know for sure at this point. I know I'm interested in seeing if it's possible to make it happen."

Contact Economic Development Reporter TaMaryn Waters at tlwaters@tallahassee.com and follow @TaMarynWaters on X.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Elias Mathes is new CEO of Tallahassee Downtown Improvement Authority
(Bloomberg) -- PremjiInvest, the largest Indian family office that manages over $10 billion for software tycoon Azim Premji, will invest more money into artificial intelligence companies while fine-tuning its proprietary AI investment tools, a senior executive at the firm said.

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The company, among the first large Indian asset managers to use AI tools in the private equity space, is now working on an AI quant model for its public market bets too, TK Kurien, its managing partner and chief investment officer, said in his first interview after taking the role in 2017. The asset manager, which has seen exponential returns, will also invest more in the AI space, he said.

Investment firms worldwide, including BlackRock Inc. and SoftBank Group Corp, are relying on AI to analyze data streams in real-time to glean market intelligence and are looking to invest further in the sector. PremjiInvest started developing AI tools three years ago and hired 14 AI engineers, according to Kurien. At the same time, it started backing firms venturing into the nascent technology space.

AI is helping the asset manager scour more than 10,000 companies globally on 600 parameters to identify investment opportunities. The firm expects the entire exercise to also give it a birds eye view of emerging technologies and trends that could help it stay ahead of peers, Kurien said.

Cohesity Inc.  a data-management software company, Holistic AI  an enterprise software business based in London, Ikigai and Pixis are among firms in the sector that PremjiInvest had backed so far.

Kurien is planning to allow open-source developers to access some of its AI tools. The funds engineers are also developing platforms to help Indias overburdened courts resolve cases faster and to also aid governments efforts to offer services more effectively, he said.

Investment Strategy

Technology and financial services will be the top sectors in which PremjiInvest will be betting on, Kurien said. In private markets in India, the other two sectors in which the firm invests are consumer and health care. In the US, the investments are focused on health care and technology sectors.

Premji, the reclusive-billionaire founder of Wipro Ltd., established the family office as a perpetual investment vehicle in 2006 to generate profits to support his philanthropic endeavors. He has donated most of his wealth to humanitarian causes in India.

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Kurien, who earlier worked with Wipro for more than 16 years building up his operational chops, is scouting for investment targets in the US with the latest technologies that can be brought to India. PremjiInvests 120-member team, working across its Menlo Park, California, and Bengaluru, India offices, oversees investments.

The outfit returns about 5% of its capital to Premjis philanthropic foundation every year, Kurien said, declining to provide further details.

PremjiInvests assets are allocated as private investments, publicly traded equities and investments into other funds, according to Kurien. The 18-year-old firm has seen a fourfold surge in assets under management in the last eight years.

We are patient capital without an exit time frame, he said.

--With assistance from Sanjit Das, Rohit Pathak and Suvashree Ghosh.

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KINGSTON, Jamaica, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In its continued thrust to improve financial inclusion and expand remittance services to Jamaicans across the world, VM Money Transfer Services (VMTS) has entered a strategic partnership with TerraPay, a global money movement organization.

TerraPay Logo

VMTS facilitates money transfer services globally to customers sending money to Jamaica from Europe, the UK, United States, Canada, the Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos. With this new agreement, VMTS now gains access to TerraPay's robust online platform, enabling hassle-free cross-border transfers for customers sending and receiving money across approximately 31 markets globally.

CEO of VM Money Transfer Services Limited, Michael Howard, welcomes the boost that this partnership will bring to the agency's operations. He shared, "Purposeful partnership is an integral part of VM Money Transfer's mission as we seek to continuously improve service delivery to our clients. We are excited about this recent collaboration as, with TerraPay's extensive network, we have the opportunity to significantly broaden our reach and potentially tap into new markets, all while keeping our clients supported and empowered with convenient and secure channels for their money transfer needs."

The agreement was signed between the two entities in March 2024, and Juan Luis Hernandez, TerraPay's Senior Regional Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean, who visited Jamaica for the occasion, shares the enthusiasm. Hernandez commented, "We are delighted to partner with VM Money Transfer Services to drive innovation and efficiency in cross-border remittances. Together, we aim to provide a superior remittance experience for Jamaicans worldwide, strengthening connections with their loved ones and contributing to the economic development of Jamaica."

Along with the expanded service through TerraPay, VMTS customers can continue to enjoy the flexibility and convenience of having their funds deposited directly to their Jamaican bank account through VMTS' Direct to Bank Service. Clients can also collect their remittances in Jamaica from VM Money Transfer's over 70 sub-agents, 8 VM Money Express locations and 16 VM Building Society branches Islandwide.

For queries, please reach out to Juveria Samrin at juveria.n@terrapay.com

About TerraPay:

TerraPay simplifies global money movement - by providing a single connection to the most expansive cross-border payments network regulated in 31 global markets and enabling payments to 144 receive countries, 210+ send countries, 7.5Bn+ bank accounts and 2.1Bn+ mobile wallets. TerraPay is on a mission to connect a borderless financial world, making moving money everywhere instant, reliable, transparent and fully compliant. TerraPay pushes the boundaries for global businesses  ranging from banks, fintechs and money-transfer operators to travel businesses, creator economy platforms and e-commerce marketplaces  while driving financial inclusion in even the most inaccessible markets. Founded in 2014, TerraPay is headquartered in London, with global offices in Bangalore, Dubai, Miami, Bogota, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Hague, Dakar, Joburg, Nairobi, Milan, Singapore and is expanding rapidly, having received funding from leading investors, including the IFC (the World Bank), Prime Ventures, Partech Africa and Visa.

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1222771/TerraPay_Logo.jpg

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/terrapay-and-vm-money-transfer-services-have-partnered-to-expand-the-remittance-market-for-jamaicans-302127351.html

SOURCE TerraPay
(Bloomberg) -- Elon Musks quick visit to China paid immediate dividends, with Tesla Inc. receiving in-principle approval from government officials to deploy its driver-assistance system in the worlds biggest auto market.

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The US carmaker was granted the approval under certain conditions, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified because details of all the criteria arent clear. Tesla did manage to clear two of the most important hurdles: reaching a mapping and navigation deal with Chinese tech giant Baidu Inc., and meeting requirements for how it handles data-security and privacy issues.

Tesla shares soared 15% Monday, its best day in more than three years, while Baidus American depositary receipts closed 5.6% higher. Tesla didnt respond to requests for comment on the status of its attempt to secure regulatory approval.

The developments came after Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk made an unannounced trip to China on Sunday, seeking approval for driver-assistance software that could help arrest the carmakers revenue decline. While the companys suite of features require constant supervision and dont make Teslas autonomous, the company charges $8,000 for them in the US, or $99 a month for a subscription.

Read More: Musks Trip to Beijing After India Snub Shows Power of China

Musk met Sunday with Premier Li Qiang, who as the Chinese Communist Party secretary for Shanghai helped the company set up what is now its top plant globally. His private jet left Beijing on Monday, according to FlightRadar24.

While Tesla initially enjoyed a red-carpet welcome in China, its fortunes have faded recently as it faces tougher competition from domestic EV makers led by BYD Co. Teslas share of Chinas auto market shrank to around 6.7% in the fourth quarter of 2023, from 10.5% in the first quarter of last year, according to Bloomberg calculations based on Chinas Passenger Car Association data.

Read more: Can Musks Robotaxi Dream Fix Whats Ailing Tesla?: QuickTake

Advanced driver-assistance systems are becoming increasingly common in China, with many local players including Xpeng Inc. and Xiaomi Corp. using them as a selling point for vehicles. Carmakers also have had success in charging extra for driver-assist features, which Tesla could use after having cut prices to levels that may have wiped out the operating profit its earning from the market.

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Approval for FSD in China would be a major boost for Tesla, which is coming off its first year-over-year decline in quarterly revenue since 2020. Even after slashing prices, the company sold fewer cars in the first quarter. Musk is cutting headcount by at least 10% and looking to accelerate new models, including less-expensive vehicles, that could be ready by early 2025, if not before year-end.

Musks surprise China visit is a watershed moment, Wedbush Securities senior analyst Dan Ives said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. This could open up FSD in China, which I view as unlocking what really could be the golden opportunity for them.

Teaming with Baidu  one of about only 20 qualified suppliers with the countrys top-level mapping credentials that can be applied to driver-assistance functions  will allow Tesla to tap the Chinese companys lane-level navigation and mapping services. Tesla has been using Baidu for in-car mapping and navigation since 2020.

While getting the green light for FSD in China might help Tesla claw back some lost ground, its driver-assistance systems have proved problematic in the US. The top US auto-safety regulator just opened a probe into the companys less-capable Autopilot system, citing 20 crashes that have occurred since December involving vehicles that received an over-the-air software update to prevent misuse.

During an earnings call last week, Musk emphasized the importance of autonomous-driving development, saying that people who doubt Teslas ability to solve autonomy shouldnt invest in the company.

Read this next: Elon Musks Robotaxi Dreams Plunge Tesla Into Chaos

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Monday that Chinese officials had told Tesla that Beijing had tentatively approved the companys plan to launch FSD in the country.

--With assistance from Dana Hull and Kelly Gilblom.

(Updates with Tesla closing shares in third paragraph.)

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In this article, we will take a look at the top 12 alternatives to Edward Jones. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to Top 5 Alternatives to Edward Jones.

Why are People Choosing Edward Jones

Edward Jones is a broker-dealer and investment advisor. Edward Jones focuses on serving individual investors rather than institutions. The firm has been functional for the past 100 years. More than 8 million individuals from across the globe trust Edward Jones with their investment decisions. The company has home offices in the United States and Canada, serving customers from their 15,000-plus office locations. The company has more than 19,000 financial advisors and has over $1.9 trillion in client assets, as of December 31, 2023. The firm is home to over 54,000 associates across North America and reported revenue worth $12.3 billion in 2023. You can also read our piece on the most profitable banks in the US in 2024.

On December 19, 2023, Edward Jones announced the launch of new tools and products for financial advisors to enhance the client experience. The company plans to allow branches to deliver financial planning directly to clients in Q3 2024. As of now, clients receive financial planning via the firm's headquarters. The company also made improvements to its Investment Advisory Platform. Edward Jones added the optional tax loss harvesting tool. The tool identifies and analyzes possible investments in certain taxable accounts to realize losses. The Portfolio Assistant facilitates the creation of personalized portfolios, in line with the client's goals and risk objectives. The company also launched a new program, Financial Advisor Managed Solutions. The advisory program allows clients to delegate their investment decisions to financial advisors. These financial advisors provide regular investment advice and guidance. David Chubak, Head of the U.S. Business Unit at Edward Jones, stated:

"In addition to new tools, products and services, we are also investing in developing, retaining and growing our branch teams by offering new practice models and more flexibility, autonomy and choice in how they run their practices. As we continue into our second century of business, we are equipping our branch teams to hone their craft  with the human-centeredness, practice management and financial acumen needed to serve millions of current and potential clients in a personalized and more complete way."

Prominent Choices for Individual Investors

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK), The Vanguard Group, and Bank of America Corporation's (NYSE:BAC) Merrill Lynch are some of the best alternatives to Edward Jones. Let's take a look at their offerings. You can also take a look at the largest banks in the world by market cap.

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) is a prominent investment management company based in New York, United States, that caters to both individual and institutional investors. As of December 31, 2023, BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) had over $10 trillion in client assets followed by $289 billion of full-year net inflows. The company has 70 offices in 30 different locations. On January 12, BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:BLK) announced the acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) to expand its investment offerings. The acquisition had a total consideration of $3 billion in cash and a staggering $12 million in shares of BlackRock's common stock. The acquisition brings BlackRock, Inc.'s (NYSE:BLK) infrastructure client business' assets under management to $150 billion. The acquisition will enable the company to provide infrastructure expertise to clients across equity and debt solutions. Here are some comments from the company's Q1 2024 earnings call:

"Our capital management strategy remains consistent. We invest first, either to scale strategic growth initiatives or drive operational efficiency and then return excess cash to our shareholders through a combination of dividends and share repurchases. At times, we may make inorganic investments, where we see an opportunity to accelerate organic growth and support our strategic initiatives. Last month, we announced our agreement to acquire the remaining equity interest in SpiderRock Advisors, a leading provider of customized option overlay strategies in the U.S. wealth market. This transaction expands on BlackRocks minority investment in SpiderRock Advisors made in 2021 and builds on BlackRocks strong growth in personalized separately managed accounts via Aperio and ETF model portfolios."

The Vanguard Group is an investment management company based in Pennsylvania, United States, that offers services to both individual and institutional investors. As of December 31, 2023, The Vanguard Group had more than 50 million clients and almost 20,000 employees. Ever since its inception, the company has offered 423 funds, as of March 31, 2024. The company has $8.6 trillion in client assets. On January 18, The Vanguard Group announced the launch of new digital estate planning tools and solutions in partnership with Vanilla. The offering was launched to a small group of advised clients in the Vanguard Personal Advisor Wealth Management program. The services will be scaled to high net-worth vanguard investors soon. The tool allows eligible clients to have strong financial and legacy outcomes. Clients will be able to get in touch with their advisors to develop visualizations of their net worth, estimate tax outcomes, conduct real estate analysis, and create asset transfer diagrams.

Bank of America Corporation's (NYSE:BAC) Merrill Lynch is an investment management company based in New York, United States. The company offers a range of services to its clients including personal banking, lending, investments, retirement, insurance, and wealth planning. The Merrill Lynch Investment Advisory Program provides personalized investment advice to clients based on their goals, aspirations, and risk objectives. The company offers a range of investment solutions including stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds, tax-efficient strategies, and other investments and annuities. Here are some comments from Bank of America Corporation's (NYSE:BAC) Q1 2024 earnings call:

"Our advisors opened 29,000 new bank accounts in the quarter with our customers, deepening their relationships. More than 60% are investing clients in Merrill and 90% of our private banking clients now have a core banking relationship with us. In addition, across our wealth spectrum we saw $60 billion in total flows over the last year. As you can see on this slide, we now manage more than $5.6 trillion in total client balances across loans, deposits and investments, and consumer and wealth management."

With this context, let's take a look at the top 12 alternatives to Edward Jones. If you are a new investor you can also read our piece on the best investing podcasts for beginners on Spotify.

Top 12 Alternatives to Edward Jones

Top 12 Alternatives to Edward Jones

Our Methodology

To make our list of the top 12 alternatives to Edward Jones, we employed a consensus approach. We went over several sources, including industry reports and multiple similar rankings. For our primary metric, we sourced the assets under management from each company's official website. As for our secondary metric, we have included the number of clients each bank has. Moreover, we have also included the revenue for banks. For public companies, we sourced the trailing 12-month revenue, for the latest quarter available, from Macrotrends. To quantify the "value" or "size" of private companies, we selected the annual revenue available for the most recent fiscal year and the number of clients, subject to the availability of data. All of our data has been sourced from official company statements. Our list is in ascending order of the assets under management, primarily, and number of clients or revenue, secondarily.

Top 12 Alternatives to Edward Jones

12. Northwestern Mutual

Assets Under Management (AUM) as of December 31, 2023: $627 Billion

Number of Customers/Clients: 5 Million

Annual Revenue (2023): $36 Billion

Northwestern Mutual is a financial services company based in Wisconsin, United States. The company provides financial planning and investment services. It provides tailored financial solutions based on the client's investment goals and risk objectives. The company ensures its solutions bring financial stability. Clients may get in touch with a financial advisor to start planning and investing.

11. Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE:RJF)

Assets Under Management (AUM) as of March 31, 2024: $1.45 Trillion

Number of Customers/Clients: 3.5 Million

Revenue (TTM) as of March 31, 2024: $12.09 Billion

Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE:RJF) is one of the best alternatives to Edward Jones. The investment banking company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Florida, United States. The company provides financial guidance and planning to individual investors and families. It provides personalized asset, capital, and wealth management solutions to every client based on their risk objectives and investment goals. Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE:RJF) has $1.45 trillion in assets under management (AUM).

10. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS)

Assets Under Management (AUM) as of March 31, 2024 (Investment Management Business): $1.5 Trillion

Number of Customers/Clients: N/A

Revenue (TTM) as of March 31, 2024: $54.76 Billion

Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) ranks 10th on our list. The company helps individuals and institutions manage their investments and achieve their investment goals. Individuals can use E*Trade to invest on their own using existing resources and tools. On the contrary, they can get in touch with an advisor either virtually or in person. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) reported $7 trillion in client assets across its wealth management and investment management arms in Q1 2024. The company's investment management business reported assets under management of $1.5 trillion, while its wealth management business logged $5.495 trillion in client assets, up from $5.129 trillion in Q4 2023.

9. Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN)

Assets Under Management (AUM) as of February 29, 2024: $1.62 Trillion

Number of Customers/Clients: N/A

Revenue (TTM) as of December 31, 2023: $7.87 Billion

Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) is an investment management company with more than $1.62 trillion in assets under management (AUM), as of February 29, 2024. It provides investment and wealth management and planning services. Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) reported a trailing 12-month revenue of $7.87 billion, as of December 31, 2023.

8. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK)

Assets Under Management (AUM) as of March 31, 2024: $2.0 Trillion

Number of Customers/Clients: N/A

Revenue (TTM) as of March 31, 2024: $30.12 Billion

With over $2 trillion in assets under management (AUM), The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) ranks as one of the top alternatives to Edward Jones. The company provides investment management services. These services are aimed at helping individuals and businesses achieve investment goals and execute transactions across global markets. It has a trailing 12-month revenue of $30.12 billion, as of March 31, 2024.

7. Merrill Lynch

Assets Under Management (AUM) as of December 31, 2023: $2.75 Trillion

Number of Customers/Clients: N/A

Revenue (TTM) of Parent Company as of March 31, 2024: $179.52 Billion

Bank of America Corporation's (NYSE:BAC) Merrill Lynch is one of the best alternatives to Edward Jones. Merrill Lynch is an investment management company based in New York, United States. The company was launched in 1914 and has more than $2.75 trillion in assets under management (AUM). The company provides personalized investment management services and financial advisory. Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) reported a trailing 12-month revenue worth $179.52 billion, as of March 31, 2024.

6. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS)

Assets Under Management (AUM) as of March 31, 2024: $2.85 Trillion

Number of Customers/Clients: N/A

Revenue (TTM) as of March 31, 2024: $48.24 Billion

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) ranks sixth on our list of the top alternatives to Edward Jones. The investment banking and management company provides private wealth management services directly to the consumer. Key services include financial planning, investment management, and comprehensive financial advice. The company has $2.85 trillion in assets under management (AUM) as of March 31, 2024. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) has a trailing 12-month revenue of $48.24 billion, as of March 31, 2024.

Click to continue reading and see the Top 5 Alternatives to Edward Jones.

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Disclaimer: None. Top 12 Alternatives to Edward Jones is originally published on Insider Monkey.
YEREVAN, Armenia, April 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SPRING PRs Doing Digital Forum (DDF) aims to explore the latest trends and best experiences in digital transformation, to establish Armenia as a leading digital hub and enhance the country's competitiveness. According to the Global Innovation Index 2023 , Armenia has improved its position with 8 points compared to the rating of 2022, demonstrating its growing innovation capabilities.



The Future of Finance Panel Discussion

Doing Digital Forum, which serves as a dynamic platform for exploring opportunities in fintech and business digitalization, hosted over 1000 attendees and featured more than 20 top speakers from 7 countries this year. With the star keynote lineup led by Brett King, Author of Bank 4.0 and Branch Today Gone Tomorrow, Founder of Moven, The Futurists Network, and Longevity Alpha, the event received widespread acclaim locally and globally.

DDF 24, entitled Embracing opportunities, was started by Tatevik Simonyan, Founder of the Doing Digital Forum. In her opening remark she mentioned: The success of the forum is in the growing global importance of digitalization. The 'Doing Digital' initiative is strategic because it promotes global conversation around Armenia as a nation actively engaged in and leading discussions on digital transformations.

Brett King discussed the adaptation of economies, banks, and businesses to the digital future, stating that to achieve a smart economy and remain competitive, embracing technology integrated by the Artificial Intelligence is essential. The fastest-growing financial institutions are those rooted in technology. If you are not a digital bank, you are not in this ecosystem. The top 20 fintech companies serve 3.8 billion individuals worldwide, while the top 20 banks - only 2.7 billion.

The forum showcased a rich agenda filled with visionary speeches and panel discussions led by thought leaders from the government, technology, finance, and banking sectors. Ameriabank, a leading financial and technology company, demonstrated its continued support for the event by serving as a fintech partner.

During the panel discussion, attended by key representatives from Central Bank of Armenia, banking, fintech, and investment sectors, and moderated by Brett King, raised questions regarding the future landscape of finance and the role of artificial intelligence in it. Armenia ranks 54th in the Global AI Index 2023 , underscoring its ambitions in artificial intelligence applications.

Now we are in the age of disruptive technology bringing a new web3 environment in finance, mentioned Vakhtang Abrahamyan, CEO of Fastex. Moreover, at Fastex, we utilize AI to enhance our customer support services, employing it as a virtual assistant in our operations.

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David Amaryan, Founder and CEO of Balchug Capital, noted that despite technological advancements, private equity transactions still rely heavily on direct human interaction. At the end of the day you still need human to human interaction to complete the deals. We are facing challenges as well, because, today more than ever we are forced to do more with less and find the competitive advantage. Analyzing vast amounts of data quickly and accurately is extremely important to stay competitive. Hence, the investment company is swiftly progressing towards automating this process to streamline efficiency.

Amaryan proudly underscored their transparent collaboration with policymakers and regulators to activate the stock market in the country.

The panel discussion participants emphasized the importance of accessibility of the end-to-end lifestyle services with integrated finance features, as users increasingly demand such convenience.

Reflecting on the future, Vaghtang Abrahamyan emphasized, Looking ahead ten years, I think that 80 percent of what will define that era hasn't even been created yet, both in terms of technology and services. We anticipate a shift towards more personalized and borderless services, underpinned by harmonized regulations.

This year Doing Digital Awards has been launched as an integral part of the annual Doing Digital Forum aiming to honor those who have made a significant impact within the ecosystem.

The partners of the Doing Digital Forum were Visa, Apricot Capital, Fastex, Ucraft, Hoory, ArCa, Yeremyan Projects, Seven Visions Hotels.

Contact:

Tatevik Simonyan

Email: tsimonyan@spring.am

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aaa92504-2682-4c9f-a86a-02bebbfc24b1




The Warren Buffett-led Berkshire Hathaway owns numerous stocks, but American Express (NYSE: AXP) is the one that has caught my attention recently. The credit card giant pleased investors with its latest financial results, helping drive shares 24% higher this year (as of April 22).

I don't doubt that this top financial stock's bullish supporters, including Buffett, would be happy if the business saw its market cap reach $1 trillion one day. This exclusive club only has seven members today, a group that's mostly dominated by tech firms.

Can American Express hit the 13-figure valuation by 2050?

The math makes sense

As of this writing, the financial services company carries a market capitalization of $173 billion. For American Express to get to $1 trillion, its valuation would need to rise at a 7% compound annual growth rate. To be clear, I don't think this target is unreasonable at all. It implies that the market cap will expand by 478% in the next 26 years.

Past results don't guarantee future returns. However, let's look at history to provide some context.

In just the last 15 years, American Express's market cap soared 655%. As we look ahead, the pace of growth will probably decelerate. But given that we have 26 years between now and 2050, if we look at things purely based on the math, it's not out of the question that Amex can get a seat at the $1 trillion table.

It's all about durability

Of course, a lot of things can happen in the future. Investors must have conviction that American Express will actually be around in two or three decades. Because American Express has been around for more than a century, I have confidence that it isn't going away. That durability is key, especially if you're interested in finding long-term holdings.

We can quickly point to some major strengths that protect American Express' competitive positioning.

For starters, there might be no stronger brand in the financial services sector. Amex carries a premium image in the minds of its existing and prospective customer base. And this attracts card members of higher credit quality and who have greater spending ability. This helps explain why Amex typically reports lower charge-off rates than rivals such as Bank of America and Citigroup.

We must also think about growth potential. American Express isn't struggling in this department, as its revenue and diluted earnings per share jumped 11% and 39%, respectively, in the first quarter of 2024.

Turning the perspective to the next few decades, there's a favorable backdrop that can continue lifting American Express to new heights. The ongoing prevalence of cashless transactions is a powerful secular trend to keep in mind.

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The company is also doing a fantastic job at bringing on younger consumers, as more than 60% of new card members in the first quarter were either millennials or Generation Z members. These people could be Amex customers for a long time, spending more as their incomes rise, which would lead to greater revenue and earnings for the company.

The future is uncertain

Investing is all about looking at the facts in front of you and trying to assess the probability of a certain outcome happening. This is precisely how Warren Buffett operates, a strategy that has obviously worked out well for him and Berkshire Hathaway.

Using this mental framework, I believe American Express has a good shot at achieving a $1 trillion market cap by 2050. You don't need to have overly optimistic assumptions to see this outcome become a reality. Moreover, the business possesses the competitive strengths necessary to be alive and well far into the future.

Investors with a long enough time horizon should think about buying shares in American Express today.

Should you invest $1,000 in American Express right now?

Before you buy stock in American Express, 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 American Express wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

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The United States Department of Labor recovered nearly $100,000 in back wages from a Bradenton furniture store, the agency announced Monday.

Investigators said they found that Alumatech Furniture Manufacturing Inc., 6063 17th St. E., Bradenton, violated the Fair Labor Standards Act by not paying eight employees overtime rates despite them working over 40 hours in a workweek.

As a result of the employer failing to pay overtime to piece-rate and commission-based workers when required, the department said they recovered $92,562 in back wages and damages for the affected workers. The owed back wages average out to over $11,500 per employee.

The U.S. Department of Labor is committed to ensuring workers get every dollar they earned, Nicholas Ratmiroff, the Wage and Hour Divisions district director in Tampa said in a statement.

Employers who choose to pay employees by piece or hour must still pay non-exempt employees the required overtime rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Employers should contact the Wage and Hour Division to ensure their pay practices comply with the law, Ratmiroff added. Faulty pay practices can lead to sizeable wage and damage recoveries and possibly penalties, all of which makes for a very costly lesson.

The department also hit the furniture company with a $8,328 fine for repeat violations.

When investigators reviewed pay records for the company from September 2016 through September 2018, they recovered more than $8,000 in back wages and cited the company for $734 after they found Alumatech failed to pay overtime premiums to piece-rate workers.

The outdoor patio furniture store has been in the industry since 1974 and has been in business as Alumatech Furniture Manufacturing since 1988, according to its website.

The company manufactures, sells and repairs outdoor furniture at its Bradenton factory and employs about 55 workers, according to a news release.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has many different applications. Some of the more common ways AI is being deployed is to train large language models or machine learning platforms. While AI is a sophisticated tool, not all of its use cases orbit around the technology sector.

Recently, Microsoft announced that it is working closely with beverage maker Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) on several AI projects.

Let's dig into the deal and assess how Coca-Cola stands to benefit from the proliferation of AI.

Bringing AI to the beverage industry

I'll admit that the intersection of artificial intelligence and beverages may not seem like a logical mix. After all, how hard is it to make soda and water?

Well, you may be surprised to learn that the beverage industry is quite complex. From production quality to supply chain logistics, packaging, and even safety protocols in warehouses and fulfillment centers, artificial intelligence has a big opportunity to disrupt the food and beverage sector.

Indeed, Mordor Intelligence estimates that AI in the food and beverage market will grow at a 38% compound annual growth rate through 2029 -- ultimately reaching a $49 billion market opportunity.

Considering Coca-Cola has been a staple of consumer brands for decades, it's safe to say that the company has done a lot of things right. But it's also not surprising to see Coca-Cola continue investing in innovation to gain an edge over the competition -- and that's where AI comes into play.

Image source: Getty Images.

How Coca-Cola is using artificial intelligence

The beverage maker signed a five-year deal with Microsoft worth $1.1 billion, representing a cornerstone in Coca-Cola's "ongoing technology transformation." Specifically, the company will continue using Microsoft's Azure cloud computing infrastructure -- including new services from OpenAI's integration with Azure.

Over the last year, Coca-Cola has been experimenting with generative AI for marketing and manufacturing use cases. The company is now taking these initial applications further, leveraging AI "to help employees improve customer experiences, streamline operations, foster innovation, gain a competitive advantage, boost efficiency and uncover new growth opportunities."

How shareholders can benefit

I see a couple of ways that investors stand to benefit from Coca-Cola's investments in AI.

The company is using the technology to enhance the customer experience as well as identify more efficient processes when it comes to manufacturing. As a result, AI could help Coca-Cola's overall operating picture. Specifically, any gains that AI brings to manufacturing, bottling, packaging, etc. should help Coca-Cola unlock some margin expansion.

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Moreover, by analyzing consumer trends more deeply, AI has the power to potentially help Coca-Cola build additional brand equity in new geographic markets or demographics.

In essence, I think Coca-Cola's digital transformation could lead to significant financial gains in the long run. As a result, the company could use excess cash flow to maintain and raise its long-standing dividend.

The thing investors need to be most aware of is that the benefits from artificial intelligence are likely years away. Given Coca-Cola's massive scale, it is going to take time to fully deploy the new Azure OpenAI instances. Furthermore, should the company uncover strategies to better market its products or enhance fulfillment capabilities, it will also take time to implement these campaigns.

Nevertheless, with a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 21.5, Coca-Cola is valued right in line with the S&P 500. I'd argue that investors broadly view Coca-Cola as just a beverage conglomerate carrying mundane growth prospects.

The company's hefty investments in AI suggest that Coca-Cola is looking to source growth from its entire business, and I wouldn't underestimate the company's relationship with Microsoft. Although Coca-Cola is still a tangential AI opportunity (at best), now could still be a unique time to scoop up some shares before the company begins fully implementing the technology and entering a new phase of growth.

Should you invest $1,000 in Coca-Cola right now?

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This Warren Buffett Dividend King Stock Just Invested $1.1 Billion Into Artificial Intelligence (AI) was originally published by The Motley Fool
Williams-Sonoma is facing a costly penalty for falsely claiming that some of its products were "Made in the USA," the Federal Trade Commission has announced.

Under the terms of a settlement, the San Francisco-based home furnishing retailer agreed to pay a $3.17 million fine for violating a 2020 order that required the company to be truthful about where its products were made. That order stemmed from a previous lawsuit against Williams-Sonoma that also ended with the company agreeing to a $1 million fine.

But in the FTC's latest lawsuit against Williams-Sonoma, the federal agency stated that the company has continued to make deceptive claims about the origins of its products, many of which were in fact found to be made in China.

The newest civil penalty is the largest ever in a "Made in the USA" case, the federal agency, which enforces consumer protection laws, said in a Friday press release.

A view of a Williams-Sonoma store in 2022 in Corte Madera, California. The San Francisco-based home furnishing retailer is facing a $3.17 million fine for falsely labeling some goods as "Made in America," according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Zillow addresses viral 'Bluey' epiosde: 'Moving 'might just be a good thing' real-estate company says in new ad

Tip came from consumer who purchased mattress pad

The FTC first sued Williams-Sonoma in 2020 after investigating reports of multiple products that the company had falsely listed on its website and catalog as being made in the United States.

Among those products were the company's Goldtouch Bakeware, some of its Rejuvenation home-improvement products and certain pieces of upholstered furniture sold under the Pottery Barn Teen and Pottery Barn Kids brands, the FTC said. The company was required to pay $1 million to the FTC and agreed to an order that required them to stop their deceptive claims and follow the agency's "Made in USA" requirements.

But earlier this year, a consumer alerted TruthInAdvertising.org about a mattress pad falsely advertised on Pottery Barn Teens website as Crafted in America from domestic and imported materials. The mattress pad that arrived was labeled as Made in China, according to Truth in Advertising, an independent watchdog, which provided screenshots on its website.

TruthInAdverstising.org tipped off the FTC about the product page advertising the mattress pad, which sparked an investigation and lawsuit against Williams-Sonoma.

In addition to the civil penalty, the federal court settlement also requires Williams-Sonoma to submit annual compliance certifications. The FTC's Made in USA Labeling Rule, which went into effect in August 2021, made it possible to impose civil penalties on companies found to be in violation.

Williams-Sonomas deception misled consumers and harmed honest American businesses," FTC Chair Lina M. Khan said in a statement last week. "Todays record-setting civil penalty makes clear that firms committing Made-in-USA fraud will not get a free pass.

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Williams-Sonoma did not immediately respond Monday morning to USA TODAY's request to comment.

What to know about products falsely listed as 'Made in the USA'

The FTF determined that Williams-Sonoma falsely advertised its Pottery Barn Teen mattress pads as Crafted in America from domestic and imported materials" even though they were imported from China.

The agency then investigated six other products that were found to be a violation of the 2020 order regarding "Made in USA" products. According to a complaint, Williams-Sonoma was not able to prove either that the materials were sourced from the United States or that final assembly took place in the U.S.

Truth in Advertising said that Williams-Sonoma now accurately lists the mattress as imported.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Williams-Sonoma fined $3.2 million for false "Made in USA" claims
Rumors that a busload of Venezuelan immigrants from the southern border recently were dropped off in Cripple Creek arent true, according to P
When juror Kristi Englekirk watched the final violent moments in the life of Christian Glass, she cried. It was the first time she had ever seen the 70 minute body-worn camera footage that showed Glass in terror as a Clear Creek County sheriff's deputy shot him five times that night.
With the state's spending plan completed and on its way to the governor, along with funding for K-12 education, lawmakers are turning their attention in the final weeks of the legislative session to tax credits and bills totaling billions of dollars that will likely tap into the Taxpayers Bill of Rights surplus.
A federal judge last month barred the government from using more than two dozen pounds of narcotics seized from a vehicle as evidence against the defendants because a Colorado state trooper violated the prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures.
A federal judge in Colorado has ordered John C. Eastman, who devised former President Donald Trump's plan to remain in office despite losing the 2020 election, to explain why he should not be removed as the plaintiff's attorney in an ongoing civil lawsuit.

Under the rules of Colorado's U.S. District Court, an attorney cannot be in "good standing" to practice if they are not in good standing everywhere else they are admitted to practice. Eastman is currently on "involuntary inactive status" in California, after a state judge concluded last month that Eastman's attempts to subvert the presidential election on Trump's behalf merited his disbarment.

On April 9, the clerk's office for the district court notified Judge S. Kato Crews that Eastman, one of the attorneys on a constitutional rights lawsuit out of Colorado Springs, was "no longer considered in good standing" because of his discipline in California. Crews, in turn, directed Eastman to explain why he should not be removed as an attorney from the case.

Instead of answering Crews directly, Eastman submitted a short motion for extra time on April 18, noting he is appealing the California judge's recommendation of disbarment and arguing the discipline proceedings were faulty. Crews rejected Eastman's attempt to rely on his forthcoming appeal, noting Eastman's inactive status means he is not now in good standing as a lawyer.

"(T)he California disciplinary proceedings are not controlling on this Court. As a result, extensions of time based on the timing associated with the California proceedings are a non sequitur," Crews wrote in an April 26 order.

He again ordered Eastman to respond by May 10 to the notice that Eastman is not in good standing to practice in Colorado's U.S. District Court.

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Eastman was the visiting scholar in conservative thought and policy at the University of Colorado Boulder during the 2020-2021 school year. He also advanced unfounded allegations of voter fraud and election irregularities in multiple swing states after the 2020 presidential election. Eastman then drafted memos providing a legal justification for then-Vice President Mike Pence, when presiding over the counting of electoral votes in Congress, to reject swing state votes for Joe Biden and keep Trump unlawfully in office.

After a lengthy trial in California last year, State Bar Court Judge Yvette D. Roland found Eastman had committed misconduct for dishonesty, failure to support the laws and Constitution and "moral turpitude."

Eastman's conduct was "improperly aimed at casting doubt on the legitimate election results and support for the baseless claim that the presidency was stolen from his client  all while relying on his credentials as an attorney and constitutional scholar to lend credibility to his unfounded claims," Roland wrote in recommending Eastman's disbarment.

Eastman faces criminal charges in Georgia in an indictment that alleged he and several others schemed to overturn Trump's loss to Biden. Last week, an Arizona grand jury also indicted Eastman and other Trump allies for similar conduct.

Along with lawyers from the Mountain States Legal Foundation, Eastman is representing Eden Hope Rodriguez, a Colorado Springs mother whose son was allegedly reprimanded for wearing various patches  including the Gadsden flag and those with guns  in the case pending before Crews.

Eastman is also part of a second lawsuit in Colorado's federal court, in which the Colorado Republican Party has so far been unsuccessful in barring unaffiliated voters from participating in its upcoming primary election. The clerk's office similarly alerted the judge overseeing that case, Chief Judge Philip A. Brimmer, that Eastman was not in good standing. As of April 28, Brimmer had not directed Eastman to justify his continued presence in the litigation.

In December, the U.S. District Court for Colorado disbarred another Trump-supporting attorney, L. Lin Wood, from practicing in the jurisdiction because he was not in good standing in his home state of Georgia. Wood also spread unfounded claims of election fraud and suggested "firing squads" should execute Pence.
Lebanese music students, teachers enthusiast about China-funded conservatory project

Xinhua) 09:14, April 29, 2024

Teachers and students of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music visited the Conservatory Center built by a Chinese company on April 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

BEIRUT, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Teachers and students at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music expressed enthusiasm about the new music school, a China-funded conservatory project, during a visit on Saturday.

President of the conservatory Hiba Kawas said the new conservatory is a landmark in the region, which will encourage Lebanese musicians to deliver great performances and witness "musicians from all over the world visit Lebanon."

As one of the biggest construction projects in Lebanon undertaken by China, it features teaching rooms, a library, lecture and auditorium halls, and a theater hosting up to 1,200 people, according to the constructor China State Construction Engineering Corporation Limited (CSCEC).

Kawas said that new teams will then work at the conservatory with a new curriculum, enabling teachers to devise innovative teaching methods.

Started constructing in December 2020, the project, with a cost of 62 million U.S. dollars and covering an area of 39,000 square meters, is currently in the decoration phase and will be completed soon, according to CSCEC.

Teachers and students of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music visited the Conservatory Center built by a Chinese company on April 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

Huang Shuai, project manager from CSCEC at the conservatory, said the project aims to strengthen ties between Lebanon and China, and promote bilateral cultural communication by boosting exchanges between music teachers and students from the two countries.

"The construction was smooth and supported by various parties," he added, noting that the project has received wide attention from the Lebanese government, the Chinese embassy and Lebanese musicians.

Meanwhile, Lebanese music students expressed their enthusiasm about the new project, hoping to be able to access the facilities that are comparable to those in other countries.

"I am very excited about this new conservatory, and hope to play in the new halls," Joseph Rechdan, a drum student and player, told Xinhua.

Lea Chemali, also a drum student, said the new conservatory, with better facilities and services, will encourage more foreign artists to come and perform in Lebanon.

For Mira Zantout, a piano teacher, the new conservatory will enable students to stay in Lebanon, as students could enjoy the advanced services it offers instead of leaving the country for better opportunities and facilities elsewhere.

"This new facility will also boost cultural exchange between Lebanon and China, which is of great importance to our country," she said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
With the state's spending plan completed and on its way to the governor, along with funding for K-12 education, lawmakers are turning their attention in the final weeks of the legislative session to tax credits and bills totaling billions of dollars that will likely tap into the Taxpayers Bill of Rights surplus.

And tapping TABOR directly affects how much in refunds taxpayers would get not just in the next fiscal year but also in the foreseeable future. Colorado voters have zealously guarded that refund mechanism, rejecting measures that would redirect significant amounts to state programs, while approving some with limited spending figures.

Democrats with spending plans face a quandary this 2024-25 budget year, which is tight.

Consider this: The "set-aside"  general fund dollars that pay for bills still working their way through the process  is only about $22 million, according to the budget narrative. About $3 million is already committed to sunset bills that reauthorize state programs.

However, the lawmakers' wish list for general fund dollars is about $500 million. That means lawmakers will have to find a way to cut the costs of their spending priorities or see them go by the wayside.

So, lawmakers are turning to tax credits, particularly tax credits that tap the state's TABOR surplus.

To Democrats who are pushing for what amounts to spending reallocation from taxpayers to specific programs, the change is needed because the state doesn't invest enough in crucial areas, and it's more effective to focus a bigger amount on a specific need, rather than disperse money in smaller quantities among the population.

Critics, meanwhile, countered that doing so takes away money from Coloradans, particularly those who need them the most, in order to fund "special interest groups" preferred by lawmakers.

At its core, the argument touches on the classic debate over whether it's best for government to spend people's money on specific priorities, under the assumption that it would produce the most benefit, or whether taxpayers should be able to keep  in this case get back  their dollars and spend it on their priorities.

Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver, insisted he doesn't see the tax credit bills as spending down the TABOR surplus.

"We chronically underinvest in this state" in areas such as infrastructure, education, and affordable housing," he told Colorado Politics recently. "TABOR requires us to find mechanisms that incentivize the conduct we're trying to promote. When we look at how we can accomplish the things we need to, tax credits are what we have to work with."

Woodrow said the question for lawmakers is whether those dollars should be returned to people in a "less-than-equitable" way or whether lawmakers can advance policy goals and investments.

That effort to tap TABOR began in earnest on April 8, with a committee passing the biggest of the 43 tax credit bills that remained alive.

And some in the lawmakers' wish list would spend big dollars. Two measures  one dealing with family tax credits and another for caregivers  could take more than $900 million out of the TABOR surplus for 2024-25, estimated at $2 billion.

Indeed, the wish lists for tax credit bills total $1.5 billion in 2024-25 and that amount will increase further in the years to come.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are betting that taxpayers would be okay with giving up their TABOR refunds well into the future, should the majority of those measures pass, in order  they say  to provide funding for low-income families, seniors, health care and childcare workers, housing, the homeless and many others.

Table of Tax Credits, 2024-25

Sponsors: tax credit could slash child poverty rate in half

The House Finance Committee recently greenlighted House Bill 1311, the Family Affordability Tax Credit, sponsored by Reps. Chris deGruy Kennedy of Lakewood and Jenny Willford of Northglenn.

It would tap $655 million from the TABOR surplus in 2024-25. In following years, the tax credits will tap $695 million, specifically targeting the six-tiered sales tax refund that goes out to taxpayers when they file their taxes every year.

The legislative declaration for HB 1311, as amended, said Colorado is projected to have $2 billion in revenue over the TABOR limit and will continue to have similar amounts available in the future.

At a time when these resources are available, it is imperative that the state distribute them in order to make the greatest impact on families and the economy," the bill said.

Despite having one of the fastest growing economies in the United States, Colorado is unaffordable for working families and more than 133,000 children are living in poverty, said deGruy Kennedy during the hearing on HB 1311.

Families need six-figure incomes to afford a median-priced home. Even for the cheapest one-bedroom apartment, at $1,364 per month, a worker would need to work 77 hours per week, he said.

Poverty in early childhood, deGruy Kennedy said, results in an increased risk of toxic stress that can disrupt brain development and increase the long-term cognitive risks over the course of a child's life. Eventually, that affects educational attainment, earnings, adult health, reliance on public benefits, and even arrest rates, he said.

Willford told the committee that the tax credit would put money into the hands of families with children under the age of 16: Up to $4,400 per child would be available for families with children aged five and younger, while families with children up to the age of 16 could receive up to $2,400 per child combined with existing tax credits, including earned income and child care tax credits.

This initiative could slash our child poverty rate in half, making Colorado a beacon of hope and progress in the fight against childhood poverty, Willford said.

She added that its not just about alleviating immediate financial burdens. The funds would smooth the transition for families moving off of public benefits and incentivize workers to pursue higher-paying jobs, which helps address the states workforce shortage.

DeGruy Kennedy said the bills structure addresses child poverty and helps families that arent below the poverty line  those that earn up to $95,000 in income for joint filers.

An individual with income below $25,000 would receive $3,200 per child for children under six years of age and about 75% of that amount for children between six years and under 17.

Kennedy acknowledged that, with the spending measures approved by lawmakers over the years, the TABOR surplus wont last forever.

He noted the patchwork of spending lawmakers have adopted in recent years, such as providing money for school supplies, diapers and car seats.

DeGruy Kennedy said the fundamental problem is when a family lives below the poverty line. No piecemeal support solves the problems, he said, adding the tax credits would help families with housing and other expenses. He called the proposed spending a game changer.

HB 1311 does not have a sunset or repeal date, although as amended, it would depend on the states September revenue forecast and whether the surplus is sufficient to pay for it. In years when its not, that could mean a reduced benefit or possibly no benefit at all. DeGruy Kennedy said he is open to a sunset or repeal date.

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Critic: 'Gob-stopping' price tag

Rep. Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, while calling the programs price tag gob-stopping, argued that HB 1311 doesnt help seniors who live below the poverty line and rely on the meager tax exemption they get for the senior property tax program. And that property tax program is only for seniors who own their own homes, not for renters.

(Another proposal, House Bill 1052, would create a housing tax credit for seniors who rent, taking $37.4 million from the TABOR surplus. The credit is not available to seniors who claim the homestead exemption but to seniors with an income below $70,000 per year, whether they rent or own a home.)

The next most significant tax credit bill is House Bill 1312, which would provide around $256 million per year in tax credits, also tapping the TABOR surplus, for someone working in the care workforce.

Under the bill, the tax credit would apply to a child care worker, home health-care worker, personal care aide, certified nursing assistant, or other qualifying personal care worker including a family member, friend, and neighbor who provides care.

Unlike HB 1311, the care worker bill sunsets in 2034 and requires the state auditor to measure the bills effectiveness.

Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley  one of the sponsors of the bill that would divert $65.8 million in TABOR surplus dollars to reduce property tax-assessed values on the homes of seniors who had previously qualified for the homestead exemption but have since moved  said her measure continues the tradition of using those surplus dollars to fund this extension for seniors, who have relied on it for years.

All three likely meet the definition of people-centered tax policies, according to the Colorado Fiscal Institute.

Esther Turcios, a deputy director with the Colorado Fiscal Institute who views taxation a "tool of oppression," said that lawmakers can't change the TABOR revenue cap, even for "worthy" programs, such as increasing teacher pay.

"We know that all folks are taxpayers, from the lowest to the highest incomes. The money going back is going to the same people who pay it, but should be done in more targeted ways," she said.

She also argued that workers' wages "have not kept up with the cost of living."

"If the TABOR surplus can be returned through targeted tax credits, that's the most people-centered way to do it," she said, adding people should start thinking about them as a "collective pot of funds that help."

She said the market hasn't fixed the wage problem, so depending on it to raise wages to livable levels isn't working. Trickle-down economics, which involves giving tax breaks to the wealthiest few, hasn't worked, either, she claimed.

As to whether it "wealth redistribution," a criticism raised by opponents of using the TABOR surplus, Turcios said it's misleading because it gives the impression that those who would receive those dollars are not paying taxes themselves. They pay sales taxes, a regressive tax, in which people at the lowest income level pay a higher percentage of their income than those at the highest income level.

'How is that fair?'

During the past two years, taxpayers have received equalized TABOR refunds.

In 2022, the refund was $750 per individual or $1,500 for joint filers, and this year, it is $800 per individual and $1,600 per joint filer. The first refund was a check issued just before the general election, which the governor considered a political ploy to sway voters. This years refund will be applied to tax returns.

Before the 2022 refund, TABOR refunds were relatively small, when they existed.

During the hearing on HB 1311, Natalie Menten of the TABOR Foundation noted that refunds have totaled $11.7 billion over 30 years, most of which have been in the last few years.

Taxpayers have given up three times that amount for various state purposes, such as voter approval of Proposition 123 for affordable housing in 2022. Thats expected to tap $270 million annually from the TABOR surplus.

How is that fair? Menten asked during the HB 1311 hearing. How is it fair that you continue to take money from somebody who's making a moderate income?

Jon Caldara of the Independence Institute says the tax credits are a form of wealth redistribution.

"It's maddening," he told Colorado Politics.

"Let's keep in mind that candidate (and now governor) Jared Polis campaigned on ending special interest tax breaks and use that excess money to lower income taxes," Caldara said. Lawmakers "are sucking away that extra revenue so there will never be another income tax cut," he said.

If the governor wants to lower income taxes  a request he makes annually in his State of the State address, although he's never backed any proposals to do so in the General Assembly  he needs to end these tax breaks for special interests, even the "warm and fuzzy" ones, Caldara said.

A white paper from the Independence Institute noted that in his 2020 State of the State, Polis said he was "enthusiastic about working to deliver permanent income tax relief, and we should continue down the path of eliminating tax breaks for special interests so that we can lower rates for everyone without reducing state revenue.

Instead, the governor and the legislature have adopted more tax breaks, the white paper claimed, resulting in a $200 million smaller TABOR surplus for 2024-25, the Independence Institute said.

Frizell, who sits on the finance committee, said spending down the surplus is a carve-out for special interest groups and taking money away from everyone.

"It shouldn't be directed to pet projects and special interest groups," she said.

"You have to look at how (the TABOR surplus) is being tapped" and for whom, she said. As for HB 1312, she said she finds it problematic since it's intended to "supplement income."

"This is a free market issue," Frizell said. "If we have a need for care workers, and nobody is disputing that, we need to pay them appropriately. It's not the role of the state to incentivize that behavior and those professions."

Diverting funding to these groups is not sustainable, she added.

And what happens when the surplus disappears?

That's the $2 billion question, Frizell said, adding she worries about imposing obligations on the state that may not be sustainable.

"It's our money. It's our citizens' money. If (the surplus) ends, we don't get our money back," she said, adding she also worries that the tax credits will create a sense of entitlement.

The big questions remain: How many of these tax credits will make it to the governor's desk? And which approach does he favor? Or does he prefer not tapping TABOR at all?
DENVER  It's unlikely that the government will seek the death penalty for Jareh Dalke, a Colorado Springs man accused of violating the Espionage Act, according to federal prosecutors.

Dalke appeared in court Wednesday for a detention hearing, which was continued to next week, according to Gazette news partner KKTV.

Dalkes public defenders requested a continuance because they said they needed more time to review evidence and prepare a written plea, which suggests Dalke might take a plea deal. The judge granted the continuance, and the U.S. attorneys office didnt object.

Dalke is accused of trying to sell top secret information to who he thought was a foreign agent. He reportedly obtained the classified information in his one-month stint at the National Security Agency in June.

Federal agents arrested Dalke last week in Denver, then searched a home on Corinth Drive in Colorado Springs.

On Wednesday, the judge said Dalke receives VA benefits. According to arrest papers obtained by KKTV, Dalke says he served in the U.S. Army.

Dalkes detention hearing and arraignment are scheduled for Tuesday in federal court in Denver.
The federal court case of a Colorado Springs man convicted on espionage charges has come to a resolution Monday as a federal judge handed down a two-decade sentence.

Army veteran and Colorado Springs resident Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 32, was accused of attempting to pass classified information to an FBI employee whom he believed was a Russian operative in 2022. Dalke was a former employee of the National Security Administration working in cybersecurity.

Dalke's sentence is 262 months in prison, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

"This sentence should serve as a stark warning to all those entrusted with protecting national defense information that there are consequences to betraying that trust, said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a U.S. Department of Justice statement on Monday.

Dalke pleaded guilty to six charges in October for the transfer of three NSA document excerpts rated as top-secret. In encrypted email correspondence outlined in an arrest affidavit, Dalke told the FBI employee he sent the documents, which included information on a threat assessment of a third country and analysis on U.S. defensive capabilities, to show his "legitimate access and willingness to share."

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He also wrote in an email that his "heritage ties back" to Russia, which is why he chose to come to the person he believed to be a Russian operative.

Dalke worked at the NSA in Washington as a information systems security designer from June 6 to July 1, 2022, court records show. He left after telling superiors he had an illness in the family and needed to return to Colorado. According to the affidavit, he told the FBI employee he would be returning to employment with the NSA and more access to classified documents.

Court records show Dalke filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and had over $80,000 in personal debt. In emails, Dalke asked for $85,000 in payment for the classified documents.

Early on, prosecutors ruled out the possibility of the death penalty in the case.

According to previous reporting by the Gazette, the terms of Dalke's plea included him admitting to willfully transmitting classified documents. The maximum sentence he could have faced is life in prison. When released, Dalke will serve no more than five years of supervised release.
When juror Kristi Englekirk watched the final violent moments in the life of Christian Glass, she cried. It was the first time she had ever seen the 70 minute body-worn camera footage that showed Glass in terror as a Clear Creek County sheriff's deputy shot him five times that night.

"It is as clear as day this was a guilty man," she said of the deputy.

But one juror out of 12 thought otherwise.

Englekirk was the foreperson of the jury in the murder trial of former Clear Creek County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Buen, 30, who was convicted Friday of reckless endangerment in Glass' death, a misdemeanor. It was just one of three counts he was facing.

The panel could not come up with a verdict on the most serious charge against Buen, second-degree murder, or on a third count, professional misconduct.

Englekirk said that it was clear from the first hours of deliberation that one juror was not going to budge on her opinion that Buen should not go to jail for Glass' murder.

Clear Creek County jury deliberates fate of former deputy charged with murder

"From the beginning, that person thought that everything the officer did was reasonable. 'Cops can make mistakes,' was basically the wording that the person used," said Englekirk. This was upsetting to Englekirk, she said, because a mistake is "you forgetting to lock your door. A mistake is not shooting a kid in crisis to death."

Finally, Friday afternoon, after 24.hours of intense deliberation over two-and-a-half days, a weary 10-woman, two-man jury told 5th Judicial District Judge Catherine Cheroutes that they were deadlocked on the two charges.

It was over. Buen walked out of the courthouse a free man, and drove away with his mother in the front seat. He told reporters that he would have no comment "at this time."

"It was the most frustrating thing I've ever experienced," said Englekirk. "We could not reason with this person." She watched the lone hold-out go to Buen and shake his hand, something that floored her even more.

Englekirk and a handful of the panel gathered Sunday afternoon to speak out about what they called their "collective trauma."

They said that they watched the police body-worn camera video of Glass' death five times during deliberations to make sure of their decision. The experience was not like it is in the movies. There was no shouting and no one came to blows as they tried to convince the lone holdout that they thought Buen was guilty of all three charges.

The second day, Thursday, Englekirk said that the lone juror appeared overwhelmed and emotional and thus called a meeting with the judge asking to leave the case, but then she changed her mind and came back to the deliberation room.

For the next day and a half, the vote was 11-to-one and would not change. "This person should not have been on the jury," said Englekirk, who is a criminal defense attorney.

Former Clear Creek County sheriff's deputy found guilty of reckless endangerment

Englekirk said she was surprised that she was not only chosen from a pool of 1,500 Clear Creek County residents, but was also named foreperson.

Despite the fact that Glass' death has been in the national news, none of the jurors knew much about it.

The final 12 were whittled down from an original pool of 1,500 jury summonses that were sent out to one-in-six people who live in the county.

On the panel was a veterinarian, a nurse, a commerce banker, a consultant and two attorneys, including Englekirk and Hannah Robinson.

One mom brought her young daughter to the interview. All had partners who stood by for two weeks as their loved ones came home at night, sometimes crying but unable to talk about what they were hearing and experiencing. Jurors are not allowed to read anything about the case nor to discuss the case with anyone during the trial so they stay non-biased.

During closing arguments in the trial Wednesday, opposing attorneys agreed on one thing: Glass death was a tragic event that could have been avoided.

The fatal shooting occurred on a remote mountain road near Silver Plume just before midnight.

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Glass had turned off of I-70 eastbound to avoid cars on the highway which he told the 911 dispatcher he thought were following him. He did a U-turn navigating the dark and got stuck in between two rocks. During the 10-minute phone call, Glass apologized, rambled about skinwalkers and said that he had recently experienced a spiritual awakening.

He also told the operator that he loved her.

When Clear Creek County deputies Buen and Tim Collins responded to what was classified as a motorist assist, 911 dispatcher Paige Kincade told the jury that Glass sounded paranoid and was making no sense.

A second 911 dispatch operator, Katie Culp, testified that she thought Glass was on drugs.

A little more than an hour of tedious negotiation later, Buen received the order from his shift supervisor Kyle Gould to break Glass' passenger side window, which he did, setting in motion the final confusing and violent moments of Glass' life.

In an attempt to force Glass to leave his car, Buen then shot six bean bag rounds at him and tased him. When Buen's taser didn't work, former Georgetown Marshall Randy Williams also tased Glass, who panicked and screamed, body camera video shows. When Glass waved his switchblade knife toward Williams through a broken back driver's side window, Buen shot him five times with his service pistol.

The five shots took three seconds.

Defense attorney Carrie Slinkard said that Glass was suspected to have been driving either drunk or high, disobeyed Buens order to leave his car and eventually endangered Williams, which gave Buen reason to eliminate Glass as a threat.

On the other hand, 5th Judicial District Attorney Heidi McCollum said Buen did just about everything wrong during the encounter, starting with yelling aggressive commands to a frightened young man who was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Prosecution rests in murder trial of former Clear Creek County sheriff's deputy

Buen took notes and watched quietly as his attorney Slinkard explained that his aggression was not a criminal issue. He didnt know this kid. He had no motive or reason to kill him.

She added that Glass presented a threat to the seven officers who responded to his 911 call. Throughout the nine-day trial, Slinkard noted that Glass had many potential weapons within reach, including several large, jagged rocks, a couple of knives, and a rock hammer.

Gould, who gave the order to breach Glass' SUV window as he watched the event unfold over a live body-worn camera feed from his home, received two years of probation for pleading guilty to failing to intervene in excessive force by a peace officer.

The other six officers, from five different jurisdictions, have been charged with failure to stop the situation while it was happening.

Glass mother, Sally, testified that her son was on his way home from a three-day art retreat in Moab during which he was collecting rocks. Two of those were on the console of his 2007 Honda Pilot.

Sally Glass and her husband, Simon, sat in the center of the front row for the entire trial. During Wednesdays closings, Simon Glass often leaned forward, his head in his hands. Although she knows what happened when her son died, Sally Glass sobbed as attorneys described what happened.

Buens mother has also been in the courtroom, sitting quietly in front of him with little emotion. She said that she wasnt nervous about the outcome of the trial because its in Gods hands.

Defense attorney Carrie Slinkard implied to the jury that Glass was intoxicated that night, but the autopsy report showed that his blood alcohol level was .01. In Colorado, the lowest threshold for alcohol consumption a person can be arrested for is .08 or higher.

The autopsy also showed that Glass had some Delta-9 THC  the intoxicating element in cannabis  in his system and evidence of amphetamines, which could have been his ADHD medication.

Englekirk and the jurors who gathered Sunday afternoon said that whatever Glass may have put in his body that night did not make any difference. They discerned from the body-cam video that the 22-year-old was experiencing a mental health crisis.

"Christian was not well. He was asking for help," said Englekirk.

On Monday afternoon, the 5th Judicial District Attorney and her team will be back in court to discuss sentencing and whether or not they will retry the case. If they decide to start over, they have 90 days to select a jury and try again.
The federal government confirmed on Friday it would not seek the death penalty against a Colorado Springs man who stands accused of attempting to transmit information about national defense to a foreign agent.

"Its a significant outcome," said U.S. District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore. "But I dont think theres anything terribly surprising about that outcome. And I dont think anybody in this room is terribly surprised about it."

Jareh Sebastian Dalke appeared in court in downtown Denver, where his defense attorneys and prosecutors confirmed the parties had exchanged unclassified information and were making progress toward the review of classified materials related to the case.

Dalke, a former civilian employee of the National Security Agency, allegedly transmitted classified information to a federal agent posing as a Russian. He faces six criminal counts under the Espionage Act, which carry a penalty under the law of death or up to life in prison.

No trial date is set.

According to an arrest affidavit and previous testimony in court, Dalke believed he was communicating with a Russian operative and was arrested Sept. 28 after using encrypted email to transmit excerpts and one full classified document.

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Dalke allegedly agreed to transmit more information using a secure connection that investigators had set up at Denver's train station.

Dalke, an Army veteran, served as an NSA information systems security designer from June 6-July 1. He requested $85,000 for additional information, according to his arrest affidavit.

Dalke told the undercover agent that he planned to take and share other documents and reapplied to the NSA in August.

The NSA collects and analyzes signals from foreign and domestic sources for the purpose of intelligence and counterintelligence.

Dalke, who has degrees related to cybersecurity, allegedly began communicating by encrypted email with the undercover agent in late July after the agent wrote to him saying the agent had been informed that they should talk about items of mutual benefit.

At one point, Dalke allegedly told the agent that his heritage ties back to your country (Russia), which is why he said he has come to you as opposed to others," it said.
The former El Paso County sheriffs deputy who was reported missing nearly a year ago and now faces felony theft charges had his bond reduced significantly at a court hearing on Monday.

Kevin Sypher, 57, faces four charges in connection to the incident that led to Syphers year-long disappearance and $100,000 bond.

Syphers $100,000 bond became the main talking point at his Monday hearing, where his defense attorney Michael Stuzynski requested for Sypher to be released on a personal recognizance bond. A personal recognizance bond means a defendant can be released from custody without having to post any money, but would return to custody if they violate any of the terms of the release.

Prosecutor Anthony Gioia objected to the request of a personal recognizance bond, stating that Syphers alleged attempts to flee custody make him a flight risk.

Sypher was first reported missing on April 27, 2023. According to previous reports by The Gazette, he was found in Denver on April 29 and temporarily reunited with his family.

However, on April 30, Sypher was reported missing for the second time. After a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park with a family member, Sypher walked away from the vehicle he was traveling in, leading to another search, according to officials.

Judge Jill Brady did not grant the defenses request for a personal recognizance bond, but did opt to lower Syphers bond to $3,000, the standard bond for a defendant facing a class-4 felony charge.

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Stuzynski also requested to waive Syphers preliminary hearing originally scheduled for Monday, citing ongoing negotiations with the prosecution.

According to Gazette news partner KOAA, the timing of Syphers disappearance could have something to do with the dissolution of this second marriage. His ex-wife did not want to comment on the story.

Court documents acquired by KOAA show that she discovered Sypher was already married to another woman just one month after she married him. Days after her discovery, Sypher walked off into Rocky Mountain National Forest and wasnt heard from for nearly a year.

In looking into Syphers background, KOAA learned Sypher and his wife, Sara, worked together and that she is also in law enforcement.

In her petition to declare her marriage to Kevin Sypher invalid, the court documents say that less than a month after they got married in March 2023, she learned her new husband was already married to a woman in California  three days before his disappearance in April 2023.

More information on Syphers arrest could be made clear in the coming days as Judge Jill Brady ordered the arrest affidavit to be unsealed at Mondays hearing.

Sypher faces charges of felony theft between $20,000-$100,000, charitable fraud and two counts of misdemeanor officer misconduct. He appeared to court on Monday in the custody of the Teller County jail.
Colorado Springs police arrested a man Sunday morning after receiving word he was trespassing on a business.

The man was also allegedly verbally assaulting employees at the business, located in the 1700 block of North Union Boulevard.

The man was aggressive and non-compliant with officers and physical force became necessary.

After detaining the man, officers found outstanding warrants for his arrest and subsequently charged him with multiple offenses. Neither the man nor the charges against him have been released by police.

No injuries were reported during the incident.

We will update this story as more information becomes available.
The largest and most active methane emissions detection test bed in the world is located in Colorado. It just landed a $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand its methane leak simulator site in Fort Collins.

The Methane Emissions Technology Evaluation Center (METEC) is part of a collaboration between Colorado State University and the oil and gas industry to provide an advanced testing facility for new types of methane detecting equipment.

The simulator is eight acres of Hollywood well pads, said Daniel Zimmerle, director of the methane emissions program at CSU. I like to call it Hollywood well pads because it looks like well pads, we can make them emit like well pads. So, it is just like a Hollywood set except it's for leak detection.

While CSU has been working on methane since 2011, the eight-acre facility outside of Fort Collins started in 2017 and operates more than 200 days per year testing equipment needed to find leaks in natural gas extraction and transmission systems.

There is a tremendous need in the industry right now for support in method development and data collection to improve performance. This award from the DOE speaks to that need as well as our mission as a center directly, Zimmerle said in a news release. The planned upgrades will further enable testing across the natural gas supply chain from production to end use.

Zimmerle said there are more than 200 independently controlled leak points in the simulator that can be combined to set up scenarios typical of production systems.

His team of 18 full-time employees and about 16 graduate students both operate the simulator, sometimes 24/7 and for months at a time, and conduct field research.

One current field project involves flying aircraft equipped with methane detectors in all of the gas production basins in Colorado, including the Denver-Julesburg Basin north of Denver and the upper Green River basin in southwest Wyoming. The intent is to reconcile differences in leak data found in current measurements.

That is what's called a top-down bottom-up project where we have towers that are going to surround the whole basin and get an estimate from the top down, said Zimmerle. And then we have a field campaign which is going to look at facilities with ground-based teams and aircraft-based teams to understand better why those two numbers don't agree.

The facility tests everything from fixed fence line monitoring sensors to hand-held and vehicle mounted system.

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In the course of testing, said Zimmerle, methane is necessarily emitted into the atmosphere. He said they can program leaks as small as one cubic foot per hour up to 600 cubic feet per hour.

Using their portable system they can hook up to a gas line at a gas companys facility and go up to about 125,000 cubic feet per hour.

That's a major event, said Zimmerle. And some of those may be like blow downs or similar types of maintenance events. Others could be things like an unlit flare in locations where gas flaring is allowed. You also see problems occasionally, rarely, but occasionally problems where there's actually leaks that large as well.

One of the technologies they work with is the frequency comb laser system invented and developed at the University of Colorado Boulder. That system, marketed by LongPath Technologies of Boulder, can not only detect methane emissions, but using laser light only absorbed by methane molecules, it can quantify how much of the gas is leaking.

There's various hand carried instruments we've tested, things you can put on aircraft or drones and fly around stuff you put in larger aircraft and fly overhead, Zimmerle said. We've tested almost every combination except for one, actually we have not had gas sniffing dogs yet come to the facility and yes, it actually is a thing.

Zimmerle said they are developing a portable system that can be moved around the country to replicate equipment tests in different climatic conditions and on different site types.

The current site is going to be rebuilt to look more like todays larger, more complex natural gas handling sites.

To run a test of a detector costs about $3,500 per day, he said. But for larger test programs using multiple types of equipment, the costs can be split among participants. Also, Zimmerle said the Department of Energy has been buying down the testing costs by about a third to a half to make it less expensive and to stimulate the industry.

Twenty million of the award comes from the DOE, while the remaining $5 million comes from matching industry funds.
A long-awaited toxicology report on Suzanne Morphews remains could upend the nearly four-year-old murder case.

A test found that Morphew had chemicals in her bones that do not appear naturally in humans, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the official autopsy report.

Specifically, a source who wished to remain anonymous stated that the tests came from the bone marrow of Suzanne Morphew's femur.

Butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine  the chemicals found in Morphew's femur, according to the report  are used by biologists, wildlife officers and hunters to anesthetize large-sized animals such as deer, bear, moose and horses. The report described the compound as an "injectable chemical immobilizer" for wildlife, the symptoms of which can be reversed.

The autopsy report, performed by the El Paso County Coroner's office, found Suzanne Morphews cause of death to be undetermined and the manner of death to be homicide.

The autopsy report was finished on Sept. 27, 2023, just days after Morphew's remains were discovered by accident by an investigative team from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation looking for a different person.

The autopsy results took a long time to be released  seven months  as investigators waited for test results. It's unclear whether the new information will lead to reopening the case.

Butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine are the same substances that Suzanne's husband, Barry Morphew, told investigators he routinely used to immobilize deer before he removed their antlers.

The chemical mixture is often sold in kit form with the acronym "BAM."

Barry Morphew's attorney, Iris Eytan, told The Denver Gazette that investigators should be looking past Barry Morphew as a suspect and concentrate on other people in the region who may have gotten a prescription and knew that Suzanne Morphew was "in her house alone that day."

Eytan, who said that she has concerns about the integrity of the investigation, added, "Special veterinarians have the ability to prescribe these controlled substances. If they do their job and dont have blinders on, theyll be able to get the prescription record, which farmers and ranchers had it and especially in that area."

She spoke of a "consistently troubled" relationship between the investigation and Barry Morphew and his daughters.

When asked if Barry Morphew is worried the new development could look bad for him, Eytan replied, "What do you mean? He wants to know who did it. He wants for them to pound the pavement and find out."

According to the 129-page arrest affidavit, when investigators questioned Barry Morphew about the tranquilizer on May 5, 2021, he told them, Ive shot two deer with my tranq gun cause I used to raise deer and I collect horns and Ill tell you exactly what I did."

"Theyre in the yard. I shoot them, they go to sleep. I cut their horns off and I wake 'em up and they go off with no horns on their head. ... Youre gonna find tranq darts around my property because Ive done that, he added.

The chemicals were the crux of the prosecutors case in the high-profile trial, which 11th Judicial District Judge Ramsey Lama dismissed without prejudice nine days before it was scheduled to begin. Barry Morphew walked out of the courthouse a free man on April 19, 2022.

Dismissed without prejudice means that a case is dismissed but can be refiled at some point.

Suzanne Morphews bones were discovered scattered in a dry, high desert field south of the town of Moffat on Sept. 22 seven months ago, after the case against her husband was dismissed.

Prosecutors theorized that Barry Morphew caught his wife at home sunbathing and texting her lover on May 9, 2020, and, enraged that his suspicions about the romance were true, injected her with the chemicals to put her to sleep and killed her later, according to testimony from the preliminary hearing in August 2021.

Morphew gave inconsistent answers in police interviews as to the last time he used the tranquilizer serum, the arrest document said. In the May 5 interview, he said the last time he used the chemicals to sedate deer was at the end of April 2020, just weeks before his wife was last seen alive. But on a subsequent interview on May 28, he said he only used them in Indiana to medicate white tail deer and never in Colorado.

The Morphew family moved to Maysville, near Salida, from Indiana, hoping for a fresh start and to be closer to their oldest daughter, Mallory, who was going to college. In May of that year, Suzanne Morphew's cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, returned. Macy, in high school, lived at home.

Barry Morphew has always maintained his innocence.

The couple's two daughters, Macy and Mallory Morphew, have stood by their father throughout the years since their mother first disappeared, Eytan said.

"Of course, theyre sticking by their dad. They wouldnt believe in a million years that he would have harmed her," Eytan said.

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Tranquilizer cap in the dryer

Investigators searching the Morphew home 10 days after Suzanne Morphew disappeared found a tranquilizer cap, or sheath, in the dryer trap, according to arrest documents. Prosecutors argued that a set of sheets from the bed of Morphew's oldest daughter and the shorts Barry Morphew was wearing the day she was reported to have disappeared were also in the dryer.

But according to a complaint filed by Mr. Morphew's attorney with the office of the Supreme Court, which investigates alleged attorney misconduct, the sheath was found after clothes had been removed.

"The needle sheath was found on its own in the dryer bin after the household laundry (including a pair of Mr. Morphews shorts, Morphew family clothing, and sheets) had already been removed from the dryer bin more than a week prior," attorney Iris Eytan pointed out in the complaint.

"Most importantly, there was no tranquilizers, tranquilizer serum, or evidence of tranquilizer serum, found in the garage or anywhere in the house," Eytan wrote.

Investigators admitted to attorney Dru Nielsen during the August 2021 evidentiary hearing that Barry Morphew's DNA was excluded from the plastic tranquilizer cap found in the dryer drum.

Still, when investigators asked Barry Morphew on April 2, 2021 about the actual tranquilizer chemicals, he told them that he kept them on a work bench in the garage but that he might have thrown them away during a trip to Broomfield the day Suzanne Morphew was reported missing, according to the arrest affidavit. Investigators documented five trash runs that day, the arrest document reported.

Barry Morphew was known to throw trash in public bins to save money, and, according to the arrest document, he explained to investigators: Ive done that my whole entire life. My truck is a mess. Im a tightwad and I dont want to pay to throw away trash.

Barry Morphew was arrested for his wife's murder on May 5, 2021, almost a year to the day after Suzanne Morphew, 49, disappeared. She was last known to be alive May 9, 2020, and wasnt reported missing from the family home in Maysville until the next afternoon, which was Mothers Day.

Her last "proof-of-life" photo was a selfie she took at 2:07 and sent to her lover, Jeff Libler, who lived in Michigan.

Barry Morphew was the last known person to see his wife alive. He told investigators that his last view of her was a lump in their bed when he left for a landscaping job in Broomfield at 5 a.m. on Mother's Day, May 10, 2020. He told investigators in multiple interviews over the weeks and months after she went missing that the last time he saw his wife, she was snoring, according to testimony during the preliminary hearing.

Investigators tied Morphew's memory about the snoring to symptoms Suzanne Morphew would have shown had she been injected with the animal tranquilizer, according to the arrest affidavit.

Scheduled to testify in the doomed trial was a retired Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologist named Lisa Wolfe. During the preliminary hearing, investigators testified that they interviewed Wolfe about how butorphanol, azaperone and medetomidine would affect a human being.

She told them that the chemical compound known as BAM had never been tested on humans, but if it were, she said that a female who was Suzanne Morphews size would be fully sedated in 10-12 minutes and would remain in complete sedation for 2-8 hours, according to the arrest affidavit. Wolfe told investigators that upon first receiving the drug, a woman of Suzanne Morphew's size would feel wobbly and unstable, not unlike the feeling of being drunk.

If she were on her back, her breathing would sound like a snore, Wolfe told detectives, adding that a full dose of BAM would be fatal to a human being.

Wolfe authored a report on BAM as a safe and effective way to immobilize black bears.

Wolfe was one of 14 expert witnesses struck by 11th Judicial District Judge Ramsey Lama in the weeks before the trial. In a 20-page order, Lama gave a scathing rebuke to the prosecution for what he called a "sloppy" and "reckless" pattern of discovery violations.

Lama did not find a discovery violation regarding Wolfe's testimony, but considered the tranquilizer injection theory "too speculative" and "too tenuous" and thought that its admission would be an "error" according to Eytan's complaint.

Also ousted from testifying as experts were witnesses who were going to give their opinions on cellphone records, DNA, and telematix, which tracks vehicle movement. With such a weakened case, prosecutors asked Lama to dismiss it without prejudice and the request was granted.

Whether the toxicology findings will bring new life to what has at times appeared to be a doomed case is unclear. There is a good possibly that if the Morphew case is retried, that it won't happen in the 11th Judicial District, where the investigators believe Suzanne Morphew was killed. An alternative would be to start over in the neighboring 12th District, where her remains were found.

The 12th is run by District Attorney Anne Kelley, who has refused comment on the the investigation in the past.

Barry Morphew, 56, now lives in Indiana and as next of kin, received the results of his wife's autopsy report last week. He is planning a celebration of her life on Saturday, May 4.

Tuesday would have been Suzanne Morphew's 53th birthday.
Luke Niforatos is the executive vice president of the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions and a national drug policy expert.
A Mason City man was killed driving the wrong way on Interstate 35 near Clear Lake on Saturday night when he collided head-on with a semitractor-trailer

The Clear Lake Police Department received numerous 911 calls just before 11:30 p.m. about a car traveling northbound in the southbound lanes near mile marker 193 on I-35, according to an accident report.

Police say Glen Evan Hemming, 56, of Mason City, who was operating a 2008 Chevy Cobalt, collided head-on with a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia tractor-trailer driven by Hussein Ali Haidar, 40, of Burnsville, Minn.

Hemming was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries. Haidar was not hurt.

Due to the nature of the crash, the Clear Lake Police Department requested the assistance of the Iowa State Patrol. Southbound lanes on I-35 were closed for nearly four hours Saturday night.

The Clear Lake Fire Department and Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office also assisted at the scene.
DES MOINES  The Iowa Department of Education has awarded nearly $6 million in competitive grants to 67 Iowa schools to create, expand and sustain high-quality before-and-after school programs that support families and advance student achievement in partnership with community organizations.

By expanding access to before- and after-school programs grounded in evidence-based best practices, Learning Beyond the Bell grants will support improved student achievement, strong attendance, and positive behaviors, said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow in a press release. The Department is leveraging additional federal funds to increase support for Learning Beyond the Bell grants from $3.5 million to nearly $6 million, encouraged by the tremendous response of schools and community organizations to this opportunity."

The department awarded each of the following schools a Learning Beyond the Bell grant:

Mason City Community School District

o John Adams Middle School

Osage Community School District

o Osage High School

St. Ansgar Community School District

o St. Ansgar Elementary School

In determining awards, competitive district applicants demonstrated clear, sustainable plans for offering before- and after-school programming that incorporated evidence-based instruction in identified academic focus areas, based on the needs of the students being served. Implementation plans also addressed daily attendance, transportation to and from the program, high-quality staffing and strong community partnerships. Funding awards prioritized schools serving students most in need based on their identification for additional support and improvement through federal and state accountability systems.

Award amounts were determined based on alignment with grant objectives and the expenditures outlined in each applicants budget proposal, up to a maximum of $200,000 per school. Allowable uses of funds include costs related to staffing, evidence-based interventions in math and/or reading, tutoring and other activities to advance student achievement, transportation and snacks and meals that meet federal nutrition guidelines.

Grants will be distributed for district implementation this spring, summer and into the 2024-25 school year, following a 10-business day appeal period as required by state law.

More information about the Learning Beyond the Bell Grant is available on the Iowa Department of Educations website.
CEDAR RAPIDS  U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, says Americans interests in arming Ukraine are more clear to her now following a visit to the country earlier this month.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed into law a $95 billion foreign aid measure that includes nearly $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel and $8 billion for the Indo-Pacific.

Biden immediately approved sending $1 billion in military assistance to Ukraine as a first installment, rushing badly needed weaponry and military equipment to aid its fight against Russias invasion of the Eastern European ally.

The package includes air defense capabilities, artillery rounds, armored vehicles and other weapons to help Ukrainian forces recover after months of setbacks.

Meanwhile, Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States.

The aid to Ukraine comes after months of delays and personal lobbying and pleading by Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and tense negotiations with House Republicans. Conservatives in Congress have opposed sending additional assistance to Ukraine, with the war appearing to have no end in sight.

Hinson voted for the foreign aid bill and has supported as well as opposed previous funding packages providing military assistance to Ukraine.

She and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, met with Zelenskyy earlier this month in Ukraines northern Chernihiv Oblast.

Zelenskyy posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he briefed the bipartisan delegation of U.S. Congress members on the situation on the battlefield, our armys urgent needs, and the scale of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. He also emphasized the vital need for Congress to approve another military aid package to Ukraine.

'Fact finding'

Hinson said the fact-finding mission helped solidify her support to get the foreign aid package across the finish line.

So I thought it was really important, and my constituents thought that it was really important, that we know and have "proper oversight" on the funding and military equipment to ensure it reaches the intended recipients in Ukraine, Hinson said in Cedar Rapids on Thursday morning.

The Marion Republican also met with the U.S. brigadier general in charge of the 10,000 U.S. troops stationed in southern Poland.

And hearing directly from him about, Hey, we know exactly where this equipment is going. The U.S. military is working directly with Ukrainians to not only get that equipment where it needs to go, but to maintain it and help us sustain that effort. That was really important to see it in person and hear directly from them, Hinson said.

She said the delegation also met with anti-corruption officials in Ukraine to discuss increasing accountability. They also discussed the importance of maintaining the port in Odesa, Ukraine, due to its strategic importance for global food supply.

"So I think that Americans interests in Ukraine are more clear to me after that visit, and not just in Ukraine, but in Poland and Moldova, where we were also able to visit, Hinson said.

Former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has complained European allies have not done enough for Ukraine. While stopping short of endorsing the funding package, Trump last week said Ukraines survival is important to the United States, a shift in tone just days before the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives passed the aid package.

I agree with this sentiment, Hinson said. We need to make sure our allies in Europe are stepping up, and I think we're seeing increased incidence of that.  And, frankly, I've been saying this for months, we cannot let (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin win. We need to stand with our freedom-loving allies around the world. And I think we sent a pretty clear message that the United States does."

TikTok

Biden on Wednesday also signed a measure that will force social media platform TikTok's Chinese parent company to divest from its U.S. operations or face a nationwide ban.

TikTok's critics, which include Hinson, have argued the app could put U.S. customer data at risk because Chinese law requires China's companies to share information with the government.

TikTok has maintained that it operates independently and protects U.S. data.

The law gives parent company ByteDance nine months, or potentially up to a year, to find an approved buyer for TikTok. If it fails to do so, TikTok will be banned from U.S. app stores.

Asked if she was worried the move could prompt other countries to force U.S. firms to sell their local operations or to transfer them to a foreign company, Hinson cited national security concerns because of TikToks Chinese ties.

If it sets a precedent that we're not going to allow our adversaries to have control over Americans data, then I'm glad that precedent is being set, she said.

  We have to do what we need to do to eliminate national security threats with adversaries like the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), who have shown that they're willing to weaponize those platforms and hack Americans data in our infrastructure networks (and) in or water, transportation, energy (sectors).

So they have proven that they are not a good actor. So I think this is the right move and the right tone to set.  I don't know what their reaction will be on the other side, but we always have to do the right thing to protect American security.

TikTok is expected to argue that a forced sale could violate its users free speech rights because a new owner could change the apps content policies and reshape what users are able to freely share on the platform.

TikTok content creators, including businesses, have said they are worried about the platform's future that has enabled them to grow their business and build communities.

Hinson said the goal is not a ban but a forced divestiture by ByteDance because of concerns that top Chinese government officials have access to American users' data and could use such access to manipulate TikToks algorithm to sow divisiveness and discord, poison U.S. public opinion and suppress content critical of Beijing.

This is not about eliminating your platform or your ability to get your message out, she said. This is about making sure that Americans data is protected, and I think we can have both, and I think that this bill does that balance.

And I think within a year you'll see  there will be an American buyer who makes sure that our small business owners and content creators and that kids can still continue to watch the content that they want.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its 2024 "Horrible Hundred" report of puppy mills across the country that have been cited for poor or dangerous conditions in which dogs and puppies are living. Fifteen Iowa puppy mills were included on this year's list.

Larry Albrecht/Coldwater Kennel, Greene, Iowa: Huge breeder who sold to Petland had USDA violations for at least four years in a row; his 2024 license renewal was delayed due to unsanitary and unsafe conditions. In April 2024, state inspectors found a Yorkie at Coldwater Kennel who had hair loss on his tail, hind end and all four feet; they required Albrecht to have the dog examined by a veterinarian. In addition, the USDA found violations at Coldwater Kennel for four years in a row. At a relicense inspection in January 2024, the USDA found three violations related to unsafe housing and unsanitary conditions. Albrecht was required to pass another inspection before obtaining a new license, which happened about a week later. The facility had 280 dogs at the time. In June 2023, USDA inspectors found several other violations, including an issue with dogs needing dental care, which Albrecht had received an official warning about in the past. As we noted in our 2022 report, Albrecht received an official warning from the USDA in 2021 for leaving a dog in poor dental health, with issues such as loose teeth and bleeding gums. He was also cited for a similar issue in 2017. Albrecht has sold puppies to many pet stores, including at least one Petland store. This facility is a two-time offender.

Helene Hamrick/Wolf Point Kennel, Ackworth, Iowa: The USDA found veterinary care violations at four different inspections between 2023 and early 2024, including dogs with signs of injuries and infections.

Ailing dogs have been found at the kennel on and off for about a decade. Even after appearing in our 2023 Horrible Hundred report for a lack of adequate veterinary care, Hamrick continued to receive violations, including repeat violations for dogs in need of veterinary care, at two more USDA inspections at the end of 2023 and one in early 2024. Issues found during the late-2023 inspections included a dog with an injured toe pad; a dog with a head tilt and signs of an ear infection; a puppy with an eye condition; and another dog with significant hot spots, a skin condition. Inspectors also found unsafe and dirty conditions, with at least one dog with feces adhered to the fur. In February 2024, a USDA inspector found some dogs who were so badly matted that they had fecal material twisted into the mats and were at risk of pain and discomfort due to the twisted and matted hair coats. Issues at Wolf Point Kennel have been recurring for a decade. This facility is a seven-time offender.

Freeman P. Helmuth/Sunrise Kennels, Corydon, Iowa: Inspectors found a puppy with discharge around her eyes and nose, in such poor condition that one eye was sealed shut, yet she had not been taken to a veterinarian; breeder sold to Petland stores. Inspectors found problems with Sunrise Kennels during a state inspection and two USDA inspections in 2023. In late April 2023, the USDA found a pug puppy suffering from poor eye health and nasal discharge. The puppys condition was so dire that her left eye was sealed shut by dry yellow colored discharge. The puppy also had discharge around the nostrils, and her right eye was completely cloudy. The USDA noted that the puppy had not been evaluated by a veterinarian and was not receiving any treatment. There were about 90 dogs and puppies on the property at the time. When the USDA returned in November 2023, it found a hole chewed in the side of a bag of dog food, with evidence of rodent feces nearby. Sunrise Kennels has sold puppies to at least two Petland stores in recent years. After incurring the violations in 2023, it appears that a Freeman P. Helmuth obtained a new license at an adjacent address.

Bruce Hooyer/JKLM Farm aka Shaggy Hill Farm, Sioux Center, Iowa: Kennel had a strong odor and excessive feces; facility has had recurring issues since at least 2017. State inspectors who visited JKLM Farm in March 2024 found a variety of violations that indicate ongoing sanitation issues at the kennel. They noted a strong smell in the whelping building, a buildup of feces underneath the flooring in some of the whelping kennels, excessive rust and a lack of an updated veterinary inspection, with the last veterinary inspection form signed in 2022. In March 2023, state inspectors noted concerns about the number of dogs at the kennel, stating it is a tremendous amount of work for two people to take care of 125 dogs, and that the number of dogs has increased. (As of March 2024, the number of dogs was down only slightly, at 109.) Some of the dogs were matted or missing their vaccines. Similar issues have been noted repeatedly at the kennel as far back as 2017. Inspectors have also noted that several dogs and puppies had died at the operation between 2017 and 2018.

Connie and Harold Johnson/Furbabies Forever, formerly CW's Quaint Critters, Melvin, Iowa: Kennel has had recurring sanitation and housing concerns for over a decade. During a September 2023 state inspection, Furbabies Forever was found to have rust peeling and flaking from some of the kennels, as well as chewed areas in the kennels and a buildup of hair at the bottom of some of the enclosures. Similar issues were observed at the facility off and on for more than a decade. When inspectors came back later that month, they werent granted access to the kennel, another repeated issue.

Furbabies Forever/CWs Quaint Critters also has a long history of evading state and/or federal inspections, and when inspectors do get in, they usually find violations. For example, before a completed inspection in February 2019, the property had not been inspected since 2016, when USDA inspectors found violations for a strong odor, puppies on dangerous wire flooring, and inadequate identification. The operation cancelled its USDA license in September 2019, when, according to the USDA inspection report in February, The licensee surrendered their license before the inspection could be conducted and no exit briefing was conducted. The kennel is still licensed by the state, but still often dodges inspections. Being only state-licensed, but not USDA-licensed, the breeders can legally sell directly to buyers but cannot ship puppies sight-unseen or sell to pet stores or brokers.

Linda, Stanley and Bethany Korver, Orange City, Iowa: Two back-to-back inspections uncovered 22 violations, including nine repeat violations, for dirty and unsafe conditions and inadequate veterinary care. During two separate USDA inspections, in February and May 2023, USDA inspectors found a total of 22 violations at the Korver kennel. Nine of the violations found in May 2023 were repeat violations that had not been corrected from the previous inspection, including dirty and unsafe conditions, poor record-keeping on puppies, and accumulations of cobwebs, dust, debris and feces. All 27 adult dogs were lacking proof of veterinary examinations, rabies vaccines and other preventative tests, according to the federal inspection report.

Patti Kowitz/Tannin Border Collies, aka Wapsi River Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, Calamus, Iowa: State inspectors found strong odor of feces at three inspections in a row of AKC-linked breeder; only one individual was caring for almost 60 dogs. Within less than 12 months, Tannin Border Collies dodged two state inspections in a row, and then failed four more inspections in a row. The noncompliant inspections occurred between October 2023 and January 2024. At all four inspections, inspectors noticed an odor, which they described as a strong or excessive odor three times, and other issues. During one of the visits, inspectors found a dog with a paw injury or growth that needed to be treated; it was later noted that it was a cancerous growth. At a visit in January 2024, six different non-compliances were found related to issues such as dirty, cluttered and smelly conditions, and the inspector noted that The conditions of facility indicate current number of dogs may be too high for one individual to care for. There were almost 60 dogs and puppies on the property at the time. In November 2023, inspectors found a shivering dog without sufficient shelter from the cold. Kowitz registers dogs with the American Kennel Club, and, as of April 2024, she had puppies for sale on the AKC Marketplace website.

Steve Kruse/Stonehenge Kennel, West Point, Iowa: Massive puppy mill that has been found with over 140 sick or injured dogs since 2015 continues to operate with huge numbers of dogs after USDA suspension was lifted. Even after it appeared in six prior Horrible Hundred reports for issues with sick and injured dogs, USDA inspectors continued to find ill or wounded dogs at Stonehenge Kennel at two more inspections in 2023.

Kruse received a 21-day suspension from the USDA in March 2023, but records show the USDA continued to find more ailing dogs even during the suspension period. In addition to the USDA violations, state inspectors also found violations in the second half of 2023 for issues such as a strong odor, no solid resting surfaces and unsanitary conditions. While Kruse did pass some inspections later in the year, a September 2023 state inspection found a limping dog and noted that dogs were not being removed from their enclosures during pressure washing. At least 199 dogs were euthanized at the facility in 2021, after Kruse exchanged dogs with a notorious puppy mill operator, Daniel Gingerich, whose license was revoked that same year.

Heath Rex Meyers/Century Farm Puppies, Grundy Center, Iowa: Breeder with more than 230 dogs failed state and USDA inspections repeatedly; when asked about 26 dogs crossed off the records, owner said they were likely euthanized. Inspectors found numerous violations at Century Farm Puppies again and again in 2023 and early 2024, including sick dogs and poor conditions. In January 2024, a USDA inspector found 240 dogs at the facility and issued two repeat violations, one for a veterinary care issue and one for unsanitary conditions.

In August 2023, USDA inspectors asked about the use of a controlled substance that had been provided by the licensees veterinarian, but which apparently wasnt being properly documented and monitored. It seems that the substance may have been used to kill dogs, because when USDA inspectors asked the licensee what had happened to 26 adult dogs whose names were crossed off the records with no other explanation. The licensee said they were likely euthanized. Additionally, inspectors noted that the facility was performing its own dental cleanings and some types of extractions with permission from their veterinarian; however, the facility [was] not completing effective dental cleanings or following their dental procedure plan and the facility is having new employees conduct these dental cleanings that may not be appropriately [trained] by other senior staff. This facility is a two-time offender.

Joel Paris/Paris Puppies Paradise, Ogden, Iowa: Puppy mill is still operating even after nearly 100 dogs were rescued from the property in late 2023, reportedly underweight and living in feces; breeder was fined and pled guilty to animal neglect resulting in death and injury, but still has dogs for sale online. Even after nearly 100 dogs were removed from the property in September 2023, and it was presumed that the operation was closing down, Paris Puppies Paradise continued to operate in 2024. At the time that the 100 dogs, mostly goldendoodles, were removed, witnesses described the dogs as underweight and living in their own feces, according to a news report. Whats more, the kennel continued to accumulate violations at a dozen more inspections even after the dogs were removed, state records show. Examples of some of the recent violations included a dog with severe hair loss, dogs with matting, filthy conditions and other significant concerns. Some of the violations were for attempted inspections, a frequent violation at the kennel, which has failed to give access to inspectors at 23 different visits since 2014. In April 2024, Paris was fined over $2,600 after pleading guilty to animal neglect resulting in death and animal neglect resulting in injury, but it appears the kennel is still in business. As of April 16, 2024, the operation still had dogs listed for sale on its website and Facebook page.

Wuanita Swedlund, Cantril, Iowa: Dealer was forced to downsize after multiple puppies died in the cold; one puppy had to be euthanized after his leg was chewed off; dealer was exchanging dogs with repeat offender Steve Kruse. In the winter of 2023-2024, Iowa officials worked with Wuanita Swedlund to reduce the size of her kennel from about 159 dogs to 30 dogs, after multiple dogs died in the cold and she failed numerous inspections, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. Swedlund had failed at least six inspections in a row (some federal and some state) in late 2023 and early 2024 due to many severe issues, including injured, limping dogs, puppies with leg deformities, and at least six puppies who had died in cold and drafty conditions. In one case, a dog in an enclosure had been able to access a neighboring enclosure and partially ate a puppy, resulting in the loss of the puppys leg; the puppy was so severely injured that he had to be euthanized. On another occasion, a puppy went missing, and after a bone was found, it was assumed that the mother had eaten the puppy. The inspector noted that maternal cannibalistic behavior is abnormal and may be a sign of behavioral stress. A state inspector also noted in December 2023 that Dogs are regularly transported between this facility and AW 4576 (Steve Kruses license number) without documentation. The association with licensee Steve Kruse is a grave concern because of Kruses long history of similar violations. As a footnote to that inspection, the state inspector indicated that Swedlund didnt have an Iowa permit to sell dogs and that it must be addressed immediately.

Swedlund received an official warning from the USDA in January 2024. Even after that warning, Swedlund had several repeat violations at her February 2024 state inspection. The USDA and state inspectors both reported that Swedlund did not have enough employees to properly care for so many dogs. She signed the kennel reduction agreement later in February but will only be held to those requirements for one year.

Ed Van Doorn/Squaw Creek Kennels, Barnes City, Iowa: The USDA found breeder performed do-it-yourself major surgery on puppies without veterinary supervision and provided false information on health certificates; the USDA imposed no significant penalty. In November 2023, the USDA found egregious violations at Squaw Creek Kennels but failed to penalize the breeder in any significant way. Inspectors found Ed Van Doorn was performing major do-it-yourself veterinary procedures on puppies, yet categorized the violation as non-critical, stating: The licensee gives buyers the option of having a puppy neutered before it ships and the licensee says he performs most of these neuters at his facility without veterinary supervision. The surgeries are done in a multi-use room used for grooming, surgeries, and other procedures using the licensees own equipment and instruments.

At the same visit, the USDA noted that the breeder used strong prescription medications on dogs without properly documenting their use. The USDA marked the violation as non-critical even though misuse of such drugs could be deadly. The inspector wrote, licensee uses xylazine and torbugesic when doing neuters, hernia repairs, and dentals at his facility, but there are no records of their use. The licensee did have a bottle of each of these medications that had labels indicating they were from his veterinarian. In December 2023, the USDA gave the breeder an official warning for the falsified health certificates, but as of April 2024, it appears he received no fines, warnings or other penalties for the do-it-yourself surgeries. In January 2024, state and USDA inspectors found additional violations. Shortly after that, Van Doorn canceled his USDA license, but as of April 16, 2024, he was still licensed by the state, and still had puppies advertised on his website.

Dennis and Donna Van Wyk/Prairie Lane Kennel, New Sharon, Iowa: Dogs and puppies were sitting and standing in feces; three puppies had no water; dogs were exposed to the cold; recurring issues date back to at least 2015. Even after appearing in four of our prior Horrible Hundred reports, Prairie Lane Kennel continued to accumulate violations as recently as January 2024, when inspectors found some of the dogs did not have adequate protection from the cold, and found a repeat violation for excessive feces, with so much filth that the dogs had trampled it. The licensee admitted the enclosures had not been cleaned in three days. In December 2023, USDA inspectors had also seen dogs and puppies exposed to an excessive buildup of feces, and some adult dogs were stepping in the feces and had feces on their paws, while an enclosure with three puppies in it had so much feces that it covered about 50% of the floor space, and some of the puppies were seen sitting in the wastes. In addition, three puppies had no access to water. This facility is a five-time offender.

Charles Vogl/SCW Frenchies, Atlantic, Iowa: State inspector found a strong odor of ammonia and feces inside the whelping building; clutter around building harbored dirt and vermin. Even after appearing in two of our prior Horrible Hundred reports for issues such as dogs left in the freezing cold with only frozen water, excessive feces and foul odors in the kennel, state inspectors once again found a strong odor of ammonia and waste and excessive feces at SCW Frenchies in December 2023. During the same visit, inspectors also found unsafe structures, trash and clutter. The inspector noted that it seemed several days were passing without feces being removed from some areas. Inspectors found similar issues in prior years (2021 and 2020). This facility is a three-time offender.

Terry Yoder/BR's Dobermans, Riverside, Iowa: Holes in the floor allowed dogs to fall through to the outside; dogs indoor living spaces were covered in dirt, hair, feces and grime; mouse feces were on all surfaces throughout the facility. During a January 2024 inspection, state inspectors found several very troubling violations at BRs Dobermans, including holes in the wood floor of one building that allowed animals to fall through to the outside, excessive trash and clutter, and mouse feces present on all surfaces throughout the facility. Inspectors reported that all the indoor enclosures were coated in dirt, hair, feces and grime and have not been sanitized for an extended period of time. Veterinary records were not complete, with no proof of distemper or parvovirus vaccines for many of the adult dogs. When state inspectors returned in February 2024 to reinspect, they documented that the owner refused the inspection, stating that he still had not repaired the buildings and that he had not cleaned in at least 36 hours, leaving grave concerns for the welfare of the dogs.

When they returned yet again in late February 2024 and in March 2024, there were still numerous violations present, including clutter, grime, bad odors and a lack of a written disease control and prevention program.
As global wine consumption has dipped in recent years, the industry keeps exploring alternatives to grow market share, particularly among Millennials.

So, whats old is new but with a twist: Low-calorie wines purporting a healthier, fitter lifestyle.

Not so long ago, similar products gathered dust on grocery shelves, likely because marketing emphasized lower alcohol, not lower calories. Guess how popular that concept was among wine enthusiasts?

Most wines range 11 to 15% alcohol levels with 12.5% an industry average. A 5-ounce standard pour equals about 120 calories but can approach 160 at higher sugar and/or alcohol levels.

Low-calorie wines generally top out at 80 to 90 calories per glass by reducing the alcohol level to about 9%. Alcohol is reduced when sugar levels are reduced.

That simple formula aimed at a young, fitness-conscious market has found purchase; more shelf space is devoted to low-cal wines billed as a healthier alternative.

I recently sampled some low-cal wines of Argentinas Domaine Bousquet, eager to see if the familiar taste profiles of Chardonnay and Malbec held up. The 2023 vintage of LO CA wines  SRP $14  top out at just under 80 calories at about 9% alcohol by volume. By cutting alcohol level by 25%, the wine shaves off about 33% more calories.

Gloriously, these two wines didnt sacrifice the flavors and aromas of familiar varietals.

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A recent visit to Oregons Willamette Valley wine region was a hedonistic romp through Pinot Noir. But even the most patient palate can tire of world-class Pinot, so I took refuge in Pinot Gris.

Mother Nature shows her whimsical side when the white Pinot Gris grape mutates and morphs over time to deliver a red Pinot Noir grape. (Pinot Blanc is another white grape that morphed from Pinot Gris).

Most enthusiasts know Pinot Gris by its familiar Italian name: Pinot Grigio. I find Pinot Gris a more voluptuous style over Pinot Grigio. Its rounder with a hint more peach and citrus fruit and aromas.

Consider three reliable Oregon brands widely available in the Triad: 2022 The Four Graces Pinot Gris ($18); 2022 Erath Pinot Gris ($13); 2022 A to Z Wineworks ($16).

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As spring slides into early summer  and food fare rollercoasters between light and bright to the smoke and tang of the grill  I often reach for Italys iconic red. Specifically, Sangiovese-based wines from the Chianti region. The higher-acids, lower-tannins and dried fruit profile serve as a good bridge for whatever is being served.

Some worth considering: 2021 Castello di Gabbiano Chianti ($12); 2021 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico RS Cultusboni ($12); 2021 Castello Banfi Chianti Classico ($17); 2021 Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico ($19); 2021 Cecchi Chianti Classico Storia di Famiglia ($25).

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Some other wines Ive enjoyed recently that you might like to:

2021 Renato Ratti Barbera dAsti ($22): Barberas acidity accentuates the black cherry, cedar and chocolate.

2022 Matua Sauvignon Blanc ($13): New Zealands iconic white grape flashes white grapefruit, key lime and melon.

2019 St. Francis Sonoma County Merlot ($20): This California producer reliably delivers one of the best bang-for-buck reds. Juicy plum, anise and black cherry.

2022 Skouras Moscofilera Peloponnese ($21): A soft white from Greece, Moscofilera is reminiscent of a dainty and dry chenin blanc. Fuji apple, orange peel zest, peach and flowers.
BRISTOL, Tenn.  Tennessee High School held a signing ceremony Friday, where it celebrated the students and industries who have participated in Future Ready, the schools work-based learning program.

At the ceremony, which took place at the Tennessee High School auditorium, students signed pre-apprenticeship or apprenticeship agreements with various local companies that represent the wide range of industries from across the Tri-Cities.

This is a really special occasion. It is an opportunity for us to recognize the incredible achievements of our students whove participated in workplace learning programs this year and who are committing to post-secondary employment, which is a pretty exciting step for their futures, Annettee Tudor, the director of Bristol Tennessee City Schools, said.

Tudor explained that the Future Ready program at Tennessee High is intended to be an authentic learning experience through which students are able explore their career goals, abilities and interests while also applying their academic and technical knowledge and skills in a real-world context.

Its a fantastic opportunity to bridge the gap between theory and practice, explore career options and develop important skills for future success, Tudor said.

Among the students and their parents to sign agreements were Austin Eades (apprenticeship) and Phillip Cox (pre-apprenticeship) with the Robinette Company, Garrett Jones (apprenticeship) with JA Street & Associates, and Tyler Rought (apprenticeship) with Turtleson.

Ashley Quales, Bella Frye, and Laci Kerns each signed apprenticeships with Ballad Health.

At the event, Jennifer Padilla, the Bristol, Tennessee City Schools chief human resources officer, announced that Makenna Hyskell became the first student to sign a pre-apprenticeship with Bristol Tennessee City Schools new student-teacher apprenticeship program.

Makenna Hyskell has been working with Haynesfield Elementary and has been extremely interested in continuing her education joining us as an elementary school teacher and were excited to welcome her back in the fall and have her as our first teacher apprentice, Padilla said.

Students participating in Tennessee Highs certified nursing assistant program and certified pharmacy technician program were also recognized during the event.
BRISTOL, Tenn.  King University presented the 2024 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award to three recipients during Saturdays commencement ceremony.

This years awards were presented to community recipient Jim White and students Emilie Kaczka and Alexis Wynn, according to a written statement.

First presented in 1890 and awarded annually by more than 70 colleges and universities throughout the south, the award honors graduating students and community members for their high standards of character, integrity, and service, and for their commitment to creating positive change in their communities.

Jim White, a native of Bristol, Tennessee, served in the Tennessee National Guard and worked for more than three decades at Holston Army Ammunitions Plant in Kingsport, Tennessee.

After retiring, he began devoting time to the Bristol Emergency Food Pantry, whose mission is to end hunger in Bristol by organizing food, information, and support for community survival and dignity. He has provided support to the pantry for more than 25 years, serving for 15 of those as director.

One of the most remarkable times in Jims service at the Food Pantry was during COVID restrictions, said Bill Linderman, associate dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and chair of the mathematics and physics departments at King.

Many of the pantrys volunteers are retired persons who are only available to work limited hours. Instead of closing the pantry until it was safe, Jim worked with First Presbyterian Church and other churches in the area to recruit and train new volunteers who were less at risk of contracting COVID. In this way, and with some risk to himself, Jim made sure that the resources of the Food Pantry remained available to the Bristol community during a very challenging time.

DeVonne Phipps, Executive Director of Bristol Faith in Action, also supported Whites nomination for the Sullivan award.

Jim is a pillar of our community, especially when it comes to community service and caring for the least of these, Phipps said. He has worked at Bristol Faith in Action since its inception in 2001 and remains an exemplary volunteer.

Emilie Kaczka is from Bristol, Tennessee, earning her bachelor of arts degree in history with a minor in secondary education. In addition to her activities on campus, she is active in her church and has been a staunch advocate for her family during a difficult time.

The Sullivan Award recognizes high qualities which ennoble and beautify living, binding people together in mutual love and helpfulness, and Emilie has been praised by faculty for these qualities in her time at King.

Kyle Osborn, assistant professor of history, said Emilie is diligent in her work, thoughtful in her class discussions, and empathetic in both her analysis of history and her consideration of opposing views. She embodies the best values of King and of Christian liberal arts education. She shows the moral character, the intellectual curiosity, and the empathetic perspective that King, at its best, strives to encourage among all community members.

Donna Watson, dean of the School of Education, added that Emilie shines with the light of Christ in all her encounters. As a student, she thinks deeply and critically about her responses and presentations, always seeking to understand all people in their various circumstances. Her classmates benefit from her freely given encouragement and support, and she is poised to become an outstanding teacher, willing to dive into difficult subjects with grace and insight.

Alexis Wynn, a native of Waynesville, Ohio, graduated King on Saturday with her bachelor of arts in elementary education. As an undergraduate at King, her peers say she has embodied the qualities of service, character, and spirituality.

Alexis always puts others first, said Chase Arndt, assistant dean of Student Affairs. She has poured herself into the campus community, the local community and her church and has been a proven leader on her team. She is always the first to volunteer and the last to leave. She exemplifies what it means to be a Christ follower and a servant leader, and all those around her rely on her integrity and good judgment.

According to Angie Baker, assistant professor in the School of Education, Alexis exemplifies the ability to bind people together in mutual love and helpfulness.

Simply put, Alexis demonstrates a servants heart, said Baker. She consistently demonstrates the characteristics found in I Corinthians 13. Alexis is patient and kind. She does not brag. She is not proud. She is not rude. She is not selfish. She cannot be made angry easily. She chooses not to remember wrongs, and she never gives up on people or loses hope.
The Texas Library Association (TLA) recognized Hillsboro City Library Director Susan Mann with its highest honor last week, the Lifetime Achievement Award. The presentation was made at the opening session of TLAs annual conference in San Antonio.

Mann has served the citizens of Hillsboro at the library since 1982 and has been director since 1984. She will have 41 years of service when she retires from her full-time position May 24.

During that tenure, she has been an active member of TLA. She was a founding member of the Small Community Libraries Round Table (SCLRT), including two terms as chair. At the time, the round table gave a voice in the library association to small community libraries across the state.

In 1994, Mann was named Small Community Librarian of the Year by SCLRT.

For the complete story, see the April 25, edition of The Reporter Newspaper.
One of the most fundamental distinctions between quartz and granite countertops is their manufacturing process. In the context of countertops, you can call granite a natural stone surface and quartz an engineered stone surface.

Natural Origins

Both quartz and granite countertops have their origins in genuine natural materials. Quartz is a crystalline mineral consisting mainly of silica. Meanwhile, granite is an igneous rock composed of various minerals, such as feldspar, mica, and quartz.

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Both can be different colors, like black, brown, red, blue or green, depending on what other elements are present.

Manufacturing Differences

However, manufacturers use these resources in different ways when making countertops. They craft granite surfaces by taking pieces from large granite slabs and cutting them to the desired specifications.

In contrast, producers combine crushed quartz crystals with resins and other minerals to create what they call "engineered quartz" or "engineered stone" before turning it into a quartz countertop.

This non-porous surface has a uniform appearance and texture that resembles real stone even though it's the manmade result of a carefully honed manufacturing process.
The degree-level apprenticeship in SA is the first of its kind in Australia. Photo: Shutterstock

Australias first degree-level apprenticeship has launched in Adelaide in an effort to close the skills gap in software engineering and open tech up to a more diverse range of people.

A collaboration between BAE Systems, Ai Group and the University of South Australia, the Software Engineering Apprenticeship will combine practical work experience with university study and aim to embed tech workers into the states defence sector.

Running for five years, the course will see graduates obtain a Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours) along with five years of relevant work experience.

Throughout the course, 80 per cent of the time will be spent at work, while 20 per cent will be at university.

Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said similar degree apprenticeships have been highly successful overseas, particularly in Europe.

They combine on-the-job experience through working with an employer over a set number of years in their chosen field with the technical skills an apprentice learns while studying the degree at university, Willox said.

This is the perfect way to commence a professional career.

For employers, the benefit of the program is to gain early access to good candidates; to shape their university training to their own workplace; and when they finish their degree to have skilled and experienced workers who can fit seamlessly into their organisation as professionals and future leaders.

The new course will help produce job-ready graduates with proven experience, University of South Australia vice-chancellor Professor David Lloyd said.

The apprenticeship is designed to embed software engineering students into SAs defence sector one day, Lloyd said.

By learning  and earning  on the job and integrating university study into their week, they will be able to hit the ground running when they graduate, equipped with the right skills.

The degree apprenticeship is a natural fit for our university, ensuring we produce highly skilled graduates for the states growing defence sector.

It will also help open the tech sector up to a more diverse range of people, particularly those who may be unable to study full-time without earning any income.

Another benefit is that earn and learn programs like this will appeal to a bigger and more diverse pool of students by opening the profession up to people who may have the capability, but not necessarily the means or the interest to study full-time while not earning an income, Willox said.

In this way the program will potentially increase the number of future software engineers.

The Ai Group, BAE Systems and the University of South Adelaide consulted with other companies and employers to develop what will be involved in the course, which is recognised by the South Australian Skills Commission.

Calls for more government action

In contrast to other arrangements such as internships, work placements and scholarships, the degree apprenticeship will involve a formal training contract, will be regulated by the state government and the apprentice will be paid to attend university.

Ai Group congratulates the South Australian government and Premier Peter Malinauskas and the South Australian Skills Commission for their support and for being the first state in Australia to make this possible, Willox said.

We are encouraging other states to follow suit.

We are also urging the Australian government to help facilitate these programs by looking at barriers such as fringe benefit tax obligations when employers contribute to the cost of the apprentices student contribution, or expanding apprentice incentive eligibility to higher education qualifications to encourage more employers to get involved.

The federal government announced in September last year that new higher apprenticeships would be offered for tech skills, with $10 million in funding as part of the first Employment White Paper.

New TAFE Centres of Excellence will also be stumped up to turbocharge the education and training sector, thanks to a $31 million cash boost.
RICOH Australia, a leading provider of smart workplace technology, today announced the Australian launch of RICOH Spaces, a dynamic workplace experience platform designed to facilitate hybrid working and optimise businesses.

Utilising the Google Cloud Platform with cloud infrastructure based in Australia, RICOH Spaces captures workplace analytics, allowing enterprises to make workspace decisions based on real-time data to constantly improve the workplace experience.

Part of Ricohs overall hybrid workplace offering, key feature functionality includes desk and space booking, visitor management, real-time interactive floor plans, digital signage and wayfinding, all designed to enhance the employee experience. According to Gartner, human-centric work design featuring flexible work experiences, intentional collaboration opportunities and empathic management can increase employee performance by as much as 54 per cent.

New ways of working are demanding new ways of thinking about how to achieve the most productive workplace, says Tina Economou, Chief Marketing & Sales Officer, RICOH Australia. While the physical office is here to stay, teams increasingly rely on dynamic and flexible environments that support an effortless transition to hybrid working where collaboration can thrive both on-site and remotely. The challenge is to design a workplace that evolves with the way your teams meet up, socialise and collaborate, and adapts to how they will work in the future.

RICOH Spaces provides the analytics and insights required to redesign workspaces for full utilisation and increased productivity to enhance the workplace experience. At the same time, it centralises all of the complex tasks relating to the way the people interact with the workplace facilities and how workplace visitors digitally sign in on arrival.

Built by RICOH from the ground up, fully cloud hosted for scalability, and supported in multiple languages, it can support a reduction in the costs of real estate, offer insights and data trends for optimised space utilisation and improve team collaboration.

Moreover, being fully modular and scalable means enterprises only pay for the RICOH Spaces functionality that they require and this can be scaled accordingly to a customers specific requirements.

Available via web application and as a mobile app, RICOH Spaces also enables users to manage advanced bookings, check-in times, parking and booking slots. Employees can submit room service requests and track their status, enabling teams to stay up-to-date on the progress of their requests, reducing wasted time. According to the Microsoft 2021 Work Trend Index, 40 per cent of workers waste up to 30 minutes a day searching for a space to collaborate.

Facilities managers can also split the workplace into zones, allowing for capacity management, assignment, and analytics at a zone level, allowing for easy booking and manageable insights.

The solutions deep analytics features also provide a real-time overview of how a floor is being utilised through using sensor data which is also able to support monitoring of operational aspects, including temperature, air quality and service requests.

The scalable nature of the platform enables RICOH Spaces to constantly evolve with new features added regularly. The platform uses the very latest web technologies with browser support limited to the latest versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Safari.

Support for users is simple and easy with an extensive knowledge base centre with thousands of articles, guides, pro-active support with product tours, contextual tooltips, checklists for user onboarding, and a fully integrated in-app support widget. All this means that users wont need to be on hold or navigate outside of the app to get access to support and key information, says Economou.

For further information, visit: https://www.ricoh.com.au/hybrid-workplace/workspace-management
TPG Telecom and Optus Mobile have announced an agreement that will boost the regional mobile network and give customers more choice.

A statement from the two companies said Optus would provide TPG Telecom with access to its regional radio access network and the two firms would share spectrum in regional Australia under the regional Multi-Operator Core Network deal.

In turn, Optus will licence some of TPGs spectrum for use in the MOCN, to provide better capacity, speed and service quality to customers of both telcos in regional Australia.

The statement said customers and communities would also benefit from Optus commitment to speed up its 5G rollout in the regions, increasing 5G sites in the regional MOCN to 1500 by 2028 and 2444 by the end of 2030.

Once the agreement was in place, TPG Telecom's retail and wholesale customers (including Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, Lebara and felix customers) would be able to use Optus' 4G and 5G regional network as Optus customers did.

Both telcos would operate their own core networks allowing them to maintain network control, enable differentiation of service and independent control of security and resiliency.

Both Optus and TPG Telecom will also continue to run their own 4G and 5G radio access networks in metropolitan areas.

Optus interim chief executive Michael Venter termed the agreement a significant win for regional Australia.

For over 30 years Optus has brought choice and competition to Australia through investment in network services and infrastructure. This is a win for all Australians, especially our regional communities, businesses, and visitors, he said.

Optus and TPG Telecom will be positioned to provide consumers with more choice and better services as we accelerate our investment in the regions.

The agreement will reduce combined 5G network rollout costs in regional Australia, which will enable the rollout of 5G infrastructure to be completed two years earlier than previously planned."

TPG Telecom chief executive Inaki Berroeta said the agreement would significantly extend its mobile network reach and enable growth of its customer base in regional and metropolitan areas.

This network sharing arrangement will reset the competitive landscape for mobile services in regional areas and provide Australians with more choice than ever before, he said.

By sharing regional network assets, TPG and Optus could bring coverage benefits to customers at a significantly lower cost than duplicating infrastructure, Berroeta said.

This will allow us to reduce rollout and operating costs, make better use of network assets and deliver huge customer benefits, he added.

In a country as large as Australia, this is the sustainable approach we need to maximise established infrastructure, and expand the reach of telecommunications services, competition and choice for consumers.

The arrangement will bring together two largely duplicated regional networks to deliver a total bigger network with more capacity for customers of both companies.

It builds upon the existing passive equipment sharing joint venture, which includes about 3500 sites in metropolitan areas, and paves the way for potential expansion of sharing arrangements.

The non-exclusive deal will initially run for 11 years and TPG Telecom can extend it for a further five years.

Subject to relevant regulatory approvals, the agreement is expected to be in place by early next year.
Logicalis Australia has announced the appointment of John Griffin as chief technology officer (CTO) in a strategic move that underscores the organisation's commitment to innovation and excellence in the rapidly evolving IT landscape.

John brings a wealth of experience in technology, product management, and operations, with more than 10 years of experience in senior leadership and executive roles. John's leadership will accelerate Logicalis Australia's transition towards cloud-based, secure, and service-based IT solutions, empowering the business to remain competitive and continue providing value to its customers as their needs evolve.

Logicalis Australia recognises the need for adaptive and forward-thinking strategies to stay ahead of important IT transformation for enhancing its own operations, and to deliver to customers business needs. Recently released insights from Logicalis CIO Report 2024 found that 91% of Australian CIOs struggle to analyse performance across their digital footprint, and 62% have experienced or anticipated digital transformation projects being cancelled or delayed due to cost constraints, demonstrating an appetite for flexible, cost-effective, data-driven solutions.

John's operational focus centres on developing solutions to meet client challenges, improving delivery and operations, and making the work environment more rewarding for the Logicalis Australia team. His ability to build key technical relationships with strategic vendors and service providers will further enhance Logicalis Australia's capability to deliver leading technology solutions, ensuring it remains on the cutting edge of innovation.

Anthony Woodward, chief executive officer, Logicalis Australia, said, Logicalis Australia is excited to welcome John to the business. Johns strategic technology vision and execution capability align with the companys objective to be the leading managed service provider (MSP) in Australia. John's proven leadership in technology transformations and his comprehensive experience in the sector make him an exceptional choice for CTO. His leadership will be a major asset for enhancing Logicalis Australias technology, service, and value-driven leadership, further strengthening the companys dedication to improving its market offerings.

John Griffin said, I am thrilled to join an organisation like Logicalis Australia that prides itself on a strong team ethos and a commitment to excellence. I look forward to leveraging my knowledge and experience to tackle our customers challenges, enhance our operational efficiency, and enrich our team's work environment.

"Focusing on modernising Logicalis Australias IT solutions through cloud-based, secure, and service-based technologies is crucial to delivering a future-ready service that evolves alongside the market. I am eager to lead the charge in embracing emerging technologies in further developing the companys offerings to meet rapidly changing business needs and reinforcing Logicalis Australias strong market leadership."
After 13 quarters, smartphone vendor Huawei has returned to the top of the list for the mainland China market, shipping 11.7 million units in the first three months of 2024 and capturing a 17% market share, the technology analyst firm Canalys says, attributing this to the performance of its Mate and nova series.

Oppo took second place with 10.9 million units (a drop of 14% year-on-year) after a strong showing by its Reno 11 series. Honor (10.6 million units, up 9% year-on-year), vivo (10.3 million units, down 9% year-on-year and Apple (10.0 million units, down 25% year-on-year) made up the top five.

Another analyst firm, IDC, said total China shipments for the quarter grew 6.5% year-on-year to 69.3 million units. Canalys had the total figure at 67.7 million units.

IDC had Honor heading the list of vendors, with a 17.1% market share and year-on-year growth of 13.2%. Huawei was second in this list, with a 17.0% share and 110.0% year-on-year growth. IDC did not provide sales figures for each vendor. Honor, formerly Huawei's budget smartphone unit, was sold to 30 agents and dealers in 2020.

"Honor climbed to the top spot, thanks to its well-rounded product portfolio and the Magic 6 series which came with popular AI features," said Arthur Guo, senior research analyst in Client System Research for IDC China.

"Meanwhile, Huawei made a strong comeback and achieved a tie with Honor, though supply constraints will still be a pain point. Apples price promotions in the quarter were unable to mitigate the impact of the intense competition from Android players."

Will Wong, senior research manager for Client Devices at IDC Asia/Pacific, said: "The close race among the top-tier players implies that Chinese consumers are more likely to change from one brand to another.

"Thus, theres an increased need for action from the vendors to keep innovating to ensure strong customer stickiness."

Canalys senior analyst Toby Zhu commented: "The mainland China market's growth is still behind the global recovery of 11%, which allowed Huawei to seize market share and reclaim the crown quickly.

"The production and supply shortage of the Mate 60 series improved in the first quarter, propelling it to become the key driver of Huawei's overall growth.

"In addition to the high-end line-up, Huawei released the nova 12 series in December, which features Harmony 4.0, expanding the Kirin chipset to more product lines and successfully boosting performance in the mid-range price band.

"This month Huawei also upgraded the P series to Pura 70, featuring an innovative pop-out camera lens, further sparking market interest.

"A key strategy for Huawei in 2024 is to focus on building AI capabilities for smart devices from hardware to software at a system level, leveraging its deep R&D capabilities in AI infrastructure and solutions for industry and enterprise customers.

"With the continued expansion of the HarmonyOS ecosystem, Huawei emerges as the third OS for smartphones and other edge computing devices, breaking the two-horse race of Android and iOS in Mainland China."

Canalys research manager Amber Liu added: "Despite Huawei's strong start, we maintain the modest recovery forecast for overall market performance in 2024 growing at 1%.

"The talking point within the industry surrounds intensifying competition and innovation moat building. Leading vendors are narrowing their market share, which means exploring growth opportunities in different channels is critical to capture short-term opportunities.

"Vendors' go-to-market capabilities in multi-channel management, price control, and inventory management will be tested."

Research analyst Lucas Zhong said: "The Gen AI-capable smartphone presents important opportunities for Chinese vendors to differentiate in the high-end in 2024 to challenge Apple in their home market.

"Canalys forecasts Gen AI-capable smartphones will reach 12% of shipments in 2024 in mainland China, ahead of the global average of 9%.

"Vendors are actively engaging consumers by developing interesting AI use cases and integrating AI features into their latest flagship launches with large marketing spends to educate consumers.

"In 1Q, Xiaomi led in the Gen AI-capable smartphone market with its flagship 14 series, while Honor explored its high-profile Magic 6 series with cross-device AI features with its MagicBook Pro 16.

"Oppo, on the other hand, pushed ahead with massive marketing investments on national TV channels, positioning its brand with AI features and innovation.

"We see an increasing divergence in Chinese vendors' R&D and AI product strategies this year, collectively driving further consumer awareness and adoption, which will feed into a sustainable monetisation model."
A new restaurant is set to move into a spot in Cloverdale Plaza that has been vacant almost three years.

Barberitos, a franchise burrito restaurant, is moving into the spot that Cloverdale Kitchen vacated at 2251 Cloverdale Ave. in Winston-Salem after being in business for more than 50 years.

The first Barberitos opened in Athens, Ga., in 2000. The chain  named after founder Downing Barber  now has more than 40 locations in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, Iowa, South Carolina and North Carolina. There are two locations in Greensboro; two in High Point; and one each in Kernersville, Asheville and Boone.

Franchisee Maggie Kendrick ran a Barberitos location in Kingsport, Tenn., until her husband, Shannon Kendrick, got a new job in the Triad.

The menu includes not only burritos, but also tacos, nachos, quesadillas, burrito bowls and taco salads.

Customers can build their dishes to order. First, they choose between five proteins: chicken, steak, ground turkey, ground beef and tofu. Then they can choose from dozens of toppings, such as lettuce, black beans, olives, jalapenos and rice. Barberitos also has a selection of salsas.

Kendrick said that Barberitos is known for quick-serve food thats made fresh to order.

She said that customers to the Winston-Salem restaurant will be able to order from a digital kiosk, or walk down the line of the open kitchen, picking and choosing ingredients as they go.

You can get as many toppings as you want  we dont charge extra except for meat. We can even grill veggies for you right there.

Kendrick said that the entire space is being rebuilt. Demolition has begun. Once construction starts in earnest, she expects the restaurant to open in 15 weeks, which probably will translate to a late-summer opening.
The potential of the Biden administration signing off on a proposed ban on menthol-flavored traditional cigarettes this year has grown dimmer.

In October, the Food and Drug Administration sent its recommended regulatory rules on menthol traditional cigarettes to the White House Office of Management and Budget for final review, with analysts and public-health advocates expecting a December or early January announcement.

The decision was delayed in December with an expectation of a decision in March.

On April 26, Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, issued a two-sentence update on the divisive issue.

This rule has garnered historic attention and the public comment period has yielded an immense amount of feedback, including from various elements of the civil rights and criminal justice movement, Becerra said.

Its clear that there are still more conversations to have, and that will take significantly more time.

Frustration, resolution

Becerras update left anti-tobacco advocacy groups increasingly frustrated with another delay, while other analysts expressed hope that additional time would lead to a more realistic resolution.

The Associated Press has reported that Biden administration officials have been conducting dozens of meetings with groups opposing the rule, including civil rights advocates, business owners and law enforcement officials.

The FDA first disclosed its regulatory plans in June 2022 with the goal at that time of having the menthol prohibition in place by May 2023.

Several public-health advocacy groups, including the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the NAACP and the Rev. Dr. William Barber II, have pressed the Biden administration to approve the menthol ban based in part on the popularity of the flavoring in the Black community.

That popularity also could make the ban a potential third rail to President Joe Bidens re-election campaign if it upsets Black voters who smoke menthol traditional cigarettes.

It is unacceptable and deeply harmful to public health that the Biden administration has once again delayed issuing the final rule to prohibit menthol cigarettes, said Yolonda Richardson, president and chief executive of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

This delay prioritizes politics over saving the 45,000 Black lives lost to smoking each year. It is especially disturbing to see the administration parrot the false claims of the tobacco industry about support from the civil rights community.

Richardson claims the potential menthol ban is overwhelmingly supported by Black civil rights, faith, public health, medical and other organizations  leading organizations like the NAACP, the National Council of Negro Women Inc., the National Medical Association, the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. It is also supported by a majority of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Not a surprise

The delay is not a surprise, according to Scott Ballin, past chairman of the anti-smoking alliance Coalition of Science or Health.

This is an election year, and at the moment candidates are going to need every vote they can get especially in some of the swing states like Michigan, Ballin said.

Donald Trump has been actively working to cultivate the African-American community to come his way, and Biden needs to try and hold onto those voters. The solution? Delay delay delay, Ballin said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Hispanic Business Council has praised the Biden administration for demonstrating responsiveness to the concerns raised by the council, said Javier Palomarez, its president and chief executive. Our efforts have aimed to highlight the adverse effects of a menthol cigarette ban, not only on businesses, but also on the (Black and brown) communities we represent.

Palomarez said the proposed FDA menthol ban raises concerns about criminalizing otherwise law-abiding Americans who have done nothing wrong other than smoking a cigarette  a perspective that seems particularly severe coming from an administration that advocates for the legalization of marijuana.

Years of challenges?

Industry analysts have said that whatever regulatory standards are approved will be swiftly challenged in federal court by tobacco manufacturers and other parties.

We expect a two- to three-year cycle from the day the FDA passes any rule to the time such rule is finalized after the likely court challenges, said Gaurav Jain, an analyst for Barclays. We dont expect a menthol cigarette ban from the FDA implemented (if it were to pass) at least until 2026.

Meanwhile, the agency faces challenges from Republican-sponsored legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would derail both initiatives.

I think the question now is whether this is a delay to avoid the obvious 2024 electoral risks or a more strategic reversal, said Clive Bates of Counterfactual, a London-based public health and sustainability consultancy. It could easily be political expediency.

But, its possible that the measure has finally had strong scrutiny by political and more generalist policy strategists from outside the tobacco control bubble, and theyve concluded that its more trouble than its worth, whether or not there is an imminent election.

22nd Century impact

Bates said the absence of an update from Becerra on flavored cigars and very-low-nicotine traditional cigarettes is telling as well.

The final cigar rule was due in March and the proposed nicotine rule is due by the end of April, Bates said.

22nd Century Group Inc. is well aware that its short- and long-term futures are dependent on a potential lifeline from the Biden administration for its cigarettes that contain 95% less nicotine than traditional cigarettes.

Despite a major and risky distribution push this year with Walgreens pharmacies and 7-Eleven and Circle K convenience stores, the companys products have struggled to gain traction with smokers.

Chief executive Larry Firestone told analysts in March that the manufacturer can and must have a say in its do-or-die restructuring, such as signing in April a significant new manufacturing agreement for the production of branded conventional cigarette products. The customer was not identified.

A potential ban also could spur an increase in smokers sourcing banned menthol cigarettes, Bates said.

If there are 18 million menthol smokers, that is potentially an enormous level of criminal activity, Bates said.

Unintended consequences

Coercive policies, such as bans, will inevitably cause opposition and unintended consequences, said David Sweanor, an adjunct law professor at the University of Ottawa and the author of several e-cigarette and health studies.

They are also generally far less effective than measures that empower people, Sweanor said.

Sweanor cautioned that a measure likely to cause many people to say to the government just leave me alone can shape voting intentions.

For much of the anti-tobacco field, coercive measures are preferred over less dramatic, but more effective measures. Such as simply giving people who smoke cigarettes accurate information on the relative risks of alternatives.

Perhaps the political problems with bans and other coercive measures will lead to rethinking of strategies.
The Daily Minute is the Journal Star's morning news briefing where you can get the latest news in about a minute each weekday. Previous Daily Minute videos are archived here.

Good morning, Lincoln. Here's what you should know today.

Regents finalize Gold hiring

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents finalized the hiring of Dr. Jeff Gold as the system's ninth president on Friday.

Gold's hiring and contract was approved by regents on a 7-1 vote Friday afternoon, with Regent Kathy Wilmot casting the lone dissenting vote.

With the regents' approval, Gold will earn a salary of $1,062,573 beginning on July 1. With the affirmative vote from regents, Gold becomes one of the best-compensated public university leaders in the U.S.

Grand jury indicts sheriff's deputy

A Lancaster County grand jury has indicted a former Seward County Sheriff's deputy for a shooting that left one man dead in October on Interstate 80.

Anthony Gann was lodged Thursday in the Lancaster County jail on suspicion of manslaughter. Gann resigned from his position with the Sheriff's Office because of the indictment.

The incident happened on Oct. 23 on I-80, beginning at about 3:10 p.m., when the deputy tried to stop a driver, later identified as 43-year-old Jorge (HOR-HAY) Santana-Ramirez, in Seward County.

Exhibit features portraits of Holocaust survivors

And, a collection of around 30 black-and-white portraits taken of Holocaust survivors who settled in Lincoln and Omaha following World War II are featured in the Nebraska History Museums new exhibit.

The intent of the project was to not only tell stories of survivors, but to capture them in their own homes, where they felt most comfortable. Several of the survivors are posed alongside their spouses, with their sleeves rolled up to reveal the tattooed numbers they received at death camps or with photos of them from that time.

While most of the survivors depicted in the exhibit  many of whom owned successful businesses in Nebraska, raised families and found happiness here following the war  have since passed away.

Their photos have been displayed in museums across the country, and will now be featured at the Nebraska History Museum for the next two years.

Thats it for Monday, April 29. Stay in the know with Lincolns longest-standing news source at JournalStar.com and well see you back here tomorrow.

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A former Seward County Sheriff's Office deputy made his first court appearance Monday and pleaded not guilty to manslaughter in connection to the fatal shooting of a man on Interstate 80 last October.

Anthony Gann resigned from the sheriff's office following a grand jury indictment, which came down late Thursday afternoon and accuses him of killing Jorge Santana-Ramirez on Oct. 23 without malice upon a sudden quarrel.

Gann, 28, turned himself in on the charge and since has posted bond. His percentage bond, set by a district court judge at $100,000, meant he needed to pay $10,000.

On Monday, Gann's attorney, Clarence Mock, said: "Fortunately, we have law enforcement officers who are willing to confront extremely dangerous situations to protect us every day."

He said officers must make split-second decisions during stressful circumstances based on incomplete or ambiguous information.

"We believe the evidence will show, based on the totality of the circumstances and information Officer Gann possessed at the time of his encounter with Mr. Ramirez, that Officer Gann acted reasonably in accordance with Nebraska law in taking steps to stop the threat posed by Mr. Ramirez, not just to Officer Gann, but to his fellow officer at the scene and others traveling on the interstate in the area at that time," Mock said.

According to a search warrant, on the afternoon of Oct. 23, a Seward County deputy tried to stop a driver, later identified as 43-year-old Santana-Ramirez, for speeding near the Milford exit on I-80.

It led to a pursuit and the Honda Civic Santana-Ramirez was driving eventually stopped in Lancaster County.

In court records, Nebraska State Patrol Investigator Jason Bauer said a female passenger got out, but Santana-Ramirez stayed in the car.

"The deputy stated he was unable to see Santana-Ramirez's hands and he believed Santana-Ramirez to be loading a possible weapon," Bauer said.

According to the deputy's body-worn camera, the deputy told him to show his hands, but he refused. Then, Bauer said, Gann said "gun" and fired his duty-issued gun in Santana-Ramirez's direction.

Deputies and State Patrol troopers tried to save Santana-Ramirez, but he died at the scene.

After the shooting, Seward County Sheriff Michael Vance said when the two deputies had approached the driver, one saw a weapon in the suspect's hand and fired.

No other law enforcement agency has confirmed the presence of a weapon.

Last week, Vance said an internal investigation by his office didn't find that Gann had committed any violations or had not followed procedure that day.

The grand jury, which reviewed Santana-Ramirez's death for criminal wrongdoing over two days last week, reached a different conclusion, returning a true bill.

Their findings will not be released prior to Gann's trial because Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condon requested a protective order at Monday's hearing to keep the records sealed.

Gann hasn't yet been set for trial but was given a new court date in June.

Review of police shootings in Lincoln since 2013 1. Douglas DaMoude, May 30, 2014 2. Tyson Hubbard, March 5, 2015 3. Tareik Artis, Sept. 22, 2015 4. Zachary Grigsby, Nov. 29, 2015 5. Germichael Kennedy, June 26, 2016 6. Thomas Sailors, Jan. 5, 2018 7. Christopher Brennauer, Dec. 29, 2018 8. Joseph Francis Cimino, Oct. 8, 2019 9. Hailey Stainbrook and Christian Alexander, Feb. 20, 2021 10. German Pedraza, Nov. 24, 2021 11. Chace Abney, May 1, 2023 12. Stephen Kafka, Oct. 17,2023 13. Garrett Hanika Nov. 21, 2023 14. Braulio Blazio Dec. 17, 2023 15. Michael Glaser, April 2, 2024
When their first child was born with serious disabilities, Nick Smith and his wife Desiree moved to Nebraska to live closer to family.

Originally from Holdrege, Smith went to school and met his wife in Texas. Both were licensed teachers with four years of classroom experience. None of that mattered when they moved to Nebraska in 2021.

I knew that there were going to be some initial roadblocks moving back, Smith said. I didn't think that it would be as big of an obstacle as it has become.

The state didnt recognize his out-of-state teaching credentials. After two years of failed lobbying efforts, Smith begrudgingly chose to start the process for getting his Nebraska teacher license  at his own expense.

Now, that may no longer be necessary.

The Nebraska Legislature in February approved a bill recognizing certain out-of-state licenses. It passed with near-unanimous support, thanks largely to the bills marrying of causes that conservatives and liberals could get behind.

In addition to the licensing reforms, LB16 also provides pathways for those with military experience and opportunities for individuals with criminal records to be workforce eligible.

Nebraska has a mass incarceration issue. We also have a workforce challenge. So the more that we can do to address those really big public policy problems  the better it is for all Nebraskans, said Sen. Danielle Conrad, who shepherded the bill across the finish line.

In Nebraska, more than 170 occupations require some form of licensure, according to a 2021 Nebraska Department of Labor report.

Requirements vary based on the job. Jockeys, for example, must pass a physical exam and pay a fee each year. Court reporters need 30 hours of continuing education every three years.

The purpose of licensing is to protect the publics health and safety, but its become a barrier to qualified individuals, said Laura Ebke, a senior policy expert at the Platte Institute and a former state lawmaker.

Just because you cross state lines doesn't mean you lose your skills, she said.

Nebraska is now the 23rd state to start recognizing out-of-state licenses, reflecting a broader movement across the country. The goal, Ebke said, is to reduce bureaucracy and make it easier for people to work.

More than 8,000 new professional licenses have been granted in Arizona since the state passed a similar law in 2019, according to Common Sense Institute Arizona, a think tank focused on free-market policies. It found no evidence that the law caused a jump in malpractice or lessened the quality of services.

We can learn from our sister states' experience that when they moved in that direction, they had positive impacts and the sky didn't fall, said Conrad.

Conrad, a Democrat from Lincoln, picked up the proposal from former Sen. Tom Briese, a Republican who introduced the bill in 2023. She made it her priority bill, improving the odds that lawmakers would vote on it this legislative session.

Conrad had previously worked on mass incarceration, racial injustice and second-chance employment issues when she was executive director of the ACLU of Nebraska.

The new law provides clarity on what criminal convictions make a person ineligible for certain jobs, said Jasmine Harris, director of public policy and advocacy at RISE, a nonprofit that prepares incarcerated individuals for the workforce.

Previously there was no list, she said, which created confusion for people like Alana Alexander.

Alexander left prison with more than 40 workforce certificates, all of which were pretty worthless out in the real world, she said in testimony supporting a bill later folded into LB 16.

In prison, Alexander was an electrician, a personal fitness trainer and yoga instructor. Once released, she ran into roadblocks while trying to work in those professions.

Alexander eventually left Nebraska and moved to Florida.

The RISE reentry program can now help direct inmates toward careers that they wont be barred from because of their conviction.

I've always said that we have to do policy too, because these are barriers that have been baked into laws and policies within businesses, industries, Harris said. You can't program yourself out of a situation that a program didn't start.

Representatives from the Nebraska Medical Association, the American Massage Therapy Association Nebraska Chapter and the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association testified against the bill earlier this year.

They worried about lowering standards of care and cautioned that some occupations have drastically different requirements from state to state.

For example, Nebraska requires 1,000 hours of massage therapy education before granting an occupational license. Kansas requires 625.

None of the organizations in opposition responded to requests for comment.

Conrad said the bill removes the governmental burden, but it also ensures that private businesses or even public employers are empowered to still pick the right person for the job.

Nick Smith took a job at Spreetail while he tried to navigate his return to teaching. He now has a temporary teaching license but continues to take required online courses through Wayne State University.

The process has taken a toll on their daily lives  financially and emotionally.

When I get home, I have to do classes and the same thing with my wife, Smith said, adding that they usually have to split up parenting duties. Teachers don't make a lot of money, so it has not helped our financial situation.

Smith was staring at another year and a half of courses  and tuition  before he could be officially licensed to do the job he did for four years in Texas.

I'm hoping though, that this law changes that.

The Flatwater Free Press is Nebraskas first independent, nonprofit newsroom focused on investigations and feature stories that matter.

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1. Yes. They look better and require less maintenance. Most high-end housing areas have them.

2. Yes. Wood fences can weather and look unsightly, plus masonry walls help to block sound.

3. No. Residents should have a choice of what kind of barriers are put up near their homes.

4. No. Allowing a variety of materials will be better for aesthetics, and costs may be lower.

5. Unsure. Its hard to say. Masonry walls may be sturdier, but mandating them is problematic.

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Do you spend too many nights trying to fall asleep? You are not alone.

Nearly one-third of American adults say they do not get the suggested seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

Some of the major causes are stress, anxiety, and a culture that experts say is about productivity, not rest.

Molly Atwood of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine said, You need to understand what your body needs and try your hardest to prioritize that and not just see sleep as kind of whats left over of the day.

Sleep experts say that you should avoid unproven methods to fall asleep and stay asleep. Instead, they suggest five simple ideas:

Create a buffer zone

First, try creating a buffer zone - a time of separation - between the end of your work day and your bedtime. Experts suggest leaving your work and daily responsibilities alone about an hour before bed.

While in this buffer zone, you should not check email, pay bills, do housework, or look on social media. Instead, try to relax with a book, enjoy a fun activity or spend time with loved ones.

Dr. Annise Wilson of Baylor University said, Anything that helps to center you and just helps you focus and release a lot of that tension from the day will then help promote sleep.

Watch what you eat

Eating a large meal right before bedtime can also hurt your sleep. So, try to eat in the early evening hours.

Atwood said that eating a large meal is like giving your body a really large job to do right before sleep at a time when things are supposed to be shutting down."

But do not go to bed very hungry, either. Try small amounts of food with protein or healthy fats, like cheese, almonds or peanut butter on whole grain bread.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol

Having an alcoholic drink or espresso after dinner could lead to a long night.

While alcohol can help you fall asleep at first, it can also hurt your sleep cycle. As a result, the quality of sleep declines. The chances that you will wake up more often in the middle of the night increase.

Caffeine blocks adenosine, a chemical that helps make you feel sleepy. And it can take your body up to 10 hours to clear caffeine.

For these reasons, experts suggest finishing up your caffeinated or alcoholic drinks many hours before bed.

Limit technology

Light from phones and computer screens can interfere with the circadian rhythm  or the internal clock that naturally wakes us up. Light has this effect by suppressing melatonin, which assists with sleep.

But you will need self-control to stop looking at screens, suggested Dr. Dianne Augelli of Weill Cornell Medicine.

TikTok doesnt want you to stop, Augelli said. Only you can stop you, so you have to learn to put that stuff away.

See your doctor

If you are still having a hard time getting a good nights sleep after more than one month of trying, experts say it is time to go to a doctor.

This is especially true if your sleepless nights are hurting your work performance or your mood.

Atwood said, It doesnt matter how much relaxation you do. At a certain point, its not going to be effective if theres a significant amount of stress... It might involve some problem-solving to figure that out.

Im John Russell.

Kenya Hunter reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

stressn. something that causes bodily or mental tension (worries, concerns, etc.)

anxiety  n. a state of being uneasy or very worried

prioritize  v. to list in order of importance or priority

relax  v. to relieve from nervous tension

focus  v. to concentrate attention on something

cycle -- n. a series of events or operations that happen regularly

significant  adj. having importance
American researchers have developed a new model of what they say is the largest 3D printer in the world.

The device is designed to build full-sized homes faster and for less money than traditional methods.

A team at the University of Maine said the printer is four times larger than the last one the university built in 2019. That device was named the worlds largest polymer 3D printer by the Guinness World Records organization.

Developers of the new printer said it can create objects up to 29 meters long, 10 meters wide and 5.5 meters high. The machine can use up to 227 kilograms of printing materials per hour.

It was recently introduced to the public during an event at the university in the town of Orono. The latest model received new robotic abilities, additional sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, said Habib Dagher. He leads the project for the University of Maines Advanced Structures & Composite Center.

Dagher noted his team could build even larger printers in the future after the university opens a new building this summer. Were learning from this to design the next one, he said.

The old 3D printer was used in 2022 to build a 55-square-meter model home made from a mixture of wood fibers and a plant-based plastic material. The home, called BioHome3D, was first printed in four parts before the pieces were moved to a permanent spot at the university. A team then connected the pieces and completed the building in just a few hours.

Officials in Maine said such large 3D printers might be able to help the state meet a growing demand for housing. State housing officials have suggested Maine will need to build another 80,000 homes over the next six years to keep up with demand.

The university aims to demonstrate that homes can be built almost completely with printers that do not harm the environment. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that building-related industries produce about 37 percent of greenhouse gases. The gases come from the production and use of materials including cement, steel and aluminum.

3D printed buildings can also be recycled, which is unusual in the building industry. You can basically deconstruct it, Dagher said. You can grind it up if you wish, the 3D printed parts, and reprint with them, do it again.

Dagher added that in addition to cutting down on building time and costs, the 3D printer was designed to make homes that look nice. We wanted to build a house that people would say, Wow, I really want to live there.

The team said it plans next to experiment with different printing materials. The researchers would like to use more wood found locally since Maine is the most heavily forested state in the U.S.

The machine can also be used to print other objects, such as boats or government structures, the developers say. Dagher said upcoming projects with the new printer will include a large boat and small homes to serve the areas homeless population.

University of Maine Chancellor Dannel Malloy said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided most of the money for the printer, which cost several million dollars.

Im Bryan Lynn

The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English.

________________________________________

Words in This Story

polymer  n. a chemical substance of large molecules that is made from many smaller and simpler molecules

fiber  n. a structure that is similar to a thread in the body

greenhouse gas  n. a gas in the Earths atmosphere that can trap heat

cement  n. a powder substance used in building that is mixed with water and sand to make a hard substance

deconstruct  v. to break something down into parts

grind  v. to crush something into small pieces or a powder
Officials closed schools and issued health warnings as a deadly heat wave has spread across Southeast Asia.

In the Philippines, the education ministry announced on Sunday that in-person classes at public schools would be canceled for two days.

Benjo Basas is chairperson of Teachers' Dignity Coalition, a group of educators. Basas told DWPM radio station, "We already have reports of high blood pressure and dizziness, and fainting for pupils and teachers in the past days,

Temperatures in the Philippines are expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius in the next three days, with many classrooms crowded and without air conditioning.

The country's weather agency said the heat index made the weather feel as though the temperature was 45 degrees Celsius. That heat level is considered dangerous and might lead to heat stroke.

The heat wave is also putting pressure on power supplies on Luzon, the countrys largest island. Officials closed 13 power plants on the island earlier in the month.

In Thailand, temperatures are expected to reach 40 degrees or more in the capital city of Bangkok and the country's central and northern areas. The weather agency advised people to avoid being outdoors for extended periods.

In the northern city of Lampang, temperatures reached 44.2 degrees Celsius on April 22. And officials expect the extreme heat to continue this week.

In the past month, 30 people have died from heat stroke, data from Thailand's health ministry showed.

Dehydration, heat stroke

State media reported that people in Vietnam are heading to air-conditioned shopping centers to escape the heat in Ho Chi Minh City. The country's national weather agency warns of forest fires and the risk of dehydration and heat shock.

On Sunday, the agency reported temperatures as high as 44 degrees Celsius in parts of northern and central Vietnam. The heat is expected to last until Wednesday.

Vietnam's state electricity company has also urged people not to overuse their air conditioning. The company warned that electricity usage has reached record highs in recent days.

Malaysia officials issued hot weather warnings on Sunday for 16 areas that have recorded temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees for three straight days.

Earlier in the month, Malaysias health ministry said 45 cases of heat-related illnesses had been reported through April 13. The ministry reported two deaths from heat stroke.

In neighboring Singapore, the weather service said the country's temperature could reach higher in 2024 than last year.

Since last month, some schools in Singapore have eased rules for wearing uniforms. Students are being permitted to wear exercise clothing because of the heat.

Warm temperatures in Indonesia are being blamed for an outbreak of dengue fever. The health ministry reported that cases of the mosquito-borne disease more than doubled to 35,000 from 15,000 a year earlier.

A health ministry spokesman added that the warm El Nino ocean current has extended the dry season. The ministry said the warmer temperatures have sped up the mosquitoes lifecycle.

Im Dorothy Gundy.

Neil Morales reported this story for Reuters news agency. Hai Do adapted it for VOA Learning English.

_____________________________________

Words in This Story

dizziness n. being unable to keep ones balance or being unable to stand

faint v. to lose consciousness

pupil n. a student

heat index n. an index that combines several different conditions that aims to express what the weather feels like rather than what the reading is from a thermometer

heat stroke n. any of a number of bad effects that come from the body getting too hot

dehydration n. a condition in which the body does not have enough water causing several dangerous health problems

uniform n. clothing worn by all members of a group, such as in schools or in the military, that is the same for everyone

lifecycle n. all the different stages in the life of a living thing

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Less than half of Americans say they are getting enough sleep, according to a recent opinion study by the Gallup organization.

The poll found that 57 percent of Americans say they would feel better if they could get more sleep. Only 42 percent say they are getting as much sleep as they need.

Gallup carried out the same kind of study in 2013. That time, the results were different. Fifty-six percent said they got enough sleep, while 43 percent said they did not get enough sleep.

Women under the age of 50 were the most likely to report they are not getting enough rest. Only 27 percent of women in that group said they usually get all the sleep they need.

The poll also asked people to report how many hours of sleep they usually get each night. Only 26 percent said they got eight or more hours. Many sleep experts say adults should aim for eight hours of sleep a night.

Just over half of the respondents reported getting between six and seven hours of sleep a night. And 20 percent said they got five hours or less. That number increased from 2013, when 14 percent of respondents reported getting five hours or less.

Justine Broughal is a self-employed event planner with two small children. She is 31 years old. Her 4-month-old son still wakes up throughout the night. After her 3-year-old daughter goes to bed, she still needs to do some work in the house. That makes it difficult for her to get the sleep she needs.

I really treasure being able to spend time with (my children), Broughal says. However, she added that it can reduce the amount of time for her to rest and take care of herself.

Claude Fischer is a professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. He said that American culture has valued hard work and productivity since the first European immigrants arrived. He added that the religious beliefs of some groups connected hard work with approval from God.

Working hard, he said, has been a core part of American culture for centuries.

Late-night relaxing

Some Americans also say their busy workdays make them want to stay up late. After a long day of work, spending time at night on social media or watching television can help them lower stress or have some time to themselves. But this reduces the number of hours they can sleep.

Liz Meshel has experienced this. The 30-year-old American is temporarily living and doing research in Bulgaria. But she also works a part-time job on U.S. hours to help pay her bills. That means she sometimes works until 10 at night local time.

When it is close to her bedtime, she said she thinks about the time she did not have for herself during the day. So, she decides to watch television and look at social media instead of getting to sleep earlier.

That, Meshel said, will always make the problem worse.

Im Andrew Smith.

Deepti Hajela and Linley Sanders wrote this story for The Associated Press. Andrew Smith adapted it for VOA Learning English.

Quiz - Study: Most Americans Need More Sleep Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_____________________________________________

Words in This Story

respondent -n. a person who answers one or more questions

treasure -v. to value highly

sociology -n. the study of society or the way it is organized

core -n. the center or most important part of something
Oleh Chaban, a well-known Ukrainian scientist and psychiatrist, is convinced that a person cannot contact more than 150 people. According to him, the smaller the brain, the more connections. As an example, he cited seagulls, which are highly socialized.

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The doctor spoke about this on the Yellow Sneakers YouTube channel with Yulia Borisko. He added that success does not depend on the number of friends.

"When people say that I have a lot of friends and that's success. I don't believe in it. There is a great work called Dunbar's Magic Number. The author, Robin Dunbar, derived the number of trusted connections. He drew parallels with the volume of the brain from birds to humans. The smaller the brain, the more connections. Here we can think of seagulls, which are highly socialized," said Chaban. However, this does not make seagulls any smarter or more successful.

A psychiatrist said that a person can have a maximum of 150 contacts.

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"Everything behind the number 150 is a lie. I have 5,000 friends on Facebook and the whole world loves me - it's crazy," the doctor said.

And you can have no more than three true friends. It doesn't matter if you live in a remote village in Zakarpattia or if you are a famous person. You just have different needs. Here, Oleh Chaban gives a simple example.

"There are three people who abuse alcohol and they are friends around one bottle. There are different levels of friendship," the psychiatrist emphasized.

He also said that the brain of a successful person is less active than the brain of a person with a low IQ.

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You can also recall 5 interesting facts about how friendships change as we grow up. When we were young, we might have had a wide circle of friends. However, as the number of responsibilities grows, we begin to realize the true value of friendship.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Mainland to import Taiwan agriculture, fishery products that meet quarantine requirements

Xinhua) 09:31, April 29, 2024

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The General Administration of Customs (GAC) said Sunday that it will approve the import of wendan pomelo and other agriculture and fishery products from Taiwan, given that they meet the quarantine requirements of the mainland. The requirements will be made on the basis of scientific assessment and in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.

The GAC is willing to strengthen communication with the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) party and relevant authorities in Taiwan on resuming imports of Taiwan's agriculture and fishery products into the mainland on the common political basis of adhering to the 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," said Zhao Zenglian, deputy chief of the GAC, when meeting a KMT delegation.

The delegation led by Fu Kun-chi visited the GAC on Sunday.

Zhao added that the GAC is willing to work with the KMT and relevant authorities in Taiwan to encourage those in the industry in Taiwan to strengthen management at the source and take practical and feasible rectification measures.

Fu expressed the hope that products from all industries in Taiwan, especially high-quality agriculture and fishery products, can be successfully marketed to the mainland.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The new rulers of Afghanistan have announced that almost the whole of the leadership of the ousted regime is dead.

Two days ago, they declared President Mohammed Daoud, 68, had been killed  along with his brother Mohammed Naim  for refusing to pledge allegiance to the new left-wing government.

This was followed by a bloodbath in the capital, Kabul, with reports of streets littered with bodies.

Kabul Radio broadcast the announcement saying the vice president, defence minister, interior minister and commander of the air force had all been killed in fighting.

General Abdul Kader, a former vice-commander of the air force, stated over the radio that a military revolutionary council had taken control.

Police loyal to the former president have been rounded up and students wearing red scarves have been seen directing traffic in the streets.

Travellers to the area say a massive purge of Daoud supporters is underway with people being rounded up and shot all over the country.

The coup was led by young officers in the army and air force, most of whom were trained in the Soviet Union. Sources in Kabul believe it was engineered and supported by Moscow to preserve its influence in the area.

The late President Daoud had ruled Afghanistan since 1973 when he ousted his brother-in-law King Zahir Shah, with the help of Soviet-trained officers.

But gradually he removed these men from positions of power and declared himself to be aligned to neither East nor West  yet still collected aid from both.

The present uprising was sparked off two weeks ago by the murder of Mir Akbar Parcham, leader of the Parcham Party backed by Moscow.

Daoud ordered the arrest of other leading figures of the Parcham Party in an anti-Communist campaign that led to this weeks bloody coup.

Courtesy BBC News

In context

Noor Mohammed Taraki emerged as Afghanistans new president. He brought in Marxist reforms and aligned the country more closely with the USSR.

In September 1979, Taraki was ousted and his hardline deputy Hafizullah Amin took power.

The Soviet Union then sent in troops on the advice of the KGB, Amin was executed, and the Soviet-supported Babrak Karmal became president.

After a long and devastating war with guerrilla opposition forces  the mujahideen  the last of the Soviet troops left Afghanistan in 1989.

In 1992 an alliance of guerrilla factions took Kabul with Burhanuddin Rabbani as its interim president.

The Taleban declared themselves rulers of Afghanistan in September 1996 and imposed a puritanical form of Islamic law in the two thirds of the country they controlled.

They were ousted in late 2001 with the help of US and British air strikes after refusing to hand over Osama Bin Laden. In April 2002 the former king Zahir Shah returned but said he would make no claim to the throne.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials, stressing the importance of responsibly managing the differences between the United States and China as the two sides butted heads over a number of contentious bilateral, regional and global issues.

Talks between the two sides have increased in recent months, even as differences have grown. Blinken said he raised concerns with Xi about Chinas support for Russia and its invasion of Ukraine, as well as other issues including Taiwan and the South China Sea, human rights and the production and export of synthetic opioid precursors.

Blinken sounded a positive note on recent progress made in bilateral cooperation, including in military communications, counternarcotics and artificial intelligence, on which the two sides agreed to start a dialogue on how to reduce risks from the rapidly emerging technology.

We are committed to maintaining and strengthening lines of communication to advance that agenda, and again deal responsibly with our differences so we avoid any miscommunications, any misperceptions, any miscalculations, he said.

But he stressed that even as we seek to deepen cooperation, where our interests align, the United States is very clear-eyed about the challenges posed by (China) and about our competing visions for the future. America will always defend our core interests and values.

Notably, he said he raised ongoing concerns about Beijings supply of materials, including machine tools and micro electronics, to Moscow that President Vladimir Putin is using to boost Russias defenses and its war on Ukraine.

Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without Chinas support, Blinken told reporters after his meeting with Xi.

Fueling Russias defense industrial base not only threatens Ukrainian security, it threatens European security, he added. As weve told China for some time, ensuring transatlantic security is a core U.S. interest. In our discussions today. I made clear that if China does not address this problem, we will.

Blinken did not elaborate on how the U.S. would address the matter if China did not, but Washington has imposed large numbers of sanctions against Chinese firms for doing business with countries such as Russia, Iran and North Korea.

He said he urged China to use its influence to discourage Iran and its proxies from expanding the conflict in the Middle East  and convince North Korea to end its dangerous behavior and engage in dialogue.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday hailed military cooperation with China during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in Kazakhstans capital, Astana.

Russian-Chinese military cooperation is an important element in increasing defense capability and maintaining global and regional stability. We regularly conduct joint operational and combat training on land, sea and in the air, and successfully practice combat training missions of varying degrees of complexity, Shoigu said.

He said the cooperation is important as new hotbeds of tension are emerging and old ones are exacerbating. In essence, this is the result of geopolitical adventures, selfish neo-colonial actions of the West.

Blinken also discussed with Xi Chinas maritime maneuvers in the disputed South China Sea, and reiterated ironclad American support for the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia.

Xi stressed that China and the U.S. must seek common ground rather than engage in vicious competition.

China is happy to see a confident, open, prosperous and thriving United States, the Chinese leader said. We hope the U.S. can also look at Chinas development in a positive light. This is a fundamental issue that must be addressed.

Earlier, Blinken held lengthy talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong.

He and Wang underscored the importance of keeping lines of communication open as they lamented persistent and deepening divisions that threaten global security. Those divisions were highlighted earlier this week when U.S. President Joe Biden signed a massive foreign aid bill that contains several elements that the Chinese see as problematic.

Overall, the China-U.S. relationship is beginning to stabilize, Wang told Blinken at the start of about 5 1/2 hours of talks. But at the same time, the negative factors in the relationship are still increasing and building and the relationship is facing all kinds of disruptions.

Wang also outlined, without being specific, well-known Chinese complaints about U.S. policies and positions on the South China Sea, Taiwan, human rights and Chinas right to conduct relations with countries it deems fit, saying Chinas legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed.

Chinas concerns are consistent, he said. We have always called for respect of each others core interests and urge the United States not to interfere in Chinas internal affairs, not to hold Chinas development back, and not to step on Chinas red lines on Chinas sovereignty, security, and development interests.

Blinken responded by saying that the Biden administration places a premium on U.S.-China dialogue even on issues of dispute. He noted there had been some progress in the past year but suggested that talks would continue to be difficult.

Blinken arrived in China on Wednesday, visiting Shanghai shortly before Biden signed the $95 billion foreign aid package that has several elements likely to anger Beijing, including $8 billion to counter Chinas growing aggressiveness toward Taiwan and in the South China Sea. It also seeks to force TikToks China-based parent company to sell the social media platform.

China and the United States are the major players in the Indo-Pacific. Washington has become increasingly alarmed by Beijings growing aggressiveness in recent years toward Taiwan and its smaller Southeast Asian neighbors with which it has significant territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea.

China has railed against U.S. assistance to Taiwan and immediately condemned the aid as a dangerous provocation. It also strongly opposes efforts to force TikToks sale, although Blinken said this issue did not come up in his talks on Friday.

The bill also allots $61 billion for Ukraine to defend itself from Russias invasion. Chinas foreign ministry said the U.S. position on Chinese defense trade with Russia was hypocritical when considered alongside the amount of military assistance Washington is providing to Kyiv.

It is extremely hypocritical and irresponsible for the U.S. side to introduce a bill for large-scale assistance to Ukraine while making groundless accusations against normal economic and trade exchanges between China and Russia, said ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin.

Shifting the blame to China will not solve the problem, nor will it alleviate the passive situation of the parties involved in the Ukraine crisis, he said. MATTHEW LEE, BEIJING, MDT/AP
The National Immigration Administration of China has published six new measures to facilitate border crossings between the mainland, Macau and Hong Kong.

The new measures will take effect after the Labor Day Golden Week on May 6, with the mainland authority expecting 100 million companies to benefit.

According to the authority, they aim to promote a high level of opening to the outside world and further facilitate the entry and exit to and from [the] mainland.

Wang Ling, the deputy head of the entry-exit administrative department, stated that the policy adjustment would be advantageous for 100 million privately owned businesses and employees from 30,000 companies holding multiple business visas.

The first measure moves the full process of requesting and renewing passports and travel permits online.

The measure will be implemented in 20 cities including Beijing as a pilot project and will be expanded nationwide later.

Those aged 16 and above with registered permanent residence status who apply for the replacement and reissue of ordinary passports, as well as travel permits to and from Hong Kong and Macau, as well as from Taiwan, can submit their applications online through the National Immigration Administration service platform.

The second and fourth measures will likely have a higher impact on Macau and Hong Kong.

These are related to the issuance of business visas for both SARs, which will be expedited nationwide and the duration of these visas.

Mainland residents who apply for business visas to Hong Kong and Macau can submit their applications at any entry-exit management point of the public security bureau across the country.

Those applying for multiple business visas can use the smart visa process to get the visa immediately.

These visas will include an extension of the period of stay from seven to 14 days at a time.

The third measure is related to assisting the circulation of highly qualified staff from Beijing and Shanghai, who will be able to apply for talent visas for Hong Kong and Macau.

This measure applies to six different categories including outstanding talent, scientific research talent, cultural and educational talent, health talent, legal talent, and management talent.

These people can apply for multiple visas with validity periods ranging from one to five years, individually or at the same time, based on their qualifications.

Those approved under this scheme will have their stays in Hong Kong or Macau capped to 30 days at a time.

In a much-awaited measure that has received a lot of attention and calls from local lawmakers in the past year, the National Immigration Administration has also decided to issue a series of multiple entry visas to Macau for those aiming to take part in a series of activities.

The activities include participation in conventions and exhibitions, seeking medical treatment or engaging in performing arts.

These multiple-entry visas will have a duration of one year at any entry-exit port across the country with relevant supporting documents.

Those coming to Macau for medical treatment will be allowed to add one or two accompanying persons to the same visa.

The last of the six measures applies to tour groups to Hengqin that will be granted access to Macau at the same time for two locations tours.

This type of visa allows those traveling in a tour group, after entering Macau, to travel to and from Hengqin and Macau multiple times via Hengqin Port within seven days using the same group visa.

CE praises the measures

After the announcement, the Chief Executive (CE), Ho Iat Seng, on behalf of the government, thanked the Central government and the National Immigration Administration.

In a statement to the press, the CE said the new measures are very favorable and will contribute to consolidating Macaus role as a world tourism and leisure center, as well as further enhancing the development of Macaus bid to diversify the economy.

Ho said Macau is well prepared to receive more tour groups from the mainland and attract high-quality qualified personnel, promising to continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation with all parties.
The government has put forward new legislation aimed at addressing the issue of squatting due to rent arrears, as announced by the Executive Council Friday. The proposed changes aim to streamline the eviction process, making it more efficient for landlords to regain possession of their apartments. Under the new rules, rent squatters will be subject to new eviction procedures. Tenants who fail to pay rent for a period of five months may soon face eviction, provided that they have received a written notice regarding their arrears.

Related
Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long war and stave off a planned Israeli ground offensive into the southern city of Rafah.

Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya gave no details of Israels offer, but said it was in response to a Hamas proposal two weeks ago. Negotiations earlier this month centered on a six-week cease-fire proposal and the release of 40 civilian and sick hostages in exchange for freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

A separate Hamas statement said leaders from the three main militant groups active in Gaza discussed attempts to end the war. It didnt mention the Israeli proposal.

The statements came hours after an Egyptian delegation ended a visit to Israel where it discussed a new vision for a prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, according to an Egyptian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the developments.

It wasnt immediately clear whether Israels proposal was directly related to the visit.

The discussions between Egyptian and Israeli officials focused on the first stage of a plan that would include a limited exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners, and the return of a significant number of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza with minimum restrictions, the Egyptian official said.

Mediators are working on a compromise that will answer most of both parties main demands, which could pave the way to continued negotiations with the goal of a deal to end the war, the official said.

Hamas has said it wont back down from demands for a permanent cease-fire and full withdrawal of Israeli troops. Israel has rejected both and said it will continue military operations until Hamas is defeated and that it will retain a security presence in Gaza.

There is growing international pressure for Hamas and Israel to reach a cease-fire deal and avert an Israeli attack on Rafah, where more than half of Gazas 2.3 million people have sought refuge.

Israel has insisted for months it plans a ground offensive into Rafah, on the border with Egypt, where it says many remaining Hamas militants remain, despite calls for restraint including from Israels staunchest ally, the United States.

Egypt has cautioned an offensive into Rafah could have catastrophic consequences on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where famine is feared, and on regional peace and security.

The Israeli military has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles in southern Israel close to Rafah and hit locations in the city in near-daily airstrikes.

Early Saturday, an airstrike hit a house in Rafahs Tel Sultan neighborhood, killing a man, his wife and their sons, ages 12, 10 and 8, according to records of the Abu Yousef al-Najjar hospitals morgue. A neighbors 4-month-old girl was also killed.

Ahmed Omar rushed with other neighbors after the 1:30 a.m. strike to look for survivors, but said they only found bodies and body parts.

Its a tragedy, he said.

An Israeli airstrike later Saturday on a building in Rafah killed seven people, including six members of the Ashour family, according to the morgue. By SAMY MAGDY & DAVID RISING, CAIRO, MDT/AP
The head of Vietnams parliament has resigned, according to state media, making him the latest senior member of government to leave office amid an ongoing anti-corruption campaign thats shaken the countrys political and business elites.

The resignation of National Assembly Chair Vuong Dinh Hue adds to growing instability in the country. President Vo Van Thuong resigned in March  just over a year after the previous president, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, resigned to take political responsibility for corruption scandals during the pandemic.

It also highlights the extreme uncertainty in a political environment thats often boasted of its stability, as three top leaders have been axed in just a year, said Nguyen Khac Giang, an analyst at Singapores ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.

Hues resignation came days after his assistant Pham Thai Ha was arrested on charges of abusing his position and power for personal gain on April 21, according to state media outlet VN Express.

Initial reports did not say that Hue was implicated in corruption, but noted that investigators found that the parliamentary leader had violated Party regulations, and his violations have affected the reputation of the Party, the State and himself. Vietnams Communist Party accepted what it called a voluntary resignation from Hue, according to VN Express.

Hue, 67, had been the chair of Vietnams national assembly for over three years. That made him the fourth most important politician in Vietnam, along with the President, the Prime Minister and the head of the Communist Party.

Political instability could threaten Vietnams economic ambitions as it vies to become an alternative to China in the regions supply chain. On a visit to Vietnam earlier in the month, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he wants to further increase investment in the country.

Has arrest resulted from an expansion of the ongoing investigation into the Thuan An Group, said Vietnam News Agency, citing Ministry of Public Security spokesperson Lt. Gen. To An Xo. Company chair Nguyen Duy Hung and several others were arrested earlier in April.

The Blazing Furnace campaign has singed businesses, and led to an unprecedented death sentence for real estate tycoon Truong My Lan in Vietnams largest-ever fraud case.

Giang, the analyst, said Hue was previously seen as a likely successor to Trong. His downfall will only intensify Vietnams succession crisis, he said.

Vietnams leaders are next due to convene a Communist Party congress in early 2026.

Meanwhile, experts say, rivals are jostling to position themselves as a successor to Trong, who was elected to an unprecedented third term as party chief in 2021. Given his age, experts say that it is unlikely that he will continue for another term. MDT/AP
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) saw over 10 million inbound and outbound vehicles pass through its Zhuhai port to about 4 p.m. Saturday, since it opened to public traffic in October 2018, according to the border inspection station of the HZMB. The number of inbound and outbound vehicles passing through the Zhuhai port of the bridge surged from 860,000 in 2019 to 3.26 million in 2023. Data shows that in 2023, more than 45,000 mainland tour groups traveled to and from Hong Kong and Macau via the bridge.

Related
Macau is gearing up for a tourism surge during the upcoming May Day Labor Day Golden Week holiday.

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is expecting a significant influx of visitors, with an average of 130,000 inbound tourists per day during the holiday period.

Hotel booking rates have already reached 60-70%, and are projected to rise further, surpassing 80-90% occupancy in the days leading up to the holiday.

According to a forecast from the National Immigration Administration (NIA), Chinas border ports are expecting a daily average of 1.76 million inbound and outbound trips, up 40.5% year on year, during the upcoming May Day holiday.

During the five-day holiday starting May 1, international airports in China will see a steady increase of border arrivals and departures.

Land ports linking the Chinese mainland with Hong Kong and Macau will see a notable increase in entry-exit trips, with Gongbei Port in Zhuhai and Luohu Port in Shenzhen estimated to handle a daily average of 320,000 and 194,000 entry-exit trips respectively, according to official news agency Xinhua.

Meanwhile, despite the busy holiday season, popular attractions like the Macao Grand Prix Museum will maintain their normal operating hours to welcome guests.

To accommodate the expected visitor increase, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has planned advanced environmental hygiene measures.

IAM will intensify the cleaning of public streets and toilets, reinforcing inspection and supervision. It has also installed more than 200 signs to guide the public to the nearest facilities.

Inspections will be enhanced to ensure garbage areas, toilets and streets are free of issues.

Regarding the hiring of foreign language guides, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said travel agencies and tour guides will continue to bring in guides.

She also noted the bill to regulate travel agencies will be discussed in the Legislative Assemblys subcommittee.

Authorities have been gathering feedback from industry groups and will share these views with lawmakers. Staff Reporter
* Business matters

 Mainland Chinese holders of business visas for Hong Kong and Macau will have their visas extended to two weeks, with authorities expecting 100 million companies to benefit

* May Golden Week | MGTO forecasts 130,000 daily arrivals

* MICE | Macau to host major Europe travel conference in 2025

* Macaus general unemployment rate stood at 2.1%, with a Median monthly earnings of MOP18,000 in the first quarter of 2024

* MPay payments now available in Hong Kong through Alipay+

* Antony Blinken meets with president Xi as US, China spar over bilateral and global issues

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Monday, April 29, 2024  edition no. 4472
Philippine forces killed an Abu Sayyaf militant, who had been implicated in past beheadings, including of 10 Filipino marines and two kidnapped Vietnamese, in a clash in the south, police officials said Friday.

Philippine police, backed by military intelligence agents, killed Nawapi Abdulsaid in a brief gunbattle Wednesday night in the remote coastal town of Hadji Mohammad Ajul on Basilan island after weeks of surveillance, security officials said.

Abu Sayyaf is a small but violent armed Muslim group, which has been blacklisted by the United States and the Philippines as a terrorist organization for ransom kidnappings, beheadings, bombings and other bloody attacks.

It has been considerably weakened by battle setbacks, surrenders and infighting, but remains a security threat particularly in the southern Philippines, home to minority Muslims in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation.

Abdulsaid, who used the nom de guerre Khatan, was one of several Abu Sayyaf militants who aligned themselves with the Islamic State group.

A confidential police report said that Abdulsaid had been implicated in at least 15 beheadings in Basilan, including of 10 Philippine marines in Al-Barka town in 2007 and two of six kidnapped Vietnamese sailors near Sumisip town in 2016. The Vietnamese were seized from a passing cargo ship.

He was also involved in attacks against government forces in 2022 and a bombing in November that killed two pro-government militiamen and wounded two others in Basilan, the report said.

Abdulsaid was placed under surveillance in February, but police forces couldnt immediately move to make a arrest because of the hostile nature of the area where he was eventually gunned down, according to the report.

On Monday, Philippine troops killed the leader of another Muslim rebel group and 11 of his men blamed for past bombings and extortion in a separate clash in a marshy hinterland in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in southern Maguindanao del Sur province, the military said.

Seven soldiers were wounded in the clash with the members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The Abu Sayyaf and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters are among a few small armed groups still struggling to wage a separatist uprising in the southern Philippines.

The largest armed separatist group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, signed a 2014 peace pact with the government that eased decades of sporadic fighting.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebel commanders became parliamentarians and administrators of a five-province Muslim autonomous region in a transition arrangement after signing the peace deal. They are preparing for a regular election scheduled for next year. JIM GOMEZ, MANILA, MDT/AP
Russian President Vladimir Putin said last week he plans to visit China in May, in what could become the first foreign trip for the Russian leader after he extended his rule by six more years in an election that offered voters little real choice.

Putin announced the plans for the visit at a congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Moscow. He didnt say when exactly it would take place and didnt offer any other details.

Putins inauguration is scheduled for May 7, Russian lawmakers said earlier this week. Last month, the 71-year-old Russian leader secured his fifth term in office in a vote with no real opposition, extending his 24-year rule.

Russias growing economic and diplomatic isolation because of its war against Ukraine has made it increasingly reliant on China, its former rival for leadership of the Communist bloc during the Cold War.

According to a recent U.S. assessment, China has surged sales to Russia of machine tools, microelectronics and other technology that Moscow in turn is using to produce missiles, tanks, aircraft and other weaponry for use in the conflict.

China has repeatedly said it isnt providing Russia with arms or military assistance, although it has maintained robust economic connections with Moscow.

Beijing has not provided direct lethal military support for Russia and has sought to project itself as neutral in the Ukraine conflict. It has refused to condemn Moscows actions and declared in 2022 that it had a no-limits friendship with Russia. The country has denounced Western sanctions against Moscow, and accused NATO and the United States of provoking Putins invasion.

China has also proposed a peace plan that was largely dismissed by Ukraines allies, who insisted that Moscow must withdraw its forces from the neighboring country as a condition for peace. MDT/AP
Two Russian journalists were arrested by their government on extremism charges and ordered by courts there on Saturday to remain in custody pending investigation and trial on accusations of working for a group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny.

Konstantin Gabov and Sergey Karelin both denied the charges for which they will be detained for a minimum of two months before any trials begin. Each faces a minimum of two years in prison and a maximum of six years for alleged participation in an extremist organization, according to Russian courts.

They are just the latest journalists arrested amid a Russian government crackdown on dissent and independent media that intensified after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. The Russian government passed laws criminalizing what it deems false information about the military, or statements seen as discrediting the military, effectively outlawing any criticism of the war in Ukraine or speech that deviates from the official narrative.
Washington, United StatesThe White House insisted Sunday that pro-Palestinian protests that have rocked US universities in recent weeks must remain peaceful, after police arrested around 275 people on four separate campuses over the weekend.

We certainly respect the right of peaceful protests, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told ABCs This Week.

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But, he added, we absolutely condemn the anti-Semitism language that weve heard of late and certainly condemn all the hate speech and the threats of violence out there.

The wave of demonstrations began at Columbia University in New York, but they have since spread rapidly across the country.

While peace has prevailed in many campuses, the number of protesters detainedat times by police in riot gear using chemical irritants and tasersis rising fast.

They include 100 at Northeastern University in Boston, 80 at Washington University in St Louis, 72 at Arizona State University and 23 at Indiana University.

Among those arrested at Washington University was Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, who faulted police for aggressive tactics she said provoked the sort of trouble they are meant to quell.

This is about freedom of speech on a very critical issue, she told CNN shortly before her arrest Saturday. And there they are, sending in the riot police and basically creating a riot.

Protesters at Yale University established a new encampment on Sunday, the schools independent student newspaper reported, after a previous site was taken down by police days earlier, when dozens were arrested and charged with trespassing.

College administrators have struggled to find the best response, caught between the need to respect free-speech rights and the imperative of containing inflammatory and sometimes violently anti-Semitic calls by protesters.

With final exams coming in the next few weeks, some campusesincluding the Humboldt campus of California State Polytechnic Universityhave closed and instructed students to complete their classes online.

The activists behind the campus protestsnot all of them studentsare calling for a ceasefire in Israels war with Hamas, and want colleges to sever ties with Israel.

Hamas militants staged an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 that left around 1,170 people dead, according to an Agence France Presse (AFP) tally of Israeli official figures.

Palestinian militants also took roughly 250 people hostage. Israel estimates 129 remain in Gaza, including 34 the military says are dead.

Israels retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,454 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territorys health ministry.
P-pop sensation SB19 has received a nomination for the International Group/Duo of the Year for the 2024 SEC Awards in Brazil.

The boy band was nominated for the same category in the 2023 SEC Awards but lost to K-pop girl group Blackpink.

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For this year, SB19 will be vying for the award against notable international acts such as Kpop girl groups Le Sserafim, Twice, and (G)I-dle, Jpop boy band Be:First, American duo Twenty One Pilots, American boyband CNCO, and Latin pop group RBD.

Fans can cast their votes on the official SEC Awards website and through its official X account. On the website, the voting period will go on from April 26 until June 2, with each vote being worth double. Meanwhile, those voting on X will have two rounds of voting from April 6 to May 3 and May 27 to June 2.

Organized by Series em Cena, the SEC Awards celebrates prominent individuals and groups in film, television, music, and the internet. The date for the SEC Awards 2024 awards night has yet to be revealed as of writing.

SB19 is composed of Pablo, Josh, Stell, Ken, and Justin. The group is currently on their Pagtatag! World Tour and will be performing in Manila on May 18 and 19 at the Araneta Coliseum. The P-pop boy band is also set to release their newest single Moonlight in collaboration with Ian Asher and Terry Zhong on May 3.
Kenya Airways called on the Congo to release its staffers who have been detained in the country despite an order for their release by a local court.

The flag carrier described the continued detention as a harassment by Congos military authorities, who kept the two employees in jail for alleged customs violations.

Kenya Airways, known as KQ, said on Friday the staffers were arrested in its airport office in the capital, Kinshasa, over missing documentation for cargo that the airline had not accepted.

The airline filed an application at the military court to have the staffers released and it was granted on Thursday, he said.

Despite the court orders, the military intelligence unit is still holding them incommunicado, the statement said.
Assyrian Bishop Returns for First Sermon Since Stabbing

Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel delivering his first sermon on April 28 since he was allegedly stabbed by a 16-year-old boy. Assyrian Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has delivered his first sermon since he was allegedly stabbed in what was declared a terrorist act by NSW Police.

The Bishop appeared on the livestreamed Sunday sermon wearing a patch over his eye in the only lasting sign of the alleged attack at Christ The Good Shepherd Church on April 15.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with a terrorism offence by the joint counter-terrorism team and remains before the courts.

Bishop Emmanuel reiterated his message that he had forgiven his alleged attacker and said would always pray for him.

"I say to you, 'my dear, you are my son and you will always be my son'," he said.

"I will always wish you nothing but the best."

The bishop sustained lacerations to his head when he was allegedly stabbed during a sermon which was being livestreamed online about 7pm on April 15.

The footage was shared on social media and has sparked a high-profile showdown between Australia's eSafety Commissioner and Elon Musk, the executive chairman of X, formerly Twitter.

The Commissioner has taken X to the Federal Court after it claimed the platform had not taken enough action to remove the "extreme violent video material".

In the midst of the court battle Bishop Emmanuel put his support behind X and said he was not opposed to the footage being online.

In his address on April 28 the bishop went further to address the Australian government and Prime Minister directly.

"Every human being has the right to their freedom of speech and freedom of religion," Bishop Emmanuel said.

"For us to say that free speech is dangerous, that free speech cannot be possible in a democratic country, I'm yet to fathom this."

It comes after Mr Musk and X pushed back on the Commissioner's request for the footage to be removed globally, arguing governments should not have that power.

X said it believed "governments should not be able to censor what citizens of other countries see online", and it did not agree the posts should be banned in Australia either.

However government minister Bill Shorten said Mr Musk was conflating the issue by alleging Australia was trying to control the internet globally.

"We're not trying to do that. But this violent filth shouldn't be accessible," Mr Shorten told the Today show on April 26.

"He is contesting our interim orders and then he's sort of hiding behind another argument.

"Elon Musk is not a free speech warrior. If he was, he'd allow Twitter to be able to put up the movements of his jet, which he doesn't."

On April 24 the Federal Court granted a further interim injunction requiring X to immediately hide the footage.

The Court can impose a fine of up to $782,500 for each day of non-compliance with a removal notice, under the Online Safety Act.

A further court hearing is scheduled for May 10.
Nigeria has clinched a significant $600 million investment for its seaport infrastructure from the renowned Danish shipping company A.P. Moller-Maersk, as confirmed by the presidency on Sunday. This milestone agreement materialized during discussions between President Bola Tinubu and Moller-Maersk Chairman Robert Maersk Uggla at the sidelines of a World Economic Forum event in Saudi Arabia.

The Nigerian presidency relayed Ugglas confidence in Nigerias potential, with a commitment to channel the investment towards enhancing existing port facilities to accommodate larger vessels. This strategic move aims to alleviate congestion issues that have long impeded business operations, particularly in Lagos, the nations commercial nerve center.

In reaffirming the governments dedication to fostering progress, President Tinubu underscored the importance of supporting the modernization and automation of ports. This initiative is poised to yield multifaceted benefits, including bolstering trade efficiency, curbing corruption, and amplifying overall operational efficacy.

Tinubu further highlighted Nigerias burgeoning investment landscape, emphasizing the imperative of expanding revenue opportunities while minimizing reliance on trans-shipments from larger to smaller vessels, by leveraging this substantial investment, Nigeria endeavors to fortify its position as a regional economic powerhouse while nurturing an environment conducive to sustainable growth and prosperity. This landmark deal signifies a pivotal step towards revitalizing Nigerias infrastructure and underscores the nations allure as a prime destination for global investment.
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Large language models (LLMs) are approaching expert-level knowledge and reasoning skills in ophthalmology, according to a study published online April 17 in PLOS Digital Health.

Arun James Thirunavukarasu, M.B., B.Chir., from University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and colleagues evaluated the clinical potential of state-of-the-art LLMs in ophthalmology. Responses to 87 questions were compared for GPT-3.5, GPT-4, PaLM 2, LLaMA, expert ophthalmologists, and doctors in training.

The researchers found that the performance of GPT-4 (69 percent) was superior to performance of GPT-3.5 (48 percent), LLaMA (32 percent), and PaLM 2 (56 percent) and compared favorably with expert ophthalmologists (median, 76 percent), ophthalmology trainees (median, 59 percent), and unspecialized junior doctors (median, 43 percent). Low agreement between LLMs and doctors was due to idiosyncratic differences in knowledge and reasoning, with overall consistency across individuals and type. Grading ophthalmologists preferred GPT-4 responses over GPT-3.5 due to higher accuracy and relevance.

"LLMs are approaching expert-level ophthalmological knowledge and reasoning, and may be useful for providing eye-related advice where access to health care professionals is limited," the authors write. "Further research is required to explore potential avenues of clinical deployment."

One author disclosed a patent on a deep learning system to detect retinal disease.

More information: Arun James Thirunavukarasu et al, Large language models approach expert-level clinical knowledge and reasoning in ophthalmology: A head-to-head cross-sectional study, PLOS Digital Health (2024). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000341 Journal information: PLOS Digital Health

Copyright  2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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Countries returned to the negotiating table Monday for one last push to conclude an international agreement on how to handle future pandemics, with the most likely outcome being a slimmed-down accord that shelves some of the thorniest issues.

The 194 countries in the World Health Organization have come to its Geneva headquarters for a do-or-die round of negotiations after a two-year effort to seal a landmark accord on prevention, preparedness and response hit a deadline last month with no concrete wording agreed.

The goal of the talks, which run until May 10, is to get an agreement ready for adoption at the WHO's annual assembly of member states, which starts May 27.

In December 2021, the raw sting of COVID-19which shredded economies, crippled health systems and killed millionsmotivated countries to seek a binding framework of commitments aimed at preventing another such disaster.

But big gaps remain between countries on how to go about it.

Streamlined new draft

What was meant to be the ninth and final round of talks last month saw a 29-page draft swell to more than 100 as countries added proposed amendments.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) bureau conducting the talks issued a streamlined, 23-page new version on April 22 and wants to bar countries from proposing edits.

"The bureau is of the opinion that the text as presented in the proposal for a WHO Pandemic Agreement is consensus-ready. It was drafted on the basis of our many rounds of negotiations," it insisted.

The INB will present all 37 articles of the draft agreement, and if any countries object, they will be asked to explain their reasons.

If no quick fix can be found in the room, member states will dash off for informal talks to find a solution.

The main disputes revolve around access and equity: access to pathogens detected within countries, access to pandemic-fighting products such as vaccines produced from that knowledge, and equitable distribution of not only counter-pandemic tests, treatments and jabs but the means to produce them.

The new draft focuses on setting up the basic framework, and parks some of the trickier detail in further talks planned over the next two yearsnotably on how a planned WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System will work in practice.

Draft provisions 'diluted'

A group of 22 NGOs, including Health Action International, urged countries not to bow to pressure to compromise, postpone or give up on equitable access to counter-pandemic tools and technology.

"There is no value in having an instrument without concrete deliverables or enforceable provisions on equitythe absence of which reinforces the highly inequitable status quo," they said in a statement.

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Monday that several provisions key to an effective agreement "have been diluted, deleted, or are still missing".

MSF said these included transferring pandemic-fighting technology to poorer countries; ensuring that communities where drugs and vaccines are tested get access to the end-product; flexibility on intellectual property laws; and "international stockpiling and equitable allocation".

12-hour days

The talks, being held behind closed doors, run for 12 hours a day.

They may have been given a renewed sense of urgency by recent WHO warnings about the exponential growth of H5N1 bird fluwith concerns about what could happen if it starts transmitting between humans.

The INB will take stock of progress on Friday to determine the way forward, and wants to complete negotiations on the text itself by May 5.

May 7-10 will focus on wording the resolution to be passed at the World Health Assembly.

Tsegab Kebebew Daka, Ethiopia's ambassador in Geneva, told an event in the city that "we believe the differences in the text are not huge. They are mainly differences of ideas, and there are not that many."

 2024 AFP
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Scanning electron microscope image of Vibrio cholerae. Credit: Wikipedia

Mayotte, a French island in the Indian Ocean, said Sunday it had identified a total of 26 cases of cholera, stretching its care capabilities to the limit.

On Friday, Mayotte had reported its first three locally acquired cases of the disease, which came in addition to 10 imported cases detected over the past month.

After patient numbers doubled in 48 hours, the medical staffing situation at the Mayotte main hospital was "highly critical", said Olivier Brahic, the head of the ARS health authority.

ARS said it had opened a second cholera unit at the hospital after the first unit, with a capacity of 14, had been overwhelmed.

Cholera is an infectious disease typically causing severe diarrhea, vomiting and muscle cramps, which spreads easily under insufficient sanitation conditions.

ARS has announced a campaign to identify further cases, administer antibiotics and vaccinate people.

Mayotte's imported cases have arrived mostly from the neighboring Comoros, which has been battling a cholera epidemic since the start of the year.

Many migrants travel through the Comoros on their way to Mayotte from the Democratic Republic of Congo, itself facing a cholera epidemic that killed hundreds last year.

Mayotte is France's 101st and poorest administrative region and anti-immigrant groups have launched protests against new arrivals despite a vow from Paris to tighten citizenship rules.

Part of the Comoros archipelago, Mayotte voted to remain part of France in 1974, when the other three islands sought and won independence.

 2024 AFP
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Even though Australia has good quality translation and interpreting services, people who speak languages other than English still struggle to access timely and high quality information that is essential to their health and well-being.

The global study, which was published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues, reviewed research from Australia and around the world to find the best examples of multilingual communication models that were both effective and inclusive.

Lead researcher Raelene Wilding said while Australia is a world leader in offering multilingual resources access to health care services, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that these resources are not always effective in a crisis.

"During the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the need for quick, accurate communication of new public health messages placed interpreter and translation processes under significant strain," Professor Wilding said.

"Communication gaps contributed to increased fear, anger, and loss of trust in public services among many people from migrant backgrounds."

Professor Wilding said looking at data from many countries, it was clear that when governments used social media platforms to share important health alerts to the wider community, some people questioned if it was genuine and showed a degree of mistrust, while other community members did not have access to social media platforms.

"While digital tools are necessary to support communication, they are not sufficient when it comes to relaying urgent health alerts," Professor Wilding said.

"We discovered that most nations around the world relied heavily on migrant communities and poorly funded migrant community organizations to fill gaps in communications.

Professor Wilding said governments and health authorities should take responsibility for working with communities to provide effective and inclusive multilingual communications for all people and reduce the heavy reliance on the volunteer work of multilingual community members.

"The best inclusive multilingual communication needs a network of strong relationships and partnerships between multilingual communities and health authorities, which should be maintained beyond the immediate emergency," Professor Wilding said.

More information: Raelene Wilding et al, Linguistic diversity and emergency health alerts: A systematic critical review, Australian Journal of Social Issues (2024). DOI: 10.1002/ajs4.328
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The Biden administration is confronting the country's worsening maternal mortality rate with visits to multiple states, including Georgia on Monday, to focus attention on women's access to health care.

The visit to Atlanta is part of a year-long initiative launched in January to expand the federal government's work to address maternal health disparities across the country and implement the White House Blueprint for Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis. The meeting will bring together community organizations that are already working to reduce pregnancy-related deaths and complications in Georgia.

The problem is especially acute in Georgia, where women are dying from pregnancy-related causes at the highest rate documented by the state in the past decade. Each year, between 35 and 40 mothers die in Georgia, yet the vast majority of deaths are believed to be preventable, the AJC reported earlier this year.

"Nothing breaks my heart more than when we go to a meeting and a woman who has had a bad maternity outcome says, 'I thought I did everything right,'" said Carole Johnson, administrator of the federal agency that is organizing gatherings in multiple states. "The burden shouldn't be on women. The burden should be on us as policymakers to make sure that they have all the services and supports they need to have the best possible outcome."

Johnson leads the Health Resources and Services Administration, an arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that focuses on funding state and local maternal and child health programs. The work includes growing the state's health care workforce, supporting maternal health care in rural areas and ensuring people can access health care regardless of their ability to pay, she said.

Johnson is expected to announce new funding for maternal health programs during her visit.

The federal agency awarded more than $128 million to fund health centers across the state last fiscal year. In 2022, the centers in Georgia provided prenatal services for 7,500 people and supported the delivery of 2,100 babies, Johnson said. The agency also supports an array of services before and after a mother gives birth.

Dr. Tracey Lemon, an obstetrician who works at one of the health centers and has practiced medicine in Atlanta for 23 years, said there are fewer maternal deaths in the city.

Lemon attributed it to required annual training and drills at the hospitals so physicians and nurses can practice their response to critical incidents, such as when a woman has a hemorrhage. And, at her practice, all pregnant women are referred to a high-risk pregnancy specialist, known as a perinatologist.

There's enough of these specialists locally to screen pregnancies in the metro area.

"That is a very big benefit and the reason why I think we enjoy low mortality numbers," Lemon said.

Expanding these specialized services to smaller towns could help lower Georgia's maternal mortality rate, Lemon said.

Monday's visit will focus on ways to lessen the health disparities that women face due to where they live or their race.

Many women experience pregnancy complications, such as bleeding or high-blood pressure, that put their life and the lives of their babies in danger. Pregnancy can be particularly risky for Black women, who are two times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women in Georgia, according to state data.

U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, gave birth to her son, Carter, eight years ago and was leaving the hospital when a nurse checked her blood pressure and realized it was high. Williams was readmitted and put on medication for post-partum pre-eclampsia, which is a life-threatening condition. In an instant, a moment that should have been filled with joy was replaced by stress as her three-day-old son went home without her, she said.

Williams said she feels fortunate to have received the care she did and that she didn't become "yet another statistic."

"I know that everybody's story doesn't end that way," she said. "There are so many moms that go into the hospital and never come home, or they lose their life within the first year after childbirth."

Williams said now is the time for action, which includes expanding health care access through Medicaid.

"We already know what the problem is, but now we need to address it. We can expand Medicaid to get people the care that they need, but yet we are playing political games with this," Williams said.

She pointed to recent statements during an AJC live event when Gov. Brian Kemp said that he opposes Medicaid expansion, despite growing support among Republicans.

Lemon, the Atlanta obstetrician, said it remains hard to enroll in Medicaid, but that access to health insurance and health care has improved since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, also called "Obamacare." What she sees now is some patients foregoing certain procedures, because they cannot afford to pay their plan's high deductible.

"A lot of patients who get the Obamacare plans are getting care now and not falling between the cracks," Lemon said.

In Congress, Williams is sponsoring a bill to support the use of telehealth to expand remote patient monitoring and expand access to health care in underserved areas.

The issues of health care access is both a rural and urban issue in Georgia, Williams said. Rural hospitals have closed, and during her three years in Congress two hospitals in her Atlanta district have also closed. Williams said she is grateful that Grady Health System plans to open a standalone emergency room in Union City, but it doesn't fully meet the need of the community, she said.

"Unfortunately it surpasses urban or rural lines and it is a crisis all over the state," Williams said. "We need people to step up and be the leaders that we're elected to be and make these changes."

2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Measles outbreaks are still occurring and in some cases increasing, among a wide variety of countries, raising concerns of an acceleration similar to just before the COVID pandemic. Dr. Patrick O'Connor, of WHO Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland gave an overview of the global measles situation at this year's ESCMID Global Congress (formerly ECCMIDBarcelona, 2730 April), while Professor Hanna Nohynek of the Health Security Section, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland looks at the path to elimination, including successful elimination in WHO's America's region.

Dr. O'Connor discusses how the total cases for 2024 so far look to be on track to at least match the 321,582 cases provisionally reported for 2023 (in 2024, some 94,481 have been reported up to early April, but reporting delays mean the true figure is probably much higher). Of these 2024 cases, almost half (42,767 / 45%) have been in the WHO European Region. Yemen, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan are the countries with the highest reported measles incidence in the world.

Dr. O'Connor explains, "Over the last decade there has been significant progress towards measles and rubella eliminationthe Regional Verification Commissions for Measles and Rubella Elimination (RVCs) from all of the WHO Regions will review all national measles and rubella 2023 reports in 2024.

"The European Regional Verification Commission will review the elimination status from 1012 September 2024and provide an assessment of the 53 Member States in the European Regionlarge outbreak and continuous transmissions of measles are always a concern and can make achieving and maintaining elimination challenging."

While this coverage in the European Region for the first and second dose of measles and rubella containing vaccine has been relatively high as the national level, Dr. O'Connor explains, "The measles virus is extremely infectious and any gaps in immunization coverage are potential risk for outbreak. So, coverage needs to high but also uniform and equitable."

Worryingly, the number of countries suffering large or disruptive measles outbreaks (defined as 20 cases/million population continuously over a 12 month period) has tripled from 17 to 51, with the latest rolling 12 month period available as of April 2024 covering the months December 2022-November 2023.

And in absolute numbers, the percentage of global measles cases is dominated by low and lower-middle income countries, which have seen their proportion of all global cases increase from 80% in 2017 to 94% in 2022, while high-income countries fell from 5% to 1% in the same period.

Total cases globally have fluctuated wildly in recent years: 2016: 180,015; 2017: 168,190; 2018: 276,157; 2019: 541,401; 2020: 93,840; 2021: 59,619; 2022: 171,153. The provisional figure for 2023, 321 582, although yet to be finalized, is an 88% increase on the 2022 numbers.

Prof Nohynek says, "Measles cases were high in 2019, with the majority seen in Africa, where measles vaccine coverage has been lowest in the world allowing for unprotected population and as consequence periodic outbreaks. During the COVID-19 pandemic with closure of the society and limiting the number of human contacts, the transmission of all airborne viruses was reduced, including measles.

"During the pandemic, many children remained unvaccinated, and catchup vaccinations have not reached them. Therefore we now see cases increasing again in various regions of the world."

Dr. O'Connor also looks at the huge amount achieved globally by measles vaccination: an estimated 57 million deaths have been avoided globally with measles vaccination from 2000 to 2022, with 1.5 million of these in the European region where there has been a 98% reduction in annual measles deaths from 3,584 in 2000 to 70 in 2022.

He concludes, "Over the last 20 years, there has been significant progress toward achieving measles and rubella eliminationin order to solidify and maintain those gains, we need to ensure high, uniform and equitable routine immunization coverage; and robust outreach and rapid outbreak response."

Professor Nohynek discusses the success of WHO's Americas region, where in 2016 measles was the 5th vaccine-preventable disease to be eliminated from the Americas, after the regional eradication of smallpox in 1971, elimination of poliomyelitis in 1994, and rubella and congenital rubella syndrome in 2015.

This successful strategy involved a one-time national campaign to bring children between 1 and 14 years of age up to date with measles vaccination; strengthening routine vaccination to reach a minimum of 95% of children every year; and undertaking massive follow-up campaigns every four years, to reach a minimum of 95% of children aged 1 to 4 with a second dose of vaccine. Good technical support, laboratory capacity, social and political will all played their part.

She raises the alarm regarding lower-than needed vaccination rates, explaining that, by 2022, global measles first dose (MCV1) coverage was 3% below the pre-pandemic peak of 86% she explains that even then 86% was itself too low to prevent the epidemics of 2019. In 2022, 33 million children that should have received a routine MCV dose did not (22 million first dose and 11 million second dose children).

Prof Nohynek says, "Countries should use measles cases and outbreaks as a tracer to identify weaknesses in immunization programs, and to guide programmatic planning in identifying and addressing these weaknesses."

She adds, "Vaccine hesitancy is only one component that can contribute to lower coveragemisinformation about vaccines, access to immunization services, and on-time vaccination cause immunization gaps."

The Immunization Agenda 2030 (the Global strategy endorsed by the World Health Assembly to maximize the lifesaving impact of vaccines) has the goal of preventing 50 million deaths from 2021-2030 using vaccination. Prof Nohynek explains this will not be possible without measles vaccines, saying that measles vaccination will account for 37% of deaths to be averted by childhood vaccination against 14 different pathogens from 20212030; and will deliver 75% of the economic benefits of vaccines for 25% of costs.

She concludes, "Innovations are needed to increase coverage, enable campaign integration, improve emergency response, reduce waste, and prevent errors. One such innovation is Measles Rubella MAPS (MR MAPS)measles and rubella vaccine microarray patches that do not require a needle and syringe."

Provided by European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
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Upregulation of CD64+ macrophages during CHIKV infection identified by high-dimensional analysis of mass cytometry data. Credit: EMBO Molecular Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00028-y

Researchers have long known that the body's immune system plays a critical role in fighting off chikungunya virus (CHIKV), but how exactly immune cells coordinate their response has been a mysteryuntil now.

In a new study led by A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs (A*STAR ID Labs), researchers discovered that synergistic interactions between immune cells drive CHIKV disease. This finding sheds light on how immune cells communicate during CHIKV infection, potentially leading to better treatment strategies.

The study, "Crosstalk between CD64+MHCII+ macrophages and CD4+ T cells drives joint pathology during chikungunya," was published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, on 8 Feb 2024.

Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is a neglected tropical disease caused by infection with CHIKV that is transmitted by mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, which also transmit the dengue virus. Infection is characterized by common symptoms such as muscle pains, joint pains, fever and rash. In some patients, chronic joint pain is experienced.

Previously, Singapore experienced two major CHIKV outbreaks, between 2008 to 2009 and 2013 to 2014, infecting more than 2,000 people. Specifically, the introduction of a mutant viral strain in early 2008 resulted in the rapid spread to suburban and rural areas where Aedes albopictus was the primary vector.

Thereafter, sporadic cases of CHIKV infections are still being reported. In Southeast Asia, CHIKF remains one of the most significant infection problems. Much of the current chikungunya epidemic in Southeast Asia is caused by the emergence of a virus strain that originated in Africa and spread to Southeast Asia.

With this high infection rate, the risk of potential new strains emerging and circulating globally remains a possibility. CHIKV is listed as one of the priority pathogens by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI).

Currently, there are no specific treatments for CHIKV infections. As such, it is of utmost importance that novel druggable targets be identified for the development of novel host-directed immunotherapies.

In an earlier study led by Prof Lisa Ng, Executive Director of A*STAR ID Labs, a pre-clinical model was developed that allows researchers to study the viral disease.

In this new study co-led by Prof Ng and Dr. Fok-Moon Lum, the same pre-clinical model was used to demonstrate the macrophages as another key player of the disease pathology. The study further demonstrated that macrophage populations interacted with the CD4 T-lymphocytes and their functions were dependent on the immune mediators secreted by the CD4 T-lymphocytes.

By uncovering specific immune pathways involved, scientists and clinicians are one step closer to discovering improved therapies to alleviate the symptoms and severity of CHIKV infection. Such host-based therapies can also provide a complementary approach to combat the infection in immunocompromised individuals, who may not respond well to the CHIKV vaccine.

Additionally, there have been other studies examining the role of other immune subsets during CHIKV infection. With a comprehensive understanding of the full immunology behind CHIKV infection, scientists can be better equipped to combat the virus during an outbreak.

Dr. Lum, Investigator at A*STAR ID Labs and co-lead of this study said, "In humans, both CD4+ T lymphocytes and macrophages have been found in tissue samples from joints and muscles of patients. Here, using of the pre-clinical models of CHIKV infection, we demonstrated the synergistic interactions between these cells in driving CHIKV-induced joint inflammation.

"This breakthrough finding allows us to better understand immune cell interplay during inflammatory viral diseases and opens new avenues for the innovative development of anti-CHIKV drug targeting macrophages as an alternative therapeutic target."

Prof Ng, Executive Director of the A*STAR ID Labs and co-lead of this study added, "Arboviruses, such as CHIKV, remain as major public health threats especially in the tropical and sub-tropical regions.

"Here, we look at how the host immune system participates in CHIKV pathogenesis, providing important insights that may help researchers to better understand other arboviruses and develop more efficacious immunotherapies. This is also part of an on-going effort at the A*STAR ID Labs in pandemic preparedness."

Importantly, this research sheds new light on the disease development of CHIKV, and offers new directions for the future development of novel and effective anti-CHIKV immunotherapies.

More information: Fok-Moon Lum et al, Crosstalk between CD64+MHCII+ macrophages and CD4+ T cells drives joint pathology during chikungunya, EMBO Molecular Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00028-y Journal information: EMBO Molecular Medicine
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Gary Horejsi wrestled with the decision before him, knowing a life could be in his hands. It was the third time that the woman had used drugs or alcohol since coming to CRI-Help, which runs a 135-bed residential facility in North Hollywood where people are treated for substance use disorder.

CRI-Help needed to be a safe place for people grappling with their addictions. In the past, others had been removed for less. Horejsi, the clinical director, had the final say on whether she should be discharged.

He perused her file on his computer. The woman was still trying, CRI-Help staffers told him. She hadn't shared drugs with anyone. And if she were to leave, the risks of an overdose were graver than before.

Horejsi decided to let her stay.

"Things can't be business as usual anymore," their chief executive, Brandon Fernandez, later said at a CRI-Help staff meeting. If someone leaves treatment and resumes using drugs the same way they were before, "that could very well look like them dying."

"So are we going to be willing to do something different?"

Fernandez had gathered CRI-Help staff in their North Hollywood conference room to talk about a Los Angeles County initiative that could reshape such decisions. It's called Reaching the 95%or R95and its goal is to engage with more people than the fraction of Angelenos already getting addiction treatment.

Across the country, more than 48 million people had a drug or alcohol use disorder, according to the latest results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Only 13 million received treatment in the previous year. Among those who did not get treatment, roughly 95% said they did not think that they should.

Those numbers have collided with the grim toll of fentanyl, an especially potent opioid that has driven up deaths across the country. In Los Angeles County, the number of overdose deaths tied to fentanyl skyrocketed between 2016 and 2022, soaring from 109 to 1,910, according to a county report.

"We can't just take the approach that we've been taking and kind of assume that everyone wants the services that we offer," said Dr. Gary Tsai, director of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control division at the L.A. County Department of Public Health. "That's just not the reality."

His department is trying to nudge addiction treatment facilities to change their approach, by offering financial incentives for those that meet R95 requirements. Among them: changing their rules to not automatically eject people who have a "lapse" of drug use.

Fernandez, whose organization is participating in R95, said abstinence is still its aspirational goaland "we still have the ability to use our own clinical judgment on a case-by-case basis," such as if people endanger other participants. But "we shouldn't have blanket policies."

To get R95 funding, they also cannot require people to be totally abstinent before being admitted. And under R95, treatment programs are also being encouraged to partner with syringe programs rooted in "harm reduction"a philosophy focused on minimizing the harmful effects of drug useto address the needs of people who may not want to enter or remain in treatment.

Some treatment providers "view us as the enemy instead of as allies," said Soma Snakeoil, executive director of the Sidewalk Project, which provides Narcan spray to reverse overdoses and other services on L.A.'s Skid Row.

With R95, she said, "the biggest change is that harm reduction organizations and treatment providers are talking to each other in a way that was not happening before."

The county is also prodding addiction treatment facilities to reexamine whether the way they operate could be turning people away, and look more closely at the "customer experience." Tsai compared the situation to a restaurant drawing few customers: "How do we get more people in the door?"

Too often, "the drug dealers do a much better job of delivering their product to our patients than we do," said Dr. Randolph Holmes, chair of government affairs for the California Society of Addiction Medicine.

When Johnny Guerrero decided to get off Skid Row and go into residential treatment in Los Angeles, he was initially turned away because he had arrived "latemaybe 10 minutes late," the 35-year-old said.

He was only able to get in, he said, because the harm reduction worker who had taken him to the facility let him stay the night at her home, then brought him back the next morning. Even then, "there was so much paperwork.... There was just hurdle after hurdle after hurdle."

"They did not make it easy for an addict to get help," Guerrero said.

In many cases, "the biggest barrier is just being able to get somebody on the phone" with a treatment provider, said Amanda Cowan, executive director of Community Health Project LA, which provides clean syringes and other services to people who use drugs. "When people are ready, they are ready in that moment."

As of late March, roughly half of the addiction treatment providers that contract with L.A. County were on track to become "R95 Champions," which could yield hundreds of thousands of dollars each in additional funding.

To get those funds, they must turn in admissions and discharge policies that adhere to the R95 guidelines, as well as an "engagement policy." They are also supposed to meet R95 requirements in one other area of their choice, which could include a "customer walkthrough" to see what might turn away clients.

CRI-Help, for instance, had decided to change how it asks newcomers to undergo a search. "The last thing we want to do is trigger someone's trauma history and potentially have them walk out the door," Fernandez said.

To ensure it was consistently done with sensitivity, CRI-Help drew up a script for staffers, emphasizing that consenting to a search would help maintain a safe facility. The hope is that "they feel they're doing something as a part of a communityversus being forced to undergo something that's uncomfortable."

Staffers also tell them that if they have any drugs to hand over, "there's not going to be any consequence, you can still come into treatment," Fernandez said. "And if we find them on you, there still won't be any negative consequences."

The L.A. County push comes as state and federal officials have stressed the need for "low barrier" approaches to addiction care. Even cutting back on drug use can have positive results, researchers have found.

But some of the changes can be at odds with long-standing beliefs among treatment providers, many of whom got into the field after successfully battling their own addictions in programs firmly focused on abstinence.

Many in the field think "this is what works" because it did work for them, said Vitka Eisen, chief executive of HealthRight 360, another R95 participant. But "we're the survivors, and we don't talk to those who didn't survive."

Addiction researchers have long called to reexamine how people are treated for substance use disorders. More than a decade ago, a Columbia University center found that "much of what passes for 'treatment' of addiction bears little resemblance to the treatment of other health conditions."

"This is inexcusable given decades of accumulated scientific evidence attesting to the fact that addiction is a brain disease," the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse lamented in its report.

Experts argue that part of the problem is that addiction treatment has long been separated from the rest of the health care system. Richard Rawson, senior advisor to UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, said a major shift was the emergence of buprenorphine, a medication for opioid addiction that could be prescribed in ordinary clinics just like medicines for other chronic conditions.

But some Southern California treatment providers have viewed using buprenorphine and other such medications as short of sobriety, UC San Diego researchers foundeven as California has ushered in requirements for licensed treatment facilities to either offer or help people access such medications.

Addiction is now much more widely understood as a medical condition, but "how much of that philosophy actually gets down to the level of the counselor?" Rawson said. "I think that's still a work in progress."

Tsai said a challenge in rolling out R95 is the ingrained idea that "you're ready or not" for substance use treatment. But "we don't actually treat any other health condition that way," he said. "You don't tell someone with diabetes, "Your blood sugar has to be completely under control, and then you'll be ready for treatment.'"

In North Hollywood, counselors and other CRI-Help employees seated around the conference table studied the R95 goals printed on an L.A. County handout. One staffer said she was struggling with a specific statement, particularly for people in a residential setting: "Requiring abstinence is too high of a bar" for treatment.

Fernandez decided to share his own story. More than a decade ago, he was struggling with drug use, which had worsened after the death of his father. He was unemployed and didn't have a stable place to live. When an outpatient counselor suggested residential treatment, he initially brushed off the suggestion.

He changed his mind after a "tough weekend," but had no intention of abstaining from all drugs in the long term. Fernandez said he was nonetheless welcomed at CRI-Help: "Let's just help you out for now."

"I came here begrudgingly with a total attitude that I was going to continue smoking weed when I left treatment. I definitely wasn't going to stop drinking," even as he recognized that other things he was doing might be a problem, Fernandez told the CRI-Help employees.

Among those who had gone to treatment, he asked the group, "were you ready for total abstinence on Day One?"

"No. That wasn't even my plan," the same staffer replied with a rueful laugh.

Still, she and others were anxious about how they would keep everyone safe if clients used drugs, especially if they tried to bring them into the facility. "That worries me a little bit," she said.

"It worries me too," Fernandez said.

What preoccupies CRI-Help staff is how to balance the needs of people who have had a "lapse" into drug use with maintaining a safe environment for other clients grappling with addiction.

Horejsi said in an interview that whenever someone useseven if they don't share their drugs"everyone knows, and that in itself does have an effect on people. Sometimes people will feel less safe."

But Horejsi stressed to the group that "we're already not discharging people for using" alone.

When people have relapsed, the North Hollywood center has monitored them one-on-one in its television room until staff are sure they are safe, then decided on their next steps. Some have ultimately been moved to another CRI-Help residential facility to continue getting treatment and have a "fresh start," he said.

The clinical director also urged his co-workers to look back at the many changes CRI-Help had already undergone, such as starting to offer medication for addiction treatment. He reminded them that years ago, CRI-Help clients could be discharged if a doctor had given them an opioid pill at the hospital.

"What about when we discharged people because they talked about gettingthey glorified drugs?" said Mary Grayson, a longtime CRI-Help employee.

Leaning forward in her seat, Grayson reminded her co-workers that "CRI-Help is not what it was when I walked through those doors 25 years agothank God!"

It started with "two shacks on this property. Two raggedy shacks. And look at where we are now," she said. "Without us changing and growing, we won't be able to be who we are."

2024 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Some states require that physicians report a diagnosis of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, to the DMV. A new study suggests these mandates may have unintended consequences.

Published April 25 in JAMA Network Open, the study was led by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences in collaboration with a Harvard University researcher.

The increasing number of elderly drivers presents significant safety concerns for policymakers, physicians and society, considering they're at greater risk of dementia. But no studies have examined the effects of state policies that require clinicians to report dementia cases to the DMVuntil now.

Previous studies that explored the connection between cognitive decline and road safety found contradictory evidence regarding dementia's link to accidents. One potential explanation for this is that researchers hadn't factored in DMV reporting requirements.

For the new study, the researchers sought to determine whether physicians who are mandated by the DMV to report a diagnosis of dementia will be less likely to establish such a diagnosis. The short answer seems to be "yes."

The study is the first to provide evidence for potential negative consequences of laws that mandate physicians report dementia diagnoses to the DMV.

The study found that physicians in states with mandatory reporting laws are 50% more likely to underdiagnose dementia, compared to physicians in states without such mandates.

In the United States, the number of drivers aged 65 and older has increased by 22% since 2012, totaling nearly 56 million in 2021. About 7 million Americans in this age group currently suffer from dementia. That number is expected to increase to nearly 12 million by 2040.

If patients withhold symptoms out of fear their doctor will report a dementia diagnosis to the DMV,or physicians are reluctant to examine dementia symptoms for fear their patient could lose their driving license, that would worsen health outcomes and increase health care costs.

"In light of our findings, lawmakers need to weigh the potential downside of mandating that physicians report dementia diagnoses to the DMV," said Soeren Mattke, professor (research) of economics and director of the Brain Health Observatory at the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR).

Knowing that their physicians must report a dementia diagnosis to the DMV, patients might be more inclined to refuse further assessments.

The loss of a driver's license adds to the stigma associated with dementia. Studies also suggest that older adults without a driver's license engage in fewer out-of-home activities and have a higher risk of depression.

"Patients already resist revealing symptoms of cognitive decline. Facing the threat of losing their driving privileges could make them less likely to seek essential cognitive evaluation, leading to more overlooked or postponed diagnoses," said Ying Liu, a research scientist at CESR and co-author of the study.

There is scant evidence that mandatory reporting laws reduce accident risks. States enact mandatory reporting laws believing they can enhance driving safety.

The researchers looked for studies on the association between mandatory reporting policies and accidents from 2000 to 2023 and found only one. That study found no significant difference in dementia rates among older drivers hospitalized after accidents in states with physician-reporting laws compared to other states.

Studies using driving simulators show that cognitive impairment correlates with decreased perception, visual attention and reaction time. Whether these changes increase the risk of accidents remains unclear.

The lack of evidence hinders researchers' ability to determine whether the benefits of reporting mandates outweigh the risks associated with the increase in missed diagnoses.

Mattke suggests that people with cognitive decline may voluntarily change their behavior, such as driving less or avoiding driving at night, to mitigate the risk of accidents. The diverse range of state policies regarding the mandatory reporting of dementia reflects the complexity and varying interpretations of the evidence.

Four statesCalifornia, Delaware, Oregon and Pennsylvaniamandate under threat of legal consequences that physicians report diagnoses of dementia to their DMVs. New Jersey and Nevada require clinicians to report medical conditions that could pose a potential threat to road safety, though they do not explicitly mention Alzheimer's disease or cognitive impairment.

Fourteen states ask drivers to self-report dementia diagnoses, which typically triggers a medical examination or driving test. The remaining 32 states and the District of Columbia have no mandates but allow physiciansas well as family members and police officersto report dementia diagnoses. (Maryland, New Mexico and Texas accept reports anonymously.)

The researchers, analyzing Medicare data used for a previous study on mild cognitive impairment diagnoses, classified states based on their reporting laws.

The team sorted more than 223,000 primary care clinicians into three groups: mandated clinician reporting; mandated self-reporting; and no explicit requirements. They then analyzed the relationship between these categories and the likelihood of primary care clinicians underdiagnosing dementia among their patients.

Mattke and his team say future study is needed to better understand the unintended consequences and risk-benefit tradeoffs of these policies.

More information: Hankyung Jun et al, State Department of Motor Vehicles Reporting Mandates of Dementia Diagnoses and Dementia Underdiagnosis, JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.8889 Journal information: JAMA Network Open
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The relationship between living in a polluted city like Sao Paulo (Brazil) and lung disease or cancer is well known. But the problems go further. Unprecedented research shows that long-term exposure to air pollution is directly linked to increased heart risks in residents of the capital of the state of the same name. People with high blood pressure are at even greater risk.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, was conducted by researchers from the University of Sao Paulo. The research shows that cardiac fibrosis, an indicator of heart disease, is related to the duration of exposure to black carbon particles, an indicator of air pollution.

The researchers analyzed the autopsies of 238 people and epidemiological data to measure this association. They also interviewed relatives of the victims to gather information on risk factors such as a history of smoking and hypertension. From macroscopic observation of lung tissue, they determined the presence and amount of the black carbon fraction in the lungs. Myocardial samples revealed the cardiac fibrosis fraction.

The results showed a significant association between the black carbon fraction in the lungs and cardiac fibrosis in the individuals studied. This means that the longer a person is exposed to pollution, the more likely they are to develop fibrosis. "This data highlights the crucial role of autopsy in investigating the effects of the urban environment and personal habits in determining diseases," says one of the authors of the study, pathologist and USP professor Paulo Saldiva.

In addition, it was found that the risk is increased for hypertensive individuals. Among them, the presence of the heart disease marker increases with the increase in the presence of the pollution exposure indicator, both in smokers and non-smokers. Among non-hypertensive individuals, the highest risks were observed mainly among smokers.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a disease that can be silent and without symptoms. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the mortality rate has increased in ten years from 11.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2011 to 18.7 in 2021. Around 60% of the country's elderly suffer from hypertension.

When hypertension is silent, pollution is not always visible. In some cases, however, it is possible to know where it is most harmful. Exposure to pollution within the same city depends on factors such as people's habits and commutes.

"We can say that there are two indicators of pollution, one measured by the CETESB [Sao Paulo State Environmental Corporation] network, which is objective. And another related to how much each individual is exposed to," Saldiva says. "In other words, the level of concentration of environmental pollution doesn't mean the same dose is received by everyone. If you're in a traffic corridor for hours, you receive a higher dose because the concentration of that environment is particularly higher."

Saldiva explains that various factors, such as hypertension itself, influence the development of cardiac fibrosis, and that pollution has now been shown to be one of them. "The question was, 'Is pollution big enough to show up in this photo?' It is, and it was the first time in the world that it had been demonstrated in humans. That's the difference in this work," he points out.

According to the doctor, the study was only possible thanks to the work carried out 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by the city's Death Verification Service (SVO). He says that the support of the USP Medical School and FAPESP, in agreements signed in the past with the SVO, has built up a vast body of processes and information that today lead to new scientific possibilities.

USP's research provides evidence of the impacts of air pollution on cardiovascular health and highlights the need for effective measures to reduce the population's exposure to this evil. Implementing measures such as reducing vehicle emissions, promoting sustainable public transport in the city, and promoting clean energy sources are effective strategies for mitigating the impacts of air pollution on public health.

More information: Ana Paula Cremasco Takano et al, Association of pulmonary black carbon accumulation with cardiac fibrosis in residents of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Environmental Research (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118380 Journal information: Environmental Research
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Malaria is caused by a single-celled parasite of the genus Plasmodium. The parasite is transmitted to humans most commonly through mosquito bites. The malaria parasites enter the bloodstream and travel to the liver. When the parasites mature, they leave the liver and infect red blood cells. This is when people typically develop malaria symptoms.

Because the parasites that cause malaria affect red blood cells, people also can be infected by exposure to infected blood, including from mother to unborn child, through blood transfusions and by sharing needles used to inject drugs.

Each year, nearly 290 million people are infected with malaria, and more than 400,000 people die of the disease. The greatest risk factor for developing malaria is to live in or visit areas where the disease is common. These areas include tropical and subtropical regions of sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, Central America, and northern South America. The degree of risk depends on local malaria control, seasonal changes in malaria rates and the precautions you take to prevent mosquito bites.

Symptoms of malaria

Signs and symptoms of malaria typically begin within a few weeks after being bitten by an infected mosquito. However, some types of malaria parasites can lie dormant in your body for up to a year. Some people who have malaria experience cycles of malaria "attacks." An attack usually starts with shivering and chills, followed by a high fever, then sweating, and finally a return to normal temperature.

Signs and symptoms of malaria can include:

Fever

Chills

General feeling of discomfort

Headache

Nausea and vomiting

Diarrhea

Abdominal pain

Muscle or joint pain

Fatigue

Rapid breathing

Rapid heart rate

Cough

Treatment and prevention

Malaria is treated with prescription drugs to kill the parasite. The types of drugs and the length of treatment will depend on the type of malaria parasite you have, the severity of your symptoms, your age and whether you're pregnant.

To reduce malaria infections, world health programs distribute preventive drugs and insecticide-treated bed nets to protect people from mosquito bites. Protective clothing, bed nets and insecticides can protect you while traveling. You also can take preventive medicine before, during and after a trip to a high-risk area.

In 2021, the World Health Organization recommended widespread use of a new malaria vaccine for children. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the long-awaited vaccine a "breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control," and said that when combined with existing tools to prevent malaria, tens of thousands of children could be saved each year.

2024 Mayo Clinic News Network. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A health care worker in The Gambia holds up a microarray patch of the type used in the study. Credit: MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM

A Phase I/II randomized trial compared results from the measles and rubella vaccine delivered by a microarray patch, a small sticking plaster-like device with an array of microscopic projections that painlessly penetrate the skin and deliver the vaccine, or by conventional injection with a needle and syringe.

The trial, which involved 45 adults (1840 years old), 120 toddlers (1518 months old) and 120 infants (910 months old) in The Gambia, found giving the measles and rubella vaccine by a microarray patch induced an immune response that was as strong as the response when the vaccine was given by conventional injection.

Over 90% of infants were protected from measles and all infants were protected from rubella following a single dose of the vaccine given by the microarray patch. The measles and rubella vaccine used in the study has been given to many millions of children globally by conventional injection and is known to provide reliable protection.

The trial found no safety concerns with delivering the measles and rubella vaccine using a microarray patch.

The trial was led by researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Unit The Gambia at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). The patch was developed and manufactured by Micron Biomedical Inc, who supported all aspects of the trial. Results are published in The Lancet.

The researchers hope microarray patches could help to achieve the very high levels of population immunity required to control childhood diseases such as measles and rubella, with WHO recommending at least 95% two-dose measles vaccine coverage and rubella requiring 80% population immunity. Microarray patches have been determined to be the highest priority innovation for overcoming barriers to immunization in low-resource settings.

In low-resource settings, microarray patches have several advantages over conventional vaccination technologies. They promise to be easier to transport and to eliminate, or vastly reduce, the need for cold storage (refrigeration) of vaccines, both major barriers to reaching remote areas across sub-Saharan Africa.

Microarray patches also do not need to be administered by a medical professional and it is expected that volunteers would be able to give the vaccines after only brief training. Unlike conventional needles and syringes, the microarray patches do not risk 'needlestick' injuries which can transmit infections such as hepatitis and HIV.

In countries, such as the UK, which have well-resourced childhood vaccination programs, but which have also experienced rapid increases in measles cases recently due to low immunization coverage, microarray patches could offer greater convenience and a pain-free alternative to conventional injections. The hope is that offering vaccinations in a patch could encourage more parents, particularly those in disadvantaged areas, to get their child vaccinated.

Professor Ed Clarke, a pediatrician who leads the Vaccines and Immunity Theme at MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM and co-author, said, "Although it's early days, these are extremely promising results which have generated a lot of excitement. They demonstrate for the first time that vaccines can be safely and effectively given to babies and young children using microarray patch technology. Measles vaccines are the highest priority for delivery using this approach but the delivery of other vaccines using microarray patches is also now realistic. Watch this space."

Dr. Ikechukwu Adigweme, from the Vaccines and Immunity Theme at MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM and co-author, said, "The positive results from this study are quite gratifying to us as a team. We hope this is an important step in the march towards greater vaccine equity among disadvantaged populations."

The trial had several limitations. As it was the first trial to use microarray patches to deliver vaccine to children it had a small sample size and selected healthy adults, toddlers and infants.

The researchers say larger trials of microarray patches are now being planned with broadly representative groups of children and infants to inform decisions about whether to recommend the patches for widespread use in childhood vaccination programs.

More information: A phase 1/2, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, age de-escalation trial of a measles and rubella vaccine microneedle patch in The Gambia, The Lancet (2024). www.thelancet.com/journals/lan  (24)00532-4/fulltext Journal information: The Lancet
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Reported attitudes about future potential pandemic preparedness. The sample size for each individual country n = 1,000. Middle-Income Countries (MIC): Brazil, China, Ecuador, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Turkiye. High-Income Countries (HIC): Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States. (a) If the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new pandemic threat, would you trust this information?, (b) If the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new pandemic threat and advised getting vaccinated, would you?, (c) How confident are you that we will manage the next health crisis better than the COVID-19 pandemic?, (d) Reported trust in the sources of information about COVID-19 vaccines, (e) Reported trust in the sources of information about COVID-19 vaccines by country. Credit: Nature Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02939-2

While it found that global uptake of at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose was robust, a new survey published in Nature Medicine revealed mixed signals about the current acceptance of vaccines generally, especially COVID-19 boosters.

The new survey of 23,000 respondents from 23 countries representing more than 60% of the world's population is the fourth in a series of studies led annually since 2020 by a team from the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH).

"The repercussions of pandemic disruptions in health care services, the effects of the inequitable and slow global vaccine distribution, and the prevalence of misinformation and mistrust in health authorities continue to be felt," says Jeffrey V. Lazarus, Professor of Global Health at CUNY SPH, head of the Health Systems Research Group at Barcelona Institute for Global Health, and coordinator of the study.

"They represent major obstacles for health practitioners struggling to meet the urgent need to get people caught up on routine immunizations and ready to face the next pandemic."

Reported global uptake of at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose rose last year to 87.8%, as compared to 36.9% in 2021 and 70.4% in 2022. However, the intent to get a COVID-19 booster (71.6%) was lower compared to 2022 (87.9%).

"The SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to circulate and mutate," says Ayman El-Mohandes, senior author and dean of CUNY SPH. "Variant-adapted boosters are available, but public health statistics show that many older people and others who are at higher risk of severe disease and death have not accepted them."

In addition, documented spillover effects on routine immunization raise the threat of the re-emergence of other childhood and adult vaccine-preventable diseases. While just more than three respondents in five (60.8%) said that their experience with COVID-19 made them more willing to get vaccinated against other diseases other than COVID-19, almost a quarter (23.1%) reported greater reluctance to do so.

"While we are concerned about the evident fallout of the pandemic on large numbers of people, we still see a general openness to immunization that we must build on to boost vaccine confidence, including acceptance of new generations of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters," says El-Mohandes. "We must design targeted messages from trusted communicators to encourage vaccine uptake."

Survey responses on trust in sources that provide information or guidance on pandemic interventions revealed somewhat higher levels of trust in those close to or well recognized by the individual, although all 11 studied sources averaged less than 7 on a 10-point scale. The most trusted sources were "my doctor or nurse" and the World Health Organization, averaging 6.9 and 6.5, respectively.

The report also noted interesting variations in trusted sources across different countries. For example, "religious leaders" ranked 3.16 in Sweden and 3.19 in Germany but 6.57 in Nigeria and 6.72 in India, whereas "my doctor or nurse" ranked 4.95 in Russia and 7.70 in Kenya.

General trust in health authorities was reported by 65.4% of respondents, while general trust in government was 56.4%. A decrease in trust in science was reported by 13.9%, and 18.7% reported less trust in the pharmaceutical industry compared to prior surveys.

"These findings emphasize that vaccine hesitancy and trust in health and science remain complex challenges and underscore the need for targeted, culturally sensitive health communication messages and outreach strategies going forward," Lazarus states.

More information: Jeffrey V. Lazarus et al, Influence of COVID-19 on trust in routine immunization, health information sources and pandemic preparedness in 23 countries in 2023, Nature Medicine (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02939-2 Journal information: Nature Medicine

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Scanning electron micrograph of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause TB. Credit: NIAID

A team of Montana researchers is playing a key role in the development of a more effective vaccine against tuberculosis, an infectious disease that has killed more people than any other.

The BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin) vaccine, created in 1921, remains the sole TB vaccine. While it is 40% to 80% effective in young children, its efficacy is very low in adolescents and adults, leading to a worldwide push to create a more powerful vaccine.

One effort is underway at the University of Montana Center for Translational Medicine. The center specializes in improving and creating vaccines by adding what are called novel adjuvants. An adjuvant is a substance included in the vaccine, such as fat molecules or aluminum salts, that enhances the immune response, and novel adjuvants are those that have not yet been used in humans. Scientists are finding that adjuvants make for stronger, more precise, and more durable immunity than antigens, which create antibodies, would alone.

Eliciting specific responses from the immune system and deepening and broadening the response with adjuvants is known as precision vaccination. "It's not one-size-fits-all," said Ofer Levy, a professor of pediatrics at Harvard University and the head of the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children's Hospital. "A vaccine might work differently in a newborn versus an older adult and a middle-aged person."

The ultimate precision vaccine, said Levy, would be lifelong protection from a disease with one jab. "A single-shot protection against influenza or a single-shot protection against COVID, that would be the holy grail," Levy said.

Jay Evans, the director of the University of Montana center and the chief scientific and strategy officer and a co-founder of Inimmune, a privately held biotechnology company in Missoula, said his team has been working on a TB vaccine for 15 years. The private-public partnership is developing vaccines and trying to improve existing vaccines, and he said it's still five years off before the TB vaccine might be distributed widely.

It has not gone unnoticed at the center that this state-of-the-art vaccine research and production is located in a state that passed one of the nation's most extreme anti-vaccination laws during the pandemic in 2021. The law prohibits businesses and governments from discriminating against people who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19 or other diseases, effectively banning both public and private employers from requiring workers to get vaccinated against COVID or any other disease. A federal judge later ruled that the law cannot be enforced in health care settings, such as hospitals and doctors' offices.

In mid-March, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute announced it had begun the third and final phase of clinical trials for the new vaccine in seven countries. The trials should take about five years to complete. Research and production are being done in several places, including at a manufacturing facility in Hamilton owned by GSK..

Known as the forgotten pandemic, TB kills up to 1.6 million people a year, mostly in impoverished areas in Asia and Africa, despite its being both preventable and treatable. The U.S. has seen an increase in tuberculosis over the past decade, especially with the influx of migrants, and the number of cases rose by 16% from 2022 to 2023. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, whose risk of contracting a TB infection is 20 times as great as people without HIV.

"TB is a complex pathogen that has been with human beings for ages," said Alemnew Dagnew, who heads the program for the new vaccine for the Gates Medical Research Institute. "Because it has been with human beings for many years, it has evolved and has a mechanism to escape the immune system. And the immunology of TB is not fully understood."

The University of Montana Center for Translational Medicine and Inimmune together have 80 employees who specialize in researching a range of adjuvants to understand the specifics of immune responses to different substances. "You have to tailor it like tools in a toolbox towards the pathogen you are vaccinating against," Evans said. "We have a whole library of adjuvant molecules and formulations."

Vaccines are made more precise largely by using adjuvants. There are three basic types of natural adjuvants: aluminum salts; squalene, which is made from shark liver; and some kinds of saponins, which are fat molecules. It's not fully understood how they stimulate the immune system. The center in Missoula has also created and patented a synthetic adjuvant, UM-1098, that drives a specific type of immune response and will be added to new vaccines.

One of the most promising molecules being used to juice up the immune system response to vaccines is a saponin molecule from the bark of the quillay tree, gathered in Chile from trees at least 10 years old. Such molecules were used by Novavax in its COVID vaccine and by GSK in its widely used shingles vaccine, Shingrix. These molecules are also a key component in the new tuberculosis vaccine, known as the M72 vaccine.

But there is room for improvement.

"The vaccine shows 50% efficacy, which doesn't sound like much, but basically there is no effective vaccine currently, so 50% is better than what's out there," Evans said. "We're looking to take what we learned from that vaccine development with additional adjuvants to try and make it even better and move 50% to 80% or more."

By contrast, measles vaccines are 95% effective.

According to Medscape, around 15 vaccine candidates are being developed to replace the BCG vaccine, and three of them are in Phase III clinical trials.

One approach Evans' center is researching to improve the new vaccine's efficacy is taking a piece of the bacterium that causes TB, synthesizing it, and combining it with the adjuvant QS-21, made from the quillay tree. "It stimulates the immune system in a way that is specific to TB and it drives an immune response that is even closer to what we get from natural infections," Evans said.

The University of Montana center is researching the treatment of several problems not commonly thought of as treatable with vaccines. They are entering the first phase of clinical trials for a vaccine for allergies, for instance, and first-phase trials for a cancer vaccine. And later this year, clinical trials will begin for vaccines to block the effects of opioids like heroin and fentanyl.

The University of Montana received the largest grant in its history for anti-opioid vaccine research. It works by creating an antibody that binds with the drug in the bloodstream, which keeps it from entering the brain and creating the high.

For now, though, the eyes of health care experts around the world are on the trials for the new TB vaccines, which, if they are successful, could help save countless lives in the world's poorest places.

2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

One of Rebecca Rienzi's favorite stories to tell about Pathfinders for Autismthe Baltimore County nonprofit where she has been executive director since 2010happened at the National Aquarium in the Inner Harbor.

Every year, the organization rents out the aquarium to give people with autism and their families the chance to experience the facility without the sensory overload its noisy crowds usually would create. During one event, a child recently diagnosed with the developmental disability had a minor meltdown and started rolling on the floor. His mother was embarrassed, Rienzi recalled, and apologized profusely to a Pathfinders employee who was standing nearby.

"Take a breath and turn around," the employee told the mother, Rienzi said. "She turned around and looked at him, and everybody's walking past and they're stepping over him. Nobody's blaming, nobody's looking"

"It's like, 'Oh, I found my people,'" Rienzi continued. "It's a judgment-free zone, so that families can explore and learn new things."

Pathfinders for Autism has been providing that judgment-free zone for more than two decades. It was founded by Maryland parents of children with autismincluding Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer William "B.J." Surhoff and his wife Polly Winde Surhoffwho were frustrated about the lack of trustworthy information available about the disability.

The internet in the early 2000s didn't look anything like what it does today, Rienzi said. Instead, parents mostly shared information by word of mouth. Since Pathfinder's beginnings, the organization has provided a resource center where parents can learn to navigate their children's diagnosis. What started out as a "person on the phone" has grown to a website with a database of more than 3,000 organizations and service providers, Rienzi said.

The database includes adult psychologists who specialize in autism and adult day care programs, but it also features "basic life things," Rienzi said, like barbers who are experienced in cutting the hair of people with autism and where to shop for shoes or go to the dentist.

Today, Rienzi estimates that Pathfinders touches the lives of thousands of people every yearwhether through adult social groups for people with autism, recreational activities, the resource center or training sessions for police officers, librarians, educators and others who interact with people who have the disability.

Still, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every weekday, the organization has a parent manning the phones, ready to give advice. Trish Kane, Pathfinders' deputy director, is sometimes that parent. She often hears from parents who ask for advice about how to help their child be more independent, and from people who suspect they might have autism, who want tips on how to get a diagnosis.

Even though her son who has autism is 30 years old, Kane said she learns something new about the disability all the time through her job at Pathfinders.

"It's really been a wonderful opportunity," she said.

Pathfinders also values the experience of people with autism in guiding the organization's programming and helping to teach others about the disability, Rienzi said. The organization employs self-advocates, including Kane's son, Eric, to help with training sessions.

In training sessions, the self-advocates and their helpers tell participants about the basic symptoms of autism and communication styles some people with the disability may exhibit. For example, a health care worker may make an incorrect diagnosis or miss a medical condition when they don't understand that a patient with autism who seems like they are "lashing out" may be trying to tell them that their side is killing them, Kane said.

Miscommunication or misinterpretations of body language also may create dangerous situations when people with developmental disabilities encounter law enforcement. A police officer may think someone with autism is ignoring them or being noncompliant when they actually have language processing difficulties or are stimminga way of self-regulating or coping with emotions that can include hand flapping, rocking back and forth, or making repetitive noises.

The self-advocates who help lead the training sessions are a vital part of the educational experience for law enforcement officers and health care workers, said Janelle Myers, a member of the organization's training team. Often, two people with autism yet different support needs help lead the training, introducing participants to a common refrain in the community: If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism.

On a recent Wednesday morning, Myers drove to the nearly empty Towson Town Center to prepare for a training session with the Baltimore County Police Department. Her 33-year-old son, Glenn Myers, and 22-year-old Hunter McLaughlintwo self-advocatesjoined her to help with the workshop.

"Every person with autism is different," said McLaughlin, whose mom, Shelly McLaughlin, program director at Pathfinders, helped him become involved with the training program. "Glenn and I both have it, but we couldn't be more different."

Myers and McLaughlin have different communication styles. Myers sometimes struggles with language processing skills, for example, but is a social butterfly who loves to give compliments and asks people upon meeting them if he can give them a hug. McLaughlin, on the other hand, isn't as talkative. As he puts it, "I'm not a big fan of big topics."

During training sessions, both men play to their strengths, Janelle Myers said. McLaughlin announces what each presentation slide is aboutsomething Glenn Myers would find too boringand Myers acts out a scenario at the start of each workshop, where he pretends to be lost.

With some help from his mom, Myers described why the training sessions are so important. He always tells officers that their safety is important, because if they aren't safe, they can't keep others safe, he said. And, with a smile, he added,

"I think the officers need the training to help my friends in the community."

2024 The Baltimore Sun. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The "birds and the bees." The "facts of life." Whatever you call it, many parents dread discussing sex and sexuality with their teenagers. They may be embarrassed, or worried that they don't understand some concepts. In some countries, cultural norms may mean it's considered inappropriate for adults and adolescents to talk about sex.

However, these are conversations worth having. A large body of research has shown that teens who openly discuss sex and sexuality with their parents reduce their risky sexual behavior, leading to improved reproductive health.

It's also important to remember that this won't be a one-off discussion. Adolescents undergo constant development, facing new questions and challenges as they grow. Continuous dialogue allows parents to provide ongoing guidance, address emerging concerns, and reinforce values over time. It also fosters an atmosphere of trust and openness.

I'm a public health researcher who studies adolescent sexuality, sexual and reproductive health. Based on my research, as well as on frequent interactions with both teenagers and their parents, I've put together this guide to address parents' common questions and concerns. I hope this advice can help you to engage your teens in open, honest and helpful dialogues about sex and sexuality.

When should I start talking to my kids about sex and sexuality?

There is no universally "right" age to start discussing sex and sexuality with your children. However, I'd suggest that you can initiate discussions about body parts and puberty before your kids are 10. Conversations specifically about sex and sexuality can begin around age 10.

No matter your teens' age, it is important for parents to create a safe space for these discussions by letting your teens know they are not being judged, and that everything they say is confidential.

Family dynamics differ in every household. Sometimes teenagers trust or are more comfortable with one parent than the other. However, both parents should be on the same page to avoid giving contradictory messages to their teens. In a two-parent household, it is beneficial to have both parents involved in discussing sexuality education with their teen, but it is not necessary to always do it together. A combination of individual and joint conversations can be effective.

What sorts of topics fall under the umbrella of sex and sexuality?

Some of the important topics parents can discuss with their teenagers include

how the reproductive system functions

building healthy relationshipsthe importance of consent, communication, mutual understanding and boundaries

the physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty

how to maintain good sexual health practices and hygiene.

According to my religion or culture, it's not appropriate to discuss these topics with my children.

Many parents have their own misconceptions and biases about sex, often rooted in religious or cultural beliefs. But the reality is that avoiding discussions about sex does not stop teenagers from engaging in sexual activities or seeking information from other sources. Studies have shown that "parent-child communication is strongly associated with a child's safer sex practices, including condom use and delayed sexual debut."

Face your own biases and sexual prejudices head on when talking to your teens. For instance, don't shy away from talking about the spectrum of LGBTQ+ identities. Focus on the importance of respecting, accepting and accommodating different sexual orientations and gender identities.

I don't understand some of the concepts my teen is asking about!

You're not alone. Most parents are not experts on these topics. The important thing is to listen activelytune in to their thoughts and feelings as they talkwithout judgment, and with empathy. Try to be thoughtful, factual and compassionate when answering their questions. Don't be dismissive.

You also don't need to have all the answers immediately to hand. It is OK to ask your teenagers to give you some time to research the topic. You might suggest researching it together, or asking them to do some research and talk to you about what they find out.

Another practical and effective way to deal with your teen's questions and concerns is to connect them with available community resources. These could be school counselors or community health care providers, such as doctors and nurses, who can offer age-appropriate information and confidential medical care. Look for local community organizations and support groups that can provide sexuality education, peer support and safe spaces. Parents' recommendations and referrals will boost young people's trust in these care services, encouraging them to use the resources and services.

My teenager says they belong to the LGBTQ+ community. I'm not sure how to support them

First and foremost, it is wonderful that your teenager felt comfortable enough to share this with you, and it is great that you are willing to learn and be supportive. Here are some steps you can take to support your teenager who has come out to you as LGBTQ+:

Acknowledge and validate by letting your teen know that you love them and accept them for who they are.

Listen with an open mind, without judgment. This is a time for them to express themselves freely. Ask open questions to show your interest and better understand their experience.

Ask your teen what kind of support they need from you. Maybe it is just knowing you are there for them, or perhaps they would like you to connect them with LGBTQ+ resources or support groups.

Be patient with your teen and allow him the space to explore his feelings at his own pace, because coming to terms with one's sexual orientation or gender identity can be a journey.

Challenge your assumptions and biases. Reflect on your own beliefs and be open to adjusting them if necessary.

Be an ally by showing your support not only within the family, but also in public.

Seek support If you are feeling overwhelmed or unsure about how to support your teenager, seek guidance from LGBTQ+ organizations, therapists, or support groups for parents of LGBTQ+ youth.

An investment in teens' future

Providing accurate information, fostering open communication, and offering support equips your teen to navigate sex and relationships responsibly. When parents talk about sex and sexuality with their teenagers, it is an investment in their future health and well-being. By approaching it with sensitivity, honesty, and empathy, you can build a strong foundation for open communication and empower your teens to make informed decisions.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Colorized transmission electron micrograph of two mature mpox virus particles (pink) attached to the surface of an infected VERO E6 cell (blue/teal). Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

A dose-sparing intradermal mpox vaccination regimen was safe and generated an antibody response equivalent to that induced by the standard regimen at six weeks (two weeks after the second dose), according to findings presented at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Global Congress in Barcelona. The results suggest that antibody responses contributed to the effectiveness of dose-sparing mpox vaccine regimens used during the 2022 U.S. outbreak.

The mpox virus has been present in west, central and east Africa for decades, with the first human case identified in 1970. In May 2022, a global mpox outbreak caused by the clade IIb strain of the virus provided the first epidemiologic evidence of community mpox transmission outside of historically affected countries.

The Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN, sold as JYNNEOS) vaccine was made available to help contain the outbreak in the United States. A study of dose-sparing strategies to extend the limited vaccine supply was conducted.

The mid-stage study (NCT05512949) enrolled 225 adults aged 18 to 50 years in the United States who had not previously been vaccinated against mpox or smallpox. Participants were randomized to receive either the standard Food and Drug Administration-approved MVA-BN regimen, a regimen containing one-fifth of the standard dose, or one with one-tenth of the standard dose.

The standard dose was injected under the skin (subcutaneously), while the dose-sparing regimens were injected between layers of the skin (intradermally). Participants in all study arms received two injections 28 days apart and were monitored for safety and immune response.

Two weeks after the second dose (study day 43), participants who received one-fifth of the standard dose had antibody levels equivalent to those of participants receiving the standard MVA-BN regimen, based on predefined criteria.

By day 57, participants who received one-fifth of the standard dose had lower antibody levels than those in the standard regimen arm; the clinical significance of this difference is unknown. Participants who received one-tenth of the standard dose had inferior antibody levels at all measurements. The most reported adverse events were mild, local injection-site reactions. Adverse events were similar across all arms of the trial, and no serious adverse events related to the vaccine were reported.

The authors note that because there are no defined correlates of protection against mpoximmune processes confirmed to prevent diseasethese findings cannot predict the efficacy of dose-sparing regimens with certainty.

Real-world data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others have shown similar vaccine effectiveness for the dose-sparing regimen given intradermally and the standard regimen given subcutaneously. A study of the standard MVA-BN regimen in adolescents is ongoing and will report findings later this year.

More information: Frey et al. Safety and Immunogenicity of Fractional Doses of Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic. European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Global Congress in Barcelona, Spain. Saturday, April 27, 2024.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

On a cold February morning at the Flathead Warming Center, Tashya Evans waited for help with her Medicaid application as others at the shelter got ready for the day in this northwestern Montana city.

Evans said she lost Medicaid coverage in September because she hadn't received paperwork after moving from Great Falls, Montana. She has had to forgo the blood pressure medication she can no longer pay for since losing coverage. She has also had to put off needed dental work.

Evans is one of about 130,000 Montanans who have lost Medicaid coverage as the state reevaluates everyone's eligibility following a pause in disenrollments during the COVID-19 pandemic. About two-thirds of those who were kicked off state Medicaid rolls lost coverage for technical reasons, such as incorrectly filling out paperwork. That's one of the highest procedural disenrollment rates in the nation, according to a KFF analysis.

Even unsheltered people like Evans are losing their coverage, despite state officials saying they would automatically renew people who should still qualify by using Social Security and disability data.

As other guests filtered out of the shelter that February morning, Evans sat down in a spare office with an application counselor from Greater Valley Health Clinic, which serves much of the homeless population here, and recounted her struggle to re-enroll.

She said that she had asked for help at the state public assistance office, but that the staff didn't have time to answer her questions about which forms she needed to fill out or to walk her through the paperwork. She tried the state's help line, but couldn't get through.

There's no public data on how many unhoused people in Montana or nationwide have lost Medicaid, but homeless service providers and experts say it's a big problem.

Those assisting unsheltered people who have lost coverage say they spend much of their time helping people contact the Montana Medicaid office. Sorting through paperwork mistakes is also a headache, said Crystal Baker, a case manager at HRDC, a homeless shelter in Bozeman.

Montana health officials told NPR and KFF Health News in a statement that they provided training to help homeless service agencies prepare their clients for redetermination.

Federal health officials have warned Montana and some other conservative states against disenrolling high rates of people for technicalities, also known as procedural disenrollment. They also warned states about unreasonable barriers to accessing help, such as long hold times on help lines. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said if states don't reduce the rate of procedural disenrollments, the agency could force them to halt their redetermination process altogether. So far, CMS hasn't taken that step.

Charlie Brereton, the director of the Montana health department, resisted calls from Democratic state lawmakers to pause the redetermination process. Redetermination ended in January, four months ahead of the federal deadline.

"I'm confident in our redetermination process," Brereton told lawmakers in December. "I do believe that many of the Medicaid members who've been disenrolled were disenrolled correctly.

Health industry observers say that both liberal-leaning and conservative-leaning states are kicking homeless people off their rolls and that the redetermination process has been chaotic everywhere. Because of the barriers that unsheltered people face, it's easy for them to fall through the cracks.

Margot Kushel, a physician and a homeless researcher at the University of California-San Francisco, said it may not seem like a big deal to fill out paperwork. But, she said, "put yourself in the position of an elder experiencing homelessness," especially those without access to a computer, phone, or car.

If they still qualify, people can usually get their Medicaid coverage renewedeventuallyand it may reimburse patients retroactively for care received while they were unenrolled.

Kushel said being without Medicaid for any period can be particularly dangerous for people who are homeless. This population tends to have high rates of chronic health conditions.

"Being out of your asthma medicine for three days can be life-threatening. If you have high blood pressure and you suddenly stop your medicine, your blood pressure shoots up, and your risk of having a heart attack goes way up," she said.

When people don't understand why they're losing coverage or how to get it back, that erodes their trust in the medical system, Kushel said.

Evans, the homeless woman, was able to get help with her application and is likely to regain coverage.

Agencies that serve unhoused people said it could take years to get everyone who lost coverage back on Medicaid. They worry that those who go without coverage will resort to using the emergency room rather than managing their health conditions proactively.

Baker, the case manager at the Bozeman shelter, set up several callbacks from the state Medicaid office for one client. The state needed to interview him to make sure he still qualified, but the state never called.

"He waited all day long. By the fifth time, it was so stressful for him, he just gave up," she said.

That client ended up leaving the Bozeman area before Baker could convince him it was worth trying to regain Medicaid.

Baker worries his poor health will catch up with him before he decides to try again.

2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Complaints per 1 million riders to the NYPD Transit Bureau, September 2018August 2023. Credit: Injury Epidemiology (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s40621-024-00501-9

Has the New York City subway become less safe? This is the question Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health researchers sought to answer in their newest paper investigating rates of complaints to and arrests by the New York City Police Department Transit Bureau. The findings showed that anxieties related to crime on New York City transit rose following NYC's COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency declaration in 2020, leading to declines in subway ridership.

The results are published in the journal Injury Epidemiology.

The researchers were motivated by news reports indicating heightened concerns for safety when using public transit in New York City following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. They aimed to quantify the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on rates of crime within the subway system and to assess whether any changes were then influenced by the Subway Safety Plan, a program implemented by Mayor Eric Adams in February 2022 with stated aims of addressing concerns about safety as well as supporting those experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness.

Using publicly available data from the City and State of New York for the years 2018 to 2023, the researchers estimated changes in the rates of complaints to and arrests by the NYPD Transit Bureau per 1,000,000 subway riders per month. They also examined changes by the most common complaint and arrest types (assault, harassment, grand larceny, criminal mischief, and theft of services), as well changes in the proportion of arrests by demographic and geographic groups.

"Public transportation has so many public health benefits, including reductions in traffic crashes and air pollution, and improvements in physical health," said Leah Roberts, data analyst in the Department of Epidemiology, at Columbia Mailman School, and first author. "Not feeling safe when riding the subway is a major threat to equity in transit access. We hoped to understand how safety might have changed with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Subway Safety Plan."

The results showed that following the COVID-19 pandemic declaration, there was an 84% increase in the rate of complaints to the NYPD Transit Bureau per rider, including a 99% increase in the rate of complaints for assault and a 125% increase in the rate of complaints for harassment, aligning with news media reports of an uptick in subway-related crime.

Following the Subway Safety Plan's enactment, the authors did not find evidence of decreases in complaint rates, though there was a small increase in the rate of arrests for harassment. This finding might suggest that the Subway Safety Plan's increased police presence has led to stronger enforcement of transit policies, though it is unclear why this effect was specific to harassment arrests.

"It's important to note that the subway remains a relatively low-crime area. Throughout our study period, over 100,000 subway rides occurred on average for every one complaint reported to the NYPD Transit Bureau," noted Christopher Morrison, Ph.D., assistant professor of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman, and senior author. "But there have been significant increases in rates of complaints to police by subway riders, that haven't returned to pre-pandemic levels."

Another notable feature of the authors' findings was a decrease in the proportion of arrests for individuals racialized as white and the proportion of arrests in the borough of Manhattan following the Subway Safety Plan's enactment. Because there was not an absolute decrease in arrest rates during this period, this shift may suggest changes in the geographic distribution of transit policing throughout the city, rather than reductions in policing within Manhattan.

"We'd like to better understand the changes we're seeing in the demographic and geographic composition of individuals arrested. We know that recent statements by the MTA and law enforcement have indicated that they're pursuing an approach of strong fare enforcement, which they hope will lower rates of more serious crime in the subway system," stated Morrison, who is also affiliated with the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, Australia.

"Though it may take more time for this strategy to have the intended effect, our analysis didn't find measurable decreases in rates of any complaint or arrest type. We also need to consider potential unintended consequences of this strategy, since we know a larger police presence and stronger enforcement doesn't make all subway riders feel safer. Other approaches to improving safety on transit, such as wait time reductions and improvements to station cleanliness could have better impacts for public health and public safety," Morrison added.

Co-authors are Christina Mehranbod, Brady Bushover, Ariana Gobaud, Evan Eschliman, Carolyn Fish, Siddhesh Zadey, and Xiang Gao, Columbia Mailman School of Public Health.

More information: Leah E. Roberts et al, Trends in police complaints and arrests on New York City subways, 2018 to 2023: an interrupted time-series analysis, Injury Epidemiology (2024). DOI: 10.1186/s40621-024-00501-9
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: Jsme MILA from Pexels

In societies worldwide, women are frequently expected to assume the role of primary caregivers, and too often, that means putting the well-being of others before their own. This expectation transcends cultural boundaries and manifests in various forms.

In 2022, over half of women and girls in Canada aged 15 and oldernearly 8.4 million peoplededicate themselves to caregiving, whether for children or dependent adults, paid or unpaid.

Nearly one-third of them were involved in unpaid caregiving for children, while 23 percent were tending to adults with long-term conditions or disabilities. These figures highlight the sheer magnitude of women's involvement in caregiving.

Whether tending to aging relatives, managing household responsibilities or caring for children and spouses, women must often balance caregiving duties and personal needs.

Caring for loved ones

Statistics Canada data shows that almost 65 percent of caregivers providing 20 hours or more of care per week are women. Women caregivers can often become secondary patients as the constant and extensive care they provide to loved ones affects their physical and emotional well-being.

When it comes to caregiving in the home, daughters often face balancing caregiving responsibilities with their personal and professional aspirations. They often juggle multiple roles without adequate acknowledgment or support. The pressure to meet familial expectations while neglecting their well-being can significantly affect their physical and emotional health.

Those pressures can continue into their marital lives, where they carry the caregiving responsibilities. From caring for aging parents and in-laws to managing household affairs, they are expected to prioritize the needs of others above their own. This expectation can be particularly pronounced in cultures where traditional gender roles are deeply entrenched, leaving little room for women to assert their autonomy and prioritize self-care.

The challenge of 'sandwich caregiving'

A prevalent challenge faced by women caregivers is sandwich caregiving. This is where they find themselves sandwiched between caring for their children and aging parents or in-laws. This dual responsibility places immense pressure on women, both mentally and physically, as they strive to provide familial care.

Around 1.8 million people in Canada are sandwich caregivers, simultaneously caring for children and care-dependent adults. Furthermore, women are more likely to be sandwich caregivers than men. They are also more likely to report the negative impact of caregiving on their health and well-being, finances and family relationships.

In South Asian communities, daughters-in-law are frequently tasked with caregiving duties within their marital families, where they navigate familial structures that often prioritize the needs of aging in-laws over their own autonomy.

Similarly, in Chinese and other East Asian communities, women traditionally care for aging parents or in-laws, embodying the role of dutiful daughters who prioritize familial harmony and filial piety.

In Hispanic communities, the concept of "marianismo" emphasizes women's role as nurturers and caregivers, wherein they are expected to prioritize the needs of their families above their own.

These cultural norms shape women's roles within the family and influence their access to resources and opportunities outside the home. Despite variations across cultures, the common thread of women as primary caregivers underscores the need for recognition and support to alleviate the burden placed on them by societal expectations.

Addressing the burdens of caregiving

Providing more support to women caregivers means enacting policy reforms to provide them with paid family leave, flexible work arrangements, affordable child care and accessible health care and providing training and education programs.

Additionally, there should be community-based support networks that provide respite for caregivers alongside information and referral services and peer mentoring programs. These measures would help alleviate the burden on caregivers, promote their mental health and self-care and foster a more supportive environment for women balancing caregiving responsibilities with their own well-being.

Additionally, there need to be more open conversations about challenging traditional stereotypes and promoting gender equality. This is a crucial step toward making caregiving responsibilities more equitably shared within families.

Empowering women caregivers requires a fundamental shift in societal attitudes and norms. It involves recognizing and valuing their contributions while allowing them to prioritize their well-being. By raising awareness of the challenges faced by women caregivers and advocating for systemic changes, we can create a more supportive and inclusive environment for all caregivers, irrespective of cultural background.

The burden of caregiving transcends cultural boundaries, impacting women across societies worldwide. It's time to recognize the invaluable role of women caregivers and work towards creating a more equitable and supportive environment for all members of society.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
A small taste of pro-Palestine demonstrations that have roiled college campuses across the U.S. in recent weeks came home to Missoula on Sunday afternoon  except there were no arrests, no clashes with police and no encampments.

As Donald Trump Jr.  son of former president and current presidential candidate Donald J. Trump  and other top Republicans spoke at a fundraiser inside a ballroom at the University of Montana's University Center, about 60 protesters gathered outside the building's south entrance to show support for Palestine, criticize U.S. support of Israel, call for a cease-fire in Israel's military campaign in Gaza, and denigrate the politicians inside the building.

Starting around 1 p.m., Palestinian flags waved amid intermittent rain and light hail while chants of "Fund schools, not genocide" and "Free, free Palestine" echoed across the grass and concrete plaza. A dozen or more demonstrators, many wearing black-and-white keffiyehs, held a long, red banner proclaiming, "Missoula defends Palestine."

Amid it all, a lone counterprotester: A towering figure with a booming voice, wearing a "Jewish lives matter" shirt and holding aloft a large Israeli flag. A few pro-Palestinian protesters marked his movements, standing between him and the rest of the crowd as he offered shouted rejoinders to the chants.

Just over an hour later it was over: banners rolled up, megaphone turned off, demonstrators in increasingly small groups dispersing across campus on a dreary spring day.

"I came out here to protest for a free Palestine. Its the pressing issue of the day, its an important issue for the whole world to consider," said 79-year-old Clem Work, a longtime Missoulian who helped hold the center of the large banner. "Whats going on is genocide by the Israeli armed forces, and over 34,000 people have been killed including mostly women and children. Its just inexcusable."

Work's son, Brendan, is a co-founder of Montanans for Palestine, the group that organized the demonstration with a call to action on social media. Brendan Work has spent the past 14 years as the lead Arabic teacher for Missoula County Public Schools. Before that, he was a journalist in the occupied West Bank. He spent much of the roughly hour-long demonstration leading group chants with a megaphone until he was hoarse.

"I am standing with my fellow Missoulians to tell the university that we are ashamed of their decision to invite outright fascists to our university grounds," he said in a brief interview, referring to Trump Jr., Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) and Gov. Greg Gianforte. "I am telling those fascists that we stand overwhelmingly with Palestinian liberation, that our community is out for Palestine, and were not ashamed of it. Were not tired, were not afraid, were going to win."

(Dave Kuntz, director of strategic communications for UM, stated in an email that the university did not invite Sunday's Republican event to campus; the Montana Association of Conservatives rented the ballroom just like other non-UM entities do each week.)

"I think that that creates an embarrassing picture of us as Montanans," Work said. "It indicates that we are narrow-minded and hungry for war, and nothing could be farther from the community I know. The fact that the flag of the apartheid state flies outside of the governors office, for example, is a rejection of the values that we hold dear, not just as Montanans for Palestine but as Missoulians. We would not accept the kind of apartheid conditions that exist in Israel in our city, in our state. And we are here to say that."

Jon Murphy, the Missoula resident who staged the one-man counterprotest, lamented what he characterized as profound ignorance among the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. He said he went to the demonstration to "help represent the Jewish people in this world here, getting targeting by a lot of hate. Im here to represent."

"My family lived through the Holocaust, and I grew up in a dual-religious household, so I know a bit about tolerance and intolerance at the same time  and this shit doesnt fly right with me," he said, gesturing at the demonstration. "Its a shame that these kids are so uneducated and brainwashed that they dont know what theyre standing for. I feel sorry for them and their parents, and for the future of America if this is whats going to happen."

After demonstrators chanted "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!"  a slogan some have called antisemitic because of implied erasure of Israel  Murphy adopted the phrasing for himself, Israeli flag held high: "From the river to the sea, this is the only flag you're going to see!"

The lopsided standoff became more tense when Brendan Work began speaking about the 1948 expulsion of Palestinians to create the Israeli state, known in Arabic as the "Nakba," meaning catastrophe. Murphy shouted back about Jewish expulsion from Arab nations, forcefully concluding, "F--- you guys!"

"Palestine doesn't exist," Murphy later shouted at the group. "It's easy when you make up history, you can belong to anything."

"You're one to talk!" someone yelled back.

Sierra Irwin, a junior at nearby Hellgate High School, said she came to campus to "support the movement, further the efforts for a free Palestine. I believe in their freedom, in everyones freedom, because they are also humans."

Lucia Reeves, a UM student, said she was there "to come out and show support for Palestinian liberation and show the politicians that are here on campus that this is what Montanans believe and are supporting, and this is the will and the want of Montanans."

Murphy said he saw room to criticize Israel, but he took the protesters' calls for a liberated Palestine as an existential threat to Israel as the Jewish homeland.

"There's a difference," he said, "between protesting what a government does and protesting its right to exist."

By about 2:15 p.m., a handful of the demonstrators moved inside the University Center's first floor, saying they wanted to be quiet but visible as speakers and attendees left the event a few floors up and descended a central staircase. Murphy followed, and for a while displayed his flag from a balcony above the group.

But the event in the ballroom above had only just begun, and by 3 p.m. the demonstrators were gone, leaving a few signs scattered around the atrium.

Upstairs, Trump Jr. remarked on the protest, saying it was a small turnout and joking that he'd "lost his touch."
The University of Montana resumed normal operations after a shooting threat to a residence hall closed down campus late Sunday evening.

Two anonymous calls, likely from the same person, came in around 9 p.m. threatening violence on campus, according to UM Director of Strategic Communications Dave Kuntz. The threat included use of firearms.

The threats came in to a specific residence hall, Kuntz said. That building was searched by authorities, with no evidence of a shooting or any other reports of an incident.

"(University police) in partnership with Missoula law enforcement continue to search the campus but have not found anything or received information to substantiate a threat," a campus-wide alert sent at 10:44 p.m. stated. The alert said campus operations were returning to normal.

An increased law enforcement presence on campus can be expected, Kuntz said.

The university is asking people to stay vigilant and report anything suspicious to 911, University Police Emergency at 4000 (on campus) or 406-243-4000 (off campus).

The campus was in "secure mode" status for almost two hours after the calls came in.
Firefighters around the country are concerned that gear laced with the toxic industrial compound PFAS could be one reason why cancer rates among their ranks are rising. The multi-layered coats and pants worn by firefighters have become the latest battleground over PFAS, or per- and polyfluor
Dionne Warwick honored by the National Society of Rhythm & Blues Warwick basked in the applause of her fans as she was honored with her Walk of Fame plaque by the National Society of Rhythm & Blues on April 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Winner/Daniel Winner)

Editors note: This story was originally published on Front Runner New Jersey and is being shared through a partnership with Mosaic.

Six-time Grammy Award winner Dionne Warwicks reputation in the music industry is that of grace and class.

Even while casually dressed in a cap to accept her induction into the Atlantic City Walk of Fame on Friday, April 26, that grace and class came shining through for many of her adoring fans and past recipients who came to Brighton Park, off the citys famed Boardwalk, to see her.

Warwick, 83, who has been showered with many honors during her long musical career  from becoming a Kennedy Center honoree in December to being added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1985  was genuinely humbled at her latest platitudes.

Chi-lites honored by the National Rhythm & Blues Society Marshall Thompson of the Chi-Lites speaks at the Atlantic City Walk of Fame induction on April 26, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Winner/Daniel Winner)

Warwick was honored with the soul group the Chi-Lites during the presentation by the National Rhythm & Blues Music Society, headed by Vanessa Jordan. Original member Marshall Thompson accepted the award on behalf of the Chi-Lites.

Both shared smiles and accepted cheers from fans as they watched the unveiling of their Walk of Fame plaques in Brighton Park behind the Claridge Hotel under a cloudless blue sky on Friday afternoon.

I am so thrilled that you thought enough of me to make a decision to plant me into your ground  alive, Warwick said with a smile, drawing laughs and cheers from the crowd. Its quite an honor to be recognized in this fashion. I must say that.

Warwick was one of the top 40 top-charting American artists from 1955 through 1999 and the second most-charted female in the rock era from 1955 to 1999. A remarkable total of 56 of her singles during that period made it onto the Billboard Hot 100, the music industrys go-to guide for record sales and airplay.

From 1962 to 1998, 12 of those songs cracked the Top 10 on the Billboard charts. Warwick ranked No. 74 of Billboards Hot 100 Greatest Artists of all time.

One of the most memorable hits came in 1985, when she joined with other superstars Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder to record the hit Thats What Friends Are For. The song, made to raise awareness of the AIDS crisis, shot up to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and became one of the most recognized songs of the decade.

I have not been in Atlantic City for quite a while, said Warwick, who performed a show at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City Friday night. I want to thank you very much for continuing to embrace me. God bless you and thank you.

Members of the Delfonics and other groups shared their memories of working with Thompson and the Chi-Lites. The stories ranged from being protected by police from screaming female fans to allowing Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 to share their dressing room before they became famous.

We didnt have no money but we were here, Thompson said. Two years later we had a hit record. God is really good. I wanted to say to the audience, its because of you that Im doing what I do today. If it wasnt for you buying all of those records, I would be shining shoes.

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. spoke at the event, which was also attended by City Council President Aaron Sporty Randolph and Vice President Kaleem Shabazz.

The National R&B Music Society Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting and honoring Classic Soul/R&B Music and the Legends from the 60s, 70s, & 80s that paved the way for artists today.

Read more stories like this on Mosaic:

Dionne Warwick doc is up for an Image Award. Say a little prayer.

Dionne Warwick unearths 200 years of her family tree on Finding Your Roots

Rock and Roll Hall of Fames 16 inductees are revealed. See who made the cut.

This story was shared as part of a content-sharing agreement between Mosaic.NJ.com and Front Runner New Jersey. Follow Mosaic on Instagram at @MosaicNJcom, on Facebook at MosaicNJcom and on YouTube at @MosaicNJcom.
The state of Montana has embarked on a massive overhaul of some state-owned buildings that will involve shuffling employees, reorganizing leases, renovating current workspace and developing a new workplace culture that adds more flexibility for workers.

If it helps, it's been suggested to think of the movement as part of a giant chessboard, puzzle or even a Rubik's Cube.

The Remote and Office Workplace Study, commonly called ROWS, will expand telework, create hybrid flexibility, update human resource policies and design new workspaces in buildings, officials with the Department of Administration, which is overseeing the program, said. The state expects the work to be initiated in phases throughout the next five years with work starting on the Capitol complex in Helena.

And one of the goals is to create ways to serve Montanans more efficiently.

Misty Ann Giles, director of the Department of Administration, said the traditional approach of lease and space reduction in the private sector is to say I am going to reduce lease space by X%.

We kind of flipped that exercise on its head and started with a human capital exercise first, she said.

The state is looking at "hybrid" work environments, which are often described as combining in-office and remote work. This allows employees to work from home or anywhere they can be productive.

She said they looked at more than 300 job codes  more than 7,000 employees  did surveys of all rank-and-file employees and interviewed more than 125 managers in order to try and understand the nature of their work.

She said they then went to a data-driven exercise, where employees are categorized as low, medium or high for working remotely. The high was 80%, or four days a week at home, medium is 60%, where most people fall, which is two to three days, and low is one or two days tops, due to the nature of their work.

She said they took the data and looked at the space the state does need and reducing leased and state-owned space.

Giles said the state is also creating customer service centers.

As an example, she cited the Department of Public Health and Human Services building on the Capitol complex, where she said people have to fight with state employees and state officials to find parking in order to get into the building.

We are trying to find locations around Helena where a customer who needs help with Medicare or Medicaid can simply walk in the door, just like you would at a bank or anywhere else and be customer friendly, Giles said.

Giles said Montana, like most states, is still in that standard office environment where one office has 400 square feet per person. She said with the state that number is 150-170 square feet and they dont have the ability for a lot of folks who are teleworking now, where they are only coming in a couple days a week and have more flexibility.

This is totally about the business environment our employees are in, whether it is internal or external space and ensuring they have adequate safe environment to work in that are upgraded and have more of a hybrid mobility," Giles said.

She said the state has five major departments and three major buildings in Helena that will undergo renovation and result in 63% of deferred maintenance in the Capitol complex being handled.

The initial agencies involved with renovation and shuffling of employees will be the Department of Administration, Department of Revenue, Department of Labor, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Department of Commerce.

She said the state buildings are currently not in the best condition, as maintenance and upkeep have not been the best.

That is not unique to Montana, most governments dont really like to fund maintenance of their buildings, she said.

Giles said the savings target is $50 million, but were still crunching numbers.

She said the state is looking at doing $46 million in deferred maintenance in the Capitol complex and then $40-$60 million in initial savings when they amortize all the leases the state will pull out of.

So there is savings to the taxpayer in the long run, she said.

Giles said some departments would be impacted more than others. She said all the spaces would be upgraded in the long term, but it does not make sense to move everyone.

She said the Department of Administration, which has seven leases across town, will be collapsing into the Mitchell Building.

She said the Department of Revenue also has seven leases across Helena that cost millions of dollars each year. They are going to move into the Walt Sullivan Building.

The Department of Labor will move to 301 S. Park Ave., the big federal building on the Gulch, in space now occupied by state employees.

The Department of Commerce will relocate out of 301 S. Park Ave. into a new facility and the DEQ is collapsing out of leases and will collapse down into the Metcalf Building.

We are taking it in phases, Giles said.

She said some of the work will be done in phases, like a puzzle, a Rubiks cube or a chessboard if you will.

Giles said the DOA is working to get the Metcalf, Mitchell and Sullivan facilities under general contract and work with the contractor to get the phasing right and have the least disruption as possible for state employees.

We will get the three buildings under contract at the same time and the work will be phased over the next couple years with the plan of all of it buttoned up in the next five, she said.

Giles said the backbone of what is going on is to create a positive hybrid environment, a mix of working in an office and from home, for employees and giving them the space they deserve, offering the flexibility you see in the private sector and being smarter with the space in the Capitol complex and here in Helena and making it easier for Helena residents to get access to services.

She said the long-term vision is for offices elsewhere in Montana, but the Department of Administration is starting in Helena.

We are looking at Billings and Missoula as well, because we have more than 20 leases in their cities, she said.

Giles said the long-term vision would be, if they can find accommodating space, to blend those leases into one or two buildings.

She said people should not have to make multiple stops and drive all over town to do state business, but such a goal would take time.

  Obviously, property is tight, were constantly watching the market in both of those cities, but that is a long-term vision  to have three buildings instead of 21 different locations that the citizens that we serve have to go to to access government services.

She said it has nothing to do with cutting jobs.

This is not about job reduction, this is about giving our employees a better environment to work in, she said.

She said the Department of Administration handles human resources as well and is the chief negotiator for the state.

Giles said she has some workers who are very excited that employees will get more modernized space and have more flexibility.

In terms of all employees, a lot of folks are excited but also folks want details as to how it is going to work, how will their computers be set up, 'what type of desk do I have to have?,' she said.

Giles said they are working with directors and leadership teams to make sure employees understand this is not about losing their job, this is about your telework flexibility and understanding what they need in terms of office requirements.

It is kind of an unknown as to how it is going to work. In large part, the pulse is very positive, she said.

Giles said Montana was one of the first states to pull people back to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"What we really found is that most folks are in the office three to four days a week. People like the flexibility of catching up on emails or drafting regulations and documents, some prefer to be at home a couple days a week where they can have that privacy and quiet outside the office environment."

She said in large part they found that employees enjoy the camaraderie of being with their teams. They are excited about this initiative and having better space and being more consolidated in those team environments.

She said it's been kinda great to see folks are excited about the flexibilities, but really prefer to come in and be with their fellow state employees and the teams and the citizens that they serve.

Giles said the states unions have been part of the process.

We have been working with the unions since the beginning of the initiative to make sure they are looped in, she said.

The Montana Federation of Public Employees, the states largest union, said its members have historically requested opportunities for remote work.

ROWS has created flexibility for members to work remotely and will be providing much-needed updates to offices within state government, Quint Nyman, deputy executive director, said in an email.

He said MFPE members were able through the pandemic to continue doing "work that matters for Montanans" while working remotely.

We're committed to always providing the critical services Montanans rely on whether we're in the office or remote working, Nyman said.

He said the state has upheld its contractual obligations throughout the process to provide MFPE members with policy changes and offer a chance to weigh in collaboratively.

Nyman said the union has not formally endorsed the ROWS plan.

We don't have to give formal support, he said in the email. MFPE members believe the program should be implemented fairly and uniformly, and we'll continue communicating with the state throughout the process.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced that the government has earmarked Kes.1 billion to aid affected families in the Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) regions amidst the ongoing nationwide flash floods.

DP Gachagua affirmed the governments commitment to assisting those affected by the heavy rains and mitigating the ongoing crisis while speaking during a food distribution exercise to affected families in Mathare at Valley Bridge Primary School in Nairobi on Sunday.

He stated that teams from the National Youth Service (NYS), the Ministry of Interior, and a multi-agency team have already initiated the exercise nationwide, commencing with repairing major damages within the nations capital.

We have allocated money to NYS, Interior Ministry, we have budgeted Ksh.1 billion to buy more food for people in SAL (regions). We will continue to partner with experts in public health to enable them to buy medicine to prevent diseases like cholera and malaria, said Gachagua.
Thika MP Alice Wambui Nganga has urged the government to consider extending school holidays by one week to shield learners from the havoc caused by the ongoing heavy rains.

The MP argued that reopening schools amidst the continuing heavy rains, which have resulted in deaths and property destruction, could exacerbate the situation.

At least 80 fatalities have been reported due to the heavy rains, leading to flooded rivers, estates, and roads, as well as house destruction and disruptions in various parts of the country.

Speaking in her constituency, the MP emphasized that extending the holiday by a week would allow the government to monitor the rain situation and devise a safer return-to-school plan.

The lawmaker stated that if learners resume studies as scheduled, many parents, especially those with children attending day schools, may hesitate to send them to potentially dangerous school areas prone to flooding.

She highlighted that the reopening this week was not well-considered, especially with the Labour Day celebrations scheduled for Wednesday, which could potentially inconvenience learners.

We would rather delay the reopening date than risk losing our children as a result of the ongoing flooding all over the country. Again, why schools would reopen on Monday yet on Wednesday is a national holiday. The Ministry of Education should consider pushing the date to the other week, Nganga said.

As per the Ministry of Education, learners are slated to resume their second-term studies from April 29 to August 2, spanning 14 weeks. Subsequently, they will go on holiday from August 5 to August 23, a period of three weeks.

Also Read  Why Schools Will Reopen Despite Inclement Weather

At the same time, the Kenya National Parents Association (KNAP) has urged the government to reconsider school opening dates in flood-affected areas.

With floods impacting homes and learning institutions, KNAP Secretary General Eskimos Kobia expressed concern over the safety of thousands of children.

Kobia urged the Government to assess the extent of schools affected by the rains and adjust the opening dates to ensure the safety of both students and teachers.

We are keenly monitoring the ongoing rains and working with the Government for the safety of students as schools reopen for second term, he said.

Addressing a gathering in Naivasha on Sunday, the KNAP Secretary General highlighted that in areas severely impacted by the rains, affected individuals had sought refuge in nearby schools. He observed that the heavy rains had caused significant road blockages, particularly in rural areas, posing additional risks to the safety of students.

The issue is not only about reopening schools but how safe the students will be when travelling from home to the learning institutions, he said.

Kobia disclosed that an initial assessment conducted by the association had found that many affected families had suffered losses of school uniforms and learning materials.

He explained that in affected schools, classrooms had collapsed, rendering the institutions uninhabitable. Additionally, he noted instances where learning materials had been washed away by the floods.

The education sector has been adversely affected by the floods, and we welcome the move by the government to form a multi-agency team to assist those displaced, the official said.
The Kenya Revenue Authoritys (KRA) investigation team seized 5.6 tonnes of illegally imported used undergarments at a warehouse in Syokimau, Machakos County.

The team impounded 112 bales, each weighing 50 kilograms, at the Simba Pavers Warehouse within the Syokimau area, revealing that the consignment belonged to Peng Sheng Industrial Development Company Limited.

Importing used underwear garments is prohibited under the Kenya Standard KS EAS 356:2019: Used Textiles  Requirements for Inspection and Acceptance of Used Textile Products.

The Authority explained that they will prosecute the owners of the warehouse where the goods were impounded for importing the prohibited items.

According to Section 200 as read with Part A of the Second Schedule of EACCMA 2004, a person who imports, acquires, has in his or her possession, keeps or conceals, or procures to be kept or concealed, any goods which he or she knows, or ought reasonably to have known, to be prohibited goods, commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine equal to fifty percent of the dutiable value involved, or both of the goods.

KRA has restated that individuals found culpable of violating tax and customs laws will face charges, and the seized products will be forfeited to the state.

Additionally, KRA stated after the operation that it is collaborating closely with other government agencies to combat illicit trade and transnational crimes, safeguarding Kenyas national interests.
President William Ruto has secured Zimbabwes support for Raila Odingas bid for the African Union Commission chairmanship.

Kenya has presented its candidature for AUC Chairperson for 2025  2028.

This comes in the wake of a unanimous decision by the African Union Executive Council, on 15th March 2024, that the Eastern Africa region submit candidates for the AU Chairperson.

President Ruto said Kenya candidature is informed by the role that the country plays in enhancing the Pan  African Agenda.

I am assured that Kenya and Zimbabwe will persist in conferring and backing each other on multitude issues of bilateral, regional and continental significance alongside the African Union

Agenda 2063, said President Ruto.

President Ruto made the remarks at the Bulawayo State House, Zimbabwe on Saturday, during bilateral talks with his counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa.

During the bilateral meeting, Kenya and Zimbabwe signed nine MoUs in the fields of transport, infrastructure, health, education, defense, trade and investments among other areas.

President Mnagangwa emphasized on the need for investors to exploit existing opportunities in the two countries.

Meanwhile, Kenya and Zimbabwe will leverage on their rich shared history, socio-cultural, political and economic ties as well as abundant natural resources for the mutual benefit of their citizens.

President Ruto said the two countries have a deep understanding which underpins our mutual support over the years in diverse arenas.

Based on this, I wish to declare Kenyas unreserved support for Zimbabwes readmission to the Commonwealth, and for the African Unions call for the immediate lifting of all illegal sanctions against the Republic of Zimbabwe, said President Ruto.

Kenyas commitment to the principle of sovereign equality of nations and states, and a rule-based multilateral system makes no room for the contemplation or imposition of unilateral coercive measures.

I stand here to affirm Kenyas commitment to the flourishing of our bilateral relations, and our shared determination to advance and enhance mutual benefit through partnership and consultation, said President Ruto.

President Ruto made the remarks on Friday evening during a banquet hosted in his honour at the Bulawayo State House in Zimbabwe.

Dr Ruto said President Mnagangwas emphatic commitment to accelerate the development of energy, transport and communications infrastructure as enablers of trade and investment, productivity and efficiency and, ultimately rapid economic growth is a substantial testament to the boldness and ambition of his vision for Zimbabwes economic turnaround.

To underscore this observation, I further note your governments decision to break new ground in monetary policy and inaugurate a new currency backed by gold and other asset reserves, as compelling proof of Your Excellencys irrevocable intent to usher in a new era of economic recovery and transformation, said President Ruto.

The Head of State said he was confident that the two countries are poised to accomplish immense growth together, on the basis of the bilateral frameworks of cooperation the numerous areas of potential mutual gains.

President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe will forever be grateful to Kenya for standing resolutely with the country, particularly in the clarion and unequivocal call for the removal of illegal Western-imposed economic sanctions.

We have a common and rich liberation war history and a shared vision for prosperity, peace and progress. As we look into the future, we must now leverage on the current social, political and economic ties as well as natural endowments for the mutual benefit of our two countries and peoples, said President Mnagangwa.

He said Zimbabwe also took a leaf from Kenya, especially in infrastructure development that is now ubiquitous in the country as roads, that were in a state of disrepair, were now being resurfaced in every part of the country.

We are on course to attain our national Vision 2030 to become an empowered upper middle-income economy. The reforms undertaken since the inception of the Second Republic have seen a conducive business environment, which has in-turn increased both local and foreign investments across all sectors, he said.

By Presidential Communication Service(PCS)
Continuing last weeks column, I thought it important to point out that our voyage aboard Explora was not just about the wine related events as last weeks column may have suggested. After embarkation from Barbados, we also enjoyed shore excursions to Rouseau, Dominica; Oranjestad, Aruba; Cartagena, Columbia; Willemstad, Curacao; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica and our final destination in Panama City.

Each excursion presented its own experiences as we ventured independently to explore the diverse local personalities of the areas we visited.

However, the crowning experience was sailing through the Panama Canal on a 51-mile journey. This is an all-day experience highlighted by a six-hour crossing of the man-made fresh water Gutun Lake that sits 85 feet above sea level. In the early morning hours, we all gathered on three decks in the bow section of the ship to watch the slow, precise and very exciting entrance to the Colon locks on the Atlantic side.

The original canal was completed in 1914 and a new larger and deeper lock system, to accommodate larger vessels, was added in 2016. Today, both sets of locks on the Colon and Pacific sides remain functional while sitting side-by-side. Through the newer locks, ships are guided by tugboats, while steam engines are used in the historic locks.

The entire canal is fresh water that constantly flows from rivers and lakes in the surrounding jungles and rain forests of Panama. With current drought conditions on the isthmus and surrounding areas, water flow into the canal has been limited and traffic greatly reduced. We observed the traffic jam of vessels awaiting entrance on both sides of the canal where literally hundreds of freighter, tanker, cargo vessels and other ships remained anchored waiting their turn. Wait times can extend from many hours to several days depending on the Canal Authoritys ability to handle the flow.

While sailing from Puerto Limon, Costa Rica to the Colon entrance of the canal, we gathered in the Astern Lounge to enjoy the hors doeuvre course of our Fairwell Dinner featuring a selection of California wines from across the state and representing a broad range of varietal diversity. The talents of Chef Travis Da Silva were on full display for this and every other delectable course served in a private area of the Fil Rouge restaurant one deck below.

Our hors doeuvres reception began with Chef Da Silvas culinary treats of leeks mosaic in nori with wasabi mayo, lobster medallions and tuna tartar on crispy plantain and his truffle croque monsieur. These tasty morsels were accompanied by two whites from Tablas Creek in Paso Robles and CourAvant in St. Helena.

The 2021 Esprit de Tablas Blanc brings to mind a classic Chateauneuf blend based on Roussanne with additions of Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, Bourboulenc and Clairette Blanche for a true Southern Rhone experience with a Paso touch.

The 2021 CourAvant Blanc is in the style of the great whites from the Graves and Pessac Leognan appellations of Bordeaux with about equal parts of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. A wine displaying bright acidity and a deep sense of structure (Sauvignon Blanc) with an alluring mouthfeel and pitted fruit notes (Semillon) so reminiscent of its Bordelais heritage.

After the hors doeuvres reception we moved to the beautiful Fil Rouge restaurant for courses two through dessert where we were joined by F&B Manager Alex Brotsman, Future Journeys Ambassador Ana-Daniela Stanescu and Charter and Journey Together Lead Cindi Occhuizzo. Fil Rouge is a large restaurant that is tastefully divided into several smaller areas so guests feel part of an intimate dining experience rather than just a table in a large/open dining area so common on other ships.

For our second course we enjoyed a 2021 Lombardi Pinot Noir Gaps Crown from Sonomas Petaluma Gap and 2018 Hitching Post Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict from Santa Barbaras famed Sta. Rita Hills. To pair with some of Pinots more savory side, Chef Da Silva prepared an artistic duck foie gras carpaccio  thin sliced cooked foie gras with Brittany artichokes and black truffle vinaigrette. A delightful pairing and a dish to remember.

Tony Lombardi began his vinous career with Sonoma Pinot Noir icon Kosta Brown and then developed his own Lombardi Wines. Under his eponymous label, Tony focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from prestigious vineyards across Sonoma County with award winning wines that have garnered a dedicated following.

In 1979, Frank Ostini of the famed Hitching Post II (remember the movie Sideways) in Buellton, CA and Gray Hartly (a fisherman at heart) began producing Hitching Post wines dedicated to Pinot Noir. The vineyard select Sanford & Benedict Pinot is available in only limited quantities and one of their most prestigious bottlings. Two very different expressions of the tricky Pinot Noir grape and both ideal representations of their most individual growing areas.

On to our third course with an earthy risotto ai porcini tastefully blending arborio rice, roasted porcini mushrooms and burrata espuma to pair with 2017 Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas and 2015 Once & Future Mataro Oakley Road Vineyard. The pairing here complemented the earthiness of the porcinis with similar qualities found in the Southern Rhone and with its varieties grown elsewhere.

Jason Haas is the 2nd generation of the Haas family to lead Tablas Creek in the Adelaide AVA of Paso Robles. The property was founded in 1989 by Jasons late father Robert Haas of importer Vineyard Brands and the Perrin family of Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape which also supplied all vine cuttings for the new venture. The Esprit de Tablas bottling represents the Grande Marques of their extensive and highly regarded portfolio displaying the richness of Mourvedre complemented by Grenache, Syrah, and Counoise with each contributing its own character to the finished blend.

Joel Peterson was the original winemaker and founder of Ravenswood in Sonoma and is known throughout the international trade as the father of heritage varieties and vineyards. The sale of Ravenswood gave Joel the space and comfort to launch his own Once & Future (Once I made wines like this as I will do in the future) brand. Joels 2015 Once & Future Mataro (aka Mourvedre) originates from the 122-year old block of the Oakley Road Vineyard on the sandy soils of Contra Costa County where the vines continue to thrive on their own ungrafted roots.

Our main course was a tasty Black Angus prime sirloin steak highlighted by two red Bordeaux-style blends  2020 CourAvant Proprietary Red Wine from Napas St. Helena and 2015 Bernardus Marinus from Carmel Valley. Coming from very different growing areas, blends and vintages, both wines presented themselves as excellent examples of the Bordelais family with structure, balance and textural appeal highlighting their own individual personalities.

CourAvant is located on the southern edge of the St. Helena AVA at the border of the Rutherford AVA and the base of the Mayacamas range. The blend of the 2020 Proprietary Red Wine mirrors the vineyard planting of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and one-third Merlot. However, their particular cultivar of Merlot adds to the breadth and power of the wine with the Cabernet lending notes of elegance, structure and depth. An intriguing wine with a unique aromatic/flavor profile.

The 2015 Marinus is a complex blend where Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot form the foundation with Merlot and Cabernet Franc in supporting roles. Bold, rich, complex and layered are but a few of the adjectives that I recognized in this wine. A great and not unexpected pairing to the dish and a delightful counter-point to the CourAvant. Two very special wines complementing different aspects of the dish.

Chef Da Silva finished the culinary side of the meal with a caramelized mille-feuille with Madagascan vanilla cream  a signature Fil Rouge dessert that paired beautifully with 2018 Grgich Hills Violetta  a late-harvest blend primarily focused on Sauvignon Blanc (a southern Bordeaux emphasis), Riesling (a Germanic accent) and a touch of Gewurztraminer (notes of Alsace). An intriguing wine that the late Grgich Hills co-founder and wine icon Miljenko (Mike) Grgich originally named after his daughter Violet now CEO of Grgich Hills Estate. A truly delightful way to end a spectacular meal in a beautiful setting with friends new and old.

Departing Panama City, Barbara and I traveled with three other couples for a short stay at Los Establos Boutique Inn in the hills above David (pronounced Dah-veed) Panama to rest and recount our memorable Explora I experience where we all enjoyed our time at this mountain retreat.

My heartfelt thanks and appreciation goes to our fellow travelers, Frosch Fine Wine Voyages and especially to the crew and staff of Explora Journeys. Without their untiring help and passionate commitment, Wines of the Americas North to South could not have been so successful. Thank you!

PHOTOS: James Moss owner and winemaker of Napa's J.Moss wines
Its been a year since the college town of Davis was paralyzed in fear for a week as authorities searched for a suspect who brutally stabbed three people, killing two of them in seemingly random attacks at night.

The manhunt ended not far from where one of the victims was stabbed to death days earlier. Police arrested a young man, Carlos Reales Dominguez, who once had a promising future as a UC Davis student but was apparently in a downward spiral of mental illness and now is accused of attacking the three victims.

As a trial on murder and attempted murder charges approaches for Reales Dominguez, Davis community members as well as family and friends of the victims are gathering to honor those killed in the attacks  and to reflect on the terrifying violence a year later.

Karim Abou Najm was a 20-year-old UC Davis student just six weeks from his graduation when he was fatally attacked April 29, 2023, as he headed home through Sycamore Park.

The public was invited to a Day of Remembrance Monday at the park with keynote speakers including Abou Najms parents, who will share some of his writings and the initiatives to memorialize their son.

That was to be followed at Sycamore Park by the unveiling of a memorial bench and naming of a bike path in honor of Abou Najm.

Davis stabbing spree: First victim was Compassion Guy

On Saturday, city officials invited the public to gather in downtown Davis and remember the first victim attacked in last years stabbings, David Henry Breaux. The 50-year-old man, referred to as Compassion Guy, was a well-known community member and had been a regular fixture at Central Park and in downtown for the past decade. The park is just east of the UC Davis campus.

The Davis Police Department has said Breaux had been sleeping at the park, where he was attacked in the early hours of April 27, 2023. Called to the park hours after the fatal attack, police said Breaux was found with multiple stab wounds, the victim of a significantly violent attack. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Additional officers, on bikes and on foot, were assigned to patrol around the park to create a visible presence in the downtown corridor.

Breauxs death on its own was alarming to police and officials in a city where homicides are rare, especially since the man had touched many lives in the community and dedicated his time and energy toward selflessness.

They didnt know at the time that the brutal attack would just be the first one that week.

Second victim attacked on his way home

Two nights later, Abou Najm was on his way home after a day on campus for a student research project presentation. He was using a path through Sycamore Park hed often used when he was stabbed multiple times in a fatal attack.

His family was devastated by the traumatic slaying. A computer science major at UC Davis, Abou Najm was an aspiring software engineer with an impressive academic career and two jobs lined up for him after his graduation that June. UC Davis gave him a bachelors degree in computer science posthumously at last years commencement ceremony.

Investigators scoured the area as they worked around the clock to identify a suspect in the attacks, even inviting a search-and-rescue crew to comb through Sycamore Park in hopes of finding any clues that could help identify a suspect. Davis Police had a description of the suspect who they believed was around Abou Najms age.

The stabbings that killed Breuax and Abou Najm had similarities, including the brutal manner of the attacks and the fact both took place at parks, and the crimes were quickly being investigated as linked.

City and UC Davis police boosted patrols and other safety measures, asking residents to be vigilant, especially at night, and report suspicious activity.

Third victim stabbed at homeless camp

Two nights after Abou Najm was attacked in the park, Kimberlee Guillory, 64, was stabbed as she slept in her tent at a homeless encampment near Second and L streets in Davis. She was stabbed repeatedly through the tent but survived her serious injuries, which required surgery.

The suspect reportedly fled from the homeless encampment on foot.

A manhunt ensued.

Residents in downtown Davis and at the near UC Davis campus were told to shelter in place. But the suspect was not found.

The following afternoon, UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May announced that all classes on campus ending after 6 p.m. would be moved to remote learning indefinitely. Aggie Transfer Day, an informational event for admitted transfer students scheduled that following Friday, was canceled.

Without a suspect in custody, the Davis community was frightened of what violence could follow. Some businesses in Davis shortened their hours or adjusted their schedules. Events like the Wednesday farmers market at Central Park were canceled.

Davis Police enlisted the help of homicide detectives from the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office and Sacramento Police, as biological evidence retrieved from the crime scenes was taken to crime labs for analysis.

Stabbing suspect arrested

Two days after Guillory was stabbed, Carlos Reales Dominguez was spotted in the late afternoon at Sycamore Park, where Abou Najm was killed. Police later said 15 callers reported seeing a man matching the stabbing suspect description: long, dark curly hair and wearing black Adidas pants with a white stripe.

Officers responded and found Reales Dominguez near Colby Drive and Pine Lane, about a block west of the park. He agreed to go with officers, and he was first questioned as a person of interest as part of the investigation into three Davis stabbings.

The following morning, Davis Police Chief Darren Pytel announced they had arrested Reales Dominguez in connection with the stabbings. Pytel said officers found him with a large knife and a backpack, wearing the same clothes the suspect wore in the third stabbing.

Campus officials confirmed Reales Dominguez, then 21 years old, had been a UC Davis biological science major until April 25, 2023, when he was dismissed for academic reasons. The first stabbing, which killed Breaux, happened two days later.

Before enrolling at UC Davis, Reales Dominguez excelled as a high school athlete in East Oakland, where he was a standout student and a leader among his peers. In court testimony last summer, his friends described him displaying bizarre behavior, becoming further withdrawn from society. A forensic neuropsychologist testified that Reales Dominguez was most likely suffering from schizophrenia.

Murder trial awaits

The defendants mental competency came into question in Yolo County Superior Court. Reales Dominguez was deemed mentally unfit and was ordered him to receive treatment at Atascadero State Hospital. He has since been returned to Yolo County, and his criminal case has been reinstated.

Reading from a report on Reales Dominguezs mental health status, Judge Samuel McAdam said in January that the defendants mental competency has been restored and that the case could proceed.

After a preliminary hearing that ended in late February, McAdam ruled there was sufficient evidence for Reales Dominguez to stand trial. He remains in custody at the Yolo County Jail.

Reales Dominguez is scheduled to return to court June 18 for the judge to schedule the start of his trial.

Photos: Napa Valley Faces and Places, April 27, 2024
The following messages have been shared with the Emory community or with members of the media.

Media requests should be directed to news@emory.edu.

Message from President Fenves: Commencement Update

May 6, 2024

Dear Emory Community,

I have been firm in my commitment that Emory will celebrate our graduating students at Commencement. While that commitment has not changed, concerns about safety and security require us to adjust the plans.

Emory will relocate Commencement activities to the Gas South District in Duluth, Georgia, an indoor complex that includes the Gas South Arena and the Gas South Convention Center. This change in venue impacts Emorys university-wide Commencement celebration as well as the diploma ceremonies for all nine schools, including Oxford College. Details of the revised Commencement plans, including those for related events and receptions, have been added to the Commencement website. This site will be updated as additional details become available.

Please know that this decision was not taken lightly. It was made in close consultation with the Emory Police Department, security advisors, and other agencies  each of which advised against holding Commencement events on our campuses.

I know that this news will be deeply disappointing to many of you. The FAQs included on the Commencement site provide answers to some of the many questions related to this change.

I want to end by congratulating the Emory Class of 2024  a class like no other. For many of you, the pandemic interrupted your high school graduations, and you began your Emory experience online. Next Monday, we will celebrate all that you have accomplished since then. You will have your moment together, in person, alongside the people who matter to you the most. Each of your names will be read aloud, and each of you will be conferred an Emory degree. We will applaud your dedication, your accomplishments, and your resilience. You will become graduates of Emory University, ready to enter a world that needs your talents, your wisdom, and your leadership.

Sincerely,

Gregory L. Fenves

President

Campus Update: May 1 Events

May 2, 2024

Expression-related events occurred in multiple locations on Emorys Atlanta campus on Wednesday, May 1, including Asbury Circle, Cannon Chapel, the Oxford Road building and the Quad.

On Wednesday afternoon, protestors entered Emorys Oxford Road building and disrupted its operations. Due to these disruptions, Emory closed the building and Open Expression Observers asked all individuals to leave. The protestors complied. When the protestors exited the building, several dozen of them remained just outside the building, opened three small tents and continued their protest. Open Expression Observers requested that they remove the tents and depart. When the protestors did not comply, Emory Police Department officers repeated the request, at which time the protestors complied. The protesters then moved to the Emory Quad, where the protest continued for several hours before concluding.

During the protest at the Oxford Road building, some individuals watching the event were asked to leave the area because of safety concerns. Later that evening, a group of counter-protesters also arrived on the Quad. More information on how counter-protesting is managed by Open Expression Observers can be found here.

In an unrelated incident, at 3:35 p.m., Emory University notified our community about a police emergency at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church and instructed people to avoid the area. A suspicious package was found near the church and Glenn School. Emory Police requested assistance from DeKalb Police to investigate. Law enforcement officers determined the package did not pose a threat and Emory issued an all-clear at 4:03 p.m.

Recent Arrest and Campus Safety

April 30, 2024

Updated May 3, 2024, to reflect new information

This update shares information about two incidents that occurred on Sunday as well as the steps Emory is taking to address community safety.

On Sunday, April 28, the Emory Police Department (EPD) issued criminal trespass warnings to six individuals, four of whom were suspected of committing recent acts of vandalism on campus. This information was released by EPD that day, and EPD confirmed that none of these individuals are affiliated with Emory.

Separately, EPD shared this evening the following statement regarding an arrest later that day:

The Emory Police Department Tuesday announced the arrest of a convicted felon who crossed state lines to come to campus.

EPD arrested Derek Zika, from Statesville, North Carolina, on the Emory Quad Sunday afternoon. He was carrying knives and an Oleoresin Capsicum spray (pepper spray) canister.

He was charged with criminal trespass, obstructing a law enforcement officer, possession of a weapon in a school safety zone, criminal trespass and crossing state lines with weapons, intoxicants or drugs. He was transported to the Dekalb County Jail.

Police obtained a search warrant and inspected Zikas vehicle Monday evening. Inside the vehicle police found an axe, a hatchet and two knives in a bag with survival gear.

Emory Police Chief Burt Buchtinec thanks community members who alerted the department to the individual being on campus.

We understand that this information comes at a sensitive time. It is our responsibility to communicate the facts that impact community safety as they become available.

We have in place or are taking the following measures to further enhance the safety of our community:

We have added more lighting and additional cameras covering key campus locations. These cameras are monitored 24/7 by the Emory Police Department.

We have increased officer patrols, the visibility of uniformed officers on campus, and other security measures. These efforts are especially focused on the Quad and are extended to the broader campus.

We have limited building entry to individuals with card access.

We are working with individual students who have needs related to exams and other academic accommodations.

Emory is continuously working to take appropriate measures to keep our community safe. We depend on a strong collaboration between EPD and other law enforcement agencies. We support their efforts to assist in keeping Emory safe.

We know that potential adverse impacts to Emory Commencement are a shared concern for many members of our community. We look forward to celebrating the Class of 2024 at Commencement and will share details of any necessary changes in future communications.

If you need immediate police assistance, call 911. As always, if you need help on campus, the following resources are available 24/7:

Please remember that Emory has support resources available to assist you.

Message from President Fenves

April 29, 2024

Dear Emory Community,

Over the past week, Emory has experienced unprecedented protests and disruptions. We are not alone. Nationwide, universities are grappling with events that have deeply shaken our respective communities. I have heard from many of you, and I want you to know that I am listening. I understand your concerns, your fears, your frustrations, and your outrage. As we enter the final week of the academic year, I am focused on protecting our campuses, supporting peaceful expression for all members of our community, and finding ways to foster healing and rebuild trust.

I would like to use this message to update you on last Thursdays events.

Based on the information we had early Thursday morning, we determined that the individuals who constructed the encampment on our Quad were not members of our community. It is clear to us now that this information was not fully accurate, and I apologize for that mischaracterization. My goal was to remove a growing encampment, as allowing such an encampment would have been highly disruptive, affecting everything from classes and exams to our ability to hold Commencement. I remain firm that such encampments cannot be permitted at Emory.

Let me be clear: I am devastated that members of our community were caught up in law enforcement activity enforcing the removal of the encampment. The videos of these interactions are deeply distressing. I take Thursdays events very seriously and we are launching a thorough review of them so that we can develop recommendations to improve how we keep our community safe. This review will include how Emory engages external law enforcement agencies.

I am committed to supporting our students and faculty who wish to express their views peacefully. We will not tolerate conduct that undermines these efforts. I know that many members of our community are focused on their classes, research, exams, and upcoming graduation. We are working hard to keep our campus as free from disruption as possible so that these important core functions of the university can carry forward at the highest level.

Sincerely,

Gregory L. Fenves

President

Message from the Emory Police Department

April 28, 2024

Updated May 3, 2024, to reflect new information

Emory police officers on Sunday issued criminal trespass warnings to six individuals, four of whom were suspected in last nights criminal activity on campus. None of the individuals are affiliated with Emory. They were all escorted off campus property.

On Saturday, a group of individuals disrupted peaceful protests and vandalized several campus structures, including spray-painting hateful messages on Convocation Hall.

The police investigation into this incident continues and further charges may be pending. Chief Burt Buchtinec thanks the community members who alerted police with descriptions of the individuals.

Message from President Fenves

April 28, 2024

Dear Emory Community,

On Friday and again yesterday, hundreds of students and faculty assembled peacefully on our Atlanta campus for student-led protests. Our open expression team worked closely with the student organizers of the events to facilitate their peaceful expression, and that partnership worked as it is supposed to.

That changed last night.

Late in the evening, as students and faculty were assembled on the Quad, several individuals rapidly approached Convocation Hall and spray-painted hateful messages on the buildings exterior walls. Several other structures were also vandalized. These individuals brazenly disrupted what had been a peaceful protest. Many on the Quad, including those participating in the protest, condemned the action as the work of individuals from outside our community. Last nights incidents follow similar vandalism that occurred on the Quad last Monday. The Emory Police Department is coordinating with other law enforcement agencies to investigate these crimes.

With the events of this week, it has become clear: Emory is navigating a divide between individuals who wish to express themselves peacefully and those who seek to use our campus as a platform to promote discord. Incidents like thisperpetrated by those who aim to disrupt and divide usmust be rejected and condemned at Emory.

This is a distinctly emotional and challenging time. We continue to gather the facts so that we can update you on the steps we are taking to address this weeks events. As we engage in important conversations about how we move forward, we must not allow hatred to overwhelm the many peaceful and thoughtful voices at Emory.

I am dedicated to keeping this campus safe as community members finish classes, continue their research, sit for exams, and prepare for Commencement.

Sincerely,

Gregory L. Fenves

President

Message from President Fenves

April 26, 2024

Dear Emory Community,

Im writing to follow up on yesterdays messages regarding the protests at Emory.



The encampment that was set up yesterday in the early morning on the Quad in front of the Commencement stage was quickly cleared by law enforcement and a number of arrests were made. Following these events, students gathered outside Convocation Hall to organize a protest. Throughout the afternoon, Emory students and community members assembled peacefully on the Quad. The afternoon events were monitored by open expression observers and Emory Police Department (EPD) officers were on site to provide support as needed.



Early yesterday evening, a large group of protestors left the Quad and gathered outside the Candler School of Theology. Some protestors pinned police officers against the buildings glass doors, threw objects at them, and attempted to gain access to the building. These actions against officers prompted an increased law enforcement presence on campus. Protestors then returned to the Quad and eventually dispersed. No further arrests were made.



I am saddened by what took place at Emory yesterday. To watch these highly organized, outside protestors arrive on campus in vans, construct an encampment, and overtake the Quad just days after it was vandalized with hateful and threatening messages was deeply disturbing. I also know that some of the videos are shocking, and I am horrified that members of our community had to experience and witness such interactions. The fact that members of our community were arrested upsets me even more and is something that I take very seriously. To the best of our ability, we are working with law enforcement agencies to assist detained community members and expedite their release.



Yesterdays events echo similar incidents that have taken place at universities nationwide. I understand that the ongoing effects of the war in Israel and Gaza, including the humanitarian crisis engulfing the Palestinian people and the hostage crisis involving Israeli civilians, continue to stir painful emotions. At the same time, the construction of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center engenders fierce debate across our city.



As Emory community members continue to express themselves and protest, we are committed to working with students and faculty, open expression observers, and the EPD to facilitate their peaceful expression. However, we will not tolerate vandalism, violence, or any attempt to disrupt our campus through the construction of encampments. These actions are counter to our values, and they disrupt the core purpose of the university and its educational and research missions.



Today, once again, Emory staff from Facilities Management have returned to the Quad to repair the damage caused by a group of individuals who did not have this communitys best interests in mind. Dedicated staff members will then resume the work of preparing our facilities as we welcome thousands of families, parents, and guests to campus for our Commencement ceremonies.



As we approach finals, the end of the academic year, and Commencement, I recognize that there is disagreement on difficult issues and there will continue to be debate. But I also know we can express our views and beliefs without diminishing the experiences and accomplishments of others. That will be our challenge in the days ahead and I know it is one that this community will rise to meet.



Sincerely,

Gregory L. Fenves

President

Message from VP for Public Safety Cheryl Elliott

Dear Emory Community,

I'm writing to share further information about the events that took place on our Atlanta campus earlier today and the actions taken by the Emory Police Department (EPD).

At 7:41 a.m. a few dozen protestors arrived on campus. When they arrived, these individuals ignored and pushed past EPD officers stationed on the Quad and set up tents in an area where equipment and materials were staged for Commencement. Based on their actions and refusal to confirm their connection to Emory, EPD made the assessment that these individuals were not Emory community members. Officers with the Atlanta Police Department and Georgia State Patrol were then called to provide further assistance. Around this time, several social media accounts announced a protest and occupation of the Quad and issued a public call for non-Emory community members to join them.

EPD issued multiple warnings at different intervals advising individuals in the encampment that they were trespassing on private property and instructing them to leave. When those requests were ignored, Atlanta Police and Georgia State Patrol officers assisted EPD with dispersing the crowd and taking individuals into custody for criminal trespass.

During this process and the subsequent confrontations, objects were thrown at police officers. To our knowledge at this time, an individual attacked a non-EPD officer and appears to have been tased. Video of this incident has been widely shared on social media. Based on current information, this individual is not a member of the Emory community. Due to the direct assault of officers, law enforcement released chemical irritants into the ground to assist with crowd control.

As of this message, we have been notified that 28 individuals have been arrested, including 20 Emory community members, some of whom have been released. We are working with responding agencies to expedite the release of any Emory community members who remain in custody.

Our primary goal today was clearing the Quad of a disruptive encampment while holding individuals accountable to the law.

Sincerely,

Cheryl Elliott

Vice President for Public Safety

Message from President Fenves

Dear Emory Community,

Early this morning, several dozen protestors entered our Atlanta campus and set up an encampment on the Quad. These individuals are largely not affiliated with Emory and were disrupting the university as our students finish classes and prepare for finals. This is completely unacceptable. In response to this encampment, the Emory Police Department notified these individuals that they were trespassing. When they refused to leave, law enforcement cleared the Quad.



I ask each of you to use judgment and show compassion for everyone with whom you share this community. It is essential that we preserve an atmosphere of respect on our campuses at all times.



We will provide additional updates moving forward.

Sincerely,

Gregory L. Fenves

President
10:54





Trudeau in a staunch assurance to the Sikh Community in the country has said that the government is always there to protect their rights and freedoms at all costs.





He said that diversity is one of Canada's greatest strengths, and the country is strong not in spite of the differences, but because of those differences.





"One of Canada's greatest strengths is its diversity. We are strong not in spite of our differences, but because of our differences; but even as we look at these differences, we have to remember, and get reminded on days such as this, and every day, that Sikh values are Canadian values..." Trudeau said during the Khalsa Day Celebrations on Sunday in Toronto.





"To the nearly, 800,000 Canadians of Sikh heritage across this country, we will always be there to protect your rights and your freedoms, and we will always defend your community against hatred and discrimination," he asserted.





The Canadian PM also noted that the country is enhancing the security and infrastructure programmes by "adding more security at community centres and places of worship, including Gurdwaras."





"Your right to practice your religion freely, and without intimidation is exactly that. A fundamental right guaranteed in the Canadian Charter of rights and Freedoms that we will always stand up and defend you for," Trudeau assured the Sikh community in his Khalsa Day address.





However, as Trudeau spoke, there were many pro-Khalistan chants also heard in the background.





Trudeau, as he continued his address, said "I know many of you have loved ones that you want to see more often, that is why our government has negotiated a new agreement with India to add more flights, and more routes between our countries, and we will keep working with our counterparts to add even more flights, including to Amritsar."





Thousands of people flocked to downtown Toronto on Sunday for one of the biggest yearly gatherings in the city.





The Ontario Sikhs and Gurdwaras Council (OSGC) states that Vaisakhi, also called Khalsa Day, commemorates the founding of the Sikh community in 1699 as well as the Sikh New Year.

Even as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked up to address the Sikh Community in Toronto loud pro-Khalistan slogans were raised from the crowd.
Xi to visit France, Serbia and Hungary

President Xi Jinping will visit three European countries in May. File photo: XInhua

The Foreign Ministry on Monday announced that President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5-10.



According to the French government, Xi is due to make a state visit to France on May 6-7.



Bilateral relations with Paris have maintained sound growth momentum, and both countries have had strategic communications and practical cooperation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said in discussing the president's trip to France.



"China looks forward to working with France to further enhance political mutual trust, solidarity and cooperation," Lin said.



This will be Xi's first European tour since the pandemic.



"This visit takes place on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and follows on from the president's visit to Beijing and Guangzhou in April 2023," French President Emmanuel Macron's office said in a statement.



"Exchanges will focus on international crises, first and foremost the war in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East, trade issues, scientific, cultural and sporting cooperation," the Elysee office said. (Agencies)
Nathan Bulthuis, a junior in automotive technology in SIU Carbondales School of Automotive, stands with a row of transmissions. Bulthuis will represent the United States in the 2024 WorldSkills Competition in September. (Photo by SIU Carbondale University Communications and Marketing)

SIU Automotive student to show off skills in international competition

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  Since he was a child, Nathan Bulthuis has been taking stuff apart and working with my hands. That acumen will allow Bulthuis, a junior in Southern Illinois University Carbondales School of Automotive, to show his skills on an international stage this fall.

Bulthuis will represent the United States in automotive technology at the 2024 WorldSkills Competition, Sept. 10-15, in Lyon, France. The 47th annual contest is expected to bring more than 1,500 contenders from more than 65 countries to take part in 62 skills challenges, including construction and building technology, creative arts and fashion, manufacturing, engineering, transportation and logistics. He is one of nine members  the only one in automotive technology  on the 2024 WorldSkills USA team.

Being selected for the United States WorldSkills team is an amazing opportunity to not only represent the country but also SIU Carbondale in international competition, said Bulthuis. It also provides an excellent opportunity to learn about other cultures and other strategies for designing and servicing vehicles.

Bulthuis, who will graduate with a bachelors degree in automotive technology in May 2025, transferred to SIU Carbondale last fall after earning an associate degree in automotive service technology from Joliet Junior College. The Lockport Township High School graduate from Homer Glen was the Illinois state gold medalist in spring 2023 and won the national title in automotive service technology in August representing Illinois, just prior to starting classes at SIU.

Bulthuis said his first experiences working on cars were with his dad doing small jobs such as brake and oil changes. He took his first formal automotive class when he was a sophomore in high school.

That is when I first started to consider a career in the automotive industry, he said.

Training for the international stage

Capturing the two earlier titles helped Bulthuis understand how I react to the pressure and stress of competition. The competition also helped me understand the areas where I need to focus my training.

The contest in France will consist of five sections spread over three days and is designed to test almost every skill a technician would use, particularly diagnostic process, attention to detail and time management, Bulthuis said.

During the winter break, Bulthuis went to Pittsburg (Kansas) State University to train with automotive instructors there who ran me through some stations that were set up to emulate the WorldSkills competition as closely as possible, Bulthuis said. He will also be working closely with Drew Croxell, SIUs program director, to develop and execute a training plan to help prepare.

Easy choice to attend SIU

After graduating from Joliet Junior College, attending SIU Carbondales nationally recognized automotive program was an easy choice, Bulthuis said.

As much as I loved working on cars, it was not something that I wanted to do every day for the next 40 years, he said. Attending the automotive program at SIU Carbondale provided more opportunities on the management and corporate side of the automotive industry.

The SIU Automotive program has definitely lived up to its well-deserved reputation as one of the best schools for automotive technology. There have been a lot of opportunities presented by attending the automotive program at SIU, and I look forward to exploring all the opportunities offered.

Croxell said Bulthuis is talented, sharp and is driven to succeed at the competition and represent SIU Automotive.

SIUs competitive admissions program has 310 students. Each year, dozens of transfer students with completed associate degrees seek to continue at SIU for their bachelors degree. The caliber of students the program receives means our unique, four-year automotive degree is attracting top talent statewide and nationally, Croxell said.

We have the reputation of being the best program in the country, and those striving to be their best, will often see our program for the rich educational experiences and career opportunities.

(Editors note: Bulthuis is pronounced Bul-tice)
Union Minister and BJP candidate from Secunderabad Lok Sabha Constituency, G Kishan Reddy, said that the Congress is "spreading lies out of insecurity" about the reservation and the people want PM Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister once again. The Union Minister told ANI, "BJP's election campaign has started in Telangana... The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is behind (in the lok Sabha elections). The people want Narendra Modi to become the Prime Minister once again". "The Congress is doing a false campaign out of insecurity. They are spreading lies about the reservation. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is campaigning shamelessly about it... No one has spoken anything on the reservation," he said. He also criticised CM Reddy for spreading lies about the reservation. "CM Reddy is speaking lies (about reservation)... The BJP works with faith in the Constitution of Baba Saheb Ambedkar... No one can ever change it...," the BJP leader said. Earlier on Saturday, CM Reddy said, "BJP wants to change the Constitution by 2025 and make it as per RSS. They need two-thirds majority for it. The '400 paar' slogan is for this. PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and BJP are doing a surgical strike on SC/ST/BC/OBC". Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the Union Home Minister reaffirmed that as long as the BJP-led NDA was in power, there would be no rethink on reservations or quotas to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. "Rahul Gandhi is trying to mislead people by spreading canards against us. The BJP has been at the helm of this country for 10 years now and was elected with absolute majority twice. If we had, indeed, been working with the intention or motivation to put an end to reservations in the country, it would have happened by now. These are nothing but lies. Narendra Modi-ji has already assured the Dalits, backward classes, and our tribal brothers and sisters across the country that as long as the BJP is in power, no one can dare take back reservations," Shah told ANI. Polling for 17 parliamentary constituencies in Telangana is scheduled to be held in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 13. The counting for all seven phases of the Lok Sabha polls will be held on June 4 In 2019, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) won nine seats in the state. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured four seats. The Indian National Congress (INC) obtained three seats. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won one seat. (ANI)
BJP workers in Siliguri's Matigara area called for a 12-hour 'protest' on Monday following an alleged attack by Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers. The incident occurred on Sunday, when BJP workers claimed that TMC members attacked them in Darjeeling for supporting the party. The protesters also blocked NH-31 for hours and burned tyres in front of Matigara police station today. BJP workers staged a protest outside Matigara Police Station, alleging an attack by TMC workers, in Darjeeling on Sunday. Nand Kishore Thakur, a BJP worker who experienced the abuse, described the incident. According to Thakur, after voting on April 26, he and other BJP workers peacefully returned home. However, later, they were verbally abused by TMC workers for their support of the BJP and were attacked yesterday evening. "After the voting concluded (on April 26), we peacefully went to our homes. They (TMC) came and started abusing that I support the BJP. We informed the village chief and former village chief but no action was taken. Yesterday, 25-30 people came to our home and attacked us, and seven people got injured. They belonged to TMC," BJP worker Nand Kishore Thakur said on Sunday. He further reported that they attempted to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) at the Matigara Police Station, but the police refused to register it. Darjeeling, Raiganj, and Balurghat voted in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls on April 26. The two seats of Malda Uttar and Malda Dakshin will go to the polls in Phase 3 on May 7. The voting in West Bengal for the Lok Sabha elections is being held in seven phases. The results for all 543 seats will be declared on June 4. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 22 seats, while the BJP won 18 seats. Congress emerged victorious in two seats. (ANI)
Amid the reports of INDIA's bloc formula to pick Prime Ministers on a "one year each" basis, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that this is not the way a country should be run adding that nation has already paid the price due to the unstable governments being in power for more than three decades. "This country paid the price of instability for three decades, unstable governments ran for three decades but in the last 10 years the country has got a strong leadership, it has got stability. Not only political stability, there has also been stability regarding policies and development programs. Now if the INDI alliance says that Sharad Pawar will be elected (PM) for one year, Mamata ji will be elected for one year, Stalin will be elected for one year, and if anything is left then Rahul ji will be elected. This is not how the country is run," Amit Shah told ANI. Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc has not projected its PM face for the 2024 general elections. Sources said that the top rung involved in seat negotiations are also discussing possible arithmetic for power sharing for the top post in the country if the INDIA alliance were to emerge victorious in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. According to sources privy to the negotiations, who requested anonymity, a formula for "one year each" as Prime Minister for the top leaders of the political parties, according to the number of Lok Sabha seats their respective parties win, is being worked out. INDIA alliance seat share talks have been unsuccessful in some states including West Bengal. Friction has also been seen in the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat where two coalition members are contesting against each other - Rahul Gandhi from Congress and Annie Raja from the Communist Party of India. However, sources said these pre-poll frictions would be ironed out in the event the INDIA alliance gets victorious in Lok Sabha polls. Hitting out at the INDIA bloc in this regard, Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week said that the "opposition is busy auctioning the PM post". "Discussion going on in the INDI alliance that they are making a 'one year one PM' formula" That means one PM in one year, second PM in the second year, third PM in the third year, fourth PM in the fourth year, fifth PM in the fifth year. They are also busy auctioning the Prime Minister's chair," he said. He said the world will ridicule India for any such arrangement and the country's esteem will be affected. (ANI)
The Congress women's Wing staged a protest on Monday outside the offices of the Director General of Police (DGP) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Bengaluru, demanding the arrest of Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna in connection with an alleged "obscene videos" case. Women Congress Wing state president Pushpa Amarnath demanded Prajwal Revvana's arrest, alleging that the BJP had shielded those accused of sexual crimes. "The rapist and the accused, Prajwal Revvana, should be arrested immediately, which is all we want. We have filed a complaint seeking action from the DGP. Tomorrow we will meet him again but as of now we have given a request letter," Amarnath said. "No one should rescue or support him in this. As we have seen, the central government of the BJP these days always supports and rescues the culprits and rapists, so this time it should not happen. As a Member of Parliament, he has committed this offence. he has made this mistake Not a common person have done this; it's a crime, not a mistake. It's a question of our daughters' respect. We seek justice," she added. Responding to speculation that Revanna may have fled the country, Amarnath declined to comment, urging PM Modi's intervention in the matter "I don't want to comment on this and I don't know what to say about it. All we want is justice. And I want PM Modi to intervene in this and take immediate action," Amarnath said. Prajwal Revanna was booked in a sexual harassment case on Sunday following complaints by his former house help. A FIR has been filed against Prajwal Revanna, his father and JD (S) leader HD Revanna in connection with the case. The case has been registered under sections 354A, 354D, 506, and 509 of the IPC on charges of sexual harassment, intimidation and outraging the dignity of a woman. As per the complaint, the victim has claimed that both HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna sexually assaulted her. The complainant further claimed that when Revanna's wife was not home, he touched her inappropriately and used to sexually assault her. The complainant also claimed that Prajwal Revanna behaved rudely to her and also misbehaved with her daughter over a video call. "My daughter blocked his number after repeated calls," the complainant said. Earlier, on April 25, the chairperson of the state women's panel requested CM Siddaramaiah to order an SIT probe into the obscene clips, allegedly involving the JD(S) MP, circulating on social media. After the request, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah informed on April 28 that the state government has decided to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with Prajwal Revanna's alleged obscene video case in Hassan district. The BJP on Sunday distanced itself from sitting Janata Dal (Secular) MP from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, Prajwal Revanna, amid the controversy around his purported sleaze tapes. S Prakash, the chief spokesperson of the BJP's state unit, said, "We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos and neither do we have any comments to make on the SIT probe announced by the state government into the alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna." While the BJP is contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the state in alliance with the JD(S), Revanna is seeking a fresh term in the Lower House from Hassan and is pitted against the Congress' Shreyas Patel. (ANI)
Amid the controversy over the alleged obscene video case linked to Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday said that if anyone is involved in any wrongdoing they will have to face punishment according to the provisions in the law. Addressing a press conference in Shivamogga, HD Kumaraswamy questioned the timings of the release of the alleged videos. "Three days ago who released it and why it was released now, why it wasn't released before? why the old issue has been released at the time of the elections? I won't about it at present, SIT has been formed, let the truth come out and punishment has to be borne by those who committed mistakes, as per the law of the land those who commit mistakes will have to face it," Kumaraswamy said. He further said that the incident will not have much impact on the results of the Lok Sabha elections. Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of HD Deve Gowda is contesting Lok Sabha from Hassan. "As far as election in Hassan election is concerned, we have first-hand information that our candidate will win. Everybody is saying that. SIT has been formed in the matter, let the truth come out, and it will not have any effect on the election results. Also, I want to ask Congress leaders why bringing family names into it and talk about that particular person. It is not a family issue. Why bring Kumaraswamy and Deve Gowda's names into it? There is no question of owning his mistake SIT has been formed and let the truth come out," he said. When asked on the reports about Prajwal Revanna fleeing the country, HD Kumaraswamy said, "Will he ask me and go every day? Let govt take the decision to bring him back, we didn't know anything about it before, they're living separately, I would have stopped everything if I had been aware of it, it's a personal individual issue, I can't check his moment every day. How can I check his moments every day?" "It's an issue of Revanna's family, we have nothing to do with it, they are four living separately, if somebody had brought this issue, it would have been solved then itself," he added. Earlier today, Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Sharana Gowda Kandakur wrote to party president HD Deve Gowda demanding the expulsion of Prajwal Revanna from the party over the alleged obscene video case. Kandakur said that the expulsion of HD Deve Gowda's grandson will save the party from further embarrassment. Another JDs MLA Samruddhi Manjunath also raised questions on the issue saying it had become an embarrassment for party workers. "Not only are ordinary workers of the party embarrassed in the state, but even mentioning the name of the party has become embarrassing. As a first-time MLA, I am not being able to answer the questions asked by the media. It is high time that honorable President H.D. Deve Gowda should take an appropriate decision" he posted on X. Prajwal Revanna is seeking a fresh term in the Lower House from Hassan as a candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and is pitted against Congress' Shreyas Patel. The Karnataka government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged obscene video case against MP Revanna. The SIT headed by IPS officer Vijay Kumar Singh, and includes DG CID Suman D Pennekar and IPS officer Seema Latkar have started the investigation into the case. (ANI)
The Congress leader has been asked to appear before Delhi Police's IFSO unit (Cyber Unit) on May 1 with his mobile phone.

The Telangana CM has been asked to appear with his mobile phone, allegedly used for posting the fake video on X (formerly Twitter).

This comes after the Delhi Police registered a case on Sunday following a complaint by the Ministry of Home Affairs in connection with the doctored videos of Union Home Minister Amit Shah being circulated on social media platforms.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the ruling Congress in Karnataka, saying that the party is "not running a government in Karnataka but an extortion gang" and has turned the "tech hub" into "tanker hub". "Congress isn't running a govt in Karnataka but an 'extortion gang'. Karnataka which is known as a tech hub and has made its name in the world, Congress has made it a 'tanker hub'. These people are dreaming of a scam like the 2G scam," PM alleged at an election rally in Bagalkote in Karnataka. "I am telling you some inside information since the Centre has information about this, days are not far when Congress in Karnataka won't be able to give payments to the government employees. All the experienced people and even the history of the country say 'Congress aayi, tabaahi laayi'," he added. Congress had made tall election promises in its election manifesto for the assembly polls. He alleged that MLAs were not getting funds for development activities. "Congress party has made Karnataka its 'ATM'. In such a short time, these people have emptied the government treasury of Karnataka. The situation has become so grave that MLAs there aren't getting funds for developmental activities," he said. PM Modi also slammed the Siddaramaiah government over the law and order situation in the state. "When one of our daughters was stabbed multiple times in Hubballi, the government here started attacking the dignity of that daughter to save their 'vote bank'. In Karnataka, fundamentalists have gone uncontrolled, a shopkeeper listening to 'Hanuman Chalisa' in his shop was attacked," he said. On April 18, Neha, 21, was stabbed to death allegedly by her former classmate, Fayaz Khodunaik on the campus of KLE Technological University in Hubballi Dharwad, where she was a first-year MCA student. The police arrested Fayaz within hours of the incident and produced him before a magistrate, who sent him to 14-day judicial custody. In an apparent dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister said that those who enjoy vacations cannot help in development of India. "It's your vote that will strengthen Modi and then the country will become the third largest economy in the world. It's our resolution to make India a manufacturing hub, and skill centre. These resolutions can't be fulfilled by those who enjoy vacations," he said. While 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka went to the polls on April 25, the remaining 14 seats will face election on May 7. (ANI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi voiced criticism over the representation of backward classes in India's administrative structure (IAS), stating that 90 IAS officers run the Indian government, of which only three are from backward classes. Alleging the Centre of caste discrimination at a public meeting in Gujarat' Patan on Monday, he said, "Who runs the government? 90 people run the Delhi government. Modi ji signs off on things. 90 IAS officers run the Indian government. I have looked up their names. Out of the 90, only 3 officers are from the backward classes, and they are placed in the back, in a corner, with small departments. You won't find a single backward class officer in the Finance Ministry. You won't find a single one in the major ministries. There are 3 backward class officers, 3 Dalits, and 1 Adivasi among the 9." Congress has been seeking a nationwide caste census for some time now to "ensure equal opportunities" to all as per their population. "If you look at India's budget, of every 100 rupees spent, only 6 rupees and 10 paise are decided by backward class, Adivasi, or Dalit officers. Your population is 90 per cent, but your share is 6 rupees and 10 paise out of 100," he added. He pointed out that these officers are responsible for distributing budgetary funds, making key decisions on various government initiatives, and shaping India's infrastructure projects. "They distribute the budget's funds. How much money goes to Gujarat, how much goes to the bullet train, whether the Agniveer scheme will happen or not, how much scholarship will be given to Dalits and backward classes, how many roads will be built, where they will be built, how they will be built, and how much money will go to infrastructure -- all these decisions are made by these 90 IAS officers," Gandhi said. He further said that while backward classes represent a significant portion of India's population, their role in governance and influential positions remains minimal. "So my question is, if India's 90 per cent population is not in business, not in media, not running private hospitals, not running private universities, not in the government, then where are they? I'll tell you where: they are farmers, laborers, unemployed youth, and small business owners," Gandhi said. Earlier, The Congress party has promised to pass a constitutional amendment to raise the Supreme Court mandated 50 per cent cap on reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC), as per its poll manifesto released on Friday. The party also promised to conduct a nation-wide Socio-Economic and Caste Census to enumerate the castes and sub-castes and their socio-economic conditions. (ANI)
NTA will conduct UGC-NET in OMR mode across India on a single day. NTA will soon issue a formal notification.

"The National Testing Agency and UGC have decided to shift the UGC-NET from 16 June (Sunday) to 18 June 2024 (Tuesday) because of feedback received from candidates. NTA will conduct UGC-NET in OMR mode across India on a single day," UGC Chairman, M Jagadesh Kumar tweeted.

UGC NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for 'Assistant Professor' and 'Junior Research Fellowship Assistant Professor' in Indian universities and colleges.

Notably, UPSC CSE is scheduled to be held on June 16 and was clashing with UGC NET. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's Himachal Pradesh unit President Tilakraj Sharma on Monday said that India was known for scams during the Congress's reign before 2014, but during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rule in the past 10 years it became known for a strong economy and good governance. "Before 2014, the country was known only for scams, sometimes 2-G scams, sometimes Commonwealth scams, sometimes Bofors scams and sometimes some other scams. But in the last 10 years, the Modi government has worked to make the country's image brighten on the world stage," Sharma told reporters here. "Today India is the fastest growing major economy in the world and will become the third largest economy in the next 3 years," he added. He said that the Modi government at the Centre has worked with the basic mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas and the work that has been done in these years could not be done in the total 60 years of Congress, even in a small and hilly state like Himachal Pradesh. AIIMS Hospital, Medical College, PGI Satellite, Central University, two-lane and four-lane highways and roads worth thousands of crores are proof of this, he said. He claimed that under the BJP government at the Centre, women, farmers and the poor benefited through its policies and schemes. He said that the previous Jai Ram Thakur government had opened more than 1,000 institutions in the development journey of the state, but the present Congress government closed them as soon as it came to power. The Jai Ram Thakur government provided self-confidence to the youth and provided employment opportunities to the youth and on the other hand, the directionless government led by Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu of Congress had given false guarantee to the youth of providing 1 lakh jobs in the first cabinet and 5 lakh jobs in 5 years, he said. "The youth of the state did not get new employment in the last 15 months, but the state government has played a cruel joke on the educated youth of the state by closing the employment recruitment institutes, due to which today every parent and youth of the state is disappointed and frustrated and they are worried about the future," Sharma said. He said that in order to realize the resolve of the youth of the country for a developed India, Narendra Modi's government should come for the third time. (ANI)
Adequate forces including police, Home Guards, and Central Paramilitary Forces will be deployed in the national capital for the Lok Sabha polls on May 25 and there would be nothing to worry about, said Delhi Chief Electoral Officer P Krishnamurthy on Monday. Meanwhile, the nomination process for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi began on Monday after the notification of the sixth phase was issued. "There would be nothing to worry about the security as adequate forces will be deployed, Police, Home Guards, and Central Paramilitary Forces will be there," said Krishnamurthy. Following Delhi's weather and IMD's prediction of a heatwave in the region P Krishnamurthy said, "There will be heatwave as per the IMD prediction, (Election) Commission had held a high-level meeting as well on this, we have sensitised the returning officers on the field. Waiting areas will be made in the polling booths to reduce the impact of the heatwave, adequate drinking water will be there, medical kids and medical facilities will be available..." "We will provide pick-up and drop facility for senior citizens above 85 years of age and disabled people. All the District Magistrates are making arrangements for this, our volunteers will go to the homes of such people and take them to the polling booth. Such people will not need to stand in line," he added. Talking about voter turnout and last-minute correction in the electoral roll he said, "We are making many efforts to increase voter turnout. We are running many programs, apart from this we are making people aware among different organizations and society." "We have also done the work of correcting the electoral roll. We have removed about four and a half lakh names from the electoral roll, who have died, or who have shifted from Delhi to somewhere else. Apart from this, new voters have also been added in large numbers. According to the gender ratio, the number of women voters has increased by 10 per cent, while the number of first-time voters has increased to 2,40,000." Mentioning pink booth and facilities offered at normal polling booths electoral officer said, "We will ensure assured minimum facilities at the polling booth level. Arrangements are being made from shelter and water to ramps. There will be 1 pink polling booth in every assembly. That means there will be a total of 70 such polling booths in Delhi where all the employees conducting the elections will be women." "Apart from these, model polling booths are also being built. We are making a polling booth in every Lok Sabha constituency, which will be completely operated by disabled personnel. Disabled employees will be put on duty here as per their wish." Nominations can be filed between 11 am and 3 pm till May 6 (Saturday and Sunday will remain non-working days), the documents will be scrutinised on May 7 and the last date to withdraw the candidature is May 9. While polling will take place on May 25, the votes will be counted on June 4. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant bail to three Indian Mujahideen (IM) Operatives accused in the 2008 Delhi serial blasts case. Though the High Court denied bail to them, it asked the trial court to expedite the trial as the accused persons are behind bars since 2008. The Division Bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Shalinder Kaur dismissed the appeals moved by Mubeen Kadar Shaikh, Saquib Nisar and Mansoor Asgar Peerbhoy. They had challenged the order of trial court denying them bail. The division bench said, "We are informed that the learned Special Court is conducting proceedings on every Saturday so as to expedite conclusion of trial, which is already at its fag end." "However, in the peculiar facts of the present case and keeping in view that, the appellant is behind bars since 2008, we direct the concerned Special Court to conclude the trial in the present matter by taking it up at least twice," the bench said in the judgement passed on Monday. While denying bail to Mansoor Asgar Peerbhoy, the bench said that it has been alleged that the appellant is an active member of the terrorist outfit "Indian Mujahideen" and led the "media cell" group and also that he, in conspiracy with other accused persons, sent e-mails to electronic and print media on September 13, 2008, in respect of serial bomb blasts that occurred in Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The bench rejected the bail of Mubeen and noted that the appellant is admittedly a qualified computer engineer and has been alleged to be an active member of media cell of the Indian Mujahideen. The bench dismissed the bail plea of Saquib Nisar in view of his role. The bench said that the interrogation has also revealed that on September 3, 2008, location of his mobile number was Karol Bagh, along with mobile numbers of Mohd. Atif Ameen and Mohd. Shakeel and on September 13, 2008, the location of his mobile is Batla House. In the considered opinion of this Court, the allegations against the appellant and the role attributed to him, does not persuade this Court to release the appellant on bail, the high court said. (ANI)
US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke during a phone call regarding Israel's intention to open more crossings into northern Gaza this week, facilitating increased humanitarian assistance in the region, according to a White House readout. The crossings in question, namely the Karni and Erez crossings, are set to be fully opened by Israel, along with Gate 96, to allow access into northern Gaza for aid purposes. Opening more crossings is deemed crucial for ensuring a steady influx of aid into Gaza, especially amidst fears of potential famine. Additionally, these openings become even more vital if Israel proceeds with a significant invasion of Rafah, as it could isolate the existing humanitarian hub from the rest of Gaza, The Times of Israel reported. The White House readout also stated that the two leaders discussed a potential Israeli offensive in Rafah and that Biden "reiterated his clear position." While the readout doesn't provide additional details, the US has made it clear that it cannot endorse any operation that fails to guarantee the complete protection of the more than one million Palestinians seeking refuge in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city. Moreover, US officials have consistently voiced their opposition to a significant operation in Rafah without any exceptions, according to the Times of Israel. In relation to recent improvements in the flow of aid into Gaza, Biden on the call "stressed the need for this progress to be sustained and enhanced in full coordination with humanitarian organisations." Throughout the conflict, the issue of protecting humanitarian workers has been a contentious issue, especially following an Israeli airstrike that resulted in the death of seven workers from the World Central Kitchen. Since then, Israel has enhanced some of its mechanisms for de-confliction. During their call, Biden acknowledged recent improvements in aid delivery to Gaza, but the US maintains its stance that Tel Aviv must further increase its efforts in this regard, The Times of Israel reported. The two leaders also "reviewed ongoing talks to secure the release of hostages together with an immediate ceasefire in Gaza". "The President referred to his statement with 17 other world leaders demanding that Hamas release their citizens without delay to secure a ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza," according to the White House readout. In call with Netanyahu, President Biden also "reaffirmed his ironclad commitment to Israel's security following the successful defence against Iran's unprecedented missile and drone attack earlier this month". (ANI)
The Republic of Ireland is considering legislative changes to enable the return of asylum seekers to the United Kingdom. This move comes following a surge in arrivals over the border with Northern Ireland, which falls under UK jurisdiction, Al Jazeera reported, citing, broadcaster RTE. Minister of Justice Helen McEntee, slated to visit London on Monday, informed a parliamentary committee that an estimated 80 per cent of asylum applications in Ireland originate from individuals crossing the Northern Ireland border. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak commented on the situation, noting that the influx underscores the efficacy of London's plan to redirect asylum seekers to Rwanda, serving as a deterrent. He stated to Sky News, "What it shows, I think, is that the deterrent is ... already having an impact because people are worried about coming here," as reported by Al Jazeera. Responding to Sunak's remarks, a spokesperson for Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said the leader "does not comment on the migration policies of any other country but he is very clear about the importance of protecting the integrity of the migration system in Ireland", Al Jazeera reported, citing, RTE. "Ireland has a rules-based system that must always be applied firmly and fairly," Harris also said. The spokesperson also said that the Irish PM had asked his justice minister "to bring proposals to cabinet next week to amend existing law regarding the designation of safe 'third countries' and allowing the return of inadmissible International Protection applicants to the UK". McEntee is set to discuss the prospective returns policy during her meeting with British Home Secretary James Cleverly in London on Monday. "That's why I'm introducing fast processing, that's why I'll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK and that's why I'll be meeting with the home secretary to raise these issues on Monday," she told RTE, according to Al Jazeera. Previously, Ireland classified the UK as a "safe third country" for asylum seeker returns. However, last month, the Irish high court deemed this designation in violation of European Union law, halting the process. In the UK, the Rwanda bill successfully navigated through the parliamentary process, culminating in its final approval last Monday. Sunak anticipates that this legislation will deter asylum seekers from attempting to reach the UK via small boats crossing the English Channel from northern Europe, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)
Overseas Friends of BJP UK (UP Chapter) orchestrated a magnificent "Run for Modi" event on Sunday, in the vibrant city of London. Despite being tagged as a "Run for Modi," the event took the form of a leisurely walk, symbolising solidarity and support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's re-election campaign. The Indian Diaspora in the UK showcased unwavering support for the BJP and Prime Minister Modi, turning the event into a resounding success, according to a release by the organising committee. Despite the drizzling weather, the event witnessed an overwhelming turnout, with more than 500 enthusiastic participants joining in the walk. The scenic route commenced from Westminster Pier, traversing through the heart of London and culminating at the iconic Tower Bridge. Participants, adorned in vibrant hues, radiated positivity and fervour as they marched in unison, echoing their endorsement for Prime Minister Modi, the release added. The highlight of the event was a captivating flash mob that unfolded against the backdrop of the majestic London Bridge, captivating bystanders and participants alike. The vibrant and energetic display encapsulated the spirit of unity and camaraderie among the Indian Diaspora in the UK, underscoring their unwavering support for the BJP and PM Modi, it also said. Speaking about the event, Anand Arya (Vice President of OFBJP UK) expressed profound gratitude towards the Indian Diaspora for their overwhelming participation and fervent support. Suresh Mangalgiri (GS OFBJP UK) remarked, "The 'Run for Modi' event exemplifies the deep-rooted admiration and allegiance of the Indian Diaspora towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. "Despite the adverse weather conditions, the enthusiasm and spirit displayed by the participants were truly commendable," said Darshan Grewal, Vice President of OFBJP UK, the release added. The event garnered widespread attention and acclaim across various media platforms, further amplifying the message of unity and solidarity among the Indian Diaspora in the UK. The resounding success of the "Run for Modi" event serves as a testament to the unwavering support and fervour of the Indian community towards Prime Minister Modi's vision for a prosperous and progressive India. (ANI)
The Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB) has put forth the Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2024-25 to the Punjab government, aiming to raise the minimum age for girls to marry to 18 years, Dawn reported. Chairperson of CPWB, Sarah Ahmad has urged Punjab's Home Secretary, Noorul Amin Mengal, stressing the immediate need to combat the detrimental practice of child marriage. Ahmad referenced the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2017-18, revealing that in Punjab, 18 per cent of women aged 20 to 24 were wed before turning 18, with 2 per cent married before reaching 15. In her capacity as both a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) and CPWB Chairperson, Sarah Ahmad is rallying for the support of the home department to champion this vital legislative endeavour, as reported by Dawn. The proposed Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2024 serves as a modernised iteration of the antiquated Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. Its primary objective is to safeguard the health, security, and overall well-being of young girls affected by child marriage within the province. This bill is aligned with the 18th Amendment and tailored to the specific needs of Punjab. Its core aim is to safeguard the rights and welfare of children, particularly girls, ensuring their ability to flourish within a family environment devoid of discrimination and violence. Ahmad has pressed for the expeditious tabling of the Punjab Child Marriage Restraint Bill, 2024 in the Provincial Assembly, setting a precedent for the advancement of child welfare, rights equality, and public health. As per the bill, marriage can only be solemnised and registered upon the presentation of a computerised national identity card (CNIC). In cases where the age of either party is disputed, the court will ascertain the age through birth certificates, educational records, or other relevant documentation. If such evidence is lacking, a medical examination report will be utilised for age determination. Furthermore, the bill proposes stringent penalties for adults entering into child marriages, facilitating such unions, or parents and guardians involved in arranging child marriages. Offenders could face rigorous imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of up to PRK 20,00,000. Punjab's Home Department Secretary, Mengal, informed Dawn that the department has convened a meeting to discuss the draft law's submission. He confirmed that the proposed Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2024-25 has been forwarded to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the Cabinet for consideration, Dawn reported. (ANI)
The Taiwan government on Sunday urged China to resume bilateral exchanges "without preconditions" after China announced it would once again allow tourists from Fujian Province to travel to the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands, Central News Agency (CNA) reported. The eased travel restrictions were announced on Sunday after a meeting was held between China's deputy minister of culture and tourism Rao Quan and a legislative delegation led by Kuomintang (KMT) caucus whip Fu Kun-chi. Asked about the decision later in the day, Taiwan's Interior Minister, Lin Yu-chang, said that "equitable exchanges" between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are a "shared expectation and consensus" among the people of Taiwan. Lin stated that such exchanges should take place without pre-conditions or any type of political considerations to avoid suspicions about the motives. Travelling between Taiwan and China has remained largely frozen for the past three years, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. China stopped independent travel to Taiwan on August 1, 2019, citing the poor state of cross-strait ties. The two rules continue to remain in effect, according to CNA report. Meanwhile, Taiwan has refused to lift its COVID-era restrictions on the entry of most categories of Chinese travellers. Taiwan allows its citizens to travel independently to China, but not in tour groups arranged by Taiwanese travel agencies. China's decision to ease its travel restrictions is applicable only to Fujian residents visiting Matsu and not to Taiwan-controlled Kinmen, Central News Agency reported. Notably, Kinmen has not been included in the decision as Chinese and Taiwanese authorities have not yet resolved a dispute over a February 14 incident. On February 14, Taiwanese Coast Guard vessel pursued and collided with a Chinese speedboat that entered restricted waters near Kinmen, CNA reported, citing Taiwanese news outlets. After the collision, the Chinese speedboat capsized which claimed the lives of two of the four men on board. The Chinese government strongly condemned Taiwan for the death of two men while Taiwan maintained that its Coast Guard was acting within the law to chase off a boat within its territorial waters. Kinmen prosecutors have been carrying out investigation into the case. Notably, China considers self-ruled democratic Taiwan as a part of its territory. (ANI)
The stabbing incident which took place on Saturday evening resulted in the death of a 36-year-old man at the scene, and a 23-year-old man died later that evening at a nearby hospital.

The two Ukrainian men lived in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen neighbourhood and had been in Germany for medical rehabilitation. German authorities report that they have detained a 57-year-old man who is presumed to be a Russian national at his residence not far from the incident.

A criminal investigation into the possible double homicide is underway.

"On April 27, two Ukrainian citizens, men born in 1987 and 2001, were killed by stabbing in Murnau am Stafelsee, Bavaria, Germany, at a local shopping center," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, as per CNN.

"According to preliminary information, the deceased citizens were military personnel undergoing medical rehabilitation in Germany," the ministry said.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)
As the country continues to battle a crippling economy, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the new bailout package with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh, Geo News reported. The discussion took place between the Pakistan PM and the IMF Chief on Sunday. It was notably Shehbaz Sharif's first meeting with the IMF chief since his re-election, as he reiterated his government's commitment to put Pakistan's economy back on track, reported Geo News. "Both sides also discussed Pakistan entering into another IMF program to ensure that the gains made in the past year were consolidated and its economic growth trajectory remained positive," the statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister's office read. Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed gratitude to IMF Chief Georgieva for helping Pakistan obtain the USD 3 billion SBA from the global lender last year, which was now almost finished. The event occurred one day before the IMF Executive Board meeting that was scheduled to deliberate on the USD1.1 billion last tranche of the USD3 billion short-term credit programme. The prime minister announced during the meeting that he had given his finance minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, full authority to oversee the implementation of structural reforms, enforce stringent fiscal restraint, and adopt sensible policies that would guarantee macroeconomic stability and long-term economic growth. The premier was briefed by the IMF MD about the organization's viewpoint on the current programme, including the review procedure. According to The News, Pakistan has formally requested the IMF to seek the next bailout package under the EFF, which may be increased through climate funding and would likely total between USD6 and USD8 billion. However, the precise scope and duration won't be known until May 2024, when a consensus has been reached on the main features of the upcoming plan. (ANI)
Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch has highlighted the atrocities inflicted upon Baloch women by the government of Pakistan. She was speaking at the fifth edition of the Asma Jahangir Conference 2024, titled "People's Mandate, Protection of Civil Rights in South Asia" which concluded in Lahore on Sunday. It witnessed the participation of several judges, human rights activists, office bearers from the government of Pakistan, Samaa TV reported. In the event, prominent personalities from Sri Lanka, Denmark, the Middle East, Europe, Great Britain, and Norway discussed the situation of Human and civil rights in the South Asian Conference. During the event, Mahrang Baloch delivered a statement highlighting the atrocities inflicted upon Baloch women by the Pakistan government. While discussing the topic of 'Women in Conflict and the Gender Cost of Violence', Mahrang Baloch said, "Women are the biggest victims of state violence, but they have lost their identities for this struggle. They are often recognized as sisters, wives mothers, and daughters of the violence victims. No one will ever come to know their real names and identities. No one can ever comprehend the pain of these mothers who received the mutilated bodies of their sons." "They often request the administration to, at least leave the faces of these victims intact, as those faces are the last memories that these mothers have of their beloved sons. And now this mutilated face of their loved one will become another memory and will stay fresh in the consciousness of these mothers," he added. She also highlighted the staggering humanitarian crisis in the region and said that the women are being raped and sexually harassed. "The eyes and other parts of the face that a mother often loves and recognizes since childbirth are mutilated to such an extent that not even they can recognize their kid. Governments that have an obsession with gaining power and then suppressing the weak through their policies have pushed humanity to such a level that will engulf us humans for several centuries to come. The reminisces of these struggles between the weak and powerful survive for centuries and make people remember the cost that was paid during that struggle. And unfortunately, women are the ones who suffer the most in these incidents" she said. "We cannot move forward until this problem is addressed. The mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters of Balochistan have been struggling like this for more than two decades. These women are often exposed, to brutal punishments, like rape and sexual violence. Protests and voices are often raised when women are oppressed in other parts of the world, similarly, voices must be raised for the oppression of Baloch women. But, unfortunately, no feminists and social activists respond to the pain and suffering that the Baloch women have to suffer," she added. While raising the matter of enforced disappearances Mahrang Baloch stated "The cases of enforced disappearances have been a curse for the people of Balochistan. It is not a mere crime against humanity, but it is a tool utilized by the state to suppress the Baloch people and to loot their resources. For more than 20 years Baloch women in the form of mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives have been struggling for the safe return of their loved ones. Women are often given corporal punishments like and are harassed sexually and physically." "Several places in Balochistan Awaran, Bolan, and Kohlu have prisons for women who participate in protests against the Pakistani Administration demanding the safe return of their loved ones. Women in these prisons are often exposed to severe punishments. There are also cases where women are kidnapped for merely pressuring these protestors. They are often given to soldier and death squad camps where they are sexually and physically abused. We have also come across cases where young girls are married to death squad members forcibly," she pointed out. Asma Jahangir was a prominent human rights lawyer from Pakistan and was also a UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran during her life she also received the prestigious UN Human Rights Prize. The prize was awarded posthumously to Jahangir who died earlier in 2018 in her home country of Pakistan at the age of 66 a report by United Nations Human Rights Council stated. (ANI)
Commentary: U.S. police brutality against student protesters exposes hypocrisy on free speech

10:04, April 29, 2024 By Wang Xinyi ( Xinhua

BEIJING, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Harassment, doxxing, death threats, stereotyping, unequal treatment ... And then there was tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets, all fired at student protesters across the United States.

Campuses have been torn apart this week as pro-Palestinian protests roiled U.S. colleges and escalated over more forceful and violent countermeasures by administrators and police.

Footage showing police beating protesters, dragging students to the ground and carrying them off in handcuffs flooded social media in a fray going from merely demanding ceasefire and divestment to lodging legal maneuvering and civil rights claims.

Hundreds of students and faculty members were arrested. Now the drama goes on as more colleges on Friday joined in Columbia University's lead in a coast-to-coast protest. The Ivy League school has been the epicenter of student protests for over a week.

Perhaps a much heavier blow than a forced switch to remote learning, delayed classes, canceled commencement ceremonies and disrupted graduation plans is a dangerous encroachment on academic freedom and a painful disillusionment with the American system.

Peaceful student demonstrators were framed by armed police and U.S. media as "perpetrators" deserving "crackdown." Capitol Hill elites were fast enough to define this protest as "anti-Semitic," bashing the students for incorrectly associating the civil rights movement with what is going on in Palestine and suggesting external tinges as behind the protest without producing a single shred of evidence.

"Arrests being made right now &will continue until the crowd disperses," Governor of Texas Greg Abbott wrote Thursday on X. "These protesters belong in jail. Antisemitism will not be tolerated in Texas. Period. Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled."

While our memory may wane, the Internet has it intact. In 2019, Abbott proudly tweeted "I just signed a law protecting free speech on college campuses," in stark contrast with his hardline take this time.

For him and the like, these encampments on campuses are clearly not "a beautiful sight to behold." Not in the slightest when they appear on U.S. soil.

Influencers and politicians on the far-right portrayed the protesters as "violent, dangerous and intent on taking over the country," USA Today observed in a report on Friday, saying "the claims were similar to what happened after mostly peaceful protests against police brutality in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd."

This distorted portrayal not only serves to demonize the protesters but also perpetuates a narrative that undermines the legitimacy of their grievances. Nearly four years after the Floyd tragedy, real change in policing remains elusive, despite outcries triggered by one nationwide protest after another.

Or perhaps, deep down, U.S. politicians know what it is, they just play dumb at home with filibusters and play the judge abroad whenever they feel their geopolitical interests at stake or whatchamacallit "a national security threat".

And when necessary, they blur the lines between rights and crimes. Because in the end, they reserve the right to explain, designate and interpret such terms as democracy, civil rights, national security, or whatsoever.

As the world watches in horror at the footage of U.S. police viciously suppressing student protests, it becomes painfully evident that America's espousal of free speech is a sham.

This appalling display of state-sponsored violence lays bare the hypocrisy of a nation that prides itself on democracy while trampling on the very principles it claims to uphold.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Shakirullah Marwat, the district and sessions judge of South Waziristan who was abducted by unidentified kidnappers on Dera Ismail Khan's Tank Road reached home safely after being recovered 'unconditionally', the Counter-Terrorism Department confirmed on Monday, Dawn reported. Information Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif later also confirmed the judge's safe recovery. His captors released a video of him pleading for his freedom.The judge appealed to the government and judiciary to accept the demands of his abductors. In a video message sent from an unknown location, Marwat said that, "Taliban brought me here. It is a jungle and a war is going on." The sessions judge said in the video message that his release was only possible if the captors demands were accepted. "I request the federal and provincial governments, chief justices of Peshawar High Court and Supreme Court of Pakistan to make sure the Taliban's demands are accepted and my recovery is made sure as soon as possible," he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the incident but a video published by counterterrorism officials on April 28 purported to show Marwat saying that the Pakistani Taliban -- Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) -- would not release him until their demands were met, reported RFE. An FIR of Mr Marwat's abduction was registered at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station on Sunday under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and other provisions. While condemning the incident, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council said the judge's abduction was an attempt to undermine the judicial system in the country, reported Dawn. The council added that the incident is a question mark on the efficiency of law enforcement agencies. As per the statment given by a CTD official, the judge's driver, Sher Ali Khan Mehsud, stated in the FIR that while en route from Tank to DI Khan, their vehicle was ambushed by a group of 25 to 30 individuals armed with sophisticated weapons at Garah Mohabbat Morr. Subsequently, they opened fire on the car, while forcing it to stop. The kidnappers blindfolded the driver and five of them entered the judge's vehicle and drove away after approximately 40 minutes, the vehicle came to a stop in a forested area. The FIR further detailed that although the judge was initially dressed in pants and a shirt, the kidnappers took out a shalwar kameez suit from the car and instructed him to change it following this, the kidnappers set the vehicle on fire. The FIR stated that the kidnappers asked the driver to convey to the authorities that their relatives were kept in jails and they would release the judge if their demands were met, but warnad of serious consequences otherwise. Additionally, the FIR clarified that the kidnappers hailed from various tribes, including Marwat, Mehsud, Gandapur and Afghans. Later, the kidnappers took away the judge on a motorcycle. Taking notice of the incident, Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur directed the IGP to take measures for the safe recovery of the judge. "Steps should be taken on emergency basis to recover the judge," the chief minister said. A joint investigation team comprising CTD officials from DI Khan and Tank was later formed for the recovery of the abducted judge. Sources said during the joint operation of security forces, there was no loss of life or property. (ANI)
In response, Taiwan sent naval ships and used land-based missile systems to monitor the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) activity, according to the ministry.

"4 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. #ROCArmedForces have monitored the situation and employed appropriate forces to respond," Taiwan's MND posted on social media platform X.

https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1784784305216250111

So far this month, Taiwan has tracked Chinese military aircraft 240 times and naval vessels 169 times.

Since September 2020, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by incrementally increasing the number of military aircraft and naval ships operating around Taiwan.

Gray zone tactics are defined as "an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one's security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force," as reported by Taiwan News.

Earlier on Sunday, Taiwan tracked 22 Chinese military aircraft and four Chinese naval vessels vessels operating around Taiwan

Amid escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait, the island nation's Ministry of National Defence has repeatedly detected Chinese military aircraft and vessels operating near Taiwan.

The provocative maneuvers by Chinese military assets come amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and China, with Beijing asserting its territorial claims over the self-governing island.

Taiwan has long been a source of contention between China and the international community, with Beijing viewing the island as an integral part of its territory, while Taiwan maintains its sovereignty.

So far in April, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence has detected Chinese military aircraft 207 times and naval vessels 144 times. Since September 2020, China has intensified the use of "gray zone tactics" by deploying military aircraft and naval vessels over the median line and inside Taiwan's ADIZ, according to Taiwan News report. (ANI)
Several agreements will be soon made between Japan and the European Union to ensure better cooperation on economic security, including strengthening supply chain resilience for semiconductors and other critical materials, Japanese news organization Kyodo News stated quoting its government sources on Sunday. The initiative is being pursued as a way to reduce dependency on countries like China. According to local sources quoted in the Kyodo News report the leaders of Japan and the 27-nation bloc are working toward issuing a joint statement promoting the establishment of transparent, resilient, and sustainable supply chains at a Japan-EU High-level Economic Dialogue to be held in Paris in early May. Japan has been trying to strengthen its partnerships with its political allies for the development of supply chains for critical times like geopolitical and economic security risks, such as Russia's war on Ukraine and increasing tensions with China. The economic dialogue is scheduled to be attended by Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Industry Minister Ken Saito, while the EU is expected to be represented by Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice president of the European Commission for an Economy that Works for People the Kyodo News report mentioned. The move is being considered to counter China's growing market size with inexpensive semiconductors, electric vehicles and solar panels. Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and US President Joe Biden also reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in supply chain resilience and other areas in the face of China's ambitions. Previously, the United States' defence commitments to Japan and the Philippines are "ironclad," US President Joe Biden said on Thursday as he hosted the first-ever trilateral summit between the three countries, welcoming Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to the White House a day after the official visit of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The US-Japan-Philippines trilateral comes after the creation of groupings in the Indo-Pacific, starting with the Quad, comprising India, the US, Australia and Japan, and the AUKUS, consisting of Australia, the US and the UK, amid increasing concerns over China's military muscle-flexing in the region. Meanwhile, China asserts sovereignty over the shoal, located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, as part of its broader claims in the South China Sea, disregarding an international arbitration ruling. (ANI)
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed on Monday a proposal for a ceasefire presented to Hamas by Israel, characterising it as "extraordinarily generous," CNN reported. "In this moment the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas," he told World Economic Forum (WEF) President Borge Brende in the Saudi capital Riyadh. "They (Hamas) have to decide and they have to decide quickly," he said. "I'm hopeful that they will make the right decision." Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, also present in Riyadh, shared a similar sentiment, expressing optimism about the proposal's acceptance by both Israel and Hamas. "There is a proposal on the table, up to the two sides to consider and accept but certainly the objective is a ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire and dealing with the humanitarian conditions," Shoukry told a panel at the WEF in Riyadh on Monday, according to CNN. He also said that he is hopeful "the proposal has been taken into account" and that "we are waiting to have a final decision." Israeli officials signaled willingness to engage in negotiations aimed at restoring lasting peace. A source familiar with the discussions, as cited by CNN, disclosed Egypt's suggestion of a one-year ceasefire, contingent upon Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza and the release of hostages and deceased individuals. This proposal illustrates efforts toward a comprehensive resolution to the conflict. Hamas has maintained that a permanent ceasefire and full Israeli withdrawal are prerequisites for any agreement. Conversely, Israel has affirmed its commitment to continue its operation in Gaza until Hamas is eradicated. However, Israel has recently agreed to Hamas's demand for unrestricted movement of Palestinians to northern Gaza, a concession pivotal in advancing negotiations. Yet, the possibility of an Israeli military offensive in Rafah looms, with Israeli officials framing ongoing negotiations as the last opportunity to prevent such action. Notably, the US, along with other allies of Israel, has cautioned against a major military operation in Rafah without adequate safeguards for civilians. Blinken reiterated this stance during his Riyadh visit, emphasising the US' reluctance to support such an offensive in the absence of a concrete plan to protect civilians: "We have not yet seen a plan that civilians can be effectively protected." Meanwhile, White House National Security Council communications adviser John Kirby echoed these sentiments, revealing Israel's assurance that no invasion of Rafah would occur until concerns raised by the Biden administration were addressed. "I think we have to have a better understanding from the Israelis about what they want to do as a matter of fact, we've had several staff talks with them, we intend to do that more," he said on ABC. "They've assured us that they won't go into Rafah until we've had a chance to really share our perspectives and our concerns with them." In a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Joe Biden emphasised the need for increased humanitarian assistance and reiterated opposition to a potential Israeli invasion of Rafah, as outlined in a White House statement. Despite these diplomatic efforts, the death toll from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continues to rise, underscoring the urgency of reaching a ceasefire agreement. The casualties include infants and toddlers, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict on innocent civilians, CNN reported. (ANI)
Biden returns to North Carolina, visiting the city where Trump was forced to cancel

Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden and Gov. Roy Cooper join each other on stage after speeches on heath care during a campaign stop at the Chavis Community Center in Raleigh on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

President Joe Biden plans to return to North Carolina on Thursday; this time visiting the city where former President Donald Trump, his 2024 campaign rival, was forced to cancel an event earlier this month due to weather.

White House officials told McClatchy that Bidens trip to Wilmington will highlight his Investing in America agenda and how it is rebuilding infrastructure and creating good-paying jobs in the city and across the United States.

Since launching their 2024 reelection campaign, Biden and his surrogates have become frequent presences in North Carolina, which is considered a swing state.

Former President Barack Obama is the only Democratic presidential candidate since 1976 to win North Carolina. That was in 2008, and Obama defeated former Sen. John McCain with fewer than 14,000 votes.

In 2020, Trump won North Carolina by just 1.3%.

The Biden campaign made plans a year ago to target North Carolina.

Trump has shown less of a presence in the state this election cycle, with his first visit to the state planned for April 20. He planned to travel from a fundraiser in Charlotte, which he did attend, to a rally in Wilmington, but called over the loudspeaker to awaiting fans that he needed to cancel for their safety as strong thunderstorms were approaching the outdoor event.

Trump has not yet rescheduled.

The White House has not yet released times and exact locations for Bidens visit on Thursday, which is typical for a presidential visit.

He last visited, with Vice President Kamala Harris, on March 26.
Public safety experts and advocates for law enforcement transparency are expressing concern over two pieces of new legislation  bills HB 601 and SB 184  written to support Floridas law enforcement but that critics worry will erode the publics ability to hold police agencies accountable after HB 601 takes effect July 1.

The pushback grew louder with the April 12 signing of the bills by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in St. Augustine as both critics and public officials from across the state spoke to the Herald-Tribune about what the new citizen oversight board legislation could mean to communities and how restricting oversight committees could weaken public safety.

The citizen oversight board legislation (HB 601) is set to impose limitations on the powers of these committees. After July 1, county sheriff or chief of a municipal police department may establish a civilian oversight board to review the policies and procedures, the bill reads.

ICYMI: DeSantis signs bills limiting police review boards, creating buffer for first responders

Essentially, HB 601 would limit what citizen police oversight boards can do, including investigating complaints of officer misconduct. The bill would require these citizen-led panels to be re-established under county sheriffs and municipal police chiefs. Law enforcement administrators will be tasked with appointing members of law enforcement to newly established review boards. They will soon be able to review cases of alleged misconduct within their agencies.

The forthcoming change has ignited a wave of criticism from community leaders, who say the legislation will undermine transparency and accountability efforts. However, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass backed DeSantis's bill, adding that police are already held accountable by the FDLE and agencies' internal affairs departments.

"These men and women do not need to be scrutinized again and again by a committee that has no idea what they're talking about," Glass said at the press conference after the signing.

Critics around the state, however, are refuting the FDLE commissioners' comments.

Oversight leaders speak out

Rodney Jacobs is the executive director of the City of Miami's Civilian Investigative Panel (CIP). The CIP leads the state of Florida in providing independent and impartial citizens' oversight of law enforcement.

In Miami, approximately 2,000 Miami Police Department officers work under the watchful eye of the city of Miami's Civilian Investigation Panel (CIP). The oversight panel is led by Executive Director Rodney Jacobs, a former military intelligence officer for the United States Army Reserve, lawyer, and adjunct professor. Hes worked in the oversight industry for a decade and took over the Miami CIP in 2022.

Jacobs has followed the recent HB 601 legislation and criticized the bill and lawmakers last week.

It's unfortunate that theyve taken the approach they have. There is a large misconception about officers being critiqued, but we simply do our investigation. We dont have the power to discipline police officers, Jacobs explained.

I understand the police officer's sentiments. In some other agencies, it happens. Agencies can get co-opted by bad actors and it can be vicious ... but just because there may be a few bad actors in one part of Florida that doesn't mean that the whole state should be punished.

Miamis CIP is the leading oversight entity in the state, Jacobs said. Beyond reviewing complaints, Jacobs and his team service Miami-Dade's 500,000 citizens through its first-of-its-kind community police mediation program, investigations, audits, and review services. The CIP also provides standard operating procedures for smaller agencies within the Sunshine State.

Right now, we're still reviewing the law and figuring out how it affects us. In some ways it, maybe, affects our ability to do investigations, but we still will likely have the ability to audit cases, Jacobs said.

The city of Miami's Civilian Investigative Panel during a recent meeting. The CIP oversight committee was established in 1999 through a city ordinance. It has provided independent and impartial citizens' oversight of the Miami Police Department for 24 years.

The investigation panel was enacted in 2000 via a local vote following a string of violent crimes around lower-income communities in central Miami. At the time, the panel was heavily supported by the city's Cuban-American voters, in addition to its Black citizens, following a federal indictment of 13 Miami officers who planted weapons at a crime scene involving the police shooting of a Black man and mistreatment of Cuban residents by local police.

Previous coverage: Trial begins for officers accused of planting guns

Initially, the city's CIP was created to investigate police officers' misconduct; however, over the past 25 years, Miami's CIP has become a prototype for Florida law enforcement accountability efforts.

Sarasota law enforcement and leaders lean optimistic

Sarasota Police Department representatives presented 2023's crime statistics and a report on their crime prevention efforts to city officials recently.

Sarasotas police department runs a high-visibility agency that has worked to build trust between the agency and citizens over the past several years through its many community engagement initiatives.

The agency has two separate entities that provide oversight for complaints against the SPD or its 190 sworn officers the Police Complaint Committee (PCC) and the citys Independent Police Advisory Panel (IPAP).

Sarasotas PCC serves as an independent oversight component and assists the chief of police with the policies, practices, and procedures concerning the processing of complaints against SPD police officers.

The IPAP was formed in 2011 and consists of five civilian volunteers appointed by the City Commission. Its main goal is to build transparency and accountability for the community to boost the publics overall trust in the law enforcement agency and its administration.

Maintaining transparency and accountability for its officers and the agency is vital to the agency, its leaders say, and the new bill will take some navigating, Sarasota city officials admitted at an IPAP meeting on April 19. However, SPD staying on the right side of legislators and aligning with HB 601 is a priority for the citys leaders.

We dont want to run afoul of the new law, said Assistant City Attorney Joe Polzak. Thatll be our primary consideration, following the law.

A 20-year veteran of the Sarasota Police Department, now deputy city manager Pat Robinson, echoed Polzak's statement and said he was confident that city leaders would want to maintain both the PPC and IPAP. However, city leaders, including the city attorney, SPD Chief Rex Troche, and Independent Police Panel Administrator Heather Salazman, are working on reviewing the legislations effects before it becomes law in the state on July 1.

Deputy city manager and former SPD Deputy Chief Pat Robinson

"I can assure you that our commission is very interested in maintaining what we have, and we're going to see if we can work through the law to see if we can maintain both of our boards, said Robinson.

Robinson said during a recent IPAP meeting at City Hall that the makeup of the advisory panel may change but that he believes it will stay intact following the July 1 legislative change.

The challenge at this point is what will happen at the PCC and how that comes out, but I do not see this going away. We're definitely going to work through it and we're going to make sure that it's legislative and statutorily sound before we make a determination.

In an interview, Trevor Harvey, president of the Sarasota County Chapter of the NAACP, spoke candidly about his concerns with HB 601. Harvey noted the efforts by SPD in the citys historically Black neighborhood of Newtown, along with a strong relationship with SPDs Chief Rex Troche.

Harveys concerns, he said, are more about the high-level legislation than the local agencys efforts to serve effectively its community members.

Trevor Harvey, president of Sarasota County Branch NAACP.

This is a bad decision (of) Florida government ... what it does is pull that connection or relationship with accountability away from the community. Law enforcement will now police law enforcement and thats the kind of thing weve been trying to get away from, he said.

I just feel, based on what I personally know about the individuals in the city, the stakeholders, I think they're going to make sure that the door is open for us to remain at the table. If not, I know I will be the first one in line to be saying Hey, this isnt right. You all have to keep us at this table.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Florida law will transfer conduct boards from the public to police
When police officers responded to a Colorado home to investigate reports of a woman screaming, they found the 24-year-old in active labour on her front porch.

Four Greeley Police Department officers arrived at around 3.30am on 18 April and jumped into action on the cold and snowy night to deliver what they thought was one baby.

The baby boy was born quickly and then suddenly turned blue.

One officer located bread ties to tie off the umbilical cord while another ran to nearby homes and collected towels and blankets to help keep the new family warm, the Greeley Police Department said in a release on Facebook.

A third officer, who was still with the new mother, then tied off the umbilical cord and cut it. The fourth officer rushed the baby boy back to his patrol where it was much warmer.

It was snowing, raining, and approximately 32 degrees outside at this time, police said.

While in the patrol car, the baby stopped breathing and an officer had to administer CPR. Medical personnel arrived in the nick of time and were able to help the infant.

But the new mother wasnt done yet and told the shocked officers that she was expecting two more babies.

While the officers were comforting the mother, a second baby boy was delivered, with the assistance of the officers, the police department said.

Officers wrapped this baby up, tied off the umbilical cord, and cut it. Baby number two was also rushed to the ambulance where medical personnel were still tending to the first baby.

The mother was rushed to the same hospital as the first two babies and was immediately taken into surgery to deliver the third baby.

The three babies, all boys, had strong heartbeats, and are receiving medical care at the neonatal intensive care unit, police said.

Police say the woman had gone into labour while home alone.

Her phone had died so she tried to make it to her neighbours house but never made it past the front porch.

Eric Mayeda, the father of the triplets, told The Independent he is thankful for the Greeley Police Department for safely delivering the trifecta we were gifted with.

He said that the babies have been doing as well as can be expected given they were 14 weeks early.

A GoFundMe has been created to help the family with expenses.

Greeley Police Chief Adam Turk said he was amazed at the teamwork, ingenuity, and care of the officers, who were faced with a lofty expectation.

The success of this call is a success in our officers, our training, and our partnerships with other public safety agencies in the area.
These are the countries where refugees in Florida are coming from

These are the countries where refugees in Florida are coming from

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  While accepting certain refugees has become a controversial topic in the United States and Florida, the country has long been considered one of the top places for those seeking a safer life than where they came from.

Within the last five decades, the U.S. has resettled over 3 million people escaping violence, persecution, and war, according to data from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Immigration Research Initiative reports over 17,000 refugees have arrived in Florida in the last decade; however, some residents in the state might not know where the refugees originate from.

DeSantis says the US should not accept refugees from Gaza at Iowa event

According to the latest Stacker statistics, which references data from the Refugee Processing Center, shows that most of the Sunshine States refugees in March arrived from Venezuela and Syria.

In Florida, Venezuelan refugees had the highest lead over other countries, with 112 coming to the state throughout March. Meanwhile, 68 Syrians and 28 Guatemalans sought refuge.

Below is a list of countries where refugees arrived from last month to Florida:

Florida refugee data from March 2024

Venezuela : 112

Syria : 68

Guatemala : 28

Afghanistan : 19

Nicaragua : 10

Congo : 9

El Salvador : 9

Congo : 8

Cuba : 7

Haiti : 7

Honduras : 7

Sudan : 7

Yemen : 6

Pakistan : 5

Ukraine : 5

Central African Republic : 4

Belarus : 2

Cambodia : 1

Myanmar: 1

According to Stackers statistics, Florida was among the top five states that accepted the most refugees in March, falling behind Pennsylvania with 315.

States that accepted the most refugees in March

Texas : 916

California : 495

New York : 473

Pennsylvania : 346

Florida: 315

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Fake stamp scheme run by California woman cost US Postal Service $150 million, feds say

A woman running a California shipping company cost the U.S. Postal Service more than $150 million by creating her own fake stamps, federal officials say.

Lijuan Angela Chen, 51, of Walnut pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and use of counterfeit postage, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California said in an April 26 news release.

Chen owned and operated a package shipping company in the City of Industry from November 2019 to May 2023, prosecutors said.

The company provided shipping services for China-based logistics businesses, officials said.

Chen copied and faked Netstamps, which are stamps that may be purchased online from third-party vendors and printed onto adhesive paper, prosecutors said.

In November 2019, her business partner fled to China and developed more ways to counterfeit U.S. postage, officials said.

Chen and her partner, Chuanhua Hugh Hu, shipped more than 34 million parcels with fake postage, costing the U.S. Postal Service more than $150 million, prosecutors said.

She faces up to 10 years in prison. Chen is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 2, officials said.

Attorney information for Chen and Hu was not provided.

Hu, who remains in China, faces charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States, passing and possessing counterfeit obligations of the United States, and forging and counterfeiting postage stamps, authorities said.

The City of Industry is about a 20-mile drive east from Los Angeles.

Men use dead womans Social Security benefits to pay Florida vacation home bills, feds say

Group swapped rare library books for fakes, causing $2.6M in damage, Europe cops say

Officer would not stop texting teen from church, coerced her into sex acts, feds say
A senior adviser to the former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has launched a legal action against its government, claiming that its feared intelligence agency, the ISI, was behind an acid attack against him at his home in Hertfordshire.

Shahzad Akbar, who sought refuge in Britain after leading Pakistans efforts to combat corruption before Mr Khan was toppled from power two years ago, was lucky not to lose his sight in the attack, which took place in front of his daughter, then aged 4, on 26 November last year.

It was saved only by his spectacles, which were badly damaged by the corrosive chemical squirted from a plastic bottle at Mr Akbar when he opened his front door in Royston to a man wearing a motorcycle helmet with its visor drawn down.

The attack caused acid burns that required treatment in hospital on his head and one arm, and has left permanent scars. Mr Akbar told The Independent: The physical wounds have healed. The psychological ones go deeper.

They were trying to send me a message: that I am not safe. This time, they werent trying to kill me, but were making it clear they could.

Shahzad Akbar was lucky not to lose his sight in the attack (Shahzad Akbar)

A letter delivered today by solicitors Leigh Day to the Pakistan High Commission in London accuses named ISI and Pakistan army officers, claiming they were also responsible for an attempt to assassinate Mr Khan in November 2022 and the murder of Arshad Sharif, an investigative journalist and TV talk show host who often worked closely with Mr Akbar. Like Mr Akbar, he had fled Pakistan after Khan was ousted.

Mr Akbar told The Independent that both men received death threats from the ISI for continuing to campaign against corruption by politicians and government officials from abroad. However, Sharif was unable to claim asylum in Britain, and was shot dead by a paramilitary police unit in Kenya in October 2022.

Mr Akbars lawyers letter states that his death was initially described as a case of mistaken identity, but a fact-finding report by Pakistans interior ministry concluded it was a planned, targeted assassination with transnational character.

The letter also cites the fact that on 27 May last year, Mr Akbars brother Murad was abducted from his home in Islamabad by men dressed as police officers. After his family filed a habeas corpus case, an Islamabad judge ordered his release.

But Pakistans law enforcement agencies denied all knowledge of his arrest or whereabouts, while Mr Akbar was told by ISI agents that the only way to free his brother would be to return to Pakistan and give evidence in court against Mr Khan - who is currently in prison, facing dozens of what his supporters say are bogus, trumped-up charges.

Shahzad Akbar and Imran Khan together in Pakistan (Supplied)

A senior government official delivered the same message at a press conference in Islamabad, in what Mr Akbar described as attempted blackmail. Mr Akbar refused.

Three months after his brother was detained, diplomatic pressure from Britain finally secured his release. Mr Akbar, who currently works for a human rights organisation in London, said the impact of the attack on his family had been devastating:

Im not allowed to go inside my childrens school, which means I feel stigmatised and isolated from the other parents. My daughter was standing next to me when I was attacked and she is traumatised. I feel guilty for putting my wife and kids at risk.

He said he had installed an array of security systems with the help of the police, but at the end of the day, if they want to kill me, they will. I hope my legal action will hold those responsible to account.

Asked about the case, the Pakistan High Commission referred to a press conference in December, when a spokesman for the countrys foreign ministry said: We reject any insinuations of Pakistans involvement and that of Pakistani agencies in such a heinous attack. It is not our policy to target our own nationals abroad.
Kansas reformed civil asset forfeiture  the law enforcement tactic of seizing property suspected of being used in a crime  to be more limited in scope and requiring higher standards of evidence.

The issue united Libertarian-leaning conservatives and more liberal advocates of police reform. Critics of the practice pointed to the low burden of proof needed to take an individuals property, the high legal costs to recover seized property and that it could incentivize profit-driven policing.

Anyone who learns about civil asset forfeiture immediately agrees it's a problem. Unfortunately, for years, we could never agree on what the solution should be, said Rep. Dan Osman, D-Overland Park.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation director Tony Mattivi testifies before the legislative subcommittee on civil asset forfeiture. Several of his issues with reforming civil asset forfeiture were addressed in the final draft of the bill.

The legislation comes after a committee made up of legislators, litigators, law enforcement and local government officials conducted a study on civil asset forfeiture in 2023. The study found that Kansas law enforcement agencies collected over $13 million during about 2,000 incidents over a three-and-a-half-year period.

Many of the recommendations in the study are adopted in the legislation, which include the following:

Disallows forfeiture from crimes related to possession of drugs.

Require courts to determine whether a forfeiture is proportionate to the crimes committed.

Set two-week timelines for seizing agencies to request forfeiture to county or district attorneys, originally it was 45 days.

Require law enforcement to submit affidavit describing the probable cause that led to the seizure.

Raises the burden of proof to seize property.

Bill changed to address law enforcements concerns

The bill signed into law did get whittled down during negotiations after law enforcement officials raised complaints with certain aspects of the bill. Originally, Senate Bill 458 included a right to a jury trial to recover seized property and didnt allow local agencies to request federal agencies take on forfeiture cases initiated by local police or sheriffs.

Removing the ability of agencies to request federal adoption and granting the right to claimants for a jury trial tip that balance and could conceivably do more harm than good, said Tony Mattivi, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigations.

The study that guided the legislation didnt make a recommendation on federal adoption or a jury trial.

Though reforms have had trouble in the past, this bill was approved with unanimous support in the Kansas House and Senate.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas civil asset forfeiture process amended by state legislators
Mar-Jac Poultry in MS faces scrutiny after organization names it to its Dirty Dozen list

A national occupational safety organization listed Mississippi's Mar-Jac Poultry as one of the most dangerous places in the U.S. to work, following the 2023 death of 16-year-old Duvan Perez.

The teen's death was just the tip of the iceberg for the Hattiesburg company, which has had eight OSHA-documented safety complaints in the last five years, including three fatalities.

"We need to have comprehensive programs where workers can speak to lesser injury rates, less violations around OSHA standards  there is quantifiable data," said Jessica Martinez, co-executive director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

Duvan Perez

Hattiesburg: Mar-Jac, others named in lawsuit filed by mother of 16-year-old killed at poultry plant

He was 16: NBC documentary on children working in slaughterhouses features Hattiesburg teen's death

Perez's mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit in February, accusing the chicken processing plant and others of knowingly allowing the teen to work there and failing to protect his life by following safety procedures. The teen, an indigenous Mayan from Guatemala, was killed July 14, 2023, while sanitizing the deboning area of the plant.

Federal child labor laws prohibit anyone younger than 18 from working in any meat-processing plant. In addition, the lawsuit claims Perez was not properly trained, nor were protocols followed when Perez became entangled in the equipment.

Mar-Jac, and Onin Staffing, the company Mar-Jac officials said hired Perez, have denied any culpability in the teen's death.

In the court: Mar-Jac responds to wrongful death lawsuit filed by Hattiesburg teen's mother

National COSH announced its annual Dirty Dozen report during Workers' Memorial Week, which ended Saturday. A Zoom presentation Thursday featured workplace safety experts and Dirty Dozen employees who were harmed at their workplaces.

We release the Dirty Dozen each year to shine a light on whats going wrong in U.S. workplaces  and to support workers who are joining together to make it right, Martinez said in a news release.

To get off the list, Martinez said, the companies must prove fewer work-related injuries and provide firsthand accounts from employees about any new safety- or health-related improvements.

The latest data show an increase in workplace fatalities, injuries and illnesses, Martinez said. An increasing number of children are being assigned to dangerous jobs, and the reality of climate change is bringing the risk of extreme heat to both indoor and outdoor workplaces.

Mar-Jac Poultry in Hattiesburg is the site where a 16-year-old from Guatemala, Duvan Perez, was killed in a workplace accident on Friday, July 14, 2023. According to federal child labor laws, anyone younger than 18 are barred from working in meat-processing facilities.

What happened? Activists demand accountability in teen's death at Hattiesburg poultry plant

OSHA: Report says Mar-Jac violated safety procedures in Hattiesburg teen's death

The Dirty Dozen are selected by the National COSH team, with nominations from a network of COSH groups, workers, safety activists, union members, health and safety professionals and academic experts from across the country, National COSH said in a news release.

Criteria include the severity of risks to workers; repeat and serious violations of safety standards and applicable laws; the position of a company within its industry and the economy and its ability to influence broader workplace standards, and the presence of a campaign by workers or allies to correct health and safety problems.

This years National COSH Dirty Dozen includes:

Alabama Department of Corrections: Forced labor in Alabama prisons disproportionately targets Black men and women, who face hazardous conditions for $2 a day or less.

Ascension: Severe staff cuts create unsafe conditions for patients and workers at the nations largest Catholic healthcare system.

Black Iron/XL Concrete: One worker dies from electrocution; another loses a thumb at a company with 29 OSHA violations during the past decade.

Costa Farms: In 2021, a worker dies from heat exhaustion at a Costa Farms nursery in Miami. Two years later, company executives lobby against a Miami-Dade heat safety ordinance. In 2024, the Florida legislature bans all local heat protections.

Florence Hardwoods: 16-year old Michael Shuls is crushed to death inside a stalled conveyor at this lumber mill in northern Wisconsin. The company has been previously cited for failure to properly lock out and guard machinery.

Mar-Jac Poultry and Onin Staffing: Duvan Perez, an immigrant teenager is killed at this poultry firm, which has a troubling history of safety violations, including two prior fatalities.

Space X and the Boring Company: Workers suffer crushed limbs, amputations, chemical burns and death at companies owned by billionaire Elon Musk.

Tyson Foods: Six workers have died on the job at Tyson since 2019, and over 140 others have suffered injuries from hazardous ammonia leaks.

Uber and Lyft: Over 80 mobile app workers have been killed on the job since 2017, most of them working for Uber and Lyft. Workers of color and immigrants bear the brunt of these dangers, the report says.

Valor Security and Investigations: New York City firm is indicted for selling fake safety certificates, endangering workers who never receive training, including construction worker Ivan Frias, who fell to his death in 2022.

Waffle House: Restaurants in this 24-hour, 365-days-per-year chain have developed a reputation as a hotbed for violence.

Walmart: Janikka Perry, pressured to avoid taking sick time, dies alone and crying out for help in a Walmart bathroom.

To learn more

To read the full 2024 Dirty Dozen report, visit nationalcosh.org/Dirty_Dozen.

For more information, visit National COSH at nationalcosh.org.

Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.

This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Mar-Jac named a Dirty Dozen company by workers safety group
Legislation passed by the Delaware Senate would require communities to include resiliency strategies in their next comprehensive plan to ensure areas are ready for the impacts of climate change.

Senate Bill 237 would require future county comprehensive plans to encourage new housing development in areas that are not vulnerable to flooding, and include plans that otherwise reduce vulnerability to sea level rise, changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather events, among other changes.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Stephanie Hansen, passed in a 15-5 vote in the Delaware Senate with one absentee and now goes to the state House of Representatives for consideration.

As the lowest lying state in the nation, one of the best steps we can take now to protect lives and property from the damaging impacts of climate change is to direct future residential and commercial development away from areas most likely to be inundated by floodwaters and rising sea levels, Hansen said in a news release Tuesday.

DELAWARE AIR QUALITY: 2024 air quality report highlights air pollution concerns

Plans and protections cant come soon enough given the expected rough hurricane season ahead. Meteorologists say the latest forecasts puts chances for a La Nina arriving by hurricane season at 75% or greater.

What the bill would do

Senate Bill 237 would require counties to follow the Delaware Climate Action Plan, a resource developed by the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in 2021 that guides state efforts to reduce greenhouse gasses, expand clean energy and maximize community resiliency.

The bill would require county comprehensive plans to:

Consider land restoration where appropriate.

Reduce car-centric development patterns.

Give greater consideration around the location and sustainability of public infrastructure.

Looking north on Route 9 at Taylor's Bridge east of Townsend April 12, 2024. The bridge is part of a $23 million to raise the road and bridge that is prone to flooding.

Municipal comprehensive plans would also be required to include policies, statements, goals and planning components for climate change and resiliency.

County governments and municipalities with 2,000 or more residents in Delaware are required to complete a comprehensive plan every 10 years. Those plans lay out zoning designations and other guides for future use of land, water and other public resources, like transportation, affordable housing and open space.

Other efforts to protect, prepare for climate change impacts

The efforts to ensure communities across the First State are prepared for extreme weather events have taken many forms, including local residents and volunteers getting together to bring about change.

PREP KITS, ALERTS: How your family can prepare for environmental disaster in Delaware

Wilmington resident Stacey Henry created the Delaware Resilience Hub, which provides community resources so families are prepared when disaster strikes. Henrys work was sparked after floods ravaged parts of the city in 2021 from remnants of Hurricane Ida.

Communities across the state have also pursued various projects to help protect against and withstand the effects of climate change, including road and bridge improvements and expanding green spaces to protect low-lying areas.

USA Today contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware lawmakers want communities to plan for extreme weather
The year began with nationwide conservative efforts to shrink abortion access. Advocates for the procedure hope to end 2024 by reversing some of these restrictions, via the ballot box.

And the outcome of their efforts could have major implications for something opponents have long waged war on  interstate abortion travel.

With ballot initiatives underway in nearly a dozen states to let voters weigh in on where to set the limits, the success or failure of these measures will have impacts beyond state lines and on regions broadly, advocates told USA TODAY.

Acting as a sort of sanctuaries for neighboring abortion access deserts, states with more liberal abortion laws have seen an influx of out-of-state patients since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case guaranteeing a constitutional right to the procedure.

And a slew of proposed abortion-related constitutional amendments in 2024 could add to the map.

How many people got abortions in 2023? New report finds increase despite bans

Unless there's a national right to abortion care, we're absolutely doing it state by state, community by community as best as possible, said Adrienne Mansanares, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.

Abortion travel escalated post-Roe

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and decades of federal abortion precedent in June 2022, decisions around the procedure and any limits or exceptions returned to states, creating a nationwide legislative patchwork.

Over a dozen predominantly red states have implemented near total bans on abortions, while a handful of blue states including Oregon and Vermont allow abortions regardless of the gestational period, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. Some states restored an abortion limit similar to that of Roe.

The varying laws have led to a rise in patients traveling between states seeking an abortion, Mansanares said.

Planned Parenthoods health centers in Colorado, a state with wider abortion access, saw a tenfold increase in patients seeking care from nearby Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona between 2020 and last year, according to the organization's records. In October 2020 through September 2021, their Colorado health centers saw 374 of these out-of-state patients; from October 2022 through September 2023, the clinics served approximately 3,800 patients from the same three states. Over 75% of these women scheduled appointments for abortions.

The bulk of women came from the Lone Star State, where the procedure is almost completely banned.

"When state bans go into effect, they impact the entire country, Mansanares said.

This year, voters in at least three states will decide whether to enshrine abortion access in their constitution. And there are still ongoing initiatives to add such a decision to the ballot in about a dozen more states, including Colorado.

If passed, these referendums could cement some states statuses as abortion access points, while opening new points of access in others.

Women travel both to and from Florida for abortions

Sitting in the southeast where some of the countrys tightest abortion laws are concentrated, Florida has been a relative haven for patients in the South in the wake of Roes overturning.

But with the states current 15-week limit about to drop to six weeks, after a recent state Supreme Court ruling, women in Florida and the surrounding region could face a shortage of care, said Serra Sippel, interim executive director of The Brigid Alliance, a group that provides resources for abortion travel.

Anti-abortion activists (R) protest near the "Rally for Our Freedom" to protect abortion rights for Floridians, in Orlando, Florida, on April 13, 2024. Florida Rising, Floridians Protecting Freedom, and coalition partners officially launched the "Yes on 4" campaign. Florida's Supreme Court on April 1, 2024, paved the way for a ban on abortion after just six weeks of pregnancy, even as it allowed Amendment 4, protecting abortion rights, to be on the ballot in the November 2024 election. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / via Getty Images)

Already, Florida is among The Brigid Alliances top states from which they help patients travel, often seeking abortions in D.C. or Maryland, Sippel said.

And she said the group is bracing for this need to grow after May 1, when the six-week limit is set to go into effect.

November ballot measure could change Florida yet again

The Florida Supreme Court at the same time cleared the way for a measure protecting abortion through viability, often around 24 weeks, to appear on Novembers ballot.

Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the 100% pro-life" group North Carolina Values Coalition, said she is worried about the effects of both Florida court decisions in her own southern state.

ABORTION CLINIC PROTEST--Flip Benham, director of Operation Save America, raises his Bible and bows his head as the Rev. Ronnie Wallace (second from right) of Charlotte North Carolina, leads a group of Pro-Life supporters in prayer during a rally Saturday outside the sole abortion clinic life in Jackson, MS, the Women's Health Organization in Jackson. Photo by Barbara Gauntt, The Clarion-Ledger.

All states in the South, once Florida's heartbeat bill goes into effect, will have either a heartbeat bill or a gestational limit at conception, Fitzgerald said. And so that means North Carolina's 12-week limit on abortion will cause women to flood across our borders, again, to obtain abortions.

Along with Virginia, which allows abortion through 26 weeks of pregnancy, North Carolina has some of the lowest restrictions on the procedure compared to the rest of the south. Even after the state legislature last summer lowered the limit from 20 to 12 weeks, with exceptions, North Carolina saw one of the highest number of out-of-state patients in 2023, behind Illinois, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Fitzgerald said she wants a limit like other southern states for the Tar Heel State and is concerned about referendums like Florida's.

It should be a concern for everyone who believes in the sanctity of human life, she said.

Travel for abortion care is 'not ideal'

Still, abortion access advocates say interstate travel is an imperfect solution.

It is not ideal," said Tara Romano, executive director of Pro-Choice North Carolina, because not everyone can leave the state to access abortion. And this is really just how chaotic it's been since (Roe was overturned).

If you're in a state where you cannot access abortion, being able to get to another state is going to be really critical, she added. It's just that it's not going to be able to help everyone, including patients in emergency situations, Romano said.

Jan. 30, 2024; Bristol, VA, USA; Karolina Ogorek, Administrative Director of Bristol Womens Health goes through patient paper work during her shift. The medical facility specializes in abortion care and reproductive services, near the state line of Tennessee where abortions are illegal. Mandatory Credit: Megan Smith-USA TODAY

For those seeking an abortion, Mansanares said considerations range from travel costs to finding somewhere to stay in a different state, along with taking time off work and, for the many women who are already parents, finding childcare.

It's a huge financial burden. And then the act of traveling out of your home state for care has a tremendous psychological impact as well, Mansanares said. Our patients are very fearful. They experience a deep amount of shame or stigma. Many of them feel terrorized."

And aid from organizations like The Brigid Alliance are being stretched to the max, Sippel said.

I want to emphatically say that it's a good thing that this referendum will be on the ballot, Sippel said of Florida. If it's passed, that is excellent news for Florida. And then, of course, it won't be enough.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Abortion travel could get harder, easier with these ballot measures
Russian missiles have pounded power facilities across Ukraine  with Kyiv saying it had launched its own major long-range drone attack into Russia.

The airstrikes by Moscow, carried out with ballistic missiles and cruise missiles fired by Russian strategic bombers based in the Arctic Circle, are the fourth large-scale aerial assault targeting the power system since the last week of March.

The enemy again massively shelled Ukrainian energy facilities, said DTEK, Ukraines largest private electricity company, adding that four of its six thermal power plants had suffered damage overnight.

Rescuers battled to put out fires at several energy facilities in the western regions of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk, which border NATO members Poland and Romania, officials said.

After strikes on energy facilities in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, water supplies were disrupted in president Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown of Kryvyi Rih, officials said.

Ukrainian air defences brought down 21 of the 34 incoming missiles, the commander of the air force said in a statement. None of the facilities hit was identified by name, a security measure intended to prevent Russia quickly assessing the impact of its strikes.

Elsewhere, in the northeastern city of Kharkiv, which has been heavily bombed in recent weeks, a missile struck a hospital holding 60 patients overnight, injuring a woman and damaging the building, nearby water pipes and power lines, the regional governor said.

For their part, Ukraine attacked the Ilsky and Slavyansk oil refineries in Russias Krasnodar region overnight, a Ukrainian intelligence source told Reuters. The drone strike conducted by the SBU security service caused fires at the facilities, the source said. Russias Kushchevsk military airfield was also attacked in the southern region, the source added.

The Slavyansk oil refinery was forced to suspend some operations after being damaged in the attack, Russian state news agency TASS cited an executive overseeing the plant as saying.

Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal, left, meets Australian defence minister Richard Marles (Reuters)

Ukraine has sought to fight back against the aerial onslaught from Russia in recent months using its long-range drones. Kyiv says it is striking at infrastructure to try and disrupt the Russian economy  hence the oil facilities, with Russia being one of the world's biggest exporters  and military airfields.

Earlier this month Russia destroyed one of Ukraine's largest power plants and damaged others in a massive missile and drone attack in its push to target Ukraine's energy facilities. Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to its Western allies for more air defence resources to ward off such attacks. Mr Zelensky issued a new appeal for air defences and weapons deliveries after the latest Russian strikes.

Mr Zelensky said Ukraine needed sufficient quantities of air defence and other weapons to protect its cities and prevail on the front line. Terror should always lose, and anyone who helps us stand against Russian terror is a true defender of life, he said.

Earlier this week, the US passed a major military aid package for Ukraine worth $60bn, finally overcoming political infighting in Congress that had delayed the process for months. All the while, Ukraine has seen its weapon and air defence stocks become depleted.

On Friday, the Pentagon said it would rush Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine as part of its new military aid package. The US defence secretary Lloyd Austin told a news conference that the US was committing to its largest security assistance package to date and would move immediately to get the supplies to Ukraine.

Understand whats at stake for Ukraine, for Europe, and for the United States, he said. If Putin prevails in Ukraine, Europe would face a security threat it hasnt seen in a lifetime. Russia will not stop in Ukraine.

Its going to take some time to get it in there and distribute. The Ukrainians were able to hold; with this capability, they can do a lot better.

Australian defence minister Richard Marles, who visited Lviv on Saturday, also announced a $100m military aid package including short-range air defence and drones, with air-to-ground precision munitions coming separately.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report
Sea creature spotted surfing the waves in special encounter off Iceland, photo shows

Conservationists got a special treat when they spotted a familiar sea creature near the coast of Iceland.

While navigating in the bay of Breidafjordur, located on the west coast of the island nation, conservationists observed Captain Hook, a male orca, surfing the waves.

Among all the recent beautiful orca sightings, we had a special one today, Orca Guardians, a nonprofit dedicated to orca protection, said in an April 25 news release.

A photo released by the organization depicts the black-and-white apex predator breaching the surface.

Captain Hook is at least 18 years old, as he has been visiting the waters near western Iceland since 2006 or earlier, the group said.

The killer whale, the only male in a pod of females, returns to the area in the summer months.

He can regularly be spotted going his own ways, exploring territory and having new experiences, the group said.

The largest members of the dolphin family, killer whales are found throughout every ocean on Earth, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

They often use a coordinated hunting strategy, working as a team like a pack of wolves, according to NOAA.

Today, some of their populations throughout the world are threatened by overfishing, chemicals and ship traffic, the organization reports.

In recent years, populations of killer whales around Europe have attacked sailboats, sinking them on several occasions, according to previous reporting from McClatchy News.

Orca experts said the bizarre phenomenon is likely the result of a game-like behavior thats gotten way out of hand.

Scaly clawed creature found resting in rotten log at India forest. See the new species

Apex predator emerges as boaters stare in awe at fishs massive bite marks. See it

Workers unearth steelworks at medieval castle in UK  and find someones hidey-hole
The launching ceremony of this year's Looking China - Youth Film Project was held on Friday at Southwest University in Chongqing.

Looking China project, an annual event co-hosted by the Huilin Foundation and the Academy for International Communication of Chinese Culture of Beijing Normal University since 2011, aims to present Chinese culture to the world through the eyes of young foreign filmmakers and promote communication between young generations in China and overseas.

"So far, 951 short films by 1,009 youths from 102 countries have been created," said Gao Feng, executive dean of the Academy for International Communication of Chinese Culture at Beijing Normal University.

According to Long Wei, dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Southwest University, this year also marks the seventh year of the project's landing in Chongqing.

From April 27 to May 2, filming will be carried out in Chongqing's Qijiang, Dazu, Yubei, Changshou, Jiangjin, Hechuan, Rongchang and Beibei districts. After a post-production and review, a film screening ceremony will be held in Southwest University on May 10.

"As we embark on our journey to Chongqing, a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage and stunning landscapes, we are filled with a sense of anticipation and wonder," said Effimia Anagnostidou, a director representative from Greece, at the launch ceremony. "This project stands as a testament to the power of cultural exchange and artistic expression."

On Saturday, the first group embarked on a filmmaking journey at the Qijiang Farmers' Printmaking Institute in Qijiang district.

Originated from woodblock New Year prints and murals during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and having thrived in the 1980s, Qijiang farmer's printmaking is now an intangible cultural heritage of the city.

Dimitrios Georgios Koutsiampasakos, film directing professor from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki of Greece, who is supervising all 10 directors  seven from Greece and three from Russia  said he hopes the young filmmakers can delve deeper into the interesting topics they have chosen, to be involved and to convey their perspectives through the art form.
Head-on collision closes US 6 in both directions, delays traffic for hours

UTAH COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  UDOT officials urged drivers to seek alternate routes after a crash on US-6 near Thistle closed the route in both directions on Sunday evening.

Roughly two hours after UDOT initially informed people about the crash, they posted an update on social media to say that westbound traffic was backed up for about five miles, with an estimated delay of one hour of traffic.

READ NEXT: Man ejected, killed in Utah County crash

Spencer Bishop with UHP told ABC4.com that the collision happened when a white pickup truck going westbound crossed over and struck an eastbound SUV head-on.

Bishop said the SUV driver was taken to the hospital in critical condition via helicopter. The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

UHP officials said troopers are investigating impairment as a possible cause. Bishop said there were no fatalities as of 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Officials said eastbound traffic was delayed for one hour and 15 minutes, and was backed up for two miles.

Fire officials, medical officials and the Utah Highway Patrol were on the scene, according to UDOT. Officials did not immediately release information about the cars involved in the crash.

According to the UDOT website, the latest update said the incident was estimated to be cleared around 9:45 p.m. on Sunday. Bishop said he also expected the scene to be cleared before 10 p.m.

There is no further information at this time.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Access to the Minden community remains closed to the general public as efforts to recover from Friday's tornado are underway.

After weekend efforts to secure critical infrastructure and services and begin cleanup efforts, there is still significant debris in the area, according to a news release from Pottawattamie County.

All residents impacted by the tornado currently have temporary housing arrangements and emergency sheltering has not been required.

One current challenge facing response and recovery efforts is "the influx of resources that haven't been requested," the release said.

Current response efforts include provisions for meal availability, water and hydration, medical support, and operational tools, heavy equipment and resources sufficient for coming weeks operations. Officials are currently limiting access to the community to public safety personnel, utility crews, residents and the organized volunteer groups that have been requested and deployed to meet current and specific operational priorities.

Officials are advising volunteers and organizations not to self-deploy to the disaster area, according to the release. As safety conditions and operational needs change, officials will announce volunteer opportunities for individuals, small groups and additional organized disaster response teams when that need arises and safety conditions improve.

Tri-Center students returned to school Monday, with the district making efforts to arrange transportation for all Minden students displaced by the tornado.

For those who wish to donate to the relief or disaster survivors, monetary donations are strongly encouraged.

Donations can be made to the Southwest Iowa Emergency Relief Fund to support areas impacted throughout the region at givewesterniowa.org. If you wish to have your donation designated to the community of Minden, a special fund is being established and information on how to make that donation will be announced in the coming days.

Ongoing disaster information and a link for property owners to report storm-related damage can be accessed at pcema-ia.org.
As the European Union and also its member states individually adopt tougher measures on migrants, most notably those undertaking treacherous Mediterranean sea crossings from Africas northern shores, human rights groups have slammed the change in EUs policies, saying they are creating a cruel system that is partly to blame for drownings of more than 3,000 people last year.

With elections for the European Parliament to be held in two months, and with the far right expected to gain seats, politicians across the political spectrum largely focus their rhetoric on the need to police human trafficking and smuggling. The human drama playing out at sea  including 19 bodies recovered by Tunisias Coast Guard, five dead migrants trying to cross the English Channel and 52 sub-Saharan migrants en route to Canary Islands intercepted by Moroccan authorities only last week  is pragmatically pushed to the sidelines. It was as the broad political EU center seeks to stem gains by the far right that the EU lawmakers approved recently a revamped migration system that promises to increase migrant repatriation to reduce unwanted immigration from the Middle East and Africa.

Human rights activists, however, remind that illegal migrants take perilous sea journeys to flee conflict, poverty or persecution in Africa, Middle East and Asia, hoping for a better life on European shores. Several groups running rescue missions in the Mediterranean, including Amnesty, Oxfam, Caritas and Save the Children, have recently called for a change in the EUs policies, saying in an open letter that they are partly to blame for 3,000 deaths in Mediterranean in 2023. A policy-made crisis has been unfolding across Europe, at its borders, and beyond, which has resulted in a surge in deaths, despair and destitution among people attempting to seek safety and protection within the European Union, says Medecins Sans Frontieres, an NGO, in its recent report titled Death, Despair and Destitution: The Human Costs of the EUs Migration Policies.
The Forbidden City Concert Hall has announced a series of programs to mark the 25th anniversary of the venue's reopening. From Friday to May 19, it will host performances of classical music, choral singing, chamber music and traditional Chinese music.

Conductor Zheng Jian, the Beijing Musicians Association Choir and the China Broadcast-Film Symphony Orchestra will present the opening concert on Friday, playing such works as Ode to the Red Flag and Swan Lake.

On April 27, Fang Jinlong will play the pipa (Chinese lute), while jamming with French jazz musicians, including pianist, organist and composer Benoit Sourisse; drummer and composer Andre Charlier; and accordion player Christophe Lampidecchia.

Chinese art songs will be performed by soprano Shi Yue and baritone Yuan Chenye, along with pianists Xu Hong and Chen Xi, on April 28. During the May Day holiday, the Beijing Symphony Orchestra will perform under the baton of conductor Tan Lihua on Wednesday.

Other highlights include a concert for children with works adapted from songs featured in classic Chinese cartoons and a shadow-puppet show by artists from Tangshan, Hebei province. The award-winning Amber Quartet, and pianist Sheng Yuan will team up for a concert to close the festival on May 19.

Located in Zhongshan Park near Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City Concert Hall was first built in 1942 as one of Beijing's first modern theaters. From 1942 to 1996, it undertook three major renovations and has been transformed from an open-air theater to an indoor venue, which has since staged live performances and national-level meetings.

In 1999, led by Zhang Heping, then the director of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture (now the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism), the Forbidden City Concert Hall reopened following another renovation.

A weeklong festival was held in April 1999 to mark the reopening, and became an important cultural event in the city that year.

The year 1999 marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. At that time, Beijing only had one professional concert hall to stage classical music  Beijing Concert Hall, recalls Zhang, 78.

"With the reopening of the Forbidden City Concert Hall, people had another place to go to enjoy music. Since it's located inside the beautiful Zhongshan Park, coming to the Forbidden City Concert Hall has become a joyful trip not only to enjoy art but also have a great time in the park," he says.

"Since 1999, we decided to run the weeklong festival every year, making it an annual event to commemorate the reopening."

Conductor Tan, the former head of Beijing Symphony Orchestra, says that when the venue was renovated in 1999, it was used as a home for the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, where he and the orchestra did rehearsals and gave many performances.

"It's like a home to me," Tan says.

"The venue has also witnessed the growing fan base of classical music in the capital, especially young people."

Tan is credited with co-launching the Gateway to Arts summer festival, an annual event that started in 1995 and has become one of Beijing's biggest arts festivals for children during the summer vacation.

Now, every summer, the two-month festival offers children not only live performances and public lectures but also summer camps. These feature diverse classes, including classical music, traditional Chinese operas and Chinese instrumentation.

"I am very proud that we have run the place for 25 years and launched many festivals that have become our popular brands," says Xu Jian, general manager of the Forbidden City Concert Hall.

The former volleyball player has been in charge of the venue since 2002. She can still remember the first show she ever watched there. It was a performance by a children's choir led by the late music educator Yang Hongnian (1934-2020) on May 31, 1995.

"The kids choir stood in the hallway of the venue, singing songs to welcome the audience. It was a very touching moment," Xu recalls.

"During the past 25 years, the venue survived many difficult times, such as the pandemic, and we have built a deep connection with our audiences."
The Moroccan government and major labor unions are discussing a 10% wage hike for the minimum salary in the private sector employees and a 1000-dirham raise for civil servants, Miloud Mokharik head of UMT union said.

The salary hikes would take place in two stages this and next year, Mokharik told Leconomiste daily.

Negotiations also cover a reduction of the income tax which would yield an additional 150 to 500 dirhams for employees, he said, noting that salaries below 6000 dirhams will be exempt.

A new strike law will also be submitted to parliament on the basis of the social dialogue between unions and the government.

Morocco was rocked by a major strike by teachers this year, which ended after the government agreed to wage hikes.
North African offshoot at French Engie compagnie said it was looking to sell its stakes at Safi coal-powered station, as part of its plan to quit coal operations before 2027, its CEO told Reuters.

The company operates Moroccos largest wind park in Tarfaya and is building a desalination plant along with its wind farm in Dakhla.

For Safi, Moroccos biggest power station, Engie is discussing with its partners how to decarbonize the plant, including via green ammonia, Engie CEO Loic Jaegert-Huber said.

He also said Engie was interested in Moroccos power link to connect Dakhla to Moroccos grid.

The power connection would cost up to $3 billion and run for 1400 kilometers.

France finance minister Bruno Le Maire said his country was ready to finance this project, which would transport green energy from the southern provinces to the rest of Morocco.
Various aspects of cooperation between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Morocco were discussed in Rabat this Monday at a meeting between Chair of NATO Military Committee, Admiral Rob Bauer, who is paying a visit to the Kingdom April 28-30, and Minister in charge of the National Defense Administration, Abdeltif Loudyi.

The meeting, attended by Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the South Zone, Lieutenant General Mohammed Berrid, focused on cooperation in the fields of training and capacity building, the aim being to ensure security in the Mediterranean region, the National Defense Administration said in a statement.

Admiral Rob Bauers visit to the Kingdom is part of NATOs efforts to strengthen its partnership with members of the Mediterranean dialogue, with a view to assess the regional security situation and consolidate opportunities for cooperation with the Alliance, the statement said.

The NATO official commended the Kingdoms multidimensional commitment, as an important player in stability, in the face of the various challenges and issues marking regional security, and its determination, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, to conduct reform strategies and to promote the Kingdom as a haven of stability and peace for its Euro-Mediterranean and African neighborhoods, the statement added.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides expressed their shared ambition and willingness to enhance future relations between the Kingdom and NATO.

The same day, Admiral Bauer gave a lecture at the Royal College of Higher Military Education in Kenitra for military officers on the theme of NATOs perspectives and strategies, the statement noted.
Pro-Palestinian supporters continue to organize a protest encampment on the campus of Columbia University on April 26, 2024, in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Negotiations between Columbia University administrators and members of an ongoing encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters on the campus have come to a standstill. In a statement issued Monday morning, Columbia president Minouche Shafik said that academic leaders had engaged in constructive dialogue with student organizers on how to proceed, but that those talks have stalled. Regretfully, we were not able to come to an agreement, she said.

Please visit the link to read the complete statement from President Shafik: https://t.co/aOqZVezkfe pic.twitter.com/G82lD4I9JS  Columbia University (@Columbia) April 29, 2024

Members of the student-led encampment on the universitys lawn were notified by school administrators that they had until 2 p.m. Monday to voluntarily leave or risk interim suspension. By the time the deadline arrived, the majority of the protesters defied the order and were joined by hundreds more who encircled the encampment in an attempt to protect it.

The campus is still reeling from the schools controversial move to allow the NYPD to break up the encampment and arrest more than a hundred students on April 18  though the demonstration quickly reformed. Though Shafik urged those now in the encampment to voluntarily disperse, she made no reference in her universitywide statement about forcing them to do so or whether law enforcement would be involved. We are consulting with a broader group in our community to explore alternative internal options to end this crisis as soon as possible, she said.

Columbia University has notified members of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment that if they do not vacate by 2pm, the university will initiate mass evictions and interim suspensions. CUAD statement TK pic.twitter.com/YWieq5sWIh  jon ben-menachem (@jbenmenachem) April 29, 2024

Shafik said Columbias main objective was to come to an agreement over disbanding the encampment as well as getting organizers to agree to follow school rules for future demonstrations. The president made it clear that the university has no plans to financially divest from Israel, the main request of the demonstrators, but said both sides put forward robust and thoughtful offers and worked in good faith to reach common ground.

She expressed particular concern about Columbias ability to hold its 2024 commencement. The University of Southern California recently announced that it was canceling its main schoolwide commencement ceremony following the backlash to its decision to bar Asna Tabassum, the valedictorian, from giving her planned speech due to pushback from pro-Israel groups.

We also do not want to deprive thousands of students and their families and friends of a graduation celebration. Please recall that many in this graduating class did not get a celebration when graduating from high school because of the pandemic, and many of them are the first in their families to earn a University degree. We owe it to all of our graduates and their loved ones to honor their achievement, Shafik said.

In the weeks since student organizers began their protest on Columbias campus, like-minded demonstrations have emerged on campuses across the country. Law enforcement has arrested hundreds of students at Emory University, Virginia Tech, the University of Texas at Austin, and New York University, among others. Politicians from both sides of the aisle have descended upon Columbia University in the wake of the unrest. Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson called for Shafiks resignation among boos from assembled students. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who previously called out the police response to Columbias encampment, met with organizers last week during a visit to the campus.
Anti-abortion protesters in Florida, a state where a pro-choice constitutional amendment will be on the ballot in November. Photo: Chandan Khanna/AFP

A principal anti-abortion talking point in the 49 years during which the U.S. Supreme Court acknowledged a federal constitutional right to choose was that the people, not unelected judges, should determine abortion policy. Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, Republican-controlled state legislatures have raced to impose abortion restrictions, ranging from total bans to prohibitions on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

But wherever the people have actually been consulted, the pro-choice cause has won; voters recently backed abortion rights via ballot initiatives in Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, California, Vermont, Montana, and Ohio. Recognizing this trend and the underlying pro-choice majority in much of the nation (including red states), reproductive-rights supporters are now seeking to enshrine the right to choose in state constitutions, overriding state legislative prerogatives. In this strategy, they are being eagerly backed by Democrats, who hope that pro-choice voters will turn out abundantly and also reward the party that is fighting abortion bans in the crucial 2024 general election.

Abortion rights ballot initiatives are already set to take place in three states this November: Florida, Maryland, and New York. Petitions are being gathered for pro-choice ballot measures in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, and South Dakota. Thats potentially a lot of ballot tests overlaid with a high-stakes presidential election and many important down-ballot contests.

So, can we expect the pro-choice winning streak of 2022 and 2023 to continue? And if not, where and how will anti-abortion activists break it? Here are three factors that could turn the tide in the November elections.

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While anti-abortion advocates have failed (notably in Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana) to pass their own ballot measures aimed at heading off any judicially imposed state constitutional protection for abortion rights, they are now considering a more devious and more promising strategy.

In Arizona, a political crisis over abortion policy erupted on April 9 when that states supreme court ruled that a total ban on abortion enacted in 1864 was still the law of the land, notwithstanding a 15-week ban enacted just before the Supreme Court scrapped Roe. After repeated efforts, Democrats and a handful of Republicans succeeded in getting a bill repealing the 1864 law through the lower chamber of the state legislature, and parallel action by the Arizona senate is widely expected in the next few weeks, before the revival of the old law takes full effect. But the furor over the courts decision and the vacillation of Republicans on the subject has supercharged the drive for a pro-choice ballot initiative in November. One strategy Republicans are now contemplating involves legislative enactment of state constitutional amendments to put multiple measures on the November ballot, as CNN reported:

Arizona Republicans are weighing their options to defeat a potential abortion rights ballot initiative this fall, including offering measures of their own that could draw support away from efforts to enshrine access to the procedure in the state constitution, according to a draft proposal obtained by CNN.

Under the proposal, Republicans could introduce two ballot initiatives that would restrict abortion to either six weeks or the beginning of the 15th week of pregnancy.

Advanced under the guise of letting the people decide, such alternative abortion bans might cut into support for the citizen-initiated measure restoring the right to pre-viability abortions enough to defeat it, or even lead to approval of a new, more restrictive amendment.

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One big state where anti-abortion activists have some grounds for optimism about a November ballot initiative is Florida, where constitutional amendments have to be ratified by a super-majority of 60 percent of voters. Two mid-April polls on the pending constitutional amendment restoring the Roe-era fetal-viability standard show it has either majority support (57 percent, per USA Today/Ipsos) or plurality support (42 percent, per Emerson). Its entirely possible that an April 2 Florida Supreme Court decision that put into effect a Republican-backed six-week ban will help build support for a ballot initiative overturning all of the legislatures restrictive handiwork. But super-majorities on ballot measures are rarely a slam dunk, and polls are showing that Floridas large and strategically situated Hispanic voting population is at best lukewarm toward abortion rights.

Republicans in other states have sought to create super-majority requirements to head off pro-choice constitutional amendment measures. The effort failed last year in Ohio, as a sneaky special election vote to raise the threshold to 60 percent did not disguise its purpose. But the gambit is under consideration again in Missouri, where Republicans may succeed in scheduling an August primary vote on a super-majority requirement that could make a pro-choice constitutional amendment likely to appear on the November general-election ballot more difficult to pass.

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There are two deep-red states where opposition to likely ballot measures overturning draconian abortion laws could benefit from divisions in the pro-choice ranks. National abortion-rights groups are declining to support proposed constitutional amendments in Arkansas protecting abortions after 18 weeks of pregnancy, and in South Dakota protecting abortions after the first trimester (roughly 12 weeks after conception). As the Washington Post explains in discussing the Arkansas vote, this could affect the resources available for an uphill abortion-rights battle in such states:

Organizers say the lower threshold of 18 weeks, about a month earlier than the viability standard established under Roe, was necessary to improve their chances in November. But it has alienated the national abortion rights groups that have put millions into ballot initiatives elsewhere.

The policy itself, we believe, is not strong enough and expansive enough to deliver the access it should, said Sarah Standiford, national campaigns director for Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Arkansas is not among the nine states where the organization is supporting ballot measure efforts or monitoring them for potential involvement.

This decision reflects a quieter but potentially significant split between abortion-rights advocates who frown upon (but generally do not oppose) simple restoration of the Roe viability standard, and those who believe popular misgivings about rare late-term abortions should be accommodated as a matter of political realism, especially in conservative states. Backers of the Arkansas and South Dakota measures argue that either would protect the vast majority of abortions now entirely banned in their states.

Perhaps the growing backlash to abortion restrictions will keep the pro-choice winning streak intact in November. But it wont be easy. And if Republicans succeed in retaking the White House and flipping the Senate in November, Election Day could represent a very dark moment for reproductive rights no matter how many state electorates carve out isolated protections for abortion.
National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction Occurs on May 6-10, 2024

The annual initiative aims to reduce fatalities in the construction industry.

The 11th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction runs May 6 to 10, 2024. This OSHA-led initiative seeks to raise awareness about the dangers of falls from height. Fall protectionparticularly common in constructionhas topped the agencys list of the Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards for 13 consecutive years.

During the weeklong observance, construction companies are encouraged to halt work briefly and engage in activities such as toolbox talks, safety equipment inspections, rescue planning exercises and discussions on job-specific hazards. The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the National Safety Council are all participating partners.

No matter the job, worker injuries and fatalities are preventable, Thom Kramer, vice president of finance on ASSPs Board of Directors, said in a statement. Companies can create safe environments by using prevention through design principles, providing the right equipment and training everyone involved. Its also a great idea to implement a fall protection program that follows our recently updated Z359.2 consensus standard.

OSHA offers a wealth of resources for conducting a safety stand-down, including infographics, articles, publications, videos and educational materials available in both English and Spanish For more information on this years events, visit the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction webpage on the OSHA website.
Confronting Workplace Violence, Harassment and Mental Health

An employee survey has tackled the critical topics of workplace violence, harassment and mental health. On this episode of the OH&S SafetyPod, we'll talk with a key employee from the company behind the study to discuss what it says about the current status of these concerns in work environments.

Workplace violence, harassment and mental health have become increasingly prominent areas of concern in recent years. Yet, given the sensitive nature of these topics, it is often difficult to determine what the reality is for todays workers. To that end, Traliant  which focuses on online compliance training  recently conducted a survey of more than 1,000 employees to reveal their experiences and how these first-hand accounts reflect the state of the workplace.

Elissa Rossi, VP of compliance advisory services at Traliant, joins the OH&S SafetyPod to discuss the results of "Fear Factors: A 2024 Employee Survey Report on Workplace Violence, Harassment and Mental Health." Well address some of the study's most significant findings, the impact of hybrid work models and what employers can do to combat workplace violence, harassment and mental health in their organizations.

Download or stream this episode today at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more.

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Saudi Aramco is currently eyeing potential investments in new energies outside Saudi Arabia, the state oil giants chief executive officer Amin Nasser said on Monday.

Aramcos top executive was speaking on the sidelines of the Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Apart from deals in the refining and petrochemicals segment, especially in its key crude export market, China, the Saudi state oil giant is looking to invest in the development of new technologies and new energies, including in collaboration with partners outside the Kingdom.

Early this year, Saudi Aramco more than doubled funding to its venture capital arm by injecting an additional $4 billion funding. The fresh funding is raising Aramcos total investment allocation to its unit Aramco Ventures from $3 billion to $7 billion.

The decision to more than double funds allocation to the venture capital arm reflects the growing significance of Aramcos venture capital program in enabling the development of disruptive new technologies, creating diversification opportunities for Aramco, and paving the way for collaborations with innovative start-ups, said the Saudi oil giant, which is the worlds top oil firm in terms of both market capitalization and production.

The venture capital program is expected to help advance Aramcos long-term strategy, which includes a focus on new energies, chemicals, transition materials, diversified industrial businesses, and digital technologies.

By injecting an additional $4 billion in funding over the next four years, we intend to provide the financial backing required to take game-changing solutions to the next level, Ahmad Al Khowaiter, Aramco Executive Vice President of Technology & Innovation, said at the time.

Still, Aramco continues to believe that oil and gas will be needed for decades to come and hasnt given up on its goal to pump the worlds last barrel of oil.

The debates on the energy transition should be on how to cut emissions, not on reducing oil and gas production, Aramcos CEO Nasser said last year.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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With an enabling regulatory environment, a world-class legal system, multifarious global connections and access to incredible talent and skills, the Square Mile is perfectly placed to help the Gulf nations achieve their green ambitions, says Michael Mainelli

The majestic Arabian oryx, the national animal of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), isnt just a symbol of resilience in the harshest of climates. Having been brought back from the brink of extinction through domestic and cross-border initiatives, the oryx represents a growing and genuine commitment to sustainability across the Gulf.

Indeed, that determination to adapt and diversify  and ultimately, become greener  is something I saw in November when I led a delegation from the City of London Corporation to COP28 in Dubai. With an enabling regulatory environment, a world-class legal system, multifarious global connections and access to incredible talent and skills, the Square Mile is perfectly placed to help the Gulf nations achieve their green ambitions  a case Im making during a visit to Saudi Arabia and the UAE this week.

After all, the UK already enjoys strong trading relationships across the region. The UAE, as a case in point, is the UKs 19th largest trading partner, and our 16th largest services partner, with bilateral trade now worth more than 25bn annually. That partnership has been further bolstered in recent years through the signing of successive memorandum of understandings, including on financial services and clean energy, with parallel collaboration on things like electronic travel authorisation  with Emiratis now entitled to unlimited visits to the UK over a two-year period  offering welcome progress too.

Be in no doubt, such efforts are already bearing fruit. Weve been pleased to welcome several major UAE firms to the UK, like Mubadala, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, and Emirates NBD, while even more Emirati businesses are now accessing global capital markets through the London Stock Exchange. Masdars $750m green bond listing on the LSE last July was five times oversubscribed. But we can always do more.

Its estimated that $125 trillion of investment will be required globally to decarbonise the economy, around 70 per cent of which must be found through private financial markets. With the UK leading in both conventional and green financial centre rankings and as Europes leading venture capital market, we know the Square Mile has a unique position and responsibility to drive investment into finding solutions: a one-stop shop for countries and companies looking for capital and expertise to help them meet their sustainability goals. Its just one of the reasons why were proud to be bringing together international partners at the third Net Zero Delivery Summit at Mansion House this June.

All well and good, but what will I actually be discussing with my Emirati counterparts? With 15 per cent of global assets under management, despite having less than 1 per cent of the worlds population, the UK can make a huge difference in investing funds into sustainable projects, including infrastructure. Companies that purchase carbon credits are proven to decarbonise significantly quicker, so developing high-integrity carbon markets, and reiterating the role the UKs commercial and specialist insurance market can play in underwriting them, will also be high on the agenda, as will voluntary carbon credit insurance and sovereign sustainability linked bonds. And with a burgeoning tech sector and a desire to diversify away from a historic reliance on fossil fuels, other strands of my mayoral year  particularly, the adoption of international standards in areas where technology is rapidly evolving, like AI and space  will feature heavily too.

To borrow the words of King Charles in his speech at the opening of COP28, change will come by working together and making it easier to embrace decisions that will sustain our world, rather than carry on as though there are no limits  or as though our actions have no consequences.

Be it across energy, sustainable finance, technology, or even space, we give ourselves the best chance of success when we cooperate and leverage each others strengths. Above all, that will be my central message this week.

By City AM

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The pictures didn't necessarily say a thousand words, but they might have gotten at least that many laughs.

One showed British Foreign Secretary David Cameron bursting birdlike through the entrance of a traditional Turkmen yurt at a museum in Ashgabat.

Another, shared by the British Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, featured Cameron gazing thoughtfully down a concrete irrigation channel in Kyrgyzstan.

And from Uzbekistan, there was a snap of Cameron marveling over a giant pot of "plov," the nation's favorite dish.

"David Cameron is having an absolute blast in a tour of Central Asia this week," observed AFP reporter Jake Cordell on X, the website formerly known as Twitter.

But with Cameron now back from a five-day tour taking in six countries -- the five former Soviet Central Asian countries and Mongolia -- was it anything more serious than that?

The answer might depend on which country you ask.

A Geopolitical Imperative'

Cameron's visit to the region came several months after the publication of a report by the U.K. parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee titled Countries At Crossroads: U.K. Engagement In Central Asia.

The report decried the low level of outreach by London with the region and called deepening ties "a geopolitical imperative," recommending visits to the region at the level of the foreign secretary and prime minister -- an office that Cameron occupied from 2010-16.

A key focus of the document was the echoes of Russia's war in Ukraine and the region's status as an avenue for Moscow to evade sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom.

But to use the stick -- the assumed threat of secondary sanctions -- there have to be carrots as well.

And in several of the countries in the region British carrots must look a little on the small side.

On April 24, Foreign Affairs Committee chairwoman Alicia Kearns registered satisfaction with Cameron's visit and noted a 50 million pound ($62 million) commitment in assistance from Britain that "may help the U.K. increase its soft power and influence in the region."

"Situated along the fault line between Russia and China, protecting the independence and sovereignty of Central Asian countries is paramount," she wrote in a commentary on the parliament's website.

In Cameron's video from the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, the U.K. foreign secretary used the term "sandwiched" to refer to Central Asia's position between Russia and China, also noting that Iran was "just 40 kilometers over those mountains."

"I'm the first [U.K.] foreign secretary -- indeed the first cabinet minister -- ever to come to this country. I was the first foreign secretary to go to Tajikistan, to Kyrgyzstan, and the first to go to Uzbekistan since 1997," he said in the April 24 video, acknowledging that "maybe we should have done more in the past" in "these countries."

Yet Turkmenistan is perhaps the illustration of why "these countries" are hardly equal in terms of interest to the United Kingdom.

It is one of the most authoritarian in the world and almost exclusively reliant for survival on purchases of its natural gas by China and Russia.

As of the last quarter of 2023, bilateral trade between Turkmenistan and Britain stood at a mere 66 million pounds ($82.5 million) according to the U.K.'s Department For Business and Trade, less than any of the other six countries Cameron visited this week except Tajikistan.

In an interview with RFE/RL's Turkmen Service, Luca Anceschi, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, noted that one carrot the U.K. has for a region where unemployment is a huge problem is the expansion of quotas for seasonal migrants looking to work in British agriculture.

"But in the case of Turkmenistan this is not relevant because the country's authorities strictly limit the ability of citizens to leave the country," said Anceschi, who argued that the Turkmen visit was more likely to be viewed as a "photo opportunity" for the ruling Berdymukhammedov family.

In the end, there was only evidence of Cameron meeting with President Serdar Berdymukhammedov, not Turkmenistan's official "national leader" and de facto top decision maker, Serdar's father, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. Cameron was also unable to meet in person with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev, who was on a holiday.

'The Kazakhs Still Don't Understand What The West Is'

Cameron was on more familiar territory in Kazakhstan, where annual bilateral trade standing at more than $3 billion dwarfs the combined figure for the other five countries on his tour.

Cameron was the first British prime minister to visit Kazakhstan, Central Asia's most affluent, in 2013.

And his message will have been especially welcome for Astana, which has strained to balance ties with Western countries and an increasingly jealous Moscow amid the geopolitical fallout over Ukraine.

Speaking at an event with Kazakh Foreign Minister Marat Nurtleu (he also met with President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev), Cameron stressed that London wasn't asking Central Asian countries to disavow either China or Russia.

"We're here because we believe you should be able to make a choice to partner with us in a way that is good for both [countries' security and prosperity]," Cameron said.

Moscow is unlikely to view things that way.

As with the visit by French leader Emmanuel Macron to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan last year, Cameron's arrival in the region was met with a wave of skepticism from Russian media outlets and Telegram channels.

In one opinion piece, published by the pro-Kremlin EurAsia Daily website, author Alan Pukhaev complained that "the Kazakhs still don't understand what the West is."

"As we have already written, the interest of the Anglo-Saxons in Central Asia, in recent times, is not accidental," he wrote, using a term Russian diplomats use with increasing frequency, mostly to describe Britain and the United States. "The world is on the verge of a big war in which the West needs a lot of natural resources."

To be sure, Brussels, Washington, and London haven't hidden their interest in this facet of cooperation.

Press releases from recent diplomatic engagements with the region invariably refer to Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) -- minerals that are vital for electric vehicles and the transition to green energy in general, but overwhelmingly dominated by China in terms of both extraction and related production.

But while ties in this sphere are growing, especially in Kazakhstan, the success of Western governments in persuading leading private companies to invest in the region will still depend on perceptions of Central Asia's investment attractiveness.

And even Central Asia's premier destination for foreign direct investment can look like a tall task in that regard.

Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Astana's international arbitration claims against major foreign oil companies developing the country's super-giant but oft-troubled Kashagan oil field now exceeded $150 billion.

The consortium developing Kashagan includes Shell, a British multinational that Nurtleu namechecked for its contributions to the national economy in his press appearance with Cameron.

Central Asia's Diplomatic Run Continues

While the Ukraine war has thrown up plenty of challenges for Central Asia, it has also led to a diversity of diplomatic interest in the region unseen since the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

In September 2023, the region's heads of state met with U.S. President Joe Biden in an unprecedented six-way meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Weeks later, there was a visit for the region's leaders to Berlin for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and, while Macron's November visit prioritized the region's two largest economies, the countries with the smallest ones have also been active.

On April 22, just days after meeting with Cameron, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon flew to Italy, whose WeBuild construction company is the main contractor for the Roghun mega-dam, which is projected to be the tallest in the world.

Human Rights organizations have wondered aloud whether conversations about rights and democracy take a back seat during these periods of intensified interaction with the West.

On April 23, just before authoritarian ruler Rahmon's visit to Rome, at least eight European-based Tajik opposition activists were detained and held overnight.

"In my opinion, these arrests can be seen as a victory of autocracy and a failure of democracy," Mahmudjon Faizrahmonov, a member of the opposition National Alliance of Tajikistan, told RFE/RL.

The Group 24 opposition group announced on April 25 that its activists were freed and had left Italy, dropping plans to hold anti-government protests.

Cameron, meanwhile, suggested his talks with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov had touched on the dramatic downturn in political freedom in what has historically been the freest of the former Soviet Central Asian countries.

The pair spoke about "the importance of voluntary bodies, charities, nongovernmental organizations, [and] civil society organizations," Cameron said in an interview with RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service on April 22, obliquely referring to the country's recent passing of a Russian-style law increasing restrictions on NGOs.

Cameron also noted in interviews with the British press in Bishkek that the United Kingdom was working with Kyrgyz authorities to ensure that items "building Russia's war machine" were not being reexported to Russia, while stressing that London was not opposed t0 a "natural" trading relationship between Bishkek and Moscow.

As for carrots, Cameron talked up "economic opportunities that benefit us both, from Bridgend to Bishkek" in an April 23 post on X that provided the context for the images of Britain's top diplomat ogling water infrastructure.

According to the British Embassy in Kyrgyzstan, a company called Concrete Canvas, based near the Welsh town of Bridgend, is helping to repair those aging channels, which are viewed as a major source of wasted water throughout a water-strapped region.

By RFE/RL

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A special meeting of the World Economic Forum kicks off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on April 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

A special meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) commenced on Sunday in Riyadh, with a focus on global collaboration, growth and energy for development.



"Today, we gather at a time when the world is facing many changes, with our economies, societies, and industries facing unprecedented challenges and vast opportunities," Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim said at the opening of the special meeting, emphasizing the importance of global participation for a world economy that works for everyone.

WEF President Borge Brende referred to the meeting as a significant event to review de-escalation in the conflicts in the Middle East, the humanitarian situation in Gaza and other important regional and international topics.

The WEF special meeting is scheduled to continue until Monday, with the aim of facilitating dialogue among thought leaders and the public on a range of topics including environmental challenges, mental health, digital currencies, artificial intelligence, the role of the arts in society, modern entrepreneurship, and smart cities.
The G7 group of the worlds most industrialized nations are discussing a common target to end their coal-fired power generation by 2035 at an energy ministers meeting in Italy, a source close to the talks told Reuters on Monday.

The energy, climate, and environment ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States are meeting between Sunday and Tuesday at a palace near Turin to discuss ways to address climate change.

The meeting will aim to identify coherent, complementary and interconnected actions to address the ongoing climate, energy, and environmental crisis, with a special focus on the most vulnerable areas and populations, the meetings host Italy, which holds the G7 rotating presidency this year, says.

Diplomats from the seven G7 members held a meeting on Sunday to debate setting a common 2035 as an end date for coal-sourced electricity in these countries. One nation was still opposing the idea as of late on Sunday, according to Reuterss anonymous source.

A potential common target to phase out coal-fired power plants by 2035 in G7 nations would mark the first major achievement in the reduction of fossil fuels since the COP28 summit in Dubai at the end of last year.

During the annual climate summit, and after much debate overtime, the countries issued a final declaration with a compromise text referencing for the first time a call to all parties to transition away from fossil fuels.

One of the global efforts is Transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science, the text reads.

The Conference of the Parties Further recognizes the need for deep, rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5 C pathways and calls on Parties to contribute to the following global efforts, in a nationally determined manner, taking into account the Paris Agreement and their different national circumstances, pathways, and approaches, the COP28 final declaration says.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Oil and gas discoveries last year fell to a record low of 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent while exploration costs rose close to twofold.

This is according to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, which also said, as quoted by the Anadolu Agency, that 60% of the 5-billion-barrel total was new oil discoveries and the remaining was gas discoveries.

This total compared with new discoveries of 10.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent the previous year, the report noted, in support of arguments from OPEC that the industry is not investing enough in new oil and gas supply despite rising demand. OPEC has blamed the trend on investment discouragement from pro-transition forecasters and governments.

The cost problem also played a part in the lower investment rate, most likely. The GECF reported that the exploration cost per barrel of oil equivalent rose last year to $5.30 for natural gas, from $2.60 for the previous year.

For oil, exploration costs also rose considerably, from $3.50 per barrel of oil equivalent in 2022 to as much as $8.80 per barrel, according to the GECF. This could be because of the areas where most new discoveries are taking placein deepwater offshore blocks.

According to the GECF, 41% of new discoveries last year were made in ultra-deep waters and another 30% were made in deepwater sectors.

As for geographical distribution, the biggest portion of new discoveries in 2023 were made in Asia, at 32%, with Latin America second, accounting for 21% of all new oil and gas discoveries. Europe and Africa were tied for the third place, with a share of 11% each.

The higher exploration costs and the challenges in finding new oil and gas may further serve to discourage investment growth in the sector, deepening a concern expressed on a now regular basis by OPEC, of a looming structural deficit on oil markets while oil demand remains very much on a growth path.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Iraq will see first natural gas production at its supergiant West Qurna field by the end of this year, Iraqi News reports, citing the Iraqi prime minister and federal energy authorities on Monday.

ExxonMobil withdrew from southern Iraqs West Qurna 1 field in January, handing operations over to PetroChina, which now enjoys the largest stake in one of Iraqs biggest fields.

The whole of West Qurna is home to an estimated 43 billion barrels of recoverable reserves, while West Qurna-1 was originally thought to have around 9 billion barrels, but was revised to 20 billion barrels in 2021. The target for first phase production is 700,000 barrels per day, up from 500,000 bpd previously anticipated.

In March, Reuters reported that Iraq had signed a five-year gas supply deal with Iran for 50 million cubic meters per day to feed Iraqs power stations. Washington is attempting to encourage oil and gas deals with Iraq to avoid billions of dollars in revenue from gas and electricity exports for Tehran.

Just over a week ago, U.S. and Iraqi energy companies signed two deals designed to capture associated gas that Iraq is flaring due to lack of necessary infrastructure. The U.S. Department of State said in a statement that Iraq is currently flaring some 18 billion cubic meters per year of associated gas, second only to Russia.

Iraq has been strengthening ties with China, particularly in the energy industry, in recent years. In 2021, the two countries signed a framework agreement that opened the door for Beijing to acquire key Iraqi oil, gas and petrochemical assets.

Earlier this month, Iraq and China announced that the General Company for Ports in Iraq (GCPI), a consortium of Chinese companies, is close to completing the 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) oil refinery at Iraqs key Faw Port. This is in line with Chinas eventual vision for Iraq as one part of a giant Mesopotamian client state including Iran as well, Simon Watkins wrote for OIlprice.com at the time.

By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com

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As India is set to become the worlds largest oil demand growth driver in the coming years, Indian state-owned refiner Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) plans to commission a new refinery two years later than initially planned by 2025.

CPCL, a unit of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), now aims to complete the construction of a 180,000-barrels-per-day refinery by the end of 2027, Reuters quoted CPCLs head of finance Rohit Kumar Agrawala as saying on Monday.

Chennai Petroleum plans to build the refinery in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where the refiner already has a 235,000-bpd refinery, Manali, at North Chennai.

As the company is now changing the capital structure of the joint venture responsible for the new refinery development, Chennai Petroleum will have to wait for government approval for the new capital structure, Agrawala told Reuters.

After approval is obtained, Chennai Petroleum will need 36 months to complete the construction and three months for commissioning the refinery, Agrawala said.

The cost estimate for the new refinery has risen to some $4.36 billion (364 billion Indian rupees), up from previously expected costs of about $3.52 billion (294 billion rupees), Chennai Petroleums finance head said.

India plans to add significant refining capacity this decade as its petroleum consumption will continue to grow and is expected to become the single biggest driver of global oil demand growth.

High GDP growth, industrialization, urbanization, and a rising number of middle class in India are all expected to shift the key oil demand growth driver from China onto India.

India should add 1.12 million bpd to its current total each year until 2028, a junior oil minister told Indias parliament at the end of last year.

India will become the largest source of global oil demand growth between now and 2030, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report on the Indian oil market earlier this year.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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PetroChina reported on Monday its highest net profit for a first quarter as its revenues rose by 11% thanks to steady oil prices and higher domestic natural gas demand and production.

The Chinese state-held oil and gas giant booked $6.3 billion (45.681 billion Chinese yuan) in net profit for the first quarter of 2024, up by 4.7% year-over-year, as higher drilling and demand for natural gas more than offset weaker refining margins amid a sputtering recovery of the Chinese economy.

Revenues at PetroChina jumped by 10.9% to $112 billion (812 billion yuan) in the first quarter of the year.

The company attributed the increase in net profit to higher domestic sales of refined oil, natural gas, and chemical products and higher natural gas production.

PetroChinas oil and gas equivalent output averaged 463.7 million barrels in the first quarter, up by 2.6% compared with 452 million barrels for the same period of last year.

The oil, gas, and new energy business saw its profit from operations rise by 4.8% year-on-year, mainly due to higher natural gas sales.

PetroChinas unit oil and gas lifting costs were US$10.38 per barrel, down by 1.8% compared with US$10.57 for the same period of last year.

The average realized price for crude oil was US$75.41 per barrel in Q1 2024, a slight decline of 0.8% compared with US$75.98 per barrel for the same period of last year. The average domestic selling price of natural gas was US$9.38 per thousand cubic feet, relatively stable year over year.

Operating profit in the refining, chemicals, and new materials segment dropped by 4.2% due to lower profit margins of refined petroleum products, PetroChina said.

The volume of processed crude rose by 8.2%, gasoline output jumped by 10.7%, and jet fuel production surged by 62.5% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period of 2023. But diesel PetroChinas output shrank by 2.2% as the Chinese property crisis continued to weigh on more industry-intensive products like diesel.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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So far this year, the global upstream oil and gas market has seen more than $64 billion in mergers and acquisitions, and the year could still see more mega-deals, according to the latest report from Rystad Energy on Monday.

While recent deals have focused on the Permian Basin, Rystad says it is looking to other American shale patch venues for the next big deals amid an ongoing trend of consolidation.

The $64 billion in global M&A value booked so far this year is the best Q1 performance the industry has seen since 2019. The $64 billion also represents a 145% jump in M&A dealmaking in the industry compared to the same quarter of last year. North American upstream M&A accounted for almost $54 billion this year, representing around 83% or the total value of deals so far this year, Rystad said, as reported by Reuters.

According to Rystad, North American upstream deals for the first quarter of this year came in at $54 in value, and $80 billion in North American oil and gas assets remain up for sale. Rystad estimates that the American shale patch will account for the bulk of new M&A activity.

The Permian has been the focal point for M&A activity in recent times, but that focus is waning as available assets in the basin become scarce. But with appetite still strong, deal-hungry players are looking outside the basin for acquisitions. A power shift could be on the cards, with non-Permian assets taking center stage in the future North American deals pipeline, Rystad Energys Atul Raina, Vice President of Upstream Research, said in a report.

Attention will now shift to Bakken, Marcellus and Haynesville assets, with key companies still looking to divest non-core assets, including Chevron, which is seeking to divest up to $15 billion in assets by 2028.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Turkey is discussing a long-term LNG supply deal with U.S. supermajor ExxonMobil as it looks to reduce reliance on Russia or any single supply source, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told the Financial Times in an interview published on Sunday.

A potential deal with Exxon could be for the acquisition of 2.5 million tons of LNG per year for a decade, the minister said, while FT calculations have found that based on a pricing assessment by Argus, the annual delivery of these volumes could cost about $1.1 billion.

Turkey is looking to develop its latest large natural gas discoveries in the Black Sea, but in the meantime, Ankara relies on imports for almost all the natural gas it currently consumes.

The country, a NATO member that continues to hold strong energy and trade ties with Russia, is now looking to build a new supply portfolio for its gas needs, minister Bayraktar told FT.

Turkey is not shunning any source of supply and has supply deals with Russia, Iran, Oman, and Algeria.

Russia is Turkey's single largest natural gas supplier and, in 2023, met about 40% of the country's demand.

Ankara has imported LNG from the United States in recent months, but the volumes have been purchased on the spot LNG market.

Now Turkey looks to diversify its suppliers with additional long-term LNG deals. At present, the country has long-term LNG supply deals with Algeria and Oman.

The talks with Exxon come amid improved U.S.-Turkey relations after Ankara lifted its veto to allow Sweden to join NATO earlier this year.

Turkey, which was hard hit by the soaring energy prices during the latest energy crisis, wants to diversify its gas supply and will be looking at the price of gas as a primary driver of decisions.

For security of supply, we need to get gas from somewhere. It could be from Russia, it could be from Azerbaijan, it could be Iran, or LNG options, Bayraktar told FT.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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(GariGarikun, Suika Bar and American Crunch)

Growing up in Okinawa, ice cream bars and popsicles were my go-to sweets during hot summer days.

While a double scoop or a soft serve was a special treat, a cold sweet on a stick offered a regular comfort food I could easily turn to whenever I needed a quick and (cheap) sugar rush.

All I had to do was to make a quick run to the drug store just 100 feet away from my home with a 100-yen coin in hand.

Another bonus was the possibility of winning another ice cream. Some popsicle brands stamp some sticks with the word  (bingo). If youre lucky and your popsicle stick has the stamp, you win another popsicle.

It wasnt only the icy treats sugar flavors that made me happy, but also the fun of knowing that I could win another. I was always anxious to get to the popsicle stick to see if it was a winner. (This get one, win one rule is still carried on by some brands today.)

More than four decades later, ice cream bars and popsicles continue to be very popular in Okinawa. At supermarket stores and convenience stores, I still see the same brands that I bought at that local drugstore. Of course, many new brands have also been introduced to offer more variety.

Listed below are some of the ice cream bars and popsicles that I like. Most of them have been around for a long time and might make Okinawans nostalgic.

Why not give them a try and satisfy your craving for cool sweets and test your luck?

*Prices vary depending upon each store. The numbers listed for the items below are what I saw at a local supermarket.

1. Homerun bar (338 yen plus tax for a box with 10 bars)

(Homerun bar)

According to Nihon Ice Cream Kyokai (Japan Ice Cream Association), this was the first ice cream bar to introduce the (bingo) rule by mixing bars with printed words such as grand slam, homerun and hit.

Since its launch back in 1960, its popularity still holds today. This bar comes in different flavors like vanilla, chocolate, chocolate chip, strawberry, soda, and orange.

2. GariGarikun (68 yen plus tax)

(GariGarikun)

This is arguably the most famous popsicle brand in Japan now. The brand name means Mr. GariGari or GariGari boy, which reminds consumers of the crunching sound when they eat a popsicle. It is also the name of its mascot, a cartoon boy with a big whopping mouth.

According to GariGairkun Archive, this character is an elementary school kid from Fukaya City in Saitama prefecture. He can turn into ShariShari kun, which probably refers to melting ice.

Since it went on sale in 1980, this has been loved by many kids and adults alike. GariGarikun comes in various flavors, including energy drink, cola, grapefruit, melon soda, etc. But my favorite is the most basic blue ramune soda flavor.

3. Big Suika Bar (98 yen plus tax)

(Big Suika Bar)

Suika means watermelon in Japanese. As its name suggests, this popsicle looks exactly like a slice of the sweet summer melon. Its top portion is a red triangle, like real flesh, which includes watermelon juice, while the bottom portion is colored green, simulating the skin. To give complete the look, chocolate chips replicate the seeds.

Much like GariGarikun, this unique popsicle has its own mascot. Suikabaman is a hippopotamus superhero with a watermelon mask. Kaba means hippopotamus.

4. Yambaru Kuina chocolate flavor (80 yen plus tax)

(Yambaru Kuina chocolate flavor)

This is a local popsicle you can buy in Okinawa. If youre expecting a popsicle in the shape of the indigenous bird, dont be disappointed. Though its shaped like a regular popsicle, the simple flavor of Yambaru Kuinas chocolate offering is nice. More importantly, some portion of the sale goes to the preservation of yambaru birds. Delicious ice cream and environmental preservation make this bar a win-win.

5. American Crunch (90 yen plus tax)

(American Crunch)

American Crunch has been around Okinawan a long time. The treat features vanilla ice cream coated with crunch biscuits and chocolate. The crispy texture of the biscuits and smooth ice cream go well together. There is a version with chocolate ice cream inside as well. This ice cream keeps the winning  tradition alive, so make sure to check your popsicle stick after devouring.

6. White (90 yen plus tax)

(White)

This was my favorite when I was a kid, and it still is. Whites sweet milky taste never failed to make me feel happy when I was in need of a pick-me-up. This is a textbook example of shinpuru daga akinai, or simple it may seem, it never gets outdated. Almost 40 years after I first tried this, I still keep coming back to this milky flavor.

7. Blue Seal Polar Bear (138 yen plus tax)

(Blue Seal Polar Bear)

Another all-time Okinawan favorite, this ice cream bar wrapped in silver paper is related to the childhood memory of many locals on the island. The ensemble of vanilla ice cream and cocoa cookies can be addictive. Beware when you try one.

8. Soda 7 (56 yen plus tax)

(Soda 7)

To me, this is the quintessential Okinawan popsicle. Much like White, this is a very simple and ordinary popsicle with a soda flavor. Priced at about 50 yen (approx. $0.36 cents), Soda 7 saved me so many times when I had only 10-yen coins in my pocket.

9. Anpanman Ice Bar (90 yen plus tax)

(Anpanman Ice Bar)

Anpanman is a popular Japanese cartoon superhero with a face made from red beans. So, you may be surprised to hear that the Anpanman Ice Bar is exclusive to Okinawa.

Since it went on sale in 1990, this milk-flavored popsicle with chocolate sauce hidden inside has been making many kids on the island smile just like the cartoon Ampanman did with his bread face.
Theres a new business in Glenwood, and folks are eating it up.

A Runza restaurant, just the third one in Iowa, opened this past week at 710 S. Locust St., which was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday.

Its a big thing for the area, local officials said.

We are so happy to have another dining option in town, said Jennie Davis, executive director of the Mills County Chamber of Commerce.

Suzanne Tuma, a fellow chamber member, mentioned the convenient drive-thru, especially for those who might prefer to stay in their vehicles.

Its vital, very important, she said. Our community has needed this for a long time.

Sandi Winton, who works for Jim Hughes Real Estate, added: We needed another drive-thru.

Begun in Lincoln in 1949, Runza sandwiches feature freshly baked bread stuffed with ground beef, onions, a secret blend of spices and cabbage. Various cheese Runzas and other varieties are available.

Also on the menu is an assortment of hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, chicken strips, wraps, salads, fries and homemade-style onion rings. Runzas featured side is Frings  a half-and-half combo of fries and onion rings.

For dessert or just by themselves, ice cream shakes, cones and sundaes are available, as well as cookies.

To quench diners thirst, there are soft drinks, lemonade, tea or water.

Scott Fredericksen and Ethan Hall are the Glenwood owners.

Its been great, Hall said during the ceremony. We appreciate everyone supporting us.

Besides the drive-thru, the indoor seating accommodates 39 patrons, he said.

There has been overwhelming support, Hall said.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

Glenwood Mayor Angie Winquist said the restaurant is a boost for the communitys economic development, not to mention a new dining option.

It has brought in new jobs, she said. We appreciate their investment in our community. Its nice to have additional choices.

Besides Glenwood, a Runza restaurant can be found at 22nd Street and West Broadway in Council Bluffs and in Clarinda.

Theres more good news for area diners as Runza will soon be joined by a new Pizza Hut next door.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of April 2024
Hubertus Troska, member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, unveils the Mercedes-Benz G-Class electric offroad vehicle at the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Shunyi District, Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

After a four-year hiatus, the Beijing auto show returns with a flurry of new products, particularly new energy vehicles, presented by global automakers, who aim to solidify their position in the world's most competitive and largest auto market.



Running from Thursday to May 4, the event is hosting the world premieres of 41 concept models and 117 vehicles, with 30 from international brands. A total of 278 NEVs are on display, surpassing the 160 from the last edition in 2020, according to the event organizers.

The proportion of NEVs surpassing gasoline cars appears to be happening faster than anticipated. Data from the China Passenger Car Association show that in the first two weeks of April, passenger NEV sales accounted for more than 50 percent of the market share, with 260,000 units sold out of a total of 516,000 passenger cars.

Premium brands BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi are showcasing their achievements in electrification.

BWM's electric i4 hatchback and electric MINI Cooper and Aceman crossover SUV are taking center stage. The BMW Vision Neue Klasse, which heralds the next generation of BMW vehicles, is on show for the first time in China.

BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse announced plans to invest an additional 20 billion yuan ($2.76 billion) in the Shenyang production base in Liaoning province on Friday. The investment will support the localization production of BMW's Neue Klasse models starting in 2026.

Mercedes debuted the all-new electric G-Class 4x4 and the Concept CLA Class four-door coupe. Their stage fleet consists of one world-premiere model, seven China-premiere models and eight models that are ready to hit the market.

Audi CEO Gernot Doellner made his first public appearance in China at this year's Beijing auto show. The automaker debuted the all-new Audi Q6L e-tron SUV, the first vehicle tailored for the Chinese market based on the PPE premium electric platform.

This car, along with other new models based on the PPE, will be produced at the new factory in Changchun in Jilin province, underscoring China's strategic position for Audi, he said.

However, their customers are being poached by newcomers. When Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun toured the Nio booth, he said that 30 percent of Xiaomi's car owners had previously owned vehicles from the German trio. Nio CEO William Li said 70-80 percent of Nio's car owners were from BMW, Mercedes and Audi.

Lei announced that it had received more than 75,000 orders in the four weeks since the launch of its first car, the SU7 electric sedan. It aims to deliver more than 10,000 units in June.

Visitors watch the demonstration of a battery swap station of Chinese brand NIO at the 2024 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Shunyi District, Beijing, capital of China, April 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

At Huawei's booth of HIMA, which stands for Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance, its Stelato brand, codeveloped with BAIC, debuted at the auto show, joining the Aito and Luxeed brands. The brand's first model S9 sedan is expected to hit the market in the second half of this year.



The IT giant is also showcasing the Aito M5, M7, M9 SUVs and Luxeed S7 sedan, which are already on sale. According to Huawei data, as of April 22, the HIMA family has sold 105,000 vehicles this year.

Besides codeveloped models, Huawei's Qiankun, which is called the most sophisticated advanced driving assistance system to date, has garnered attention. Seven Chinese brands including Changan's Avatr, Dongfeng's Voyah and BAIC's Arcfox have installed Huawei's Qiankun in their cars.

Nio unveiled the all-new ET7, continuing its push into the luxury sedan market to solidify its position as a premium brand. Starting at 428,000 yuan, the ET7 Executive Edition is available for pre-order with deliveries beginning on Tuesday.

The startup is maintaining its focus on advancements in charging and battery swap technologies too.

Xpeng said its software and artificial intelligence training upgrades will enter a "superfast cycle" from May, which will be upgraded with its X9 MPV, G9 and G6 SUVs as well as P7i sedan. The automaker hopes the platform will help it expand to other Asian countries and Europe.

He Xiaopeng, founder and CEO of the automaker now backed by Volkswagen, said the software will be refreshed every two months.

Chinese traditional automakers have launched NEV sub-brands, marking a significant transformation.

At the auto show, FAW's Hongqi presented three sub-brands, including the Hongqi New Energy. Dongfeng Motor is showcasing models under its multiple brands such as M-Hero, Voyah and Nammi. Meanwhile, Great Wall Motors is presenting models under its brands of Wey, Tank, Poer and Ora with technological achievements in NEVs.

GAC Group is displaying models of its Trumpchi, Aion and Hyper brands. The automaker will integrate Huawei's Qiankun system into flagship models under the Trumpchi brand, with the first model expected to launch in January 2025.
A traffic stop on Interstate 80 by a Seward County Sheriffs Office deputy led to the confiscation of approximately $7.2 million of methamphetamine near Milford, Nebraska.

We think that this was the largest meth bust in Nebraska history, Chelsea Smith, the senior operations specialist for the Sheriffs Office, said Monday. Our sheriff and several deputies have been checking and they cant find any information to prove otherwise.

A 44-year-old Stockton, California, man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. He was immediately turned over to federal authorities, Smith said.

The traffic stop of a Toyota Highlander occurred at 12:30 p.m. near mile marker 382 on eastbound I-80. During the traffic stop, a deputy became suspicious that the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was involved in criminal activity, Smith said.

A K-9 was deployed for an exterior sniff of the SUV. The dog alerted to the possible presence of drugs and a search of the SUV was conducted.

The search yielded a trash bag and three tote bags that contained a total of 200 pounds of methamphetamine. The Sheriffs Office estimated the the street value at approximately $7.2 million.
Eight suspects including a Police Officer, and two Turkish nationals have been arrested and charged with offenses related to a $523,000 gold scam.



The suspects are Samuel Adu Kumi, Benjamin Kakpo Addoquaye, Isaac Offei, Benjamin Kologo, Isaac Tieku, and Staff Sergeant Isaac Akwasi Aning, and two Turkish nationals, whose names are yet to be identified.



According to the report, the suspects were grabbed last week and were arraigned before court, where they pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, defrauding by false pretense, and money laundering.



The Prosecutor, Ms. Selasi Kuwornu, told the court that on November 24, 2023, National Security received intelligence about individuals planning to scam two foreigners involved in gold trading. Following the intelligence, personnel intercepted and arrested some of the accused on November 28, 2023, seizing suspected fake gold bars.



According to the Prosecutor, investigations revealed a plan to sell fake gold to Turkish nationals, with the involvement of the accused in various roles, including providing security personnel to feign arrests and issuing fake gold test reports.



The accused were charged based on their alleged roles in the scam, with the prosecution detailing the transfer of $523,000 into the account of Benkotec Refinery for the purchase and shipment of the fake gold bars.



The Prosecutor continued that Samuel Adu Kumi denied a separate charge of selling gold without a license, while Benjamin Kakpo Addoquaye and Isaac Offei denied charges of corrupting a public officer.



The victims, Omer Topcu and Mustafa Ceyhan, who bought fake gold, were also charged with buying gold without a license.



Each accused was granted bail of GHC500,000, with the Ghanaian defendants required to produce two sureties with one justification each owning landed property.



The sureties for the two foreign victims had no such requirement.



The prosecution said as part of their bail conditions, the accused were ordered to report to the arresting unit every Monday at the beginning of each month and deposit their passports at the court registry.



The Prosecutor, Ms. Selasi Kuwornu, added that compliance with previous court orders, filing all witness statements and disclosures.



Meanwhile, the case was adjourned to May 14 for the Case Management Conference.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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The president of The African University College of Communication (AUCC), Professor Abeku Quansah has admonished Ghanaian students to move away from traditional theoretical based learning towards practical learning approaches.



This approach, according Prof. Quansah, would help us to find solutions to the myriad of challenges facing the country's development.



This call was made during the course of this week when a delegation from the Acharya University in India paid a courtesy on Prof. Quansah of AUCC at his office in Accra. He underscored that "traditional theoretical approach has done little in addressing the challenges facing the country and the time has arrived for the country to move away from such pedagogy", stated the professor.



This visit was intended at fostering academic partnership between tertiary institutions in India and Ghana with the view of harnessing our mutual academic benefits. According to Professor Quansah, it has become imperative for Ghanaian students to build strong international academic relationships with other institutions in order to benefit from innovation and pragmatic ideas in addressing the many economic challenges Ghana faces.



He further highlighted the strides India has made in becoming a global power house for ICT and communication. To this end, he welcomed the opportunity the Acharya University presents in opening its doors to Ghanaian students seeking graduate education. He also expressed appreciation for the scholarship package available for students and welcomed similar initiatives from other universities in India.



On her part, the International Students' Representative for Acharya University, Madam Sonia reiterated the need to redefine the educational paradigm by coming up with programmes relative to the needs of the world. She also stressed the role of ICT as a tool in advancing economic growth.



According to her, the Acharya University supports over 1,400 students with scholarships annually. Students are also equipped with hands-on experience as a result of the industry collaboration between Acharya University and many other global industries. She therefore admonished Ghanaian students seeking to pursue graduate studies outside to consider India as the best alternative to Western and European universities.



Nana Kumasah Krampah II (Omankrado of the Gomoa Assin Traditional Area), who also doubles as the Executive Director for the Action on Africa Women Foundation, expressed optimism about the numerous opportunities such a partnership will present. Nana adds, "the decision to foster partnership between Ghanaian universities and Acharya University is to help build human resource capacity among Ghanaian students.



I decided to link Acharya University to some Ghanaian universities. This is to give working Ghanaian students the opportunity to travel outside to upgrade their knowledge for promotion which hitherto has been very difficult. The Acharya partnership would also help Ghanaian students benefit from their best academics who would come to Ghana to teach", hinted the Omankrado Assin Gomoa.



He further underscored the need to see improvement in the educational sector across the country as a driving force to help the economic development of the country.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has in recent times undertaken some tremendous work on clamping down on fake unregistered diapers imported into the Ghanaian market.



These fake diapers have dire health and environmental consequences for our society. The importers of these fake diapers appear to be a cartel bent on flouting the laws of Ghana in order to make cheap profits at the expense public health.



The pharmaceutical and food industry is a highly regulated industry for the very fact that, such a sensitive industry, if left unregulated, would pave way for massive damage to public and environmental health for the unscrupulous profits of a few greedy business people.



In the case of diapers, these unregistered ones are cheaper and its importers easily lure the unsuspecting public into buying these fake products without knowing the health implications on users. Diapers without expiry date, country of origin, or even product components written on them flood the market. Many of these imported diapers are banned products in their country of origin yet find their way into the Ghanaian market illegally.



The rise in skin diseases and infections among babies and adult users of diapers has been highly linked to fake imported diapers on the Ghanaian market. These unregistered imported diapers are of poor quality and are unhygienically packaged and usually hidden in bales of used clothing for illegal distribution mostly without any labeling information. These unregistered diapers contain untested dyes, skin irritants and toxins that make unregistered diapers unsanitary and harmful to baby health especially baby girls who may get infected by germs. This is why the public is cautioned to buy and use only FDA approved and registered baby diapers for maximum public health.



This is beside the fact that importers of these sub-standard products bypass the Ghana revenue authorities thereby evading taxes and denying government the much-needed tax revenues.



Despite their clear violations of the laws of Ghana, these importers of fake diapers have managed to flood the market with the products from the cities to towns and villages. Many mothers who are reporting to hospitals and clinics with reports of skin diseases have no idea the source of their woes is the fake imported diapers available on the market.



Thais is why it is the statutory responsibility of the FDA to enforce the law and protect all these innocent families and their babies.



However, in carrying out their duties, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has come under massive attack from the cabal of importers of fake diapers. These people attacking the FDA seem to think of themselves as too powerful to be stopped from their illegal activities.The importers of these fake diapers have been operating with impunity for the past years until the FDA decided to stamp its authority and work in the greater interest of the public health.



The FDA has demonstrated courage to do what is right in general and particularly on the matter of unapproved imported diapers in the interest of public health. It is therefore little wonder that their efforts have been recognized and praised by many individuals and organizations including the pharmaceutical society of Ghana who commended the FDA for their dedication to public health and safety.



In 2020, the World Health Organization (W.H.O) in recognition of the FDAs hard work ranked Ghanas FDA at Maturity Level 3 for its medicines regulatory system that ensures the safety, quality and efficacy of all medical products imported, manufactured or distributed in the country.



Clearly, Ghanas FDA is on the right path on the issue of fake imported diapers and no amount of orchestrated attacks on the C.E.O or the organization itself should deter them from enforcing.



It is expected that the Ghana Revenue Authority will take active interest in this issue due to the implications for government revenue loses emanating from the illegal importation of diapers without approval from the FDA.



The Economic and Organized Crimes Office and the police CID must also continue to support the FDA in its effort to enforce the law and protect the public health without fear or favor to the cabal of illegal importers who are currently operating with impunity.













Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Former President John Dramani Mahama on Friday joined Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I to cut the sod for the construction of a new palace for the overlord of Gonja.



The project is being financed by Mr Mahama who has assured the people it would be completed by October of this year.



In his address, Mr Mahama highlighted the new palace's intentional design to reflect Sahelian architecture, reminiscent of the Gonja's origins in the Mande region around Mali.



"So, if you look at the architecture, you will think you are in Timbuktu or Songhai, tracing the history of the Gonja people ", he said.



The event was attended by various Guan and Gonja paramount chiefs, executives of the Guan Congress, executives of the Gonjaland Youth Association, members and supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the people of Damango.



The Overlord of Gonja, Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, thanked Mr Mahama for his consistent commitment to developing the Gonja Kingdom and offered prayers for his success.



The Overlord of Gonja also emphasised the importance of the new palace for preserving the Gonja heritage and the legacy of Sumaila Ndewura Jakpa, founder of the Gonja Kingdom.



He wished the former president and leader of the NDC well in his political aspirations and cautioned against people speaking negatively about his efforts for the Gonja Kingdom.





Source: graphic.com.gh









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The application in which the NDC MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor is seeking the High Court to compel the President to act on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill has been refused.



The decision comes after Chief state Attorney Sylvia Adesu and lawyer for Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo argued their cases before the court.



Sylvia Adesu in her argument said that, the 1992 Constitution does not encourage the court to interfere in the affairs of Parliament. She further aruged that, the application is premature given reason that, the bill is still between Parliament and the President for which reason it cannot be challenged.



Additionally she told the court that, it will be disrespectful for the process to go on considering the pendency of the two suits before the Supreme Court.



Lawyer Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo representing Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor also argued that the High court has original jurisdiction over mandamus application.



The presiding Judge, Justice Ellen Lordina Serwaa Mireku after listening to both arguments made a determination that, inasmuch as the High Court has discretion over the mandamus application, it will be inappropriate to compel the respondents to present the bill.



She also explained that, the pending suits before the Supreme Court bother on the constitutional provisions relied on by Parliament for the anti LGBTQ+ bill, for which reason it will be inappropriate to exercise her discretion.



In his suit, the MP was seeking several declarations and orders regarding the powers of the President under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.



Mr. Dafeamekpor, among other things, asked for a declaration that, according to Article 106(1) and (7) of the Constitution, a President can only assent to or refuse to assent to a bill within seven days, unless the bill has been referred to the Council of State.



He was also seeking a declaration that the President cannot prevent Parliament from transmitting a bill that has been passed to him.



Again, the MP wanted a declaration that a letter dated March 18, 2024, addressed to the Clerk of Parliament and signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, is in contravention of the Constitution, hence the President must withdraw the letter.



But addressing the court today, lawyers for the Attorney-General represented by Chief State Attorney Sylvia Adeso argued that the High Court had no jurisdiction to grant the application filed by Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor.



Meanwhile, Lawyer Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo said they will appeal the decision of the high court.





Source: Philipa Atanga/Court Reporter/Despite Media









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The President of the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), Samuel Afotey Otu, has advised members of the association to refrain from any polical influence as the country prepares for the December Polls.



According to him, as the country prepares for the 2024 General elections, it is important for members to continue to discharge their duties diligently to uphold the independence of the judiciary.



He made the call when the association embarked on a health walk in Aburi in the Eastern Region on April 27, 2024 as part of their activities to mark their 50th anniversary celebration.



"This year is an election year and we (JUSAG) want everybody to take his or her work seriously.



Nobody should be influenced by any political party, adding that were ready to work, were ready to deliver our task, the JUSAG president stated.



Samuel Afotey Otu after leading his members from Ayi-Mensah to Peduase lodge emphaized the need to embark on more health activities to help improve their health.



"I think Judicial Service work is always (about) sitting down . . . and it is not good for our health, he acknowledged.



He, therefore, urged that, at least once in a while we should do such programs (health walks).



On his part the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Association, Ramsey Ahorklui, outlined floats, symposiums, health screening as part of activities to mark their anniversary celebration.



The Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) which celebrated its 50th Anniversary on February 17, 2024 was established in 1973 in Cape Coast in the Central Region.

Source: Philipa Atanga/Court Reporter/Despite Media









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A mainland spokesperson on Sunday urged Taiwan to consider the proposals of the public and the shipping enterprises on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to resume direct cross-Strait flights and voyages in full as soon as possible.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, called for the resumption of direct maritime passenger services between the mainland and Taiwan, including the Pingtan-Taipei route and the Xiamen-Taichung route, as well as direct passenger flights between Taiwan and 30 mainland destinations.

Making the remarks in response to a media inquiry on the issue, Zhu said that direct cross-Strait flights and voyages have greatly facilitated visits between compatriots from both sides and enhanced their common interests.

Despite the partial return of direct cross-Strait air and maritime routes since last year, when mainland's COVID-19 response entered a new phase, destinations for air passengers remain limited and direct maritime passenger services have not yet resumed, Zhu said.
The Global Christian Forum, a non-denominational religious body, has entreated Christians across the world to work towards promoting interfaith dialogue and sharing of experiences that foster mutual respect.



It encouraged Christians from different denominations to work in unity in addressing the common concern of propagating Christs message of salvation and reconciliation.



During its fourth global gathering held at the Wesley Cathedral in Accra, the Right Reverend Lydia Neshangwe, Moderator of Council for World Mission, encouraged Christians to eschew self-serving mission and work with a common purpose of healing the world, bringing hope to the broken-hearted and reconciliation.



She underscored the need for Churches to move beyond their historical divisions into new relationships of trust, cooperation and communion.



Rev. Neshangwe referenced Acts 13 where Paul and Barnabas, who were different in personality, values, leadership styles and cultural upbringing, and yet worked together in their first missionary work to grow the Church.



In the same vein, she entreated Christians across the globe to work in unity to propagate Christs message of peace, hope and reconciliation in every corner of the world.



Rev. Dr. Casely Essamuah, the General Secretary of the Forum, said the meeting highlighted the importance of diversity, unity and reconciliation.



It also intends to build a future of peace and fraternity among Christians of all faith.



More than 200 pastors, bishops and church administrators across the world attended the meeting, which provided a platform for them to pray, share experiences and reflect on the Christian mission.



They also went on field trips to the slave castles in Cape Coast and Elmina.



The forum is a global manifestation of the Christian faith, worship and reflects the diversity and movement of churches from all corners of the world.



The fourth edition of the Global Christian Forum took place in Accra from April 16 to 19 and also marked the 25th Anniversary of the Forum.





Source: GNA









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The Affluent Team of Stanbic Bank Ghana has donated an amount of GHS10,000 to the Nsawam Medium Security Female Prison.



The donation aims to support the refurbishment and equipping of vocational workstations to support the ongoing upskilling of inmates. The gesture forms part of the bank's annual corporate social initiatives carried out on a departmental basis.



The team also provided support to four newly discharged inmates, to facilitate their reintegration into society. The assistance included essential materials and tools for yoghurt and soap making, sewing, and baking kits. Additionally, these individuals have been enrolled in the Stanbic Bank incubator program, which will offer continual mentorship as they embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.



Margaret Obimpeh, Head of Affluent Clients, Stanbic Bank Ghana, led the delegation from the bank to present the items. She emphasized that the donation reflects the bank's commitment to driving national growth and supporting local communities. She stated, "As a Bank, we are dedicated to advancing national development through various initiatives that positively impact less privileged communities. Every year, the Affluent Team at Stanbic Bank Ghana seeks opportunities to transform lives within our communities. T



his year, we decided to support our female correctional facility, to help make life better for the inmates here. We are impressed by the work the officers here are doing in providing the inmates with vocational training.



This way when the women are discharged, they will reenter society with some skills that can help them get back on their feet. We also present our little donation to help equip the training centers to facilitate the training process to ensure that more of the inmates have the opportunity to learn and develop themselves."



Mrs. Victoria Adewodah, Assistant Director of Prisons, expressed gratitude, highlighting the partnership as a beacon of hope for inmates' futures. She said, When the Affluent Team from Stanbic Bank reached out to us we were very excited but they have exceeded our expectations. Today you have brought joy to the Nsawam Women's Prison. By this act of generosity, you have put smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts.



The items provided to the four inmates will encourage the other ladies to apply themselves during their time here to learn something and leave here better than they came. Thank you and we encourage other corporate bodies to follow their lead.



Last year, the Affluent Team from Stanbic constructed and handed over a fully equipped ultra-modern place of convenience to the Demonstration School for the Deaf at Mampong in the Eastern Region. The team also donated assorted items to support the day-to-day running of the school.







Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Dr Patrick Awuah, president of Ashesi University, says freedom of speech should be used to empower people to pursue their aspirations to become productive citizens.



He said there were limits to every freedom of speech and underscored the importance of using utterances to prepare the future leadership of the nation.



Dr Awuah, who is also the founder of Ashesi University, said this during a discussion on the topic Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom, Where Do We Draw the Line?



The programme was organised by the Harvard Club of Ghana in collaboration with the University of Ghana Faculty of Law.



Dr Awuah said freedom of speech in the university space was characterised by rules and regulations to ensure orderliness and peaceful coexistence.



Free speech in the university does not mean to harass any member or create a hostile atmosphere between faculty members and students.



"Speech is not only what you say but also your actions," he said.



He called for a new paradigm to address issues associated with freedom of speech and academic freedom, devoid of any acrimony.



Dr Awuah acknowledged the importance of artificial intelligence, which he described as a powerful technology that should be used for the development of society.



Justice William Atuguba, a retired Supreme Court Judge, urged all to be decorum in their utterances, saying "Freedom of expression does not mean to insult."



He called for a conscious effort to unite the country to chart the path to sustainable development.



Justice Atuguba called for a national dialogue on the ownership of media by politicians to champion their interests to the detriment of the national agenda.



"Ghana is governed by a constitution, and it is imperative to place our loyalty to the nation," he said.



Mrs Charlotte Osei, a former Electoral Commissioner, stated that media pluralism had contributed to the abuse of freedom of expression, which needed urgent attention.



She said the activities of party foot soldiers, who called in radio and television programmes to attack personalities were not healthy discourse and must be discouraged.



Dr Songu Delle, president of the Harvard Club of Ghana, said the discussions were expected to stimulate national debate on the theme prior to the elections to advance the countrys democratic credentials.





Source: GNA









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A vice president of IMANI Africa, Bright Simons, has asserted that the revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML) was an upgrade of the botched Agyapa Royalties deal.



According to Simons, after the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government failed to implement the Agyapa deal, which sought to collateralise Ghanas mineral resources, it expanded the SML deal which was originally for revenue assurance for oil production to include minerals, myjoyonline.com reports.



The IMANI vice president, who is reported to have made these claims during a detailed presentation on the job expectation of SML on Joy FMs Newsfile programme on April 27, 2024, said that the company was tasked by the government to expand its service to Ghanas mineral production even though the contract was questionable.



We are completely certain that when you try to expand this SML service to cover the minerals and petroleum it was simply Agyapa [deal] in suit and tie.



When Agyapa failed, somebody suggested that if we cannot get the percentage of the royalties that we wanted from every ounce of gold sold in Ghana, then we will do even more, we will add the oil as well and we will create a mechanism to get a certain percentage out of that, he is quoted to have said.



Simons said that the SML deal had a lot of irregularities including the feasibility of accurately determining oil production and calculating royalties, particularly, in light of concerns about the reliability of data provided by oil companies.



He slammed the GRA for relying on mechanisms to establish royalty payments, highlighting the inherent challenges associated with monitoring and regulating the extraction and sale of petroleum.



"It doesnt make any sense to try and claim that because the Tullow and other companies are lying about the oil produced, you will use some mechanism to try and establish that.



"And for every barrel of oil produced, you will then be entitled to a percentage. What logic is that? he quizzed.



Background:



President Akufo-Addo in a press statement released by the Communications Director of the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, instructed the GRA and the Ministry of Finance to renegotiate the SML contract.



The president emphasized that the renegotiation should be closely monitored and evaluated periodically to ensure it meets expectations.



"There is a clear need for the downstream petroleum audit services provided by SML. GRA and the State have benefited from these services since SML commenced providing them. There has been an increase in volumes of 1.7 billion litres and an increase in tax revenue to the State of GHS 2.45 billion. KPMG also observed that there were qualitative benefits, including a 24/7 electronic real-time monitoring of outflow and partial monitoring of inflows of petroleum products at depots where SML had installed flowmeters and six levels of reconciliation done by SML.



"This minimises the occurrence of under-declarations. However, it is important to review the contract for downstream petroleum audit services, particularly the fee structure. Given the experience and proficiency of SML over the last four years of providing this service, the President has directed that the fee structure be changed from a variable to a fixed fee structure. Other provisions of the contract worth reviewing include clauses on intellectual property rights, termination, and service delivery expectations," he wrote.



The decision to renegotiate the contract follows the president's acceptance of the recommendation by KPMG after its audit of the deal.



The audit findings prompted the need for a review of the revenue assurance contract, highlighting areas where improvements are necessary to enhance its effectiveness.



On January 2, 2024, President Nana Akufo-Addo commissioned KPMG to investigate the contract between SML and GRA, prompted by an expose by media outfit, the Fourth Estate.



President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has since received the KPMG audit report regarding the revenue mobilisation contract between GRA and SML.



The report was delivered to him on Wednesday, March 27, as announced in a Facebook post by Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, on Wednesday, April 3.



About the Agyapa Royalties deal:



In 2020, the government of Ghana proposed a deal which was meant to raise money by floating shares in a company called Agyapa Royalties Limited on the London Stock Exchange.



This deal was met with wide criticism from civil society groups and the opposition, who claimed that it was a secretive and corrupt deal that would allow politicians to enrich themselves at the expense of the country.



Later that year, journalist Kweku Baako said that Gabby Asare Otchere-Darkos firm had been transaction advisors to the government in the failed deal.



Gabby clarified that a UK-based law firm was the principal advisor on the deal and Africa Legal Associates worked for the firm.



One major issue that has emanated from the brouhaha surrounding the deal is the role of Osafo-Maafos son and Gabby Otchere-Darko.















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Catholics in Ghana have commended Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for his visit to Pope Francis, hailing it as a demonstration of religious diversity and tolerance.



In responses to a post by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference featuring Dr Bawumia and Pope Francis, several Catholic Facebook users expressed admiration for the visit.



Fahad Mohammed Sulemana, one of the users, described it as a testament to Dr. Bawumia's diplomatic skills.



"Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's meeting with Pope Francis is a testament to his diplomatic skills and Ghana's standing on the global stage."



Another Facebook user, Emmanuel Ntow, highlighted the significance of the visit in fostering cooperation between Ghana and the Vatican, describing it as a positive step.



"Positive steps towards enhancing cooperation between Ghana and the Vatican."



Prosper Nartey, also a Facebook user, remarked that the visit by the Vice President was a remarkable moment in Ghana's history and for Dr. Bawumia personally.



"Truly a remarkable piece in history for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia meeting His Holiness"



The comments reflect a widespread appreciation among Catholics in Ghana for Dr Bawumia's engagement with Pope Francis, emphasising the importance of religious tolerance and diplomatic relations.







Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com









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Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the leader and flagbeaer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has cautioned voters in the Ejisu constituency, a stronghold of the NPP, against voting for the Independent Candidate, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi.



According to the NPPs flagbearer, the constituents ought to prioritise continuity and progress by voting for the NPPs parliamentary candidate, Kwabena Boateng.



The vice president in addressing the residents in the Ejisu constituency opined that, a vote for the independent candidate is a vote for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), adding that, that was the reason the NDC did not present anyone to participate in the by-election.



The Electoral Commission, upon the untimely demise of the late Member of Parliament, John Kumah, scheduled 30th April for the by-election to elect a new MP to represent the constituency in Ghanas Parliament. The contest is keen following the particiaption of a former Member of Parliament of the NPP vying as an independent candidate.



Dr. Bawumia, during a final campaign rally for the NPP candidate urged the members of the party to champion the interest of the party and not allow themselves to be swayed by the flowery words of the opposition party highlighting on the significance of party loyalty and unity, cautioning against not supporting the NPP candidate.



He underscored the slim margin in parliament, with the NPP holding 138 seats against the NDCs 137, highlighting the importance of every vote in securing a stronger mandate for the ruling party.



The NPP government has improved the lives and the people of Ejisu than the NDC. Nothing really worked during the NDC era . . . MPs dont sponsor projects; they lobby for projects from the government in power. In parliament, the NPP has 138 including the independent candidate while NDC has 137. And so, a vote for an independent means handing over power to NDC and John Mahama.



And so that is why the NDC did not field a candidate for this by-election, they are sponsoring the independent candidate, he said, adding Lets all come out in our numbers on election day and vote massively for Lawyer Kwabena Boateng to continue the late John Kumahs work, he added.





Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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The Flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has kicked off a nationwide tour beginning with the Eastern Region today.



Dr. Bawumia started the day with a breakfast meeting with religious leaders in Akropong.



The event had representation of Christian leaders of all denominations as well as the Regional Chief Imam and other Islamic clerics.



Addressing the religious leaders, Dr Bawumia said he decided to start his campaign tour with them because of his belief in seeking the grace of God in everything he does.



"I took this decision because of my faith in the Lord. If you follow the Lord, all other things will follow...With all humility, I am here today to present myself to you first as flagbearer and presidential candidate for the New Patriotic Party and also share my vision with you...Thirdly, I am here to seek your support and that of Ghanaians as I seek to lead Ghana", he said.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Kwabena Owusu Aduomi has vehemently dismissed allegations that he is a member of the oppostiton National Democratic Congress (NDC).



In an address to the media ahead of the Ejisu By-election, the former member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Aduomi reiterated that, as much as he is not a member of the opposition party, he is loved and admired by the NDC due to his credibility and fairness.



He said, I am not an NDC member. The NDC people like me because of the work I did that benefited them. Where have they seen me wearing NDC colours? The NDC people want to vote for me because I am going independent and because of the work that I did for the constituency.



Being described as a traitor by members of his former party, the Independent candidate intensely dismissed the notions that he is a traitor. He rather urged members of the NPP to solve their internal issues and stop throwing shades at him, describing him as a traitor.



He noted, I am not a traitor and NPP should rather solve all issues bothering all members of the party and should not favour some people against others."



That bogus elections that they said they held at the polling stations, if the president has the party and the Ejisu constituency at heart, he will ensure that the issues that the people brought will be solved, he stated.



The Ejisu by-election became necessary following the sudden passing of the Member of Parliament, John Kumah after battling with ill-health for a short period.



The Ejisu constituency is a strong hold for the NPP but there narrative is taking a different following the intention of a former Member of Parliament for the NPP, standing as the independent candidate.

Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Flagbearer for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has assured Ghanaians that the current power challenges being faced will be a thing of the past in the coming the days.



Ghana has been hit with erratic power supply, commonly referred to as dumsor, in recent times with several reasons including financial and maintenance being the key factors to the unsavoury situation.



Speaking to religious leaders as part of the Eastern Regional campaign tour on Monday, April 29, Dr. Bawumia encouraged Ghanaians to exercise restraints as the government finds a lasting solution to the energy sector crisis.



Dr. Bawumia said, I know there are challenges and I dont want to paper over economic challenges. We are going to work on them. Currently, we have issues with power but I say that from the information I have received from the minister for energy, those power challenges will end very soon, and I mean very soon it will be a thing of the past.



The vice president as part of his tour, is expected to visit several places including market centres and schools to interact with residents of the Eastern region in the quest of soliciting for votes as the December Presidential and Parliamentary election approaches.



Electricity supply has been one of the topical issues on the lips of every Ghanaian resident. Concerns raised has got to do with the release of a load shedding timetable, but the vice president assured Ghanaians of government's preparedness to address the imminent power challenges.

.

Meanwhile, ECG has been called upon by the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Ghana Union Traders' Association (GUTA) to release a loadshedding timetable for business operators and other business agencies to help them plan for the uncertainties being presented by the power company.



Vice President, in his address, stated that, his government will invest immensely in the energy sector to bring comfort to Ghanaians and the entire business community.













Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com









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Qin Chuan (1st R), leader of a group tour, helps tourists fill out exit and entry information before departing for Bali, Indonesia at the Shenzhen airport in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Feb. 12, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) on Sunday announced a host of policies to facilitate residents' overseas trips.

Measures include diversifying application channels for exit and entry documents, optimizing the application procedures, and extending the stay period. The measures will take effect on May 6, according to NIA.

Under the new policies, residents aged 16 or above (except for civil servants and active military servicemen) in 20 pilot cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, will be able to renew and reissue their passports, as well as travel documents to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions via online platform.

Chinese mainland residents who apply for multi-entry to Hong Kong and Macao with business purpose can use smart equipment to get a quick-access endorsement. In addition, the duration of stay for holders of business endorsement to Hong Kong and Macao will be extended from seven days to 14 days.

Beijing and Shanghai will be included into the policy of issuing multi-entry endorsements with a validity of one to five years for six designated categories of talent to travel to Hong Kong and Macao, with a duration of stay less than 30 days for each trip.

In addition, a new type of multi-entry endorsement will be issued to mainland residents to travel to Macao for purposes of participating at exhibitions, medical treatment and performing arts activities. One to two companions of those who seek medical services in Macao will be eligible for applying the same endorsement.

A special endorsement will be issued to Chinese mainlanders in tourist groups traveling in Hengqin and Macao, lifting the restrictions on the number of entries for these groups to Macao via Hengqin port in seven days.

The new set of policy is of great significance to improving people's well-being, stimulating market vitality, optimizing the business environment, and helping to shape an open economy at a higher level, according to an official with the administration.
Kwame Asare Oben, popularly known as A Plus, has indicated that the most attractive political brand in Ghana is the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



A Plus made this known when he was speaking on United Showbiz.



He said the days when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was the best political brand in Ghana are over.



This he blamed on the kind of leadership the NPP has offered the people of Ghana in the last seven years.



Your lights are going out, and you are still waiting to break the eight. It is you, the member of the NPP, who should criticize the leadership of the country, saying that what they are doing will destroy the government and the partys chances in the future, he said.



Look at what the NDC did at UPSA and how people received the message. This was what the NPP was known for, but now, a lot of fools have infiltrated the rank and file of the political party, and it is not attractive anymore," he added.





Source: ghanaweb.com









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Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Organiser hopeful, Henry Osei Akoto, has accused the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, of having ill-intentions with his proposal to rebrand public schools in the country.



In a post shared via X (formerly Twitter) on April 24, 2024, Osei Akoto alleged that the proposal to rebrand the schools is a cover to use the state's money for the election campaign of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).



According to him, the true intention of the proposal is to give massive contracts to NPP members in order to enable them fund the partys election campaign.



Adutwum doesn't care about our education system and certainly doesn't care about rebranding. Their aim is to award huge, bloated painting and new uniform contracts to their cronies to build a campaign war chest for Bawumia and his failed presidential ambition. Wait for it! he wrote.



Dr Adutwum, at a forum titled "The Free SHS Story," held in Accra on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, is reported to have announced plans to repaint all public schools from their current brown and yellow colours to blue and white palettes.



According to him, the decision to repaint the schools is part of a broader objective to revitalise basic education in Ghana and make it more visually appealing.



"We are switching to blue and white. We are painting all the schools to give them an attractive outlook. This is the transformation Ghana deserves and it is coming," Dr Adutwum stated.



In addition to repainting the school buildings, Dr. Adutwum announced that the current brown and yellow uniforms worn by students would be replaced.



"We are changing the uniforms of public basic schools in the country. The yellow and brown that you see now, you will see no more. Reformation is coming to a community near you, and you will see it," he said.



Following the backlash on the ministers remarks, the Ministry of Education released a statement in which it clarified that Dr. Adutwum was referring to the painting of newly constructed schools with brighter colours.



Contrary to the reports in the media about plans by the Education Ministry to introduce new uniforms for Public Basic schools, the Ministry wishes to clarify that there are no such plans in place. Additionally, there is no intention to repaint existing schools.



The Minister's statement was with specific reference to the selection of brighter and friendly colours for the painting of the newly constructed 21st Century Model Junior High schools. The aim is to lighten and enhance the appearance and physical outlook of the new schools. It is never a case of repainting existing schools or altering them in anyway, part of the statement read.



On the reports of government changing the colour of school uniforms, the ministry said that it was only offering the new schools the opportunity to choose brighter uniforms other than the existing ones.



The new schools will have the option of choosing new colours for their uniforms and does not imply a wholesale change of uniforms across all public basic schools in the country.



View Osei Akoto's post below:



Adutwum doesn't care about our education system and certainly doesn't care about rebranding.



Their aim is to award huge, bloated painting and new uniform contracts to their cronies to build a campaign warchest for Bawumia and his failed presidential ambition.



Wait for it!  Henry Osei Akoto (@HenryOseiAkoto_) April 27, 2024















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A member of the communication team of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), PK Sarpong, has slammed the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for the Essikado-Ketan constituency, Prof. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, for comments she recently passed.



Speaking in a panel discussion on Accra-based Asempa FM, Prof. Ayensu-Danquah, while reacting to her co-panellist, NPPs Akosua Manu, saying that she does not understand Mahamas 24-hour economy proposal, asserted that people who dont understand the policy have issues.



" if you don't understand it, then it is your brain that is not functioning properly because the eyes cannot see what the brain does not know," the NDC parliamentary candidate for Essikado-Ketan said in local dialect Twi.



Reacting to this in a statement sighted by GhanaWeb, PK Sarpong described the comments passed by the professor as senseless and beneath her status.



He added that her remarks also show that she, herself does not understand the 24-hour economy policy, which is the main policy proposal of the flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama.



It is true that Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquahs field of study or teaching has nothing to do with politics but is it not strange that she is bereft of common sense? A whole professor referring to those who dont understand their vague 24-hour proposal as senseless is something that beats my imagination.



The senselessness describes she, herself, not those she insulted. I can only imagine the treatments she subjects her students to. A woman with such a toxic mindset wants to be in parliament? Parliament doesnt need such a person as a legislator, he wrote.



The NPP communicator added, One thing is clear. She doesnt know what their own 24-hour economic plan is about. She has no clue what it entails. But can we blame her? No! Even the one who promulgated it, John Dramani Mahama, doesnt understand it.



PK Sarpong also said that the 24-hour economy proposal can never be a policy because it is a demand-driven thing and not supply.



A 24-hour idea is only a by-product of an improved economy. John Mahama just had to say something and he did, but has failed to explain what it means or how he would implement it. This explains why we no longer hear them talk about it these days.



Read his full statement below:



It is true that Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquahs field of study or teaching has nothing to do with politics but is it not strange that she is bereft of common sense? A whole professor referring to those who dont understand their vague 24-hour proposal as senseless is something that beats my imagination.



The senselessness describes she herself, not those she insulted. I can only imagine the treatments she subjects her students to. A woman with such a toxic mindset wants to be in Parliament? Parliament doesnt need such a person as a legislator.



One thing is clear. She doesnt know what their own 24-hour economic plan is about. She has no clue what it entails. But can we blame her? No! Even the one who promulgated it, John Dramani Mahama, doesnt understand it.



The 24-hour idea was on the spur of the moment thing. The man needed to just make a catchy statement and thats exactly what happened.



He, JDM, has failed to explain how his own proposal will work. This explains why Nana Oye Bampoe, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Asiedu Nketiah and all their communicators have been fumbling with it and cant explain it well.



If the person behind the proposal cannot explain his own policy, how do we expect his assigns to do so? Grace Ayensu Danquah should have found a better way to respond to the question asked instead of the insolent manner and attacks he rained on Akosua Manu and all of us.



Bottom line, the 24-hour proposal can never be a policy. It has never been a policy anywhere in the world. It is a demand-driven thing and not supply.



A 24-hour idea is only a by-product of an improved economy. John Mahama just had to say something and he did, but has failed to explain what it means or how he would implement it. This explains why we no longer hear them talk about it these days.



P.K. Sarpong, Whispers from the Corridors of the Thinking Place.



BAI/NOQ



Watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below:





















This female barber was consistently rejected for 2 years in her quest to find a job | Everyday People

This female barber was consistently rejected for 2 years in her quest to find a job | Everyday People



0 seconds of 19 minutes, 57 secondsVolume 100%









Ghanas leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.













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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Australians are having fewer babies, so many fewer that without international migration the population would be on track to decline in just over a decade.

In most circumstances, the number of babies per woman that a population needs to sustain itself the so-called total fertility rateis 2.1.

Australia's total fertility rate dipped below 2.1 in the late 1970s, moved back up towards it in the late 2000s (assisted in part by an improving economy, better access to childcare and the introduction of the Commonwealth Baby Bonus), and then plunged again, hitting a low of 1.59 during the first year of COVID.

The latest population projections from the Australian Bureau of Statistics assume the rate remains near its present 1.6 for the next 50 years.

An alternative, lower, set of assumptions has the rate falling to 1.45 over the next five years and staying there. A higher set of assumptions has it rebounding to 1.75 and staying there.

A comprehensive study of global fertility trends published in March in the medical journal The Lancet has Australia's central case at 1.45, followed by a fall to 1.33 by the end of the century.

Significantly, none of these assumptions envisages a return to replacement rate.

The bureau's central projection has Australia's population turning down from 2037 in the absence of a boost from migration.

It's easy to make guesses about reasons. Reliable contraception has been widely available for 50 years. Rents, mortgages and the other costs facing Australians of child-bearing age appear to be climbing. It's still difficult to have a career if you have a child, and data show women still carry the substantive burden of unpaid work around the home.

The US fertility rate has fallen much in line with Australia's.

Reporting on research into the reasons, Forbes Magazine succinctly said a broken economy had "screwed over" Americans considering having children.

More diplomatically, it said Americans saw parenthood as "harder to manage" than they might have in the past.

Half the world is unable to replace itself

But this trend is widespread. The Lancet study finds more than half of the world's countries have a fertility rate below replacement level.

China, which is important for the global fertility rate because it makes up such a large share of the world's population, had a fertility rate as high as 7.5 in the early 1960s. It fell to 2.5 before the start of China's one-child policy in the early 1990s, and then slid further from 1.8 to 1 after the policy was abandoned in 2016.

South Korea's fertility rate has dived further, to the world's lowest: 0.72.

The fertility rate in India, which is now more populous than China, has also fallen below replacement level.

Most of the 94 nations that continue to have above-replacement fertility rates are in North Africa, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. Some, including Samoa and Papua New Guinea, are in the Pacific.

Most of Asia, Europe and Oceania is already below replacement rate.

A changing world order

The largest high-fertility African nation, Nigeria, is expected to overtake China to become the world's second-most-populous nation by the end of the century.

But even Nigeria's fertility rate will sink. The Lancet projections have it sliding from 4.7 to 1.87 by the end of the century.

The differences mean the world's population growth will increasingly take place in countries that are among the most vulnerable to environmental and economic hardship.

Already economically disadvantaged, these nations will need to provide jobs, housing, health care and services for rapidly growing populations at a time when the rest of the world does not.

On the other hand, those nations will be blessed with young people. They will be an increasingly valuable resource as other nations face the challenges of an aging population and declining workforce.

An older world, then a smaller world

Global fertility halved between 1950 and 2021, shrinking from 4.84 to 2.23.

The latest projections have it sinking below the replacement rate to somewhere between 1.59 and 2.08 by 2050, and then to between 1.25 and 1.96 by 2100.

The world has already seen peak births and peak primary-school-aged children.

In 2016, the world welcomed about 142 million live babies, and since then the number born each year has fallen. By 2021, it was about 129 million.

The global school-age population aged 6 to 11 years peaked at around 820 million in 2023.

The United Nations expects the world's population to peak at 10.6 billion in 2086, after which it will begin to fall.

Another forecast, produced as part of the impressive Global Burden of Disease study, has the peak occurring two decades earlier in 2064, with the world's population peaking at 9.73 billion.

Fewer babies is a sign of success

In many ways, a smaller world is to be welcomed.

The concern common in the 1960s and 1970s that the world's population was growing faster and faster and the world would soon be unable to feed itself has turned out to be misplaced.

Aside from occasional blips (China's birth rate in the Year of the Dragon) the fertility trend in just about every nation on Earth is downwards.

The world's population hasn't been growing rapidly for long. Before 1700 it grew by only about 0.04% per year. By 2100 it will have stabilized and started to fall, limiting the period of unusually rapid growth to four centuries.

In an important way, lower birth rates can be seen as a sign of success. The richer a society becomes and the more it is able to look after its seniors, the less important it becomes for each couple to have children to care for them in old age. This is a long-established theory with a name: the demographic transition.

For Australia, even with forecast immigration, lower fertility will mean changes.

The government's 2023 Intergenerational Report says that whereas there are now 3.7 Australians of traditional working age for each Australian aged 65 and over, by 2063 there will only be 2.6.

It will mean those 2.6 people will have to work smarter, perhaps with greater assistance from artificial intelligence.

Unless they decide to have more babies, which history suggests they won't.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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A Bangladeshi court orders a nationwide shutdown of schools on due to an ongoing heat wave.

A Bangladeshi court ordered a nationwide shutdown of schools on Monday due to an ongoing heat wave, the day after the government sent millions of children back to class despite searing temperatures.

Extensive scientific research has found climate change is causing heat waves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

Average temperatures in the capital Dhaka over the past week have been 4-5 degrees Celsius (7.2-9 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the 30-year average for the same period.

The government said at least seven people had died as a result of the extreme heat since the start of April, with maximum temperatures in the capital forecast to remain above 40 degrees until Thursday.

A two judge bench of the High Court passed an order "closing all primary and secondary schools and madrasas... due to the heat wave," deputy attorney general Sheikh Saifuzzaman told AFP.

Saifuzzaman said the court passed the order after it was told by lawyers that several teachers had died in the heat wave, without giving further details.

Bangladesh follows the Sunday-Thursday Islamic work week. The order directs schools to remain closed for an estimated 32 million students until the coming Sunday.

The government had imposed a weeklong national school closure beginning April 21 as the heat wave persisted, but lifted the order over the weekend.

Classes had resumed in Dhaka on Sunday with anxious relatives accompanying their children to the school gates.

"Keeping schools shut is difficult because the children don't want to study at home," mother Fatema Tuz Zohor told AFP on Sunday. "But how can they come to the schools in this heat?"

A child playfully takes a dip in a lake to get respite from the heat in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

'We will see more'

Bangladesh's weather bureau has said that temperatures would not recede until Thursday at the earliest.

Meteorologist Muhammad Abul Kalam Mallik told AFP on Sunday that Bangladesh had not seen such an intense heat wave since records began in 1948.

"It is a record as far as the duration and the coverage area in the country are concerned," he said, adding that the searing temperatures were affecting about three-quarters of the country.

Mallik said climate change and man-made causes including rapid urbanization, forest clearance, shrinking water bodies and increased usage of air conditioning were to blame.

"The trouble is, we will see more such severe heat waves in the future," he said.

Government medical officer Kazi Abdul Momin said that nine students and a teacher had been brought to a health clinic in his village Salitha after falling ill in the heat.

"Based on our assessment, they may have fallen ill due to the heat wave," he told AFP.

 2024 AFP
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture found bird flu in northeast Colorado dairy cows this week, according to state officials.

This is the first time avian flu has been diagnosed in Colorado cattle, the state Department of Agriculture said in its announcement.

Bird flu in dairy cows has been confirmed in eight other states, the USDA said. Those include Idaho, South Dakota, Kansas, New Mexico, Texas, Michigan, Ohio and North Carolina.

The Colorado State Veterinarian's Office was notified of a dairy herd exhibiting symptoms consistent with bird flu. Signs of avian flu in dairy cows include decreased eating, decreased milk production and abnormal colostrum-like milk. Sick cattle appear to recover after supportive care, state officials said.

Samples submitted to the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory tested presumptive positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, on Wednesday and were confirmed by the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory on Thursday, the state's news release said.

"We continue to see this ongoing HPAI outbreak evolve and over the last month have seen transmission of the virus now move into dairy cattle," said Colorado State Veterinarian Maggie Baldwin in a statement.

"While we don't yet completely understand the mechanism of transmission of this virus, we do know that it appears to be spreading from cow to cow and between herds. It is critically important that producers implement enhanced biosecurity measures to mitigate the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza."

A Michigan poultry facility and a Texas egg producer have both reported avian flu outbreaks, according to reporting from the Associated Press. Virus developments include infected dairy cows and the first known instance of a human contracting bird flu from a mammal, the AP reported

Colorado's avian flu response webpage will be updated with the state's plans for the ongoing outbreak. The state Department of Agriculture is working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to provide disease control guidance for people exposed in the outbreak, the news release said.

Colorado has 106 dairies and about 200,000 dairy cows.

At this time, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply because milk is pasteurized before entering the market, according to the USDA and FDA.

Despite health officials saying the risk to the public remains low, people are increasingly concerned in part because the largest producer of fresh eggs in the nation reported an outbreak, the AP reported.

Two human cases of bird flu have been reported in the United States: One in Colorado in 2022 and another in Texas in 2024. Both people had minimal symptoms following exposure to infected animals, the news release said.

"Both dairy and poultry producers should practice enhanced biosecurity and be vigilant about monitoring for and controlling disease in their herds and flocks," the news release read. "Additional detailed actions can be found in the USDA's livestock recommendations document, which will be updated as additional information is made available."

2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A landmark legal settlement has once again focused our attention on the dangers of "forever chemicals."

This class of chemicals, technically known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are widely used to make nonstick or waterproof products. The problem is, the chemicals move easily around the environment, pollute groundwater and rivers, are often carcinogenicand they don't degrade.

This month, one of the largest makers of these chemicals, 3M, had its offer of A$16 billion to clean up PFAS-contaminated waterways approved by a US court. It's just the latest in a series of PFAS lawsuits across the United States.

While increased attention is welcome, there's no guarantee of success. Removing and destroying PFAS from wastewater streams across a single US state, Minnesota, would cost a minimum of $21 billion over 20 years.

Globally, a recent report by the chemical safety nonprofit ChemSec found the costs of PFAS remediation alone amount to around $26 trillion per yearnot including rising health care costs from exposure to PFAS, or damage to the environment. The 3M settlement is just the tip of the iceberg.

The problem now is how to actually clean up these chemicalsand prevent further pollution.

Remediation is expensiveand uncertain

In Australia, contamination is worst in firefighter training grounds and on defense force bases, due to the long-term use of firefighting foams full of PFAS. The discovery of this contamination triggered a wave of lawsuits. The Department of Defense has since paid out more than $366 million in class action lawsuits.

Defense has also assumed responsibility for managing, remediating and monitoring PFAS contamination on and around its bases. In 2021, the department began to actively set about remediation.

That sounds promisingfind the pollution and fix the problem. But the reality is much more complicated.

A 2022 parliamentary inquiry described PFAS remediation as an emerging and experimental industry.

This is correct. There's a great deal of basic scientific research we have to do. This is not a simple problem. These chemicals seep into the soil and groundwaterand stay there. It's hard to get them out.

As a result, most remediation work at defense bases to date has been part of research and development, rather than a wide-scale permanent cleanup.

To help, the defense department has brought in three major industry partners, including Emerging Compounds Treatment Technologies. We don't know how they are doing the cleanup or if their methods work, as this information is not publicly accessible. The three companies have sought intellectual property protection to support their technological advantage in the growing PFAS remediation market.

One of the companies, Venetia, told the parliamentary inquiry, "[there] are still significant gaps in knowledge in keys areas such as human health toxicology, PFAS behavior in the environment and remediation of PFAS in soil and water."

PFAS is a much bigger problem

Significant PFAS contamination has now been reported in:

Melbourne's West Gate Tunnel construction site. Soil contamination at the most polluted site is hundreds of times worse than a threshold set by the state's environmental protection agency

Western Australian mines

WA waste management facilities

Southeast Queensland water reclamation plants

Perth's public and private airports

Operating and closed landfills.

The full extent of PFAS contamination in Australia is still emerging. Recent research has found Australia is one of several toxic hotspots for PFAS, relative to the rest of the world.

Worse, current monitoring practices are likely to be underestimating how much PFAS is lingering in the environment, given we usually only track a handful of these chemicalsout of more than 16,000.

Experts have called for "improved understanding of the range of PFAS embodied in consumer and industrial products [] to assess the environmental burden and develop mitigation measures."

The more we look, the more alarming the picture appears. Emerging research has found PFAS in consumer products such as cosmetics, packaging, waterproofing, inks, pesticides, medical articles, polishes and paints, metal plating, pipes and cables, mechanical components, electronics, solar cells, textiles and carpets.

The size and complexity of PFAS contamination suggests we are in for a very long and expensive process to begin cleaning it upespecially given we are still making and using these chemicals.

How should we respond?

To start addressing the problem, here are three important steps.

1. Introduce a "polluter pays" principle.

The introduction of this concept is what forced 3M to pay up in the US. Australia has yet to follow suit, which is why the public has been footing the bill. If we introduce this legal principle, manufacturers will have to take responsibility. This would make it much less attractive for companies to make polluting productsand shift the burden from taxpayers to the companies responsible. Australia's government is considering pursuing similar legal action against 3M.

2. Set PFAS contamination standards in line with other OECD countries, or better.

Earlier this month, the US implemented the first legally enforceable national drinking water standards for five PFAS compounds and two PFAS mixtures. Australia's current acceptable drinking water guidelines allow up to 140 times more PFAS in our water than these strict new US standards. In the US, these new standards are drawing new investment in remediation.

3. Take it seriously.

For years, many of us thought all you had to do to avoid PFAS was not to buy nonstick pans. But these chemicals are now everywhere. They're highly persistent and don't leave our bodies easily. Every single person on the planet is now likely to have detectable levels of PFAS in their blood. Reducing this dangerous chemical load is going to take a lot of work to clean up existing hotspots, stop further production, and prevent recirculation of PFAS in recycled products or in our food.

The 3M settlement is a good start. But it's only a start. Tackling this problem is going to be hard, but necessary.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Study site. a Spatial representation of the CSPG power system infrastructure. The snow-white areas are the regions under the CSPG jurisdiction. Segments represent existing interconnections. The pie charts illustrate the existing capacity mix for each province and are proportional to their province-wise capacity (shown beside each pie). All components of the power grid are modeled with GridPath. b The map illustrates the river basins whose hydropower dams feed the China Southern Power Grid (CSPG). These basins are the Mekong, Nujiang, and Red (transboundary) and the Yangtze, Pearl, Qionglei and Southeast Guangxi Coastal river basins (QSGCRB). All riparian countries in which the transboundary basins flow are shown on the map. Existing (operated in 2020) and planned dams are represented by blue and red circles, respectively. The inset provides a more detailed illustration of the dams planned in the Mekong, Nujiang, and Yangtze. Credit: Communications Earth & Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-024-01363-1

Environmentalists rejoiced when China announced its commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2060, but the decarbonization of Chinawhich emits 27% of global carbon dioxide and a third of the world's greenhouse gasesmay come with hidden costs and hard environmental choices, according to new research.

In a paper published in Communications Earth & Environment, Stefano Galelli, associate professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, in Cornell Engineering, and colleagues attempt to quantify how decarbonizing the China Southern Power Grid, which provides electricity to more than 300 million people, will negatively impact river basins, most of which run from China into downstream countries, and will reduce the amount of cropland in China.

"If we think of any major technological change, they always have costs and unintended consequences," Galelli said. "The sooner we realize and address them, the more sustainable and equitable the energy transition will be. We have to do it right."

Decarbonizing the grid by 2060 may be technically feasible but would require building several dams for hydropower production (roughly 32 GW) and converting about 40,000 square kilometers of cropland to support growth in solar and wind, Galelli said. Most of the dams would be placed on transboundary rivers, meaning those shared by two or more countries, resulting in potential negative ecological impacts in both China and downstream countries.

"A fundamental problem is these dams will alter the river flow," Galelli said. "Changing the way water flows in the river has huge impacts on the riverine ecosystems and the communities that rely on them."

Two major transboundary river basins that will be impacted are the Salween and Mekong, both major biodiversity hotspots, Galelli said. The Salween is shared by China (upstream) and Myanmar; the Mekong by China (upstream), Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnamthus, the impacts of additional damming are shared.

As an example, he said, Cambodia's Lower Mekong Basin is the center of that country's inland fishing industry. Cambodia has one of the world's largest inland fisheries, a main source of protein for the population of 16.8 million. With more than 100 large hydropower dams already on the Mekong River and its tributaries, and several more planned or under construction, the implications associated with China building additional dams must be considered, Galelli said.

Dams block the transport of sediments and nutrients from the upper reaches to the river mouth, and this reduces the productivity of ecosystems and fisheries. Blocking the transport of sediments also affects river deltas: If sediments do not reach the delta, saline intrusion becomes a bigger problem. Dams can also impact migratory fish species.

"The costs may outstrip the benefits," he said. "It would be important to account for these impacts when planning large-scale decarbonization efforts."

Decarbonization would also lead to ecological and sociological trade-offs in terms of land use, he said.

China's President Xi Jinping has ramped up efforts and rhetoric around food security, emphasizing self-sufficient food production in lieu of relying so heavily on imports. But with 18% of the world's population and only 10% of the planet's arable land, that's a tall orderone made even tougher with more land given over to support solar and wind power.

"Excluding sites that are protectedcities and national parks, for instancewhat you're left with is cropland on which to build solar and wind power," Galelli said.

And with China's electric vehicle industry seeing stratospheric growthChina now leads global electric vehicle salesdemand for electricity will continue to rise. Coal power plants have historically been the dominant source of electricity for the China Southern Power Gridbut building enough wind and solar arrays to replace the electricity supply guaranteed by conventional coal plants will take up a lot of space, Galelli said.

And that space required for the construction of solar and wind plants may not be equitably divvied up. Their research shows that 43% of the total land requirements would likely be focused on the Guangxi province, where crops and grassland constitute the vast majority of the land. This might be a heavy burden for the province and result in significant ecological, social, and financial costs to local communities.

Many new solar technologies are being developed, he said. Floating solar panels could cover some of the surface of lakes behind existing and planned dams (fully covering the surface of these lakes would impede their oxygenation). Solar on roofs is also viable, but in general represents a small amount of surface area and can be plagued by mechanical problems.

Galelli lists agrivoltaics, which combines solar with agricultural activities; carbon sequestration from gas and coal plants; more efficient batteries; and electricity demand management as other promising technologies.

"Our work is based on a projection of need in 2060, but need is not set or known, and 36 years is a lot of time for technical innovation," he said.

As we make strides toward decarbonizing, he said, China is at the forefront.

"Doing it in strategic ways is very important. We have to start with ones that are less impactful," Galelli said. "We can make decisions that balance decarbonization efforts with the protection of local communities, water and land resources."

More information: Xiaoyu Jin et al, China Southern Power Grid's decarbonization likely to impact cropland and transboundary rivers, Communications Earth & Environment (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-024-01363-1 Journal information: Communications Earth & Environment
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Sampling of the tubeworms Galeolaria caespitosa and G. gemineoa in southern Australia (inset A), a marine biodiversity hotspot with accelerated warming. Species' ranges overlap at all but the northernmost locations. Inset B shows a typical colony with adults retracted into tubes at low tide (left), and different sexes releasing eggs (top right) or sperm (bottom right) after extraction from tubes. Curves at bottom right are the density distributions of sea surface temperature at locations sampled for each species (measured daily from 2010 to 2018 by remote sensing; www.ghrsst.org), with dashed lines showing medians. Credit: Evolution (2024). DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae012

Monash University scientists have uncovered insights into how rising temperatures influence the reproductive interactions and species boundaries of marine organisms.

As climate change continues to reshape ecosystems, a new study from the Faculty of Science at Monash University sheds light on the complex interplay between temperature, parental sex and reproductive barriers in marine tubeworms, known as Galeolaria, from southern Australia's fast-warming biodiversity hotspot.

Galeolaria tubeworms are foundation species found on the rocky shores of temperate Australia. The tubeworms build and occupy dense colonies of stony tubes, which enhance coastal biodiversity by providing habitat and refuge from heat stress for species that would not otherwise persist there.

The study, published in Evolution, was motivated by the fact that climate change is altering species ranges and interactions, providing species with new opportunities to mate and hybridize.

The research team examined a range of barriers to reproduction across the life stages of two Galeolaria species, spanning different temperature ranges from Cape Otway in Victoria all the way up to Tathra in New South Wales. This region is globally recognized for its marine biodiversity and is also warming much faster than the global average rate.

The findings indicate that reproductive barriers between the species are weaker at the fertilization and embryogenesis stage, but become stronger and more temperature-sensitive during the larval development stage.

Importantly, the study also reveals asymmetry in barriers between parental sexes, suggesting a complex interplay between thermal niche differentiation and maternal inheritance.

Senior author Dr. Keyne Monro from Monash University School of Biological Sciences explains, "Our research highlights the pivotal role of temperature in shaping reproductive isolation between species of Galeolaria. As temperatures rise, we observe shifts in the strength of reproductive barriers, with significant implications for the future dynamics of species interactions and biodiversity.

"Our findings point to a key role for temperature in reproductive isolation, but also challenges for predicting the fate of isolation in future climates."

The study underscores the importance of understanding the environmental and biological factors that influence reproductive isolation, particularly in the context of climate change.

By examining barriers across multiple life stages and environmental conditions, researchers can gain valuable insights into the mechanisms driving species sensitivities to climate and species hybridization.

"Our findings emphasize the need for comprehensive assessments of reproductive barriers across diverse environments," says co-author Associate Professor Kay Hodgins from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences.

"This knowledge is crucial for predicting the fate of species boundaries and guiding conservation efforts in a rapidly changing world.

"By unraveling the intricate relationship between temperature, reproductive barriers, and species interactions, scientists are better equipped to protect and preserve marine biodiversity in the face of environmental change," said Dr. Hodgins.

As marine ecosystems face unprecedented challenges from climate change, studies like this provide essential insights into the adaptive strategies and ecological dynamics of marine organisms.

More information: Cristobal Gallegos et al, Temperature and sex shape reproductive barriers in a climate change hotspot, Evolution (2024). DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae012 Journal information: Evolution
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Einstein Probes wide eyes capture the Milky Way in X-ray light. Credit: EPSC, NAO/CAS; DSS; ESO

The first images captured by the innovative mission were presented at the 7th workshop of the Einstein Probe consortium in Beijing. They illustrate the satellite's full potential and show that its novel optics, which mimic a lobster's eyes, are ready to monitor the X-ray sky. The space X-ray telescope zoomed in on a few well-known celestial objects to give us a hint of what the mission is capable of.

Launched on 9 January 2024, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) spacecraft Einstein Probe joins ESA's XMM-Newton and JAXA's XRISM in their quest to discover the universe in X-ray light. The mission is a collaboration led by CAS with ESA, the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) (Germany), and the National Center for Space Studies (CNES) (France).

In the months since liftoff, the mission operations team has been performing the necessary tests to confirm the spacecraft's functionality and calibrating the scientific instruments. During this crucial phase, Einstein Probe captured scientific data from various X-ray sources.

These first-light images demonstrate the outstanding capabilities of Einstein Probe's two scientific instruments. The Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) can observe a panorama of nearly one-eleventh of the celestial sphere in one shot, while the more sensitive Follow-up X-ray Telescope (FXT) offers close-ups and can pinpoint short-lived events caught by WXT.

"I am delighted to see the first observations from Einstein Probe, which showcase the mission's ability to study wide expanses of the X-ray sky and quickly discover new celestial sources," says Prof. Carole Mundell, ESA Director of Science.

"These early data give us a tantalizing glimpse of the high-energy dynamic universe that will soon be within reach of our science communities. Congratulations to the science and engineering teams at CAS, MPE, CNES and ESA for their hard work in reaching this important milestone."

The capability of the mission to promptly spot new X-ray sources and monitor how they change over time is fundamental to improving our grasp of the most energetic processes in the cosmos. Powerful X-rays are blasted through the universe when neutron stars collide, supernovas explode, and matter is swallowed by black holes or ejected from the crushing magnetic fields that envelop them.

Lobster eyes monitoring the universe

Einstein Probe's WXT instrument consists of 12 modules featuring the novel lobster-eye technology that was tested in flight in 2022 by the technology demonstrator LEIA (Lobster Eye Imager for Astronomy). The 12 modules provide a field of view of more than 3,600 square degrees, allowing Einstein Probe to monitor the whole night sky in just three orbits.

Illustration of the Einstein Probe spacecraft. Credit: European Space Agency

During its first months in space, WXT started its work of keeping a watchful eye on the X-ray sky. Detections of energetic objects look like a lit-up plus sign due to the way the instrument's novel lobster-eye optics work. The first X-ray transient sourcean astronomical object that is not continuously shining but pops up and fades againwas discovered on 19 February. This candidate gamma-ray burst lasted for 100 seconds. Einstein Probe discovered another 14 temporary X-ray sources and also captured X-rays 127 flaring stars.

During the mission, the wide-field instrument's findings will guide a range of ground- and space-based telescopes to perform follow-up observations in multiple wavelength bands. X-ray follow-up observations can also be obtained using the satellite's FXT instrument.

Rapid follow-up observations

Einstein Probe's FXT instrument has a set of two X-ray telescopes for detailed studies of X-ray-emitting objects and events. During the past months, FXT has proved to be a trustworthy instrument to observe a range of X-ray sources. The first images bring into new focus a supernova remnant, an elliptical galaxy, a globular cluster and a nebula.

Remarkably, FXT already performed a follow-up observation of an X-ray event spotted by WXT on 20 March 2024.

"It is astounding that even though the instruments were not yet fully calibrated, we could already perform a time-critical follow-up observation using the FXT instrument of a fast X-ray transient first spotted by WXT," explains Dr. Erik Kuulkers, ESA's Einstein Probe Project Scientist. "It shows what Einstein Probe will be capable of during its survey."

What's next?

In the coming months, Einstein Probe will continue to undergo in-orbit calibration activities before starting its routine science observations around mid-June. During the three-year mission, the satellite will circle Earth at a height of 600 km and keep its eyes on the sky searching for transitory X-ray events. Using the FXT follow-up telescope, the mission will look deeper at newly detected events and other known interesting objects.

Einstein Probe's capabilities are highly complementary to the in-depth studies of individual cosmic sources enabled by XMM-Newton and XRISM. Its survey is fundamental to prepare for X-ray observations by ESA's future NewAthena mission, currently under study and set to be the largest X-ray observatory ever built.
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Shen Yiqin, Chinese State Councilor and president of the All-China Women's Federation, attends an award ceremony for young female scientists in Beijing, capital of China, April 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

An award dedicated to young female scientists was presented to 20 individuals and five teams in Beijing on Sunday.

Shen Yiqin, Chinese State Councilor and president of the All-China Women's Federation, attended the award ceremony.

Shen encouraged female scientists to remain dedicated to science and scale new heights in scientific research.

She also called on the talented young minds to play an important role in China's efforts to achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, develop new quality productive forces and promote high-quality development.

Established in 2004, the award has been given to 204 outstanding women in the science field.
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Activists burn a portrait of US President Joe Biden and G7 leaders during a demonstration against the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment held in Turin, on April 28.

G7 energy ministers have agreed a time frame for phasing out coal-fired power plants, a British minister said Monday, as the UN warned "excuses" for failing to take bold actions on climate change were "not acceptable".

The Group of Seven meeting in Turin is the first big political session since the world pledged at the UN's COP28 climate summit in December to transition away from coal, oil and gas.

On the first of the two days of talks, energy and ecological transition ministers from the G7 agreed to committing to a common target of shutting down coal-fired power plants, according to British Nuclear and Renewables Minister Andrew Bowie.

"We do have an agreement to phase out coal in the first half of the 2030s", Bowie told CNBC on the sidelines in Turin, calling it "an historic agreement".

A European source confirmed to AFP the G7 looked likely to commit to close the plants "in the first half of the 2030s".

The latest G7 draft commits to "phase out existing unabated coal power generation in our energy systems during the first half of 2030s or in a timeline consistent with keeping a limit of 1.5C temperature rise within reach, in line with countries' net zero pathways", the source said.

Asked to confirm a deal for a phase out by 2035, Italian Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said the timeline was "a hypothesis".

"There is a technical agreement on it, but we are working on the political aspect," he told journalists.

A French political source told AFP "we're moving towards an ambitious agreement, in particular on the effective phase-out of coal".

An agreement on a fixed time frame would be hailed as an important step.

UN climate chief Simon Stiell earlier Monday urged the highly industrialised countries to use their political clout, wealth and technologies to end fossil fuel use.

"It is utter nonsense to claim the G7 cannotor should notlead the way on bolder climate actions," Stiell, who leads the United Nations climate change organisation, told the ministers.

Climate change hotspot

The talks come as a new report by a global climate institute shows the G7which includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the USis falling far short of its targets.

A new report by a global climate institute shows the G7 is falling far short of its targets. .

Hundreds of protesters demonstrated in Turin on Sunday, some burning photos of the G7 leaders they accuse of failing future generations.

Environmentalists want to know how the energy and environment ministers intend to follow through on pledges, such as the agreement at COP28 in Dubai to double energy efficiency rates and triple renewable capacity by 2030.

Rome, which holds the G7 rotating presidency this year, wants Turin to be "a strategic link" between last year's UN climate talks and COP29, which will take place in November in Azerbaijan.

Italy, a climate change hotspot vulnerable to wildfires, drought and glacier retreat, is putting "biodiversity, ecosystems, warming seas" high on the agenda, according to Italian Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin.

Ministers are discussing "renewables, energy efficiency, phasing out fossil fuels" as well as "research for next-generation nuclear power, fusion, the circular economy, critical raw materials, biofuels," he said.

The G7 was expected in its final statement Tuesday to commit to reducing plastic production in order to tackle the global scourge of pollution, France's ecological transition ministry said.

Plastics are found everywhere from mountaintops to ocean depths, and in human blood and breast milk.

'More ambitious'

Together the G7 makes up around 38 percent of the global economy and was responsible for 21 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, according to the Climate Analytics policy institute.

Not one member of the group is on track to meet existing emission reduction targets for 2030, the institute said last week.

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) called on the G7 Monday to adopt "significantly more ambitious plans to cut emissions".

"We are seeing islands being swallowed by the seas, and record-breaking temperatures making essential activities like farming unbearable," it said.

Climate watchers hope for more funds for adaptation to climate change, and Italy said the G7 would discuss "innovative" financing models amid calls for more accessible finance for vulnerable countries.

The UN's Stiell said the G7 needed to see "a quantum leap in climate finance as core business".

"'Challenging budget conditions' is not an acceptable excuse for failing to deliver substantial new public climate finance pledges," he told the ministers.

 2024 AFP
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Synthesis of Y 0.5 Ce 0.5 hydrides at extreme conditions (high pressure and high temperature). a Schematic diagram of the experimental setup for the measurements. The arrows represent the laser beam directions for the Raman scattering and heating measurements. b Optical micrographs of the sample chambers containing NH 3 BH 3 (AB) and Pt electrodes in the representative cells (Cell-6 and Cell-7) before and after laser heating. The edges of Y-Ce film are marked with the red lines, and the blue arrows in the right photos indicate the parts with apparent changes after heating. c Raman spectra for the synthesized Y 0.5 Ce 0.5 hydrides collected at the apparent-changing parts (blue arrows in the right Fig. 1b) in the sample chamber. The Raman bands of the diamond and H 2 after laser heating are presented. The low-frequency Raman spectra are scaled for the clarity. Credit: Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46133-x

Science is taking a step forward in the quest for superconductors that will not require ultra-high pressure to function, thanks to multinational research led by Xiaojia Chen at the University of Houston.

"It has long been superconductivity researchers' goal to ease or even eliminate the critical controls currently required regarding temperature and pressure," said Chen, the M.D. Anderson Professor of Physics at UH's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and a principal investigator at the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH.

The evolution toward eliminating the current special handling now required by superconductive materialwhich is defined as material that offers little or no impedance from electrical resistance or magnetic fieldshints that the potential for radical boosts in efficiency for certain processes in research, health care, industry, and other commercial enterprises might become reality before long.

But currently, the conditions needed for successful superconductivity outstretch the resources of many potential users, even many research laboratories.

Chen explains that lowering the accessible pressure for superconductivity is one important goal of the current studies on hydrides. "But the experiments are still challenged in providing a set of convincing evidence," he said.

"For example, rare-earth hydrides have been reported to exhibit superconductivity near room temperature. This is based on the observations of two essential characteristicsthe zero-resistance state and the Meissner effect," Chen said.

(The Meissner effect, discovered in 1933, recognizes a decrease or reverse in magnetism as a material achieves superconductivity, providing physicists with a method to measure the change.)

"However, these superconducting rare-earth materials performed on target only at extremely high pressures. To make progress, we have to reduce synthesis pressure as low as possible, ideally to atmosphere conditions," Chen explained.

Chen's team found their breakthrough with their choice of conductive mediaalloys of hydride, which are lab-made metallic substances that include hydrogen molecules with two electrons. Specifically, they worked with yttrium-cerium hydrides (Y 0.5 Ce 0.5 H 9 ) and lanthanum-cerium hydrides (La 0.5 Ce 0.5 H 10 ).

The inclusion of Cerium (Ce) was seen to make a key difference.

"These observations were suggested due to the enhanced chemical pre-compression effect through the introduction of the Ce element in these superhydrides," Chen explained.

Two journal articles detail the team's findings. The more recent, in Nature Communications, focuses on yttrium-cerium hydrides; the other, in Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, concentrates on lanthanum-cerium hydrides.

The team has found these superconductors can maintain relatively high transition temperatures. In other words, the lanthanum-cerium hydrides and yttrium-cerium hydrides are capable of superconductivity in less extreme conditions (at lower pressure but maintaining relatively higher transition temperature) than has been accomplished before.

"This moves us forward in our evolution toward a workable and relatively available superconductive media," Chen said. "We subjected our findings to multiple measurements of the electrical transport, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and theoretical calculations. The tests confirmed that our results remain consistent."

"This finding points to a route toward high-temperature superconductivity that can be accessible in many current laboratory settings," Chen explained. The hydride research moves the frontier far beyond the recognized standard set by copper oxides (also known as cuprates).

"We still have a way to go to reach truly ambient conditions. The goal remains to achieve superconductivity at room temperature and in pressure equivalent to our familiar ground-level atmosphere. So the research goes on," Chen said.

More information: Liu-Cheng Chen et al, Synthesis and superconductivity in yttrium-cerium hydrides at high pressures, Nature Communications (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46133-x Ge Huang et al, Synthesis of superconducting phase of La0.5Ce0.5H10 at high pressures, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter (2023). DOI: 10.1088/1361-648X/ad0915 Journal information: Nature Communications
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

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 companiesanalysis 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 it's 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 couldn't 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 they've caused over a set period. The legislation's name references the 1980 federal Superfund law that forces polluters to pay for the cleanup of toxic waste sites.

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 it's 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 industry's 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 isn't 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. What's 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.

Vermont's 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 summer's 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 bill's 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 chamber's 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.

"It's not intended to be punitive, it's intended to pay for our needs," said Flagg, the New York Senate staffer. "It's 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. We're 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 Heede's "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 hasn't 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 event's 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 don't for a minute think there's 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 that's 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."

2024 States Newsroom. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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Many schools say anti-racism and equity initiatives matter for quality education, yet specific plans are often wanting. In 2023, the not-for-profit organization People for Education reported that 73% of schools included anti-racism and equity in their school improvement plan, but only 28% of school boards actually have an anti-racism policy, strategy or approach.

More work is needed from school boards to support anti-racist teaching and learning. However, in the interim, what can classroom teachers do to create equitable and anti-racist classrooms that meet their racialized students' needs?

We are two researchers and educators whose work has explored anti-racist approaches to teaching literature. We are interested in how literature engages students in powerful conversations about topics like grit, determination and hope and what resilience may look like for racialized students in Canadian schools as they face social and systemic barriers.

While literary texts can nurture deep understandings about racism and power, it's not enough to provide students with racially and culturally diverse reading material. Depending on how teachers use a text in the classroom, it is equally possible to perpetuate harm as it is to empower racialized students.

Educators must adopt anti-racist teaching approaches that work towards holistic education models rooted in community practices.

6 ways to be an anti-racist educator video from Edutopia.

Systemic racism

Systemic racism refers to how various institutions in society are built on beliefs and values that perpetuate white supremacy.

Systemic racism appears in schools in various ways, including a lack of culturally relevant classroom materials. Black feminism scholar Robyn Maynard explains that for Black youth, in particular, schools tend to be their first encounter with the organized and systemic devaluation of Blackness present in society at large.

Anti-racist education in schools is crucial for increasing racialized student agency and students' abilities to thrive in classrooms. For non-racialized students, anti-racist teachings allow them to unpack how systems of oppression perpetuate divides and how they may be impacted by these systems. By identifying these systems, students can work towards effective change.

Defining student success

While dominant understanding of the purpose of education tends to measure student success based on academic grades and transferable career skills, it is important to view student success as intimately related to self-expression and fostering community.

The scholar and educator bell hooks reminds us that classrooms are spaces of radical possibility that can create space for student joy and freedom. Student success then translates into creating environments where students can realize their passions and work towards possibilities of self expression and collaborative expression.

Why English class?

As the late Cree lawyer and author Harold Johnson explains in "The Power of Story: On Truth, the Trickster and New Fictions for a New Era," "story is power." Stories allow us to reflect on the past, present and future while connecting with others.

Counter-storiesnarratives about marginalized groups not commonly heard in society that challenge social, racial and cultural stereotypescan be empowering for racialized and marginalized students because they help readers understand they're not alone. These also provide an avenue for students to discuss topics related to marginalization without directly addressing their own experiences.

Stories can also provide teachings to contribute to holistic forms of education and foster empathy for others.

When educators and students study narrative structures, they find a starting point to understand different power dynamics in our world.

English teachers can support students to pay attention to the finer details of literary texts to make informed observations and analysisto "close-read" texts as a way to address the limitations of their readerly perspective and expand this. Close-reading can help students find points of connection and difference between themselves and the text, including stories and characters that represent themes about race and racism.

Anti-racist practice: two areas of focus

We recommend that English language arts teachers build their anti-racist practices in two areas: by developing their own racial consciousness as people making decisions about teaching and learning, and by prioritizing student empowerment. The ideas here are also beneficial for parents or people in the wider community who are interested in anti-racist learning.

1. Practice becoming self-aware of how your identities impact your values, beliefs and lived experiences.

Engaging with diverse literary texts can help teachers develop an anti-racist teaching practice by providing a concrete way to reflect on their "positionality"how identities across various categories impact our values, beliefs and lived experiences. Kimberle Crenshaw's work on intersectionality highlights how where we are positioned in society with regards to different identities maps onto systems of power and oppression. Critically reflecting on our values, beliefs and lived experiences as they relate to various facets of our identities is a key part of developing a conscious understanding of different ways you do or do not hold privileges.

Being self-aware shapes how you relate to a text. This can lead to deeper insights into how to navigate student relationships and curriculum.

2. Find community resources.

To develop your anti-racist lens, look to community resources. What groups are available to support anti-racist and anti-oppressive learning in your community? What are local grassroots organizations or libraries doing? Are there community conversation groups with elders, parents and youth? Are there social obstacles impacting specific intersections of identity, and how do those barriers look in your community? Invite guest speakers into the classroom and model creating generational connections. Demonstrate to students what respectful collaboration can look like.

3. Foster student agency.

Diverse stories allow students to enter conversations about inequity through narratives that resonate with them without demanding students share their personal narratives.

When teachers come prepared with community and academic resources, students can exercise their agency to access knowledge.

If teachers present alternative assessment strategies, students can build on their understanding by using their strengths as learners. They can also work towards teaching their peers.

4. Create bridges between students.

A competency for intercultural teaching is creating opportunities for peer learning and interaction among diverse learners.

Using stories that discuss power hierarchies, including but not limited to racism, can build bridges between learners with different intersectional identities. These stories become a common place of discussion that create opportunities for peer-to-peer connection without asking racialized and other marginalized students to disclose their personal narratives.

To encourage peer learning, invite students to use close-reading to help articulate their understandings of race and privilege based on their unique perspectives.

Recommended books

If you are looking to incorporate some Canada-based books to discuss forms of racism and connections to school, here are some recommendations:

How to Pronounce Knife by Souvankham Thammavongsa

Scarborough by Catherine Hernandez

Fire Song by Adam Garnet Jones

Dear Current Occupant by Chelene Knight

Home of the Floating Lily by Silmy Abdullah

Brother by David Chariandy

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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A mathematical link between two key equationsone that deals with the very big and the other, the very smallhas been developed by a young mathematician in China.

The mathematical discipline known as differential geometry is concerned with the geometry of smooth shapes and spaces. With roots going back to antiquity, the field flourished in the early 20th century, enabling Einstein to develop his general theory of relativity and other physicists to develop quantum field theory and the Standard Model of particle physics.

Gao Chen, a 29-year-old mathematician at the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, specializes in a branch known as complex differential geometry. Its complexity is not in dealing with complicated structures, but rather because it is based on complex numbersa system of numbers that extends everyday numbers by including the square root of -1.

This area appeals to Chen because of its connections with other fields. "Complex differential geometry lies at the intersection of analysis, algebra, and mathematical physics," he says. "Many tools can be used to study this area."

Chen has now found a new link between two important equations in the field: the KahlerEinstein equation, which describes how mass causes curvature in spacetime in general relativity, and the HermitianYangMills equation, which underpins the Standard Model of particle physics.

Chen was inspired by his Ph.D. supervisor Xiuxiong Chen of New York's Stony Brook University, to take on the problem. "Finding solutions to the HermitianYangMills and the KahlerEinstein equations are considered the most important advances in complex differential geometry in previous decades," says Gao Chen. "My results provide a connection between these two key results."

"The Kahler Einstein equation describes very large things, as large as the universe, whereas the HermitianYangMills equation describes tiny things, as small as quantum phenomena," explains Gao Chen. "I've built a bridge between these two equations." Gao Chen notes that other bridges existed previously, but that he has found a new one.

"This bridge provides a new key, a new tool for theoretical research in this field," Gao Chen adds. His paper describing this bridge was published in the journal Inventiones mathematicae in 2021.

In particular, the finding could find use in string theorythe leading contender of theories that researchers are developing in their quest to unite quantum physics and relativity. "The deformed HermitianYangMills equation that I studied plays an important role in the study of string theory," notes Gao Chen.

Gao Chen now has his eyes set on other important problems, including one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems. These are considered the most challenging in the field by mathematicians and carry a $1 million prize for a correct solution. "In the future, I hope to tackle a generalization of the KahlerEinstein equation," he says. "I also hope to work on other Millennium Prize problems, including the Hodge conjecture."

Provided by University of Science and Technology of China
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A study published in Oryx sheds light on the status of Mongolian gazelle populations across Mongolia, Russia, and China, revealing both successes and challenges in the conservation efforts of this iconic species

Led by a team of dedicated researchers, the study provides the first global population estimates and highlights the threats facing gazelles in their range states.

The study presents the first nearly range-wide estimate of Mongolian gazelle populations obtained from ground-based surveys across Mongolia and Russia, supplemented with anecdotal accounts of their status in China. The findings underscore Mongolia's crucial role as a stronghold for gazelles, hosting approximately 99% of the global population, estimated at around 2.14 million individuals. These results reveal that Mongolian gazelle are one of the most numerous open-plain ungulates on the planet.

However, amidst Mongolia's rapid development increasing linear infrastructure development, expanding livestock numbers, habitat degradation, and disease spillover pose significant challenges to the species' survival.

Dr. Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar (Buuvei), WCS Mongolia Senior Scientist and lead author of the study, stresses the importance of adopting comprehensive management strategies to mitigate these threats and preserve gazelle populations.

"With the vast population size and extensive range of gazelles in Mongolia, a broad range of management options remain viable," said Dr. Buuvei "It is imperative that we dedicate resources to maintain and potentially enhance their current status."

"Globally, these vast herds of Mongolian gazelle that still roam the Mongolian steppe are a unique phenomenon, the sheer size of the herds and their long-distance movements are unique," Tserendeleg Dashpurev, Director of Hustai National Park said.

"While Mongolian gazelles are still abundant in the Mongolian steppe, the construction of new railroads threatens to dissect the vast open landscape into several parts," wildlife ecologist Nandintsetseg Dejid of the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (SBiK-F) in Germany and a co-author of this study says.

"If the new railroads are fenced without sufficient wildlife crossing structures, the Mongolian gazelle population could collapse and the largest remaining nomadic system on Earth could be in danger," she says.

"With 2 million Mongolian gazelles, thousands of nomadic people, and millions of livestock at risk, the government of Mongolia and all stakeholders to consider carefully the full ecological and economic benefits of building the new railways. It's essential to ensure that the new railways provide sufficient wildlife crossing structures to avoid a dramatic decline in population abundance of Mongolian gazelles in the steppe," Dejid says.

Galsandorj Naranbaatar, a co-author and researcher at the Institute of Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, emphasizes "the need for collaborative efforts among range countries to establish a unified approach, including the implementation of a standardized survey protocol for monitoring gazelle populations. Such initiatives are pivotal in guiding transboundary conservation efforts aimed at preserving this majestic species."

The ecosystem services they provide include redistributing nutrients as they traverse landscapes, sustaining forage diversity, and serving as prey for predators. Culturally and economically significant, they have been hunted by rural populations for subsistence, and their presence on the steppes instills pride while also offering income opportunities through eco-tourism.

The publication recommends the development and implementation of a comprehensive species management plan across the entirety of the gazelle's range. This proactive approach would address the multifaceted challenges facing gazelle populations and secure their long-term viability.

The findings presented in Oryx represent a clarion call for action, urging stakeholders to collaborate and implement targeted conservation strategies to protect gazelles and their habitats. WCS Mongolia along with partners are currently working in Eastern Mongolia to safeguard the species.

The team is monitoring the status and movement of Mongolian gazellesgaining a clear understanding of their nomadic routes and key important routes to safeguard. We are also working with an inter-ministry working groupincluding the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, and the Ministry of Road and Transport Developmentand have created standards for railways and fencing.

Dr. Justine Shanti Alexander, WCS Mongolia Country Director, said, "We are committed to working with partners to protecting the Mongolian gazelle and Mongolia's intact grasslands. This study highlights more than ever the need to ensure connectivity of these flagship species."

More information: Bayarbaatar Buuveibaatar et al, Assessment of the global population size of the Mongolian gazelle Procapra gutturosa, Oryx (2024). DOI: 10.1017/S0030605323001515 Journal information: Oryx
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Uniaxial in situ microcompression tests on the SC TiO 2 at RT, 600C, and 600C preloading/RT compression at a constant strain rate of 5  103 s1.(A to D) A representative stress-strain curve of SC TiO 2 tested at RT. The pillars experienced brittle failure at the strain of ~3% accompanied by the propagation of cracks. (E to H) For micropillars tested at 600C, the shear band emerged at the strain of 6%. Evident shear bands were generated with successive compression without brittle failure. (I to L) Micropillars were first compressed at 600C to the yield point and cooled to the RT. During the RT compression test, flow stress increased continuously to 6.5 GPa, accompanied by serrations and load drops. Shear bands were generated, and the compressive strain reached 10% without brittle failure. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4079

Researchers in Purdue University's College of Engineering have developed and validated a patent-pending method that could expand the industrial applications of ceramics by making them more plastically deformable at room temperature.

Plasticity or plastic deformability is a material's ability to be deformed by compression, tension or shear into a specific shape or geometry without breaking. Typically, ceramic materials exhibit very limited plastic deformability under room temperature.

Haiyan Wang and Xinghang Zhang lead a Purdue team whose method improves ceramic room-temperature plastic deformability by first introducing high-density defects in brittle ceramics under high temperatures. Wang is the Basil S. Turner Professor of Engineering and Zhang is a professor of materials engineering in Purdue's School of Materials Engineering.

"Such a strategy can prominently improve the room-temperature plastic deformability of ceramics, and holds the promise to inject ductility, or the ability to be drawn into near net shape, of ceramics in the near future," Zhang said.

The research has been published in Science Advances. This approach complements their previous research about improving ceramic plastic deformability via the method of flash sintering, which was published in a 2018 issue of Nature Communications.

"Not all ceramic materials can be processed by the flash sintering method," Wang said. "This new method can be generalized to nearly all ceramic materials."

Ceramics: Beneficial, yet brittle

Ceramic materials are used as structural materials in industries like aerospace, transportation, power plants and manufacturing; and in applications such as bearings in engines and machines, capacitors, electrical insulating materials, electrodes in batteries and fuel cells, and thermal barrier coatings in high-temperature machines.

They are mechanically strong and chemically inert; resist wear and corrosion; insulate against heat and electricity; and are harder, and have higher melting points, than metals. These attributes mean ceramic materials can be used to cut metals or contain molten metals and sustain high stresses at high temperatures.

Ceramics also are brittle at room temperature; they bend only at high enough temperatures when dislocation activity can be activated. Metals, by contrast, bend without breaking at room temperature.

Wang said ceramics have few dislocations, causing their brittle nature. Dislocations are defects in materials that change the arrangement of atoms in a structure.

"A dislocation can glide within crystals to enable plastic deformability at certain stress levels," Wang said. "However, in ceramic materials, it is difficult to nucleate dislocations at room temperature, as the fracture stress in ceramics is much less than the stress to nucleate dislocations at such temperatures."

Zhang said, "In contrast, metallic materials are ductile because they easily nucleate a very high density of dislocations. And dislocations are mobile in metals at room temperature, significantly improving their ductility. So the way to improve plasticity for ceramics is to nucleate abundant dislocations in ceramics before we start to deform them."

Technique to improve ductility

Wang said extensive efforts have been made to enhance the deformability of ceramics, but with only limited success.

The Purdue team has introduced dislocations into ceramic materials by preloading them during deformation at high temperatures. Chao Shen, a graduate student on the team, said once the ceramic specimens are cooled, the dislocations improve the plasticity of ceramics at room temperature.

"This method is more widely applicable to a broad range of ceramics than the method of flash sintering, since not all ceramic materials can be processed by flash sintering," Wang said. "Preloading dislocations may also be much easier to scale up in practice for large-scale processing and treatment of ceramics than flash sintering."

The technique has been tested and validated in their laboratory on various ceramic systems and ceramic pillars of different dimensions.

"After the preloading treatment, single-crystal titanium dioxide exhibited a substantial increase in deformability, achieving 10% strain at room temperature," Zhang said. "Aluminum oxide also showed plastic deformability, 6% to 7.5% strain, using the preloading technique."

The research teamincluding Wang, Zhang and R. Edwin Garcia, professor of materials engineering, and their graduate studentswill collaborate with industry on large-scale demonstrations of this approach in various ceramics systems.

Wang and Zhang disclosed the innovation to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, which has applied for a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to protect the intellectual property.

More information: Chao Shen et al, Achieving room temperature plasticity in brittle ceramics through elevated temperature preloading, Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4079 Journal information: Nature Communications , Science Advances
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On April 30, the Salt Lake County Health Department's 2024 Climate & Health Symposium will bring together experts, including University of Utah scientists, to talk about how climate change impacts human health. One speaker is Daniel Mendoza, research assistant professor in atmospheric sciences; adjunct assistant professor in internal medicine; and adjunct assistant professor in City & Metropolitan Planning.

Mendoza presents a case study, titled "Environmental refuges during summertime heat and elevated ozone levels: A preliminary case study of an urban 'cool zone' building," in the journal Buildings.

Mendoza and co-authors measured indoor and outdoor temperature and ozone levels at the Millcreek library, a building designated as a "cool zone" for the public to escape increasingly hostile environment extremes by climate change.

Mendoza spoke with AtTheU about environmental refuges and how cities can better protect vulnerable individuals.

How are heat and health related?

In Utah, we're very aware of air quality-related health concerns, but we're not as aware of the dangers of extreme heat. As the climate changes we need to pay attention to elevated temperatures, not only during the day, but also the temperature at night.

There's lots of attention when we hit record highs, but they obviously happen during the middle of the day where there are many opportunities to seek refuge in venues with air conditioning. We're generally at work or at school or can go to the store, for example, because these places are open when its hottest.

High temperatures during the evening are more insidiousyou're very vulnerable to your environment while you're sleeping, especially for children, the elderly, or people with chronic health issues. When it's too hot at night, you're not recovering at a cellular level. This can cause chronic health issues that for some, can lead to strokes, among other negative effects. We always see an uptick in heat-related illness in the ER during heat waves.

How will climate change impact our exposure to heat?

Not only are average temperatures rising, but our cities essentially generate this brick oven effect where there's so much concrete, it absorbs the heat during the day and radiates it back out at night. We're starting to see that there's a disproportionate health impact of heat-related illness, in a similar manner as we've noticed for air quality.

This urban heat effect has more impact on communities in the central downtown area or on the West side, places that are more built up and have less green space. Green space helps mitigate the urban heat effect because trees block sunlight from hitting the paved surface, and vegetated areas work like giant swamp coolers.

Heat waves don't catch us unaware. They are events that we can predict and, given the right policies, we can minimize the impact on human health, particularly in the vulnerable individuals because those are the populations that really suffer the most because of a lack of proper shelter.

What is the Cool Zone program in Salt Lake County?

The Salt Lake County Division of Aging and Adult Services is trying to bring awareness and protection to individuals who are vulnerable to heat-related illnesses during heat waves. Within the county, all the libraries, rec centers and senior centers are designated locations where people can get relief from the heat.

These places weren't necessarily retrofitted to serve this purposethey're established community gathering spaces being used as heat relief centers.

In our recent study, we wanted to look closely at the cool zones to assess whether they are useful and accessible and to provide recommendations based on our data. For example, many of these cool zones close around 2 or 3 pm, and those are the hottest times of the day, right? And some aren't even open on weekends. How can we make cool zones, or better yet, environmental refuges, more effective?

Your study analyzed how cool zones blocked heat and ozone, a common air pollutant during the summer. Why did you focus on both heat and ozone?

Climate change exposes us to compounding environmental exposures. For example, rising temperatures and drought are correlated with bigger wildfires. Even if Utah avoids them, smoke from surrounding states funnel into the Wasatch Front. In the study, we asked, "Can cool zones protect individuals from heat and poor air quality?"

For this first paper, we focused on the Mill Creek Library's ability to protect occupants from heat and ozone as the stand-in air pollutant because the campaign took place during the summer, which is when we see the highest levels of ozone. Ozone is dangerous because it basically causes a sunburn in your lungs that impacts respiratory and cardiovascular health.

We found that the Millcreek Library was cooler than outside, obviously because the temperature was regulated, but also reduced the exposure to ozone by almost 80% compared to the outside concentrations. So, being inside the building not only protected you from elevated temperatures, but also from poorer quality.

What are some policy recommendations, based on your findings?

We argue that we should increase the scope of these cool zones and consider them environmental refuges, to protect populations from ozone, wildfires, and dust events, which we're seeing more often.

We should be thinking about how to make these centers more accessible, for example, keeping them open for longer hours to protect people during the hottest parts of the day.

Now, nighttime is a completely different story. We could follow the "code blue" model extreme temperatures during the winter triggers the county to open emergency shelters to keep people from freezing overnight. Because ultimately, and looking at the issue very cynically, you can always bundle up some more and survive the cold, but there's no way to cool off if you don't have some help, such as mechanical air conditioning.

What are your next steps for improving environmental refuges?

We need to quantify refuge usage, and the reason for usage. Are people going there because they would normally go to the library or the senior center activities? Or are people making a conscious decision to protect themselves. A way to quantify this would be an active public health campaign which includes tracking some health statistics. For example, during a heat wave, the health department can run ads in the radio or organize events at the cool zones, to see if these efforts can increase usage of those locations.

To quantify the campaign's impact, we can see if there are fewer cases of ER visits due to heat related illness during that week because we see an increase in usage.

More information: Daniel L. Mendoza et al, Environmental Refuges during Summertime Heat and Elevated Ozone Levels: A Preliminary Case Study of an Urban "Cool Zone" Building, Buildings (2024). DOI: 10.3390/buildings14020523
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This is where the Swedish qubits are going | The Canadian underground laboratory SNOLAB has the world's lowest flux of muons  particles formed when cosmic rays reach the Earth's atmosphere  and advanced testing capabilities that make it an ideal locatio. Credit: Chalmers University of Technology | Snolab

Radiation from space is a challenge for quantum computers as their computation time becomes limited by cosmic rays. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and University of Waterloo in Canada are now going deep underground in the search for a solution to this problemin a two-kilometer-deep mine.

A recently discovered cause of errors in quantum computers is cosmic radiation. Highly charged particles from space disturb the sensitive qubits and cause them to lose their quantum state, as well as the ability to continue a calculation. But now quantum researchers from Sweden and Canada will join forces to find a solution to the problemin the world's deepest located clean room, two kilometers underground.

"We are super excited about this project because it addresses the very important question of how cosmic radiation affects qubits and quantum processors. Gaining access to this underground facility is crucial to understanding how the effects of cosmic radiation can be mitigated," says Per Delsing, Professor of Quantum Technology at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, and Director of the Wallenberg Center for Quantum Technology.

Quantum processor chip. Credit: Chalmers University of Technology | Anna-Lena Lundqvist

Canadian Shield protects against cosmic rays

The unique research project is carried out in collaboration between researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo, and SNOLAB near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

In the study, superconducting qubits manufactured at Chalmers University of Technology will first be tested above ground in both Sweden and Canada. Next, the same qubits will be tested far below the Canadian ground so that differences between the two environments may be studied. With the help of the two-kilometer-thick "ground shield" that surrounds the world's deepest clean room located in the Vales Creighton mine in Ontario, the researchers may shut out cosmic rays or radioactivity that otherwise would have "knocked out" the qubits above ground.

"SNOLAB maintains the lowest muon flux in the world and has advanced cryogenics testing capabilities, making it an ideal place to conduct valuable research on quantum technologies," says Jeter Hall, Director of research at SNOLAB and Adjunct Professor at Laurentian University in Canada.

May solve error correction challenge

For the impact of quantum computers to be realized in society, quantum researchers first need to solve the issue of error correction. While classical computers use systems that can correct the errors that occur and provide reliable results, there are no current systems powerful enough to correct the significantly more complex errors that occur in quantum computers.

The error correction methods used on quantum computers today assume that each error caused by cosmic rays occurs independently of each other. This is an incorrect assessment, since these kinds of errors, on the contrary, usually correlate with each other. Current error correction methods cannot correct correlating errors, which means that multiple qubits can lose their quantum state at the same time. By increasing the understanding of the qubit processes, the researchers now want to find methods to reduce the number of correlated errors.

"With this project, we hope to start understanding what's going on with the qubit decoherence in relation to cosmic rays, and then start understanding how the radiation affects the qubits in more controlled ways," says Dr. Chris Wilson, Professor at the University of Waterloo and active at the Institute for Quantum Computing in Ontario.

The project is carried out in collaboration between Chalmers University of Technology, the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and SNOLAB near Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
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Tree mortality due to bark beetle infestation. Credit: Rupert Seidl

Europe's forests have already been severely affected by climate change. Thousands of hectares of trees have already died due to drought and bark beetles. Scientists from the University of Vienna and the Technical University of Munich TUM have now investigated which trees can be used for reforestation.

Their findings indicate only a few tree species are fit for the future, such as English oak in the UK. However, mixed forests are important for the survival of forests, otherwise the forest ecosystem as a whole could be weakened. The results of the study were published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

Although European forests are naturally home to a mix of trees, the number of tree species is lower than in climatically comparable areas of North America or East Asia. In the future, even fewer species will be available to the forestry industry, as scientists led by Johannes Wessely and Stefan Dullinger from the University of Vienna have shown in their new study.

Depending on the region, between a third and a half of the tree species found there today will no longer be able to cope with future conditions. "This is an enormous decline," says lead author Johannes Wessely, "especially when you consider that only some of the species are of interest for forestry."

The scientists examined the 69 more common of the just over 100 European tree species with regard to the 21st century in Europe. On average, only nine of these 69 species per location are fit for the future in Europe, compared to four in the UK.

"Trees that are planted now for reforestation must survive under both current and future conditions. This is difficult because they have to withstand the cold and frost of the next few years as well as a much warmer climate at the end of the 21st century. There is only a very small overlap," says Wessely. In the UK, these climate-fit species include, for example, the English oak. Which tree species will suit which region of Europe in the future varies greatly overall.

However, even with the selected set of future-proof trees, a major problem remains: the average of nine species is not enough for a species-rich mixed forest. "Mixed forests consisting of many tree species are an important measure to make forests more robust against disturbances such as bark beetles. In some places in Europe, however, we could run out of tree species to establish such colorful mixed forests," explains last author Rupert Seidl from the Technical University of Munich TUM.

Trees store carbon, provide a habitat or food source for animals or can be processed into timberthese are all important properties of forests. But not all trees fulfill these functions equally; only an average of three of the nine climate-fit tree species can do this.

"Our work clearly shows how severely the vitality of forests is affected by climate change. We cannot rely solely on a new mix of tree species; rapid measures to mitigate climate change are essential for the sustainable protection of our forests," says Wessely.
China will send giant pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to the San Diego Zoo in the United States, heralding a new 10-year round of international conservation partnership.

In line with an agreement for giant panda conservation signed earlier this month by the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the San Diego Zoo in California, both parties are making preparations for the pandas' journey, according to the association.

China has selected Yun Chuan, a male, and Xin Bao, a female, from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan province, and has arranged for experienced caretakers and veterinarians to accompany them to the US.

The San Diego Zoo is renovating and upgrading the panda facilities to provide a larger and more comfortable living environment. Additionally, the zoo has assembled a professional team with expertise in panda care, daily nursing and related scientific research, acquired through study and exchange programs in China.

To ensure the well-being of the giant pandas, experts from the China Wildlife Conservation Association traveled to the US in March for in-depth discussions and technical exchanges with the San Diego Zoo.

Li Desheng, deputy director of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, said: "Giant pandas are important envoys for peaceful and friendly exchanges. As far as I know, wherever the giant pandas go, they are especially loved by the local people. Giant pandas can greatly facilitate communication between peoples and let people around the world know China better. There is also much collaboration in the field of animal conservation."

The cooperation between the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the zoo dates back to 1996, when Bai Yun and Shi Shi from the research center became the first pair of pandas to live in the zoo.

Giant pandas Hua Mei, born in 1999, and Mei Sheng, born in 2003, who formerly lived at the San Diego Zoo, are not only the result of China-US giant panda research cooperation, but also are adorable ambassadors promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries, the conservation association said. They have also made a positive contribution to enhancing friendship between the peoples of China and the US, it added.

Since the 1990s, China has collaborated on giant panda conservation with 26 institutions in 20 countries, including Spain, Japan and France.

On Monday, giant pandas Jin Xi and Zhu Yu are scheduled to depart for the Madrid Zoo in Spain, beginning a 10-year stay.

"Scientific and educational outreach also serves as an important function of international giant panda exchanges, allowing more people to understand giant pandas," said Li, the deputy director of the conservation and research center.
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In a new study, researchers have used online surveys conducted primarily when Donald Trump was president to show that both Republican and Democratic voters provided explicit moral justification for politicians' statements that were factually inaccurate, especially when they aligned with their personal politics.

The study was conducted by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Rice University, the University of Colorado-Boulder, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It appears in the American Journal of Sociology.

"What we found is that political misinformation isn't just about whether voters can tell facts from fiction," said Oliver Hahl, associate professor of organization theory, strategy, and entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business, who co-authored the study. "It seems like it's more about how statements, whether true or not, speak to a broader political agenda."

Researchers conducted six surveys to gauge voters' responses to statements by politicians that flouted the norm of fact-grounding (i.e., that one should stick to facts when giving a statement) while proclaiming deeper, socially divisive "truths." Five were conducted during Trump's presidency and one was conducted in the spring of 2023. Participants were recruited from either Amazon's Cloud Research Platform, a crowd-sourcing platform that assists people with virtual tasks, or Prolific, a research platform that provides academics and companies access to participants for studies and surveys.

All six surveys had similar structures and questions, though some questions were specific to a particular political context. Each survey gauged voters' reactions to false statements by politicians, including Trump, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, President Joe Biden, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.

The results of all the surveys showed a significant tendency by partisans to deliberately support violations of the norm of fact-grounding, justifying these factually inaccurate statements in moral terms when they could have relied on a factual justification. The surveys also provided consistent evidence that voters distinguish between objective evidence and truth, favoring the latter when judging statements of favored politicians and the former when judging disfavored candidates.

Importantly, results from the last two surveys indicated significant moral flexibility among both Democrats and Republicans.

The results challenge the common belief that partisan voters' positive reactions to misinformation from their party leaders are solely because of laziness or bias leading them to confuse factually inaccurate information for truth. Instead, the evidence consistently shows that voters are flexible with the factsexhibiting factual flexibility.

Yet they also provide consistent evidence of moral flexibility, whereby voters justify demagogic fact-flouting, or disregarding or ignoring facts, as an effective way of proclaiming a deeply resonant political "truth." A key implication is that political misinformation cannot be eliminated by getting voters to distinguish fact from fiction; voters' moral orientations may be such that they prefer fact-flouting.

In most studies, Trump supporters showed considerable flexibility with the facts regarding his statements. However, the study focusing on the "big lie," which surveyed only those who voted for Trump in 2016, proved to be an exception.

Conducted in 2021, the survey explored voters' responses to Trump's claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was "rigged" or "stolen." Participants were more likely to consider Trump's allegations as grounded in objective evidence rather than subjective viewpoints.

Compared to other topics, Trump's allegations that the election was stolen were portrayed as factual. There is less moral flexibility with this issue, possibly because these claims were presented more as facts. However, the emphasis on factual accuracy concerning the big lie still varies based on people's political affiliations.

Among the limitations of their work, the authors note that the statements used in the surveys represented just one type of political misinformation (demagogic fact-flouting by partisan politicians). In addition, the measurement and analysis strategy used was new and lacked a track record, and the samples were not nationally representative.

"Our findings reiterate the sociological insight that commitment to democratic norms cannot be assumed and indicate the importance of that caution when it comes to the problem of political misinformation," said Minjae Kim, Assistant Professor of Management at Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business, and study co-author.

"In particular, efforts to combat voters' positive response to misinformation cannot be limited to teaching them to simply work harder to digest accurate information (e.g., fact-checking)."

More information: Minjae Kim et al, When Truth Trumps Facts: Studies on Partisan Moral Flexibility in American Politics, American Journal of Sociology (2024). DOI: 10.1086/730763 Journal information: American Journal of Sociology
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A man showers with a hose during hot weather in Manila on April 28, 2024.

South and Southeast Asia braced for more extreme heat on Sunday as authorities across the region issued health warnings and residents fled to parks and air-conditioned malls for relief.

A wave of exceptionally hot weather has blasted the region over the past week, sending the mercury as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and forcing thousands of schools to tell students to stay home.

The Philippines announced on Sunday the suspension of in-person classes at all public schools for two days after a record-shattering day of heat in the capital Manila.

In Thailand, where at least 30 people have died of heatstroke so far this year, the meteorological department warned of "severe conditions" after temperatures in a northern province exceeded 44.1C (111.4F) on Saturday.

And in Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, India and Bangladesh, forecasters warned that temperatures could exceed 40C in the coming days as people endured searing heat and stifling humidity.

"I dare not go out in the daytime. I am worried we would get heatstroke," said a 39-year-old cashier in Myanmar's Yangon who gave her name as San Yin.

She said she has been going to a park with her husband and four-year-old son at night to escape the heat of their fourth-floor apartment.

A vendor stands under a tree during hot weather in Manila. The Philippines has suspended in-person classes in all public schools for two days because of the extreme heat.

"This is the only spot we can stay to avoid the heat in our neighborhood," she said.

Global temperatures hit record highs last year, and the United Nations weather and climate agency said Tuesday that Asia was warming at a particularly rapid pace.

Extensive scientific research has found climate change is causing heat waves to become longer, more frequent and more intense.

No relief

Myanmar has recorded temperatures that are 3-4C higher than the April average, its weather monitor said last week.

And on Sunday, the national forecaster predicted temperatures in the central city of Mandalay could rise to 43C.

The ministry of water and meteorology in Cambodia warned that temperatures could also hit 43C in some parts of the country in the week ahead, while the health ministry advised people to monitor their health "during hot weather related to climate change".

People gather at a jetty in Yangon in Myanmar, which has experienced higher-than-average April temperatures.

Temperatures in Vietnam were also forecast to remain high during a five-day national holiday, with forecasts as high as 41C in the north.

Forecasters there said it would remain intensely hot until the end of April, with cooler conditions expected in May.

India's weather department said Saturday that severe heat wave conditions would continue through the weekend in several states, with temperatures soaring to 44C in some locations.

"I have never experienced this heat before," Ananth Nadiger, a 37-year-old advertising professional, told AFP from Bengaluru.

"It's very unpleasant and it takes the energy out of you."

The world's biggest democracy is in the middle of a six-week general election that saw millions of voters queue up in searing temperatures on Friday.

India's election commission said it had formed a task force to review the impact of heat waves and humidity before each round of voting.

A worker carries air coolers in Hyderabad, with Indian forecasters saying a severe heatwave would continue through the weekend.

And in Bangladesh, millions of students returned to schools that had been closed due to extreme temperatures, even though its weather bureau said Sunday the heat wave would continue for at least the next three days.

"I went to the school with my 13-year-old daughter. She was happy her school was open. But I was tense," said Lucky Begum, whose daughter is enrolled at a state-run school in Dhaka.

"The heat is too much," she told AFP. "She already got heat rashes from sweating. I hope she does not get sick."

School closures

The suspension of in-person classes in the Philippines came after Manila witnessed its highest temperature ever recorded, with jeepney drivers also planning a nationwide strike on Monday and Tuesday.

The temperature in the capital hit a record 38.8C (101.8F) on Saturday, with the heat index reaching 45C, data from the state weather forecaster showed.

Students returned to school in Bangladesh after classes were suspended because of a lingering heatwave.

The heat index measures what a temperature feels like, taking into account humidity.

Many schools in the Philippines have no air-conditioning, leaving students to swelter in crowded, poorly ventilated classrooms.

The hot weather persisted on Sunday, with many flocking to air-conditioned shopping malls and swimming pools for relief.

"This is the hottest I've ever experienced here," said Nancy Bautista, 65, whose resort in Cavite province near Manila was fully booked.

"Many of our guests are friends and families. They swim in the pool to fight the heat."

March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest months of the year in the region but this year's conditions have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

"All places in the country, not necessarily just Metro Manila, are expected to have hotter temperatures until the second week of May," Glaiza Escullar of the state weather forecaster told AFP.

A man douses himself with water during a heat wave in Manila.

People rest in the shade in a park during hot weather in Manila.

Camiling municipality in Tarlac province, north of Manila, recorded a temperature of 40.3C (104.5F) on Saturdaythe highest in the Philippines this year.

As the mercury rose, Gerise Reyes, 31, planned to take her two-year-old daughter to a shopping mall near Manila.

"It's hot here at home. This is the hottest I've ever experienced, especially between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm," she said.

"We need a free aircon to cut our electricity bill."

 2024 AFP
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

"This isn't mine; this is one for the team," said Succession star Kieran Culkin as he accepted the Best Actor award at this year's Golden Globes. It's a familiar aspect of Hollywood awards speechesa reminder that the stars dazzling us on screen could not exist without the people who support them. "It's been said, but it's a team effort, this show," said Succession creator Jesse Armstrong at the awards, underlining the same sentiment.

Hollywood speeches aside, we do seem to focus on individuals when we acknowledge greatness. In business and science, the dominant cultural narrative is that the bulk of innovation is driven by a handful of exceptional individuals, or "stars." We elevate pioneers like Steve Jobs or Albert Einstein, and reward individuals who show similar promise with resources that allow them to continue performing high-value work.

Star scientists are those who publish significantly more than their peers, producing papers with greater impact and actively participating in commercialization ventures. However, science is rarely a solo effort. Even star scientists usually have a teama "constellation"of collaborators behind them. Research teams have grown in size by 50% in the period between 1981 and 1999.

In recent years, more than 80% of all science and engineering publications and over two-thirds of patents have been the product of multiple authors. Research collaborations that include star researchers typically achieve higher average performance than those without such individuals.

But what is the maximum impact that a single person can have on the joint performance of a collaboration? We examined the relative contributions individuals and their collaborators make to scientific innovation to understand how to optimize team composition to best perform.

How star researchers improve collective performance

Star researchers improve collective performance in two ways. First, the presence and contributions of the star researcher improve the quality and output of their collaborators, leading to greater overall team success. Previous approaches have studied this so-called spillover effect by examining what happens when a star scientist leaves the group. These studies showed that when this happened, colleagues experienced a lasting 5-10% decline in publication rate.

Second, once a researcher has initial success, they find it increasingly easy to attract talent and resources. This is called the "Matthew effect," named after a (loose) interpretation of a Biblical parable.

In practice, the Matthew effect reflects a feedback loop wherein star researchers can increase their success at a greater rate than their peers. It has been borne out by studies showing that star scientists gain preferential access to valuable resources like funding, talented graduate students, and advanced lab facilities in both in academia and in the private sector.

30 star scientists and their constellations

Prior research has treated spillover and the Matthew effect separately, but they are inextricably linked. So, we developed a model to capture this complexity.

We investigated the star-constellation relationship in collaborations that resulted in an invention. University researchers must disclose new inventions to their institutions. Because the disclosure is a legal document, it's useful for our research because it sidesteps social noise such as favors and institutional politics that may skew rates of publication authorship. The data was taken from a U.S. university with a renowned medical school.

Analysis was performed using data on the 555 invention disclosures that were registered between 1988 and 1999. From the total cohort of 1003 scientists, of which 248 were team leaders, we identified a cohort of 30 "stars" who were in the top 5% of globally cited researchers.

Irreplaceable stars

The contribution of a star scientist to a team is dominanti.e. their contribution exceeds that of their teamwhen they are "irreplaceable." This means that they are so well-matched to the rest of the team that the constellation would be unable to produce work of the same standard without them, even with a new leader.

What makes a leader "well matched" to their team? We looked for trends in the dataset, considered the research impact, knowledge profile, and the range of seniorities in the group, so we could determine what matters the most when scientists choose collaborators.

We found that high-value team leaders tend to work with high-value collaborators, supporting the theory that star scientists attract talented constellations. Further, prominent leaders have access to, and are preferred by, collaborators with whom they share some expertise overlap, though a very high similarity makes the collaboration less favorable. Some common language and goals are a strength, but too much overlap in expertise stifles innovation.

In addition, high-value team leaders tend to work in groups where scientists of both senior and junior ranks come together. We therefore argue that diversity of perspectives and skills enables discovery. Last but not least, star scientists and their collaborators tend to share the same research profile with respect to the application domains of their research.

Star's surprisingly small contribution

We used these findings to investigate whether the star or constellation makes the greater contribution to scientific discovery. When a star and constellation are well-matched, they produce higher quality research. For each collaboration, we calculated whether the star or constellation would be harder to replace.

To calculate the replaceability, we replaced a star or constellation with the substitute that was the second-best match. The greater the loss in research impact, the more irreplaceable the missing star or constellation was to the research.

Surprisingly, results show that it is rare for a single person to make a more impactful contribution than their team. The relative contribution the star makes to knowledge creation surpasses the constellation's in only 14.3% of collaborations. The constellation is the dominant party, in terms of relative value creation, in only 9.5% of cases. In more than three-quarters of cases, neither party dominates, with complementarity between star and constellation maximizing research value. In almost every pairing, innovation was a collective endeavor.

In short, to identify the drivers of innovation and discovery, we should not allow our view of the entire sky to be eclipsed by a few very bright stars.

Championing the whole team

Scientists perceived to bring star qualities are in demand and are often induced to transfer from one institution to another. This research suggests that administrators should endeavor to enable stars to move with their teams. Adjusting to work without their collaborators may have an adverse effect on the scientist's research and their ability to attract additional talented hires. Dominating stars suffer a smaller loss without their team, but they are getting a bigger piece of a smaller pie.

However, the most significant takeaway for this research is that research credit is unfairly biased towards prominent individuals. Star scientists undoubtedly drive innovation, and a minority brings irreplaceable value. However, when considering the research output of a star, their achievements should be looked at within the context of a team. In most cases, the constellation brings a high contribution that merits recognition with IP credits, financial rents and other resources.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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The NTU team designed shape-memory polymers, which are smart materials that can 'remember' their previous forms, in the form of hair-like fibrils which they found in their testing to provide maximum adhesive strength. Credit: Nanyang Technological University

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a smart, reusable adhesive more than 10 times stronger than a gecko's feet adhesion, pointing the way for development of reusable superglue and grippers capable of holding heavy weights across rough and smooth surfaces.

The NTU research team, led by Professor K Jimmy Hsia, found a way to maximize the adhesion of the smart adhesives by using shape-memory polymers, which can stick and detach easily when needed simply by heating them.

Writing last month in the journal National Science Review, the team details their breakthrough in adhesion by designing the shape-memory polymer material in the shape of hair-like fibrils.

This smart adhesive can support extremely heavy weights, opening new possibilities for robotic grippers that allow humans to scale walls effortlessly, or climbing robots that can cling onto ceilings for survey or repair applications.

Professor Hsia, President's Chair in Mechanical Engineering, NTU School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (MAE) and School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, said, "This research is based on a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of adhesion forces on rough surfaces. It can help us develop very strong, yet easily detachable, adhesives adaptable to rough surfaces. The technology will be very useful in adhesive grippers and climbing robots and might one day let humans climb walls like a real-life Spider-Man."

Shape-memory polymers are materials that can hold "memories" of their previous form and return to their original shape after they have been deformed by applying external stimuli such as heat, light or electrical current. These properties make them ideal to be used as switchable adhesives that can adapt to various surfaces.

In their testing, the researchers used a shape-memory polymer named E44 epoxy, a stiff and glass-like plastic at room temperature. Upon heating, the material turns into a soft rubber-like state that can conform and lock onto microscopic nooks and crevices. As it cools, it becomes glassy, creating extra-strong adhesive bonds due to a shape-locking effect.

When the material is reheated, it reverts to its rubbery state so it can be pulled away and easily detached from the surface it was clinging to.

The researchers found that the most effective adhesion came from designing the shape-memory polymer into an array of hair-like fibrils. Each fibril had to be carefully designedlarger fibrils had weaker adhesion, while the smaller fibrils were hard to fabricate and prone to collapse and degradation. The sweet spot was between 0.5 mm and 3 mm in radius, pushing the limits of adhesion while retaining structural integrity.

In their experiments, the researchers found that one fibril with a 19.6 mm2 cross-section could support loads up to 1.56 kg. Every additional fibril allows for more weight to be supported. A palm-sized array of 37 fibrils weighing about 30 g can hold a weight of 60 kgan adult human's weight.

The research paper's first author, NTU Research Fellow Dr. Linghu Changhong, said, "Our smart adhesive exemplifies how shape-memory polymers can maintain and even enhance adhesion as surface roughness increases. This overcomes the 'adhesion paradox,' which scientists have been puzzling over, where there is a decrease in adhesion strength on rough surfaces despite having more surface area for molecules to adhere to.

"Our tests showed that adhesion strength of the polymer increases along with surface roughness when in a solid state and decreases when in the rubbery state."

Co-corresponding author Professor Gao Huajian, formerly a Distinguished University Professor from NTU's School of MAE and currently the Xinghua University Professor at Tsinghua University, said, "For practical gripping purposes, the adhesive needs to be strong enough to stick onto a surface, yet also easily detach when needed. Switching between the two modes is vital for practical applications. Stronger adhesives can support heavier loading but tend to be harder to detachthis is what we call a 'switchability conflict.'

"Our research into shape-memory polymers has resulted in an adhesive that can easily harden to stick onto surfaces, and just as easily soften to detach, all the while being able to bear heavy weights including that of a human being."

Professor Hsia added, "The shape-memory polymer adhesives we designed overcame both the adhesion paradox and the switchability conflict, providing guidelines for developing stronger and more switchable adhesives adaptable to rough surfaces."

Paving the way for sticky climbing gear

Detaching the shape-memory polymer while it is attached to a surface in a glass state takes less than a minute of heating using a hair dryer to bring temperatures up to 60C. Conversely, for attachment, it takes about three minutes for the material to cool down thoroughly and lock into place.

The temperature at which the polymer changes states can be controlled by adjusting the ratios of the components used to form the polymer. This allows the polymer to be used in extreme environments, such as hot weather conditions. In their testing, the researchers set the temperature at which the polymer detaches to 60C, a temperature that falls outside most comfortable real-world conditions.

This ability of the material to attach and detach using only heat lets it act as a reusable superglue that does not leave behind sticky residue on walls. It can also be used as soft grippers capable of sticking onto objects with diverse surface textures and reliably holding them for extended periods.

Dr. Changhong said, "At this current stage, the heating and cooling times, as well as switching temperature, restrict the number of real-world use cases. However, our findings show that reducing the wait times to mere seconds is possible, and the switching temperatures can be lowered to near body temperature, dramatically opening up application possibilities.

"The stimuli to switch the material from one state to another can also be different, such as using electrical current or light instead."

Moving forward, the research team aims to reduce the cooling time required for adhesion. The team envisions that the adhesive might eventually be used in climbing equipmentsuch as gloves and bootsthat will allow climbers to stick onto and scale walls. Robots could also be outfitted with the material to create wall-climbing robots, which are useful in many industries such as construction and building surveying.

More information: Changhong Linghu et al, Fibrillar adhesives with unprecedented adhesion strength, switchability and scalability, National Science Review (2024). DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwae106
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

For most people, biting into a lemon would leave them puckered up and desperate to lose that sour flavor, but a new study by Penn State researchers revealed that roughly one in eight adults like intensely sour sensations. The cross-cultural study, recently published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, demonstrated there is a subset of "sour likers" who enjoy exceptionally sour foods.

"This is the first time it's been convincingly shown that there is a segment of adults who likes strongly sour things," said John Hayes, professor of food science, director of the Sensory Evaluation Center at Penn State and author on the study.

Previous studies have shown that some children, roughly one in three, enjoy intensely sour flavors, Hayes explained, but this had not been tested directly in adults. His recent study, conducted in partnership with researchers in Italy, was the first to show that for a sizeable amount of people, the enjoyment of sourness lasts well into adulthood.

"Think about candies like Warheads and Sour Patch Kids," Hayes said. "The market tells us that there must be some people who enjoy them into adulthood, but now we have an estimate of how many."

The international research team set out to test the widespread belief that adults are generally averse to sourness, which they predicted would result in a drop in liking as sourness increases. They tested the liking patterns of sourness in two different countries across two different groups of individuals belonging to different food culturesItaly and the United States.

The team measured the responses of 143 American adults to various levels of citric acid in water. They also measured the responses of 350 Italian adults to pear juice spiked with various amounts of citric acid. They selected participants with similar age, gender and ethnicitymajority whitefrom a metropolitan area in Tuscany, Italy, and from the municipality of State College, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Participants were asked to rate the intensity and liking of a range of samples with varying sourness levels. For both cohorts, the researchers found evidence of three distinct patterns of response: a strong negative group where liking dropped with increased sourness, an intermediate group who showed a more muted drop in liking with more sourness, and a strong positive group where liking increased with more sourness.

"Most people didn't like sourness, so if you just average across the entire group, then you'd conclude that more sour equals bad," says Hayes. "But if you dig deeper, you find huge differences across people."

By gauging levels of liking, the researchers were also able to test the hypothesis that "sour likers" might just be less sensitive to sour foods, the theory that higher concentrations of sourness for "sour likers" registered the same as lower concentrations of sourness in someone else.

"You could imagine a case where they're just less responsive to sourness in general," Hayes said. "But that's not what we find. We find the people that like really sour flavor actually experience it just as sour as other people. They simply enjoy it more."

Strikingly, the researchers noted that both the Italian and American cohorts showed similar proportions of response patterns to sourness, with about 63% to 70% in the strong negative group and roughly 11% to 12% in the strong positive group, suggesting these proportions may be stable across cultures.

"Italian food culture and American food culture are so wildly different," said Sara Spinelli, a researcher from the University of Florence in Italy and first author on the paper. "And yet we end up with almost identical percentages, which suggests to us this is not an effect of prior exposure. It's probably something innately different about those people. We don't know what that is, but it tells us that it's not just the foods you grew up with."

The researchers noted that the data support the existence of previously unexplored taste profiles that respond positively to sour stimuli. Given that sourness is classically considered to be a negative sensory attribute, the researchers were surprised to discover that that roughly 1 in 8 participants from both countries showed an increase in liking as sourness increased.

"This study highlights the importance of looking at individual differences and potential consumer segments, rather than merely averaging responses across all individuals within a group," Spinelli said. "Because when we average the response, all we see is a dislike of sourness, we lose this subset of people who actually love it."

Hayes explained that this type of segmentation could be used to develop tailored products that account for the specific "sour liker" taste profile.

"This could ultimately serve to promote the consumption of healthier foods and beverages that are lower in sweetness but still acceptable to consumers," he said.

The manuscript was written while the first author was Fulbright Research Scholar at the Sensory Evaluation Center at Penn State.

Other Penn State authors on the study are Helene Hopfer, associate professor of food science, and Victor Moulinier, a sensory science intern for the College of Agricultural Sciences. The other authors from the University of Florence are John Prescott and Erminio Monteleone.

More information: Sara Spinelli et al, Distinct sensory hedonic functions for sourness in adults, Food Quality and Preference (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2024.105152 Journal information: Food Quality and Preference
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Using excavated artifacts, Ambrose (pictured) and his team discovered that there was a long-distance cultural exchange between the Tibetan plateau and northern China. Credit: L. Brian Stauffer, U. of I. News Bureau

The Tibetan plateauthe world's highest and largest plateauposes a challenge to the people who live there because of its extreme climate. In a new study, researchers have discovered stone artifacts that suggest that there were more cultural exchanges between those who lived on the plateau and those living on its perimeter.

The paper is published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews.

"The Tibetan plateau has an average elevation of more than 4,500 meters, which makes Colorado seem like it is at sea level. It's amazing that people have been able to occupy this area on and off for at least the last 40,000 years," said Stanley Ambrose (MME), a professor of anthropology. "Unfortunately, very little research has been done in this big area."

The plateau covers roughly four times the size of Texas and the researchers were focused on the Holocene period, which began about 11,700 years ago. "Although the world was warmer and wetter, this high-altitude location was arid and largely grassy, making it a challenging place to live in," Ambrose added.

The researchers focused on a region of the plateau that supported a small human population due to its cold, dry climate and reduced oxygen levels. However, this area was prime grazing territory for yaks and gazelles. Previously it was believed that the residents developed unique strategies to survive, including making specialized stone tools and having unique genetic adaptations that helped them adapt to low oxygen conditions.

"These tools were ideal because they could be reconfigured easily for different purposes. They were flexible and versatile, allowing the owners to carry a bag of bladelets that could be then shaped within seconds," Ambrose said. "Before that, everybody was running around with big knives and spears, which were durable and strong, but weren't diverse."

In the present study, the researchers excavated over 700 artifacts by digging through the surface and collecting them from different sedimentary layers. They then dated these tools using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry 14C to confirm their age and composition.

The researchers confirmed that the blades were from the middle-to-late Holocene. Intriguingly, they also discovered that the blades themselves were similar to the ones that had been developed in northern China, indicating that there was a long-distance cultural exchange between the Tibetan plateau and northern China through the communities that lived on the plateau's perimeter.

"These artifacts were created from geological materials that were located hundreds of kilometers away, suggesting that there were large social networks that were much bigger than the largest human hunter-gatherer ranges," Ambrose said. "It also implies that these networks had long-distance interaction and communication."

The researchers are now interested in expanding the size of the excavations to prove their hypothesis. "Although this is a very small excavation, there is enough to show that there were long-distance interactions. Now we need to look at larger areas and get more samples to see if we can go further back in time," Ambrose said.

The study "The earliest microblade site 6800 years ago reveals broader social dimension than previous thought at the central high altitude Tibetan plateau" was published in Quaternary Science Reviews.

More information: Yahui Qiu et al, The earliest microblade site 6800 years ago reveals broader social dimension than previous thought at the central high altitude Tibetan plateau, Quaternary Science Reviews (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108551 Journal information: Quaternary Science Reviews
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The first case of a walrus dying from bird flu has been detected on one of Norway's Arctic islands, a researcher said Monday.

The walrus was found last year on Hopen island in the Svalbard archipelago, Christian Lydersen, of the Norwegian Polar Institute, told AFP.

Tests carried out by a German laboratory revealed the presence of bird flu, Lydersen said. The sample was too small to determine whether it was the H5N1 or the H5N8 strain.

"It is the first time that bird flu has been recorded in a walrus," Lydersen said.

About six dead walrus were found last year in the Svalbard islands, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the North Pole and halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.

Lydersen said it was "not improbable" that some of them had the bird flu.

Walrus, which can grow to a weight of two tonnes, eat mainly fish and shellfish, but sometimes also consume marine birds.

Lydersen said it was important to monitor developments as walrus tend to group together in summer months when the ice flow melts.

There could also be a risk from a polar bear eating an infected walrus corpse.

Bird flu has taken a growing toll on farm animals since 2020.

It has already killed one polar bear in Alaska, according to US authorities. Thousands of marine mammals have died from bird flu viruses in South America, according to Antarctic researchers.

 2024 AFP
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed a fourth gray wolf depredation in Grand County on Sunday, according to the confirmed gray wolf depredation information.

The incident involved one calf and no claim has been submitted.

CPW defines gray wolf depredation as physical trauma that results in injury or death to a domestic animal. Sunday's incident is the fourth confirmed gray wolf depredation in Grand County in April and the sixth separate depredation incident since 10 gray wolves were released in Colorado in December 2023.

Colorado's first confirmed wolf depredation after the release occurred on April 2 in Grand County. The second attack happened five days later and 60 miles north in Jackson County. Prior to Sunday's incident, the last attack was on April 18 in Grand County.

The Middle Park Stockgrowers Board requested that CPW officials lethally remove two wolves suspected in the livestock attacks Tuesday. However, officials stated that one wolf suspected in recent depredations is likely "denning" and in the breeding process. Removing the male wolf "would be irresponsible management and potentially cause the den to fail, possibly resulting in the death of the presumed pups," CPW Director Jeff Davis said in a letter to the board Tuesday.

Amid reports of livestock depredation, one of the 10 gray wolves reintroduced to Colorado was found dead in Larimer County on April 18. Initial evidence shows the wolf likely died of natural causes, officials said Tuesday.

The approach to lethal removals will likely become more liberal as the wolf population in Colorado grows, according to Davis.

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